Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump may be notorious for using his Twitter handle to bully and insult, but thats not deterring first lady Melania Trump from speaking out against cyberbullying.

Let's face it, most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, Trump said in remarks to a cyberbullying summit outside Washington, D.C., Monday.

Promoting positive behavior on social media among the nations youth is part of the first ladys Be Best initiative focused on childrens wellness.

In today's global society, social media is  part of our children's daily lives, Trump noted on Monday. It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly.

Trump told the audience that adults have a role to play in guiding the next generation in best practices for social media engagement, even as she also encouraged adults to listen to childrens ideas for best practices going forward.

By listening to children's ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate these often difficult topics, Trump said, while also saying: But we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits.

As the first lady participated in the summit, President Trump spent part of his Monday morning firing off a series of tweets in which he blasted special counsel Robert Mueller as disgraced and discredited and also labeled former CIA director John Brennan, whose security clearance he revoked last week, as the worst CIA Director in our countrys history.

The first ladys communications director on Monday defended her advocacy on the issue, in spite of the contrast it draws to President Trumps social media habits, as something that should be celebrated.

She is well aware of the criticism, but that will not deter her from doing what she feels is right, communications director Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. I would hope most people in this country are proud that they have a strong and independent First Lady who only has the best interests of children at heart - I know I am.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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A revolutionary blood test detects 95 per cent of cancers, new research suggests.

Scientists discovered a protein produced by deadly malaria parasites binds to a molecule present on most cancer cells, including pancreatic forms of the disease.

When 10 cancer cells were exposed to the protein in the lab, nine successfully bound to it, the study found.

Study author Professor Ali Salanti, from the University of Copenhagen, said: 'We have developed a method where we take a blood sample and with great sensitivity and specificity, were able to retrieve the individual cancer cells from the blood.

'Today, its difficult to determine which stage cancer is at. Our method has enabled us to detect cancer at stages one, two, three and four.

'Based on the number of circulating tumour cells we find in someones blood, well be able to determine whether its a relatively aggressive cancer or not so then to adjust the treatment accordingly.'

Around 2.5 million people in the UK are living with a cancer diagnosis. The disease affects approximately 430 new people in every 1,000 annually in the US.

A revolutionary blood test detects 95 per cent of cancers, new research suggests (stock)

CAN NON-STICK PANS CAUSE CANCER? Chemicals in non-stick pans get into drinking water and may cause cancer, a report released in June 2018 warned. According to the Washington DC-based Environmental Protection Agency, microscopic particles in chemicals found in non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing and stain-proof carpets break off and enter the food chain. Previous research suggests such chemicals, known as PFOAs, are linked to cancer, high cholesterol and reduced immune system function. A past study found PFOAs appear in one third of food packaging, with manufacturers arguing the chemical extends produce's shelf life and quality, making it safer. Washington state representative Joan McBride told PEW: 'People now realise it doesnt just matter what you put in your mouth but what that food product is wrapped in. 'These chemicals are called persistent chemicals. They stay with you, theyre insidious.' In the US, PFOAs are above recommended levels in up to 33 states. The chemical is banned from fire-fighting foam in Washington state, with PFAS also being prohibited from being used in the region's fast-food restaurants. New Jersey has suggested placing limits on the amount of PFOAs permitted in water to 13-to-14 parts per trillion. PFOAs are widely used in the UK. Advertisement

How the research was carried out

The researchers added 10 cancer cells to 5ml of blood.

To the blood sample, they mixed in a synthetic version of the malaria protein, known as VAR2CSA, which was fused with a tiny magnetic bead.

Results, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggest cancer cells in blood stick to the magnet, allowing them to be analysed for diagnoses.

Study author Mette rskov Agerbk said: 'We count the number of cancer cells and based on that were able to make a prognosis.

'You can, for example, decide to change a given treatment if the number of circulating tumour cells does not change during the treatment the patient is currently undergoing.'

'Offers the opportunity to detect cancer earlier and improve outcomes'

Speaking of the newfound diagnosis method, Professor Salanti said: 'We have developed a method where we take a blood sample and with great sensitivity and specificity, were able to retrieve the individual cancer cells from the blood.

'We catch the cancer cells in greater numbers than existing methods, which offers the opportunity to detect cancer earlier and thus improve outcome.'

Current cancer diagnosis methods detect markers on tumours, however, not all cancerous growths have these markers, such as liver, lung and bone forms of the disease.

Professor Salanti added: 'You can use this method to diagnose broadly, as its not dependent on cancer type.

'We have already detected various types of cancer cells in blood samples. And if there is a cancer cell in your blood, you have a tumour somewhere in your body.'

The malaria-protein method detects liver and pancreatic cancers, with the latter having just a seven per cent five-year survival rate due to it often being diagnosed too late.

The researchers hope the blood sample will be carried out on at-risk people, such as those with a family history of cancer.

Scientists discovered a protein produced by deadly malaria parasites binds to a molecule on more than 95 per cent of cancer cells, including pancreatic forms of the disease (stock)

Cancer drug hijacks the 'survival mechanism' of a tumour

This comes after research released last January suggested a cancer drug is in development that could stop the disease in its tracks.

The unnamed medication targets a specific enzyme that fuels the spread of tumours, a study by Uppsala University found.

It does this by binding to the membrane of rapidly multiplying cells, the research adds.

This hijacks cancer's 'survival mechanism' and prevents tumours from attaching to the protein they need to thrive. It is unclear when the drug could be available.
Children whose parents battled cancer have lower grades and earn less money in their chosen careers, a study has revealed.

Researchers have today warned the more severe their mother or father's cancer, the greater the impact on them.

Danish scientists examined data from more than one million people, followed until they were 30, to make the conclusion.

Around one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, figures suggest.

Effects: Researchers stress need for support of youngsters who experience parental cancer

Analysts at Copenhagen University recorded the final grades of the participants at the age of 15. Their teachers were also surveyed.

Disposable income by age 30 was compiled using national data estimates, based on another 360,054 children several years older.

The results showed children with experience of parental cancer had a much lower final grade average than children who did not.

And this risk was 1.5 times higher if their mother or father's chances of surviving five years were poor, and 1.6 times higher if the parent died.

The risk of low attainment was even greater if it was the father who'd been affected.

No such associations were evident if the outlook was good or if the parent was alive by the child's 18th birthday.

There was also a moderately increased risk of lower earnings power by the age of 30 if a parent had had cancer.

Particularly badly affected were children who had been under five when the diagnosis was made.

This suggests that any impact of parental cancer in early childhood may extend across the life course, say the researchers.

The team of researchers published their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

They were unable to confirm why children whose parents battled cancer would be more likely to have low grades and earn less money.

But they said: 'In a life course perspective, parental cancer in childhood could be considered as a potential early life stressor.

'[This] may increase the health vulnerability to later life exposures, expanding the risk of later social disadvantage and poor adult health.'

They conclude their findings 'may indicate some children who experience parental cancer would benefit from appropriate support and early educational rehabilitation in [their] teenage years.'
'Barren' is not even a word in the vocabulary of most 11-year-olds.

But at that tender age, a doctor informed Caroline Bailey, now 46, that she would never be able to have children of her own.

Caroline had developed a rare, life-threatening infection, most likely the result of rogue bacteria left roaming her body after she had an emergency appendectomy at age two.

The infection had infiltrated her right ovary, both of her Fallopian tubes and her uterus. To save the young girl's life, doctors would have to take away her ability to give birth.

She awoke from an emergency hysterectomy, the youngest patient to ever have one in the US, she claims.

'You can always make love, but you will never be able to have children,' the doctor told Caroline.

Caroline Bailey (far left) was told she was infertile after an infection at age 11. Now, she and her husband, Bruce (far right) have three adopted children: Hunter, 11, Izabel, nine, and Kelton, six

Infertility is not uncommon - nor does it mean that it is impossible to have children.

About 10 percent of adult women in the US may have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying to term.

But to have no chance at pregnancy is extremely rare, and especially surprising to find out before you have even reached the age of a period.

The average age that girls start their period is 12. When Caroline was 11, in 1983, she was just starting to learn about reproduction.

In my mind, I thought I was never going to be a mother

'But I knew what it meant,' when the doctor had announced her barrenness to her, she told Daily Mail Online.

'I didn't fully understand sex, or all the details of conception, but I knew what it meant.'

For most of her life up until then, Caroline had been a happy and active child. She was lithe, but muscular, and when she wasn't dancing competitively, she was gallivanting around her uncle's farm outside her home town of Springfield, Missouri.

But, then, she hadn't always been a healthy child.

For several weeks, Caroline had to remain in the hospital to recover from having nearly all of her reproductive organs removed to cure a life-threatening injury at age 11 in 1983

In fact, Caroline was just one of those babies who is always sick. She didn't tolerate her mother's breast milk well, and by the time she was nine months old, she had already had her first upper gastrointestinal infection.

When she was two, her belly became distended and hard.

The infection went on for two weeks before Caroline was taken to the emergency room and immediately rushed into an appendectomy. The auxiliary organ had ruptured, sending bacteria careening through her system.

Doctors warned Caroline's parents she might have 'problems with her period, because there was a lot [of infection] in there,' she says, but that was probably a decade away.

Caroline, now 46, has three adopted children, works in adoption as a social worker and writes about her experiences with infertility on Barren to Blessed

Nine years later, Caroline's teacher noticed that the typically outspoken girl was 'unusually quite, and looked chalky and white,' Caroline says.

'I kept thinking I had broken my hip somehow, I had this almost numbing pain, and I was lethargic.'

Finally her mother took Caroline to the emergency room. Doctors there were stumped by her high white blood cell count and the mass in her abdomen.

They performed exploratory surgery, and what they found was shocking.

'My uterus was about the size of a full-grown woman's, my Fallopian tubes were the size of sausages and my right ovary was so full of infection that it was seeping into my uterus and through the walls into my bladder,' Caroline says.

All of her reproductive organs, except for the left ovary had to be removed immediately, making her the youngest person to ever undergo a hysterectomy at the time.

'My body was saturated with infection. The fact that I survived was a miracle.'

Aside from that one, unforgettable sentence her surgeon had muttered, Caroline's memory of the rest of her time in the hospital is little more than a series of disparate snapshots.

But there was one pervasive truth Caroline couldn't shake: 'In my mind, I thought I was never going to be a mother.'

No one could be sure, but Caroline's doctors suspected that the infection might have been a recurrence from her appendicitis all those years before.

She was out of school for some time, and by the time she returned to sixth grade it was about time for sexual education.

For years, Caroline thought men could tell by looking that she was infertile, but then she met her husband, Bruce, and married him in 2001

Her recent hospital stay and complications had been traumatic, and she understood by then that she would never have a period, much less bear children.

'The PTA leader and the principal of the school did not want me to go through the sex ed classes,' thinking it would be too upsetting for Caroline.

'But this was the early '80s; my mom fought that really hard. She thought I needed to grow up feeling normal,' she says.

In the end, neither Caroline or her mother remembers if she ended up taking the class. It was the principle of the matter.

To go with that sense of normalcy, a psychologist had advised Caroline's parents not to bring up her anatomy or infertility unless Caroline did so first.

I didn't fully understand sex, or all the details of conception, but I knew what it meant

But for the teenager, 'It was too big a subject to talk about,' she says.

So she kept it close to her chest, until after her 20th birthday, when her left ovary had to be removed due to a dermoid cyst.

Caroline went through menopause the same year she could start going to bars and had to start hormone replacement therapy.

The last vestige of her reproductive system was gone, Caroline's friends and family members were starting to have children, and she couldn't help but compare and doubt her self.

In 2008, Caroline and Bruce adopted their first child, Hunter, now 11 after fostering him for two years (left). Soon thereafter, they fostered and adopted Izabel, now nine (right)

'I had thoughts like "maybe I should have been born a boy," or, "maybe God knew I would make a horrible mother," and I really thought guys could tell that I was infertile just by looking at me,' she recalls.

'No one ever said those things to me, but I had repeated dreams that I was walking down the aisle toward my future husband, but he changed his mind.'

But she found purpose, getting a master's degree and pursuing a career in social work in Springfield.

It was never about me to begin with. I had to be ill, to walk through this situation, but now there are these three kiddos that are great kiddos, and we feel so blessed to have them

And she found her husband, Bruce, who stayed put as she walked toward him down the aisle in 2001 when she was 29.

Caroline found herself working in adoption, despite swearing to her mother that she would never work with children.

'Growing up, the advice my parents and I were given was that "I could always adopt,"' she recalls.

'But even when I was younger, I knew that infertility and barrenness are one thing and adoption is another. They overlap, but are separate experiences.

'I always knew I could adopt, but I had to grieve.'

Even once she and Bruce were married and her work 'took my rose colored glasses off, I knew I wasn't ready.'

Finally in 2006, Caroline and Bruce decided to sign up to foster children. Their first foster child was a newborn boy, and by 2008, they had adopted Hunter, who is now 11.

Two years later, they fostered and adopted a daughter, Izabel, now nine, and in 2012, the couple took in an extended family member's son, Kelton, now six.

(Left to right) Hunter, Kenton, Caroline, Izabel and Bruce all live in Springfield, Missouri, and Caroline says that 'everything makes sense now'

Before adopting her children, 'I sort of felt like I was being haunted by a baby that would never be born,' Caroline says.

But she has since drawn a distinction between not ever having children, and not carrying one herself.

In fact, she is even grateful to the surgeon who broke the news of her infertility so honestly, but with care.

'I don't think I would choose anything different. I received incredible care at the hospital, and I respect that doctor. I never woke up alone and the surgeon even asked his wife to have a prayer vigil for me.'

Even when I was younger, I knew that infertility and barrenness are one thing and adoption is another. They overlap, but are separate experiences

Since then, Caroline has come to see learning of her infertility early as an opportunity to draw on wisdom quite literally beyond her years to help other women facing infertility.

'It keeps me going, to know that there are other people I can help, and I feel ike I'm an old soldier in it and have a unique perspective on developmental grieving,' Caroline says.

She now chronicles her experience on her blog, Barren To Blessed and recently told her story in a post for Love What Matters.

'For me, when we started fostering and caring for the kids, it started putting things in perspective. I realized it was never about me to begin with. I had to be ill, to walk through this situation, but now there are these three kiddos that are great kiddos, and we feel so blessed to have them,' Caroline says.

'Everybody says that ... but we are really so blessed to have them, and this all makes sense now.'
As a young doctor in my 20s, I saw lots of men come through the doors of A&E after trying to take their own lives. At the time, I found the very idea of suicide baffling and self-indulgent.

But as I got into my 30s, I began to experience the crushing weight of ever-intensifying life pressures, at work and at home. I developed a dreadful sense that everything was out of control.

Lots of things have happened in my life. Ive messed up relationships and Ive got a son who lives thousands of miles away. I worry about him, about money, about my career.

Life-saver: Dr Xand van Tulleken is on a mission to end the rising numbers of male suicide

I dont feel critical of my younger self  in many ways, I wish I could return to the days when optimism and joy seemed reasonably effortless.

But all the things that have happened in the years since make me relate to thoughts of suicide quite differently now.

Because, in truth, there have been challenging moments where it has become a possibility to me  when Ive thought about it.

These thoughts are not always present, and they arent often severe or dramatic. I have not been diagnosed with depression, nor do I take any medication, and it is hard to know how common my experience is.

But while we tend to assume suicidal thoughts are incredibly rare, in fact, there is data to show that I am similar to a majority of men in the UK. No, I have never planned anything, but my own death has sometimes felt as if it would be a good way to escape my pressures.

I vividly remember being on a plane and thinking, well, if it crashed, that would be no bad thing. Of course, the plane landed safely and the thoughts evaporated. I felt glad to be on the ground and on my way to see friends and family. But the experience has brought me to the powerful realisation that no one is immune from suicidal thoughts.

According to the statistics, the thing most likely to kill me, is me. More men under 50 now die from suicide than from anything else  more than car accidents or cancer.

That is in part because men are far less likely to seek help than women when troubles become too much to bear. Men also often have smaller networks on which to rely, making each person in a mans life potentially much more important.

Fact: A recent survey of 15,000 men found 56 per cent had thought about killing themselves

In my 20s, I had lots of friends and colleagues. But now Im 40, it doesnt feel the same. You wouldnt have to remove many people from my life to leave me pretty isolated. Like many men, I also sometimes find it extremely hard to ask for help.

Im very lucky to have a couple of friends who persistently phone or text, even if I ignore them. It becomes much easier to turn to someone when things arent going well if they make themselves available  and offer conversation, not judgment.

Frequently I hear people saying that men must learn to talk, but in discussing and writing about this topic, I realise again and again how difficult it is to properly explain my thoughts to anyone else.

It is exhausting and frightening and you risk  or feel you risk  humiliation and judgment, or blank incomprehension. This is why it is so important to reach out, and to make sure people who you think are struggling know you are there and know you are thinking of them.

They may not take you up on your offer of discussion, you may feel ignored, but the support messages do get through and make a difference.

The difficulty is that the state of mind many men are in when their thoughts turn to suicide makes it extremely hard for them to make the first move, to reach out. It makes me wonder how many men I know might be struggling in the same way.

What I know for certain is that I have lost more friends to suicide than to anything else.

One was an academic superstar, newly married with a vast capacity for joy and fun, whose death came suddenly and violently. It is hard to describe my reaction to the news  I think mainly terror that, if this could happen to my brilliant friend, it could happen to me.

Another friend pulled back from the brink only after phoning his life-insurance company to ask if it would pay out to his family  and solve their financial problems  in the event of his suicide.

The fact that it wouldnt pay made him reconsider.

Stories like these made me determined to find out how we can change things.

Loss: In the UK, each suicide death is estimated to cost the economy more than 1.5 million

Surely we have to try, for even in dry financial terms the effort makes perfect sense: in the UK, each suicide death is estimated to cost the economy more than 1.5 million.

But the real hurt cannot be counted in cold cash  as Steve Mallen, who lost his son in February 2015, can testify. Edward was only six weeks past his 18th birthday when he took his own life at Meldreth railway crossing near Cambridge. Head boy at his school, he had been offered a place at the University of Cambridge.

Steve told me that being given the terrible news was as if someone had opened the door and thrown a hand grenade into our house. It was like staring into an abyss of grief.

Two weeks earlier, Edward had told his GP about his suicidal thoughts. His doctor had said the boy should be seen by mental health professionals within 24 hours. But an NHS trust deemed him not to be at significant risk. His family were not told of Edwards troubles.

We should not underestimate the catastrophic scars suicide leaves on society, Steve told me. Time does not heal. You just learn to manage.

The NHS trust responsible has admitted things could have been done better. Indeed, we must all try to do better, for ourselves and for each other, to stem this lethal tide.

MALE SUICIDE: FACTS In the UK, someone takes their own life every 90 minutes, and an estimated 20 more suicides are attempted. And these are only the people who actually act on their suicidal thoughts. A recent survey of 15,000 men found an astonishing 56 per cent had thought about killing themselves. National statistics point to three major factors: bereavement, relationship breakdown and financial pressure. Research shows that those in the lowest economic groups are at ten times higher risk of suicide than those in the top 10 per cent most affluent areas. Advertisement

In the UK, someone takes their own life every 90 minutes, and an estimated 20 more suicides are attempted. And these are only the people who actually act on their suicidal thoughts. A recent survey of 15,000 men found an astonishing 56 per cent had thought about killing themselves.

National statistics point to three major factors: bereavement, relationship breakdown and financial pressure. Research shows that those in the lowest economic groups are at ten times higher risk of suicide than those in the top 10 per cent most affluent areas.

Men, for all their bluff image  in fact, partly because of it  are highly vulnerable after a relationship breakdown. In general, men invest a lot more emotional support in their partners than women do, Professor Rory OConnor, director of the University of Glasgows Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory, told me.

If their relationship breaks down, that man is potentially isolated because they dont tend to have the broader network of emotional support that women have.

Another problem is that none of these risk factors helps UK health professionals to predict who is likely to act on those thoughts.

Statistical studies demonstrate that no one factor  or even one small group of factors  can predict someones risk of suicide much better than a coin-flip.

Its a familiar dilemma for any doctor. There are few things more nerve-racking in medicine than trying to figure out, once you think someone is at risk of killing themselves, whether you should let them leave the hospital or not.

Of the six weeks I spent doing psychiatry during my training, I remember only the same conundrum: was this person safe to leave?

Almost everyone we saw posed a threat to themselves or others. But we didnt have the resources or  rightly  the confidence in our own judgment to section more than a tiny fraction.

Devoting time and research to this problem could lead to huge breakthroughs in how we understand the risk of suicide.

Dr Joseph Franklin, an assistant professor of psychology at Florida State University, believes he may have cracked this problem using highly sophisticated mathematics. His team looked for a way to understand up to 800 different suicide risk factors at a time, to see which combinations were most dangerous. They considered information such as age and gender, and mental and physical illnesses.

Statistical studies demonstrate that no one factor  or even one small group of factors  can predict someones risk of suicide much better than a coin-flip.

To analyse the data, they used machine-learning algorithms, like the ones in the map apps on our phones. These crunch numbers in ways far more complex than the human brain can compute.

Dr Franklin told me: We are now able to predict non-fatal suicide attempts and suicide deaths with about 90 per cent accuracy a few years before it happens. It might sound macabre, but looking at complex combinations of factors rather than single ones could revolutionise how we intervene in suicidal behaviour.

If we applied this machine- learning to the NHS database, with its millions of detailed patient records, we might be able to save thousands of lives.

However, as a doctor, I fear that putting high-risk decisions about patients lives into the hands of a machine would be very difficult for health professionals to accept. The ethical implications are complex and, for many, terrifying.

What else can we try? American doctors are pioneering another way to reduce suicide. In Detroit, a city with huge unemployment, high crime rates and extreme poverty, doctors at the Henry Ford Health System aimed to completely eliminate suicide among patients.

A zero-suicide rate sounds wildly unrealistic. But Dr Cathrine Frank, who heads up the department of psychiatry and behavioural health services there, says: If its not zero, what is the goal?

And they have actually hit their target  in some years. Since we introduced the policy in 2001, our suicide rate decreased by 80 per cent. We even had some years where it was zero, she told me. To achieve this, the team changed their approach entirely.

First and foremost, they started talking about suicide more. They asked primary-care doctors to screen patients for suicidal thoughts whenever they saw them, regardless of what they had come in for. Each patient at risk was referred for care, whether that was talking therapy, medication or someone visiting their home to remove firearms.

I sat in on a consultation with a patient who had originally come to the hospital for tests for his bowel condition, Crohns disease. However, when asked about suicidal ideas, he admitted hed had dark thoughts. Hospital psychiatrists helped him to draw up a safety programme, including strategies for talking to loved ones.

NHS England has set a target of cutting the suicide rate by 10 per cent by 2020. Many campaigners think this vastly under-ambitious. And to me, too, aiming for zero suicide seems far better.

Steve Mallen, who lost his child so painfully, is developing an initiative called the Zero Suicide Alliance, launched at the Houses of Parliament last November.

It aims to bring the zero-suicide goal to the NHS, schools and emergency services. So far, Steve has signed up around half the NHS trusts in the country. He hopes the rest will follow.

However, the story of Detroit really shows that you dont have to be a health professional to help. We can all change things by communicating better, talking more  and by asking the people around us specifically about suicide.

But to give real help, we men have to start talking openly about this great modern taboo. And it is a huge taboo.

Nevertheless, broaching this subject can make the difference between life and death.

Evidence shows asking someone if they are suicidal can actually protect them, Professor Rory OConnor explains. They feel listened to. Their feelings are validated and somebody cares about them. Reaching out in a moment of crisis can save a life.

Reflecting on this, I realised that every once in a while, my twin brother Chris phones me and, amid the conversation, asks: You arent going to kill yourself are you? Its light-hearted, almost a figure of speech, and doesnt feel significant or abnormal.

So recently, using the BBC film that I was making as an excuse, I returned the favour. I called him, explained what Professor OConnor had said, and asked if hed had any thoughts about suicide recently.

When we spoke about it afterwards, Chris simply said it had been good to hear that someone close to him was thinking about him.

We can all turn to the person next to us or phone a mate and ask them, not only whether they are doing OK, but whether they are having thoughts about hurting themselves. You could save a life  even though you may never know it.

People sometimes ask me: What if the person says yes? What should I do then? Theres no perfect answer  but you can find a way to help, and its so much better than not trying at all.

In the fight against suicide, the power of a single conversation should not be underestimated.

Horizon: Stopping Male Suicide

BBC Two

Wednesday at 9pm
Scrolling through her social media account, a post caught 16-year-old Imogen Riddetts eye  the heart-warming story of a young boy with cancer whose life had been saved by a stem cell donor.

The post invited people to join the Anthony Nolan charity register  which matches donors with recipients  and, Imogen, immediately signed up.

The story made me cry and before I knew it I had clicked on the link and registered my details  the whole process took less than five minutes, says Imogen, 22, from Windsor, who works as a complaints handler for a financial company.

The power of donation: Imogen Riddett (L) and Claire Daly (R) are forever connected now

Imogen was then sent a cheek swab kit in the post so her DNA could be put on the register. I did the test, sent it back and then forgot about it, she says.

That was in 2012; three years later, when she was 19, the charity contacted her to say she was a potential match for a patient needing a stem cell transplant.

They asked if I was still interested in donating, says Imogen. I immediately said yes  I mean, if I could help someone beat cancer, then why not?

Stem cell transplants are used to treat blood cancer  leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma. There are 38,000 new cases a year in the UK and the standard treatment is chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

But for 2,000 patients a year, the only chance of beating the disease is a stem cell transplant. These cells have the ability to develop into many different types of cells  for a patient with blood cancer, a transplant can provide healthy blood cells to replace their damaged ones, and develop into a new immune system.

About 40 per cent of patients will be in remission for more than three years after the transplant, and many will be cured.

Brave: Imogen donated her stem cells the old-fashioned way  having a needle inserted into both sides of her pelvis to extract the stem cells from her bone marrow

Stem cells are collected either from the donors bone marrow or from the donors blood, in a process similar to giving blood (but which takes five hours). This is a less demanding procedure, and is used for around 90 per cent of donations.

About 30 per cent of patients needing a transplant will find a suitable donor in their family, but the rest rely on strangers to save their lives  and Anthony Nolan finds a match for around 1,300 people a year from its register of 700,000 potential donors.

Unbeknown to Imogen at the time (the donor and recipient have to remain anonymous to each other for at least two years), she had been matched to Claire Daly, now 33, an environmental scientist, from Coventry, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in September 2015 while on holiday in Florida with her husband Matt, 42, an events manager.

A few days after we got to Florida, I was exhausted, had lost my appetite and had stomach pain and cramps, says Claire.

At hospital in Orlando, my white blood cell count was so high that the doctors said it must be cancer. It was devastating as Id always been very healthy.

Shock diagnosis: Claire was diagnosed with leukaemia while on holiday in Florida in 2015

She was flown home to the UK, where she was diagnosed with leukaemia and put on chemotherapy for the next six weeks.

I was hoping Id been given the wrong diagnosis in the U.S. and it would all be fine. But it was leukaemia and doctors said afterwards if I hadnt started treatment immediately, I wouldnt have made it to the end of the week.

The first round of chemotherapy was unsuccessful, and Claire was told her only option was a transplant. My sister wasnt a match so the donor needed to be a stranger, she says.

In 2016, I was told theyd found a 90 per cent match. All I knew was that the donor was a 19-year-old female from the UK, says Claire. After more tests, the transplant went ahead in March 2016.

First Claire was given high doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to destroy the cancer and her existing bone marrow cells and suppress the immune system to reduce the risk of her body rejecting the transplant.

Imogen donated her stem cells the old-fashioned way  having a needle inserted into both sides of her pelvis to extract the stem cells from her bone marrow, under general anaesthetic  because she is terrified of blood.

She spent two nights in hospital, and needed painkillers and iron tablets for two weeks afterwards. The stem cell transplant itself took just a few hours.

After 100 days, a bone marrow biopsy showed 70 per cent of my bone marrow and 98 per cent of my blood cells DNA was now from my donor  a sign that my body had accepted the donor cells and they were working well in my body, says Claire.

She cant be given the all-clear until five years after the transplant, i.e. in March 2021, but she is hopeful: The treatment is hopefully a long-term cure, she says.

Claire wrote anonymously to her donor to thank her  Imogen also wrote a couple of letters to her, but never sent them.

I thought she had enough to deal with having the transplant, she says.

Yet, three months ago  two years after the transplant  Imogen received an email through Anthony Nolan to tell her that the transplant had worked and Claire wanted to get in touch.

HOW YOU CAN HELP To join the stem cell donor register you need to be aged 16 to 30, weigh more than 7st 12Ilbs and be in good health. Donors are sent a cheek swab test to record their DNA  they remain on the register until they turn 60. The majority donate the same way to giving blood, says Alex Cupit, from the charity Anthony Nolan. A nurse comes to their home or workplace to give an injection of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor once a day, for four days before the donation. This encourages the bone marrow to release stem cells. It can make you feel achy but passes within a week or two. The donation is taken at one of the charitys centres. Blood is taken from the arm, passed through a machine which takes the stem cells and the remaining blood goes back into the other arm, says Alex Cupit. anthonynolan.org Advertisement

Within an hour we were chatting on the phone, it was so surreal, and we were both in tears, says Imogen.

The two arranged to meet at a pub in Bicester three weeks later and immediately hit it off.

I didnt know what to expect, says Claire. I thought we must have some kind of physical similarities for our DNA to be so similar. When I first saw Imogen I thought, she is so beautiful, I cant believe we have the same DNA. It felt straight away like I had gained a sister.

For Imogen to have done that for me at her age was incredible. She is such a selfless person.

Imogen admits she was nervous about meeting Claire but as soon as we saw each other we just clicked. The two remain in touch and met up for the second time last month. The UK is in urgent need of more stem cell donors  just 2 per cent of people are registered, compared to 13 per cent in Cyprus and 12 per cent in Israel.

To register you need to be between 16 and 30  transplants are more likely to be successful with younger donors. Alex Cupit, from Anthony Nolan, says there is a need for young men, who currently make up just 16 per cent of the register.

We also need more people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to sign up. Only one in five patients from these backgrounds receive the best match because of a shortage of suitable donors.

Imogen is proud of the difference shes been able to make  she knows what it is like to receive a devastating diagnosis: her mother, Helen, 52, has been in remission from breast cancer for 13 years, and her father Chris, 52, needs 24-hour care after a succession of strokes has left him paralysed.

Claire did all the fighting, I just was able to offer something that helped. I would do it 185,000 times over. I do feel proud of myself.

https://www.anthonynolan.org/8-ways-you-could-save-life/donate-your-stem-cells
Six nights a week for the last 36 years, Mona Randolph has been put in decades-old machine that helps her breathe.

The 82-year-old's head sticks out on one side as her body sits in an airtight chamber where a motorized lever creates negative pressure and forces her lungs to expand.

The contraption is known as an iron lung machine and Randolph, of Kansas City, Missouri, is only one of three people in the US to have survived polio that still uses it.

But the devices are no longer covered by insurance companies or serviced by manufacturers, which means that the owners like Randolph are completely responsible for their maintenance, she said in an interview with the Kansas City Star.

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Mona Randolph, 82 (pictured), of Kansas City, Missouri, is one of three known polio survivors in the US who still uses an iron lung. Pictured: Randolph using a CPAP to breathe during the day

Randolph came down with polio in 1956 when she was just 20 years old. The disease paralyzed her, but she was able to get away without using a respirator for years. Pictured: Randolph sits inside the iron lung

Randolph told the newspaper that she contracted polio when she was age 20 and that the first sign was an intense headache as she was waiting for a bus to go home.

The headache turned into an extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

'Everything was off-key,' she said.

'I couldn't stand to hear people talking in the kitchen. They'd whisper and it would hurt my ears. I couldn't stand any light. Mom put blankets over the windows.'

On the third day after her headache began, she couldn't breathe and she was taken to St Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, where she was diagnosed with polio.

Polio, short for poliomyelitis, is a viral infection that is highly contagious and spread through person-to-person contact.

About one in four people infected the virus have flu-like symptoms including a headache, sore throat, fever and nausea, according to the CDC.

In most cases, the symptoms will last between two to five days before disappearing.

However, polio can result in serious conditions including meningitis - an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord - and paralysis.

The CDC says that anywhere between two and 10 out of 100 people who become paralyzed from polio die when their breathing muscles also become immobilized.

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE IRON LUNG An iron lung is a non-invasive negative-pressure ventilator, used to artificially maintain respiration during an acute polio infection. They were first used in the 1920s and work by producing pressure on the lungs that causes them to expand and contract so that patients can breathe. In most cases it would only be used for one or two weeks, until the patient could breathe independently, but some polio survivors with permanent respiratory paralysis rely on them daily. They are now all but obsolete, replaced by positive-pressure ventilators such as modern day respirators. Advertisement

Randolph's diagnosis was in 1956, just a year after the US government had approved the polio vaccine.

However, it was widely marketed as being for children. Adults like Randolph were not considered to be at risk, the Star reported.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, around 35,000 people were stricken with polio every year between the late 1940s and early 1950s.

But after the nationwide campaign to get children immunized began, the numbers began falling drastically and, in 1979, polio was declared to be eradicated in the US.

At St Luke's Hospital, an iron lung sat in the basement, which had already fallen out of use at the time, and staffers brought it up and put Randolph inside.

The respirators were created in 1927 by two scientists at Harvard University.

The machine has a motor and a pump that changes pressure inside the airtight chamber, which forces the lungs to expand and contract.

The iron lung was meant to be used until a person could regain the ability to breathe, about one to two weeks after infection. But some people, whose breathing muscles had become paralyzed, permanently relied on them.

Randolph was in the machine for three months and it took her eight months after she first fell ill to become well enough to sleep without a breathing machine, reported KSHB.

Currently, Randolph is unable to move her left arm and has limited movement in her right arm, but she was able to get by without the iron lung for years.

But, in the 1980s, she began to suffer from post-polio syndrome, which affects polio survivors years after their recovery.

In the 1980s, she contracted post-polio syndrome, which affects polio survivors years after their recovery and she began having trouble breathing. This forced her to use the iron lung at night. Pictured: Randolph, left, in 2018, and right, in the 1950s

It takes about an hour as a sling transfers Randolph from her bed to the 700-pound behemoth. Randolph's head and neck are adjusted and blankets are placed over her so she doesn't get too cold. Pictured: Randolph getting ready to be put into the iron lung machine

They begin suffering from muscular weakness and fatigue, pain as their joints deteriorate and being unable to breathe or swallow properly.

Randolph was forced to use the iron lung at night, and is currently one of three known people in the US still using the machine.

During the day, Randolph uses a CPAP machine, which increases air pressure in the throat so that the airway does not collapse when you inhale, according to Kaiser Permanente.

But at night, Randolph's husband Mark, and one of her good friends, put her into the six-foot-long tube which Randolph calls her 'yellow submarine', the Star reported.

It takes about an hour as a sling transfers Randolph from her bed to the 700-pound behemoth.

Randolph's head and neck are adjusted and blankets are placed over her so she doesn't get too cold.

The couple lives in constant fear that of maintaining machine's condition.

The company that made the machines, JH Emerson, stopped doing so in 1970 and insurance companies do not cover the mainly obsolete machines.

After a series of mergers, medical supply company Respironics inherited responsibility of the machines.

In 2004, Respironics gave iron lung users three choices: choose another ventilator device, keep using the iron lung with the knowledge that Respironics may not be able to repair it, or accept full ownership and responsibility, reported Gizmodo.

The news outlet reported that if the machine breaks down, Mark, a software engineer, or Randolph's cousin who is former aircraft mechanic repair it.

Mark told Gizmodo that the cost of keeping the machine working is equivalent to buying a new car every year.

The respirators were created in 1927 by two scientists at Harvard University. The machine has a motor and a pump that changes pressure inside the airtight chamber, which forces the lungs to expand and contract. Pictured: An emergency polio ward at Haynes Memorial Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in August 1955

Manufacturer JH Emerson stopped making the machines in 1970 and insurance companies do not cover the mainly obsolete machines. Most people use more modern aids today

Brian Tiburzi, the executive director of Post-Polio Health International (PPHI), told Daily Mail Online last year that there is a bit of reluctance from iron lung users to let go of the machine.

'Part of it is just habit,' he said when asked why they might be hesitant to use more modern breathing aids.

'That's sort of what they have been used to all their life. Some people also use them because they have trouble with the masks, some leak, some people get sores, or find them uncomfortable to wear.

'The vast majority have switched.'

He also said that the announcement by Respironics in 2004 meant 'they were sort of told they were on their own.'

Randolph said she is a big advocate of people undergoing vaccinations to prevent themselves from ending up in a situation similar to hers.

'I believe getting vaccinated is the thing to do, but I also believe people ought to act according to their faiths,' she said.

'It's a personal decision. But something like vaccinations that you can see the proof of with epidemics just seems more logical.'
Warning: Nicki Hari, from Borehamwood, was once addicted to prescription painkillers

To the outside world, Nicki Hari was a typical mother of two, who like many working parents often seemed a bit tired.

But there was a reason Nicki was more tired than most  she was a drug addict  hooked on prescription pills given to her by her doctor.

It began when she was just 18 and was prescribed co-codamol to help her recover from a minor knee operation. Within weeks, she was hooked on the drowsy feeling the drugs gave her.

Nickis crippling addiction lasted for 25 years and almost destroyed her life.

These were drugs prescribed to me by doctors, not ones I was buying illegally, she says.

As far as I was concerned, I was a middle-class mother-of-two with a nice home. People like me couldnt become addicts  but I was wrong.

As well as co-codamol (a combination of codeine and paracetamol), she also became dependent on other prescribed opiate painkillers such as tramadol.

I was zombified most days, says Nicki. Id come home from work, cook dinner, then flop in front of the television in a half-conscious state. I had no life.

Nicki is one of thousands of people who become addicted to prescription drugs every year in the UK.

One in 11 patients is prescribed potentially addictive drugs such as tranquillisers, sedatives, and painkillers  an increase of 50 per cent since 2000, according to NHS figures.

The NHS offers them little help to overcome their addiction, as highlighted by a Good Health campaign backed by charities and MPs.

Now a government review into the extent of the problem of prescription pill dependency is due to report early next year.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence and the British Medical Association, which has backed the Mail campaign, have called for a 24-hour helpline specifically for people dependent on prescription drugs, similar to Frank, which provides confidential advice about illegal drugs.

I was zombified most days, says Nicki. Id come home from work, cook dinner, then flop in front of the television in a half-conscious state. I had no life.

With little help available from the NHS, the only option for many are costly private centres. UKAT, a private company offering rehabilitation, says it has already had as many people admitted for treatment for addiction to prescription drugs this year as there were for the whole of 2015.

As well as causing side-effects such as drowsiness, nausea and headaches, long-term use of codeine is linked to liver damage, kidney damage, depression and seizures.

Figures released earlier this month revealed the number of codeine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 20 per cent between 2016 and 2017.

Behind these figures are devastating personal stories. Last week an inquest heard that a cocktail of prescribed drugs, including codeine, could have contributed to the death of Lady Kathryn Vestey, whose ex-husband was the Queens former master of the horse.

Lady Vestey, 73, who was prescribed codeine for her arthritic hip, was found dead at her Cotswolds home last December.

While some people can take codeine without any risk of becoming hooked, others can become dependent on it within days, says Dr Robert Lefever, an addiction specialist who runs rehabilitation centres in the UK.

Someone who takes codeine sensibly because theyve got toothache or acute back pain, for example, will come off it as soon as their pain improves.

Long-term battle: Her crippling addiction lasted 25 years and almost destroyed her entire life

However, he says others are genetically prone to develop a dependency. They become hooked on the mood-altering changes caused by the drug and become depressed as soon as they stop taking it, adds Dr Lefever.

Because of that they tell themselves they need to carry on taking it as their body needs it.

And the longer people take codeine, the higher the dose they require to feel any benefit.

DID YOU KNOW? One in 11 patients is prescribed potentially addictive drugs such as tranquillisers, sedatives, and painkillers  an increase of 50 per cent since 2000, according to NHS figures. Meanwhile, figures released earlier this month revealed the number of codeine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 20 per cent between 2016 and 2017. Advertisement

As with other prescription opiates, codeine users will develop a tolerance to the drug over time, so they will have to take more of it to achieve the same effects, says Dr Mateen Durrani, a psychiatrist and lead doctor at UKAT.

This is what happened to Nicki. She was 18 and working as a nanny when she first developed painful knees.

Nicki was referred for surgery to remove stray cartilage and was given morphine to help ease her post-operative discomfort.

I loved the effect of it, says Nicki, from Borehamwood, Herts. It felt like nothing mattered.

Nicki was also given co-codamol and was advised to take it three times a day if needed. But within weeks she was taking it up to five or six times a day.

Whenever it wore off, Id feel anxious and jittery, she recalls. Id ache and sweat all over, like I had flu. I had no idea what was wrong with me.

For years, Nicki, now 50, was given a repeat prescription of co-codamol with a review every six months. If a GP questioned it, Id manipulate them into giving me the drugs by saying I had constant pain, she says.

Nicki is now engaged to a new partner, Stuart, 56, and is grateful to have her life back on track

By the age of 27, she was taking double her prescribed dose.

When my GP queried my request for more, I would leave it a week and make an appointment to see another doctor, says Nicki.

She even managed to persuade doctors she needed more surgery to her knee to ensure a regular supply of the drug.

I had six more operations over the next 12 years, she says. I was sent for physiotherapy, but I just told the doctors the exercises werent working.

I would take most of my pills in the evening and sometimes was so out of it I couldnt remember if Id taken any, so would take more and then pass out

The only time she came off the drugs was when pregnant with her two sons, who are now 19 and 18, but each time she experienced severe withdrawal symptoms.

As well as the physical, flu-like symptoms, I was moody, anxious, tearful, couldnt sleep and would snap at my husband over the slightest thing, says Nicki. Everyone around me just put it down to the hormonal changes of pregnancy.

By that point, after 12 years on the tablets, Nicki was starting to connect her symptoms to them. But it didnt stop her going straight back on them after her younger son was born.

I suffered a tear during the birth and was given co-codamol for the pain, she recalls. It triggered my dependency.

The drugs made her drowsy and unable to concentrate at the call-centre where she worked, so she went part-time. At weekends, instead of enjoying family time, shed spend hours in bed.

I would take most of my pills in the evening and sometimes was so out of it I couldnt remember if Id taken any, so would take more and then pass out, Nicki admits.

Her marriage to husband, Steven, a buying director, was already on the rocks and collapsed under the strain. Concerned her prescriptions might stop, Nicki exaggerated other medical issues in order to have surgery  and more drugs.

Hence, aged 35, she repeatedly complained about an issue with her sinuses  leading to an operation  and when she needed wisdom teeth removing she refused to have it done under local anaesthetic at the dentists.

She even agreed to have a hysterectomy aged 41, after doctors suggested it because of her persistent, irregular smear tests. It wasnt a decision I took lightly, she says, but I agreed to it partly because Id be prescribed co-codamol afterwards.

A few months after that operation in 2011, Nicki was barely getting out of bed most days. Then her two best friends turned up at her house and said they had made an appointment to take her to a psychiatrist. They marched into my bedroom and said: Were taking you to get help,  she recalls.

They forced her to dress and took her to see the psychiatrist, who told her she was in the depths of a serious drug addiction.

Part of me knew what he was saying made sense but the other part of me denied it, says Nicki. I dug my heels in but eventually agreed to go into rehab, she adds. It was the best thing I did.

Slowly, she was weaned off the drug and, with the help of therapy and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, now avoids all painkillers.

Dr Lefever says that anyone trying to beat a dependency to codeine needs professional help to do so. It has to be tapered off slowly, by gradually reducing the dose  thats hard to do alone, he says.

Nicki is now engaged to a new partner, Stuart, 56, and is grateful to have her life back on track.

I would never have imagined I would end up a drug addict, she says. A painkiller here and there may seem harmless enough, but it can soon spiral out of control.
Getting your own office is generally seen as a good sign for your career, but research suggests it could be bad for your health.

The study looked at data gathered from 231 government employees at four different sites in open-plan offices, cubicles with high-walled partitions that could not be seen over, and private offices.

Participants wore heart sensors and physical activity monitors, which captured the intensity of movement for three consecutive work days and two nights.

Researchers from the University of Arizona in the US conducted a study which suggests getting your own office is bad for your health

Open-plan workers clocked up a fifth more physical activity than those in cubicles and 32 per cent more than those in private offices.

When it came to stress, measured by heart monitors, open-plan workers had lower levels than those in cubicles.

Workers in private offices were the most stressed at work and at home.

This study suggests that, in some cases, design modifications may be employed to overcome the negative health impact features of different types of office workstations, the researchers from the University of Arizona, in the US, said.

Open-plan offices may encourage interaction and mobility, they added in the study published in the BMJ journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
A woman who had to fight to win back her biological son after becoming pregnant with twins during a surrogacy for a childless Chinese couple, is suing the surrogacy agency accusing them of 'human trafficking' and holding their newborn baby 'prisoner.'

Jessica Allen, 31, and her husband Wardell Jasper, 34, are charging child abduction and abuse, battery, extortion, conspiracy and a string of other complaints in the lawsuit against Omega Family Global.

The couple has suffered 'injury, sorrow, shock, anguish, fright, horror, nervousness, grief, anxiety, worry, humiliation, shame and severe distress,' blasts their lawyer in court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.

They are seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages from San Diego based Omega whom they accuse of 'wrongfully conspiring to abduct Jessica and Wardell's son and keep their son from them and extort monies from themand acting despicably and with oppressive, fraudulent or malicious intent.'

Jessica Allen, 31, and her husband Wardell Jasper, 34, from Perris, California, are suing Omega Family Global claiming the agency kept their son, Malachi (far left) from them and extorted money from them

Video Courtesy Dr. OZ

Jessica and Wardell already had two young sons when they started looking into surrogacy in 2015, but Allen, who loved motherhood, was keen to 'bless' another family with a child, says the paperwork filed in Riverside County where the couple live in the city of Perris.

After doing research on local surrogacy agencies, the couple approached Omega, who matched Jessica with a childless couple, the Lius (named for the sake of this article) in China where commercial surrogacy is banned.

In April 2016, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was successfully used to implant a male frozen embryo from the intended parents, the Lius, into Jessica and she became pregnant. But barely a month later, when she went to her physician, Dr Frank Yelian, for a routine ultrasound exam, it was discovered that she was carrying twins.

What she didn't find out till much later was that she was naturally pregnant with her husband's child AND the Lius' child through an extremely rare medical condition called superfetation.

But according to the couple's lawsuit, 'Dr. Yelian noted that two amniotic sacs were viewed on the ultrasound.'

Jessica became pregnant with Malachi while carrying the child of another couple through an extremely rare medical incident called superfetation

Jessica was told that the one embryo that had been transferred had split and therefore, the twins were identical males.

'The intended parents were notified that the ultrasound showed twins were expected.' Jessica - who was being paid $30,000 to be a surrogate - was to be paid an additional $5,000 for carrying a second child for the Lius.

Fast forward to December 12, 2016 when the baby boys were born by C-section at 38 weeks. The delivery was done behind an opaque screen and the babies were whisked away from the delivery room before Jessica had the chance to see them.

The following day Jessica asked if she could see the babies as had been agreed prior to the births. But Tracy Armato - a surrogate liaison coordinator with Omega - told her she could not see or hold the babies, the papers state.

'Jessica was devastated and was only permitted to see a cell phone photograph of the two children, taken by the intended mother, which she was hesitant to show Jessica,' the paperwork states. '

Jessica saw that the two children looked nothing alike in the photograph and commented that the boys 'looked so different (the Lius are Chinese, Jessica is white and Wardell is African-American).'

But Armato ignored the mother-of-three's observation and fobbed her off with assurances that when she was a surrogate she had given birth to twins and they looked very different at birth, but later they started to look alike.

When the babies were scheduled to be taken away from the hospital Jessica again asked to see them. Again she was denied.

Armato, the lawsuit alleges, had the babies circumcised and immunized. It's also alleged that Omega and its lawyers, Gaston & Gaston - whom Jessica and Wardell are also suing - had already filed with the court the pre-birth legal documents, making the Lius the legal parents of both babies.

Jessica gave birth to two 'twins' on December 12, 2016 but it wasn't until more than a month later on January 24, that she learned one of the infants was her biological son

Omega finally returned baby Malachi to Jessica in a Starbucks parking lot on February 5, 2017, nearly two months after he was born

A month after the babies were born, Mrs Liu sent Jessica photos of the twins with a text asking her if she thought they looked the same.

'It was very obvious that the boys looked nothing alike, just as Jessica had commented the day after they were born,' says the lawsuit.

'One of the boys was clearly Chinese and the other was clearly bi-racial'

The Lius had DNA tests done on both boys and confirmed that one was not theirs. And soon afterward the Lius delivered the baby back to Omega and said that they wanted nothing to do with the 'bi-racial baby,' adds the lawsuit.

When Jessica and Wardell learned the truth on January 24, 2017, 'They were in a state of disbelief, shock and horror,' says the lawsuit.

'They had not been able to see their baby, they had not been able to hold their baby, they had not been able to bring their baby home, feed him, care for him, bond with him or love him.'

But despite the confirmation that the baby was theirs, still they couldn't take him home, the lawsuit alleges. Instead, it claims, Armato demanded that Omega be paid around $9,200 for 'out-of-pocket' expenses they had spent for the baby's care.

The couple was also told they had to pay around $3,000 to have the baby's birth certificate changed.

If the money wasn't paid Armato told the couple they would have to sign paperwork giving up their rights to the baby and that the baby would be put up for adoption.

'Jessica and Wardell were devastated, horrified and distraught at being told they would have pay $3,000, plus the additional amounts demanded, to get their own child from Omega, money they did not have,' the documents state.

Jessica and Wardell are seeking unspecified damages and claim to have suffered 'injury, sorrow, shock, anguish, fright, horror, nervousness, grief, anxiety, worry, humiliation, shame and severe distress'

The parents claim their baby was in poor health, had breathing problems and had severe diaper rash among other issues, when they were reunited with him

A few days later, on January 31, according to the lawsuit, the couple were hit with an even bigger demand from Omega owner and director Kyle Kramer (also a defendant in the lawsuit) who 'told Jessica and Wardell that Omega wanted them to enter into a written agreement to pay approximately $18,000-$22,000 to the Lius' as compensation for the return of their child.

Eventually, after getting a lawyer of their own and spending $3,000 on legal fees, the relieved parents finally got their baby back, with Omega staff handing him over in a Starbucks parking lot on February 5.

They named him Malachi. The baby, the suit claims, was in poor health, had breathing problems and had severe diaper rash among other issues. 'Jessica and Wardell's shock, disbelief, horror, fear and betrayal at seeing the "human trafficking" of their son will never leave them,' the suit states.

'They have suffered immense and irreparable loss as to what can never be regained, i.e. being able to bond with their baby during the first two months of his life, holding him, watching him sleep, putting him to bed, feeding him, playing with him, getting to know him - all of this was stolen from Jessica and Wardell, all of this they can never get back.'

The suit added that Malachi has already exhibited symptoms of bonding related issues, the lack of nurturing, love and attention and the trauma caused by being passed around.

The lawsuit also claims Omega 'held Malachi as a prisoner. The paperwork concludes: 'Malachi was treated as nothing more than a 'pawn' in the defendants' conspiracy to keep him from his lawful parents and as a 'bargaining chip' the defendants could use to extort monies from Jessica and Wardell, sell to adoptive parents of others and/or use as a negotiating tool to try and obtain a release of their liability from Jesica and Wardell.

'The damage has been done by the defendants and Jessica, Wardell and most importantly Malachi, are now left to live with the long-lasting consequences of the defendants' wrongs against them.'
Emmanuel Macron is backing a controversial move by Tory and Labour MPs to join forces to counter the risk of Brexit fuelling a rise in UK extremism.

The French President has endorsed a bid by Theresa May's former No 10 policy chief to forge a new cross-party 'coalition' of MPs opposed to a 'no-deal Brexit'.

Tory MP George Freeman says the UK faces a 'Black Monday' economic meltdown if, as an increasing number of politicians predict, it withdraws from the EU without an agreement in March.

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Emmanuel Macron addressed a ketter to George Freeman MP who he is seen here meeting

Letter to George Freeman MP from French President Emmanuel Macron dated July 31

Mr Macron's letter in English The President of the Republic, MP George Freeman, I have received the correspondence by which you invite me to deliver a speech at the Big Tent Ideas Festival, to be held on the 7th and 8th in Cambridge. Sensitive to your approach, I thank you very much. Like you, I am determined to take up the great challenges of the planet in order to build a more secure world, which guarantees more growth of justice and ecology. Also, although the constraints of my schedule unfortunately do not allow me to respond favorably to your kind request, I would like to welcome your initiative and wish you all the best for the success of the new edition of this event. I am convinced that this forum will contribute fully to the reflection on the issues we are jointly facing. In renewing my thanks, I beg you to believe, sir, the assurance of my best feelings. Emmanuel Macron Advertisement

Mr Macron has sent a letter of support to a 'Big Tent' political rally being hosted by Mr Freeman in Cambridge next month.

Mr Freeman, head of the Conservative Policy Forum, denies it is part of a plan to build a new centre party. He says the aim is to produce 'inspiring new ideas' to ensure post-Brexit Britain is a success.

But he linked it to a stark warning that a 'no-deal Brexit' could lead to a repeat of the so called 'Black Wednesday' in 1992 when Britain crashed out of the EU's Exchange Rate Mechanism.

John Major's Tory Government never recovered from the ensuing economic crisis  and Labour won the next three General Elections.

Mr Freeman says he fears a Brexit 'Black Monday' would do the same and result in Jeremy Corbyn leading a minority 'Hard-Left' Government.

If it did, Mr Freeman says Tory MPs like him could form a 'coalition' with moderate Labour MPs to keep Mr Corbyn out of No 10.

Former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in Central London on Tuesday 14th August

Equally, if it resulted in a minority 'Hard-Right' Tory Government led by Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg, moderate Conservative MPs could join forces with Labour MPs to keep them out of power too.

Leading Tory and Labour figures are to attend Mr Freeman's 'Big Tent' event, which is being co-hosted by Baroness Sally Morgan, a former No 10 aide to Tony Blair.

Harriet Harman, ex-Blairite Minister Liam Byrne and anti-Corbyn Labour MP Ian Austin will rub shoulders with Cabinet Ministers Michael Gove and Liz Truss. Scots Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has pledged her support.

Mr Macron came to power after breaking away from France's Left-wing Socialist Party with his En Marche (Forward) movement, which crushed the Hard-Right Front National. He has been called a 'French Tony Blair'.

Mr Freeman, a descendant of Liberal Prime Minister William Gladstone, said he was 'delighted' to have Mr Macron's support, though some are bound to accuse the President of meddling in British politics.

Emmanuel Macron greets Theresa May before a working dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris

In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, the MP said: 'We must recast the language and vision of Brexit. It should be a noble end not a divisive and triumphalist divorce. We will not be thanked by people  even those who voted for Brexit  who were told they were going to become richer if they become poorer. Unless we build a big tent in the centre for those alienated by Hard-Left Corbynism or Hard-Right (Nigel) Farageism, the Tories will end up as a teepee party piling up votes in traditional heartlands but losing its backbone support in London, from the professional classes, doctors, teachers, science and business.'

The MP, who backed Remain in the EU referendum, insisted he did not wish to reverse Brexit and denied his 'Black Monday' forecast was part of 'Project Fear.'

Britain formally leaves the EU at 11pm UK time on Friday, March 29. The impact will be clearer when the markets open on Monday, April 1. Mr Freeman explained why a 'no-deal' outcome would be a catastrophe for the nation  and the Tories.

'If we get Brexit wrong and crash out without a proper transition agreement, we risk a Black Monday. The sight of a Conservative Government pushed into no-deal and losing control will look to a whole generation like the disastrous Black Wednesday in 1992 which we paid for with 15 years in opposition. We would be seen to have abandoned our core pillar of economic competence.'

Emmanuel Macron has been called a 'French Tony Blair'. Pictured here in 2017

Mr Freeman favours a 'Norway style' Brexit, with the UK paying to stay in the European Economic Area  coupled to a five-year ban on immigrants claiming welfare in Britain.

His main fear is that a 'no-deal' Brexit could lead to Corbyn scraping into Downing Street without an overall majority.

He says in that event, Blairite Labour MPs would be ready to 'abandon' the Labour leader. But they would only join forces with the Conservatives if the Tories were a 'sensible One Nation style' party  not a 'narrow, isolationist, nationalistic Ukip-style' party.

'We could reach across to moderate Blairites looking down the barrel of a Corbyn Hard-Left minority Government and say 'come and join us in a coalition for prosperity',' said Mr Freeman.

He may do likewise to defy a minority Hard-Right Tory Government led by Johnson or Rees-Mogg. 'If we end up with someone leading the Tory Party shamelessly pandering to the Farageite Ukip wing, we will cease to have a majority in Parliament or be supported by mainstream voters.'

Challenged whether, in such circumstances, Mr Freeman would team up with Labour moderates to defy them, he does not dodge the question: 'It must work both ways.'

He dismisses the idea that talk of 'coalition' with Labour is treachery. 'Conservatives must think about governing through coalitions, which is quite likely. We're in coalition now  with the DUP.' Mr Freeman does not share Brexiteers' contempt for David Cameron's Coalition with the Lib Dems. Cameron won a Commons majority in 2015, he points out: Theresa May blew it in 2017.

'The nightmare scenario I fear and foresee is a divided Conservative Party putting its own ideological Brexit triumph ahead of economic competence and driving voters into the arms of Corbyn. Instead of reaching out to Blairites in exile, we lurch to the Right and justify the extremism of Corbyn. That is why we must create a space in the middle.'
A father-daughter duo have been arrested for allegedly working together to run a drug operation to deal to high school students.

Daniel Williams, 51, and his 17-year-old daughter Morgan Williams are being held without bond on numerous drug-related felony charges after a raid found more than two pound of marijuana, 87 colorful MDMA pills - also known as 'Molly' or ecstasy - and $22,000 in cash.

Investigators with the Johns Creek-Alpharetta-Forsyth County Drug Task Force raided the family's home in Cumming, Georgia, as well as a storage unit in Forsyth, leading to their arrest Wednesday night.

'We believe that they were working together to sell drugs in the Forsyth County area,' Sheriffs Office spokesman, Cpl Doug Rainwater said.

Daniel Williams, 51, and his daughter Morgan, 17, were arrested Wednesday night for allegedly working together to deal drugs to her high school classmates

A raid of their home in Cumming, Georgia, and a storage unit found pounds of marijuana and 87 MDMA pills (pictured) along with $22,000 cash

Narcotic detective had been investigating Morgan for month after agents got a tip that a high school student was selling marijuana to other teenagers.

During the investigation they learned the student's father was also participating in the alleged drug activity.

Morgan is a senior dual enrolled at North Forsyth High School and University of North Georgia, where they allegedly distributed drugs to her classmates. Classes at the high school have been in session since the beginning of August.

Morgan Williams has been charged with six felonies, including the sale of marijuana, possession of more than an ounce of marijuana, intent to distribute marijuana, intent to distribute MDMA, tampering with evidence and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug-related objects.

Pictured are the two pounds of marijuana that were seized during the raid

Authorities found $22,000 cash in a bag Wednesday night

In 2015, wife and mother Elaine Williams was arrested for trying to buy a baby online

Her father has been charged with felony counts of intent to distribute MDMA and use of electronic communications to facilitate a drug offense.

This is not the family's first run-in with the law.

In 2015, mother and wife Elaine Williams was arrested for posting an ad on Craigslist looking to buy a baby for her then-14-year-old daughter Morgan.

The charges were later dropped.

Daniel had also been arrested recently on suspicion of DUI with possession of prescription pills.
On the outside, the auto body shop looks like the three other garages in this unassuming suburb of Philadelphia.

But inside, it's quickly apparent that this is no ordinary garage.

Shop forewoman Sue Sweeney is inspecting a car on a lift above her, while another woman passes her tools from a tray of equipment resting on a work bench.

There are hardly any men to be seen.

Welcome to Girls Auto Clinic, where a fleet of women mechanics is breaking the mold in the male-dominated industry.

Sue Sweeney is the shop forewoman at the Girls Auto Clinic, where a fleet of women mechanics in Philadelphia is breaking the mold in the male-dominated industry

CEO Patrice Banks (pictured) used to always feel taken advantage of when she went to the mechanic and decided that something needed to change

'I used to be a woman in the automotive industry that hated all my experiences,' founder and CEO Patrice Banks told AFP.

'I called myself an auto airhead. I always felt like I needed a guy to go to the mechanic with me or that I was being taken advantage of.'

One day Banks decided to try and find a female mechanic, entering the term into Google.

But all she got was pictures of bikini-clad women writhing on muscle cars.

That's when Banks, at the age of 31, decided to go back to school.

In the mornings she worked as a manager at an engineering lab, but when the sun went down she was tinkering with cars among 18-year-olds at community college.

Banks absolutely loved it and, a month after graduation, gave up her six-figure salary to start working for $600 a week at an auto repair shop.

Banks opened Girls Auto Clinic last year, hoping to create a business where woman would feel both welcomed and empowered

Banks not only fixes women's cars. She also helps teach them how to do everything from change a tire to their oil

Last year Banks opened Girls Auto Clinic, hoping to create a business where woman would feel both welcomed and empowered.

She even added a salon so that her customers could get manicures or blowouts while waiting for their cars.

'If we are the number one customer, so many of us shouldn't be feeling mistreated or misunderstood,' she said.

In the United States, women make up about half of all drivers but only account for about three percent of all automotive technicians and mechanics, according to the Department of Transportation.

But at Girls Auto Clinic, nine of the 10 employees are female. They call themselves 'She-canics.'

At Girls Auto Clinic, nine of the 10 employees are female. They call themselves 'She-canics'

Banks estimates that 75 percent of her customers are women, many of whom drive a few extra miles for the unique repair experience. Pictured are two of Banks' mechanics

'I can come in, be me, I can dress however I want and I'm not going to get judged whether I look girly enough or too boyish because of the type of work I'm going to do,' said Sweeney.

During her 23 years in the business, Sweeney, 42, has heard every cliche in the book.

One former colleague even told her she 'should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen'.

But she says blatant sexism based on the physical nature of the work never deterred her.

As Sweeney hoists an engine into a car, Banks says: 'She's incredible. And I'm like, who passed up on her?'

Banks has since even created a book - Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide - to help women.

'It's relatable - women get it,' she said. 'It's not boring car stuff like "Let's talk about carburetors or horsepower'''.

Banks has since even created a book - Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide - to help women learn

Girls Auto Clinic has been open for just over a year, but has already built a loyal customer base.

Banks estimates that 75 percent of her customers are women, many of whom drive a few extra miles for the unique repair experience.

She is now hoping to capitalize on her success and turn the shop into a nationwide franchise.

Banks has since launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with the plan to open two new locations in 2019 and three more by 2020.

'What's bigger than female empowerment right now?' Banks asked, convinced Girls Auto Clinic will become a household name among female drivers.

'We're riding that wave, people are looking for things like this. This is the right time.'
The late engineer Riccardo Morandi penned the report in 1979, 12 years after the bridge bearing his name was inaugurated in Genoa

The designer of the Genoa bridge that collapsed and killed 43 people last week had warned that the structure would require constant repairs - four decades ago.

Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi wrote in 1979 - 12 years after the bridge was opened - that it would have to undergo continuous maintenance to remove rust, given the effects of corrosion from sea air and pollution on the concrete.

The report has been unveiled by Italian media as authorities suspended an operation allowing evacuated residents to fetch belongings from the flats underneath the bridge due to 'creaking noises'.

Firefighters stopped the work after hearing noises from the bridge, fearing another collapse.

When writing his report in 1979, Morandi, who passed away in 1989, said there was already a 'well-known loss of superficial chemical resistance of the concrete' because of sea air and pollution from a nearby steel plant.

He said he chose to write about it because the degradation represented a particular 'perplexity' given the 'aggressivity' of the corrosion that wasn't seen in similar structures in different environments.

Morandi reaffirmed the soundness of the reinforced concrete bridge design he used but warned: 'Sooner or later, maybe in a few years, it will be necessary to resort to a treatment consisting of the removal of all traces of rust on the exposure of the reinforcements, to fill in the patches.'

Fear: An operation allowing residents evacuated from the flats underneath the bridge, pictured, was suspended today after 'creaking noises' were heard by firefighters

Caterpillars continue to remove rubble from the collapsed Morandi highway bridge, in Genoa

A partial view of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge, in Genoa, as the official death toll rose to 43 this weekend

He recommended using an epoxy resin to cover the reinforcements with materials 'of a very high chemical resistance.'

A huge section of the bridge collapsed August 14 during a fierce storm, killing 43 people and forcing the evacuation of nearby residents in the densely built-up area.

The cause is under investigation, and a team of engineers appointed by the ministry of infrastructure and transportation carried out a preliminary inspection Sunday after rescue crews concluded their search for the missing.

The head of the government team, Roberto Ferrazza, said the preliminary survey suggested a series of possible causes and not just a simple collapse of the bridge support since the span appears to have initially experienced a distortion.

'We have to look at the positioning of the rubble, considering that there was a break that provoked an imbalanced movement of the structure,' the ANSA news agency quoted Ferrazza as saying.

The Espresso newsmagazine reported Sunday that Ferrazza was one of the engineers who knew about the advanced corrosion underway on the key bridge support that gave way, having attended a February 1 meeting of experts from the transport ministry and the company that manages bridge repairs.

People light candles for the victims of the Morandi Bridge collapse among other tributes on a bridge opposite

The cause of the disaster is not yet clear, but the bridge was having work done on its foundations, and there had been a period of bad weather in the run up to the collapse

A GPR (ground penetrating radar) installed by the firefighters checks the collapsed Morandi highway bridge

Minutes of the meeting, which bear Ferrazza's signature, recommended that the supports be reinforced given the 'trend of degradation' being registered. Bidding opened in April for the 20 million-euro ($23 million) public works contract to do the work, according to Italian media.

The 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 Mediterranean beaches.

Engineers say there have long been concerns about its unusual concrete-encased stay cables, which Morandi used in several of his bridge designs instead of the more common steel cables.

Late Sunday, dozens of Genoese residents gathered in a central piazza to both vent rage and pain over the collapse. Many wrote messages and poems on sheets of white paper unrolled on the piazza cobblestones.

'We choose the paper because this way everyone can write whatever he or she thinks without necessarily shouting, or screaming at a time when all we need is silence,' said Elisa D'Andrea, one of the event organizers.
Comedian Andy Gross (above) has been accused of sexually harassing a female student during a performance at Purdue University orientation on Saturday

Comedian Andy Gross has been accused of sexually harassing a student during a performance at Purdue University orientation.

The Los Angeles-based performer called the female orientation leader on stage to assist with part of his routine and proceeded to make a number of crude comments referencing his genitalia and asking her to touch his leg.

Several students walked out of the show - which was said to have been distasteful throughout - and the university in West Lafayette, Indiana, has vowed never to associate with Gross again.

One of the more than 7,000 students in attendance was freshman Andora Fess of San Francisco, who described the ventriloquist and illusionist's alleged harassment to the Indianapolis Star.

'He made [the student] stand closer and closer to him and made a joke about that giving him a erection and making his pants seem to say "let me out", referring to his genitals,' she said.

The Los Angeles-based ventriloquist and illusionist called the female orientation leader on stage to assist with part of his routine and proceeded to make a number of crude comments referencing his genitalia and asking her to touch his leg in front of 7,000 of her peers

Fess said Gross then instructed the student stand back-to-back with him, at which point he made her touch his upper thigh as he joked about 'at least getting a feel'.

'In the beginning it was disbelief and extreme discomfort. I know I was pretty angry and just in shock that this seemingly very famous person was treating women like this at a school,' Fess said, adding that the comedian made several jokes at the expense of women.

At one point Gross is said to have referenced Matt Lauer, the disgraced NBC host who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.

'It was just very distasteful, and once he started doing that, people in the audience started to get up,' Fess said.

'He came into the crowd, and none of the women would volunteer, and he just kept making sexual jokes even as the crowd was leaving.'

Following Gross' set, a Purdue official got on stage and said the performance was not a representation of the university and its values.

Officials from the university in West Lafayette, Indiana, (above) have said the performance is not a reflection of Purdue or its values, vowing never to associate with gross again

The school later issued a statement saying accounts of exactly what happened have differed, but that parts of the performance were 'clearly inappropriate and contrary to the university's values'.

The school's Center for Advocacy, Response and Education also released a statement on Twitter, writing: 'CARE was contacted earlier this evening regarding a performance during the BGR closing ceremony that was described as harassing and offensive.

'As a result, a CARE advocate responded to campus to offer support to students. If you were impacted by this evening's event and need to speak with someone, please remember that support is available 24/7.'

Students responded to the bizarre performance on social media with the hashtag #AndyGrossisGross.

A representative for Gross told DailyMail.com: 'Andy Gross is profoundly sorry that students at Purdue University were offended during his show this past weekend.

'Andy has performed all segments of last weekend's act for many years without complaint, including in venues such as the Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store, the Improv, and dozens of venues throughout the United States and abroad.

'Andy has never before been accused of sexual misconduct or harassment. Andy was oblivious and naive about the current environment on college campus.'
Porn star Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti is telling New Hampshire Democrats they need to select someone with his own pugnacious approach to confronting President Trump to succeed in November.

Avenatti, who burst onto the national scene through legal maneuvers and TV appearances in support of his high-profile client, who claims she had an affair with Trump, took his show to Iowa's cornfields for a weekend visit.

He said Democrast need to 'fight fire with fire' and described himself as an experienced courtroom and TV brawler who is up to the task.

He said the 2020 race is 'going to be a brutal, knockdown, street fight, and if someone's not up for that type of campaign, they need to stay home and not seek the nomination,' Fox News reported.

Avenatti told the Hillsborough County Democrats that he was considering matching Trump's confrontational style with his own pugilistic brand in a 2020 presidential run.

Michael Avenatti, lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, arrives to speak at the Hillsborough County Democrats' Summer Picnic fundraiser in Greenfield, N.H. Sunday, Aug.19, 2018

'When they go low, we hit harder,' Avenatti said, modifying a former first lady Michelle Obama slogan.

The popular former first lady famous repeated throughout 2016: 'When they go low, we go high.'

He made his pitch after efforts to expand his profile beyond the Stormy Daniels case. He has thrown himself into cases of children separated from their families, and released a position paper where he opposed Trump's border wall but came out against eliminating the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, as some Democrats have called to do.

Avenatti, an attorney who has bedeviled President Donald Trump during the past year over his personal relationships and immigration policies made a presidential pitch of his own to Democratic voters in New Hampshire on Sunday.

Avenatti addressed the issue of his unusual entree into politics, asking: ''What is some porn lawyer doing here today?'

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had an affair with Trump. Trump denies it

Avenatti's overture comes as Democrats lack a single dominant contender for 2020

dult film star Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti and Stormy Daniels attend a City Proclamation and Key to The City of West Hollywood at Chi Chi LaRue's on May 23, 2018 in West Hollywood, California

Avenatti acknowledged that some of the roughly 200 voters at the outdoor barbecue might be thinking, 'What is some porn lawyer doing here today?' But, he added, 'As you all know, these are anything but usual times.'

Democrats today, he said, are fighting for 'nothing short of the survival of our republic.'

Tracing his background, Avenatti said he had grown up in Missouri without a 'golden toilet' - an allusion to the Trump family's wealth - and was the first in his family to graduate from college.

As a trial lawyer, he said, he represented 'Davids' against 'Goliaths' - and still does now, he said, with his advocacy for Daniels, who says she was coerced into staying silent about her alleged relationship with Trump, and for immigrant families separated by the White House's crackdown on asylum seekers at the border.

Avenatti has put a toe in the 2020 race, posting a platform on Twitter and recently visiting Iowa, another key primary state that he will soon visit again. On Sunday, he said he was still seriously considering whether to run.

But 'what I fear most . is that (Democrats) have a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gunfight,' said. Avenatti, who has gained notoriety for assailing Trump using the president's favored medium, Twitter. Speaking to reporters later, Avenatti addressed some Democrats' concerns about adopting Trump's tactics, arguing that a successful challenger must be able to counter the president's provocations. He praised Hillary Clinton's resume and character, but noted that she lost the 2016 election despite being the most qualified candidate 'in U.S. history.'

Avenatti was not the only politician at Sunday's gathering to use Trump as a motivator for voters. Democratic candidates from county commissioner up to governor sought to tie local Republicans to the president.

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA: Michael Avenatti, left, an attorney and entrepreneur, has a selfie taken with Mike Munhall of Bennington after speaking at the Hillsborough County Democrats' Summer Picnic fundraiser in Greenfield, N.H., Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018

Avenatti appeared in Iowa after spending months bashing the president in the Stormy Daniels case

State Rep. Richard McNamara of Hillsboro, left, and Mike Munhall of Bennington, talk while waiting for Michael Avenatti to arrive at the Hillsborough County Democrats' Summer Picnic fundraiser in Greenfield, N.H., Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018

Attendees wait in line for food at the Hillsborough County Democrats' Summer Picnic fundraiser in Greenfield, N.H., Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. Michael Avenatti, the attorney taking on President Donald Trump on behalf of adult film star Stormy Daniels, is slated to attend the picnic held by local Democrats as he weighs a bid for the White House. (AP Photo/ Cheryl Senter)

Steve Marchand, a former mayor of Portsmouth running for governor, said the Republican incumbent, Chris Sununu, was linked to Trump 'by complicity' with his policies on immigration, voter rights and education. Molly Kelly, a former state senator also competing in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, tied Sununu to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos through their support for an educational voucher system, which Kelly said 'weakens public education and . will raise property taxes.'

Voters on hand appeared cautiously taken with Avenatti, who received a celebrity reception after arriving Sunday afternoon, stopping every few feet for a selfie photo as he slowly made his way through an energized crowd.

Kathy Boyer, a former law firm clerk from Amherst, said she liked Avenatti's message and hoped he would prove a viable candidate, despite never having held political office.

'People said the same thing about Donald Trump,' she said. 'Look what happened.'
Police have launched a desperate appeal to find Australia's ten most wanted criminals, still on the run years after their heinous crimes.

Images of the men - accused or convicted of crimes in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia - have been released in the hopes people recognise them and turn them over to the police.

The list includes Graham Gene Potter, 60, charged with two counts of conspiracy to murder, Jonathon Edward Dick, wanted over the murder of his brother, and Paul Steadman, 50, wanted over the alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old boy.

Police believe some of the dangerous offenders have likely assumed new identities to avoid capture.

Graham Potter, who also goes by the names Josh Lawson and Peter Anderson has been on the run since he was charged with conspiracy to murder in Brunswick, Melbourne, in 2008

Jonathon Dick (left) is charged with murdering his brother, and Paul Brent Steadman (right) was charged with sexually assaulting a child

Graham Potter, who also goes by the names Josh Lawson and Peter Anderson has been on the run since he was charged with conspiracy to murder in Brunswick, Melbourne, in 2008.

The suspected killer and hitman went on the run while on bail in 2010 for a gangland execution plot.

Potter was allegedly contracted to kill gangland members but was unable to carry the killings out when his car allegedly broke down.

There have been suspected sightings of Potter since, including last year in Griffith, New South Wales.

Police believe he could be using a number of different names including Josh Lawson, John Page, Jim Henderson and Peter Adams.

Police said he might be 'innocently harboured by farmers'.

'These criminals may appear to be leading a normal life; they may be your work colleague, neighbour, or a new person that has moved to your area, hiding in plain sight,' the police said.

Paul Paterson (AKA Paul James, Jason Anthony Taylor): Convicted in 1996 for assaulting a child at Wauchope in NSW. Believed to be in the Darwin area

Jonathon Dick, charged with murdering his brother, is believed to be living on the streets after changing his appearance.

Dick disappeared after his brother was murdered in broad daylight.

Paul Brent Steadman, a former Bathurst karate instructor, was charged in 2015 with sexually assaulting a child under the age of 16.

Steadman's car was later found in bushland. It's believed he may have died but the authorities do not know.

Keith John Porter: Failed to attend 2006 Brisbane Supreme Court sentencing hearing over a cocaine and cannabis trafficking syndicate

In Queensland, Keith John Porter hasn't been seen since he failed to attend a 2006 sentencing hearing over a cocaine and cannabis syndicate.

Wanted NSW man, Harley Bennett, is thought to have fled interstate in a breach of parole after being jailed over a 2003 sexual assault in Newcastle.

'These criminals may appear to be leading a normal life; they may be your work colleague, neighbour or a new person that has moved to your area, hiding in plain sight,' Crime Stoppers Australia chairman, Trevor O'Hara, said on Monday.

Anyone with information is urged to make a confidential report via 1800 333 000 or online, and may be eligible for a cash reward.

Arron Michael Blenkinsop (AKA Andrew Ross Bailey): Convicted in Queensland in 2015 for drug trafficking

Arron Michael Blenkinsop, from Cairns, was sentenced to a five-year sentence and a three-year sentence in 2015 for two offences surrounding the dealing of MDMA, cocaine and steroids.

However his failure to comply with parole conditions has put the body builder, who also goes by Andrew Ross Bailey, on the Crime Stoppers' Rogue Radar.

The 36-year-old is on dating site HePays, according to The Courier Mail.

His profile, according to the publication, said he was looking for 'wealthy women who will look after me.

'I will fulfil her every fantasy and every desire.'

He is also listed on talent site Star Now as a model, actor, and intermediate disco dancer.

Johnathan Robert Simmons (AKA John Robert Griffiths, Tristian Simmons, John Simmons): Allegedly obtained more than $50,000 from a fraudulent punters website in Adelaide

WHO ARE AUSTRALIA'S TEN MOST WANTED CRIMINALS? * Arron Michael Blenkinsop (AKA Andrew Ross Bailey): Convicted in Queensland in 2015 for drug trafficking. Failed to comply with conditions after being granted parole. * Cody Allan Coppock (AKA Cody Gallegos, David Morris): Wanted over an aggravated break and enter at Armatree in NSW in February. Has 'Gallegos' tattooed on his forearm. * Graham Gene Potter (AKA Josh Lawson, Peter Anderson): Charged with two counts of conspiracy to murder at Brunswick in Melbourne in 2008. * Harley Bennett: Sentenced over a 2003 aggravated sexual assault in Newcastle. Believed to have fled interstate after being granted parole. * Johnathan Robert Simmons (AKA John Robert Griffiths, Tristian Simmons, John Simmons): Allegedly obtained more than $50,000 from a fraudulent punters website in Adelaide. * Jonathon Edward Dick: Fled after the murder of his brother, David Dick, at Doncaster in Melbourne in February 2017. * Keith John Porter: Failed to attend 2006 Brisbane Supreme Court sentencing hearing over a cocaine and cannabis trafficking syndicate. * Paul Paterson (AKA Paul James, Jason Anthony Taylor): Convicted in 1996 for assaulting a child at Wauchope in NSW. Believed to be in the Darwin area. * Pham Nguyen: Wanted for conduct endangering life after allegedly getting into a woman's car and splashing her with petrol in Victoria last year. * Paul Brent Steadman: Former Bathurst karate instructor charged in 2015 with sexually assaulting child under the age of 16. Steadman's car was later found in bushland. He may have died. Advertisement

Harley Bennett (left), is thought to have fled interstate in a breach of parole after being jailed over a 2003 sexual assault in Newcastle and Cody Allan Coppock (right) is wanted over an aggravated break and enter
An Air New Zealand flight to Sydney has been forced to turn back to Auckland due to a technical issue.

Flight NZ101 took off at 7.20am but turned back a short time later.

The incident came just hours after another Air New Zealand plane, NZ80, which returned to Hong Kong Airport on Sunday night.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the pilots on board the flight decided to turn back as a 'precautionary measure'.

'[The decision was made] due to an issue with the system that heats one of the windows in the flight deck.

'There was no risk to safety at any point. The aircraft landed without incident and customers are being accommodated on alternative services.'

More to come

Air New Zealand Flight NZ101 took off at 7.20am but turned back a short time later (stock image)
Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) granted Stevan Utah (pictured) refugee status

An Australian man has reportedly been granted refugee status in Canada amid fears for his life after he infiltrated the Bandidos bikie gang.

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) granted Stevan Utah refugee status after hearing evidence about how he had acted as a police informant.

Mr Utah went undercover for the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) during an operation against bikie gangs in 2006, the ABC reported on Monday.

The decision by the IRB is considered highly unusual given Mr Utah comes from Australia, which while a democratic country has been found to be lacking when it came to protecting him.

Mr Utah, a former soldier, fled Australia after his cover was blown and Bandidos members tried to kill him on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

The IRB ruled that Mr Utah had presented 'clear and convincing evidence' of the failure by Australian authorities to provide him with adequate protection from the Bandidos.

An Australian man has reportedly been granted refugee status in Canada amid fears for his life after he infiltrated the Bandidos bikie gang (stock image)

'I do find that the claimant would more likely than not face a serious risk to his life, almost immediately on his return to Australia,' IRB member Jodie Schmalzbauer wrote in a judgment obtained by the ABC.

Mr Utah said he was no longer an Australian.

'What was done to me years ago is not the cause of current serving members of policing agencies ... nor did the sitting [federal] government do this to me,' he told the ABC.

'But the institutions they currently serve most certainly did.'

Mr Utah had given the ACC information about serious crimes, including the murder of Victorian man Earl Mooring, during his time as an informant.

The ACC's successor, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), told the ABC it did not 'comment on operational matters'.
A teenager has been charged after he allegedly sexually assaulted a young mother before attacking her eight-month-old baby girl.

The 18-year-old is accused of breaking into the family's home in Wagga Wagga, in the New South Wales Riverina, about 4.40pm on Friday.

He fled the scene after the alleged sexual assault of the mother and the assault of the baby, with the terrified 29-year-old woman alerting her husband for help.

An 18-year-old man was arrested at a unit complex in Day Street, Wagga Wagga (pictured is the street) after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 29-year-old woman and assaulted her eight-month-old baby

Police were called and launched an investigation which led them to a unit complex in Day Street, Wagga Wagga, on Saturday.

It was there officers executed a search warrant and arrested the teenage male.

He has been charged with aggravated break enter and commit serious indictable offence, aggravated sexual assault and choking.

The teenager appeared in court on Sunday, where he was refused bail.

He will appear via audio visual link in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been forced into another humiliating backdown as pressure mounts on him to quit.

Senior government figures have said Mr Turnbull is facing an 'almost inevitable' challenge to his leadership as infighting over his controversial energy policy continues, with a state party boss urging 21 MPs to withdraw their support.

In the latest of a series of attempts to stave off a leadership challenge, Mr Turnbull on Monday outlined a raft of major changes to the National Energy Guarantee (NEG).

One crucial change will be abandoning plans to legislate carbon emission targets through the NEG, which would be blocked by coalition backbenchers in the one-seat majority parliament.

'In politics you have to focus on what you can deliver and that's what we've done and we'll continue to do,' Mr Turnbull told reporters at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.

Mr Turnbull defied rumours of an impending leadership spill, denying his position was under threat and declaring he had the 'absolute support' of Mr Dutton.

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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) is faced with an 'almost inevitable' challenge to his leadership as infighting over his controversial energy policy continues

'The outstanding reservations of a number of our colleagues, combined with the absence of bipartisan support, means that as long as that remains the case we won't be in a position to take that legislation forward.'

The government will also adopt a recommendation from the consumer watchdog to establish a 'default market offer' on energy bills.

'A price expectation will give consumers a clear picture of how much they should be paying for their electricity,' Mr Turnbull said.

'For too long, the energy companies have baffled consumers with confusing and complex offers, promising deep discounts to standing offer prices that bear little relation to the cost of providing electricity.'

Mr Turnbull spoke as Queensland Liberal National Party President Gary Spence urged MPs in his state to dump him in favour of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

Joining rebel MPs in an open revolt against Mr Turnbull, Mr Spence called for support to be shifted to Mr Dutton, saying the party will struggle to retain seats otherwise.

Mr Spence told the 21 LNP members in Queensland they stand to lose half of all seats in the state unless Mr Turnbull is removed as leader, Sky News reported.

Under Mr Dutton all seats would be safe, the LNP could win back the seat of Herbert from Labor, and possibly even take Kennedy from Bob Katter, Mr Spence argued.

REVISED TURNBULL GOVERNMENT ENERGY PLAN: * Government won't bring in legislation for the National Energy Guarantee to parliament this week, because it lacks numbers to pass it. This means no immediate action on cutting emissions. * 'Default market offer' to give consumers a clear picture of how much they should be paying for their electricity. Saving for households could range between $183 and $416 a year. Average small business to save $561 to $1,457. * ACCC to get new powers to step in where there has been an abuse or misuse of market power by big electricity companies, including possible break-up of companies in worst cases. * Government will underwrite new power generation. * Talks to continue with the states on the reliability guarantee, which needs to be in place by July 2019. Source: AAP Advertisement

A horror new poll showing a drop in support for the Coalition has intensified spill rumours, and even loyal backers of Mr Turnbull have admitted he is falling out of favour.

The latest Fairfax/Ipsos poll showed the Coalition's primary vote has fallen from 39 to 33 in just a month.

Labor now leads the Coalition 55 per cent to 45 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, intensifying calls for Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to mount a challenge.

According to senior ministers, dissatisfaction with Mr Turnbull goes beyond the National Energy Guarantee, with ideological splits developing within the government.

'He's just not one of us,' one senior figure told Nine News political editor Chris Uhlmann, he told the Today show.

'There are deep values arguments that are being made. A lot of them might well be spurious but this is a dangerous time for the prime minister,' Mr Ulhmann said.

Mr Turnbull spoke as Queensland Liberal National Party President Gary Spence (pictured) urged MPs in his state to dump him in favour of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton

WHAT FEDERAL MPS ARE SAYING ABOUT A POSSIBLE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE 'There are some people who don't support the current leader, and that's quite obvious. The overwhelming majority of my party room are 100 per cent behind Malcolm Turnbull, as is the entire cabinet.' - Senior Liberal MP Christopher Pyne. 'He's our best hope to beat Bill Shorten at the election next year.' Mr Pyne backs Mr Turnbull. 'Absolutely.' - Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, when asked if the government is united. 'It's not about personalities. It's not about him, its not about me... It's about policy and what we've got to get is a contest. The only way we can win the next election is to have a contest over policy not personalities.' - Former prime minister and National Energy Guarantee opponent Tony Abbott. 'As long as we get on and focus on the things we are doing for Australians ... there is no reason why we cannot get on and win the next election.' - Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham insists Malcolm Turnbull is 'absolutely' safe. 'The prime minister has my support - we're looking forward to working through these issues we have with the National Energy Guarantee.' - Liberal MP Craig Kelly. 'The Turnbull government is 100 per cent focused on themselves and not doing anything on energy prices.' - Labor Leader Bill Shorten. Source: AAP Advertisement

Staunch Turnbull supporter Christopher Pyne, Minister for Defence Industry, said the prime minister had been deserted by some MPs, but had the full backing of cabinet.

'There are some people who don't support the current leader. That's quite obvious,' he told the Today show.

'The overwhelming majority of my party room are 100 per cent behind Malcolm Turnbull as is the entire cabinet.'

The prime minister gathered his senior ministers together for dinner on Sunday night amid growing speculation he could be in strife over the government's National Energy Guarantee.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) - and the man being touted as a possible leadership contender - was late to a Sunday night crisis meeting

But his Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton - and the man being touted as a possible leadership contender - was late, reportedly because his flight was delayed.

It's understood he missed the dinner, but arrived later at Parliament House after taking a VIP flight from Brisbane, the Courier-Mail reported.

Poll Who do you prefer as Prime Minister if there is a leadership spill? Malcolm Turnbull Peter Dutton Tony Abbott Other Who do you prefer as Prime Minister if there is a leadership spill? Malcolm Turnbull 56 votes

Peter Dutton 106 votes

Tony Abbott 98 votes

Other 65 votes Now share your opinion





'It is now almost inevitable, the question is timing,' one senior minister said.

Mr Dutton has told the prime minister he does not want to run against him, however he did not rule out a challenge in a private phone conversation, The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday.

Some conservative colleagues unhappy with the NEG have begun drifting towards Mr Dutton as their preferred prime minister.

The leadership chatter grew much louder last week after Mr Dutton warned during a radio interview that further disagreements could lead to his resignation from cabinet.

In a bid to quell the bubbling unrest, the prime minister took to social media to propose a number of changes to his signature energy policy.

Mr Turnbull has promised to wield a 'big stick' over electricity retailers who charge too much, and make it easier for power consumers to tell when they are being ripped off.

He has also offered to regulate - rather than legislate - Australia's commitments to reducing carbon emissions.

Staunch Turnbull supporter Christopher Pyne (pictured), Minister for Defence Industry, said the prime minister had been deserted by some MPs, but had the full backing of cabinet

During Sunday's dinner in Canberra, the prime minister was expected to float the idea of abandoning big business tax cuts rather than fighting for them up until the next election, if they are defeated in the Senate.

However, it remains to be seen if these changes will be enough to win over restless colleagues, or whether they could potentially backfire by alienating his supporters.

Mr Turnbull tried to brush off talk of rising numbers against him in the coalition party room.

'I'm focused on getting energy prices down and I'll leave you to all of the speculation,' he told reporters on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie twice refused to say whether she would like to see him stay on as prime minister before eventually saying 'yes' when asked for a third time.

Mr Dutton has told the prime minister he does not want to run against him, however he did not rule out a challenge in a private phone conversation (pictured are Mr Turnbull and Mr Dutton)

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL ENERGY GUARANTEE? The National Energy Guarantee (NEG) claims to offer cheaper and more reliable power while lowering carbon emissions.

NEG is in response to the county's commitment to the Paris Agreement, a pledge to reduce carbon emissions and action on climate change by 2020.

At the heart of the policy is the emissions reduction target of 26 per cent by 2030.

The Liberal and Nationals MPs who are against NEG and appear willing to cross the floor include Tony Abbott, Andrew Gee, Andrew Hastie, Barnaby Joyce, Craig Kelly, Kevin Andrews, George Christensen, and Keith Pitt.

In order to stave off a revolt for the rebel MPs Mr Turnbull offered to regulate - rather than legislate - the Paris climate targets Advertisement

'I think Malcolm Turnbull is our prime minister and I would like to see him stay as our prime minister, and that is actually a decision for the Liberal Party,' Senator McKenzie told Sky News.

Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham insisted the prime minister has support from the majority of the party room.

He urged a 'handful of troublemakers' in coalition ranks to pull their heads in.

'As long as we get on and focus on the things we are doing for Australians ... there is no reason why we cannot get on and win the next election,' he told Sky News on Monday.

Senator Birmingham, who was among ministers summoned by Mr Turnbull on Sunday night replied flatly 'no' when asked whether Mr Dutton would mount a challenge.

'Peter made a very clear public statement of support for the prime minister and the policies of the government - I take that at its word,' he said.
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Investigations are underway after a man was found seriously injured on the side of a country road early on Monday morning.

The man was found by a taxi driver travelling near Lake Macquaire, northern New South Wales when he discovered the maimed man shortly before 1am.

Medical assistance was rendered by taxi driver and emergency services were soon called.

Investigations are underway after a man was found seriously injured on the side of a country road near Lake Macquarie (pictured) early on Monday morning

The man was found by a taxi driver travelling on Oakdale Road at Whitehorse, northern New South Wales when he discovered the maimed man shortly before 1am

He was then airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

However the man, whose identity remains unknown, died during the flight.

A crime scene has now been established at the spot where the man was found and police are investigating in the circumstances into his death.

Anyone near, or who may have footage of, Oakdale Road at Whitebridge last night is urged to contact police.
A wildfire in Montana's Glacier National Park is forcing more evacuations and has burned within a half-mile of the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Part of the 50-mile, two-lane road that spans the width of the park and crosses the Continental Divide is closed and official are desperate to save it form the fire.

Firefighters are installing hoses and sprinklers to prevent the 4,000-acre Howe Fire from spreading on to the road but were dealing with high winds.

The Howe Ridge Fire seen from across Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, Montana

A wildfire in Montana's Glacier National Park has burned within a half-mile of the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road (pictured at intersection with Apgar Loop)

'If we have fire along there, what we'd be dealing with is trees and rocks falling along that road for years to come because of the destabilization,' operations chief Rocky Gilbert told the Missoulian.

Officials evacuated the Fish Creek Campground and told residents in the small town of Apgar on Lake McDonald they might have to leave.

Other campgrounds, the historic Lake McDonald Lodge and private cabins along Going-to-the-Sun Road are already under evacuation orders.

Brothers Craig and Sean Simpson, and their father, Henry, were evacuated from their campground on Sunday.

'It's kind of scary, being woken up and told you have to evacuate,' Craig Simpson said.

Officials evacuated the Fish Creek Campground and told residents in the small town of Apgar on Lake McDonald (pictured) they might have to leave

Sean Simpson commended Glacier staff for their handling of the situation. 'They got us out with plenty of time to be safe, and we felt taken care of,' he said.

The Simpsons arrived from New England on Saturday and though they had to relocate to Apgar Campground and cancel their plans to hike in the North Fork, they still planned to stay for five nights.

Businesspeople who serve tourists in the park said the fire had already hurt them.

'The smoke is what's affecting us,' Glacier Outfitters co-owner Shelby Handlin Hampton told the Missoulian.

She said the fire deterred Glacier visitors from the outdoor activities that her shop supports.

Other campgrounds, the historic Lake McDonald Lodge and private cabins along Going-to-the-Sun Road are already under evacuation orders

Firefighters dump water on the massive fire as it spreads throughout the national park

Many hikers and holidaymakers were forced to flee the park for their lives as the fire suddenly closed in around them.

Justin Bilton and his 70-year-old father Charlie were backpacking through Wyoming and Montana and had to drive through the fire to escape.

In a video of their terrifying escape, Charlie is heard speaking to his son in a steady voice, trying to calm the young man's nerves.

'I think we can drive through this,' Charlie says. 'Dad, what if the car blows up?' Justin replied.

'Then we're dead. Just keep driving. Not too too fast, we'll be okay,' Charlie replies.

Justin Bilton and his 70-year-old father Charlie (left and right) were camping on August 11 at Glacier National Park in Montana when a lightning storm struck

After Justin and Charlie came across a downed tree, they were forced to reverse down the road they had driven and back to the lake

They eventually made it to a trail leading to a lake and abandoned their car, which was later destroyed by the fire, and were rescued by rangers on a boat.

Elsewhere, officials said a wildfire near California's Yosemite National Park has been fully contained following a recent weeks-long closure.

Yosemite's closure came at the height of tourist season, costing the park and nearby communities millions of dollars.

The park draws more than 600,000 visitors during a typical August, according to the National Park Service.
Accused criminals on the Gold Coast ordered to wear ankle trackers are roaming the streets 'free' for a week because police cannot get the device to them in time.

Trackers are dispatched centrally from Brisbane, meaning police are unable to track alleged criminals for seven days after a magistrate makes a tracking order.

Two men have recently been ordered to wear trackers while on bail by Southport Magistrates Court, including Steven Edward Smith, 34, - accused of stabbing millionaire Paul Picone in a Mudgeeraba park.

Accused criminals on bail on the Gold Coast are waiting for seven days to be fitted with an ankle tracking device (stock image pictured) - which are dispatched from Brisbane

Steven Edward Smith (pictured central), who is accused of stabbing millionaire Paul Picone in a Mudgeeraba park this month - is one of the accused criminals on bail who has had to wait seven days for a bracelet to be issued to him

Darren Rose, 47, was also handed the tracking order for allegedly supplying drugs as part of a multimillion-dollar Hells Angels ice trafficking ring.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Rose or Smith have breached their bail conditions.

The lawyer representing both men, Campbell MacCallum, said he thought the devices could be fitted more quickly - according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Bill Potts, of Potts Lawyers, criticised the use of the ankle trackers before they were introduced in May.

He said: 'If there is an issue on a Friday night nothing is going to happen until Tuesday.'

A Queensland police spokesman however said the GPS tracker was monitored in live time and issues were dealt with promptly by police.

Lawyer Bill Potts (left) has criticised the introduction of the bracelets - saying the devices are unreliable as they are connected to a 3G network. Lawyer Campbell MacCallum (right), who is defending two accused criminals, said police could improve ankle tracking system

Mr Potts added the devices also depended on data coverage to send alerts to police, which could be unreliable in some areas.

In May, mobile blackouts occurred in South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory - resulting in lost connectivity with 750 criminal ankle bracelets in NT alone.



The trackers are issued to accused criminals on bail as part of a 12-month trial by the Queenland state government costing $2.5million.

Magistrates in the state have been able to issue trackers since May and the cases in Southport are some of the first on the Gold Cost.

Speaking to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Queensland Police would not reveal the number of devices in circulation and their individual cost due to 'commercial in confidence considerations'.
The former Director of National Intelligence has hit back at an ex-CIA chief embroiled in a bitter war of words with president Donald Trump.

James Clapper said Sunday on CNN that he thinks John Brennan's anti-Trump rhetoric is becoming an issue 'in and of itself'.

'John is subtle like a freight train and he's gonna say what's on his mind,' Clapper said, in response to a scathing New York Times op-ed by Brennan saying that the president colluded with Russians during the 2016 presidential election and Trump's denial is 'hogwash'.

'I think that the common denominator among all of us (in the intelligence community) that have been speaking up ... is genuine concern about the jeopardy and threats to our institutions and values,' Clapper said, 'and although we may express that in different and I think that's what this is really about.'

James Clapper said he thinks Brennan's rhetoric about president Trump is becoming an 'issue' and said the former CIA director is as subtle as a 'freight train'

Brennan has been an outspoken critic of Trump, asserting that the president colluded with Russia and his meeting with Putin was 'treasonous'

The president blasted Brennan, tweeting early Saturday morning that the former CIA director 'is a loudmouth, partisan, political hack who cannot be trusted.'

'Has anyone looked at the mistakes that John Brennan made while serving as CIA Director?,' Trump wrote on his Twitter account.

'He will go down as easily the WORST in history & since getting out, he has become nothing less than a loudmouth, partisan, political hack who cannot be trusted with the secrets to our country!' he added.

His comments come in the midst of a war of words between the two men after President Trump revoked Brennan's security clearance Wednesday due to the the former CIA official being an outspoken critic of his.

The president tweeted early Saturday morning insulting the former CIA director

Donald Trump called John Brennan a'loudmouth, partisan, political hack'

Brennan is a longstanding critic of Trump, in July accusing him of being 'wholly in the pocket of Putin' and his conduct 'nothing short of treasonous.'

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made the stunning announcement of Brennan's security clearance Wednesday, citing Brennan's purported 'erratic conduct and behavior.'

In response, Brennan wrote an op-ed in the New York Times revealing that he believes Trump is attempting to silence those who may oppose him.

He wrote that the president's 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.'

On Friday, Brennan continued his public attack against Trump saying on MSNBC that Trump is 'drunk on power and abusing the powers of that office.'

'These are very frightening times,' he added.

The president retorted: 'There's no silence. If anything I'm giving him a bigger voice.'

Trump spoke to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before leaving for a pair of Long Island events and a weekend at his Bedminster, New Jersey, estate Friday.

'Many people don't even know who he is, and now he has a bigger voice. And that's okay with me because I like taking on voices like that,' he said of Brennan.

'I've never respected him. I've never had a lot of respect.'

The president has been vocal on Twitter in his criticism of Brennan

On Thursday, Trump got a stinging rebuke from a retired naval admiral William McRaven, who mockingly implored him to revoke his own security clearance as a show of solidarity with Brennan.

'I don't know McRaven,' Trump said Friday, declaring that 'I've gotten tremendous response from having done that because security clearances are very important to me. Very, very important.'

A dozen former American intelligence chiefs have also supported Brennan, lashing out at Trump Friday for yanking the security clearance as a 'political tool.'

The White House is now threatening to cancel security clearances of nine other officials - seen in some circles as a warning shot across the collective bow of his political enemies.

Senior administration officials tell the Washington Post that the White House has drafted documents to revoke the security clearances of current and former officials as Trump's punishment for criticizing him or playing a role in the Russia investigation.
Elementary school teacher Isabella Bowman, 22, has been arrested on suspicion of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy in Cottonwood, Arizona

A 22-year-old elementary school teacher has been arrested for having sex with an underage boy after police responded to a report that she was fighting with her husband about the alleged affair, authorities say.

Officers were called to Isabella Bowman's home in Cottonwood, Arizona, last week after being notified of the argument that was later revealed to be about her relationship with a 17-year-old male.

'The investigation determined probable cause existed to charge her with having a sexual relationship with the juvenile,' Sgt Monica Kuhlt said of the Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School teacher's arrest Thursday.

'While officers were at the residence they also discovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia that allegedly belonged to her.'

Investigators said the relationship appears to have originated outside of any school setting and that the minor was not enrolled in the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District.

'None of the alleged sexual acts took place on or around any school properties,' Kuhlt said.

In Arizona and other states, sexual contact with anyone under the age of 18 by a person who is more than two years older than the minor is considered statutory rape.

Investigators say the relationship between the minor and the teacher at Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School, above, appears to have developed outside of any school setting

In a press release, Detective Sgt Chad Sinn said: 'We do not believe there are any other victims at this time, however, this investigation is still ongoing.'

The school district's superintendent Steve King also issued a statement Thursday, which said: 'The matter is being investigated by the Cottonwood Police Department and will be dealt with appropriately.

'Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Cottonwood Police Department.'

Bowman was placed on administrative leave Thursday pending the investigation, according to a letter King sent to parents.

'COCSD is committed to the safety of all students and expects all staff to adhere to the highest ethical practices and conduct when it comes to our community's children,' Steve King wrote.

'We must all work together, staff, students, families and community to provide a safe learning environment for children to learn, grow and thrive.'
Inmates who stayed overnight in watchhouse custody have provided constructive criticism for the institution in online Google reviews.

Southport Watchhouse, on the Gold Coast, has hosted some of the most notorious inmates including ex-bikie Brett 'Kaos' Pechey, ex-bikie Jason Trouchet and retired former president of the Black Uhlans bikie gang Liborio Di Vita.

A Google search of the Southport Police Station and Watchhouse reveals a 2.2 star rating out of a potential five, tallied by 26 written reviews.

Writing under the name Isabelle Marlor, the guest gave the 'worst hotel ever' a one star rating.

Inmates who stayed overnight at the the Southport Police Station and Watchhouse have provided online Google reviews (pictured) about their stay

Ex-bikie Jason Trouchet (pictured) leaving the Southport watchhouse following bikie brawls on the Gold Coast

One brutal reviewer gave the jail or 'worst hotel ever' a one star review as the food and service wsa terrible

'Food is terrible, service is even worse,' Marlor wrote.

'Showers only stay on for one minute at most and are push too start. My bed was three silver cushions on the floor.'

Another reviewer named P Rieck wasn't pleased with the customer service during their stay and was forced to complain to management.

'Spent a rather unrelaxing weekend here,' the two star review begins.

'Room service was almost non existent as it took numerous times to buzz up reception to get the smallest of items like toilet paper and to clean up the blood on the floor etc.'

They also claimed that the staff's 'handling methods' need improving as by the time they arrived to their new room they had 'a concussion and a gash to the head which needed 8 stitches.'

'Spent a rather unrelaxing weekend here' wrote P Rieck alongside a two star review (pictured)

Retired former president of the Black Uhlans bikie gang Liborio Di Vita leaving the watchhouse after appearing in court

One reviewer gave the jail a three star rating as 'the calls here aren't too bad' (pictured)

'Things didn't improve when the light was left on constantly and I didn't receive meals or a shower. I complained to management who said he'll look into it,' the review concluded.

A reviewer named Alexander Wunderle gave the institution a more positive review with a three-star rating: 'The cells here aren't too bad. Got a funny look when I asked for my pie to be heated and if I could have some tomato sauce....'

The institution also managed to gather a few perfect scores and positive reviews, despite its criticisms.

Reviewed under the name Suzanne Whitaker, the accommodation received a five star rating.

Reviews weren't all critical of the jail as it managed to receive a few perfect scores (pictured)

'The General' provided constructive criticism for the watchhouse but still gave it a perfect five star rating

'Foods great and staff are lovely...rooms could be bigger.'

Another reviewer named 'The General' had some constructive criticism for 'not the best overnight accom' but still provided a five star rating.

The General claimed the service was better than a few backpackers they had stayed in but they recommended packing a sandwich if an extended stay is planned.

'No INTERNET either although i was able to make a free phone call,' part of the review reads.

'Other then a few bugs and incessant yabbering bogans i had an enjoyable stay.'

'Keep up the good work.'
A former fashion blogger whose jihadi husbands died fighting for ISIS in Syria begged Australia for citizenship - after failing to become British.

Morocco native Islam Mitat was duped, not once but twice, into marrying the wrong kind of men from two different countries.

In 2014, the then 20-year-old physics student, who had dreamed of a career in fashion, met British businessman Ahmed Khalil on a Muslim dating website.

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Morocco native Islam Mitat married the wrong men from Britain and Australia. She had hoped to become citizens in the countries where her jihadi husbands hailed from

In 2014, the then 20-year-old physics student, who had dreamed of a career in fashion, met British businessman Ahmad Khalil on a Muslim dating website

This man promised to take her to Britain but she instead ended up in Syria, after he took her on a Turkish holiday, just three months into their marriage.

Her new husband, who had grown up near London, had also lied about having a job in Turkey.

Just days after discovering she was pregnant with her first child, a son, she became a widow when her first husband was killed in an airstrike in about 2015.

Her nightmare continued when she met her second husband, an Australian kick-boxer and medical student called Faisal Sahib, who grew up in western Sydney.

She met this jihadist, who had secretly left Australia in 2013 at age 21, and married him in Syria to give herself moral protection in Raqqa, then an ISIS stronghold.

She had a daughter with him.

After her second husband was killed in an airstrike last year, she fled the war-torn Syrian city of Raqqa with her two young children.

In a life-threatening journey, she carried her children for nine hours across the desert in a desperate and dangerous escape to safety, and was rescued by Kurdish fighters.

She is now a 24-year-old single mother living again in Morocco, in the town of Oujda near the Algerian border, with her two children Adullah, two and Maria, one.

She is readjusting to life away from the war zone but still lives in constant fear of ISIS.

Islam Mitat said her late husband Faisal Sahib (pictured right) often spoke about his old life in Australia and how much he missed it before he was killed

Islam hoped her youngest child Maria's Australian heritage, through her second late husband Faisal Sahib, would get her passage into Australia.

Last year, she told the Sunday Times in London was wanted to move to the UK and obtain citizenship for her son Abdullah, whose father was a Briton of Afghan background.

This was almost a year before she told Australia's Nine Network that after four years as an ISIS bride, she hoped they can lead a stable life away from Islamist conflict.

'My dream? I want a normal life with my kids. This is what I want now,' she told 60 Minutes before breaking down in tears.

'I just look at my kids, I feel so sorry for them.'

Former ISIS bride Islam Mitat pictured with youngest child Maria, revealed her hopes to one day create a new life in Australia

Viewers reacted with fury to her bid to become an Australian citizen.

'You knew what you were getting into, now go away,' one man wrote on the Daily Mail Australia comments section.

Another reader suggested she was responsible for her predicament.

'No not convinced I am afraid. As my old granpops used to say, "You made your bed you lie in it",' he said.

Islam said her second husband often spoke about his old life in Australia and how much he missed it.

'He told me I wish I didn't come here,' she told 60 Minutes.

She doesn't plan to tell her children about what happened to their fathers.

'I don't want my kids to grow in this because they teach them how to kill,' she said.
Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to life in jail for molesting young athletes, has been moved to another prison after he was assaulted behind bars.

Nassar was attacked by inmates at the high-security prison in May almost immediately after he was released into the general population of prisoners at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona.

The former doctor, 54, who suffered some injuries in the attack, was jailed there in February after he was sentenced to life in prison for molesting athletes and possessing child porn, according his lawyer.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has confirmed that Nassar is now being held at the Oklahoma Federal Transfer Center. The center is a temporary holding prison for inmates who have yet to be assigned to a permanent prison facility

It's not clear when the transfer took place.

Larry Nassar, 54, (pictured in court in January 2018) was allegedly assaulted by fellow inmates at the federal prison in Tuscon, Arizona in May after being released into general population. He has now been moved to another prison

Ralph Miller, a retired Bureau of Prisons employee, told Detroit News that Nassar could be transferred to another high security prison in Florida or Indiana after it became clear that the Tuscon prison could not house him safely.

'This is a difficult case for the Bureau of Prisons in that Nassar's case is highly publicized and he will be known to the inmate population no matter which facility is selected,' Miller said.

'Due to this, the Bureau of Prisons is likely to utilize all available high security facilities prior to reviewing him for placement in a medium with in excess of 30 years to still be served.'

Nassar's lawyers have asked for him to be re-sentenced by a different judge in the first of the major molestation cases he faced.

In the motion, first reported by The Detroit News, Nassar's attorney accused Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina of deciding to impose the maximum sentence allowed before the hearing even began.

McCann wrote that by allowing 150 of Nassar's victims to give testimony, Judge Aquilina gave them the opportunity to 'devolve into a free-for-all' to criticize him and wish him physical harm.

The former US Olympic gymnastics doctor was allegedly assaulted in May soon after he was released into the general population of prisoners at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson (pictured). He has now been moved to the Oklahoma Federal Transfer Center

'The judge herself openly lamented that she could not impose cruel and unusual punishment upon the defendant, indicated her expectation that he would be harmed in prison, without condemning it, and finally proclaimed, with apparent relish, that she was signing his 'death warrant,' McCann wrote.

'Unfortunately, Judge Aquilina's comments and conducting of the sentencing proceeding appeared to encourage this type of behavior.'

Nassar is serving a 60-year federal sentence at the Arizona prison for possessing child pornography. He was also sentenced to up to 175 years in state prison for molesting young athletes. He agreed to a 25 to 40-year minimum term.

The prison where he currently is housed is the country's only federal facility that is classified as high security and also has a sex offender management program.
Labour has appointed a senior official who has called for a convicted Palestinian murderer to be freed from an Israeli jail.

Fadel Takrouri, the partys new West Midlands regional director, was pictured at an event calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti.

Barghouti is serving five life sentences for his involvement in the murder of Israelis and being a member of a terror group.

Mr Takrouri, chairman of the British Arab Federation, was appointed to the role despite having no campaigning experience, according to Labour website the Red Roar.

Pictured left to right: Martin Linton, Richard Burden MP, Ahmed Kathrada, Dan Judelson, Fadel Takrouri and Andy Slaughter holding up signs at a meeting calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti

Fadel Takrouri, the partys new West Midlands regional director, was pictured at an event calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti

He was photographed at an event in Parliament holding a poster calling for Barghouti to be freed from jail in Israel.

Labour MPs Richard Burden and Andy Slaughter were also present at the event, which was organised by the All Party Parliamentary Britain-Palestine Group.

Barghouti was arrested in 2002, and convicted of five counts of murder and membership of a terrorist organisation two years later.

Despite being behind bars, he wields considerable influence in Palestinian politics. Labours regional directors oversee the selection of candidates and handle disputes and complaints from the local area.

Tory MP Andrew Percy said: This is a further example of the extremist takeover of the Labour Party. Under Jeremy Corbyn, it seems supporting murderers and terrorists is good for your career prospects.

Labour pointed out that many public figures had called for Barghouti to be freed, including former Israeli leader Shimon Peres, who said he would sign a pardon for him when running for the presidency.

A party spokesman said: We dont comment on staffing matters.
Hospital admissions for alcohol-related emergency care and chronic illness are significantly higher in areas with the most pubs, bars and clubs, research reveals.

The density of restaurants and other outlets selling alcohol is also linked to admission rates in England, according to a study published in the journal Addiction.

Researchers from the University of Sheffield analysed data from more than one million hospital admissions attributable to alcohol over a 12-year period.

Hospital admissions for alcohol-related emergency care and chronic illness are significantly higher in areas with the most pubs, bars and clubs, research reveals

Areas in England with the most pubs, bars and nightclubs had 22 per cent higher hospital admission rates for chronic conditions linked to drinking, such as liver disease, compared with those with the lowest density of alcohol vendors. They also had 13 per cent higher admission rates for acute conditions, such as vomiting, caused by alcohol.

Areas in England with the highest density of licensed restaurants had 9 per cent higher rates of patients needing treatment for acute and chronic conditions. There was a small link between supermarkets and hospital admissions but rates of those needing emergency treatment were 10 per cent higher in places with many convenience stores.

Dr James Nicholls from Alcohol Research UK, which funded the study, said: Local licensing authorities need to factor this information into their decisions.
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Investigators have seen a sharp rise in the number of grenades seized from criminals trying to smuggle weapons into the UK.

Between January and April this year alone 17 of the devices were seized by UK authorities, compared to 40 that were discovered over the four-year period between 2013 and 2017.

The weapons are mainly from the former Yugoslavia and in the most recent seizures, in Sussex and Scotland, were attached to the bottom of vehicles.

Investigators have seen a sharp rise in the number of grenades seized from criminals trying to smuggle weapons into the UK

In the largest haul, Police Scotland recovered six grenades and 1.5kg of dynamite.

Chris Farrimond, deputy director of investigations at the National Crime Agency, said the devices are generally smuggled over land on lorries or trailers that arrive by ferry.

While the number of grenades coming into the country appears to be on the rise, the number of the devices exploded remains very low, on average one per year between 2013 and 2017.

This has led investigators to fear that there are stashes of unused weapons in the country in criminal hands.

Mr Farrimond: 'If we just work on the figures that we know about, the ones that have been recovered over the past four years and the ones that we know of that have been exploded, then somewhere, somehow in the UK there are a number of grenades that are in criminal hands and have not been used.'

The devices were used three times in buildings and once against a vehicle between 2013 and 2017.

'They don't get used very often but where they have we have fortunately seen them not used in crowded areas, but they've been used quite specifically against either buildings or a vehicles.

The weapons are mainly from the former Yugoslavia and in the most recent seizures, in Sussex and Scotland, were attached to the bottom of vehicles

'Not one of these was actually used against a person, they were used to create fear and or criminal damage. It was almost a warning device.'

Multiple murderer and drug dealer Dale Cregan used grenades as his 'calling card' in three of the four killings he carried out in 2012, throwing grenades at the bodies of his victims after they had been shot.

Mr Farrimond said there are concerns that the weapons could get into terrorist hands.

A grenade currently costs between around 250 and 750 on the street.

He said: 'The bottom line is that firearms do get offered up for sale and so then the question is how accessible is that criminal sale area to somebody who wants to create a terrorist offence of some type.

'Of course there is a concern from our point of view.

'Protecting the public is rightly at the forefront of everyone's mind.

'Of course we have a concern that they could fall into terrorist hands and they could be used in a particular way.'

Of the 17 seized so far this year, 12 were military and viable; one was improvised, three were imitation or deactivated, and one was real but not viable.
Gary Amer (pictured), 63, was reportedly found dead with knife wounds in the chest next to a boiler and his tool kit

A plumber was stabbed to death after a row with a customer over his three-hour lunch break, it has been claimed.

Gary Amer, 63, was reportedly found dead with knife wounds in the chest next to a boiler and his tool kit in Walworth, south-east London.

Last night William Treadwell, 67, was charged with Mr Amer's murder, Scotland Yard announced.

A neighbour claimed Mr Amer had been involved in an argument after taking a three-hour break and saying he was coming back on Friday, The Sun reported.

Treadwell, of Madron Street, Southwark, will appear at Camberwell Magistrates' Court on Monday accused of killing Mr Amer.

Officers found the victim, from Holborn, London, suffering from stab wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene in Walworth at 2.14pm on Friday.

The neighbour, Janet Jarrett, apparently said Treadwell had been without hot water for days while his sister Pat, 76, with whom he lives, was away at the time.

Ms Jarrett said: 'He came to fix the hot water on Thursday but he apparently went off for a three-hour lunch break then said he was coming back on Friday.

'Apparently he needed to pick up extra parts.'
EU migrants living in Britain will be given the right to stay in the event of a no-deal Brexit due to fears of labour shortages, Cabinet papers reveal.

The papers state Britain will take the moral high ground by agreeing to allow EU migrants to live in the UK, access the NHS and claim benefits, the Daily Telegraph reported last night.

The offer for EU citizens will be set out in one of 83 technical papers which detail contingency arrangements in the event of no-deal.

The cabinet papers state Britain will take the moral high ground by agreeing to allow EU migrants to live in the UK, access the NHS and claim benefits,

The paper, given to ministers last month, describes the rights of EU citizens as one of the most important aspects of no-deal planning.

It warns there will be handling risks if the Government fails to honour the commitments it made on citizens rights in December 2017.

The papers reveal all 3.8million EU migrants in the UK would get the entitlement to stay and continue to enjoy access to healthcare, benefits and pensions.

They will also be able to bring spouses and close family members from abroad to live with them in the UK.

It states: The Home Office plans to make an offer to existing EU residents that they can remain in the UK in a no-deal scenario, in effect unilaterally implementing the (immigration element of the) Citizens Rights agreement agreed with the EU in December 2017.
President Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen is being investigated for a $20 million bank fraud, according to a new report.

Prosecutors are considering filing charges including bank and tax fraud, as well as violations of campaign finance law, against Cohen by the end of the month, sources told the New York Times.

Investigators are looking into more than $20 million in loans which were made to taxi companies owned by Cohen and his family.

Financial statements showed that Cohen used his 32 taxi medallions, then worth around $1 million each, as collateral for the loans from Sterling National Bank. Melrose Credit Union also supplied some of the loans made to 16 separate companies controlled by the Cohens. Cohen and his wife also personally guaranteed the loans, according to public findings.

Investigators are now looking to determine whether Cohen misrepresented the true value of his assets to obtain the loans.

They are also looking at when the lawyer violated campaign finance laws by arranging hush money deals to secure the silence of women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump.

The FBI raided Cohen's home and office earlier this year as part of their investigation into his alleged tax fraud.

President Trump's (left) former personal lawyer Michael Cohen (right) is being investigated for a $20 million bank fraud, according to a new report

Investigators are looking at whether Cohen's income from his taxi-medallion business was underreported in federal tax returns, The Wall Street Journal reported.

That income reportedly included hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and other payments over the last five years.

Donald Trump has criticized the probe into his former attorney, calling the raids an 'attack on our country in a true sense.'

Cohen caught the attention of the Manhattan US Attorney's Office during Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race.

Prosecutors are looking into whether Cohen inflated the value of any of his assets as collateral for bank loans, the Journal reported citing sources familiar with the investigation.

If convicted of tax- and bank-fraud, Cohen, who once said he'd take a bullet for President Donald Trump, could find himself subject to heavy jail time.

That threat could put pressure on Cohen, once known as Trump's 'fixer,' to cooperate with prosecutors if he's charged with these crimes.

Former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen is under investigation for tax fraud

Cohen was Trump's personal attorney for years and has deep ties to the Trump Organization.

He is reportedly prepared to tell Mueller that the president knew about the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting ahead of time and approved of it.

That meeting was attended by Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, then-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and a lawyer with ties to the Kremlin who claimed to have dirt on Trump's presidential rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump has denied he knew about the meeting ahead of time.

But that gathering at Trump Tower has become a central focus of Mueller's look into what role Russian played in the 2016 presidential election.

Meanwhile federal prosecutors are taking a deep dive into Cohen's business dealings after Mueller's team handed over documents discovered in an April 9th FBI raid.

They are looking closely at Cohen's relationship with Sterling National Bank, which provided financing for his taxi-medallion business. Medallions are the permits taxi drivers need to operate in the city.

Federal prosecutors subpoenaed Jeffrey Getzel, Cohen's former accountant who was responsible for preparing many of Cohen's financial statements.

Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis, declined to comment to the newspaper 'out of respect for the ongoing investigation.'

As of April 2018, Cohen owned 22 medallions in Chicago, and either he or his wife, Laura, controlled 32 medallions in New York City.

Taxi medallions were considered a solid investment that are bought and sold on a secondary market. Some in New York sold for an average $1.25 million per medallion in 2013 and 2014.

But their value has fallen sharply in recent years due to competition from ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. Some estimate the value of each medallion has dropped to $200,000 to $225,000.

As prosecutors look at whether Cohen under reported his income to avoid federal taxes they're also examining whether he overstated it in loan applications.

Cohen has previously denied any wrongdoing.

He worked on projects for Trump ranging from Trump Tower Moscow that never got off the ground to a non-disclosure agreement with porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Trump, and on a deal involving former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claimed an affair.

Trump has denied their allegations.

But Cohen also had his own business dealings including real estate, personal loans and investments in taxi medallions.

Evgeny A. Freidman, a Russian immigrant known as 'the Taxi King' and who partnered with Cohen in the taxi medallion business, avoided jail time and got five years probation when he pleaded guilty to tax evasion in May.

If convicted, Michael Cohen could face heavy jail time, which would put pressure on him to cooperate with prosecutors. Cohen's former partner in the taxi medallion business, Evgeny A. Freidman, is cooperating with prosecutors

As a condition, he is cooperating with prosecutors, who may find him to be a valuable witness as they investigate Cohen on potential tax, campaign finance, and bank fraud charges.

His deal came after an April 9th FBI raid on Cohen's home, office, and hotel where he was staying. They scooped up 3.7 million digital documents.

If Freidman is able to provide useful information, it might strengthen prosecutors hands if they decide to charge Cohen.

Prosecutors are already combing through Cohen's financial records, including big payments he got from major firms as he touted his access to President Trump after the elections.

Also under the microscope is his $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who signed a nondisclosure agreement and claims she had an affair with Trump.

The president revealed last week on his financial disclosure that he 'reimbursed' Cohen for expenses related to a payment of up to $250,000.

Cohen is under investigation for possible bank fraud. He has said he took out a home equity loan in order to make the payment to Daniels, which he executed through a Delaware LLC he set up in October of 2016, weeks before the presidential election.
People used windows to escape the flames while others took refuge on the roof

Five children were left fighting for their lives after a fire ripped through an attic in a suburb of Paris.

Around 100 firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out at around 7pm on Sunday in Aubervilliers, north-east of Paris.

Seven people were left with serious injuries, including five children who were in a 'life-threatening' condition, firefighters said.

Seven people including five children were seriously injured after a fire in a residential building in a north-eastern suburb of Paris

Around 100 firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out at around 7pm on Sunday. 10 police officers and a firefighter were also injured in the fire

Some 16 people including 10 police officers and a firefighter were also slightly hurt in the fire which took hold in the attic of a two-storey residential building.

Windows were used to escape the flames as others sought refuge on the roof, a police source said.

The cause of the blaze remains unclear, though firefighters quickly brought the flames under control.

Photographs from the scene show a significant police and fire service presence on a quiet residential street.

People used windows to escape the flames while others sought refuge on the roof of the two-storey building

In the same town less than a month ago, a fire in a housing complex killed a mother and her three children aged 18 months to six years, and left nine others injured.

The town's mayor Meriem Derkaoui said on Twitter: 'Aubervilliers affected by a serious fire in a private dwelling whose conditions of occupation remain to be clarified.

'I salute the courage @PompiersParis and the action of the Municipal services. My thoughts go to the victims and their families.'
Four-year-old Jaxon Bird is lucky to be alive after being bitten by a deadly brown snake while he was walking with his dad.

The Queensland youngster was rushed to hospital soon after his dad realised he had been bitten by the snake in Langshaw near Gympie.

'He was crying and telling us his foot was feeling tingly,' Jaxon's mother Kirby told the Daily Mail Australia.

Four-year-old Jaxon Bird was in hospital for seven hours after an unlucky encounter with a brown snake

Jaxon's foot was swollen and bruised following the snake bite earlier this month. Two little blood dots were a centimetre apart

'He's pretty tough. It takes a lot to make him cry as he has had green ant bites before and just says ''ouch', so we knew it was serious.'

Jaxon was walking along a creek-side track with his dad when he yelled: 'Dad something got me and I think it was a snake'.

Jaxon then started screaming in pain.

Dad Josh saw two blood dots on Jaxon's toe, and quickly realised it looked like a snake bite.

They jumped straight in the car, headed for the hospital.

The youngster spent seven hours in Gympie Hospital following his near death- experience.

It's understood Jaxon suffered a dry bite, in which the snake doesn't inject venom.

Kirby said her son had seen snakes before, they were often seen near their home in the four years they've lived there.

'He knows what they look like and knows to stay away.'

Jaxon Bird was rushed to Gympie Hospital after he was bitten on the toe by a brown snake near his home

A Gympie youngster was bitten by a suspected brown snake (stock image) earlier this month

Jaxon's foot was swollen, bruised and tender for a few days after the ordeal. He will be wearing boots when he is outside from now on, his mum said.

The brown snake is considered the world's second-most venomous land snake and is responsible for 60 per cent of snake bite deaths in Australia.

Envenomation can result in paralysis, uncontrollable bleeding and death if left untreated.

Jaxon's ordeal happened a week after an youngsters were bitten by the deadly reptile in separate incidents in Western Australia last month.

Emilia Barnard, four, stopped breathing for nearly two minutes after she was bitten on the foot in a remote part of Western Australia while she was holidaying with family in Coral Bay last month.
Jeremy Wright is set to give his speech to the Conservative conference in the form of a hologram in a bid to make the party gathering 'less dreary', it has emerged.

The culture secretary could appear in virtual form at the Birmingham conference under plans first drawn up by his predecessor Matt Hancock.

Mr Wright is reportedly debating whether to agree to the gimmick after replacing Mr Hancock in the reshuffle which followed the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson.

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis is said to be planning 'surprises' for this year's meeting in an effort to make it 'less boring and corporate', The Sunday Times reported.

Jeremy Wright (pictured) is set to give his speech to the Conservative conference in the form of a hologram in a bid to make the party gathering 'less dreary', it has emerged

Mr Hancock apparently discussed the plan with Mr Lewis and had told friends he would make Britain's first hologram conference speech.

A source said there would be question-and-answer sessions at the conference at the end of September instead of 'long-winded speeches from every cabinet minister'.

Mr Wright, 45, was moved to the culture department from the attorney general's job after Mr Hancock was promoted to become health secretary.

At the time of his appointment last month it was widely noted that Mr Wright had not tweeted since 2015 despite his new digital portfolio.

At last year's gathering Theresa May struggled through her speech despite a cough (pictured)

Jeremy Hunt left the health brief when he was moved to replace Mr Johnson at the Foreign Office after his dramatic resignation following the Chequers summit on Brexit.

Last year's party conference turned into a nightmare for Theresa May when her conference speech was interrupted by a protester, she suffered a cough and the scenery behind her fell down.

Labour's conference will be held in Liverpool amid claims that anti-Semitism training could be trapped amid an ongoing crisis in the party.

The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) has decided to not run courses at the conference in Liverpool next month, reports the Independent.

It is believed Labour asked for references to both Ken Livingstone and Naz Shah be removed from the course.
A married prison officer who allegedly had sex with a cop killer behind bars 'wants to continue the relationship with him', a court heard.

Amy Mershell Connors, 34, faced Kempsey Local Court on Monday less than a month after she was charged with misconduct in public office and larceny.

Connors, a mother-of-two, came to police attention when she was stood down from her role at Kempsey Correctional Centre after she allegedly engaged in a 12-month-long sexual relationship with prisoner Sione Penisini.

Prison guard Amy Connors is pictured leaving Kempsey Court after her hearing on Monday

Amy Mershell Connors, 34, faced Kempsey Local Court on Monday less than a month after she was charged with misconduct in public office and larceny

The senior prison officer of 14 years was arrested at her home in Smithtown, on the NSW mid north coast, on August 3 after a police investigation into the alleged affair.

In considering continuing Connors' bail, Magistrate Brett Thomas noted she had 'shown a desire to continue the relationship'.

'The accused has kept a relationship with the subject involved...for a substantial period of time and appears to want to continue that relationship,' Mr Thomas said.

Ms Connors did not enter a plea over charges of 'misconduct in public office' in regards to her alleged relationship with Penisini.

But her lawyer Scott James said she would plead not guilty to a separate charge of larceny, which relates to her allegedly stealing a $120 titanium bracelet from a woman in Port Macquarie.

Prisoner Sione Penisini allegedly 'groomed' Amy Connors (pictured) by pushing her into weightloss surgery

Amy Connors is pictured right after undergoing weightloss surgery for her prison guard boyfriend

Her alleged lover Sione Penisini was moved to Goulburn Supermax jail, home to Australia's most hardened criminals, after allegedly assaulting a fellow prisoner in recent weeks

A stony faced Ms Connors was comforted by her mother during her appearance and refused to answer questions as she left the court.

Her alleged lover Penisini was moved to Goulburn Supermax jail, home to Australia's most hardened criminals, after allegedly assaulting a fellow prisoner in recent weeks.

Penisini allegedly 'groomed' Connors by pushing her into weightloss surgery.

The married mother-of-two, was reported to be pregnant with Penisini's child, but her family has denied those claims.

Her matter is due back before court on November 21.

Prison guard Amy Connors leaves Kempsey Court after her hearing




North Koreans have been pictured wearing military outfits near the Chinese border as they scaled the Mount Paektu volcano.

Soldiers and railway workers were among the hermit kingdom's subjects visiting the mountain on Saturday.

Workers were pictured marching and taking group photos while guides prepared to show Chinese tourists around.

Last year it was claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had visited the mountain, a move which is said to precede important decisions.

North Korean soldiers adjust their hats before posing for a photo on a viewing platform

Railway workers enjoy an outing on the banks of Chon Lake in the caldera of Mount Paektu

In November 2013, the despot visited the mountain with his aides a month before he executed top officials including Jang Song-thaek, his uncle and political guardian.

He had also made a pilgrimage after North Korea's fifth nuclear test in September 2016.

Mount Paektu has taken on a mythological status, with North Korean history even being rewritten to claim Kim's father - dictator Kim Jong-il - was born on the mountainside.

It is reputedly the birthplace of the earliest Korean leader ever recorded, Dangun, who according to legend founded the early kingdom of Gojoseon in 2333BC.

The mountain is believed to be the site of the deadliest volcano eruption in history and there are fears it may erupt again as a result of North Korea's nuclear weapons testing.

North Korean railway workers wearing their uniforms visit Mount Paektu in North Korea

A soldier puts on a jacket at a viewing platform on the mountain near the Chinese border

A North Korean guide reacts as Chinese tourists arrive at a viewing platform on the mountain

North Korean workers march in two lines with one carrying a flag after visiting Mount Paektu

North Korean workers prepare for a group photo at a viewing platform on Saturday

A thousand years ago it exploded so violently that ash fell as far away as northern Japan.

It came as dozens of elderly and frail South Koreans set off for North Korea Monday to meet relatives for the first time since they were separated nearly seven decades ago by a war that divided the peninsula and their families.

Millions of people were swept apart by the 1950-53 Korean War, which finished with the peninsula split by the impenetrable Demilitarized Zone.

Since 2000 the two nations have held 20 rounds of reunions but time is running out for many ageing family members.

Families at previous reunions have often found it a bitter-sweet experience. Some complained about the short time they were allowed to spend together.

Others lamented the ideological gap between them after decades spent apart.

North Korean workers march in a group after visiting Mount Paektu near the border with China

A North Korean soldier walks up the slopes on Mount Paektu which has a mythological status
A Melbourne Uber driver was hit by a racist foul-mouthed tirade by a passenger who allegedly then punched him in the face and stole his phone  before returning it when police were called.

Max Lin, 28, had picked up the man on Glen Huntly Road in Caulfield, eastern Melbourne, at about 9.45pm on Saturday night.

But it soon became apparent Mr Lin had picked up the wrong passenger, and the Uber driver pulled over and asked the man to get out.

Shocking footage given to the Herald Sun by the driver shows the passenger launch into an expletive-laden rant when he realises he won't be taken to his destination.

During the six-minute recording, which appears to have been taken secretly by the driver, the passenger calls Mr Lin an 'asian loser'.

The man then adds that 'anyone who is successful doesn't drive an Uber'.

He said: 'You don't belong here - go back the to where the f*** you came from.'

Uber driver Max Lin received a racist tirade from an angry passenger, who told him to 'go back where the f*** you came from', after he was asked to get out because he was picked up by mistake

Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dr Dvir Abramovich called the actions of the passenger 'abhorrent'

The irate passenger even mocked Mr Lin, asking him 'is this your car or your Dad's?' and threatened to track him down using his registration plate.

The 28-year-old told the Herald Sun he was punched in the face and had his phone stolen by the man when he realised the argument was being filmed, but police had already been called.

The man got out of the car when officers attended the dispute on Glen Eira Road, a police spokeswoman confirmed.

Speaking after the incident to the Herald Sun, Mr Lin said he hadn't yet filed an official report.

He said: 'I feel unsafe, before this I felt these stories were far away from me and now I feel it could happen every trip.'

Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dr Dvir Abramovich called the passenger's actions 'abhorrent'.

He said: 'Such incidents not only harm and traumatise the individual victims, but also deeply affect the entire community.'

Uber said it was investigating the incident and Mr Lin had been contacted.
The widow of a slain gangster has posted a cryptic Facebook comment, just a day after two men faced court charged with his murder.

Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi, 37, died after being sprayed with bullets outside a Sydney Fitness First gym in February, leaving behind wife Carolina Gonzales and two young children.

On Sunday night, Ms Gonzales posted on her Facebook page: 'Saabi...where's your best mate Yui?'.

She then removed the comment a few hours later.

Two men were charged with the Comancheros' former national president murder and faced court on Saturday.

According to police, Bikie Yusuf Nazlioglu, 37, allegedly pulled the trigger in the assassination he is accused of planning with Ahmad 'Adam' Doudar, 38.

Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi's widow Carolina Gonzalez has penned a cryptic Facebook post, days after three men were charged in relation to his shooting death

Ms Gonzalez took to Facebook on Sunday night, asking friends a cryptic question, in an apparent reference to Yusuf Nazlioglu who was last week charged with her husband's murder

Both men are believed by police to be Lone Wolf gang members.

While the two have been charged with murder, tow truck driver Moustafa Salami, 36, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly moving one of the getaway cars used in the shooting.

Mick Hawi was shot multiple times in his Mercedes 4WD while he sat in the parked vehicle outside a gym at Rockdale, in Sydney's south, in February.

Following his death, Hawi's grief-stricken widow Ms Gonzalez made headlines when she attempted to extract her dead husband's sperm from his corpse.

Former Comancheros president Mick Hawi (left) was shot multiple times in his Mercedes 4WD while he sat in the parked vehicle outside a gym at Rockdale, in Sydney's south, in February

The process was kick-started by an urgent court application in the hours after the shooting to the NSW Supreme Court, on the basis that Ms Gonzales would have another of Hawi's children following his death.

Justice Peter Johnson then ordered the sperm be extracted and stored at an IVF facility until he ruled on her application, however Ms Gonzales ultimately opted not to go ahead with the procedure.

Hawi had served a prison sentence over the death of Hells Angels bikie associate Anthony Zervas during a brawl at Sydney Airport in 2009.

He was initially convicted of murdering Zervas, who was bashed with a metal bollard during the brawl, but his conviction and 28-year sentence was overturned on appeal.

Last week, two men were charged with Hawi's murder - police alleged both men are Lone Wolf gang members, Yusuf Nazlioglu and Ahmad 'Adam' Doudar
SARAH VINE: There is something magnificent about Alice Evans's refusal to take her betrayal lying down as she took to Twitter like a Greek Fury about her husband Ioan Gruffudd's new girlfriend Bianca Wallace. 'So it turns out that my husband, after two years of telling me I'm a bad person and I'm not exciting and he no longer wants to have sex with me and he just wants to be on set abroad has been in a relationship for three years behind all our backs,' she wrote, adding: 'Good luck, Bianca.' The raw emotion of her outburst, combined with the fact that she chose to make her distress so public, has divided opinion. Her timeline was full of people calling her a 'bitter psycho' and suggesting she should take herself off to a 'nice spa' to calm down. Many clearly felt she was making an unnecessary fuss and embarrassing herself. Many clearly felt she was making an unnecessary fuss and embarrassing herself. It is the pain of a woman who is not only dealing with the loss of her youth and her fertility, coming to terms with the fact that - in purely biological terms - there is no turning back; but also with the loss of her marriage, the person she had built her life around - and the future she thought they would have together. (Pictured: Left, Alice Evans with Ioan Gruffudd. Right, Mr Gruffudd's new girlfriend Bianca Wallace)
Saddening surveillance footage captured in a Florida Mexican restaurant shows the moment a woman steals a donation jar meant for a slain child's family.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrested Tammy Wynnell Crews, 46, Saturday, hours after the theft was reported Friday at El Tapatio located on 103rd Street.

The department said in a public statement that the jar of money was intended for the family of Heydi Rivas-Villanueva, a seven-year-old girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting last Saturday in front of the eatery.

Police said the funds totaled about $600 and Crews took it order to fund her crack cocaine addiction.

The is the moment Tammy Wynnell Crews, 46, is seen snatching a donation jar meant for a slain child's family

The shocking theft happened at El Tapatio Mexican restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida

The woman, who admitted she was hoping to fund her crack addiction, is seen darting out of the place after stealing the jar

The following day, the department announced the woman had been arrested and jailed.

Crews is currently booked to the Duval County jail on $10,000 bond.

She is pictured in her mugshot smirking as her photo is taken

She is pictured in her mugshot smirking as her photo is taken.

'Citizen tip led to her identity. Lieutenant Bottin spotted suspect Crews walking in the 7500 block of 103rd Street,' the updated police statement said.

'He engaged her in conversation and she spontaneously uttered that she had a "crack pipe" on her.

'She was detained and the glass pipe was seized.

'Officer Simpson interviewed suspect Crews. (She) admitted that she took the donation jar and used the money to support her crack cocaine addiction.'

Crews has charged with felony grand theft and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Funds were intended for the family of Heydi Rivas-Villanueva, (above) a seven-year-old girl who was shot and killed at the location this summer
Phuc Thien Tang (pictured), 50, killed Hoa Thi Huynh, 44, during an argument at the house they were squatting in

An ice user who fatally bashed and stabbed his partner in the Melbourne house where they lived as squatters has been jailed for 25 years.

Phuc Thien Tang, 50, killed Hoa Thi Huynh, 44, during an argument at the unoccupied St Albans house where they were living in September.

Tang reportedly struck Ms Huynh to the head with a vacuum cleaner pipe and stabbed her in the face with a samurai sword in an ice-fuelled rage.

Tang was jailed for 25 years after the 'callous' and 'cowardly' murder of Ms Huynh, news.com.au reported.

The body of Ms Huynh, a mother of two, was found at the address on September 10, three days after she died.

Tang, who has pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Lesley Taylor on Monday.

Tang was jailed for 25 years after the 'callous' and 'cowardly' murder of Ms Huynh

Tang, who has pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Lesley Taylor on Monday

The court previously heard Tang 'whacked her several times about the face and head until she stopped moving'.

'He well understood the affect that ice had on him, he knew that he lost control,' Justice Taylor said.

'It's aggravating, it's not merely explanatory and it's not mitigating.'

Tang reportedly struck Ms Huynh (pictured) to the head with a vacuum cleaner pipe and stabbed her in the face with a samurai sword in an ice-fuelled rage
Plastic bags and miniature toys are being blamed for a slump in Woolworths sales.

The supermarket giant has reported a sales hit for the first quarter of the 2019 financial year. Its full-year results showed same store sales growth were tracking at 1.3 per cent, down from 3.1 per cent in the last quarter of 2018.

Part of the drop was due to customers adjusting to the phasing out of single-use plastic bags, Woolworths group chief executive Brad Banducci told News.com.

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Woolworths officially banned single-use plastic bags from stores in June. The change was long touted as an eco-friendly move but has since come under fire as being another profit source

Miniature collectibles from Coles were also being accused for attributing to Woolworths sales slump

He said the company expect sales momentum to improve over the course of the half the year.

'Our customer satisfaction metrics are broadly back to levels prior to the removal of single-use plastic bags, including Time in Queue.'

Woolworths officially banned single-use plastic bags from stores in June.

The change was long touted as an eco-friendly move but has since come under fire as being another profit source.

Miniature collectibles from competitor Coles were also being blamed for causing to the drop.

The Little Shop promotion allows shoppers to collect one miniature toy, many of them made with plastic, in the shape of a popular product, for every $30 they spend.

Woolworths group chief executive Brad Banducci said the company expect sales momentum to improve over the course of the half the year

There are only 30 toys in total but children and adults around the country have gone into a frenzy trying to collect them all.

Full sets on Ebay have been selling for as much as $900 and individual toys have gone for as high as $15.

Woolworths increased its full-year net profit by 12.5 per cent to $1.72 billion, with total sales up 3.4 per cent to $56.7 billion.

Banducci said that after fixing the basics, their focus had shifted to being consistently good at the fundamentals and creating a meaningful shopping differentiation in the eyes of their customers.

Woolworths increased its full-year net profit by 12.5 per cent to $1.72 billion, with total sales up 3.4 per cent to $56.7 billion.

Its Australian food division had delivered the strongest sales growth 'in a number of years' with same-store sales up 4.3 per cent in the 52 weeks to June 24.

Sales growth slowed in the last six months of the year but that was partly due to strong growth in the prior corresponding period, high levels of fruit and vegetable price deflation and a decline in infant formula sales.
A courier company has been accused of sticking a fake buzzer next to a customer's letterbox as it tried to justify why a package was not delivered.

Melbourne man, Jason, claimed the bizarre measure had been used after a driver failed to deliver a parcel last week.

When he contacted the courier company, Jason claims he was sent an email, with a photo attached, from the driver which showed a buzzer next to the letterbox.

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A photo of the Melbourne man's letterbox sans buzzer which he says is how it normally is (left) and a photo which he says was sent to him by a courier company showing the buzzer (right)

But Jason says the buzzer does not exist and has never existed.

He told 3AW the email from the courier company had said the driver 'tried to ring the buzzer at the front letterbox'.

'The driver then after pressing it twice approached the front door but heard dogs barking. Because he's got a phobia of dogs, he turned back around and dropped the letter in the letterbox and went back to his car,' the email advised, Jason said.

Jason said as well as not having a buzzer next to the letterbox, he also has no dogs, nor do his neighbours.

A Melbourne man released CCTV footage from the front of his home which he says shows a delivery driver approaching his front letterbox before moving away

The man claimed 'there's ten seconds where the driver gets out of the car, goes to the letterbox and then goes back to the car'

He said the parcel was initially meant to be delivered days before the buzzer incident and the note placed in the letterbox from the unnamed courier company had no message.

Jason added he had captured the courier company's delivery driver on his home's CCTV.

'In the video, there's ten seconds where the driver gets out of the car, goes to the letterbox and then goes back to the car,' he said.

'There's no way he had time to stick on a buzzer, take the photo, take it back off again, drop the card into the letterbox, which by the way the card was blank, it didn't have any details on it.'

He said that if the driver 'had to come back to the house to stick on the buzzer, why couldn't he have delivered the parcel?'

Jason said he finally picked-up the parcel from a depot on Saturday.
A young woman and ten-year-old boy have been killed after they were struck by a semi-trailer while waiting in a broken-down car.

The fatal accident occurred two hours east of Perth on Brookton-Corrigin Road, Western Australia, when the Holden Commodore towing a trailer ran out of fuel at about midnight.

The 27-year-old male driver went to source petrol and left behind a 26-year-old woman and four children - three boys aged ten, eight, five and a three-year-old girl - to wait in the vehicle.

A young woman and ten-year-old boy have been killed after they were struck by a semi-trailer while waiting in a broken-down car on Brookton-Corrigin Road (pictured)

The woman and ten-year-old boy were waiting with three other children for the male driver to return with petrol after the Commodore ran out of fuel at around midnight on Sunday

In tragic circumstances, a semi-trailer towing grain trailers travelled around the bend of the road and crashed into the back of the waiting car and trailer.

The vehicle and trailer were both pushed into a nearby paddock.

The 26-year-old woman died at the scene and the ten-year-old boy was declared dead when St John Ambulance attended the scene.

The two other boys suffered serious injuries and the young girl received minor injuries.

They were all transported to Perth Children's Hospital by helicopter.

Police later located the driver of the Commodore walking along the road about eleven kilometres of Corrigin.

A semi-trailer towing grain trailers travelled around the bend of the road and crashed into the back of the waiting car and trailer
Harvey Weinstein accuser and #MeToo figurehead Asia Argento secretly paid off a former child star who accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was 17, according to a new report.

Argento, 42, is accused of luring Jimmy Bennett to her Californian hotel room in 2013. Once there, she sent away his chaperone, plied him with alcohol and showed him her love letters before kissing the teen.

The Italian actress, who is 20 years his senior, then pushed him onto the bed where she performed oral sex on Bennett before climbing on top of him and having sex with him, he claimed in his notice of intent to sue the actress.

Bennett, who once played Argento's son in a movie when he was seven years old, filed the notice in November 2017 - just one month after she became one of the first actresses to publicly accuse disgraced Miramax producer Weinstein of sexual assault.

Newly released documents, first obtained by the New York Times, reveal that Argento, who was dating celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain until his suicide in June, settled the claim out of court earlier this year for $380,000.

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Harvey Weinstein accuser and #MeToo figurehead Asia Argento (left) secretly paid off a former child star Jimmy Bennett (right) who accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was 17, according to a new report

Argento posted a photo of herself hugging then-17-year-old Bennett on May 9, 2013, at the hotel where she is accused of sexually assaulting him

She captioned the photo, posted the same day as the alleged assault, referring to Bennett as 'my son' and 'my love'

The original notice, which was sent to the newspaper anonymously from an encrypted email, asked for $3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.

It was sent to Anthony Bourdain's lawyer, Richard Hofstetter, who was representing Argento at the time.

In it, Bennett's lawyers, who had characterized the hotel encounter as 'sexual battery', claimed the sexual assault was so traumatizing that it had affected their client's acting career.

Argento has not responded to The Times' multiple requests for comment. DailyMail.com has also reached out for comment.

Bennett also declined to comment.

Bennett, now 22, played Argento's son in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things in 2004 when he was just seven.

The pair have met up again on several occasions since and often refer to each other as mother and son on social media.

'Waiting for my long lost son my love @jimmymbennett in trepidation #marinadelrey smoking cigarettes like there was no next week,' the Italian actress wrote on Instagram on May 9, 2013.

Bennett, now 22, played Argento's son in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things in 2004 when he was just seven years old (pictured together in the movie)

Argento and Bennett often referred to each other as mother and son on social media after they appeared in the movie together (pictured Agento, with Bennett (center) and Dylan and Cole Sprouse in 2004)

Bennett responded: 'I'm almost there!:)'

It was during that reunion, in her room at a Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California on May 9, that the assault is alleged to have occurred.

According to the notice to sue, Bennett had been taken to the hotel by a family member, but Argento asked them to leave so she could be alone with him.

She then allegedly gave the young actor alcohol and began kissing him. Bennett claims she pushed him onto the bed, removed his pants and performed oral sex on him. She climbed on top of the 17-year-old and the pair had sex, according to the notice of intent.

The age of consent in California is 18.

The document, according to the Times, also included three photos apparently taken by Bennett during the encounter which showed him and Argento, both half naked, in bed together, although only one of the photos showed their faces.

Argento later posted on Instagram that she'd had the: 'Happiest day of my life reunion with @jimmymbennett xox.'

'Jimmy is going to be in my next movie and that is a fact, dig that jack,' she added.

She shared several more pictures of herself and the teen on that day, including a photo of herself hugging the teen in what appears to be the dining room of the hotel.

She captioned it: 'My son my love until I will live @jimmymbennett marina del ray 05.2013.'

Bennett said that as he headed back to his parents' house in Orange County he felt 'extremely confused, mortified, and disgusted.'

Yet a month later, he sent Argento a tweet which read: 'Miss you momma!!!!' along with a photo of an engraved bracelet she had given him to commemorate the movie.

Bennett was just 17 when he claim that Argento performed oral sex on him and slept with him in her California hotel room in 2013. He is pictured that same year at the 'Movie 43' film premiere

Argento, pictured hugging Bennett on the first day of their The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things shoot, with Winona Ryder in 2004, kept in touch with her former costar, sharing throwback pictures on Instagram (above). The pair would often refer to each other as mother and son

Argento and Bennett kept in touch over social media for years after the movie. Bennett appears to have suspended his social media accounts

In November 2017, Bennett's attorneys sent the notice to sue arguing that the former child actor, who starred in Firewall across from Harrison Ford, had his earning power diminished by the alleged assault because of the psychological damage he's been left with.

It states he earned more than $2.7 million in the five years before the 2013 encounter, but his income has since dropped to around $60,000 a year.

In recent years, he has had smaller roles on TV and on the big screen, with his most recent credit playing Dustin in 2017 movie Heartthrob. Bennett, who reportedly lives with his parents and sister in Huntington Beach, California, also plays guitar and sings on his YouTube channel.

Argento's lawyer Carrie Goldberg sent a letter Argento in April setting out the final details of the settlement, she appeared to console the actress.

'We hope nothing like this ever happens to you again,' Goldberg wrote. 'You are a powerful and inspiring creator and it is a miserable condition of life that you live among shitty individuals who've preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses.'

A month prior to Bennett's notice, The New Yorker published its bombshell expose featuring 13 women who accused Weinstein of harassment and rape.

Among those 13 was Argento.

The Italian star told the New Yorker that Weinstein raped her in 1997 at a party hosted by Miramax at the Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc. She claims the mogul led her to an empty room and asked her to give him a massage.

Argento posted multiple photos of Bennett, and the two of them together on the day of the alleged assault, with fawning captions where she refers to him as her 'son'

Bennett (pictured in recent Instagram photos) claimed his career as an actor had been stymied by the emotional distress he suffered

Argento (pictured this year) settled his sex assault claim earlier this year for $380,000

She reluctantly agreed, and halfway through he began to perform oral sex on her after forcibly lifting up her skirt despite her repeated requests for him to stop.

Argento says that she became suspicious when the party she arrived at was just an empty hotel room, but was assured that people would soon be arriving by Weinstein.

Then, he emerged from the bathroom in a robe and holding a bottle of lotion says the actress, who was just 21 at the time.

'He asks me to give a massage. I was, like, 'Look man, I am no f***ing fool,'' said Argento.

'But, looking back, I am a f***ing fool. And I am still trying to come to grips with what happened.'

ARGENTO'S SPEECH ON SEXUAL 'PREDATORS' AT CANNES Asia Argento made a powerful speech about Weinstein and sexual abuse and harassment in the entertainment industry at Cannes in May. She labelled the festival Weinstein's 'hunting ground'. 'In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old,' Argento said while presenting onstage during the festival's closing ceremony. 'Even tonight, sitting among you, there are those who have still to be held accountable for their conduct against women,' she said. 'You know who you are. But most importantly we know who you are. And we're not going allow you to get away with it any longer. Argento said Weinstein 'will never be welcomed here ever again.' 'He will live in disgrace, shunned by a film community that once embraced him and covered up for his crimes,' she said. 'I want to make a prediction. Harvey Weinstein will never be welcomed here ever again. He will live in disgrace, shunned by a film community that once embraced him and covered up for his crimes.' Advertisement

The actress, who is the daughter of famed Italian director Dario Argento, said that once Weinstein began performing oral sex on her there was no way for her to stop him because he was so much bigger than her.

'It wouldn't stop. It was a nightmare,' said Argento, who eventually decided to pretend she was enjoying the act in hopes that it would end.

When it was over, Argento said she said on the bed and told her attacked: 'I am not a whore.'

He laughed at her and said he would put that on a shirt according to Argento, who said that Weinstein contacted her for months after the attack and even began offering her expensive gifts.

Argento eventually relented and over time became close to her attacker, and even engaged in consensual relations with him she admits.

She explained the sudden shift by saying that it was a few months before the release of her 1999 film 'B. Monkey' and she was afraid that if she did not agree to Weinstein's advances he might destroy her career.

The following year, Argento released her film 'Scarlet Diva,' which had a scene similar to the one she experienced three years earlier in France.

In that film, a young actress is cornered by a big producer in a room with one crucial difference.

'In the movie I wrote, I ran away,' said Argento.

When she told Weinstein that the character was based on him he simply laughed said Argento.

In has been 20 years now since that encounter, and Argento still struggles, especially when she sees Weinstein.

Argento, who was dating celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain before his death, was one of the first actresses to accuse disgraced Miramax producer Weinstein of sexual assault in October last year

'When I see him, it makes me feel little and stupid and weak,' said Argento. 'After the rape, he won.'

In total, 13 women told the New Yorker that they were sexually harassed or assaulted by Weinstein and three said that they were raped.

The explosive expose empowered dozens more women to come forward and share their allegations of assault, rape and harassment against Weinstein.

The film producer, who was fired from Miramax in the wake of the allegations, turned himself into police in May on multiple rape charges.

'Today Harvey Weinstein will take his first step on his inevitable descent to hell. We, the women, finally have real hope for justice,' Argento tweeted as Weinstein turned himself in.

Weinstein has 'unequivocally denied' all allegations of non-consensual sex.

The 66-year-old disgraced movie mogul was arrested, processed and booked for the alleged sexual assault of two women who previously shared their stories with the New Yorker back in October.

in June, he plead not guilty to charges of sexual assault and rape.

Argento's boyfriend Bourdain had been very supportive and was full of praise for the actress for initially going on record about her Weinstein rape allegations.

'When you went on record, @AsiaArgento you were sure this day would never come, that you would be crushed, that you were alone. And yet you did it anyway. #perpwalk,' he tweeted in May.

Argento was dating celebrity chef and writer Anthony Bourdain until his suicide in June (pictured together in September last year)

Bourdain, 61, and Argento met during the filming of his travel show Parts Unknown in 2016 and began dating a year later.

Shortly before he was found hanged in his French hotel room, a paparazzi caught Argento dancing in a Roman restaurant with French reporter Hugo Clement. They were also pictured holding hands and hugging on the streets of Rome.

Bourdain committed suicide on June 8, five days after the photos first appeared online.

Argento's friend and fellow Weinstein accuser, Rose McGowan, released a statement after his death, saying that the couple were in a 'free relationship' and 'loved without the borders of traditional relationships.'

Argento was devastated by Bourdain's death and released a heartbreaking statement following his suicide, where she described him as 'my love, my rock, my protector.'

'I am beyond devastated. Anthony gave all of himself in everything that he did,' she wrote on Twitter. 'His brilliant, fearless spirit touched and inspired so many, and his generosity knew no bounds.'
Loved ones of a late Chicago teen whose Friday death was ruled a suicide are calling for an independent investigation and believe the teen may have been shot dead by police.

The Chicago Police Department said Steve Rosenthal, 15, had been holding a handgun outside his grandmother's home, where he lived, on South Keeler Avenue in Lawndale around 7pm that evening.

The department said the teen fled when he noticed officers approaching him before he shot himself in the head shortly after.

The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the teen's death a suicide by gunshot wound, according to the Chicago Tribune.

More than 120 supporters gathered Sunday to protest the teen's death, despite the autopsy report.

Some witnesses have led the family and their attorney, Andrew Stroth, to believe other events occurred as police have not released body cam footage from the incident.

Family members of late Chicago teen Steve Rosenthal, (seen above in a GoFundMe photo) are denying the 15-year-old committed suicide on Friday

Chicago Police said Rosenthal was holding a handgun outside his grandmother's home in Lawndale Friday. Officers said the teen fled when he saw them approaching before he shot himself in the head

Chicago Police spokesman Michael Carroll said the shooting is under investigation.

According to the Tribune, Carroll said the department 'has not come to a point where the decision has been made to release the body cam video.'

Sloth said in a statement on the Tribune that he believes Rosenthal was 'shot dead without cause or provocation.'

The GoFundMe page set up by the late teen's aunt, Terinica Thomas-Level, tells the family's side of the story.

'Last night my 15-year old-nephew was slain by CPD! Steven just celebrated his birthday on Monday! Steven was at his grandmother's house enjoying friends like a normal child,' the description reads.

A GoFundMe page set up by the late teen's aunt, Terinica Thomas-Level, (pictured right) tells the family's side of the story

More than 120 supporters gathered Sunday to protest the teen's death

'Witnesses say Steve was going into the house to get water when detectives persued him! As he was going up the stairs witnesses say the detectives had weapons drawn! Shots were fired! Steven died from a gun shot wound to the back of his head!

'How/why would anyone shoot themselves in the back of the head? Steven was an amazing son, grandson, nephew, and older brother.'

Thomas-Level said she believes her nephew didn't have the heart to commit suicide and wanted to care for his two younger brothers 'to make his mother proud.'

She added: 'Steve lost his father at the age of 10 and he lost his mother (my sister) just 5 months ago.

'Steve would NEVER do such a thing and I'm beyond disgusted with this outrageous lie! Please help our family get justice! Help us lay our baby to rest!'

The GoFundMe page raised $640 of its $10,000 goal as of late Sunday.
New York Gov Andrew Cuomo attacked Donald Trump from the pulpit of a Brooklyn church on Sunday, calling the president 'the great Divider-in-Chief' in a searing speech

New York Gov Andrew Cuomo escalated his row with Donald Trump by delivering a searing speech Sunday from the pulpit of a black church in Brooklyn in which he called the president 'the great Divider-in-Chief'.

Addressing the congregation at First Baptist Church of Crown Heights, the Democratic governor said Trump is a 'slick salesman' who fooled many people in this country, but that he hasn't fooled New Yorkers.

The speech came after Cuomo - who hopes to be elected for a third term this November - weathered several days of criticism for saying America 'was never that great' during a bill signing in Manhattan on Wednesday.

The president responded to Cuomo's comment - a play on Trump's Make America Great Again campaign slogan - in a series of tweets declaring that the governor's career was 'over' as a result of the 'total meltdown'.

Over the next few days, Cuomo appeared to pull back from the remark that he has admitted was 'inartful' in an attempt to save face.

However, he has continued to slam Trump directly, saying on Sunday: 'Mr President, you are not taking this nation back in time, because we believe our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. And we will bring the light, and we will overcome, and we will vindicate this nation's better angels together.'

Cuomo addressed the mostly-black congregation at First Baptist Church of Crown Heights after weathering days of criticism for saying America 'was never that great' at a bill signing

The Democrat is currently running for a third term as governor of New York

Cuomo told the congregation that New York's Statue of Liberty is a symbol of America's acceptance of people of all races, beliefs, languages and lifestyles. By contrast, he said, the wall Trump wants built along the border with Mexico represents rejection of those who are different.

The rest of Cuomo's speech was peppered with a point-by-point attack on the policies, language and behavior of a president who lost his home state in the 2016 election.

He hammered Trump for creating what Cuomo called a 'frightening portrait' of today's America.

'You may be a slick salesman who fooled many people in this country, but you didn't fool me and you didn't fool New Yorkers,' Cuomo said.

'We know who you are and we're going to rise up and tell this nation the truth about who you are, because when the voice of division is raised, a chorus of unity must rise in response.'

Addressing minority communities like the Crown Heights neighborhood, the governor noted that New York state has the strongest gun control law in the nation 'because we're tired of seeing people getting massacred on our streets,' while the president 'is blind to the suffering and pain of gun violence'.

Cuomo also touched on Trump's attitude toward women, including former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman, whom Trump has called a 'dog' and a 'lowlife' after she publicly criticized him.

'If a woman dares to speak up, then King Trump attacks her,' Cuomo said.

Cuomo comments on Sunday have escalated his row with the president, who declared the governor's career was 'over' after his 'total meltdown' on Wednesday

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!'
A speechwriter for Donald Trump has been terminated from his White House position after he admitted that he gave a speech at a white nationalist conference in 2016.

CNN Politics reported that as of last week, Darren Beattie's email account had been deactivated after his involvement with the H.L. Mencken Club Conference was revealed.

'Mr Beattie no longer works at the White House,' White House spokesman Hogan Gidley confirmed in a statement to CNN.

The policy aide stood alongside Peter Brimelow, leader of the anti-immigration website, VDare, for a supporting speech.

Trump speechwriter Darren Beattie (pictured above) has been fired, according to a CNN report

'In 2016, I attended the Mencken conference in question and delivered a stand-alone, academic talk titled "The Intelligentsia and the Right."

'I said nothing objectionable and stand by my remarks completely,' Beattie told CNN on Saturday.

'It was the honor of my life to serve in the Trump Administration... I love President Trump, who is a fearless American hero, and continue to support him one hundred per cent.'

Donald Trump speaks to the press before boarding Marine One at the White House in Washington, DC, on August 17, 2018. It's unclear whether the president had a role in Beattie's firing

Peter Brimelow, founder of vdare.com speaks to supporters at an Alt Right conference hosted by the National Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. on November 18, 2016. Beattie joined Brimelow for a speech at the conference

Brimelow shared this tweet on Sunday after learning of Beattie's termination

Beattie had been formerly employed as a visiting professor of the political science department at Duke University before he took on the White House job.

It is currently unclear whether Trump placed a specific role in his termination. The president did not remark on the matter as of late Sunday.

Brimelow, however, took to Twitter to share his disappointment over Beattie's termination.

'Disgraceful that the Trump White House would fire Darren Beattie just for speaking at the same conference as me, even apart from fact I'm not a "white nationalist,"' he wrote.

Brimelow in 1999 founded the Connecticut-based, multi-million dollar VDare Foundation.

He previously denied the website is white nationalist - but said his writers 'aim to defend the interests of American whites.'
A member of a notorious motorcycle gang will face court after weapons and cash were found in a hidden compartment of a car.

A 38-year-old man, allegedly a member of the Descendants, was arrested by South Australia Police after a search of his Northern Adelaide home on Sunday afternoon.

Police allegedly found a 9mm pistol, two loaded magazines and more than $45,000 in cash, hidden in a compartment behind the car's stereo, parked at the property.

A member of a notorious Adelaide-based motorcycle gang will face court after police uncovered weapons and cash hidden in his car (pictured)

A 9mm firearm (pictured), two loaded magazines and $45,000 cash was found hidden behind the car's stereo

Officers from the Crime Gang Task Force and Serious and Organised Crime Branch searched the Wynn Vale property at about 3.30pm on Sunday.

The man, who is confirmed to live at the address, was arrested and charged with a number of firearm offences.

He was also charged with two counts of breaching his bail conditions.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Fischer, Officer in Charge Crime Gangs Task Force said while the Descendants outlaw motorcycle gang continued to exist, police 'will continue to target them to ensure the safety of the community'.

The man was refused bail and will appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.
A New York man murdered his wife before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life in a horrific murder-suicide, police said.

Investigators found the bodies of Patrick Myrthil, 31, and his wife Tertue Gregoire, 30, at their home in Long Island.

Authorities said Myrthil killed his wife after she asked for a divorce.

Patrick Myrthil, 31, murdered his wife Tertue Gregoire, 30, and then killed himself on Saturday, police said. The couple are pictured here on their wedding day

Authorities said Myrthil killed his wife after she asked for a divorce, pulling out a 9mm handgun and shooting her several times

Officers were called to the couple's home after neighbors reported hearing gunshots around 11.30am on Saturday.

The couple reportedly began fighting after Gregoire told her husband she wanted a a divorce.

He then took out an illegal 9mm handgun and shot her several times, according to News 12 Long Island.

Officers were called to the couple's home after neighbors reported hearing gunshots around 11.30am on Saturday

Myrthil then laid down next to his slain wife and killed himself, police said.

The couple were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers remained at their home for hours. The investigation is ongoing.

Authorities said the couple had not had any domestic incidents prior to the murder-suicide.
Rev Edmundo Paredes, 69, has reportedly gone missing amidst allegations that he molested three teenage boys and stole money from his church in Oak Cliff, Texas

A priest has gone missing after he was accused of molesting three teenage boys and stealing money from his church, authorities say.

Officials at St Cecilia Catholic Church in the Dallas suburb of Oak Cliff reportedly believe Rev Edmundo Paredes retreated to his native Philippines to escape an investigation into the allegations.

Bishop Edward Burns broke the news that 'Father Ed' had been removed from ministry during Mass on Saturday, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Burns said the Diocese of Dallas was informed of the sexual misconduct allegations in February after three adult men came forward and accused Paredes of having abused them when they were in their mid-teens in incidents more than a decade ago.

According to the Diocese, Paredes was already under investigation for stealing between $60,000 and $80,000 from the church treasury at the time that the men came forward.

Edmundo Paredes, center-left, and Bishop Kevin Farrell , center-right, view the damage caused by a fire at St Cecilia Catholic Church in this 2007 file photo

Paredes had been removed from the parish in June 2017 when the probe into financial irregularities was launched.

The priest reportedly admitted to having stolen church funds during his nearly three decades as pastor, but did not reveal an exact dollar amount.

Its unclear when Paredes disappeared, though according to the report, some parishioners thought he was still living on church grounds until Burns broke the news this weekend.

Bishop Edward Burns broke the news that 'Father Ed' had been removed from ministry during Mass on Saturday

The bishop told parishioners that St Cecilia's is in the process of hiring private investigators to locate Paredes, and that authorities in the Philippines have stated that he has not been found there.

When disclosing details specifically related to the sex abuse investigation, Burns said: 'Our priority was to determine the truth and protect the victims who showed courage by coming forward.

'With the utmost sensitivity to victims, I have pledged to continue efforts of transparency and need to make you aware of this atrocious and sad event. I want to assure the entire community that we are working to find solutions to create a safer environment.

'I offer my heartfelt apologies that these crimes have happened in your parish and please know I am praying for all victims of sexual abuse and for all of you here in the St Cecilia community.'

The Diocese of Dallas has asked anyone who has suffered abuse at the hands of church personnel to report it to police and to the Diocese's Victims Assistance Coordinator at 214-379-2819.

The allegations against Paredes have come only a week after a 900-page report from a Pennsylvania grand jury revealed that more that 1,000 children had been molested by 300 priests in incidents dating back to the 1950s.
Grieving Long Island siblings hoping to scatter their father's ashes in a traditional Hindu ceremony were informed by the funeral home that they had accidentally sent the ashes to another family.

Susan and Sunil Sharma had planned on mixing the ashes of their father, Sarup Sharma, with their mother's ashes after the couple died seven months apart last year and then scatter them on the Ganges River in India.

However, Susan and Sunil never got the chance to properly say goodbye to their father because The Lake Ronkonkoma Moloney Funeral Home called them in November to say there had been a mix-up.

Susan and Sunil Sharma are suing a Long Island funeral home after their father's ashes were given to the wrong family

According to the New York Post, the funeral home said Saraup's ashes had accidentally been given to a woman named Shashi Sharma, who had also lost her relative. Shashi has no relation to Susan and Sunil.

To make matters worse, Susan and Sunil were told that Shashi and her family, thinking they had the correct ashes, had traveled to India to dump the ashes in the Ganges River, the same place where Susan and Sunil wanted to dispose of their parents ashes. The Ganges River is a popular place for families to scatter ashes of loved ones.

Still, Susan and Sunil were devastated by the mix-up saying in a lawsuit that it was 'reckless and negligent' and caused them 'mental anguish'.

The siblings wrote in the suit that it deprived them of 'solace and comfort' and the 'right to dispose of their father's remains as they choose'.

The funeral home said it apologized to both families and are reviewing its practices to make sure the mix-up doesn't happen again.

The Lake Ronkonkoma Moloney Funeral Home said it gave the ashes to a woman named Shashi Sharma, who then traveled to India with her family to scatter the ashes, not realizing they were the wrong ones

'Once we learned of the situation, we immediately reached out to both families to express our remorse and assure them of our full cooperation during this difficult time,' the funeral home said.

'We have reviewed all of our procedures and have taken steps to further strengthen our protocols to ensure that we maintain the full trust and confidence of the families we serve, as we have for the last 85 years.'

Shashi and her family were given the correct ashes and made a second trip to India to scatter them in the river, the Post reports. A spokeswoman for the funeral home said they offered to pay for the family's trip.
TigerAir has brought back its $1 flights in a frenzied 48-hour sale for travellers looking to jet off between February and April 2019.

The sale, which launched on Monday, offers travellers a $1 return flight when booked with an outbound flight.

TigerAir is including its 21 routes around Australia in the deal with more than 10,000 fares on sale.

TigerAir has brought back its $1 flights in a frenzied 48 hour sale for travellers looking to jet off between February and April 2019

The sale includes all 21 routes around Australia with more than 10,000 fares on sale

Flights from Melbourne to Hobart and Sydney to Coffs Harbour start at a low $70.95 return.

The bargain is even better for some of Australia's long-haul flights across the country.

Melbourne to Perth return fares start at $185.95 and Sydney to Perth return fares start at $195.95.

Those in need of a holiday are advised to get in quickly as the 48-hour sale will end at midday on Wednesday.

TigerAir's $1 promotion also comes a day before Click Frenzy's travel sale which goes live on Tuesday at 7pm AEST.

The 24-hour sale will provide Australian's with $1,000 savings on European vacations, 77 per cent off hotels in Bali and $3,000 discounts on cruises.

The 48-hour sale will end at midday on Wednesday, a day after Click Frenzy's travel sale goes live on Tuesday at 7pm
A motorist who was slapped with a parking ticket for leaving his car too close to a police officer's vehicle has shared a copy of his dubious fine online.

The man's friend posted a photo of the ticket to Reddit, claiming the driver had 'received an infringement by post for parking too close to the vehicle behind'.

But eagle-eyed social media users were quick to point out a number of apparent inconsistencies with the ticket, casting doubt over the authenticity of the fine.

On the top left corner of the infringement was a typo in the spelling of 'Monaro Police Dsitrict', a region near New South Wales' snowy mountains.

The notice issued by Jindabyne police station left on a car in NSW told the driver they had received an 'infringement' by post for parking too close to the vehicle behind

The hard-to-believe ticket also leaves the 'officer' field blank, as well as the 'COPS Event No' and a time and date of report.

Commenters on Reddit were sceptical of the infringement, with one user suggesting that someone had 'bodgied up some fake cards'.

Another highlighted that the dialling code on the police phone number was missing a zero.

One user said it was unusual for the notice not to be completely filled out, saying if I've learned anything it's that police must fill in paperwork correctly.'

The hard-to-believe ticket contained an obvious typo in the spelling of 'Monaro Police Station' and there were no other details left on the notice other than the message itself

But the user who uploaded the photo said his friend had confirmed the ticket was legitimate.

'The phone numbers are right ( minus the front bracket) and the (website listed) is a real address,' he wrote.

'Seems like a lot of effort to got to for a fake note just to annoy someone.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, constable Naomi Nemec from Jindabyne police station said the notice was likely fake as it did not contain a vehicle registration number.'

However, according to NSW Transport's Road and Maritime Services, it is an offence to park within one metre of another parked vehicle.

Some social media users claimed it was just as likely the driver had been fined but simply hit with a dodgy infringement notice.

'The person parked behind probably made a complaint after they got boxed in by the original poster's friend,' wrote one person.
One of Australia's most renowned painters Charles Blackman has died one week after celebrating his 90th birthday.

The Sydney-born prize-winning artist, renowned for his Alice In Wonderland series of works, started his working life as a newspaper illustrator with an afternoon tabloid.

He became famous for his series of paintings of schoolgirls, and kept drawing and painting all his life as part of a figurative art movement during the mid-twentieth century that rebelled against the earlier expressionist style of painting.

One of Australia's most renowned painters Charles Blackman has died one week after celebrating his 90th birthday

Blackman died in Sydney today, aged 90, after a career that's seen his paintings lauded, faked and stolen.

Born on August 12, 1928 in Sydney, Blackman was largely self-taught but did attend night classes in drawing and design at the East Sydney Technical College from about the age of 14.

He worked as an illustrator for the then Fairfax family-owned Sydney Sun until he moved to Melbourne in 1952.

The following year, Blackman co-founded the Melbourne Contemporary Art Society and became involved in the more figurative movement of painting taking hold there.

The Sydney-born prize-winning artist (pictured in April 2013) started his working life as a newspaper illustrator with an afternoon tabloid

It was in the 1950s that Blackman painted his Schoolgirl series, a haunting collection of images depicting girls and women lost in daydreams or playing games.

Later in the decade he began his renowned Alice in Wonderland series, which conveyed scenes from the popular children's book with distinctly deep shadows.

The two collections earned Blackman considerable acclaim, and in 1959 he won the Rowney prize for drawing for his unique and individual works.

That same year, Blackman and six other artists formed the Antipodean Manifesto in protest against the perceived dominance of abstract expressionism.

The year 1960 was highly successful for Blackman. Following a very successful exhibition at the Johnson Gallery, he won the Helena Rubenstein Scholarship, the Dyeson Endowment Award and the Crouch Prize. He painted Barbara In Red Scarf in that year

The year 1960 was highly successful for Blackman. Following a very successful exhibition at the Johnson Gallery, he won the Helena Rubenstein Scholarship, the Dyeson Endowment Award and the Crouch Prize.

He then studied and travelled overseas, exhibiting at the Whitechapel and Tate galleries in London.

In 1977, Blackman was awarded an Order of the British Empire for his services to the arts.

The National Gallery of Victoria in 1993 held a major exhibition of his works titled Schoolgirls and Angels, which travelled to Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

The painter, awarded an Order of the British Empire in 1977, depicted scenes as a figurative artist, including this one of Farmer at Mount Tamborine in 1955

A search was mounted by the National Gallery of Victoria in 2006 for four of the 46 works in the Alice series, as their location was unknown, and later two of the missing paintings were located for the exhibition.

In 2010 a Victorian Supreme Court judge found two drawings purported to be by Blackman were in fact fakes, and ordered they be destroyed.

A documentary about the artist's life titled An Imprint In Time, was released in 2011, narrated by his granddaughter Clementine Blackman and featuring Archibald Prize winner Judy Cassab, who was one of his closest friends.

Blackman was married three times, to poet Barbara Patterson in 1951, artist Genevieve de Couvreur in 1978 and Victoria Bower in 1989, and had six children

Blackman spent much of his later life out of the public eye after he was diagnosed with the memory disorder Korsakoff's syndrome.

His paintings were highly regarded and often stolen, one ending up being recovered five years after its theft in a suburban garage, and another was never found when a luxury yacht transporting the heist apparently foundered at sea off the Queensland coast.

Blackman was married three times, to poet Barbara Patterson in 1951, artist Genevieve de Couvreur in 1978 and Victoria Bower in 1989, and had six children.

At a 2013 exhibition of silk-screen prints of his work, Blackman was enthusiastic about his ongoing work and told AAP his age was an advantage for his creativity.

'Painting comes from  your remembrance of things past,' he said.
The father-of-three accused of shooting his friend in the buttock has been described by a friend as a 'beautiful person with a big heart'.

Emergency crews were called to a Kook Street address in Darlington Point at 9.35pm on Saturday following reports of a man being shot.

The 35-year-old man had a wound on his right buttock, he was treated at the scene and taken to Griffith Hospital in a stable condition where he remains.

The man's friend, Griffith man Dylan Hesketh, 24, was arrested on Sunday night.

Dylan Hesketh from Griffith was arrested on Sunday night in relation to an incident where a 35-year-old was shot

He has been charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, reckless wounding in company and fire firearm manner likely to injure a person or property.

Hesketh's Facebook profile shows photos of his three sons.

Friends have described him as not having a 'bad bone in his body'.

A friend who did not want to be named told the Daily Mail Australia it was 'out of Dylan's character to do such a thing'.

'I hope some light does come his way. Poor bloke has been through a lot.'

Another friend said they believed the incident was the result of an accident.

'He's a beautiful person with a big heart he wouldn't of had any intentions to hurt anyone.'

'He's an amazing father, he would do anything for his boys,' she said.

Hesketh was refused bail to appear before Hay Local Court today.
Clair Hughes told how she has saved 15,000 and bought a house - thanks to coupons

A woman has told of how she has saved 15,000 and bought a house - thanks to coupons.

Clair Hughes, 30, first began to research money saving ideas as a way of getting out of her 3,500 student overdraft.

The savvy shopper started trawling the internet for discount coupons and cut price offers, and now estimates she's saved 'easily over 15,000'.

And she even managed to put down a deposit to buy a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Bury, Greater Manchester with her partner, Shane Byrne, also 30.

Revealing how she never pays full price for an item anymore, thrifty Ms Hughes, who works in a local school, said: 'It's become a running joke with my friends. Every time we go out, they'll ask if I have a voucher  and I always do.

'Discounts are always there to be had, it's just a matter of being organised.

'Before I started this, I thought it'd be so much work, but now I'm so used to this lifestyle that it's automatic to me. I must have saved easily over 15,000.'

A haul of yellow stickered reduced items - including pottaoes for 18p and coriander for 14p

A shop Edge Hill University graduate Ms Hughes actually made profit on thanks to cashback

Ms Hughes has bought this three-bedroom semi-detached house in Bury, Greater Manchester

Ms Hughes's mind first turned to money saving back in 2010, when she moved in with Mr Byrne, a phone company trainer.

Having recently graduated from Edge Hill University, near Wigan, where she studied drama and physical theatre, she'd maxed out her 3,500 student overdraft  and felt the interest repayments were just 'money down the drain.'

After taking to the web for advice, she tried out a few clever money saving tricks like switching her overdraft to a zero-interest account.

Then, a few years later, she came across an online community for 'couponers' and decided to give it a go.

Ms Hughes put down a deposit to buy a three-bedroom house with her partner, Shane Byrne

She started off by printing out the vouchers to take with her whenever she went shopping

Ms Hughes initially spent hours trawling the web for money off vouchers or discount codes

She started spending hours trawling the web for money off vouchers or discount codes, printing them all out to take with her whenever she went shopping.

Eight of Clare Hughes's money-saving tips Switching your overdraft to a zero-interest account

Trawl the web for money off vouchers or discount codes, and print them out

Use cashback apps and websites to get money back on shopping - upload pictures of your receipts after each shop, and money is given back on certain items

Take part in paid online surveys, to earn high street vouchers,

Hit the shops at certain times of the day to take advantage of reduced 'yellow sticker' stock

Sign up to receive trials or tester products or trawl cosmetics counters for freebies

Write to companies to compliment them on their products

Wombling  where you collect other people's discarded receipts from shopping trolleys to check for missed discounts Advertisement

'It would initially take a couple of hours to get organised,' she said. 'I'd go on supermarket websites to look through what I'd need in a shop, making a note of anything on offer, or anything I had a coupon for.

'Eventually though it becomes second nature and you can do it in around half an hour.'

Over the years, the coupon queen has managed to nab some impressive hauls.

Two lamps worth 140 cost her just 35, and because she learnt buying in bulk is usually cheaper, she scored six months worth of dog food for her Pomeranian Poppy for a mere 9.

Around two years ago, Ms Hughes also began using cashback apps and websites where you are given money back on items ranging from beers to toiletries.

After each shop, she uploads pictures of her receipts, which are then scanned, and money is given back on certain items.

'I've saved hundreds through that alone,' said bargain-mad Ms Hughes.

'You can get cashback on most things, and it's all something I'd have been buying anyway. If something is totally free, I always make sure I get it regardless of whether I'll use it, as I can donate it to a charity or foodbank. But with cashback, I make sure it's worth my while.'

A haul of items that cost savvy shopper Ms Hughes just 1.53 - including 23p on lettuce

Some beauty freebies accumulated by Ms Hughes, who also takes part in paid online surveys

Ms Hughes's key to her new home, which had set herself the goal of owning by the age of 30

Among her other top saving tips, Ms Hughes recommends taking part in paid online surveys, which have earned her hundreds in high street vouchers.

She also said people can hit the shops at certain times of the day to take advantage of reduced 'yellow sticker' stock, sign up to receive trials or tester products or trawl cosmetics counters for freebies.

Some of Clare Hughes's bargains Two lamps worth 140 cost her 35

Six months worth of dog food for her Pomeranian Poppy for 9

Morphy Richards five-piece pan set worth 40.74 for free

Bought three Dove deodorants and other items for 6.32, but cashback means she will get a profit of 4.18

Raided Marks & Spencer's discount items, bringing in 37.86 worth of shopping for just 8.60 Advertisement

She added: 'I have managed to get a lot of freebies by messaging or writing to companies to compliment them on their products. People always assume you get freebies for complaining  but it pays more to be nice.

'I've heard a lot about a practice called wombling too, which is basically collecting other people's discarded receipts from shopping trolleys to check for missed discounts.

'I'd love to give it a try but there doesn't seem to be a receipt to be found at my local supermarket.'

Having set herself the goal of owning a home by the time she was 30, Ms Hughes - who has set up an Instagram dedicated to sharing her thrifty pearls of wisdom - was delighted to exchange just five days shy of her landmark birthday.

And now, after Mr Byrne proposed to her on his birthday earlier in August, she is looking ahead to planning the ultimate shoestring wedding.

A set of Morphy Richards pans Ms Hughes managed to get for free by using discounts

Ms Hughes is now looking to plan the ultimate budget wedding after her partner proposed

'I can't wait to see what I can do on a budget,' she said. 'The proposal was a total surprise, I couldn't believe it. Now we've got the house, it's time to save again for the wedding.

Discounts are always there to be had, it's just a matter of being organised Clair Hughes

'I can't believe how much coupons and cashback apps have helped me. The community is really helpful. There will always be someone on hand to explain how it all works. I get messages all the time myself.

'Outwardly it looks like a lot of work, but when you see the thousands and thousands you can save, it's well worth it.'
A terrorist knifeman 'shouting Allahu Akbar' has been shot dead by a female cop after trying to stab officers in an attack on a police station in Barcelona today.

The 29-year-old pleaded to be let into the premises in Cornella on the outskirts of the Catalan capital just before 6am - only to lunge at officers inside with a 'large' blade.

A female police officer opened fire and 'took him' the Algerian, who lived in the area. He is said to have shouted 'Allahu akbar' (God is greatest) as he entered the station.

But police have found no evidence linking the incident to terror attacks last August in Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people.

Despite the police suspicions, the Interior Ministry said it was keeping the country's terror alert at level 4, indicating high risk. Spain has been at that stage of alert since 2015, following a series of terror attacks abroad. Level 5, indicating a 'very high risk' of attacks, is the highest level.

A terrorist knifeman 'shouting Allahu Akbar' has been shot dead by a female cop after trying to stab officers in an attack on a police station in Barcelona today. Police are pictured preparing to enter the man's apartment block after the attack

Police have shot a knifeman shouting Allahu Akbar who tried to attack them at a station near Barcelona early this morning. Pictures show police near the headquarters

The drama happened around 6am at a police station in Cornella on the outskirts of the Catalan capital. Pictures have emerged showing the man's body being removed from the police station

Officers opened a locked police station security door to the man, who lived in a nearby apartment, Comes said. The police station is located in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the city.

He said the suspect repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in and spoke with officers inside over an intercom. After they decided to let him in, he pulled out 'a large knife' and lunged at officers, according to Comes.

The man had ID documents on him and police are checking whether they are authentic.

Comes said authorities have found no criminal record for the man identified in the documents, although international police databases are being searched for matches with his fingerprints.

'We are treating it as a terrorist attack. The officer used her gun to save her own life,' Rafel Comes, a commissioner with the Catalan regional police, told a news conference in Cornella de Llobregat where the attack took place.

The man arrived at the police station in the town near Barcelona at 5.45am with a knife and 'a clearly premeditated desire to kill an agent of our force,' he added, saying security was being reinforced at police stations across Catalonia.

Anti-terrorism police sources had earlier told AFP that the man was a 29-year-old Algerian who lived in the area, and had shouted 'Allahu akbar' (God is greatest) as he entered the station.

But Comes said the agent who shot the man dead can only recall hearing him invoking the name of 'Allah' and the rest of what he said was incomprehensible.

The commissioner would not confirm the attacker was Algerian, saying police still needed to confirm that the Algerian identity papers he carried with him were in fact his.

The police station was cordoned off and funeral home employees removed the attacker's body from the building, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Officers searched the man's home (pictured), which was located just a few hundred metres (yards) from the site of the attack

Catalan regional police forces stand guard outside the apartment building of a man who tried to attack a police station in Cornella

The 29-year-old pleaded to be let into the premises in Cornella on the outskirts of the Catalan capital just before 6am - only to lunge at officers inside with a 'large' blade. A neighbour of the suspect is pictured being evacuated this morning

Officers searched the man's home, which was located just a few hundred yards from the site of the attack.

The incident occurred just days after the first anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia.

Sixteen people were killed on August 17, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas boulevard and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils.

ISISI claimed responsibility for the attacks, Spain's worst since the Madrid train bombings in 2004 when 191 people died and more than 1,800 were injured.

Spain has kept its terrorist alert at the second-highest level since 2015.

Catalonia, which is home to a significant number of second-generation North African immigrants, has had a long history of Islamic militant activity.

Spain's first Muslim extremist - a member of the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (GIA) - was uncovered in Catalonia in 1995.

The incident occurred just days after the first anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia

Mohammed Atta, the pilot who slammed a passenger plane into one of New York's World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, spent time in Catalonia shortly before the attacks.

And in 2008, a plot targeting Barcelona's underground trains was foiled when it was already in advanced stages.

One in four people detained in Spain in relation to extremist Muslim-linked terrorism come from the Catalan province of Barcelona, according to a study published last year by the Real Instituto Elcano, a Spanish think-tank, which called the province the country's 'main centre of jihadist activity'.

There have been a string of similar incidents in neighbouring France targeting police and soldiers, including one in January 2016 in which police shot dead a man wielding a cleaver and yelling 'Allahu akbar' as he tried to attack a police station in northern Paris.

That incident came on the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

ISIS has frequently called on their followers to attack soldiers and police in France, who they see as a legitimate target because they represent the French state.
People who threaten or incite violence against religious minorities, transsexuals, those who are gay or have AIDS face up to three years in jail.

Individual perpetrators of this crime also face $11,000 fines under new laws coming into effect in New South Wales this week.

Corporations face a maximum penalty of $55,000.

People who threaten violence against someone based on their gender, religion or the fact they are gay or have AIDS face up to three years in jail

The state government has issued a warning on Facebook to anyone who is contemplating harassing or threatening violence against someone based on a specific religious belief or affiliation, sexual orientation, intersex status or HIV/AIDS diagnosis.

The Crimes Amendment (Publicly Threatening and Inciting Violence) Act of 2018 defines 'gender identity' as exhibiting mannerisms or an appearance that is at odds with someone's biology.

It regards 'intersex status' as 'having physical, hormonal or genetic features' which are neither male nor female or a combination of both.

The laws protecting religious minorities are also coming into force a week after Katter's Australian Party senator Fraser Anning, from Queensland, called for a population vote on Muslim immigration, using the phrase 'final solution' associated with Nazi Germany.
A lotto winner who scooped almost $700,000 in the Saturday jackpot has pledged to help drought-stricken Australian farmers.

The Sydney man said farmers who were doing it tough during a crippling once-in-a-generation drought will be among the beneficiaries of his winnings.

'We were going to give a donation to the drought fund, but we can increase that now and make it more substantial. I think if we're blessed with something like this, we should pass it on,' the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said.

A Sydney man who won almost $700,000 in the Saturday Lotto draw has pledged to help drought-stricken Australian farmers (stock image)

The man said he would be making a 'substantial' donation to the drought fund (stock image)

He only found out he won the hefty sum of cash when contacted by a NSW Lotteries official on Monday morning.

The man, aged in his 40s, said the life-changing news had made his day and he was 'just ecstatic'.

'Wow. I can't believe it, mate,' the man told the official during a phone call.

'That's great news. Just fantastic. I've been playing off and on for a while and initially I thought this was a joke.'

He said he would also put some of his winnings towards helping his family.

'We'll also pay off our mortgage and put the rest in for the kids, for their education,' the man said.

Farmers are currently battling through a once-in-a-generation drought with all of New South Wales and more than half of Queensland declared in drought (stock image)

The man purchased his winning entry online.

He collected a a division one prize of $622,806.56, which was boosted to $686,599.31 after his System QuickPick entry also won division three 42 times and division four 315 times.

The man was one of four New South Wales division one winners in the Saturday Lotto draw 3869, alongside two from Victoria and one from South Australia.

All of New South Wales and more than half of Queensland has been declared in drought.
An elderly father and his son have been found dead in the charred remains of their home after an early-morning fire tore through the property.

The blaze broke out at their home, in Ocean Grove, a seaside town near Victoria's Geelong, just after 4am on Monday.

Emergency services were called to the scene and managed to bring the flames under control.

Police officers only discovered the bodies of the men, aged 91 and 57, after putting out the fire.

An elderly father and his son have been found dead in the charred remains of their home

The blaze broke out at their home, in Ocean Grove, Victoria, just after 4am on Monday

The son had been caring for his unwell father at the time of the incident.

Horrified neighbours who woke to the sound of shattering glass said the pair had been living in the house for five decades and spent most of their time together.

The pair, both said to be academics, were well known within the community.

'They were all very into their books, and he was a teacher, the history that was lost in this fire today is really sour for the town,' one neighbour told 9 News.

'I'd be out mowing the lawn and they'd often go for walks together and they'd come down the street and have a chat. They were friendly,' neighbour Alex McLachlan told ABC News.

A spokesperson for Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia the pair had not been formally identified.

Investigators have been sent to the property to determine whether the blaze was suspicious

The cause of the fire remains unknown and arson investigators have been sent to the property to determine whether the blaze was suspicious.

Geelong Crime Investigation Unit is preparing a report for the Coroner following the double fatality.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Salim Mehajer will be forced to show his legs to police after officers won a court order forcing him to take off his trousers.

Detectives claim the tattoos on Mehajer's right leg will link him to an alleged cash handover that was caught on CCTV footage.

Mehajer, who is incarcerated at Cooma correctional facility in New South Wales, had opposed the photography of the 'private and personal' tattoos on his leg, news.com.au reported.

It is understood that the tattoos include a face that resembles his former wife, Aysha, the initials 'SM,' and dollar signs and the word 'millionaire.'

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Detectives have won a bid on Monday to photograph Salim Mehajer's legs in prison

Detectives believe the tattoos on Mehajer's right leg will link him to the leg in an alleged cash handover that was caught on CCTV footage

A tattoo of Mehajer's estranged wife, Aysha Learmonth, (pictured) on his leg

Magistrate Robyn Denes granted the police application on Monday at the Burwood Local Court and ordered 'police to take photographs of both legs  at Cooma Correctional Centre within (the) next seven days.'

While detectives will photograph both legs, documents indicate they're only interested in the distinctive tattoos on Mehajer's right leg.

'This meeting is captured on CCTV cameras with the camera showing clear tattoos on Mehajer's legs,' police allege in an affidavit.

The police affidavit also reveals that the meeting - where $1250 was exchanged - is connected to a staged car crash that Mehajer allegedly orchestrated to avoid a court hearing.

Mehajer was charged with perverting the course of justice over the alleged fake crash which he denies.

He was granted bail for the car crash allegations but has since been sentenced to a ten month prison sentence for unrelated election fraud.

Police said they are only interested in the tattoos on Mehajer's right leg (pictured)

Police claim that the 32-year-old didn't consent to the inspection and photography of his legs at Sliverwater prison in March due to the personal nature of the tattoos

Police claim that the 32-year-old didn't consent to the inspection and photography of his legs at Sliverwater prison in March due to the personal nature of the tattoos.

When Mehajer was arrested in January on the alleged car crash charges the police did not photograph his tattoos during the charging process, they said in the affidavit.

However, the police allege there are images on social media with photos of Mehajer's tattoos which he denies.

He also denied he was the owner of the tattooed legs when Bondi Ink tattoo shop released photos.

Mehajer pictured with his estranged wife Ms Learmonth. Police did not take any photos of Mehajer's leg during the charging process

Confirmation of whether or not the person is Mejaher is crucial for evidence, police said in the affidavit.

Police also allege that the collision was a thought out previously so Mehajer would avoid attending a scheduled court hearing and to defraud an insurance company of $156,780.

The court hearing was related to the charges against Mehajer for when he assaulted a taxi driver with an Eftpos machine in April last year at Sydney's Star Casino.

He was convicted for those charges.

Mehajer is expected to make a bail application at the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday.
A Qantas pilot has claimed the airline suspended him after his bitter neighbour anonymously - and wrongly - complained that he was suicidal.

Second officer Nathaniel Whitehall, 49, filed a defamation claim in the District Court of NSW on Friday, naming the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) as the respondent.

Mr Whitehall claims a feuding neighbour used CASA's anonymous tip-off line to compare him to the Germanwings pilot who deliberately crashed into the French Alps in 2015, killing all 150 people on board, The Australian reported.

A pilot who worked for Qantas (stock image) is taking legal action against Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which suspended his licence last year

Mr Whitehall, who denies having a mental condition, said he was suspended in October and was not given a chance to give his side of the story.

As second officer, the airman is not permitted to fly A380s under 10,000ft and would never be left in the cockpit on his own.

'I have not done anything wrong. I have worked hard at Qantas. My Qantas record is unimpeachable,' he reportedly wrote in a letter to opposition transport spokesman Anthony Albanese.

He has appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to have his suspension quashed but the case is yet to be held.

Mr Whitehall also claims in documents submitted to the court that CASA published the reports in full to his employer.

The pilot claims in documents tendered to the court that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (stock image) suspended his licence following a series of allegations against him made by a neighbour

'By reason of the publication of the matters complained of, (Mr Whitehall) has been injured in his credit, character, reputation and profession and has been brought into public disrepute, professional disrepute, scandal, odium and contempt,' the claim said.

'(Mr Whitehall) claims general damages, together with interest, for consolation, reparation and vindication, and special damages for the loss of income in his profession as an airline pilot.'

A CASA spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that the authority couldn't comment on the particular case but had stringent process for handling reports regarding safety concern of pilots.

One complaint to CASA reportedly compared Mr Whitehall to compared him to the Germanwings pilot who deliberately crashed into the French Alps in 2015, killing all 150 people on board. Pictured is the crash scene

'We have rigorous processes for looking at any information we get on pilots that puts in questions their ability to operate an aircraft,' the spokesman said.

'We follow processes very carefully and give due consideration to the rights of the individuals involved to ensure their rights are respected.'

A Qantas spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the airline wasn't directly involved in Mr Whitehall's legal action and that it didn't comment on individual staff matters.
MPs are demanding more expenses as they complain that Brexit has added to their workload, it emerged today.

Politicians have been urging the parliamentary watchdog to increase allowances for staffing their offices, which can already be more than 160,000 a year.

The calls surfaced in a survey carried out by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).

Under current rules, MPs can claim 150,900 a year for staffing costs, rising to 161,550 in London, although they can apply for an increase.

The figure has risen from 109,000 eight years ago.

Politicians have been urging the parliamentary watchdog to increase allowances for staffing their offices, which can already be more than 160,000 a year. Pictured is the House of Commons chamber last month

Sir Alistair Graham (pictured), a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said Ipsa should be wary of acceding to demands for a rise

Contingency funding is available on a 'case by case' basis where members have specific need for more support.

However, in its report on its annual feedback survey published this summer, Ipsa said some had said they still did not have enough money.

'There were also requests to further increase MPs' staffing budgets due to their increasing workloads, some of which is the result of Brexit,' the report stated.

What expenses can MPs claim? Renting accommodation in London: 22,760 Office costs for London MPs: 26,850 Office costs for non-London MPs: 24,150 Staff for London MPs: 161,550 Staff for non-London MPs: 150,900 Advertisement

Ipsa said that it had received 93 response to the survey - nine from MPs, 33 from MP proxies who manage their business costs, and 51 from other staff members working for MPs.

It did not say how many had raised the issue of staffing costs, or give names, and how much extra they were suggesting is not specified.

The watchdog has not ruled out granting the requests.

The body has made clear it will 'take into account any relevant consequences of the UK's decision to leave the European Union' when considering updating the rules on MPs' expenses.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said Ipsa should be wary of acceding to demands for a rise.

He told The Daily Telegraph: 'Brexit sounds like a rather convenient argument for increasing funding, Ipsa should be very cautious about raising budgets.'

MPs were barred from employing family members after the election last year - although those who were already on the payroll have been allowed to stay on.

Dozens of MPs still have 'connected parties' working for them.
At least 50 people have been shot with five people dying from their wounds in Chicago over the weekend.

The total number of people shot in the city this year recently passed 1,800 with authorities describing it as like a 'war zone'.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, this weekend 18 people were shot on Friday evening, 23 on Saturday, and 21 were shot early Sunday.

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Police work the scene where two people were shot near the intersection of North Eldridge Avenue and North Drake Avenue on Sunday

A protracted violent spree from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon saw 18 people shot in total

While a single shooting Friday injured seven people, including a three-year-old boy in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

Three people were shot on Saturday night while attending a back to school 'peace picnic' in a playground in Seward Park in the city's north side.

Witnesses said the situation turned ugly after a group of 'intoxicated' men turned up and started arguing with people at the picnic.

'It's senseless and should have never happened,' event organizer Raymond Hatcher said.

'We were doing well. Everything was going swell and then a group of guys who were not associated with us, came to the event intoxicated.'

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (pictured) has been branded 'corrupt' and 'part of the problem in Chicago' over the murder crisis

Detectives investigate a shooting where multiple people were shot on August 5 in a weekend which saw 30 people shot in a single 24 hour period

Earlier this month, the city saw 12 people shot dead and 59 injured over the first weekend of August as President Donald Trump blamed mayor Rahm Emanuel's lack of leadership for the crisis.

'We must strengthen community bonds with law enforcement, including cities like Chicago that have been an absolute and total disaster,' he said.

'That's bad stuff happening. And probably, I guess, you have to take it from the leadership, it's called bad leadership.

'He's corrupt. He's part of the problem in Chicago,' Trump said. 'Failure on jobs. Failure on taxes. He's got to go.'

Despite its reputation, Chicago doesn't have the highest murder rate in the US which is in St. Louis at 64.9 people per 100,000.

Atlanta, Washington, Oakland, Memphis and Kansas City all have higher violent crime rates. But Chicago's total number of killings has been higher than both Los Angeles and New York.

Chicago Police officers attend an outdoor roll call in the North Lawndale neighborhood after a shootout on August 11

Extra police are being deployed to Chicago after 12 people were killed and dozens more injured. Pictured: Two women cry outside the Stroger Hospital in Chicago on Sunday
The girlfriend of a suspected murder victim has come forward, urging anyone with more information to contact police.

Earlier on Monday, investigations began after a man was found seriously injured on the side of a country road.

The man was found by a taxi driver travelling near Lake Macquaire, northern New South Wales, when he discovered the maimed man shortly before 1am.

Homicide detectives say there is little doubt that the 23-year-old man was murdered.

Investigations are underway after a man was found seriously injured on the side of a country road near Lake Macquarie (pictured) early on Monday morning

He was found with horrific burns covering 100 per cent of his body, according to paramedics.

Medical assistance was rendered by a taxi driver and emergency services were soon called.

He was then airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

However the man, believed to be a local, died during the flight.

The man is yet to be identified, with some members of his family not knowing his fate.

His partner, however, fronted the media out the front of Lake Macquarie Police Station Monday afternoon to plead for anyone with information to come forward.

'I love him, and I just want to find out what happened and the truth come out.'

The man's partner (pictured right) has pleaded for anyone with information to come forward

The man was found by a taxi driver travelling on Oakdale Road at Whitehorse, northern New South Wales when he discovered the maimed man shortly before 1am

Superintendent Danny Sullivan with Lake Macquarie Police made a similar plea, saying: 'Any information you have, no matter how small, might be that missing piece of the puzzle we still need in relation to this inquiry.'

A crime scene has now been established at the spot where the man was found and police are investigating in the circumstances into his death, which have been deemed as suspicious.

Anyone near, or who may have footage of, Oakdale Road at Whitebridge last night is urged to contact police.
Russia's most notorious contract killer has been boasting of his extraordinary behind-bars relationship to a glamorous 'model and psychiatrist' - whom he married in prison dressed as a 1920s gangster.

Alexey Sherstobitov, 51, is serving 23 years in a high security penal colony for a dozen murders, however this has not stopped him from finding love.

Marina Sosnenko, now his wife using the name Sherstobitova, contacted the serial killer after reading his autobiography, appropriately titled 'Liquidator'.

Prison romance: Alexey Sherstobitov, 51, married Marina Sosnenko, now using the name Sherstobitova, 31, in prison dressed as a 1920s gangster

One way to find love: The 31-year-old contacted the notorious assassin after reading his autobiography, appropriately titled 'Liquidator', about his career as a contract killer

According to Russian authorities Mrs Sherstobitova has never been employed by the state, yet she has described herself as a psychiatrist

She has claimed to be both a high-fashion model and a qualified psychiatrist, however there has been no evidence of either.

'I felt through pages of his book how many worries, sufferings and troubles he went through,' declared Sherstobitova.

'I felt that I really wanted to support him and share his troubles.

'I wrote him via internet at the end of October 2015. He answered. Our relations developed fast.'

They married the following year, posing as a 1920s US prohibition gangster and a flapper in fancy dress.

Sherstobitov, a former member of Russia's interior ministry force, has been dubbed Russia's 'most notorious hitman' by state media outlet Sputnik.

Sherstobitov still has 13 years to serve in his high-security facility in Lipetsk for conjugal visits - but despite claiming he is a reformed man who retrained as a plasterer and an author there is no sign of an early release.

She has claimed to be both a high-fashion model and a qualified psychiatrist, however there has been no evidence of either

Sherstobitov, 51, is serving 23 years in a high security penal colony for a dozen murders

Ready to serve: Mrs Sherstobitova looks glamorous in what is thought to be a naval uniform

Nicknamed Lesha the Soldier, he once earned a 40,000 a month - plus 'bonuses' - as Moscow's most sought-after contract killer.

A member of a notorious Russian underworld gang, in 2008 he was found guilty of killing a dozen people.

But he claimed leniency for refusing to assassinate dozens of others - and revealed he had once been ordered to kill billionaire and political fixer Boris Berezovsky, later seen as Vladimir Putin's number one enemy.

One target businessman Otari Kvantrishvili was gunned down as he visited a sauna in Moscow.

Owner of famous Dolls nightclub, Iosif Glotser, was a victim, as was ex-KGB officer Grigory Gusyatinsky, a gangland intermediary.

The photographs with Marina are from jail, but many others - including one of him in a kilt - relate to the time he was an active killer, and a few years afterwards when he claimed he had given up contract killing.

Yet mystery surrounds his glamorous bride, his third wife.

There have been claims she was a model working for Vivienne Westwood's fashion house, and reports linking her to Scottish actor David O'Hara - but these appear to be false based on mistaken identity.

Sources in Russia's tax police said she had never held an official job, yet she has described herself as a psychiatrist.

Sherstobitov, a former member of Russia's interior ministry force, has been dubbed Russia's 'most notorious hitman'

Nicknamed Lesha the Soldier, he once earned a 40,000 a month - plus 'bonuses' - as Moscow's most sought-after contract killer

She formerly claimed on social media that her medical education was through service in the Russian navy.

But the Kirov Military Medical Academy - where she was supposed to have been trained - denied knowledge about her.

A picture of her wearing medical uniform and holding a gun has links to a major St Petersburg psychiatric clinic, but staff denied any knowledge of her.

She was also described as an 'autopsy expert', also denied by Russian officials.

One novel by Sherstobitov is called Experts - and is dedicated to his wife.

'I know that you will never be stopped by any circumstances,' he wrote.

The book is about a female naval captain who serves in a special clinic. At the end of the novel Lesha the Soldier kills his wife.

Her mother Natalia has claimed that there is much misinformation about her daughter - but she did not clarify the truth.

However, she insisted she was not scared for her in marrying a contract killer.

'I wasn't scared and I am not scared now,' she said. 'I think it's completely fine that they decided to get married.

'Marina came to visit me soon after the wedding and shared her positive impressions.'
Londoners have relentlessly mocked a US restaurant reviewer for suggesting that during the 1990s and 2000s the only food options available were porridge and boiled mutton.

Robert Draper, a writer for the New York Times, returned to London for the first time in a decade and wrote a review featuring four different eateries across the capital.

In a bizarre introduction, he suggested that between the 'roaring 90s' and his return ten years ago the 'noble capital' featured 'devotees' of boiled mutton and porridge before saying there were only a few 'scattered exceptions'.

Mr Draper complimented the London food scene by saying there is finally 'something for everyone' before diving into reviews featuring Indian and Mediterranean food - despite the first curry house opening in the UK more than 200 years ago.

New York Times writer Robert Draper has been mocked by Twitter users for writing a review suggesting that during the 90s the capital's eateries only served porridge and boiled mutton

Londoners have ridiculed the idea that the capital would only serve two dishes, and wondered where Mr Draper had been eating

Although the review was published a few days ago, Twitter users have just discovered the article and begun sharing it far and wide with hilarious results.

Kate Carter said: 'As a vegetarian Londoner, it's been pretty tough surviving on porridge alone. Thank heavens things are beginning to change ... [eye roll emoji].'

Penny Creed asked: 'Where the hell was he eating Porridge and boiled mutton?!'

Others have ridiculed the author's apparent idea of the capital in the late nineties and early noughties - when Tony Blair was Prime Minister and Boris Johnson became the Mayor of London.

Tom Hamilton wrote: 'I do miss Tony Blair's time as Prime Minister, when you could go out anywhere in London and get a hearty dish of porridge and boiled mutton.'

Another individual added: 'Oh I remember those days @nytimes back in the 90s when rationing was just coming to an end, we hadn't seen a banana since before the war and mother used to serve us boiled mutton on porridge, father would clip us round the ear if we even dared to mention an avocado.'

Others pretended as if London in 2008 was comparable to the UK during either the Victorian era or just after the Second World War during rationing

Will Humphrey said: 'I lived in London ten years ago. Quite how I managed to live like that, I don't know, to say nothing of the lack of electricity or sanitation.

'Still, learning how to use a mangle was a vital life skill.'

Stephen Hill tweeted: '"Lorks a mercy guv'nor, there I was sittin' with me jellied eels when didn't I find meself longing for a nice duck a l'orange, washed down with a nice chateau Mouton Rothschild 1970.

'But alas I live in Landan so I am stuck with porridge and boiled mutton" - Londoner, 1998.'

Others have warned that entrepreneurs in the trendy area of Shoreditch might latch on to the idea of boiled mutton and porridge pop-up shops.

Sam Freedman said: 'Tbh a pop-up that only did porridge and boiled mutton would probably do quite well in Shoreditch.'

Joseph Walsh added: 'Probably restaurants in Shoreditch serving porridge and boiled mutton now, but not ten years ago.'
Prosecutors have confirmed they are treating the case of a man who crashed into cyclists and police outside Parliament as terrorism.

Salih Khater, of Birmingham, is facing two counts of attempted murder, following the alleged attack in Westminster last Tuesday.

The 29-year-old Sudanese-born suspect, who is a British citizen, is accused of deliberately driving his Ford Fiesta into pedestrians and cyclists before swerving towards police officers.

At Westminster Magistrates Court today, prosecutor Samuel Main said: 'His choice of Parliament being an iconic national site and attempting to kill police officers guarding the Palace of Westminster suggests that he was trying to make a political statement.

'The Crown is therefore treating this case as terrorism.'

Salih Khater, accused of crashing a car into cyclists and police outside Parliament, has appeared in court charged with attempted murder

Khater faces two counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors are treating the case as terrorism

Khater was arrested after a car crashed into cyclists before narrowly missing police last week

Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot remanded Khater in custody ahead of his next appearance for a short hearing at the Old Bailey on August 31.

She had earlier told guards to remove handcuffs which Khater arrived at court wearing.

The car crashed into barriers outside the Palace of Westminster and Khater was surrounded by armed police and arrested.

Police said prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism due to the method of the alleged attack, the targets selected and the high-profile location.

Three cyclists were injured when the car drove into them at traffic lights before ploughing into crash barriers outside Parliament

The Ford Fiesta left the road outside the Houses of Parliament last week

The car ended up hitting a crash barrier after police jumped out of its way

Three people were treated for non-life threatening injuries after the incident.

Two of those injured, understood to have been cyclists travelling through Parliament Square, were taken to local hospitals, where they were treated and released.

Khater's older brother Mustafa previously said Salih had 'never been radicalised' and insisted: 'It was an accident. I'm sure he's innocent'.

Friends have described Khater as a quiet loner who spent much of his time listening to pop music, smoking shisha and surfing online at an internet cafe below his old flat in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham.

He had also been studying accountancy at Coventry University but dropped out in May.

A van carrying terror suspect Salih Khater arrives at Westminster magistrates court today

Khater was brought to court in a police van this morning and will appear before magistrates

Police have said that prosecutors are treating his case as terrorism due to the 'iconic' location

Friends said he had wanted to be a pharmacist but failed a course at a Birmingham college because his English was poor.

He is said to have liked English football and would sometimes watch televised games with Sudanese friends.

His Facebook profile  which was pulled down last week  showed that he was a fan of the French-Canadian singer Celine Dion and the US rapper Eminem, as well as Sudanese music.
An elderly woman has been killed after she was struck by a garbage truck on a suburban Sydney street.

Emergency services are attending the 'serious incident' which took place just after 5pm this afternoon.

The woman was believed to be hit by the truck at Claremont Crescent in Windsor.

An woman has been killed after she was struck by a garbage truck on a suburban Sydney street

The woman was believed to be hit by the truck at Claremont Crescent in Windsor (pictured)

Police are unsure what lead to the accident but believe the woman was on an afternoon walk.

The ambulance service confirmed the woman was killed by the heavy-vehicle.

The truck driver has been taken to hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing before being interviewed by police.

Police are appealing for anyone with information, dash cam footage or any witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000

More to come.
Jeremy Corbyn faced fresh pressure over his links to Palestinian extremists today as it emerged he boasted of a 'long takeaway dinner' with the head of Hamas.

The Labour leader highlighted his meeting with Khaled Mashal in an article for the communist Morning Star newspaper in 2010.

The remarks surfaced as a poll found that more than a quarter of voters think Mr Corbyn is anti-Semitic - and nearly half believe Labour has a serious problem with the issue. The leadership has been engaged in a bitter battle with the Jewish communities after refusing to adopt the international definition of anti-Semitism in full in the party's new code of conduct.

The Labour leader (pictured left in Falkirk today) highlighted his meeting with Khaled Mashal (pictured right) in an article for the communist Morning Star newspaper in 2010

Mr Corbyn was trying to move on from the crisis over his contacts with extremists as he visited a bus manufacturer in Falkirk today

Veteran left-winger Mr Corbyn has been under intense scrutiny since the Daily Mail revealed he attended a wreath-laying in Tunisia in 2014 for masterminds behind the Munich Olympics terror attack on Israeli athletes.

Mr Corbyn has previously come under fire for hailing Hamas - the military wing of which is a banned terrorist group in the UK - as his 'friends'.

But in the article for the Morning Star, also published on the Labour List website, Mr Corbyn wrote about his trip to Gaza with a group of European politicians.

'We were fed a takeaway dinner on tables in the wrecked debating chamber during our long meeting with Hamas Prime Minister Khaled Mashaal,' he said.

Jeremy Corbyn is seen posing with a wreath under a distinctive red canopy as other politicians look on. This canopy runs alongside the graves of Salah Khalaf, Hayel Abdel-Hamid, Fakhri al-Omari and Atef Bseiso, three of whom have been linked to Black September, the group behind the 1972 atrocity at the Munich Olympic Games

Mashal, who was head of the Hamas politburo until last year, features on a terrorism financing restrictions list issued by the UK government in February.

Mr Corbyn, a lowly backbencher at the time, also risked controversy by condemning the Balfour Declaration, which paved the way for the creation of the state of Israel.

'Britain has played a long and inglorious role in the region,' he wrote.

'It delivered the Balfour Declaration that established Israel after promising independence to the Arab peoples during WWI.

What has Jeremy Corbyn and his team said about the Munich wreath laying scandal? Here is how Jeremy Corbyn and Labour sources have tried to explain his presence at the wreath laying in Tunis: When reports first surfaced in last year's election campaign: Jeremy Corbyn: 'I was in Tunisia at a Palestinian conference and I spoke at that Palestinian conference and I laid a wreath to all those that had died in the air attack that took place on Tunis, on the headquarters of the Palestinian organisations there. 'And I was accompanied by very many other people who were at a conference searching for peace. The only way we achieve peace is by bringing people together and talking to them.' Saturday August 11, 2018: Presented with photos of the wreath laying, a Jeremy Corbyn source said the Labour leader was at 'a Palestinian commemoration for those killed in the bombing in Tunis'. The source insisted that the pictures did not contradict Mr Corbyn's statements. And the insider said the picture showing Mr Corbyn apparently joining in a prayer was simply of him 'copying the others out of respect'. Monday August 13 (morning) A Labour party spokesman said: 'We have got nothing to say beyond what we have already said.' Monday, August 13 (lunchtime) Jeremy Corbyn: 'A wreath was indeed laid by some of those who attended the conference to some who were killed in Paris in 1992. 'I was present when it was laid, I don't 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 because we have to end it. 'You cannot pursue peace by a cycle of violence. The only way you can pursue peace is by a cycle of dialogue.' Advertisement

'Understandably it is viewed with suspicion by Palestinians who have seen their country divided, their land stolen and their children killed.'

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn 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. That is the right thing to do.'

Sources added that Mr Corbyn had 'nothing to apologise for' as he was meeting a 'crucial' Palestinian leader in a bid to find a 'peaceful solution' in the Middle East.

But Tory MP Michael Fabricant said: 'More Corbyn nastiness.'

Meanwhile, a OnePoll survey for The Sun found 27 per cent of the public thought Mr Corbyn was anti-Semitic - something he fiercely denies.

More than one in three said he was unfit to be PM due to the row, and 47 per cent agreed that Labour has a serious problem with anti-Semitism.

The Labour leadership sparked a fresh wave of controversy last month by refusing to adopt the full definition of anti-Semitism drawn up by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

Mr Corbyn is set to U-turn on the issue and cave in to calls to fully adopt it in order to avoid an embarrassing defeat by his own MPs next month.

But he risks sparking a fresh row with Jewish community groups as he is considering extra clauses to the definition in order to spell out that criticism of Israel is allowed.

Mr Corbyn has admitted he attended a memorial service in Tunis in 2014, where members of the Black September group were honoured.

The organisation was behind the massacre at the Munich Olympics in 1972, when 11 Israeli athletes were kidnapped and later killed.

But Mr Corbyn says he was there to honour all those killed in a 1985 attack on the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) headquarters, and not the men linked to the massacre.

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 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.

Challenged by the BBC over why he was with Taher, he said: 'I was unaware of any of his background.'

But writing in The Morning Star in 2014, Mr Corbyn told how he heard speeches made by members of PFLP at the Tunis conference.

He wrote: 'The conference was welcomed by the President of Tunisia Dr Moncef Marzouki and heard opening speeches from Palestinian groups including Fatah, Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine as well as solidarity from the Turkish parliament and international support.'

The 2014 memorial service happened during a conference in Tunis, where Hamas figures were present and condemned Israel.

Mr Corbyn is also facing an investigation into whether he failed to declare the trip to Tunisia, which was funded by the country's government.

He insisted the costs were below 660 so he did not need to list the visit in the MPs' register.
A self-proclaimed 'hot bodybuilder' has appeared at the top of a list of Australia's most wanted criminals.

Arron Blenkinsop from Cairns was convicted for dealing cocaine, MDMA and steroids in 2015, but currently remains on the run.

He was granted parole but broke conditions, and has been evading police ever since.

Blenkinsop is one of ten fugitives on Crime Stoppers Australia's annual 'Rogue Radar' list, the men managing to evade custody for a combined total of 60 years.

Fugitive Arron Blenkinsop (pictured) has been listed as one of Australia's most wanted

The man, who has been on the run since 2015, is a self-proclaimed 'hot bodybuilder'

Queensland Police issued a warrant for his arrest in 2016, with Blenkinsop taking to Facebook to publish his lavish lifestyle instead of staying quiet.

His profile brags of frequent visits to the gym and his love for his girlfriend, Krystal.

He joined a sugar mummy website in 2016, hoping to find a woman to take care of him.

'I am looking for a wealthy woman who will look after me,' the 36-year-old wrote.

'I will fulfil her every fantasy and every desire I will respect her wishes what ever they may be and will please her better than she has ever been pleased in her life!!!!'

His most recent post came in February, when he wrote: 'I'm a piece of s**t I can't live with this guilt. I out.'

He has posted his lifestyle to Facebook, including a plea for a sugar mummy and parole agent
The riot squad and a police helicopter were required when officers accompanied council workers on their visits to a Muslim imam's property, a court has heard.

Hawkesbury City Council has launched civil action against Dr Mustapha Kara-Ali and Diaa Kara-Ali over allegations land was allegedly cleared on the property without a permit.

Dr Kara-Ali is the imam of Islamic guild Diwan Al Dawla, which conducts much of its religious practices on a Colo property located 50 kilometres from Sydney.

A conflict between council officers and Dr Kara-Ali and an unidentified man was caught on dash cam, allegedly showing the unknown man spitting at officers

Neither Dr Mustapha Kara-Ali or Diaa Kara-Ali showed up when the two day hearing began in the Land and Environment Court on Monday, the ABC reported.

The hearing continued without them, where the court heard that development on the site has allegedly continued, despite the legal proceedings and repeated requests from council for work to stop.

Council lawyer Mark Cottom, told the court council staff requested police to accompany them on a site inspection.

'The police appear to have significant concerns in relation to safety  wishing to have the riot squad and Polair available,' Mr Cottom said.

Evidence of a barn and shed that was allegedly being built on the property were also tendered to the court, along with photos of two manufactured homes that have allegedly been moved onto the site.

In evidence tendered to the court, one council officer allegedly he visited the property last week, where he allegedly saw workers measuring and construction a concrete slab and some metal framework.

Legal action was launched by the council after an anonymous complaint was made to the council about earthworks going on at the property, council officers were sent to investigate.

The officers allegedly discovered the illegal clearing of native trees and metal waste.

Officers visited the property several times, allegedly discovering vegetation clearing and even the construction of a boat ramp.

An anonymous complaint was made to the Hawkesbury City Council about earthworks going on at the property, council officers were sent to investigate

All were allegedly being done without the correct permits, so council issued an $8,000 fine for 'pollution or potential pollution caused by failed sediment erosion fencing'.

Court documents revealed a letter Dr Kara-Ali had submitted to council, ABC News reported.

In it he stated that the guild lives 'separated from secular lifestyles to pursue a religious mode of worship and an ascetic lifestyle under an oath of self-sacrifice and dedication to the purposes of Diwan Al Dawla'.

He also claimed in council correspondence, tendered to court that his organisation was exempt from Australian law.

'The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Act 2012 stipulates that when it is carrying out religious activities that are related to the practice, study, teaching or propagation of its religious beliefs,' he wrote.

DIWAN AL DAWLA Diwan Al Dawla ( ) is a guild that advances a way of living based upon a unitarian epistemology and narrative. Members of Diwan Al Dawla, known as ashab al dawla, live as a religious guild separated from secular worldviews to pursue a religious mode of worship and lifestyle under an oath of self-sacrifice and dedication to the purposes of Diwan Al Dawla. Source: Diwan Al Dawla Advertisement

'Or other activities ancillary to them  Diwan Al Dawla, as a basic religious charity is not required to comply with Australian laws.'

A conflict between council officers and Dr Kara-Ali and an unidentified man was caught on dash cam, allegedly showing the unknown man spitting at officers.

'Both men were repeatedly yelling obscenities from the other side of the gate, calling out 'you dogs, I step on your cross', the council officer wrote in an affidavit.

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission was quick to dispute the claims being made by Dr Kara-Ali.

A spokesperson for the ACNC said religious charities were still required to comply with Australian law.

If a religious charity is found to be in participating in or encouraging unlawful behaviour, it can have its charity status revoked.
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A huge family of brown bears was captured fishing for salmon in a remote Alaskan river before one came within feet of a stunned photographer.

The moment was captured by Canadian Ian Stotesbury who got more than he bargained for when up to to 100 bears, including their cubs, turned up to fish in the untouched McNeil River State Game Sanctuary.

One particularly curious 1000lb bear sauntered over to the camera - its eight-foot frame within swiping distance of the exposed and awestruck photographer.

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A Coastal brown bear and her three young cubs are seen hesitantly approaching the remote and untouched McNeil River State Game Sanctuary in Alaska as photographers stand in wait

A 1000lb eight-foot Coastal brown bear, (above) casually snacking on salmon in an Alaskan river, came within feet of a group of stunned photographers

One particularly curious bear sauntered over to the camera - its eight-foot frame within swiping distance of the awestruck and defenseless photographer

The thrilling images and video footage show between 50 and 100 of the huge bears as they hunted for fish. As many as 144 individual bears have been observed at McNeil River (above) through the summer.

Stotesbury, 40, from Vancouver, Canada, said: 'I see an amazing untouched landscape that is truly wild.

'Bears and other wildlife are able to live a life that is not influenced by human activity. McNeil River is a remote spot that is only accessed by plane and because of the strict policies only allowing few humans to see it, the wildlife there flourishes.

'What an amazing experience to be surrounded by 50-100 bears a day. There was no protection between us and the bears.

'They didn't see us as a threat. Every day we moved in a predictable manner and were respectful of the environment around us.'

Between 50 and 100 of the bears were photographed as they hunted for salmon. 'They didn't see us as a threat. Every day we moved in a predictable manner and were respectful of the environment around us,' photographer Ian Stotesbury explained

Playing around: 'Bears and other wildlife are able to live a life that is not influenced by human activity ... the wildlife there flourishes,' Mr Stotesbury said

One brown bear stands to warily survey the watching photographers. McNeil River is a remote spot that is only accessed by plane and few people are able to witness the bears in their natural habitat

The Alaska Peninsula brown bear is a member of the grizzly bear subspecies that lives in the coastal regions of southern Alaska.

Brown bears on the Alaskan Peninsula usually feed on spawning salmon, and use many different ways to catch them. These include waiting at the bottom of the falls for the fish to jump, or standing at the top of the falls waiting to catch the fish in midair, sometimes catching the salmon in their mouths.

Bears are experienced hunters at chasing fish in fast-flowing rivers and pinning the slippery animals with their claws.

Ian, who took these images with a Nikon d500 and Nikon d800, hopes his images can draw attention to this beautiful nature reserve which is now under threat.

Curious: One bear warily approaches the camera lens. 'What an amazing experience to be surrounded by 50-100 bears a day. There was no protection between us and the bears,' Mr Stotesbury said

Two Alaska Peninsula brown bears are pictured - a younger cub (left) and a larger adult bear (right). The bear is a member of the grizzly bear subspecies and are experienced hunters at chasing fish in fast-flowing rivers, pinning them with their claws

Brown bears on the Alaskan Peninsula usually feed on spawning salmon, and catch the fish by waiting at the bottom of the falls for the fish to jump (above) , or by standing at the top of the falls waiting to catch the fish in midair

The photographer took these images with a Nikon d500 and Nikon d800, and hopes his images can draw attention to this beautiful nature reserve which is now under threat

'This environment is now under threat by a Canadian mining corporation called Pebble,' he added.

'They are currently trying to build a mine close to McNeil and this poses a great threat. I hope people can learn to appreciate animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.

'It saddens me that the Pebble mine corporation and the Trump administration are threatening this land with the development of a mine close by.

'I hope my images help people see that these animals are struggling to survive and we are constantly encroaching on their environment. Development in areas like this will put stress on the bears and the environment.'

The Alaska State Legislature designated the McNeil River area as a wildlife sanctuary in 1967, and enlarged it in 1993, to protect the world's largest concentration of wild brown bears.

As many as 144 individual bears have been observed at McNeil River through the summer with as many as 74 bears observed at one time.

'I saw 76 at one time on my first day there,' Ian said.

No one has ever been injured or killed by a bear since the permit program was started.

The Alaska Peninsula brown bear is a member of the grizzly bear subspecies that lives in the coastal regions of southern Alaska. One is pictured casually sauntering in front of the camera

As many as 144 individual bears have been observed at McNeil River (above) through the summer with as many as 74 bears observed at one time
It's something most drivers are guilty of, even if they won't admit it.

But driving through a yellow light is illegal - and could land you with a big fine.

Many Australians believe that the yellow traffic light signals the end of the green light phase - and that it is fine to carry on driving - but that is wrong.

The yellow light in fact is the beginning of the red light phase and you're expected to stop when it appears - if it is safe to do so.

The yellow light in fact is the beginning of the red light phase and you're expected to stop when it appears - if it is safe to do so

A pamphlet released by Transport for New South Wales revealed ten of the road laws most misunderstood in the state.

The pamphlet read: 'A yellow (amber) traffic light or arrow means stop.

'A driver approaching traffic lights showing a yellow traffic light must stop if the driver can stop safely before reaching the stop line or traffic lights.

'Penalties apply for drivers who fail to stop at a yellow light, unless it is unsafe to do so.'

The penalty for breaking this road rule in NSW is $448 and three demerit points.

Queensland Government also said: 'If its safe to stop, you must not drive past the stop line at the yellow traffic light or, if there is no stop line, the traffic light.'

The fine in South Australia is $464, which may have an additional victims levy of $60, and three demerit points (stock image)

The South Australian Drivers Knowledge Handbook stated: 'This indicates that the lights are about to change to red.

'You must not enter the intersection unless you are so close to the stop line that you are unable to stop safely without entering the intersection or risking a rear-end crash with vehicles following you.'

The fine in South Australia is $464, which may have an additional victims levy of $60, and three demerit points.

While the Northern Territory has no demerit points deducted and a $100 fine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Pyongyang next month at the invitation of North Korea leader Kim Jong-un to attend the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding, according to a report.

It will be the Chinese leader's first visit to the North Korean capital since he took power in 2012, and 13 years after the last visit by a Chinese president, when Xi's predecessor Hu Jintao visited in 2005, Singapore's Straits Times newspaper reported on Saturday.

North Korea's celebrations are set to take place on September 9 and the newspaper report said that Xi's visit could still be subject to last-minute changes.

Chinese President Xi Jinping first met North Korea leader Kim Jong-un in March (pictured). Xi will visit Pyongyang next month to attend North Korea's 70th anniversary celebrations, according to Straits Times. It will be Xi's first visit to the capital since he took power in 2012

The Straits Times did not say where it obtained the information and the Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China is the reclusive country's most important trading partner and Kim has visited China three times so far this year - twice to Beijing and once to Dalian - during which he has held talks with Xi on improving cooperation between the two countries and economic reforms.

The first two meetings, in March and May, were held before the Singapore summit between Kim and United States President Donald Trump in June. The third came after the summit, to brief China on the outcome.

The United States has stepped up sanctions on North Korea to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program.

This week, the United States imposed sanctions on Chinese firms for exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea in breach of those sanctions.
Jamie Oliver has been accused of cultural appropriation after he launched a 'jerk rice' that members of the Caribbean community claim 'doesn't have jerk in it'.

The row over the TV chef's new product started yesterday when London MP Dawn Butler tweeted him saying 'your jerk rice is not ok'.

The shadow equalities minister, who describes herself on social media as 'the UK's first elected female African-Caribbean Government Minister', wrote: '#jamieoliver @jamieoliver #jerk I'm just wondering do you know what #Jamaican #jerk actually is?

'It's not just a word you put before stuff to sell products. @levirootsmusic should do a masterclass. Your jerk Rice is not ok. This appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop.'

After Ms Butler's tweet, TV chef Levi Roots appeared on Good Morning Britain with fellow Caribbean cook Rustie Lee to discuss the row further.

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Jamie Oliver (pictured) has been accused of cultural appropriation after he launched a 'jerk rice' that members of the Caribbean community claim 'doesn't have jerk in it'

The new rice contains chilli, aubergine and beans, which Rustie Lee claims are 'nothing to do with jerk'

Roots admitted to hosts Jeremy Kyle and Kate Garraway: ' I do think it was a mistake by Jamie, either by him or by his team.'

But Lee appeared more infuriated by the row, saying: 'It is an insult. Jerk is from the Caribbean. And as much as I love Jamie. The point is it's getting on a band wagon.'

Roots, who took part in a televised 'jerk masterclass' in London a few years ago, was less incensed.

He said: 'I don't think its that serious. I think for Caribbean food to go get to where we want it to get to, we have to change things and I'm a big one for that.

Jamaican TV chef Levi Roots appeared on Good Morning Britain with fellow Caribbean cook Rustie Lee (pictured together) to discuss the cultural appropriation row further

'But you've got to know what jerk is. Jerk is a method of cooking and it is the actual marinade. If it doesn't have certain ingredients in it, it's not jerk.

'Not a lot of people watching this actually know what jerk is. They think it's just a word but it's a flavour. If you don't have these flavours in the food it's not jerk.'

What is jerk? Jerk is a seasoning for meat and fish that originated in Jamaica. The first jerk recipes can be dated back to slavery and the year 1655. It comes in two forms, a dry seasoning that is rubbed onto meat or fish, or a wet marinade used in the same way. The two key ingredients are allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers. Other ingredients include: ginger, sat, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, cloves, scallions, nutmeg and cinnamon. Advertisement

But Lee insisted that his use of marketing was offensive to her community, saying: 'Why didn't he call it pukka rice? He's taken jerk to try and be funny. It's a bit of an insult to Caribbean people.'

She added that Oliver's rice, which is made with aubergine, chilli and beans, is 'nothing to do with jerk'.

Trying to intervene, host Jeremy Kyle read out one definition of cultural appropriation.

He said: 'Cultural appropriation is 'the adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture.

'It is distinguished from an equal cultural exchange due to an imbalance often as a by-product of colonialism and oppression.'

But then exclaimed: 'It's a bowl of rice!'

Asked why it mattered by co-presenter Kate Garraway, Lee responded: 'It does matter.

'It matters because Jerk chicken, pork and fish originates from Jamaica. And the people who have this, it's their thing. Will they be offended? They would be offended.

'She [Dawn Butler] chose a word that made us talk. Would we have been here talking about it [otherwise]?'

'At the end of the day, I've tasted it and it tastes like Caribbean rice and beans with flavours in it.

'The jerk part of it is barbecue and you can't barbecue rice. Jerk chickengoes onto meat, it doesn't go onto rice.'

Jamie Oliver did not respond to GMB requests for comment. MailOnline has contacted one of his representatives.
Childrens books by best-selling author Nguyen Nhat Anh are also exhibited.

The event is organised by the HCM city Book Distribution Corporation (FAHASA) in coordination with Kinokuniya Company Ltd. to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan. It aims to introduce Vietnamese culture and books to Japanese people and Vietnamese studying and working in Japan.

The Organizing Board also plans to introduce Vietnamese books at universities and schools as well as Vietnamese communities in the Japanese capital.

Following are photos about the activity:





Vietnamese books displayed in Japan
An American passenger has been arrested for urinating on a 50-year-old Japanese man on a flight to Tokyo.

The 24-year-old man, who remains unnamed, was flying from Chicago O'Hare to Narita International Airport with All Nippon Airways (ANA) last Friday.

According to Japan Today the man had consumed at least four glasses of champagne and one glass of sake while on the flight.

The 24-year-old American suspect had been flying to Tokyo from Chicago with All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Friday last week [file photo]

Police said the American man had been sitting two rows away from the victim as the incident unfolded.

He was reportedly restrained by the plane's cabin crew and handed over to police upon arrival in Japan.

The victim stated that he had had no previous contact with the American.

The suspect later claimed he could not remember what he had done.
White farmers in South Africa are trying to flog their land as fears grow that the government is about to start a widespread campaign of seizures.

Union bosses say a record number of properties are for sale but nobody is buying, making the properties effectively worthless.

Agri SA union, which represents mainly white commercial farmers, has warned that such seizures will deter investment, cause job losses, and may rob South Africa of the ability to feed itself.

Meanwhile two farms in the north of the country have reportedly become the first targets for seizures after talks between the government and owners about buying the land broke down.

A record number of white South Africa farmers are attempting to sell off their land but nobody is buying amid fears that the government is poised to start a widespread campaign of seizures

Cyril Ramaphosa, who took over the ANC from Jacob Zuma last year, has committed his party to redistributing land from whites to blacks. ANC chair Gwede Mantashe (right) has suggested that anybody who owns more than 25,000 acres is a target

Akkerland Boerdery, the owners of two game reserves in Limpopo, told City Press that the government asked to buy their land but was only willing to offer a tenth of the price.

When the offer was refused, ministers allegedly sent a letter which said: 'Notice is hereby given that a terrain inspection will be held on the farms on April 5 2018 at 10am in order to conduct an audit of the assets and a handover of the farm's keys to the state.'

AgriSA union spokeswoman Annelize Crosby told the paper: 'What makes the Akkerland case unique is that they apparently were not given the opportunity to first dispute the claim in court, as the law requires.'

If the land is seized it will be the first time that the South African government has refused to pay market value for land.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ANC has followed a 'willing seller, willing buyer' process to redistribute white-owned farms to blacks.

But according to a government audit last year, 72 per cent of farmland in South Africa is still owned by whites, despite them making up 9 per cent of the population.

That statistic prompted Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's president who succeeded Jacob Zuma last year, to commit to a program of land expropriation.

His ANC party has promised to 'test out' section 25 of the constitution, which allows the government to seize land to re-balance past 'racially discriminatory laws'.

The constitution makes it clear that reasonable compensation must be offered to the owner of the land, but the ANC is now planning a number of test cases to see if land can be seized without money changing hands if it is 'in the public interest'.

Two game reserves in the north of the country (location pictured) say they are the first to be targeted for seizures after government talks to buy the land for a tenth of its value broke down

Union bosses warn that land seizures will deter investment, cause job losses, and may rob South Africa of the ability to feed itself

If such bids fail, the ANC has threatened to amend the constitution.

A program of land seizures in nearby Zimbabwe in the 1990s sent the country into an economic spiral from which it has never fully recovered.

Reports earlier this month suggested ministers have already drawn up a list of 139 South African farms to be targeted, though the government denies the existence of any such list.

Omri van Zyl, head of the Agri SA union, which represents mainly white commercial farmers, told The Express: 'The mood among our members is very solemn.

'They are confused about the lack of any apparent strategy from the government and many are panicking.

'So many farms are up for sale, more than we've ever had, but no one is buying.'

ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe sparked more panic last week when he suggested that anyone owning more than 25,000 acres would be targeted.

Agri SA said about 20 per cent of South Africa's farms produce 80 per cent of the food, and many of those properties would be affected by the cap.

There are fears that the release of the list of 139 farms to be seized has already made the land worthless.

Cattle farmer Jo-an Engelbrecht told the ABC's Foreign Correspondent his farm just outside Johannesburg was now 'worth zero'.

'We had several auctions in the last two or three weeks cancelled because there was no people interested in buying the land,' he said.

'Why would you buy a farm to know the government's going to take it?'
This is the moment a three-year-old girl repeatedly called a priest a 'whore' as he was trying to baptise her.

Footage shows smiling parents holding baby Magdelana over the font at a church in Mexico as a priest pours holy water on her head.

But the ceremony takes a turn for the worse as the priest begins to utter the traditional words: 'I baptise you in the name of the son, and the father...'

In scenes which some church-goers compared to the horror film, The Exorcist, Magdelana starts swearing and struggling.

Bizarre footage shows the moment a three-year-old girl repeatedly called a priest a 'whore' as he was trying to baptise her

To her parents' dismay, she mutters the word 'whore' ('puto' in Spanish) - but the priest seems to take it in his stride.

'I think she's calling me some rude words,' he laughs, before resuming the christening with the words: 'I am the Father...'

But the toddler immediately interrupts, shouting: 'Leave me alone you whore!', before repeatedly shouting the same word -undeterred by her mother's attempts to control her.

The youngster starts to struggle and swear and repeatedly calls the priest a 'whore'. The bizarre incident was caught on mobile phone by a guest at a church ceremony in Mexico

When the ceremony - conducted in an undisclosed location in Mexico - is finally over, the mother apologises to the priest.

The video has been viewed three million times after it was posted on social media and video-sharing platforms in Mexico.

Some online commentators praised the girl's spirit, while others blamed the child's parents for her robust vocabulary.
There are calls for a massive skills drive to find employment for those set to be affected by the next wave of automation (file picture)

Britain faces the threat of social unrest as robots take 'swathes' of jobs, the Bank of England's chief economist warned today.

Andy Haldane said the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution will see 'the machine replacing humans doing thinking things'.

He cautioned that the 'dark side' of the change could be disruption on a much bigger scale than in Victorian times, with professions such as accountancy among those at risk.

The stark message came amid calls for a massive skills drive to find employment for those set to be affected by the next wave of automation.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Haldane said: 'The first three industrial revolutions have been about largely machines replacing humans doing principally manual tasks, whereas the fourth will be different.

'All of a sudden it will be the machine replacing humans doing thinking things, as well as doing things.'

A report by the accountancy firm PwC last month warned that more than 7million jobs in Britain could be lost over the next 20 years as technological change sweeps through workplaces.

The overwhelming majority of these are in jobs in the retail, transport and manufacturing industries.

However, other traditional professional sectors could also be at serious risk.

The losses are likely to be offset by new roles, with health predicted to be among the boom areas.

Economists tag the arrival of increasingly intelligent computers as the fourth industrial revolution. The first was said to be the shift from agricultural to urban societies, the second saw the widespread use of electricity and steel, and the third was the digital revolution when computers, the internet and mobile phones were developed.

Mr Haldane said the 'hollowing out' experienced in the past shake-ups could be on a greater scale in the future.

His comments echo those of the Bank's Governor, Mark Carney, who has previously spoken about large-scale technological disruption to the jobs market.

Mr Haldane, tipped by many as Mr Carney's successor, added: 'Given that the scale of job loss, job displacement is likely to be at least as large as that of the first three industrial revolutions, we will need even greater numbers of new jobs to be created in the future if we are not to suffer this longer term feature called technological unemployment.

'It has not been a feature of the past, but could it possibly be a feature of the future? I think that is a much more open question than at any previous point possibly in history.'

He also argued that it was important to learn the 'lessons of history' and ensure people were given training to take advantage of new opportunities.

He pointed out that in the past a safety net such as new welfare benefits had also been provided.

Andy Haldane (pictured) said the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution will see 'the machine replacing humans doing thinking things'

The previous industrial revolutions had a 'wrenching and lengthy impact on the jobs market, on the lives and livelihoods of large swathes of society', Mr Haldane said.

'Jobs were effectively taken by machines of various types, there was a hollowing out of the jobs market, and that left a lot of people for a lengthy period out of work and struggling to make a living,' he added.

'That heightened social tensions, it heightened financial tensions, it led to a rise in inequality.

'This is the dark side of technological revolutions and that dark-side has always been there.

'That hollowing out is going to be potentially on a much greater scale in the future, when we have machines both thinking and doing - replacing both the cognitive and the technical skills of humans.'

Mr Haldane said professions like accountancy could be among those hardest hit by the rise of AI. But he suggested economists could escape largely unscathed.
Neil Ineson (pictured), 62, was found guilty of 11 sexual assaults in April of 2017. The disgraced former doctor has now been struck off the medical register

A disgraced former doctor who sexually assaulted seven male recruits during naked examinations has been banned from the medical profession.

Former colonel Neil Ineson, 62, assaulted youngsters who consulted him for cardiology checks at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey.

The Falklands veteran is currently serving four years in prison after he was found guilty of 11 of the 13 charges of sexual assault following a trial on April 4, 2017.

He has now been struck off the medical register following the sex attacks on seven young RAF airmen and Household Cavalry soldiers.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, in Manchester, heard on July 26 and 27 how young recruits with suspected heart problems were sent to Ineson for tests between 2008 and 2014.

They were told to strip naked before Ineson touched them inappropriately.

Ineson pictured in his army days. He has found to have sexually assaulted seven young RAF airmen and Household Cavalry soldiers while working at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey

Panel chair Marianne OKane said: In total, seven men made allegations against Dr Ineson of sexual assault during the course of medical examinations by him.

All were serving members of the military, and of varying ages, with one victim alleging that the conduct first arose when he was aged 16 years.

Ineson, of Sandhurst in Berkshire, left the Army for the NHS in 2002 and was director of medicine at Frimley Park.

Ineson, of Sandhurst in Berkshire, was director of medicine at Frimley Park Hospital before the allegations came to light. He is now serving time in jail following his conviction in April, 2017

Mrs OKane added: Some patients continued to address him as Colonel or Sir despite his working in a civilian environment, indicating the esteem in which he was held and magnifying the exploitation arising.

It was also concluded that a number of patients either withheld their concerns, or were reluctant to make any complaint at the time given Dr Inesons status and rank.

News of Ineson's conviction only came to light in January this year after he was found not guilty in connection with a separate allegation.

Restrictions were imposed on reporting the trial until the second trial had taken place.

The MPTS said Inesons crimes, the gross breaches of trust and risk of repetition were fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the medical register.

Ineson, who was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, continues to deny the crimes.
Six gunshots were fired at the U.S. embassy in Turkey as tensions between the two countries over a detained pastor continued to escalate.

Three bullets hit the iron gate and window wall after being fired from a vehicle, but caused no injuries inside or outside the building and the shooter was still at large.

A bullet mark was clearly visible on the window of a security booth at the embassy, but didn't appear to have penetrated the thick glass.

Six gunshots were fired at the U.S. embassy in Turkey, one hitting a booth at the front, as tensions between the two countries over a detained pastor continued to escalate

A bullet mark was clearly visible on the window of a security booth at the embassy, but didn't appear to have penetrated the thick glass

U.S. embassy spokesman David Gainer would only confirm that a 'security incident' took place.

'We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details. We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response,' he said.

Omer Celik, spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), called the incident an 'open provocation' and a clear attempt to 'create chaos'.

The shooting come as Ankara and Washington were locked in a bitter dispute over Turkey's detention of an American pastor on terror-related charges.

The bullets caused no injuries inside or outside the building and the shooter was still at large

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in less tense times last year, before they traded insults over the detention of an American pastor

The embassy is protected by a metal wall and patrolled grounds covered in trees to provide cover

U.S. President Donald Trump doubled the tariffs on aluminium and steel tariffs from Turkey, prompting Ankara to sharply hike tariffs on several American products.

Turkey on Friday threatened to respond in kind if Washington imposed further sanctions, and a court last week rejected another appeal to free pastor Andrew Brunson.

The diplomatic stand-off sent the Turkish currency into free fall against dollar, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowing to emerge victorious out of the crisis.

President Erdogan remained defiant ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha with another characteristically fiery statement.

'The attack aimed at our economy has no difference from an attack aimed at our call to prayer or flag,' he said.

In one video, a man addresses the camera while four boys kneel in front of a Turkish flag in the background, then hand him their phones so he can smash them

The president said those who believe they will bring Turkey to its knees through the foreign currency exchange rate 'will soon see they are mistaken.'

President Erdogan even called for a boycott of American goods such as iPhones, saying Turks would use Samsung handsets instead.

'We will boycott U.S. electronic goods,' Erdogan said in a televised speech last week, raising the stakes in a spat that has seen the Turkish lira plunge to record lows.

He appeared to have the support of many Turks who took his words to heart and dramatically smashed their iPhones and posted the footage online.

Another video showed a young boy pouring Coca-Cola down the toilet in protest at American sanctions.

Relations between the two NATO allies have plummeted in one of their worst crises in decades after the detention of Mr Brunson on terror-related charges.

Another clip features a young boy pouring a large bottle of Coca-Cola down the toilet
Writers and directors are now moving away from the 'pornography of violence' that has been commonplace for years, says a leading theatre chief.

Plays have long been filled with 'shocking stagecraft' - scenes of babies being stoned, women being raped, and people being tortured, which have often been slammed by critics.

But Kate Mosse, deputy chairwoman of the National Theatre said that playwrights are moving away from gratuitous violence after years of using it to shock audiences.

Malin Bystrom played Salome in the play of the same name at the Royal Opera House, London

Theatre chief Kate Mosse said the normalised violence in plays is on the decline

Blasted at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith saw a soldier eat a civilian's eyes

This bloodied girl featured in Titus Andronicus, a play in which saw many people faint

Mrs Mosse said there were signs it was no longer normalised and used as a 'wallpaper', The Times reported.

She told the Edinburgh Book Festival, that 'everybody got slightly inured to ordinary violence' with the advent of 24-hour news and round-the-clock images of suffering on television.

Mrs Mosse, who used to run Chichester Festival Theatre said that in books, on stage or in film , 'Violence must serve its purpose.. the minute it is there for effect it should go.'

Edward Bond's 1965 production, Saved at the Royal Court, depicted a baby being stoned to death - and was one of the first productions to depict such extreme violence.

There have been countless other examples of violence in theatres ever since, such as in Sarah Kane's, Blasted in 1995 where a journalist is raped with a gun by a soldier who sucks out one of his eyes and eats it.

In this grizzly scene in Salome, performed at the Royal Opera House, a woman holds a head

In Blasted, this gun-toting woman bears a menacing look on her face and looks poised to shoot

Steven McRae as The Creature, and Laura Morera as Elizabeth Lavenza in 'Frankenstein' Ballet

Five people fainted on one night alone as Titus Andronicus was performed at The Globe in 2014. The Shakespeare play featured rape scenes, mutilation, cannibalism and 12 deaths including nine which were seen on stage.

In 2015 when the Guillaume Tell opera was performed at the Royal Opera House, there was heckling as a female character was stripped and raped.

And there have been many productions at Britain's most prestigious venues in recent years, in which audience members have walked out during the performance - who were unable to witness the brutality that was being played out before their eyes.

Last year, the Royal Ballet was criticised for the number of female characters that were being murdered and brutally attacked in its productions.

Mrs Mosse said: 'In our culture violence and sexuality are everywhere now in quite negative ways, adding ' I think art makers are trying to bring back into being something that tells a story, that moves us in a different way, rather than just there was wallpaper and becoming normal. Because it isn't normal and it never should be.'

Mrs Moss added although she had written torture scenes in her latest novel, The Burning Chambers, - she had not included many because she thought doing so was pornographic.
Russian military forces are preparing for massive war games involving China and Mongolia in what Kremlin officials have called the country's largest show of power in nearly 40 years.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said five days of military drills will pave the way for the Vostok (East) 2018 military exercise.

Those manoeuvres, set for next month, will be the largest since the massive Soviet war games in 1981, he said.

The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said President Vladimir Putin could attend the exercise.

Russian military forces are preparing for massive war games involving China and Mongolia in what Kremlin officials have called the country's largest show of power in nearly 40 years (file picture)

The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said President Vladimir Putin (pictured, yesterday) could attend the exercise

Speaking to the top Russian military brass, Shoigu said army, air force and navy units will take part in the exercise that will be held across the Far East and Siberia.

He added that military units from China and Mongolia will also take part.

As part of a smaller, separate military exercise this week under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security group dominated by Moscow and Beijing, Chinese warplanes landed Monday at a Russian air base in the Chelyabinsk region in the Ural Mountains.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the five days of military drills will pave the way for the Vostok (East) 2018 military exercise. Those manoeuvres, set for next month, will be the largest since the massive Soviet war games in 1981, he said

The Russian military has increased both the scope and frequency of its maneuvers amid tensions with the West. It also has expanded military ties with China.

Moscow and Beijing have conducted a series of joint military maneuvers, including exercises in the South China Sea and navy drills in the Baltics last summer.

The two countries have forged what they described as a 'strategic partnership,' expressing their shared opposition to the 'unipolar' world - the term they use to describe perceived U.S. global domination.
Former President Jimmy Carter has opened up about his surprisingly simple life in a small Georgia town.

Carter, 94, spoke to the Washington Post about his decision to return to the 700-strong town of Plains, Georgia after his presidency rather than cashing in on his political fame.

'I don't see anything wrong with it; I don't blame other people for doing it,' Carter told a reporter after inviting them into his home earlier this month. 'It just never had been my ambition to be rich.'

Instead of making money from corporate speaking and joining the boards of big companies as his predecessor Gerald Ford had, Carter returned to the town where he was born and went from being a peanut farmer to the White House.

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Jimmy Carter walks with his wife Rosalynn Carter with Secret Service in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, earlier this month where they spoke with reporters

Returning to Plains at 56, he came back to a peanut business that was $1million in debt and was forced to sell

Dinner time: Carter sits next to his wife, former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter as they tuck into a meal

According to the Democratic President, his financial affairs were in tatters when he left the White House - Carter was President from 1977 to 1981.

Returning to Plains at 56, he came back to a peanut business that was $1million in debt and was forced to sell.

Carter decided that his income would come from writing, and he has since written 33 books on a variety of subjects - although not as successfully as modern Presidents.

On top of his writing revenue, the 39th President of the United States also commands a $210,700 annual pension which all former presidents receive.

But despite his sizeable income, Carter said he was determined to live a modest life in the south Georgia township.

Carter costs US taxpayers the least of any former US President according to the General Services Administration. He is seen with his wife at the home earlier this month

In fact, Carter costs US taxpayers the least of any former US President according to the General Services Administration.

The total bill for him in the current fiscal year of $456,000, covering pensions, an office, security staff and other expenses.

Meanwhile Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all racked up bills of more than $1million last year.

Carter is also the only president in the modern era to return full-time to the house he lived in before he entered politics - a two-bedroom cottage assessed at $167,000.

Carter survived a health scare in 2015 after being diagnosed with melanoma on his liver and brain

But now, after radiation and chemotherapy, Carter says he is cancer-free.

Throwback: In this February 8, 1976 file photo, Carter relaxes in blue jeans outside his home in Plains, Georgia

According to the General Services Administration he cost the American taxpayer nearly a quarter of what George W. Bush (right). The pair are pictured together in 2002

He says he takes great pride in 'staying active' and doing the dishes after every meal.

And in addition to his humble home-life, Carter still finds time to teach Sunday school at the Maranatha Baptist Church on the edge of town every fortnight.

According to locals there are queues around the block sometimes even starting the night before.

'We feel at home here,' Carter says. 'And the folks in town, when we need it, they take care of us.'

Asked whether he believes any future ex-President will live as simply as he does, Carter replied: 'I hope so. But I don't know.'
Passengers faced a scramble to get their flight details at London Gatwick Airport today after the digital information boards went down.

Staff were forced to write departure details with pens on whiteboards as travellers crowded around them to see which gate they needed to head for.

Vodafone, which provides IT for the airport, said the issues - which began at 8.20am today - were due to a broken a fibre optic cable which engineers were trying to fix.

Gatwick, which is a hub for low-cost airlines including Norweigan and easyJet, said the problem was only fixed at 5pm this evening.

Passengers faced a scramble to get their flight details at London Gatwick Airport this morning

A 'handful' of people have missed their flights due to the issue, Gatwick officials confirmed

Gatwick staff wrote departure details on whiteboards today after the digital boards went down

A 'handful' of people have missed their flights due to the issue, with August being one of the busiest periods of the year for the airport during the summer holidays.

Ayla Herbert, 26, from Penryn, Cornwall, was at the airport for a Flybe flight to Newquay when she encountered a crowd gathered around two whiteboards after passing through security.

She said: 'Each flight was written down, flight number, time of departure, time of when boarding would be announced and eventually the gate number.

'This crowd over the hours grew larger and larger. Being in the entrance way of the departures it got incredibly busy, people were agitated, yelling for them to tell them their flight info and to get more boards for the South Terminal. This was never done.

August is one of the busiest periods of the year for the airport during the summer holidays

An employee at Gatwick Airport writes out the flight details as passengers wait for information

Gatwick Airport is using whiteboards to display flight information today following an IT failure

Gatwick officials previously said this summer will be its busiest on record

'The guys did well keeping everyone updated, but it was hard to see if you weren't close to the board. They used megaphones to tell everyone of updated information.'

A Canadian passenger, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Humphries, tweeted: 'Appalling Gatwick Airport, with broken monitors and a tiny whiteboard for announcing gates.

'Thank goodness I have eagle vision and can read messy writing from a distance. Why not pre-assign gates like Canadian airports? #Laughable #TypicalBritain.'

Another passenger, coastguard worker Robin Blandford, said: 'Serious whiteboard-based business continuity going on in Gatwick. All flight information screens down.

'Poor chap with a two-way radio trying to keep it up to date with hundreds looking on. #Gatwick #Airport #BusinessContinuity #Crisis #London #Outage.'

Staff have resorted to manually writing out crucial information such as gate numbers today

Airport staff write on a whit board as Gatwick after the IT glitch meant its systems failed

Many took to Twitter to ask Gatwick Airport's customer services team for their gate details

And Tamara Salem tweeted: 'Gatwick Airport: 'The systems are down - get the whiteboard out!' Generation Z: 'What are whiteboards?' #OldSchool #BackInSchool.'

How Britain's second biggest airport came to be owned by a US firm Britain's second busiest airport was sold by the British Airports Authority to New York-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners in October 2009 for 1.5billion. A year earlier BAA found itself being forced to sell Gatwick after an inquiry found customers were suffering from a lack of competition between airports. Other shareholders in Gatwick are now as wide-ranging as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, National Pension Service of Korea, California Public Employees' Retirement System and the Future Fund of Australia. GIP also owns Edinburgh Airport, Scotland's busiest airport, after buying it for 807million in June 2012. Last December it was revealed Gatwick's private equity owners had raked in 175million worth of dividends as profits soared from 125million a year earlier after six months of rising passenger numbers and profits. GIP has also held previous UK investments in London City Airport and Great Yarmouth Port Company. Advertisement

Passengers also claimed the mobile app was not working, as many took to Twitter to ask Gatwick Airport's customer services team for their gate information.

The airport apologised for the trouble, with a spokesman saying: 'Due to an ongoing issue with Vodafone - an IT provider for the airport - our flight information screens are not displaying correctly.

'Please use the temporary flight boards in the departure lounges or listen for airline flight announcements.

'We expect Vodafone to resolve the issue soon and would like to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience.'

Gatwick officials previously said this summer will be its busiest on record, with 8.8million people set to use the airport during the school holidays.

The airport, 30 miles south of London which primarily serves passengers heading on short-haul flights around Europe, said there were no flight delays linked to the issue.

A Vodafone spokesman said: 'We have identified a damaged fibre cable which is used by Gatwick Airport to display flight information.

'Our engineers are working hard to fix the cable as quickly as possible. This is a top priority for us and we are very sorry for any problems caused by this issue. We are keeping Gatwick Airport constantly informed of progress.'

** Have you been caught up in the Gatwick chaos? Please email: charlie.bayliss@mailonline.co.uk **
Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (Photo: VNA)



Kofi Annan, who had served as Secretary-General of the United Nations for 10 years, passed away on August 18th at the age of 80.

He was considered a bright star in international relations, who had brought new vitality to the UN after two terms of leadership.

He was also recognised by analysts and politicians as one of the most outstanding Secretary General in the UN history./.
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These incredible sketches from the battlefields of the First World War - drawn by a young soldier who never spoke of his time in the trenches - have been found by his family 100 years later.

The intricate drawings and caricatures were created by Douglas Arthur Chambers who was just 20-years-old when he went off to fight in the Great War.

He never spoke about his wartime experiences or his drawings, but his sketch books were recently discovered by his granddaughter Sue Doyle, 62, of Somerset.

The intricate drawings and caricatures (left) were created by Douglas Arthur Chambers when he was just 20-years-old and helping in the Great War effort

The detailed sketches show the harsh reality from the front line at the time (left) and also illustrate some home truths about what training in Britain was actually like

Douglas' (left) granddaughter Sue Doyle (pictured right with the journals), 62, of Somerset, discovered the three sketch books 100 years later and says she is proud of her grandfather's work

Douglas, who lived in Harrow, Middlesex, documented his time in the army - from training in the UK to fighting in the Battle of the Somme - with many satirical and dramatic pencil creations.

The veteran, who had two children with Adela Treen and worked as a commercial artist, died in 1975 at the age of 80 and his estate was left to his only daughter, Maureen, who in turn left it to her child Sue.

Sue, a nurse who lives in Taunton, with husband, Christopher, 63, said: 'I knew nothing at all about his service before finding these sketch books, he didn't talk about it.

'He was a very quiet gentleman and kept himself to himself. He was lovely company but didn't talk about his war experiences at all.

'I'm not surprised he didn't talk about them because he was obviously compartmentalising his experiences.

'He was in the Royal Army Medical Core. It must have been a traumatic experience. One of the captions was "I want to go home".'

Douglas even illustrated little scenes of what life was like for the soldiers as they served the country in the First World War

Sue said: 'When he goes to France the drawings change completely and they are all about the experiences where he is stationed,' with the two above images illustrating his time there

His granddaughter said one of her favourites was called the three posts (pictured): 'The first post is the loading post and it depicts a chap drinking. The second post is called the Aid post, which depicts someone leaning on a post, obviously extremely drunk and the third shows the same chap collapsed in a crater with a bomb coming towards his head, it was captioned "the last post".'

The highly professional, funny and satirical sketches cover a range of army scenes, from shouting drill instructors to malfunctioning showers.

One features a medic digging a hole with the caption 'Join the R.A.M.A, to "tend the wounded"'.

Another includes a soldier marching through the snow with 'happy and still smiling (I don't think) written besides.

And another shows a soldier scrubbing a wooden floor above the question 'what did you do in the great war, daddie?'

Sue said: 'The drawings depict the tasks they were required to do and the places they were staying, how they felt about things and how their superiors treated them.

Some of the detailed creations show colour has been used to enhance the imagery (right) and Sue (left) explains how most of the images have dates or places captioned on them

The veteran wasn't shy about showing the reality of war and depicted the soldiers discontent with the jobs they were made to do with his clever captions (pictured)

Douglas' books provide a detailed insight into the soldiers' experiences at the time of the war in 1918 - with one scene showing the R.A.M.C engineers' idea of painting stories on the walls of hospital wards for wounded Tommies.

Douglas Chambers' drawings, pictured, which have been discovered by his family in Somerset. Douglas served in the Somme with the Royal Army Medical Corps and penned the sketches during his time of service

'Some also show a bit about how they felt about what was going to happen to them. The second book starts as he is sent to war, I don't know the exact date but some drawings are dated.

'I know he was on the Somme and there are two villages pictured in the sketchbooks, one is of a village called Voyennes, and the other village is called Bethonsart. They were done in April and May 1918.

'When he goes to France the drawings change completely and they are all about the experiences where he is stationed.

'They depict the conditions they were living in, the experiences they have, what it was like when the bombs went off and there is one called "the first feeling of shell shock".

'Some times there are several scenes on one page, some times they are sequences over several pages. One of my favourites is called the three posts, the first post is the loading post and it depicts a chap drinking.

'The second post is called the Aid post, which depicts someone leaning on a post, obviously extremely drunk so it is holding him up.

The highly professional, funny and satirical sketches cover a range of army scenes, from shouting drill instructors to malfunctioning showers

Sue said finding the sketches was a moving experience and added that she is proud of what her grandfather accomplished in the war. Now, she intends to publish the sketches in a book so more people can enjoy Douglas' artwork

Douglas' work while sometimes using dark humour (right) to depict the level of discomfort felt by the men, also illustrated their extreme need to know when the end was near (left)

Douglas kept three sketch books each illustrating a different time in the war - one being training and the others being in battle

'The third in the sequence shows the same chap collapsed in a crater with a bomb coming towards his head, it was captioned "the last post".'

Sue said finding the sketches was a moving experience and added that she is proud of what her grandfather accomplished in the war.

Now, she intends to publish the sketches in a book so more people can enjoy Douglas' artwork.

She continued: 'They are extremely poignant, the pictures, and some are shocking, but I'm extremely pleased to have found them.

'I'm proud of his artistic skill, he had a black humour which must have kept him going. I'm thrilled that people are having the opportunity now to see them because they are a different historical record.

'They were drawn contemporaneously, not afterwards - they were done while he was actually there.'
A spiritual healer accused of carrying out a black magic exorcism on a non-consenting man has told a Sydney jury he's done the procedure on thousands of people in many countries.

Riza Morinaj got in the witness box on Monday, after the jury watched his recorded police interview in which he denied claims the man was held down, told him to stop and said the suction cups were hurting.

Morinaj, a French citizen who has lived in Australia since 2006, has pleaded not guilty to detaining the man in company, occasioning him actual bodily harm, in November 2016 at a Sydney home.

Riza Morinaj (pictured) says that he's performed a black magic exorcism, involving slashing a man with a blade, on thousands of people

The man, who cannot be identified, has testified he was held down on a bed when suction cups were placed on him and he was cut with a small blade after his relatives believed he had been a victim of black magic.

Giving evidence to the District Court jury, Morinaj said he was a therapist in Hijama, which he said was incision therapy called wet cupping done in the Islamic tradition.

'Hijama was a practice recommended by an Islam prophet, especially as a remedy against black magic,' the 39-year-old Melbourne Muslim said.

He received a diploma qualification 'from a well-known British institute' in 2013 and had treated 10,000 to 15,000 people in countries including 'almost every nation' in Europe, Asia and all Australian states.

The practice involved placing suction cups over the body and making small incisions so the toxins could be removed, he said.

Morinaj said he first contacted the man's grandfather after a mutual acquaintance told him of problems with the grandson.

'(The grandfather) told me since his grandson got married, things were not going well and he suspected he was under the influence of black magic due to his wife.'

A man did not consent to an exorcism involving a blade, a Sydney court was told (Pictured: Riza Morinaj, who has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and assault)

In his police interview, Morinaj denied he told the grandson he was drawing out black blood which was 'the evil' when he placed the cups on him and read out the Koran.

He told the officer it was 'completely absurd' to say he forced the man to stay in the bedroom and forced the cupping procedure on him.

'How could I force him?' he asked.

'It's impossible to force anybody.'

He did not discuss the grandfather's black magic belief with the man and he did not discuss what he was going to do or how he would do it.

Police asked if he had explained to the grandfather that he would be using the cupping.

'Why are you making such a big deal about the suction cups?' he replied.

The officer again asked if he specifically told the grandfather he would be using suction cups.

Morinaj said he probably did but he could not recall it.

The trial is continuing before Judge Helen Syme.
James Maycock - who was compared to Catch Me If You Can conman Fank Abagnale - has avoided a jail term for a series of frauds

A conman posed as pilot and a Lord as he scammed girlfriends and a boss out of 7,000 in a case branded 'the Dorset edition of Catch Me If You Can'.

James Maycock told a girlfriend he was an airline pilot when in reality he had only taken a handful of lessons at Bournemouth Flying Club, which he failed to pay for.

A court heard the Walter Mitty character booked a 9,000 helicopter ride to London to impress another girlfriend, which he also allegedly never paid for.

The 31-year-old spent five years lying to girlfriends, including claiming he had inherited 1m from his father, and conning a number of businesses.

He even claimed to be 'Lord James Maycock' to an electronics company in an attempt to get them to extend his credit limit so he could buy a 1,100 drone.

But just like Frank Abagnale - the real-life conman played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can - Maycock's deceptions eventually caught up with him.

Prosecuting, Mary Aspinall-Miles said: 'Mr Maycock is a fantasist. There's absolutely no intention to pay for the goods and services.

'He was trying to live a lifestyle effectively funded by deception and fraud and, in particular, a bit like a film character - Catch Me If You Can. This is the Dorset edition. He pretended to be a pilot to his then-girlfriend.

'He made a number of assertions about his wealth and portfolio of wealth to his girlfriend and her family.'

He told victims he was a pilot and a Lord but his trail of debts eventually caught up with hin

Speaking after the case, one of Maycock's former girlfriends, who did not want to be named, said: 'He was very good at covering himself and very good at manipulating if you questioned him. He would always do something to prove it - like faking email confirmations and bank transfers.

'He took out a lot of credit in my name. I had no idea until he was arrested because he was intercepting my post.

'I feel like a fool as I had no idea and I'm not a stupid person, but he's got the right chat, he came across as charming.

'He doesn't care who he screws over, he has absolutely no conscience. It seems like it was almost a game to him, to see how big he could get away with. I feel sorry for anybody else that gets taken in by him.'

Maycock, from Poole, was initially charged with 19 fraud and dishonesty-related offences but pleaded guilty to five, amounting to 6,800.

The court heard he promised a girlfriend he would buy her a horse and had a vet inspection carried out, but never paid the 356 vet bill.

Maycock was given a suspended sentence despite his own lawyer saying he was a fantasist

He also said he would take care of the vet bills when her dog broke its leg but instead he lied to the vets that the pet had insurance and never paid the 2,880 charge.

Maycock told his girlfriend and her family he was a trained pilot but when police looked into the claim he had in fact only taken ten hours of unpaid flying lessons, totalling 2,500.

He got a job with a garage working as an unqualified mechanic in 2016 but left within a few months and his boss then received invoices for parts he had ordered without any authorisation.

When he started a new relationship he told 'similar stories'. This time he set up a company in the woman's name without her consent and ordered things in the company name.

He brought in 472 of tools from an electrical company with a credit account and then tried to buy a 1,100 drone, which the company halted because it exceeded his credit limit.

It was at this point he made claims of being a lord and when the company looked through their records of unpaid debtors they found a previous reference to a 'Lord Maycock'.

The prosecutor in the case compared him to Frank Abagnale, who was famously played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2003 film Catch Me If You Can

Miss Aspinall-Miles said his current employer, South Western Ambulance Service, knew nothing of the case.

Robert Grey, defending, agreed Maycock was a fantasist and his thinking 'needs to be addressed' for his benefit and the benefit of the wider community.

Maycock avoided an immediate jail term on a suspended six-month prison sentence.

Bournemouth Crown Court judge, Recorder Nicholas Haggan, said it was 'hard to believe a word he says'.

He said: 'You were someone who knew very well what you were doing - you posed as somebody you were not and led others to believe you were a man of substance whereas the contrary was the case.'

The other 14 charged were ordered to lie on file.
A teacher has revealed how she was repeatedly upskirted by schoolboys in her class before the images were shared on Instagram - leaving her with crippling anxiety.

Former teacher's aide, Hester Tingey was sexually harassed by her year nine students from St Patrick's College in New Zealand.

The 23-year-old said she had three teenagers suspended from school after explicit images were shared on social media.

Former teacher's aide, Hester Tingey was sexually harassed by her year nine students from St Patrick's College in New Zealand (pictured)

But despite taking action against the teenagers, Ms Tingey blames herself for wearing a dress, even though she knows she wasn't dressed provocatively.

'I only wore a dress on two occasions,' she told Stuff.

'I took my grandmother out shopping with me before I got the job and we picked out a whole bunch of stuff that was approved by an Anglican minister.'

Last year the young teacher was upskirted - the act of filming or taking photographs under someone's skirt which captures an image of the crotch area or genitals.

Hester Tingey, 23, was upskirted - the act of filming or taking photographs under someone's skirt which captures an image of the crotch area (stock)

'The intention behind it was to gain as many up-skirt photos of female staff members from the school,' she said.

Two days after she was filmed, her work colleague also fell victim to the predatory behaviour.

The boys were ordered to restorative justice meeting with her to see how the invasive incident had affected her on a personal and emotional level.

'I really wanted this to be something that they learnt from, and not just be a slap on the wrist and something that they go on to think is OK,' she said.

The teenagers who upskirted the young teacher were ordered to restorative justice meeting with her to see how the invasive incident had affected her on a personal and emotional level (stock)

But despite the action taken against the boys, Ms Tingey suffers anxiety and sleep deprivation and both women resigned from their role.

The school described the attack on the female teachers as 'most distressing' but hasn't spoken on the incident any further.

In 2017 they released in a statement to parents, 'We remain committed to developing within all our students the appreciation of, and respect for, the inherent dignity of each person,'

'In our particular environment, this specifically includes the appropriate and respectful treatment of women and girls.'
Charlotte Kendall (pictured), 20, was bombarded with text messages and calls after Terry Waymark, 36, got hold of a business card for her animal portrait company

An aspiring vet who was bombarded with '50 texts a day' by a relentless stalker has spoken out in a bid to help other victims.

Charlotte Kendall, 20, was so terrified by Terry Waymark, 36, that she would be chaperoned by her mum and pet dog to and from her 20 minute walk to work.

She first met Waymark during an evening shift at the chip shop where she was working in Leigh Park, Hampshire.

During the hideous encounter Waymark had pretended to be a policeman and stealthily swiped a business card for her animal portrait company so he could barrage Miss Kendall with texts and calls.

He has since been jailed for four years at a hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on March 23.

Miss Kendall now feels brave enough to share her story with the world hoping that it will help other victims who are suffering as she did.

She said: 'It was constant.

'It didn't seem to matter if I replied or not as the texts just kept on coming.

'He was constantly asking if he could phone me but I made it clear we could discuss everything over the email and texts.

'But then he asked whether I had kids and if I was single.'

Terry Waymark (pictured), 36, pretended to be a policeman when he first met Charlotte Kendall, 20, while she was working at her local chippie in Leigh Park, Hampshire

Miss Kendall was shocked by this and instantly sent a text back.

He said: 'I asked him why my current relationship status would affect the portrait.

'Then he was asking if he could take me out sometime as 'he knew a lot about me'.

'Then he mentioned he would drop off an iPhone 6 at my work so we could talk.

'I was freaked out.

'Then he asked if I worked in the chip shop and if I had gone away to Cornwall and that's when the penny dropped.

'I realised Terry was the customer who mentioned he was a police officer.

'I'm just glad we're all safe and he's locked up. If I hadn't gone to the police when I did who knows how far he would have gone?'

Some the messages Waymark would subject Miss Kendall to as he barraged the young chippie employee with around '50 texts a day'

Terry Waymark, 36, would send dozens of text messages to Charlotte Kendall, 20, after first meeting her as she worked an evening shift at her local chippie in Leigh Park, Hampshire

Waymark would ask Miss Kendall on dates, call her late at night and constantly ask to meet up. If they didn't he would threaten to return to her workplace in Leigh Park, Hampshire

Miss Kendall, who is due to study veterinary nursing at university soon, was bombarded with texts, calls and emails soon after Waymark got hold of her details.

He would ask her on dates, call her late at night and constantly ask to meet up - threatening he would return to her workplace if they didn't.

Miss Kendall has now revealed further details of that fateful first encounter with Waymark.

Impersonating a local police officer, he lingered around the takeaway asking questions for 30 minutes before politely being asked to leave.

She said: 'It was around 8.30pm on a typical Thursday when Terry walked in asking for a 2 portion of chips.

'I noticed he was a new face as I've worked there four years and know who all regulars are.

'He introduced himself as a local police officer which at the time I thought was an odd thing to do.

'I don't know anyone who goes around shouting about their job willy-nilly.

'He didn't mention his name but kept going on and on about his job.

'He was going on about the murder rate and how much of a dangerous area it is.

'Then it was a bit more light-hearted and he asked if I lived in the area and how my day was going.

'But he was looking at me square in the eye. It was just intense.

'Usually customers only wait around if they're waiting for their fish to be battered but he was just there with his chips going cold.

'My boss had to come over and tell him we were closing to make him leave.'

Waymark offered to drop off an iPhone 6 at Miss Kendall's work so they could talk for longer. He also pretended to be a potential customer for her animal portrait company

In what was dismissed as an awkward customer encounter Miss Kendall turned up to work as usual for the next two weeks.

But while talking to a regular about her upcoming trip to Cornwall the shop door swung open only to mark the return of 'PC Terry'.

'I was joking about the amount of pasties and ice creams I'll eat before a man with a bald head and stubble walked in', she said.

'My initial thought was 'oh God not him again'.'

'I didn't want to get stuck in another half an hour conversation so I hid round the back and got my boss to serve him.

'He seemed to be in and out pretty quick and didn't bother hanging around.

'I managed to dodge him.'

But Miss Kendall was unaware the creep had managed to swipe one of her business cards with all her contact details.

Later that evening she received an email from a potential customer asking for a painting for one of his kids - sealing it off with eight kisses.

She said: 'I thought it was weird but needed to put money towards my dog's vet bills.

'At the time I just thought 'a commission is a commission'.

'I messaged asking what animal he was after and within seconds I got a reply asking if he could call me.

'I had just finished a five hour shift and was exhausted so I just made the excuse that my phone couldn't take calls.

'But that wasn't working. He just continued to ask if he could phone me.

'At this point I just thought Terry was a pushy customer.'

The phone messages shared between Miss Kendall and Waymark document the relentless texts he subjected her to

Over the next seven days Miss Kendall was receiving between 20 to 50 text messages a day.

Miss Kendall told her mum who encouraged her to phone the police.

'As soon as I mentioned his name the police officer said 'Ah, he's known to us.'

'The police told me to send one reply telling him not to contact me again.

'They then told me if I received a response to come back and they'll take action.'

Despite assurances from the police that she was in safe hands Miss Kendall was still fearing her harasser was watching her every move.

Not willing to take any chances she swapped shifts in a bid to avoid bumping into him.

She was also chaperoned by her mum and her pet dog to and from her 20 minute walk to work.

Two days after Miss Kendall received a message from a new number asking her out.

Realising who it was Miss Kendall went straight to the police where they arrested him immediately.

He was handed a four year sentence and an indefinite restraining order at Portsmouth Crown Court on March 23 having been found guilty of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

Describing the impact the ordeal has had on her life, she said: 'I still work in the chip shop as I'm putting money aside for university.

'But I'm more reserved with customers now. I just keep it to the basic 'hello' and 'thank you' as I don't want to go through that again.

'But hopefully what I've been through will encourage others to report potential stalkers.'

Stalker Terry had previously been handed a 24 week sentence for harassing an ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him for impersonating a police officer.

Now picking up extra shifts at the chip shop before heading to Sparsholt College and University to study veterinary nursing Miss Kendall says she's looking forward to getting her life back.

Miss Kendall said: 'I was wary of going to the police before as I had the impression they didn't take these things that seriously.

'But the police acted really quickly and helped me out a lot.

'I had to speak out to protect others.'
Pope Francis has issued a letter to Catholics around the world condemning the 'crime' of priestly sexual abuse and cover-up.

Francis demanded accountability in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church.

He begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and cover-up.

Pope Francis has issued a letter to Catholics around the world condemning the 'crime' of priestly sexual abuse and cover-up. Pictured: delivering a blessing in St. Peter's Square

He blasted the self-referential clerical culture that has been blamed for the abuse crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

Francis wrote: 'We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.'

The Vatican issued the letter Monday, ahead of Francis' trip this weekend to Ireland that is expected to be dominated by the abuse crisis.

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.

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.

Pope Francis (left) demanded accountability in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church

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.

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.
A desperate Chinese couple were forced to get their sick twin sons to draw lots to decide which one they would save because they couldn't afford to treat both.

The 10-month-old siblings were both diagnosed with a rare immune disease called CGD and are not expected to live past the age of two, according to a newspaper.

The couple were told by doctors that each of their babies would need a transplant to survive, and the two operations could cost an astronomical one million yuan (114,000).

And that was when the devastated family resorted to the extreme measure to decide which of their son they would keep with two paper slips.

Luckily, a major Chinese charity has learnt about the family's story and is helping them raise funds to save both of their babies.

Twin brothers were made to draw lots in their hospital bed in Chongqing, China. The tiny siblings were diagnosed with a rare immune disease and their parents could only save one

Qiu Boqin and his wife Deng Baoling made the desperate decision after doctors told them that the cost of the two operations for the twins could be around one million yuan (114,000)

The two boys, nicknamed 'Healthy' and 'Happy' by their parents, were born last October in Shaoguan's Shixing County in southern China's Guangdong Province, reported Shaoguan Daily.

Their arrival brought much happiness to their father Qiu Boqin and their mother Deng Baoling, as well as their grandparents who are farmers.

WHAT IS CGD? Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) is diagnosed in one in 500,000 people every year. In the United States, the condition affects about 20 newborns each year. These babies' immune systems can fight of viral infections like the flu, but are nearly helpless against fungi and some bacteria. If a dangerous pathogen does find its way into either boy's body, their weak immune cells rush to attack it. Because the cells will not be able to eliminate the infection, they will simply gather at its site, forming a hard lump called a granuloma. If either 'Healthy' or 'Happy' got a severe infection in their bones or skin, it could lead to dangerous abscesses in internal organs such as the lungs, liver and brain. The disease can be cured with a bone marrow transplant, but the process is complicated and it can be difficult to find a donor who is a perfect match. Advertisement

However, the family's life was turned upside down just one month after the birth of the twins.

According to the report, one night last November, the elder brother 'Healthy' suddenly experienced difficulties in breathing and was rushed to the hospital.

As 'Healthy' was in intensive care, his younger brother 'Happy' - who was staying at home with their grandmother - experienced the same symptoms. 'Happy' was taken to the same hospital.

The two brothers stayed in the intensive care unit for nine days before being transferred to an ordinary ward. Both of them were diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD).

CGD is an inherited primary immunodeficiency disease (PIDD), which means part of the body's immune system is missing or functions improperly.

The condition increases the body's susceptibility to infections caused by certain bacteria and fungi. It is diagnosed in one in 500,000 people every year.

Due to their condition, even a mild infection curable with antibiotics in healthy people could kill 'Healthy' and 'Happy'.

The boys, nicknamed 'Healthy' and 'Happy' were born last October in Shaoguan, China

The couple knelt in front of their sons and their mother to apologise after their mother found out that they had decided the 10-month-old boys' fate by making them draw lots

Mr Qiu and Ms Deng were told by doctors that the two boys would have to undergo a transplant each in order to live past the age of two.

The couple immediately contacted the China Marrow Donor Program under the Red Cross Society, which manages the recruitment of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donors.

In February, Mr Qiu and Ms Deng transferred their twins to a hospital in Chongqing, which is renowned for treating CGD while waiting to hear about the result of the donors.

Although CGD can be cured with a bone marrow transplant, the process is complicated and it can be difficult to find a donor who is a perfect match.

The China Marrow Donor Program informed the couple that they had found matching donors who were willing to help their children.

But the couple were once again thrown into despair when doctors told them the medical bills for each transplant could amount to some 500,000 yuan (57,000).

The devastated family gathered in the boys' hospital ward in Chongqing. They had transferred the twins from Guangdong to Chongqing in order to seek better medical resources

A Chinese charity is now helping the family raise enough money so both boys could be saved

According to Shaoguan Daily, Mr Qiu and Ms Deng had spent some 400,000 yuan (45,000) treating their sons. After they asked among their friends and relatives, the most money they could borrow would only be enough to treat one child.

The report said that the couple were so desperate they made the two boys draw lots in their hospital bed to decide which one they would save. They prepared two pieces of paper, one saying 'keep' and the other blank.

It is claimed that the couple did so when the twin's grandmother went out so that she couldn't oppose to the idea. The elder brother got the paper saying 'keep'.

But when their grandmother returned and saw 'Healthy' holding the lot, she was furious and scolded the couple, who knelt in front of her and their sons to apologise.

The grandmother insisted the family should find all possible ways to save both twins.

Fortunately, the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children has learned about the twins' illness and reach out to the family.

'God didn't give up on my twins,' Their father Mr Qiu was quoted saying by Shaoguan Daily.

'Volunteers from the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children have verified our situation from the hospital and started a fund-raising campaign on the internet. The donors have also agreed to undergo the transplant soon,' Mr Qiu added.

According to the fund-raising page by the Foundation, the project aims to raise 900,000 yuan (102,000) for 'Healthy' and 'Happy'. The funds will be used on the twins' treatment as well as their life necessities during the process.

The campaign has raised 753,052 yuan (86,000) from 23,352 people as of writing.
The family of a British woman who fell from a 10th-floor balcony to her death on holiday in Spain are begging five witnesses for answers - over a year on.

Kirsty Maxwell, 27, from West Lothian in Scotland, was on a friend's hen party in the Spanish resort of Benidorm on April 29 last year when she died.

She had been drinking with friends before she left them for a different hotel room occupied by five men she did not know.

The men, all from Nottingham, have given statements to Spanish police, but Mrs Maxwell's family, claim they 'can't grieve' because the men's stories do not add up.

Kirsty Maxwell, 27 (pictured with her husband of six months Adam) from West Lothian in Scotland, was on a friend's hen party in the Spanish resort of Benidorm on April 29 last year when she died

Mrs Maxwell had been drinking with friends before she left them for a different hotel room occupied by five men she did not know before falling from this balcony

Speaking as part of a documentary on the BBC tonight, her mother Denise Curry said: 'The only thing we've asked for is for them to tell us what happened in that room.

'I would like answers from them, because Kirsty has no voice.'

Her husband Adam, who she married in fairy tale ceremony in Cyprus just six months before her death, also features in 'Killed Abroad'.

He said: 'This was my Kirsty. The circumstances surrounding it were impossible to believe. They still are.'

He has asked his Twitter followers to watch the documentary in a bid to find more answers, posting: 'Please share and watch if you can. This was extremely difficult but incredibly important.'

Joseph Graham, Callum Northridge, Ricky Gammon, Anthony Holehouse and Daniel Bailey were part of a group of 50 men on holiday together at the time of Mrs Maxwell's death.

A picture shows where Mrs Maxwell fell to her death in April last year

In a previous statement, four of the men branded the incident a 'tragic accident' and argued their names had been 'dragged through the mud'.

The Maxwell family believe the other 45 people may have answers as well.

Mrs Curry added: 'We've always said the answers to what happened to Kirsty are in Benidorm and Nottingham.

'I do hope that as a result of the documentary the people who have the answers have the decency to come forward and help the family, because it's very hard on us.'

The documentary will look at whether Mrs Maxwell clambered over the balcony, as opposed to being pushed.

Commenting, Hannah Bardell SNP MP for the area of Scotland where the Maxwell family are from, said: 'The UK government must radically improve the support it provides for bereaved families whose loved ones have died abroad - especially where the person has been murdered or died in suspicious circumstances.

'Too often families searching for truth and justice are instead getting inadequate information and support from the UK Foreign Office - leading to additional stress and anxiety at what is already a deeply traumatic time.

Three of the men are pictured covering their faces as they came out of a court hearing

'The tragic death of Kirsty Maxwell, who was killed in Benidorm last year, has shone a light on the unacceptable barriers that families are currently facing.

'Like the family of Julie Pearson, another constituent of mine who was killed abroad, Kirsty Maxwell's family have been very badly let down.

Callum Northridge is one of the men who has been questioned over Mrs Maxwel's death

'Bereaving families in a state of shock and grief often have to deal with multiple agencies, and fight to get even the most basic facts about the circumstances of their loved ones deaths - it is simply not good enough.

'The UK government must conduct an urgent review of the support it provides, and improve the funding and resources available - including through frontline Consular support services.

'The evidence we have taken from bereaved families across the UK has shown that almost all felt there was very little support from the FCO and no clear processes or procedures.

'There are many ways in which support must improve - from introducing a single point of contact for families, to help with repatriation, translation services and legal representation.

'These families have been extremely brave in speaking out - their voices must now be heard, and the UK government must take meaningful action to address the failings and gaps in support.'

Mrs Curry and her husband Brian will feature on Killed Abroad, which also looks at the death of Craig Mallon, 26, who died in Lloret del Mar in Spain, will air on BBC One tonight at 9pm.

Another of the five men is pictured covering his face as he left court left, along with Ricky Gammon, right
There are grave concerns that children can no longer grasp the value of money due to the speed our society is moving to a cashless society.

Dante De Gori, chief executive officer of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), spoke to 3AW on Monday explaining how parents are struggling to raise 'Invisible-Money Generation kids'.

'Cash still exists, it is in our control as adults and parents to use it. From the age of four children mimic and watch our behaviour, and we should alternate between card and cash,' Mr Gori said.

There are grave concerns that kids can no longer grasp the value of money (stock image)

Dante De Gori (pictured) chief executive officer of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) explained how parents are struggling to raise 'Invisible money generation kids'

'They are growing up in a world where technology is greater now...their experience and behaviour, understanding is on the technological side of things rather than the value money.'

He said this drastic change from cash to cashless is causing parents to fear that their kids won't understand the value of money.

The FPA describe the 'invisible money generation' as those aged 18 years and below for 'whom money is often unseen in the form of online transactions, credit and debit cards, and 'tap and go'.'

In their 'Share the Dream' report released on Monday the FPA found 66 per cent of parents believe digital money makes it more difficult for their children to understand the value of 'real money'.

It also found 62 per cent of parents believe the 'invisible money generation' will 'be financially worse off than their own family'.

The report continues to offer advice to parents who are struggling to talk about money with their children.

62 per cent of parents believe the 'invisible money generation' will 'be financially worse off than their own family'
Lucas Belmonte, 23, of Chatham, Kent, went on spending sprees at the Hilton Hotel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, John Lewis, House of Fraser and MAC Cosmetics in October 2017.

A plumber who is dating a Love Island stars sister used cloned credit cards to splash over 10,000 on designer gear and has now been jailed for two years and four months.

Southwark Crown Court heard Lucas Belmonte, 23, of Chatham, Kent, went on spending sprees at the Hilton Hotel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, John Lewis, House of Fraser and MAC Cosmetics in October 2017.

He also used a cloned AMEX to place a 20,865 deposit for tables and drink at MNKY HSE, an exclusive Mayfair nightclub, in November.

Belmonte had been imprisoned in Dubai in January for using a fake credit card at the five star Jumeriah Beach Hotel.

He was staying there for New Years with his girlfriend, Summer Ellis, the sister of Love Island star Chyna.

His detention caused an international stir at the time and Belmonte insisted he was forced to sign a confession.

Belmontes barrister Julia Mackworth told the judge: He was taken into the desert and had a gun pressed against the back of his head.

Belmonte was arrested at Gatwick on his return after six months in an Arab jail and has been in HMP Wandsworth ever since.

He also fell to be sentenced for exceeding the speed limit driving through Piccadilly at three in the morning and driving while disqualified in November 2017.

In addition, Belmonte was in breach of a suspended sentence - in May 2017 he pleaded guilty to sending a threatening communication.

Belmonte had been imprisoned in Dubai in January for using a fake credit card at the five star Jumeriah Beach Hotel. He was staying there for New Years with his girlfriend, Summer Ellis, (both pictured) who is the sister of Love Island 2017 star Chyna

He was caught up in an attempted murder trial which collapsed weeks before it was due to open, by which stage he had already pleaded guilty to sending a threatening communication.

In that case a court heard Belmonte sent a text which read: Well be round to see you tonight unless every penny is paid back. 1,000 tonight or I swear everyone who knew where the stash was is getting slapped. I am not f***ing about.

Belmonte insisted this had nothing to do with drugs and was debt over a car.

He was supported in court by his father, grandfather and girlfriend.

The 23-year-old (pictured with Wayne Rooney) claimed he was given the credit card by a friend who told him he could use it to pay for his New Year stay at the five star Jumeriah Beach hotel

Judge Michael Hopmeier said: Hes been mixing with some very serious criminals, this is organised criminal activity. Hes letting down a lot of people, something is going on here that shouldnt be going on.

Belmonte claimed that he had been ordered to use the AMEX cards by men he borrowed money from to pay for his legal costs at Maidstone Crown Court.

Belmonte's girlfriend, Summer Ellis, is pictured (left) outside court last week. Her sister Chyna (right) starred on Love Island 2017

Threats were made to his family and his mothers car had a Molotov cocktail thrown at it to persuade him to do their bidding.

Ms Mackworth said a pair of Louboutin shoes had been for one of these gangsters girlfriends.

None of the luxury items have been recovered and Belmonte refused to give names.

The cloned cards were based on customer information from two AMEX holders based in Argentina.

Passing sentence, the judge said: It seems that the defendant chose to associate himself with serious criminals and when you associate yourself with serious criminals, serious consequences may follow.

What I was told was that serious criminals advanced to him, through his family, funding for his legal representation in his trial at Maidstone.

And having advanced the money, wanted it back and one of the ways they wanted it back was to engage him to commit crimes on their behalf which he chose to do.

Belmonte admitted eight counts of fraud, two counts of possession of articles for use in fraud, one of dangerous driving, one of driving while disqualified and breaching a suspended sentence.

In addition he was ordered to pay 750 in costs and a 140 victim surcharge.
iStock/Thinkstock(ROME) -- A British woman was pulled out of the Adriatic Sea on Sunday after falling off a cruise ship and treading water for 10 hours.

The woman was on the Norwegian Star near Croatia when she fell overboard, according to the cruise line.

"In the morning of August 19th, a guest went overboard as Norwegian Star made her way to Venice. The Coast Guard was notified and a search and rescue operation ensued," a spokesperson for Norwegian said in a statement. "We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment. We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."

David Radas, a spokesperson for the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said CCTV footage shows her falling off the boat at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, and she was rescued at 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

The 46-year-old woman, whose name ABC News confirmed as Kay Longstaff, told Croatian TV station HRT in a brief interview after the coast guard returned her to shore, that she was on the back deck when she fell off. Longstaff works as a flight attendant and had some emergency training, a Croatian coast guard official told ABC News.

"I fell off of the back of Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours," she told HRT. "So these wonderful guys rescued me. ... I am very lucky to be alive."

Longstaff is still in the hospital, but is expected to be released Monday once family arrives.

"We were lucky," Capt. Lovro Oreskovic, lead rescuer, told ABC News. "When she saw us, she immediately raised her hands and waved."

Oreskovic said Longstaff was in good shape. She told the rescuers it was because she is into yoga. She was floating in the sea all the time and singing not to fall asleep and to preserve her body temperature from falling, Oreskovic said.

The area where she fell off could be seen blocked by a crew member and caution tape in photos taken by a fellow cruise passenger.

It's not clear how or why she fell off the back of the ship or the height of the fall.

The Norwegian Star arrived in its port in Venice, Italy, Sunday afternoon -- without Longstaff -- and departed for its next stop 2 1/2 hours later.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), speaks at a CMC meeting on Party building in Beijing, capital of China. The meeting was held from Aug. 17 to Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to comprehensively strengthen the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Party building in the country's armed forces to ensure a solid political guarantee for the building of a strong military.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks at a CMC meeting on Party building, which was held from Friday to Sunday in Beijing.

Noting that strengthening CPC leadership and Party building in the military is a requisite for advancing the "great new project" of Party building and the building of a strong country with a strong military, Xi said the whole military should comprehensively implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress.

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This is the moment thousands of Bangladeshis desperately try to get onto the trains leaving the capital city of Dhaka in order to make it home in time for the Eid al-Adha festival.

Hundreds climbed into packed trains, even settling for a seat on top of the train roof in order to secure a place on a train out of the city on Monday.

The massive scramble onto the trains came as nearly 2.4 million Muslims descended on the valley of Mount Arafat western Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, as part of the annual pilgrimage known as hajj.

Coming home for Eid: People scramble to reach the roof of an overcrowded train at a station in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and in commemoration of Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God

Crowded commuting: When the trains filled up, hundreds of people climbed in top of the trains to make sure they got home

Some of the pilgrims - men in white seamless garments and women in loose dresses - pushed elderly relatives in wheelchairs on the second day of the hajj, one of the world's largest annual gatherings, to reach Mount Arafat.

Carrying brightly coloured umbrellas under the blazing sun, worshippers scaled the rocky hill southeast of the holy city of Mecca to atone for their sins.

Jai Saleem, a 37-year-old Pakistani, said he cried when he and his wife arrived on Mount Arafat, where Muslims believe Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon.

'It feels great,' he said. 'I have always seen this area, since my childhood, in photographs and on television.'

Men women and children were seen making themselves as comfortable as possible on top of the packed trains in Dhaka

Health and safety: Some people stand on the carriage roof as they wait for the train to start moving out of the station

Muslim pilgrims walks towards Namirah Mosque on Arafat Mountain, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday

After sunset prayers, pilgrims will make their way down Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah, another holy site where they will sleep under the stars to prepare for the final stage of hajj, a symbolic 'stoning of the devil' ritual.

Buses could be seen parked around the hill as workers hurriedly picked up empty water bottles near a yellow sign that read 'Arafat starts here' in both English and Arabic.

'We know that it's a difficult task,' said Amna Khan, a 35-year-old American Muslim pilgrim.

'That's why we are all here. We're doing this to get closer to Allah, to be absolved.'

Pilgrims pray during the Hajj pilgrimage on the Mount Arafat near Mecca, Saudi Arabia,

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca

A hot wind blew across the hill, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), and the surrounding plain after a downpour late Sunday. Many faithful could be seen sipping from bottles of water throughout the day.

'I knew it would be a little hard to climb Mount Arafat,' said Nigerian pilgrim Saidou Boureima.

'So I prepared for this challenge by working out. And God willing, we can see it through.'

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

The hajj has at times been a point of controversy, following an incident in 1987 in which Saudi police crushed an Iranian protest during the pilgrimage against the United States and Israel.

The clashes killed 402 people, including 175 Iranians, according to Saudi authorities.

Iran boycotted the hajj in 2016, following a deadly stampede the year before which left some 2,300 dead, hundreds of them Iranian.

Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the climax of the hajj today

Muslims pray on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on the second day of the annual hajj pilgrimage on Monday

Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the highlight of the hajj

Tehran sent its pilgrims to Mecca in 2017, and the hajj this year includes 86,000 Iranians, according to Mecca governor Prince Khaled al-Faisal.

Prince Khaled has also said this year's hajj includes 300 pilgrims from Qatar, a neighbouring emirate hit by a major Saudi-led boycott.

Saudi Arabia - the world's largest exporter of oil - and its allies accuse Qatar of cosying up to both Sunni Islamist extremists and Shiite Iran, Riyadh's main rival.

They have cut all ties with Qatar - which denies the charges - and banned all flights to and from Doha.

Qatar on Sunday said that its citizens were unable to take part in the hajj because of the diplomatic dispute.

Muslims on Tuesday observe the first day of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the hajj.

They traditionally slaughter sheep for the three-day Eid al-Adha, a tribute to the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared Ishmael, his son.

They will consume some of the meat and give the rest to poor people unable to buy food.
Police in Florida have arrested a teenager accused of stealing an AR-15 from a sheriff's deputy's unmarked car after watching an Instagram video showing the suspect dancing with the assault rifle.

According to an arrest affidavit, 17-year-old Moses Clay Jr has been charged with burglary while armed with a firearm and grand theft.

The Riviera Beach teenager allegedly took a .223 caliber XM-15 Bushmaster patrol rifle, two loaded magazines, a gas mask, a Taser and a ballistic helmet from an unmarked Palm Beach Sheriff's Office car that was parked at the Meadows Square shopping plaza on August 14.

Recovered: Police in Boynton Beach, Florida, have arrested a 17-year-old who is accused of stealing this AR-15 from the unmarked car of a sheriff's deputy, and then dancing with it on Instagram

The deputy reported the gun and the rest of the tactical gear missing after arriving at home several hours later.

Investigators reviewed surveillance video from businesses located near the parking lot where the burglary took place and saw two men loitering in the area, reported WPTV.

They later spoke to a person of interest and two witnesses, who helped them zero in on the prime suspect, Moses Clay, according to the affidavit.

Boynton Beach police officers responded to Clay's mother's home on Tortuga Lane in Riviera Beach just before 2pm and observed that there was a red 2003 Saturn parked outside the residence that matched the vehicle seen in the surveillance video at the scene of the burglary.

While detectives were inspecting the vehicle, Clay emerged from his mother's home and yelled at them to get away from the car.

Later that day, a detective assigned to the case got a tip that Clay was seen on Instagram live video waving the AR-15 in the air as he danced to rap music and bragging that the weapon was in his home.

Iro the K-9 dog helped police find the stolen rifle under 17-year-old Moses Clay's mattress

The Palm Beach sheriff's deputy recognized the firearm as his stolen AR-15 by its customized features.

Investigators say the social media video gave them probable cause to execute a search warrant at Clay's home, where a K-9 dog named Iro and his handler discovered the stolen assault rifle hidden under his mattress.

Clay was then arrested and transported to a juvenile detention center.
The Belorussian model and escort who claimed to have proof of Russian interference in the US presidential elections has said she no longer has the evidence.

Anastasia Vashukevich, who also uses the name Nastya Rybka, was arrested in Pattaya, Thailand, in February and held on prostitution charges after hosting a 'sex training course' along with several other Russian nationals.

Appearing in court today, Vashukevich said she had turned over the evidence to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, whose conversations about election interference she claimed to have taped.

Vashukevich claims Deripaska, who has links to both the Kremlin and U.S. President Trump's inner circle, had promised her 'a little something' in return for her silence.

Detained Belorussian model Anastasia Vashukevich, better known by her pen name Nastya Rybka, steps out of a prison van on arrival at a court in Pattaya, Thailand, to face trial following a police raid on a sex training course

Vashukevich claims Oleg Deripaska has promised her 'a little something' in return for her not making alleged tapes proving Russian election interference public

She has said she provided 'escort' services to Deripaska, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and who has links to Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager now being tried on money laundering and other charges.

During one of these occasions, Vashukevich claims to have recorded conversations that prove that Russia meddled in the 2016 election of US President Donald Trump.

Vashukevich created world headlines when she was first detained as she appealed to America for help and for asylum, through a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, but provided no proof of her claims.

At a hearing in April, she seemed to switch allegiances, making a public apology to Deripaska and saying it was the Americans, not the Russians, who were persecuting her.

Speaking to an AP reporter in the courtroom in Pattaya today, Vashukevich said she had promised Deripaska she would no longer speak on the matter, and that he had already promised her something in return for not making that evidence public.

Vashukevich, Russian self-styled sex guru Alexander Kirillov, pictured together, and six other people were arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February

'He promised me a little something already,' Vashukevich said. 'If he do that then there will be no problem, but if he don't ...' she said with a shrug and a smile.

She also shrugged and smiled when asked if she had kept her own copies of the information she recorded, which she said comprised 'some audio, some video.'

Asked what the material showed, she said, 'You'd have to ask Deripaska.'

Vashukevich today pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit in a court appearance in Pattaya to prepare for her trial along with seven co-defendants.

Lawyers will submit legal submissions at another hearing next week at which the court is expected to set a date for testimony to begin.

Vashukevich, Russian self-styled sex guru Alexander Kirillov and six other people were arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February and have been in custody ever since.

All the defendants, who could face up to ten years in prison if convicted, pleaded not guilty.

Russian Billionaire Oleg Deripaska (pictured in blue) and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko (wearing dark green) were reportedly filmed by Rybka (pictured left) on Deripaska's private yacht in 2016

The 21-year-old (pictured behind bars with her boyfriend, also known as Alex Lesley, had an affair with Vladimir Putin's crony and spent time on his luxury yacht)

A judge at the Pattaya Provincial Court declared Monday that if the seminar included people having sexual intercourse or arranged for people to have sex, it would be considered illegal by Thai law even if there was mutual consent.

Pattaya is internationally notorious as a destination for sex tourists.

Kirillov, who led the seminar in a meeting room at a Pattaya hotel, told the judge that the seminar taught the art of seduction and did not include sex or make any arrangements for sexual partners.

He said the course taught its students 'how to impress girls' and 'how to get girls' numbers,' and did not involve sexual arrangements.

'We are not sure about Thai law, but in Russia this is not a criminal case,' he told the judge.

The prosecutor showed the defendants a photo that he said showed some of the students having sex as part of the course.

Kirillov's response was that the photos were 'private' and taken after the seminar, when a group of students went to a bar in Pattaya to put their lessons to the test.
An Iranian journalist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for 'insulting' an imam from the ninth century on Twitter, his lawyer told local media on Monday.

Mir Mohammad-Hossein Mir-Esmaili, a journalist for the Jahan-e Sanat daily, was arrested while trying to leave the country in April 2017.

It followed a Twitter post in which he said Imam Reza, one of the 12 revered figures in Iran's dominant strand of Shiite Islam, was 'one of us', implying that he would have allowed young people to enjoy themselves.

Mir Mohammad-Hossein Mir-Esmaili implied Imam Reza would have allowed concerts banned by Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda

He made the statement as a criticism of Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, who has banned concerts in the holy city of Mashhad which is home to the Imam Reza shrine.

'Alamolhoda says that dancing and music is an insult to Imam Reza! Come on, don't lie, Imam Reza is one of us,' wrote Mir-Esmaili in a tweet which is no longer available but was reprinted by numerous media.

Mir-Esmaili was found guilty of insulting Islam and government officials, spreading falsehoods and publishing immoral content, his laywer Hossein Ahmadiniyaz told ISNA on Monday.

'There are many faults to this verdict as my client criticised officials in the form of satire but unfortunately they have considered this as an insult,' said Ahmadiniyaz.

He planned to appeal after being informed of the sentence on Sunday, the lawyer added.

Mir-Esmaili apologised shortly after the initial post, saying: 'I did not insult Imam Reza in any way. I am Muslim and a Shiite and I only wanted to criticise Alamolhoda.'

He implied he had been physically threatened, saying: 'To those who claim they are Muslims, why do they threaten to throw acid and murder?'
Malaysian police are hunting for an industrial device containing radioactive material that went missing from the back of a pick-up truck earlier this month.

The radiography device, with a market value of approximately 15,000, disappeared on August 10 as it was transported outside the capital Kuala Lumpur, the New Straits Times reported.

Authorities fear the 50-pound device, which contains the radioactive isotope iridium-192, could cause radiation exposure or fall into the hands of militants and be used to make a dirty bomb.

An industrial device containing radioactive material went missing from the back of a pick-up truck earlier this month, police chief Mazlan Mansor (left) said, but Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman (right) insisted 'everything is under control'

Authorities fear the device, which contains the radioactive isotope iridium-192, could cause radiation exposure or fall into the hands of militants and used to make a bomb (stock image)

Local police chief Mazlan Mansor said an investigation had been launched without giving further details.

'Yes, there is a report and we are investigating,' Mr Mansor said.

Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman confirmed the incident had taken place but insisted 'everything is under control'.

'There is nothing to be worried about at this moment,' he was cited as saying in The Star newspaper.

The company that owned the device reportedly used it to detect cracks in metal as part of inspection protocols in the energy, power and transportation sectors.

Iridium-192 is a commonly stolen commercial radioactive isotope, particularly for its use in making a dirty bomb.

Local police chief Mazlan Mansor (centre, front) said an investigation had been launched without giving further details

It consisted of a large metal tube with a handle on top and if nuclear material is combined with conventional explosives it can contaminate an area with radiation, in contrast to a nuclear weapon, which uses nuclear fission to trigger a vastly more powerful blast.

It was lost as it was transported to the company's office in Shah Alam, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, from the town of Seremban about 60 km (37 miles) away.

Police initially detained two technicians who had been transporting the device, and reported it missing, reports said.

However the pair were later released after investigations failed to link them to its disappearance.
A controversial proposal to tax Chinese couples without children has sparked public outcry.

As China faces faltering birth rates and an ageing population, Hu Jiye (), a finance professor at China University of Political Science and Law, said in an interview that the Chinese government should consider imposing a 'no child tax' on DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) families for future social support funds.

'These DINK couples have no offspring to take care of them once they grow old and therefore will consume social resources,' Hu told Chinese online portal Sohu's think tank on Thursday. 'That's why DINK families should be taxed.'

Hu also supported the idea of a 'fertility fund' floated by two academics where the government should tax working adults below the age of 40 to subsidise families having a second child.

A professor at China University of Political Science and Law said in an interview that the Chinese government should consider imposing a 'no child tax' on families without children

The childbirth fund proposal was published on Tuesday in Xinhua Daily, a government-backed newspaper in east China's Jiangsu province and was co-authored by Nanjing University economic professors Liu Zhibiao and Zhang Ye.

The article, titled 'Boosting fertility: a new task for China's population development in the New Era', stated that all citizens below the age of 40, regardless of gender, should contribute a certain percentage of their salary each year to the birth fund.

'Families having a second child can apply to draw money from the fund as compensation for the income loss the woman and her family incur during the maternity period,' the authors proposed.

'If a family decides to not have a second child, the couple can withdraw the money deposited in the fund upon retirement,' the article stated, adding that the government should immediately remove all birth limits as a short-term response to the country's declining birthrate.

The suggestions come amid a nationwide campaign to encourage families to have more children in a country that has just stepped away from a four-decade long one-child policy.

The Chinese government is now encouraging families to have more children in a bid to tackle the country's demographic crisis with falling birth rates and an ageing population

The proposals sparked furious debates on social media among Chinese citizens, who were growing tired of drastic changes in the country's family planning policies.

Many slammed that the 'no child tax' is outright unreasonable while others condemned that the fertility fund is unfair to families who prefer having less than two children.

'People were fined and forced to get abortions when the country didn't want children. Now, they're forced to have more children and could even get taxed. What a ridiculous proposal!' one commented. 'Should people who were fined during the one-child policy era get their money back?'

'What kind of expert is this? There are many reasons for a couple to decide against having a second child, such as health, wrong timing, etc. He is overgeneralising.'

The topic page with the title 'Taxation on DINK families' received more than 83 million views on Twitter-like Weibo.

State broadcaster CCTV on Friday criticised the idea of a fertility fund, calling it an 'unreasonable' and 'absurd suggestion' in an online opinion piece.

A new stamp (above) with three piglets has sparked speculation of a new birth-control policy

'We can encourage birth through promotion or formulating incentive policy, but we cannot punish those families with no kid or few kids in the name of 'establishing a birth fund,' the commentary said. 'Taxation is not the answer to everything.'

Beijing abandoned the controversial rule in 2016 to allow all families to have two children, but the country's birth rate last year dropped to a 'shockingly low level' instead, contrary to the government's expectations.

Currently, even if parents are permitted by law to have more children, many decided against doing so because raising a child has become too expensive.

The surprising outcome has prompted the government to roll out policies including government subsidies and tax reductions in recent months for eligible couples in a bid to rejuvenate its greying population and shrinking workforce that could threaten its economy.

For example, all of the 'second child' in Xianning in central China could enjoy free tuition fees when they go to the kindergarten, according to a latest government document released in early August.

China abandoned its one-child police in 2016 to allow families to have two children (file photo)

Couples in Xianning could enjoy extra housing benefits from the government and a better mortgage rate when buying a new home, reported BJNews. Second-time mothers there could also have an extended maternity leave up to six months, the report said.

The Shihezi city in north-west China's Xinjiang Province launched five new incentives in June for families who are having a second child, including up to 1,000 yuan (113) subsidisation to help pay off the mother's hospital bills, reported The Paper.

Speculations emerged last week after China Post released a set of new zodiac stamps depicting a happy pig family with three piglets. Critics claimed that parents might soon be able to have three children.

Last year, the number of births in mainland China slipped 3.5 per cent to 17.23 million, compared with 17.86 million in 2016; while the birth rate - the number of live births per thousand of population per year - dropped from 12.95 in 2016 to 12.43, according to the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

In comparison, the birth rate of India - the world's second populous country after China - was 19 per thousand people in 2017. India's population is expected to surpass that of China in 2024, according to a UN forecast.
Britain is pulling the plug on aid to Syrian rebels in an apparent admission that the war against Bashar Assad is lost.

Projects in the north west of the country have been declared 'unsustainable' by the Foreign Office and Department for International Development.

An attempt to create an independent police force is due to be scrapped next month, while schemes funding local councils are expected to be halted by the end of the financial year, according to The Times.

The northwest of Syria is the last major region still held by rebels, but they are struggling to cling on against Assad's military, which is backed by Russian forces.

The UK has been supplying aid, armoured vehicles and training to Syrian rebels. Pictured are fighters resisting Assad's forces in Idlib in 2012

The UK has been supplying armoured vehicles and training to the Syrian opposition since 2013, and last year spent 150million on humanitarian aid in the country. Ministers have been insisting for years that the president must be ousted for abuses of his own people, including the use of chemical weapons.

A government spokesman said today: 'As the situation on the ground in some regions has become increasingly difficult, we have reduced support for some of our non-humanitarian programming, but continue to deliver vital support to help those most in need and to improve security and stability in the country.'

Medical aid and the White Helmets are not expected to be affected by the decision.

A BBC Panorama programme last year claimed the police project was being subverted by jihadist forces in the region.

The move emerged after the US State Department said last week that it was cutting $230million from its budget to stabilise areas of Syria captured from ISIS.

It insisted the funding had been offset by $300m in extra contributions from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other allies.

Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said last week that more money was being pumped into emergency aid for northern Syria.

'The UK is extremely concerned about escalating military action by Assad and his backers on almost three million civilians who have sought shelter in Idlib and surrounding areas,' he said.

The conflict in Syria has killed an estimated half a million people, driven more than 5.5 million people out of the country and displaced over 6.5 million within it.
Furious neighbours are speaking out about the impacts of an Exclusive Brethren church opening up on their suburban street.

Some residents of the quiet city suburb of Lysterfield in Melbourne are reportedly considering cutting their loses and moving from their home.

'I think they're very strange,' local pensioners Denise and Roger told A Current Affair.

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Plymouth Brethren and the Exclusive Brethren are a church which restrict their contact with the outside world and modern technology. They are opening a sect in the quaint Melbourne suburb of Lysterfield

The couple were concerned the quaint street will be banked up with cars for the religious service.

Plymouth Brethren and the Exclusive Brethren are a church which restrict their contact with the outside world and modern technology.

Their core beliefs originated from Anglicanism in the early 1820s.

Because of the nature of the area, the church does not need a planning permit to erect the church.

Town planner Associate Professor Andrew Butt said: Residential areas aren't just for housing. They're for small shops, neighbourhood schools, and in this case, a church.'

It is set to be home to 85 worshipers - but they only have car spots for 26.

'We're all nice people here, we're friendly, but when there's traffic there's just going to be chaos leading in and out of our street,' another local said.

Plymouth Brethren Christian Church spokesman Sam McKechnie said: 'We have met with many of them face-to-face in their homes and explained that the site will include off-street parking sufficient to accommodate all worshippers' vehicles.'

Concerned locals Denise (right) and Roger (left) said street will be banked up with cars for the religious service

The brethren has an international community of 46,000.

Members of the sect believe they are chosen by God and are waiting for the Rapture - a moment when the 'saints on earth' will be moved onto the next life, while those who aren't pure remain on earth.

According to former member and famed Australian nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton Believers live in constant fear of the 'wrath of God' from a young age and cannot have toys, pets or association from people from other groups.
Chelsea Clinton publicizing her book in Scotland. She said she has not ruled out running for office in the future

Chelsea Clinton has said she has not ruled out running for office in the future, although she described a move into politics as a 'definite no now'.

She told the Edinburgh International Book Festival that while she 'abhorred' Donald Trump's presidency, she has no current plans to follow in her parents' footsteps.

She strongly criticized the US leader on issues such as the separation of children from their parents at the Mexican border, branding the policy 'the greatest sin of the moment'.

'At federal level as much as I abhor so much of what President Trump is doing, I have a great amount of gratitude for what my congresswoman and my senators are doing to try to stop him at every point,' Clinton said.

'While I disagree with the President, other offices that I could run for I think my family  is being really well represented, but if that were to change, if my city councillor were to retire, if my congresswoman were to retire, my senators, and I thought that I could make a positive impact, then I think I would really have to ask my answer to that question.

'For me it's a definite no now but it's a definite maybe in the future because who knows what the future is going to bring?'

Clinton, who was promoting her children's book on women who have persisted against adversity, was also asked about how her mother Hillary Clinton had handled the loss of the 2016 presidential election.

'She just has continued to persist forward in trying to have a positive impact in politics and outside politics in the way that I have seen her do my entire life,' she said.

'Of course it's not the way I wish she would be doing that because I think she would've been a uniquely extraordinary president, but I'm not remotely surprised that she hasn't pulled the covers over her head because that's just not who my mom is.'

Chelsea plugged her book when talking about how her mother has 'persisted' since her election loss

Chelsea said how much she 'abhors' much of what President Trump is doing and is 'outraged every day by something our president has done or said or left undone or neglected'

She added: 'I'm outraged every day by something our president has done or said or left undone or neglected, or who he has recently bullied on Twitter or television.

'For me, sometimes, I think I'm just so fundamentally my mother's daughter that I'm far more outraged by the Trump administration ripping children away from their families at the border and not having reunified those children with their families now for months, than I am about anything he has ever done to my families.'

She continued: 'In some ways I think this is the greatest sin of the moment in our country and we very much are doing everything we can to stop this from happening.'

Chelsea Clinton was just 12 when her father Bill Clinton (pictured) became president

Clinton, who was just 12 when her father Bill Clinton entered the White House, spoke of how critics made fun of her looks and referred to her as a dog.

'I feel incredibly protective of Barron Trump, who is now 12 years old, the same age that I was,' she said.

'I disagree with his father on everything but people have made fun of, bullied him, for his appearance, or for him being more private.

'Equally I have no patience for that because he's a child and he deserves a childhood as every child does.'
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A porcelain pot that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima completely intact has sold at auction for 3,250.

It was among a number of items up for grabs on Saturday, which also included a set of haunting photos snapped by an American GI which show the devastating aftermath of the 1945 atomic bomb on the Japanese city.

The pot, which consists of a small white jar and lid, also has a chunk of melted glass welded to the side of it as a result of the explosion.

The macabre relic is a grim reminder of the furnace-like heat caused by the explosion that killed 150,000 people in 1945.

It sold at Henry Aldridge & Son of Devizes, Wilts, for three times its estimated price.

A porcelain pot with molten glass melted onto the side of caused by the Hiroshima atomic bomb is just one of the relics from the disaster set to go to auction

Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wilts, said: 'This pot shows the horrific, raw power the Atomic bomb created.

'The glass stuck to the side of it had melted to goo and was flung towards the pot and solidified.

'When you think that glass melts at temperatures of 1,000 fahrenheit, it gives you some idea of the intense heat the bomb caused.

'The photographs of Hiroshima are very apocalyptic and virtually everything in them is flattened.

'They have come to us from the estate of David Gainsborough-Roberts who was one of Europe's leading collectors of the eclectic.'

The small jar was picked up by an Allied soldier weeks after the world's first nuclear bomb wiped out the Japanese city and brought an end to the Second World War.

The jar was sold as part of an eclectic collection kept by a British man, David Gainsborough-Roberts.

The photographs sold alongside it show the haunting aftermath of the nuclear bomb.

The black and white images show an apocalyptic landscape as far as the eye can see with virtually every building flattened and barely a soul around.

Buildings were left completely flattened by the atomic bomb blast, which is estimated to have killed around 150,000 people

Pictures taken shortly after the blast in Hiroshima are also set to go to auction. The lots are expected to fetch as much as 1,200

The lots were some of a number of items that belonged to the late David Gainsborough-Roberts, from Jersey.

Hiroshima was bombed on August 6, 1945 and was shortly followed by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, which killed an estimated 80,000.

This aerial view shows the damage caused by the blast as only a few buildings remains standing following the bomb attack, which was launched by America

Virtually no-one is in sight and rubble remains strewn across the ground following the bomb blast. A single tree, which has all its leaves taken off, remains standing

A picture of one of the rivers in Hiroshima, which undoubtely would have been badly polluted following the bomb blast. The attack on Hiroshima took place on August 6. By August 15, Japan had surrended to the allied force

On August 15, 1945, Japan surrender to allied forces which effectively brought about the end of the war.

The legal ramifications of the bombings are still debated to this day, but America claim it helped hasten Japan's decision to surrender.

Critics claim it was simply a matter of time before Japanese forces gave up, as Germany had issued their surrender to allied forces months earlier on May 8, 1945.

Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wilts, said: 'This pot shows the horrific, raw power the Atomic bomb created.

Hiroshima was bombed on August 6, 1945 and was shortly followed by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, which killed an estimated 80,000. The extent of the damage is shown above, as the internal structure of this building is completely mangled

Very few people were present following the bombing in August 1945. The area was deserted, but these images show a number of people walking around the rubble

'The glass stuck to the side of it had melted to goo and was flung towards the pot and solidified.

'When you think that glass melts at temperatures of 1,000F, it gives you some idea of the intense heat the bomb caused.

'The photographs of Hiroshima are very apocalyptic and virtually everything in them flattened.

'They have come to us from the estate of David Gainsborough-Roberts who was one of Europe's leading collectors of the eclectic.'
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday met with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa.

During Nin Novoa's stay in China, the two sides will sign cooperation documents on the Belt and Road Initiative, service trade and other fields. Wang said this demonstrates Uruguay's strategic vision on developing ties with China.

The two sides should maintain all-round exchanges and continue to support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, Wang said.

China hopes that Uruguay will continue to exert its positive influence and promote China's dialogue and cooperation with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) to achieve new progress, he said.

Nin Novoa said Uruguay is the first country in the Mercosur that signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative with China, and Uruguay is ready to take this as an opportunity to help China and the Mercosur countries to build closer ties.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Britons going on a bank holiday getaway face a 'perfect storm' of transport chaos thanks to major train stations being closed, airport strikes and roadworks.

One of the biggest ever August bank holiday rail engineering schedules will see 9,600 Network Rail workers carry out more than 400 works costing 84million.

Britain's fifth busiest station London Euston will be closed for the whole weekend, with west coast main line passengers told to avoid all but essential rail travel.

Other towns and cities which will be affected by works this weekend include Derby, Coventry, Birmingham, Manchester, Wigan, Preston and Blackburn.

Meanwhile Highways England said 300 miles of roadworks will be lifted for the weekend, but they will still be in place on 3 per cent of motorways and A-roads.

And Highways England roadworks lists showed more than 150 sets of roadworks caused delays of more than 30 minutes, clogging roads last week.

Meanwhile holidaymakers flying out from the North West face chaos after staff at Liverpool John Lennon Airport voted to strike for 36 hours over a pay offer.

The move by the GMB union means 80 workers from firefighting services, control room, engineering and airport bird control will walk out during the weekend.

There are also fears of more two hour-plus passport control queues at London Heathrow Airport for non-European passengers, as happened last month.

Network Rail is urging West Coast main line passengers to avoid all but essential rail travel to and from the capital over the three weekends due to the problems at London Euston

There will be buses on some routes between Manchester and Wigan North Western / Preston / Blackburn from Saturday to next Friday due to engineering works

Travel expert Ian Baldry said: 'It's a perfect storm of travel problems combining for the bank holiday weekend. This is the worst-ever summer for UK travel problems.'

It's a perfect storm of travel problems combining for the bank holiday weekend. This is the worst-ever summer for UK travel problems Ian Baldry, travel expert

Mr Baldry, the owner of IBPTS travel consultants, added: 'Rail engineering works are taking place over three weekends. Add in strikes, timetable change chaos and hot weather delays.

'Fare rises are the cherry on the cake. Passengers are fuming. Rail works are forcing more people onto roads, worsening road congestion, while roadworks affect holidaymakers and commuters.'

Euston is being closed for three consecutive weekends, with no trains to or from the London station the weekend just gone, August 25-27 and September 1-2.

The 200 million investment to transform the track and signalling through the Derby station area will continue over the bank holiday weekend

It is part of an upgrade plan, which includes Network Rail replacing North Wembley junction - a major intersection on Europe's busiest mixed-use railway.

This weekend's train trouble at a glance No trains to/from London Euston from Saturday 25 to Monday 27

from Saturday 25 to Monday 27 Buses on some routes between Manchester and Wigan North Western / Preston / Blackburn from Saturday 25 to Friday 31

and / / from Saturday 25 to Friday 31 Amended service at Birmingham International and Coventry from Saturday 25 August until 12pm on Monday 27 August

and from Saturday 25 August until 12pm on Monday 27 August Major project to improve the track and signalling at Derby Advertisement

Martin Frobisher, managing director for the London North Western route, said: 'There is never an ideal time to shut the railway but these three weekends are the least disruptive times to do it.

'We have worked together for the past three years with train operators to carefully plan this closure of the railway in a way that minimises impact on customers.

'It's vital the track at North Wembley is replaced to continue to safely meet the huge demand of passenger and freight rail services on the West Coast main line. This work will result in better, more reliable journeys in future.'

Peter Broadley, executive director for customer, operations and safety at Virgin Trains on the West Coast line, said: 'With no services in to or out of Euston we strongly advise our customers to avoid travelling to London on the days affected.

'We know this will impact on people's travel plans, particularly over a bank holiday weekend, so we encourage customers to plan ahead and where possible travel at other times.'

There will be a replacement of track near Coventry, intending to improve service reliability

While trains are not running out of Euston, alternative options include rail replacement buses and tickets being valid on other reasonable journeys.

Bruce Williamson, a spokesman for campaign group Railfuture, said: 'It's undeniable that rail passengers will be frustrated by summer's engineering works, cancelled trains, fare rises and strikes.'

It's undeniable that rail passengers will be frustrated by summer's engineering works, cancelled trains, fare rises and strikes Bruce Williamson, Railfuture

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents rail firms, said: 'Improvement work is timed to minimise disruption and will enable thousands more services to run each week by the early 2020s.'

Andy Thomas, Network Rail's managing director of England and Wales, said: 'This bank holiday weekend, thousands of rail workers across Britain will be delivering essential improvements that will lead to faster, better services and help relieve over-crowding to respond to the huge growth on Britain's railways.

'While it will be business as usual on most of the network, we urge all passengers to check before they travel.'
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said she will introduce legislation blocking a pay rise to the country's politicians - including herself.

Politicians in New Zealand were due a three per cent pay rise starting in September, as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Authority.

This would have seen Ms Ardern take home an extra NZ$14,131.47, which is roughly AU$12,810 or 7325.12. She already earns NZ$427,072 a year.

As recommended by the independent Remuneration Authority politicians would be given a three per cent pay rise in September dating back to July 1

The pay rise would have given Ms Arden's cabinet colleagues a pay rise worth more than NZ$8,000.

Backbenchers would have seen an extra NZ$4,456 in their bank account every year.

Ms Ardern said: 'Because we, of course, already are on a high income  one of the things we've been trying to bridge as a government is the fact that we see these increases at the top end of the scale, without the same increase at the end of the scale where most New Zealanders sit.

'Now, this move doesn't save a lot of money in the scheme of things, but it does send, we believe, a strong signal about what our government values, what we stand for, and our determination of course to make sure that the economy is working for everyone.'

The prime minister added that the method used to determine the pay increase was 'not acceptable'.

However, the independent body has no control over the formula.

This would see the country's top politician take home an extra NZ$14,131.47, which is roughly AU$12,810 or 7325.12 (Pictured: NZ Parliament)

This is not the first time that a New Zealand prime minister has passed a law to cut a pay rise, with Sir John Key doing so in 2015.

Ms Ardern said New Zealand opposition leader Simon Bridges was 'supportive' of the freeze.

The prime minister said she was committed to finding a fairer formula for the Remuneration Authority.
A group of scuba divers sparked outrage after they filmed themselves riding an endangered whale shark.

The men were diving in Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia, earlier this month when one of them mounted the majestic marine creature.

Footage shows one of the divers laid on the whale's back grabbing the sides of its head before signalling 'ok' the camera. Two of the men were holding onto the whale's sides.

The group of scuba divers were in Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia, when one of them mounted the whale shark and grabbed its head. He then made an 'ok' sign to the camera (pictured)

The diver, who has been identified as a local businessman, was arrested when back on shore and fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said the situation 'has been handled'

Outraged environmentalists complained and the authorities identified the group involved. The man seen riding the whale was later arrested and identified as a local businessman.

Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said: 'It has been handled, and the perpetrator has been arrested.'

Whale sharks are protected in Indonesia which has seen declining numbers in the wild. Their slow movement makes them an easy target for hunters and they are often killed accidentally by fishing trawlers.

Marine laws in the country prevent divers from touching the creatures as they can get hurt easily.

Scuba enthusiasts are also ordered to keep a distance of at least three feet from the animals.

Campaign Coordinator WWF-Indonesia, Dwi Aryo Tjiptohandono, said: 'Whale sharks are animals whose existence is protected by the Regulation of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

Whale sharks are protected in Indonesia which has seen declining numbers in the wild. Marine laws prevent divers from touching the creatures as they can become hurt easily

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that whale sharks are one of the animals listed on the Red List and endangered, making the scuba divers video even more 'unfortunate'

'If a whale shark is injured or injured, then it can lead to death.

'Because it only eats small fish like anchovies, so many think this whale shark is tame. Even though in essence he is a wild animal, although in general it is not harmful to humans.'

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that whale sharks are one of the animals listed on the Red List and endangered.

Environmental activist Rachmad Saleh said: 'It's too stupid, claiming to be a diver but acting ridiculous. It's a shame.

'One form of sanctions that will be imposed on the perpetrators is that there will be sanctions if they will enter the conservation area. Their license is also threatened to be revoked.

'Whale sharks are protected because they are being threatened with extinction. so if someone behaves like in a video it is very unfortunate.'
One year after first claiming they introduced microchipping to its employees, a Wisconsin company insists its workers are loving it.

About 80 of the 250 employees at Three Square Market in River Falls have reportedly now had a microchip the size of a large grain of rice implanted in their hands.

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips are used to make purchases in the breakroom, sign into computers and access the building.

'Its just become such a part of my routine,' Steve Kassekert, vice president of finance, told Technology Review.

The chips cost about $300, which is paid for by Three Square Market.

Critics cite concerns including data theft, lack of privacy and risk of infection from implants.

About 80 of the 250 employees at Three Square Market in River Falls, Wisconsin have had an RFID microchip the size of a large grain of rice implanted in their hands, and they're loving it

The idea came from a trip to Sweden in 2017, McMullan said.

Nearly 3,000 of the country's 10 million residents have opted for microchip implants, using them for such varied purposes as buying train tickets, accessing printers and vending machines, and getting into buildings, the AFP reported in May.

'In Sweden, people are very comfortable with technology,' Swedish microbiologist Ben Libberton said.

'I would say there is less resistance to new technology here than in most other places.'

Tony Danna (left), vice president of international development at Three Square Market in River Falls, Wisconsin, reacts while getting a microchip implanted in his left hand at company headquarters on August 1, 2017

HOW DO THEY WORK? Each chip has been implanted between the thumb and forefinger underneath the skin. Users of the chip will scan their items at a break room market kiosk and hit pay with a credit card. Chip users will then hold their hands up, similar to how consumers pay for products using their smartphones, and it'll pay for the product. Officials said the data in the microchip is encrypted and does not use GPS, so it cannot be used to track employees or obtain private information. Advertisement

The US business specializing in custom break room markets first launched the RFID chip option for its employees on August 1, 2017 with about 41 employees, including company vice president of international developmen Tony Danna and president Patrick McMullan.

'You get used to it; its easy,' McMullan said.

At that time, the company only had 85 employees. A few more opted in later, bringing the initial opt-in number to about 50.

Over the past year, 30 more have signed on out of the now-250-strong staff, and just two have opted to have the chips removed, McMullan said.

They did so when they left the company.

For about one-third of the individuals with the company now, the RFID chips seem to be a welcome convenience, with software Sam Bengtson saying he uses his chip 10 to 15 times each day.

Implanted between the thumb and forefinger, the RFID chips work by transmitting information when they're scanned by readers.

At Three Square Market, many chips are connected to employee accounts, so workers can purchase food and beverages with the swipe of a hand rather than the swipe of a card, and funds are automatically deducted to cover the cost of the items.

Users of the chip scan their items at a break room market kiosk and hit pay with a credit card.

Chip users can then hold their hands up near an RFID reader, similar to how consumers pay for products using their smartphones, and a transaction providing payment for the product(s) purchased is completed.

This function presents privacy and security concerns, both at work and elsewhere.

One potential risk scenario involves an unauthorized person with an RFID reader trying to scan a chip to see what's on it.

McMullan said his chip contains identifying information to grant him access to the building and basic medical information, and that only some of the data on his chip is encrypted.

For about one-third of the individuals still at the company, the RFID chips seem to be a welcome convenience, with software Sam Bengtson saying he uses his chip 10 to 15 times each day; Three Square Market CEO Todd Westby is shown here gaining access to the company's office in River Falls, Wisconsin with the microchip implanted in his hand

Concerns over unencrypted data being acquired by a third party have been raised before, related to the possibility of credit card numbers being skimmed from cards equipped with RFID chips.

This led to companies selling RFID-blocking wallets, but the demand for that kind of protection never quite seemed to catch on, according to Slate.

McMullan isn't bothered by the possibility, either, arguing that any information a third party would get from reading his RFID chip is the same kind of information someone could get from his wallet.

That may be true for now, but it might not be in the future.

'At the moment, the data collected and shared by implants is small,' Libberton said, speaking of how the chips are used in Sweden. '

'But it's likely that this will increase.'

In terms of privacy within the workplace, Nick Anderson, an associate professor in public health sciences at the University of California, Davis, points out the chips could provide Three Square Markets with extensive information about an employee's daily activities, in general.

Other factors to consider include the medical risks that comes along with implanting a foreign object in our bodies.

Twenty-eight year-old Ulrika Celsing told the AFP that when she got a microchip implanted in Sweden, she felt only a slight sting.

Melissa Timmins, vice president of sales at 32M, said she was initially apprehensive but decided to give the chip a chance in August of 2017.

'I planned for the worst and it wasn't bad at all,' Timmins said at the time. 'Just a little prick.'

But Libberton warned beyond the initial implantation, these chips could cause 'infections or reactions of the immune system.'

Three Square Market's marketing executive Katie Langer, who chose not to have a chip implanted citing those health concerns.

If other employees are concerned about these things, though, any hesitations seemed to be outweighed by the convenience.

For those already swiping their hands over RFID readers to buy their morning coffee and log in to their workstations, another thing to think about is whether the chip will need to be updated at any point as technology changes.

'There may need to be adare I sayupgrade program, or something like that,' Bengtson said.

'Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.,' Three Square Market's CEO Todd Westby said.

Westby added that, for those wondering, 'there's no GPS tracking at all.'

The chip received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2004, Langer noted.
While helping out a man passed out behind the wheel at a California McDonald's drive-thru, police were shocked to find a massive stash of methamphetamine inside his vehicle.

Police arrived to the McDonald's drive-thru in Fullerton to help the man around 2.34am, early Sunday morning.

After a search they found 96 grams of methamphetamine in the car's glove compartment.

California police arrested a man they found passed out at a drive-thru with 96 grams of meth

Cops discovered the stash in the glove compartment and believe he intended to sell as he was found with a miniature scale and plastic bags

Officers also found several items indicating that the man intended to sell the drug.

The meth was packaged in individual bags, a large portion stowed in a plastic bucket, and a miniature scale and plastic bags were also found in the car.

Police have not released further information on his arrest.
A minister admitted today that up to 20 jails are gripped by drugs and violence - as a watchdog accused the government of being 'asleep at the wheel' amid spiralling problems.

Prisons minister Rory Stewart raised fears about the scope of chaos on the system after HMP Birmingham was taken back under public control.

Chief inspector Peter Clarke has delivered a shocking assessment of conditions at the Midlands jail, saying inmates were openly taking drugs, carrying out assaults and behaving with 'near impunity'.

He warned that the institution - run by G4S on a 15-year, 30million private contract - was in 'a state of crisis' and host to 'appalling violence and squalor'.

The situation is so out of hand that inmates are roaming around unchecked while 'fearful' staff lock themselves in their offices or sleep when they should be on patrol, he said.

In the face of the appalling findings, Justice Secretary David Gauke has taken the dramatic step of moving the jail back into Government control for at least six months.

And Mr Stewart conceded today that 'as many as 20' other prisons are struggling with similar issues, with drugs the 'big driver'.

A shocking report has revealed staff have lost control of prisoners in one of Britain's biggest prisons in Birmingham. Pictured: Prisoners gleefully pose with guard's helmets during a prison riot in 2016

A new governor has been appointed, 30 extra staff moved in and 300 inmates moved out.

Mr Gauke insisted there would be no additional cost to the taxpayer.

But the scathing assessment of conditions at the Category B prison  the first in the public sector to be privatised  is a major blow and will spark intense concern about the state of our jails.

Speaking this morning, Mr Clarke suggested ministers had been 'asleep at the wheel'.

Eight deaths and a string of dire warnings has forced the Government to re-nationalise prison The decision to seize back control of Birmingham Prison is the culmination of months of increasingly dire warnings. Campaigners told of chronic overcrowding and surging violence in chaotic, drug-soaked institutions. Shocking images regularly posted online highlight how inmates are taking advantage of acute low staffing and spiralling morale. As well as smuggling in mobile phones, illicit substances and other luxury items, many boast about their 'easy life' behind bars. Contraband is often delivered using drones, 32 of which have been seized in just six months  more than one a week. Advertisement

'How is it that in 18 months a prison which is supposedly being run under the auspices of a tightly-managed contract, how has that been allowed to deteriorate?' he said.

'There are Ministry of Justice officials on-site permanently, and yet somehow there seems to have been some sort of institutional inertia that has allowed this prison to deteriorate to this completely unacceptable state.'

Asked whether the MoJ had failed, Mr Clarke told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think that's the only reasonable conclusion you can come to.'

He added: 'It cannot be the case that the only time urgent action is taken to restore decency in a prison is when an inspection report is published, surely somebody must have been asleep at the wheel?'

In an interview with LBC radio, Mr Stewart suggested the issues were much wider than Birmingham.

He said he lost 'confidence' in G4S after visiting the prison recently.

'My decision when I visited the prison last week was that this wasn't enough and that we were going to have to step in and take full management control because I no longer had confidence,' he said.

A series of dire reports have already suggested that prisons are mired in chronic overcrowding, surging violence and rampant drug abuse.

Tory ministers now face a battle to the party's reputation on law and order.

Mr Clarke's report, following an unannounced inspection at the end of July and start of August, assessed the 1400-place jail in Birmingham to be failing in every one of the criteria. It found:

Birmingham was the most violent prison in England and Wales and thugs could act with 'near impunity'.

Inmates intimidated staff without consequence and 'routinely disregarded the rules'. There was a 'general lack of order' on some wings.

Staff were 'fearful' and locked themselves in offices - or slept - when they should have been on patrol.

Blatant drug use went unpunished and prison officers simply shrugged their shoulders when challenged by inspectors.

Trafficking of illegal substances including Spice was 'blatant' and drug use so widespread inspectors felt 'physically affected' by cannabis smoke in the air.

50 high risk criminals are due to be released in the next three months, and measures to protect the public are 'very poor'.

The prison was filthy, infested with rats and cockroaches and blood and vomit not cleaned up.

The lack of security at the jail  the scene of a major riot in 2016  was highlighted during the inspection itself when there was an arson attack on a supposedly secure car park in which inspectors' cars were destroyed.

Warning of 'high levels of 'violence and delinquency', Mr Clarke said serious assaults had left staff and inmates needing hospital treatment.

A 'wholly inadequate' response meant most attacks were ignored and investigations eventually dropped. Bullied prisoners hid in their cells for fear of attack, with many emerging for just one hour a day to have a shower.

The report said: 'Throughout our investigation we observed a prison where control was tenuous...with wing staff often not knowing where their prisoners were at any one time.

'There was a general lack of order on some wings and the movement of prisoners from place to place within the prison lacked sufficient control.'

One in three prisoners were on drugs and one in seven said they had started using since being locked up.

Mr Clarke said the 'use and trafficking of illegal substances was blatant' but staff did nothing about it.

Staff have been beaten up by marauding prisoners, guards hiding in offices and drugs are openly taken as ministers take back control of the prison. Pictured: Lawless inmates during a riot inside the facility in 2016

Chief inspector Peter Clarke (pictured left giving a round of broadcast interviews today) said the government had been 'asleep at the wheel' while the crisis developed. Prisons minister Rory Stewart (pictured right) said as many as 20 other prisons faced similar problems

The report said: 'When inspectors raised the fact that drugs were clearly being smoked on a wing, the response from staff was to shrug.'

Condemning 'innefective' leadership and management, Mr Clarke said staff were 'anxious and fearful' as they did their jobs.

'We saw prisoners behaving poorly or intimidating staff and other prisoners without challenge and staff were ineffective in maintaining even basic standards.

'It was often difficult to find officers, although we did find some asleep during prisoner lock up-periods. On more than one occasion we found groups of staff who had locked themselves in their offices.'

During the unannounced inspection, inspectors found piles of rubbish left to fester in 'filthy' communal areas, rats, cockroaches and blood and vomit not cleaned up.

Dozens of dangerous criminals will be released in the next three months after staff 'failed to deal with high-risk criminals' The public are at risk from around 50 dangerous criminals to be released from crisis-hit HMP Birmingham in the next three months, inspectors warned. The report said that between August and November the criminals assessed as posing a 'high risk of harm' would walk free at the end of their sentences. But inspectors said they were 'greatly concerned' about what would happen when they were released. They wrote: 'Birmingham held and frequently released men who were assessed as posing a high risk of harm to others. Between August and November this year, 50 high-risk men are due to be released and we were greatly concerned that measures to protect the public from those men  while in prison and on release  were very poor.' The report also found that risk assessments for inmates were not up to date and criticised staff for failing to deal with high-risk criminals. Sex offenders were also unable to access rehabilitation courses. Advertisement

A pool of blood was left for two days in a shower area, inspectors found.

Ministry of Justice sources said the decision to 'step in' at the jail had in train for some considerable period, and insisted the other four G4S prisons were performing well.

But one Whitehall source told the Mail the decision had been made in recent days in response to the catastrophic findings of the report.

Mr Clarke issued an 'urgent notification' to the Ministry of Justice last Friday in a letter to Mr Gauke setting out the failings at the jail.

G4S took over the prison in 2011 when HMP Birmingham became the first publicly run prison to be privatised.

It is only the latest in a string of scandals to affect the controversial firm. Most notoriously, in 2012, it botched the security of the Olympic Games leaving the Government to summon the Armed Forces to fill the gaps.

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said: 'What we have seen at Birmingham is unacceptable and it has become clear that drastic action is required to bring about the improvements we require.'

Jerry Petherick, managing director of G4S said: 'HMP Birmingham is an inner-city remand prison which faces exceptional challenges including increasingly high levels of prisoner violence towards staff and fellow prisoners.

'The well-being and safety of prisoners and prison staff is our key priority and we welcome the six month step-in and the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Justice to urgently address the issues faced at the prison.'

Built in 1849, HMP Birmingham is a category B facility for adult male inmates and had a population of 1,269 at the end of last month.

Today prisons minister Rory Stewart MP was grilled on the crisis at HMP Birmingham by Jeremy Kyle and Kate Garraway during an interview on Good Morning Briain this morning.

They quizzed him on why the Government had not taken over from G4S before now, as issues of overcrowding, drug use, self harm and violence have been 'going on for years'.

Mr Stewart told the programme: 'So you're right, it's absolutely shocking. I visited last week and saw for myself, the chief inspector of prisons and the secretary of state have also visited.

'The two main drivers of this are that there was a riot at Birmingham prison 18 months ago and they've never really recovered from that. They've brought in a new team, they've tried to stabilise.

'The other thing along with the riot is new psychoactive substances, new types of drugs that are causing problems.'

Host Kate Garraway pointed out that an ex-gang member who appeared on the show on the same morning said 'prisons are no longer the deterrent they used to be'.

Mr Stewart responded: 'It is a horrible thing to hear.

'Prisons are very challenging environments. Prison is not a comfortable place to go.

'But there are some people in this country who come from such challenged backgrounds that they don't find prison the deterrent that it should be.

'And that's why we need to work with them in every single way to turn their lives around, because that's the way we're going to protect the public.

'That's education, that's work, but there's an element of punishment that needs to be addressed here.'

** Do you or your relatives have any experiences of life inside Birmingham Prison? Please email: tips@mailonline.co.uk **

Prison riots, a botched Olympics and 'unprecedented levels' of complaints but security firm G4S is STILL charging taxpayers BILLIONS of pounds

A litany of scandals has not stopped G4S pocketing billions of pounds from taxpayers over the last decade.

The world's largest security company has been repeatedly exposed over failures in prisons, tagging, security services and patient transport.

It even botched the security of the 2012 Olympics leaving the Government to summon the Armed Forces to fill the gaps.

MPs called on ministers to rethink any future contracts as critics said the outsourcing giant had effectively become a 'private army' of the State.

The firm was then hit with a 109million bill after it was revealed it had overcharged the Government during a contract to monitor electronic tags.

The world's largest security company has been repeatedly exposed over failures in prisons, tagging, security services and patient transport (Security pictured at Wimbledon 2014)

Incredibly, senior staff continued to bill the taxpayer for watching over criminals who were dead, in prison or had left the country.

But the high-profile and embarrassing problems appeared to have little to no impact on the company's bottom line.

Executives continued to receive lucrative public-sector contracts, posting a significant rise in profits last year and overall revenue of almost 8billion.

However, the collapse of rival Carillion wiped significant chunks off the share value off it and other public-sector contractors.

And don't forget jails where drones fly in steaks

By Chris Greenwood, chief crime correspondent

The decision to seize back control of Birmingham Prison is the culmination of months of increasingly dire warnings.

Campaigners told of chronic overcrowding and surging violence in chaotic, drug-soaked institutions.

Shocking images regularly posted online highlight how inmates are taking advantage of acute low staffing and spiralling morale.

As well as smuggling in mobile phones, illicit substances and other luxury items, many boast about their 'easy life' behind bars.

Contraband is often delivered using drones, 32 of which have been seized in just six months  more than one a week.

Incredibly, it was recently revealed prisoners in Cheshire were cooking sausages, bacon, fish and steaks simply thrown over the fence.

Specialist teams have been sent in to quell explosions of violence including at Birmingham following a 15-hour riot in 2016.

Officials have condemned conditions in the nation's prisons as the 'most disturbing' ever seen. Just a few weeks ago inspectors said jails were rife with violence, drugs, suicide and self-harm.

One report said the living standards in some institutions 'have no place in an advanced nation in the 21st century'.

Chief inspector Peter Clarke singled out conditions at HMP Liverpool, where some convicts were forced to live in damp cells with exposed electrical wiring and infested with rats and cockroaches.

Standards at HMP Nottingham, a Category B prison, were so bad it was feared this was driving inmates to kill themselves. Eight men had taken their own lives in the two years to January.

Amid concerns staff cannot cope with chronic overcrowding, jails have been hit by record levels of assaults and self-harm.

Figures show the number of attacks on staff and inmates has doubled since 2012 to a record 29,485 last year  or one every 18 minutes. Incidents of self-harm also rose from 23,158 in 2012 to 44,651 last year. Meanwhile, the number of prison officers has fallen by 8,000  nearly 20 per cent  since 2010.

In January Mr Clarke used new powers to demand ministers improve a 'fundamentally unsafe' jail.

He issued an 'urgent notification', requiring the Justice Secretary to make an action plan to tackle 'serious failures' at HMP Nottingham.

Rattled by the scale of the crisis engulfing jails in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has been busy trying to re-establish control.

Last week prisons minister Rory Stewart said he would resign in a year if he does not reduce drug and violence levels at ten target jails.

He made the promise as the Government announced 10million to improve security and conditions.

Officials hope body scanners and sniffer dogs will help clamp down on smuggling of drugs, including Spice, and mobile phones.

Ministers want to raise standards of leadership by sending prison governors to military-style colleges.

There will also be a programme of repairs and improvements to cell windows and perimeter security.
A yellow cab driver found a man stabbed to death in New York City's popular Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.

The unnamed man, believed to be in his 30s, was found slumped on 46th Street in the early hours of Monday morning.

Initially, Salman Malik thought the body was a garbage bag. The victim was reportedly breathing at the time of the discovery.

Scroll down for video

New York cab driver, Salman Malik (pictured), was shocked to discover a dying man on the street in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood Monday at 3am

He discovered a fatally wounded man who was breathing at first but later died in hospital

Pix11 News reports Malik saw a man running east toward 9th avenue when he stopped to investigate what was in the street.

He believed the man had been hit by a car when he saw him between 9th and 10th avenues, but when he saw blood on his finger he asked the man what had happened.

'When I stopped to him he was breathing but within 60 seconds to 75 seconds, he stopped breathing,' Malik told the station.

Authorities arrived on the scene near St Clements Episcopal Church, a social activism venue which proudly celebrates the ministry of women as well as gay and lesbian people, at approximately 3am.

Malik (pictured left) thought he'd seen a garbage bag but called police when he realized the unidentified man was seriously injured

A pair of shoes were left behind at the scene on 46th Street where the man's body was found

It was soon obvious the bloodied man had been stabbed when his shirt was lifted.

They noted the victim suffered injuries to the face and had been knifed in the chest, reports NBC New York.

He was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital, also known as Roosevelt Hospital.

The area was shut down overnight as the hunt for his killer goes on. Police had not made any arrests by 8.30am Patch reported.

Visuals from TV news teams show a pair of shoes left behind in the street where the dead man was discovered.

The area is known for being one of the centers of gay culture in Manhattan, filled with restaurants, pubs and bars on 8th and 9th avenues.

It also attracts crowds from the buzzing Broadway theater district nearby and the many tourists of Times Square.

Law enforcement officers are searching surveillance cameras in the area and are asking the public for any information to help them in their investigation.

The victim had no form of identification on him and police are desperate to find any of the man's relatives to help identify him.
Body camera footage shows the moment two policemen shot a man dead as he raised a gun towards the ceiling on his front porch.

William James Hughes was shot numerous times by officers Matthew Jones and Vincent Adams outside his apartment in St Paul on August 5.

The officers heard him say 'I will kill you' from inside and repeatedly shouted at him to put his hands up after knocking on the front door.

William James Hughes, 43, (pictured) was shot numerous times by police officers outside his apartment in St Paul on August 5

Hughes, 43, stepped onto the enclosed porch through another door holding a pistol in his right hand and raised it until it was pointing at the ceiling.

The pistol momentarily pointed toward the officers as he swung it upward and one or both of them opened fire.

Police Chief Todd Axtell gave a slightly different interpretation of the footage when he made the unusual step of releasing it before the investigation was over.

'You will see Mr Hughes begin to raise the gun in a sweeping fashion over the officers, who fired their service weapons,' he told reporters.

Hughes was a member of the White Earth Nation, an Ojibwe tribe based in northern Minnesota.

Relatives told investigators he was suicidal over a terminal illness that limited his quality of life, according to the warrant application.

The officers heard him say 'I will kill you' from inside and repeatedly shouted at him to put his hands up after knocking on the front door

Hughes, 43, stepped onto the enclosed porch through another door holding a pistol in his right hand and raised it until it was pointing at the ceiling

Chief Axtell said the shooting generated 'widespread rumors and falsehoods' that could erode public trust in police and place officers in danger.

Mayor Melvin Carter called for the footage to be released as soon as possible as Native American groups began protesting the shooting.

He later said the footage was 'heartbreaking' and the city wished the shooting never happened.

Native Lives Matter and other community groups held vigils for Hughes and organized protests and marches declaring he didn't need to die.

'Although we are angry beyond belief, we are not surprised as we have been dealing with police brutality since 1492,' it said of the footage.

'We will continue to seek #Justice4Billy and all lives that have been stolen at the hands of... killer cops.

The pistol momentarily pointed toward the officers as he swung it upward and one or both of them opened fire, shooting him dead

'We will continue to seek #Justice4Billy and all lives that have been stolen at the hands of... killer cops,' Native Lives Matter said.

'Today we pray for our fallen brother William James Billy Hughes, his family and friends and all of our brothers and sisters who have been murdered by police violence.'

John Gordon, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, also questioned whether officers had to fire.

'Having a gun, in and of itself, is not reason enough for someone to be shot,' he said.

'Officers need extensive training on how to secure an area and de-escalate dangerous situations so that shootings are a last resort, not a routine practice. That, unfortunately, did not happen for William Hughes.'

Though Hughes' family also questioned the need to kill him, they watched the footage with Chief Axtell and sent letters to the officers.

Native Lives Matter and other community groups held vigils for Hughes and organized protests and marches declaring he didn't need to die

Friend Alicia Smith,left, comforts Melissa Waukazo, the sister of William Hughes after a ceremony for her brother

The police chief held up two envelopes at the news conference saying they contained cards Hughes' sister asked him to deliver to Adams and Jones.

'This is the first time in my 30-year career that I've ever seen such grace by a family met by such a tragedy,' he said.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said the video was hard to watch but was just one piece of evidence in the case.

He said the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was relaying information daily and he planned to analyze all the data before deciding whether the shooting was justified.
The president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, says that his bold claim that 'truth isn't the truth' is being wildly misinterpreted.

Giuliani said that he was was referring to a 'he said, she said' situation in which Donald Trump could be accused of lying to the special counsel because his story doesn't match up with another witnesses', even though the president's version of events is the one that's accurate.

'My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said,she said puzzle,' Giuliani explained in a Monday morning tweet. 'Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.'

The president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, says that his bold claim that 'truth isn't the truth' is being wildly misinterpreted

Giuliani said that he was was referring to a 'he said, she said' situation in which Donald Trump could be accused of lying to the special counsel because his story doesn't match up with another witnesses, even though the president's version of events is the one that's accurate

Appearing on NBC on Sunday, Giuliani made the head-scratching claim that 'truth isn't the truth' as he rebuffed an argument that President Trump should sit down with the special counsel if he no knowledge of Russia's plans to interfere in the 2016 election.

The former New York City mayor, who's become the face of Trump's legal team, contended: 'I am not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury.

'It's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth,' he said on 'Meet the Press.'

Flabbergasted, program host Chuck Todd replied, 'Truth is truth.'

Giuliani responded, 'No, it isn't truth. Truth isn't truth.'

The former New York City mayor went on to clarify he meant 'truth isn't truth' when two witnesses give conflicting reports in an investigation.

He cited former FBI director James Comey's claim that Trump talked to him about his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who was being investigated as part of the Russia probe.

NBC's Chuck Todd said the comment would become a 'bad meme'

Originally, the president's team said Trump did not ask Comey to lay off Flynn when the two men met in February 2017 shortly after the ex -official had been fired. But Giuliani said last week the two men did not discuss Flynn at all.

Comey, who was then FBI director, claims Trump said to him: 'I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go.'

Giuliani said on CNN last week, 'There was no conversation about Michael Flynn.'

Flynn, who was Trump's first national security adviser, pled guilty in December to lying to the FBI about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador and is cooperating with Mueller's investigation.

He was fired from the White House after news reports revealed that he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with Russia's ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, after the election.

Giuliani seemed to realize his 'truth isn't truth' statement could be misinterpreted even before his Monday morning tweet, telling Todd on Sunday, 'Don't do this to me,' when the 'Meet the Press' host groaned, put his head in his hands, and pushed the issue.

Todd laughed, put his head in his hands and shook his head back and forth when Giuliani made his statement and said to him: 'Truth isn't truth? Mr. Mayor do you realize, this is going to become a bad meme.'

Giuliani replied, 'Don't do this to me.'

'Don't do truth isn't truth to me,' Todd shot back.

Giuliani then went on to clarify the claim, saying, 'Donald Trump says I didn't talk about Flynn with Comey. Comey says you did talk about it. So tell me what the truth is. If you're such a genius.'

Todd then brought up White House counsel Don McGahn, who the New York Times reported is talking to Mueller's team. 'Don McGahn might know,' he said.

'Don McGahn doesn't know,' Giuliani told him.

The former mayor went on to say, 'We have two pieces of evidence: Trump says he didn't tell him. The other guy says that he did say it. So which is the truth?'

Todd conceded Giuliani had a point.

'Alright, on that point you're right, on two people,' he admitted.

Giuliani clarified he was talking about the conflicting reports witnesses give on an incident during an investigation

Giuliani also talked about the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting attended by Donald Trump Jr.

Negotiations have been ongoing between Trump's legal team and the special counsel's team on whether the president will sit down with Mueller for an interview. Giuliani and Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow want to limit questioning to the period before the sitting president took office to avoid charges of obstruction of justice. Mueller has not agreed to those terms.

Giuliani claimed Sunday that the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, where Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort meet with a Russian lawyer who had ties to the Kremlin, does not rise to the standard of collusion, because nothing came of it.

He doubled down on Trump's assertion the meeting - which took place during the heart of the presidential campaign - was to get information on Hillary Clinton and claimed that the campaign's participants did not know that the woman they were meeting was a Russian.

'The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about Clinton,' he said. 'That was the original intention of the meeting. It turned out to be a meeting about another subject and it was not pursued at all.'

He claimed that the Trump campaign team didn't know that attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya was a Russian national, even though she had a Russian name.

'She didn't represent the Russian government. She was a private citizen. I don't even know if they knew she was Russian at the time. All they had were her name,' Giuliani said. 'They knew it when they met with her. Not when they set up the meeting.'

He added: 'All they knew was a woman with a Russian name wanted to meet with them.'

Donald Trump Jr.'s own emails about the meeting, which he posted on his public Twitter account, acknowledge that the woman was a Russian.

The emails sent to Trump Jr via Rob Goldstone, a music publicist who represented Emin Agalarov, whose father, Aras Agalarov, is a major real estate developer close to Putin and who bought rights to the 2013 Miss Universe pageant that took place in Moscow and which Trump attended, said the meeting is with a 'Russian government attorney who is flying over from Moscow.'

Explanations for the Trump Tower meeting, which has become a focal point of Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election, have varied, and a tweet from the president in early August added yet another layer when he wrote that the meeting was about Clinton.

The original statement from Donald Trump Jr about the meeting - which President Trump helped craft - said it was about Russian adoptions.

Donald Trump Jr. gave the New York Times a statement in July 2017, when the paper broke the story, that said the gathering was about an adoption program. His statement did not address whether the presidential campaign was discussed.

Veselnitskaya has led a multipronged attack against the Magnitsky Act, an American law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers and championed by financier Bill Browder, who Russian President Vladimir Putin named during the Helsinki press conference as someone Russians want to speak to in exchange for letting Mueller talk to Russian nationals.

The Magnitsky Act so enraged Putin he retaliated by halting American adoptions of Russian children.
An Indianapolis furniture owner boldly clapped back when an armed robber held him at gunpoint.

Doyle Stinson, who runs Decor Furniture, outwits a man in a scene captured on surveillance camera, which ends in the robber running away in fear.

The boss - who kept a gun of his own in the back - says he knew he wasn't in any real danger when he figured out the weapon he was being threatened with wasn't actually loaded.

Decor Furniture owner, Doyle Stinson (pictured), outwitted a man trying to rob him in July

Stinson had handed over $10 from his wallet but when the suspect marched him to the back of the store to get more cash, the robber had no idea the tables were about to be turned on him.

Store owner, Stinson, said in an interview that just hearing the hammer pulled back on the automatic weapon clued him up to get wise and fight back.

'I know the sound,' Stinson told told WXIN, adding that he would've shot and 'killed him for $10' if it wasn't for a young child outside.

'If youre shooting a 40 caliber, its going to go through him, through this merchandise, through that window, and what's beyond that window,' Stinson said referring to the danger the child was unaware of: 'Hes got a lot more to live than me. Thats true, thats a little boy there.'

The robber is seen forcing the shop owner to the back of the store as he threatens him with a gun

Stinson turned his own loaded gun on the robber (pictured running away) who threatened him with an automatic weapon that the businessman could tell wasn't loaded

Stinson didn't pull the trigger because he saw a child outside the store but chased the robber away with the help of fellow store owner who offered his car

In order to avoid putting the lives of those around him at risk, he left his 10th Street and Bosart Avenue store and bolted after the robber.

The suspect had no idea he'd already alerted police by pressing his silent alarm.

Another store owner came to save the day when he pulled up in his car to hunt down the robber together, but the pair halted when they believed they were heading into dangerous territory.

Stinson now plans on installing a bullet shield in his store window so next time the outcome might be different. Police are still hunting for the suspect

There was enough time to gather details of the getaway vehicle however.

The Indiana Metropolitan Police Department is looking for the dark blue 2004-2005 Chevy Trailblazer he dashed off in, which featured an 'In God We Trust' license plate.

Gun owner, Stinson, is now planning on installing a bullet shield in his storefront window and the next robber may not be so lucky to get away.

The incident happened around 11am on July 5 and cops are still hunting for the suspect.
COLOMBO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday offered his condolences to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the passing away of former UN chief Kofi Annan last week.

In a letter sent to Guterres, Wickremesinghe said Annan served the United Nations with distinction and calling himself an eternal optimist, he devoted his entire life to working towards peace among nations, peoples and communities.

Annan also achieved the noble goals of the United Nations towards achieving better living conditions and a fairer and just world for all, Wickremesinghe said.

"We all recall with much gratitude, His Excellency Kofi Annan's visit to Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by the December 2005 Tsunami. His compassion, sense of empathy and calm demeanor soothed many who were grieving and in pain," he said.

"Similarly, the work he carried out throughout his life brought peace and comfort to many around the world," the prime minister added.

Wickremesinghe further said that while Annan will forever remain in the hearts of the people that he touched, his memory will continue to inspire and guide everyone to continue their journey of working for peace, justice, democracy, rule of law and human rights for all.

Annan, who served as UN secretary-general from January 1997 to December 2006, passed away on Saturday at the age of 80.

[ Editor: Xueying ]
Two fugitives on the run for a week have been arrested following a stand off with Florida SWAT officers.

Police hunted down 50-year-old Donald 'Alfred' Billings and 26-year-old Alton Smoot, who were wanted for opening fire on cops in North Carolina, and cornered them in Treasure Island, Florida on Saturday.

They were wanted for a August 11 incident where they launched a police car chase and shot at cops using a handgun and AR-15 rifle when officers tried to initiate a traffic stop.

Donald 'Alfred' Billings, 50, (left) and Alton Smoot, 26, (right) were arrested over the weekend in Florida after they've been on the run for a week after opening fire on North Carolina cops

Eventually Alleghany county cops gave up the car chase and warrants were issued for their arrest.

Detectives took their search to Florida after learning that Billings' ex-girlfriend Tiffany McCord, 34, lived there, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office press release.

A week later authorities learned that Billings was indeed inside his ex's apartment and he was armed with a machete, a handgun, an AR-15 rifle and a pipe bomb made from black powder, metal and a detonator cord.

Witnesses said Billings said he wasn't going back to prison and would shoot it out with police before taking his own life, rather than face arrest.

He served prison time in North Carolina in 2003 and 2004 on a drug conviction, according to News Chief.

Smoot was found first and arrested on Saturday afternoon while Billings hid out in the apartment.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office SWAT team arrived on the scene, using tear gas to force Billings out of the apartment, but he refused to exit in an hours-long standoff.

Detectives traced the duo to the Treasure Island, Florida apartment of Billings' ex-girlfriend, pictured above, where they arrested Smoot Saturday, and Billings early Sunday morning

SWAT officers got into an hours-long standoff with Billings who refused to come outside despite the use of tear gas and flash bangs. He was reportedly armed with a machete, a handgun, an AR-15 rifle and a pipe bomb

A fire broke out inside the apartment. Officers found Billings alive but burned and lying on the floor with two AR-15 magazines in his pocket

Eventually deputies breached the doors of the apartment and used flash bangs.

A fire started within the apartment and firefighters extinguished the flames.

Billings was found by officers alive but severely burned, lying on the floor with two AR-15 magazines in his pocket.

He was arrested around 12.45am on Sunday and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital.

Billings was charged with warrants from Alleghany County, North Carolina for attempted first degree murder on law enforcement, felony conspiracy to commit murder on law enforcement and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Smoot was also charged with attempted first degree murder on law enforcement, felony conspiracy to commit murder on law enforcement, aggravated assault with a gun, aggravated assault with a weapon and flee and eluding law enforcement.

Smoot's first court appurtenance is scheduled for Monday at 1pm in Pinellas county.

'These guys are bad people and they were engaged in activity where they were willing to shoot it out with a cop,' Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in a press conference.

'We are very fortunate that no one was hurt and no law enforcement were hurt,' he added.
A teenage boy has been bitten by a shark along the North Carolina coast near Atlantic Beach, according to local officials.

Atlantic Beach Fire Chief Adam Snyder told news outlets that the 14-year-old was surfing Sunday afternoon when he was bitten twice on the right calf.

The incident occurred at approximately 1pm, local broadcaster WITN reported.

The Atlantic Beach Fire Chief said that the 14-year-old was surfing Sunday afternoon when he was bitten twice on the right calf (Pictured: File photo of Blacktip shark)

The teen then swam to shore with non-life-threatening injuries and received stitches at the hospital

Snyder says the shark let go of the boy's leg when it realized the leg wasn't a fish.

The fire chief says the teen then swam to shore with non-life-threatening injuries. He says the teen was treated at a hospital and received stitches.

The shark was not spotted before the attack due to the rough and murky waters near the beach.

News outlets report this is the first shark bite this season near Atlantic Beach. It remains unclear what kind of shark committed the attack.

But this is not the first time a shark attack has been reported on a North Carolina beach this year.

Earlier this month, a young girl was bitten on her right calf while vacationing with her family on Bald Head Island, located on the state's southeast coast.

The Atlantic Beach Fire Chief said that the 14-year-old was surfing Sunday afternoon when he was bitten twice on the right calf (Pictured: A Bonnethead shark, cousin to the hammerhead)

Officials say the shark let go of the boy's leg when it realized the leg wasn't a fish (Pictured: Atlantic sharpnose shark, most commonly found near North Carolina coast)

The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that the girl was 'bitten by something believed to be a juvenile shark,' The Charlotte Observer reported.

Experts say that there are several species of shark that can be found along the coast of North Carolina, including the Atlantic sharpnose shark, which is among the most common.

Bonnethead sharks, blacktip sharks, and smoothhound sharks are also indigenous to the area, according to North Carolina State University.

The Florida Museum of Natural History said that between 2007 and 2017, there have been 34 reported shark attacks in North Carolina. None of the attacks were fatal.

In that same span of time, 433 attacks across the United States have been reported, with well over half occurring in Florida. Of those attacks, six were fatal.
A bemused motorist found a giant hole in the spot where he left his car after Scottish Power contractors moved it - and he was then forced to spend 12 hours trying to find it.

The contractors, who were carrying out emergency repairs on the Edinburgh Street on Saturday, left Mr Rivers a note on a lamppost with a number to call.

The businessman, who was in the city to take part in Edinburgh Fringe Festival, called and left a message but received no call back and was unable to get through to Scottish Power as its phone lines were closed.

Lawrence Rivers left his car on a street in Edinburgh and returned to find a humongous hole

The car was removed by contractors who were carrying out essential repair work on the street

Mr Rivers eventually found the car parked on a street a mile away from where he left it in Dryden Street - after his wife Asha managed to contact the firm who had moved it after ringing all the vehicle recovery companies in Edinburgh.

He told the Daily Record: 'I get that emergencies happen and I don't have an issue with that. But I do have an issue when no one knows where my car has gone.

'I spent hours walking the streets but there's no way I would have found the car without Asha phoning round the vehicle recovery companies. Even then, the details of where it had been taken were a bit vague. '

Mr Rivers eventually found the car parked on a street a mile away from where he left it

During the search Mr Rivers said he contacted police and said that Scottish Power had not informed them where his car was.

He explained police told him initially they would try find out information about what happened but a few hours into their search they had 'drawn a blank'.

The father-of-one Lawrence, from Leicestershire, left his Airbnb accommodation in Dryden Street around 7am before discovering his car had vanished.

He was carrying clothes on hangers, his toiletries bag and his case abd had no way of getting back into the property as he had posted the keys through the letterbox after locking up.

A spokesman for SP Energy Networks said: 'Engineers had to carry out emergency repairs on Dryden Street to fix a cable fault that could have resulted in power supplies being affected.

He said it is 'very rare' the company removes cars to get to a fault and when it does, contractors inform the police.

He added that Scottish Power apologises for any concern caused and will be investigating the issues Mr Rivers raised.
Hundreds of valuable artefacts from more than 1,000 years ago have been recovered by Chinese police after a tomb-raiding gang stole them from an ancient burial chamber.

The 646 precious items include gold and silver containers as well as gemstones and they were snatched from a tomb on the ancient Silk Road.

The 26-member gang attempted to fetch 180 million yuan (20 million) with the large bulk of treasure, reported Chinese state media.

The 646 retrieved relics date back more than 1,000 years to the Sui and Tang dynasties, one of the most prosperous periods on the Chinese history. They were stolen from a tomb

The relics were taken from one of the tombs surrounding the renowned 'Nine-storey Demon Tower' in the county of Dulan in the Haixi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai, according to People's Daily Online.

The site is also known as Xuewei No. 1 Grand Tomb.

Although the owner of the raided tomb remains unknown, experts believed the burial items dated back to the Sui (581618) and Tang (618907) dynasties, one of the most prosperous periods on the Chinese history.

A police officer from Dulan County is pictured displaying a retrieved cultural relic on August 2

The relics included jewellery for humans and horses as well as various containers made with precious metal and gemstones, such as agate, garnet and turquoise, archaeologist Cai Linhai told People's Daily.

The gang raided the tomb late last year and the police noticed the case after hearing that someone was looking to sell a large number of artefacts.

A team was set up by the Qinghai Police earlier this year to investigate the case after they confirmed the authenticity of the lead.

On March 17, the police caught some of the suspects as they were trying to sell the relics to a buyer in the western part of Qinghai Province.

Xu Xinkai, the deputy director of Dulan County Public Security Bureau, told China Central Television Station that the suspects had asked for 180 million yuan for the whole lot, but the buyer managed to haggle down the price to 80 million yuan (9 million).

The gang raided a tomb next to the 'Nine-storey Demon Tower', a renowned burial site in Dulan

Just before the two parties were to complete the transaction, the police arrested nine suspects in Dulan County while their colleagues caught another two suspects in the gang in Xining, according to the report.

The leader of the ring, known by his family name Sun, was arrested one day later on March 18.

By July, the remaining 14 suspects were caught in different parts of China, including eastern Zhejiang Province and central Henan Province, after police launched a four-month nationwide man hunt.

Among the 646 relics, 16 are First Class protected items in China, 77 are Second Class items while 132 belong to the Third Class, according to Qinghai Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

The Qinghai authority has set up a special department to invest the case further.
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An historic Suffolk market town was today revealed to be the most dangerous place in Britain to take out cash.

Bury St Edmunds has experienced the most thefts and robberies near cashpoints per resident in the last decade - with one in every 415 suffering at the hands of thieves, research has found.

The figure, revealed in data obtained via freedom of information requests by MoneySuperMarket, is high compared to large cities such as Leeds (one in 5,143), Birmingham (one in 5,459) and even London (one in 6,340).

Greater Manchester Police have dealt with the largest number within their jurisdiction since 2007  totalling 1,497. London's Scotland Yard came second (1,386), with Nottinghamshire (1,175) and Hertfordshire (1,087) in third and fourth respectively

The City of Westminster tops the list for cash machine thefts across London boroughs, followed by Camden and Newham

Nottingham has had one in 542 thefts or robberies at ATMs per resident, the data compiled by MoneySuperMarket found

The figures also brought out the news that Liverpool has seen a 260 per cent increase in thefts and robberies near ATMs, followed by Leeds (200 per cent) and Leicester (117 per cent)  compared to London, with only 58 per cent.

The City of Westminster tops the list for cash machine thefts across London boroughs, while the average percentage increase in thefts and robberies near cashpoints among the UK's largest cities is 24 per cent.

The study also found that the rate of theft and robberies near ATMs is on the rise, and that Greater Manchester Police have dealt with the largest number within their jurisdiction since 2007  totalling 1,497.

London's Metropolitan Police came second (1,386), with Nottinghamshire Police (1,175) and Hertfordshire Constabulary (1,087) in third and fourth respectively.

THE TOP TEN MOST DANGEROUS LOCATIONS FOR ATM THEFTS ACROSS BRITAIN (PER RESIDENT) POSITION LOCATION NUMBER OF THEFTS/ROBBERIES NEAR ATMs PER RESIDENT 1 Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk 1 in 415 2 Watford , Hertfordshire 1 in 463 3 Nottingham , Nottinghamshire 1 in 542 4 Newmarket , Suffolk 1 in 551 5 Borehamwood , Hertfordshire 1 in 621 6 Ipswich , Suffolk 1 in 623 7 Lowestoft , Suffolk 1 in 658 8 Killingworth , Northumbria 1 in 692 9 Market Drayton, Shropshire 1 in 693 10 Potters Bar , Hertfordshire 1 in 698

The top ten large towns and cities across Britain with the most dangerous cashpoint locations, as revealed in the survey

In Westminster, there is one crime taking place for every 934 residents. This is followed by Camden (one in 1,865), Newham (one in 3,072) and Lambeth (one in 3,726).

Six top tips for cashpoint safety and security Avoid tourist hotspots: Pickpockets target busy areas with larger numbers of tourists Know who's around: Check no one is looking over your shoulder and cover the keypad when entering your PIN Secure your cash: Ensure youve secured the money you have withdrawn in your wallet, purse or bag, zipped up Small town risks: Dont assume that because youre not in a major city theres no risk when taking cash out Hidden traps: Look out for cameras installed on the cashpoint, or anything else that seems suspicious Block stolen cards: If your bank card is stolen, call the police and block the card so no money can be spent Advertisement

Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: 'Cash is still king as far as many criminals are concerned, and ATMs are their ideal hunting ground.

'This police data highlights the importance of being vigilant and cautious when using an ATM, even in a quiet market town where you might not expect to encounter a problem.

'The rise of contactless payments via credit and debit cards and electronic devices means ATM usage generally is falling, which is why we're hearing about dozens being closed each month.

'But our research suggests Brits typically make 1.5 cash payments a day each, so ATMs will continue to play an important part in British life for the foreseeable future - and the crime associated with them is likely to continue.

'If someone robs your cash or steals your card, you should immediately report it to the police. Report a stolen credit or debit card and cancel it immediately, and keep an eye out for fraudulent transactions on your account.'

The figures also brought out the news that Liverpool has seen a 260 per cent increase in thefts and robberies near ATMs, followed by Leeds (200 per cent) and Leicester (117 per cent)  compared to London, with only 58 per cent

Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk has seen one in every 415 of its residents suffering at the hands of ATM thieves, the study found

Bury St Edmunds has experienced the most thefts and robberies near cashpoints per resident in the last decade (file picture)

Four years ago there was a spike in cash machine thefts thanks to criminal gangs from Eastern Europe, with police intelligence suggesting more than 90 per cent of the crimes were linked to Romanian immigrants.

Gang members were using distraction techniques, with the thieves often crowding round ATMs and reading PIN numbers before stealing the card. They are then able to drain the victim's account.

As the number of these distraction thefts has soared over the past decade, thieves have started deploying the scam in shops, railway stations and cafes.

Other thieves use more sophisticated ATM scams  such as fitting the cash machine with a 'skimming' device which will make a copy of the card's details.

You can find out more about dangerous cashpoints around Britain by clicking here
South Carolina authorities said Justin Teeter Bensing (pictured), 36, who wanted to enslave and eat a child has been sentenced to five years of probation

South Carolina authorities said a man who wanted to enslave and eat a child has been sentenced to probation.

Justin Teeter Bensing, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal solicitation of a minor and was sentenced on August 9 to 10 years in prison.

But that sentence has since been reduced to five years of probation.

According to The Greenville News, Bensing, who has been diagnosed with autism, was considered low risk.

The judge said no prior criminal charges were also among the factors determining Bensing's sentence.

In February, Bensing had been charged during a child predator sting in Greenville County after soliciting an undercover officer he thought was a girl, authorities said.

At the time, Sheriff Will Lewis said Bensing wanted to 'cannibalize' a sex trafficking victim.

According to the Greenville News, Bensing used the name 'Rebel Deese' in online chats and asked a girl, whom he believed to be underage, if she was 'ready to be a full time baby maker and sex slave'.

He also spoke about the sexual fetish of coprophilia and told the girl that he wanted to drink her urine.

During the sting operation, several officers posed as underage children to lure suspects to a location to meet for sex.

Bensing was one of 14 suspects tied to the child predator sting that took place in January and February.

In February, Bensing had been charged during a child predator sting in Greenville County after soliciting an undercover officer he thought was a girl, authorities said. Police arrested and charged 40 other suspects (pictured) with prostitution and human trafficking

Police arrested and charged 29 other suspects with prostitution and human trafficking.

James Brehm, Bensing's attorney, said Saturday that the cannibalism comments were Bensing joking with someone else and unrelated to the investigation.

Brehm also said Bensing has received death threats since his charges and does not leave his home.

If Bensing violates his probation he could face the 10-year sentence.
A sign at a Roman Catholic high school in Pennsylvania named after Cardinal Donald Wuerl has been vandalized with paint.

Monday is the first day of school for Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, which is part of the Pittsburgh Diocese where Wuerl was bishop from 1988 to 2006. He now is archbishop of Washington.

Now, red spray paint crosses out the disgraced cardinal's name on the high school sign.

The vandalism comes after Tuesday's grand jury report on six Pennsylvania dioceses accused Wuerl of helping protect some child-molesting priests while he was bishop of Pittsburgh.

Paint covers the name of Cardinal Wuerl at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, on Monday, where Wuerl was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006

Archbishop Donald Wuerl prays in 2010. The report from a Pennsylvania grand jury alleges that more than 300 priests abused more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses which was led for 18 years by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, now archbishop of Washington DC

Wuerl has apologized for the damage inflicted on the victims but also has defended his actions.

'While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse,' Wuerl said in a letter.

'I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report.'

The red paint on the sign covers Wuerl's name and some school alumni have organized a petition online to remove his name completely.

An FBI investigation has found that the Catholic church had a 'playbook' for covering up sex abuse crimes by its priests.

A grand jury report revealed that hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania have molested more than 1,000 children and that senior church officials, including Weurl, covered up the abuse.

The report said the numbers of actual victims and abusers could be much higher.

It found that with Wuerl 's knowledge, the church systematically covered up the abuse using 'a playbook for concealing the truth.'
This is the dramatic moment a plane's landing gear sends sparks flying on the runway while making an emergency landing.

The incident took place at the Jorge Chavez Airport, Peru's main international and domestic hub located in Callao, 11 kilometres from capital Lima.

The LC Peru domestic flight was travelling from Lima to Ayacucho when it experienced problems and had to undergo an emergency landing at the international airport.

Sparks can be seen flying from the front of the plane as it makes an emergency landing at the Jorge Chavez Airport in Peru

The LC Peru domestic flight was travelling from Lima to Ayacucho when it experienced problems and had to undergo an emergency landing

The front wheels are not seen opening as it comes down to land at the international airport. Flight operator Lima Airport Partners said all passengers were evacuated without issue

According to the flight operator Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the passengers on board were successfully evacuated without issue.

The company said in a press statement: 'After realising that an emergency landing was necessary, all security protocols were initiated and the plane was allowed to land.

'The problems relating to the landing gear are being investigated.'

In video footage, the aircraft is seen landing at the Jorge Chavez International Airport as flames appear from under the front of the plane.

As the aircraft moves down the runway the flames subside and the plane comes to a stop on the runway.

Firefighting units can be seen at the front of the stopped plane beginning to douse the aircraft with water.

As the aircraf moves down the runway flames appear under the front nose. Fire crews can be seen rushing to douse the fire

The airport was temporarily closed so that the LAP could deal with the burning plane safely and other flights to the airport were diverted or cancelled

The airport was temporarily closed so that the LAP could deal with the burning plane safely.

Numerous flights were either diverted to other Peruvian airports or cancelled, according to reports.

Firefighters and police arrived on the scene and attended to the plane while the passengers were rushed to the airport terminal.

The airline has yet to release a statement about the incident, but confirmed that an emergency landing was required and that they are investigating the problem.
Rose McGowan is speaking out after her close friend Asia Argento was revealed to have paid off a young actor who claimed he was sexually assaulted by the Italian star.

'I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere,' wrote McGowan on Twitter early Monday.

She then hinted that there might be more to the story, adding: 'None of us know the truth of the situation and Im sure more will be revealed. Be gentle.'

McGowan's remarks came hours after The New York Times reported that Argento had paid actor Jimmy Bennett $380,000 when he filed a notice of intent to sue back in November.

In that notice, Bennett claimed that he was sexually assaulted by Argento in a California hotel room in 2013 when he was 17 and the actress 37, a decade after he first met her on the set of The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.

Bennett was just 7 when he was cast to play the son of Argento's drug-addicted prostitute in the film, based on the popular novel by JT Leroy.

The film also starred Argento's then-boyfriend Michael Pitt, Winona Ryder, and McGowan's former fiance Marilyn Manson.

Argento has a daughter Anna Lou Castoldi, 17, with singer Marco Castoldi and a 9-year-old son Nicola.

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Deceitful above all things: Rose McGowan played down her relationship with actress Asia Argento (pair above in 2003 despite McGowan's claim she only knew Argento for 10 months) after her fellow Harvey Weinstein-accuser was accused of sexually assaulting a teen

Heartache: 'My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere,' wrote McGowan on Twitter (above)

Caveat: She then hinted that there might be more to the story, adding: 'None of us know the truth of the situation and Im sure more will be revealed. Be gentle' (above)

Timeline drama: Argento posted a photo of herself and McGowan on Instagram back in April and wrote: 'The day we met - March 17th, 2003' (above)

McGowan's remarks come just two months after the Scream star rushed to Europe to be by Argento's side after her boyfriend Anthony Bourdain hanged himself in a French hotel room.

In the wake of the celebrity chef's suicide, McGowan acted as Argento's spokesperson, and even released the actress' first statement on the passing of Bourdain.

It is not known for certain if Bourdain knew about the settlement his girlfriend paid to Bennett, but it seems likely as she used her late boyfriend's lawyer to handle the case.

The claim that McGowan 'got to know' Argento for 10 months is a bit questionable however, with Argento herself posting a photo of the two on Instagram earlier this year and writing: 'The day we met - March 17th, 2003.'

STATEMENT FROM BENNETT'S LAWYER 'At this time, our client, Jimmy Bennett, does not wish to comment on the documents or the events discussed in the New York Times article yesterday evening. 'While we realize that the news cycle demands an immediate response, many times, people need more than a few minutes or hours to respond. We are asking that you give our client some time and space. Jimmy is going to take the next 24 hours, or longer, to prepare his response. 'We ask that you respect our client's privacy during this time.' Advertisement

McGowan and Argento have been at the forefront of the #MeToo for almost a year now after both women claimed to have been sexually assaulted by disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.

It was Argento who first went public with her story followed by McGowan, who had signed a nondisclosure agreement after receiving a reported $100,000 settlement from Weinstein following allegations that she was sexually assaulted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival by the then-Miramax head.

Argento was allegedly assaulted the following year by Weinstein at the Cannes Film Festival.

Weinstein has denied these allegations.

Bennett's lawyer wrote in the notice that his client was sexually assaulted by Argento back in 2013 after being dropped off by a family member at a Marina del Rey hotel for a visit.

The teenager was unable to drive himself due to an eye condition which prohibits him from obtaining a license in the state of California.

The Times, citing a copy of the notice they were sent by an anonymous source, reported that Argento then sent the family member away and was alone with Bennett in her hotel room.

Argento then gave the minor 'alcohol to drink and showed him a series of notes she had written to him on hotel stationery.'

'Then she kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, removed his pants and performed oral sex,' said the report.

'She climbed on top of him and the two had intercourse,' according to the notice.

'She then asked him to take a number of photos.'

Argento took a number of photos of herself and Bennett after the alleged assault, including one of the two lying naked in bed.

She also posted five photos from the pair's meet-up to her Instagram that day, starting with one of herself in which she wrote: 'Waiting for my long lost son my love @jimmymbennett in trepidation #marinadelrey smoking cigarettes like there was no next week.'

In her second post she shared a selfie of herself with Bennett and wrote: 'Happiest day of my life reunion with @jimmymbennett xox.'

In that same post, one follower wrote: 'Asia cast him again!! xoxo.'

Argento replied: 'jimmy is going to be in my next movie and that is a fact, dig that jack.'

When she was then asked if the film would shot stateside, Argento responded: 'no we shoot the s*** in eye-2-ly 's @jimmymbennett's never been there - yet X.'

Bennett never worked with Argento again however, and then in November filed his notice after the actress' very public condemnation of her alleged rapist, Weinstein.

'His feelings about that day were brought to the forefront recently when Ms. Argento took the spotlight as one of the many victims of Harvey Weinstein,' stated Bennett's lawyer in the notice.

He then asked for $3.5 million in damages, sighting intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.

Victim: The New York Times reported on Sunday that Argento paid actor Jimmy Bennett $380,000 after he sought damages for a 2013 assault (pair above on the day of the alleged assault in May 2013)

Mother and son: Bennett and Argento met on the set of The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things in 2003 (pair above in a still from the film ), with the actress playing a prostitute and Bennett, then 7, cast as her son

Damages: Bennet was initially seeking $3.5 million but received just a tenth of that amount (above in an undated photo from this year)

Support system: McGowan and Argento have been two of the most public figures in the #MeToo movement after both women accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault (pair above in March)

The parties agreed to a settlement in April, and one month later Argento appeared at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.

In a speech that garnered much praise at the time she said: 'In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old.'

Argento continued: 'Even tonight, sitting among you, there are those who have still to be held accountable for their conduct against women. You know who you are. But most importantly we know who you are. And we're not going allow you to get away with it any longer.'

The actress then said Weinstein was no longer welcome at the festival.

The Italian star told the New Yorker that Weinstein raped her in 1997 at a party hosted by Miramax at the Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc. She claims the mogul led her to an empty room and asked her to give him a massage.

She reluctantly agreed, and halfway through he began to perform oral sex on her after forcibly lifting up her skirt despite her repeated requests for him to stop.

Argento says that she became suspicious when the party she arrived at was just an empty hotel room, but was assured that people would soon be arriving by Weinstein.

Then, he emerged from the bathroom in a robe and holding a bottle of lotion says the actress, who was just 21 at the time.

'He asks me to give a massage. I was, like, 'Look man, I am no f***ing fool,'' said Argento.

'But, looking back, I am a f***ing fool. And I am still trying to come to grips with what happened.'

The actress, who is the daughter of famed Italian director Dario Argento, said that once Weinstein began performing oral sex on her there was no way for her to stop him because he was so much bigger than her.

'It wouldn't stop. It was a nightmare,' said Argento, who eventually decided to pretend she was enjoying the act in hopes that it would end.

When it was over, Argento said she said on the bed and told her attacked: 'I am not a whore.'

He laughed at her and said he would put that on a shirt according to Argento, who said that Weinstein contacted her for months after the attack and even began offering her expensive gifts.

Helping hand: Argento hired Bourdain's lawyer after Bennett filed his notice back in November (couple at the 2017 Emmy Awards last September)

Premiere party: Argento and her alleged rapist Weinstein at the premiere of The Heart is Deceitful at Cannes in 2004 (above)

Love life: Argento was dating actor Michael Pitt while wroking on Heart (pair above in undated photo) but the later split after a brief engagement

Meet up: Argento shared a photo of herself and Winona Ryder with Bennett on the set of Heart in September 2014, well over a year after the alleged assault (above)

Argento eventually relented and over time became close to her attacker, and even engaged in consensual relations with him she admits.

She explained the sudden shift by saying that it was a few months before the release of her 1999 film 'B. Monkey' and she was afraid that if she did not agree to Weinstein's advances he might destroy her career.

The following year, Argento released her film 'Scarlet Diva,' which had a scene similar to the one she experienced three years earlier in France.

In that film, a young actress is cornered by a big producer in a room with one crucial difference.

'In the movie I wrote, I ran away,' said Argento.

When she told Weinstein that the character was based on him he simply laughed said Argento.
First Lady Melania Trump is warning social media can be 'destructive and harmful when used incorrectly' as she opened a summit on cyber bullying as part of her Be Best campaign.

President Donald Trump is a frequent user of Twitter to slam his detractors. He's called former White House aide Omarosa Manigault 'that dog' after the release of her book and repeatedly painted special counsel Robert Mueller and his Russia investigation as a 'witch hunt.'

Melania Trump, in brief remarks on Monday, focused on children and her Be Best initiative to help improve the life of young people.

First Lady Melania Trump is warning social media can be 'destructive and harmful when used incorrectly'

She opened a federal cyberbullying conference on Monday

She wore stilettos, a pantsuit, a pussy-bow blouse with the jacket thrown over her shoulders

Melania Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar take the stage during a Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention summit

Dressed in stilettos, a pantsuit, a pussy-bow blouse with the jacket thrown over her shoulders, the first lady opened the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Cyberbullying Prevention Summit in Rockville, Md., with an acknowledgement of the force social media plays in children's lives.

'Social media is an inevitable part of our children's daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly,' she said in prepared remarks.

'Be Best chooses to focus on the importance of teaching our next generation how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting,' she added.

She spoke for less than ten minutes but stayed to hear other speakers and panel discussions on the issue.

The president didn't tweet during her remarks although he did tweet that former CIA director John Brennan was 'the worst CIA Director in our country's history' during the panel discussion.

The conference discussed ways social media users can safely use the platform and deal with those who may bully them.

Representatives from the White House, Facebook, the Family Online Safety Institute, Google, and Twitter were in attendance.

The first lady sat in the audience to listen to their conversation.

Lauren Culbertson, Twitter's public policy manager, said during the panel conversation that the platform has developed tools to curb bullying.

'We have strong rules against abusive behavior,' she said, 'and we've leveraged technology to help us enforce those rules.'

Some critics pointed out the irony the first lady attended a conference on cyber bullying a week after President Trump attacked Manigualt Newman on Twitter in response to her book 'Unhinged,' where she contends the president is a racist who is suffering from declining mental abilities.

'When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!' he tweeted.

But Melania Trump's focus was on Be Best and not her husband.

Her communications director, Stephanie Grisholm, took to Twitter to chide a reporter who questioned what the president would think of the first lady's warning of how social media can be 'destructive and harmful.'

'Rather than dissecting her remarks, let's focus on the countless children who struggle w bullying & online safety each day,' Grisham wrote.

Grisham also said in a statement that the first lady is 'aware of the criticism' but 'it will not deter her.'

'The First Ladys presence at events such as todays cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country. She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does,' she said.

The first lady launched her Be Best campaign in May but had kidney surgery a week later, which has led to a slow start to her signature policy platform. Additionally, her policy director departed after six months on the job.

She has done limited appearances on its behalf but, at the conference Monday, spoke of her visit to Microsoft's Council for Digital Good in July where she met with children on cyberbullying.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Melania Trump, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Executive Director Holly Ham and University of Texas student Joseph Grunwald take the stage during a Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention summit

The first lady did not mention her husband in her remarks

The first lady was at the conference as part of her Be Best campaign

The first lady's communications director said the focus should be on children who are bullied and not dissecting Melania Trump's remarks

President Trump did not tweet during the first lady's remarks

Critics pointed out the irony of the first lady attending a cyberbullying conference a week after President Trump called Omarosa 'that dog' on Twitter

The president tweeted a criticism of John Brennan during the cyberbullying summit's panel discussion

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on Sunday with first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron

'I was impressed by their deep understanding of how important it is to be safe, and was inspired by their sincere commitment to reducing peer-to-peer bullying through kindness and open communication,' the first lady said.

She went to encourage social media companies to follow Microsoft's lead in creating opportunities to listen to children about social media usage.

'By listening to children's ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate this often-difficult topic,' Melania Trump said.

'Let's face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits,' she added.
MADRID, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man armed with a knife attacked a police station in the north-eastern region of Catalonia, Spain, and was shot dead at the site, local police said on Monday.

The attack happened at around 5.50 a.m. local time (0350 GMT) in the town of Cornella de Llobregat (south of Barcelona) when a man drew his knife shouting "Allahu Akbar", which means "God is great" in Arabic, at a local police station.

He was later shot and killed in the reception area of the police station, confirmed by the police in a tweet.

The attacker was confirmed to be a 29-year-old of Algerian origin, but with Spanish nationality, according to newspaper La Vanguardia.

So far the police gave no further details about the incident.

The police station has been cordoned off following the attack as investigations continue with agents from the the General Commission of Information and high-ranking officers of the Mossos d'Esquadra also visiting the scene.

This attack came just three days after the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on La Ramblas in Barcelona and in the town of Cambrils which claimed 15 lives in Barcelona and one in Cambrils.

[ Editor: Xueying ]
Robert Snape had researched physiotherapy options on his phone prior to taking his life

A high-flying British banker hanged himself in Mexico after suffering chronic back pain for which he refused to take medication in case it affected his work, an inquest heard today.

Robert Snape, a vice president at Citibank, had a condition which left him in agony - but he did not take any painkillers because he wanted to keep a clear head for his job.

He was found by a work colleague at the posh Marriott Hotel Colonia Santa Fe in Mexico City's financial district, where they had been staying on March 8.

The fraud risk manager, from Mickleover, Derby, had been living in Budapest since 2012 while working for one of the world's biggest financial institutions.

An inquest heard his back pain would have been made worse by the cramped conditions of the 14-and-a-half-hour long haul flight from Hungary to Mexico City.

Mr Snape, 36, had researched physiotherapy options on his phone prior to taking his life and the pain had become so bad that it had started affecting his mobility.

Mr Snape was found by a work colleague at the posh Marriott Hotel Colonia Santa Fe (pictured) in Mexico City's financial district, where they had been staying on March 8

He had suffered chronic back problems since the age of 16 but not take any medication in case it clouded his judgement at work.

The inquest at Derby and South Derbyshire Coroners Court heard today that Mr Snape had no history of depression or mental illness,

He was not under the influence of alcohol or either prescription or illegal drugs at the time of his death.

Derbyshire's Senior Coroner, Dr Robert Hunter read evidence from forensic pathologist Dr Andrew Hitchcock, who carried out a post-mortem examination at Royal Derby Hospital, as well as a report written by Mexican police.

Dr Hunter said: 'Robert Snape was born on December 2, 1981 in Rutherglen, Scotland. He was single and was vice-president of a bank.

'According to the post-mortem by Dr Andrew Hitchcock, there was congestion to the lungs. The lung air space was filled with fluid - which can be an indication of asphyxia.

'In the Mexican authorities police report, the cause of death is stated as asphyxia by hanging. There was a lack of oxygen to the brain.

'The blood samples were all negative for any alcohol at the time of death, and there was no evidence of prescribed medication or misuse of drugs. The toxicology was negative.

'There was no evidence of any disturbance in the room. According to analysis of the door key, the only person entering that room was Robert himself and cleaning staff.

'CCTV footage shows no one apart from Robert and the cleaning staff entering. No other parties were seen entering or leaving Robert's room.

Mr Snape was a vice president for Citibank (whose offices in Mexico City are pictured)

'Robert had never suffered from depression or mental illness, but he did suffer from chronic back pain since the age of 16.

'Latterly it was affecting his gait, walking and sitting. He did not take any medication for his pain because it might cloud his thinking and judgement.

'His mobile phone was analysed and he had been researching websites in relation to back pain. Robert did not access any self harm or suicide websites.

'I am satisfied there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Robert's death. Robert died as a result of his own actions with no third party involvement.

'On the balance of probabilities, it is more likely than not that Robert had undertaken to take his own life.

'I feel his back pain was a significant factor in Robert's mental state at the time. He had only just arrived in Mexico following a long haul flight.

'The cramped conditions would have exacerbated his pain. Therefore I am satisfied Robert had undertaken to take his own life.

'The balance of his mind was temporarily disturbed. The severe pain had clouded his judgement and that was a material factor in his decision to take the decision he did.'

Turning to the family, Dr Hunter said: 'I would like to offer my condolences to Mr Snape for the death of Robert.'

According to Mr Snape's LinkedIn profile he had been working as a fraud risk manager at the bank since October 2016.

It said he conducted reviews across the firm as well as making sure all policies are complied with.

Prior to moving to Hungary the financier, who graduated from the University of St Andrews in 2004, had worked for the bank in Barcelona.
A record haul of 50 rhino horns with an estimated value of 12million has been seized at Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia.

The horns were destined for Vietnam where there is booming demand for them for use in traditional medicine which is bought by the country's growing middle class.

The same grisly shipment - which represents dozens of animals either killed or butchered - also included the bones of nine tigers and bears.

Malaysian customs officers seized a record 12million shipment of rhino horn at Kuala Lumpur airport as it was traveling to Vietnam

The haul is the largest ever stopped in Malaysia both in terms of number and weight of the horns, and represents dozens of animals which were either killed or mutilated

It is not known exactly where the animals lived prior to being killed, though most of the rhino horn sent into Asia originates in Africa.

Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, head of Malaysia's wildlife department, said the seizure was 'the biggest ever in (Malaysia's) history in terms of the number of horns and value'.

He said officers acted on a tip-off before finding the bones in the cargo terminal of the airport on August 13.

Trade in rhino horn was banned globally in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but illegal hunters have decimated rhino populations to sate rampant demand in East Asia.

A single kilo of rhino horn can fetch tens of thousands of dollars in the region, where many falsely believe it can cure cancer.

All rhino species are under threat of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

There is huge demand for rhino horn across Asia but particularly in Vietnam among the country's growing middle classes

Authorities have not arrested anyone over the shipment because it was sent using false documents but are now working to find out who is responsible

Authorities have not made any arrests over the seizures because the bones were shipped with falsified documents.

However, efforts are underway to uncover whoever is responsible.

Elizabeth John, from wildlife trade watchdog Traffic, described the rhino horn seizure as 'staggering' and urged authorities to track down the people behind it.

Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cheap flights around Southeast Asia, and has become a key transit point in the smuggling of rare animal parts.

Last year, Malaysia seized about $3.1 million worth of rhino horns flown in from Mozambique via Qatar.

Separately, authorities arrested a man on July 13 for illegal possession of three baby Sumatran orangutans, Abdul Kadir said.

"The suspect was believed to have been trading wildlife online and was arrested while dealing with a buyer," he said.

Malaysia will return the animals to Indonesia, he said.

Orangutans live in lowland forests on Borneo, an island shared by Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as on Indonesia's island of Sumatra.

They are endangered, with populations declining due to rampant deforestation and hunting.
Bystanders and emergency responders rescued a mother, son and their dog from a sinking vehicle that crashed into a marina in California on Saturday.

When a driver accidentally crashed through a guardrail and into the water, good Samaritans jumped out to pull them all to safety through the windows.

Long Beach Fire Department Lifeguard units responded to reports of a submerged vehicle just after 1pm Pacific on Saturday, LBFD said.

The aftermath of the accident was caught on camera by Jeff Jones, a captain with a boat-towing service at the marina in Long Beach where the accident occurred.

'Everything went really smoothly,' Jones told ABC news.

Jones filmed the rescue as it was underway, in the minutes following the crash that left the red truck sinking in the Pacific Ocean.

But first, the captain went for help.

'I heard a noise and turned around, and I saw a car drive right past me through a guardrail and into the water,' Jones said.

'Im usually the person who would jump in to help but I had major surgery 10 days ago. So I ran to the long beach fire and lifeguard station, which was literally right there.'

In the video of the rescue, Jones can be heard describing the accident.

Bystanders and emergency personnel jumped into the Pacific Ocean to save an elderly mother, son, and their dog, from their sinking truck in Long Beach, California on Saturday

As one man is helping the mother to safety, he tells the driver, 'If it starts to go anymore under you're going to go out that window on your own, OK? You understand?'

He said the car came 'flying through the parking lot, [with] just horrific sound.'

As he approaches the marina where more bystanders are watching the rescue, a man can be seen and heard helping the mother out of the passenger side window of the car, which was rolled down.

As he's helping the mother to safety he tells the driver, 'If it starts to go anymore under you're going to go out that window on your own, OK? You understand?'

After the mother was rescued, the son and their dog were still trapped inside the vehicle

As the dog was handed out of the vehicle, it appeared to be starting to completely submerge

The clip ends before the driver was rescued, but the son was safely removed from the vehicle

As the mother is pulled out of the window, another person can be heard saying, 'Get the dog! Get the dog!'

As the dog was handed out of the window, the vehicle appeared to be starting to completely submerge.

The clip ends before the driver was rescued, but the son was safely removed from the vehicle.

The mother and son were treated on the scene and released, Long Beach Fire Department said; Responders are shown here next to the site of the crash

The mother and son were treated on the scene and released, LBFD said.

'I spoke to one of the passengers afterwards, and he said it felt like everything happened in slow motion,' Jones said. 'It felt like it was not a big deal.'

Everyone escaped from the truck without injury. The crash is being investigated.
Fears are growing for a 'vulnerable' 14-year-old girl who has been missing for nearly two weeks.

Demi-Leigh McCarthy, disappeared from her home in Aveley, Essex on August 7.

Detectives are concerned for her welfare and are appealing for help in finding her.

Fears are growing for a missing 14-year-old Demi-Leigh McCarthy from Essex

An Essex Police spokesman said: 'We are appealing for help to find Demi-Leigh McCarthy, 14, who is missing from her home in Aveley.

'Demi-Leigh was reported missing on Tuesday, August 7, and we have attempted a number of lines of enquiry to find her.

'We now need your shares and information.

'She is considered vulnerable and her family and officers are concerned for her welfare.

Demi-Leigh is 5ft 5ins tall, with straight long hair and has links to the Tilbury, Gray and South Ockendon and Stratford areas.
The jury in Paul Manafort's tax and bank fraud case deliberated without reaching a verdict for a third day Monday - and will resume their deliberations Tuesday.

Manafort's wife Kathleen waited fruitlessly at the Alexandria, VA, courthouse as the trial completed its 16th day and entered its fourth week. The jury was sent home at 6.15pm after sending the judge a note an hour earlier saying it did not want to sit any later, which he accepted.

The verdict - when it comes - will be the first given by a jury on a case brought by Robert Mueller's special counsel investigation.

Monday's lack of any verdict came after a dramatic Friday when the stakes were raised significantly by both Donald Trump and Judge T.S. Ellis III, the outspoken federal judge who has overseen the trial.

Trump made an extraordinary intervention Friday with a jury in its second day of deliberations, calling Manafort a 'very good person' and his trial 'very sad.'

But he wouldn't talk about a potential pardon of Manafort, who refused to cooperate with prosecutors to get what could have been a reduced sentence. 'I don't talk about that,' he said.

Inside the court room the judge revealed that he had received threats and was being guarded by U.S. Marshals as he ruled on a motion from CNN and other news outlets asking him to make the jurors' names and addresses public so they could be interviewed after the trial - a routine move by the press.

Here to watch: Kathleen Manafort arrived for the third day of the jury's deliberations in a case which could send her husband to prison for the rest of his life. It was a fruitless wait.

Confident: Defense attorney Kevin Downing arrived for the third day of deliberations after saying on Friday that he believed the length of time the jury was taking favored Manafort

In action: This courtroom sketch depicts U.S. District court Judge T.S. Ellis III speaking to the lawyers and defendant Paul Manafort, fourth from left, as the jury continues to deliberate in Manafort's trial on Friday

Ellis rejected the motion, saying he has received threats during the course of the trial and fears for the jurors' safety if he releases their names.

Ellis said he has also been traveling with the U.S. Marshals Service due to the threats, and added that the jury does not have this same security.

'I don't feel right if I release their names,' said Ellis, adding that it would 'create a risk of harm to them.'

'I had no idea this case would excite these emotions,' said Ellis.

He declined to discuss the details of the threats against him.

The judge has put no limit on how long he will allow them to deliberate over the 18 bank and tax fraud charges leveled at Donald Trump's former campaign chairman by Robert Mueller's special counsel probe.

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.

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.

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. Judge T.S. Ellis III revealed Friday that he was under armed guard and the jurors were 'scared'

Manafort's defense team claimed he was a victim of a 'desperate' attempt by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to pin a bogus crime on the former Trump campaign chief, during closing arguments in Manafort's tax and bank fraud trial on Wednesday.

Attorneys for Manafort argued in a 90-minute closing statement that their client was a victim of his embezzling former business partner Rick Gates, who they claim cut a deal with the government and testified against Manafort in exchange for getting his own tax fraud charges dropped.

For the first time since the trial began, defense attorneys also raised the fact that Manafort worked for Donald Trump  a possible implication to the jury that the charges were politically motivated.

'The government  so desperate to make a case against Mr. Manafort  made a deal with Rick Gates,' said Manafort's attorney Kevin Downing. 'Mr. Gates was orchestrating a multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme.'

The move may be a brave one by Manafort's defense, who had got the judge to keep Trump's name out of the case, saying it would prejudice a jury drawn from heavily Democratic areas of northern Virginia around the Alexandria courtroom.

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.

'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 64-year-old man is set to meet his biological mother for the first time after being abandoned as a baby thanks to an ancestry DNA test.

Steve Dennis, from Phoenix, Arizona, was found in a phone booth in the town of Lancaster, Ohio back in 1954.

Since that day, Mr Dennis has lived his whole life with no official birth date, birth place or birth parents.

He was told by his foster parents that he was adopted aged three but didn't hear the true story of his abandonment until the age of 15.

Steve Dennis, 64, was abandoned in a phone booth back in 1954 in the Ohio town of Lancaster

At the time of his discovery in Lancaster, his story was widely circulated in the local press and the newspapers were inundated with offers from people wanting to adopt him.

Steve was eventually taken in by Stanley and Vivian Dennis in 1955 who moved to Arizona where he has been ever since.

Fast forward several decades and Steve's teenage daughters bought him an ancestry.com DNA kit in the hope it could unravel the mystery of his past - by finding relatives with a genetic match.

The results returned in January, followed by a message from a man also using Ancestry.com, who was a genetic match to Dennis, who later turned out to be his first cousin.

'He said 'I think I know who your mother is. We've heard throughout our lives that there's a baby that we're related to that was left in a telephone booth,'' Dennis told the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. 'It was this like this hidden secret.'

Dennis' cousin connected him to Dennis' half-sister, who lives in Baltimore, Maryland - and who confirmed the relation with another DNA test.

Press cuttings from the aftermath of Steve's discovery showed his abandonment was big news back in 1954

From there, Dennis' sister contacted their mother, who also lives in Baltimore.

'The mother has finally said she wants to meet with me,' Dennis said. 'Slowly week by week, she said "I kind of remember".'

He has since discovered that his mother had been 18 at the time he was born and under pressure from his father to give up the child.

The couple were travelling through Ohio together from Kentucky when he was born in a hospital.

His father then took him to the phone booth and dumped him before taking off - leaving his mother alone.

Later this month, Dennis is traveling to Maryland to meet his mother and half-sister for the first time.
David Peter Waller, 33, who served as a constable with Cleveland Police for four years, has been accused of a string of rapes and sex attacks

A former police officer has appeared in court charged with a string of rapes, sex attacks and a claim he had a sexual relationship with a complainant in a case his force was investigating.

David Peter Waller, 33, who served as a constable with Cleveland Police for four years, spoke only to confirm his name and address at a 10 minute hearing before Teesside magistrates.

Waller, from Stockton on Tees, faces eight charges relating to six girls and women. All but two of the alleged offences, both committed in 2015, came while serving as a constable.

Three charges allege rape against two women, two claim he sexually assaulted girls aged 14 and 16, there is one charge of grooming a girl aged 14, one attempted grooming and one of misconduct in a public office.

It alleged he caused a girl aged 14 to engage in sexual activity between the start of January and end of February 2008 when he did not reasonably believe her to be over the age of 16.

It is also said that in August 2006 he raped a woman in Teesside. He faces two charges of the rape of a different woman, also in Teesside, between May 2009 and January 2010.

Waller faces a charge of grooming a different girl aged 14 between June and October 2015.

Waller, from Stockton on Tees, faces eight charges relating to six girls and women. All but two of the alleged offences, both committed in 2015, came while serving as a constable

He is also accused of attempted grooming in a separate charge.

The former officer is further charged with the sexual assault of a girl aged 16 between August and September 2015.

The final charge is misconduct in a public office after he allegedly had a sexual relationship with a complainant.

The court did not impose a condition of residence at his home address and Waller, who has surrendered his passport to police, was released on bail.

The case will be tried at Teesside Crown Court on September 17.
Convicted killer and former bikie boss Moudi Tajjour has taken to social media with a passionate plea for a ceasefire between warring bikie gang members.

The former Nomads vice president who became the youngest ever member of the club in the late 1990s has called for gang rivals to swap their guns for a cup of coffee.

Tajjour's friend and former Comancheros former national president Mick Hawi was fatally gunned down outside a gym in Sydney's south in February.

Having given up his involvement in day-to-day gang life last year to focus on his business pursuits, the self-proclaimed 'Lebanese gangster Doctor Phil' took toInstagram on Sunday with some words of advice.

Former bike boss Moudi Tajjour (pictured) sees himself as a 'Lebanese gangster Doctor Phil' these days

Tajjour (pictured right) was briefly married to Salim Mehajer's younger sister Sanaa (left)

He took to Instagram on Sunday with some words of advice (pictured) to warring bikie gang members

'My words of wisdom is this, dont go to war over pathetic rubbish that could've been sorted with one sit down over a coffee,' Tajjour posted to his 29,400 followers.

'Lifes to short to be killing each over over nothing f**k that I rather be making money and chilling beside some beautiful women somewhere rather than to be warring over stupid s**t.'

A photo of a jail cell is attached to Tajjour's lengthy post.

The Nomads life member served four years in prison over the manslaughter of Robin Nassour, the brother of Fat Pizza actor George Nassour.

He was convicted in 2006 alongside his brother Sleiman Simon Tajjour, before their western Sydney home was targeted in a drive by shooting a little more than a year after their release.

Moudi (right) in his Nomads bikie days, pictured with his brother Sleiman (back) and their cousin Michael Ibrahim (front), the brother of Kings Cross nightclub owner John

'If you cant handle being in a confined room for more then 23 hours I suggest you put the gun down mannnnnnnn cause this aint a joke my brothers out there playing gangsters and god with people's lives,' Tajjour wrote on Sunday.

'You're not gonna find it cool when your desire for a reputation puts you 23 hours locked down. Is it really worth it over some gronk who is talking s**t or some sad c**t who wants beef.'

Tajjour joined the Nomads as a 'nominee' at the age of 15 and had to wait 16 months before becoming a fully fledged member.

Moudi and brother Sleiman (right) stepped down from their respective roles in Nomads last year

He became a right-hand man to national president, his older brother Sleiman before the pair stepped down late last year.

Tajjour recently made headlines over his volatile and short lived marriage to Salim Mehajer's younger sister Sanaa, which ended on their honeymoon in Thailand.

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia in April, Tajjour slammed modern-day bikies, saying they prefer to 'buy' new members rather than make them earn their colours.

'I've been in the club since I was 15 and now I'm 34 so I've seen the life change a new generation,' Tajjour said.

'There was no rivalry or violence back in the day, there was just respect. Don't open in my area obviously but you can come over and we'll welcome you with open hands. We'd invite you to parties, have you over to the clubhouse for dinner.'

Moudi Tajjour (right) married Salim Mehajer's younger sister Sanaa (left) last December. The marriage ended on their honeymoon in Thailand

Tajjour told Daily Mail Australia a recent spate of shootings involving rival MCs in Sydney was a bad look.

'The new generation, these youngsters, have got a new mentality. They're trigger happy and have no education, and actually think joining a gang means you've got to be the baddest guy in Sydney,'he said.

'I'm not going to go and kill someone just because they're part of a different gang.

'We used to ride every weekend. We'd take our sleeping bags out tied onto the front of the bike and sleep on the side of the freeway.

'It's not about riding with your mates or going on a bender, it's all about dramas. You don't ride bikes anymore - it's a f**king joke.'
Former Lehman Brothers staff have been slammed over a 'sickening' plan to hold a party to 'celebrate' 10 years since the bank collapsed - sparking a global financial meltdown.

Hundreds of ex-workers have been sent an invitation to a cocktails and canapes reception in London on September 15.

The day marks a decade since Lehman Brothers went bust in 2008, just over a year after the credit crunch began. The shocking failure turned the banking problems into a full-blown crisis.

Tory MPs jibed that the bankers - who are also said to be planning reunion parties in New York and Hong Kong - should also celebrate the sinking of the Titanic. Labour branded the events 'disgraceful' and 'sickening' saying the crash had put the UK through a decade of austerity.

Hundreds of ex-Lehman Brother workers have been sent an invitation to a cocktails and canapes reception in London on September 15

The email invitation for the reunion, which was seen and first reported by Financial News, was addressed to 'Lehman Brothers & Sisters'.

It said: 'It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since the last of our Lehman days! ... One of the best things about Lehman was the people.

'What better way to celebrate the 10th anniversary than getting everyone from former MDs to former analysts back together again!'

Reunions are also expected to take place in New York in September and Hong Kong in November.

The failure of the US banking giant became one of the most infamous and shocking moments of the crisis, spiralling the credit crunch into full-blown market chaos.

This autumn will also mark 10 years since the UK Government threw a multibillion-pound taxpayer lifeline to the banking sector, taking stakes in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Lloyds TSB and HBOS

Lloyds TSB would go on to take over ailing HBOS to become Lloyds Banking Group, which at its peak was 43 per cent owned by the taxpayer and only went fully private again in 2017.

The UK Government still holds about 62 per cent of RBS.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: 'This is absolutely sickening after a decade of people suffering austerity.

Staff carry boxes out of Lehman Brothers after the collapse in 2008. There is no suggestion anyone pictured is involved in the reunion

'It's particularly disgraceful in the context of all the people who lost their jobs and homes to pay for bailing out these bankers who caused the financial crash, as well as against a backdrop of firefighters, police officers and other public servants facing years of brutal Tory pay restraint.

'People will be absolutely disgusted about this unacceptable and highly inappropriate gathering.'

Tory MP Nigel Evans said: 'Couldn't they wait until April 14, which was the sinking of the Titanic?

'The downing of two iconic institutions is surely better than one.'
A dating website has been slammed for beauty-shaming potential applicants.

BeautifulPeople.com has rejected more than nine million potential users since 2004 as new members are only accepted if existing members approve of how they look.

Last week the site added a feature, for $61, that would send those rejected a report from a plastic surgeon on what would 'fix them' based on an uploaded photo.

BeautifulPeople.com has rejected more than 9 million potential users since 2004 as new members are only accepted if existing members approve of how they look

Already of the 7,000 applicants recently rejected, close to 3,000 have applied for the feedback.

Around 83 per cent of applications have come from women.

Australian users have been recommended procedures such as liposuction, dermal fillers and lip fillers in order to better their chances to get on the site.

One plastic surgeon who writes reports for the website is Dr Linda Li, who starred in the reality series Dr 90210.

Seven applicants have scheduled appointments with Dr Li since.

Site founder Greg Hodge told The Daily Telegraph: 'We understand getting unfiltered feedback on your appearance can be, in some cases, quite jarring but feedback is only given if applicants opt in for it, and most appreciate the unvarnished truth.'

Last week the site added a feature, for $61, that would send those rejected a report from a plastic surgeon on what would 'fix them' based on an uploaded photo

One plastic surgeon who writes reports for the website is Dr Linda Li (pictured), who starred in the reality series Dr 90210

Medical professionals have slammed the site for the 'potentially very damaging for vulnerable people' feature.

Former Australia Medical Association New South Wales president Dr Brad Frankum told the publication: 'Its likely to cause people who potentially already have self-esteem or image issues to doubt themselves further and be tempted to seek unnecessary surgical or cosmetic procedures, which could put them at risk.

'The government should have a look at it. From a moral and ethical perspective what theyre doing here is completely wrong. The depths keep getting lower for some of this behaviour, its shocking.'
At the event, President Tran Dai Quang delivered a speech, looking back at the life and revolutionary career of the late President, also known affectionately as Uncle Ton.

Born on August 20, 1888 at Ong Ho islet, An Hoa village, now My Hoa Hung commune of Long Xuyen city, An Giang province, Ton Duc Thang joined the patriotic movement against the French colonialists since young age. During the time working abroad, he participated in workers movement in France, the rising of the French Navy in the Black Sea in support of the October Revolution in Russia.

Returning to Vietnam in 1920, the late President founded the first workers union in Vietnam and led the worker movement in Sai Gon, with the Ba Son strike being the most typical example of the movements activities. He then joined the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth's Union and was entrusted with several key positions. He was arrested by the French colonialists in 1929 and was imposed 20 years of hard labour in prison. In Con Dao prison, he was among the founders of the first Party cell in prison.

With the success of the August Revolution, Ton Duc Thang regained his freedom and immediately joined the resistance war against the French invaders. He was assigned many important missions by the Party, and in any position, Ton Duc Thang fulfilled his duty, setting a bright example of patriotism, firm revolutionary will, loyalty and revolutionary ethics.

His great contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, the world peace movement and international friendship had won recognition in the form of many noble order and awards. He was the first person to be conferred with the Sao Vang (Golden Star) Order by the Vietnamese Party and State. He was also awarded with the Lenin Order and the Lenin Prize of the Soviet Union.

President Tran Dai Quang stressed that with nearly 70 years engagement in the Vietnamese revolution, 26 successive years serving as President of the Lien Viet Front and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and more than 10 years holding the Presidency of the nation, Uncle Tons 92-year life and revolutionary career was a bright example of patriotism, devotion to the revolutionary cause, firm will and revolutionary ethics.

In Ho Chi Minh City, a delegation of the city Party Committee, Peoples Council, Peoples Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front offered incense and floral tribute to the late President Ton Duc Thang at the museum dedicated to him on the occasion of his birthday.

The museum is holding a display on the childhood of President Ton Duc Thang, with around 100 exhibits showing the situation in An Giang province and the southern region in late 19th and early 20th centuries.
President Donald Trump is egging John Brennan on in his threat to sue the federal government, saying in a Monday tweet that a lawsuit would give the administration an opportunity to depose him.

'I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He wont sue!' Trump tweeted.

Brennan is considering legal action against the administration after the president unilaterally revoked his security clearance on the grounds that he's a loose cannon who cannot be trusted with national secrets.

The former CIA chief says he's being unfairly targeted by the president with whom he's routinely clashed with.

President Donald Trump egged John Brennan on in his threat to sue the federal government, saying in a Monday tweet that a suit would give the administration an opportunity to depose him

Brennan is considering legal action against the administration after the president unilaterally revoked his security clearance on the grounds that he's a loose cannon who cannot be trusted with national secrets

Brennan, who served as CIA director under Barack Obama, has emerged as one of President Trump's harshest critics

Brennan, who served as CIA director under Barack Obama, has emerged as one of President Trump's harshest critics.

He's angered Trump with degrading online and television commentary, including a claim that the Republican president acted 'treasonous' during a July news conference with Vladimir Putin.

Brennan says that's not enough for the president to strip him of his security clearance, though.

He said on Sunday that he had 'been contacted by a number of lawyers' who have given him advice on filing a complaint or an injunction to try to 'prevent Trump from doing this in the future.'

'If my clearances and my reputation, as I'm being pulled through the mud now, if that's the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it's a small price to pay so I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future and if it means going to court, I will do that,' he said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.'

Appearing on Fox News later in the morning, the president's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, laughed off the threat and invited Brennan to take legal action, paving the way for Trump's dismissal of a possible lawsuit today.

Giuliani said he'd demand to depose Brennan immediately if a suit is filed.

'I would volunteer to do that case for the president. I would love to...have Brennan under oath for, I don't know how many days, two, three days? We will find out about Brennan,' he said. 'And we will find out what a terrible job he did going back to being the head of mission at the when the Khobar Towers was bombed and our Marines were killed. Or we can we can see what he what he did or said about Benghazi, how many lies he told about that.'

Former CIA Director John Brennan is considering legal action against the administration

Fox's Maria Bartiomo brought up Brennan's admission in late 2016 that as a college student, he cast a vote for Communist Party head Gus Hall.

'How do you become CIA director if, in the midst of the Cold War, you voted for a communist? Only Obama would pick you,' Giuliani responded.

The president's lawyer signaled that the CIA's water-boarding program and drone strikes - 'where you picked out the terrorists you didn't like and you put bombs on them' - would all become areas of questioning if Brennan takes the president to court.

'Plus, he claims to be a great lover of Islam, of the Islamic religion. He says the Hajj was one of the most beautiful things he ever saw,' Guiliani said of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. 'So, how does all this square up? Isn't this is a guy who is an opportunist and a political hack who goes whichever way the -- whichever way the winds are going?'

Giuliani said that Brennan's claim that Americans need to look no further than Brennan's claim that the president was involved in treason to understand why Trump revoked the former spy chief's clearance.

'This is an out-of-control political hack,' he asserted.

Drawing on Giuliani's claims in tweets this morning, Trump smacked Brennan and said, 'Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan. It certainly isnt because of the good job he did! He is a political hack. '

Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen said Trump is creating an 'enemies list'

The president's national security team has not commented on the clearance dispute, and ex-officials said Sunday that they had not heard from current CIA Director Gina Haspel or Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden told CNN, 'You can't go back to press to test, because these people are still in government. We don't want to make them vulnerable.'

Hayden and others were supportive of Brennan. They also acknowledged that Brennan's spat with the president was harming the relationship between the intelligence community and the White House.

'It's dangerously close to being permanently broken. It's badly injured right now. Look, if we're back at our old agencies, all right, we're -- we're trying to say to our work force, we have nothing to do with what John Brennan says on TV, and we have nothing to do with what the president has done in response,' Hayden said. 'We have got our basic lane. We have got to do blocking and tackling. But that has to be harder and harder each day, as the administration takes these kinds of actions.'

On 'Fox News Sunday' former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen the accused the president of 'creating a list of political enemies' with his decisions on whom to revoke security clearances.

'It immediately brings back of the enemies list under President Nixon and even before that in early 50s  the McCarthy era where the administration starts putting together lists of individuals who don't agree with them and that, historically, has proven incredibly problematic for the country,' Mullen said on Fox's flagship Sunday morning program. 'So it's creating a list of political enemies,' the retired admiral added.

Mullen, who said he still has his security clearance, did concede Trump has the right to revoke any security clearance he wants.

'I don't think there's any question the president has a right to pull security clearances. That authority is very clear,' he said.

But he said he doesn't agree with the president revoking Brennan's clearance.

'I don't agree with the president pulling it. I think I am concerned about the whole issue of free speech,' he said. 'And as long as John is not revealing classified information that he shouldn't, then I certainly think he has a right to speak.'

He called Trump's move an 'egregious abuse of power and authority.'

Mullen claimed getting his security clearance revoked 'was a clear signal to others who still have their security clearances, both in the government as well as outside, that if you cross him, if you speak out against him, he is going to use whatever tools he might have at his disposal to punish you.'

Brennan also said that senior-level administration officials need to decide at what point they should quit over the issue.

'People like John Kelly, his chief of staff, who I know and respect and like so much, John and I worked very close together. I'm sure he's trying to keep Mr. Trump from doing awful, terrible things,' he said.

Brennan added, 'But at some point, these senior officials have to ask themselves, are they enabling this continued abusive and reckless behavior or not? And if they feel as though they're enabling it, and they're not having that type of governing influence on it, I think they have to show their displeasure and their unhappiness and leave.'

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that the president was revoking Brennan's clearance at a news conference where she read allowed from a document that her office accidentally admitted had been put together in July.

By announcing it last week, the administration was able to divert attention from a tell-all book by former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman.

Other people who could lose their clearances include current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who was in contact with former British spy Christopher Steele, and whose unverified dossier said the Russians had information on Trump that could be used for blackmail.

The White House had previously said former deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Andrew McCabe, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Hayden and former National Security Advisor Susan Rice were also in danger of losing their clearances.

All of the above and former FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page are on a new list, as is former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.

Each of the targets have been critical of or upset the president in some way.

Comey and McCabe do not currently have clearances and there's no threat that the fired, former FBI officials will be getting them back anytime soon.

Other high-level officials, on the hand, continue to have them. They typically keep their clearances for years so they can provide counsel to their successors and be called upon for their advice.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is braced for a possible leadership challenge at a party room meeting of Liberals on Tuesday morning.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was reportedly gathering support from colleagues and could have enough numbers to make a challenge at the meeting which begins at 9am.

Mr Turnbull spent Monday night calling MPs to gather their support, according to The Australian.

Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) has lost half of his cabinet's backing as he prepares for a leadership challenge the Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton

The Prime Minister has seen his support crumble in recent days, forcing him to completely ditch his National Energy Guarantee (NEG) because several members of his own back bench intended the cross the floor and move against it.

Senior political figures described Mr Turnbull as being in 'panic mode' and 'clearly rattled' about the amount of support he has lost.





Supporters of Mr Dutton believe they have the required 43 votes need to topple Mr Turnbull, however the Prime Minister's backers also believe they have the numbers.

Christopher Pyne, the minister for Defence Industries and a staunch Turnbull supporter, said he had assurances from Mr Dutton that he would not challenge.

"I'm certain he is telling the truth," he told the Nine Network.

Mr Pyne described his Liberal colleagues stoking leadership tensions as "cowards".

"The public would react very negatively to another change of leadership without them having a vote."

Mr Pyne refuted the reports that half the cabinet was prepared to back a challenge, and that put off any potential challenge until at least September when parliament resumes.

"I have spoken to almost all the cabinet ministers from the Liberal Party and every one of them has told me they support the leader," Mr Pyne said.

"If there are people who are saying behind-the-scenes that is not true, I guess they have to examine their own conscience."

Many of Mr Dutton's supporters are loyalists to former leader Tony Abbott who was successfully challenged by Mr Turnbull.

While they were cautious about a premature challenge and some preferred a 'wait and see approach', The Australian reported that some senior figures wanted an immediate party room vote.

Treasurer Scott Morrison said he was 'fully supportive' of the Prime Minister, and another senior figure in Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was also thought to be firmly in the Turnbull camp.

Supporters of Peter Dutton (pictured) believe the required 43 votes can be sought to kick Turnbull from the Prime Ministerial position

'It's become pretty clear, it's been a pretty torrid decade,' Mr Morrison said.

'We've had a great period of stability over the past three years.

'This stability in our government has helped key outcomes like the strong performance we had on jobs.'

While Coalition marginal seat holders have publicly supported Mr Turnbull, some privately lobbied in favour of Mr Dutton to improve the party's chances in his home state of Queensland, which has several closely contested seats.

It is believed the Australian Prime Minister began to drum up support from colleagues yesterday

Gary Spence, LNP president in Queensland, urged federal MPs to replace Mr Turnbull with Mr Dutton, arguing he would do better at defending the Coalition's nine marginal seats in the state.

Mr Abbott's criticism of Mr Turnbull's leadership became more overt this week when he attacked the Prime Minister's backflip on plans to legislate the Paris emissions reduction target.

Mr Abbott said: 'It's no way to run a government, making absolute commitments on Tuesday and breaking them on Friday.'

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce yesterday backed Mr Turnbull to remain as leader and welcomed the government's changes on the contentious energy policy.

He told Sky News on Monday: 'Peter Dutton is doing a very good job, Malcolm Turnbull is doing a good job, I think people now want this to settle down.'

The expectation of a challenge to Mr Turnbull continued a tumultuous time in federal politics - since the end of the Howard government in 2007, no Prime Minister has lasted a full term.

Kevin Rudd was successfully challenged for the Labor leadership in 2010 before Ms Gillard reclaimed the job in 2013, and Mr Abbott was replaced by Mr Turnbull in 2015.
A two-week-old infant has been rescued after she was discovered abandoned in a cardboard box on the side of a road in south China.

The baby girl in Hechi city was discovered on Saturday by shocked motorists, who heard cries coming from the box.

When they lifted her out, they found blankets and a bottle of milk in the box, as well as a handwritten note that read 'the baby girl was born on August 4, 2018'.

The abandoned baby girl was discovered in Hechi, China, on Saturday by shocked motorists

The baby has been taken to Huanjiang People's Hospital. She is in stable condition

The incident has been reported to the police and officers are now looking for the baby's parents, according to Southern China Daily.

Video footage of the incident in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region shows three men surrounding the little girl, who was wailing loudly and wriggling in the blanket-lined box at about 7pm on Saturday.

One of the men tried feeding the baby from the bottle that was found in the makeshift cot. When that didn't work, he picked her up and started comforting her in his arms until police arrived.

One of the men tried feeding the baby from the bottle that was found in the makeshift cot (left). Another cuddled the baby girl in his arms as he waited for police to arrive

News of the rescued baby circulated online, prompting residents to turn up at the hospital hoping to adopt the little girl. The 16-day-old is currently under the care of the authorities

The baby has been taken to Huanjiang People's Hospital for treatment. Doctors said she is healthy and showed no apparent signs of illness or any birth defects, according to the report.

The 16-day-old is currently under the care of the Huanjiang County civil affairs department in Hechi city.

News of the rescued baby circulated online, prompting residents to turn up at the hospital hoping to adopt her, according to the report.

The girl's parents could face up to three years in jail if found guilty of abandonment.


This is the dramatic moment the Genoa highway bridge, which collapsed last week killing 43 people, comes crashing down onto the streets below.

CCTV footage shows concrete blocks and debris falling onto the roads, just seconds after a man is seen walking in the same spot, filling the screen with white dust.

It has been released as it is revealed that experts warned months ago that the corrosion of the metal cables supporting the bridge had reduced its strength by 20 per cent - yet local authorities did nothing to limit traffic or warn the public.

Shocking: The CCTV footage shows the dramatic moment the Genoa highway bridge comes crashing down onto the streets below during the horrific event which killed 43 people

Crush: The footage shows the rain battering the city, including the streets below the Morandi bridge, when suddenly concrete and debris comes falling down

And investigation and the results came in February - six months before the collapse last week, Italian newsmagazine Espresso reported Monday.

Despite the findings, 'neither the ministry, nor the highway company, ever considered it necessary to limit traffic, divert heavy trucks, reduce the roadway from two to one lanes or reduce the speed' of vehicles on the key artery for the northern port city.

A large section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed August 14 during a heavy downpour, killing 43 people and forcing the evacuation of more than 600 people living in apartment buildings beneath another section of the bridge.

Prosecutors are focusing their investigation into the cause of the bridge's collapse on possible faulty maintenance or design flaws but have not identified any targets.

After workers heard creaking noises coming from the part of the bridge that was still standing, firefighters suspended an operation to allow evacuated residents to retrieve their belongings from apartments under the bridge.

Warning: Experts warned months ago that the corrosion of the metal cables supporting the bridge had reduced its strength by 20 per cent

Despite the warning from experts of its weakened state in February this year, local authorities did nothing to limit traffic or warn the public in Genoa

Eerie: The bridge pictured weeks before its collapse shows it looking dilapidated with cables hanging from the sides

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that officials have ruled out that the sound could be caused by wind, and that more checks are underway.

Firefighters on the ground confirmed the reports but declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media. Work continued to clear the tons of bridge debris that cascaded onto a dry riverbed below.

In its report, Espresso cited the minutes of a meeting of the Genoa public works superintendent, which included Roberto Ferrazza, an architect named to head a government commission looking into the disaster, and Antonio Brencich, an engineer who has been outspoken about the bridge's flaws.

Former Transport Minister Graziano Delrio told a news conference Monday that 'no one ever signalled the necessity of limiting traffic' on the bridge.

Espresso reporter Fabrizio Gatti told SKY TG24 that a reduction of 20 per cent strength would not be significant in a modern bridge, but on a structure with the known defects of the Morandi Bridge it should have merited swifter, more decisive action.

'Everyone was well aware of the situation on that bridge,' Gatti said.

People light candles for the victims of the Morandi Bridge collapse among other tributes on a bridge opposite

The cause of the disaster is not yet clear, but the bridge was having work done on its foundations, and there had been a period of bad weather in the run up to the collapse

Bidding on a 20-million-euro (18million) contract to reinforce two of the major supports for the bridge, including one that collapsed, was scheduled to close next month.

The Italian government, meanwhile, appeared divided on how to proceed in relation to Autostrade per l'Italia, the company that operated the section of highway that collapsed.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli was quoted by the Milan daily Corriere della Sera as saying that he supported the nationalization of Italy's toll highways like the including the bridge.

'Think of all the revenues that would return to the government through tolls, to use not to donate to shareholders' dividends but to reinforce the quality of service and security on our roadways,' Toninelli was quoted as saying.

But Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, who is also Italy's interior minister, told reporters he remains in favour of public-private cooperation in infrastructure.

Premier Giuseppe Conte says procedures have begun to revoke Autostrade per l'Italia's concession to operate some 3,000 kilometers (nearly 1,900 miles) of Italian highways, about half of the total highways operated by private companies.

Italy's main union confederation estimates it would cost Italy between 15 billion and 18 billion euros (13.4billion to 20 billion) to revoke the highway rights.
Sarah Palin has revealed her family has been stalked by multiple people for years but hopes 'justice may prevail' now the FBI has launched a massive manhunt for one of the alleged stalkers after he allegedly threatened to shoot President Trump.

Palin posted a photo of one of the men, Shawn Christy, on Instagram on Monday claiming he has tormented her family and threatened her daughters for years.

She said one of the stalkers had even come to Alaska where her family lived and then followed her daughter Bristol Palin to Texas to 'more aggressively physically invade and intimidate'.

'It's been a hellish ride with these stalkers... as we've informed the FBI and law enforcement for years,' Palin wrote.

Sarah Palin has revealed her family has been stalked by multiple people for years, including one who came to Alaska and then followed daughter Bristol to Texas. Pictured (left to right) is Sarah, Bristol, Willow and Piper Palin

But the former Alaska Governor said she hoped that 'justice may prevail' now that the FBI offered a $10,000 reward last month to find one of the men - Shawn Christy.

Authorities have been searching for Christy, a 27-year-old from McAdoo, Pennsylvania, after he allegedly threatened President Donald Trump, a police chief and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

He is accused of having posted threats on Facebook in early June saying that he was going to shoot President Trump in the head, and was going to use 'lethal force' on any law enforcement officer attempting to detain him.

A poster released earlier by federal marshals said Christy was wanted for failure to appear on Schuylkill County assault charges and for a Northampton County probation violation.

Christy's connection to the Palin family stems back to 2008 when he started contacting the former governor.

Palin ended up filing a restraining order against Christy for sending threatening text messages and emails.

Palin posted a photo of one of the men, Shawn Christy, on social media on Monday claiming he has tormented her family and threatened her daughters for years

Palin posted this photo of Shawn Christy on Instagram on Monday saying it had been a 'hellish ride' with the various stalkers but they had been in contact with the FBI over the years

Just last week, police believe Christy was behind a break in and robbery at the Kentucky home of Bristol Palin's ex-husband Dakota Meyer (pictured above)

Christy was then convicted in 2012 for harassing Palin's Alaska lawyers after he repeatedly called the office and left lewd voicemails.

Just last week, police believe Christy was behind a break in and robbery at the Kentucky home of Bristol Palin's ex-husband Dakota Meyer.

Surveillance footage showed a suspect using a sledgehammer to enter the home through a back window.

He then stole food from the fridge and took the keys to a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee before fleeing.

The FBI has warned that Christy is believed to be armed and dangerous after stealing numerous handguns.

The fugitive's father told Newsweek that Christy had stolen the weapons from his own uncle's house in Drums, Pennsylvania.

'He took three pistols. He took a .22, .9 (millimeter) and a .380. It's not something you can start a war with, but they can wing you,' Craig Christy said.

Authorities have been searching for Christy, a 27-year-old from McAdoo, Pennsylvania, after he allegedly threatened President Trump, a police chief and a district attorney

The FBI describes Christy as being 5'10" and weight 165 pounds. He has also a crucifix tattoo on his upper right arm

His parents also said they believe Christy's recent threats against Trump and the a district attorney are part of his long-running battle against Palin and her family.

Back on June 12, Christy posted on Facebook: 'Keep it up Morganelli, I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of Donald J. Trump. Remember where you came from punk'.

Later that day he also wrote in a Facebook post: 'Your (sic) a dead man Morganelli, $250 Sarah Palin. Let's play :).'

An arrest warrant was issued for Christy on June 19 after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of making threats against the President.

The FBI describes him as being 5'10" and weight 165 pounds. He has also a crucifix tattoo on his upper right arm.
Ben Carson's deep rooted ties to Baltimore are slowly tearing asunder as the city that once proclaimed him for his ground breaking surgeries turns its back on the Trump administration's housing head.

A portrait used to hang in the hallway, welcoming children and parents to the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore: a smiling Dr. Ben Carson in surgical scrubs, rubbing together the careful, steady hands that helped him become the nation's most famous black doctor.

'The person who has the most to do with your success is you,' it reads.

'I took it down,' said Principal Alicia Freeman of the portrait she's since placed out of public view. Although the school, whose student body is majority Hispanic, black and low-income, has a reading room funded by Carson's foundation, the doctor's inspirational message now feels hostile, she said.

'He was starting to become offensive.'

Carson was a hero in the city before his presidential bid, before he withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, and before he was tapped to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was before the president failed to condemn white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. And before Carson pushed policies critics say walk back civil rights protections for those living in subsidized housing.

Portrait of Ben Carson hangs in the Ben Carson Reading Room inside of the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore. The portrait used to hang in the school's hallway, but Principal Alicia Freeman moved it out of public view during Carson's presidential campaign

The city of Baltimore looked to Ben Carson for inspiration and admired his 'pull yourself up by the bootstraps' mentality- on how he rose up and out of poverty- but the city has started to turn on him following several political moves that appear to be in contradiction with his poor black upbringing

Carson's story of climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name.

In some schools his memoir was required reading, an illustration of the power of perseverance. For a working-class, majority African-American city wracked by racial division and neglect - where a baby born in a wealthy white neighborhood is expected to live two decades longer than one in a poor black area - Ben Carson was hope.

But his role in the Trump administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African-Americans here. In the last presidential election, nearly 85 percent of city voters cast ballots for Hillary Clinton.

'The Trump virus is weakening Ben Carson's image,' said Bishop Frank Reid, a former pastor at Baltimore's Bethel AME Church who met Carson at Yale, where both received their bachelor's degrees. Carson is still respected, Reid said. 'But he is no longer the hero he once was.'

Carson declined to be interviewed for this story, first published by the Associated Press. Instead, he sent a written statement.

'I understand what it means to be poor because I grew up poor,' the statement said. 'I was fortunate to have my mother who was my compass - always steering me on course, helping me to see beyond our circumstances. That's what I hope to do for the millions of low-income families HUD serves.'

Carson was born in Detroit, but Baltimore is the city that claims him. He rose to fame for his groundbreaking surgeries at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and launched his scholarship program here. Carson would sometimes arrange for high school students to visit the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum on the city's east side, where a figure in his likeness stands glossy and smiling in a white lab coat and stethoscope, in the middle of the Famous Marylanders display.

'This young African-American who grew up in poverty and could have been put in jail or suspended from school made something great of himself. It was the American Dream,' Reid said. 'We believed he could walk on water.'

Emmanuel Williams, 33, grew up in Northwest Baltimore. He learned about Carson in elementary school, a few years after Carson grabbed headlines for successfully separating conjoined twins attached at the skull.

'He was taught during Black History Month,' Williams said. 'And everyone was so proud because it was happening here in Baltimore. It was mythic.'

'Sometimes I think the country looks down on us,' he said. 'So to have such a brilliant person who's making history and making these great medical advancements in Baltimore? He was our crown jewel, and he was here.'

Since taking the reins at HUD, Carson has proposed sweeping rent increases for the poorest subsidized housing tenants, and has begun dismantling key Obama-era regulations designed to address racial segregation. Carson has considered stripping anti-discrimination language from the department's mission statement, and voiced strong support for implementing work requirements for housing aid recipients. In a radio interview shortly after being confirmed, Carson said poverty 'is a state of mind.'

Now, Williams said, 'people feel betrayed.'

'He can't come back from this,' he said.

The seeds of Carson's approach to policy are scattered throughout his memoir. He has long promoted self-sufficiency and enthusiastically embraced the bootstrap ideology popular with conservatives.

'Success is determined not by whether or not you face obstacles, but by your reaction to them,' Carson wrote.

But those messages, now coming from a politician, are being received differently.

'There's a certain consistency to his message, it's just the language is now different,' said Kurt Schmoke, Baltimore's first elected African-American mayor. Carson and Schmoke, now the president of the University of Baltimore, have been friends for decades.

'It's more political, more partisan, and in my view, it's harsher,' he said.

Carson's wax figure (center) from his days as a neurosurgeon stands in a gallery at the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum in Baltimore. His role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans in the city

Despite calls to remove his wax figure removed from the museum, the co-founder Joanne Martin refuses saying despite concerns over his political moves, you can't take away from him his incredible achievements as a surgeon

Schmoke said Carson's achievements and philanthropic work haven't been entirely eclipsed by his association with the Trump administration. But Carson's political turn has changed the way many people see him.

'You can't take away the fact that he's done outstanding things for people throughout his life, that can't be erased,' Schmoke said. 'But I do think there's clearly more people who view him through a political lens and that affects how he's viewed in this community.'

Shaun Verma, a Ben Carson Scholarship recipient from Georgia, says Carson's use of his story of hard work and determination to justify scaling back the safety net for the same communities that raised and revered him 'is really disappointing.'

'He gave funding to inner city schools with big African-American populations, and opened reading rooms with the message that through education we can fight poverty and discrimination, and he was looked up to because he escaped his circumstances,' said Verma, who recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University and now lives in New York.

At 15, Verma founded MDJunior, a nonprofit that aims to improve health care accessibility to underserved communities. As a Carson scholar he attended board meetings and banquets, and got to know Carson personally. Carson's policies, Verma said, have 'tainted his long career and commendable service. It's hard to associate all this with a person I looked up to for years.'

Some Maryland conservatives embrace Carson's transition to politician. Antonio Campbell, a professor of political science at Towson University and state chairman for Carson's 2016 presidential campaign, said he 'remains impressed.' Those disappointed with his performance as HUD secretary likely feel that way because of fundamentally divergent values, he said.

'The question is, what is the role of government?' said Campbell, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate against Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. When assistance is scaled back, those accustomed to the status quo are bound to be disappointed, he said, adding that Carson 'is learning' how to sell his policies to skeptics.

As a child, growing up in a low-income, predominantly black neighborhood in a Maryland suburb, Boateng Kubi saw Carson as the embodiment of possibility.

'He's one of the first people who truly indicated that black boys, black children, have the right to scientific curiosity,' said Kubi, a rising second-year student at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and president of the school's chapter of the largest association for minority medical students.

Kubi calls Carson's policy proposals 'shocking.'

'It feels like he's neglecting the communities he came from, the people who grew up admiring him, who might not have all the money in the world,' he said. 'I no longer speak of wanting to be the next Ben Carson.'

Carson has come back to Baltimore in an official capacity only three times since becoming HUD secretary. Last month the department gave $144 million in revitalization grants to five cities, including Baltimore. But for the announcement Carson sent a representative to the Perkins Homes housing complex 40 miles from HUD headquarters, opting instead to go to Flint, Michigan.

Carson doesn't send groups to the wax museum anymore, said co-founder Joanne Martin. But his figure still gets plenty of attention.

Martin has heard her share of complaints about the figures in her museum: Martin Luther King Jr. is too short. Frederick Douglass is too light-skinned. But no figure has been nearly as controversial as Carson's.

'There have been objections to him being in the museum,' she said. 'People have posted on our website demanding that we remove him.'

Martin refuses. He's earned his place in history as a doctor, Martin said, and she's committed to honoring his contributions to medicine.

But she says she feels uneasy about Carson's next chapter, and made a deliberate decision not to update his placard to include any information about his political life.

'We include figures of people who fought for civil rights and appreciated that struggle,' she said. 'That's not the person he is today.'
Blakeslee's work now upends the theory and paints some tribes as urban dwellers

Traditional thoughts about Native American communities in the early Midwest portrayed them as tribal nomads

Blakeslee said he believes he's found a battle site in what is now an upscale Arkansas City neighborhood

In 2013, scholars at UC Berkeley announced that they had retranslated murky documents written by Spanish conquistadors more that 400 years ago

Located in Arkansas City, Kansas, just a few miles from the Oklahoma border, Blakeslee says that freshly translated documents have helped his search

Professor Donald Blakeslee believes he's found the massive lost city of Etzanoa, home to perhaps 20,000 people between 1450 and 1700

An archaeologist in Kansas believes that he has made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery after claiming to have unearthed a long-lost civilization in the Midwest.

Wichita State University Professor Donald Blakeslee believes he's found the massive lost city of Etzanoa, which has home to an estimated 20,000 people between 1450 and 1700.

Located in Arkansas City, Kansas, just a few miles from the Oklahoma border, Blakeslee says that freshly translated documents and an array of high-tech equipment may have led him to the mythical city.

Professor Donald Blakeslee (pictured) believes he's found the massive lost city of Etzanoa, home to perhaps 20,000 people between 1450 and 1700

Located in Arkansas City, Kansas, just a few miles from the Oklahoma border, Blakeslee says that freshly translated documents have helped his search

If he's right, the site could be home to one of the largest former Native American settlements in North America and may spark a rethinking of traditional views over early settlements in the Midwest, according to The Los Angeles Times.

In 2013, scholars at UC Berkeley announced that they had retranslated murky documents written by Spanish conquistadors more that 400 years ago.

The newly translated primary sources, more precise and cogent than older translations, kick-offed Blakeslee's foray into locating the massive ancient settlement.

Adam Ziegler (pictured) was the first to stumble across evidence of an ancient civilization that may upend much of what experts know about ancient Native American communities

'I thought, 'Wow, their eyewitness descriptions are so clear it's like you were there.' I wanted to see if the archaeology fit their descriptions,' Blakeslee told the LA Times. 'Every single detail matched this place.'

Two years ago, Blakeslee was searching a rocky ravine that matched the accounts from conquistadors, but found nothing.

Meanwhile, a young volunteer on the dig, Adam Ziegler, asked to borrow Blakeslee's metal detector and explore the surrounding area.

An hour or two later, Ziegler found something about four inches deep. It turned out to be a ball from a Spanish cannon.

This gave Blakeslee the motivation he needed to keep searching, and enlisted the help of the National Park Service.

WHAT WAS ETZANOA? The only recorded accounts of Etzanoa come from the expedition of Spanish conquistador Juan de Onate, who in 1601 led a party into the Great Plains in search of a fabled 'city of gold' The lost city of Etzanoa was home to around 20,000 people between 1450 and 1700. One of the largest former Native American settlements in North America, if its discovery is confirmed it could spark a rethinking of traditional views over early settlements in the Midwest. The only recorded accounts of Etzanoa come from the expedition of Spanish conquistador Juan de Onate, who in 1601 led a party into the Great Plains in search of the fabled 'city of gold' Quiviria. The expedition came across a war party of 300 to 400 natives, whom Onate called 'Rayados', or striped ones, for their body paint and tattoos. They were almost certainly Wichitas. Advertisement

Intrigued, they offered their equipment and used a magnetometer to detect variations in the earth's magnetic field and find features around the excavation that looked like homes, storage pits and places where fires were started, the LA Times reported.

Continuing to dig, and using the newly translated descriptions from the conquistadors, Blakeslee said he believes he's found a battle site in what is now an upscale Arkansas City neighborhood.

In 2013, scholars at UC Berkeley announced that they had retranslated murky documents written by Spanish conquistadors more that 400 years ago

Stone weapons and tools such as these have been found at the site in abundance

The recent discovery of three half-inch iron balls, 17th century Spanish cannon shells and a Spanish horseshoe nail has helped Blakeslee bolster his claims even further.

'We're really proud that all this history happened here, and we want to share it with the world,' said Hap McLeod, who owns the property where the cannon shot was found.

The only recorded accounts of Etzanoa come from the expedition of Spanish conquistador Juan de Onate, who in 1601 led a party into the Great Plains in search of the fabled 'city of gold' Quiviria.

The expedition came across a war party of 300 to 400 natives, whom Onate called 'Rayados', or striped ones, for their body paint and tattoos. They were almost certainly Wichitas.

Onate tells of making peace with the group and being led to their settlement, Etzanoa.

This map was drawn in 1602 by a Wichita Indian who was captured by the Spanish. The circular figures represent native settlements. Etzanoa is depicted by two circles with a diagonal line between them at the top center of the map.

The conquistador was stunned by the city's size. Though the rest of the tribe had fled Etzanoa for hiding at Onate's arrival, he saw a sprawling settlement across thousands of acres along the bluffs of the confluence of two rivers.

The Spaniard reported the city had 2,000 large, beehive-shaped houses, each large enough to house 10 people, for an estimated population of 20,000.

Growing nervous at the size of the population they stumbled across, Onate's party of roughly 100 men turned back, retracing their steps southward.

But suddenly, the group came under attack from a group of more than 2,000 natives from another tribe called the 'Escanxaques.'

The Spaniards marshaled their small cannons as the attackers charged at them up a rocky ravine, according to the Europeans' account.

The city was never seen by Europeans again, and no group of Wichita peoples that size was ever documented. Experts believe that smallpox and other diseases may have raced through the dense settlement after contact with the Europeans, wiping out the city.

Onate described finding a city of 2,000 beehive-shaped houses. Shown is a traditional Wichita grass house in a file photo from 1927

Onate is believed to have encountered Wichita people, whom he called 'Rayados' for their striped body paint. Shown in a 1927 file photo are Plains Indians in ceremonial dress

'We're really proud that all this history happened here, and we want to share it with the world,' said Hap McLeod, who owns the property where some of the evidence was found.

'Lots of artifacts have been taken from here,' McLeod added.

Traditional thoughts about Native American communities in the early Midwest portrayed them as tribal nomads whom followed buffalo migration routes.

But if Blakeslee's theory is correct, then some tribes were urban dwellers.

'So this was not some remote place. The people traded and lived in huge communities,' Blakeslee said. 'Everything we thought we knew turns out to be wrong. I think this needs a place in every schoolbook.'

The revelation has many in the small town of Arkansas City riveted, and they are trying to capitalize on their new found history by offering visitor tours.

Town leaders are also courting UNESCO, hoping to earn the site a World Heritage designation.
A woman has been killed by an eight-foot alligator while out walking her dog near a lagoon in a gated community in South Carolina.

Cassandra Cline, 45, was trying to protect her dog when she was attacked and pulled into a lagoon on Monday on Hilton Head Island at about 9:30am.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said witnesses called 911 to report that the alligator had attacked Cline near a lagoon off Wood Duck Road in the private Sea Pines Plantation.

Cassandra Cline, 45, (pictured) was trying to protect her dog when she was attacked and killed by an eight-foot alligator near her gated community in South Carolina

Cline was pulled into a lagoon by the alligator (pictured) on Monday on Hilton Head Island at about 9:30am

Cline, who lived in the gated community, was dragged underwater by the alligator, according to witnesses.

Authorities said they found Cline's body in the lagoon when they arrived.

Cline's dog did not appear to be harmed during the incident.

'It appears the alligator went after her dog and she tried to protect it,' Sam Chappalear of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources told The Island Packet.

The alligator was later found and euthanized.

An autopsy is scheduled to be carried out by the Beaufort County Coroner.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said witnesses called 911 to report that the alligator had attacked Cline near a lagoon off Wood Duck Road in the private Sea Pines Plantation

Cline, who lived in the gated community, was dragged underwater by the alligator, according to witnesses

Cline lived in this home in the private Sea Pines Plantation, which is about a block away from the lagoon where she was killed

Blake Smith, 34, was leaving his house when he saw police cars and firetrucks in the neighborhood.

'I waited for about 30 minutes, then I started hearing rumors about what happened down the road from here,' Smith told the newspaper.

'It's odd because this is the first time we've heard about an aggressive alligator around a human in the five years that we've been living here.'

Smith said that at times, alligators have been spotted in yards or pools, but Sea Pines quickly removed those animals.

'They do a good job. This is just a sad incident,' he said. 'I have a young son, so it's kind of concerning to see something like this could happen.'

Sea Pines said in a statement that it's working with authorities 'to ensure necessary access to the site while the investigation is underway.'
Julian King, the EUs commissioner for security

Web giants will have to delete extremist content on their platforms within an hour or face being fined, under new plans by the European Commission.

It is the first time the commission has shown it will get tough on the likes of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube - rather than relying on self-regulation alone.

Under the new rules, the sites would have an hour to take down things such as videos uploaded by members of Islamic State or posts inciting violence by extremist groups.

If they are not removed within the time period, companies will be fined.

The proposals will be set out in draft regulation due to be published next month, according to The Financial Times.

Julian King, the EUs commissioner for security, told the newspaper that Brussels had not seen enough progress, when it came to the sites clamping down on terror-related material.

He vowed to take stronger action in order to better protect our citizens.

Under the rules, which would have to be agreed by a majority of EU member states, the platforms would have an hour to remove the material, a senior official told the newspaper.

The rules would apply to all websites, regardless of their size.

Mr King told the FT: The difference in size and resources means platforms have differing capabilities to act against terrorist content and their policies for doing so are not always transparent.

All this leads to such content continuing to proliferate across the internet, reappearing once deleted and spreading from platform to platform.

Earlier this year, Facebook said it had made significant strides in finding and removing terror propaganda

The proposals come as tech giants have said they are successfully fighting extremist materials on their platforms.

Earlier this year, Facebook said it had made significant strides in finding and removing terror propaganda.

In the first quarter of 2018, the site took action against 1.9million pieces of ISIS and al-Qaeda content, about twice as much from the previous quarter.

Google, meanwhile, said more than 90 per cent of the terrorist material removed from YouTube was flagged automatically.

Half of those videos had had fewer than 10 views.

British politicians have said they will introduce laws to regulate tech giants, with a white paper currently being prepared.

It is unclear what the legislation might entail but former Culture Secretary Matt Hancock suggested measures such as social media sites being forced to introduce tough age verification checks.

In Germany, social media companies must remove obviously illegal posts within 24 hours or face fines of more than 44million.
President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, argued forcefully for interrogating President Bill Clinton with detailed and explicit questions about phone sex and oral sex with Monica Lewinksy in a 1998 memo.

Kavanaugh, who was an associate counsel to independent counsel Kenneth Starr, urged fellow lawyers that to hold back from the explicit questions would be to 'conspire' to keep them quiet.

He said the idea of 'going easy' on Clinton out of a sense of misplaced respect for the office was 'abhorrent' to him.

Among 10 questions he recommended in the memo were those about the times and nature of oral sex acts involving the president and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, argued forcefully for interrogating President Bill Clinton with detailed and explicit questions about oral sex

'If Monica Lewinsky says that you had phone sex with her on approximately 15 occasions, would she be lying?' Kavanaugh wanted to ask.

He further wanted to ask the president: 'If Monica Lewinsky says that you inserted a cigar into her vagina while you were in the Oval Office area, would she be lying?'

He also wanted to know if it would be accurate that Lewinsky said she 'gave you oral sex in the Oval Office on nine occasions.'

The memo was obtained from the National Archives by the Washington Post through an information request.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh departs the office of Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., after meeting with the Senator, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 15

There were other questions that Kavanaugh included in his memo that were even more graphic as they related to sex acts. The appear to have been informed by testimony Lewinsky gave that ultimately was included in the Starr report.

A Senate vote to try to impeach Clinton fell short of the supermajority needed to convict him, and he remained in office through the end of his second term. Ultimately, the GOP Congress suffered losses for its drive to impeach him.

Kavanaugh is certain to get asked about his push to grill Clinton during his Senate confirmation next month.

The email emerged just a day after Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, once again argued on television about why he refuses to allow his client to fall into a 'perjury trap' by submitting to an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller in the Russia probe.

Kavanaugh wrote in 1998 it would be 'abhorrent' to give Bill Clinton a break

QUESTION TIME! Kavanaugh laid out 10 questions, some number of which he argued investigators should ask President Bill Clinton

Kavanaugh wanted the independent counsel to ask Clinton detailed questions about sexual contact with Monica Lewinsky

Kavanaugh made his argument to fellow lawyers, describing pursuit of the racy questions as a duty.

'After reflecting this evening, I am strongly opposed to giving the President any 'break' in the questioning regarding the details of the Lewinsky relationship' unless he 'resigns' or 'confesses perjury,' Kavanaugh wrote.

'He has required the urgent attention of the courts and the Supreme Court for frivolous privilege claims  all to cover up his oral sex from an intern. He has lied to his aides. He has lied to the American people. He has tried to disgrace you and the Office with a sustained propaganda campaign that would make Nixon blush,' Kavanaugh continued.

Democrats in the Senate have been demanding access to more Kavanaugh records before he gets a hearing and confirmation vote. He is slated to appear Sept. 5th. The Archives has said it won't complete a records search until the following month.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said holding the hearing before the documents were fully available 'is not only unprecedented but a new low in Republican efforts to stack the courts.'

Lewinsky, a former White House intern, had told former friend Linda Tripp details of her relationship with the president

Kavanaugh penned the memo as an attorney assisting independent counsel Kennth Starr

'It's clear that Republicans want to speed this nomination through before we know who Brett Kavanaugh is,' she said.

Transcripts of Clinton's interview with the independent counsel indicate that lawyers did pick up the line of questioning Kavanaugh advised  though they held off from some of the more explicit language he recommended about the precise nature of sex acts.

'The question is, if Monica Lewinsky says that while you were in the Oval Office area you touched her breasts would she be lying?' Clinton got asked, in what looks like a version of Kavanaugh's questions.

In other question, investigators hit Clinton, who had denied 'sexual relations' with Lewinsky, tried to hit question with a more technical description.

'If the person being deposed touched the genitalia of another person, would that be -- and with the intent to arouse the sexual desire, arouse or gratify, as defined in definition (1), would that be, under your understanding then and now ' Clinton was asked.

'Yes, Sir,' the president responded,' according to Washington Post excerpts.

'Sexual relations,' the questioning continued.

Another question asked of the president by lawyer Solomon Wisenberg less graphic than what Kavanaugh proposed.

'If the person being deposed kissed the breast of another person, would that be in the definition of sexual relations as you understood it when you were under oath in the Jones case?' he asked Clinton.
The event was co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and General Robert B. Brown, Commanding General of the US Army Pacific.

The PAMS-42 is taking place from August 19-24, featuring the participation of representatives from the UK, India, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, the Republic of Korea, the US, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, China and Vietnam.

This years event includes three plenary sessions on the topics of ground forces initial response to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), multilateral cooperation in HADR, and enhancing the roles of regional cooperation in HADR.

The parties involved will also exchange measures to promote the cooperation between the armies in the region to cope with the threats posed by natural disasters, contributing to the maintenance of regional stability.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, member of the Party Central Committee, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) and Deputy Defense Minister, said Indo-Asia-Pacific frequently faces various natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcano eruptions due to climate change and global warming.

Being aware of the need to enhance cooperation in and outside the region in order to cope with non-traditional challenges and offer humanitarian assistance and disaster response, the armies in Southeast Asia have promoted initiatives such as establishing the ASEAN Militaries Ready Group and issuing a Code of Conduct on the use of military assets in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, he said.

These are the practical activities to realise the goal of One ASEAN  One Response adopted by ASEAN leaders in Vientiane, Laos, in 2016, he added.

Senior Lieutenant General Giang expressed his belief that the joint work against common challenges will connect the armies together, laying a foundation for collaboration in other fields for the sake of regional peace, stability and development.

On the sidelines of the PAMS 42, the USARPAC will hold the fourth Senior Enlisted Leaders Symposium and invite the Vietnamese Defence Ministry to join as an observer. Several group discussions, bilateral meetings and collective exchange activities are also planned.

Following the opening ceremony, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Huong and General Brown co-chaired a press conference to provide basic information on the seminar.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Huong said PAMS 42 contributes to strengthening friendship, mutual understanding and trust between Vietnamese army and those in the Indo-Asia-Pacific as well as reflects the active, proactive and responsible role of the Vietnam Peoples Army in the regions common issues, thus popularising Vietnam, its people and army.

The two officials answered reporters questions on the basic solutions to improving humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
This is the shocking moment a balaclava-clad thug is mown down by a car as he hunts a rival with a machete-wielding gang in the middle of day before being left for dead by his accomplices.

The man in his 20s sustained serious head injuries after being thrown into the air and flung 50 feet along the pavement by the hit and run driver - who was apparently trying to save the man they were chasing.

His three accomplices tried to drag him into a waiting getaway car but gave up when he proved too heavy to lift and decided to save their own skins.

Footage filmed on a home CCTV camera shows a man in a black tracksuit sprinting along the road, apparently being pursued by three masked men in black wielding machetes and bats

The vehicle continues to accelerate and rams into him, crushing the man against a parked car and throwing him into the air

Footage filmed on a home CCTV camera shows a man in a black tracksuit sprinting along the road, apparently being pursued by three masked men in black wielding machetes and bats.

As the first three men disappear from frame, a blue car is seen racing towards a third man who has fallen behind.

The vehicle continues to accelerate and rams into him, crushing the man against a parked car and throwing him into the air.

The force of the impact sends him skidding about 50 feet along the concrete, ripping his trousers down in the process.

His accomplices stop and turn around as the blue car speeds away - allowing the first man to escape.

They rush to help the fallen man and try dragging him into a black getaway car but are unable to move him more than a few inches.

One of the bungling raiders then removes his balaclava and panics when a female bystander gets a clear look at his face.

The force of the impact sends him skidding about 50 feet along the concrete, ripping his trousers down in the process

He and his accomplice appear to threaten the lone woman with weapons as she backs away in horror with her hands raised.

The getaway driver then hops out and the three men make a second attempt to pull the badly injured man into the car but they give up after just a few seconds.

They get back in the vehicle and flee, leaving their partner in crime unconscious at the side of the road as the witness urgently dials 999.

One of the bungling raiders then removes his balaclava and panics when a female bystander gets a clear look at his face

The getaway driver then hops out and the three men make a second attempt to pull the badly injured man into the car but they give up after just a few seconds

West Midlands Police is appealing for information about the attack Hillaries Road, Erdington, Birmingham, at around 1.30pm on Friday.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: 'A man in his 20s has been taken to hospital in a serious condition with a head injury.

'The patient was immobilised at the scene and taken to hospital via land ambulance.

'An investigation is under way and anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting 1235 of 17/8/2018.'
Goldman Sachs is set to pay for new mothers to courier breast milk back to their babies.

The banking giant will become one of the first companies in the UK to pay for its breastfeeding working mothers to courier their expressed milk back to their babies if travelling for work.

An internal memo to staff read: 'Parenting and work can sometimes feel at odds. Goldman Sachs aim[s] to make the balancing act a little easier.'

The banking giant will become one of the first companies in the UK to pay for its breastfeeding working mothers to courier their expressed milk back to their babies if travelling for work (stock image)

The memo then goes on to add that its US officers will deliver freezing kits to nursing bankers' hotel rooms, and that the express milk will be delivered by courier, the Evening Standard says.

The bank, which employs 6,000 people in London, will reimburse mothers for breast milk delivery costs on work trips.

Goldman was one of the first corporate firms to introduce 'lactation rooms' for women to express milk and it also runs free pre-natal fitness classes at its office gym. It also has an on-site daycare where employees' children are cared for 20 days each year for free.

Goldman Sachs is not the only firm to introduce intensives for breastfeeding mothers, as US law firm White & Case has a room where mothers can express milk or feed heir babies, who are bought in by the nanny.

Emma Pape, who has two young children and works as an executive director in wealth management at Goldman Sachs, uses holiday camps provided by the firm.

Goldman was one of the first corporate firms to introduce 'lactation rooms' for women to express milk and it also runs free pre-natal fitness classes at its office gym (stock image)

She said: 'When I joined Goldman 15 years ago, it felt much more male-dominated. Now there's a realisation that people have lives outside the office; you often see parents wandering around with their little ones.'

'This is a tough place to work. You have to be resilient and competitive, and it can be really stressful.'

She added: 'Women used to leave Goldman because they felt they couldn't be an MD and still have a family  that's no longer the case. They're very conscious of mental health and resilience. They want women to come back to work  and are helping us do so.'
The spokeswoman for Melania Trump took to social media during a summit on cyberbullying to admonish those who questioned the first lady's motivations on the issue and wondered what the president would think of her remarks.

'Social media is an inevitable part of our children's daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly,' Melania Trump said at the opening of the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Cyberbullying Prevention Summit.

Author Kate Anderson Brower, who has written a book on first ladies, questioned what President Donald Trump would think of the comment.

Melania Trump said social media can be 'destructive and harmful when used incorrectly'

The first lady's communications director said the focus should be on children who are bullied and not dissecting Melania Trump's remarks

The first lady opened a conference on cyberbullying

Stephanie Grisham with First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump

'This is what stands out to me about @FLOTUS brief remarks this morning on cyberbullying: Social media can be 'destructive and harmful when used incorrectly.' Wonder what @POTUS thinks of that statement,' she wrote on Twitter.

Stephanie Grisham, the communications director for Melania Trump, then retweeted her post from her official White House account with a chide about the author's remark.

'Rather than dissecting her remarks, let's focus on the countless children who struggle w bullying & online safety each day,' Grisham wrote.

Grisham also commented on another reporter's post about the summit.

'I can''t decide if Melania's cyber-bullying campaign is just a massive troll on her husband or if she is truly unaware of all of the context here,' CNN's Chris Cillizza tweeted.

'It's a sincere campaign meant to help children w the many issues they face today,' Grisham wrote in response.

Grisham noted to the DailyMail.com that her job as communications director it to make sure reporting on the first lady is accurate.

'It is my job to correct reporters when things are not portrayed accurately. To use the word admonish is simply your opinion. Mrs. Trump is working hard to help children with the many issues they face - including bullying - and that deserves fair and accurate reporting,' she said.

Melania Trump has directed her staff to fight back against news coverage she dislikes, The New York Times reported in a profile on the first lady.

Combating cyberbullying, which is a part of Melania Trump's signature Be Best initiative, is also an issue for which the first lady has come under fire with some questioning her work on this issue given her husband's prolific Twitter habit.

Some critics pointed out the irony the first lady attended a conference on cyber bullying a week after President Donald Trump attacked former White House aide Omarosa Manigualt Newman on Twitter in response to her book 'Unhinged,' where she contends the president is a racist who is suffering from declining mental abilities.

'When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!' he tweeted.

Grisham said in a statement that the first lady is 'aware of the criticism' but 'it will not deter her.'

'The First Lady's presence at events such as today's cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country. She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does,' she said.

Melania Trump has directed her East Wing staff to operate independently of the West Wing, The New York Times reported, which is a departure from previous administrations.

Melania Trump did not mention her husband in her speech

Grisham worked in the main White House press office before moving to the East Wing

The president tweeted a criticism of John Brennan during the cyberbullying summit's panel discussion

Grisham said in a statement that the first lady is 'aware of the criticism' but 'it will not deter her'

The president didn't tweet during Melania Trump's remarks although he did tweet that former CIA director John Brennan was 'the worst CIA Director in our country's history' during the summit's panel discussion on ways social media users can safely use the platform and deal with those who may bully them.

Representatives from the White House, Facebook, the Family Online Safety Institute, Google, and Twitter were in attendance.

The first lady sat in the audience to listen to their conversation.

Lauren Culbertson, Twitter's public policy manager, said during the panel conversation that the platform has developed tools to curb bullying.

'We have strong rules against abusive behavior,' she said, 'and we've leveraged technology to help us enforce those rules.'

Melania Trump, in her brief remarks to the summit on Monday, focused on children and her Be Best initiative to help improve the life of young people.
An asylum seeker on trial for stabbing his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend to death tried to strangle a court officer during the victim's mother's testimony.

Abdul Mobin Dawodzai is on trial for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend Mia Valentin in Landau, western Germany, in December.

The failed Afghani asylum seeker was restlessly moving back and forth in his seat as Ms Valentin told the court about seeing her daughter's body.

Abdul Mobin Dawodzai suddenly jumped up and yelled 'I want out of here immediately!' before grabbing the court officer by the throat

She said Mia's disfigured body was cold as she stroked her face and then talked about burying her with her baby blanket.

Dawodzai then suddenly jumped up and yelled 'I want out of here immediately!' according to German tabloid Bild.

Two court officers tried to restrain him but he began flailing around and spat at one of them, calling him a 'dirty pig'.

He then jumped at the court officer's throat and began throttling him, badly injuring the victim's arm and hand.

Special Deployment Commando officers stormed inside the courtroom and overpowered Dawodzai, then escorted him out in handcuffs and ankle shackles.

He is on trial for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend Mia Valentin, 15, in Landau, western Germany, in December

Mia, a German national, was stabbed with an eight-inch kitchen knife at a chemist (pictured) in the town of Kandel in on December 27

His defence lawyer did not want to comment on the incident.

Mia, a German national, was stabbed with an eight-inch kitchen knife at a chemist in the town of Kandel in on December 27.

Mia broke up with the Afghan teenager at the beginning of December, which prosecutors argue prompted the murder.

He then began a campaign of online harassment and even beat up one of her classmates at their school in Kandel in a fit of jealousy.

Four days after the breakup, Dawodzai posted nude photographs of her online after finding out she had a new boyfriend.

A memorial for Mia outside the Kandel pharmacy in the weeks after she was stabbed to death

Mia's parents became so concerned they called police on December 15 and officers visited Abdul after he ignored a summons and warned him off.

Hours later he followed her to a drugstore and allegedly stabbed her in front of horrified staff and customers.

He arrived in Germany in 2016 as an unaccompanied migrant and his asylum application was rejected in February 2017, but he was not deported.

Authorities suspect he lied about being 15 but expert evaluations could not determine his age and assessed he was between 17-and-a-half and 21.
A former Tennessee county school board chairman has been charged in his wifes slaying.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says in a news release that 51-year-old Kinney Spears was charged with one count of criminal homicide after the body of his wife, 50-year-old Donnita Spears, was found on Saturday at their home in the 1800 block of Barber Highway in Erin.

The statement did not say how Donnita Spears died. Autopsy results are pending.

Kinney Spears (left) has been charged with criminal homicide in the death of his wife, 50-year-old Donnita Spears (right)

The couple have three children and three grandchildren (pictured with two of them)

Kinney Spears was being held at the Houston County Jail on $100,000 bond. It wasnt immediately known whether he has an attorney.

Kinney was a county school board member for seven years before resigning last August, citing unspecified health issues.

The Spears had been married since 1995 and had three children and three grandchildren.

On May 13, the 51-year-old husband posted a photo of his wife on Facebook, alongside a gushing caption that read: 'Donnita your the greatest thing in my life my best friend an u gave me my 3 boys An now we have 3 grandchildren HAPPY MOTHERS DAY our life is because of you love u to moon an beyond.'

Other photos on Kinney's social media account suggest that he is an avid hunter.
Qatar's royal family has put its luxury jet up for sale - and it could sell for an eye-watering 5million.

The Boeing 747-8 has a staggering 10 bathrooms, several lounges spread over two floors and a stunning bedroom suite.

Decked out in blue, white and gold, it also boasts a medical centre and an enormous dining room which doubles up as a boardroom.

Scroll down for video

The Boeing 747-8 is decked out in blue, white and gold and can seat 76 passengers and 18 crew

The plane's stunning dining room which doubles up as a boardroom is kitted out with 14 luxury blue chairs

The jet, which has appeared on the Controller website where used aircraft are put up for sale

The plane was originally designed to carry 467 people, but the Qatari royal family had most of the seating ripped out to maximise space.

It now has room for 76 passengers and 18 crew, and has been flown for a total of 403.2 hours.

The jet has appeared on the Controller website where used aircraft are put up for sale.

Perth Now estimates it could be sold for as much as 500,000,000.

Potential buyers are instructed to ring AMAC Aerospace in Switzerland if they want to make an offer.

The luxury jet's stunning bedroom suite, fitted with a double bed and decked out with wooden decor

One of several lounges on board the jet, which has a selection of rooms set over two floors

A striking equestrian-themed ornament (left) on board the jet and the medical room (right)
The father of an 18-year-old killed in a St Louis police shooting alleges in a wrongful death lawsuit that his son was shot in the back as he ran.

Dennis Ball-Bey says his son, Mansur Ball-Bey, was a church youth leader without a criminal record when he was killed in August 2015.

The suit names the city of St Louis, former police chief Sam Dotson and the two white officers who fired at Ball-Bey, who was black, the St Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Mansur Ball-Bey, 18, was shot dead by two whit officers in 2015 in St Louis

Dennis Ball-Bey (pictured, in red with his family as they mourn) is suing the two white officers, city of St Louis and former police chief in a wrongful death lawsuit

The officers, Ronald Vaughan and Kyle Chandler, told investigators that Mansur Ball-Bey brandished a gun as he fled after police served a warrant at a home.

The officers claim Mansur had a gun and shot him as he pointed it at them

In June 2016, then-Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce declined to file charges against Vaughn and Chandler, saying a gun found discarded at the scene appeared to match photos of a gun Ball-Bey was seen holding in photos posted on social media.

The wrongful death lawsuit, however, alleges that Mansur Ball-Bey was unarmed.

It says that the two police officers violated Mansur Ball-Bey's rights and used inappropriate force, and that the violation was committed 'as a result of the policies and customs of the St Louis Police Department.

The department was under Dotson's supervision at the time.

An attorney for Ball-Bey's family, Jermaine Wooten, has questioned the police account, saying officers planted the gun on Ball-Bey at the scene if there was any weapon at all.

Wooten said before Joyce's announcement in 2016 that he anticipated the officers would not be prosecuted, adding that he has 'been down this road before' with area police being cleared in fatal shootings involving black people.

His death lead to outcry with protests from the community in light of the Black Lives Matter movement

Jeff Roorda, the police union's spokesman, said he was not in a position to comment.

The officers' attorney, Brian Millikan, said previously that the shooting was a 'tragedy but was absolutely justified.'

The medical examiner concluded that Ball-Bey sustained a severed spinal cord, and a bullet pierced his heart.

Ball-Bey's death led to an outcry, with protests leading to arrests and flaming cars and other damaged property.
Armed police have cordoned off a busy west London road after shots were fired outside a school today.

Witnesses reported hearing three shots outside the Kennet West Skills Centre in west London today, as a motorbike rider opened fire on a white car.

No students were in the school but building contractors working inside the building at the time of the incident spoke of how they ducked for cover after hearing the gunshots.

A witness said someone involved in the crash, possibly the gunman, ran into the building after the white Volvo crashed into the tree near the school.

An armed police officer is seen crouching outside the school after there were reports of gunshots earlier today

A cordon of around 50 metres has been put in place around the school in west London today

The driver's side window has been shattered during the incident

An empty shell casing is pictured beside the 'A' at the scene

Another scooter was also said to be driving with the bike involved in the shooting but sped off from the scene.

Pictures from the scene show the driver's seat of the white Volvo shattered and empty shell cases on the floor next to the vehicle.

Sources told MailOnline the white Volvo was a rental vehicle and the incident is believed to be gang or drug related.

Nick Purnell, who was working inside the building at the time of the shooting, said he was forced to hide in a cupboard after hearing gunshots at around 4pm.

The 42-year-old told MailOnline: 'It was a heart-pumping moment. My first reaction was to duck, but then I realised there was glass in front of us so I had to run.

'There were three of us working in one of the classrooms at the time and we all just ran out. My mate hid in a disabled toilet while me and the caretaker hid in the cupboard, and that's where I called the police.

A motorbike is left turned on its side near the scene of the incident in west London today

The white car which crashed into the tree is inside the police cordon

Around 10 police vehicles are said to have been dispatched to the scene

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 'evidence of a firearm discharge was found'

'We waited until police arrived at the scene but then we managed to get out.'

Mr Purnell told MailOnline the person he believed to be the shooter was a black man in his early 20s or late 30s, wearing a blue striped top. He said that he entered the main entrance of the school and turned left down a corridor.

'I didn't hear any shouting after the shooting but people in the houses above were banging on the windows. It all happened so quickly,' Mr Purnell added.

Oliver Holder, 35, arrived at the scene shortly after hearing reports of the shooting.

Mr Holder, who works as a photographer, said police had put a large cordon of around 50 metres around the school and that around ten police vehicles, unmarked cars and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene.

He said: 'I was driving home and that is when I found out about the shooting. I live not far away from the area and it's not the first time this has happened.

'Last year a girl died after being shot on Malvern Road. Another person was shot on my road, this kind of stuff happens quite a lot now.

'This keeps happening but because we come under the borough of Westminster, we don't get the proper resources to deal with the problem.'

Police helicopters are said to be circling the Kennet West Skills Centre

The Metropolitan Police told MailOnline 'evidence of firearm discharge' was found at the scene.

They added there were no reported injuries and no arrests had been made.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called on Monday, 20 August at around 16:10hrs to reports of shots fired in Kennet Road, Westminster W9. Officers and armed officers attended.

'No reported injuries. Evidence of a firearm discharge was found.

'Officers with the support of the National Police Air Service are searching the area.

'No arrests. Enquiries continue.'
Mr Rowley and partner Dawn Sturgess were exposed to the nerve agent in June

He is in intensive care but condition not believed to be related to his poisoning

Novichok survivor Charlie Rowley has been rushed to hospital after 'going blind' - but medics don't believe his condition is related to the nerve agent.

The 45-year-old was rushed by ambulance to Salisbury General Hospital in Wiltshire on Saturday.

He has been placed in intensive care but doctors don't believe his temporary blindness is related to his exposure to Novichok, the Sun reported.

Novichok survivor Charlie Rowley (pictured) has been rushed to intensive care after temporarily going blind

Mr Rowley (left) and his partner Dawn Sturgess (right) were exposed to the nerve agent Novichok in June

Mr Rowley's brother Matthew Rowley, 47, said: 'I have spoken to him and he went temporarily blind and couldn't see anything.'

A friend said: 'We are all worried for Charlie. He's had it tough with the poisoning and losing Dawn.

'He was in a bad way and so dialled 999.'

Mr Rowley and his partner Dawn Sturgess were poisoned by the same nerve agent used in an assassination attempt against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.

Mr Rowley was found foaming at the mouth at an address in Amesbury, Wiltshire on June 30.

His partner Ms Sturgess, 45, sadly died from exposure to the nerve agent on July 8.

Mr Rowley said the agent took 15 minutes to poison Ms Sturgess after she sprayed it on to her wrists, believing it was perfume he had given her as a gift.

He told ITV News: 'I had showed Dawn what I'd found. It might've been hanging around the flat for a couple of days.

It is believed the substance was left over from the attempted assassination of Sergei and Yulia Skripal (pictured, police at the London Road Cemetery in March)

Mr Rowley is believed to have found the perfume bottle in Salisbury's Queen Elizabeth Gardens, nearby to where the Skripals were found (pictured in March)

'I find things and it looked expensive. It looked expensive. Unfortunately it turned out to be to be a bad find.

'Within 15 minutes Dawn said she had a headache. She asked me if I had any headache tablets. I had a look around the flat. In that time she said she felt peculiar and needed to lie down in the bath.'

Soon after, Mr Rowley found his partner in the bathroom in a 'very ill state.'

He got some of the perfume on his hands, but believes he survived because he quickly washed it off.

Mr Rowley fell into a coma but woke after 10 days. He then spent a further three weeks in recovery at Salisbury District Hospital.

Yulia Skripal and her father Sergei Skripal (pictured together) were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury on March 4

Ms Skripal (pictured) and her father were in a critical condition for weeks - and doctors feared they may suffer brain damage if they survived

It is believed Mr Rowley found the perfume bottle in Salisbury's Queen Elizabeth Gardens, nearby to where the Skripals were discovered after being poisoned.

It was also suggested that the substance was left over from the earlier assassination attempt on the former spy.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found slumped on a park bench on March 4.

The Skripals were in a critical condition for weeks and doctors at one point feared that, even if they survived, they might have suffered brain damage.

A large decontamination operation took place with many items - including the park bench where the Skripals were found - being taken away for destruction.

The former Russian double agent was finally discharged from hospital on May 18 - 11 weeks after he came into contact with Novichok.

Ms Skripal had been released a short time earlier after 'improving rapidly' in hospital at the end of March.
Scott McHugh was traveling south on East 9 Street when he crashed into Jenasia Summers (pictured) from behind

A 21-year-old woman killed while riding an electric scooter in Ohio may have been hit by a driver under the influence of heroin.

The accident occurred at approximately 10pm Saturday evening in Downtown Cleveland, on East 9 Street near St. Clair Avenue, cleveland.com reported.

According to Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia, 19-year-old Scott McHugh was traveling south on East 9 Street when he crashed into the victim from behind.

Jenasia Summers was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to MetroHealth Emergency Room after succumbing to a traumatic head wound.

Broadcast affiliate Fox 8 reported that Summers was riding a green ICON G Electric scooter at the time of the accident.

McHugh allegedly admitted to snorting heroin at a nearby grocery store parking lot before the crash, according to a police report.

He was found unconscious from a suspected overdose inside his 2016 Chevy Cruz after attempting to flee the scene.

A police report stated that McHugh admitted to snorting heroin at a nearby grocery store parking lot before the crash ( mangled scooter inside circled image)

The accident occurred at approximately 10pm Saturday evening in Downtown Cleveland, on East 9 Street near St. Clair Avenue

He reportedly passed out minutes later behind the wheel. A bystander was able to stop the car by jumping into drivers seat and pulling the emergency break.

When paramedics arrived, they administered to McHugh naloxone. He was revived, vomited and then taken to St. Vincent Charity Hospital for evaluation.

'I'm just going to kill myself,' police reported McHugh as saying on his way to the hospital. He told police he was in rehab for opioid addiction and had been clean for 50 days, according to cleveland.com.

He was later released and booked into the Cuyahoga County Jail. He is facing an aggravated vehicular homicide charge, Ciaccia said.

Police are unsure if the scooter involved in the accident was placed by the BIRD company, which scattered a 100 of their machines across the downtown area.

The city of Cleveland had asked the company to remove the scooters from sidewalks citing public safety concerns.

'We have seen these scooters parked unattended on the sidewalks of the City,' the City said in its statement.

'Please be aware that Bird Rides, its agents, or customers, are not permitted to place property on the sidewalks of the City without obtaining a permit.'

The scooters are available to rent using an app which charges customers based on distance and time, according to NBC affiliate WKYC.
The event was jointly held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Education and Training. It saw the attendance of by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that in an earlier meeting with overseas Vietnamese talents in science and technology the same day, Prime Minister Phuc lauded their return, especially in the era of industry 4.0 which poses both opportunities and challenges to the nation.

Currently, the ministry is working with relevant ministries and sectors to build a national strategy on industry 4.0, which comprises the establishment of innovation centres, and mobilisation of experts and scientists, he said, adding that the innovation network initiative has lured the participation of more than 100 overseas Vietnamese scientists so far.

The proramme will gather overseas Vietnamese and domestic scientists who will meet to exchange and share visions as well as strategies for scientific and technological development in the sectors that Vietnam needs to accelerate in the coming time, Minister Dung said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh laid stress on human resource issue, seeing it as a competitive factor to promote the countrys growth quality.

The launching ceremony was followed by a dialogue on connection of science and technology community, and policies on innovation network connection in Vietnam.
Thousands of pilgrims carrying umbrellas while climbing Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia today for the final leg of the annual Hajj pilgrimage

DHL Express Saudi Arabia handed out thousands of bright yellow brollies emblazoned with the companys logo to shield the pilgrims from the sun

After sunset prayers, pilgrims made their way down Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah, another holy site, where they will sleep under the stars.

They will rest ahead of the final stage of Hajj: a symbolic 'stoning of the devil' ritual.

Other prominent businesses aside from DHL took the chance to raise their profile during the pilgrimage, which was attended by nearly 2.4 million Muslims.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) provided purple and white umbrellas to pilgrims, while mobile network operator Mobily gave out bright blue logo-adorned brollies.

Pilgrims scaling the 70-metre granite hill east of the holy city of Mecca for a vigil to atone for their sins and ask for God's forgiveness

Many of the pilgrims were carrying yellow umbrellas provided by DHL Express Saudi Arabia, and bright blue brollies handed out by mobile network operator Mobily

An aerial view of Mount Arafat where millions of Muslims travelled today during the final leg of the Hajj piligrimage

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

It has at times been a point of controversy, following an incident in 1987 in which Saudi police crushed an Iranian protest during the pilgrimage against the United States and Israel.

The clashes killed 402 people, including 175 Iranians, according to Saudi authorities.

Iran boycotted the hajj in 2016, following a deadly stampede the year before which left some 2,300 dead, hundreds of them Iranian.

Pilgrims attend noon prayers outside Namirah Mosque in Mecca during the annual pilgrimage. Many can be seen shielding themselves with yellow DHL umbrellas

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, n the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Muslims pray during the Hajj pilgrimage on the Mount Arafat near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, one day prior to Eid al-Adha
Thomas Phelps, 71, fell asleep at the wheel on Sunday and crashed his vehicle, leading to the death of his wife, Lu Ann Phelps, 63 (pictured), and injury of their two grandchildren, ages 6 and 3, on the way home from their family reunion in Michigan

A Michigan man fell asleep at the wheel on Sunday, leading to the death of his wife and injury of their two grandchildren after the vehicle crashed into a tree.

Lu Ann Phelps, 63, did not survive the accident and the two children, ages 6 and 3, were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the Kent County Sheriff's Office told DailyMail.com.

Thomas Phelps, 71, was the driving the four of them home from a family reunion, according to a social media post shared by Lu Ann's cousin on Sunday.

No charges have been filed as the investigation remains ongoing at this time, the sheriff's office said.

The crash occurred at around 2.30pm Eastern, on Alden Nash Avenue near 36th Street SE, just south of the city of Lowell.

The Kent County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene after receiving a report of an accident with injuries and possible fatalities at 2.33pm on Sunday.

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The crash occurred at around 2.30pm Eastern, on Alden Nash Avenue near 36th Street SE

Thomas was driving southbound, just north of 36th Street SE, investigators said.

The family were traveling together in a red 2014 Ford Edge SUV when Thomas fell asleep while driving, the vehicle left the road, and crashed into a tree in Jim Chernoby's yard.

The SUV was totaled and the tree was cracked in half following the impact.

'Well I was in the yard, my wife and I, and then we heard all the crash going through here and we heard the explosion in the trees,' Chernoby told FOX 17.

Thomas was driving the his wife and grandchildren home from a family reunion, according to a social media post shared by LuAnn's cousin on Sunday

The family were traveling together in a red 2014 Ford Edge SUV when Thomas fell asleep while driving, the vehicle left the road, and crashed into a tree in Jim Chernoby's yard

The SUV was totaled and the tree was cracked in half following the impact.

Chernoby and his wife heard the girls screaming, and ran toward the SUV, he said.

'Took them in the house to calm them down,' Chernoby said.

'They were pretty upset. Calmed them down, tried to get them something to drink, some chocolate milk and stuff, get them so they werent thinking about grandma and grandpa.'

Chernoby said he was told when he purchased his home 30 years ago to Have your phone ready for 911,' due to the dangerous roadway, where many crashes have occurred.

Jim Chernoby said he was told when he purchased his home 30 years ago to Have your phone ready for 911,' due to the dangerous roadway, where many crashes have occurred

Chernoby and his wife heard the girls screaming, and ran toward the SUV, he told Fox 17 News

The granddaughters were taken to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, investigators said

Their grandmother was in the front passenger's seat, which is where the vehicle struck the tree.

The granddaughters were seated in the backseat. Everyone was wearing their seatbelts, investigators said.

The granddaughters were taken to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital following the crash, police said.

The family members were on their way to the Phelps' home in Schoolcraft, which is about 70 miles south of the scene of the fatal crash.
A Michigan mother has told how she was attacked and abducted by her gun-wielding ex-boyfriend, leaving her with horrific injuries.

Nyree Henderson was at home in Detroit, when her ex-boyfriend broke in through a kitchen window armed with a gun and wearing latex gloves.

With her one-year-old son asleep in the next room, Henderson grabbed the baby and tried to make a break for it but her ex, who police have not named, pursued her.

Henderson says she was dragged down the stairs clutching her son and outside but admits she was in such a mode of shock that she couldn't immediately feel the pain of being 'hit in the mouth' and' kicked in the eye'.

'I thought I'm not going to make it,' she told FOX2.

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Nyree Henderson from Detroit, Michigan shared disturbing images of her face after an attack

The mother of a one-year-old boy was kicked in the teeth among other awful things by her ex

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She recalls: 'There was nothing anybody could do. It was like the devil walked into the house.'

'My friend's brother actually ran up to him like 'What are you doing?' but he didn't see the gun in his hand,' she said. 'He showed it to him like 'Back up.'

Despite managing to break free and dashing a mile and a half down the street with her child still in her arms, he caught up with her.

Her former partner then held her captive in a nearby property.

Henderson's ex-boyfriend broke into her house while toting a gun and wearing latex gloves. She speaks about the ordeal above

Henderson suffered from injuries including a swollen eye, broken teeth and various bruises

Henderson, who believed she was going to die, was held against her will for approximately an hour before she saw the opportunity to break free.

'He went to sleep,' she tells of how she got out alive.

Shocking images show the injuries Henderson was left with after the assault - a swollen eye, bruised and bloodied forehead plus knocked teeth.

On Wednesday, police were issued a warrant to detain the man for aggravated felonious assault and kidnapping. He remains at large.

Detroit detectives are asking for the public's help and can be contacted anonymously on 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
An undocumented Ecuadorean dad-of-two has been issued a stay of execution by an immigration judge after he was an hour away from being deported.

United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Katherine Polk Failla, issued a stay of deportation Thursday night for Edisson Barros, who was scheduled to be sent back to Ecuador on Friday.

Barros, 47, who has been living in the United States for 25 years, was walking the family dog Chucho when it ran into the road on May 5 near his home in Queens, New York.

He caught the driver's attention by throwing his cars keys in his direction, which infuriated the motorist.

Edison Barros caught the attention of a motorist by throwing his keys at the car when Chucho, the family pet dog (pictured), ran onto the street

Chucho, the Barros' pet dog, was almost ran over by a car in Queens, New York. Its owner faces deportation after a cop gave him a citation after an argument with the motorist

An argument ensued between both parties, police were called and Barros was given a desk appearance ticket by the New York Police Department.

Barros, a cab driver, showed up to a Queens courthouse July 16 to successfully challenge his summons but was intercepted thereafter by agents from the Unite States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on an outstanding.

Barros was being held by federal authorities at Hudson County Correctional Facility in New Jersey before he was later transferred to an ICE facility in Louisiana, the final point of departure for his deportation.

Barros emigrated to the United States without proper documentation in 1994 and obtained a work permit.

Edisson Barros celebrates his 44th birthday with his two American daughters, Eileen, 20 (left), and Paola, 21, (right).

He returned to Ecuador in 2003 when his father passed away and when he tried to pass through customs, border patrol agents detained and deported him.

With two daughters aged three and four at the the time living with their mother in the U.S., Barros entered the country illegally the same year and continued working to support his family.

Gregory Copeland, the Supervisor Attorney with the Immigration Law Unit at the Legal Aide Society, applauded Judge Failla's last minute decision that gives Barros a chance to fight his case in court.

In the coming days the group of five lawyers will be filing a motion in court to have him returned to the New York City area.

'It was a tremendous victory and now helps thousands that are sitting in a similar position,' said Carlos Jesus Calzadilla-Palacio, president of the Young Progressives of America, in an interview with the Daily Mail.

'This is what happens when the community unites for a just cause and fights. We've shown the country that you can overcome ICE and inhumane policies.'
President Donald Trump is demanding senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr be fired, citing his wife's ties to the company which commissioned the infamous and unverified Steele dossier during the presidential campaign.

Trump has repeatedly targeted Ohr, who is also on the administration's list of officials who may lose their security clearance.

But the president's tweet on Monday is his most blatant call to date for Ohr's dismissal.

President Donald Trump is demanding senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr be fired

Trump has repeatedly targeted Ohr, who is also on the administration's list of officials who may lose their security clearance

Bruce Ohr severed as Deputy Attorney General before he was demoted

The president also got in a dig at Attorney General Jeff Sessions, putting 'Justice' in quote marks when he questioned whether Ohr would lose his position.

'Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions 'Justice' Department? A total joke!,' the president tweeted.

In a follow-up tweet, in which Trump seems to be quoting Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, the president wrote: '"Bruce Ohr is at the center of FALSE ALLEGATIONS which led to a multi-million dollar investigation into what apparently didn't happen." Darrell Issa, House Oversight. We can take out the word "apparently." @FoxNews.'

Trump has shown repeated fury concerning Ohr.

'For him to be in the Justice Department and doing what he did, that is a disgrace,' the president said on Friday.

Ohr's wife, Nellie Ohr, worked for Fusion GPS during the 2016 election.

It was the firm that commissioned former British spy Christopher Steele to write the dossier on Trump that alleged the Russians have information they could use to blackmail the president, including an allegation - which Trump has denied - that he hired 'a number of prostitutes to perform a 'golden showers' (urination) show in front of him' when he was in Moscow for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

Ohr had contact with Steele during the campaign.

Trump and his allies have used the unverified dossier to paint special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation as tainted, claiming the Steele dossier was politically motivated by those in the government who do not want to see Trump be president.

The dossier was compiled on behalf of Fusion GPS, which was the firm hired to conduct opposition research through a law firm that had done work for The Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton.

Christopher Steele in London in March 2017

Trump has also called Bruce Ohr a disgrace

Ohr is scheduled to testify in closed session before Congress on August 28

Ohr's role in the saga has long be scrutinized.

In dueling memos released earlier this year, Republicans and Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee battled over Ohr's connections to Steele and its level of importance.

Republicans argued Ohr was aware of Steele's bias against Trump and helped conceal it from a judge when the FBI applied to get a wiretap on Trump campaign advisor Carter Page.

Democrats said Republicans exaggerated Ohr's connections to Steele.

In July, the administration released documents that showed the FBI relied on more than the Steele dossier to obtain the warrant against Page.

Ohr is an former Associate Deputy Attorney General who was demoted this past year to Organized Crime Task Force Director. He was later removed from that position as well.

He is scheduled to testify before Congress on Aug. 28, Rep. Mark Meadows wrote on Twitter earlier this month. It will be a closed-door session.
Jesus Christ looms over Rio de Janeiro, a quartet of American presidents gazes from the face of Mount Rushmore and Lenin keeps watch over St. Petersburg.

But if there were a global contest to honour larger-than-life men on a colossal scale, Mongolia might just vanquish them all - again.

The 130-foot (40 metres) steel statue of the fearsome Mongol warrior, Genghis Khan, was visited by hundreds of tourists on the anniversary of his death, 800 years ago on August 18.

Hundreds of tourists visited the 130-foot (40-metre) steel statue of Mongolian warrior, Genghis Khan, on the anniversary of his death 800 years ago on August 18

The 250-tonne statue in he Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Museum is on the bank of the Tuul River symbolically points east towards his birthplace

The base of the structure includes a museum where visitors can see a replica of Genghis Khans legendary golden whip, sample traditional cuisine

The statue of the warrior, who built the second-biggest empire in history, is wrapped in 250 tonnes of gleaming stainless steel and symbolically pointed east towards his birthplace.

Inside the two-story base of the statue, visitors can see a replica of Genghis Khans legendary golden whip, sample traditional cuisine of horse meat and potatoes, or play billiards.

Visitors can go up the statue using the elevator or the stairs to the head of the horse where they can have a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape.

The Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Museum is on the bank of the Tuul River at Tsonjin Boldog, east of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.

Khan is known for conquering half the known world in the 13th century and is remembered for his brutalities and destruction resulting in the death of 40million people

But to Mongolians, he is a national hero, a larger-than-life figure and the symbol of Mongolian culture, for building the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history

Visitors can go up the statue using the elevator or the stairs to the head of the horse where they can have a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape

He is known as the warrior who conquered half the known world in the 13th century and is remembered for his brutalities and destruction that he brought upon the conquered regions resulting in the death of 40million people.

But to Mongolians, he is a national hero, a larger-than-life figure and the symbol of Mongolian culture, for good reasons.

Khan founded the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history, revived the Silk Road, uniting warring tribes and was responsible for cementing the position of Mongols in the worlds map.

There are 16million male relatives of Genghis Khan alive today, according to an international team of geneticists.

One in every 200 men in central Asia have the same male Y chromosome as the great Mongol leader

Khan revived the Silk Road and united warring tribes as well as cementing the position of Mongols in the world's map
President Cyril Ramaphosa (pictured) wants to force the pace of land reform

South Africa's president has declared it is time to 'correct a past wrong' by seizing land from white farmers - and a 10million family ranch is among his first targets.

President Cyril Ramaphosa wants to take lands from white farmers without compensation and redistribute them to black farmers to make up for the injustice of apartheid.

He said at a farmers' conference on Monday that land reform was necessary to 'correct a past wrong.'

'It has required that we confront the injustices of the past, acknowledge our weaknesses and shortcomings, and seek a sustainable path towards a just and inclusive future,' Ramaphosa said.

'This is the time for South Africans to find each other, not fight each other.'

Since the 1994 end of apartheid - a system of racial segregation - the South African ruling party has followed a 'willing-seller, willing-buyer' model under which the government buys white-owned farms for redistribution to black farmers.

But progress has been slow and it appears Ramaphosa wants to more vigorously force the pace of change.

His government has begun the process of seizing farms where negotiations over compensation have failed.

This 10million farm, the Akkerland Boerdery, is set to be seized by the government after just 10 percent of the asking price was offered

Johan Steenkamp and Arnold Cloete, co-owners of the Akkerland Boerdery hunting farm in Limpopo province, said they were ordered to hand over their land after talks to buy it at a tenth of the price broke down.

Steenkamp and Cloete asked for 200million rand (10.7million) for their reserve but were only offered 20million rand (1.07million).

A letter they received earlier in the year said: 'Notice is hereby given that a terrain inspection will be held on the farms on April 5, 2018 at 10am in order to conduct an audit of the assets and a handover of the farm's keys to the state.'

The farmers have obtained an injunction, which was opposed by the government, to prevent eviction until a court rules on the case.

Mr Steenkamp told Newsweek that the decision to take his land was made on 'very short notice' during a public holiday.

He said he was given notice to hand the keys over to his farm within seven days.

Left: Farmer Johan Steenkamp. Right: Pictures posted on the Akkerland Boerdery facebook page show families hunting game

Other photos posted to the farm's Facebook page say the ranch specialises in 'trophy hunting'

Annelie Crosby, spokeswoman for the agricultural industry association AgriSA, told the Johannesburg based CityPress: 'What makes the Akkerland case unique is that they apparently were not given the opportunity to first dispute the claim in court, as the law requires.'

Government spokesman ZiZi Kodwa said: 'Over time I think the markets as well as investors will appreciate that what we are doing is creating policy certainty and creating the conditions for future investment'.

South Africa's state-owned Land Bank has warned that the government could end up with a bill of $2.8billion if the land seizure policy leaves it so short of money that it can't pay its debts.

Land Bank Chairman Arthur Moloto said in the company's 2018 annual report that the bank has approximately 9 billion rand of debt, which includes a standard market clause on 'expropriation' as an event of default.

Moloto said if expropriation without compensation were to materialise without protection of the bank's rights as a creditor, it would be required to repay 9 billion rand immediately.

'A cross default clause would be triggered should we fail to pay when these debts fall due because of inadequate liquidity or lack of alternative sources of funding,' Moloto said.

The hunting lodge's Facebook page shows several pictures of the farm and wild animals

'This would make our entire 41 billion rand funding portfolio due and payable immediately, which we would not be able to settle. Consequently, government intervention would be required to settle our lenders.'

Moloto said the bank was generally funded by the local debt and capital markets, and more recently international multilateral institutions such as the African Development Bank and World Bank.

'A poorly executed expropriation without compensation could result in the main sources of funding drying up as investors might not be willing to continue funding Land Bank in particular, or agriculture in general,' he said.

Some investors are concerned that the ANC's reforms will result in white farmers being stripped of land to the detriment of the economy, as happened in Zimbabwe, although President Ramaphosa has repeatedly said any changes will not compromise food security or economic growth.

Since Cyril Ramaphosa took power, tensions in white farming communities have been rising as he has committed to a programme of land expropriation.

African National Congress chairman Gwede Mantashe last week said: 'You shouldn't own more than 25,000 acres of land.

'Therefore if you own more it should be taken without compensation.'

More than two decades after the end of apartheid, white people still own most of South Africa's land (Akkerland Hunting Ventures, pictured)

A record number of white farmers have put their land up for sale as the government has been accused of earmarking almost 200 farms for seizure.

But the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform denied the claim, saying there was 'no truth to this document', News 24 reported.

The South African constitution contains a section which allows the government to seize land from farmers, but says that fair compensation must be paid.

However, the ANC, the ruling party, is believed to be trying out 'test cases' to see whether the land can be taken without compensation if it is deemed to be 'in the public interest.'

If such cases fail, it has threatened to amend the constitution to remove the compensation clause.

A program of land seizures in nearby Zimbabwe in the 1990s sent the country into an economic spiral from which it has never fully recovered.

Photos posted online show the idyllic farm which is among the first targets of state seizure

Farm union bosses say a record number of farmers are trying to sell their land before the seizures begin but that nobody is buying, making the land effectively worthless.

The ANC has sought to assuage those fears by saying that land reform will follow a parliamentary process.

'You shouldn't own more than 12,000 hectares of land and therefore if you own more, it should be taken without compensation,' ANC Chairman Gwede Mantashe, who is also the country's mines minister, told News24 in an interview published on Wednesday.

Linda Page, spokesperson for the department of land reform, said it is legal for ministers to intervene the law makes provision for the minister to intervene to purchase if it's for the purpose of land reform.

Since 2007, a total of 23 cases have been finalised, seven in Limpopo, one in KwaZulu-Natal, 14 in Mpumalanga and one in the Northern Cape.
Animal lovers across New York are falling in love with an abused dog who appears to still be smiling despite possible facial injuries.

Paris the pit bull won hearts after an animal shelter in Newark posted a series of images in an appeal for donations and adoption, noting that she's missing half her mouth.

The pooch was taken into the Associated Humane Popcorn Park Shelter after being brought to the attention of an animal control officer.

Paris is believed to have been a victim of abuse after 'scars, punctures and wounds' were found on her body but it's possible she has a congenital deformity

It's possible the animal's unique appearance is due to being born with a cleft lip or another congenial deformity but due to 'scars, punctures and wounds' on her body, the shelter believes she was attacked by another dog.

Although it's unclear whether the injuries were intentional or a result of an accident, volunteers and staff are desperate for their new furry friend to be rehoused soon. And followers can't wait to see her get the happy ending she deserves.

'Awweee...and after all shes been through she still has a smile in the last picture and her eyes are so soulful,' Michelle Pentland commented on Facebook. 'I cant believe humans can be so cruel to such a treasure.'

Even those who aren't able to take her home or donate large amounts of money to the cause are making a difference by giving all they can.

'OMG I wish I could hug her this is so heartbreaking and this is the reason I don't sleep at night. I can only pledge $5 right now but I will share this sweetie,' Rebecca Petersik added.

The shelter hopes Paris will be ready to go home with a loving family soon after medical care

It became apparent Paris recently welcomed a litter after is was clear she was lactating

Paris is described as a 'happy and friendly girl' by her temporary staff and volunteer carers

Heartrendingly, the AHS states that the canine is in need of a lot of love after recently producing a litter.

They noticed she was missing her little ones after discovering she was lactating.

'Losing her puppies just adds to the grief that Paris has obviously suffered in her young life,' the post reads. Later adding: 'She is being made comfortable and feeling love and human kindness for probably the first time in her life.'

Currently under medical care, Paris is described as a 'happy and friendly girl' and is expected to be prepared to live with a new family soon.

The shelter received an outpouring of love for the dog on Facebook as followers read the story

Those who can't adopt or donate much money are sharing the dog's tale with Facebook friends

'Paris will be ready to start over in a new home where she will be loved for who she is, and not judged by what she looks like,' the social media appeal reads.

Snaps of the pooch seemingly smiling have prompted an outpouring of love as Facebook users have pledged to spread the word by sharing the post and a link to their Res-Q Fund.

If you're interested in giving Paris a fresh start in life, please contact AHS Newark at 973-824-7080 or associatedhumane@aol.com.
A Texas father was filmed being dragged away by police after he allegedly started stabbing his 16-month-old son to death while screaming 'Jesus is coming'.

The man went on the stabbing frenzy on Sunday afternoon in the courtyard of an apartment complex in Lewisville, about 20 miles northwest of Dallas.

Witnesses told police that the man carried the child out of an apartment and yelled 'Jesus is coming' just moment before the attack.

The Texas father had to be dragged away by police after launching into a brutal stabbing attack on his 16-month-old son outside their apartment complex on Sunday

A neighbor on a second-floor balcony heard the screaming and grabbed his gun when he spotted the man stabbing the child.

He fired off three shots and struck the father in the leg in a bid to stop the attack.

The toddler was rushed to a hospital with severe injuries but later died.

Footage filmed by another neighbor showed several police dragging the father away from the scene.

He was screaming 'I just want to see my mom' as he was taken away and later treated in hospital.

Footage filmed by a neighbor showed several police dragging the father away from the scene after he screamed 'Jesus is coming' before launching into the stabbing frenzy

Police say the father stabbed his 16-month-old son to death in the courtyard of an apartment complex

Police have not identified the father or the man who shot him. The childs mother was work at the time of the incident.

'I've been in law enforcement for over 20 years, and this is probably the worst call I've ever been on in my career,' Lewisville Police Capt. Jesse Hunter said.

'We're still all pretty confused on how something like this could happen.'

Police say the neighbor will not face any charges.

The father was arrested but his charges are not known.

Witnesses told police that the man carried the child out of an apartment and yelled 'Jesus is coming' before putting the boy on the ground and stabbing him
Maria Butina (pictured), 29, was indicted last month on several counts including charges of conspiracy to act and failing to register as an agent of a foreign government

Russia has accused the United States of trying to 'break' suspected spy Maria Butina by subjecting her to humiliating treatment and 'borderline torture' while in jail.

Butina, a 29-year-old gun rights advocate living in Washington, DC, was arrested in July and has been accused of acting as a Russian government agent while developing ties with American citizens and infiltrating political groups.

Butina, who pleaded not guilty to counts of conspiracy to act and failing to register as an agent of a foreign government, was detained without bail pending trial after prosecutors presented evidence suggesting she had connections to Russian intelligence operatives and was being funded by Russian oligarchs.

Russia's US embassy said in a bilingual statement released on its official Facebook page on Sunday that Butina had been transferred from a prison in Washington to the same Virginia prison as Paul Manafort, the President's former campaign manager, on Friday without notice or explanation and that her personal belongings, including books and hygiene items, had been confiscated.

'Her situation is getting worse. It's obvious that attempts are being made to "break" Maria using additional humiliation and psychological pressure,' the embassy said.

She had been forced to endure what the embassy described as a 'humiliating' strip search and shackled during the transfer, it alleged, before being held in a quarantine cell for 12 hours without food, with the lights on and almost without sleep. Butina now faced a solitary confinement regime.

'We have more and more questions for the U.S. justice system,' the embassy's post read. 'Should Maria really be doomed to suffer such borderline torture before a court verdict on the allegations against her?'

The author of the statement went on to speculate that the Trump administration's decision to have the US withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council back in June was motivated by its eagerness 'to give the U.S. authorities green light for such provocations.'

The embassy vowed to strive for Butina's freedom and called on the State Department to make sure that the Russian citizen is treated in a 'normal, humane' manner.

As of Friday, Butina was being held in this Alexandria, Virginia, detention center, which also houses Paul Manafort

Russian diplomats claim the 29-year-old has been subjected to a 'humiliating' strip search and deprived of food for 12 hours

The transfer occurred just days after the Russian Embassy in Washington DC complained about Butina's jail conditions

'We expect human rights organizations to strictly condemn the U.S. actions,' the embassy concluded. 'This lawlessness must be stopped.'

Federal prosecutors successfully persuaded a judge in July that Butina was a flight risk and should be jailed prior to her trial.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has raised the case with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, demanding Butina be freed.

The next hearing in her case is scheduled for September 10.

Butina's attorney, Robert Driscoll confirmed to the Washington Post on Saturday that his client was transferred Friday from the DC prison to the one in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Justice Department accuses Butina of being directed by a 'high-level' official in Russia to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and build relationships with conservative politicians

It remains unclear why she was moved to a new jail.

'As a matter of policy, we do not disclose information related to individual prisoners to protect their privacy, safety and security,' a spokesperson for the US Marshal Service said.

Driscoll said the transfer occurred at around 5pm. The jail in Alexandria is the same facility where Manafort is currently awaiting a verdict on his high-profile trial for tax evasion and bank fraud.

The trial is the first case brought by special counsel Robert Mueller to go to trial. The jury returned Monday for a third day of deliberations on 18 counts.

The jail in Alexandria is the same facility where Manafort (pictured) is currently being held while he awaits a verdict on his trial for tax evasion and bank fraud

The transfer occurred just days after the Russian Embassy in Washington DC complained about Butina's jail conditions and claimed that her 'health has deteriorated.'

'It seems as if Washington is trying to force her to cooperate with the investigation by making her living conditions as difficult as possible,' the embassy tweeted on Thursday, adding a 'FreeMariaButina' hashtag at the end.

Driscoll said he was unsure whether the transfer was related to the embassy's concerns.

The Justice Department accuses Butina of being directed by a 'high-level' official in Russia to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and build relationships with conservative politicians from 2015 to 2017.

Russia's foreign minister told the U.S. Secretary of State on last month that Butina had been detained on 'fabricated charges' and should be released.

Butina worked for Alexander Torshin, a Russian banker with close ties to the Kremlin, and served as his interpreter at various Washington events.

The investigation into Butinas efforts to influence American politics was overseen by the Justice Departments National Security Division and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia, and not by Muellers office.

Democrats on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee investigating any ties between Trumps campaign and Russia previously highlighted Butina as a person of interest and sought permission from the committees Republican leadership to bring her in for questioning.

Republicans declined that request and later issued a report along party lines that found there was no collusion between Trumps campaign and Russia.

The Russian Embassy shared on its official Facebook page a screenshot of an online fundraiser dedicated to Maria Butina's defense fund
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), speaks at a CMC meeting on Party building in Beijing, capital of China. The meeting was held from Aug. 17 to Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to comprehensively strengthen the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Party building in the country's armed forces to ensure a solid political guarantee for the building of a strong military.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks at a CMC meeting on Party building, which was held from Friday to Sunday in Beijing.

Noting that strengthening CPC leadership and Party building in the military is a requisite for advancing the "great new project" of Party building and the building of a strong country with a strong military, Xi said the whole military should comprehensively implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress.

The Party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era must be fully implemented, Xi said.

Also, the absolute Party leadership over the armed forces must be upheld, the full and strict Party governance must be exercised, and the military's war preparedness and combat capability must be highlighted, Xi said.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee and the CMC have been working on building the military and keeping hold of it from a political perspective, Xi said, citing a conference on the army's political work convened in 2014 in Gutian Township, Fujian Province.

Comprehensive and profound changes regarding the Party leadership and Party building in the military have taken place, giving a strong political underpinning for the historic achievements and changes in the cause of building a strong military, Xi said.

Xi noted that the CPC leadership and Party building are essential to the construction and development of the military and matter to the success of the cause of building a strong army and the enduring peace and stability of the Party and the country.

He said the primary task is to uphold the absolute CPC leadership over the armed forces.

The political building of the Party should be intensified to make sure that the whole military resolutely upholds the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, and resolutely obeys the command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC.

Efforts should be made to arm the military with the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the Party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era, Xi said.

Also, measures should be taken to ensure that all kinds of work are placed under the unified leadership of the Party committees and all important issues are discussed and decided by the Party committees, he stressed, adding that the system for the Party's leadership over the military should also be improved.

To fulfill the primary duty of war preparedness and combat capability, more efforts are needed in improving the system of Party organizations in the armed forces and strengthening their leadership, organizational and executive capacity, according to Xi.

Xi highlighted the crucial role and responsibility of Party committees of units at or above corps-level in the military's Party organization system, and called on them to take a clear political stand and a firm political stance, maintain a correct political direction, hold a strong political conviction, improve their political capability, and ensure that they stay politically strong.

Stressing the prominent importance in cultivating cadres and talent, Xi called for efforts in training high-calibre cadres who are loyal to the Party, have moral integrity, and demonstrate a keen sense of responsibility, and gathering talent in various areas who are committed to building a strong military and winning combat.

The training of talent in joint operations command, new combat forces, high-tech innovation, and high-level strategic management should be improved, said Xi.

He also urged efforts to improve Party conduct and combat corruption in the armed forces.

"The anti-corruption fight must be carried forward with firmness, and there will be no deviation," said Xi.

At the meeting, Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia, both members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC's vice chairmen, raised their requirements on implementing the spirit of Xi's speech and strengthening the Party leadership and Party building in military.

CMC members Wei Fenghe, Li Zuocheng, Miao Hua, and Zhang Shengmin also attended the meeting.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), meets with delegates attending a CMC meeting on Party building in Beijing, capital of China. Xi Jinping attended the meeting, which was held from Aug. 17 to Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
Jeff Bezos' Amazon has reached e-commerce like no public company ever has before, encompassing nearly half of all online retail sales in the US.

Amazon's market share in American online retail sales has reached 49.1 percent, dominating what would otherwise be considered market giants.

The only other major retailers to rise above even two percent of the market share are eBay, Apple, and Walmart, in that order.

Even so, each of those companies are solidly in the single digits, according to number crunching by Visual Capitalist.

The competitors are fighting for a slice of the total $252.7 billion pie that is total US e-commerce retail sales.

Amazon's market share in online retail sales has reached 49.1 percent, dominating what would otherwise be considered market giants. On Amazon Prime Day this year the online retailer brought in $4.2 billion over a 36-hour period, which equates to 1.7 percent of total US online retail sales for an entire year. Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is seen here in April

Behind Amazon, eBay is the next closet behemoth in the online retail space in the US, with 6.6 percent of the market share.

To put that in perspective, Amazon's market share would equal more than seven times that of eBay.

It's also more than double the total market share of the companies ranked second through tenth in terms of sales.

Behind Amazon, eBay is the next closet behemoth in the online retail space in the US, with 6.6 percent of the market share, followed by Apple at 3.9 percent, and Walmart at 3.7 percent

Third place in the rankings goes to Apple, at 3.9 percent of total US e-commerce sales, with Walmart close behind in fourth position at 3.7 percent.

In case you haven't done the math, 3.7 percent of $252.7 billion is $9.3 billion. That's still an impressive chunk of change.

But it seems less impressive when you take note that on Amazon Prime Day alone this year, the namesake online retailer brought in $4.2 billion.

That means in just the 36-hour event that began on July 18, Amazon captured roughly 1.7 percent of the total US online retail sales for an entire year.

That's more than Home Depot took in over 365 days, with its 1.5 percent market share listed for 2018.

The massive stake in the space is thanks to dramatic growth by the company headed up by found and CEO Bezos.

In 2017, Amazon held 43.5 percent of the market, up from 38 percent in 2016.

Its competitors, including eBay, Apple and Walmart have stayed roughly static in their stakes of the market, over that same time period.

But Apple does have Amazon beat in at least one area, for now.

The company known for its smartphones became the first and only US public company to be valued at $1 trillion, hitting the milestone just before noon Eastern time on August 2, according to CNBC.

However, Amazon is breathing down Apple's neck with a $900 billion valuation at the moment, so that position at the top is subject to change at any time.

Offline, Amazon accounts for five percent of total retail sales in the US.
Lawyers for former independent counsel Kennth Starr asked Bill Clinton a series of explicit, sexually graphic questions in 1998 that Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh proposed in a memo where he demanded that 'revolting behavior' be aired.

The questions are contained in the lengthy deposition Clinton gave in August 1998  and mirror both the structure and the subject matter that Kavanaugh strenuously argued must be asked of the president during a deposition.

'If Monica Lewinsky says that you had phone sex with her, would she be lying?' attorney Solomon Wisenberg asked the president in the infamous deposition where the president acknowledged a relationship that was 'not appropriate' and put forth his defense that there 'is no sexual relationship.'

President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, argued forcefully for interrogating President Bill Clinton with detailed and explicit questions about oral sex

The question was only a slight modification from one Kavanaugh advocated in a memo dated Aug. 15, 1998, two days earlier, where he wanted Starr and his legal team to ask: 'If Monica Lewinsky says that you had phone sex with her on approximately 15 occasions, would she be lying?'

The question was one of several put to the president to see if it matched up with information gained from Lewinsky and other witnesses about the affair  and whether Clinton was truthful in his earlier deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case.

After Clinton tried to dodge the question, Wisenberg provided a definition of phone sex.

'If Monica Lewinsky says that while you were in the Oval Office area you touched her genitalia, would she be lying?' he asked at another point. 'And that calls for a yes, no, or reverting to your former statement,' asked Wisenberg in the interview, which is memorialized in a Starr report transcript.

'I will revert to my statement on that,' the president responded.

Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's attorneys asked President Bill Clinton graphic questions that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh urged be asked in a 1998 grand jury testimony

Kavanaugh, who is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing next month, had proposed a more explicit version of the same question, where he discussed the mechanics of a sexual act.

Another question Clinton was asked was: 'If Monica Lewinsky says that while you were in the Oval Office area you touched her breasts, would she be lying?'

Clinton tried to duck the question at the time, referencing a statement he read about general improper conduct. Kavanaugh had not proposed a question about this act of touching, though he put forth several questions with considerably more graphic descriptions.

'That is not my recollection. My recollection is that I did not have sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky and I'm staying on my former statement about that,' Clinton responded.

Another question that can be traced to the Kavanaugh memo was: 'If Monica Lewinsky says that you used a cigar as a sexual aid with her in the Oval Office area, would she be lying? Yes, no, or wont answer?'

'I will revert to my former statement,' Clinton responded.

The questions were memorialized in Ken Starr's report

Kavanaugh also advocated a specific question about genital touching, using even more graphic language

Clinton was asked a less explicit question than wording originally posed by Kavanaugh in a memo to Starr and other lawyers

Kavanaugh had proposed a version of the same question, only with more anatomical information included.

Some of the other graphic questions proposed by Kavanaugh, including those related to oral sex, did not make it into the final interview.

Nevertheless, Wisenberg, in an interview with DailyMail.com, said Kavanaugh wanted to scrub the final Starr Report from some of its most salacious material.

'Kavanaugh didnt think the super explicit material should be in the actual final report,' Wisenberg said Monday. 'I dont really recall any kind of serious argument about whether or not to ask specific questions of the grand jury,' he added, referring to the actual questioning of the president.

It was necessary because the Starr team had numerous documents 'that supported an corroborated Ms. Lewinsky,' he said..

In the memo, Kavanaugh argued forcefully for interrogating Clinton with detailed questions about phone sex and oral sex with Lewinksy.

Kavanaugh, who was an associate counsel to independent counsel Kenneth Starr, urged fellow lawyers that to hold back from the explicit questions would be to 'conspire' to keep them quiet.

He said the idea of 'going easy' on Clinton out of a sense of misplaced respect for the office was 'abhorrent' to him.

Among 10 questions he recommended in the memo were those about the times and nature of oral sex acts involving the president and the former White House intern.

'If Monica Lewinsky says that you had phone sex with her on approximately 15 occasions, would she be lying?' Kavanaugh wanted to ask.

He further wanted to ask the president: 'If Monica Lewinsky says that you inserted a cigar into her vagina while you were in the Oval Office area, would she be lying?'

He also wanted to know if it would be accurate that Lewinsky said she 'gave you oral sex in the Oval Office on nine occasions.'

The memo was obtained from the National Archives by the Washington Post through an information request.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh departs the office of Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., after meeting with the Senator, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 15

There were other questions that Kavanaugh included in his memo that were even more graphic as they related to sex acts. The appear to have been informed by testimony Lewinsky gave that ultimately was included in the Starr report.

A Senate vote to try to impeach Clinton fell short of the supermajority needed to convict him, and he remained in office through the end of his second term. Ultimately, the GOP Congress suffered losses for its drive to impeach him.

Kavanaugh is certain to get asked about his push to grill Clinton during his Senate confirmation next month.

The email emerged just a day after Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, once again argued on television about why he refuses to allow his client to fall into a 'perjury trap' by submitting to an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller in the Russia probe.

Kavanaugh wrote in 1998 it would be 'abhorrent' to give Bill Clinton a break

QUESTION TIME! Kavanaugh laid out 10 questions, some number of which he argued investigators should ask President Bill Clinton

Kavanaugh wanted the independent counsel to ask Clinton detailed questions about sexual contact with Monica Lewinsky

Kavanaugh made his argument to fellow lawyers, describing pursuit of the racy questions as a duty.

'After reflecting this evening, I am strongly opposed to giving the President any 'break' in the questioning regarding the details of the Lewinsky relationship' unless he 'resigns' or 'confesses perjury,' Kavanaugh wrote.

'He has required the urgent attention of the courts and the Supreme Court for frivolous privilege claims  all to cover up his oral sex from an intern. He has lied to his aides. He has lied to the American people. He has tried to disgrace you and the Office with a sustained propaganda campaign that would make Nixon blush,' Kavanaugh continued.

Democrats in the Senate have been demanding access to more Kavanaugh records before he gets a hearing and confirmation vote. He is slated to appear Sept. 5th. The Archives has said it won't complete a records search until the following month.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said holding the hearing before the documents were fully available 'is not only unprecedented but a new low in Republican efforts to stack the courts.'

Lewinsky, a former White House intern, had told former friend Linda Tripp details of her relationship with the president

Kavanaugh penned the memo as an attorney assisting independent counsel Kennth Starr

'It's clear that Republicans want to speed this nomination through before we know who Brett Kavanaugh is,' she said.

Transcripts of Clinton's interview with the independent counsel indicate that lawyers did pick up the line of questioning Kavanaugh advised  though they held off from some of the more explicit language he recommended about the precise nature of sex acts.

'The question is, if Monica Lewinsky says that while you were in the Oval Office area you touched her breasts would she be lying?' Clinton got asked, in what looks like a version of Kavanaugh's questions.

In other question, investigators hit Clinton, who had denied 'sexual relations' with Lewinsky, tried to hit question with a more technical description.

'If the person being deposed touched the genitalia of another person, would that be -- and with the intent to arouse the sexual desire, arouse or gratify, as defined in definition (1), would that be, under your understanding then and now ' Clinton was asked.

'Yes, Sir,' the president responded,' according to Washington Post excerpts.

'Sexual relations,' the questioning continued.

Another question asked of the president by lawyer Solomon Wisenberg less graphic than what Kavanaugh proposed.

'If the person being deposed kissed the breast of another person, would that be in the definition of sexual relations as you understood it when you were under oath in the Jones case?' he asked Clinton.
David Hogg, the Parkland shooting survivor turned powerful activist who recently graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, wants to join a 2020 presidential campaign and aspires to run for Congress when he is 25-years-old.

The 18-year-old was featured in a lengthy profile by New York Magazine's Daily Intelligencer in which he spoke about his plans for the future as he narrows in on what the strategy will be to make his vision a reality.

Since the horrific, mass shooting that left 17 people dead in Parkland Florida, he and his fellow students like Emma Gonzalez and Cameron Kasky have taken their national platform and developed it into a full fledged movement.

The young, eloquent students understand the importance staying on message. Their voices have called for stricter gun control policies and pushed back against the NRA and the politicians whose campaign coffers have been enriched by the powerful lobbying group.

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David Hogg, 18, discussed his vision for his professional future in a lengthy profile, in which he says he wants to be enrolled in a college for the fall 2019 semester

Fellow Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School classmates Emma Gonzalez (left) and Hogg have become the faces of the March for Our Lives movement (speaking at Harvard in March)

Hogg's proud mother says she and her son were told 'There is the potential that your son will be the leader of this country, and we want to make sure he goes to Harvard' (Hogg pictured helping voters register in Florida)

Hogg says he will start college in the fall of 2019, in the meantime he will continue building on the movement he and his classmates started, which is now focusing on making sure the youth are registered to vote in time for the midterm elections.

The teen brings the same laser sharp focus on his message to what he sees as a road map for his next seven-years.

He says of the immediate future, he will keep fighting for change on a national level.

Hogg is also looking forward to meeting more activists as the year winds down.

Then, he expects to be enrolled in a college by fall of 2019.

Hogg's mother, as part of his profile, told NY Mag that Harvard is on the table.

As they attended a gala at Fenway Park in Boston in the spring, she said that the Ivy's professors were approaching them.

His mother, Rebecca Boldrick said an alumi told her 'There is the potential that your son will be the leader of this country, and we want to make sure he goes to Harvard.'

Of course his mother swelled with pride, but still there are the finances to consider.

She added 'we could never afford Harvard. Never. It wasn't on our radar. I looked it up and saw how much it cost and said, ''There is no way.'' With any luck at all, he can get into Harvard and they can help us financially.'

Hogg also says he wants to work on a presidential campaign for the 2020 elections, and once he finishes school, he wants to focus his attention on a Congressional run.

The teen, whose strong convictions and gut instinct to fight against anything he believes isn't working for America, despite the seemingly set-in-stone norms, says he thinks the real issue with the Democratic party is there aren't enough young people, and that old-timers simply aren't relinquishing their seats.

'The reason Republicans are successful right now is because they're empowering young people,' Hogg said, pointing out that Paul Ryan was 45 when he became Speaker of the House.

'Older Democrats just won't move the f*** off the plate and let us take control. Nancy Pelosi is old.'

Hogg focused the moments after the horrific February 14 shooting on getting the Parkland survivors message out early, capturing the moments of the aftermath, interviewing fellow classmates like a working journalist

He posted a vote to Twitter: 'I had an interesting conversation today when the question of congressional age limits came up. Do you think there should be an age limit on congressmen, congresswomen, and congressthem?' Of more than 33,000 votes, 59 per cent said yes.

He is eyeing a run for Congress by the time he is 25-years-old, which is the youngest you can hold a Congressional seat.

The teen, as his fellow classmates, persevered beyond the grief and the tragedy of the shooting, with Hogg even detailing the moments afterward, interviewing his classmates as they were huddled and hiding in a closet on February 14 - the day of the shooting.

Hogg delivered updates, even noting that the shooting suspect was potentially Nickolas Cruz, the 19-year-old gunman who killed his former classmates and faculty.

In the hours that followed, Hogg was on television driving home calls for greater gun control home- a call that started in the video just minutes after the massacre, where he prompts a fellow student, asking 'What is your message?'

He was called a 'crisis actor' by conspiracy theorists, but never wavered from his or the March for Our Lives platform, made even more evident by his Twitter account, showing a focused drive towards making a legitimate change.
A radical new steam treatment could offer hope to millions of middle-aged men who suffer with an enlarged prostate.

The five-minute procedure to shrink the gland cuts the need for surgery and comes with minimal side effects.

Health watchdogs are expected to give it the green light for routine NHS use tomorrow.

Two million men in Britain have been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate  but it is thought to affect as many as half of all men over the age of 50, and 60 per cent of those over 60.

The problem commonly causes repetitive night-time visits to the bathroom, but many men find that having rushed out of bed, they cannot urinate after all.

The new treatment  which involves injecting an enlarged prostate with jets of steam  avoids the severe impacts of invasive operations that can often spell an early end to a man's sex life.

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The five-minute procedure to shrink the gland cuts the need for surgery and comes with minimal side effects. Pictured: How the treatment works

An enlarged prostate is not linked to cancer and does not increase the risk of getting prostate cancer  yet the symptoms can be similar, so most men with the problem are tested to make sure their prostate is not cancerous.

It is caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia, in which an overgrown prostate presses into the bladder and blocks the urethra, the vessel through which it empties.

In extreme cases, men find they cannot urinate, leading to a dangerous build-up of toxins that can cause severe kidney problems. Every year more than 18,000 men undergo a painful operation to relieve the problem, which involves removing part of the prostate. However the vast majority with the condition avoid surgery because of fears over side effects.

While the operation  called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)  is effective, it can lead to loss of sexual function, bleeding and incontinence.

The steam treatment, called Rezum, simply shrinks the prostate with few side effects. The procedure, performed under local anaesthetic and sedation, involves injecting nine-second bursts of steam into the prostate, via a thin tube inserted into the urethra.

The steam is injected at 1cm intervals, killing enough prostate tissue to shrink the enlarged gland.

Surgeons at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London and Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have trialled the procedure on 150 men, with remarkable results.

Professor Hashim Ahmed, a consultant urological surgeon at Imperial, said other hospitals are poised to roll out the treatment as soon as they get the okay from health watchdog NICE.

An enlarged prostate is not linked to cancer and does not increase the risk of getting prostate cancer  yet the symptoms can be similar, so most men with the problem are tested to make sure their prostate is not cancerous

'A huge group of men could benefit from this treatment,' he said. Experts believe it will in time completely replace TURP. But they also think many more men who until now have been reluctant to undergo an operation will take up the steam option. Professor Ahmed said: 'There is a large group of men who are so worried about the side effects of an operation that they are suffering without treatment, or relying on drugs and their side effects.'

He said the Rezum treatment  which is made by US firm NxThera  could save the NHS money.

'It frees up huge NHS resources because you need much less theatre time,' he said. 'You are also opening up tens of thousands of days of bed occupation around the country.'

Conventional TURP operations take 90 minutes in surgery and an average of three days of recovery time in an NHS bed. The Rezum treatment, in comparison, takes just five minutes.

Professor Ahmed said: 'From arriving in theatre to leaving again is taking no more than 15 minutes. And it is a day case  there is no need to take an NHS bed.' The Rezum procedure costs the NHS about 2,000  roughly the same as TURP  but taking into account theatre time and no need for a bed it could save the health service millions. Privately it costs about 5,000, compared to 6,000 for TURP.

Professor Ahmed and Professor Richard Hindley of Hampshire Hospitals, who performed the first Rezum procedure in Basingstoke last year, have compiled the results of their first 80 patients to receive the treatment.

On average their patients' prostates shrunk by 36 per cent  a comparable result to TURP. But remarkably, the side effects have been minimal.

Professor Ahmed said: 'We have seen zero incontinence and virtually zero impotence. And you get a quicker recover, meaning you can get back to work and get on with your life.'

Two million men in Britain have been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate  but it is thought to affect as many as half of all men over the age of 50, and 60 per cent of those over 60

For patients who receive TURP, in comparison, roughly 10 per cent are left with erectile problems and 2 per cent have permanent urinary incontinence.

Roughly 65 per cent are also left with ejaculation problems  for Rezum it is about 5 per cent.

Professor Ahmed stressed there are some disadvantages of the steam treatment. He said: 'It is not instant  it might take three to eight weeks to see the benefit, it is a slow burn.'

The technology may also be unsuitable for men with the largest prostates  who would be better off having a high-tech laser surgery treatment.

Rezum is the latest in a series of non-surgical options for enlarged prostates to emerge in the last year.

Another treatment involves blocking the blood supply to the prostate by injecting tiny plastic beads into an artery.

Professor Hindley, who does his academic work at the University of Winchester, added: 'This could be a game-changer for the NHS. You can do five or six cases in half a day.'

'Steaming operation has helped me sleep': Patient who suffered from condition for two decades now has relief

For the last two decades Chris Allard has put up with a medical complaint that affects most men his age.

About 20 years ago I started noticing I had joined the first in last out club at the toilet, the 71-year-old said. But I just put up with it.

Things got so bad he was waking up three times a night to go to the loo. Mr Allard, who ran a kitchen and bathroom fitting business until retirement, suffered from an enlarged prostate.

For the last two decades Chris Allard (pictured with his wife Chris) has put up with a medical complaint that affects most men his age. But after the treatment, his 'symptoms have dramatically reduced'

A decade ago he was given drugs to counter the problem  but stopped taking them because they made him drowsy. Eventually things got so bad he needed treatment.

His doctor proposed surgery, but Mr Allard was concerned about possible side effects on sexual performance and incontinence.

He approached Hashing Ahmed, a surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital, who was trialling the Rezum therapy, in which steam is injected into the prostate.

I was sedated and I felt no physical discomfort at all, he said. The symptoms have dramatically reduced. I dont need to go to the toilet as often And that really helps with my sleep.
Melania Trump is planning to visit several African countries in October, places which President Donald Trump referred to as 's***hole countries,' in her first major solo trip since she became first lady.

She has made smaller trips on her own - to the U.S.- Mexican border to visit migrant children separated from their families in June and she went to Canada last September for the Invictus Games - but these were quick day trips.

She will travel without her husband, who referred to Haiti and African nations as 's***hole countries' during a meeting with senators at the White House, it was revealed in January.

The first lady will make her first big international trip solo this fall

Melania Trump poses for a selfie as she visits the Queen Fabiola children's hospital on May 25, 2017, in Brussels

Prince Harry meets Melania Trump on day 1 of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 in September

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II stands with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle in Windsor, west of London, in July

Melania Trump told The Associated Press in a written statement she's looking forward to learning about the issues that children living on the continent face, as well as appreciating Africa's history and culture.

Exact dates for the trip and which African countries she will visit have yet to be announced but she will head to the continent sometime in October.

'This will be my first time traveling to Africa and I am excited to educate myself on the issues facing children throughout the continent, while also learning about its rich culture and history,' the first lady said in the statement. 'We are a global society and I believe it is through open dialogue and the exchanging of ideas that we have a real opportunity to learn from one another.'

Melania Trump has made a focus on children her signature platform as first lady through her work on her Be Best campaign.

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's communications director, said African was chosen as a destination after Melania Trump learned about some of the development programs that are underway in many of its countries.

The first lady has accompanied President Trump on several of his international trips, including stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, Brussels, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Finland.

On several of those visits she interacted with children, usually through hospital visits or stops at local schools.

Last November, in Japan, she and First Lady Akie Abe visited a local school where they learned to write in calligraphy. She also met with school children at the Beijing Zoo in China and took a private tour of the Great Wall.

When she was in Brussels last May for the NATO meeting, she stopped by the Queen Fabiolo Children's Hospital, where she spent time doing arts and crafts, posing for selfies, and giving lots of hugs. She also brought gifts for the children, including Dr. Seuss books and souvenirs from the White House.

In Italy, the first lady charmed children she visited at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome when she spoke to them in Italian. She also visited the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris.

Melania Trump and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, hold up their calligraphy of the Japanese characters for 'heiwa,' meaning peace, during their visit to an elementary school in Tokyo last November

Melania Trump speaks with children as she visits Necker Hospital for children on July 13, 2017 in Paris

China's First Lady Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump hold up Chinese calligraphy of the character 'Fortune' written by students during a visit at Banchang Primary School in Beijing last November

Melania Trump tries her hand at lawn bowls as Philip May, husband of U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, watches during a visit to The Royal Hospital Chelsea in London in July

And she visited Hadassah Medical Organization, a leading Israeli hospital that is also known as a center of coexistence between Arabs and Jews, when she joined the president in the Middle East last May.

She did not join President Trump on two of his trips after her kidney surgery in May, citing health reasons. She missed the G7 summit in La Malbaie, Canada nor his Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In January, while meeting with lawmakers in the Oval Office to discuss immigration, the president grew frustrated with talk of protecting immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African countries as part of a bipartisan immigration deal.

'Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?' Trump said, people in the meeting told The Washington Post.
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A historic mansion that was once up for sale as the most expensive home in Minnesota is now set to be torn down after more than a decade on the market.

The mansion on Lake Minnetonka was built for the Pillsbury family - who made their fortune running flour mills in Minneapolis - way back in 1919.

It has been on the market for 11 years with no interested buyers after being listed for sale for a record-breaking $54million in 2007.

The mansion on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota was built for the Pillsbury family - who made their fortune running flour mills in Minneapolis - way back in 1919

The home has been on the market for 11 years after being listed for sale for a record-breaking $54million in 2007

The price of the Jacobean-style manor house, which sat on 13-acres, was then reduced to $24million but still failed to sell.

The sprawling property was later subdivided into five separate pieces of land.

The original 32,000 square foot mansion and 3.3 acres of land was relisted for sale this year for $7.9million. The seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom listing still included a caretakers cottage, swimming pool, tennis complex, teahouse and extensive lakefront.

A demolition permit was recently applied for by the current owners and issued by the city of Orono for the landmark property.

Orono Mayor Denny Walsh told the Star Tribune they had consulted with attorneys and a historic preservation committee but found no grounds to reject the permit.

'It's unfortunate, no question about it,' Walsh said, adding that demolition could happen at any time.

The home was originally built almost 100 years ago for John S. Pillsbury (left) and his wife Eleanor. It was sold to current owners, James (right) and Joann Jundt, when Eleanor died in 1992 for $5million

The historic mansion was once up for sale as the most expensive home in Minnesota

The property is now set to be torn down after more than a decade on the market

The price of the Jacobean-style manor house, which sat on 13-acres, was then reduced to $24million but still failed to sell

The home was designed by architect Harrie T. Lindeberg and was officially completed in 1919

The home was originally built almost 100 years ago for John S. Pillsbury and his wife Eleanor as their summer residence. John was the son of Pillsbury Company cofounder Charles Alfred Pillsbury.

It was designed by architect Harrie T. Lindeberg and was officially completed in 1919.

It was sold to current owners, former hedgefund manager James and Joann Jundt, when Eleanor died in 1992 for $5million.

The Jundts extensively renovated the seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom manor and winterized it before deciding to downsize and move to Arizona.

It is not clear what they plan to do with the land if the home is demolished.

The Jundts extensively renovated the seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom manor before deciding to downsize and move to Arizona

The property, which maintains some of its historic charm, was sold to current owners, James and Joann Jundt, when Eleanor died in 1992 for $5million

The original 32,000 square foot mansion and 3.3 acres of land was relisted for sale this year for $7.9million

A demolition permit was recently applied for by the current owners and issued by the city of Orono for the landmark property

The original 32,000 square foot mansion and 3.3 acres of land was relisted for sale this year for $7.9million
Jeremy Corbyn should not 'give in' on excluding certain examples of anti-Semitism from Labour's code of conduct, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK has said.

Professor Manuel Hassassian said Corbyn's 'principled stand has been watched with bated breath by all Palestinians' and said the Labour leader must resist calls on changes within the party.

Corbyn has faced growing calls from within his own party to adopt the full list of anti-Semitism examples laid out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance widely-recognised definition.

In a statement, Prof Hassassian wrote: 'As Palestinians, we urge him not to give in to the forces which would like to silence legitimate criticism of Israel's racist policies'

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from his own MPs for refusing to accept the IHRA's widely-recognised definition of anti-Semitism

In a statement, Prof Hassassian wrote: 'As Palestinians, we urge him not to give in to the forces which would like to silence legitimate criticism of Israel's racist policies and actions against our people and bury the crimes of Israel's past.'

Labour's National Executive Committe last month decided to exclude four examples of anti-Semitism from the IHRA definition in its new code of conduct, including 'claiming Israel's existence was a racist endeavour'.

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

Labour backbencher Dame Margaret Hodge then accused Corbyn of being a racist and anti-Semite.

Last week, Unite union leader Len McCluskey said Labour should change tack and adopt the full list of examples, following similar calls from GMB, Unison and USDAW.

Labour MPs will vote on whether the party should adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism.

Yet Professor Hassassian has hailed the NEC for their ruling.

He said: 'Labour rightly judged that this example could be used as a tool to challenge criticism of nationalist tendencies and violations of human rights in Israel and legitimise its prolonged occupation of the Palestinians rather than protecting Jews worldwide.

'Anybody who is serious about understanding the historical context in which Israel was created will know that 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed by Zionist terror militias and 500 Palestinian villages destroyed.

'It is difficult not to define this as a racist endeavour.'

The ambassador also rubbished accusations Corbyn had commemorated suspected terrorists during a visit to Tunis in 2014.

Corbyn was photographed holding a wreath next to the grave of Salah Khalaf, a senior PLO figure accused by Israel of founding the Black September group, who carried out the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.

Professor Hassassian disputed the characterisation of Khalaf as a terrorist, claiming he was assassinated in 1991 because 'he had adopted the path of diplomacy after greater international recognition of the Palestinian cause'.

Labour backbencher Dame Margaret Hodge (left) previously accused Corbyn of being a racist and anti-Semite

Professor Manuel Hassassian said Corbyn's 'principled stand has been watched with bated breath by all Palestinians'
Josie Totah says she's ready to be free.

The 17-year-old former Disney Channel and Champions star has revealed she identifies as a woman.

In an essay for Time, the actor previously known as JJ Totah, explained how growing up in Northern California people assumed she was a gay boy and would continually cast her as such when she started her acting career.

'In the past, I've halfway corrected people by telling them I identify as LGBTQ,' the teen wrote. 'But I realized over the past few years that hiding my true self is not healthy. I know now, more than ever, that I'm finally ready to take this step toward becoming myself. I'm ready to be free.'

Totah continued: 'My pronouns are she, her and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. And my name is Josie Totah.'

Josie Totah, formerly known as JJ Totah, has come out as a transgender woman

She wrote an essay for Time where she revealed her pronouns are 'she' and 'her'

The 17-year-old has appeared on Glee, Disney Channel and NBC's Champions where she continually as been cast as gay boy (pictured playing Mindy Kaling's son)

During her early acting career, landing roles as Mindy Kaling's son on Champions and a singing tween in Glee, Totah said she let herself be 'shoved in a box' by playing the stereotypical gay boy.

'I was afraid I wouldn't be accepted, that I would be embarrassed, that the fans who knew me from the time when I acted in a Disney show would be confused,' she wrote.

The teen has been on hormone blockers since 14 and says she's now 'ready to be free'

Totah subsequently let others assume she was gay and would be asked in interviews 'how it feels to be a young gay man.'

'I was even introduced that way before receiving an award from an LGBTQ+ rights organization,' she added.

But Totah said she knew she was a woman since five years old, long before she even understood what the word gender meant.

'I would always tell my mother that I wished I were a girl. Since I could speak in full sentences, I was like, ''Give me a dress!'' I always knew on some level that I was female,' she wrote.

But it wasn't until Totah was 14 that she decided to make the transition.

She was watching the TLC docu-series I Am Jazz with her mother. The show documents a 14-year-old's medical transition to becoming a woman.

'As I learned more information about hormone replacement therapy, I knew that this was what I had to do,' she recalled. 'I looked over at her in the middle of the show and said, ''This is me. I'm transgender. And I need to go through this.'''

Her supportive mother Christine said 'okay, let's do it' and within three days, Totah was meeting with a pediatrician and then a specialist who put her on hormone blockers.

'From that point on, I hit the ground running,' she said.

Totah, who had developed anxiety over concealing her true identity and hitting puberty, can now breathe easier.

'I wasn't waking up every day and panicking.''Is there hair on my face? Is my voice getting deeper?'' Those changes are very hard, if not impossible, to reverse,' she said.

Mindy Kaling has been joined by other castmates who have shared their overwhelming support for Josie

Josie, pictured here as JJ, hopes to continue her acting career, but with roles that suit her new identity

Totah tweeted out her Time essay Monday, with her account name being changed to Josie and a blank white screen in place of her profile picture.

'For so long I've been trying to hide who I was. And I did it in fear. In fear that I wouldn't be accepted or loved,' she tweeted.

'I know now more than ever I'm ready to take the step to becoming myself. I am Transgender and this is my story,' it reads.

Her announcement has gained the love and support of her former castmates and thousands online.

Her TV mom Mindy Kaling tweeted: 'I love you, Josie. I'm so glad you're able to speak your truth and live as your authentic self. You're also so damn talented - I can't wait to write for you again!'

Josie is looking toward the future and will soon attend Chapman University in California as a freshman

Totah said that as a Catholic, she doesn't believe she was 'put in the wrong body,' but 'God made me transgender.'

'I believe that I am transgender to help people understand differences. It allows me to gain perspective, to be more accepting of others, because I know what it feels like to know you're not like everyone else,' she wrote.

Now, Totah is looking toward the future and will soon attend Chapman University in California as a freshman.

She hopes to continue her acting career, but with roles that suit her new identity.

'I plan to play roles I haven't had the opportunity to play,' she said. 'And I can only imagine how much more fun it's going to be to play someone who shares my identity, rather than having to contort myself to play a boy.

'I'm going to gun for those roles, be it a transgender female or a cisgender female. Because it's a clean slate  and a new world.'
Jeremy Corbyn was last night facing a fresh investigation into whether he broke parliamentary rules by failing to declare a visit to meet terror group Hamas.

The Labour leader met two groups of Hamas parliamentarians during a visit to Israel and the West Bank in 2010.

He has previously referred to the organisation as his 'friends', despite it being designated as a terrorist group by the EU.

But Mr Corbyn, then a backbench MP, did not register the trip  raising questions over whether he violated parliamentary rules.

Another Labour MP on the trip, Andy Slaughter, did declare it in the Register of Members' Financial Interests, saying it cost 927.

Last night, Tory MP Andrew Percy reported Mr Corbyn to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

The Labour leader (pictured left in Falkirk today) highlighted his meeting with Khaled Mashal (pictured right) in an article for the communist Morning Star newspaper in 2010

Mr Corbyn is already facing an inquiry into a separate trip to the Tunisian capital Tunis, which he did not declare despite spending two nights in a five-star hotel.

During the 2014 visit, he was pictured at a wreath-laying ceremony in a cemetery where members of Black September  the terror group behind the 1972 Munich Olympics attack  are buried.

The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism and Tory MP Andrew Bridgen have reported him to the Parliamentary Commissioner over the 2014 trip, which Labour claims cost less than the threshold at which visits have to be declared.

The 2010 Israel visit was run by pro-Hamas group Middle East Monitor (Memo) and included meetings with Hamas officials.

Hammersmith MP Mr Slaughter and Mr Corbyn's top aide, Seumas Milne, were also present. Mr Slaughter declared the total cost of flights and accommodation as 927, which he said was paid by Friends of Al-Aqsa and Memo.

Mr Corbyn was trying to move on from the crisis over his contacts with extremists as he visited a bus manufacturer in Falkirk today

But Labour insists the trip fell below the financial threshold for disclosing gifts. Rules at the time required MPs to declare any above 660.

Memo has since deleted online evidence of Mr Corbyn's visit, but Israeli news channel i24NEWS said it had obtained the original report.

It said Mr Corbyn visited the wife of a man convicted of spying for Hezbollah, whom the Memo report called a 'political prisoner'.

Mr Corbyn was also said to have attended a Bedouin protest as well as meeting Palestinian Authority officials. But he did not meet a single Jewish Israeli on the trip, the report stated.

A Labour insider is quoted in the piece as saying: 'I imagine he's met more people who have killed Israelis than actual Israelis.'

Israel is referred to in the Memo report as 'the Zionist state', and accused of 'apartheid' and 'ethnic cleansing' in Jerusalem.

On his return, Mr Corbyn reported on his experiences in his Morning Star newspaper column, writing: 'It is time to bring those Israelis who committed crimes against humanity to account and to end the EU Israel Trade Agreement while the occupation and settlement policy continues.'

Mr Corbyn is facing close scrutiny of his foreign visits after his trip to Tunisia, which was paid for by the Tunisian government but was not declared in the parliamentary register.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that Mr Corbyn had made at least nine visits since 2007 which he did not declare. But Labour said it was 'confident' that all declarations for trips above the spending threshold were made.

It comes a month after Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian Paisley was suspended after he failed to declare two family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

Mr Corbyn also reportedly had a takeaway dinner with Hamas chief Khaled Mashal in Gaza in 2010. But yesterday he said he could not recall it, despite writing about it in his Morning Star column.

He said: 'A takeaway dinner? I don't remember any takeaway dinners. I have met many people from many aspects of the Palestinian cause as a way of bringing about dialogue, as a way of bringing about peace.'

Jeremy Corbyn is seen posing with a wreath under a distinctive red canopy as other politicians look on. This canopy runs alongside the graves of Salah Khalaf, Hayel Abdel-Hamid, Fakhri al-Omari and Atef Bseiso, three of whom have been linked to Black September, the group behind the 1972 atrocity at the Munich Olympic Games

Mr Percy, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, said: 'The allegations that Mr Corbyn took part in an undeclared trip to meet with representatives of the anti-Semitic terrorist group Hamas are very serious indeed.

'I have reported him to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and asked for a full investigation.

'Of concern also are allegations that the group who organised this visit have attempted to remove evidence of it from the internet.

'If this is the case, it raises the prospect that there may have been an attempted cover-up.

'If so, we need answers as to whether the Labour leader's office were a part of this alleged cover-up or not. Leaving aside the parliamentary rules, it is also a further worrying example of Mr Corbyn's indulgence of the Hamas terrorist group.'

Labour Friends of Israel chairman Joan Ryan condemned the visit, saying: 'It is appalling.

Hamas is responsible for some of the most heinous terrorist crimes over recent years, including the murder of teenage girls outside a disco, and families in pizza restaurants and cafes.

He should apologise immediately to the bereaved families of those butchered by these terrorists.'

A Labour spokesman said: 'Jeremy has a long and principled record of solidarity with Palestinian people and engaging with actors in the conflict to support peace and justice in the Middle East. That is the right thing to do.'

Now leaders ally linked to terror group

Key Corbyn ally Tony Lloyd met senior Hamas members, it emerged last night.

The shadow Northern Ireland secretary was pictured meeting the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas politician Ahmad Bahar in 2011.

Haniyeh was added to America's 'terror list' earlier this year. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organisation by the EU.

The US State Department says Haniyeh, who has been jailed several times, 'poses a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism'.

In 2016, Bahar called on others to follow in the footsteps of a terrorist who murdered a newly married police officer and a 60-year-old grandmother.

Mr Lloyd went on the 1,680 trip to Gaza and Egypt as a guest of the Council for European Palestinian Relations, which serves as Hamas's representative in Europe. Labour last night declined to give an official response.
BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China released a guideline Sunday on winning the battle against poverty in the next three years to prepare the nation for eradicating poverty by 2020.

It is an arduous task to lift a further 30 million people out of poverty in the next three years, said the guideline released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

The guideline reiterates the country's target of lifting all rural poor and impoverished counties out of poverty and eliminating absolute poverty by 2020 to build a moderately prosperous society.

Poor population should be guaranteed food and clothing and children from poor families should be guaranteed nine-year compulsory education. Basic medical needs and living conditions of poor population should also be guaranteed, according to the guideline.

The guideline said poverty relief work should be focused on areas in deep poverty, such as Tibet, mountainous Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province and Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province.

Targeted poverty relief work is stressed in the guideline with emphasis on fostering distinctive industries, supporting employment, advancing relocation, ecological restoration and strengthening education.

The guideline also lists other poverty alleviation measures, including accelerating infrastructure construction in poor areas, increasing fiscal and financial support, social mobilization, strengthening and improving Party leadership in poverty reduction.
On the morning of December 16, 2016, hundreds of inmates in HMP Birmingham  the Category B prison this week taken out of private sector control following a devastating report on conditions and its management  went on a 15-hour rampage.

What started with a guard being threatened for his keys with a syringe full of potentially infected blood was later described as the worst UK jail riot for a quarter of a century, causing 6million of damage.

Inmates seized control of four wings and released 500 prisoners from their cells. Footage taken on illicitly held mobile phones and broadcast live on social media showed prisoners setting mattresses on fire, breaking doors and light fittings, and aiming fire extinguishers at staff.

Hundreds of inmates in HMP Birmingham went on a 15-hour rampage in December 2016 (Pictured, two prisoners wearing guard's helmets)

One of them could be heard crowing: Outta control!

An official investigation into the riot was told by one prisoner that every day was a party.

There was too much freedom, he said. We like freedom but there werent enough staff to deal with it. You werent made to do anything, no discipline, no structure... you couldnt find any staff.

No law, no order. You knew there would be no repercussions. So nothing to stop you. They let us get away with anything. But boredom leads to badness.

Published yesterday, following a Freedom of Information request, the official report concluded the disturbance should have been prevented.

It found the protest by prisoners was unplanned and due to a number of factors including a loss of control on the prison wings, guards worn down by chronic staffing shortages, high levels of sickness and poor deployment of staff by managers.

The report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Peter Clarke, suggests little if any improvement at Birmingham since 2016  as relatives of inmates who spoke outside the prison yesterday confirmed.

According to Aisha Ali, partner of inmate Mohammed Waqas, 24, from Alum Rock, Birmingham, there was an incident over the weekend and [my partner] was assaulted by six inmates on two separate occasions. They recorded the incident on a phone and within 15 minutes of the assault the video went all over the internet, she said.

He has a broken nose and two black eyes and hes been left in really dangerous conditions, its really difficult for us to speak to the prison authorities.

Disturbances erupted across four wings of the prison, and around 500 inmates were released from their cells (Pictured, a member of the 'Tornado Team' covered in paint)

An inmate who was leaving the jail said: Ive just spent six weeks in there...Drugs have taken over the prison and G4S have just let it happen. The prisoners were in control...There were a lot of people on my wing that just stayed behind the door because they were scared to come out.

A former member of staff present at the gate recalled that the smell of cannabis was there all through the day...The prisoners were running the jail. One day four prisoners at the top of one landing said what are you doing here. To me that meant we are running this place.

The Ministry of Justice has now brought in a new governor with 30 years experience to turn the prison around. He is Paul Newton, the former governor of HMP Swaleside, another Category B establishment on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

That is the same jail which witnessed its own riot in December 2016, when 60 inmates took over their wing and ran amok. Riot-trained staff had to win it back.

And have there been major improvements there? Again, not much it seems.

Earlier this year, the prison, which was built in 1988, was described as a simmering volcano by a local news site.

Apparently nicknamed Stab City by its 1,100 inmates, it was said to be plagued by extreme violence and bullying, much of which was blamed on the prevalence of the synthetic cannabinoid drug known as spice.

The 15-hour riot began with a guard being threatened for his keys with a syringe full of potentially 'infected' blood (Pictured, inside the prison)

Incidents of self-harming have rocketed. A 2016 report described it as not a safe prison.

Certainly that is the experience of Dave Todd, a serving prison officer of 28 years who is now the vice-chairman of the Prison Officers Association.

He recalls a particularly gruesome incident which took place while he was on duty. A former infantry soldier who had served three tours of Northern Ireland, Mr Todd describes himself as resilient, but even he was shaken by what he found in the kitchens of HMP Swaleside.

An inmate was lying in a pool of blood. Hed been slit from navel to chest cavity by another prisoner wielding a meat knife.

The victims heart had stopped and had to be massaged back to life through the gaping wound by staff. Eventually, an air ambulance arrived and the casualty was taken away.

Meanwhile, Mr Todd and his colleagues cleaned up and got on with their shifts.

All in a days work for the dwindling front-line staff inside Britains prisons, now overcrowded to tipping point, according to Mr Todd.

Footage taken on illicitly held mobile phones shows prisoners setting mattresses on fire, breaking doors and light fittings, and aiming fire extinguishers at staff

His personal experience, combined with regular visits to British prisons in the course of his POA duties, paints a bleak picture of life on both sides of frontline where bullying, violence and drug dealing are rampant; intimidation of staff widespread, and there is easy access for inmates to mobile phones and weapons.

The causes put forward by Mr Todd are supported by a number of official reports.

In the last decade, successive governments have sought to make ever deeper cuts in the prison service budget, he says. Private sector costs  14 prisons in England and Wales are under private control  have been used as a benchmark for the remaining public sector jails.

As a result the number of frontline prison officers has fallen  by more than 6,000 between 2010-16  with many encouraged to go by a voluntary early retirement scheme introduced in the last decade.

He describes it as a hollowing out of the relative veterans who knew how to make overcrowded prisons run without serious breakdowns in discipline or order.

Now you have officers who do not have a vast amount of experience being asked to do the impossible, Mr Todd says. In some London jails they have two officers in charge of 80 prisoners, who they have to unlock, escort off the landings, out of the wing and into the exercise areas.

A report of the riot, published yesterday following a Freedom of Information request, said the disturbance 'should have been prevented'

These are Victorian jails and the exercise yards are next to public roads which are within easy reach of throw-overs. (The practice of contacts on the outside hurling illicit items such as drugs, phones and weapons over the perimeter walls.)

The throw-overs are well co-ordinated, Mr Todd says. The prisoners simply get into a huddle and the items are divided up. Any officer who tries to intervene risks being beaten to a pulp. They are being overwhelmed.

The staff demographic has changed. They are now recruiting young people from what I call the X-Box generation. They are not as resilient as before. I came from the armed forces and even then I felt quite daunted to walk into a prison for the first time.

Some of the officers now are only 18 years old. They have no life skills. They are being put at real physical risk.

He says that many of the prisoners are in the gym three or four times a week and bodybuilding steroids are also smuggled into jails.

The report found the protest by prisoners was unplanned and due to a number of factors including a loss of control on the prison wings

Physically they are intimidating and they are acting in consort. Against those people there is not a lot a couple of young inexperienced officers can do. Gang violence and intimidation within jails has increased in line with the problem of chronic understaffing.

It is particularly serious in London and the South-East, says Mr Todd. [Inmates] stick together so that if one becomes involved in trouble they are all involved. Fights for the control of drug dealing are common.

Some prisoners are making more money on the inside than they ever did when free. The trade in illicit materials is massive and the prices paid are sometimes three or four times what would be paid on the street.

An official investigation into the riot was told by one prisoner that every day was a party

One of the most volatile times of the week is Friday prayers when rival Muslim gangs come together. The violence can be horrendous.

Meanwhile, throw-overs are increasingly being replaced by drone deliveries, the new mode of contraband transportation, according to the POA.

Phones smuggled in for inmates can be synched with drones so prisoners control the final moments of a delivery. The drugs literally fly into their hands.

The Government has yet to invest in the available technology to block phone signals within jails, Mr Todd complains. That neglect only undermines discipline and good order.

And when serious violence does occur the first responders  the prison staff  are inadequately equipped. Officers are issued with batons but dont have stab vests, says Mr Todd. Pepper spray is being trialled at four jails  yet has been available to the police for years

Its a very dispiriting time, he says. Over the past decade we have seen a rise in mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder among prison officers.

Everybody deals with incidents in their own way. Some will be fine first time round, but at some point later the pressure might tip them over the edge.
Jeremy Hunt warns European leaders to stand together with Britain and US amid Russian aggression

Jeremy Hunt will today warn European leaders to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' with Britain and the US over Russian aggression.

In a rebuke to Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron, the Foreign Secretary is to demand fresh sanctions from the EU on 'malign' Moscow.

He will use a speech in Washington to urge European and American allies to speak with 'one voice' against transgressions by Moscow 'whenever and wherever they occur, from the streets of Salisbury to the fate of Crimea'.

While Britain is tied to Brussels it can only impose sanctions as part of the EU and must wait on other members before action is taken. After Brexit, the UK will be able to take its own foreign policy decisions.

EU nations including Germany and France were among dozens of countries that expelled Russian diplomats following March's Novichok nerve agent attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.

The attack also resulted in the death of a British woman, Dawn Sturgess. But some EU leaders have since reached out to President Putin's regime.

German chancellor Mrs Merkel held talks with the Russian leader in her country on Saturday after he had first stopped in Austria to attend the wedding of the country's foreign minister Karin Kneissl.

French president Mr Macron has travelled to St Petersburg to call on Russia to work 'hand-in-hand' with Europe.

And Italy has questioned whether sanctions imposed over the 2014 annexation of Crimea should continue.

Mr Hunt's visit follows the historic and controversial summit between the Russian president and Donald Trump in Helsinki.

German chancellor Mrs Merkel held talks with the Russian leader in her country on Saturday after he had first stopped in Austria to attend the wedding of the country's foreign minister

In a speech at the US Institute of Peace, Mr Hunt is due to say that under Mr Putin, Russia's 'aggressive and malign behaviour undermines the international order that keeps us safe'.

He will say: 'Of course we must engage with Moscow, but we must also be blunt: Russia's foreign policy under President Putin has made the world a more dangerous place.

'And today, the United Kingdom asks its allies to go further by calling on the European Union to ensure its sanctions against Russia are comprehensive, and that we truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the US.

'That means calling out and responding to transgressions with one voice whenever and wherever they occur, from the streets of Salisbury to the fate of Crimea.'

Mr Hunt will also risk opening up a fresh rift with Mr Trump over his decision to rip up the Iran nuclear deal and his trade wars by calling on world leaders not to 'undermine the international order that keeps us safe'.

He will also discuss Brexit, warning that a 'catastrophic' no-deal scenario represents 'one of the biggest threats to European unity'.

Similar warnings he made last week that the country would regret a no-deal break 'for generations' caused an outcry from Brexiteers, and he was later forced to insist that Britain would still 'survive and prosper'.

Today he will urge the European Commission to 'engage' with Theresa May's Chequers plan, saying: 'Britain would, of course, find a way to prosper and we have faced many greater challenges in our history.

'But the risk of a messy divorce, as opposed to the friendship we seek, would be a fissure in relations between European allies that would take a generation to heal  a geostrategic error for Europe at an extremely vulnerable time in our history.'

The Foreign Secretary's three-day visit to the US is expected to include talks with senior Trump administration officials such as secretary of state Mike Pompeo and Jared Kushner, the president's adviser and son-in-law.

Among the discussion topics are Iran, North Korea, Syria, Yemen and the Middle East peace process, the Foreign Office said.

Mr Hunt will then travel to New York, where on Thursday he is due to address the United Nations Security Council and discuss the fight against Islamic State.

The speech comes as Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab prepares to travel to Brussels tomorrow for a further round of talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Mr Raab said that, while he believed a deal was still 'by far the most likely outcome' of the negotiations, a responsible government needed to set out the steps it was taking to mitigate the risks of a no-deal break.

EU Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein said officials were working 'at full speed, 24/7' to reach an exit agreement.

No deal: Migrants 'can stay'

Ministers could give the 3.8million EU migrants living in Britain the right to remain even under a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Leaked Cabinet papers claim it would enable the Government to take the 'moral high ground'.

The move was said to reflect fears of potential labour shortages once Britain is outside the EU.

Ministers could give the 3.8million EU migrants living in Britain the right to remain even under a no-deal Brexit scenario (pictured Spanish Maritime Rescue Services ship carrying 274 rescued migrants arrives at the port of Algeciras, southern Spain in August 2018)

The details would be set out in technical notes due to be published by the Government setting out its preparations for a no-deal break across a range of sectors, The Daily Telegraph reported.

It will mean EU citizens in the UK could continue to access the NHS and benefits, regardless of whether Britons in the EU are granted reciprocal rights.

Downing Street said securing the rights of EU citizens in the UK had been 'a priority right from the get-go'.
A Texas priest who has been accused of molesting teenagers and stealing from his parish has disappeared.

Rev. Edmundo Paredes, a now-retired priest who worked for 27 years, was investigated by St Cecilia Catholic Church last May when he was suspected of stealing tens of thousands of dollars.

But when he admitted the wrongdoing it unraveled more secrets about the religious leader.

Although the Catholic Diocese of Dallas wasn't aware of the sexual assault allegations in 2017, it's reported that this February police received credible allegations that Paredes had molested three teenage boys, somewhere between 10 to 20 years ago.

Rev. Edmundo Paredes, a retired priest who worked for 27 years, was investigated by St Cecilia Catholic Church last May for stealing money before it emerged he sexually assaulted boys

Detectives are looking for him in the Philippines but have found no sign of the disgraced man

Now officials believe he may have fled to his native Philippines, according to The Dallas Morning News.

However, even after a private investigation, church contacts in the country have found no sign of him.

'Why would Bishop Burns suppress this crucial information? Was it to protect the diocese from scandal?' the written statement from local chapter leaders of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests Lisa Kendzior and Paul Petersen read.

After consulting with the Diocesan Review Board, Bishop Edward Burns told parishioners on Sunday, and state they held back on information until the agreement with the group of non-clergy Catholics who counsel the diocese on the sexual abuse of minors, so not to compromise the investigation.

A spokeswoman added they didn't want to disclose the victims' identities.

'What about concern for the safety of children and the need to comfort any survivors? Where is the transparency that the Catholic bishops promised,' the Survivors Network statement continues.

The congregation heard on Sunday about the claims but the St Cecilia Catholic Church (pictured) heard in February

While last June Peredes was banned from associating himself with being a priest following the exposure of him stealing anywhere between $60,000 to $80,000 in cash from the parish, the congregation wants justice.

Dallas Herald reports that church-goers broke down upon hearing the news while Survivors Network leader, Petersen, was skeptical of the timing of the recent announcement.

Bishop Edward Burns said they held back on information for months to protect victims

He had been abused by another priest who had worked at St Cecilia. Richard Johnson was previously at St Patrick Church where Petersen attended, and the diocese went on to settle three cases where Johnson has been accused of molesting boys.

It came as Rev. Martin Moreno was inducted as the newest pastor at St Cecilia.

The information follows a recent report from Pennsylvania that said more than 1,000 had been abused by the clergy since the 1940s.
A Mexican man, who for 15 years escorted groups of up to 25 undocumented immigrants across the dangerous desert that covers the Mexico-US border, has finally given up the secrets to his successful business.

The experienced runner, 46, who concealed his name during an interview with Univision, detailed how he would normally set off on foot on a daily basis with an average of 15 to 20 people looking to cash in on the American dream from 2001 to 2016.

Before he chose that life, he had been living in Arizona and California, working at a butcher shop before a drunk driving charge got him tossed in jail and deported back to Mexico.

Struggling to make ends meet with four children spread across both borders, he decided entered the criminal underworld, earning between $6,000 to $7,000 daily.

'El Chilaquil', an alias, said he started charging $2,000 for every person that would sign up for the dangerous overnight trek.

A Mexican man, who calls himself 'El Chilaquil', opened up to Univision about his 15-year-career as an immigrant smuggler

The tough terrain that separates Mexico and the United States posed a tough challenge to those that paid up to $5,000

Word quickly spread out in Tijuana, and the Mexico City native incresed his asking fee.

'I loved the job of crossing people over because you were making good money,' he said.

At the peak of his trade, 'El Chilaquil' was making $5,000 for every person that he smuggled, and on one single day managed to 'fool' the United States Border Patrol officers, pulling off two trips.

'You always had to trick the immigration officers because they were all over the place.'

'El Chilaquil' considered himself a master tactician at deciphering how the immigration officials moved - how often they changed patrol spots and what key spots they were stationing themselves along the 1,954-mile long border.

'They are everywhere. Sometimes they're on motorcycles,' he told the interviewer. 'They're on horses, walking, they have dogs.'

He would stand idle by the side of a dirt road, keeping count of the motorcycles that would transport the border agents up the hill near their desired crossing point from Tijuana and Tecate over to California.

'El Chilaquil' would constantly canvas the safest entry areas to transport immigrants by foot

Then they would prepare themselves for go-time, which usually meant traveling by foot between 2am and 6am as rain came down and the foggy skies made visibility difficult.

According to 'El Chilaquil', immigration officials were busy, sleeping or changing shifts as the navigated the tough terrain.

He would be quick to yell at the migrants he was trying to usher across the border, and wouldn't hesitate at pointing out to dead corpses - utilizing it as motivational tool to make sure that everyone stayed at the right pace.

'I took care of them so that they could make it to their destination,' explained the career criminal who know works as a bricklayer and lives with his uncles.

'To me, a person is very valuable because they're humans.'

The money he made? Gone. Handed out among his family members and spent on wild parties, booze, marijuana and prostitutes.

'I don't regret it all,' he said. 'There was some fun as well.'
This shocking footage shows a shooting victim lying on a pavement in agony just moments after a suspected gangland attack.

He can be heard screaming in pain at the start of the video taken in Brent, north-west London, outside Kingsbury Tube station.

Police are seen tending to the victim as a witness films the horrific scene from behind glass in a nearby building.

Distressed youngsters speak with officers during the chaos after three people were shot outside the station last night.

Two men  aged 18 and 24 - were injured in the shooting as well as a 30-year-old woman.

The victim can be heard wailing in pain during the video, which was taken from a nearby building last night

Youngsters rushed around in frantic scenes after three people were injured in the shooting in north-west London

Officers are pictured outside the London Underground station, where three people were injured last night

Police were called to reports of gunfire on Kingsbury High road in Brent at 9.45pm where two men and a woman were found with gunshot wounds.

Scotland Yard said so far no arrests have been made, and the incident was not 'terror related.'

The shooting came just hours after shots were fired outside a school in Maida Hill, west London.

Foresenic experts examine the scene of the shooting in Kingsbury

Experts comb the scene for evidence. Police confirmed the shooting was not terror related

Emergency services were called to the scene on Kingsbury High Road in north-west London last night

Kingsbury Tube station on the Jubilee line was shut down as officers responded to the shooting.

The three victims were taken to hospital.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police and London Ambulance Service were alerted at around 2145hrs on Monday, 20 August, to reports of shots fired in Kingsbury Road, NW9.

'Officers from Brent attended the location along with London Ambulance Service.

A Nike trainer and other items of clothing were scattered on the floor inside the cordon

Plastic cups and items of clothing lay on the street on Kingsbury High Road

The scene of the shooting. Scotland Yard said so far no arrests have been made, and the incident was not 'terror related'

'They found three people suffering injuries. We await assessment of their condition.

'A crime scene is in place and local roads are closed. There has been no arrest at this early stage.'

An update on Transport for London's website read last night: 'Kingsbury: Closed - Station closed while the police carry out an investigation outside the station.

'London Underground tickets are being accepted on local bus services.'

The incident took place outside a desert shop in Kingbury, north-west London

Police have cordoned off the scene where the shooting took place

Police and ambulance services were dispatched to the scene after the triple shooting

The shooting tonight comes just hours after shots were fired outside a school in west London.

Armed police were dispatched shortly after 4pm today after witnesses reported hearing three gunshots outside the Kennet West Skills Centre.

No students were in the school but building contractors working inside the building at the time of the incident spoke of how they ducked for cover after hearing the gunshots.

In the earlier incident, a motorbike driver is said to have opened fire on a white Volvo on Kennet Road.

Pictures posted on social media show people gathering near the scene of the shooting

Police officers are at the scene on Kingsbury High Road last night

No arrests were made and the Metropolitan Police said it was too early to confirm whether the two incidents were related.

Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick claimed violence in the capital was waning, despite around 90 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.

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.
House Democrats are demanding to know whether National Security Adviser John Bolton told the White House about his contact with accused Russian spy Maria Butina before he joined the administration.

Bolton appeared with Butina in a roundtable discussion about gun rights in 2013 that was video taped and reportedly sponsored by the Russian organization Right to Bear Arms, which Butina founded and touted in her association with the National Rifle Association.

Bolton was a member of the NRA's international affairs subcommittee at the time, a position he was appointed to by then-NRA President David Keene, who was also courted by Butina.

House Democrats are demanding to know whether National Security Adviser John Bolton told the White House about his contact with accused Russian spy Maria Butina

The Justice Department accuses Butina of being directed by a 'high-level' official in Russia to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and build relationships with conservative politicians

Democrat Congressmen Elijah Cummings and Stephen Lynch wrote to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in a letter delivered Monday demanding details about Bolton's time with Butina.

'Given the alarming and unprecedented nature of these revelations  and the high-level position of trust Mr. Bolton now holds  we request that you produce documents relating to whether Mr. Bolton reported his previous work with this alleged Russian spy on his security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials prior to President Trump appointing him to his current position,' they wrote, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

The security clearance process requires officials to register contact with foreign citizens among other requirements.

The two lawmakers, who sit on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, noted their committee had investigated other Trump administration officials for failing to disclose their meetings with Russians, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired from the administration for his failure to reveal meetings with the Russian ambassador.

Butina, a fiery red-haired Russian gun activist, was arrested in July and charged with conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent.

In the video of event, Bolton offered his support for amending the Russian constitution to include broader gun rights.

'Were the Russian government to grant a broader right to bear arms to its people, it would be creating a partnership with its citizens that would better allow for the projection of mothers, children, and families, without in any way compromising the integrity of the Russian state. That is my wish and my advice to your great people,' Bolton said, according to theletter.

The letter from the Democratic lawmakers requested several categories of documents provided by Bolton on his security clearance forms and other White House vetting materials.

Butina was transferred from a Washington DC jail to a new holding facility in Alexandria, Virginia this week

John Bolton had ties to the NRA when he spoke to Butina's Russian gun organization

Maria Butina appears in a police booking after her arrest

Maria Butina appeared in federal court in Washington D.C. in an orange jumpsuit as a judge agreed with prosecutors that it was too risky to let her out from behind bars

Butina, 29, has pleaded not guilty to all charges filed against her.

She worked for Alexander Torshin, a Russian banker with close ties to the Kremlin, and served as his interpreter at various Washington events.

Torshin had connections to members of the NRA, and Butina, as his assistant, developed a friendship with then-NRA President David Keene.

In 2013, Butina invited NRA members to Russia to attend an annual meeting for a gun-rights group she had established in 2011 called the Right to Bear Arms.

Butina's network of influential American politicians and activists was 'used by the Russian Federation to penetrate the U.S. national decision-making apparatus to advance the Russian Federation,' according to Department of Justice charging documents.

The indictment claims Butina carried out a Russian influence operation since 2015, taking direction from her alleged handler, Alexander Torshin, a former legislator and official at the Central Bank of Russia who was recently placed under U.S. sanctions.

The duo 'planned to advance Moscow's long-term strategic objectives in the United States' by partnering with the National Rifle Association and attending functions with high-level political figures like the National Prayer Breakfast.

Butina's interactions with U.S. politicians drew praise from Torshin, according to their correspondence obtained by federal investigators.

'I am following our game. I will be connecting the people from the prayer breakfast to this group,' wrote Butina in a Twitter direct message to Torshin. 'Everything else we will win.'

'No doubt! Of course we will win,' replied Torshin.

He later told Butina: 'Your political star has risen in the sky. Now it is important to rise to the zenith and not burn out (fall) prematurely.'
Liam Fox will today pledge to make Britain a '21st century exporting superpower' after Brexit.

The International Trade Secretary will urge the country to 'set its sights high' as he outlines a strategy to boost the sales of domestic goods and services overseas.

Official figures released in June showed exports hit a record 620billion last year, accounting for 30 per cent of UK GDP.

Mr Fox will call for Britain to reach a figure of 35 per cent after ties are cut with Brussels.

The International Trade Secretary, Liam, Fox, urges the country to 'set its sights high' as he outlines a strategy to boost the sales of domestic goods and services overseas

In a speech to a business audience in London today about the export strategy, he is expected to say: 'UK businesses are superbly placed to capitalise on the rapid changes in the global economic environment and I believe the UK has the potential to be a 21st century exporting superpower.

As an international economic department, we are determined to support, connect and grow UK companies on the world stage through our international network.

'As we leave the EU, we must set our sights high and that is just what this export strategy will help us achieve.'

Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the Government's export strategy is 'strong on aspiration' and welcomed the commitment to increase exports as a proportion of GDP and other measures which could support small firms.

He added: 'Incentives like export vouchers and grants should be made available to small businesses to help them with upfront investment costs for things like translation services or additional market research.

Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, says the Government's export strategy is 'strong on aspiration' and welcomed the commitment to increase exports

'An assessment of financial incentives, including export vouchers, as mentioned in the strategy, is a step in the right direction, but we are fast running out of time.

'The clock is ticking. If the Government doesn't act quickly and introduce financial incentives there is a risk the current uncertainty will have a serious and detrimental impact on the growth of small businesses.'

Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said: 'This strategy is a timely signal that the Government is committed to improving the UK's international competitiveness.

'The CBI strongly supports the ambition to make exports 35 per cent of GDP, which will put the UK out in front of many of our international competitors.

We estimate that in every region of the country there are around 10 per cent of businesses that could export, but don't, and we look forward to working alongside the Government to support and inspire them to seize the opportunity.'
The female relative of a property developer who allegedly owed a large debt to a slain bikie kingpin is being probed by detectives investigating the brazen killing.

Former Comancheros boss Mahmoud ' Mick' Hawi, 37, who was gunned down outside a Fitness First gym in February, may have been murdered over the debt.

Detectives are now investigating whether the Sydney property developer's relative helped pass messages between him and two men accused of Hawi's murder.

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Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi's widow Carolina Gonzalez has penned a cryptic Facebook post, days after three men were charged in relation to his shooting death

Detectives are now investigating whether the Sydney property developer's relative helped pass messages between him and two men accused of Hawi's murder (pictured is one of the men being arrested)

Tow truck driver Moustafa Salami, 36, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly moving one of the getaway cars used in the shooting

According to police, Lone Wolf bikies Yusuf Nazlioglu, 37, allegedly pulled the trigger in the assassination he is accused of planning with Ahmad 'Adam' Doudar, 38.

The property developer was allegedly under pressure to pay Hawi $300,000 at the time of the killing, The Daily Telegraph reported.

He had already allegedly paid $200,000 to Hawi, and police will allege he paid Nazlioglu and Doudar $40,000 to shoot the former bikie boss to avoid the debt.

Nazlioglu is understood to have been a former friend of Hawi, before the pair fell out over a girl.

Ms Gonzalez took to Facebook on Sunday night, asking friends a cryptic question, in an apparent reference to Yusuf Nazlioglu who was last week charged with her husband's murder

Former Comancheros president Mick Hawi (left) was shot multiple times in his Mercedes 4WD while he sat in the parked vehicle outside a gym at Rockdale, in Sydney's south, in February

Tow truck driver Moustafa Salami, 36, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly moving one of the getaway cars used in the shooting.

Hawi's widow Carolina Gonzales posted a cryptic Facebook comment, just a day after Nazlioglu and Doudar faced court.

On Sunday night, Ms Gonzales posted on her Facebook page: 'Saabi...where's your best mate Yui?'.

She then removed the comment a few hours later.

Nazlioglu (pictured, left, with Hawi, right) is understood to have been a former friend of Hawi, before the pair fell out over a girl

Hawi was shot multiple times in his Mercedes 4WD while he sat in the parked vehicle outside a gym at Rockdale, in Sydney's south, on February 15.

Following his death, Hawi's grief-stricken widow Ms Gonzalez made headlines when she attempted to extract her dead husband's sperm from his corpse.

The process was kick-started by an urgent court application in the hours after the shooting to the NSW Supreme Court, on the basis that Ms Gonzales would have another of Hawi's children following his death.

Justice Peter Johnson then ordered the sperm be extracted and stored at an IVF facility until he ruled on her application, however Ms Gonzales ultimately opted not to go ahead with the procedure.

Hawi had served a prison sentence over the death of Hells Angels bikie associate Anthony Zervas during a brawl at Sydney Airport in 2009.

He was initially convicted of murdering Zervas, who was bashed with a metal bollard during the brawl, but his conviction and 28-year sentence was overturned on appeal.
The man accused of killing his wife and two young daughters claimed his wife strangled the little girls and he killed her in revenge, it was revealed late Monday.

But police did not believe his story and Christopher Watts now faces nine felony charges  including five murder charges.

Watts initially told police that he had informed his wife Shanann Watts that he wanted a separation and he then went downstairs.

He claimed he watched on the baby monitor as his wife killed one of the two daughters she had struggled so desperately to conceive.

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Christopher Watts (above on Friday) was formally charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree murder of a child under 12 while in a position of trust and three counts of tampering with bodies on Monday in Greeley, Colorado

Watts was last week arrested for murdering his wife Shanann and their two young daughters

'He observed Bella "sprawled" out on her bed and blue and Shanann actively strangling Celeste,' an affidavit unsealed on Monday in Greeley, Colorado, revealed.

'Chris said he went into a rage and ultimately strangled Shanann to death.

'Chris said he loaded all three bodies onto the back seat of his work truck and took them to an oil work site,' added the affidavit.

After a two-day investigation, police discovered that Watts 'was actively involved in an affair with a co-worker' - something he had initially denied.

His claim that it was Shanann who killed his daughters is likely the reason that his court-appointed defense lawyer Megan Ring had asked for DNA swabs to be taken from the girls necks.

Police had originally been notified that Shanann was missing by her workmate Nickole Atkinson, who had been on a business trip to Arizona with her, returning early in the morning on August 13.

Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke speaks at a news conference at the Weld County Courthouse on Monday. He said he had not decided on whether to seek the death penalty

Christopher was formally charged Monday with nine felony counts - including unlawfully terminating a pregnancy.

He was also charged with three counts of first degree murder, two counts of first degree murder of a child under 12 while in a position of trust and three counts of tampering with bodies.

District attorney Michael Rourke said he had not decided on whether to seek the death penalty in the case that has shocked the nation. Watts, 33, is due in court in Greeley, Colorado, on Tuesday morning.

The charges come exactly one week after Watts had reported his wife and children missing.

Shanann Watts, 34, and her two daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, disappeared from their home in Frederick, Colorado last week.

He even went on local television to plead for them to return home even though he already knew they were dead, police say.

Since then, as inmate number 18-12255, he has been held at Weld County Jail on the outskirts of Greeley. He is being kept away from other prisoners for his own safety, according to Fox News.

Shananns body was discovered on Wednesday two days after she disappeared from the familys five-bed, four-bath home in Frederick, Colorado, 30 miles north of Denver. She was 15 weeks pregnant with a boy the couple intended to call Nico.

She was in found in a shallow grave dug on land owned by the oil company Anadarko, where her husband worked as an operator.

The bodies of the couples two daughters, Bella and her younger sister Celeste were found the following day submerged in cans of crude oil nearby.

Shannan's father made an emotional appearance Monday to thank everyone involved in arresting his son-in-law.

Shannan's father Frank Rzucek (right) spoke to reporters at a press conference. Rzuceks son Frankie, 32, (left) also appeared at the press conference but did not speak

In an affidavit unsealed late Monday, Watts claimed that he watched on the baby monitor as his pregnant wife killed one of the two daughters she had struggled so desperately to conceive

Frank Rzucek teared up as he spoke briefly to reporters at a press conference in the courthouse in Greeley, Colorado.

'Id like to thank everyone in the Frederick Police Department and all the agencies involved for working so hard to find my daughter, granddaughters and Nico,' Ruczek, 55, said between sobs.

'Id like to thank everyone for coming to the candlelight vigil and saying all your prayers. They are gratefully appreciated  and keep the prayers coming for our family,' added Rzucek.

Rzuceks son Frankie, 32, also appeared at the press conference but did not speak.

Since the bodies were found, well-wishers have left several hundred soft toys, along with dozens of flowers, candles and balloons in the front yard of the $400,000 house on Saratoga Trail in Frederick that the couple bought in 2013.

The case has drawn national media attention to the town of Frederick, as well as hundreds of flowers and toys from friends and strangers

Despite the image of a blissfully happy marriage that Shanann projected through frequent Facebook posts, in which she called her husband her 'rock', friends of the couple, who are both originally from North Carolina, have suggested they were having marriage problems.

Nick and Amanda Thayer said Shanann had told them she thought her husband was cheating and on Monday Atkinson, who had dropped Shanann off at her home after the two had been on a business trip to Arizona told Good Morning America that after his wife had disappeared, Christopher had told her they were planning to separate.

Atkinson, 37, said in the weeks previous to her friends murder the couple had not seemed quite so loving, but that Shanann had not told her they were considering splitting.

I didn't find out that they were going to separate or anything like that until I called Chris that morning. When I called him and asked him where she was, that's when he told me and I basically told him that that wasn't my (concern) at that particular moment.'

Shanann's friend Nickole Atkinson told Good Morning America that she wasn't surprised when Watts was taken into custody because he didn't appear to be concerned

Atkinson, who believes she is the last person apart from the killer to have seen Shanann alive, said she thought all along that Watts had killed his family as he did not seem concerned after she couldnt get in contact with her colleague and friend.

He just kept saying that he didn't know where she was and that she was on a playdate, she told ABCs Clayton Sandell. But he couldn't give us the name of the friend.

'I knew he had something to do with it the day I was at his house with him, but I didn't want to think that.

'Anyone in their right mind will start piecing things together and think something had happened, but you don't want to go there. You want to believe the best in people, added Atkinson.

'He was defending himself, but it just didn't make sense. Like in that moment it is kind of surreal. He was just sitting there waiting for something to happen; it just didn't seem right to me.'

Mourners are seen Sunday at the family home where police say the murders were committed

Chris and Shanann Watts were also known to live well beyond their means and have had money problems. They filed for bankruptcy in 2015 owing some $70,000, and were due in court on Friday this week after their homeowners association had sued them for an unpaid bill of $1,533.80.

Shanann suffered from lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own healthy cells. Her brother Frankie said on Facebook that because of the disease she had had to beat the odds to get pregnant.

But things had started to look up for them after Shanann landed a well-paid job with Le-Vel, a nutrition supplement company, which involved her making frequent business trips, leaving her husband at home with their children.

Investigators have said all along that they believe the 5ft 10in, 225lb, Watts had killed his family in their home and transported them to the windswept high prairie land that he had intended would be their final resting place.
An Australian filmmaker in Cambodia facing five to ten years in prison on a charge of endangering national security testified on Monday that he wants to buy land to resettle poor local families.

James Ricketson, 69, was arrested in June last year for flying a camera-equipped drone over a political rally held by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party.

The party was dissolved as part of a sweeping crackdown on the opposition and media critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen's government, ahead of last month's general election, in which the ruling party won all 125 National Assembly seats.

The charge against Ricketson, who had been seen as sympathetic to the opposition party, is tantamount in legal terms to espionage.

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Australian filmmaker James Ricketson (pictured) made an impassioned plea for his release from custody while being transported to a Cambodian courthouse

In remarks to reporters on his way in and out of court, Ricketson has repeatedly insisted he has seen no evidence supporting the charge against him and questioned what country he was supposed to have been spying for.

'I've been incarcerated for 14 months now with no evidence presented to the court,' Ricketson said Monday from inside the police vehicle that brought him to court.

He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and was handcuffed as officers led him inside the court building.

In his testimony on Monday, Ricketson outlined a freelance movie-making career that began in 1973 and has taken him to 20 countries.

He said he spent part of an inheritance on helping his informally adopted Cambodian daughter, Chab Thy, with her daily living expenses and her children's education.

He also told the court that before he was arrested he hoped to raise $140,000 to buy a piece of land to house 18 poor Cambodian families currently living at a garbage dump.

The project was halted when he was arrested but he is still planning to help the families and will continue it when he is released, he said.

He was escorted to court in an orange jumpsuit to continue the trial that's lasted 14 months

Chab Thy, the 33-year-old mother of nine he has been helping, testified earlier on Monday as a character witness for Ricketson.

She said she got to know Ricketson when she was a 10-year-old beggar who lived on the streets.

Ricketson paid to help her study English as well as rent a house and launch a small business selling soft drinks, she said, adding that he had also helped other poor Cambodian families.

'Before I met him, I was a beggar and slept on the side of the street, but after I met him I was not worrying anymore about my future because I got help from him,' she said.

'He has never committed any bad thing and he often took his camera along with him,' she testified.

Last week, Australian movie director Peter Weir appeared as a character witness, testifying to Ricketson's professionalism and their long friendship.
Winners of the 11th Chinese Physician Prize take an oath during a celebration event of China's first Medical Workers' Day in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2018. More than 80 medical doctors across the country won the prize. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Activities were held and promotion videos released for the celebrations of China's first Medical Workers' Day, which falls on Sunday, to call for respect from society for the country's 11.7 million medical and health workers.

The State Council last year approved an application from the health authorities on designating Aug. 19 every year as the country's Medical Workers' Day.

Zhang Yanling, president of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, said the day will be remembered as a milestone in the history of China's health cause and the country's doctors.

He also expected activities to observe the day may promote the professional spirit and ethnics among the medical workers.

Yao Yufeng, a prestigious Chinese ophthalmologist, sees the celebration of the Medical Workers' Day as a "special glory" bestowed by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the people.

He said that he and his colleagues are inspired to carry forward the life-saving spirit and break new ground in medical field.

"The profession of medicine serves the fundamental and ultimate interests of human being, and the medical workers... must be fully aware of this," Wang Chen, president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Peking Union Medical College, said last month at the graduation ceremony for this year's graduates.

Wang Yimin, a 32-year-old respiratory physician, agreed. "We will take the baton from our predecessors and carry on our duties."

The report at the 19th CPC National Congress pledged to carry out the Healthy China initiative, which includes measures to improve community-level healthcare services and strengthen the ranks of general practitioners.
A 24-year-old woman who disappeared during a family kayaking trip in Georgia intentionally drowned herself, authorities have revealed.

The body of Maranda Whitten was discovered in West Point Lake on Monday, three days after the recent Auburn University graduate disappeared.

An extension cord that was missing from Whitten's campground was tied to her ankles and a large rock, officials said.

Troup County Sheriff's Sgt Stewart Smith said her death is being treated as a suicide.

Maranda Whitten, the 24-year-old woman who disappeared on a family kayaking trip in Georgia, intentionally drowned herself

Whitten, of Valley, Alabama, was last seen kayaking around 12.30pm on Friday. Her empty blue kayak (pictured) was discovered two hours later, with her life vest and cell phone inside

'The search for Maranda Whitten has unfortunately been suspended,' Smith said in a statement.

'Maranda was found earlier this morning, a victim of an apparent drowning. As standard procedure, her body will be sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy.'

'Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Maranda's family.'

Whitten, of Valley, Alabama, was last seen kayaking around 12.30pm on Friday.

A storm then hit and her empty blue kayak was discovered around 2.30pm. Her paddle, life jacket, and uncharged phone were still inside.

Dozens of volunteers joined the search for Whitten during the weekend, as did authorities from various state and local agencies.

The body of Maranda Whitten was discovered in West Point Lake on Monday, three days after the recent Auburn University graduate disappeared

Tabatha Whitten was initially baffled by her daughter's disappearance, revealing that she was an avid hiker who has kayaked and 'lived on water all her life'.

The worried mother held onto hope that Whitten was roaming the woods near her grandmother and aunt's campground.

An extension cord that had been reported missing from Whitten's campground was tied to her ankles and a large rock, officials said

'I think she made it back to shore,' Tabatha told Newsweek over the weekend.

'If she was in distress, Maranda would have sense enough to put a life jacket on, and the paddle wouldn't have been left in the kayak.'

'If she wasn't out kayaking, she was out walking,' Tabatha added. 'Maranda is very active and likes to explore different areas. She likes to find places that people miss.'

But Tabatha also had a 'bad feeling' when she discovered that a large orange extension cord was missing from her daughter's camper.

Tabatha revealed that her daughter was 'majorly depressed' since graduating from college, recalling that Whitten spoke very little on the night before she disappeared.

Tabatha Whitten was initially baffled by her daughter's disappearance, revealing that she had kayaked and 'lived on water all her life'. Whitten is pictured here with an unidentified friend

Dozens of volunteers joined the search for Whitten during the weekend, as did authorities from various state and local agencies

The area where she was last seen was canvassed by authorities as her mother held out on the hope that she could be alive and in the woods

'She did hug me, but it wasn't an overly respectful hug,' Tabatha said. 'The words were very few.'

Tabatha said things had recently been tough for her daughter, who was embarrassed after she had to move back home following her college graduation in May.

She broke up with her boyfriend and was also struggling with credit card debt.

'Maranda is highly intelligent and seemed on track all her years back in college. She had the idea that she would land that big job,' Tabatha said.

'She went into major depression. Everything hadn't been going her way.'

Just days before her daughter's death, Tabatha sat Whitten down for a talk and asked her if she was 'doing anything drug-wise'.

The search was called off on Monday as authorities revealed the tragic circumstances behind Whitten's death

'She told us, "You're crazy that you would even think that!' and "You don't know what you're talking about!'", Tabatha recalled.

'We had a family conflict because of that.

It was on that night that Whitten decided to go away for a few days to be with her grandmother and aunt at West Point Lake.

Now Tabatha is left wondering how she could have done things differently.

'We shouldn't have been making those accusations,' she said.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800)-273-8255.
President Donald Trump has expressed concerns that any statements made under oath to Special Counsel Robert Mueller could be used to bring perjury charges against him as part of the probe into Russia's election interference.

In an interview with Reuters Monday, Trump echoed the concerns of his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has warned that an interview with the veteran prosecutor could be a 'perjury trap'.

The president is worried that any discrepancies between what he says and statements by others who have testified in the probe, such as former FBI Director James Comey, would be used against him.

'So if I say something and [Comey] says something, and it's my word against his, and he's best friends with Mueller, so Mueller might say: "Well, I believe Comey," and even if I'm telling the truth, that makes me a liar. That's no good,' he said.

Despite his concerns, Trump did not comment on whether he would ultimately agree to an interview with Mueller, who is, among other things, investigating whether Trump's campaign team colluded with Russians during the 2016 election and whether Trump has obstructed justice in the probe.

President Donald Trump expressed concerns that any statements he makes under oath to Special Counsel Robert Mueller could be used to bring perjury charges in an interview Monday

Trump did not comment on whether he would ultimately agree to an interview with Mueller, who is, among other things, investigating whether Trump's campaign team colluded with Russians during the 2016 election and whether Trump has obstructed justice in the probe

In the same interview Monday, Trump baldly declared he has the authority to either assist in or take over the investigation that he has repeatedly decried as a 'witch hunt' by Mueller's team of 'angry democrats'.

'I can go in, and I could do whatever - I could run it if I want. But I decided to stay out,' he said.

'Im totally allowed to be involved if I wanted to be. So far, I havent chosen to be involved. Ill stay out.'

Trump declined to say whether he might strip Mueller of his security clearance, as he recently did to former CIA Director John Brennan, a formidable outside critic who called the president's appearance with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month 'treasonous'.

'I havent given it a lot of thought,' Trump said of Mueller's clearance.

Trump declared that he has the authority to intervene in Mueller's investigation, which he has repeatedly decried as a 'witch hunt', but that he has chosen to stay out of it

Trump echoed concerns of his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has warned that interviewing with the special counsel could be a 'perjury trap'

Speaking to Reuters in the Oval Office, the president repeatedly called the investigation a disgrace and argued that Mueller and other members of his team are biased.

Trump blamed the investigation for hampering his efforts to strengthen the countrys relationship with Russia and for sowing discord among the American public.

He again neglected to blame Russia for interfering in the 2016 election, a conclusion reached by the US intelligence community.

The probe, he said: 'played right into the Russians - if it was Russia - they played right into the Russians' hands.'

The White House, Trump and family members have offered conflicting statements about a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr, Paul Manafort, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner with Russians who offered dirt on rival Hillary Clinton.

Monday was the third day of jury deliberations in the trial of Trump's former campaign chair Manafort. The Jury concluded the day without reaching a verdict.

Last week Trump had spoken in defense of Manafort, who could go to jail for the rest of his life if convicted and faces 18 charges on tax and fraud issues.

'I think it's a very sad day for our country. He worked for me for a very short period of time, but you know what? He happens to be a very good person. And I think it's very sad what they've done to Paul Manafort,' Trump said.

Trump said the probe has 'played right into the Russians - if it was Russia - they played right into the Russians' hands'

Trump is pictured with First Lady Melania Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin after a news conference at the Presidential Palace last month

Trump also went after the Mueller probe on Twitter earlier Monday.

'Where's the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!' he wrote.

Trump charged the special counsel's team with 'looking for trouble' and making up a 'phony crime called collusion' as his lawyers are realizing they don't know what top White House lawyer Don McGahn told the investigation during 30 hours of testimony on the Russia probe.

Trump went after the Mueller probe on Twitter earlier Monday

In another part of Monday's interview, Trump listed general areas he spoke about during his Helsinki summit with Putin.

There was no note-taker and his director of national intelligence has said he doesn't know the details of what went on.

He listed Israel's security, Syria  where the US and Russia are at odds  and Russia's annexation of Crimea. That action drew sanctions from the Obama administration. He also mentioned the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia to Germany, something he blasted Germany for during the NATO summit last month.

Trump said Putin didn't raise sanctions with him. He said he would consider lifting sanctions if Russia took steps on areas like Syria or Ukraine  although many sanctions are set in law.

'I would consider it if they do something that would be good for us. But I wouldn't consider it without that,' Trump said.
An MS-13 gangster pleaded guilty Monday to murdering four rival gang members on Long Island last year.

Josue 'Sparky' Portillo, 17, admitted being part of a plot to ambush the 18th Street gang in an isolated park on April 11, 2017.

Two female MS-13 gang member lured the five rival gang members to the woods where Portillo and others massacred them in a 'horrific frenzy of violence.'

One victim managed to escape and is now a government witness, but Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez Banegas, Jorge Tigre and Jefferson Villalobos were hacked to death with a combination of machetes, knives, sticks and an ax.

Josue 'Sparky' Portillo, 17, admitted being part of a plot to ambush members of the 18th Street gang in an isolated park on April 11, 2017, and kill them. Pictured are two of the victims; Justin Llivicura (left) and Jefferson Villalobos (right)

One victim managed to escape and is now a government witness, but Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez Benegas (left), Jorge Tigre (right) and Jefferson Villalobos were hacked to death with a combination of machetes, knives, sticks and an ax

On Monday, Portillo, who was just 15 at the time of the murders, appeared in court dressed in a green and white striped prison uniform.

He showed little emotion as he pleaded guilty to four counts of racketeering murder and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering in federal court.

But he did say sorry for his role in the quadruple murder.

'I apologize to the family of the victims knowing my apology will not be accepted,' he said, according to the New York Post.

Portillo, who was in the country illegally from El Salvador, was immigration custody in Virginia when he was charged with murder. He was initially charged as a juvenille on July 10 but the case was transferred to the FBI's Long Island Gang Task Force and the government filed a motion to transfer Portillo to adult status for prosecution

'Josue Portillo's guilty plea today marks a milestone in the investigation of MS-13's brutal murders of four young men lured to their violent deaths in a park on Long Island,' US Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a statement.

'We hope the victims' families can find some measure of solace in knowing that the perpetrators of these murders are now being held responsible for their crimes.'

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney added: 'Whether young or old, the savagery of MS-13 gang members remains the same.

The crime scene where four bodies were found in Central Islip, N.Y., Thursday, April 13, 2017. Investigators found it was gang related

The casket of Justin Llivicura is carried from St. Joseph the Worker Church after Llivicura's funeral April 2017, in East Patchogue, N.Y.

'Portillo and other members of MS-13 brutally beat and killed four young men, leaving them in an isolated wooden area.'

Portillo, also known as 'Curioso', faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and if and when he is released, he will be deported back to El Salvador.

He is the first of the gang members to plead guilty over the incident.

The government has been cracking down on MS-13 activity in the United States in recent years.

Based in El Salvador and Honduras, the gang has thousands of members across the US with numerous different branches, or 'cliques'.

MS-13 is the largest and most violent street gang on Long Island and hundreds of members have been convicted of federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults since 2003.

Earlier this year, family members of the victims joined President Trump at a press conference to demand tougher immigration laws.
Henry de Zoete and Will Hodson accepted a 120,000 investment for just 3 per cent of Look After My Bills on the BBC's Dragons' Den last night.

But many of those who left the Den with nothing have gone on to achieve great success. Here, MailOnline takes a look at the ones that got away...

Best friends who rejected Peter Jones

Friends who appeared on Dragons' Den had the last laugh after turning down Peter Jones' paltry offer and turning their firm into a multi-million pound business.

Jonny Pryn and Alex Somervell were told they were 'about to make a big mistake' by media tycoon Mr Jones, after bravely refusing his offer of 60,000 investment.

Appearing on the BBC show earlier this month, the pair turned down Jones' demands for 20 per cent of the business, causing the other dragons to snigger in disbelief.

But Mr Pryn, 25, and Mr Somervell, 27, soon proved they had made the right decision, after their company One Third Stories rose in value to 2.6million.

The hairbrush entrepreneur who is worth millions

He was famously turned down in the Dragons' Den, but Shaun Pulfrey continues to have the last laugh by raking in millions from his Tangle Teezer hairbrush

On the show, the Dragons were not impressed with the idea and failed to invest

He was famously turned down in the Dragons' Den, but former hairdresser Shaun Pulfrey continues to have the last laugh by raking in millions from his Tangle Teezer hairbrush.

Figures filed for his company in March last year showed sales soared by a massive 22 per cent to 28.6 million in the year to March 31, 2016, while pre-tax profits grew from 7.4 million to 8 million.

Pulfrey, who remortgaged his home to launch his business, did not take a dividend during the year but was paid 2.7 million in royalty payments.

The success of Tangle Teezer  which was described on BBC TV by Dragons including Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden as 'hair-brained', 'a waste of time' and 'like a horse brush'  has been phenomenal with 20 sold every minute globally.

The wine pioneer whose idea was snapped up by M&S

Deborah Meaden was among the Dragons who dismissed James Nash's concept of a single-serve glass of wine with a plastic tear-off lid, pictured on the show

M&S were a fan of the concept and adopted it as part of its Food on the Move section. It has proved hugely popular with commuters and picnicers

James Nash first took his Cup-A-Wine idea to BBC's Dragons Den in 2009 only for it to be rejected out of hand.

The invention  a single-serve plastic glass of French wine with a tear-off lid  solves the problem of feeling like a glass of wine but not having a glass or a corkscrew.

He asked the Dragons - then Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis, Duncan Bannatyne, James Caan and Deborah Meaden - for 250,000 for a 25per cent stake in his business, Wine Innovations Ltd.

However, they gave him a torrid grilling and bowed out because they were unconvinced anyone would be interested.

Duncan Bannatyne was particularly dismissive, saying: 'People don't want to buy wine in plastic glasses like that with a seal on top. For that reason, I'm out.'

But M&S were a fan of the concept and adopted it as part of its Food on the Move section. It has proved hugely popular with commuters and picnicers.

Businessman whose bottles are sold around the world

Guy Jeremiah originally presented his collapsible water bottle idea to the BBCs five dragons in 2010.

All five dismissed the idea, and even by the standards of the notoriously tough show, they gave Mr Jeremiah a grilling. Theo Paphitis even told him hed rather stick pins in his eyes than back his idea.

But Mr Jeremiah went on to great success and his invention is available in 16 countries.

And if that was not enough to convince the Dragons they had missed a trick, he has also signed a distribution deal with Marks & Spencer.
Britain's second busiest airport was sold by the British Airports Authority to New York-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners in October 2009 for 1.5billion.

A year earlier BAA found itself being forced to sell Gatwick after an inquiry found customers were suffering from a lack of competition between airports.

Other shareholders in Gatwick are now as wide-ranging as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, National Pension Service of Korea, California Public Employees' Retirement System and the Future Fund of Australia.

GIP also owns Edinburgh Airport, Scotland's busiest airport, after buying it for 807million in June 2012.

Last December it was revealed Gatwick's private equity owners had raked in 175million worth of dividends as profits soared from 125million a year earlier after six months of rising passenger numbers and profits.

GIP has also held previous UK investments in London City Airport and Great Yarmouth Port Company.
Property hunters are increasingly searching for homes by the coast when looking to move away from big cities, according to new data from Zoopla.

More and more city-dwelling Britons from London, Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh, are searching for property on the coast  with seaside destinations such as Margate, Angus, Swansea and Skegness proving to be some of the most highly sought-after options.

Zoopla looked at property searches over the past 12 months and found that residents in nearly half of Britain's top 10 largest cities are looking at properties in seaside towns, either to buy or daydream over.

This 7-bedroom terrace in Margate is going for 450k - just 150 feet away from the beach

Top of the list for those in London is Margate, Kent - dubbed 'Shoreditch-on-Sea' - having benefited from the Dreamland reopening in 2015, the property hotspot continues to prove popular.

It could be that Londoners are looking at what they may get for their money, with the typical home there nearly a quarter of that in the capital.

WHERE IS THE COUNTRY LOOKING FOR PROPERTY? City of search origin Average Property Price Most Searched for area outside city Average Property Price London 804,500 Margate 231,506 Birmingham 175,035 Droitwich 287,364 Manchester 169,608 Wallasey 145,382 Liverpool 47,588 Skegness 168,010 Leeds 187,260 Bradford 132,524 Bristol 263,259 Bath 424,464 Cardiff 133,208 Swansea 173,763 Edinburgh 180,749 Angus 156,251 Glasgow 114,195 Lesmahagow 121,407 Newcastle 139,020 Peterlee 97,149 Sheffield 182,993 Pontefract 150,597

Elsewhere, Liverpudlians are most looking to relocate east to the holiday resort of Skegness, while those in Cardiff are looking west to Swansea.

Further north, residents of Edinburgh are also considering a coastal move north to Angus in Scotland and those in Newcastle, south to Peterlee.

Returning to the capital, movers in London looking to stay within the city want to move to the suburbs of Wimbledon or Docklands.

Meanwhile, Brummies want to relocate to Droitwich or Stratford-upon-Avon.

However, those looking at property within their existing city are focussing on Northfield, Erdington or Selly Oak.

Mancunions and Liverpudlians - following Skegness and Warrington - are both considering a move west to Wallasey, on the Wirral.

Meanwhile, those in Leeds are most keen to emigrate west to Bradford or Halifax.

In Scotland, aside from an escape to the coast, househunters in Edinburgh are looking to move out to quieter Dunfermline and Leven, or further afield to Aberdeen.

This detached house is going for 799,950 - sitting just 500 yards from Langland Bay, Swansea

Lawrence Hall, spokesperson for Zoopla, said: 'This analysis paints an interesting picture of where in the country people are searching for property.

'In particular, it's interesting to see how the data indicates that many city-dwellers are keen to escape to the coast.

'It perhaps comes as little surprise that many people living in Britain's busiest cities are looking for a slower pace of life in the suburbs or countryside.'

What's on offer in Margate, Skegness and Swansea?

Margate

Seven-bed terrace, 450k

Three-bed detached, 500k

Skegness

Four-bed detached, 575k

Six-bed detached, 475k

Swansea

Five-bed detached, 800k

Four-bed detached, 495k
Apple has pulled illegal lottery apps from its App Store in China amid tightening regulation and a barrage of criticism from state media.

According to state media, the company has recently removed around 25,000 apps from its Chinese store in an effort to cooperate the regime.

Apple confirmed it has recently removed gambling apps from its store, but did not confirm the number of apps or a timeline for the removals.

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Apple has pulled illegal lottery apps from its App Store in China amid tightening regulation and a barrage of criticism from state media. The company has recently removed around 25,000 apps from its Chinese store, according to state media (stock)

'We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store,' Apple said in a statement.

State broadcaster CCTV criticised the U.S. company's management on Sunday for allowing gambling apps, which are banned in China.

It's the second time the broadcaster has targeted the firm in the past month over the apps.

Official media has also recently criticised the company's iMessage service in China, saying the company's refusal to monitor communications is a hindrance to authorities.

Last year Apple began removing hundreds of virtual private network (VPN) apps on request from regulators. The apps help users bypass China's Great Firewall and access foreign social media and news, which are largely banned in China (stock image)

Last year Apple began removing hundreds of virtual private network (VPN) apps on request from regulators.

The apps help users bypass China's Great Firewall and access foreign social media and news, which are largely banned in China.

App stores run by other companies, including Baidu and Tencent, are also required to remove banned foreign content and gambling apps.

Apple's App Store is the only major foreign-run app platform in China, where competitors - including Alphabet Inc's Google Play store - are banned.

Apple has been subject to increasingly strict rules regarding its content in China amid a wider effort by regulators to create a 'clean' cyberspace, which includes enhanced censorship policies.

Earlier this year the company moved cryptographic keys for its iCloud service to China under new legal requirements, raising human rights fears as the country is introducing increasingly strict digital surveillance measures.
A self-declared 'cyborg' has injected microchips into his hands and wrists that act as the keys to his front door, motorcycle and even drawers in his home.

Canadian Russ Foxx, 36, has had over 100 body alterations ranging from ultraviolet tattoos to silicon horns implanted into his forehead.

The body modification artist recently showcased some of the many uses for the chips that lie under his skin - including the ability to unlock a hand-made wooden concealment table 'hands free'.

While the modifications are extreme, Mr Foxx says 'anyone who carries keys' could benefit from the chip implants - which are no larger than a grain of rice.

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A self-proclaimed 'cyborg' has injected microchips into his hands and wrists that act as the keys to his front door, motorcycle and even drawers in his home. Pictured is body modification Russ Foxx, 36, opening his door with a microchip in his finger

Mr Foxx has had over 100 body alterations. A microchip no larger than a grain of rice in his wrist works in cohesion with a specialised readers on his motorcycle (pictured)

The process of implanting the self-installed RFID (radio frequency identification) and NFC (near-field communication) transponders takes just a few seconds.

According to Mr Foxx, who is from Vancouver, Canada, the surgery is painless as the implants are just 2mm by 12mm in size.

Requiring no batteries or charging, the chips are powered by electromagnetic induction generated when in close enough proximity to their designated readers.

Once implanted, the glass-encased transponders cannot be seen, but can be felt underneath the skin.

They are impervious to theft and are protected from any physical damage by the human body.

Mr Foxx has replaced the keys to the ignition of his motorcycle and front door with chips that work in cohesion with specialised readers.

Russ Foxx, from Vancouver, British Columbia, is a body modification artist and self-styled 'transhumanist'

The body modification artist recently showcased some of the many uses for the chips that lie under his skin - including the ability to unlock a hand-made wooden concealment table

WHO IS BODY MODIFICATION ARTIST RUSS FOX? 36-year-old Russ Foxx (pictured) is a body modification artist and self-styled 'transhumanist' Russ Foxx, from Vancouver, British Columbia, is a body modification artist and self-styled 'transhumanist'. He has had over 100 modifications applied to his body - from electrical key fobs fitted in his hand, to silicone horns implanted into his head. The 36-year-old full-time modifications artist has performed tens of thousands of procedures - many on himself. His own alterations include a forked snake tongue, ultraviolet tattoos and pointed ears. Other unconventional works include scarifications (a piece of art scratched into skin with the scarring healing into a piece of art) to an implanted 3D silicon scarab. Advertisement

He also has implants that can store data for him 'like a business card'.

'I identify as a cyborg and I see these implants as a means to interact with the world around me - anyone who carries keys could benefit equally from having these implants,' he said.

'Keys can be lost or stolen; implanted transponders make belongings more secure, they are impervious to theft and the body protects them from physical damage.

The process of implanting the self-installed RFID (radio frequency identification) and NFC (near-field communication) transponders takes just a few seconds. Pictured is data stored on a business card implanted in Mr Foxx's hand

According to Mr Foxx, who is from Vancouver, Canada, the surgery is painless as the implants are just 2mm by 12mm in size

'Though I hope I'll never need them, I do keep backups of the transponders in case I were to ever lose my hand.

'Our bodies are a very effective defense against hacking.

'Implanting the chips has been both beneficial and fun - they have had no negative impact on my life whatsoever, they carry more benefits than they do risks.

'Having the RFID and NFC transponders fitted has certainly made storing data and accessing my secure places more convenient and personal - they have countless applications.

Mr Foxx runs a body modification parlour in Vancouver, Canada, and has a number of piercings and body alterations - many of which he performed on himself

After getting his ears pierced aged five, the 36-year-old quickly became fascinated by the world of extreme aesthetic manipulation. He even has an ultraviolet tattoo on his face (pictured)

'Being chipped is quick, painless and fast to heal - they are small and easily removed, if desired.

'They save me time every single day - no more carrying around, forgetting or misplacing keys or having to remember access codes.'

Mr Foxx said he is untroubled by the risks posed by his implants, such as concerns they could allow him to be tracked by hackers.

After getting his ears pierced aged five, the now-36-year-old quickly became fascinated by the world of extreme aesthetic manipulation.

Other unconventional works Mr Foxx has modified his body with include scarifications - a piece of art scratched into skin with the scarring healing into a piece of art (left) - and an implanted 3D silicon scarab (right)

By age 18, the modifications parlour owner had over 50 piercings in his face - leading to the childhood nickname 'Tackle Box.'

When asked about the modifications previously, Mr Foxx said: 'Since becoming an adult, I find myself gravitating towards more functional modifications that enhance my natural abilities.

'If there is anything I truly own, it's my body. I view modifications as the art and my body is the canvas.

'I define myself as a trans-humanist - I evolve with technology and time.

'I'm always updating; always upgrading.'
A group of scientists have used genetically-modified bacteria to create microscopic pieces of art, including Leonardo da Vinci's iconic Mona Lisa.

The world-famous portrait was formed using one million pieces of light-sensitive E. coli, the same bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Researchers also created portraits of two of the most famous scientists of all time: Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin.

They were able to create an image of the German physicist using the bacteria and then morph the picture into the famed British naturalist by manipulating light.

The researchers hope that by controlling large populations of tiny cells they may one day be able to build microscopic transport devices, or even 3D print using bacteria.

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Scientists have used one million pieces of genetically-modified bacteria to create a microscopic version of the famous Mona Lisa painting as the cells respond to light (pictured)

The team genetically-modified E. coli cells so that they would contain a protein called proteorhodopsin, which is found in ocean-dwelling bacteria and causes them to respond to light.

They combined this chemical with the flagellum - or 'tail' - of the bacteria, so it would be more active and swim faster in areas with more light.

The team of researchers from Rome University modified the bacteria cells so that the ones who received more light would swim faster.

Patterns created by the movement of the bacteria in response to the light then forms the portraits.

Giacomo Frangipane, the lead author, said: 'Much like pedestrians who slow down their walking speed when they encounter a crowd, or cars that are stuck in traffic, swimming bacteria will spend more time in slower regions than in faster ones.

'We wanted to exploit this phenomenon to see if we could shape the concentration of bacteria using light.'

Using a projector that was beamed through a microscopic lens, scientists monitored how the E. coli changed their speed while swimming through different areas of light.

This then created the negative image of the Mona Lisa, which took around four minutes to form from the modified E. coli, a bacteria that can swim around 10 times its length in a second.

The negative image of a light pattern, before (left) and after (right) the corrections, depicting the Mona Lisa was projected onto a 'stage' housing bacteria

In a similar experiment, E. coli cells moved from a portrait of Albert Einstein (left) to create an image of Charles Darwin (right). Morphing Einstein to Darwin was emblematic of - like the research being carried out - crossing boundaries between physics and biology

This happened because, as expected, the bacteria moved slower and concentrated in the darker parts of the image.

It also sped up in parts that were more highly illuminated.

The Mona Lisa was chosen as a subject because it is so recognisable and yet a challenging portrait to produce accurately.

The choice of morphing Einstein to Darwin was selected because it is emblematic of - crossing boundaries between physics and biology - much like the research.

HOW CAN BACTERIA BE USED TO MAKE A PORTRAIT? E coli is a well-studied organism, scientists can easily modify the genetic sequence of this simple organism. In one experiment, the researchers introduced a light-sensitive protein called proteorhodopsin into the genetic sequence of E. coli. The protein is typically found in ocean-dwelling bacteria as it helps them find light, orient themselves and find food in the depths of the ocean. By bringing it into the genetic sequence of the E. coli they managed to make it light sensitive. The flagellum - the'tail' of the bacteria - then reacts to light and swims faster in light-rich areas. Researchers projected a negative image of the Renaissance masterpiece onto a 'stage' housing the bacteria. Slower-moving E. coli flocked to areas receiving less light, creating a crowd and therefore blocking out more light and forming a darker appearance. Faster-moving bacteria, however, received more light and moved farther away from one another, generating the portrait's lighter shades. Advertisement

Roberto Di Leonardo, who worked on the project, which was published in eLife, said: 'We see two main directions. The first one is more on the material science side.

'This bacteria could provide the living building blocks of functional microstructures which could be easily assembled using light and used for example as micro-sensors.

'More on the microrobotics and biomedical side, the possibility of taming millions of cells by shining light patterns could provide new strategies for manipulating, transporting and sorting single cells inside miniaturized laboratories on a chip.

'We have demonstrated 2D density shaping, we think that, by further engineering cells to produce some kind of 'glue,' it will be possible to build 3D structures layer by layer as in 3D printing.'

Last year, daVinci's masterpiece was also created using DNA origami and measured

Experts built the world's smallest version of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, 0.5 square micrometres, about the size of an e-coli bacterium.

Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece has been recreated on a far smaller scale with the microscopic artwork made of DNA. Several tiles are assembled together to create a larger DNA pattern that was previously possible

The world's smallest Mona Lisa has been made using microscopic tiles of DNA. The work of art is only 0.5 square micrometres, about the size of a bacterium, but is ten times larger than previous objects constructed with the technology

DNA origami involves the manipulation of strands of genetic code to fold and assemble into the right shape.

While DNA is perhaps best known for encoding the genetic information of living things, the molecule is also an excellent chemical building block.

The Caltech team developed software that can take an image, like the Mona Lisa, divide it up into small square sections and determine the DNA sequences needed to make up those squares.

Next, their challenge was to get those sections to self-assemble into a superstructure that recreates the final image.

The key to doing this was to assemble the tiles in stages, like assembling small regions of a puzzle.

They then joined those regions together, to make larger areas, before finally putting them all together to make the completed puzzle.
Standing 60 foot (18 metres) tall and 80 foot (24 metres) long, the sauropod family were some of the Earth's most gigantic dinosaurs.

The ancient herbivores could create a deafening sonic boom with just one crack of their huge tails and now there is evidence that these beasts once roamed the Highlands of Scotland around 170 million years ago.

Giant footprints left by sauropods have been found on the coast near Inverness, the first clue that dinosaurs lived on the mainland.

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Sauropods could create a deafening sonic boom with just one crack of their huge tails and now there is evidence that these beasts once roamed the Highlands of Scotland around 170 million years ago

Until now, the only indication of dinosaurs north of the Border was found on Skye.

It once formed part of a subtropical island and more recently was nicknamed 'the Jurassic Isle' as it was the one spot where dinosaur fossils could be found.

But Dr Neil Clark, vice-president of the Geological Society of Glasgow, found footprints from around 170million years ago preserved in rocks while he walked along the mainland shoreline in March. One print, perfectly preserved in sandstone, measures 28 inches (71 cm) long and has a visible heel and toes.

Dr Clark said: 'I was excited - I knew the significance of the find straight away.'

The academic said he had 'frequently bemoaned the fact that dinosaurs have not been found elsewhere in Scotland' and set about resolving the issue while in Inverness for a conference.

He said of his find: 'They are from a completely new part of Scotland for dinosaurs and will add significantly to our understanding of dinosaurs of that age in Britain.'

The location of the find is being kept secret until research on the remains are finished.

The Inverness site has fossilised impressions of footprints from several types of dinosaur but the sheer size of some led Dr Clark to believe they were left by a member of the sauropod family.

These huge, four-legged reptiles include familiar species such as the brontosaurus.

Evidence of dinosaurs was found on the Isle of Skye earlier this year. Researchers discovered 50 footprints of theropods and tracks of the 50 feet (15 metres) long sauropods were made in a muddy lagoon 170 million years ago (pictured)

The fossils are believed to have come from the Middle Jurassic period - around 174 million years ago.

Dr Clark, curator of palaeontology at Glasgow University's Hunterian Museum, has launched a campaign to raise 5,000 ($6,400) to search and map dinosaur footprints in Scotland, a historic project which could have global significance in the palaeontological world.

He said: 'The funding is to go towards the purchase of a drone to help record the footprints.

This is in order to measure the effects of erosion on the footprints, mostly by stormy seas over future years.'

'I was excited - I knew the significance of my find'

Until now, the only indication of dinosaurs north of the Border was found on Skye. It once formed part of a subtropical island and more recently was nicknamed 'the Jurassic Isle' as it was the one spot where dinosaur fossils could be found

WHAT WERE SAUROPODS? Sauropods is a term which included several different species of dinosaur, including diplodicus and brontosaurus. These animals are the biggest to ever walk on Earth. Whilst experts still debate the size these ancient beasts reached, it is widely believed they reached well over 100 feet (30 metres) long. They had very long necks, long tails, small heads (relative to the rest of their body), and four thick, pillar-like legs. After first appearing in the Late Triassic period, they had become widespread by the time of the Late Jurassic period (150 million years ago). The name 'sauropod' comes from the Greek for 'lizard-foot' and was first coined in 1878. The enormous dinosaurs were herbivores and didn't eat meat. Advertisement

Evidence of dinosaurs was found on the Isle of Skye earlier this year, where 50 footprints were found imprinted on the north Scotland island.

The sharp-clawed, three-toed prints of meat-eating theropods and tracks of the 50 feet (15 metres) long sauropods were made in a muddy lagoon 170 million years ago.

The prints are thought to be the oldest dinosaur fossils ever found in Scotland.

They come from a time called the Middle Jurassic, about which very little is known.

But the prints suggest dinosaurs, which first appeared 230 million years ago, appear to have been rather civilised and lived peacefully together.

It is the second discovery of dinosaur footprints on Skye, which are difficult to study because of weathering and tidal conditions.

Dr Steve Brusatte, from the University of Edinburgh, who led a study into the footprints, said: 'The more we look on the Isle of Skye, the more dinosaur footprints we find.

'This new site records two different types of dinosaurs - long-necked cousins of Brontosaurus and sharp-toothed cousins of T. rex - hanging around a shallow lagoon, back when Scotland was much warmer and dinosaurs were beginning their march to global dominance.'

The dinosaurs lived on a larger island containing Skye when the super-continents were starting to break apart, the Atlantic was a narrow stretch of water and Britain was closer to the equator, with a climate more like Florida.
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.
TEHRAN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister called for Europe's pragmatic steps to save Iran's interests under the 2015 international nuclear deal as the United States threatened to reimpose sanctions on the country's crude oil exports, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

Europeans' measures to save Iran's 2015 international nuclear deal should "go beyond declarations to take pragmatic steps," Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

The European parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have taken a series of measures after putting forward a package for saving the nuclear deal, Zarif was quoted as saying.

"These measures (by Europe) have been an announcement of stances rather than operational measures. Though they (Europeans) have moved forward, we believe that Europe is not still ready to pay the price," Zarif said.

The JCPOA restricts Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of sanctions on the Islamic republic.

On May 8, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal and vowed to reinstate sanctions against Tehran to make the latter "change behavior."

Last month, the European Union updated a legislation aimed at countering sanctions by the United States on businesses operating in Iran as part of its pledge to uphold the nuclear deal after Washington pulled out.

It also authorized the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance Iranian projects, while noting it was up to the bank to give the improvement for any investments.

The European countries should take on their responsibilities to compensate for the relapse of U.S. sanctions following Washington's exit from the deal, Zarif said after the EU decision.

On Sunday, Iranian First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri also said Iran is looking for solutions to continue its sale of crude oil and get money back to the country after the United States decided to reimpose its sanctions on the country's energy sector in November.

The European countries have pledged to take measures before U.S. sanctions come into effect against the country's oil and banking sectors to make up for any possible losses that Tehran may suffer, Jahangiri was quoted as saying by Press TV.

He said the U.S. sanctions have so far not limited European countries in the economic sector, particularly with regard to oil purchases and trade.

Although some private companies, particularly Europeans, have left Iran after the reimposition of the U.S. sanctions, their move has not been "very determining," said Jahangiri.

Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6 reimposing the first round of sanctions on Iran, which had been lifted under the nuclear deal, to levy "maximum economic pressure" on the Islamic Republic.

The sanctions will cover Iran's purchases of U.S. dollars, its trade in gold and precious metals, and its automotive sector.

The second round of embargo will be reimposed in early November with the aim of curtailing Iran's oil exports and shipping sectors.

Besides, Iran called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Sunday to prevent efforts by "certain member states" to take over its share of the oil market.

It referred to speculations that Saudi Arabia would pump more oil to fill Iran's gap once U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic come into effect, Press TV reported.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's representative to the OPEC, said that the organization should do more to "fully protect" its member states against countries that "were trying to politicize the group."

"No other OPEC member state can take over the market share of other member states under any condition and no such authorization was ever issued during the organization's last ministerial conference," Gharibabadi was quoted as saying.

"Besides, the technical conditions of other producers do not allow this," he said, stressing that the OPEC needed to remain an independent organization immune to political pressures.
Traditional views of how early societies were formed have been called into question by the discovery of a cemetery dating back 5,000 years.

Experts say it was built by an egalitarian group of 'mobile pastoralists' - without a social hierarchy.

It was previously believed that a stratified social structure was necessary to enable the construction of large public buildings or monuments.

At least 580 people - men, women and children - were buried at the site in Eastern Africa millennia ago, according to archaeologists.

The cemetery - near Lake Turkana, in modern day Kenya - is the earliest and largest monumental cemetery

A massive 5,000 year old cemetery (pictured) built by Eastern Africa's earliest herders has been discovered in Kenya. View from the high volcanic ridge overlooking Lothagam North Pillar Site

The construction of such a big project contradicts long-standing beliefs about early complex societies.

The international research team, which included experts from Stony Brook University in New York, say that the Lothagam North Pillar Site was a communal cemetery.

They believe it was constructed and used over a period of several centuries, between about 5,000 and 4,300 years ago.

Early herders built a platform about 98 feet (30 metres) in diameter and excavated a large cavity in the centre to bury their dead.

After the cavity was filled and capped with stones, the builders placed large, megalith pillars, some sourced from as much as a half a mile (one kilometre) away, on top. Stone circles and cairns were added nearby.

The researchers say that an estimated minimum of 580 people were densely buried within the central platform cavity of the site.

Men, women, and children of different ages, from infants to the elderly, were all buried in the same area, without any particular burials being singled out with special treatment.

The researchers said that essentially all individuals were buried with personal ornaments and the distribution of ornaments was approximately equal throughout the cemetery.

Men, women, and children of different ages, from infants to the elderly, were all buried in the same area. This image shows ornaments and other artefacts uncovered at the site

They said these factors indicate a relatively egalitarian society without strong social stratification.

Historically, archaeologists have theorised that people built permanent monuments as reminders of shared history, ideals and culture, when they had established a settled, socially stratified agriculture society with abundant resources and strong leadership.

It was believed that a political structure and the resources for specialisation were prerequisites to engaging in monument building.

Ancient monuments have previously been regarded as reliable indicators of complex societies with differentiated social classes.

But the Lothagam North cemetery was built by mobile pastoralists who show no evidence of a rigid social hierarchy.

Doctor Elizabeth Sawchuk, of Stony Brook, said: 'This discovery challenges earlier ideas about monumentality.

'Lothagam North provides an example of monumentality that is not demonstrably linked to the emergence of hierarchy, forcing us to consider other narratives of social change.'

She said the discovery is consistent with similar examples elsewhere in Africa and on other continents in which large, monumental structures have been built by groups thought to be egalitarian in their social organisation.

The research team said the discover has the potential to reshape global perspectives on how - and why - large groups of people come together to form complex societies.

They said it appears that Lothagam North was built during a period of profound change.

WHAT DO THE FINDINGS AT THE LOTHAGAM NORTH PILLAR SITE IN MODERN DAY KENYA SUGGEST? Experts say Lothagam North Pillar Site was a communal cemetery. They believe it was constructed and used over a period of several centuries, between about 5,000 and 4,300 years ago. Early herders built a platform about 98 feet (30 metres) in diameter and excavated a large cavity in the centre to bury their dead. After the cavity was filled and capped with stones, the builders placed large, megalith pillars, some sourced from as much as a half a mile (one kilometre) away, on top. Stone circles and cairns were added nearby. The researchers say that an estimated minimum of 580 people were densely buried within the central platform cavity of the site. Men, women, and children of different ages, from infants to the elderly, were all buried in the same area, without any particular burials being singled out with special treatment. Advertisement

Pastoralism had just been introduced to the Turkana Basin and newcomers arriving with sheep, goats, and cattle would have encountered diverse groups of fisher-hunter-gatherers already living around the lake.

The research team said newcomers and locals faced a difficult environmental situation, as annual rainfall decreased during that period and Lake Turkana shrunk by as much as 50 per cent.

They believe early herders may have constructed the cemetery as a place for people to come together to form and maintain social networks to cope with major economic and environmental change.

Dr Anneke Janzen, of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany, said: 'The monuments may have served as a place for people to congregate, renew social ties, and reinforce community identity.

'Information exchange and interaction through shared ritual may have helped mobile herders navigate a rapidly changing physical landscape.

'After several centuries, pastoralism became entrenched and lake levels stabilised. It was around this time that the cemetery ceased to be used.'

Study leader Associate Professor Elisabeth Hildebrand, of Stony Brook University, added: 'The Lothagam North Pillar Site is the earliest known monumental site in eastern Africa, built by the region's first herders.

'This finding makes us reconsider how we define social complexity, and the kinds of motives that lead groups of people to create public architecture.'

The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Google is facing a fresh wave of scrutiny after it was revealed that it stores users' location data even after they've turned 'Location History' off.

A new lawsuit alleges that it illegally tracked the movements of millions of iPhone and Android users even when they use a privacy setting to prevent it.

According to a complaint filed late Friday, Google falsely assures people they won't be tracked if they turn the 'Location History' feature on their phones to 'off,' and instead violates their privacy by monitoring and storing their movements.

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A new lawsuit alleges that it illegally tracked the movements of millions of iPhone and Android users even when they use a privacy setting to prevent it

It alleges that Google is in violation of California's Invasion of Privacy Act.

'Google represented that a user "can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored,"' the complaint filed in San Francisco federal court stated. 'This simply was not true.'

The plaintiff, Napoleon Patacsil of San Diego, is seeking class-action status on behalf of U.S. users of Android phones and Apple iPhones who turned the tracking feature off.

He is seeking unspecified damages for Google's alleged intentional violations of California privacy laws, and intrusion into people's private affairs.

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 did not immediately respond on Monday to Reuters' requests for comment. Michael Sobol, a partner at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein representing Patacsil, did not immediately respond to similar requests.

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

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages for Google's alleged intentional violations of California privacy laws, and intrusion into people's private affairs

Patacsil claimed that Google illegally tracked him on his Android phone and later on his iPhone, where he had downloaded some Google apps.

He said Google's 'principal goal' was to 'surreptitiously monitor' phone users and let third parties do the same.

For the Associated Press report, Princeton postdoctoral researcher Gunes Acar carried an Android smartphone with the 'Location History' setting turned off.

Despite the setting purportedly preventing data collection, researchers discovered Google had kept records of Dr Acar's train commute on two trips to New York and visits to the High Line park, Chelsea Market, Hell's Kitchen, Central Park and Harlem.

Researchers then plotted the locations on a map. They found that Google keeps track of your current location each time you open Google Maps.

The daily weather updates on Android phones also provided another way to track movement.

Last week, Google altered its website so that it says turning Location History off 'does not affect other location services' in phones and that some location data may be saved through other services, such as Search and Maps.

Previously, the page stated: 'With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.'

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 Associated Press.

Privacy experts have assailed Google's policy of saving user location data that it doesn't technically classify as 'location history.'

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

Additionally, a privacy group stated in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission that Google violated the terms of a 2011 settlement by collecting users' data even when their Location History was turned off.

In that settlement, Google said it wouldn't misrepresent its practices related to '(1) the purposes for which it collects and uses covered information, and (2) the extent to which consumers may exercise control over the collection, use, or disclosure of covered information.'

As part of the settlement, Google also agreed to a 20-year monitoring regimen.
Pigs can recognise whether they are looking at the front or back of a human head using key features like our mouths and noses as cues.

In visual tasks, the animals were able to pick out whether they were looking at someone's face or the back of their head with up to 80 per cent accuracy.

Scientists said their paper shows pigs have better visual-based memory and intelligence than previous studies suggest.

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Pigs can recognise whether they are looking at the front or back of a human head using key features like our mouths and noses as cues. Researchers used computer monitors that showed pictures of the front and backs of heads for the study (pictured)

In the first of two studies from researchers at the Messerli Research Institute in Vienna, Austria, two groups of pigs were trained to discriminate between the front and back of the heads of ten people via photos on a computer screen.

The animals received a food reward if they chose either the front or the back view, depending on the group they were assigned.

The pigs proved to be remarkably capable of learning to choose the right image, handling the task far better than previous research would suggest.

The two groups of pigs were then shown either 16 new faces or 16 new photos of the backs of people's heads.

They were then presented with altered versions of the photographs to make sure they weren't simply remembering specific details of each image.

The animals mastered this task with no drop in performance, suggesting that the pigs used a general concept of the view of either the front or back of heads.

In the first of two studies from researchers at the Messerli Research Institute in Vienna, Austria, two groups of pigs were trained to discriminate between the front and back of the heads of ten people via photos on a computer screen

This visual concept was formed during training, meaning the pigs did not simply store the pictures in their memory.

The final tests, in which the face was inverted or certain facial features were altered, were designed to more determine the nature through which the animals learned.

'In this test, comprising a total of 80 tasks, we reviewed the spontaneous discrimination of the pictures to provide clues as to the visual concepts formed during the training,' study coauthor Dr Ludwig Huber said.

This task was more difficult for the 'front group' because the features they used to pick out the right face - such as the eyes and mouth - were difficult to determine when warped compared to the backs of people's heads.

The Back group was correspondingly more successful in making the correct choice and identifying the trained image.

With the exception of the final test series, they made the correct first choice in more than 80 percent of the combinations shown.

IN WHAT OTHER WAYS HAVE PIGS DEMONSTRATED INTELLIGENCE? Pigs are surprisingly intelligent animals, with some scientists suggesting they are cleverer than dogs and cats. They have brilliant long-term memories and find mazes an easy task. Scientists have even trained them to use joysticks to move a cursor around a computer screen for a reward. They can also learn tricks  from opening cage doors to jumping through hoops. Pigs boast an emotional intelligence shared by few other creatures. They are curious and capable of empathy, with the ability deliberately deceive other pigs and even anticipate needs and intentions. Advertisement

The results for the Front group, by contrast, showed no preference, choosing the correct photo only 50 per cent of the time.

This could indicate that both groups base their decision on certain features.

'Especially those animals that were trained to choose the back view might have memorised the eyes as a distinguishing feature and therefore chose the other picture,' Dr Huber said.

The same could hold true for the group trained to choose the front view.

If the feature that was used as a discriminatory cue is missing or changed, then the pigs will decide differently.

'The result is therefore an important indication that pigs, contrary to previous studies, do in fact possess visual discrimination abilities, and on top of this also manage open-ended categorisation,' explains Dr Huber.

The pigs showed quite different preferences as to the discriminatory cues used, which indicates a very flexible, individual approach to solving specific tasks.

These findings suggest that stimulating different senses, especially visual, constitutes a kind of cognitive enrichment that could play an important role in improving the welfare of domestic pigs living in housing systems.
Scientists have recreated the face of a Mayan woman who met her untimely end nearly 14,000 years ago at the bottom of a sinkhole.

The remains of Eve, or the Woman of Naharon, were discovered hundreds of feet beneath the surface in an underwater cave in Mexicos Sistema Naranjal in the early 2000s.

Using forensic facial reconstruction techniques, researchers have now revealed what she may have looked like in life.

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Scientists have recreated the face of a Mayan woman who met her untimely end nearly 14,000 years ago at the bottom of a sinkhole. Eve, also known as The Woman of Naharon, was aged 20-25 when she died

Studies carried out after Eves discovery indicated she once stood about 4.6 feet tall, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.

She was about 20-25 years old when she died.

According to the researchers, the remains discovered by underwater researcher Octavio del Rio still contained about 80 percent of the skeletons original structure.

To put a face to the bones, the National Anthropology and History Institute (INAH) teamed up with Brazilian 3D designer Cicero Moraes, who used scans of the skull to build a realistic representation of the skin and features that once covered it.

The technique basically entails creating a virtual 3D representation from the real skull, Del Rio told EFE.

According to the researchers, the remains discovered by underwater researcher Octavio del Rio still contained about 80 percent of the skeletons original structure. Using forensic facial reconstruction techniques, researchers have revealed what she may have looked like in life

Yucatans caves werent always underwater; towards the end of the Ice Age, rising sea levels swallowed up the area. Eve's bones (shown), however, remained mostly intact more than 70 feet beneath the surface

Eves remains were found about 386 meters beneath the surface of Naharon cenote  a 22.6 meter sinkhole in the cave system of Mexico's Quintana Roo.

And, she isnt the only one to suffer such a tragic demise in the region.

Archaeologists in recent years have discovered the remains of eight other ancient people in the underwater caves, including the famous bones of the young girl Naia.

All are estimated to be about 11,000-14,000 years old.

Eve of Naharon is said to be among the oldest human remains found in the Americas, with analyses indicating the skeleton is about 13,600 years old. Fragments of the skull are shown above

Eves remains were found about 386 meters beneath the surface of Naharon cenote (shown)  a 22.6 meter sinkhole in the cave system of Mexico's Quintana Roo

WHAT CAUSED THE COLLAPSE OF THE MAYAN CIVILISATION? For hundreds of years the Mayans dominated large parts of the Americas until, mysteriously in the 8th and 9th century AD, a large chunk of the Mayan civilisation collapsed. The reason for this collapse has been hotly debated, but now scientists say they might have an answer - an intense drought that lasted a century. Studies of sediments in the Great Blue Hole in Belize suggest a lack of rains caused the disintegration of the Mayan civilisation, and a second dry spell forced them to relocate elsewhere. The theory that a drought led to a decline of the Mayan Classic Period is not entirely new, but the new study co-authored by Dr Andre Droxler from Rice University in Texas provides fresh evidence for the claims. The Maya who built Chichen Itza came to dominate the Yucatan Peninsula in southeast Mexico, shown above, for hundreds of years before dissappearing mysteriously in the 8th and 9th century AD Dozens of theories have attempted to explain the Classic Maya Collapse, from epidemic diseases to foreign invasion. With his team Dr Droxler found that from 800 to 1000 AD, no more than two tropical cyclones occurred every two decades, when usually there were up to six. This suggests major droughts occurred in these years, possibly leading to famines and unrest among the Mayan people. And they also found that a second drought hit from 1000 to 1100 AD, corresponding to the time that the Mayan city of Chichen Itza collapsed. Researchers say a climate reversal and drying trend between 660 and 1000 AD triggered political competition, increased warfare, overall sociopolitical instability, and finally, political collapse - known as the Classic Maya Collapse. This was followed by an extended drought between AD 1020 and 1100 that likely corresponded with crop failures, death, famine, migration and, ultimately, the collapse of the Maya population. Advertisement

Eve of Naharon is said to be among the oldest human remains found in the Americas, with analyses indicating the skeleton is about 13,600 years old.

The details of her are largely a mystery, though the people living in Yucatan at the time she was alive were known to be hunter-gatherers.

Yucatans caves werent always underwater; towards the end of the Ice Age, rising sea levels swallowed up the area.

Experts also say the sites were sometimes used for ancient Maya rituals, including sacrificial offerings.
Frozen water has been found on the surface of the moon for the first time following the use of high tech satellite scans.

Experts say they have detected ice in areas of permanent shadow in the moon's polar regions.

They used an imaging technique that can tell different types of water apart, including that on the surface, absorbed into the soil, or bound in minerals.

Water has previously been found in the moon's soil, but this is believed to be the first time it has been detected on the surface.

Surface water ice was only located in around 3.5 per cent of the moon's shadow covered areas.

Researchers also say the project could lead to the discovery of frozen water on Mercury and Ceres - a dwarf planet in the solar system.

It could also mean future lunar colonies could harvest water on the moon without having to bring it with them from Earth.

They could also convert it into hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel or oxygen to breathe, scientists claim.

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Direct proof of frozen water has been found on the surface of the moon, thanks to high tech satellite scans. Experts say they have detected ice in areas of permanent shadow in the moon's polar regions (stock)

Mercury, Ceres and the moon are very different from one another, but have one important similarity - a slight tilt in their axis.

This causes what are known as topographic depressions in their polar regions, which often manifest themselves as impact craters.

As a result of their unique shape, part of their surface is are constantly in the shade, making them prime candidates in the search for water.

Unlike Mercury and Ceres, direct evidence for water ice exposed at the lunar surface has remained elusive, according to the study's authors from the University of Hawaii.

'We found direct and definitive evidence for surface-exposed water ice in the lunar polar regions,' the authors wrote in their study, published in the journal Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Science.

'The abundance and distribution of ice on the moon are distinct from those on other airless bodies in the inner solar system such as Mercury and Ceres, which may be associated with the unique formation and evolution process of our moon.

'These ice deposits might be utilised as an in situ resource in future exploration of the moon.'

They used an imaging technique that can tell apart different types of water, including that on the surface, absorbed into the soil, or bound in minerals. This images shows the distribution of water ice bearing pixels (green and cyan dots) overlain on a mosaic from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter for the (a) northern and (b) southern polar regions

HOW DID SCIENTISTS DISCOVER WATER ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON? Experts from the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, used near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to find surface water at the moon's polar regions. NIRS makes use of the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, from about 700 to 2,500 manometers. By measuring light scattered off of and through a sample, NIRS can be used to quickly determine a material's properties without damaging it. It can also distinguish between different types of water, including surface, ice, surface adsorbed, liquid or bound in minerals. The data was acquired by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument on the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India's first lunar probe. Ice in the form of H20 was detected in areas of permanent shadow in the moon's polar regions and only in around 3.5 per cent of the moon's shadow covered area. Advertisement

Temperatures in the lunar polar regions are extremely low (-163.15C/-261.67F) and act as 'cold traps', creating a wide range of volatile compounds.

Previous research has claimed evidence of water on the moon before, but evidence has always been scarce.

Past methods were unable to tell the difference between water, OH - a more reactive relative of H2O - and hydrogen, which are all hugely different.

This study provides incontrovertible evidence of H2O on the moon by using a method called near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS).

Experts used NIRS, which makes use of the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, from about 700 to 2,500 manometers - slightly less energetic than visible light.

By measuring light scattered off of and through a sample, NIRS can be used to quickly determine a material's properties without damaging it.

It can also distinguish between different types of water with great accuracy.

The data was acquired by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument on the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India's first lunar probe, which was launched back in 2008.

The 49 million ($69 million) mission was launched amid national euphoria, putting India in the Asian space race alongside rival China and reinforcing its claim to be considered a global power.

A vehicle landed on the moon a month later and sent back images of the lunar surface.

In 2009 India terminated the mission a year earlier than planned, after scientists lost all contact with their unmanned orbiting spacecraft.

The finding of frozen water on the moon fuels hopes that the human race will be able to colonise it in the future.

It is by far our closest neighbour and plans are already being created that toy with the idea of humans living on the moon.

Back in 2016, the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) elaborated on plans to build a village on the moon.

The finding could mean future lunar colonies could harvest water on the moon without having to bring it with them from Earth. This images shows the distribution of water ice bearing pixels (green and cyan dots) overlain on an annual maximum temperature map made by the DIVINER instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter for the (a) northern and (b) southern polar regions

WHAT EVIDENCE HAS BEEN FOUND FOR WATER ON THE MOON? A number of researchers have made claims that water may be found on the moon, either above or below its surface or in its soil, by future visitors. Such discovery could mean future lunar colonies could harvest water on the moon without having to bring it with them from Earth. They could also convert it into hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel or oxygen to breathe, scientists claim. In February 2018, a study found by the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado water in the form of OH - a more reactive relative of H2O - all over the lunar surface. In September 2017, experts created the first map of water and its building blocks trapped in the uppermost portion of the Moon's soil. They claimed that water in this form is present nearly everywhere on the lunar surface. A separate study that month, showed that the surface of the moon holds more water than we thought. It suggests the interior of our natural satellite could hold a deep reservoir of water. This finding bolsters the idea that the lunar mantle is surprisingly water-rich, which could make colonising it for future space exploration much easier. Advertisement

At an annual gathering of 4,000 global space experts in Adelaide, the ESA said the Moon was the 'right place to be' as humans expand economic activities beyond low-Earth orbit, even while Mars remained the 'ultimate destination'.

'We have been living in low-Earth orbit for the last 17 years on board a space station and we are on our journey to Mars for the first human mission,' ESA's Piero Messina told AFP at the congress in September 2017.

'In between, we believe that there is an opportunity to create a permanent... sustainable presence on the surface of the Moon.'

The concept is a base for lunar exploration by humans and robots, which would act as a stopover for spacecraft, and become a 'village' with mining and even tourism.

Mr Woerner said the village could even help man get to Mars.

'The Moon Village would also act as a 'pit stop' for the further exploration of the Universe,' he said.

'Esa is eager to fly to Mars as well.

'For more than a decade, we have had a very successful spacecraft orbiting there. And now, with ExoMars, two unmanned missions are aiming at martian orbit and the surface.

'Yes, the Americans want to send astronauts to Mars one day, but today's technology isn't prepared for this trip yet.

'For example, we must develop countermeasures against the cosmic radiation that endangers the health of humans on long space trips. And we have to learn how to endure longer periods of time in space, not only in low orbit as on the Space Station.

'This is where our Moon comes into play  it is the perfect stepping stone to Mars.'

The space agency has been touting the permanent lunar colony as a replacement for the orbiting International Space Station, which is due to be decommissioned in 2024.
Consumers may be able to get their hands on the next iPhone in a matter of weeks.

A new report claims that Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup could become available for pre-order on Friday, September 14th, according to Macrumors, which cites the German site Macerkopf.

It comes as Apple's annual iPhone launch event is slated to be held next month.

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A report claims that Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup could become available for pre-order on September 14th. It comes as Apple's iPhone launch event is slated to be held next month

Macerkopf reported that German mobile carriers were told to begin planning for pre-orders to take place on September 14th.

Apple's iPhone launch event typically takes place during the second week of September, so it would make sense for pre-orders to kick off shortly after that.

The tech giant hasn't yet announced when its September event will take place.

Last year, Apple launched the iPhone 8/8 Plus and the iPhone X on September 12th, with pre-orders beginning on September 15th.

Rumors have been circulating for months about what Apple could launch this year.

Many believe that Apple will release three new iPhones in the fall - a 5.8-inch model, 6.1-inch iPhone and a super-sized 6.5-inch 'XL' version.

Photos shared by notorious leaker Ben Geskin show dummy models for what appear to be 6.5-inch and 6.1-inch iPhones. Apple is expected to release three new models in 2018

According to longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the 6.1-inch iPhone would retain many of the features used in the iPhone X, but would likely have a cheaper price tag than the 10th anniversary device.

The 6.1-inch device would be Apple's cheapest model in the lineup at a price of $799, analysts have suggested.

Meanwhile, the 5.8-inch model would be a mid-range option with a $899 price tag.

Apple has been widely rumored to be prepping three new iPhones for later this year. Now, a leaked image reportedly shows the glass panels that will be used in the iPhone models

Kuo has previously predicted that the 5.8-inch device would keep many of the features used in the iPhone X, but would also have updated components, resulting in the higher price point.

The second-generation iPhone X and the iPhone X Plus/XL would come in black, white and gold, while the 6.1-inch model could come in a variety of colors, including grey, white, blue, red and orange, according to Kuo.
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Its a scene reminiscent of theories on Snowball Earth; a vast blanket of white that appears to stretch across the entire globe, completely blotting out the surface.

The breathtaking image captured by astronaut Alexander Gerst this weekend shows our planet swathed in clouds, with barely a hint of blue peeking through the cracks.

Gerst attained the unique perspective from 250 miles above the surface, aboard the orbiting International Space Station.

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A breathtaking image captured by astronaut Alexander Gerst this weekend shows our planet swathed in clouds, with barely a hint of blue peeking through the cracks. The astronaut shared the image on Twitter this past Saturday, writing simply: Wolkenplanet  A planet of clouds

The stunning photo offers a glimpse into the views seen only by the astronauts on the ISS.

Through the window, the curved horizon of our planet is seen in clear view  along with a few gadgets attached to the space station itself.

The astronaut shared the image on Twitter this past Saturday, writing simply: Wolkenplanet  A planet of clouds.

Gerst is currently leading the Horizons mission on the ISS, in his second stint at the orbiting lab.

He previously shared a stunning timelapse of what its like to fly over Earth at speeds unimaginable to the average person.

The video shows an incredible view of the trip over Alaska to the Andes in 260 seconds.

The crews aboard the space station frequently share updates on their life hundreds of miles above the surface, showing what its like to live and work in orbit for months on end.

In the past, theyve revealed stunning views of everything from auroras to moon-sets.

EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts. The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen. ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology. The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan. So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit. There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'. Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time. NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface. Advertisement

Earlier this month, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev released a video of the narrow tunnels astronauts must traverse to navigate the ISS.

And, its not an environment for those put off by small spaces.

The video showed a brief trip through the longest route on the ISS, passing through the main section where the astronauts spend most of their time, to the cafeteria, the Russian section, and the storage and service modules.

The $100 billion orbiting lab is currently home to a crew of six, including geophysicist and volcanologist Gerst.
Google has celebrated Hungary State Foundation Day with a new Google Doodle on August 20, 2018.

Hungary State Foundation Day is an important national holiday in the country with roots that go all the way back to the Middle Ages.

Heres everything you need to know about what Hungary State Foundation Day is and also what a Google Doodle is.

Google have celebrated Hungary State Foundation Day, also known as St. Stephens Day, with a Doodle

What is Hungary State Foundation Day?

Hungary State Foundation Day, also known as St. Stephens Day, commemorates the founding of Hungary and is often considered the countrys greatest national holiday.

St. Stephen served as the first King of Hungary for over 30 years until his death in 1038. He was later canonized on August 20, 1083 and the date has marked the day of his feast ever since.

The day is celebrated by raising the national flag and is also commemorated as the Festival of the New Bread, which can be smelled baking throughout many Hungarian cities and villages, with over 50 bakeries reportedly participating in Budapest alone.

Many celebrations are held throughout the nation on this day, punctuated by a spectacular fireworks display in the evening in Budapest along the banks of the Danube River.

What is a Google Doodle?

A Google Doodle is a temporary alteration of Googles homepage logo marking a key event, individual, anniversary, accomplishment and the like.

The first Google Doodle was created back in 1998 by Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page to commemorate the Burning Man festival. They were later created by the companys top PR officer Dennis Hwang and outside contractors before the establishment of a special in-house team called Doodlers was set up to produce them on a more consistent basis.

Nowadays, Google Doodles are typically used to mark holidays such as St. Patricks Day, Halloween and New Years Eve as well as to commemorate events like the Qixi Festival or individuals like Mary G. Ross and Ebenezer Cobb Morley.
Lachlan Gillespie, 32, reportedly confided in an ex-girlfriend about his marital woes, while his estranged wife Emma Watkins, 28, was in hospital earlier this year.

Woman's Day reported on Monday that Brianne Turk, 34, who replaced Emma on The Wiggles' regional tour of Australia in May, dated Lachlan 10 years ago.

An insider claims after Lachlan and Emma split, he spoke about the breakdown of their marriage to Brianne, who bears a striking resemblance to Emma.

'She became a shoulder for him to cry on during the split': Lachlan Gillespie (2-L) 'confided in ex-girlfriend Brianne Turk' (3-L) who replaced his estranged wife Emma Watkins on Wiggles tour when she was in hospital. They are pictured here with Anthony Field (right) and Simon Pryce (left) on tour in May

'I know he was confiding in Brianne about the breakdown of his marriage. She became a shoulder for him to cry on,' the source said.

There is no suggestion that Lachlan and Brianne reignited their romance while on tour in May.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to all parties for comment.

Health woes: In April, Emma took three months off performing to undergo surgery for endometriosis and Brianne was hired to replace her in May

Similar look: Brianne (right) bears a striking resemblance to Emma (left)

In February, Lachlan moved out of his Sydney marital home and began a trial separation after two years of marriage with Emma.

Two months later in April, Emma took three months off performing to undergo surgery for endometriosis and Brianne was hired to replace her.

Lachlan reportedly met Brianne while both studying a Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts a decade ago.

His 'first love': Brianne (left) and Lachlan (right) met while both studying a Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

Lachlan and Emma announced their shock separation earlier this month.

Last week, he broke his silence about their heartbreaking split.

'It's life,' he told The Daily Telegraph - adding that their 'paths had changed and things were not working as a couple.'

Over: In February, Lachlan moved out of his Sydney marital home and began a trial separation after two years of marriage with Emma

He told The Daily Telegraph on Friday that his estranged wife is 'still really tired and just really concentrating on getting better.'

Lachy, who is known across the world as 'the Purple Wiggle', insisted that he and Emma are still the best of friends and that their impending divorce would not cause a fracture within the band.

'To be able to realise as a couple that we were going different ways and to stay as close as we are is a real testament, I think, to both of us,' he said.

Despite their split, he insisted the pair's connection is stronger than ever despite the choice to separate.

'I love her more now than anything and she loves me more than anything.'

Lachy and 'Yellow Wiggle' Emma left their fans stunned when they announced the end of their two-year marriage two weeks ago.

Many believed that the couple, who tied the knot in April 2016, would be announcing baby news, rather than a shock split.

'To be able to realise as a couple that we were going different ways and to stay as close as we are is a real testament, I think, to both of us': Lachy insisted that his split from Emma would not cause a fracture in the band. The pair are pictured on stage with The Wiggles in 2017

Emma and Lachy both officially joined The Wiggles in 2013, and began dating just weeks later.

However, they kept their romance secret for the next two years as they performed all around the world.

In March 2015, the couple went public with their relationship and became engaged just two months later.

Fairy tale romance: In March 2015, the couple went public with their relationship and became engaged just two months later

Emma and Lachy certainly fuelled rumours that they were starting a family, saying last year that their future child would be incorporated into The Wiggles concerts.

'I think we'd have to get it [the baby] up on stage. I will be playing the drums and then pushing a rocker and dancing, but somehow it will have to be incorporated into the show,' Emma told The Sydney Morning Herald in June 2017.

However, the pair revealed their bombshell split in a joint statement released last Friday.

'Please know that we are stronger than ever': Lachy and Emma are focusing on their professional lives. Lachlan and Emma are pictured on A Current Affair

It read: 'For the last six months we have been navigating through a trial separation, and we have made the decision to separate as a couple.

'Our incredible friendship has been strengthened throughout this time and what we have discovered is that, more than ever, first and foremost we love and adore performing as Emma and Lachy in The Wiggles.'

'We have chosen a different path to travel in our personal lives, but please know that we are stronger than ever and we can't wait to see you at a show soon.'

The couple have re-commenced work with The Wiggles this week.
They got engaged on the stormy season finale of this year's The Bachelor.

And Lauren Burnham gathered her friends and family around to celebrate her bridal shower this Sunday in advance of her wedding of Arie Luyendyk, Jr.

The 26-year-old The Bachelor winner showed off her svelte legs in a sleek white cocktail dress with a wide slit up the right side.

Party time: Lauren Burnham gathered her friends and family around to celebrate her bridal shower this Sunday in advance of her wedding of Arie Luyendyk, Jr

Letting her wavy blonde hair tumble freely over her shoulders, she added a splash of color with a bright red garland.

Lauren posted a slew of photos from the party to her Insta Stories, including one in which she cozied up to her mother Pamela.

The soon-to-be bride also beamed for the cameras with a slew of friends, including comedian and podcast hostess Heather McDonald.

As her Insta Stories unfolded, she showed a photo of the means by which everyone was 'GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT' - a plate of dainty-looking cookies.

So chic: The 26-year-old The Bachelor winner showed off her svelte legs in a sleek white cocktail dress with a wide slit up the right side

'Love you mama': Lauren posted a slew of photos from the party to her Insta Stories, including one in which she cozied up to her mother Pamela

The sweet treats were frosted with various messages, including with the names of the engaged couple and the phrase 'bride to be'.

Scrawled across one of the cookies in frosting was the date of the impending wedding - January 12, 2019.

They had unveiled this date when the swung by The View this May, with Arie dishing that they had 'booked a venue' somewhere on the Hawaiian islands.

Although many of the previous nuptials resulting from The Bachelor have been filmed for television, Arie stated on The View that his and Lauren's will not be.

Company: The soon-to-be bride also beamed for the cameras with a slew of friends, including comedian and podcast hostess Heather McDonald (third from bottom; in blue)

Luxury: As her Insta Stories unfolded, she showed a photo of the means by which everyone was 'GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT' - a plate of dainty-looking cookies

Incoming: Scrawled across one of the cookies in frosting was the date of the impending wedding - January 12, 2019

'In the contract, it says if you are not together for two years after the final day of the show airing, you have to give them the ring back,' onetime The Bachelorette-winner Jesse Csinsack told Bustle back in 2014.

On The Bachelor, Arie initially proposed to contestant Becca Kufrin, but ultimately changed his mind and threw her over for Lauren.

Becca has since gone on to become The Bachelorette, a reality show gig that culminated in her present engagement to Garrett Yrigoyen.

The man himself: They had unveiled this date when the swung by The View this May, with Arie dishing that they had 'booked a venue' somewhere on the Hawaiian islands
U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo to visit DPRK soon for 4th visit

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said here on Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will leave for a trip to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the fourth visit since he assumed the current office.

In an interview with ABC's "This Week," Bolton said that "I think Secretary Pompeo will be returning to Pyongyang soon for his fourth visit."

"I think the timing will be announced at an appropriate point by the State Department," he said, adding that the U.S. sides expects Pompeo to meet with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un.

"To move on with the process of denuclearization remains our highest priority," said Bolton, adding that "it's important that they (the DPRK) demonstrate seriousness" in this regard.

He noted that the DPRK has one year to follow through from making "the strategic decision to denuclearize." However, he did not give more details on the timeline.

"We're counting on North Korea following through on the commitments," he added.

Bolton said earlier last month that Washington has had a plan to dismantle the majority of the DPRK's nuke and ballistic missile programs, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be discussing it with Pyongyang while visiting the country.

However, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the State Department will not provide a timeline for Pyongyang's abandonment of nuclear and missile program.

Pomeo has visited the DPRK for three times, respectively in April, May and July.

Nauert also said on Aug. 14 that inter-governmental talks between the United States and the DPRK will become a "regular course of business" with denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as the focus.

Saying that Washington supports building a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula "by which countries can move forward toward peace," she added that "our main focus is on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
She became an overnight celebrity when she was carried out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party face down on a stretcher earlier this month.

But Instagram model Tammy Hembrow looked like she didn't have a care in the world last week after jetting to Bali, Indonesia with her three model sisters.

During their overseas trip, Tammy and her glamorous siblings - Amy, 28, Emilee, 26, and Starlette, 18 - couldn't resist sharing envy-inducing snaps to social media.

Inside Tammy Hembrow's VERY glamorous holiday: The Instagram star, 24, and her three model sisters lived up to their reputation as Australia's wannabe Kardashians while on holiday in Bali last week. Pictured: Tammy (top right) Amy (bottom left) Emilee (top left) and Starlette (bottom right)

It appears the Hembrow family, who have a combined Instagram following of more than 10 million, are enjoying the celebrity spotlight after Tammy's brush with fame.

Living up to their reputation as Australia's wannabe Kardashians, the four genetically-blessed sisters posed in bikinis for a sizzling photo on the deck of their luxury villa.

Tammy flaunted her sensational figure in a bandeau top and skimpy triangle bottoms, posing with her beach blonde hair effortlessly swept to one side.

Scandalous: Tammy became an overnight celebrity when she was carried out of Kylie Jenner 's 21st birthday party in West Hollywood face down on a stretcher earlier this month

Getaway: Tammy has been attempting to hide from the press after collapsing at Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party on Thursday 9 August. Pictured: Tammy in Bali last week

Meanwhile, pregnant Emilee looked radiant as she showed off her blossoming baby bump, and Amy and Starlette struck sultry poses on the deck.

The family photo, which seemingly channelled the Kardashian-Jenners' recent Calvin Klein underwear campaign, was just one of a series of Insta-perfect pictures the Hembrow sisters have posted over the past week.

In an apparent attempt to cash in on Tammy's notoriety, Amy, Emilee and Starlette have been busy sharing their own sun-kissed holiday snaps lately.

Successful bunch: Amy is the oldest Hembrow at 28. She is the general manager of popular clothing brand Saski Collection

We're famous too! In an apparent attempt to cash in on Tammy's notoriety, Amy, Emilee and Starlette have been busy sharing their own sun-kissed holiday snaps in recent days. Pictured: Emilee (right) and Starlette (left)

Mummy duties: Meanwhile, Tammy also captured a heartwarming moment of herself bonding with her son Wolf (right), who accompanied the girls on holiday

Taking to Instagram, eldest sister Amy shared a photo of herself in a sporty bikini while sitting on the steps of their five-star villa.

Emilee also posted a snap of herself and Starlette posing in matching two-pieces.

Meanwhile, Tammy captured a heartwarming moment as she bonded with her son Wolf, who accompanied the girls on holiday.

Gang's all here! Amy (left in the leopard print one-piece) posed for a photo at the family's villa in Uluwatu, Bali with her pregnant sister Emilee

Bumping along nicely! Emilee, who is also an Instagram star like Tammy, is 22 weeks pregnant

The Kylie Jenner of the Hembrow family! Starlette Thynne, 18, flaunted her incredible bikini body on the deck of the villa

Tammy has been attempting to hide from the press after collapsing at Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party in West Hollywood on Thursday 9 August, resulting in a hospital dash and global media attention.

Following the incident, she took to YouTube to post a tearful apology video.

Tammy claimed she was 'super embarrassed' by what happened, adding that she should not have drank alcohol because she was so jet-lagged.

Teenage dream! In another holiday snap, Starlette offered a flirty glimpse of thigh in a crop top and polka dot skirt

Cultural trip: Starlette is pictured appreciating some traditional Balinese architecture

Bottoms up! Starlette also shared this snap of herself in a G-string bikini relaxing in the villa's picturesque infinity pool

Boasting over 8.6 million Instagram followers and 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube, Tammy began her rise to social media fame in 2014 when she started documenting her pregnancies and fitness regime.

Tammy - who is the daughter of Australian director and screenwriter Mark Hembrow - has two children of her own, daughter Saskia, two, and three-year-old son Wolf, who she shares with her ex-fiance Reece Hawkins.

Tammy, Amy, Emilee and Starlette also have a younger fourth sister named Ava, who is 13 years old.

All in the family: Tammy, Amy (pictured), Emilee and Starlette also have a younger fourth sister named Ava, who is 13 years old
He's looking for the woman of his dreams on The Bachelor Australia.

And while Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins may have won fans over on the show, NW is reporting that some of the contestants weren't too impressed that he's the leading man.

The publication claims that some of the girls weren't 'attracted' to the former rugby star, forcing producers to 'beg' them to stay and not walkout.

'He has a curly mullet, a slug on his top lip and a distinct ocker accent': Bachelor producers 'BEGGED' contestants not to walkout on 'unattractive' Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins (pictured)

According to the publication, Vanessa Sunshine, 27, was one of the girls who was NOT impressed that Nick was The Bachelor.

'Nick's not your typical Bachelor - he has a curly mullet, a slug on his top lip and a very distinct ocker accent,' a source told the publication, adding: 'But that's the beauty of him!'

According to NW, producers reportedly told contestants: 'They told the girls not to make any rash decisions - to give him a go, and decide after getting to know him properly.'

Not a fan? According to the publication, Vanessa Sunshine, 27, (pictured) was one of the girls who was not impressed about him being The Bachelor

In what might be a blow to Nick, the source added that producers told the girls to stay on the show so that they can be 'considered for a spot on Bachelor In Paradise.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ten for comment in relation to this story.

Meanwhile, Nick took a swipe at his own looks in a promo for the show recently.

In the self-deprecating teaser, the 30-year-old admits that he's 'probably not the best looking Bachelor,' but says that he's okay with that because he's committed to being himself.

Ouch: In what might be a blow to Nick, the source added that producers told the girls to stay on the show so that they can be 'considered for a spot on Bachelor In Paradise'

The quirky rugby player also promised lots of laughs from his season, indicating that he's planning to rely on his sense of humour and personality instead of his appearance.

'G'day, I'm Nick Cummins, and I'm probably not the best looking Bachelor you've ever had,' he says in the promo.

'I don't have a jaw that could cut a cake, I don't have the tan of mahogany seal, and it's pretty clear that I'm not your standard Bachelor - nor would I wanna be.'

'I'm not your standard Bachelor': Meanwhile, it comes after Nick took a swipe at his own looks in a promo for the show recently

'I wanna be myself, I wanna have fun,' he continues. 'You're gonna see a lot of laughs, a lot of good times, good vibes, and hopefully a lot of love.'

The curly-haired blonde also revealed what he's looking for in a woman.

'Someone who is secure in themselves, who knows what she wants, is independent, and is unconditional,' he explains.
Canadian crooner Drake dissed his former mentor Kanye West while performing in Yeezy's Chicago hometown Saturday night.

In a fan video, the 31-year-old R&B belter drew boos from the Illinois crowd after he changed the lyrics to his 2015 single Know Yourself while onstage the United Center.

Instead of 'Had a job sellin' Girbaud jeans / I had a yellow TechnoMarine / Then Kanye dropped, it was polos and backpacks' - the three-time Grammy winner said: 'then Kanye flopped.'

Fueling the feud: Canadian crooner Drake (R) dissed his former mentor Kanye West (L) while performing in Yeezy's Chicago hometown Saturday night (pictured in 2015)

Stomping ground: In a fan video, the 31-year-old R&B belter drew boos from the Illinois crowd after he changed the lyrics to his 2015 single Know Yourself while onstage the United Center

Both Drake and Kanye received lukewarm reviews for their latest records Scorpion and Ye, but the Degrassi alum sold 524K more copies than the 41-year-old rapper-turned-designer.

The feuding hip-hop stars - who collaborated in 2010 and 2016 - have been going back and forth through diss tracks (Behind Barz Freestyle, Pusha-T's The Story of Adidon, and Duppy Freestyle) since May.

The 21-time Grammy winner followed up his unhinged 'slavery is a choice' interview with TMZ Live by praising 'player' POTUS Donald Trump on the August 9 episode ofJimmy Kimmel Live!

The third husband of Kim Kardashian met with the 72-year-old reality star at Trump Tower in 2016 to discuss 'multicultural issues, bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago.'

Instead of 'Had a job sellin' Girbaud jeans / I had a yellow TechnoMarine / Then Kanye dropped, it was polos and backpacks' - the three-time Grammy winner said: 'then Kanye flopped'

Both Drake and Kanye received lukewarm reviews for their latest records Scorpion and Ye, but the Degrassi alum sold 524K more copies than the 41-year-old rapper-turned-designer

Collaborated in 2010 and 2016: The feuding hip-hop stars have been going back and forth through diss tracks (Behind Barz Freestyle, Pusha-T's The Story of Adidon, and Duppy Freestyle) since May

'He is a player': The 21-time Grammy winner followed up his unhinged 'slavery is a choice' interview with TMZ Live by praising POTUS Donald Trump on the August 9 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

MAGA? The third husband of Kim Kardashian met with the 72-year-old reality star at Trump Tower in 2016 - the same year he did a nine-day stint for 'temporary psychosis' at UCLA Medical Center

That same year, West did a nine-day stint for 'temporary psychosis' at UCLA Medical Center.

Drake (born Aubrey Graham) will next bring his 57-date Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour to Scotiabank Arena in his native Toronto on Monday through Wednesday.

The God's Plan hitmaker is also up for eight trophies - including video of the year - at the MTV Video Music Awards airing Monday night live from Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall.

Born Aubrey Graham: Drake will next bring his 57-date Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour to Scotiabank Arena in his native Toronto on Monday through Wednesday (pictured March 23)
She caught the eye of Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins during an intimate yoga photo shoot challenge on Thursday.

But despite growing close, it looks like The Bachelor front-runner Sophie Tieman, 25, may not be hoping to win 30-year-old Nick's heart by appearing on the Network Ten.

Instead an unnamed insider has claimed to Woman's Day that the beauty's main motive for taking part in the program is to become a top celebrity.

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'She's desperate to be famous': The Bachelor front-runner Sophie Tieman, 25, hopes to be the 'next Sam Frost, 29, and ISN'T there for the right reasons'

Before going on show, Sophie allegedly told colleagues she was 'quitting her job to be the next Sam Frost' and that she's 'desperate to be famous.'

Sam won the The Bachelor's second season in 2014 alongside Blake Garvey - and although their romance didn't last, she's since launched a successful media career.

In 2017, the 29-year-old appeared on Hell's Kitchen Australia and later joined the cast of soap opera Home and Away as Jasmine Delaney.

Before 'quitting' her job to appear on The Bachelor, Sophie worked as both a property valuer and part time Instagram model in Brisbane.

Big plans? An unnamed insider has claimed to Woman's Day magazine that the beauty's main motive for taking part in the programme is launch herself a public profile like Sam Frost

Inspirational: Sam won the The Bachelor in 2014 alongside Blake Garvey - and although their romance didn't last, she's since launched a successful media career

Cat Henesey, another contestant currently fighting for Nick on screen, has repeatedly questioned Sophie's motives for appearing on the show.

The girls clashed during the first cocktail party after Cat claimed Sophie had been 'sleeping with' her ex before relocating to Sydney for filming.

She raged on camera: 'She's been seeing my ex-boyfriend. Been seeing him, like, very recently.'

'My last serious boyfriend, yeah, and her, have been seeing each other.'

'He came over to Bali a few weeks ago and he told me. Yep. I hope Sophie's here for the right reasons, but it does make me question it.'

Not friends: Cat Henesey, another contestant currently fighting for Nick on screen, has repeatedly questioned Sophie's motives for appearing on the show

'What are your intentions?': Cat slammed Sophie has allegedly 'sleeping with her ex' before appearing on the Network Ten show

Now, talking to Woman's Day, she has continued to slam the blonde.

'If you're going on a few dates with a guy a few weeks before you're supposed to be finding love, what are you intentions? It doesn't add up,' Cat told the magazine.

'Everyone knows if you don't find love you're going to gain something from the show in one way or another. You'd be crazy not to think like that.'

Daily Mail Australia have contacted Network Ten for comment.
Saving Planet Earth: Fixing A Hole

Rating:

Unforgotten

Rating:

Lady Thatcher, eco-warrior, seems an unlikely superhero. It's hard to imagine Maggie with her handbag festooned in Greenpeace badges, handing out organic brownies laced with pot for hippies at the Glastonbury festival.

But as erstwhile Tory party leader Michael Howard, who served as one of her environment ministers in the Eighties, reminded us pithily in the Mail last week, Mrs T treated climate change seriously.

Packed with lively cartoon graphics, the documentary Saving Planet Earth: Fixing A Hole (C4) showed us why: Thatcher was a scientist before she was a politician, and was proud of it.

When NASA's rocket brains discovered a hole in the ozone layer, bigger than the United States, she summoned technician Bob Watson and quizzed him.

Saving Planet Earth: Fixing A Hole (C4) showed us why: Thatcher was a scientist before she was a politician, and was proud of it

'I was incredibly impressed by the penetrating questions she asked,' said Bob, before leaning forward to add: 'And they were penetrating!' He still seemed shaken by the Iron Lady's grilling, even 30 years later.

The crisis was caused by a manmade gas called Freon, developed by the same accident-prone inventor behind leaded petrol, Thomas Midgley. Never has any single human being been responsible for creating more pollution.

You have to feel sorry for Midgley. At the age of 51, polio left him disabled, and he came up with an ingenious harness for getting himself out of bed unaided. Shortly afterwards, he was found accidentally throttled to death in it.

The harness was a success compared with Freon and other chlorofluorocarbons [CFCs]. Used in everything from air-conditioning units and fridges to hairspray cans, CFCs turned out to be indestructible  and floated up 12 miles to eat through the Earth's protective ozone.

Californian chemist Professor Sherry Rowland was the first to appreciate the scale of the problem.

He told his wife: 'My work's going really well. The only trouble is, I think it's the end of the world.'

Ozone damage meant ultraviolet rays from the sun were frying the planet. U.S. President Reagan's advisers were blase: the official advice to Americans was to use suncream and wear a big hat.

But Mrs Thatcher saw the danger to plants, animals and the global food chain, and made Reagan see it, too.

This has been the best series yet of a brilliant crime drama. There were no twists, no surprises at the end, but it delivered a fully satisfying denouement

Then she delivered an impassioned speech to the leaders of the developing nations, persuading them to join the West in banning CFCs.

It was a barnstormer, out-doing even her best performances at the Tory Party conference.

You could argue, and this documentary practically did, that Maggie Thatcher saved the world. She didn't convince the U.S. public, though.

That was done by a crusading episode of America's favourite sitcom, All In The Family. These days, we're beset by global warming. If science is waiting for Mrs Brown's Boys to tackle that, we're all doomed.

This was hardly typical Channel 4 fare. It even ended with a clarion call from former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz: 'Let's bring back President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher! You've got to have leaders who can lead!'

Talking of leaders, what about DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker), who seemed on the point of quitting the police at the end of Unforgotten (ITV)?

This has been the best series yet of a brilliant crime drama. There were no twists, no surprises at the end, but it delivered a fully satisfying denouement.

But what next? Perhaps Cassie's sidekick, DS Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar), will take over. Why not? Lewis succeeded Morse, and no detective ever left bigger shoes to fill.
Married At First Sight's Tracey Jewel has returned to Instagram for the first time in over two weeks to update fans on her health following her suicide attempt.

At the end of last month, the 35-year-old was left 'stranded' in Berlin, Germany without money for a flight home after splitting with her boyfriend Patrick Kedemos. In a moment of desperation, she tried to kill herself by 'overdosing' on medication.

But the self-help author is doing much better after checking herself into a mental health facility in Perth recently, telling her followers on Monday that she is 'focusing on getting well'.

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Recovering: Married At First Sight's Tracey Jewel has returned to Instagram for the first time in over two weeks to update fans on her health following her suicide attempt

'Thank you for everyone's support and well wishes. I'll be updating everyone soon but just wanted to say thanks and right now I'm focusing on getting well,' she wrote.

Tracey accompanied her brief statement with a selfie in which she appeared much healthier than in recent photos.

Last Monday, Tracey told New Idea magazine that she tried to end her life by 'overdosing' on medication in Berlin several weeks ago.

'Support': the self-help author is doing much better after checking herself into a mental health facility in Perth recently, telling her followers on Monday that she is 'focusing on getting well'

Ordeal: At the end of last month, the 35-year-old was left 'stranded' in Berlin, Germany without money for a flight home after splitting with her boyfriend Patrick Kedemos. In a moment of desperation, she tried to kill herself by 'overdosing' on medication. Pictured: Tracey on MAFS

She had a mental breakdown in the days after her ex-boyfriend Patrick, 45, dumped her and left her 'stranded' while they were travelling across Europe - but fortunately German doctors were able to save her following the suicide attempt.

'I went into a head spin and I overdosed. I just couldn't see a way out of the current situation,' she confessed.

'I've been trolled and cyber bullied relentlessly, pretty much all year [since MAFS]. I'm not someone with a history of depression, but I started getting help in April because a psychologist said I might have post-traumatic stress disorder because of everything I'd been through.'

Confession: Last Monday, Tracey told New Idea magazine that she tried to end her life by 'overdosing' on medication in Berlin several weeks ago.

Suicide bid: Tracey had a mental breakdown in the days after her ex-boyfriend Patrick Kedemos (right) dumped her and left her 'stranded' while they were travelling across Europe - but fortunately German doctors were able to save her following the suicide attempt

Helping hand: Eventually, Patrick gave Tracey money to pay for a flight back to Australia. Following her return to Perth on August 3, she was admitted to a mental health clinic. Pictured: Tracey and Patrick in Europe before their split on July 28

Eventually, Patrick gave Tracey money to pay for a flight back to Australia.

Following her return to Perth on August 3, Tracey was admitted to a mental health clinic. She said: '[My doctors] thought the best thing I could do was to have care to get better as quickly as possible.'

The entrepreneur is believed to be currently living at her adoptive mother Jenny's house in Perth and, until Monday, was taking a break from social media.

She also told New Idea that her biological daughter Grace, eight, did not know about her suicide attempt because she '[didn't] want to scare or upset her'.

Meanwhile, Tracey has enrolled in a post-graduate university course in marketing to improve her career prospects after several of her business contracts were cancelled due to the negative publicity surrounding her.

Mental snap: Tracey said last week of her admission to a mental health facility, '[My doctors] thought the best thing I could do was to have care to get better as quickly as possible'

Late last month, a source close to Tracey confirmed she split with her ex-boyfriend Patrick while the pair were cruising around Europe together.

German police were called after an argument between Tracey and Patrick that took place on July 28, following the pair's arrival in Berlin.

The newly-single star was then forced to turn to the Australian embassy after she was left stranded and 'unable to pay for her own return flight home'.

'My parents are financially helping me right now': Tracey is believed to be living at her adoptive mother Jenny's house in Perth and, until Monday, was taking a break from social media

'Things reached breaking point on Saturday night [July 28] when they had an almighty row - with Tracey moving into a separate hotel room to calm down,' the source said at the time.

'Patrick officially ended things and Tracey was then left to arrange her own return travel back home to Australia alone after they split.

'But she hadn't taken any money with her on the trip and was left stranded. The last friends heard she'd filed a complaint with the police was waiting for the Australian embassy to open on Monday so she could figure out what to do.'

Patrick eventually gave Tracey money to fly home, telling Woman's Day that he 'transferred another $2,000 just to get rid of her'.

Notoriety: Earlier this year, Tracey became one of the most talked-about women in Australia when she was involved in a love triangle on Married At First Sight. Pictured with Dean Wells

Earlier this year, Tracey became one of the most talked-about women in Australia when she was involved in a love triangle on Married At First Sight.

She was paired with Dean Wells on the 'social experiment', but was left blindsided when he had an 'affair' with fellow contestant Davina Rankin.

In the months after the show aired, however, Tracey emerged as one of the series' most controversial and divisive contestants.

Scandalous: In the months after MAFS aired, however, Tracey emerged as one of the series' most controversial and divisive contestants. She has faced criticism for running an allegedly fraudulent competition, plagiarism and falsely implying she suffered from cervical cancer

She has faced criticism for running an allegedly fraudulent competition, plagiarising content in her books and falsely implying she suffered from cervical cancer.

(Tracey has claimed her competition's winner was 'unable to take the major prize so it was redrawn'. She has also denied intentionally plagiarising anybody else's work. Regarding claims about her health, Tracey insists she never claimed to have cervical cancer and a since-deleted Instagram post that seemingly implied she did suffer from the disease was 'taken completely out of context' by fans and the media.)

If you, or someone you know, needs support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au
James Jordan has angered Celebrity Big Brother fans after he called Natalie Nunn a 'ghetto girl' in an explosive Twitter rant on Sunday night.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 40, who has appeared on the controversial Channel 5 series in the past, tweeted to his 224K followers: 'Natalie is that THICK that she thinks Kirsty has had something to do with the task.... Grow the f**k up getto girl #CBB.' [sic]

Yet fans were quick to call out James over using the term 'ghetto girl' to describe Natalie and complained that it was 'offensive'.

Offensive: James Jordan has angered Celebrity Big Brother fans after he called Natalie Nunn a 'ghetto girl' in an explosive Twitter rant on Sunday night

Not happy: Fans were quick to call out James over using the term 'ghetto girl' to describe Natalie and complained that it was 'offensive'

One person said: 'Why does she have to be ghetto tho?' A different user wrote: 'Omg is this guy serious.' Another account commented: 'Offensive!!'

Meanwhile, a different follower added: 'It's spelt "ghetto" and it's a pejorative, offensive and derogatory word. You might want to get a dictionary for that hon.'

Yet James wasn't happy to be called out over his comments and even told the 'PC brigade' to 'f**k off'.

Responding to the backlash he had received, he tweeted: 'Im 40 years old and still get confused as to what I can say and cant say without offending people.....

'Sometimes its the way people interpret things rather than the way its said I would however like to add: F**K OFF PC BRIGADE [swearing emoji].' [sic]

MailOnline has contacted James' representative for comment.

Backlash: Fans were quick to call out James over using the term 'ghetto girl' to describe Natalie and complained that it was 'offensive'

Hitting back: Volatile James was quick to hit out at his critics

The former Strictly star was commenting on the tensions between Celebrity Big Brother housemates Natalie and Kirstie Alley.

Trump supporter, Kirstie, and Natalie have clashed several times during their time in the house over their very opposing views on politics and US President Donald Trump.

The Bad Girls Club star has been left even more angered over the Cheers actress' role on the show after Big Brother made her the 'President' of the CBB house.

This has seen her enforce tasks such as depriving 'Human Ken Doll' Rodrigo Alves of his suitcase, 'conserving energy' by ordering Ben Jardine to only take cold showers, and issuing instructions to 'build a wall' to deter 'outisders' from getting into the CBB house.

Announcement: On Saturday night's edition of the Channel 5 reality show, 'President' of the house, Kirstie Alley, was seen announcing that this week's task would centre around 'building a wall'

Too close to home? The task appears to be a reference to US President Donald Trump's controversial proposition that America should spend $25 billion on security along the border of Mexico in an immigration crackdown

The latter, however, was something Big Brother instructed her to do. Yet Natalie has appeared to believe Kirstie is coming up with the tasks herself.

As a result, Natalie has loudly declared that Kirstie she be 'impeached' and that she 'doesn't like the President'.

Natalie has been seen goading the Veronica's Closet star, trying to get her to talk politics. But Kirstie has refused to bite.

Natalie took major issue with the 'wall' task, refusing to take part in it at first, thanks to the fact that it's based on Donald Trump's controversial proposition that America should spend $25 billion on security along the border of Mexico in an immigration crackdown.

Show bosses were slated by fans on Sunday for being 'offensive' and for 'taking things too far' in the task.

Too far? Celebrity Big Brother has been slated by fans, a mere 72 hours into the new season of the show, for being 'offensive' and for 'taking things too far' in the latest task

Kirstie was seen addressing the housemates, saying: 'As your President, I take the security of the Big Brother house and protecting its borders from the outside world very seriously.

'It is my presidential order to build a wall. A great great wall. The greatest wall the world has ever seen.'

Natalie - who hails from California but, during her reality show Bad Girls Club, once described herself as 'black, Brazilian and Puerto Rican' - was noticeably irked by the task, heard saying 'f**k you... no, no, no' in protest of it.

Celebrity Big Brother continues on weeknights at 9pm on Channel 5.
She cut her press tour short due to 'back issues' just two days ago.

But on Sunday night, Tara Reid appeared to be in good health as she walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of her new movie The Last Sharknado: It's About Time.

The 42-year-old actress sparkled in a silver, bedazzled gown that she paired with sky-high heels.

Leading lady: On Sunday night, Tara Reid walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of her new movie The Last Sharknado: It's About Time

Showstopper: The 42-year-old actress sparkled in a silver, bedazzled gown that she paired with sky-high heels

Reid's dress, which featured several sheer panels, hugged her petite figure and showed off some side boob.

The American Pie star wore her hair in a sleek ponytail and her glam included a bright pink lip.

She posed for several photos with co-star Cassie Scerbo, who stunned in a plunging black dress.

Sharknado ladies: Tara posed for several photos with co-star Cassie Scerbo, who stunned in a plunging black dress

Pucker up: The co-stars blew kisses at the camera

Strike a pose: Scerbo's dress featured a thigh-high slit and a plunging neckline

Ian Ziering, the film's male lead, attended the premiere in a handsome blue suit.

He was accompanied by his wife Erin Kristine Ludwig and their two childrenMia, seven, and Penna, five.

The two little girls were on theme in matching shark dresses.

Family affair: Ian Ziering, the film's male lead, attended the premiere in a handsome blue suit. He was accompanied by his wife Erin Kristine Ludwig and their two childrenMia and Penna

Picture perfect: The two little girls showed Ziering some love on the red carpet

The Last Sharknado is the sixth and final installment of the franchise.

In brief, the movie follows Fin, played by 90210's Ian Ziering, as he goes back in time to defeat the first Sharknado and save the world.

In an interview with KTLA 5, Tara reflected on her five-year Sharknado journey.

'The fans have been so amazing, but all good things must come to an end,' Reid said, adding that she originally had no intention of participating in the franchise.

'To be honest, when I read [the script] I thought it was the worst movie I'd ever read. I was like this is so dumb it's not even funny.'
She's currently fighting a bevy of beauties to capture the heart of lovable larrikin Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins on The Bachelor.

And long before 24-year-old Cassandra Wood set her sights on the sport star, 30, she'd fallen for another long-haired Aussie adventurer.

The star previously enjoyed a two year relationship with a Sydney based surf enthusiast, Kevin, before deciding they'd be better off as 'best friends.'

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EXCLUSIVE: Young love! The Bachelor star 24-year-old Cassandra Wood's ex boyfriend revealed as hunky surfer Kevin as the pair kiss in throwback pictures

Cassandra and Kevin started dating in 2013, when she was 19.

The pair then became inseparable during their two year relationship together, taking trips to Bali together and spending their days surfing, before splitting up.

In 2014, Kevin shared a montage of pictures cosying up to Cass, writing: 'Happy birthday to this gorgeous girl, even with this miserable weather we will make it an amazing day I promise! I love you xx.'

Couple goals: Cassandra and Kevin started dating in 2013, when she was 19

Shared wardrobe? The pair then became inseparable during their two year relationship together, taking trips to Bali together and spending their days surfing, before splitting up

Smitten: Kevin shared this montage of his 'gorgeous girl' in 2014 while confessing his 'love' to her on Facebook as he commemorated her birthday

A source close to the TV personality told Daily Mail Australia: 'He was Cassandra's first real love and she fell quite hard and they were inseparable.'

'In the end the romance just started to fizzle out and she realised they'd be better off as friends and they ended things amicably.'

Daily Mail Australia have reached out to both Cassandra and Kevin for comment.

Bali babes: The couple enjoyed a trip to Bali in 2015 where they made a new friend

'In the end the romance just started to fizzle out and she realised they'd be better off as friends,': An insider told Daily Mail Australia they had a very amicable split

While season six of The Bachelor is just two episodes in, Cass has become one of the most talked about contestants on the show so far.

She's admitted to previously going on a few dates with The Honey Badger and wasn't shy in expressing her desire to rekindle their romance.

Her keen interest and admission that she had written Nick's name in her 'dream diary' led fans to dub her this year's token 'stage five clinger'.

Early favourite? While season six of The Bachelor is just two episodes in, Cass has become one of the most talked about contestants on the show so far

Nick admitted he previously dated contestant Cassandra during last week's premiere episode.

The new Bachelor confessed he enjoyed 'a couple of dates' with the Home And Away star before entering the mansion following claims the ex-Wallabies star struck up a romance with Cassandra before the show.

'We know each other pretty well. We had a couple of dates and things!' the 30-year-old said as soon as he cast his eyes on the blonde actress and model.
She recently moved back in with her parents after falling on financial hardship following her split with Patrick Kedemos.

And now that Tracey Jewel has lost everything, the Married At First Sight star is reportedly considering reuniting with her reality TV 'husband' Dean Wells.

'In her heart, Tracey knows that Dean cares for her, and that's all she wants in a man,' an insider told NW magazine.

'These two just can't quit each other': Tracey Jewel is considering reuniting with her Married At First Sight 'husband' Dean Wells

They added: 'These two just can't quit each other. There's a spark there that they just can't deny.'

Tracey has previously indicated that there could be a future between herself and Dean.

The 35-year-old told New Idea this year that 'the way me and Dean ended things, you never say never.

'Some couples can take a break and gave some space and come back... Dean will always have a soft spot in my heart.'

'In her heart, Tracey knows that Dean cares for her, and that's all she wants in a man,' a source told NW magazine

Flashback: Tracey and Dean fell in love on season five of Married At First Sight, but their fairytale romance came crashing down after Dean had an 'affair' with model Davina Rankin

Dean has also been a rock of support for Tracey during her recent struggles, with the Manly-based rapper defending her on social media multiple times.

'People are accusing her [Tracey] of all kinds of crazy stuff that I don't believe for a second,' Dean said on Instagram.

Tracey also revealed that her bad boy ex had been 'amazing' during her recent struggles.

'Hes reached out and hes text a few times and publicly messaged saying for people to leave me alone,' she told New Idea. 'Hes been amazing.'

"Hes reached out and hes text a few times and publicly messaged saying for people to leave me alone': Dean has defended Tracey against public backlash

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tracey for comment.

After splitting with her ex Patrick Kedemos during a nightmare European vacation last month, which left her 'broke and stranded' in Berlin, Tracey is now unemployed and living back with her parents.

'Everyone's cancelled their contracts with me. Any way I had of earning an income has disappeared,' the struggling self-help author told Who magazine last week.

She added: 'I had a lot of big plans and dreams for my life and because of the situation, with Patrick [Kedemos, her ex-boyfriend] and the trolls, no-one wants to touch me, no-one will employ me.'

Apparently, there was a plan in place for Tracey 'to get back on her feet' once she arrived back in Australia - including a radio contract (which has since been withdrawn) and 'social media sponsorship deals.'

Disaster! After splitting with her ex Patrick Kedemos (L) during a nightmare European vacation last month, Tracey is now unemployed and living back with her parents

'Any way I had of earning an income has disappeared': The 35-year-old has blamed online trolls for her financial struggles and never-ending scandals

In the last few weeks, however, all of her business plans fell apart amid a blaze of negative publicity. Meanwhile, her relationship with Patrick also came to an abrupt end following their overseas blow-up.

'My parents are financially helping me right now. [They] are funding my bills,' added Tracey. 'They are in their mid-seventies and they don't need their 35-year-old daughter being a financial or emotional burden.'

Meanwhile, the troubled reality star has recently enrolled in a post-graduate university course in marketing to improve her career prospects.

Last week, Tracey told New Idea magazine that she tried to end her life by 'overdosing' on medication in Berlin several weeks ago.

Desperate: Tracey revealed last Monday that she tried to end her life by 'overdosing' on medication in Berlin, Germany several weeks ago following the abrupt end of her relationship

She had a mental breakdown in the days after her ex-boyfriend Patrick, 45, dumped her and left her 'stranded' while they were travelling across Europe - but fortunately German doctors were able to save her following the suicide attempt.

'I went into a head spin and I overdosed. I just couldn't see a way out of the current situation,' she confessed.

'I've been trolled and cyber bullied relentlessly, pretty much all year [since MAFS]. I'm not someone with a history of depression, but I started getting help in April because a psychologist said I might have post-traumatic stress disorder because of everything I'd been through.'

Eventually, Patrick gave Tracey money to pay for a flight back to Australia.

Following her return to Perth on August 3, Tracey was admitted to a mental health clinic. She said: '[My doctors] thought the best thing I could do was to have care to get better as quickly as possible.'
KABUL, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday announced a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban starting on Monday.

"As we approach Eid-ul-Adha ... we announce a ceasefire that would take effect from Monday, the day of Arafa, till the day of the birth of the prophet (PBUH), Milad-un-Nabi, provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ghani told a gathering celebrating the Independence Day.

The Afghan leader also called on Taliban leadership to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long lasting and real peace.

"We urge the Taliban leadership to get ready for peace talks based on Islamic values and principles," Ghani said, adding that the Afghan government has removed "all obstacles for a long lasting peace through these unprecedented steps."

However, the Taliban group, which has repeatedly rejected an offer for peace talks with the Afghan government, has yet to react to President Ghani's offer for ceasefire.

In June, the Afghan government announced a 17-day ceasefire to encourage the Taliban group to support the national reconciliation process.

Reciprocating the government step, the Taliban announced a three-day truce during Eid-ul-Fitr which marked end of fasting month.
Osher Gunsberg, 44, has recalled the terrifying moment he realised he needed to take medication for his anxiety.

The Bachelor host, who has been open about his mental health struggles in the past, said he initially ignored medical advice about taking medication but later changed his mind.

He said he tried to self-medicate with alcohol and his anxiety got so bad that he once felt as if 'someone's hands' were around his throat which was a wake-up call.

'I felt as if someone's hands were around my throat': Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg recalls the terrifying moment he realised he needed to take medication for anxiety

'I was having a particularly stressful day and I'd started seeing this doctor already and he said 'you may want to consider medication and cut down on alcohol,'' he said in a snippet from his podcast this week.

'I said 'I'll be fine, why do I need medication when I can just have a couple of beers and feel alright?' And he goes 'well that's a stupid idea.''

He continued: 'I was running on the beach and I felt the physical push of someone standing on my chest and as I ran further I felt as if someone's hands were around my throat crushing my throat and I felt the tactile sensation of touch upon my skin.'

Terrifying: Osher said, 'I was running on the beach and I felt the physical push of someone standing on my chest and as I ran further I felt as if someone's hands were around my throat crushing my throat and I felt the tactile sensation of touch upon my skin'

Osher said he tried to 'brush it off' but it became too 'hard to breathe.'

'...I remember I ran straight home and saw this doctor and said 'I have to see you today' and thankfully he squeezed me in.'

Osher, who has struggled with depression, social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), was speaking to documentary-maker, Todd Sampson, in the episode.

Last year, he told Huffington Post Australia that finding the right medication was a challenge.

'Especially with men, we tend not to go to the doctor unless we're on fire... by then, it's so bad that you just want to feel better fast and, unfortunately, for me it didn't. I had to grit my teeth while I waited for the right dosages to show up,'

Earlier this month, he showed off his remarkable body transformation on the cover of Men's Health Australia after losing nearly 10kg.

Wedded bliss! Osher married stylist Audrey Griffen in 2016 and he is a stepfather to her 12-year-old daughter, Georgia

'I started this #MHtransformation as a way to help me manage life off of meds.  I hadn't been on antipsychotics for about 18 months before I started this,' he wrote on Instagram.

'It's now 7 months off meds, and I'm still under Dr's supervision because there's a difference between not taking meds and not NEEDING to take meds. 

He added: 'Over ten weeks I lost 9kg of fat and gained 2.5kg of muscle by eating nothing but plants and training every day until I was a flat pancake on the gym floor.'

Osher married stylist Audrey Griffen in 2016 and he is a stepfather to her 12-year-old daughter, Georgia.

They met in 2015, while filming season four of The Bachelor Australia, where Osher worked as a host and Audrey was a stylist.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, call Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.


Married At First Sight Australia has come under fire in recent years for failing to create successful matches.

But the New Zealand version of the series is a different story, with season one stars Brett and Angel Renall celebrating their one year wedding anniversary on Friday.

The couple, who legally wed on the reality show's first (and so far only) season are now planning to buy a home together and start a family.

The experts got it right! Married At First Sight New Zealand's Brett and Angel Renall (pictured) have just celebrated their first wedding anniversary

'We are just about to buy our first home together and it has four bedrooms, so I guess we have to fill those,' Angel told Newshub.

City slicker Angel and country boy Brett are the only surviving couple out of the six who participated in Married At First Sight NZ.

After the show wrapped up last year, Angel relocated from Auckland to Brett's rural home of Lincoln to be with the small business owner.

Moving for love: After the show wrapped up last year, Angel relocated from Auckland to Brett's rural home of Lincoln to be with the small business owner

'We are just about to buy our first home together and it has four bedrooms, so I guess we have to fill those': The happy couple are currently preparing to start a family together

The happy couple have already started expanding their family by adopting a French bulldog named Cashew back in February.

'Getting Cashew has given us a glimpse into our future,' Brett told Woman's Day NZ.

'Starting a family is definitely something Angel and I want to do,' he continued.

They made it! City slicker Angel and country boy Brett are the only surviving couple out of the six who participated in Married At First Sight NZ

Out of the 35 couples to appear across all five seasons of Married At First Sight Australia, only season two's Erin Bateman and Bryce Mohn remain together.

Season one's Alex Garner and Zoe Hendrix stayed together for three years and had a child together, but tragically announced their split earlier this year.

The second season of MAFS NZ has already started filming and will air in New Zealand later this year, while MAFS AU will return in early 2019.
His divorce from ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn may be getting messy, but Karl Stefanovic looked like he didn't have a care in the world on Sunday.

The Today show host, 44, wasn't letting any personal dramas get him down as he enjoyed a boozy lunch with his fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough in Surry Hills, Sydney.

Holding hands with the 34-year-old fashion designer, the father-of-three quite simply couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

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Daddy cool! Karl Stefanovic wore tight jeans and sunglasses while stepping out for lunch with fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough on Sunday... after he insisted he is still part of his children's lives

Karl, who is one of Channel Nine's highest-paid TV stars, cut a youthful figure in tight jeans and leather boots.

He completed his look with a navy zip-up hoodie layered over a grey T-shirt, and accessorised with dark shades.

Meanwhile, Jasmine looked every inch the fashionista in knee-high black boots, a long coat and chic sunglasses.

She wrapped up warm in a beige, knitted jumper and carried a quirky clutch that dangled from a gold cuff on her wrist.

No worries! The Today show host, 44, wasn't letting any personal dramas get him down as he enjoyed a boozy lunch with his fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough in Surry Hills, Sydney

What drama? Holding hands with the 34-year-old fashion designer, the father-of-three quite simply couldn't wipe the smile off his face

The sighting comes amid a rather difficult few days for Karl.

While his divorce from Cassandra is settled, there is no sign of a ceasefire between the former couple as their disputes continue to play out in the media.

He has recently been forced to defend himself against Cassandra's claims that their three children - Jackson, 18, Ava, 13, and 11-year-old River - are being neglected by his side of the family.

Young at heart! Karl, who is one of Nine's highest-paid stars, cut a youthful figure in tight jeans and leather boots. He completed his look with a navy zip-up hoodie layered over a grey T-shirt

She has the world at her feet! Meanwhile, Jasmine looked every inch the ambitious fashionista in knee-high black boots, a long coat and chic sunglasses

Effortlessly chic: She wrapped up warm in a beige, knitted jumper and carried a quirky clutch that dangled from a gold cuff on her wrist

Cassandra, 47, told The Australian Women's Weekly last week that she and the children had been 'discarded' by the Stefanovics following the couple's split in 2016.

'Last year, I declared that Karl really was dead to me, a man I no longer know, but the children still have their father,' she said in a blistering tell-all interview.

'The flip-side of that is I feel like we're dead to his family and almost anyone from our old life.

'There has been practically no contact. I feel like we've been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters.'

Family feud: The sighting comes amid a rather difficult few days for Karl, who has recently been forced to defend himself against his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn's claims that their three children - Jackson, 18, Ava, 13, and River, 11 - are being neglected by his side of the family

Ouch! Cassandra, 47, told The Australian Women's Weekly last week that she and the children had been 'discarded' by the Stefanovics following the couple's split in 2016. Pictured: Karl and Jasmine arriving at the Flour Eggs Water restaurant in Surry Hills

Replaced? 'I feel like we're dead to his family and almost anyone from our old life,' Cassandra claimed. 'There has been practically no contact. I feel like we've been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters'. Pictured: Karl, Jasmine and friends on Sunday

After the AWW article was published online, a Stefanovic family spokesperson issued a statement to The Fix refuting Cassandra's claims.

'We are disappointed Cass would claim such inflammatory suggestions that we have alienated Karl's children from our family,' the statement read.

'Nothing could be further from the truth. Karl regularly co-parents his children and has his loving family around them.

'We refuse to keep a running dialogue of the children... Family is often compromised when parents go through a painful divorce and we do our best to continue our love and support for the children.'

'Nothing could be further from the truth. Karl regularly co-parents his children and has his loving family around them': After the AWW article was published online, a Stefanovic family spokesperson issued a statement refuting Cassandra's claims. Pictured: Karl and Jasmine leaving their Range Rover before heading into the Italian restaurant

On Saturday, Karl doubled down on these sentiments in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, insisting he was very much a presence in his children's lives.

'First and foremost, I'm a dad... and I'm not going anywhere,' he said. 'I love my kids. They know that. And that's what matters.

'I don't want my silence, or the fact that my children aren't visibly front and centre with me for everyone to see, to be misinterpreted as absence. That couldn't be further from the truth.'

'First and foremost, I'm a dad': On Saturday, Karl doubled down on these sentiments in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, insisting he was very much a presence in his children's lives

Moving on: Karl announced his split with Cassandra, a former journalist and TV producer, in September 2016 after 21 years of marriage. Pictured: Karl stepping out of his Range Rover

Karl announced his split with Cassandra, an accomplished journalist and TV producer, in September 2016 after 21 years of marriage.

Just a few months later, he met ambitious fashion designer Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, and they became engaged in January 2018 after a whirlwind romance.

In March 2018, Karl and Jasmine celebrated their relationship with a commitment ceremony.

That was quick! Just a few months later, Karl met ambitious fashion designer Jasmine and they became engaged in January 2018 after a whirlwind romance

The wedding before the wedding! In March 2018, Karl and Jasmine celebrated their relationship with a commitment ceremony
He's the son of respected Australian journalist Terry Willesee, but it's safe to say Jesse Sunset has no intention of following in his father's footsteps.

The controversial hip hop artist has raised more than a few eyebrows over the years with his X-rated shenanigans, but the 30-year-old insists his parents are supportive.

In an interview with Woman's Day on Monday, Jesse claimed his his father Terry and mother Melissa are in fact his 'biggest fans'.

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'They're my biggest fans!' Terry Willesee's rapper son Jesse Sunset (pictured with his girlfriend Ashley) claimed on Monday that his parents SUPPORT his wayward behaviour

'My mum [Melissa] checks my Instagram account every single day to see what I've posted and is so involved, and dad helps me film a lot of the videos,' Jesse said.

'The other day I did a video where I slice up Foster's cans with a knife, and I remember reading an article that said, "OMG, I wonder what his parents would think?" It made me laugh because dad hiked up a mountain to film that!'

Jesse says his entire family is supportive of his career as a contemporary artist  but they prefer it when he takes a more subtle approach.

'They definitely like some of the things I do more than others  preferring the more creative and artistic, as opposed to the wild-party antics, but having said that my dad and his brothers were not conservative,' he added.

Like father, like son? Jesse's father is respected Australian TV journalist Terry Willesee (pictured), who he now resides with in Los Angeles

Born to be wild! 'My dad and his brothers were not conservative. They were pretty wild, and I think a lot of people forget that side of the Willesees,' Jesse told Woman's Day

'They were pretty wild, and I think a lot of people forget that side of the Willesees.'

Jesse's uncle is renowned Australian journalist Mike Willesee, 76.

Having been raised between Australia and the USA, Jesse now resides in Los Angeles with his parents.

Performance art: Jesse's Instagram account is filled with risque imagery, which he claims is produced in the name of art, and he has just released a new music video. Jesse is pictured with his girlfriend, Ashley

Jesse's Instagram account is filled with risque imagery, which he claims is produced in the name of art, and he has just released a new music video.

But as offensive as his material may be to some people, Jesse maintains that his outrageous public persona is simply an act.

'A lot of the stuff I do isn't to be taken seriously, and if you look at it in a different light, people will see it's a p**s-take more than a serious thing,' he told Woman's Day.
He plays a heart surgeon on the hit show Doctor Doctor.

And on Monday, Australian actor Rodger Corser was jokingly hoping for a real doctor on set of the Today show, as he prepared to ride a mechanical bull for drought relief in Dubbo, NSW.

The nervous 45-year-old helped raise an impressive $30,000 for the cause, before he was thrown off the 'bucking' bull unhurt.

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'Is there a doctor in the house? Australian actor Rodger Corser was jokingly hoping for a real doctor on set of the Today show, as he rode a mechanical bull for drought relief in Dubbo, NSW

Rodger said he was nervous before his turn on the machine.

'I've never done this in my life, so this could be the shortest segment ever,' Rodger told hosts Karl Stefanovic and Georgie Gardner.

'Is there a doctor in the house?,' Karl asked, before Rodger joked: 'Is there a real doctor in case I break something?'

And he's off! The nervous 45-year-old helped raise an impressive $30,000 for the cause, before he was thrown off the 'bucking' bull unhurt

Familiar face: He plays a heart surgeon on the hit show, Doctor Doctor

While on the mechanical animal, a chuckling Rodger tried to hang on as long as he could.

In the background Karl could be heard joking: 'How's the skinny jeans going?'

'He's got this. You go girl, you go girl, ride that bull!' he added.

Nine's Fighting For Our Farmers Drought Relief Appeal has raised $4,340,021 so far as farmers across New South Wales endure the driest conditions in half a century.

A good cause! On Monday, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban donated a whopping $100,000 to support the farmers

On Monday, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban donated a whopping $100,000 to support the farmers.

They recorded a video message, appealing for others to dig deep for farmers.

During the video clip, Keith, 51, said: 'We wish we could be with you today but I'm on tour, but it's very important for us to be a part of this today and do our bit for the farmers.'

Nicole, 50, added: 'We love Australia and we realise there's been a crippling drought crisis and the rural communities are doing it really, really hard right now so we want to do our bit.'

'We would like to donate $100,000 to the Farm Aid Telephon and we're asking anybody else out there that would like to do anything, this is how you can do it.'
She reportedly recently cast aside her toyboy Younes Bendjima.

And Kourtney Kardashian, 39, showed the 25-year-old Algerian model precisely what he was missing when she fired up her Instagram page this Sunday.

The firstborn child of reality TV matriarch Kris Jenner showed off her sculpted summer body in a lime green thong Sommer Swim bikini as she posed spread across a deck chair.

Kourtney Kardashian, 39, showed her ex-boyfriend Younes Bendjima precisely what he was missing when she fired up her Instagram page this Sunday

Kourtney had swept her hair into an updo, tying a colorful scarf around her head and accessorizing further with a bronze-tinted pair of sunglasses from Poppy Lissiman.

She posted the 'sweet sunday' photo for her 66.4 million Instagram followers the same night a new episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians aired.

On that evening's edition of the decade-old reality show, tension brewed between Scott Disick - Kourtney's ex and the father of her children - and Kris.

Kris and Scott had gone into business flipping houses together, and Kris was initially 'very pro-Scott' - but trouble arose when he took a work trip to Miami, per People.

Drama: On that evening's Keeping Up With The Kardashians, tension brewed between Scott Disick - Kourtney's ex and the father of her children - and her mother Kris Jenner

Scott expressed a desire to become 'a modern day Martha Stewart' - presumably to the delight of the still-kicking actual Martha Stewart - and yet, while he was in Miami, he missed a string of meetings that had been scheduled across a single day.

Kris' much younger boyfriend Corey Gamble, who had accompanied Scott to Florida, 'saw online that he had a wild night,' as he told Kris after the fact.

'Its really upsetting - for his reputation, for my reputation and for his future in general. He needs to step up. And I worry about if this is a pattern or not,' said Kris.

She then told Scott to his face that 'Sometimes these little setbacks can cost you dearly,' before laying on the positive reinforcement thick.

Arc: Kris and Scott had gone into business flipping houses together, and Kris was initially 'very pro-Scott' - but trouble arose when he took a work trip to Miami, per People

'Im just here to make you the best that you can be - the best dad, the best friend, the best son, everything. And youve got that in you all the time. You just have to realize how amazing you are,' was her line of argument.

Scott was defensive during a confessional, maintaining: 'As much as I understand that I need to be responsible, I dont know when I ever said that I cant go out. Im doing my best in life, but I still like to have fun when I can.'

He offered the somewhat blase explanation: 'I went out late, I slept in. I dont really feel like the world should be crashing down around me. When I asked Kris to be a business partner, I didnt ask for a high school principal.'
Josh Brolin enjoyed a day of surfing with his model wife Kathryn Boyd and friends in Malibu, California on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

The 50-year-old actor, who plays Thanos in the Marvel Universe, was clad in navy blue board-shorts as he toted a giant white surfboard with arctic blue strips on each side. His brown locks were styled as he readied for a bit of fun in the Pacific Ocean.

Boyd, a 30-year-old Atlanta native who's expecting her first child with the Oscar-nominated actor, wore a tawny brown two-piece bikini that showed off her baby bump, with an olive green mesh hat and a brown wrap with black stripes.

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Surf's up: Josh Brolin, 50, enjoyed a day of surfing with his model wife Kathryn Boyd, 30, and friends in Malibu, California on a sunny Sunday afternoon

The 5ft10 Santa Monica, California native and his beautiful wife looked to be making the most of summer's waning days in the well-heeled beach community, which is home to his father James Brolin and stepmother Barbra Streisand.

Boyd earlier this week took to Instagram Stories - she later made it private, though it was unclear why - to reveal she was 'recommitting to working out and staying active every day to keep strong both physically and mentally' as she approaches the last three months of her pregnancy.

'Took some time to make the rounds with my beloved family and dear friends in Atlanta for a couple weeks and honestly didn't focus on working out nearly as much as I should've,' she wrote.

She said she was 'finally getting back in the swing of it as we chart through this last trimester (whaaatttt),' adding, 'this was three days and I'm still recovering from the soreness that resulted.'

Weekend fun: The celeb couple chatted with friends on the beach outing

Balanced: Brolin showed off his agility as he hit the waves on the late summer day

Confident: Boyd, a model who hails from Georgia, recently said on social media that she was 'recommitting to working out and staying active every day to keep strong both physically and mentally' as she approaches the last three months of her pregnancy

Boyd wrote that she was 'grateful for this functioning and amazing body of [her's] and seeing all the miraculousness programmed in it to grow this baby' and 'so incredibly grateful for this experience and that [her] body can handle it.'

Josh was previously in marriages to actress Diane Lane from 2004 to 2013; and actress Alice Adair from 1988 until 1994, the latter of which produced two adult children - Trevor, 30, and daughter Eden, 25.

The Sicario: Day of the Soldado star and Boyd celebrate their two-year anniversary next month, as they exchanged vows in Cashiers, North Carolina in September of 2016.

Focused: Brolin was in the moment as he knelt on his board using the momentum of the wave

Deep blue sea: The veteran actor looked to be having a perfect day in the Pacific
She's stripped down to lingerie, bikinis, and even posed topless on social media before.

But now the 'world's hottest grandma' Gina Stewart has taken things to the next level by getting completely naked in her most X-rated Instagram post to date.

The 47-year-old leaves little to the imagination in the nude video, which appears to have been filmed on the balcony of her Surfers Paradise apartment.

What will the neighbours say? 'World's hottest grandma' Gina Stewart, 47, stripped down completely naked on the balcony of her apartment over the weekend

The blonde bombshell proudly displays her pert derriere in the clip, but was able to hide her double-E cup breast implants from view with a crisp white towel.

The mother-of-four captioned the jaw-dropping video: 'Dream Big, sparkle more, shine bright.'

After parading her age-defying physique on the balcony, the Gold Coast granny changed into a low-cut cocktail frock and posed for a string of saucy snaps.

Room with a view! The blonde bombshell proudly displays her pert derriere in the clip, but was able to hide her double-E cup breast implants from view with a crisp white towel

The Kiwi-born glamour model almost suffered a wardrobe malfunction in the skintight dress, which appeared to be too small to contain her Insta-famous assets.

The Pamela Anderson lookalike became an internet sensation after being crowned the 'world's hottest grandma' earlier this year.

Gina has amassed almost 100,000 followers on Instagram in the last few months, and even landed lucrative endorsement deals with DealerStrip and SexySelfies.

Heading out? After parading her age-defying physique on the balcony, the Gold Coast granny changed into a low-cut cocktail frock and posed for a string of saucy snaps

Careful! The Kiwi-born glamour model almost suffered a wardrobe malfunction in the skintight dress, which appeared to be too small to contain her Insta-famous assets

She's also become an in demand media figure, appearing everywhere from Channel Seven's Sunday Night to Poland's TVN.

The bombshell has also been in talks with Married At First Sight for a potential spot on the show's upcoming sixth season.

Despite having breast implants, the rest of Gina's beauty is all natural.

Rising star! The Pamela Anderson lookalike became an internet sensation after being crowned the 'world's hottest grandma' earlier this year

The busty model has previously stated that she believes in 'ageing gracefully' and has never had Botox or fillers.

She also leads a 'chemical-free lifestyle,' which includes never drinking from plastic bottles and only using natural underarm deodorant and eating organic foods.

As for her beauty regime, the stunner swears by coconut oil and rosehip oil.

Who will take her up the aisle? The mother-of-four has been in talks with Married At First Sight for a potential spot on the show's upcoming sixth season

'Macro Organics coconut oil is my hair product, my product that I cook with and my moisturiser - $5, all organic, no chemicals,' she said.

Gina - who has two sons and two daughters, aged 27, 25, 23 and four - became a grandmother at the age of 46.

She shot to fame in April after she participated in the Miss Maxim modelling contest and her photos went viral.
It appears the pressure of The Block is proving too much for Sara Vale.

Only two weeks into the new season, the reality villain, 31 has already has suffered a string of tearful outbursts.

And after Sunday night's savage critique of her guest bedroom, the mum-of-one has yet another emotional breakdown on Monday's episode, accusing of the judges of 'personally attacking her' before dolling out some very personal insults of her own.

Upset! After a brutal critique, The Block villain, 31 suffers another tearful outburst as she accuses the judges of 'personally attacking her'

After Shaynna Blaze branded Sara's room, 'boring,' 'soulless' and a 'standard display home,' Sara deduced the criticism as 'personal.'

'Why are the judges picking on me,' she cried in a piece to camera alongside husband Hayden.

'This is f**ked!' ' she also fumes while ranting to fellow contestant Courtney during Monday night's episode.

Sara made remarks against Neale Whitaker's (pictured): 'We put our heart and soul into that room and for him to be completely negative about everything, 'I don't go to him and say, c'mon mate, grow your hair!' she said

'I feel like it's a personal attack on me, why are the judges picking on me? They slaughtered me!' the Bondi mum added.

Later in the episode, Sara went so far as to make a series of below the belt remarks against Neale Whitaker's appearance after he branded their decor 'from the 1980's'.

'For Neale to say ours looks like it's from the 1980's, c'mon mate, so are your clothes,' she said to camera, with a voice over saying they hoped the judge wasn't watching.

Meltdown: In a preview for an episode next week, the pressure reaches boiling point as the former flight attendant is seen storming off the show, insisting that she is not returning

'We put our heart and soul into that room and for him to be completely negative about everything, "I don't go to him and say, c'mon mate, grow your hair!"' the brunette snapped.

In a preview for an episode airing next week, the pressure reaches boiling point as Sara is seen storming off the show, insisting that she is not returning.

The voiceover then reveals that Sara leaves the show and is spotted storming through the carpark to her car.

'I'm going mate, I'm f***ing over it. I'm not coming back. This was the biggest mistake of my life,' she is heard crying as Sara leaves the show

'I'm going mate, I'm f***ing over it. I'm not coming back. This was the biggest mistake of my life,' she is heard crying.

It comes after she hit back at sensational claims their marriage was in trouble on last week and that her husband Hayden had threatened to divorce her.

Sara rubbished the claim to Daily Mail Australia.

'Spoiler alert  we're still together and we are still madly in love,' she said. 'In fact, we are trying for another baby.'
She was accused of sleeping with another contestant's ex-boyfriend on The Bachelor last week.

And Sophie Tieman, 25, has spoken out about the drama to set the record straight.

The blonde bombshell told NW magazine on Monday that while she did date Cat Henesy's former flame, it was nothing serious.

'We were never a couple!' The Bachelor's Sophie Tieman reveals the truth about her dates with fellow contestant Cat Henesy's ex-boyfriend after their clash on the show

'He and I were never a couple,' she said.

'We went on a couple of dates a month or two before the show and it never eventuated into anything - that's all there really is to it.

She added: 'He's a nice guy but at the end of the day I was on The Bachelor because I hadn't met Mr. Right.'

Drama: On Thursday's episode of The Bachelor, fashion designer, Cat (left) was left fuming upon seeing fellow contestant Sophie (right), who dated her ex-boyfriend

It is unclear who the man in question is, however NW reports that both Sophie and Cat, 24, have been pictured with Brisbane hunk Tim Crooks on Instagram in the past.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Tim for comment.

On Thursday's episode of The Bachelor, fashion designer, Cat was left fuming upon seeing fellow contestant Sophie.

Rumour mill: It is unclear who the man in question is, however both Sophie (centre) and Cat, 24, have been pictured with Brisbane hunk Tim Crooks (left) on Instagram in the past. The pair are pictured with a friend in Brisbane in September 2017

'Amazing weekend away!' Cat was pictured with the same guy in Melbourne in May 2016

'I'm p***ed off that she's here!' she vented.

'Cocktail party has kicked off. I'm just starting to relax into the evening and I look over and I see this chick called Sophie.'

She continued: 'I thought I'd come in here and meet a whole bunch of random chicks, not Betty Old-Mate. I'm p***ed off that she's here. Yeah, I'll be bringing it up first chance I get.'

Cat then informed another of the contestants about her past with Sophie.

Shocking past: Cat Henesy, 24, confronted Sophie Tieman, 25, over the shocking claims in front of other contestants during the first cocktail party

'She's been seeing my ex-boyfriend. Been seeing him, like, very recently,' Cat said.

'My last serious boyfriend, yeah, and her, have been seeing each other.'

'He came over to Bali a few weeks ago and he told me. Yep. I hope Sophie's here for the right reasons, but it does make me question it.'

The Bali based brunette then confronted Sophie about the sensitive subject in front of all the other girls.

'We hung out a few times and that was it. We weren't dating,' Sophie said while defending herself.

'We, like, caught up a couple of times. But that was a long time ago. Like, a really long time ago. I don't even know why that's mentioned.'

In a piece to camera, Sophie then slammed Cat for bringing it up so publicly.

'The intentions weren't nice. We had the whole room looking at me,' she said.

'And I had to stand there and defend myself for having a few dates with a guy?'

'He wasn't seeing anyone else, I wasn't seeing anyone else. No-one's doing anything wrong. But I'm getting questioned for it.'

'I was gobsmacked. I don't know why Cat's bringing this up. It's the first night.'

Not impressed: After Sophie played down her accusations, Cat said, 'I know that she's lying, but I don't really care that much. I think Nick will think she's a basic b****'

Brittany then jumped to Sophie's defense over the shocking exchange.

The brunette questioned Cat's motives, saying: '[She] could have spoken about it privately. I do not condone humiliation. I think there's nothing lower.'

'And I think people just need to have a bit more respect for everybody.'

Concluding the drama, Cat said: 'I know that she's lying, but I don't really care that much. I think Nick will think she's a basic b****.'
A spokesperson for the Chinese military said it resolutely opposes a report by the U.S. Department of Defense on China's military and security developments, claiming the report misinterpreted China's strategic intention and hyped up the so-called "China military threat."

Spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense Wu Qian. [Photo: IC]

The U.S. Department of Defense's 2018 report to Congress also distorted relations and situation across the Taiwan Strait, said Wu Qian, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, Friday.

"We have lodged solemn representations to the U.S. side over the report," said Wu.

China, as a facilitator of world peace, a contributor to global development and a maintainer of international order, has firmly taken the path of peaceful development and steadfastly pursued a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, he said.

In recent years, Chinese soldiers and officers have carried out more and more missions involving peacekeeping and disaster relief in foreign lands, and borne more international responsibilities and provided more public security goods. "The contribution and endeavor by China have won universal praise from the international community," said Wu.

China's efforts to strengthen modernization of its military aims at safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as for safeguarding world peace, stability and prosperity.

China's military reform, weapons and equipment development and its defense capability building in cyberspace are justifiable and reasonable, said Wu, noting that U.S. accusations in the report are pure conjecture.

"It is an iron-clad fact that Taiwan is a part of China," Wu stressed. "We urge the U.S. side to adhere to the one-China policy and the principle of the three joint communiques, and to discreetly deal with Taiwan-related issues."

The Chinese military will as always stand firm in safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Wu said.

China's stance on maritime issues is consistent and clear-cut, and China is committed to resolving disputes peacefully through direct negotiations with related parties.

China's peaceful construction activities on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, which are legitimate rights of a sovereign state, aim at safeguarding national territory and meeting demand of the people, so as to better fulfill its international responsibilities and obligations, the spokesperson said.

The U.S. side, which has frequently sent warplanes and vessels to the South China Sea in the name of "freedom of navigation," and caused tensions, is a real threat to the regional peace and stability, said the spokesperson.

"The release of such reports by the U.S. side year after year has harmed mutual trust and is not in line with the common interests between China and the United States," said Wu. "We ask the United States to abandon its Cold War mindset, adopt an objective and rational attitude towards China's defense and military developments, stop issuing such irresponsible reports, and make concrete efforts to maintain the stable development of relations between the two militaries."
He's the Jack**s star who's had a rough year following a DUI case.

And now Bam Margera has revealed he was robbed when he landed in Cartagena, Colombia on Sunday evening.

Taking to his Instagram account, the 38-year-old told his 1.6 million followers that he was left serving up $500 to escape after the robbers pulled out a gun.

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Robbed: Bam Margera reveals he was robbed at gunpoint in Colombia

'I just arrived in Cartagena alone,' he began the video.

'I took a taxi, a random one from the airport to here and I couldn't speak Spanish, they couldn't speak English and they translated on their phone for me to read "Empty your wallet" as they put a gun on their lap to show it to me.'

The actor continued to reveal that he was let go after giving them his cash.

Retelling the story: 'I took a taxi, a random one from the airport to here and I couldn't speak Spanish, they couldn't speak English and they translated on their phone for me to read "Empty your wallet" as they put a gun on their lap to show it to me'

'So I did and I with 500 bucks, they let me go. That was weird. Welcome to Colombia.'

Bam, who appeared to be standing outside, captioned the video: 'Robbed'.

The professional skateboarder progressed to share another video of himself opening a bottle of beer - after being sober for the past eight months.

Reaching for a drink: The professional skateboarder progressed to share another video of himself opening a bottle of beer - after being sober for the past eight months

Hidden talent: 'Sober since January 10th, this is how you open a beer being alone, bored and robbed,' he captioned

'Sober since January 10th, this is how you open a beer being alone, bored and robbed,' he captioned.

'Anyone in Cartagena I will be sitting at the center square at high noon tomorrow with my skateboard if u wanna cruise.'

Bam showcased his talents by opening the bottle with merely his fingers.

Party trick: Bam showcased his talents by opening the bottle with merely his fingers

The MTV alum's ordeal comes after he was charged with a DUI early this year.

The star plead no guilty to the charges and was instead slapped with three years probation, fines and fees.

He was also made to attend AA meetings and go through a 'live in' program.

Not guilty: The star plead no guilty to the charges and was instead slapped with three years probation, fines and fees

Bam was pulled over by the CHP in Los Angeles on January 7 for being on his phone while driving.

Cops detected a strong scent of alcohol on the Jack**s star, who in turn failed his breathalyzer test.

The Pennsylvania-born athlete was eventually charged with two counts of DUI.

Bam, born Brandon, checked himself into rehab in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles shortly after his arrest.

His legal woes came weeks after he and his second wife Nicole Boyd welcomed their first child - son Phoenix Wolf - on December 23, 2017.

He and Nicole tied the knot in Reykjavik, Iceland, on October 5, 2013.
Married At First Sight stars, Dean Wells and Ryan Gallagher, 30, jetted into Bali over the weekend to indulge in a boys trip in the Indonesian paradise.

However it appears the small screen stars' may be enjoying a trip on the house after the pair have been spotted lapping up a luxury private pool villa, scooter rides and boozy beach lounge sessions.

The jilted grooms tagged a number of businesses in the captions of their Instagram photos and videos over the past 48 hours.

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Did the MAFS boys bag a free trip to Bali? Married At First Sight's Dean Wells (right) and Ryan Gallagher (left) lap up luxury private pool villa, scooter rides and boozy beach lounge sessions on Indonesian island

However the 40-year-old Manly-based star immediately shut down rumours the stars are holidaying for free in Bali.

'No we paid our way and know a few people over here (Bali),' Dean told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

As soon as the boys touched down in the Indonesian paradise they were spotted lapping up their new holiday home, a luxury private pool villa in the heart of picturesque Seminyak.

Dean posted a series of short clips of the shirtless hunk's relishing in the facilities of the idyllic abode and tagged the hotel, 'Villa Seriska Bali' on each clip.

Shout outs: The jilted grooms tagged a number of businesses in the captions of their Instagram photos and videos over the past 48 hours

'Smuggling a baby budgy': Ryan (pictured) took to Instagram to offer fans a closer look at his 'Budgy Smuggler' swimwear and tagged the business in the caption

Furthermore Dean tagged popular swimwear brand, Budgy Smuggler on a few of the clips.

The tradesman donned a pair of brightly-hued speedos from the iconic Aussie brand in the clip.

Elsewhere, Ryan took to Instagram on Sunday to offer fans a closer look at his 'Budgy Smuggler' swimwear and tagged the business in the caption.

Shortly after the official Instagram account of 'Villa Seriska Bali' shared one of Dean's clips.

On Later the reality TV mates were captured riding through the streets of Seminyak on scooters.

Dean posted a clip of the boys enjoying a joyride on the supposedly hired motorcycles and tagged online travel website, 'The Bali Bible.'

'Livin tha dream': Later, the boys enjoyed a sunset swim at a popular beach Lounge in Canggu called the The Lawn

He also tagged the boys luxe holiday abode, 'Villa Seriska Bali' once again in the caption.

Later, the boys enjoyed a sunset swim at a popular beach Lounge in Canggu called The Lawn.

Dean tagged the idyllic venue and gushed in the caption: 'Livin tha dream.'

Later, Dean was seen pouring liquor into the mouth of his former co-star as they partied up a storm at a Balinese venue.

The holiday comes after a 'leaked' email supposedly revealed Dean's attempts at dining for free at a Melbourne restaurant.

Oh dear! Dean Wells' career as an Instagram influencer may have reached a new low after a 'leaked' email supposedly revealed his attempts at dining for free at a Melbourne restaurant

An embarrassing email, which appears to have been sent by a representative on behalf of Dean to an unnamed restaurant, was published on Instagram by The Australian's restaurant critic John Lethlean last week.

'I hope this finds you well. I just wanted to touch base regarding our client, Married At First Sight star Dean Wells, who is looking to wine and dine in the city of Melbourne on the 18th of August,' read the email.

'I thought this could be a good opportunity for them to attend your restaurant, as Dean has over 80K followers across his Instagram. In return for looking after the two on this special occasion, we can offer Social Media posts and mentions.

Leaked! An email, which appears to have been sent by a representative on behalf of the MAFS star, was published on Instagram by The Australian's restaurant critic John Lethlean last week

'Please let me know if this is of interest.'

Mr Lethlean captioned his post, 'Grasping At First Sight, a new reality series. Please consider #CouscousForComment.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dean Wells' representatives at Stage Addiction for comment and clarification.
It's been just two months since Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich's fairy tale wedding in Italy, but The Bachelor lovebirds are already living apart.

In an interview with NW magazine this week, Anna confessed she and Tim are currently living in separate states.

Tim, 35, is currently based in Melbourne, where he's just started filming on Neighbours, while Anna, 31, is in Sydney, where she'll star on the new series, Trial By Kyle.

Separate states: It's been just two months since Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich's fairy tale wedding, but The Bachelor lovebirds are already living apart

But despite the distance, the pair are determined to make things work, with Anna saying Tim flies back to Sydney to be with her on the weekends.

'It's extremely hard, but we're both extremely busy with our own projects,' she told NW.

'Obviously we just got married, so that doesn't make things easy, but at the same time I speak to him all day every day.'

Career move: Tim is currently based in Melbourne, where he's just started filming on Neighbours, while Anna is in Sydney, where she'll star on the new series, Trial By Kyle

Fly-in visits: Despite the distance, the pair are determined to make things work, with Anna saying Tim flies back to Sydney to be with her on the weekends

Although it's been hard for the couple, Anna admitted she hasn't really felt the distance yet because they're 'both so busy'.

But she added the separation has only made their relationship stronger.

'I fall more in love with Tim every day, and being apart from him makes me appreciate him more for sure!' she told the publication.

Keeping busy: 'It's extremely hard, but we're both extremely busy with our own projects,' Anna told NW of their long distance relationship

Tim and Anna first met on the 2013 season of The Bachelor Australia, and they've been together ever since.

The pair tied the knot in a lavish Italian wedding back in June.

'Shes my kinda perfection,' Tim captioned a series of photos from their wedding day on Instagram.
It's no secret that fame has in no way broken her friendship with childhood friend Sonita Alexander.

And flying into Barbados for her wedding over the weekend, Rihanna was every-bit the perfect best friend and bridesmaid.

Stunning in a royal blue number, the 30-year-old couldn't contain her excitement when the happy couple rode off in their vintage vehicle.

Best friend goals! Rihanna flaunted her ample cleavage while playing the ultimate bridesmaid for best friend Sonita Alexander in Barbados over the weekend

Rihanna flaunted her enviable hourglass physique in the form-fitting ensemble.

The low v-neck ensured attention was drawn to her ample cleavage.

She had her brunette locks styled back into a slicked straight pony-tail for the celebrations.

Gorgeous: The low v-neck ensured attention was drawn to her ample cleavage

Slicked: She had her brunette locks styled back into a slicked straight pony-tail for the celebrations

The Fenty Beauty mogul didn't disappoint in the glam department, accentuating her hazel eyes with a simple look and pink lip.

While the Love On The Brain hitmaker has earned her acclaim as a powerhouse performer, her makeup line reportedly earned 'a staggering $100 million in sales within 40 days' of release in September 2017, according to Vogue.

In addition to more than half-a-dozen fragrances baring her name, Rihanna recently launched her own lingerie line, Savage x Fenty, with affordable pieces available in a wide range of sizes.

Stunner: The Fenty Beauty mogul didn't disappoint in the glam department, accentuating her hazel eyes with a simple look and pink lip

Special day! The Ocean's 8 star also shared a selfie with the bride on her special day before marrying her fiance Raymond Walker

Girl gang! And Rihanna wasn't the only bridesmaid, joining six other females to help marry her longtime friend

And Rihanna wasn't the only bridesmaid, joining six other females to help marry her longtime friend.

The Ocean's 8 star also shared a selfie with the bride on her special day before marrying her fiance Raymond Walker.

The photo saw the girls stun in their silky robes.

Sunday saw Rihanna head back to the Barbados Airport ahead of the MTV VMA Awards on Monday in which she's nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Editing for LEMON.
She's known for her figure-flaunting displays on wild nights out.

And Jess Impiazzi, 28, was back to her skin-flashing displays as she soaked up the soak in a skimpy two-piece bikini during a beach day in Ibiza on Sunday.

The reality star, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year, showcased her incredibly gym-honed figure in a multi-coloured crochet bikini as she indulged in a spot of sunbathing.

Work it: Jess Impiazzi, 28, was back to her skin-flashing displays as she soaked up the soak in a skimpy two-piece bikini during a beach day in Ibiza on Sunday

Jess' choice of bikini top accentuated her ample cleavage as she enjoyed a cooling dip in the crystal clear sea.

While her choice of bikini bottoms hugged her slender hips and drew attention to her enviably toned abs.

The beauty's tiny matching bottoms helped elongate her slender pins and accentuated her perky posterior with aplomb.

Cheeky: The reality star, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year, showcased her incredibly gym-honed figure in a multi-coloured crochet bikini

Tatt's nice: She showcased her intricate leg tattoo on thigh in the daring swimwear

Shore thing: Jess' choice of bikini top accentuated her ample cleavage as she enjoyed a cooling dip in the crystal clear sea

Keeping to her glamorous ways, she worked her brunette tresses into a natural curl and sported a dramatic beauty look as she luxuriated on the beach.

Making the most of the weather, Jess enjoyed a cooling dip in the crystal clear sea before lounging across her sun bed.

The beauty was taking some time to herself, having bagged a horror feature flick The Seven Film following her reality television stints.

Aside from her stellar television career, Jess recently discussed her difficult childhood and how being accepted into famed Italia Conti stage school combated it.

Bikini babe: While her choice of bikini bottoms hugged her slender hips and drew attention to her enviably toned abs

Fix up: She sported a soft berry lip as she sunned herself

Perky: The beauty's tiny matching bottoms helped elongate her slender pins and accentuated her perky posterior with aplomb

Relaxed: Keeping to her glamorous ways, she worked her brunette tresses into a natural curl and sported a dramatic beauty look as she luxuriated on the beach

Jess recalled on Loose Women: 'The thing that got me out of that sadness was Italia Conti stage school. I auditioned and got in.

'Then I had a scholarship for college and it was the day I got the letter in 2006 that my nephew died of meningitis and septicemia. It took away the brilliance of that day. I got hit with depression. The head teacher let me go away for a couple of months.

Jess went onto reveal that she eventually dropped out of the prestigious stage school to care for her mum Debbie.

Debbie had lost her sight after suffering Uveal effusion syndrome, a rare condition that causes fluid to build at the back of the eyes.

Rest: Making the most of the weather, Jess enjoyed a cooling dip in the crystal clear sea before lounging across her sun bed
Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins isn't Brooke Blurton's first encounter with a man from the mega successful Bachelor franchise.

In a sensational twist of events, it has been revealed the 23-year-old Bachelor contestant used to date Blake Colman, who was a contestant on 2017's season of The Bachelorette.

Speaking to Woman's Day on Monday, Brooke spoke about her short-lived romance with the reality 'bad boy'.

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Second time lucky? It has been revealed that The Bachelor's Brooke Blurton (pictured) used to date Bachelor In Paradise 'villain' Blake Colman

'We used to see each other but it didn't really work out,' Brooke told the publication.

'I don't like to judge, but I got an eerie feeling from him.'

Blake, 29, has certainly lived up to his reputation as a 'villain' from the series.

He was recently suspended from his job as a surf instructor for swearing at a child.

Short-lived romance: 'We used to see each other but it didn't really work out,' Brooke said in reference to her dating Blake Colman (pictured)

And earlier this month, the Bachelor In Paradise star appeared to show little respect for authority as he mocked the police on his Instagram Stories.

The reality star shared a video he had made, which featured several police officers, in which he could be heard singing the 'Bad Boys' theme song.

'Bad boys, bad boys. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?' Blake sang in the clip.

'Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?' The Bachelor in Paradise star recently mocked police in a video ... after being suspended from his job as a surf instructor for swearing at a child

The footage was posted to his Instagram account the same day Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed that Blake had been involved in a work incident that resulted in his suspension.

On Sunday 29 July, the former Bachelorette star allegedly swore at the child during an indoor lesson at the Aloha Surfhouse in Joondalup, Perth, leaving the boy and his family distraught.

Adam Blackman, the manager of Aloha Surfhouse, confirmed the incident to Daily Mail Australia, saying: 'Blake has been reprimanded and he will be punished going forward and have a suspension.'

Making light of the law? Blake could be heard singing the Bad Boys theme tune while zooming in on several police officers in a video (above) shared to Instagram on on Tuesday

Prior to getting into the water, Adam stated that all guests were instructed not to grab hold of their instructor, as it puts both people in danger.

After the boy allegedly grabbed hold of Blake for a fourth time, he responded: 'Don't f**ing touch me.'

Speaking of the incident, the boy's mother told Daily Mail Australia: 'My son was very upset and Blake said it loud enough that my daughter also heard.'

Reprimanded: Blake was suspended from his job as a surf instructor after an incident on Sunday July 29 when the former Bachelorette star allegedly swore at a child during an indoor lesson at the Aloha Surfhouse in Joondalup, Perth

'[Blake] was out of control,' she continued.

'My son was very withdrawn from the party afterwards and did not want any of the food. He was completely in shock and didn't want to attend school either.'

Once the session had finished, Blake apologised to the child and his mother, but further angered her by placing a hand on the boy's shoulder after crouching down to address him directly.

'My son was very upset': The boy's mother told Daily Mail Australia her son was very distraught after being sworn at by Blake

The incident is not the first time Blake, who vied for 38-year-old Sophie Monk's heart in season three of The Bachelorette, has hit headlines for the wrong reasons.

Last year, he was convicted of a sickening assault that took place in Perth in August 2015 and left his victim, Tristan Cooper, 'unconscious, paralysed and bleeding from the head'.

Speaking to PerthNow in October 2017, Tristan explained he thought he'd never walk again after Blake attacked him after a night out.

Controversial: Blake (pictured with Laurina Fleure on Bachelor In Paradise) has hit the headlines several times in the past for the wrong reasons

'He just came running up and with all his body weight sort of grabbed me in the back of the head,' Tristan, 31, told the publication.

After the attack, an ambulance rushed Tristan to the hospital where he received four staples in his head.

Tristan said of the assault: 'I was lying there looking up at this group of people staring down at me and I was thinking, "Well, this is it".'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Blake Colman for comment.
She recently jetted to Morocco for her mother's blowout 60th birthday celebrations.

But Lourdes Leon was back in her beloved New York City over the weekend as the 21-year-old was pictured enjoying a shopping trip ahead of her imminent college return.

The stylish star sported a funky outfit as she perused the rails at vintage clothing store Dana Foley, before heading outside to take a call.

Out and about: Lourdes Leon was back in her beloved New York City over the weekend as the 21-year-old was pictured enjoying a shopping trip ahead of her imminent college return

Lourdes flashed a hint of her toned midriff in a tropical print shirt, which she styled to flatter her slender figure by rolling it up to create a crop top.

She paired the quirky piece with denim hotpants, while a mustard statement belt that was emblazoned with Dolce and Gabbana's distinguished initials, injected some opulence into her outfit.

The trendy youngster finished her look with off-white trainers and white socks worn above the ankle.

Fashionista: The stylish star sported a funky outfit as she perused the rails at vintage clothing store Dana Foley, before heading outside to take a call

Letting her natural beauty shine through, Lourdes kept her skin free of make-up and left her raven, copper toned tresses to fall in natural waves around her face.

Lourdes' casual jaunt in the city came just a short while ahead of her return to the University of Michigan, with the beauty coupling her education with her successful modelling career.

Madonna welcomed Lourdes after a three-year relationship with Carlos Leon, 52, whom she split with in 1997.

Time to celebrate: Lourdes recently jetted to Morocco for her mother's blowout 60th birthday celebrations in Marrakesh

Blowout bash: The Papa Don't Preach songstress recently went the extra mile for her loved ones, putting them up in the luxury hotel Riad el Fenn

The Like A Prayer hitmaker went on to have son Rocco, 17, with husband Guy Ritchie, with the couple later going on to adopt their Malawian son David in 2006.

After their split in 2008, the Queen of Pop went on to adopt Mercy James in 2009, and twins Esther and Stella Mwale in 2017.

The Papa Don't Preach songstress recently went the extra mile for her loved ones, putting them up in the luxury hotel Riad el Fenn in Marrakesh, which is owned by Richard Branson's sister Vanessa, during her lavish 60th birthday celebrations in Morocco.

According to The Sun, Madonna splashed out thousands to decorate the palace for her big day.
She was the picture of glamour as she attended the premiere for The Last Sharknado: It's About Time on Sunday evening.

And Tara Reid rang in the celebrations for the release of her latest film as she attended the film's afterparty with a male companion at West Hollywood hotspot Delilah hours later.

The 42-year-old actress ensured all eyes were on her as she went braless while flaunting plenty of sideboob in her bedazzled gown, which featured semi-sheer details and silver sequins throughout.

Working it: Tara Reid celebrated the release of her film The Last Sharknado: It's About Time at the film's afterparty with a male companion at West Hollywood hotspot Delilah on Sunday

The American Pie star exuded glamour in her custom ensemble by Shanna Gall, embellished with a sizzling thigh-high split and a sparkling train.

Taking her stunning appearance up a notch, the blonde beauty added to her height in a pair of silver studded stilettos, and accessorised with diamond tear-drop dangle earrings.

Tara swept her blonde locks into a sleek ponytail, which revealed her smoldering smoky-eye make-up look, tied in with light pink lip gloss.

The Big Lebowski actress looked every inch the superstar as she locked arms with her mystery male companion, who donned a black blazer, crisp shirt and dark-wash jeans.

Dare to be bold: The actress, 42, ensured all eyes were on her as she went braless while flaunting plenty of sideboob in her bedazzled gown

Commanding attention: The American Pie star exuded glamour in her custom ensemble by Shanna Gall, embellished with a sizzling thigh-high split and a sparkling train

In good company: The Big Lebowski actress looked every inch the superstar as she held hands with her mystery male companion, who donned a black blazer, crisp shirt and dark-wash jeans

All in the details: Taking her stunning appearance up a notch, the blonde added to her height in a pair of silver studded stilettos, and accessorised with diamond tear-drop dangle earrings

Greetings: Tara appeared in high spirits as she hugged a pal during her night out

Just hours earlier, Tara, who recently cut her press tour short due to back issues, appeared to be in good health as she walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of her new movie.

At the event, the star posed for several photos with co-star Cassie Scerbo, who stunned in a perilously plunging black dress, completed with a daring thigh slit.

The 28-year-old beamed with delight as she accentuated her frame in a pair of peep-toe strappy heels.

Leading lady: Just hours earlier, Tara, who recently cut her press tour short due to back issues, appeared to be in good health as she attended the Los Angeles premiere of her new movie

Actor Ian Ziering, the film's male lead, put on a suave display as he attended the premiere in a dapper blue suit.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 star, 54, was accompanied by his wife Erin Kristine Ludwig and their two childrenMia, seven, and Penna, five.

The Last Sharknado: It's About Time is the sixth and final installment of the franchise.

Stealing the show: At the event, the star posed for several photos with co-star Cassie Scerbo, who stunned in a perilously plunging black dress, completed with a daring thigh slit

Pucker up: The co-stars worked the camera as they blew kisses at the photographers

Strike a pose: The 28-year-old beamed with delight as she accentuated her frame in a pair of peep-toe strappy heels

Family affair: Ian Ziering, the film's male lead, put on a suave display in a blue suit. He was accompanied by his wife Erin Kristine Ludwig and their two childrenMia and Penna

The movie charts the story of Fin, played by actor Ian, as he goes back in time to defeat the first Sharknado and save the world. In an interview with KTLA 5, Tara reflected on her five-year Sharknado journey.

'The fans have been so amazing, but all good things must come to an end,' Reid said, adding that she originally had no intention of participating in the franchise.

'To be honest, when I read [the script] I thought it was the worst movie I'd ever read. I was like this is so dumb it's not even funny.'

Standing out: Spanish-American actress Charo showcased her quirky style sense in a fruit print skater dress

Tara's display comes after she revealed she was forced to cut her press tour short due to health issues.

Taking to Twitter on Friday, she wrote: 'Due to some back issues I am having, I had to cut my press tour short.'

'I wish I couldve been there especially for my favorite show, @BUILDseriesNYC. Thank you for ur understanding & I am hoping to recover from this pain soon (sic)', she said.
She first came to public prominence at the end of last year, when it was reported that she'd embarked on a brief romance with Mick Jagger.

But Noor Alfallah, 22, apparently didn't have the 75-year-old rocker on her mind on Saturday, when she was spotted attending a wedding reception with Eli Roth, 46, with sources to MailOnline that it was their second outing in as many days.

The pair's sighting at Nobu Malibu in California together comes just weeks after Hostel director Eli announced that he and his wife Lorenza Izzo, 28, had made the decision to end their almost four-year marriage so they 'don't f***ing kill each other'.

Stepping out: Mick Jagger's former girlfriend Noor Alfallah and Hollywood filmmaker Eli Roth were spotted attending a wedding reception at Nobu Malibu in California on Saturday

Film producer Noor stepped out in style for the wedding celebration, wearing an all-white ensemble that included a jacket and skintight trousers.

With her raven tresses falling beyond her shoulders, she highlighted her natural beauty with a rich palette of makeup while keeping her accessories minimal.

An upbeat Eli looked casually cool in a striped sky blue shirt, which he teamed with blue jeans, for his celebratory night on the town.

Repeat performance: Sources told MailOnline that the outing was their second in as many days

The ex factor: Their wedding excursion comes weeks after Eli announced the end of his almost four-year marriage to Chilean actress Lorenza Izzo. Pictured together in October 2015

Last month, he announced his separation from Chilean actress Lorenza, who he worked with when he directed her in the 2014 horror movie The Green Inferno.

In a post statement shared on Instagram, the star said: 'It is with deep love and respect that we are choosing to separate as a couple. We've had an incredible journey together, we love each other very much, and will remain the best of friends.

'We are grateful for the six wonderful years together but have decided to go our separate ways to have the most fulfilled, joyous lives we can.

'We wish to continue working together creatively and are ultimately separating so we don't f***ing kill each other.'

Setting the record straight: The duo released a statement in July about their split; it was shared with a picture of them while they filmed the movie The Green Inferno

Meanwhile, California-based Noor caused quite the stir back in April, when she took to Instagram to share a shot of Rolling Stones legend Mick hugging her tightly from behind as they posed alongside Ronnie Wood and his wife Sally Humphreys.

Captioning the shot, she wrote: 'Same time last year! Miss you guys!'  just a few hours before his girlfriend Melanie Hamrick, 32, uploaded a black-and-white image of Mick taking a sunset beach stroll with their 20-month-old son Deveraux.

Melanie, who is based in New York City, wrote beside the shot, also shared on Instagram: 'Father + Son. My loves.'

Cosy: In April, Noor shared a throwback shot of herself cosying up to former fling Mick Jagger as they posed with Ronnie Wood and his wife Sally Humphreys

Going for a stroll: Just a few hours later, his girlfriend Melanie Hamrick took to Instagram to share a shot of Mick taking a sunset beach stroll with their 20-month-old son Deveraux

At the time, it was believed that Mick and Melanie had been spending time downtime together before his band's No Filter tour kicked off in the UK in May.

The Sun reported in October that Mick and Noor spent several nights together in Paris, but that the brief romance is 'very much over' and they no longer talk.

Mick welcomed his eighth child, son Deveraux Octavian Basil Jagger on December 8, 2016, with ballerina Melanie.

Ladies: Mick was romantically linked to Noor, left, back in October, while he is currently in a long-term relationship with ballerina Melanie Hamrick, right
Tammy Hembrow is infamously known as the woman who was carried out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party face down on a stretcher earlier this month.

But the social media superstar is reaping the rewards of her fame, which includes 8.6 million Instagram followers, and has no qualms flashing the luxury goods that are a perk of her lauded position.

There's her high-end car for a start - the 24-year-old was seen exiting her $340,000 Mercedes Benz AMG GT-C on the Gold Coast on Monday.

Instagram model Tammy Hembrow flaunts her wealth: The 24-year-old was seen exiting her $340,000 Mercedes Benz AMG GT-C on the Gold Coast on Monday

The mother-of-two wore an extravagant tracksuit from her own Saski Collection range, worth $200.

She carried a Gucci handbag which can retail up to around $8,000 and a Louis Vuitton phone case retailing for $2,000.

Tammy was also seen unloading boxes and bags from her passenger seat, some which were purchased from expensive online store, I.AM.GIA.

It's not the first time this Australian babe has flaunted her cash.

Spending up big: She carried a Gucci handbag which can retail up to around $8,000 and a Louis Vuitton phone case retailing for $2,000 as well as a number of boxes of goods

Two weeks ago, the blonde posed sitting on the steps outside of Swiss luxury watch boutique, Breguet, with a large carry bag.

Watches from the brand sell online for as much as $100,000, with some priced upwards of $300,000.

The busty fitness blogger doesn't just dress herself in expensive clothing but extends the luxury to her family, too.

Hot wheels: Tammy has posed beside her luxury Mercedes convertible on social media

Matching: Tammy and daughter Saskia, two, posed in matching Burberry outfits. Tammy's Burberry designed pants are valued at $770 and her daughter's dress retails for a whopping $400. She also has a matching Burberry backpack worth around $2,250

Expensive taste: In another pic uploaded to Instagram the entrepreneurial blonde sits beside her Louis Vuitton bag, which retails for $2,620

In a snap shared with her Instagram fans, Tammy posed with her daughter Saskia, two, in what appear to be matching Burberry outfits.

Her Burberry designed pants are valued at $770 and her daughter's dress retails for a whopping $400.

She also has a matching Burberry backpack that's sitting on her table behind them which is worth around $2,250.

Carrying on: Yet another bag in her collection is a black, leather quilted Chanel shoulder bag, which can retail over $6000 online

Nice watch: The fitness blogger posed sitting on the steps outside of Swiss luxury watch boutique, Breguet, with a large carry bag. Watches from the brand sell online for as much as $100,000, with some priced upwards of $300,000

In another pic uploaded to Instagram the entrepreneurial blonde sits beside her Louis Vuitton bag, which retails for $2,620.

Yet another bag in her collection is a black, leather quilted Chanel shoulder bag, which can retail over $6000 online.

It's not just luxury goods the beauty is amassing, as she this week took a lavish trip to Bali, Indonesia with her three model sisters for a tropical getaway.

Vacation: It's not just luxury goods the beauty is amassing, as she this week took a lavish trip to Bali, Indonesia with her three model sisters for a tropical getaway

During their overseas trip, Tammy and her glamorous siblings - Amy, 28, Emilee, 26 and Starlette, 18 - couldn't resist sharing envy-inducing snaps to social media.

It appears the Hembrow family, who have a combined Instagram following of more than 10 million, are enjoying the celebrity spotlight after Tammy's brush with fame.

Living up to their reputation as Australia's wannabe Kardashians, the four genetically-blessed sisters posed in bikinis for a sizzling photo on the deck of their luxury villa.
China has voiced strong opposition to a report by the US Defense Department on China's military and security developments, saying it misinterprets China's strategic intentions and hypes a so-called Chinese military threat.

The report, released on Thursday, distorts the relations and situation across the Taiwan Straits, said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, in a statement on Friday.

"The release of such reports year after year has harmed the mutual trust, and we ask the United States to abandon the Cold War mindset and adopt an objective and rational attitude toward China's defense and military developments," he said.

China has firmly taken the path of peaceful development and remained a contributor to world peace and international order, Wu said, and its military has borne considerable international peacekeeping and disaster relief responsibilities, earning "universal praise from the international community".

He said China's military modernization is aimed at safeguarding its sovereignty and security, as well as world peace and stability, and the military reform, weapons development and cyberspace defense are justifiable and reasonable.

Wu urged the US to adhere to the one-China policy and the principles of the three joint communiques, and to discreetly deal with Taiwan-related issues.

"It is an ironclad fact that Taiwan is a part of China," he said, "The Chinese military will as always stand firm in safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits."

China's activities on islands and reefs in the South China Sea are legitimate in safeguarding national territory and meet people's demand so as to better fulfill its international obligations. China is also committed to resolving disputes peacefully through negotiations with related parties.

The real threat to regional peace and stability is the US sending warplanes and ships to the South China Sea in the name of "freedom of navigation", he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Saturday that the report ignores and misjudges China's efforts in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and security interests.

He called on the US to refrain from such irresponsible reports and make efforts to maintain stable growth of relations between the two countries and their militaries.

Teng Jianqun, director of the China Institute of International Studies' Department for US Studies, said the report, like other recent US acts, serves to smear China and depict a "China threat".

"The report is their routine depiction and has its own purpose and strategy," he said.

The annual report generally looks at countries the US thinks could challenge its military dominance, said Li Haidong, a US studies researcher at China Foreign Affairs University.

This year it also touches on such issues as Taiwan and investment security. "And the main reason is that US China policy has undergone some major changes and adjustments," he said.

Li said the US has considered China a strategic competitor since late last year.

"China still stresses equality, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation, but the report defames China in an exaggerated way," Li said.
Hair-raising scenes will see Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) get shot by an armed assassin in the latest storyline to send shockwaves through the cobbles.

Elsewhere in the upcoming episode, a heart-stopping moment will see his son Simon (Alex Bain) escape after being blackmailed and kidnapped.

But Peter is in the most trouble as nail-biting scenes reveal a gunman has him at gun point while he stands vulnerable outside the factory with Carla Connor (Alison King).

Coronation Street SPOILER: Peter Barlow will be SHOT as his son Simon escapes gang abduction in heart-stopping scenes set to air on Coronation Street

Terror grips Simon as he returns home from Cornwall, where he has been with Ken (William Roache) to text messages blackmailing him.

Spine-tingling scenes will see two kidnappers attack the teenager in the street and try and force him into a car.

Yet Kate Connor (Faye Brookes) comes to the victim's rescue when she witnesses the youngster come under attack.

Shocking: Elsewhere in the upcoming episode, a heart-stopping moment will see his son Simon (Alex Bain) escape after being blackmailed and kidnapped

The bold brunette gets a firm grip on Simon's T-shirt with both her hands in a brutal tug-of-war with the two thugs.

Fierce Kate fights off the gangsters in a vicious brawl which breaks out in the middle of Weatherfield.

Tension has been brewing as a terrified Simon fled his home after Ken's dog Eccles was poisoned by gang member Tyler.

Outrage: Spine-tingling scenes will see two kidnappers attack the teenager in the street and try and force him into a car

In shocking scenes earlier this year, Simon embraced his darker nature when he joined forces with Tyler to rob elderly lady Flora.

Yet, plagued with guilt, the youngster apologised and offered to wash up in the cafe for free to make up for stealing.

However, Simon's path crossed paths with Tyler once again which resulted in the gangster poisoning Ken's dog Eccles.
Less than a week ago, she dedicated a gushing tribute online to her boyfriend Matthew Sarsfield, after he narrowly avoided jail for punching a stranger.

And Charlotte Dawson appeared to be in an amorous mood recently, when she packed on the PDA with her beau as they enjoyed a sun-soaked trip to Majorca.

Displaying her curves in a deeply plunging lilac swimsuit, the 26-year-old reality star was seen sharing passionate kisses with musclebound Matthew, also 26, as they relaxed by their glistening hotel swimming pool on the Spanish island.

PDA: Charlotte Dawson was spotted putting on an amorous display with her boyfriend Matthew Sarsfield as they holidayed together on the Spanish island of Majorca recently

Teaming her daring swimwear with a pair of vertiginous nude peep-toe heels, the brunette wrapped her arms around her hunky man for their prolonged clinch.

Complementing her barely-there ensemble with a black wide-brimmed floppy hat and oversized sunglasses, she was also seen rubbing tanning oil into her boyfriend's back and also giving him a cheeky squeeze on the bottom.

Making the most of the summer sunshine, Matthew displayed his muscular frame in just a pair of spearmint green shorts, which he teamed with a pair of white trainers.

Swimsuit: The 26-year-old reality star displayed her curves in a deeply plunging lilac swimsuit

Passionate kisses: Charlotte was seen sharing passionate kisses with musclebound Matthew, also 26, as they relaxed by their glistening hotel swimming pool on the Spanish island

Doting: Charlotte got attentive as she rubbed tanning oil into her musclebound beau's back

Taking a sip: Matthew sipped on a canned drink as his girlfriend showered him with attention

Handsy: The pair struggled to keep their hands off each other as they basked in the sunshine

Just a few days ago, Charlotte shared a loved-up snap of the pair kissing passionately with their arms wrapped around one another, calling Matthew her 'cheekeh cherub'.

Charlotte captioned the image, which was shared on her Instagram account: Unbreakable... had a tough few months but with the bad there always comes the good babayy the rough with the smooth n all that....

'Cant wait for our next chapter now the only way is up my cheekeh cherub face love you forevs.' [sic]

Matthew was left 'sickened' in court, after hearing details of how he drunkenly landed a single blow to Daniel Jackson's bottom lip on April 2 this year, which may leave him with permanent scarring.

Hat: Ex On The Beach star Charlotte teamed her daring swimwear with a wide-brimmed hat

Standing tall: She opted to team her swimming costume with a pair of vertiginous nude heels

Only have eyes for you: The pair gazed in each other's eyes as they continued to share kisses

And to top it all off: At one point, she was seen playfully putting her hat on her boyfriend's head

Cheeky! As they strolled the grounds of their hotel, Charlotte squeezed Matthew's bottom

He hit the aspiring actor without warning in an unprovoked attack, Wigan and Leigh magistrates heard.

The victim's female pal, who moments before the attack was approached by Matthew, described him as acting 'quite smarmy' and seemingly wanting to dance with her.

Prosecuting, Steve Woodman, said when she turned away and returned to her group, Sarsfield appeared at her side and rounded aggressively on the two men she was with, one of whom was Daniel Jackson.

The 'out of the blue' attack in the early hours of the morning at Cafe Stella in Leigh, Greater Manchester left Jackson needing 15 stitches.

You've got to hand it to her: The twosome made their way to the swimming pool holding hands

Accessories: The reality star accessorised with a glittering ring, sparkling earrings and a watch

Makeup: As well as heading to the pool with an array of jewellery, she also sported full makeup

Eye-catching: Charlotte shielded her eyes with a pair of oversized embellished sunglasses

She nailed it: She also showed off an impeccable mani-pedi for her leisurely day by the pool

It came months after second rower Matthew rekindled a romance with former Ex On The Beach star Charlotte, who confirmed the news in December last year.

At the time, the daughter of late comedy great Les Dawson shared an Instagram message of the pair together along with the caption: 'Finders keepers.'

Matthew was sentenced to six months in prison which has been suspended for two years, as well as being handed a community order and hefty fine.

Defending, Shahid Ali said Sarsfield's family had recently received news about his mother and this may have affected his temperament that night.

Proud: The daughter of late comedy legend Les Dawson proudly strolled with her boyfriend

Sickened: Matthew was left 'sickened' in court, after hearing details of how he drunkenly landed a single blow to Daniel Jackson's bottom lip on April 2 this year

Shocking attack: Matthew's attack on the clubgoer may leave him with permanent scarring

Sentenced: Matthew was sentenced to six months in prison which has been suspended for two years, as well as being handed a community order and hefty fine for the incident
She makes her walk to work her catwalk with her wardrobe of incredible clothes.

And Myleene Klass ensured all eyes were well and truly on her when she arrived at Smooth Radio in a racy ensemble, in London on Monday.

The model, 40, sexed up her power suit as she flashed a glimpse of her lace-edged bra which was worn beneath her classic blazer.

Racy vibes: Myleene Klass flashed a glimpse of her bra as she power dressed for work in sexy suit and heels, in London on Monday

Bringing a feminine vibe to her power suit, the Smooth Radio presenter trotted across Leicester Square in killer black heels.

The classically-trained musician grabbed her caffeine fix as she headed into work on Monday following her weekend away in the New Forest.

Confident in her sexy look, Myleene took to Instagram to document her power suit and bra combination with a sizzling selfie in the London-based studios.

She penned in the caption: 'A Power suit calls for a power ballad. Morning!'

So sexy! Bringing a feminine vibe to her power suit, the Smooth Radio presenter trotted across Leicester Square in killer black heels

Morning! Confident in her sexy look, Myleene took to Instagram to document her power suit and bra combination with a sizzling selfie in the London-based studios

She hosts the 10am-1pm show for Smooth every day this week, while continuing to front her weekend morning show for Classic FM.

Myleene went public with her romance in May last year, and the brunette recently raved of their romance: 'He is so hot. It's lovely. I'm enjoying myself.'

The businesswoman is a devoted mother to daughters Ava, 10, and Hero, seven, whom she shares with her ex-husband Graham Quinn.

Reality check: The classically-trained musician grabbed her caffeine fix as she headed into work on Monday following her weekend away in the New Forest

Myleene's ex walked out on her 34th birthday in April 2012 putting an end to their decade-long relationship. The former couple finalised their divorce in 2013.

Discussing her devastation, she admitted to Woman magazine: 'I thought I'd never smile or trust anyone ever again.'

Simon has been married before but is also divorced and is a father-of-two.

The pair met in 2015 shortly after Simon had split from his wife, but kept a low profile until Simon's divorce was finalised.

Catwalk skills: The model, 40, sexed up her power suit as she flashed a glimpse of her lace-edged bra which was worn beneath her classic blazer
Married At First Sight star Stephanie Jardine has broken her silence on the demise of her marriage to Ben Jardine, after several months of staying mum on the matter.

Stephanie, 32, has finally spoken out to emotionally reveal how the 'bottom fell out of [her] world' when she learned of her marriage's demise via a radio show.

In a series of tear-filled Instagram videos, the brunette beauty also shared that her 36-year-old husband, who is currently competing on Celebrity Big Brother, expressed a desire to have a baby with her  before getting his mistress pregnant.

Breaking her silence: Married At First Sight's Stephanie Jardine has broken her silence on her ill-fated marriage to Ben

Speaking of the moment she learned her union with Ben had some to a crashing halt, she recalled: 'I started to shake as I opened my phone and clicked on a link someone had sent.

'There was my husband sitting there laughing and joking about how he had cheated on me and we were getting divorced. I literally fell to my knees. I was shaking like a leaf and sobbing so hard that my friend started to panic.

'There was just too much to process. He was divorcing me. He had cheated on me. He was announcing it on the radio. He was laughing at me. And then I saw the Instagram video he did with Louisa Zissman.

Babies: The reality star has revealed how Ben told her he wanted to have a baby with her  shortly before getting his unnamed mistress pregnant

Radio: She told how she learned her marriage to Ben had come to an end via a radio interview

'I didnt actually know who she was and at first, I thought she was the girl he had cheated with, but then I saw all the comments coming up about her, so I googled her and realised she wasnt the other woman.

'There are very few moments in your life that truly rock you to your core. Where you feel like this moment cannot be real. Because if it is, then your whole life is about to change.

'Ben called me later that night and we talked for an hour. I asked why he had lied to me about the cheating, but he swore on his mothers life to me that he had never even kissed another girl since the day we were matched.

'I told him I had listened to it and heard the words come out of his mouth that he had had a "kiss and a cuddle", which is how he refers to sex. I asked how he could say that if it wasnt true and he replied, "Well, its just what you say isnt it."'

Stephanie  who contends that her marriage ended in March of this year, as opposed to Ben's claim of eight months ago  then went on to share how he said he wanted to have a baby with her, only to then get the unnamed woman pregnant.

Another reality show: Ben is currently competing on Celebrity Big Brother, where he has spoken openly about cheating on Stephanie in the early stages of their marriage

'Ben even said to me that I would make an amazing mum and if he found out the next day that I was pregnant then he would be the happiest man alive,' she said. 'That memory really hurts me now, because Ive been told by one of his friends since, that the girl he got pregnant had conceived around this time.'

The police officer emotionally confessed: 'The bottom fell out of my world. I immediately went into hiding to avoid press so I spent the next month living in hotels. That sounds great, but I can assure you it wasnt.

'My friends dropped everything to be there for me and took it in turns to stay with me. I could hardly eat, and every day was spent in a daze, going between crying at what my life had become and laughing at the ridiculous situation.

'After a while, anger set in and I just wanted to tell the world what really happened, but I knew that if I did, I would just be bolstering him, and he was already standing on my shoulders trying to reach for fame.'

Despite all of the subsequent anguish and heartbreak, Stephanie went on to describe her happier times with Ben as 'brilliant', adding that they had 'fireworks of chemistry' during their ill-fated time together.

Emotional display: In her series of videos shared on Instagram, Stephanie was visibly upset

Devastating discovery: Stephanie confessed that the 'bottom fell out of [her] world' when she realised her short-lived marriage to Ben was over

'Meeting and marrying Ben was brilliant,' she said. 'I was truly relieved that we had fireworks of chemistry. The wedding day didnt feel at all like I expected it to, it felt like how I would expect a wedding to someone I already loved would be.

'All my friends told me the same thing, that apart from the TV cameras, it felt like a normal wedding and the whole wedding party from both sides got on so well.

'The first thing I saw was his huge smile, he looked like the cat that got the cream and he winked at me, which instantly made me burst out with a relieved laugh. Guests at the ceremony have likened it to a comedy act.

'We didn't stop laughing, cheekily taking the Mickey out of each other. One close family member of his told me that no matter what happened, he would be absolutely loyal.'

Stephanie, whose confession comes as her ex admitted before Celebrity Big Brother cameras they he'd cheated on her just a day after their honeymoon, defiantly added: 'We were a real couple, not just for TV.'

Chore: Ben insisted his marriage was doomed to fail, labelling the short-lived union 'a chore' in a piece written for Bella magazine earlier this year

In March, Ben accused his estranged wife of holding up their divorce proceedings, which he charged had prevented him from getting the closure he needed to move on from their relationship.

Speaking to The Sun Online, the property millionaire claimed his ex wasn't impressed that he announced their TV marriage was over during an interview with FUBAR Radio.

He began: 'At the end of the day you need to draw a line under it. Stephanie knew months before that radio interview, and I asked for my divorce papers, Id asked and asked and asked.

'And it was like, "Im never gonna get these divorce papers", because I never got them. Were divorced  do you know what I mean, thats what its about.'

Ben confessed he's been left 'drained' by the battle to receive the papers and admitted that those around them have remained hopeful about them working their relationship out but he can no longer 'live a lie'.

Claims: Earlier this year, Ben accused Stephanie of holding up their divorce proceedings, preventing him from getting the closure he needed to move on from their relationship

Explaining that he doesn't believe his ex is withholding the divorce papers on purpose, Ben insisted that all he wants is 'closure' from the relationship.

'I dont she think was withholding them; I just tried to get - Ive just still not got them... I dont want people telling me what to do. I just want closure, I just want to move on with my life and [signing them] is the only way to get closure.'

He shocked fans of Channel 4's extreme matchmaking show Married At First Sight this month when he announced he is divorcing wife.

His cutting comments came after Ben insisted his marriage was doomed to fail, labelling the short-lived union 'a chore' in a piece written for Bella magazine, in which he also claimed his estranged wife was delaying divorce proceedings.

The businessman met Steph at their wedding, after both signed up for the third series of the UK show, charming viewers with their instant chemistry.

Match: The property developer met police officer Steph at their wedding, after both signed up for the third series of the UK show, charming viewers with their instant chemistry

Ben admitted he thought he'd 'hit the jackpot' when he first laid eyes on Stephanie on their wedding day, and their honeymoon in Mallorca also saw sparks fly.

But writing for Bella, Ben said it was when the couple returned to London and moved in together that he realised the match was never going to work.

'On our honeymoon the chemistry was undeniable. But the honeymoon wasn't reality. We were living in a bubble that soon popped once we returned to real life,' he admitted.

Ben explained that he 'just didn't fancy her', before calling their marriage 'a chore'.

As Married At First Sight viewers saw, Stephanie tried to make their marriage work, desperately willing her husband to talk through their issues.

But Ben later claimed he felt suffocated by his wife and her referral to him as 'her husband' despite the fact that their marriage for TV was legally binding.

Kiss: Ben admited he thought he'd 'hit the jackpot' when he first laid eyes on Stephanie on their wedding day, and their honeymoon in Mallorca also saw sparks fly

While the couple decided to stay married in the finale of the show, ultimately their relationship only lasted another few weeks when the cameras stopped filming.

Ben explained the couple stopped living together and only saw each other once a week, before Ben decided to call it quits.

'"It's not working and I don't think it ever will," I said to her. She cried and said she wanted us to try, but I had to tell her bluntly. "it ain't there kiddo",' he revealed.

The property developer insisted he talked to Stephanie about seeking a divorce, despite claims from her friends that the heartbroken police officer only found out her husband wanted to split when he announced the news on FUBAR Radio earlier this year, with Steph reading the news on MailOnline the next day.

In his Bella piece he claims Stephanie is holding up the divorce as 'she's struggling to accept we're over.' He alleged that while he'd been asking for a divorce for two months, he had been 'met with silence' from his wife.

Tears: As MAFS viewers saw, Stephanie tried to make their marriage work, desperately willing her husband to talk through their issues

While Ben initially denied allegations he cheated on his wife during their marriage, Lucy Jade Bonet, 20, told a newspaper she was in a relationship with him while he was still with Steph.

In an interview with The Sun, Ben said he enjoyed a 'kiss and cuddle' with Lucy, admitting: 'I did kiss someone but Steph knew it was all over before that. I'm sorry, I just didn't love her.'

'At the time I was completely committed to my marriage but I was being pursued all the time and I just thought, I dont need this.

'Yes we did have a kiss and a cuddle, but then I thought, No, this is wrong, I completely called time on it. It was only a friendship to me and people are reading too much into it.'

The couple will have to remain married for a year before they can divorce, but Ben is desperate to move on, giving multiple interviews earlier this year while Stephanie had remained silent until speaking out this week.

Shock: Friends claim the heartbroken police officer only found out her husband wanted to split when he announced the news on Lizzie Cundy's show on FUBAR Radio earlier this year

She has had her corner fiercely fought by her friends, with former Married At First Sight star Sara May leaping to Steph's defence on social media.

Sara shared a girls' night out with Steph and fellow MAFS UK star Melissa in the spring, with the three ladies posting for selfies on Instagram.

But as fans in the comments linked to MailOnline's article revealing Ben had announced his divorce, Sara made the shock revelation that Steph found out about the split via the press too.

'So we all found out via this article just now too. Even Steph. What a t**t,' Sara wrote.

She earlier tweeted: 'The calibre and integrity of men this show chooses is beyond me sometimes. To announce your divorce to your wife via a radio show and Daily Mail article is disgusting. Not all of the men. Just some. But this one in particular.'
Tori Spelling welcomed her fifth child, Beau, in March 2017.

And the 45-year-old actress - best known for playing Donna on TV's Beverly Hills, 90210 - has slowly been losing the weight.

On Sunday the blonde beauty revealed she already has toned abs as she showed off her midsection during a family beach vacation in Carlsbad, California.

Good work! Tori Spelling revealed impressive abs on Saturday; just one year ago she welcomed her son Beau

Hot mommy: The 45-year-old showed off her midsection during a family beach vacation in Carlsbad, California

Spelling wore a crop top and matching skirt that revealed the slender midsection.

The Inn Love star was posing at the Ocean Palm Beach Resort with her little ones.

Her caption read, 'Summer beach moments were my fave when I was a little girl. Time with my family by the sea. Now, I get to make beautiful new memories with my own family...

'Loved our weekend at @oceanpalms in Carlsbad. Such a beautiful seaside family friendly resort. We had pool and ocean at our fingertips! Scroll thru to see our fun family photos at the beach at #oceanpalmsbeachresort.'

Another shot: The TV movie queen also shared this image where she was in a black dress with a side braid

Spelling then shared several family portraits including husband Dean.

Together they have five kids: in addition to Beau, aged one, they have Liam, 11, Stella, 10, Hattie, six, and Finn, five.

Last week she and McDermott enjoyed date night at celeb favorite Craigs.

The actress looked stylish in a black frock belted in the center.

Tori, who is the daughter of late and legendary TV creator Aaron Spelling, added a metal belt and geometric necklace for jewelry.

The author also sported black and white heels teamed with an ivory envelope clutch.

Coupled up: The couple enjoyed date night at celeb favorite Craigs one week ago

The Stori Telling writer styled her platinum locks to the side in romantic waves and painted her lips a rich garnet hue.

She walked into the establishment holding hands with Dean, who looked dapper in a blue button up and stylish ripped jeans.

He continued his deconstructed look with scuffed dress shoes.

Dean kept his hair cropped short but left a salt and pepper beard on his chin.

The couple enjoyed some one-on-one time while their kids stayed home.

The couple have five kids and hinted they may have a sixth.

Dean also has a 19-year-old son named Jack from his marriage to actress Mary Jo Eustace.

Tori and Dean were wed in 2006 and before that the TV heiress was wed to actor Charlie Shanian from 2004 to 2006.
He has made a fortune from playing the hunk in films such as Thor and The Avengers.

But Chris Hemsworth told the September issue of GQ magazine that he is tired of being the heartthrob.

The 35-year-old Australian star admitted that he is actually a little 'bored' of playing the hunk all the time so now he has changed up his roles.

Over it: He has made a fortune from playing the hunk in films such as Thor. But Chris Hemsworth told the September issue of GQ magazine that he is tired of being the heartthrob

'It was quite jarring for my family and friends when I was on-screen doing a straight, heroic, sort of overly masculine kind of thing,' Hemsworth said.

He is bucking his hot guy image with the new crime-thriller Bad Times At The El Royale.

'It's got a kind of Tarantino energy to it,' he explained. 'It's a thriller and a drama, but there's some humorous momentsin an insane way. I just want to be surprised. I have a real fear of being bored.'

Tough problem! The 35-year-old Australian star admitted that he's a little 'bored' of playing the hunk all the time

He got his start in Australia.

'I remember trying to be Colin Farrell, thinking, "People love the bad boy. Going out and being sort of reckless." But no one cared,' he recalled.

'There wasn't the presence of paparazzi, nor the presence of social media, nor the immediacy of all these platforms.'

Happy husband and family man: Chris with his wife actress Elsa Pataky, 42

And he explained he never did anything crazy, he just got 'drunk.'

Then he had another role model.

'I came into Hollywood thinking I had to be Russell Crowe. I loved his performances, and because of my physicality and my size, that was the obvious choice. I think I was aware that it could kind of get me in the door,' he said.

'But it wasn't me.'

On being the bad boy: 'I remember trying to be Colin Farrell, thinking, People love the bad boy. Going out and being sort of reckless. But no one cared,' Hemsworth recalled; seen with Elsa in January

Now that he has reached the top in Hollywood, Hemsworth admitted he often looks back on the constant pursuit of success in his early days as an actor.

'I really do feel a sense of ease for the first time in years.

'I don't mean that as an assessment of my achievements. I just mean I'm content with what's going on and relaxed and open about it.'

Growing family: The genetically blessed duo share 6-year-old daughter, India Rose, and 4-year-old twin sons, Tristan and Sasha

For the cover shot, the actor wore a black, leather jacket with a wool-like collar. Underneath was a thick, white sweater.

His baby blue eyes shined as he rested his head on his hand for the photo.

No accessories were necessary, as his wedding band shined front and center on the magazine.

New role needed: The Avengers star is seen here in an Instagram photo trying to surf

Inside the magazine, Chris opted for a more refined style, posing in a white, turtle neck sweater with an opened black jacket over top.

The father of three paired his top with black jeans and a matching belt.

He is married Elsa Pataky.

The genetically blessed duo share six-year-old daughter, India Rose, and four-year-old twin sons, Tristan and Sasha.




It's set to be one of the biggest meltdowns that has ever happened on The Block.

But fans of the Channel Nine show seem to be getting impatient with the drama, after footage of a walk off by contestant Sara Vale still hadn't aired despite being teased in a trailer for Monday's episode.

On Monday, frustrated fans took to Twitter to slam the show, which had shown snippets of the TV 'villain' suffering a meltdown before storming off set.

Scroll down to video

'Fake walk out - fake drama': Fans of The Block have slammed the show after it teased "villain" Sara having a meltdown, only not to show it on Monday night's episode. Sara Vale is pictured with husband Hayden

'Fake walk out - fake drama,' one angry fan raged on the social media platform.

Yet another fan wrote: 'Um we were owed the cops coming to arrest Sara for being a sook or something. We got ripped off'.

Another complained: 'Stop dragging out Sara walking legit no-one cares about her enough to even think its drama worthy.'

One more fan Tweeted: 'I'm just waiting for Sara to have her meltdown and leave. I must hope she leaves and doesn't come back'.

Out she goes! In a preview for Monday's episode, Sara was seen storming off the show, insisting that she is not returning, but the scene was not show in the episode itself

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Nine for comment.

On Sunday night's episode, Sara broke down when she and husband Hayden's bedroom came in last, saying its 'a f**king load of bulls**t.'

In a preview for Monday's episode, Sara was then seen storming off the show, insisting that she is not returning, but the scene was not show in the episode itself.

Some viewers questioned if the walk out would come on next week's episode instead.

She's still here: Frustrated fans took to Twitter to slam the show, which had shown snippets of the TV 'villain' suffering a meltdown before storming off set prior to Monday's episode

On Monday's episode the reality villain, 31, was shown having yet another tearful outburst.

The mum-of-one accused the judges of 'personally attacking her' before dolling out some very personal insults of her own.

Sara made a series of below the belt remarks against Neale Whitaker's appearance after he branded their decor 'from the 1980's'.

'We put our heart and soul into that room and for him to be completely negative about everything, "I don't go to him and say, c'mon mate, grow your hair!"' the brunette snapped.
In 2008, Kat Stewart set TV sets ablaze with her raunchy turn as Roberta Williams, wife of mobster Carl Williams, in the crime mini-series Underbelly.

And ten years later, the 45-year-old actress has reflected on what it was like filming one particular sex scene with co-star Gyton Grantley, who played the kingpin.

The scene, in which the actress appears topless, shows Roberta and Carl making passionate love in a room where drugs are made, surrounded by chemicals.

How it went! Kat Stewart reflected on what it was like filming a racy ex scene in crime series Underbelly when she appeared on on The Project Monday night

Speaking to The Project on Monday night, the star of new film West of Sunshine said creating the final product it wasn't as sexy as it looked.

'Well, gee, it was a very romantic scene,' she joked, adding that she knows Gyton Grantley rather well after they performed in the show together.

'We were making love in a pill press room. There were about 40 unshaven men in the room with cameras, so it was pretty amazing,' she said.

Racy role: In 2008, Kat played Roberta Williams, wife of mobster Carl Williams (played by Gyton Grantley, right), in the crime mini-series Underbelly

Wild! One scene, in which the actress appears topless, shows Roberta and Carl making passionate love in a room where drugs are made

Just work: 'We were making love in a pill press room. There were about 40 unshaven men in the room with cameras, so it was pretty amazing,' the actress joked of the sex scene. Kat is pictured with Gyton Grantley in 2009

The Bairnsdale-born actress has been married to fellow thespian David Whiteley since February 2008 and the couple share son Archie and daughter Georgia.

And the star, who is best known for her role as feisty Billie Proudman on Channel Ten's drama series Offspring, says her husband isn't bothered by her love scenes.

'He's not in the least bit fazed,' the mother-of-two told Katie 'Monty' Dimond on Show And Tell.

Loved up: The Bairnsdale-born actress has been married to fellow thespian David Whiteley (left) since February 2008 and says he is comfortable with her love scenes

However Kat added that she isn't quite as relaxed when her actor hubby does the same with other women.

'I don't love it when he has to kiss someone else but it's just the way it is and we trust each other.'

She added: 'I guess that's why he's not fazed, he's very confident about me.'
She has found her star quality after bursting onto the TOWIE scene where she has fallen head-over-heels for Megan McKenna's ex.

And of course Shelby Tribble looked incredible as she joined Yazmin Oukhellou and Amber Turner to film The Only Way Is Essex, in Sardinia, Italy on Monday.

Pete Wick's girlfriend teased a look at her cleavage by going braless in the high-risk low-cut neckline of her cotton dress.

Looking lovely! TOWIE's Shelby Tribble went braless in a low-cut dress as she joined cast members Yazmin Oukhellou and Amber Turner to film in Sardinia on Monday

Shelby toyed with the ends of her brunette locks which she had styled in an iron straight style for the flight over to Italy from the UK.

The TOWIE beauty wore heavy make-up and sunglasses with studs on the frames.

Pete didn't stray far from his ladylove Shelby as they joined forces with the rest of the TOWIE cast to film scenes abroad.

Glamorous: The bevy of TOWIE beauties looked incredible, with Yazmin Oukhellou and Amber Turner on the scene to film The Only Way Is Essex

Letting her hair down! Shelby toyed with the ends of her brunette locks which she had styled in an iron straight style for the flight over to Italy from the UK

Amber has swapped the Greek shores with her love Dan Edgar for the picturesque Sardinia with the rest of the TOWIE clan.

Well recognised for her racy displays, of course the blonde bombshell picked out a risque plunging one-piece to show off her surgically-enhanced breasts.

The always-glamorous TOWIE star accentuated her hourglass shape by hoisting her figure in at the waist with a Gucci belt.

Bust-ing out: Pete Wick's girlfriend teased a look at her cleavage by going braless in the high-risk low-cut neckline of her cotton dress

It's love: Pete didn't stray far from his ladylove Shelby as they joined forces with the rest of the TOWIE cast to film scenes abroad

Amazing looks! Yazmin was showing off the results of her second boob job and her gym-honed stomach in her fitted off-the-shoulder crop top

Meanwhile, Yazmin was showing off the results of her second boob job and her gym-honed stomach in her fitted off-the-shoulder crop top.

The TOWIE star looked effortlessly chic as she slipped into flares in a matching shade of pink for her flight to Italy with the galaxy of TOWIE stars.

James Locke's girlfriend ensured she had enough outfits for her stay as she packed a huge suitcase, a carry-on bag and her handbag.

So beautiful: The TOWIE star looked effortlessly chic as she slipped into flares in a matching shade of pink for her flight to Italy with the galaxy of TOWIE stars

Diva! James Locke's girlfriend ensured she had enough outfits for her stay as she packed a huge suitcase, a carry-on bag and her handbag

Going strong: Yazmin joined her hunky man James Locke outside the airport, each with their suitcases in tow

Yazmin had a second breast augmentation in recent months after she revealed she was disappointed by her first surgery.

The brunette explained she wanted to go under the knife once again after scarring from her initial surgery had left her feeling self-conscious.

Addressing speculation surrounding her second surgery, Yazmin penned: 'Theres been a lot of speculation recently in regards to my boobs and whether or not Ive had them re-done. Well...... the answer is YES.

Strength to strength: The couple laid their eyes on each other as they stole a romantic moment together away from the rest of the cast

On the scene: James and Yazmin kept close to each other when they arrived after their short flight to the Italian escape

So cute: The brunette couldn't take her eyes off her love as they stood together

'Following my first augmentation I was left with scarring that not only affected me physically but mentally as well and really knocked my confidence.' (sic)

James Locke was also seen on the scene, with power couple Tommy Mallet and Georgia Kousoulou also making an appearance.

The upcoming season of TOWIE promises lots of drama as fans wait on the edge of their seats to see how the next chapter of the cast's lives play out on camera.

Myles Barnett returned to TOWIE after confirming he had split from Courtney Green for a second time.

Rocking it: The couple looked ready to start filming scenes for TOWIE on arrival in their casual yet stylish ensembles

Cheerful: Myles Barnett returned to TOWIE after confirming he had split from Courtney Green for a second time

She's back! Amber has swapped the Greek shores with her love Dan Edgar for the picturesque Sardinia with the rest of the TOWIE clan

The pair went their separate ways once again in July after Courtney refused to go on a make or break holiday with the hunk.

Dan and Amber finally made things official, with the Lothario claiming he was ready to commit to the blonde during the hotly anticipated finale in May.

Since then, the couple have been enjoying a series of sun-drenched holidays as their blossoming romance appears to go from strength to strength.

Trendy: The always-glamorous TOWIE star accentuated her hourglass shape by hoisting her figure in at the waist with a Gucci belt

Exhilarating: The upcoming season of TOWIE promises lots of drama as fans wait on the edge of their seats to see how the next chapter of the cast's lives play out on camera

Meant to last? Since then, the couple have been enjoying a series of sun-drenched holidays as their blossoming romance appears to go from strength to strength

True love lasts: It seems the lovebirds were meant to be after Amber had her sights set on him since she first joined the TOWIE crowd

Change of heart: Until the finale, the pair have endured an on/off romance which has seen them split up a number of times so no doubt fans will be watching out for what happens next

It seems the lovebirds were meant to be after Amber had her sights set on him since she first joined the TOWIE crowd.

The blonde cheated on her then-boyfriend of four years Jamie Reed with the hunk while the cast were away in Tenerife.

Until the finale, the pair have endured an on/off romance which has seen them split up a number of times so no doubt fans will be watching out for what happens next.

Couple goals: Power TOWIE lovebirds Tommy Mallet and Georgia Kousoulou made their arrival in Italy on Monday

Transformation! Georgia showcased her natural beauty as she ditched her typical TOWIE glamour on arrival in Italy
She maintained her globetrotting ways as she jetted off to Spain for an idyllic break last week.

But Kelly Brook was back to the grind as she stepped out in London with her boyfriend Jeremy Parisi after hosting Heart Kent Radio's breakfast show on Monday, covering presenters James Heming and Becky Ives.

The Loose Women star, 38, cut an elegant figure as she was clad in a polka dot print blouse, tied in with a pair of denim skinny jeans.

Working hard: Kelly Brookwas back to the grind as she stepped out in London with her beau Jeremy Parisi after hosting Heart Kent Radio's breakfast show on Monday

TV personality Kelly added a touch of glamour to her look as she carried her possessions in a large shopper bag by Chanel.

The Strictly Come Dancing star exhibited her radiant complexion with minimal make-up, and styled her brunette tresses in a straight fashion.

Kelly was joined by her model beau Jeremy, 33, who accentuated his toned upper body in a form-fitting polo shirt, tied in with light-wash jeans.

Casual chic: The Loose Women star, 38, cut an elegant figure as she was clad in a polka dot print blouse, tied in with a pair of denim skinny jeans

Beaming with pride over her week-long stint, the bombshell took to Instagram to share her delight with her new role alongside host Jonny Meah.

Kelly documented her first day live on-air as she posted a series of fun-filled snaps with her co-star.

Posing by the prestigious Heart microphones, the swimwear designer grinned from ear-to-ear as she treated her fans to a glimpse of the radio studio.

Excited: Beaming with pride over her week-long stint, the bombshell shared her delight with her new role alongside Jonny Meah, as they covered James Heming and Becky Ives

What a natural! Posing by the prestigious Heart microphones, the swimwear designer grinned from ear-to-ear as she treated her Instagram fans to a glimpse of the radio studio

Kelly's outing comes after she enjoyed a spot of snorkeling during her Spanish holiday last week.

The buxom beauty commanded the attention of her 963,000 followers as she donned a blue gingham bikini during her fun day out.

The British beauty enjoyed her time out at sea as she partook in a spot of snorkelling alongside her European love and rested on a paddle board.

Having fun: Kelly documented her first day live on-air as she posted a series of giddy clips with her co-star

Kelly recently revealed she proposed to Jeremy during a romantic holiday to Antigua back in February - but he turned her down because he was so embarrassed by her public display of affection.

The beauty, who has been in a relationship with him since April 2015, took it on the chin, however, confessing during an interview with OK! magazine that the mortified French hunk immediately shut her down.

Kelly said: 'When we were in Antigua and the sun was setting and we were up at Shirley Heights I said to Jeremy, "Will you marry me?" and he said, "Be quiet there are people around!'

'So I tried to propose but he said it was too busy and told me to be quiet! Ive asked him, but it wasnt private enough!

Eye-popping: Kelly's outing comes after she enjoyed a spot of snorkeling during her Spanish holiday last week
The number of Chinese students returning from abroad has grown by leaps and bounds due to better job prospects at home and tightening work and migration policies overseas, according to a new report.

In 2017, 608,400 students from China went abroad while 480,900 returned, according to the Ministry of Education. Nearly 80 percent of students chose to return to China after completing overseas studies last year, up from 30 percent in 2007 and about 5 percent in 1987.

The Report on Employment and Entrepreneurship of Chinese Returnees, based on a survey of 2,190 overseas returnees in July, was jointly released on Sunday by the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing think tank, and recruitment website Zhaopin.

Forty percent of respondents chose to return because of more job opportunities in China, while 27 percent feared that employment and migration regulations abroad may hinder their career development, the report said.

Overseas-educated Chinese still prefer to work in China's first-tier cities after returning home. About 20 percent of respondents returning from overseas chose to work in Beijing, followed by Guangdong province (including Guangzhou and Shenzhen) and Shanghai, at 14.6 percent and 11.4 percent, respectively.

Li Qing, a researcher for the think tank in charge of compiling the report, said favorable policies for overseas-educated students played a big part in the influx of foreign-educated graduates to first-tier cities.

Benefits include special project incubators, funds, tax cuts and easier access to permanent residence, Li said.

Although second-tier cities have rolled out a slate of favorable policies to attract talent, including housing subsidies, policies in these urban areas tend to favor domestic college graduates over overseas returnees.

Zhang Xiaobing, who earned an MBA from the University of Toronto in 2016, set up a human resources company in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park.

"I came back to start a business in Beijing because I love the atmosphere and I see the opportunities for doing business here," Zhang said. "The government has offered me great help in starting my business, including free rent, tax breaks and funds."

The report found that although 40 percent of foreign-educated students found their first job within one month and nearly 95 percent within half a year, 80 percent earned less than they expected.

Li Qiang, marketing director of Zhaopin, said the surprise many expressed over their comparatively low salaries highlights a large expectation gap among returning students, whom Li said were often overconfident and lacked knowledge about the best channels to find work, and what skills employers were looking for.

When they come back to start their job hunts, they find themselves competing with those who already have some work experience, Li said.

"You can't weigh the pros and cons in direct financial terms because overseas graduates have other advantages such as enhanced personal development and a broader vision."
They found themselves at the centre of a media storm earlier in the year when it was claimed they had an affair, which they strongly denied.

And things turn awkward between Gabby Allen and Dan Osborne on Monday's Celebrity Big Brother when the Love Island star declines the TOWIE hunk's offer of a massage.

Sitting in the bedroom alongside Married at First Sight's Ben Jardine, the Liverpudlian beauty begins rubbing her shoulder as she explains that she injured it weeks before entering the Channel 5 house.

Awkward: Things turn awkward between Gabby Allen and Dan Osborne on Monday's Celebrity Big Brother when the Love Island star declines the TOWIE hunk's offer of a massage

'I popped my shoulder out a few weeks ago,' she said. 'I literally fell down some stairs. I knocked it out. And then I put it back in.'

'And it was alright until I woke up the next morning and I couldn't move my arm. I had my arm in a sling for like a bit.'

Dan asks: 'Did you not go the hospital? F***ing hell. You alright though?' Before offering his 'magic' services: 'If you need a proper massage these hands are magic.'

Declining the offer, Gabby quickly fires back: 'Somehow I don't think so.'

Politely declining: Sitting in the bedroom alongside Married at First Sight's Ben Jardine, the Liverpudlian beauty begins rubbing her shoulder as she explains that she injured it weeks before entering the Channel 5 house

Injured: She said: 'I popped my shoulder out a few weeks ago. I literally fell down some stairs. I knocked it out. And then I put it back in.' 'And it was alright until I woke up the next morning and I couldn't move my arm. I had my arm in a sling for like a bit'

No go: Dan asks: 'Did you not go the hospital? F***ing hell. You alright though?' Before offering his 'magic' services: 'If you need a proper massage these hands are magic.' Declining the offer, Gabby quickly fires back: 'Somehow I don't think so'

To which a sullen Dan looks at his hands and says: 'Alright'.

The offer comes as the pair begin sizing up their competition in the Borehamwood bungalow and question whether fellow housemate Roxanna Pallet is acting up for the cameras.

Chatting along with Bad Girls Club star Natalie Nunn, the duo strike up a conversation about who is being fake, which will air on Monday's episode.

Kicking off the conversation, Dan asked: 'Me and Gabby would know if each other are being fake because we've been around each other a lot off camera.

Discussion: Later, Gabby and Dan were sizing up their competition in the Borehamwood bungalow as they question whether fellow housemate Roxanna Pallet is acting up for the cameras

Fake: Chatting along with Bad Girls Club star Natalie Nunn, the duo strike up a conversation about who is being fake, which will air on Monday's episode

'But no one else, I don't know anyone. Just being in here who do you think is acting up to the cameras a bit?'

Answering his question, Natalie responded that most housemates were being quiet, before suggesting that Jermaine Pennant was acting shy.

She shared: 'I just think people are being quiet, and Jermaine, I've asked him a few questions, but he doesn't want to talk about it or he kind of says 'naaaah' reverse.

'He tries to get out and not say things. It's cool to come in here and think you're going to be cute or whatever but your cuteness is only ever going to get you so far.'

Pointing fingers: Some of the housemates believe Roxanne (R) is acting for the cameras

Shy: Answering his question, Natalie responded that most housemates were being quiet, before suggesting that Jermaine Pennant was acting shy

However, Dan appeared to be pointing his comments elsewhere and explained that he believed Roxanne was playing a character.

He shared: 'I think Roxy a bit is constantly in a character rather than just relaxing and being herself.

'She's an actress,' Natalie chimed in.

Gabby added: 'Maybe she is just like that because I did ask if she had been to theatre school? And she was like 'no', just because everything is so theatrical but maybe that's the way she is.

Character: However, Dan appeared to be pointing his comments elsewhere and explained that he believed Roxanne was playing a character. He shared: 'I think Roxy a bit is constantly in a character rather than just relaxing and being herself'

Weighing in: Gabby added: 'Maybe she is just like that because I did ask if she had been to theatre school? And she was like 'no', just because everything is so theatrical but maybe that's the way she is

'Was that the person you were thinking of as well?'

They found themselves at the centre of a media storm earlier in the year when it was claimed they had an affair - rumours they strongly denied.

And on Sunday's Celebrity Big Brother, outspoken contestant, Natalie, decided to grill Gabby over the Dan claims as she asked if they had 'f**ked'.

Talking in the bedroom, the Bad Girls Club star, 33, asked: 'Why did someone tell me that you and Dan had f**ked?'

Awkward: On Sunday's Celebrity Big Brother, outspoken contestant, Natalie Nunn, decided to grill Gabby Allen over the Dan Osborne claims as she asked if they had 'f**ked'

To which Gabby retorted: 'That was in the press because my ex-boyfriend said we did.'

With Natalie laughing as she replied: 'I was just trying to see if it was true. Listen, I don't know, I'm just keeping it real.'

Yet Gabby was offended by the question as she added: 'Dan is married and has been ever since I've known him and they were still together when I met him.'

And things took an even more awkward turn when Dan heard his name mentioned and asked what they were talking about. With Gabby explaining: 'They're asking if we f**ked basically.'

Tense: Talking in the bedroom, the Bad Girls Club star, 33, asked: 'Why did someone tell me that you and Dan had f**ked?'

Talking to her housemates, she added: 'He's just had a baby seven weeks ago. I spoke to his wife [Jacqueline Jossa] and everything. I said to her: "I just want to let you know, nothing happened."'

While later on, Dan and Gabby had their own separate conversation about the claims and Natalie's grilling.

The former TOWIE star asked: 'The conversation has ended. Yeah?' With Gabby replying: 'It was still going, it literally just ended then.'

To which Dan snapped: 'Good. Has it been clarified?'

Gossip girl: With Natalie laughing as she replied: 'I was just trying to see if it was true. Listen, I don't know, I'm just keeping it real.'

Tongues have been set wagging over Gabby and Dan's joint appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, as the hunk had been accused of cheating on his wife Jacqueline Jossa with the blonde earlier this year.

Both have firmly denied the claims, with Gabby admitting she has no plans to make a move on him in New! magazine following his shock split from Jacqueline in May.

She said: 'He's a f***ing joker since he's become single. I keep reading about it in the press. It's like mate, sort it out. He's still married.'

Gabby said that even if Dan wasn't married to Jacqueline, he would still not interest her, adding: 'He's just not for me. I'll wingman him though, if he is actually single.'

Not impressed: Yet Gabby was offended by the question as she added: 'Dan is married and has been ever since I met him and they were still together when I met him.'

Oh dear: And things took an even more awkward turn when Dan heard his name mentioned and asked what they were talking about

Ahead of the launch, Dan told The Mirror he has reconciled with Jacqueline and is living with the EastEnders actress and their two children once more, revealing: 'Me and Jacqueline have had a bad patch but we've been getting on a lot better recently. We've been getting on well.

'We've just had a baby. Things are fine and we're getting on well. I don't think I'm in a position to be thinking about love interests in there'.

While Gabby is currently single after her dramatic split from Marcel Somerville, who she met on Love Island 2017, in May.

Yet the fitness fanatic did admit to her housemates that she is 'seeing' someone currently.

Celebrity Big Brother continues on weeknights at 9pm on Channel 5.
They met in 2011 while filming the music video to his song Rack City and were later engaged in December 2012 before splitting up in 2014.

And while Blac Chyna and Tyga had quite the tumultuous relationship timeline, the pair were spotted out together for dinner at Catch in the Meatpacking District of New York City on Sunday evening.

The 30-year-old social media maven showed some skin wearing a black leather crop top and skirt, while Tyga looked comfortable in an orange jumpsuit as the duo headed to Marquee Nightclub to celebrate Sujit Kundu's birthday.

Blac Chyna and Tyga were spotted out together for dinner at Catch in the Meatpacking District of New York City on Sunday evening

Co-parents night out: Tyga looked comfortable in an orange jumpsuit as the duo headed to Marquee Nightclub

Blac - whose real name is Angela Renee White - showed off her toned tummy wearing a small black bralette top with red roses embroidered on her chest.

Massive gold pendants adorned her upper torso and added emphasis to her already ample assets.

The Fashion Nova spokesperson flashed some skin in a matching leather skirt which wrapped around her waist to reveal a thigh-grazing slit.

Chic: Blac - whose real name is Angela Renee White - showed off her toned tummy wearing a small black bralette top with red roses embroidered on her chest

Gilded: Massive gold pendants adorned her upper torso and added emphasis to her already ample assets

Trendsetter: Always ahead of the fashion trends, Chyna showed off a forest green wig styled with loose curls, and flawless makeup to match

She finished her evening ensemble by showing off her perfect pedicure in a pair of towering black Yves Saint Laurent heels.

Always ahead of the fashion trends, Chyna showed off a forest green wig styled with loose curls, and flawless makeup to match.

Tyga - whose real name is Michael Ray Stevenson - looked supremely comfortable for the night out dressed down in an orange-and-black Supreme tracksuit.

He strapped white Air Force One's to his feet and kept a pair of dark sunglasses over his eyes while indulging in a lollipop before heading into the club.

Walk it out: She finished her evening ensemble by showing off her perfect pedicure in a pair of towering black Yves Saint Laurent heels.

Shy! While Chyna kept her head down, her impressive amount of tattoos were on display in the leather outfit

Casual: Tyga - whose real name is Michael Ray Stevenson - looked supremely comfortable for the night out dressed down in an orange-and-black Supreme tracksuit

Comfortable: He strapped white Air Force One's to his feet and kept a pair of dark sunglasses over his eyes while indulging in a lollipop before heading into the club

Once inside the star-studded affair, the Taste rapper posed with photos of the birthday boy.

Sujit - the founder of DJ label SKAM Artist - made sure to snap a few with Chyna and her pal Amber Rose

The former couple became engaged nearly one month after she gave birth to their son King Cairo in 2012.

Tyga and Chyna reportedly brook up soon after it was rumored that he had been hooking up with Kylie Jenner, whom he later dated for years until reportedly breaking up in April 2017.

Woes: Tyga and Chyna reportedly brook up soon after it was rumored that he had been hooking up with Kylie Jenner, whom he later dated for years until reportedly breaking up in April 2017

To the top: Once inside the star-studded affair, the Taste rapper posed with photos of the birthday boy
Disneys firing of director James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a fight Dave Bautista is not letting slide.

At the end of August, the actor wrote a sarcastic tweet in which he thanked Disney for refusing to rehire James Gunn.

Thanks Disney!! Making America great again!, the actor tweeted, along with a link to a ScreenRant article confirming Disneys decision.

The director was fired by Disney in July 2018 after old tweets emerged in which the director joked about sensitive topics such as paedophilia and rape.

Dave Bautista hit out at Disney for not rehiring Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn

Bautista references the infamous Trump slogan MAGA because Gunns old tweets were dug up and disseminated by alt-right conspiracy theorists like Mike Cernovich, who was previously in the news for promoting the ludicrous Pizzagate conspiracy.

Ever since Disneys decision, the main cast of the first two films, which include Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan and Vin Diesel have voiced their support for the director.

In an open letter that Chris Pratt posted on Instagram, the cast said they fully support the director and were encouraged by the calls to see Gunn reinstated as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The casts letter pointed out that there is little due process in the court of public opinion. James is likely not the last good person to be put on trial.

Thanks @Disney !! Making America great again!  https://t.co/t6A4030xkS  Vaxxed AF! #TeamPfizer Poor Kid Chasing Dreams. (@DaveBautista) August 17, 2018

Pratt himself captioned his post: Although I dont support James Gunns inappropriate jokes from years ago, he is a good man. Id personally love to see him reinstated as director of Volume 3.

A petition was started that went on to garner nearly 400,000 signatures calling for Disney to reinstate Gunn. The actress Selma Blair quit Twitter to show her support for Gunn.

The directors brother Sean Gunn, who appeared in the first two GotG films, took to Twitter after Disneys decision to express his views.

He praised his brother, describing him as kind, generous and compassionate, adding: 'The struggle to find that voice was sometimes clunky, misguided, or downright stupid, and sometimes wonderful, moving, and hilarious.

'Since devoting his entire life to the Guardians movies and MCU six years ago, I've seen him channel that voice into his work on those movies and seen him transform from the guy who made up things to shock people.

'I saw firsthand as he went from worrying about "softening his edge" for a larger audience to realizing that his "edge" wasn't as useful of a tool as he thought it was. That his gift for storytelling was something better.

However, no one has been more vocal than Dave Bautista, who plays Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel films.

A day after Disneys decision, Bautista, whose recent film credits include hits such as Blade Runner 2049 and Spectre, tweeted that he was NOT OK with the firing.

'James Gunn is one of the most loving,caring, good-natured people I have ever met. Hes gentle and kind and cares deeply for people and animals.

'Hes made mistakes. We all have. I'm NOT OK with whats happening to him.'

I will do what Im legally obligated to do but @Guardians without @JamesGunn is not what I signed up for. GOTG w/o @JamesGunn just isnt GOTG. Its also pretty nauseating to work for someone whod empower a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis . Thats just how I feel https://t.co/Ym4FwruVDu  Poor Kid Who Chased His Dreams. (@DaveBautista) August 5, 2018

The actor then threatened to quit the franchise unless Disney used Gunns script for the third film.

'If [they] don't use that script, then I'm going to ask them to release me from my contract, cut me out, or recast me,' the 49-year-old action star vowed in a Monday statement to ShortList.

The actor added: 'I'd be doing James a disservice if I didn't.'

Bautista went as far as to tweet that it would be pretty nauseating to work for someone whod empower a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis.

After sarcastically thanking Disney for sticking by its decision, the actor then reshared the ScreenRant article which analyses Disneys decision and the potential consequences.
Diane Kruger's baby bump was on full display as she stepped out with friends in New York City on Sunday.

The 42-year-old openly showed off her growing belly in a pink hoodie.

The German-born star, who is dating Norman Reedus, has yet to confirm she is expecting a child.

Out and about: Actress Diane Kruger's baby bump was on full display as she stepped out with friends in New York City on Sunday even though she has yet to confirm she's expecting

The beauty glowed as she left her blonde hair down and wore a blue sailor's cap on top of her head, black leggings and white Nike high top sneakers.

Diane went bare-faced for the outing and carried a black purse on her shoulder throughout the stroll.

The model, best known for her role in Troy with Brad Pitt, is pregnant with her first child with actor Reedus, 49.

He hasn't confirmed their pregnancy, either, but he was spotted heading to what looked to be a baby shower with her in the Big Apple on Wednesday.

Baby news: The model, best known for her role in Troy with Brad Pitt, is pregnant with her first child with actor Norman Reedus, 49

Pregnancy look: The German beauty glowed as she left her blonde hair down and wore a blue sailor's cap on top of her head, black leggings and white Nike high top sneakers

Glam: Diane went bare-faced for the outing and carried a black purse on her shoulder throughout the stroll

Growing family: This would be Kruger's first child but a second child for Reedus of The Walking Dead fame as he has son Mingus Lucien Reedus, 18, with model Helena Christensen, who he was with from 1998 until 2003

This would be a second child for Reedus of The Walking Dead fame as he has son Mingus Lucien Reedus, 18, with model Helena Christensen, who he was with from 1998 until 2003.

Diane met Norman on the 2015 film Sky, and they were spotted kissing in 2017.

It was recently reported by Us Weekly that he has negotiated a $20 million paycheck to stay on the hit AMC post-apocalyptic drama.

Still, there has been no official pregnancy announcement from the couple's camp.

Before she started seeing Reedus, she was with Dawson's Creek star Joshua Jackson from 2006 until 2016.

Parents to be: Diane met Norman on the 2015 film Sky, and they were spotted kissing in 2017
She floods her Instagram with glamorous selfies to reach her 1.1m followers.

Yet Georgia Kousoulou looked dramatically different when she arrived with her boyfriend Tommy Mallett in tow at Sardinia's airport, in Italy on Monday.

The TOWIE star, 27, uncharacteristically displayed her natural beauty as she ditched her trademark heavy make-up on arrival in Italy to film The Only Way Is Essex.



All about the glamour: TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou looked worlds away from her usual glamour as she landed in Sardinia make-up free to film on Monday

Reality star Georgia also pinned her long flowing curls into a messy updo hairstyle, instantly drawing more attention to her make-up free features.

Well recognised for her racy ensembles, Georgia also slipped into a white tee and a grey pair of shorts for the flight.

However, the reality star did pack a lot of clothes for the trip as she was carrying a lot of luggage including two handbags and a carry-on as well as a suitcase.

Transformation! The TOWIE star, 27, uncharacteristically displayed her natural beauty (L) as she ditched her trademark heavy make-up on arrival in Italy to film The Only Way Is Essex

Recently, Georgia confessed she initially regretted having a nose job, saying she was left devastated when cruel trolls taunted her for looking like Michael Jackson.

The ITVBe star, who always 'hated' her natural nose, said she is now finished with surgery and wants nothing else done.

'I remember crying to my my mum, saying, "Oh my God! Have I done the right thing? Have I changed my face?"' she told New Magazine.

Swamped! However, the reality star did pack a lot of clothes for the trip as she was carrying a lot of luggage including two handbags and a carry-on as well as a suitcase

She went on to say: 'Those first few weeks were the worst. I was like, "Oh my God, what have I done?" After surgery, you do feel like, "Have I ruined myself?"

'I was looking at myself thinking, "Do I look that bad?" I had to remind myself, no I wanted this done.'

At one time, the blonde was tormented by messages saying she resembled late musician Michael Jackson, with some asking if he was 'back from the dead.'

Georgia admitted that the trolling became so bad that her mother and sister were replying to messages.

Together: Georgia looked dramatically different when she arrived with her boyfriend Tommy Mallett in tow

Opening up about her deep body insecurities, Georgia revealed the reason behind her new nose as she admitted her 'mum and all aunties' her undergone the same procedure and it was something she 'always wanted to do'.

After trying filler, she underwent the surgery before Christmas and insists she feels delighted with the results.

She even said her boyfriend Tommy Mallet, 25, has noticed her new-found confidence.
He vowed to give up weed and alcohol following his near-death health scare last month.

And Richard Bacon looked happy and healthy as he left his hotel in London on Sunday night.

The 42-year-old TV presenter, who spent 11 days in an induced coma while battling a deadly infection he described as 'bird flu in both lungs', appeared to be back to his best as he exited Chiltern Firehouse and headed to a taxi.

Back to his best: Richard Bacon looked happy and healthy as he left his hotel in London on Sunday night

Richard was casually-clad for his outing, dressing in a pale denim shirt, dark denim jeans and white trainers.

The former Blue Peter presenter, who has overhauled his lifestyle following his health scare, appeared in high spirits, flashing a coy smile as he headed to his awaiting taxi.

His evening out comes after Richard discussed his mystery illness, revealing the first two nights after he was admitted to hospital were the most dangerous.

Health scare: The 42-year-old TV presenter spent 11 days in an induced coma while battling a deadly infection he described as 'bird flu in both lungs'

On the mend: Richard appeared to be back to his best as he exited Chiltern Firehouse and headed to a taxi

Speaking to The Times Magazine, he said: 'In 2018, I can go into a hospital, aged 42, be that fit, and have all that modern equipment around me and still nearly die? F*****g hell. I came that close. The first two nights, it was incredibly close.'

And the former Blue Peter host called waking up from a medically induced coma 'the worst day of my life' and said he was thrashing about 'like a wild animal'.

He said: 'I remember thinking: I've not got enough oxygen, the room's too hot and I'm not getting enough attention. I need help. I remember consciously pulling the pipes out of my neck to set the alarms off. And it worked  people came running in.'

Reflecting on his illness, Richard explained that he's grateful to have survived his ordeal and has vowed to give up alcohol and marijuana, which is legal in LA where he lives and works.

Doing well: Last month, the TV presenter was rushed to hospital in London with a mystery illness, believed to be a lung infection, after getting off a flight from Los Angeles

He said: 'I'm giving up drinking. I had been drinking four or five glasses of wine every night. In LA, I've been smoking weed. It's all legal over there. I'm going to stop all that.'

And he recently explained that he was treating the near-death experience as a wake-up call. In an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live, Richard said: 'I've decided to really, really embrace health from here on in.

'I've always drunk too much, I've always drunk too quickly, so I'm giving up drinking altogether forever as a result of what happened to me.

Adding: 'Because if I don't effect some sort of really, really positive change out of this, then it's a giant waste of everyone's time... So I'm using it to effect positive change.

'It's something I've been thinking about anyway. I want to do something different, I want to look back in 10, 20 years and think "this was the moment I changed my life".'

Late last month, Richard also took to Instagram to share a snap of him reunited with his son Arthur, six, and daughter Ivy, four, as he stood alongside a Welcome Home banner outside is London home.

He was also seen leaving the hospital Lewisham using the help of a walking frame alongside wife of ten years Rebecca, after he posted another snap thanking the medical staff for saving his life.

He wrote in the caption: 'Gone within the hour. I don't know whether I see this as the bed I nearly died in or the bed that saved my life.

'Either way. I won't miss it. But I will miss the 50 staff of Lewisham Hospital who definitely saved my life. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.'
They confirmed their blossoming relationship last month after growing speculation they were romantically linked.

And Chris Pine and Annabelle Wallis appeared to be making the most of their new romance as they holidayed in Capri together on Monday.

British actress Annabelle, 33, oozed holiday glamour in a floaty peach summer dress with frilled detailing and floral applique, as she boarded a yacht with her beau.

New love: Chris Pine and Annabelle Wallis appeared to be making the most of their new romance as they holidayed in Capri together on Monday

The star teamed her pretty frock with a pair of tan heeled sandals and an on-trend straw clutch bag, shielding her eyes with a pair of thickly-rimmed shades.

Annabelle appeared to go make-up free for her day out with Chris, showcasing her natural beauty, while also wearing her locks in an untamed style.

The beauty added to her carefree holiday vibe with a beaded necklace, decorated with a collection of delicate shells.

Summer glam: British actress Annabelle, 33, oozed holiday glamour in a floaty peach summer dress with frilled detailing and floral applique, as she boarded a yacht with her beau

Chic: The star teamed her pretty frock with a pair of tan heeled sandals and an on-trend straw clutch bag, shielding her eyes with a pair of thickly-rimmed shades

Hunk: Appearing in high spirits Chris joined his love on the Italian break, wearing a monochrome kaftan, before stripping off to reveal his toned physique in a pair of swim shorts

Wow: Heartthrob Chris ensured he made the most of the rays in a pair of tiny shorts while standing aboard the yacht

All smiles: Chris and Annabelle made their way to their boat on a tender with a few other holidaymakers

Appearing in high spirits Chris joined his love on the Italian break, wearing a monochrome kaftan, before stripping off to reveal his toned physique in a pair of swim shorts.

The Star Trek actor added a straw hat to his ensemble, as well as a pair of wayfarer-style shades, ensuring he was shaded from the rays.

The couple appeared happy and relaxed on their Mediterranean break, which came four months after they were first rumoured to be dating back in April.

Natural beauty: Annabelle appeared to go make-up free for her day out with Chris, showcasing her natural beauty, while also wearing her locks in an untamed style

Quirky look: The Star Trek actor added a straw hat to his ensemble, as well as a pair of wayfarer-style shades, ensuring he was shaded from the rays

A source told US Weekly magazine at the time: 'They kept it casual for the beginning. Chris was very attentive and wooed her.'

The couple were pictured together for the first time later that month when they attended a dinner party in Malibu, California, but have remained under the radar ever since.

A source divulged: 'Chris and Annabelle hardly separated throughout the evening and couldn't take their eyes off each other.'

Chilling: The couple appeared happy and relaxed on their Mediterranean break, which came four months after they were first rumoured to be dating back in April

Affectionate: A source told US Weekly magazine at the time: 'They kept it casual for the beginning. Chris was very attentive and wooed her'

On the down low: The couple were pictured together for the first time later that month when they attended a dinner party in Malibu, California, but have remained under the radar ever since

Smile! Chris appeared to be documenting his trip as he held up a camera to take a snap of his pal

Over! Chris seemed to be in charge of the tender as he spoke into a radio during the trip

Pose! Chris mimicked Usain Bolt's famous stance as he posed on the rocks ahead of his boat trip

Couple goals: The genetically-blessed pair strolled down the cliff-side in order to hop aboard the boat

Distracted: Annabelle checked her phone as they made their way along the coast

Annabelle was previously in a long-term relationship with Coldplay's Chris Martin, 41; the couple dated for two years before calling times on their romance in June 2017.

The Peaky Blinders actress has explained in the past that she prefers to keep her dating life private.

'It becomes hard when you know about someone's personal life - it's just distracting. It's a whole other job in itself if you go down that road,' she said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald in June 2017.

Hiding: Chris went incognito in a one-piece and wide brimmed hat

Alone time: Once they boarded the yacht Chris spent time chilling with a friend

Deep in thought: The actor slipped his feet into a pair of white espadrille-esque flats

Puffing away: Chris puffed on an e-cigarette next to his stunning girlfriend

Aye aye captain! The star showcased his muscular physique during a tanning session

Bling: He accessorised his boat attire with a simple gold pendant

'I love the person I love, but it means so much to me that I like to keep it safe. I have nothing to hide.

'It's just that when you have people in your life that you care about, you get very protective of them, and it's not about you any more, it's about other people, and the ones you love are the ones you protect like a lioness.'

Chris was most recently linked to actress Sofia Boutella, 36, and in the past has dated model Dominique Piek, Big Little Lies star Zoe Kravitz and actress Olivia Munn.

Relaxing: He leaned against the woodwork of the boat during a conversation

Amateur photographer: Chris appeared a dab hand with a camera as he got his friend to pose
The Sharknado franchise is about to have its final shark-infested twist with The Last Sharknado: It's About Time.

The made-for-television films started back in 2013 with Sharknado, which was aired on SyFy, and became a cult hit following tweets from famous people such as Damon Lindelof, who offered to pen a sequel at the time.

Four sequels followed, each with an increasingly ludicrous subtitle: Sharknado 2: The Second One; Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!; Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming.

The Sharknado franchise will end with the sixth film called The Last Sharknado: It's About Time

As title of the fifth sequel suggests, The Last Sharknado: Its About Time marks the end of a B-movie franchise that features a former Beverly Hills, 90210 actor sawing Great Whites as they fall out of the sky.

Here is all you need to know about Sharknado 6 including its release date, trailer, cast and plot.

What is Sharknado 6s release date?

The Last Sharknado: Its About Time aired in the US on SyFy on Sunday August 19 and will continue to air on the Monday and Tuesday.

In the UK, Sharknado 6 will also air on SyFy on Monday, August 20 at 10pm.

Watch The Last Sharknado trailer

The trailer for the film was released on Friday, August 17 and showed scenes involving time-travel, Great Whites jumping out and chomping a T-Rex.

The Last Sharknado: It's About Time cast

The final film sees Ian Ziering and Tara Reid return as Fin Shepard and April Wexler. The pair have been with the franchise from the very first film, playing the bar-owning former surfer and his ex-wife respectively.

Vivica A Fox, who appeared in Sharknado 2: The Second One, returns as Skye, Fins former high school classmate, as does Ryan Newman, who played Fin and Aprils daughter in Sharknados 3 and 4.

Chuck Hittinger, who played Fin and Aprils son Matt in the first Sharknado but was replaced by Cody Linley in Sharknados 4 and 5, returns to the role in the final film.

Cassandra Scerbo, who has appeared intermittently in the franchise as a waitress in Fins bar, is there at the end in Sharknado 6.

Ian Zierings former Bevery Hills, 90210 castmate Tori Spelling, and her husband Dean McDermott make a cameo in the film.

30 Rock alum Judah Friedlander appears in the film as Bryan while Neil deGrasse Tyson plays Merlin, while former SNL star Darrell Hammon plays George Washington.

In The Last Sharknado: It's About Time, Fin must travel back in time to stop the first Sharknado

What happens in Sharknado 6?

The more apposite question is: what doesnt happen in Sharknado 6?

As the trailer for the film reveals, Fin travels back in time to stop the very first Sharknado, which apparently will stop all subsequent ones.

The trailer shows Fin travelling to prehistoric times, King Arthurs Camelot and Nazi Germany and encountering everything from dragon sharks to mechanical ones from the future.

The official plot synopsis for the film reads: Our hero Fin (Ian Ziering) has battled sharks all over the globe, but in this last installment he will tackle the final shark-tier -- time travel.

In the ending moments of Sharknado 5: The Global Swarming, Fin was seen wandering alone on Earth after it was destroyed. Now he must travel back in time to stop the Sharknado that started it all. Will Fin and the gang be able to set everything right and save the world once and for all?
Asia Argento has been accused of paying off her own sexual assault accuser in a new report from the New York Times.

Close friend Rose McGowan has weighed in on the reveal, asking that fans be gentle with the 42-year-old actress.

None of us know the truth of the situation and Im sure more will be revealed. Be gentle, she tweeted.

Jimmy Bennett sued Asia Argento of sexually assaulting him while they filmed together in 2013

Asia Argento paid Jimmy Butler a $380,000 settlement after he accused her of forcing herself on him

She added: I got to know Asia Argento ten month ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere.

On Sunday, the Times ran a piece revealing that Asia set up a deal to pay Jimmy Bennett, a young actor, $380,000 after she was sued by him for sexual assault. In his initial filing, the star alleged that in 2013 he was lured into a hotel room by Asia.

Once inside, she pushed him on a bed and performed oral sex on him before the two had intercourse. At the time, Jimmy was 17 and under the age of consent in California. Asia was 37-years-old.

Who is Jimmy Bennett?

Jimmy Bennett was born February 9, 1996 in Seal Beach, California. Hes been acting since childhood, appearing in films like Daddy Day Care, Hostage, Evan Almighty, Orphan, and Star Trek. He also appeared on the ABC series, No Ordinary Family.

In addition to his acting pursuits, Jimmy runs a YouTube page where he sings and plays guitar.

Jimmy Bennett YouTube

Jimmy Bennett has a YouTube page which features two official music videos and one trailer for an upcoming video.

The video for his Everything About You official music video has more than 50,000 views. Others have significantly less.

Jimmys YouTube page hasnt been updated in about five years.

Jimmy Bennett filmography

Jimmy Bennett has had several small roles in well-known films. He voiced a character in The Jungle Book 2, appeared in Daddy Day Care, The Amityville Horror, Poseidon, Evan Almighty, Star Trek and more.

Hes also had a number of TV roles, including The Guardian, Judging Amy, Gilmore Girls and Murder in the First.

Jimmys been nominated for the Young Artist Award six times, winning twice.

Asia Argento allegations

The New York Times revealed that Jimmy Bennett sued Asia Argento for sexual assault related to a 2013 incident. In his initial filing, the young actor accused Asia of luring him into a hotel room where she kissed him, forced him onto the bed and performed oral sex on him.

She then mounted him and they had sex, according to his account.

Jimmy was 17 at the time. The legal age of consent in California is 18.

He claims the incident left him traumatized and that his work suffered as a result of what happened that day.

Who is Asia Argento?

Asia Argento was born Aria Maria Vittoria Rossa Argento on September 20, 1975. Shes the daughter of horror film director, Dario Argento and actress Daria Nicolodi.

Asia herself is an actress. She got her start in Italian films before breaking onto the American scene in the 1998 film B.Monkey.

She has since claimed that during that time she was first sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein.

Asia has gone on to appear in xXx alongside Vin Diesel. She also directed Scarlet Diva and The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.

The actress famously dated celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who died by suicide on June 8, 2018 in France. Anthony was outspoken in his support of Asia after she came forward with abuse allegations.

 For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here

 For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here
Ben Affleck has been seen with a 22-year-old Playboy model in recent days.

So it's not too much of a shock that E! News reported on Monday that the Batman star, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Lindsay Shookus, 38.

On Monday the site claimed it's over for good: 'They are still very amicable and have stayed friends. They both tried to make it work, but the distance just proved to be too much for them right now. Family comes first for them both.'

A source told People that the actor was 'never fully committed.'

Over! Ben Affleck has been seen with a 22-year-old Playboy model in recent days. So it's not too much of a shock that E! News is reporting that the Batman star, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Lindsay Shookus, 38. Seen in 2017

Ben lives in LA to be near the three kids he has with Jennifer Garner: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel.

Lindsay lives in NYC to be near her son and work on SNL.

They were last photographed together in July in Puerto Rico.

Ben and Lindsay were first linked in July of 2017, and they made their first official appearance together in September of 2017.

Shookus reportedly deleted her Instagram account on Sunday.

Beauty: This young lady - who is only 10 years older than Violet - is Ben's new flame

Friendly exes: The Town star shares his kids his estranged wife Jennifer Garner, and the powerful pair have yet to formally finalize their divorce; seen in June

Lindsay was noticeably absent from his 46th birthday festivities with the family on Wednesday evening.

And it looks like Affleck has moved on quickly.

Last week he was with Playboy model Sexton at least twice.

Problems? To add even more fuel to the fire, Lindsay and Ben haven't been spotted together since July when the pair were in Puerto Rico as he filmed scenes for the upcoming Netflix movie The Last Thing He Wanted; seen in June

Shauna - who hails from Virginia Beach, Virginia, showed off her killer curves in a figure-hugging dress and heels at Nobu

Not only did the 22-year-old receive the coveted title of Miss May 2018, she's also returned to Playboy for various blogs and photo shoots.

Sexton lists herself as 'single' on her Facebook page, and in addition to her career as scantily clad model, boasts about her work with animals as a veterinary technician.

The way they were: Ben often flew to NYC to see Lindsay; here they are spotted in January

'I started in this field when I was about 16,' she told Playboy. 'After my first experience in surgery, I realized working fast-paced and under pressure is for me. Whatever requires me to move quickly and freely is intriguing. I love surgery more than anything.'

At the time, Sexton told the publication that she was 'very much single' and is looking for someone with a strong head on their shoulders.

'I want someone who's able to compromise but doesn't sell himself short,' she said. 'I appreciate people who are the truest forms of themselves and brutally honest about who they are.'

The Armageddon star's appearance comes after he celebrated his birthday with his children Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine and Sam, six, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Ben was spotted heading into the Refuge Recovery Treatment Center in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles.

Ben shares his three children with estranged wife Garner, and the powerful pair have yet to formally finalize their divorce.

Doing her own thing: Garner looked happy as she headed to church in LA on Sunday; it's not clear if she ever spent time with Shookus

The couple separated in June 2015 following 10 years of marriage, and filed for divorce in April 2017.

The actor is reportedly 'in a good place' and is 'doing well' after recent reports surfaced that he and Jennifer, 46, were sent legal warnings by the court for 'dragging their feet' over their divorce, according to People.

'He is in a good place mentally and has worked really hard to get here,' a source told the publication. 'He continues to focus on himself and the health of his relationships.'
Workers of Birtley Industrial Equipment Corporation, the first China-invested company in Kentucky, are welding equipment. (By Wu Lejun from Peoples Daily)

Only cooperation can bring China and the US a win-win prospect, said governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky, a southeastern state of the US, stressing that a closer partnership between individual residents, businesses and sister cities is of great significance for the future of the worlds two largest economies.

Describing challenges facing bilateral cooperation as an inescapable process, Bevin said what can be done now is to ensure a more intimate national and public bond no matter what is happening at the federal government level by cementing the exchanges at lower level.

We must bear big picture in mind when looking into future, instead of stubbornly confining the horizon to the figures of trade surplus or deficits, Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankaisaid at the welcome banquet held byBevin on Monday.

Cui stressed the importance of macro perspective when seriously and effectively handling the emerging problems.

His remarks were echoed by the business representatives attending the banquet, who also expressed their strong aspiration for an intensified China-US economic and trade cooperation, and a healthy bilateral relationship.

Kentucky sits in the front row among the US states in terms of exports to China. Data released by Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development showed that the states exports to China, its fourth largest exportation destination, increased by 60% in 2017, and the vast majority was constituted by aerospace products.

By the end of this February, seven Chinese companies had bet as much as $10 billion dollars in the state by making investment or establishing plants, creating over 8,000 jobs directly for local residents.

After the US started to impose additional tariffs of 25 percent on Chinese goods worth $34 billion on July 6, a batch of centrifuges shipped to Kentucky-based Birtley Industrial Equipment Corporation, a provider of coal washing equipment, have fallen into one of the first victims, said general manager Zhao Chaoxun of Birtley, the first China-invested company in Kentucky.

The equipment were manufactured by our parent company in China, and our American clients also feel frustrating as they have to pay for the costs resulted from additional tariffs, said Zhao, in a hope that the US administration could properlyresolve the trade tensions as soon as possible.

Its headache that the additional tariff has raised the operation costs of local businesses, he told the Peoples Daily frankly.

The manger recalled that when Birtley plant was set up in 2013, US produced roughly 1 billion tons of coal each year, and Kentucky, who contributed a tenth to the national production, had a high demand for heavy duty coal equipment.

But trends in the coal industry began to change soon after the investment was made, and US coal production dropped more than 25 percent in the last few years, he said, adding that his company has already devoted energy to environment-friendly projects to adapt to the new situation.

The US bourbon whiskey industry is in trouble as well after it was selected by many countries and regions as a target for retaliation. The tariff is a great blow to local producers like us, Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillers' Association complained.

He told the Peoples Daily that bourbon whiskey, which was recognized by the US Congress as a "distinctive product of the US" by concurrent resolution, has created 17,500 jobs and an annual value of about $8.5 billion for Kentucky.

Admitting that exploration of overseas market is not an easy job, Gregory said local producers lay importance on the emerging Chinese market with huge potential.

We have expressed our concerns to the state and federal governments, he said, stressing that free trade is the key precondition to sell bourbon whiskey around the world, and the ongoing trade dispute is now top challenge for local wineries.

Bourbon whiskey producers feel annoyed with the tensions. We have been worrying about a revenge resulted from the US tariff policy, but the fear finally turned into reality, Gregory said, warning that it will severely hit the overseas market of Kentucky-made bourbon whiskey, and lead to dire consequences including reduced employment and factory shutdown.

What Zhao and Gregory said were agreed by more business representatives in the state.

Describing economic growth as a result of establishing partnership, trusting each other and choosing the right timing, Robert L. Quick, President and CEO of Commerce Lexington, one of Kentuckys largest chambers of commerce, said that they expect a long-term and stable economic and trade relationship with China.

This July, he and chiefs of 58 local firms voiced their concerns over the tariff policy to Washington, in a hope that the White House can find out a proper solution.

Quick believes that though the trade disputes have not come to an end, bilateral economic and trade ties will brace for better future as long as both sides bolster cooperation and consultation.

This is the consensus shared by many of our members, said the CEO, whose chamber represents about 1,750 members.
Lisa Marie Presley celebrated a victory today after a judge ruled that she doesnt have to pay a penny to her estranged husband Michael Lockwood in their bitter divorce, according to court documents seen by DailyMail.com

Lockwood had argued in court last week that an 'ironclad' post-nuptial agreement the couple signed in 2007 - in which both signed away their rights to each others property and spousal support - should be torn up because he didnt read it and his attorney at the time didnt explain it to him.

But after four days to consider the evidence presented during last weeks three-day trial, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman ruled: The Court finds that the post-nuptial agreement signed by the parties November 28, 2007 is valid and enforceable in whole.

Finished: Lisa Marie Presley celebrated a victory today after a judge ruled that she doesnt have to pay a penny to her estranged husband Michael Lockwood in their bitter divorce, according to court documents seen by DailyMail.com; the couple were seen in 2015

The judge added: If Respondent (Lockwood) elected not to read it (the post-nup) and accept the consequences that it would be upheld, that is also his choice.'

She had been ordered in February to fork over nearly $100,000 in his legal fees.

Michael received threats against his life 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 the judge on the third day of the former couple's messy divorce trial.

Not great: Lockwood had argued in court last week that an 'ironclad' post-nuptial agreement the couple signed in 2007 should be torn up because he didnt read it and his attorney at the time didnt explain it to him; seen in 2005

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.

'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 was the validity of a post-nuptial agreement signed by Presley and Lockwood, 57, in July 2007 and again in November that year - more than one year after the couple were married.

In that document, 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 - wanted 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

Talk about it: The central issue of the divorce trial was the validity of a post-nuptial agreement signed by Presley and Lockwood, 57, in July 2007 and again in November that year - more than one year after the couple were married; seen during a Today show segment in August

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 post-nup 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.

'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',' Fishbein said.

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.

Family: Presley has twin daughters with Lockwood and was seen with her daughter Riley Keough (left) in October

Legends: 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'

'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.'

'Miss Presley remained in the marriage under the mistaken understanding that he was going to honor this post-nuptial agreement,' her lawyer said; seen in 2015

Good gig: 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; seen in 2005

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.

'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.

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

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.

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.

Trouble: 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; seen in 2013
Cara Delevingne celebrated turning 26 in style with a lavish birthday bash in the south of France last week.

The model was joined by a slew of a-list pals, including the likes of her new love interest Ashley Benson, Kate Beckinsale, Sienna Miller and Margot Robbie.

Cara shared a glimpse of her star-studded celebrations via Instagram on Sunday, posting snaps from the mermaid-themed bash.

Star-studded: Cara Delevingne celebrated turning 26 in style with a lavish birthday bash in the south of France last week

Cara, who has an estimated net-worth of 14million, spared no expense for her birthday party, slipping her model figure into a 24-carat gold ring dress, which was designed by Julien Macdonald.

The actress, who wore her dark blonde hair in cornrow braids, appeared in high spirits as she posed with a glittering green mermaid alongside Suicide Squad co-star Margot, Zoe Kravitz, Kate and Sienna.

Reflecting on her amazing time, she captioned the snaps: 'It was my birthday a week ago and I am still giggling with MERmazing memories'.

The model was joined by a slew of a-list pals, including the likes of her new girlfriend Ashley Benson, Kate Beckinsale, Sienna Miller and Margot Robbie

Having a blast: Cara shared a glimpse of her star-studded celebrations via Instagram on Sunday, posting snaps from the mermaid-themed bash

Golden girl: The model celebrated her 26th birthday while wearing a dress held together with 24-carat gold rings

Kate, 45, who showcased her enviably-toned stomach in a black latex two-piece, also shared fond memories as she shared the same snaps via her own Instagram page.

She wrote: 'Water babies for @caradelevingne birthday happy birthday gorgeous person xx'

Margot cut a stylish figure in a white vest top and ripped jeans, while Sienna showed off her sartorial flair in a polka dot dress.

MerMAZING: Reflecting on her amazing time, she captioned the snaps: 'It was my birthday a week ago and I am still giggling with MERmazing memories'

Meanwhile designer Julien, who also attended the party, shared a video online of Cara blowing out the candle on her cannabis-themed cake.

The blonde beauty was later seen at Heathrow kissing her new love, U.S. actress Ashley Benson, 28.

The pair first set tongues wagging in April, when they stepped out hand-in-hand during what looked like a double date in NYC.

The couple looked besotted with each other as they queued up for a taxi outside the terminal, with Cara wrapping an affectionate arm around the actress.

Smiling widely as they chatted, the couple were then seen indulging in a number of passionate kisses as they waited for their ride into central London.

Smitten: The blonde beauty was later seen at Heathrow kissing her new love, U.S. actress Ashley Benson, 28

Seemingly proving their close relationship further, Ashley even sported a delicate gold 'C' pendant around her neck, in apparent tribute to her new love.

MailOnline has contacted representatives of both Cara and Ashley for further comment.

Meanwhile, Rita Ora showed just how close she is with Cara as she joined stars Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid in paying tribute to the model on her 26th birthday on Sunday.

In a racy Instagram image, the Hot Right Now hitmaker, 27, put on a daring display as her pal licked her chest during a photoshoot with Glamour Magazine in 2014.

Gushing over her bond with the birthday girl, she captioned the snap: 'Happy birthdayy my crazy pineapple with whom I've shared many fun memories with (sic).'
Scarlett Johansson looked to be in a grim mood on Monday afternoon in New York City as she headed to the gym.

This is the first time the 33-year-old star has been seen since she pulled out of Rub & Tug. The blonde beauty had received backlash for taking on the role of a transgender man.

The siren will next be seen in another Avengers movie in May 2019.

Recovering: Scarlett Johansson looked to be in a grim mood on Monday afternoon in New York City as she headed to the gym

Tough end: This is the first time the 33-year-old star has been seen since she pulled out of Rub & Tug. The blonde beauty had received backlash for taking on the role of a transgender man

The actress was in workout clothes as she was eating an apple with her cell phone in her hand.

She appeared to be alone and interested in not being noticed as she had on a hat and sunglasses.

In July, a spokesperson for the 33-year-old was initially defensive about the criticism, but it seems the actress had a change of heart.

She said: 'In light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting as Dante Tex Gill, I have decided to respectfully withdraw my participation in the project. Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I've learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,' she said.

Solo: The actress was in workout clothes as she was eating an apple with her cell phone in her hand

'I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues. According to GLAAD, LGBTQ+ characters dropped 40% in 2017 from the previous year, with no representation of trans characters in any major studio release.

'While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante's story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person, and I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film. I believe that all artists should be considered equally and fairly.

'My production company, These Pictures, actively pursues projects that both entertain and push boundaries. We look forward to working with every community to bring these most poignant and important stories to audiences worldwide.'

Under the radar: She appeared to be alone and interested in not being noticed as she had on a hat and sunglasses

Scarlett had been due to co-produce Rub & Tug and star as Jean Marie Gill  the real-life Pittsburgh woman who ran a prostitution empire in the 1970s and 80s in the .guise of a man, Dante 'Tex' Gill.

Jean Marie was able to run a slew of 'happy ending' massage parlors until she was indicted for tax evasion in 1984.

Her reign in Pittsburgh's sex and steroid business ended when she was sentenced to seven years in a federal prison.

Meanwhile, Scarlett, who is currently dating Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost, has two movies in post-production.

She is presently filming Jojo Rabbit, a WWII drama starring Rebel Wilson and Sam Rockwell.

And Marvel recently announced spin-off Black Widow, in which she stars as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, due for release in 2019.
Jennifer Garner looked thrilled to be getting her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Monday afternoon.

The 45-year-old siren appeared several years younger than she really is as she stunned in a blue gown with her hair tied up in an elegant style.

This event comes the same day E! News reported that her estranged husband Ben Affleck, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Lindsay Shookus, 38. He is now dating Playboy model Shauna Sexton, 22.

Ben did not attend Jennifer's Walk Of Fame event on Monday, but her three kids with the Batman star did: Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine, and Samuel, six.

Good mood: Jennifer Garner looked thrilled to be getting her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Monday afternoon

A lot accomplished: The pinup has been acting for 30 years and has made over two dozen movies including Daredevil, Juno and Love Simon

Her blessings: Ben did not attend Jennifer's Walk Of Fame event on Monday, but her three kids with the Batman star did: Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine, and Samuel, six

They all made it: Her kids, sister, and parents all glowed as they sat by her star

Garner looked picture perfect in her off-the-shoulder dress that came in at the waistline, highlighting her trim waist.

She has gotten into tip-top shape to star in the action film Peppermint.

The beauty was also seen with her parents in the audience as she clapped away.

And actor Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame was also at the splashy event which required a sidewalk in Hollywood to be blocked off.

So many laughs: The 45-year-old star was seen next to friend Judy Greer

So close: The beauty gave a hug to the blonde Jurassic World actress

Her folks: The beauty was also seen with her parents in the audience as she clapped away

They go back: And actor Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame was also at the splashy event which required a sidewalk in Hollywood to be blocked off

Affleck has been in the news a lot in the past few days.

On Monday the site claimed he and Shookus are over for good:

'They are still very amicable and have stayed friends. They both tried to make it work, but the distance just proved to be too much for them right now. Family comes first for them both,' a source told E!

Ben lives in LA to be near the three kids he has with Garner: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel. Lindsay lives in NYC to be near her son and work on SNL.

Bling baby: The 13 Going On 30 star wore several bracelets and rings to the event

These heels are made for walking: And the Catch And Release actress had on spiky high heels with a strap around the ankle

Another A lister: The siren from West Virginia was also seen with actor Steve Carell (L)

They were last photographed together in July in Puerto Rico.

Ben and Lindsay were first linked in July of 2017, and they made their first official appearance together in September of 2017.

Shookus reportedly deleted her Instagram account on Sunday.

Lindsay was noticeably absent from his 46th birthday festivities with the family on Wednesday evening.

And it looks like Affleck has moved on quickly.

Last week he was with Playboy model Sexton at least twice.

Shauna - who hails from Virginia Beach, Virginia, showed off her killer curves in a figure-hugging dress and heels at Nobu

Over! Ben Affleck has been seen with a 22-year-old Playboy model in recent days. So it's not too much of a shock that E! News is reporting that the Batman star, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Lindsay Shookus, 38. Seen in 2017

Not only did the 22-year-old receive the coveted title of Miss May 2018, she's also returned to Playboy for various blogs and photo shoots.

Sexton lists herself as 'single' on her Facebook page, and in addition to her career as scantily clad model, boasts about her work with animals as a veterinary technician.

'I started in this field when I was about 16,' she told Playboy. 'After my first experience in surgery, I realized working fast-paced and under pressure is for me. Whatever requires me to move quickly and freely is intriguing. I love surgery more than anything.'

Beauty: This young lady - who is only 10 years older than Violet - is Ben's new flame

Friendly exes: The Town star shares his kids his estranged wife Garner, and the powerful pair have yet to formally finalize their divorce; seen in June

At the time, Sexton told the publication that she was 'very much single' and is looking for someone with a strong head on their shoulders.

'I want someone who's able to compromise but doesn't sell himself short,' she said. 'I appreciate people who are the truest forms of themselves and brutally honest about who they are.'

The Armageddon star's appearance comes after he celebrated his birthday with his children Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine and Sam, six, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Ben was spotted heading into the Refuge Recovery Treatment Center in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles.

Problems? To add even more fuel to the fire, Lindsay and Ben haven't been spotted together since July when the pair were in Puerto Rico as he filmed scenes for the upcoming Netflix movie The Last Thing He Wanted; seen in June

Ben shares his three children with estranged wife Garner, and the powerful pair have yet to formally finalize their divorce.

The couple separated in June 2015 following 10 years of marriage, and filed for divorce in April 2017.

The actor is reportedly 'in a good place' and is 'doing well' after recent reports surfaced that he and Jennifer, 46, were sent legal warnings by the court for 'dragging their feet' over their divorce, according to People.

'He is in a good place mentally and has worked really hard to get here,' a source told the publication. 'He continues to focus on himself and the health of his relationships.'
She's not afraid to show a little skin.

And Ben Affleck's new girlfriend Shauna Sexton appeared to be reveling in a moment in front of the lens as she posed in a bikini during a photo shoot on Monday morning.

The 22-year-old Playboy model put her killer curves on display in a retro-inspired Versace two-piece amid reports that her actor beau split from Lindsay Shookus after more than one year of dating, according to E! News.

Beauty: Ben Affleck's new girlfriend Shauna Sexton appeared to be reveling in a moment in front of the lens as she posed in a bikini during a photo shoot on Monday morning

Shauna's sun-kissed skin glistened in the sunlight as she struck a pose in the mustard yellow bikini.

A tight bandeau top wrapped around her ample assets, and a sheer black kimono with gold studs draped across her shoulders.

Matching high-waisted bottoms revealed tan lines on her hips, with a black leather belt wrapped around svelte physique and various golden chains draping down to her thighs.

Fashion: The 22-year-old Playboy model put her killer curves on display in a retro-inspired Versace two-piece amid reports that her actor beau split from Lindsay Shookus after more than one year of dating, according to E! News

Strike a pose: Shauna's sun-kissed skin glistened in the sunlight as she struck a pose in the mustard yellow bikini

Model behavior: A tight bandeau top wrapped around her ample assets, and a sheer black kimono with gold studs draped across her shoulders

Keeping with her retro theme, a bevy of chokers were positioned around her neck with massive gold earrings peeking from underneath her ashy blonde hair.

She added a pair of strappy black heels to her already statuesque frame and kept a wide-brimmed hat on her head.

Sexton has been spotted around town with Ben throughout the week after the couple were first seen leaving Nobu Malibu on Thursday.

Stunning: Matching high-waisted bottoms revealed tan lines on her hips, with a black leather belt wrapped around svelte physique and various golden chains draping down to her thighs

Lovely: Keeping with her retro theme, a bevy of chokers were positioned around her neck with massive gold earrings peeking from underneath her ashy blonde hair

Serious business: She added a pair of strappy black heels to her already statuesque frame and kept a wide-brimmed hat on her head

So it's not too much of a shock that the outlet reported on Monday that the Batman star, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Lindsay Shookus, 38.

'They are still very amicable and have stayed friends,' a source said. 'They both tried to make it work, but the distance just proved to be too much for them right now. Family comes first for them both.'

Ben lives in Los Angeles to be near the three kids he shares with Jennifer Garner: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel.

Lindsay lives in New York to be near her young son and also for her job producing Saturday Night Live.

Happy: Sexton has been spotted around town with Ben throughout the week after the couple were first seen leaving Nobu Malibu on Thursday

All smiles: The new couple were spotted picking up fast food on Sunday afternoon

Over! E! News reported that the Batman star, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Lindsay Shookus, 38; seen in 2017

Ben and Lindsay were said to be an item in July of 2017, and they made their first official appearance together in September of 2017.

The couple were last photographed together in July in Puerto Rico and Shookus reportedly deleted her Instagram account on Sunday.

Lindsay was noticeably absent from his 46th birthday festivities with the family on Wednesday evening.

Shauna - who hails from Virginia Beach, Virginia - received the coveted title of Miss May 2018 and has also returned to Playboy for various blogs and photo shoots.

Support: Ben may have been a no-show to Jennifer's Walk of Fame ceremony on Monday, but her doting children were definitely on hand to celebrate their mother's work in the entertainment industry

Model madness: Sexton regularly shows off her enviable frame on Instagram

Friendly exes: The Town star shares his kids with estranged wife Jennifer Garner, and the powerful pair have yet to formally finalize their divorce; seen in June

Sexton lists herself as 'single' on her Facebook page, and in addition to her career as scantily clad model, boasts about her work with animals as a veterinary technician.

'I started in this field when I was about 16,' she told Playboy. 'After my first experience in surgery, I realized working fast-paced and under pressure is for me. Whatever requires me to move quickly and freely is intriguing. I love surgery more than anything.'

At the time, Sexton told the publication that she was 'very much single' and is looking for someone with a strong head on their shoulders.

'I want someone who's able to compromise but doesn't sell himself short,' she said. 'I appreciate people who are the truest forms of themselves and brutally honest about who they are.'

The Armageddon star's appearance comes after he celebrated his birthday with his children Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine and Sam, six, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Problems? To add even more fuel to the fire, Lindsay and Ben haven't been spotted together since July when the pair were in Puerto Rico as he filmed scenes for the upcoming Netflix movie The Last Thing He Wanted; seen in June

The way they were: Ben often flew to NYC to see Lindsay; here they are spotted in January

Earlier in the day, Ben was spotted heading into the Refuge Recovery Treatment Center in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles.

Ben and Jen have yet to settle their April 2017 divorce after separating in June 2015 following 10 years of marriage.

The actor is reportedly 'in a good place' and is 'doing well' after recent reports surfaced that he and Jennifer, 46, were sent legal warnings by the court for 'dragging their feet' over their divorce, according to People.

'He is in a good place mentally and has worked really hard to get here,' a source told the publication. 'He continues to focus on himself and the health of his relationships.'
Jennifer Garner looked like Mom Of The Year as she posed with all three of her kids on Monday.

The 45-year-old siren held tight Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine, and Samuel, six, who she shares with estranged husband Ben Affleck, 46.

The Peppermint actress was receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

Affleck - who reportedly split from Lindsay Shookus to date Playboy model Shauna Sexton - was not seen at the important event.

Her blessings: Jennifer Garner looked like Mom Of The Year as she posed with all three of her kids on Monday

Mommy duty: The 45-year-old siren held tight Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine, and Samuel, six

They all made it: Her kids, sister, and parents all glowed as they sat by her star

Over? Her estranged husband Ben Affleck - who reportedly split from Lindsay Shookus to date Playboy model Shauna Sexton - was not seen; here Ben is with Lindsay in 2017

The Elektra siren appeared several years younger than she really is as she stunned in a blue gown with her hair tied up in an elegant style.

This event comes the same day E! News reported that her estranged husband Ben, 46, has split from his girlfriend of one year, Shookus, 38.

He is now reportedly dating Playboy model Sexton.

Strike a pose: Shauna's sun-kissed skin glistened in the sunlight as she struck a pose in the mustard yellow bikini during a photoshoot on the streets of West Hollywood Sunday

She has so many who love her: Also at the HWOF event was her sister, far right

Tightknit: Garner was showered by love as her kids, sister and parents all gathered around her

Her folks: The beauty was also seen with her parents in the audience as she clapped away

Good mood: Garner looked thrilled to be getting her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Garner looked picture perfect in her off-the-shoulder dress that came in at the waistline, highlighting her trim waist.

She has gotten into tip-top shape to star in the action film Peppermint.

The beauty was also seen with her parents in the audience as she clapped away. All three of her kids were dressed up for the fun event.

And it also looked as if Jennifer's sister was there as well.

And actor Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame was also at the splashy event which required a sidewalk in Hollywood to be blocked off.

A lot accomplished: The pinup has been acting for 30 years and has made over two dozen movies including Daredevil, Juno and Love Simon

So many laughs: The 45-year-old star was seen next to friend Judy Greer

So close: The beauty gave a hug to the blonde Jurassic World actress

Steve Carrell was also seen speaking at the podium.

Affleck has been in the news a lot in the past few days. On Monday the site claimed he and Shookus are over for good:

'They are still very amicable and have stayed friends. They both tried to make it work, but the distance just proved to be too much for them right now. Family comes first for them both,' a source told E!

They go back: And actor Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame was also at the splashy event which required a sidewalk in Hollywood to be blocked off

Ben lives in LA to be near the three kids he has with Garner: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel. Lindsay lives in NYC to be near her son and work on SNL.

They were last photographed together in July in Puerto Rico.

Ben and Lindsay were first linked in July of 2017, and they made their first official appearance together in September of 2017.

Shookus reportedly deleted her Instagram account on Sunday.

Bling baby: The 13 Going On 30 star wore several bracelets and rings to the event

Lindsay was noticeably absent from his 46th birthday festivities with the family on Wednesday evening.

And it looks like Affleck has moved on quickly.

Last week he was with Playboy model Sexton at least twice.

Shauna - who hails from Virginia Beach, Virginia, showed off her killer curves in a figure-hugging dress and heels at Nobu

These heels are made for walking: And the Catch And Release actress had on spiky high heels with a strap around the ankle

Not only did the 22-year-old receive the coveted title of Miss May 2018, she's also returned to Playboy for various blogs and photo shoots.

Sexton lists herself as 'single' on her Facebook page, and in addition to her career as scantily clad model, boasts about her work with animals as a veterinary technician.

'I started in this field when I was about 16,' she told Playboy. 'After my first experience in surgery, I realized working fast-paced and under pressure is for me. Whatever requires me to move quickly and freely is intriguing. I love surgery more than anything.'

Another A lister: The siren from West Virginia was also seen with actor Steve Carell (L)

At the time, Sexton told the publication that she was 'very much single' and is looking for someone with a strong head on their shoulders.

'I want someone who's able to compromise but doesn't sell himself short,' she said. 'I appreciate people who are the truest forms of themselves and brutally honest about who they are.'

The Armageddon star's appearance comes after he celebrated his birthday with his children Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine and Sam, six, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Ben was spotted heading into the Refuge Recovery Treatment Center in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles.

New girl: Shauna Sexton wore a wide-brimmed hat on her head during Sunday's photoshoot

Ben shares his three children with estranged wife Garner, and the powerful pair have yet to formally finalize their divorce.

The couple separated in June 2015 following 10 years of marriage, and filed for divorce in April 2017.

The actor is reportedly 'in a good place' and is 'doing well' after recent reports surfaced that he and Jennifer, 46, were sent legal warnings by the court for 'dragging their feet' over their divorce, according to People.

'He is in a good place mentally and has worked really hard to get here,' a source told the publication. 'He continues to focus on himself and the health of his relationships.'
They've been 'Instagram celebrities' for years, but the Hembrow sisters are now finally enjoying a real taste of mainstream fame.

After Tammy's dramatic exit from Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party in a stretcher earlier this month, the family flew to Bali for a well-deserved holiday.

And upon their return to Queensland on Monday, the siblings could have been mistaken for their idols the Kardashians after being caught by the paparazzi.

In a video shared to Emilee Hembrow's Instagram Story, younger sister Starlette Thynne giggled as she enjoyed her moment in the spotlight.

She skipped across Brisbane Airport's arrivals terminal to join older sibling Tammy, who was carrying one of her children in her arms.

An excited-sounding Emilee said in the background of the clip: 'Oh, my God - he's back! Star is trying to, like, save Tammy.'

We're famous now! Tammy Hembrow's Kardashian wannabe sisters couldn't hide their delight after being caught by paparazzi following their Bali holiday. Pictured: Tammy's younger sister Starlette Thynne (right) and a photographer (left) at Brisbane Airport on Monday

'Oh, my God - he's back!' In a video shared to Emilee Hembrow's Instagram Story on Monday, younger sister Starlette (pictured) giggled as she enjoyed her moment in the spotlight

Meet Australia's wannabe Kardashians! The Hembrow sisters' airport sighting comes after they enjoyed a sun-soaked holiday in Uluwatu, Bali last week. Pictured: Tammy (top right), Amy (bottom left) and Emilee Hembrow (top left), and Starlette Thynne (bottom right)

The Hembrow sisters' airport sighting comes after they enjoyed a sun-soaked getaway in Uluwatu, Bali last week.

The socialites jetted to Indonesia for a holiday after Tammy's spectacular exit from Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party earlier this month.

On Thursday 9 August, the 24-year-old Instagram model was stretchered out of West Hollywood nightspot Delilah just before midnight.

She was pictured being carried out face down on a gurney by paramedics as Kylie's father Caitlyn Jenner watched on in horror.

Getaway! The socialites jetted to Indonesia for a holiday after Tammy's spectacular exit from Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party earlier this month. Pictured: Starlette and Emilee

Courting the spotlight: Sisters Amy, Emilee (right) and Starlette (left) have been enjoying their share of the spotlight lately

Stunning: The eldest Hembrow sister, 28-year-old Amy, is pictured on their Bali holiday

In a YouTube video posted days later, Tammy claimed she was 'super embarrassed' about what happened and admitted she should not have been drinking alcohol due to being jet-lagged.

Following her collapse, Tammy - who shares two children, daughter Saskia, two, and three-year-old son Wolf, with her ex-fiance Reece Hawkins - has become one of the most talked-about women in Australia.

Her sisters - Amy, 28, and Emilee Hembrow, 26, and Starlette Thynne, 18 - have also been enjoying their share of the spotlight in the wake of the incident.

Chaos at Kylie Jenner's birthday party! On Thursday 9 August, 24-year-old Instagram model Tammy Hembrow was stretchered out of West Hollywood nightspot Delilah just before midnight. Pictured: Tammy and her three-year-old son Wolf in Bali last week
Her style has always been the epitome of classic, southern elegance.

So it comes as no surprise that Reese Witherspoon stepped out in a bright, summer dress, decorated with a floral print pattern.

The 42-year-old actress embraced the warm weather in the knee-length frock as she headed to a nail salon in Pacific Palisades, California.

Beauty appointment: Reese Witherspoon stepped out in a bright, summer dress, decorated with a floral print pattern

The stunning blonde's dress was covered in buttons and featured two delicate pockets, and completed her ensemble with a set of tan wedges.

Reese accessorized her look with layered gold jewelry, a pair of shades and a structured bag.

The mother-of-three wore her long hair down and tousled with her make-up fresh and natural.

Southern chic: The 42-year-old actress embraced the warm weather in the knee-length frock as she headed to a nail salon in Pacific Palisades, California

Reese's time to herself was undoubtedly well-earned.

The Oscar-winning star is a busy mom, boutique owner, TV host, producer and actress.

Reese, who is the founder of Draper James, shares Deacon, 14, and Ava, 18, with ex Ryan Philippe.

She also has son Tennessee, five, with husband Jim Toth.

It's all in the additions: Reese accessorized her look with layered jewelry, a pair of shades and a structured bag

The Big Little Lies star is currently the host of Shine on With Reese, a talk show that can be viewed on DirecTV.

She's also set to star in five upcoming projects.

The beauty will take the lead in Wish List, Little Fires Everywhere, Tinker Bell and Legally Blonde 3.

She's also working on a project with Jennifer Aniston.
He and Diane Kruger called it quits in 2016 after 10 years together.

Actor Joshua Jackson has since been spotted out with many beautiful women.

On Monday the 39-year-old joined another female friend as they walked her dog in the ritzy Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Out and about: Joshua Jackson joined a female friend as they walked her dog in the ritzy Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Monday

The Dawson's Creek alum wore a grey Henley T-shirt, blue knee-length shorts and blue sneakers as he carried a cream plastic bag.

Joshua's mystery woman wore a grey T-shirt, cream pants and white sneakers as her dog walked by her side.

While Diane, 42, is pregnant with her beau Norman Reedus' baby, Joshua has been playing the field.

Casual star: The 39-year-old Dawson's Creek alum wore a grey Henley T-shirt, blue knee-length shorts and blue sneakers

Flashing the flesh: Joshua was linked to TV's Cheddar host Alyssa Julya Smith, 31, in June

In June the ladies man was linked to TV's Cheddar host Alyssa Julya Smith, 31.

He was previously seen with lingerie model Shafia West, 28, last year.

And in March, 2017, the Canadian star of Fringe was seen kissing an unidentified brunette over dinner.

Another beauty: The Fringe actor was seen with his then girlfriend, lingerie model Shafia West, 28, at a Farmers Market in Los Angeles last August

Candlit canoodling: In March 2017, the Canadian was seen kissing an unidentified brunette over dinner

Joshua admitted the dating scene was very different than when he was last single, because of the reliance on technology, whe he appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December 2016..

He said: 'Things have changed a little bit since last time I was single. Maybe it was there, but I don't remember it. I mean, everything's on your phone now, right?' the star told Ellen DeGeneres

'There's no more talking to people anymore. You talk to somebody and they're like, "Ugh! No, no, no, no, no! We don't do that anymore." So, yeah, it's been quite a big change.'
He's a reputable journalist on The Project panel, who also juggled his media career with being a lecturer in politics at Monash University.

And on Monday, Waleed Aly's confession of a past addiction had his Channel Ten co-hosts genuinely shocked.

The father-of-two, 40, admitted to a surprising dependency in his teens, which saw him sneak out of his family home at 3am to get his fix.

'I would go out at three in the morning to get some': The Project's Waleed Aly reveals his surprising addiction

Waleed's candid admission came during a segment about doctors slamming the promotion of 'caffeine-heavy supplement' to young video gamers.

'As a kid, I was massively into Mario Kart, I dont think you all know this but I was one of the best Mario Kart players in the world,' Waleed proudly stated.

The Gold Logie nominee then added, to the shock of the panel: 'I used to duck off to 7-Eleven at like three in the morning and go get [energy drinks with twice the caffeine].'

'As a kid, I was massively into Mario Kart': Waleed confessed to leaving the house in the middle of the night to buy energy drinks with twice the caffeine to stay awake and alert for multiple sessions of Mario Kart

'Three in the morning?' comedian Tommy Little exclaimed, to which Waleed explained: 'Yeah, because that was like the first session, and then you had the second session afterwards.'

Waleed said his compulsion for gaming meant he would sneak out of his family home in the middle of the night, without his parents' knowledge, so he could buy the energy drinks.

Tommy then joked about Waleed's past: 'most kids sneak out and drink in the park and youre like, "I need more energy for Mario Kart".'

Rebellious teen: Waleed claimed his compulsion for gaming had him sneaking out of the house to buy more energy drinks without his parents' knowledge

Waleed showed his love of Mario Kart earlier this year when he attended a Nintendo-themed Mario Kart high tea in Melbourne.

Waleed's wife Susan Carland shared a photo of her husband in a Mario hat and claimed they were 'happily full of sugar'.

Susan and Waleed wed in 2002 and share two children, daughter Aisha 13, and son Zayd, nine.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a welcoming ceremony for visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday, August 20, 2018. [Photo: gov.cn]

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reiterated on Monday that there is no winner in trade frictions and he and his Malaysian counterpart agree to advocate free trade and globalization and share common interests.

Li made the remarks during a joint press conference with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing.

Speaking of the ongoing trade frictions, Li took river water quality as an example, saying if water is polluted, then the impact will not only be on fish but all the creatures in the river.

He also said that China will push forward the mutual benefits realized between the two countries, boost bilateral ties to a new height, and find new growth in upgrading traditional industry and innovation in new industries.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a welcoming ceremony for visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday, August 20, 2018. [Photo: gov.cn]

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a welcoming ceremony for visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday, August 20, 2018. [Photo: gov.cn]

Mahathir said that the innovative and new ideas could be applied in Malaysia. Malaysia believes in cooperation with China, Malaysia will be benefited.

The Malaysian prime minister noted that his country can learn a lot from China, as China is a big country and a prosperous market built by very dynamic people. He believed that China's investment in Malaysia could solve some of their internal fiscal problems.

Ahead of the press conference, the two leaders witnessed the signing of memorandums of understanding between the two governments, covering cross-border accounting and audit regulatory cooperation, durian and palm oil trade and business.

Earlier in the day, Li held a welcome ceremony for his Malaysian counterpart at the Great Hall of the People, and then the two held an in-depth discussion on bilateral ties.

Li said China and Malaysia share strong and stable ties, and China will not change its friendly policy towards Malaysia.

Mahathir thanked Li for the hospitality. He stressed the long history of the good and neighborly relations between the two countries

He said Malaysia seeks mutual beneficiaries even when there are ups and downs. He said one of the important targets for him back to the office is to strengthen ties in various fields between China and Malaysia.

Mahathir arrived in the Chinese capital Saturday, the second leg of his official visit to China and he has already met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The recently-elected Malaysian leader chose Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province as the first stop of his trip. There, he visited the headquarters of automaker Geely and e-commerce giant Alibaba. The visit is the 93-year-old prime minister's first trip to China since taking office in May.
He has been partying and sailing around the Europe with the likes of stunning model Emily Ratajkowski, and Hollywood actress Michelle Rodriquez in recent weeks.

But international male model of the moment, Jordan Barrett, has gone back to his roots and is currently in his native Australia.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the chishelled 23-year-old jetted back Down Under over the weekend, and is currently spending time in his home town of Byron Bay.

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Back to his roots! International 'It' model Jordan Barrett returns to his hometown of Byron Bay after sailing around Europe with model Emily Ratajkowski and Hollywood actress Michelle Rodriquez, pictured here

The single star has travelled home for work and pleasure, and is reportedly set to attend a Fendi event in Melbourne sometime this month.

The hunky blonde has certainly been enjoying himself of late.

Over the European summer he was snapped partying aboard a luxury yacht in Italy with a slew of celebrities, including Rita Ora, Tahnee Atkinson and Emily Ratajkowski.

Living the good life: Jordan and Michelle attended the Unicef Summer Gala in Italy on August 10

Model behaviour! Jordan also partied on a boat with stunning model Emily Ratajkowski

He was also spotted flaunting his svelte physique alongside US actress Michelle Rodriguez, 40, at the Fontelina Beach Club in Capri.

Jordan sailed to the Italian Island of Sardinia to attend the UNICEF gala dinner, joining a slew of other models and celebrities.

The popular catwalk star has been romantically linked to a string of high-profile female celebrities, including Paris Hilton, Lara Stone, Hailey Baldwin and Sofia Richie.

He was also rumoured to be dating US model Bella Hadid at one point.

However, she later clarified they were just good friends.

Hot stuff: The chishelled 23-year-old is the 'it' model of the moment
Model Winnie Harlow kicked off the MTV VMAs pre-show pink carpet on Monday looking as stylish as ever.

The 24-year-old Canadian beauty interviewed guests as they arrived to the event outside Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Winnie opted for an off-the-shoulder Fendi dress with slouchy black boots as she interviewed guests as they arrived.

Model beauty: Winnie Harlow looks stunning as ever as she kicked off the MTV VMAs pre-show in New York on Monday

She wore her locks in thick bouncy curls and finished her outfit with a Fendi belt bag.

Winnie serves as the fashion correspondent for this year's VMAs red carpet which will be livestreamed on Twitter starting at 7:30 pm ET.

Also making an appearance at the pre-show event were Jersey Shore Family Vacation stars Paul 'Pauly D' Delvecchio and Vinny Guadagnino'

The Jersey Shore guys will host the pre-show alongside actor and host Terrence J. and radio and TV personality Nessa.

Designer darling: The 24-year-old Canadian model wore an off-the-shoulder Fendi dress with slouchy boots

Charm: Winnie interviewed guests on the pink carpet outside of Radio City Music Hall

The 2018 pre-show will feature live performances from the Backstreet Boys, Bazzi and Bryce Vine, the newest artist to join The Sound Drop by PEPSI, right outside of Radio City Music Hall.

Cardi B is the top contender with with 10 nominations. She will open Monday's show, which kicks off at 9 pm ET from Radio City Music Hall in New York.

It will be her first public appearance after welcoming baby Kulture Kiari Cephus last month.

Bros on tour: Jersey Shore stars Pauly D and Vinny Guadagnino helped to host the pre-show

The rapper is up for video of the year with Finesse, her collaboration with Bruno Mars. The song's video, inspired by the 1990s sketch comedy series In Living Color, is also nominated for four other honors.

For the top prize, Cardi B and Mars will compete with Childish Gambino's This Is America, Drake's God's Plan, Beyonce and Jay-Z's Apes**t, Camila Cabello's Havana and Ariana Grande's No Tears Left to Cry.

Monday night's show will air without a proper host, a representative for MTV confirmed last week.
She has made a name for herself as a professional medium.

And psychic Sally Morgan left the likes of Roxanne Pallett, Chloe Ayling and Dan Osborne in tears on Celebrity Big Brother on Monday night as she stirred up past traumas in their life with her hard-hitting readings.

Roxanne, 36, was left sobbing when Sally, 66, informed her that she sees children in her future - something Roxanne doubted she'd ever achieve.

Psychic Sally Morgan left the likes of Roxanne Pallett, Chloe Ayling and Dan Osborne in tears on Celebrity Big Brother on Monday night as she stirred up past traumas in their life with her hard-hitting readings

'You mustn't think that you can't have kids, 'cause you can,' Sally told the Emmerdale actress, who got engaged to steelworker Lee Walton, 40, a week after meeting him in December.

'How did you know?' she asked Sally, hugging Jermaine Pennant for comfort.

'Because I know you're worried for Lee, it's going to be okay, you'll be alright. You might even conceive [on holiday in America after the show],' Sally foresaw.

Lee and Roxanne met online last summer and finally met at Christmastime.

Tears: 'You mustn't think that you can't have kids, 'cause you can,' Sally told the Emmerdale actress, who got engaged to steelworker Lee Walton, 40, a week after meeting him in December

Emotional: Roxanne, 36, was left sobbing when Sally, 66, informed her that she sees children in her future - something Roxanne doubted she'd ever achieve

Meanwhile, 21-year-old model Chloe broke down after Sally told her she was a 'broken china doll', leading her to discuss with her housemates her kidnapping in Milan last year.

Sally said: 'You've learnt a lot in the last year. To me, you're like a broken china doll. You're dealing with circumstances at the moment. I don't know the ins and outs of what happened to you, but you're incredibly vulnerable.

She continued: 'Did someone want you to change your name? Is that when you were younger?'

Hitting a raw nerve, Chloe prompted to burst into tears, before telling the group: 'It was in Milan after it had all happened. I was on the phone to my mum and I told her I wanted to change everything about my life.

The 21-year-old model broke down after Sally, 66, told her she was a 'broken china doll', leading to her discuss with her housemates about her kidnapping in Milan last year

Upsetting: The psychic then turned her attention to Dan, 27, who burst into tears after Sally told him not to 'run away from problems' in a cryptic hint about his marriage

Seeking comfort: The former TOWIE star needed a hug following the emotional reading, while Hardeep Singh remained skeptical of Sally's sidekick abilities

'Even my name and the way I looked to some extent because I was worried about what could happen.'

Chloe made nationwide news last year, when it was revealed that she had been drugged, abducted and held captive by Lucasz Herba.

Committing the crime as part of the gang known as The Black Death, Chloe was kept prisoner for six days in a sensational story that gripped the nation.

Speaking out about her ordeal, Chloe was the subject of many questions who wondered whether her story was true.

Broken doll: Sally said: 'You've learnt a lot in the last year. To me, you're like a broken china doll. You're dealing with circumstances at the moment'

Don't run away: She asked: 'Did you know somebody themselves off a balcony and survive?' to which Dan confirmed his friend had

However, earlier this year Chloe's kidnapper was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Clearly distressed by the past trauma, the model requested for Sally to stop.

The psychic then turned her attention to Dan, 27, and it wasn't long until he burst into tears after Sally told him not to 'run away from problems' in a cryptic hint about his marriage with Jacqueline Jossa.

She asked: 'Did you know somebody themselves off a balcony and survive?' to which Dan confirmed his friend had.

Traumatic: Hitting a raw nerve, Chloe said: 'It was in Milan after it had all happened. I was on the phone to my mum and I told her I wanted to change everything about my life'

The psychic continued: 'It was not a mistake. So whatever choices he was making you process things the same, so if you wanted to avoid that, think how he would do something and don't do it, don't do it, don't do it.'

Ahead of the launch, Dan told The Mirror he has reconciled with Jacqueline and is living with the EastEnders actress and their two children once more, revealing: 'Me and Jacqueline have had a bad patch but we've been getting on a lot better recently. We've been getting on well.

'We've just had a baby. Things are fine and we're getting on well. I don't think I'm in a position to be thinking about love interests in there'.
She gave birth to her son Santiago in June.

And on Monday, Eva Longoria headed back to work, but couldn't bear to leave her little one at home.

The actress, 43, took to Instagram to share a snap with her work buddy, whom she dubbed her 'assistant director.'

A special guest: Eva Longoria, 43, returned to work on Monday, and took two-month-old son Santiago along for the ride

In the snap, the proud mom is seen smiling at her tiny tot, who was propped up in a comfortable seat.

Little Santiago looked right at home on his mother's desk, which was filled with production notes.

'First day back to work and look who is my assistant director! Has a desk and everything! #WorkingMama #BabyBaston,' she wrote.

Work mode: Eva took to Instagram stories to document her first time back, two months after giving birth

Her take: The actress is currently producing the American version of the hit Spanish series, Gran Hotel

Proud: The star shared this snap of the ABC show's cast

Eva took to Instagram stories to document her return to work, two months after giving birth. The actress is currently producing the American version of the hit Spanish series, Gran Hotel.

The original drama, set in 20th century Spain, tells the story of a young man in search of his sister, who worked as a maid at a family-run hotel. He finds a job as a waiter in order to discover her whereabouts.

Eva's Jane the Virgin-meets-Telenovela take appears to be a sharp contrast to the classier period drama, which currently airs on Netflix.

Plot: The original drama, set in 20th century Spain, tells the story of a young man in search of his sister, who worked as a maid at a family-run hotel. He finds a job as a waiter there in order to discover her whereabouts

Opposite: Eva's Jane the Virgin-meets-Telenovela take appears to be a sharp contrast to the classier period drama, which currently airs on Netflix

Eva welcomed son Santiago in June, with TV executive husband, Jose Baston, 50.

The couple wed in May 2016, in a ceremony attended by Victoria and David Beckham.

Santiago is the first child for Eva, but the fifth for Jose, who was previously married to Mexican actress Natalia Esperon.
Former Ajax captain and Netherlands national team player Siem de Jong is on Sydney FC's radar as a potential A-League marquee player.

Reports from overseas have linked the 29-year-old attacker to the Sky Blues, who last week signed former English Premier League striker Adam le Fondre.

"He (de Jong) has played at some big clubs, in Newcastle (in England) captained Ajax as well, played for Holland, we're looking for players like that," Corica said before boarding a flight to Cairns, where Sydney will play an FFA Cup match on Tuesday night.
A woman and a 10-year-old boy have died and three other children have been injured after a semi-trailer crashed into their out-of-fuel car near Corrigin, southeast of Perth.

It's believed the Holden Commodore, which was towing a trailer, ran out of fuel at around midnight on Sunday, with the 27-year-old male driver leaving the scene to walk the 28 kilometres to Corrigin to get petrol.

"A semi-trailer towing grain trailers, being driven by a 46-year-old man, has then come around the bend of the road and crashed into the rear of the car and trailer. This caused both the vehicle and trailer to be pushed into a nearby paddock," WA police said.

A 26-year-old woman and the 10-year-old boy both died at the scene while two other boys aged five and eight suffered serious injuries, and a three-year-old girl minor injuries.
Swimmers, fishers and boaties in NSW are being told to be extra cautious as the state's coast is pounded by a powerful southerly swell.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a hazardous surf warning on Monday for much of the state's coastline including Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans Bay and the Eden Coast, and a strong wind warning for closed waters in Sydney.

Beachgoers have been advised to stay out of the water and to avoid walking near surf-exposed areas, while rock fishers should avoid coastal rock platforms.

Boaters are also being urged to carry appropriate safety equipment and wear a life jacket.

"Although it is shaping up to be a beautiful day on our coastline it is crucial that beachgoers take the time to assess the conditions before heading out as they can change very quickly," NSW Surf Life Saving's Andrew Ugarte said in a statement on Monday.
A tax on banks could rake $1.5 billion over four years into Victoria's coffers, the state Greens say.

The minor party is pushing for a controversial banking levy, based on the South Australian model proposed by the former Labor government.

"The Greens' plan for a levy on the big four banks, plus Macquarie bank, will return some of the super-profits of the banks to all Victorians. This means more public money for our schools, hospitals, public transport, and essential services across Victoria," treasury spokeswoman Ellen Sandell said.
In his first speech to federal parliament 16 years ago, Peter Dutton paid tribute to his parents.

"Their outstanding quality is their tenacity," he said in February 2002.

It's a character trait Dutton has in spades.

Everything the 47-year-old Home Affairs Minister has done in his career has been characterised by a tenacious approach.

He's often said that as a Queensland police officer for almost a decade in the 1990s he saw the "best and the worst that society has to offer".

"I have seen the wonderful, kind nature of people willing to offer any assistance to those in their worst hour, and I have seen the sickening behaviour displayed by people who, frankly, barely justify their existence in our sometimes over-tolerant society."

Dutton is most often seen as the hard-nosed immigration minister who "stopped the boats" by militarising the department and taking an icy cold approach to the health and wellbeing of asylum seekers in offshore detention - sending the strongest possible signal to people-smugglers.

He's also been known for a sharp tongue, once describing a journalist as a "mad f...ing witch" - for which he later apologised.

But he also has a softer, empathetic side, such as overturning visa decisions when special cases are put to him.

Dutton is Liberal Party to his bootstraps.

Joining the party in the northern Brisbane outskirts aged 18, he found a natural fit in an organisation which valued individualism, reward for achievement and traditional values.

He was first elected to the Brisbane seat of Dickson in 2001 and went on to successive victories, in a seat full of aspiring small business people and industrial sheds.

In 2004, John Howard saw value in appointing Dutton as workforce participation minister, then later revenue and assistant treasurer before Kevin Rudd toppled the coalition government in 2007.

One of the most common refrains in Dutton's many speeches is that Labor stands for nothing because of its ultra-pragmatism - the "whatever it takes" mentality so well defined by former Labor minister Graham Richardson.

It was with that in mind he was effective in keeping the Rudd-Gillard- Rudd Labor government on its toes as opposition spokesman for finance, deregulation and health.

Then with the return of the coalition under Tony Abbott in 2013 he became health minister.

However it was as immigration minister and more recently Home Affairs he found his niche and a true outlet for his tenacity.
Australia's first female Muslim senator has been sworn in to parliament, less than a week after a crossbencher's incendiary speech about immigration.

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi officially replaced factional rival Lee Rhiannon in the upper house during a ceremony in Canberra.

Katter's Australian Party senator Fraser Anning last week called for Muslims to be banned from migrating to Australia in a widely condemned first speech.

On Monday, Senator Anning shook hands with his new colleague, congratulating her on entering parliament in a brief exchange.

Fellow Greens embraced Senator Farqui, who migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1992 and represented the party in the NSW upper house since 2013.

"After last week particularly, it is really good to have you here," Labor's Senate leader Penny Wong told Senator Faruqi.

Independent Derryn Hinch said he was thrilled the new Greens senator was in parliament.

Liberal-National senator Ian Macdonald also congratulated Senator Faruqi, before joking it was "probably the only nice thing" he'd say to her.
Chinese travel agencies disclosed that they will not adjust the prices of Turkish travel packages and tours instantly, after the lira recently dropped to a record low. They predicted that travelling to Turkey will become cheaper in October, ThePaper reported on Aug. 14.

The lira drop occurred during Turkeys peak travel season, making shopping cheaper. However, as a long-distance destination for people living in China, Turkey wont see an instant influx of Chinese tourists as organizers need several days to prepare for these trips, said Feng Rao with Mafengwo, a Chinese travel services platform.

Industry insiders suggest tourists pay close attention to policy changes within Turkey, adding that they could visit the country in October when fewer people will be there.

The summer packages have almost sold out. The next travel season will be in October with some tours almost fully booked, said Xiao Yinyuan with Ctrip, Chinas leading online travel agency.

The lira drop has already enticed many Chinese tourists to plan a trip to Turkey, with shopping included on the itinerary.

A Chinese tour guide in Turkey said high-end stores are currently packed with people, while certain luxury items are sold out. Some Chinese tourists have even abandoned their original itineraries to go shopping.

Xiao said Ctrip will give tourists more time to shop when designing future itineraries. From Aug. 12 to 14, Ctrip saw the search for Turkish travel packages and products rise by 150 percent, and hotel room bookings rise by nearly 200 percent.

2018 marks the China-Turkey Tourism Year. According to statistics from the Turkish culture and tourism department, during the first five months of this year, 159,000 Chinese tourists visited Turkey, a year-on-year increase of 96.1 percent.

Turkey expects to receive 400,000 Chinese tourists this year, and the recent fall in lira could make that expectation a reality much faster than first anticipated.
A commission would be established to review the amount Australians on welfare receive under a private member's bill introduced to parliament.

Independent MP Cathy McGowan said her bill would create an independent social security commission to advise the government on the minimum level for welfare payments, for an acceptable standard of living.

"This bill will bring compassion and fairness to a really important system. It will provide independent, expert, and evidence-based advice on what is fair and adequate," she told the lower house on Monday.
An ice user who fatally bashed and stabbed his partner in the Melbourne house where they lived as squatters is due to be sentenced for murder.

Phuc Thien Tang, 50, killed Hoa Thi Huynh, 44, during an argument at the unoccupied St Albans house where they were living in September.

Tang reportedly struck Ms Huynh to the head with a vacuum cleaner pipe and stabbed her in the face with a samurai sword in an ice-fuelled rage.

The body of Ms Huynh, a mother of two, was found at the address on September 10, three days after she died.

Tang, who has pleaded guilty to murder, is scheduled to be sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Lesley Taylor on Monday.
Two federal Labor MPs have moved to overturn restrictions on the ACT and Northern Territory legalising assisted dying after the Senate voted against it.

Andrew Leigh from the ACT and Luke Gosling from the Northern Territory, who have opposing views on euthanasia, are co-sponsoring a bill to restore the right of territories to legislate on euthanasia.

"The result in the Senate entrenches a system that treats Australians who live in territories as second class citizens ... this is a bill to correct the wrong, to openly correct a system that openly discriminates against Territorians," Mr Gosling told the lower house on Monday.
Sydney train commuters caught up in a network-wide outage may not receive a refund as the NSW premier waits to be told what went wrong.

Gladys Berejiklian has again apologised "deeply" for Saturday's meltdown when some trains were halted between stations and commuters were warned to avoid all non-essential travel.

Sydney Trains blamed "technical issues" for the problem that affected the network for more than 24 hours.

Ms Berejiklian has asked for an explanation into what caused the issues.

"I'm getting advice today," she told reporters on Monday.

"I don't want to see anyone inconvenienced in that way, especially when we had so many sporting events."

But she avoided committing to refunding affected travellers.

"We always leave the door open for the future."

Sydney hosted the Wallabies and All Blacks rugby union Test, the Sydney AFL derby and three NRL matches on Saturday.

"Can't believe Sydney Trains made me 2.5 hours late to work and charged me $4.73 for the privilege," Twitter user Palooka posted on Saturday.
Armed with a fire extinguisher, Daniel McMillan ran into a burning Perth home after hearing screams and seeing a neighbour rush out of the house carrying a child.

Edward John Herbert, who was naked and in a drug-induced psychosis, had set his three-year-old daughter on fire and also doused her autistic sister with petrol.

Mr McMillan described the smell as he entered the Doubleview home as "like burnt bacon".

"I'm not sure what was going through my mind. I wasn't really thinking about it, that's probably why I did what I did," he told AAP.

Herbert lunged at his neighbour with a filleting knife that had a 20cm blade, attempting to stab Mr McMillan in the abdomen.

But Mr McMillan was able to dodge the attack and hit Herbert on the head with the fire extinguisher.

Mr McMillan is receiving a bravery medal for his heroics on August 28, 2015, but says he was just running on adrenaline and doing what he thought was right.

"Every child should be able to have somewhere safe to live," he said.

"I just did what I thought was right at the time.

"More people should do these things, then the world might be a better place."

Herbert, who had shouted that aliens were going to get him and claimed "the werewolf is coming" before he attacked his daughters, was later found guilty of several offences and sentenced to 17 years behind bars.

Mr McMillan said he could not bring himself to attend the trial.

He said he was proud and thankful to receive the award but did not think his actions would be considered "such a big deal".

"I was surprised to be nominated for a bravery medal. I wasn't expecting it. Other people did lots of things that night."

Mr McMillan said he remained the type of person who would speak out if he saw someone doing something wrong.
Prize-winning artist Charles Blackman became famous for his series of paintings of schoolgirls, and kept drawing and painting all his life.

Blackman died in Sydney on Monday, aged 90, after a career that's seen his paintings lauded, faked and stolen.

Born on August 12, 1928 in Sydney, Blackman was largely self-taught but did attend night classes in drawing and design at the East Sydney Technical College from about the age of 14.

He worked as an illustrator for the Sydney Sun, an early daily newspaper, until he moved to Melbourne in 1952.

The following year, Blackman co-founded the Melbourne Contemporary Art Society and became involved in the more figurative movement of painting taking hold there.

It was in the 1950s that Blackman painted his Schoolgirl series, a haunting collection of images depicting girls and women lost in daydreams or playing games.

Later in the decade he began his renowned Alice in Wonderland series, which conveyed scenes from the popular children's book with distinctly deep shadows.

The two collections earned Blackman considerable acclaim, and in 1959 he won the Rowney prize for drawing for his unique and individual works.

That same year, Blackman and six other artists formed the Antipodean Manifesto in protest against the perceived dominance of abstract expressionism.

The year 1960 was highly successful for Blackman. Following a very successful exhibition at the Johnson Gallery, he won the Helena Rubenstein Scholarship, the Dyeson Endowment Award and the Crouch Prize.

He then studied and travelled overseas, exhibiting at the Whitechapel and Tate galleries in London.

In 1977, Blackman was awarded an OBE for his services to the arts.

The National Gallery of Victoria in 1993 held a major exhibition of his works titled Schoolgirls and Angels, which travelled to Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

A search was mounted by the National Gallery of Victoria in 2006 for four of the 46 works in the Alice series, as their location was unknown, and later two of the missing paintings were located for the exhibition.

In 2010 a Victorian Supreme Court judge found two drawings purported to be by Blackman were in fact fakes, and ordered they be destroyed.

A documentary about the artist's life titled An Imprint In Time, was released in 2011, narrated by his granddaughter Clementine Blackman and featuring Archibald Prize winner Judy Cassab, who was one of his closest friends.

Blackman spent much of his later life out of the public eye after he was diagnosed with the memory disorder Korsakoff's syndrome.

His paintings were highly regarded and often stolen, one ending up being recovered five years after its theft in a suburban garage, and another was never found when a luxury yacht transporting the heist apparently foundered at sea off the Queensland coast.

Blackman was married three times, to poet Barbara Patterson in 1951, artist Genevieve de Couvreur in 1978 and Victoria Bower in 1989, and had six children.

At a 2013 exhibition of silk-screen prints of his work, Blackman was enthusiastic about his ongoing work and told AAP his age was an advantage for his creativity.

"Painting comes from ... your remembrance of things past," he said.
The upcoming South Australian budget will include more than $11 million to address domestic violence in the state, Acting Premier Vickie Chapman says.

The funds will be spent on 40 new emergency crisis accommodation beds and on interest-free loans to non-government organisations to fund new domestic violence support housing.

"The scourge of domestic violence is a national disgrace and the Marshall Government is committed to doing whatever we can to ensure women living in a violence or abusive relationship are better able to access immediate support," Ms Chapman said on Monday.
Liberal National Party President Gary Spence denies he's been calling for federal Queensland MPs to dump Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Following increasing speculation of a leadership spill involving Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, reports emerged on Monday that Mr Spence had been personally calling on MPs to drop their support for Mr Turnbull in favour of Mr Dutton.

"It's not a matter for me to make public comments on at all," Mr Spence insisted when questioned on Monday, also denying he had sent any emails or personally canvassed MPs.
Melbourne are confident they will have Cameron Smith available for their trip to the Gold Coast but the Storm will still be without four stars for the NRL clash.

The first-placed Storm are sweating on Smith's fitness after the superstar rake injured his back in Friday's win over Parramatta, but he trained lightly on Monday and is understood to be moving freely.

However, the news isn't as good for a number of other Storm players, with Kiwi forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona ruled out until at least the second week of the finals due to an ankle injury.

Star winger Suliasi Vunivalu and back-up hooker Brandon Smith will also join him on the sideline for at least the final two rounds of the regular season with hamstring and knee injuries, respectively.

It comes after Queensland and Kangaroos centre Will Chambers on Monday took an early guilty plea on a dangerous contact charge and was suspended for three games.

The Storm face the Titans on Saturday before hosting Penrith in the final round, with the distinct possibility this year's minor premiership could be decided on for-and-against.

The injuries - particularly those of Brandon Smith - make the fitness of Cameron Smith even more important than usual.

Melbourne young back-up hookers Harry Grant and Billy Walters are also hurt, meaning Kenny Bromwich could be forced to fill in at dummy-half if Smith's condition deteriorates.

In good news for the Storm, Jahrome Hughes is recovering well from a knee injury and is a good chance of returning against the Titans.

He could either slot back into the halves alongside Cameron Munster or be used to fill spots out wide, where Justin Olam and Cheyse Blair are likely call-ups.

The unavailabilities also push Sandor Earl a step closer to playing his first NRL game since serving an ASADA drug ban but it's likely he's still one spot away.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says he has legal advice he is eligible to remain in federal parliament, despite reports he may be in breach of the constitution.

Ten News reported on Monday Mr Dutton has an interest in two child care centres in suburban Brisbane through the RHT Family Trust.

Mr Dutton's parliamentary register of interests shows he is a beneficiary of the RHT Family Trust, along with his wife and children.

From July 2 this year child care centres receive a direct subsidy from the federal government.

This could put the minister in breach of section 44 of the constitution, which bans from parliament anyone who has "any direct or indirect pecuniary interest with the public service of the commonwealth".

Constitutional expert Anne Twomey was quoted as saying the case would fall into the "fuzzy edges" of the law.

She points to the case of former Family First senator Bob Day who was disqualified after the High Court examined an agreement with the commonwealth he had through a family trust.

However, a spokesman for the minister told AAP on Monday: "Mr Dutton's legal advice clearly states there is no breach of Section 44."
Sprawling across the Tarim Basic in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Taklamakan Desert, the largest desert in China and the second largest shifting sand desert in the world, is ready to finally welcome an all-Chinese scientific expedition team by the end of 2018.

The Chinese scientific expedition on August 17 finished its five-day second route survey in Xinjiangs Hetian prefecture, paving the way for the final survey before the expedition begins in November.

The expedition is scheduled to last for more than a month. During that time, a number of scientific studies will be conducted to study the underground and surface water of the desert as well as the geology of the Maza Tagh Mountain that cuts into the desert from its western border to the Hetian River.

Another important focus of the expedition will be on the people of Keriya, the most mysterious people in China, who have lived for generations inside Daliyabuyi, a village that is hidden some 200 kilometers away from Yutian County in the desert.

The Keriya people, with their green eyes and language that is slightly different from Uyghur, may have been living in the desert for centuries - a mysterious question under debate among experts. Their ancestry remains one of the unsolved problems in the study of Chinese anthropology. There is also a vast desert poplar forest, which is another interesting biological phenomenon for scientists.

Known as the ocean of death and the place of no return, Taklamakan Desert, which is about the size of Germany, has always been a paradise for adventurers from home and abroad, and the desire to go deeper into the sand has grown stronger for many, as it remains a place of mystery.

As early as in the 1800s, Russian explorer N.M. Przhevalsky and Swedish explorer Sven Hedin both set foot on the heartland in Asia. Hedin, especially, stunned the world with his discovery of the ruined city of Loulan Kingdom and the rediscovery of Karadong and Dandan Oilik, two important Buddhist sites in the oasis of the desert, all of which have been dated back to 2,000 years.

In 1990s and early 2000s, China-UK and China-Japan joint expedition teams also explored the region, attempting to unveil its beauty and mysterious secrets to the world.

The unfulfilled mission is expected to be carried on by the Chinese scientific expedition team, which will be made up of a number of leading Chinese archaeologists, biologists, geologists, and anthropologists, including Liu Shaochuang, a remote sensing expert with Chinese Academy of Sciences, who aims to scan the entire desert so as to better understand its water resources.

The expedition team will also feature Zong Tongchang, the only Chinese member that has crossed the 39 degree north latitude line on foot in the desert during the China-Japan expedition team in 2004.

We want to inject more scientific value into our outdoor activities and call on more people to raise awareness of environmental protection and stay close to nature, Li Xin, leader of the route survey team from Chinas leading off-road vehicle and adventure platform FBLife, told Peoples Daily.

Li added that the expedition also aims to further tap into the tourism resources in southern Xinjiang in order to help the poverty-stricken region with more solutions to improve peoples livelihood.
A woman has died after being hit by a garbage truck northwest of Sydney.

Emergency services were called to Claremont Crescent, Windsor just after 5pm on Monday.

The elderly female pedestrian was struck by a garbage truck and suffered critical injuries, police said.

She died at the scene.

The male bus driver stopped and attempted to help before he was taken for mandatory blood and urine testing.

A crime scene is in place, streets are closed and police are calling for witnesses and dashcam footage.
Australian film maker and alleged spy James Ricketson is a good man who helps the poor and is not involved in politics, a Phnom Penh court has been told.

Giving evidence before a bench of three judges on Monday, Chab Thy said she had known Ricketson for more than 20 years, since she was about 10.

"I was sleeping on the street with a bottle of water and a bunch of bananas," she said.

Her evidence was given priority in the hearing because she is pregnant and about to give birth.

She said Ricketson had funded her schooling and later paid for the education of her own children. He often gave food to children scavenging on the city's rubbish dumps and had helped out with the rent.

"My family stopped begging," she said, adding Ricketson's help had enabled her family to become self sufficient after setting up a small food stall selling chickens and peaches.

Often he gave her as much as $US110 ($A150) a week. He also filmed her for documentaries he has made about poverty in Cambodia which were funded by Australian film bodies.

"He's a very good man," she said, adding Ricketson had become her godfather after her paternal father died.

Judge Seng Leang earlier told the court that Ricketson's alleged crimes were committed between 1995 and June 2017, when he was arrested.

Ricketson has been handed 1600 pages of evidence by prosecutors who allege he was spying for a foreign government, a charge he denies.

His case has also been tied to the banned opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, but Chab Thy said Ricketson never discussed politics and once told her to vote for the party of her choice.

Dressed in his usual prison orange jump suit Ricketson seemed in better spirits following last week's appearance by acclaimed Australian director Peter Weir who testified as a character witness.

"Hopefully today the prosecutor will present some evidence about which country I've been spying for," he said as he walked handcuffed into the courtroom.

The hearing continues.
Penrith forward Viliame Kikau is in doubt for the Panthers' crucial NRL clash against the Warriors due to visa issues.

The Panthers have been working with immigration officials in a bid to claim Australian residency status for the Fijian citizen. Otherwise, he risks being locked out of the country.

"He can leave the country on his Fijian passport but wouldn't be able to return to Australia," Gould told News Corp Australia.

"He would have to go back to Fiji and apply again to come to Australia.

"If he leaves Australia now, his Australian residency application would be compromised. Trying to get assistance but it's a complicated process."

Kikau's uncertain status would be a blow for a Panthers side fell out of the top four following Saturday's upset loss to Newcastle.

The Panthers are equal with the fourth-placed Dragons, as well as sixth-placed Cronulla, on 30 points with two games remaining in the regular season.

Kikau would likely be replaced by Corey Harawira-Naera should he be ruled out for Friday's game.

The Panthers leave for Auckland on Wednesday.

"We won't make him travel unless we can get him home," Gould said.

"It's not ideal in the short term but respect for the longer term that Billy is very passionate about gaining his Australian residency."
Australia's next generation of doctors is refusing to invest in fossil fuels.

The Australian Medical Students' Association will announce plans to divest from fossil fuels on Tuesday on behalf of its 17,000 medical student members.

AMSA president Alex Farrell is expected to make the announcement during her address at the 2018 AMSA Global Health Conference in Melbourne.

"As future doctors of Australia, we want to invest in a healthy future. We know that there is more to medicine than just curing illness once our patients are already sick," Ms Farrell said in a statement.

"We need to take into account the upstream factors that are making them sick, and the way our society and our environment affects our health

"We feel a responsibility to promote sustainability and steer us away from the disastrous consequences of climate change on health."

Representatives from Australian medical schools unanimously supported a motion for the association to divest from fossil fuels, earlier this year.

The World Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the British Royal College of General Practitioners have already taken the same stance.
Major reforms in the areas of abortion, revenge porn and local government are set to be discussed in Queensland parliament when it sits this week.

One of the state government's major pieces of legislation - the decriminalisation of abortion in Queensland - will be introduced to parliament this week.

It will spark several months of public debate on the issue, with pro-life groups already conducting polling to support their position and holding prayer vigils outside Deputy Premier Jackie Trad's electorate office.

For her part, Ms Trad says reform of the laws, which were drafted in 1899, is long overdue with abortion still illegal in Australia only in Queensland and NSW.

Labor MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the emotive issue, while the Liberal National Party opposition says it will wait to see the bill before deciding whether its MPs will be free to vote with their conscience.

Meanwhile the government's much-touted laws to sack Ipswich City Council will also be introduced to parliament this week.

The laws were drafted after 15 people connected to council, including former mayors Paul Pisasale and Andrew Antoniolli, were been charged with 86 criminal offences.

They've already been through a committee process as the government considers the bill urgent, meaning they're expected to be passed by the end of the sitting week.

The government has also flagged introducing laws to crack down on revenge porn, which was an election commitment.

State cabinet signed off on the laws on Monday and they'll also be introduced this week, in what is shaping up as a busy week for state MPs.

Leader of the House and Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath is also set to introduce structural reform of the way parliament operates with the introduction of a business committee.

The committee, made up of two government MPs, one opposition MP and one crossbench MP, would decide how much time would be allocated for debate on bills.

The government says it's essential given the new "family friendly" sitting hours introduced this year to allow the parliament to keep up with the pace of legislation.
A man has been charged over an accident in which a 26-year-old woman and her 10-year-old son died, when a truck crashed into the back of their parked car in rural Western Australia.

Three other children also were injured when the truck smashed into their car which had run out of petrol on the side of the road at Bulyee about midnight on Sunday, police said.

A Forrestfield man will appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with several offences, including dangerous driving occasioning death and dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
A talented and diverse group of young Australian actors have made the short-list for this year's $US30,000 ($A41,000) Los Angeles-based Heath Ledger Scholarship.

The non-profit foundation behind the scholarship, Australians in Film, encouraged actors from diverse and under-represented communities to apply and the 10 contenders announced on Monday include the first transgender finalist, Harvey Zielinski.

The scholarship is in its 10th year and the winner will be selected by an A-List Hollywood panel of judges headed by Matt Damon, Naomi Watts, Rose Byrne and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

"Following great deliberation and vigorous discussion, we have short-listed an incredible line-up of Australian actors who reflect the amazing and diverse talent we have here in Australia," Casting Guild of Australia president and scholarship judge Kirsty McGregor said.

Ledger was renowned for his desire to help young Australian actors make it in Hollywood and the scholarship is designed to keep the late Oscar winner's goodwill alive.

The scholarship is backed by Ledger's family and other members of Hollywood's elite including Nicole Kidman, Michelle Williams, Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness, Vince Vaughn, Liam Hemsworth, Alex O'Loughlin, Phillip Noyce, Catherine Martin, Baz Luhrmann, Byrne and Watts.

This year's nominees include young actors familiar to Australian film and TV audiences.

The scholarship is presented by Australian winery Bird in Hand and the winner will receive a long list of prizes including $US10,000 from Screenwise towards a living allowance, rent and transport in LA, two round-trip economy airfares from Australia to LA, immigration services, reel editing, headshots, gym classes, hairstyling and acting, dialect, voice and movement classes from multiple studios.

The winner will be announced during a ceremony at LA's iconic Chateau Marmont on September 20.

THE NOMINEES:

Zielinski (Starting from ... Now)

Aaron Glenane (Picnic at Hanging Rock, Danger Close)

Bethany Whitmore (Picnic at Hanging Rock, Girl Asleep)

Charmaine Bingwa (Little Sista, upcoming Nekrotronic)

Kipan Rothbury (Significant Strangers)

Brenna Harding (Puberty Blues, Black Mirror)

Ezekiel Simat (High Life, upcoming Lambs of Gods)

Shalom Brune-Franklin (Doctor Doctor, Thor: Ragnarok)

Nicholas Denton (Glitch)

Gemma Bird Matheson (Neighbours).
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says asking for debt forgiveness is like being given milk and then asking for the whole cow

Samoa's prime minister has rejected a call for Pacific island nations to ask China to write off debts granted under Beijing's foreign aid programme in the region.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said asking for aid loans to be forgiven painted an "unfaithful picture" of the recipient nation.

Malielegaoi likened it to someone requesting assistance and receiving milk, then later coming back and asking for the entire cow.

"The bigger countries (will) become reluctant to give loans with minor interests because this is what will happen," he told the Samoa Observer in remarks published Monday.

"A loan is granted with minor interest yet in five years' time a request is put in to write it off. That is embarrassing."

He was responding to a suggestion from his Tongan counterpart Akalisi Pohiva that Pacific island nations band together and ask Beijing collectively to forgive their debt.

Chinese aid in the Pacific has ballooned in recent years, with much of the funds coming in the form of loans from Beijing's state-run Exim Bank.

Pohiva raised concerns that small developing nations would struggle to repay the debts and could face asset seizures by Beijing.

He initially suggested they address the issue at next month's Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru but later backtracked, issuing a statement praising the help China has given to his country.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the Tongan government had indicated that the forum was not the proper venue to discuss debt questions. The two countries would use diplomatic channels to resolve issues through "friendly" consultation.

"China will continue within our capacity to provide support and assistance to the sustainable development of Tonga and other Pacific island countries," Lu told a regular press briefing in Beijing.

Australia and New Zealand had raised concerns recently about China's growing influence in the Pacific and expanded their own aid efforts in response.
Italian actress Asia Argento -- shown during the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival in May -- reportedly paid $380,000 to fellow actor Jimmy Bennett, who claims she sexually assaulted him when he was 17

Italian actress Asia Argento, who became a leading figure in the #MeToo movement after accusing powerhouse producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, paid hush money to a man who claimed she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The $380,000 payment was made to Jimmy Bennett, an actor and rock musician, who claimed Argento assaulted him in a California hotel room in 2013, according to the Times, which cited documents sent to the paper by an unidentified party.

Bennett was two months past his 17th birthday at the time of the alleged encounter, while Argento was 37. The legal age of consent in California is 18. The pair are now 22 and 42 respectively.

The newspaper said it had tried repeatedly without success to get a comment on the matter from Argento and her representatives.

The terms of the deal including a payment schedule were finalized in April this year, according to the documents seen by the Times.

Among the documents it received was a selfie of the pair lying in bed dated May 9, 2013, that Bennett was supposed to hand over to Argento along with its copyright under the agreement.

The Times cited three people familiar with the case as saying the documents were authentic.

The pair acted together in the 2004 film "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, in which Argento plays Bennett's troubled mother.

- Victim or predator? -

Argento's lawyer Carrie Goldberg described the money as "helping Mr Bennett," lamenting that the actress had to deal with people "who preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses."

Bennett, center, shown here with actors Luke Ballan and Paris Berelc in 2016, was two months past his 17th birthday at the time of the alleged encounter

Bennett's lawyers had characterized the hotel encounter as a "sexual battery" that traumatized the former child actor, threatening his mental health and income.

His notice of intent to sue sought $3.5 million in damages for "intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery," the paper said.

Argento became a powerful voice for the #MeToo movement after accusing Weinstein of raping her when she was 21 in his hotel room in 1997 during the Cannes film festival.

Bennett's legal action was launched a month after Argento's accusations against Weinstein were made public, the Times said, adding that his lawyer claimed his client recalled the hotel encounter after seeing Argento present herself as a victim of sexual assault.

Argento made an emotional speech at this year's Cannes festival, telling the audience: "Things have changed. We are not going to allow you to get away with it."

Her late boyfriend, celebrated television food critic Anthony Bourdain, was also an outspoken voice in the movement decrying sexual misconduct by power players in the entertainment industry and beyond.
The Trump administration is due to impose its latest round of punitive tariffs on China, putting 25 percent duties on another $16 billion in imports

Business economists overwhelmingly worry President Donald Trump's trade wars will harm the US economy, according to a survey released Monday.

The Trump administration on Thursday is due to impose its latest round of punitive tariffs on China, putting 25 percent duties on another $16 billion in imports, with Beijing poised to retaliate dollar-for-dollar.

The twice-yearly survey by the National Association for Business Economics also found respondents were split on December's sweeping tax cuts, but agreed Congress should do more to shrink the expanding budget deficit.

NABE Vice President Kevin Swift said more than 90 percent of the 251 economists surveyed said the tariffs and threats of tariffs had "unfavorable consequential impacts."

"Panelists also expect unfavorable consequential impacts should the United States withdraw from NAFTA," Swift said in a statement, referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City began talks a year ago to revise the 24-year-old trade pact, which Trump has threatened to scrap should negotiators fail to reach an acceptable deal. Officials have become more optimistic in recent days that they could finalize a NAFTA rewrite by the end of the year.

Some companies across the United States have blamed the tariffs for layoffs, squeezed profit margins and possible bankruptcies. Lawmakers in Trump's own Republican party have expressed outrage about the multi-front trade conflicts and warned of long-term damage to the economy.

But White House officials say the American economy is more than robust enough to endure the conflict, which they believe will ultimately result in more equitable trade that reduces the US trade deficit.

A majority of those surveyed by NABE approved of December's corporate tax reductions but only a small share favored the changes for individuals, which Democrats have criticized as unduly favorable to the wealthy.

More than 80 percent believed current fiscal policy would expand the budget deficit as a share of GDP, and agreed Congress should work to reduce it.

Large majorities also favored fighting climate change and combating income inequality but were split on how to achieve the latter goal, according to the report.

According to the latest NABE survey, 60 percent of respondents believed economic policy should do more to combat climate change.

In addition, 74 percent said economic policy should do more to combat income inequality but respondents were divided on the best means of doing this: 47 percent supported more education to improve worker productivity, while 33 percent favored more progressive taxation.
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New duties in the new era: forum provides insights on career trends of Chinese overseas returnees

The 13th Forum on Chinese Overseas Talents and Entrepreneurial Innovation kicked off in Beijing this Sunday.

Over 50 entrepreneurs, experts and scholars, as well as nearly 800 overseas returnees, participated in heated discussions focused on the achievements made during Chinas four decades of reform and opening up and the duties to be shouldered by Chinese overseas returnees in the new era.

The 13th Forum on Chinese Overseas Talents and Entrepreneurial Innovation kicked off in Beijing this Sunday.

For 40 years, overseas returnees have passed on the tradition of repaying their country and have played an irreplaceable role in innovative breakthroughs in key technologies, developing high-tech industries, researching new academic subjects, educating talents of innovation and internationalizing Chinas universities, said Dai Junliang, deputy director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Co-organized by the Western Returned Scholars Association (Overseas-educated Scholars Association of China) and a Chinese independent think tank, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), the forum also released the Report on Employment and Entrepreneurship of Chinese Returnees 2018, based on a survey of 2,190 overseas returnees jointly conducted by CCG and Chinese recruitment website Zhaopin.

The report shows that in 2018, 55 percent of Chinese overseas returnees were born in the 1990s, 56 percent have a masters degree while 38 percent have a bachelors degree 43 percent of whom studied economics or business majors, surpassing IT as the most prevalent academic choice.

The U.K. and the United States remain the most popular countries for Chinese students, having welcomed 19 percent and 18 percent of Chinese students respectively.

Overseas students from China celebrate their graduation commencement at Columbia University in the City of New York.[Photo/Xinhua]

According to the Chinas Ministry of Education, in 2017, 608,400 students from China left to study abroad while 480,900 returned. Nearly 80 percent of students chose to return to China after graduating overseas last year, up from 30 percent in 2007 and only around 5 percent in 1987.

In the 40 years of reform and opening-up, returned overseas students have helped the two-way interactions between China and the world, said Wang Huiyao, the founder and president of the CCG, who is also a counselor of the State Council.

In the new era, it is more important for them to help the world understand China and get China better engaged with the world. Chinese overseas students must work with people from all over the world in building a community of a shared future for mankind.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, which has granted overseas returnees new duties, new responsibilities as well as a larger platform on which to show their capabilities, noted Dai.
New Zealand's Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter cycled to hospital for the birth of her first child in Auckland

New Zealand's Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter has taken the cycle of life to a whole new level, biking her way to hospital for the birth of her first child.

Genter, a Green MP and keen cyclist, chose pedal power for Sunday's one kilometre (0.6 mile) journey from her home to Auckland City Hospital for the delivery.

"My partner and I cycled because there wasn't enough room in the car for the support crew... but it also put me in the best possible mood!" she posted on social media alongside a picture of her with her bike.

Genter is 42 weeks pregnant, and said in the post that she was going in to hospital for an induction.

She is not only Women's Minister but Associate Transport Minister in New Zealand's centre-left government, advocating for sustainable travel.

Her Green Party colleagues tweeted that the bicycle trip to the delivery ward was "the most #onbrand thing ever".

A party spokeswoman said the baby had still not arrived by late afternoon Monday.

The impending birth comes just weeks after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returned to work after having her first child, daughter Neve, in June.

Ardern, who was elected last year, became only the second world leader to give birth while in office after Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto in 1990.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said a provisional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban would hold only if the insurgents reciprocated

Afghanistan was waiting Monday for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's suggestion of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after 17 years of war.

Ghani unveiled the governments latest gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the Taliban reciprocated.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw that Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups.

The proposal was warmly greeted by both NATO and the US, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on the Taliban to participate.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to Ghanis proposal but vowed to release hundreds of "enemy prisoners" to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday that starts this week.

Analysts said the government's move belied the desperation after recent heavy bloodshed.

"After Ghazni City and everything else, this looks really desperate," tweeted Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

If the militants accede to the ceasefire, it would be just the second nation-wide truce since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

The first, in June, saw thousands of insurgents pour into cities across Afghanistan, eating ice cream and posing for selfies with security forces to celebrate.

The brief respite observed by both sides spurred hopes that a new path was opening for possible peace talks in the country to the end the nearly 17-year-old war.
Anastasia Vashukevich has been detained in Thailand since February when police raided a risque "sex training" seminar in the seaside resort city of Pattaya

A Belarusian model who sparked global intrigue after claiming she had evidence of Russian efforts to help Donald Trump win office pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of running an illegal "sex training" class in Thailand.

Anastasia Vashukevich, better known by her pen name Nastya Rybka, has been detained in Thailand since February when police raided a risque seminar in the seaside resort city of Pattaya.

Vashukevich had travelled to Thailand after becoming embroiled in a political scandal with Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska, a onetime associate of Trump's now-disgraced former campaign director Paul Manafort.

She set off a scramble for details after she promised in an Instagram video to reveal "missing puzzle pieces" on claims the Kremlin aided the US President's 2016 election victory.

No material has been released to substantiate her claims, and critics have accused her of a publicity stunt.

Vashukevich and her seven co-defendants arrived at the Pattaya court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing on the charges that include unlawful assembly and conspiracy.

Police initially charged the group with work permit violations but later alleged the seminar, led by self-styled Russian seduction guru Alex Kirillov and ostensibly a course training participants to be better lovers, was actually intended to arrange paid sex for participants.

Photos of course participants in detention after the February raid showed them wearing t-shirts that said "sex animator".

Kirillov, who has served as a spokesperson for the mostly-Russian group because he speaks English, told the court that all eight defendants were pleading not guilty.

"We did not commit any crimes," he said. "What we do is training on how to seduce men and women. We do not make any sexual activity."

Vashukevich cried after the prosecutor showed a photo of several of her co-defendants hugging at a nightclub after a training session.

"Why was I arrested? Why am I here?" she said.

The next hearing has been set for August 27.

Pattaya, on Thailand's southern coast, is a party town with a reputation for vice and a sizeable Russian expatriate community.

Both Washington and Moscow have publically shrugged off Vashukevich's story, which US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert described as "bizarre".

Additional legal troubles are also awaiting Vashukevich and Kirillov back in Russia, where Deripaska won an invasion of privacy lawsuit against the duo last month.

They were ordered to pay $8,000 each to Deripaska, who sued them after a video apparently filmed by Vashukevich surfaced which appeared to show the tycoon vacationing with Sergei Prikhodko, an influential Russian deputy prime minister at the time.

Kremlin-connected Deripaska and Manafort did business together in the mid-2000s, The New York Times reported last year, but their relationship broke down into legal wrangling.

Manafort is awaiting a verdict in his own trial on fraud and tax evasion charges in the US state of Virginia.
An aerial view from August 31, 2017 shows Muslim pilgrims gathering on Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca, for the climax of the hajj pilgrimage

Muslim pilgrims on Monday began ascending Mount Arafat for the climax of the annual hajj which brings together more than two million people from around the world.

A sea of worshippers scaled the rocky hill southeast of the holy city of Mecca for a day of prayers and reflection where Muslims believe Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon.

Some of the pilgrims -- men in white seamless garments and women in loose dresses -- pushed elderly relatives in wheelchairs on the second day of the hajj, one of the world's largest annual gatherings.

A hot wind blew across the hill, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), and the surrounding plain after a downpour late Sunday. Many faithful could be seen sipping from bottles of water.

After sunset, the pilgrims will leave for nearby Muzdalifah where they will gather pebbles to perform the symbolic "stoning of the devil".

The ritual begins in earnest on Tuesday as Muslims observe the first day of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the hajj.

Muslim pilgrims carry umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on August 19, 2018

Muslims traditionally slaughter sheep for the three-day Eid al-Adha, a tribute to the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared Ishmael, his son.

They will consume some of the meat and give the rest to poor people unable to buy food.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.
In this file photo taken on May 9, 2002, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (R) meets Israeli journalist and peace activist Uri Avnery at his office inside his partially destroyed compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah

Israeli journalist and peace activist Uri Avnery, who pushed for the creation of a Palestinian state and stoked controversy by meeting Yasser Arafat, has died aged 94, a hospital spokesman said Monday.

Seen by many as the backbone of Israel's peace movement, Avnery never lost hope an agreement could be reached with the Palestinians.

But before becoming a prominent peace activist, he was a soldier and even part of a right-wing militia.

A spokesman for Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv said Avnery died overnight.

He had been admitted to Ichilov more than a week ago after suffering from a stroke, he added.

Born in September 1923 in Beckum, Germany as Helmut Ostermann, Avnery emigrated to British-mandate Palestine with his family at the age of 10, fleeing Nazism.

In 1950, he founded an independent weekly magazine, Haolam Hazeh, which he edited for 40 years.

The anti-establishment journal, the only one at that time not run by a political party, had a considerable influence on the Israeli press.

He founded a political movement in 1965 and was elected to Israel's parliament where he served eight years.

In 1979 he was voted in as part of a different movement and spent two more years as a lawmaker before resigning.

Avnery had pushed since the end of the first Arab-Israeli war which began in 1948 for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as a means to bring peace.

In July 1982, he caused a firestorm by becoming one of the first Israelis to meet Palestinian leader Arafat in Beirut, then under siege by the Israeli army.

Arab Israeli politician Ayman Odeh and former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni were among the first to pay tribute to Averny.

Odeh, head of the Joint List, a mainly Arab alliance in Israel's parliament, called him "a dear man who dedicated his life to peace".

"His voice, ideas and worldview will continue to resonate after his departure," he said in a statement.

Opposition head Livni, from the centre-left Zionist Union, called Avnery "a courageous journalist and rare, trailblazing man".

She said he maintained "his principles despite attacks and planted in the heart of Israelis ideas of peace and moderation, even when they weren't in the lexicon".

As a teen Avnery was a member of the Irgun, the right-wing Zionist militia that fought both local Arabs and Palestine's British rulers prior to Israel's 1948 declaration of statehood.

He had no regrets about belonging to the group.

"I fought for the freedom of my people against the British occupiers," he said. "For the same reasons, I always thought that the Palestinians were entitled to their independence and freedom."

A prolific writer, he published over 10 books including his 2014 autobiography titled "Optimistic".

While prospects for peace seemed to be dwindle in recent years under rightwing Israeli governments, Avnery remained firm in his belief the public could be swayed to support a Palestinian state.

"I remain optimistic because I believe in the ability of the (Israeli) people to change course," Avnery told AFP in a 2011 interview.
Detained Myanmar journalist Wa Lone speaks to reporters after appearing before a court in Yangon

A Myanmar judge said Monday he would deliver a verdict next week in the trial of two Reuters reporters accused of leaking state secrets, a case which has sparked an international outcry over declining press freedom.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, could be jailed for up to 14 years if convicted of breaching an official secrets law, a charge which one of them decried as "baseless" after closing arguments Monday.

They have been detained in Myanmar's infamous Insein prison since December after meeting police for dinner in the former capital Yangon.

The pair had been investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslims in conflict-scarred Rakhine state in western Myanmar.

Police allege they had secret documents relating to security operations in the state but the journalists have recounted being lured to the sit-down and entrapped.

The judge in the case said he would deliver the verdict on August 27.

"We are not wrong and the things alleged by the prosecution are baseless," Wa Lone told reporters after the hearing, adding he was hoping soon to see his daughter, who was born this month.

The case has ignited global concern over eroding media freedoms under de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who came to power in 2016 on high hopes for a democratic Myanmar.

Reuters launched a worldwide advocacy campaign and hired prominent rights attorney Amal Clooney but the case has proceeded despite the efforts.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were probing the killing of 10 Rohingya men and boys in Rakhine in September, soon after the military launched a crackdown on militants that broadened into what the US and UN have called "ethnic cleansing".

Some 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh where they accused Myanmar security forces of rape, arson and murder in a scorched-earth operation that razed hundreds of villages.

Myanmar denies targeting civilians but the military admitted that the September killings in the village of Inn Din did occur and convicted seven soldiers.

Prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung told the court in his final argument that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had information that was sensitive to national security.

"If the documents which were found in the hands of the journalists had spread to the terrorists it would be easier for the terrorists to attack again," he said. "The journalists should know better."

But the prosecution's case has been weakened by testimony from a police witness who said he was ordered to help lay an incriminating trap.

The reporters previously told the court they were presented with documents at the meeting with police and then quickly arrested.

They also testified to being hooded and deprived of sleep during initial interrogations.

The defence has highlighted the police testimony of a set-up and argued that the documents thrust on the journalists had already been published in state newspapers.

The trial has cast a harsh light on free expression in a country where reporting on the Rohingya crisis and military operations is highly sensitive.

At the trial session next Monday, "the court will give an answer on freedom of the press and rule of law," Kyaw Soe Oo told reporters after the hearing ended.

Reuters said in a statement it was looking forward to an acquittal.
Indian supporters of the Congress Party shout slogans as they burn an effigy of billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi in New Delhi on February 16, 2018

Indian authorities said Monday they have asked Britain to extradite fugitive billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi after he was seen there.

Modi, who is allegedly at the centre of a $1.8 billion fraud, fled India in February and has since been linked to several countries.

But a Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson told AFP: "We received confirmation from Britain through our Interpol channels that Nirav Modi has been seen there."

The bureau was also in contact with the United States, France, Singapore, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong as it launched a global hunt for the tycoon.

The fraud involved India's second largest state-run lender, the Punjab National Bank.

Modi and his uncle and business partner Mehul Choksi, a diamond merchant, are accused of illegally diverting loans from the bank to foreign-based companies.

Choksi is believed to be in Antigua.

Modi, 47, had luxury stores in several major cities and boasted celebrity customers including actresses Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet and Priyanka Chopra.

Before the case Forbes estimated his worth at $1.73 billion, placing him 85th on India's rich list. He has now been removed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) shakes hands with John Bolton, US national security adviser, in Jerusalem on August 20, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump's national security adviser met in Jerusalem Monday and called on European nations to do more to pressure Iran.

John Bolton arrived in Israel on Sunday for three days of talks expected to focus mainly on Iran and its presence in Syria.

Netanyahu strongly urged Trump to withdraw from the nuclear deal between Israel's main enemy Iran and world powers, and the US president did so in May, resulting in the reimposition of sanctions.

Israel and the United States have been closely aligned on their approach to Iran since Trump took office.

"I frankly believe that all countries who care about peace and security in the Middle East should follow America's lead and ratchet up the pressure on Iran," Netanyahu told journalists.

"Because the greater the pressure on Iran, the greater the chance that the regime will roll back its aggression. And everybody should join this effort."

The comments were a veiled reference to European countries, which are seeking to save the nuclear deal and have vowed to keep providing Iran with the economic benefits it received from the accord.

They argue that the nuclear deal is working as intended in keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons for now.

Bolton said "it's a question of the highest importance for the United States that Iran never get a deliverable nuclear weapons capability."

"It's why President Trump withdrew from the wretched Iran nuclear deal," he said, speaking alongside Netanyahu.

"It's why we've worked with our friends in Europe to convince them of the need to take stronger steps against the Iranian nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme."

The United States and Israel argue the deal was too limited in scope and timeframe while also allowing Iran to finance militant activities in the region due to the lifting of sanctions.

Bolton's trip will also take him later in the week to Ukraine and Geneva, where he will meet with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Thursday.

The meeting in Geneva is a follow-up to Trump's highly controversial July summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, according to the White House.

Iran is backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war along with Russia and Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu has pledged to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, and a series of recent strikes that have killed Iranians there have been attributed to Israel.

He has also pressed Putin to guarantee that Iranian forces in Syria and their allies, such as Hezbollah, will be kept far away from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
US pastor Andrew Brunson is at the center of a row between Washington and Ankara that has caused a Turkish currency crash and and global economic jitters

President Donald Trump's administration has rejected Turkey's offer to condition the release of an American pastor on clearing a top Turkish bank of billions of dollars in US fines, media reported Monday.

Washington and Ankara are locked in a bitter feud over the nearly two-year jailing of Andrew Brunson over disputed terror charges, which has triggered a trade row and sent the lira into a tailspin.

In exchange for Brunson's release, and that of other US citizens as well as three Turkish nationals working for the US government, Turkey asked Washington to drop a probe into Halkbank, which is facing possible fines for helping Iran evade US sanctions.

But the US said that discussions regarding the fines and other areas of dispute between the two countries were off the table until Brunson was released, a White House official told the Wall Street Journal.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the unnamed official said.

Trump has said he had doubled the tariffs on aluminum and steel tariffs from Turkey, prompting Ankara to sharply hike tariffs on several US products.

A court has rejected another appeal to free Brunson and Turkey has threatened to respond in kind if Washington imposed further sanctions.
Michael Cohen, US President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, is reportedly under investigation for bank and tax fraud

Federal investigators are investigating whether President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen committed bank and tax fraud exceeding $20 million via loans obtained by the taxi medallion business he owns with his family, The New York Times has reported.

The Times, in its report first published Sunday, said investigators were also trying to determine whether Cohen violated campaign finance or other laws when he made deals using hush money to silence women who claimed they had affairs with Trump.

Prosecutors could file charges by the end of the month, the newspaper said, citing two people familiar with the matter.

Convictions for tax and bank fraud carry potentially hefty prison terms, which could put additional pressure on Cohen to cooperate with prosecutors in the event that he is charged.

Speculation has mounted in US media that Cohen, who once declared he was so loyal he would "take a bullet for the president," is willing to cooperate with prosecutors, and how much Trump has to fear should he do so.

The federal investigation has focused on his business dealings and reportedly whether payments he made violated campaign finance laws.

Cohen was involved in efforts to hush up allegations from a former Playboy model about an affair with Trump, as well as $130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to silence her own claims of an alleged one-night stand with Trump in 2006.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) holds talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang held talks with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on Monday, saying China will work with Malaysia to promote neighborly friendship to a new high.

With new governments established in the two countries this year, the development of bilateral relations was standing at a new starting point, Li said.

He said that China will follow the friendly policy towards Malaysia, and will work with Malaysia to score the long-term healthy development of bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.

China and Malaysia have strong economic complementarity and great potential for cooperation. China is willing to better integrate the Belt and Road Initiative with Malaysia's development strategy, while promoting China-Malaysia industrial cooperation and construction of industrial parks, and strengthening cooperation in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, fisheries, and transportation infrastructure, said Li.

He said China will import more high-quality Malaysian products to cater to the needs of domestic consumers, improve the level of trade facilitation, and encourage strong and reputable companies of the two countries to expand two-way investment.

Li called on the two countries to provide a stable and sound business environment.

"China is willing to explore new cooperation with Malaysia in the fields such as science and technology innovation, automobile, finance, and e-commerce," said Li.

He also stressed the need to promote cultural exchanges, so as to lay a solid foundation of public support for cooperation.

As Malaysia is an important member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the development of China-Malaysia relations will not only benefit the two countries but also help deepen China-ASEAN relations and cooperation, said Li.

Against the background of rising unilateralism and protectionism, China is willing to work together with ASEAN countries including Malaysia to advocate multilateralism and free trade, adhere to putting development as a priority, and promote the building of an economic community in East Asia, so as to contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, Li said.

Mahathir said that this is the first time he has visited a country outside ASEAN since he assumed office as Malaysian prime minister for the second time but his eighth visit to China as the prime minister.

He confirmed that the Malaysian government will continue to pursue the friendly policy toward China and look forward to further consolidating bilateral relations through this visit, realizing mutual benefit and win-win results in the economic and trade fields, and promoting the upgrading of Malaysia-China relations.

While calling trade protectionism a historical reversal, Mahathir said Malaysia hopes to export more products to China, welcomes investment from Chinese companies, and hopes that both sides will expand cooperation in tourism, innovation and research and development.

Malaysia actively supports the Belt and Road Initiative, which is conducive to promoting inter-connectivity and trade exchanges between countries and enhancing the links between the East and the West, he said.

A healthy and stable Malaysia-China relationship will not only benefit Malaysia but also contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, he said.

Li and Mahathir also attended the signing of bilateral cooperative documents on economy, trade, agriculture, finance, and technology.

When meeting the press after the talks, Li said they agreed that the two countries should be partners in trade and investment, industrial cooperation, and innovation and growth.

Li said China will work with Malaysia to build a new pattern of pragmatic cooperation and open up a new space for cooperation in the fields of e-commerce, upgrading of traditional industries, and technological innovation.

The two sides also agreed to expand two-way opening up through capacity and industrial cooperation, and promote a more balanced development of bilateral trade on the basis of expanding trade scale.

Under the current international situation, the two sides agreed to jointly safeguard free trade, oppose trade protectionism, and promote the healthy development of economic globalization, according to Li.

The two sides are committed to promoting the construction of the East Asian Community, supporting ASEAN's central position in regional cooperation, and jointly sending a positive signal to the region and the world of maintaining the long-term friendship and safeguarding regional peace, stability, and development, he added.

Mahathir said Malaysia hopes to learn from China's experience and enhance the level of e-commerce and innovation cooperation.

The two countries are willing to work together to support globalization and maintain an open, free, and fair international economic system.

Also on Monday, the two sides released a joint statement, saying that standing at new historical junctures of their respective national development, China and Malaysia are optimistic about the prospect of their bilateral relations.

The statement said that during the visit, leaders of the two countries charted the course for future development of the bilateral relations, and had in-depth exchanges of views on regional and international issues of common interest in a friendly and cordial atmosphere.

It said both countries underscored the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability, as well as safety and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Both sides emphasized the need for all sovereign states directly concerned to resolve their differences by peaceful means through friendly consultations and negotiations, and the need for all parties to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities, and to avoid actions that would complicate or escalate tensions in the South China Sea.

China and Malaysia, together with the ASEAN Member States, will work for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and encourage maritime cooperation, as well as actively push forward consultations on a Code of Conduct (COC) to see early conclusion of an effective COC, the statement said.
The $12-million rhino horn bust at Kuala Lumpur airport is the biggest ever in Malaysia's history

Malaysia has made a record seizure of 50 rhino horns worth an estimated $12 million at Kuala Lumpur airport as they were being flown to Vietnam, authorities said Monday.

Customs officials found the parts in cardboard boxes on August 13 in the cargo terminal of the capital's airport, said Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, head of Malaysia's wildlife department.

The 50 rhino horns weighed 116 kilogrammes (256 pounds) and are worth about 50 million ringgit ($12 million), he told AFP, adding that the seizure was "the biggest ever in (Malaysia's) history in terms of the number of horns and value".

Vietnam is a hot market for rhino horn, which is believed to have medicinal properties and is in high demand among the communist nation's growing middle class.

Trade in rhino horn was banned globally in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but illegal hunters have decimated rhino populations to sate rampant demand in East Asia.

A single kilo of rhino horn can fetch tens of thousands of dollars in the region, where many falsely believe it can cure cancer.

All rhino species are under threat of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Abdul Kadir said authorities were unable to identify the origin of the animal parts. Rhino horn sent to Asia typically comes from Africa.

Officials also found a huge stash of animal bones -- believed to be from tigers and leopards -- in the same shipment, with an estimated value of 500,000 ringgit.

Authorities have not made any arrests over the seizures.

Elizabeth John, from wildlife trade watchdog Traffic, described the rhino horn seizure as "staggering" and urged authorities to track down the people behind the smuggling attempt.

Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cheap flights around Southeast Asia, and has become a key transit point in the smuggling of rare animal parts.
Zuma's time in office is now under investigation for 'state capture' - the alleged looting of state assets

A public inquiry opened in South Africa on Monday probing alleged corruption under scandal-tainted former president Jacob Zuma who is accused of overseeing widespread graft during his nine-year reign.

The inquiry, which could take two years to deliver its findings, is set to hear evidence of allegations that Zuma let ministries and government agencies be plundered for private gain in a scandal known as "state capture".

But on the first day of hearings presiding judge Raymond Zondo, the country's deputy chief justice, complained that the country's spy agency, which was seen as loyal to Zuma, was stalling the probe.

"The State Security Agency had not been able meet our expectations and requests in terms of an expeditious process of security clearance," he said referring to inquiry staff who require clearance to handle top secret material.

He also said that the public response to a plea for evidence of state capture "has been quite disappointing".

"If this commission is to do its job properly, we need evidence," he said.

- 'Selfish gain' -

Much of the probe is expected to focus on Zuma's relationship with the Guptas, a wealthy Indian business family accused of wielding undue political influence.

An earlier report by a watchdog detailed allegations that Zuma helped the Gupta family win preferential contracts with state companies, including huge mining deals, and were even able to choose cabinet ministers.

Zuma himself appointed the inquiry in January on the orders of the High Court, weeks before he was forced to resign from office as criticism grew from within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

Zuma's alleged involvement in multiple graft scandals damaged the party's image ahead of elections due next year.

His successor President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to tackle corruption.

The inquiry will in part establish whether official appointments were "disclosed to the Gupta family or any other unauthorised person before such appointments were formally made," said inquiry head Zondo.

Although the inquiry does not have powers to arrest or prosecute, it can refer matters for possible criminal investigation.

"At the heart of the investigation is whether outsiders influenced government or state-owned enterprises for selfish gain," said the commission's lead lawyer Paul Pretorius on the inquiry's opening day.

- State funds looted -

Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister now responsible for state-run companies, has estimated that around 100 billion rand ($6.8 billion, 6 billion euros) of state funds may have been looted through corrupt awarding of government tenders.

Gordhan is among those expected to give evidence, along with his former deputy Mcebisi Jonas.

Jonas has alleged he was taken by Zuma to the Guptas' home in Johannesburg where Ajay Gupta said he would be appointed finance minister and paid 600 million rand for acting favourably toward the family's interests.

The local Sunday Times newspaper reported Zuma had been invited to appear -- but the commission's spokesman declined to comment. Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing.

"I hope that the inquiry gets to the bottom of how the South African state was captured... and what can be done to prevent this from happening again," David Lewis, executive director of South Africa's Corruption Watch organisation, told AFP.

Zuma, 76, was forced to resign in February when ANC lawmakers turned against him.

The former president has separately been charged with 16 counts of graft linked to an arms deal from before he became president and will next appear in court on November 30 as the criminal case against him continues.
More than 400 people have died since monsoon deluges hit Kerala

The overpowering stench that fills the air in the towns and villages of Kerala is an inescapable reminder that while the filthy flood waters may be subsiding, the full toll of the devastating monsoon deluge will take time to emerge.

In Aluva, on the outskirts of the southern Indian state's main city Kochi, the rain had barely stopped and abandoned cars, sodden furniture and mattresses filled the streets while dirty black water still flowed above knee-level.

A foul smell greeted arrivals at the town's Union Christian College, where classrooms and halls have become a relief camp for some 4,000 people.

Residents speculated that the stench was from rubbish and dead cats, dogs and rats -- or worse.

"Maybe it's human," said one survivor.

An estimated 725,000 people are crammed into makeshift camps across Kerala

More than 400 people have died since heavy rain hit Kerala, triggering deadly landslides and submerging entire villages as rivers burst their banks.

"This smell is of five days without a bath," said Savita Saha. There are long queues at the school's few toilets and no bathroom to wash in.

"Everyone here is wearing the clothes they had when they escaped," she said, squeezed onto a jute mat with her husband, who works at a cashew factory in Kochi.

In one classroom, Rasitha Sojith, from the nearby town of Kaprassery, sobbed as she told of how she escaped through chest-high waters carrying her two-month-old son.

Sojith said water had burst into her home without warning last Wednesday while her father and sister with her three children were visiting to see the new baby.

The classrooms and halls of Union Christian College in Aluva have become a relief camp for some 4,000 people

"With water rising fast, we only grabbed a few clothes for the baby and went to the first-floor terrace of the neighbour's house," she said.

Torrential rain fell for hours as their fear of being trapped mounted, until local fishermen rowed the family to safety the next day.

"Everything is lost. Everything! We don't even have money to go back to our neighbourhood," said Sojith.

"I don't think we will be leaving this camp any time soon."

- Muddy rubble -

An estimated 725,000 people are crammed into similar makeshift camps across Kerala.

Authorities have given a provisional damage toll of $3 billion

Authorities have given a provisional damage toll of $3 billion but the extent of the destruction is likely to prove much greater, some officials and legislators say.

In the Malikampeedika area of Kochi, Mumthaz, who goes by one name, found the smell waiting for her when she returned to her home.

"This muddy rubble and stench is all that is left of our memories," Mumthaz told AFP, as she dragged out mud-caked mattresses and a sofa set, damaged utensils and even her daughters' school awards.

As word spread of flood warnings, Mumthaz had taken her two daughters on Thursday to the home of her parents-in-law, in another neighbourhood.

In one classroom, Rasitha Sojith, from the nearby town of Kaprassery, sobbed as she told of how she escaped through chest-high waters carrying her two-month-old son

But floodwaters soon surged through their house as well and the whole family had to be rescued.

"It was surreal. The water was close to the knees at one point and within a few minutes it was touching five feet, with a current so strong that we saw big cars floating like tin cans," she said.

With her husband searching for work in Dubai, Mumthaz knows she will struggle to look after her daughters, with the family facing an uncertain future after the nightmare of the floods.

"There is no kitchen, electricity and water here. I don't know how long it will take before I will be back... (in) my home," she said.
Newly-appointed Pakistani Foreign Minister Mehmood Qureshi addresses the media

Pakistan wants an "uninterrupted, continued dialogue" with arch-rival India, its new foreign minister said Monday, stressing the importance of talks between the nuclear-armed countries who have fought three wars.

"We are not only two neighbours but we are two atomic powers," Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who became Pakistan's foreign minister for the second time after being sworn in Monday, told his first press conference.

Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan also called for a better relationship with India in his first televised address late Sunday, as did the previous government of Nawaz Sharif.

But Sharif's overtures to India are widely believed to have incurred opposition from Pakistan's powerful military, and he was ousted by the Supreme Court last year for alleged corruption.

"We have long-lasting problems... we don't have, in my opinion, any solution other than talks," Qureshi said of the relationship with India, especially in a situation "where reaction time is very limited".

"We need an uninterrupted, continued dialogue," he said, referencing Kashmir in particular.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been tense ever since independence from Britain in 1947 -- particularly over Kashmir, the divided Himalayan territory over which they have fought two of their three wars.

Qureshi said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent a letter congratulating Khan, and "sent a message to start talks".

There was no official statement on the letter from the Indian foreign ministry, but the Press Trust of India also reported its existence and content.

The new foreign minister also said he wanted to travel to Afghanistan to deliver a "message of love, friendship and a new beginning".

"Without peace and stability in Afghanistan, there won't be rest, peace and stability in Pakistan," he said.

Kabul has long accused Islamabad of harbouring insurgent groups on its territory, including the Afghan Taliban. They are believed to have links to Pakistan's shadowy military establishment, which aims to use them as a bulwark against India.

Pakistan has denied the claims but they are echoed in Washington, with whom Islamabad's relations are also tense.

In January the US suspended security assistance to Pakistan over accusations it was aiding militants.

"I have some idea of their priorities and concerns," said Qureshi, adding that he will talk to them "straight".

Qureshi previously held the position of foreign minister between 2008 and 2011.
Afghanistan was waiting Monday for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war

Afghanistan was Monday awaiting the Taliban's response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal for a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war.

Ghani unveiled the offer during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying police and troops would observe the truce from this week -- but only if the militants reciprocated.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw the Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, with estimates suggesting hundreds of people may have been killed.

It also came just hours after regional army spokesman Mohammad Hanif Rezaee said an airstrike against a Taliban convoy in the north of the country killed around 100 militant fighters.

The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups.

The proposal was warmly welcomed by both NATO and the US, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on the Taliban to take part.

It is not yet clear if US-led NATO forces will participate in the ceasefire.

Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani unveiled the government's latest gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the militants reciprocated

The truce offer was also welcomed by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto, who added it was important "to seize all opportunities for a negotiated end to the conflict".

The Taliban did not immediately respond to Ghani's proposal, but vowed to release "hundreds" of "enemy prisoners" to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday that starts this week.

It was not clear which prisoners they were referring to.

A senior Taliban member based in Pakistan told AFP the leadership had yet to issue a formal response to the ceasefire, but suggested fighting may be restrained during Eid even if no announcement is made.

The president's spokesman later slammed reports the Taliban may reduce fighting without formally declaring a truce.

"Any unofficial ceasefire or restraint in some parts of the country is not a ceasefire. If they announce it officially, we will hold it as long as they continue," Haroon Chakhansuri told reporters, adding that military operations were continuing in several provinces in the absence of a deal.

There have been no major reports of fighting between security forces and the Taliban since Ghani's speech.

- 'Looks desperate' -

Analysts were mixed over the proposal, with some saying the government's move was a sign of desperation after recent heavy bloodshed, while others said the trust-building measure was integral to paving the way for negotiations.

"After Ghazni City and everything else, this looks really desperate," tweeted Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Kabul-based military analyst Ateequllah Amarkhail however said the war had ground to a stalemate, and the Taliban needed to respond positively to open dialogue.

No caption

As anticipation mounted over a Taliban response, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed that some 140 people had been briefly kidnapped then set free in Kunduz early Monday.

He added that authorities did not know who was behind the abductions, which are common in the province. Local officials also could not confirm the culprits. Some media outlets reported that the Taliban may have been involved.

- Respite? -

If the militants accept the ceasefire, it would be just the second nationwide truce since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

The first, for just three days in June, saw thousands of insurgents pour into cities across Afghanistan, eating ice cream and posing for selfies with security forces to celebrate.

The brief respite spurred hopes that a new path was opening to peace talks.

Taliban militants walk to celebrate an earlier ceasefire on the second day of Eid in the outskirts of Jalalabad

Prior to Ghazni there had been tentative signs that diplomatic efforts to initiate peace negotiations were starting to bear fruit.

In June Washington indicated a shift in its longstanding policy that negotiations must be Afghan-led.

Last month Taliban representatives met US officials for talks in Qatar, militant sources have told AFP.

Afghan security forces have suffered enormous losses since US-led NATO combat forces withdrew in late 2014.

But it is ordinary Afghans who been suffered the most in the relentless conflict, especially in Kabul, which the UN has said is the deadliest place for civilians in Afghanistan.
Fighters loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government fight against Islamic State group jihadists in the city of Sirte on June 25, 2016

The United Nations has called on Libya's internationally recognised government to crack down on armed groups obstructing the work of state institutions in the chaos-wracked country.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) late Sunday night expressed its "strong condemnation of the violence, intimidation and obstruction to the work of Libya's sovereign institutions by militiamen".

It called on the UN-backed Government of National Accord to "prosecute those responsible for these criminal actions".

The GNA's military and security institutions have failed to place limits on the powerful militias that sprung up in the turmoil that followed the 2011 ouster of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Several state institutions, including those in Tripoli, have been regular targets of harassment and intimidation by armed groups technically operating under the GNA's interior ministry.

Members of militias "nominally acting under the Ministry of Interior of the Government of National Accord are attacking sovereign institutions and preventing them from being able to operate effectively", UNSMIL said.

Last week, the GNA's National Oil Corp. said men from the interior ministry had forced their way into the headquarters of Brega Petroleum Marketing Company -- a distribution outfit -- to "arrest" its chief.

The Libyan Investment Authority, the GNA-managed sovereign wealth fund, recently moved from its downtown Tripoli office to a more "secure" location after threats from militiamen against its employees.

UNSMIL said it would work with the international community and the GNA to "investigate the possibility of bringing sanctions against those interfering with or threatening the operations of any sovereign institution".

Libya remains divided between the UN-backed GNA in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east supported by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

A myriad of militias, jihadist groups and people traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the North African country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the capital Tehran on August 8, 2018

The United States has an "addiction to sanctions", Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said in an interview with CNN.

"I believe there is a disease in the United States and that is the addiction to sanctions," Zarif told the US broadcaster on Sunday.

"Even during the Obama administration the United States put more emphasis on keeping the sanctions it had not lifted rather than implementing its obligation on the sanctions it lifted."

It was Zarif's first interview with Western media since US President Donald Trump walked out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May, leading Washington to reimpose sanctions earlier this month.

"We felt that the United States had learned that at least as far as Iran is concerned, sanctions do produce economic hardship but do not produce the political outcomes that they intended them to produce," he said.

"I thought that the Americans had learned that lesson. Unfortunately I was wrong," he said.
Syria's war has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced millions since 2011

Russia's foreign minister on Monday accused the UN of hampering the reconstruction of war-torn Syria, as the Moscow-backed Syrian regime calls on refugees to return to the country.

Sergei Lavrov said the United Nations' political affairs department had last year sent out "a secret directive forbidding organisations belonging to (the UN) system from any project aimed at restoring the Syrian economy".

Such organisations would only be allowed to distribute aid until progress was made on a "political transition", he said during a Moscow press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil.

Lavrov asked UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres to explain why the Security Council "which directly oversees the resolution (of the Syria conflict) was not made aware".

The minister said there had been a lack of transparency and awareness of the situation on the ground as the decision was being made.

"I hope he can clear this up," Lavrov added.

Russia intervened in support of Bashar al-Assad's regime in 2015, in what was widely seen as a turning point in the seven-year conflict.

The regime now controls around two thirds of the country.

Moscow and Damascus are now working to accelerate the return of some 5.6 million Syrian refugees.

"Over the last month, around 7,000 refugees have left Lebanon for Syria. We are continuing our efforts in that direction," Lavrov said.

"The conditions for this are in place and continue to improve."

For his part, Bassil said he was "ready to cooperate with Russian authorities in the framework of several initiatives launched by Russia".

"Conditions in Syria have changed, there are more and more zones where stability and security have been reestablished," the Lebanese minister said.

Syria's war has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced millions since 2011.
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US First Lady Melania Trump says parents should listen to their children about the dangers of online bullying

US First Lady Melania Trump renewed her campaign to tackle cyber bullying Monday, as her husband lit up the internet with a stream of invective against his perceived foes.

Appearing at a health department building outside Washington, the Slovenia-born first lady urged tech companies to listen more to "children's ideas and concerns" about online bullying.

"Let's face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults," she said.

"In today's global society, social media is inevitably a part of our children's daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways, but also can be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly," she said.

Since coming to office Melania Trump has spoken relatively infrequently in public.

She was treated at Walter Reed hospital on May 14 for what aides called a "benign" kidney condition and was released a few days later.

Her signature "be best" campaign for public decorum has been largely overshadowed by her husband's daily insults and public hectoring.

US First Lady Melania Trump arrives with her son Barron on the South Lawn of the White House August 19, 2018 upon their return after a weekend in Bedminster, in Washington, DC

On Monday morning he called the taxpayer-funded lawyers and prosecutors investigating Russia's influence in the 2016 election a "National Disgrace."

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's communications director, decried the media's focus on Trump's cyber activities.

"The First Ladys presence at events such as todays cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country," she said.

"She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does."
China's Sun Yang for once didn't have it all his own way.

Chinese battering ram Sun Yang smashed his rivals to create history Monday as the swimming goliath scooped the first-ever Asian Games men's 800 metres freestyle gold with another monstrous performance.

For once though he didn't have it all his own way.

Greeted like a rock star by high-pitched squeals from excitable female fans in Jakarta, the three-time Olympic champion returned to the pool expecting to anchor China to victory in the 4x200m free -- only for the pesky Japanese to tear up the script.

Meanwhile, Japan's Olympic hope Rikako Ikee picked up her second and third Asian titles in the women's 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle.

But it was the talismanic Sun who sprinkled stardust on proceedings as ever, storming to victory in the 800m free in a Games record of seven minutes, 48.36 seconds -- almost five seconds clear of Japan's Shogo Takeda.

He also came agonisingly close to completing a relay fightback.

But Japan's Katsuhiro Matsumoto clung on to seal a fingertip upset in 7:05.17 and dash Sun's hopes of winning five gold medals in Indonesia.

China and Japan finished day two of the six-day meet neck and neck on seven gold medals.

Sun, who powered to the 200m title at the weekend, uncoiled his rippling two-metre frame to pull away over the second half of the 800m, leaving Takeda and Vietnam's Nguyen Huy Hoang flailing in his wake.

"That gives me confidence for 2020 Tokyo Olympics," Sun told reporters.

"It was a pity we lost the relay but Japan swam a great race. Two finals in one night isn't a problem for me but I can still work on my endurance for sure."

- Ikee double -

Ikee crushed it in the 50m fly, breezing to victory in a Games best of 25.55 -- almost half a second clear of China's Wang Yichun.

The 18-year-old, who has become the new face of swimming in Japan, is expected to be a force in the 100m free and 100m fly at the 2020 Olympics in her home city.

And after setting a new meet best in the 100m free in helping Japan win the weekend's 4x100m relay, Ikee ducked under the record again in the individual race, touching in 53.27 after a brave fight from China's Zhu Menghui.

"I achieved what I came to do tonight so I'm delighted," said Ikee. "The plan was to conserve energy in the first half of the race and finish strong -- that's exactly what happened."

Defending champion Kosuke Hagino was stunned by China's Wang Shun in the men's 200m individual medley.

Wang caught his Japanese rival over the last leg of freestyle to win in 1:56.52 as Hagino clocked 1:56.75.

"I'm delighted," said Wang. "It gives me confidence to beat such a great swimmer."

However, there were some late crumbs of comfort for Olympic silver medallist Hagino, who swam a superb third leg in the 4x200m relay.

"I kind of cramped up in the medley," he admitted. "There just wasn't enough in the tank."

Former world champion Kanako Watanabe kept Japan in touch with medal-topping China by retaining her 200m breaststroke title in 2:23.05, producing a sinew-shredding late spurt to edge China's Yu Jingyao.
A war of words erupted between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani after Trump pulled the US out of the landmark Iran nuclear pact on May 8

Key developments since the United States quit the 2015 Iran nuclear deal three months ago and reimposed sanctions:

- US walks away -

Donald Trump pulls the United States out of the landmark nuclear pact between world powers and Iran on May 8, reinstating Washington's sanctions on Iran and companies with ties to the Islamic republic.

"The Iran deal is defective at its core," he says.

Washington warns other countries to end trade and investment in Iran and stop buying its oil or face punitive measures, and threatens foreign companies from dealing with Tehran.

Iran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applaud the decision.

But other parties to the deal -- Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China -- say Iran has abided by its commitment and that they are determined to save the agreement and ensure continued economic benefits for Iran.

- Threats to resume enrichment -

Map and factfile on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal -- US President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord in May 2018

On May 12 Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran is preparing to resume "industrial-scale" uranium enrichment, which is limited by the accord, unless Europe provides solid guarantees to maintain trade ties reinstated under the deal.

Washington warns on May 21 that Iran will be hit with the "strongest sanctions in history" unless it capitulates to a series of demands aimed at curbing its missile programme.

On May 30 the US places several Iranian state groups on its sanctions blacklist, accusing them of serious human rights abuses and censorship.

On June 4 Iran notifies the International Atomic Energy Agency of the launch of a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity.

- Five powers back deal -

A top US official says on July 2 that Washington is determined to force Iran to change behaviour by cutting its oil exports to zero, confident the world has enough spare oil capacity to cope.

President Hassan Rouhani responds on July 3, saying the United States can never prevent Iran from exporting its oil.

On July 6 Tehran's five remaining partners in the nuclear accord vow in Vienna to back "the continuation of Iran's export of oil and gas".

An Iranian flag pictured outside the building housing the reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Bushehr, Iran, in April 2007

On July 16 EU countries reject the US demand that they economically isolate Tehran and move to give European firms legal cover to operate in Iran.

Iran calls on the UN's top court, the International Court of Justice, to order the United States to immediately lift sanctions, claiming they are causing "irreparable prejudice".

- War of words -

On July 22 Rouhani tells the US it should not "play with the lion's tail" and warns any conflict with Iran would be the "mother of all wars".

Trump responds with an all-caps Twitter tirade warning against making threats to the United States, "OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES".

On July 30, however, Trump says he is ready to meet Iranian leaders "anytime they want" and promises "no preconditions".

"Threats, sanctions & PR stunts won't work," Iran's foreign minister says on Twitter.

- Sanctions and repercussions -

On August 7 Washington reimposes sanctions on Iran, which Trump describes as the "most biting ever".

Within hours German carmaker Daimler says it is halting its business activities in Iran.

On August 14 British group Quercus, an investor in renewable energy, says it too will cease all its activities in the country.

On August 20 Iran's oil minister announces Total is quitting its multi-billion dollar gas project in the country.

It makes the French energy giant the latest in a string of major international companies to pull out, including Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Bahn and Air Liquide.
The amount of plastic waste created by lenses and their packaging in the United States alone is equal to 400 million toothbrushes each year

Contact lenses that are flushed down the toilet or dropped in sink drains contribute vastly to microplastic pollution in the oceans, researchers warned Monday.

The amount of plastic waste created by lenses and their packaging in the United States alone is equal to 400 million toothbrushes each year, said researchers at Arizona State University who described their findings at the National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

"These are significant pollutants," researcher Rolf Halden of ASU's Biodesign Institute's Center for Environmental Health Engineering told reporters.

"There are billions of lenses ending up in US wastewater every year. They contribute a load of at least 20,000 kilograms (44,000 pounds) per year of contact lenses."

Halden, who has worn contacts most of his adult life and began the research after wondering what happened to all those discarded plastic lenses, calculated that packaging adds about 29 million pounds (13 million kilograms) of polypropylene to the waste from contacts.

Roughly 45 million people in the United States alone wear contact lenses, amounting to at least 13 billion lenses worn each year.

A survey of US contact lens wearers "found that 15 to 20 percent of contact wearers are flushing the lenses down the sink or toilet," said researcher Charlie Rolsky, a PhD student at ASU.

And what happens to those lenses?

Researchers tracked them to waste water treatment plants, where they discovered the lenses fall apart but do not degrade.

The plastic particles either flow out into the ocean, or become part of sewage sludge, which is often applied to land as fertilizer. Runoff then brings these contaminants back to the oceans.

Tiny fish and plankton can mistake microplastics for food.

These indigestible plastics then make their way up the food chain, and into the human food supply.

Researchers said they hope their study will sound a warning to manufacturers of contact lenses, and encourage users to dispose of them properly with other solid waste.

Halden said many people do not realize that flushing contact lenses is dangerous to the environment.

The scientific team found only one contact lens manufacturer whose packaging advised people how to dispose of them properly.

"Don't put those lenses into wastewater. Put them into solid waste or recycle them," Halden said.
Outgoing UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein says that the job is to be a voice for victims of abuses

"There is only one way to do this particular job," outgoing UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said Monday, urging his successor not to waver from publicly condemning serious abuses.

"We are not in the silence business here," said Zeid, who steps down as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights at the end of the month.

Zeid, a member of Jordan's royal family, has praised the woman chosen to replace him, former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet.

But during the search for his successor, diplomats and some UN insiders indicated that Secretary General Antonio Guterres needed to pick someone who would be less harsh towards political leaders accused of wrongdoing.

"I am not into making friends with governments," Zeid said in an interview with selected international media including AFP, insisting that the rights chief's mandate was to be a voice for victims of abuses.

"I would be very doubtful of any high commissioner who didn't do (the job) like this."

- Use different 'terms' -

Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet was chosen to be the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Zeid has been a fierce critic of leaders across the world, notably US President Donald Trump.

Some have suggested that Guterres wanted the rights office to change its tone to avoid losing support from powerful member states.

Zeid told AFP that Guterres only asked him to soften his language once, when he called Trump "mean-spirited" after the president first issued the so-called Muslim travel ban shortly after taking office.

"He said, 'you know Zeid we have our problems with the incoming US administration and there may be threats to funding and you may want to use a different set of terms'," the rights chief told AFP, recalling the conversation with Guterres.

Zeid said he took that as advice "from an old friend".

"I persisted with the way I believe it needed to be done and he wasn't insisting that I change," he added.

Some campaigners have accused Guterres of downplaying human rights advocacy since taking over the UN's top job in December 2016.

Zeid suggested there was a "natural progression" that affects all secretaries general, where they begin by figuring out the "political topography" of the job before taking a harder line on abuses that could alienate leaders.

Tension between the rights office in Geneva and the more politically focused secretary general's office in New York was understandable, Zeid said, stressing that he had no regrets about any specific condemnation of government abuses.

But, after what he described as a four-year effort to shine a light on violations on each continent, the rights chief also made clear that he was not overly optimistic about the future.

- 'Demagogues' and 'charlatans' -

Zeid said he worries about "the return of the demagogues, half-truths, the charlatans who are peddling fear"

Zeid has relentlessly condemned politicians whom he accuses of stoking ethnic and religious tension to boost their appeal, a list that for him includes Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, among others.

His term in office made him realise that "all states are works in progress and one or two generations of reckless politicians can destroy any and every state," he said, citing the US, Hungary and the rightwing government in Poland.

He said he worried about "the return of the demagogues, half-truths, the charlatans who are peddling fear, stoking xenophobia and using these appalling violent extremists (like the Islamic State group) as a counter-point on which to pivot all that they are doing."

But, asked to identify the one thing he worried about most, Zeid opted for levity, saying the prospect of being requested "to remain as high commissioner" filled him with fear.

He has called for the job to be restricted to a single term, to ensure that the rights chief avoids making political calculations to secure another four years.
A Blackhawk helicopter during a training mission at Fort Drum, New York

A US service member was killed and several other troops injured when their helicopter crashed during anti-jihadi operations in Iraq, officials said Monday.

The crash appeared to have been accidental, as there were no indications it was caused by hostile fire, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said.

A statement from the US-led coalition that is helping Iraqi partners fight the Islamic State group said the crash occurred around 2200 GMT on Sunday.

"All personnel were recovered by coalition forces immediately following the incident and three were evacuated for further treatment," Manning said.

Manning did not release the nationalities of the injured.

Officials did not provide immediate details on the location of the crash but noted it was "conducting a partnered counterterrorism mission."

The United States leads an international coalition that has targeted IS and other jihadists in Iraq and neighboring Syria since 2014.

The coalition includes Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey along with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

In March seven US troops were killed when their helicopter crashed during a transport mission in western Iraq, near the border with Syria.

Later that month two coalition members -- an American and a Briton -- were killed by an improvised explosive device in the northern Syrian city of Manbij.
President Donald Trump's aggressive actions against China and other trading partners are increasingly worrying businesses and farmers hurt by the tariffs and retaliation

The United States on Monday launched into a key week for trade policy, with Washington due to slap fresh tariffs on a host of Chinese goods even as it holds hearings to target thousands more.

US and Chinese officials will simultaneously hold talks in an effort to defuse the dispute.

In addition, US negotiators will continue talks with Mexico aimed at rewriting the nearly 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, which officials are hopeful they can conclude by year end.

President Donald Trump's aggressive actions against China and other trading partners are increasingly worrying businesses and farmers hurt by the tariffs and retaliation.

Dozens of industry representatives will voice those concerns on Monday in the first of six days of public hearings on the impact of the next round of tariffs, in which the Trump administration is poised to impose 25 percent duties on $200 billion more in Chinese goods.

Interests as diverse as the American Bridal Prom Industry Association, the Juice Products Association, the American Petroleum Institute and the Vapor Technology Association have signed up to urge the US Trade Representative's office to reconsider the tariffs, which could take effect as soon as September.

The tariff proposal "dramatically expands the harm to American consumers, workers, businesses, and the economy," the US Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.

"Help me keep my company alive," Ross Bishop of BrightLine Bags, which produces roll-aboard suitcases, pleaded at the start of the week's hearings in Washington.

He said his company would face an "unjustifiable" tax of nearly 43 percent.

Others at the hearing lamented the multimillion dollar cost increase which will be a tax on consumers.

Stephen Lang, representing bridal and prom dress businesses, said that industry -- which is not yet targeted for tariffs -- relied on China because labor costs were prohibitive in the United States.

"Their labor is like oil for the rest of the world," and tariffs would decimate our industry, he said.

- 'Consequential impacts' -

But earlier rounds of tariffs have shown that complaints to the Trump administration have largely fallen on deaf ears, as only a handful of product lines have been shielded from the new punitive duties.

Trump insists the tough tactics will pressure China to reform what US officials say are unfair practices, including theft of American technology.

But the tariff rates and the breadth of the goods covered would put the US "on par with countries that don't have normal trade like Cuba or North Korea," Karen Giberson of the Accessories Council told USTR on Monday.

Another $16 billion in Chinese goods will face new taxes starting Thursday at 12:01 am (0401 GMT), rounding out the first round of $50 billion in products targeted. China has said it will react immediately with tit-for-tat tariffs on US goods.

And still pending are Trump's proposed 25 percent taxes on all auto imports to protect the US industry.

Business economists overwhelmingly worry trade wars will harm the US economy, according to a survey released Monday, which warned of "unfavorable consequential impacts."

The administration already was forced to announce a $12 billion aid program for farmers hurt by the trade wars, as US agricultural products, like soybeans, were an easy target for China and others.

US and Chinese officials are set to hold two days of talks in Washington starting Wednesday in an effort to find a way out of the escalating trade confrontation.

These are the first formal discussions since June, and will be led by China's Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, and David Malpass, a senior US Treasury official.

- NAFTA rewrite -

Efforts to revise NAFTA seem a bit more hopeful, after USTR Robert Lighthizer telling Trump last week he hoped to get a breakthrough in the talks in coming days.

Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said he will return to Washington on Tuesday to continue the discussions on the key US-Mexico issues, which he said could be wrapped up by mid-week, after which Canada will rejoin the talks.

There remain "a couple of things that have to be settled," including the US demand for a "sunset clause" that would end the trade pact after five years unless it was reauthorized.

The three countries have been negotiating for a year to salvage the trade pact that Trump called a "disaster" for the United States.
Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani at a press conference in Kabul on June 30, 2018

A senior US diplomat insisted Monday that any Afghanistan peace talks must include the Kabul government, and would not occur directly between the Taliban and Washington.

"Negotiations have to take place between the Afghan government and the Taliban, we are not a substitute for that," Alice Wells, the senior official for the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asia Affairs, told AFP.

Wells spoke directly with Taliban officials last month in Qatar to try to find a new path toward ending Afghanistan's 17-year conflict, according to several reports that she would not confirm or deny.

"I can't say anything beyond that we are prepared to do what we can to facilitate getting the parties to the table," Wells said.

"But the United States doesn't negotiate with the Taliban over the heads of the Afghan people and government."

A member of the Taliban's leadership council -- the Quetta Shura -- has confirmed to AFP that Taliban members met with US officials last month in Doha, where the militants have established a political office that serves as a de-facto embassy.

The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with the United States. The group refuses to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate.

But Washington indicated a change in its long-standing policy in June when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was prepared to "support, facilitate and participate" in talks.

President Donald Trump a year ago unveiled his Afghanistan strategy, which focuses on pressuring the Taliban to negotiate.

Kabul on Monday was waiting for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO.
Fifty-five people are now feared to have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Less than half of the deaths have been confirmed to be down to the virus, considered one of the most lethal pathogens in existence.

But health officials in the African nation fear the remaining fatalities are likely to have been caused by Ebola.

Aid workers are battling round-the-clock to contain the outbreak, which has struck the east of the country on the border with Uganda.

Virologists have already warned the situation is hard to control because the cases are in a conflict zone, roamed by armed militias.

DRCs Ministry of Health updated the Ebola death toll in its latest bulletin, released yesterday, as a mass vaccination campaign continues.

Aid workers are battling round-the-clock to contain the outbreak, which has struck the east of the country on the border with Uganda

It said the five new victims were in Mabalako-Mangina, close to Beni, the epicentre of the outbreak in the North Kivu province.

The body added 96 cases of haemorrhagic fever  thought to be Ebola  have been reported in the region since the start of August.

Laboratory tests have confirmed 69 of these have had Ebola, however the remaining suspected cases are still being analysed.

Beni's mayor Jean Edmond Nyonyi Masumbuko Bwanakawa announced treatment for Ebola will be free in the region for three months, starting Monday.

It is hoped the move will remove the financial barrier that could dissuade the population from going to the health centre.

It is the 10th outbreak to strike the DRC since 1976, when Ebola was first identified and named after a river in the north of the country.

The outbreak on the border of Uganda was announced just days after another was declared over in the north west DRC at the start of this month.

Virologists feared it was 'reminiscent' of the 2014 Ebola pandemic, which decimated West Africa and killed 11,000 people.

Emergency: A health worker gets ready to perform medical checks inside an Ebola Treatment Centre run by The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) in Beni

An Ebola patient is lead by two medical workers into CUBE, which has being constructed by The Alliance for International Medical Action in response to the Ebola outbreak

HAS THE DRC HAD AN EBOLA OUTBREAK BEFORE? DRC escaped the brutal Ebola pandemic that began in 2014, which was finally declared over in January 2016 - but it was struck by a smaller outbreak last year. Four DRC residents died from the virus in 2017. The outbreak lasted just 42 days and international aid teams were praised for their prompt responses. The new outbreak is the DRCs tenth since the discovery of Ebola in the country in 1976, named after the river. The outbreak earlier this summer was its ninth. Health experts credit an awareness of the disease among the population and local medical staff's experience treating for past successes containing its spread. DRCs vast, remote geography also gives it an advantage, as outbreaks are often localised and relatively easy to isolate. Advertisement

But the new outbreak has already dwarfed the one earlier this summer, and has stoked more fears among the medical community.

In a desperate attempt to stem the outbreak, the World Health Organization's chief last week called for an end to the fighting in the DRC.

Dr Tedros Adhanom travelled to east DRC to examine the situation in person and told reporters in Switzerland he was 'actually more worried after the visit than before'.

He said: 'We call on the warring parties for a cessation of hostilities because the virus is dangerous to all. It doesnt choose between this group and that group.'

Professor Paul Hunter, a virologist at the University of East Anglia, last week praised an experimental vaccine being dished out in DRC that can stop the spread of Ebola.

However, he also raised fears that conflict in the region could make the outbreak hard to control, as those infected could be displaced into refugee camp, where the virus may thrive.

An Ebola patient is being checked by two medical workers after being admitted into a Biosecure Emergency care Unite (CUBE) in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo

He said: The effectiveness of any immunization campaign depends on the ability to deliver that vaccine to the appropriate people is a timely manner.

Unfortunately the latest outbreak is in an area of armed conflict and this poses substantial difficulties for effective prevention.

The unsafe burial of a 65-year-old Ebola sufferer triggered the latest outbreak in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

After she was buried members of her family began to display symptoms of the virus 'and seven of them died'.

Ebola virus disease, caused by the virus with its namesake, kills around 50 per cent of people it strikes  but there is no proven treatment available.

Eight healthcare workers have been struck down by Ebola so far in this outbreak, of whom one has died.

Genetic analysis has confirmed the virus strain in this latest outbreak is the Zaire strain, the same as the one earlier this summer.

Officials in the African nation have confirmed nine deaths so far (pictured: Doctors Without Borders team members walk through an Ebola security zone at the entrance of a hospital in DR Congo, where a fresh outbreak of the virus was declared in the east of the country)

However, Peter Salama, WHO deputy director for emergency preparedness and response, last week revealed it is genetically different.

Most of the confirmed cases have been recorded in Mabalako, 18 miles (30km) west of the trading hub of Beni, where 230,000 people live.

DRC health officials have also confirmed five cases of EVD in Beni itself, which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Another seven are suspected.

Aid workers have been told they will have to navigate their response among more than 100 armed groups.

A WHO spokesperson said last week: 'This is an active conflict zone. The major barrier will be safely accessing the affected population.'

Vaccinations began two weeks ago, following the success of the jabs in Equateur province, which two weeks ago declared the end of its Ebola flare-up.

Some 33 people were feared to have died in that outbreak, which started in the poorly-connected region of Ikoko-Impenge and Bikoro.

It travelled 80 miles (130km) north to Mbandaka, a port city on the river Congo  an essential waterway - with around 1.2 million inhabitants.

There was a concern it would spread to Kinshasa  364 miles (586km) south, which has an international airport and 12 million people residents.

Dr Derek Gatherer, a virologist from Lancaster University, warned the outbreak earlier this summer was 'reminiscent' of the 2014 Ebola pandemic.

All neighbouring countries were alerted about the outbreak of Ebola before it was declared over amid fears it could spread easily.

Officials hailed the use of an experimental vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV, in stemming the Ebola outbreak in north west DRC in July.

More than 3,000 doses remain in stock in Kinshasa, allowing authorities to quickly deploy it to the affected areas near the Ugandan border.

Barthe Ndjoloko, who oversees the health ministry's Ebola response, said officials are working to identify those who may be infected.

He revealed last week the vaccination campaign will focus on healthcare workers and those who have come into contact with confirmed cases.

The 2014 international response to the Ebola pandemic drew criticism for moving too slowly and prompted an apology from the WHO.

But international aid teams have moved much quicker in response this time - with vaccination campaigns already underway in several regions.
This handout photo obtained August 20, 2018 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows Chinese national Ruochen "Tony" Liao, age 28 of Santa Ana, California. He was abducted in San Gabriel, California on July 16, 2018, according to witnesses

A Chinese national has been missing for five weeks after being abducted in California by three men demanding a $2 million ransom, the FBI revealed on Monday.

Ruochen "Tony" Liao, 28, who worked at a luxury car dealership in Costa Mesa, was kidnapped on July 16 in the city of San Gabriel by three men riding in two black vehicles, Laura Eimiller, spokeswoman for the FBI office in Los Angeles, told AFP.

She said Liao's abduction may be linked to a business deal gone sour, as he often worked with "people not often reputable."

"A working theory is that there was some sort of business dispute," Eimiller said.

She said the kidnappers, all believed to be Chinese, initially reached out to Liao's family in China, demanding $2 million for his release, but then failed to follow through with their demand.

"We don't have evidence indicating he has left the country but we don't know where he is," Eimiller said.

She said only one of the abductors, identified as a 35- to 40-year-old by the name of David, was seen by a witness who provided a description.

Liao moved to the Los Angeles area after attending school in the state of Nebraska.

His family is offering a $150,000 reward for information leading to his safe return while the FBI is offering $25,000 for information leading to his recovery.

"He's a deeply loved person by his family," Matthew Lombard, an attorney representing Liao's family, told reporters. "He's their only child and they're very, very concerned for him."
Twenty Chahine films will be screened from 12 to 22 September, when Zawya reopens at a new location

Cairos arthouse cinema Zawya will screen 20 newly restored films by legendary Egyptian director Youssef Chahine (1926-2008) when it reopens at its new venue on 12 September.

The programme marks the tenth anniversary of Chahine's death and is organised by the company he founded, Misr International Films, in collaboration with Egyptian and European partners. It will run until 22 September.

Launched in March 2014 by Misr International Films, Zawya, Cairo's first arthouse cinema, was based at the historic Odeon Cinema in downtown Cairo. The cinema is now moving to a new location at Cinema Karim a few streets away, to accommodate its ever-growing audience.

Alongside the screenings of the restored films is a programme of workshops, discussions, and lectures.

A masterclass by Egyptian director Basel Ramsis on 14 and 15 September will look at the development of Chahines vision and how his storytelling technique developed between 1950 and 2007.

Ramsis, who is based in Spain, has directed several short films and video art projects and documentaries.

He teaches film directing in Spain and Cuba and serves a jury member in several film festivals in Europe and Latin America.

Films to be screened:

Daddy Amin - 1950

Lady on A Train - 1952

The Blazing Sun - 1954

The Desert Devil - 1954

Dark Waters -1955

My One and Only Love - 1957

Farewell My Love - 1957

Cairo Station - 1958

Saladin - 1963

Dawn of a New Day - 1964

The Land - 1969

Return Of The Prodigal Son - 1976

Alexandria, Why? - 1978

An Egyptian Story - 1982

Adieu Bonaparte - 1984

The Sixth Day - 1986

Alexandria Again And Forever - 1989

The Emigrant - 1994

Destiny - 1997

The Other - 1999

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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The New York Times reported on Sunday that Asia Argento, a Harvey Weinstein accuser and leading figure in the #MeToo movement, had paid Jimmy Bennett $380,000 over the 2013 incident at a Los Angeles hotel

Italian actress and sexual abuse campaigner Asia Argento is not under investigation over bombshell allegations that she had sex five years ago with an underage teen, police told AFP on Monday.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that Argento, a Harvey Weinstein accuser and leading figure in the #MeToo movement, had paid Jimmy Bennett $380,000 over the 2013 incident at a Los Angeles hotel.

The development prompted accusations of hypocrisy from Weinstein's lawyer who said that the revelations undermined her claims against his client.

Bennett was 17 at the time of the alleged assault -- a year younger than California's age of consent. A spokeswoman for the LA County Sheriff's Department said however the agency had "no open investigation."

"Enquiries will be made. At this point, it's just enquiring and gathering information, since we don't have an active investigation," Kimberly Alexander told AFP.

She said she was unaware if the department had contacted Bennett, now 22.

The actor and rock musician said Argento, 42, assaulted him in a California hotel room, according to the Times, which cited documents sent to the paper by an unidentified party.

Argento became a powerful voice for the #MeToo movement after accusing Weinstein of raping her when she was 21 in his hotel room in 1997 during the Cannes film festival.

Bennett's legal action was launched a month after Argento's accusations against Weinstein were made public, the Times said.

Bennett's lawyer claimed his client recalled the hotel encounter after seeing Argento present herself as a victim of sexual assault, according to the Times.

"This development reveals a stunning level of hypocrisy by Asia Argento, one of the most vocal catalysts who sought to destroy Harvey Weinstein," the mogul's lawyer Ben Brafman said.

"What is perhaps most egregious is the timing, which suggests that at the very same time Argento was working on her own secret settlement for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor, she was positioning herself at the forefront of those condemning Mr. Weinstein, despite the fact that her sexual relationship with Mr. Weinstein was between two consenting adults which lasted for more than four years."

Brafman expressed shock at the "sheer duplicity" of Argento's conduct, arguing that it demonstrated how poorly the allegations against Weinstein were vetted.

There has been no comment from Argento and her representatives since the story broke.
This combination picture shows US President Donald Trump (L) and his former campaign chief Paul Manafort, who is on trial for tax evasion and bank fraud

The jury adjourned without reaching a verdict Monday in the trial of President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort, the first resulting from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The jurors deliberated for more than eight hours during their third day weighing the fate of Manafort, 69, who is accused of providing fraudulent statements to secure bank loans and failing to pay taxes on tens of millions of dollars he earned while advising Russian-backed politicians in Ukraine between 2006 and 2015.

Manafort "thinks it was a very good day," his lawyer Kevin Downing told journalists.

The jury will reconvene on Tuesday at 9:30 am (1430 GMT), Judge T.S. Ellis said.

The case stems from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election -- and possible collusion between the Trump campaign team and Moscow.

While Manafort is not charged with any crimes related to his brief time as Trump's campaign chairman, the trial is seen as an important test for the Mueller probe, which Trump has repeatedly denounced as a "witch hunt."

"Where's the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed)," the president tweeted on Monday, referring to Mueller's investigators as "Angry Democrat Thugs."

Trump views the probe as a stain on his presidency, and frequently calls for its end.

He weighed in on the case Friday in an extraordinary commentary by a sitting president about an ongoing trial.

Asked if he would pardon his former campaign chief if he is convicted, Trump declined to comment.

But he went on to say: "I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad."

"He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what? He happens to be a very good person," Trump said.

"I think it's very sad what they've done to Paul Manafort."
WASHINGTON (AP) - Steve Bannon has a dire warning for Republicans.

During a Sunday interview with The Associated Press, the former chief strategist to President Donald Trump said he believes the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats in the House if the election were held today, thereby ceding their majority to Democrats he's convinced will pursue impeachment. He argued there's still time to turn that around and is launching a group, Citizens of the American Republic, to pitch the election as a vote to protect Trump from that outcome.

"You can't look at this as a midterm and you can't run it out of the traditional Republican playbook. If you do that, you're going to get smoked," said Bannon, arguing that Republicans must redouble efforts against motivated Democrats.

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The effort is a test of Bannon's sway in the GOP a year after he was fired from his White House post. His relationship with Trump soured after a tell-all book published in January included searing quotes of Bannon portraying Trump as undisciplined and criticizing son Donald Trump Jr. His stock fell further after he stuck by Alabama Republican Roy Moore's Senate campaign even after decades-old sexual misconduct allegations emerged. A reliably Republican Senate seat turned Democratic.

As he attempts a comeback, Bannon acknowledged the challenges he faces, including an invigorated Democratic base. Less than three months from Election Day, Democrats need a net gain of 24 seats to retake the House, and the party is increasingly bullish about its chances after strong turnout in a series of special elections. Bannon said Republicans can gain ground if they focus on turning out Trump supporters.

"This is not about persuasion. It's too late to persuade anybody. We're 90 days away from this election. This is all about turnout and what I call base-plus," he said.

While Bannon makes his move, many Republicans view holding the House as an uphill battle. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bannon said his new venture will focus on rapid response and polling with the goal of framing the election as an "up or down vote" on Trump and impeachment. He is also releasing a movie about the president, "Trump@War," geared at Trump supporters.

Bannon said he was being backed by private donors, but he did not detail who was funding the effort or how much he had raised. He said his efforts were independent of the Republican National Committee, the White House or a Trump-supporting super PAC.

In keeping with his midterm mission, Bannon defended the president on both policy and style, arguing that the president had an economic record to run on and has been making the right pitch on the campaign trail.

On trade, Bannon backed the president's aggressive tariffs, which have drawn criticism in agricultural states crucial to Trump's victory. He argued they were a key part of Trump's nationalistic economic strategy.

"People in Iowa, once it's explained to them, will fully support the president in this," he said. "We don't have a choice. We either win the economic war with China or we're going to be a secondary, a tertiary power."

He said Trump's culture wars, which have included public attacks on women and minorities, don't present a problem, calling it his "house style" and saying people should "separate out the signal from the noise." He argued that Trump would benefit from shutting down the government over funding for his border wall, saying it would "galvanize the populist right," though he acknowledged it was a minority view.

Bannon also pushed back against the idea that a loss of the House could be a positive development for Trump as it would give him a new foil heading into the 2020 presidential election. He called such notions "dangerously naive."

Looking ahead to 2020, Bannon said attorney Michael Avenatti, who is weighing a bid as a Democratic candidate, could be a contender. The combative attorney has been taking on Trump on behalf of a porn actress who claims a sexual encounter with the president, which Trump denies.

"He's a fighter and people are looking for fighters," Bannon said of Avenatti, though he believes Trump would defeat any opponent. "He's going to be a force in the primary for the simple reason that he comes across as what many of the Democrats don't, which is a fighter."

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The 92-year-old South Korean woman wept and stroked the wrinkled cheeks of her 71-year-old North Korean son on Monday, their first meeting since they were driven apart during the turmoil of the 1950-53 Korean War.

"How many children do you have? Do you have a son?" Lee Keum-seom asked her son Ri Sang Chol during their long-awaited encounter at the North's Diamond Mountain resort.

The emotional reunion came after dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea to meet temporarily with their relatives. The weeklong event, the first of its kind in nearly three years, was arranged as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

South Korean Cho Hye-do, 86, right, meets her North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, left, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

Hugging the woman he'd last seen when he was 4, Ri showed his mother a photo of her late husband, who had stayed behind in North Korea with him after being separated from his wife while fleeing south. "Mother, this is how my father looked," Ri said.

Before leaving for North Korea, Lee said she wanted to ask her son "how he grew up without his mom and how his father raised him."

Most of the participants in the reunions are in their 70s or older and are eager to see their loved ones once more before they die. Most have had no word on whether their relatives are still alive because they are not allowed to visit each other across the border or even exchange letters, phone calls or email.

About 90 elderly South Koreans, accompanied by their family members, will have three days of meetings with their North Korean relatives before returning to the South on Wednesday. A separate round of reunions from Friday to Sunday will involve more than 300 other South Koreans, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

During Monday's meeting, many elderly Koreans held each other's hands and wiped away tears with handkerchiefs while asking how their relatives had lived. They showed photos of family members who couldn't come to their meetings.

Han Shin-ja, a 99-year-old South Korean woman, was at a loss for words after she reunited with her two North Korean daughters, both in their early 70s. Not knowing their separation would be permanent, she left them behind in the North during the war while fleeing south with her third and youngest daughter.

She could only say "Ah" and "When I fled ..." before choking up with tears.

Kim Sun Ok, an 81-year-old North Korean woman, said she found that she and her 88-year-old brother from South Korea resembled each other a great deal. "Brother, it would be really good if Korean unification comes. Let's live together even at least one minute after unification before we die," the woman said tearfully.

Before this week's reunions, nearly 20,000 people had participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000. Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives. None have had a second chance to see or talk with their relatives.

During the three years since the reunions were last held, North Korea tested three nuclear weapons and multiple missiles that demonstrated they potentially could strike the continental United States.

North Korea has shifted to diplomacy in recent months. Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a son of North Korean war refugees, agreed to resume the reunions during the first of their two summits this year in April.

South Korea sees the separated families as the largest humanitarian issue created by the war, which killed and injured millions and cemented the division of the Korean Peninsula into the North and South. The Unification Ministry estimates there are currently about 600,000 to 700,000 South Koreans with immediate or extended relatives in North Korea. More than 75,000 of the 132,000 South Koreans who have applied to participate in reunions have died, according to a ministry record.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday reiterated that time is running out to expand the reunion program, saying it would be a "shameful thing" for both Koreas to see many elderly people dying without even finding out whether their loved ones are still alive.

Moon attended a 2004 reunion to meet his aunt. "As a separated family member, I deeply share their sorrow and pitifulness," he said during a meeting with his aides.

North Korea is reluctant to accept calls for more reunions. Analysts say it sees the reunions as an important bargaining chip and believes more reunions would give its people a better awareness of the outside world. While South Korea uses a computerized lottery to pick participants for the reunions, North Korea is believed to choose based on loyalty to its authoritarian leadership.

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, left, hugs her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

North Korean Ahn Jong Sun, 70, left, feeds her South Korean father Ahn Jong-ho, 100, during a dinner at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Lee Yong-seong, 95, right, meets with his North Korean niece Ri Sun Seon, 62, at a dinner during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War, some 65 years ago. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, center, hugs her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, left, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, left, weeps with her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Cho Hye-do, 86, center, hugs her North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, right, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Chun Hye-ock, 90, left, and her North Korean niece Kim Yun Kyung, 56, watch their family photos during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office, in Goseong, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool/Yonhap via AP)

South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office, in Goseong, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool/Yonhap via AP)

South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office, in Goseong, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool/Yonhap via AP)
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia's prime minister on Monday abandoned plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions to head off a revolt by conservative lawmakers.

Malcolm Turnbull on Monday conceded that he could not get legislation through the House of Representatives where his conservative coalition holds only a single-seat majority.

He said although most government lawmakers supported the target of reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent below 2005 levels, that support was not enough.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, left, and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg address reporters at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Turnbull abandoned plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions to head off a revolt by conservative lawmakers. Turnbull conceded that he could not get legislation through the House of Representatives where his conservative coalition holds only a single-seat majority. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

"Even with strong support in the party room, if a small number of people are not prepared to vote with the government on a measure, then it won't get passed," Turnbull told reporters.

Some lawmakers including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott argue the government should be focusing on cutting electricity prices instead of cutting emissions.

Abbott deposed Turnbull as leader of the conservative Liberal Party in 2009 over differences in energy policy. But Turnbull ousted Abbott as prime minister in 2015 in a leadership ballot of government lawmakers concerned by the government's poor opinion polling.

Some government lawmakers want Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, a close ally of Abbott, to challenge Turnbull's leadership.

Turnbull said Dutton had told him he would not challenge for the party leadership.

"He has given me his absolute support," Turnbull said of Dutton.

Dutton also watered down speculation of a challenge.

"In relation to media stories today, just to make very clear, the Prime Minister has my support and I support the policies of the Government," Dutton tweeted.

The government has trailed the center-left opposition Labor Party in most opinion polls since the last election in 2016. Australians are due to hold a general election early next year.

A Fairfax-Ipsos poll published on Monday showed 55 percent of voters surveyed supported Labor and only 45 percent supported the government. The phone poll of 1,200 voters was taken last week from Wednesday to Saturday. It has a 2.9 percent margin of error.

Australia has gone through an extraordinary period of political instability since Prime Minister John Howard lost power in 2007 after more than 11 years in office.

Turnbull would next month become Australia's longest serving prime minister since Howard, having held the office for three years and four days.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, center, Treasurer Scott Morrison, left, and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg address reporters at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Turnbull abandoned plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions to head off a revolt by conservative lawmakers. Turnbull conceded that he could not get legislation through the House of Representatives where his conservative coalition holds only a single-seat majority. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sits during a meeting with Poland's President Andrzej Duda at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Turnbull abandoned plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions to head off a revolt by conservative lawmakers. (Mick Tsikas/Pool Photo via AP)
MOUNT PAEKTU, North Korea (AP) - Foreign tourists looking to go off the beaten path in North Korea can now camp out on the country's biggest volcano.

Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea.

In 946 AD, Paektu was the site of one of the largest eruptions in history. It is considered one of the most beautiful natural sites in North Korea and is still active, though there haven't been any big eruptions in recent years.

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Sinead of Australia stands in the cool water of Lake Chon during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

It's revered in the North for its links to the ruling Kim family and is considered the spiritual home of the Korean revolution. Trips to the mountain are popular with North Koreans who visit with their schools, work units or other social groups on excursions that are part indoctrination and part recreation. It's also popular with Chinese tourists and smaller foreign tour groups who can stay in nearby hotels and drive right up to its crater to see the blue waters of Lake Chon in Paektu's caldera.

But Roger Shepherd, founder of Hike Korea, which is based in the South, managed to convince North Korean government officials to let him take his guests off the beaten path for the first time.

The area around the mountain features several reconstructed "secret campsites" said to have been used by national founder Kim Il Sung and his guerrillas in the fight against the Japanese colonial rulers before 1945 - a possible reason why the idea of allowing a foreign camping excursion clicked with the local authorities. But Shepherd's group has for the most part managed to avoid the typical mini-bus and propaganda lecture experience that often awaits foreign tourists here.

On Saturday, the group climbed the mountain from near its base, walked to the lake from the rim and then hiked out across a volcanic plateau to pitch their tents for the first of five nights they were to spend on the hike.

Under leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea has placed a high priority on developing its tourism industry as a source of much-needed foreign currency and as an industry that can be fairly closely controlled and monitored.

It is currently carrying out massive infrastructure projects in several locations, including at Samjiyon, the largest city near Mount Paektu, and in the eastern port city of Wonsan and the adjacent Mount Kumgang area, which was open to South Korean tourists until around 2008, when a South Korean housewife was shot for wandering into a restricted area.

Any big expansion in the numbers of foreign tourists will require an easing of international sanctions in place to push Kim to abandon his nuclear weapons program.

Shepherd's trekking group was made up of two Australian women and two Norwegian men. Tourists from the United States are blocked from coming to North Korea by a travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump in response to the death of American college student Otto Warmbier, who died shortly after his release from North Korean custody for allegedly trying to steal a propaganda banner.

By the time Warmbier was released, he was in a vegetative state. What happened to Warmbier while he was in custody remains unclear.

Incidents involving tourists are rare, however, and Shepherd said his intention is to get beyond politics during the hike.

He said that after the first day, the trekkers had already begun to forge bonds with their North Korean guides.

"I hope that it's because mountains and nature does that," he said. "Out here it's very apolitical. There's no need for the nonsense out here. We're all trying to do the same thing. Work together as a team, pitch tents, eat together walk together. In my experience, that's a good way for these guys to see the real people of this country."

___

Talmadge is the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @EricTalmadge

In this Saturday, Aug. 18,2018, photo, Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway who is hiking with Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea stands near a view of the caldera and Lake Chon on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Sinead of Australia, right, chats with Paula of Australia, left, and Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Roger Shepherd, founder of Hike Korea, wears a North Korean hat he found while hiking down Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Sinead of Australia, left, and Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway walk past North Korean soldiers during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea walks past North Korean soldiers while leading a hike on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway, center, gestures near Jo of Norway, left, and Paula of Australia, right, while resting on the banks of Lake Chon during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Paula of Australia takes a photo for North Koreans during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Paula, right, and Sinead, second from right, of Australia, react as their North Korean guide takes a break during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea, top left, on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, photo, Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway walks past his tent as day breaks during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, photo, Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea, in light green, center, walks near the camp site near Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Jo of Norway gets his bottle bag filled up during a hike arranged by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, photo, a group of foreign hikers lead by Roger Shepherd of Hike Korea, third from left, visits a monument near Mount Paektu in North Korea. Hoping to open up a side of North Korea rarely seen by outsiders, Shepherd, a New Zealander who has extensive experience climbing the mountains of North and South Korea is leading the first group of foreign tourists allowed to trek off road and camp out under the stars on Mount Paektu, a huge volcano that straddles the border that separates China and North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
NEW YORK (AP) - Authorities said Monday that they are looking into sexual assault allegations by a young actor against Italian actress Asia Argento - one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Capt. Darren Harris said investigators from his department will seek to talk to Jimmy Bennett or his representatives about the alleged incident at a Southern California hotel in 2013, when Bennett was 17.

The move comes in response to a New York Times story saying Argento, 42, settled a legal notice of intent to sue filed by Bennett, who is now 22, for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her.

FILE - In this May 19, 2018 file photo, actress Asia Argento gestures during the closing ceremony of the 71st international film festival in Cannes, France. Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported. (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, FIle)

Argento and Bennett co-starred in a 2004 film called "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things" in which Argento played Bennett's prostitute mother.

Bennett says in the notice that he had sex with Argento in the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, California, in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18.

The notice says the encounter traumatized Bennett and hurt his career, the Times reported.

Investigators have learned no police report was filed at the time, Harris said.

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and Bennett in bed. Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic, the Times reported.

In a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, a lawyer for Bennett said the actor "does not wish to comment on the documents or the events" at this time.

The statement asked for privacy and noted that Bennett would take "the next 24 hours, or longer, to prepare his response."

Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21. Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.

Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but not including Argento.

Representatives for Argento did not respond to a request from The Associated Press for comment.

___

This story has been clarified to say that Jimmy Bennett filed a notice of intent to sue.

FILE - In this May 17, 2009 file photo, Italian actress Asia Argento arrives on the red carpet for the screening of "Vengeance" during the 62nd International film festival in Cannes, France. Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this April 12, 2018 file photo, Italian actress and director Asia Argento arrives at the ninth annual Women in the World Summit in New York. Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

FILE - In this March 8, 2018 file photo, actresses Asia Argento, left, and Rose McGowan pose during a demonstration to mark the international Women's Day in Rome. Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

FILE - In this May 26, 2013 file photo, actress Asia Argento arrives for the awards ceremony of the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France. Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, May 19, 2018, file photo, actress Asia Argento speaks about being raped by Harvey Weinstein during the closing ceremony of the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France. The New York Times reports that Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement, recently settled a lawsuit filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)
TULTEPEC, Mexico (AP) - Luis Enrique Urban Gomez was tidying up at his family's fireworks storage shed like any other day when an explosion ripped through the warehouse next door, killing its owner, leaving Urban with second- and third-degree burns and wounding seven others.

Nearly two months later, lying on a bed in his parents' home with bandages covering his torso and angry red scars on nearly his entire body, the 20-year-old was in good spirits and itching to be back in business making fireworks just as soon as his wounds are fully healed.

"In spite of it all, it is a pleasure," Urban said. "It is a job with tradition ... something we decided to do when we were young."

In this July 30, 2018 photo, revelers play in and around a huge burning papier mache bull full of exploding fireworks, in the Santiago Teyuhalco neighborhood of Tultepec, Mexico. Last year there were 40 fireworks accidents in the State of Mexico, where Tultepec is located, that claimed 24 lives and injured more than 100, according to the governmental Mexican Institute of Pyrotechnics; through July 5 of this year, there have been 16 accidents with 40 dead and more than 70 hurt. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Urban's hometown of Tultepec, about an hour's drive north of downtown Mexico City, is famous as the fireworks production capital of the country, a place where there's always a sulfurous whiff to the air, "no smoking" signs are ubiquitous and untold thousands of multi-generation families make a living hand-crafting the explosives.

It's also infamous for deadly explosions that happen with such regularity Mexicans long ago ceased to be surprised at news reports of clandestine workshops erupting and instead muse on social media about why people continue to ply such a dangerous trade in this city of 130,000-plus inhabitants. But Tultepequenses, as locals are known, are proud of their craft and see it as a part of their identity, a tradition they'll never give up.

"When people talk about fireworks in Mexico they talk about Tultepec, and that's something that fills you with pride and makes you keep working," Urban said.

"We want to continue to excel at it," he added, "try to improve it, look for ways to make this job safer."

The June 25 explosion that also left his cousin with a punctured lung and missing a leg was one of at least three in the city in just over a month. On June 6, a blast killed eight and injured seven at a home, and on July 5, a series of warehouse explosions killed 25 and hurt at least 49.

In perhaps the most notorious incident, the open-air San Pablito fireworks market went up in a chain reaction of flames and exploding rockets in late 2016, killing at least 42 including holiday shoppers a few days before Christmas.

Last year there were 40 fireworks accidents in the State of Mexico, where Tultepec is located, that claimed 24 lives and injured more than 100, according to the governmental Mexican Institute of Pyrotechnics; through July 5 of this year, there have been 16 accidents with 40 dead and more than 70 hurt.

The flip side of those sad statistics is that it's big business that keeps thousands of families afloat. According to the pyrotechnics institute, the industry generates about $65 million nationwide each year around Sept. 16 Independence Day celebrations alone, and fireworks are a mainstay of civic and religious festivals year-round.

On a recent day, Lazaro Luna grabbed paper tubes with his blackened fingers and filled them with a powder made of coal, aluminum and other chemical compounds. The tubes are later dipped in wax and fixed to metal structures to create what are known as "castles," pyrotechnic displays that can take any shape from the figure of a saint to whatever the imagination decides.

"It is an art of doing things, of knowing how to mix the products with the certainty that they are fine, to create a figure," Luna said. "When the public applauds you for the work they have just seen, that is good, you feel proud."

Luna said he got his start in fireworks at age 12 when he would come home from school every day to help his father, who taught him the craft. Sixty-one years later, he has passed the trade down to three sons.

"This is a job like any other: honest. We do not steal, it is a very noble profession, so don't see us as people who are murderers or who go around wanting to cause accidents just because," said Noe Luna Hernandez, one of the sons. "Pyrotechnics is light, party, colors, fun."

Luna's licensed workshop has three separate areas for raw materials, for manufacturing and for storing the finished product. Each is separated by a distance of about 30 feet (10 meters) for safety, and there are fire extinguishers, a pool of water and a sandbox to help in any emergency.

According to the pyrotechnics institute, about 40,000 families in Mexico State make a living directly from fireworks. In Tultepec, an estimated 65 percent of residents are involved in the trade.

Authorities conduct spot inspections of licensed fireworks businesses. But it's impossible to do the same for the countless home workshops that operate off the books, and those can be the most dangerous operations.

After more than 13 years as a Tultepec firefighter, Jose Luis Juarez said he can't recall how many fireworks accidents he's seen. But he estimated that about three-quarters happened in clandestine workshops and said the cause is usually inexperience or mishandling of the pyrotechnic material. Many emergency calls are for people who have had hands or arms blown off, or with severe wounds to the chest and face.

Juarez has a burn scar on his right hand from when he and others responded to the July 5 explosion. After they arrived at the scene, a second deafening blast knocked them all to the ground. Instinctively he went to help his colleagues, but two had been blown apart and ultimately were part of the death toll.

"It hurts to remember that, because you feel helpless for having been unable to help your co-workers," he said.

Juarez said he respects the town's traditions and understands that many resort to the clandestine fireworks trade because they can't afford a license. To avoid more accidents, he said it's important for new fireworks artisans to learn from those who have been doing it for many years and for authorities to help wildcat operations come into the open and be regulated.

After an explosion locals often circle the wagons and physically bar journalists and others from the scene, fearing bad publicity.

Local pride in Tultepec's pyro-culture is evident in a youth project to organize art exhibits and concerts celebrating fireworks and even producing illustrated manuals on how to set them off safely.

It's also on display at frequent celebrations complete with burnings of explosive "toritos," which take their name from their bull-shaped frames mounted on wheels, covered in paper and painted with colorful designs.

One recent evening in the Tultepec neighborhood of Santiago Teyahualco, kids and adults mingled among vendors hawking bags of potato chips and pulque, a milky, viscous alcoholic drink made from the maguey plant. The party was in honor of the Roman Catholic saint Santiago Apostol.

To cries of "Fire! Fire!" the "toritos" erupted in sparks that rained down on many in the crowd, but nobody seemed to be fazed despite past incidents. In March, the newspaper El Universal reported that 549 people were injured at another burning in Tultepec, mostly minor burns and bruises.

Spectator Karen Arellano was enjoying the show with the protection of a shield improvised from a cardboard box.

"Fear? Yes, it scares me, and that is inevitable," Arellano said. "I think it frightens all of us here, but the adrenaline one feels seeing the show and how the people get is marvelous."

In this Aug. 1, 2018 photo, an owl stands in a ventilation opening at one of the many fireworks workshops in Tultepec, Mexico. Tultepec, about an hour's drive north of downtown Mexico City, is famous as the fireworks production capital of the country, a place where there's always a sulfurous whiff to the air, "no smoking" signs are ubiquitous and untold thousands of multi-generation families make a living hand-crafting the explosives. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Aug. 1, 2018 photo, Lazaro Luna makes fireworks at his family workshop in Tultepec, Mexico. Lazaro Luna fills them with a powder made of coal, aluminum and other chemical compounds. The tubes are later dipped in wax and fixed to metal structures to create what are known as "castles," pyrotechnic displays that can take any shape from the figure of a saint to whatever the imagination decides. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Aug. 1, 2018 photo, a box full of gunpowder is set out to dry under the sun at the Luna family workshop in Tultepec, Mexico. According to the governmental Mexican Institute of Pyrotechnics, more permits have been issued for the manufacture, storage and sale of fireworks in Tultepec than any other municipality in the State of Mexico, which surrounds the capital on three sides. However there is no record of home workshops that are off the books without no oversight or regulation by authorities, and those can be the most dangerous operations. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Aug. 1, 2018 photo, Noe Luna shows a handful of fireworks he prepared called Lluvia de Luna, or "Moon Rain" in English, at his workshop in Tultepec, Mexico. "It is an art of doing things, of knowing how to mix the products with the certainty that they are fine, to create a figure," Luna said. "When the public applauds you for the work they have just seen, that is good, you feel proud." (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Aug. 1, 2018 photo, fireworks maker Noe Luna holds a "bomb" at his workshop in Tultepec, Mexico. Luna's licensed workshop has three separate areas for raw materials, for manufacturing and for storing the finished product. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this July 30, 2018 photo, revelers move a huge papier-mache bull, stuffed full of fireworks, through the streets of the Santiago Teyahualco neighborhood of Tultepec, Mexico. The "Torito" will be set alight in the celebrations in honor of the Roman Catholic saint Santiago Apostol, and it will accompanied with parades and celebrations culminating with burnings of the explosive "torito," which takes its name from their bull-shaped frames mounted on wheels, covered in paper and painted with colorful designs. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this July 30, 2018 photo, revelers move a huge papier-mache bull, stuffed full of fireworks, through the streets of the Santiago Teyuhalco neighborhood of Tultepec, Mexico. Local pride in Tultepec's pyro-culture is evident in a youth project to organize art exhibits and concerts celebrating fireworks and even producing illustrated manuals on how to set them off safely. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this July 30, 2018 photo, revelers play in and around a huge burning papier-mache bull full of exploding fireworks, in Santiago Teyuhalco, Tultepec, Mexico. To wild applause and cries of "Fire! Fire!" the "toritos" erupted in sparks that rained down on many in the crowd, but nobody seemed to be fazed. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this July 30, 2018 photo, revelers play in and around a huge burning papier-mache bull full of exploding fireworks, in Santiago Teyuhalco, Mexico. In March, the newspaper El Universal reported that 549 people were injured at another burning in Tultepec, mostly minor burns and bruises, though one young man was hospitalized with second-degree burns. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Aug. 1, 2018 photo, Luis Enrique Urban Gomez recovers in bed at his home after suffering third-degree through most of his body during an accidental explosion at La Saucera fireworks workshop where he worked, in Tultepec, Mexico. He was tidying up at his family's fireworks storage shed like any other day when an explosion ripped through the warehouse next door, killing its owner and wounding seven others. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

FILE - In this July 6, 2018 file photo, a firefighter comforts another during a memorial for firefighters who died in the explosion of several fireworks workshops in Tultepec, Mexico. Twenty-four people were killed and at least 49 injured when a series of explosions ripped through fireworks workshops in a town just north of Mexico City, according to officials. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
AP sources: Prosecutors preparing charges against Cohen

NEW YORK (AP) - Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, could be charged before the end of the month with bank fraud in his dealings with the taxi industry and with committing other financial crimes, two people familiar with the federal probe said Monday.

The people confirmed reports that federal prosecutors in Manhattan were considering charging Cohen after months of speculation over a case that has been a distraction for the White House with the midterm elections approaching.

The New York Times reported Sunday, based on anonymous sources, that prosecutors have been focusing on more than $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses that Cohen and his family own.

As part of the investigation, prosecutors have subpoenaed records from Sterling National Bank, one of the institutions that loaned Cohen money with his ownership in taxi cabs as collateral, one of the people said. The material was sought because it's suspected Cohen falsified some of the paperwork, the person said.

The people, who weren't authorized to discuss the case and spoke on Monday on condition of anonymity, refused to answer questions about speculation that Cohen still might strike a plea deal with prosecutors requiring his cooperation.

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Pope: No effort spared to fight abuse, but offers no details

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis vowed Monday that "no effort must be spared" to root out priestly sex abuse and cover-up from the Catholic Church, but gave no indication that he would take action to sanction complicit bishops or end the Vatican culture of secrecy that has allowed the crisis to fester.

In a letter to Catholics worldwide following damning new revelations of misconduct in the U.S., Francis sought to project a get-tough response to the perpetrators and a compassionate shoulder for victims ahead of a fraught trip to Ireland this weekend.

Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be included in the effort to root out abuse and cover-up. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned about their own reputations than the safety of children.

"We showed no care for the little ones," Francis wrote. "We abandoned them."

But Francis alone can sanction bishops and he offered no hint that he would change the Vatican's longstanding practice of giving religious superiors a pass when they botch abuse cases or are negligent in protecting their flocks.

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Trump ready to ease rules on coal-fired power plants

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration is set to roll back the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's efforts to slow global warming, the Clean Power Plan that restricts greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.

A plan to be announced in coming days would give states broad authority to determine how to restrict carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

The plan by the Environmental Protection Agency also would let states relax pollution rules for power plants that need upgrades, according to a summary of the plan and several people familiar with the full proposal who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the plan publicly.

Combined with a planned rollback of car-mileage standards, the plan represents a significant retreat from Obama-era efforts to fight climate change and would reverse an Obama-era push to shift away from coal and toward less-polluting energy sources such as natural gas, wind and solar power. President Donald Trump has already vowed to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement as he pushes to revive the coal industry.

Trump also has directed Energy Secretary Rick Perry to take steps to bolster struggling coal-fired and nuclear power plants to keep them open, warning that impending retirements of "fuel-secure" power plants that rely on coal and nuclear power are harming the nation's power grid and reducing its resilience.

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Colorado man charged with murder in deaths of wife, 2 kids

DENVER (AP) - Prosecutors charged a Colorado man with murder Monday in the deaths of his pregnant wife and their two young daughters, a crime that left loved ones searching for answers.

The charges against Christopher Watts, 33, come a week after a friend reported Shanann Watts, 34, and the girls missing from their home in Frederick, a small town on the grassy plains north of Denver.

Watts faces nine felony charges, including three first-degree murder charges, two counts of murdering a child, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

Before his arrest last week, Christopher Watts lamented in interviews with local television stations about missing his wife and daughters. No motive has been released.

Authorities found Shanann Watts' body Thursday, buried in a shallow grave near an oil tank on property owned by the oil and gas company that her husband worked for. The bodies of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste were later found inside oil tanks near their mother's grave.

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Born out of the financial crisis, bull market nears record

NEW YORK (AP) - The bull market in U.S. stocks is about to become the longest in history.

If stocks don't drop significantly by the close of trading Wednesday, the bull market that began in March 2009 will have lasted nine years, five months and 13 days, a record that few would have predicted when the market struggled to find its footing after a 50 percent plunge during the financial crisis.

The long rally has added trillions of dollars to household wealth, helping the economy, and stands as a testament to the ability of large U.S. companies to squeeze out profits in tough times and confidence among investors as they shrugged off repeated crises and kept buying.

"There was no manic trading, there was no panic buying or selling," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer of Cresset Wealth Advisors. "It's been pretty steady."

The question now is when the rally will end. The Federal Reserve is undoing many of the stimulative measures that supported the market, including keeping interest rates near zero. There are also mounting threats to global trade that have unsettled investors.

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Michigan official faces manslaughter trial over Flint deaths

FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A judge on Monday ordered Michigan's state health director to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in two deaths linked to Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area, the highest ranking official to stand trial as a result of the tainted water scandal.

Nick Lyon is accused of failing to issue a timely alert to the public about the outbreak. State Judge David Goggins said deaths likely could have been prevented if the outbreak had been publicly known and keeping the public in the dark was "corrupt."

When the judge announced the decision, a woman in the gallery said, "Yes, yes, yes."

Some experts have blamed Legionnaires' on the scandal over Flint's water, which wasn't properly treated when it was drawn from the Flint River in 2014 and 2015.

Goggins found there's probable cause for a trial. The legal standard isn't as high as beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Kavanaugh in memo pushed graphic sex questions for Clinton

WASHINGTON (AP) - Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh suggested that attorneys preparing to question President Bill Clinton in 1998 seek graphic details about the president's sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

The questions are part of a two-page memo in which Kavanaugh advised Independent Counsel Ken Starr and others not to give the president "any break" during upcoming questioning unless he resigned, confessed perjury or issued a public apology to Starr.

He suggested Clinton be asked whether he had phone sex with Lewinsky and whether he engaged in other specific sexual acts that he vividly described.

Kavanaugh worked on Starr's team investigating Clinton. He said it may not be "our job to impose sanctions on him, but it is our job to make his pattern of revolting behavior clear - piece by painful piece."

The memo was released Monday by the National Archives and Records Administration as lawmakers seek more details about Kavanaugh's credentials to serve on the nation's highest court.

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In the city that claims him, Ben Carson falls from grace

BALTIMORE (AP) - The portrait used to hang in the hallway, welcoming children and parents to the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore: a smiling Dr. Ben Carson in surgical scrubs, rubbing together the careful, steady hands that helped him become the nation's most famous black doctor.

"The person who has the most to do with your success is you," it reads.

That was before Carson's presidential bid, before he withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, and before he was tapped to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was before the president failed to condemn white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. And before Carson pushed policies critics say walk back civil rights protections for those living in subsidized housing.

"I took it down," said Principal Alicia Freeman of the portrait she's since moved from the school's second floor hallway to a less visible spot inside a reading room bearing Carson's name. The doctor's inspirational message now feels hostile, she said

"He was starting to become offensive."

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No. 1 Alabama tops preseason Top 25; Clemson, Georgia next

Alabama will begin its quest for a second consecutive national championship with a rare three-peat.

The Crimson Tide is just the second team to be ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for three straight seasons. Alabama received 42 out of 61 first-place votes.

No. 2 Clemson received 18 first-place votes. Georgia is No. 3 and Wisconsin is fourth. The Badgers received one first-place vote. Ohio State was ranked No. 5.

The preseason AP poll started in 1950 and since then only Oklahoma from 1985-87 had started No. 1 in three straight years until now.

Ring up another milestone for coach Nick Saban's Tide dynasty. Alabama has won five national championships since 2009 and now has been No. 1 to start the season five times under Saban. Last season was the first time Saban's team started and finished the season No. 1.

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Beating King of Pop, The Eagles have No.1 album of all-time

NEW YORK (AP) - The Eagles' greatest hits album has moonwalked past Michael Jackson's "Thriller" to become history's best-selling album of all-time.

The Recording Industry Association of America told The Associated Press on Monday that the Eagles' album - "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975" - is now certified 38x platinum, which means sales and streams of the album have reached 38 million copies.

The album was released in 1976 and pushes Jackson's "Thriller," which is 33x platinum, to second place.

RIAA also said that the Eagles' "Hotel California," released in 1977, is now 26x platinum and makes it the third best-selling album of all-time.

The last time RIAA tallied sales for the Eagles' greatest hits album was in 2006, when it said it was 29x platinum. Sales and streams for "Thriller" were last updated last year.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Jury deliberations have resumed in the financial fraud trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Monday marks the third day that jurors ponder the 18-count indictment.

Federal prosecutors in the trial in Alexandria, Virginia, allege that Manafort hid tens of millions of dollars in foreign income. They also say he lied on loan applications to obtain millions more to maintain a lavish lifestyle.

Kevin Downing, center, followed by Thomas Zehnle, both with the defense team for Paul Manafort, walk to federal court trailed by members of the media as they arrive for continuing jury deliberation in the trial of the former Donald Trump campaign chairman, in Alexandria, Va., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Manafort's attorneys didn't call witnesses in his defense, claiming the prosecution had failed to meet its burden of proof. His attorneys attacked the credibility of a key witness, one-time Manafort protege Rick Gates.

The trial is the first courtroom test of the Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller, though the case doesn't involve allegations of Russian election interference.

FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, leaves the Federal District Court after a hearing, in Washington. As jurors weigh Manafort's fate in a sprawling financial fraud case taking place in Alexandria, Va., Manafort still has another, separate trial looming in the nation's capital. Neither case involves allegations of Russian election interference or possible coordination by the Trump campaign, which are at the heart of Mueller's larger investigation. But President Donald Trump has expressed a keen interest in Manafort's fate as he seeks to publicly undermine Mueller's probe. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Kathleen Manafort, right, wife of Paul Manafort, walks with Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni, left, to federal court for continuing jury deliberation in the trial of the former Donald Trump campaign chairman, in Alexandria, Va., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Kevin Downing, left, Richard Westling, and Thomas Zehnle, with the defense team for Paul Manafort, followed by Manafort's wife, Kathleen Manafort and spokesman Jason Maloni, walk to federal court for continuing jury deliberation in the trial of the former Donald Trump campaign chairman, in Alexandria, Va., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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.

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ATLANTA (AP) - Women are not just running for office in record numbers this year - they are winning.

More women than ever before have won major party primaries for governor, U.S. Senate and House this year - paving the way for November battles that could significantly increase the number of women in elected office and change the public debate on issues such as health care, immigration, abortion rights, education and gun control. Some of these candidates could also play a pivotal role in whether Democrats are able to take control of the U.S. House.

Most of these female hopefuls are Democrats, some of whom are first-time candidates who say their motivation to run sprang from President Donald Trump's election and Republican control of Congress. But other developments factor in, too. The #MeToo movement. Women's marches. Trump's nomination of conservative appeals court Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

FILE - In this May 22, 2018, file photo, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams smiles before speaking to supporters during an election-night watch party in Atlanta. More women than ever before have won their primaries for governor, U.S. Senate and House this year. That's setting a record and paving the way for battles in November that could significantly increase the number of women in elected office. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

"Part of the reason I thought this race was possible, even despite great odds, was because of all the women who are so engaged in my community in a new way," said Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor who looks to capture a GOP congressional seat in New Jersey.

Sherrill is one of some 200 women who have won their primaries for U.S. House, with 94 of these candidates surviving crowded fields with three or more candidates, according to an analysis of election results. Previously, the most women who had advanced were 167 in 2016, according to records kept by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

In the Senate, a record 19 women have won their primaries. And for the first time, 13 women have been nominated for gubernatorial races in a single election year.

And all these numbers are likely to grow with nine states yet to hold their primaries. Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo and U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Florida are among nine women running for governor who will face primary voters in coming weeks. No more than nine women have ever led states at the same time.

"We are seeing a level of enthusiasm among women voters that we haven't seen in a long time," said Democrat Laura Kelly, who is running for governor in Kansas and will need women, independents and moderate Republicans in her bid against Republican Kris Kobach.

There are few instances in which women - in a sense - have already won. For instance, two women will be competing to replace GOP Rep. Steve Pearce in New Mexico and the same is happening in races in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Michigan. But overall gains will also be dependent on how well the 71 congresswomen running for re-election fare in November.

Success in November will go a long way to improving the nation's dismal record of female representation. Currently, women account for just a fifth of 535 U.S. representatives and senators, and one in four state lawmakers. Six of the nation's 50 governors are female. Meanwhile, women comprise slightly more than half the U.S. population.

Women appear to be running strong so far. As of mid-August, some 49 percent of women running for the House have advanced to the general election, with about 40 percent in the Senate and about 25 percent running for governor, according to an analysis of election results.

But that's no guarantee of victory this fall. Many of the women, particularly Democrats, are running in long-held Republican congressional districts or states where Republicans have consolidated support.

One thing women have accomplished already is changing the tone and content of campaigns. They bring their children to rallies and some want their campaign money to pay for child care so they can run. On this count, Liuba Grechen Shirley, the Democratic candidate challenger to Republican Rep. Peter King, has succeeded. In May, the Federal Election Commission voted unanimously to allow the expenditure.

"I was told that with two kids, a husband who worked full time and no child care, that it was impossible," Grechen Shirley says in an online ad, noting her effort to change the policy. "Well, it wasn't impossible. It's just really hard."

Experienced combat veterans running for Congress this year are featuring their families in their ads as they speak with authority on national security and foreign policy.

"The old model is a little bit like trying to fit women into the mold of male candidates," said Deborah Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. "Women had a very narrow path that they could navigate as candidates: What was appropriate to wear, what was appropriate to say. They also were asked: If you win, who is going to take care of your children? This is not a question that men are confronted with."

Beyond gender, these women are poised to usher in a wave of diversity next year.

Michigan will likely send the nation's first Muslim-American woman to Congress, after Rashida Tlaib beat a crowded field of Democrats for the 13th Congressional District. No Republican is running in November for the heavily Democratic seat.

There are nearly 50 black women running for Congress this year, from Democrat Lucy McBath who is challenging GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia to Republican Rep. Mia Love's bid for a third term in Utah.

In Georgia, Stacey Abrams is aiming to become the nation's first black female governor while Paulette Jordan would be the first Native American governor in U.S. history if she wins her race in Idaho. And Democratic voters in Vermont recently selected Christine Hallquist as their nominee, making her the first transgender candidate to win a major-party gubernatorial nomination.

Black women are competing - and winning - not only in districts with a majority black electorate, but also in diverse districts across the country. Each victory is a vote of confidence in their leadership for those who step up, said Kimberly Peeler-Allen, co-founder of Higher Heights for America, which supports black female candidates and galvanizes black women as voters.

"In addition to black women wanting to be part of history, people are realizing that regardless of what you look like, the leadership of the country has been predominantly white and male for far too long," Peeler-Allen said. "Seeing the value of having diverse voices around decision-making tables is not limited to one demographic group, but includes people who want a more reflective democracy."

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Kellman reported from Washington. AP National Writer Errin Haines Whack in Philadelphia and AP writer Justin Myers in Chicago contributed to this report.

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Follow the reporters on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AP_Christina and https://twitter.com/APLaurieKellman .

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FILE- In this May 19, 2017, file photo, Mikie Sherrill joins protesters with NJ 11th for Change outside of U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's Morristown office. Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, is looking to capture a GOP congressional seat in New Jersey. Sherrill is one of some 200 women who have won their primaries for U.S. House, with 94 of these candidates surviving crowded fields with three or more candidates, according to an analysis of election results. (Justin Zaremba/NJ Advance Media via AP, File)

FILE - In this March 17, 2016, file photo, Lucy McBath, National Spokeswoman for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, is joined by faith leaders, gun violence survivors and others on the south steps of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Miss. There are nearly 50 black women running for Congress this year, from McBath who is challenging GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia to Republican Rep. Mia Love's bid for a third term in Utah. (Joe Ellis/The Clarion-Ledger via AP, File)

FILE- In this Aug. 7, 2018, file photo Democratic candidate for Kansas governor Laura Kelly speaks to supporters at a watch party, in Topeka, Kan., after she won her party's nomination for governor during a primary election. Kelly is running for governor in Kansas against Republican Kris Kobach. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP, File)

FILE- In this Aug. 2, 2018, file photo, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, center, speaks with Lisa McGovern, left, and Betty Toye at the Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, R.I. Raimondo and U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Florida are among nine women running for governor who will face primary voters in coming weeks. No more than nine women have ever led states at the same time. (AP Photo/Michelle R. Smith, File)

FILE- In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham thanks a campaign volunteer, Juan Sabater, 20, of Miami as she speaks to voters in an early "Get Out The Vote" tour in Miami Lakes, Fla. Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo and U.S. Rep. Graham of Florida are among nine women running for governor who will face primary voters in coming weeks. No more than nine women have ever led states at the same time. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump on Monday dared former CIA Director John Brennan to take legal action to try to prevent him from stripping security clearances from other current and former officials.

"I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our country's history, brings a lawsuit," Trump tweeted. "It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with" the Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller. "He won't sue!"

The war of words between Trump and Brennan continued as scores more former U.S. national security employees joined a wave of opposition to the president's threat to continue pulling clearances. To date, more than 250 have publicly expressed opposition.

FILE- In this May 23, 2017, file photo former CIA Director John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the House Intelligence Committee Russia Investigation Task Force. Brennan says he is considering taking legal action to try to prevent President Donald Trump from stripping other current and former officials' security clearances. Brennan said Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he's been contacted by a number of lawyers about the basis of a potential complaint. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Speaking Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Brennan said he's been contacted by a number of lawyers about the possibility of an injunction in the wake of Trump's move to revoke his clearance and threaten nine others who have been critical of the president or are connected to Mueller's investigation, which Trump has called witch hunt.

"If my clearances and my reputation as I'm being pulled through the mud now, if that's the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it's a small price to pay," Brennan said. "So I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future. And if it means going to court, I will do that."

Brennan, who served in President Barack Obama's administration, said that while he'll fight on behalf of his former CIA colleagues, it's also up to Congress to put aside politics and step in. "This is the time that your country is going to rely on you, not to do what is best for your party but what is best for the country," he said.

Trump yanked Brennan's security clearance on Wednesday, saying he felt he had to do "something" about the "rigged" probe of Russian election interference. And he has said he may do the same for nine others, including a Justice Department official whose wife worked for the firm involved in producing a dossier on Trump's ties to Russia.

Soon after, 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.

That was followed by a joint letter from 15 former senior intelligence officials, who said the president's decision had "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 included seven former CIA directors, six former CIA deputy directors and two former national intelligence directors, James Clapper and retired Navy Adm. Denny Blair.

A day later, 60 former senior CIA officials added their names.

This past weekend, the organizers of the initial messages were inundated with more than 175 additional requests to sign on to the opposition, not only from people who have worked in intelligence, but also senior officials who had worked at the State, Defense and Justice departments, the National Security Council and NASA. They issued a letter of their own on Monday.

"Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, it's worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan," Trump said in another tweet Monday. "It certainly isn't because of the good job he did! He is a political "hack."

Retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George W. Bush and Obama, likened it to President Richard Nixon's use of a political enemies list.

Mullen told "Fox News Sunday" that while he doesn't agree with Brennan's decision to criticize the president, the former CIA director has the right to freedom of speech unless he's revealing classified information.

"It immediately brings back the whole concept of the enemies list," Mullen said, "and even before that, in the early '50s, the McCarthy era, where the administration starts putting together lists of individuals that don't agree with them and that historically, obviously, has proven incredibly problematic for the country."

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin agreed with Trump that Brennan's comments "really did cross a line."

But, he said, rather than pulling officials' security clearances, Trump should avoid politicizing the issue and simply deny them access to classified material.

"I don't want to see an enemies list," he said.

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Associated Press writer Jill Colvin reporting from Bridgewater, N.J., and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report
MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Some 2 million Muslim pilgrims gathered on Monday in the valley of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for a day of prayer that marks the pinnacle of the annual hajj.

Pilgrims stood shoulder to shoulder for an emotional day of repentance and supplication at the site Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite. According to the hadiths, traditional collections of the prophet's sayings and anecdotes about his life, Muhammad also reminded his followers of women's rights and that every Muslim life and property is sacred.

Muslims believe prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of the holy city of Mecca, is their best chance to erase past sins and start anew.

Muslim pilgrims walk towards Namirah mosque on Arafat Mountain, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. More than 2 million Muslims have begun the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

"Today is the most important part of the hajj, and we are all feeling great, and we pray for all Muslims in the world," said Abdel-Munem Ali, a Libyan pilgrim.

Syrian pilgrim Mohammad Nezar said he was praying "to Allah to restore peace for people everywhere."

Mohammad Neem, a Pakistani pilgrim, said he couldn't find the words to describe his feelings. "This is the day to pray, and this is the right time to do that," he added.

Around sunset, pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, which is 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) west of Arafat. Many walk, while others use buses. They spend the night there and pick up pebbles along the way that will be used in a symbolic stoning of the devil back in the city of Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk Ibrahim out of submitting to God's will.

The kingdom has spent billions of dollars of its vast oil revenues on security and safety measures, particularly in Mina, where some of the hajj's deadliest incidents have occurred.

The worst in recorded history took place only three years ago. On Sept. 24, 2015, a stampede and crush of pilgrims in Mina killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since only two days after the tragedy. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy in the casualty toll, nor has it released any results of an investigation that authorities had promised to conduct over the disaster.

The five-day hajj pilgrimage represents one of the world's biggest gatherings every year, and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life.

At the hajj's end, male pilgrims will shave their hair and women will cut a lock of hair in a sign of renewal for completing the pilgrimage. Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of hajj with a celebration called Eid al-Adha. The holiday, remembering Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, sees Muslims slaughter sheep and cattle, distributing the meat to the poor.

Overnight, a sandstorm packing strong winds and thunderstorms roared through Mecca. Officials say the severe weather slightly damaged some tents housing pilgrims, but caused no injuries. They said further severe weather was possible through Monday.

Muslim pilgrims walk towards Namirah mosque on Arafat Mountain, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. More than 2 million Muslims have begun the annual hajj pilgrimage, representing one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

A sand storm engulfs Muslim pilgrims as they arrive at Namirah Mosque on Arafat Mountain, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. More than 2 million Muslims have begun the annual hajj pilgrimage, representing one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say police at a Georgia university were fired upon and a search for the suspect is underway.

Georgia State University Police Chief Joseph Spillane tells WXIA-TV an officer approached a group of men near the downtown Atlanta campus Sunday night. He says one of the men then fired at the officer and the group fled.

He says the officer returned fire, but he doesn't believe anyone was hit in the exchange.

Police dogs were on scene late Sunday to assist with the search.

___

Information from: WXIA-TV, http://www.11alive.com/
WASHINGTON (AP) - Steve Bannon has a dire warning for Republicans - rally around President Donald Trump.

During a Sunday interview with The Associated Press, the former chief strategist to Trump said he believes the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats in the House if the election were held today, thereby ceding their majority to Democrats he's convinced will pursue impeachment.

He argued there's still time to turn that around and is launching a group, Citizens of the American Republic, to pitch the election as a vote to protect Trump from that outcome.

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

"You can't look at this as a midterm and you can't run it out of the traditional Republican playbook. If you do that, you're going to get smoked," said Bannon, arguing that Republicans must redouble efforts against motivated Democrats.

The effort is a test of Bannon's sway in the GOP a year after he was fired from his White House post. His relationship with Trump soured after a tell-all book published in January included searing quotes of Bannon portraying Trump as undisciplined and criticizing son Donald Trump Jr. His stock fell further after he stuck by Alabama Republican Roy Moore's Senate campaign even after decades-old sexual misconduct allegations emerged. A reliably Republican Senate seat turned Democratic.

As he attempts a comeback, Bannon acknowledged the challenges he faces, including an invigorated Democratic base. Less than three months from Election Day, Democrats need a net gain of 24 seats to retake the House, and the party is increasingly bullish about its chances after strong turnout in a series of special elections. Bannon said Republicans can gain ground if they focus on turning out Trump supporters.

"This is not about persuasion. It's too late to persuade anybody. We're 90 days away from this election. This is all about turnout and what I call base-plus," he said.

While Bannon makes his move, many Republicans view holding the House as an uphill battle. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bannon said his new venture will focus on rapid response and polling with the goal of framing the election as an "up or down vote" on Trump and impeachment. He is also releasing a movie about the president, "Trump@War," geared at Trump supporters.

Bannon said he was being backed by private donors, but he did not detail who was funding the effort or how much he had raised. He said his efforts were independent of the Republican National Committee, the White House or a Trump-supporting super PAC.

In keeping with his midterm mission, Bannon defended the president on both policy and style, arguing that the president had an economic record to run on and has been making the right pitch on the campaign trail.

On trade, Bannon backed the president's aggressive tariffs, which have drawn criticism in agricultural states crucial to Trump's victory. He argued they were a key part of Trump's nationalistic economic strategy.

"People in Iowa, once it's explained to them, will fully support the president in this," he said. "We don't have a choice. We either win the economic war with China or we're going to be a secondary, a tertiary power."

He said Trump's culture wars, which have included public attacks on women and minorities, don't present a problem, calling it his "house style" and saying people should "separate out the signal from the noise." He argued that Trump would benefit from shutting down the government over funding for his border wall, saying it would "galvanize the populist right," though he acknowledged it was a minority view.

Bannon also pushed back against the idea that a loss of the House could be a positive development for Trump as it would give him a new foil heading into the 2020 presidential election. He called such notions "dangerously naive."

Looking ahead to 2020, Bannon said attorney Michael Avenatti, who is weighing a bid as a Democratic candidate, could be a contender. The combative attorney has been taking on Trump on behalf of a porn actress who claims a sexual encounter with the president, which Trump denies.

"He's a fighter and people are looking for fighters," Bannon said of Avenatti, though he believes Trump would defeat any opponent. "He's going to be a force in the primary for the simple reason that he comes across as what many of the Democrats don't, which is a fighter."

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, talks about the approaching midterm election during an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Washington. Bannon told the Associated Press that if the elections were held today, he believed the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats and the House of Representatives, but argued there was time to turn that around. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina Republicans have infuriated liberal activists by slashing income-tax rates, defending illegally gerrymandered districts and passing a now-partially repealed "bathroom bill" aimed at transgender people.

But GOP legislators surprised critics by acting more like lawmakers in a deep-blue state when they passed a $15-per-hour "living wage" for about 10,000 state government and university system employees, including secretaries, hospital workers, security guards and housekeepers.

At least four other states have steps already in place to increase pay for state workers to $15. But North Carolina sped to the front of the line, with salary bumps for many arriving in their late-July paychecks.

In this photo taken Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 Gloria Dockery is seen at her home in Durham, N.C. The 58-year-old housekeeper at UNC Chapel Hill works third shift, owns a house and has worked as a housekeeper for 19 years. While the Democratic strongholds of New York and California have started a multi-year effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the Republican-controlled legislature of North Carolina jumped to the front of the "living wage" line in one swoop last month, at least for state workers. GOP legislators passed a budget law that requires all permanent state government workers to get paid the equivalent of $31,200 a year. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

The lawmakers' motives appear to be both economic and political. One top budget writer at the legislature says it helps state agencies retain veteran workers doing often-thankless jobs. But it also wins favor with North Carolina's chief state employees' union in an election year for Republicans trying to hold onto their control of the General Assembly.

Until now, the North Carolina state employee salary floor was about $24,300, or about $11.70 per hour. That means some received as much as a 28 percent raise to bring them up to the new minimum equivalent of $31,200 per year.

For Gloria Dockery, who cleans buildings at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for less than $28,000 a year, an increase will make it easier to cover her house payment and even treat herself occasionally.

"About the time you pay all of your bills, it's gone," said Dockery, 58. "We should have a little change in our pocket. ... It sure would help me a lot."

GOP leaders who control the General Assembly have shown no interest in raising the minimum wage for all employees above the $7.25 federal level. So why are they doing so for state workers?

"It's hard to recruit and maintain good employees," said Sen. Harry Brown of Jacksonville, a top budget writer. "We've lost some good employees ... to the private sector."

Ratcheting up the minimum wage benefited around 10 percent of the state government workforce but only cost $15 million, legislators said. It also puts Republican lawmakers in the good graces of the 50,000-member State Employees Association of North Carolina.

"You're seeing a confluence of economics and politics, and if it ends up this small amount of money helped the Republicans retain their veto-proof majorities in the legislature, then to them it was well worth it," said Eric Heberlig, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Republicans embraced the "living wage" phrase despite sharing little with the "Fight for 15" movement that started in 2012. Since then more than 20 states and 40 cities have raised their minimum wages for millions of state and nongovernment workers, according to the National Employment Law Project. San Francisco became the first major city last month to reach $15.

"It's a popular issue ... for the electorate across the political spectrum," said Tsedeye Gebreselassie, a law project attorney.

New York, California and Massachusetts are increasing the pay of state government workers in phases as their minimum wage for nongovernment employees simultaneously rises. The government raises in the three states and Pennsylvania are expected to reach $15 per hour starting in mid-2021 to 2024. State workers in New York City will reach the $15 threshold at the end of this year.

The liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute estimates 1.7 million North Carolina workers would benefit if the statewide minimum wage for all workers reached $15 by 2024.

"The big question that legislators have to answer is why they think some people in North Carolina deserve a living wage and others do not," said Allan Freyer with the North Carolina Justice Center, which lobbies for the poor. Still, he called the uptick for state workers a "great first step."

Brown said the GOP philosophy is that employers should make their own pay decisions.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper supports a minimum wage increase but hasn't talked much about how high it should go. Cooper vetoed the state budget containing the $15 wage, in part because Republicans wouldn't suspend planned tax cuts for the highest wage earners and for corporations.

Collective bargaining by North Carolina state workers is prohibited, but the State Employees Association and smaller North Carolina Public Service Workers Union have sought $15 per hour for years.

Association executive director Robert Broome pitched the idea to Republicans as a way to help workers living near the poverty level - currently $25,100 for a family of four - share the benefits of state GOP tax-and-spending policies that have resulted in revenue surpluses and corporation windfalls.

Broome said the association has a proud history backing those "who champion the issues and policies that are important to state employees and retirees, regardless of their political affiliation."

For Sekia Royall, 48, a food worker at Cherry state mental hospital in Goldsboro, her projected $4,000 annual raise will help get a little more spending money to a daughter in college and support Royall's side catering business.

"It's a little extra to help through the month," Royall said.

In this photo taken Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 Gloria Dockery is seen at her home in Durham, N.C. The 58-year-old housekeeper at UNC Chapel Hill works third shift, owns a house and has worked as a housekeeper for 19 years. While the Democratic strongholds of New York and California have started a multi-year effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the Republican-controlled legislature of North Carolina jumped to the front of the "living wage" line in one swoop last month, at least for state workers. GOP legislators passed a budget law that requires all permanent state government workers to get paid the equivalent of $31,200 a year. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

In this photo taken Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 Gloria Dockery is seen at her home in Durham, N.C. The 58-year-old housekeeper at UNC Chapel Hill works third shift, owns a house and has worked as a housekeeper for 19 years. While the Democratic strongholds of New York and California have started a multi-year effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the Republican-controlled legislature of North Carolina jumped to the front of the "living wage" line in one swoop last month, at least for state workers. GOP legislators passed a budget law that requires all permanent state government workers to get paid the equivalent of $31,200 a year. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A new project is documenting a once-hidden history of LGBTQ people in the Deep South, with donors providing troves of information and items on gay life, systemic oppression and activism.

Historian and archivist Joshua Burford said the goal of the Invisible Histories Project is to create a uniquely Southern collection that will "give Southern history back to queer Southerners."

While the stereotypical LGBTQ person might live openly in an urban center and have plenty of money, he said, plenty of Southern gays live both in cities and in rural areas where they hold working-class jobs.

A few of the items donated to the Invisible Histories Project are shown in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The nonprofit group has gathered volumes of information about gay life in Alabama, and it will expand in to Mississippi and Georgia this year. Organizers hope to cover the entire Southeast within a few years. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

"If the model is always the West Village or Boy's Town or Fire Island, then the South can never be the same as that. So we have to stop pretending like we want to be," said Burford, engagement director of the group. "What we are is very queer and very Southern, and those two things are always overlapping."

Established in late 2016, the Birmingham-based nonprofit organization already has gathered boxes full of information about gay life in Alabama, including decades-old directories of gay-friendly businesses dating to the late 1960s, activist T-shirts, records from gay-rights groups, and rainbow-themed material.

Bob Burns, who is gay, both lived through some of the toughest times for LGBTQ Southerners and documented them through years of activism. Now 66, he compiled a trove of information from years that included the AIDS epidemic and the oppression of gay people in the Deep South. Burns heard about the project through a friend, and he's donated items including the results of lengthy surveys he helped compile in 1989 and again in 1999 documenting what he called almost continual discrimination and rights violations directed at LGBTQ people in Alabama.

"That all had been sitting in a trunk here because there was no one to give it to," said Burns, who has lived in Birmingham nearly 40 years.

He also donated a report compiled following a daylong event held years ago at a gay-friendly church to assess the needs and desire of the gay community around Birmingham.

"There was no place for that information to go so it was basically wasted," he said. "But at least now it's part of history. We know what people in whatever year it was, 15 or 20 years ago, thought was important."

The Invisible Histories project will expand its work to Mississippi and Georgia later this year, and organizers hope to cover the entire Southeast within a few years.

The Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has thousands of books and artifacts documenting LGBT cultural and social history across the nation, and the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco tells the story of the Bay Area community. The History Project does the same in Boston for New England gays.

Items in the collection include documents about a conflict over plans to hold the Southeastern Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual College Conference at the University of Alabama in 1996. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Alabama's attorney general at the time, unsuccessfully argued that holding the event at a public university conflicted with a state law then in effect, prohibiting homosexual acts.

The meeting went ahead as planned without incident, and Alabama voters elected Sessions to the U.S. Senate later that year.

The archive also includes documents related to the arrest of about 20 men accused of cruising for gay sex in a weeklong police sting conducted in a park in Tuscaloosa in 2002, said Burford, who originally researched the cases for school and is giving personal materials to the project.

Rather than developing a mammoth, gay version of the Smithsonian Institution that could be difficult for people to visit, the Invisible Histories Project plans to store items in smaller, local repositories. Much of the Alabama archive is housed at Birmingham's main public library.

"We want to make sure that people who really care and are most affected by the materials can access it easily," said development director Maigen Sullivan. "So we're working with a number of smaller institutions that are closer to the community so that we can store their things there."

Burford said it's important to document the past accurately because LGBTQ people have been lied about and disregarded for generations.

"Queer people are orphaned from American history," he said.

Joshua Burford of the Invisible Histories Project looks through items related to LGBTQ history in the U.S. South in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The nonprofit group has gathered volumes of information about gay life in Alabama, and it will expand in to Mississippi and Georgia this year. Organizers hope to cover the entire Southeast within a few years. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)
PATTAYA, Thailand (AP) - A model and escort from Belarus who caused a sensation by claiming to have information linking Russian interference to the election of President Donald Trump said Monday that she no longer has the evidence and will not talk about it.

Anastasia Vashukevich, who also uses the name Nastya Rybka, pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit in a court appearance in the Thai resort city of Pattaya to prepare for her trial along with seven co-defendants. Lawyers will submit legal submissions at another hearing next week at which the court is expected to set a date for testimony to begin.

Vashukevich, Russian self-styled sex guru Alexander Kirillov and six other people were arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February and have been in custody ever since. All the defendants, who could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, pleaded not guilty.

Anastasia Vashukevich, arrives at the Pattaya Provincial Court in Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Vashukevich, from Belarus, who claimed to have information linking Russian interference to the election of President Donald Trump says she no longer has the evidence and will not talk about it. On Monday she pleaded innocent as her trial in Thailand began on charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Vashukevich told The Associated Press that she had turned over audio recordings to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, whose conversations about election interference she claimed to have taped.

She has said she provided "escort" services to Deripaska, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and who has links to Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager now being tried in the United States on money laundering and other charges.

Speaking to an AP reporter in the courtroom in Pattaya, Vashukevich said she had promised Deripaska she would no longer speak on the matter, and that he had already promised her something in return for not making that evidence public.

"He promised me a little something already," Vashukevich said. "If he do that then there will be no problem, but if he don't ..." she said with a shrug and a smile.

She also shrugged and smiled when asked if she had kept her own copies of the information she recorded, which she said comprised "some audio, some video."

Asked what the material showed, she said, "You'd have to ask Deripaska."

Vashukevich created world headlines when she was first detained because she claimed to have audio recordings of Deripaska that provided evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

She appealed to America for help and for asylum, through a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, but provided no proof of her claims. At a hearing in April, she seemed to switch allegiances, making a public apology to Deripaska and saying it was the Americans, not the Russians, who were persecuting her.

A judge at the Pattaya Provincial Court declared Monday that if the seminar included people having sexual intercourse or arranged for people to have sex, it would be considered illegal by Thai law even if there was mutual consent.

Pattaya is internationally notorious as a destination for sex tourists.

Kirillov, who led the seminar in a meeting room at a Pattaya hotel, told the judge that the seminar taught the art of seduction and did not include sex or make any arrangements for sexual partners.

He said the course taught its students "how to impress girls" and "how to get girls' numbers," and did not involve sexual arrangements.

"We are not sure about Thai law, but in Russia this is not a criminal case," he told the judge.

The prosecutor showed the defendants a photo that he said showed some of the students having sex as part of the course.

Kirillov's response was that the photos were "private" and taken after the seminar, when a group of students went to a bar in Pattaya to put their lessons to the test.

Russian Alexander Kirillov, arrives at the Pattaya Provincial Court Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Self-styled sex guru Kirillov and seven others were arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February and have been in custody ever since. All the defendants, who could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, pleaded innocent. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Anastasia Vashukevich, arrives at the Pattaya Provincial Court in Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Vashukevich, from Belarus, who claimed to have information linking Russian interference to the election of President Donald Trump says she no longer has the evidence and will not talk about it. On Monday she pleaded innocent as her trial in Thailand began on charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Anastasia Vashukevich, arrives at the Pattaya Provincial Court in Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Vashukevich, from Belarus, who claimed to have information linking Russian interference to the election of President Donald Trump says she no longer has the evidence and will not talk about it. On Monday she pleaded innocent as her trial in Thailand began on charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Russian Alexander Kirillov, arrives at the Pattaya Provincial Court Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Self-styled sex guru Kirillov and seven others were arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February and have been in custody ever since. All the defendants, who could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, pleaded innocent. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
ALAPPUZHA, India (AP) - Thousands of people in flood-ravaged south India waded Monday through muck and mud to begin the immense task of cleaning their homes and businesses.

Rains have been diminishing in parts of Kerala state, where floods and landslides have killed more than 200 people in less than two weeks and about 800,000 more have been forced into thousands of relief camps.

Abdul Samad, a 56-year-old fish seller, scooped water and garbage from his devastated concrete home in the town of Pandalam.

Women and children who have left their flood affected homes spend time at a relief camp set up at a government run school in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

"When the flood waters came, we were not anticipating a calamity of this kind," he said. "But minute by minute the water level began to rise."

The family had no time to save anything they owned, and fled as water poured over the wall and into the home.

Samad, who made a living pedaling through the area selling fish, has no idea now what he'll do for work. Among the many things he lost in the floodwaters: his bicycle.

Torrential rains began Aug. 8 in Kerala in the midst of the annual monsoon season, eventually leaving much of the state partially submerged.

The Indian military also opened an air base Monday to commercial flights to help bring in relief goods and fly out residents.

The first flight landed Monday morning at the naval air station in the city of Kochi, where the commercial airport has been closed for nearly a week. The Air India flight came from Bangalore in the nearby state of Karnataka, Suresh Prabhu, the minister of civil aviation, said on Twitter.

Other air bases in the region should open to commercial traffic soon, he said.

Thousands of people are taking shelter in small camps in the coastal town of Alappuzha. Many are in schools, but at least one is on the grounds of a mosque where Christians, Hindus and Muslims have all found food and a place to sleep.

The town itself, which is on slightly higher ground, escaped the worst of the flooding, but the situation is far more grim just a few kilometers (a couple of miles) away.

"The water came almost up to my head," said Ullas, a 48-year-old man who uses only one name, who fled his village for the safety of the town.

He has no idea when he'll be able to come back. "We don't know," he said, as he helped distribute food in one relief center. "It could take a month."

With rains decreasing, the water has started receding in parts of Kerala but thousands of people remain cut off and in need of help.

Thousands of people have been saved by the state's fishermen, many of whom headed into the floodwaters to help. On Monday, the state's top official, Pinarayi Vijayan, announced the government would pay those fishermen about $50 for each day they helped and also pay for repairs for boats damaged during rescues.

Officials say it is the worst flooding in Kerala in a century, with rainfall in some areas well over double that of a typical monsoon season.

Relief supplies and donations have poured into Kerala from across India.

Officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly $3 billion.

A child runs past a school bus covered with clothes put up to dry at a relief camp set up at a government run school in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

A man eats a meal as others line up for food being distributed at a relief camp set for flood effected people at a Christian missionary run school in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Volunteers cook food for flood effected people at a relief camp set up inside a government run school in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Women line up for food being distributed at a relief camp set up for flood effected people at a Christian missionary run school in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

A woman puts her clothes to dry at a basketball court of a Christian missionary run school which has been turned into a relief camp for flood effected people in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

A doctor attends to a man who has left his house in flood affected area to take shelter at a relief camp set up at a Christian missionary run school in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

A man who has left his flood affected home sits on bench inside a classroom of a government run school which has been turned into a relief camp in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - To understand how Iran views the United States after President Donald Trump pulled America out of the nuclear deal with world powers, one needs to look first at the past.

More specifically, 65 years ago this week.

Then, a 1953 U.S.-backed coup toppled Iran's elected prime minister and cemented the rule of the American-backed shah, lighting the fuse for the 1979 Islamic Revolution. For years after, authorities sought to eliminate the memory of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, whose downfall at the hands of the West linked directly back to his nationalization of vast British oil interests in Iran.

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 1951 file photo, Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh rides on the shoulders of cheering crowds in Tehran's Majlis Square, outside the parliament building, after reiterating his oil nationalization views to his supporters. In 2018, as Iran deals with President Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers, more are invoking the 1953 CIA-backed coup that toppled Mossadegh as proof the U.S. cannot be trusted. (AP Photo, File)

Now, however, more and more officials across Iran's political spectrum are reevaluating and invoking Mossadegh's stand as they oppose Trump. That reflects a hardening attitude to any possible renegotiation, returning to a decades-old belief that America can't be trusted.

"The Americans did not understand the issue. It was not just about the oil nationalization only," said Abdollah Anvar, 94, who witnessed the 1953 coup as a young schoolteacher. "The issue was the humiliation and discrimination by Britain against the Iranian people."

"The U.S. became Britain's heir to Iran after the coup," he added.

The first to invoke in Mossadegh's ghost was Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose administration struck the 2015 nuclear deal with the Obama administration, only to see it collapse under Trump.

The deal saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. It stopped Iran from being able to have enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb, opening the door for future talks.

Trump, however, believes the deal should have included limits to Iran's ballistic missile program and addressed Tehran's backing of regional militant groups. He pulled America out of the deal in May, and later tweeted he'd negotiate without conditions with Iran.

That drew this response from Rouhani in August.

"I have no pre-conditions" for negotiating with America "if the U.S. government is ready to negotiate about paying compensation to the Iranian nation from 1953 until now," Rouhani said. "The U.S. owes the Iranian nation for its intervention in Iran."

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also invoked Mossadegh on Twitter when mentioning a new State Department working group on Iran.

"The US overthrew the popularly elected democratic government of Dr. Mossadegh, restoring the dictatorship & subjugating Iranians for the next 25 years," Zarif wrote. "Now an 'Action Group' dreams of doing the same through pressure, misinformation & demagoguery. Never again."

Meanwhile, hard-line opponents of Rouhani increasingly compare him to Mossadegh, trying to describe him as weak. Those include hard-line cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Alamalhoda, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who warned Friday that "dependency on a foreign power cost this nation a quarter of century of slavery."

Recalling Mossadegh hasn't been all that popular for decades in Iran, however. He was viewed as a liberal, secular and nationalistic force within Iran itself. Hard-liners within Iran's Shiite theocracy demanded Mossadegh's name be removed from a Tehran street in 1981.

Western diplomats in 1953 couldn't make sense of Mossadegh, especially his conveniently timed fainting spells, his weeping in public and his practice of greeting visiting diplomats from bed in his pajamas.

But Mossadegh faced ever-mounting pressure from the British, who had embarked on an oil embargo of Iran over it nationalizing its oil fields and its refinery at Abadan, at the time the world's biggest. Meanwhile, the Russians increasingly wanted a piece of Iran as Communists agitated within the country. That in turn spooked the Americans at the start of the Cold War.

U.S. officials had been discussing a coup up to a year before it took place, according to over 1,000 pages of cables and reports released by the State Department last year. Those papers show the CIA had at one point "stockpiled enough arms and demolition material to support a 10,000-man guerrilla organization for six months," and paid out $5.3 million for bribes and other costs, which would be equivalent to $48 million today.

The agency faced problems, however, chief among them Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi himself. Diplomats and spies referred to him as a "weak reed" and "petulant."

The coup initially looked like it would fail, sending the shah fleeing abroad. But something turned and soon, people were in the streets against Mossadegh.

Anvar, who witnessed the coup at age 29, said he tried to reach Mossadegh's home in Tehran's Kakh neighborhood, wanting to support a prime minister he said allowed newspapers to freely criticism him. He found it in chaos with heavy shooting.

"Some looted (Mossadegh's) house, basic belongings like sinks," he recounted. "It is the most ill-omened day in Iran's history."

This March, authorities did again name a street for Mossadegh, a narrow, one-way street in a wealthy neighborhood in northern Tehran.

Zohreh Abedi, a post-graduate student in law in Tehran who supports Rouhani's administration, passed by the street on a recent day in Tehran. He stressed that negotiations between Iran and the West remained important.

"We need to talk. Trump should not be distant . it will damage both the U.S. and the world," Abedi said.

In front of Mossadegh's old home, garment trader Kavoos Mohammadi said the building was a physical reminder of the power foreign nations can wield.

"It was home of hope for people, destroyed because of the greediness of foreign powers," he said.

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Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Mehdi Fattahi contributed to this report.

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo, 94-year-old Iranian researcher Abdollah Anvar, who witnessed the 1953 U.S.-backed coup as a young schoolteacher, speaks in an interview with The Associated Press at his home in Tehran, Iran. In 2018, as Iran deals with President Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers, more are invoking the 1953 CIA-backed coup that toppled Mossadegh as proof the U.S. cannot be trusted. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

FILE - This Aug. 16, 1953 file photo shows a selection of the huge crowd massed in parliament square after Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh announced he had smashed a pro-shah coup d'etat in Tehran, Iran. In 2018, as Iran deals with President Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers, more are invoking the 1953 CIA-backed coup that toppled Mossadegh as proof the U.S. cannot be trusted. (AP Photo, File)

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo, a boy plays in Baharestan Square, a scene of clashes during the 1953 U.S.-backed coup in downtown Tehran, Iran. In 2018, as Iran deals with President Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers, more are invoking the 1953 CIA-backed coup that toppled Mossadegh as proof the U.S. cannot be trusted. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

FILE - This Aug. 19, 1953 file photo shows a Communist newspaper kiosk burned by pro-shah demonstrators after the coup d'etat which ousted Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, in Tehran, Iran. In 2018, as Iran deals with President Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers, more are invoking the 1953 CIA-backed coup that toppled Mossadegh as proof the U.S. cannot be trusted. (AP Photo, File)

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo, 94-year-old Iranian researcher Abdollah Anvar, who witnessed the 1953 U.S.-backed coup as a young schoolteacher, speaks in an interview with The Associated Press at his home in Tehran, Iran. In 2018, as Iran deals with President Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers, more are invoking the 1953 CIA-backed coup that toppled Mossadegh as proof the U.S. cannot be trusted. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Ahram Online sat down with senior official Dr. Mohamed Hegazy to discuss the law, which has caused some controversy

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has recently ratified the country's first law devoted to cybercrime.

Published on Saturday in the state gazette, the 45-article law is formally titled "the anti-cyber and information technology crime law", and has drawn criticism from foreign and local media outlets, which have described it as tightening government control over the internet.

Ahram Online sat down with Dr. Mohamed Hegazy, the head of the legislation committee at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) as well the head of the Intellectual Property Office of Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), to find out more about the law.

According to Hegazy, citizens as well companies in Egypt, especially foreign investment companies, need the cybercrime law to protect their rights under the law.

He stated that until this law Egypt did not have any legislation that criminalises online identify theft, social media account theft, online credit card theft or even hacking.

Egypt did have some relevant laws, such as the communications law, the electronic signature law, and the intellectual property law, but they do not provide the kind of protection provided by the cybercrime law, he said.

In the beginning of the interview he spoke about the most controversial articles in the law, including Article 2 which deals with ISPs, who are now required to keep user logs and records for 180 days.

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Mohamed Hegazy: The obligations on ISPs exist in laws in several countries; these obligations are twofold in our cybercrime law. The first obligation is to raise the standard of security in the service, and the second obligation is to keep the log files of the users for 180 days. The log files enable suspects to be followed and reached if there is a crime.

The ISPs are required to keep the log files for 180 days because a court order is required and that will take time.

We also regulate the work of the digital forensic experts too in this law and in its bylaws, identifying who those experts are, to make sure that they are technically professional according to international standards.

These are the basic features of the law.

The law also deals for the first time with the cross-border hacking, in article four. In the past we could not do anything if the hackers were acting outside the country, but this law organises and authorises international cooperation between the government agencies like the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NRTA) and the Egyptian Computer Emergency Readiness Team(EG-CERT) to exchange informationabout the hacking crime either through cooperation agreements or the principle of equal treatment.

Ahram Online: On Saturday headlines around the world reported that the cybercrime law is intended to tighten up censorship online; what is your response to that?

MH: There is no single text in the law that speaks about tightening censorship; on the contrary, the law, in the second section of article two, speaks about the secrecy of the users' logs and data that have been kept by ISPs for 180 days, and not disclosing these in the absence of a judicial permit. So how would the law tighten up censorship when it obliges the ISPs if they disclose users data and log files?

In the third section of Article 2, also, there is an emphasis on data protection in a way that does not disclose it or corrupt it. Does this mean I am censoring the internet? No, I am protecting the users.

Even in the penalties, we only criminalise illegal access or hacking or any attack against operation systems, information systems and data, as well as email hacking, etc.

Where are these articles speaking about censorship or tightening up internet censorship?

The Egyptian cybercrime law is among the best laws worldwide today, in truth, and this is not just the governments words.

This law is close to the laws in the UK, US and France, whether it comes to keeping data and logs for 180 days, or digital forensics or penalties.

There is no text in the law speaking about internet censorship or any text that limits the freedom of expression or opinion. There is no text in the law speaking about banning access to certain social media networks.

We issued this law in order to encourage people to go for digital transformation, and not to put barriers on the internet.

AO: Critics have been referring to two specific articles in the law, the first of which is Article 7, which speaks about blocking websites in Egypt, especially now when we have over 100 websites blocked in the country in a form of internet censorship. What do you say about that? Some of those websites are related to the banned Muslim Brotherhood group while others are news websites like Cairo-based Mada Masr and US-based Buzzfeed.

Mohamed Hegazy: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology does not know anything about them; there is nothing about them in the law. We regulate the blocking process of websites in Egypt, starting with blocking requests and blocking on the order of the judiciary. We already present blocked websites with a legal mechanism to appeal against the blocking order.

This article exists in the laws of the greatest democracies in the world like the UK, France, India and the US. I won't mention China or Russia or those countries, but rather full democracies.

As we live in a real state, we made it clear in the law that website blocking is done under the law, and we even specify four elements under which websites are blocked, starting with firstly the prosecution presenting to court, secondly evidence, about a crime, third, that is listed in this law that, fourthly, is considered a national security threat to the country and its economy.

The blocked websites can appeal in front of the court and if their appeal is rejected then they can appeal again after three months.

AO: Some think that Article 13 in the law, which deals with live broadcast over the internet, refers to services like YouTube Live and Periscope. Is this true?

MH: No, this article deals with online cinema piracy and cable TV piracy. It protects the investments of those companies offering cable TV service, as we have recently seen the spread of cable TV piracy via decoded receivers.

AO: The second article creating buzz is Article 14 which puts in place penalties for accessing banned websites in Egypt. How do you see it?

MH: The text of the article does not say "banned websites" in Arabic but a website or information system or personal account that is restricted. It is about hacking. We criminalise hacking in this article. The article's title is "the crime of illegal access" and we are speaking about intranet and information systems.

AO: Does this apply to access to the deep web and dark net, which has been creating buzz abroad?

MH: No, it does not apply, because both the deep web and dark net need encrypted browsers, and the law does not criminalise the use of browsers. It criminalises hacking information systems and personal accounts.

AO: Some say that Article 24 is against freedom of expression too as it criminalises having social media accounts like Abla Fahita [a puppet television character] or a parody Facebook account of former president Hosni Mubarak. What do you say ?

MH: You are mixing the two examples in that article. It does not criminalise accounts like Abla Fahita because that is set up by a production company, but it criminalises setting up a fake account in the name of Hosni Mubarak or company X, even if it is a parody account, if it against their consent.

AO: In Article 25, the use of terms such as "family values" that are broad and vague while criminalising intrusion into private lives has drawn criticism. What does the law mean here?

MH: The article stipulates that anyone who attacks Egyptian family values or invades private lives or sends spam emails or SMS to someone without consent, or shares personal data with companies without consent, will be sentenced to six months in jail or a EGP 50,000 to EGP 100,000 fine, or both.

This article organises several issues, starting with receiving spam SMS on our mobile phones, to the companies that share our personal details with companies without our consent. It criminalises the disclosure of personal data online without permission, whether a private photo or private data.

Concerning Egyptian family values, pardon my frankness but we have at the moment on Facebook groups for "swinging", which is an act against the values of society, and it was not criminalised in the Egyptian penal code. We have now people promoting incest in online groups. Those were the examples of legislators when they drafted the law.

AO: But isnt the term "family values" used here wider than swinging and incest?

MH: Yes, but we used it because there is certain behaviour that takes place in the society and you cannot mention it in the law explicitly for the sake of society's safety. Already there are a certain kind of values in Egyptian society that cannot be violated, for instance like filming my neighbour with his wife and publishing that photo.

We have seen recently how estranged couples with cases in front of the courts use the internet to publish scandals and lies about each other. This is an attack on family values.

AO: Does Article 25, which deals with sharing personal data by companies without consent, deal for example with social networks like Facebook, when it sold users' info to Cambridge Analytica ahead of the US presidential elections?

MH: No, but this example actually lies in a grey zone. This law is called "the cybercrime law", so it does not apply to this law. There is a draft law on the way which has been prepared by the government and comprises 53 articles, and it deals with the protection of users personal data.

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ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's 21-member Cabinet was sworn in Monday, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged to cut government spending, end corruption and repatriate public funds.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of office to 16 federal ministers in Islamabad. Separately, Khan has also appointed five advisers to his Cabinet.

Khan, whose populist party won most parliament seats in the July 25 elections but fell short of a majority, forcing it to form a coalition, took the oath of office on Saturday as Pakistan's 22nd premier. He campaigned on promises of rooting out endemic corruption and breaking powerful landowners' monopoly on political power.

In this photo released by Press Information Department, Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain, center left, administrates oath of office to federal ministers while Prime Minister Imran Khan, center right, looks on during a ceremony at a presidential palace in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Pakistan's 21-member Cabinet was sworn in Monday, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged to cut government spending, end corruption and repatriate public funds. (Press Information Department via AP)

"I want to see Pakistan a great country" with social services for the poor, Khan said.

Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said after taking his oath of office that he is aware of foreign policy challenges ahead. Foreign policy, he said, will be revised and set on the correct path, in the "interest of Pakistan."

Qureshi said he would reach out to counterparts in the region and focus on key issues of critical importance to Pakistan.

"Pakistan needs a peaceful and stabilized Afghanistan; our future is linked to peace in Afghanistan" Qureshi said. He said he wants to visit Kabul soon with a message that "we have to help and support each other and have to look for solutions of each other's problems."

Both neighboring India and Pakistan are nuclear powers and cannot afford any adventure, he said. "We have long standing, complex problems and have no option but to start a dialogue."

He welcomed that Indian Prime Minister Modi in a congratulatory message to Khan expressed desire for talks.

As for ties with the United States, Qureshi said Pakistan wants bilateral relations based on respect and trust.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to make a stop in Islamabad on his way to India and Afghanistan in the first week of September.

"There is a trust deficit in our relations from both sides and we have to bridge it" Qureshi said of U.S. and Pakistan. "In meetings with the U.S. secretary of state, I will boldly apprise him of our aspirations."

Also Monday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the government is placing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz on a travel ban list. Sharif is appealing a 10-year prison sentence for corruption. Hi daughter, who was sentenced to seven years by the same anti-graft tribunal, is also appealing her sentence.

Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court last summer on corruption-related charges stemming from the so-called leaked papers from a Panama law firm. He is facing several separate trials.

Chaudhry said that in line with Khan's austerity drive, the government will auction off 88 luxury vehicles from the premier's residence used for protocol.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, speaks during a press conference after taking the oath of office, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Aug. 21, 2018. Pakistan's 21-member Cabinet has been sworn in, and Qureshi said he is aware of foreign policy challenges ahead. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
NEW YORK (AP) - Allegations that disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick engaged in sex with adult seminarians have inflamed a long-running debate about the presence of gay men in the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Some conservatives are calling for a purge of all gay priests, a challenging task given that they are believed to be numerous and few are open about their sexual orientation. Moderates want the church to eliminate the need for secrecy by proclaiming that gay men are welcome if they can be effective priests who commit to celibacy.

Among the most outspoken moderates is the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer whose book, "Building a Bridge," envisions a path toward warmer relations between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community.

FILE - In this Monday, April 18, 2005 file photo, U.S. Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick attends a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Allegations that disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick engaged in sex with adult seminarians have inflamed a long-running debate about the presence of gay men in the Roman Catholic priesthood. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

"The idea of a purge of gay priests is both ridiculous and dangerous," Martin said in an email. "Any purge would empty parishes and religious orders of the thousands of priests (and bishops) who lead healthy lives of service and faithful lives of celibacy."

That outlook infuriates some conservative Catholics.

Citing McCarrick's case, Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute, which promotes traditional Catholic teaching, says there must be a "complete and thorough removal of all homosexual clergymen from the church."

"It is going to be difficult and will likely result in a very serious priest shortage," Hichborn said. "But it's definitely worth the effort."

While the McCarrick scandal has intensified debate in the U.S. about gays in the priesthood, it's a global issue. Recent gay priest sex scandals have surfaced in Chile, Honduras, France and Italy.

In the U.S., where investigations may determine if church leaders turned a blind eye to McCarrick's penchant for young seminarians, there have been follow-up allegations of sexual misconduct in seminaries. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, who said Monday that he didn't see a letter sent to his office by a priest in 2015 concerning McCarrick's activities, recently announced an investigation into his diocesan seminary.

Catholic teaching, when it comes to homosexuality, is nuanced. The church says gays should be treated with dignity and respect, yet it has long taught that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered."

In 2005, the Vatican stated that even celibate gays should not be priests, saying church leaders cannot accept seminary applicants who "practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture.'"

Pope Francis has reaffirmed this policy, despite his famous "Who am I to judge?" comment in 2013 when asked about a purportedly gay priest.

In a May meeting with Italian bishops, Francis said, "If there's even the slightest doubt, better to not accept them" into seminary, according to participants at the closed-door session.

On the front lines in implementing that policy are priests like the Rev. Thomas Berg, admissions director at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has reduced the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction.

As for gays already serving as priests, Berg says he doesn't advocate a "witch hunt" to root them out. But he says the church needs to identify sexually active priests, challenge them to repent, and consider their removal from the priesthood.

Berg proposes that dioceses appoint independent watchdogs - ideally people with law enforcement background - to receive and assess anonymous allegations of clergy sexual misconduct.

"Our problem is sexually active priests who are breaking their commitment to celibacy," Berg said. "That wreaks havoc."

Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates equality for LGBT Catholics, questioned the effectiveness of the seminary screening process.

"Anecdotally, what we're finding is that the policy encourages people to lie," DeBernardo said. "If a man feels called to the priesthood, he'll rationalize that he should not admit his sexuality."

The effort to exclude gays complicates things for those who do become priests, DeBernardo added.

"The institutional leaders want to promote a message that gay men should not exist in the priesthood," he said. "So they don't offer healthy, holy examples of gay priests who are living their celibacy in effective ways."

Rome-based journalist Robert Mickens, a veteran of Vatican coverage, argued in a recent essay that the church should be more forthright in acknowledging the substantial presence of gay priests.

"Rather than encourage a healthy discussion about how gays can commit themselves to celibate chastity in a wholesome way, the Church's official policies and teachings drive such men even deeper into the closet," Mickens wrote.

Some conservative Catholics blame the climate of secrecy directly on gay clergy, contending there is a "homosexual subculture" in many dioceses and seminaries.

"Numerous reports from clergy and seminarians are coming out worldwide which confirm the existence of networks of homosexually active men who cover for each other," said the Rev. Paul Sullins, who has taught sociology at Catholic University in Washington.

The current debate over gay priests is framed by the allegations against McCarrick - that he allegedly had sex with adult seminarians as well as abusing minors. Pope Francis ordered him removed from public ministry in June.

In past years, the debate has often focused on the problem of child sex abuse by priests - and the extent to which homosexuality played a role. Those questions are being revisited following the recent release of a grand jury report in Pennsylvania detailing alleged sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by about 300 priests in six dioceses over a 70-year period.

A study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, released in 2011, concluded that gay priests were no more likely than straight priests to abuse minors. Some conservatives, noting that about 80 percent of the abuse victims were male, nonetheless cite the findings to advocate for a purge of gay priests.

One of the top conservatives in the U.S. Catholic leadership, Cardinal Raymond Burke, indicated this month that he favors at least a partial purge.

"Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root," he said in an interview with Catholic Action for Faith and Family, a conservative advocacy group.

"What is needed is an honest investigation into the alleged situations of grave immorality followed by effective action to sanction those responsible," Burke said. "Shepherds can go astray ... and then must be appropriately disciplined and even dismissed from the clerical state."

One of Burke's moderate colleagues, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, sounded a different tone in an interview with the Jesuit magazine America.

"I really believe that the issue here is more about a culture of clericalism in which some who are ordained feel they are privileged and therefore protected so that they can do what they want," Cupich said. "People, whether heterosexual or homosexual, need to live by the Gospel."

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Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield, who covers the Vatican for the AP, contributed to this report.

Rev. Thomas Berg, director of admissions at St. Joseph's Seminary, poses for a portrait at the facility in Yonkers, N.Y., on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has succeeded in reducing the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Rev. Thomas Berg, director of admissions at St. Joseph's Seminary, poses for a portrait at the facility in Yonkers, N.Y., on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has succeeded in reducing the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
JERUSALEM (AP) - Uri Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a Palestinian state, died Monday at the age of 94.

Avnery passed away at a Tel Aviv hospital after suffering a stroke.

For decades, he was a symbol of the Israeli peace camp, easily recognized by his thick white beard and white hair. A member of Israel's founding generation, he fought in the pre-state Irgun underground militia. After independence, he became a publisher, member of parliament, author and activist.

FILE - In this Saturday, May 4, 2002 file photo, Israeli peace activist Uri Avnery speaks at a press conference in Oldenburg, Germany. Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a Palestinian state, has died aged 94, in Tel Aviv after suffering a stroke Monday Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Joerg Sarbach, File)

In the 1982 Lebanon War, Avnery famously sneaked into besieged Beirut to talk to Israel's then-nemesis, PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.

Avnery challenged successive Israeli governments in arguing that a Palestinian state was the only way to secure peace for a democratic Israel with a Jewish majority.

"I feel we are on the Titanic, sailing straight toward an iceberg," he told The Associated Press in an interview in 2013. "We have the chance to change the course any moment, but if we are stupid, if we go on sailing, we shall meet the iceberg, inevitably."

Born into a wealthy family in Germany, Avnery grew up poor in Tel Aviv after he and his parents fled following the rise of the Nazis in 1933. As a 10-year-old immigrant, he eagerly embraced Hebrew language and culture but remained fluent in German and acknowledged being shaped by the humanist traditions of pre-Nazi Germany.

As a journalist, he shook the establishment with his tabloid weekly, Haolam Hazeh, or "This World" - a mix of hard-hitting exposes, gossip and photos of nude women.

A generation of aggressive Israeli journalists trained under his tutelage, even as his politics mostly kept him on the fringes of Israeli society. His stances, far outside the mainstream, won him several international awards but plenty of scorn at home where he was relentlessly attacked, sometimes even physically.

Still, his unwavering convictions won him respect from political rivals, even those who advocated for Jewish settlement in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, lands captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by the Palestinians for a state.

President Reuven Rivlin said Avnery "adopted the challenge of his special status as an eternal opposition."

"We had fierce differences, but they paled in the face of the ambition to build a strong and free society here," Rivlin wrote.

After his newspaper folded following a 40-year run, Avnery founded Gush Shalom, or "Peace Bloc," a group of several hundred activists who stage street protests, often side by side with Palestinian activists. He remained a strong supporter of Arafat long after most of Israel gave up on him as a peace partner following the eruption of Palestinian violence in the early 2000s.

Israel's peace camp has increasingly fractured and become politically sidelined since the 1990s when the Labor Party under then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin led talks with the Palestinians on interim peace deals. Peace efforts were slowed by Rabin's 1995 assassination and Benjamin Netanyahu's first term as prime minister.

Avnery's wife, Rachel, died in 2011. They had no children.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - For the first time in three years, elderly North and South Korean relatives separated during the chaos of the 1950-53 Korean War are meeting at the North's scenic Diamond Mountain, where they'll embrace their loved ones after decades apart. Here are several things to know about the reunions, which will only last a few days and will likely be the last time these people see each other:

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KOREAN DIVISION

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, left, hugs her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

Once a single country, North and South Korea were divided into a U.S.-backed, capitalistic South and a Soviet-supported, socialist North at the end of World War II in 1945. After the Korean War, the world's most heavily militarized border formally divided the Korean Peninsula, separating millions. These days, most separated families have no word on whether their long-lost relatives are still alive because their governments bar their citizens from visiting each other across the border or even exchanging phone calls, letters and email.

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ON-AND-OFF REUNIONS

The two Koreas have occasionally allowed separated family members to reunite when the rivals' ties have been good. Before this week's reunions, about 23,500 Koreans attended reunions, some 19,800 in person and the others by video, since 2000. The latest reunions, which started Monday, stem from rapprochement agreements that the leaders of the Koreas struck during a landmark summit in April. South Korea wants reunions to take place regularly, but North Korea often uses them as a bargaining chip in negotiations. Experts say the North worries that too many reunions would enlighten its citizens about the economically affluent South, and eventually weaken Pyongyang's grip on power. Some experts say warming inter-Korean relations could suffer a setback if the North refuses to accept a U.S.-led call for complete nuclear disarmament, and that is expected to figure into another inter-Korean summit set for next month in Pyongyang.

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TIME IS RUNNING OUT

In South Korea, more than half of the 132,600 people who applied for reunions - including some of those who got to see their relatives - have died. More than 85 percent of the surviving applicants are in their 70s or older. Those who haven't had a chance are desperate to reunite with their relatives before they die. In the past, some South Koreans have died or become too ill to travel just days before reunions began. On Monday morning, many of the South Korean participants were in wheelchairs or helped by family members or support staff as they arrived at a Seoul immigration office.

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HIGH EMOTIONS

The reunions often see parents and children, brothers and sisters and others reunited after decades. They often sob, hug and ask each other about their lives. Many struggle to immediately recognize the deeply wrinkled, silver-haired relatives who they last saw as infants, teenagers or young men and women. They are typically given three days to meet before parting again. When they say goodbye to each other, they often stand on tiptoes to get a final look at their relatives as they board buses and extend their hands through windows. None of the past participants has had a second chance to reunite with relatives from the other side.

North Korean Ahn Jong Sun, 70, left, feeds her South Korean father Ahn Jong-ho, 100, during a dinner at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Han Shin-ja, 99, right, weeps with her North Korean daughters Kim Kyong Sil, 72, and Kim Kim Kyong Yong, 71, center, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Cho Hye-do, 86, center, hugs her North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, right, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Ham Sung-chan, 93, right, hugs his North Korean brother Ham Dong Chan, 79, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, left, watches a photo with her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, second from left during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office in Goseong, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool/Yonhap via AP)

South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office, in Goseong, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Lee Yong-seong, 95, right, meets with his North Korean niece Ri Sun Seon, 62, at a dinner during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War, some 65 years ago. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Chun Hye-ock, 90, left, and her North Korean niece Kim Yun Kyung, 56, watch their family photos during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Cho Kwon-hyung, 80, second from left, toasts with his North Korean family members during a dinner at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Cho Hye-do, 86, right, meets her North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, left, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Lee Sang-yun, 88, left, talks with his North Korean niece Ri Sun Bok, 44, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Lee Eun-lim, 87, right, meets with her North Korean sister Ri Yong Hi, 94, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Cho Do-jae, 75, left, talks with his North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Han Shin-ja, 99, right, weeps with her North Korean daughters Kim Kim Kyong Yong, 71, and Kim Kyong Sil, 72, center, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Han Shin-ja, 99, center, meets with her North Korean daughter Kim Kim Kyong Yong, 71, and Kim Kyong Sil, 72, right, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Kim Yong-chol, 78, left, takes pictures with his North Korean family member Kim Chun Wol, 74, and Kim Yong Il, 72, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Kim Kwang-ho, 79, left, talks with his North Korean brother Kim Kwan Il, 78, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Kim Choon-shik, 80, second from left, weeps his eyes as he meets with his North Korean sister Choon Sil, 77, second from right, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)
MILAN (AP) - The European Union is trying to find countries willing to take 177 people rescued at sea after Italy sought its help to deal with yet another migrant standoff with Malta.

The Italian coast guard ship Diciotti has been sitting off Italy's Lampedusa island since rescuing the migrants last week. Rome asked Malta to take them in but Malta - the EU's smallest member country - refused, saying the migrant boat wasn't in distress and that the migrants declined Maltese assistance, preferring to continue toward Italy.

In Brussels, the EU's executive Commission said it had begun contacting other EU countries to see who's willing to help but warned that it has no authority to handle search and rescue missions or to say where migrants should be put ashore.

FILE - This July 12, 2018 file photo shows the Diciotti ship of the Italian Coast Guard carrying rescued migrants as it enters the Sicilian port of Trapani, southern Italy. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini demanded Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, that other European countries take in the 177 migrants rescued on Aug. 16 by the Diciotti after his Maltese counterpart, Michael Farrugia, insisted that the "only solution" is for the Diciotti ship to dock at the Sicilian island of Lampedusa. (Igor Petyx/ANSA via AP)

"Contacts are ongoing," Commission spokeswoman Tove Ernst said, without naming the countries it is in touch with.

She added: "Search and rescue is a question of international law. It's a matter for national authorities. It's not within the competence of the European Commission."

The Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday that it had written to the Commission asking it to work out a solution, as Brussels has done on previous occasions recently. The Diciotti is working with the EU border and coast guard agency Frontex on Mediterranean rescue operations.

The letter follows threats by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to send the migrants back to Libya, which is not considered a safe country by the EU.

Italy's populist government is refusing to accept migrants rescued at sea. In recent weeks, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Germany and Portugal have agreed to host them.

The latest incident happened a day after the NGO rescue ship Aquarius - with 141 migrants aboard, most of them from Eritrea and Somalia - was finally allowed to dock in Malta after a four-day standoff.

EU leaders in June agreed to find a solution to the problem but none has been found yet.

"The EU cannot rely on ad-hoc arrangements. What we need are sustainable solutions," Ernst said.
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A judge in Myanmar said he will issue a verdict next Monday in the trial of two Reuters journalists accused of possessing secret state information, a case that has become a key test of media freedom in the former military dictatorship.

Closing arguments were heard Monday in the trial of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who are charged with illegal possession of official documents and face possible jail terms of up to 14 years under a law dating back to British colonial rule, when the country was called Burma.

The defendants say they were framed by police, and did not solicit or knowingly possess any secret documents.

Reuters journalist Wa Lone gives a "thumbs up" as he is escorted by police upon arrival to his trial Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Yangon, Myanmar. The two reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are accused of illegally possessing official information. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)

"The evidence before the court is clear: Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are two honest reporters who did not commit a crime," the Reuters news agency said in a statement Monday. "Imprisoning them for even one more day would be unlawful retribution for their truthful and important journalism. We look forward to the court's acquittal, which will be an important step towards demonstrating Myanmar's commitment to rule of law, freedom of the press, and democracy."

The two reporters had been working on a story about a massacre of Muslim Rohingya men by security forces in a village in Rakhine state during a counterinsurgency operation that critics say involved massive human rights violations and was responsible for driving 700,000 people into neighboring Bangladesh. The government denies any widespread abuses but continues to restrict access to the area.

"They just did their jobs for their people and their country," Khin Maung Zaw, a lawyer for the journalists, told reporters covering the trial. "I believe they are innocent. And I told the judge, 'The scale of justice should be tempered with mercy,' which is the Golden Rule of Burmese jurisprudence," he said.

In remarks shouted to reporters on their way into the courtroom, the two defendants expressed their belief they would be acquitted.

"As for me, next week, I am expecting to see the rule of law in our country and freedom of the press," said Kyaw Soe Oo, 28.

Wa Lone, 31, said: "The accusations from the complainant's side are nonsense and they don't understand the duty of journalists. So I strongly believe that I will be meeting my little daughter soon."

Wa Lone's wife, Pan Ei Mon, delivered the couple's first child in Yangon on Aug. 10, but Wa Lone has not yet seen his daughter.

When Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a general election in 2015 after more than 50 years of military rule, hopes were high that the victory would usher in a new era of media freedom.

But since then a series of arrests of journalists has sent a chill through newsrooms. Earlier this year the media group Reporters Without Borders moved Myanmar down six places to number 137 in its annual World Press Freedom Index.

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Myanmar to immediately release the two Reuters journalists.

Pompeo said in a tweet he raised U.S. concerns about the two reporters "detained in Burma for doing their job" during a meeting with Myanmar Foreign Minister Kyaw Tin on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Singapore.

Two Reuters journalists Kyaw Soe Oo, center front, and Wa Lone, center back, are escorted by polices upon arrival at their trial Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Yangon, Myanmar. The two reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are accused of illegally possessing official information. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - A man pleaded to be let into a locked police station in Barcelona before dawn Monday, then lunged with a knife at officers inside. Police shot him dead and the attack is being investigated for any links to terror, authorities said.

Commissioner Rafel Comes, the second-in-command of the Catalan regional police, told reporters that police are treating it as a terrorist attack "for the moment" because the incident was "extremely serious," involving a "premeditated" attack that intended to kill police.

The man shouted "Allah" and other words that police officers did not understand, Comes said, adding that Spanish intelligence services are helping with the investigation.

A body is taken on a stretcher by mortuary service members, outside a Police station following an attack in Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona, Spain, Monday, August 20, 2018. Police in Barcelona say they have shot a man who attacked officers with a knife at a police station in the Spanish city, saying in a tweet Monday the attack occurred just before 6 a.m. in the Cornella district of the city. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

But he added that police have found no evidence linking the incident to terror attacks last August in Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people.

Despite the police suspicions, the Interior Ministry said it was keeping the country's terror alert at level 4, indicating high risk. Spain has been at that stage of alert since 2015, following a series of terror attacks abroad. Level 5, indicating a "very high risk" of attacks, is the highest level.

Officers opened a locked police station security door to the man, who lived in a nearby apartment, Comes said. The police station is located in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the city.

He said the suspect repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in at around 5.45 a.m. and spoke with officers inside over an intercom. After they decided to let him in, he pulled out "a large knife" and lunged at officers, according to Comes.

The man had ID documents on him and police are checking whether they are authentic.

Comes said authorities have found no criminal record for the man identified in the documents, although international police databases are being searched for matches with his fingerprints.

Police said that as a precaution they evacuated the apartment block where the suspect lived, about 200 meters (yards) from the police station, before bomb disposal experts, forensic teams and sniffer dogs began a search of the premises.

Catalan police officers stand guard at the entrance of a building during a raid, following an attack in Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona, Spain, Monday, August 20, 2018. Police in Barcelona say they have shot a man who attacked officers with a knife at a police station in the Spanish city, saying in a tweet Monday the attack occurred just before 6 a.m. in the Cornella district of the city. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Catalan police officers cordon off the area near a police station, following an attack in Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Police in Barcelona say they have shot a man who attacked officers with a knife at a police station in the Spanish city, saying in a tweet Monday the attacked occurred just before 6 a.m. in the Cornella district of the city. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A body is taken on a stretcher by mortuary service members, outside the Police station following an attack in Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona, Spain, Monday, August 20, 2018. Police in Barcelona say they have shot a man who attacked officers with a knife at a police station in the Spanish city, saying in a tweet Monday the attack occurred just before 6 a.m. in the Cornella district of the city. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
BEIJING (AP) - China's foreign ministry said Monday it has protested to the United States over a stopover by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during which she toured the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Houston.

Tsai made the visit while returning from a trip to Paraguay and Belize, two of only 18 countries that extend diplomatic recognition to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters at a daily briefing that Beijing would "always oppose any country providing conveniences and venues for relevant people from Taiwan to conduct such activities."

"We have made clear our solemn position repeatedly to relevant countries," Lu said. "We are of course against all countries that have diplomatic ties with China, including the U.S., conducting official exchanges with Taiwan."

The NASA visit marked the rare presence of a Taiwanese elected official at an official U.S. government facility.

While in transit, Tsai met with members of the Taiwanese-American community and spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, the first public address by a Taiwanese leader in the United States in more than a decade.

"I want to thank everyone involved for making my #Houston stopover a wonderful one filled with good memories," Tsai tweeted. "My administration will continue strengthening every aspect of #Taiwan-#US relations. Until next time!"

Tsai's U.S. stopover comes amid deepening tensions between the U.S. and China over trade, the alleged pilfering of commercial secrets and Beijing's militarization of islands it controls in the South China Sea.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump will hold six days of hearings starting Monday in Washington on the next barrage in an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies: Trump's proposed tariffs of 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese goods that could kick in as early as next month.

Meanwhile, the administration has been boosting ties with Taiwan that have been technically unofficial since Washington cut them in 1979 upon recognizing Beijing.

Trump this year signed the Taiwan Travel Act encouraging high-level visits between the two sides, and the Department of Defense agreed to give American contractors marketing licenses for diesel-electric submarine technology sought by Taiwan's armed forces.

The U.S. also approved a $1.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan last year and is opening a sprawling new de facto embassy in a suburb of the capital, Taipei, in recognition of the closeness of relations.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - The Latest on Greece's exit from its bailout program (all times local):

2:35 p.m.

Even though the European Union welcomes Monday's end of Greece bailout program as the beginning of a new era, it does recognize many Greeks will not see it as an immediate improvement.

In this Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 photo, a woman walks in an arcade with shutter shops, because of the financial crisis, in central Athens. For all the official pronouncements that Greece's eight-year crisis will end together with its third, and last, bailout program on Monday, few Greeks see cause for celebration _ although, undeniably, the economy is once again stirring. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

EU Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said Monday he was "conscious that all those people may not feel that their situation has yet improved much - if at all."

He painted a bleak picture of "retirees who saw their pensions slashed. The workers who lost their jobs. The families who lost their homes. Parents who saw their children leave the country for a better future elsewhere."

Moscovici told the Greeks that his message is "simple: Europe will continue to work with you and for you." He said that even though errors were made during the bailout programs, the situation would have been even worse for Athens had there been no intervention from the European partners.

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12:05 p.m.

The European Union is welcoming Monday's end to Greece's bailout program and says it hopes it is the beginning of a new era for the debt-laden eurozone member state.

EU Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said that for the 19-nation eurozone it also "draws a symbolic line under an existential crisis" that saw Greece get close to being kicked out of the group.

The crisis came to a breaking point in the summer of 2015, when Greece had to accept more austerity measures to get another bailout package.

Overall, Greece has gotten some 290 billion euros ($330 billion) in loans over the past years, including 256 billion euros ($292 billion) from its European partners.

___

12:00 p.m.

There'll be no dizzy dancing in the moonlit streets of Athens.

For all the official pronouncements that Greece's eight-year crisis will be over as its third and last bailout program ends Monday, few Greeks see cause for celebration.

Undeniably, the economy is once again growing modestly, state finances are improving, exports are up and unemployment is down from a ghastly 28 percent high.

But one in five Greeks are still unemployed, with few receiving state benefits, underpaid drudgery is the norm in new hirings, the average income has dropped by more than a third, and taxes have rocketed. Clinical depression is rife, suicides are up, and hundreds of thousands of skilled workers have flitted abroad.

In this Saturday Aug. 11, 2018 photo Paraskevi Kolliabi, 62, who lives on a widow's pension, poses at her son's silver workshop in Monastiraki district of Athens. Kolliabi said. "I have never in my life gone through such (financial) hardship as during the past two years. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 photo a man walks past a graffiti made by street artist Wild Drawing in Exarchia neighborhood of Athens. For Greek one in five are unemployed with few receiving state benefits, underpaid drudgery is the norm in new hirings, the average income has dropped by more than a third while taxes have rocketed. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 photo tourist are seen at the top of the Areopagus Hill, in front of the Acropolis hill in Athens. The one area of the economy that's flourishing is tourism, with officials projecting a record-high 32 million arrivals this year. Greeks, however, are finding it increasingly expensive to go on holiday in their own country, while a boom in short-term rentals in residential districts of Athens has driven rents beyond the reach of many locals. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo, tourists walk in Plaka neighborhood of Athens. The one area of the economy that's flourishing is tourism, with officials projecting a record-high 32 million arrivals this year. Greeks, however, are finding it increasingly expensive to go on holiday in their own country, while a boom in short-term rentals in residential districts of Athens has driven rents beyond the reach of many locals. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo Pedestrians walk in Plaka neighborhood of Athens. The one area of the economy that's flourishing is tourism, with officials projecting a record-high 32 million arrivals this year. Greeks, however, are finding it increasingly expensive to go on holiday in their own country, while a boom in short-term rentals in residential districts of Athens has driven rents beyond the reach of many locals. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo tourists pose for a picture on Filopapos hill in front of the ancient Acropolis hill with the 2500 BC Parthenon temple in Athens. The one area of the economy that's flourishing is tourism, with officials projecting a record-high 32 million arrivals this year. Greeks, however, are finding it increasingly expensive to go on holiday in their own country, while a boom in short-term rentals in residential districts of Athens has driven rents beyond the reach of many locals.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
BALTIMORE (AP) - The portrait used to hang in the hallway, welcoming children and parents to the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore: a smiling Dr. Ben Carson in surgical scrubs, rubbing together the careful, steady hands that helped him become the nation's most famous black doctor.

"The person who has the most to do with your success is you," it reads.

That was before Carson's presidential bid, before he withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, and before he was tapped to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was before the president failed to condemn white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. And before Carson pushed policies critics say walk back civil rights protections for those living in subsidized housing.

In this May 3, 2018, photo, a portrait of Ben Carson hangs in the Ben Carson Reading Room inside of the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore. The portrait used to hang in the school's hallway, but Principal Alicia Freeman moved it out of public view during Carson's presidential campaign. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. (AP Photo/Juliet Linderman)

"I took it down," said Principal Alicia Freeman of the portrait she's since moved from the school's second floor hallway to a less visible spot inside a reading room bearing Carson's name. The doctor's inspirational message now feels hostile, she said

"He was starting to become offensive."

Carson's story of climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. In some schools his memoir was required reading, an illustration of the power of perseverance. For a working-class, majority African-American city wracked by racial division and neglect - where a baby born in a wealthy white neighborhood is expected to live two decades longer than one in a poor black area - Ben Carson was hope.

But his role in the Trump administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African-Americans here. In the last presidential election, nearly 85 percent of city voters cast ballots for Hillary Clinton.

"The Trump virus is weakening Ben Carson's image," said Bishop Frank Reid, a former pastor at Baltimore's Bethel AME Church who met Carson at Yale, where both received their bachelor's degrees. Carson is still respected, Reid said. "But he is no longer the hero he once was."

Carson declined to be interviewed for this story. Instead, he sent a written statement.

"I understand what it means to be poor because I grew up poor," the statement said. "I was fortunate to have my mother who was my compass - always steering me on course, helping me to see beyond our circumstances. That's what I hope to do for the millions of low-income families HUD serves."

Carson was born in Detroit, but Baltimore is the city that claims him. He rose to fame for his groundbreaking surgeries at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and launched his scholarship program here. Carson would sometimes arrange for high school students to visit the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum on the city's east side, where a figure in his likeness stands glossy and smiling in a white lab coat and stethoscope, in the middle of the Famous Marylanders display.

"This young African-American who grew up in poverty and could have been put in jail or suspended from school made something great of himself. It was the American Dream," Reid said. "We believed he could walk on water."

Emmanuel Williams, 33, grew up in Northwest Baltimore. He learned about Carson in elementary school, a few years after Carson grabbed headlines for successfully separating conjoined twins attached at the skull.

"He was taught during Black History Month," Williams said. "And everyone was so proud because it was happening here in Baltimore. It was mythic."

"Sometimes I think the country looks down on us," he said. "So to have such a brilliant person who's making history and making these great medical advancements in Baltimore? He was our crown jewel, and he was here."

Since taking the reins at HUD, Carson has proposed sweeping rent increases for the poorest subsidized housing tenants, and has begun dismantling key Obama-era regulations designed to address racial segregation. Carson has considered stripping anti-discrimination language from the department's mission statement, and voiced strong support for implementing work requirements for housing aid recipients. In a radio interview shortly after being confirmed, Carson said poverty "is a state of mind."

Now, Williams said, "people feel betrayed."

"He can't come back from this," he said.

The seeds of Carson's approach to policy are scattered throughout his memoir. He has long promoted self-sufficiency and enthusiastically embraced the bootstrap ideology popular with conservatives.

"Success is determined not by whether or not you face obstacles, but by your reaction to them," Carson wrote.

But those messages, now coming from a politician, are being received differently.

"There's a certain consistency to his message, it's just the language is now different," said Kurt Schmoke, Baltimore's first elected African-American mayor. Carson and Schmoke, now the president of the University of Baltimore, have been friends for decades.

"It's more political, more partisan, and in my view, it's harsher," he said.

Schmoke said Carson's achievements and philanthropic work haven't been entirely eclipsed by his association with the Trump administration. But Carson's political turn has changed the way many people see him.

"You can't take away the fact that he's done outstanding things for people throughout his life, that can't be erased," Schmoke said. "But I do think there's clearly more people who view him through a political lens and that affects how he's viewed in this community."

Shaun Verma, a Ben Carson Scholarship recipient from Georgia, says Carson's use of his story of hard work and determination to justify scaling back the safety net for the same communities that raised and revered him "is really disappointing."

"He gave funding to inner city schools with big African-American populations, and opened reading rooms with the message that through education we can fight poverty and discrimination, and he was looked up to because he escaped his circumstances," said Verma, who recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University and now lives in New York.

At 15, Verma founded MDJunior, a nonprofit that aims to improve health care accessibility to underserved communities. As a Carson scholar he attended board meetings and banquets, and got to know Carson personally. Carson's policies, Verma said, have "tainted his long career and commendable service. It's hard to associate all this with a person I looked up to for years."

Some Maryland conservatives embrace Carson's transition to politician. Antonio Campbell, a professor of political science at Towson University and state chairman for Carson's 2016 presidential campaign, said he "remains impressed." Those disappointed with his performance as HUD secretary likely feel that way because of fundamentally divergent values, he said.

"The question is, what is the role of government?" said Campbell, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate against Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. When assistance is scaled back, those accustomed to the status quo are bound to be disappointed, he said, adding that Carson "is learning" how to sell his policies to skeptics.

As a child, growing up in a low-income, predominantly black neighborhood in a Maryland suburb, Boateng Kubi saw Carson as the embodiment of possibility.

"He's one of the first people who truly indicated that black boys, black children, have the right to scientific curiosity," said Kubi, a rising second-year student at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and president of the school's chapter of the largest association for minority medical students.

Kubi calls Carson's policy proposals "shocking."

"It feels like he's neglecting the communities he came from, the people who grew up admiring him, who might not have all the money in the world," he said. "I no longer speak of wanting to be the next Ben Carson."

Carson has come back to Baltimore in an official capacity only three times since becoming HUD secretary. Last month the department gave $144 million in revitalization grants to five cities, including Baltimore. But for the announcement Carson sent a representative to the Perkins Homes housing complex 40 miles from HUD headquarters, opting instead to go to Flint, Michigan.

Carson doesn't send groups to the wax museum anymore, said co-founder Joanne Martin. But his figure still gets plenty of attention.

Martin has heard her share of complaints about the figures in her museum: Martin Luther King Jr. is too short. Frederick Douglass is too light-skinned. But no figure has been nearly as controversial as Carson's.

"There have been objections to him being in the museum," she said. "People have posted on our website demanding that we remove him."

Martin refuses. He's earned his place in history as a doctor, Martin said, and she's committed to honoring his contributions to medicine.

But she says she feels uneasy about Carson's next chapter, and made a deliberate decision not to update his placard to include any information about his political life.

"We include figures of people who fought for civil rights and appreciated that struggle," she said. "That's not the person he is today."

FILE - IN this March 1, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson speaks during an election night party in Baltimore. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role as Housing and Urban Development Secretary in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2017, file photo, then-Housing and Urban Development Secretary-designate Dr. Ben Carson, listens as President Donald Trump speaks after touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - In this April 24, 2018, file photo, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tours the Downtown Women's Center in Los Angeles during a visit to discuss homelessness. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

FILE - In this April 4, 2013 file photo, a group of boys walk past a partially collapsed row house in Baltimore. For a city wracked by racial division, poverty and drug addiction -- where a baby born in a wealthy white neighborhood is expected to live two decades longer than one in a poor black area -- Ben Carson was hope. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of president widely rejected by blacks here. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

In this Aug. 15, 2018 photo, a wax figure depicting Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary Ben Carson, center, from his days as a neurosurgeon stands in a gallery at the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum in Baltimore. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2004, file photo, Dr. Ben Carson, then-director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, holds a model of the heads of conjoined twins Tabea and Lea Block of Lemgo, Germany, during a news conference in Baltimore. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role as Housing and Urban Development Secretary in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner, File)
Cairo prosecutors said on Sunday evening it will refer six policemen to criminal court over charges related to killing a citizen in custody this June.

According to Al-Ahram daily the six policemen, who include the head of Hadayek El-Qobba police station investigation unit and his deputy, are facing charges for the "torture and illegal detention" of a citizen.

The newspaper added that the investigations and CCTV footage revealed that the victim was tortured through beating and electric shocks in an attempt to force a confession regarding a friend who was accused of theft.

He then fainted and immediately died.

The defendants will go on trial on 8 September.

Torture is outlawed by Article 52 of the Egyptian constitution.

Over the past two years, Egypt has referred a number of policemen to trial for torturing citizens to death. Some were acquitted, and others were convicted in rare sentences.

Human rights activists have alleged that torture in police stations and some prisons remains widespread, whereas Egypts interior ministry has said that such incidents of torture are isolated and that any misconduct by its officers will not be tolerated.

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's oil minister said on Monday that France's oil giant Total SA has officially pulled out of Iran after cancelling its $5 billion, 20-year agreement to develop the country's massive South Pars offshore natural gas field over renewed U.S. sanctions.

The parliament's website ICANA.ir quoted Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying that since Total first announced its decision a while ago, Iran has been in the process of "looking for an alternative" to Total. He didn't elaborate.

There was no immediate comment from TotaI.

FILE - In this July 3, 2017 file photo, Chairman and CEO of France's Total SA Patrick Pouyanne, seated second left, managing director of Iran's Petropars Hamid Akbari, left, CEO of National Iranian Oil Company Ali Kardor, second right, and President of China's CNPC International Lv Gongxun sing the documents of a contract to develop an Iranian gas field, as Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, standing at center, and Chinese ambassador to Tehran Pang Sen look on, in Tehran, Iran. Iran's oil minister said Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, that France's oil giant Total SA has pulled out of Iran after cancelling its $5 billion, 20-year agreement to develop the country's massive South Pars offshore natural gas field over renewed U.S. sanctions. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

Earlier this month, Iran said China's state-owned petroleum corporation took a majority 80 percent share of the project. CNPC originally had some 30 percent of shares in the project.

The renewed U.S. sanctions took effect in August, after America's pullout from the nuclear deal in May. The re-instatement of the sanctions exacerbated a financial crisis in Iran, which has sent its currency, the rial, tumbling.

Total announced in May its decision to cancel the multi-billion-dollar project in Iran because of U.S. sanctions. The group said at the time it couldn't "afford to be exposed to any secondary sanction," including the loss of financing by American banks.

The 2017, $5 billion contract for new development at the massive South Pars offshore natural gas field was the first major gas deal signed with Iran following the 2015 nuclear deal.

Total said in May that its actual spending to date with respect to this contract was less than 40 million euros.

Total had pulled out of Iran already once before, in 2008, as Western sanctions over its nuclear program began to ramp up. The 2015 landmark nuclear deal - which curbed the Iranian nuclear enrichment program in return for the lifting of international sanctions - marked a rush for Western businesses to access Iran's largely untapped market of 80 million people. Most prominently, airplane manufacturers rushed in to replace the country's dangerously dilapidated civilian fleet.

South Pars is the world's largest natural gas filed and is shared by Iran and Qatar, where it's called North Dome. Qatar produces more than 590 million cubic meters per day from the shared field and plans to increase production by 10 percent by 2022.

Iran's total gas production stands at 750 million cubic meters per day, of which 550 million is consumed domestically.

Iran exports gas to neighboring Turkey and Iraq, and pipelines to Pakistan and Oman are in the works. Iran also imports some 12 million cubic meters per day from neighboring Turkmenistan.

___

Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.
The Eagles' greatest hits album has moonwalked past Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' to become history's best-selling album of all-time.

The Recording Industry Association of America told The Associated Press on Monday that the Eagles' album - 'Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975' - is now certified 38x platinum, which means sales and streams of the album have reached 38 million copies.

The album was released in 1976 and pushes Jackson's 'Thriller,' which is 33x platinum, to second place.

The Eagles' 'Greatest Hits 1971-1975' is now certified 38x platinum, selling 38 million copies

It pushes Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' to second place , which is 33x platinum

RIAA also said that the Eagles' 'Hotel California,' released in 1977, is now 26x platinum and makes it the third best-selling album of all-time.

The last time RIAA tallied sales for the Eagles' greatest hits album was in 2006, when it said it was 29x platinum. Sales and streams for 'Thriller' were last updated last year.

'We are grateful for our families, our management, our crew, the people at radio and, most of all, the loyal fans who have stuck with us through the ups and downs of 46 years. It's been quite a ride,' The Eagles singer Don Henley said in a statement.

RIAA's platinum status was once equivalent to selling one million albums or songs, but in 2013 the company began incorporating streaming from YouTube, Spotify and other digital music services to determine certification for albums and songs.

Now 1,500 streams of an album is equivalent to an album sale. Also, 10 song downloads equals one album sale.

The album cover for the best-selling album of all-time is pictured

The Eagles, who formed in Los Angeles in the early 1970s, mastered the mix of rock 'n' roll and country music, and the band's hits - including 'Hotel California' and 'Take It Easy - became part of the soundtrack of that decade.

They broke up in 1980, coming back together 14 years later with Henley and Glenn Frey being the only remaining original members. Frey died in 2016, but the Grammy-winning band remains on tour.

The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2016.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia lashed out at Western countries on Monday, accusing them of blocking U.N. aid for Syria's reconstruction and trying to prevent the return of refugees.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Gibran Bassil, that the U.S. refusal to provide assistance for rebuilding Syria after more than seven years of fighting would deter Syrians from returning to their homes.

Russia has been the chief backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, helping his forces to regain control over most of the country. Now Moscow is calling on Western countries, which backed the opposition, to help fund reconstruction efforts, saying it would reduce the flow of refugees and migrants to Western Europe.

Speaking after the talks with Bassil, Lavrov bristled at the U.S. and its Western allies for making assistance to Syria contingent on a political transition process. He also accused the West of pressuring the United Nations to stay away from reconstruction efforts in Syria.

Lavrov said Moscow is looking into why the U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, is dragging its feet on the reconstruction of world-famous archaeological sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra. He said the U.N. Secretariat's political department has explicitly banned any involvement in reconstruction in Syria pending a political settlement.

Lavrov added that he voiced a strong protest against the move in a phone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"It's inadmissible when a group of countries manipulates secretariats of international organizations, which are supposed to be unbiased and independent," Lavrov said. "The U.N. was created on the basis of ... equality of all countries. I strongly urge our Western partners to return to that principle and not try to covertly exploit international organizations."

He also criticized recent comments by Filippo Grandi, the head of the U.N. refugee agency, who said last week that it was too soon to talk about the mass repatriation of the more than 5 million Syrian refugees. Lavrov said the UNHCR should not be a "subsidiary of a group of Western countries."

Lavrov also charged that al-Qaida militants located near al-Tanf in southeastern Syria, where U.S. military advisers are based, have launched raids intended to prevent refugees from coming back from Jordan.

Bassil said Lebanon, which is hosting more than 1 million refugees, fully supports Russian efforts to help Syrians return.

"Lebanon supports the quick and safe return of Syrian refugees without any link to a political solution," Bassil said. "The circumstances in Syria have changed and many areas are safe, and for that reason there is no reason for the refugees to stay."

He said Lebanon would be in contact with Syria to support Russian initiatives to help the refugees return.

___

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.
MISSOURI CITY, Texas (AP) - A female employee opened fire at a Houston-area food distribution center early Monday, killing a company manager and wounding another worker, police said.

The shooter, identified by police as Kristine Peralez, 38, was also killed in the attack, which happened around 2:30 a.m. at the Ben E. Keith facility in Missouri City, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Houston.

Police Chief Mike Berezin said the woman walked outside the warehouse after the shooting and was confronted by a responding officer.

Authorities investigate the scene after a deadly shooting at Ben E. Keith distribution center Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Missouri City, Texas. Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)

"We actually had an officer that engaged the shooter," he said. "Whether or not the shooter actually was hit by one of our officer's bullets or if it was self-inflicted, we're not totally sure at this point."

Peralez was pronounced dead at a hospital. She had worked for the company for about two years, according to police Capt. Paul Poulton.

The overnight manager who died was identified as Francisco Reyes. The other wounded worker was listed in stable condition at a hospital.

Poulton said it was too early to discuss a motive, but he noted that Peralez posted a message on social media indicating that something significant was about to happen. The post provided no specifics.

Berezin said earlier during a brief news conference that the attack happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers were on duty. Officers were conducting interviews with the 20 to 25 people working in the area at the time, he said.

Several workers had spoken with the shooter before the gunfire began, Berezin said.

Lights illuminate a sign at Ben E. Keith distribution center as authorities investigate a deadly shooting at the distribution center Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Missouri City, Texas. Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Authorities investigate the scene after a deadly shooting at Ben E. Keith distribution center Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Missouri City, Texas. Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland has used its powers as a European Union member to ban a human rights Ukrainian activist from all 26 countries in Europe's Schengen area, saying she poses a security threat following allegations that she works for Russian interests. Some government critics, however, have questioned whether the government is misusing the system to intimidate its opponents.

The activist, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, and her Polish husband Bartosz Kramek told The Associated Press they consider the move punishment for their open opposition to Poland's conservative, nationalist government.

Kozlovska, who runs an organization with offices in Warsaw, Brussels and Kiev, the Open Dialog Foundation, said her group's work has largely focused on promoting democracy in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Moldova. One effort, she said, involved lobbying the EU to place sanctions on people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Aug. 10, 2017 photo shows Ukrainian activist Lyudmyla Kozlovska,left, and her husband Bartosz Kramek during an anti-government protest in Warsaw, Poland. They hold white roses, a symbol of protest against the Polish ruling party and behind them a banner reads: "Freedom, Equality, Democracy." Poland has used its power as a European Union member to have Kozlovska banned from the entire Schengen passport-free zone, saying she poses a threat to security. But the Warsaw government has given few details explaining the move, and critics are accusing it of abusing its power to intimidate civil society and the country's large Ukrainian minority. (Lyudmyla Kozlovska via AP)

But after the conservative Law and Justice party won power in Poland in 2015 and began reshaping the country's judiciary, the pair also started to accuse that government of violating the rule of law. Kozlovska said they began to face political pressure and that some ruling-party members and online trolls accused her of ties to Russia.

"There is a smear campaign against us," she said. "If I am a Russian agent why would I put people around Putin on a sanctions list? It's nonsense that I am some kind of agent."

On Monday, the Internal Security Agency said its counterintelligence department had "serious doubts" about the financing of her foundation and that the ban resulted from the agency denying an application by her for a long-term residency permit.

Kozlovska was stopped Aug. 13 at the Brussels Zaventem airport after arriving from Kiev, held overnight and put on an early flight back to Kiev the next morning. Belgian authorities acted after Poland entered her in the Schengen Information System, a database aimed at ensuring security in Europe's passport-free Schengen Area.

The move effectively forces Kozlovska, 33, and Kramek, 32, to either live apart or for him to leave Poland. They spoke by phone to the AP from Kiev, where he joined her last week, though he said he plans to be in Warsaw for a street demonstration Thursday in her support.

They said they believe the Polish-requested ban is related to an open manifesto that Kramek published last year calling for civil disobedience against the government. In his appeal, he wrote: "Mere protests and appeals are not enough; extraordinary and resolute actions based on the idea of civil disobedience must be taken immediately. Nobody wants Maidan or bloodshed in Poland, but the escalating tension makes us take almost any unimaginable scenario into account - and be prepared for it."

Kramek said that was a reference to his support for the Euromaidan, a wave of pro-Western demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine that began in 2013.

"I didn't call for any violence," Kramek said. "I was trying to explain that the Maidan was a peaceful revolution and that nobody was violent until the government tried to suppress the protesters using extreme violence."

Artur Lompart, director of the Foreign Ministry's press office, told the AP in a written statement that names are put on the Schengen system "for reasons of defense, national security or public order."

"The claims made by Mr. Kramek and his spouse that the refusal of entry into Schengen area for Ms. Kozlovska was a result of their anti-government activities are hugely exaggerated," he said.

"Mr. Kramek openly publishes anti-government texts and he often actively participates in anti-government manifestations or protests. Poland is a democratic country where there is a full freedom of opinion and expression of political views."

Some political activists and members of the Ukrainian community expressed doubts to the AP about the legitimacy of Kozlovska and her foundation. Some nonetheless criticize the government for a lack of transparency and say they fear the move could be an effort to discredit the opposition to the government after three years of frequent street protests.

Michal Szczerba, an opposition lawmaker, said Poland's authorities "are behaving like Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey."

Earlier this year, three members of the European Parliament from the Polish ruling party failed in their bid to have Kozlovska denied access to the EU legislature.

One of them, Kosma Zlotowski, said in his request that Kozlovska was granted a Russian passport after the annexation of Crimea.

"Moreover, the Foundation and its sponsors are suspected of having connections with Russia, including with entities connected with the Russian Navy. ... Such connections should raise certain concern," Zlotowski continued.

The couple denied those allegations.

Poland has absorbed nearly 2 million Ukrainians in recent years. Tom Junes, a historian with the Human and Social Studies Foundation Sofia who researches protest movements and disinformation in Eastern Europe, believes that context is essential to understanding Kozvlovska's case.

The deportation makes the point that anybody who becomes engaged in activism against the current government in Poland could be banned not only from Poland but also from the EU, Junes said.

Olena Babakova, a Ukrainian freelance journalist based in Warsaw, agreed. "This is a warning for all foreigners who think that Poland is their home and that they can take an active part in public life," she said.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - Dozens of transgender people in Pakistan have held a protest demanding more protection after a transgender woman was shot dead and dismembered last week.

The protesters gathered outside the Peshawar Press Club in the northwestern city on Monday, chanting "We want protection, we want respect and rights."

Farzana Jan, president of Transgender Association, said the transgender woman, who went by the name Nazo, was killed in the suburbs of Peshawar on Friday. Police say they arrested two men who were taking the body parts to dispose of them.

A Pakistani transgender woman mourns the death of her colleague, during a protest in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. A transgender person was shot dead on Thursday night, police said. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)

Jan's group says 62 transgender people have been killed since 2015 in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province alone, and that 478 attacks have been reported this year.

A Pakistani transgender comforts her colleague who mourns the death of her friend, during a protest in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. A transgender person was shot dead on Thursday night, police said. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
New Haven, Connecticut, became what officials called "ground zero" Monday for efforts to shine a light on the dangers of drugs, as President Donald Trump's nominee for drug czar visited a city reeling from more than 100 recent overdoses on synthetic marijuana.

Jim Carroll met with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Mayor Toni Harp and first responders to discuss the overdoses, as well as the country's opioid crisis.

Connecticut officials are setting a national example for getting people into treatment for drug addiction, Carroll said, and he praised local paramedics, police and firefighters for their response to the overdoses last week.

Jim Carroll, acting deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy speaks at a press conference following a meeting with state and city officials at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, in New Haven, Conn. Aug. 20, 2018. Carroll is seen here with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. Carroll visited New Haven on Monday after more than 100 recent overdoses on synthetic marijuana at a city park. (Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP)

"In an incident like this when there is an emergency, you don't call D.C., you don't call an 800 number to an office for the federal government," he said. "You call 911, and that's the first responders that are here in the room. And that's who we need to support."

Authorities responded to more than 100 overdoses from synthetic marijuana on Wednesday and Thursday, mostly on the New Haven Green, a historic downtown park next to Yale University. No deaths were reported.

Police said Monday that 47 people overdosed, including some who were brought to hospitals multiple times after consuming the drug again once treated. Many of the people who fell ill were in treatment for addiction to other drugs, officials said.

First responders described a chaotic scene of people collapsing unconscious at the same time, and others vomiting and becoming disoriented.

Officials blamed a potent batch of K2, also known as spice, and three people were arrested in the investigation of the overdoses. Police said Monday that samples of the drug tested postive for AB Fubinaca, a synthethic cannabinoid that has sickened people across the country.

Drug addiction killed about 72,000 people in the U.S. last year, which is about 200 people a day, said Carroll, deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Trump's nominee to lead the office. A majority of those deaths were related to opioids.

The Trump administration, he said, is fighting the problem on three fronts - prevention and education, treatment and law enforcement efforts aimed at keeping drugs from getting into the country. For example, he said, the federal government supports drug-free community education programs across the country, including 24 in Connecticut.

"Together with our state and local partners, we are determined to address this crisis effectively through prevention, treatment and recovery and law enforcement in order to save lives," Carroll said.

Blumenthal urged Congress to pass several bills now on the floor that are aimed at addiction and overdoses.

"The New Haven Green has crystalized awareness in the Congress," the Connecticut Democrat said. "For this centuries-old, historic setting to be the new ground zero for fighting substance abuse disorder is remarkable and truly game changing in the fight against addiction."

Harp, New Haven's mayor, said first responders are on the front lines of drug addiction every day and prepare regularly to respond to different kinds of emergencies. Funding for them is critical, she said.

"The fact that we have been prepared, that we've worked on it year after year and that this collaboration is not new is what meant that every person who dropped on our Green we responded to within a minute to 2 minutes," she said. "Every person got the service that they needed. We did not lose one life and for that I am eternally grateful."
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Melania Trump talked up the importance of teaching children positive cyber habits Monday on the same morning that her husband sent tweets deriding current and former U.S. officials, including one message referring to a former CIA director as a "political hack."

Asked about the contradictory messages, the first lady's office said in a statement that she "is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does."

Mrs. Trump delivered brief remarks to help open a government-sponsored summit called Federal Partners on Bullying Prevention, encouraging social media and technology companies to provide more opportunities for young people to share ideas for how to be good citizens online.

First lady Melania Trump speaks as she attends the 6th Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Summit at Health and Human Service in Rockville, Md., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

But the split screen of the first lady encouraging children to act a certain way when they see President Donald Trump behaving in the opposite way underscored the challenge Mrs. Trump faces with her "Be Best" campaign. A key focus is on youth cyberbullying.

Mrs. Trump spoke highly of a group of students she recently met who participate in Microsoft's Council for Digital Good. The students provide the computer software maker with ideas and feedback for Microsoft's policy work on youth-centered online safety.

She told the summit at the Health Resources and Services Administration building in Rockville how impressed she was by their "deep understanding of how important it is to be safe" and said she was "inspired by their sincere commitment to reducing peer-to-peer bullying through kindness and open communication."

"I encourage technology and social media companies, schools and community groups, to establish more opportunities for children such as Microsoft's Council for Digital Good," the first lady said. "By listening to children's ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate this often-difficult topic."

"Let's face it: Most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits."

After speaking, Mrs. Trump took a seat in the front row and listened as a panel featuring representatives from Facebook, Google, Twitter and the nonprofit Family Online Safety Institute talk about how they're responding to the issue.

As the panelists spoke, Trump sent fresh tweets about John Brennan, calling him "the worst CIA Director in our country's history" and a "political hack." Brennan, who led the CIA under President Barack Obama, a Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of Trump, a Republican, over his performance and behavior as president. Trump recently revoked Brennan's security clearance.

Trump also tweeted against Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who has come under Republican scrutiny for his contacts to Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS. The opposition research firm hired former British spy Christopher Steele during the 2016 presidential campaign to compile a dossier on Trump and his Russia ties. Ohr's wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS during the campaign - and Trump has been tweeting about the connection to highlight his assertions of political bias behind the Russia investigation.

Trump tweeted Monday: "Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions "Justice" Department? A total joke!"

Trump said last week that he was close to revoking Ohr's security clearance, too.

The first lady's appearance at the conference came as part of her campaign to help children "Be Best," which also includes an emphasis on child well-being overall and opioid addition.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the Health Resources and Services Administration, which sponsored the conference and which his department oversees, began an anti-bullying campaign in 2001 to help raise awareness. He said one in five children experience bullying, and that 16 percent of children currently are victims of cyberbullying.

"We need to recognize that bullying is bullying wherever it occurs," Azar said. "And we need to stop it."

The conference also heard from Joseph Grunwald, who described his experiences being bullied during middle and high school. Grunwald said the bullying started as taunts on the school bus and grew into physical harassment by high school, including violence. He did not go into detail.

As the same time, he said he was also being harassed on social media.

"Because the bullying was also online, I couldn't escape it, no matter where I was," Grunwald said.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

First lady Melania Trump speaks as she attends the 6th Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Summit at Health and Human Service in Rockville, Md., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

First lady Melania Trump attends the 6th Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Summit at Health and Human Service in Rockville, Md., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

First lady Melania Trump attends the 6th Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Summit at Health and Human Service in Rockville, Md., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

First lady Melania Trump speaks as she attends the 6th Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Summit at Health and Human Service in Rockville, Md., Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
BOSTON (AP) - A federal judge in Boston heard arguments on Monday in a case centered on whether immigrants married to U.S. citizens but facing deportation should be allowed to remain in the country while they seek to become legal residents.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the class action lawsuit, says a special exemption created under former President Barack Obama's administration allows certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens to remain in the country while they apply for legal status through marriage.

But the organization argues that the 2016 Department of Homeland Security waiver, which was meant to prevent breaking up families and causing unnecessary hardship, isn't being honored by Republican President Donald Trump's administration, which has made stepped up immigration enforcement a priority.

Lilian Calderon answers questions during a lunch break outside federal court, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Boston, as her husband, Luis Gordillo, center back, and others stand nearby. The American Civil Liberties Union argued a case on behalf of them and four other couples that federal immigration officials are violating the rights of immigrants seeking legal status by setting a deportation "trap" at their required marriage interviews. (AP Photo/Philip Marcelo)

"We didn't invent this process," ACLU lawyer Adriana Lafaille said during Monday's lengthy arguments. "It was put into legal effect by DHS."

Mary Larakers, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice, countered that the regulations weren't originally envisioned to allow immigrants who have been ordered to leave the country - in some cases numerous times over the years - to remain indefinitely while they exhaust all of their legal options.

"That's not what it was intended to do," Larakers said. "It was for people who were already here who were not having their orders of removal executed."

The government also argued that the District Court doesn't have jurisdiction over the case since the immigrants named in the suit have since been released. Enforcement decisions lie with Homeland Security and immigrants can go through immigration court appeals process for judicial relief, Larakers added.

Judge Mark Wolf pushed back at the government's arguments at times.

He suggested the question wasn't about what agency has oversight over deportation but whether immigration officials were taking into consideration existing regulations in their deportation decisions.

"I recognize that different administrations can have different priorities," he said. "But that's not how laws change."

The administration, he said, can revoke regulations, but, "as long as they're there, they apply."

Monday's hearing comes after the ACLU filed legal briefs last week revealing how officials for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service in New England are closely coordinating with their Immigration and Customs Enforcement counterparts to arrest immigrants as they attend required interviews for the citizenship process.

The ACLU criticizes the efforts as a deportation "trap" that violates the constitutional rights of immigrants otherwise following the rules to become legal residents.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement maintains that coordination between the two Department of Homeland Security agencies is lawful.

Lilian Calderon and Luis Gordillo, of Rhode Island, are the lead plaintiffs in the ACLU's case, which names four other couples.

Gordillo is a U.S. citizen, but Calderon is a native of Guatemala who came to the country as a young child and was ordered to leave in 2002 as a teen.

Calderon was detained in January after the couple attended a Citizenship and Immigration Service interview to confirm their marriage. She was released in February after the ACLU challenged the detention.
The Egyptian navy has carried out training exercises with their Italian, South Korean, and Greek counterparts in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, a statement by the Egyptian military said on Monday.

In an official statement, Egyptian armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said a number of Egyptian naval vessels participated in training with Italian and Greek vessels, carrying out joint exercises in the Mediterranean.

The exercises included training on the protection of vessels while crossing dangerous zones, as well as an exchange of the take-off and landing of jets on the surfaces of naval units.

According to the statement, the commander of the Italian fleet met on the sidelines of the training with Lieutenant-General Ahmed Khaled, the commander of the Egyptian naval forces, where he inspected a number of recently acquired Egyptian vessels.

In the Red Sea, a number of Egyptian and South Korean vessels conducted an exercise which included carrying out realistic scenarios to confront challenges faced by maritime security in combating terrorism, as well as practicing the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) procedures for suspect ships.

The training also included applying sailing formations for both day and at night.

The joint trainings and visits come as part of support for military relations, and an exchange of training experience with friendly and brotherly countries.

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ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greek firefighters are battling a forest fire that briefly threatened a village in southern Greece but so far has caused no injuries or damages to buildings.

The fire service says more than 80 firefighters, three water-dropping planes and three helicopters are trying to extinguish the blaze that started Monday near Dafniotissa, in the Amaliada region of the western Peloponnese.

Greece suffers from forest fires every year during the hot, dry summer. On July 23, a major blaze near Athens killed 96 people.

Despite widespread allegations of arson, most fires are started by carelessness. On Monday, police arrested a Greek couple suspected of accidentally setting a field on fire on the island of Crete.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's personal attorney says he wasn't trying to make an existential point about the meaning of veracity when he declared "truth isn't truth."

Rudy Giuliani's puzzling statement on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, following one by another Trump aide last year about "alternative facts," suggested that people in Trump's orbit might be denying the existence of reality.

Giuliani says his intent was more mundane: to make the case that having Trump sit down for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller's team wouldn't accomplish much because of the conflicting nature of witnesses' recollections.

FILE - In a Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 file photo, Rudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Trump, speaks during campaign event for Eddie Edwards, who is running for the U.S. Congress in New Hampshire, in Portsmouth, N.H. "Truth isn't truth," says President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, as he explained why he's wary about pushing the president into an interview that he says could be a perjury trap. Giuliani used the line "truth isn't truth" Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, on NBC's "Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

"My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology," he tweeted, "but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic 'he said, she said' puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesn't."

Giuliani had told "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd that Trump might "get trapped into perjury" if he were interviewed by the special counsel's Russia investigation. "You tell me that, you know, he should testify because he's going to tell the truth and he shouldn't worry, well, that's so silly because it's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth."

When Todd replied: "Truth is truth," Giuliani responded: "No, it isn't truth. Truth isn't truth."
BALTIMORE (AP) - The portrait used to hang in the hallway, welcoming children and parents to the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore: A smiling Dr. Ben Carson in surgical scrubs, rubbing together the careful, steady hands that helped him become the nation's most famous black doctor.

"The person who has the most to do with your success is you," it reads.

That was before Carson's presidential bid, before he withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, before he was tapped to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was before he worked for a president who failed to condemn white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. And before Carson pushed policies critics say walk back civil rights protections for those living in subsidized housing.

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2004, file photo, Dr. Ben Carson, then-director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, holds a model of the heads of conjoined twins Tabea and Lea Block of Lemgo, Germany, during a news conference in Baltimore. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role as Housing and Urban Development Secretary in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner, File)

"I took it down," said Principal Alicia Freeman of the portrait she's since moved from the second floor hallway to a less visible spot inside a reading room bearing Carson's name. The doctor's inspirational message now feels hostile, she said.

"He was starting to become offensive."

Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, the overwhelmingly Democratic city where Carson made his name. In some schools his memoir was required reading, an illustration of the power of perseverance. For a working-class, majority African-American city wracked by racial division, poverty, drug addiction and neglect, Ben Carson was hope.

But his role in the Trump administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African-Americans here.

"The Trump virus is weakening Ben Carson's image," said Bishop Frank Reid, a former pastor at Baltimore's Bethel AME Church who met Carson at Yale, where both received their bachelor's degrees. Carson is still respected, Reid said. "But he is no longer the hero he once was."

Carson declined to be interviewed for this story. Instead, he sent a written statement.

"I understand what it means to be poor because I grew up poor," the statement said. "I was fortunate to have my mother who was my compass - always steering me on course, helping me to see beyond our circumstances. That's what I hope to do for the millions of low-income families HUD serves."

Carson was born in Detroit, but Baltimore is the city that claims him. He rose to fame for his groundbreaking surgeries at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and launched his scholarship program here. Carson would sometimes arrange for high school students to visit the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum on the city's east side, where a figure in his likeness stands glossy and smiling in a white lab coat and stethoscope, in the middle of the Famous Marylanders display.

But since taking the reins at HUD, Carson has proposed sweeping rent increases for the poorest subsidized housing tenants, and delayed key Obama-era regulations designed to address racial segregation. Carson has considered stripping anti-discrimination language from the department's mission statement, and voiced strong support for implementing work requirements for housing aid recipients. In a radio interview shortly after being confirmed, Carson said poverty "is a state of mind."

Promoting self-sufficiency is a cornerstone of Carson's leadership, and he enthusiastically embraces the bootstrap ideology popular with conservatives.

Such themes have always informed how Carson frames his own history.

"Success is determined not by whether or not you face obstacles, but by your reaction to them," Carson wrote in his memoir.

But those messages take on a new tone coming from a politician.

Shaun Verma, a Ben Carson Scholarship recipient and Johns Hopkins graduate, says Carson's use of his story of hard work and determination to justify scaling back the safety net for the same communities that raised and revered him "is really, really disappointing."

At 15, Verma founded MDJunior, a nonprofit that aims to improve health care accessibility to underserved communities. As a Carson scholar he attended board meetings and banquets, and got to know Carson personally. Carson's politics "has tainted his long career and commendable service. It's hard to associate all this with a person I looked up to for years," said Verma, who grew up in Georgia and is now living in New York.

Some Maryland conservatives view Carson differently. Antonio Campbell, a professor of political science at Towson University and state chairman for Carson's 2016 presidential campaign, said he "remains impressed" with Carson, and that those disappointed with his performance as HUD secretary likely feel that way because of fundamentally divergent values.

"The question is, what is the role of government?" said Campbell, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate against Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. When assistance is scaled back, those accustomed to the status quo are bound to be disappointed, he said, adding that Carson "is learning" how to sell his policies to skeptics.

Kurt Schmoke, Baltimore's first elected African-American mayor, said Carson "has left a substantial segment of the community scratching their heads." But he added that Carson's vast achievements and philanthropic work haven't been entirely eclipsed by his foray into politics.

"You can't take away the fact that he's done outstanding things for people throughout his life, that can't be erased," said Schmoke, who has been friends with Carson for decades. "But I do think there's clearly more people who view him through a political lens and that affects how he's viewed here."

FILE - IN this March 1, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson speaks during an election night party in Baltimore. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role as Housing and Urban Development Secretary in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

In this May 3, 2018, photo, a portrait of Ben Carson hangs in the Ben Carson Reading Room inside of the Archbishop Borders School in Baltimore. The portrait used to hang in the school's hallway, but Principal Alicia Freeman moved it out of public view during Carson's presidential campaign. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. (AP Photo/Juliet Linderman)

FILE - In this April 4, 2013 file photo, a group of boys walk past a partially collapsed row house in Baltimore. For a city wracked by racial division, poverty and drug addiction -- where a baby born in a wealthy white neighborhood is expected to live two decades longer than one in a poor black area -- Ben Carson was hope. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of president widely rejected by blacks here. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

In this Aug. 15, 2018 photo, a wax figure depicting Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary Ben Carson, center, from his days as a neurosurgeon stands in a gallery at the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum in Baltimore. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2017, file photo, then-Housing and Urban Development Secretary-designate Dr. Ben Carson, listens as President Donald Trump speaks after touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump Administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Residents walk through a courtyard at the Perkins Homes public housing development in Baltimore on Thursday, July 19, 2018. Ben Carson's story of growing up in a single-parent household and climbing out of poverty to become a world-renowned surgeon was once ubiquitous in Baltimore, where Carson made his name. But his role in the Trump administration has added a complicated epilogue, leaving many who admired him feeling betrayed, unable to separate him from the politics of a president widely rejected by African Americans here. Carson has come back to Baltimore in an official capacity only three times since becoming HUD secretary. Last month the department gave $144 million in revitalization grants to five cities, including Baltimore. But for the announcement Carson sent a representative to the Perkins Homes housing complex 40 miles from HUD headquarters, opting instead to go to Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - A 57-year-old Kansas man who fled on a bicycle after robbing a bank last year has been sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison.

The Kansas City Star reports that Richard Armenta, of Overland Park, was sentenced Monday for robbing a Capital Federal Savings Bank branch on November 2017. He pleaded guilty in June.

Prosecutors say Armenta got away with cash. Witnesses to the robbery told investigators the suspect was riding a blue bicycle and had a spider web tattoo on his hand.

About a week after the robbery, police responded to a disturbance involving Armenta. He was arrested after an officer recognized the tattoo and noticed Armenta had a blue bicycle in the back of his pickup.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
OCALA, Fla. (AP) - Federal investigators are looking into allegations of rape, assault, and the smuggling of drugs into a central Florida prison for women.

The Miami Herald reports that about 100 former inmates and relatives of inmates at the Lowell Correctional Institution near Ocala, Florida, attended a town hall meeting on Sunday to talk with the investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The U.S. Department of Justice opened a federal civil rights investigation into sexual abuse of inmates in July.

The federal investigators are examining whether the Florida Department of Corrections ignored complaints of misconduct.

Florida corrections spokesman Patrick Manderfield says they don't tolerate abuse and welcome the investigation.

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Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - At least 11 suspects and two soldiers died during shootouts with military personnel and police in greater Rio de Janeiro on Monday as violence erupted in several areas of the city that hosted the Summer Olympics two years ago.

The direct confrontations between soldiers and armed traffickers also marked a deepening of the military's role in Rio's security. Since the military was put in charge of the state's security earlier this year, soldiers have mostly played supporting roles to police during operations, such as securing perimeters or setting up checkpoints. On Monday, soldiers were clearly in the lead.

"Our goal is only to make arrests. If there are deaths, the criminals are to blame," Carlos Cinelli, a military spokesman, told reporters while adding that military personnel came under fire during operations that began at 4:30 a.m. "The soldiers have a right to defend themselves."

Soldiers patrol the Complexo de Alemao slum during an operation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. At least 11 people have been killed during shootouts involving military personnel and police in Rio on Monday. Since February, the military has been in charge of security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which is struggling to curb a spike in violence. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Cinelli told reporters that five suspects were killed and another 10 were arrested when soldiers stormed the neighborhoods of Mare, Complexo do Alemao and Penha. In a press statement in the evening, the military command said two soldiers had died.

Cinelli said the operations, which included more than 4,000 military personnel, were aimed at finding wanted traffickers in the areas. The operation netted four pistols, two grenades and 440 pounds (200 kilograms) of marijuana paste, he said.

Brazilian news site G1 reported that many residents in the areas stayed at home, skipping work and school. An Associated Press video journalist saw a public bus that had been torched close to Complexo do Alemao, possibly a response to the anti-drug operation.

Meanwhile Monday, police said they killed six suspects during confrontations in Niteroi, across the bay from Rio de Janeiro. Police said the shootouts happened while pursuing suspects on one of the access points to the bridge that joins the two cities. The bridge, one of the area's most traversed roads, was temporarily shut. Three suspects and one police officer were injured, according to a police statement.

By decree, in February President Michel Temer put the military in charge of security in the state of Rio. He made the decision after muggings and beatings were captured on camera during Rio's world-famous Carnival celebrations.

Human rights groups have criticized the intervention, saying it's disproportionately impacting people, particularly blacks, in poor neighborhoods.

Cecilia Olliveira, creator of an app that tracks shootings in Brazil, sees military operations limiting favela residents' already scarce access to public services.

"You will often hear favela residents say: We ask for education, they send police. We ask for health services, they send police," Olliveira said. "They don't need more police. They need government services."

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Associated Press video journalism Mario Lobao contributed to this report from Rio de Janeiro.

Police officers patrol the Complexo de Alemao slum during an operation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. At least 11 people have been killed during shootouts involving military personnel and police in Rio on Monday. Since February, the military has been in charge of security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which is struggling to curb a spike in violence. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Police officers patrol the Complexo de Alemao slum during an operation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. At least 11 people have been killed during shootouts involving military personnel and police in Rio on Monday. Since February, the military has been in charge of security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which is struggling to curb a spike in violence. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

A suspect is detained during an operation at the Complexo de Alemao slum, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. At least 11 people have been killed during shootouts involving military personnel and police in Rio on Monday. Since February, the military has been in charge of security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which is struggling to curb a spike in violence. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

A woman walks past a bus allegedly set on fire by drug traffickers in the Bonsucesso neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Since February, the military has been in charge of security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which is struggling to curb a spike in violence. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
MISSOURI CITY, Texas (AP) - The Latest on deadly workplace shooting near Houston (all times local):

1 p.m.

Police say a woman shot two co-workers at a Houston-area food distribution center, killing one and wounding the other.

Authorities investigate the scene after a deadly shooting at Ben E. Keith distribution center Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Missouri City, Texas. Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Missouri City police Capt. Paul Poulton says investigators are still trying to determine what prompted 38-year-old Kristine Peralez to open fire early Monday at the Ben E. Keith facility southwest of Houston. She had worked for the company for about two years.

Poulton says Peralez had a social media posting indicating something significant was about to happen but it provided no specifics.

He says Francisco Reyes, an overnight manager, was killed in the shooting. Another worker was wounded.

Peralez was confronted by a responding officer. She was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound and later died.

Authorities say it's not clear if the officer shot Peralez or if she sustained a self-inflicted wound.

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9:30 a.m.

Police say a female employee opened fire at a Houston-area food distribution center, killing one person and wounding another.

Authorities say the suspect was also shot in the attack early Monday at a Ben E. Keith distribution center in Missouri City and died at a hospital. Police don't yet know whether she was shot by an officer or died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The shooting was reported just before 2:30 a.m. Missouri City is about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Houston.

Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. Berezin hasn't released names or details about the victims, but said a responding police officer opened fire on the woman.

Police are investigating.

Lights illuminate a sign at Ben E. Keith distribution center as authorities investigate a deadly shooting at the distribution center Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Missouri City, Texas. Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Authorities investigate the scene after a deadly shooting at Ben E. Keith distribution center Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Missouri City, Texas. Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin says the shooting happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers are on duty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Visitors with severe autism can move ahead with their lawsuits claiming Disney's U.S. parks didn't do enough to accommodate their need for scheduled routines and no waits on its rides, according to a federal appeals court.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled that plaintiffs in 30 lawsuits can proceed in a lower court with their claims against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. People with severe autism often have difficulties with social interaction and communication and often adhere to rigid routines.

A district judge in Florida had ruled previously that Disney was accommodating the autistic visitors and dismissed the claims in 2016. The autistic visitors appealed to the court in Atlanta.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled that 30 lawsuits can proceed in a lower court with claims against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Under the parks' current program, Disney allows visitors with disabilities to get a special card giving them an 'appointment time' to get on a ride after the specified time with little to no wait. The card allows them to get unlimited 'appointment times' throughout the day and allows them to get on rides immediately if the wait is less than 15 minutes. Disney workers also have the discretion to hand out readmission passes to visitors with disabilities, allowing them to get back on a ride immediately.

The plaintiffs said in their lawsuit that the autistic visitors still endured virtual waits, if not physical waits, that often resulted in 'meltdowns' since people with severe autism often have an inability to wait and express distress at small changes to their routines. Disney previously had allowed visitors with disabilities to go to the front of the line but changed the program in 2013 amid reports of abuse by people without disabilities. The new program for visitors with disabilities, though, disrupted set routines on the order of rides and didn't allow autistic visitors to go on rides exactly when they wanted to, the plaintiffs said.

'It is the nature of the neurological disability that makes waiting an impossibility,' the plaintiffs had argued.

Disney currently allows visitors with disabilities to get a special card giving them an 'appointment time' to get on a ride after the specified time with little to no wait

Plaintiffs said in their lawsuit that the autistic visitors still endured virtual waits, if not physical waits, that often resulted in 'meltdowns'

The plaintiffs said a solution would be to give disabled guests a pass guaranteeing they wouldn't have to wait more than 15 minutes for all rides. But Disney argued that solution was no different than its previous program which was subject to abuse when nondisabled visitors would hire disabled guests to join their party so they wouldn't have to wait.

In allowing the lawsuits to move forward, the appeals court said that the fact-finding coming out of the trials would help determine what is considered 'necessary' to accommodate autistic visitors' need for rigid routines and no waits. The judges said that Disney didn't intentionally discriminate against the autistic visitors and that the question the district court will decide is whether Disney needs to modify its policies.

In a statement, a Disney spokeswoman said the company is reviewing the decision and evaluating what next steps to take.

'Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all our guests,' the statement said.
Joel Arrona Lara was driving wife Maria del Carmen Venegas to hospital at the time

Mexican officials have confirmed that a man who was arrested last week having entered the US to take his pregnant wife to a Los Angeles hospital is wanted for murder - despite his claims ICE officials had made a mistake.

Joel Arrona Lara was arrested by immigration agents in California on Wednesday after entering the US to take his pregnant wife to hospital.

Lara and his attorneys said the man authorities were actually seeking was Lara's brother - but an official of the Mexican state of Guanajuato confirmed Monday that Lara himself was being hunted for the crime.

The official was not authorized to be quoted by name and could not say when the crime occurred, but said it was an intentional homicide case akin to a U.S. murder charge.

The official also revealed that Mexican prosecutors had asked the U.S. government to help find and detain Joel Arrona Lara.

Joel Arrona Lara, 35, was detained at a gas station San Bernardino, California on Wednesday while he was driving his pregnant wife to the hospital for a scheduled C-section

His arrest prompted outrage after his wife Maria del Carmen Venegas revealed she was left alone at the gas station (above) and then forced to drive herself to the hospital to give birth

Lara's arrest in San Bernardino, California on Wednesday prompted outrage after his wife Maria del Carmen Venegas revealed she was forced to drive herself to the hospital to give birth.

Venegas, 32, said she and her husband were driving to the hospital last week when they stopped for gas in San Bernardino, just east of Los Angeles.

Surveillance footage shows two vehicles immediately flank the couple's van after they pulled into the gas station. ICE agents questioned the couple and asked for identification.

Venegas said she provided hers but that Arrona had left his at home in their rush to the hospital.

The surveillance footage shows the agents handcuffing Arrona and taking him away, leaving a sobbing Venegas alone at the gas station.

Venegas said she drove herself to the hospital for a scheduled cesarean section for the birth of her fifth child.

Venegas said she drove herself to the hospital for a scheduled cesarean section for the birth of her fifth child (pictured above)

Venegas said she and her husband came to the US 12 years ago from Mexico. They do not have legal authorization to live in the US and all five of their children are US citizens

'I feel terrible,' Venegas said in a telephone interview from the hospital as her newborn son Damian cried in the background.

'We need him now more than ever.'

Venegas said she and her husband came to the US 12 years ago from the city of Leon in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato. They do not have legal authorization to live in the US and all five of their children are US citizens.

Venegas said her husband is a hard worker and the sole provider of the family.

She claimed her husband had never committed any crimes.

Authorities released a statement Saturday afternoon saying Arrona 'was brought to ICE's attention due to an outstanding warrant issued for his arrest in Mexico on homicide charges'.

ICE said agents with the agency's Fugitive Operations Team detained Arrona on Wednesday and said he remained in custody pending removal proceedings.
Ugandan police fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration in the capital Kampala on Monday and military units were deployed as unrest escalated over the beating of detained lawmakers.

Local television pictures showed demonstrators setting up bonfires and barricades on the second day of protests on Kampala streets, and police and soldiers tried to remove the roadblocks.

Gunfire rang out sporadically in parts of the city, two witnesses told Reuters.

Tension has been running high in Uganda since the detention of five lawmakers critical of President Yoweri Museveni.

They were arrested on Aug. 13 on suspicion of taking part in the stoning of a presidential convoy during a parliamentary by-election campaign in which car windows were smashed.

Two of the lawmakers were badly beaten while being detained, according to a lawyer for one of them. The European Union condemned their treatment.

The government denies security personnel deliberately beat anyone.

Police spokesman Emilian Kayima told a news conference on Monday police and soldiers deployed to quell a riot in a downtown Kampala market, adding that violence had erupted in at least three separate parts of the city.

"Police intervened quickly together with the military to return calm and stabilise the situation," he added. "We condemn the perpetrators of this violence."

A total of 68 suspects had been arrested during two days of disturbances, he said.

Among those demonstrating were supporters of Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-lawmaker who goes by the stage name Bobi Wine, who has built up a large youth following with his lyrics' biting criticism of Museveni's government.

Protesters and opposition supporters see the alleged mistreatment as part of a pattern of repression by Museveni's government, an allegation it denies.

They accuse Museveni, in power since 1986, of stifling dissent through intimidation, beatings, detentions and prosecutions on trumped-up charges.

Critics say the veteran leader is set to rule Uganda for life after parliament removed a constitutional age limit that would have barred him from seeking re-election in 2021 - the year the East African state hopes to begin oil production.

Museveni and his backers say he enjoys genuine mass support. He also has won Western support for providing Ugandan forces for an African peacekeeping force in Somalia that is fighting al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab Islamist movement.

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NEW YORK (AP) - As a kid, like a lot of us, Jessica Biel practiced giving a speech in front of a mirror for that fairytale moment when she won a top award.

But unlike most of us, Biel's moment has a chance to come true - she's nominated for an Emmy Award for best lead actress in a limited series for her role in "The Sinner," the USA Network series that she stars in - and helped bring about as its executive producer. And now that the moment is closer - the Emmy Awards will be presented next month - she's worried that she might get a little tongue-tied.

"I've recently had a thought of like 'do I need to prepare something?'... I'm a really bad public speaker when I have to be me, I'm way more nervous about it. So I'm not quite sure what to do with that yet. I'm still trying to figure out, you know, do you have a paper just in case? But then what if you lose? Now you have this paper and it's like embarrassing," she said, laughing. "I haven't quite put together what my path is yet."

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2018 file photo, actress-producer Jessica Biel attends a USA Network's "The Sinner" screening and conversation at 92Y in New York. Biel is nominated for an Emmy for best lead actress in a limited series for her role on the show. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Her acting path has taken her far. She started out as a teen in the TV series "7th Heaven" and has starred in numerous TV and film roles since then. But her biggest role has been as a mom to son Silas with husband Justin Timberlake; she's been in Europe this summer with the family, accompanying Timberlake on tour.

In a recent interview, Biel talked about the satisfaction of bringing "The Sinner" to the small screen, its dark nature, and escaping with her husband and 3-year-old son.

Associated Press: This was your project, you're the show's executive producer, so was it extra-sweet?

Biel: I think when you put so much heart and blood, sweat and tears, and you're there at the beginning and you know you have no idea if this thing's going to even work, and then it works and it really works. And then not only do you have a great audience response, but your community really loves it and specifically your performance, it's awesome.

AP: The show is dark. How did you get to those places and sustain it?

Biel: It was definitely the most challenging creative experience - emotional experience - I've had at work ever because it was relentless. ... Honestly it's hard to describe in words how you get into a place like that. But what I know for sure is that I just felt great compassion for this woman, even though she did something so horrific. I somehow connected with her and related to her - I think probably one element was because she was a mom and the idea of having a small kid and never seeing that kid again because you're in prison for the rest of your life. ... I mean I could just get emotional thinking about that. ... And honestly, I think I was exorcising a lot of my own demons. ... My own baggage and history and trauma that I've had in my past. Obviously I ... don't have an experience like this woman has had, but I have my own stuff. And I think it was an amazing place to just kind of work it and get catharsis through it and just splay out like all of my guts on the table every day in a safe environment. It's kind of an amazing part of the job that I do.

AP: How did you compartmentalize it and go home to your son?

Biel: I thought it was going to be really hard, and it was like my sanctuary, you know? At the end of the day, I could throw it all off on the floor and leave it at work and go home to something very simple. You know what it's like when you have a 2- or 3-year-old: food, play, water, change the diaper, take a nap (laughs). Things need to be done. There's no complicated mind games, there's no complicated emotions. ... And there was something freeing about that.

AP: How has your summer been touring with your family?

Biel: I really love (to travel) and I just feel grateful that we're having this experience. It's definitely not without its challenges having a small kid, moving him around a lot. But it's amazing. It's such a great education for him and for me - out of our comfort zone hearing new languages, trying foods. It's fun to do it as a family even though, you know, my husband's working a lot. That is what it is. I've probably seen the show at least 30 times. Never gets old. It doesn't. He's the best. Truly. And I mean that! I'm biased, of course. But I think also if I saw the show completely not knowing him I think it's the best show ever.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is looking into how to be removed from a national association's censure list after being criticized for its handling of a confrontation between a university lecturer and a student recruiting for a conservative group.

University officials will form a committee and a panel this fall to examine campus policies and consider how to be taken off the American Association of University Professors' censure list, The Omaha World-Herald reported . A censure serves as a formal rebuke of a university's administrators and is typically tied to tenure and academic freedom issues.

The association placed the university on the list in June, saying school officials succumbed to political pressure by suspending and later firing lecturer Courtney Lawton for a confrontation last year. Lawton made an inappropriate hand gesture at undergraduate student Kaitlyn Mullen, who was recruiting on campus for conservative group Turning Point USA. Turning Point maintains a "professor watch list" of faculty deemed radically liberal.

Lawton also called Mullen a "neo-fascist." Lawton was a graduate student lecturer and didn't have tenure at the university.

"We do take this seriously," said Jeff Rudy, president of the university's Faculty Senate. "Any blemish on our reputation is not something that we relish."

At least three conservative state lawmakers accused the university of being unwelcoming to conservative viewpoints.

Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts said that the incident "highlighted concerns about the liberal bent of academia."

The academic group found that the university's discipline had violated Lawton's academic freedom. The association also said the graduate student was fired without getting a fair hearing.

An association representative said getting removed from the list requires changes in a university's regulations, restitution or redress to the faculty members involved and an assessment of the university's academic freedom.

There are currently 56 colleges on the association's censure list.

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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com
A Massachusetts couple died after they got caught in a rip current at a New Hampshire beach.

Michael and Laura Cote were unconscious when they were pulled from the water at the Seabrook shore around 12.30pm on Sunday.

They were rushed to Portsmouth Regional Hospital where the 49-year-old husband was pronounced dead and his 47-year-old wife died hours later.

The couple from Methuen, Massachusetts, was identified by their church, Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, in a Facebook post Monday afternoon.

Michael and Laura Cote were killed by a rip current at a New Hampshire beach on Sunday. The couple had been pulled from the water unconscious and were transported to a hospital where the 49-year-old husband was pronounced dead and his 47-year-old wife died hours later

The sunny day at Seabrook Beach turned deadly when six swimmers got caught in a riptide

Matt Tomaszewski was one of the numerous good Samaritans who sprang into action when the sunny day at the beach took a dire turn as six swimmers got caught in a rip current.

Tomaszewski, a 29-year-old former basketball player for Syracuse University, managed to help two people grab his board. He also tried to rescue a third person who appeared to be unconscious.

He 'helped to get his head out of the water and tried to put as much of his torso on the paddleboard as I could while the other two were just holding on', Tomaszewski told WCVB-TV.

But then, a wave pushed the man away, and he lost sight of him. He gave his board to the other two swimmers who headed to shore as he went in search of the third swimmer.

'I learned afterwards that the people I helped have three daughters, and I'm a father myself, so when I was running out there, I was thinking about saving as many people as I can. And on my way back in, it was all thinking about my family,' Tomaszewski said.

Police and fire rescuers were called to the scene, and one officer shed his uniform before jumping in to help swimmers back to the shore.

That officer later with a surfboard to search for another. Lifeguards at a nearby beach swarmed in on Jet Skis and with a rescue boat.

Four swimmers and a good Samaritan who also got caught in the current were pulled to safety unscathed, but the Cotes weren't so lucky.

Their church in Dracut has planned a funeral service for them on Monday night.

'They were so involved in every spiritual and other undertaking in this parish that many of us are in deep mourning,' Rev Sean Maher posted on Facebook.

Fred Marion and his wife attended church with the Cotes. They vacationed with them in the mountains of New Hampshire and traveled together to Washington, DC, and Rome.

'Certainly them being friends, it's stunning that this happened,' Fred Marion said. 'We are in shock, as anyone would be.'

Saint Francis Roman Catholic Church in Dracut, Massachusetts, broke the news that the couple, who were members of the congregation, had died in a Facebook post Monday

Rip currents, sometimes referred to as riptides, are narrow channels of water that move as fast as eight feet per second and occur at any beach with breaking waves.

They move away from the shore. Anyone caught in them is advised to swim parallel to shore to escape their pull.

There were signs on the beach warning swimmers that no lifeguards were on duty, but not about the potential for a rip current, Seabrook Town Manager William Manzi III said.

It was the first one he could remember since becoming town manager five years ago. Alerts on the rough currents and an advisory to avoid swimming were put on the local police department's social media accounts afterward.

The police and fire departments are expected to issue recommendations in response to the tragedy in the coming days, to be considered by the town board, Manzi said.

'Whatever they recommend, we will take a look and see what happens,' he said.

In 2006, New Hampshire beaches started a flag warning system after two swimmers drowned in rip currents near Hampton Beach the year before. The color-coded flags included green ones to signal low risk and red to alert beachgoers to high risk conditions.
A judge on Monday ordered Michigan's health director to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in two deaths linked to Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area, the highest-ranking official to face criminal charges as a result of the city's tainted water scandal.

Nick Lyon is accused of failing to issue a timely alert about the outbreak. District Court Judge David Goggins said deaths likely could have been prevented if the outbreak had been publicly known. He said keeping the public in the dark was 'corrupt.'

Goggins found probable cause for a trial in Genesee County court, a legal standard that isn't as high as beyond a reasonable doubt. Lyon also faces a charge of misconduct in office.

Flint resident Ariana Hawkins (right) celebrates with Katrina Petri (left) after Genesee District Judge David J. Goggins gave his decision

Nick Lyon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, is accused of failing to issue a timely alert over the water quality issue

Courtesy of WEYI

When the judge announced his decision, a woman in the gallery said, 'Yes, yes, yes.'

'It's a long way from over,' Lyon told The Associated Press. He declined further comment.

Some experts have blamed Legionnaires' on Flint's water, which wasn't properly treated when it was drawn from the Flint River in 2014 and 2015. Legionella bacteria can emerge through misting and cooling systems, triggering a severe form of pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems.

At least 90 cases of Legionnaires' occurred in Genesee County, including 12 deaths. More than half of the people had a common thread: They spent time at McLaren Hospital, which was on the Flint water system.

The outbreak was announced by Gov. Rick Snyder and Lyon in January 2016, although Lyon concedes that he knew that cases were being reported many months earlier. He is director of the Health and Human Services Department.

Nick Lyon, right, was told his decision to keep the public in the dark over the scandal was 'corrupt'

Nick Lyon leaves the courtroom after the decision was announced that he will face a manslaughter trial

Nonetheless, he denies wrongdoing. Lyon's attorneys said there was much speculation about the exact cause of Legionnaires' and not enough solid information to share earlier with the public.

The investigation by state Attorney General Bill Schuette's office is part of a larger probe into how Flint's water system became contaminated when the city used Flint River water for 18 months. The water wasn't treated to reduce corrosion. As a result, lead leached from old pipes.

'We're not looking at today as a win or a loss. We're looking at today as the first step and the next step for justice for the moms, dads and kids of Flint,' said Schuette spokeswoman Andrea Bitely, who specifically mentioned the families of two men whose deaths the prosecution blames on Lyon - 85-year-old Robert Skidmore and 83-year-old John Snyder.

An additional 14 current or former state and local officials have been charged with crimes, either related to Legionnaires' or lead in the water. Four agreed to misdemeanor plea deals; the other cases are moving slowly.

Flint residents Arthur Woodson, Barbie Biggs and Claire McClinton listen on as the judge gives his decision on Monday

Judge David Goggins said deaths likely could have been prevented if the outbreak had been publicly known

'Normally we don't see government officials accused of manslaughter based on what they didn't do,' said Peter Henning, a professor at Wayne State University law school in Detroit. 'That does make it an unusual case, and it will make government officials be much more cautious. Maybe that's the message here.'

Defense attorney John Bursch said the judge's decision was 'mystifying.' Goggins spent more than two hours summarizing evidence from weeks of testimony, but he didn't specifically explain what swayed him to send Lyon to trial.

'We had 20 pages of argument in our legal brief that he didn't address,' Bursch said outside court. 'He didn't talk about the law at all.'

A trial would be many months away after Snyder's term as governor ends on Jan. 1. He said Lyon 'has my full faith and confidence' and will remain as Michigan's health director.

A courtroom spectator, Karina Petri, 30, of Milwaukee said sending a senior official to trial is 'long overdue.'

'He withheld the truth. There's no excuse,' said Petri, who wore a 'Flint Lives Matter' shirt. 'He could have changed hundreds of lives.'
The FBI is on the hunt for three suspects accused of abducting a Chinese businessman who owns a high-end car dealership in Los Angeles and are demanding a $2million ransom.

Ruochen 'Tony' Liao, 28, was kidnapped on July 16 in San Gabriel, according to Gene Kowel, an assistant special-agent-in-charge at the FBI's office in Los Angeles.

Liao, who owns a Southern California car dealership that sold luxury cars, such as Porsches and Bentleys, had just finished an evening meeting with several business associates when three men pulled up in two black vehicles - a Toyota minivan and a Range Rover - and took him away, officials said.

The abduction took place at around 7.30pm along Valley Boulvard, about 10 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

Where is Tony? This 2018 photo provided by the FBI shows Ruochen 'Tony' Liao, who was kidnapped in San Gabriel, California, by three men on July 16

The FBI has released a sketch of one of the suspects in the abduction, who was identified as a man in his mid-30s named 'David' (left). Liao has not been seen or heard from in five weeks

Lioa (left) owns a car dealership outside Los Angeles that specializes in high-end vehicles like Porsches and Bentleys

After they kidnapped him, the abductors - all believed to be Chinese nationals - contacted Liao's family and demanded a $2million ransom, but the money was not paid, Kowel said.

'We don't have evidence indicating he has left the country but we don't know where he is,' said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

On Monday, the FBI released a sketch of one of the men they believe was involved in the kidnapping, who they suspect may have been an acquaintance of Liao.

The suspect, a man between the ages of 35-40 whom the FBI identified only as 'David,' had attended the business meeting with Liao, according to Matthew Lombard, an attorney for Liao's family. Investigators say David was heard speaking Mandarin.

Investigators are examining several theories in the case, including the possibility that Liao was involved in a business dispute and that he had had dealings with people who 'were not the most reputable,' Kowel said.

Liao (pictured left as a boy), an only child in his family, was born in Sichuan, China, and attended school in Nebraska before moving to the Los Angeles area

FBI agents believe Liao (pictured driving a Porsche) was possibly involved in a business dispute with some disreputable characters

Although the kidnappers had reached out initially to demand the ransom, Liao's family has not heard from them in about a month, he said.

'Our hope is that Tony is still alive. We're operating under the premise that he is still alive,' Kowel said. 'However, we do become concerned as these cases progress the chance of someone remaining alive can diminish.'

Liao, who is originally from Sichuan, China, moved to the Los Angeles area after attending school in Nebraska.

Liao's relatives, who live in China, are offering a $150,000 reward, in addition to a $25,000 reward being offered by the FBI for information that could lead them to locating Liao.

'He is a deeply loved person by his family,' Lombard said. 'He's their only child and they are very, very concerned for him.'
Race car drivers understand death, more so than other professional athletes. Nearly every driver at the top levels has lost a friend or a rival in a race, an acquaintance from another series, a driver they grew up idolizing.

Death is a risk the drivers willingly take and their loved ones accept, knowing the passion for a profession that can kill.

Robert Wickens came to terms with the stakes long before he left a successful career in Europe racing touring cars to join the IndyCar Series. Was he thinking he could be seriously injured when he climbed into his car Sunday at Pocono Raceway? Most certainly not. Drivers don't become champions through fear.

Track workers repair a section of fence after a wreck during the IndyCar auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Wickens certainly wasn't scared when the flag dropped and he went wheel-to-wheel as he tried to pass Ryan Hunter-Reay just a few minutes into the race. The cars hurtled through the turn, each driver mashing the gas, refusing to give an inch of asphalt in a breathtaking game of chicken. Those moments are so beautiful and the very essence of auto racing.

But those moments can change from thrilling to terrifying once wheels connect on a pair of open-cockpit Indy cars. Open wheel's history is filled with instances of cars sailing into fences, spinning like tops through the air and leaving parts scattered over the track with drivers often lucky to come away alive.

Wickens and Hunter-Reay touched their cars ever so slightly - this was no beating and banging like NASCAR - and the racing suddenly turned ugly. Hunter-Reay's car spun into Wickens' path and Wickens launched over it and into the fence. His car spun over and over, smacking along the fence, and it appeared to smash into a pole as it partially disintegrated into a minefield of debris. As the car was spit back toward the track, the in-car camera from Hunter-Reay's seat showed it missed clipping Hunter-Reay's head by inches.

Wickens was airlifted to a hospital in nearby Allentown, Pennsylvania. IndyCar said Monday the 29-year-old Canadian will undergo surgery for a spinal injury. He suffered injuries to his lower extremities, right arm and spine and a pulmonary contusion.

Both he and Hunter-Reay are lucky to be alive. The outcomes could have been worse - if Wickens' car went into the fence cockpit first, if the protective tub had not remained intact, if the debris field had been fractions of an inch lower as it sailed over Hunter-Reay's head.

Enough ifs to ignite a renewed safety debate, calls for different fencing at ovals or halos over the cockpits to protect drivers' heads.

Everything should be looked at because improving safety should always be a priority. But racing is never going to be 100 percent safe. If risk was not part of the show, there would be no show.

It took two hours to repair the gaping hole in the Pocono fence and the IndyCar drivers, a close-knit group , could do nothing but wait for an update on Wickens while waiting for the race to resume.

Alexander Rossi, who went on to win , was asked about that balance during the delay.

"You compartmentalize," he said.

Michael Andretti was accused of being insensitive when he was interviewed after the accident. The team owner said Wickens should have let off the gas and it was too early in the race to be so aggressive, prompting criticism on social media over his perceived detachment.

Perhaps he was just compartmentalizing. Andretti has lost enough friends to racing accidents - including Dan Wheldon in 2011 and Justin Wilson, who was driving an Andretti car in a 2015 accident at Pocono - to understand the emotions enveloping the paddock on Sunday.

Sebastien Bourdais, involved in his own bone-breaking accident last season at Indianapolis, was clearly shaken during the delay. He drove through large pieces of debris, saw Wickens' car in the fence and had to process it all while not forgetting the race was going to resume.

"I was really worried for him ... he's hurt, but I hope not too bad. He's alive," Bourdais said.

As for getting back in his car?

"It's what we do," he said matter-of-factly. "It's a bit easier if you know the guy's made it."

That's about as raw as it gets for a race car driver because they don't talk about risks or admit fear. A scared driver won't win many races. So the risks remain tucked away while everyone knows there is no such thing as safe.

Safer? Sure. Safe? Never.

IndyCar will probably adopt the halo over the cockpit, but only when the head protection device has been effectively tested and is ready. Since Wheldon died when his head hit a pole in the fence at Las Vegas, the drivers have made a compelling case for fortified fencing and alterations that would move the poles outside the track. That should get a strong second look.

For now, they race.

When IndyCar called drivers back to their cars Sunday, Bourdais was unhappy with the way the fence had been repaired. He made it known he felt the job was inadequate and a danger to the competitors.

Then he got back in the car.

"I'm old but I'm not wiser," he said. "Everybody's in the seat. You gotta go."

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More AP Auto Racing: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Track workers repair a section of fence after a wreck during the IndyCar auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

A medical helicopter takes off from the infield during the IndyCar auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A judge in Flint, Michigan on Monday ruled that there is enough evidence for the head of Michigan's health department, Nick Lyon, to stand trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter related to the city's lead-contaminated water crisis. He's accused of not providing timely notification to the public about a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in the Flint area in 2014 and 2015.

A look back at key moments in the crisis.

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April 2014: In an effort to save money, Flint begins drawing water from the Flint River for its 100,000 residents. The move is considered temporary while the city waits to connect to a new regional water system. Residents immediately complain about the smell, taste and appearance of the water, and raise health concerns, reporting rashes, hair loss and other problems.

January 2015: Detroit offers to reconnect Flint to its water system, but Flint leaders insist the water is safe.

Sept. 24, 2015: A group of doctors urges Flint to stop using the Flint River for water after finding high levels of lead in the blood of children. State regulators insist the water is safe.

Sept. 29, 2015: Gov. Rick Snyder pledges to take action in response to the lead levels - the first acknowledgment by the state that lead is a problem.

October 2015: Snyder announces that the state will spend $1 million to buy water filters and test water in Flint public schools, and days later calls for Flint to go back to using water from Detroit's system.

Dec. 29, 2015: Snyder accepts the resignation of Department of Environmental Quality Director Dan Wyant and apologizes for what occurred in Flint.

Jan. 5, 2016: Snyder declares a state of emergency in Flint, the same day federal officials confirm that they are investigating. A week later, the Michigan National Guard begins helping to distribute bottled water and filters, while Snyder asks the federal government for help.

Jan. 14, 2016: Snyder asks the Obama administration for major disaster declaration and more federal aid. The White House provides federal aid and an emergency declaration on Jan. 16, but not the disaster declaration.

Jan. 15, 2016: Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette begins an "independent review" into the Flint crisis.

Mid-March. 2016: State officials testify before Congress, including Snyder and the state-appointed emergency manager who oversaw Flint when the water source was switched to the river.

March 23, 2016: A governor-appointed panel concludes that the state of Michigan is "fundamentally accountable" for the crisis because of decisions made by environmental regulators.

April 20, 2016: Two state officials and a local official are charged with evidence tampering and other crimes in the Michigan attorney general's investigation - the first to be levied in the probe.

Aug. 14, 2016: A federal emergency declaration over Flint's lead-tainted water crisis ends, but state officials say work continues to fix the drinking water system and provide services to city residents.

Dec. 10, 2016: Congress approves a wide-ranging bill to authorize water projects across the country, including $170 million to address lead in Flint's drinking water.

Dec. 16, 2016: Congressional Republicans quietly close a yearlong investigation into Flint's crisis, faulting both state officials and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Dec. 20, 2016: Schuette charges former emergency managers Darnell Earley and Gerald Ambrose with multiple 20-year felonies for their failure to protect the residents of Flint from health hazards caused by contaminated drinking water. He also charges Earley, Ambrose and two Flint city employees with felony counts of false pretenses and conspiracy to commit false pretenses in the issuance of bonds to pay for a portion of the water project that led to the crisis.

Feb. 17, 2017: The Michigan Civil Rights Commission issues a report that finds "systemic racism" going back decades is at the core of problems that caused the water crisis in the majority black city of Flint.

March 16, 2017: Snyder announces that his administration will enact the country's toughest lead limit for water in the wake of the lead contamination in Flint.

March 28, 2017: Water lines in homes at Flint will be replaced under a landmark deal approved by a judge, marking a milestone in the effort to overcome the disastrous decision in 2014 to draw water from the Flint River without treating it to prevent lead contamination.

June 14, 2017: Michigan Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon is accused of failing to alert the public about an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area that some experts believe resulted from poorly treated water. He and four others are charged with involuntary manslaughter. The state's chief medical officer, Dr. Eden Wells, is charged with obstruction of justice and lying to an investigator.

April 2018: Snyder ends Flint water distribution, saying the city's water quality had significantly improved.

July 19: A federal watchdog calls on the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen its oversight of state drinking water systems nationally and respond more quickly to public health emergencies such as the lead-in-the water crisis in Flint. The EPA says it agrees with the inspector general's recommendations and is adopting them "expeditiously."

Aug. 20: A judge orders Lyon to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in the deaths of two men linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area. Some experts have blamed Legionnaires' on Flint's water.
For decades, Michael Drweiga has opened his wallet whenever the donation basket comes around at church, but the latest revelations of priests sexually abusing children brought him to the conclusion that he can no longer justify giving.

Brice Sokolowski helps small Catholic nonprofits and churches raise money, but he too supports the recent calls to withhold donations.

And Georgene Sorensen has felt enough anger and "just total sadness" over the past few weeks that she's reconsidering her weekly offering at her parish.

FILE- In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, file photo Bishop David Zubik, current Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, takes questions from reporters after vocation Mass at Saints John and Paul Parish in Franklin Park, Pa. Zubik, the bishop of Pittsburgh's Roman Catholic diocese, is pushing back against a call for his resignation and says the diocese has "followed every single step" needed for responsible action after allegations of child sexual abuse. (Michael M. Santiago/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP, File)

Across the U.S., Catholics once faithful with their financial support to their churches are searching for ways to respond to the constant sex-abuse scandals that have tarnished the institution in which they believe, with back-to-back scandals in the past two months.

The most recent came last Tuesday when a grand jury report revealed that hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania molested more than 1,000 children in six dioceses since the 1940s - crimes that church leaders are accused of covering up. The report came two months after Pope Francis ordered disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick removed from public ministry amid allegations the 88-year-old retired archbishop sexually abused a teenage altar boy and engaged in sexual misconduct with adult seminarians decades ago. Last month, Francis accepted McCarrick's resignation as cardinal and ordered him to a "life of prayer and penance."

The most recent "whopper of a report" from Pennsylvania, Drweiga said, was enough to make him wonder where his money was going and whether it was being used to cover up abuses.

"In an organization that spans the whole world like the Catholic Church, you don't know where your money is going. And when you read about these priest-abuse scandals it just raises that question to the highest power. What is this money going for?" said Drweiga, 63, who lives in Wilmette, Illinois.

Sokolowski, an Austin, Texas, resident who founded Catholicfundraiser.net to provide advice to Catholic nonprofits and churches, said he's heard from many who are "really sick and tired" of hearing about priests abusing children.

"So the big thing that people are saying is, 'We just need to stop funding their crap,'" said Sokolowski, 36. He said he encourages people to stop giving money to their diocese, which oversees the network of churches in an area, but to keep supporting their local parish and tell their priest and bishop what they're doing.

Calls to financially boycott the Catholic Church are not new. Five years ago, after sex-abuse scandals rocked the archdiocese in St. Paul, Minnesota, parishioners talked about withholding their donations in protest.

But Catholics face a delicate balance because some of the money dioceses raise are shared with parishes, cautioned Dr. Edward Peters, the Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

"I'm just saying, be careful about punishing the Spouse of Christ and her dependent children because some priests and even bishops, men presumably wedded to her as Jesus was wedded to her, abandoned her so shamelessly," Peters wrote in a blog post Thursday, referring to the Catholic Church.

Sorensen, who lives near Tucson, Arizona, said after the McCarrick story broke, her prayer group sent a letter to her bishop voicing their concerns.

"Then came the Pennsylvania scandal and we thought, 'Oh my God, this isn't over. We thought it was over,'" the 72-yearold Sorensen said. "We thought we were building the new church again."

Sorensen said she doesn't plan to withhold money that she has pledged, including her diocese's Annual Catholic Appeal, but she has spoken with others about the possibility of not giving a regular weekly contribution or only offering money to specific projects.

As for future major giving, she said, "we are definitely waiting to see where all the chips are going to fall."

"It comes down to one thing: It's the message, not the messenger," she said. "I'm a faithful Catholic. ... I will never leave the church. I will fight to save it."

For Eddie Shih, however, the scandal has shaken his faith - one to which he converted about a decade ago and has intensely studied through three years of night school to earn a master's degree in theology.

"I am struggling with it - it's not easy for me," said Shih, a Taiwanese immigrant who lives in New York City and attends several Catholic churches. "I don't think I'll leave the church but I can imagine a lot of people ... will just drop out of the church."

Tim Lennon, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said his organization has fielded calls from Catholics who have pledged to stop giving to their church.

"It's an action as opposed to just sitting here doing nothing," he said, but added that it's a symbolic gesture.

"That in itself will not protect children. That in itself will not support survivors. That in itself will not compel ... an attorney general to take action," he said. "It's just a message to the church that it's not just survivors knocking at their door as we have been for the last 30 years."

Ilene Kennedy, a San Antonio resident who attended Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City on Sunday, said she doesn't know "what the fix would be" aside from "holding the higher-ups accountable." Still, she doesn't think withholding her money from the collection basket is the answer.

"I don't think that we should punish all churches just for that," she said. "I don't think that's right."

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Associated Press video producer Robert Bumsted in New York contributed to this report.

FILE- In this Sept. 24, 2015, file photo a member of the clergy prays the rosary as he waits for Pope Francis to arrive at St. Patrick's Cathedral for evening prayer service in New York. Across the U.S., Catholics once faithful with their financial support to their churches are searching for ways to respond to the constant sex-abuse scandals that have tarnished the institution in which they believe, with back-to-back scandals in the past two months. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

Tim Lennon, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, holds a photo of himself as a young boy, on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018 photo, in front of the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton, Pa. Lennon said his organization has fielded calls from Catholics who have pledged to stop giving to their church. (AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam)
NEW YORK (AP) - If anyone knows what Michael Cohen is up against, his lawyer figures it's John Dean, the former White House counsel who turned on President Richard Nixon and helped run him out of office.

Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis, told The Associated Press on Monday that he's been talking with Dean over the last few months "to hear his wisdom, the lessons that he learned and his reflections on what he saw Michael Cohen going through."

Davis' revelation was widely seen as the latest sign that Cohen, who worked as a New York lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, could be seeking a deal to cooperate against Trump in the Russia probe. It also comes as federal prosecutors appear close to charging Cohen with financial crimes.

FILE - In this Monday, June 11, 2012 file photo, John Dean, White House counsel to President Nixon, speaks in Washington, D.C., during an event sponsored by the Washington Post to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Watergate. Michael Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis, has been talking with Dean over the last few months "to hear his wisdom, the lessons that he learned, and his reflections on what he saw Michael Cohen going through." (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Two people familiar with the federal investigation into Cohen told the AP on Monday that Cohen could be charged by the end of the month with crimes including bank fraud in his dealings with the taxi industry. Davis has declined to talk about potential charges or a plea deal.

Davis, a special counsel to President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s, said he's been close with Dean since appearing regularly with him on MSNBC during Clinton's impeachment.

"I gained a lot of wisdom from Mr. Dean, especially how he coped and attempted to defend himself from the vicious campaign to discredit him, orchestrated by the Nixon White House," Davis said.

Through their conversations, Davis said, he and Dean noticed strong parallels between Dean's experience as the Watergate scandal came to a head in 1974 and Cohen's pivot from having unfailing loyalty to Trump - once boasting he would "take a bullet" for him - to looking out for himself.

Dean faced a federal investigation, too, and spent four months in jail after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. Dean, Nixon's White House counsel, and Cohen, Trump's personal lawyer, were questioned by Congress and were skewered by people who remained loyal to the presidents they had abandoned.

Trump on Sunday tweeted that a New York Times story about White House counsel Don McGahn giving hours of testimony to special counsel Robert Mueller's team implied that "he must be a John Dean type 'RAT.'"

Dean, a vocal Trump critic, responded, "I doubt you have ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didn't think I would tell them the truth!"

Davis said he was seeking factual information, not legal advice, from Dean in their conversations and did not share with him information that would be covered by attorney-client privilege. David noted that Dean has not talked to Cohen directly.

Dean, on CNN on Monday, said Davis was seeking to learn more about how Watergate unfolded so he could better "understand that history."

Davis said he did "not in any way compare the depth of knowledge and the detail, insider information" that Dean had about Nixon's crimes to what Cohen "may or may not know."

"If anything," he said, "I'm doing my best to reduce expectations on that comparison, on the level of knowledge."

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Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.

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Follow Mike Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak
Russia's foreign minister called on Monday for opposition groups in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province to distance themselves from the Nusra Front group, an offshoot of al Qaeda counterpart.

Russia has also asked the secretary general of the United Nations why the organisation is not participating in Syria's reconstruction, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow after talks with his Lebanese

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a Utah firefighter killed battling California blaze (all times local):

3:45 p.m.

A suburban Salt Lake City firefighter who battled wildfires throughout his life has been laid to rest after his death fighting California's largest recorded blaze.

Firefighters carry the casket of Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of the Draper Fire Department into the Maverik Center during funeral services Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in West Valley City, Utah. Burchett died while fighting a wildfire north of San Francisco. He was flown to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Friends and family said Monday that 42-year-old Matthew Burchett thrived when he was sleeping on the ground, eating rations and working to protect people.

He was described as a sharp, hardworking leader with a well-known grin and unassuming manner.

He is survived by his wife Heather and 7-year-old son Griffin, who carried his father's helmet underneath his arm as he entered the funeral.

Burchett died Aug. 13 from falling tree debris after a load of fire retardant was dropped on the area where he was working.

Unified Fire Authority spokesman Ryan Love says Burchett was one of the most knowledgeable wildfire fighters in the state and careful about his surroundings.

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1 p.m.

A preliminary report says a firefighter died last week from falling tree debris after a retardant drop on California's largest-ever wildfire.

The "blue sheet" summary report by California fire officials says Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett was struck by falling tree debris on Aug. 13 at the Mendocino Complex Fire after a large air tanker completed a drop. Three other firefighters had minor injuries.

The two-paragraph summary calls for an immediate corrective action, saying firefighters must remain clear of areas with overhead hazards during retardant drops.

Paul Grenier, a spokesman for California's firefighting agency, said he couldn't provide more details because the investigation is continuing.

Funeral services for the 42-year-old Burchett are being held Monday in his home state of Utah. He leaves behind a wife and 7-year-old son.

Firegfighters carry the casket of Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of the Draper Fire Department into the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, for his funeral on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Battalion Chief Matt Burchett 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. (Ravell Call/The Deseret News via AP)

Firefighters Chris Thurman, left, and Jefferson Halladay of Unified Fire Authority hug before the funeral of Draper Battalion Chief Matt Burchett in at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Battalion Chief Matt Burchett 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. (Ravell Call/The Deseret News via AP)

The funeral cortege for Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of the Draper Fire Department arrives at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Battalion Chief Matt Burchett 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. (Ravell Call/The Deseret News via AP)

The funeral cortege for Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of the Draper Fire Department arrives at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Battalion Chief Matt Burchett 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. (Ravell Call/The Deseret News via AP)
HONOLULU (AP) - A Pearl Harbor survivor who pushed to identify buried unknown remains from the 1941 attack died Monday at age 97.

Ray Emory lived through the early morning Japanese aerial bombing but never forgot those who didn't. He spent the past few decades doggedly pushing for those unknown buried remains to be dug up, identified and returned to their families.

Emory died "died peacefully and without pain" in a hospital in Boise, Idaho, according to his family, said Billy Doughty, deputy director of public affairs for Navy Region Hawaii.

File - In this June 19, 2018, file photo, Pearl Harbor survivor Ray Emory, center, salutes sailors who stand in an honor cordon in Honolulu. Emory, who pushed for the remains of those buried as unknowns to be identified, has died. He was 97. He spent the past few decades doggedly pushing for the remains of those buried as unknowns to be dug up, identified and returned to their families. A spokesman for Navy Region Hawaii says according to family members, Emory died Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in a hospital in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)

He recently moved to Boise to live with his son. He left Hawaii because his wife had died and he didn't have any family in Hawaii. He planned to go fishing in Idaho.

Before moving, he visited Pearl Harbor one last time in June. More than 500 sailors stood side-by-side on ships and piers to surprise him. They greeted him with salutes and cheers.

"Chief Emory fought back that day, manning his machine gun, taking on enemy planes," Rear Adm. Brian Fort, commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, said at the ceremony honoring Emory. "He continued to fight on throughout the War in the Pacific. He and his buddies, with help from the home front, helped create an unprecedented era of peace, stability and prosperity. Victory at the end of World War II was Ray's finest hour."

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Emory managed to fire a few rounds at the airplanes that dropped the torpedoes. He still had an empty bullet casing that fell to his ship deck.

In 2012, the Navy and National Park Service recognized Emory for his work with the military and Department of Veterans Affairs to honor and remember Pearl Harbor's dead.

Bureaucrats didn't welcome his efforts, at least not initially. Emory says they politely told him to "'go you-know-where.'" It didn't deter him.

First, thanks to legislation sponsored by the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink of Hawaii, he managed to get gravestones for unknowns from the USS Arizona marked with name of their battleship.

In 2003, the military agreed to dig up a casket that Emory was convinced, after meticulously studying records, included the remains of multiple USS Oklahoma servicemen. Emory was right, and five sailors were identified.

It helped lay the foundation for the Pentagon's decision more than a decade later to exhume and attempt to identify all 388 sailors and Marines from the USS Oklahoma who had been buried as unknowns in a national cemetery in Honolulu.

Since those 2015 exhumations, 138 sailors from the USS Oklahoma have been identified. About 77 have been reburied, many in their hometowns, bringing closure to families across the country.

File - In this Dec. 5, 2012, file photo, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu displays a gravestone identifying it as the resting place of seven unknown people from the USS Oklahoma who died in Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor survivor Ray Emory, who pushed to identify buried unknown remains from the 1941 attack, has died. He was 97. He spent the past few decades doggedly pushing for unknown buried remains to be dug up, identified and returned to their families. A spokesman for Navy Region Hawaii says according to family members, Emory died Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in a hospital in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy, File)

File - In this June 19, 2018, file photo, Pearl Harbor survivor Ray Emory speaks to guests at a surprise ceremony honoring him in Honolulu. Emory, who pushed for the remains of those buried as unknowns to be identified, has died. He was 97. He lived through the early morning Japanese aerial bombing but never forgot those who didn't. He spent the past few decades doggedly pushing for the remains of those buried as unknowns to be dug up, identified and returned to their families. A spokesman for Navy Region Hawaii says according to family members, Emory died Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in a hospital in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)
NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on a report that actress Asia Argento settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor (all times local):

6:40 p.m.

Los Angeles County sheriff's officials say they are investigating a report that actress Asia Argento reached a settlement with an actor who says she sexually assaulted him when he was 17.

FILE - In this Saturday, May 19, 2018, file photo, actress Asia Argento speaks about being raped by Harvey Weinstein during the closing ceremony of the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France. The New York Times reports that Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement, recently settled a lawsuit filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)

Capt. Darren Harris said Monday that the department has learned no police report was filed at the time, and investigators will reach out to Jimmy Bennett, now 22, and his representatives.

The New York Times reports that the 42-year-old Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement, settled a notice of intent to sue filed by Bennett for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that producer Harvey Weinstein raped her.

Bennett says in the notice that he had sex with Argento in 2013 in a hotel in California, where the age of consent is 18.

His lawyer tells the Associated Press that Bennet declines comment. Argento's representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

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This item has been corrected on spelling of Bennett.

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10:30 p.m.

The New York Times reports that Italian actress Asia Argento recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17.

Argento is one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement.

The Times says that Argento, 42, settled the notice of intent to sue by Jimmy Bennett, who is now 22, for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her.

Bennett says in the notice that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18.

The Times says it received court documents that have been authenticated by three people familiar with the case.

Representatives for Argento could not be immediately reached for comment. Bennett declined to comment to the Times.
WASHINGTON (AP) - With tweets and taunts, President Donald Trump is attempting to turn one of his most outspoken critics into the public face of the Russia probe that he has long worked to discredit.

In John Brennan, the blunt former CIA director, Trump believes he has found an unsympathetic foil - one with whom he can spar publicly as he seeks to bolster his public-relations campaign against special counsel Robert Mueller and a team of federal investigators.

Where Mueller's disciplined silence creates a void, Trump is eager to fill that empty space with Brennan.

FILE- In this May 23, 2017, file photo former CIA Director John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the House Intelligence Committee Russia Investigation Task Force. Brennan says he is considering taking legal action to try to prevent President Donald Trump from stripping other current and former officials' security clearances. Brennan said Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he's been contacted by a number of lawyers about the basis of a potential complaint. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Trump has long been unable to resist a fight with a foe who publicly challenges him, particularly on television, and Brennan got under Trump's skin with his declarations and innuendos about Trump's fitness for office and ties to Russia. But White House aides and Trump confidants say Trump's attack on Brennan is as much strategic as it is impulsive.

Goaded on by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has been fiercely critical of Brennan's policy views and actions for almost a decade, Trump signed an order weeks ago to strip the career intelligence official of his security clearance. The president has told confidants in recent days that he views Brennan as a useful adversary.

In a decision he later spelled out on Twitter, the president began attacking Brennan not just as a critic but also as a face of the institutional government corruption he believes is driving the Mueller probe, according to two Republicans close to the White House who are familiar with Trump's thinking. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private conversations.

One White House official, who likewise spoke on condition of anonymity, put Trump's motivations more bluntly, saying the president simply doesn't like Brennan.

"Many people don't even know who he is, and now he has a bigger voice," Trump told reporters Friday. "And that's OK with me because I like taking on voices like that. I've never respected him. I've never had a lot of respect."

Although many in the White House urged Trump to ignore Brennan, others in the president's orbit labeled the former CIA director as the epitome of the deep state that they believe has conspired to undermine Trump.

Brennan's loud criticism of Trump, including repeated accusations of "treasonous" behavior alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, has caused even some allies to roll their eyes.

"The common denominator among all of us that have been speaking up, though, is genuine concern about the jeopardy or threats to our institutions and values," former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, himself a frequent Trump critic, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." ''But John and his rhetoric have become, I think, an issue in and of itself."

On Monday, 175 national security professionals joined 75 others before them in signing an open letter protesting Trump's decision to revoke Brennan's security clearance but indicated there is not unanimous support for how Brennan has conducted himself either.

"Our signatures below do not necessarily mean that we concur with the opinions expressed by former CIA Director Brennan or the way in which he expressed them," the letter stated. "What they do represent, however, is our firm belief that the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views."

Trump's fight with Brennan comes as the Mueller inquiry looks into the president's conduct in office and as Trump devotes more of his public comments and private griping to trying to undermine the investigation. It also comes amid his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort's financial fraud trial and as his lawyers engage in a back-and-forth with the special counsel's office on a potential presidential interview.

"He has become nothing less than a loudmouth, partisan, political hack who cannot be trusted with the secrets to our country!" Trump tweeted of Brennan over the weekend.

"Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, it's worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan," Trump said in a Monday tweet. "It certainly isn't because of the good job he did! He is a political 'hack.'"

White House officials are also preparing paperwork to revoke the security clearances of more than a half-dozen current and former national security professionals who have criticized the president or had a role in beginning the federal probe of potential collusion between Trump's campaign and agents of the Russian government.

Some Republicans close to the White House noted that in elevating Brennan, Trump was seeking to exploit partisan fractures over some of the more controversial elements in his past.

While celebrated by former Obama administration officials for his role in the operation to kill al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, Brennan's role in the previous administration's drone program had made him a subject of some criticism from both ends of the political spectrum.

The White House has not offered specific examples of Brennan improperly using classified information. But on ABC, national security adviser John Bolton argued Sunday that Brennan politicized his information when he served under President Barack Obama.

"It was my view at the time that he and others in the Obama administration were politicizing intelligence," Bolton said. "I think that's a very dangerous thing to do."

Brennan, like other former Obama administration officials, has been a prominent face on MSNBC since leaving office. Bolton is a former Fox News contributor.

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Miller and Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on his government to unite behind him after he survived an internal leadership challenge Tuesday, defeating a senior minister in a ballot that is unlikely to settle questions about whether he's the right person to lead the party into elections due next year.

His challenger, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, resigned from Cabinet after the vote but the amount of support he gained surprised many commentators. Turnbull ruled out any retribution against ministers suspected of supporting Dutton and said he had invited Dutton to remain in the senior security portfolio.

"I don't bare any grudge against Peter Dutton for having stood up and challenged me today," Turnbull said at a news conference with his deputy party leader Julie Bishop, who retained her position unopposed in Tuesday's ballot.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull address reporters at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. Turnbull called on his government to unite behind him after he survived a leadership challenge, defeating a senior minister in an internal ballot that is unlikely to settle questions of his support. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

"We know that disunity undermines the ability of any government to get its job done and unity is absolutely critical," Turnbull added

Turnbull called the vote at a meeting of conservative Liberal Party lawmakers as speculation mounted about his support within the government, which is gearing up for a general election due early next year. The government has trailed the opposition Labor Party in most opinion polls since the last election in 2016.

Turnbull won 48 votes to 35. One lawmaker abstained and another was away on sick leave.

Australia has gone through an extraordinary period of political instability since Prime Minister John Howard lost power in 2007 after more than 11 years in office. Ousting Turnbull would have been the sixth leadership change since then.

Turnbull would next month become Australia's longest serving prime minister since Howard, having held the office for three years and four days.

Dutton supporters say the former police drug squad detective could have amassed enough support to successfully challenge for the leadership if the vote had been held Thursday before Parliament takes a two-week break and lawmakers won't gather again until Sept. 10.

Dutton later thanked his colleagues for their "considerable support" in the ballot.

"I believe that I was the best person to lead the Liberal Party to success at the next election," Dutton told reporters.

Dutton said he respected the outcome of the ballot and fully supported Turnbull. He didn't specifically rule out challenging the prime minister again. Treasurer Scott Morrison will act as home affairs minister.

Nick Economou, a political analyst at Monash University in Melbourne, believes lawmakers are abandoning Turnbull because they fear he will lead them to a crushing defeat at elections due by May.

The longer Turnbull remains prime minister, the worse the government's opinion polling was likely to become, Economou said.

"Voters will do what they always do - they react very badly to internal tensions, to disunity," Economou said.

Before the ballot, Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg had warned government colleagues that they would lose popularity if they dumped Turnbull.

Frydenberg said voters were tired of governments repeatedly changing their prime ministers.

Turnbull made a major concession to his opponents within his party on Monday by abandoning plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The concession avoided the most conservative government lawmakers voting against the legislation in Parliament, openly undermining his authority.

But former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was replaced by Turnbull in a ballot of government lawmakers in 2015, advised Turnbull in a statement on Tuesday that "unity has to be created and loyalty has to be earned. They can't just be demanded."

Damian Drum, a lawmaker in The Nationals' party, a junior coalition partner, called on Abbott to resign from Parliament instead of destabilizing the government.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull address reporters at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. Turnbull called on his government to unite behind him after he survived a leadership challenge, defeating a senior minister in an internal ballot that is unlikely to settle questions of his support. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

Australian Liberal Party deputy leader Julie Bishop, left, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull arrive to address reporters at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. Turnbull called on his government to unite behind him after he survived a leadership challenge, defeating a senior minister in an internal ballot that is unlikely to settle questions of his support. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

Australian Liberal Party deputy leader Julie Bishop, left, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull address reporters at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. Turnbull called on his government to unite behind him after he survived a leadership challenge, defeating a senior minister in an internal ballot that is unlikely to settle questions of his support. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

Former Australian Cabinet minister Peter Dutton addresses the media at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. Dutton quit Cabinet after unsuccessfully challenging Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for the leadership of their conservative Liberal Party. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

Australian Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, left, leaves after a party room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull survived a leadership challenge, defeating Dutton in an internal government ballot that is unlikely to settle questions of his support. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
One of Britains largest prisons has been brought back under Government control after a scathing report by inspectors. Here is all you need to know about the crisis at HMP Birmingham.

What did the inspection find?

The prisons inspector warned the privately-run jail, managed by G4S, had seriously deteriorated in the last 18 months. Levels of violence were the highest for any local jail in the country, with some inmates saying they felt unsafe even behind locked cell doors.

Staff at the category B facility were found asleep or locked in offices, while blatant use of illegal substances went largely unchallenged. Concerns had been raised internally that prisoners, rather than staff, appeared to be controlling many of the wings.

What has the Government said?

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said the situation was unacceptable and that it had become clear that drastic action is required to bring about the improvements we require.

Has HMP Birmingham been in trouble before?

The prison was the scene of a major riot in December 2016 that was believed to have caused more than 2 million-worth of damage.

A report in June 2017 highlighted fighting on wings caused by easy access to drugs, with inmates concerned about high levels of violence.

Three months later staff were involved in a seven-hour stand-off with inmates after they refused to return to their cells.

Riot police were deployed at the prison to deal with a disturbance in December 2016 (PA)

Who is held at HMP Birmingham?

The prison for adult male inmates had a population of 1,269 at the end of July. Built in 1849, the remand prison holds inmates while they await trial for alleged offences.

On average, inmates spend around six weeks there before being transferred to other jails.

HMP Birmingham is one of more than a dozen privately-run prisons in the UK (PA)

What is G4S?

Global security giant G4S holds contracts to provide services across the UK justice system. It is the largest secure outsourcing company in the country.

G4S became the first private company to take over a public prison in the UK when it assumed control of HMP Birmingham in 2011.

The publicly-traded company reported 139 million in pre-tax profits in the first six months of 2018, with revenue of 3.67 billion.

G4S holds contracts for services across the British justice system (PA)

What has G4S said?

Jerry Petherick, managing director of G4S Custody & Detention Services, said HMP Birmingham faced exceptional challenges including increasingly high levels of prisoner violence towards staff and fellow prisoners.

The company said it welcomed the Governments intervention and the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Justice to urgently address the issues faced at the prison.

Are there many private jails?

Excluding HMP Birmingham there are 13 contracted-out prisons in the UK. Private prisons were introduced in the 1990s.
About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most have not seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War.

The week-long event comes as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a stand-off over North Koreas drive for a nuclear weapons programme that can reliably target the continental United States.

The temporary reunions are highly emotional because most of those taking part are elderly people eager to see their loved ones once more before they die.

Most of the families were driven apart during the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still in a technical state of war.

Buses carrying the elderly South Koreans attending this weeks reunions arrived at a border immigration office on Monday morning.

South Koreans in a bus prepare to leave for North Korea (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)

After undergoing immigration checks, they were to cross the border by bus and travel to the Diamond Mountain resort.

Past reunions have produced powerful images of elderly Koreans crying, embracing and caressing each other. Nearly 20,000 people have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions held between the countries since 2000.

Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives under a short-lived programme from 2005 to 2007. No one has had a second chance to see their relatives.

According to Seouls Unification Ministry, 197 separated South Koreans and their family members will take part in the first round of reunions that run from Monday to Wednesday. Another 337 South Koreans will participate in a second round of reunions from Friday to Sunday.

South Korea will also send dozens of medical and emergency staff to Diamond Mountain to prepare for potential health problems considering the large number of elderly participants.

About 200 South Koreans and their family members will cross into North Korea on Monday (Korea Pool/Yonhap via AP)

Many of the South Korean participants are war refugees born in North Korea who will be meeting their siblings or the infant children they left behind, many of them now into their 70s.

During the three years since the reunions were last held, the North tested three nuclear weapons and multiple missiles that demonstrated a potential of striking the continental United States.

North Korea has shifted to diplomacy in recent months. Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a son of North Korean war refugees, agreed to resume the reunions during the first of their two summits this year in April.

South Korea sees the separated families as the largest humanitarian issue created by the war, which killed and injured millions and cemented the division of the Korean Peninsula into the North and South. The ministry estimates there are currently about 600,000 to 700,000 South Koreans with immediate or extended relatives in North Korea.

But Seoul has failed to persuade Pyongyang to accept its long-standing call for more frequent reunions with more participants.
Some two million Muslim pilgrims gathered in the valley of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for a day of prayer that marks the pinnacle of the annual hajj.

Pilgrims stood shoulder to shoulder for an emotional day of repentance and supplication at the site where Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite.

According to the hadiths, traditional collections of the prophets sayings and anecdotes about his life, Mohammed also reminded his followers of womens rights and that every Muslim life and property is sacred.

An elderly Muslim pilgrim walks with her daughter to their bus (Dar Yasin/AP)

Muslims believe prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 12 miles east of the holy city of Mecca, is their best chance to erase past sins and start anew.

Around sunset on Monday, pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, which is 5.5 miles west of Arafat.

Many walk, while others use buses.

They spend the night there and pick up pebbles along the way that will be used in a symbolic stoning of the devil back in the city of Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk Ibrahim out of submitting to Gods will.

The kingdom has spent billions of dollars of its vast oil revenues on security and safety measures, particularly in Mina, where some of the hajjs deadliest incidents have occurred.

Muslim pilgrim prepare to get on the bus (Dar Yasin/AP)

The worst in recorded history took place only three years ago.

On September 24 2015, a stampede and crush of pilgrims in Mina killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since only two days after the tragedy.

The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy in the casualty toll, nor has it released any results of an investigation that authorities had promised to conduct over the disaster.

The five-day hajj pilgrimage represents one of the worlds biggest gatherings every year, and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life.

Muslim pilgrims along with their belongings walks towards Namirah mosque on Arafat Mountain (Dar Yasin/AP)

At the hajjs end, male pilgrims will shave their hair and women will cut a lock of hair in a sign of renewal for completing the pilgrimage.

Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of hajj with a celebration called Eid al-Adha.

The holiday, remembering Ibrahims willingness to sacrifice his son, sees Muslims slaughter sheep and cattle, distributing the meat to the poor.

Overnight, a sandstorm packing strong winds and thunderstorms roared through Mecca.

Officials say the severe weather slightly damaged some tents housing pilgrims, but caused no injuries.
Environmental organisation Greenpeace has this morning created a blockade at Volkswagen UK's head office in Milton Keynes in protest against the German car manufacturer and its diesel emissions scandal.

Anti-pollution activists staged the stunt at around 7am on Monday, blocking around 800 employees from being able to enter the building.

A spokeswoman for the group said activists have barricaded entrances to the building and set up a mock clinic offering health advice to staff and members of the public.

A Greenpeace protest against diesel emissions outside Volkswagens UK headquarters in Milton Keynes

Greenpeace is demanding that the firm ends production of diesel cars and switches to only selling electric models following the brand's emissions cheating scandal that hit headlines in September 2015.

Around 11million vehicles worldwide were affected, including 1.2million in the UK, which were found to emit higher levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during normal driving than during official laboratory tests.

The environmental group has been increasing pressure on the brand since the revelation with a number of stunts.

Most memorable of these was a flash-mob of 100 Greenpeace representatives acting out a coughing fit at Volkswagen's stand during the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2017, followed by an attempt by 40 activists to seize a 23,000-tonne cargo ship carrying VW cars in the Thames Estuary and removing keys from vehicles stored at Sheerness port in Kent a matter of days later.

Today's latest attempt is part of ongoing efforts to curb diesel-vehicle production, with the fuel type being blamed for the nation's poor air pollution levels.

It's estimated that 40,000 premature deaths occur every year in the UK because of our dirty air, which is also linked to health problems such as childhood illnesses, heart disease and dementia.

BREAKING: medics & Greenpeace activists are shutting down @UKVolkswagens HQ & turning it into an emergency diesel pollution clinic. Theyre calling on VW to #DitchDiesel because its making our air dangerous to breathe pic.twitter.com/APkm5X88wg  Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) August 20, 2018

Greenpeace clean air campaigner Mel Evans said: 'As the UK's biggest seller of diesel cars, Volkswagen is complicit in an air pollution crisis that's filling up emergency departments and GP surgeries.

'Volkswagen sold us a lie about diesel being clean. Its diesel addiction is seriously harming people's health.

'Volkswagen won't meet with us and won't listen. So today we've brought the truth about diesel to its doorstep.

'Volkswagen must face up to its responsibility for deadly air pollution and commit to end diesel production now.'

The protests has taken place despite Volkswagen's Strategy 2025 proposal, in which it plans to sell three million electric cars by 2025.

And while Greenpeace is calling for VW to focus on electric-car production, even those have recently been found to be potentially dangerous to our health.

The staged protest has prevented around 800 Volkswagen employees from entering the building in Milton Keynes

Greenpeace is calling for the car manufacturer to cease production of diesel cars and focus on electrified models instead

Last month, it was revealed that the vehicle manufacturer and German Federal Transport Authority, Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt were in discussions about the recall of 124,000 of its electric and plug-in hybrid cars after a poisonous metal was found in a competent fitted to each one.

Production of a number of electrified models from VW, Audi and Porsche was immediately halted after the high-toxic metal cadmium - which the National Cancer Institute says can increase the risk of lung cancer - was found in charger parts.

While VW stated that the metal would do no danger to owners and their passengers, dangerous chemicals could be released into the air if these vehicles were to be scrapped or recycled.

Paramedic Susie is outside the @UKVolkswagen HQ in Milton Keynes offering health checks to anyone that wants one!



Were also hoping to get some face time with Paul Willis, VWs managing director in the UK, about the harm VWs diesel plans will cause. It's time VW #DitchDiesel pic.twitter.com/lkpBLsmFSB  Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) August 20, 2018

Speaking at the staged blockage on Monday, Aarash Saleh, 33, a doctor in respiratory medicine who is among a group of medical professionals at the protest, said: 'Diesel pollution is causing horrendous suffering across the UK and storing up a lifetime of troubled health for our kids.

'If you could see it, diesel would be banned tomorrow.'

Greenpeace ended what it called a 'peaceful blockade' following an agreement with VW that they would meet.

All protesters left the site without being taken into custody.

'Volkswagen has previously refused to meet with us, so we came here today to make them listen,' confirmed Mel Evans on Monday afternoon.

'Because of the actions of our protestors and the thousands of supporters who joined in today by emailing Volkswagen, the company has now changed its policy worldwide and agreed to a meeting.

'Diesel pollution is choking our towns and cities, and filling up our emergency departments.

'We wont stop campaigning until Volkswagen does the right thing. It must face up to its responsibility for deadly air pollution and commit to end diesel production now.'

A Volkswagen spokesman told This is Money that Paul Willis had offered Greenpeace 18 months ago the opportunity to visit the brand's global headquarters in Wolfsburg in order to find out more about the car-maker's future strategy - an offer it extended yet again today.

He said: 'Volkswagen is aware of a protest at its Blakelands premises today, which has now ended peacefully.

'The Volkswagen Group has launched the most comprehensive electrification initiative in the automotive industry with 'Roadmap E'.

'This will bring an additional 80 new electric vehicles to the Volkswagen Group model range by 2025.

'Roadmap E brings a 20 billion Euro investment to electric vehicle technology with the goal of 25 per cent of Volkswagen Group vehicle production comprising electrified vehicles by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030.

'It is the goal of Volkswagen Group to be the number one provider of sustainable mobility.'
Italian actress Asia Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times has reported.

Argento, 42, settled the notice of intent to sue filed by the actor, who is now 22, for 380,000 US dollars shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her, the Times reported.

Argento and the actor have previously worked together and the complainant said in the notice that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013.

Asia Argento has made accusations against Harvey Weinstein (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The age of consent in California is 18.

He claims the encounter traumatised him and hurt his career, the Times reported.

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and the actor in bed.

Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic, the Times reported.

Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21.

Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.

Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but not including Argento.

Representatives for Argento could not be immediately reached.

The complainant declined to comment to the Times.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said it is aware of the reports, adding: To date, the LASD has not located any police report alleging criminal activity within our jurisdiction in relation to this incident.

After becoming aware of the allegations, the LASDs Special Victims Bureau is attempting to reach out to the reported victim and/or his representatives in an effort to appropriately document any potential criminal allegations.
A member of the US-led military coalition fighting Islamic State militants was killed and several injured when their helicopter crashed on a counter-terrorism mission in Iraq late on Sunday, the coalition said.

There were no indications that the crash was caused by hostile fire and the incident was under investigation, the statement added.

"All personnel were recovered by Coalition forces immediately following the incident, and three were evacuated for further treatment," said the statement.

Colonel Sean Ryan, a spokesman for the US-led international coalition, said on Twitter the crash was of a military helicopter.

On March 15, all seven personnel aboard a US military helicopter carrying American service members were killed in a crash in western Iraq.

The United States says it has about 5,200 troops in Iraq that are part of a coalition fighting Islamic State militants.

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The Indian military opened an air base to commercial flights in the flood-savaged southern state of Kerala to help speed up relief efforts and fly out residents.

The first flight landed at the Indian naval air station in the city of Kochi (also known as Cochin), where the commercial airport has been closed for nearly a week.

Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with 70+ passengers. pic.twitter.com/QlhYPc2i2Z  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 20, 2018

The Air India flight came from the city of Bangalore in the nearby state of Karnataka, Suresh Prabhu, the minister of civil aviation, said on Twitter.

Other air bases in the region should open to commercial traffic soon, he said.

An aerial view of flooded Chengannur in Kerala (AP)

Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since August 8.

Floods and landslides have killed at least 250 people in Kerala since then, with about 800,000 people taking shelter in some 4,000 relief camps.

Thousands of people are taking shelter in small camps in this coastal town.

Many are set up in schools, but at least one is on the grounds of a mosque, where Christians, Hindus and Muslims have all found food and a place to sleep.

The town itself, which is on slightly higher ground, has escaped the worst of the flooding, but the situation is far more grim just a couple of miles away.

The water came almost up to my head, said Ullas, a 48-year-old man who uses only one name, and who fled his village for the safety of the town.

A volunteer throws a pack of bread towards a family (Aljaz Rahi/AP)

He has no idea when hell be able to come back.

We dont know, he said, as he helped distribute food in one relief centre.

It could take a month.

With rains decreasing, the water has started receding in parts of Kerala but thousands of people remain cut off and in need of help.

Officials have called it the worst flooding in Kerala in a century, with rainfall in some areas well over double that of a typical monsoon season.

Officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly three billion US dollars.
Indian ride-hailing app Ola has launched its inaugural UK services in South Wales.

The firm, which hopes to challenge Uber, plans to expand into Manchester before operating nationwide by the end of the year.

It says it has launched across South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and Vale of Glamorgan.

Ola has launched in South Wales (Ola/PA)

Ola claims it is the only app offering both private hire vehicles (PHVs) and black cabs through one consumer-friendly platform in the UK.

It has pledged to lead the industry with its approach to passenger safety, including its screening of drivers and support services.

Founded in 2011, Ola operates in more than 110 cities across India and Australia, with one million drivers.

Ola UK managing director Ben Legg said: This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that South Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey.

Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in South Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service.

We are determined to do a great job for the community and work closely with local authorities to help with their mobility goals.

Uber is used in 600 cities across 65 countries and has three million drivers. It launched in the UK in 2012.

In June it won a partial victory when a judge granted it a short-term operating licence in London after the permit was not renewed over safety concerns.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to wipe out thousands of British jobs, the Bank of Englands chief economist has warned.

Andy Haldane said the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution will see the machine replacing humans doing thinking things.

The first three industrial revolutions have been about largely machines replacing humans doing principally manual tasks, whereas the fourth will be different.

Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane (PA)

All of a sudden it will be the machine replacing humans doing thinking things, as well as doing things, Mr Haldane told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

He added that the hollowing out in the past could be on a greater scale in the future.

His comments echo those of the Banks Governor, Mark Carney, who has previously spoken about large-scale technological disruption to the jobs market.

Mr Haldane added: Given that the scale of job loss, job displacement is likely to be at least as large as that of the first three industrial revolutions, we will need even greater numbers of new jobs to be created in the future if we are not to suffer this longer term feature called technological unemployment.

It has not been a feature of the past, but could it possibly be a feature of the future? I think that is a much more open question than at any previous point possibly in history.
Afghan forces have rescued 149 people in northern Kunduz province who had been abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier.

By mid-afternoon, fighting was still under way in the area to free 21 remaining hostages, officials added.

The operation was a boost for Afghan forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban on battlefields across the country.

Taliban fighters gathering with residents to celebrate a three-day ceasefire in June (Ramat Gul/AP)

On Monday morning, the Taliban ambushed a convoy of three buses travelling on a road in the Khan Abad district, and forced everyone to come with them.

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said that after Afghan security forces freed 149 people, including women and children, the insurgents were still holding 21 hostages from the buses.

He said at least seven Taliban fighters have been killed in the fighting so far.

The ambush came despite Afghan president Ashraf Ghanis announcement of a conditional ceasefire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week.

We call on the leadership of the Taliban to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long lasting and real peace, and we urge them to get ready for peace-talks based on Islamic values and principles.  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) August 19, 2018

The Afghan government has removed all obstacles for a long lasting peace through these unprecedented steps.  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) August 19, 2018

The Taliban have stepped up their assaults in recent months, seizing entire districts across Afghanistan and regularly carrying out large-scale bombings and attacks that have killed scores of people.

Esmatullah Muradi, spokesman for the provincial governor in Kunduz, also confirmed the rescue of the hostages.

According to Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, the Taliban were likely looking for government employees or members of the security forces who usually go home for the holidays.

All the passengers on the buses were from Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were travelling to the capital, Kabul, a police spokesman said.

Mr Ghanis call for the truce, made during celebrations on Sunday of the 99th anniversary of Afghanistans independence, said the ceasefire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depend on the Talibans stand.

On Saturday, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzadah, said that there will be no peace in the country as long as the foreign occupation continues.

He reiterated the groups standing position that the countrys 17-year war can only be brought to an end through direct talks with the United States.

In a message released on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, and without mentioning any ceasefire, Mr Akhunzadah said the insurgents remain committed to Islamic goals, the sovereignty of Afghanistan and ending the war.

For his part, Mr Ghani said he hoped extensions could also be agreed upon to make the ceasefire last until November 20, which will mark the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad.
Thousands of people in flood-ravaged southern India have begun the immense task of cleaning their homes and businesses.

Rains have been diminishing in parts of Kerala state, where floods and landslides have killed more than 200 people in less than two weeks and about 800,000 more have been forced into thousands of relief camps.

Torrential rains began on August 8 in Kerala in the midst of the annual monsoon season, eventually leaving much of the state partially submerged.

Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with 70+ passengers. pic.twitter.com/QlhYPc2i2Z  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 20, 2018

The Indian military also opened an air base on Monday to commercial flights to help bring in relief goods and fly out residents.

The first flight landed on Monday morning at the naval air station in the city of Kochi, where the commercial airport has been closed for nearly a week.

A volunteer rescues stranded people in Kerala (AP)

The Air India flight came from Bangalore in the nearby state of Karnataka, Suresh Prabhu, the minister of civil aviation, said on Twitter.

Other air bases in the region should open to commercial traffic soon, he said.

Thousands of people are taking shelter in small camps in the coastal town of Alappuzha. Many are in schools, but at least one is on the grounds of a mosque where Christians, Hindus and Muslims have all found food and a place to sleep.

With rains decreasing, the water has started receding in parts of Kerala but thousands of people remain cut off and in need of help.

Thousands of people have been saved by the states fishermen, many of whom headed into the floodwaters to help.

An Indian policeman, left, and a volunteer carry essential supplies (AP)

On Monday, the states top official, Pinarayi Vijayan, announced the government would pay those fishermen about 40 for each day they helped and also pay for repairs for boats damaged during rescues.

Officials said it is the worst flooding in Kerala in a century, with rainfall in some areas well over double that of a typical monsoon season.

Relief supplies and donations have poured into Kerala from across India.

Officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly 2.35 billion.
The number of babies dying from unexplained causes has risen for the first time in three years, new figures show.

There were 219 deaths caused by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or without a known cause in England and Wales in 2016.

This is the highest number since 2013, when there were 252, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows.

The Lullaby Trust, a charity which raises awareness of SIDS, admitted it was 'deeply concerned' by the spike in deaths.

SIDS is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an otherwise seemingly healthy baby.

There were 219 deaths caused by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or without a known cause in England and Wales in 2016 (stock)

The exact cause remains unknown but risk factors include unsafe sleeping, overheating and smoking while pregnant.

There has been a 23 per cent drop in unexplained deaths of infants across England and Wales over the last decade.

Greater awareness, mainly about how sleeping safely, is thought to be behind the trend.

But the latest increase - a 12 per cent jump in the space of a year - was driven by a rise in unascertained deaths among infant girls.

The figures include deaths among children less than one year old from SIDS and when no medical cause can be recorded.

Francine Bates, chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, said: We are deeply concerned by the increased SIDS rate in England and Wales.

WHAT IS COT DEATH AND HOW CAN IT BE PREVENTED? Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or cot death, is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby. SIDS kills around 2,500 babies in the US and just under 300 in the UK every year. It usually occurs within the first six months of an infant's life and is more common in those born prematurely or of a low birth weight. The cause of SIDS is unknown, however, it is associated with tobacco smoke, tangled bedding, co-sleeping with parents and breathing obstructions. Prevent the risk by: Placing sleeping babies on their backs

Keeping babies' heads uncovered

Sleeping in the same room as babies for the first six months of their lives

Using a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in babies' cribs

Breastfeeding, if possible Do not: Smoke during pregnancy or in the same room as a baby

Sleep on a bed or chair with an infant

Allow babies to get too hot or cold. Temperatures between 16 and 20C should be comfortable Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

The previous downward trend in SIDS deaths has been largely attributed to increased awareness of safer sleep advice.

So it is essential that this remains a top priority for local authorities and all professionals working with families.

Ms Bates added: SIDS rates are highest in the most deprived areas.

We worry pressures on local authorities' public health budgets and the increasing number of families being pushed into poverty will lead to slower progress or even further increases in the number of deaths.

We urge local authorities to ensure there is adequate funding for health visitors and early years staff who provide crucial safer sleep advice to families with new babies.

Around half (51.6 per cent) of sudden infant deaths in 2016 were boys, down from 66.7 per cent the previous year.

Girls accounted for 48.4 per cent, up from 33.3 per cent in 2015.

The highest unexplained infant mortality rates were in the West Midlands, Yorkshire and The Humber, and North West of England, where there were 0.45 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The largest increase was in the West Midlands, where rates rose by 21.6 per cent between 2015 and 2016.

Vasita Patel, from the ONS, said: While unexplained infant deaths increased in 2016 for the first time in three years the total remains low in historical terms.

The increase was driven by a rise in unascertained deaths among infant girls.

However, due to the low numbers involved the overall increase in unexplained infant deaths is not statistically significant.
Drinks giant PepsiCo has bought Israels fizzy drink maker SodaStream for 3.2 billion dollars (2.5 billion).

PepsiCo said it is acquiring all SodaStreams outstanding shares at 144 dollars (112) per share, a 32% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price.

Earlier this month, SodaStream reported its strongest results in company history, a 31% year-over-year jump in revenues to 172 million dollars (134 million), an 89% leap in operating profit to 32 million dollars (25 million) and an 82% climb by net profit to 26 million dollars (20 million).

PepsiCo chiefs called the companies a `perfect match (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Calling all bubble lovers, we want your pollution solutions! Tweet us your favorite ways to reduce waste and you could win an Aqua Fizz Starter Kit and one of our Fruit Drops. pic.twitter.com/QQhWYLsUDG  SodaStream USA (@SodaStreamUSA) August 17, 2018

PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi has called the companies an inspired match.

Three years ago, SodaStream shut down its West Bank factory amid international boycott calls and opened a sprawling new factory deep in Israels Negev Desert instead.

Actress Scarlett Johansson was previously a brand ambassador for the company.
Michael Gove has backed plans for tough new sentences against criminals who harm service animals, as he cuddled up to a heroic police dog.

The Environment Secretary said the relationship between police service animals and their handlers was special during a meeting with Finn, a retired police German shepherd who was repeatedly stabbed in the chest and head while apprehending a robbery suspect in October 2016.

Kneeling with Finns owner and former handler Pc Dave Wardell to stroke Finn on his office floor, Mr Gove said he was throwing his enthusiasm behind the introduction of a new law to ensure those who attack animals in the field can be sentenced to as much as five years in prison.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove meets hero police dog Finn (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The Service Animals (Offences) Bill, also known as Finns Law, proposes raising the current maximum charge of criminal damage in cases where service animals are harmed in the course of duty.

Mr Gove said: Were talking here not about inanimate objects, but about animals who put themselves in the way of danger, and who are the friends and companions of the police officers and the prison officers with whom they work.

So its really important that we send a signal that these brave animals arent objects; theyre our companions.

Police dog Finn received the PDSA Gold Medal after being brutally stabbed in the line of duty (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The draft legislation, which recently made it through a second reading in the House of Commons, was raised as a Private Members Bill by Sir Oliver Heald, and now faces a third reading in Parliament before progressing to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before it can be enshrined in law.

Mr Gove, who owns two dogs, a bichon frise called Snowy and a lhasa apso named Muffin, said he did not think either were quite equipped to work as service animals themselves, but understood that animals were part of a family and should be protected accordingly.

He said: All of us know that animals bring joy and pleasure into our lives. Theyre our companions, and service animals in particular work with their owners and their handlers. And of course

they work together every day, but they develop a relationship which is something special.

Speaking to Dave about his relationship with Finn, any dog owner, any animal lover will recognise that bond between man and dog which is there  which is a special thing.

And thats why I think its important that we recognise in law the nature of that relationship and provide protection.

Pc Wardell, who described the moment of Finns attack as the worst day of my life, said he was now hopeful for the introduction of Finns Law.

He said: When you have a pet, they are your best friend, but when you work with them there is that extra dynamic as well.

You do everything together, you work together, you live together  you spend more time together with your service animal than you do with your family and your friends.

So the bond that you have is second-to-none. They are your best friend.
Holidaymakers have been given fresh warnings to ensure they are vaccinated against measles after it emerged that European cases have reached an eight-year high.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the number of cases of the highly infectious disease during 2018 have already outstripped any year since 2010.

The global health body said holiday hotspots such as France, Greece and Italy as well as Georgia, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine have all had more than 1,000 cases each so far in 2018.

Holidaymakers have been given fresh warnings to ensure they are vaccinated against measles after cases of the disease soared across Europe

Ukraine has been the hardest hit with over 23,000 people affected, it said.

Across Europe there were more than 41,000 measles cases recorded during the first six months of 2018, including 37 deaths.

The WHO said the highest annual total for measles cases since 2010 was recorded in 2017 when 23,927 cases were identified.

Meanwhile, Public Health England (PHE) issued further warnings for people who are travelling to countries with outbreaks.

It said people should ensure they are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination before travel.

Meanwhile, those who are starting university or attending festivals should also make sure they are protected.

Figures from the health body show that from January 1 to August 6 there were 807 laboratory confirmed measles cases.

PHE said many cases have been linked to ongoing outbreaks in Europe.

One of the symptoms of measles is a blotchy red-brown rash that usually starts on the head or neck

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES DURING PREGNANCY? AND IS IT SERIOUS? Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads via contact with an infected person. If a pregnant woman who has not been vaccinated becomes infected, she is at greater risk of suffering a miscarriage, stillbirth or premature labour. Infected pregnant women suffer the same symptoms as other measles patients. These include fever, cold, cough and rashes, which are characterised by red spots and bumps on the skin. Pregnant women showing symptoms of measles, or those who have been in contact with an infected person, should contact their GP or midwife immediately. They will then undergo a blood test to determine if they are immune to measles. If not, they may require an injection to boost their immune-cell counts, which should help to reduce their measles symptoms and the impact of the infection on their babies. Advertisement

It said 58 per cent of confirmed cases have been among children aged 15 and younger, who missed out on their MMR vaccine when they were younger.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, said: 'We have seen a number of measles outbreaks in England which are linked to ongoing large outbreaks in Europe.

'Anyone who missed out on their MMR vaccine in the past or are unsure if they had two doses should contact their GP practice to catch-up.

'We would encourage people to ensure they are up to date with their MMR vaccine before travelling to countries with ongoing measles outbreaks, heading to large gatherings such as festivals, or before starting university.'

And Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe, added: 'Following the decade's lowest number of cases in 2016, we are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks.

'We call on all countries to immediately implement broad, context-appropriate measures to stop further spread of this disease.'

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness and can be deadly in some cases.

Early signs of illness include cold-like symptoms, sore eyes that may be sensitive to light, fever and small greyish-white spots on the inside of the cheeks.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness and can be deadly in some cases. Early signs of the disease include cold-like symptoms

WHAT IS MEASLES, WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW CAN YOU CATCH IT? Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads easily from an infected person by coughing, sneezing or even just breathing. Symptoms develop between six and 19 days after infection, and include a runny nose, cough, sore eyes, a fever and a rash. The rash appears as red and blotchy marks on the hairline that travel down over several days, turning brown and eventually fading. Some children complain of disliking bright lights or develop white spots with red backgrounds on their tongue. In one in 15 cases, measles can cause life-threatening complications including pneumonia, convulsions and encephalitis. Dr Ava Easton, chief executive of the Encephalitis Society told MailOnline: 'Measles can be very serious. '[It] can cause encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain. 'Encephalitis can result in death or disability.' Treatment focuses on staying hydrated, resting and taking painkillers, if necessary. Measles can be prevented by receiving two vaccinations, the first at 13 months old and the second at three years and four months to five years old. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement

A few days later a blotchy red-brown rash will appear, usually starting on the head or neck.

Commenting on the WHO figures, Dr Pauline Paterson, co-director of the Vaccine Confidence Project team at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'With a vaccine-preventable disease, one case is one too many, and the number of measles cases so far this year is astounding.

'While most people vaccinate, some individuals do not. The reasons for non-vaccination can vary from issues of vaccine access, a lack of perceived need to vaccinate, and concerns around the safety of vaccination  in 2016 the Vaccine Confidence Project found that the European region was the most sceptical in the world on vaccine safety.

'Vaccines work. If measles is to be eliminated, we must continue to further our understanding of the underlying reasons for non-vaccination and to address them with effective evidence-based interventions.'
Downing Street has refused to be drawn on reports suggesting it will give EU migrants living in Britain the right to remain if a no deal Brexit materialises.

Leaked Cabinet papers show ministers plan to take the moral high ground by unilaterally granting the 3.8 million EU nationals in the UK the right to stay, according to The Daily Telegraph.

However the move was also said to reflect concerns of potential labour shortages in key sectors of the economy once Britain is outside the EU.

(PA Graphics)

The Telegraph said the details would be set out in one of around 80 technical notes due to be published by the Government, starting on Thursday, setting out its preparations for a no-deal break across a wide range of sectors.

It will mean EU citizens in the UK would be able to continue accessing the NHS and the benefits system, regardless of whether British nationals in the EU are granted reciprocal rights.

The leaked paper states: The Home Office plans to make an offer to existing EU residents that they can remain in the UK in a no deal scenario, in effect unilaterally implementing the (immigration element of the) Citizens Rights agreement agreed with the EU in December 2017.

The proposal is to make the offer irrespective of whether the EU reciprocates.

Any package would need resolution for the reciprocal elements of the December 2017 deal.

Making an offer is not only important to provide certainty publicly, but will enable the UK Government to take the moral high ground.

A number of other plans are also dependent on the Governments position on this issue, relying heavily on the availability of existing labour in a no deal scenario.

The paper, which was said to have been given to ministers last month, describes the issue as one of the most important aspects of the Governments no-deal planning.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is due to visit Brussels (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

A Downing Street spokeswoman declined to comment on leaked documents.

But she told reporters at a regular Westminster briefing: One of the priorities for us right from the get-go has been securing the rights of EU citizens living here. Thats why we moved swiftly to agree something with the EU early.

The move was welcomed by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the influential pro-Brexit European Research Group of Tory MPs.

EU migrants came here legally, and the UK is not the sort of country that applies retrospective legislation.

They should have broadly the same rights as British citizens, no better or worse, he told the Telegraph.

Conservative MP Peter Bone (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament)

Conservative Peter Bone, the Brexit-backing MP for Wellingborough, said he did not expect the Government to shift from seeking reciprocal arrangements for Britons living in the EU.

He told the Press Association: It seems most unlikely Theresa May would do such a deal as she has been very firm on this.

Mr Bone said a no-deal Brexit would result in a trade agreement on World Trade Organisation terms and he expected other issues, including EU nationals and civil aviation, to be dealt with by a series of agreements.

Conservative former Brexit minister David Jones also told the Telegraph: Its got to be reciprocal.

We have a large number of Britons in the EU and their interests have got to be reflected.

We have got to look after our own people.

The disclosure comes as Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab prepares to travel to Brussels on Tuesday for a further round of talks with the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Mr Raab said that, while he believed a deal was still by far the most likely outcome of the negotiations, a responsible Government needed to set out the steps it was taking to mitigate the risks of a no-deal break.

EU Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein, speaking ahead of Mr Raabs visit to Brussels, told journalists that officials were working at full speed, 24/7 to reach an exit agreement.

He said: We are working constructively and at full speed 24/7, seven days a week to reach an agreement.

Our chief negotiator has been engaging constructively as he has always done with his British counterpart and its in that spirit that the meeting tomorrow will take place.
The Taliban rejected on Monday an Afghan government offer of a ceasefire and they would persist with their attacks, two militant commanders said, while insurgents ambushed three buses and nearly 200 passengers travelling for a holiday.

The two Taliban commanders said their supreme leader rejected President Ashraf Ghani's Sunday offer of a three-month ceasefire, beginning with this week's Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday.

In June, the Taliban observed a government ceasefire over the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, leading to unprecedented scenes of government soldiers and militants embracing on front lines, and raising hopes for talks.

But one of the Taliban commanders said the June ceasefire had only helped US forces, who the Taliban are trying to drive out of the country, and Taliban leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada rejected the new offer on the grounds it would only help the US-led mission.

"Our leadership feels that they'll prolong their stay in Afghanistan if we announced a ceasefire now," a senior Taliban commander, who declined to be identified, said by telephone.

An official in Ghani's office said the three-month-long ceasefire declared by the government was conditional, and if the Taliban did not respect it, the government would maintain military operations.

The Taliban have launched a wave of attacks in different parts of the country in recent weeks, including on the city of Ghazni, southwest of Kabul. Hundreds of people have been killed in the fighting.

The rejection of Ghani's ceasefire came as government officials were trying to secure the release of at least 170 civilians and 20 members of the security forces who were taken hostage by Taliban from three buses in the northern province of Kunduz.

Esmatullah Muradi, a spokesman for the governor of Kunduz, said the kidnapping happened when three buses were travelling through Kunduz from Takhar province, on their way to the capital, Kabul.

"The buses were stopped by the Taliban fighters, passengers were forced to step down and they have been taken to an undisclosed location," Muradi said.

'Travelling For Holiday'

The Taliban confirmed they had captured "three buses packed with passengers".

"We decided to seize the buses after our intelligence inputs revealed that many men working with Afghan security forces were travelling to Kabul," Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said by telephone.

"We have taken the buses to a safe area to prevent any clashes and we are now identifying members of the security forces," he said, adding that civilians would be released.

Kunduz provincial council member Sayed Assadullah Sadat said people on the buses were travelling to be with family in Kabul for the holiday.

A senior interior ministry official in Kabul said officials in the area were talking to Taliban leaders in Kunduz to get the estimated 190 hostages released.

"We're are trying our level best to secure freedom for all passengers," the official said.

Separately, Mujahid said the Taliban would release at least 500 prisoners, including members of the security forces on Monday, a day before Eid celebrations begin.

"We will release some prisoners captured during clashes in three provinces," he said.

But he did not say if any soldiers or policemen taken from the three buses would be released.

Sporadic clashes between Taliban fighters and Afghan forces erupted on the outskirts of Ghazni on Monday as aid workers tried to get help in to the city, aid agency officials said.

The government has said its forces had secured the city after the Taliban laid siege to it for five days this month.

At least 150 soldiers and 95 civilians were killed and hundreds were injured.

Aid agencies officials said their teams had entered the city but clashes in the outskirts prevented them from launching large-scale operations.

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A former head of a fire service criticised for its response to the Manchester Arena suicide bombing has blamed police for the delay in firefighters attending the disaster.

Peter OReilly was chief fire officer at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) at the time of the terror attack on May 22 last year which killed 22 and left hundreds injured.

A report by Lord Kerslake, published in March, was critical of the fire services response after the blast, describing the failure by fire chiefs as extraordinary and incredible.

Police patrol outside the Manchester Arena the morning after the bombing (Peter Byrne/PA)

Firefighters only attended the scene more than two hours after the attack  even though crews heard the blast and were stationed half a mile away.

Dawn Docx, the interim chief fire officer of GMFRS, later apologised unreservedly for the failures in the previous leadership.

But Belfast-born Mr OReilly, speaking for the first time about the incident, told The Irish News he will always regret fire crews were not there within minutes but the service was left in an information vacuum because Greater Manchester Police (GMP) did not follow established protocols and national guidelines on how emergency services should work together during terror attacks.

Mr OReilly said amid reports of a possible active shooter at the scene, police did not liaise with fire and ambulance officials to help them assess the threat level and deploy crews accordingly.

This led the fire service to hold back, assembling at a distance in case of an escalating firearms attack.

Mr OReilly criticised the Kerslake Reports examination of the emergency response, saying it failed to properly question how police acted against guidelines.

He told The Irish News: On the night in question, I believe the fire service should have been there.

We had worked very, very closely with our colleagues in the ambulance service to train our firefighters up. We had trained our staff up to respond to terrorist attacks.

They werent able to do that, simply because police didnt live up to their responsibilities of having a conversation with the fire service. If they did, we would have been there.

Mr OReilly, aged 51, retired earlier this year from his 155,000 post as chief fire officer.

Lord Bob Kerslake presenting his report in March into the emergency response to the Manchester Arena Bomb attack (Peter Byrne/PA)

Lord Kerslakes report concluded the fire service was left outside of the loop of the police and ambulance emergency response and strategic oversights by police commanders led to confusion with other 999 services over whether an active shooter was on the loose.

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated his home-made device at 10.31pm on May 22 last year, in the foyer of Manchester Arena as 14,000 people streamed out at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

Armed police and 12 ambulances were on the scene within 20 minutes but there was a shortage of stretchers to ferry the injured from the foyer to a casualty area on the station concourse.

The panel of experts who authored the report state they are not able to say whether earlier arrival of the fire service would have affected any casualtys survivability.

While a joint Strategic Co-ordinating group of emergency response services and others gathered at GMP HQ in east Manchester, Mr OReilly focused his senior officers at their own HQ in Salford, which played a key role in delaying the response further, the report concluded.

A GMP spokeswoman said: The criminal investigation into the terrible attack of 22nd May continues.

In addition, the coronial process is now being presided over by retired High Court judge Sir John Saunders and consequently we cannot comment further at this time on matters which the inquest may wish to consider.
Gatwick Airport was forced to use whiteboards to display flight updates following an IT failure.

Staff at the UKs second busiest airport resorted to manually writing out vital information such as gate numbers as digital screens could not be used.

Some passengers missed their flights due to the issue, caused by a damaged fibre optic cable.

The problem emerged in the early hours of the morning and was not fully rectified until around 5pm.

August is one of the busiest periods of the year for the West Sussex airport as many families embark on summer holidays.

A spokesman said: The airports manual contingency plan  which included displaying information manually in the terminals and having extra staff on hand to help direct passengers  worked well and tens of thousands of passengers departed on time and no flights were cancelled.

Airport staff updated the boards manually (Hunter Ruthven/PA)

Gatwick would like to apologise to any passengers who were inconvenienced by this issue.

He added that a handful of people have missed their flights as a result.

Ayla Herbert, 26, from Penryn, Cornwall, was at the airport for a Flybe flight to Newquay when she encountered a crowd gathered around two whiteboards after passing through security.

She told the Press Association: Each flight was written down, flight number, time of departure, time of when boarding would be announced and eventually the gate number.

This crowd over the hours grew larger and larger. Being in the entrance way of the departures it got incredibly busy, people were agitated, yelling for them to tell them their flight info and to get more boards for the South Terminal.

This was never done. The guys did well keeping everyone updated, but it was hard to see if you werent close to the board. They used megaphones to tell everyone of updated information.
Afghan forces have rescued nearly 150 people, including women and children, hours after the Taliban ambushed a convoy of buses and abducted them.

The militants escaped with 21 captives following the battle in Kunduz province.

Tribal elders are trying to negotiate the remaining hostages release.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has called for a ceasefire (AP)

Esmatullah Muradi, a spokesman for the governor in the northern province, said the Taliban have demanded the national identifications of the captives to determine their fate.

We call on the leadership of the Taliban to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long lasting and real peace, and we urge them to get ready for peace-talks based on Islamic values and principles.  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) August 19, 2018

The identities of the 21 people held have not been made public, but Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council, said the insurgents likely targeted the three buses to try to abduct civil servants or members of the security forces.

The Taliban have been at war with the US-backed Afghan government for nearly 17 years, and have stepped up attacks in recent years, seizing rural districts and carrying out major assaults against security forces and government compounds on an almost daily basis.

In the latest attack, the Taliban stopped the buses in the Khan Abad district and ordered the passengers to come with them, according to Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the interior ministry.

Afghan forces responded quickly and were able to free 149 people and kill at least seven Taliban fighters, he said.

The passengers were all from Takhar and Badakhshan provinces in the north and were on their way to Kabul for this weeks Eid al-Adha holiday, according to Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief in Takhar province.

The ambush came a day after Afghan president Ashraf Ghani proposed a holiday ceasefire, saying it would be conditional on the Taliban halting attacks. He suggested extending the truce all the way to November 20, when Muslims will celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
Holidaymakers have been given fresh warnings to ensure they are vaccinated against measles after it emerged European cases have reached an eight-year high.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the number of cases of the highly infectious disease during 2018 have already outstripped any year since 2010.

Across Europe there were more than 41,000 measles cases recorded during the first six months of 2018, including 37 deaths.

European measles cases have reached a 10-year high (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The WHO said the highest annual total for measles cases since 2010 was recorded in 2017 when 23,927 cases were identified.

The global health body said France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine have had more than 1,000 cases each so far in 2018.

Ukraine has been the hardest hit with over 23,000 people affected, it said.

More than 41,000 children and adults in the European Region have been infected with #measles in the first 6 months of 2018. Country reports show 37 people have died due to measles. https://t.co/BFyKQzUHLN #immunizeEurope pic.twitter.com/ybDLx09u0F  WHO/Europe (@WHO_Europe) August 20, 2018

Meanwhile, Public Health England (PHE) issued further warnings for people who are travelling to countries with outbreaks.

It said people should ensure they are up to date with their measles, bumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination before travel.

Meanwhile, those who are starting university or attending festivals should also make sure they are protected.

Figures from the health body show that from January 1 to August 6 there were 807 laboratory confirmed measles cases.

PHE said many cases have been linked to ongoing outbreaks in Europe.

It said 58% of confirmed cases have been among children aged 15 and younger, who missed out on their MMR vaccine when they were younger.

Were advising people planning to travel to Europe to ensure they are up to date with the MMR vaccine due to ongoing measles outbreaks across the continent. Find out more: https://t.co/iJVHIUmUWS pic.twitter.com/maOopMb5cb  UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) April 5, 2018

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, said: We have seen a number of measles outbreaks in England which are linked to ongoing large outbreaks in Europe.

The majority of cases we are seeing are in teenagers and young adults who missed out on their MMR vaccine when they were children.

Anyone who missed out on their MMR vaccine in the past or are unsure if they had two doses should contact their GP practice to catch-up.

We would encourage people to ensure they are up to date with their MMR vaccine before travelling to countries with ongoing measles outbreaks, heading to large gatherings such as festivals, or before starting university.

Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe, added: Following the decades lowest number of cases in 2016, we are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks.

We call on all countries to immediately implement broad, context-appropriate measures to stop further spread of this disease.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness and can be deadly in some cases.

Early signs of illness include cold-like symptoms, sore eyes that may be sensitive to light, fever and small greyish-white spots on the inside of the cheeks.

A few days later a blotchy red-brown rash will appear, usually starting on the head or neck.

Commenting on the WHO figures, Dr Pauline Paterson, co-director of the Vaccine Confidence Project team at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: With a vaccine-preventable disease, one case is one too many, and the number of measles cases so far this year is astounding.

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can spread rapidly and lead to serious complications  a very high vaccination coverage of 95% is needed for community protection.

If the coverage dips below this in certain regions, measles cases can spread and outbreaks can and are occurring.

While most people vaccinate, some individuals do not. The reasons for non-vaccination can vary from issues of vaccine access, a lack of perceived need to vaccinate, and concerns around the safety of vaccination  in 2016 the Vaccine Confidence Project found that the European region was the most sceptical in the world on vaccine safety.

Vaccines work. If measles is to be eliminated, we must continue to further our understanding of the underlying reasons for non-vaccination and to address them with effective evidence-based interventions.

Professor Peter Openshaw, president of the British Society for Immunology, added: There has been a safe and effective vaccine to protect against measles since 1968, which has revolutionised the health of our children and saved many lives.

The number of cases in the UK dropped from almost half a million per year before the vaccine was introduced to the hundreds each year now.

Most of the benefits have been via the triple measlesmumpsrubella (MMR) vaccine that is proven to be safe and effective in innumerable studies.

However, to ensure that our communities benefit from continued protection against measles, both the UK and our European neighbours need to keep vaccination rates high.

Children should routinely receive two vaccines against measles as part of the MMR vaccine, at one year of age and again as a pre-school booster (soon after the third birthday).

The World Health Organisation recommends levels of 95% coverage at these time points to ensure measles outbreaks dont occur.

Englands coverage currently stands at 92% of children receiving the first MMR vaccine by their second birthday, with 88% receiving the second vaccine by their fifth birthday. We should be doing better.

Parents who are concerned should talk to their GP in the first instance. If you or your child has missed out on the benefits of vaccination, its not too late. Get vaccinated. Dont regret it by waiting to catch one of these diseases.
An alligator has attacked a woman who was walking her dog on a US resort island, pulling her underwater in a lagoon and killing her, authorities in South Carolina said.

Beaufort County Sheriffs Office said the attack happened around 9.30am on Monday at the Sea Pines resort on Hilton Head Island.

Witnesses said the woman was pulled under the surface of the water by an alligator thought to be about 8ft long.

An alligator (PA)

Deceased woman in alligator attack identified as 45-year-old Cassandra Cline of Hilton Head Island. https://t.co/swravYNDFL  BCSO Emergency Management Division (@BCSOTraffic) August 20, 2018

Police said the coroner had identified the woman as 45-year-old Cassandra Cline.

The dog did not appear to have been hurt, the sheriffs department said.

The alligator believed to have been responsible for the attack was located later, the sheriffs office said without specifying what happened after it was found.

The resort said it is working with authorities to ensure necessary access to the site while the investigation is under way.

We are extremely saddened by this news and will share information with the community as it is made available, Sea Pines said in a statement.
The Greek government has launched a new bid to engage the UK in talks over the return to Athens of the Elgin Marbles.

Greeces culture minister has written her to British counterpart to formally propose negotiations on the future of the celebrated ancient sculptures originally ornamenting the Parthenon Temple at the Acropolis.

A ministry statement said Lydia Koniordou invited British officials to Greece to discuss the Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Sculptures.

The Parthenon Sculptures (Matthew Fearn/PA)

The case of the 5th century BC works in Londons British Museum is one of the longest-running cultural heritage disputes in the world.

The works were removed by a Scottish nobleman  Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin  in the early 19th century when Athens was under Turkish rule.

Greece wants them back, which Britain has consistently refused to do.
At least 11 drug suspects and one soldier have died during shootouts with military personnel and police in greater Rio de Janeiro.

The direct confrontations between soldiers and armed traffickers marked a deepening of the militarys role in Rios security, as violence erupted in several areas of the city that hosted the Olympics two years ago.

Since the military was put in charge of the states security earlier this year, soldiers have mostly played supporting roles to police during operations, such as securing perimeters or setting up checkpoints. On Monday, soldiers were clearly in the lead.

Our goal is only to make arrests. If there are deaths, the criminals are to blame, Carlos Cinelli, a military spokesman, told reporters, adding that military personnel came under fire during operations. The soldiers have a right to defend themselves.

Police patrol the Complexo de Alemao slum (Silvia Izquierdo/AP)

Mr Cinelli told reporters that five suspects were killed and another 10 were arrested when soldiers stormed the neighbourhoods of Mare, Complexo do Alemao and Penha.

In a press note later in the afternoon, the military command said one soldier had died and another was injured in the operations.

Mr Cinelli said the operations, which involved more than 4,000 military personnel, were aimed at finding wanted traffickers in the areas. The operation netted four pistols, two grenades and 440lb of marijuana paste, he said.

Brazilian news site G1 reported that many residents in the areas stayed at home, skipping work and school.

President Michel Temer, left, put the military in charge of security in the state of Rio (Jorge Saenz/AP)

Police said they also killed six suspects during confrontations in Niteroi, across the bay from Rio de Janeiro.

Officers said the shootouts happened while pursuing suspects on one of the access points to the bridge that joins the two cities. The bridge, one of the areas most traversed roads, was temporarily shut.

Three suspects and one police officer were injured, according to a police statement.

In February President Michel Temer put the military in charge of security in the state of Rio. He made the decision after muggings and beatings were captured on camera during Rios world-famous Carnival celebrations.

Human rights groups have criticised the intervention, saying it is disproportionately impacting people, particularly blacks, in poor neighbourhoods.
Mario Balotelli will remain with Nice this season, the Ligue 1 club have announced.

The Italy striker, 28, has spent two years with Nice but was linked with a move away from the Allianz Riviera this summer, with south-coast rivals Marseille reportedly front-runners for his signature.

Nice alluded to Marseilles interest in the former Manchester City and Liverpool player when revealing that Balotelli had decided to commit his services to Les Aiglons.

Mario Balotelli is sticking with Nice (Nick Potts/PA)

In tweets posted on Monday night, Nice said: The decision has been taken. After careful consideration, Mario Balotelli has decided to stay at Nice. The Italian international expressed his wishes to the directors. There will be a third season for the forward.

Suspended for the first three games of Ligue 1, the Gyms forward, who has scored 43 goals since arriving at the club, will be available for selection next week, ready for the trip to Lyon.

Made slightly complicated at the start of the summer by another club from the south of France, the situation is now back to normal. Simple, clear. Like one of Super Marios strikes.
Jeremy Hunt will challenge the EU to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the US and Britain over Russian aggression, as he makes his first visit to Washington as Foreign Secretary.

Mr Hunt will use a speech on Tuesday to urge the blocs members to ensure the allies speak with one voice against transgressions by Moscow whenever and wherever they occur, from the streets of Salisbury to the fate of Crimea.

EU nations including Germany and France were among dozens of countries that expelled Russian diplomats following Marchs Novichok nerve agent attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, which also resulted in the death of a British woman, Dawn Sturgess, in June.

If we are going to stop chemical and biological weapons - including nerve agents - becoming a new and horrific 21st cent norm states like Russia that use or condone their use need to know there is a price to pay. Thank you USA for standing firm with us on this  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) August 9, 2018

But some have since reached out to President Putins regime, with French president Emmanuel Macron travelling to St Petersburg to call on Russia to work hand-in-hand with Europe, and Italy questioning whether sanctions imposed over the 2014 annexation of Crimea should continue.

His visit also follows the historic and controversial summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Helsinki, which led to widespread criticism of the US president.

In a speech at the US Institute of Peace, Mr Hunt is due to say that under Mr Putin Russias aggressive and malign behaviour undermines the international order that keeps us safe.

He will say: Of course we must engage with Moscow, but we must also be blunt: Russias foreign policy under President Putin has made the world a more dangerous place.

And today, the United Kingdom asks its allies to go further by calling on the European Union to ensure its sanctions against Russia are comprehensive, and that we truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the US.

That means calling out and responding to transgressions with one voice whenever and wherever they occur, from the streets of Salisbury to the fate of Crimea.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk during their meeting (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP)

German chancellor Angela Merkel became the latest leader to engage with Mr Putin, holding talks with him on Saturday  after he had first stopped in Austria to attend the wedding of the countrys foreign minister Karin Kneissl.

Mr Hunt will also discuss Brexit in his speech, which looks at the raft of challenges to the international rules-based system that has kept us safe for decades.

He will warn that a catastrophic no-deal Brexit represents one of the biggest threats to European unity.

He will urge the European Commission to engage with Theresa Mays Brexit plan, saying: Britain would, of course, find a way to prosper and we have faced many greater challenges in our history.

But the risk of a messy divorce, as opposed to the friendship we seek, would be a fissure in relations between European allies that would take a generation to heal  a geostrategic error for Europe at an extremely vulnerable time in our history.

The Foreign Secretarys three-day visit to the United States will also see him hold talks with senior Trump administration officials including secretary of state Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly and Jared Kushner, the presidents advisor and son-in-law, Downing Street said.

Among the discussion topics are Iran, North Korea, Syria, Yemen and the Middle East peace process, the Foreign Office said.

He will then travel to New York, where on Thursday he is due to address the United Nations Security Council and discuss the fight against Islamic State.

He is also due to discuss humanitarian issues with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres.
Three people have been injured after a shooting in north-west London.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene on Kingsbury Road, Brent, close to Kingsbury Tube station, at about 9.45pm on Monday.

The three people were rushed to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

Emergency services rushed to the scene at about 9.45pm (@glreynolds10/PA)

Scotland Yard said two men, aged 18 and 24, and a 30-year-old woman suffered gunshot injuries. The men remain in hospital while the woman has been discharged.

Pictures and video posted on social media showed several police cars and ambulances at the scene, as shocked onlookers gathered outside the police cordon.

Scotland Yard said the incident was not terror-related and have not yet made any arrests.

Kingsbury Tube station was temporarily closed while investigations were carried out, while roads in the area were also shut.

Anyone with information is asked to call Trident officers on 101, quoting reference CAD 7952aug20, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
BAGHDAD, Aug 19 (Reuters) - In the middle of Baghdad's busy commercial neighbourhood of Karrada, where most retail outlets sell home appliances, shoppers can now also buy handguns and semi-automatic rifles legally for the first time in decades.

After the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003, illegal weapons trade flourished across the country. Looted guns from ransacked police stations and military bases were sold in streets and public areas to residents seeking to protect themselves in a state that was largely lawless.

The authorities have since been battling to curb illegal weapon sales and the government has stepped up efforts to control gun ownership through regulation.

The latest initiative came into force this summer and allows citizens to own and carry handguns, semi-automatic rifles and other assault weapons after obtaining official authorisation and an identity card that also details the individual's weapons.

Previously, gun sales were restricted to firearms for hunting and sport.

Hamza Maher opened his new gun shop in Karrada after receiving official approval from the Interior Ministry and says there has been growing demand for his wares.

"Customers are mainly men, but the number of women buyers is growing," said Maher inside his shop, where a variety of pistols and assault rifles are on display.

"The reason for buying is self-defence, and it's safer for citizens to buy a weapon from an authorised store instead of from an unknown source."

Pistol prices in Maher's shop range from $1,000 to $4,000, while Kalashnikov assault rifles can be had from as little as $400 up to $2,000, depending on the brand and manufacturing origin, he said.

Haider al-Suhail, a tribal sheikh from Baghdad, welcomed the legalisation of gun stores.

"Yes, it will decrease crime," he said on a visit to Maher's shop to buy assault rifles for his ranch guards. "The criminal who plans to attack others will understand that he will pay heavy price." (Writing by Ahmed Rasheed Editing by David Goodman)
Displaying a vast array of talents, innovative dynamics, creative arrangements and exploring boundaries of traditional and contemporary music, school choirs have thrilled and amazed audiences for countless years in the past.

The S. Thomas Preparatory School Choir is one such choir, home to many talented and energetic youngsters from the ages of 11 to 16 years as it provides a platform for these students to express their creativity through music and arts. The 35+ number of Choristers each dabble in various genres of music from Gospel to Rock to Pop as they are trained to be versatile not only in their music but in their approach to music as a practice for life and its challenges.

This year, S. Thomas Preparatory School celebrates 80 years in existence and thus has a year filled with various activities and events to commemorate this momentous occasion. As a part of the years celebrations, the Choir will be organizing I Will Follow, I Will Lead, a 3-day concert held on the 7th, 8th and 9th of September 2018 at the Auditorium of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Kollupitiya.

As this concert marks an extremely important celebration in our calendar, we have been working tirelessly to ensure the outcome is as or even greater than any other professional concert out there by bringing in Christopher Prins on Drums, Melissa Pereira on Keyboard, Shalintha Rodrigo on Bass, Julius Mitchell as guest Beatboxer, Professor Sujeewa Ranasinghe as guest Esraj Player and the dynamic duo Ayushka Nugaliyadda and Mihara Jayalath as our Choreographers! The choir will not only be performing songs from western pop charts, but has the honor of performing songs from local artists such as Alien Accent, Sanuka Wickramasinghe, KATCHA, Ridma Weerawardena and Dilan Jayakody, with special tracks created by Ranil Goonawardene and Sachiththa Fernando!

The choir will be led by Berklee College of Music alumnus Sanchitha Wickremesooriya who has been working with the boys for around 2 1/2 years to date, inspiring the kids to reach international standards by exposing them to a series of workshops conducted in partnership with The Sooriya Village with people such as fellow Prepite Kavichandran Alexander, the first Sri Lankan to record and produce multiple Grammy Award winning albums, and many others.

In Addition, the Prep choir will not only be sharing the stage with different guest choirs each night such as Ladies College (Sep 7th), Bishops College (Sep 8th) & Visakha Vidyalaya (Sep 9th), but will also be performing together with choristers from the S. Thomas College family of schools namely S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, S. Thomas' College Bandarawela and S. Thomas' College Gurutalawa, with a special appearance by The Old Boys Choir of STPS!

We also have the pleasure of amazing sponsors coming on board including DSI Supersport and AVI as our Platinum Sponsors, Mobitel, Seylan Bank & Ideal Motors as our Gold Sponsors, The 89th Cavalry - STPS Old Boys Batch of 1989 as our Silver Sponsor, Asia Pacific Investments, Sri Lanka Insurance and Trelleborg as our Bronze Sponsors, Yes FM as our Media Sponsor and Decibel.lk as our Social Media Sponsor!

Tickets are available at the Bishops College Auditorium Office from 9am - 4pm priced at Rs. 2000 a seat!
The Chief Sanga Nayaka of the Southern Province Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera yesterday alleged that the Buddha statue that was in the office of Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake has been removed.

The Venerable thera said this during a function held to mark the centenary of the Daham Pasala at the Vajirarama Temple held at the BMICH last evening.

The Buddha Statue which was in the office of the Colombo Mayor has been removed. There have been a number of non Buddhists who have been elected Mayor in the past. However none of them removed this statute at any time. So one wonders as to why the incumbent mayor removed this statue and who gave the order to do so, the Thera said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was one of the chief guests at the event, said he had called Ms. Senanayake to verify this claim as soon as the Thera mentioned the removal of the statue during the function. She informed me that it has not been removed and was inside the Townhall premises. She sent me a facebook picture of the statue as proof, the Prime Minister said.(Yohan Perera)
Amid the calls to open up the government tenders to the used or non-brand-new vehicle importers, the Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) yesterday urged the government not to move away from the internationally accepted procurement processes.



The CMTA, which represents the agents of all major automotive manufactures in the world, said that the government tenders for vehicles are effectively sales agreements between the manufacturers of motor vehicles and Sri Lankan government.



We have noted the numerous press articles lobbying for government tenders to be opened to the importers of used cars or non-brand-new vehicle importers.



We write to clarify that the government tenders are effectively sales agreements between the manufactures of motor vehicles and Government of Sri Lanka. The local agent is often not a party to this contract.

The manufactures nominate their local agent to act on their behalf and carry out the pre-delivery inspections and give warranty support, etc.



This procurement process is internationally accepted, the CMTA said in a brief statement.



The statement further added that as a result of the government dealing with the manufacturer, they are assured of not only the best price but the most suitable vehicles for the conditions of the country of operations.



Further, the vehicles are supported by the manufacturers warranty.



We are confident that the Government of Sri Lanka will continue to adopt the internationally accepted practices and not deviate from their present procurement procedures for motor vehicles, the CMTA said.
The delay in taking an investment decision by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has delayed the sale of Weligama Bay Marriot Resort & Spa to a Singaporean firm, a stock market filing by East West Properties PLC said.



EPF is said to be having little over 11 percent stake in Weligama Hotel Properties Ltd, the owning company of Weligama Bay Marriot and a subsidiary of East West Properties.



East West Properties in March said it signed a letter of intent to sell the entire stake it owned in Weligama Hotel Properties Ltd to Singapores HPL Hotels & Resorts Pte. Ltd.



However, a disclosure by East West Properties on Friday said HPL and their associates had indicated they were willing to buy only 100 percent ownership of Weligama Hotel Properties Ltd.



The delay was due to the inability of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) which owns 11.11 percent of the shares to come up with a valuation of their shares, despite all accounts and other details being available to EPF through their representative who is on the board of directors of Weligama Hotel Properties Ltd, the disclosure said.



More than 80 percent of the issued shares of East West Properties is owned by businessman Nahil Wijesuriya and his children.
The fourth phase of the Southern Expressway (E01) project, which spans from Andarawewa to Hambantota via Mattala, would be vested in the public in the first quarter of 2019, an official of the construction company announced.

A.B.K. Abeydeera, the Project Director, said the construction of the 23-kilometre-long 4-lane expressway, which began construction on January 19, 2016, is on schedule to be completed in 36 months ending on January 19, 2019.

More than 75 per cent of the construction work of the project has now been completed. This expressway connects the Hambantota Harbour and the Mattala Airport. We are hopeful that the fourth phase can be completed in the first quarter of 2019, he said.

The construction of the fourth phase is being carried out by China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC), a subsidiary of the China Communications Construction (CCC). The Exim Bank of China has funded the project which cost Rs.52 billion. Around 800 employees including about 200 Chinese workers had been involved in the construction work but the number had since dropped as the project was nearing completion.

The uniqueness of the fourth phase is that it includes a massive elevated interchange at Andarawewa, a feature which is seen only at Kadawatha.

Mr. Abeydeera said the elevated sections, which are built on pillars, act as elephant corridors.

In total, 12 bridges and 71 culverts have been constructed in the fourth phase of the E01 extension.

The first phase of the E01 extension spans from Matara to Beliatta (30kms), the second phase from Beliatta to Wetiya (26kms) and the third phase from Wetiya to Andarawewa (15kms).

Mr. Abeydeera said the first three phases are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.

All these phases need to be completed to connect the expressway from Colombo to Hambantota. The use of the expressway will reduce the transport duration from Colombo to Hambantota to three hours, he said. (By Lahiru Pothmulla)

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera arrived here a short while ago on a two-day official visit. This marks the first-ever visit of a Japanese Defence Minister to Sri Lanka.

During his visit, he will hold talks with State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene and other government leaders. He is also expected to undertake field visits outside Colombo. (Text and Pix byTKG. Kapila)
The statement recorded from former President Mahinda Rajapaksa over the abduction and assault of journalist Keith Noyahr, was submitted to the Mt. Lavinia Magistrates Court today.

The CID recorded the statement from Mr Rajapaksa on August 17 at his residence.

Meanwhile, Mt. Lavinia Additional Magistrate Lochana Abeywickreme ordered to re-remand former Military Intelligence Director and Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General (Retired) Amal Karunasekara till August 27.

The Magistrate said a decision on whether to grant bail to the suspect would be made during the next hearing. (Dilanga Gomes)

Video by D. Ruwandi
Countries participating in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could develop economic dependence on Chinese capital, which China could leverage to achieve its interests. For example, in July 2017, Sri Lanka and a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) signed a 99-year lease for Hambantota Port, following similar deals in Piraeus, Greece, and Darwin, Australia, the annual report to Congress, Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China 2016, stated.

The report also said:

Chinas leaders increasingly seek to leverage Chinas growing economic, diplomatic, and military clout to establish regional preeminence and expand the countrys international influence. One Belt, One Road, now renamed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is intended to develop strong economic ties with other countries, shape their interests to align with Chinas, and deter confrontation or criticism of Chinas approach to sensitive issues. Countries participating in BRI could develop economic dependence on Chinese capital, which China could leverage to achieve its interests. For example, in July 2017, Sri Lanka and a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) signed a 99-year lease for Hambantota Port, following similar deals in Piraeus, Greece, and Darwin, Australia.

China seeks to secure its objectives without jeopardizing the regional stability that remains critical to the economic development that has helped the CCP maintain its monopoly on power. However, China is also willing to employ coercive measures  both military and non-military  to advance its interests and mitigate opposition from other countries. For example, in 2017, China used economic and diplomatic pressure, unsuccessfully, in an attempt to urge South Korea to reconsider the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. In its regional territorial and maritime disputes, China continued construction of outposts in the Spratly Islands, but also continued outreach to South China Sea claimants to further its goal of effectively controlling disputed areas. China also maintained a consistent coast guard presence in the Senkakus. In June 2017, India halted Chinas efforts to extend a road in territory disputed with Bhutan near the India border, resulting in a protracted standoff lasting more than 70 days. In August, India and China agreed to withdraw their military forces from the vicinity of the standoff; however, both countries maintain a heightened military presence in the surrounding region.

China also continued to send submarines to the Indian Ocean, ostensibly in support of its counterpiracy patrols. Chinese attack submarines conducted port calls in Seppangar, Malaysia and Karachi, Pakistan, but they were denied a port call in Colombo by Sri Lanka.

These submarine patrols demonstrate the PLANs emerging capability both to interdict key sea lines of communication (SLOC) and to increase Chinas power projection into the Indian Ocean.
Dewayne Johnson, a groundskeeper who had been spraying glyphosate in some school premises in California and afflicted with a cancer condition called non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), won a court case a few days ago claiming that the cancer was caused by regular exposure to glyphosate, a product of Monsanto.



The court ordered the company to pay damages amounting US $ 289 million. Monsanto, however, has announced that it is appealing against the judgement. The judgement has caused huge excitement in the social media both globally and locally, especially among the anti-agrochemical and organic farming lobbyists and a few local anti-glyphosate lobbyists are pressuring the government to re-impose the ban of glyphosate that was partially lifted several weeks ago.



Johnson had been regularly applying the weed killer in school playgrounds for years. A government toxicologist, Dr. Charles W. Jameson, a key witness for the prosecution in his evidence, has testified that to a reasonable degree of scientific certainly, glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides are likely to cause cancer in humans, particularly at real-world exposures including the levels farm workers and others face when using the weed killer.



This toxicologist was a member of the team that declared in their report to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 that glyphosate is probably cancer causing leading to placement of this chemical in Class 2 A of the carcinogenicity classification.



However, there are apparently some 300 other studies that are contrary to the IARC finding and refuting the contention that glyphosate is cancer causing. Chief among these are two studies, the Joint WHO and FAO Meeting on Pesticide Residues, which categorically states that there is no evidence that glyphosate is either carcinogenic or genotoxic.



Even more comprehensive is the American Health Study with some 90,000 farmers using glyphosate over a period exceeding 25 years and published in November 2017. It too concludes that there is no evidence that glyphosate is carcinogenic. In this background, therefore, the San Francisco Court judgement is difficult to comprehend.



The San Francisco Chronicle of August 13 argues that despite this verdict, courts will differ on Monsantos herbicide in regard to the numerous plaints filed against the company claiming damages by the herbicide applicators. Despite a judgement by a California court early this year, that glyphosate products should carry a warning label consistent with the IARC pronouncement that it is probably cancer causing, it would appear that the verdict had been annulled.



Subsequently, a federal judge in Sacramento has prohibited the California State from requiring such a label. He had concluded that a heavy weight of evidence showed that the herbicide glyphosate was safe. In his judgement he had cited the report of the US Environmental Protection Agency and that of other regulatory bodies in Europe that the herbicide, glyphosate, was safe. Contradictory judgments therefore imply that there is no final proof that the herbicide is cancer causing or probably cancer causing as determined by the IARC.



Moreover, causation in epidemiology is a highly complex subject and mere association does not necessarily imply causation. In other words, Dewayne Johnsons association with glyphosate does not necessarily mean that the latter caused him NHL. In epidemiology, there are eight universally accepted criteria known as the Bradford-Hill criteria at least several of which should be satisfied for establishing causation, only one of them being the strength of the association.



It would appear that the jurys decision was substantially conditioned by the terminal illness of Johnson with his body, virtually totally covered in lesions and welts. Probably an element of sympathy influenced the decision. Further, the question should be asked whether a jury of ordinary layman without expert knowledge in the subject could make a decision on a matter of this nature. We, however, have no information on the competence of the jurors on the subject. Monsanto is expected to appeal against the judgement. Let us wait for the outcome.



Meanwhile, this news has caused, as to be expected, much euphoria among the anti-glyphosate lobbyists both here and overseas. One of our chief lobbyists is a Buddhist monk, who has no notion of science or agriculture but has been vehemently opposing conventional agriculture, agrochemical use and actively promoting organic farming in the course of which he has promoted a fertiliser concoction, Pivithuru Pohora, of which he is also the chief architect.



This fertilizer has failed to show any response in the Agriculture Departments trials but has been vigorously promoted among the Mahaweli System B farmers, some of who have been paid compensation by the Mahaweli Authority for loss of crop consequent on its use. On enquiry, one farmer told the writer that he was paid Rs.12,500 as compensation last season.



The other is a pharmacologist who has been shouting hoax that glyphosate is responsible for the kidney disease, chronic kidney disease of uncertain aetiology (CKDu) and even had come up with a hypothesis that glyphosate complexing with metallic elements in the hard water in the NCP is probably the cause of the disease. This hypothesis has not been supported by any other researcher and has been severely criticised by several reputed chemists in the country that it is utterly faulty.



He, together with the monk, has also been insisting that the government should not lift the ban on the weed killer. He even clamoured over the TV following the San Francisco judgement, that he too is filing litigation against Monsanto for glyphosate causing CKDu. The writer has gone this far on these highly biased personalities to give an indication of the magnitude of damage that they cause to poor farmers and the misinformation spread in the public mind.



The ban on the herbicide was, however, lifted recently at least for two crops  tea and rubber, thanks to the valiant efforts of the Plantation Industries Minister. Ideally, it should have been lifted for all crops because it was banned on the false premise that it caused the kidney disease. Many mainstream scientists and the Pesticide Technical Advisory Committee have requested the government to do so.



Despite the ban illegal glyphosate is being used across the country virtually on every crop at great cost to the farmer, as it is exorbitantly expensive. The farmers using it at any cost are indicative of their dependency on it to control weeds. The government should do well to lift the ban for all crops. There is now convincing evidence that CKDu is associated with the source of potable water and not any agrochemical.



In conclusion, glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide both globally and locally. The quantity used is more than that of the cumulative total of all other pesticides. In comparison to most other pesticides, its toxicity is relatively low, its acute reference dose (ARfD) is as high as 0.5 mg/kg of body weight and the acceptable operator level (AOEL) is set at 0.1 mg/kg body weight per day.



Despite such low toxicity indicators given, the emerging evidence of possible risks, the government should have wide farmer and public training on its safe use. Our farmers often spray pesticides bare bodied despite strict advice and rules. It would appear that Johnson, the California groundskeeper, has been very frequently spraying the weed killer. By contrast, in arable crops here, it is usually applied once per season prior to planting.



In tea however, the regular applicators apply more frequently and their exposure is probably higher. On the other hand, vegetable farmers apply insecticides of much higher toxicity such as carbosulphan, propanophos and diazinonmany times per season which could be more risky than glyphosate.



Further, given our magnitude of exposure to other toxins such as vehicle exhaust fumes and emissions from the coal power plants, many of which are Class 1 carcinogens, the risk of glyphosate should be negligible providing adequate precautions are taken. The Johnson fiasco should be an eye opener to the authorities for vigilant training of farmers in pesticide use as also for enacting rigid rules and regulations.



Given the vital need of glyphosate in weed management in farming and the fact that no other country has banned it despite emerging concerns, we hope the government will not rush again into throwing the baby away with the bath water.



The health authorities should, as a precautionary measure, undertake a study on the status of glyphosate residues in farmers who spray it regularly, especially of the tea estate applicators.

(Dr. Parakrama Waidyanatha is a former Chairman of the Coconut Research Board)
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure after her high-profile trip to Latin America, including stops in the United States, which drew criticism from China.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has ramped up military and diplomatic pressure in an attempt to assert Chinese sovereignty over the island, even as the US government makes fresh overtures to it.

In March, US President Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act -- a non-binding bill encouraging the United States to send senior officials to Taiwan to meet Taiwanese counterparts.

While Tsai was not invited to the United States for an official visit, she met US senators while she was there, attended banquets with overseas Taiwanese and spoke of the need for strong ties with Washington.

The number of countries that now officially recognise Taiwan has been whittled down to 18, following moves by Burkina Faso in West Africa and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean region to formally switch relations to China from Taiwan this year.

"Taiwan would not bow to pressure. Pressure would only make us more determined and united. It would only boost our determination to go abroad," Tsai said at Taiwan's international airport upon arrival late on Monday after the nine-day trip. She did not elaborate.

Tsai said during talks with heads of state during the trip, she had "demonstrated Taiwan's determination for the value of freedom and democracy."

China, which believes Tsai wants to push for Taiwan's formal independence, has already complained to Washington about her US stopovers on the arrival and departure legs of her trip to Paraguay and Belize in the past two weekends.

Democratic Taiwan is one of China's most sensitive territorial issues and Tsai's US stopovers in the United States, a customary practice for Taiwanese presidents, came amid an increasingly bitter trade war between Beijing and Washington.

While the United States has no formal ties with Taiwan, it is its main supplier of arms and military hardware, and its strongest unofficial diplomatic backer.

In a sign of the geo-political tensions, a Taiwan bakery chain with numerous branches in China disappeared from major Chinese food apps amid calls for a boycott after Tsai stopped by for a coffee at one of its stores in Los Angeles

In response, Tsai last week urged people in Taiwan to remain united and she remained defiant in the face of Beijing's pressure.

"My administration will continue strengthening every aspect of #Taiwan-#US relations. Until next time!" Tsai tweeted upon her departure from a US airport earlier on Monday, along with a photo of her holding hands with James F. Moriarty, chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan.

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NEW DELHI, 20 August 2018 (The Times of India)  The massive flood in Kerala has been declared a calamity of severe nature, the Union home ministry said on Monday.

Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a home ministry official said.

At least 216 people have lost their lives in the rains, floods and landslides in Kerala where over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps.

As rains abated and rescue operations were in the final stages, flood-hit Kerala was faced with the gigantic task of rehabilitating lakhs of people rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of diseases.

Lt Gen D R Soni, the chief of the Armys Southern Command , told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations were still continuing and drones are being used to help reach to people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

He said 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations and people stranded on rooftops and inaccesible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

Efforts were now under way to clear the houses of the debris to make them habitable, officials said, underscoring the need for making available disinfectants like bleaching powder in adequate quantities to prevent outbreak of water- borne diseases.

Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state is striving together as one to overcome the catastrophic floods with monumental strength.

Referring to some messages being circulated on social media denigrating the relief efforts by the government, he said in a Facebook post that anyone trying to pull us down will face serious consequences.
By Cliff Mass

19 August 2018

(Cliff Mass Weather and Climate Blog)  During the next 12 hours there should be a major influx of wildfire smoke into the lower elevations of western Washington.

The MODIS satellite imagery around noon showed very dense smoke over eastern WA and the north Cascades, with lesser but substantial smoke now over northwest Washington, with a thinning from Seattle southward.

The 2PM image from the GOES geostationary satellite, indicates the smoke is slowly moving southward west of the Cascade crest.

The backdrop of Seattle is getting murkier over time. []

Unfortunately, if our models are correct, low-level air quality is about to get much worse. The NOAA/NWS HRRR smoke model prediction for near-surface smoke showed high values (red-purple) over the Cascades and eastern WA at noon (1900 UTC) []And fully entrenched at 5 AM Monday. These forecasts are for higher concentrations than in the forecasts for last Wednesday, our last big smoke day. [more]
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Law student Cathleen Dacey has her own apartment in a retirement community and provides eight hours of service each week in exchange for housing.



By PAT EATON-ROBB

Associated Press

WALLINGFORD, Conn.  Victoria Kozar, like many students, met one of her best friends while in college.

The now 23-year-old, who attended Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, says she and Beth lived in the same building and spent hours talking about everything from boyfriends to baking.





. . .
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RENO, Nev. (AP)  Environmentalists have lost their latest legal bid to block a major redevelopment project at a Lake Tahoe-area ski resort that hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Placer County Superior Court Judge Michael W. Jones rejected Sierra Watch's claims this week that the expansion of the Village at Squaw Valley would violate the California Environmental Quality Act.





. . .
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SEATTLE  Stratford Court, at 12314 32nd Ave. N.E., has sold for just over $3.4 million, according to King County records. The seller was Stratford DQ LLC, which acquired the property in 2004 for a little over $1.5 million.

The buyer was 12314 32nd Ave NE LLC, which is associated with a private investor in South Seattle.





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Qatar investor to help local feed sector achieve self-sufficiency



Hassad, Qatar's premier investor in food and agribusiness sectors, had announced the start of expansion plans in its foreign and local investments - a move which will help the country's animal feed sector become self-sufficient.



"We conducted an in-depth research on the local market needs from animal feed, and accordingly, we developed a comprehensive plan which covers both local and foreign strategic expansion to satisfy those needs, as well as secure external sources to be utilised by the country if needed," said Mohamed Al Sadah, CEO of Hassad.



"Hassad is fully aware and supportive of the efforts done by the private sector. We would like to emphasise that Hassad's local investments are complementary to those efforts and not to its competition, thus, all our collective efforts are in the best interest of the local market."



Hassad also announced that it completed the first phase of alfalfa production on 1.5 million square meters of land. The areas is located at Irkkiyah farm, which is owned by Aalaf Qatar, a subsidiary of Hassad. Al Sadah said that this accomplishment is in support of the country's food security efforts.



Currently, the total cultivated area owned by Aalaf Qatar, has reached eight million square metres, and produces alfalfa and Rhodes. The company owns four farms which produce animal feed on a total land area of around 800 hectares located at Irkkiyah, Sailiyah, A'Refaa' and Um Selal. To ensure the availability of animal feed, it also has several sales points in different locations across Qatar.



In addition, Hassad signed an agreement, in which it will begin negotiations to buy a major stake in one of the biggest fodder-producing projects in Sudan. The project - known as Al Khartoum - currently spans over a land area of 10,000 hectares, and produces an estimated of 150,000 tonnes of Rhodes and alfalfa on a yearly basis.



According to Al Sadah, Hassad is creating a plan for the second phase of expansion within its Qatari farms by the start of 2019 - the objective would be to increase production and introduce new products.



- The Peninsular






Cobb Europe appoints Al-Watania as Saudi Arabia distributor



Al-Watania Poultry Company, one of the leading poultry producers in the Middle East, recently signed a distributor agreement with Cobb Europe for the territories of Saudi Arabia and a number of surrounding Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries.



Al-Watania Poultry has worked closely with Cobb Europe for more than two decades in Saudi Arabia. Since acquiring the Cobb Egypt operations more than a decade ago, Al-Watania Poultry (Egypt) has been the Cobb distributor and a market leader in Egypt.



Chairman Shaikh Sulaiman Al-Rajhi established Al-Watania Poultry in 1977 with a vision to contribute towards the nutritional reserves of Saudi Arabia. In recent years, Al-Watania Poultry, under the leadership of Al-Rajhi's son, Dr. Mohammed Al-Rajhi, took initiative to expand Al-Watania Poultry operations to reach greater heights.



Currently, the company processes more than 860,000 broilers/day. New state-of-the-art automated hatcheries, feed mills, and processing lines have started operation. Further expansion will take the daily production to one million broilers by 2020. This is aimed at supporting the Kingdom's initiative to reduce dependency on chicken meat imports and increase by 20% local chicken meat production by 2020.



Al-Watania has plans to double output of parent stock chicks to four million birds a year by 2020, through expanding its hatchery and grandparent operations in Al Jouf. It is also investing in a fleet of transporters fitted with the latest on-board environment controls with each truck capable of holding up to 60,000 chicks for delivering to parent stock customers as far as 2,000 kilometres away.



"The Cobb500 will play a key role in our expansion programme," said Mohammad Hamed Al-Shayea, vice president of production for Al-Watania Poultry. "The Saudi government is seeking to increase food security and is supporting domestic poultry production to reduce imports which currently represent 55% to 60% of the market."



Mark Sams, general manager of Cobb Europe, said: "The Middle East is a crucial region for Cobb, with enormous potential for growth as a key emerging market. We are very pleased to further enhance our relationship with Al-Watania, which stretches back over many years. This new distribution agreement allows us to enhance our services to customers in the Middle East, reducing transportation time and providing security of supply of parent stock chicks."



The Al-Watania decision to further enhance its relationship with Cobb is influenced by the breed's low cost of production of chicken meat. Al-Watania has benefited from the wide-ranging technical support teams that Cobb provides to advise on all aspects of production through its world-leading poultry experts. Currently, Al-Watania Poultry is seeing their best ever Cobb broiler performances.



Al-Watania Poultry has also taken the lead in training young Saudi aspirants in the field of poultry technology. This, too, is a joint programme with Cobb Europe in training and developing the next generation of poultry professionals for the Kingdom's poultry industry.



"We at Al-Watania Poultry express our thanks to Mohammed Chail, Cobb's sales and business development manager, who had been instrumental in business development in Middle East for the past 30 years," said Al-Shayea.



"Today, Al-Watania and Cobb-Vantress are like one family with the purpose of serving the Saudi broiler industry, enabling local Saudi production to grow further and fulfill chicken meat demand at an affordable price."



- Cobb Vantress




Pork producer HyLife opens another feed mill in Manitoba, Canada

Leading Canadian pork producer HyLife recently opened a new feed mill in Killarney municipality in Manitoba province, Canada.

HyLife said the new feed mill showcases the company's "commitment to growth, innovation and integration" as it continues to strive to be the world's best food producer.

"It is really exciting," said Dave Penner, HyLife's chief operating officer, foods division, about the grand opening of the mill, which now gives the company a total of five feed mills with four in Manitoba and one in North Dakota, USA.

"The team at HyLife has done a tremendous job at pulling this all together. Not only on budget but ahead of schedule", Penner added.

Earlier in April, HyLife completed its processing plant in Neepawa municipality, also in Manitoba.

Mayor's welcome

Killarney-Turtle Mountain Mayor Rick Pauls welcomed HyLife's continued growth in southwestern Manitoba to meet the demands for high-quality pork in Japan.

"We are very excited with the opening of this new feed mill," said Pauls, who has been mayor for the past 12 years and who will be seeking a fourth term. "This is a huge investment in our community. "

HyLife said the new mill in Killarney is similar to HyLife's mill on Highway 52 West in Steinbach city.

The big difference between the two new state-of-the-art mills in Western Canada and traditional mills like the one HyLife uses in La Broquerie is that they produce a pellet-based feed compared with a mash-based feed. Despite more complexity in creating pellet feed, the new mills are rated for 250,000 tonnes of throughput annually. That is roughly 9,000 semi loads of input with another 9,000 loads delivered.

HyLife's feed production in southwestern Manitoba will now transition to Killarney from Kola's mill, which was able to produce 45,000 tonnes of pellet feed annually.


By The Verge , Aug. 18, 2018





On Thursday afternoon, a critical meeting at Google was derailed by a handful of tweets. Employees who had been pressing top executives for answers about the companys plans to build a censored search engine and news app for the Chinese market appeared to have finally gotten their wish. Google cofounder Sergey Brin and CEO Sundar Pichai had taken the stage to address employees concerns. Well definitely be transparent as we get closer to actually having a plan of record, Pichai said, according to a report from The Intercepts Ryan Gallagher.

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Obama carbon colonialism and climate corruption continue, Part 1 By Paul Driessen and David Wojick

Part 1 of a 3-part series Its obscene enough when the Multilateral anti-Development Banks do it. But Trump agencies?!? In a prime example of Deep State revanchism, despite the profound change in administrations, the US Agency for International Development is still funding and advancing anti-energy Obama-era climate change dogmas and policies for developing countries. USAID handles tens of billions of dollars a year, roughly half of all US foreign aid, so this climate alarmism puts literally millions of lives at risk. USAID calls its flagship program low emissions development. Emissions of course means plant-fertilizing, life-giving carbon dioxide  but the term is intended to suggest dangerous climate changing pollution. The effect, if not the intent, is to deprive poor countries of the enormous life-enhancing benefits of abundant, affordable electricity and fossil fuels, which created the health and wealth Americans enjoy. The President and Congress need to terminate this poverty-perpetuating carbon colonialism  which USAID prefers to describe in this deceptive, eco-virtuous language: Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies (EC-LEDS) is a flagship U.S. program that has forged partnerships with more than two dozen developing countries from Colombia to Indonesia to South Africa to Ukraine committed to and taking concrete actions to achieve low emission development. Under EC-LEDS, USAID, the State Department and other U.S. agencies work with partner countries to help develop tools and analyses to estimate GHG emissions and identify and pursue the best options for low emission growth. In fact, says the agency, this new development strategy marks the first time climate change will play a central role throughout the entire agencys development efforts. [emphasis added] USAID itself could never function under the low-emission standards it imposes on nations that struggle daily with rampant poverty, disease, malnutrition and premature death. Its employees could never run their own homes and lives under such standards. They would never tolerate having those restrictions imposed on them (though this might be a fascinating exercise that would bring out their true colors). Eco-imperialist aid policies did not end with Obamas exit As we have noted (here, here and here), Multilateral anti-Development Banks use similar claims and language to justify their eco-imperialist, anti-fossil-fuel policies and lending practices. But especially during the Obama era, the State Department, its USAID operations and other US government agencies also prevented poor countries from using oil, natural gas, coal and modern farming technologies. That this continues is despicable. That even Trump State Department representatives to the 2017 Climate Summit in Bonn, Germany were advancing Obama policies is intolerable. It needs to end, now. The refusal of these public servants to be part of the new Administration is pure Deep State, guided in part by an Obama era document, USAID Global Climate Change and Development Strategy 2012-2016. Their plan is clearly based on climate alarmism that is increasingly rooted in computer models and hysterical claims that bear little resemblance either to global temperature trends over the past 20 years or to the actual history of droughts and extreme weather over the past century. The document asserts: Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our generation. USAID  as part of the broader [Obama] Presidential Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI)  is addressing this challenge in ways that recognize both its severity and the opportunities clean economic growth presents to spur innovation and encourage investments that will have long lasting environmental and development benefits. If we support countries to build climate resilience and move towards a low carbon economic growth pathway, we can help provide more stable and prosperous futures for the U.S. and for our partners, including new markets for clean technology and expansion of the green economy. Alternatively, if we are unable to meet this challenge, climate change could jeopardize many of the development gains the international community and the U.S. government have worked for decades to secure. The policy was implemented in 2012. But 18 months after Mr. Trump was sworn in, current USAID national and regional websites  as well as the strategy document itself  still say it remains in effect and still guides our work helping countries transition to lasting and climate-resilient, low-emission economic development. They say the policy is Extended to September 2018, and suggest that the StratPlan will be kept in force even if it technically expires in September. Clean energy activities help countries attract the private investment they need to scale up sustainable and cost-effective renewable energy, minimizing pollution and keeping pace with today's changing energy landscape, the documents claim. Moreover, the dogma will be integrated and implemented across all USAID activities: Integration activities ensure climate change knowledge and practice is applied, where appropriate, across USAIDs development portfolio to protect U.S. investments from unforeseen risks." Sustainable energy thus ties into UN climate alarmism, alleged risks of imminent resource depletion, avoidance of over-consumption, and funding, guiding and imposing policies and programs that limit the number of people around the world who might achieve the middle and upper class living standards that USAID, UN, IPCC, World Bank and EU technocrats (and their environmentalist allies) already enjoy. These governing elites fear that newly middle class families would want more stuff: cars, real houses, refrigerators, stoves, lights, and vacations to exotic locales now enjoyed mostly by UAID officials and other climate conference attendees. Extending these privileges to middle class wannabes would require taking more resources out of the ground, which would hurt Mother Earth. Therefore, these billions of people who have electricity only a few hours a week, who enjoy life on the edge of the disease and starvation abyss, must be permitted to improve their lives only a little; only to the extent that it would conform to UN and USAID climate, sustainability and over-consumption guidelines; only as much as could be supported by wind and solar energy, subsistence farming and bed nets. Trump USAID Administrator Mark Green should have terminated this travesty his first day at the helm. At the very least, he, the White House and Congress should now serve notice that it will be rescinded in toto August 31 and then make sure it is totally repealed, defunded and shut down September 1. Rescission must be active, not passive. It must cover all US and overseas USAID budgets, personnel, strategic plans, policies, guidance and policy statements, websites and other items that advance these climate, sustainability and related agendas. Funds and personnel should be reassigned, and Deep Staters complicit in perpetuating the programs after January 2017 should be disciplined or let go. The Foreign Operations Appropriations bills now pending in the House and Senate provide all USAID funding, and are obvious vehicles for issuing permanent pro-energy, pro-people, pro-development rules. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power - Black death and other books and articles on energy, climate change and economic development. David Wojick is an independent analyst specializing in science, logic and human rights in public policy, and author of numerous articles on these topics. Home
Choose this day who you will serve By Dr. Robert Owens

In our current confrontation with Radical Islam the battle lines are portrayed as those between a secular society, us and a religious society, them. I reject this portrayal as a betrayal of the faith of our Founders and of those patriotic Americans who still hold fast to Jesus as God and Savior, we too are a religious people. America was founded as a Christian country. Anyone who denies that has not studied enough History or has been sadly misled. Columbus accentuated his desire to spread the Christian faith to his patrons the King and Queen of Spain and in his log. The first thing the English did upon landing at Jamestown was set up a cross to dedicate their endeavor to Jesus their Savior. Were these early explorers and colonists always true to their faith? Did they always operate under principles derived from Gods Word? Sadly they did not. However, to say that the Christian faith was not an integral part of their motivation and worldview is simply not true. In the latter part of the twentieth century Progressive leaders pushing a collectivist agenda decided to declare us a pluralistic society. They sought to detach the heavily Bible influenced Constitution into the dustbin of History by substituting what they call a living constitution for the rock-solid one the Framers bequeathed us. Mr. Obama, the quintessential Progressive in his speech to the Muslims of Egypt, Turkey, and many places spiced up his apology tours by asserting that America is not a Christian country. This statement of his belief and goal does not make it true. All of these recent changes aside, most Americans still believe in God and the majority consider themselves Christians. As a Christian, an Historian, and a Political Scientist in response to numerous questions I would like to share my beliefs concerning government, economies, and the rights of man. As far as a government goes the only Biblically correct one is that God is God and we are His people. He is the King and we are the sheep of His pasture. As concerning an economic system Gods economy knows no lack and is exceedingly abundantly provisioned by the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills. This being true I do not believe that God mandates any type of human government or economic system as pre-ordained, sanctified, or holy. However, I do believe that humanity as God has created it does require certain governmental and economic conditions to develop and thrive as God intended. God created us in His own image. He gave us the power to create and to choose. He gave us a mind open to learning and ever eager to improvise. He also gave us what I believe is the most crucial aspect of our make-up: our free will or the power to choose. We can choose to follow Him and do what He desires, or we can choose to follow the leadings not only of our thoughts but of our emotions also. In other words we can dwell within the Kingdom of God wherein He is our King and we are His people or we can choose to live in the Kingdom of man and become the subjects of either our own designs or of whoever manages to gain control of the physical world around us. If God wanted slaves or robots He could have created slaves or robots. Instead He created us and gave us a mind to think and a will to choose because He wanted us to decide to love Him and follow Him freely without compulsion. Therefore I believe that since free thought and free choice are the foundation of mans nature freedom is necessary if man is to live as God designed. This being the case I believe that any governmental or economic system that denies mans freedom interferes with and attempts to supplant Gods plan, which is the definition of evil. There are of course limits to freedom as expressed in the Ten Commandments. Beyond this we should be free to choose our own way. Will we follow God or will we follow man. Within these limits and building on the moral framework the Bible provides I believe that a republic based upon the commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness using democratic principles is the governmental structure which most closely matches mans God-given nature. I also believe that free market capitalism is the economic system which best allows man to develop and live as God intended. Conversely, when man rejects God and seeks to create his own utopia he builds some sort of centrally-planned command economy and the intrusive government needed to impose it upon others. A free economy and the free government it requires allows the independent choices of many to produce the greatest prosperity for all as everyone seeks to do the best they can because they reap the rewards. In a socialist or any type of hybrid economy between capitalism and socialism bureaucrats make the decisions and stagnation is the inevitable result. As Gary North, a Christian economist expresses it, The essence of democratic socialism is this re-written version of God's commandment: Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote. Or as Winston Churchill observed, Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. And that is not life as God intended. If we look at History it is an outworking of the initial fall of man. In the beginning God created the world including man and it was all good. Then at the dawn of our existence we choose to go our own way instead of following God. We chose to follow the siren song of You shall be like God and ever since we have attempted to create heaven on earth. All we have succeeded in doing is to open the gates of Hell instead. A case in point would be the age-old question, if God is good why is there evil in the world followed by the age-old answer God gave us free choice and we chose evil. With the help and guidance of those who seek to play god themselves humanity has often been convinced to surrender their freedom for security, to bargain away their God-given nature and assume the subservient nature of slaves. In America the purveyors of socialism cloak their designs in the language of populism. They loudly proclaim that they seek a fair deal for everyone, except of course for the people they intend to loot. They want fair elections as long as nothing is done to stop fraudulent voting. They want equality enforced by unequal treatment. In other words they seek to build the kingdom of man where they can be king. We have a mind to think and the capacity to make a free choice. As the day of reckoning draws near all I can recommend is, think and choose. We can choose to follow the path of redistribution, class warfare, and collectivist dependency or we can choose to at least attempt a return to limited government, personal liberty, and economic freedom. Dont be fooled by the progressive media and their obvious bias. To be free is Gods design. For us to be a slave to dependency is mans. One of Americas most beloved troubadours told us, The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls and one of those secular prophets he was referring to reminded us You're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed You're gonna have to serve somebody, Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody. Or as my favorite book says it, And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Dr. Robert Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion. He is the Historian of the Future @ http://drrobertowens.com  2018 Robert R. Owens drrobertowens@hotmail.com Follow Dr. Robert Owens on Facebook or Twitter @ Drrobertowens Edited by Dr. Rosalie Owens Home
Todays rarest of classic tragedies By Michael Moriarty

Ive been watching an exceptionally well-made, murder mystery film series on Netflix, Collateral. Already, however, within the first episode, we seem to be told not only who the murderer is but that shes a woman, a fascinatingly complex villainess! Yet, on the other hand, and in spite of her exceptional professionalism as a killer, the unsurprising result of a career in the military, she may have very well shot the wrong man. This question of whether the murdered man is the right man or the wrong man haunts us throughout this four-part series. The acting by everyone involved is beyond even, as they often say in London, where the film takes place, top-drawer! The female assassins superior officer, Major Tim Dyson, impeccably portrayed by Robert Portal, puts our mystery killer through a superbly played investigation, revealing our central suspect, Sandrine Shaw, of emotionally complex duplicity as a Captain in the British Army.

A Divine Performance, Sacredly Devoid of Self-Pity One who recently completed her tour of duty in Syria. That site of the longest war in the English-speaking, both British and American military history, is the inspiration for one of the finest and most exquisitely created, modern tragedies on film that Ive ever had the privilege of viewing. Of course, a lions share of the credit for the power of Sandrine Shaw belongs to the almost frighteningly committed performance of that role by Jeany Spark! Apparently, we think, by the third episode, that our tragic figure did indeed kill the right man. Yet we cant really know that for sure. But who ordered this execution?! The death being a hit, of course, means that the pizza shop-owner, who has also been murdered by the end of Episode Two, deliberately sent the murder victim to his death. Why? That, of course, is at the heart of not only the mystery murder but also one of the most revealing factors about how large this criminal conspiracy actually is! It goes to the top of a, by now, well and wealthily set-up, ex-military man and his extraordinary influence. In her second meeting with her superior officer our killer again dances entirely around the, by now, ugly truths within this impressively high level conspiracy which she is utterly unaware of. Major Dyson, an obvious expert in psychiatric procedure, gently orders the Captain to take a short leave of absence! Captain Sandrine Shaw, the indisputably fascinating killer of our first murder victim within this intensely complex, multiple murder mystery, gains our sympathy through the nightmare she finds herself inextricably trapped in. She finds no substantive solace from a rather obligatory visit to her mother. Of course, she cant really be honest with anyone, least of all her mother, about anything, except, of course, with her co-conspirator, with whom she seems to have little or no true connection  yet! What? I learn now that our female killer committed murder because she wanted to kill a terrorist?! Any terrorist she could find with anyones help?! And the man who found the any-old-terrorist she wants to kill: former military officer, Peter Westbourne of Pimlico Travel?! Hes now advising his co-conspirator in a post-mortem of their cold-bloodedly conspiratorial murder, to just back off! Then he adds, You might have to! Im saying that for your own good. Before they part ways, Peter declares, Im ready to kill anyone who harms you or your mother. Meanwhile, the reasoning behind the second killing, that of the pizza manager, Laurie Stone? The villainy thickens with connections to a Mid-Eastern Mafia of some sort. Amidst all this multi-cultural mystery, some scenes are almost too delicious to be believed!! Our heroine, Kit, meets with the, so far, highest of the MI5 higher-ups whom she has crossed a few bitter paths with: John Heffernans brilliantly captured villain, MI5s very own Sam Spence.

Our Courageously Tough and Unsentimental Heroine, Kit! They, to put it most precisely, negotiate: she for information, he for his entire reputation. Yes, she has him, as they say, by the short and pubic! The editing and its timing, particularly the decisions on when to cut from each face in close-up?! Record-setting brilliance! For one, the acting is so good, you are, if you are also a professional actor, quite repeatedly amazed by its flawlessly unforced precision and depth! The villains and villainesses are apparently working for a British government agency. The inquisitions by our heroine begin with a demand for the name of the first assassin. Weve known who she is for quite some time. However, the motive for the assassination is now an open question despite the killers own self-image as the executioner of terrorists. Why did they have to kill him? asks our heroine. They?! We were led to believe that the killer was a pure victim of her own good intentions over destroying terrorists! Any terrorist!! The victim of our terrorist-killer knew the name of the Boss. Whose Boss?! What Boss?!?! Apparently the dead terrorist had The Bosss address and The Boss didnt want the so-called terrorist to have it! So, all the dead mans female killer knew was that this man she murdered was undeniably a terrorist. When the witness to all of this agrees to give our heroine the name of The Boss, our leading lady says, And the killer! Well need the killer too. It ends up, The Boss is an established and highly regarded military officer who was running his own personal army of vengeance upon his odd set of personal enemies. And who does this villain turn out to be?! Its so obvious that it hurts: Peter Westbourne, the former senior officer to our killer, Captain Sandrine Shaw. And Sandrine Shaw, bursting with the hell of good intentions, enacts the will of not only her criminally opportunistic military superior but she is also fulfilling a lifetime of dreamy admiration for the military men in her family! After hearing dozens of theories about why there are no authentically tragic modern heroes or heroines in contemporary film, theater or television?! The character of Sandrine Shaw, and her performance by Jeany Spark, achieve that long-abandoned dream of all dramatists: creating an authentically tragic figure. That characters decision to shoot herself has been made but hope springs eternally alive until, of course, she asks for the true guilt of her victim! I wept like a baby when our heroine, the relentless, female detective, feels obliged to tell Sandrine the truth. Neither of these superbly and divinely tough actresses falls for one ounce of sentimentality. They tell their stories without one ounce of self-pity! As the brief epilogue to Collateral unfolds, the words of the most diabolical figure in this drama, Peter Westbourne, must be recalled: Im ready

to kill anyone

who harms you

or your mother. It proves to be, in one of the most dramatic of tragic ironies, that Peter Westbourne could only fulfill that promise to Ms. Shaw by killing himself. It was he who, in the end, drove Sandrine to suicide and her mother into endless heartbreak over the death of her daughter. No, it is not merely Collateral damage. This exceptional four-part series delivers an all-too-rare and powerfully convincing tragedy! A classic tragedy in the profoundest sense of the word. Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home
A double ban gets a double reversal By Paul Driessen

I dont pull my punches over destructive, inhumane or just plain lunatic policies demanded by extreme environmentalists. I criticize them, as well as friends and good guys, when I think they got it wrong on energy or environmental issues. I also offer praise when it is deserved. When Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ryan Zinke  whom I admire greatly  let a last-minute Obama endangered species designation for the Rusty Patched Bumblebee (RPB) take effect in March 2017, I faulted the decision (here and here). Now I want to praise his recent decision to reopen certain wildlife refuges to modern farming practices. The RPB decision did the unthinkable. It gave Interiors often hyper-activist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) potential veto power over every farm operation, building project and land use decision across 378 million Eastern and Midwestern acres, the RPBs (possible) erstwhile habitat. Thats equal to Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana combined! All to protect a ground-nesting bee that provides minimal pollinating services, has supposedly been sighted a number of times since 2000 in 13 states, has long been rare for multiple reasons, and got its endangered status due to an collusive sue-and-settle lawsuit between agitators and regulators. This is the same FWS that told a timber company it had to create potential habitat on its land in Louisiana for a dusky gopher frog that has not been seen in the state for 33 years and could not survive on the 1,544 acres of company land selected by the FWS, because the chosen area did not offer essential habitat conditions. So Fish and Wildlife ordered the company to convert the land into suitable habitat, at company expense  after which the company could never cut trees in the area! The RPB decision was particularly perilous for farmers because, just a few years earlier, the Service had eagerly negotiated yet another sue-and-settle style agreement with radical greens in the Center for Food Safety, to ban genetically engineered crops (aka GMOs) and neonicotinoid insecticides on the extensive lands the FWS leases to farmers in often enormous U.S. wildlife refuges. The ban was issued without any public consultation or comment period. Worse, it was wholly at odds with USDA and EPA findings on the environmental safety of both GMOs and neonics. But it was a huge gift to activists who have been campaigning against those technologies for years. It set a dangerous precedent of basing government decisions on precautionary criteria, much like Europes wholly unscientific regulatory process, which is completely antithetical to the risk-based U.S. system. The infinitely malleable precautionary pseudo-guideline says chemicals and other technologies should be restricted or banned if there is any possibility (or accusation by radical activists) that they could be harmful, even if no evidence-based cause-effect link can be shown. Even worse, the Precautionary Principle only examines (often inflated) risks from using technologies that activists or regulators dislike. It never considers the risks of not using them  or risks that using them could reduce or eliminate. Just as perversely, anti-technology factions ignore or actively suppress evidence of harmful impacts from supposed alternatives  and from any technologies they support. The European Union has formalize the Precautionary Principle as official policy. Regulators thus have carte blanche authority to take any action, at any time, no matter how arbitrary, based on the claim that sometime in the future, in ways not yet understood, something might possibly have a negative impact on people or the environment. Scientific evidence is not needed. Its an open door to regulation by activists who are experts at raising alarms and making claims of impending Armageddon unless a targeted technology is banned. Europes embrace of precaution in agricultural regulation is a major reason why the continent has become a net importer of food, despite having some of the most fertile land and predictably temperate weather in the world. If this horrendous refuge precedent had stood, combined with the Endangered Species Act, it could have given a few USFWS activist regulators the power to micro-manage enormous swaths of the American public and private landmass, and large segments of the nations agricultural and construction economy. Its impacts would have been felt almost as widely as the infamous Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed to kill and which the EPA under Scott Pruitt began to dismantle  or the even more insidious Paris climate treaty, which would have given international and United Nations climate alarmists control over the entire U.S. economy. Im therefore happy to note that Mr. Zinke Department has implemented a double reversal of the USFW double ban. In an August 2 memo, Interior again spelled out the need to raise crops in parts of wildlife refuges to provide food for people and forage for ducks, geese and other wildlife  and to note the important role that genetically engineered plants and neonics play in that effort. Of course, the GMO-neonic ban never made an iota of scientific sense. Hundreds of government and independent studies  and decades of eating and other real-world experience  confirm that GMOs are as safe for human and animal consumption as the almost 100% of crops that have been genetically modified by traditional breeding  or by soaking seeds in harsh chemicals or bombarding them with radiation to cause multiple mutations, some desirable, others unknown, but just fine with organic food promoters. Equally important, the massively funded environmentalist campaign against neonics was based heavily on the wholly fabricated bee-pocalypse scare of several years ago. As most people now know, honeybee populations have been rising the entire time since neonics were first used, and the problems honeybees had for several years were due to due to Varroa destructor mites and an assortment of bee diseases. Anti-neonic agitation also ran headlong into EPAs scientific risk assessments. Even amid the regulatory frenzy of the final Obama years, EPA could find no scientific reason to take away the long-standing approvals of these vital crop production tools, which target only insects that actually feed on crop plants. Not surprisingly, though, once the honeybee-pocalypse was debunked, activists immediately switched gears to the equally fraudulent claim that wild bees are on the path to extinction  because of neonics, of course. However, wild bee problems are also almost entirely due to disease and long-term habitat loss. The vast majority of wild bee species are doing just fine, prominent U.S. Geological Survey wild bee expert Sam Droege has noted. Even more telling, a recent global study of wild bees found that those which pollinate crops and thus come into most frequent contact with neonics are flourishing. Greens have already announced they will sue to block the refuge decision, but thats par for the course. Secretary Zinke deserves high praise for starting to rein in USFWSs regulatory power grab. However, its only a start. Theres much more left to do: at Interior, Agriculture, Energy and of course EPA. Next up should be the Fish and Wildlife Services role in implementing the Endangered Species Act. Even if congressional attempts to rein in some of the worst abuses of the ESA finally succeed, after years of futility resulting from environmentalist intransigence, agency activists will find ways around them. Mr. Zinke also deserves major kudos for pushing back on the nonsensical claim that 129 million dead trees in California, repeated conflagrations that completely wipe out wildlife habitats and species, over 700,000 once-Golden State acres burned so far this summer (Rhode Island plus Washington, DC), and 57 Californians killed by forest fires in two years  are due to that all-purpose villain: climate change. As the Secretary makes clear, this horrific destruction is the result of near-criminal mismanagement of that states forests, at the behest of rabid greens who refuse to allow any timber harvesting anywhere. Theres an old saying that personnel is policy. Secretary Zinke next needs to replace DOI zealots with permanent, career service land and resource managers who can keep the eco-power-grabbers under control, by honestly, dispassionately and transparently applying evidence-based science to rulemaking. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power - Black death and other books and articles on energy, climate change, economic development and human rights. Home
An introduction to the thought of George Parkin Grant, on the centenary of his birth (Part Two) By Mark Wegierski

Gad Horowitz was an old-fashioned socialist in Canada, whose ideas somewhat overlapped with those of Grant. One way of understanding George Grant's view of the political spectrum is to use some of Marx's categories for the different types of societies -- feudal, capitalist, and socialist. The conservatism of George Grant may be seen as rooted in ideas somewhat reminiscent of feudalism, which are of course at odds with capitalism. Aristocracy, priesthood, kingship, honour, virtue, and so forth, are clearly in opposition to the values of the bourgeoisie -- rationalism and functionalism -- the supremacy of the cash-nexus. (For example, an aristocrat or gentleman who believed in high culture and self-cultivation would probably find it very soul-deadening if he were forced to work as a modern corporate manager -- or computer programmer.) Individualist liberalism and capitalism are virtually identical, and are opposed to both feudalism and socialism. The argument further becomes (in the so-called Hartz-Horowitz thesis) that socialism (this word is generally used by Gad Horowitz with the meaning of "social democracy", not of a Soviet-style regime) is a kind of modern "replacement" for feudalism, Toryism, conservatism, or what could be called premodern communitarian values. (If these latter terms are employed, in an implicitly Grantian fashion, to mean largely the same thing.)



Where Canada comes into the picture is in the fact that it was established as a "Tory-touched remnant" society, i.e., it was founded by the Loyalists (or Tories -- supporters of the Monarchy), who were driven out of America as a result of the American Revolution. The English-Canadian Tories effectively made common cause with the Catholic French of Quebec, who were even more deeply organic. The Hartz-Horowitz thesis is that Canada, which was founded as a more feudal society than America, has the chance of a transition to socialism, as, under the impact of industrial progress, Toryism is "translated" into socialism. America, on the other hand, was founded as a pure individualist liberal society [1], and therefore is likely to remain purely liberal. Looking at the historical evidence, there have been no successful socialist third parties (or successful third parties of any kind) in America [2], unlike in Canada. George Grant would observe that it is rather ironic that today, America is considered as a bastion of conservatism, while Canada is considered as a more liberal and socialist oriented society. For a long period of Canadian history, it was the United States that appeared as the more liberal society, while it was Canada that was seen as the more conservative one. The War of 1812, for example, could be seen as the defence of a conservative and British-centred society against a more liberal American republicanism. Gad Horowitz, taking note of the fact that both real Tories and socialists share an opposition to liberalism-capitalism, suggests an alliance between the remnants of true Toryism in Canada, and the socialists, against the liberal, pro-American, pro-capitalist, "middle" grouping. Ultimately though, only socialism will have the strength to keep capitalism at bay, Horowitz believes. To be continued. Footnotes: [1] The partial exception to American individualist liberalism was the South  an exception that eventually was expunged by a savage, fratricidal war. However, it could be argued that traditional Canada was a more genuinely conservative society that (to a very great extent) avoided entanglements with slavery and racism. [2] That is, after the emergence of the Republican and Democratic duopoly whose ultimate origins can be traced to the mid-nineteenth century. Although the ideological configurations of the two parties have obviously been subject to highly drastic shifts since that time, the U.S. has continuously remained a two-party system. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
A heretic offers surrender terms to Christians By Michael R Shannon

Julie Rodgers, described by the Washington Post as a writer, speaker and advocate for LGBTQ people in faith communities, has offered a compromise proposal to Christians designed to end the cultural war between believers and alphabet soup alternate lifestyle advocates. It rivals Gen. Ulysses S. Grants surrender terms at Fort Donaldson in its lack of generosity and sweeping demands. In 1862 the commander of Fort Donaldson asked Gen. Grant for terms. Grant replied, no terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works. Christians havent asked for surrender terms from lifestyle heretics even though the church has been under ceaseless attack from leftists who would outlaw all religion, joined by therapeutic Christians who place feelings ahead of biblical doctrine. Lack of interest didnt prevent Rodgers from offering to bridge this divide. Peace will reign if Christians agree to submit to any and all affirming demands from the Legions of License. This submission includes every realm of life outside the church; and Rodgers gives the impression there are plans for the future there, too. Once Christians toe the line, Julie and her allies wont move immediately on churches taxexempt status. Frankly, Im not ready to sell my Christian birthright for a mess of tax breaks, even if Rodgers could be trusted to keep her end of the bargain. Julies dishonesty is evident only 66 words into her manifesto. She refers to believers who adhere to biblical doctrine with a 2,000 year old pedigree as conservative Christians. Her intent is to marginalize the great majority of believers and characterize them as out of the mainstream and possibly Republican. The correct term for congregations who believe God opposes sexual deviancy and considers the bond of marriage to be limited to one man and one woman, is Christian. The accurate term for those who hold opposing beliefs is heretic. In Rodgers eyes Christians are doubly guilty because of what they believe and their attempt to live their faith  which hurts the feelings of the heretics. This means I have bad news for Julie. God doesnt care about your sexual orientation celebration. He cares about your souls ultimate salvation. Julie has written that the Bible needs to keep up with the times. Both sides are sincere Christians and view the Bible as authoritativethey just differ on how the Bible, which was written in a patriarchal context in the 1st century, should apply to empowered women in the 21st century. Translated, this means Jesus would approve of alphabet lifestyles in the church and homosexual marriage if He just had access to all the facts, like Julie does. The heretics want to divide the Body of Christ by using the pejorative term conservative for mainstream believers, while at the same time dividing the Apostles by making Paul a TEA Party Republican. That way its easier to ignore his obvious instruction on marriage and homosexual practice. Julie, wholl be marrying another woman any day now, is confused by Christian reluctance to jettison orthodox biblical belief on her sayso, It became hard for me to understand what exactly was driving traditional teaching on marriage if it was not fear of changea very particular kind of fear thats often expressed through homophobia. But which side is the aggressor here? Are Baptists suing florists who provide centerpieces for samesex weddings? How about bakers who put two men on the top of the wedding cake? Or photographers who memorialize the ceremony? The question answers itself. The alphabetapostates are not demanding to be left alone so they may live their lives as they wish. They are demanding Christians live their lives according to the demands of those in rebellion against Gods word. Rodgers writes, Its not hard to understand why LGBTQ people dont trust conservative Christians enough to work toward a compromise. But what Julie offers isnt a compromise, its a demand for submission. Christian churches dont single out the consonant crusaders. Churches are opposed to obvious and flagrant adulterers, incest practitioners, polygamists and couples shacking up, assuming the churches are aware of the transgressions. Julies allies make it a point to be flagrant and then object to the predictable consequences. Her disingenuous peace proposal is a demand Christians stop following Christ and start following the culture. Rodgers assures us becoming party to her apostasy will be painless, The most conservative Christians can joyfully provide services to people they think are sinful without violating the spirit of Scripture. Which is true. I cheerfully provide personal services to a sinner when I brush my teeth at night. What I believe Christians wont provide, joyfully or otherwise, is validation and celebration of practices that purposely insult the God we worship and the faith we practice. Michael R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). Home
Saudi Arabia and Iran reignite the oil price war By Tsvetana Paraskova





The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran is becoming increasingly evident in the oil pricing policies of the two large Middle Eastern producers. The two countries are currently reigniting the market share and pricing war ahead of the returning U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil.



Saudi Arabia, OPEC's largest producer, has been boosting oil production to offset supply disruptions elsewhere, including the anticipated loss of Iranian oil supply after U.S. sanctions on Tehran return in early November. The Saudis are also cutting their prices to the prized Asian market to lure more customers as they increase supply.



Iran, OPEC's third-largest producer, is trying to convince its oil customers to continue buying Iranian oil despite stringent U.S. efforts to curb Iranian production.



Iran has slashed its official selling prices (OSPs) for all grades to all markets for September, looking to monetize what could be its last oil sales to some markets in Asia before the U.S. sanctions kick in. Tehran cut the prices for its flagship oil grades to more than a decade low compared to similar varieties of the Saudi crude grades, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.



Recently the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) slashed the OSP for the Iranian Light crude grade to Asia by US$0.80 to US$1.20 a barrel above the Dubai/Oman average, used for pricing oil to Asia. The September prices for Iranian Light to Asia are at a 14-year-low compared to the similar Saudi grade sold to the world's fastest-growing oil market, Bloomberg has estimated.



Earlier this month, the Saudis also slashed the September prices to Asia for their flagship grade, Arab Light, by US$0.70 to US$1.20 a barrel premium over the Dubai/Oman average. The reduction was slightly deeper than expected and the second consecutive monthly cut in pricing. The Saudis cut the prices for all their grades to all markets except for the United States.



Now Iran is also slashing prices for all grades to all markets, with the prices for Iranian Light, Iranian Heavy, Forozan, and Soroush grades to Asia, Northwest Europe, and the Mediterranean all cut by between US$0.50 and US$1.45, depending on the market and grades.



The OSPs for Iranian Heavy and Forozan to Asia were slashed against the similar Saudi grades to their lowest levels since at least 2000, the year in which Bloomberg started compiling the data.



Iranian Light and the Saudi Arab Light for Asia for September are now priced at the same levelUS$1.20 a barrel above the Dubai/Oman average.



For the Saudis, the cut is aimed at enticing more buyers in order to take advantage of the refiners in Asia that are looking to cut Iranian oil intake for fear of running afoul of the U.S. sanctions. For Tehran, the cut in prices is an attempt to keep refiners buying by offering yet another incentive for them on top of the extended credit periods and nearly free shipping.



It has also been reported that Iran has started to offer Indiaits second-biggest oil customer after Chinacargo insurance and tankers operated by Iranian companies as some Indian insurers have backed out of covering oil cargoes from Iran in the face of the returning U.S. sanctions on Tehran.



India's imports from Iran could start to slow from August as some big Indian refiners worry that their access to the U.S. financial system could be cut off if they continue to import Iranian oil, prompting them to reduce oil purchases from Tehran.



The U.S. hasn't been able to persuade Iran's biggest oil customer China to reduce oil purchases, but Beijing has reportedly agreed not to increase its oil imports from Iran.



Other relatively large Asian buyers of Iranian oilSouth Korea and Japanare looking for U.S. guidance and (possibly) waivers before deciding how to proceed, but they are currently very cautious and on the lookout for alternative supplies.



Analysts, and reportedly the U.S. Administration itself, currently expect the sanctions to remove around 1 million bpd from the oil market.



Considering the intensity of efforts by the U.S. to cut off as much Iranian oil exports as possible, it is unlikely that even Iran's significant discounts to Asian customers will save the country's oil exports.



Tsvetana Paraskova is a writer for Oilprice.com where this originally appeared. Home
Reflections on the meaning of life and other mysteries, part IV: How do we define greatness? The pinnacles of Western Civilization By Charlotte Cerminaro

Yet I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the last day upon the earth...and I shall behold him with my own eyes, and not a strangers...Job 19:25 It was many years ago that I first decided to tackle the Russian literary giants. During our Humanities classes at Juilliard, I and my fellow first-year students would frequently joke about which writer wed study for our final paper. War and Peace or Crime and Punishment, and the masterminds who created them, would invariably come up. To be able to get through a work like that took patience, tenacity and memorization---or so we thought---and in my ignorance I took the challenge. It didnt last long. I was unable to grasp the concepts, let alone the depth of writing. Some time passed before I tried it again. Fifteen years to be exact, when I started reading Dostoevskys Brothers Karamazov. It was immense, an epic, the characters were disturbingly real but I couldnt put it down. I wondered why I understood it then and not 15 years before; the same impatient person was reading. But it was the 10th chapter, titled The Grand Inquisitor, that offered a hint. There is a break in the narrative here, a parenthetical chapter designed to illustrate an important point. The setting is now the middle-ages during the inquisition. The narrator tells us that Jesus, the Lord Himself, has been captured and is being questioned by the Grand Inquisitor. The case against Him is impressive. The crimes of humanity are laid out--unspeakable violence going unpunished, the murder of the innocents, people with blood on their hands facing no apparent earthly justice, the horror of it all. The Creator is asked why this has all been allowed, and how can it ever be made right. Why did you do it and How are you going to fix it are the charges repeated by the Inquisitor. He then pronounces Jesus guilty of all charges and waits for Him to plead for His life. Instead, Jesus approaches his accuser, kisses his forehead and walks out. After reading this chapter, thinking back over those past 15 years, I realized the same two questions had crossed my lips more than once in a state of grief. When real tragedy strikes, up close and personal, it is a normal human reaction to look up and ask, Why? When terrible waves of hot grief burn in our chest, we want answers. We want justice. We feel empty and do not even know why. All we can think about is what was lost. Then we begin to see that loss is inevitable, and though grief eases with time, it never disappears. Some of the wisest, most influential people endured terrible tragedy, then had to live with it and work through it. Before becoming a writer, Dostoevsky was imprisoned for months, then put in front of a firing squad. Execution was stayed at the last second but the damage was done--epilepsy plagued him thereafter. Then he spent two years in Siberia. Reformation composer J.S.Bach was orphaned as a small child, lost his wife when she was young. Mozart was seriously ill much of his life as well, and he and Constanze lost their first 4 children in infancy. Many of the pivotal moments for our civilization came after unspeakable violence or loss, moments where people chose to act with bravery, justice or kindness even while enduring the grief caused by anothers cruelty. The World Wars, 911 and the sinking of the Titanic come to mind. I know Im not alone in wishing tragedies could be avoided. But I would not want to lose what little understanding I gained enduring them. Comprehending the depth of Dostoevsky, or understanding someone elses grief, is a great gift indeed. That God placed such value on our lives that even agony, horror and death cant subtract, is an impossible paradox. Clearly, some people are given a bigger piece of the puzzle, though it does seem to come at a price. The life of Mozart, so prolific and brilliant, was so very brief. That his work also represents one of the great pinnacles of western civilization is a clue to our mystery, one I believe I understand. The finale/presto of his famous Posthorn Serenade is easily the most exciting 4 minutes of music ever written.Its pure, innocent exuberance and unbounded joy reaches into us and finds that which is eternal. Mozart knew for whom he was writing. His true audience was in heaven, and he was celebrating, with all of creation, for all time. Charlotte B. Cerminaro is a Juilliard-trained classical musician who, in addition to being a studio and orchestral musician, enjoys writing.  2018 Home
NEW YORK, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Evoke Group (www.evokegroup.com [http://www.evokegroup.com ]), a leading marketing, media and communications agency designed exclusively for the health and wellness industry, today announces the creation of a new singular global agency brand - Evoke - comprised of the complementary agencies and services within the group. The collective talent, expertise and legacy of industry-leading work of Evoke Health, Firsthand, Fabric, Traverse HealthStrategy, Nitrogen Health, Tonic Life Communications and AboveNation Media will form the new Evoke - a fully integrated global agency brand purpose-built to navigate the complexities of today's health and wellness landscape. In launching the new global brand, today Evoke unveils a new identity, logo and website.

"Evoke Group has always been about building and evolving - it's just who we are," said Reid Connolly, CEO and Founder of Evoke. "That's how you go from being a start up to unseating many of the largest and entrenched agencies in the world. Now, as one team, we deliver effectively and efficiently across all customer channels, audiences and geographies. Few agencies in the market are as well suited with the scale of resources, breadth and expertise, and geographic reach that Evoke has today."

The Evoke team, bound by the common purpose to make Health More Human(TM), will leverage collective talent and expertise in six core focus areas: Professional Marketing, Consumer and Patient Marketing, Market Access, PR & Influence, Media and Consulting. This holistic marketing approach enables greater strategic connectivity across audiences, increased agility and efficiency across the agency, providing clients with a single solution faster with the partners they know and trust.

"When our various specialists work closely together - like discovering a market access insight that drives breakthrough creative for a patient campaign - that's where we find real exponential benefits for our clients," said Connolly. "We've always been an entrepreneurial group and even now, at nearly 600 employees strong, that entrepreneurial spirit is still very much in our blood and the new brand is a great example of bringing that passion and our vision to life."

Business leadership across Evoke remains unchanged and has been organised to support the new structure, comprised of specialty-area and geographical-area leads, including:

- Reid Connolly, CEO and Founder - Heather Torak, COO - Tom Donnelly, President, North America - Jon Clark, President, Europe - Maryellen Royle, President, PR & Influence - Steve Minichini, President, Media - Eric Daly, Executive Director, HCP & Payer - Bryan Russiano, Managing Director, Consulting

Evoke recently announced its acquisition of San Francisco-based Giant Creative Strategy, adding a new level of growth to the company. Giant will join the new Evoke brand, now called Evoke Giant, and will be fully integrated with Evoke. Joining the Evoke leadership team for Evoke Giant are:

- Steven Gold, CEO - Adam Gelling, President

Evoke (www.evokegroup.com [http://www.evokegroup.com ]) is a leading marketing, media and communications agency bound by a common purpose: Health More Human(TM). With offices in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, Singapore and Dubai, the group of 550+ employees is working with 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Evoke is part of Huntsworth plc (www.huntsworth.com [http://www.huntsworth.com ]), an international healthcare and communications group. The Group's principal areas of focus are marketing, medical and immersive communications services to healthcare clients, which are primarily large and mid-size pharmaceutical and biotech companies. It also has a smaller Communications group, which provides a wide range of communications and advisory services including strategic communications, public affairs, investor relations and consumer marketing.

CONTACT: Theresa Dolge, Chief Media Relations Officer, Office:+1-215-928-2748, Theresa.Dolge@evokegroup.com | Siobhan Reilly, Director,Office: +44-020-7340-6639, Siobhan.Reilly@toniclc.com
MUNICH, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

- Satellite symposium will highlight the breadth of evidence collected since the establishment of the registry in 2009 - An analysis of the comparative effectiveness of oral anticoagulants in everyday practice will be presented - The economic burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) in nine European countries will be evaluated

The latest results from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the Field - Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) will be presented at the forthcoming ESC Congress 2018, organised by the European Society of Cardiology, to be held in Munich, Germany, from 25th to 29th August.

Data will be presented as posters, oral presentations and at the late breaking science session on clinical registries, exploring a range of areas including the burden attributable to AF in nine European countries, clinicians' prescribing tendencies, and how the quality of stroke prevention has changed over time.

The late breaking science session "Registry Results 2" on Tuesday 28th August, 14:30-15:45, (Centre Stage - The Hub) will see Professors John Camm and Keith Fox present the latest results from the GARFIELD-AF Registry. Professor Camm will highlight significant differences in the risk of mortality in favour of OACs (vs. no OAC) and NOACs (vs. VKAS) even after adjustment for baseline variables. Professor Fox will present findings that challenge the use of combined OAC+AP therapy, particularly among those without a clear indication for AP therapy.

"We are excited to have a strong presence at this year's ESC Congress, as a result of the wealth of new GARFIELD-AF data, which will be presented by some of the leading investigators involved in the registry," said Rt Hon Professor the Lord Ajay K. Kakkar, Professor of Surgery at University College London and Director of the Thrombosis Research Institute (TRI), UK.

GARFIELD-AF is the largest ongoing prospective registry of patients with AF. It is a pioneering, independent outcomes research initiative led by an international steering committee under the auspices of the TRI. It has generated at least 2 years of follow-up data in over 52,000 patients with newly diagnosed AF.

Key results will be unveiled during the TRI Satellite Symposium which will showcase the wealth of evidence collected since the establishment of GARFIELD-AF in 2010.

GARFIELD-AF: New light shed on Atrial Fibrillation and its management

- Satellite Symposium - Saturday 25th August 2018 from 15.30 - 17.00 (all times CEST) - Room Vienna - Village 3

Members of the GARFIELD-AF Steering Committee will present a variety of results, including new insights on the quality of stroke prevention and its clinical effectiveness in routine care, and presentations on the real-world record of change in prescribing practice and outcomes. The new GARFIELD-AF risk score and its online application will also be discussed. The symposium will also include a panel discussion led by Professors Jean-Pierre Bassand (France) and Samuel Z. Goldhaber (USA).

Other key data from GARFIELD-AF will be presented during the following sessions:

Rapid Fire Abstract Session entitled 'Atrial fibrillation - Detection, treatment, outcomes' - (11:00 - 12:30, Sunday 26th August; Location: Agora 2 - Agora)

"The effect of non-recommended dosing of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) on 1-year mortality in patients with newly diagnosed AF. Results from the GARFIELD-AF registry."

Professor John Camm (UK) will highlight the impact of using non-recommended doses of NOACs for stroke prevention in in patients with newly diagnosed AF.

Poster Session 3 - (14.00 - 18.00, Sunday 26th August)

Evaluation of the effect of oral anticoagulants on all-cause mortality within 3 months of the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation

Karen Pieper (USA) will reveal significant early mortality in patients with newly diagnosed AF and significant mortality differences in favour of OACs, even after adjustment for 29 baseline variables.

The economic burden attributable to atrial fibrillation in nine European countries

Paolo Cozzolino (Italy) will report that the economic burden of AF, a growing public health problem, correlates with differences in management between countries.

Poster Session 5 - (14.00 - 18.00, Monday 27th August)

Why do clinicians withhold anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation and CHA2DS2-VASc score greater than or equal to2?

Dr Deborah Siegal (Canada) will report that guideline-based treatment with oral anticoagulants was associated with better outcomes, results that emphasise the need to better understand decision-making to improve oral anticoagulant prescription rates and outcomes in AF.

Why do clinicians prescribe oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation despite a low CHA2DS2-VASc score?

Frederik Verbrugge (Belgium) will report on the discrepancy between patient characteristics that predict OAC use in AF patients with a very low CHA2DS2-VASc score and factors reported by clinicians that influence their decision-making.

About the GARFIELD-AF registry

GARFIELD-AF is a worldwide observational programme that aims to enhance the breadth and depth of understanding of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), ultimately informing strategies to improve patient outcomes, safety and utilisation of healthcare resources.

It offers a unique opportunity to obtain a comprehensive and contemporary description of the spectrum of patients with AF and their management worldwide as they evolve over time. The registry is important in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, serving to increase awareness of the importance of thrombosis and its treatment.

GARFIELD-AF recruited patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular AF and at least one risk factor for stroke. A total of 57,262 patients were recruited from over 1000 centres in 35 countries worldwide, including the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific, over five sequential cohorts. Follow-up is over a minimum of 2 years and up to 8 years after diagnosis, to create a comprehensive database of treatment decisions and outcomes in everyday clinical practice.

GARFIELD-AF is a pioneering, independent academic research initiative led by an international steering committee under the auspices of the TRI, London, UK.

Contemporary understanding of AF is based on data gathered in controlled clinical trials. Whilst essential for evaluating the efficacy and safety of new treatments, these trials are not representative of everyday clinical practice and, hence, uncertainty persists about the real-life burden and management of this disease. GARFIELD-AF seeks to provide insights into the impact of anticoagulant therapy on thromboembolic and bleeding complications seen in this patient population. It will provide a better understanding of the potential opportunities for improving care and clinical outcomes amongst a representative and diverse group of patients and across distinctive populations. This should help physicians and healthcare systems to appropriately adopt innovation to ensure the best outcomes for patients and populations.

The registry started in December 2009. Four key design features of the GARFIELD-AF protocol ensure a comprehensive and representative description of AF; these are:

(CONTINUA)
The fall armyworm caterpillar is known to eat more than 180 plant species

South East Asia and Australia face fall armyworm threat

Countries including China, Indonesia and Australia all face a high threat of invasion by the fall armyworm, new research shows.

The species, a moth whose caterpillars ravage crops, is native to the Americas but has spread to Africa and was recently discovered in India.

The new study, by the University of Exeter and the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), shows South Asia, South East Asia and Australia have climates that would permit the fall armyworm to invade.

The researchers say trade and transport routes mean Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand all face a high threat of fall armyworm invasions originating from Africa.

We used data on how temperatures and rainfall affect the life cycle of the fall armyworm, said Dr Regan Early, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeters Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

The species invaded and spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa within two years, and we wanted to understand where else it could establish itself.

Its clear that it could live in South Asia, South East Asia and parts of Australia all year round.

The strongest climatic limits on year-round distribution are the coldest annual temperature and the amount of rain in the wet season.

It is not yet clear whether the species could establish itself in North Africa and carry out seasonal migrations into southern Europe.

The fall armyworm caterpillar is known to eat more than 180 plant species, including many crops relied upon by humans.

Recent estimates of 20-50% maize yield loss in Africa suggest severe damage to livelihoods.

Scientists believe the species may have arrived in Africa on a passenger flight, and the researchers called for vigilance to prevent the onward invasion.

Prevention is more cost efficient and easier than control, said Dr Roger Day, CABIs Programme Executive for Action on Invasives.

Effective prevention and management requires international cooperation and action.

National governments can limit the movement of invasive species across borders through proper quarantine regulation and inspection, and by ensuring food supply chains follow appropriate measures.

The paper is entitled: Forecasting the global extent of invasion of the cereal pest Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm.
PRODUCERS attending LambEx 2018 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre last week were urged to contact Eastern States acquaintances to advocate for ongoing live sheep exports.

In an unscheduled address to a predominantly Western Australian audience, Allan Piggott, president of peak body Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) called on everyone attending LambEx recently to play their part to win over the silent majority and politicians in the Eastern States.

He said WA sheep producers should convince everyone that the live sheep export industry had changed and it was a different industry to what it was last year when pictures of Australian sheep dying of heat stress on board a ship in the Middle East were taken.

The export licences of two live sheep exporters were later suspended after the distressing footage of dead and dying sheep appeared on national television  seven months after the event.

Mr Piggott said sheep producers first needed to convince people in the Eastern States that the industry had changed then ask them to pass that message on to their local politicians.

He said it was important to not concentrate on the economics or social impact of stopping live exports but to talk about the animal welfare improvements that have been made.

They (Eastern States politicians) will always listen to one of their own constituents before theyll read an email from Western Australia  so that is important.

Mr Piggott said the biggest challenge facing the live sheep export industry was regaining the trust and confidence of the population, particularly in the Eastern States.

We know that the silent majority will support live export if we can demonstrate that we have made significant changes, that we have listened to their concerns and we will address their concerns about animal welfare, he said.

So thats where everybody comes into play, all you people here (at LambEx 2018) have a role to play.

We can easily argue for the continuation of trade on social grounds, on economic grounds, but they (silent majority) want to know the industry has changed.

So we talk about the McCarthy report (the report prepared in May on the live export industry by livestock veterinarian Dr Michael McCarthy at the request of Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud).

The 23 recommendations from that report are guaranteed to improve welfare on boats, thats irrefutable, Mr Piggott said.

But I think, more importantly, we talk about the cultural change thats occurred within the industry.

The industry has been talking to producers in developing a shared vision for the welfare of stock  and thats the message we need to get to the Eastern States.

As you are aware, like it or not, the future of this trade is in the hands of the politicians.

Theyre getting a lot of emails from people saying the trade should stop.

Mr Piggott told the audience SPA has been working very hard and supporting Mr Littleprouds approach to this trade.

Weve been working with a lot of organisations to come to some sustainable solutions that are going to protect the export trade, he said.

SPA will always have animal welfare as our highest priority, its not just on farm, but it is also after those animals leave our farmgate.
My undergraduate business law prof invited me to be a research assistant for her upcoming publication on honest services fraud. That was 2009 at the University of Miami. It was my introduction to compliance.

A few years later, as a rising 2L at Miamis law school, I landed a compliance internship for a multinational wireless services provider and SoftBank company headquartered in Miami. Like most companies, compliance was still new there, and handled by the legal department.

By the end of that summer, I was hooked on compliance  risk assessments, training, communications, investigations and most of all, cross-department collaborations. From the compliance perch, I was able to see and learn about the operations of a global business.

I returned to the company during summers and on a part-time basis until I finished law school. After the bar exam (I passed), I became the companys associate corporate counsel  global ethics & compliance.

I led the implementation of a global anti-corruption program, a trade compliance program, and screening software for AML and trade compliance. We also enhanced the companys global compliance helpline.

I dealt with data privacy issues and helped create the companys global data privacy program and security breach response plan.

At ground level, I conducted due diligence for various transactions.

And I had the honor of assembling and submitting the companys two successful nomination packages to be named one of the Ethisphere Institutes Worlds Most Ethical Companies.

Last year I became global vice president of compliance & support services for a new compliance technology firm. Its a compliance-related position, but from a completely different angle. I think of it as a perfect next step.

I could not be more grateful for all of the opportunities Ive had in this amazing industry. I look forward to growing with the field and its ever-evolving challenges.

_____

Lindsay Columbo, Esq. is a founder of eSpear LLC, a developer of due diligence and screening solutions, where she serves as the Global VP of Compliance & Support Services. She previously served as Associate Corporate Counsel, Global Ethics & Compliance for Brightstar Corp. a SoftBank company headquartered in Miami, Florida. She can be contacted here.
Captain David Haas (retired)A retired U.S. Navy captain and two senior enlisted men who were charged with taking bribes from a Singapore-based defense contractor now face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Captain David Williams Haas (retired), 50, allegedly took bribes from Leonard Glenn Francis that included parties at luxury hotels and the services of prostitutes, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday.

Francis is the owner and CEO of Glenn Defense Marine Asia. The company provided tugboats, security, fuel, food, water and trash removal to U.S. Navy ships during port visits across Asia.

Francis, also known as Fat Leonard, pleaded guilty in 2015 to directing a decade-long conspiracy involving scores of U.S. Navy officials, tens of millions of dollars in fraud, and millions of dollars in bribes.

Separate indictments were unsealed Thursday against Master Chief Petty Officer Ricarte Icmat David (retired) and Chief Petty Officer Brooks Alonzo Parks (retired).

David, 61, lives in the Philippines and Parks, 46, lives in Naples, Italy.

All three defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. That offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Captain Haas also faces counts for bribery, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and bribery conspiracy, punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

In exchange for bribes, the three allegedly used their influence within the Navys Seventh Fleet to approve inflated invoices from Glenn Defense Marine Asia and send ships to Glenn Defense-controlled ports.

Theyre also charged with giving Glenn Defense classified and proprietary U.S. Navy information and helping Francis recruit other U.S. Navy officers to join the bribes-for-business conspiracy.

According to the indictments by a grand jury sitting in San Diego, Francis bribed the three with rooms, food, booze, and prostitutes at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo and the Shangri-La in Jakarta.

Captain Haas and another defendant, Commander Michael Misiewicz, gave Francis classified long-range ship schedules and Seventh Fleet organization charts, the DOJ said.

The schedules were stamped SECRET and projected ship visits approximately 14 months in advance, according to the indictment.

Included was information about the U.S. Navy ballistic missile defense operations in the Pacific, the DOJ said.

In May 2016, Commander Misiewicz, now 51, was sentenced to 78 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and bribery.

The new indictments alleged that in exchange for $40,000 in cash from Francis, Master Chief Petty Officer David approved inflated invoices from Glenn Defense.

After the receipt of one cash installment, on November 16, 2005, David emailed Francis thanking him for the wonderful Christmas present,' the DOJ said.

Chief Petty Officer Parks allegedly gave Francis competitor pricing and U.S. Navy ship and personnel movement information, among other things.

At the start of the Fat Leonard investigation in November 2013, the Navy suspended Captain Haas from duty. He currently lives in Kailua, Hawaii.

Haas will voluntarily surrender to federal agents in San Diego on August 30, his lawyer told the Navy Times.

So far the DOJ has charged 32 defendants in the massive scandal. Twenty have pleaded guilty.

___

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
Education Ecosystems LEDU North American Roadshow began this week with the first stop in Las Vegas. The team will be attending several events and meetups in major cities throughout North America as part of their roadshow. Other cities will include Seattle, Boston and Los Angeles. For this roadshow, the team will be at events to promote their project and explain to potential partners and platform users how the company plans to disrupt the $360B professional development industry. The role of blockchain in the professional development industry and what it means for the future of learning will also be a hot topic during their educational talks.

Education Ecosystem will have exhibition booths as well as guest speakers at some of the events. Below are some of the events where they will be participating. In addition to these events, LEDU meetups and receptions will be announced on their blog and social media updates as they become finalized.

BlockShow Americas in Las Vegas  August 2021, 2018

The BlockShow Americas event will take place at The Venetian, a luxurious hotel in Las Vegas. The event will bring together 1500 plus attendees from more than 50 countries. More than 80 top blockchain experts will be speaking, including : Malikkhan Kotadia (Global Digital Banker), Nouriel Roubini (CEO of Roubin Macro Associates) and Igor Belkin (Editor in Chief at Cointelegraph) among others. 200+ journalist from various media platforms will be attending the event from publications such as Forbes, VentureBeat, Cointelegraph and TheStreet.

Event attendees will be able to get answers to some of todays questions in the blockchain community such as government initiatives, insights from central banks as well as the latest updates on blockchain laws.

Blockchain Seattle in Seattle  September 10 -11, 2018

Blockchain Seattle 2018 will focus on community-building, educating, and showcasing all that the Pacific Northwest offers to the blockchain ecosystem. More than 1000 attendees are expected to be part of this event with 60+ speakers. Some of the keynote speakers attending this event are Peter Vessenes (Chairman & Co-Founder of New Alchemy), Adam Philipp (Founder of Aeon Law), and Matthew Roszak (Co-founder Bloq & Tally Capital). Education Ecosystem and LEDU will be represented by Founder & CEO Dr. Michael J. Garbade who will also be a speaker.

Attendees at the Blockchain Seattle event will learn how blockchain is changing everything in the enterprise environment and blockchains impact in the public sector. The event will also be helpful to business decision makers, developers, and investors looking to better understand the platforms driving innovation.

Token Fest in Boston  September 13 -14, 2018

Token Fest is an exclusive, two-day networking event focused on the business and technology of tokenization. 4000 plus attendees will gain a wealth of insights and information about the state of the token-based economy while networking with over 2,500 senior level decision makers. Education Ecosystem Founder & CEO Dr. Michael J. Garbade will be among 150 plus speakers at this event. Some of the other companies attending include Google, Steemit, Facebook, and Coinbase. This will be the second Token Fest event this year after the successful San Francisco edition in March. Click here to register for Token Fest using a special referral link.

Get LEDU Coin

Get LEDU coins now with ETH on BitForex and ETH or BTC on Livecoin, Mercatox and Exrates. Read more about LEDU coins on their project page and ask any questions you might have in their Telegram group chat.
Five Star Business Finance Limited, a Chennai, Indiabased fully-secured small business financing company focused on South India, raises USD$100M in funding.

The round was led by alternative asset firm TPG, with participation from existing investors Norwest Venture Partners, an investment fund managed by Morgan Stanley, and Sequoia Capital. The companys first investor, Matrix Partners India, continues to stay invested in the company.

Led by D. Lakshmipathy, Chairman and Managing Director, Five Star is a non-bank finance company providing loans to nearly 40,000 customers. The company focuses on lending to the under-banked population, which typically lacks the financial records necessary to participate in the organized financial sector. Customers include small business owners such as single shop retailers like vegetable vendors, provision stores, food retailers and self-employed individuals.

Founded in 1984, Five Star manages approximately Rs. 1220 crores in assets across more than 150 branches in six states of India.

FinSMEs

20/08/2018
Legaler, a Sidney, Australia-based company building a blockchain infrastructure for legal services, raised $1.5m in funding.

The round was led by MasterNode Ventures, with participation from Pacific Blue Capital and a number of legal industry investors.

The company intends to use the funds to build its technology and team ahead of the public sale.

Legaler CEO and Co-founder, Stevie Ghiassi, Legaler is a legaltech company building a blockchain infrastructure for legal services. Its blockchain and platform allow businesses and developers to build secure and scalable decentralized applications for legal services without the need for intermediaries.

The company previously launched an online meeting tool in 2017 to allow lawyers and clients to collaborate, which has been adopted in over 1000 firms across 80 countries.

FinSMEs

20/08/2018
Pure Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: PURE), an El Cajon, California-based creator of patented non-toxic silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) antimicrobial, closed on an approximately $1.5m private placement with existing shareholders.

The $1.5m the company raised includes cancelled indebtedness held by the companys director, Tom Y. Lee, of approximately $504k. 3,333,964 shares of common stock were issued at $0.45 per share.

Proceeds of the financing will be used for general working capital purposes.

Pure also announced the retirement of Chairman David J. Pfanzelter, who joined the company in 2013 as part of its focus on food safety and committed to serve for five years.

Led by Hank R. Lambert, CEO, Pure is focused on developing and commercializing proprietary antimicrobial products primarily in the food safety arena  providing solutions to the health and environmental challenges of pathogen and hygienic control. The technology platform is based on patented stabilized ionic silver, and initial products contain silver dihydrogen citrate, or SDC, a broad-spectrum, non-toxic antimicrobial agent.

FinSMEs

20/08/2018
Vogo, an Indian automated scooter sharing platform for short haul commute, raised a Series A funding round of undisclosed amount.

The round was led by ANI Technologies (Ola), with participation from Matrix Partners, Hero MotoCorp Chairman, Pawan Munjal, Stellaris Venture Partners, as well as individual investors Aprameya Radhakrishna (Founder, TaxiForSure), Rajesh Yabaji (Founder, Blackbuck) and Mayank Bidawatka (Founder, Goodbox).

Founded in 2016, by Anand Ayyadurai, Padmanabhan Balakrishnan and Sanchit Mittal, Vogo is a dockless scooter rental company which lets customers rent scooters for short one way trips at various locations across the city. The app enables users to locate, unlock and pick-up its scooters and bikes at one point, and drop it off at a different point, without the need for a docking station. Every scooter comes with an OTP based IoT sensor, that allows customers to access the key without the need for any human intervention, and start their ride.

The company currently present in Bangalore and Hyderabad, plans to add over 1000 pickup points across Bangalore and Hyderabad in the coming year. Using the app, more than 27000 users have commuted for over 6 million kilometres.

FinSMEs

20/08/2018
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Does the policy you break it, you buy it apply to new cars?

Or buildings?

A woman in Guangzhou may be finding out the answer after she ended her test drive of a new BMW X1 SUV by crashing into the dealership that she borrowed it from.

Security camera footage of the incident from last week shows the vehicle smashing into the glass doors of the showroom, pausing for a second, then accelerating into the counter as staff and customers jump out of the way.

According to Shanghaist, the woman later admitted that shed accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

No one was injured in the crash, but it is not known how much of the damages she is being held responsible for.
A Tampa resident said he thought he'd seen it all - until taking a drive down Interstate 75 Tuesday afternoon.

Billy BigRig recorded video of a woman in a wheelchair, in the back of a pickup truck, driving down Fowler Avenue in Tampa.

Billy said he first spotted what he called a "redneck Uber" driving south on Interstate 75.

When the white pickup truck exited onto Fowler Avenue, Billy began recording.

"Grandma is sitting in the back of the truck in a wheelchair," Billy can be heard saying on the video. "She's strapped in, too. Look!"

The woman is accompanied in the back of the truck by a couple of pieces of lumber, a tire, a workbox, and what appears to be a traffic cone.

Tampa police say riding in the back of a pickup truck on a main roadway, such as Fowler Avenue, would not be considered legal.

This story originally appeared on Fox 13
Actress Asia Argento, one of the more prominent voices to accuse now-disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, was accused by child star Jimmy Bennett of setting up a sexual encounter with him in California when he was 17  below the age of consent in that state  and she was 37.

Argento had worked with Bennett 10 years earlier on the 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things when he was 7 years old. He played the son of Argentos character and the two reportedly remained close after the movie finished. In public social media posts over the years, they were known to refer to each other as variations of mom and son.

The New York Times reported, citing court documents, that the actress and former girlfriend of the late Anthony Bourdain paid roughly $380,000 to Bennett after he confronted her regarding an alleged sexual encounter that took place in 2013 in a California hotel room. The legal age of consent in California is 18.

Fox News does not normally name alleged victims of sexual assaults, but in this case a basic description of the facts makes Bennett easily identifiable.

In the documents, Bennett sought to sue Argento for an alleged May 9, 2013 encounter at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, Calif. Bennett arrived with a family member but Argento reportedly sent them away so she could be alone with him. At that time, Bennett alleges that she showed him notes she had previously written to him and gave him alcohol. She then reportedly kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, performed oral sex on him and then the two had intercourse.

The documents also came with photos, reportedly taken by Bennett, of the two in bed together at the time.

On the day of the alleged assault, the Italian actress posted a series of photos on Instagram of the two of them together. The first of which was captioned, Waiting for my long lost son my love @jimmymbennett in trepidation #Marinadelrey smoking cigarettes like there was no next week.

Bennett himself responded, Im almost there! :)

Later in the day, Argento posted photos of the two of them together. In one caption she says it was the happiest day of my life reunion with @jimmymbennett xox.

Another reads, "My son my love until I will live."

Bennett sent Argento a Twitter message a month later in June that read, Miss you momma!!!!

Bennetts lawyers filed the paperwork in November 2017, just a month after Argento was quoted in the bombshell New Yorker article that outed Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual predator to women in Hollywood. She accused the movie mogul of rape, but Weinstein has denied all accusations of non-consensual sex.

In the court documents, Bennett reportedly says that the experience hindered his acting career. He got his start in the 2003 movie Daddy Day Care and may be recognizable to some as young James T. Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek film. His most recent roles include a recurring part on Bosch and the 2017 film Heartthrob.

The New York Times reported Argento agreed to pay $380,000 to prevent Bennett from suing her or disclosing the photos. However, California law does not allow for a nondisclosure agreement in civil contracts involving the types of allegations made by Bennett.

In a statement to Fox News on Monday, a Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department spokesperson said that the department "is aware of the media reports naming Asia Argento as being involved in an alleged 2013 incident in an area policed by our Marina Del Rey Station.

"To date, the LASD has not located any police report alleging criminal activity within our jurisdiction in relation to this incident," the statement continued. "After becoming aware of the allegations, the LASDs Special Victims Bureau is attempting to reach out to the reported victim and/or his representatives in an effort to appropriately document any potential criminal allegations."

Argento is a judge on the upcoming series "X Factor Italy," which is set to start airing next month.

Sky Italia and FremantleMedia Italia, the companies behind the show, told Variety if the Times report is correct the issue would be absolutely inconsistent with Skys ethical principles and values and therefore  in full agreement with FremantleMedia  we would have no choice but to take note of it and put an end to the collaboration with Asia Argento.

Reps for both Bennett and Argento did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment.
Gretchen Bonaduce is opening up about her dramatic, headline-making marriage to ex-husband and former child star Danny Bonaduce.



In her new book Surviving Agent Orange: And Other Things I Learned From Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus, Bonaduce details her explosive 18-year marriage to The Partridge Family actor while he battled addiction.

Gretchen recalled how she met Bonaduce in Nov. of 1990 while she was working for a company that put on events, and she booked a psychic to perform on his radio show. The two quickly struck up a romance and married the same year. When asked about her time with the star, Gretchen, 52, said it wasnt all bad, but her ex-husbands addiction issues clouded their years together. Danny Bonaduce is now 59.

RELATED: 'PARTRIDGE FAMILY' TRAGEDY

It was highs, it was lows and there was no in-between. Hes such a damaged person, and he was trying so hard. Like, hed be sober for six months and hed be all screwed up again, then hed be sober for three months, she told Fox News.

So, it was just this roller coaster constantly of trying to keep him together. Eventually, I had to figure out that if I dont get out of this now, Im going to be in this position [again] in six months. And thats kind of one of the reasons I decided that I should probably just cut the cord now."

Bonaduce credited Dr. Phil for giving her the courage she needed to escape the toxic environment move into a stable situation.

It was just an exhausting way to live. We had so many great times as well. I mean, you cant have a marriage for 18 years and not have a lot of it be great, she clarified. There were a lot of great times, but when it finally tips into it being more bad times than good times, thats when you have to go, OK this is clearly not working out.

While The Partridge Family earned five Golden Globe nominations during its four-year run, Bonaduce is convinced the hit show had a negative effect on the person her ex-husband ultimately became.

Oh, I think it had a lot of impact. He came from a really rough home with his father in particular. He and his father had a very volatile relationship and Danny Partridge was probably the biggest child star at that time or one of them for sure, she said. I think that having the whole world love you, but your father doesnt like you had to mentally screw him up in a lot of ways  and I just had so much compassion for him.

Bonaduce continued: I heard something one time thats kind of true  that your emotional maturity stymies at whenever you became famous, and I think thats true because Danny acted like a 10-year-old a lot.

But, I think every child always wants their fathers approval, and thats like the one person you always want to be proud of you and you want to like you. For him not to have that, it was really hard on him and that carried over into his adult life.

She said Hollywood had a dangerous effect on a young Danny Bonaduce.

Youre also exposed to so many things when youre a younger child star  alcohol and drugs, she said. You know, they were being led into clubs at 12 and 13 years old. Just a lot of things that arent necessarily good for a child.

Gretchen and Danny lived their lives in the public eye during most of their marriage and even starred together in the reality show Breaking Bonaduce, which aired for two seasons from 2005 to 2006 on VH1. The pair publicly split soon after, in 2007, and Danny appeared on Dr. Phil without Gretchen and said he agreed to do the show as long as Dr. Phil doesnt try and get us back together.

It has been longer than a decade since Gretchen and Danny Bonaduce divorced, and she revealed that they rarely speak, which she says is fine by her.

We really dont communicate very often unless its about our kids. Our daughter is getting married in October, so we talk about that. And our son is almost 18, so we discuss things when it comes to the kids, she said.

Gretchen is prepared for any backlash she might face from longtime fans of her ex's who read her memoir.

I decided to [write a book] because I wanted to represent myself. Hes had radio shows and has been able to say whatever he wants about me  good things, bad things, some of them true, some of them not, she said.

Im not going to let you hate me because of something someone else said that may or may not be true. So, that was kind of my motivation. Hes happily married again, and Im so happy for him, she explained. Im very proud that hes gone on and hasnt been in any trouble. I dont want bad things for him. People are asking me if Im writing a tell-all book, and Im like no, that just sounds mean. Thats not my intention; thats not where Im coming from at all."

She added, Even though the stories in the book are really rough stories, I tried to tell them with a sense of humor, and thats kind of what I was going for, and I think I was able to translate that.
David Cross' show at the University of Utah will go on despite calls for it to be canceled following a picture of the comedian wearing undergarments sacred to the Mormon faith that some found "deeply offensive."



In the image, Cross stands outside of a dressing room wearing the traditional Mormon garb as an ad for his Wednesday night show with the words, "Utah! Learn the real truth!"

Many chimed in on Twitter to express their distaste.

"This isnt funny. @uutah and @Kingsburyhall yall really should cancel this. Theres no place for religious bigotry here," one user wrote.

Another said, "I'm a Mormon who enjoys some good humor about my faith. But this isn't good humor. Not that you care, but you lost another fan tonight."

"This is not a joke. Just offensive and disrespectful. This does not promote values of belonging, acceptance and tolerance for others. The U of U can do better. Cancel the show as David Cross should not profit from a message of hate and disrespect," another tweet read.

College president Ruth Watkins said in a statement she resisted calls to cancel Wednesday's performance and that the tweet is protected by the First Amendment.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wear white, two-piece cotton undergarments daily considered similar to holy vestments in other faiths, like a Catholic nun's habit or a Muslim skullcap.

The university is a public college and has many Mormon students. The performance isn't sponsored by the university, but Watkins says she won't censor those who rent its facilities.

A rep for Cross did not immediately return Fox News' request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
For Joan Collins, it was Oscar who got away.

The 85-year-old star, who has been recently cast in FXs Emmy-winning series, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, told Town & Countrys September 2018 issue she did have one major Hollywood regret.

In 1960, I was offered a script called Sons and Lovers' with Dean Stockwell, said Collins. I wanted to do it, and I [didn't] think it was bad.

"However, I was living with and engaged to a young actor called Warren Beatty, who said, This is absolute crap. So I turned it down, and Mary Ure did it and was nominated for an Oscar. At that time I was more influenced by men.

Still, the actress didnt always take every advice she was given over the years.

Everybody said to me, Youll be through by the time youre 24, said Collins. My father, all these guys in Hollywood Over and over again, I have been told this by men. But it hasnt been true yet!

Ever since the British-born beauty earned her first credited role in 1952s The Womans Angle, she has maintained a lasting career that still reigns to this day.

Collins said she was eager to meet Hollywoods most sought-after leading ladies, like Ava Gardner, when she first arrived to make her own mark.

But I didnt have just one favorite, she insisted. I loved Vivien Leigh; Vivien was who I aspired to be when I was older. I thought that Hedy Lamarr was the most beautiful of all the actresses, ever. I also loved Elizabeth Taylor, but who didnt?

Still, Collins admitted she was intimidated by one movie legend  Bette Davis.

Yes! she said I was 20, she was 50 or something [on the set of 1955s The Virgin Queen and she was not happy. She didnt seem to like anybody.

Theres no denying Collins is best known for playing passionate, conniving Alexis Colby in Dynasty, which explored the trials and tribulations of two feuding rich families.

The series, which also starred John Forsythe and Linda Evans, aired from 1981 until 1989.

I was basing her on all the businessmen I knew who were heartless, really, said Collins. The other part of her brain, the glamorous part with the over-the-top clothes, I based on one of my best friends called Cappy Badrutt. She was extremely glamorous, and unfortunately very miserable."

"But I dont think Alexis was miserable," added Collins. "I think she enjoyed her life and lived it to the fullest.

But Collins refuses to look back at her past, claiming she hasnt seen a movie of hers in forever. Instead, shes looking forward to what the future holds for her on television.

When I first saw [American Horror Story], I went to my agent and said, I love this show. Can you get me a role in it? explained Collins. Nothing. Then I met Ryan Murphy at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, and we had a lovely conversation, but I really didnt think much more of it. Two weeks later, we go to see Barbra Streisand at the PaleyFest, and I didnt know Ryan was going to be interviewing her.

We go backstage afterward to see Barbra, and Ryan says, I just made an offer on you! That was how I got Dynasty, too: meeting Aaron Spelling at a party. A lot of things happen when you go to those parties!

The September 2018 issue of Town & Country is currently on newsstands.
Lindsay Shookus deleted her Instagram after Ben Affleck sparked breakup rumors when he was spotted out with Playboy model Shauna Sexton.

Shookus Instagram appeared to have been taken down sometime on Friday, a day after Affleck and the 22-year-old model were seen at Nobu restaurant in Malibu, California, Page Six reported. On Sunday, Affleck and Sexton were seen out and about together grabbing fast food just days after their attention-grabbing dinner at Nobu, according to E! News. The outlet also claims that sources close to the couple are saying that they've been broken up for weeks.

The Saturday Night Live producer last posted on her account earlier this month about a Girls Lounge event.

Though its unclear if Affleck and Sextons night out was a date, a source told E! News at the time that the 46-year-old actor feels it is over with Lindsay, whom he has been dating for more than a year. The source said Affleck was not happy that there were photos.

BEN AFFLECK SPOTTED OUT WITH PLAYBOY MODEL SHAUNA SEXTON

Shookus, 38, and Afflecks relationship seemed to be on the rocks. The couple was last seen together in late July in Puerto Rico, E! News reported.

Shookus also reportedly missed Afflecks birthday festivities last week with his three kids, daughters Violet, 12, Seraphina, 9, and son Samuel, 6.

The "Justice League" star began dating Shookus last July. Since then, the two have been seen together several times, including most recently with Shookus' family in June.

Affleck and actress Jennifer Garner split in 2015, ending their 10-year marriage. Their divorce, however, has not been finalized.

Not much is known about Sexton's dating history. Her Instagram account is riddled with nearly-nude pics and various modeling shots.

The pictures of Affleck and Sexton's outing came after a fan asked the model on a recent Instagram photo, "Did heaven send you??" to which she replied, "no just Batman."

Fox News Mariah Haas contributed to this report.
Meghan Markles frustrated father is lashing out against the British royal family.

The former Hollywood lighting director spoke to the media again and this time, he had some harsh words for the high-profile household his famous daughter married into.

They are either like Scientologists or the Stepford family, the 74-year-old told UKs The Sun Friday from his Rosarito, Mexico, home. If they hear anybody say anything they just lock the doors.

"They need to speak up! They are cult-like  like Scientology  because they are secretive. They close the door, pull the shades down and put their fingers in their ears so they dont have to hear.

Thomas Markle claimed his daughter's husband, Prince Harry, as well as the rest of the royal family, have stayed silent since he began giving tell-all interviews about Meghan.

Maybe they have a secret handshake too! he exclaimed. You cannot ask a question of them  as they wont answer.

ALLEGED MISSING 'SCIENTOLOGY QUEEN' THE SUBJECT OF A NEW VANITY FAIR DOCUMENTARY

Markle told the publication he has tried to encourage Meghan, 37, and Harry, 33, to contact him after three months of silence. They reportedly have not spoken since the couples wedding at Windsor Castle in May. The patriarch claimed he has been completely cut off.

He also dismissed reports that he was trying to get money from the former Suits star.

I worked hard to provide for my children, he said. Im their father, I dont expect them to pay me back.

Markle laughed off a claim that he was launching a clothing line for men, which was first made by Meghan's estranged half-sister, Samantha Grant, in a tweet.

It is just a joke, he said. The only clothesline I have is the one I hang on my shirts on to dry.

Just days before Meghan walked down the aisle in front of millions to marry Harry, she announced her father wouldnt attend the royal wedding following his heart surgery.

Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding, she said in a statement released by Kensington Palace. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.

I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you on Saturday.

Kensington Palace then announced Meghan would be walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, Harrys father.

Markles surgery followed days of press surrounding his health and speculation on whether or not hed attend the royal wedding.

He also stirred headlines when it was revealed he staged paparazzi photos that showed him preparing for the big day.

Back in January, Grant, 53, told Fox News she and her family are new to the spotlight and it can be difficult to cope with the worldwide interest in their personal lives.

As much as I love and respect Meg, shes got security and a publicist and can be protected from all that, said Grant. She and Harry can tell the media to stop. The rest of the family doesnt have that luxury. I love her, [but] she may not want me saying anything.

I refuse to be a victim of the media. Im not going to let them disparage me, embarrass me personally and professionally and not defend myself I can only hope she would respect and understand that In fact, if I were Meg, I would probably put something out there so that there was some sort of protective mechanism in place where the family couldnt be tortured as much."
Paris Jackson has responded on social media after being criticized for appearing on the cover of Harpers Bazaar in Singapore, given that the country outlaws same sex relations.

Jackson, 20, took to social media to apologize as well as defend her decision to appear on the cover. The brunt of the criticism against her came from an article in the publication Gay Star News. In it, the writer notes that Jackson, who is an advocate for LGBTQ rights and herself bisexual, appeared on a cover for a magazine in a country that punishes gay people with up to two years in prison for their sexual orientation.

The star quickly took down the photo from her Instagram before issuing an apology on Twitter.

i didnt know, i am sorry. i was grateful for the opportunity, but ill delete the post now, Jackson began a thread on Twitter. i dont want to be hypocritical or hurt anyone, and my support for my fellow LGBTQ+ community comes first before my love for fashion and gratitude for this opportunity. again, im sorry.

She continued: i would like to add though that someone that is openly apart of the community being on the cover in a country against the community, should be celebrated. isnt that a step forward? again, i am deeply sorry. i didnt mean to be hypocritical or hurt anyone.

She also noted that she found the article about her to be ridiculously mean.

As of this writing, Jackson has not restored the photo to her Instagram account.
California lawmakers are looking to pass a bill that would require restaurants to serve only water or unflavored milk with kids' meals in hopes of combating obesity and other diseases linked to sugar consumption.

Senate Bill 1192 passed the Assembly on Thursday but still requires one more vote before being signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.

CANADA BRIDE'S HAIR DYED BLUE AFTER PEN EXPLODES DAYS BEFORE WEDDING

The bill doesnt outright ban sugary beverages and would still allow customer to request alternative options, like soda and juice, the Modesto Bee reports.

Supporters of the bill argue the importance of providing healthy options to children.

Kids meals shouldnt come with a side order of diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento.

However, critics argue its up to parents to make those choices, not the government.

Seriously, like, whats next? Assemblyman Matthew Harper, R-Huntington Beach, said. Are we going to insist that you have to have kale in your salad unless you specifically ask otherwise?

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In July, Baltimore became the biggest U.S. city and first on the East Coast to pass a similar ordinance, barring restaurants from serving unhealthy sugary beverages with kids meals and instead opting for milk, 100 percent fruit juices, water, and flavored or sparkling water without added sweeteners.

Baltimore restaurants that don't comply with the ordinance will be faced with a $100 penalty.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An alpaca in Florida has died after eating too much junk food that was left by an unidentified motorist.

Creekside Animal Hospital in Clay County announced the death of the young male alpaca, which was being raised alongside a herd by the hospital staff on a field shared with Swimming Pen Creek Elementary School.

It is with a heavy heart that we want to inform our clients and friends at the elementary school that our youngest alpaca that was born out on the shared field over a year ago has passed away, the Facebook post said.

MISSOURI PARENTS OUTRAGED AFTER SCHOOL DISTRICT BANS FAST FOOD

It went on to explain the animal died of endotoxemia from overindulging in junk food left by a motorist.

We have had a problem with a gentleman in a blue car constantly dumping inappropriate food into the field several times per week. We have spoken to him on at least 4 different occasions. This last visit, he dumped 3 boxes of animal crackers, 1 large bag of Doritos, 2 large boxes of cheese nips and 2 bags of whole peanuts, the post said.

JAMIE OLIVER'S NEW 'JERK RICE' SLAMMED FOR CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

The unidentified man typically leaves behind large amounts of junk food that the animal hospital said it hoped was eaten up by the herd so no one would get too much.

However, the man dumped two bags of peanuts into the open field and the alpaca  who is fed peanut hay every day  ate too much.

We did everything we could for him including a blood transfusion from his father, but when alpacas suffer from endotoxemia, it is rarely something that can be fixed, the post said.

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The animal hospital worked on the young alpaca for 36 hours, but were not able to save him.

The post also said they would be moving the rest of the herd away from the open field as they have no way to protect them from the man in the blue car.
The owners of a New Orleans restaurant featured on Gordon Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares say the 2011 episode is still leaving a bad taste in their mouths.

The parent company of the Oceana Grill, a seafood restaurant located in the citys French Quarter, filed a lawsuit against Ramsay and the shows producers last week, claiming some of the events documented in the episode were fabricated and over-dramatize[d] in order to portray the eatery in a negative light, The New Orleans Advocate reported.

GORDON RAMSAY'S HELL'S KITCHEN RESTAURANT TO ALTER COCKTAIL AFTER PATRONS GET BURNED

The company, Cajun Conti, was prompted to file the suit after a clip from the episode  which showed Ramsay sniffing a container of shrimp and subsequently vomiting  was shared to the shows Facebook page on Wednesday. The clip has since been removed.

The problem we have is the fact that its so misleading, claimed Daniel Davillier, an attorney for the Oceana Grill, according to The Advocate. People think its something current, when in fact its very old.

Attorneys for Cajun Conti added that sharing the clip violated a 2011 agreement between the restaurant, Fox Broadcasting and a production company, Upper Ground Enterprises. Cajun Conti had filed the 2011 suit in an effort to keep parts of the episode from re-airing.

As part of the agreement, Cajun Conti claimed that the producers had promised not to share re-mixed footage from the restaurant without paying a $10,000 fee and including an update statement about Oceana Grill, which they did not, according to the lawsuit.

GORDON RAMSAY'S: HERE'S 3 WAYS TO TELL YOU'RE AT A BAD RESTAURANT

Lawyers for Cajun Conti added that the Kitchen Nightmares crew over-dramatize[d] and even fabricate[d] problems with the restaurant in order to increase ratings, citing the scene of Ramsay vomiting after smelling the restaurants shrimp and a scene in which Ramsay finds three rodents in a rat trap.

None of the above-described events were real, but were contrived and orchestrated by defendants to manufacture drama for their show, the lawsuit states, according to court documents obtained by The Advocate.

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The latest lawsuit names Gordon Ramsay, Upper Ground Enterprises, A. Smith & Co. and Optomen Productions as defendants. Cajun Conti is seeking unspecified damages and wants to block further use of the clip.

A representative for Ramsay was not immediately available to comment.
Surrounded by cheering family and friends, 4-year-old honorary Colorado Springs Police Officer Joshua Salmoiraghi finished his last round of chemotherapy Sunday.

The police department, as KOAA reported, posted a video on Twitter of Joshua proudly ringing the bell at Childrens Hospital Colorado in Aurora while wearing an oversized Captain America shirt.

Their newest officer was sworn in in April to the department in full uniform custom-made. Members of the police department also chipped in to purchase a battery-powered motorcycle for Joshua.

It was right before his latest round of chemo, as Fox News previously reported. It is going to be much more harsh, much more aggressive, his father Joseph, a military veteran and pastor, said at the time.

Joshuas family, also includes his mother, Amanda, a major in the U.S. Air Force, and the 4-year-olds two older brothers, Benjamin and Timothy. The family moved to Colorado Springs from Los Angeles because Amanda was re-stationed to Peterson Air Force Base. While the family had to leave a tight-knit community behind, Joseph said they found an outpouring of support in their new home.

Joshua was first diagnosed with stage-four kidney cancer over Fathers Day weekend in June 2017. He was 3 years old at the time.

After he underwent surgery to remove an 11-centimeter tumor from his left kidney, the young boy went through radiation and chemotherapy treatment. By December of last year, doctors determined Joshua to be in remission. But that changed in January after the 4-year-old's doctors found another tumor in his left lung, necessitating the latest round of chemo.

Joshua is expected to undergo radiation therapy for his chest in the coming weeks, KOAA added.

Fox News' Madeline Farber contributed to this report.
The family of a Philadelphia girl who was declared tumor-free three years after receiving a kiss from the pope has donated $50,000 to the hospital that helped save her.

Gianna Masciantonio, who was kissed from Pope Francis while battling an inoperable brain tumor that landed her in hospice for the first six months of her life, is now gearing up for preschool.

Masciantonios story first went viral in 2015, when she was hoisted up by a member of the Swiss Guard during the papal visit so that he could kiss her. Pope Francis did not know that Masciantonio was diagnosed with histiocytosis, which was causing a potentially fatal brain tumor to grow on her brain stem. But scans after the visit showed that her tumor was almost undetectable.

BABY BOOM AHEAD? ARIZONA HOSPITAL HAS 16 PREGNANT NURSES

Shes blown our expectations out of the water in terms of how shes doing, Dr. Amish Shah, a pediatric neuro-oncologist at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, told CBS Philly. Shes resilient and shes tough and instead of taking all this as something to be fearful of, shes really taking this in stride.

The familys foundation, For the Love of Grace, shared on Aug. 17 that they were making a $50,000 donation to CHOP for pediatric brain tumor research. Masciantonios father, Joey, said the hospital is special to them, and that while no money could ever repay their gratitude, we just want to help the kids.

Seeing your kid run around and seeing her doing the things shes doing with what they told us from the beginning is amazing, Joey Masciantonio told the news outlet.
By Peng Zhengang and Jin Zheng

WAU, SOUTH SUDAN, Aug. 20 (ChinaMil) -- The 8th Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment to South Sudan (Wau) conducted first-aid skills training for troop-contributing countries (TCCs) in the Sector West of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on August 18. The training aims to teach first-aid skills to peacekeeping staff officers of the troop-contributing countries and enhance their self-rescue and mutual rescue capabilities.

The training took place at the UN camp in Wau, a city in western South Sudan, on the morning of August 18.

Four doctors with extensive experience in first aid sent by the Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment taught first-aid skills such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hemostasis, dressing, and fixation in detail to the peacekeeping staff officers from more than 10 countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia, Nigeria, and Ghana. An on-site practice was also held to ensure that every trainee had mastered the essentials of first-aid skills.

The Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment has communicated with the trainees of various countries several times prior to the training in order to learn more about their level of first-aid knowledge and better prepare for the training.

The Chinese medical peacekeepers also formulated teaching content and programs targeting prevailing issues such as imprecise environmental assessment, unclear rescue methods and wrong time control to ensure that the training is effective.

A Nigerian peacekeeping staff officer said after the training that he is very grateful to the meticulous teaching by Chinese peacekeeping doctors and he can handle dangerous situations better in the future.

The medical conditions in the mission area were limited, and most peacekeepers had weak first-aid awareness and little to no first-aid knowledge. Since the 8th Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment was deployed to the mission area in last September, they have taught first-aid skills including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, battlefield first aid and air evacuation to peacekeepers of Sector West Headquarters of the UNMISS, Bangladesh Peacekeeping Infantry Battalion, Ghana Peacekeeping Detachment and Cambodian Peacekeeping Gendarmerie for many times.
A police officer in Argentina is being praised on social media after photos of her breastfeeding a malnourished baby went viral.

Officer Celeste Jaqueline Ayala was working guard duty at the Sor Maria Ludovica childrens hospital in Buenos Aires when a neglected baby was brought in.

Ayala immediately asked to hold the baby, who hospital staff said was smelly and dirty, and began to nurse him, Mirror reported.

MOM SEEN BREASTFEEDING 4-YEAR-OLD CHILD CALLED 'GROSS,' 'DISTURBING'

Witness Marcos Heredia took a photo of the compassionate act and posted it on Facebook, where it amassed over 154K likes.

I want to make public this great gesture of love that you had today with that little baby, read Heredias post, loosely translated from Spanish. Who without knowing you didnt hesitate and for a moment you fulfilled how if you were her mother. You dont care about filth and smell  things like that dont [happen] every day.

Ayala said she did not think twice about helping the baby in need.

"I noticed that he was hungry, as he was putting his hand into his mouth, so I asked to hug him and breastfeed him, she said to Cronica. "It was a sad moment, it broke my soul seeing him like this, society should be sensitive to the issues affecting children, it cannot keep happening."

Now, Ayalas kind-hearted move has prompted tons of praise on social media and a Twitter campaign using her name as a hashtag.

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The Bomberos Voluntarios Berisso fire brigade where Ayala volunteers paid their own tribute to the selfless woman.

"We want to congratulate the voluntary firefighting cadet Celeste Ayala who yesterday in her job as police officer whilst she was on guard duty at the hospital, breastfed a young child who arrived crying. Actions like these fill us with pride and obligate us to redouble the effort, the work and the solidarity with our community, the brigade wrote, the Mirror reported.

According to the Mirror, the baby was the youngest of six brought in by a struggling single mother.
A woman in Sydney, Australia, has attracted an incredible response to a very honest photo from her European holiday she wasnt sure she should share  but did anyway.

Lauren Clark, 21, has been travelling in Europe over the northern summer, including a visit to picture-perfect Positano on Italys Amalfi Coast.

There, someone took an Instagram-worthy snap of Clark smiling on the beach against the backdrop of Positanos famous hill of colorful buildings, but she wasnt sure whether to share it online  because she noticed her stomach rolls in the photo.

'FALLING STARS CHALLENGE' IS THE MORBID NEW INSTAGRAM TREND FROM RUSSIA

She ultimately decided to share the photo on Instagram with a long post explaining why.

So someone took a really happy pic of me during Sail Week but I didnt want to post it on insta because I had some stomach rolls in the photo, Clark wrote.

Im embarrassed at how RIDICULOUS that is, especially because social media is already so terrible for body image (for girls & guys), and I cant say I hate the unrealistic body pressures if I too only post perfect pictures.'

Anyway, today down at the influencer hot spot in Positano I thought Id 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).

Watch this space for more food porn and belly lovin hoping this helps others to try [to] give less love to social media and more love to themselves too.

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In just days, Clarks honest post attracted an onslaught of supportive messages from friends and strangers.

Love love love this photo so much! I have IBS and often get a bloat baby so thank you for making me feel better about that! one person wrote.

Your food baby looks great! another person said. I hope my french food baby turns out just as awesome!

In another comment, someone wrote: Yes! Good on you  you wouldnt have done Italy right without a food baby!

Others praised Clark for the beautiful photo and her amazing message.

GAP'S LATEST AD CAMPAIGN, FEATURING DEAF TRANSGENDER MODEL, IS LAUDED

Clarks body-positive post has been liked more than a thousand times, and prompted her to share a follow-up post in which she urged followers to strive for a positive relationship with food.

This article originally appeared on News.com.au.
While wedding tradition calls for every bride to have something blue, most soon-to-be newlyweds have a choice in selecting which item fits the bill. However this almost wasnt the case for one Canadian woman, whose mishap with an ink pen left her with a large blue stain in her blonde hair shortly before the big day.

Daphne Martin had twisted her platinum hair up at work and secured it with an ink pen. Unfortunately the pen turned out not to be the best accessory when it somehow exploded, leaving a large ink stain at the back of Martins neck.

DOG-SHAPED ICE CREAM TREATS FROM TAIWAN ARE FREAKING OUT THE INTERNET

"A co-worker approached me and told me what had happened, and I was in complete shock," Martin told Allure.

The bride-to-bes colorist, Kelly O'Leary-Woodford, shared a photo of the mishap on social media Wednesday. One week before my client's wedding, her pen that was in her ponytail burst. What number is this on your worst ever scale?! she wrote.

Martin, whos gone to cosmetology school, rushed home and took matters into her own hands. "Lets just say there was a series of ponytails and kitchen sink hair-washing," says Martin,

She enlisted the help of her fiance to get the dark stain out of her hair. "I washed the area, blew it out, and then applied bleach. Surprisingly enough, five minutes of bleach got that out of my extremely light hair. My hair was back to normal that day  even an hour later, thank goodness."

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O'Leary-Woodford warned others against putting a pen in their hair, calling this the craziest thing shes ever seen.

"Kelly has never let me live it down," Martin told Allure. "Ive learned my lesson: No more pens as hair accessories."
The Tinder user who duped hundreds of men into showing up at Union Square for a phony date Sunday was actually a stunt for a viral marketing agency  the same one that famously recorded hidden-camera footage of a woman being catcalled as she walked around New York City.

We will be releasing a video Thursday that explains the entire project and story, marketer Rob Bliss of Rob Bliss Creative told The Post.

Bliss, whose company specializes in making viral video campaigns, created the widely-shared 10 hours of walking in NYC as a woman clip for an anti-harassment non-profit in 2014.

In his latest production, a model and actress named Natasha Aponte invited unwitting men she met on Tinder to the public square on Sunday for what they thought was a hot date.

Instead, the guys were gobsmacked when Aponte appeared on stage and revealed they were all there to date her  and she began dismissing those who didnt meet her criteria and asking the others to battle it out in contests to win the actual date.

Half of you people here are in relationships, so those people should leave now, Aponte is shown telling the crowd in a video taken by a DJ at the event.

Statistically, people who are on dating apps, half of them are in relationships. So those people should leave.

The first elimination is if you think you can support Trump and date a Puerto Rican, nows the time to leave. If anyones a tourist or doesnt live in this country, you should leave too. Also anyone named Jimmy. I dont enjoy the name Jimmy, she continued,.

Men with beer bellies, long beards, khakis and Toms shoes were also dismissed  before those still hoping for that date willingly competed in a running race.

Bliss wouldnt reveal much more about the project, but said no product or service of any kind was involved, and that Aponte is a real single woman who is passionate

This article originally appeared on the New York Post.
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The anti-Trump media are in an uproar about a comment by President Trumps attorney Rudy Giuliani on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday that truth isnt truth. News reports have taken Giulianis comment completely out of context  showing that many in the media really dont care about the truth.

As part of the media pile-on attacking Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, CNNs Brian Stelter warned: For a part of the countrys population, the truth is not the truth anymore. President Trumps accomplishment has been to destroy the notion of the commonly accepted set of facts. The truth is what the president says that it is.

Washington Post Opinions Editor James Downie compared Giulianis comment to President Clintons statement about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinksy, when Clinton said: It depends on what the meaning of the word is is.

HBOs John Oliver gave only a glimpse of the late night talk shows will do with the statement this week by poking fun at Giulianis statement.

But what was Giuliani really saying?

Here is the exchange between Giuliani and Todd on Meet the Press.

Giuliani: And when you tell me that, you know, he should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth.

Todd: Truth is truth. I dont mean to go like  

Giuliani: No, it isnt truth. Truth isnt truth. The president of the United States says, I didnt  

Todd: Truth isnt truth? Mr. Mayor, do you realize, what, I, I, I 

Giuliani: No, no, no 

Todd: This is going to become a bad meme.

Giuliani: Dont do, dont do this to me.

Todd: Dont do truth isnt truth to me.

Giulianis point was simple: even if you tell the complete truth, prosecutors can still go after you for perjury. It could be that the prosecutors truly believe some other witness. It could also be that the prosecutors are just hell bent on getting another conviction.

Giulianis point was simple, but the media would rather preen and posture than debate the argument he was trying to make.

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was charged last year with perjury after getting a date wrong in an interview with FBI agents. Flynn wasnt told the purpose of the interview and hadnt had a chance to refresh his memory.

The agents who interviewed Flynn didnt think that he had lied, but merely made a mistake on dates. They found no physical indications of deception and didn't see any change in posture, in tone, in inflection, in eye contact.

Making a mistake isnt the same thing as lying. Witnesses to crimes often make mistakes in recalling events that may have happened just minutes or hours previously.

But perjury charges werent brought against Flynn until Special Prosecutor Robert Muellers investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election got underway months later in 2017.

Mueller never alleged that Flynn perjured himself in an attempt to cover up some other crime. The hope was simply to get someone in President Trumps inner circle to crack and divulge evidence against the president.

Muellers prosecutors werent present at Flynns interview and may have no reason to believe that Flynn lied. Indeed, there was not any reason for Flynn to lie, because what he was talking to the agents about didnt even involve a crime.

When I served as chief economist at the U.S. Sentencing Commission, I observed this sort of thing happen many times. Prosecutors often abuse their tremendous power in the belief that the ends justify the means. I had prosecutors tell me that even if the defendant hadnt committed this particular crime, they were sure that he had committed other ones.

Meet the Press panelists congratulated Todd on getting a sound bite that they could run with. They seemed unconcerned with what Giuliani actually meant.

I think the headline is truth isn't truth, said PBS White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor. As soon as he said (it) I thought, Man, Chuck Todd really does these things really well."

Former FBI director James Comey ignored Giulianis point and quickly chimed in on Twitter: Truth exists and truth matters. Truth has always been the touchstone of our countrys justice system and political life. People who lie are held accountable.

But in fact, Giuliani wasnt disputing that there is an ultimate truth. What he said is that being truthful wont necessarily protect you from perjury charges.

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., tweeted out his own interpretation: The statement by Rudy Giuliani that 'truth isn't truth' is another step towards authoritarianism.

But worrying about the power of prosecutors is, if anything, anti-authoritarian. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., found Giulianis statement to be reminiscent of the totalitarian government in George Orwells novel, 1984.

The statements by Lieu and Schiff are outrageous, but the media arent calling them to account.

Giuliani tried again to explain the obvious in a tweet Monday, stating: My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said,she said puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.

However, it really doesnt matter how many time Giuliani explains what he meant. The Trump-haiting media cant stop lying about what the president and those around him are saying.

Some pundits just want to repeat a three-word sound bite, with no regard to what the speaker meant. Instead of engaging in a thoughtful discussion about Giulianis critique of prosecutorial power, the media would rather destroy their target.
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What in the world has happened to the Democratic partys approach to illegal immigration over the last dozen years?

Twelve years ago, during a Senate floor debate in October 2006, freshman U.S. Senator Barack Obama supported construction of a physical barrier along the southwest border. The bill before us will certainly do some good, he said, before speaking approvingly of a barriers ability to help stem the tide of illegal immigration in this country.

Today, leading Democrats  including potential candidates for the partys 2020 presidential nomination  have done a 180-degree reversal. They now oppose construction of a physical barrier, and even demand the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing the laws on the books and removing illegal immigrants.

What happened to the Democratic party in the intervening years? In a word, politics.

Back in 2006, when the Secure Fence Act was being considered in the Senate, Democratic party leaders envisioned a difficult presidential election in 2008. They wanted to secure their right flank against charges of being weak on illegal immigration. Supporting construction of a physical barrier seemed the thing to do. So 26 Democratic senators  including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Chuck Schumer  voted for it.

But that was then, and this is now.

As they look to 2020 and the chance to take on Donald Trump, they know that before they can engage Trump in the fall, theyll first have to win their partys nomination. The Democratic party nomination process is heavily influenced by the hard left, and they know it.

Is it really any wonder so many voters, fed up with a party that had abandoned them in search of new voters, decided to abandon the party of their fathers and grandfathers and pulled a lever for  gasp!  Donald Trump

The hard left hates Donald Trump. The hard left doesnt want anything to do with Donald Trump. The hard left would turn down anything and everything  universal health care under the guise of Medicare for all, or even a universal basic wage (that is, free money from other taxpayers)  if they believed it came from Trump.

If Trump touches it, they reason, it must be bad.

How do I know? Because we all saw the perfect example of this play out earlier this year when President Trump offered Democrats  who were seeking to institutionalize President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program  a path to citizenship (their highest demand!) for THREE TIMES as many illegal immigrants as they had ever hoped to bargain for (!). But there was one hitch  Trump wanted funding for a border wall.

And congressional Democrats knew that the hard left would never let them get away with voting to fund construction of a border wall that might actually reduce the number of illegal border crossings, even if would let them legalize and set on a path to citizenship almost 2 million illegal immigrants. So the Democrats turned him down.

Meanwhile, hard left activists focused on generating energy and excitement for hard left candidates in Democratic party primary elections. They upped their demands on the immigration front  not only did they demand their candidates oppose construction of a physical barrier at the border and support citizenship for illegal immigrants, they wanted to abolish ICE entirely.

When Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stunned the political world by knocking off incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley  the fourth-ranking House Democrat, and a potential future Speaker of the House  in her June primary election upset, and then brandished her demand to abolish ICE, the movement to eliminate this crucial law enforcement agency took off. Potential candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination like Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand joined the effort, House Democrats introduced legislation to terminate the agency, and leftist candidates all over the country took up the rallying cry.

Heres the terrible secret about the Democrats switch  in going all-in for legalizing illegal immigrants and eliminating the federal law enforcement authority responsible for removing those who have violated our laws: they have betrayed their own lower-income and working class constituents.

Do lower-income U.S. citizens benefit when the terrible schools theyre forced to send their children to see class sizes swell with non-English speaking students? Do working class U.S. citizens benefit when their jobs are taken by illegal immigrants willing to work off the books at far lower costs to their employers? Are any of them benefited when social services must be rationed to accommodate the new illegal immigrant recipients?

Democrats, ask yourselves: Is it really any wonder so many of them, fed up with a party that had abandoned them in search of new voters, decided to abandon the party of their fathers and grandfathers and pulled a lever for  gasp!  Donald Trump, the candidate who was the most anti-establishment candidate of the last generation?

I guess the next elections will tell us whether it was all worth it  but make no mistake what is behind this complete reversal: in a word, politics.
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The biggest news story in 2018 is not Omarosa or Stormy Daniels  it is the booming economy, according to Director of the White House Economic Council Larry Kudlow, who made that case to pals at a recent dinner. He is right, of course. The acceleration in U.S. growth, bringing rising wages and increased job opportunities across the board, is a monumental achievement of the Trump White House. Especially since so many liberal economists, like Larry Summers, said it couldnt be done.

The second biggest news item is that President Trumps approval ratings have held steady as a rock, especially among Republicans. There is a ferocity among his followers that does not attach in this era to any other political figure, and for that we can credit, at least in part, the media. The worse their attacks on the president become, the more steadfast his support. Go figure.

The third biggest story, in my view, is that many GOP candidates appear oblivious to both these themes. Democrats spend more time talking about the economy and the GOP tax cuts than Republicans do; they certainly have more to say about the president. Many Republicans running for office appear embarrassed by the economic power unleashed by lower tax rates and deregulation; its almost as though they dont understand what is happening. At best, they seem unable to articulate why the tax cuts are helping their voters.

These reluctant Republicans have allowed Nancy Pelosi and her colleagues to set the narrative about the GOP tax cuts and the buoyant economy. Democrats began lying about the GOP tax bill before it was even written, with Chuck Schumer et al initially saying that it would not benefit middle-class workers. When numerous analyses indicated that claim was flat-out wrong, and as Americans discovered the savings in their paychecks, their tune changed, slightly. Now they stress that the gains are mostly flowing to the wealthy, and to big, fat corporations. They are hoping the politics of envy will override relief that jobs are suddenly plentiful and that consumer optimism is off the charts, for the first time in a decade.

Heres a heads-up: midterm elections are always about turnout. Always. Trump, and Trump alone in many districts, will drive GOP turnout. He is the energy in the party, his is the story  and he can tell it better than anyone. Do they really think John Kasich boosted Troy Baldersons vote?

A recent story in the New York Times is typical. It says the lower taxes on businesses are unlocking tens of millions of dollars in campaign donations from the wealthy conservatives and corporate interests that benefitted handsomely from it. The piece names various people and corporations who have donated to the Congressional Leadership Fund, and hints that Sheldon Adelson, for instance, gave $30 million to the Paul Ryan-linked Super Pac with monies received from the tax reform bill.

The Times fails to mention that Adelson has in previous elections topped that figure, and has consistently supported Republicans and Donald Trump. They also neglect to list the billionaires who have given millions to House Majority, the corresponding Democrat Super Pac, like Paloma Partners founder Donald Sussman or Euclidean Capital, the family office of hedge fund wizard James Simon. Were their donations a direct result of the GOP tax cuts, too?

The Times piece quotes Corry Bliss, the head of the Super PAC working to hold onto the GOP majority in Congress, saying he had all but begged every campaign to run on the middle-class tax cut, to no avail. He says, In this environment, if you dont make clear the contrasts between the two teams, then you are not going to get the benefit of the doubt.

He notes that two incumbent Republicans running in contested districts carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016  Carlos Curbelo in Florida and Will Hurd in Texas  are running better than expected by doing just that.

For the past year, Democrats have hoped that anti-Trump sentiment would translate to a Blue Wave, giving them the 24 seats needed to flip control of the House of Representatives and maybe even gaining an advantage in the Senate. They have clung to a couple of special election outcomes, mainly Conor Lambs win in Pennsylvanias 18th District and more recently the tight race in Ohios 12th, to bolster their hopes. They can also cite history; almost always the party in the White House leaks power in the midterms.

But Trump continues to turn convention on its head. The recent Ohio race was close, but  lets be honest  the presidents last-minute rally for Republican Troy Balderson appears to have pushed him over the edge. (The official tally drags on.) Before voting day, internal GOP polling showed Balderson trailing rival Danny OConnor. Party officials had written off the seat.

Republican candidates and strategists anguish over President Trumps popularity and dither over whether to back him. Heres a heads-up: midterm elections are always about turnout. Always. Trump, and Trump alone in many districts, will drive GOP turnout. He is the energy in the party, his is the story  and he can tell it better than anyone. Do they really think John Kasich boosted Troy Baldersons vote?

Democrats are counting on anti-Trump fever to drive their voters to the polls. Since the party has yet to present a platform that excites Americans, they are relying on their constituents to vote against Donald Trump. For many, that will be enough. But it is a risky strategy, especially since a number of Democrats core constituents appear tilting ever so slightly in Trumps direction. African-American support for the president has increased, according to a variety of polls, as has his approval ratings among Hispanics. Both those groups, most likely, appreciate the better job opportunities they see, and their rising wages.

President Trump will doubtless campaign relentlessly between now and November, and candidates would do well to ask for his support. They would also be well advised to talk up the economy. That is indeed the biggest story of the year, for all Americans.
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There is now no excuse for Special Counsel Robert Mueller to ask to interview President Trump.

In fact, it is now clear the investigators have been given so much information about the presidents actions and had such remarkably open access, they should just close shop and write their final report.

They no longer have any grounds for going to court to get a subpoena to compel the president to testify.

Muellers fatal mistake was revealed Saturday in The New York Times story titled, White House Counsel, Don McGahn, Has Cooperated Extensively in Mueller Inquiry. Michael Schmidt and Maggie Haberman reported that there were at least 30 hours of interviews between the Mueller team and the White House Counsel.

Don McGahn asserted throughout the interviews that he never saw Mr. Trump go beyond his legal authorities.

McGahns cooperation is historically unique because President Trump waived both executive privilege and attorney-client privilege. President Trump was so confident of his innocence that he waived both of these protections to allow the Special Counsel to thoroughly question the White House attorney.

We are now at the end of the failed investigation.

Accepting such a thorough and detailed briefing from the White House Counsel will ultimately hurt the efforts of Muellers team of left-wing Democratic lawyers.

McGahn is a very widely-respected lawyer, who thoroughly understands the difference between legal and illegal behavior  and he was in the room for virtually all of President Trumps activities.

It couldnt be more clear: The Trump White House was comfortable talking for 30 hours with a pack of high-powered, very tough-minded investigators, because the president has done nothing wrong.

Nevertheless, at every stage, Mueller has conducted an aggressive, one-sided, and increasingly irresponsible, investigation.

Mueller was brought in to seek the truth about whether there was collusion between the Donald Trump campaign and Russians to impact the 2016 election.

His first step down the road of abusive aggressiveness was to hire a completely partisan team of mostly Democrat attorneys. Mueller could have hired a balanced team of Republican and Democratic lawyers. He could have avoided hiring lawyers who had worked for Hillary Clinton or gone to the Clinton election night party. Instead he hired totally biased opponents of Trump  who want to take down the president.

The Manafort trial is a case study in how a ruthless prosecutor can use the power of the state to intimidate and punish an individual.

Muellers second step down the road was to find accusations that had nothing to do with the election, the Russians, or a question of collusion.

Look at the outrageous abuse of Paul Manafort. Manafort had been campaign chairman. He had ties with foreign businessmen. He had done extensive business in Ukraine. Im sure the Mueller team believed if anyone was the obvious entry point for collusion, it would have been Manafort.

Yet, they found nothing.

Let me repeat this, because it is so ignored by the daily media headlines: The Mueller team found no evidence of Manafort colluding with any foreign entities on the 2016 election.

Manafort is being tried over tax and banking issues that have nothing to do with Russian collusion or any election.

In fact, the Manafort trial is a case study in how a ruthless prosecutor can use the power of the state to intimidate and punish an individual. Manafort and his wife were awakened in their pajamas in pre-dawn hours by FBI agents conducting a raid on their residence  even though the previous day Manafort had been cooperating with the Senates investigative body. Furthermore, there was no evidence Manafort represented any danger of violence or flight. The early morning attack was designed to frighten Manafort and send a signal to other potential witnesses to cooperate  or else.

An extraordinary abuse of power was displayed through Muellers holding of Manafort in solitary confinement in a cell for 23 hours a day as he awaited trial. This level of deprivation is astonishing when done to an American citizen, who has committed no violent crimes and has not been convicted of anything. Again, it is an effort to intimidate and coerce.

Mueller also understands that every person he goes after has to hire lawyers, spend their lifetime savings, and potentially end up deeply in debt to simply protect themselves from government lawyers who could potentially put them in prison.

Now, we are at the end of the failed investigation.

With McGahns 30 hours of testimony, it is clear there is no evidence of President Trump either colluding with the Russians or engaging in illegal obstruction of justice.

Saturdays New York Times story should be the end of the story.

No sitting president has the time for distractions as big as the Mueller investigation absent the showing of a compelling need  the most important element of which is that any information President Trump has cannot be derived from some other source.

President Trump has not invoked any privilege and has permitted complete access to his White House Counsel, as well as others. Mueller can no longer even come close to meeting the compelling need standard.

As such, it is time to shut the investigation down and allow the president to do what Americans hired him to do  focus on making America great again. Continuing to draw out this partisan investigation only serves to confirm what most Americans now understand  it had no basis in law or fact.

Mueller should write his report to Congress and return to his retirement.
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Even though its a hallmark of the American experiment, religious liberty is, perhaps, one of the most controversial issues in American life today. In the wake of several consequential Supreme Court decisions in the past few years, even some Christians have even branded religious liberty as the right to discriminate.

But if you, like me, care deeply about human dignity and the flourishing of all members of society, you should care about religious liberty. Paul Marshall, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, says, The right to follow our conscience lies at the center of human dignity and is the core of every other human right.

Why is this true? And why should Christians across the political spectrum fight for religious liberty? Here are three reasons:

1. Religious Liberty is Connected to Human Rights

The right to believe is a vital aspect of what it means to be human. We are body, mind, and soul, with a rational ability that distinguishes us from the rest of creation. Part of being human is to be able to believe, and to be able to choose what we believe.

In fact, in developing countries around the world, the presence of robust religious liberty protections are a key indicator of human rights and the lack of robust religious liberty protections are key indicator of a lack of human rights.

A state that coerces belief is, in essence, a state that is actively dehumanizes its citizens, trampling their God-given consciences. It is saying, You are not capable of forming your own ideas and opinions, we need to form them for you.

Of course, religious liberty is not necessarily a blank check. There are deeply held religious practices that infringe the dignity of others. For instance, ancient Hindu practices demanded that widows be burned on the funeral pyre of their husbands. Some religions lead parents, by belief, to refuse life-saving treatment of their children. The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice. These are examples of religious practices that violate the dignity of image-bearers, prey on the vulnerable, and violate moral laws. Robert George says:

Grave injustice can be committed by sincere people for the sake of religion. The presumption in favor of respecting liberty must be powerful and broad. But it is not unlimited.

This is where the language in the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, passed in 1993 by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton, is helpful. It requires the government to, if it has a compelling interest to violate religious liberty because it infringes on someones welfare, to do it by the least restrictive means possible.

2. Religious Liberty is Grounded in Christian Theology

Perhaps the clearest biblical passage about religious liberty comes from Jesus himself in a well-known interaction with religious and civil authorities, when he was asked, both by those loyal to Rome and by their revolutionary foes, about paying tax to the Roman emperor. Both parties wished to score a victory against the other and to trap this rising trouble-maker into making a damaging gaffe. Jesus famously answered them by asking for a piece of currency, holding up the coin bearing Caesars image and saying:

Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods.

By asking the question, Whose image is on this coin?, Jesus is making a profound statement about what it means to be human in a world ruled by God and a state ruled by a human. He is saying, Caesar is due your taxes because, as someone granted temporary civil authority by me, Caesar has the right to collect your taxes as he chooses. Currency is part of how a state functions. It bears its rulers image. In this sense, it belongs to him.

But, continues Jesus, you must render ... to God the things that are Gods. And this is the real force of his comment. Caesar does not have the right to demand everything from you. You were not made in the image of Caesar. You were made in the image of the One who sculpted Caesar, and you, from the dust of the ground; and who breathed into Caesar, and you, the breath of life. Therefore, your conscience does not belong to the state but to God. Caesar has no right to demand you believe what he chooses. God, your Creator, has authority over your soul.

Or to put it another way, Jesus is telling the state that it must protect, and not undermine, religious liberty. The right to choose what to believe is a critical facet of being made in Gods image. It is intrinsic to human dignity.

3. Religious Liberty Ensures a Vigorous Public Debate

Sometimes Christians confuse religious liberty with Christian favor. As a follower of Christ, I pray and work to see the gospel move through our communities, but I shouldnt desire the state to put its thumb on the scale to advance what I believe. And I should work for the religious liberty of those with whom I disagree.

In 1 Timothy 2, The Apostle Paul urged Timothy to pray for the civil authorities to give the church space to practice its belief without infringement.

I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

In a sense, when we work for religious libertyeven if that is simply by using our vote in a way that promotes or defends itwe are not merely working for our own dignity to be recognized by the state, but for the dignity of our neighbors. To stand up for the religious liberty of religions that Christians believe to be false is not to affirm the validity of such religions, but to affirm the humanity of their adherents in a way that allows space for them to choose to believe the gospel. I love what one our Baptist forefathers, Thomas Helwys, said about this:

Mens religion to God is between God and themselves. The king shall not answer for it. Neither may the king be judge between God and man. Let them be heretics, Turks, Jews, or whatsoever, it appertains not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure.

Working for and speaking up for the religious liberty of other religions is also an affirmation of the gospels power. It reveals a confidence that Christianity can compete and win in the marketplace of ideas. It ensures a space for vigorous debate and trusts the Holy Spirit to do his work bringing people to repentance. Religious liberty either works for everyone or it works for no one.
Michael Avenatti took aim at President Donald Trump and called on Democrats to fight fire with fire as he headlined a Democratic Party event Sunday in the state that holds the first primary in the race for the White House.

The Los Angeles-based attorney, best known for representing adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against the president, told Fox News and other news organizations that Im absolutely being serious as he mulls a run for the Democratic presidential nomination.

And his message to other potential Democratic White House hopefuls is that the 2020 election is going to be a brutal, knockdown, street fight, and if someones not up for that type of campaign, they need to stay home and not seek the nomination.

He also brushed aside any concerns that his law firm's legal issues could hurt him politically.

Headlining the Hillsborough County Democrats summer picnic and fundraiser, Avenatti repeatedly fired away at the president, saying to big applause that Donald Trump does not have the knowledge, wisdom, compassion or fortitude to serve as president of the United States.

But he added that this president, no matter how corrupt or cruel he is, he knows how to fight.

Avenatti said that Democrats have a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gunfight and he told the crowd of party officials, candidates and activists, I believe that our party, the Democratic Party, must be a party that fights fire with fire. I believe we cannot be the party of turning the other cheek.

And as he did during a stop last weekend in Iowa  the state that holds the first-in-the-nation caucus  Avenatti modified a slogan made famous by former first lady Michelle Obama, urging that when they (Republicans) go low, we hit harder.

He closed his nearly 25-minute speech with a variation of Trumps signature campaign line, saying, We will make America gracious again. We will make America fair again. We will make America dynamic again. We will make America respected. And above all else, we will make America America again.

Avenatti arrived in New Hampshire from Florida, where he headlined a Democratic Party event in Tampa Saturday night. He told reporters hes headed back to Iowa in a few days and announced hed return to New Hampshire in late September.

I dont think [President Trump is] very quick on his feet. I dont think hes that intelligent and I think hed be completely outclassed.  Michael Avenatti

Pushing back against charges that his political testing of the waters is a publicity stunt, Avenatti argued, Im not going to go out and do this and give speeches like this and talk to people on some lark. Im going to seriously consider this because the 2020 election is a critical election, I would venture to say the most critical in modern times.

Avenatti warned, If the Democratic Party proceeds to nominate the person who would be the best president, that is going to be a mistake.

He said 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton was the most qualified individual to ever run for the White House in the history of our nation.

LIZ PEEK: IS AVENATTI READY TO RUN? HIS LEFT-WING MEDIA ALLIES CERTAINLY THINK SO!

But he added that all the experience in the world, all the qualifications in the world, all of the policy positions in the world, they dont mean anything if you cant beat Donald Trump in the general election, period.

Asked how he would take the fight to the president, a confident Avenatti claimed, Donald Trump doesnt want to debate me on a national stage. Thats for sure. Theres no question about that.

I think hes a bully and I think he doesnt like people who punch back and I think Id be incredibly effective against him, Avenatti added. I dont think hes very quick on his feet. I dont think hes that intelligent and I think hed be completely outclassed.

AVENATTI: 'I'M EXPLORING A RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES'

Avenattis firm Eagan Avenatti was settling a case with the Internal Revenue Service over $880,000 in unpaid payroll taxes. The firm had defaulted on millions of dollars in debt and had fallen years behind in paying its payroll taxes.

Asked by Fox News if he was concerned his firms legal issues could affect his hopes of running for the White House, Avenatti said, Im not worried about it. Show me anybody whos had great success and Ill show you somebody thats had great challenges.

On policy, Avenatti told the crowd that as president, hed push for Medicare for all, ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, and what he called sensible gun control in America, adding, We should never have another school shooting on U.S. soil.

He also called for investing in public school teachers and securing the nations borders while at the same time honoring the values and principles that founded this country.
The last batch of Chinese participating troops arrives in Russia for the Peace Mission 2018 on the evening of August 18, 2018. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Luo Shunyu)

By Luo Shunyu and Pan Kai

RUSSIA, Aug. 20 (ChinaMil) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) joint military exercise "Peace Mission-2018" will be held in Russia from August 22 to 29 among the SCO member countries.

The Chinese participating troops, selected from the army and the air force units under the PLA Western Theater Command as well as some forces attached to the Central Military Commission (CMC), arrived in Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk Region in the Urals, Russia, on the evening of August 18, 2018.

The Peace Mission-2018 joint military exercise will see participation of almost all member nations including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan, and 10 observers from Uzbekistan will also be present.

The exercise, involving a total of over 3,000 troops, will focus on the Army, Air Force and new combat forces. China has sent more than 700 troops to participate, including an army armored tank battle group, an air force battle group and a special operations detachment.

It is the seventh joint anti-terrorism military exercise under the SCO framework, involving more troops, equipment and new combat forces than any previous SCO joint military exercise.

Peace Mission is a biennially-held counter-terrorism exercise involving each SCO member and it contains three stages: strategic consultation, joint anti-terrorism war preparation and war implementation. Its purpose is to examine the coordination and combat readiness of SCO members for joint counter-terrorism operations.

Soldiers from Chinese participating troops are ready for the Peace Mission 2018. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Luo Shunyu)
John Brennan, the former CIA director and outspoken critic of President Trump, said in an interview Sunday that he is willing to do whatever he can to prevent others from having their security clearances revoked, including taking the president to court.

Brennan, who was on NBCs Meet the Press, said lawyers have approached him on the issue and spoke about obtaining an injunction to prevent more security clearances being revoked.

"If my clearances and my reputation as I'm being pulled through the mud now, if that's the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it's a small price to pay," Brennan said. "So I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future. And if it means going to court, I will do that."

Brennan, who served in President Obama's administration, said it is up to Congress to put aside politics and step in. "This is the time that your country is going to rely on you, not to do what is best for your party but what is best for the country," he said.

An executive order signed in 1995 by President Bill Clinton lays out the process for approving security clearances and describes a detailed revocation and appeal procedure. The Washington Post reported that four million Americans have some form of security clearances.

Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., criticized Brennan's political comments on Fox News Sunday, but suggested an alternative to yanking his clearance.

"John Brennan really did cross the line. He's one of the leaders of the resistance movement. ... I understand President Trump's frustration," Johnson said, noting that Brennan began harshly criticizing the president as soon as he took office. "The best way of handling this, in any administration, is: If you dont want to consult with somebody, you dont necessarily have to yank their security clearance, just dont give them access to the classified material."

Fox News' Gregg Re and The Associated Press contributed to this report
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton announced Monday she is a "definite maybe" to run for political office in the future, saying she is "outraged every day by something our president has done or said or left undone or neglected."

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Clinton outlined a host of grievances against the Trump administration, but emphasized she has no current plans to run for office.

"At the federal level, as much as I abhor so much of what President Trumpis doing, I have a great amount of gratitude for what my congresswoman and my senators are doing to try to stop him at every point, Clinton told attendees.

"I think Im just so fundamentally my mothers daughter that Im far more outraged by the Trump administration ripping children away from their families at the border and not having reunified those children with their families now for months, than I am about anything he has ever done to my families, she added.

TRUMP ADMIN SAYS ALL ELIGIBLE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES

Last month, the Trump administration annonuced that all eligible small children who were separated from their families under the White House's new zero-tolerance immigration policy had been reunited with their loved ones.

However, hundreds of children under the age of five remained in government custody due to safety concerns, the deportation of their family members or another reason, according to the Department of Homeland Security. A federal judge has criticized the administration's efforts to reunite families separated at the border.

For me its a definite 'no' now, but its a definite 'maybe' in the future because who knows what the future is going to bring."  Chelsea Clinton

I think my family ... is being really well represented," Clinton said. "But if that were to change, if my city councillor were to retire, if my congresswoman were to retire, my senators, and I thought that I could make a positive impact, then I think I would really have to ask my answer to that question."



She clarified: For me its a definite 'no' now, but its a definite 'maybe' in the future because who knows what the future is going to bring."

Earlier this year, Clinton said criticism against Ivanka Trump, President Trump's daughter, is fair game and should be expected because she works for the president. Clinton last year had engaged in something of a Twiter spat with Trump, after media reports criticized Ivanka for sitting in during a meeting at the G20 summit in Germany.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES! Trump wrote on Twitter.

Clinton shot back: "Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not."

Clinton also had some words of praise for her mother on Monday, whose upset defeat in the 2016 presidential election stunned observers.



Earlier this year, Chelsea denied a New York Times report that she had prematurely popped champagne and poured it into staffers' glasses on election night.

"She just has continued to persist forward in trying to have a positive impact in politics and outside politics in the way that I have seen her do my entire life," Clinton said.

Clinton's comments about a potential run for office Monday were a marked change of tune. Last year, in a video interview with Variety magazine, she said, "Hi, I'm Chelsea Clinton, and one thing you may not know about me is I am not running for public office. I mean, I just -- no."

Chelsea's about-face on her interest in running for federal office has some precedent in her family. Hillary Clinton had previously ruled out a 2016 presidential bid several times, even telling NBC anchor Ann Curry "no" three times in 2009 when asked whether she would ever run for president again.

The younger Clinton may face some oddball competition. Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing adult film star Stormy Daniels who has openly feuded with President Trump and his attorneys, announced in an interview earlier this month that he, too, is looking into a run for office -- and, he says, he hopes people take him "seriously."

Fox News' Andrew O'Reilly contributed to this report.
Federal investigators in New York are reportedly working to determine if Michael CohenPresident Trumps former lawyercommitted bank fraud on over $20 million worth of loans, and possible campaign finance violations.

The New York Times on Sunday reported that the loans in question were for a taxi business that is owned by Cohen and his family.

Investigators are trying to determine if he misrepresented assets in order to obtain the loans from Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department has been investigating Cohen for months, raiding his home, office and hotel room in search of documents related to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and a separate $130,000 payment the attorney facilitated before the election to Stormy Daniels, an adult-film actress who says she had sex with Trump in 2006.

The report said prosecutors are investigating whether or not Cohen violated campaign finance laws by securing these deals with women who claimed they had sex with Trump.

Cohen, long a loyal counselor to the president, has more recently signaled that hed be open to cooperating with prosecutors.

Federal prosecutors are reportedly focused on Cohens investments in taxi medallions, the report said.

The Times reported that Cohen used 32 medallions as collateral for loans, and the medallions--at the time-- brought in more than $1 million a year and are valued at over $1 million. Authorities are reportedly investigating if Cohen failed to report the income to the IRS.

The Times report said that it is not clear if Cohen spoke to prosecutors about a potential deal. Cohen did not respond to the paper for comment.

A spokesperson for Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, told NBC News: "Lanny cannot comment on advice of counsel since there is an ongoing investigation."

The Associated Press contributed to this report
David Hogg, the 18-year-old school shooting survivor turned gun-control activist, says hes gearing up to run for Congress when hes constitutionally eligible.

Speaking to New York Magazine, Hogg described his ideal seven-year plan, which culminates with him running for the House of Representatives when hes 25.

I think Ive come to that conclusion, he told the magazine. I want to be at least part of the change in Congress.

Hogg has protested Republicans including his home state senator, Marco Rubio -- but he complained to the magazine, Older Democrats just wont move the f--- off the plate and let us take control. [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi is old.

Hogg graduated high school in May and is taking a gap year before enrolling in college. But he says he plans to go to college in 2019 and read a s--tload of books.

He also said he hopes to work on a presidential campaign in 2020, and claims some potential candidates have already approached him. Hogg has been a fierce critic of President Trump, and says in the magazine he hung up when the White House invited him to a listening session.

Hogg became one of the most recognizable faces after Februarys school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when 17 people were killed.

Since the shooting, Hogg has amassed more than 800,000 followers  and his share of critics -- on Twitter through frequent cable news appearances and his online anti-gun activism.

Speaking to New York Magazine, Hogg expressed high hopes for his future.

We really only remember a few hundred people, if that many, out of the billions that have ever lived, Hogg told the magazine. Is that what I was destined to become?
Longtime Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings drew big laughs at a political rally Sunday when he cracked a joke about President Trump drowning in the Potomac River.

The Florida congressman was speaking at a Stronger Together Democratic event and underscored some of his Trump warnings by relaying a joke he heard from the son of a former state lawmaker.

It went like this:

Do you know the difference between a crisis and a catastrophe?  A crisis is if Donald Trump falls into the Potomac River and cant swim  a catastrophe is anybody saves his a--.

The story of the joke was met with uproarious laughter and applause  and also uploaded to YouTube.

As reported by the Sen Sentinel, Hastings also said at the rally that something is tragically wrong with Trump and quipped that if Special Counsel Robert Mueller doesnt bring down Trump, Omarosa will  in reference to the fired White House aide and reality TV star now shopping her tell-all memoir on her time with the Trump White House and campaign.

The Florida event reportedly was attended by four Democratic gubernatorial candidates as well as Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

This is not the first time Hastings has expressed his contempt for Trump in off-color terms. The Sun Sentinel noted in 2016, he called Trump a sentient pile of excrement.

Jokes about physical harm to Trump also have become increasingly common. The band Pearl Jam last week defended their decision to put out a poster depicting a bald eagle pecking at Trumps corpse  the poster was for a get out the vote concert for Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester.
President Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani on Monday publicly dared former CIA Director John Brennan to follow through on his threats to sue the administration in the wake of the White House's decision to revoke his security clearance last week.

On Sunday, Brennan denied that he has improperly traded on his access to classified information to trash Trump, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" that "I dont believe Im being political at all."

Brennan added: "If my clearances and my reputation as Im being pulled through the mud now -- if thats the price were going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me its a small price to pay. Im going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future, and if it means going to court, I will do that."

The response from Trump's team on Monday: Bring it on.

"To John Brennan: Today President Trump granted our request (Jay Sekulow and me) to handle your case," Giuliani wrote on Twitter, referring to a fellow Trump attorney. "After threatening if you dont it would be just like Obamas red lines. Come on John youre not a blowhard?"

That was an apparent reference to President Obama's vow in 2012 that any chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government would cross a "red line," which the U.S. government would not tolerate.

A year later, hundreds of Syrians were killed by sarin gas. Afterwards, Obama brokered a multi-nation deal in which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged to remove his chemical-weapons stockpile -- a move that drew President Trump's scorn again this year, in the wake of another chemical attack by the Assad regime.

Also on Monday, Trump himself joined in by taunting Brennan to sue.

"I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit," Trump wrote. "It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He wont sue!"



SPECIAL OPS HEROES SLAM BRENNAN FOR PUTTING POLITICS 'BEFORE US'

The White House announced last Wednesday that President Trump had revoked Brennan's security clearance, in the first decision to come from a review of access for several top Obama-era intelligence and law enforcement officials.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders read a statement on behalf of the president during the start of a news briefing, saying Brennan "has a history that calls his credibility into question."

Specifically, the president's statement criticized Brennan for falsely telling Congress that the CIA had not infiltrated Senate computers, and for claiming that the unverified Steele dossier was not a factor in 2016 intelligence assessments. In reality, the dossier, written by ex-British spy Christopher Steele and funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign, was a key element of federal authorities' court applications to secretly surveil a top Trump campaign aide.



But former CIA Director Leon Panetta on Sunday claimed Trump may not have had the legal authority to terminate Brennan's clearance unilaterally.

I think there are questions raised as to whether or not this president has followed the executive order, and whether or not hes provided due process to those that are going to have their security clearances revoked, Panetta said, referring to Executive Order 12968. The order establishes procedures for revoking security clearances.

PARADE OF INTEL OFFICIALS WEIGHS IN ON BRENNAN REVOCATION; ADM MULLEN SAYS BRENNAN DID 'DAMAGE' TO INTEL COMMUNITY

It was unclear whether any suit by Brennan would target Trump personally, or the administration. Giuliani represents Trump in his personal capacity, and lawsuits against the federal government typically would be handled by Justice Department lawyers or the White House counsel to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Brennan also has not clarified whether his suit would involve due process violations, as suggested by Panetta, or more general First Amendment issues on the theory that Trump had taken official government action to retaliate against Brennan's speech, or both.

Several former intelligence officials have criticized Trump's move to revoke Brennan's clearance, saying the targeted revocation had the aura of political payback.

However, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, one such critic of Trump's decision, acknowledged that Brennan's unfettered comments had become an "issue."

"John and his rhetoric have become an issue in and of itself," Clapper said Sunday. "John is sort of like a freight train, and he's going to say whats on his mind."

In a follow-up tweet on Monday, Trump questioned the motives of the officials lining up to defend Brennan.

"Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan," he wrote. "It certainly isnt because of the good job he did! He is a political 'hack.'"

Fox News' Travis Fedschun contributed to this report.
In a special ceremony at the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump honored two agencies - Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection - calling their members incredibly brave patriots who keep America safe.

The Salute to the Heroes" event took place with the two agencies at the center of a national debate over how to handle the influx of families and unaccompanied children at the U.S.-Mexican border.

American is a land of opportunities because we are a nation of laws, Trump said, For America to be a strong nation, we must have strong borders.

Trump took aim at opponents --including Democratic leaders and immigration advocacy groups -- of tougher border enforcement. He portrayed them as not grounded in the reality that control of immigration at the borders and the interior is critical to law and order, and security.

Trump called them open border exrtremists who "have no courage, they have no guts, they just have big loud mouths.

You are the patriots and you are the heroes. You keep us safe and you keep us free. Im honored every single day to serve as your Commander-in-Chief. I will never leave your side, I will never leave the fight.  President Donald Trump, to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection

Trump highlighted important achievements that agents of both ICE and CBP had accomplished, including rescuing 78 smuggled immigrants found inside a locked refrigerated tractor trailor at a border checkpoint earlier this month, arresting more than 100,000 criminals, refusing entry to roughly 10 known or suspected terrorists each day; and in a single operation, arresting more than 300 members of the brutal MS-13 gang.

You are the patriots and you are the heroes, he said to the roomful of agents. You keep us safe and you keep us free. Im honored every single day to serve as your Commander-in-Chief. I will never leave your side, I will never leave the fight.

Thank you for your service, he said. You are truly incredible people.

The president also blamed Democrats for making it difficult to change policies and laws that create sanctuary cities and discourage local officials, including police, from working with ICE. But he expressed confidence stricter measures would be passed and implemented.

In addition to representatives from ICE and CBP, members of the National Sheriffs Association attended the event.

A law enforcement official who attended told Fox News he wanted to show his support and gratitude to ICE and CBP, saying they help keep his community in Massachusetts safer.

ICE plays a critical value in our communities, working in concert with us and making sure people arrested by local police dont get released back into the local communities, putting our citizens at risk and law enforcement at risk, trying to track them down, said Bristol County (Mass.) Sheriff Thomas Hodgson.

There are thousands of people in our prison are in there under false identities, there are gangs, Hodgson said. ICE helps us identify people we dont know are wanted by them, who may have come back (illegally) into the country several times, and who we dont know are a danger to the communities.

The White House event comes after Trump has repeatedly defended and singled out ICE, in particular, for enforcing immigration laws.

ICE and CBP have come under fire by critics this year after a zero tolerance policy was implemented in response to a surge at the border that resulted in the separation of children from their parents.

U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw in June ordered that children under five be rejoined with their parents within 14 days, and children five and older be reunited within 30 days.

The order came days after Trump halted the zero-tolerance policy. As of Aug. 16, the government had reunified 2,089 children with their parents or to others, including sponsors. Nearly 600 children were still separated, including 366 with parents outside the U.S.

Only this White House would give medals for taking thousands of immigrant children from their parents," said Tom Jawetz, vice president for immigration policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, to Politico, "and continuing to detain hundreds of orphaned kids in defiance of a court order.

Some Democrats have called for abolishing ICE altogether, while others have criticized that move, saying it will hurt them in the mid-term elections by giving ammunition to those who say they want open borders.

Defenders of ICE and CBP say they merely are doing their jobs, and that frustration should be aimed at Congress for failing to overhaul immigration laws.

"This is a big event, even for law enforcement because the president has been so supportive," said Hodgson. "He's been very outspoken about law enforcement, and for the ICE agents and Border Patrol agents who've been attacked, it's a big morale-booster that we have a Commander-in-Chief who is standing behind us."

At a Cabinet meeting recently, Trump praised ICE and others who enforce immigration laws.

"They are tremendous people, he said, according to published reports. They're brave. They're strong. They're tough. And they're good. They're good people. And you think you're going to send just regular people in to take care of MS-13 and these gangs? Not going to happen. So I just want to thank ICE and everybody in law enforcement for the incredible job they've done and are doing.

Last month Trump tweeted: Every day, the brave men and women of ICE are liberating communities from savage gangs like MS-13. We will NOT stand for these vile Democrat smears in law enforcement. We will always stand proudly with the BRAVE HEROES of ICE and BORDER PATROL!

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A growing number of top intelligence community veterans from the Obama era are calling out ex-CIA director John Brennan for his attacks on President Trump, even as some take issue with the presidents decision to revoke Brennans security clearance.

Meanwhile, Trump on Monday derided Brennan as a political hack and dared him to follow through on his threat to file a lawsuit in response.

Brennan has been relentless in publicly attacking Trump. He famously accused the president of treasonous behavior and suggested, without evidence, on cable television that the Russians could have compromising information on him.

Some former intelligence veterans  including those who worked with Brennan  are expressing discomfort with Brennans comments, saying they are improperly political and speculative.

Intelligence officers speculate really at our own risk, at their own peril, Daniel Hoffman, who served as CIA station chief in Moscow during the Obama administration, said in a Monday telephone interview with Fox News. We shouldnt be doing that. We deal in facts. We read the facts, the intelligence. And then we make the judgments.

And John Brennan  with an emotional outburst  is speculating and is not dealing in the facts, said Hoffman, a Fox News contributor.

Others are taking issue with how openly anti-Trump Brennan has become, suggesting he inflamed tensions between the White House and the intelligence community.

"I think John's an extraordinary servant of the country, but I think he has been incredibly critical of the president, and I think that has put him in a political place which actually does more damage for the intelligence community -- which is apolitical," retired Adm. Michael Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on "Fox News Sunday."

Asked on CNNs "State of the Union" if he thinks Brennans attacks on Trump are an issue, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper replied, I think it is.

"I think John is subtle like a freight train and hes gonna say whats on his mind," Clapper said Sunday.

Added Clapper: John and his rhetoric have become, I think, an issue in and of itself.

Trump last week revoked Brennans security, suggesting it could be the first in a series of revocations for top Obama-era intelligence and law enforcement officials. Brennan has responded to the revocation by calling it part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics.

Both Mullen and Clapper -- whose clearance the president is considering stripping too -- have criticized Trump for revoking Brennans security clearance.

SPECIAL OPS SHOOT DOWN BRENNAN AND HIS DEFENDERS

Hoffman, who spent almost 30 years in the intelligence community, told Fox News he would have preferred if Trump went through the established norms and talked to the CIA first before revoking Brennans clearance. But, Hoffman said of the president, thats his choice and predicted Trump would win the fight.

Right now, this is about Donald Trump versus John Brennan in a mud bath slugging it out, Hoffman said. And I can tell you right now, we all know who's going to win. Donald Trump is a smart guy. Hes no political neophyte. He picked the right guy to deal with on this.

Meanwhile, Trump on Monday dared Brennan to sue over the revocation.

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit, Trump tweeted Monday. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt.

Brennan said in an interview on NBCs "Meet the Press" on Sunday that he is willing to do whatever he can to prevent others from having their security clearances revoked, including taking the president to court.

The president, though, predicted Brennan wont pull the trigger on a suit: He wont sue!

Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan, Trump tweeted. It certainly isnt because of the good job he did! He is a political hack.

Brennan on Sunday said lawyers have approached him on the issue and spoke about obtaining an injunction to prevent more security clearances being revoked.

BRENNAN CONSIDERS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST TRUMP

"If my clearances and my reputation as I'm being pulled through the mud now, if that's the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it's a small price to pay," Brennan said. "So I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future. And if it means going to court, I will do that."

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; Clapper; former national security adviser Susan Rice and former CIA director Michael Hayden (who also worked under President George W. Bush).

Last Wednesday, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders added to the list Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, former FBI agent Peter Strzok (who was recently fired from the bureau) and former FBI general counsel Lisa Page.

Fox News Edmund DeMarche and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Paul Manafort, a longtime political consultant who briefly led President Trumps campaign, recieved his long-awaited fraud trial verdict on Aug. 21  with the federal jury finding him guilty on eight counts. But the jury could not come to a decision on 10 of the counts.

The trial became a highly publicized showdown between the Trump administration and Special Counsel Robert Mueller over the past few weeks.

Manafort, 69, faced 18 tax evasion and bank fraud charges. He was accused of hiding a significant percentage of income earned from his Ukrainian work from the IRS. He was also accused of fraudulently obtaining millions more in bank loans, including while he was working on the Trump campaign.

Held in Alexandria, Virginia, this was Muellers first trial since his appointment to oversee the Russia investigation more than a year ago. It spanned nearly three weeks before jurors began deliberations.

The case didn't specifically address any alleged collusion between Trump officials and the Russian government. Trump has repeatedly called Muellers probe into such allegations a witch hunt.

On the fourth day of deliberations, the jury sent a note to the judge signaling a problem with coming to a consensus on at least one count.

Read on for a look what you need to know about the case against Manafort and the Alexandria trial as the jury continues its deliberations.

What were the charges?

The charges against Manafort did not relate to allegations of misconduct pertaining to the Trump campaign.

Instead, the trial focused on tales of wild spending, secret shell companies and millions of dollars of Ukrainian money flowing through offshore bank accounts and into the political consultants pockets.

The luxurious lifestyle was funded by Manafort's political consulting for the pro-Russian Ukrainian political party of Viktor Yanukovych, who was deposed as Ukraine's president in 2014.

Along with his former business associate Rick Gates, Manafort was initially indicted in October 2017 on multiple counts that included: conspiracy against the U.S., conspiracy to launder money, false statements and failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.

Manafort had maintained his innocence in all charges. Gates pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

Gates testified Manafort would fraudulently classify certain wire transfers as loans to reduce the amount of taxable income in a given year. Gates also said he embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort and admitted to having had an extramarital affair.

On Aug. 21, Manafort was found guilty on some  but not all  counts in the bank and tax fraud trial.

What did it have to do with Russia?

Muellers investigation centers on collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians during the election  but this trial wasn't supposed to be about that

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III warned prosecutors about the current antipathy toward Russia in the U.S., saying most people in this country dont distinguish between Ukrainians and Russians.

How long could Manafort be in jail?

Manafort faces the very real possibility of life in prison, according to a federal court order.

What about the Trump card?

Manafort joined Trumps presidential campaign in March 2016 to help wrangle delegates ahead of the Republican National Convention in Ohio  something he had done for former President Gerald Ford.

Two months later, Manafort was elevated to campaign chairman.

Manaforts resignation from the campaign was announced on August 19, 2016, after The New York Times reported he'd received $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments from Yanukovychs pro-Russian party between 2007 and 2012.

Trump has maintained Manafort was only with the campaign for a short time and has insisted he should have been informed of the investigation into him.

Observers have questioned whether Trump will pardon Manafort's crimes.

Is this it?

Manafort has a second trial coming up in mid-September. That trial, set in the District of Columbia, involves allegations he acted as an unregistered foreign agent for Ukrainian interests and made false statements to the U.S. government.

Fox News Alex Pappas, Gregg Re, Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump on Monday questioned why Attorney General Jeff Sessions hasnt fired Department of Justice official Bruce Ohr, pointing to Ohrs connection to the phony, dirty and discredited dossier financed by Democrats during the 2016 campaign.

Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions Justice Department? A total joke! Trump tweeted.

Ohrs wife, Nellie, is a former contractor for Fusion GPS - the research company that worked with ex-British spy Chris Steele to compile the infamous dossier of unverified and salacious claims about Trumps ties to Russia.

Conservatives have accused Ohr -- who was once former associate deputy attorney general and still works for the DOJ -- of having a conflict of interest during the presidential campaign because of his wife's work.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Sessions, his attorney general, for recusing himself from the Russia investigation.

On Friday, Trump called Ohr a disgrace and suggested he plans to revoke his security clearance soon.

TRUMP CALLS DOJ OFFICIAL OHR A 'DISGRACE'

The president boasted of a tremendous response hes gotten for revoking former CIA Director John Brennans security clearance last week and said its likely hell do the same to Ohr soon.

I suspect Ill be taking it away very quickly, Trump said. I think that Bruce Ohr is a disgrace with his wife, Nellie. For him to be at the Justice Department, and to be doing what he did, that is a disgrace.

The dossier, which was used by federal officials to justify the surveillance of a top Trump aide, Carter Page, was created by Fusion GPS and paid for by Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Fox News has reviewed a collection of Ohr's emails, texts and handwritten notes that reveals that he was deeply connected to the dossier as well as its author.

Ohr wrote that Steele was "very concerned (abt) about [former FBI Director James] Comey's firing -- afraid they will be exposed."

The Ohr documents also shed more light on Steele's activities before the presidential election. While Steele shopped the dossier to multiple media outlets, he also appeared to ask Ohr for help with a Russian oligarch -- Oleg Deripaska -- after rumors the U.S. might impose sanctions.

Fox News Catherine Herridge and Gregg Re contributed to this report.
Kofi Annan, the former secretary-general of the United Nations has died. He was 80 years old. Annan's family and his foundation announced on Twitter that he "passed away peacefully" Saturday after a short illness.

The announcement on Twitter described Annan as a "global statesman and a deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world. During his distinguished career and leadership of the United Nations, he was an ardent champion of peace, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law."

Current UN head Antonio Guterres described Annan as a "guiding force for good and said, "In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations."

Born in Ghana, Annan was the first black African to head up the UN, serving as its leader from 1997 to 2006. He was also the first secretary-general to emerge from the ranks of the UN staff.

As secretary-general, Annan was instrumental in creating the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the adoption of the UN's first -ever counter-terrorism strategy, and the acceptance by member states of the "responsibility to protect" people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. His "global compact" initiative, launched in 1999, has become the world's largest effort to promote corporate social responsibility.
President Trumps revocation of former CIA Director John Brennans security clearance has set off a debate among lawyers: does Brennan have the right to appeal the decision?

Trump said he has a unique, constitutional responsibility to protect the nations classified information, in announcing that he yanked the clearance of Brennan, who led the CIA for nearly four years under the Obama administration and has not shied away from criticizing the current president.

But Brennan derided the move as the president working to suppress freedom of speech [and] punish critics.

It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out, he said in a tweet. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent.

OBAMA OFFICIALS WHO COULD LOSE SECURITY CLEARANCES UNDER TRUMP: A LIST

Brennan has said he is considering legal action in order to prevent Trump from pulling the security clearances of other people, something he said would be a small price to pay.

Its not uncommon for former officials to maintain their security clearances after leaving the job. In some cases, former federal employees, including in the CIA and FBI, can be called back to consult or offer advice on an issue.

But theres a difference between maintaining a security clearance and actually having access to classified material, Bradley Moss, a lawyer specializing in security clearances, told Fox News.

Individuals who have one of three levels of security clearances  top secret, secret or confidential  dont necessarily get access to any classified information thats out there; normally, one will just be able to access what the agency has deemed appropriate for what that person needs to know.

And its much the same with former officials, Moss said. Theyre only allowed to see things the existing agency officials decide they want to consult with them on matters.

WHAT ARE SECURITY CLEARANCES AND WHY DO SOME FORMER OFFICIALS STILL HAVE THEM?

He said the move to yank Brennans security clearance is an additional unnecessary step.

"It would set up a serious clash of constitutional questions..."  Attorney Bradley Moss

But the move has also sparked questions about whether Brennan can appeal the decision.

An individual does have the ability to appeal  both in person and in writing  when a security clearance is denied or revoked by the respective agency, according to an executive order. However, an agency head can determine that an appeal process cannot take place without damaging the national security interests of the United States by revealing classified information, the executive order states.

But the revocation of Brennans security clearance came from Trump  not a current agency head  which Moss argues there is no precedent for.

Prior to Trumps decision, Moss said it is anyones guess how the courts would construe the issue.

TRUMPS FULL STATEMENT ON REVOKING JOHN BRENNANS SECURITY CLEARANCE

It would set up a serious clash of constitutional questions between the inherent authority of the president regarding classified information, the procedural due-process rights of clearance holders under the Fifth Amendment, and the extent to which the judiciary is even permitted to rule on the matter, Moss said.

John Berry, an attorney who specializes in security clearances, said he is interested in who would hear the case if an appeal was allowed.

Would it be the president himself or someone he would designate to hear it? Berry asked Fox News.

However, Sean Bigley, a national security attorney, argued ones First Amendment rights do not transcend into a right to have a security clearance.

The president is the government when it comes to making security clearance determinations, as the granting, denial, or revocation of a security clearance falls squarely within the presidents commander-in-chief powers per [a Supreme Court ruling], Bigley said in an online statement.

Mark Zaid, a national security attorney, also seemed to squash the idea Brennan could sue in an interview with Vox.

They cant sue. I mean, anybody can sue, you can sue for anything, but they have no basis, Zaid said. Theres a Supreme Court precedent from 30 years ago that restricts federal judges from handling security clearance appeals.

This really is the power of the executive branch. And its an unchecked power at this stage, he added.

Trump has said he hopes Brennan does sue so it will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Russia investigation, which the president has often called a rigged witch hunt.
The Long Island home of Jordan Belfort  the convicted party-loving stockbroker whose high-flying life and gut-wrenching fall inspired The Wolf of Wall Street and the book on which it was based  is once again for sale, The Post has learned.

The 2-acre spread, at 5 Pin Oak Court in Glen Head, is available for $2.89 million following a price chop and a broker swap. It originally asked $3.4 million in March 2017. Thats a $510,000, or 15 percent, reduction.

I think this is a great price for the house, says Dana Forbes, of Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty, whos marketing the listing alongside colleague Bonnie Doran, adding that it now offers great bang for the buck.

The home has had one owner since being sold off by the feds in 2001 as part of the $110 million restitution Belfort owed his nearly 1,500 fraud victims.

In The Wolf of Wall Street  the 2013 film directed by Martin Scorsese that was based on Belforts 2007 memoir of the same name  the house (as played by another, nearby house) is represented in the scene where Belfort, as played by Leonardo DiCaprio, lands a helicopter while drunk and high. In another scene, Belfort arrives at the home nearly paralyzed by quaaludes.

There are five bedrooms and eight bathrooms across 8,706 square feet. Listing images show a two-story foyer, a grand-looking billiards room with a coffered ceiling, a large kitchen, a gym and a racquetball court. For when its cold, there are four fireplaces; for when its hot, theres an outdoor pool.

Belfort  who pleaded guilty in 1999 to fraud and other charges relating, in part, to penny-stock scams and market manipulation  is now a motivational speaker. He lives in California, according to the Real Deal.

This article originally appeared in The New York Post
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.

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.

More From Space.com International Space Station

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.

Original article on Space.com.
A large, dead fin whale washed ashore in Duxbury, Mass. on Monday morning, with the local police department urging citizens to stay away.



Duxbury Police Department tweeted out the image of the whale.

"A whale has washed ashore on Duxbury Beach this morning," the police department wrote in the tweet. "Immediate area of the first crossover is closed. Please stay away so Marine Biologists and Duxbury officials tend to the matter."

19 DEAD ELK FOUND IN OREGON WERE LIKELY KILLED BY AVALANCHE, BIOLOGISTS SAYS

The police department has not yet confirmed that the whale is deceased, but the Massachusetts Whale and Dolphin Conservation told Fox News the whale is indeed dead.

They added that the whale was spotted already dead on Sunday at the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and with the wind direction, scientists estimated it would land somewhere around Plymouth.

Beaching, also known as stranding, is a somewhat common occurence for whales and dolphins. According to Project Jonah, approximately 300 dolphins and whales strand themselves on beaches around the world each year.

Whales beach for a variety of different reasons Project Jonah added, though the charitable organization added that in "most cases the exact cause is unknown."

Reasons why whales strand themselves include old age or sickness, injuries or navigational errors, due in part to chasing prey or avoiding predators.

Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia
Fishermen in France made an extremely dangerous catch when they hauled in a 1-ton German bomb left over from World War II.

A trawler found the bomb off the coast of Normandy last week, according to The Express. The discovery was made 2.5 miles from the port of Grandcamp-Maisy, the media outlet reported.

WATCH: ROYAL NAVY DETONATES 1,100-POUND WORLD WAR II BOMB FOUND IN THE RIVER THAMES

With the crew safely evacuated from the trawler, experts worked to defuse the bomb, according to a tweet from French authorities.

The bomb was found near the location of the D-Day landings in June 1944.

STERN OF US WW II DESTROYER DISCOVERED NEAR REMOTE ALASKAN ISLAND: SURVIVOR RECOUNTS HARROWING DAY

Other unexploded ordnance from World War II has been making headlines. Earlier this year, Royal Navy bomb disposal experts detonated a large wartime device that was discovered in the River Thames.

The 500 kg (1,102 pound) bomb was found in the George V Dock in North Woolwich during construction work at the London City airport. The discovery of the large German bomb prompted the closure of the airport, as well as the evacuation of nearby residents from their homes.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Like it or not, experts in the cryptocurrency industry say it isnt going away any time soon, and as long as it exists, so does the need for cryptocurrency mining.



Crypto mining is a process that involves solving complex mathematical problems to validate transactions made with digital currency such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, or Ethereum. A miner who solves a problem and verifies a transaction earns small amounts of cryptocurrency.



It is seen as an energy-intensive labor as powerful hardware is needed for computation, and those machines, which can quickly get hot, must be kept in air-conditioned facilities.



However, blockchain technology company TMGcore, says its utilizing a more energy-efficient way to crypto mine within a 150,000 square foot facility in Plano, about 30 minutes outside of Dallas.

This project in particular is about expanding the bitcoin mining infrastructure here in America, said Taylor Monnig, TMGcores chief operating officer.

ARE YOUR OFFICE COMPUTERS MINING CRYPTOCURRENCY?



Monnig pointed to TMGcores Two Phase Liquid Cooling Immersion technology for its success. Instead of using air conditioning to keep equipment cool, the company immerses custom ASIC boards in 3M Novec, a fluorochemical coolant.



We put these miners into the tank, we fill it with the 3M liquid product, the chips on the board boil, and as they boil, it keeps the chips at a consistent temperature, the boil then creates a vapor, which then we have these cooling coilsthat connect to our cooling towers outside, said Wiliam Hadala, TMGcores chief security officer.



The liquid is essentially recycled. Hadala said, Water comes through the pipes and goes into the tanks, and the condensing coils then take the vapor and bring it back to a liquid form.

The company said its technology dramatically decreases cooling costs by up to 90 percent.



Were in Plano, Texas right now, and the only time well run air conditioning is June, July, August, said Monnig.

FACEBOOK WILL PERMIT SOME CRYPTOCURRENCY ADS

TO RETURN



For the most part, large-scale crypto mining operations are located in regions such as northern China or Russia where temperatures are cool and electricity is cheap. Monnig said their system will now allow for crypto mining to take place anywhere in the world without sacrificing productivity. Their operation, a $77 million investment, will eventually be capable of drawing 100 megawatts. Thats enough to power about 50,000 homes.



Still, not everyone is convinced.



The effort to mine bitcoin around the world is consuming fully one and a half percent of the electricity output of the entire United States and is approaching 0.5 percent of the electricity output of the whole planet. Thats an enormous number, said Cullum Clark, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute.

Furthermore, as the prices of cryptocurrency continue to fluctuate, Clark wonders whether the effort to mine is worth it. Last week, the price of bitcoin fell below $6,000 to a near 2018 low.



The market has been, if you will, oversupplied, said Clark.



Clark added, A lot of the cost takes the form of environmental damage from evermore consumption of coal and other materials it takes to generate electricity.



For its part, TMGcore said it is planning to launch another mining pool called LEGACYII next year, which will solely use renewable energy.



Clark said for the industry to be sustainable, miners must adapt.



We really do need to address this problem if the industry is going to have a future, he said.


The U.S. Navy and numerous NATO partners are firing a new, high-tech ship defense weapon that can identify, track and attack maneuvering anti-ship missiles with an active seeker enabling the missile to change course in flight, service officials said.

The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Block II, or ESSM, is a new version of an existing Sea Sparrow weapons system currently protecting aircraft carriers, destroyers, cruisers, amphibious assault ships and other vessels against anti-ship missiles and other surface and airborne short-range threats to ships.

The recent live-fire test follows the successful completion of two Controlled Test Vehicle flight tests in June 2017 and is the first in a series of live fire tests that will lead to the ESSM Block 2 missile entering production, Naval Sea Systems Command spokesman Alan Baribeau told Warrior Maven.

The ESSM Block 2 live-fire exercise marked the first use of the weapons active seeker system, emerging technology which enables the missile achieve improved flight guidance to its target by both receiving and actively sending electromagnetic signals, Navy officials said.

The ESSM uses radar technology to locate and then intercept a fast-approaching target while in flight; the use of whats called an illuminator is a big part of this capability, Raytheon developers told Warrior Maven in prior interviews.

The current ESSM missiles use whats called a semi-active guidance system, meaning the missile itself can receive electromagnetic signals bounced off the target by an illuminator; the ESSM Block 2s active guidance includes illuminator technology built onto the missile itself such that it can both receive and send important electromagnetic signals, Navy and Raytheon officials explained.

Block 2 relieves the missile from the requirement of having to use a lot of illuminator guidance from the ship as a short-range self-defense, senior Navy officials have said.

A shipboard illuminator is an RF signal that bounces off a target, Raytheon weapons developers have explained. The antenna in the nose in the guidance section [of the missile] sees the reflected energy and then corrects to intercept that reflective energy, the Raytheon official added.

The emerging missile has an active front end, meaning it can send an electromagnetic signal forward to track a maneuvering target, at times without needing a ship-based illuminator for guidance.

Also, the missile is able to intercept threats that are close to the surface by sea-skimming or diving in onto a target from a higher altitude, Navy officials explained.

 The so-called kinematic or guidance improvements of the Block 2 missile give it an improved ability to counter maneuvering threats, Navy and Raytheon officials said.

ESSM Block 2 is being jointly acquired by the U.S. and a number of allied countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway and Turkey. All these countries signed an ESSM Block 2 Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, designed to solidify the developmental path for the missile system through it next phase. The weapon is slated to be fully operational on ships by 2020.

The collaborative mission, according to the text of US Dept. of States ESSM Block 2 2014 Memorandum of Understanding with participating nations, is to cooperatively design, develop, test and evaluate an upgraded ESSM that employs a dual mode X-band active and semi-active guidance capability, leveraging existing technology to the maximum extent practicable.

U.S. Navy weapons developers are working closely with NATO allies to ensure the weapon is properly operational across the alliance of countries planning to deploy the weapon.

The ESSM Block 2 weapon is part of what Navy officials describe as a layered defense system, referring to an integrated series of weapons, sensors and interceptors designed to detect and destroy a wide-range of incoming threats from varying distances.

For instance, may ships have Aegis Radar and SM-3 missiles for long-range ballistic missile defense. Moving to threats a litter closer, such as those inside the earths atmosphere such as anti-ship cruise missiles, enemy aircraft, drones and surface ships, the Navy has the SM-6, ESSM, Rolling Airframe Missile and SeaRAM for slightly closer threats.

When it comes to defending the ship from the closest-in threats, many ships have the Close-In-Weapons System, or CIWS, which fires a 20-mm rapid-fire Phalanx gun toward fast approaching surface and airborne threats.

More Weapons and Technology - WARRIOR MAVEN (CLICK HERE)--
This is a rush transcript from "Special Report with Bret Baier," August 14, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATY TUR, MSNBC: Have you been interviewed by the special counsel?

OMAROSA MANIGAULT NEWMAN, FORMER WHITE HOUSE AIDE: I have.

TUR: And what sort of questions where they asking?

NEWMAN: That's the extent I can go in discussing that as well --

TUR: Did Donald Trump know about those emails before they came out?

NEWMAN: Absolutely.

TUR: He knew about them?

NEWMAN: Yes.

TUR: He know what was coming out before WikiLeaks released them.

NEWMAN: Yes.

TUR: You are saying that Donald Trump had a backchannel.

(LAUGHTER)

NEWMAN: I didn't say that. You did. But I will say that I am going to expose the corruption that went on in the campaign and in the White House. I'm going to continue to blow the whistle and all of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRET BAIER, ANCHOR: Omarosa making the rounds, pitching a new book, and getting a lot of attention for what she is saying. The president taking note as well, as we noted. "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break," he tweeted this morning, "and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!" That tweet got a lot of attention all over the place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

NICOLLE WALLACE, MSNBC: How does Sarah Huckabee Sanders take to the White House podium and defend this man. How does Kellyanne Conway stay silent today and not go out and at least break with the president and his calling a woman a dog? How do the senior women in the cabinet, how do the women who get a paycheck from the American taxpayers stay silent on a day like today?

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: People trying to get away with saying that Donald Trump is terrible to women who work for him and that he's a sexist misogynist, why would I be standing here in front of the White House working if I didn't think this man was doing great for all Americans, and by the way, if I felt he wasn't respectful toward women. He's an excellent boss to women.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

BAIER: She went on to say she wouldn't have obviously used those particular words. Let's bring in our panel: Steve Hilton is a former advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron and host of "The Next Revolution" here on Fox News Channel; Karen Tumulty, opinion writer for The Washington Post, and Guy Benson, political editor at Townhall.com. Karen, a lot people say you're giving this too much oxygen, but it is the oxygen that the president is providing that is driving a lot of coverage, is it not?

KAREN TUMULTY, THE WASHINGTON POST: Absolutely. I think anybody who has watched any of Omarosa's interviews, including her disastrous one yesterday with Savannah Guthrie, doesn't walk away from those interviews thinking I've got to go out and read this book. It really is the president, with his tweets, with his engagement, who I think it's putting in a lot of fuel on this fire.

BAIER: Guy, what do you think of all this?

GUY BENSON, TOWNHALL.COM: Oh, my gosh. When the White House is out there and their primary defenses the president calls many different people dogs, it's maybe not the best situation for the country. It does happen to be true, at least on some level. There is a reporter from "Business Insider" who went through compiled on Twitter a list of people the president has referred to as dogs, which included many white men, like Mitt Romney and Rahm Emanuel and David Gregory and Erick Erickson, the list goes on and on.

But here we are. The president I think has a compulsion to fight back. It's part of the reason a lot of his supporters love him. But you have to question occasionally the wisdom of the ferocity of the pushback given the context here where he is very clearly punching down in a big way against someone who I think has limited credibility, to put it kindly.

BAIER: Steve?

STEVE HILTON, FOX NEWS: I agree with Karen and Guy. I doubt a couple of things. You said that she's getting a lot of attention, Bret. That's exactly right. She's getting the attention but I don't think she's going to have any impact. I think this will turn out to be pretty inconsequential in terms of the overall scheme of things.

There's just one thing I would like to pick up on because a lot of people in discussing this have made the point why did the president hire this person in the first place? It's a mistake to bring people like this into government. You shouldn't have people like that with no government experience. I think that is the wrong lesson to learn. I think it's often very useful to have outsiders, people without government experience and so on brought into government to shake things up. You don't just want a bunch of bland bureaucrats. However, they have to have some level of integrity, and Omarosa clearly doesn't.

BAIER: Karen, what about this Peter Strzok story, as the president continues to tweet about that. Peter Strzok fired. A lot of back-and- forth about how that has all played out and how really he led the way in these investigations, the Trump probe as well. But the president saying if I had a real attorney general, this would not be going forward.

TUMULTY: Again, he cannot get over the fact that Jeff Sessions recused himself from all of this at the outset of the administration. And he continues to sort of dig and dig and dig at his own attorney general. Of course, if he didn't want Jeff Sessions there, there's a way to get rid of him. He's the president.

And I think it also goes to the question of why people don't feel loyal to Donald Trump. In many respects, loyalty starts at the top. And so we have seen people, once they are out of his orbit, they turn on him. And this is something you often see in Washington.

BAIER: Guy, the outrage meter is always at 11 here in Washington. It really seems like every day is another thing that heads explode about. Whether they should or shouldn't we'll leave to the viewers at home. But Guy, what do you think of the political impact here potentially as we head towards midterms on both of these stories?

BENSON: I tend to agree with Steve that on Omarosa, this is a passing fascination. She is wall-to-wall on another network right now talking to anyone who will listen about all of these allegations. The one we played at the beginning of the clip, if true, would be huge, that the president or then candidate Trump had advanced knowledge of WikiLeaks, possession of DNC emails. But there's not shred of evidence to that effect thus far. And another network in fact got in some trouble for making that claimant and had to walk it back a number of months ago if I recall correctly. So Omarosa I think probably a passing phase in our national discussion.

The Peter Strzok Russia broader issue I think is here to stay until Mueller wraps things up because of -- it's an all-encompassing topic. Both parties have dug in their heels on this issue at this point. And the one thing I will say in the moment, Bret, is that I am fascinated by the sort of cultural martyrdom that has surrounded Peter Strzok. He is sort of being portrayed as a victim of President Trump. That is very odd to me given the black-and-white text messages, the evidence that we have seen for which he was fired.

BAIER: And all that the I.G. said about him. Now a GoFundMe page. You never know what this country is going to do next.

Content and Programming Copyright 2018 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2018 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
This is a rush transcript from "The Story," August 17, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MELISSA FRANCIS, FOX NEWS CHANNEL HOST: Thanks, Bret. Breaking tonight: Day two of deliberations in the trial of President Trump's former campaign manager coming to a close with a bombshell revelation from the judge.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Melissa Francis in tonight for Martha MacCallum. We are still without a verdict in the trial of Paul Manafort. A verdict that could make or break the future of the Russia collision probe, but deliberation day two was not without drama.

Judge T.S. Ellis revealing a short time ago that he fears for the safety of the jury and he does not want their identities made public for now despite a media request to do just that. His reason, he says he's received threats as a result of his participation in the case.

So credible but he's under the constant protection of U.S. Marshals. The revelations come as the President himself weighed in on the trial and Paul Manafort sent a response back to his former boss through his attorney.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad. When you look at what's going on there, I think it's a very sad day for our country. He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what, he happens to be a very good person. And I think it's very sad what they've done to Paul Manafort.

KEVIN DOWNING, ATTORNEY TO PAUL MANAFORT: Great comments. Mr. Manafort really appreciates the support of President Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: Peter Doocy is live outside the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia with all of the of day's developments. Peter.

PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS: Melissa, the reason Judge T.S. Ellis revealed that he's received threats in now is under the protection of the U.S. Marshals Service outside of court is because he wanted to explain why he's not comfortable releasing the names of the jurors before the end of the trial to a handful of news organizations like the A.P., the New York Times and CNN that want them released.

So, the judge said this about the jurors. "I've received criticism and threats. I can imagine they would, too." Those news outlets filed a motion to intervene. The judge heard him out but ultimately decided that anything sealed will not be revealed until the end of the trial with one exception. And we do not yet know what that one exception is.

The judge also expressed some surprise that this trial has been getting so much attention. The jury has now been deliberating for more than 14 hours over a two-day span. And apparently, we're not close to a verdict this afternoon when they asked to break for the day at 5:00 p.m. So, one of them could go to an early evening event.

The Manafort team believes, the longer the deliberations dragged on the better it is for their client who is no longer sitting in the courtroom waiting for news from the jury room. Fox News is told by a source on the Manafort side that the former Trump campaign chairman is being held instead in a small courthouse jail cell without access to a T.V. or reading material.

The jury deliberations are going to continue Monday morning 9:30 Eastern as six men and six women must sift through mountains of exhibits without an index or a key connecting particular documents to individual charges.

They asked for one, but the judge denied it. And its source close to the Manafort defense team tells me that when they were up there during closing arguments, they looked in the Mueller team had a chart that was going to show which evidence goes with which charge, and it was going to make life easy for the jury, but they never introduced it. And now it's taking the jury a while. Melissa?

FRANCIS: I mean, do you have any sense of why they didn't end up using it? Did they think they didn't need it? And now they're kind of sad about that or what's your guess?

DOOCY: No, and part of the reason is because the Mueller team really does not say anything. You can say hello to them in the elevator on the way up and down to the ninth floor, they'll just not at you.

And in fact, the New York Times reporter said that they saw one of the prosecutors, Doug Andres, staying at -- or rather, Greg Andres, staying at a hotel nearby waiting for a Shake Shack order to get dropped off.

And the reporter asked the prosecutor from the Mueller team, "Hey, what did you get at Shake Shack?" And he said, "I can't say." So, whatever's going on over there, whatever their reasoning is, we're not going to know until after everything is over. Melissa.

FRANCIS: They are redefining tight-lipped, I like that. All right, Peter Doocy, thank you. Here now is Jonathan Turley, he's a constitutional law attorney and law professor at George Washington University. What's your take? I mean, what do you make of what you just heard?

JONATHAN TURLEY, LAW PROFESSOR, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Why? I think we need to know what shake he ordered. I think we need to send Doocy back there and find out. Now, I've -- the fact is that this is not uncommon for it to go into the third day. It is certainly true that if a jury is getting close to a decision, they'll often to ask to extend the day.

But, you can't read too much into this. I took over a case in this very Court from another attorney who was the trial attorney. And in that trial, the jury went over a week and still ruled against him. I -- you know, they brought in verdicts against him on all of the counts. So, you can't really read that much into the time passage.

But as a general rule, the defense likes the passage of time. It indicates that the jury is questioning and really seriously considering each count. What you don't want is to be called back in the first 48 hours. Because that's when jurors tend to bring in fast convictions. So, I can -- I can see why they're hopeful, but I wouldn't get too hopeful, quite frankly.

FRANCIS: Yes. I mean, and then, there's that idea that they presented more than 300 exhibits. They said the documents are the star witness of this case, which I don't know. You know, I mean that to ask people sitting in a jury box for days and days to remember and sort through all these kind of documents they obviously felt very confident about that.

And then, the question comes back basically, can someone draw us a diagram of what exhibit goes with what charge?

TURLEY: All right.

FRANCIS: Their heart had to sync with that one. Or am I wrong?

TURLEY: Well, quite frankly, this I think is a failure of the special counsel's office. I do think that they have done a pretty good job in prosecuting this case. But part of your job is to make this as easy as possible for the jury.

FRANCIS: Right.

TURLEY: You just can't dump a truckload of documents on a jury, and say find your way through it. It works to the advantage of the defense for the jury frankly to be buried under all this stuff.

FRANCIS: Yes.

TURLEY: Sometimes the prosecution has an advantage by making things so complex if they think the jury's default position is going to be with conviction. But this is not that type of case. Now, having said that, I think the odds are stacked heavily against Paul Manafort.

You got to understand, he's got to run the table. He's got to -- he's got to knock down every one of these counts turn around, have another trial in D.C., and knock down all those counts. Is he likely to do that? Probably not.

And if he gets convicted of even one count, we're looking at counts that bring a 10-year sentence with them.

FRANCIS: Yes. One question that they did ask was, "Can you define for us again what reasonable doubt is?" Go ahead.

TURLEY: Well, that's not uncommon, Melissa. Sometimes jurors will ask that question. It actually is brought up by counsel on both sides, by the judge, but when they get into the act of being a juror, they realize how important that is. Because things tend to get blurry in these trials.

It can also reflect a sort of an enter jury fight. You can have a holdout jury or difficult -- holdout juror or a difficult juror, you can have a disagreement as to its meaning.

And so, they send out this and sort of call a friend. And they t reach out to the judge, and he basically sends back what he told them in the courtroom.

FRANCIS: Yes. I talked to a lot of people that were juries in various cases during the course of today, and it sounds like this is the hardest part. You all sort of sit there and you make notes, and you think about things.

And then, I imagine when you're in the jury room, maybe you remember things a little bit differently. And you remember which exhibit -- you know, went with which charge.

The idea that you have to get these people to agree about more than 300 exhibits over 18 charges, and all of this information based on the notes that they took in their notebook, it sounds almost impossible.

TURLEY: It is. It's a fascinating dynamic. I'm a great fan of the American jury system. Jurors take this very seriously -- you know, it's fairly rare when you find someone who's just going through the motions. And you're right, once you get in there, things change when you realize you have to make decisions.

I tell my students all the time to watch 12 Angry Men because that is an outstanding movie because it does capture the dynamics of just having 12 individuals looking at the same evidence in sometimes 12 different ways.

FRANCIS: Absolutely. Jonathan Turley, thank you.

TURLEY: Thanks, Melissa.

FRANCIS: Up next, the man who is trying to shut down the special counsel in a way that many didn't see coming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Mr. Mueller is highly conflicted. In fact, Comey is like his best friend. I could go into conflict after conflict. But sadly, Mr. Mueller is conflicted. But let him write his report. We did nothing, there's no collusion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FRANCIS: As the jury deliberations continue in the case of Paul Manafort, we are learning new information about Andrew Miller. A close associate of Trump's former adviser, Roger Stone, who dodged the Mueller grand jury last week.

Miller was an assistant to Stone in 2016. His lawyers say that Mueller wants to pump him for information about Stone and Russian hacking among other things. But Miller refused to appear before the grand jury and is now being held in contempt.

His attorney Paul Kamenar, joins me in just moments. he says Miller's actions are all part of a strategy to challenge the authority and the validity of the Russian special counsel. But first, Trace Gallagher is live in our West Coast Newsroom, with the backstory. Trace.

TRACE GALLAGHER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Melissa, Andrew Miller was in charge of Roger Stone scheduled back in 2016 and that subpoena you mentioned for Miller to appear in front of a grand jury was specifically aimed at gathering information on WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, as well as the infamous hacking group, Guccifer 2.0.

Miller's refusal to appear and the contempt charge leveled against him certainly made waves at the time, but Miller's legal defense team says, it's all part of a larger plan to prove that Robert Mueller's investigation is illegitimate, and here's why.

Miller's attorneys argue that only Attorney General Jeff Sessions has the power to appoint a special counsel. Mueller was appointed by Deputy A.G. Rod Rosenstein. Mueller also didn't go through a Senate confirmation process, and they argue that's a violation of the Constitution's appointments clause.

Therefore, any subpoenas Mueller issues are invalid. But in order to appeal Miller's case, they needed the contempt charge to go forward. And they maintained this could have big implications. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL KAMENAR, LAWYER OF ANDREW MILLER: This case is likely to end up in the United States Supreme Court so this is a major precedent-setting case it raises serious constitutional issues on the appointments clause whether Mr. Mueller was properly appointed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: Andrew Miller also has some deep pockets in his corner the conservative Non-Profit National Legal and Policy Center or NLPC is bankrolling his entire case saying in a statement quoting here we needed one client for this project and we have him. We're committed to paying all the costs associated with this constitutional challenge.

Paul Kamenar is also taking a reduced fee for his work but even if Miller's appeal fails Roger Stone says there's nothing for him to tell saying in a statement "Andrew Miller has no knowledge or evidence of Russian collusion or WikiLeaks collaboration or any other illegal activity on my part. If and when he has ever compelled to testify I am highly confident that he would tell the truth. Roger Stone has also been quoted saying that Andrew Miller is like a son to him. Melissa?

FRANCIS: Interesting. Trace Gallagher, thank you so much. And here now as Paul Kamenar, he is attorney for Andrew Miller. Sir, your client right now is not in jail at the time even though he ignored that subpoena for the grand jury. Do you think -- how far is he willing to go in all of this eventually? Is he willing to go to jail to not testify?

KAMENAR: Well, let me explain what happened. He was interviewed by two FBI agents back in May. He told him everything he knew which was nothing other than what he read in the newspapers about Guccifer, Julian Assange, WikiLeaks. They asked him to turn over documents, he turned over all the documents he had, and then they said to testify before the grand jury on June 29th.

We filed a motion to quash that. The court heard the argument, denied our motion in order him to appear last Friday. The day before we asked the court he's not coming tomorrow please hold him in contempt and we wanted him to do so in order for us to appeal. The judge obliged held him in contempt but state our decision saying as long as you're appealing this case we will not put him in jail or hold him in contempt anymore.

So on Monday, we filed our notice of appeal this case is now being on a expedited briefing schedule and we will have a brief next month and an argument probably sometime in October.

FRANCIS: So it could go on and on and on and you think all the way to the Supreme Court?

KAMENAR: Well yes, because regardless of who wins in the Court of Appeals, the losing party will go to the Supreme Court. But I would like to say what our argument is and then just to clarify. We have two arguments, one is a statutory argument and the other one is constitutional. Statutory, we say there's really no statute that clearly allows for the appointment of the Special Counsel.

The government cites some FBI statute for appointing FBI officials, we say that doesn't apply. They cite some other statute from 1870 we think is not specific enough. And then our constitutional argument is this. If he is a lot of be appointed under the Constitution the either principal officers which like U.S. attorneys have to go through confirmation process.

Robert Mueller is more important than your average U.S. Attorney he can file indictments in Virginia, D.C. He can indict Russian for an agency. He's a super U.S. Attorney. He's the U.S. attorney at large. The government says well, he's really just an inferior officer. And we said, OK. If he's an inferior officer, the Constitution says he has to be appointed by the head of the department which is Jeff Sessions.

Jeff Sessions didn't appoint him. So we say that Robert Mueller flunks both tests under the appointments clause.

FRANCIS: If it gets all the way to the Supreme Court and they say he asked to testify, if you lose this, will he do it at that point?

KAMENAR: Sure. If the grand jury and Mueller is still investigating this. It sounds like they're trying to --

FRANCIS: At that point in time.

KAMENAR: It sounds like they're trying to wrap it up but who knows? Sure, of course, if we lose our case he will comply and go to the grand jury and tell them what he knows which is basically nothing anyway than they already turned over and talked to the FBI agents.

FRANCIS: Well, that's my next question is why is it that they want to bring him out there if he already talked to two FBI agents, if he already turned over documents, if he's already said everything that he needs to, what was it of interest that he may have that they want to have before their grand jury?

KAMENAR: Who knows? I mean, the government -- the special prosecutor is relentless and all their prosecution and they just went to I guess make sure they cover all their bases but we think that this is you know I'm unfair. He's been cooperative. He hasn't been recalcitrant but nevertheless, this is a principle that he strongly believes and Andrew Miller is a libertarian. He believes in less government and less governmental power and this is where he agreed to have this case bought before the Supreme Court that we -- and the National League of Policy Center is more than willing to bring this case up.

FRANCIS: All right. Well, we'll keep an eye on it. Paul Kamenar, thank you for your time tonight.

KAMENAR: You bet.

FRANCIS: President Trump warns the security clearance for one of these people on their screen right now could be stripped very quickly. We reveal who with Guy Benson, Marie Harf, that's next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MATT GAETZ, R-FLORIDA: Bruce and Nellie or were like the Bonnie and Clyde of collusion. You had the spouse of a senior government official who was in collusion with a foreign spy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Security clearances are very important to me, very, very important. I think Bruce Ohr is a disgrace. I suspect I'll be taking it away very quickly. I think that Bruce Ohr is a disgrace with his wife Nellie. For him to be in the Justice Department and to be doing what he did, that is a disgrace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: So in the wake of those comments by President Trump, new tonight, 60 former CIA officers are now denouncing President Trump's decision to revoke or threaten to take away security clearance from former government officials. Here now direct from their D.C. studio Guy Benson and Marie Harf, they're Co-host of the Fox News Radio show "BENSON & HARF." Guys, thank you so much for joining us.

GUY BENSON, FOX NEWS RADIO HOST: Hey, Melissa!

FRANCIS: All right, Marie, let me start with you. Why is it that Bruce Ohr should still have a security clearance when we now know that he continued to backchannel with spy Christopher Steele and funnelled information to the FBI after he was told not to while at the same time Steele was asking him can you please help me out with this Russian oligarch who is upset about the sanctions and needs help getting them lifted.

I mean, if that's not Russian collusion, I don't know what is. Why would you let this guy have a security clearance?

MARIE HARF, FOX NEWS RADIO HOST: Well, Melissa, there's a whole process for current officials to have their security clearances looked at and adjudicated. And if the Department of Justice through that normal process finds that he shouldn't have it anymore, that's the way it should be done.

FRANCIS: Do you think --

HARF: So far, there a lot of allegations and a lot of accusations and I think the Justice Department is looking at this, Melissa. What I don't like is President Trump targeting a currently serving civil servant in the government and injecting what appears to many people to be partisanship into this conversation. DOJ can handle it, and if they think his clearance should go away it should. The President should not make those decisions for partisan reasons.

FRANCIS: Really, do you think your security clearance would have been stripped if you were back channeling with a foreign spy when you were working on this case? Do you think -- I mean, would you have done that Marie?

HARF: Well, I would not have done that, Melissa. But I think you know, there have been a lot of accusations out there in the press and I understand --

FRANCIS: These are documents from Justice.

HARF: -- that they appear to be very damning but there's a reason there's a process at DOJ to look at clearances of currently serving civil servants. I am sure they will look at it but they shouldn't do it for partisan reasons because of Donald Trump's comments publicly. That would be a mistake.

FRANCIS: Guy, what do you think?

BENSON: Well, I hope that Robert Mueller is actually looking into this element of the story as well. I have long defended the Mueller probe but it can't just be about Donald Trump and the Trump campaign. I am still someone who wants to virtually constantly mention in the context of this controversy that on the day the Trump Tower meeting, that infamous meeting happened with Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort and others who were in that room, that very day the Founder of Fusion GPS met before and after with the Russian attorney who is in that meeting. That is very suspicious to me.

You have a DOJ employee in this case whose wife was working for Fusion GPS. It's the Democratic attack group. This is a completely legitimate realm for Bob Mueller and the Inspector General to be looking into. I hope they are both doing so.

FRANCIS: Marie, what do you think of what Guy just said? Where is he going wrong there?

HARF: Well, I think that Robert Mueller is focused on whether there was collusion with Russia in the 2016 campaign and whether there was obstruction of justice. And I have long said, Melissa, that there are questions we need answered about what happened at the FBI and at DOJ. What I don't want is for the President's supporters to try and use some of these other issues to distract from the serious questions that are being asked about them.

BENSON: Well, now --

HARF: And the fact that -- well, Guy, the fact that you know, now Republican and Democratic officials, former CIA directors across the political spectrum have come out and said what Donald Trump is doing with security clearances is a bad move. We should listen to what those Republicans and Democrats are saying and not just dismiss them out of hand because of their questions of Bruce Ohr.

FRANCIS: OK, but can you do both bring that once? You could say the President shouldn't be doing that, at the same time if you have somebody who's in the government, in the FBI investigating, they shouldn't be profiting you know through their spouse from contracts where they're highly--

HARF: I think they're allowed to be married to people. I don't know. I mean, I think they're allowed to be married to people who work on issues that are related to theirs. There's no rule against that.

FRANCIS: Should they be funneling in information, guy, to the FBI from a person that they've been told to stay away from that is not a legitimate source? Should they continue that going on in the back channel?

BENSON: No, especially after Christopher Steele lied to the FBI which is part of the reasons that they cut ties with him. So look to Marie's point, separate from the John Brennan security clearance thing, the goal of Robert Mueller first and foremost must be to determine the extent to which the Russians interfered in our election. We know that they did it, we want to know exactly what they did and with whom.

That is not only about Donald Trump. That is not only about the Republicans. If there are shady connections with the Democrats as well or the left side of the spectrum, that has to be part of it or else we're not getting a full and complete review which is supposedly the whole point here.

FRANCIS: All right, sounds -- I think you guys solved it, so there you go. Thank you.

HARF: That's what we're trying to do in our show.

FRANCIS: There you go. I love it. OK. Perfect balance, thank you. When we come back, Elizabeth Warren unveils her plan to fix capitalism. Chris Stirewalt is on that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're going to cover Pocahontas? Pocahontas, they always want me to apologize for saying it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASSACHUSETTS: I am a capitalist. Come on, I believe in markets. What I don't believe in this theft, what I don't believe in is cheating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: Senator Elizabeth Warren sending out to reinvent capitalism with new federal legislation not only that said that would essentially require big corporations to act in their employees interest as oppose to the company's own financial interest more or less.

Writing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, quote, "America's biggest companies have dedicated themselves to making the rich even richer."

Joining me now is Chris Stirewalt, he is Fox News politics editor. What do you make of this?

CHRIS STIREWALT, FOX NEWS DIGITAL POLITICS EDITOR: Well, this is what in the Nixon administration they would've called it the modified limited hangout. She wants to embrace the socialistic verve in the Democratic Party, she wants to -- because what she's basically calling for it, let's simplify it, is a European model, something like they have in Germany. You have to have workers on your board, the government basically licenses you.

You end up with a cartel where government approved companies can operate under their license under these rules.

So she's going for this European-style model but that's not going to be enough. And that's the thing. What she misunderstands, she's in the position that I think a lot of Republicans were on immigration going into the 2016 campaign.

They said well, I've got to get right to the right on this issue, I've got to get out there, I've got to take a little harder line. I've got to do something. Unaware of the fact that Donald Trump was a like great white shark swimming out under the ocean waiting to come up and chomp them.

And she's going to get chomped too. Because she's sucking up to the Wall Street Journal, she's talking about it still capitalism. There will be people to her left that will steal the voters that she thinks that she can get.

FRANCIS: To the left of Elizabeth Warren? I mean, she's been pretty out there.

STIREWALT: Well, she is. No offense, I mean, politicians are opportunists by nature. She is not the kind, she is not Bernie Sanders. She is not Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she is not bad.

She is a European model, a planned economy European-style socialist, not a Democratic socialist, rah-rah zizbumba (Ph) 'eat the rich.' So she is trying to have it both ways.

FRANCIS: Yes.

STIREWALT: And I promise you in presidential campaigns you're not allowed to have it both ways.

FRANCIS: Ever.

STIREWALT: If you want to flirt with the far left, you've got it -- you've got to go all the way. Flirting is not enough.

FRANCIS: She talks about that companies have to consider all stakeholders employees, customers, and shareholders, they're supposed to just profit, they already have to do that or else they can't profit.

If your employees hate you, if your customers think you're a jerk, if your community is boycotting you, you can't make a profit. So it just -- I mean, already the logic of what she's arguing I guess it goes to your point that it's neither here nor there.

Let's talk about our great governor here, though, in New York, Mr. Cuomo who even Stephen Colbert is coming down hard on, listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, CBS: Cuomo gave a speech at a bill signing event, and in doing so he said something stupid. It's subtle to pick out, let's see if you can spot it.

ANDREW CUOMO, GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: We're not going to make America great again, it was never that great.

COLBERT: That is the dumbest thing you can say as a politician. That's like closing your speech with apple pie sucks, I'm lukewarm on the troops and those stripes make the American flag look fat, thank you. I hate my mother!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: What do you think?

STIREWALT: Look, Cuomo has always been overrated, he's the legacy politician. And if you're a legacy politician you got to be better than the old man and he is not. And he has been -- he has been more hype than substance throughout his career.

FRANCIS: He's going to win anyway though, probably.

STIREWALT: Well, it's New York. You people have it. You want to -- the president talks about a rig system. New York is the incumbent protection unit, number one, they are the best. Though, I will say this, Cynthia Nixon is will put some marks on him. He is going to walk away from this experience. Sorry for being so bad at politics.

FRANCIS: It goes to what you said, though, trying to have it both ways and falling flat on your face. And that's what happened there, if he tries. I don't know what he was trying to say. I don't think it was what actually came out of his mouth but it was that trying to appeal even further left of where he is, no?

STIREWALT: Yes. I know I will never ride a horse in the Kentucky derby, I'm not going to try. He ought to not try such complicated verbal dismounts he ought to keep it simple and stick to the prompter.

FRANCIS: Chris Stirewalt, thank you, my friend.

STIREWALT: You bet.

FRANCIS: Up next, a story special investigation days after a sex abuse scandal rocks the Catholic Church. We send our cameras to D.C. to hear from lawmakers but it's what they won't say that has everyone talking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How about Cardinal Wuerl do you think he needs to go?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really can't answer that question. Sorry.

(OFF-MIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, I've got to head to the airport.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FRANCIS: Growing calls for a national probe into Catholic clergy abuse after this week's bombshell report from Pennsylvania's attorney general detailing more than a thousand cases of abuse over a 70 year period.

And as the Vatican now expresses shame and sorrow, the story investigation has found that many lawmakers on Capitol Hill are less than willing to address the scandal, watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pennsylvania report 300 priests more than a thousand child abuse--



UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really got to go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's not (Inaudible) I'm sorry. I'll probably need to take a look at it. I'm sorry. I have to spend time looking at it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Certainly it's horrible, it's a horrible thing to happen to children. So I haven't been close, you know, plowing every single detail. So.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should there be a national federal probe do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sure I can answer that yet.

(OFF-MIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, I got to head to the airport.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't right now because they just called the vote and I've got to run.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing about the church abuse scandal right now, though?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think that it's heartbreaking. I would assume other attorneys general around the country would probably will be taking a look to see if this mess it's what they do everywhere in the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've seen a whole lot of your colleagues not want to talk about this issue today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's a hard issue to talk about. I mean, anybody that did, it's worse than a crime and they ought to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and those who conspired with them should be and those who covered it up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: Joining me now is Father Jonathan Morris, he is Fox News religious analyst. That is not will be expected. That's not what we thought was going to happen. That we're going to send cameras and that lawmakers were going to deliberately run from the cameras. Why do think--

(CROSSTALK)

FATHER JONATHAN MORRIS, FOX NEWS RELIGION ANALYST: Imagine -- I certainly don't feel like talking about this but it has to be talked about, and that's why I am talking about it, and I'm glad that we are talking about it.

It's absolutely horrific. The Vatican said sorrow, that's great, I'm glad that the Vatican gave those words but much more has to be done. Because it's not just the crime of the abuse. I think everybody is saying yes, that happens in every sector of society.

But the cover-up doesn't happen in every sector of society. And the church, the Catholic Church in this case has covered up to protect the institution risking the individual over and over and over again.

And you know, can I tell you, Melissa, that I think it's wonderful that the bishops of the United States have now said we need to have the Vatican, they call it an apostolic visitation, the Vatican coming in, an independent investigation, lay people involve, wonderful.

But can I tell you and I'm going to be very clear here, if the Vatican doesn't open up its archives as well, is it's not transparent. The Vatican itself, who in the departments of the Vatican knew, for example, the payments that were made out to the accusers of -- the accusers of Cardinal McCarrick and yet, he was still made a cardinal?

Who knew within the Vatican that those payments were made? If that's not done, then any investigation is not independent. Even if the Vatican is involved.

FRANCIS: Right now in Pennsylvania which is where this attorney general's report came out, people are demanding that Cardinal Wuerl step down -- he is now in D.C. but he was in Pennsylvania at the time.

MORRIS: Right.

FRANCIS: He is accused of the cover-up. Here's what he had to say in his defense.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should you resign? Should you be removed as the archbishop of Washington?

DONALD WUERL, ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON: I have tried to do my very best to deal with this whole question of allegations against a priest.

Now remember, were talking about a long spectrum of time. So how we dealt with things in the late 80s, early 90s is different than the way we would today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: Is that meaningful? How we dealt with things in the 80s and the 90s is different from today?

(CROSSTALK)

MORRIS: That is true.

FRANCIS: So that's his defense--

(CROSSTALK)

MORRIS: So doubt. That is very true and thank God if you look at the numbers, I don't mean the numbers of the church but numbers of the independent investigators this grand jury report, thank God almost all of the cases were pre-1990, 80s, 70s, '60.

But that in terms of his resignation, that has to be decided by this independent investigation. He is 77 right now, he is actually already turned in his resignation to the Holy Father.

So whether, you know, it's another issue, it's not so simple but it's more like of a question of whether he would be turning in his resignation from the cardinal of the College of Cardinals, I have no idea. That has to be based on fact. Not just on us getting upset and a saying that something has to be done, it has to be based on facts. And I don't know the facts in terms of what he did.

FRANCIS: You want them to go back and look at how everybody dealt with it along the way in terms of covering it up and then what?

MORRIS: Yes.

FRANCIS: Is there a punishment?

MORRIS: Of course, if anybody is responsible for it and they are still in a position of power they should first of all resign themselves. Or they should be asked to resign or they should be let go.

FRANCIS: Yes.

MORRIS: We have to rebuild trust and this is -- I mean, the morale of the Catholic priests around the country right now is very low.

FRANCIS: Yes.

MORRIS: It's very, very low. And I have to face my people in my parish every single Sunday and they have to know that they can trust me, not to in any way harm their children. And even to think about -- I have to prove to them than that I'm likely to harm their children? What you talking about?

FRANCIS: Absolutely.

MORRIS: I'm supposed to be not just not harming them but helping them and lifting them up and helping their parents to make their children lives better. So it's just crazy that we even have to talk about this, obviously it moves me deeply. But listen, we have to face the facts and I think times will be better.

FRANCIS: Great. Thank you for that.

MORRIS: Of course.

FRANCIS: Thank you. All right. Up next, the stars Netflix biggest new show shunned by the left for saying some Republicans aren't racist. And Dunkin Donuts faces off with Starbucks in the battle over pumpkin spice.

Our ladies' night panel takes on both sides of the story. A little lighter there, Lisa Boothe, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Jessica Tarlov are next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FRANCIS: All right. It is Friday and on this Story that means that it is ladies' night. First on the menu. One of the stars of Netflix Queer Eye now coming under fire for trying to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans with this tweet. Are you ready?

Quote, "Not all Republicans are racist, just not all Democrats are evil. We have to stop demonizing each other. Unless you're actually racist, then you suck. Trump is racist, not all his voters are necessarily we got to remember we are all in this together."

OK, that was the tweet. It didn't sit well though, with some of his followers.

One responding, quote, "You're absolutely correct not all Republicans are racists but the ones still supporting Trump definitely are."

Another writing, "People who identify as Republicans are tacitly endorsing a party which has overt racism baked right into the party platform. That means they support racism which means they are racist. Opining politically is not for you, stick to doing hair."

I almost got to the end there. I'm just trying to do a little valley girl on that little from the (Inaudible).

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stick (Ph) with them.

FRANCIS: Here now is Lisa Boothe -- thank you, Rachel Campos-Duffy who by the way is hosting Fox and Friends weekend this weekend so make sure you watch that. And Jessica Tarlov. They are all Fox News contributors.

LISA BOOTHE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: It makes it easy.

(CROSSTALK)

FRANCIS: I'm going to start with you, how dare someone go out there and try to make the case that not all Republicans are racist, did he deserve that that backslash?

BOOTHE: Well, what an evil man. Yes, I mean, if you don't just baselessly maligned, you know, tens of millions of people then you're obviously a horrible person.

I didn't like the comment about the president. But basically what he was trying to say is, look, we need to kind of get along, we need to be nicer to each other.

And I would just like for the record for everyone to know that Jessica and I went out for happy hour last night and you can have fun and be friends with somebody that you disagree with.

(CROSSTALK)

JESSICA TARLOV, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Someone racist and evil person throwing back a margarita.

BOOTHE: No, we had a great, I mean, I can't speak for Jessica but I had a good time.

TARLOV: I had (Inaudible) with fun, and we had a good time.

FRANCIS: I know. Well, that's what, I mean, to me that's something that's ironic, Jessica, so we all get on television kind of argue with each other or whatever then leave it, most of us.

TARLOV: Yes.

FRANCIS: Ninety nine percent of it know that, but in the rest of America right now everybody is that each of other's throats for real.

TARLOV: They are. And also everyone is dropping the part of the tweet they don't like. Like, he called out the other side of it too that Democrats get demonized for being evil, on the right people say Republicans who support the president you're racist, and he's just asking for a little nuance in life.

It's not surprising for you to get that kind of reaction but I feel like people really need to lighten up.

BOOTHE: Well, but it does seem like you look at the responses, there is no room in the resistance for, you know, tolerance. I mean, everyone is complicit.

RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: I don't consider you part of resistance. I think you're pretty common sense Democrat. But I look at, you look at what I saw from the comments (Ph). By the way, that's the best we could get is him saying Republicans aren't racist, not all of them but the president is racist. I mean, I can't -- it's also silly.

(CROSSTALK)

FRANCIS: Really?

DUFFY: I get called racist, by the way. And I'm Hispanic and I don't know why they call me that. But I mean, if you're a Republican that's what they say.

FRANCIS: But if you look at the responses to everybody's Twitter, I mean the things that people on Twitter say to Jessica--

TARLOV: Yes.

FRANCIS: -- are as over-the-top as the responses to him. It's on all sides.

BOOTHE: Yes. Sometimes I feel compelled to respond to them, and I'm like she's actually a really nice person if you get to know here.

TARLOV: You'll lose followers for that by the way.

BOOTHE: No.

TARLOV: So just stop doing it.

BOOTHE: But it makes me sad that like, everything is so personal now and people can't understand that you can fundamentally disagree with someone with politics and things like that--

TARLOV: Yes.

BOOTHE: -- but still like someone as a human being and another person have respect for them and have interesting conversations, and still end the night in disagreement. But hey, I'd like you, let's do it again. And it makes me sad that I feel like we can't do that as a country.

DUFFY: It is one of the good things about working in this building. You do-- and people ask you all the time. What's Juan like, what's Jessica like? They do. Because you know--

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: They are aliens walking.

DUFFY: People want to know. But guess what? We all really do get along.

FRANCIS: And do they ask you if everybody on the right is a racist? More or less.

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: No, no. But I mean, people are curious on the other side of the fence like what's Sean like. You know, it's a complicated environment. Especially when you do have such deeply held beliefs.

(CROSSTALK)

FRANCIS: May be stay off Twitter for a little while. OK.

DUFFY: It's so hard though.

FRANCIS: Let me ask you about these cocktails that you have in front of you because I'm (Inaudible) it's Friday night maybe you've put a little something in there.

So Dunkin' Donuts is trying to stick it to Starbucks for the fall and they have announced that -- I've got to read this because I may get it wrong. Their pumpkin spice maple flavored offerings are returning to the menu for fall starting August 27th. I had no idea.

BOOTHE: It's too soon.

FRANCIS: It's summer.

TARLOV: It's so hot.

FRANCIS: It's summer.

BOOTHE: I would like to say that after we went to happy hour and went shopping which is not the best decision after a couple glasses of wine but there are already everything was fall gear. It was all fall. All this happens--

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: After (Inaudible) sweat a humidity.

BOOTHE: Well, I'm not ready for it. I'm not ready for pumpkin spice latte.

(CROSSTALK)

DUFFY: It starts pretty early in northern Wisconsin--

(CROSSTALK)

FRANCIS: All right. Well, fair enough. Fair enough.

DUFFY: Bring on the pumpkin latte, I much prefer early pumpkin latte's than at Christmas at Halloween.

FRANCIS: Which one is better? Did you guys do a taste test? Jessica, did you--

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: Actually I don't drink coffee because I used to think it would stop my growth. Obviously not going to -- no, I'm not having any.

FRANCIS: No.

TARLOV: But the girls can tell you.

FRANCIS: Yes, I'm a Dunkin girl.

(CROSSTALK)

BOOTHE: I don't like Starbucks anymore, they annoy me.

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: Dunkin' Donuts seems to have a better topic.

FRANCIS: That's how you're deciding which one of the two you're going to--

(CROSSTALK)

BOOTHE: I make my own lattes.

FRANCIS: OK. All right, guys. Well, thank you. I'm not sure we solve this, but I think the solve--

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: We solve the racist thing.

FRANCIS: -- many other issues in the world. Thank you so much. Don't forget to watch Rachel Campos-Duffy tomorrow morning. That is our Story here on this Friday night. I will see you again Monday on Outnumbered at noon and on Fox Business at 4 p.m. Eastern. Have a great weekend. Tucker is up next.

END

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A disruptive man dressed up as Peter Pans fairy sidekick, Tinker Bell, was escorted off of a Ryanair flight Friday morning.

The man dressed as Tinker Bell boarded the Poland-bound flight at Londons Stansted Airport with a friend dressed as Bob the Builder.

RYANAIR PASSENGERS FILMED FLEEING PLANE AFTER CELL PHONE BURSTS INTO FLAMES

Once the men were on the plane, Ryanair says they became unruly and disruptive," a spokeperson told Fox News.

Essex police were called to the scene. An armed officer led the man dressed a Tinker Bell off the plane. One of the officers adjusted the mans wings while leading him off the plane, BBC reported.

A Ryanair spokesperson told Fox News that two passengers were removed  though police did not confirm if the man dressed as Bob the Builder was taken off the flight.

RYANAIR DOWNPLAYING EMERGENCY LANDING THAT SENT DOZENS TO HOSPITAL AFTER 'NIGHTMARE' FLIGHT, PASSENGER SAYS

Police removed and detained two passengers ahead of this flight from London Stansted to Krakow who were disruptive.

Police told BBC the men were cooperative while being escorted off the plane.

The flight left after a short delay and the two passengers who were removed were able to book later flights that same day.

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Ryanair told Fox News the incident should prompt airports to limit alcohol sales.

"This is exactly why we are calling for significant changes to prohibit the sale of alcohol at airports, such as a two-drink limit per passenger and no alcohol sales before 10am, a Ryanair spokesperson said. "It's incumbent on the airports to introduce these preventative measures to curb excessive drinking and the problems it creates, rather than allowing passengers to drink to excess before their flights."
More than 800,000 people have been displaced and are now living in relief camps across the state, sparking fears of an outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases.

The situation is grim in the picturesque, coastal state, a well-known tourist destination, where rivers, dams and reservoirs have overflowed after record monsoon rains swept away roads and homes.

The death toll in the southern Indian state of Kerala has passed 350 as thousands of rescuers continue to search through flooded areas for survivors Sunday.

A massive rescue-and-relief effort has been stepped up as the scale of the disaster widens and distress messages continue to pour in from people stranded on rooftops and in remote villages. In some villages, floodwaters up to 3 m high have entered homes.

Rescuers fear the death toll will continue to rise as they reach villages entirely under water. Meteorologists forecast rains continuing through Monday.

The northern and central parts of the state, which is home to 33 million people, have been hit the worst. Power, transport and other infrastructure has taken a huge hit and the international airport in the main city, Kochi, has been closed.

Kerala's chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said the state is facing an extremely grave crisis and the economic damage is likely to run into billions of dollars.

"The nation stands firmly with Kerala in this hour," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted after conducting an aerial survey on Saturday. He promised more assistance to the rescue-and-relief effort.
A British woman who was rescued 10 hours after falling from a Norwegian Star cruise ship on Saturday credits singing and yoga for helping to survive the ordeal.

Kay Longstaff, 46, spent a night in the Adriatic Sea after she plunged from the ship's deck 60 miles off the coast of Croatia. Officials on a Croatian rescue ship found the former Virgin Atlantic crewmember Sunday morning, swimming close to where she fell.

'HUMILIATED' COUPLE KICKED OFF HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE AFTER CAPTAIN ACCUSES PASSENGER OF PUSHING CREW MEMBER

"I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me," Longstaff told Croatia news service HRT, according to Sky News. "I am very lucky to be alive. I was sitting at the back of the deck."

The rescue ships captain, Lovro Oreskovic, also said the woman was exhausted, but rescuers were extremely happy for saving a human life.

An unidentified rescuer told The Sun that Longstaff credited her survival to yoga and singing.

"She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit. And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight, the rescuer told the news site.

David Radas, a spokesman at Croatia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said surveillance video on the ship ultimately helped rescuers locate Longstaff.

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Its unclear what led to Longstaff going overboard. Several passengers told The Sun that Longstaff and her partner appeared to be fighting before the incident. Others said alcohol was involved.

Norwegian Cruise Lines could not comment on the cause of the Longstaff's fall, but was pleased to report she was found alive. The company also said it would be cooperating with authorities.

In the morning of August 19th, a guest went overboard as Norwegian Star made her way to Venice," a spokesperson for NCL said in a statement obtained by Fox News. "The Coast Guard was notified and a search and rescue operation ensued. We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, remains in stable condition, and is being treated in Croatia. We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family. We remain in contact with the guest and her family. We continue to cooperate with authorities investigating this matter.

Officials are currently investigating the incident.
A 24-year-old American man flying from Chicago to Japan was arrested after he allegedly urinated on a fellow passenger during the trans-Pacific flight.

The incident occurred on an All Nippon Airways flight on Friday.

FRONTIER AIRLINES PASSENGER ARRESTED AFTER PEEING ON SEAT IN FRONT OF HIM DURING FLIGHT

According to reports, the unidentified passenger got up from his seat and peed on a 50-year-old Japanese man sitting two rows behind him.

The Japanese man said he did not know the American and that they had never met.

The American man was restrained by cabin crew in air and then arrested by police once the plane safely landed in Japan, the Independent reports.

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Police told Japan Today that the American man drank four glasses of champagne and a sake before the incident occurred. The man told police he could not remember the incident.

Fox News reached out to All Nippon Airways for comment.
An Indiana furniture store owner turned the tables on a would-be armed robber last month, pulling out his own firearm and forcing the suspect to bolt.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the suspect walked into the store and spoke to owner Doyle Stinson on the morning of July 5. Police said the suspect pulled out a gun and demanded money.

Stinson said he gave the suspect $10 from his wallet, but the man told him: "I know you've got more money than that because this is a business." The suspect then marched Stinson to the owner's office and the back of the store.

"Once he gets me back to the back room, that was a mistake," Stinson told Fox 59. "I go back here, I hit my silent alarm emergency button."

Stinson told the station that he knew the would-be robber's gun wasn't loaded. When the pair got to his office, the store owner grabbed his own .40-caliber weapon.

The suspect fled the store. Stinson took aim, but didn't fire because he saw a boy in front of the store and was concerned he would be hit by a stray bullet.

"If you're shooting a .40-caliber, it's going to go through him, through this merchandise, through that window, and what's beyond that window, Stinson said, "[The boy's] got a lot more to live than me."

After calling the police, Stinson and another business owner briefly chased after the suspect's car before turning back.

Police described the suspect's car as a dark-colored Chevrolet Trailblazer from the 2004 or 2005 model year that has Indiana license plates.

Click for more from Fox59.com.
A man and woman in Kentucky were charged last week with criminal abuse, unlawful imprisonment and wanton endangerment, after their 4-year-old son was found in unlivable conditions  with urine and feces in his room, investigators said.

According to the arrest citation from The Knox County Sheriffs Office, the son of 23-year-old Nickalas Jorgenson and 23-year-old Natasha McBee told deputies and social services that they would lock him in his room for punishment from 15 to 20 minutes.

The boy was forced to use the bathroom on the floor, WKYT reported. He also said he would yell and scream for his parents to let him out, the arrest citation stated.

Although the couple told police that the boy would try to knock holes in the floor, the arrest citation said the boy would try to get out of the room when they wouldnt let him.

Police found the boy covered in dirt and possible feces. The parents told authorities he liked to play with his own feces, and there wasnt anything wrong with that.

Jorgenson also said he and McBee love their son.

Deputy Hunter Luttrell of the Knox County Sheriffs Office told CNN: The windows were boarded. Theres hardly any airflow coming in and out of the room. There was feces and urine inside the room.

The parents told authorities the boys grandmother takes care of him when they go to work, police said. However, the grandmother told investigators she hadnt seen the boy in a week.
Good things come to those who wait. And wait. And wait.

In the case of Cpl. Edgar Harrell, a promotion to sergeant in 1945 was finally made official  73 years later.

A chance conversation with Capt. Scott Montefusco while both took part in a recent Veterans Day Parade in Salt Lake City led to Harrell receiving, at long last, the documents making his sergeant rank official, on Aug. 9.

Harrell, who is 93 and a Tennessee resident, told Montefusco about his time on the USS Indianapolis -- how he would sleep on lifeboats because the heat below deck was too intense.

He stopped slipping out to the lifeboats after his unrecognized promotion because he didnt want his new title to be stripped from him, he told Montefusco.

Montefusco, organizer of the Utah Military History Group, thought it unacceptable to allow Harrell to continue to go on without the official recognition of his promotion to sergeant.

I learned how this amazing man was never recognized for his sergeant rank. The whole time I kept sitting there thinking that we needed to fix this.  Capt. Scott Montefusco, who led the effort to get Edgar Harrell's promotion recognized

That's when I learned how this amazing man was never recognized for his sergeant rank, Montefusco said. The whole time I kept sitting there thinking that we needed to fix this," he said. And so he reached out to Sen. Bob Corker's office to get help.

Harrell didn't speak often of his "unofficial" rank. He considered it "more trouble than it's worth."

Instead, he has devoted his life since his days on the Indianapolis to speaking about the heroism of the men who perished when the Japanese torpedoed the ship during the closing months of World War II.

Harrell recalled swimming aimlessly in the salt water  mixed heavily with black oil and blood  with a group of 80 other men who had jumped off the fiery USS Indianapolis.

It was July 30, 1945, and it was 110 degrees. They had no water. Dehydration left their lips covered with sores and their tongues swollen.

By the afternoon of the third day, the group dwindled to just 17 men. Shark fins surrounded them. Harrell prayed continually.

Ultimately, of the 1,196 men on board, nearly 900 died. It was the single largest loss of life from a single ship in the U.S. Navy's history.

Harrell spent months in the hospital recovering from a perforated appendix. He thought of how he had been promoted to sergeant on the ship, but it hadn't been official. Documents were lost, along with the ship's wreckage.

But the lament over his unrecognized milestone was eclipsed by a sense of duty to honor the men on the USS Indianapolis and to tell their story.

There was no fanfare when the men returned from the Pacific. Soon afterwards President Harry Truman announced that Japan had surrendered.

I cant tell the story without reliving it somewhat, he said in an interview with USA Today Network - Tennessee. Im an old man today, but the good Lord is still watching over me. I hope I have some more time to go and tell this story.

The church, where Harrell's son, David, is a pastor, was filled with his family and friends dressed for a special occasion. They had gathered for something that's been long overdue: Harrell's official promotion.

"We have a saying that once a Marine, always a Marine. We might be a little late with this one," Maj. Gen. Paul Kennedy said in the quick but emotional ceremony. "The Marines have been inspired by the legacy of (Harrell)."

The now-sergeant turned to look at the group who stood and clapped for him.

"Stay faithful," he said simply, touching on his faith that he credits to have saved him at sea.

His "little" brother, Bill Harrell, who towers over Edgar Harrell's small frame, made his way to the front and embraced his brother.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered. He was just as proud as he felt when his saw his brother return decades ago.

Then just 8 years old, the younger Harrell sat with their father and mother as they listened to a radio news report that Indianapolis had sunk.

Soon after, they received a telegram that his brother was missing.

I cant tell the story without reliving it somewhat. Im an old man today, but the good Lord is still watching over me. I hope I have some more time to go and tell this story.  Cpl. Edgar Harrell on his mission to pay homage to the men of the USS Indianapolis who perished

We stayed glued to the radio for days to hear what had happened to Edgar. When we eventually found out he had survived, it was incredible, Bill Harrell told the USA Today Network - Tennessee.

"To go through that and to see him standing here with this recognition is beyond words."

Harrell has written a book about his terrifying firsthand account of the Indianapolis. He's shared his story with anyone who asks, still continuing his promise to remember those who had died.

He became a celebrity of sorts last year when the ship's wreckage was finally located after seven decades of searching.

He answered as many calls and emails he could from those who wanted to hear about what had happened. His calendar filled up with stops in cities like Knoxville, Indianapolis and New Orleans.

And in what Kennedy described as the "fastest piece of legislation to be signed," Harrell's honorary promotion was approved.

"I felt a sense of accomplishment to see this happen," Montefusco said. "(Harrell) has dedicated his life so that future generations don't forget about this tragedy."

Harrell called his promotion a "double honor" and something he didn't realize was in the works until he was asked Monday when he might be available.

Im just delighted and to see this turn out, I am very honored. Its an honor for me to live and tell of the tragedy that all of those 880 boys had to experience for the freedom America has today, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A parolee in Chicago has been charged with stomping a mans head and livestreaming the vicious attack on Facebook earlier this month.

Donyell Austin, 23, is the second person facing charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery in the Aug. 13 attack outside a gas station in Chicagos West Side that left four people hurt, including a 42-year-old man who was remained hospitalized Sunday with life-threatening brain injuries, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Prosecutors in Cook County said during a bond hearing on Sunday that Austin stomped the mans head and broadcast the attack on Facebook Live. The attack occurred after one of the four victims  two men and two women  asked another group of men and women about buying marijuana while outside a gas station in the 1200 block of South Independence Boulevard.

FOUR KILLED, NEARLY 60 SHOT AS VIOLENT WEEKEND ROCKS SECOND CITY

Several of the men and women then followed the two female victims, eventually knocking them to the ground, where they were beaten. One of the male victims, 42, then drove toward the crowd in a failed attempt to break up the melee, but was instead pulled out of the vehicle by Dontae Decatur, 21, Assistant States Attorney Ben Williams said.

Decatur then hopped into the drivers seat and took possession of the vehicle. That prompted a second male victim, 24, to climb out of the backseat before both he and the 42-year-old victim were assaulted by the group, Williams said.

Read more at the New York Post.
The ex-boyfriend of a 19-year-old woman who vanished earlier this month shortly after sending a strange text message was arrested Friday for identity theft, police said.

Phoenix Police told FOX10 officers served a search warrant on 23-year-old Jon Christopher Clark's car and found the personal identification information of several people, in addition to items indicating forgery.

Clark was arrested and booked into jail on 22 counts of aggravated identity theft and two counts of forgery.

Authorities have not yet said if Clark's arrest is connected to the case of Kiera Lanae Bergman, who has been missing since Aug. 4.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Vince Lewis told FOX10 on Friday the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are suspicious.

Bergman left her home without her purse, her wallet, her keys or extra clothes. Bergman's roommate and best friend, Destiny Hall-Chand, told KPHO-TV that Bergman did not come home after sending Hall-Chand an odd text message.

ARIZONA WOMAN, 19, DISAPPEARS AFTER SENDING STRANGE TEXT TO ROOMMATE

"She was saying that she was going to go out with some guy she met at the store a couple days ago, which is something that's not like her, that's not something she would do," Hall-Chand told KPHO-TV.

Bergman's mother, Kirsten Bragg previously told FOX10 the family has traveled from San Diego to Arizona to search for their daughter, putting up flyers in the Phoenix area.

"My biggest fear is that they're gonna find her, and she's not gonna be here anymore," Bragg said last week. "That's my biggest fear."

Police said Bergman is 5-3 and weighs 145 pounds, but officials didn't provide a description of what she was last seen wearing. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Bergman is asked to contact the Phoenix Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at 602-534-2121.
A Florida teen was arrested after he allegedly stole an AR-15 and tactical gear from an unmarked Palm Beach Sheriffs deputys vehicle, officials said Sunday.

A 17-year-old of Boynton Beach, flaunted the stolen weapons on an Instagram live stream as he danced to rap music, the Miami Herald reported, citing a probable cause affidavit.

The deputy reporting the items stolen to Boyton Beach police on Aug. 14. He left his unmarked cruiser parked at a shopping plaza for hours, according to the newspaper. He allegedly stole two loaded magazines, a gas mask, Taser, ballistic helmet and rifle clips, police said.

The live stream he launched gave police ground for a search warrant, the Herald reported. Detectives found the stolen items under the teens mattress, police said.

He faces grand theft and burglary with a firearm charges and was being held at a juvenile detention center.
Two teens who had been reported missing were among the four people killed and 54 people shot this weekend in Chicago, as the city's gun violence epidemic continued unabated.

The weekend tally was up compared to the same weekend in 2017, which saw 48 people shot and five killed, officials told Fox News on Monday.

Raysuan Turner, 16, and Darnelle Flowers, 17, were found Sunday night at about 11:57 p.m. shot to death in a field on the Far South Side of the city, police said. They had vanished day earlier, FOX 32 Chicago reported.

Earlier Sunday night, five people were shot after a weekly softball game in the Grand Crossing neighborhood. Police said a group of people had gathered for a game when a black van pulled up and someone in the vehicle opened fire. One of the victims was listed in serious condition, ABC 7 Chicago reported.

Across the city, the news of weekend shootings were coming in faster than police could get to the scene.

As Fox News previously reported, 25 people  including a 3-year-old boy  were shot in the city over a span of roughly 14 bloody hours from Friday afternoon to early Saturday.

Police said the child was shot in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side and transported to a childrens hospital in stable condition on Friday night.

During a back-to-school peace picnic held at a playground, police said three people were shot while a fourth person was beaten up. The event was held to promote peace and community.

Its senseless and should have never happened, event organizer Raymond Hatcher told reporters. We were doing well. Everything was going swell and then a group of guys who were not associated with us, came to the event intoxicated.

Amid the surging violence and bloodshed, pressure has been building for action from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, or for his resignation. He came under fire this past week for comments linking the violence outbursts in his city and the moral character of people in some ethnic neighborhoods.

This may not be politically correct," he said, "but I know the power of what faith and family can do.  Our kids need that structure.  I am asking  that we also dont shy away from a full discussion about the importance of family and faith helping to develop and nurture character, self-respect, a value system and a moral compass that allows kids to know good from bad and right from wrong.

Critics attacked him for laying blame on the victims of the violence.

Fox News Matt Finn contributed to this report.
A mother in Georgia was arrested after calling 911 to report she left her son locked in a hot car.

Alejandra Suarez, 26, reported herself to authorities on Aug. 13 after realizing she accidentally left her 3-year-old unattended in a vehicle for nearly three hours, according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office.

Suarez told police she dropped off her two other children at their grandmother's house and her son fell asleep in the car.

The Gainesville woman left the grandmother's house without realizing her son was still inside the vehicle. The sheriff's office said Suarez didn't discover the boy "until sometime" after she returned home.

Suarez then called police and the boy was taken to the hospital as a precaution. He was released and remains in good condition, officials confirmed.

Suarez was booked at the Hall County Jail Sunday on felony second-degree cruelty to children. Online jail records indicate her bond has been set at $5,700.

The case remains under investigation.
The Pentagon believes China could intervene militarily in North Korea in a war on the Korean Peninsula, but it is unclear whether it would really come to the aid of the regime, Voice of America reported on Saturday.

VOA quoted the Pentagon's annual report on Chinese military developments submitted to Congress last Thursday.

In a chapter titled "China's Approach to North Korea," the report says, "Should a crisis or conflict occur on the Peninsula, China's leaders could order the [People's Liberation Army] to engage in a range of operations. These could range from securing the China-North Korea border to prevent the flow of refugees to a military intervention into North Korea."

"China could also cite the Sino-North Korea Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty -- signed in July 1961 -- as a justification to cross the border into North Korea," the report adds. "However, China's willingness to intervene into North Korea to defend [leader] Kim Jong-un is unclear."

"The Northern Theater contains three group armies of approximately 170,000 soldiers, a naval fleet, two air force bases, one specialized air division, two naval aviation divisions, and People's Armed Police (PAP) units that conduct border defense operations," the report points out.

China has recently stepped up night exercises and crossing drills across Bohai Bay in preparation for an emergency, it adds.

Meanwhile, the Sankei Shimbun on Sunday quoted a foreign intelligence source on a military drill the Chinese Army conducted in the border region back in April.

"It's possible that the drill was carried out on the assumption of an air raid on Kim Jong-un's villas, North Korea's nuclear facilities and military commands," the Japanese daily wrote. "There are traces showing that the Chinese PLA carefully simulated a situation in which the North is attacked."


A Georgia man was charged with rape after he allegedly tried to attack his son's girlfriend  though he reportedly later claimed he was only sleepwalking.

Ricardo Arturo Cole, Sr., 54, was arrested and booked on Wednesday after he was accused of trying to have sex with the woman, who has not been indentified, in April, Fox 5 reported.

SOUTH CAROLINA MAN ACCUSED OF WANTING CHILD 'SEX SLAVE,' WRITING ABOUT CANNIBALISM 'PASSIONS' GIVEN PROBATION

Cole's son's girlfriend told investigators she was sleeping at her boyfriend's house when she felt someone slip into bed alongside her, according to a police report.

The woman, initially thinking it was her boyfriend, alleged Cole pulled down her pants and tried to have sex with her.

Once she turned over, she reportedly realized the man in her bed was not her boyfriend. Cole claimed he was sleepwalking during the incident.

GUNMAN WHO FORCED MOTEL GUESTS TO HAVE SEX, THEN RAPED WOMEN, GETS 148-YEAR SENTENCE

The woman filed a police on May 11  about a month after she says the incident occurred.

Cole remained held without bond at the Gwinnett County jail as of Monday, jail records show.
Both occupants of a small home-built aircraft died early Monday morning when the plane they were flying in crash-landed in a Phoenix intersection.

The aircraft, a single engine Acroduster, went down near the citys small Deer Valley Airport at around 7 a.m. The pilot, Theodore Rich, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The passenger, identified as Elaine Carpenter, 49, was transported to a trauma center in critical condition. She later died, fire officials said.

Police did not say how the two were related. The investigation remains ongoing.

Fire officials told reporters the aircraft collided with a car as it crashed in a major intersection. The people in that vehicle initially refused hospitalization but later sought treatment for head pain.

Images showed the plane's wreckage in the middle of traffic lanes.

Phoenix Fire Capt. Jake Van Hook said there were no flames reported after the crash, however, fuel did spill on the roadway.

Operations at Deer Valley Airport were not affected, City of Phoenix Aviation Department spokeswoman Heather Lissner said. The airport does not serve commercial airlines and has two runways, corporate-based aircraft and two flight training schools.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

It is the second fatal crash involving a home-built plane in Arizona in three days. Crews recovered the bodies of two men Sunday in rugged terrain in Camp Verde, 90 miles north of Phoenix.

Sheriff's officials had found the wreckage of an experimental "Air Camper" model plane a day earlier. It was found by tracking a cellphone that belonged to one of the two men aboard.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A judge on Monday ordered Michigan's state health director to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in the deaths of two men linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area.



Nick Lyon is accused of failing to issue a timely alert to the public about the outbreak. Judge David Goggins said deaths likely could have been prevented if the outbreak had been publicly known.



Some experts have blamed Legionnaires' on the scandal over Flint's water, which wasn't properly treated when it was drawn from the Flint River in 2014 and 2015.



Goggins found there's probable cause for a trial. The legal standard isn't as high as beyond a reasonable doubt.



The state says at least 90 cases of Legionnaires' occurred in Genesee County, including 12 deaths. Lyon denies wrongdoing. His lawyers say sending the case to trial will "dangerously chill" public employees.



The Legionnaires' investigation is part of a larger probe into how Flint's water system became poisoned when the city used Flint River water for 18 months. The water wasn't treated to reduce corrosion. As a result, lead leached from old pipes.



Lyon, director of the Health and Human Services Department, is the highest-ranking Michigan official charged in an investigation led by the attorney general's office.



An additional 14 current or former state and local officials have been charged with crimes, either related to Legionnaires' or lead in the water. Four agreed to misdemeanor plea deals; the other cases are moving slowly.



Legionella bacteria can emerge through misting and cooling systems, triggering a severe form of pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems. The state says there were 90 cases reported to Genesee County Health Department in 2014-15, including 12 deaths. More than half of the people had a common thread: They spent time at McLaren Hospital, which was on the Flint water system.



The outbreak was announced by Gov Rick Snyder and Lyon in January 2016, although Lyon concedes that he knew that cases were being reported a year earlier.



"He had the chance to save lives," special prosecutor Todd Flood told the court at a July 25 hearing.



But Lyon's attorneys have questioned the causes of death of two people cited by Flood. They also say there was much speculation about the cause and not enough solid information to share with the public.



"It is not enough for the prosecutor to wave his hands in the air and cry bad things happened to the people of Flint so someone must be held responsible," Lyon's lawyers said in a court filing.
Two men wanted for questioning in connection with a recent string of robberies and shootings in Nashville, Tenn. were apprehended Monday, authorities said.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said that 20-year-old Demontrey Logsdon was arrested by members of the department's gang unit and U.S. Marshals at a residence. Approximately an hour later, the department said Lacory Lytle, 24, had turned himself in.

Both men had been sought in connection with the robbery and fatal shooting of 30-year-old Jaime Sarrantonio and 33-year-old Bartley Teal outside an East Nashville bar early Friday, as well as the Aug. 14 robbery and murder of 31-year-old Kendall Rice in the suburb of Madison.

Investigators told Fox 17 that Lytle was convicted of felony aggravated assault in May and received a five-year probated sentence. Logsdon, 20, was convicted of robbery in November 2017 and also received a five-year probated sentence.

Both men were identified as potential suspects through surveillance footage, recovered physical evidence, and observations by officers.

Police had warned residents to be on guard in the wake of Friday's shooting, with MNPD spokesman Don Aaron calling the then-unidentified suspects "two cold-blooded killers who obviously have no respect whatsoever for the sanctity for human life."

Investigators say the suspects approached a group of people who had just left The Cobra bar and attempted to rob Teal, who was celebrating his birthday. After the shooting, the suspects fled to north Nashville and dumped the victim's belongings in an alley, police said.

Three days earlier, Rice was shot and killed while walking to catch a bus to go to work. The killers took his personal belongings. Fifteen minutes after Rice's murder, police say, another man was shot and critically wounded by two men at an apartment complex in the same area.

Another possibly related shooting took place just after midnight on Aug. 8, when a woman walking her dogs was shot in the back. In an interview with the Tennessean newspaper, the woman said noticed a small, dark-colored Chevrolet just before she was shot. Police say a similar car was reported in connection with the deadly shootings that took place last week.

The woman says when she was shot the bullet grazed her spine and left her paralyzed. Her husband, who works as a crew member for the band OneRepublic, told the paper that his wife "just felt her stomach fill up and saw blood.

"She had the strength to call 911," the man added. "Thankfully there's a firehouse nearby and I believe they were the first to get to her."

Fox News' Travis Fedschun and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Michigan woman claims she survived an abduction by her ex-boyfriend because the kidnapper made one mistake: he fell asleep.

Nyree Henderson said she was asleep with her 1-year-old son when her ex-boyfriend broke into her Detroit home through a kitchen window.

Henderson said she woke up to see her ex-boyfriend, who has not been identified by police, standing over her, according to FOX2.

He just walks into this house with latex gloves on, and my thought was, Im not about to make it out of this room, this is it, Henderson said. There was nothing anybody could do. It was like the devil walked into the house.

Henderson said she exchanged some words with the man before he pulled out a weapon and assaulted her. She was left with visible wounds to her eye, forehead and teeth.

My adrenaline was rushing so fast, so I didnt even feel him hit me in my mouth, kick me in [the eye], she added.

Henderson said her ex-boyfriend then grabbed her and dragged her down a flight of stairs  all while her 1-year-old was in her arms.

My friends brother actually ran up to him like What are you doing? but he didnt see the gun in his hand, she said. He showed it to him like Back up.

Henderson said she was taken to a nearby house and kept against her will for about an hour -- until the man went to sleep. That's when Henderson made her escape.

Detroit Police said they are not releasing the suspect's name but said a warrant has been submitted for aggravated felonious assault and kidnapping.
A member of the MS-13 street gang pleaded guilty on Monday to participating in the brutal massacre of four young men on New York's Long Island.

Josue Portillo, 17, pleaded guilty in federal court to racketeering charges, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Portillo admitted to planning the April 2017 killings with other MS-13 defendants because he said they believed the four were rival gang members, prosecutors said. The victims were lured to a park and attacked with machetes, knives and clubs.

"The Eastern District, together with our partners on the FBI's Long Island Gang Task Force, will never tire nor relent in our efforts to dismantle MS-13 and bring to justice their members who have no respect for human life," U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a statement.

The violence, including the 2016 slayings of two teenage girls in Brentwood, led to congressional hearings and visits to Long Island from both President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

MS-13, or La Mara Salvatrucha, recruits young teenagers from El Salvador and Honduras, though many gang members were born in the U.S. The gang has been blamed for at least 25 killings since January 2016 across a wide swath of Long Island. And many other people have been reported missing.

Prosecutors said Portillo entered the country illegally from El Salvador. He faces up to life in prison when he's sentenced on Jan. 10.
A pair of "cold-blooded killers" appear to be responsible for a string of fatal shootings last week in Tennessee's largest city, prompting Nashville cops to warn residents to be on guard.

The Metro Nashville Police Department said the most recent murders took place Friday when Bartley Teal, 33, and Jaime Sarrantonio, 30, were gunned down in the parking lot of The Cobra bar in East Nashville around 3:30 a.m.

"Officers throughout the city are on the lookout for two cold-blooded killers who obviously have no respect whatsoever for the sanctity for human life," MNPD Spokesman Don Aaron said during a news conference on Friday, according to Fox 17.

Witnesses told police the suspects approached the group, who had just left a bar and were headed to a convenience store, and attempted to rob Teal, who was celebrating his birthday. After the shooting, the suspects fled to north Nashville and dumped the victim's belongings in an alley, police said.

The suspects fled in a dark-colored Chevy, officials said.

The killings of Teal and Sarrantonio came just days after another man, 31-year-old Kendall Rice was shot dead while he was going to catch a bus to go to work. MHPD said Rice was walking around 5:05 a.m. to get a bus in Madison, a neighborhood in northeast Nashville, when a car with two men inside pulled up behind him and someone inside opened fire. Rice's personal belongings were taken, Fox 17 reported.

About 15 minutes after Rice was killed, another man was critically wounded at the Falcon View Apartments, located in the same neighborhood. Police in the neighboring town of Goodlettsville reported two men, armed with a rifle, tried to rob a man around 4:45 a.m. at an apartment complex, but the victim was able to drive away.

AMID GUN VIOLENCE CRISIS, ALL 5 CHICAGO PRO SPORTS TEAMS FUNDING THERAPY, MENTORING PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK YOUTH

In another attempted robbery on Aug. 8, the wife of a crew member of the band OneRepublic was shot in the back while she was walking her dogs. The band posted a video to Twitter and started a GoFundMe campaign to help to help pay for her prolonged medical treatment.

The bands frontman, Ryan Tedder, said in the video the woman "lost her spleen, it hit her spine, shes now in a wheelchair and going through multiple surgeries."

In an interview on Sunday with The Tennessean, the woman, who has asked to not be identified out of fear for her safety, said she saw a dark-colored Chevy sedan pass by her during her walk. The vehicle then quickly returned, and she said the next thing she knew she was on the ground with her dogs running.

She just felt her stomach fill up and saw blood, her husband told the Tennessean. She had the strength to call 911. Thankfully theres a firehouse nearby and I believe they were the first to get to her.

BODY OF SHANANN WATTS WAS FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE, COURT DOCUMENT SAYS

The victim of another robbery, Ryan Noble, told Fox 17 he was near the Cobra on Wednesday with friends when two men approached them with guns and and tried to rob them.

"I threw my wallet. Next thing I know, I'm holding my face," Noble said. "I was pistol whipped."

Now, the East Nashville resident said he feels unsafe in his neighborhood.

"I cant walk to [grocery store] Kroger. I dont feel safe walking to Kroger or to the new bar or taking my dog for a walk, he told Fox 17.

On Monday, police announced that they were investigating whether a carjacking early on the morning of Aug. 12 was connected to the spree. In that case, a 26-year-old man told authorities that he was on U.S. Route 70S when a dog ran in front of his car.

At the same time, the man said he saw a vehicle coming from the opposite direction swerve toward the dog and stopped his car to check on the animal. When he did, he said two black men robbed him at gunpoint and stole his 2017 Dodge Journey.

Nashville police are asking anyone with information on the murderers or the Chevrolet to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.

Fox News' Samuel Chamberlain contributed to this report.
A New Jersey police chief resigned last week after he was arrested earlier this month for allegedly buying cocaine online.

Michael Coppola, the embattled Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department chief, allegedly bought cocaine on the Internet and had it delivered to a post office box. Coppola was arrested during a traffic stop on Aug. 9 after allegedly picking up the package of what he believed to be cocaine from the post office, WNBC-TV reported.

The 43-year-old, who had led the law enforcement agency since 2014, submitted his resignation Aug. 15, Jim Hall, the executive director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, told NJ.com.

Coppolas arrest came after a year of controversies for the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department. Investigators began to probe the agency in November after two suspects died during police chases.

OHIO POLICE CHIEF FATALLY OVERDOSED ON DRUGS TAKEN FROM EVIDENCE ROOM, INVESTIGATORS SAY

Prosecutors said in July the force misused police tactics, failed to properly investigate officers accused of misconduct and chased people without cause or permission. Investigators also said Coppola ran an awards and incentives program for officers who had the most arrests and tickets.

Coppola was suspended for 90 days after the findings were released.

Coppola is charged with attempt to possess cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia and faces up to five years in prison, NorthJersey.com reported.
A suspended Oklahoma City officer has been ordered to face trial in the on-duty fatal shooting of an unarmed suicidal man.

A judge decided Friday to send Keith Patrick Sweeney's case to trial, the Oklahoman reported . Sweeney, 33, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges in last year's shooting death of Dustin Pigeon, 29.

Officers responded to a Nov. 15 call about a suicidal person and found Pigeon doused in lighter fluid and threatening to set himself on fire in a courtyard surrounded by homes, according to police. Prosecutors said Sweeney fatally shot Pigeon after another officer, Troy Nitzky, fired a bean bag to no effect.

Sweeney has said he thought Pigeon had a knife and believed his life was in danger. But a police affidavit concluded Pigeon was unarmed and didn't pose a threat to officers.

"I personally didn't feel that Mr. Pigeon needed to be killed that evening," testified Erik Howell, one of the officers who witnessed the shooting.

District Attorney David Prater said most officers are working daily to "do the right thing every single time."

"This is one of those situations where we allege that did not occur and that there was a violation of law," Prater said. "When you're given the authority to carry deadly force and to utilize deadly force, you need to make sure you do that consistent with the laws of this state and of this country."

Defense attorney Gary James said he has "no qualms" about the decision to take the case to a jury.

Pigeon's parents filed an excessive force lawsuit against Sweeney in June. That case is pending. Sweeney is still on paid leave.

___

Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com
Authorities in Florida said Monday that they had arrested a Mexican man in the U.S. illegally -- a man who had been deported but re-entered the U.S. -- on a charge of sexual battery of a 16-year-old girl.

Jesus Ramirez-Velasco, 31, was arrested Saturday and admitted having sex with the girl at least 20 times since December of last year, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators said Ramirez-Velasco was dating the victim's mother. The sheriff's office added that the girl recently told her mother about the encounters and claimed that Ramirez-Velasco had threatened to harm her mother if she didn't have sex with him again.

After his arrest, Ramirez-Velasco claimed to sheriff's detectives that the girl had asked him for sex and he knew that what they were doing was illegal.

"A crime such as this against a child is heinous," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "To blame the victim for his behavior is appalling."

Ramirez-Velasco was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Mexico in 2008. It was not immediately clear when he returned to the United States.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said ICE had ben notified of Ramirez-Velasco's arrest.

Click for more from The Ledger.
North and South Korean families separated by the Korean war are getting ready for their reunions at the North's Mt. Kumgang resort between Monday and Wednesday.

The South Korean group consisting of 89 people arrived in the eastern port city of Sokcho on Sunday and will travel by bus to Mt. Kumgang, where they meet their long-lost family members from the North.


A South Carolina man who allegedly plotted to make a young girl his sex slave and wrote about his "passions" for cannibalism may not have to spend another day behind bars.

Justin Teeter Bensing, 36, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with that time suspended to five years probation, according to Greenville County court records. He had faced two charges of criminal solicitation of a minor and pleaded guilty to both.

According to arrest warrants, Bensing, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, wanted to turn a minor into a full-time baby maker and sex slave as well as other depraved acts. Authorities also said he expressed his passions for cannibalism and bestiality.

He had been arrested in Greenville County  on the opposite side of the state from his listed address  in February along with dozens of others in a trafficking sting called Operation Millstone, a reference to the New Testament book of Matthew.

SOUTH CAROLINA MAN ACCUSED OF WANTING TO EAT CHILD IS FREED ON BOND

If anyone causes one of these little ones  those who believe in me  to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea, the verse reads.

Bensing, who has been diagnosed with autism, is considered to be low risk, according to sentencing records obtained by The Greenville News. If Bensing violates his probation, however, he could end up serving the 10-year prison sentence.

The 36-year-old had already been released from prison in February after he posted a $20,000 bond.

Authorities said Bensing used the name Rebel Deese in online chatrooms where he described his sexual fetishes and discussed cannibalism.

EX-TEXAS DOCTOR WHO RAPED HEAVILY SEDATED PATIENT IN HOSPITAL GETS NO JAIL TIME

James Brehm, Bensings attorney, told The Greenville News his client was only joking about the cannibalism.

That didnt have anything to do with this. It was just like you and I talking trash and texting and six months later, someone gets a hold of your phone and tie it to what hes charged with, Brehm told the newspaper.

Bensings father previously told The Associated Press that any charges of cannibalism are not correct.

Fox News Frank Miles contributed to this report.
A Texas man beat and stabbed his 1-year-old son to death in the courtyard of an apartment complex Sunday -- despite a valiant attempt to stop the brutal assault by a neighbor who heard screams and grabbed his gun, police said.

A neighbor near the Oak Forest Apartments in Lewisville fired three shots, one of which hit the father in the leg, and a nearby woman tossed a garbage can at the man in a desperate bid to end the assault, FOX4 Dallas reported.

But the daring intervention came too late and the 16-month-old child died at the hospital. The child, father and neighbors were not immediately identified.

A witness said the father yelled "Jesus is coming" during the 1 p.m. attack, and told anyone around the apartment complex to watch.

Lewisville Police Capt. Jesse Hunter said the incident was probably the worst hes seen in the 20 years hes been on the force.

For them to witness something like that, I feel for them, you know. They had to endure the same thing the police and firefighters had to endure this afternoon to see that small baby get assaulted, Hunter said.

The father was arrested and taken to a hospital for the gunshot wound. Its unclear what prompted the attack.

The neighbor who fired his gun will not face criminal charges, officials said.

The childs mother was at work when Sundays incident occurred. The family had no prior history with police or Child Protective Services, FOX4 reported. Charges against the father have not been announced.
A woman walking her dog was killed Monday morning when an alligator attacked her and dragged her into a lagoon in South Carolina, police said.

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received a call around 9:30 a.m. about a possible alligator attack near a lagoon in Sea Pines Plantation, a resort community at Hilton Head Island. Officers arrived and discovered the womans body inside the lagoon.

According to witnesses, the unidentified woman was walking her dog when an alligator, about 8 feet long, "attacked and pulled" her into the water. Security staff also viewed surveillance video of the attack, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources spokesman Capt. Robert McCullough told The Post and Courier.

Authorities are at the lagoon searching for the alligator.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the womans cause of death. Her dog was not harmed.

Sea Pines Living posted on its Facebook page to confirm the womans death.

Sea Pines CSA is actively working with local authorities to ensure necessary access to the site while the investigation is underway. At this time, little information is available about the individual or incident. We are extremely saddened by this news and will share information with the community as it is made available, the post read.

McCullough said the woman was the second person to die from an alligator attack in South Carolina history.
Government forces in Afghanistan managed to free 149 people-- including women and children--who were abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier in the province of Kunduz.

Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, says the insurgents still hold 21 others hostage following their ambush of a convoy of buses traveling in the Khan Abad district on Monday.

Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz province, said the insurgents stopped the buses near Khan Abad district.

Ayubi believes the Taliban were looking for government employees or members of the security forces.

The attack occured despite President Ashraf Ghani's call for a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

In a message released on the occasion of Eid al-Adha -- and without pointing to any cease-fire -- the Taliban leader said on Saturday that the insurgents remain committed to "Islamic goals," the sovereignty of Afghanistan and ending the war.

Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief in neighboring Takhar province, says the passengers were fram Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were traveling to the capital, Kabul.

There was no comment from the Taliban but the area of the incident is under Taliban control.

"So far, there is no news on the fate of the passengers, but tribal elders and local officials are trying to negotiate with the Taliban," Ayubi added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
A knife-wielding man, who reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" as he stormed a Barcelona police station, was shot dead Monday morning in an incident officials said is being treated as a terrorist attack.

The attacker, identified by Spanish media as 29-year-old Abdelouahab Taib, ran into the police station in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the Spanish city just before 6 a.m. local time. He pulled out a knife and reportedly yelled Allahu Akbar."

The police stations security door was closed ahead of Mondays attack and the suspect repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in, speaking with officers inside over the intercom, Commissioner Rafel Comes, second-in-command of the Barcelona police, said during a press conference.

After police decided to let the man in, he pulled out a large knife and lunged at officers.

Police have not confirmed the attackers identity.

The attacker lived with a Spanish woman near the police station in the town of Cornella de Llobregat, just south of Barcelona, and he had no criminal record, El Pais reported. Comes said police are investigating the mans background and are awaiting a warrant to search his apartment.

Officials said the attacker had homicidal and premeditated will when he stormed the police station with a knife of considerable dimensions.

The man had ID documents on him and police are checking whether they are authentic.

Comes said authorities have found no criminal record for the man identified in the documents, although international police databases are being searched for matches with his fingerprints.

Monday's attack came just three days after the one-year anniversary of the terror attacks on Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people. Comes said police have found no evidence linking those attacks to Monday's incident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Turkish authorities on Monday responded to a drive-by shooting at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara amid increased tensions between the two countries over the detained American pastor, Reuters reported.

There were no injuries, but a window in a security cabin was reportedly hit. The shooting occurred at about 5 a.m. local time.

The report said the embassy was set to be closed this week for Eid al-Adha celebrations.

Private Ihlas news agency said four to five rounds were fired from a moving white car and targeted security booth outside Gate 6.

Earlier Sunday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration rebuffed Turkeys offer to release Pastor Andrew Brunson if the U.S. halted the investigation into Turkish bank Halkbank.

The Turkish government agreed to drop terrorism charges against the pastor in exchange of the U.S. government dropping fines totaling billions of dollars against the bank.

A real NATO ally wouldnt have arrested Brunson in the first place, the official told the Journal.

Fox News' Lukas Mikelionis contributed to this report.
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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has labelled the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland as "hell on earth," during a visit Monday intended to ensure the atrocities committed by his nation more than seven decades ago are not forgotten.

He was guided at the somber site in southern Poland, which was under Nazi German occupation during World War II, by a Polish Auschwitz survivor, Marian Turski. More than 1.1 million people were killed there, mostly Jews but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and others.

In the first visit to the camp by a German foreign minister in 26 years, Maas wrote in a memorial book that Auschwitz was "hell on earth" and a "German creation," according to Germany's dpa news agency.

"Full of sadness and shame, we bow before the women, men and children who were murdered by the millions by the National Socialists here and other places. From the legacy of the victims arises Germany's responsibility to stand up for the inviolable dignity of humankind - everywhere and every day. This responsibility never ends," he wrote.

The visit is particularly personal to Maas, who took over at the Foreign Ministry in March.

"I went into politics because of Auschwitz," he said at the time.

"For me Auschwitz is the ever-lasting warning to stand up for the untouchable dignity of people everywhere, personally and politically," Maas said in a statement before his visit. "We must keep alive the memory of the incredible atrocities, also for the next generations."

On Monday, he also visited a nearby center dedicated to St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest killed at Auschwitz.

Maas' visit also included a meeting with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

The two countries are neighbors, allies and important trading partners. Recently, relations have gotten strained as Polish officials have said Germany owes Poland up to $850 billion in reparations for World War II.

At a news conference Monday, Czaputowicz said the issue of reparations was not on the agenda but that it must eventually be addressed because Poles continue to feel a sense of injustice.

Berlin is also unhappy about changes by the ruling Polish party Law and Justice to Poland's judicial system which the European Union and others say erode judicial independence. The Polish government says it is reforming a corrupt and inefficient system.

Czaputowicz also repeated his calls for Germany to stop the Nord Stream 2 project, a joint Russian-German project that would increase Russia's ability to transport gas directly from Russia to Germany, bypassing Poland and Ukraine.

Poland, several other European countries and the United States strongly oppose Nord Stream 2, fearing it would increase Russia's energy hold on Europe.
A Turkish court has ruled that German journalist Mesale Tolu can leave the country, eight months after being released from prison during a trial on terror-related charges.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday that the decision, taken a few weeks ago but only made public now, is "a step toward improving our relations with Turkey."

But he added that "it is also clear that this cannot remain the only step," pointing to at least seven other cases in which German citizens are detained in Turkey for what Berlin considers political reasons. Tolu's case has been one of several that have soured German-Turkish relations over the past two years.

A group that has campaigned for Tolu said that a court lifted conditions imposed on her after her release but that an exit ban on her husband, Suat Corlu, who has faced similar charges in the same proceedings, wasn't lifted.

Those restrictions had been put in place by an Istanbul court last December. Though it said Tolu could go free, it barred her from leaving Turkey and required her to report to authorities at regular intervals.

Tolu has been charged with engaging in terrorist propaganda and being a member of a banned left-wing group, the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party. She rejects the accusations. There has been no verdict yet in the trial.

Though relations between Germany and Turkey have been strained, Berlin has made clear its desire to see an economically stable and prosperous Turkey, which has been grappling with a currency crisis heightened by tensions with the U.S. over the case of a detained American pastor.

Over the weekend, the leader of Germany's junior governing party raised the possibility of some kind of German help.

"A situation could arise in which Germany has to help Turkey, independently of the political disputes with President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan," Andrea Nahles of the center-left Social Democrats was quoted as telling the Funke newspaper group. She noted that Turkey is a NATO partner.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, gave that a cautious response.

"The question ... of German aid for Turkey does not currently arise for the German government," he told reporters Monday. Asked about the possibility of an International Monetary Fund package, Seibert said that seeking one is always a matter for the country concerned and the finance ministry said it didn't come up in a conversation between the German and Turkish finance ministers last week.

Erdogan is scheduled to make a state visit to Berlin Sept. 28-29. Ahead of that, Turkey's finance, transport and trade ministers will hold talks in Germany on Sept. 21, finance ministry spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
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Shots were fired at a security booth outside the U.S. Embassy in Turkey's capital early Monday, but U.S. officials said no one was hurt.

Private Ihlas news agency said four to five rounds were fired from a moving white car and targeted the booth outside Gate 6 at the embassy in Ankara. Police were searching for the car.

U.S. Embassy spokesman David Gainer thanked police for their "rapid response" and said no injuries had been reported.

The U.S. mission is closed this week as Turkey celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over the case of an imprisoned American pastor, leading the U.S. to impose sanctions, and increased tariffs sent the Turkish lira tumbling last week.

Evangelical pastor Andrew Craig Brunson currently under house arrest after more than 1 years in prison is facing up to 35 years in prison if convicted of espionage and terror-related charges.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for his immediate release and threatened more sanctions. The continued detention of a Turkish-American NASA scientist and three local consular staff members adds to the tensions.

Last week, the U.S. president signed a defense spending bill that includes delaying the delivery of F-35 fighter jets pending a Pentagon report. U.S. senators have been working to block their delivery in response to Brunson's arrest and Turkey's pledge to buy Russian S-400 missile systems.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a boycott on U.S.-made electronic products, with some citizens heeding his call and filming themselves breaking their iPhones. Turkey has also increased imports tariffs on some products.
The U.S. government on Friday warned that a planned inter-Korean liaison office in the shuttered Kaesong Industrial Complex "could violate not only United Nations but U.S. sanctions against North Korea."

"If the [South] Korean government opens a liaison office in Kaesong, [South] Korea will risk violating sanctions that have drawn North Korea back to the negotiating table," a U.S. official told the Chosun Ilbo on condition of anonymity.

He added the liaison office could place the U.S. "in a difficult situation." In other words, it may have to take action against its ally if any sanctions are violated in the process of setting it up.

South Korea aims to supply the office with electricity, construction materials, equipment and other goods, and that could fall foul of the sanctions.

The official added that Washington is obligated to investigate suspicions and that punitive measures will ensue if violations are found. He insisted that sanctions against the North and regulations must be obeyed even to "advance diplomatic objectives."

The plan for the liaison office was agreed between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their April 27 summit. The South recently started refurbishing the liaison office in the border city and began supplying electricity, while preparations are under way for the opening ceremony.

Moon said last Wednesday, "In a few days, we will see the opening of an era in which the South and North communicate with each other 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

But the scheduled opening on Friday fell through, and a Cheong Wa Dae official said no fresh date has been decided.


World War II-era shipwrecks containing the remains of hundreds of British sailors and civilians are now being plundered by pirates scrounging for scrap metal in Southeast Asia, prompting calls for a multinational investigation.

The wrecks of four ships that were sunk in the waters off Malaysia and Indonesia have recently been looted for scrap metal, The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported. Several other British shipwrecks in the region have previously been looted, even though the United Nations International Salvaging Convention bans raiding sunken warships.

U.K. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said Sunday the government "absolutely condemns" the unauthorized disturbance of any wreck containing human remains, according to Sky News.

"I am very concerned to hear any allegations of incidents of Royal Navy wrecks being plundered in the Far East," Williamson said. "We will work closely with the Indonesian and Malaysian governments to investigate these claims."

The four vessels recently targeted by pirates include HMS Tien Kwang and the HMS Kuala, which were carrying evacuees from Singapore and bound for Java, Indonesia when they were attacked by Japanese bombers in 1942. The ship was sunk about 45 miles southeast of Singapore.

The Mail reported the plundering operations were being carried out with Chinese-owned barges that drop massive anchors on a sunken ship to smash it. Cranes from the ships then collect the metal, which is taken to shipyards in Indonesia to be cut down before being sent to China, where it enters the world steel market.

Vessels from World War II are particularly vulnerable to scrappers because they were built and sunk before nuclear explosions, so they have little "background radiation" from the atmosphere and are suitable for building medical equipment, experts told the news outlets.

WORLD WAR II-ERA SUBMARINE FLOODED BY VANDALS IN NEW JERSEY

The HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, both of which sank in December 1941 off Malaysia, have also been ripped apart, and at least half of their structures have already been stolen, according to the Mail.

One of the few remaining survivors of the Repulse, 96-year-old Maurice Pink, told The Mail the pirates were being "diabolical."

"It is terrible, a diabolical thing to happen. I lost a lot of friends on the Repulse," he told the Mail. "They are desecrating a grave. They were designated as war graves for a reason because hundreds of men died."

SUNKEN WORD WAR 2 BRITISH WARSHIPS REPORTEDLY BEING RAIDED FOR SCRAP METAL, PROMPTING PROBE

The illegal salvaging of World War II-era shipwrecks has been an unfortunate occurrence throughout the region. Last year, divers discovered scrappers had left remaining only about 60 percent of the HMAS Perth, an Australian warship that sank in 1942 between Java and Sumatra.

The Australian National Maritime Museum, which investigated the wreck last year, said that nearly 3,000 tons of metal had been removed.

"It is with profound regret we advise that our joint maritime archaeologist diving team has discovered sections of the Perth missing," Australian National Maritime Museum director Kevin Sumption told The Sydney Morning Herald at the time.

Several other Dutch ships that sunk during the 1942 Battle of the Java Sea were also plundered by scrappers, and the USS Houston, an American warship which went down in the same battle, was found to have been targeted, too, according to a Navy report in 2014.

"The site of the sunken ship is the final resting place of approximately 650 Sailors and Marines," the Navy report noted. "The assessment noted there were indications that unknown persons illegally removed hull rivets and a metal plate from the ship, as well as engaged in other unauthorized activities. U.S. and Indonesian representatives are currently coordinating to develop measures to limit continued disturbance of the site."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The latest entry in the acclaimed Under Night franchise is finally here...





[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.]

Torrance, California  August 20, 2018  Arc System Works America, Inc. is happy to announce that the latest entry in the Under Night franchise, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] releases today on Steam (PC)! Dramatic Stylish 2D Fighting Action! Fight your way through the dangers of the Hollow Night in this deep and rewarding entry in the beloved Under Night series. Features FANTASY LIGHT NOVEL STORY TELLING The mystery of the Hollow Night is unfolding before you. At the center lies the Abyss, an unimaginable and uncontrolled phenomenon that threatens all. Experience the full story of Under Night

The mystery of the Hollow Night is unfolding before you. At the center lies the Abyss, an unimaginable and uncontrolled phenomenon that threatens all. Experience the full story of Under Night DIVERSE AND UNIQUE ROSTER Pick from one of 20 characters and fight your way through the dangers of the Hollow Night. Claim your victory over those who would get in your way.

Pick from one of 20 characters and fight your way through the dangers of the Hollow Night. Claim your victory over those who would get in your way. ONLINE GAMEPLAY Take the fight online in the "NETWORK MODE" and play against other players around the world! Choose from both "RANK MATCH" and "PLAYER MATCH" to find your opponents. There's also a global leader board for players who wish to be in the hall of fame!

Take the fight online in the "NETWORK MODE" and play against other players around the world! Choose from both "RANK MATCH" and "PLAYER MATCH" to find your opponents. There's also a global leader board for players who wish to be in the hall of fame! NEW SYSTEM: CROSS-CAST VEIL OFF Activate the new Veil Off mechanic within a combo to send your opponent flying back with a shockwave, allowing for combo extensions! During "Cross-Cast Veil Off", you will have access to special moves such as Infinite Worth even if your EXS is at 100. This gives you the chance to inflict serious damage with your combo!

Activate the new Veil Off mechanic within a combo to send your opponent flying back with a shockwave, allowing for combo extensions! During "Cross-Cast Veil Off", you will have access to special moves such as Infinite Worth even if your EXS is at 100. This gives you the chance to inflict serious damage with your combo! RESPONSIVE AND DEEP MECHANICS Experience intuitive and tight 2D fighter controls, with a splash of devastating combos and unique fighting styles to keep your appetite for battle sated! Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/801630/UNDER_NIGHT_INBIRTH_ExeLatest/ SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS MINIMUM: OS: Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 Processor: Intel Core i5, 2.0 GHz Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 / Radeon HD 7770 DirectX: Version 9.0c Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 10 GB available space Additional Notes: Display Resolution 1280x720 and above recommended.

 FRENCH-BREAD / ARC SYSTEM WORKS About Arc System Works Arc System Works is a developer and fighting game specialist from Japan  best known for the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series  that has garnered international critical acclaim for their innovative fighting systems, unique character designs and world settings, and spectacular 2D artwork. If you want a 2D Fighting game done right, go to Arc System Works. For more information, please visit the official website at www.arcsystemworks.com All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.




[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.]

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM  August 20th 2018  Pathfinder Games announces Vanguard: Normandy 1944, a hardcore multiplayer FPS where players fight for historic D-Day objectives on real-world battlefields, to release on Steam Early Access in Q4 2018. Watch the announcement trailer here: https://youtu.be/GHJtGYDQSk4 Focused Infantry Combat June 6th 1944 and the Allied Invasion of Europe has begun. Storm the Normandy coast as the revered British Commandos, take and hold pivotal objectives in the elite 6th Airborne, or hold the line as the fierce German Wehrmacht in this tactical multiplayer shooter. Lead your team to victory by suppressing the enemy and using squad-based tactics to win the fight. With its real-world battlefields and painstakingly recreated weapons, equipment and uniforms all rendered in the stunning CRYENGINE, Vanguard: Normandy 1944 challenges players to fight and secure historic WWII objectives during the most ferocious and intense battle of modern history: D-Day. Vanguard: Normandy 1944 immerses players into the intensity of close-quarters infantry combat. In our Raid gamemode, every life matters; hold the line as the defenders, take up ambush positions with your squad, and critically stay alive to hold the objective. Alternatively, assault the objective as the attacking team by advancing with your squad, suppressing the enemy, and wiping out the defenders to capture the objective. Development of Vanguard The development teams passion for historical accuracy has been underpinned with extensive research and working closely with historians. Uniforms and equipment have been recreated to intense detail, weapon ballistics use accurate data corresponding to real-world behaviour, genuine audio recordings were used to model precise distance fall-offs with immersive 3D positioning, and levels based on historical locations have been recreated from maps, aerial photographs and site visits to ensure faithful representations of these hard-fought and bloodied battlefields that decisively turned the course of the war. About the Developers Pathfinder Games was formed by a small group of developers from around the world in 2018 to bring the project formerly known as Traction Wars to public release on the Steam Early Access platform. The team consists of modders coming together to create a game they thought was missing  a multiplayer FPS rooted in history whilst capturing a slice of the fast-paced, hectic infantry combat faced nearly 75 years ago during one of the most ferocious and intense battles of modern history: D-Day.
Reduced direct connections : Complaints over too few trains from Bonn to Berlin

Bonn Residents have long complained about the lack of a direct ICE train connection between Bonn and Berlin. Deutsche Bahn is giving the construction works at Bonns main station as the reason.

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Residents have long complained about the lack of a direct ICE train connection between Bonn and Berlin. However, there will be no change to the situation for the time being. Katya Dorner (Greens), Alexander Graff Lambsdorff (FDP) and Ulrich Kelber (SPD), Bonn members of the German parliament, again supported the demand for a faster train connection to the Spree in a joint letter to Deutsche Bahn. However, Deutsche Bahns response was disappointing.

We are disappointed by Deutsche Bahns response. While the need for a good connection between the federal city and Berlin was recognised, there were no concrete commitments, explained the political representatives.

Deutsche Bahn gives the construction works at Bonns main station, which according to the railways should be completed the year after next, ie 2020, as the reason for the currently greatly reduced number of direct connections. However, even the assurance to afterwards restore the situation in 2016, namely the resumption of six daily ICE direct connections, is viewed with reservation. We would like to have seen clearer assurances and more ambitious measures on the part of the railways. We are keeping an eye on the situation.
Single vehicle accident : Infant injured in accident in Bad Godesberg tunnel

Bad Godesberg An infant was injured in an accident in the Bad Godesberg road tunnel on Sunday lunchtime. The fire brigade turned out in force because the fire alarm system in the tunnel was activated.

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A traffic accident in the Godesberg road tunnel on Sunday lunchtime was minor according to information from the fire brigade. As the fire alarm system in the tunnel was activated, the fire brigade initially turned out in force. At 1.26pm, around 160 personnel from the three fire and rescue stations as well as all units from the voluntary fire brigade were alerted with the key words Fire road tunnel. This event means a red alert for the Bonn brigade, said the fire brigade after the operation. The firemen not only had to enter the tunnel from various entrances but also worked through a checklist of measures.

There was no fire on Sunday. There was a single vehicle accident involving a car carrying three people travelling towards Koblenz. The fire brigade said an infant was slightly injured and taken to hospital after receiving first aid. The majority of the fire officers were dismissed at around 1.45pm. The car drivers still in the tunnel had to wait. They were told by loudspeaker to remain in their vehicles and not to turn round in the tunnel. Due to renovation works to the Rhine side tunnels, there is only one lane operating in each direction at the moment. The tunnel was completely blocked because of the clearance works after the accident. The southbound lane was the first to open again at 3.20pm.
North Korea has agreed to let the International Civil Aviation Organization inspect its missile facilities, Japan's Kyodo News reported Sunday.

The ICAO demanded that North Korea allow inspections of its missile-launch facilities after mounting criticism that the North's unannounced missile launches endanger international civil aviation.

North Korea became a member of ICAO in 1977 and is obliged to give fair warning of missile or satellite launch plans in advance. Passenger planes cannot fly through North Korean airspace if it continues to launch missiles without warning.

North Korean officials told visiting ICAO representatives in May that the North has completed its development of nuclear weapons and pledged to halt missile tests that could threaten the safety of civilian aircraft.

The ICAO plans to send a team of inspectors to North Korea next year. Kyodo reported that they will check what steps North Korea has taken to guarantee the safety of civilian aircraft.


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week complained that U.S. sanctions are making life difficult for his isolated country.

"Stubborn sanctions and pressure tactics by enemy forces... are creating difficulties," Kim said on a visit to a building site in Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province, according to state media on Sunday.

On Friday, during an inspection of a tourism zone in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, Kim also said that such projects are a fight against enemies trying to "stifle our people with sanctions."

The remarks come ahead of a fresh visit later this month by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who will try to find a breakthrough in stalled denuclearization talks.
Thousands of women rallied in front of the Seoul History Museum on Saturday afternoon in protest against the acquittal of ex-South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung on rape charges.

Organizers said over 20,000 people gathered at protest, including members of over 350 civic groups. The demonstrators shouted, "An is guilty!" "The court is guilty, too!"

The Seoul Western District Court last Tuesday cleared An of the lesser charge of coercing sex by abusing his authority over his secretary, Kim Ji-eun, who accused him of repeatedly raping and harassing her over the course of several months.

The court ruled there was insufficient evidence to show that their relationship was anything other than consensual.
-Expands Tyson Foods value-added protein capabilities serving key foodservice customers



-Strengthens global presence in high growth international markets

SPRINGDALE, Ark., Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) today announced it has reached a definitive agreement to buy the Keystone Foods business from Marfrig Global Foods for $2.16 billion in cash. The acquisition of Keystone, a major supplier to the growing global foodservice industry, is Tyson Foods latest investment in furtherance of its growth strategy and expansion of its value-added protein capabilities.

Headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Keystone supplies chicken, beef, fish and pork to some of the worlds leading quick-service restaurant chains, as well as retail and convenience store channels. Its value-added product portfolio includes chicken nuggets, wings and tenders; beef patties; and breaded fish fillets.

The acquisition includes six processing plants and an innovation center in the U.S. with locations in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. (It does not include the beef patty processing plant in Ohio.) It also includes eight plants and three innovation centers in China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia.

Keystone is a leading global protein company and will be a great addition to Tyson Foods, said Tom Hayes, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. This acquisition will expand our international presence and value-added production capabilities and help us deliver more value to our foodservice customers. Keystone provides a significant foundation for international growth with its in-country operations, sales and distribution network in high growth markets in the Asia Pacific region as well as exports to key markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We look forward to serving customers with these additional capabilities and to welcoming Keystones dedicated team members to the Tyson Foods family.

Keystone, which employs approximately 11,000 people, generated annual revenue of $2.5 billion and Adjusted EBITDA of $211 million in the last 12 months ending June 30, 2018, excluding non-controlling interest and other adjustments1. During the same period, the company generated approximately 65 percent of its revenue from U.S.-based production and the remaining 35 percent from its Asia Pacific plants.

1Please see the Keystone Foods Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation at the end of this release.

Tyson Foods expects the acquisition to be accretive to GAAP EPS in the third year and accretive to adjusted EPS in the first year excluding transaction-related costs as well as the incremental depreciation and amortization associated with the transaction. It also expects to generate annual synergies of approximately $50 million by the third year of the acquisition, driven by operational efficiencies, procurement savings, distribution and supply network optimization and other opportunities.

Terms and Closing

The acquisition will be funded through a combination of existing liquidity and proceeds from the issuance of new debt. Initial leverage metrics are expected to be well within levels appropriate for the companys existing investment-grade credit ratings. The company plans to use its cash flows to pay down debt to continue to support its credit ratings and to strengthen its balance sheet.

The transaction, which has been approved by Tyson Foods board of directors, is expected to close in mid-fiscal 2019. It is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial adviser to Tyson Foods on the acquisition, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as its legal counsel.

A conference call will be held at 9 a.m. Eastern on Monday, Aug. 20. Participants may pre-register for the call at http://dpregister.com/10123208 . Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call has started. Those without internet access or who are unable to pre-register may dial in by calling toll free 1-844-890-1795, international toll 1-412-717-9589.

A live webcast will be available on the Tyson Foods Investor Relations website at http://ir.tyson.com . The webcast also can be accessed with the URL https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1812837/239811CF7649EF0868EC3463B2940FA5 .

A replay of the call will be available until Sept. 20 toll free at 1-877-344-7529, international toll 1-412-317-0088 or Canada toll free 855-669-9658. The replay access code is 10123208.





Keystone Foods Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation (In millions) (Unaudited) Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2018 Profit from continuing operations $ 119 (+) Parent company fees 5 (+) Non-recurring expenses 13 (+) Amortization of biological assets 21 (+) Depreciation and other amortization 43 (+) Finance expense 37 (+) Finance income (10 ) (+) Foreign currency and bank fees 3 (+) Tax expense 14 (+) Share of post-tax losses of equity-accounted associates and joint ventures 3 Adjusted EBITDA $ 248 Additional adjustments to Adjusted EBITDA: Less: Amortization of biological assets $ (21 ) Less: Non-controlling interest (16 ) Adjusted EBITDA excluding amortization of biological assets and non-controlling assets $ 211

Keystone Foods prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (collectively, IFRS). Keystone Foods provided Tyson Foods with this reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA, which was derived from Keystone Foods historical unaudited financial statements for the twelve months ended June 30, 2018. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure used by Keystone Foods. Keystone Foods defined Adjusted EBITDA as profit from continuing operations, as adjusted for parent company fees, non-recurring expenses, amortization of biological assets, depreciation of tangible fixed assets and amortization of finite lived intangibles, finance expense, finance income, foreign currency and bank fees, tax expense and share of post-tax losses of equity accounted associates and joint ventures. Additionally, Keystone Foods provided Tyson Foods with further adjustments to its Adjusted EBITDA to eliminate the add-back of amortization of biological assets as well as deduct the proportionate share of Adjusted EBITDA attributable to minority interest holders (i.e. non-controlling interest). In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (in accordance with which Tyson Foods prepares its consolidated financial statements), biological assets and the related expenses are not characterized as intangible assets or amortization expense. Additionally, several of Keystone Foods foreign consolidated subsidiaries are partially owned by minority interest holders. As a result, these adjustments have been eliminated in the above presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, and these adjustments are intended to provide investors with an understanding of the proportionate Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the interests being acquired by Tyson Foods.

Keystone Foods Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure defined under IFRS, should not be considered in isolation and should not be regarded as an alternative to profit/(loss) from continuing operations as a measure of operational performance or cash flows provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with IFRS.

Tyson Foods believes this presentation of Keystone Foods Adjusted EBITDA (as adjusted as described above) is useful and helps management, investors and rating agencies enhance their understanding of the expected impact of the Keystone Foods acquisition on Tyson Foods financial performance. However, Adjusted EBITDA does not have a standardized meaning, and different companies may use different Adjusted EBITDA definitions. Therefore, Keystone Foods definition of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to the definitions used by other companies.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is one of the worlds largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright,

Aidells, ibp and State Fair. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere its available and raise the worlds expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 122,000 team members at Sept. 30, 2017. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit www.tysonfoods.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the expected consummation of the acquisition, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the satisfaction of closing conditions for the acquisition (such as regulatory approval for the transaction); the possibility that some or all of the transaction will not be completed; the impact of general economic, industry, market or political conditions; risks related to the ultimate outcome and results of integrating the Keystone Foods operations; the ultimate ability to realize synergies; the effects of the business combination on Tyson Foods and the Keystone Foods operations, including on the combined companys future financial condition and performance, operating results, strategy and plans. These statements constitute 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. The words will, should, estimate, expect, intend, believe and other similar expressions (or the negative of such terms) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results and/or timing discussed in the forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication, and Tyson Foods does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.
Undercover police and Chinese government officials violently arrested Christian worshipers after raiding a church in Henan province amid an ongoing crackdown on religion in the Communist country.



ChinaAid, a Texas-based nonprofit group that documents Christian persecution in China, reports that the raid occured on Sunday morning at a church in Zhumadian, Henan.



"Some were undercover cops, and others wore a uniform," a worshiper who wasn't named recounted. "They snapped pictures while bursting in. Then, they cut off the service."



Several of the more than 20 Christians worshiping there were taken into custody, according to the report. In the process, officials pushed a woman to the ground and knocked a child off a chair. Additionally, some worshipers recalled how officials threatened their jobs, their security, and even their lives.



"They attempted to grab Sister Sang's iPad and cellphone without showing their IDs. Sister Sang said, 'This is my personal stuff.' They ignored her and continued to seize our stuff. Brother Qian witnessed this and took over the iPad and cellphone. Officers immediately targeted Brother Qian, and he was immediately under their control because he did not resist," another person who was at the church on Sunday said.



The arrested Christians were taken to the Xiyuan Police Station, where they asked Lu Guang, the associate director of the religious affairs bureau: "What crime did we commit? Why did you take away our friends?"



Sister Sang asked, "We are Chinese citizens and have freedom of religion. Why do you keep track of our personal information?"



The believers, who were held in custody for over three hours, were reportedly told that while they do have religious freedom, they must submit to the authority of the government and only meet at approved venues.



"Our jobs, lives, and even security are all affected severely," the Christians told China Aid.



In 2017, China passed tighter restrictions regarding religious gatherings, teachings, and buildings in efforts to reserve state power and prevent "Western infiltration."



At the time, Chinese President Xi Jinping said religions could operate only if they were "Chinese in orientation" and that Beijing "must provide active guidance to religions so that they can adapt themselves to socialist society"



While underground churches have been heavily targeted for years, fully registered churches have been targeted as well, with officials taking down rooftop crosses and arresting believers. Officials have also banned children from attending church services and prevented online retailers from selling the Bible.



Despite such persecution, Christianity continues to see rapid growth in the country. Fenggang Yang, a China expert at Purdue University, predicts that the communist nation could have as many as 160 million Christians by 2025 and 247 million by 2032.


The marine environment is critical to Grenadas economy and closely linked to the islands income generating tourism sector. Grenadas tri-island ocean state is not just a hub of maritime activity, but also home to unique marine biodiversity
Apartment prices in Seoul are starting to rebound a year after the government announced tough measures to crack down on real estate speculation.

According to property information service Real Estate 114 on Sunday, Seoul apartment prices rose 0.15 percent last week, the steepest growth in four months. Prices have been on the rise for the last two months after flattening when the anti-speculation measures came into force.

They have been rising evenly throughout the city rather than soaring only in flush Gangnam as usual. Apartment sales have picked up apace, up 17 percent.

Kwon Dae-jung at the Korea Real Estate Society said, "The government's measures aimed at cracking down on real estate speculation have paradoxically prompted apartment prices to surge a year later."

The pattern of failure resembles the unintended consequences of the minimum wage hike. Critics say the government's crackdown on real estate speculation ignored the supply-and-demand principles of the market.


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.
Monday morning, Miami-Dade Countys 389 public schools will open their doors to welcome about 350,000 students for the first day of the new school year.And at each school, a sworn police officer will be there to greet them.School district officials spent the summer hiring officers and working with 34 municipalities to iron out agreements to staff officers in schools, required under a new state law to staff a safe school officer at every school. Some agreements were signed as recently as the end of last week.I hope with this announcement today we can put parents minds at ease, said schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Friday before signing a $20 million agreement with the county to staff officers at schools in unincorporated Miami-Dade. Shifting now the focus from safety and security concerns to school supplies, crisp uniforms, crayons and the teachings of respect, responsibility and good behavior on the first day.Most middle and high schools already had a school resource officer, but the countys 260 elementary and kindergarten through eighth grade schools will now have an officer there from drop-off to pick-up, Carvalho promised.As of Sunday, six municipalities with about 15 schools in total have not signed agreements with the school district to staff their own officers in schools, although some have tentative agreements on the docket to approve. They are South Miami, Cutler Bay, Miami Springs, Miami Shores, Florida City and Homestead.
The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to propose a rule that would deter legal immigrants from using government services. The rule, according to leaked drafts of it, would make it harder for legal immigrants to become citizens or get green cards if they have ever used a wide range of public welfare, including Medicaid, food stamps, the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and subsidies to buy health insurance.There are already scattered reports of immigrants, afraid of jeopardizing their shot at permanent residency, choosing not to use health benefits for which they -- or their children -- qualify. If a significant number of legal immigrants forgo health insurance, that could have negative ripple effects on so-called Obamacare premiums and on the health-care system as a whole."If theres a real reduction in enrollment, then in those geographic areas with a higher immigrant population, it could really impact the marketplace," says Dania Palanker, associate research professor of health policy at Georgetown University.The marketplace has struggled to attract younger, healthier populations, which has contributed to rising premiums. If more legal immigrants go uninsured, they could exacerbate that issue."We do know that Hispanic people tend to use less medical care, so to the extend that were pulling heathlier people out of the pool -- or at least people who are less likely to use a lot of care -- it hurts the market that remains. But how much of an impact it will have on premiums is hard to say because we just dont have the data," says Linda Blumberg, a health policy fellow at the Urban Insititute.People are asked about their immigration status when they enroll in health plans, but those numbers are not made public. According to a report released this month by the19 percent of non-citizen adults use Medicaid, and 38 percent of their children are either on Medicaid or CHIP. If those populations are discouraged from enrolling, the study estimates that up to 1 million people would suddenly become uninsured."If theres more uninsured people, that not only effects them, but it impacts the financing of medical care," says Blumberg. "If things get desperate and you show up at an emergency room, that puts pressure on providers with increases in uncompensated care -- and that in turn puts pressure on state and local government budgets."Health care is already one of the government's biggest spending areas, reaching more than $4 trillion in 2016 , averaging out to $10,348 per person, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.While it's unlikely that the rule would be finalized in time for this falls open enrollment period, experts say that the Trump administrations harsh immigration policies are already having an impact on health care in communities across the country.Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, says shes been hearing anecdotal evidence of immigrants -- even those with cancer -- dropping their insurance for fear of getting deported. The Center for Law and Social Policy conducted a report last year, finding that since President Trump took the White House, there has been an uptick in missed doctor's appointments among immigrants."Our biggest concern is that kids are going to go hungry and theyre going to be losing access to basic health care," Wendy Cervantes, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Law and Social Policy, told Governing when news of the rule was leaked earlier this year.The Trump administration is expected to release the rule this month or next, opening it up to a public comment period that would likely be met with resistance from immigration, health care and social services advocates. Even if the rule isn't enacted, experts say it has instilled fear in many communities -- and that could be enough to rattle the health-care system."The direct effect will depend on how large of a population thats impacted," says Blumberg. "But the chilling effects could make those impacts even larger."
Pennsylvanias Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, has about 1.2 million residents, nearly 400,000 fewer than it had in 1970. Pittsburgh itself has enjoyed a recent resurgence in its reputation and economy, but the larger county region still has many relics of a more crowded municipal past. Towns such as Duquesne, Clairton, McKeesport and Wilkinsburg have all seen big drops in their population, which make it hard to afford all the government they still have in place. Some smaller jurisdictions are approaching the vanishing point. In Allegheny County as a whole, 40 of the 130 municipalities have fewer than 2,000 residents.That raises a troubling question for county officials in the Keystone State: What happens if and when a municipality decides it no longer has the means to support itself and wants to disband? Municipalities in Pennsylvania are allowed to merge with each other, but thats often impractical. Towns and cities that are struggling to hang on dont want to assume the debt or budget problems of a community thats in worse shape than they are. Thats one reason there have been only five municipal mergers in the whole state since 2000.Thirty-eight states allow for towns to disincorporate, but the only option for Pennsylvania cities to do so is to enter the states Act 47 program for financially distressed municipalities. Disincorporation is seen as a last resort in that process, and its one that can take years of bureaucratic maneuvering.So Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny Countys executive, is trying to convince state lawmakers to allow municipalities to disband on their own, bypassing Act 47, and accept some form of county supervision. Right now, the proposal is limited to places in Allegheny County with 10,000 or fewer residents.Fitzgerald stresses that the process would be entirely voluntary. This is not a takeover or a power grab, he told a legislative committee. A group of disgruntled citizens cannot make a community go away. He thinks a town that opts to disincorporate could still take advantage of a countys strong economic climate, while maintaining its cultural identity and, perhaps, providing better public services at a lower cost.So far, those assurances havent been enough to assuage the Pennsylvania Municipal League, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, which all oppose the legislation. These are all politically entrenched organizations; Pennsylvania has more units of local government than any state except Illinois and Texas.Municipal disincorporation is a very radical and uncharted response to the municipal fiscal stress we are witnessing in Pennsylvania, says Amy Sturges, a lobbyist for the municipal league and township commissioners. Our county governments, aside from Philadelphia, are not providing the array of typical municipal services. Rather than dismantling our local government structure, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania should invest in its local governments with a comprehensive approach and a policy objective of preventing municipal fiscal distress.Allegheny County, meanwhile, is in a financial position for the first time in recent memory to actually help its fiscally distressed local municipalities. Its already assumed police duties for one of its local jurisdictions. If sharing services isnt enough and municipal consolidation doesnt seem feasible, letting some of the countys small towns dissolve might turn out to be an idea worth considering.
A state appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked Austin's ordinance that would require private employers to provide paid sick leave.A coalition of businesses has challenged the law, which was passed in February. The coalition sought a temporary injunction, and a state district judge denied that request in June. Friday's ruling is a result of the group's appeal.The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals made no assessment of the merits of the law in its Friday ruling."The ordinance is enjoined from taking effect while the appeal is pending," the ruling says.The ordinance was set to take effect Oct. 1. Austin was the first city in Texas to regulate sick leave; San Antonio became the second one on Thursday.Under the ordinance, workers would earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, for up to 64 hours, or eight sick days, of paid leave a year. Small businesses with 15 or fewer employees have a lower cap of up to 48 hours, or six sick days, of paid leave a year.Business groups, including the Texas Association of Business, the National Federation of Independent Business and the American Staffing Association, are among the lead plaintiffs that challenged the ordinance. The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing legal help to them.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also joined the lawsuit. Paxton and the business groups have argued that Austin's sick leave ordinance violates the Texas Minimum Wage Act, which prohibits cities from requiring employers to pay minimum wages above federal standards."Leave policies are best negotiated between employer and employee without the imposition of a one-size-fits-all mandate from the city that may not be in either party's best interests," said Robert Henneke, general counsel for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.Austin's legal team has filed paperwork stating that paid sick leave is not a wage and should not be subject to the Texas Minimum Wage Act.Henneke said Friday's order ensures the legality of the ordinance will be addressed before businesses are forced to comply."Without this stay, Austin business owners would be forced to incur significant costs implementing the requirements of the ordinance while its legality was in serious doubt," he said.Austin City Council Member Greg Casar, the ordinance's sponsor, said the city could potentially prevail in court in September, and "working people in Austin could still earn the sick days they deserve starting in October.""Paid sick days policies are common sense solutions to protect the health and safety of people in our communities -- that's why our law passed in Austin and now in San Antonio this week," Casar said. "Ken Paxton keeps pushing the same ridiculous lie that guaranteeing paid sick days for all is the same thing as raising the minimum wage."
San Antonio joined Austin Thursday to become the second city in Texas to require private employers to provide paid sick leave.The city council there chose to adopt a paid sick leave ordinance outright after more than 144,000 signatures were gathered to force an election on requiring employers to provide all employees paid sick leave, according to the San Antonio Express-News and a news release from the advocacy group Working Texans for Paid Sick Time.The San Antonio ordinance mirrors Austin's paid sick leave rules, which the Austin City Council approved on Feb. 16. Like Austin, employers more than 15 workers must provide at most eight days of paid sick leave a year for full-time employees. Small businesses with 15 or fewer employees will be capped at providing six paid sick days.Dallas has also flirted with a paid sick leave ordinance, but organizers there fell short of gathering enough signatures to force a vote, according to the Dallas Morning News. That effort appears stalled.Austin's paid sick leave ordinance takes effect on Oct. 1.Business groups represented by the Texas Public Policy Foundation and Attorney General Ken Paxton have sought to undo Austin's paid sick leave ordinance in the courtroom. Their efforts have been unsuccessful so far.State lawmakers are also taking aim at Austin paid sick leave ordinance. While the conservative body has long made it a habit of undoing Austin's progressive policies, San Antonio's new ordinance means that legislators next year will face to fronts if they follow through on threats to preempt paid sick leave mandates.
An internet security firm says a cyberattack from a Chinese university probed computer networks of Alaska state departments and businesses during Gov. Bill Walker's trade mission to China, an apparent attempt to "ascertain vulnerabilities and gain illegitimate access."The firm, Recorded Future, published a report Thursday that said the attack originated from computer infrastructure at Tsinghua University. It named the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and other state departments among the targeted networks.The report says Alaska is not alone as the target of "cyberespionage" from Tsinghua infrastructure, called an elite Chinese university by Recorded Future.But the probing came as Alaska seeks investment from major Chinese-owned companies, including oil company Sinopec, for the $43 billion Alaska LNG project that would export North Slope natural gas in part by pipeline, according to Recorded Future, an internet technology company based in Massachusetts.Recorded Future suggests the effort was an attempt to give China an upper hand in negotiations with the state. An important part of the trip involved the prospect of a gas pipeline partnership between Alaska and China, Recorded Future says.Austin Baird, a spokesman for the governor, said Alaska and most state governments routinely have "anonymous activity on the perimeter of our networks that amounts to someone checking if the door is locked."Baird said that's the sort of activity described by Recorded Future, and there is no evidence state networks were breached."It is not unique, nor would we draw conclusions about its timing or source," Baird said. "There is no way to tell if the activity is related to the recent trade mission to China, and a review by the Office of Information Technology has found no evidence that state networks were hacked in this instance."The report says the scanning activity against Alaska networks was first observed in late March, a few weeks after Gov. Walker announced a trade delegation to China dubbed Opportunity Alaska."The activity picked up for a few days prior to the delegation arriving on May 20, 2018, and dropped off as the delegation arrived. Probing of the Alaskan networks remained at low levels until May 28 as the delegation concluded its activities, then ramped up considerably as delegates left China," the report says."The spike in scanning activity at the conclusion of trade discussions on related topics indicates that the activity was likely an attempt to gain insight into the Alaskan perspective on the trip and strategic advantage in the post-visit negotiations," the report says.The cybersecurity firm said the "reconnaissance activity" targeted organizations involved in industries "at the heart of the trade discussions, such as oil and gas."The Department of Natural Resources is involved in the Alaska LNG project and helps oversee the state's oil and gas industry.The state gasline agency, Alaska Gasline Development Corp., can enter into contracts related to the proposed pipeline and gas processing facilities in consultation with DNR and the Department of Revenue.In addition to naming DNR, the report named "state of Alaska government" networks as the target of the probing.AGDC was not specifically named in the report."AGDC is not aware of any cybersecurity breaches," said Jesse Carlstrom, a spokesman for the gasline agency.AGDC employs top-end cybersecurity measures and is taking steps to boost those further, the agency said.The agency is "in regular contact with the FBI to ensure AGDC cybersecurity is as tight as possible while still allowing for business negotiations to continue efficiently and effectively," Carlstrom said.The agency has said it wants to secure binding agreements with Sinopec, Bank of China and China Investment Corp. before year's end, to help move the project toward construction.Carlstrom said the report of probing from the university's hardware does not alter AGDC's view of its Chinese partners. The agency will continue "working collaboratively" with the companies to develop Alaska LNG, he said.The networks of telecommunications companies in Alaska were among the organizations probed, the report says. It specifically names Alaska Communications Systems Group and smaller telecommunications companies, Alaska Power & Telephone Co. and TelAlaska.Heather Cavanaugh, a spokeswoman with ACS, said the company limits what it says about its cybersecurity operations, to avoid tipping off potential hackers.Cavanaugh declined to say whether Chinese hackers gained access to ACS's network. The company operates a fiber optic line on the North Slope, providing internet services supporting the region's oil industry.Cavanaugh emailed this statement:"Alaska Communications is serious about cybersecurity. We maintain advanced technical and procedural capabilities to protect both our customers and company. We do not, however, respond with information that could be used by malicious actors to gauge the efficacy of reconnaissance and exploitation attempts."Reuters reported the story early Thursday.
Description

GIS  20 August, 2018: Cyber Tower 1, in Ebene Cybercity, will be henceforth named as the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Tower as a tribute to the name and legacy of former Indian Prime Minister, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee,who passed away on 16 August 2018.

The Prime Minister , Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made this announcement on Saturday 18 August 2018 during the opening ceremony of the 11th World Hindi Conference (WHC) Vishwa Hindi Sammelan 2018at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre, in Pailles.

Several personalities were in attendance including the Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, the Governor of West Bengal, Republic of India, Shri KeshariNaathTripaathi, and the Governor of Goa, Shrimati Mridula Sinha. The WHC is being held over three days and is addressing the theme: Hindi VishwaAurBhaaratiyaSanskriti.

In his address, Prime Minister Jugnauth paid homage to Shri Vajpayee and recalled that Mauritius was fortunate to have had the late Indian Prime Minister as a friend who took Indo-Mauritian relations to new heights. These strong ties have significantly contributed to shaping the economic and cultural landscape of Mauritius, he emphasised.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that it was under late Shri Vajpayees then Prime Ministership that several projects took shape in Mauritius, namely: setting up of the first Cybercity; initiating negotiations of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement; and construction of the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre, the Rabindranath Tagore Institute and the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture.

Speaking about the WHC, Prime Minister Jugnauth observed that Mauritius is privileged to host such a unique platform gathering eminent academics and Hindi scholars and lovers from across all countries of the Indian Diaspora. The conference, he pointed out, is an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to further develop Hindi and expand its global reach. The main theme of the Conference, he said, must be subject for reflections that will chart the way forward for an effective use of Hindi in preserving and transmitting the great Indian culture.

According to him, this event should also allow the Indian diaspora to showcase its linguistically-defined identity as well as its sense of belonging to the language while at the same time serve as brainstorming process to formulate policy orientations to further the cause of Hindi.

In Mauritius, Prime Minister Jugnauth stated, Indian languages, especially Hindi, have been a strong and powerful connector with Indian culture, literature and values. He dwelt on the sustained efforts that have been adopted over the decades in Mauritius to give Hindi its rightful place which initially started with the teaching of Hindi in the baithka system where values, Indian culture along with folk culture and Hindi were disseminated in one single place and ultimately the setting up of the World Hindi Secretariat which is now adding to the momentum of the promotion of Hindi as an International Language.

The Prime Minister reiterated his unflinching support in promoting and preserving the Hindi language and culture as well as the various movements which are contributing to the evolution of this language and helping people of Indian descent to connect with their cultural heritage.

For her part, the Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, stressed that Hindi must be integrated into the multicultural dimension and recognised on the international scene. She made an appeal for the promotion of the Hindi language in the world and its accession as an official language at the United Nations. Minister Swaraj expressed her determination that the 11th WHC will come up with strategies to support the plea for the adoption of the Hindi language as an official language at the United Nations.

The Indian Ministeralso spoke on the intent of India to provide support to underprivileged countries of the Indian Disapora whereby she called for amendments regarding certain clauses of the United Nations as well as the support of other countries. India is ready to disburse some Rs 40 billion in this endeavor, she said, and highlighted that the Hindi language must be revived with the necessary ways and means that need to be devised to maintain and preserve it.

A working session between Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, and Prime MinisterJugnauthwas also held on Sunday 19 August 2018 at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, in Port Louis. Various issues were discussed among which the ongoing negotiations of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement between Mauritius and India. India has also reiterated its support regarding Mauritius sovereignty claim over the Chagos Archipelago which will be debated at the International Court of Justice on 3rd September 2018.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Pyongyang on Sept. 9 to attend celebrations of the 70th anniversary of North Korea, Singaporean media reported Saturday. North Korea and China have yet to issue an official announcement, but North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has already visited China three times this year and invited Xi to pay a reciprocal visit. If Xi does travel to North Korea, it would be the first visit by a Chinese leader in 13 years.

Kim has turned to Xi every time his regime faced a major obstacle. He went to China in March ahead of the inter-Korean summit and again in May just before he met with U.S. President Donald Trump. During his third visit to China, Kim won a pledge from Xi of "invariable support" regardless of changes in international political circumstances. Each time Kim visited China, Beijing relaxed sanctions against North Korea further and gave him more room to breathe. Ahead of the anniversary celebrations, Pyongyang has been demanding a declaration formally ending the Korean War as well as an end to international sanctions.

China is probably also turning a blind eye to smuggling across its border with North Korea and has resumed package tours to the North that bring in much-needed valuta. Reports also say that Chinese power plants are lighting up Pyongyang at night, North Korean restaurants in China are reopening and an estimated 215 companies are jointly run by Chinese and North Koreans.

China seems to be more interested in keeping U.S. influence in Northeast Asia in check and dealing with a full-blown trade war with Washington than in North Korea's denuclearization. Kim is using this to his fullest advantage, flaunting international calls to denuclearize and talking big in negotiations with the U.S., because China is watching his back.

U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that China is hindering denuclearization efforts. The North's nuclear weapons program is at the root of the crisis in Northeast Asia, and it cannot be in China's interest to drag out the crisis indefinitely.

If North Korea ends up becoming a nuclear state, South Korea, Japan and even Taiwan will work out their own response in order to survive, and that is surely not what Beijing wants. The U.S. State Department said it hopes China will use its "leverage" to persuade North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons. China would be well advised to do so if it wants to ensure peace in Northeast Asia.


Description

GIS 20 August, 2018: The Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare would organise the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Ministerial Conference on Womens Economic Empowerment: A pre-requisite for Sustainable Development, on 28 and 29 August 2018.

The objectives of the Conference are to launch the Working Group on Womens Economic Empowerment as set out in the IORA Action Plan for 2017-2021; and bring together IORA Ministers in-charge of the portfolio of Gender/Womens Affairs on a common platform to discuss the pertinence of mainstreaming gender in priority areas identified by IORA and define key strategies that would promote greater cooperation and prosperity;

It also aims to identify and formulate gender-responsive initiatives and strategies to be implemented by the Working Group on Womens Economic Empowerment in a bid to address gender gaps in the IORA priority intervention areas and the Blue Economy; and foster information and knowledge sharing on policies, programmes, initiatives and best practices that promote economic empowerment of women.

The Conference would also lead to the finalisation and adoption of the Work Plan of the Working Group on Womens Economic Empowerment.
(TNS)  Drive through Meyerland, the established Houston neighborhood of well-kept ranch homes on inviting lots, and youd be forgiven for thinking business has been good for Dan Bawden since Hurricane Harvey swept through town a year ago.Construction vans like his line the calm residential streets not far from the Brays Bayou. Workers painted one house while chain link fenced off a home not far away that was still just wood frame.But Bawden, a longtime Houstonian and owner of a general contracting firm specializing in remodel jobs that keep older residents in their homes, said the storm has been the opposite of the financial boon people seemed to expect.Its surprisingly brought up more problems than it brought advantages and profit, he said recently on a short tour of the community he also calls home. We helped a lot of people  as many as we could of our existing clients  but we looked at that later and realized we really didnt make much money on those jobs.The main reason, experts say, isnt new: A punishing construction labor shortage that has plagued builders in fast-growing Texas for years and has sent industry leaders scrambling for fixes, including pleading for immigration reform to quickly replenish an aging workforce.Thanks to Harvey, observers said, builders across the state are feeling an even tighter squeeze. And post-storm Houston has become a kind of case study on the effects of a construction labor shortage in its most extreme form.After Hurricane Harvey hit, a lot of our builders and remodelers were contacted by customers and had to turn away work, said Casey Morgan, CEO of the Greater Houston Builders Association. The storm just exacerbated the problem we were already experiencing.Experts predicted that Texas would feel the kind of economic mini-boom that follows major catastrophes  rebuilding requires spending lots of money, after all  buoyed by the states steady momentum in recent years.They said the Houston metro area in particular would be able to bounce back.And in many respects, it has. Job growth is humming with the help of a turnaround in the energy industry. The regions suburbs have continued to sprawl.But for the people actually doing the time-consuming, physical work of rebuilding thousands of homes hit by the storm, that consistent demand for new houses has only compounded the problem.The other part of the labor shortage is that Houstons housing market is still going pretty strong in general, said James Gaines, chief economist with the Texas A&M Universitys Real Estate Center. Its going to prolong the recovery process and probably make it more expensive.In Dallas-Fort Worth, which added the most new residents of any metro area last year, builders say things are getting worse, not better  despite efforts to raise awareness of the issue with legislators and to show school kids that they can hammer out solid livings building houses.We did a study in March 2017, before the storm and we were about 20,000 construction workers short in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, said Phil Crone, executive officer of the Dallas Builders Association. We redid the same study in the spring of 2018 and the number nearly knocked me off my feet.The region, the association found, was 38,500 workers short.Crone estimated that even in North Texas, the labor shortage is to blame for an average of about two months delay in building a new home and $6,000 in extra costs. Thats up from about $4,000 just before the storm.As a result, the regions housing affordability has been taking a hit. Gaines Real Estate Center has previously estimated that for every $1,000 added to the cost of a house, tens of thousands of families are priced out, and that number gets higher for families looking for less-expensive housing.Still, experts say the Harvey-driven shortage has been most transformative  and not in a good way  for Houstons construction ecosystem.Bawden, who started his firm Legal Eagle Contractors more than three decades ago, laid out the wide-ranging ripple effects.For one thing, just scheduling and prioritizing jobs becomes a hassle when your usual subcontractors are juggling magnitudes more demand than usual. Immediately after the storm, he said, his team of eight employees was fielding 50 calls a day.We had to figure out right away how to triage this, he said. We prioritized our customers first who were older or have medical issues that needed kind of emergency assistance. The second level was people who we were currently working for and then they flooded.Many contractors, he said, have taken to simply turning down any jobs that dont meet a certain cost threshold  a practice that hurts lower income homeowners or residents whose houses didnt sustain significant damage.But that's just the beginning of the process for builders.Once Bawden takes on a job and manages to cobble together a sufficient roster of subcontractors  who already must be paid more as a result of the demand, increasing the project's overall cost  theres a risk that some of them might not know what theyre doing.Experts said that an influx of less-than-qualified workers looking to capitalize on residents desperation often comes on the heels of a natural disaster. When they head into a market already short on labor, the risk and reward are amplified.Bawden said that when he has to make do with bad workers, he eats the cost of redoing tasks that already can take months, because he cant pass the expense on to clients.Over the past year, he estimated hes paid $77,000 to redo work, from crooked framing to bad tiling. He hopes to hit $3 million in total annual revenue this year.Then, when jobs take longer, side costs also go up.He was proud to show off a work site where his company, Legal Eagle Contractors, was heading the remodel of a sweet yellow shiplap house near the West University neighborhood.Last summer, Hope Lum and her family had been planning to refresh the ground floor bathroom and kitchen of the sturdy home built in 1938. Then Harvey hit.We were like, weve got to get our name on the list, she said on a recent afternoon. I felt guilty just two or three days after Harvey filling out forms online.But the house has survived two major hurricanes since the Lums bought the house about 13 years ago  something that gives Lum peace. And she and her husband plan to raise their children there.In any case, the project was delayed by six months.Rather than move out for the shorter time the project mightve taken in a different labor environment, the family has been living on the upper floor of the house while the remodel takes place downstairs.As their mother talked, the kids bolted through the unfinished living room on a strip of carpet leading from the stairs to the kitchen. They squeezed through a zippered opening in a plastic sheet separating the spaces to sit at the table.All those extra safety accommodations, Bawden said, add costs to the job.Finally, he said that much of the money flowing into the building market now is coming from insurance  but those payouts typically dont fully cover remodeling work and theyre often slow. That means that hes also had to spend extra uncompensated hours negotiating with insurance adjusters and more carefully detailing his work.Gaines, the TAMU economist, said that beyond the labor shortage, Houstons residential real estate market is facing a tough road because the Harvey-borne flooding proved to be so unpredictable.One of the things thats starting to register in the marketplace is that the flooding was spotty, he said. Sections were hit very hard and sections right across the street got nothing.Which means that its hard to limit market effects to just certain neighborhoods. Million-dollar homes and lower income apartments alike were devastated by Harvey.For each family, there are difficult questions about whether to sell, build a house from scratch or take on expensive renovations. Lifting a house by essentially pushing it up with layers of concrete costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, not including the thousands of dollars in repairs to the house itself.And if selling is the best option, its hard to convince buyers that a house will be safe in the next big flood. Realtors have taken to advertising, Never Flooded, on for sale signs, but Gaines said anecdotally hes heard that just helps generate interest  it doesnt command a premium.Back in Meyerland, Bawden pointed out houses whose new tall concrete foundations had been tastefully incorporated into the homes overall designs  longtime family homes that, he hopes, will be safe above the water next time the bayou overflows.But he also noted that many residents, particularly older ones, have become exhausted by the long timelines and eye-popping price tags for repairs, renovations or complete rebuilds.A lot of people havent even made the decision yet, Bawden said. Theyve gotten used to living somewhere else and they dont want to think about it anymore.2018 The Dallas Morning NewsVisit The Dallas Morning News at www.dallasnews.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - Trustees in Byron Township have decided to bring in an independent consultant who will analyze police, fire and EMS services in an effort to shape the township's approach to public safety over the next 10 years.With a 5-2 decision at a meeting held Aug. 13, the Township Board tapped McGrath Consulting Group, a firm out of Wonder Lake, Illinois, to perform that independent analysis, a process that will take place over a five-month period. The contract is worth $45,000.Public Safety Director Todd Szakacs, who was charged with looking into potential consultants, recommended McGrath for the job based partly on the firm's familiarity with other West Michigan municipalities."They're currently doing a compensation study for Kent County," Szakacs said. "They've worked with the Village of Sparta, Coopersville, Allendale Township, Benton Township and the city of Walker.According to McGrath's proposal, the firm will carry out its analysis in an interactive way where consultants will be speaking with township officials and community stakeholders to help develop a plan with specific recommendations for police, fire and EMS services.The analytical approach includes reviewing contracts, staffing arrangements, ownership issues as they relate to fire department buildings and facilities; gathering data on best practices and potential department restructuring outcomes; and preparing an implementation plan that will wrap everything together and attempt to achieve the desired end result through a series of logical phase-in steps.While a couple trustees balked at the $45,000 price tag that McGrath's services come with -- Szakacs had initially estimated that an independent consultant might run the township something like $15,000 -- a majority of the board felt hiring a consultant was a step in the right direction."I've been trying to get some sort of vision consultant to look at where we are going for public safety for quite a while," Trustee Tim Slot said. "I think this is a great step in the right direction, especially since we've got all this growth."I think this is where we are going to have to focus our efforts in the future as we grow and as we try to get a handle on where the township is going and what we value most as far as our public safety."Township Treasurer Carol Houseman and Trustee Bill DeBoer were inclined to agree with Slot."I think this is long overdue, and compared to our entire budget and what we spend, it's well worth $45,000," DeBoer said. "You're looking at how you interface all three of these services - police, fire and emergency management services."So you're looking at coverage, you're looking at maybe there's police that could respond to certain emergencies that maybe fire or ambulance is responding to right now," he said. "I think it's well worth taking a look at all three services."While he liked the idea of a consultant looking at fire and EMS services within the township, Supervisor Tom Hooker, who ultimately voted no on the proposal along with Trustee Louise Evans, said he did not see how the township would benefit from an analysis of police services.Byron contracts with the Kent County Sheriff's Department for police services and doesn't have much control over how patrol cars or any other matters are handled, he argued, other than to increase or decrease the level of service the township receives.Half of the cost of the analysis McGrath will perform will be dedicated to looking at police services, the firm's proposal shows, while the rest of the funds will be dedicated to looking at fire and EMS combined."When we're contracting with the county sheriff's department and we don't have control over how they function, other than to pay them for that service, I would think that looking at fire and EMS is a smarter way to go and not spend the extra $23,000 for the sheriff evaluation when really the only two choices we have are the precinct plan ... and hiring an additional deputy," Hooker said."I really question what benefit we would get from going to an evaluation for $20,000-some dollars of the sheriff's deputies that are already governed by Kent County."With the possibility of forming a police precinct to share KCSD services with Gaines Township still on the table and tensions over the joint management of the Cutlerville Fire Department, however, a majority of trustees felt that looking at all three emergency services would be worthwhile.2018 The Grand Rapids Press, Mich.Visit The Grand Rapids Press, Mich. at www.mlive.com/grpressDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - As communities wrangle with flooding across Schuylkill County, Pa.,some ask why dredging waterways is not considered a solution to long-term flood abatement.The state Department of Environmental Protection and some environmental leaders say other techniques are preferred.DEP defines dredging as the removal of sand, gravel, mud or other materials from the beds of regulated waters of this Commonwealth, in accordance with Chapter 105 of the PA Code.The DEP permits projects that involve dredging for stream restoration, emergency stream stabilization  like flooding  and beneficial use of dredged material, said Colleen Connolly, DEP community relations coordinator for the Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. Each scenario is project specific and viewed on a case-by-case basis, she said.Historically, theres been an evolution on the response, according to one local contractor. When Hurricane Agnes flooding damaged the area in 1972, Ron Aungst was in Swatara Creek in Pine Grove with his excavating equipment.At that time, we went in the stream. Times were different. We were told we could go into the creek. We pushed the silt out on top of the banks and didnt haul it away, Aungst, current president of Arthur Pat Aungst Inc., Pine Grove, said.Crews dredged from Ravine to Route 645, within the borough and Pine Grove Township, he said.That was the practice back then, he said. The stream looked wider than it does today. The stream bed was deeper, and it was quite an open channel when we were finished.Work a few years later included adding riprap (larger rocks) along the embankments in a coordinated effort with the Schuylkill Conservation District, Aungst said.Since then, the company has worked on Swatara Creek four or five times, he said, at the direction of the DEP and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The last time was following the 2011 Tropical Storm Lee flooding.More recently, excavating crews were able to remove sand bars in waterways within 6 inches of the height of the water level, Aungst said.Aungsts company has been involved in dredging in other areas of the county. They conducted dredging in Port Carbon but werent involved with a bridge collapsed there, which happened after another company came in, Aungst said. Theyve also completed dredging in Pine Grove Township to the Lebanon County line, and dredged in Shenandoah in 1975 and 1976. Other water control projects theyve conducted were installing riprap in the Pitman Valley with the county conservation district and creating a flood plain in Schuylkill Haven.Dredging was conducted many years ago (Agnes 1972). This was before our current regulations were in place. The method was to put a bulldozer into the river or stream channel and push the material to the sides of the streams. This method is not recommended and potentially very dangerous to many landowners up and downstream, William Reichert, Upper Swatara flood recovery manager, Schuylkill Conservation District, said.Connolly said shes unaware of any change in opinion on DEPs part about using dredging to solve repeated flooding events, and she knows of no changes to DEP permits in regard to the method. However, she said there has been a common misconception that dredging a channel or stream deeper and wider than it was prior to the last flooding event will create even more capacity for water to flow during storm or flooding events.Poorly devised, randomly executed or under-engineered dredging, deepening or widening of streams has proven to be ineffective in preventing subsequent flooding, she said. All streams transport sediment during storm events and under-engineered dredging, deepening or widening of streams reduces the streams capacity to effectively transport normal sediment loads. This leads to rapid sediment deposition in the channel, as well as instability, increased stream bank erosion and damage to aquatic environments, Connolly said.Dredging, and possibly creating a levee system, have been among the brainstorming ideas mulled at Pine Grove Borough Council meetings. Both Pine Grove and Tremont have inquired about dredging in the past, according to Connolly.However, DEP has not received any project proposal or permit application from those boroughs, she said.Tom Fickinger, Pine Grove Borough Council vice president and a member of the boroughs Flood Mitigation Committee, said that the borough would be receiving an emergency permit from DEP to clear away parts of the Swatara Creek where drainage pipes have become blocked with mud and silt. The council on Aug. 1 approved Aungst to do the pipe-clearing work at a cost not to exceed $50,000. Fickinger said the effort may also be used as a future training mission for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard from Fort Indiantown Gap.The borough has indicated dredging may be necessary to open stormwater drainage pipes, Reichert said. That may be true, I do not know enough about their stormwater system to address that issue. It does appear that there was a problem with water backing up in the stormwater pipes. Tom Fickinger suggests most of the damage was a result of that issue. Continued maintenance of stormwater pipes is always a problem and concern of communities.I have not changed my opinion of dredging to reduce flooding, Reichert said. Dredging does not prevent future flooding issues and can be detrimental to upstream and downstream landowners. Dredging of a stream or waterway should not be undertaken lightly. A plan would need to be developed looking at many factors. Considering the amount of dredging necessary to achieve even minimal lowering of potential flood events makes it impractical since sediment continues to come downstream and will settle out where you remove material requiring constant maintenance.Dredging is routinely used in navigation channels and around ports in places like Philadelphia and New York, according to Reichert. Dredging can also be useful to remove sandbars and for debris removal around bridges and culverts, he said.The Northeast Regional Office here in Wilkes-Barre is not aware of any large-scale dredging projects that have been completed. Most dredging projects in this region that were authorized by DEP have been gravel bar removal and stream maintenance at bridges and culverts, Connolly said.There are improved methods for flood control, Reichert said.We advocate for wetland restoration/enhancement and streambank stabilization and buffer zones to reduce sedimentation. Finding better ways to handle stormwater run-off is something all communities can and should be doing. I have seen some literature that states for every $1 spent on pre-mitigation, $6 in post-mitigation will be saved, Reichert said.In June, it was announced that Pine Grove would receive a $3 million grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development and $2.9 million from DEP for flood mitigation efforts and floodplain restoration development. The county plans to use $4.5 million  $3 million of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery money and $1.5 million in Growing Greener cash  to clear debris from the Swatara Creek and provide a place for excess water to go, County Administrator Gary R. Bender said.FloodwallsThe possibility of building floodwalls within Pine Grove was evaluated along with six scenarios on how best to try to reduce flooding there, according to Reichert.Floodwalls were not only very expensive, requiring a lot of cooperation from landowners allowing for building of the structure (i.e. giving up land for the wall), and the structures would have created more problems for landowners upstream and downstream. By permit  any material that would be dredged out of the creek would need to be removed from the floodplain and not only could not be used for floodwalls, it would be unstable material and thereby unsuitable. Remember, it is sediment that eroded and ended up in the stream and will erode again, Reichert said.Engineering studies would be required to determine the feasibility of building a dike or levee system, according to Connolly. Dikes or levees are generally engineered structures. Therefore, it is unlikely that dredged material would be suitable for use in their construction, she said.Contact the writer: ; 570-628-60072018 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.)Visit the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.) at republicanherald.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  Gainesville, Fla., officials won't be rolling out its first self-driving shuttle next week as originally planned.The city announced Friday that the launch was again delayed, pending several waivers from a government agency.City officials in December said it would be launching at least one of four autonomous shuttles to the public in April, but additional testing delayed the launch. Those plans were pushed to Aug. 20.Assistant City Manager Dan Hoffman said the holdup is due to waivers needed from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet federal standards.The city plans to launch the free shuttle service about 45 days after receiving the waivers, though there is no timeframe for when those waivers will come."We can't launch these vehicles until we have the appropriate waiver from NHTSA," he said.The city is also waiting to receive three of its other autonomous shuttles, which are coming from France.In December, the city leaders approved City Manager Anthony Lyons to contract with Transdev Services for up to $2.7 million, which will be funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. The funds would pay for a three-year pilot program for a self-driving Regional Transit System shuttle.The shuttle will transport up to 12 people for free through downtown Gainesville at an average speed of about 15 mph. It is fully equipped with safety features, monitors and phone chargers.Hoffman said a Transdev operator would be in the shuttle early on for the pilot as a precaution, but that it would eventually be driverless. The operator will not drive the vehicle.Transdev in January launched its first U.S. driverless shuttle in Babcock Ranch, a newly founded town in Southwest Florida. If Gainesville decides to rollout the RTS service, it would be the second town with a Transdev shuttle in service. Gainesville's shuttle will be one of the first in the country to run a scheduled route in mixed traffic.The preliminary route is set to take people from the Southwest Third Street parking garage to Innovation Square near Southwest Second Avenue. The route will later be expanded from Depot Park to the University of Florida.
(TNS)  With midterm elections fast approaching, security of voting systems and voter data has emerged as a major concern across the country."We've been working on this for some time and we've been aware of the (cyberattack) issues since the 2016 election," said Debra O'Malley, spokeswoman for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin.Public scrutiny surrounding election security intensified in July after a grand jury indicted 12 Russian hackers, accusing them of interfering in U.S. elections two years ago."The object of the conspiracy was to hack into the computers of U.S. persons and entities involved in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, steal documents from those computers and stage releases of the stolen documents to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election," according to the indictment.The indictment largely focuses on the presidential campaign, but hackers also targeted state and local election boards, successfully stealing the personal information of at least 500,000 voters, according to the indictment. Stolen information included names, addresses, partial Social Security numbers, dates of birth and driver's license numbers.Massachusetts is not named in the indictment, and O'Malley said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had not contacted state election officials about it.Nonetheless, top national intelligence officials have said all 50 states were likely targeted, which Russia is likely to do again in the 2018 midterm elections. On July 19, Microsoft reported hackers with ties to Russia had already targeted three separate congressional candidates.In Massachusetts, state primaries are scheduled for Sept. 4. O'Malley said security measures are in better shape than many other states, oddly in part because of its somewhat antiquated system."We're in a good position, luckily, because our state voter database is on a closed network," O'Malley said.A closed network means local and state election offices are hardwired together - and not connected to the Internet - making it incredibly difficult to access without physically tapping into the system. Additionally, Massachusetts benefits from still using paper ballots, a traditional voting method that helps ensure accuracy and safeguard against cyberattacks."It's turned out to be in our benefit," O'Malley added.Marlborough City Clerk Lisa Thomas agreed."There is no cybersecurity issue because they are standalone machines and not connected to anything," said Thomas. "Cybersecurity is not an issue as of yet."The city, however, is purchasing poll pads. The technology will prevent someone from casting a ballot during early voting in November and then again on Election Day. Thomas said the purchase is not in response to concerns about voter fraud, but instead to make the early voting process easier on her staff.Thomas was unsure of the cost of the poll pads.In Framingham, the city's latest capital budget includes $116,580 to fund the purchase of 20 new voting machines, including hardware and election reporting software. The project was originally recommended in the fiscal 2018 budget, but voted down by Town Meeting before being approved this year.The city's existing AccuVote machines date to July 2006, and are no longer manufactured by the company.Framingham plans to acquire 20 ImageCast Precinct voting machines sold by Dominion Voting Systems, one of the country's major election equipment vendors.Kay Stimson, Dominion's vice president of government affairs, said the machines operate in a closed network, meaning they're never connected to each other, or to a public network, reducing the risk of a cyberattack.Stimson said Dominion's machines comply with industry standards for security and accessibility, and use multiple checks and balances to ensure confidence in election results."As a company, we are prioritizing election security," she said, "and we're making sure that we try to actively, proactively, work with members of Congress so they understand how voting systems are designed and tested and certified and secured."Other states, including Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and South Carolina, have moved entirely to electronic voting machines, first touted as a way to reduce fraud, boost voter turnout and cut costs through increased efficiency. In the wake of the 2016 election, however, many are rethinking the technology, as the machines are more susceptible to hacks . And without a paper record, it's difficult to audit and confirm results."It is nearly impossible to determine if paperless voting machines have been hacked and if vote tallies have been altered," according to a July report by U.S. Committee on House Administration Democrats. Massachusetts is mandated to audit 3 percent of precincts after presidential elections, which election watchdogs say is a good step toward improving election security. There's no requirement to audit midterm elections.In Natick, Town Clerk Diana Packer said the town is "diligent" when it comes to cleaning up its voter list.Steps include weekly or biweekly checks to removed deceased residents from the list, frequent checks to remove residents that moved overseas, confirmation cards mailed annually to residents who didn't respond to the U.S. Census to determine if they still live in Natick and checking to determine if a resident is registered to vote when they drop by Town Hall to fill out paperwork for an unrelated matter, such as securing a dog license.Marie Y. Ryan, president of the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association, went so far as to say there are "no issues" related to cybersecurity in Massachusetts elections."As far as the cybersecurity, there are no issues in Massachusetts, unlike other states, because our systems (and) equipment are not connected to the Internet at all," Ryan wrote in an email.Massachusetts state and local election officials, like Marlborough, have begun experimenting with more advanced technology systems, however, including "e-poll books," sometimes called "poll pads." The e-poll books, which look like tablets, are not used to count votes. But the databases kept on the machines maintain sensitive voter information, including names, addresses, political parties, dates of birth and sometimes voter identification numbers. While conceptually simple and designed to improve the overall voting experience, e-poll books are potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks."Some of those (e-poll books) are Internet- and Bluetooth-enabled, so they could be tampered with," said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, a government watchdog. "They are not directly connected to the central voting registry ... but they do later get uploaded, so there is some vulnerability."Some Massachusetts municipalities have already begun using the e-poll books to check in voters for Town Meetings, including in Sherborn , Canton and Tewksbury. But local officials are waiting for state guidance on whether to use them in the upcoming elections."The state Election Division is not yet (ready) to certify them for use at elections due (to) possible issues since they could connect to Wi-Fi," wrote Ryan, who is also the Great Barrington town clerk. "This is something that is being worked on presently. We have total confidence in the state Election Division to come up with a way to be able to use the (e-poll books) for elections."With an eye to further bolster election security throughout the state, Massachusetts applied for and received a $7.9 million federal grant, which requires a 5 percent state match. The grant was part of a $380 million federal grant program made available to states to improve the administration of elections, enhance technology and make election security improvements.There's no requirement, however, to spend the money before the midterm elections and state officials are not banking on it. The state would not share its proposal for the funds with Wicked Local, saying the plan still needs federal approval."Obviously, we're not depending on the funding to prepare," O'Malley said.On July 19, the Republican-controlled U.S. House moved to eliminate future funding for states to strengthen election security, much to the chagrin of House Democrats, including Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern of Worcester."Does anybody really believe that these attacks are going to stop?" McGovern asked hypothetically on the House floor. "This is about protecting our democracy, and I don't understand why this is controversial."Beyond the public sector, private, political and nonprofit organizations are also custodians of extensive databases of voter information, making them also susceptible to cyberattacks.The grand jury indictment detailed intricate phishing email scams and malware attacks targeting staffers of the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign.The hackers stole thousands of documents from the Democratic Party, ultimately releasing troves of private information and emails. The leak, albeit two years ago, wreaked havoc in the party and its members are not quick to forget."In the wake of the attacks on our elections and the hacking of our colleagues in Washington by the Russian government, we've taken active steps to step up our security measures," said Emily Fitzmaurice, communications director for the Democratic Party. "The security of our work has been and continues to be a top priority."
Public-sector IT leaders are looking to reduce drain on IT service desk; volume and complexity is a challenge. Learn how this is being addressed in the city of Avondale, Ariz.
Niki Lauda is making progress as he continues to recover from a lung transplant.

The F1 legend missed the last two grands prix before the August break, and is still recovering in intensive care in Vienna.

"There are days when he feels better and talks very well, and there are worse days too," a source at the hospital told Osterreich newspaper.

Referring to the Mercedes team chairman's current condition, the medical source continued: "He is the best patient you can imagine.

"He actively participates in physical therapy and is training his breathing and the muscles. We are in good spirits for his recovery," the source said.

(GMM)
India has set an indicative target of 20% blending of ethanol with gasoline and 5% blending of biodiesel with diesel by 2030.

The new ethanol blending program (EBP) stipulates procurement of ethanol produced directly from B-heavy molasses, sugarcane juice, and damaged food grains such as wheat and broken rice.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), theoretically, all ethanol available in India in 2018 is sufficient to meet a 7% blend target. However, demand rationing, particularly from the potable (consumption based, such as alcoholic beverages) and the industrial sectors may limit the national biofuel blend average.

According to USDA analysis, India is likely to achieve its second highest fuel ethanol market penetration at 3.2% in 2018. Last years blend rate achieved was 1.9%.

Concurrently, the biodiesel blend is less than 0.12% mostly due to limited feedstock availability and lack of an integrated and dedicated supply chain.
Mexican firms eye CIIE to help expansion in China

From:Xinhua | 2018-08-19 22:25

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SHANGHAI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Mexico, a major global food and beverage exporter, will showcase 28 food brands and 10 companies from the service sector at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai in November, Mexican trade officers have said.

In a space of 400 square meters, the companies will exhibit products such as fresh and processed foods, as well as services in sectors such as logistics, transportation and education.

Most of the products and services are new to the Chinese market, according to Alejandro Salas, the trade and investment commissioner of ProMexico Shanghai. ProMexico is a Mexican governmental agency in charge of promoting domestic exports and attracting overseas investments.

"ProMexico, as a promotion agency, is quite excited about CIIE," Salas told Xinhua. He said the event is a clear message about the huge demands in China and an opportunity for companies interested in the lucrative market.

Salas said he has witnessed the increasing trade between China and Mexico since he became the commissioner in 2015. China is Mexico's second largest trading partner. Last year, exports from Mexico to China grew by 24.2 percent.

"Given the challenges, like language or distance, Mexico's exporters are not familiar with the business potential that China can bring to them," Salas said. "We hope that Mexican companies can better understand the potential of China through CIIE."

The event is also expected to help Mexican companies become more known in China and enhance ties with the Chinese market, he noted.

Chantal Abrajan Pena, deputy trade and investment commissioner of ProMexico Shanghai, hopes the country's food industry can expand further in the Chinese market.

"As the biggest supplier of avocados in the world, we'll bring agri-products like avocado oil to CIIE this year, which is likely to be a big seller in China," Pena said, adding that she expects Mexican berry chia seeds and other healthy foods will be welcomed by Chinese consumers as they look for fresher and more nutritious food.

"This time we'll stick to our strengths and showcase our rich culture, high-quality foods, and fresh and healthy products to Chinese consumers. For future CIIE events, we will include other sectors and players from Mexico," Salas told Xinhua.

He believes that CIIE will be a new bridge that links Mexico with China and help both sides be more aware of the benefits of greater and deeper cooperation.
For the second year running, Los Angeles is inviting innovative and environmentally-friendly entrepreneurs from around the world to push the envelope on urban mobility solutions from ride-sharing and zero-emission electric bikes and scooters to self-driving vehicles and flying cars.

The LA New Mobility Challenge 2018 is a joint initiative of LA CoMotion, the NewCities Foundation and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), all of whom are dedicated to finding cutting-edge and sustainable mobility technologies for Southern California.

This years edition is also supported by The Los Angeles Department of Transportation, French Tech-Los Angeles, Starburst Accelerator, Fontinalis Partners, Trucks VC, and Autotech Ventures.

The first edition of the Challenge, presented at LA CoMotion 2017, attracted some 234 early-stage companies from 16 countries.

The six focus areas of the LA New Mobility Challenge are:

Shared Mobility Solutions  Ride sharing, car sharing, short-term, as-needed mobility innovations that reduce emissions and increase access to transit options, with a special consideration for those serving disadvantaged communities;

Personal Mobility  Electric bikes, electric scooters, and other forms of individual modes of emissions-free transit that improves ridership with last-mile and first-mile solutions;

Electrification  Electric vehicles for passenger use and goods movement, affordable EV opportunities for low-income neighborhoods, charging systems, and electric vehicle connectivity;

Autonomous Vehicles Solutions  Artificial Intelligence (AI), LIDAR, smart mapping, vehicle integration;

Smart Infrastructure  Smart parking, Internet of Things (IoT), traffic systems, Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS); and

Urban Air Mobility  Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL), regional zero emission air solutions.

Applicant startups must have the following characteristics:

Be less than five years old Revenues of up to $5 million Product at least in pilot, beta or prototype stage

The deadline to submit applications is 17 September 2018. The Selection Committee will select three finalists per category to present to investors, LACI, the Selection Committee, advisors and LA CoMotion partners on 14 November 2018 during LA CoMotions New Mobility Innovation Day event.

One winner will be chosen per category, and one company will be crowned the overall champion of the competition. Winners of the 2018 LA New Mobility Challenge will also be featured alongside some of the most promising innovators in the world recently selected from the 2018 California Climate Cup, a part of the Governors September Global Climate Action Summit.

Winners will receive substantial cash prizes, in-kind support from sponsors or partners, an interview to be considered for membership in LACIs globally recognized business incubation program, access to the La Kretz Innovation Campus, and/or Advanced Prototyping Center. Winners will also be eligible to receive mentorship, skills development, and market entry assessment from LACIs Executives-in-Residence in the days leading up the conference.

Winners will also be eligible to be included in investment rounds of Fontinalis Partners, Trucks VC and Autotech.
The Spotted Pig. Photo: Ryan Monaghan

Today, the office of New York state attorney general Barbara D. Underwood issued a subpoena to the Spotted Pigs holding company and its majority owner Ken Friedman. The New York Times reported, which was shared by an anonymous source, that the office is investigating sexual harassment and workplace discrimination at the Spotted Pig. In a statement to the paper, Underwood wrote, New Yorkers are entitled to workplaces free of sexual harassment, discrimination and intimidation.

A source tells the paper that the state attorney generals office has been conducting a civil-rights investigation for months, and is seeking records for both Friedman and Spotted Pig investor and regular Mario Batali. Both restaurateurs were the subjects of extensive reports about sexual harassment and abuse at their businesses, including the Spotted Pig, where, in one instance, 60 Minutes reported that a former employee of Batalis Babbo alleges that the chef drugged her and then assaulted her. The restaurants private, third-floor space earned the nickname the rape room from some employees. Both men declined to comment.

If wrongdoing is found, the state attorney generals office could file a civil-rights lawsuit and seek civil penalties, restitution, and damages, as it did against Harvey Weinstein. Both Batali and Friedman have retreated from the public eye, but neither has, as of yet, faced legal consequences for their alleged behavior. Some of Batalis restaurants have closed, and the other owners of Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group are in the process of buying him out, but that has not happened yet. Friedmans success was tethered to chef April Bloomfield, who split from him and took four of their restaurants with her. He did, however, find a new chef for the Spotted Pig in Gabrielle Hamilton.
Sport

India and New Zealand look to keep semi-finals hopes alive with win in crucial T20 WC game

Both New Zealand and India were defeated by Pakistan, which has put their semi-final chances in peril. India and New Zealand are paired with Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland along with Pakistan.



Pakistan, who have won all their three matches, are almost certain to play in the semis. The three other teams in the group are underdogs, two of them are not even Full Members.




Temple offers vegetarian mooncakes

From:Shine | 2018-08-19 13:29

A customer purchases a box of mooncakesat the Jade Buddha Temple on Saturday as the festival feast hit the market over the weekend.

The vegetarian mooncake from Shanghais Jade Buddha Temple hit the market over the weekend after the abbot and senior monks blessed the traditional Mid-autumn Festival food.

The temple has a 30-year tradition of making mooncakes for the festival that falls on September 24 this year. The traditional Suzhou and Cantonese style mooncakes are being made through traditional proceduressuch as stuff making, modeling and baking that can hardly be produced by machines, according to the temple.

Some 150 senior chefs make about 70,000 mooncakes in over 20 flavors every day. Many of the chefs have been making the traditional food for decades.

The vegetarian mooncakes of the temple are made with less oil and sugar comparing with other traditional festival treats.

Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

A ceremony is held on Saturday at the Jade Buddha Temple to mark the beginning of the annual sales of its vegetarian mooncakes.

The temples abbot and senior monks blessed the mooncakes and the production line that people believe will bring good luck. The mooncakes are available in the temple and supermarkets across the city.

The temple initially made mooncakes to treat monks within the temple or present to guests and local seniors, but an increasing number of visitors ask to purchase and taste the festival snack.

The mooncake from the temple is especially popular among overseas Chinese and foreign visitors who buy at the temple on Jiangning Road in Putuo District which receives millions of foreign tourists every year, according to the temple.




Haiti - FLASH : Shootout at the border, the details





Saturday at the border crossing of Carrizal (Elias Pina) a violent incident broke out between Haitian civilians and Dominican soldiers https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25284-haiti-flash-military-confrontation-at-the-border-at-least-7-victims.html



The incident occurred when 3 cement trucks destined for Haiti were stopped by Dominican customs officers for regularity checks. Who mingled with a strictly Dominican affair according to the Belladere town hall.



The Dominican cusqtoms officers have asked members of the Specialized Corps of Land Border Security (CESFRONT) to stop the vehicles and to interpellate Haitian drivers and interveners to put an end to the altercation.



"A few minutes later a crowd of Haitian nationals, armed with machetes and sticks, tried to move the trucks by force in vain, colliding with the resistance of the reinforcing soldiers, on whom they threw stones and various other objects. It was during this confrontation that several shots from unidentified Haitians were fired at the Dominicans, provoking in return a reaction from the Dominican soldiers who opened fire to put an end to this beginning of shooting and popular uprising.



According to the Dominicans, the result would be 3 slight injuries among Haitians and 1 injured among Dominicans. The Haitian version, reports 6 wounded Haitians shot and led to the Hospital Center of Mirebalais. One of the wounded has already returned home, 4 others have been hit in the arms or legs and one was shot torax. According to Jean Marie Reynaldo Brunet, the resigning Minister of the Interior "the vital prognoses of these people are not engaged."



Quickly informed of this incident, Jovenel Moise said on his Twitter account "I deplore the incidents that occurred on the border at Belladere, following a territorial violation, during which compatriots were injured. The authorities are instructed to take the appropriate measures to respect the territorial integrity of the Republic of Haiti."



A statement that sparked Sunday, a strong official reaction of the Dominican Ministers Paulino Sem (Defense) and Miguel Vargas Maldonado (Foreign Affairs). The Minister of Defense has described as inappropriate the statements of the President of Haiti and categorically denied that Dominican soldiers had violated the Haitian territory recalling that the incident occurred at the border crossing of Carrizal more precisely in the neutral zone called "The chain", where the circulation of vehicles and goods is not allowed to pass on the Haitian territory and not in Haiti as affirms the President of Haiti. Affirming that there was no interference, the Dominicans had only responded to an armed Haitian aggression in this area concluding "We will not authorize any action threatening the security and defense of our Nation, nor the violations of tax and migration regulations. "



For his part, Chancellor Miguel Vargas Maldonado, said he had convened a meeting of the diplomatic authorities of Haiti to discuss the situation.



Sunday in Haiti, after the message of the Head of State describing the incident as a "territorial violation" the resigning Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, convened Michel Ange-Gedeon, the Director General of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) to know more about this beginning of a new crisis with the neighboring country.



Subsequently, on the instructions of President Jovenel Moise, a large delegation headed by Lafontant went to Belladere to inquire on the spot and discuss the border problem. At this high-level meeting were present the resigning Ministers Jean Roudy Aly (Justice), Jean-Marie Reynaldo Brunet (Interior), Antonio Rodrigue (Foreign Affairs), the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Renald Luberice, Michel-Ange Gedeon, the DG of the PNH, the Chief Inspector General of the PNH, Ralph Stanley Jean Brice, the Head of the Central Directorate of Administrative Police, Carl Henry Boucher.



This meeting between the central, departmental and local authorities of the Center and the district aimed to resolve a new crisis following the incidents of Saturday and define the provisions to be adopted so that such a situation does not happen again.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25284-haiti-flash-military-confrontation-at-the-border-at-least-7-victims.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Diplomacy : Passing of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan





"The Office of Citizen Protection (OPC), has learned with dismay the news of the passing away of the eminent diplomat, KoFi Annan, Saturday, August 18.



An emblematic figure of international diplomacy, Kofi Annan was the 7th Secretary General of the United Nations (1997-2006). His long struggle for the respect of the principles and values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, long years of experience in promoting a culture of social peace allowed him to win in 2001, the Nobel Prize of the peace [...]"



Despite differences and opinions, he has been at the origin of a vast reform of the United Nations, notably by the creation of including the Commission for the Consolidation of Peace of the International Criminal Court and the Human Right Council.



"The OPC expresses its sympathies to the family of Kofi Annan, to the members of the Foundation and to the entire United Nations system, particularly to the Representative of the Secretary General, Head of the Mission for Support to Justice in Haiti (Minujusth)."



President Jovenel Moise "Kofi Annan, a great UN figure, has passed away. Nobel Peace Prize, his passage at the head of the Institution has left the memory of a craftsman of global stability. I bow to his remains and convey my condolences to the great family of the United Nations."



PM resigning Jack Guy Lafontant "I salute the departure of a world political leader, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who died in Switzerland on 18 August. Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2001, Annan marked his time as head of the institution and his death is a great loss for Africa and for the world."



Michaelle Jean "From friend Kofi Annan, who has seen the world fall into horror, I hold this confession, its dilemma "How can the United Nations defend its raison d'etre if it fails to stand up for human rights first and foremost?" Respect for this tireless peace maker."



Deputy Gary Bodeau "Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former UN Secretary General. Beyond the speech, a whole life dedicated to fight for a better world. The example to follow."



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politic : President Moise promises Haitian scholarship holders to travel to Cuba





Friday at the National Palace President Jovenel Moise received 23 young Haitian recipients of scholarships from the Cuban Government "They were ranked best in the competition, they come from all over the country and I wish them every success in their studies," said the Head of State, who promised to travel to Cuba to visit the young people of his country who study in the largest University of the West Indies.



The 23 students will begin their studies in September in different fields : medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, telecommunications, civil engineering, agronomy and medical technology, to return to the country in 60 months after graduating, to integrate into the communities that need their services and expertise.



These new scholars will join in Cuba, hundreds of Haitians currently studying and will add, we hope, 1,526 Haitians already graduated from Cuban universities



According to Moise, Haiti needs specialists in biotechnology, construction, agriculture, public administration "the opportunities offered by Cuba will allow the socio-economic development of our Nation."



The Head of State also thanked Cuba for its collaboration in the construction of micro hydroelectric power stations in Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24264-haiti-politic-official-inauguration-of-dam-works-on-the-marion-river.html



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24870-icihaiti-education-scholarships-for-a-masters-degree-in-hydraulics-in-cuba.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24264-haiti-politic-official-inauguration-of-dam-works-on-the-marion-river.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23797-haiti-politic-moise-visits-the-construction-site-of-the-dam-on-the-marion-river.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22357-haiti-politics-towards-a-cooperation-with-cuba-in-the-construction-of-dams.html



SL/ HaitiLibre




















BEIJING  China released a guideline on Aug 19 on winning the battle against poverty in the next three years to prepare the nation for eradicating poverty by 2020.

It is an arduous task to lift a further 30 million people out of poverty in the next three years, said the guideline released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

The guideline reiterates the countrys target of lifting all rural poor and impoverished counties out of poverty and eliminating absolute poverty by 2020 to build a moderately prosperous society.

Poor population should be guaranteed food and clothing and children from poor families should be guaranteed nine-year compulsory education. Basic medical needs and living conditions of poor population should also be guaranteed, according to the guideline.

The guideline said poverty relief work should be focused on areas in deep poverty, such as Tibet, mountainous Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province and Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province.

Targeted poverty relief work is stressed in the guideline with emphasis on fostering distinctive industries, supporting employment, advancing relocation, ecological restoration and strengthening education.

The guideline also lists other poverty alleviation measures, including accelerating infrastructure construction in poor areas, increasing fiscal and financial support, social mobilization, and strengthening and improving Party leadership in poverty reduction.
(Bloomberg) A former Barclays trader fired over the misuse of an electronic trading program won a long-shot campaign to get a job back at the bank. David Fotheringhame, who won his unfair dismissal lawsuit in March, should be paid an annual compensation of 150,000 pounds ($190,000), London employment judge Jill Brown said. His new role as a director, however, is junior to his previous title and comes with a big pay cut.

To read this article:
The reasons for the arrests were mainly related to disorderly conduct, tweeted a spokesperson for South-western Finland Police Department.

Turun Sanomat has reported that a total of 11 people were brought into custody during demonstrations organised in Turku on Saturday, the first anniversary of the terrorist attack that left two dead and eight wounded in the city in South-west Finland on 18 August 2017.

Police released seven of the people brought into custody by roughly 6pm on Saturday, according to Turun Sanomat.

Three of the four who remain in custody will be interrogated on suspicion of offences and one on suspicion of resistance to a person maintaining public order, but also they are expected to be released after interrogations.

South-western Police Department has estimated that the three demonstrations staged in the city drew a crowd of over 1,500: Roughly 300 people took part in a protest held by the fascist Nordic Resistance Movement, another 300 in one held by the anti-immigrant Kansallismielisten Liittouma, and over 1,000 in a counter-demonstration called Turku Ilman Natseja (Turku without Nazis).

The District Court of South-west Finland in June sentenced the knife-man to life in prison for two murders committed with terrorist intent and eight attempted murders committed with terrorist intent. The 23-year-old Moroccan man, Abderrahman Bouanane, has voiced his intent to appeal against the ruling and has until the end of this month to submit his appeal.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Vesa Moilanen  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Monday have given priority to a host of issues from political, sociocultural and economic spheres. Supreme Court Justice Deepak Raj Joshee, who is on a home leave for two weeks after being rejected for the position of Chief Justice, has decided to extend his leave for next six days though some people had expected him to resign. Many newspapers have published the report on the front page.

Likewise, the Cabinet decision to recommend President Bidra Devi Bhandari to appoint Purna Chandra Thapa to the position of Chief of Nepali Army has also received significant attention. Some other Cabinet decisions have also been covered significantly on the front pages.

Meanwhile, activities of the main opposition Nepali Congress have also been well highlighted on the cover pages of major newspapers today.

Important

Joshee extends leave, not to resign

Kantipur, Gorkhapatra and The Kathmandu Post report on their front pages that seniormost Justice of the Supreme Court has extended his 15-day leave by six more days, with a hint that he is not going to resign anytime soon despite pressure from a section of society.

His 15-day leave expired on Sunday and has applied for the leave for six more days, Gorkhapatra reports quoting a source at the Supreme Court administration. The report adds that he has sought casual leave so that its notice can be sent to the President at a convenient time later.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Council has failed to hold its meeting owing to the absence of Nepali Congress President and opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, according to The Himalayan Times.

Ignored

TU changes GPA requirement for degree

A snippet in Naya Patrika reads that Tribhuvan University has decided to increase the score required to complete the masters degree from 2.7 to 3.0 GPA. Accordingly, some students who passed individual semesters also got failed to acquire the degree, and it has affected hundreds of students as some students scoring between 2.7 and 3.0 have gone abroad on scholarship to pursue further education.

3,000 families at risk of Koshi flood

Around 3,000 families living on Sri Lanka Tapu of Sunsari district, surrounded by the Koshi River, are living under the fear of flooding every year, according to the lead story of Annapurna Post.

These families have around 10,000 farmers and they are engaged in agricultural activities, the report adds, some section of the island is being eroded by the flood every year.

Shashanka or Shekhar to run for Congress presidency

Nepali Congress General Secretary Shashanka Koirala has announced that either himself or his cousin Shekhar Koirala will run for the party presidency in the next general convention, claiming the current leadership could not lead the party effective, according to a snippet in Kantipur. Speaking with journalists in his hometown Biratnagar, the leader also accused party President Sher Bahadur Deuba of ignoring his request to hold the mahasamiti meeting at the earliest.

Borrowed vehicles to be used for BIMSTEC guests

A security and transport subcommittee under the government formed to prepare for the fourth BIMSTEC Summit going to be held in the capital later this month has urged top VIPs of the country to lend the vehicles they are using to the government so that they can be used for the summit, reports The Kathmandu Post.

A meeting of the panel headed by Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa yesterday urged the Office of the President and the office of Prime Ministers among other bodies to hand over their vehicles as it needs more carts for international guests of the Summit and their escorting personnel.

Oli govt ignores constitutional commissions

Republica reports in a three column story that the incumbent government has failed to form various statutory bodies though it has already been nearly three months since the promulgation of the constitution.

According to the constitution, there shall be 13 commissions. But, the government has failed to give full shape to various eight new commissions. In addition, it has also failed to pick head for existing Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the report informs.

Interesting

Opposition canteen popular among ruling party lawmakers

The two column story of Annapurna Post reports that the canteen of Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party in Singhadarbar has been popular among lawmakers of other parties including those of the ruling Nepal Communist Party as it has a variety of food choices. The report adds that some lawmakers of the ruling party spend their time more at the opposition canteen than at their own office.

Govt registers bill to ensure food sovereignty

In order to ensure that Nepali citizens can effectively enjoy the right to food sovereignty as envisioned in the constitution, the government on Sunday registered a bill in Federal Parliament Secretariat, according to Gorkhapatra anchor story.

As food sovereignty has been listed as a fundamental right, the bill has to be endorsed before September 18, the third anniversary of the constitution promulgation, according to the report.
The Nambu Type 94 Shiki Kenju 8mm pistol was the worst military small arm of World War II.

There are many contenders for the honor of World War IIs best infantry weapon. Nazi Germany had the fearsome MG42 light machine gun, capable of spitting 1,200 rounds per minute toward the enemy. The American M1911A1 .45- caliber pistol possessed incredible shortrange knockdown power. And the British Tommy quickly learned to trust his Mk.IV Short Magazine Lee Enfield as a reliable, hard-hitting battle rifle.

The dubious distinction as the wars worst military small arm belongs without question to an ugly, underpowered handgun that proved just as likely to injure its owner as an attacking enemy. Called the suicide gun for its unsafe design and poor manufacturing qualityby American servicemen who learned about them the hard waythe Nambu Type 94 pistol was despised by all who had to fire it.

Japans foremost designer of military weapons prior to World War II was a retired army lieutenant general named Kijiro Nambu. His machine guns and rifle designs had already served as standard issue with the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy, and in 1927 Nambu went into business as a small-arms manufacturer. Naturally the Japanese military became his largest customer.

In the early 1930s, Japans issue sidearm was the Nambu-designed Type 14 8mm semiautomatic pistol. Although it was a sound design, troops considered the Type 14 bulky and difficult to reload. It also cost more to manufacture than the foreign handguns available for sale in Japan.

Those faults were not lost on the thousands of newly minted army and navy officers then filling Japans rapidly expanding armed forces. Japanese officers were required to purchase their own sidearms, and many of them chose German or American designs over the Type 14. Nambus declining commercial sales left him little choice but to start work on a new pistol for the Japanese military.

Nambu spent five years, from 1929 to 1934, developing a cheaper, simpler and smaller sidearm for his nations armed forces. He also tried to Westernize his new design, making it look more like the then-popular Walther or Browning pistols. By doing this he hoped to attract not only Japanese military sales but also interest from the South American market.

The Japanese Army Ordnance Department enthusiastically supported Nambus work but insisted on a number of modifications to his prototype design. As a result of that meddling, the new firearm wound up costing more than the gun it was designed to replace. In return, though, Nambu gained army approval for his firearm, meaning he was sure to see a profit even if the export market failed.

The Type 94 (Shiki Kenju in Japanese) pistol took its name from the last two digits of the Japanese year 2594, or 1934 on Western calendars. Adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army that year, the Type 94 went into full production at Nambus Kokuburiji plant in Tokyo starting in 1935. When commercial sales never materialized, the military took over all production contracts.

A recoil-operated semiautomatic pistol, the Type 94 was 7.2 inches long with a 3.78-inch barrel. The odd-looking weapon weighed 1.11 pounds unloaded. It was fitted with plastic or wooden grips and held six rounds of 8mm Nambu ammunition.

A magazine disconnector prevented the Type 94 from firing without its magazine in place. It also came equipped with a traditional thumb safety switch. Accessories included a leather or canvas holster, which held a cleaning rod and spare magazine as well as the gun.

First issued to pilots and tank crewmen, the Type 94 eventually became general issue with both the Japanese army and navy. Those who wore the pistol inside a cramped space such as an aircraft or armored fighting vehicle appreciated its light weight and handy size. Most overlooked its clumsy appearance, one of many changes the Army Ordnance Department made to Nambus original design.

After war broke out between Japan and China in 1937, many Japanese servicemen learned to their horror that their Shiki Kenju sidearms possessed several deadly design flaws. A completely exposed and protruding sear bar meant the pistol could fire without any trigger movement. Striking a sharp blow to the side of the gun often caused the weapon to discharge accidentally. Japanese soldiers, sailors and airmen could very easily wind up shooting themselves while simply holstering loaded Type 94s.

Loading the weapon could be dangerous as well. Working the slide with too much force sometimes caused the gun to slamfire, or set off a round prematurely. The Type 94 could also be fired when its breech wasnt fully locked, spraying hot gasses on both the shooter and anyone nearby.

There was no safe way to handle a loaded Shiki Kenju. Its mechanical safety failed frequently, so the pistol had to be carried with an empty chamber. Countless Japanese soldiers perished when they were unable to load and fire their sidearms quickly enough.

Troops also complained about the Type 94s tiny sights, awkward balance and uncomfortable grip, which made it difficult to shoot accurately. Dirt and grime, always present on the battlefield, clogged the firing action. The pistol was difficult to take apart for cleaning and contained many easily lost small parts.

The bottlenecked 8mm Nambu cartridge the Type 94 fired compared poorly to the hard-hitting American .45. Pushing a light 102-grain bullet out at 900 feet per second, this anemic round did not have the stopping power needed in a modern defensive firearm. Poorly made ammunition resulted in frequent misfires or failures to feedusually at the worst possible time.

To save on scarce materials, low-quality steel was often used to build the Shiki Kenju. Deep tool marks often went unpolished, one of many manufacturing shortcuts the factory took to speed production. In their haste to churn out weapons, workers frequently fitted parts together so badly the guns were unfireable.

As Japans strategic situation deteriorated after 1942, so did the quality of its small arms. Thousands of hastily assembled Type 94s continued to be issued despite their dangerous design and shoddy workmanship. Perhaps the Japanese high command figured even an unsafe weapon was better than no weapon at all. Production of the Type 94 totaled some 71,000 units, ceasing with the end of the war.

It is unknown how many unlucky Japanese servicemen were shot with their own Shiki Kenju pistols. Likely it was a small number. Japan, like most nations during World War II, considered the handgun a self-defense weapon, suitable only for close-range work, and placed little emphasis on marksmanship instruction for pistol-equipped personnel.

Pilot Shigenori Nishikaichi carried a Type 94 when his Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter was struck by anti-aircraft fire over Bellows Field, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. Crash-landing on the remote island of Niihau, Nishikaichi used his Shiki Kenju to terrorize the residents there for six days. When a farmer named Ben Kanahele resisted, the pilot shot him three times at point-blank range. Despite his wounds, Kanahele overpowered the Japanese aviator and crushed Nishikaichi to death against a wall. The Type 94s reputation as a poor man-stopper did not improve after that incident.

American servicemen first encountered this weapon in the Solomon Islands in late 1942. John B. George, a lieutenant with the 132nd Infantry on Guadalcanal, thought the Type 94 looked like a second-rate pipe wrench. George, a competitive rifle shooter before the war, went on to describe the Shiki Kenju as a monstrosity, hopelessly inaccurate at any range and so horribly manufactured as to be so much junk. He concluded his evaluation by exclaiming, I would not have fired one of them for a price.

As American forces advanced across the Pacific, more GIs began acquiring Type 94 pistols for bartering material or as souvenirs. Often, though, these tricky little handguns taught a hard lesson to their new owners. The Type 94 quickly received its suicide gun label once word got out about its lethal tendencies. Another possible explanation for this nickname could have come from the large number of Japanese officers found having committed ritual suicide with their sidearms rather than face the disgrace of surrender.

The U.S. War Department, in a 1944 handbook on Japanese weapons, described the Shiki Kenju as inferior in design and manufacture. Many Japanese and American servicemen would agree with that assessment. Today this little Japanese sidearm is a curiosity, suitable only for display in a museum or private collection.

Originally published in the March 2007 issue of World War II Magazine. To subscribe, click here.
By the summer of 1934, the elderly German President, Paul von Hindenburg, lay close to death at his country estate in East Prussia. He had been in failing health for several months, thus giving Adolf Hitler and the Nazis ample opportunity to make plans to capitalize on his demise.

Reich Chancellor Hitler planned to use President Hindenburg's death as an opportunity to seize total power in Germany by elevating himself to the position of Fuhrer, or absolute leader, of the German nation and its people.

On August 2, 1934, at 9 a.m., the long awaited death of 87 year old Hindenburg finally occurred. Within hours, Hitler and the Nazis announced the following law, dated as of August 1...

"The Reich Government has enacted the following law which is hereby promulgated.

Section 1. The office of Reich President will be combined with that of Reich Chancellor. The existing authority of the Reich President will consequently be transferred to the Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. He will select his deputy.

Section 2. This law is effective as of the time of the death of Reich President von Hindenburg."

Following the announcement of this (technically illegal) law, the German Officers' Corps and every individual in the German Army swore a personal oath of allegiance to Hitler.

A nationwide vote (plebiscite) was then scheduled to give the German people a chance to express their approval of Hitler's unprecedented new powers.

Meanwhile, Hindenburg's last will and testament surfaced. Contrary to Hitler's intentions, Hindenburg's last wishes included a desire for a return to a constitutional (Hohenzollern) monarchy. These last wishes were contained in the form of a personal letter from Hindenburg to Hitler.

Hitler simply ignored this and likely destroyed the letter, as it was not published and has never been found.

However, the Nazis did publish Hindenburg's alleged political testament giving an account of his years of service with complimentary references to Hitler. Although it was likely a forgery, it was used as part of the Nazi campaign to get a large "Yes" vote for Hitler in the coming plebiscite.

On August 19, about 95 percent of registered voters in Germany went to the polls and gave Hitler 38 million votes of approval (90 percent of the vote). Thus Adolf Hitler could claim he was Fuhrer of the German nation by direct will of the people. Hitler now wielded absolute power in Germany, beyond that of any previous traditional head of state. He had become, in effect, the law unto himself.

The next day, August 20, mandatory loyalty oaths were introduced throughout the Reich...

Oath of loyalty for Public Officials:

"I swear: I shall be loyal and obedient to Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of the German Reich and people, respect the laws, and fulfill my official duties conscientiously, so help me God."

Oath of loyalty for Soldiers of the Armed Forces:

'I swear by God this sacred oath: I will render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of the German Reich and people, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and will be ready as a brave soldier to risk my life at any time for this oath.'

These oaths were pledged to Hitler personally, not the German state or constitution. And they were taken very seriously by members of the German Officers' Corps with their traditional minded codes of honor, which now elevated obedience to Hitler as a sacred duty and effectively placed the German armed forces in the position of being the personal instrument of Hitler.

(Years later, following the German defeat in World War Two, many German officers unsuccessfully attempted to use the oath as a defense against charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.)

In September, 1934, at the annual Nuremberg Nazi Party rallies, a euphoric Hitler proclaimed, "The German form of life is definitely determined for the next thousand years. The Age of Nerves of the nineteenth century has found its close with us. There will be no revolution in Germany for the next thousand years."
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SEOULAnimal protection campaigners in Seoul handed in a petition signed by nearly 1 million people from South Korea and around the world, calling on President Moon Jae-in to end the dog meat industry. The submission coincides with the end of Bok Nal, the hottest days of summer when the highest numbers of dogs are killed and consumed per the myth that the meat combats the heat.

Humane Society International/Korea, Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), and petition site Care2 hand-delivered the petition to the Presidents residence, the Blue House, with a letter urging him to initiate a phase-out of the estimated 17,000 dog meat farms across the country, in which an estimated 2.5 million dogs are reared for human consumption. On August 10 the government agreed to remove dogs and cats from the legal definition of livestock, but HSI and KARA now want to see a time-tabled plan of action.

Give now to fight the dog meat trade and other cruelty to animals.

Nara Kim, dog meat campaign manager for Humane Society International/Korea, says: Our petition of nearly 1 million signatures reflects the desire of compassionate citizens here in South Korea and around the world to see an end to the brutally cruel dog meat industry. We hope that President Moon will agree that the time is right for South Korea to end this industry that causes so much animal suffering and is increasingly rejected by Korean citizens. We want South Korea to join the growing number of countries and territories across Asia that have consigned the dog meat trade to the history books.

The petition hand-in comes as Humane Society International/Korea releases new heart-breaking footage showing rows of live dogs kept in cages outside dog meat shops and restaurants at Gupo market in Busan. Some of the dogs can be seen still wearing collars, a sign that they may have been former pets. The dogs huddle together in the barren cage, waiting for their turn to be selected for slaughter. Their usual fate is to be taken to the back of the shop to be electrocuted. Butchered dog meat is also shown on display in cold cabinets, some with an unmistakable dog paw still attached, the remains of their cage mates.

Nara Kim says: It makes me so sad to see these poor dogs displayed at Gupo market. They will have already endured such miserable lives, only to end up here waiting to die. Local campaigners have had some success working with local authorities to tackle dog meat slaughter at Moran Market in Seoul, but during Bok Nal as many as 1 million dogs could still be killed to supply the dog meat restaurants and markets like Gupo and Chilsung.

Our video shows the common scenario of only the Jindo and Tosa breeds being put on public display, perpetuating the myth that only breeds considered meat dogs are killed. The truth is, all breeds including Chihuahuas, Labradors, beagles, huskies and poodles are routinely found on dog meat farms, I have seen it with my own eyes. We suspect that these other breeds are slaughtered out of sight so as not to upset the Korea public. Jindos and Tosas are my personal favourite dogs, they are so sweet and misunderstood, but if the public realised that they are eating these pet breeds too, they would be horrified.

South Korea is the only country in Asia known to intensively farm dogs for meat. They suffer immensely both physically and mentally, spending their entire lives in small, barren, wire cages without proper food, water, stimulation, comfort or veterinary care. The majority of dogs are sold and slaughtered at around 1 year of age, usually by electrocution. A growing number of South Koreans oppose the cruelty of the dog meat industry, and many dog meat farmers are keen to leave what they consider to be a dying industry. Campaigners want the government to take the lead in dismantling the dog meat trade once and for all.

KARAs director, Jin-kyung Jeon, says: KARA and HSI/Korea have been doing a joint campaign to break down the prejudice against meat dogs and it seems that Korea is in the middle of change. We welcome the recent announcement by the Blue House saying that the current law defining dogs as livestock is out of date and the Livestock Industry Act will be modified to remove dogs. Officials said the current law could give the wrong impression that the government approves of breeding dogs for human consumption. This is a huge step forward since the current law has given legitimacy to dog farms in Korea.

The dog meat industry has been growing for over 40 years without any proper enforcement against violation of the law. Today we are calling for a government action plan to end the dog meat industry. This call is timely as revised legislative bills, which could effectively control the dog meat industry, were recently proposed to the National Assembly. We are making all our efforts in every direction to stop animal cruelty. 

The dog meat trade has already been outlawed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore and most recently the government of Indonesia pledged to ban the trade. HSI/Korea, KARA and Care2 believe its time for South Korea to do the same.

Facts:

Dog meat is usually made into a soup called bosintang. Small dogs can also be made into a herbal drink called Gaesoju.

HSI has worked in South Korea for the past three years, working with dog meat farmers who wish to leave the industry. HSIs farm closures are part of the charitys strategy to encourage the government to initiate a nationwide phase-out of the trade. Its an initiative that has so far seen HSI close 12 farms and rescue more than 1,300 dogs, subsequently flown to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to be placed for adoption into new loving homes.

A combination of growing societal shame, increased difficulty in selling dogs as appetite for dog meat declines, and regret at the suffering of dogs, leads dog farmers to approach HSI for a practical way out. They work with HSI to devise a business plan to transition to alternative, humane livelihoods such as water delivery or crop growing.

President Moon adopted a dog rescued from a dog meat farm, and he also recently proposed amending the South Korean constitution to recognise animal protection. Most recently, a Korean court judgement in early 2018 saw a dog farmer fined because killing a dog for eating was declared unjustified.

An estimated 30 million dogs are brutally killed and eaten each year in parts of Asia.

ENDS

Video and photos of the petition hand in and conditions on dog meat farms can be downloaded here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=SKpetition0818

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Challenger Tahira Amatul-Wadud and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal have agreed to two debates.

Neal, Amatul-Wadud To Meet In Two Televised Debates

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Richard Neal and Tahirah Amatul-Wadud have agreed to two televised debates.

The two are seeking the seat of U.S. Representative in the September primary. The longtime sitting Congressman Neal is being challenged by attorney and activist Amatul-Wadud. The two will first meet on Aug. 22 for a debate on WWLP, channel 22 and then on Aug. 30 on WGBY.

The first debate won't be available for the public to view live in the Berkshires because the station was pulled off the air by the cable provider. It will be available online after it concludes. The WGBY debate will be aired live starting at 8 p.m. and will also be available online after it concludes.

The WWLP debate will be moderated by Rich Tettemer and the WBGY one will be moderated by Carrie Saldo. The WBGY debate is in partnership with the League of Women Voters.

Earlier this year Amatul-Wadud challenged Neal to debate in Pittsfield, hosted by the NAACP but Neal declined, leading to sharp criticism from Amatul-Wadud.

"My team and I have attended more than 350 community and candidates events since launching our campaign. When Rep. Neal declined the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACPs invitation for a town hall debate on Aug. 15, the community and I were disappointed. When he failed to show for the Candidates' Forum hosted by the Springfield City Library in Mason Square last week, this too was disappointing," Amatul-Wadud said in a statement.

On Thursday Neal announced the WWLP debate, but Amatul-Wadud said at the time her campaign still hadn't agreed to it. Later, she said the two were able to settle the terms and the debate will go on.

"Congressman Neal is very excited to announce his participation in this debate which allows the most possible voters to hear directly from the candidates," said Neal's campaign manager, Peter Panos.

"Congressman Neal looks forward to addressing voters about his role in Congress leading the fight against Donald Trump's inhumane immigration policies, attempts to gut healthcare, slash Social Security and Medicare and cut taxes for corporations and the wealthiest 1-percent while sharing his vision for fairer taxes, making healthcare more affordable and accessible, defending Social Security and Medicare, combating the opioid epidemic and addressing income inequality."

Almost immediately, the Neal campaign received backlash from some in the Berkshires because the debate would not be available and the Neal campaign said it was still considering debates that included the Berkshires. On Friday, the Neal campaign released information regarding the WGBY debate.

"Congressman Neal is thrilled to announce his participation in this second televised debate hosted by WGBY in partnership with the League of Women Voters, ensuring all voters across the district hear directly from the candidates," Panos said.

Amatul-Wadud said the term of the debate was "painstakingly negotiated." She cited the race in the Seventh Congressional District in which there had been "between four to six debates with proper time allotment, skillfully moderated, and in the presence of votes" and she wants the same for the First Congressional District.

"I am running to represent the people of the First Congressional District of Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives. The dignity of this seat requires a thorough and rigorous debate of the issues, in the spirit of democracy," Amatul-Wadud said.

Neal has been in Congress since 1989 and the Berkshires were added to his district in 2012 following redistricting. He is a former history teacher and former mayor of Springfield.

Amatul-Wadud is an attorney who first worked in the energy field before focusing on family law with Western Mass Legal Services.
The sign for the new Mount Greylock Regional School on Cold Spring Road (Route 7). The entrance of the new Mount Greylock Regional School with the three-story academic wing at right. PreviousNext

Mount Greylock Building Committee Notes Excitement for New School



Part of the newly reconstructed and reconfigured parking lot. The final plan was OK'd recently by the Zoning Board of Appeals. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  With the new school building and parking lot projects wrapping up, the old school coming down, the 12-month staff scattered and the negotiation with its unions ongoing, it has been a busy and, at times, stressful summer for the administration and governing bodies of the Mount Greylock Regional School District.

But in just a couple of weeks, the district gets back to business: educating the children from its member towns plus New Ashford and Hancock.

And for the middle and high school students, that means a whole new experience, which the School Building Committee took a few moments to celebrate at its Thursday meeting.

"There is a lot of excitement in town," Transition and School Building committees member Carolyn Greene told her colleagues. "I hope it's a great start to the year."

Several of the School Building Committee members took advantage of the respite from the committee's business to express their own excitement about the opening of the expanded and renovated middle-high school.

"I worked hard to convince people in Lanesborough to dig deep to fund this building, and I'm proud of the result we've had, and I think we've been respectful of the concerns of the community and come up with a plan that we could all feel good about  those concerned about cost and all of us who are concerned about education," Richard Cohen said. "But I think, throughout, we've always had as the biggest priority the educational priorities.

"The building looks great. [Principal Mary MacDonald] and others have done a great job making sure it does, and, more importantly, Mary and others have made sure it meets the educational purpose."

Cohen also praised the project's aesthetics.

"When I think of the Mount Greylock design, it looks modest to me," he said. "I like that we have a mature tree out front, which brings the scale down. It makes the experience better for the kids, so it's not this overwhelming monumental structure. It's really their school that they can feel at home at."

SBC Chair Mark Schiek pointed out all the sacrifices of the faculty and staff who dealt with the inconvenience of packing up the old school and soon will be setting up classrooms in the new three-story academic wing.

"It has been crunch time this summer, and so many people have stepped up to make sure this comes together," Schiek said. "There are still a few things to kind of tidy up and bundle up at the end, but I think there's light there at the end of the tunnel.

"This committee has to thank everyone who was there on the site  nights, weekends, etc. You guys are all putting in your time and more than earning your keep."

The committee emphasized that as good as the school looks, the decisions about it were made with the bottom line in mind.

"I was in the foyer last week or the week before, and it's stunning," Greene said. "My reaction was: Is this going to get us in trouble with people?"

MacDonald replied that while the finishing touches were chosen thoughtfully, they were not more expensive than alternatives.

"You're probably delighted by the aesthetic elements you see, which aren't necessarily the costly things," MacDonald said. "You walk in and see a large foyer with windows punched in.  It seems like that's expensive, but that's just sunlight coming in.

"And [the foyer] is a learning space, too. It's not just an empty foyer. It's set up so students can congregate. They can meet with teachers.

"It's a thoughtful, forward-thinking design that's going to carry us into decades."

"We're building something that's going to be here for 60 years," committee member Al Terranova added.

"Sixty? I'm going for 100," MacDonald replied.

Committee member Hugh Daley added that the committee went through a value engineering process to make sure that the $65 million building project kept costs contained.

"This committee should take pride in this building," Daley said. "I hope when members of the community go out and first see it, they see the value that's been delivered as opposed to just the cost.

"We've made value engineering decisions none of us wanted to make but had to make to bring this project in on budget or under budget. The design has led to an economical use of space.  But we've been able to add a couple of flourishes that will allow the students and the community to enjoy this building that they're going to be spending a lot of time in."

Elmore informed the committee on Thursday that the project continues to track well with its budget, and with the first day of classes looming on Sept. 6, Mike Ziobrowski of Turner Construction told the panel that the project is doing well with its timeline.

"Today was a scheduled walk-through with the town to go through the building as a whole," Ziobrowski said. "We developed a list of items that need to be addressed. There aren't any show-stoppers [on that list]."

"These are items that can be done by next Thursday," Schiek asked, referring to the next scheduled walk-through to obtain the district's temporary certificate of occupancy for the school.

"If not by the end of this week," Ziobrowski said.
The 180 Grill is a family business with owner Wojciech Rum's son Rawi manning the kitchen. Rum says ingredients or products that have to be sourced come from high-quality Polish food producers. The roadside grill is at 180 Main Road, where King's Furniture was located many years ago. PreviousNext

Roadside Grill Brings Traditional Polish Food to Stamford



Owner Wojciech Rum has been wanting to bring Polish cuisine to the area for some time. STAMFORD, Vt.  Longtime resident Wojciech Rum had enough of traveling great distances to get the quality cuisine of his homeland, so he brought a little slice of Poland to Stamford.

"I have been living here for some time and there are not many Polish food establishments hereI felt that we could open something here," Rum said. "Its almost a personal thing. If you cannot get the food in the store than just bring in the store."

So Rum utilized some space in his property on 180 Main Road in which he runs his other business, Four Seasons Images Inc. The result is the 180 Polish Roadside Grill. (A detailed website and Facebook page with information are planned soon.)

"We thought why not open here we have room and I think it is a nice property that we have here," he said. "We basically at the spur of the moment just went for it."

Rum said he only opened two weeks ago and is still testing the waters. He referred to the current menu as "Polish 101" and folks can expect cornerstone Polish dishes like kapusta, golumpki and pierogi.

He plans to add different traditional Polish dishes as specials and if they become favorites, they may get a permanent place on the menu.

Much of the food is made in-house but what is brought in is only of the highest quality, he said.

"We did some research and got good contacts for good quality smoked meats from Chicago," Rum said. "In Chicago and near Wisconsin you have Polish farms that raise cattle and pork and then it is processed through Polish channels down to the store  they do it the old-fashioned way."

He hopes to change some peoples misconceptions about Polish food.

"People think of Polish food as basically heavy and lardy, which can be true, but there is a huge portion of Polish cuisine that is not only vegetarian but vegan," he said. "Like our sauerkraut mushroom pierogi. ...

"I travel a lot around the world and what I found out is that the simplest food is usually the best because it relies on ingenuity."

There is currently only outdoor seating with shaded areas if people want to sit and eat. The eatery does plan to be open year-round and Rum would like to have an indoor lounge area during the winter months.

Rum noted that there is a large Polish community in North County and although he is over the state line he believes they will make the trip.

"We are a little bit out of the way but if you build it they will come," he said. "Our slogan is: do a 180, get back to flavor."

Rum also hopes those who never had Polish cuisine will give it a shot.

"There are 15 or 16 pizza places in a five-mile radius from the center of North Adams (Mass.) and there are a few Mexican and oriental restaurants and I think people long for something different," he said. "This it is good, it is wholesome, it is down to earth, and flavorful.

"That is the reason why they should try it and they must."
The tradition of First Days introduces first-year students to the college through meetings with academic advisers and opportunities to learn about academic departments and the campus.

Berkshires Beat: Williams Prepares to Welcome Class of 2022

Welcome to Williams

The 540 students who make up the Williams College Class of 2022 will arrive on campus on Monday, Aug. 27, for First Days, their official orientation to the college. The tradition of First Days introduces first-year students to the college through meetings with academic advisers and opportunities to learn about academic departments and the campus. Students will also take placement exams and the college's mandatory swimming test. In between scheduled events, students will settle into their dorms and get to know their classmates.



During the second half of the week, first-year students will participate in EphVentures, a program that enhances their orientation experience with opportunities to build lasting friendships and gain an appreciation for the campus community. Participants choose among several programs that will develop their leadership skills, knowledge of the Berkshires, awareness of arts and culture in the region, and understanding of the connections between environmental sustainability, identity and social justice.



By all standard measures of academic talent, including test scores and academic performance, the Class of 2022 is impressive, selected from among 9,560 applicants. SATs for the cohort averaged 730 on evidence-based reading and writing and 739 on math; the ACT average was 33. The class is also incredibly diverse. Thirty-seven percent of students in the incoming class are U.S. students of color, and another 8 percent are international students. Of the 540 incoming students, 254 identify as men, 265 as women. Three incoming students identify as trans or transgender, and one as another gender. The students come from 41 states and represent 53 foreign countries. Seventeen percent of incoming students are first-generation college students. Fifty percent of students will receive financial aid, with an average aid award of $60,055. Four students who are transferring to Williams from another college or university will arrive after the First Days program.

Finding fame



James Sommerville, William R. Hudgins, Mark Volpe, Gary Ingle, Jonathan Menkis and Catherine French. (Photo by Hilary Scott)

The American Classical Music Hall of Fame has inducted its newest member, Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Hall of Fame President Gary L. Ingle presented Mark Volpe, managing director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with a commemorative medallion at the Highwood Manor on Monday, Aug. 13.



In August 1934, a group of music-loving Berkshire summer residents arranged for members of the New York Philharmonic to perform three outdoor concerts at Interlochen, a successful venture that was repeated in 1935. The Festival Committee then invited Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra to take part the following year. In the winter of 1936, Mrs. Gorham Brooks and Miss Mary Aspinwall Tappan offered Tanglewood, the Tappan family estate, with its buildings and 210 acres of lawns and meadows, as a gift to Koussevitzky and the orchestra. The first BSO concerts at Tanglewood took place in summer 1937.



In 1940, the Berkshire Music Center (now the Tanglewood Music Center) began its operations. By 1941, the Theatre-Concert Hall, the Chamber Music Hall and several small studios were finished, and the festival was attracting nearly 100,000 visitors annually. Today, Tanglewood annually draws more than 350,000 visitors. Each season offers not only a vast quantity of music, but also a vast range of musical forms and styles, all of it presented with a regard for artistic excellence that makes the festival unique.

Exercise grant

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has received a $10,000 Age-Friendly Mini-Grant, from the AARP-Massachusetts Chapter, on behalf of the town of Dalton, to help create an outdoor exercise park. The project signifies Dalton's commitment to the goals contained in the Age Friendly Berkshires Action Plan, to promote healthy, active aging and to enhance the overall "livability" of the region. BRPC is providing design assistance to Dalton for the exercise park project and provides staff support to the Age Friendly Berkshires movement.



The AARP Mini-Grants are awarded competitively across the state for "shovel ready" projects that can be completed within months from the time of application. The rapid turn-around is to demonstrate and jump-start local age-friendly efforts. The Age Friendly Berkshires Action Plan was officially launched in April of this year. The exercise park project must be completed by Nov. 30.



The park will be located on the grounds adjacent to the Dalton Senior Center on Field Street Extension. It will feature five or six pieces of outdoor exercise equipment, at three "stations" along a walkway at the rear of the facility, directly adjacent to a community playing field. The Senior Center, exercise stations and playing field are all surrounded by a newly installed sidewalk, funded through the MassDOT Complete Streets program, that creates a paved walking loop around the neighborhood. Plans for expanding the park to include potential outdoor stretch and exercise programs, accessible equipment, seating areas, trees and other enhancements, will be undertaken in a subsequent phase.

For the babies

The Kiwanis Club of Pittsfield put together packets to be handed out to new moms at the Mother Baby Unit at Berkshire Health Systems. The effort was a service project put together by the Tufts Institute and also the KPTI (Kiwanis Pediatrics Trauma Institute) located in Tufts in Boston.

The bags were delived to the Mother Baby Unit at the hospital on Monday, Aug. 13.

Amplify this

Sheffield, Mass.-based Music in Common will officially launch its Amplify concert, featuring songs written by the organizations participants from around the world since 2010, to be performed by highly talented youth musicians at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26. The Worldwide Debut of Amplify will take place at Zion Lutheran Church in PIttsfield, Mass., with an encore performance at the organization's first-ever Raise the MIC Gala Celebration, a fundraising event on Monday, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. at Crissey Farm in Great Barrington, Mass. More information and tickets are available online.



Energy work

Beginning Wednesday, Aug. 22, and continuing through the end of September, Eversource Energy will be performing work at the Oswald Substation located at 314 Barker Road. The project will be performed within the existing substation fence and on the existing foundation pads.The hours of work will be from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday with the potential for Sunday work for system restoration. There will be increased truck traffic to the substation intermittently for the delivery and removal of equipment, with the heaviest of those vehicles being the cement truck.



The work being performed includes replacing obsolete equipment, bus insulators, and replacing the pad of the existing bus terminal within the same footprint at the Oswald Substation.

Learn the legislature

State Sen. Adam G. Hinds is now seeking nominees to participate in the 81st Citizens' Legislative Seminar to be held Oct. 23-24 at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. The CLS is a semi-annual educational seminar geared towards adults of all ages interested in learning more about state government and the legislative process.



Established in 1976 through a collaborative effort of the Massachusetts Senate and the University of Massachusetts, Boston, the two-day seminar features engaging presentations by state senators and staff on aspects of the day-to-day experience of legislators in the commonwealth. Topics will include the history and process of the legislature, the state budget, the parliamentary role of the clerk of the Senate and the future of the legislature. The seminar will walk participants through the legislative process including how bills are introduced, debated, and passed.The Citizens Legislative Seminar is part of the Massachusetts Senate's ongoing effort to increase civic engagement and open up the democratic process. It is an opportunity to gain an insider's perspective from elected officials and staff on how Beacon Hill really works.



Each Senator is able to nominate and sponsor one constituent and an alternate to attend the CLS. Interested residents who live in Hinds' Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District are asked to email their resume to his chief of staff, Bethann Steiner, by noon on Thursday, Sept. 6. In order to be considered for nomination you must be able to attend both days of the seminar. Those attending are responsible for arranging their own travel and lodging plans.
Letter: Farley-Bouvier Endorses Galvin for Secretary of State

To the Editor:



As the Sept. 4 primary approaches, there is an important statewide race that is flying under the radar for those of us in the Berkshires: the race for secretary of state. I have known and worked with Bill Galvin since entering the Legislature seven years ago. I know who he is, what he stands for, and how deep his commitment runs to applying his expertise to keeping our elections secure, his role as chief financial regulator for the commonwealth, historic preservation, public records, and every single one of the 16 enormous responsibilities that come under the purview of the secretary of state.



This is not a job to be undertaken lightly. Before he even ran for secretary of state, Bill Galvin was an exceptionally qualified and capable elections attorney. Today he oversees our entire elections system and given the current very real threat of election hacking, I wouldn't have it any other way. Make no mistake: he has kept our elections system secure. We have not been hacked, and that is not because we got lucky. Long before there were issues in Florida, Secretary Galvin banned punch cards. He also banned all electronic voting systems.



Remember when Pittsfield switched from our old lever voting booths to our paper scanning machines? That was because of Bill Galvin. He kept Massachusetts on a paper ballot only system and he kept our elections system offline. Pittsfield has had a high number of recounts since that time due to close results and the paper system has given us a high level of confidence in the process. Attorney General Maura Healey recently restated what was said after the 2016 election: Massachusetts' election system was secure. We need to keep it that way, and Secretary Galvin is making sure that we are. He has used state money to hire additional cybersecurity personnel and to run frequent tests to make sure we maintain our security, and he was one of the first in the nation to apply for federal funding to maintain elections security.



Yet that is far from the only reason I am writing to let you know I have the strongest confidence in Bill Galvin to continue to serve as our Secretary of State. Much has been made of the word "progressive" lately to describe candidates, so I want you to know that when you hear people talk about the progressive agenda, Bill Galvin has been working and step by step implementing it over time. It was his bill for automatic voter registration that I voted for in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. It was his work to expand voter registration through mail-in, online, and pre-registration for 16-year-olds that give us record turnouts. His experience with the legislature makes him by far the most effective to continue to push for the reforms we need, including same day voter registration, expansion of early voting to include primaries and municipal elections, and ranked choice voting.

That's the kind of yes, progressive, leadership we need in our secretary of state. There is truly no one more qualified to serve in that office than Bill Galvin, and as I urge everyone to vote every election, I ask all of you to get to the polls for the primary on Tuesday, Sept. 4, and cast your vote for Secretary of State Bill Galvin.

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier

Pittsfield, Mass.
A cannabis company is looking to operate at the former Berkshire Outdoors building on Howland Avenue.

Marijuana Cultivator Looking to Operate in Adams



Art Babayan of LC Square speaks with the Board of Selectmen last week about his plans for marijuana cultivation. ADAMS, Mass.  A third cannabis company is speaking with officials, this time about a potential cultivation facility.

Art Babayan of Natick, principal of LC Square LLC, told the Selectmen last week of his plans to establish a marijuana cultivation facility at 173 Howland Ave.

He said he sees Adams as the perfect fit for himself and his business.

"I strongly believe in a win-win relationship and every time I traveled to Adams to look at a facility at the gas station, restaurant, or grocery store I always felt welcomed," he said. "It is very important to me to be surrounded by people who are respectful and welcoming, and I felt that every time."

Babayan said he and his partners have been looking at possible sites in Berkshire County for the past six months and they plan to purchase the Howland Avenue property that was formerly Berkshire Outdoors and, prior to that, Powder Shield Technologies.

The 36,000 square-foot building needs work and Babayan said the plan is to completely renovate it.

"That building needs a lot of love ... we know what is coming and we know what we need to do," he said. "We are going to start that immediately."

The company expects to close on the purchase of the property from Howland Avenue Storage LLC shortly and then will winterize it and begin work on the interior of the facility. Babayan said LC Square is currently in the state application process and hopes to be open in 2019.

Babayan briefly outlined some of the items in a proposed host community agreement and said the plan is to voluntarily give the town $5,000 toward drug education.

The company also plans to hire local contractors and would like the five to 10 employees it plans to hire to be local as well.

LC Square's security consultant Stephen Chaisson of AC3 LLC also addressed the board and said he was involved in setting up security in some of the first cultivation facilities in the state.

He said the Howland Avenue facility will go beyond state security mandates.

"Quite honestly this may be one of the most secure facilities in your town," he said.

Most of the board's questions centered around the marijuana business as a whole and Selectman Joseph Nowak asked if stronger strains of marijuana will be labeled as such.

"As a young man, I am not scared to admit it, I did grow up in the '60s and I smoked weed. I went to Woodstock and there were different types," he said. "There was the good stuff  and now there has been an uptick in THC."

Babayan said all of the product will be shipped to testing facilities, where the chemical makeup will be recorded. THC refers to tetrahydrocannabinol, the drug's main chemical ingredient.

Nowak also noted that the marijuana business is currently cash only, which makes him nervous. Banks have been hesitant to engage with cannabis operators because federal law still denotes marijuana as an illegal drug despite its legalization or decriminalization in more than 20 states and districts.

Babayan shared the same sentiment and said in time he anticipates this will change but, in the meantime, the company will utilize a software that records everything it grows and sells.

"As a business owner, I don't want to handle cash at all," he said.

Selectman James Bush asked what will happen to the marijuana waste.

Chaisson said it will be turned into compost.

"This is really nutrient-rich material," he said. "We grow once in it than it is destroyed so we are going to look locally to people who may want it, but it is a commodity."

Babayan said he is excited to relocate to Adams.

"I personally plan to become a very active member in this community I love this area and certainly see myself moving down here," he said. "The closer you get to Adams you are surrounded by this beauty it is amazing."

Nowak thanked Babayan for taking an interest in Adams and said he hoped they succeeded.

"I just thank you for having faith in our community and I hope that we can work hand in hand and move forward," he said. " and lastly, I did inhale."

LC Square will hold a community outreach meeting before the town signs a host community agreement.

The Selectmen also approved the placement of no-parking signs on Phillips Hill Road by request of the Traffic Commission.

Vehicles were parking on the hill to utilize a back-loading dock at Mullen Moving and Storage and completely blocking the narrow road from those who live at the top of the hill.

The situation was largely worked out at the Traffic Commission meeting between the neighbors and Mullen, but the commission felt signage could only help deter parkers.

The board also ratified the hiring of Carla Thomas as a financial assistant in the Community Development Office and of Bruce Bump as a skilled laborer and Tristan Fieri as a maintenance technician/operator I, both in the Department of Public Works.




iciHaiti - Security : Resumption of training workshops of mayors on risk management





Thursday, August 23, after a pause was observed, between July and August, because of the strong mobilization that the organization required the national hydrometeorological simulation exercise SIMEX, the Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC) will resume Leogane, its national training tour of mayors of Haiti in risk management initiated last May.



Since the beginning of the tour, no less than 130 senior officials (departmental delegates, deputy district delegates and mayors) have participated in a series of workshops aimed at strengthening the capacity of communities to manage major climatic hazards, ranging from prevention efforts for coordinating and accompanying the population before, during and after a disaster.



As the main responsibles of communal risk management committees at the departmental and communal levels, participants are now better equipped to ensure the roles and functions of civil protection at the community level and for the benefit of the population.



This series of training workshops is financially supported by the US Agency for International Development's (USAID-OFDA) International Disaster Assistance Office, through a project implemented by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).



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iciHaiti - DR : 157 compatriots deported to Haiti





The Directorate General of Migration (DGM) informs to have carried out last week, operations of migratory controls in coordination with the Municipality of Santo Domingo West and the Provincial Government of La Romana.



Following intelligence and public denunciations targetig illegal aliens, the operations targeted the communities of West La Romana, Villa Hermosa and La Caleta in La Romana, as well as various sectors of the municipality of Santo Domingo West, after these cotrols, 157 illegal Haitians were transferred to the border of Elias Pina to be registered before being deported to Haiti.



The Lieutenant General, Maximo William Munoz Delgado, Director General of the DGM recalls that these operations will continue to be carried out throughout the national territory, in accordance with the provisions of Law 285-04.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25188-haiti-dr-a-little-more-than-80-000-haitians-deported-or-turned-back-in-7-months.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25105-haiti-dr-more-80-of-haitians-controlled-in-santiago-illegal.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24664-haiti-social-hunt-of-haitians-in-the-province-of-puerto-plata-367-compatriots-deported.html



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Filmmaker Anil Sharma (right) of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha fame is all set to introduce his son, Utkarsh Sharma (left), in the lead role in Genius. The female lead in the film is debutant Ishita Chauhan. (photo provided)
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Members of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta, along with the South Asian Bar Association of Georgia, and Indian American community activists held a press conference to call attention to a hunger strike launched by several Sikh asylum seekers being held at the Folkston, Georgia ICE Processing Center. The asylum seekers were put in solitary confinement and tortured by ICE officers, Javeria Jamil, director of legal services at AAJC Atlanta, alleged to India-West. (AAJC-Atlanta photo)
Undocumented molecular biologist Syed Ahmed Jamal, who received an 11th hour reprieve from deportation as he was on a plane back to Bangladesh, has been granted a hearing by the Board of Immigration Appeals. Jamal, a resident of Lawrence, Kansas, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 30 years, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last January in front of his home, as he was preparing to take his daughter to school. Jamals Indian American attorney Rekha Sharma-Crawford said: Its a win, clearly. (family photo, courtesy of Syed H. Jamal)
August 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - It was somehow fitting that first news of Uri Avnerys plight should reach me from one of Israels staunchest enemies, the Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. One legend sending sad news of another, you see, a socialist preparing to mourn a fellow socialist, sending his sympathy for the 94-year-old Israeli political philosopher. That same philosopher was once a German Jewish schoolboy, originally called Helmut Ostermann, who refused to give the Hitler salute at school, but who was, when I received Jumblatts message  still, just  an indispensable mind to understand the history of fascism, a major destructive element of the 20th century. Jumblatts words. Avnery, he added, also understood the history of Zionism, another despicable apartheid theory that is an offshoot of fascism.

Uri Avnery suffered a massive heart attack at the weekend and died on Monday morning, but he was himself a Zionist, or at least a believer in a left-wing, courageous but humble light among the nations Israel; the kind many of us, in our heart of hearts, would like to believe in. He was the sort of Israeli that we bleeding heart liberals go and see when we arrive in Israel because they say what we want to hear.

Tell Jumblatt that he must break up his sentences into paragraphs, Avnery told me when I left his Tel Aviv apartment six years ago. He says everything in one long text and I can hardly breathe. Lesson duly passed on to Jumblatt from a man who often wrote single sentence paragraphs, an annoying habit of tabloid journalism which does occasionally get a message across rather well.

I must admit that Uri Avnery was one of my Middle East heroes  there arent many  and his story is worthy of a movie, though there will be no Spielbergs to direct it: writer, journalist, leftist, veteran of the Israeli army in the countrys War of Independence  and, as he never forgot, the same war which drove 750,000 Palestinians from their home and lands. He played chess with Arafat during the 1982 siege of Beirut  be sure, this will be in the first two paragraphs of the obituaries today  and his angry but gently cynical newsletters would arrive on Friday afternoons, condemning Netanyahu for his hypocrisy and racism, Sharon for his hatred of Palestinians, missives from a book-crammed home in Tel Aviv, close to the sea but in a modest, quiet street where Avnery could ruminate and roar.

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He was a wee bit deaf when I met him again  and for the last time  six years ago, but he spoke so quickly, and in perfect sentences, that my pen skidded over the pages of my notebook until it ran out of ink and I had to steal his own biro. I still have the book, and the ink changes from my black to his pale blue at a point when he is talking at high speed about Hamas, with whom he often met, furious that Gaza had turned into a storyline about rocket attacks and retaliation.

Whenever either of the two sides want to start shooting again, they will, he said. The ink had just changed its colour on the page. In Gush Shalom [which Avnery founded], we put out a sticker five years ago, which said: Talk to Hamas.

This is not an obituary of Uri Avnery, even though the institution has the great journalistic merit of a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Because Avnerys warnings and prescience were so contemporary  so absolutely on-the-ball for todays news from the Middle East  that they can be repeated now, today, as if the great old leftist warrior is still alive. And there he is in my six-year old notebook, very much alive, still demanding peace with the Palestinians, peace with Hamas, and generosity and a Palestinian state on the old 1967 borders  give or take a few square miles  and he believes Israel could have peace tomorrow, next week. If Netanyahu wanted it. The misfortune of being an incorrigible optimist, is how he described his predicament to me. Or perhaps an illusionist?

His family fled Nazi Germany for Palestine and I went to see him again  he who had played chess with Arafat  after the 1982 massacre of up to 1,700 Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatila refugee camps in Beirut, a war crime committed by Israels Christian Phalangist allies while Israeli soldiers watched but did not intervene. I had walked across the bodies in the camp. How could the survivors of the Jewish Holocaust and their children let this happen to the Palestinians, I asked Avnery? Avnery was only 63 years old at the time. His reply is worth printing, in full:

I will tell you something about the Holocaust. It would be nice to believe that people who have undergone suffering have been purified by suffering. But its the opposite, it makes them worse. It corrupts. There is something in suffering that creates a kind of egoism. Herzog [the Israeli president at the time] was speaking at the site of the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen but he spoke only about the Jews. How could he not mention that others  many others  had suffered there? Sick people, when they are in pain, cannot speak about anyone but themselves. And when such monstrous things have happened to your people, you feel nothing can be compared to it. You get a moral power of attorney, a permit to do anything you want  because nothing can compare to what has happened to us. This is a moral immunity which is very clearly felt in Israel. Everyone is convinced that the IDF is more humane than any other army. Purity of arms was the slogan of the Haganah army in 48. But it never was true at all.

And Avnery was a member of that army, badly wounded in the 1948 war; he even became a member of the Knesset, but was threatened by the Israeli cabinet after he met Yasser Arafat in Beirut. He should be tried for treason, Israeli ministers said. I think Avnery was rather proud of that. His curmudgeonly, irritating, courageous personality could embrace the occasional political martyrdom, something which modern socialists are almost all too frightened to contemplate.

Netanyahu  six years ago when I last saw Avnery and until the days before his death  enraged the old Israeli soldier of 1948. What was the Gaza war meant to achieve, I asked him in 2012  for there always has just been a Gaza war in recent Israeli history, and the latest, in November of that year, had killed 107 civilians in Gaza and four civilians on the Israeli side of the line. And what was Netanyahu and his government  then and, I suppose, today  doing, I asked him?

Avnerys eyes sparkled and he spat out his reply. You are presuming you know what they [Netanyahus government] want and you presume they want peace  and therefore that their policy is stupid or insane. But if you assume they dont give a damn for peace but want a Jewish state from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River, then what they are doing makes sense up to a point. The trouble is that what they do want is leading into a cul de sac If they annex the West Bank as they have annexed east Jerusalem, it doesnt make much of a difference. The trouble is that in this territory which is now dominated by Israel, there are about 49 per cent Jews and 51 per cent Arabs  and this balance will become larger every year because the natural increase on the Arab side is far greater than the natural increase on our side. So the real question is: if this policy goes on, what kind of state will it be? As it is today, it is an apartheid state, a full apartheid in the occupied territories and a growing apartheid in Israel  and if this goes on, it will be full apartheid throughout the country, incontestably.

The Avnery argument went bleakly on. If the Arab inhabitants are granted civil rights, there will be an Arab majority in the Knesset and the first thing they will do is change the name Israel and name the state Palestine, and the whole [Zionist] exercise of the past 130 years has come to naught. Mass ethnic cleansing would be impossible in the 21st century, Avnery assured me. I wonder.

He often pondered the demise of the Israeli Left  they were hibernating, he said after Ehud Barack, the (Israeli) Labour leader, had come back from the Camp David talks in 2000 as self-proclaimed leader of the peace camp, and told us we have no partner for peace. This was a death blow. It was not Netanyahu who said this, but the leader of the Labour Party. This was the end of Peace Now.

Perhaps his next words should be written on Avnerys grave. When I met Arafat in 1982  he was to meet him again many times  the terms were all there. The Palestinian minimum and maximum terms are the same: a Palestinian state next to Israel, comprising the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem as a capital, small exchanges of land and a symbolic solution to the refugee problem. But this lies on the table like a wilted flower

Avnery remained convinced that Hamas would accept the same. He lectured to them in Gaza in 1993, standing there, facing 500 black-bearded sheikhs, speaking to them in Hebrew  I was applauded and invited to lunch. For them, Avnery, explained, Palestine is a waqf and cannot be handed over, but a truce can be sanctified by God. If they offered a truce for 50 years, that is personally enough for me. Sure, he said, the Hamas manifesto wants to destroy Israel. But abolishing a manifesto is a very difficult thing to do  did the Russians ever abandon the communist manifesto? The PLO did theirs.

Back then, in 2012, I ended my report on the 89-year old Avnery with the observation that there are more than a few liberals in Israel who hope that Uri Avnery lives for another 89 years. Now there are even fewer liberals left, and Avnery lived for less than another six years. There was to have been a 95th birthday party for him in Tel Aviv next month. If they still hold it, however, Avnerys friends  and enemies  should proclaim that Avnery is dead. But then add: And long live Avnery.
We are going to strengthen our military like never ever before and thats what we did, the former reality television host added, noting that armed service branches will have the finest planes, and ships, and tanks, and missiles thanks to the NDAA, Trump said.

The act authorizes funding for a large number of top-of-the-line military products, including $7.6 billion for 77 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, full funding for the new Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider long-range stealth bomber, and 13 new warships  including $1.56 billion for three littoral combat ships, despite the Navys only having requested a single one.

Chinas Defense Ministry has decried the act as depicting an exaggerated Sino-U.S. antagonism. The NDAA includes a number of related provisions that shape foreign policy and stresses the need to boost the capabilities of Taiwan. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province and has repeatedly stressed that its eventual reunification with the mainland remains a core interest for Beijing.

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The boost in military expenditures comes amid what late world-systems theorist Giovanni Arrighi called the terminal crisis of U.S. hegemony  a turning-point that he and other analysts see as coinciding with the growth of Beijings geopolitical strength and a long-term shift favoring China as the potential center of a new world economy.

Before Washington makes any radical decisions, it should evaluate its own power

Several measures within the act are clearly intended to target China as the Pentagon continues to focus its energy on the region surrounding the emerging East Asian powerhouse.

These include a requirement that public reports must be made on the state of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and its activities in the South China Sea and so-called Indo-Pacific Region, as well as the provision of military aid to Asia-Pacific states seen as vital allies in the goal of encircling China.

Cyber-warfare funding will also be boosted, as the act opens the door to the Pentagons carrying out of covert operations free of congressional oversight. The NDAA notes that clandestine military activity or operation in cyberspace shall be considered a traditional military activity.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States will also be tasked with new powers to review Chinese investment proposals to ensure that they do not threaten U.S. national security. Any federal government entity will be prevented from using telecoms equipment provided by Huawei Technologies or ZTE.

The anti-Chinese thrust of the act hasnt been lost on Beijing; in an editorial published Wednesday, state-run newspaper Global Times excoriated the NDAA as an aggressive act that mentions the Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea, Chinese investment in the U.S. and even Confucius Institutes.

The newspaper, which is often seen as offering a candid perspective reflecting the views of the ruling partys central committee, added that the bill recalls the militarism of the World War II-era Imperial Japanese Army. The editorial added:

If some American elites still feel unsafe, then they are greedy about their security. The security they seek doesnt exist in this world. It is beyond even the reach of God  What Washington pursues is the destruction of Chinas national security, not the protection of its own national security. If one of the acts purposes is to contain China, then the U.S. needs to defeat China in spirit and $716 billion would be far from enough.  No one should have the ambition to defeat China by using military approaches in the 21st century. Before Washington makes any radical decisions, it should evaluate its own power.

The terminal crisis of U.S. hegemony

The United States spent the latter half of the 20th century as the unchallenged global hegemonic power, largely using the threat of communisms global spread as an excuse to legitimize its leadership over the so-called free world, project its power across the globe, and establish its proxies, bases, and logistical hubs around rivals such as the Soviet Union and Peoples Republic of China.

Following the Soviet Unions collapse in the early 1990s, the United States used the excuse of the Global War on Terror to justify its continued military presence across the globe. The style of U.S. leadership began to rapidly shift from the use of multilateral diplomatic institutions like the UN and International Criminal Court  as favored by the liberal wing of U.S. imperialism  toward the neoconservative New American Century method of economic warfare and the naked use of force by NATO and Western coalitions formed on an ad-hoc basis, a method the present administration seems to favor.

The foremost goal of the past several administrations has been the prevention of Chinas rise, as well as a push to dominate and lead a geopolitical arena filled with rising powers both north and south, including a united Germany, Turkey, India, South Africa, Brazil and Russia.

The United States may continue to exercise dominance in the military realm, but its legitimacy as a world leader in economic, diplomatic, and geopolitical terms is growing brittle and showing definite signs of wear. The emerging multipolar arrangement has convinced observers that the United States is undeniably confronting an inevitable decline in its status as the worlds foremost hegemonic power.

Absent the role of a credible imperialist hegemon overseeing the global order, the world is finding itself mired in geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, rising militarism, and fierce rivalries by nations over their positions in the emerging multipolar pecking-order.

As the U.S. gears up for another year of splurging on arms and equipping its allies, Beijing is far from alone in its understanding that Washington wont exit center-stage without putting up a fierce fight.

Elliott Gabriel is a former staff writer for teleSUR English and a MintPress News contributor based in Quito, Ecuador. He has taken extensive part in advocacy and organizing in the pro-labor, migrant justice and police accountability movements of Southern California and the states Central Coast.
By Finian Cunningham

August 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Nearly five months after a change in power in Ethiopia, the country is witnessing an outbreak of deadly communal violence in several regions. The surge in conflict has come after many years of political stability in the Horn of Africa nation, stirring fears that the country may be facing widespread chaos and even break-up.

There are also suspicions that the unprecedented instability is part of a US-backed geopolitical realignment, one which shifts Ethiopia from its strategic economic partnership with China, towards being a client of American-backed Arab regimes. This shift is happening without national consensus, driven by a new ruling faction. It is a fait accompli. Tantamount to a coup.

In April this year, the Ethiopian parliament voted a new prime minister into office. The opaque selection process seemed to involve a lot of horse-trading. A youthful Abiy Ahmed (41) emerged as the new leader. He has won wide praise in Western media and from the US government in particular for supposedly introducing positive reforms. For example, he released hundreds of political prisoners, ended a state of emergency, and condemned past alleged human rights violations by security forces. The condemnation was less admission; more a ploy to undermine the previous government with a false label of state terrorism.

Abiy Ahmed, who is commonly referred to simply by his first name, has declared an internal peace process with a militant group known as the Oromo Liberation Front (OFL), and he has welcomed back exiled political figures from the US and other countries reportedly in the name of forgiveness.

Internationally, the new prime minister initiated a rapid rapprochement with neighboring Eritrea, overcoming nearly 20 years of bitter dispute following a three-year border war (1998-2001). The two countries formally declared peace last month.

These apparent progressive changes, however, are more plausibly a misreading of a disturbing reorientation of Ethiopias politics. While the Western media are portraying premier Abiy as a pro-democracy liberal, there is a darker side to what is going on.

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Last week, Abiy welcomed senior officials from the Saudi and Emirati Gulf states. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir visited on the same day that he made an earlier stopover in Eritrea where he was warmly received by Eritrean dictator Isaias Afwerki. The Gulf Arab regimes are long-time sponsors of Eritrea. Ethiopias sudden affiliation with the Arab despots has left many Ethiopians worried that their country is covertly being shunted in a more sinister direction.

What appears to be underway is a geopolitical shift in which Ethiopia is gravitating to the orbit of the United States and its Middle East clients, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. That has implications for Ethiopias erstwhile strategic economic partnership with China, as well as dangerously stoking the countrys internal tensions.

The recent flare-up of conflict and tensions in Ethiopia are complex, reflecting the fact that the nation of 100 million is comprised of 84 ethnic peoples. The mainly Christian Orthodox country has also a large Muslim population. There are thus several flash-points, which could explode into widespread violence.

Recently, the countrys eastern region bordering Somalia saw dozens of churches attacked and several priests reportedly killed. The danger is that reprisals could lead to a sectarian conflagration. People are nervously anticipating more violence as the country seems to be teetering on a sharp edge.

There have also been other deadly clashes in southern, central and western regions. Notably, the sparse Western media coverage tends to depict the violence as occurring in spite of reformist Abiy Ahmed. Whereas, more accurately, the surge in violence appears to be the responsibility of the new ruling faction around the prime minister.

Who carried out the killings in the eastern Somali region is not clear. The authorities in the capital, Addis Ababa, under premier Abiys control, claim that local paramilitary police carried out attacks on Oromo people. The Western media have tended to promote that claim. But there is suspicion that the killings may have been instigated by the central authorities for a sinister objective of inciting sectarian conflict and asserting central control over that region.

What raises suspicion is that such violence against Christians in that location is unprecedented. The governor of the Somali region, Abdi Illey, is believed to be now in custody of the Addis Ababa central government. But Abdi Illey, while being a Muslim himself, has a long history of benign relations with Christians in his region, having built many churches over the years. More significantly, perhaps, he is also a staunch supporter of the former ruling coalition government, which the new prime minister has shown increasing antipathy towards since he took office in April.

The former central authorities in Addis Ababa were dominated by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF hail from the northern region bordering Eritrea. They were the main revolutionary force that overthrew the despotic Derg regime in 1990-91. What the new leadership in Addis Ababa seems to be doing is rehabilitating remnants of the Derg. When premier Abiy was in the US earlier this month on a week-long tour, he pointedly shared public stages with exiled figures who had been part of the Derg. When he talks about these exiles returning home, this is not viewed as a progressive reform by many Ethiopians, as the Western media would portray, but rather as a retrograde move that could reignite past conflict.

Ethiopians, especially in the northern Tigray region, fear that Abiy is stealthily pushing a sectarian agenda which will prioritize the dominance of his ethnic group, the Oromo. There is also concern that Abiy, who has Muslim heritage, is aligning with Arab states which could inflame sectarian violence with Christians. A key indicator to watch is if the Saudis and Emiratis start funneling money into the country to build radicalizing mosques.

According to Ethiopian political sources, it is suspected that Abiys rise to power is part of a long-term plan orchestrated by Washington and its Arab allies to fundamentally reorient the Horn of Africa region away from Chinas economic influence. Over the past two decades, China has partnered with Ethiopia as a model for African development. The partnership was very much encouraged by the TPLF-dominated government. That alignment seems now to be eroding under prime minister Abiy. He has, for example, made provocative public comments deriding the TPLF and some of the countrys flagship development projects, which China had played a key role in.

It is also significant that Emirati officials were in Eritrea earlier this month where they announced plans for building a major oil pipeline from Ethiopia to the Red Sea via the Eritrean port of Assab. Ethiopia recently discovered significant oil reserves in its eastern region.

That move possibly signals why the Saudis and Emiratis, as well as Washington, were the political driving forces behind the surprise peace deal between Ethiopias Abiy and Eritreas Afwerki. A deal that Abiy initiated only weeks after taking office.

In order to cleave Ethiopia from Chinas strategic partnership, it was necessary to bring in an Oromo political figure as leader because the Oromo have historically been opposed to the TPLF-led government, which had opted to partner with Chinese development capital. The Oromo Liberation Front, for example, sided with Eritrea during the war with Ethiopia. That was one of the reasons why OLF figures were exiled or imprisoned by the Ethiopian government. The militant group was previously designated a terrorist organization by the TPLF-led administration. The OLF continues to have a base in Asmara, the Eritrean capital. This is the group that Abiy is welcoming back into Ethiopias political mainstream with brotherly embrace in an act of what he calls forgiveness.

Thus by shifting Ethiopia away from China into the sphere of the US and Arab influence  with lucrative gains for American capital of course  the Oromo prime minister is nevertheless unleashing combustible tensions within Ethiopia along ethnic and religious lines.

There are fears that a Christian-Muslim conflict could erupt, or that the Oromo and Tigray ethnic groups are driven towards civil war. Some of the Oromo supporters of Abiy Ahmed, whom he brought back from exile, have been making incendiary public statements calling for vengeance against the Tigray. There is also a sinister jihadist hue among these firebrands, consistent with the sponsorship of Saudi and Emirati Wahhabi rulers.

Ethiopia is on a knife-edge which could descend into widespread violence. But one thing is sure, the Western medias spinning of a reformist new leader, Abiy Ahmed, is way off the mark. The prime minister seems more like a Trojan Horse figure whose entrance to office is primarily serving the geopolitical interests of Washington and its Arab client regimes, while jeopardizing his own countrys stability.

Far from this political development being pro-democracy and progressive, as Western media are mis-reporting, it is more akin to a foreign-backed coup against Ethiopias international independence.

Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent.
The CIA Owns the US and European Media By Paul Craig Roberts August 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - William Blum shares with us his correspondence with Washington Post presstitute Michael Birnbaum. As you can tell from Birnbaums replies, he comes across as either very stupid or as a CIA asset. When I received my briefing as staff associate, House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which required top secret clearance, I was told by senior members of the staff that the Washington Post was a CIA asset. Watching the Washington Posts takedown of President Richard Nixon with the orchestrated Watergate story, that became obvious. President Nixon had made too many overtures to the Soviets and too many arms limitations agreements, and he opened to China. Watching President Nixons peace initiatives water down the threat level from the Soviet Union and Maoist China, the military/security complex saw a threat to its budget and power and decided that Nixon had to go. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy had resulted in far too much skepticism about the Warren Commission Report, so the CIA decided to use the Washington Post to get rid of Nixon. To keep the clueless American left hating Nixon, the CIA used its assets in the leftwing to keep Nixon blamed for the Vietnam war, a war that Nixon inherited and did not want. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The CIA knew that Nixons problem was that he could not exit the war without losing his conservative base, which was convinced of the nonsensical Domino Theory. I have always wondered if the CIA concocted the Domino Theory, as it so well served them. Unable to get rid of the war with honor, Nixon was driven to brutal methods to force the North Vietnamese to accept a situation that he could depart without defeat and soiling Americas honor and losing his conservative support base. The North Vietnamese wouldnt bend, but the US Congress did, and so the CIA succeeded in discrediting among both the leftwing and righwing Nixons war management. With no one to defend him, Nixon was an easy target for the CIA. Here is Blums exchange with Birnbaum. It is possible that Birnbaum is neither stupid nor a CIA asset, but just a person wanting to hold on to a job. The last thing he can afford to do is to disabuse readers of the Russian Threat when Bezos Amazon and Washington Post properties are dependent on the CIAs annual subsidy of $600 million disquised as a contract. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. ====== - In Case You Missed It - The CIA and the Media: 50 Historical Facts the World Needs to Know 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
Home Search ICH Be Careful About What You Believe  US, UK Media Bias & Lies By Ken Livingstone August 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Today it seems like we are in another Cold War. It was breathtaking to watch our PM Theresa May immediately blaming Russia for the poisoning of the Skripals before the police had conducted their investigation into the evidence. Growing up after the Second World War our news was dominated by the threat from the Soviet Union, but when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 I dont think anyone could have guessed that just over two decades later we would be once again talking about the threat from Russia. Anyone who only gets their news from the British or American media is kept in ignorance of the truth; the endless accusations about the Skirpal poisoning or the conflict over Crimea is presented in a completely biased way in which most of the facts are ignored. But there is nothing new about this: dishonest reporting and lies dominated the whole of the Cold War in the days of the Soviet Union. Although President John Kennedy in the United States started out with quite a right-wing agenda with one of his 1960 election promises being to close the missile gap with the Soviet Union, he rapidly changed and began to throw the weight of his administration behind the struggle to end racism in Americas deep south. Also, if he hadnt been assassinated, he was planning to withdraw American troops from Vietnam if he had been re-elected in 1964 because he realized a full-scale war in Vietnam would be a disaster. What changed his politics so much were his conflicts with the military. He had only been president a few days before they got him to continue with the planned invasion of Cuba by a small band of Cuban dissidents. The military told him that the invasion would lead to an uprising and the overthrow of Fidel Castro so America would not need to provide any air support for the invasion of the Bay of Pigs. But no sooner had the rebels landed, than the Pentagon was insisting that Kennedy agree to American air strikes on Cuba. Kennedy realized he had been lied to and refused. I would love to be able to go back in time and tell him that Castros regime would outlast the reign of twelve US presidents, eight of whom, including Kennedy, authorized assassination attempts on Castro, all of which failed. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Kennedy had already been shocked to discover that his campaign pledge to close the missile gap with Russia was nonsense. At his first military briefing he was told that the Soviet Union had four nuclear missiles capable of landing in the USA whereas the USA had three hundred and fifty capable of obliterating the Soviet Union. It says a lot about the way we are lied to by governments that a man who had been a senator for eight years and was on the verge of becoming president was as completely ignorant about the truth of Americas nuclear superiority as were all the rest of us. Kennedys predecessor, Republican President Eisenhower, had tried to warn the American people about the growth of the power of the military industrial complex in his final television address before his presidency ended but nothing has changed and if anything it has become more powerful over the American government today than it was then when half the federal governments budget was being spent on the military. Given that President Eisenhower had been the most senior military official in America before he became president, his warning is quite remarkable. The lies about Russias military predominance are being echoed again today over issues like the Crimea. I have never seen anything in the British media that reports the fact that over ninety percent of the people living in the Crimea are Russian. Nor have I ever seen it reported in the media that the Crimea was never a part of Ukraine until 1954 when the Soviet Unions then leader Nikita Khrushchev switched the boundaries to include the Crimea inside Ukraine. He might be that he did this simply because he was himself born and brought up in the Ukraine but there have always been rumours that he was very drunk when he took the decision but Ive never seen that reported in the British media. Although Britain and America have imposed sanctions on Russia for incorporating the Crimea the history of what happened is of course very different. The centre and west of Ukraine is dominated by Ukrainians and during the Second World War many Ukrainians collaborated with the Nazi regime after it invaded Ukraine on its way to Moscow and a couple of years later as the Soviet army pushed back the Nazis many Ukrainians fought with the Nazis against the Soviet army. So no-one should be surprised that the people of the Crimea and the Russian dominated Eastern part of Ukraine had worries and doubts about the Ukrainian government and its attitude towards them after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. What triggered this crisis was not a Russian invasion but the overthrow of the then moderate Ukrainian government under President Viktor Yanukovych. Back in November 2013 Yanukovych announced he was delaying the signing of an economic treaty with the European Union because it would have terminated the Ukraines trading and economic relations with its main economic partner Russia. Why the EU was demanding this change which would clearly damage the economy of Ukraine has never been revealed. Following Yanukovychs announcement demonstrators occupied the Ukrainian capitals central square, Maidan, protesting against his decision but the protests and rallies became violent and led to the overthrow of the president on February 22, 2014. The protests were led by extreme Ukrainian nationalists and paramilitary groups whose policies echoed much of the fascist ideology including the use of Nazi symbols and racist slogans, calling for the ethnic cleansing of the Russians living in Ukraine. Britain, the USA and the EU supported the coup that overthrew President Yanukovych. There is now a considerable degree of evidence that western intelligence agencies were involved in encouraging these far-right groups over many decades following the end of the Second World War. The new Ukrainian government claimed that the number of people shot dead had been killed by the governments security forces and Russians posing as Ukrainians. Those allegations were blown away when the Italian TV website Eyes Of War showed a documentary interviewing three ex-military snipers from Georgia who admitted they had been hired by the insurgents and had been partly responsible for the shootings. No western government has talked about sanctions against Georgia. Clearly the overthrow of the government and its replacement by a far-right anti-Russian regime spurred the fear of ethnic cleansing and led to the Russian majority in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine deciding they would not remain under the new Ukrainian regime and so they fought to defend themselves. Russians living in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine should have the same right to self-determination as should be the case around the whole of the world. None of this is new, just a few years earlier in 2014 a Malaysian aeroplane was shot down as it passed over Ukraine in July. Immediately Western media said that this had been done by a Russian missile. But nowhere in the Western media was it revealed that the missile used was so old that they had been taken out of service by the Russian government years before. Following the chaotic break up of the old Soviet Union its wholly possible that several of these old missiles were retained, perhaps even by far-right groups in the Ukraine. It takes decades for the truth to come out. We now know that when Tony Blair told us that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that could reach Britain within 45 minutes and President Bush claimed Iraq had amassed a huge stockpile of uranium that this was completely untrue, but it led to the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. As a young man I remember back in 1964 the American government announcing that one of their battleships has been attacked by North Vietnam and this led to their mass bombing and full-scale war leading to the deaths of over three and a half million people. Twenty years later the truth came out that there had never been an attack on that American ship. The earliest lie I remember was when I was just eleven years old and Britain and France announced they were invading Egypt to stop the war between Egypt and Israel. All the politicians behind that lie were dead long before the truth emerged that Britain and France had asked Israel to invade Egypt so that this would give Britain and France the chance to overthrow Nassers Egyptian government and take back control of the Suez Canal. Always be careful about what you believe. Ken Livingstone is an English politician, he served as the Mayor of London between 2000 and 2008. He is also a former MP and a former member of the Labour Party. This article was originally published by "RT " - The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. ====== Need A Laugh? 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.
As early as 4am on Sunday, the Oyo state government moved to demolish radio house worth N800m. The building which belonged to popular musician, Yinka Ayefele was said to have contravened the original plan of the state.

However, there have been speculations that the building was demolished because the owner had joined opposition and was talking trash about the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Many Nigerians have come forward to condemn the act, saying it was insensitive for government to destroy a place that provided employment to lots of people in the name of constitutionality.

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar, senator Ben Murray Bruce, Femi Fani Kayode and Reno Omokri have also dropped their opimoons on the issue.

Heres what they had to say

The reports of the demolition of a radio station in Oyo fills me with a deep sadness. Press freedom is sacrosanct. Its equally saddening that at a time when jobs are badly needed, a radio station which was providing jobs is needlessly demolished. #sadhttps://t.co/rQuqNOUlra  Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) August 19, 2018

The Lord is the defender of the defenceless, He is the champion of the weak and He provides for the needy. He raises His standard against the oppressor and He is mighty in battle. Ajimobi will pay a heavy price for his sheer wickedness and unrelenting cruelty to Ayefele.  Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 20, 2018

If Yinka Ayefele had built that radio station in England or America, he would have received an award. He built it in Nigeria to provide jobs and he received bulldozers instead. Yet we say we want investors.  Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) August 19, 2018
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with security chiefs at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The president who has been on a 10-day working vacation in the UK, officially resumed today.

The reason for the closed door meeting is not yet known but we would definitely bring you details as soon as possible.

See more photos below
The National Examinations Council (NECO) on Monday, August 20, released the results of the June/July 2018 Senior Secondary Schools Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Out of the 1,041,536 candidates who sat for the examinations, only 742,455 of the candidates got at least five credits, including Mathematics and English Language.

A statement signed by the acting Registrar of the Council, Abubakar Gana, states that a total number of 20,181 candidates were involved in examination malpractices.

CLICK HERE AND PROCEED WITH STEPS TO CHECK YOUR RESULTS

To check results, candidates are to follow the steps outlined below:

1. Visit the result checking website

2. Select year Examination Type

3. Select year of examination

4. Enter your card PIN number

5. Enter your Examination Number

6. Click on Check My Result button

Click here for neco website http://www.mynecoexams.com/results/
A retired Judge and Deputy Governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Osun State, Justice Olamide Oloyode ( retd), has started mobilising donors to assist Yinka Ayefele, in reviving his demolished Fresh FM building.

Oloyede, who was retired by the National Judicial Council for publicly criticising Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola for his alleged failure, said this in a statement made available to The Punch.

The retired judge, who is also the Lead Advocate, Virtues Unlimited Restorative Justice Initiative, urged Nigerians to come to the aid of the wheelchair-bound musician by assisting him to build a better structure than the one pulled down by the Oyo State Government.

The statement reads:


Physically-challenged Nigerian blogger, Lizzy Omoraghon and her husband, Amen Omoraghon have welcomed their first child, a bouncing baby girl.

Sharing photos of their bundle of joy, Lizzy gushed about how excited she is to be somebodys mother.

She wrote:

This photo is undisputedly the least glamorous photo on my page, and yet its my absolute favorite. Swollen legs, puffy face and my postpartum body. I could have waited to take the perfect Baby is here photos to share this news with you all  but my heart is so full of joy right now that I want to share Gods unfiltered goodness in my life. Please say hello to our baby girl! She was born on August 16th, 2018! We are home now and still in total awe of God and how perfect she is.

Thanks to everybody that prayed for us throughout this journey!

P.S: My heart is beating so fast as I type this!

#IAmSomeBodysMommy #GodDidThis#IHaveNotEvenSharedMyMaternityPhotosAndNurseryTourYet#StayTunedForThoseBySubscribingOnYoutube #ButRightNow #ItsBabyTim
Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh has taken to social media to raise an alarm over plans by the police to storm her house.

In the post she shared on her IG page, the divorced single mother of one said the police are coming to her house to arrest her. She also stated that plans are on ground to record the whole process.

I guess I am now a criminal..MY STOMACH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO And they are even coming with Press to record my arrest Lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.. #IF THE HAIR ON MY SONS BODY IS TOUCHED OGA POLICE YOU WILL HAVE TO BURY ME,YOU WILL HAVE TO KILL ME,HAaaaa OGA POLICE there is no FEAR bone in my system!!!

I am a mother and nothing in this life can intimidate me #Dear Oga police if you need me you have my no. Like I said going to my home if anything happens to my son, Pls have a spare of whatever you did to him to do to me!!! #DROPS MIC, she wrote.

https://instagram.com/p/Bmsggj_AmJS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control
The Lagos State Government has announced that the Third Mainland Bridge will be temporarily shut for four days.

This was disclosed in a statement signed on Sunday by the Lagos State Deputy Director, Public Affairs Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Sina Thorpe, stating that the shutdown will start from midnight of August 23 to midnight of August 26, 2018 to allow investigative Maintenance Test to be carried out on the Bridge.

According to the States Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ade Akinsanya the decision was taken after due consultation with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

The Third Mainland Bridge which was opened about 30 years ago by the then military government has had haphazard maintenance and repairs in the past which the present Federal Government is committed to correct by carrying out proper and continuous maintenance and repairs on it, Akinsanya said.

As a result of the planned closure, the State Government has appealed for the cooperation, support and understanding of all motorists and residents.

Consequently,, the traffic management agencies including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Police, among others, have been mandated by the state government to ensure smooth flow of traffic on all the other alternative roads to ensure free flow of traffic.
Through the demolition and protest of the Fresh FM fan yesterday in challenge, Ibadan. Yinka Ayefeles has finally addressed the issue officially and named who his behind it.

Yinka Ayelefe MON finally speaks on the demolition of the radio station.His speech goes thus

I greet the entire Fresh Fm fans both home and abroad.I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude for this opportunity and experience.As we all know,Fresh Fm is not an Ayefele owned company but a company owned by the general public. I ll like to plead with everyone not to cause any casualty especially on the Ajumose bus packed around Music House. Please and please do not destroy any government property. This happened for a reason. Lets leave everything in Gods care. And Ill like to thank the government of Oyo state for what they have done.Where they began and where they are at the moment. Special thanks to TOYIN ARULOGUN for he was the one who suggested the demolition.And also the Nigeria Broadcasting corporation for their support.

Finally,Our program continues as usual and Ill use this medium to beg the entire crew especially Alhaji Abolade Salami,Soul,Olalomi Amole,Yeye Agbedegbeyo, Babatunmise to stop the cry and mourning

Thank you once again.I remain Olayinka Joel Ayefele.

#FreshFm_livesOn

This should not continue like this for an healthy relationship among the government and its people.
Boischatel, QC, (August 20, 2018)- The ninth round of the 2018 NASCAR Pintys Series took place on Sunday at Riverside International Speedway. After a rain delay on Saturday the race was rescheduled to Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Theetge had high hopes for a podium finish but an early race issue in the pits resulted in a seventh-place finish

With all events being cancelled on Saturday, a half hour practice was provided for the teams Sunday morning. Theetge in his #24 Mercedes-Benz/Circuit Acura Chevrolet Camaro was shown third quickest at the end of the session. But due to the rain on Saturday, qualifying was cancelled so the teams were lined up for the start of the Bumper to Bumper 300 in order of owner points in the NASCAR standings. Theetge was scored tied for seventh in the standings so he lined up his entry in row four on the outside.

Theetges car was quick from the start and he was able to make up a few positions before the first of two competition cautions. At lap 75 his team called him to pit road for fuel but a miscue by the team fueling the car cost Theetge a penalty and he had to re-start at the rear of the field in 15th. Theetge fought to gain positions all day but with a long green flag run he lost a lap to the leaders and with virtually no cautions for the remainder of the race was unable to get his lap back. A seventh-place result was due to his hard work and determination.

I am very disappointed in our finish today, said Theetge after the race. This was a really important one for us to try to get back into the points chase but it didnt happen. We had such a strong car, but we were unable to show how good it was because of re-starting at the rear of the pack and losing a lap.

Theetge is scored tied for seventh in the NASCAR Pintys Series standings and will continue to challenge for wins at the remaining four events this season.

The Bumper to Bumper 300 will air on TSN2 on Saturday Aug. 25th at 1:30 p.m. ET and on RDS2 on Tuesday September 11th at 10:30 p.m. ET

The next event on the tour will be at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on August 25/26th where the NASCAR Pintys Series joins the Camping World Truck Series who are making their only appearance in Canada.

Donald Theetge is supported by the following sponsors: Mercedes-Benz St Nicolas, Circuit Acura, Antidote, V Tele, Le Soleil, XPN World et Quebec Automobile Esthetique

For more information please contact:

Linda Jones Steffy Theetge

(705) 730-4044 (418) 830-1234

ljones@drivenmi.ca stheetge@mercedes-benzstnicolas.com
The goal is to combine all of Prudentials long-term European business, excluding the UK, into PIA. The move to a single entity, subject to approval by the High Court of England and Wales, will involve policies written by PAC Poland, PAC France, PAC Malta, and those by Equitable Life Assurance Society branches in Germany and Ireland which were transferred to PAC in 2007.

It will be a larger organisation with more policyholders in more countries, including a new branch in Poland, explained PIA in a letter to policyholders. This wont affect PIAs relationship with its parent company PAC, and PIA will remain part of the Prudential group.

The letter seen by Insurance Business further stated: The terms and conditions of your policy, and the way its run, will all stay the same.

Signed by PIA managing director Michael Leahy, the document also provided various touchpoints available to clients if they wish to object to the transfer or raise any concerns.

Meanwhile Prudential said the proposed transfer of policies, if approved, is expected to take place on January 01 of next year  the process of which will be governed by Part VII of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

PIA is based in Dublin.
Kelowna International Airport manager Sean Parker confirmed that there is less than a kilometre of visibility thanks to the smoke, which means that smaller planes cannot land safely.

To be honest with you, Ive personally never seen it this bad, Parker added. You look out the window here in Kelowna  Its like were in a fog.

Air Canada released a statement yesterday warning that the smoke could continue to affect their flights to and out of the Interior.

Much of BC remains under a special weather statement due to the smoke, Environment Canada has said, with only the far north and portions of the western coast relatively unaffected.

Allan Coldwells, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, cautioned that the smoke is going to be an issue for the next five days, made worse with even more smoke coming from wildfires in neighbouring Washington State.

At present, the Shovel Lake fire  BCs largest wildfire  has burned 85,000 hectares west of Prince George, CBC News reported. The province is in its fifth day of a state of emergency; more than 560 wildfires are raging across BC.

Related stories:

Swiss Re reveals global catastrophe loss total for first half of 2018

Ecologist: Wildfires are burning more intensely thanks to climate change
Were delighted to announce Bupas agreement to acquire Acbadem Sigorta, commented Bupa International Markets chief executive Simeon Preston. Its impressive growth, first-class management team, and customer focus make it an excellent choice for market entry.

We have been watching the Turkish market for several years and we believe it offers excellent prospects for growth. We see this acquisition as a long-term strategic investment for us. Bupa and Acbadem Sigorta have a shared commitment to putting customers first, and we look forward to welcoming the team into the Bupa family.

Currently wholly owned by Malaysian financial holding company Avicennia Capital, Acbadem Sigorta employs more than 500 people and covers 600,000 lives.

Bupa has a strong record of developing and growing the businesses it acquires and has the resources and expertise to help us build on the successes of the past 26 years, said Acbadem Sigorta chief executive Gokhan Gurcan. Together we can support the continued development of the Turkish health insurance market.
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Apple has confirmed that it has removed gambling apps from the Chinese App Store. The company says gambling apps are illegal in China which is why it has taken this move.

As per Chinese state media CCTV, Apple has removed nearly 25,000 gambling apps out of the total 1.8 million apps available on the Chinese App Store.
It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those...
Frances Moore, poses for a photograph in Gibbons Park in London, Ont., on Friday, August 17, 2018. The federal government's intention to enact a statutory holiday aimed at remembering the legacy of Canada's residential school system has drawn mixed reactions from Indigenous Canadians, with responses to the plan ranging from cautious optimism to open disdain. "Reconciliation right now is a great buzz word, but that's kind of where it seems to end," said Frances Moore, an Anishinaabe woman from Timiskaming First Nation in Quebec who now lives in London, Ont. "If this truly is about reconciliation, then great. Do this day, but let's also see action in other ways." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer makes his way past reporters as he leaves a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 13, 2018. Can Andrew Scheer keep his party from fracturing amid internal squabbles and refocus the spotlight on trying to convince Canadians his party is a government-in-waiting? This will be the challenge for the Conservative leader as party members from across the country prepare to gather this week for the party's first policy convention since Scheer was elected leader in 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A locked gate at an entrance to a ranch in Colorado's eastern plains, near where police say the bodies of Shanann Watts and her daughters Bella and Celeste were discovered at an oil work site,is seen Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. GPS coordinates provided by the Frederick Police Department indicate the site is on or near the ranch outside Roggen, Colo. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott).
EUGENE, Ore.  A new mobile app from The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality allows you to have information about your areas air quality conditions at your fingertips.

The free OregonAir app uses smiling and frowning emojis to show what air quality conditions look like in different parts of the state.

"This is just something people use often today and it really allows them to more easily access it if they're traveling or away from their laptop or computer, said Katherine Benenati, a spokesperson with The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

The colors on the scale range from green to maroon.

Benenati said yellow emojis can be concerning to people who have asthma.

She said the colors following yellow are the main concern.

"When we start to usually see issues is with orange which is unhealthy for sensitive groups so you're talking about the elderly, children, pregnant woman and people with respiratory illness, she said. When you get into red, you're talking about unhealthy for everyone. Purple is very unhealthy and maroon is hazardous."

The system even allows you to check on individual components of the air quality index such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particle pollution which is what is found in wildfire smoke.

The app can be downloaded for free on the app store for both android and iPhone.

Benenati said along with the app, there are additional resources on DEQ's website if youre looking for more information.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore.  Springfield police are investigating the death of a 18-month-old boy who died Thursday in foster care.

Andrew Joseph Teague died Thursday at a foster home in the 400 block of 30th Street in Springfield. The death was reported to police Thursday at 7:24 a.m.

Lt. Scott McKee of the Springfield Police Department said an autopsy has been performed and police are awaiting the results of toxicology tests, which can take up to 30 days.

Police are evaluating the scene of the death, including environmental conditions present within the room the child was sleeping in when he was found, McKee said.

The death is not considered suspicious at this time, McKee said.

In response to an inquiry about the death, Christine Stone of the Oregon Department of Human Services said the department cannot release any information about child welfare investigations, due to privacy laws.

The Lane County Medical Examiners office performed the autopsy and is assisting in the investigation into the death, as is the Lane County District Attorneys office.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Governor Kim Reynolds says President Trump has approved her request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 30 Iowa counites.

The counties were battered by severe weather and flooding from June 6 through July 2 and including Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Floyd, Hancock, Howard, Humboldt, Winnebago, Winneshiek, and Wright counties.

This declaration will provide federal funding to the included counties under the Public Assistance Program. The money may be used for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. The declaration also provides funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state to minimize the impact of future disasters.
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP)  A man accused of trying to smother a fellow state psychiatric hospital patient has been sentenced to 10 years in an Iowa prison.

Buchanan County District Court records say 45-year-old Terrance Rooney Jr. was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to burglary and harassment. Prosecutors dropped a charge of attempted murder in exchange for Rooney's pleas. Court records say an evaluation determined Rooney was competent to go to trial.

Rooney has been a patient at the Mental Health Institute in Independence for years and was a patient there when he pleaded guilty in 1999 to making a threat to the life of President Bill Clinton.

Authorities say in the latest case that Rooney tried to suffocate another patient in November and twisted the thumb of a staffer and threatened to kill her in February.
AUSTIN, Minn.  A man accused of molesting a 10-year-old girl is pleading not guilty.

James Edward Slavan, 61 of Austin, was arrested in July and charged with 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct and failing to register as a predatory offender. Austin police say the victim told her mother that Slavan put his hand under her shirt and tried to kiss her. Police say the girl went home and told her mother, who then called police.

Officers arrested Slavan and took him to the Mower County Jail, where they say he tested positive for a blood alcohol content of .23 percent. Court documents also state Slavan frequently fixes bicycles for neighborhood kids.
ALBERT LEA, Minn.  A man is pleading not guilty to threatening a Freeborn County employee with a hammer.

Brian George Boettcher, 63 of Walters, is charged with 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and threats of violence. According to court documents, the county employee was mowing along County Highway 17 on July 16 when a van pulled ahead and stopped directly in front of him. The Freeborn County Sheriffs Office says the driver of the van, identified as Boettcher, got out and stood in the middle of the highway with his cell phone.

The county employee says he stopped his tractor, turned off the mower, and took a photo of Boettcher. The employee says thats when Boettcher approached the tractor in an apparently enraged state with a claw hammer.

Boettcher is accused of yelling at the county employee about grass in the road and waving the hammer over the employees head and shoulders. Boettcher is also accused of making an overhead swinging motion with the hammer and telling the employee he was going to hit him. The employee told investigators he was scared and though Boettcher could have seriously injured or killed him.

Deputies say Boettcher left the scene but was arrested later after a traffic stop. Deputies say Boettcher admitted stopping and confronting the county employee with a hammer in his hand.

Boettchers trial is scheduled to begin on November 13.
MASON CITY, Iowa  The Mason City Public Library says it has made an offer to keep the North Iowa Genealogical Society at the library.

The Society says they have been asked to vacate their place in the library but the library says it made an offer on July 17 to allow the Society to remain on three conditions.

1. The collection of materials that is currently housed in the Mason City Public Library and is owned by the North Central Iowa Genealogical Society would become the property of the Mason City Public Library and would be cataloged in the Mason City Public Library Integrated Library System as reference materials, which cannot be checked out. This collection may need to be reduced based on available space and the current use of certain materials and their availability from other sources in digital format. Unused items will be returned to the North Central Iowa Genealogical Society.

2. The collection would be moved to another public area of the library.

3. Anyone who is interested volunteering at the library to conduct genealogy searches for the public can make an application to become a volunteer at the Mason City Public Library.

The Library says that offer has not been accepted by the Society as of Monday and the current plan is to change the Genealogy Room into a meeting room with a fee to use it. However, the Library says there will be no charge for using its genealogy resources nor any other research conducted at the library.
MASON CITY, Iowa - The first-degree murder trial of Braedon Bowers is scheduled to begin today in Cerro Gordo County.

Bowers is accused of murdering Wraymond Todd from a stabbing that took place May 30, 2017.

Bowers was arrested May 31 in connection to the knife assault and was initially charged with attempted murder. He was later charged with murder.

Bowers was taken into custody after police officers in Britt spotted a vehicle they believed Bowers was in and stopped it.

Todd was found with a knife wound to the chest in 300 block of West State Street and was taken to Mercy Medical Center  North Iowa for emergency surgery. He died five days later.

Cerro Gordo County District Court records say 21-year-old Bowers has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - The victim of a weekend tractor rollover in Cerro Gordo County is now in fair condition.

Scott Sprau, 61 of Meservey, was injured Saturday in the 3400 block of Balsam Avenue in Cerro Gordo County when the tractor he was driving rolled into a ditch and landed on top of him. Emergency personnel had to removed Sprau from under the tractor and he was taken by helicopter to Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa for treatment.

By Sunday, Sprau had been transferred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester where he is listed in fair condtion.
OLMSTED COUNTY, Minn.  Thefts of an ATV and construction tools are being investigated after separate incidents.

Authorities say a new ATV valued at $5,000 was stolen from Podeins Power Equipment in Stewartville. Between 8:30 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.

Deputies were also called 7:43 a.m. Friday for the theft of a construction trailer in the 1500 block of 70th Ave. NE.

An employee with Minnesota Limited reported someone broke into their trailer and stole items such as a steel chainsaw, grinding wheels, tools, voltage testers, a generator and extension cords. The items are valued at $16,670.

Around $1,700 worth of items were also taken from a construction site at 70th Ave. County Club Rd. Thursday night into Friday morning.

No arrests have been made.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled against a man convicted of aiding and abetting 1st degree aggravated robbery.

Emanuel Chol Alfred, 25 of Rochester, was arrested in March 2017 and accused of taking part in an attack and robbery of a man at a party. Authorities say Alfred and others first planned to pay the victim $400 for some marijuana then steal the money back. After an argument over a bet on a game of beer pong, the victim was beaten and robbed of $400.

Alfred was convicted in June 2017 and sentenced in July 2017 to six years and six months in prison, with credit for 126 days already served.

Alfred appealed his conviction, arguing there was insufficient evidence the victim suffered bodily harm during the robbery and, as such, the crime did not qualify as 1st degree aggravated robbery. The victim did not say during the trial that he experienced any pain during the robbery but admitted he was high on drugs at the time and was caught up in [his] own little world.

However, other testimony at Alfreds trial said that the victim was choked from behind, punched, and hit with the bottom of a rifle. The Minnesota Court of Appeals says the jury was within its rights to believe that testimony over the victims statements and has upheld Alfreds conviction and sentence.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - For 20 years, the Samaritans Purse's Children's Heart Project and Mayo Clinic have partnered to help save lives of children in other countries.

Kids who are experiencing heart problems come from Bonsia, Kosovo, Honduras, Uganda, Mongolia, and Bolivia fly to Rochester to get life-saving operations. So far, 91 lives have been saved through the partnership with Mayo.

But as the saying goes, it takes a village.

"Children's heart project would not be able to do this job, to do the work alone. That is the truth," Sheena Basemera, spokesperson and translator with Children's Heart Project, said.

Community members in Rochester also help in the healing process. Families volunteer their homes, love, and support, to the families traveling for the operations.

When Rochester International Aiprort caught wind one of its employees was hosting a family, it wanted to share the story. RST helped organize the filming of a short documentary celebrating how all of the Rochester community comes together to help save lives.

The documentary was shared at a screening on Sunday at Calvary Evengelical Free Church.

Dan and Merideth Orvis are one of the host families and are included in the short film. Being a host family was a scary thought at first but brought a priceless reward.

"I said there is no way I can do this. There is no way. I don't speak another language, my house isn't perfect enough," Merideth said."But none of that matters...all these moms and babies need is someone to love them."

"We always think we'll were going to have to change our schedules and change our house," Dan added. "In the end it's always amazing how incredibly blessed how we feel to have these families in our house."

The Orvis' have now hosted five times and are hoping to host again.

To learn more and watch the full short film click here.
Hit the bid.

There isnt one!

These words are all too familiar to anyone that invests (or speculates) money in speculative high risk junior companies.

And this is especially true for anyone that puts money to work in companies listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX-V).

This exchange is home to the serial start-up entrepreneurs looking to get their next big resource, tech, or cannabis company off the ground.

One difficulty with early stage companies is that they are not well known out of the gates. These are the companies you hear about in an internet chat room, from your brother-in-law, or from your barber.

Its the hot tip of a company that will shoot to the moon once it gets a permit, approval, or a grant. Or even if it hits a drill hole or puts the dog collar supply chain on the blockchain.

A second issue comes when that particular market sector cools down significantly. The momentum and interest evaporates, and the buyers along with it.

When the buyers run out, there is no bid in the stock price. Theres only a lineup of sellers on the ask.

When a stock trades very little or no volume, the stock becomes illiquid. An illiquid stock can trap a shareholder for days, months, or even years before you can sell your position.

This is a new phenomenon for the many blockchain, crypto, and marijuana investors new to the TSX-V.

Welcome to the TSX-V. Where your dreams are shattered and your worst nightmare is the reality most of the time.

Long time resource speculators have gone through a few cycles of boom and bust on the TSX-V.

Whether its uranium, gold, rare-earths, blockchain or cannabis related companies, the pain is the same.

And on a side note

After every major bubble bursts, expect more regulation that go to the exchange and regulators. (Read: higher costs for companies to stay listed).

But there is one constant regardless of the sector: only the best will survive.

Junior Stocks Can Become Illiquid Fast

Seasoned gold, silver, and uranium investors are no strangers to illiquid companies and markets.

Once the company or sector falls out of favor, or didnt have any favor to begin with, the stock chart will look choppy like this

Charts that look like this can provide fast 10-50% returns for shareholders that are able to sell into volume quickly. But there could be a line of orders waiting to do so. And this is what you deal with when a stock is illiquid. You can see that the blue line doesnt connect because the stock did not trade on those days. There was simply zero volume.

With any rush of buyers, a stock can rise significantly.

With any rush of sellers, a stock can drop drastically.

And the latest sectors experiencing a liquidity drop are the cannabis, crypto and blockchain companies.

You can see from the chart below that the marijuana company index surged in late 2017 through to early 2018. And those stocks had solid trading activity (the volume).

As the first half of 2018 wrapped up, those same companies saw a big drop in trading volume. With that drop in volume has come a drop in price

Things were no different for crypto companies.

In 2017, they pulled in over CAD$300 million in financings on the Canadian markets alone.

These companies delivered massive returns to early investors that bought in the market and to those that had their hold periods expire early enough. (The hold period is the length of time that you cant sell shares into the market when you participated in a private placement).

In the chart below, you can see the Katusa Crypto Stock index went bananas at the end of 2017. And the trading volume was through the roof.

The first few months of 2018 saw a major dip in both price and trading volume

What youre seeing in the above charts is the exiting flow of capital.

A tsunami of capital flowed into the cannabis and crypto sectors in 2017. And in 2018, the capital is exiting stage right.

It is very important to watch capital flow in these markets because its true that a rising tide lifts all boats. But after the capital leaves, only the strong companies will stay afloat.

Thus far in 2018, funding for crypto and marijuana ventures has dropped significantly. The management teams behind the scenes say that funding has all but evaporated.

The big mutual and hedge funds I talked to that were raising hundreds of millions of dollars and injecting them into any such companies in fall 2017 have dried up. Managers were fired. And those exact funds are now experiencing major redemptions by investors.

Therefore, expect more pain ahead. There is no more capital being allocated to the fly-by-nighters.

Gone are the days of easy money where a no-name company could switch its name to Bills Blockchain and raise $10 million in 24 hours.

And those funds are underwater. By quite a bit.

Now that those exact major funds are experiencing fund redemptions  you dont want to be left holding the bag with shares of companies that dont have revenue or any future.

With Little Liquidity  Why Invest in Juniors?

Juniors have a lot less analyst coverage than large caps.

A $200 billion giant could have over 30 different professional analysts covering the stock. They will analyze the company inside and out. Their research will be read by the worlds largest investment managers.

Its not uncommon for a junior to have ZERO professional analysts covering it. The management at some juniors can go a whole year without fielding a call from a professional analyst.

To me this is a great, great thing.

The lack of widely disseminated information about juniors allows us to get a big information edge in this market.

It means we can find pricing inefficiencies and uncovered opportunities that can explode higher very quick. The junior market isnt swarming with professionals looking under every rock. That is if you know how to analyze this information.

You can think of it like this: would you rather take your child on an Easter egg hunt with 100 other kids or with 5 other kids, of which 3 dont walk yet and 1 doesnt want to leave his mothers side?

Your child will find a lot more eggs competing against those 5 kids.

And the prize will be a lot bigger.

If you know what to look for, who to follow and when to buy, your portfolio will also benefit from the TSX-Venture discount in a bear market. Granted, 98% of the companies are worthless and run by useless management.

But the 2% can make you very, very rich.

Regards,
(Kitco News) - Bearish speculative investors continue to hold the gold market in a death grip and are in complete control of the price action, according to the latest trade data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

While analysts continue to wait for the ever-elusive short squeeze to breathe new life in the yellow metal, the markets speculative short side continues to expand hitting new historical record on a weekly basis. Net speculative short positions have increased for seven consecutive weeks.

Speculative financial investors remain the primary factor weighing on the gold price. In the last reporting week alone, they sold 53.5 tons of gold via the futures market, said analysts from Commerzbank. Selling since the end of June now totals almost 260 tons  equivalent to nearly a months worth of global gold mining production.

The CFTC's disaggregated Commitments of Traders report, for the week ending Aug. 14, showed money managers decreased their speculative gross long positions in Comex gold futures by 1,046 contracts to 104,803. At the same time, short bets rose by 16,162 contracts to 188,127.

Golds net-short positioning currently stands at 83,324contracts, a 26% increase from the previous week. During the survey period, gold prices continued to test critical support at $1,200 an ounce.

Analysts are not expecting to see a significant reversal in golds fortunes anytime soon as prices have fallen below critical support, hitting a low not seen since early 2017.

Its a suckers bet to try to call a bottom in this market right now, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. The bears are in complete control of this market.

Hansen added that gold would have to reclaim at least the $1,200 level to bring even a low level of optimism back to the marketplace.

Commodity analysts at TD Securities noted that golds net length is at its highest level since 2001 and they dont see an end to the current trend in the near term.

Precious metals will likely remain under pressure in near term, requiring some stability across [emerging markets] and easing dollar strength before making a material recovery, the analysts said.

While Hansen sees the risk of lower prices in the near term, he added that he continues to think that golds short trade is extremely crowded and a short squeeze is a definite risk in the marketplace.

There is a $40 to $50 move waiting out there somewhere, he said.

Hansen added the annual global central bank gathering at Jackson Hole, Wyoming could at least relieve some of the selling pressure, if not trigger the start to a short squeeze this week.

[Fed Chair Jerome Powell] is not going to be more aggressive on monetary policy than he has already been, he said. If he blinks on monetary policy, that could send the U.S. dollar lower and drive gold prices up.

As to how to play this overcrowded gold market, Hansen said that he still prefers to invest in the yellow metal through the options market. He added that he still likes December $1,250 call options.

I would rather be out of the money in $1,250 calls than down $30 in the market, he said.

The latest CFTC data also shows that for the second consecutive week, the silver market attracted short sellers.

The disaggregated report showed money-managed speculative gross long positions in Comex silver futures fell by 930 contracts to 66,537. At the same time, short positions rose by 7,383 contracts to 88,828. Silvers net-short positioning increased to 22,291, up more than 59% from the previous week.

Like gold, analysts are not expecting to see bearish investors release their grip on the silver market anytime soon. Last week, silver prices fell to their lowest level since early 2016.
(Kitco News) - Gold prices are posting decent gains in early U.S. trading Monday, with silver also modestly up, as there is some positive economic news coming out of China, a major metals importer. Some short covering in the gold and silver futures markets is featured to start the trading week. The gold and silver market bears appear to be exhausted at present, which does begin to suggest market bottoms are in place. December gold futures were last up $9.60 an ounce at $1,193.80. September Comex silver was last up $0.074 at $14.705 an ounce.

The foreign exchange market has stabilized following recent turmoil that was mainly the fault of a severely depreciated Turkish lira. The Chinese yuan has climbed today on reports Chinese economic officials want to stimulate spending on infrastructure projects. Late last week it was also reported that the U.S. and China will begin low-level trade talks later this month, to try to resolve their present trade war.

A highlight of the trading week will be the annual meeting of world central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, late this week. The Feds FOMC minutes are also due out Wednesday afternoon.

The key outside markets today find the U.S. dollar index modestly higher and not far below last weeks 14-month high. Meantime, Nymex crude oil prices are near steady and trading around $66.00 a barrel. Oil prices hit a seven-week low late last week and are still trending lower.

There is no major U.S. economic data due for release Monday.

Technically, gold bears still have the overall near-term technical advantage amid a price downtrend on the daily bar chart. Gold bulls' next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close in December futures above solid resistance at $1,226.00. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is pushing prices below solid technical support at last weeks low of $1,167.10. First resistance is seen at the overnight high of $1,196.50 and then at $1,200.00. First support is seen at the overnight low of $1,189.60 and then at $1,180.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.0

September silver futures bears still have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price breakout objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $15.50 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $14.00. First resistance is seen at the overnight high of $14.83 and then at $15.00. Next support is seen at $14.50 and then at last weeks low of $14.315 and then at $14.25. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.0.
NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - India's environment court said on Monday an independent judicial committee will decide in about six weeks whether to allow Vedanta Ltd to reopen its copper smelter, which was shut by the southern state of Tamil Nadu on environmental grounds.

Tamil Nadu ordered the permanent closure of the plant and disconnected its power supply in May following protests that turned violent and culminated in the police opening fire on protesters, killing 13 of them. The company has denied that the plant, India's second biggest copper smelter located in the port city of Thoothukudi, pollutes the area.

National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairman Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the committee, including representatives from Vedanta, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the federal environment ministry, will look into the matter afresh.

The committee, to be headed by a retired judge, will have to deliver its verdict within four weeks of formation.

The smelter has an annual production capacity of more than 400,000 tonnes, and the company said last month the closure has impacted 350 companies that buy its products. The NGT earlier this month granted Vedanta, the Indian unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources Ltd , conditional access to the smelter for "administrative purposes".

(Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Sunil Nair)

Messaging: mayank.bhardwaj.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
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Volunteer Tennessee Board awards $4.4 million in AmeriCorps grants to 18 Tennessee organizations



NASHVILLE, TN  Volunteer Tennessee has announced that Tennessee has received over $4 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Volunteer Tennessee is Tennessees governor-appointed commission on volunteerism and service.



These grants will support 948 AmeriCorps members across the state to serve with 18 organizations. AmeriCorps members will tackle critical challenges in Tennessee. Challenges include tutoring and mentoring children, supporting veterans and military families, providing health services, restoring the environment, responding to disasters, increasing economic opportunities, and recruiting and managing volunteers.



National service is an essential part of the solution to many of the toughest problems facing our state, said Greg Lyles, Board Chair of Volunteer Tennessee. These AmeriCorps members will meet pressing local needs and strengthen communities as they develop civic and leadership skills to last a lifetime. I congratulate these outstanding organizations and thank all those who serve their communities through AmeriCorps.



Nearly $4.4 million will be granted to Volunteer Tennessee, which in turn will award grants to nonprofit organizations and public agencies across the state. The law creating AmeriCorps gave a key role to states in determining how national service resources are used and promoting service and volunteering to meet community needs.



AmeriCorps unique model means that the grants announced today will leverage an additional $18.3 million from the private sector, foundations, and other sources  further increasing the return on the federal investment.



CNCS will make available nearly $5 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an award of approximately $6,000 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.



Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through 21,000 schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country. These citizens have played a critical role in the recovery of communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. They also tutor and mentor young people, connect veterans to jobs, care for seniors, reduce crime and revive cities, fight the opioid epidemic, and meet other critical needs.



Since 1994, AmeriCorps members have provided more than 1.4 billion hours of service and earned more than $3.6 billion in education scholarships, more than $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student debt. In Tennessee, more than 13,000 AmeriCorps members have served more than 26 million hours and earned more than $47.2 million in education scholarships.



Below is a listing of 2018 AmeriCorps grants in Tennessee:



CHATTANOOGA

 AmeriCorps*Building Futures  AIM Center

Funding Awarded: $59,601

Total Members: 4

AIM Center AmeriCorps members will help address the stigma of mental illness while serving at the AIM Center. Members will holistically address the basic human needs for meaningful relationships, self-sufficiency and community reintegration for people in the greater Chattanooga area with a psychiatric diagnosis.

Contact: Rhonda Jacks Moore, (423) 702-8012, rhondajacks@aimcenterinc.org



 Project Inspire  Public Education Foundation

Funding Awarded: $191,107

Total Members: 23

Project Inspire is a teacher residency that attracts and prepares aspiring teachers through a year-long, real-world experience in the classroom. Members will serve 5 days a week throughout the entire school year at select host sites, and members will also earn a graduate degree (M.A.T.) through the 14-month program at Lee University.

Contact: Lauren Bensman, (423) 668-2425, lbensman@projectinspiretn.org



JOHNSON CITY

 Appalachian Regional Coalition of Homelessness

Funding Awarded: $217,440

Total Members: 30

Appalachian Regional Coalition of Homelessness (ARCH) AmeriCorps members aim to reduce homelessness by providing a combination of housing and social services in the Appalachia region of east Tennessee.

Contact: Anne Cooper, (423) 218-4090, anne@appalachianhomeless.org



KNOXVILLE

 CAC AmeriCorps  Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee

Funding Awarded: $444,600

Total Members: 40

CAC AmeriCorps is Tennessees only environmental corps. CAC AmeriCorps members work to improve public lands, streams, and greenways; educate the public; meet immediate human needs through disaster response; and build the volunteer capacity of partner organizations. Contact: Jason Scott, (865) 546-3500, jason.scott@knoxcac.org



 T.E.A.M.  Emerald Youth Foundation

Funding Awarded: $202,124

Total Members: 54

T.E.A.M. AmeriCorps members serve urban young people by leading structured afterschool and summer day camp activities (academic, enrichment, leadership, health activities, and mentoring) alongside the staff of a faith-based organization. The goal is to see young people become contributing leaders and live a full life.

Contact: Rachel Davis, (865) 637-3227 x112, rdavis@emeraldyouth.org



MEMPHIS

 Artesian Schools, Inc.

Funding Awarded: $152,306

Total Members: 12

Artesian Schools, Inc. is a charter management organization focused on filling gaps in K-12 education to ensure postsecondary success. Its newest school, Southwest Early College High School, enables students in Memphis to graduate with a diploma and an associate degree. AmeriCorps members serve as tutors and mentors as a part of SECHS's comprehensive student support program. This program is modeled after Talent Search, and provides students from disadvantaged backgrounds additional aid in academic, career, and financial counseling.

Contact: Ashley Smith, (678) 485-8858, asmith@artesianmemphis.com



 Alder Graduate School of Education

Funding Awarded: $12,000

Total Members: 15

Alder Graduate School of Education is a teacher residency program in which AmeriCorps members co-teach in K-8 classrooms in underserved public schools in Memphis. Adler Graduate School provides a rigorous and supportive teacher training program that recruits and trains individuals of all ages and backgrounds to become highly effective teachers. Our mission is to create opportunity and cultivate success for every student by recruiting and educating excellent teachers and leaders who reflect our school communities.

Contact: Brianna Harrington, (901) 492-1446, Brianna.Harrington@aspirepublicschools.org



 Bridge Builders Expansion  BRIDGES USA, Inc.

Funding Awarded: $148,092

Total Members: 35

BRIDGES' mission is to unite and inspire diverse youth to become confident and courageous leaders committed to community transformation. Bridge Builders Expansion addresses key needs facing Memphis area youth in grades 6-12 through experiential learning and the facilitation of our Bridge Builders curriculum that targets low academic performance and graduation rates, low rates of cultural competency, and low rates of opportunity for meaningful civic engagement.

Contact: Dana Wilson, (901) 260-3790, dwilson@bridgesusa.org



 City Year Memphis

Funding Awarded: $605,000

Total Members: 50

City Year Memphis works to bridge the gap in high-poverty communities between the support that students actually need and what their schools are designed and resourced to provide. In doing so, the program aims to increase graduation rates and change the lives of their students. City Year Memphis AmeriCorps members will be responsible for providing whole school services to approximately 1,500 students and individualized services to 420 students in five Memphis public schools.

Contact: Hannah Perrin, (310) 266-3280, EPerrin@cityyear.org



 Generations  Porter-Leath

Funding Awarded: $322,320

Total Members: 24

Generations AmeriCorps members will increase school readiness by providing educational enrichment activities for Porter-Leath Early Childhood students in the agency's Head Start centers in Memphis and Shelby County. The AmeriCorps members will also leverage over 120 additional volunteers that will be engaged in literacy initiatives throughout the same centers.

Contact: Judy Rautine, (901) 577-2500 x1128, jrautine@porterleath.org



 Memphis Teacher Residency

Funding Awarded: $393,900

Total Members: 30

MTR recruits outstanding leaders as co-teachers for Memphis' most academically-challenged public schools. Our mission is to positively impact student achievement in Memphis urban schools by recruiting, training and supporting outstanding teachers. All members are placed in Memphis' Title I schools that have an enrollment that is more than 50% Free or Reduced Price Lunch assisted.

Contact: Suzanne Oates, (901) 937-4683, Suzanne@memphistr.org



 Teach for America, Memphis

Funding Awarded: 125,000

Total Members: 213

Teach For America believes that all children deserve the opportunity to attain an excellent education. They recruit, train and place outstanding teacher leaders into classrooms serving low-income children throughout Memphis and Shelby County.

Contact: Andrea Kukoff, (319) 321-2509, Andrea.Kukoff@teachforamerica.org



MEMPHIS/NASHVILLE

 The Relay New Teacher Pathway  Relay Graduate School of Education: Nashville & Memphis Funding Awarded: $0 (no-cost grant)

Total Members: 100

AmeriCorps members participate in the innovative teacher preparation program, the Relay New Teacher Pathway (RNTP), in Nashville and Memphis. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be prepared and certified to serve as full-time teachers of record, and the approximately 2,400 economically disadvantaged K-12 students they teach will demonstrate improved academic performance, better attitudes about school, and improved behavior and classroom engagement.

Contact: Allison Moore, (646) 604-9515, support@relay.edu



MORRISTOWN/VARIOUS SITES ACROSS TENNESSEE

 Community Cares  Tennessees Community Assistance Corporation

Funding Awarded: $181,187

Total Members: 25

AmeriCorps Members assist frail seniors and persons with disabilities through direct, in-home assistance so that the residents can remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

Contact: Shandi Hill, (423) 586-7636 x304, shandi@tcac1.org



 Making Veterans Priority (MVP)  Tennessees Community Assistance Corporation

Funding Awarded: $110,156

Total Members: 18

MVP AmeriCorps members will provide a wide array of services for veterans and their families that are homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless due to lack of income, physical and/or mental health issues, disabilities, trauma, substance abuse, and weak social networks. The goal is to allow them to improve their quality of life, while giving them the resources, respect and encouragement they deserve to live a more productive and fulfilling life.

Contact: Shandi Hill, (423) 586-7636 x304, shandi@tcac1.org



NASHVILLE

 Hands On Nashville

Funding Awarded: $201,450

Total Members: 15

HON AmeriCorps members address a wide array of critical social issues by providing capacity building services to community partners and helping them to carry out their missions in a more efficient manner. Activities range from conducting volunteer management training and creating volunteer leader programs to supporting educational curriculum and facilitating neighborhood-based collective impact.

Contact: Jann Seymour, (615) 298-1108 ext. 409, jann@hon.org



 Teach for America, Greater Nashville

Funding Awarded: $107,865

Total Members: 135

Teach For America believes that all children deserve the opportunity to attain an excellent education. They recruit, train and place outstanding teacher leaders into classrooms serving low-income children throughout Cheatham and Davidson County.

Contact: Rachel Tompkins, (615) 242-6263 x40137, rachel.tompkins@teachforamerica.org



 THRIVE  Martha OBryan Center

Funding Awarded: $258,182

Total Members: 21

AmeriCorps members serve at Martha O'Bryan Center in the youth development program, THRIVE. Members will help young people change their futures by mentoring youth in local schools assisting the youth to succeed in school. AmeriCorps members also participate in after school tutorials, generate excitement about learning and community service and work to encourage parent participation. Members also work with adult GED students.

Contact: Adam Strizich, (615) 254-1791, AStrizich@marthaobryan.org



RUTLEDGE/GREENVILLE AREA

 Appalachia CARES  Clinch-Powell RC & DC

Funding Awarded: $662,363

Total Members: 104

The Appalachia CARES program is a community-based service-learning program. Our AmeriCorps members provide direct service to local communities through primary focus areas of energy efficiency, conservation, and housing services throughout the state. As a secondary focus, they also expand the organizational capacity of participating agencies by expanding services, increasing outreach, and recruiting and/or managing community.

Contact: Trenna Brown, (423) 620-3456, appalachiacares@clinchpowell.net



Volunteer Tennessee is the Governors commission on volunteerism and service. Its mission is to encourage volunteerism and community service. Annually, Volunteer Tennessee provides more than $4.5 million in AmeriCorps grants and volunteer center grants to local agencies throughout the state so they can engage volunteers to meet community needs in education, environment, public safety, human needs, and homeland security. The commission consists of a 25-member, bi-partisan volunteer citizen board appointed by the Governor and eleven State Government ex-officio positions.



More than 5,200 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement at more than 800 national service locations across Tennessee. Serving with national and local nonprofits, schools, faith-based organizations and other groups, these citizens tutor and mentor children, coordinate after-school programs, build homes, conduct neighborhood patrols, restore the environment, respond to disasters, build nonprofit capacity, and recruit and manage volunteers. For more information, visit www.volunteertennessee.net or visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram.



AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads volunteer initiatives for the nation. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov. Published August 20, 2018














By Park Hyong-ki





Chung Tae-young, vice chairman and chief executive of Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital, is the highest paid CEO in the local financial industry, according to a regulatory filing.







He received a paycheck worth more than 2.2 billion won ($2 million) in the first half of this year. This includes incentives of over 630 million won from the credit card and auto financing companies and nearly 800 million won from Hyundai Commercial, a credit financing company for Hyundai Motor's trucks and buses.







The curtain was drawn last week, revealing the industry's biggest earners who were paid more than 500 million won, including incentives.







With the latest industry pay data, Chung has been dubbed "the salary king" here.







This pay disclosure rule was enforced after the global financial crisis of 2008 to keep pay and greed in check. In the United States, some chief executives still got paid big dollars even after the companies they were running were about to collapse and received capital injections.







Chung, also known as Ted, is Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo's son-in-law. Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have more than a 51 percent stake in Hyundai Card. Hyundai Commercial has a 24.54 percent stake in Hyundai Card.







Chung's wife, the Hyundai Motor chairman's daughter, is also an executive of Hyundai Card, Hyundai Capital and Hyundai Commercial. She has a 33 percent stake in Hyundai Commercial.







The card company attributed his high pay to his efforts in "strengthening the Hyundai Card brand through cultural marketing," it noted.







The vice chairman is widely known in the credit card sector as the one who spearheaded cultural marketing by joining hands with public libraries, museums and movie theatres to promote its brand.







Hyundai Card posted sales of 1.53 trillion won in the first half, up from 1.52 trillion won from a year earlier, according to its audit filing. Its net profit, however, fell to 77 billion won, from 130 billion won as its costs for setting aside funds for potential losses on customer defaults increased.


Korea Times file



By Jung Min-ho




The planned establishment of an inter-Korean liaison office in the North Korean border city of Kaesong does not constitute a violation of sanctions on the communist nation, South Korea's presidential spokesman said Monday.



President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed at their April 27 summit to establish a liaison office to facilitate cross-border exchanges. The two Koreas have since held talks to work out details.



But a news report on Monday cited an unidentified senior U.S. official as saying that the establishment of such a liaison office could be a violation of not only U.N. Security Council sanctions but also the separate sanctions that Washington unilaterally imposed on Pyongyang, because the South provides energy and other supplies for the office.



Cheong Wa Dae rejected the claim.



"Establishing a liaison office is a basic project aimed at easing military tensions and bringing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, and maintaining constant communication between the South and the North would contribute to facilitating denuclearization negotiations between the North and the U.S.," presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters.



The ultimate reason for imposing sanctions on North Korea is also to advance denuclearization, Kim stressed, adding that the provision of energy and other supplies for the office is purely for the convenience of South Korean officials at the office.



"This is not to provide North Korea with any economic gains," he said.



Kim also said that the establishment of a liaison office was agreed upon at the April 27 summit, and that agreement was comprehensively inherited in the June 12 agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader.



"It's wrong to view the issue of the inter-Korean liaison office as a violation of sanctions," he said.



Asked if the South and the United States are on the same page on the issue, Kim said, "As far as I know, the U.S. has expressed an understanding."



He also dismissed the news report about a U.S. official raising concern about the liaison office as a view that some in the U.S. might have.



"We're working on the issue of opening a liaison office in close consultation with the U.S.," Kim said, adding that the South and the North have worked out an agreement on most details of the liaison office and will soon make an announcement.



With regard to the office's opening date, Kim said the South has suggested some dates and the North is expected to make a decision after taking its domestic situation into consideration. Sources said that the two sides are considering Thursday as a possible opening date. (Yonhap)




Moon, Xi's planned summits with Kim may speed up NK's denuclearization



By Lee Min-hyung





U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
By Dr. Jeffrey I. Kim





The EU and the U.S. have been allies politically, militarily, and economically for many years. However, such a relationship is changing. The EU became China's second-largest market with $667 billion last year. With this speed, the EU may become closer to China than to the U.S. very soon.



U.S. President Donald Trump is currently staging a trade war against the EU and China with steel and aluminum tariff bombs in his hand. He is threatening formidable trade partners, accusing them that their trade with the U.S. has been unfair.



The neo-liberal policy paradigm has been criticized because it kept failing to prevent global economic and financial crises. Neo-liberalism evolved from classical liberalism after the Great Depression of 1929-1932.



Classical liberalism arose about 250 years ago in opposition to state-imposed religion and aristocracy. John Locke (1632-1704), Francois Quesnay (1694-1774) and Adam Smith (1723-1790) were leading neo-liberals. Locke believed that people were entitled to natural rights such as democracy, liberty, and equality. Quesnay was a French philosopher who coined the term, laissez-faire.



Adam Smith is called the father of modern economics. He reinforced the laissez-faire philosophy. He said that the "invisible hand" is guiding the course of free markets so that if people are left free to pursue their own economic self-interest, the market will move in the direction of greater prosperity for a greater number of people.



Classical liberalism was harshly criticized when the Great Depression broke out. The depression started in the U.S. after a tumble in stock prices in October 1929. The automatic market adjustment failed to function and classical liberalism lost much of its light.



During the Great Depression, John M. Keynes (1983-1946) challenged the policy paradigm based on classical liberalism. He said that aggregate demand determined the overall level of economic activity and that inadequate aggregate demand could lead to prolonged periods of high unemployment. So he strongly advocated fiscal spending policy.



In opposition to Keynes, Milton Friedman (1912-2006), the leader of the Chicago School, argued that the downward turn in the U.S. economy would merely have been an ordinary recession if the Fed had taken the expansionary monetary policy. He was a neo-liberal and strongly believed in the working of market mechanism. But he also acknowledged the role of government in education, national defense, environmental protection, among others.



In 1938, 26 intellectuals including Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) and Friedrich von Hayek (1899-1992) attended a meeting called "the Walter Lippmann Colloquium," held in Paris. It was named after American journalist Walter Lippmann (1889-1974). He won the Pulitzer Prize twice. At the meeting, the term neo-liberalism was coined by Alexander Rustow as a rejection of collectivism, socialism, and laissez-faire liberalism.



Neo-liberalism began to be widely known after the launching of the Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) in April 1947. Hayek and Friedman organized the MPS. Its founding members were 39 neo-liberals. The aims of the MPS have been: (1) to facilitate an exchange of ideas between like-minded scholars; (2) to strengthen the principles and practice of a free society; and (3) to study the workings, virtues, and defects of a market-oriented economic system.



The neo-liberal values such as market liberalization, privatization, and property protection are ingrained in the Washington Consensus which prevailed from the late 1980s. This term was first used by John Williamson in 1989 as he explained the reform policies set by the Washington, D.C.based institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the U.S. Treasury.



These institutions provide long-term concessionary loans for developing countries but they impose the execution of reform policies on the borrowing countries as part of loan requirements. The success of this policy reform is not guaranteed because neo-liberal policy reforms alone are not enough. The success of the reform depends also on the country's political leadership, the people's education level, and the capability of bureaucrats.



After the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the Group of Twenty (G20) was founded in December 1999. Its aims were to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 power countries. However, the G20 Forum was useless in preventing the global financial crisis of 2007-2008.



This global financial meltdown is the result of global trade imbalances among the three gigantic economic powers _ China, the EU, and the U.S. China is the leader of socialist countries. The U.S. is the leader of free capitalist countries. The EU is comprised by 28 member states. So the adverse effects of their trade imbalances would last long.



The major problems of global imbalances are: (1) China is siphoning off jobs from the rest of the world with lower wages; (2) China is subject to foreign criticism for its alleged currency manipulation due to its unpredictable foreign reserve policy; (3) the openness of China's financial and capital markets is limited compared to the EU and the U.S.; (4) Germany captures the greatest trade benefit among the EU states; (5) The U.S. trade deficit tends to continue because the U.S. dollar is the most undefeatable reserve currency in the world. These problems cannot be corrected soon.



Under these circumstances, neo-liberal policies alone cannot address global imbalances or global financial crisis. China must decrease its savings whereas the U.S. should increase its savings. The three power countries should all refrain from imposing tariffs. China's foreign reserve policy should be transparent. The world desperately needs a new policy paradigm.





Dr. Jeffrey I. Kim (ickim@skku.ac.kr), former foreign investment ombudsman, is a professor emeritus at Sungkyunkwan University. He earned a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Chicago and taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the American University, Washington, D.C.


By John Burton





Koreans as well as many Americans are bewildered by the actions of Donald Trump. But perhaps the best way to understand him is that while he is the first outright demagogue to occupy the White House, many of his policies are coherent and consistent if they are viewed in the context of the American populist movement that stretches back to the 19th century. What Trump is doing has a long historical pedigree in the U.S.



Populism gained force as an organized movement in the 1890s in the American Midwest and its prairie states, the nation's breadbasket, which were then suffering an agricultural depression due to competing imports of grain from Europe among other factors. This led to calls for protectionist measures, including tariffs, against foreign agricultural products.



Fast forward a hundred years to when the Midwest had become the home for many of America's industries, such as cars and steel, before they started to buckle due to competition from Asian producers, including Korea.



So Trump is resorting to the same populist playbook the existed more than a century ago when he threatens, for example, to curb the Korean car imports on grounds of national security and accelerate a trade war with China.



An historical irony, however, is the Midwest farmers who once supported grain tariffs in the 1890s are now opposed to Trump's protectionist measures because they know that the resulting trade wars are likely to hurt the export of their crops overseas, which has become a major income source for them.



Economic discontent also breeds anti-elitist attitudes. The Midwest farmers of the 1890s blamed their troubles not only on foreign imports, but on bankers, railroad owners and their East Coast political allies who they claim were using their powerful positions to squeeze profits from struggling farms and small businesses.



Trump has tapped this into the same sort of resentment against elites when he calls for "draining the swamp" in Washington or attacks the "fake news" of the New York-based mainstream media. This plays into traditional American suspicions about big capital and big government that allegedly ignore the interests of the little man.



Another facet of populist outrage has been attacks on immigrants despite America's reputation for being the "great melting pot." Immigrants have long been viewed by many Americans as being job stealers, criminals or revolutionaries who sought to bring unwelcome change to traditional ways of life. In the 19th century, each wave of ethnic immigrants was subject to abuse  first the Irish and then the Germans, Italians, Eastern European Jews and the Chinese. The latest wave of immigrants who have been targeted by Trump are Latinos mainly from Mexico and Central America ("murderers and rapists") and Muslims ("terrorists").



Distrust of immigrants has also led to isolationism, which was the prominent theme of U.S. foreign policy until 1945. Opposition to America getting involved in World War I and World War II was particularly strong in the Midwest.



Trump is returning to this historical default position in U.S. foreign policy by claiming that American allies, including Korea, Japan and Europe, are "taking the U.S. for a ride" by not paying their fair share in defense spending as he threatens to pull U.S. troops from these regions as well as from Afghanistan.



Support for Trump's isolationist policy is strongest among the working class, which is the main source of military manpower. One study after the 2016 presidential election showed that districts that suffered the highest rates of casualties in the Iraqi and Afghan wars voted heavily for Trump.



What underlies Trump's populist appeal is the language he uses to describe threats to "Americanism" from a variety of sources, some foreign and some domestic such as minority groups. This plays particularly well with an aging, less educated white population, mainly in the Midwest, who believe that the 1950s represented America's golden age and that everything has been downhill since then.



The irony is that Trump's claims to "Make America Great Again" comes at a time when the American economy is booming and the U.S. remains by far the strongest military power in the world.



The populist movement of the 1890s, when the U.S. was in the middle of a long depression, lost steam at the turn of the 20th century when a generation of progressive politicians came to power to correct some of the abuses of the corporate system and sought to narrow a wide gap in income inequality. The same thing could happen to Trump populism if progressive Democratic politicians are elected in the next few years and address some of the same issues that plagued Americans in the 1890s. In the meantime, Korea is likely to pay a price for the surge in American populism when it comes to trade and defense.





John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is now a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant.


A BMW service center in Seoul is crowded with cars that are subject to recall, Monday, the same day the German carmaker began a recall of 106,317 vehicles. / Yonhap





Korea Transportation Safety Authority Director Kwon Byung-yoon / Yonhap

Gov't blasts BMW for uncooperative attitude



By Park Jae-hyuk



The Korea Transportation Safety Authority will find out the cause of a series of engine fires in BMW vehicles by the end of this year and verify whether the German carmaker intentionally concealed defects in its cars, the agency said Monday.



The German carmaker began recalling more than 106,000 vehicles Monday of 42 diesel-engine models.



The Korea Transportation Safety Authority, affiliated with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, also defended itself from criticism for its belated response to the engine fires. It blamed BMW for the delayed inspection, citing the carmaker's uncooperative attitude toward the government.



According to the state agency responsible for investigating defective vehicles, it asked BMW Korea for the technical data of the BMW 520d on June 25, July 5 and July 19, after noticing frequent fires in the popular diesel vehicle. However, the company declined to send the data.



The authority said BMW finally admitted to defects in exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) modules, July 25, as the government began inspecting BMW vehicles.






The logo of the joint venture between Korean Air and Delta Air Lines / Courtesy of Korean Air

Korean Air has begun offering better services to its customers, since the establishment of a joint venture with Delta Air Lines on May 1, the nation's largest air carrier said Monday.



The Korean firm will operate flights between Incheon and Boston starting from April 12, 2019, while the U.S. company will begin providing flights for the route between Incheon and Minneapolis, April 2, 2019.



The Incheon-Boston flights will help passengers access the Northeastern U.S. more conveniently. Travelers to the largest city in the state of Minnesota will also be able to visit more easily, thanks to Delta's direct flights to Minneapolis.



Korean Air had stopped operating flights to Boston 18 years ago, due to low profitability. However, it now expects Delta's sales network in the United States will help it profit from the formerly unprofitable route.



After getting government approval for operating flights on the two routes, Korean Air and Delta will add 90 routes, including routes between Boston and Pittsburg and between Minneapolis and Cleveland, to their code-share programs, in order to offer more options to their customers.



Since launching the joint venture, the two full-service air carriers have increased the number of routes in the U.S. at which they run code-share programs from 164 to 370.



Beginning June 6, Korean Air started running code-share programs with Delta for flights from Nagoya to Detroit and from Narita to Atlanta, Seattle, Detroit and Portland.



Residents in southeastern Korea have therefore been able to visit the U.S. conveniently via the Japanese airports, by using Korean Air's flights departing from Gimhae International Airport.



Delta has been running code-share programs with Korean Air for 38 routes in Asia as well.



The two companies have also adjusted flight schedules for their passengers to spend less time transferring.



Their efforts are expected to have more travelers use the second passenger terminal in Incheon International Airport for their transfers, instead of Narita International Airport.



"Korean Air and Delta Air Lines will run code-share programs in the Latin American countries," a Korean Air official said. "We will share lounges and counters with Delta, and will continue to make efforts to provide better services to our customers."



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What happens when a housing development for the homeless is proposed for your neighborhood?

I'm following the debate over one such project in Fullerton -- a microcosm of similar fights over homeless shelters and housing happening all over SoCal.

I want to know: Do you live near a shelter or housing development for people who have experienced, or who are experiencing, homelessness? How has it affected you?

If such a project were proposed for your neighborhood, what questions would you have about it?

Share your thoughts below. I'll read every submission, but nothing will get published without your permission.
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California has launched another salvo in its war with President Trump over health care. The state Senate Monday gave final approval to a bill that would kill off a type of medical coverage with a fancy yet oddly redundant name: "short-term limited duration health insurance." The legislation now goes to Governor Brown's desk.

WHAT ARE THEY?

Short-term plans are designed to provide stopgap coverage for a few months. Until now, California has allowed them for six months, with the possibility of being renewed for another six months.

Their main selling point: they're much cheaper than more traditional health insurance. The tradeoff is that they cover a lot less stuff. The Trump administration likes them so much that it's changed the rules to let insurers extend these plans for up to three years.

IF THEY'RE SO CHEAP, WHY WOULD CALIFORNIA WANT TO KILL THEM?

Critics call these short-term plans "junk insurance." Why? It goes back to the coverage question.

Pregnant? They don't have to cover prenatal care. Or maternity care. Or mental health care. In fact, they don't have to cover any of the 10 "essential benefits" defined under the Affordable Care Act, which also include drug prescriptions and preventive care.

If you have a pre-existing condition, they may not accept you at all. If they do, they can charge you more -- and don't expect them to cover anything related to your pre-existing condition.

Short-term plans are also exempt from Obamacare's caps on annual and lifetime coverage.

"These substandard plans existed prior to the [Affordable Care Act] before we had minimum standards and when people could be denied for pre-existing conditions and patients needed stopgap solutions," Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, wrote in an email.

"Now Covered California is available year-round for those who just lost employer benefits and need coverage until the new job insurance kicks in, who just moved to a new area, or got married or divorced," he said.

AND THEN, THERE'S EVERYONE ELSE

The other reason the legislature wants to do away with short-term plans is to help people in the rest of the health insurance market. Since these plans offer little in the way of coverage, they're bound to attract healthy people who don't have to see the doctor much. If those people leave more robust plans that are required to cover the 10 Obamacare essential benefits, those plans will become more expensive for the sicker people left behind.

If Gov. Brown signs the bill, California will join New York in banning short-term plans. At least three states -- Maryland, Vermont and Hawaii -- are allowing them, but for no more than three months.

MIXED REACTIONS FROM THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY

The California Association of Health Underwriters and Anthem Blue Cross oppose the bill. They want more flexibility in what they can offer to consumers. The underwriters association says that without short-term plans, some people will go without health insurance altogether -- and might end up using the ER for basic care.

Kaiser Permanente "strongly supports" the bill, the HMO said in a statement. "Short term coverage is not health insurance and should not be permitted to be sold as such," it said. "It is also detrimental to consumers and will destabilize the individual market in California, leading to premium increases."

America's Health Insurance Plans, a national industry organization, seemingly tried to split the baby after the administration issued its rule expanding the use of short-term plans for up to three years.

"Consumers deserve more choices, particularly those who do not qualify for federal subsidies and must pay the full premium," the group's President/CEO Matt Eyles said in a statement.

But he went on to say: "We remain concerned that consumers who rely on short-term plans for an extended time period will face high medical bills when they need care that isn't covered or exceed their coverage limits."

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When my wife Nancy and I drove to downtown Los Angeles recently, we remarked on the changes since she and I retired from Arco and the Los Angeles Times many years ago.

The permanence of those institutions was part of our lives. We figured they would be there forever. But nothing is permanent, especially in L.A. Bigger and newer buildings now overshadow the Arco tower, where she was in charge of political communications. The sign with the oil company name has been replaced by that of a law firm. The Times building, my alma mater, a mile or so to the east, has been emptied of its newspaper connections. The journalists and equipment have moved to new headquarters in El Segundo.

We continued east on the 110, passing the new buildings, making a mental note to dine at Cafe Pinot on her upcoming birthday and perhaps drop in on the adjoining central library, two of our favorite downtown spots. Then off at Fourth Street, through city streets to attend a Sunday afternoon concert by the California Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, one of the new downtown's greatest adornments.

As I often do, I took a moment to look at three civic center area buildings that date back to long before Disney Hall. I worry that they--and the important work done inside them--will be ignored amid the hype over the new downtown, its hotels, restaurants and fading old office buildings from the 1920s and 1930s now converted into expensive residences. The buildings I worry about are the county Hall of Administration, Los Angeles City Hall and the criminal courts building.

The criminal justice system is shaped by decisions made every day in the courthouse--in courtrooms, offices and corridors where attorneys work out deals. The county building and the city hall are home to countless decisions, big and small, that determines many aspects of our lives.

When I was a reporter for the Times, I spent many hours in these buildings, sitting through meetings, waiting outside offices, trying vainly to stay awake through long discussions of transportation. This is called beat reporting and generations of reporters used to do it for a living. From such nose-to-the- grindstone work, government was held accountable on a daily basis. Often, the beat reporters would put the dailies together for big stories, scoops.

This was the heart and soul of local journalism, pretty much lost as advertising, readers and viewers went elsewhere. As I look at the Hall of Administration and think of all the reporters who battled to crack the secretive code of county government, I hope the neglectful days have bottomed out. This is the time for the new owner of the LA Times, the executives of the revitalized KPCC and other new media to step up to the challenge. Disney Hall is inspiring and many of the new restaurants and bars are very good. They are fun to write about but the media shouldn't devote all its attention to them while important, if sometimes dry, business is done elsewhere.
Former President Obama has shared his summer reading list, and it shows a drive toward understanding and empathy.

Obama posted some of his book recommendations on Facebook on Sunday. The former president praised five books hes enjoyed in the last months, including a novel by a Canadian literary legend and a book by a recently departed Nobel Prize winner.

One of my favorite parts of summer is deciding what to read when things slow down just a bit, whether its on a vacation with family or just a quiet afternoon, Obama wrote. This summer Ive been absorbed by new novels, revisited an old classic, and reaffirmed my faith in our ability to move forward together when we seek the truth.

First on the 44th presidents list is Tara Westovers memoir Educated, about the authors childhood in Idaho, where she was raised in a survivalist family. Obama called the book remarkable.

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The former president also had kind words for An American Marriage, the Oprah Winfrey-endorsed novel by Tayari Jones. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is a moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple, he wrote.

He also recommended a book that Microsoft founder Bill Gates also loved: Factfulness by the late Hans Rosling. Obama called it a hopeful book about the potential for human progress when we work off facts rather than our inherent biases.

Gates, a fan of Roslings book, gave free copies  electronically  to college graduates this year.

Obama also read two novels by literary lions: Michael Ondaatjes Warlight and V.S. Naipauls " A House for Mr. Biswas. Naipaul, a Trinidadian writer who won the 2001 Nobel Prize for literature, died earlier this month.

This is the second reading list Obama has posted this year. In June, he took to Facebook to recommend books by Alex Wagner, Patrick J. Deneen, Mitch Landrieu, Enrico Moretti and Jennifer Kavanagh.

Two of the authors praised by Obama on his most recent list reacted to the news on Twitter:
Lucid Motors, a Newark, Calif., start-up co-founded 11 years ago by a Silicon Valley veteran, is in the spotlight after news reports over the weekend that Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund would be willing to invest $1 billion in it, possibly as an alternative to playing a key role in taking Tesla private.

Regardless of what the Saudi Public Investment Fund does with Tesla, its $250-billion war chest could get Lucids Air electric car into production.

The Lucid Air is legitimate technology and very well designed, said Eric Noble, president of consulting firm the CarLab. They have a stellar team. They just need money.

Can an automobile interior evoke the spirit of California? Ask Lucid, a Tesla competitor 

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Funding would be a welcome new lease on life for Lucid, which was trying to raise a series D round of $700 million last year to get a plant up and running in Arizona.

Lucid was co-founded by Sam Weng, who came from software maker Oracle Corp., and two partners as a maker of battery systems. The company has since assembled a team recruited from Mazda and Tesla, including Chief Technical Officer Peter Rawlinson, who was chief engineer of Teslas Model S before joining in 2013.

When Lucid showed the Air as a concept car at the New York auto show in 2017, Rawlinson said the car would start at a base price of $60,000, or $52,500 after federal tax credits. Airs motor can produce the equivalent of 400 horsepower and run 240 miles on a charge, he said. Lucid also planned on a higher-end, 1,000-horsepower version that could drive 400 miles on a charge and would be much more expensive, selling for well north of $100,000, he said at the time.

Lucid has no updated information on the car on its website. The company didnt return an email seeking comment, and Rawlinson didnt answer a call seeking comment.

News of the Saudi sovereign wealth funds interest in Lucid was one factor weighing on Tesla stock Monday, although Tesla shares did end the day with a gain of $2.94, or 1%, to $308.44. Some investors feared that the reports about Lucid signaled declining interest from the Saudi fund in helping Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk take his company private. Musk, who announced his intention in a surprise tweet Aug. 7, said last week that he met with the Saudis on July 31 and that after that meeting, he felt confident they would play a key role in his plan to take the company private.

The Saudi fund has a mission to invest in new technology and diversify its portfolio and the Saudi economy away from oil and gas. Sovereign wealth funds often have more patience than public markets and could wait for the technology to be ready for the market, he said.

Elon Musk should get more sleep, Arianna Huffington says. I cant, he replies in 2:30 a.m. tweet 

UPDATES:

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with Teslas stock movement.

This article was originally published at 12:55 p.m.
In the real world, it has become clear that placing restrictions such as work and reporting requirements on Medicaid is disastrous.

Theyre legally dubious, for one thing  as a federal judge stated in late June when he tossed out work requirements imposed in Kentucky.

More important, they lead to needy beneficiaries being thrown off the program and locked out of healthcare for lengthy periods, often because of confused regulations and the natural uncertainties of life in a low-income environment. The best evidence for that comes from Arkansas, where thousands of residents may lose their eligibility for Medicaid for no good reason  and may not even know theyve been barred until they go to a doctor and get turned away.

Arkansas is shedding enrollment. Joan Alker, Georgetown University

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In the Trump world, however, this is all to the good. We are fully committed to work requirements and community participation requirements in the Medicaid program, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told an audience at the right-wing Heritage Foundation in July, a few weeks after the Kentucky ruling. He said his agency would keep encouraging states to devise new restrictions. We will continue to approve plans, we are continuing to work with states and well drive forward.

They put out guidance early this year and said theyre open for business, says Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University. Theyve continued to encourage states to go forward, despite clear evidence from Arkansas that not only will folks lose coverage, but the system itself is not working.

There are no legitimate rationales for employment as a precondition to receiving Medicaid, which is strictly a healthcare program; theyre merely an expression of malevolence toward a vulnerable low-income population. There is a relationship between health and employment, but it goes the other way: Good health enhances a persons ability to find and hold a job.

Some states are trying to circumvent one of the objections of the federal judge in the Kentucky case, which is that HHS didnt pay sufficient attention to Kentuckys admission that its work requirement would lead to disenrollments of as many as 95,000 residents (patient advocates say the real figure is much higher). So theyre leaving out any estimates of the enrollment impact of their work requirements or other restrictions.

Theyre hiding the ball, Alker says. But leaving out such a critical projection obviously is out of compliance with federal requirements for public notice.

More restrictions may be on their way. Applications have been filed for Medicaid work requirements by Arizona, Maine and Wisconsin, the last of which also has asked to impose a drug-testing requirement on Medicaid applicants as a condition of eligibility. The requirement  unprecedented for Medicaid in any state  originally was proposed in 2017 by Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

Those states are asking to impose the rules on Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, but Alabama, Oklahoma and South Dakota, which havent expanded Medicaid, also are seeking to add work requirements to traditional Medicaid, which covers families with children.

Wisconsin since has pared back to a requirement that applicants disclose current or prior drug use or treatment, but without basing eligibility decisions on the disclosure. HHS may be looking kindly on the more limited rule, according to Dan Diamond of Politico, but patient advocates say it still could discourage people from applying. Drug testing for Medicaid is illegal, according to Andrea Callow of the advocacy group Families USA.

Not even close, Callow wrote in December. Though the law allows states to apply to waive eligibility requirements to promote enrollments, she added, deciding whether someone can get Medicaid based on whether they receive a drug test isnt waiving an eligibility requirement, its creating a new one.

The most popular eligibility obstacle proposed by red-state governments is the work requirement. The Arkansas rule, which went into effect June 1 and is being phased in month by month to expanded categories of enrollees, has deprived thousands of people of coverage for which they are plainly eligible, the Georgetown center says. Enrollees who have failed to meet the work requirements or to report their work status properly for three months are locked out of the program through the end of the year.

Most are likely to become uninsured, Alkers group says. That makes little sense from a health policy perspective  forcing people to be uninsured will result in less access to needed prescriptions and other treatments that can help to control chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and hypertension.

According to the states most recent monthly report, issued Tuesday, just over 46,000 Medicaid enrollees were subject to the work requirement in July. Enrollees must work 80 hours a month or show theyre in school, volunteering or looking for work, unless theyre disabled or care for dependent children at home.

The states figures show that more than 5,400 enrollees already have accumulated two months of noncompliance  two strikes  and therefore risk being shut out of Medicaid on Sept. 1.

Of the roughly 46,000 people subject to the work requirement, about 30,000 were notified that they were exempt. But the rest  more than 15,000 were required to go online and report their work histories or request an exemption. Only 844 did so, however. In all, 12,587 people, or 83% of those expected to report, took no action.

Georgetown observes that the state hasnt made it easy for Medicaid enrollees to report their work histories or seek an exemption. The report can only be made online, via a website that operates between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. A large percentage of low-income Arkansas residents have no internet access at their home; more generally, Arkansas ranks near rock-bottom among the states for broadband service.

Its also possible that many enrollees arent aware of their status because the states notification letters havent reached them; living arrangements in low-income communities often are unstable. If Arkansas sends out a letter and the address is wrong, they just kick them off, Alker told me. Arkansas is shedding enrollment.

In his June 29 ruling, federal Judge James E. Boasberg of Washington, D.C., found that Azars HHS rushed approval of Kentuckys uniquely punitive Medicaid work requirements without seriously considering how they would fulfill Medicaids statutory purpose of bringing affordable healthcare to low-income households.

Citing the states projection that 95,000 of Kentuckys 1.2 million Medicaid enrollees would lose their eligibility within five years under the new rules, the judge found that Azar paid no attention to that deprivation. That made his approval of the program arbitrary and capricious.

How hasty was Azar? HHS issued a letter to all governors expressing its receptiveness to work requirements on Jan. 11, 2018, and approved Kentuckys application on Jan. 12.

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.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, stepping up the Trump administrations attack on California water policy, on Friday issued a memo to his staff demanding a plan of action to circumvent state officials. He gave the staff 15 days to develop a proposal and present it to his deputy, a former lobbyist for big water users at odds with the state.

Zinkes memo represents the latest volley in a developing war between the Trump administration and the state over the distribution of water from state and federal projects. The administration has been pushing for more water deliveries to Central Valley farmers, many of whom are in districts that delivered votes to Trump in the last presidential election  even though the state as a whole voted for his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

The time for action is now. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke

Zinke instructed the staff to produce an action plan aimed as maximizing water supply deliveries, in part by streamlining consultations related to the Endangered Species Act, better incorporating best science into Interior decisions, constructing new water storage, and making infrastructure changes to independently operate the federally funded Central Valley Project.

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Many of those initiatives would run counter to state policy. The state Water Resources Control Board is holding a two-day public hearing starting Tuesday on its own plan to increase water flows to the states rivers to protect fish and fisheries. Zinke referred to those plans as proposals for additional unacceptable restrictions that would reduce his agencys ability to deliver water to growers and urban users in Central and Southern California.

The time for action is now, he exhorted his staff. He called for both proposals for Congressional legislation and preparation for litigation, presumably against the state.

Experts in the environmental laws governing state and federal water policy in California viewed the memo as intensifying the intergovernmental confrontation. Its indicative of a more bullying and hysterical tone, said Doug Obegi, director of the California water program at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Obegi said the memo signaled the governments intention to gut environmental protections in the Sacramento Delta, from which water is pumped to serve Central and Southern California users. But he also took its overheated tone as a sign that the state has been fairly effective at pushing back.

Zinkes reference to new water storage is probably a reference to a proposal to raise the height of Shasta Dam to increase the capacity of its reservoir, Lake Shasta, which is opposed by the state.

Zinkes reference to his desire to independently operate the Central Valley Project might conflict with federal law, which generally requires the federal government to comply with state policies, even on federally funded water projects.

The plan of action is to be submitted to Interior Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist and attorney for water users who might benefit from the initiatives Zinke ordered, including the vast Westlands Water District in the Central Valley.

By directing staff to report directly to Bernhardt, Zinke placed the former lobbyist at the center of the battle over water rights, despite his potential conflicts of interest.

Bernhardt, whose obligation to recuse himself from decisions affecting his former clients has expired, recently published an op-ed in the Washington Post advocating changes in the Endangered Species Act that could steer more water to Central Valley growers at the expense of fish and fisheries.

Other Trump administration figures have also taken steps to undermine state policies. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this month ordered agencies under his jurisdiction, including the National Marine Fisheries Service, to circumvent the Endangered Species Act on the pretext that water deliveries blocked by ESA rules were needed to fight California wildfires  an assertion contradicted by fire officials. Trump made the same claim in a tweet that was widely derided as nonsensical and uninformed.

Last week, meanwhile, Zinke claimed in an interview with the right-wing Breitbart News radio service that environmental terrorist groups are largely responsible for the severity of the fires. Fire scientists and forestry experts say that the main factor in the increasing intensity of wildfires in the West is climate change.

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:

5:52 p.m.: This post has been updated with comments from Doug Obegi of the NRDC.
Ashley Summers said she got an unpleasant surprise in February when she tried to pick up a prescription for her rheumatoid arthritis: Her pharmacy said her insurance had been canceled, even though her premiums were paid.

Summers called Blue Shield of California and got her policy reinstated  then she said it happened again in March, and this time the lapse in coverage dragged on for three months.

Without insurance to cover her medications and doctor visits, her arthritis and fibromyalgia worsened until she could barely walk, she said. In June, she said, the state granted her permission to switch to another insurer.

This entire mess has been so incredibly stressful, said Summers, 49, a personal assistant in Los Angeles who had paid $593 a month in premiums. For Blue Shield just to pull the plug like this is infuriating.

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Around the state, consumers with individual Blue Shield policies, like Summers, say they have been subject to sudden, erroneous cancellations, especially in recent months, forcing them to go without heart medicine, skip vaccinations for their children and pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket for other medical care. On social media, customers have described frantic attempts to get their coverage reinstated.

We apologize for the inconvenience. DM you member ID and a Specialist can look into this for you.  AV https://t.co/XQLGzcD88Q  Team Shield (@TeamShieldBSC) July 2, 2018

We apologize for the trouble and would like to look into this. DM us your member ID and contact info and a member of our team will reach out to address this with you.  JN  Team Shield (@TeamShieldBSC) July 31, 2018

We apologize for the frustration. A Specialist will reach out shortly to assist you.  JN  Team Shield (@TeamShieldBSC) July 30, 2018

Blue Shield has acknowledged failures in enrollment and billing for some customers who purchased individual policies since 2014, both inside and outside the Covered California exchange. The company declined to specify how many customers were affected. The problems dont appear to involve people who have employer coverage or are enrolled in government health programs.

In a June 22 lawsuit, the San Francisco insurer blamed many of these problems on an outside contractor it had hired in preparation for the launch of the Affordable Care Act in 2014. In a countersuit, the contractor, HealthPlan Services, denied the allegations and accused Blue Shield of sharing inaccurate customer data.

In a statement, Blue Shield said: The roll-out of the Affordable Care Act was hard on the entire healthcare system. Our vendor failed to provide the support it promised and we spent millions of dollars to mitigate the impacts to our members.

On Friday, Summers sued Blue Shield in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging breach of contract and seeking class-action status on behalf of other customers. The insurer couldnt be reached for comment about the complaint.

Scott Glovsky, a Pasadena attorney representing Summers, said Blue Shield has known about these problems for years. Blue Shield is taking peoples hard-earned dollars and then abandoning them when theyre sick, he said.

Tina Hoover, 47, a horse trainer in Sherman Oaks, said Blue Shield canceled her policy twice in two months, even though shed been paying her premiums faithfully for years.

Blue Shield denied more than $1,000 in doctor visits, saying shed been terminated. After four calls, inconsistent responses, nonresponses and a pointed comment by her husband on Twitter, she got her insurance back, she said.

It was frightening that Blue Shield could be so disorganized on something so important like my healthcare, said Hoover, who pays $858 a month in premiums and has been a policyholder with the insurer for 15 years.

All health insurers face complaints, about issues including annoying customer service and improper denials of care. But some experts say these persistent breakdowns in customer service at Blue Shield represent a black eye for Californias third-largest health insurer, which has 460,000 customers on the Covered California exchange and 3.8 million enrollees overall.

Ive never seen anything on this scale for such basic insurance operations, said Paula Wade, an industry analyst at Decision Resources Group in Nashville. Honest to goodness, if you cant take peoples money and credit their account  thats incredibly simple.

We apologize for the frustration. DM us your member ID and a member of our team will look into this.  SS https://t.co/XQLGzcD88Q  Team Shield (@TeamShieldBSC) July 25, 2018

We're sorry for the inconvenience. DM us your member ID and a Specialist will look in to this for you.  AV https://t.co/XQLGzcD88Q  Team Shield (@TeamShieldBSC) July 2, 2018

We're sorry for your experience and would like to turn it around for you. Please DM us with your contact information and we'll have a Specialist reach out to you shortly.  MC  Team Shield (@TeamShieldBSC) January 3, 2018

Across its plans last year, Blue Shield had the highest complaint rate per 10,000 enrollees among the eight largest health insurers statewide, according to the California Department of Managed Health Care. Blue Shield had 7.43 complaints per 10,000 enrollees, followed by Anthem Blue Cross (5.83), UnitedHealthcare (4.72) and Kaiser Permanente (4.6). (Kaiser Health News is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)

For its individual market plans, Blue Shield chose to outsource signups, billing and payment processing to HealthPlan Services, a major contractor for insurers industrywide. In its breach-of-contract lawsuit against the contractor, Blue Shield said it needed outside help to handle the dramatic overhaul of the individual market in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act.

By June 2014, Blue Shield said it had formed a team of people whose sole job was to address the failures in HPS services to ensure that Blue Shields customers interests were not impacted, according to the lawsuit.

But the glitches persisted, and Blue Shield said in its lawsuit that it has lost tens of millions of dollars due to the contractors egregious failures on billing, refunds and related matters.

HealthPlan Services data was ever-changing, inconsistent and flat-out incorrect, Blue Shield said in the 15-page complaint in San Francisco federal court.

In a statement, HealthPlan Services called Blue Shields claims baseless and said it has a successful track record of providing quality services to its clients and their members.

But in court papers, Blue Shield said the problems went beyond the sudden cancellations.

For instance, about 14,000 Blue Shield customers experienced multiple attempted charges on their bank accounts over one weekend, according to the insurance companys lawsuit. About half the time, Blue Shield alleged, its contractor proposed refunds or credits that were excessive or had no basis at all. One time, a $27,000 refund went to the wrong customer, according to the lawsuit.

In April 2017, Blue Shield said, it initiated termination of the vendors contract.

In an Aug. 13 counterclaim, HealthPlan Services said, Blue Shields highly unusual data maintenance and transmission methods and business processes resulted in customer-facing errors that were directly attributable to Blue Shields conduct.

Blue Shield disagreed, saying in a statement that HealthPlan Services allegations are unfounded and we look forward to responding to them in the legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, San Francisco resident Burcu Sivrikaya, 32, said she found out late last month that Blue Shield had canceled her coverage  effective May 1. She spent hours on the phone talking to seven different company representatives, trying to get her policy reinstated, only to be told it would take 30 days, she said. Are they using pen and paper? Why does it take 30 days? Its insane.

Now Sivrikaya, a social media manager, is trying to get Blue Shield to refund the $1,179 she said she paid in premiums for the three months the company withdrew coverage.

The Department of Managed Health Care fined Blue Shield and a subsidiary a combined $557,500 last year for improper cancellations and a variety of customer grievance violations. Blue Shield is contesting some of those allegations and penalties, according to the state.

Blue Shield noted that it performed well on certain categories in the state data, such as an extremely low complaint rate among medical providers.

The company also said its customer satisfaction score improved in a recent consumer survey by Forrester Research, rising nearly 2 percentage points to 63.6 out of 100. Forrester still labeled Blue Shields performance as poor, putting it in ninth place out of 17 health insurers rated this year.

Terhune is a senior correspondent for Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent publication of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
NASA is tentatively agreeing to let SpaceX fuel its rocket while astronauts are already strapped into a capsule on top waiting to be flown to the International Space Station, though the agency said it needs to see more demonstrations before it gives final approval.

SpaceX used a similar process with a rocket that exploded in 2016, destroying the satellite it was carrying, but NASA said it has since scrutinized the process and found it is not especially risky.

NASA conducted an extensive review of SpaceXs ground operations, rocket design, escape systems and operational history, an agency official said Friday.

Safety for our personnel was the driver for this analysis, and the teams assessment was that this plan presents the least risk, Kathy Lueders, manager of NASAs Commercial Crew program, said in a statement.

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Under contract with NASA, Elon Musk-led SpaceX is developing a capsule to transport U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station. Aerospace giant Boeing Co. is working on a competing astronaut capsule for the space agency. Typically, rockets have been fueled before astronauts board; Boeing plans to use this traditional method.

During the SpaceX load-and-go process, astronauts would board SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft about two hours before launch. The Falcon 9 rocket that will hoist the capsule to space would be fueled about 35 minutes before launch, after the astronauts are strapped into their seats.

The Hawthorne company loads propellant so close to launch time because it uses super-chilled liquid oxygen, which maximizes the amount of propellant that can fit in the rockets tank and enhances the Falcon 9s power at liftoff. SpaceX already uses this procedure when it launches satellites and cargo supplies for NASA to the International Space Station, but the standards for safety are higher when humans are aboard.

SpaceX has said loading propellant so close to launch would minimize the amount of time astronauts are exposed to a fuel-loaded rocket, and company President Gwynne Shotwell said last week that the capsules launch escape system and heat shield would protect astronauts in the event of an emergency.

We would never have proposed it if we thought it was a less safe way to go, she said.

Robert Behnken, a U.S. Air Force colonel and veteran of two space shuttle missions who will be flying in SpaceXs capsule for its first test flight, said last week during the SpaceX event that the astronauts were really comfortable with the process NASA uses to analyze technical risks.

But the fueling procedure has previously drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and members of NASAs Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, which flagged the method for further study in a report released in January 2017. Two years ago, a Falcon 9 rocket exploded on a Florida launch pad while propellant was being loaded into the vehicle, damaging the pad and destroying the rocket and a commercial communications satellite that SpaceX was set to launch.

An investigation later found that the inner lining of a pressure vessel in the rockets second-stage liquid oxygen tank had buckled, forming folds and ridges. The super-chilled liquid oxygen gathered in those folds and became trapped there. SpaceX said the tank probably failed because breaking fibers or friction could then ignite the trapped bits of oxygen.

Since then, SpaceX has redesigned those vessels, and NASA started a rigorous test program to understand how they react to an extremely cold environment, according to a report released by the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel this year.

In May, the panel said the load-and-go process seemed to be a viable option.

NASA said Friday that it would give final certification of the procedure after additional verification and demonstration activities, including five crew-loading demonstrations.

After these conditions have been met, NASA will assess any remaining risk before determining that the system is certified to fly with crew, NASA said in a statement.

The first test flight of the capsule with crew aboard is scheduled for April 2019.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga
Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America and current chairwoman of the Miss America Organization, is defending herself and the group against accusations of bullying and silencing made by reigning Miss America Cara Mund.

Responding to a five-page letter Mund sent Friday to former Miss Americas that likened pageant leadership to the catty antics of the film Mean Girls, Carlson took to Twitter on Sunday night to set the record straight.

The former Fox News host addressed Mund directly.

I  want to be clear that I have never bullied or silenced you. In fact, I have acknowledged to you and your parents many times that the organization understands the frustrations of serving during such a change-filled and stressful year, she said.

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It surely was not what you had expected.

Carlson, an unpaid, full-time leader nominated by the majority of Miss Americas after a scandal last year, said that while the pageant was still very proud of the Miss North Dakota titleholder, Munds explosive allegations had already cost the contest $75,000 in scholarship money  which would have been the first scholarship increase in years.

Please see my statement in full below pic.twitter.com/rvmee4es7g  Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) August 20, 2018

Munds accusations on Friday were fiery.

Our chair and CEO have systematically silenced me, reduced me, marginalized me, and essentially erased me in my role as Miss America in subtle and not-so-subtle ways on a daily basis, the 24-year-old said.

After a while, the patterns have clearly emerged, and the sheer accumulation of the disrespect, passive-aggressive behavior, belittlement, and outright exclusion has taken a serious toll, she said.

Mund accused the group of inflating Carlsons role, making the chairwoman the de facto face of the the organization instead of that years titleholder.

Right away, the new leadership delivered an important message: There will be only one Miss America at a time, and she isnt me, Mund wrote.

The allegations come in the wake of sweeping changes the organization installed after an email scandal rocked it last year.

Under Carlson, who helped end the 20-year reign of Roger Ailes at Fox News, the Miss America Organization has given its top three leadership posts to women and eliminated the swimsuit portion of the competition.

Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, is named Miss America in September 2017. (Noah K. Murray / Associated Press)

Munds letter had made a severe impact, Carlson explained, with a negative ripple effect making its way through the entire organization that she was concerned would dilute the experience for the next woman selected to wear the crown.

The news is severely damaging the organization and is having an impact on securing future sponsorships, Miss America Organization spokesperson Karl Nilsson said in an email Monday.

Loss of scholarship money, however, was not defined or outlined, he said.

The back-and-forth between Carlson and Mund comes just weeks before the rebooted pageant crowns its next winner on Sept. 9 at Atlantic Citys Boardwalk Hall.

After being plagued by enormous debt, lack of sponsors and waning relevancy, Carlson said in her letter, the show was on track to deliver a pageant truly devoted to womens talents, intelligence and individualism.

Meanwhile, at least 19 states have called for the current leadership to resign and, on Monday, former Miss Americas Suzette Charles (1984) and Heather Whitestone (1995), who received Munds letter, appeared on NBC News Megyn Kelly Today to corroborate Munds allegations. They also called for the resignations of Carlson and Miss America Organization CEO Regina Hopper.

Mund did not immediately respond to The Times request for comment.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

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Two weeks ago, before his watershed romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians pushed beyond expectations to a $34-million, five-day opening, director Jon M. Chu was already feeling the electricity of what would become a historic moment in Hollywood.

I want to say 50 theaters have been bought out already. People email me, What can we do? Anyone can support in any way ... both Asian and not! he said then, during an interview for a special L.A. Times series on the Warner Bros. release, hoping for a groundswell of support from within and outside of the Asian American community.



For the record: An earlier version of this post said Jon M. Chu directed Now You See Me. That film was directed by Louis Letterier.

Many more theaters were subsequently bought out across the country, by celebrities and non-celebs alike. Tech and digital influencers boosted the hashtag #GoldOpen and a cascade of social media support  from Ava DuVernay, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Pratt, Justin Bieber, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lena Waithe, Olivia Munn and many others  poured in throughout opening weekend.

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Now the little film with a modest $30-million budget, in a genre many thought was dead (the glossy rom-com), stands to send a message to the entire industry: diversity sells.

There were no guarantees when we started this, Chu said earlier this month, feeling the love building. And to see it pop, even beyond our own community, has been really incredible.

According to a USC Annenberg study of the top 100 films of 2017, only 4.8% featured a character of Asian descent with a speaking role. But the Crazy Rich Asians effect is real, according to industry creators. At a post-screening Q&A last week hosted by the L.A. chapter of the Asian American Journalists Assn., co-screenwriter Adele Lim relayed a recent meeting shed had in which an exec noted they were waiting to see how Crazy Rich Asians performed before greenlighting similarly diverse projects.

On Twitter, Sleepy Hollow executive producer Albert Kim revealed that the wheels of progress are already in motion: In the last week, two network pilots were sold that feature all-Asian casts. I also know of three cable projects, all in active development, that mostly feature Asian and Asian American characters. Its going to happen, the momentum is there.

Other distributors with rare Asian American-led projects synced up around the Crazy Rich Asians release for a frame atypically rich in Asian American leads.

Sonys Screen Gems will open director Aneesh Chagantys Sundance prize-winning thriller Searching, starring John Cho as a Silicon Valley father frantically searching for his missing daughter, in limited release Friday ahead of a nationwide release for Labor Day weekend.

Meanwhile, streaming giant Netflix continued its Summer of Love over the weekend by releasing YA rom-com adaptation To All the Boys Ive Loved Before, centered on an Asian American teen heroine played by actress Lana Condor, and instantly set social media buzzing.

Jon M. Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians, says that whats both personal and universal about the story is: Everyones trying to find their place.

RELATED: Crazy Rich Asians dominates the box office, makes history for representation 

For Chu, a Palo Alto-born USC film school graduate who had a successful career directing studio franchise films G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Now You See Me 2, taking the helm of a culturally specific story was an intensely personal choice.

Its one he intends to continue by directing the big-screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Mirandas Tony Award-winning Broadway musical In the Heights next year. Set in the predominantly Hispanic American neighborhood of New Yorks Washington Heights, the play by Miranda and Pulitzer-winning playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes struck familiar and vital chords to Chu.

Im growing up, and when you grow up your tastes change, he said. What you feel is important changes; your priorities change. I remember choosing Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights around the same time  knowing they had similar ideas to them. The immigrant story was under attack, and I wanted to tell an immigrant story that wasnt political, wasnt heavy, but was joyful and about a community.

Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians Let's goooooooooooooooooooooooooo @ConstanceWu @jonmchu  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) August 16, 2018

Chu and Miranda have already spent time in Washington Heights in preparation for filming. And, as Chu did with Crazy Rich Asians, scouring the internet and the globe for the international ensemble. The director is preparing to cast a wide net for talent.

We are in it, smiled Chu, who launched his career directing the dynamic Step Up 2: The Streets, one of its sequels, two Justin Bieber documentaries and the dance-driven web series The LXD. Were designing the dance numbers now and redoing the music. Were looking at everyone.

First, he will direct Brooklynn Prince, the 8-year-old breakout star of last years acclaimed indie The Florida Project, in a 10-episode mystery drama for Apple based on the true story of child investigative reporter Hilde Lysiak, who made headlines reporting a local murder in her Pennsylvania hometown through her own self-published newspaper.

Hes also developing a film about the Thai cave rescue, based on the true story that dominated world news earlier this summer. It was no coincidence that the July announcement of his project, produced by Crazy Rich Asians producer John Penotti of Ivanhoe Pictures, came a day after Pure Flixs Michael Scott announced that the Gods Not Dead company was pursuing rights to the same story.

With the Thai cave story, I felt enraptured by the story like everyone else, said Chu. But when I saw other people getting in on that story from the outside, who Im sure have good intentions, I just wanted to put out more of a warning to anybody thinking of making this  that were watching, and they need to do their due diligence when telling this story. And I knew I was in a position to make that public, and to make sure everybody understood that.

While he says its too early to divulge plans for the film, Chu, who is not of Thai descent, also says he wont necessarily be the one to direct it. Maybe we find the right Thai director or writer. Maybe we find other ways to tell it. Maybe Im just a steward to help block out the things that can ruin something like this, he offered.

Every artist has the right to do whatever they want, and I respect that more than anything. But this story is so important and so global that I want to at least have an option for the families and for the people to come to  and to know that I want to help watch whatever comes out of the telling of the story, for history.

 The international cast and creators of Crazy Rich Asians on their crazy diverse journeys to Hollywood and why they hope their groundbreaking rom-com is a watershed moment for underrepresented voices.

Whether telling the story himself or facilitating the next wave of voices, Chu is hopeful for the post-Crazy Rich Asians Hollywood. In casting what would become a hit adaptation of Kevin Kwans bestselling Crazy Rich Asians novel, Chu led an exhaustive global talent search looking at just about every Asian and Asian American actor there is, he joked.

And while he couldnt cast them all, he happily volunteers his findings to any exec or creator coming up against the age-old misconception that diverse and inclusive talent simply isnt there  because it is, says Chu.

Ive seen them with my own eyes! Many of whom I could not put in the movie because they didnt fit a specific character. But I know that they are stars, he said. Come to me! Talk to me! Well share our findings with you.

jen.yamato@latimes.com

@jenyamato
Diving into the swelling mens grooming trend, Chanel is launching its first makeup line for guys, a three-product range, starting in South Korea on Sept. 1.

The collection includes a tinted fluid, coming in four colors; a matte moisturizing lip balm, and four shades of eyebrow pencil.

Chanels Boy franchise, which already counts products such as handbags and a perfume, is named after Boy Capel, the lover and muse of Gabrielle Chanel.

Just as Gabrielle Chanel borrowed elements from the mens wardrobe to dress women, Chanel draws inspiration from the womens world to write the vocabulary of a new personal aesthetic for men, the company said in a statement. Lines, colors, attitudes, gestures.There is no absolutely feminine or masculine prerequisite: Style alone defines the person we wish to be.

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By creating Boy de Chanel, its first makeup line for men, Chanel reaffirms the ever-changing codes of an unchanging vision: Beauty is not a matter of gender, it is a matter of style.

The collection will be rolled out to the rest of the world in November on the houses e-commerce platforms and in January 2019 in Chanels boutiques.
Spring restaurant owner Yassmin Sarmadi and her husband, chef and partner Tony Esnault, have announced they will close Spring restaurant in downtown Los Angeles by the end of the month. Located in the 1898 Douglas Building on Spring Street, the restaurant was lauded for Esnaults precision in the kitchen, the picturesque, sunlit courtyard and Esnaults immaculate open kitchen.

Our lease is up at the end of the month, and really, that was the driving factor, Sarmadi recently told The Times. We just decided that it was best not to renew it.



For the record: The date the Douglas Building was built changed from 1989 to 1898.

It would be difficult to find a restaurant that better exemplifies Los Angeles-influenced French cooking than Spring. Esnault impressed late restaurant critic Jonathan Gold with his legumes de saison, a medley of seasonal vegetables in varying preparations. Gold also wrote that Esnaults bourride was spectacular in his review of Spring, and he listed the restaurant as No. 6 on his 101 Best Restaurants list last year.

We got to create, I think, something that was very unique in Los Angeles, said Sarmadi. We had the most amazing clientele, so that was really wonderful. And even though I didnt work in the kitchen, I will miss the kitchen too.

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Esnault and Sarmadi have yet to decide the last night of service.

Chef Tony Esnault looks over the days catch at the downtown Los Angeles restaurant Spring. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Before opening Spring in 2016, Esnault was chef at Sarmadis Arts District French restaurant Church & State and executive chef at Patina in Los Angeles, and his career includes stints at Carre des Feuillants in Paris, Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Auberge de LIll in Alsace, France, Essex House in New York and Adour at the St. Regis in New York.

With Springs closing, Sarmadi and Esnault are turning their attention to Knife Pleat, the French restaurant they plan to open at South Coast Plaza in early 2019. And Sarmadi said you can expect to see some of the menu items from Spring in Costa Mesa, along with dishes cooked using the restaurants wood-fired grill.

Knife Pleat is named for the fashion term for a pleat with the folds all pressed in the same direction, and its a nod to the location, surrounded by the Christian Louboutin, Oscar de la Renta and Canali stores. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant is located in the former Marche Moderne space, in the South Coast Plaza Penthouse area on the third floor.

Sarmadi and her husband also plan to devote more time to Church & State and will celebrate the restaurants 10-year anniversary in September.

We are, quite frankly, excited to be able to put more time and attention and focus on that [Church & State], said Sarmadi. It deserves it. We are doing a little refresh on the decor as well as the menu.

257 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, (213) 372-5189, springlosangeles.com.

jenn.harris@latimes.com

Instagram: @Jenn_Harris_
Spectrum News: In the Aug. 18 Business section, an article about Charter Communications planned Spectrum News channel in Los Angeles attributed the following quote to Cheryl Fair, general manager of KABC-TV Channel 7: We want to be essential to peoples everyday life. And that means having them tune in every single day, which will make us valuable over time. The comment was made by Mike Bair, executive vice president for Spectrum Networks, who will oversee the new local news channel.

Oscar Levant: In the Aug. 18 Calendar section, an article about author-pianist Oscar Levant said that a play about him, At Wits End, was written by Stan Freeman. The author was Joel Kimmel; Freeman starred in it.

If you believe that we have made an error, or you have questions about The Times journalistic standards and practices, you may contact the readers representative by email at readers.representative@latimes.com, by phone at (877) 554-4000, by fax at (213) 237-3535 or by mail at 2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo CA 90245. The readers representative office is online at latimes.com/readersrep.
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said Monday that detectives are reaching out to a young actor and his attorney after the New York Times reported actress and director Asia Argento recently paid him in connection with an alleged sexual encounter in a Marina del Rey hotel room when he was 17.

Sheriffs Capt. Darren Harris said the department had not received a report on the alleged incident but was pursuing the matter by trying to interview the parties involved.

The New York Times said Argento, 42, settled a notice of intent to sue from Jimmy Bennett, who in 2004 played her son in a film, for $380,000 in the months after she publicly accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting her. In California, the age of consent is 18. Bennett is now 22.

A source with knowledge of the deal confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that there was a negotiated settlement with Bennett after he leveled the claims against her last year.

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Two lawyers who represent Argento have not returned phone calls or emails seeking comment.

According to the New York Times, the allegation of a sexual assault and the payment agreement that followed are laid out in documents between lawyers for Argento and Bennett that the newspaper received through encrypted email from an unknown source. The New York Times report did not state that Argento admitted any wrongdoing. The newspaper cited three unnamed sources as confirming the authenticity of the documents.

On May 9, 2013, Argento and Bennett met for a reunion at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey. The pair have referred to each other as mother and son on social media. Argento posted a photo on that day showing her hugging Bennett, referring to him as My son my love, and included the month and year.

The New York Times report said Bennetts letter of intent to sue laid out his account of the encounter: Bennett arrived at the hotel with a family member, and Argento asked the family member to leave. When they were alone, she kissed the 17-year-old, removed his pants and performed oral sex, and then had sex with him, the document said, according to the newspaper.

Argento became a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement after telling the New Yorker that Weinstein raped her in 1997 when she was 21. Weinstein faces multiple charges of sexual assault and rape, but none of the charges involve Argentos allegation.

Argento was in a relationship with celebrity chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain, who helped her navigate the matter, the New York Times reported. Bourdain killed himself in June.

Bennetts attorney Gordon Sattro issued a statement Monday addressing the allegations.

At this time, our client, Jimmy Bennett, does not wish to comment on the documents or the events discussed in the New York Times article yesterday evening, he said. While we realize that the news cycle demands an immediate response, many times, people need more than a few minutes or hours to respond. We are asking that you give our client some time and space. Jimmy is going to take the next 24 hours, or longer, to prepare his response. We ask that you respect our clients privacy during this time.

Actress Rose McGowan, a leader of the #MeToo movement, said on Twitter on Monday: I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere.

McGowan was among a roster of celebrities who signed an open letter that appeared in the Los Angeles Times after Bourdains death. The letter praised Bourdains advocacy for victims of sexual harassment and assault and also addressed Argentos high-profile role in the #MeToo movement.

One of the most vocal and unwavering figures in the #MeToo movement has been Asia Argento. At the center of our community, Asia has stood, her fist in the air, fighting daily not just for justice for those of us she has come to know, but for abused people the world over, the letter said.

Asia has now found herself on the receiving end of vicious cyberbullying and repulsive slander at the hands of internet trolls who hold her responsible for Anthonys death. She has been accused of everything from causing her boyfriends suicide to trying to use her survivor status and the #MeToo movement to advance her career.

An attorney for Weinstein released a statement accusing Argento of a stunning level of hypocrisy.

The sheer duplicity of her conduct is quite extraordinary and should demonstrate to everyone how poorly the allegations against Mr. Weinstein were actually vetted and accordingly, cause all of us to pause and allow due process to prevail, not condemnation by fundamental dishonesty, the statement said.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

UPDATES:

3:20 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Jimmy Bennetts attorney Gordon Sattro.

1:30 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from a Harvey Weinstein attorney.

12:30 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Jimmy Bennetts attorney.

11:30 a.m.: This article was updated with Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department actions.

Aug. 20, 7:05 a.m.: This article was updated with reaction from Rose McGowan.

The article was originally published Aug. 19 at 9:05 p.m.
Six years ago, Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson drew criticism for putting the wife of a campaign fundraiser on the Ethics Commission, a city panel that votes on fines for people who violate political contribution rules.

Wesson had selected nonprofit executive Erin Pak, who was also the wife of architect and real estate developer Chris Pak, host of fundraising events for Mayor Eric Garcetti and other local politicians.

Lets hope hes compliant with everything so he doesnt have to come to the Ethics Commission, she told The Times before she was seated.

Erin Pak left the commission three years ago. Now Chris Pak is facing $15,000 in proposed fines from the commission for giving contributions that exceeded the city limit. All but one of the violations took place during the period when Erin Pak was on the commission, according to city records.

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In their report on the violations, Ethics Commission staffers said Chris Pak was aware of the restrictions and did not consult officials at the agency about how to follow the law.

Chris Pak donated personally to four elected officials  Garcetti, City Controller Ron Galperin, and Councilmen Gil Cedillo and Bob Blumenfield  and also sent donations to the same people from companies he fully or partially owned, according to a report prepared for the Ethics Commission.

Los Angeles city rules cap the amount that each donor can give to a politicians campaign fund or officeholder account. If a contributor gives money through a company that he or she controls, those donations count toward the legal limit.

Pak exceeded the limits by $4,000, making donations as himself, through his architecture and development firm Archeon, and through Datum Development Group LLC, a company in which he holds a 50 percent ownership interest, according to the commission report.

The Paks did not respond to requests for comment. Before she was seated on the commission, Erin Pak told The Times that Archeon would not make donations while she sat on the panel. Archeon gave more than $18,000 to city candidates during her term, according to contribution records.

The Ethics Commission is slated to vote on the proposed penalty on Tuesday. Chris Pak, whose firm has worked on towering real estate projects in Koreatown, has already signed a document admitting to the violations.

Pak faced a maximum fine of $20,000. Ethics Commission staffers recommended a reduced penalty of $15,000 because he had cooperated with the investigation and they had found no evidence of an intent to conceal or deceive, they wrote.

However, they also noted that the violations were serious and that Archeon had gotten in trouble before for the same violation. In 2006, the agency found that two of Paks companies gave the maximum donations to the same candidates, exceeding city limits. No fine was imposed because the violation was deemed an infraction under commission policy at that time.

Business entities have repeatedly been used by L.A. donors to circumvent the city limits on political contributions.

Last year, real estate investor Leeor Maciborski was hit with a $17,000 fine after writing checks through more than a dozen companies to help elect Councilman Mitch OFarrell. The Times had previously highlighted those donations as an example of how hard it is for the public to tell who is behind political contributions from business entities.

Some cities sharply restrict donations from businesses and other organizational entities: San Diego, for instance, only allows candidates to take money from individuals and political parties. Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu floated a similar proposal three years ago but failed to get support.

Three of the politicians who received the excess money from Pak and his companies  Garcetti, Galperin and Blumenfield  have either given it back or said they intend to do so. Yusef Robb, a political advisor to the mayor, said Garcettis campaign had not known of the ties between Pak and Datum.

We do everything we can to make sure others are following the rules. Sometimes people dont, Robb said.

A Cedillo spokesman referred questions to a treasurer who did not respond to an inquiry from The Times.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlpertReyes

david.zahniser@latimes.com
Some Angelenos hail it as a rare survivor from a bygone era, a slice of Silver Lake history.

Others deride it as a dilapidated gas station.

Now the city is weighing whether to make it a historic monument  a move that could complicate plans to build new apartments on Silver Lake Boulevard.

The debate over whether to preserve the Silver Lake Texaco Service Station is the latest and starkest example of the competing pressures to save the past and build for the future in Los Angeles. It has infuriated groups who urge the city to construct more housing, who question whether the cause of historic preservation is being abused.

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We need tons of new homes in L.A. This neighborhood would be a great place for that. And suddenly this mediocre-at-best property is up to be a monument? said Mark Vallianatos, policy director for Abundant Housing L.A., dubbing the building a junky old gas station.

When Los Angeles embarked on a sweeping survey of its neighborhoods to check for historic structures and sites, however, it deemed the old building an excellent example of an automobile service station from the 1940s  and one of the few that remained from its era.

The steel-frame structure, built in 1941 as a Texaco service station, has been operating as an automotive repair shop for decades. Old Volvos crowd the fenced lot around the long-standing building, which sits alongside a cafe and a sushi restaurant on a casually cool stretch of Silver Lake Boulevard.

Architect and owner William Hefner, who bought the site years before the historic survey, has submitted plans to redevelop the Silver Lake site with 14 apartments perched above ground-floor retail. Weeks after the owner sought a demolition permit, City Councilman Mitch OFarrell asked the city to look into enshrining the old station as a monument.

At a June hearing, an OFarrell aide said the councilman did not have a position on whether it should become a monument, but wanted to make sure that structures like it were properly assessed before demolition. Some Silver Lake residents have backed the idea of protecting it.

You dont have many surviving examples like that in L.A., said Carol Cetrone, president of the Silver Lake Heritage Trust, citing the integrity of that steel building.

Silver Lake resident Toby Hemingway, who owns a menswear shop nearby, called it a kind of building we dont see anymore.

Its a nice example of the history of the neighborhood  and one of the last things left, Hemingway said.

Hefner and his representatives argued against the move, bringing forward an expert who called it an ordinary, utilitarian structure stripped of its old signage and gas pumps.

The former Texaco service station has been operating as an automotive repair shop for decades. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

The Cultural Heritage Commission disagreed, deeming the building a prime example of its Streamline Moderne architectural style and a reflection of Southern California history, and voted 3 to 1 to recommend making it a historic monument. The final decision will be made by the City Council.

Historic buildings can still be altered or even torn down under Los Angeles city rules, said principal city planner Ken Bernstein, who heads its Office of Historic Resources. But the rules allow additional review before that happens, permitting a public discussion and an airing of alternatives, Bernstein said.

Even if the building becomes a monument, Cetrone said, they could build something around it or above it. They can do things that incorporate the building into their new construction.

But groups that advocate for more housing development have questioned whether trying to save the gas station is merely a pretext to thwart new construction. Vallianatos said that even if alterations or a tear-down are technically possible, delays can drive up costs and sink a project.

If the gas station was such a treasure, critics asked, why didnt anyone move to preserve it before someone had set out plans for new apartments?

For some, it only added insult to injury that the building was a gas station.

Half of California is on fire because of climate change, said Victoria Fierce, co-executive director of the California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund. Our planet is literally burning down and youre proposing a monument to car culture  which got us here in the first place.

Her Bay Area-based group warned the city that enshrining the Silver Lake Texaco Service Station as a historic monument could have legal consequences, pointing to a state law that restricts how local governments can turn down housing that meets zoning rules. That law was beefed up by a trio of state measures last year, making it easier for people to challenge such decisions.

If a proposed project fits the zoning, there shouldnt be these surprises coming out of the woodwork, said Fierce, whose group has successfully prodded other cities to approve housing.

Paavo Monkkonen, a UCLA associate professor of urban planning and public policy, said clashes over historic preservation and development are nothing new, but groups that want cities to build more housing  broadly known as YIMBYs, for yes in my backyard  have become increasingly vocal when such disputes arise.

In the past, Monkkonen said, a lot of this stuff happened without anyone questioning it.

Cetrone said she could understand suspicion of the timing of the Silver Lake Texaco Service Station nomination, but that the plan was truly about saving a piece of history.

Trudi G. Sandmeier, director of graduate programs in heritage conservation at the USC School of Architecture, said that in many cases, historic nominations come late because we dont realize that theres a threat until the threat is happening. Part of the goal of the citywide survey that identified the Silver Lake site was to flag possible monuments before they were in jeopardy, but its probably unrealistic to expect that it will eliminate all eleventh-hour nominations, Bernstein said.

Housing advocates argue that a push to enshrine a Silver Lake gas station and auto shop as a historic monument appears to be an attempt to block new homes. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles has already given the nod to old gas stations in Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and Hollywood, where a historic structure now houses a drive-through Starbucks. Sandmeier said she had not scrutinized the Silver Lake gas station, but in general, just because its a gas station doesnt mean its less significant than any other piece of our built environment.

A council committee hearing that had been scheduled last week on the Silver Lake site was postponed. OFarrell spokesman Tony Arranaga said they had sought more time to work with the owner on solutions for the structure.

Although OFarrell has not taken a position on making it a monument, Arranaga said the councilman would like to see the longtime structure preserved and reused there or at another location. Hefner, the owner, did not respond to messages seeking comment.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlpertReyes
President Trump said Monday that he would welcome a threatened lawsuit from former CIA Director John Brennan, saying it would expose Brennan to the release of documents that would prove him to be the worst CIA Director in our countrys history.

Trumps comments on Twitter came a day after Brennan said he is willing to take the president to court to prevent other current and former officials from having their security clearances revoked.

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit, Trump said on Twitter. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt.

Trump was referring to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, now being led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Brennan, a CIA veteran who served as director under President Obama, played a role in assessing Russian efforts prior to Muellers appointment.

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Trumps Monday tweet came as a bipartisan outcry over his revocation of Brennans security clearance continued to grow, with the release of a statement of opposition signed by more than 175 alumni of national security jobs.

Brennan, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, said Sunday that a number of lawyers have contacted him to offer advice on pursuing an injunction to prevent Trump from taking similar actions in the future.

The White House has drafted documents revoking the clearances of several other current and former officials who President Trump has demanded be punished for criticizing him or playing a role in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to senior administration officials.

I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future, and if it means going to court, I will do that, Brennan said in an appearance on NBC Newss Meet the Press.

If my clearances  and my reputation, as Im being pulled through the mud now  if thats the price were going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me, its a small price to pay, Brennan said.

The statement of support for Brennan released Monday was the third since the White House announced last week that it was taking action against him for making irresponsible claims during television appearances and on social media.

Our signatures below do not necessarily mean that we concur with the opinions expressed by former CIA Director Brennan or the way in which he expressed them, the latest statement says. What they do represent, however, is our firm belief that the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views.

Among other things, Brennan has said that Trumps repeated claims of no collusion between his campaign and Russians are hogwash.

On Thursday, 15 former top-level intelligence officials from Democratic and Republican administrations registered their dismay at what they said was an attempt by Trump to stifle free speech. On Friday, 60 former senior CIA officials added their names.

The latest statement is signed by career national security officials as well as political appointees from both parties.

The career officials include Nicholas J. Rasmussen, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center; William J. Burns, former deputy secretary of State; and Douglas H. Wise, a former deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Other former national security officials who signed include Anthony Lake, former national security advisor under President Clinton, and Sean OKeefe, former secretary of the Navy under President George H.W. Bush.

The statement is also signed by more than 10 former U.S. ambassadors and more than 20 former U.S. attorneys.

Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report.
A.J. acted as a decoy in an armed robbery committed by her boyfriend in downtown San Francisco in 2005. She was sitting in a parked car a block away when he attempted to rob a second man 15 minutes later, then shot and killed him. Today, A.J. sits in prison in California serving a 25-years-to-life sentence for that murder.

Velia also sits in a California prison, also serving 25-years-to-life for murder, although she too was not present at the scene. Her crime was telling the killer where to find the victim, believing that he was only going to rob him, after the killer threatened to harm her elderly father. When Velia heard that the victim had been hurt, she came to his aid and had her father drive him to the hospital.

Bobby went to an adult prison in California at the age of 15. He spent the next 22 years there for a killing he didnt do and that he never conceived would happen during the course of a street robbery he committed with a group of teenagers.

A.J., Velia and Bobby were convicted of first-degree murder  the crime that carries the harshest penalties  under whats called the felony murder rule. The law permits this draconian outcome whenever an individual agrees to commit a serious crime and a death occurs, even if the individual didnt intend for the victim to be killed, didnt foresee or know that a killing would occur, or didnt cause the death. In 1983, the California Supreme Court called the felony murder rule barbaric because it divorced intent from culpability, but the justices said that only the Legislature could fix the problem.

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The felony murder rule is not only unjust on its face, it is unjust in its application.

Thirty-five years later, this important change may finally come about through Senate Bill 1437, jointly authored by state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine). The bill is straightforward: If a participant in a crime did not kill, intend to kill, or did not act with reckless indifference to human life in the death in question, that person cannot be found liable for murder.

The idea is to punish defendants for what they did  robbery or burglary, for example  not for a murder they never fathomed. This bill also applies retroactively to allow people such as A.J., Velia and Bobby  who didnt kill anyone, didnt assist in a killing, and didnt even act with recklessness  to have a court determine if they should be resentenced.

SB 1437 is not, as some opponents have claimed, a get-out-of-jail-free card. Far from it. Each defendant is still guilty of the serious felony he or she committed.

The felony murder rule is not only unjust on its face, it is unjust in its application. A recent survey of California prisoners revealed that the felony murder rule was disproportionately used against youth of color and that 72% of women serving time for first-degree murder under the felony murder rule were not the perpetrators of the homicide.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Although exact numbers are hard to come by, research indicates that there may be up to 800 people who did not kill nor intend to kill, but who have nevertheless been sentenced to life imprisonment in California. Despite the way theyve been labeled, these people are not murderers. They should be provided the opportunity to return to court and ask to be resentenced.

All other nations that trace their legal systems to Englands common law tradition  including England, Canada, Ireland and India  have abolished felony murder. Some states, including Massachusetts, Hawaii, Kentucky and Michigan, have also abolished it. But SB 1437 merely revises Californias statute, so as to better apportion criminal liability according to individual responsibility.

If SB 1437 is signed into law, anyone who intentionally kills another person or aids and abets the killer can still be found guilty of murder. Anyone who conspires with another to commit a murder can still be found guilty of murder. Anyone who acts with reckless indifference to human life can still be found guilty of murder. The bill would not change the way gang members are prosecuted for killings carried out to benefit their gangs. It would not affect the three-strikes law or any of the hundreds of enhancements  such as using a weapon  that mandate long sentences for serious felonies.

The broad application of the felony murder rule in California has resulted in scores of what amount to wrongful convictions. A.J., Velia and Bobby should be held accountable for what they did, not sent away for life  and at great taxpayer expense  for murders they did not commit, intend or foresee.

Kate Chatfield is the policy director for Re:Store Justice, a California criminal justice reform organization. Lara Bazelon is an associate professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she directs the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic and the Racial Justice Clinic. Bazelon is on the board of directors of Re:Store Justice.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook.
Newsoms budget proposes $3 million for Alzheimers research, brain task force By Melody Gutierrez Amyloid plaques, shown here in human brains, are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease. (UCLA School of Medicine) Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for the creation of a brain health task force and dedicate $3 million annually from the states general fund to Alzheimers disease research in the budget proposal he will release Thursday, a source close to the administration said. The money for Alzheimers research would target the new grants at understanding why the disease is more prevalent in women and people of color. Former California first lady and Alzheimers activist Maria Shriver pushed for the funding to be included in the state budget. Shriver said in a statement Wednesday that the funding would make California the first state to make understanding our brains a priority. The states former first lady, whose late father Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers, founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement, an advocacy group raising awareness about womens increased risk for developing the disease. In 2011, she wrote a comprehensive assessment on the disease, to which Newsom  then mayor of San Francisco  contributed a portion called What one city is doing. This is personal to me, just like it is to millions of California families, Shriver said. Alzheimers is one of the largest medical, social and economic crises in our state, and of our time. I am so proud that, once again, California is leading the way. Wiping out Alzheimers is going to require bold thinking, and there is no doubt in my mind that California is home to bold thinkers who can make this happen. Facebook

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
While mayor of San Francisco, Democrat Gavin Newsom supported high-speed rail in California so strongly that he partnered with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008 to push for a $10-billion state bond measure to help build it.

Six years later, Newsom pulled his support, citing exploding cost overruns and delays. Two years after that, he was back on board.

Newsom has made several about-faces during his two decades in politics. Early in the 2018 governors race, his shifting stances were targeted by Democratic rivals, who accused the lieutenant governor of flip-flopping or equivocating on high-speed rail and other pivotal issues facing California, including a single-payer healthcare system and sanctuary policies. Newsoms rival in the November election, Republican John Cox, is sure to continue that criticism as he highlights his opposition to the front-runner on several issues.

Similar to other politicians on the campaign trail, Newsom has made pronouncements that can be interpreted in different ways, allowing voters to hear what they want to hear, said political scientist Melissa Michelson of Menlo College. That strategy can create doubt in voters minds about what a candidate will really do if elected, she said.

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As a politician, youre trying to both read and lead the public, Michelson said. You certainly dont want to say things that make you unpopular.

Newsom campaign spokesman Nathan Click dismissed the criticism, saying the lieutenant governor has a long history of taking bold, risky policy positions, including authorizing same-sex marriages in 2004 while mayor of San Francisco.

California voters have overwhelmingly supported Gavin Newsom at the ballot box because he has had the political courage to champion bold reforms and aggressively see them through, Click said.

Michelson said its common for political beliefs to evolve, especially for someone who has been in public office a while. For Newsom, that includes his views on aspects of San Franciscos sanctuary policy. The policy bars the city from spending funds to enforce immigration law, and prohibits local authorities from detaining people based solely on their immigration status, Michelson said.

Throughout the campaign, Newsom has boasted about his support as mayor of San Francisco as a sanctuary city, including extending healthcare coverage to immigrants who entered the country illegally.

Im proud to come from a sanctuary city, Newsom said at a February debate. Sanctuary cities are about keeping people safe, healthier and more educated. If youre a victim of crime, if youre a witness of crime, youre more than likely to communicate with police officers.

But while mayor, Newsom directed the city to begin referring juveniles who were in the country illegally and who had been charged with felonies to federal immigration authorities for deportation.

The policy was implemented shortly after the 2008 slaying of Anthony Bologna and his two sons, who were killed on a San Francisco street by Edwin Ramos, a 21-year-old Salvadoran immigrant who had entered the country illegally. Ramos, who was later convicted of first-degree murder, had been released from San Francisco County Jail three months before, and was twice convicted of felonies as a juvenile.

When the Board of Supervisors voted to end the policy, Newsom vetoed the measure. When the board overturned his veto, the Newsom administration continued referring young people to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, former Supervisor David Campos said.

The policy led to the deportation of many youth, including many youth who were wrongly convicted, Campos said. [Newsom has] been trying to position himself as a champion of sanctuary cities. Dont rewrite history.

Campos said it was improper to turn over young immigrants before they had been convicted, saying they deserved due process. Newsom has since agreed and apologized for enacting that policy.

These were people charged ... but not convicted. Some people ultimately were exonerated that got caught up in it, Newsom told the Sacramento Bee in July. Ill just say this to my critics: fair game. Looking back, there were things we could have done differently. Im very honest about that.

Newsom cashes in on primary victory, far outraising Cox in California governors race 

Part of the foundation of Newsoms campaign for governor has been his strong support for establishing a single-payer healthcare system in California.

As evidence of his longstanding dedication to the issue, Newsom points to the San Francisco universal healthcare system adopted in 2006 while he was mayor. Healthy San Francisco, as it was known, was the first of its kind in the nation, and at its peak provided affordable care to more than 70,000 uninsured residents in the city.

People said it couldnt be done, Newsom said at a candidate forum hosted by the San Francisco Chronicle in October.

But former San Francisco County Supervisor Tom Ammiano, author of the ordinance that evolved into Healthy San Francisco, said Newsom tried to undermine it as best he could while it was being debated, in part because of concerns over cost to employers in the city. After Healthy San Francisco was approved, Newsom embraced it, Ammiano said.

When something is working, hell attach his coattails to it, Ammiano, a frequent critic of Newsom, said in an interview earlier this year.

Newsom has argued that Ammianos initial proposal amounted to a health insurance program that did not cover most of the uninsured in San Francisco. He said he authored a separate proposal focused on providing direct care  not insurance  to everyone without healthcare coverage in the city.

Click said Newsom believes healthcare is a human right, and that he fought for that principle as mayor and will do the same as governor. He noted that Newsom has also received endorsements from major healthcare providers because they know he will deliver on a system that puts patients first and works for everyone.

As mayor, Newsom brought every stakeholder to the table to pass the nations first countywide universal healthcare package, and, at every point in this campaign, has committed to leading a similar process to guarantee healthcare for every California resident, Click said in an email.

During the gubernatorial campaign, Newsom has been accused of parsing his words when asked about his position on Senate Bill 562, legislation to create a state-sponsored single-payer healthcare system, which was shelved in the Assembly last year. Former Democratic rival Antonio Villaraigosa accused him of being a snake oil salesman by tailoring his message for different audiences.

In September, Newsom spoke to the California Nurses Assn., the most vocal advocate for legislation. He told the crowd that the time for single-payer healthcare was now and added: Its time to move 562, setting off a round of cheers.

But minutes later, when talking with reporters, Newsom explained his statement wasnt a full-fledged endorsement of the legislation. He said he supported moving the bill through the legislative process, but cautioned that there were some major open-ended issues, including the plan to finance it.

When the legislation was approved by the state Senate, Newsom praised the move in a tweet: Thanks to @CASenDems & @CalNurses, CA is one step closer to making universal health access a real right, not an empty platitude.

The Assembly later shelved the bill over concerns about cost and the lack of a comprehensive plan to pay for such a massive new government program.

Garry South, who was a political consultant for Newsoms short-lived 2010 gubernatorial run, said the front-runners message has always been crystal clear.

Gavin Newsom has publicly affirmed that he supports a single-payer system, South said. Hes not coy about it. Hes not cute about it.

South also said that Newsoms positions on some issues were bound to change over his two decades in office. As mayor of San Francisco, Newsom was primarily concerned with local political issues. As lieutenant governor and now a candidate for governor, he examines policy decisions from a statewide perspective, South said.

As a San Francisco County supervisor in 2002, Newsom argued in favor of higher bail schedules, saying drug dealers were coming into the city because they knew bail was lower there than in the surrounding counties.

But as a candidate for California governor, Newsom been been a strong proponent of bail reform.

Cash bail insidiously exacerbates our criminal justice systems class and racial disparities by creating a cascade of devastating effects for poor people and their families who often lose jobs, homes and even their children before a court even considers their guilt or innocence, Newsom wrote in a 2017 opinion column that ran in the Orange County Register and other newspapers.

Click said Newsom is one of the leading advocates for criminal justice reform in California.

Newsom was the first statewide elected official to champion ending the cash bail system, and the only one to endorse every criminal justice reform ballot initiative over the last decade, Click said.

The early 2000s were also a different political era, a time when issues such as bail reform were not part of an intense national debate. Public support for Californias high-speed rail system has also fluctuated over the last decade.

When California voters approved funding for the high-speed rail project, they were promised that the system would transport passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in two hours and 40 minutes. As mayor, Newsom hailed the rail line as a game-changer for California, and said it was a generation overdue.

Finally California is going to get it right with this high-speed rail, Newsom said at the 2010 groundbreaking ceremony of the Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco.

But by 2014, Newsom had become disenchanted with the project because of myriad funding problems, and polls showed many Californians felt the same way. During an interview with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro that aired on a Seattle radio station, the lieutenant governor said he would redirect the high-speed rail funding to other infrastructure needs. Coming from one of the highest ranking Democratic politicians in the state, Newsoms criticism was a gut punch to a project staunchly supported by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Two years later, Newsom told the audience at a Sacramento Press Club event that he was no longer opposed to the project  then estimated to cost $64 billion  and that while he still had concerns, he would try to find a public funding source for it if elected governor. Newsom said he decided to back the project again after the planning and management had been improved.

Newsom has been needled throughout the campaign about his back-and-forth on the rail project, and was asked point-blank during a May gubernatorial debate if he would tell Californians where he stood on the issue.

Ive long supported the vision, but Ive been honest about the financing, Newsom responded.

Joseph Tuman, a professor of political and legal communication at San Francisco State, compared Newsoms tentative embrace of high-speed rail  he supports it, but says he still has reservations  to President Trump saying he accepted the U.S. intelligence findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, but that it could be other people also.

You cant be in a situation where youre trying to have it both ways, Tuman said.

Coverage of California politics 

phil.willon@latimes.com

Twitter: @philwillon

Updates on California politics
Imagine a drug that could enhance a childs creativity, critical thinking and resilience. Imagine that this drug were simple to make, safe to take, and could be had for free.

The nations leading pediatricians say this miracle compound exists. In a new clinical report, they are urging doctors to prescribe it liberally to the children in their care.

What is this wonder drug? Play.

This may seem old-fashioned, but there are skills to be learned when kids arent told what to do, said Dr. Michael Yogman, a Harvard Medical School pediatrician who led the drafting of the call to arms. Whether its rough-and-tumble physical play, outdoor play or social or pretend play, kids derive important lessons from the chance to make things up as they go, he said.

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The advice, issued Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics, may come as a shock to some parents. After spending years fretting over which toys to buy, which apps to download and which skill-building programs to send their kids to after school, letting them simply play  or better yet, playing with them  could seem like a step backward.

The pediatricians insist that its not. The academys guidance does not include specific recommendations for the dosing of play. Instead, it asks doctors to advise parents before their babies turn 2 that play is essential to healthy development. It also advocates for the restoration of play in schools.

Play is not frivolous, the academys report declares. It nurtures childrens ingenuity, cooperation and problem-solving skills  all of which are critical for a 21st century workforce. It lays the neural groundwork that helps us pursue goals and ignore distractions.

When parents engage in play with their children, it deepens relationships and builds a bulwark against the toxic effects of all kinds of stress, including poverty, the academy says.

In the pediatricians view, essentially every life skill thats valued in adults can be built up with play.

Collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution, self-advocacy, decision-making, a sense of agency, creativity, leadership, and increased physical activity are just some of the skills and benefits children gain through play, they wrote.

The pediatricians appeal comes as American kids are being squeezed by escalating academic demands at school, the relentless encroachment of digital media, and parents who either load up their schedules with organized activities or who are themselves too busy or stressed to play.

The trends have been a long time coming. Between 1981 and 1997, detailed time-use studies showed that the time children spent at play declined by 25%. Since the adoption of sweeping education reforms in 2001, public schools have steadily increased the amount of time devoted to preparing for standardized tests. The focus on academic skills and drills has cut deeply into recess and other time for free play.

By 2009, a study of Los Angeles kindergarten classrooms found that 5-year-olds were so burdened with academic requirements that they were down to an average of just 19 minutes per day of choice time, when they were permitted to play freely with blocks, toys or other children. One in four Los Angeles teachers reported there was no time at all for free play.

Increased academic pressures have left 30% of U.S. kindergarten classes without any recess. Such findings prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to issue a policy statement in 2013 on the crucial role of recess in school.

Well-meaning parents who fret over which toys to buy, which apps to download and which skill-building programs to send their kids to after school have overlooked the value of simple play, pediatricians say. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Pediatricians arent the only ones who have noticed.

In a report titled Crisis in the Kindergarten, a consortium of educators, health professionals and child advocates called the loss of play in early childhood a tragedy, both for the children themselves and for our nation and world. Young kids in play-based kindergartens end up equally good or better at reading and other intellectual skills, and they are more likely to become well-adjusted healthy people, the Alliance for Childhood said in 2009.

Indeed, new research demonstrates why playing with blocks might have been time better spent, Yogman said. The trial assessed the effectiveness of an early mathematics intervention aimed at preschoolers. The results showed almost no gains in math achievement.

Instead of focusing solely on academic skills, such as reciting the alphabet, early literacy, using flash cards, engaging with computer toys, and teaching to tests (which has been overemphasized to promote improved test results), cultivating the joy of learning through play is likely to better encourage long-term academic success, Yogman and his colleagues wrote in the clinical report, which appears in the journal Pediatrics.

Another playtime thief: the growing proportion of kids time spent in front of screens and digital devices, even among preschoolers.

Last year, Common Sense Media reported that children up through age 8 spent an average of two hours and 19 minutes in front of screens each day. That included an average of 42 minutes a day for children under 2.

This escalation of digital use comes with rising risks of obesity, sleep deprivation and cognitive, language and social-emotional delays, the American Academy of Pediatrics warned in 2016.

Yogman acknowledged that many digital games and screen-based activities can nurture some of the same areas that kids get through free play: problem-solving, spatial skills and persistence.

But in young kids, especially, they are often crowding out games of make-believe, not to mention face-to-face time with peers and parents, Yogman said.

I respect that parents have busy lives and its easy to hand a child an iPhone, he said. But theres a cost to that. For young children, its much too passive. And kids really learn better when theyre actively engaged and have to really discover things.

Moreover, he added, language development is much enhanced when it involves real people and not screens.

The decline of play is a special hazard for the roughly 1 in 5 children in the United States who lives in poverty. These 14 million children most urgently need to develop the resilience that is nurtured with play. Instead, Yogman said, they are disproportionately affected by some of the trends that are making play scarce: academic pressures at schools that need to improve test scores, outside play areas that are limited or unsafe, and parents who lack the time or energy to share in playtime.

In cities across the country, a program called Learning Landscapes is aiming to give urban children opportunities to play and learn in the public spaces they navigate every day. At a bus stop in Philadelphia, on sidewalks in San Francisco, and in neighborhoods of Chicago, the initiative led by Temple University psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek has installed giant movable blocks, life-sized human board games, and lights that invite a spontaneous game of hopscotch.

Were not the only species that plays, said Hirsh-Pasek, author of Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children. Dogs, cats, monkeys, whales and even octopuses play, and when you have something that prevalent in the animal kingdom, it probably has a purpose, she added.

Yogman also worries about the pressures that squeeze playtime for more affluent kids.

The notion that as parents we need to schedule every minute of their time is not doing them a great service, he said. Even well-meaning parents may be robbing them of the opportunity to have that joy of discovery and curiosity  the opportunity to find things out on their own.

Play may not be a hard sell to kids. But UCLA pediatrician Carlos Lerner acknowledged that the pediatricians new prescription may meet with skepticism from parents, who are anxious for advice on how to give their kids a leg up in the world.

They should welcome the simplicity of the message, Lerner said.

Its liberating to be able to offer them this advice: that you spending time with your child and letting him play is one of the most valuable things you can do, he said. It doesnt have to involve spending a lot of money or time, or joining a parenting group. Its something we can offer thats achievable. They just dont recognize it right now as particularly valuable.

melissa.healy@latimes.com

@LATMelissaHealy

MORE IN SCIENCE
Voice actor Rodger Bumpass, best known for his role as Squidward Tentacles on the television show SpongeBob SquarePants, is due in court this week on drunk driving charges, officials said.

The 64-year-old Burbank resident was charged with one count each of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol level of more than .08%, said Burbank Senior Assistant City Atty. Denny Wei.

NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >>

The charges carry an allegation that his blood-alcohol content was greater than or equal to .15%.

Just before 11 p.m. Jan. 15, Burbank police responded to the 400 block of South Fairview Street, where they found Bumpass leaning against a blue PT Cruiser stopped in the middle of the street.

When officers approached, Bumpass walked away and nearly fell.

According to police, Bumpass subsequently failed a field sobriety test. A breath test reportedly showed that his blood-alcohol content was more than double the legal limit.

Bumpass reportedly told police hed driven to the area and was trying to get home.

He was arrested and released from police custody the following morning with a citation.

--

Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek

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There wasnt a hint of fear or trepidation in Kenley Jansens voice as the burly closer discussed his return to the Dodgers after an 11-day absence because of symptoms related to an irregular heartbeat.

Im not thinking about my heart; Im not, Jansen said before Monday nights game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Dodger Stadium. You have no control over your heart, so if it goes, it goes. Thats how I think.

Im in great shape. I do a lot of running during the down times. So, Im ready to go. Were, what, two games back with 37 games left? Its go-time now. I dont need to be babied. And Im sure Im not going to be babied. My heart is fine.

Jansen, who last appeared in a game Aug. 7 at Oakland, was cleared to pitch after a follow-up visit with his cardiologist Monday, providing a huge boost to a bullpen that floundered in his absence.

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The right-hander was taken off blood thinners. He will continue to take heart medication but said hes down to one pill a day. He will take daily EKGs through an application on his smart phone and send them to the teams medical staff.

Jansen estimated that there is a 90% chance that he will need another ablation surgery this winter, repeating the one he had six years ago to treat a similar condition, but he expects to pitch without restrictions for the rest of the season.

The joke around Dodger Stadium is that most fans have been on heart medication since Jansen went on the disabled list.

Relievers blew late-game leads in seven consecutive games from Aug. 9 through last Wednesday, with the Dodgers losing five and dropping out of first place in the National League West. And on Saturday night at Seattle, Dylan Floro balked in the winning run in the 10th inning of a 5-4 loss to the Mariners.

The Dodgers entered Monday nights game with 23 blown saves, tied with the Colorado Rockies for the second-most in the major leagues.

Jansens return will allow the team to push converted starter Kenta Maeda and left-hander Scott Alexander, who had been sharing closing duties, to set-up roles. Pedro Baez, J.T. Chargois, Dylan Floro and Caleb Ferguson would have lower-leverage relief roles.

Its a big lift, especially with how this last week went, manager Dave Roberts said. It puts guys in their rightful spots in the bullpen and I can use them the way I feel is best. Hes the best in the game, so to have him in the back end changes the way theyre going to manage and the way Im going to manage as well.

The Dodgers feared Jansen might be sidelined for four to six weeks when the right-hander was rushed to a hospital in an ambulance after suffering another episode of atrial fibrillation in Denver on Aug. 9.

Jansen was sidelined for a month in the 2011 season and three weeks in 2012 after being prescribed blood thinners for similar heart-related conditions, and he resumed taking the medications after doctors shocked his heart back to normal.

Jansen returned to the clubhouse four days after being sent home from Denver, full of his usual smiles and laughter. He threw an inning off the Dodger Stadium mound last Wednesday and another simulated inning in Seattle on Friday.

Jansen, who converted 32 of 35 save opportunities and had a 2.15 earned-run average in 51 games before going on the disabled list, was cleared after undergoing a stress test and other exams Monday. He donned a T-shirt that declared, Im back, for an early workout.

Hes excited, Roberts said before the game. I talked to him, and it seems like hes ready to pitch two innings tonight. Well temper that excitement, but for our club, its a huge lift.

This was not the first time Jansens heart started racing in the mile-high altitude of Denver, but Jansen has no plans to avoid Colorado. The Dodgers return to Coors Field for a three-game series against the Rockies starting Sept. 7.

While altitude can trigger atrial fibrillation, so can dehydration. Jansen said that he had diarrhea in Oakland the day before the Dodgers played in Colorado and suspected his body might have been depleted of minerals and fluids.

I just have to get over that hump, Jansen said. You cant be afraid of life and what could happen. At the same time, I just have to take care of myself, stay hydrated, and go back out there again.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

@MikeDiGiovanna
Chicago Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish lasted only one inning in his rehab start with Class-A South Bend (Ind.) on Sunday, casting doubt on his availability for the rest of the year.

Darvish, who has been sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, shook his arm as he left the field after striking out Romer Cuadrado of Great Lakes (Mich.) with a 95 mph fastball for the last out of the first. He said the inning was great.

I felt real good, Darvish said through an interpreter.

When Darvish warmed up for the second inning, he threw six pitches and winced on each one. Miguel Amaya walked to the mound and summoned manager Jimmy Gonzalez and a trainer.

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After a short discussion, Darvish walked to the dugout.

Darvish, who signed a six-year contract with Chicago in February, has made only eight starts.

Etc.

The Minnesota Twins placed right-hander Ervin Santana on the 10-day disabled list and reinstated outfielder Robbie Grossman from the DL. ... Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin was expected to be released from the Cleveland Clinic after being hospitalized because of a life-threatening infection. ... Touted pitching prospect Michael Kopech will make his major league debut with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. ... The Cubs will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in next years Little League Classic.
Cuba sings a siren song for those who long to see it before its spoiled. These days, its easier to travel there than it was in, say, 2014.

The Treasury Department regulations you must comply with today are less onerous than in times past, but these days, you still cant go to Cuba for the fun of it. At least, not legally.

You couldnt spend your days lolling on the beach in 2014, either, unless you decided to skip the legalities and fly to Cuba without the license the Treasury Department required. Some Americans did that, flying through Mexico or other nations to reach the communist country in the Caribbean.

Some made sure their passport wasnt stamped, and if they didnt get caught  some did and paid a steep price, but many did not  they could cross Cuba off their travel bucket list.

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But at least one couple recently paid the price, thanks to the law of unintended consequences.

This couple, who fly in and out of the U.S. fairly often, decided to apply for Global Entry, the Trusted Traveler program from Customs and Border Protection.

Global Entry allows you to speed through customs when you return from abroad. As a bonus, you also get PreCheck, the Transportation Security Administrations fast-through-airport-security program that lets you keep on your belt, shoes and jacket.. Global Entry costs $100 for five years.

You must apply, which means youll undergo a thorough background check against criminal, law enforcement, Customs, Immigration, Agriculture, and terrorist indices to include biometric fingerprint checks, and a personal interview with a CBP officer, CBP said in an email.

The couple in question made it to the interview process. She had asked Cuban authorities not to stamp her passport, but her husbands passport got stamped.

At the joint interview, the officer asked whether they had been to any other countries besides the ones they had listed, and the husband, whom she described as relentlessly honest, said that yes, they had been to Cuba.

The interview, the wife said, was immediately terminated.

Would they ever be able to get Global Entry?

Customs and Border Protection did say this in an email:

You may not get Global Entry if you provide false or incomplete information on the application; have been convicted of any criminal offense or have pending criminal charges to include outstanding warrants; have been found in violation of any Customs, Immigration or Agriculture regulations or laws in any country; are subjects of an investigation by any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency; are inadmissible to the United States under immigration regulation, including applicants with approved waivers of inadmissibility or parole documentation; or [they] cannot satisfy CBP of their low-risk status or meet other program requirements.

We dont know for sure which of these tripped up this couple. CBP said it would look it up if the couple would provide their names and dates of birth. They declined.

If I were a betting woman, Id put my money on incomplete information. Its unclear whether CBP knew the husband had been to Cuba and was just waiting for him to come clean or whether it was a lucky guess, but whatever it was, the agency got a twofer: He outed himself and took his wife down with him.

Since the ill-starred interview, the wife said she had failed to get PreCheck, and she wondered during our interview whether she is now on a list of some sort. Maybe, maybe not. Her husband flew a few days later and he did get it.

We wont know whether the agencies share that kind of information, because TSA did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Besides the annoyance of not knowing whether the government is whispering about you behind your back, if Global Entry rejects you, you dont get back your $100 application fee. Youre 0 for 2 on this  no Trusted Traveler, no refund.

We might suggest Mobile Passport. The apps home page says you will breeze through Customs at 25 airports (LAX is one of them) and two cruise ports. Its available for iOS and on Google Play.

When you set up your profile, it notes, Your information will be encrypted and shared only with CBP.

The upside: The app is free. You wont lose your money, although if youre rejected, your pride may take a hit.

The bottom line is this: The federal government takes a dim view of those who skirt its regulations. Not getting Global Entry is a small punishment. As CBP said, Note that being denied Global Entry membership does not prohibit individuals from being able to travel.

Now that would be real punishment.

Have a question or dilemma? Write to travel@latimes.com. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry.

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
It might seem like an inauspicious moment to try for a truce.

But Afghan President Ashraf Ghani did so Sunday, declaring a cease-fire to coincide with this weeks Eid al-Adha holiday, one of the most important occasions on the Muslim calendar, and then be extended for up to three months.

The only catch: The Taliban must sign on too.

I announce a conditional cease-fire starting from tomorrow, Monday, until Nov. 21, birthday of the prophet Muhammad, Ghani said in a nationally televised address marking Afghanistans Independence Day, according to news agencies.

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There was no immediate word on whether the Taliban would agree to the cease-fire, which was called despite a recent burst of bloodshed and came on the heels of a truce that proved short-lived.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo welcomed Ghanis move, provided the Taliban cooperate, and added that Washington stood ready to support direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace, Pompeo said in a statement.

But the secretary also alluded to the collapse of the most recent truce attempt.

The last cease-fire in Afghanistan revealed the deep desire of the Afghan people to end the conflict, and we hope another cease-fire will move the country closer to sustainable security, Pompeo said.

In June, the Afghan government announced a unilateral cease-fire with the Taliban during the last major Muslim holiday, Eid al-Fitr. It largely held, but the insurgents spurned a call to extend that truce.

Then, this month, the Taliban launched a major offensive on the southeastern city of Ghazni, which the government said killed at least 100 members of the Afghan security forces and some two dozen civilians, along with scores of Taliban fighters.

Five days of fierce fighting in a city just 80 miles from the capital, Kabul, was finally quelled after U.S. airstrikes and the dispatch of American military advisors to aid the Afghan government side. Afterward, whole neighborhoods had to be painstakingly cleared of explosives laid by the Taliban.

Ghanis cease-fire call came during ceremonies commemorating the 99th anniversary of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919, which is marked as the countrys Independence Day.

Recent signs, though, have been ominous. Ghanis overture came only a day after Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada declared that there could be no peace as long as foreign troops remained in Afghanistan.

With the Afghan conflict in its 17th year, the Trump administration is said to be weighing a controversial proposal to use private contractors to shoulder much of the burden borne by U.S. troops in the country, who now number some 15,000, down from a high of 100,000 in 2010, during the Obama administration.

The privatization plan is being pitched by Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater and brother of President Trumps Education secretary, Betsy DeVos. Prince claims it would save billions of dollars and help bring an end to the conflict, but the idea has drawn heavy criticism from military and foreign policy experts.

Prince has vehemently denied that the proposal would usher in a mercenary-driven conflict.

It is not a private army, he told NBC last week. It is a very clear delineation of whos in charge, OK? Afghan government, working for a U.S. government official, funded by the United States  at a fraction of the cost were spending now.

National security advisor John Bolton, asked about the idea of essentially outsourcing the U.S. military role in Afghanistan, said in an interview aired Sunday on ABCs This Week that he was always open to new ideas but that any privatization move would be up to Trump.

I dont rule out that wed have a change in some of the things were doing there, Bolton said.

The national security advisor cited indications that contacts between the insurgents and the Afghan government were moving in the right direction, adding that the administration had looked at several different possibilities to get the Taliban and others directly engaged with the government of Afghanistan.

Conditions in the field, though, appear grim. Territory held by Afghan forces has been shrinking over the last two years, and Taliban fighters in recent months have carried out a number of major assaults.

Afghanistan has also been shaken by a separate insurgency by the Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing Wednesday in Kabul targeting Shiite Muslims that killed at least 34, mainly high school students, and injured nearly 60 others, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

The attack took place in a neighborhood that is mainly home to Hazaras, a Shiite ethnic minority. Shiites are considered heretics by Islamic State.

The day after that bombing, the capital was rattled by an hours-long standoff between police and gunmen who tried to overrun a compound belonging to Afghanistan intelligence. Such attacks tend to shake public confidence that government forces are capable of securing even relatively safe areas of the capital.

laura.king@latimes.com

Twitter: @laurakingLAT

UPDATES:

4:45 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with Times staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 12:20 p.m.
A day after President Ashraf Ghani announced another unilateral cease-fire, Taliban insurgents ambushed a convoy of buses in northern Afghanistan on Monday and held more than 100 people hostage for several hours.

By days end, all but 12 had been released following negotiations between the insurgents and local community elders, according to an Afghan military official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

The brazen attack defied Ghanis announcement on Sunday that the government would observe a temporary cease-fire against the Taliban to mark the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, one of the most important on the Muslim calendar.

The truce could be extended for up to three months, and was conditional on the Taliban reciprocating  but it has not. A Taliban spokesman told the Reuters news agency Monday that the group had rejected the cease-fire, arguing it would aid the U.S.-led military coalition, but the group had not issued a formal statement.

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Ghani announced a similar cease-fire in June, after which the Taliban declared one of its own. Hostilities eased for a few days, but since then the resurgent militant group has continued to test the Afghan security forces.

Last week the Taliban waged a major offensive against the city of Ghazni that ended only after Afghan commanders sent hundreds of reinforcements and U.S. warplanes carried out airstrikes that killed at least 140 suspected insurgents, according to coalition forces. At least 100 soldiers and 20 civilians were killed in days of fighting.

Mondays ambush came as the convoy of three buses was traveling along a highway in Kunduz province, much of which is controlled or threatened by the Taliban, Afghan officials said.

Ismat Muradi, spokesman for the provincial governor, said more than 100 passengers were abducted around 3:30 a.m. and taken to an area of the province under Taliban influence.

Afghan security forces responded and engaged in a brief battle with the insurgents but then pulled back, wanting to avoid endangering the hostages, according to the Afghan military official. Civilian elders were negotiating to free all the passengers, officials said.

The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed the incident in messages to the news media, claiming that the groups fighters stopped the buses based on intelligence that members of the Afghan security forces were among the passengers.

The passengers have not been taken hostage, he said. There was a need to search for the [Afghan forces] so the buses have been taken to a safe location for further searching. The rest of the passengers will be released.

U.S. officials have reportedly met with senior Taliban leaders in recent weeks to explore the possibility of direct negotiations to end 17 years of fighting. On Saturday the Taliban leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, issued a statement saying that the lone option to end the war was for the U.S. to end the occupation of Afghanistan and nothing more.

Special correspondent Faizy reported from Kabul and Times staff writer Bengali from Kolkata.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

UPDATES:

8:10 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 5:20 a.m.
The men barged into Surendra Kumars home after a court hearing tied to his daughters accusation that a politician from the countrys most powerful party had raped her.

The four assailants beat him with sticks, guns and belts, leaving him unconscious, family members said.

In response to the April attack, Kumar, of Unnao, filed a complaint with police in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, accusing the politicians brother of being one of his assailants. Several hours later, Kumar, to his shock, was arrested on criminal intimidation charges and jailed.

After six days, police told Kumars relatives that he had died in custody. He was 45.

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The case would soon become national headlines when a court accused state authorities of conspiring with the politician, state lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar, to shield him from punishment and failing to protect the alleged rape victim and her family.

But Kumars was just one of a growing number of deaths of detainees in India, where roughly five people die every day in police and judicial custody, according to the Asian Center for Human Rights, a New Delhi advocacy organization.

The center reported recently that 1,674 Indians had died in custody in the 11 months ending in February, the vast majority while awaiting trial, according to statistics provided by Indias Home Affairs Ministry in response to a request from Parliament.

(Los Angeles Times)

That represented a nearly 25% increase in the average annual number of deaths from 2001 to 2010, the center said, citing data from Indias National Human Rights Commission.

This is an unusually high number, said Vikram Singh, a retired head of police in Uttar Pradesh.

Singh acknowledged that authorities often failed to ensure that detainees were protected from harassment and violence by officers.

Of the 1,674 deaths, about 10% occurred when the victims were in police custody, usually at police stations, but before a court appearance. Human rights groups say detainees in these circumstances are at the gravest risk of torture by police seeking to punish them, obtain information or force confessions.

The remainder of deaths occurred when detainees were in jails awaiting or undergoing trials in what is known as judicial custody, the center said.

India, a country of 1.3 billion people, has a relatively small prisoner population of about 400,000; the U.S. holds five times as many. But two-thirds of Indians behind bars have never been convicted of a crime. Many are held for longer than their maximum sentences because their cases are delayed, they cant afford or are denied bail, or they lack legal counsel.

While in jail, detainees are often kept in overflowing cells without adequate medical care  the countrys Supreme Court recently said inmates were being treated like animals  and still face the threat of torture by police and other authorities, the center said.

Overcrowding of inmates and inhumane living conditions also contribute to the deaths, but that does not mean torture doesnt happen in judicial custody, said Suhas Chakma, the centers director.

The center called on India to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture and strengthen national laws prohibiting and punishing abuse of detainees.

Singh, the retired head of police, said that custody deaths could be prevented if Indian authorities followed existing regulations, which require each case to be thoroughly investigated, officers suspected in the deaths to be suspended and a report filed to national human rights investigators.

If this were faithfully implemented, the number of deaths would come down by at least 75%, Singh said. It is not happening.

India has repeatedly promised to ratify the U.N. torture convention, which it signed in 1997, but successive governments have failed to do so, fearing it would open the country up to greater international scrutiny. The governments legal advisory body last year proposed an anti-torture bill that would make the government responsible for injuries inflicted by authorities, and would authorize life imprisonment for anyone convicted under the law, but the legislation has gone nowhere.

Officers accused in custody deaths are rarely prosecuted and almost never punished.

In 2016, Human Rights Watch said that no police officers were convicted for a custody death between 2010 and 2015, a period in which about 600 deaths occurred in police custody.

The police often characterize such deaths as suicides or attribute them to natural causes. Of 97 custody deaths reported by authorities nationwide in 2015, Human Rights Watch found, only six were listed as due to physical assault by police. Authorities filed cases of wrongdoing against police officers in just 33 of the deaths, the group found.

Police say Kumar had complained of a stomachache the night before he died. But when Kumars family retrieved his body, his brother Mahesh said it was covered in bruises, his stomach black and blue. The family worried that Kumar did not receive adequate medical treatment while in custody.

Mahesh Kumar said that the family had not been able to get Kumar to a hospital before he was arrested and that authorities were punishing the family for seeking justice for Kumars daughter.

We were under pressure to drop the [rape] case, Mahesh Kumar said.

Kumars case came to light only after his daughter threatened to set herself on fire outside the house of the states chief minister, a Hindu extremist preacher named Yogi Adityanath. She accused Sengar, the state lawmaker, of raping her the year before, when she was 17 and had come to see him about a job.

A protest march in Mumbai, India, in April 2018 demanded justice for rape victims. (Divyakant Solanki / EPA/Shutterstock)

The case sparked nationwide protests in April that deeply embarrassed Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders of Indias governing Bharatiya Janata Party.

A judge found that month that police officers and government officials were under the influence of Sengar and had declined to register Kumars daughters rape complaint when she approached authorities in 2017.

Had police taken cognizance of the complaint  at that stage, perhaps further damage, including the death of [her] father, would not have taken place, the judge found.

Following the outcry, Sengar was arrested in April on charges of intimidation, kidnapping and child sexual abuse. His brother, Atul Sengar, was arrested and charged with murder. Both face life imprisonment if convicted.

Kumars was one of the few cases of custodial deaths that made national news. Another involved a man named Sreejith who protested in front of a government building in the southern state of Kerala for 783 consecutive days beginning in November 2015 over the death of his brother.

In May 2014, the mans brother Sreejeev  both men used only one name  was taken into police custody over theft allegations and died a few days later. Police said he had consumed poison, but Sreejith alleged that his brother was tortured and demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Indias main federal investigative agency.

Even though the state Police Complaint Authority, which investigates misconduct allegations, found in 2016 that the man had been tortured, it wasnt until this year that the bureau launched its inquiry, which is ongoing. After the agency took Sreejiths statement in January, he called off his protest.

In another case that attracted media attention, police in the northwestern state of Rajasthan are investigating officers who took custody of a Muslim man after he was allegedly assaulted last month by a group of Hindus. The officers reportedly took three hours to get the injured man to a hospital four miles away, even stopping for tea on the way.

By the time doctors saw the man, he was dead.

Parth M.N. is a special correspondent.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Shashank Bengali is South Asia correspondent for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali
The Brazilian government plans to send troops to the border town of Pacaraima after residents there attacked Venezuelan migrants.

The government-run Agencia Brasil news organization said Sunday that the Public Security Ministry plans to send at least 60 soldiers from the elite National Force to Pacaraima. Calls to the ministry for details went unanswered.

Pacaraima is a major border crossing with Venezuela, where economic and political turmoil has driven tens of thousands to cross into Brazil over the last few years.

Authorities said violence erupted Saturday after a local store owner was robbed, stabbed and beaten in an assault blamed on four migrants.

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Groups of angry residents then roamed the town hurling rocks at immigrants and setting fire to their belongings.

The armys Humanitarian Logistics Task Force in Roraima state said Sunday that at least 1,200 immigrants fled Pacaraima to escape the violence and returned to Venezuela.

The Roraima state government estimates that more than 50,000 Venezuelans have crossed the border, occupying existing shelters or sleeping in tents, plazas and streets. The influx was nearly equal to 10% of the states population of 520,000.

On Saturday, Claudio Lamachia, president of the Brazilian Bar Assn., said the violence in Pacaraima exposed the humanitarian drama afflicting our neighbors who are trying to improve their lives and survive.

The state of Roraima does not have the conditions to shelter all the immigrants, he said.

The crisis has prompted state authorities in recent months to try to limit services to Venezuelans and temporarily shut the border, but the federal government and high courts have curtailed attempts to do so.
The 92-year-old South Korean woman wept and stroked the wrinkled cheeks of her 71-year-old North Korean son Monday, their first meeting since they were driven apart during the turmoil of the 1950-53 Korean War.

How many children do you have? Do you have a son? Lee Keum-seom asked her son Ri Sang Chol during their long-awaited encounter at the Norths Diamond Mountain resort.

The emotional reunion came after dozens of South Koreans  mostly in their 70s or older  crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea to meet with their relatives. The weeklong event, the first of its kind in nearly three years, was arranged as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a standoff over North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

Hugging the woman hed last seen when he was 4, Ri showed his mother a photo of her late husband, who had stayed behind in North Korea with him after being separated from his wife while fleeing south. Mother, this is how my father looked, Ri said.

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Before leaving for North Korea, Lee said she wanted to ask her son how he grew up without his mom and how his father raised him.

The participants in the reunions are eager to see their loved ones once more before they die. Most have had no word on whether their relatives are still alive because they are not allowed to visit each other across the border or even exchange letters, phone calls or email.

About 90 South Koreans, accompanied by family members, will have three days of meetings with their North Korean relatives before returning to the South on Wednesday. A separate round of reunions from Friday to Sunday will involve more than 300 other South Koreans, according to Seouls Unification Ministry.

During Mondays meeting, many elderly Koreans held each others hands and wiped away tears with handkerchiefs while asking how their relatives had lived. They showed photos of family members who couldnt come to their meetings.

Han Shin-ja, a 99-year-old South Korean woman, was at a loss for words after she reunited with her two North Korean daughters, both in their early 70s. Not knowing their separation would be permanent, she left them behind in the North during the war while fleeing south with her third and youngest daughter.

She could only say Ah and When I fled ... before choking up.

Before this week, nearly 20,000 people had participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000. Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives. None have had a second chance to see or talk with their relatives.
Stock Market News

GSK Share Price - FTSE 100 preview: Index set to open on a drop after last week's Lira crash 20-08-2018 02:19



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
Bozeman-based splitboard company Spark R&D Spark R&D takes pride in their soup-to-nuts production, making all of their bindings in house since their 2006 founding. And in an effort to reduce the companys footprint and manage even more of their manufacturing needs, Spark R&D is now entering into the world of renewable energy so they can source their power in-house, too.

The companywhich caters to those pursuing human-powered recreationis now able to cover around 25 percent of their power using 166 solar panels installed on their facilitys roof. For a business thats growing by at least 10 percent every year and that produces everything down to the tiniest screw, this project highlights Spark R&Ds focus on smart and sustainable growth.

by Josie Brownell
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West Rockhill supervisor requests another look at township resolution regarding bridges
Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details.
National

CAIT calls for Bharat trade bandh Sept 28

NEW DELHI, AUg 20 (IANS) | Publish Date: 8/20/2018 11:43:58 AM IST

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Monday called for an all India traders strike against the Walmart-Flipkart deal on September 28.

We are organising a Bharat Trade Bandh on September 28 against the Walmart-Flipkart deal. We want the government to nullify the deal as it is against the sector, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal told IANS. We have also planned a host of other activities like a mega traders protest march to gain public support against the deal.

Accordingly, the confederation has called for a Bharat Trade Bandh on September 28 and a massive nationwide Rath Yatra to begin on September 15 and a mega traders rally on December 16 at New Delhi.
International

Israel shuts Gaza crossing in response to border riot

Jerusalem, Aug 19 (Agencies) | Publish Date: 8/19/2018 12:27:22 PM IST

Israel closed Sunday its only crossing for people with the Gaza Strip except for humanitarian cases after weekend border clashes, the latest tightening of its blockade on the Palestinian enclave despite truce efforts.

The move could prevent Gazans from travelling via the crossing for this weeks Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which runs from Monday night until Thursday night, but Israeli officials did not say how long the closure would last.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement the closure was due to violent incidents on the border last Friday.

The Palestinian Authority civilian affairs office in the Gaza Strip also confirmed the closure except for medical cases and Palestinians seeking to cross back into the enclave.

Border protests and clashes on Friday saw two Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire.

Israels army said firebombs and improvised explosive devices were also hurled at the border fence, while a number of Palestinians briefly crossed into Israeli territory. No Israelis were reported wounded.

The closure and border incidents occurred despite attempts by Egypt and UN officials to reach a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Israel has enforced an air, land and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip for more than a decade, but grants permission to a limited number of people to cross for various reasons. The two sides have fought three wars since 2008.

Israel had just last week reopened its only goods crossing with Gaza after closing it to most deliveries for more than a month over border tensions.

Gazas only other border is with Egypt but the Rafah crossing with the enclave had largely been kept closed in recent years. Cairo opened it in mid-May and it has mostly remained so since. Separately on Sunday, US President Donald Trumps national security adviser John Bolton arrived in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a time of shared concerns over Syria, Iran and the Gaza Strip.

Protests and clashes began on the Gaza border on March 30 and have continued at varying levels since then. At least 171 Gazans have been killed by Israeli fire during that time. One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper in July.

There have also been several severe military flare-ups, including three since July.

The latest was on August 9, when Israel responded to some 180 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza with widespread air strikes.

UN officials and Egypt have been seeking to secure a long-term truce between Hamas and Israel to allow for humanitarian issues in the impoverished enclave of two million people to be addressed.

Israel is demanding calm and a return of the remains of two soldiers Hamas is believed to be holding.

Two Israeli civilians, both said to be mentally unstable, are also believed to have entered Gaza and to be held by Hamas. Israel is also seeking their return.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Rejection of a marriage alliance over caste differences drove a 21-year-old woman to end her life by hanging from a tree in Cubbon Park near the Bal Bhavan mini-train ride. Her body was found by security guards early on Sunday morning who then alerted the Cubbon Park police.

The deceased, Santoshi N, a native of Nepal who stayed in a rented house with her father at DSouza Layout near Vittal Mallya Road, worked at a spa in UB City. She was said to be in love with a youth named Naresh, an employee with a private firm, over the past few months.

Police said that on Saturday evening, Naresh decided to take Santoshi home in Sampangiram Nagar to introduce her to his parents and seek their permission to go ahead with their marriage. However, when Nareshs parents learnt about this, they refused them permission to marry, saying she belonged to a different caste, besides referring to her job profile and her native roots.

Police said Santoshi was upset and vehemently argued with Nareshs parents over their rejection. They said she reportedly also had a fight with Naresh before stomping out of his house. Police are yet to

ascertain where she went before deciding to take her own life or whether she directly reached the spot where she hanged herself.

Meanwhile, Santoshis worried father Kabir Raja on Saturday late night went in search of his daughter as she had not returned home.In a desperate bid to locate her, Kabir contacted all her friends he knew, but in vain. It was only on early Sunday morning after the security guards alerted the Cubbon Park police did the latter carry out a preliminary probe and then inform Kabir about the death.

Having learnt about his daughters visit to Nareshs home, reportedly from the preliminary police probe, Kabir filed a complaint with Cubbon Park police against Naresh alleging he had abetted his daughters suicide.Naresh has gone missing and police are trying to find out whether he left home looking for Santoshi on Saturday night itself or later.

Suicide is no way out; there is always help

If you are having suicidal thoughts or are in emotional distress, help is always available. You can get in touch with the SAHAI helpline at 080-25497777, open from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 10pm, or 104 Arogya Sahayavani which is available 24/7.
Harsha By

Express News Service

BENGALURU:Radha gets up as early as 4 am in order to stand in a queue before the community toilet in Ambedkar Nagar slum in Okalipuram.As most of the residents in the slum with 250 houses are daily wage labourers, the day begins much earlier than 4 am. Radha says the toilet built by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) does not have power and no proper water connection.

Read | Complaints from apartments led to demolition of sheds at Bellandur

Even after paying `5, the water they receive is contaminated with worms and smells like drain water. Radha informs that adolescent girls dump sanitary napkins or used clothes in the open due to absence of dustbins.As the toilet is not child-friendly, we are forced to accompany children, differently-abled people and pregnant women to the toilets. To avoid paying and using the unhygienic toilet many residents defecate in the open, says Radha.

Thus diseases like Chikungunya, dengue, Malaria are rampant in the slum. Radha is forced to spend her meagre earnings on treatment for urinary tract infection and diseases like Tuberculosis that her family contacts at regular intervals due to unhygienic conditions.Alvelamma of Baiyappanahalli slum (Ward Number 59) says their forefathers had resided in the same slum which still does not have a community toilet.

Sometimes we use drain water to clean, she says matter-of-factly. Despite their appeals to elected representatives, no one had helped them build a toilet so far, she rues.Lakshmamma has been residing in Chamundinagar slum for the past 25 years. The slum has no proper toilet facility. The toilet they built gets blocked frequently. Dr Sarala, a gynaecologist, who has visited slums in Mattikere and Mayabazaar, said women residing in slums suffer not just from health problems but also physically and mentally due to unclean toilets.

The Swachh Bharat campaign was launched on October 2, 2014. Yet till now nearly a majority of 597 slums (only 388 among them are notified by the Karnataka Slum Development Board) do not have toilets.

With census data revealing that Bengaluru citys access to toilets had improved from 90.78 per cent in 2001 to 96.76 per cent in 2011, a survey of community toilets in slums was undertaken by Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), Hasiru Dala and Radio Active.BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath asserts that community toilets in slums should be maintained by the community themselves.
By Express News Service

PUDUCHERRY: Police have seized two mobile phones from a prisoner at the central jail in Kalapet here.

Source said that nearly 200 prisoners are lodged in the prison. Some of the prisoners were supplied with mobile phones and sim cards during court visits or when their acquaintances meet them on the pretext of giving footwear. Prisoners had been using those phones to connect with their associates and continue doing crimes, sources added.

So surveillance was tightened in prison premises, A few months ago, Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi inspected the prison and ordered necessary actions for security. On Friday night, cops on patrol found two mobile phones near a cell and seized them. The phones were later handed over to higher officials.

Initial probe revealed that the phones were used by a notorious rowdy, remanded in the prison. Police are inquiring to ascertain how the phones entered the prison. Only a week ago, sleeping tablets, used as drug, brought to the same rowdy, was seized and one was arrested. Sources said that the phones saw their way into the prison as severe actions were not taken in the past. They also raised a doubt on the functioning of the jammers fixed in the prison premises.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: More than 15 employees of various public sector banks and government-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India, who were involved in a collateral security scam over 80-crores, had allegedly connived with the arrested persons and received monetary benefits for favouring the accused.

Though the accused had revealed the names of the officials, police said that they will not be able to frame charges of corruption immediately against them as their involvement needs to be established.

The kingpin of the scam, Marella Srinivas, had pulled off the scam with the support of officials and made around `20 crore in the form of commissions. Rachakonda police said that they would write to the RBI to blacklist Srinivas. After his arrest, Srinivas revealed the names of a retired sub-registrar and joint sub-registrar of Moosapet, three employees each of Central Bank of Indias Ranigunj branch, Canara Banks Saidabad branch, Corporation Banks Vanasthalipuram branch, Andhra Banks SME Uppal branch and SBHs ICRISAT branch at Patancheru.

Valuators, legal advisers and branch manager of the above-mentioned banks had allegedly connived with the suspects and done favours for monetary benefits, Srinivas informed the police. Officials of the registration department had helped them execute the sale deeds in the names of impersonators.

It is clearly evident that all the officials named in Srinivas confession were negligent in performing their duties due to which they did not verify the authenticity of the documents he submitted for collateral security and did not physically verify the properties he mentioned.

But his claims of paying them for the favours received cannot be established due to lack of evidence. He claims to have paid the amounts in cash which has no proof. This is a big task ahead now to establish his claims and only after that can we frame the relevant charges against the officials. If we frame the charges with inadequate evidences, they will not stand in court of law. We are exploring all possible ways to establish the claims. an investigating official said.
By AFP

Italian actress Asia Argento, who became a leading figure in the #MeToo movement after accusing powerhouse producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, paid hush money to a man who claimed she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The $380,000 payment was made to Jimmy Bennett, an actor and rock musician, who claimed Argento assaulted him in a California hotel room in 2013, according to the Times, which cited documents sent to the paper by an unidentified party.

Bennett was two months past his 17th birthday at the time of the alleged encounter while Argento was 37. The legal age of consent in California is 18.

The newspaper said it had tried repeatedly without success to get a comment on the matter from Argento and her representatives.

The terms of the deal including a payment schedule were finalized in April this year, according to the documents seen by the Times.

Three people familiar with the case told the paper the documents were authentic.

Argento's lawyer Carrie Goldberg described the money as "helping Mr Bennett," lamenting that the actress had to deal with people "who preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses."

Bennett's lawyers had characterized the hotel encounter as a "sexual battery" that traumatized the former child actor, threatening his mental health and income.

His notice of intent to sue sought $3.5 million in damages for "intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery," the paper said.

Argento became a powerful voice for the #MeToo movement after accusing Weinstein of raping her when she was 21 in his hotel room in 1997 during the Cannes film festival.

Bennett's legal action was launched a month after Argento's accusations against Weinstein were made public, the Times said.

She made an emotional speech at this year's festival, telling the audience: "Things have changed. We are not going to allow you to get away with it."
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday took a swipe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over the revocation of Mani Shankar Aiyars suspension from his party. The decision had exposed the Congress chief and his love for a person of many controversies, said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra at a Press conference.

Aiyar had been suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on December 7 last year for his neech aadmi remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections. Rahul revoked Aiyars suspension on Saturday on the recommendation of its central disciplinary committee.

Rahul Gandhi had clarified that the Congress did not support Aiyars foul language and that there was no place for such leaders in the party. But now, the way he has been taken back shows it was only a lip service and the Congress president stands exposed, Patra said.

Referring to a tweet of Rahul in which he had said that the Congress stood for love, the BJP spokesperson said, Rahul Gandhi tweets, saying I am Congress and I am love and now, his love Mani Shankar Aiyar is back.

Citing various controversial statements made by Aiyar against Modi, the BJP leader said the former Union minister was the real face of the Congress. Aiyar had also courted controversy when he hosted a former Pakistani foreign minister and senior Congress leaders at his residence ahead of the Gujarat polls.
Sumi Sukanya Dutta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: India's top engineering institutes do not want any changes in the way they admit students at undergraduate level. Indian Institute of Technology Council-the top decision-making body for the IITs, on Monday, rejected a suggestion by the Union Human Resources Development Ministry to make changes in Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced-the entrance test for the admission into the prestigious institutions.

The annual meeting of the Council, in which directors of all 23 IITs participated, was chaired by HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar as is the practice. "It was decided that there would be no changes in JEE-Advanced this year," said Javadekar after the meeting.

HRD secretary (higher education) R Subrahmanyam said that "there was a consensus that the current process of admission into B Tech programmes should not be tampered up." "IITs that JEE-Advanced is a well-settled system and the examination was conducted only in online mode from 2018 which should be first allowed to stabilize," the secretary explained. "Also, there have already been some efforts to test the application of knowledge through the online mode."

The Ministry had mooted the proposal for making some systemic changes in the admission test as this year, a small pool of just about 18,000 students had managed to qualify the test, than what was required to fill about 12,800 seats on offer.

On the government's intervention, IIT Kanpur-the organising institute of JEE-Advanced 2018 -lowered the cut-off and included about 13,000 more students in the list of about 18,000 earlier announced as having qualified. "We felt there was a problem because the entrance test pattern followed by the IITs is too strict and the difficulty level of questions is too high but this is not time yet to make the reforms that some from within IITs had suggested," a senior HRD official said.

An IIT director who did not want to be named said that IITs have built their brand value based on the excellent quality of students and any dilution of the toughness of entrance test could be "disastrous".

The key decisions in IIT Council.

-No revision in tuition fee being charged for B Tech programmes.

-No changes inJEE-Advanced.

-IITs will organize annual tech-fests demonstrating various innovations and technologies developed by them, at any suitable venue with participation from CEOs from leading public and private sector organizations.

-The Boards of Governors of the individual IITs have been empowered to decide the fee for international students.

-The issue of vacant seats in the M.Tech. programmes in IITs due to the student joining Public Sector Undertakings after being admitted will be addressed in a meeting with the CMDs of major PSUs to be held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Human Resource Development.

-A Committee comprising of Directors of IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad and IIT Tirupati has been constituted to recommend standards and norms for construction of campuses and infrastructure projects in IITs.
By PTI

HOUSTON: A former Indian American doctor from Texas who was convicted of raping a sedated patient will not face prison time.

Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at Baylor College of Medicine, was sentenced to 10 years of probation on Friday and will have to register as a sex offender.

Jurors convicted Sheikh of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended last week.

The crime is punishable by up 20 years in prison, but the Texas jury sentenced Sheikh to 10 years of probation.

Unlike most states and the federal government, Texas grants juries the power to set criminal punishments.

The jurors had recommended the sentencing, to which visiting Senior District Judge Terry L.

Flenniken was required to follow by law, according to local media report.

Sheikh was working the night shift at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital in 2013 when a woman, previously identified as Laura, was admitted for shortness of breath and wheezing.

She was in the hospital overnight and sedated when Sheikh came to her room several times during the night and sexually assaulted her.

Laura said she attempted to get help from a nurse, but the call button wouldn't work.

DNA evidence collected from a rape kit matched the DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab.

But it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh.

Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located.

He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night.

"He sought her out. He chose her to prey on," Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing.

"You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that."

"You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did," she added.

During the trial, the doctor admitted to the sexual contact with the woman, but insisted it was consensual.

His lawyers also pleaded with the jury to show some compassion to Sheikh, his wife and children, who also suffered consequences due to his actions.

"The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams," Sheikh's lawyer Stanley Schneider said.

"What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him."

The Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015 after they found he was a "continuing threat to public welfare".

Sheikh has since left the hospital.

Laura, now 32, said after the sentencing that she wanted to move on from the incident.

She told KHOU11 in 2015 that she believes there are other victims.
By PTI

LOHARDAGA: Eleven people were arrested for allegedly raping two minor girls in this district of Jharkhand, police said.

They were nabbed after a police team conducted raids in the Hirhi Harra Toli locality, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashish Kumar Mahli told a press conference here on Sunday.

The accused, all aged between 18 and 28 years, had raped the girls on August 16 when they were going to the Hirhi Harra Toli area along with their neighbour, he said.

They were travelling on a motorcycle which developed snag near the Hirhi Railway bridge, the DSP said.

One of the girls called her friend over phone for help but he sent his 11 friends to the spot instead.

They took the girls to an isolated place, beat up their neighbour and drove him away.

The men then took turns to rape the girls, Mahli said.

The accused also snatched away mobile phones of the victims, he added.

A case was registered at Sadar police station on the basis of the statement of the girls.

The task force was formed on the directions of Superintendent of Police Priyadarshi Alok to investigate the incident.

It was headed by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Arvind Kumar Verma and Mahli.

The team also recovered the mobile phones from the house of one of the accused, the DSP said.
By PTI

SEONI: A 23-year-old student was killed here today after she was dragged by her hair while on her way to college and her head smashed with a stone by a man who was allegedly putting pressure on her to withdraw the sexual harassment complaint against him, police said.

The incident took place around noon when the Dalit student was walking to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Government Girls College here -- around 350 km from Bhopal, police officials said.

Narrating what had happened, they said the accused, 38-year-old Anil Mishra, got down from his motorcycle and dragged the woman to the roadside by her hair.

He allegedly pushed the victim to the ground and smashed her head with a big stone lying nearby, said Kotwali police station in-charge Arvind Jain.

Some people rushed to help and overpowered Mishra.

The woman, who was seriously injured and bleeding profusely, died while being taken to a hospital, Jain said.

Mishra, who has been arrested, prima facie committed the crime as the victim refused to withdraw the sexual harassment case against him, said K K Verma, Seoni sub-divisional officer (police) Both are residents of a village in Seoni district, Verma said, adding that further investigation is on.
By PTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam today turned down the demand of Congress leaders to declare Kerala flood as a "national calamity" and said there was no provision in the Disaster Management Act 2005 to do so.

Responding to the statement of former Defence Minister and senior Congress leader A K Antony in this regard, the senior BJP leader said the Disaster Management Act was passed when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.

Antony had asked the union government to immediately declare the Kerala floods as a national disaster.

READ MORE HERE |

Declaring the Kerala floods as a 'national calamity' would help in garnering funds not only from the country, but also in getting aid from abroad, Antony said.

On the relief sanctioned by the Centre, Antony said Rs 600 crore was nothing as huge damage had been caused to the state.

Reacting to Antony's remark, Kannanthanam said "There is no provision to declare any calamity as national calamity.

None of the calamities were declared as national by the Congress when it was in power from 2004-14.

"Terming the statement of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Antony in this regard as 'stupid', Kannanthanam said "does Antony, who was the defence minister of the country for ten years not know the rules and provisions of the act.

Taking a dig at the Congress President, Kannanthanam said "let us excuse Rahul as he does not have any administrative and political experience, but a statement like this from a senior leader like Antony was uncalled for, at a time when the people of Kerala are united to face the challenge caused by the floods.

The BJP leader said the aid of Rs 500 crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to flood-hit areas was only for immediate relief works.

The central team would visit the state again to assess the damage caused by the floods and would be extending more assistance, he added.

On the demand of the Congress to hand over the relief work to the army, Kannanthanam said there was no provision in the Constitution to do that.

In the event of a calamity, the army will assist the civil authorities based on their request, he added.

State Opposition leader and former KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala had demanded handing over of relief works to the army.

Kannanthanam also said instead of making statements like this, the Congress leaders should ask party workers to go to the field.

"This shows the sorry state of affairs in the Congress party and I think, it is anti-people.

Because, the state showed that they are one except for the Congress leaders who are speaking absolutely ridiculous things," he added.

There was only a provision to declare the floods a disaster of severe nature, the union minister said.

Over 200 people have lost their lives in the rains, floods and landslides in the state where over 7.

24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps since August 8.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Trouble seems to be mounting for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the state government on a plea challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court dismissing a petition seeking prosecution of the CM in a 2007 hate speech case.

The notice came on an appeal by petitioner Rasheed Khan, who has challenged the Allahabad High Court order rejecting the plea for action against the CM for hate speech. The High Court had upheld a decision by the Uttar Pradesh government to deny sanction to prosecute Yogi Adityanath in the case.In May 2017, the Uttar Pradesh government had refused to grant the mandatory sanction for the prosecution of the chief minister.

Several incidents of violence were reported in Gorakhpur on January 27, 2007 after the alleged hate speech by Adityanath, who was then the BJP parliamentarian from Gorakhpur. The petitioners have alleged that his speech led to riots in Gorakhpur. Ten people were reported dead in the Gorakhpur riots and Yogi Adityanath was arrested and sent to police custody for 11 days.A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra issued notice to the state government and the district magistrate of Gorakhpur and slated the hearing after four weeks.

Earlier this year, the Allahabad High Court had upheld a sessions court order which had quashed a magistrates order taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the police in 2009 in the case.The high court had said that the sessions court was right in holding that there was no prosecution sanction to initiate a trial against the chief minister and others in the case. In January 2017, the sessions court in Gorakhpur had quashed the magistrates courts order. The sessions court had said that there was no sanction to prosecute the accused, including Adityanath.

The petition filed in the Allahabad High Court had sought a probe against Yogi under IPC sections 302,307,153A,395 and 295. A case was registered by the police in 2008 and was investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department or CID of the UP police. The CID completed the investigation in 2015 and had sought sanction for prosecution that year. The Samajwadi Party government of Akhilesh Yadav was in power in UP then, but did not sanction prosecution.

Timeline of trouble

2007: Yogi adityanath gave hate speech

2008: Case registered by UP Police

2009: UP Police filed charge sheet

2015: CID of UP completed the investigation

2017: Allahabad High Court upheld a sessions court order which had quashed a magistrates order
By PTI

MUMBAI: Three seconds. That is how long it would have taken for the Seaking helicopter, which made a dramatic rooftop landing in Kerala to rescue 26 people, to disintegrate into pieces had anything gone wrong.

The daredevil pilot, while recounting the thrilling rescue operation, told PTI that the "rooftop low hover in a light on wheels" (technical name for rooftop landing) lasted around eight minutes before the chopper took off again.

"I had to take a decision to go in for the 'light on wheels' procedure where the entire weight of the helicopter is not on the roof as it may have caved in," Lt Commander Abhijeet Garud said.

The video of the daring rescue operation by the Navy's Seaking 42B helicopter at the flood-ravaged Chalakudy town in Kerala on Friday has gone viral on social media and garnered thousands of 'hits'.

Having winched four people, lifting another 22 was a major task and the crew took a call of going for a low hover to embark all those stranded there, he said.

Asked what if something had gone wrong, the 33-year- old pilot said, "It would have taken three to four seconds for the chopper to disintegrate. It was a tough call to make. I am glad we made the right decision."

"It was a classic case of the importance of good pilot judgement, or aeronautical decision-making," he said.

Those rescued, including an 80-year-old man, were shifted along with some luggage from Chalakudy to the naval air base INS Garuda in Kochi.

"The operation was possible due to the teamwork and excellent coordination among the crew. It included Lt Cdr Rajneesh (co-pilot), Lt Satyarth (navigator), Ajit (winch operator) and Rajan (free diver)," the pilot said.

When the chopper first took off in the morning, the sortie was planned for dropping two Gemini boats with eight divers in Chalakuddy, he said.

"After dropping (the payload) we started rescuing people and distributing food and relief material. On one of the ground-plus-two storey houses we saw aged people and women waving. Prioritising them (we) proceeded for a pick up," he said.

"Many people came out thereafter. We saw almost 20 to 25 people, including a woman on wheelchair. She was unable to board the 'basket' sent for winching her up," said Lt Cdr Garud, an alumnus of the Naval Academy in Kerala.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not "made an offer of a dialogue" in a letter to his new Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.

A Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said this in a statement issued in response to a query regarding reports in a section of the Indian media.

The spokesperson stressed that new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had not stated that "the Indian Prime Minister had made an offer of a dialogue", but had said that Modi in his letter to Khan had also mentioned something similar to what the foreign minister elucidated earlier "that the way forward was only through constructive engagement".

The FO said the foreign minister was also briefed about the positivity and constructive environment prevailing during the meeting of former Pakistani law minister Ali Zafar with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during his visit to India on August 18 to attend the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The FO said Pakistan looks forward to a mutually beneficial, uninterrupted dialogue with India to resolve all issues.

"Any attempts to instigate controversy and vitiate the environment are counterproductive and against the spirit of responsible journalism," said the spokesman.

Earlier, Qureshi in his first media interaction had also referred to the letter.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav today said he was worried about his father Lalu Prasad Yadav's "falling" health.

The RJD chief has been undergoing treatment at the Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai for more than a week, a hospital spokesperson said.

"Visited my ailing father admitted in Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai due to various diseases. Perturbed to see his falling health & increased infection.

Praying that he may recover soon under the around-the-clock monitoring & continuous medical care of specialist doctors," he tweeted.

The Jharkhand High Court on August 17 extended the provisional bail of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad, convicted in four fodder scam cases, till August 27.

Granting the extension of the provisional bail, the bench of Justice Apresh Kumar Singh fixed August 24 as the date to hear the bail petition.
Ashwani Mahajan By

In todays world, e-commerce has acquired importance. India has been experiencing significant growth in e-commerce, with many small companies mushrooming and a few giants striving to take over the huge Indian e-commerce market. Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, Uber, Ola, etc. are a few examples. Some of them are said to be home-grown, in the sense that their promoters have been Indians. But later they attracted foreign equity, and ultimately are dominated by foreign investors. As per the law of the land, foreign investment is not allowed in e-commerce. So, these companies got foreign investment in the name of the marketplace model. In this way, while running full-fledged e-commerce businesses, they were circumventing the law.

In 2016, to somehow accommodate the operation of these companies, which were not following the legal norms, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) came out with a policy framework in the form of Press Note-3, 2016. Though FDI was disallowed in e-commerce, it was allowed for a marketplace model, with three major conditions. First, these marketplaces should not influence the prices of goods and services and offer discounts. Second, they were not allowed to hold inventories (stock) and third, no single vendor would be providing over 25 per cent of sales.

Recently, there were two major developments with respect to e-commerce, which necessitated clarity at the policy level. In the last Ministerial Conference of WTO in Buenos Aires, there was a concerted effort by many developed countries to include e-commerce in the WTO trade negotiations. At different bilateral and regional trade negotiations, especially the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), there has been pressure on India to give a commitment over its stand on e-commerce. Since India doesnt have a e-commerce policy per se, it is imperative to first have such a policy. Secondly, in the month of May 2018, Flipkart made a deal with global retail giant Walmart for the sale of 77 per cent of its equity to the latter. Flipkart has been facing allegations of flouting FDI rules and of circumventing the law in many ways. Then started a debate that the quantum of discounts offered by these giants will sound the death knell for conventional shopkeepers, booksellers, e-commerce, start-ups, and job opportunities. All this requires a clear cut e-commerce policy for India.

On 30 July 2018, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry circulated a Draft E-commerce Policy. It talks about a whole range of issues in e-commerce including data localisation, level playing field for the small players, curbing of discounts, consumer protection and promotion of domestic manufacturing (Make in India). This draft policy is being called India First e-commerce policy. It underlines that data is the oil of digital economy.

The document states: The burgeoning online retail trade ... has data flows at its foundation. Communication over mobile phones using mobile applications ... not only generates a vast array of data, including physical location, financial details and consumer preference, but also creates a dynamic profile of the individual user ...The history of browsing and search by consumers also generates rich information of consumer preferences ... By tracking the search history, online retail websites are able to target consumers with tailor-made marketing content.

The draft proposes compulsory local storage of data collected or mined by e-commerce companies, for the benefit of small players to ensure a level playing field. This is also to ensure there is access to data stored in India for national security and public policy objectives, obviously subject to rules related to privacy, consent, etc. This is an exemplary policy in a world dominated by big players who enjoy monopoly over data, which is used and misused by these players to maximise their economic objectives. Adopting a balanced approach, the draft policy says only personal data or community data collected by internet of things devices in public space will need to be stored in India. Other data, which has no personal or community implications, can be stored anywhere. Further, it suggests a two-year sunset period before making data localisation mandatory.

But how to make the e-commerce giants follow the rules? At present, the rules impose restrictions on the e-commerce marketplace, to not directly or indirectly influence the price of sale of goods and services. The draft seeks to extend this restriction to group companies of the e-commerce marketplace. This is welcome as it would plug the loopholes in the present rules. It seeks to introduce a sunset clause that defines the maximum duration of differential pricing strategies (such as deep discounts) by e-commerce platforms. Though it seems to be taken with good intentions, this period needs to be shortened, to discourage companies from misusing their financial muscle.

There are several such rules as notified under Press Note-3 being circumvented by marketplaces funded by FDI including inventory holding that this draft policy tries to underline. However, the draft suggests Indian-owned and Indian-controlled online marketplaces be allowed to hold inventory as long as products are 100 per cent domestically produced. There is a strong likelihood that this clause may be misused by market places to circumvent multi-brand retail FDI norms.Along with tightening the noose over big e-tailers, the draft also proposes a regulator of e-commerce. Though domestic retailers and small e-commerce players have welcomed the policy, the most unhappy lot are the big MNCs and foreign-owned e-commerce businesses, as they dont like any control over their businesses.

India urgently needed a well- defined e-commerce policy, not only to provide a level playing field, but also to facilitate negotiations at WTO and other regional trade negotiations. This draft policy seeks to not only balance the interests of domestic players, but also saves the policy space for future.

Ashwani Mahajan

Associate Professor, PGDAV College, University of Delhi

Email: ashwanimahajan@rediffmail.com
Vinod Mathew By

The scenes could well be from a war-torn area, replete with evacuations on a war-footing. As wars go, it may never catch the attention of the international community as a recent Syria or a distant Bosnia. But the damage is just as mind-numbing. The ongoing catastrophe that first hit Kerala on August 8 and has been tearing the state apart since August 15 has resulted in close to eight lakh refugees being forced out of their homes into nearly 3,500 relief camps.

Such has been the scale of the tragedy that over 360 have lost their lives, more than 200 of those, in the last five days. With the flood situation easing up over the last two days, almost two lakh people holed up in their houses were evacuated in a mammoth rescue operation spearheaded by the people, supported by the armed forces. Tens of thousands are still stranded, many of them reluctant to leave their flooded houses and join the thronging lakhs in the shelter camps.

Places Pandanad in Chengannur finally being accessed, coming to light are shocking cases of survivors holding on to their dead relatives for days. Elsewhere, morbid cases of corpses floating down swirling waters are getting common. The true scale of the catastrophe would be known only when the last body is flushed out, the last tract of submerged land once again open to the sky.

Receding waters are proving equally treacherous as lesser known rivers - Achenkovilaar, Chalakkudipuzha and Muvattupuzha, tributaries of mainline rivers such as Periyar, Bharatapuzha and Pampa - have kicked into life and started charting new, random routes. As a consequence, residents in places like Ranni, Kozhenchery, Pandalam, Thalayolaparambu, Parakkadavu and Chalakkudy have had to scamper for cover.

In contrast, the residents of Aluva, Eloor and Paravur were better prepared as they knew it was coming. It will be a miracle if the final toll is limited to a few hundreds and the aggregate damage less than `25,000 crore. One refrain thats now heard with disquieting regularity is Kerala may have paid a steep price for generating a few megawatts more of electricity. Desperate lamentations for help do not rend the air but eerily float through the ether as most of these primeval shouts for survival come across through WhatsApp messages, Tweets and FB posts.

What was just a month ago only a localised cry of despair from Kuttanad has now mushroomed and echoes across the state. Cries for food and dry clothes till they get air-lifted from the newly turned waterworlds get feeble as their cellphone batteries die out. Most of them get rescued. The list includes women, children and a huge number of geriatrics, reflecting the states peculiar demographic profile. And the desperate pleas for help come from their children, settled in the US and the Middle-East. Thankfully, the accursed occurrence of relief camps, even hospitals getting flooded has been rare. Not as rare as the sight of boats steered by fishermen from Neendakara, Alappad, Valiathura, Vypeen and Kannur plying the roads of mid-Travancore.

Though hampered by a lack of coordination, truth be told, a lion share of rescue operations has been undertaken by them. Damned by angry waters running riot from some 35 dams, triggering flashfloods and mudslides, a distressed Kerala is shivering in dismay. It has also been a forced recall regarding the 44 rivers flowing through the state. The entire state has got a rude awakening as these rivers suddenly came to life, Armageddon-like. Perhaps, some in the government, while taking the belated decision to down all the dam shutters which opened the floodgates on the state, may have been reminded of the adage shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.

Hit the main roads and you are unsettled by the sight of hundreds of uprooted residents, mostly women, children in accompaniment, dejectedly plodding on to the next relief camp. In short, an exodus reminiscent of scenes depicted in the movie, Exodus: Gods and Kings. Now, for a little rewind - Irrespective of which front came to power, UDF or LDF, Kerala has continued its recalcitrance over yielding ground to over 14,000 hectares as Ecologically Fragile Land.

Be it Idukki, Wayanad or Palakkad, nobody has shown willingness to surrender even a square meter of the EFL areas and the list includes MPs and MLAs not to mention the seriously influential. Result: Large tracts of what should have been forest land have got denuded of green cover, quarries mined, natural waterways leveled, diverted, forgotten, whatever. That is, till the rumbling noise of vengeful waters rose in revolt from their artificially confined boundaries and broke loose.

And did all hell break loose! From viewing it as a source of recreation when water was first released from the Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad when scores of onlookers went picking up stunned fish to running helter-skelter with genuine fear for life, it took less than a fortnight to completely overhaul the average Keralites outlook on water as a natural resource. For a state that puts faith in the legend regarding its origin at the hands of warrior-sage Parasuram, there could be nothing more depressing than a revisit of this watery path.

Reclamation may have unified the seven isles of Bombay, Colaba, Old Womans Island, Mahim, Mazagaon, Parel, and Worli into what is today the core of the mega city called Mumbai. But that was quite a while ago, when the population was negligible. It would be a catastrophe if Kerala is forced to do anything similar by way of repairing the wounds inflicted by the unbridled power of water. Its a massive plus for the government and a major credit to the people there has been a rare single-mindedness in tackling this calamity, spanning political, religious and ethnic divides, at least for the time being.

Having lived through the Gujarat earthquake in 2001 and the Mumbai floods in 2005, the monster floods tearing down Kerala should not have caught me by surprise. But then each natural calamity leaves its own signature. And it keeps surprising you. Meanwhile, if there is one prayer that is oft heard these days, it is, God, let it rain no more. Noahs ark is nowhere in sight.

Vinod Mathew

Resident Editor, Kerala

Email: vinodmathew@newindianexpress.com
Sri Lakshmi Muttevi By

Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Incessant rains aggravating unsanitary conditions, the number of dengue cases in Visakhapatnam has jumped by seven times. The result, two or more patients sharing a single bed in the King George Hospital for treatment. The hospital is flooded by patients from not just Visakhapatnam but neighbouring Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

According to health department officials, dengue cases are being reported from both government and private hospitals in the district. Apart from the KGH here, health centres outside the district headquarters too are crowded with patients, according to reports. According to health department officials, dengue cases are more prevalent among children.

According to officials, this year, around 1,500 cases were reported from January to August. On Saturday alone, a total of 34 dengue positive cases were reported. Until now, 327 positive cases have been reported and officials said they do not see any possibility of dengue relenting going by the prevailing weather conditions. Weathermen are predicting more rains in the coming days and the health department officials are apprehending further rise in cases particularly in Agency areas where poor sanitation conditions prevail giving scope for breeding of mosquitoes.

Epidemiologist for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) Kalyan Prasad told Express that a total of 983 dengue cases were reported in 2017 and there were 205 cases last year between January and August, but this year in the corresponding period, the number of cases witnessed a jump by seven times.

In the childrens ward of KGH, one can see two patients suffering from dengue and other fevers taking treatment on a single bed. The special ward for seasonal diseases too is filled with patients. Even the health centres in Agency areas too were crowded.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Amaravati Bonds issued by the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has led to a war of words between ruling and Opposition parties in the State. While the YSRC described the claims of oversubscription of bonds as a farce, the TDP countered it by asking the YSRC leaders to get the facts right.

Reiterating that the Chandrababu Naidu government has been pushing the State into a debt trap, YSRC MLA and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said the publicity on oversubscription of Amaravati Bonds was a farce as the rate of interest, need and terms of the issue were shady.

Speaking to media persons on Sunday, Buggana said the bonds issued by the CRDA were at 10.75 per cent interest to be paid quarterly, but nowhere does such a lenient clause exist. Now, Nara Lokesh boasting of oversubscription is ridiculous and one should remember that bonds are nothing but raising loans, which means increasing the debt burden of the State and there is no reason to celebrate such an event, he said.

Countering Bugganas claims, TDP official spokesperson Lanka Dinakar said it is not the TDP, but the

YSRC leader who is going to media once in a while for getting cheap publicity.

With regard to Amaravati Bonds, the Opposition should speak after getting facts right. Amaravati Bonds have received an overwhelming response, once again proving the brand image of Chandrababu Naidu. A total `1,300 crore worth of bonds were issued in the stock market and in just 90 minutes `2,000 crore worth of trading was done on them, he said.

According to him, issuing bonds was not a new phenomenon and the same strategy was adopted by the Centre and various State governments in the past. However, CRDA has taken an approach to get the needed equity for the projects meant for the development of Amaravati without collateral securities and without causing FRBM problems for the government. He also cited the example of UP Power Corporation Bonds to make his point. Is it not an issue to celebrate? he wondered.

With regard to the statement of Buganna that issue of bonds is nothing but increasing the burden of debts on the people of the State, Dinakar maintained that Amaravati Bonds do not come under FRBM purview. But, he chose not to comment if the bonds would increase the debt burden of the State or not.
By PTI

BENGALURU: 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.
Hemanth Kumar By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Kannadiga diaspora spread across the world has done the state proud. However, the enthusiasm of Kannadigas in Gulf countries to showcase the fervour and ethos of their language and culture has put Non-Resident Indian(NRI) Forum of Karnataka in a fix.



Keen to emulate International Kannada conclaves being organised by Association of Kannada Kootas of America (AKKA) and North America Vishwa Kannada Associations(NAVIKA) with liberal financial grants from the state government, the Kannada associations in Gulf countries--Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar--have approached the NRI Forum of Karnataka, seeking grants to organise similar international Kannada conclaves. With a meagre annual grant of Rs 2 crore, the NRI Forum of Karnataka has conveyed its financial limitations, and it has not gone down well with Kannada outfits in Gulf countries.

The biennial Kannada conclaves organised by AKKA and NAVIKA in America have emerged big international events with Chief Minister being invited as the chief guest. The state government has been granting about D50 lakh to D60 lakh for the events. The AKKA event this year is being held in Dallas from August 31 to September 2.

About 8 lakh Kannadigas are staying in Gulf countries of Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. We have formed Kannada Sanghas here and are actively engaged in conducting events. The state government has been providing liberal grants and even sending renowned artistes to perform in AKKA and NAVIKA events. But our requests for grants have not been met, said Sadan Das, president of Dubai Kannada Sangha.

NRI Forum helpless

The NRI Forum of Karnataka has conveyed its inability to meet the request for grants. Forum Deputy Chairperson Dr Arathi Krishna told The New Indian Express, We have a policy of providing assistance for Kannada associations abroad. It has maximum ceiling of Rs 5 lakh. With an annual grant of just Rs 2crore, we are not in a position to raise it.
Prajna G R By

Express News Service

MADIKERI: Rains are back in Kodagu after a brief lull, bringing in grim reports of more landslips and deaths. Many people are reported missing and officials cannot confirm whether they are alive. According to local sources, several deaths have gone unreported due to lack of connectivity in the district.

Mukkodlu and Kaluru areas are witnessing fresh landslides and each time there is a landslide, the flood water level increases, causing hurdle to the rescue mission. While Army had planted ropes across the flooded area in Mukkodlu, they were unable to carry the trapped villagers back to safety as the ropes went underwater, following a landslide.

Nevertheless, the NDRF, Army, Civil Defence, SDRF along with complete support from the police team have rescued over 60 villagers from Mukkodlu area. Nearly 300 acres of land has been washed off at Emmethadu village, but the villagers have been safely shifted to relief centres.

There are a few villagers still in Kaluru area as villager Chennapanda Nithin explains, While I trekked through forests and reached Madikeri, there are nearly 20 villagers still stranded at the area, which is about 13 km from Madikeri. I managed to get in touch with one of them, who said there are fresh landslides taking place in the area.

However, rescue operation has picked up despite the bad weather with heavy downpour. While Indian Army is striving to rescue Mukkodlu villagers, NDRF is spread across Jodupala, 2nd Monnangeri and Katakeri. Indian Navy and Civil Defence Force alongside the Mountaineering team are rescuing villagers at Kaluru and Devasthuru. A SWAT team of General Thimmaiah Adventure Academy alongside police force is rescuing stranded villagers at Thanthipala.

Rescue teams are spread across the landlocked villages and rescue operation has picked up, confirmed ADGP Bhaskar Rao, who has been placed at the district to head the rescue and relief operations. He spoke on how some older people refused to leave their houses but were brought to safety by force and persuasion. Met department has predicted rains for another 36 hours, which is not allowing the helicopter rescue mission, he added.
Anil S By

Express News Service

MANGALAM (CHENGANNUR): A smiling Sreenivas and Neetha look at you from a February 2012 calendar  wet and curled up like an old cloth bag  perched on the bedroom wall. A dim-looking Lord Ayyappa picture can be seen on the shelf.

In the kitchen, the refrigerator has turned upside down, while an LPG cylinder has found its way to the top shelf.

READ | 95 per cent of people evacuated in Kuttanad, Chengannur

What used to be a bunch of new clothes, probably part of the Onam shopping, lies staggered on the floor. Splashed all over like some sort of a leitmotif is a muddy colour with its overwhelming pungent odour. Standing in the midst of such a topsy turvy scene is a muddy-coloured man clad in just a loin cloth, all focussed on a frantic cleaning spree.

Sreenivas V Kumar, a taluk officer at Vellarikunnu in Kasargod, had to flee his house at Vazhoor, Mangalam on the banks of Varattar and Mithrapuzha - the two tributaries of river Pamba - in the wee hours of Independence Day. He, along with wife Neetha, his little kids, 70-year-old mother Thankamma and two others, fled the house when water started to rise over their doorsteps. With his family still in the refugee camp, Sreenivas has no words to describe the magnitude of loss his family has suffered.

ALSO READ | Kerala Floods LIVE UPDATES

With his family still in the refugee camp, Sreenivas has no words to describe the magnitude of loss his family has suffered. His next-door neighbours Balamurali and Babu have also been immersed in furious cleaning since morning. With water receding in many parts of Chengannur, many in the relief camps have come back to take a look at what was once home to them. On the other bank, rescue work is still on.

If Joseph of Vadi coast Kollam  who along with his fellow fishermen have been active in rescue for the past three days - is to be believed, at least 5,000 people are still stranded at places like Pandanad, Edanad, Mangalam and Thiruvanvandoor. Out at sea, we have faced heavy winds and rough weather. But the kind of strong undercurrents that we see here is something different, admits Joseph, who with his three-member team has rescued close to a thousand now.

We lost virtually everything. This shirt and dhoti is all I have now. Never mind, I am happy that our lives have not been lost, says 80-year-old Vasudevan Pillai, relief writ large across his face. Sunday morning too saw concerted rescue efforts by the Indian Navy teams and fishermen in fibre boats from the coasts of Vizhinjam, Kollam and Neendakara al ong wi t h loc a l volunteers. The rescue operations in Chengannur have almost reached its final phase.

More than the undercurrents, what worries many rescue workers is the attitude of the people. We are inundated by hundreds of distress calls from across the globe. We then go in search of those stranded, braving strong currents and other impediments on the way. But when we manage to reach them after such herculean efforts, they say they dont want to be rescued. Just give us food packets, we dont want to move out is what they say. What to do? asks Lt Cdr Nandu who heads a team of Naval personnel deployed in four Gemini boats for the past four days.

Its true, concurred Abdul Javed, a policeman in the team. Yesterday, I went for about a kilometre braving strong currents, only to be told that they dont want to shift, he added. The relief camps present yet another heartbreaking picture. We too had everything once. We werent refugees till the other day, sobs a middle-aged woman, even as she keeps an eye on the vehicle distributing relief materials. On the way to Mangalam, 50 sealed sacks of damaged rice are tossed out from a small goods van stopped in the middle of kneedeep water.

What else can I do? My losses would run into lakhs of rupees. But am left with no other option, says Sabu, who runs a ration shop here. Hundreds of lives have been lost and wide-spread damages have been reported till date. Scores have lost their entire life savings in the floods. But gradually, thousands of victims have already begun to inch forward in rebuilding their lives, in the hope of getting some semblance of normalcy in the days to come.
Nejma Sulaiman By

Express News Service

IDUKKI: The worst floods in 100 years have killed over 51 people in Idukki and forced 33,635 people to flee from their homes to the relief camps. As per the data available with the district disaster management authority, as many as 211 relief camps were opened across the district since August, with 52 at Devikulam, 24 at Peermade, 46 at Thodupuzha, 35 at Udumbanchola and 53 at Idukki taluk.

Kerala floods LIVE UPDATES: Rescue operations underway as 10 lakh people in relief camps

While the rains now having stopped and flood waters are receding, survivors are faced with health risks from changing the climate and a lack of safe drinking water. The average rainfall recorded in Idukki was at a low of 13.76 mm on Monday, with Devikulam and Udambanchola taluks recording 8.4 mm rainfall respectively. The highest of the rainfall was recorded in Idukki; 30.2 mm, while Peerumade and Thodupuzha recording 8.7 mm and 13.1 mm rainfall respectively.

Thousands of homes were still without clean water and electricity in Munnar and other hard-hit areas. The army ferried oil tankers to Adimaly, whose approximately 40,000 residents were cut off from the rest of the prefecture due to the disaster, after partially opening the Kochi Dhanushkodi NH 85 which Connects Adimaly and Kothamangalam, However, recurrently occurring rain and mud deposits also hampered relief and rescue efforts. The shipments of relief goods were delayed because of damaged roads and transportation systems, especially in areas isolated by the disaster.

Kerala floods: Navy airport opens for first commercial flight since 1999

Munnar lost its past gloryMunnar, called the Kashmir of Kerala, has taken a brutal battering, with boulders, mire and uprooted tea shrubs upending its green tea valleys. Residential areas, as well as famous tourist destinations, including Mattuppetty, Kundala and Rajamala, were inundated. It was the worst flood Munnar had experienced after 1924.

The landslides here heaped misery upon sorrow, killing at least seven persons and had doused out the expectations of various stakeholders of the tourism sector here. Even five-star hotels and resorts got submerged under water, roads became rivers as mud tore sky high buildings in half, ripped down trees and tumbled boulders like Legos.

As many as 3000 residents were forced to evacuate from their houses. Tourists from USA, Saudhi, Oman, Singapore, UAE and Russia, who were on a visit to Munnar, were left stranded at a private resort at Pallivasal after the heavy rain triggered landslide near the resort.

Despite nature's fury, construction on environmentally fragile areas still continued here, however, they too tumbled down in the heavy rain, reminding, how human intervention on nature can hamper an entire civilization completely. -"Deforestation, blasting, encroachments on drainage systems, including rivers and streams, on the hill slides, etc definitely increase the landslide potential. Despite warning from the authorities concerned, encroachers moved on modifying the hill slopes and levelling the water bodies.

Now, the disaster has spread devastation not only to the hill town but to the properties they have earned through their life-" said Munnar special tahsildar P K Shaji. Thousands of booking has been cancelled and the Eravikulam National Park, where the mass flowering of Neelakurinji should have taken place remained shut.

Munnar wildlife warden R Lakshmi said the neelakurinji flowering season at the Eravikulam National Park was expected to last till mid-November this year. "It was in the first week of August 2006 that Munnar got adorned with the beautiful blue floral carpet of the neelakurinji, last time. However, the heavy rain have delayed the blooming of Neelakurinji, which blooms in abundance only when 15 days of continues sunlight is showered upon the shrub," she saidEnds
By Express News Service

MALKANGIRI: Launching a scathing counter attack on Maoists through posters, Total Violence Free Odisha Campaign convener Bharat Bhusan on Sunday termed the rebels as agents of anti-development and murderers of tribals.

The campaign will continue till the Naxal movement is wiped out, Bhusan said while reacting to a five-page release issued to the press by the CPI(Maoist) Kalimela Area Committee recently. The campaigner, in a four-page open letter put up at the boundary wall of Saberi Primary School at MV-79 village, slammed the rebels saying their ideology is fake and they are killing innocent tribals in the name of revolution.

The rebels are torturing tribal people. The revolution being carried out by the rebels to capture power at gun point is not a movement, it is hooliganism, the letter reads. It adds the rebels are shedding crocodile tears for the tribals, but doing nothing for their development. What have the Maoists done for the development of the tribals across the district and for the families of the slain Maoist cadres, questioned Bhusan. Tulsi mountain, Kurub, Poplur and cut-off regions are not the parental properties of the Maoists, he added. If the rebels are really concerned for the development of the tribals, let them give up guns and work for their welfare, Bhusan said.

Daring the rebels, the anti-Maoist convener stated that he is ready to have an open discourse with the rebel leaders to establish who is at fault. Bhusan urged CPI (Maoist) central and district leadership to decide the venue and timing for the public debate. Notably, the CPI (Maoist), in its recent release, had warned Bhusan for his remarks and to abstain from the poster campaign against them.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) will announce the name of at least 50 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections slated for early next year within a period of 15 days.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Odisha Jitender Singh made this announcement after the first meeting of the newly constituted OPCC here on Sunday.

Earlier, we had said that the party will distribute tickets to about 50 candidates by the end of August. Since the selection process has been delayed, the names of the candidates will be announced in the first week of September, Singh told reporters.

He said a meeting of the Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) will be held on Monday where the name of at least 50 candidates will be finalised. Criteria for selection of the candidates will be decided during the meeting, he added.

The former Union Minister said selection of candidates will be based on their performance and those who are linked with grassroots workers. There will be monthly review of performance of the candidates.

Issues like strategies for the ensuing Assembly election, selection of candidates and distribution of tickets were discussed during the meeting. We will try to connect with the people in the booth-level, Singh added.

During his last month visit to the State, Singh had said, one family, one ticket policy will be adopted for selection of candidates for 2019 General and Assembly elections. He had further clarified that the party will not consider any recommendations while selecting candidates apart from merit.

OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik had also clarified that winnability would remain the primary criteria of ticket distribution with preference to youth, women and new faces following confusion over his one man one post norm statement.

Patnaik said the party will embark on My booth, My pride campaign, the model adopted by the Congress in Gujarat Assembly election last year, throughout the State. The aim is to strengthen the party organisation at booth-level and reach out voters to propagate Congress ideology.

The party will reach out to voters in every booth which will be managed by a three-member committee. The panel will have a chairman and two members, Patnaik added.



The two-day meeting which began on Sunday was attended by AICC secretaries Rudra Raju, Anil Chowdhury, Aditya Sharma, Mastan Vali, Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra, party MLAs, OPCC office bearers and members of different committees.
R Sivakumar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu, DMK, is going to have its new president after 50 years following the demise former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The partys general council meeting, called by its general secretary K Anbazhagan, on 28 August, will formalise the election of MK Stalin as the new president. Election of president and treasurer, along with audit committees report, are cited to be agenda for the event to be held at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam.

As a prelude to the election of Stalin as the partys head, district units and various wings of DMK have passed resolutions to the effect that they accept his leadership.

Stalins elevation to the presidents post is quite natural as he has been functioning as the de facto chief of the party ever since his father and five-time Chief Minister Karunanidhis failing health crippled his movement.

If elected, Stalin will only be the second president of the party which was founded by late Dravidian great CN Annadurai in 1949. Annadurai preferred to be the general secretary of the party, however, after his demise in 1967, Karunanidhi moved the coins cleverly to take total control of the party and the government, became the president with sweeping powers piping his strong contenders, sources recalled.

Once elected to the post of president, Stalin cannot continue to function as the treasurer of the party, necessitating election of a new face.

The sources informed that former minister and the partys principal secretary Durai Murugan will be elevated to the coveted post of treasurer.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Former Union Minister P Chidambaram's wife Nalini and daughter-in-law Srinidhi on Monday appeared before a court here in connection with a black money case.

His son Karti Chidambaram, also an accused in the case, did not appear in the court. The court was informed that he had gone to London after obtaining due permission from the Supreme Court.

Recording the appearance, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S Malarvizhi directed the prosecution to provide copies of the documents pertaining to the proceedings to Nalini Chidambaram and Srinidhi and then ordered all the three accused to appear in court on September 3.

According to the Income Tax department, Karti Chidambaram had not disclosed his account in Metro Bank, the UK, and investments he had made in Nano Holdings LLC, US.

The department said Karti Chidambaram had failed to disclose investments made by Chess Global Advisory, a company co-owned by him, which is an offence under the Black Money Act.

It also said the trio had not disclosed `5.37 crore worth property they jointly own in Cambridge in the UK and `3.28 crore worth properties in the US.

The department initiated prosecution against them under Section 50 of the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act.

Challenging it, the three approached the High Court. As a single judge of the court refused any relief, they moved an appeal.

On June 27, the first bench headed by the then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee reserved its order on the appeal.

But as the Chief Justice was elevated to the Supreme Court, orders could not be pronounced in the case. Now, the appeal would be referred to another Division Bench forfresh hearing.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Minister for NRI Affairs K T Rama Rao on Sunday urged migrant workers from the state to avail the amnesty period declared by the UAE government. The country had recently announced that it would grant exit permits to immigrants who wished to leave the country and regularise residence of those staying illegally. The landmark programme for visa violators and illegal residents in the country, began on August 1 and is slated to continue till October 31.

As part of the scheme, passports of illegal immigrants will get exit clearance, albeit with a two-year ban on entry into the country afterwards. It also helps people whose passports have been confiscated by their kafeels(sponsors). In a press release, the NRI Affairs Minister on Sunday said, Make use of the opportunity and return to India. Officials have been asked to coordinate with the Consulate General of India, Dubai and Indian Embassy, at Abu Dhabi, UAE for this purpose.

When the Amnesty period was unveiled on August 1, Indian workers and housemaids were the first to arrive at the BLS Centre in Al Khaleej Centre in Dubai -- the place from where the scheme is being operated from. A report from Gulf News noted that the workers were mostly from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Most of them were reportedly unable to return home as their outpass had expired and they had to pay fines for visa violations.

Take for example, Lakshmi Devi Reddy, a housemaid who ran away from her employer because she wasnt allowed to talk to her family more than once a month. Her outpass had expired in June and she is now hoping that the amnesty period would help her get home without issues.

Meanwhile the NRI affairs Department said it was collecting details from the Indian consulate in Dubai, Embassy in Abu Dhabi and from the migrants relates in the State. Authorities have established a helpline number for the migrants 094408 54433. They can also send an email to so_nri@telangana.gov.in. One can directly contact the consulates help desk hotline at +971 56-5463903 and email id: indiaindubai.amnesty@gmail.com.
By AFP

KANO: At least six people were killed when Boko Haram jihadists raided a village in northeast Nigeria, burning houses and looting food supplies, a local militia leader and residents said on Sunday.

Boko Haram militants arrived in trucks at Mairari village, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the garrison town of Monguno in Borno state, on Saturday evening, firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

"In the confusion, the Boko Haram gunmen seized six men and slaughtered them," militia leader Babakura Kolo told AFP from the state capital of Maiduguri.

"The bodies of the six victims were found this morning (Sunday) when residents returned to the burnt village," Kolo said.

A village resident, Aisami Grema, gave a similar death toll, adding that police stationed in the village did not fight the Islamists.

"The police made no attempt to engage the Boko Haram fighters," Grema said.

The militants ransacked the village for two hours before leaving, said another resident Masida Umar.

On Friday, four farmers were killed when Boko Haram raided crop fields near Maiduguri.

The attacks on civilians come after the Islamists have launched a series of assaults against Nigerian troops, putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari's government to tackle insecurity in Africa's most populous country ahead of general elections in February.
By AFP

JOHANNESBURG: A public inquiry opened in South Africa today probing alleged corruption under scandal-tainted former president Jacob Zuma who is accused of overseeing widespread graft during his nine-year reign.

The inquiry, which could take two years to deliver its findings, is set to hear evidence of allegations that Zuma let ministries and government agencies be plundered for private gain in a scandal known as "state capture".

But on the first day of hearings presiding judge Raymond Zondo, the country's deputy chief justice, complained that the country's spy agency, which was seen as loyal to Zuma, was stalling the probe.

"The State Security Agency had not been able meet our expectations and requests in terms of an expeditious process of security clearance," he said referring to inquiry staff who require clearance to handle top secret material.

He also said that the public response to a plea for evidence of state capture "has been quite disappointing".

"If this commission is to do its job properly, we need evidence," he said.

Much of the probe is expected to focus on Zuma's relationship with the Guptas, a wealthy Indian business family accused of wielding undue political influence.

An earlier report by a watchdog detailed allegations that Zuma helped the Gupta family win preferential contracts with state companies, including huge mining deals, and were even able to choose cabinet ministers.

Zuma himself appointed the inquiry in January on the orders of the High Court, weeks before he was forced to resign from office as criticism grew from within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

Zuma's alleged involvement in multiple graft scandals damaged the party's image ahead of elections due next year.

His successor President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to tackle corruption.

The inquiry will in part establish whether official appointments were "disclosed to the Gupta family or any other unauthorised person before such appointments were formally made," said inquiry head Zondo.

Although the inquiry does not have powers to arrest or prosecute, it can refer matters for possible criminal investigation.

"At the heart of the investigation is whether outsiders influenced government or state-owned enterprises for selfish gain," said the commission's lead lawyer Paul Pretorius on the inquiry's opening day.

Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister now responsible for state-run companies, has estimated that around 100 billion rand (USD 6.8 billion) of state funds may have been looted through corrupt awarding of government tenders.

Gordhan is among those expected to give evidence, along with his former deputy Mcebisi Jonas.

Jonas has alleged he was taken by Zuma to the Guptas' home in Johannesburg where Ajay Gupta said he would be appointed finance minister and paid 600 million rand for acting favourably toward the family's interests.

The local Sunday Times newspaper reported Zuma had been invited to appear -- but the commission's spokesman declined to comment.

Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing.

"I hope that the inquiry gets to the bottom of how the South African state was captured and what can be done to prevent this from happening again," David Lewis, executive director of South Africa's Corruption Watch organisation, told AFP.

Zuma, 76, was forced to resign in February when ANC lawmakers turned against him.

The former president has separately been charged with 16 counts of graft linked to an arms deal from before he became president and will next appear in court on November 30 as the criminal case against him continues.
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(Newser)  IndyCar driver Robert Wickens has been admitted to a hospital in Allentown, Pa., with what the series calls "orthopedic injuries" sustained in a violent wreck early in a race Sunday. IndyCar says Wickens was awake and alert as he was airlifted from Pocono Raceway to the hospital and he was still being evaluated Sunday night, the AP reports. The 29-year-old Canadian driver was attempting to pass Ryan Hunter-Reay when the two cars slightly touched. That caused Hunter-Reay's car to careen into the wall and Wickens' car was pulled along for the ride. Once Wickens' car soared over Hunter-Reay's and hit the fence, it spun round and round like a top.

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The fencing was shredded and Wickens' car was reduced to just the tub, which came to a rest on the track along an interior wall. Medical workers calmly attended to Wickens, who was taken to an ambulance before he was transported to the helicopter. The impact of the wreck tore out a large section of fencing that needed almost two hours to repair before racing resumed. Alexander Rossi won the race and said it was "tough to celebrate" with Wickens in the hospital. In 2015 at Pocono, Justin Wilson died from a head injury when a piece of debris from a crashed car bounced off the track and hit his helmet.

(Read more IndyCar stories.)
(Newser)  It's been nearly a week since an "apocalyptic" bridge collapse in Italy, and the death toll has climbed for perhaps the last time. Reuters reports the bodies of three family membersthe last three people believed missingwere pulled from a crushed car over the weekend in the rubble of Genoa's Morandi Bridge, bringing the count of people killed in Tuesday's catastrophe to 43. Via the Washington Post, the ANSA news agency reports the family, which included a child, had been headed on vacation. Nine people remain hospitalized, four of them critically, per Genoa's prefecture. A fire brigade official says the wreckage will continue to be searched to be doubly sure there isn't anyone they missed, though rescuers believe everyone who was on the bridge has been accounted for.

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The BBC reports that Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte presided over a state funeral for nearly 20 of the victims over the weekend, though some families rejected the public overtures, either wanting to mourn privately or because they were fuming at the government for the tragedy. "We do not want farcical ceremonies," one family member told a local newspaper. "Our children are not a tool for public parades." Meanwhile, via the Independent, a 1979 report has emerged from the bridge's engineer that warned about deterioration risks. Riccardo Morandi noted the salty ocean air and pollution from a neighboring factory had led to a "well-known loss of superficial chemical resistance of the concrete," and that the bridge would need constant upkeep to get rid of rust and other vulnerabilities. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. (Read more Genoa stories.)
(Newser)  The disagreement with the US currently devastating the Turkish economy doesn't appear likely to end anytime soon. American pastor Andrew Brunson, who was jailed by Turkey for almost two years before a shift to house arrest last month, is at the center of the dispute and a senior White House official tells the Wall Street Journal that the US has rejected a Turkish offer to trade his freedom for dropping charges against Halkbank, a state-owned bank facing billions in US fines for violating sanctions on Iran. The US has told Turkey it won't negotiate until Brunson, who faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted, is freed, the White House official says, adding: "A real NATO ally wouldnt have arrested Brunson in the first place."

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The US has already hit Turkish officials with sanctions over Brunson and the two countries have traded tariff increases, causing the Turkish lira to plummet to record lows. Brunson, a pastor from North Carolina strongly supported by American evangelical groups, was arrested because of his alleged ties to banned political groups, the BBC reports. American officials have threatened even more sanctions unless Brunson is freed, while Turkey has said it will not give in to American threats. Jon Alterman at the Center for Strategic and International Studies describes Brunson as a "pawn" in a feud between President Trump and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Shots were fired at the US Embassy in Ankara early Monday.)
(Newser)  Former CIA director John Brennan says he plans to fight back against President Trump's revoking of his security clearance, which he considers an attempt to intimidate him and other current and former government officials, the Guardian reports. Brennan told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that he has contacted lawyers and is considering taking Trump to court. "I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future, and if it means going to court, I will do that," he said. He added that even if his reputation is being dragged through the mud, it's a small price to pay "to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people."

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Brennan described himself as "having a bull's eye" on his chest and defended some of the statements that angered Trump, including his description of Trump's behavior at the Helsinki summit with Vladimir Putin as "treasonous," reports the Washington Post. Trump allies including Sen. Ron Johnson defended him on other Sunday talk shows, while Rudy Giuliani said he'd welcome a Brennan lawsuit. "I would volunteer to do that case for the president. I would love to have Brennan under oath," Giuliani said. "We will find out about Brennan, and we will find out what a terrible job he did." (A dozen former top security officials have signed a letter condemning Trump's action.)
(Newser)  One of Harvey Weinstein's most prominent accusers settled a sexual assault claim from her own accuser last year, according to legal documents. Months after she came forward with her allegations against Weinstein last year, Asia Argento paid $380,000 to Jimmy Bennett, who played her son in the 2004 movie The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, according to documents provided to the New York Times. He alleged that he had a sexual encounter with Argento in a California hotel room in 2013, when she was 37 and he was 17, below the state's age of consent. In November last year, he sent a notice of intent to sue for $3.5 million for emotional distress and lost wages.

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The legal documents provided to the Times include a selfie of Argento and Bennett in bed. The legal notice states that the encounter left Bennett extremely confused, mortified, and disgusted and his income dried up in the following years. In a letter to Argento, her lawyer, Carrie Goldberg, described the settlement as "helping Mr. Bennett." "We hope nothing like this ever happens to you again," Goldberg wrote. "You are a powerful and inspiring creator and it is a miserable condition of life that you live among s****y individuals whove preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses." Bennett's rep says he is now focusing on his music career, People reports. (Argento faced online harassment after the suicide of boyfriend Anthony Bourdain in June.)
(Newser)  Pope Francis on Monday delivered a strong denunciation of the Catholic Church's response to abusive priests in language anyone could understand. "We showed no care for the little ones," the pope wrote in a letter to Catholics around the world, reports the AP. "We abandoned them." Francis wrote that "no effort must be spared" to fight further abuses and to expose cover-ups, per the Washington Post. He also blasted the culture of denial within the church, accusing its leaders of being more concerned with their reputations than with the victims. However, the letter did not spell out any punishments the Vatican might take against bishops who helped cover up the scandal.

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"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives," Francis wrote. He also decried the "the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience" undertaken by a "significant number of clerics." His three-page letter comes in the wake of a jarring grand jury report in Pennsylvania that alleged abuse by more than 300 priests against 1,000 children over seven decades. "Never again," he wrote. Francis travels to heavily Catholic Ireland this weekend, and the abuse scandal is expected to dominate the trip. (Read more Pope Francis stories.)
(Newser)  Misplaced keys usually don't result in federal charges, but that was apparently the case in Alabama. The Montgomery Advertiser reports Timothy Dean Pettiway has been charged with theft from a gaming establishment on Indian lands after allegedly stealing $192,800 from Wind Creek Montgomery casino on Aug. 10. Federal prosecutors allege an employee left keys to two kiosks on top of a machine and that Pettiway retrieved them and used them to remove the box of $100 bills from kiosks 8 and 19. He allegedly took the boxes one at a time into a bathroom that his nephew, Jory D'Michael Travunn Dumas, was in; the emptied cash boxes were later found in a stall.

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Dumas, a former casino employee who had been fired for theft, was also arrested Tuesday, but he was dismissed from the case Friday after prosecutors said they mistakenly identified him as the one who had collected the keys. He has been advised that he's not immune from future charges. Pettiway was on Friday denied bond, with the judge citing his decades-long criminal history and the fact that the $192,800 remains missing. "A person with access to that much cash would have a reasonable opportunity to flee," said US Magistrate Judge Gray Borden, per the Advertiser. AL.com reports the Poarch Band of Creek Indians runs three Wind Creek casino locations in Alabama, including the one that was hit. (A top gambler lost out on $10.2 million after a court ruled he cheated.)
(Newser)  Last month brought word that within hours of being released into the general prison population in late May, Larry Nassar was attacked by other inmates. So said a court filing by his lawyer, and now the Detroit News reports Nassar, 55, has been removed from the federal penitentiary in Tucson, Ariz., in a move that's likely tied to the assault. Per the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, Nassar was on Sunday located at a holdover facility in Oklahoma. Where's he headed next? There's no official word, but an expert on sex offender designations tells the News that if an assault did take place, the Bureau of Prisons would investigate and then identify a facility where Nassar could safely be part of the general population.

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Ralph Miller's guesses are USP Coleman II in Sumterville, Fla., or USP Terre Haute in Indiana. While the Arizona Republic notes the Tucson prison is the feds' only high-security facility with a sex-offender-management program, Miller tells the News the Florida and Indiana options have a heavier percentage of sex offenders than other high-security facilities "and also house inmates that have not been able to be safely housed in the mainstream high-security facilities, such as individuals who have cooperated with the government, inmates who are in bad standing with their gangs." The Republic notes Nassar had been housed at Tucson since February. (Nassar victim Simone Biles sent a message with her leotard on Sunday.)
(Newser)  People up late in the Southeast one night last week had the chance to catch a brief but spectacular light show. In a Facebook post, NASA says its meteor cameras picked up a small asteroid about 1:19am Friday that burned through the night sky and would have been tough to missit was at least 40 times brighter than the moon. (The same link has video.) The fireball would have been first visible about 60 miles above Turkeytown, Ala., near Gadsden, while traveling at 53,700mph, reports Al.com.

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After that, the meteor broke up over Grove Oak, Ala., and NASA was still trying to figure out whether any remnants might have made it to the ground. The American Meteor Society has logged 53 reports of sightings from people in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. This tweet via USA Today contains images made from doorbell surveillance cameras. NASA estimates the asteroid that caused the light show was a modest 6 feet in diameter, though it triggered "an extremely bright event." (This NASA scientist found Michigan meteorites.)
(Newser)  After learning his daughter Mollie was missing, Rob Tibbetts flew from San Francisco to Iowa to look for her. He packed four days' worth of clothes, reports the Des Moines Register. The 20-year-old vanished on July 18, and on Saturdaythe one-month markRob Tibbetts told KCRG he was "very reluctantly" leaving Brooklyn, Iowa, heading home.

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"We've called this sort of a half-time, a break. I'm being told I sort of need to do this," he said, explaining that officials have been encouraging the family to return to their daily routine as investigators remain on the case. The resumption of the day-to-day hasn't been without its pain: Rob Tibbetts says his sons moved into their college housing last weekand they passed the location where Mollie was to live for her sophomore year. (Read more Mollie Tibbetts stories.)
(Newser)  Melania Trump encouraged technology and social media companies Monday to provide more opportunities for young people to share ideas for how to be good citizens online. Pressing forward with an effort to combat youth cyberbullying, the first lady said that while most children are more aware than some adults of the "benefits and pitfalls" of social media, adults must still do "all we can" to provide them with information and tools for safe online habits. With her brief remarks, Trump helped open a federal conference on cyberbullying in Maryland. Neither she nor any of those who spoke during morning sessions mentioned President Trump and his aggressive use of Twitter to berate his foes and call them names, reports the AP. Much of the media did, however. A sampling:

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CNN: "First lady Melania Trump spoke out against cyberbullying Monday ... once again highlighting a messaging rift between the East Wing and the West Wing."

Washington Post: "As her husband continued to rip into his adversaries on Twitter, first lady Melania Trump on Monday warned that social media can be used in a 'destructive and harmful' manner."

New York Times: "Melania Trump Called for Good Behavior on Social Media. The President Unleashed More Attacks on Twitter"

HuffPost: "Melania Trump Speaks At Anti-Cyberbullying Summit While Donald Trump Cyberbullies"

The Hill reports Trump's communications director, Stephanie Grisham, addressed such remarks head-on Monday. "She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does." (Read more Melania Trump stories.)
(Newser)  An extremely rare alligator attack claimed the life of a 45-year-old South Carolina woman Monday. The Island Packet reports Cassandra Cline of Hilton Head Island was walking her dog in a residential area of the private Sea Pines Resort she lived in around 9:30am when the attack occurred. "It appears the alligator went after her dog and she tried to protect it," said Sam Chappalear of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Another rep for the department says the alligator came out of a lagoon to go after the dog. A police release says Cline was pulled underwater and that the dog apparently escaped unharmed.

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Chappalear confirmed the 8-foot gator thought to have killed Cline has been caught and put down. The AP reports the state has recorded only about 20 alligator attacks on people since 1976; through 2016, none were fatal. In that year, a 90-year-old woman was found dead in a pond after wandering from her Charleston assisted living facility. (An alligator caused a fatal car crash in May in South Carolina.)
(Newser)  A librarian has been jailed after calling in a fake bomb threat so he wouldn't miss a flight. Per Reuters, Jacob Meir Abdellak, a Frenchman living in London, called in the hoax eight minutes before his Norwegian Airlines flight was slated to leave Gatwick Airport after staff wouldn't let him on board. The Independent reports officials postponed the flight for 90 minutes in order to screen for explosives following the May 11 call. Authorities reportedly traced the call back to Abdellak's phone. He was arrested on May 22.

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While Abdellak first claimed his SIM card was stolen, he has since pleaded guilty to "communicating false information regarding a noxious substance likely to create serious risk to human health" per Reuters. Abdellak was sentenced to 10 months in jail and will have to pay a fine. Gatwick Police Chief Inspector Marc Clothier ridiculed the librarian's decision-making in a statement Thursday. This was a quite ridiculous decision made by Abdellak, who fabricated an extremely serious allegation purely for his own benefit, he said. (Nonetheless, Abdellak is not alone in using over-the-top antics in order to make a flight.)
(Newser)  The South African government has begun the controversial process of seizing land from white farmers in cases where negotiations to purchase the plots have fallen through. Per Newsweek, two game farms in the country's Limpopo province will be the first ones taken under the order after their owners declined to sell for a government offer that was a tenth of the asking price. While South African authorities say they still intend to pay Johan Steenkamp and Arnold Cloete, the owners of the land, the equivalent of $1.37 million, the men had priced the land at $13.7 million.

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Per News.com.au, the farmers' landholding company, Akkerland Boerdery, was sent a letter in April regarding an audit of the land that would be conducted by the government. Akkerland Boerdery reportedly received an injunction to prevent their eviction, however the country's Department of Rural Development and Land Affairs has opposed the injunction. Should the seizures go through, it would reportedly be the first case of the government refusing to pay market value. Under existing laws, such a seizure is allowed only if it's in the public interest. Since the end of apartheid, the government has only redistributed land to black South Africans only from willing white sellers. (Read more South Africa stories.)
(Newser)  The University of Utah says a tweet from comedian David Cross showing him wearing undergarments sacred to the Mormon faith was "deeply offensive" but the college won't consider calls for the cancellation of his performance on campus Wednesday. College president Ruth Watkins criticized the tweet in a statement issued Sunday but said it free speech protected by the First Amendment and that the university "cannot and will not censor content of those coming to campus." The actor and comic known for his character on TV's "Arrested Development" series responded to the criticism by tweeting "Holy 'moly!' My opening 10 minutes are going to be on fire!!!" His representative, Michael O'Brien, did not immediately return an email message from the AP Monday seeking comment. Members of the faith wear white, two-piece cotton undergarments daily.

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In the photo, Cross is seen wearing the clothing that resembles a T-shirt and shorts outside of a clothing-store dressing room, with a tagline that reads "Utah! Learn the real truth!" The university is a public college in Salt Lake City, where the faith is based. About two-thirds of Utah's population belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and many University of Utah students are also Mormon. But it's often seen as a secular alternative to the private, church-owned Brigham Young University. Cross previously told The Salt Lake Tribune he is visiting Salt Lake City on his latest tour because he's always had good shows and memorable fans in the city. The university is not sponsoring his show. Watkins said college officials acknowledge the free-speech rights of those who rent its facilities. (Read more Mormon stories.)
New Delhi:

A special cell of Delhi police on Monday detained two persons in connection with the August 13 attack on JNU student and social activist Umar Khalid outside Constitution Club of India. Meanwhile, a video of the two admitting their responsibility for the shooting has gone viral on social networking sites.

The suspects, identified as Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal are natives of Haryana and claimed that the attack was an "Independence Day gift" to the people of India. The police have launched an investigation into the claim and will interrogate the duo to verify the authenticity of the video, emerged on the Internet.

"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," one of the suspects said in the video message.

Read | Umar Khalid, Shehla Rashid, Jignesh Mewani received death threats before Constitution Club attack

#Correction: Delhi Police Special Cell has detained* 2 people in connection with attack on JNU student Umar Khalid by an unidentified gunman outside Delhi's Constitution Club on Aug 13. A video had gone viral in which they had claimed responsibility for the attack: Sources https://t.co/o1VZ4XO2Ho  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

Read | JNUTA condemns attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid

Last Monday, Khalid met his friends at the Constitution Club for a discussion on mob lynching and minority alienation under the Modi regime but was shot at the heart of national capital by an unknown gunman. Khalid, however, escaped unhurt and the assassination attempt near Parliament of India had gone in vain.
New Delhi:

As rains abated and flood water started receding, Kerala is facing a mammoth task of rehabilitation of lakhs of homeless people and preventing disease outbreak. The centurys worst flooding in Gods Own Country has displaced over seven lakh people and killed 216 since August 8.

Although the rescue operations were still underway, the focus now was on to clear the houses of debris to make them habitable. The government was also making available disinfectants like bleaching powder in adequate quantities to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Relief material, including provisions, water and fuel have started arriving at the Kochi port from different parts of the country.

The Maharashtra government has sent a team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff to Kerala to help the flood-affected people. Apart from monetary and medical assistance, Maharashtra has also sent relief material, including ready-to-eat food packets, milk powder, blankets, bed sheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins to Kerala.

Also Read | Who loves a good flood? Dealers, consumers eyeing luxury cars at throwaway prices

Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board were making all-out efforts to restore water and power supply in the state, where electricity and tap water services were completely disrupted due to the floods.

Commercial flights on Monday started their operations from the naval airport at Kochi as Cochin International Airport has shut operations till August 26 after flood water inundated the runways.

Train services from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi have been partially restored. In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, efforts are on to rescue some of those stranded in certain pockets, including Pandanad.

Meanwhile, the Central government has declared the devastating floods in Kerala a "calamity of severe nature" and asked businesses to extend all the possible help to Kerala, facing humanitarian crisis.

Also Read | Kerala Disaster: When government ignored the danger signs

Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a Union Home Ministry said in a statement.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state was battling the catastrophic floods together as one with "monumental strength". Referring to some social media posts denigrating the governments rescue and relief efforts, Vijayan said that people trying to "pull us down will face serious consequences".

According to estimates, the state has suffered a loss of over Rs 20,000 crore. The Narendra Modi-led central government has so far granted only Rs 600 crore but assured of all the possible help. Besides, Centres aid, the state has received Rs 210 crore towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund and a promise of Rs 160 crore.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Chennai:

DMK is all set to elect M K Stalin, its working president and younger son of late party patriarch M Karunanidhi as party chief at its general council meet on August 28 here.

The agenda for the meeting to be held at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam, will be the election of party president, and treasurer, a party release said.

Also Read | DMK under strain  a challenge for Stalin

Days after Stalins estranged brother M K Alagiri virtually questioned his brothers leadership saying true loyalists of his father were on his side, DMK on Monday announced that its general council meet will be held on August 28.

In a release here, DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan asked all elected general council members to participate in the meeting without fail.

Alagiris opposition to Stalin is not expected to cast a shadow on Stalins elevation since party units are firmly behind Stalin, party sources said.

Party district units like Cuddalore West have already adopted resolutions unanimously proposing Stalins elevation, they pointed out.

Also Read | Will not be cowed down by any flutter: Stalin

While Stalin will be the party chief, senior leader and party principal secretary Duraimurugan is tipped to be elected to the post of party treasurer, the sources told PTI.

Karunanidhi who died on August 7 after a prolonged illness, had during his lifetime made it clear that Stalin will be his successor.

Stalin, who is 65-years-old had held several party posts including that of treasurer and youth wing secretary.

His innings in the party began early when he campaigned in the 1967 elections as a 14-year old school student. He became partys youth wing Secretary in 1984.

Also Read | DMK Succession War: Alagiri mounts challenge against Stalin for Karunanidhis political legacy

He was incarcerated under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) in 1976 during the emergency.

Stalins growth has been steady and he became party deputy general secretary in 2003. He was re-elected treasurer for the second five-year term in January 2015.

He became an MLA for the first time in 1989 from Thousand Lights constituency from where he was relected thrice.

In 2006, he became the Municipal Administration Minister in the DMK government and went on to become the Deputy Chief Minister in 2009.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

India and Japan on Monday decided to expand their maritime cooperation and work together to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, which is witnessing growing Chinese assertiveness, officials said.

The two countries also decided hold the first-ever joint Army exercise later this year besides deepening cooperation in co-development of military hardware and weapons.

Also Read | Pakistan backtracks after claims of Modis talks offer to Imran Khan

The decisions were taken during wide-ranging talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera.

The India-Japan defence dialogue came a day before Chinese defence Wei Fenghe arrives here on a four-day visit.

Officials said the two ministers also exchanged views on Indias long-pending proposal to procure the US-2 ShinMaywa amphibious aircraft from Japan for its Navy.

The two sides also firmed up a project in the area of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) and robotics, marking the start of first such bilateral initiative.

They said Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) and the Indian Navy are working towards firming up an arrangement for deeper cooperation between the two navies.

The ministers shared the recognition that it is important for the two countries to further strengthen defence and security cooperation under the Japan-lndia Special Strategic and Global Partnership that aligns Japans Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with Indias Act East Policy, a a joint press statement said.

Also Read | TN girl donates 4 years saving for a cycle to Kerala, gets BIG reward

It said Sitharaman and Onodera recognised that stability of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are crucial for ensuring the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

The two ministers also deliberated on the situation in Korean Peninsula.

The ministers reaffirmed that they have shared interests in expanding cooperation in the maritime security domain and welcomed the fact that Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) and the Indian Navy are working towards the signing of the Implementing Arrangement for Deeper Cooperation between the two navies, the statement said.

On technology sharing, it said engagement between the Acquisition, Technology and Logistical Agency (ATLA) of Japan and Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has resulted in a joint project in the area of development of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) and Robotics.

Also Read | Nepal suspends services of private chopper firm after pilgrim's death

The Ministers recognised the importance of promoting defence equipment and technology cooperation through a joint effort between the public and private sectors in order to bilaterally strengthen technological capability, said the statement.

On Indias proposal to procure the US-2 amphibious aircraft, the statement said the ministers noted the effort made by both countries over it.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

While Kerala continues to battle with centurys worst deluge, another south Indian state of Karnataka is reeling under flooding caused by incessant rains. Teams of tri-services and NDRF have rescued over 4,300 hundred marooned people till Monday even as hundreds remained stranded on hilltops in the worst-hit coffee-growing Kodagu district.

Officials said that the rescue work has entered its final stage. So far, as many as 4,320 have been rescued and shifted to 41 relief camps in the district.

Teams of Indian Army and Navy are integrated with National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and civil administration to carry out relief and rescue operations.

Also Read | Centre declares Kerala flood a 'calamity of severe nature'

According to Karnataka Chief Ministers Office (CMO), 12 people have lost their lives in Kodagu due to flooding and landslide caused by unabated rains. The flooding has damaged over 11,000 houses and about 123 km of roads.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more moderate to heavy rains in several districts of Karnataka, including Kodagu, over the next 24 hours.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken with Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy regarding the flood situation in parts of the state and extended all the possible help.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu girl donates four years saving for new cycle to Kerala, gets THIS reward

Extended all possible support in the rescue and relief operations. I pray for the safety and well-being of those in the flood affected areas, Modi had tweeted.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The intensity of rains has just decreased in Kerala, devastated by the worst floods in nearly a century. However, the southern Indian state is still reeling under odds and horrors as thousands of people are stranded in their homes with no food and sheaths of water around them at various places, including Alapuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam.

Over 320 people have lost their lives ever since the second spell of monsoon fury hit Kerala on August 8. The maximum deaths were reported from Idukki district, where 43 people have lost their lives so far. The monsoon fury has claimed twenty-eight lives in Malappuram and 27 in Thrissur. Over six lakh people are in relief camps across the state.

In the wake of this emergency situation in Kerala, Army personnel, along with Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and the NDRF, have scaled up relief operations to evacuate the distressed all over the state. The Narendra Modi government has already sanctioned an immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore for rain-ravaged Kerala.

Here are the updates on Kerala Floods:

#06:30 PM: Kerala floods declared 'calamity of severe nature':A "Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes," Union Home Ministry said in a statement.

# 02:02 PM:A Around 70 teams are present there with boats, life vests and food packets. Places, where light and helicopters can't reach my boys, have reached: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lt Gen DR Soni on Kerala Floods.

Around 70 teams are present there with boats, life vests & food packets. Places where light & helicopters cant reach my boys have reached: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lt Gen DR Soni on #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/zSiNf6uyPh a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 01:37 PM:A Life in Idukki gradually moves back to normal. ATM services also resume. Work in progress to re-establish connectivity and restore communication.

Life in Idukki gradually moves back to normal. ATM services also resume. Work in progress to re-establish connectivity and restore communication. Visuals from Kattappana area. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/GVm2R8bnar a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 12:42 PM:A Till now, 3757 medical camps have been set up in Kerala. There is a requirement of 90 different medicines and the first instalment has reached. Issued advisory for daily monitoring and surveillance. Quick response medical teams to start work as soon as the water recedes: Union Minister JP Nadda.

# 11:59 AM:A Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on Kerala Floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and Vice President Secretariat and decided to donate a monthas salary for relief measures.

Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on #KeralaFloods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and Vice President Secretariat and decided to donate a monthas salary for relief measures pic.twitter.com/izaFtllTV7 a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 11:50 AM:A Regional CRPF Wifeas Welfare Association in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore flagged off relief materials consisting of dry rations, clothing, medicines, sanitary items in 12 trucks with Rapid Action Force (RAF) team to Kerala's Thrissur and Chalakudy.

Regional CRPF Wifeas Welfare Association in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore flagged off relief materials consisting of dry rations, clothing, medicines, sanitary items in 12 trucks with Rapid Action Force (RAF) team to Kerala's Thrissur and Chalakudy. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/IG05ePXqim a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 11:41 AM:A Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Mangala Lakshadweep Express, Mangalore-Nagercoil Parasuram Express, JamnagaraTirunelveli Express and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus -Thiruvananthapuram Netravathi Express from Shoranur junction to run as per normal schedule.

# 11:33 AM:A Indian Navy rescue team joined six ropes across a stream in Thrissur yesterday rescuing 109 people who were stranded on the other side after the bridge over it collapsed.

#KeralaFloods: Indian Navy rescue team joined six ropes across a stream in Thrissur yesterday rescuing 109 people who were stranded on the other side after the bridge over it collapsed pic.twitter.com/jPGPX9po76 a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 11:12 AM:A All MPs and MLAs of Shiv Sena to contribute their one month salary to Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

All MPs and MLAs of Shiv Sena to contribute their one month salary to Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/thCLMd95PT a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 11:09 AM:

#KeralaFloods: Visuals from a relief camp in flood-hit Chengannur, in Kerala pic.twitter.com/VHlqHuUWWl a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 11:08 AM:A Passengers arrive at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station as commercial flights service begins at the station due to flooding of Cochin International Airport.

Kochi: Passengers are at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station as commercial flights service begins at the station due to flooding of Cochin International Airport. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/Q0af48nzVz a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 10:58 AM:A There will be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes or food. People with technical capabilities are reqd to put life back into Kerala: KJ Alphons.

# 10:48 AM:A It's a historic day as the airport is back into civil operations. Substantial work done to ensure all facilities are available and support is given for aircraft to operate. We've segregated parking bays so that unhindered operations take place: Commodore RR Iyer, CO, INS Garuda.

It's a historic day as the airport is back into civil operations.Substantial work done to ensure all facilities are available&support is given for aircraft to operate. We've segregated parking bays so that unhindered operations take place: Commodore RR Iyer, CO, INS Garuda #Kochi pic.twitter.com/dcZvLvF8YF a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 10:47 AM:A Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. Biggest heroes are fishermen, they came in 600 boats and are rescuing people: Union Minister KJ Alphons.

# 10:13 AM:A A 'Thanks' note painted on the roof of a house in Kochi from where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma had rescued two women on August 17.

#Kerala: A 'Thanks' note painted on the roof of a house in Kochi from where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma had rescued two women on August 17. pic.twitter.com/lwxHkQwzXc a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 10:05 AM:A Indian Coast Guard continues relief and rescue operations across Kerala.

Kerala: Indian Coast Guard continues relief and rescue operations across the state. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/CJQWmPd9cg a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 10:02 AM:A Temporary bridge being built by Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Palakkad's Erumachery to block flood water from entering paddy fields.

#WATCH Temporary bridge being built by Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Palakkad's Erumachery to block flood water from entering paddy fields. #KeralaFloods (19 August) pic.twitter.com/RHEQncAndu a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 10:00 AM:A Mumbai: 55 doctors from JJ Hospital, 26 doctors from Pune's Sassoon hospital and paramedical staff leave for Thiruvananthapuram in two Air India aircraft.

Mumbai: 55 doctors from JJ Hospital, 26 doctors from Pune's Sassoon hospital and paramedical staff leave for Thiruvananthapuram in two Air India aircraft. #KeralaFloodRelief pic.twitter.com/JliJ3S98UZ a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 08:33 AM:A Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs to donate their one month salary to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs to donate their one month salary to #Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/6LTBuQSRiH a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 08:14 AM:A First commercial flight lands at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station after Cochin International Airport got affected due to floods.

#Kerala: First commercial flight lands at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station after Cochin International Airport got affected due to floods. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/1gpfUeYXBq a ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

# 07:25 AM:

#WATCH: A old woman being airlifted by Indian Air Force (IAF) from Ernakulam. She was later taken to Navy Hospital. (19.8.2018) #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/6NxOhgfeFD a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 07:20 AM:

Kerala: Visuals of rescue operations carried out by Odisha fire service personnel in Kottayam. (19.8.2018) #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/WcM5WjUrZR a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 07:18 AM:A Relief materials being dropped by Indian Air Force (IAF) in various locations of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.

#Kerala: Relief materials being dropped by Indian Air Force (IAF) in various locations of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. (19.8.2018) #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/MAnxvb19OH a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 07:15 AM:A People belonging to Sikh community in Kochi prepared food and provided it to relief camps in Kerala.

People belonging to Sikh community in Kochi prepared food&provided it to relief camps. The coordinator said,"From last 3 days we are serving food to more than 1000 people. We're preparing food inside Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in hygienic conditions." (19.8.2018) #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/Ju7qU1gM1X a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 07:05 AM:A Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali on Sunday announced that he will donate his one month salary to Kerala Floods relief.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali yesterday announced that he will donate his one month salary to #KeralaFloods relief. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/Ou5raMQ1TE a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 07:00 AM:A A woman was rescued with the help of locals from flood-affected Alappuzha district's Chengannur.

#WATCH: A woman being rescued with the help of locals from flood affected Alappuzha district's Chengannur. #KeralaFloods (19.08.2018) pic.twitter.com/kZR6QdIW4q a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 06:52 AM: Chandra, a resident of Vandiperiyar in Idukki district and a tailor by profession, lost his house in the floods.

I lost my home. My wife can't move as she met with an accident 8 year ago & I had to send her to old age home. I don't have much earnings. I don't know what will happen once they send us out of the camp. No one should see this day: Chandra, resident of Vandiperiyar #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/rLial00uFK a ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

# 06:48 AM:A People performed special 'havan' in Kanpur for the people affected due to flood in Kerala, earlier on Sunday.



People performed special 'havan' in Kanpur for the people affected due to flood in Kerala, earlier today. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/OVhS1n9Eqr a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 19, 2018

# 06:45 AM: Locals in Palakkad's Alathur village are reconstructing the main road near Venganoor bridge, washed due to rain, by contributing money.



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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed the deepening of the special strategic and global partnership between India and Tokyo and said he was looking forward to visiting Japan later this year.

He also said defence cooperation was a key pillar of the relationship between India and Japan.

A PMO statement said Modi made these remarks when Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera called on him in New Delhi.

He recalled his long association with Japan, since before assuming office as prime minister.

Read | PM Modi writes to Imran Khan for uninterrupted talks between India and Pakistan: Pak FM SM Qureshi

Modi welcomed the strengthening of various defence dialogue mechanisms between the two countries and the enhanced linkages between the armed forces of India and Japan.

The prime minister also appreciated the progress in defence technology cooperation between the two countries.

Modi warmly recalled the successful visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India last year and said he was looking forward to visiting Japan later this year.

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New Delhi:

In what could be a big blow for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday announced that his party would contest the 2019 parliamentary elections in Haryana independently. Badal, the former deputy minister of Punjab was addressing a rally in Kurukshetra's Pipli town and urged all Punjabis to unite under the flag of the SAD to script a new history in Haryana.

"Shiromani Akali Dal will contest the 2019 elections independently in Haryana and emerge victoriously," the SAD president said.

"We have promised and delivered in Punjab. Now, we are ready to take up the responsibility of working for the welfare of the people of Haryana. I appeal to Punjabis to unite under the flag of SAD to script a new history in Haryana. No one can stop you from acquiring power once you unite as one with the SAD," Badal added.

Shiromani Akali Dal will contest the 2019 elections independently in Haryana and emerge victorious: Sukhbir Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal President in Kurukshetra, Haryana pic.twitter.com/oXdMwZ5feL  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

Read | Anti-BJP Grand Alliance formed in Uttar Pradesh; Congress-SP-BSP to contest 2019 elections together

Former Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Haryana in-charge Balwinder Singh Bhunder were also present in the rally, which was organised to strengthen Sikh vote bank in and around Kurukshetra.

With the 2019 Parliamentary elections just a few months away, the SAD has also promised to provide free electricity to the agriculture sector, 400 units of free power per month to Dalits and free piped irrigation water in Haryana if voted to power.

Read | Election Commission calls all-party meeting on August 27; EVM issue to dominate

Earlier, SAD forged an alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and used to contest elections in Haryana together. The parties, however, have parted ways a few months back. The Sukhbir Singh party is also part of BJP led NDA, which formed the previous Punjab government in partnership between 2012 and 2017.

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New Delhi:

Delhi's Patiala House court on Monday granted permission to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to travel abroad to visit the family of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away just a few days ago. Tharoor was also allowed to visit the United Nations Headquarters to seek aid for flood-ravaged Kerala after an urgent application was moved by senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Gaurav Gupta, representing him.

Earlier, Annan's family and foundation confirmed his death on his official twitter handle.

Tharoor, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has been facing trial on charges of abetment of suicide and committing cruelty in Sunanda Pushkar case and was barred from foreign travel without prior permission.

Delhi's Patiala House Court allows Shashi Tharoor's application seeking to visit family of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (who passed away recently) abroad. Court also granted him permission to visit United Nations Headquarters to seek aid for #KeralaFloods. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/9hxk4SomaN  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

Read | Shashi Tharoor opens up on Sunanda Pushkar' death, shares heartache of losing wife

Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel room of Delhi on January 17, 2014. The police discovered 27 tablets of Alprax though it is not clear that how many she had.

Pushkar committed suicide days after a public spat at the Kochi airport with Tharoor, who she suspected was having an extra-marital affair with a Pakistani journalist.

The Congress leader has been charged under sections 498 A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Under section 498A, the maximum punishment is up to three years of imprisonment, while jail term up to 10 years is prescribed under section 306.

Read | Rahul Gandhi's apt warning to Shashi Tharoor

The couple's domestic servant, Narayan Singh, is one of the key witnesses in the case.

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New Delhi:

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) decision to fight the next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Haryana on its own rather than in partnership with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) poses a huge challenge for it. It is indeed a big gamble for SAD and an ordeal of fire for the party president Sukhbir Singh Badal in particular.

Already, the party had snapped links with its long-time ally the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and announced to go it alone in Haryana Assembly polls 2019. The challenge for Sukhbir is now doubly great.

Also Read | Atal Bihari Vajpayee - Bharat Ratna of Indian politics

The Akali-BJP ties in Punjab have endured for 30 years and the two parties shared power since 2007 until last year when the Congress trounced the combine. In 2014, too when the BJP stormed to power at the Centre riding on a Narendra Modi wave, the two parties were in alliance in Punjab but not in Haryana where the BJP came to power in conjunction with the Haryana Janhit Congress led by Kuldeep Bishnoi while the Akalis fought with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and were mauled.

This time around, even the INLD crutch would not be available to the Akalis. To add to its woes, the Haryana State Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (HSGPC-ad hoc) has snapped links with the main Akal Takht SGPC unit of Amritsar to which the Punjab Akali Dal is still aligned. A section of the Haryanvi Sikhs wants a separate identity for themselves and want to have nothing to do with the SGPC and the Akalis.

At the core of the controversy are the massive finances of the SGPC on which the Haryanvis feel they are denied their legitimate share.

Also Read | DMK under strain  a challenge for Stalin

A case related to the long pending demand of a separate Sikh body to govern gurdwaras in Haryana is in the final stage in the Supreme Court. While the judgment is being keenly awaited, it is inconceivable that the Haryana Sikhs would let go of their hold over the part of the finances of the ad hoc body.

Haryana Akali president Sharanjeet Singh Sahota said recently, We think there is no need for a separate body as the Sikhs in Haryana want to remain connected with the Akal Takht. However, we will raise our demand for a SGPC sub-office in Haryana. We will also urge the SGPC that donations collected from gurdwaras in Haryana should be spent here only.

To woo voters in Haryana, Sukhbir Badal said at a rally in Pipli on Sunday to announce that the Akalis would go it alone in Haryana that if SAD was voted to power in the state, it would implement a free power policy for the agriculture sector. He announced free piped irrigation water to all fields, 400 units free power per month to Dalits besides a slew of facilities for all sections of the society.

Also Read | BJP must keep off fishing in troubled waters in Assam and West Bengal

How far all this would go in attracting Sikh voters to vote for the Akalis in Haryana is anybodys guess but it appears unlikely that the Akali Dal would manage to make it big in Haryana, especially with the parting of ways between the Akal Takht and the Haryana Sikh committee and the sustained loyalty of a substantial section of Sikhs to the Akal Takht, the ultimate seat of spiritual power.

At the Pipli rally, Sukhbir made it clear that the SAD would take on the Congress aggressively in Haryana and assured the gathering that his party would continue the struggle for justice for the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims as long as the perpetrators were not jailed. He claimed that the Punjabi community was discriminated against by the Congress party be it during the Emergency or later during the period of militancy.

The former Punjab deputy chief minister whose party is part of the National Democratic Alliance in Delhi is soft on the BJP though not in alliance with it in Haryana. A post-poll arrangement between them cannot be ruled out.

Read More News Nation Editor's Picks Here
Bengaluru:

Always wanted to own that Mercedes or a BMW? Or an Audi, but can hardly afford the ultimate in luxury cars? Even high-end models of popular brands like Maruti, Hyundai or Renault are out of reach. Dont worry, now is the time if you are dreaming of a chance to pick them up at a bargain price. All you have to do is wait for auctioneers to announce dates for putting up the flood-damaged vehicles under the hammer when Kerala starts rebuilding itself after the flood waters recede.



Big car dealers are firming up plans to pitch their tents in Kerala, like they did in Chennai in Tamil Nadu two years ago when the capital city of this southern state was submerged under flood waters. Few BMWs, Audis, and Mercedes luxury cars costing upwards of Rs 2 crore a piece, went for as low as Rs 2 lakh or so. A costly sale of that of a Land Rover, costing Rs 1.25 fetched Rs 18 lakh to the auctioneer from a big used car seller of the country. There were Lamborghinis and Jaguars too for the picking.

Also Read | Kerala Disaster: When government ignored the danger signs



The reason for the rock bottom garage clearance sale of these luxury cars and high-end sedans and saloons was that they were all submerged under flood waters for three days in the December 2015 floods that hit Chennai. The capital city of TN and its adjoining four districts received the highest rainfall in a century that year leading to flooding of these areas. Likewise, Kerala too was lashed by the highest quantity of Monsoon rainfall of the century for the past one week and the state is submerged in flood waters.



The only piece of good news is that MeT office has predicted less rain and withdrew the red alert in all the 12 affected districts of the Gods Own Country.



Abhishek Gautam, COO of Cardekho.com, auctions division, is moving men and material to Kochi from next Monday to set up operations headquarters there to source and auction flood-damaged cars. For him, Kerala floods is the fifth flood-related auctions of vehicles he would be conducting, the previous one in Chennai where the total number of vehicles handled by his company totalled around 5,000.

Also Read | Now, Modi government must halt crippling effects of Chinese dumping



I will be needing a bigger team in Kerala as the flood damage is more widespread and as per our initial assessment, Kochi would be the place to concentrate our operations. Kochi also houses the biggest dealers of automobiles in Kerala, Gautam told News Nation in an exclusive telephonic interview.



For the present, we are in talks with the insurance companies and would be in a position to start operations once life returns to normalcy in a few days, he said.



Gautam was also handling this operation for his company during the Mumbai floods of 2005, followed by Surat in 2006 and then Jammu and Kashmir floods of 2014, Chennai floods of 2015 and now about to enter Kerala.



What can go wrong with cars that are submerged in flood waters is damage to their engines, electronic circuitry and malfunction of gadgetry in the machines. The used car dealer picks up the cars from the insurance companies and then auctions them to the highest bidders, who take chances  as any flood water affected car can develop a problem. But, with mechanics in tow, the customers are given a chance to inspect the vehicles and do spot bidding as well.



Recalling his recent Chennai experience, Gautam said that a 2009 BMW and an Audi of around the same time went for as low as Rs 2 lakh, picked up by customers during routine auctioning.



A smaller dealer, who comes with mechanics specialising in repair of such cars, told News Nation that he would even pick up cars even if they were damaged. A Delhi-based dealer Arvind Dabas had pitched his tent in Chennai during January 2016 to pick up flood-damaged vehicles. He had a team of 15 mechanics with him. Since he is in the business of car repairing and maintenance, he picks up cars that are completely damaged and rip them apart for usable parts.

Also Read | Unmaad: Madness of cow politics that reels out its real-life horrors

In Chennai, Dabas had picked up an Audi, just few months old, for a mere Rs 18 lakh and needed no additional spending. He just drove it away for re-sale elsewhere.

For the insurance companies, who will be flooded with damage claims, the auctions help cut their losses. If the auctions are successful, they would reduce our losses, said an insurance sector source.



For the present, plans are being firmed up, for auction in Kerala. Early movers in this business began reacting and putting up teams even as television channels began beaming live pictures of monsoon fury a week ago.

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New Delhi:

Curiosity Rover photographed a flat object that mission members initially thought to be a broken part of the huge robot. NASA later dubbed the object as Pettegrove Point Foreign Object Debris or PPFOD (Pettegrove Point is a section of Vera Rubin Ridge, the landform Curiosity has been exploring for the last 11 months or so.)



ALSO READ | opportunity Rover still unreachable as Mars dust storm continues, says NASA

Soon, Rovers observation revealed that the object isnt foreign at all."In fact, it was found to be a very thin flake of rock, so we can all rest easy tonight Curiosity has not begun to shed its skin!" mission team member Brittney Cooper, an atmospheric scientist based at York University in Toronto, wrote in an update on Thursday.

"Perhaps the target should have been given a different name befitting the theme of the current quadrangle in which Curiosity resides: 'Rabhadh Cearr,' or 'False Alarm' in Scottish Gaelic," she added.

Curiosity recently drilled a Pettegrove Point rock dubbed Stoer, and the rover has begun analysing the snagged samples, Cooper wrote in the update. The 1-ton rover has also been measuring the opacity of the Martian atmosphere of late, helping researchers monitor the global dust storm that has been raging on the Red Planet for the past two months.



ALSO READ | Aditya-L1: Indias historic mission to study the sun

However, Opportunity Rovers storm on Mars has begun dying down, but there's still apparently so much dust in the air that Rover cannot get enough sunlight to recharge its batteries. Opportunity Rover has been silent since June 10 and NASA scientists think the long-lived robot put itself in a short sleep mode.

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Islamabad:

Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday moved into a modest three-bed room house of his military secretary along with two servants, a day after announcing that he would not be staying in the sprawling PM House which has a staff of 524, keeping his pledge to cut down the expenditure of the cash-strapped government.

Khan, announcing a series of austerity measures to cut down the expenditure during his maiden address to the nation late last night, said that he wanted to live in his own house in Banigala but was told by security agencies that my life was under threat which is why I am living here.

Also Read | Pakistan should have uninterrupted talks with India: Pak FM Qureshi

Khan, on Monday moved to the official residence of the military secretary which he has announced to use as the PM House, Geo News reported.

Before Khan was sworn in, his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had reported that the Chief Ministers annex in Punjab House will be utilised as the prime ministers residence. But it was later decided by Khan to move to the military secretarys residence following security concerns.

The residence where Khan will now stay in is situated in the PM House Colony and according to media reports, he will spend Sundays at Banigala.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi welcomes deepening partnership between India, Japan

On Sunday, Khan said that the PM House has 524 servants and a fleet of 80 cars. Khan said he would just retain two servants.

The prime minister, which is me, also has 33 bulletproof cars. We have helicopters and aeroplanes to fly us. We have massive governor houses and every conceivable luxury.

On one hand we dont have money to spend on our people; on the other hand, we have a section of our people living like our colonial masters used to live, he said.

Look at how we live. Look at how much money is spent by prime ministers on foreign tours? Where do these people spend Rs 650 million? Where does the speaker spend the Rs 160 million budget allotted to him? Are they going abroad to conquer land? Khan asked.

Also Read | Sedition case against Navjot Singh Sidhu for hugging Pak Army Chief

Detailing plans on how he will cut down his own as well the countrys expenditure, he said I will keep two people with me out of the 524. I will be staying in a three-bedroom house. I will have to keep two of the cars because my intelligence agencies tell me my life is under threat. I wish I did not have to move out of Banigala, but I have been forced to do so.

Khan said his government would auction off all the other bullet proof cars and invited businesses to buy them during auction.

We will put the proceeds of that auction in the state treasury, he added.

Khan said that he wished that the PM House be turned into a research university.

Also Read | Sidhu defends hugging Pak Army Chief, sitting next to PoK President

I am forming a committee under Dr Ishrat Husain (a top Pakistani banker and economist) to figure out how to cut expenses nationwide. I also want you to understand that the money we lavish on ourselves could have been spent on those who our state has left behind.

He said his slogan of a new Pakistan also requires a new thinking. We have to think about those who we have left behind, he said.

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Living beyond the aquatic apocalypse, Death toll nears 400; Indian embassy sets up help desk to assist expatriates, whose families were devastated by the calamity

Living beyond the aquatic apocalypse, Death toll nears 400; Indian embassy sets up help desk to assist expatriates, whose families were devastated by the calamity

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, HRH the Premier and HRH the Crown Prince have sent cables of condolences and sympathies to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind over the deaths caused by the floods and landslides in the state of Kerala.

HM the King Hamad prayed to God Almighty to rest the souls of the deceased in eternal peace and to bless the injured with speedy recovery. Keralas worst floods in nearly a century saw nearly 400 people dead while at least 661,000 were displaced and all 14 districts of the state, were placed on high alert.

Meanwhile the Indian Embassy has set up a help desk to assist the expatriates, whose families are devastated by the calamity in the form of a flood that continues unabated despite the mass rescue operations of the state assisted by the Government of India.

Indian Ambassador to Bahrain Alok K Sinha said that the Indian Embassy is committed to provide all help to the expatriates who are hit by the floods in which most of the urban and rural areas are heavily affected as the landslides and flood continue unabated causing damages beyond words. Besides, the Indian Embassy can be contacted 24/7 on the following numbers: +973 39418071/39304346.

The ambassador added that the embassy is in constant touch with the Indian government and all measures will be taken to render timely help to the affected people in the state.
A 49-year-old Bahraini woman died of heart attack after finishing her Umrah on Friday, becoming the second Bahraini pilgrim to die. A 44-year-old man died in Holy Mecca on Thursday after completing his Umrah pilgrimage.

Speaking to Tribune, Khalid Al Malood, Secretary-General of the Hajj Mission, said the woman was transferred to King Abdullah Medical City Hospital, where she died after suffering the cardiac arrest.

He said the medical committee of the Bahrain Hajj Mission is always on alert as there are many pilgrims who suffer from high blood sugar.

Dr Ibrahim Farouk Obaid, head of the medical committee, urged pilgrims, especially those suffering from diabetes to strictly follow their medications to avoid health complications during the time of pilgrimage.
On June 28, the White Paper on China and the World Trade Organisation was released. The White Paper is published to give a full account of Chinas fulfillment of its World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments, to explain Chinas principles, stances, policies, and propositions regarding the multilateral trading system, and to describe Chinas vision and actions in advancing higher-level reform and opening-up. In 2001, China acceded to the WTO. This was a milestone in Chinas integration into economic globalization, marking a new historic stage of reform and opening-up. Since its accession to the WTO, China has been a strong advocate for free trade. China has comprehensively fulfilled its commitments to the WTO, substantially opened its market to the world, and delivered mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes on a wider scale. Through these efforts, China has lived up to its responsibility as a major country. China firmly observes and upholds the WTO rules, and supports the multilateral trading system that is open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory. China has participated in all aspects of WTO work, made its voice heard and contributed its own proposals on improving global economic governance. China is an active participant, strong supporter and major contributor in the multilateral trading system. Accession to the WTO has boosted Chinas development and benefited the rest of the world. Propelled by a new vision of development, the Chinese economy is transitioning from rapid growth to high-quality development. China has become a major stabilizer and driving force for the world economy. China stays committed to the strategy of opening-up for winwin results, vigorously promotes the Belt and Road Initiative, and shares opportunities and benefits with other countries and their people while developing China itself, enhancing global wellbeing and common prosperity. At the historic starting point of a new era, Chinas door of opening-up will not be closed and will only open even wider. Opening-up was key to Chinas economic growth over the past 40 years. In the same vein, high-quality development of Chinas economy in the future can only be achieved with greater openness. The White Paper gives a whole picture of Chinas comprehensive fulfillment of its WTO commitments, firm support for the multilateral trading system, proactive embacement of economic globalization and polices adopted to promote high-standard liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment. China will continue adhering to the fundamental national policy of reform and opening-up and will work together with other countries to build a community of shared future with extensive converging interests and a high degree of interdependence. Friendship between China and Bahrain dates back to ancient times and will be everlasting. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1989, under the guidance of the leaders of our two countries, high level exchanges have become more frequent, political mutual trust has been constantly strengthened, cultural exchanges have been greatly expanded and economic cooperation has been significantly promoted. China and Bahrain have become friendly partners of mutual understanding and trust and cooperative partners of win-win result. Both China and Bahrain are WTO members. By joining hands to uphold WTO spirits and rules, the trade cooperation between our two countries has become closer and boarder in recent years. The billateral trade volume between China and Bahrain reached a new high at $1.97 billion in 2017, 15% up on that of 2016, of which imports from China amounted to $1.65 billion, making China the largest import source of Bahrain. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China and Bahrains Economic Vision 2030 are compatible in development concept, areas and model. I firmly believe that, with the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative and Bahrains Economic Vision 2030, the all-around friendly relations between China and Bahrain will surely enter a new beautiful era.
Several members of the Biafra Zionists Federation, BZF, were early Monday morning reportedly arrested in Enugu.

Several members of the Biafra Zionists Federation, BZF, were early Monday morning reportedly arrested in Enugu.

The pro-Biafra agitators were nabbed alongside their self-acclaimed leader, Barr. Benjamin Onwuka.





A combined team of security operatives made up of the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigeria Police were said to have been involved in the operation.





We learnt that they were arrested after another failed attempt to enter the Enugu Government House for the inauguration of Biafra.





A source hinted that they had marched from the Presidential Road, through Rangers Avenue, but were stopped at the Bissala Road entry to the Government House by security operatives.





Deputy Leader of the group, Mazi Ambrose Ugwu, who confirmed the arrest to journalists, said, our people were prevented from entering the Enugu Government House, after which they were arrested and taken away.





I learnt they were arrested by men of the DSS and the police.





Right now, I dont know how many of them that were arrested; I also dont know where they took them to, Ugwu said.





Recallthat the Enugu State Police Command had on Sunday warned the Zionists not to get close the Enugu Government House as they would be made to face the law squarely.





Onwuka had also on May 30 made a similar attempt, leading to his arrest and remand in prison. But 24 hours after his release, he announced August 20 as new date for his Biafra inauguration, claiming that the United States and Israel were behind him.





Both the Police and the DSS are yet to issue official statements on the reported arrest.





The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu Police Command, SP Ebere Amaraizu, when contacted, said he should be given some time.




Junaid Mohammed, a lawmaker in the second republic, says some of President Muhammadu Buharis kinsmen want him to reinstate Lawal Daura, f...

Junaid Mohammed, a lawmaker in the second republic, says some of President Muhammadu Buharis kinsmen want him to reinstate Lawal Daura, former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS).





Daura, who was sacked following the DSS blockade at the national assembly, is from the presidents home state of Katsina.





In an interview with PUNCH, Mohammed said: There is an ethnic attempt by those who are related to Buhari, who are from Daura, who must be related to Lawan Daura, who now want to travel to the United Kingdom to ask Buhari to reverse himself and virtually bring back Lawan Daura and then sack the national security adviser who was supposed to be Lawan Dauras boss but who he never respected and who he was not even in speaking terms with.





Buhari returned from his vacation in the UK on Saturday.





Mohammed also said Adams Oshiomhole, chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is unfit for his present position.





Oshiomhole, who won the chairmanship seat unopposed, is regarded as the preferred candidate of President Buhari





I dont believe Adams Oshiomhole has the qualities of a political party leader and that in addition to so many other blunders and display of bad faith by Buhari himself has further complicated matters, he said.





Mohammed said the emergence of Oshiomhole as APC chairman is bad for the country and the party.





Since Oshiomhole assumed office, the ruling party has lost some of its prominent members, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).





What we had before he became national chairman of the party was already too much, Mohammed said.





Bringing Oshiomhole and making him chairman of the party, add that to the blunders of President Muhammadu Buhari and his presidency; simply means Nigeria and the political system should be ready to pay a high price.





Nobody in his right senses will look at this fellow (Oshiomhole) and think he can be a political party leader who can maintain some harmony, some level-headed approach to sorting out problems. He has now become more or less the glorified national publicity secretary of the APC.




The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) is set for the trial of Gbenga Makanjuola, deputy chief of staff to the Senate President Bukola Saraki and a former Managing Director of Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria( SGBN), Mr. Robert Mbonu.The duo are to be arraigned over the alleged conversion of N3.5billion of N19billion London-Paris Club refund to states.The other accused are Melrose General Services Limited and Obiora Amobi. No date has been fixed for the trial of the suspects at a Federal High Court in Lagos.Following protests by states over deductions for external debt service between 1995 and 2002, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of N522.74 billion (first tranche) refund to them, pending reconciliation of records.ach state was entitled to N14.5 billion or 25 per cent of the amount claimed.The release of the cash was trailed by a huge controversy, including payment of N19billion consultancy fees and $86million into the accounts of the NGF.The EFCC in the last two years has been investigating the alleged diversion of the N19billion under the guise of consultancy fees, including the N3.5billion, which was allegedly remitted to Melrose General Services Limited, allegedly with links to Mbonu.About $183,000 of the N3.5billion was transferred to a Dubai jeweler patronised by some senators.In the charges against the suspects, the EFCC said there was no service rendered to have warranted the payment of the N3.5billion.The charges read in part: That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu, Melrose General Services Limited and other persons at large on or about the 14th day of December, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to disguise the unlawful origin of the sum of N3.5billion paid into the account of Melrose General Services Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose General Services Limited having reason to know that N3.5billion directly represented the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: Conspiracy and Stealing: did convert the said funds which you received from the Nigeria Governors Forum under the false guise that you were entitled to payment of consultancy fees from money recovered for the states in relation to over-deductions on Paris and London club loans on the account of the states and local government (1995-2002) which service you did not render and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose General Services Limited on or about the 14th December, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain in the Access Bank Plc Account No. 0005892453 operated by Melrose General Services Limited the sum of N3, 500,000,000.00 received from the Nigeria Governors Forum when you reasonably ought to know that the said money was a direct proceed of your unlawful activity to wit Conspiracy and Stealing: and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) ((1) 0f the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose General Services Limited on or about the 20th of December, 2015 in Lagos wihln the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did transfer the sum 0f N50m being part of N3.5billion which represented the direct proceed of your unlawful activity to wit: (Conspiracy and Stealing) to Gbenga Makanjuola and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.That you Gbenga Makanjuola on or about the 20th of December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make cash payment of the sum of N50, 000,000.00 (Fifty million naira) to Robert Chidozie Mbonu without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 201 1 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu on or about the 20th of December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did accept cash payment of the sum of N50million from Gbenga Makanjuola without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose General Services Limited between the 15th December 2016 and 17th December, 2016 in Lagos Within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did transfer the sum of N300million being part of N3.5billion which represented the direct proceed of your unlawful activity (to wit Conspiracy and Stealing) to Obiora Amobi and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.That you Obiora Amobi between the 15th December 2016 and 17th December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make cash payment of N300million to Robert Chidozie Mbonu without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu on or about the 20th of December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did accept cash payment of N300million from Obiora Amobi without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in Ekiti State has issued a strike notice to Governor Ayodele Fayose over unpaid seven months salary arrears.Expressing dismay at the governments lukewarm attitude at their plight, the local government workers said they would embark on strike on Thursday if the government failed to meet their demands.In a communique issued and made available to our correspondent n Sunday following their State Executive Council meeting in Ado Ekiti, the union condemned Fayoses intention to employ 2,000 new workers when those who were already in the system were being owed arrears of salaries.In the communique signed by the states President, Bunmi Ajimoko, and other council members, NULGE reminded the government that only one out of its four demands had been partially attended to.The union wishes to reiterate that in spite of our agitation, the government only paid up to December 2017 salary leaving seven months yet unpaid.It is evident now that the government is insensitive to the workers plight because the union has it on good authority that the government is planning to add to the burden of the local governments by recruiting more hands to the teaching sector.For the sake of clarity, the union has nothing against the recruitment into SUBEB, but on condition that all salaries and other emoluments owed local government workers be paid before the commencement of the payment of the newly recruited personnel.In view of the above, the State Executive Council in session, therefore, directs all members of the union to stay at home indefinitely from Thursday, 23rd August 2018, until further directives by the union.
Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, says his achievements in office shows that he is not a mistake.

Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, says his achievements in office shows that he is not a mistake.









Akpabio who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), said this at a rally in Ikot Ekpene.





Responding through Charles Udoh, his commissioner of information, the governor said Akpabio has mortgaged his conscience and is now attempting to deceive Akwa Ibom people.





A governor that records the achievements despite the challenges of an epileptic national economy cannot be a mistake, Udoh told TheCable.





I doubt if there is any first term governor in Nigeria who has recorded this level of achievement. Godswill Akpabio spent eight years as commissioner under Obong Attah; spent eight years as governor at the height of the states income receipts from the federal government yet he couldnt complete Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road (the road to his village) despite appropriating almost all the sums budgeted for the project.





three years; Godswill spent eight years with zero industry Godswill also commissioned an uncompleted building with rented furniture and fitting and called it 4 Points Sheraton Hotel. Udom has, as at today, facilitated the setting up of more than nine industries in justthree years; Godswill spent eight years with zero industry




Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation minister, on Sunday, lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that he will jail more looters. ...

Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation minister, on Sunday, lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that he will jail more looters.





He stressed that Buhari will end up like the biblical Herod, Pharaoh and Sennacherub because he allegedly carried out more corrupt practices than any other leader.





Buhari had made the declaration upon his return from London, where he spent 10 days on vacation.





However, Fani-Kayode rubbished the Presidents declaration, describing Buhari as nothing but a pernicious liar, a loud-mouthed hypocrite and a schoolyard bully.





In a tweet, the former minister wrote: I have come back to jail looters- Buhari.





You are nothing but a pernicious liar, a loud-mouthed hypocrite and a schoolyard bully.




Leke Adeboye, the last son and Senior Personal Assistant of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Ade...

Leke Adeboye, the last son and Senior Personal Assistant of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has come under attack for claiming that the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Winners Chapel and other churches of same belief are the greatest threat to Islam.

In a post on his Instagram, the clerics son claimed that someone is being paid to always attack the church and praise Islam.





He wrote, The greatest threat to Islam is RCCG, Winners along with other churches with the same belief. It is now clear why someone is against us constantly, they need to keep posting because someone is paying them.





Even if the post does not make any sense at all. Their given assignment is you just keep looking for how to discredit them and then once in a while, add that Islam is a good religion too, interesting, everyone is just doing their own assignment.





However, reacting, Daddy Freeze blasted Leke for his statement. Freeze boasted that Jesus is more likely to be found in a Mosque than in RCCG.





He wrote on Instagram, Are you trying to say that Islam is a bad religion? Or is your doltish write up, trying to imply that RCCG and Winners were set up to threaten Islam?





Why you no gree get sense like this? As you old so, come swell like pussycat pregnancy sense still far from you?





When brains were handed out were u playing truant? When you were born, did people forget to congratulate your dad? Because I dont get it.?





Anyway, write these words down in marble and please do me a favor, show them to your daddy and his boys.





YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO FIND JESUS IN A MOSQUE THAN IN RCCG. ~FRZ.




The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday welcomed President Muhammadu Buharis declaration to jail treasury looters, but challenged hi...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday welcomed President Muhammadu Buharis declaration to jail treasury looters, but challenged him to start from the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole.





PDP said in line with his declaration, Buhari should also prosecute the sacked Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Daura, and chieftains of the APC.





A statement by PDPs spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari should show integrity by starting with immediate investigation and prosecution of the factional National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and a host of other indicted persons in his presidency, who he is currently covering.





The party challenged Buhari to also allow an investigation into the alleged stealing of billions of naira by his allies and party chieftains, including the sacked former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, his former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Yusuf Usman.





The statement added, President Buhari should immediately allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence Oshiomholes investigation, which has been stalled despite his indictment for allegedly stealing billions of naira belonging to Edo state.





The PDP further challenged President Buhari to allow an investigation into the alleged frittering of over N11 trillion in the petroleum sector, under his direct supervision as minister, including the alleged N9 trillion illegal oil contract as detailed in the leaked presidency memo, the alleged N1.4 trillion corrupt subsidy regime and alleged diversion of N1.1 trillion worth crude oil using 18 illegal companies allegedly linked to Presidency cabal and APC chieftains.





The President should also allow the investigation of his ministers, who as former governors, were indicted of stealing billions of naira belonging to their states, particularly, a former governor, who was indicted by his state for allegedly diverting over N40 billion to finance APCs 2015 Presidential campaign.





Mr. President must also investigate how billions of naira allegedly moved from parastatals under his Petroleum ministry to finance the failed attempt to change the leadership of the National Assembly as well as the certificate scandals among his ministers and special advisers and jail all those involved.





These are the people Nigerians have been expecting President Buhari to investigate, prosecute and if found wanting sent to jail. Unfortunately, Mr. President has been pursuing perceived political enemies, and innocent opposition members while dining and wining with corrupt persons, a development that has completely called to question the integrity of his anti-corruption fight.




The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Monday called on Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, to apologize to Ndigbo over the arrest, alleged beating of Pro-Biafra women in the state.In a statement to Vanguard in Owerri, by MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, also viewed the planned operation python dance 3, as aimed at putting fears in Igboland ahead of 2019 elections.Recall that Vanguard had reported that the over 2000 Pro Biafra women who were on a peaceful protest, were tear-gassed by the police, an incident where some of them were said to have been injured.In the statement by Madu, on the arrest of Pro-Biafra women in Imo state, during their peaceful protest, MASSOB condemned in its entirety, the clampdown, mesmerization, torture and arrest of Biafra women agitators that protested in Owerri against the continued subjection of Biafra self-determination agitation by Nigeria APC led federal government.We cant continue to fold our hands and watch our enemies mesmerizing our ancestral cultures and traditions. It is a taboo in Igbo land to beat or assault elderly women in public. Imo state government under Rochas Okorocha has allowed and committed a sacrilegious abomination against Ala Igbo and our ancestors.MASSOB demands that all the women must be released now with official apology statements from Imo state government. Secondly, Imo state government must institute a traditional cleansing of Imo land or major calamitous occurrences will befall Governor Rochas Okorocha led Imo state.It went further to disagree with the Federal government on the controversial Operation python dance 3, in the Southeast zone.He said: The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) condemned in totality the recent declaration of Nigerian Army on operation Python Dance 3 in Biafra land describing it as another dimension of war prosecution by Buhari led Administration against Ndigbo, it also amount to political declaration of state of emergency in South East States.Army headquarters with their ulterior negative motives started this annihilating operation in Biafra land since Nov 27, 2016 without any public enlightenment and orientation in other to maim the people of Biafra.Though their main primary target and reasons of these operations is to silence and mesmerise the activities of pro Biafra Agitators whose non violence activism and international diplomatic sympathies have cause jittery and diplomatic cracks on Federal government.The group was of the feelings that, MASSOB also learnt that other frustrations of the Federal government led Army against the people of Biafra is gross jealousy of our technological and economic achievements despite all systematic and calculated subjections against Ndigbo.The militarys planned third annihilation Python dancing is against the people of Biafra mostly the Igbos during this coming Christmas period through intensive pressurised monetary extortion, harassment/ intimidations, mesmerization and secret / extra judicial killings of Ndigbo because of current Biafranization of Igboland and Ndigbo.They know that this Igbo festive season and subsequent Christmas season are period of Igbo gathering with much concentration in Igboland, so to the military, its a fertile land and opportunity for creating fears/ tensions among our people which they thought will derail the love, confidence and consciousness of Biafra.MASSOB described this is an extension of Buhari led administration forceful islamisation of Igboland through military fears and religious intimidation.This operation is also designed to demoralize the people of Biafra from returning home for Igbo festivities and Christmas celebration. The military operation is beyond Igbo leaders including the Governors and National Assembly members.MASSOB and the people of Biafra will never be intimidated, grow cold or loose focus on Biafra actualization and restoration. We encourage the military to continue their Python dancing until all their nakedness get completely exposed before the international communities.MASSOB advice the people of Biafra not to panic or entertain fears because of another Python dancing of Nigeria military in Biafra land. No amount of Nigeria military intimidations, Python dancing and militarisation of Biafra land will ever extinguish Biafra spirit among our people.
Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has stated that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo achieved more in 10 days as Actin...

Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has stated that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo achieved more in 10 days as Acting President than President Muhammadu Buhari has done in three years.





Buhari had on August 3 travelled to London for a 10-day vacation.





He, however, returned on Saturday evening after ending his vacation.





However, Omokri has stated that Nigeria would be better served having Osinbajo as President than Buhari.





In a tweet, Omokri stressed that while Buhari was away, Osinbajo took some major actions like the sack of Lawal Daura as Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, among others.





He wrote: In just 10 days of being in office as acting President, VP Osinbajo has achieved more than Buhari has in 3 years.




Senate President Bukola Saraki says the national assembly is committed to ensuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is...

Senate President Bukola Saraki says the national assembly is committed to ensuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is well funded to conduct the 2019 polls.





He said this on Sunday in reaction to the claim of the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) that he was slowing down the approval of the budget request for the elections.





In a statement by Olu Onemola, his special assistant on new media, Saraki said the claim is an example of conscientious ignorance on full display.





He said despite the failure of the executive to submit the budget on time, the relevant committees of the national assembly are working to ensure that due process is followed in approving the presidents request.





By now, the Nigerian people are aware that the executive branch could have submitted INECs 2019 election budget at the time it submitted the 2018 appropriations proposal last year, Onemola said.





The executive had from January till June this year to submit the budget request. However, due to a perceived lack of foresight, display of usual tardiness or an attempt to ensure that due process would not be followed, this request was submitted only a few days before the statutory national assembly annual recess.





He further said: Regardless of this unforced error on the part of the executive, the national assembly has continued its work on this budget.





The joint committees are now scheduled to meet on Monday when they are expected to come up with a committee report that will be sent to the appropriations committee, which will spell out how to source the presidents virement request through the concerned MDAs.





The senate president, the senate and the entire national assembly, are committed to ensuring that the 2019 elections receive all necessary funding. However, this should not be at the expense of due process and stated guidelines.




The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that he has what it takes to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in any political pla...

The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that he has what it takes to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in any political platform.





The Governor said that if he wanted to remain in the APC and battle the partys ticket with Buhari, he would have done so and won the presidency.





The Governor made this known in his reaction to the statement by the APC National Leader, Ahmed Tinubu, about his exit from the ruling party.





According to a statement on the States Twitter handle, @sokotogovthouse, Tambuwal said that Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied as Buharis Vice President, adding that the former Lagos Governor thinks everyone was like him.





If I wanted to and if the Presidency is what (why) Ahmed Tinubu thinks I defected, I could contest with President Buhari under the APC. I have what it takes to have contested with Mr. President.





Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied Buharis vice presidency. He thinks every other person could behave his way. If I wanted to contest under the APC as president, I could have done so and only the votes could have produced a winner.





He added that Tinubus statement could serve as a confirmation that there was no internal democracy in the ruling party.





He added, In any case, Tinubu is confessing that there is no level-playing ground for all members of the APC; that there is no internal democracy in it and that some people were denied their right to internal democracy.




The Chibok Parents Association says former President Goodluck Jonathan did not rescue any of their abducted girls as claimed by Reuben Ab...

The Chibok Parents Association says former President Goodluck Jonathan did not rescue any of their abducted girls as claimed by Reuben Abati, his former aide.





Daily Trust reports that Yakubu Nkeki, chairman of the association, said the claim could only make sense if the Jonathan administration kept the supposedly rescued girls away from their parents.









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 said on Arise TV.





Commenting on the development, Nkeki said: Does he mean they rescued some of the Chibok girls and are keeping them somewhere? If that is what he means, then they should immediately release the girls to us.





What we know is that the Buhari regime negotiated for and secured the release of all the girls we have with us now. Soon after their release, I was called to Abuja to identify them. These girls are currently at the American University of Nigeria, Yola under federal governments full scholarship.





Florence Ozor, chair, #Bring Back Our Girls strategic team, said the group is not aware of such a development.





All we know is the number of girls that have been released under Buhari administration and we are not aware of this development, she said.





I really dont understand what the motive would be. How would you secure children from terrorists and the parents and the nation are not aware and you just sent them abroad? There is more to what they are telling us. It will be good if they can make it public because the parents and the nation need to know.




Senators loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki have accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of abandoning its mandate of bringing po...

Senators loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki have accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of abandoning its mandate of bringing positive change.





Isah Misau and Rafiu Ibrahim, senators representing Bauchi central and Kwara south respectively, asked the ruling party to stop blaming the senate president as he is not the cause of their woes.





The APC and Saraki have been on a warpath since the nations number three citizen dumped the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).





The party has at various times accused him of frustrating the current administrations development agenda.





In a statement on Sunday, the two senators told the APC leaders to stop looking for scapegoats for their failure to fulfill their mandate by constantly blaming Saraki.





APC leaders are being clever by half. They have spent most of the last 38 months harassing Saraki and sponsoring media attacks against him, the statement read





Now that the man has been vindicated by the courts and he has decided to leave their party, they have devised another propaganda stunt to start heaping the blames of their failure to bring positive change to Nigeria on Saraki.





For three years of the APC administration, former President Goodluck Jonathan was the scapegoat they blamed. Now that it dawned on them that nobody is listening to that tale by moonlight again, their propaganda machinery has shifted focus to Saraki as the new man to blame.





These are characters who cannot take responsibility for their inability to provide good governance as they promised. Must these people blame somebody all the time? Were they elected to bring in positive change or to shift blames?





They added that instead of concentrating on how to use the next six months before the general elections to hasten the completion of infrastructure projects, the APC is now led by demagogues who seem not to care if they bring the entire country down.




Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sign the new electoral act amendment bill into law. ...

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sign the new electoral act amendment bill into law.





He said the bill should be signed now to avoid altering the arrangements for 2019 elections, in accordance to the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance act.





The national assembly had first amended the electoral act but it was rejected by Buhari due to provisions inconsistent with the 1999 constitution.





The lawmakers then expunged the said provisions and passed a new bill, which has been transmitted to Buhari for assent.





Falana said the new bill should be promptly signed into law in view of the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the 2019 elections will commence in February 2019.





He said: In making this call the attention of the president ought to be drawn to article 2 (1) of the Economic Community of West African States Protocol A/SP1/12/01 on Democracy and Good Governance which provides that: No substantial modification shall be made to the electoral laws in the last six (6) months before the elections, except with the consent of majority of political actors.





He cited an example with the case of Congress of Democracy and Progress v Republic of Burkina Faso where the Ecowas Court ruled that all the member states of the ECOWAS are bound by the provisions of the protocol on democracy and good governance.





Since the modification made to the 2010 Electoral Act is substantia, the bill cannot be passed in less than six months to the 2019 general election, Falana added.




Popular Juju musician and owner of Fresh FM Ibadan, Yinka Ayefele, on Monday released an official statement following the demolition of hi...

Popular Juju musician and owner of Fresh FM Ibadan, Yinka Ayefele, on Monday released an official statement following the demolition of his music house/radio station by the Oyo State government.

Yinka Ayefele, who alleged that one Toyin Arulogun suggested the demolition, told fans of his radio station to desist from damaging public property out of anger.





This came following reports of widespread condemnation that trailed the demolition by Nigerians across all social spectrum.





The statement reads: I greet the entire Fresh Fm fans both home and abroad.I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude for this opportunity and experience.





As we all know, Fresh Fm is not an Ayefele owned company but a company owned by the general public. Ill like to plead with everyone not to cause any casualty especially on the Ajumose bus packed around Music House.





Please, do not destroy any government property. This happened for a reason. Lets leave everything in Gods care. And Ill like to thank the government of Oyo state for what they have done. Where they began and where they are at the moment.





Special thanks to TOYIN ARULOGUN for he was the one who suggested the demolition. And also the Nigeria Broadcasting corporation for their support.





Finally, our program continues as usual and Ill use this medium to beg the entire crew especially Alhaji Abolade Salami, Soul, Olalomi Amole, Yeye Agbedegbeyo, Babatunmise to stop the cry and mourning.




Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has raised an alarm over a purported plan by the police to invade her home in Abuja to arrest her.

Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has raised an alarm over a purported plan by the police to invade her home in Abuja to arrest her.





Although she didnt reveal who was behind the arrest plot, the mother-of-one threatened that she would rather die than allow any negative thing happen to her son.





She disclosed this on her Instagram page.





The actress wrote: I guess I am now a criminal. My stomach oh and they are even coming with Press to record my arrest she wrote





If the hair on my sons body is touched, oga police you will have to bury me, you will have to kill me. Haaa, Oga police there is no fear bone in my system.




A young Indian businessman who wanted to get back on his girlfriends good side after an argument put up 300 billboards and signs all over their local suburb, to let her know he wanted her forgiveness.

Its not clear what 25-year-old Nilesh Khedekar had done to upset his girlfriend, but he clearly thought it serious enough to be worth the effort of an impressive operation to earn her forgiveness. Last week, after hearing that the girl, named Shivde, was returning from Mumbai to her home in Pimple Saudagar, a suburb of Pune, the young man decided he had to come up with a creative way of showing her just how sorry he was about their argument. He got in touch with a printer and commissioned hundreds of different-sized posters with the message Shivde, I am Sorry!. Then, on the night before the girls scheduled returned, he paid a group of boys to hang the signs and billboards all over her neighborhood.

Photo: Twitter

On Friday morning, the people of Pimple Saudagar woke up to 300 posters and signs on buildings, lamp posts and billboards, all carrying the same mysterious message and a heart sign. People started taking photos of the signs and posting them on social media, and by midday, they had become the talk of the town. While most people online thought it was romantic how someone had gone to all this trouble to apologize to their loved one, the local police werent so impressed.

By Friday evening, authorities had already tracked down the printer, the boys who had put up the posters and eventually the man who had orchestrated the whole thing, Nilesh Khedekar. He told police about the argument he had had with Shivde, and how he tried to do something creative to earn her forgiveness, like putting up hundreds of posters on the route she would return on from Mumbai.

Photo: DNA India

Khedekar told that he had some differences with his girlfriend whom he called Shivde. In order to apologise to her he came up with this idea of putting up hoardings and banners in the area where she stays. Khedekar roped in his friend to execute the plan, a police officer told DNA India.

Unfortunately for the 25-year-old director of a family-owned company, his plan didnt work out quite the way he wanted. After spending a reported RS72,000 ($1,000) to have the posters printed and put up around town, all he had to show for it was a formal complaint from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) officials, for defacing the locality. Its unclear what the penalty is in such cases, but it most likely involves a fine.

The entire thing has turned ugly. My idea was to be creative in apologising to her. Now I think I shouldnt have done it in the first place. I have let my parents down. I have let her (girlfriend) and her family down as well, Nilesh said.

While his 300 hundred posters have since been taken down, they are still circulating on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. No word on whether Shivde has actually forgiven the hero of our story.
Beef Buzz News

Is Your Herd Health Program Up to Snuff? BI's Craig Jones Offers Tips on Prepping for Fall Calving

In January of 2017, the livestock pharmaceutical company Boehringer-Ingelheim completed its acquisition of Merial, and the combined companies now offer a robust portfolio of herd health products for their farm and ranch customers with everything from vaccines for preventative medicine, dewormers and even some antibiotics. Dr. Craig Jones is the director of professional cattle services for BI and spoke recently with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays about how his company can help beef producers manage their herds health as we transition from summer into the fall calving season.





Were moving into the fall of the year where we need to be thinking about getting our cattle ready for weaning, especially for our cow/calf producers, Jones said. They need to be thinking about preconditioning. A key to that is pre-weaning vaccinations - allowing that immune system time to respond to our vaccines. In doing this, cattle will be healthier after weaning and will perform a little better.





The idea, of course, is for a producer to have a herd health plan in place, but with everything that is on the market and all the risks that exist today things can get confusing. For producers that arent sure where to start, Jones advises they begin by consulting their local veterinarian for advice on what diseases are prominent in your region and then continue to work with them on developing a vaccine protocol specific for your operation. The same is true for stocker operators who Jones says need to have a good receiving program for cattle, because one can never be certain of what cattle have been exposed to or treated for before arriving on site. With calving season just around the corner, though, the most important thing producers should be thinking about is getting their mama cows primed and ready.





The key thing is trying to make sure your cows are in good body condition, he said. We want them to calve in a body condition of 5 or better. Make sure they are well-vaccinated up to this point. You might consider a scours vaccine, depending on what issues youve had in the past. But the main thing is ensuring good quality nutrition and having a good vaccination program in place.





Listen to Dr. Jones offer more of his advice on managing herd health and how BI can help supply producers needs on the ranch with Ron Hays, on todays Beef Buzz.





The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.





















Listen to Jones offer more of his advice on managing herd health and how BI can help, click below.

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FPAC Statement on President Trump's Comments Regarding California Forest Fires "The U.S. could provide an immediate discount to Americans rebuilding after fires by rescinding tariffs on Canadian lumber, which has increased the cost of lumber by 20 percent."  Derek Nighbor, CEO, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC). Aug. 17, 2018 - Forest Products Association of Canada CEO Derek Nighbor issued the following statement today after U.S. President Donald Trump's comments partially blaming Canadian lumber imports for forest fires in California. First and foremost our thoughts are with people in Canada and the U.S. who have been displaced from their homes or are on evacuation alert, and with our first responders who are valiantly battling fires on both sides of the border, said Nighbor. The U.S. simply does not have the milling capacity to meet consumer needs and are only able to satisfy about 75 per cent of American wood demand. Unfortunately, Americans are being forced to pay higher prices for wood products because of U.S. tariffs on Canadian lumber. The U.S. could provide an immediate discount to Americans rebuilding after fires by rescinding tariffs on Canadian lumber, which has increased the cost of lumber by 20 per cent. It's also important to note that the quality of Canadian lumber cannot be matched by burnt California wood recovered after fires. U.S. home builders value the quality, strength and sustainability of Canadian wood and the most important action the U.S. could take to help people rebuild would be to eliminate tariffs. In regard to managing forests damaged or destroyed by fire and reducing fuel for future fires, we must work together on both sides of the border with governments and local communities to find solutions to ensure we are keeping communities safe, respecting important environmental values, and driving social and economic opportunities for forestry communities. FPAC provides a voice for Canada's wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $69-billion-a-year forest products industry represents 2 per cent of Canada's GDP. To learn more, please visit: www.fpac.ca SOURCE: Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
Chinese Company Plans to Reopen Wickliffe Paper Mill in Kentucky by End-2018 At the time of its closure in 2016, the Wickliffe mill operated one paper machine with the capacity to produce 285,000 tons per year of coated freesheet, specialty and uncoated paper. The mill also produced about 30,000 tons per year of dried market pulp. Aug. 20, 2018 (WKMS) - Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin says hundreds of jobs are promised to return to Ballard county in far west Kentucky as Chinese company, Global Win will purchase of the shuttered Verso Paper Mill in Wickliffe, Kentucky. Global Win Wickliffe LLC, a paper products manufacturer, signed a purchase agreement [on Aug. 16] with Verso Corp., buying the facility for $16 million. The company plans to invest $150 million and create 500 jobs. Global Win Wickliffe executives anticipate opening the facility by the end of 2018. Global Win Director of Strategy Tom Lawson said at the press conference on [Aug. 16] that they expect the mill to be operational by early 2019. The mill will produce pulp and brown paper packaging. The new owners plan to refurbish the facility with new equipment and updated technology. The paper mill will be Global Win's first U.S. facility. When the deal closes around the beginning of the third quarter for this year, the mill will be Kentucky's eighth Chinese-owned facility. According to the Governor's office Chinese-owned operations employ approximately 8,200 people in the Commonwealth. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives of up to $25 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program in a special meeting on Thursday. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets. In addition, Global Win can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives through the network. Verso, based in Miamisburg, Ohio, idled the facility in November 2015, furloughing 310 employees, as demand diminished for the mill's coated paper products. The company closed the mill in July 2016 and worked alongside state and local economic developers to identify and vet potential buyers. Go to the original story on WKMS website:

 www.wkms.org/post/updated-chinese-company-plans-reopen-wickliffe-paper-mill-end-2018 SOURCE: WKMS See related story on PaperAge.com:

 Verso Announces Closure of Wickliffe, Kentucky Paper Mill - April 5, 2016.
Brussels plans to force companies including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to identify and delete online terrorist propaganda and extremist violence or face the threat of fines. According to a new Financial Times report, "The European Commission has decided to abandon a voluntary approach to get big internet platforms to remove terror-related videos, posts and audio clips from their websites, in favor of tougher draft regulation due to be published next month.

Julian King, the EU's commissioner for security, told the Financial Times that Brussels had 'not seen enough progress' on the removal of terrorist material from technology companies and would 'take stronger action in order to better protect our citizens.' Mr. King added: "We cannot afford to relax or become complacent in the face of such a shadowy and destructive phenomenon."

Although details of the regulation are still being drawn up inside the commission, a senior EU official said the draft legislation was likely to impose a limit of one hour for platforms to delete material flagged as terrorist content by police and law enforcement bodies.

Brussels' crackdown on extremist activity comes in the wake of high-profile terror attacks in London, Paris, and Berlin over the past two years. But the move to draw up legislation has been contested inside parts of the commission, which believes self-regulation has been a success on the biggest platforms that are most utilized by terrorist groups. For more on this story, read the full Financial Times report here.

Beyond this measure, Australia is set to debate and then pass new laws forcing tech companies to comply with orders to assist the government in specific criminal cases by reinventing encryption so as to allow law enforcement to tap into criminal activity.

In the U.S., the government filed a motion to hold Facebook in contempt of court for refusing to carry out a surveillance request.

In February Patently Apple posted a report titled "After China, the EU is now working on a Law that could Force Companies like Apple to give up Customer Data on Demand."

It's evident that the EU's latest move is only the beginning in their a bigger fight with U.S. companies (primarily) to strengthen law enforcement that would benefit all countries.

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.
Zomm, the company behind the Wireless Leash for iPhones and the SOS feature in Apple Watch has sued Apple with three counts of patent infringement. The company's filing with the court notes that "In the wake of the acclaim the Wireless Leash received at the 2010 CES Show, Zomm was contacted by Apple to explore the possibility of selling their product through Apple's brick-and-mortar retail stores and online channels." They later claim in their filing that Apple stole their technology after working with them for years under a Confidentiality Agreement.

According to Zomm, "Apple stole the "Emergency SOS" feature from Zomm in breach of the Confidentiality Agreement. Incorporation of the 'Emergency SOS' feature in the Apple Watch Series 1 also infringed the '895 Patent.

Zoom further notes that ""After luring Zomm into a relationship that had the promise of connecting two innovative companies working together to enhance lives through technology, Apple instead chose only to get close enough to Zomm to steal the company's technology. Apple breached the Confidentiality Agreement, engaged in unfair competition and is actively and willfully infringing the '895 Patent."

The title of Zomm's patent 8,351,895 is "Wireless Security Device and Method to Place Emergency Calls."





To review the full complaint by Zomm, read the Scribd document below courtesy of Patently Apple

Zomm, LLC, V. Apple Inc., Patent Infringement August 2018 by Jack Purcher on Scribd

The patent infringement case presented in today's report was filed in the California Northern District Court, San Francisco office. The Presiding Judge in this case is noted as being Judge Sallie Kim.

Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of certain legal cases/ lawsuits which are part of the public record for journalistic news purposes. Readers are cautioned that Patently Apple does not offer an opinion on the merit of the case and strictly presents the allegations made in said legal cases / lawsuits. A lawyer should be consulted for any further details or analysis. About Making Comments on this Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Iran Appoints Nasirzadeh As Air Force Chief

08/20/18

Source: RFE/RL

Iran's supreme leader has appointed a former F-14 Tomcat pilot and veteran of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war as the new commander of the country's air force, Iranian media are reporting.



Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh

The official IRNA news agency on August 19 said that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh as the new air force chief.



Nasirzadeh has been the air force's acting commander since 2017. He succeeds General Hassan Shahsafi, who assumed the post in 2008.



Officials said the move was made as part of a routine reshuffling of military leaders.



Nasirzadeh flew U.S.-made F-14 Tomcats, which Iran begin purchasing from the United States in 1976, before the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution, which led to the breaking of ties between the two countries.



Many of the Tomcat pilots at the time received training in the United States, although it was not reported if Nasirzadeh had done so.



Based on reporting by AP, Press TV, and IRNA
The former CEO of defunct UT Bank Prince Kofi Amoabeng has denied taking $5 million loan without recourse to the banks board.



According to him, the amount was raised from selling his personal property at Roman Ridge in Accra and does not belong to the defunct bank contrary to media reports.



It is instructive to note that the Boulders report, which was the source document of the said news report indeed referenced my response to the team that interviewed me on the same matter. On page 46 of the said report, it states, When Boulders Advisors Limited enquired about this transaction, Mr P.K. Amoabeng indicated he had sold his personal residence at Roman Ridge, Accra to Mr Kofi Jobs Gyebi.



It is therefore curious that this was neither factored into the conclusion of the Boulders report nor any of the widespread media reportage, Mr. Amoabeng, who retired from the bank before it was liquidated said in a statement.



Below are details of the statement:



STATEMENT ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING COLLAPSE OF UT BANK



The last one year has been a very challenging period for the UT family.



Personally, I have been deeply disturbed by events that preceded the collapse of UT bank and more so, some of the happenings that have unfolded after the takeover by the Bank of Ghana.



In truth, my heart bleeds as I struggle to come to terms with the fact that the organization we toiled so hard to build over 20 years ceases to exist.



A lot has been said over the period in question.



I have refrained from commenting on the developments for a number of reasons including the fact that EOCO continues to investigate the circumstances leading to UT Banks collapse.



However, I feel compelled to come out at this time following widespread misrepresentation of the facts of the matter, particularly in relation to my supposed withdrawal of some GHS 5 million, which, according to media reports, I failed to disclose to my board.



Now, here are the facts of the matter.



Kofi Jobs Gyebi was a client of UT Bank who secured a loan facility and subsequently paid off the loan with its accrued interest in full.



Gyebi, after paying off in full his commitment to the Bank, expressed interest in purchasing my personal residence at Roman Ridge in Accra, which I had put up for sale.



Due to UT Banks challenges at the time, I instructed that payment of the said house be made to my personal bank account at UT Bank to help shore up the companys liquidity. I wonder then, how, my decision not to disclose payment of monies into my personal account for the purchase of my personal residence constitutes a misdeed as suggested by several news reports.



It is instructive to note that the Boulders report, which was the source document of the said news report indeed referenced my response to the team that interviewed me on the same matter. On page 46 of the said report, it states, When Boulders Advisors Limited enquired about this transaction, Mr P.K. Amoabeng indicated he had sold his personal residence at Roman Ridge, Accra to Mr Kofi Jobs Gyebi.

It is therefore curious that this was neither factored into the conclusion of the Boulders report nor any of the widespread media reportage.



Im saddened by the turn of events these past few months. Our brand was guided by a vision of assisting Ghanaian businesses and individuals to achieve their aims, based on sound values, principles, and discipline. We had always envisioned growing this company into a steadfast, international, Ghanaian-owned company. However, in our quest to support Ghanaian businesses and individuals, the company had challenges, and the central bank intervened.



The actions so far taken by the central bank have adversely affected the operations of the remaining group of companies of UT. The UT brand which was previously a superbrand a few years ago has been totally defamed. The situation has for instance led to difficulties in the servicing of payments due investors.



More importantly to me today though, is the inability of several workers who once prided themselves as UT staff and now have little or nothing to show for their years of dedication and service; the negative impact on the other UT companies in the eyes of investors who believed in us and our vision to see a Ghanaian owned company become a successful global brand.



I will continue to co-operate with all state agencies probing the development for finality to be brought to this matter.



God bless us all.



SIGNED



Prince Kofi Amoabeng

Source: Daily Guide









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How CNN reported Kofi Annans death



Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, dead at age 80



Former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan has died at age 80, his foundation confirmed Saturday.



Annan, who was born in Ghana in 1938, served as the seventh UN Secretary-General, from 1997 to 2006, and was the first to rise from within the ranks of the United Nations staff.



He had been a member of The Elders, a humanitarian group of a dozen leaders and activists of worldwide stature formed by Nelson Mandela, since it was founded in 2007. In 2013, Annan became its chairman.



The Kofi Annan Foundation confirmed his death with "immense sadness" in a statement posted on Twitter.



Annan passed away peacefully Saturday morning after a short illness, with his wife Nane and their three children by his side during his final days, it said.



It paid tribute to Annan as a "global statesman and a deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer, more peaceful world."



"During his distinguished career and leadership of the United Nations he was an ardent champion of peace, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law."



Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the United Nations in 2001 "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world."





Aljazeera: Former UN chief Kofi Annan dies



Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has died at a hospital in the Swiss capital, Bern, after a brief illness.



The 80-year-old served as the seventh UN chief for almost 10 years from 1997 to 2006 and was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2001, which he shared with the UN.



A statement shared by his Twitter account on Saturday described Annan as a "global statesman and deeply committed internationalist".



"During his distinguished career and leadership of the United Nations he was an ardent champion of peace, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law," the statement read.



"Kofi Annan was a son of Ghana and felt a special responsibility towards Africa," it continued.



Current UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Annan was "a guiding force for good".



"It is with profound sadness that I learned of his passing.



"In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination."



But Annan's association with the UN was not without controversy.



Just before becoming secretary general, Annan served as UN peacekeeping chief and as special envoy to the former Yugoslavia, where he oversaw a transition in Bosnia from UN protective forces to NATO-led troops.



The UN peacekeeping operation faced two of its greatest failures during his tenure: the Rwanda genocide in 1994, and the massacre in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995.



Retired Canadian general, Romeo Dallaire, who led UN forces in Rwanda, is alleged to have sent a message to Annan's office, warning of impending massacre, but Annan reportedly told UN military forces not to take any action.



In both cases, Annan offered apologies, but ignored calls to resign.





How BBC reported Kofi Annan's death



Kofi Annan, former UN chief, dies at 80



Kofi Annan, the first black African to become UN secretary-general, has died aged 80 in Switzerland, his aides say.



He "passed away peacefully on Saturday after a short illness", the foundation named after him said on Saturday.



Mr Annan served two terms as UN chief from 1997 to 2006, and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for humanitarian work for his efforts.



He later served as the UN special envoy for Syria, leading efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.



In a statement announcing his death, the Kofi Annan Foundation described him as a "global statesman and deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world".



"Wherever there was suffering or need, he reached out and touched many people with his deep compassion and empathy. He selflessly placed others first, radiating genuine kindness, warmth and brilliance in all he did."



The diplomat, who was originally from Ghana, had been living in Geneva for several years before his death.



He was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 2001 for helping to revitalise the international body, during a period that coincided with the Iraq War and the HIV/Aids pandemic.



Kofi Annan described his greatest achievement as the Millennium Development Goals which - for the first time - set global targets on issues such as poverty and child mortality.



However, Mr Annan was not immune to criticism. His critics blamed him for the UN's failure to halt the genocide in Rwanda in the 1990s when he was head of the organisation's peacekeeping operations.



Later, after the US-led invasion of Iraq, he and his son were accused of being involved in the "oil for food scandal" that led some to call for his resignation, though he was later exonerated.



In an interview with the BBC's HardTalk to mark his 80th birthday in April, Mr Annan acknowledged the UN's shortcomings, saying it "can be improved, it is not perfect but if it didn't exist you would have to create it".



"I am a stubborn optimist, I was born an optimist and will remain an optimist," he added.



Current UN chief Antonio Guterres has been leading the tributes to his predecessor, describing Mr Annan as "a guiding force for good".



"In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination," he said in a statement.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Dr Steve Manteaw, Chairman of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee, over the weekend said compared to other African countries, Ghana is more capable of funding the free senior high school programme.



He said for instance when Uganda started a similar programme in 2007, its GDP was 12 billion dollars with a population of 29.9million people but that Ghana in 2017 had a GDP of 37.5 billion dollars with a population of 27.4 million indicating that Ghana was better placed to implement the free SHS programme on a more sustainable basis.



He said there is, however, a need for a cut off point for admission into the programme, then there is also the need to leverage on existing private and state facilities through decongestion of dormitories and stop converting classrooms into dormitories just to allow every students to stay in boarding house.



Dr Manteaw was speaking at a dialogue on education policy in Ghana under the theme: Sustainable Partnership for Educational Fiancing: Leveraging National Resource Revenue for a better Educational Infrastructure in Ghana.



He said the government must look at harmonizing both public sources of funding together with funds from scholarship programmes by the GNPC, Tullow and its partners and the GETFUND for a coordinated and well-managed sources of funds which could guarantee sustainability.



Conversely, the introduction of double track system, the Policy Analyst said, must be carefully thought through with broader consultation, every programme starts with a pilot test, hence the need to proceed with caution.



He said the Ghana Education Service could on the other hand, take audit of abandoned projects and fix them for use by students rather than concurrently adopting the double track system.



Parents on the other hand must also be made to bear some responsibility in identifiable areas as key stakeholders in education delivery.



Dr Manteaw said, Our oil, mineral resources must be seen to be benefiting Ghanaians in a more productive way and that financing education to develop the human resources base of the country for economic advancement was a good decision but the modalities for the implementation of the free SHS must be relooked to derive maximum benefits".



We have to critically consider every decision in order not to compromise quality in the implementation of the programme.







Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Governments quest to revamp and build a modern railway network across the country as an effective ground travel alternative is gradually becoming a reality after the commencement of the Western corridor rail line linking to Ivory Coast.



Latest in the series of these efforts is the recent construction of a new bridge over convertible gauge of a 5km stretch rail track at Kojokrom.



Sector Minister, Joe N. Ghartey has also confirmed to Peacefmonline.com that the construction of the Tema-Mpakadan rail network has also commenced.



These are the Tema to Mpakadan line which is being undertaken by AFCONS an Indian company and on the Kojokrom to Manso section of the Western Line which is being undertaken by Amandi an Isreali company, he said.



According to him, the Phase 1 project of the entire Railway Master Plan which involves rehabilitation of all existing lines, as a viable option critical to extractive mineral enclaves like the Western Region is near to completion.



However, the rehabilitation of the Eastern Line from Accra to Nsawam has been completed and will soon be opened for the public.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Presbyterian Church of Ghana will elect a new moderator on Wednesday to take over from Right Rev Professor Cephas Narh Omenyo who is currently indispose.



The General Assembly Council of the PCG took a decision on Friday, August 17 to declare the Moderators seat vacant so that a new leader could be elected for the Church.



Right Rev Professor Omenyo was elected Moderator of the Church in August 2016 at Abetifi during the 18th General Assembly and was inducted into office on Sunday 4th December 2016.



Unfortunately the Moderator fell sick in May 2017 during an official visit to the Europe Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church.



The Moderator was in London to ordain some Ministerial Probationers.



Article 17 (7) says that where the office of the Moderator of the General Assembly becomes vacant by reason of resignation, death, incapacitation or otherwise, the General Assembly shall appoint any qualified Minister of the Church to act as Moderator of the Church until the General Assembly elects a substantive Moderator of the General Assembly at the next regular General Assembly meeting.



When the Moderator felt sick last year the church appointed Rev Dr Victor Okoe Abbey, the current Chairperson of Ga Presbytery of the Church as Acting Moderator and therefore if the substantive Moderator cannot continue to perform his functions on the basis of incapacitation then a new Moderator should be elected.



The Public Relations Officer of the Church Rev George Larbi when contacted confirmed that its true a new Moderator would be elected during the General Assembly which is currently taking place at Akropong Akuapem in the Eastern Region.



When he was asked to name some of the strong contenders for the election, he explained that nominations would be held on the day of election and therefore there are no strong contenders at the moment.



The Presbyterian Church of Ghana is currently holding its 18th General Assembly at the Christ Congregation at Akropong Akuapem in the Eastern Region.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The University of Ghana says it is deeply saddened by the death of former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General and its immediate past Chancellor, Kofi Annan.



A statement signed by Ms Stella A Amoa, Director of Public Affairs, said the Principal Officers  Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, the Chancellor, Professor Yaw Twumasi, Chairman of the University Council and Prof Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, the Vice Chancellor, had all expressed shock at his death.



Mr Annan, the celebrated Ghanaian diplomat, died in the Swiss capital of Bern, in the early hours of Saturday at the age of 80.



The statement said "The University of Ghana and the world have indeed lost a distinguished leader who was incomparable in all respects.



He demonstrated true servant and selfless leadership, always wishing the best for his nation and the world. A true peace maker he was."



Mr. Annan was Chancellor of the University from 2008 to July this year, when he ended his tenure.



At the recent investiture ceremony of his successor, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo described Mr. Kofi Annan as "one of Ghanas most illustrious sons under whose stewardship the University attained the rank as one of the best universities in West Africa".



The statement said as Chancellor, Mr. Kofi Annan was instrumental in attracting numerous funding sources to the university especially in the areas of agricultural research and ICT development.



The former Chancellor, will be remembered as a man of principle and gentle disposition.



The University mourns with the family and shall cling to the memory of his life, his avowed passion for the University, and his legacy, it added.

Source: GNA









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Former Minister of Education under the erstwhile Mahama administration, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said she is the least perturbed by comments of current Education Ministers suggesting she is a disgrace and an embarrassment.



According to the former minister, Mr. Opoku Prempeh is entitled to his own opinion and that she sees no point in retaliating or giving room for his comments to bother her since they are not a true reflection of what the reality is.



She made this statement in an interview with GhanaWebs Editor Kwabena Kyenkyenhene Boateng on '21minutes with KKB'.



Hes entitled to his opinion what I expected was that as somebody who has taken over from me, we would have opportunity to work together but if that wasnt the case it didnt really bother me.



In November 2017, Education Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh made quite harsh comments about his predecessor, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, describing her as an embarrassment and a disgrace who did nothing but saddle the ministry with debt during her term in office.



Her four-year tenure under John Mahama was an embarrassment he stated.



Citing evidence to back his statement on the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Dr Opoku Prempeh said Prof Opoku-Agyemang as Minister left the education sector burdened with the following debts per the Mahama administrations own handing over notes:





Feeding Grants for Colleges of Education  GHC36 million



Feeding Grants for Special Schools  GHC4.7 million



SHS Subsidy  GHC24 million



Progressively Free Senior High School debt  GHC33 million



Capitation Grant, GHC8 million



GETFund debt  GHC3.7 billion



She doesnt understand education, Dr Opoku Prempeh insisted.



Meanwhile, the Former Education Minister who at a point in time also served as the first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast has maintained that she's unperturbed by the attacks on her by her successor.

Source: Ghanaweb.com









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The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has joined the rest of the world to mourn the demise of former statesman and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan who passed way at the age of 80.



Mr. Annan, a Ghanaian-born international diplomat who served the UN and Ghana in various capacities for many decades, died on Saturday, August 18, 2018 in Switzerland.



NPP, in statement issued and signed by its General Secretary, John Boadu, said it learnt with sadness and profound shock the passing of Ghanas finest international diplomat of all-time and Nobel Peace Laureate, the venerable Busumru Kofi Annan, in the early hours of today, Saturday, August 18, 2018 in the city of Berne, Switzerland.



It said the party joins the rest of the world and the nation, in particular, to extend its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, particularly his wife and children. The party also commiserates with Ghana, Africa and the United Nations.



Mr Annan, born in April 1938 in Kumasi and appointed UNs Secretary-General in 1996, was undoubtedly a renowned and highly respected global statesman and consummate internationalist who had lived all his life in pursuit of a peace and just society across the world.



It added that Kofi Annan, the first sub-Saharan African to occupy the exalted position of UN Secretary-General, indeed raised the flag of Ghana beyond international boundaries and brought nothing but pride and goodwill to the global reputation of our dear country.



According to the statement, Its against this backdrop that the party finds as worthwhile and highly meritorious, President Akufo-Addos directive that Ghanas national flag be flown at half-mast across the country and in all of Ghanas diplomatic mission across the world for a week starting from Monday, August 20, 2018 in honour of the global icon.



The party seized the opportunity to call on the people of the world and Ghanaians in particular to uphold his virtues of humility, nobility and love for peace.



We should also celebrate him for living a life that by all standards is well lived and worth emulating, it stressed, adding that the world has indeed lost a colossus, whose international accomplishments and legacies would forever continue to inspire both the present and future generations.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The third annual Pow Wow Between the Lakes in Penticton over the weekend attracted dancers from across western Canada and the U.S.
Separate internal investigations by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has found that two clergy members had engaged in behavior that was either illegal or a violation of ministerial standards. Read more

Two former priests who once served at parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been found to be "not suitable for ministry," the archdiocese announced Sunday night, after separate internal church investigations found that the clergy members had engaged in behavior that was either illegal or a violation of ministerial standards.

The archdiocese announced that the Rev. Andrew D. McCormick, a former priest who served stints at parishes in Port Richmond and Bridgeport, among other locations, will be removed of his right to function as a priest or will "enter into a supervised life of prayer and penance" after the church investigation found a "substantiated allegation" of sexual abuse of a minor. In addition, the archdiocese said Sunday, Monsignor Gregory J. Parlante was deemed to be no longer suitable for ministry after parish staff in Chadds Ford last year found a package he was sent containing illegal drugs.

The announcement from the archdiocese Sunday marked the latest news to surround the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, parishes across Pennsylvania were rocked by release of an explosive grand jury report that examined six dioceses statewide and leveled sexual-abuse allegations against at least 300 priests  including some who had passed in and out of Philadelphia parishes. The report's reverberations were so powerful that even the Vatican last week called the allegations "criminally and morally reprehensible" and said the described abuse "robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith."

>> READ MORE: Area Catholics on Pa. grand jury report: 'It's sad  heartbreaking'

The announcement by the archdiocese Sunday was not a direct result of the grand jury report and instead followed the completion of separate archdiocesan investigations into the two clergy members' alleged misconduct. Here's the procedure, according to a news release: The Archdiocesan Office of Investigations opens a probe following an investigation by civil authorities and is headed by a former first assistant district attorney for Philadelphia. The results of the church's investigation are then passed to the Archdiocesan Professional Responsibilities Review Board, a confidential advisory body composed of 12 Catholics and non-Catholics with experience surrounding child sexual abuse. That board then makes a recommendation to the archbishop on a clergy member's suitability for continuing to serve.

McCormick, a 62-year-old priest who last served at the Sacred Heart Parish in Bridgeport, was placed on administrative leave by the archdiocese following a March 2011 Philadelphia grand jury report, which cataloged similar cases of sexual abuse by members of the clergy and cover-up by their superiors. In 2012, McCormick was arrested on charges related to the sexual assault of a 10-year-old altar boy in 1997. He faced two trials, but both times a Philadelphia jury was unable to reach a verdict. A civil lawsuit was filed against McCormick afterward. It was resolved earlier this year, the archdiocese said without providing further information.

Separately, the Archdiocesan Professional Responsibilities Review Board recommended to Archbishop Charles J. Chaput that Parlante  a 61-year-old priest who has worked in more than a half-dozen parishes in Philadelphia, including at Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor  is no longer suitable for ministry based on "substantiated violations of the Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries." Last year, not long after Parlante requested a leave of absence, parish staff at St. Cornelius Catholic Church in Chadds Ford found a package addressed to Parlante with illegal drugs inside. In January 2018, Parlante faced two misdemeanor and one felony charge related to the incident.

>> READ MORE: Camden Bishop Sullivan: I am 'ashamed and disgusted' by clergy sex abuse in grand jury report

According to the archdiocese, Parlante entered into a pretrial program for nonviolent, first-time offenders. Parlante also has been ordered to perform 64 hours of community service, pay back the $5,500 he stole from his parish, and complete one year of probation. The archdiocese did not say what other outcome he may face.
Days after a searing grand jury report revealed widespread sexual abuse and cover-up by Catholic clergy members in six Pennsylvania dioceses, Camden Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan on Sunday called the report "painful" and an "important reminder of shameful past failings in the church  including in our own diocese."

"I am ashamed and disgusted by the past actions of some bishops and priests," Sullivan said in a letter issued Sunday, which was scheduled to be read in all Camden parishes over the weekend at vigil and Sunday Masses. " Of all the places that we expect that our children would be safe, it is within our churches, schools and institutions. The fact that the church, in the past, failed in this most fundamental obligation is heartbreaking."

Additionally, Sullivan said, it was "even more difficult to read" mentions of two former Diocese of Camden priests in the grand jury report, which focused on Pennsylvania dioceses and the clergy members who moved in and out of them  including to dioceses out of state. According to Sullivan, the report named John P. Connor and James Hopkins, both of whom served at Camden parishes, as well as in Pittsburgh-area churches.

According to the grand jury report, which was released Tuesday, Connor was arrested in New Jersey in 1984 on charges of sexually molesting a 14-year-old in his home in the Diocese of Camden. Connor never went to trial, however, the report said, because lawyers for the Diocese of Camden negotiated a pre-trial intervention with the Cape May prosecutor's office. The terms: Connor's arrest record would be wiped clean, so long as that Connor confessed to the crime and was not arrested again within a year. He went on to serve in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, as well as in the Philadelphia Diocese, where Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua appointed Connor to assistant pastor of St. Matthew in Conshohocken, a parish with a grade school.

In his Sunday letter, Sullivan said Connor was "removed from ministry 16 years ago and is restricted to a special facility in Missouri."

The grand jury report also included the history of the Rev. James Hopkins, who served in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, as well as in Camden, starting in 1973. In 1995, Hopkins pleaded guilty to sexually molesting an altar boy in Camden. He received a 10-year prison sentence and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Sullivan said Hopkins was removed from ministry 23 years ago.

The Diocese of Camden has not been immune to the clergy sex abuse scandal that has consumed the Catholic church in the last 16 years. In addition to the two priests named in the report, the Camden Diocese has faced numerous allegations of abuse, according to the website BishopAccountability.org and has paid out millions of dollars in settlements.

Last week, the Newark Archdiocese, the largest in New Jersey, said it plans to audit its files of abuse cases, according to NJ.com. And a spokeswoman for New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said his office is evaluating whether to conduct a similar probe, the news site said.

Sullivan is the eighth bishop of Camden, installed in February 2013. In his letter, he said the diocese is "doing everything possible to protect our children and shield them from harm." Since 2002, per an agreement with the New Jersey attorney general, the diocese has reported all allegations of abuse to law enforcement, no matter how long ago the alleged abuse occurred, Sullivan said. In addition, since 2003, the diocese has provided "safe environment training" to all children in the diocese's schools and religious education programs.

Sullivan also said that he has met with all diocesan seminarians and "provided them with a reporting mechanism in the event that anyone in a position of authority seeks to morally compromise them." He said he would provide a similar protocol to diocesan priests this fall.
Pope Francis wrote a letter to all Catholics in the wake of last week's grand jury report in Pennsylvania. Read more

Pope Francis on Monday condemned the decades of child sex abuse perpetrated by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania and efforts to cover it up as "atrocities," and vowed to better respond to such crimes in the future.

But he offered no indication  in a nearly 2,000-word letter translated into seven languages and released by the Vatican  of any concrete measures he would take to identify or punish complicit bishops.

Instead, Francis begged forgiveness for victims' suffering, and called for prayer and penitence to atone for the "sins" of the wider church. The pope blamed the traditional Catholic adherence to hierarchical decision-making for its failure to sufficiently address past clergy abuse and insisted that lay Catholics worldwide must be a part of reforming its approach.

"We acknowledge as an ecclesiastical community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner realizing the magnitude and gravity of the damage done to so many lives," he wrote. "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

>> READ MORE: Pope Francis' letter responding to the Pa. clergy sex abuse grand jury report

The message  released just days before a scheduled papal visit to Ireland, a country marred by clergy sex abuse  constituted Francis' most frank comments to date on the latest wave of abuse allegations that have eroded trust in Catholic congregations worldwide, and prompted calls both from inside and outside the church for greater accountability.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro praised the pope's message Monday, and called on church leaders statewide to "cease their denials and deflections" and support meaningful reform.

Last week, Shapiro's office unveiled a blistering grand jury report accusing 301 priests in the state of sexual misconduct involving more than 1,000 victims and condemning several within Pennsylvania's church hierarchy  including some bishops  of protecting predators over seven decades.

Responding to that report Monday, Francis wrote: "The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity."

His words echoed messages delivered from pulpits across the state.

At weekend Masses, Catholic leaders in the six dioceses spotlighted in the grand jury's findings  Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Scranton, Greensburg, and Erie  sought to denounce the behavior detailed in the report while assuaging feelings of anger, mistrust and confusion within their congregations.

>> READ MORE: Area Catholics on Pa. grand jury report: 'It's sad  heartbreaking"

In Pittsburgh, where grand jurors accused 99 priests of sexual misconduct, Bishop David Zubik sought to refocus attention on the reforms his diocese has made since the worldwide abuse scandal began in Boston 16 years ago.

"I, too, feel that rage," he said in a Sunday interview on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. But "the church of Pittsburgh today is not the church that's described in the grand jury report."

Parishes in the Scranton Diocese played a video message from Bishop Joseph Bambera, who apologized for "misguided and inappropriate decisions by church leaders" in dealing with the 59 priests the grand jury accused there.

The Philadelphia Archdiocese was not included in last week's grand jury report because a landmark 2005 effort by a separate panel had already delved into its history of mishandling clergy sex abuse.

But officials here chose Sunday to announce that two priests  placed on administrative leave months ago amid accusations of misconduct  had been deemed "not suitable for ministry" after investigations by an internal church review board.

Meanwhile, agents in the state Attorney General's Office continued to field a surge of new calls to its clergy sex-abuse hotline from accusers inspired to come forward by the grand jury's findings.

Shapiro had directly appealed to Francis earlier in the investigation, when several clergy members named in the report had sued to block its release.

In his statement Monday, the attorney general reiterated his calls for church leaders to back a series of legislative reforms suggested by the grand jury  including eliminating the criminal statute of limitations on sex crimes and loosening state laws to allow childhood victims to sue their abusers and others decades after the assault.

Similar measures have previously died at the state Capitol under an intense lobbying push by the church and the insurance industry, who argue that loosening time restrictions on abuse lawsuits could lead to a flood of litigation and sink whole dioceses under the resulting financial penalties.

"It is my hope that, following the Holy Father's words and teachings, church leaders in Pennsylvania will cease their denials and deflections, and now fully support the grand jury's recommendations so that survivors have the opportunity to obtain justice and ensure this type of widespread abuse and cover-up never happens again," Shapiro said.

Francis obliquely acknowledged similar reform efforts  from both within and outside the church  in his letter Monday.

"We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary," he wrote, "yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future."

Still, he did not directly mention any of other flash points of the church abuse scandal that have recently erupted around the globe.

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.

McCarrick's successor  Cardinal Donald Wuerl, former bishop of Pittsburgh  figured prominently in the Pennsylvania report, which accused him for failing to do enough to respond to predatory priests.

Meanwhile, in Australia and Chile, a number of top church officials have stepped down in recent months as clergy abuse scandals widen there.

Francis' own response to the crisis has previously drawn rebuke from abuse victims and their advocates  most notably in January when he dismissed victims' accusations of a cover-up by a Chilean bishop as slander and "calumny."

In 2016, the pope scrapped a proposal for a Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops. And several cardinals accused of covering up for pedophile priests remain his trusted advisers.

Still, in his letter Monday, the pope adopted a harsher tone than he had in previous remarks, using words like atrocities and crimes to describe the misdeeds of predatory priests and their enablers.

A statement the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued in response to the grand jury report last week referred to them simply as "sins and omissions."

"We have realized that these wounds never disappear, and that they require us to forcefully condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death," Francis wrote. "These wounds never go away."
Churchgoers leave the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul after Sunday Mass. Read more

Anna Downey didn't know what to expect when she attended her first Sunday Mass following the release last week of a grand jury report alleging that child sex abuse perpetrated by priests had occurred  and in many cases was covered up by church leaders  in every Roman Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania.

The 28-year-old was encouraged when the Rev. Ken Brabazon Jr. confronted the issue directly in his homily during the 11 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, stressing the need for accountability.

"I love my faith. I will not leave my church," said Downey, a lifelong Catholic from New York City who was in town for a concert. "But things need to change. I'm glad that finally it's being addressed."

As agents in the state Attorney General's Office were working through the weekend to field a surge of new calls to its clergy-abuse hotline, Catholics here were still reeling Sunday from the grand jury's findings.

>> READ MORE: Sex-abuse hotline calls surge after grand jury report

The nearly 900-page report, released Tuesday by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, detailed child rape and molestation by clergy dating to the 1940s in six Pennsylvania dioceses. It accused 301 "predator priests" of abusing more than 1,000 children  with bishops transferring abusive priests and concealing the crimes from police and the public.

The Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown dioceses were not included in the report because previous grand juries had investigated their clergy sex-abuse cases.

Bob Hallahan, who attended Sunday Mass at the cathedral, said the report was another "wake-up call" and a reminder that evil can infiltrate any institution.

"There's bad everywhere," Hallahan said. "There are evil things that people do, even clergy. They need to be held accountable."

"It's sad," said his wife, Joanne. "It's hard for all Catholics."

Brian Koble, a father of four from Pittsburgh who was visiting Philadelphia for business, said he believed that the church had largely addressed the grand jury's findings.

"It's over, and best practices have been put into place," Koble said after Mass. "Going forward, the experience of the Catholic Church will be what I have always experienced it to be, which is a loving, caring, faith-filled place."

The Diocese of Pittsburgh figured prominently in the report, which included details of a 1970s pedophile and child pornography ring among clergy there. It alleged that priests whipped victims and took photos of one boy as he posed like Jesus on the cross.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh's Bishop David Zubik pushed back against a call for his resignation and said on ABC's This Week that the diocese has "followed every single step" needed for responsible action after allegations of child sexual abuse. The report accused Zubik of not reporting credible allegations.

"The church of Pittsburgh today is not the church that's described in the grand jury report," Zubik told host George Stephanopoulos.

>> READ MORE: Priests ran child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese: State AG's grand jury report

"I don't have an issue with my faith," Coonts said. "I have an issue with the church."

Coonts suggested mandatory counseling in seminary for aspiring priests.

"Something is not getting addressed," he said. "Something is missing."

On Thursday, the Vatican released a statement that Pope 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."

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, in his column published Friday, wrote that the only acceptable responses to the alleged abuses outlined in the grand jury report "are grief and support for the victims, and comprehensive efforts to ensure that such things never recur. And anger. Anger is also a righteous and necessary response  but it needs to be an anger that bears good fruit; an anger guided by clear thinking, prudence, and a desire for real justice."

Camden Bishop Dennis Sullivan distributed a letter Sunday to be read at all Masses, calling the Pennsylvania grand jury report "painful" and "an important reminder of shameful past failings in the church  including in our own diocese."

Downey, as she left Sunday Mass, said she hopes the church will "learn from history."

"It's sad and its heartbreaking," she said. "As someone that has been in the church my whole life, I feel so bad for the people that were affected by this. A lot of people think the answer is to not come to church anymore. I feel like we need forgiveness more than ever at this point, but also the bishops need to be held accountable."

This article contains information from the Associated Press.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. Read more

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro could have been the state's agriculture secretary, the way he politically milked the release of the grand jury report on sex abuse by priests in six commonwealth dioceses.

Instead of playing it straight, Shapiro staged a "Focus Group Meets Netflix" production.

Did you miss it on cable or network news? You can stream an AG-produced video on a grand jury page that his office calls "The Holding Ground."

The video had such good production features that broadcast media used snippets of it.

To dramatize the enormity of the priests' crimes over decades Shapiro stage-managed his announcement.

Instead of standing at a lectern with a couple of associates behind him (normally seen with major law enforcement announcements), Shapiro positioned seated victims on either side of his lectern.

Shapiro made sure that anyone on the internet, reading a newspaper, or seeing TV news across the globe knew his name. How?

He used a poster company to create a big, round, new state attorney general seal floating above his head. His name was on it while the "Office of" was deleted before the "Attorney General."

What's wrong with producing your own office video, using victims as props, or creating a new seal?

As someone who has managed more 50 than news conferences for the U.S. Department of Justice in New Jersey, I know hype from hyperbole and have never used either in some of the biggest criminal and civil cases of their time.

Politicians may do it, but professional prosecutors should not.

First, victims should not have been seated around Shapiro.

He should have had them offstage in a green room, telling the media that breakout interviews would be available afterward for those who wanted to talk to reporters. Instead, by putting them front and center, he was exploiting their cases.

I know those on stage wanted to appear, to avenge the cruel treatment they received from priests and the church hierarchy who covered up the abuse.

I also bet most victims want to be next to the district attorney, attorney general or U.S. attorney at news conferences. But it isn't done and should not have been done here.

Three decades of internet and search engines have eliminated "practical obscurity." What does a victim do two years from now if he/she would rather not have everyone in the small town to which he/she retired, or where his/her grandchildren live, know the story? Nothing can be done if he/she were sitting on the stage Shapiro controlled.

If he/she talked to a reporter in the other room, then it was done affirmatively.

More coverage

Hundreds of priests named in grand jury report | Grand jury: A child porn ring in Pittsburgh diocese | Read the full report | Dozens of pages shielded from public | Maria Panaritis: Thank the law, not the Men of God | Victim: 'It's your word against God's' | Key findings from each diocese | How the Allentown diocese dealt with an abuser | John Baer: Questions in wake of the report

I've managed news conferences announcing important federal cases and had victims or experts available for "breakout" after the U.S. attorney had announced the indictment, guilty, plea or civil settlement.

In Newark, when a Catholic relic containing a bone fragment of a saint from the seventh century was to be repatriated to Romania, I asked then-Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, who was the head of the Newark Archdiocese, to be available on breakout to describe the relic and its value to the church.

But he wasn't standing next to the U.S. attorney at the lectern. (He did recently resign as a cardinal of the church of sex abuse allegations.)

The MP4 video that is on the state's website? Did taxpayers pay for the AG-produced video? It's got great production values, looks to be in HD and excellent sound. But was this proper?

And the branded Shapiro-advertised state seal? The official "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" at the top was moved around so Shapiro's full name is prominent at 2 p.m.

Breaking news  it's not on the Pennsylvania attorney general's website. Only the official seal is there. And Shapiro's "It's Me, I'm the AG" is not even on the grand jury report.

There are 12 seals for Pennsylvania top-line departments and even Gov. Wolf (who is running for re-election in November) hasn't splattered his name on the governor's office seal. Maybe he will now. I checked Delaware, Missouri, New York, and Rhode Island. No AG names on their AG seals.

Shapiro needs to know that public affairs is not public relations or political marketing.

Richard Lavinthal of Bucks County is a former daily newspaper and wire service reporter; federal and state prosecutors' spokesman in New Jersey, and national news organization marketing director.
Staffers listen outside the Mazzoni Center as Kay Martinez (center, blue and yellow shirt) speaks hours after being fired Monday. Read more

Dozens of staffers at the Mazzoni Center, Philadelphia's largest LGBT health-care provider, walked out Monday afternoon to protest the firing of the organization's director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Kay Martinez, 32, a queer transgender person of color, described being dismissed without explanation and accused Mazzoni's CEO, a straight Latina woman, of trying to silence staffers of color. The firing was the latest controversy at the center, which has faced accusations of racial hostility and sexual harassment in recent years.

"I have felt like since day one that my position has been targeted, that I have been targeted," Martinez said in an interview before the protest, which drew nearly 50 people outside Mazzoni's headquarters near 13th and Bainbridge Streets. "I have not been able to fully do the job that was written."

The job description  created by transgender employees and staffers of color  included working with Mazzoni's human resources office to address disparities in staffers' performance reviews, compensation and advancement opportunities, Martinez said. The position was proposed during the tenure of Mazzoni's former interim CEO, Stephen Glassman, who left the center after it hired current chief executive Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino in March.

>> READ MORE: Philadelphia's start-up community launches data survey to address its diversity shortcomings

Martinez, who was hired in April, recalled telling Gonzalez Sciarrino about transgender staffers of color who felt they were underpaid and undervalued. Gonzalez Sciarrino replied that that was not Martinez's concern, according to Martinez.

The fact that Gonzalez Sciarrino is straight, rather than a member of the LGBT community, contributes to her lack of understanding, Martinez said.

"For her to make so many queer and trans staff of color feel sidelined, feel targeted, feel unwelcome, is a significant problem for an ally in this world," Martinez said.

A Mazzoni spokesman declined to comment Monday, saying, "This is a confidential personnel matter."

Among those who showed up to support Martinez was Amber Hikes, Philadelphia's LGBT affairs director. Others at the protest called for leadership changes at Mazzoni.

"No one has any faith in this place, and it's a vital resource to the community, so they need to," said Airen McClure, who is white and has worked in Mazzoni's legal services department for a year but is soon quitting.

Martinez received a letter of termination Monday morning from Mazzoni, which cited unprofessional conduct but offered few other details.

Martinez said the center may be acting in connection with a staff meeting Thursday in which a queer black staffer tried to speak about morale and Gonzalez Sciarrino cut the employee off, telling everyone to "disperse."

That night, Martinez and several other staffers created shirts that read "Disperse." They wore the shirts Friday, when they gathered in a common space in the center to hear the staffer's full speech.

Gonzalez Sciarrino emailed staff Monday about Martinez's departure.

This isn't the first time Mazzoni staffers have walked out. They also protested last year to call for then-CEO Nurit Shein to step down. Shein was accused of failing to respond to allegations of sexual misconduct involving Mazzoni's former medical director, Robert Winn, who resigned.

Shein  who was soon forced out  was also accused of fostering a racially hostile environment at the center. Black employees described being singled out for disciplinary action and facing retaliation for filing complaints.

This year, when Gonzalez Sciarrino was hired, critics said Mazzoni had failed to be transparent about the hiring process.

In May, Glassman, the former interim CEO, was also accused of sexually harassing employees during his tenure, which lasted nearly nine months. Gonzalez Sciarrino called the allegations "deeply disturbing" and hired a third party to investigate. Glassman has called the allegations "entirely false."
Gretchen Carlson, CEO of Miss America, has hit back at allegations of bullying made by accompanied by Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Illinois., speaks during a news conference where members of congress introduce legislation to curb sexual harassment in the workplace, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Read more

The turmoil engulfing the nearly century-old Miss America pageant intensified Monday as Board chair Gretchen Carlson came under new fire for a statement blaming the reigning Miss America for the loss of $75,000 in scholarship money.

"More reckless speech on behalf of the Miss America Organization," actor, activist and Miss America 1998 Kate Shindle tweeted early Monday. "The board members are clearly unable to control their chair. Time for a change."

Shindle was reacting to a statement released by Carlson through her personal Twitter account Sunday night in which she denied accusations of bullying from current Miss America Cara Mund and said Mund has refused to speak to her except through email. Carlson initially tweeted out the statement in a dozen separate numbered tweets, but deleted those and left up only a screen shot of the statement in full.

"Pro tip: maybe check in with your PR team on this," Shindle added.

>> READ MORE: Miss America Cara Mund: I've been silenced, bullied by Gretchen Carlson

Mund's accusations, released in a five-page letter addressed to a group of former Miss America winners who are calling for Carlson's ouster, have plunged the iconic Atlantic City institution into further disarray less than three weeks before the pageant is scheduled to take place in Boardwalk Hall and be televised on ABC.

Carlson, a former Fox News broadcaster and Miss America 1989 who has spoken out against workplace harassment against women, took over the organization after an email scandal ousted the former leadership. She eliminated the swimsuit competition, upsetting many in the state pageant system, and said the pageant would be remade as a competition to fill the "job" of Miss America.

But Mund, a graduate of Brown University who was Miss North Dakota, now says the reality of that job fits the description of workplace bullying and harassment under New Jersey law.

In Carlson's statement, she said she was "surprised and saddened beyond words" by Mund's letter, but wished Mund had reached out to her directly. She said her attempts to reach Mund via phone, text and email have been rebuffed.

"Unfortunately, Cara's response has been that she only wants to communicate via email, but I remain hopeful we can speak on the phone or in person soon," Carlson wrote.

In denying that she bullied Mund, Carlson added that she has acknowledged "to you and your parents many times, that the organization understands the frustrations of serving during such a change-filled and stressful year."

Carlson then went on to write; "Actions have consequences," and said a sponsor had pulled the plug on $75,000 in scholarships, "which would have been the first scholarship increase in years."

She said the money was "no longer on the table as a direct result of the explosive allegations in your letter," a charge that angered many in the organization, who took to Twitter and elsewhere and said they interpreted that as unfairly blaming Mund and continuing the pattern of belittling her.

"The impact won't stop there," Carlson wrote. "We are already seeing a negative ripple effect across the entire organization, and I am so concerned that it will dilute the experience for the next woman selected to wear the crown."

Miss America spokesman Karl Nilsson said in an email Monday morning that the loss of scholarship money referenced by Carlson "was not outlined or defined."

"This news is severely damaging the organization and is having an impact on securing future sponsorships," he said.

Ironically, the vulgar emails that undid the previous leadership were mostly about former Miss Americas complaining about the organization. Current Miss America CEO Regina Hopper has said she was instrumental in leaking the emails.

But now Carlson and Hopper are fighting a chorus of calls for them to step down themselves. Two of the former Miss Americas calling for new regime change, Heather Whitestone and Suzette Charles, appeared on NBC's Megyn Kelly Today Monday morning and called for their resignations. Charles, who was appointed to be the Atlantic City liaison, said the only community activity approved during pageant week was a Gretchen Carlson leadership seminar.

The Miss America Organization is in the final year of a three-year $12 million subsidy from the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

ABC, which has given Carlson previous airtime to discuss the elimination of the swimsuit competition and other changes to Miss America, featured an interview Monday morning with Caressa Cameron-Jackson, Miss America 2010, calling for Carlson's ouster. "We are not going to do the victim shaming here," Cameron-Jackson said on Good Morning America.

"Oh Gretchen," tweeted Jennifer Vaden Barth, Miss North Carolina 1991 and a regional education program manager for Google. "There are no words for what you have done here. Shocking and outrageous. This is not how leaders act."
Organizers want at least 1,000 people involved in Philadelphia's start-up community to take the Open Access Diversity, Equity & Inclusion benchmark survey. Read more

Ten months after frustrations that Philadelphia's tech start-up community was paying short shrift to diversity, equity and inclusion exploded in public, a collaborative has been formed to get at the problem with data and determination.

"People got tired of just talking about it," said Tiffanie Stanard, co-organizer and director of marketing for Open Access Philly, or OAx, a nonprofit focused on equal economic opportunity. "We have to make sure there are actions associated with it."

In partnership with Philly Startup Leaders, which provides networking, resources and education services, OAx launched a survey last week to develop what it says will be the first diversity, equity, and inclusion data set for the city's start-up community to identify "the most impactful, actionable issues" and provide resources to "enact meaningful change." Joining OAx and start-up leaders in the initiative are three local start-ups: Guru, Mogulette and Media Bureau Inc.

"We came away from last year's Diversity Dinner with a list of action items, said Robert Moore, a serial entrepreneur and board president of Philly Startup Leaders. "The top item was a call for more frequent opportunities to engage as a community on the subjects of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It was also clear that better data would be helpful in making these conversations as productive and action-oriented as possible."

Stanard said the goal is to get at least 1,000 founders, executives/team leaders, employees, investors, board members, advisers and vendors to take a survey on attitudes about diversity, equity and inclusion at their companies at http://bit.ly/PHLDEISurvey. Survey takers are being encouraged to share it on social media using #PHLDEISurvey.

Additional input will be gathered at a series of workshops expected to begin in the fall targeting founders, leaders, board members and investors.

"It will take a while  analyzing data and then making recommendations," Stanard said.

But it's a concrete step toward addressing a serious issue that has fomented hostility and divisiveness since a controversial panel discussion last October at the Black & Brown Founders Conference over the lack of diversity in Philadelphia's tech start-up community. It led to the resignation of startup leaders' then executive director, Yuval Yarden.

>> READ MORE: Philly Startup Leaders exec steps down; group pledges more diversity

Hired as the group's first full-time employee in March 2016, Yarden, who is white, and African American panel member Tayyib Smith got into a tense exchange at the conference with Smith, cofounder of Little Giant Creative and Pipeline Philly, at one point accusing Yarden of "whitesplaining" diversity shortcomings in the tech community. Yarden, who grew tearful at one point, further offended those in the predominantly minority audience with a comment that, as one of the few white people there, she felt "like I'm walking on such thin ice because anything I say or anything that I plan to be helpful, the response is that I don't get it."

Later that month, tensions remained high at the Annual Philly Startup Leaders Diversity Dinner, an event billed as "an opportunity to talk about the challenges, share best practices, and celebrate the positive aspects of being an underrepresented group in the tech world."

"It was a lot of frustration, a lot of trying to understand everyone's feelings of diversity and inclusion," said Stanard, who spoke at the event. Aggravation and exasperation was expressed not only by people of color but by women and members of the LGBTQ community.

"There was a lot of stuff in the air that we said we actually have to do something," Stanard said, referring also to her co-organizers at OAx, Paul Wright and Jeff Friedman, as well as Moore and others from start-up leaders.

>> READ MORE: What was lacking at Philly's Angel Venture Fair? Women

But before they could, she said, they had "to first know where we are. Nobody has ever really collected data." Why not is not clear, she said.

"We're such a diverse city, we should have a lot of those answers," Stanard said.

Their goal is to ensure all groups feeling marginalized in the city's start-up community  black, brown, LGBTQ, immigrants, veterans and people with disabilities  have equal opportunities to successfully grow their businesses, said Wright, Stanard's partner at OAx.

"Through the combination of data and context, we can identify actionable items to ensure that all companies, regardless of the background of their founder, have an equal opportunity for economic success," Wright said.

The analysis, along with workshop notes and anonymized transcripts, resources and subsequent feedback, will be shared on a dedicated website at http://openaccessphilly.com/.

Asked what success in this undertaking will look like, Stanard said that will be accomplished when events such as the Diversity Dinner are no longer considered necessary, when members of groups currently feeling overlooked  such as African Americans, women, and LGBTQs  are regular speakers at start-up events such as Philly Tech Week, and the start-up community is "focused on everybody, regardless of your color."
Alexander Rossi crosses the finish line to win the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday. Read more

LONG POND, Pa.  Alexander Rossi won the ABC Supply 500 on Sunday, but a horrific-looking crash overshadowed the Verizon IndyCar Series race at Pocono Raceway.

Rossi, a native of Nevada City, Calif., got his third victory of the IndyCar season by holding off Will Power, who had won the last two races at Pocono.

The win by Rossi, however, took second status to a horrific crash during Lap 7 that sent driver Robert Wickens to the hospital.

"We had the best car today," said Rossi, who, in 2016, became the first American rookie to win the Indianapolis 500 since 1928. "It's exciting to get the win, but its tough to celebrate with what happened."

What happened was Wickens sparked the accident when he clipped the back of the car driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay, sending it sideways.

Wickens' car drove over the front of Hunter-Reay's and smashed into the catch fence out of Turn 2.

His car disintegrated while doing several 360-degree spins in the air before the safety cell landed on the track.

IndyCar officials said Wickens was awake and alert when taken from the car, but was airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown. He was admitted with orthopedic injuries.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace had a scary crash into the same wall when his breaks went out during the Gander Outdoor 400 on July 29.

It was a weekend of bad events leading up to and at the beginning of the 200-lap race.

On Saturday, the second practice session was canceled because of rain. This was with the drivers coming off a three-week hiatus. Being unfamiliar with the track was an issue with the drivers, who have new modifications to their cars and had not tested at Pocono.

Then, moments after the green flag started the 500-mile race, Graham Rahal misread the acceleration of cars in front of him and hit Spencer Pigot, whose car was damaged enough that it could not complete the full race.

Rahal got a penalty for avoidable contact and the first six laps were run under caution. Several drivers suggested that Power, who was the pole sitter, shared some blame for not setting the proper pace for the start.

An annoyed Power brought out speed statistics, saying he did nothing wrong.

After the race went green again, the drivers did not complete a full lap before Wickens' crash. Takuma Sato, Pietro Fittipaldi, and James Hinchcliffe also took heavy damage to their cars in the chain reaction. None of the five could continue racing.

The race was red-flagged for nearly two hours so the catch fence could be repaired.

Driver Sebastien Bourdais had contemplated not rejoining the race because he did not think the repairs to the catch fence were adequate.

"Some of these situations you can't do anything about," said Scott Dixon, who finished third. "None of us ever want to see something like that happen. It's horrible to see. This is a tight-knit family. You just hope that everyone will be OK."

The final 191 laps did not feature a caution.
Like many homeowners, Elvera Cammile did not understand she still needed to pay her insurance after taking out a reverse mortgage. The bank covered the payment and then sued her, according to her attorney. Read more

Tom Selleck never explains the fine print.

And that's a problem, some critics say.

In a commercial hawking reverse mortgages, the TV actor doesn't tell people how they could get into trouble with the product, a special kind of loan that allows borrowers aged 62 and older to convert a portion of their home's equity into cash.

While some say reverse mortgages are useful because they allow the elderly to age in place, many others have recounted harrowing experiences  including foreclosures  in Philadelphia, which until recently was the city with the highest rate of reverse mortgage originations in America. (Origination refers to the application and processing of a reverse mortgage.)

Some believe that reverse mortgage lenders have targeted minority homeowners in low-income neighborhoods with the zeal of predators.

Elvera Cammile, 73, of North Philadelphia, is a homeowner with a tough reverse-mortgage story to tell.

Five years ago, she took out one on her three-story brick twin house. Under the terms of a reverse mortgage, the borrower doesn't have to repay the loan as long as she lives in the home.

But she is responsible for property taxes, insurance, and upkeep of the house.

Cammile, an unmarried woman with a son and four grandchildren, didn't appear to understand that paying the insurance was her obligation. In fact, said her lawyer, Beth Shay of the SeniorLAW Center in Philadelphia, Cammile was told by mortgage processors that she should let the mortgage company pay for it.

She did. Then the company sued her for the $4,500 it laid out for insurance, threatening to take her house, Shay said.

"It was upsetting," Cammile said. "It wasn't clear what they said to me, how they said it. I didn't have the income to handle it."

With the SeniorLAW Center's intervention, Cammile was able to repay the mortgage company for the insurance. But it wasn't without pain. Cammile had to tap a large portion of her Social Security income, as a result suffering through a month with little food.

"It's objectionable, what can happen to people," Shay said.

Possibility of abuse

A reverse mortgage "has the possibility of being abusive," said Ira Goldstein, president, policy solutions, of the Reinvestment Fund Inc. in Philadelphia, which invests in low-income neighborhoods.

People who receive reverse mortgages often have paid off their homes and use the loan to address health-care costs or to fix their houses, allowing them to live in their homes till death.

With a reverse mortgage, the homeowner receives a monthly stipend, or a lump-sum payment from the finance company, which also assesses fees and interest.

If the borrower dies or moves, the bank gets the house.

"It can be a safe option for people to stay in their homes," said Amy Castro Baker, a housing expert at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice. "But it's also layered with risk, often used as a predatory product."

Several lenders that specialize in reverse mortgages could not be reached for comment. A division manager for Finance of America Mortgage L.L.C. in Philadelphia said that he was willing to answer questions but that it would take more time before he could get approval for his responses.

The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association has said that the product can be useful to people with a large amount of equity in their homes.

For years, reverse mortgages brought pain to many spouses of borrowers, advocates say. Many times, a husband who was 62 or older would take out a reverse mortgage but would be unable to include the name of his wife because she was under 62.

When the husband died, the house would be foreclosed on, and the wife would have to move.

In her research on reverse mortgages, Baker discovered numerous instances in which people were assured by their brokers that both the husband and wife were listed on the mortgage, "but that's not what's in the fine print," Baker said. If the surviving spouse wanted to keep the house, she would have to pay the loan balance in full or 95 percent of the appraised value of the home.

"So often the surviving spouse would be facing a funeral and the loss of her home at the same time," Baker said.

Changes in federal laws in 2015 now protect surviving spouses, allowing them to stay in the house. But advocates say some problems persist.

Quite often, children expect to inherit their parents' houses upon their deaths. Instead, heirs find to their surprise that they have to either pay back the reverse mortgage loan, or pay nearly all of the house's value, explained Michael Froehlich, a lawyer with Community Legal Services in Philadelphia and an expert on reverse mortgages.

Many are forced to walk away from the house.

Without inheriting houses, families can't build intergenerational wealth, allowing poverty to perpetuate, Froehlich added.

It is not uncommon that homeowners with reverse mortgages have been foreclosed on because they forget to pay their property taxes and insurance, Froehlich added. This isn't as careless as it seems, he said, especially for elderly people who don't remember that when they were paying down their original mortgage, taxes and insurance were typically paid from an escrow account, Froehlich said.

Between 2010 and 2016, Philadelphia ranked first in the nation for reverse mortgage originations, with 50 per 1,000 homeowners, according to a 2017 analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and Fannie Mae. The national average was 20 originations per 1,000.

Nearly one-third of borrowers in Philadelphia with such loans between 2010 and 2014 defaulted on them, more than double the national rate, the bank report said.

During that same time period, African American homeowners in Philadelphia received about 66 percent of reverse mortgage originations, according to a report in June by the Reinvestment Fund.

The Point Breeze/Grays Ferry area had the largest number of loans of any neighborhood in the city, according to the bank report. In that neighborhood, the median household income for residents 65 and older was $20,255, which is below the federal poverty level for a family of three. Nearly 80 percent of older residents living in the neighborhood were described as nonwhite or Hispanic.

Overall, reverse mortgage originations grew from less than 100 per year between 1991 and 2004 to a peak of 1,727 in 2011. The number fell to 199 loans in 2017, the report said.

That decline coincides with federal efforts to protect people who get reverse mortgages, in part by making it harder for people with poor credit and low income to receive them, experts say.

The history of reverse mortgages is one of predatory practices, Philadelphia Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker said.

>> READ MORE: In one chaotic courtroom, free counselors and lawyers have saved 11,000 Philly homes from foreclosure

"Evidence clearly shows that reverse mortgage lenders are targeting minority and low-income neighborhoods," she wrote in an email. Parker praised city and judicial officials for looking out for reverse-mortgage victims.

Experts say Philadelphia has been particularly ripe for reverse mortgages because it has a large population of "house-rich, cash-poor," aging homeowners in low-income neighborhoods where houses were traditionally affordable.

Baker, who has interviewed numerous older African American homeowners since 2010, said, "You hear the same stories over and over of people being steered into risky reverse mortgage schemes."

Goldstein said reverse mortgages borrowers are often naive and inordinately "responsive to ads from Tom Selleck and [fellow actor] Henry Winkler. In many instances, people's comprehension of the product is simplistic and based on those commercials."

Those ads should be "banned," said the daughter of a woman who took out a reverse mortgage. The unidentified daughter is quoted in the Reinvestment Fund report.

"Someone needs to make a [new] commercial," she said: "'They're taking your homes.'"

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
American food giant Tyson Foods is purchasing Philadelphia-area Keystone Foods for $2.16 billion, Tyson confirmed.

Tyson is buying the West Chester-based Keystone Foods from a Brazilian firm for cash and debt. Keystone supplies chicken nuggets, wings, and tenders; beef patties; and breaded fish fillets through six processing plants in the United States, along with eight plants and three innovation centers in China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia.

"Keystone is a leading global protein company and will be a great addition to Tyson Foods," Tom Hayes, CEO of Tyson Foods, said in a statement. "Keystone provides a significant foundation for international growth with its in-country operations, sales, and distribution network in high-growth markets in the Asia Pacific region as well as exports to key markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa."

Under Hayes, Tyson has been trying to expand its range of prepared-foods offerings. The Keystone deal comes at a time when U.S. producers are grappling with weakening meat prices amid higher supplies and import tariffs imposed by China and Mexico in retaliation against U.S. duties on metal shipments.

"We're seeing so much consolidation in the food industry that it's easier for these companies like Tyson Foods to call on clients  food service or supermarkets  and say 'we have everything you need,' any way to reduce time, without talking to multiple sales people, the better. There are economies of scale from merging functions of the firm," said John Stanton, professor of food marketing at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. "We're seeing the same thing with consolidation in the pork industry," he added.

Besides Tyson, Keystone attracted bids from Cargill Inc., China's Cofco Ltd., and an unidentified Japanese firm, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said in June. George's Inc.  a family-owned chicken producer based in Springdale, Ark.  also presented a binding offer.

The seller, Brazilian meatpacker Marfrig Global Foods, acquired Keystone Foods for $1.26 billion in 2010, aiming to increase its presence as a supplier to restaurant chains. Keystone was, at the time, the largest privately held meat-products company in the U.S. and pioneer of the boneless chicken nugget.

"During this period, we added value, increased profitability, and adequately served our clients, all of which is reflected in the current selling price," Marcos Molina, chairman and controlling shareholder of Marfrig, said in a statement.

Keystone's legendary founder, Herb Lotman, the self-described "West Philly butcher boy," built Keystone Foods (first in South Philly, later in the western suburbs) into a major McDonald's supplier and the developer of the Chicken McNugget.

According to National Provisioner, a trade publication, Lotman began his career with his family's wholesale beef business. In the 1960s, Lotman and his partners pioneered cryogenics for McDonald's and developed a mass-production system for the manufacture of frozen hamburgers. Keystone Foods also developed and provided the first total-distribution concept in the McDonald's system to help it manage its supply chain more effectively.

Lotman and his private-equity partner Lindsay Greenberg LLC sold the business to Marfrig in 2010.

Under its Brazilian owners, Keystone shut its Conshohocken office and consolidated headquarter operations to its lab site in West Chester. Lotman died in 2014.

Keystone Foods grew into a multinational fast-food and sandwich-meat supplier, and in 2015 hired Devin Cole as its new president for North America, overseeing bird-, beef-, and fish-meat supply businesses. Cole previously worked as chief commercial officer of chicken giant Tyson Foods.

Keystone now employs about 11,000 people worldwide, although the company didn't break out how many work in West Chester.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, the company posted annual sales of $2.5 billion and EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, of $211 million, the Tyson statement said.

Tyson Foods closed Monday at $63.40, up $1, or 1.6 percent.

This article contains information from Bloomberg News.
Federal authorities say Shawn Christy threatened to kill President Trump and Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli on Facebook earlier this year. Read more

A Pennsylvania man wanted for threatening to kill President Trump and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli was spotted in Maryland on Sunday, authorities said.

Shawn Christy, 27, a self-described survivalist from McAdoo, a small town in Schuylkill County, was seen sleeping in a car in Cumberland, Md., more than 200 miles southwest of McAdoo. He fled after authorities there received a call about a suspicious person in a vehicle, investigators said.

Authorities say Christy may have stolen a separate vehicle  a 1997 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Pennsylvania license plate ZGL-2845  upon fleeing.

The reason federal authorities are trying to track down Christy is a June 12 Facebook post: "Keep it up Morganelli, I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of Donald J. Trump. Remember where you came from punk."

>> READ MORE: This Pa. 'survivalist' threatened to kill Trump. Now there's a $20K reward for his arrest.

That posting has made Christy the subject of a massive manhunt, and prompted authorities to offer a $20,000 reward for a tip that results in his arrest.

Court records show that Christy was charged with making terroristic threats in March 2017 after threatening to kill a tax clerk in Bangor, in Northampton County north of Allentown, and blow up the building where she worked; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months of probation. That same spring, he was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly swinging a four-foot-long stick at Stephan Holly, McAdoo's mayor.

In 2010, an Alaskan judge granted former Gov. Sarah Palin a restraining order against Christy, who reportedly admitted to threatening to rape the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, and flooding her office with emails and messages. Christy and his father were later arrested by the FBI for harassing Palin's attorney, who worked in Allentown.

The U.S. Marshals Service on Saturday announced the reward for information that leads to the arrest of Christy, who also allegedly stole three handguns from an uncle in Luzerne County earlier this summer.

Anyone with information on Christy can call 911 or the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-Wanted-2 (1-877-926-8332).
They danced despite the rain to Dominican Republic-native Chimbala at Sunday's Dominican Day festival at Lighthouse Field in North Philadelphia. Read more

Mother Nature was not very accommodating, rendering Philadelphia mighty humedo Sunday.

But that didn't dampen the spirits of those who turned out to celebrate Dominican culture.

Celebrations began with the 2018 Dominican Day Parade at Sixth Street and Lehigh Avenue, followed by a festival of food and music at the Lighthouse Field on Erie Avenue, with performances in bachata, salsa, merengue tipico and dembow.

Organizers said rain  sometimes pouring  affected attendance, estimated at about 200. It was the third year in a row the event was soggy, said Jose Joaquin Matos, a committee consultant for the parade and festival, the 18th held in Philadelphia. The first was in 1996, with a few interruptions over the years.

According to the U.S. Census, about 22,000 Dominicans live in Philadelphia. Outside the city, there are high concentrations in Allentown, Reading and Lancaster. A 2015 study by the City University of New York's Dominican Studies Institute determined that Pennsylvania has the third-largest concentration of Dominicans outside of the island.

We asked parade and festival attendees: How are Dominicans shaping Philadelphia?

Danilo Burgos, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 197th District

"Dominicans immigrated to Philadelphia and have developed their own community without the use of government dollars. Now, more U.S.-born professionals are moving in the area, too."

Elizabeth Sanchez, director of the Miss Dominican Republic Beauty Pageant

"The festival and the pageant are examples of cross-cultural experiences, as Dominicans with backgrounds from the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico get to learn about their roots and heritage here in Philadelphia."

Geovanny Hernandez, festival godfather and administrative technician with the Philadelphia Sheriffs Office

"Dominicans are thriving well in commercial businesses in Philadelphia, and are now involved in home ownership for renting."

Jordan Harris, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 186th District.

"The Dominican population in the state is the third largest outside of the island, and the state must be that backstop for the community to be involved and have a voice on a federal level."

Enid Colon DCleto, festival godmother and Puerto Rican consultant for Pennsylvanias Miss United States

"The Dominican community and Puerto Ricans have always worked alongside, and this is an example that communities that work together look forward to change and progress."
Tony Royster, left and Dontae Thomas, right, of the drill team Positive Movement, with the empty suit of their colleague William "Elmo" Fulton Read more

The 13-second video begins with a burst of smoke and flames shooting from a Kensington scrapyard. Stepping into the frame, a giant, loose-limbed Elmo leads a two-man drum line  in the eyes of some of the iPhone clip's 750,000 viewers on Twitter, the essence of weird Philly.

"Is Philly even a real place?" one viewer tweeted of the surreal scene. A blog compared the moment to the work of the filmmaker David Lynch.

There was something very Philadelphia about a small drum line with a gangly Sesame Street character providing a soundtrack to a four-alarm environmental hazard. But there was another Philadelphia story behind all this: This Elmo, born William Fulton, has been struggling with housing insecurity for roughly a year and a half. There was a warrant out for his arrest  he'd failed to report for probation. The day after the fire, police grabbed him, and he has been sitting in jail since he went viral.

"I'm resting my bones," Fulton said at Philadelphia's Alternative and Special Detention Facility, where he greeted his first visitor in the month he's been behind bars. The North Philadelphia native is 29 and a father to two young children. He's won some notoriety on State Road for his role playing the furry red Muppet with the squeaky voice. Other inmates ask the 6-foot-4 Fulton to dance. He won't. Not there, he says.

The night of July 11, the three, who are members of the Positive Movement drum line, were on their way to drop off equipment when they approached the fire. Tony Royster, founder of the group, had his doubts about performing there, but the other two pushed  with a crowd gathering, they'd have a pre-made audience, and hopefully, donations.

Fulton is aware from phone calls with loved ones that something with him marching that night flew across the internet. At the jail, he asked why the video posted by Rocco Avallone, a photojournalist, had become so popular. In an era where it's commonplace for the stars of viral moments to attempt to capitalize on the mercurial luster of internet notoriety, Fulton can hardly plug his brand.

Questions over compensation for the video have become a long-lingering hurt for Fulton, another round of disappointment. In jail, he hasn't had the will to conjure the comical version of Elmo he crafted five years before while thinking of what he missed growing up without his father, moving in and out of juvenile placement. Rather, he's the man who, after a breakup and time away from his young children, gloomily concedes that the mask hid his pain.

Aside from his performances, Fulton works for a fruit juice company, only earning enough to live day to day. He used to sell bootleg DVDs near 54th and Arch Streets. That's how he caught a case.

Since getting arrested for selling bootlegged movies in 2012, Fulton has been in the system. He stopped reporting to his probation officer to avoid failing a drug test. Marijuana, he said, eased his stress. Pennsylvania registers the third-highest rate of adults under parole or probation supervision in the country, according to an April 2018 report from Columbia University's Justice Lab. The commonwealth's tallies stand among the highest "in the Western world," the report stated.

Fulton's friend Taurean "Ron" Lowry invited him to dress up as a character for a children's party on the Delaware riverfront. Fulton was too tall for a SpongeBob costume. The Elmo costume felt, he said, like magic, or a first pair of Jordans. He joined forces with Positive Movement last year, after Royster had the idea that life-size characters would get the group hired for more kids' events.

>>READ MORE: Philly drum lines: Show some respect  we're your history

At his probation hearing last month, Fulton said he needed some help. "What I really need is a fresh start," he testified. "This time I will go to a program."

Even so, Fulton isn't sure he should be serving time. His hearing began unusually: Michael Welch of the Defender Association was not in the courtroom when Municipal Court Judge Bradley K. Moss wanted to begin, so he instructed a summer intern to get started. Legal experts say that violated the Sixth Amendment and could be viewed as a denial of counsel. Welch arrived shortly after the judge called on the intern, which, legal experts noted, would make a reversal of the sentence unlikely. Moss sentenced Fulton to two to four months in confinement.

On the inside, Fulton spends his time dreaming up what he could do to take his Elmo act to the next level. To top the fire, he quipped, they'd need a backdrop of a hurricane or tornado.

When Royster asked Avallone if there was any way the drum line could be compensated for the video, he replied that "it went low-key viral, but I haven't made much money from it." He gave Royster permission to use his photos from that night. (The Inquirer and Daily News paid $125 to license the video from the distribution firm Avallone engaged.)

In Fulton's frustrations, both Jenna Loadman, an intellectual property attorney at Ballard Spahr, and Kevin J. Greene, a leading expert on the intersection of race and intellectual property, see questions that are native to the digital era. American copyright laws predate the rapid-fire, highly shareable publication modes of viral content, and while these statutes were designed to protect artistry, they may lack sensitivity to creative processes that may be associated with African Americans, like communal cultural production of a drum line.

"Somehow," Loadman explained, "intellectual property benefits the creation and fixation of being in the right place in the right time, rather than the creative expression."

Greene measures that Royster and Thomas could make a legal challenge for their likenesses being used, but not Fulton, because he doesn't own Elmo's face.

Fulton isn't worried about that. He's thinking that maybe the video gets him a job at Sesame Place. When he's released, he plans on heading to a shelter. He says he's been working on getting himself together for the sake of his children, Harmony, 3, and Josiah, 1.

He hasn't seen the video that made him the talk of Twitter. He knows it was an absurd, raw, widely shared moment. He missed it.
Alan Zimmerman, president of Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville, Va., said some passersby during the Unite the Right rally yelled "Heil Hitler" and other anti-Semitic slurs at congregants. Read more

NEW YORK  "If you attack one of us, you attack all of us."

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the New York-based Union for Reform Judaism, wasn't speaking just for Jewish people. As religious hate crimes rise in America, faith groups across the country have come together to protect themselves and help others who have been been attacked for their religion.

In Philadelphia, after vandals desecrated at least 275 headstones at the historic Jewish Mount Carmel Cemetery in February 2017, hundreds of volunteers, including members of other faiths, helped with the cleanup, according to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

In Victoria, Texas, after an arsonist destroyed the Victoria Islamic Center in January 2017, members of the Jewish community in the city of 60,000 offered the keys to their temple, and Christian churches offered spaces so Muslims could worship until the mosque was rebuilt.

In Tennessee, after the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro was spray-painted with anti-Islamic slurs and defaced with bacon in July 2017, hundreds from the community provided cleaning supplies and donations to the cleanup area, said Saleh Sbenaty, a member of the center's board of trustees.

"We've seen faith communities come together and take a clear stance against hatred," said Faizan Syed, executive director of the Missouri chapter of the Council for American-Islamic Relations.

Jewish and Muslim communities are the most targeted religious groups, according to FBI data, and advocacy organizations report a rise in hate crimes during the last year.

Anti-Semitic incidents reported to the Anti-Defamation League increased from 1,267 in 2016 to 1,986 in 2017, according to the ADL. For the first time since 2010, acts against the Jewish community were reported in all 50 states last year. "Racists and white supremacists and other anti-Semites have felt more free to speak out and voice their hatred for minorities, including Jews," said Aryeh Tuchman, associate director for the ADL's Center on Extremism.

Anti-Muslim hate crimes in the U.S. rose in the last year from 260 to 300 incidents, according to figures from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Harassment was recorded as the most frequent form of anti-Semitism, according to a 2017 ADL audit. Physical damage, destruction or vandalism to mosques was the most frequent anti-Muslim hate crime, according to a 2018 report from CAIR.

Leaders of 20 mosques, synagogues and gurdwaras  which are places of worship for Sikhs, who often are mistaken for Muslims  around the country also found religious groups are amping up security, hosting self-defense classes, and educating neighbors about religions, with simplified instruction and open houses.

Allison Miller of St. Louis, a stay-at-home mom and convert to Islam, created four-hour self-defense classes for Muslim women after she was physically attacked while wearing a hijab outside a Kevin Hart comedy show in 2015.

In the last decade, safety has been such a priority for synagogues, temples, mosques and churches that several companies now specialize in security measures for religious institutions. Firms teach rabbis, imams and priests to handle threats, as well as to train volunteers in congregations to spot suspicious behaviors, serving as a voluntary security force.

Advocates say far more work is needed to combat the increase in number of hate incidents, as white supremacists are becoming more visible and emboldened.

Hatred of Jewish people persists

The number of anti-Semitic hate incidents in 2017 were the second highest since the ADL began collecting such information in 1979. The data show an uptick about 2004, then a steady decrease until 2014, when the numbers began rising again.

"We feel confident in saying that a general level of bigotry and xenophobia and general hatred and intolerance has increased in our country, at the very least since the run-up to the 2016 election," Tuchman of the ADL said.

Jacobs, with the Union for Reform Judaism, called the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., the epicenter of hate. Hundreds of white supremacists, racists and anti-Semites  who came from around the country to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate statue  "joined together in their hatred." One woman was killed and dozens injured when a car was driven into a crowd of counter-protesters.

For Jacobs, the silver lining to the darkness of Charlottesville was the reaction from local faith communities.

"They're in the midst of the hatred and the bigotry and the militia and the white supremacists and anti-Semites," Jacobs said. "The faith community stood on the front lines. They stood together. They stood nonviolently."

National leaders from all religious faiths condemned the violence, with many devoting their next sermons or messages to it.

The Rev. Phil Woodson, associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Charlottesville, said he was "completely oblivious" to the white supremacy in the country until a few years ago, and the violent rally was a moment of awakening for him and other religious leaders.

"White supremacy and this culture of racism is America's original sin," Woodson said. "We hear that talked about from a lot of very prophetic faith and civic leaders. It is a deep, deep wound that has never healed because we've never got down into it."

Galvanizing events lead to anti-Islamic hate

Patterns of hatred for Muslims are rooted in recent history: the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Barack Obama's election, the raucous 2016 presidential election and President Trump's January 2017 executive order barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., according to advocates and experts.

"Galvanizing events do matter," said Ilir Disha, assistant professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York, who conducted extensive research on anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate crimes after 9/11.

Disha's research showed the number of hate crimes against Muslims reported to the FBI increased in the eight months after 9/11. But then anti-Muslim hate crimes fell to historic lows and stayed that way until 2008, said Syed of CAIR Missouri. After Obama's election, anti-Islamic incidents started to creep up and fall again until the 2016 election. When Obama campaigned for the U.S. Senate, there were already conspiracies circulating about potential ties to the Islamic faith  and they became stronger when he ran for president.

The most prevalent motive for anti-Muslim incidents is the victim's ethnicity or national origin, which accounted for 32 percent of recorded bias incidents against Muslims in 2017. The number of anti-Muslim incidents reported to CAIR increased by 386 in 2016 to a total of 2,599 in 2017, according to the organization's most recent report.

In a 2018 report from CAIR, Muslim leaders wrote that national leadership matters: "The 45th president's brazen display of animosity and prejudice has emboldened individuals seeking to express their bias and made the very word Trump an encapsulating and potent symbol of wide-ranging racial and religious animus."

Moving forward: A push for tolerance

Headstones of the historic Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia were restored after they were vandalized in 2017, said Laura Frank, public-relations manager of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Nearly 300 volunteers aided the project.

Next to the cemetery, in a nearby park, is a mural titled Cultivate Respect. It incorporates colorful flowers, butterflies and the word cultivate in cursive.

The mural was in the works before the headstones were damaged, but Frank said themes of tolerance and inclusivity were added in response to the vandalism.

"It was a very big moment for all of us to come together and just to stand against vandalism," Frank said.

Scott Bourque, Bryce Spadafora and Lenny Martinez Dominguez contributed to this article.
Terrell Hill, 11, of the Zodiac Percussion Drum Line, looks to one of the older drummers, as they make their way down Columbus Boulevard on September 4, 2017. A bill would have regulated drum lines in Center City. Read more

It's not that Antoine Mapp doesn't know where City Councilman Mark Squilla's briefly proposed ban on public drumming in Center City was coming from.

Mapp, assistant director of the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad, has heard about the groups that play in "regular clothes, at 10 o'clock at night, asking for money." From a tradition that prides itself on precision and where the dress code is often uniforms  if not full out military-inspired regalia he considers those groups "bad seeds."

But still, Mapp doesn't feel any municipal appreciation or support for drill teams.

"That was going to affect us tremendously," he said of the bill, which Squilla tabled last week on the eve of Council consideration. Drill teams and drum corps in Philadelphia are largely community-based, youth-focused organizations that take up residence not at concert halls, but schools and community centers.

In fact, some experts question why, rather than being a topic of legislation, Philadelphia's rich drum culture is not touted as a tourism draw.

"We're losing an opportunity if they just see it as noise," said Florida State University folklorist Jerrilyn McGregory.

When Benita Brown  director of Virginia State University's Sankofa Dance Theatre and North Philly native  tells people that Philadelphia had a Congo Square, people rarely believe her.

New Orleans' Congo Square draws visitors with its legacy for music-making among Colonial-era slaves. Philadelphia's own such place was Washington Square. In the 18th century, according to the Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, in the olden time, slaves would gather for dances there with crowds that could reach a thousand people.

"Philadelphia has created various narratives about its own history," said historian Dana Dorman. "For whatever reason, the story that it chose for Washington Square was more about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Revolutionary War, rather than these earlier activities."

A Visit Philadelphia spokeswoman said they did not have a position at this time on drum lines and local tourism efforts.

Many strains of black marching band culture  whether it be the large, highly competitive bands of historically black colleges and universities, the second line parades of New Orleans, or the drill teams and drum squads of the urban North  can be traced to mutual-aid societies. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, African Americans were limited from buying insurance. Black mutual aid societies sought to provide an alternative, often forming their own community bands too.

The first black mutual-aid society in the country was founded in Philadelphia: Richard Allen's Free African Society. In The Philadelphia Negro, W.E.B. DuBois wrote that Philadelphia had 106 of these organizations in 1848. These numbers ballooned after slavery was abolished, with DuBois noting in 1899 that there were "probably several hundred." In 1966, while analyzing the history of these groups, Commentary magazine highlighted Philadelphia as a base where they blossomed prodigiously.

While marching brass bands faded in popularity, the youth groups persisted. After the raging gang wars of 1970s, band coordinators had already begun using their step and drum units as a means to keep kids off the streets.

What if, Brown and McGregory question, Philadelphia treated its drill teams like New Orleans celebrates its second lines? Mapp and Marks want to know why the local drummers aren't treated the same as another cherished tradition.

"They brand the Mummers. They need to brand us. We bring the soul," said Mapp. "We need a mural. We need something. They should recognize us."

Anne Kelly, the chief of staff for Councilman Squilla, said the bill would not move forward in part because of heated opposition, which surprised those in her office. Squilla drafted the bill after complaints from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, she said. Hospital representatives, Kelly said, complained that patients could hear the drumlines marching "late into the night."

Even established drum lines solicit for money downtown  equipment and the competition circuit can be expensive  but some groups, like Mapp's, would never have kids performing at night. He believes it's wrong.

Still, with the backlash, Squilla's office has learned more about the tradition's musical history.

Celestine Marks first started to drill back in 1963, when she was 9 years old. She was a member of an all-girl marching corps called the Topcats. Her Conestoga Angels have packed events, festivals and invited performances in theaters, she said. She wishes the culture had a museum.

"It would show that we're more than people think we are. They're stereotyping us," she said. "We're just making noise, or we're just trying to make money. We should get the same respect that college bands and Caucasian [school] bands get."

Mapp's group performs for the Philadelphia 76ers as the Sixers Stixers. While the team has offered Mapp's group space to practice, the commute to Camden is too far for the squad, Mapp said. For most of the year, they practice in his friend's living room.

"There's nothing really out here for us," said Mapp. "We try to create these lanes that they want to take away."
Organic baby kale that has been reduced in price appears on sale at a Whole Foods Market in New York, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Amazon has completed its $13.7 billion takeover of organic grocer Whole Foods, and the e-commerce giant is wasting no time putting its stamp on the company. Prices were lowered; Whole Foods brands will soon be on Amazon's site; and Amazon's Prime members could soon get discounts at Whole Foods. The deal could also spur changes in the wider grocery industry. Read more

If millennials were hoping to save enough money on avocado toast at Whole Foods to buy a house, they will be sorely disappointed in our first story of the morning: Amazon's takeover has not slashed prices at the pricey chain. What else hasn't been slashed lately? Property taxes in many Pennsylvania towns where school districts are looking to make up state funding gaps. Education spending is a hot topic between the state's gubernatorial candidates as both Gov. Tom Wolf and opponent Scott Wagner attempt to paint themselves as school superheroes. Luckily, no one has worn a cape. Yet.

Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning.

 Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

 READ MORE: Despite Amazon takeover, Whole Foods maintains its whole paycheck reputation

When Amazon bought Whole Foods Market last year, the partnership was met with glee by customers hoping to save big. Prices of some items were slashed, prompting cheers that you'd no longer need to fork over your whole paycheck to shop at the notoriously expensive grocer

But a year later, it seems the prices have fallen only modestly overall and research shows Whole Foods is still more expensive than much of its competition.

That is, of course, unless you're an Amazon Prime member.

 READ MORE: Area Catholics on Pa. grand jury report: Its sad  heartbreaking

Last week, a blistering grand jury report on decades of sex abuse in six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses was released. As soon as the phone number flashed onscreen during a news conference about the report, calls started pouring into the clergy-abuse hotline.

More than 300 (and growing) calls and emails have since been received by the Attorney General's Office. After Sunday mass, area Catholics stressed the need for accountability and change following the devastating report.

Additionally, two former Philadelphia priests have been found "not suitable for ministry," the archdiocese announced Sunday. The news was not a direct result of the grand jury report, but due to an internal investigation.

 READ MORE: Hot debate over education in Pa. governors race

In the race for Pennsylvania governor, everyone wants to look like an education hero.

Gov. Tom Wolf is making his education record a big selling point leading up to November's midterm elections. His Republican opponent Scott Wagner is positioning himself as an education champion, too. After all, everyone wants good schools.

More dollars have flowed from the state to schools during Wolf's term, albeit the increase is smaller than he aimed for. Is it enough to earn him a second term?

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"The crisis of toxic masculinity needs to be on the front burner of the American conversation not only because it's so bad, but because it's getting worse."  Columnist Will Bunch on the

Despite a grand jury's findings of child sexual abuse in Pennsylvania churches, the state is far behind when it comes to criminal statutes of limitations, writes columnist John Baer.

Just over 40 years ago, David Goldberger was the Illinois ACLU's legal director and fought for the right of American Nazis to hold a demonstration in Illinois  and, he writes, he'd do it again today.

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Anne Ishii just became the executive director of the Asian Arts Initiative, but she's no everyday arts administrator. She's better known for translating graphic novels and publishing gay manga.
GABORONE- Legislators across the continent of Africa have been urged to take a lead and ensure that there is security in their respective regions and across the continent.

Parliaments were also asked to make laws that govern the defence and security sector, the procurement of arms and foster accountability and disclosure on the deployment of the military as well as developing guidelines to ensure achievement of security.

The call was made to Members of Parliament meeting in Gaborone, Botswana for the 49th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region) Conference under the theme, The role of African Parliaments in fostering national and regional security.

While opening the Conference, the Vice President of Botswana, H. E. Slumber Tsogwane said that there is need for respect of human rights, justice and rule of law for a peaceful and secure Africa.

Issues of security by their nature require concerted effort and parliaments as pivotal democratic institutions, have a bigger role to play in terms of providing direction and what can be done to foster and promote international security, he said.

Tsogwane added that security is measured as a reduction in the incidents of violence and critical as a pre-condition for development. He noted that high unemployment, lack of equal opportunities, poverty, lack of good governance and corruption are the leading causes of violence in Africa.

Parliament is a principle facilitator in achieving national and international goals and aspirations especially equity and economic development. Therefore, a strong Parliament on the African continent has become the embodiment of empowerment, good governance and strategic planning, Tsogwane added.

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Hon Angel Didiza said that gender based violence continues to pose challenges towards peace and security for women in homes and society as a whole.

It is incumbent upon us Parliamentarians to find solutions in which we can actually deal with this challenge. I know that women together can make a difference, Didiza said.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga welcomed the move to have Parliaments involved in peace efforts saying that, youth unemployment as a source of insecurity needs to be addressed.

In a related development, Parliament of Uganda will next year host the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) which brings together Members of Parliament from former British colonies.

Addressing the sub-regional meeting for Eastern Africa region, Kadaga said that Uganda has started the preparations for the meeting in Kampala.

We want to assure you that the committees have been set; we have proposed some dates in September which awaits confirmation from the headquarters. You are all welcome, Kadaga said.

The CPA Africa Region Conference that started on 13 August will close on 22 August 2018.

Ugandas delegation to the conference includes, Hon Elijah Okupa, Akello Franca, Patrick Nsamba and Anna Adeke. The others are Felix Kulayigye, Henry Kibalya and Jalia Bintu.

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JINJA  Residents of Jinja Municipality have given government up to Thursday this week to release their Member of Parliament Paul Mwiru or they stage a mass protest.

Mwiru is among the MPs and 30 other people who were last week charged with treason by Gulu Magistrates Court and remanded to Gulu Central Prison for allegedly stoning the Presidential convoy during the Arua Municipality election campaigns.

And on Saturday, residents of Jinja East Constituency said the detention of the legislators is against the law.

We want Paul Mwiru in Parliament to represent his people. Now it is one week he is not in the plenary to discuss the problems his people in the constituency face, said Mr Alex Mufubiro, the Democratic Party (DP) publicity secretary in the district, at a press conference in Jinja Town on Saturday.

He was franked by the district DP chairman, Mr Ramandan Bazanya, and other opposition leaders in the district.

Mr Bazanya revealed that they will mobilise the entire Busoga region to demonstrate until Mr Mwiru and his colleagues are released.

Mr Mufubiro said they are ready to lose lives until the MPs are released.

The MPs who were charged before Gulu Magistrates Court are Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality), Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality), Paul Mwiru (Jinja Municipality) and Arua Municipality MP-elect Kassiano Wadri.

The legislators were charged alongside 28 others and were sent on remand at Gulu Central Prison, a detention facility which is about 350km north of Kampala city, where the lawmakers transact their legislative business.

Several city residents were on Friday arrested by police as protests over the detention and torture of Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine broke out again in Kamwokya, where Bobi Wine has a studio, and in his residential area in Magere, Gayaza, Wakiso District.

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KAMPALA Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi has petitioned the Constitutional court seeking orders for the immediate release of the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine and other civilians charged before the General Court Martial.

In his petition filed before the Constitutional Court, Mabirizi claims Bobi Wine and other civilians are charged before an incompetent court whose mandate is limited to discipline errant UPDF soldiers and not civilians.

He also faults parliament for making laws that subject civilians to the jurisdiction of the court Martial under the UPDF Act of 2005.

According to section 119 of the UPDF Act, A civilian who aids a serving UPDF officer to commit an offence is subjected to Military law and section 210 of the same Act provides that any person found in possession of a fireman or an ammunition which is only a monopoly of the UPDF is charged under the Army court, reads in part the court document.

Mabirizi contends that unless the Constitutional court nullifies the above sections of the UPDF Act for contravening the Constitution, several other civilians including himself are probable candidates to appear before the incompetent General Court Martial.

He says that Civilians like Bobi Wine if found in possession of Firearms, he should be charged under the Firearms Act of 1970 before a civil court and not a Military tribunal.

Mabirizi explains that the Fire arms Act provides for possible sentences such as a ten years imprisonment term and a court fine not exceeding Shs20,000 for a person found guilty of unlawfully possessing firearms.

He now wants court to declare that the actions of UPDF to remand and sentence none-members of UPDF to military barracks/ facilities after appearing before the General Court Martial or any other military tribunal are inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 8A, 20(1), 20(2), 22(1), 28(1), 44(C), 126(1),128(1), 128(2), 129 &210 of the constitution.

Mabirizi also wants a permanent injunction issued against the General Court Martial from prosecuting Bobi wine and an order to unconditionally release him and other civilian suspects remanded at the Military barracks /facilities.

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PARLIAMENT Makindye East MP Ibrahim Kasozi has said President Musevenis statement in regard to Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wines health are mere lies told to him by the army given the fact that the Kyadondo East legislator needs urgent medication.

President Yoweri Museveni on August 19 hit out at media reports that have suggested that Bobi Wine was seriously injured while being apprehended by security forces last week in Arua.

Kasozi one of the MPs that visited Kyagulanyi in Makindye barracks yesterday, said that looking at Bobi Wines physical appearance, there is no doubt that he is in agony because he feels pain in his hip, cannot sit or stand on his own, he is bruised on the head and that he told MPs that the doctors told him he has a kidney problem, which is why he is requesting for medical attention.

Kasozi challenged the government and the army in particular to bring Kyagulanyi out to the public if they think he is in a good state. He even jokingly said, Mwana, abasajja abo bakuba. I think they deserve a gold medal, Kasozi narrated.

Kasozi rubbished the claims of fellow legislators who visited Kyagulanyi yesterday claiming that their colleague is in a better state saying that that is not true because the MP is still not well.

On Sunday 19, MPs Doreen Amule, Ibrahim Kasozi, Anita Among, Peter Ogwang and Arinaitwe Rwakajara visited Hon Kyagulanyi in Makindye. They however said their colleague had informed them that he was in no danger and there was no need to worry.

Parliament Commissioner Peter Ogwang yesterday released a statement where he accused the media of exaggerating Bobi Wines situation. Ogwang said to him Kyagulanyi looked very fine.

Kasozi pointed out that since Kyagulanyi smiled at the MPs, they could have misinterpreted his smile assuming he is in a good condition despite complaining of severe pain and even asked fellow legislators including the Speaker of Parliament to help him get out of the barracks and authorisation for medication.

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GABORONE  Parliamentarians under their body, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region), have pledged to put in place measures aimed at curbing the increase in human trafficking on the continent.

The legislators meeting in Gaborone, Botswana for their 49th Meeting committed to enact tougher laws on human trafficking and modern-day slavery where the laws are non-existence and modify the existing laws to make them tougher.

These resolutions were reached following a topical discussion on the agenda to combat human trafficking and modern-day slavery in Africa and the promotion of human rights, on Monday, 20 August 2018.

There have been increased cases of human trafficking across the African continent with reports of alleged modern-day slavery in several Middle Eastern countries.

There are also continued reports of persons attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea with the hope of seeking better opportunities in Europe. These are often trafficked and overloaded on boats, which often capsize killing many.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, said there is a need to raise awareness and work with religious organisations in efforts to curb human trafficking.

Many of the people are trafficked through churches and mosques where they are collected and eventually trafficked, she said.

Kadaga added that African governments must have the courage to discuss the problem with governments that receive these people saying immigration has become inevitable.

People are going to be moving to other places; we must identify the places the people will go, discuss with them the employment, type of work and hours of work, Kadaga added.

On the legal procedures against people involved in trafficking of persons, the Speaker expressed reservations about the processes saying they are weak and slow, hence hampering the fight.

I have been waiting for a conviction in trafficking in Uganda; I think for the last four or five years, I have heard of only one. Our processes of investigation, prosecution and management of court cases need to be handled comprehensively on the African continent, she said.

Kadaga also called for collaboration between member countries in joint efforts in the fight highlighting the trafficking of persons through Nairobi after it was stopped at Entebbe Airport.

We need to work together country to country to ensure that people are not using these channels to move, otherwise it is going to continue, Kadaga said.

Hon Simai Mohammed from Tanzania said that the trafficking of persons is the third largest source of profits for organised crime after drugs and guns citing the unreliable contracts for housemaids in the Middle East. He attributed trafficking to poverty, unemployment or war.

We have done something through EALA with a Bill to curb this trafficking. We should be ready to ratify agreements and protocols that stop the trafficking. It is imperative for governments in Africa to make laws against these traffickers and enforce the legislation, he said.

Hon Akello Franca called on African governments to tackle unemployment by providing job opportunities so that traffickers dont take advantage of vulnerable persons.

The legislators also called for information sharing on human trafficking and modern-day slavery, the creation of a human trafficking hotline and a joint task force to tackle the problem.

Ugandas delegation to the conference includes Hon JaliaBintu, Felix Kulayigye, Paul Amoru, Elijah Okupa and Anna Adeke. The others are Henry Kibalya, Patrick Nsamba and Akello Franca.

The 49th Meeting of the CPA(Africa Region) closes Tuesday, 21 August 2018.

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ARUSHA  The East African Law Society (EALS) has joined the growing number of organizations and personalities in condemning the Ugandan government over violating rights of some of its citizens opposed to it and its policies.

In a statement released in Arusha, Tanzania, on Monday, Mr Richard Mugisha, the EALS president, said the ongoing clampdown against opposition leaders and protestors is a violation of the rule of law and respect to fundamental human rights and freedoms and Ugandas obligations to the East African Community (EAC).

The partner states to the Treaty establishing the EAC have undertaken to observe the rule of law and human rights, Mr Mugisha said.

He added that the reported violence and claims of unfair treatment accorded to the political detainees risked negating every good gain that Uganda has made in promoting regional integration.

Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine and other opposition members were last weeks arrested from Arua Town following the August 13 chaos in Arua that claimed one life. The MPs are Kassiano Wadri, Mr Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality), Paul Mwiri (Jinja East), Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality) and Mike Mabikke (former Makindye East MP). They were beaten and later produced in court on treason charges.

Bobi Wine was subsequently charged with being in possession of firearms while the other MPs were charged with treason in connection with stoning the vehicle of the President.

Bobi Wines lawyers later told journalists that he had been tortured while a tortured Zaake was on Friday dumped at Lubaga hospital.

Although the President on Sunday dismissed claims that Bobi Wine was tortured, EALS said some of the detainees have been subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment as well as denied access to medical services.

These reports are horrifying and a matter of grave concern to every being of conscience. Worse still, the detainees have been denied legal representation of their choice contrary to the norm in a fair trial process, Mr Mugisha said.

The law body called on the Uganda government to take steps to forestall further human rights violations and to ensure that the detainees are granted all freedoms and rights appropriate to their attainment of a fair trial.

The EAC Heads of States were urged to implore on the Ugandan leader to take appropriate steps to end the human rights violations that now threaten the integrity and the future of the EAC.

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AMSTERDAM  The Ugandan community in Netherlands has demanded the immediate release of the Members of Parliament and other people charged over the chaos that rocked Arua at the tail end of the campaigns for the municipality by-election.

In a statement signed by the community secretary, Mr Derrick Ssenyonjo, they say the delayed release of the MPs is an abuse of fundamental human rights and will cause more bloodshed.

The violence which resulted into loss of human life, fatalities, brutality and detention of MPs and civilians raises concern, taints Ugandas global image which impacts negatively on revenue by deterring potential visitors and breaches international human rights standards, the statement reads in part.

Ssenyonjo said will engage the government and other key stakeholders in a dialogue to ensure rule of law, democracy and human rights are not violated as enshrined in Ugandas constitution.

Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, was last week charged by the army court sitting at the 4th Division headquarters in Gulu over the chaos on Monday in the Arua bye-election.

MP Kyagulanyi was charged with two counts of being in unlawful possession of firearms and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition, contrary to Section 3, 2(a) of the Fire Arms Act Cap 299.

Mr Kyagulanyi was also charged with being in illegal possession of 35 bullets of calibre 7.62-39mm equipment, ordinarily a monopoly of the defence forces.

The MPs who were charged with treason before Gulu Magistrates Court are Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality), Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality), Paul Mwiru (Jinja Municipality) and Arua Municipality MP-elect Kasiano Wadri.

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By Ivan Okuda

KAMPALA  Musician and MP Mr Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine continues, as does MP Zaake, to wallow in pain after they were beastly butchered by Ugandas perennially rascal security agencies. Libraries of ink have been written about everything wrong with what happened.

Personally what I find shocking and disappointing is the Presidents unwritten approval, condoning and abetting of this barefaced criminality. In all his statements on the Arua election, the president has neither expressed remorse, empathized with families of victims nor promised to take action on his officers who undoubtedly acted with more force than was necessary from the facts emerging. This isnt so surprising especially seeing how Mr Museveni loves to chest thump after every murderous episode as we saw with Kasese, Kayunga, Walk to Work, the war in the North and East wherein the army admittedly committed gross violations of human rights of civilians.

That mistakes may have been made isnt a matter of concern for the Old Man with the hat. Perhaps, the president is happy with the actions of his officers which in a country of violent politics achieve the shock doctrine mission of scaring lesser people from taking on the state while also breaking the spirit of rising stars like Bobi. In his calculation, the cost of bad publicity measured against the long-term aim of beating opponents to submission while sending a message to their followers is bearable. After all, he has previously hailed the NRM as masters of violence.

For a regime that got power through violence and hasnt been shy to apply doses of the same to maintain a grip on power, forcefulness is a time-tested method.

Students of Ugandas political and constitutional history will appreciate that the character of the Ugandan state and its attitude towards opposition hasnt fundamentally changed right from colonial time. This perhaps calls for a deeper study of the evolution of Ugandan, nay, post-colonial African state.

That is beside the point though. Its humbling that Ugandans across the political divide have voiced their concern and demanded fair treatment of the two MPs. I am intrigued though by the continuance of the trend of silence, oh dear, sorry, I meant less concern, about the plight of SMALL people who become collateral damage in these episodes of violent political processes.

My acquaintance the indomitable Mr Higenyi Kemba of the Uganda Peoples Congress this week brought to our attention the plight of women and men who are rotting away in West Nile. They were among those battered by security officers. One reportedly is in dire need of surgery.

Except for a few mentions in the media, none of these people has got the kind of attention the two MPs received. Understandably so, though.

No hashtag. No mention on the big radio and TV talk shows in Kampala. No parliament suspended to establish their condition. No Prime Minister statement on their fate. No twitter and Facebook campaign. Just a mention in passing in our news pages. No headline. Therein lies the crisis of our society. A society where the house of justice has private wings, VIP rooms and commoner sections. Of course, we dont expect everyone to get the same attention for the world isnt equal or even fair but I dare say we fall short of the bare minimum when it comes to the SMALL people. A few anecdotes will suffice.

A few years ago, a source in the FDC got me rare access to Ndolo Military Prison in DR. Congo where activist Sam Mugumya is to this day detained without charge. We did the interview that got published in Sunday Monitor.

Sam, however, is one of the most selfless people of our generation. He, at the end of the interview, requested that I look into the situation of other Ugandans detained with him because the media and NGOs were speaking about his issue as though it was an isolated case. I asked him to compile names and get a little more detail. He did. We published a story, 37 Ugandans rot away in Congo jail. That is almost the most a journalist can do.

There hasnt been mention of the plight of these Ugandans, many of them Baganda Muslims. They continue to languish in Congo. Some have been there for 6 years.

Before Sam was detained there these Ugandans had spent up to three years in the military facility. Not FDC, not the media, not our human rights NGOs, not our diplomatic officers had, at least in public, raised voice. Sams arrest attracted media attention, key opposition figures matching to the DRC embassy in Kampala and constant efforts in and out of Uganda to secure him. The other 37 Ugandans, who had no name recognition, werent as lucky. Who, I ask, will speak out for people like those? Who will start a Twitter campaign for them? Oops! Tweets about them wont attract 1,200 retweets.

A tweet about Sam will. An effort to fight for the rights of these 37 Ugandans wont get you a media mention or catch the eye of the donor. If you are a journalist, perhaps, their story wont get you a headline. Sams story will. If you are Ugandas Ambassador to Congo, visiting these 37 Ugandans wont catch the eye of Amnesty International. Visiting Sam will. He is a recognizable quantity. Therein, lies the moral crisis of our society. Does every life matter?

Another example. Last year we at the Monitor investigated a spate of killings in Teso sub-region, mainly inspired by land conflicts, politics and business and published a series titled: Blood, Guns and Politics in Teso.

For the tens of days, I camped in Soroti speaking to people, I touched, felt and smelt the monster of injustice inbuilt in our society. There was a high profile family which met the president to discuss the murder of their elderly mother. We in the media gave the case attention. Human rights lawyers did their best to get justice. Uganda Human Rights Commission made visits to the family. NGOs too. Then reality dawned. The reality of SMALL people. There were families that had more scary tales of injustice, murders with impunity and state officials covering up or even involved. None of them had caught the attention of the president, media, NGOs. Yes, no Twitter campaign for them.

No hashtag. No Free Okello tee shirts. No mention in the inside pages of our papers. Who, I dare ask, will speak out and act for these people, the SMALL people? Does every life matter? I could give 1993 more examples but these drive the point home.

And so, as I listen to our talk shows, retweet tweets and imbibe passion on Facebook about our beloved MPs paying the price of third world politics of violence, my heart and mind go out to the SMALL people who arent part of this conversation. That woman, mother, sister, aunt, spouse to someone who was reportedly was bleeding from her private regions while in court in Gulu or the young man Mr. Kemba reports, has a bullet lodged in his body. Or the orphans of Bobis driver and their widowed mother who wont be lucky to have Bishops, social media influencers, NGOs, lawyers, journalists and MPs speaking about justice for them.

The many who have suffered the brunt of injustice with no one to talk to, no one to profile their plight are an indictment on us, as a society. I must, as a matter of disclaimer though, hasten to add that I know a few people in our media, NGO, human rights law and even government who will do anything possible, and do so whenever duty to humanity calls, to extend a hand to our SMALL people. Maria Burnett at Human Rights Watch, my mentor and friend Mr. Rwakafuuzi, nduggu Nich Opiyo, the golden-hearted Jackie Asiimwe, Eunice Musiime, Andrew Karamagi, Eron Kiiza, police officers like Mr. Asan Kasingye, my colleagues Stephen Kafeero, Abubaker Lubowa at Monitor and so many others who have their hearts in the right place and recognize that all lives matter, and each day, in the course of their jobs, try to do something, however small, to make a difference.

Thing though is, the culture of our media, NGOs, human rights law practice, opposition politicians, social media campaigns, is constructed around recognizable quantities. The SMALL people, by and large, are out on their own, living like birds in space, lucky to get a tree to perch on when dawn strikes.

Does every life matter? Lets look in the mirror. There lies the answer.

====================================================================

Ivan Okuda is a Ugandan writer and political commentator in Uganda and the East African region

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A businessman in Southern California is stepping up to show his support for law enforcement by hosting a "Law Enforcement Appreciation Festival" at a private location in Huntington Beach. Image courtesy of Allen Alevy, the founder of Westland Industries and the Westland Real Estate Group in Southern California.

A businessman in Southern California is stepping up to show his support for law enforcement by hosting a "Law Enforcement Appreciation Festival" at a private location in Huntington Beach on Sunday, August 26th.

More than 5,000 Southern California law enforcement officers and their families  with representation from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles and Orange County Sheriffs Departments, the California Highway Patrol, as well as the Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Westminster, and other police departments  are expected to attend.

The event is principally sponsored by 80-year-old Allen Alevy  the founder of Westland Industries and the Westland Real Estate Group in Southern California.

"The men and women of the law enforcement community  and their precious families  sacrifice so much to keep our cities and towns safe. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude," Alevy told POLICE Magazine.

"We are grateful to the Alevy Family for their generous support of law enforcement families," Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell told POLICE Magazine. "This event brings families together for a day of fun and camaraderie."

"That's what the Law Enforcement Appreciation Festival is all about. We will be showing respect and expressing our thanks, all while offering these dedicated families a day of fun together. They definitely deserve it," Alevy added.

In addition to the festival, Alevy has been providing financial support to Southern California law enforcement families by supporting widows and children of fallen law enforcement officers with efforts ranging from sending presents at the holidays to iPads for the children, plus swim parties at his private residence, complete with masseuses and pampering for the mothers, "and pizza for all."

"There is a thin blue line between order and chaos, between life and death, between civilization and anarchy. We believe those who serve, who hold that line, deserve our undying respect and appreciation," said the event website.
As I snapped another picture, my model casually mentioned that our photo backdrop was the scene of a double homicide a couple years ago. Nearby, a few kids from the blocksome of whom appeared to be in their mid-40s and malevolentwere interested in what we were doing. Focused on the camera, I didnt mind the sweat caused by my bulletproof vest and was thankful for the two other police officers watching our back. Its a tough street in a tough city.

We were standing in the North Harbor neighborhood of East Chicago, Indiana.

If you havent heard of EC, you probably have heard about the city next door; Gary, Indiana is the occasional murder capital of the U.S and a very sharing neighbor. With Gary to the south and east, one of the biggest steel mills in the world to the north, the south side of Chicago to the west, refineries, smelting plants, harbors, more miles of railroad than street, a legacy of environmental problems and a history as a melting-pot city in a region originally made up of immigrants, East Chicago isnt the easiest place to be a cop. Thats why we took the new FLIR Breach PTQ136 multifunctional thermal imaging monocular to the streets with the East Chicago Police Departmentto show them the many ways FLIR Breach can make their jobs both easier and safer.

Small Town, Big City Problems

Our host for the hot, busy July evening was patrolman John Richmond and his partner Joe Kelnhofer. A 14-year veteran of ECPD, Richmond grew up in a tough section of East Chicago just across the tracks from the steel mill. He works those same streets today, much to the aggravation of lawbreakers who think they can buffalo a man who knows multiple generations of residents. Kelnhofer just completed his first year on the force.

When asked to describe the overall policing situation in the community, Richmond thought for a moment and observed, Were a small town with big city problems.

East Chicago is relatively small in both area and population. The city footprint is 16 square miles, but two of those are harbor and waterway and numerous other acres are occupied by industrial land, railroads and the cattail swamps along the Grand Calumet River and Lake Michigan. That means the citys 30,000 inhabitants are densely packed into only ten neighborhoods.

Those neighborhoods run the gamut, making East Chicago a city of great contrast. There are 1950s and 60s public housing projects sprinkled through areas that could otherwise pass for old working-class historical neighborhoods in major cities. Some other sections give off a country club-like vibe, looking much like middle-manager suburban subdivisions. Mix in countless factories that range from well-used to whatever classification lies beyond post-apocalyptic, and you have an urban landscape that is both fascinating and challenging.

The city is approximately half Latino and 30-percent African-American, while the remainder is a mix of Polish, German, Serbian and other ethnic backgrounds. Fortunately, racial tension isnt a huge problem for the city or its police force. Thats a good thing because drugs and gangsoften transplants from nearby Chicago and Garybring plenty of trouble to the community.

In fact, during the 1990s when murder rates were significantly higher, the countys prosecuting attorney declared that Guthrie Street in East Chicago was even more dangerous than any of the more notorious trouble spots in nearby Gary.

East Chicago officers take pride in noting that things are better now, but their city still faces challenges.

At 9 p.m. on a sultry night when Lake Michigan breezes only added humidity to the full-moon heat, we cruised by one dimly lit local park that was full of people loitering in the dark. Richmond sourly noted, We could probably make some arrests right here, right now.

It was a perfect place to press the FLIR Breach into duty.

You Cant Hide

At only 210 grams, FLIR Breach adds minimal weight to an officers otherwise heavy gear. It can be concealed in a pocket or be mounted to a helmet with its mini-rail feature.

We pulled over and I handed the thermal monocular to Richmond. He discretely brought it to his face while looking out the open drivers-side window of his unmarked SUV. Wow, was the initial response, followed by, thats really cool.

Another wow was repeated more softly and then, I can clearly see what everybody is doing. The officer was awed. He handed the FLIR Breach to his partner, who offered the same reaction before refusing to hand the unit back.

We got out of the vehicle, and Richmond approached several shadowy figures hanging out under a shelter. A few of the men stayed put, offering desultory greetings to the officers, while several others sidled away into the darkness.

They didnt realize that Kelnhofer was watching everything they were doing through the FLIR Breach. Even through the darkness, Kelnhofer could easily see if the men were dropping drugs or drug paraphernalia into the grass or hiding a gun as they walked away.

Kelnhofer liked the idea that he could record over 1,000 still images or 2.5 hours of video of the scene with the push of a button. That would be really handy in court, he pointed out while watching some of the men enter a vehicle with Illinois plates.

On this occasion, Kelnhofer didnt see anything actionable, though we did check out several locations where the men had lingered while walking away. As we looked around a spruce tree where one of the group had paused, Kelnhofer noted that if the man had dropped a handgun into the shrubbery it would have been easy to locate due to transferred body heat emitting from the firearm. Tonight, however, there was nothing.

Between calls for service and one arrest, the remainder of our night on patrol in EC was spent cruising the streets and alleys looking for suspicious activity. In one instance, we parked on an unlit street corner and conducted a short observation of a known group of troublemakers goofing off in front of a house.

Nearby, another group of residents was sitting in the dark on a doorstep. Richmond engaged them in some friendly conversation. After a few minutes, he allowed them a brief view through the Breach. They were shocked at the ease in which it could quickly and clearly identify peopleespecially in the Outdoor Alert color palette, which highlights the warmest parts of the scene in orange. You cant hide from that thing, one of the men said with a note of pain in his voice.

While driving away, Richmond laughed and offered that someone in the group had likely already called their friends down the street and warned them that the police were now equipped (in the words of the resident) with some kind of Star Wars (expletive deleted).

Indeed, they were.

The Day is Done

As we stood talking in the police department parking lot after the shift, Richmond was enthusiastic about the wide variety of uses FLIR Beach holds for officers. Its a great tool, he said, unsure where to begin on the list. It would be very handy out here (in East Chicago) on patrol, and our gang and narc (narcotics unit) guys would love to have this because of its small size, Richmond noted.

It would be great to sit in a UC (Undercover) vehicle and look out for people while remaining undetected and still maintaining your peripheral vision, Richmond mused. You can also pick out heat signatures from vehicles and know if theyve been running or sitting, he added, observing that as the Illinois vehicle at the park drove away, it had clearly visible warm spots on the tires where they had been resting on the pavement.

Kelnhofer was equally impressed. I liked it a lot! he said enthusiastically. Its definitely needed for law enforcement, but Id also use it for huntingespecially to help find downed deer. Its a great all-around-awesome product.

All told, nearly a dozen officers on the ECPD got a chance to handle the Breach during the afternoon and evening ride-along. All were similarly impressed with the compactness, image quality and sheer usefulness of the tiny thermal monocular. They definitely saw its potential as a great new tool that could help the officers become more effective and much safer on the challenging streets of Americas small town with big city problems.

For more information on the new FLIR Breach, as well as other thermal and night vision products for law enforcement, visit flir.com.

Want more information on FLIR Systems?

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President Andrzej Duda said in Canberra that Poland is hopeful for a good dialogue with Australia regarding security and defence cooperation.

The meeting, which took place on Monday in the parliament building was also attended by Defence Minister Mariusz Baszczak and Australian Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne.

"Poland approaches security and defence policy very seriously, we expect the development of cooperation with Australia in this field. We expect positive talks," Andrzej Duda said. See also: President: Thank You for giving a home to Polish soldiers after the war

The head of state pointed out that the second issue, which the Polish delegation want to discuss is energy cooperation, especially "in terms of potential Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supplies to Poland." He also referred to the Polish-Australian Energy Forum, which will take place in Sydney on Tuesday.

"I hope this (the forum-PAP) will bring good results to our entrepreneurs, our countries, with regard to future cooperation," Andrzej Duda noted. (PAP)
Polish President Andrzej Duda thanked the Polish diaspora of Sydney, Australia, on Monday, telling them it is because of them that Poland is respected in Australia.

"This is testament to the type of people you are here," Andrzej Duda commented. "You are loyal citizens of Australia, friendly people, good neighbours, honest, reliable workers, entrepreneurs, and you are simply respected. And if you are respected, then because of you, Poland is also respected."

"I thank you hugely for that, that you give such an account of our country," he added. "I invite you to Poland, it is better all the time. Maybe it's worth thinking about coming back? Please consider it."

President Duda wished Poles living in Australia to stay the way they are and not change, going on to congratulate them on their frequent successes. He also appealed to Poles to remember "that extremely important thing, the Republic, whose name is Poland," their homeland.

Andrzej Duda went on to thank the organisers of Polish civil life in Australia and all those engaged in the creation of associations and various initiatives, which, he said, "bring Poles together, mutually strengthen them (and) which also cause people to see that we make a community."

The President made reference to the long history of Polish emigration to Australia leading to today's community of around 180,000 Poles in that country. He also drew attention to the fact that on the centenary year of Poland regaining independence, he was the conducting the first official visit to Australia by the president of a free, independent, sovereign Polish republic. (PAP)
VADODARA, India, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Beneficial new partnerships are helping CoreCommerce India drive ecommerce sales

CoreCommerce India is excited to announce that they have launched some new connections and updates which include a tie-up to some of India's leading payment gateway service providers that offers comprehensive payment services for customer and merchants with SaaS fee collection and payment gateway support for clients. This puts CoreCommerce India in a unique position to help drive ecommerce sales in India.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/568973/CoreCommerce_India_Logo.jpg )



The shift to smart phones, increasing internet penetration, decreasing data access costs, and credit flow to micro enterprises and consumers is driving India's ecommerce boom. Financial services firm, Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2026, India's online retail market will grow to over $200 billion (Rs. 13,30,550 crore), an increase of over 1,200% from the 2016 level of $15 billion. Numbers of that scale are often hard to comprehend. They're invigorating and mind-boggling at the same time.

If one's company is staring down that $200 billion barrel and wondering, 'What do we do?' rest assured, they're not alone. As Harvard Business Review wrote earlier this month: "Business leaders are scrambling to adjust to a world few imagined possible just a year ago. The myth of a borderless world has come crashing down. Traditional pillars of open markets-the United States and the UK-are wobbling, and China is positioning itself as globalization's staunchest defender."

According to Global Ecommerce, the big idea is simple: the massive opportunities of global ecommerce are too big to ignore. Not only in retail and B2C, but also in ecommerce's most overlooked category - B2B.

CoreCommerce India is positioned to help others take advantage of the emerging opportunities within the e-commerce space. "We have focused on adding functions and features that are beneficial to our Indian clients by creating partnerships with Payment Gateway service providers which give us broader payment gateway features and Logistics Service providers which provides Shipping & Fulfillment. Our robust functions and features are sufficient to give any business owner the opportunity to reach the world," says Mohnish Mehta, Head of Growth & Expansion at CoreCommerce India.

CoreCommerce India recognizes that there are 3,660,000 businesses in India and most of them are small businesses looking to grow. "We are ensuring that CoreCommerce India has the tools, the reach, and the support systems in place to assist these small businesses in accessing the larger market which was once unreachable," says Mr. Mehta.

About CoreCommerce India

CoreCommerce India, an e-commerce firm based in Vadodara, is a simple and fast e-commerce solution that enables companies and individuals to create and operate their own online store. It comes loaded with multiple features as well as security functions that are top-notch. It is a suitable platform for small businesses and individuals that are looking to set up new stores. Learn more about CoreCommerce India by visiting http://www.corecommerce.in or contact us by email at [email protected].

Media Contact:

Mohnish Mehta

[email protected]

+91-7383838983

Head - Growth & Expansion

WV Magic Web Design Private Limited



SOURCE CoreCommerce India
MUMBAI, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

As garbage handling becomes a concern with recent plastic bans, Emerson's

InSinkErator food waste disposer offers a hygienic, environmentally responsible alternative

Emerson, the global technology and engineering company, is launching its renowned InSinkErator food waste disposer in India as a solution for homes and businesses looking for a hygienic and environmentally responsible alternative for handling kitchen food waste, especially in the wake of recent plastic bag bans.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/732438/Emerson_InSinkErator.jpg )



InSinkErator, part of Emerson's Commercial & Residential Solutions business, is a high-quality food waste disposer that can be installed easily and discreetly under a typical kitchen sink. The disposer grinds food waste into tiny particles that are flushed down a standard kitchen drain into the local wastewater treatment system, biodigester or septic tank with reduced risk of clogging.

With a growing population and rapid urbanisation, waste generation in India has increased significantly over the last decade. According to India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), approximately 60 million tonnes of waste are generated each year in the country; and wet waste and food waste make up 17 million tonnes of this total. Traditionally, wet waste and food waste are collected, stored and transported in plastic bags and containers.

Given recent actions by various state governments in India to ban single-use plastic, installing and using food waste disposers can be a viable solution for disposing food/wet waste efficiently and safely without the use of plastic.

"InSinkErator is a revolutionary product that provides an environmentally responsible option to combat the food waste management challenge," said Shirish Adi, vice president and managing director, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions, India. "We believe that adoption of this solution can make food waste disposal as simple as pushing a button. It not only offers significant benefits to homes and businesses, like having a pest-free, odourless and hygienic kitchen, but also the community benefits from lesser spillage on streets, the government benefits from the reduction in disposal costs, and the environment benefits from lesser landfill emissions."

CPCB has estimated that annual waste generation in India will likely increase to 165 million tonnes by 2030. Almost 70 percent of this solid waste is dumped at landfill sites causing adverse ecological and environmental impact.

With the increasing focus of municipalities on segregation of wet and dry waste, food waste disposers offer a convenient and hygienic solution for home kitchens and an efficient and safe way for commercial kitchens to efficiently and safely dispose of larger quantities of food waste. An additional environmentally responsible step is to convert the food waste into energy, and food waste disposers can serve as a starting point in the process of generating biogas/electricity and fertilizer.

InSinkErator is the world's leading food waste disposer brand, with sales in more than 80 countries. InSinkErator has been solving the issue of food waste disposal since 1938, bringing its years of research and product refinement to cater to the most pressing issues of customers around the world.

For more information about the benefits of food waste disposers and where to buy InSinkErator disposers in India, visit http://www.InSinkEratorIndia.com

About Emerson

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets. Our Emerson Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com .

Media Contact:

Vaibhavi Parekh

[email protected]

+91-9833287008

Account Director

FleishmanHillard

SOURCE Emerson
MUMBAI, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

UNSW Sydney moved from 133 to 102, signifying the largest annual rise in the Academic Ranking of World Universities in the history of UNSW and the biggest this year among Go8 universities.

In the most significant rankings gain since the launch of its ambitious 2025 Strategy, UNSW Sydney has leapfrogged 31 spots to 102nd among global universities in Shanghai Ranking's latest Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

UNSW's march from 133 to 102 is the largest gain among Group of Eight (Go8) universities for 2018. It is also the highest position UNSW has held since the ARWU rankings were first published in 2003.

UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs said the higher ranking is a combination of outstanding work by UNSW academics, the impact of 2025 Strategy initiatives such as the Strategic Hires and Retention Pathways (SHARP) recruitment effort and the University's strong partnerships with medical research institutes such as the George Institute for Global Health.

"This big rise in the ARWU ranking is reassuring evidence of the impact of our strategy. It reflects the commitment of the UNSW community to ensure that we are positioned among the world's top universities," said Professor Jacobs.

"We are just beginning to see the benefits of the energy, expertise and investment in the 2025 Strategy," said UNSW Sydney President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs.

"Progress in research-based university rankings such as ARWU is just one of our strategic objectives - alongside outstanding teaching and learning, equity, diversity and inclusion, thought leadership, knowledge transfer and global impact - but it is important for UNSW. I applaud those whose hard work and dedication have helped to achieve this progress in such a short period of time. I anticipate further steady rises over the next seven years so that we achieve our objective of an average top 50 place in the QS, THE and ARWU rankings during 2025," added Professor Ian Jacobs.

The 2025 Strategy is a 10-year plan that sets the priorities and themes guiding UNSW as it aims to position itself among the world's top 50 universities. Major initiatives include:

The recruitment of world-class researchers and PhD scholars

Proposals for new education-focused career pathways for academics

An innovative new academic calendar

Sector-leading educational innovation and the digitisation of 600 courses

A new approach to delivering services across the University

Ambitious equity, diversity and inclusion targets

A dramatic increase in business-university partnerships

Global impact through international education and development.

"We are just beginning to see the benefits of the energy, expertise and investment in the 2025 Strategy," Professor Jacobs said. "I am grateful for the effort and skills of our professional and academic staff in delivering this progress through a period of complex and challenging change."

The ARWU uses six objective indicators to rank world universities, including the number of alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals, number of highly cited researchers selected by Clarivate Analytics, number of articles published in the journals Nature and Science, number of articles indexed in Science Citation Index - Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index, and per capita performance with respect to the size of an institution.

Australia now has 23 universities listed among the top 500 universities. Among Go8 universities, ANU moved up 28 places from 97 to 69, and the University of Sydney moved from 83 to 68. American universities continue to dominate the league table with Harvard University topping the list for the 16th year.

UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Nicholas Fisk noted that the ARWU is heavily weighted to Nobel Prize and Fields Medal recipients. The Alternative Ranking, without the 30% score for awards, is a much better indicator of current performance and positions UNSW at 67th globally.

Professor Fisk said: "Our ranking surge follows on from the University's strong performance in ARWU's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2018 released in July, where UNSW had nine subjects ranked first in Australia."

About University of New South Wales, Sydney

UNSW, Australia's global university ranked among the top 50 Universities in the world offers programs in engineering, business, law, architecture, art and design, medicine and science. Located in Sydney, a safe and student friendly city, UNSW is home to more than 52,000 students from nearly 130 countries. UNSW has been attracting a growing number of bright Indian students for undergraduate and post graduate studies.

As one of the world's leading research and teaching universities UNSW's cutting edge research and innovation facilitated by 3000 faculty is known for acceptance and successful commercialization.

For more details, please visit: www.UNSW.edu.au



Media Contact:

Parmpreet Kaur

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Communicate India



SOURCE University of New South Wales, Sydney
MUNICH, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Satellite symposium will highlight the breadth of evidence collected since the establishment of the registry in 2009

An analysis of the comparative effectiveness of oral anticoagulants in everyday practice will be presented

The economic burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) in nine European countries will be evaluated

The latest results from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the Field - Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) will be presented at the forthcoming ESC Congress 2018, organised by the European Society of Cardiology, to be held in Munich, Germany, from 25th to 29th August.

Data will be presented as posters, oral presentations and at the late breaking science session on clinical registries, exploring a range of areas including the burden attributable to AF in nine European countries, clinicians' prescribing tendencies, and how the quality of stroke prevention has changed over time.

The late breaking science session "Registry Results 2" on Tuesday 28th August, 14:30-15:45, (Centre Stage - The Hub) will see Professors John Camm and Keith Fox present the latest results from the GARFIELD-AF Registry. Professor Camm will highlight significant differences in the risk of mortality in favour of OACs (vs. no OAC) and NOACs (vs. VKAS) even after adjustment for baseline variables. Professor Fox will present findings that challenge the use of combined OAC+AP therapy, particularly among those without a clear indication for AP therapy.

"We are excited to have a strong presence at this year's ESC Congress, as a result of the wealth of new GARFIELD-AF data, which will be presented by some of the leading investigators involved in the registry," said Rt Hon Professor the Lord Ajay K. Kakkar, Professor of Surgery at University College London and Director of the Thrombosis Research Institute (TRI), UK.

GARFIELD-AF is the largest ongoing prospective registry of patients with AF. It is a pioneering, independent outcomes research initiative led by an international steering committee under the auspices of the TRI. It has generated at least 2 years of follow-up data in over 52,000 patients with newly diagnosed AF.

Key results will be unveiled during the TRI Satellite Symposium which will showcase the wealth of evidence collected since the establishment of GARFIELD-AF in 2010.

GARFIELD-AF: New light shed on Atrial Fibrillation and its management

Satellite Symposium

Saturday 25th August 2018 from 15.30 - 17.00 (all times CEST) - Room Vienna - Village 3

Members of the GARFIELD-AF Steering Committee will present a variety of results, including new insights on the quality of stroke prevention and its clinical effectiveness in routine care, and presentations on the real-world record of change in prescribing practice and outcomes. The new GARFIELD-AF risk score and its online application will also be discussed. The symposium will also include a panel discussion led by Professors Jean-Pierre Bassand (France) and Samuel Z. Goldhaber (USA).

Other key data from GARFIELD-AF will be presented during the following sessions:

Rapid Fire Abstract Session entitled 'Atrial fibrillation - Detection, treatment, outcomes' - (11:00 - 12:30, Sunday 26th August; Location: Agora 2 - Agora)

"The effect of non-recommended dosing of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) on 1-year mortality in patients with newly diagnosed AF. Results from the GARFIELD-AF registry."

Professor John Camm (UK) will highlight the impact of using non-recommended doses of NOACs for stroke prevention in in patients with newly diagnosed AF.

Poster Session 3 - (14.00 - 18.00, Sunday 26th August)

Evaluation of the effect of oral anticoagulants on all-cause mortality within 3 months of the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation

Karen Pieper (USA) will reveal significant early mortality in patients with newly diagnosed AF and significant mortality differences in favour of OACs, even after adjustment for 29 baseline variables.

The economic burden attributable to atrial fibrillation in nine European countries

Paolo Cozzolino (Italy) will report that the economic burden of AF, a growing public health problem, correlates with differences in management between countries.

Poster Session 5 - (14.00 - 18.00, Monday 27th August)

Why do clinicians withhold anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation and CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score 2?

Dr Deborah Siegal (Canada) will report that guideline-based treatment with oral anticoagulants was associated with better outcomes, results that emphasise the need to better understand decision-making to improve oral anticoagulant prescription rates and outcomes in AF.

Why do clinicians prescribe oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation despite a low CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score?

Frederik Verbrugge (Belgium) will report on the discrepancy between patient characteristics that predict OAC use in AF patients with a very low CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score and factors reported by clinicians that influence their decision-making.

About the GARFIELD-AF registry

GARFIELD-AF is a worldwide observational programme that aims to enhance the breadth and depth of understanding of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), ultimately informing strategies to improve patient outcomes, safety and utilisation of healthcare resources.

It offers a unique opportunity to obtain a comprehensive and contemporary description of the spectrum of patients with AF and their management worldwide as they evolve over time. The registry is important in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, serving to increase awareness of the importance of thrombosis and its treatment.

GARFIELD-AF recruited patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular AF and at least one risk factor for stroke. A total of 57,262 patients were recruited from over 1000 centres in 35 countries worldwide, including the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific, over five sequential cohorts. Follow-up is over a minimum of 2 years and up to 8 years after diagnosis, to create a comprehensive database of treatment decisions and outcomes in everyday clinical practice.

GARFIELD-AF is a pioneering, independent academic research initiative led by an international steering committee under the auspices of the TRI, London, UK.

Contemporary understanding of AF is based on data gathered in controlled clinical trials. Whilst essential for evaluating the efficacy and safety of new treatments, these trials are not representative of everyday clinical practice and, hence, uncertainty persists about the real-life burden and management of this disease. GARFIELD-AF seeks to provide insights into the impact of anticoagulant therapy on thromboembolic and bleeding complications seen in this patient population. It will provide a better understanding of the potential opportunities for improving care and clinical outcomes amongst a representative and diverse group of patients and across distinctive populations. This should help physicians and healthcare systems to appropriately adopt innovation to ensure the best outcomes for patients and populations.

The registry started in December 2009. Four key design features of the GARFIELD-AF protocol ensure a comprehensive and representative description of AF; these are:

Five sequential cohorts of prospective, newly diagnosed patients, facilitating comparisons of discrete time periods and describing the evolution of treatments and outcomes;

Investigator sites that are selected randomly within carefully assigned national AF care setting distributions, ensuring that the enrolled patient population is representative;

Enrolment of consecutive eligible patients regardless of therapy to eliminate potential selection bias;

Follow-up data captured for a minimum of 2 and up to 8 years after diagnosis, to create a comprehensive database of treatment decisions and outcomes in everyday clinical practice.

Included patients must have been diagnosed with non-valvular AF within the previous 6 weeks and have at least one risk factor for stroke; as such, they are potential candidates for anticoagulant therapy to prevent blood clots leading to stroke. It is left to the investigator to identify a patient's stroke risk factor(s), which need not be restricted to those included in established risk scores. Patients are included whether or not they receive anticoagulant therapy, so that the merit of current and future treatment strategies can be properly understood in relation to patients' individual risk profiles.

The GARFIELD-AF registry is funded by an unrestricted research grant from Bayer AG, Berlin, Germany.

For more information, visit our website: http://www.garfieldregistry.org

The burden of AF

Up to 2% of the global population has AF,[1] including around 8.8 million people in Europe[2] and 5-6.1 million in the United States.[3] It is estimated that its prevalence will at least double by 2050 as the global population ages.[3] AF is associated with a five-fold increase in stroke risk, and one out of five strokes is attributed to this arrhythmia.[1] Ischaemic strokes related to AF are often fatal, and those patients who survive are left more frequently and more severely disabled and have a greater risk of recurrence than patients with other causes of stroke.[1] Hence, the risk of mortality from AF-associated stroke is doubled and the cost of care is 50% higher.[1]

AF occurs when parts of the atria emit uncoordinated electrical signals. This causes the chambers to pump too quickly and irregularly, not allowing blood to be pumped out completely.[4] As a result, blood may pool, clot and lead to thrombosis, which is the number one cardiovascular killer in the world.[5] If a blood clot leaves the left atrium, it could potentially lodge in an artery in other parts of the body, including the brain. A blood clot in an artery in the brain leads to a stroke; 92% of fatal strokes are caused by thrombosis.[5] Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term disability worldwide - each year, 6.5 million people die[6] and 5 million are left permanently disabled.[7] People with AF also are at high risk for heart failure, chronic fatigue and other heart rhythm problems.[8]

About the TRI

The TRI is dedicated to bringing new solutions to patients for the detection, prevention and treatment of blood clots. The TRI's goal is to advance the science of real-world enquiry so that the value of real-world data is realised and becomes a critical link in the chain of evidence. Our pioneering research programme, across medical disciplines and across the world, continues to provide breakthrough solutions in thrombosis.

For more information, visit: http://www.tri-london.ac.uk/.

References:

Camm A J, Kirchhof P, et al. Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation: The Task Force for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J 2010; 31(19):2369-429. Krijthe B P, Kunst A, et al. Projections on the number of individuals with atrial fibrillation in the European Union, from 2000 to 2060. Eur Heart J 2013; 34:2746-51. Colilla S, Crow A, Petkun W, et al. Estimates of current and future incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the U.S. adult population. Am J Cardiol 2013; 112(8):1142-7. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. What is Atrial Fibrillation? Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/af/ . [Last accessed: 10 August World Thrombosis Day. Know Thrombosis. Available at: http://www.worldthrombosisday.org/issue/thrombosis/. [Last accessed: 10 August 2018 ]. World Stroke Organization. World Stroke Campaign. Available at: http://www.worldstrokecampaign.org/. [Last accessed: 10 August 2018 ]. Stroke Centre. Stroke Statistics. Available at: http://www.strokecenter.org/patients/about-stroke/stroke-statistics/. [Last accessed: 10 August 2018 ]. American Heart Association. Why Atrial Fibrillation (AF or AFib) Matters. Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/AboutArrhythmia/Why-Atrial-Fibrillation-AF-or-AFib-Matters_UCM_423776_Article.jsp. [Last accessed: 10 August 2018 ].

SOURCE The Thrombosis Research Institute
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Ukrainian Right Sector members sentence takes effect in Russia

 RIA Novosti, Andrey Stenin

10:35 20/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI)  A 27-month prison sentence given to Ukrainian national Roman Ternovsky for engagement in the activities of Right Sector nationalist organization banned in Russia has become effective, the spokesperson of Russias Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko has told journalists.

According to investigators, from 2015 to 2016, Ternovsky took part in pickets, rallies and other mass events in Ukraine as a member of Right Sector. Moreover, he propagated online the organizations activity on his Facebook page among the social network users including Russians.

He was arrested in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don in October 2017.

Right Sector is a Ukrainian association of radical nationalist organizations. In January and February 2014, its members clashed with police and seized administrative buildings in Kiev. Since April 2014, Right Sector has been involved in fighting the protest movement in eastern Ukraine.

In November 2014, Russias Supreme Court declared Right Sector an extremist group and banned its activity in Russia. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Right Sector leader Dmitry Yarosh for alleged incitement of terrorism.

In January 2015, Right Sector was added to the Russian register of prohibited organizations.
Ex-top manager of Gazprom subsidiary gets 5 years for $3 mln embezzlement

 RIA Novosti, Vitaly Belousov

12:33 20/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI)  Sergey Podolny, ex-deputy CEO of Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Omsk, a subsidiary of Russias oil giant Gazprom, has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for embezzling over 200 million rubles ($3 million), the Investigative Committees press service reports Monday.

Additionally, Podolny has been fined 500,000 rubles ($7,500).

One more defendant in the case Alena Babiy has received 3.5 years in prison and a 300,000-ruble fine ($4,500).

According to investigators, Podolny and Babiy have conspired to embezzle funds of the Omsk Technical Carbon Plant (Omsktechuglerod) being aware of gas supplies economic relations between the company and Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Omsk. They have introduced Technical Carbon and GazNeftTrading, straw companies controlled by Babiy and not conducting financial and business operations, into direct gas supply chains.

Thus, from 2011 to 2014, the supplied gas was distributed to the Omsk Technical Carbon Plant at value far exceeding a transfer price.

The defendants cashed out stolen money through banks and shell companies, the statement reads.
Acquittal of ex-school principal in extortion case appealed

 RIA Novosti, Sergei Orlov

16:59 20/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI)  Prosecutors and victims have appealed acquittal of ex-school principal Marina Gederim in a case on extortions in an educational institution, the victims lawyer Vitaly Zubenko has told RAPSI.

Victims in the case in their appeal demand to overturn acquittal and push for conviction of Gederim, according to the attorney. Such a sentence would establish a vicious and obviously criminal practice of systematic financing of schools material requirements by pupilsparents, Zubenko said.

Prosecutors have demanded a 2-year suspended sentence for the defendant.

Earlier, victim Larisa Yakupova complained that the school authorities demanded money from parents for various needs including buying new school furniture and schoolbooks.

According to Zubenko, in 2017, Gederim asked parents of first-grade pupils to buy the furniture masquerading as voluntary donation.

Gederim was charged with abuse of authority.
Russian Supreme Court does not consider message decoding data to be secret

 TASS, Anton Vaganov

17:40 20/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI)  Information required for decoding of digital messages is not classified as requiring restricted access and as such cant be treated as secrecy of correspondence protected by the Constitution or any other law, the Supreme Court of Russia has ruled.

The court published a ruling on the appeal filed by Telegram Messenger LLP against an order of the Federal Security Service (FSB) allowing the latter to request data for decoding users messages from distributors of said information.

According to the Supreme Court, a lower court correctly concluded that the order does not concern digital messages and log information, which do constitute the privacy of correspondence.

On March 23, the Supreme Court upheld the right of the Federal Security Service (FSB) to request data on decoding of user messages.

On April 13, the Tagansky District Court issued a ruling on blocking Telegram. Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor was tasked with putting a stop to sending and receiving messages in Telegram until the messenger fulfills its obligations by providing deciphering keys. The ruling came into force immediately. Roskomnadzor started blocking the messenger on April 16.

On May 21, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) registered an application lodged by Telegram Messenger LLP against Russia.

According to the Federal Law On Information, Information Technologies and the Protection of Information, organizers of information distribution on the Internet must submit information about users and their messages to the authorized governmental bodies conducting investigative activities and ensuring the state security.
Russian patent agency once more dismisses Mercedes-Benz claim to register G 65 trademark

11:00 20/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI)  Russias Patent Agency (Rospatent) has upheld a ruling to dismiss a request filed by Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, to grant legal protection for G 65 trademark, the watchdogs documents read.

Earlier, Rospatent noted that G65 is merely combinations of letters and numbers and as such cant be differentiated because of lack of original graphics or lexical meaning.

In turn, the applicant argued that consumers and specialists differentiated various automobile models by using the letter-number combinations. In 2015, the company introduced a new specification system built around five types of models: A, B, C, E and S. Daimler AG believes that, for example, E 220 trademark can be differentiated because of its specific sequence of elements making it unique.

On April 3, Rospatent upheld a similar ruling concerning another set of trademarks incly B 140, C 250 e, S 350 e and E 400 e. On March 23, Rospatent in a similar fashion upheld a ruling over E 220, S 450, S 450 e and G 500 trademarks.
Probe opened into attacks against police officers in Chechnya

 RIA Novosti, Alexey Filipov

15:49 20/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 20 (RAPSI)  A criminal case was opened on Monday after attacks against police officers in the Republic of Chechnya, the press service of Russias Investigative Committee reported.

According to the Interior Ministrys regional directorate, on Monday morning, two assailants armed with knives attempted to enter one of the republics police offices. The attack resulted in injuries of two police officers on duty.

The criminals were shot dead, the statement reads.

Moreover, two other attacks against police officers reportedly occurred in Grozny on Monday.
Photos by Chad McBroom, Muzzle Flash Media, And Recoil Staff

Two Experts Give Us Their Input on Best Practices for Concealed Carry Medicine

When browsing EDC or pocket dump on our favorite forum or social media channel of choice, we see a lot of cool gear. Pistols, holsters, knives, watches, challenge coins, flashlights, and sunglasses all run aplenty on these look-at-me photo threads. Even combs, travel razors, beard oil, and tactical wallets all wind up getting meticulously laid out among the supposed daily carry of internet enthusiasts everywhere.

But one item that continues to make fewer appearances than it should is a well-thought-out carry med kit. Theyre typically not flashy, expensive, or an inherent source of bragging rights. Medical gear is, in our opinion, one of the things that separates those who are carrying to be prepared and those who are carrying to start conversation. But the particular sundries required to tend the wounded  and the knowledge required to use them properly  are an oft-misunderstood subculture even among armed professionals.

On the battlefield, the days of taking a knee and yelling medic! are well past. Likewise for law enforcement, stringing up yellow tape while waiting for an ambulance is the procedure of a bygone era. The advent of domestic terrorism and the intense media publicity showered upon active shooters has, for better or worse, made casualty response a job that can now fall upon anybody regardless of what uniform they wear  if any.

In order to better wrap our heads around the problem, we spoke to two instructors who have made great efforts to spread their wealth of knowledge about trauma medicine to uniformed personnel and citizens alike. Kerry Davis of Dark Angel Medical spent 16 years in the Air Force, including service as both an ER medic and flight medic. Additionally, he has 10-plus years in civilian emergency rooms, working as a paramedic while completing his studies to become an RN. Glen Stilson works for Independence Training, which offers both firearms and emergency medical training to the communities around Phoenix, Arizona. He began seeking further development of his own medical skills in 2006 after becoming a father. He has been teaching Dirt Medicine and TCCC-style classes since 2009. The staff at Independence Training includes both current and former paramedics and flight medics, as well as several former members of Army Special Operations units.

RECOIL: Why should people who choose to carry concealed consider medical preparedness (training and gear) an important part of exercising their right to carry? What about people who dont carry a weapon? Should they consider medical training and gear as well?

Kerry Davis: Medical preparedness (training and gear) is absolutely an essential component of EDC. If you are exercising your right to carry a firearm for self-defense, then you should also be trained in, and carrying, medical gear for the same reason. Carrying a firearm without carrying medical gear should not even be an option, because the chances of using your medical gear far outweigh the chances of using your firearm.

With hemorrhage being one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., being able to stop the bleed is one of the most important things we can learn. We always tell people in our classes that even if you dont carry a weapon, you can carry a medical kit and still be a force multiplier. Also, you cant carry a weapon everywhere, but Ive yet to be anywhere I cant carry a medical kit. And, statistically speaking, those places where I cant carry a weapon are probably the places where I would need the medical kit should, God forbid, something tragic unfolds. There should always be room in your EDC for medical gear, even if it is something as small as a tourniquet and a pair of gloves. Obtaining solid medical training doesnt take a lot of time and can make the difference, literally, between life and death.

Glen Stilson: Everyone should be carrying medical equipment and have the skills necessary to use those tools. You are much more likely to need to help yourself or someone else in a medical emergency than you are to shoot a bad guy in the face, and if the average firearm owner spent as much time, money, and effort on their medical skills and tools as they do on their guns and shooting, we would be an amazingly prepared community! The best part of carrying medical gear everyday is that you can take it anywhere with you  into gun free zones, onto airplanes, into government buildings, etc. Plus, there are some everyday useful items in a good med kit, such as tape, light, and shears.

What medical gear do you consider the absolute bare minimum requirements for daily carry? Why?

KD: As stated above, the very bare minimum equipment I would carry would be a tourniquet and pair of nitrile gloves. If I could add to that, I would add a small pressure bandage and a hemostatic agent (QuikClot Combat Gauze or ChitoGauze) and a pair of compact chest seals. The difference in wounding patterns in civilian mass casualty/active shooter situations is different from military scenarios in that the wounding patterns in civilian settings are typically thoracic and cranial injuries. Those areas are typically protected with military personnel; thus, their injuries tend to be mainly dealing with the exposed extremities. However, our main emphasis remains on stopping the hemorrhage first and extremity injuries do still occur in the civilian populace, so our treatment algorithm remains unchanged.

GS: I would say that there are five trauma kit essentials: tourniquet, bandage, gauze, tape, and occlusive seal. These items allow me to handle the most serious life-threatening wounds that may happen to me (yes, my kit is for me  if I can help other people then so be it), such as massive bleeding or a compromised chest cavity. They also allow me to handle less serious (and more common) injuries, such as a nasty cut, a broken bone, or a strain/sprain. If possible, I would add another five items: shears (5.5-inch are TSA approved), nitrile gloves, emergency blanket, hemostatic gauze, and a light source. These additional items help me handle the aforementioned wounds and reduce the risk of shock, which is a serious threat in any medical emergency.

How do you carry/conceal all that gear on your person? Do any of the women in your life (wife/sister/daughter/mother) carry an EDC med kit? If so, how do they carry it?

KD: Where to carry the gear is a very common question and one that we believe we have the answer to through offering several versions of low-profile/low-visibility trauma kits. Carrying enough medical gear is basically up to the end-user, and it depends on what their mission requirements are. We have an ankle kit, three very small pocket kits, a flat kit that will fit easily into purses, soft armor, cargo pants, and we have a small belt-mounted kit. For those who want additional, off-body carry, we offer a backpack with a pocket specifically made for a full-size D.A.R.K. (Direct Action Response Kit) insert and a tourniquet. My daughters carry Pocket D.A.R.K. Mini kits and Combat Application Tourniquets (CAT) in their purses and school backpacks.

GS: I carry all of my medical gear in an ankle kit, every day of my life. I chose the AFAK from Ryker Nylon Gear due to its ability to carry all 10 of the items that I mentioned before in a comfortable way that is also fully concealed. The kit itself is also very adaptable to be used around a backpack shoulder strap, range bag handle, dog collar, seatbelt, tossed in a bag, etc. I fly everywhere with my kit and go into government buildings and other restricted areas without any issues at all.

My wife and kids carry the same supplies but vacuum-sealed in a bag that is the same length as an M4 mag and the same width as two M4 mags put together. This allows the kit to be small enough to put in a purse or a backpack, which is how they mostly carry it. I find that a kit put together in that manner or setup in an AFAK from Ryker Nylon Gear are the two most common ways our students end up carrying a kit once they have trained with us. Just remember, skills trump tools and tools enhance skills.

For those without current knowledge on how to treat traumatic injuries, whats the best way to seek out a training class? Short of actual training, are there books or websites you can recommend as reliable sources of information as a primer?

KD: Generally, using any search engine for the internet will bring up quite a few classes nowadays. This wasnt true several years ago, but I will add a word of caution that there are a lot of me too type classes. Ensure that you vet the instructors and course of instruction for these classes. Just like with quality firearms training, quality medical training will not be cheap. Our classes are nationally recognized in that each student receives BCON (Bleeding Control) certification and EMTs or paramedics receive continuing education hours toward their refresher training.

There are a lot of good books and videos out there that can be utilized as a primer or reference, like the LEFR-TECC (Law Enforcement and First Responder-Tactical Emergency Casualty Care) site, the Stop the Bleed (bleedingcontrol.org) site and several others. As far as the proper use of the components of the kits, one can always source videos from the actual manufacturers of the products on YouTube. As always, a video or a book are not a replacement for a class with hands-on training. A great starting point is to contact your local hospital or Red Cross or American Heart Association and see when and where the next AED/CPR/first-aid class will be held. Short of going to a local community college and enrolling in the EMT course, these are some of the easier things to seek out.

GS: Anything beyond a basic first aid/CPR class is going to be helpful! There are a lot of great places to get training these days; just remember to always check the validity of what you are learning. For example, learning from someone who comes from a clinical background may not be as applicable to you if you spend most of your time away from clinical settings. Learning from a combat medic who left the military 10 years ago and hasnt stayed current on new techniques and concepts will still be useful, but not as useful as learning from someone who is more current on their information and can apply it to your everyday life.

Medical training is like firearms training  resumes and been there done that is nice; however, current and modern experience is much more helpful, as is actual teaching ability. There are lots of free classes out there, specifically the Stop The Bleed classes, which are often taught at no cost through hospitals and community colleges. Theres also lots of info available online via social media and YouTube, but again, be aware of who you are learning from and where they draw their experience or material from.

Independence Training, whom I work for, has several medical instructors who come from different backgrounds, giving us a broad spectrum of information and experience to draw from; some of our team are still working in the medical field. We also have several consultants working in the medical and tactical fields and providing us constant feedback, as well. This helps us to make sure we are on the razors edge of the most valid, most current, and most effective techniques and equipment.

Besides carrying a medical kit and obtaining the knowledge to use it properly, is there anything else you recommend to help people prepare for responding to a mass-casualty event, should they find themselves in that situation?

KD: One of the best things to do, after obtaining the proper training and equipping yourself, is to practice and become, as we call it, subconsciously skilled. This is probably one of the most important aspects of being able to react in a positive manner during a mass casualty incident. The other important aspect is having the proper mindset. Practicing with one hand, or the non-dominant hand, in a sensory deprived environment always helps. Think of applying a tourniquet to your right leg with your left hand in the dark, with gloves on  and the gloves are slathered in hand lotion and on a timer.

Performing these tasks over and over until you are doing them in your sleep is key to being able to perform them under duress. Learn how your body will react to duress and how your practice can help mitigate the negative effects of the body alarm response. LTC Dave Grossmans books, On Killing and On Combat, are really good resources on how the body will respond, both physiologically and psychologically, to stress.

Taking care of yourself after a critical incident is paramount, as well. Consult a counselor as soon as possible, hopefully less than 72 hours after an incident has occurred. Talking with someone will help in the healing process. Talk with pre-hospital health professionals about how you can properly interact with them should you be the first to render aid to a trauma victim and then transfer care to EMS. Most importantly, get solid medical training, carry top-notch kit, and be prepared to use it.

In any traumatic event, the best thing to you can do is focus on the types of injuries you know you can help and not the ones you cannot. The goal is to render fast, effective aid to as many people as quickly as possible in order to increase overall survivability. Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel in order to increase not only the survival rate of your casualties, but yourself also. Having solid situational awareness can be an invaluable tool in increasing your survival rate and, in this day and age of technology, it seems to be one in which many are lacking. In the end, our goal in teaching people how to help themselves and others is all about empowerment; being a by-doer and not a bystander.

GS: Awareness is not a verb, so merely being aware of a problem isnt enough. We like to teach our students the old Sesame Street game of one of these things is not like the other; one of these things just doesnt belong. Look for people or things that dont belong and then act accordingly. Leaving the area may be your best option; alerting authorities may be possible, or perhaps intervening in a physical and/or violent manner may be necessary. Start preparing and practicing now on what to do if you find yourself and those you care about in harms way: how will you communicate? How will you move? What tools do you and those who may be with you have available? What tools can you make/improvise? How can you expect your friends/family/kids/coworkers to react in an emergency?

Talk with your local fire and police personnel about what you can expect from them when they come on scene. Write everything down once the violence has ended and you have rendered the best possible medical aid to yourself and everyone else  what you saw and heard, what you did, what aid you rendered and to whom. This kind of information can be very useful to professional responders once they are on scene. Overall, remember that when seconds count, help is just moments away  its up to you to save you, so prepare and train accordingly.

Conclusion

While this article is by no means a comprehensive primer on medical equipment or training, we hope that some of you will heed this as a call to seek professional education on the topic. If youve already taken that step, we hope this affirms your confidence in that decision. Even for those with prior professional experience or recent classroom training, do your best to keep current through whatever means are available to you. Near continuous feedback from both the battlefield and the urban jungle mean that best practices are constantly being revised or altered. While sinking hard-earned coin into a med kit may not be as flashy as cutting windows in your slide or getting a fluted titanium nitride barrel, its much more likely to save your life if you ever do need that sweet-ass blaster.
HOUSTON, Aug. 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Key Energy Services, Inc. (Key or the Company) (NYSE: KEG) today announced that the Companys Board of Directors (the Board) has appointed Rob Saltiel to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer and director effective as of August 20, 2018.

I am pleased to announce Robs appointment as the Companys new President and Chief Executive Officer, said Phil Norment, the Companys Chairman of the Board. He is a seasoned leader with significant experience working with the public markets, operating efficiently at scale, and delivering value to shareholders.

I know that I speak for everyone at Key in thanking Marshall Dodson for his leadership during the CEO transition, Norment continued. Marshalls leadership and tireless dedication to the Company over the past twelve years have contributed greatly to the Companys current success, improving its balance sheet and its operating and financial performance. The Board is confident that Rob is the right person to build on this momentum and guide the Company to new horizons as CEO.

I am excited to be joining Key and working with a well-respected team that is focused on providing safe and efficient energy services for our clients. Together with the Board, executive leadership and our national workforce, we will emphasize growth, financial discipline and shareholder value creation, said Rob Saltiel, the Companys incoming President and Chief Executive Officer. I am honored to be leading Key as we begin this exciting new chapter for our Company.

Mr. Saltiel most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Atwood Oceanics, a publicly-traded offshore drilling contractor headquartered in Houston, Texas, from 2009 until the Atwood Oceanics sale to Ensco plc in October of 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Saltiel served in various senior management roles, including Chief Operating Officer, at Transocean. Mr. Saltiel holds a BSE in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Mr. Marshall Dodson, currently the Companys Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer, will continue with the Company in his role as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, ensuring a seamless leadership transition.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical in nature or that relate to future events and conditions are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Keys current expectations, estimates and projections and its managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events and financial trends affecting its financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by terminology such as may, will, should, predicts, expects, believes, anticipates, projects, potential or continue or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of performance. Future actions, events and conditions and future results of operations may differ materially from those expressed in these statements. In evaluating those statements, you should carefully consider the information above as well as the risks outlined in Item 1A. Risk Factors, in Keys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and in other reports Key files with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Key undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release except as required by law. All of Keys written and oral forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements that may accompany such forward-looking statements.

Important factors that may affect Keys expectations, estimates or projections include, but are not limited to, the following: conditions in the oil and natural gas industry, especially oil and natural gas prices and capital expenditures by oil and natural gas companies; volatility in oil and natural gas prices; Keys ability to implement price increases or maintain pricing on its core services; risks that Key may not be able to reduce, and could even experience increases in, the costs of labor, fuel, equipment and supplies employed in its businesses; industry capacity; asset impairments or other charges; the periodic low demand for Keys services and resulting operating losses and negative cash flows; Keys highly competitive industry as well as operating risks, which are primarily self-insured, and the possibility that its insurance may not be adequate to cover all of its losses or liabilities; significant costs and potential liabilities resulting from compliance with applicable laws, including those resulting from environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, specifically those relating to hydraulic fracturing, as well as climate change legislation or initiatives; Keys historically high employee turnover rate and its ability to replace or add workers, including executive officers and skilled workers; Keys ability to incur debt or long-term lease obligations; Keys ability to implement technological developments and enhancements; severe weather impacts on Keys business, including hurricane activity; Keys ability to successfully identify, make and integrate acquisitions and its ability to finance future growth of its operations or future acquisitions; Keys ability to achieve the benefits expected from disposition transactions; the loss of one or more of Keys larger customers; Keys ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet debt service obligations; the amount of Keys debt and the limitations imposed by the covenants in the agreements governing its debt, including its ability to comply with covenants under its current debt agreements; an increase in Keys debt service obligations due to variable rate indebtedness; Keys inability to achieve its financial, capital expenditure and operational projections, including quarterly and annual projections of revenue and/or operating income and its inaccurate assessment of future activity levels, customer demand, and pricing stability which may not materialize (whether for Key as a whole or for geographic regions and/or business segments individually); Keys ability to respond to changing or declining market conditions, including Keys ability to reduce the costs of labor, fuel, equipment and supplies employed and used in its businesses; Keys ability to maintain sufficient liquidity; the adverse impact of litigation; and other factors affecting Keys business described in Item 1A. Risk Factors in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, its first quarter 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2018 and its second quarter 10-Q for the period ending June 30, 2018, and other reports Key files with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Key Energy Services

Key Energy Services is the largest onshore, rig-based well servicing contractor based on the number of rigs owned. Key provides a complete range of well intervention services and has operations in all major onshore oil and gas producing regions of the continental United States.

For more information, visit www.keyenergy.com .
India has exported passenger vehicles worth $268 million to the US in three months ended June

The ride of India-made cars to the United States continues to pick up speed. In FY19, after it became the third-biggest export destination for Indian cars, the US has emerged the second-biggest market.

South Africa, which used to be the second-biggest market in the past, now stands third. Mexico retains the top position.

India has exported passenger vehicles (that includes cars, utility vehicles and vans as sub-segments) worth $268 million (Rs 1,876 crore approximately) to the US in three months ended June, data with the Union commerce ministry showed.

Shipments to South Africa were significantly lower at $199 million in the same period.

In the entire FY18, India has exported vehicles worth $654 million and $666 million to the US and South Africa, respectively.

At $268 million, US accounted for about 15 per cent of total car exports in the April-June period. Mexico remains the biggest export destination for India-made cars, with a total export value of $407 million exports in the quarter.

Going by the data, the US is undeniably the fastest-growing market for Indian cars.

The value of exports had grown manifold from just $3 million in FY17 to $654 million in FY18. FY19 looks well placed to be another record year.

This growth in export to US is coming on the back of a single product from one carmaker, Ford.

The company started exporting the EcoSport, the compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) manufactured at its Chennai plant, to the US last year.

Ford India, a subsidiary of American carmaker Ford Motor Company, has exploited its Indian capacities to ramp up exports to several markets, including the US.

It also overtook Hyundai as the biggest exporter of passenger vehicles last year.

The company exported about 35,000 cars to several markets, including the US in the April-June quarter.

About 20,500 of these happened to be the EcoSports. Ford India does not share the destination-wise data for exports.

This surge in exports from India to the US comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has been pushing American carmakers to do more local production.

I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here, Trump had tweeted last year, ahead of a meeting with heads of American car majors, including Ford and GM.

The US, however, is a focus market for Ford India, a company, which gets more volume from exports than from domestic sales.

Export is one of the key pillars. It is critical for a variety of reasons. It gives us economies of scale allowing us to bring more features at competitive costs for the Indian market, Anurag Mehrotra, president and managing director at Ford India, told Business Standard last month.

On exports to the US, he said it was business as usual for the company.

We are sure both the governments will take the right decision in the interest of ensuring ease of doing business. We havent baked in any risks yet, he said.

No other carmaker in India is known to be exporting a passenger vehicle to the US market.

Ford EcoSport is priced at Rs 780,000 and Rs 1,180,000 in the domestic market.

If we take a conservative average realisation of Rs 10 lakh for exports, then 18,000 units of the EcoSport may have been shipped to the US alone in the last quarter, Mehrotra said.
'Kerala isnt as dependent on agriculture like Bihar or Odisha or even other southern states.'

'Economic losses would not be too intense, unlike other states.'

'The floods could, at best, impact India Incs earnings for a quarter or two.'

The floods that have ravaged Kerala are likely to have their impact on India Inc.

A look at the exposure of Indian companies to the state suggests that at least one in five BSE500 companies is likely to be impacted by the floods, which could in turn have a bearing on their September quarter (Q2) results.

The impact and its longevity, however, are yet not known but experts say among the sectors the most impacted are tyre and automobile, which are the first in line, given Keralas monopoly in the rubber industry.

Banks, general insurance and consumer discretionary and several other mid- and small-cap names such as Cochin Shipyard and V-Guard too may feel the brunt.

R Sreeshankar, head of research, Prabhudas Lilladher, said while Kerala accounted for less than 5 per cent of Indias population, it is a highly consumption-oriented state.

Hence, it will take time to assess the extent of the damage. While there will be incremental business opportunities due to replacement demand, the timing of that is unknown, he said.

G Chokkalingam, managing director, Equinomics Research and Advisory, agreed with this view, and added that Kerala isnt as dependent on agriculture like Bihar or Odisha or even other southern states.

Economic losses would not be too intense, unlike other states, he said.

Both concur that the floods could, at best, impact India Incs earnings for a quarter or two. Heres what experts and analysts feel about the impact on various sectors and companies.

Tyres

Natural rubber makes up for 40 per cent of input costs for tyre manufactures such as Apollo Tyres and MRF.

While they are likely to pass on their cost pressures to auto makers, the recent trend of declining raw material cost as percentage of revenue may reverse in Q2.

Apollo Tyres witnessed 400 basis points year-on-year decline in the raw material cost proportional to its revenues. That could change.

Rising crude oil prices compounds the problem, especially for synthetic rubber prices, says Mayuresh Joshi, fund manager, Angel Broking, adding that the cost of derivatives such as nylon tyre cord and carbon black too may be impacted.

Automobiles

As tyres account for 5-10 per cent of total raw material costs, an increase in overall cost structure should be anticipated, particularly in Q2.

Analysts believe auto companies will pass on some of the costs and absorb the rest, given its possible impact on vehicle demand. Nonetheless, it would put pressure on margins.

However, they rule out production disruption due to the floods.

Since these floods coincide with monsoon, auto industry will be equipped to handle some short supply in tyre production, says Chokkalingam.

Financials

Federal Bank and South Indian Bank derive 34 per cent and 41 per cent of their loans from Kerala.

Apart from agriculture loans, since even small businesses were disrupted, loan losses may be elevated and recoveries stretched in Q2, Sreeshankar cautions.

Muthoot Finance and Manappuram Finance, which draw 15 per cent of their gold loan business from Kerala, too are exposed to similar risks and the impact on their financials could be more adverse.

Listed general insurance players, mainly New India Assurance and ICICI Lombard for whom Kerala is a key south Indian market, could see higher claims in the subsequent months, while Bajaj Allianz too may see elevated claims, say analysts.

FMCG

While most players could witness disruption in demand and restocking, Marico and Jyothy Laboratories are expected to take a further beating.

For Marico, the flood could hurt gross margin, as Kerala is one of the major states for supply of its key raw material - copra, contributing about 30 per cent of its supplies.

Besides, analysts expect Parachutes sales to be disrupted by about 20 per cent, which is contributed by the state, impacting Maricos top-line in value and volume terms.

Jyothy Labs too could see some revenue pressure as it has high-teen sales contribution from this state, says Nitin Gupta, analyst, SBICAP Securities.

Cement

As the state-owned Malabar Cement is the dominant player in Kerala, most listed players could only bear an indirect impact.

Among the latter, south-focused firms such as India Cements and Dalmia Bharat suffer, while Ramco Cements, which derives a majority of its business from Kerala, could be affected the most.

Others

While the shipyard division of Cochin Shipyard may not see much disruption, the ship repairs (accounting for half its capacities) could be affected.

Likewise, stabiliser manufacturer V-Guard, which draws over half its business from southern states, Kerala being a key market, may see a dull Q2.

Also, even as foam based mattresses are gaining popularity, coir (largely procured from Kerala) could be in short supply affecting the production cycle of companies such as Sheela Foam.

With inputs from Ujjval Jauhari

Photograph: PTI Photo
Nirav Modi, along with his wife Ami Modi, a US citizen, brother Nishal Modi, a Belgian citizen, and uncle Mehul Choksi, all accused in the CBI's FIRs in the case, left the country in the first week of January, weeks before country's biggest banking scam surfaced.

The UK has confirmed to the CBI that fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi, alleged to be the mastermind of India's biggest banking fraud of over $2 billion, is in their country, officials said on Monday.

The Central Bureau of Investigation submitted an extradition request to the home ministry immediately after getting the confirmation, they said.

The request to bring him back will be sent to the United Kingdom through the external affairs ministry.

The agency has also requested authorities in the UK to detain him on the basis of the Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol against him, they said.

The RCN was issued on the request of the CBI in June this year, officials said.

In its RCN issued against a fugitive, the Interpol asks its 192 member countries to arrest or detain the person if spotted in their countries after which extradition or deportation proceedings can begin.

Nirav Modi, along with his wife Ami Modi, a US citizen, brother Nishal Modi, a Belgian citizen, and uncle Mehul Choksi, all accused in the CBI's FIRs in the case, left the country in the first week of January, weeks before country's biggest banking scam surfaced.

Choksi has been located in Antigua, where he has taken citizenship, officials said.

Nirav Modi and Choksi have refused to return to India to join the probe, citing business and health reasons, they said.

Nirav Modi managed to travel across several countries even after information about his passport being revoked by the Indian government was flashed in the Interpol central database on February 24, the CBI had said earlier.

"After the passport was revoked/cancelled by the external affairs ministry, we had updated this information in the diffusion notice.

The information that Nirav Modi's passport has been revoked was provided in the Interpol central database, available to all the member countries, on February 24," CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal had said.

After the "diffusion" notice was issued by the Interpol on the request of the CBI, the agency followed it up with six countries where Nirav Modi was suspected to have fled to, he had said. The agency requested these countries to share information about his whereabouts and movements.

The agency sent these reminders to the Interpol coordination agency of the United Kingdom on April 25, May 22, May 24 and May 28.

The scam pertains to the alleged issuance of fraudulent Letters of Undertakings (LoUs) of more than $2 billion to companies of Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi by the Punjab National Bank's Brady House branch in Mumbai during 2011-17, officials said.

An LoU is a guarantee given by an issuing bank to Indian banks with branches abroad to grant short-term credit to the applicant.

Nirav Modi and his companies allegedly availed credit from the overseas branches of Indian banks using the fraudulent PNB guarantees given through LoUs and letters of credit issued by the Brady House branch which were not repaid, bringing the liability on the state-run bank, the officials said.

Photograph via Facebook
St. Louis, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ButcherJoseph & Co. (ButcherJoseph) and Mosaic Capital Partners (Mosaic) proudly served as subject matter experts leading up to the enactment of the Main Street Employee Ownership Act (the Act), a bill that encourages lending to small businesses interested in converting to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) or a cooperative (co-op). The Act was included in the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and was signed into law last week.



ESOP and co-ops alike reward employees by sharing in the success of the company, creating an effective incentive for management and employees to perform well. Often, small businesses are the largest employers of local residents and the sole supporters of small economies. Employee ownership hedges the risk of displacing jobs from communities that rely on them most, and offers more Americans opportunities for equity participation and wealth creation.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) who championed the bill issued a recent press release in which she stated, Employee-owned businesses have a strong track record of better pay and retirement benefits for workers and a commitment to creating local jobs.

ButcherJoseph and Mosaic Co-Founder and Managing Partner Keith Butcher shared, This is a major win for small businesses across the United States. While employee ownership may not fit every company, it is absolutely a succession planning tool that should be considered when assessing an owners alternatives. This Act broadens the financing solutions available through the SBA so more companies can pursue employee ownership.

Specific features of the bill include:

Expanding the Small Business Administrations (SBA) ability to aid in the establishment of ESOPs through lending practices

Facilitating SBA loans to cooperatives

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ButcherJoseph & Co. (ButcherJoseph) is an investment bank headquartered in St Louis with coverage in Chicago, Washington, DC, and Charlotte, NC. ButcherJoseph provides investment banking advisory services to middle market companies. With more than $7 billion in successfully completed Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) transactions, ButcherJoseph & Co. is known as a leader in the ESOP field.

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'Vajpayee was the first prime minister to visit the battlefield at the height of conflict,' recalls Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).

IMAGE: Then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee along with then defence minister George Fernandes, crouching, third from left, then Jammu and Kashmir governor Girish Chandra 'Gary' Saxena, standing second from left, and then army chief General Ved Prakash Malik, fourth from right, meet the troops in Kargil.

While then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in Pakistan in February 1999, the Pakistan army led by General Pervez Musharraf was preparing to intrude in Kashmir, seize peaks in Kargil with the grandiose aim of forcing India out of Kashmir militarily.

Instead of treating the Pakistani nuclear capability as a deterrent against aggression, its military thought of using it as an umbrella to carry out covert aggression.

In order to keep the restless militia groups busy and political opponents quiet, Pakistani strategists suggested a scheme wherein the army, supported by militia groups, would establish a small enclave across the Line of Control at a location which would be tactically strong and hurt India.

They believed that India's conventional military superiority has been neutralised by Pakistan's nuclear weapons. There was therefore little risk of their limited plan escalating into a full-fledged war.

They were sure that this would result in the intervention of the United States and the United Nations and a reopening of the Jammu and Kashmir issue to Pakistan's advantage.

Nawaz Sharif, then the Pakistan prime minister, accepted the concept in its broad outline.

Pakistani military planners selected a place of intrusion along a 140-km stretch of the Line of Control, which overlooks NH1A in the Kargil area.

Thousands of civil and military vehicles use this road between the months of April and October.

The uninhabited LoC runs parallel and north of the road at a height of about 17,000 feet. Military outposts of both India and Pakistan are located here in the summer and vacated in the winter.

From April 1998 onwards, the Pakistani military, using Skardu as its base, moved a brigade group (about 5,000 regulars) into the area and began preparations along its side of the LoC.

Pakistan collected about 1,500 infantrymen, artillery guns, anti-aircraft missiles and about 500 militia.

Once the men were fully acclimatised to operate at heights above 15,000 feet, each base began erecting sheds on the slopes close to the top of the dominating features on the Pakistani side of the LoC. These were located so that they could not be seen from the Indian side of the LoC.

The snows melted early in April 1999. Using the bases as launching pad, Pakistan moved a mixed force of about 100 regulars and militia to the shed area. Half the number began preparing strong defences 500 metres on the Indian side of the LoC.

The other half, about 50 men, advanced about five km across the LoC into three widely separated sectors of Tiger Hill, Tuloling and Batalik. Soldiers dressed as mercenaries were armed with machine guns, mortars and hand-held anti-aircraft weapons.

Pakistan knew that this intrusion would eventually be detected. They expected India to complain about Pakistan's breach of the sanctity of LoC. They planned to counter Indian protests by stating that these were Kashmiri freedom-fighters and disclaim any control over them.

The forward defences were located about 5,000 feet above Drass, Kargil and Batalik. The intruders were confident that it would be very difficult for an attacking force to dislodge them from such formidable positions.

Islamabad assessed that New Delhi would hesitate to widen the conflict by attacking elsewhere across the LoC.

The US had been Pakistan's ally during the Cold War and the Soviet conflict in Afghanistan. America had sided with Muslim Kosovans against Christian Serbs on a human rights issue.

Pakistan was thus confident that America would side with its old Muslim ally against the Hindu infidels on the question of defending the human rights of Kashmiri Muslims.

It hoped that the US and the UN would intervene to prevent an escalation of the fighting and take prompt steps to settle the J&K issue in Pakistan's favour.

The border skirmish between India and Pakistan at Kargil from May 25 to July 26, 1999, was one of the most serious post Second World War conflicts.

Since the nuclear tests of 1998, both countries are 'declared' nuclear weapon powers.

This was the first-ever direct confrontation between the soldiers of two nuclear capable States.

During the entire Cold War era, the Soviets and the Americans were careful to avoid direct confrontation, with the exception of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Pakistan thus broke the unwritten first commandment of the nuclear game: Thou shall not have a direct confrontation with another nuclear power.

The world was alarmed at the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons by either side. This could prove catastrophic and lead to nuclear anarchy.

It is worthwhile to note that even at the cost of suffering a military humiliation in 1975, the US did not use nuclear weapons against the advancing columns of the North Vietnamese army.

The taboo on the use of nuclear weapons has held since 1945 and the world is determined to keep it that way.

It is this and this alone that ultimately forced Pakistan to withdraw from the occupied heights in Kargil.

The Kargil conflict was a limited one that saw Indian soldiers show great courage and fortitude in taking back most of the important peaks.

Vajpayee was the first prime minister of India to visit the battlefield at the height of conflict. The nation's morale was sky high and the armed forces redeemed their honour.

On the eve of the conflict Vajpayee was already a caretaker prime minister, his government having lost its parliamentary majority.

His critics raised many questions on his handling of the conflict. It was even suggested that Vajpayee engineered the conflict and kept it hidden to use it for winning the election that was due. This is a conspiracy theory at its worst.

This pre-supposes that Musharraf took orders from Vajpayee and even a bureaucratic and structured organisation like the Indian Army was working in the BJP's interests.

The truth is that Kargil was a local military failure (at the battalion and brigade level) as well as clever Pakistani tactics.

Local military actions are beyond the control of even higher military leaders, so to put the blame on the prime minister is preposterous.

The second constant criticism voiced during the conflict was that it took unduly long to evict the intruders from Kargil.

It should be noted that the fighting took place at heights of over 14,000 feet.

Soldiers moved from elsewhere had to undergo 10 days acclimatisation before they could be effective.

Heavy guns had to move from the plains to support the attack. All this takes time and such criticism is based on the lack of understanding the problems of fighting in high altitude areas.

Finally, there are many who pooh-poohed the Indian achievement saying that we took no territory from the enemy -- as if a defensive victory is meaningless!

One wishes that India had achieved a similar defensive victory in 1962 against the Chinese, in which case the history of Asia would have been different.

Victory at Kargil became possible due to Prime Minister Vajpayee's bold decision on May 25, 1999 when he gave a go-ahead to deploy the Indian Air Force.

It is this single decision, possibly not expected by Pakistan, that turned the tide in our favour.

Constantly bombed from the air and land, the intruders soon began to give up and retreat.

Unknown to most, India also moved its naval forces off Karachi to threaten Pakistan with a naval blockade. Interestingly, the much more powerful US navy, which was present nearby, actually moved away to help the Indian navy.

Pakistan got the message and Nawaz Sharif went to the US on July 4, 1999 to get the Americans to intervene to save his trapped soldiers.

It is here that the Jaswant Singh-Strobe Talbott talks paid rich dividends and for the first time in over 50 years the US sided with India in this conflict.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) is currently co-ordinator of the Pune-based Initiative for Peace And Disarmament affiliated with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
Image used only for representation. Photograph: Jitendra Prakash/Reuters

Tension prevailed when kanwar yatris clashed with members of the Muslim community in Fatehpur town of Sikar district in Rajasthan, police said on Monday.

Currently, Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure has been imposed in the town.

The conflict began when a kanwar yatris' procession was passing by a mosque on Sunday evening.

A group of Muslim youths demanded that the music be minimised, an official said.

A heated argument broke out between the two group and it soon turned into a physical confrontation.

Eight kanwariyas were injured and the police arrested three persons from the Muslim community, Sikar Superintendent of Police Pradeep Mohan Sharma said.

On Monday, right wing groups held a sit-in protest at Bhoothnath temple in Sikar, demanding more arrests.

The protestors pelted stones on police personnel.

Some of the right wing activists started shutting the shops in the market area.

The police resorted to cane charging, lobbing of tear gas shells and firing rubber bullets in the air to disperse the crowds and control the situation.

Section 144 of CrPC was imposed in the town.

Additional SP Dr Tejpal Singh said eight people in the kanwar yatra were injured in the clashes.
The gesture of a nine-year-old girl from a town in Tamil Nadu to part with her savings of four years meant for a bicylce, for Kerala flood relief has moved a premier cycle manufacturer, who has now promised her to gift the cycle of her dreams.

IMAGE: An aerial view of flooded areas of Kerala on Monday. Photograph: Handout by Coast Guard via PTI Photo



Anupriya from Villupuram in the state has decided to give away about Rs 9,000 of her savings, done over the last four years, after coming across TV visuals of the deluge in Kerala.

"I had saved money (of around Rs 9,000) for over four years to buy a cycle. But I saw visuals of Kerala flood on televisions and decided to give the money," toward relief activities, she told reporters in Villupuram.

The girl lending the helping hand won her hearts and accolades, with Hero Cyles taking special note.

Hero Cycles, in it official Twitter account, appreciated her 'gesture to support humanity' and said she would get a brand new cycle from them.

'Dear Anupriya, We appreciate your gesture to support humanity in the hour of need. You would get a brand new cycle from us. Please DM your address or contact us at customer@herocycles.com. @PankajMMunjal,' it said.

Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Motors Company, Pankaj M Munjal, hailed Anupriya as a 'noble soul' and assured to give her 'one bike every year of your life'.

'Anupriya, parnam to you. You are a noble soul and wish you spread the good around. Hero is too pleased to give you one bike every year of your life. Pl share your contact on my account. Love you and best wishes. Prayers for Kerala,' Munjal said in a tweet.

Congress MP from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, welcomed the company's gesture.

'Thanks to HeroCycles for donating a bicycle to a 9-year-old girl who gave up all that she was saving for a cycle to help the victims of the #KeralaFloods,' he said in a tweet.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

The Centre, various state governments and other entities including individuals have extended a helping hand to Kerala.

***

Teen ends life after rains destroy school certificates

Heartbroken on finding his Class 12 certificates destroyed in the devastation caused by the deadly monsoon in Kerala, a 19-year-old boy, committed suicide, police said on Monday.

With his house fully waterlogged in the downpour, the boy, Kailash, and his parents, hailing from Karanthur in Kozhikode district, had moved to a relief camp three days ago.

Kailash had got admission for a course in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and had purchased new clothes and set apart some money for higher studies, they said.

As the rains abated for a while, he returned home on Sunday to take a look at the house and was shocked to find his plus two certificates soaked in water and in tatters.

A Police officer attached to the Kunnamanagalam station said the boy's death came to light later in the day on Sunday when his parents came to clean up the house as the water receeded.

They were shocked to see him hanging, police said. His shattered father, a labourer, had pinned all his hopes on his son as all their belongings had been mostly destroyed in the rains.

In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, a woman was wailing saying she had lost her Aadhar card, Ration card and all ID proofs.

"All my belongings, my Aadhar and Ration cards and ID proofs are all gone. Only I am alive. My relatives do not even know I exist," she mourned.

***

SC judges will contribute to flood relief fund, says CJI

The judges of the Supreme Court will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said on Monday.

A bench comprising CJI and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud made the observation during the hearing of a public interest litigation that had sought barring of lawmakers from practising in courts across the country.

"We are also making some contribution. Judges of this court are also making contribution for the flood relief fund," the bench said.

The observation came after Attorney General K K Venugopal referred to the 'grave tragedy' that has struck Kerala rendering 10 million people homeless.

The A-G had earlier donated Rs one crore to the flood relief fund.

Many other senior lawyers have also contributed significant amounts towards the relief fund.

The south Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.

As per official records yesterday, 7,24,649 lakh people were housed in 5,645 relief camps across the state.

The deadly monsoon rains have so far claimed 210 lives since August 8.

***

IMAGE: A 'Thanks' note painted on the roof of a house in Kochi from where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma had rescued two women on August 17. Photograph: ANI



Was counting seconds: Pilot who made rooftop landing

Three seconds. That is how long it would have taken for the Seaking helicopter, which made a dramatic rooftop landing in Kerala to rescue 26 people, to disintegrate into pieces had anything gone wrong.

The daredevil pilot, while recounting the thrilling rescue operation, told PTI that the 'rooftop low hover in a light on wheels' (technical name for rooftop landing) lasted around eight minutes before the chopper took off again.

"I had to take a decision to go in for the 'light on wheels' procedure where the entire weight of the helicopter is not on the roof as it may have caved in," Lt Commander Abhijeet Garud said.

The video of the daring rescue operation by the Navy's Seaking 42B helicopter at the flood-ravaged Chalakudy town in Kerala on Friday has gone viral on social media and garnered thousands of 'hits'.

Having winched four people, lifting another 22 was a major task and the crew took a call of going for a low hover to embark all those stranded there, he said.

Asked what if something had gone wrong, the 33-year-old pilot said, "It would have taken three to four seconds for the chopper to disintegrate. It was a tough call to make. I am glad we made the right decision."

"It was a classic case of the importance of good pilot judgement, or aeronautical decision-making," he said.

Those rescued, including an 80-year-old man, were shifted along with some luggage from Chalakudy to the naval air base INS Garuda in Kochi.

"The operation was possible due to the teamwork and excellent coordination among the crew. It included Lt Cdr Rajneesh (co-pilot), Lt Satyarth (navigator), Ajit (winch operator) and Rajan (free diver)," the pilot said.

When the chopper first took off in the morning, the sortie was planned for dropping two Gemini boats with eight divers in Chalakuddy, he said.

"After dropping (the payload) we started rescuing people and distributing food and relief material. On one of the ground-plus-two storey houses we saw aged people and women waving. Prioritising them (we) proceeded for a pick up," he said.

"Many people came out thereafter. We saw almost 20 to 25 people, including a woman on wheelchair. She was unable to board the 'basket' sent for winching her up," said Lt Cdr Garud, an alumnus of the Naval Academy in Kerala.

***

Relief material starts arriving at Cochin port

Relief material from different parts of the country has started arriving at the port in Kochi to provide some succour to the people, officials said on Monday.

A Cochin Port Trust official said Naval Ship INS Deepak, carrying relief material from Mumbai, arrived with about 800 tonnes of fresh water and nearly 18 tonnes of provisions.

Fresh water is being ferried on two barges to the affected areas. Trucks carrying provisions are being rushed for distribution, he said.

The official said another consignment of relief material sent by the shipping fraternity under an initiative of the Ministry of Shipping arrived at Vallarpadam.

A vessel with 50,000 MT of crude from Mumbai has been diverted by BPCL to the Cochin port to meet the fuel demand of Kerala.

Incessant rains over the last few days have blurred the distinction between Kerala's backwaters and roads with sheets of water covering the landscape, but the state is facing shortage of potable water.

Several fuel stations in the state are also reported to have run dry.

The Cochin Port Trust has set up a relief camp for the affected people from Koonamavu and Vypeen at Sir Robert Bristow Memorial School on Willingdon Island.

Doctors from port trust hospital examined the inmates and provided them medicines.

Volunteers comprising the port staff and their family members, customs and Central Industrial Security Force are lending a helping hand at the camp.

Relief material mobilised by all major ports under the shipping ministry are being stored at Tuticorin port in Tamil Nadu and are expected to reach the Cochin port in the coming days, the official said.

The Cochin Port Trust had decided to contribute Rs 62 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
IMAGE: Former Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma. Photograph: PTI Photo

A first information report was registered against Bihar's former social welfare minister Manju Verma and her husband under Arms Act following recovery of 50 cartridges from her in-law's house during a Central Bureau of Investigation raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, police said.

The CBI had on Friday raided nearly 12 places in four districts of Bihar, including residences of Verma in Patna and her in-law's place in Begusarai.

The FIR was registered on Saturday against Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar for recovery of 50 live cartridges from her in-law's house at Arjun Tola village during a raid, Cheria Bariarpur police station SHO Ranjit Kumar Rajak said.

Police said the live cartridges are of different firearms.

The FIR was registered against the couple by a CBI official, Rajak said, but declined to name him.

Verma had resigned as social welfare minister last week following a disclosure that her husband Chandrashekhar had spoken to the prime accused in the scandal, Brajesh Thakur, 17 times between January and June this year.

The scandal came to light two months ago when an FIR was lodged by the social welfare department following a social audit report submitted by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences which mentioned sexual abuse of girls lodged at the Muzaffarpur shelter home.

Meanwhile, Bihar Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar Sharma rejected the Rashtriya Janata Dal's demand for his resignation over the shelter home case and asked its leader Tejashwi Yadav to quit the post of the leader of Opposition as he was charge sheeted and accused in corruption cases.

Sharma, who is a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Muzaffarpur assembly constituency, said that he would resign if his involvement in the case was proved.
With rains ebbing away, Kerala got some respite today but faced the gigantic task of rehabilitating those rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of water-borne diseases, even as the death toll mounted to 216, officials said.

IMAGE: Flood affected areas of Chengannur in Alappuzha district seen from an Indian Navy helicopter. Photograph: PTI Photo

Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state, they said.

Lieutenant General D R Soni, the chief of the Army's Southern Command, told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations are still continuing and drones are being used to assist in reaching people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

"The focus is on complete rehabilitation," he said, adding 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations.

He said people stranded on rooftops and inaccessible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

Army personnel carrying satellite phones have fanned out to difficult to negotiate areas in search of stranded people, he said.

Meanwhile, six more bodies were recovered late on Sunday night a Paroor in Ernakulam district, local MLA V D Satheeshan said, taking the death toll in the current spell of floods since August 8 to 216.

Satheesan said almost all those stranded in Paroor and nearby areas have been rescued and moved to safety.

Efforts were now under way to clear the houses of the debris to make them habitable.

Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board were trying to restore water and power supply in vast areas that are without power and tap water for the last several days.

IMAGE: Rescue teams and local panchayats in the process of evacuating people from landslip-prone areas to relief camps at Kottayam district. Photograph: Coast Guard/ Twitter

Commercial flight operations from the naval airport at Kochi commenced on Monday with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving in the morning.

Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport as the Kochi International Airport has shut operations till August 26 following flooding of the runways.

Relief material from different parts of the country has started arriving at the port, officials said.

A Cochin Port Trust official said Naval Ship INS Deepak, carrying relief material from Mumbai, arrived with about 800 tonnes of fresh water and nearly 18 tonnes of provisions.

Fresh water is being ferried on two barges to the affected areas. Trucks carrying provisions are being rushed for distribution, he said.

The official said another consignment of relief material sent by the shipping fraternity under an initiative of the Ministry of Shipping arrived at Vallarpadam.

A vessel with 50,000 MT of crude from Mumbai has been diverted by BPCL to the Cochin port to meet the fuel demand of Kerala.

Incessant rains over the last few days have blurred the distinction between Kerala's backwaters and roads with sheets of water covering the landscape, but the state is facing shortage of potable water. Several fuel stations in the state are also reported to have run dry.

Train services between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam have resumed and railways is also planning to conduct a trial run from Shornur to Ernakulam.

Train services from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi have been partially restored.

In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, efforts are on to rescue some of those stranded in certain pockets, including Pandanad.

Lt Gen Soni underlined the mammoth logistical problem the force was facing while trying to rescue people and reach them relief.

"In the Southern Command, we are working on a relief plan. 27 boats were brought from Jodhpur, 15 from Bhopal. Teams have come from Bengaluru, communication and life jackets from Pune," he said referring to the logistical nightmare in tackling the situation.

He said the Army wanted to ensure that before the next monsoon all such requirements were 'centrally located' in the region to ensure everything was in place at the time of a calamity.
A prayer meet for Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday saw leaders across the political divide hailing him as 'prime minister for everyone', with the opposition stressing on a need to follow his legacy of taking all along and Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he withstood a "political untouchability" against his party to stick to his ideals.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at an all-party condolence meeting organised for him, in New Delhi on Monday, August 20, 2018. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said Vajpayee lived an exemplary life of an Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer in politics as well and remained steadfast to the organisation's ethos.

Leaders of all major parties and of organisations representing different religions came under one roof to pay tributes to the former prime minister, with some like Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool Congress praising him for his secular credential and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress lauding him for taking everyone along.

Rival parties from Kashmir -- National Conference and People's Democratic Party -- spoke in unison while praising Vajpayee's handling of the festering issues faced by the border state, with former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti describing him as a messiah for people there.

Modi said it was Vajpayee who changed the narrative on Kashmir during his speech in the United Nations and brought the issue of terrorism to the centre stage and as prime minister he did not buckle under pressure despite sanctions imposed against India after nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1998.

IMAGE: Modi interacts with Vajpayee's foster daughter Namita Bhattacharya at the condolence meeting. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

Vajpayee attributed the tests to the brilliance of India's scientists and two days later, India tested again and showed what a strong political leadership can do, the prime minister said.

"He showed that India is Atal (resolute)," Modi said.

Veteran BJP leader and Vajpayee's colleague in the party for more than six decades, L K Advani, paid an emotional tribute and said he never imagined that he will have to speak in such a gathering.

Azad bemoaned the distance between the government and the Opposition seen today and said it did not exist earlier.

IMAGE: National Conference President Farooq Abdullah with Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Commuist Party of India leader D Raja at the programme. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo

Modi also referred to formation of three new states, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, under the Vajpayee government and said it was done without creating any bitterness, an apparent reference to rancourous aftermath of the division of Andhra Pradesh by the UPA government and it continued political repercussions.

The prime minister said Vajpayee would remain an inspiration and said the outpouring of emotions following his death despite his being away from public life for over a decade due to illness, shows his greatness.

That Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia dedicated his gold medal in the Asian Games on Sunday to Vajpayee was a tribute to the former prime minister's greatness, he said.

IMAGE: Advani interacts with Vajpayee's foster daughter Namita Bhattacharya, granddaughter Niharika and son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo

Vajpayee lived each moment for the common man and right from his youth to the time his body supported him, he lived for people, his principles, and for the aspirations of the common man, Modi said.

"He stayed in opposition for so long, yet his ideals remained untouched. He respected parliamentary traditions and when the opportunity came, he implemented his vision for the benefit of the people," Modi said.

BJP president Amit Shah said BJP workers will follow the path shown by the former prime minister as he expressed his thanks to leaders of various parties who had arrived at the prayer meeting to pay their tributes.

IMAGE: Yoga guru Ramdev addresses an all-party condolence meeting organised for former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo

Anand Sharma of the Congress, Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien, who hailed Vajpayee for his secularism, Satish Mishra of Bahujan Samajwadi Party, D Raja of the CPI, Lok tantrik Janata Dal's mentor Sharad Yadav, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, People's Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti, Ram Vilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party, Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Akali Dal were among those who attended the meeting.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambi Durai and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also spoke on the occasion.

Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term but his alliance lost in 2004.
Two men who claimed responsibility for attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid have been detained, police said on Monday.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal are currently being interrogated, police officials added.

However, they did not specify when the two were detained.

A team of Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha where the two had said they would surrender on August 17 but they did not turn up.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on August 15, they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an 'Independence Day gift' to the citizens.

The 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 had said in the video message.

They also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of the Sikh revolutionary.

Khalid was attacked on August 13 when he was on his way to take part in an event at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. 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 was registered by the police in the incident.
Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday extended the hand of friendship to India soon after taking oath by offering 'uninterrupted' dialogue to resolve all the outstanding issues, saying it is the 'only wise course' as the two countries cannot afford any 'adventurism'.

After the swearing-in ceremony at the President House, Qureshi went to Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and addressed media.

Qureshi was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks took place. He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based LeT terrorists attacked India's financial capital.

The new foreign minister said Pakistan wants to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and create peace in the region.

He said Pakistan wants to resolve all issues with India through talks.

"We need a continued uninterrupted dialogue. It is the only wise course for us," he said.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.

The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April last year further deteriorated bilateral ties.

Qureshi, the vice-president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on Monday said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sent a letter on Sunday to congratulate Prime Minister Imran Khan and mentioned about talks to resolve issues.

"I welcome her letter," he said.

"I want to say to Indian Foreign Minister that we are not only neighbours but also nuclear powers. We have old issues and we both know what these issues are. We need to address these issues," he said.

Qureshi said that the two countries cannot afford any adventurism due to close proximity.

"We cannot afford any adventurism as response time is so short. The only option is to engage with each other. We cannot live in enmity and we have to accept that there are outstanding issues," he said.

He said Kashmir is an issue and both countries know about it.

He said former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lahore and Islamabad and recognised the reality of Pakistan and the issue of Kashmir.

"Whether we wish or not, Kashmir is an issue and both countries have recognised it. In my opinion there is no option other than talks to resolve it," he said.

Prime Minister Khan in his maiden address to the nation yesterday said Pakistan will hold talks with all its neighbours to normalise ties as without it peace cannot be brought in the country.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

"If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start," he had said.

Talking about Afghanistan, Qureshi said he will make a phone call to the foreign minister of Afghanistan and also visit Kabul with a "solid message" that both countries have same destiny.

"There will be no peace in Pakistan without peace in Afghanistan," he said.

"I want to tell people of Afghanistan to understand each other's problems and bilaterally try to resolve all issues," he said.

Talking about relations with the US, he said there is trust deficit between the two countries but Pakistan wants to have good ties based on its interests.

Qureshi said that the foreign policy of the new government will be based on interests of Pakistan and it can be fine-tuned according to the needs of the nation.

He said that priority of Pakistan's foreign policy will be 'how we can change lives of common people through economic diplomacy'.

"We will try to change lives of people through socio-economic development," he said.

He said there are enormous local and regional challenges but 'we want to make progress on these issues'.

"Some forces have been trying to isolate the country but it will not happen now," he said.

He said his government will build national consensus on foreign affairs. I will follow bipartisan approach on the issues of foreign policy."

He announced that he will invite Opposition leaders for consultations before the next month's UN General Assembly session.

As many as 16 ministers from Prime Minister Imran Khan's 21-member cabinet were sworn-in on Monday.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to the 16 federal ministers. Newly sworn-in prime minister Khan was by his side.

The new cabinet has 16 federal ministers and five advisers to the prime minister, most of them previously held key posts in the regime of former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

Apart from Qureshi, the ministers who took the oath include Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Finance Minister Asad Umer, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Health Minister Amir Kiani, Religious Minister Nooru Haq Qadri and Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid.

Other ministers are Khusro Bakhtiar as Minister for Water Resources, Farogh Naseem Minister for Law, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema Minister for States and Frontier Regions and Ghulam Sarwar Khan Petroleum.

Three women ministers including Fehmida Mirza minister for inter-provincial coordination, Zubaida Jala defence production and Shireen Mazari human rights minister also took the oath.
'These children are wards of the State. They were exploited because the state government and its officials didn't do their jobs.'

Satyavrat Mishra reports from Patna.

IMAGE: Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, after a woman threw ink on his face while he was being taken to a special court in Muzaffarpur, August 8, 2018.

In their statements, the children at the home said they were forced to 'entertain' Thakur and other male guests in the facility.

Refusing to do so, they said, meant merciless beating and no food for days. Photograph: PTI Photo

It was around mid-July last year.

Bihar was going through political turmoil, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, then alliance partners, engaged in a bitter war of words.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had registered a case against Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their son Tejaswi Yadav (then deputy chief minister of Bihar), for alleged irregularities during the senior Yadav's tenure as Union railway minister in 2006.

While this was on, the state government's social welfare department quietly engaged Koshish -- a field action project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai -- to conduct a social audit of all of Bihar's 110 state-funded shelter homes.

A seven-member team, including three women psychologists, landed in Patna in October and began work. It submitted its preliminary report in March, 2018 to the department and the final one on May 9.

The officials who read the findings were aghast.

The report, which has since been designated as a top-secret government paper, pointed at rampant sexual exploitation in the shelter homes.

The most notable one was in Muzaffarpur were several minor girls, aged 7 to 14, had complained about sexual abuse.

"Given the alarming situation, we swung into action. The safety of children is paramount," said Social Welfare Department Principle Secretary Atul Prasad.

"It was decided that we would swiftly and safely shift the children from the particular shelter home in Muzaffarpur to safe places. A meeting of senior district officials was called under the pretext of a routine audit," added Prasad.

"In the meeting, the officials were told about the findings and ordered to shift the children as soon as possible, without raising an alarm," Prasad revealed.

"After this was done, they were asked to file first information reports against those running the shelter homes."

On May 29, news about the rape and abuse of children in the shelter home broke out.

Brajesh Thakur, the man who ran the shelter home, was arrested on June 3.

And on June 26, the district child welfare officer, Ravi Kumar Roushan, was also arrested after the girls named him as well as one of their tormentors.

The special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences -- POCSO -- court in Muzaffarpur ordered a medical examination of all the girls.

The state government, meanwhile, refused to comment on the matter, until the medical report came out on July 19.

The Patna Medical College and Hospital, where the tests were conducted, confirmed that at least 34 of the 42 girls had been sexually abused.

The government was left red-faced.

IMAGE: Brajesh Thakur being taken to a special POCSO court in Muzaffarpur, August 8, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo

Gory details about life in the shelter home began to emerge.

In their statements to the police, the children said they were beaten and kept hungry. The staff, including some women, would force themselves on the hapless girls.

In their statements, the children said they were forced to 'entertain' Thakur and other male guests in the facility.

They said that refusing to do so meant merciless beating and no food for days.

Many of them also said they were regularly drugged.

The officials, who were tasked with protecting the girls, would either turn a blind eye to these goings-on or were themselves exploiting them.

The Supreme Court also pulled up the Nitish Kumar government in the matter, saying that the state had in a way financed these activities by giving public funds to these shelter homes.

'Why did the state allow these to happen? The state gave funds so in a way it financed these activities,' noted Justices Madan B Lokur, Deepak Gupta and K M Joseph.

The case took a political turn when the wife of the jailed child protection officer claimed that Chandra Shekhar Verma, the husband of former social welfare minister Manju Verma, used to visit the shelter home in Muzaffarpur.

The lawmaker from Begusarai district initially refuted this charge, calling it a political conspiracy. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also defended his former colleague.

However, on August 7, it was reported that Thakur and the minister's husband had spoken 17 times between January and May this year. Manju Verma resigned the next day.

Monitored by the Patna high court, the CBI is now investigating the case.

IMAGE: Members of different organisation stage a protest against the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI Photo. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Muzaffarpur case is among the many cases of neglect and exploitation of children in Bihar.

The TISS report points to several previously untold stories of horror involving both boys and girls to underline the apathy, violence and exploitation that these children routinely face.

Horrible living conditions, an unsafe environment and an unending series of beatings were all a part of life at various shelter homes.

Several shelter homes in Patna, Araria, Kaimur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Motihari and Gaya districts of the state are also under the scanner.

In most such homes, the staff treats children as criminals and often beats them for the tiniest mistake.

In one shelter home in Araria district, police guards stationed for the safety of the children were themselves found thrashing them.

In another case at a shelter home for girls in Patna, the minor girls accused the NGO officials of sexual and physical abuse.

In multiple cases, the NGO refused to provide a phone for the girls to contact their families.

In Bhagalpur, some children wrote letters to the district officials and the child welfare committee. They tried to complain about the wretched living conditions and continuous beatings.

These letters were found dumped behind the district child protection office.

IMAGE: Women offer bangles during a protest against the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal. Photograph: PTI Photo

Girls weren't the only ones who suffered sexual assault.

The state government has found evidence that boys, too, were sexually exploited in Gaya, Bhagalpur and Motihari. The government has ordered an inquiry and the contracts of the NGOs involved have been cancelled.

Officials have also said that in some cases the children were forced to clean the floors and the bathrooms, wash clothes of the staff and cook meals.

"There is good money involved in this shelter home business. According to the law, the government bears 90 per cent of the cost of a shelter home and the NGO is supposed to pay the remaining 10 per cent," says a senior official of the social welfare department, on the condition of anonymity.

"A shelter home costs the state government Rs 3 million to Rs 3.5 million annually. Only a fraction of this money is spent on the children," he alleges, adding, "Part of this money is also used to bribe officials, who then turn a blind eye to the conditions the children have to endure."

Shelter homes may have come in for heavy criticism, but officials also point to various orphanages and homes that have been doing exemplary work -- instances of which can be found in Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Saran, Buxar, Katihar and Purnia.

The officials say that the TISS social auditors were particularly pleased by the conditions at Darbhanga's observation home. Here, traumatised children are treated with love and care by the staff.

At Buxar's children's home, kids are encouraged to paint and read; they are also issued a book every night to read before going to sleep.

At Bhagalpur's children centre for girls, the officials encountered a positive atmosphere.

The staff is full of affection and celebrates the children's birthdays every year.

Children are encouraged to teach and share with their 'younger siblings' at Katihar's children's home as a way to strengthen the bond between them.

The specialised adoption centre in Saran District was declared one of the best-run institutions in the country.

However, the officials admit that such institutions are a rarity and that there is an urgent need to fix a broken system.

IMAGE: Officials conduct a raid at the residential hotel of Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo

Disturbed by the findings of the TISS social audit and the barrage of criticism, the Bihar government has now decided to entirely change the way shelter homes operate.

'The NGO model is practised across the country. The Muzaffarpur incident showed that it is seriously flawed and has several deficiencies. Therefore, we have decided that the NGOs will not be engaged anymore to run shelter homes in state. They will be operated by government agencies,' said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

'I have asked the social welfare department to hire necessary manpower and construct its own buildings. The decision will be implemented in a phase-wise manner,' he added.

Nitish Kumar has also ordered the district administrations to investigate all shelter homes in the state and file FIRs if any anomalies are detected.

'I have asked the chief secretary to do a full review. The investigation in this case will help make the system stronger,' he added.

"These children are wards of the State. They were exploited because the state government and its officials didn't do their jobs. The neglect of the senior officials in this case is, in fact, criminal negligence," notes an Indian Police Service officer.

"They must also be punished to send out a stronger message. Otherwise, they might just re-enter the system and continue ruining children's lives."
Archana Masih recalls that December evening 22 years ago when Atal Bihari Vajpayee logged into the Rediff Chat.

It was Christmas Eve, on the eve of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 72nd birthday.

He had been prime minister for 13 days a few months earlier and had agreed to appear on the Rediff Chat that evening in 1996.

A bunch of us who travelled from Mumbai were frisked by the Special Protection Group at the entrance of his home in New Delhi and were shown into a room where the chat was to take place.

His aides Shakti Sinha and Kanchan Gupta chatted with us about the modalities of Vajpayeeji's first Internet chat experience as we were served tea and snacks on a cold winter evening.

Vajpayeeji's foster granddaughter Niharika, a little girl at that time, could be seen playing around, calling the security staff "SPG uncle" while her mother Namita Bhattacharya told us we had been spelling Vajpayeeji's name wrong all along.

"It is Bihari with an 'i', not an 'e'!" Namita said.

As Vajpayeeji entered the room, all of us instantly stood up. Even though he was a diffident, mild mannered, man, there was an electricity about his presence that inspired awe and respect.

As the questions from Rediff readers were read out, he would often keep his eyes closed while listening to them, then Kanchan or a couple of us would key in Vajpayeeji's answers.

As a couple of my colleagues kept going in and out of the room to check with the Rediff HQ in Mumbai how the chat was doing, Vajpayeeji asked, "Kya aap log cigarette peene baar baar bahar ja rahe hai?" which the duo sheepishly denied like errant schoolboys.

As the last answer was keyed in, we wished Vajpayeeji a very happy birthday to which he said "Dhanyavad!" with typical grace and flourish.

And then he left, as if he was almost in a rush to get away from this new fangled technological gibberish.

The abiding image of that evening was Vajpayeeji, his back towards us as he walked towards the door of his private residence, as he pushed it open, his silhouette against the night light as he vanished inside.

One of the interesting stories about Vajpayeeji was narrated by the editor just before the 1998 general election which brought the BJP to power a second time.

My photographer colleague Jewella C Miranda and I were about to set course from Mumbai by train and bus travelling through Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for a month covering the election campaign to reach New Delhi by counting day.

It was going to be our first extended reporting assignment long before the days of wi-fi, personal mobile phones and ATMs.

Recounting Vajpayeeji's masterly oratorical skills, the editor recalled one of the then BJP president's public meetings in the mid-1980s.

After accepting the many garlands as his welcome, he took to the mike and told his audience: 'Main haar nahi, jeet lene aaya hoon.'

Punning on the word haar which can mean both garlands and defeat in Hindi, Vajpayeeji had declared, 'I have not come to receive defeat, I have come to welcome victory.'

Vajpayeeji brought a poet's passion to everything he said, sprinkling his speeches with everyday phrases.

Otherwise puzzlingly quiet, he really came alive at election rallies and inside Parliament.

At an election rally near the Itarsi railway station in MP, we would report on one of his election meetings.

Referring to his party's inability to draw support from other parties which resulted in the fall of his government in 1996, Vajpyaeeji told the audience with a chuckle that the BJP's attempt had failed because every other party had not only closed its doors but even windows and ventilators on the party.

The crowds loved it.

His Hindi was simple and listening to it was always a pleasure. Barring the current prime minister, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and to some extent Home Minister Rajnath Singh, there are not many good Hindi speakers in Parliament.

In fact, really masterful debates in Parliament of the kind we witnessed in Vajpayeeji's hey day in any language are rare now.

A couple of months ago, Punya Prasun Bajpai, before he exited the ABP news television channel, screened a clip on his show Masterstroke of a parliamentary debate where Vajpayeeji was constantly being interrupted by Opposition MPs.

What happened next would be unthinkable today.

'Hush!' Chandra Shekharji, the former prime minister who was seated on the Opposition benches, stood up and declared, 'Let us hear Atalji speak!'

A school teacher's son, Vajpayeeji was a politician, but a sensitive one. His ensitivity was the core to his politics in many ways that shaped his emergence as a beloved statesman.

It was what made him reach out to the Kashmiris, extend a hand of friendship to Pakistan and take a bus to Lahore.

It is what made him counsel a chief minister of a rioting state to follow his raj dharma.

It is what also united the country as her soldiers won back the Kargil heights.

Perhaps, that sensitivity came from carrying a poet's heart, from a love for literature.

If there is a lesson today's politicians can learn from Vajpayeeji whose death brought friends and foes from within the country and without to pay their respects -- it is sensitivity.

After all, it is never too late to reach out for a book and learn how to navigate life -- personal or political.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- San Francisco Federal Credit Union announced today that Brad Morrison has joined the credit union as chief information officer, to lead the technology group toward a streamlined and innovative platform that will meet the growing needs of its members. This announcement was made by Jonathan Oliver, president and chief executive officer of San Francisco Federal Credit Union.



We are excited to welcome Brad as part of the team, Oliver said. His experience and vision will greatly assist us to move to the next level of technology and information systems. Providing the most state-of-the art and secure financial services for our members is paramount to our long-term growth objectives.

Im looking forward to working closely with the management team, and the dedicated employees of San Francisco Federal Credit Union, Morrison said. Providing sustainable and market driven technological solutions is a vital part of my job, and Im looking forward to the challenge.

Morrison has more than 30 years of technical, strategy, security, and development experience in the financial, healthcare, and manufacturing industries as well as with several startups. Prior to joining San Francisco Federal Credit Union, he was a partner of Sunnyvale-based 2Down LLC. and he has held various executive-level IT positions throughout his career within the manufacturing, technology and bio medical industries. A U.S. Navy veteran, Morrison holds a bachelor of science in computer science from California State University, Hayward.



About San Francisco Federal Credit Union

San Francisco Federal Credit Union has been serving San Francisco since 1954. Today, anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in San Francisco and San Mateo counties may apply for membership. We currently serve more than 45,000 members with assets over $1.1 billion. San Francisco FCU is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration and is an Equal Housing Lender. Our corporate office is located at 770 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California 94102. SanFranciscoFCU.com | twitter@sffederalcu

For More Information:

David A. Szafranski

408.315.0754

david_szafranski@sanfranciscofcu.com
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About All Pro Restoration, Inc.

All Pro Restoration, Inc. is a renowned company that provides home restoration, disaster recovery, fire restoration, water restoration, mold removal and repair for smoke, water and flood damage services.
Savannah, GA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/20/2018 --Coastal Empire Fire and Security Inc. has been founded in the year of 1998, and an experienced industry worker with three decades of experience, named Larry Anderson has found it. This organization has turned out to be one of the best full-service fire and safety companies operating in the country. The proficiency of this company lies in designing, planning, servicing and installing top quality security cameras in North Charleston and Statesboro Georgia. Coastal Empire Fire and Security Inc. can offer a turnkey solution to their clients, also, to put together and refurbish their present systems as well, depending on their requirements and necessities. The company always tries to maintain an excellent rapport with their suppliers and vendors, which help them to offer a genuinely integrated security system to their clients.



This company is proud to provide the services to the large industrial organizations, military, hotels, hospitals, homeowners associations, apartment complexes and several commercial spaces. Their competent and qualified staff is wholly devoted to offering advanced services to the clients. Coastal Empire Fire and Security Inc. aims at providing their clients with the maximum better quality of services while meeting the high values of the competitive industry.



Coastal Empire Fire and Security offers the best surveillance cameras in Summerville and Savannah Georgia which includes advanced and innovative technology. This company utilizes the most recent tracking software and in-camera resolution to offer clear and crisp images to their clients that increase their surveillance capabilities. Coastal Empire Fire and Security also provides customized CCTV security system, to meet the distinctive necessities of each of their clients. To get the wide-ranging security and surveillance services of this company, one can contact them at 912-925-1324. Besides, one can also visit the website of the company to get more details.



About Coastal Empire Fire and Security Inc.

Coastal Empire Fire and Security Inc. is a leading safety company that operates in Beaufort, Brunswick, Hilton Head, Savannah, in addition to the adjacent communities and states.
Saugus, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/20/2018 --For those looking to change the color of their car or want to hide scratches, a vinyl wrap is a right option. Since a car is more than an asset to many, it is quite natural that they will love to keep it in perfect condition always. It is not still possible to avoid scratches. Certain scars remain indelible. In such cases, going with a vinyl wrap instead of painting it is ideal.



While doing paint job is expensive in comparison to wrapping it up, vinyl wrap in Boston and Newton, Massachusetts can be a great option regarding flexibility. Besides, a wrap can enhance the resale value of your car. Poor quality paint or scratches can make a negative impact on the mind of the buyer. But, bright color and finish that is offered by wrap can motivate them to make a deal.



Park Press Printing is a popular name when it comes to obtaining vinyl wrap. The technicians at Park Press uses eye-catching truck graphics or car wrapping to create an impact. The prime goal of the company is getting the advertising message reach out to a broad audience. This is why they typically focus on the details and specifics that can cover a lot of information as well as turn pleasing to the eyes.



The quality of the car wrapping or truck graphics will undoubtedly have a great deal to do with the ultimate effectiveness, and this is where their expertise comes in. With more than eight decades in the industry, they utilize high-tech, state-of-the-art equipment to print quality vinyl car wraps that amazingly stand out in the crowds. Equipped with advanced tool and years of experience, the design team is always ready to assist with the final installation after their car graphics and truck wraps have been completed to their satisfaction.



For more information about window clings in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, visit https://www.parkpressprinters.com.



About Park Press Printers

Park Press Printing, a premier company with more than eight years of experience, is all set to offer a range of vehicle wrapping and graphics service at an affordable price with impeccable grace and personalized care.
ROWAYTON, Conn., Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eaton Partners, one of the worlds largest placement agents and advisory firms and a wholly owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF), is pleased to have served as the exclusive placement agent for SDC Capital Partners, LLCs (SDC) first-time fund that will invest in IT and communications infrastructure, with a focus on data centers.



The SDC Digital Infrastructure Opportunity Fund I LP (the Fund) reached its hard cap of $400 million in capital commitments in less than six months. The oversubscribed fund received strong support from a diverse range of institutional investors, primarily top-tier endowments along with foundations, pension plans, consultants, and high net worth individuals.

SDC Founder and Managing Partner Todd Aaron has also co-founded and co-led Sentinel Data Centers since its inception in 2002. Over the last 16 years, Sentinel has developed multiple industry-leading data center platforms, resulting in highly successful exits to public buyers, most recently via a $490 million multi-asset sale to CyrusOne (NYSE: CONE) in February, 2017.

Data centers and related infrastructure underpin the technology on which businesses and consumers rely on every day and represent one of the largest and fastest growing sectors within IT and telecommunications, said Jeff Eaton, Partner at Eaton Partners. Todd Aaron is an industry pioneer and SDCs strategy of melding hands-on operational expertise with deep sector knowledge resonated deeply with the institutional investor community. It has been our pleasure to partner with Todd and the SDC team on a very successful fundraise.

We are thrilled to have achieved this important milestone and are excited to partner with the blue-chip institutions that comprise our investor base, said Todd Aaron. We are grateful for Eaton Partners support in spearheading this process. Their diligence, focus and longstanding relationships within the institutional investor community were invaluable.

Over the past 12 months, Eaton Partners has successfully closed 13 funds and is actively raising capital for an additional 20 funds.

About Eaton Partners

Eaton Partners, a Stifel Company, is one of the worlds leading fund advisory and capital placement agents, having raised more than $95 billion across more than 120 highly differentiated alternative investment funds and offerings. Founded in 1983, Eaton advises and raises institutional capital for investment managers across alternative strategies  private equity, private credit, real assets, real estate, and hedge funds/public market  in both the primary and secondary markets. Eaton Partners maintains offices and operates throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Eaton Partners is a division of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Member SIPC and NYSE. Eaton Partners subsidiary Eaton Partners (U.K.) LLP is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Eaton Partners subsidiary Eaton Partners Advisors (HK) Limited is approved as a Type 1-licensed company under the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong. Eaton Partners and the Eaton Partners logo are trademarks of Eaton Partners, LLC, a limited liability company.  Eaton Partners, 2018.

About SDC Capital Partners

SDC Capital Partners, LLC is a specialized private investment firm focused on the IT and communications infrastructure sectors. SDCs areas of investment focus include data centers, network / fiber and wireless infrastructure, with specific emphasis on opportunities where the firm can leverage its deep operational expertise to partner with exceptional managers and owners in creating value. SDC targets investments of $20 - $100+ million and is control and structure agnostic with respect to its investments. The firm invests globally and seeks to leverage its teams deep sector relationships in sourcing proprietary investment opportunities. For more information, please visit www.sdccapitalpartners.com.

Stifel Company Information

Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel's broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated; Keefe Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; Century Securities Associates, Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company's broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank & Trust offers a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company's web site at www.stifel.com.

Media Contacts for Eaton Partners

Karen Mustiga

212-271-3749

mustigak@stifel.com

Michael Gelormino

212-754-5479

mgelormino@intermarket.com
Miami, FL, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crystal took home two of the biggest awards at Virtuoso Travel Week last week when the company was named Cruise Line of the Year and Most Luxurious Guest Experience in the cruise category by the professionals of the global luxury travel network. The awards were presented during Virtuosos 30th annual Travel Week, and speak directly to Crystals unwavering commitment to the travel advisor community and the overall guest experience provided aboard its luxury ships.



We are honored and humbled by these awards from the professional advisors of the Virtuoso Travel Network, who are experts in the discerning preferences of luxury travelers, said Crystals senior vice president of marketing and sales, Carmen Roig, who, along with her team, accepted the awards on the companys behalf. In every facet of the Crystal Experience, our priority is to provide our guests the most elegant and sophisticated spaces throughout our ships and numerous choices to make their voyage precisely what they want it to be  always delivered with the personalized service of our crew, who strives to not only meet, but exceed guests wishes every day.

On behalf of everyone at the company, I want to thank our partners at the Virtuoso Travel Network and the travel advisor community as a whole for their support and dedication to Crystal, Roig added.

It has long been Crystals philosophy that the genuine service and attention to every detail by the companys celebrated crew is at the heart of the onboard guest experience, earning Crystal one of the highest guest loyalty rates in the industry. In addition to this personal component, Crystal has remained at the forefront of luxury in its ships designs and amenities, a vast array of enriching programs on board, and a number of exclusive experiences ashore, including VIP access to some of the worlds most premier events.

As the leader in the luxury cruise industry for decades, Crystal continues to expand its portfolio of experiences that appeal to a variety of luxury travelers, enabling travel partners to grow their luxury business and reach new audiences. With dramatic redesigns completed for Crystal Symphony and upcoming for Crystal Serenity, the company continues to invest in its core Ocean voyages, which span the globe and offer travelers diversely enriching choices.

Crystal River Cruises welcomed two new river ships earlier this year, as Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel joined the fleet alongside identical sisters, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, offering the only all-suite, all-balcony, all-butler accommodations in the region, and Crystal Mozart, the largest ship along Europes rivers.

Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises Crystal Esprit continues to take travelers seeking exclusive, active experiences to the worlds most elite yachting playgrounds in the Adriatic and West Indies, while the worlds largest and most spacious luxury expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, will debut in August of 2020.

About Crystal

The world-renowned Crystal Experience  featuring global journeys with Crystal Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises, Crystal AirCruises and Crystal Luxury Air  continues to be the distinctive choice of the worlds most discerning travelers. Crystal Cruises is the Worlds Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line, having earned Worlds Best Cruise Ship in Conde Nast Travelers Reader Choice Awards and been voted Worlds Best Large Ship Cruise Line by Travel + Leisure readers more than any cruise line, hotel or resort in history; and the Best Luxury Cruise Line by travel professional organization Virtuoso for three consecutive years (2014, 2015 & 2016). The readers of Travel + Leisure also voted Crystal River Cruises the Worlds Best River Cruise Line and Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises the Worlds Best Small-Ship Cruise Line in 2017. Crystal is proud to be a platinum partner of ASTA.

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel professional, call 888.799.2437, or visit www.crystalcruises.com. Join the hundreds of thousands who subscribe to the Crystal Insider blog, follow Crystal Cruises Facebook page and @crystalcruises on Twitter and Instagram, and engage in the conversation with #crystalcruises.

About Virtuoso

Virtuoso is the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,000 travel agency partners with 17,500 elite travel advisors in 50 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with 1,700 of the worlds best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than (U.S.) $23.7 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.

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Of course, there are different levels of victory. The Taliban know they have more stamina for the conflict than the United States does, and the longer resolution takes, the stronger the Taliban become. But they are not simply going to take over the country. Afghanistan is not a place blessed with an overarching national identity. The same factors that defeated the U.S. cause plenty of headaches for the Taliban (and are the reason an ideology like radical Islam, which tries to bypass tribal and ethnic distinctions via divine deflection, catches on so effectively). The Taliban now govern significant parts of the country, but the Islamic State is active and growing too . The Afghan government in Kabul is not without resources and supporters of its own, to say nothing of the warlords and factions that other foreign powers are propping up because of their own interests in bogging the U.S. down and making sure that Afghanistans problems remain in Afghanistan.

There is no shortage of powers stirring the pot, and all are preparing for the eventual end of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. On July 11, Pakistan hosted the heads of intelligence agencies from Russia, China and Iran to discuss counterterrorism cooperation in Afghanistan  specifically, how to contain radical Islam. These countries have every reason to be concerned. Iran does not want any Sunni radicals on its borders. Russia has a large Muslim population (roughly 12 percent, according to the latest Pew data) and is concerned about Afghanistans problems spilling over into the fragile Central Asian states . And Xinjiang, Chinas restive Muslim region in the northwest, is just a stones throw from Afghanistan  not to mention that chaos is bad for Belt and Road business. This means it is unlikely that a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan will have the same effect as the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, where jihadists rapidly filled the vacuum. There are more players on the ground in Afghanistan, all of which want to prevent the country from becoming the host of IS 2.0.

Trump faces the same situation in Afghanistan that his predecessors faced in Iraq and Vietnam. He can no more bring the war in Afghanistan to a victorious conclusion than Obama could have prevented Iraq from descending into civil war or Richard Nixon could have prevented the North Vietnamese from prevailing. What Trump could still yet do is bring the war to an honest and stable conclusion: honest by not attempting to hide the defeat, and stable by working with other countries  even strategic competitors  to make sure that whatever happens in Afghanistan does not hurt the U.S. or its long-term interests. The U.S. could not win the war in Afghanistan because it could not make Afghanistan something that it isnt. The only question that remains is whether the U.S. can see that, or whether it will indulge in self-denial and miss the lesson it has ignored for three wars and counting.
Police in China have arrested three men who stole cryptocurrencies worth around $87 million by hacking computers in March this year.

Suspects in what is considered to be China's biggest-ever bitcoin heist were detained in coordinated raids in capital Beijing and the provinces of Hunan and Changchun last week, Chinese media reported.

Police had launched an investigation in March on the basis of a complaint they received from one of the victims that his computer had been hacked and crypto assets worth around $14.5 million lost.

With the help of domestic Internet companies, police identified the first suspect, a man surnamed Zhou from Hunan province.

Two months later, the investigating team received information about two other suspects: one person surnamed Cui in Beijing and another one with the surname Zhang in Jilin province.

Police said the three suspects were highly experienced hackers who had worked at top Internet firms.

They allegedly carried out a series of illegal cyber intrusions into corporate and personal computer networks to obtain crypto assets estimated to amount to 600 million yuan, or about $87 million.



In September last year, the Chinese government had banned cryptocurrency trading and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) in the country, terming them as an illegal fund-raising tool after concerns over financial scams and money laundering.

Chinese police are stepping up efforts to crack down on cryptocurrency-linked cybercrimes.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Germany's is likely to remain on a sound growth path in the third quarter but the pace of growth could end up being somewhat slower than the average for the first half of the year, Bundesbank said in its monthly report on Monday.

Accordingly, industry is not expected to make any meaningful contribution to aggregate growth.

The central bank assessed the situation in the labor market as remaining very favorable. However, it did not improve as much as in previous quarters.

According to official data, the largest euro area economy expanded at a slightly faster pace of 0.5 percent in the second quarter on domestic demand.

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.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) has reportedly removed more than 25,000 illegal apps from its App Store in China after coming under intense criticism from Chinese state media for failing to ban illegal online content on its platform.

According to various media reports, the iPhone maker removed these illegal apps as they sold fake lottery tickets and offered gambling services. These apps represents just 1.4 percent of the total number in the App Store in China.

China's state broadcaster China Central Television or CCTV reported Sunday that Apple had taken offline 500 apps with the keyword 'lottery' in their names between July 31 and August 13, in addition to more than 4,000 gambling-related apps on August 9 to comply with tightened regulations.

"Gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China. We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store," Apple said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the Chinese government launched a crackdown against illegal online content, including sensitive political news, celebrity gossip and other content deemed to be against socialist values. As China is Apple's second-largest market after the U.S., the tech giant cannot afford to ignore China's strict laws.

There are also fears that Apple could also be adversely impacted due to the trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

Last year, Apple removed hundreds of virtual private networks apps or VPNs at the request of Beijing. A VPN extends a private network across a public network and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks. VPNs are used to bypass China's 'Great Firewall'.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
By SA Commercial Prop News

Office total returns outperform retail, industrial. UK commercial property price growth remained steady at 0.1 percent in August, with offices outperforming retail and industrial and taking the rise in UK property values to 25 consecutive months, research showed.

Investment Property Databank's monthly index showed UK offices produced total returns of 0.8 percent in August, outstripping the 0.6 percent generated by industrial property and 0.5 percent from retail.



Across all commercial property classes, total returns which include the gains in property values and income returns, were 0.6 percent for August, IPD said.



"Retail assets continued to see declining values during August, as the spate of economic difficulties, that impact on consumer spending, continued," said Phil Tily, managing director of IPD UK and Ireland.



IPD data showed offices saw capital growth of 0.2 percent in August, while retail and industrial produced nil returns.



"While there continues to be a spread in improved performance for offices throughout London, the same cannot be said for retail, where outside of the city centre, yields have begun to edge out over the last two months," Tily said.



Industrial property generated 0.6 percent income returns in August, against 0.5 percent for both offices and retail. Income returns across all commercial property classes was 0.5 percent.



"However, despite the rather gloomy economic headlines, most areas of the market have held up surprisingly well, and rental growth has not dipped into negative territory, remaining level at zero," he said in a statement.



Over the past 25 months, UK commercial property values have regained 17.7 percent, having fallen by about 45 percent during the global financial crisis.


Fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi (File Photo) Fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, wanted in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, is in the United Kingdom, the Interpol has confirmed, prompting the CBI to seek his extradition, officials said on Monday. According to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, the UK authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence in the



country on Sunday through a mail on the basis of the diffusion notice issued against him by the probe agency to the



Interpol.



The official also said the CBI sent an extradition request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday.



"The Home Ministry has also been requested to move its extradition request to the Ministry of External Affairs and through



the MEA to the UK authority."



Earlier on August 2, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh informed Parliament that the government had sent a

request to the UK for extraditing Nirav Modi.



On July 2, the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nirav Modi under money laundering charges levelled

by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).



Nirav Modi along with his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali group is being probed in the fraud case by the CBI and the

ED.



The ED had, on May 24 and May 26, filed prosecution complaints or chargesheets against Choksi and Modi.



The court has taken cognizance of the chargesheets and issued non-bailable warrants against both of them.



Nirav Modi left India along with his family in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the CBI. His

wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and Choksi on January 4.




The Government will remove the Green Lane List after cargo x-ray scanners are installed at the main wharf and Samoas two airports.

This undertaking was given by the Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, during an interview with the Samoa Observer, as the cargo express service continues to come under criticism.

The Green Lane List comprises selected companies, who enter into a prepaid service arrangement with Customs, to get their containers immediately upon their arrival in the country.

The Minister said the practice is the result of the Ministrys mutual working relationship with the private sector and had been in place before he was appointed to the cabinet position.

The whole project will cost $10 million according to Tialavea, which will see the setting up of x-ray scanners at the wharf, the post office and the Faleolo and Fagalii airports.

He said the proposal has been in the works for more than a year and that cargo, containers and parcels would be required by law to be scanned.

Parliament has approved a budget of $13.2 million for the Ministry of Revenue for the Financial Year 2018-2019, out of which $900,000 has been appropriated to construct a building at the Apia Port to house a new container scanning machine to ensure strict compliance.

Member of Parliament, Olo Fiti Vaai, has been a big critic of the Green Lane List.

He has described the customs prepaid service between the Ministry of Revenue and selected companies in Samoa as a gamble appealed for its abolishment.

Speaking to this newspaper in September last year, Olo said the system was based on trust but there is no guarantee that all businesses are trustworthy.

Who knows what other stuff is being smuggled into our country that has not been intercepted by the Customs Officers because of their system? I understand that this process is allowed based on trust but this does not guarantee all the businesses are trustworthy, he said.
As a little girl, Sonia Piva from Melbourne, Australia, has been visiting her mother, Maria Piva's families at Fagalii and Salelesi every year.

But this time around, she has taken the quantum leap to live in Samoa.

And it's not just because she is one of the nine contestants vying for the Miss Samoa crown, but to learn more about her Samoan family, our way of life and how the Samoan culture has nurtured her through her mother's teaching and scolding to become a responsible young adult.

And she is having the time of her life.

She admits that she is getting spoiled with a lot of attention from countless cousins, aunties and uncles. "There's no privacy but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here. Life is a lot simpler here compared to Melbourne," says the 21-year-old, who has landed a job as an Assistant Secretary to the Pacific Games Organising Committee Chief Executive since March this year.

"I have found her to be a very helpful and a cheerful individual who always presents herself in a professional manner and has become a valued asset to our office team," wrote Papalii-Ida Tifitifi Fuimaono from the Pacific Games Committee.

"Sonia is a peoples person who uses her initiative and not afraid to tackle new challenges. Most importantly, she has the heart for our country and our people which is reflected in her work and interactions," continued Papalii.

Representing Miss Susana o Samoa in the 2018 Miss Samoa Pageant, Sonia has an inspiring story to tell.

The youngest in a family of two, Sonia is not blinded by the attention and she has come to appreciate the pressure she is shouldering to rise to the occasion and meet the expectations of her huge Samoan family.

"Meeting the expectations of relatives and supporters is paramount to me," she says.

"While it's exciting, the contestant role also comes with a lot of responsibilities and demands."

Her pageant platform will be education, which comes as no great surprise as teaching is her passion. Sonia is presenting pursing Bachelor of Education, at the same time taking online courses on Health Care for the Disabilities.

"Education is the key to prosperity," she said.

"I have always been passionate about teaching.

"Coming to Samoa I have volunteered to help the Peace Chapel Primary School and it has opened my eyes to how much more we could do as I am a firm believer that there is always room for improvements.

"Schools are where it all starts for everyone and for Samoa, an educated future generation will further see improvements in all facets of society.

"To be Miss Samoa would be an honour to be able to take part in making a difference in not only the educational system, but other aspects."

Sonia sees the pageant as more than just a beauty competition.

"Miss Samoa is a role model for young women and to win the crown would be a righteous step forward to contributing to our community and country," she said.

"Miss Samoa in a way is the spokesperson for our country and the perfect vehicle to provide empowerment to every young Samoan girl," said Miss Susana o Samoa.

"I wasnt born and raised in Samoa, but I have always felt a strong calling to be here. As I visit Samoa every year, it has prompted me to move here and Ive grown up to see that Samoa is constantly changing for the better.

"I have moved from Australia to dedicate the next couple of years to learn and appreciate my mother's birthplace and home here in Samoa, my home away from home.

"I have always seen myself living in Samoa as I see it as God's calling for me."

Her parents are heading to Samoa to support their only daughter.

The Miss Samoa Pageant for the first time in her 33-year-old history will be staged in Salelologa, Savaii, at the Don Bosco Technical College on September 8, 2018.

It will also be the first time that the pageant will take place in the daytime starting at 10:00am.
Samoa Airport Authority illegally used public funds to host end-of-the-year Christmas and farewell parties and paid $1000 to a staff member whose house was damaged by fire.

Controller and Chief Auditor, Fuimaono Camillo Afele, made these findings in his report on the financial affairs of the Samoa Airport Authority (S.A.A.) to Parliament for the financial year ending June 30, 2013.

Items purchased for the end-of-the-year Christmas and farewell parties included alcohol (beer and wine), food catering and the hiring of a band. A staff member, whose house was damaged by fire, was also paid $1000. But the audit report concludes that the expenses were not budgeted, compelling the S.A.A. to use its savings and breach government policy in the process.

These expenses were not budgeted and savings were used, reflecting inappropriate spending.

The funding of these activities from public monies are strictly prohibited under government policies as stipulated in FK 08 Faapitoa (06) and was further stressed in FK (92)50 and Cabinet Circular dated November 27, 2009.

The Board of Directors had approved this activity to farewell retirees which had served the Authority for a long time, stated the audit report.

The S.A.A. management, in response to the audit report findings, said it was aware of the government policy, but the decision to proceed ultimately came from the Board of Directors.

The payment of $1000 to a staff member, after his house was damaged by fire, also came under scrutiny with the audit report stating that these types of payments were not covered under the S.A.A. policy.

This kind of support was not covered under any of the authority's policies hence the payment was approved and was based on the General Manager's discretion.

The Board of Directors, according to the audit report, approved similar funding support for staff affected by the December 2012 Cyclone Evans.

The Board after Cyclone Evans approved similar donation to staff members whose families were severely affected by the cyclone. The intention of the board was to show compassion and to provide some form of humanitarian support to those staff who faced severe impact of disasters such as cyclones, tsunami and fire.

In light of the concerns raised by the audit report, the S.A.A. gave an undertaking that it would incorporate the staff financial support mechanism into the authoritys administration manual.

The audit observation was noted and S.A.A. committed to incorporation when the administration manual was reviewed later during the year of the audit. The S.A.A. Administration Manual had been reviewed and donation for staff under compassionate grounds is now included in the manual.

A review of payments by the audit also uncovered the payment of a donation for one of the board directors fathers funeral in December 2014. The audit report said such payments were prohibited under government policy, though it was noted that the Board of Directors approved the payment.

In order to cater for funerals connected to staff members, an amount of $500 has been incorporated into the S.A.A. Administration Manual, but the audit was still of the view that this policy was in breach of government policy.

From our review of the Authority's Administration Manual, it was noted that donations to staff funerals were allowed. This provision of the Authority's policy contradicts with the government policy stipulated in FK 13(06). The S.A.A. agreed and noted the recommendation for adoption in the next review of the manual.

Other discrepancies picked out by the audit was the payment of directors fees in advance and not in line with the payment schedule, and the failure by staff to stamp and sign the payment vouchers.

From our review of payment vouchers, there were vouchers being processed with no internal audit stamp or signature indicating no check conducted by the internal auditors.

But the S.A.A. management, in response, said they had to often raise cheques for urgent payment, but there were no staff from the internal audit unit available to stamp and counter-sign the payment vouchers.

The audit report also noted the lack of staff in the S.A.A. with the knowledge to do landing fee calculations, thus leading to the potential loss of revenue for the authority. Landing fees calculations are the responsibility of the team leader before receipting the stated amount.

There was no team leader's signature found on some of the receipted landing fees calculations indicating such calculations were not properly checked and authorized. The recommendation was noted by S.A.A. for follow up and action.
The inquiry into the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Sefuiva Charlene Malele, is about to be completed.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also Minister for the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly (O.C.L.A.), said the report will be handed to him upon its completion and they will accept its findings.

The investigation by the Audit Office is near completion and their report will soon be submitted and whatever is the outcome, we will abide by it, he said.

Speaking during his weekly press program, the Prime Minister said the Government will always do its due diligence and investigate complaints.

This is a step in the right direction for the C.E.O. implicated, so the complaints can be thoroughly checked out and also for the public to see the Government is doing its duties to investigate.

And this has always been the case for any complaint lodged against a C.E.O. the Government must act accordingly, he said.

The Prime Minister assured the public that the inquiry will be completed soon and warned that violations of the law cannot be hidden.

Violations of the law will be revealed one way or another, nothing is hidden forever. You may not be caught now, but you will be caught in the future, hence the importance of conducting investigations into complaints. And if the investigations results clear the accused, then so be it. But this is nothing new for the Government.

The Audit Office director (legal services), Vaipou Fetuliai Lagaaia when asked recently to comment on the inquiry said it is ongoing.

Sefuiva declined to comment when contacted by the Samoa Observer, saying she will await further instructions from the Speaker of Parliament, Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi will give an address at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia on August 30.

Joining a cohort of world leaders who have given presentations at Australias top foreign policy think tank, the Prime Minister  who is also Samoas Foreign Minister  will give his insights on the changing dynamics in the Pacific regions geostrategic landscape.

The increasing presence of China in the region, its bilateral relationship with the various Pacific Island nations, and its controversial aid program, including its low interest loans are bound to be raised at the event.

The Prime Ministers presentation in Sydney next Thursday coincidentally follows the recent launch in Apia of Lowy Institutes Pacific Aid Map  which is an interactive online map showing the regions biggest donors. The online tool confirmed Australias standing as Pacifics largest aid donor with China closing in on second.

Tongas Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva, who recently attended the Forum Foreign Ministers Conference in Apia, appealed to Pacific Island states to slow down asking China for loans and suggested that those with debts should ask Beijing to extinguish or convert them to grants.

But Tuilaepa, speaking recently during his weekly media conference, said putting in a request for loans to be written off is an embarrassment and would not look good for the recipient country.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop flew into Apia last week to sign off on the construction of Samoas new Legislative Assembly Office, which Australia will fund.

Speaking at the soft launch of the construction work, she said: We think that this building will serve the Parliament well. The reason Australia agreed to support an infrastructure project like this is because democracy matters and we believe that democratic institutions need to be defended, promoted, protected.

The rule of law, an underpinning of a democratic society, also must be upheld. So this building is the symbol of accountability and transparency of high levels of governance, of Members of Parliament putting the interests of the people above their own interests and that is why we support the funding of this Parliament house.

Ms Bishop was accompanied to Samoa by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Australias Minister for International Development and the Pacific, who early this year accused China of building useless infrastructure projects in the Pacific.

The criticism compelled Tuilaepa to defend Chinas aid program in the Pacific Islands, telling Samoa Observer in an interview in January that year that he found the comments quite insulting to the leaders of the Pacific Island nations.

The August 30 event at the Lowy Institute will be podcasted and available on its the website after the presentation.
The decision made by Government to prioritise commercial farmers regarding the distribution of banana has received a backlash from members of the public. Our reporter, Adel Fruean asked the public about their opinion on the decision made by the Government and they responded:





Malota Alosina, 34, Falelima

I think that the Government should put the needs of those who struggle and poor first. The opportunities that this banana scheme offers great financial support, which is why that is suitable for the people who need it more not the rich. The Samoan Government hasprioritised the needs of the rich and commercial farmers and so they will have more money while the poor have nothing. It is the role of the Government to cater to the needs of its people in a fair manner.

Tupai Iulai, 66, Solosolo

I do not support the Governments decision because only a certain group of farmers tremendously from this new scheme. In my eyes, the Government has put first the needs of those who are rich but what about the poor? If you look at it in a different perspective, you would see that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The Samoan Government should treat everyone equally. Distribute it equally so that the people who struggle could have this opportunity as a blessing to help develop their families and livelihoods.

Faasisili Isaako, 58, Papaloloa

In my own opinion, the Government has supported one side and its those who are well off. I feel that they are biased and that is unfair to the people of Samoa who are in need. If they only support the rich then who will help and assist those in need and seeking help for a better future. It is important that they should consider everyones needs equally, so that it would make our country better. If this opportunity was a gateway for so many Samoan families to be able to escape poverty and help them, then that is a blessing, but I guess that is not in the best interest of the Government.





Maria Faailoga, 45, Manono

I do not agree with the decision by the Government to put first the commercial farmers over citizens of Samoa. In all honesty, every Samoan has a plantation and most families that are struggling depend on their plantations for survival, whether financially or supply of food. The focus of the Government should be more on those who are developing and in need of such financial assistance through these opportunities for exports.

Romeo Silva, 46, Faleula

I am against the decision that the Government has made by not putting the needs of all the Samoan people first. But instead only helping commercial farmers, there is no equality in that decision, they are well aware that these big farms are well equipped and stable but the people of Samoa need to have access to these opportunities that are given to these commercial farmers. The need to put first those who need help over those who are well equipped is more important. Samoa is made up of small islands and most of its people depend on the plantations for survival, the Government should look into helping its people.





Lusia Sagato, 50, Leauvaa

I disagree with the decision to put emphasis on commercial farmers over the needs of just any farmer in Samoa. The reason being is that they should help those who do not have access to such opportunities instead of making the rich richer. If the people are struggling, the Government is not doing more to help with their situations, for example the banana distribution scheme can benefit our people greatly and that is step forward to development.




ISTANBUL (AP)  Shots were fired from a moving car at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey before dawn Monday, an attack that came during heightened tensions between the two NATO allies. Officials said two people with criminal records were detained.

There were no casualties in the fleeting attack, in which three of the six bullets fired hit the embassy gate and a reinforced window in the building in Ankara.

The Ankara governor's office named the suspects as Ahmet Celikten, 39, and Osman Gundas, 38, saying they had confessed. Authorities seized a 9-millimeter gun and a vehicle with Ankara license plates.

Celikten had escaped prison and Gundas had several crimes under his belt, including car theft, drugs and threats, the governor's office said.

The U.S. Embassy thanked Turkish authorities, tweeting that it appreciated their "fast and professional action" in arresting the two suspects.

Turkish officials are locked in a trade and diplomatic dispute with the United States but they fully condemned the shooting. Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tweeted that it was "an attempt to create chaos."

A top official in Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party said the attack was a "clear provocation" and that foreign diplomats are guests of the country.

"The utmost sensitivity will be shown to ensure their security," said the party spokesman, Omer Celik.

The governor's office said authorities are investigating the suspects' links.

The U.S. Embassy was planning to close at midday Monday anyway until the end of the week for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey are high, partly because of the case of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who is being prosecuted in Turkey for alleged espionage and terrorism-related offenses. He denies any wrongdoing and U.S. President Donald Trump has called for his immediate release.

Turkey has long criticized the United States for not agreeing to hand over Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric accused by Turkish authorities of engineering an attempted coup in 2016. Gulen denies those allegations. Washington has told Turkey it must present convincing evidence for any extradition proceeding to go forward.

The Turkish lira has lost 39 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since the beginning of the year and was hurt further by recent U.S. tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum. Turkey's economy is already vulnerable because of heavy foreign currency borrowing that fueled high growth for years.

Also Monday, Turkey filed a complaint about the U.S. tariffs at the World Trade Organization, the WTO said. The two sides can now try to resolve the dispute without litigation  if talks fail after 60 days, a WTO panel can be asked to judge the matter, it said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government imposed its own tit-for-tat tariffs on some American goods, alluded to the dispute with the U.S. in a pre-recorded holiday message.

"There is no difference between the direct attacks on our call to prayer and our flag and the attack on our economy," said Erdogan. "Those who think they can make Turkey give in with the foreign exchange rate will soon see they are wrong."

U.S. diplomatic offices have been targeted in the past in Turkey.

At least one suspect was wounded in a shooting outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in 2015. In 2013, a suicide bomber killed a Turkish guard and himself outside the embassy in Ankara. In 2008, three assailants and three Turkish police officers died in a shootout outside the Istanbul consulate.
San Diego was one of the least-affordable U.S. metro areas for buying a home in the second quarter, said a recently-released study from mortgage website HSH.

Potential buyers needed to make $130,986 a year to afford the median-priced single-family house.

Only two other metro areas were less affordable  San Jose and San Francisco  said the study, which crunched numbers for 50 regions across the United States.

HSH determined rankings by looking at quarterly home price data, local property taxes, homeowner insurance costs and income needed to qualify for a loan. It also assumed that prospective homebuyers made a 20 percent down payment.

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The most affordable metropolitan area was Pittsburgh where the required annual salary to afford a median-priced home was $38,253. Other affordable cities for homebuyers were Cleveland ($39,253), Oklahoma City ($40,780).

Keith Gumbinger, HSH.coms vice president, said rising mortgage rates are only a small part of the difficulty for potential buyers.

Unfortunately, even if rates dont go up very much, he said, part of the issue we run into is that home prices are rising so quickly.

San Diego has been locked at the No.3 spot since HSH expanded the study to 50 metros three years ago. Los Angeles was No.4, which usually is seen as less affordable than Americas Finest City  but Gumbinger said the larger pool of homes in Los Angeles reduced the median cost in comparison to San Diego.

HSH said the salary needed to afford a single-family home in Los Angeles was $114,907, about $16,079 less than San Diego.

The mortgage website said that the salary needed to buy a San Diego home had increased 12.1 percent in a year. So, even a substantial raise last year would not necessarily make homeownership much easier.

Part of the issue, Gumbinger said, is a lack of homes for sale across the nation.

In many markets, there is simply such little inventory to buy, he said. Even if youre well-positioned to buy a home, there might not be anything you can afford to buy or anything you can afford to buy that is desirable to buy.

There were 6,413 homes listed for sale in June, said the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors. There were more than 12,000 homes for sale in June 2011.

HSH also looked at the possibility of putting 10 percent down for a San Diego home instead of 20 percent, but that would increase the needed salary by roughly $24,000. The reason is that monthly payments would be higher with a smaller down payment. Also, putting less than 20 percent down means the buyer needs to purchase private mortgage insurance, adding to monthly payments.

Gumbinger said the study did not look at even more low-cost options  such as, 1 percent down  because those are aimed at low-income buyers, and there isnt much for those buyers to purchase in expensive markets.

Nationwide, the salary needed for a median-priced home was $61,522 in the second quarter, HSH said. Across all 50 markets, the median increase in existing home prices was 6.55 percent in a year. Including available tax and insurance costs, a potential buyer would need to have seen a median increase in income of 10.58 percent just to keep pace.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, wrote in the study that strong economic growth, a healthy labor market and a large millennial population should be driving sales much higher.

With not enough homes for sale, multiple bids caused prices to rise briskly and further out of the reach of some prospective buyers, he wrote.

In June there were 3,927 home sales in the county, CoreLogic said, which is the lowest in four years. But, the median home price hit its highest in history, $575,000.

The median single-family home price, determined by the National Association of Realtors in the study, was $645,000.

Housing experts generally attribute a lack of homebuilding during the recession as one of the reasons much of the nation today faces a housing shortage. In San Diego County, 18,031 residential building permits were issued in 2003 but those dropped to less than 3,000 in 2009 during the recession. There were 9,580 residential permits issued in 2017.

* * *

Most expensive metro (second quarter 2018)

1 San Jose  $274,623.19

2 San Francisco  $213,726.86

3 San Diego  $130,986.05

4 Los Angeles  $114,907.52

5 Boston  $109,411.27

6 Seattle  $109,274.91

7 New York City  $103,235.16

8 Washington, D.C.  $96,144.49

9 Denver  $93,263.28

10 Portland  $85,369.09

Source: HSH.com

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phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

ALSO

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The Festival of Books has a schedule full of panels featuring novelists who live in San Diego County.

Some of them set their stories here, too.

If youre a writer, said T. Jefferson Parker, San Diego is a great canvas.

Parker, who lives in Fallbrook, is the author of two dozen crime novels and thrillers, many of them based at least in part in this county.

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His new one, Swift Vengeance, roams all over  Cedros Design District in Solana Beach, an El Cajon residential neighborhood, the Unconditional Surrender statue on the Embarcadero  while it examines the lingering ghosts of 9/11. (Two of the hijackers that day had lived and trained in San Diego.)

For local readers, a book set here can make for added fun, a jolt of the real amid the fictional goings-on. Theres no place like home.

Unless home on the page is not how youve always pictured it. But that can be rewarding, too. Crusted-over recognition gives way to fresh insight.

And for readers who dont live here, the San Diego in novels is often more nuanced and interesting than the one in the travel brochures.

Its like when people come to San Diego for their dream summer vacation and get a week of June Gloom, said Matt Coyle. Even paradise has shades of gray.

Coyle is the author of four (soon to be five) novels featuring a private investigator who works in La Jolla, which is also where the writer grew up. In some ways, he is following the old maxim: Write what you know.

But he also draws inspiration from learning new things about this place, often while driving around. Sub-plots sometimes come to him that way.

Weve got perfect weather, so people think its this idyllic place, and it is, he said. But its also the eighth-largest city in the country, so its got a lot of crime, and those of us who have lived here a while know its sometimes incredibly corrupt, governmental-wise.

Its all kind of hidden behind this facade of this idyllic place to live. I like to creep behind the facade and find the darkness in there.

Leaving and coming back

Brit Bennett grew up in Oceanside before going off to study writing at Stanford and the University of Michigan. Her 2016 debut novel, The Mothers, a New York Times best seller, is set in her hometown.

The plot revolves around a 17-year-old girl  headed to college but mourning the death of her mother  who takes up with the son of a minister.

In an interview with the Union-Tribune shortly after the book was published, Bennett said Oceanside is a good place to set a story.

Its a town thats so diverse, she said. With military towns, you have people coming from all over. You have people with all these different backgrounds. That was something I was interested in.

And I think it has a lot of character, the contrast between it being a military town and a beach town. The whole culture aspect of it created some interesting tensions, and I wanted to think about how this church would be positioned in all that.

She started writing the book when she was in her late teens, not all that focused on where it was set.

I was just writing about my town where I grew up, and it wasnt until I left Oceanside and went to college in the Bay Area that I started thinking about all the things that are particular to Oceanside, she said. I think I had to leave to be able to see it with a clearer vision.

Lisa Brackmann had a similar experience. She grew up in San Diego, then for more than two decades spent time in other places, including China and Mexico, and wrote thrillers set in both places. Home base for a long while was Los Angeles, where she worked in films.

She moved back to San Diego in 2013 and immediately noticed how much the place had changed. And it wasnt just the proliferation of craft breweries.

It was bigger, busier, more diverse, she writes on her website. Politically, San Diego was no longer the conservative military town of my childhood.

That last observation plays a role in her new book, Black Swan Rising, which is set here amid a race for Congress. Hate groups, misogyny, mass shootings  an absorbing and apocalyptic vision of American politics that leaves the reader hoping it will never come to this, according to a review in Booklist.

At the Festival of Books, Brackmann will be on a panel called Americas Finest Setting: Fictional San Diego. Shell be joined by Julia Dixon Evans, whose debut novel, How to Set Yourself on Fire, is situated here, and Jim Miller, a San Diego City College professor whose books include the San Diego-based novels Drift and Last Days in Ocean Beach.

Getting it right

An author can never be sure how the locals will react to seeing their hometown depicted in a novel.

Parker remembers being worried when he wrote Laguna Heat, his first novel, which has a serial killer on the loose in Laguna Beach.

More people die in the pages of Laguna Heat than die in the real Laguna Beach in like 20 years, he said. I thought the Lagunans were going to hate me because I was making their pretty little town so gnarly.

They didnt.

They thought it was great, Parker said. They wanted me to set all my books there, too.

But get a street name wrong  look out.

I almost made a huge mistake down in La Jolla one time, Coyle said. I had a street going in the wrong direction, north and south instead of east and west. I caught that before the very last edit. I would have been crucified by the local people if I got that wrong.

That doesnt mean novelists dont have some leeway, though. It is, after all, fiction.

Which is why Coyle has his protagonist butting heads with the La Jolla Police Department, which doesnt exist in real life. (I wanted a smaller police department without civilian oversight, where there could be corruption, he said.)

Its why Parker, in one of his earlier series, invented a border town called Buenavista. (I wanted to write about a small town that was riddled with corruption and strife, home to all kinds of bad actors, and it didnt seem fair to really accuse any of our towns out in the desert.)

But even within those flights of fancy, there needs to be a grounding in reality.

I know as a reader, Parker said, Im always real sensitive and real appreciative when Im reading a piece of fiction or non-fiction thats set firmly in place, firmly in time, and captures in some way the truth of the moment.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com
This years One Book, One San Diego winner will be announced during the Festival of Books.

Now in its 12th year here, One Book asks area residents to read the same book at the same time, and then brings them together to talk about it during the fall at dozens of events around the county and in Baja California.

The program is seen, at a time of increasing political divisiveness, as a way to encourage dialogue and understanding about current events, controversial subjects and different cultures.

KPBS presents the program in partnership with local libraries, schools and civic organizations.

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This years finalists, chosen by an advisory committee from 500 titles nominated by the public, are:

 The Mothers, by Brit Bennett

 The Fortunes, by Peter Ho Davies

 Into the Magic Shop, by James R. Doty

 Manhattan Beach, by Jennifer Egan

 Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann

 Waking Lions, by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen

 Heat and Light, by Jennifer Haigh

 March: Book One, by John Lewis

 Behold the Dreamers, by Imbolo Mbue

 Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward

The One Book idea started in Seattle in 1998. Four years later, there were 63 programs in 30 states, and by the end of 2005, it was 305 programs in all 50 states.

San Diegos version launched in 2007 with Enriques Journey, by Sonia Nazario. Last years choice was The Sandcastle Girls, by Chris Bohjalian.

Each spring, residents of San Diego and Imperial counties and Baja California are invited to nominate books for the program. An advisory committee of librarians, educators, booksellers and community members narrows the field to 10 based on several criteria, including literary merit and the ability to inspire discussion, conversations, and action.

Once the 10 finalists are chosen, program officials contact the authors to determine their availability and what it would cost to bring them to San Diego for various events. The final selection is then made.

In addition to the main title, organizers will also be naming a One Book for Teens and a One Book for Kids at the festival, shortly after it opens at 10 a.m.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Monday, Aug. 20, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

When California voters passed a tax on high-income residents in 2004, backers said it would make good on the states failed promise to help counties pay for the treatment of the mentally ill. After nearly 15 years, Proposition 63 has steered billions of dollars to the counties across the state. But huge sums remain unspent at a time when mental illness has become an epidemic among the homeless population. The Times found more nearly $1 billion in unspent funds in L.A. County alone. Los Angeles Times

-- NBC devotes an episode of Dateline to the L.A. homeless crisis. It hits home for the reporter. NBC News

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-- Do the savage inequalities of Los Angeles make you care less? The Guardian

--Trumps homelessness czar visits the filthy streets of San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle

Fire fallout

California lawmakers have scuttled their high-stakes effort to craft a new liability standard for electric utility companies in the aftermath of a wildfire. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., whose equipment has been blamed for starting several of the deadly blazes in Northern California last year, has warned it faces bankruptcy in the face of what could be $2.5 billion or more in damage awards. Los Angeles Times

-- Meanwhile, San Diego Gas & Electric is not giving up its fight to pass on to ratepayers $379 million in costs related to the deadly wildfires that scorched the San Diego area 11 years ago. Los Angeles Times

-- She lost her housing in a Redding fire but suffers from memory loss. So her son must tell her over and over again. Record Searchlight

#Basta?

Newport Beach attorney Michael Avenatti, who soared to fame as legal counsel for porn star Stormy Daniels and, not incidentally, a ubiquitous tormentor of President Trump, brought his possible White House campaign to the early primary state of New Hampshire in a tableau that seemed to perfectly capture these surreal political times. Los Angeles Times

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A Silver Lake gas station that has long operated as an auto repair shop could be enshrined as a historic monument by the city. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

L.A. STORIES

Pensions and secrecy: Who will drain the swamp in Los Angeles? A string of scandals has columnist Steve Lopez demanding leadership. Los Angeles Times

Historic landmark? The debate over whether to preserve a former Silver Lake Texaco service station is the latest and starkest example of the competing pressures to save the past and build for the future in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times

Feeling disenfranchised: 7-Eleven is facing internal struggles following an unpopular new agreement that has led some Southern California franchisees to sell their stores. Los Angeles Times

Golden arches: Big Mac memories as fans flock to the original Downey McDonalds for its 65th anniversary. Press-Enterprise

CRIME AND COURTS

In custody: An immigrant in the U.S. illegally who was detained by federal immigration officers in San Bernardino this week while he was driving his pregnant wife to the hospital had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Mexico on homicide charges. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Shifting stance: Gavin Newsom supported higher bail before he opposed it. He criticized universal healthcare before he embraced it. Those are just two examples of how the Democrat has shifted on major issues from when he was a San Francisco politician to now as a candidate for governor. Los Angeles Times

One solution: A retired San Jose Mercury News reporter cant afford the Bay Areas soaring rents. So shes going to live out of a van. Mercury News

Education matters: A little-noticed school funding battle with high stakes. Los Angeles Times

Special relationship: Californias history of bipartisan politics and the lessons it might offer in todays divisive times. New York Times

THE ENVIRONMENT

Coalition building: Why San Francisco and Central Valley farmers have become strange bedfellows in Californias water fight. Sacramento Bee

New map: Newport Beach has persuaded the Federal Emergency Management Agency to exclude about 2,700 properties in the coastal part of the city from updated flood maps. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Rocket man: The amazing story about of the people who made Mojave the space exploration capital  and the fight to enter the space even in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. The New Yorker

Trying to help: This Oakland hospital does something very rare: Treat opioid addiction on demand. New York Times

Powerful: Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza was one of horse racings legends. Then his body was broken by one fateful fall. Now, hes holding on for dear life. Los Angeles Times

Open again: California 1, the nations premiere scenic highway, closed for nearly two years because of fire, floods and mudslides, can be terrifying as well as stunning, with windswept Monterey cypress trees, brilliant sunsets, giant redwoods and crashing surf. Los Angeles Times

Up next: Jon Chu might be one of the hottest directors in Hollywood with the success of Crazy Rich Asians. But where does his career go? Los Angeles Times

Plus: Crazy Rich Asians dominated the box office this weekend, making history for Asian American representation and becoming the highest-opening romantic comedy in three years. Los Angeles Times

Provocative: L.A. art made for the #MeToo moment. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: Partly cloudy, 84, Monday. Sunny, 85, Tuesday. San Diego: Partly cloudy, 79, Monday. Sunny, 79, Tuesday. San Francisco area: Partly cloudy, 64, Monday. Partly cloudy, 66, Tuesday. San Jose: Sunny, 82, Monday. Mostly sunny, 80, Tuesday. Sacramento: Partly cloudy, 92, Monday. Partly cloudy, 84, Tuesday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This weeks birthdays for those who made a mark in California: Google cofounderSergey Brin (Aug. 21, 1973), former Gov. Pete Wilson (Aug. 23, 1933), retired Lakers star Kobe Bryant (Aug. 23, 1978), KISS singer Gene Simmons (Aug. 25, 1949), director Tim Burton (Aug. 25, 1958), Rep. Raul Ruiz (Aug. 25, 1972) and actress Blake Lively (Aug. 25, 1987).

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.
August 20, 1929 Evening 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.

Tuesday, August 20, 1929

San Diego pilot Marvel Crosson died in a crash 30 miles east of Yuma, while flying the second leg of the first transcontinental woman's air derby in 1929.

The death of Crosson, an experienced commercial pilot and holder of the world women's altitude record, made headlines across the nation. Three other pilots were forced down on the same flight and allegations of tampering with the planes used by Crosson and other women filers in the derby briefly threatened to halt the race.

On August 26, Louise Thaden would finish first, winning the 2,700-mile Santa Monica to Cleveland contest. Amelia Earhart came in third.

The exact cause of Crossons crash was never determined, although carbon monoxide poisoning was suspected.

Here are the first few paragraphs of the story:

DEATH OF S.D. GIRL FLYER STARTS PROBE

Little Sister To Fly No More, But Life Not Wasted as Lesson In Sacrifice, Ambition Taught

By Harold Osborne

This city was plunged in grief today upon hearing of the tragic death of little sisterMarvel Crosson, San Diegos first and only woman flyer, who struggled against and overcame tremendous odds in order that a goal might be reached and a brothers heart made happy.

They were more than brother and sister, those two, Marvel and Joe Crosson. Forgetting selves, each made sacrifices and underwent hardships that the other might benefitand both brought honor and glory, not only to themselves, but also to this city by the sea.

Three years of itthree years of working in a store here, in order that her brother might have sufficient money to pay for tuition in a flying course and purchase as second-hand Jenny plane. Such was the first chapter in Marvel Crossons life at San Diego. And when the course was finished and Joe had won his pilots license, he, in turn, enabled Marvel to become a flyer. Joes method was taking his sister aloft with him and personally instructing her.

Tells Early Hopes

The story of her early hopes and ambitions to fly were related in San Diego only last Friday evening by Marvel Crosson, when she was guest at a dinner given by the local chapter, National Aeronautic association, and the chamber of commerce. And at that time, Marvel was given a good luck gold pin by the Silver Gate Business Girls club, to see her through to Cleveland.

Five hears ago, Marvel and her brother made aviation history in Alaska, when they pioneered the Alaskan airways system, and started an aerial route for carrying mail and passengers between Fairbanks and Dawson. This year, the two were to have flown to Alaska again, and Marvel had hoped to break a record en-route.

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.
A Lyft driver was shot in the head early Sunday in an apparent road rage shooting in Glassell Park, police said.

About 5 a.m., the driver picked up two passengers at Avenue 40 and Eagle Rock Boulevard, said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Roberto Alaniz. As he pulled away, a second driver pulled up next to him and the pair began arguing, he said.

Moments later, the second driver opened fire, Alaniz said.

The Lyft drivers car then crashed into a fire hydrant as the shooter fled in a dark, Toyota-type car, Alaniz said. A suspect description was not immediately available.

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The two passengers ducked in the back seat and were not injured, Alaniz said. He did not have details about the nature of the drivers argument.

The Lyft driver was taken to a hospital, where he had surgery to remove a bullet lodged in his brain.

Looks like hes going to be OK, Alaniz said.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek
Several car sideshows shut down intersections in Compton and Willowbrook on Sunday night, where crowds of onlookers cheered as vehicles did doughnuts and squealed their tires until the California Highway Patrol arrived.

The calls began ringing in to CHP dispatchers about 11:30 p.m. with reports of cars spinning in the middle of the road with other vehicles blocking the streets, officials said.

Video from one incident showed three vehicles screeching quickly in circles, feet away from throngs of bystanders at 135st Street and Broadway in Compton with no law enforcement in sight. Eventually the CHP showed up, however, and one vehicle was towed a couple blocks away.

At midnight, the CHP received a call of 80 vehicles blocking the intersection at 131st Street and Broadway where they were also doing doughnuts, said CHP officer Dion Conley.

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About 30 minutes later, there were reports of up to 200 vehicles on Main Street in Compton with up to 40 of those vehicles doing doughnuts, Conley said. Only about 20 of those vehicles remained about 30 minutes later, according to CHP reports.

At least eight vehicles that had been blocking intersections for the performers were towed, CBSLA reported.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
A man accused of shooting his girlfriend in the head at their Vista apartment complex pleaded not guilty Monday to a murder charge.

Esteban Montelongo, 41, faces 110 years to life if convicted in the death of 28-year-old Michelle Hashtani.

At the end of Montelongos brief arraignment, Vista Superior Court Judge James Simmons agreed to keep the defendant jailed without bail.

Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Reischl said in court that the couple had had an argument at their apartment complex on Ascot Drive near North Melrose Drive on July 22.

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Hashtani left the apartment and went to the pool area to wait for a ride. As Hashtani waited, Montelongo shot at her multiple times, Reischl said.

Sheriffs deputies found the victim gravely injured in a pool area about 3 p.m.

Hashtani underwent emergency surgery, but died Aug. 3, said Reischl.

Montelongo was tracked down and arrested in Pueblo, Colo., on July 24 and was recently extradited to San Diego County to face charges.

If convicted, it would be the defendants third offense that counts as a strike under California law. Reischl said he had two convictions in Texas, one in 1997 for burglary and a second in 1999 for aggravated assault.

Initially, authorities identified the defendants first name as Estevan. In court, his attorney corrected the spelling of his name to Esteban.

Montelongo will be back in court Sept. 18 for a readiness conference and Nov. 6 for a preliminary hearing.

Staff writer Teri Figueroa contributed to this report.
A man driving in the Skyline neighborhood early Sunday morning crashed into a house and was transported to a nearby hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

He drifted off the road around 1 a.m. while driving a 2002 Mercedes Benz east on the 6800 block of Madrone Avenue, according to a police report.

The car went down a small embankment before hitting the home, causing only minor property damage.

The victim, who suffered multiple facial injuries, is being investigated for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics around the world Monday condemning the crime of priestly sexual abuse and its coverup, demanding accountability, and begging forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims.

The pontiffs letter comes in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church and before his trip to Ireland, where sexual abuse by priests has roiled the once staunchly Catholic country.

Francis said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and coverups. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives, Francis wrote in the three-page letter. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.

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Related: Read Pope Francis letter 

The Vatican issued the letter days before Francis trip this weekend to Ireland, where the churchs credibility has been devastated by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered up for them.

Priestly sex abuse was always expected to dominate the trip, but the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the U.S. that one of Francis trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

In addition, a grand jury report in Pennsylvania last week reported that at least 1,000 children were victims of some 300 priests over the last 70 years, and that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

In the letter, which was issued in seven languages, Francis referred to the Pennsylvania report, acknowledged that no effort to beg forgiveness of the victims will be sufficient but vowed never again.

He said, looking to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.

Francis didnt, however, provide any indication of what concrete measures he is prepared to take to sanction those bishops  in the U.S. and beyond  who covered up for sexually abusive priests.

Francis several years ago scrapped a proposed Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops, and he has refused to act on credible reports from around the world of bishops who have failed to report abusers to police or otherwise botched handling cases, yet remain in office.

Francis also has kept on his nine-member kitchen cabinet a Chilean cardinal long accused of covering up for pedophiles, an Australian cardinal currently on trial for historic sexual abuse charges and a Honduran cardinal recently implicated in a gay priest sex scandal involving his trusted deputy.

In Chile, where a church sex abuse scandal exploded earlier this year, Francis strong-armed the countrys 31 active bishops to offer their resignations en masse over their handling of abuse. So far he has accepted five of their resignations.

Unlike the U.S. bishops conference, which has referred only to sins and omissions in their handling of abuse in response to the Pennsylvania report, Francis labeled the misconduct crimes.

Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others, he wrote in the letter. An awareness of sin helps us to acknowledge the errors, the crimes and the wounds caused in the past and allows us, in the present, to be more open and committed along a journey of renewed conversion.

It was the second Vatican response in recent days to the Pennsylvania grand jury report, which has sparked a crisis of confidence in the U.S. Catholic leadership and led to calls for ordinary faithful to withhold donations.

Last week, the Vatican spokesman issued a statement calling the abuses described in the report criminal and morally reprehensible and said there must be accountability for those who raped children and those who permitted abuse to occur.

Subsequently, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said it was planning to ask Francis to authorize a Vatican investigation into the McCarrick scandal, since it was apparently an open secret in some Catholic circles that the cardinal regularly invited seminarians to his New Jersey beach house and into his bed.

There has been no comment from the Vatican as to whether the pope would approve such an investigation. The question is delicate, given there is evidence that Vatican officials knew as early as 2000 of McCarricks penchant for seminarians, yet still appointed him as Washington archbishop and a cardinal.

The Vatican has long been loath to investigate its own, especially since many of the Vatican officials in charge in 2000 are still alive, albeit retired.

Any investigation into McCarrick that goes to the top would likely implicate St. John Paul II and his closest advisors. They have already been implicated in the decades-long coverup of one of the 20th centurys most notorious priestly pedophiles, the late founder of the Legion of Christ, the Rev. Marcial Maciel, but have never been held to account.

UPDATES:

7:40 a.m.: This article was updated to include additional details about Pope Francis letter and his past statements.

This article was originally published at 3:45 a.m.
Italian actress Asia Argento  one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment  recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported.

Argento, 42, settled the notice of intent to sue filed by Jimmy Bennett, who is now 22, for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her, the Times reported.

Argento and Bennett co-starred in a 2004 film called The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things in which Argento played Bennetts prostitute mother.

Bennett says in the notice that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18.

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The notice says the encounter traumatized Bennett and hurt his career, the Times reported.

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and Bennett in bed. Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic, the Times reported.

Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21. Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.

Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but not including Argento.

Representatives for Argento could not be immediately reached by The Associated Press for comment. Through a representative, Bennett declined to comment to the Times.
He cant handle the truth.

President Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani said truth isnt truth to a stunned Chuck Todd on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday as they discussed special counsel Robert Muellers ongoing Russia investigation.

The former mayor made the bizarre claim as he stated the case for President Trump not sitting down with Mueller. He believed such an interview would not reveal anything of note because of the faulty nature of witnesses recollections.

Its somebodys version of the truth, not the truth, Giuliani told Todd.

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Truth is truth, Todd responded.

Truth isnt truth, Giuliani contended.

The comment appeared to throw Todd for a loop. This is going to become a bad meme, he correctly predicted.

Sure enough, the Internet immediately seized on Giulianis unfortunate choice of words.

Truth isnt truth  Rudy Giuliani. Well not in this White House, tweeted Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly.

Conservative commentator and Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol repeated Todds assertion tweeting Truth is truth.

Former New York federal prosecutor Preet Bharara, who was fired by the Trump administration, sarcastically offered legal advice for Giuliani.

Rudy Giuliani: Truth isnt truth. Try that one with a jury, he wrote on Twitter.

Sundays awkward moment of television was reminiscent of Todds now infamous January 2017 interview with Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway where she used the term alternative facts to justify former White House speakers Sean Spicers demonstrably false assertions about attendance at the Presidents inauguration in Washington.

Alternative facts are not facts  theyre falsehoods, Todd incredulously told Conway.

Giulianis startling assertion also appeared to be in line with a statement the President made during a visit to Kansas City last month, where he essentially told followers not to believe their own eyes.

What youre seeing and what youre reading is not whats happening, Trump said, repeating the refrain that the fake news is to blame for his troubles.

Muellers team is investigating whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election won by Trump. Giuliani admitted that the reason for the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer, arranged by Donald Trump Jr., was that they had been promised dirt on Hillary Clinton.

However, Giuliani told Todd that nothing from the meeting could lead to any charges against Trump.

It turned out to be a meeting about another subject and it was not pursued at all, he said. Any meeting in regards to getting information about your opponent is something any candidates staff would take.

The Trump team had previously asserted the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower was about Russian adoptions. The President has also tried to distance himself from that sitdown, though according to CNN, former Trump fixer Michael Cohen told investigators his boss knew about the meeting before it happened.

The President of the United States wasnt at that meeting, he didnt know about that meeting, he found out about it after, Giuliani told Todd. By the time he found out about it, it was nothing. If this is their case for collusion, good luck, Mueller.

On Saturday, it was revealed in The New York Times that White House counsel Don McGahn has been cooperating with the special counsel. Giuliani told Todd that Trump didnt raise executive privilege or attorney-client privilege because his team believed that fully participating would be the quickest way to bring the investigation to a close.

The President encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the President, Giuliani insisted on his Meet the Press appearance.

Trump ripped the Times story in a series of tweets earlier Sunday.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type RAT,  Trump wrote. But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide  . 

With News Wire Services
Defense officials didnt brief President Trump on cost estimates for his long-desired military parade before he canceled it last week, the Pentagon announced Monday, seemingly contradicting the Presidents own statements on the matter.

The President was not briefed by any member of the Department of Defense on any cost associated with the parade, Col. Rob Manning told reporters at the Pentagon.

Mannings announcement appears to be at odds with what Trump said after media outlets reported last week that the military extravaganza, which was originally planned for Nov. 10, could set taxpayers back $92 million.

The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it, Trump tweeted Friday. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it.

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A White House spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Pentagon announced Thursday that Trumps controversial parade had been canceled and that officials were looking into opportunities in 2019 to throw the armed spectacle. Officials did not provide a reason for the postponement, but the announcement came hours after reports of the hefty parade price tag.

We are now going to look at providing options that will go up to the President for a decision for 2019, Manning reiterated Monday.

Trump raised eyebrows earlier this year when he demanded an armed forces parade be held in the nations capital.

Such blatant shows of force are common in authoritarian countries such as China and North Korea.

The U.S. typically doesnt hold such parades unless they coincide with particular military feats. The last military parade was held in 1991 and commemorated the end of the Persian Gulf War.
Another major supporter behind a sweeping bill to end money bail in California has moved to oppose the effort after amendments unveiled last week granted greater power to judges to decide who should remain incarcerated while awaiting trial.

Three executive directors with the American Civil Liberties Union on Monday released a statement moving the organizations stance from neutral to opposed, saying the state legislation falls short of its intended goals and would compromise the rights to fair court proceedings for criminal defendants.

Unfortunately, this amended version of SB 10 is not the model for pretrial justice and racial equity that the ACLU of California envisioned, worked for, and remains determined to achieve, read the statement from ACLU directors Abdi Soltani in Northern California, Hector Villagra in Southern California and Norma Chavez Peterson, representing San Diego and Imperial Counties.

The change in position puts the ACLU alongside other criminal justice reform supporters who are now actively working to kill the legislation  and on the same side as a bail industry that has worked to sink the bill from the beginning.

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Protests by criminal justice groups are planned today in Los Angeles and Sacramento.

The latest version of Senate Bill 10, co-written by State Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) and Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda), would virtually eliminate the payment of money as a condition for release from jail. Counties would have to establish their own pretrial services agencies, which would use risk-assessment tools, or analysis, to evaluate people booked into jail to determine whether and under what conditions they should be released.

But the changes released last week also gave greater discretion to judges over conditions for all prisoners in a practice known as preventive detention, allowing them to decide which people are a danger to the community and should be held without the possibility of release.

On Thursday, Hertzberg and Bonta hailed the bill as a success years in the making. It has the support of Gov. Jerry Brown, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Democratic front-runner for governor Gavin Newsom, the states lieutenant governor.

Jazmine Ulloa writes for the L.A. Times.
A man whod been involved in a dispute early Monday was later shot with a shotgun in a separate incident in City Heights, police said.

Someone called 911 about 9:20 a.m. after a man began yelling from the middle of Euclid Avenue near Ridge View Drive that hed been shot.

Officers determined the man was east of a nearby apartment complex when he was injured. Witnesses told police the gunman passed what appeared to be a shotgun to two women in a parking lot, before fleeing through the complex.

The victim, who was homeless, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries to his arm and groin.

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Although he refused to say much about the shooting, officers determined he had been involved in a dispute with another homeless person earlier in the day in the same area.

When officers responded to that incident, they determined no crime had been committed and left.

Police searched for the gunman in a nearby canyon but did not locate him.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

This story was originally published at 11:30 a.m.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer today celebrated the opening of the fourth new fire station in the city this year.

City Councilman Chris Ward, Assemblyman Todd Gloria, Fire-Rescue Chief Colin Stowell and other community leaders joined the mayor at the station in Hillcrest, which replaces one built in 1951. The station is the ninth overall to be built or renovated since Faulconer took office in 2014.

Fire Station 5 will provide Hillcrest and the greater Uptown community with much needed and deserved public safety resources and personnel, Ward said. With the addition of this state-of-the-art facility,residents will have access to excellent neighborhood services that will ensure the quality of life of the community as it continues grow.

HIllcrests new Fire Station 5, at 9th and University, houses one engine company and one battalion chief. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)

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The 10,731-square-foot, two-story station has an exercise room, a locker room to keep equipment away from dormitories and two washing machines for equipment exposed to carcinogens.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation presented a $3,000 check from Tacos Libertad during the ceremony in support of the new station. The restaurant raised the funds in March to donate to the foundation.

We appreciate the support from Mayor Faulconer and our council in providing Hillcrests new station, Stowell said. Engine 5s crew handled more than 2,500 calls for service in 2017 and between January and July 2018, have responded to more than 1,600 calls. The crews here are very pleased that the station is larger and fits with current standards of functionality and safety.'
A friend of a man accused of killing a Santee woman during a 2016 home-invasion robbery was arrested last week, suspected of driving the slaying suspect away from the scene, authorities said Monday.

Jaen Avila Soto, 23, remained jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail Monday, five days after he was taken into custody for his alleged role in the aftermath of the killing of Leticia Arroyo.

About 10:40 p.m. on Oct. 4, 2016, Arroyos roommate came home to find Arroyo gravely wounded in their two-story home on Mission Greens Road, south of Mission Gorge Road near Cuyamaca Street.

The 34-year-old woman died before medics arrived.

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Deputies later arrested Jose Luis Nunez Torres, of San Diego, on suspicion of murder. He was already in jail at that time on unrelated charges.

Trial for Nunez Torres, 23, is scheduled to begin in El Cajon Superior Court next week.

On Monday, in announcing the arrest of Avila Soto, who is accused of being an accessory after the fact, a sheriffs lieutenant said detectives had long sought the getaway driver who helped Nunez Torres.

For two years, Lt. Rich Williams said, detectives pursued leads, but all potential suspects were cleared of involvement.

Then earlier this month, a tip to the District Attorneys Office led detectives to Avila Soto, a San Diego resident, Williams said.

He was arrested last Wednesday.

Avila Soto, who is accused of robbery, has pleaded not guilty.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
An argument between neighbors escalated into a stabbing that left a man injured in Point Loma Sunday morning, San Diego police said.

Police were initially told the suspected assailant fled in a stolen vehicle, but those reports were unfounded, San Diego police Officer Sarah Foster said. The man was later arrested in Ocean Beach in connection with the stabbing,

The incident began as a disturbance call on Jarvis Street near Shafter Street about 9:10 a.m., Foster said.

When officers arrived, they found a man with a non-serious stab wound to the arm, and were told the suspect had fled in a vehicle that belonged to a woman involved in the altercation.

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The woman later tracked it to Mission Valley where officers spotted the suspect getting into a different vehicle, Foster said.

Officers managed to pull over the second vehicle in Ocean Beach, where they determined the man had not stolen an automobile.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
In what could be the most unsurprising news ever, researchers found that drinking Red Bull with vodka increases the risk of fighting, violence, and participation in risky behaviors. This shouldnt come as much of a shock, considering two years prior, another study suggested that the effects of mixing alcohol with caffeine are basically the same as using cocaine.

Red Bull vodkas are popular with college students and other partiers looking to stay awake and feel less drunk than they actually are. However, scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil are suggesting that one of the energy drinks key ingredients, taurine, has a negative effect when paired with alcohol.

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To test this theory, 192 zebrafish were separated into four shoals. The first group was administered taurine and alcohol at levels that would reflect moderate intoxication in humans. Others were given taurine, alcohol, or water separately.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeK837gl3xF/?tagged=redbullandvodka

The fish that guzzled both alcohol and taurine had little interaction with other fish compared with those in other shoals. They also showed risky behavior by spending more time in the area of the water designated for a faux predator. So, basically these guys are asking for trouble, but are unlikely to approach a prospect at the bar.

Were not qualified to tell you what you should and shouldnt drink, but if youre going to mix Red Bull with vodka, proceed at your own risk. If youre a lover and not a fighter, maybe opt for one of the 101 best beers in America instead.

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more scientific stories
Bill Dodd is a longtime Napa County politician, who served as a local supervisor for 14 years before coming to Sacramento, where he now serves in the state Senate.

And so he knew when enough was enough: No matter how hard he and others might see the need to loosen the wildfire liability rules for electric utility companies, it wasnt in the cards.

It clearly became a distraction, Dodd told me on Saturday.

NO CHANGES ON WILDFIRE LIABILITY

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Dodd, the co-chairman of the joint legislative conference committee examining wildfire prevention policies this month, said lawmakers will continue to look at other issues  including vegetation management requirements to keep flammable material away from power lines  but they wont revamp the system known as inverse condemnation.

It just felt like it was the ultimate bailout of the utilities, Dodd said, echoing complaints that any loosening of the existing standards would come at the expense of local communities who would need the money to rebuild.

Well keep an eye on the developments this week on our Essential Politics news feed.

Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter 

MAJOR BAIL OVERHAUL ONE OF MANY TO ADVANCE

The next two weeks are the final days of the 2018 legislative session in Sacramento, and scores of major bills are still in the mix. That includes an effort to revamp Californias cash bail system.

Last week, lawmakers made a sweeping decision: Amend the bill to eliminate cash bail as we know it.

Meanwhile, state lawmakers kept alive a closely watched bill to limit the legal standard for an officer-involved shooting and gave an initial green light to expand access to law enforcement personnel records. The records bill is especially noteworthy, given California has the most restrictive rules in the nation for public access to policing records.

Lots of other bills, though, failed to pass the crucial suspense file deadline in the appropriations committees of the state Senate and Assembly. That included an effort to increase banking opportunities for legal marijuana and the creation of a panic button for hotel cleaning crews threatened with sexual assault.

They also killed a bill that would have required large businesses to report to the state more data on how they pay their employees.

INVESTIGATION: INHERITING MOM AND DADS PROPERTY TAX

For more than 30 years, California families have enjoyed a tax benefit unlike any in America: Adult children inherit not only their parents home, but also the property tax obligation that could be thousands of dollars lower than what otherwise would be collected.

Liam Dillon and Ben Poston spent months gathering property tax data from those who have inherited property and conclude it means less money for local governments and serves as a reminder of the generational inequities many see in Californias tax system.

NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTNING ROUND

-- President Trump insisted Sunday that hes unconcerned by reports that White House Counsel Don McGahn has cooperated extensively with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs probe into possible Russian collusion and obstruction of justice. The president said on Twitter that McGahn was not a rat and added, I have nothing to hide.

-- Michael Avenatti, who soared to fame as legal counsel for porn actress Stormy Daniels and a ubiquitous tormentor of Trump, brought his possible White House campaign to New Hampshire last weekend.

-- The jury in the fraud trial of Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign chairman, ended last week without reaching a verdict yet.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- This weeks California Politics Podcast takes an in-depth look at Sacramento action on the cash bail system and policing, as well as news on the sexual misconduct front.

-- Gov. Jerry Brown issued pardons to 36 people on Friday, including three immigrants with criminal records who face possible deportation.

-- A conservative super PAC trying to help the GOP hold onto its majority in the House burst onto Southern Californias pricey airwaves last week with more than $2.5 million worth of buys across four congressional districts.

-- School boards across California have filed a lawsuit that seeks to overturn a California budget decision from last summer that is another chapter in the long saga over how to interpret what voters meant in 1988 when they promised more money for education.

-- A proponent of an initiative to allow sports betting in California received approval to begin collecting signatures to put the measure on the 2020 ballot, but key players in the gambling industry have distanced themselves from the idea.

-- Almost two dozen protesters interrupted an appearance by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Sacramento last week, accusing him of not doing enough to keep immigrant families from being separated.

-- No one needs to tell Kevin de Leon that his campaign to unseat Sen. Dianne Feinstein is a long shot. Hes reminded all the time.

LOGISTICS

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A critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper called the akikiki has successfully bred in captivity for the first time, by a project involving San Diego Zoo Globals Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program.

The single fledgling was produced by parents raised from eggs collected in the wild, Jennifer Pribble of San Diego Zoo Global said in a statement released Monday.

So, this is the first offspring ever produced in captivity. It was parent-rearedraised completely by its mother, without any human intervention, said Pribble, research coordinator of the zoos Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. The parents are a 3-year-old male and 2-year-old female.

The program is a collaboration of the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, and San Diego Zoo Global.

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San Diego Zoo Global is the Zoos conservation arm, active around the world to save threatened species. Its also taking part in an effort to breed another native Hawaiian bird, a crow called the alala.

As with all native Hawaiian birds, their numbers have sharply declined since invasive species such as mosquitoes arrived with European explorers. Having evolved in relative isolation, the birds are unprepared to handle the threats.

The akikikis status is dire. After a precipitous drop in population over the last 15 years, fewer than 500 of the birds are believed to exist in the wild. Theyre small, a little over 5 inches long, gray-feathered with white patches on the underside.

Since 2015, akikiki eggs have been collected to breed a captive population that can provide extra security for the species. (Akikiki lay more eggs to replace those taken, so there is no loss to the wild population.)

After collecting the first akikiki eggs and hand-raising the chicks, it is exciting to have confirmation that our artificial incubation and hand-rearing techniques are successful, with this milestone of akikiki reproducing in captivity, Jeremy Hodges, research coordinator, Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program, San Diego Zoo Global, said in the statement.

Related reading

Should Some Species Be Allowed to Die Out?

Help name 12 rare Hawaiian crows nurtured by San Diego Zoo Global

Hawaiian crow nears return to wild thanks to San Diego Zoos efforts
Decades after he says he was sexually abused by a priest who mentored him, Jim VanSickle struggles to reconcile his appreciation for the man who changed the course of his life with the persisting inner turmoil he also caused.

VanSickle, 55, was 16 years old when, he says, the Rev. David Poulson tried to rape him after a monthslong grooming process that involved acting as a confidant for the teenager at a trying time in his life.

Jim VanSickle as a teen. (Jim VanSickle)

Poulson was one of hundreds of priests named in a report released last week documenting the sexual abuse of more than 1,000 victims throughout six of Pennsylvanias eight Catholic dioceses.

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The victims carry their scars in different ways.

Even 37 years later, I am still conflicted, VanSickle said in a nearly hourlong interview with the Daily News. Our relationship was close enough, man to man, that I could say that I loved him for what he did and I loved him for his companionship, and then he went and destroyed that and destroyed a lot of what made me me.

Experts say ambivalence is common among survivors of clerical sex abuse.

Its sort of a mixed bag of emotions and it ends up becoming discombobulating, said Thomas Plante, a psychologist who has treated both victims and offenders.

Plante said Poulsons pattern of targeting and grooming vulnerable kids is a familiar one.

They are very nice and helpful and one thing leads to another and then people get sexually violated, he said.

VanSickle was a student at Bradford Central Christian High School when he first met Poulson, who was his English teacher. Poulson took the teen under his wing and made him captain of the schools traveling chess team.

Educationally, I was 46th in a class of 46. I couldnt even see 45, VanSickle said. He turned that around and made me feel like I was worth the time to go out and do bigger and better things. He gave me my self-image when I didnt have one. I cant ignore that.

VanSickle says Poulson began tickling and tackling him.

Poulson introduced him to alcohol and took him to see pornographic movies, VanSickle says.

We became more buddies than anything, VanSickle said, calling the priests behavior very calculated.

VanSickle was uneasy about the level of physical affection Poulson displayed, but chose to brush it aside.

I knew he was very affectionate and it was more than I was comfortable with, but over time it just became who he was, he said.

Their friendship soured during a trip to Ohio at the end of VanSickles senior year of high school, when a visibly aroused Poulson jumped the student and the teen fought him off, VanSickle told The News.

Pennsylvania priest David Poulson pleads guilty to sexual abuse 

Attempts to reach Poulson, 65, who lives in northwestern Pennsylvania, were unsuccessful.

VanSickle was grief-stricken following the incident, as it marked the end of a relationship that was central to his development into an adult.

The self-doubt ate at him.

Removing Poulson from his life was the hardest thing I ever had to do, VanSickle said.

After VanSickle went away to college, Poulson showed up a handful of times unannounced. The last time Poulson visited, VanSickle said, he had another teen with him.

I was jealous he had a new friend he was giving his time to, VanSickle said.

The abuse VanSickle suffered has taken a toll on his adult life.

He says hes spent the ensuing years constantly living in fear and anger. They were the only two emotions I had in my life.

I am so ashamed of how I treated my wife and children, but I didnt know any better or that this was affecting me in this way. Its as if my emotions were stunted at age 17 and I didnt know how else to deal with the world, he said.

And yet, decades later, VanSickle remains grateful for the opportunities Poulson afforded him.

He credits Poulson with paving the way for him to go to college, which inspired his father and sisters to earn degrees, too.

And the survivor now works as a professional tutor and guidance counselor, tutoring about 60 students a week in math and science.

I have openly credited him with changing the path of my life, there is no doubt about it, and I believe he hears me in that and I want him to feel good about that, VanSickle told The News.

I loved him for what he did for me and his companionship.

A psychotherapist, who doesnt know the victim or Poulson personally, condemned the priests alleged behavior in unequivocal terms.

The person who abused him is a bad person and whatever seemingly good things that person did, that person did as part of the abuse, either to cover it up or continue to gain opportunity or to make himself feel better, not out of any sense of caring for him, said Matt Lundquist, who practices in New York City.

You cant simultaneously truly care for somebody and also sexually abuse them as a child. Those things are incongruous, he said. The attention wasnt separate from the abuse, it was a part of the abuse.

VanSickle recognizes parallels between his current role and the position Poulson once occupied.

But theres one big exception.

One rule I have is I will never meet with your child when you are not there, he said.

VanSickle is on a mission to reform the way in which clergy sex abuse is reported.

I didnt know where to go to report him, and now, if you are Catholic and are abused in church, your first call is to the diocese, not law enforcement. We are groomed to go through pastors and bishops and I am mad because that allows them to cover things up. Weve seen it over and over again in this report, he said.

Hes also fighting to extend abuse victims statute of limitations. While his statute expired when he turned 18, two men who are within their statutes have pending cases against Poulson in Allegheny County, Pa.

Poulson faces eight counts, including indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors.

VanSickle says he will testify on the accusers behalf in the fall.

I take a lot of excitement in knowing that there are two people who are going to see him in court and get justice, he said. I want them to fight and make this man pay for what he did.
Lisa Marie Presley has won a resounding victory in her spousal support battle with estranged ex-husband Michael Lockwood.

A California judge ruled the musician daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley doesnt owe a penny in spousal support to Lockwood because the post-nuptial agreement they signed in 2007 is binding.

The decision came after a bench trial in Los Angeles where Lockwood claimed he felt forced to sign the contract and never even read it.

Respondent testified that he felt compelled to sign the agreement because petitioner was not a take no kind of woman. That does not persuade the court that any undue influence, within the meaning of (applicable law) took place, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman said in her ruling.

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Both parties testified that the petitioner did not threaten to divorce him or take any other action if he did not sign the agreement, the judge said.

The ruling noted that Lockwood was self-supporting when he married Presley in January 2006, earning $245,000 the year they tied the knot and $150,000 the year they both signed the post-nuptial agreement.

The judge said Lockwoods claim he signed without reading the pact first was not enough to overturn it because he was represented by a competent lawyer at the time.

The judge added it was unlikely that Lockwood, 57, had no understanding of the agreement because he called Presley, 50, from his lawyers office while it was under negotiation to tell her there were problems with the document.

The language involving a waiver of spousal support appears in more than one place, including in very simple language on the second page, the judge said in her ruling.

The court finds that the post-nuptial agreement signed by the parties (on) November 28, 2007 is valid and enforceable in whole, the judge said.

Presley and Lockwood met in 2003 or 2004 when she hired him to work as a musical director on one of her projects.

They married in Japan in 2006 then worked out the post-nuptial agreement the year before Presley gave birth to their twin daughters, who are now 9 years old.

Presley filed for divorce in 2016.

Testifying at the bench trial last week, Lockwood said hes a musician who cant wrap (his) head around legal language, according to a City News Service story in the Los Angeles Daily News.

Had I read this, I wouldnt have signed it, Lockwood said while looking at one of the documents during questioning by Presleys attorney, Gary Fishbein. I think its unfair.

Presley reportedly claimed in court that Lockwood ran up a massive credit card debt during their relationship, possibly topping $1 million.

She testified she paid spousal support to her first husband, Danny Keough, but not to her subsequent spouses Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage.
President Trump wouldnt rule out revoking special counsel Robert Muellers security clearance on Monday and claimed he could run the Russia investigation if he so pleased, invoking possibilities that national security experts say would take the country into uncharted territory.

In a wide-ranging Oval Office interview with Reuters, the President escalated his attacks on Mueller and acknowledged that, while he hasnt given it much thought, he wont completely preclude the possibility of rescinding the special counsels clearance in a similar fashion to how he stripped ex-CIA Director John Brennan of his clearance last week.

Ive decided to stay out, Trump said of Muellers probe. Now, I dont have to stay out, as you know. I can go in and I coulddo whatever. I could run it if I want.

Echoing concerns of his top lawyer, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump poured cold water on the prospect of an interview with Mueller since, he said, it could land him in a perjury trap.

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Even if I am telling the truth, that makes me a liar, Trump said.

The President expressed particular concern that Mueller could catch him in a lie if his statements are compared with testimony from witnesses in the probe, such as ex-FBI Director James Comey. Thats no good, Trump said.

Trump wouldnt give a straight answer on whether he will ultimately consent to an interview with Mueller, whos investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Trumps campaign and the Kremlin. Mueller is also looking into whether Trump at any point obstructed justice.

The President has denied any collusion with the Russian government and continues to disparage Mueller on a daily basis, even though his investigation has secured nearly 40 indictments against Trump associates and Russians.

National security experts were stunned by Trumps refusal to say whether he might revoke Muellers clearance and said doing so would effectively shut down the special counsel investigation.

The reaction would be the same as if Trump fired Mueller because Mueller would no longer be able to read the files that his team has been developing, Alexander Vershbow, a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and a member of President Bill Clintons National Security Council, told the Daily News. Just about everything has an intelligence component to it that you need a clearance for.

Vershbow, who still holds a security clearance, said he hopes Trumps threat is idle.

If its not an idle threat, we are talking about something of the caliber of the Saturday Night Massacre, Vershbow said, referencing President Richard Nixons mass firing of Justice Department officials at the height of the Watergate scandal. Its wild and reckless.

A spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment.
Late on Friday, it was revealed that the NYPD fired a sergeant who shot a man in the face on a Brooklyn sidewalk.

On August 2, the off-duty sergeant, Ritchard Blake, 40, was walking towards the subway at Livonia Avenue around 5 a.m. when he shot Thavone Santana, 22, in the face. Blake initially claimed that he was worried that Santana would assault him but it turned out that the two men actually knew each other through a woman, Debbie Lima. According to the Post, "Moments before the shooting, Blake, Santana and Lima were all screaming at each other in Limas doorway with Santana at one point telling Blake, 'Control your bitch!' neighbors said."

Surveillance video showed Blake and Santana during the shooting. As NBC New York described it, "The footage, which contains no audio, shows the two men having words for about 20 seconds before the sergeant pulls his gun. The other man appears to brace himself before being shot. Afterward, the officer can be seen dropping a shiny item next to the man; he later returns and picks the item back up."

"[Blake] had previously told officers that he was worried about the safety of his girlfriend, whose relationship with the two men had been a source of simmering friction between them," the NY Times reported, also noting that the police gave conflicting accounts. "The Police Department said on Thursday that the sergeant fired because a man pretending to have a gun tried to rob him. A police official later said Mr. Santana had told Sergeant Blake that he had a gun, but not that Mr. Santana had been trying to rob him."

Santana has been hospitalized since the shooting; at a press conference, his mother said he was conscious but was unable to speak.

Blake had been stripped of his gun and badge following the shooting.

Santana's mother, Assembly Member Charles Barron, and others demanded that Blake be arrested during the Saturday press conference. Barron said, "Arrest him, indict him, convict him and send him to jail. We have an officer that we pay to protect us, and he decides hes going to go street?"

In March, the Daily News noted that he "was suspended 36 days and placed on dismissal probation on Sept. 27  almost 11 months after he was arrested on charges he hit his girlfriend in the face in his Brooklyn home."
From artwork to music, archeology to history, there will be a wide variety of educational classes offered this fall to area adults interested in expanding their knowledge without doing homework.

The Continuing Education Center of Rancho Bernardo will be unveiling its fall offerings during a free champagne reception from 10:45 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Aug. 21 in Seacrest Village at Rancho Bernardo, located at 12730 Monte Vista Road in Poway. Anyone interested in joining CEC or attending some of its lectures as a non-member is welcome. RSVP at 858-487-0464. Members will be gathering earlier  at 10 a.m.  for their annual meeting.

CEC offers classes three times a week from September to May (no classes in December). They are 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For a schedule and details, go to cecrb.com.

The nonprofit organization offers university-level, non-credit, homework-free classes taught by local college professors and other experts in their fields. While attendees are typically retirees, anyone is welcome to attend. Classes are $5 for members and $7 for non-members. Annual memberships are $30 per person or $50 for two members of the same household. A sustaining membership is $250 and those at that level do not pay the per class fee, said CEC President Arthur Pearl.

He said the organization has more than 100 members and last years move to Seacrest Village has worked out well. Its a great venue and they have been so accommodating, Pearl said.

As for the upcoming class offerings, Pearl said there is a wide variety. Those offered in September will include a two-part series on archeology and the Bible, classes on George Washington, the music of Sir Arthur Sullivan, mysteries of the ancient world, climbing to the top of the world and government regulations. The 1975 film Love and Death will be shown, followed by a discussion and a film critic sharing some of the films backstory on how it was made.

Popular lecturer and art expert Charlotte Gragg will return this year, he said. She will conclude her series of last year on the Impressionists by talking about what makes a painting valuable.

Pearl said attendance at each class varies, but some of the more popular are when Gragg talks about art, Vincent Young discusses music and, depending on the topic, retired Boise State University adjunct professor Blaine Davies talks about history. He gave a terrific (lecture) last year on (Alexander) Hamilton, Pearl said.

As for his preferences, Pearl said he enjoys many of the talks  and the refreshments served  but his favorites have been on the origins of man, anthropology and archeology presented by Dr. Henry George. He did a series on the genetics of mankind ... through history, Pearl said.

CEC began as an affiliate of the San Diego State University Extended Studies Department. After 25 years it reformed in May 2004 as a private, nonprofit corporation. It is volunteer-run, with a modest honorarium offered to the speakers. Around 80 to 90 lectures are offered each academic year.

email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com
Looking for a great place to build your next industrial space? The best location may surprise you. The Tijuana area has exploded in growth in recent years and has become a major player in economic development and attracting young talent.

With room to spare, and well-established builders in place, Tijuana is a great place to expand your industrial workspace. Here are a few reasons to consider it for your business.

Expanding population

The population growth in Tijuana over the past several years is impressive and it is now estimated at just over 1.6 million  52 times its size in 1950, according to World Population Review.

The city is one of the fastest-growing in all of Mexico, says World Population Review, meaning that the job-seeking population in the area is growing as well.

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Robust foreign investment

Another reason to consider Tijuana as your next building space is the growing amount of money flowing in and out of the area.

Since 2000, foreign entities have invested nearly $10 billion in the Baja California area, with Tijuana bringing in nearly 70 percent of that amount, according to Pro Mexico. Most of that investment money has been directed toward the manufacturing industry.

Industrial growth

Perhaps the best reason for expanding industrial workspace in Tijuana is the industrial growth that Tijuana is experiencing.

Tijuana is constantly growing and industrial building construction projects are also on the rise, says Atisa Industrial, a prolific industrial developer that focuses on quality real estate. At the time, this border city has 63 industrial parks in development areas such as commercial infrastructure, tourism infrastructure, industrial infrastructure, maquiladora industry and housing development.

The brand-new Diamante building is a prime example of the quality commercial properties available for lease in Tijuana. (Atisa Industrial)

The 220,000-square-foot Diamante building provides class A industrial workspace. (Atisa Industrial)

Diamantes shipping and receiving area is ready for manufacturing clients. (Atisa Industrial)

With over 40 years of experience, Atisa Industrial has developed close to 2,000 acres, built more than 25 million square feet of industrial buildings, and has leased over 15 million square feet of properties for the medical, aerospace, electronics and automotive fields, as well as many others. The developer, which has thrived in the Tijuana area, has dealt with Fortune 500 companies from around the world and from all types of industries. It currently holds the largest land bank in Baja California.

Atisa buildings are built to optimal standards, ready to be leased and developed and planned to suit goals and meet needs as a company grows.

Atisa Industrial recently completed its new Diamante building, which offers 220,000 square feet of class A industrial workspace in Tijuana for one or two clients. It is located in the heart of Pacifico Industrial Park, just 20 minutes south of the San Diego border.

Joining Atisa Group CEO Christian Carrillo at the gala ribbon-cutting for Diamante were officials including Secretary of Economic Development Bernabe Esquer and Secretary of Labor and Social Services Francisco Iribe Paniagua. Many San Diego brokers attended the event, including Rob Hixon, SIOR from CBRE, Alma Miluso and Monique Medley of Lee & Associates, and Parker Schultz of Pacific Coast Commercial.

In a news release by Atisa, Schultz had this to say about the experience: This is a beautiful building and when I found out how quickly they can build them, I was impressed. What got me the most was the natural light, which is reducing the cost of electricity. Its pretty innovative ... Their whole portfolio down here: super impressive.

The Diamante building is the first of six buildings planned for completion by Atisa Industrial this year. Future projects range in size from 25,000 square feet up to 650,000 square feet, and a brand-new, state-of-the-art industrial park is also planned.

In looking to the future of industrial space in Tijuana, Atisa looks to further demonstrate why its the leading industrial real estate developer in all of Northern Mexico, through innovative, efficient and well-planned projects.

For anyone looking to develop their companys industrial workspace, just south of the border could be a great solution. The foreign investment, booming population, and incredible industrial growth makes Tijuana an enterprising city for business and product development.

For more information on a build-to-suit state-of-the-art building, see how this Tijuana company, Atisa Industrial, is raising the bar in industrial workspace.
Colin Rea re-started his season Sunday at Triple-A El Paso.

The 28-year-old right-hander returned from shoulder tightness with three solid innings in a game the Chihuahuas won, 8-7, over visiting Las Vegas for its sixth victory in a row.

Rea struck out four and allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk. He threw 29 of his 45 pitches for strikes in his first action since striking out a season-high 10 batters in five innings on July 30.

Reas shoulder landed him on the disabled list shortly after that.

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A right lat strain held Rea back this spring, his first since Tommy John surgery wiped away all of 2017.

In 63 innings across two minor league levels this year, Rea is 2-5 with a 6.25 ERA, 61 strikeouts and a 1.74 WHIP. Opposing hitters have a .309 batting average against Rea.

Left-hander Jerry Keel (3.83) followed Rea with four runs allowed over 4 1/3 innings, right-hander Kazuhisa Makita (3.86) allowed two runs in the eighth and left-hander Kyle McGrath (6-2, 3.04) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

Shortstop Javy Guerra (.226) doubled, hit his 12th homer and drove in two runs, left fielder Shane Peterson collected three hits and catcher Raffy Lopez (.287) went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, two walks and two runs scored.

Second baseman Luis Urias (.290) went 1-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.

El Paso is 73-52 and has a 7 -game lead in the PCLs Pacific Southern Division.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (26-28, 65-59)

Tulsa 3, Missions 1: C Austin Allen (.293) hit his 22nd homer in the ninth inning, tops among all Padres minor leaguers. RHP Lake Bachar (3-7, 5.21) struck out five and allowed two runs on four hits and five walks in six innings in the start.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (26-30, 60-66)

Storm 6, Rancho Cucamonga 2: LHP Nick Margevicius (4-3, 4.67) struck out six and allowed two unearned runs on five hits and a walk in six innings in the win. 1B Brad Zunica (.247) drove in three runs on three hits, LF Rod Boykin (.205) doubled in two runs and CF Nate Easley (.275) and SS Chris Baker (.257) each had two hits.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (27-27, 59-64)

Lansing 5, TinCaps 3: RHP Mason Thompson (6-7, 4.75) struck out four but allowed four runs  three earned  on seven hits and no walks in five innings in the loss. RF Jack Suwinski (.232) drove in two runs on two hits and 1B Jalen Washington (.237) hit his sixth homer. DH Gabriel Arias (.236) went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES 1 (13-6, 24-24)

Padres 10, Royals 9: 2B Lee Solomon (.321) drove in two runs on his seventh homer, 2B Yerry Landinez (.103) drove in two on his first and DH Nick Gatewood (.298) and LF Jaquez Williams (.276) both had four hits. Williams tallied three RBIs. LHP Omar Fernandez (3.12) saved his first game with a scoreless ninth after LHP Jose Cabrera (2.25) turned in two scoreless innings in relief.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES 2 (8-11, 23-24)

Rangers 7, Padres 4: RHP Michell Miliano (1-2, 10.22) allowed four runs in three innings in the loss in the start. 3B Elvis Sabala (.250) went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, a walk and a run scored.

Weekend transactions

RHP Eric Yardley was transferred to San Antonio and LHP Travis Radke was transferred to Lake Elsinore as Rea returned from El Pasos disabled list and RHP Kazuhia Makita was optioned from San Diego to El Paso.

was transferred to San Antonio and LHP was transferred to Lake Elsinore as Rea returned from El Pasos disabled list and RHP was optioned from San Diego to El Paso. RHP Colten Brewer (oblique) started an MLB rehab assignment with El Paso.

(oblique) started an MLB rehab assignment with El Paso. RHP Miguel Diaz was recalled to San Diego from San Antonio.

was recalled to San Diego from San Antonio. RHP Ruddy Giron was transferred from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio.

was transferred from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio. INF River Stevens (knee) was placed on San Antonios disabled list.

Padres Videos  On Now Padres pitcher Chris Paddack on start vs. Mariners and possibility of making rotation On Now Meet the Padres: Ian Kinsler 5:18 On Now Catching up with Padres OF Franmil Reyes 5:18 On Now Meet The Padres: Greg Garcia 5:11 On Now Catching up with Padres reliever Craig Stammen 5:33 On Now Meet the Padres: Logan Allen 6:23 On Now Meet The Padres: Manny Machado 9:08 On Now Meet The Padres: Chris Paddack 5:08 On Now Three things that stood out from Machado's first day with the Padres 1:53 On Now Padres manager Andy Green on Machado joining his roster

jeff.sanders@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutSanders
Last month, Democratic Socialist and State Senate hopeful Julia Salazar was forced to explain why, as an 18-year-old in Florida, she initially registered to vote as a Republican. "She had conservative views at the time of graduating high school," her campaign spokesperson told the Daily News. "But they quickly changed as she went to college in 2009."

Salazar's evolution on the issue of reproductive rights, however, was less swift. As a junior in college, she served as the president of Columbia Right to Life, where she actively fought to ensure that a fund for abortion services would not be paid for by Columbia students, according to those involved in campus organizing at the time.

"We didn't establish an abortion fund, in part because of some of the concerns of Right to Life, which was led by Julia and basically singularly opposed to this," says Zoe Ridolfi-Starr, the lead activist with Columbia Democrats during the controversy. "It was a tense fight, and the stakes felt high... the funding sources changed because of the concerns expressed by Right to Life.

Salazar, who's running for the North Brooklyn state Senate seat against eight-term incumbent Martin Dilan, told Gothamist that she regrets her former views on abortion, which were the result of being "exposed almost exclusively to reactionary right wing media and political discourse" during her childhood.

But while the 27-year-old candidate now stands firmly in support of reproductive rights, Salazar's early views on abortion persisted throughout most of her time at Columbia.

In 2012, she became the public voice of the Right to Life group, after the university quietly dropped abortion services from its mandatory Columbia Health Program feea move necessitated by Affordable Care Act provisions, according to Columbia officials. While coverage would still be offered through the school's voluntary insurance plan, Ridolfi-Starr and the Columbia Democrats called for a new policy, citing concerns that students who lacked insurance or were on their parents' plans might not have access to financially protected, confidential abortions.

That's when Salazar and the Columbia Right to Life group got involved, arguing that students shouldn't have to pay for procedures they were ideologically against. Salazar was quoted in opposition to the mandatory fee in multiple student newspapers, and at one point told the Empire State Tribune that articles on the subject in the Columbia Daily Spectator were "biased."

Ultimately, Columbia struck a compromise: agreeing to keep abortion separate from the mandatory fee, while setting up a discretionary fund to cover "special, time-sensitive healthcare needs." Both parties embraced the decision, with Salazar explaining to the Spectator, "It doesn't demand that every student in the Columbia community contribute to something that they may not be comfortable supporting, that may be a moral issue for them, as it would be for me."

Asked about those comments on Sunday, Salazar was open about her former "repressive and conservative" views on abortion, but maintained that the pro-life group didn't have any significant impact on school policy. "We weren't doing anything to complain to Health Services or the administration about the abortion fund, but we were ideologically opposed to it," she told Gothamist.

New York is a blue state, so why are our abortion laws so outdated? We need to immediately pass the Reproductive Health Act which will:



 Update NYs abortion laws

 Expand abortion rights

 Remove abortion from the states criminal code.  Julia Salazar for State Senate (@SalazarSenate18) August 10, 2018

Her political awakening happened soon after, she says, when she spearheaded an initiative to increase resources for pregnant students on campus, and penned an op-ed in the Spectator lamenting the "lack of support that 'pro-life' students receive."

"In the wake of that op-ed being published, I was having conversations with my peers and thinking more critically about abortion," she said. "That was part of a generally leftward political trajectorybecoming a socialist among them."

Within a year, she became involved in tenants rights activism, and organized a rent strike in her Harlem apartment building. From there, she joined the Democratic Socialists of America, eventually securing an elected position on the socialist feminist working group, while taking a job as a full-time organizer with Jews for Racial & Economic Justice.



(Courtesy of the Julia Salazar for State Senate Facebook page)

Today, Salazar says that she supports passage of the Reproductive Health Act and wants to see "abortion free at point of service across the state of New York." She's also backing decriminalization of sex work, single-payer health care, universal rent control, and expanded rights for immigrantspositions that have earned her a raft of endorsements from progressive groups like Make the Road, the Working Families Party, and the DSA, along with at least one former rival.

"I've been really impressed with the talks about reproductive justice, and how she's including sex work in that," Ridolfi-Starr told Gothamist. "I'm convinced these aren't just politically advantageous positions for her."

Salazar has also netted widespread media attentionan unusual amount for a State Senate candidatethanks in large part to Ocasio-Cortez's historic upset against Joe Crowley. Both are millennial Latinas with the support of the party's energized leftwing, and both have become young avatars of the movement for democratic socialism. Referring to that DSA endorsement, Dilan told City Limits last week he wasnt really running against Salazar, because "my opponent is this national organization that's supporting her." (Neither the state Senator nor the DSA immediately responded to Gothamist's request for comment).

Asked about her increasingly visible role within the DSA, and whether her pro-life past could potentially hurt her support among mainstream Democrats, Salazar demurred, and highlighted at least one benefit of her unusual ideological trajectory.

"My own experience of political evolution as a young adult has made me more empathetic to other people coming around," she said. "It's important to be willing to engage with people who experience similar evolutions. That should be the goal of our political project."


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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/20/2018 -- Cherrystone Auctions, a stamp auction company based in New York City, recently released the "prices realized" for its most recent stamp auction. The company mentioned that nearly 1,300 lots were sold in the June 2018 auction, with prices ranging from less than $100 to over $30,000. Cherrystone mentioned that the auction was primarily comprised of stamps and covers, but also featured other historical artifacts. Cherrystone said that stamps sold at the auction represent a wide historical and geographical breadth. Cherrystone indicated that the purpose of releasing its list of prices realized to the general public was to help increase knowledge about the stamp collecting hobby.



Cherrystone continued its announcement by highlighting some of the noteworthy lots from its past auction. Cherrystone shared that lot 1218, one of the more remarkable lots in the sale, sold for $35,000. According to Cherrystone, this lot consisted of sets of stamps from the British Commonwealth. Cherrystone also mentioned that lot 423 featured an ultra-rare 1886 stamp from Madagascar. According to Cherrystone, the price realized for this lot was $8,500.



Cherrystone also shared that, among the historical memorabilia sold at the auction, a Russian military telegram from 1919  signed by Joseph Stalin  sold for several thousand dollars. Cherrystone shared that the auction featured several valuable stamps from the former Soviet Union, including a block of 4 Russian air mail stamps from 1935. Cherrystone stated that this block of stamps realized a price of $15,000.



The stamp company can be followed at https://www.tuugo.us/Companies/cherrystone-auctions-inc.9/0310006264896.



Cherrystone concluded its announcement by providing company information. Cherrystone mentioned that it has been in business for over 50 years, having started out as a New York City retail store in 1967. Cherrystone emphasized that it remains a family business, with the "third generation" of the family currently acting as Vice President. Cherrystone mentioned that its stamp auctions always feature stamps from the United States, Asia (including China), France and Colonies, German Area (including states, colonies, and occupation), Poland, and Russia. Cherrystone also indicated that it is a member of all major U.S. and European philatelic societies, including the American Philatelic Society, American Stamp Dealers Association, and the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society.



Name: Cherrystone Auctions, Inc.

Contact: Joshua Buchsbayew

Address: 119 West 57th Street Suite 316, New York, NY 10019

Phone: 212-977-7734 or 800-886-9313

Fax: 212-977-8653

Website: https://www.cherrystoneauctions.com
I am offering the solution to a problem most Republicans don't know they have -- that they can be outmaneuvered and thrown on the defensive endlessly, on nearly any issue, because they accept as true Democrat lies about the Republican Party. To correct that misperception and to help the Republican Party get 'back to basics' is why I'm a man on a mission.

A few years ago, after one of my speeches, a man told me "Do you know what your problem is? You're too far ahead of your time!" My efforts to show Republicans how they would benefit from celebrating the heritage of our Grand Old Party have been arduous, but if this were easy someone else would have already done it.

Among my speech topics are Reconciling the Tea Party and the GOP; Barack Obama, the Worst President Ever; Socialism, the new Slavery; Appreciating the Heritage of our Grand Old Party; Returning to the Founding Principles of the United States; The Womens Rights Achievements of our Grand Old Party; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Frederick Douglass, Republican; Martin Luther King and the Republican Civil Rights Legacy.
Photographer Russ Francis, who was appointed Royal Caribbeans Instagrammer-in-Chief earlier this year, was aboard to capture the action. He commented: The remoteness of the Alaskan wilderness means that artificial light is kept to a minimum  a ship out at sea is the ideal setting for watching and photographing this celestial event.

An annual celestial event

The Perseid meteor shower is an annual celestial event, visible across the entire Northern Hemisphere. The Perseids are so called because the point where they appear lies in the constellation Perseus, named after the Greek mythological hero most famous for slaying the monster Medusa.

Explorer of the Seas Alaska Glacier itinerary calls at Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm Fjord and Victoria, before returning to Seattle.

Explorer of the Seas will return to the UK from May 2019, sailing itineraries in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
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.
The 44.2km Guayaquil South Viaduct road project will provide a more efficient link between the Ecuadors production centres and the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador's business capital, and is expected to encourage investments and boost foreign trade.

We stand behind the Ecuadorian government in its vision to establish better trade movement and access to the maritime port. This infrastructure project  one of the most important civil developments to be undertaken by the country  is a step in the right direction towards boosting foreign trade and the national economy, said Contecon Guayaquil ceo Jose Antonio Contreras.

Upon completion, the viaduct will optimize travel time resulting in considerable cost reduction in moving goods and usher more efficient port operations that hopefully leads to more vibrant economic activity, he adds.

Announced during the 483rd anniversary celebration of Guayaquils independence, the project is divided into four sections: Cacique Tomala avenue, from South Bridge on the Guayas River, including a 7.6km bridge on the Cobina River; a 3.4-km bridge over the Guayas River, Ecuadors longest; end of the Guayas River bridge to the Puero Inca-Narajal route spanning 21.7km; and a bifurcation, 11.5km link with the Duran-Boliche route.

Read More: ICTSI/PSA-Colombia's Aguadulce terminal begins operations

Meanwhile, further improvements to port infrastructure are also in line with the Guayaquil city government announcing it has received four proposals from foreign companies for the dredging of the ports access channel that would allow larger vessels to call the port.

In July, the government gave approval for Contecon Guayaquil to handle up to 305m megavessels  essentially becoming the first and only container terminal in Ecuador capable of handling two mega vessels simultaneously. This follows the inauguration of the terminals new greenfield development in January, an expanded logistics support area capable of handling more than 6,000 containers.

These new developments only show ICTSIs continuing commitment to the development of Guayaquil by consolidating and expanding its position as Ecuadors main trading gateway. With investments in modern infrastructure, Contecon will progressively raise the bar in container and general cargo handling operations in Ecuador, said Anders Kjeldsen, ICTSI vp and regional head for the Americas.

Speaking at the inauguration, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno, highlighted ICTSIs investment in the port as being a good example of the governments public-private partnership programme.

In these [new] facilities, ICTSI invested $10m. In these 10 years, they have already invested $360m, [which is] $35m more than expected, he noted.

ICTSI has pledged $325m for the 20-year concession period to operate the Guayaquil Container and Multipurpose Terminals at the Port of Guayaquil, which will end in 2027.
What makes a ship redundant? The answer its the economy, stupid  only scratches the surface, and in reality it is a little more complicated. The reason that that ancient containership, and her fleet sisters, keeps on sailing, while far newer ships go for scrap, is largely because of ownership. Bought for further trading at a price near scrap value, they are owned assets of a major operator, costing more than a modern unit to keep in operation, but still cheaper than the cost of chartering in those teus. These little old ladies will keep on going until either their machinery is worn out, or environmental regulations restrict their operations.

That same huge carrier is of course a lot fussier about chartered tonnage, insisting that its fuel consumption is miserly, its operational performance is state of the art and that it has all the latest environmental additions in ballast water management and emission control. And this is why the owners of ships, which do not meet these exacting standards, find that their vessels are increasingly unemployable, doomed to a short and uncertain life. They are also being edged out of their markets by the cascading effect of larger ships working their way through the various size ranges.

But surely, if you have a ship that is barely past its second Special Survey, you would try and keep it moderately attractive to charterers by modernising and keeping it technically up to date? In the 1980s, when the first and second generation high speed steam containerships were clobbered by high fuel prices, many of them were re-engined with economical diesel machinery, which kept them going into a considerable age. That wasnt exactly cheap, but here again, it was only ships owned by the major lines which were so treated; others operating for owners with fewer financial resources, headed for the scrapyards.

Today, you can think of the environmental demands, in addition to the very latest requirements for fuel economy and there is very little justification for the continued existence of a ship without the specifications demanded by the major charterers. A couple of million dollars spend on scrubbers and water ballast management equipment (both of which will increase the fuel consumption), will most likely be money down the drain. You could hope against hope that economic growth will accelerate to such an extent that demand increases and the major charterers will not be so fussy, but that is a very long shot. Best to seek out the advice of the recyclers cash buyers.

We have been here before, of course although it wasnt technical redundancy, but lack of demand and any hope of the same that saw so many big tankers into layup and thence into the scrapyards in the 1980s. Seeing one of the half a million tonne ULCCs, being broken up in Taiwan, after a notably unprofitable ten years for her oil company owner, is an abiding memory of that era, as much as the ranks of big ships rafted up in the worlds layup anchorages.

The sad thing is that a shipping industry, the archetype of the economists derived demand, remains so inept at anticipating those factors which will make ships unemployable. It is also a reminder that the phrase future-proof is not one that should ever be associated with the maritime world! That 1982 built containership, which I suppose was state of the art when she first entered service, is a very real reminder of those very uncertain days, which could well return to haunt our shipping industry.
Press Release

August 20, 2018 De Lima urges accountability over drug-related killings Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called on her fellow Filipinos to continue demanding for justice and accountability from the individuals responsible for the relentless killings under the government's murderous war on drugs. De Lima, a known human rights defender, maintained that the unjust killing of Kian de los Santos a year ago has proven that Duterte's all-out war on drugs is not only anti-poor but is also a dismal failure. "Ang paghahanap ng katarungan sa sinapit ni Kian ang siya ring naging panawagan ng libo-libong naulila ng mga biktima ng madugong polisiya ng rehimeng Duterte, na pawang mga maralita, kabilang na ang mga walang kalaban-laban at inosenteng bata," she said in her latest Dispatch from Crame No. 362. "Huwag nating kalimutan ang karumal-dumal na mga krimen ni Duterte at ang paghahanap ng katarungan para sa mga biktima at kanilang pamilya. [S]a pagwawalang-kibo, mauulit at mauulit lang ang pagpaslang sa mga batang gaya ni Kian--na pinagkaitang mabuhay at tuparin ang kanilang mga pangarap," she added. The senseless killing of De los Santos by police officers during an "Oplan Galugad" operation in Caloocan City last Aug. 16, 2017 has sparked public outrage and turned the spotlight to the government's war on drugs. In a surveillance footage, De los Santos, tagged by cops as a drug courier, was seen being dragged by the police to a place where his body was later found, raising questions about an official police report claiming that the teenager fired at police officers first. Amid the public outcry more than a year ago, the Senate conducted an investigation into the killing of De los Santos, which De Lima missed, because the Supreme Court failed to act on her plea to attend the said Senate inquiry. The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development urged the citizenry to continue praying for De los Santos' soul, and for the quest for justice for his family and the thousands killed in the all-out war on drugs. "For now, we pause and pray for your victims. As we remember Kian, we remember how we need to stand up and protect human rights, democracy and morality in our society," she said. De Lima likewise warned Duterte that stepping down from office will not let him off the hook, considering that he is the mastermind for the spate of killings in the country. "If resigning is what you are thinking of doing, by all means, just go on, Duterte. No more empty talks and false bravado or promises. Don't think for one second, though, that quitting will let you off the hook. Justice will soon catch up on you. You shall answer and will be made accountable for your crimes against humanity," she said. The Senator from Bicol also criticized Duterte for admitting that he is incapable of eradicating drugs in the country and that the situation will only worsen after his term. "This, after he bragged about putting an end to the problem within three to six months, and his pronouncement during the last SONA that this war would be relentless and chilling," she recalled. "Kung sabagay, ganito naman mamuno si Duterte: Walang direksyon. Puro yabang, puro ngawngaw. Matapos udyukan at kunsintihin ang pagpatay ng 23,000 na Pilipino, saka niya aamining palpak ang madugong War on Drugs?" she added. In 2016, De Lima filed Senate Resolution No. 9 to investigate the series of killings which were done extrajudicially or summarily on suspected drug offenders since the present administration launched its all-out war on drugs.
Press Release

August 20, 2018 CHIZ WANTS DFA, OWWA TO AID OFWS AFFECTED BY NAIA MISHAP Sen. Chiz Escudero has urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to provide assistance to Filipino migrant workers who were gravely affected by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport chaos. "I call on the DFA and OWWA to assist OFWs affected by these flight delays. Assistance with airline companies in rebooking and with their employers to help explain the delay and for it not to be taken against them," Escudero said. This was after hundreds of domestic and international flights were cancelled when a Xiamen Air passenger aircraft skidded off a runway of NAIA on Thursday evening. More than 36 hours after the incident, the airport was reopened, but thousands of passengers remained stranded and were heavily inconvenienced due to flight disruptions. According to Escudero, it is within the rights of the passengers to be compensated for the trouble that the mishap has caused, particularly to the OFWs who now fear of losing their jobs for not being able to return to their countries of employment on time. Under Section 11.2 of the Joint DOTC-DTI Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2012 also known as the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, "when a flight is cancelled because of force majeure, safety/security reasons, a passenger shall have the right to be reimbursed for the full value of the fare." "Government must also find a way to indemnify passengers for damages caused by these inordinate delays especially in cases of non-refundable tickets, missed connection flights and additional billeting expenses," Escudero said. OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in an interview that they are assisting OFWs whose flights were still delayed and that they are already coordinating with the Philippine Airlines (PAL). According to him, they are giving priority to those whose visas were about to expire. Nevertheless, Escudero reiterated that apart from helping them rebook and refund their tickets, the DFA and OWWA must ensure that OFWs were given the support they need in explaining the unfortunate incident, which is completely out of their hands, to their employers.
Press Release

August 20, 2018 Koko: Decongest NAIA, Develop Other Hubs Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III renewed and reiterated his two-year call to "go full blast" with the development of other air transport hubs such as the Clark International Airport after a recent landing mishap of an international carrier at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) which led to delays and cancellations of local and foreign flights. "We can't dillydally anymore. I made the same call in 2016. Let's not wait for another airplane incident which hassled thousands of passengers to realize there should be an urgent and comprehensive government plan to decongest the NAIA." A Xiamen Airlines passenger plane slid off a NAIA runway during a heavy downpour late Thursday night, August 16. All 157 passengers and 8 flight crew were safely removed from the aircraft. The incident, however, led to flight delays and cancellations for two consecutive days because airport authorities needed to remove the stalled aircraft from the runway. "We require two airports as our main international gateways. NAIA can serve South Metro Manila and Southern Luzon to Bicol, and Clark can address the needs of passengers from North Metro Manila and Northern Philippines. Both hubs may share handling of travel and logistics flow to the Visayas and Mindanao," Pimentel noted. The underutilized airport in the former US military base at Clark in Pampanga has an area of 2,367 hectares, compared to NAIA's 700 hectares. With its single runway, flight delays averaging to 45 minutes are a daily occurrence at the NAIA, aside from monstrous traffic jams to and from the airport. The Senator from Mindanao noted that Clark could eventually service "flight transfers of international passengers, such as our OFWs, who need to go home to their families in the Visayas and Mindanao." "If you're going to the province anyway via a connecting flight and you don't need to stay in Manila, Clark International could be a better transfer point. Proposals such as these can work and should be tried," Pimenel said. The legislator added that the development of Clark should be a core component of the government's Build, Build, Build program. "An integrated transport system is needed to fully realize Clark's potential. We require a convenient, high speed rail network from Pampanga to Manila, as well as more flyovers and wider NLEX lanes. At present, P2P buses are not enough to give the speed and comfort of a world-class hub." Pimentel pointed out that a low-cost international carrier has already chosen Clark as its center of operations. Domestic flag carrier Philippine Airlines has likewise committed to boost its operations in Clark as well as in Cebu and Davao. "It's inevitable that with increased passenger traffic and stricter demands for aircraft safety, we need at least two main hubs. Japan, for example, has Narita and Haneda. We need a similar setup here."
The timetable for offering new onshore exploration acreage appears to be slipping as the government looks at ways to protect itself from potential legal challenges.

Consultation on the 1,703 square-kilometres of land potentially available for exploration in Taranaki closed on June 8 and formal tenders for acreage had been expected to be sought this month.

But the formal request for bids now looks set to slip into September at the earliest as the government ponders options to protect itself from potential legal action. In April the government shocked the industry by declaring no further offshore exploration acreage would be offered. Onshore exploration would be restricted to Taranaki only and new acreage there was also only guaranteed to be offered for three years.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods last week said the Taranaki offer would proceed. She had received advice on potential changes to the Crown Minerals Act, but she told Parliament she had also taken additional advice on whether a belt and braces approach was needed to avoid a potential judicial review of the ban on new offshore exploration acreage.

I am seeking some additional advice at the moment, but whatever outcome we go with there will be a Block Offer 2018 that will be initiated, she said in response to questions from National MP Jonathan Young.

John Kidd, director of sector research at Woodward Partners, said the block offer has already been initiated. Woods may be trying to defer the formal invitation for bids  another potential trigger for legal action - until the Crown Minerals Act can be amended to conform with the sharply reduced scope of the exploration regime outlined in April.

The minister therefore appears to be stuck  not able to move without breaking (or changing) the law and not able to move back without also possibly breaking the law, Kidd said in a note to investors today.

Critics of the policy change say the government has misunderstood the importance of gas as an industrial fuel and for dry-year generation in New Zealands increasingly renewable generation system. The International Energy Agency also forecasts global demand for gas will increase by 45 percent by 2040 as nations use more of it to replace coal and reduce emissions from power generation, steel-making and petrochemicals production.

Kidd believes the government's next step will include getting formal Cabinet endorsement of the decision announced by the three party leaders of the Labour-led coalition on April 12.

The government will then need to amend the Crown Minerals Act  possibly by including consideration of climate change in the purpose section of the legislation.

Kidd said the legal implications of such an amendment  or the addition of broader environmental factors  could be profound.

That could open the meaning of terms up to interpretation by the courts and potentially provide a basis for protest groups to challenge any decisions made under the Crown Minerals Act.

Kidd said the policy is fundamentally flawed and many sectors of the economy will be looking to see how the government treats independent assessments of its harms and benefits expected from Treasury, the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment through the regulatory impact statement process.

(BusinessDesk)

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New Zealand's pipfruit industry is headed for a record crop this year as it benefits from favourable growing weather, low Northern Hemisphere stocks, market changes, premium varieties, and a weaker New Zealand dollar, according to a report published today by MyFarm Investments.

The vast majority of the 2018 apple crop has been picked and nearly 90 percent has been exported, said MyFarm head of investment research Con Williams, who joined New Zealand's largest rural investment syndicator last month after eight years as ANZ Bank's agri economist. Williams said the crop is expected to have increased by 5-6 percent from last year, registering a new all-time high.

"Indications for this years pipfruit crop are that orchard gate prices could rival the records set in 2016 and deliver grower returns well into the double-digits," he said. "An empty Northern Hemisphere market, market access changes, opening of new markets, increased penetration into existing markets and a lower New Zealand dollar have all combined to deliver very favourable returns."

Williams said the past season had benefited from decent growing conditions in both the Hawke's Bay and Nelson regions, with the average fruit size the largest in about 20 years due to regular rainfall, heat and sunshine during the growing season.

The favourable conditions were accelerating demand for new plantings and re-grafting from traditional 'club' varieties, which have protected intellectual property, Williams said.

"Its estimated club varieties now account for some 45-50 percent of total production and this is only set to increase further as competition for market share heats up," he said, noting club varieties had commanded a price premium of around 35 percent in recent seasons, compared to virtually nothing just five years ago.

New areas being planted could be in the realms of 500-600 hectares per year into the early 2020s, an acceleration from the 250-300 hectares that is estimated to have been planted over recent years, Williams said. That would add between 4-5 percent per year on the existing planted area, he said.

"Such growth in the planted area, a greater proportion of club varieties and world-class orchard/supply chain management (i.e. productivity improvements) means total production and export volumes are set to soar," he said.

The main constraints to growth were the availability of suitable trees, and labour, he said.

Asia continued to be the main growth region for New Zealand apples, with exports up about 7 percent a year and the market accounting for nearly 40 percent of total exports.

Asian demand reflects New Zealands increasing supply of varieties that suit Asian consumer tastes, being redder and sweeter, and was underpinned by Asian demand for healthy food, an expanding middle class that is willing to spend more on high-quality and exotic fruits, and greater penetration into new and existing markets, he said.

In 2018, the New Zealand crop also benefited from a substantially smaller Chinese apple crop due to frosts, and trade barriers which hurt US apple exports to China and Chinese exports to India.

"These dynamics have supported record New Zealand exports to both the Indian and Chinese markets this season," Williams said.

Europe is still the favoured market for Braeburn, Royal Gala and Pink Lady, and prices in the region were favourable in the last season as frosts in key producing areas reduced last year's crop and meant there was less stock on hand when the New Zealand supplies arrived.

Other attractive markets on the horizon include Mexico, Canada, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

New Zealand exports benefit from being counter-cyclical with Northern Hemisphere suppliers and the price gap with our main rivals in Chile and South Africa is widening, with New Zealand apples delivering 50 percent more than Chile and double South Africa in US dollar terms, Williams said.

"In terms of Asia, while the super-high returns reached in recent years may be difficult to maintain with increasing volumes there is still plenty of volume growth potential at profitable prices," Williams said, noting that a consumption increase of just 0.80 kg/capita across non-producing pipfruit markets such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia equates to nearly all New Zealands current export supply of fresh apples.

(BusinessDesk)

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Bathurst Resources has been ordered to pay a US$40 million performance payment on coal production from its Buller operations.

The company, New Zealands biggest coal miner, says it is extremely disappointed by the High Court ruling and plans to appeal.

Bathurst shares fell 17 per cent to 12 Australian cents on the ASX today. Trading was halted Friday pending the release of the court judgment.

The dispute stems from Bathursts 2010 purchase of L&M Coals Buller business. L&M went to court in December 2016 claiming the 25,000 tonnes produced from the licences by that time had triggered the performance payment. The claim was heard earlier this year.

Bathurst acquired the acreage as part of its plan to develop the Escarpment mine on the Denniston Plateau as part of Buller Coal export coking coal project. Some coal was produced from Escarpment as part of the mines construction but the development has not proceeded and Escarpment has been in care and maintenance since May 2016.

As part of the 2010 transaction, Bathurst was to make two US$40 million payments. The first was due when 25,000 tonnes had been shipped from Buller Coal, the second was due when 1 million tonnes had been shipped.

Bathurst argued that not only did the coal sales not constitute the export shipments envisaged in the deal, but that the company had exercised its option to instead pay a higher royalty payment until the performance payments are made.

But the High Court disagreed. Bathurst chair Toko Kapea said in a statement that the court believes the threshold has been met irrespective of the type of coal production and whether it was exported.

The court also ruled that the increased royalties Bathurst has been paying to L&M should have been based upon a reasonable level of coal production from Escarpment. Kapea noted that the court has not defined that level of production.

He said the company is likely to file its notice of appeal this week. As is usual, and also acting on advice, the firm may take other interim steps in relation to the judgment pending the hearing of any appeal, he said.

Bathurst completed the purchase of Solid Energys Stockton coking coal mine and the Rotowaro and Maramarua thermal coal mines in the Waikato in September 2017. It acquired the assets through its 65 percent interest in the BT Mining venture it formed with food processor Talleys Group.

Last month it reported production of almost 2.07 million tonnes for the June year, including output from its wholly-owned Buller, Canterbury and Takitimu operations. Domestic sales accounted for almost 1.2 million tonnes.

Bathursts share was 1.47 million tonnes. It booked $217.7 million of the $309 million of sales and $94.6 million of the $106.3 million of operating earnings.

(BusinessDesk)

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Nib Holdings New Zealand reported a 3.8 percent lift in earnings as it stepped up its focus on innovation and customer experience but the outlook for both New Zealand and Australia was guarded.

The ASX-listed company said underlying operating profit in New Zealand rose to $27.4 million in the year to June 30 from $26.4 million in the prior year. It increased its number of policyholders by 2.8 percent to 102,696, while its premium revenues were up 1.9 percent to $214.9 million. Claims, meanwhile, were down 3.1 percent to $117.2 million.

Nib New Zealand is part of one of Australia's largest health insurers - Nib Holdings - which today reported a 20 percent gain in underlying annual operating profit to A$184.8 million. Its net profit was up 11 percent to A$133.5 million.

According to Nib Holdings, "more than ever communities across Australia and New Zealand need private health insurance in order to cope with burgeoning healthcare spending and already stressed public systems."

Despite this, market conditions in both Australia and New Zealand "continue to be difficult with modest growth prospects" and that is due to macroeconomic factors including affordability and negligible growth in discretionary spending, it said.

Nib NZ chief executive Rob Hennin said the annual result reflects an effort to enhance member experience and focus on service and product innovation.

"We've made greater progress over the past year or so with initiatives like our First Choice Network to reduce member co-payments for hospital medical treatment and the launch of Whitecoat to help people search, rate, review and compare local healthcare providers," he said. The Whitecoat service has around 10,000 participating healthcare providers.

It has also recently launched a product range specifically tailored for millennials, new families and migrant families, which also includes offering bilingual services to members.

According to Hennin, the company has more in the pipeline to help people make informed choices and improve their outcomes.

Nib's ASX-listed shares last traded at A$6.59.

(BusinessDesk)

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With 13 persons killed in rain-related incidents on Sunday, the toll is been on a rise. An overall of 7,24,649 displaced persons are moved to 5,645 relief camps.

After braving heavy rainfall, unprecedented floods and landslides for over two weeks in Kerala, Sunday brought respite for people as the rains reduced significantly and water levels receded in the flood-affected areas.

Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years. 80 dams opened, 324 lives lost and 223139 people are in about 1500+ relief camps. Your help can rebuild the lives of the affected. Donate to https://t.co/FjYFEdOsyl #StandWithKerala.  CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 17, 2018

Focus turns to rescue and relief works

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said rescue operations have reached the final stage and the priority would now be given to providing safe drinking water and restoring electricity and water supply. To the great relief of state administration, the Met office has predicted that heavy showers are not expected in the state for the next five days. The CM also thanked the fishermen for their services in the rescue and relief work.<

CM Pinarayi Vijayan announced that the Government will honour fishing workers who were part of the rescue mission. All boats will be granted 3000 for each day of their work. Government will also bear the repairing costs of boats damaged during the mission. #KeralaFloods  CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 19, 2018

Health given the priority

The Chief Minister said six health officers would be available in each panchayat to ensure that there wont be spread of communicable diseases with water receding in the flood-affected areas. The State government would distribute 36 lakh textbooks free of cost to school children who had lost their books in the floods, he added.

The top concern is prevent epidemics and water-borne diseases as health experts have warned of the spread of an epidemic.

Bus and railway services partially restored

Transport and train services were partially restored on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kottayam-Ernakulam stretch. KSRTC also have resumed its operations in Pathanamthitaa district for the first time after the water engulfed several parts in the districts. The trains were packed with flood affected people moving to the houses of their friends and relatives.
Chinese national kidnapped in US, held for $2 million ransom



Los Angeles, Aug 20 (AFP) Aug 20, 2018



A Chinese national has been missing for five weeks after being abducted in California by three men demanding a $2 million ransom, the FBI revealed on Monday.

Ruochen "Tony" Liao, 28, who worked at a luxury car dealership in Costa Mesa, was kidnapped on July 16 in the city of San Gabriel by three men riding in two black vehicles, Laura Eimiller, spokeswoman for the FBI office in Los Angeles, told AFP.

She said Liao's abduction may be linked to a business deal gone sour, as he often worked with "people not often reputable."

"A working theory is that there was some sort of business dispute," Eimiller said.

She said the kidnappers, all believed to be Chinese, initially reached out to Liao's family in China, demanding $2 million for his release, but then failed to follow through with their demand.

"We don't have evidence indicating he has left the country but we don't know where he is," Eimiller said.

She said only one of the abductors, identified as a 35- to 40-year-old by the name of David, was seen by a witness who provided a description.

Liao moved to the Los Angeles area after attending school in the state of Nebraska.

His family is offering a $150,000 reward for information leading to his safe return while the FBI is offering $25,000 for information leading to his recovery.

"He's a deeply loved person by his family," Matthew Lombard, an attorney representing Liao's family, told reporters. "He's their only child and they're very, very concerned for him."
Page Content

The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport is organizing a free workshop entitled College or University 101: The United States and Canadian Systems on Thursday, August 23, 2018.





This event will be held at the University of St. Martin, Room 202, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:15 P.M.





Students in their last two years of secondary school or recent graduates who are interested in studying in the United States of America (USA) or Canada are invited to come and get the information needed. Parents are also invited to attend this free and interactive workshop which aims to ensure that attendants walk away with a better understanding of the U.S. and Canadian college and university educational systems.





The workshop will be conducted by SSSDs Career Guidance Counselor and will be covering aspects from the first year, where key differences in comparison to our own educational system need to be addressed, to the last year of college or university. Some social aspects will also be addressed.





Persons interested in attending this workshop on August 23, 2018 are urged to contact SSSD at Tel: 543-1235 should they have any questions. Come out and ensure that you have all of the necessary information as you make a choice in where you will pursue tertiary education. Persons are also urged to be on time.





The Student Support Services Division provides many services to students and their parents. These services include career guidance services, psychological services, educational diagnostic services, social work services, counseling services, speech language pathology service. SSSD also provides various programs including support groups for parents and free educational/informational workshops for parents.




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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... 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(0x7f3fd5842640)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd57feea0)', '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(0x7f3fd5842640)') 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(0x7f3fd57feea0)') 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(0x7f3fd581e8b8)') 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(0x7f3fd57feea0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd57feea0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd51243c8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd57fec78)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd57fec78)') 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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... 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(0x7f3fd58d15b0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5a40930)', '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(0x7f3fd58d15b0)') 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(0x7f3fd5a40930)') 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(0x7f3fd584a2c0)') 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(0x7f3fd5a40930)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5a40930)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4cdc100)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd5a3b2f0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd5a3b2f0)') 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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... 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(0x7f3fd59500b0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd61ecfb8)', '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(0x7f3fd59500b0)') 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(0x7f3fd61ecfb8)') 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(0x7f3fd5a0c7e0)') 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(0x7f3fd61ecfb8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd61ecfb8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4cdcbf0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd6176418)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd6176418)') 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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... 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(0x7f3fd51aeda0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9776410)', '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(0x7f3fd51aeda0)') 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(0x7f3fd9776410)') 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(0x7f3fd51be000)') 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(0x7f3fd9776410)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9776410)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4cdc6e8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd8432e08)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd8432e08)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Of the record 67,800 residential units in the current pipeline of development across San Francisco, roughly 10,000 of the units, or 15 percent, fall within the boundaries of the citys Greater Downtown, which now includes most of the burgeoning Transbay District but only a sliver of Central SoMa.

At the same time, according to the latest Monitoring Report for Downtown San Francisco, which will be presented to the Citys Planning Commission this week, the number of people working within the boundaries of the citys old-school Downtown, the classic C-3 District as mapped above, increased 3 percent in 2017 to 288,000, which is up 23 percent since the end of 2011 (233,500) and now represents 40 percent of the total 711,000 jobs in San Francisco.

As a related aside, while a quick query of the report or underlying job data would suggest that the number of people working in Downtown offices has actually declined 3.5 percent over the past year to 179,690, while the number of people employed in Production, Distribution and Repair (PDR) has rocketed by 72 percent to 32,535, a closer look at the raw data provided by the California Employment Development Department reveals that several large downtown firms were reclassified from office uses to PDR uses between 2016 and 2017. And while said large firms are engaged in activities that may be considered PDR uses, the actual nature of work happening at their locationsare likely office uses.
US-led coalition member killed in Iraq aircraft crash



Baghdad, Aug 20 (AFP) Aug 20, 2018



The US-led anti-jihadist coalition said Monday one of its members was killed in an apparently accidental aircraft crash in Iraq which left several others wounded.

A statement said "there are no indications the crash was caused by hostile fire", adding that an investigation is underway.

"One coalition service member was killed and several injured when their aircraft crashed" in Iraq at around 2200 GMT on Sunday, the statement said.

It did not give the location of the crash or identify any of the casualties but said that three coalition members were "evacuated for further treatment", suggesting they were in serious condition.

The crash happened as the aircraft "was conducting a partnered counterterrorism mission," the statement said.

"The deceased service member's name and further details pertaining to the incident will be released by the pertinent national authorities," it added.

The United States leads an international coalition that has targeted the Islamic State group and other jihadists in Iraq and neighbouring Syria since 2014.

The coalition includes Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey along with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

In March seven US troops were killed when their helicopter crashed during a transport mission in western Iraq, near the border with Syria.

Later that month two coalition members -- an American and a Briton -- were killed by an improvised explosive device in the northern Syrian city of Manbij.
A study published earlier this summer by the Mammal Society and Natural England, found water vole populations in the UK had declined by almost 70% in the last 20 years, putting them on the endangered list. Factors such as loss of habitat, disease, predation by the non-native North American mink, urban development, and use of pesticides may all be to blame, the report said.

However, local research undertaken across various locations in the Fens, has demonstrated stable populations in watercourses managed by the local water level management authority, the Middle Level Commissioners.

Responsible for the provision of flood defence and water level management within an area encompassing parts of Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk, the Middle Level Commissioners also have conservation duties to fulfil when undertaking their functions.

Water voles are one of the key species on drains and other waterways within the Middle Level. Despite the reduction in their distribution country-wide, the Fens have remained a stronghold for water voles, and the Middle Level has one of the largest populations spread along 620 miles of ditches, drains and rivers.

Several different surveys of water voles have been carried out by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust, and Anglian Water with the Middle Level area. The most recent, in 2015, confirmed the results of earlier surveys that ditches managed by internal drainage boards within the Middle Level had high levels of occupancy by water vole, with 93% of IDB maintained drains surveyed showing evidence of the presence of water voles.
1,800 people live in Tavush, a village in Armenias Tavush Province. The village is only 10 km away from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, but unlike some other Berd community villages regularly shelled by the enemy, its quiet here.

In 1998, the government decided to include Tavush in a list of border villages requiring special attention and greater investment. Residents, however, complain that reporters mainly focus on those villages located right on the border with Azerbaijan, forgetting about Tavush.

"Oh, oh, tell me about debts," exclaims shopkeeper Zoya, and looks through her notebook showing who owes her money. The book is a new one, since she transfers the data every three months to a new notebook, in alphabetical order, making it easy to find the debtors. The oldest debt is five years old, but she says its useless to ask for payment since people have no money.

Zoya has another notebook listing her own debts. "Sometimes we need to buy something, but there is no money, and we take a loan to pay for goods. People rely on us, and we rely on banks, she says, closing her notebooks.

Two loans were taken in her own name, another two - in her husbands name. Now its only the couple living in the village. Their children live in Yerevan, visiting them on and off. Zoya says they will move to Yerevan too, once they pay off the loans.

There are four shops in Tavush village, with Zoyas shop being the biggest and offering a wide range of products from food to footwear.

Zoya Darbinyan, whos been in business for 21 years, says that they used to have a small kiosk instead, and that she was doing better than now. The villagers mainly buy from the neighboring town of Berd. Most of the shops in Tavush provide the basic products only, such as bread and cigarettes.

Siroush Poghosyan, an employee at the Tavush Municipality, says that most of the arable land in the village is not cultivated, since there is no irrigation water. The main crops include grapes, corn, barley. The grapes are sold to the Berd brandy factory. This year, the price of one kilogram of grapes, according to the villagers, was 140 drams.

Growing tobacco used to be popular in Tavush. Now, there is a cigarette drying unit in the village with a handful of employees.

81-year-old Pirouz Babayan sits next to her house gate. Shes just returned from the yard and still wears an apron. She has been a tobacco specialist for more than 30 years.

"Im tortured - how else can somebody working with tobacco feel? We were sowing tobacco, cultivating and sending the crop to the Aygepar plant, she smiles, and leans on her walking stick.

During the Soviet era, there was a tobacco plant in the neighboring Aygepar village, which is all in ruins now, a victim of the Artsakh War.

Grandma Pirouz says that Tavush used to be different: it was livelier, and people were kinder to each other. The village has become somewhat silent. However, she adds that she is very happy with her neighbors.

Pirouz has seven children - six daughters and one son, twenty grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren. This year, the first great grandchild went to the army.

Pirouzs daughter-in-law, Azniv, was born in another village, Navour. She got married during the Artsakh War, and she jokes that she was cheated, since her husband was conscripted into the army right after they got married. Her cheerful mood becomes infectious, and everyone starts making jokes, but the silence in the village is overwhelming.

43-year-old Azniv is a nurse, but she hasnt been able to find a job. Years ago, the Berd Medical Center rejected her job application because of her age. She has been working at the Berd glove factory for two months now. Her husband is a contract soldier.

Siroush Poghosyan says that most men in Tavush are contract servicemen. She also notes that unemployment is the biggest issue in the village, resulting in the high number of needy families.

We enter another house and meet 32-year-old Sofia, with her two children. The eldest, 11-year-old Gevorg, is busy playing with his friend whos arrived from Yerevan, while Sofia holds her little daughter Anahit on her lap.

Sofia says she and her husband are from Tavush. They got married 13 years ago. Her husband is disabled and receives 19,000 drams a month in state aid.

On the day of our visit, he had taken the village cattle out to the pasture. Sofia says herders are paid four thousand drams a day. The family also receives a 30,000-dram state monthly allowance for the children.

Sofia bakes the bread for the house. Before the birth of their daughter, she also cultivated land and went to collect corn. "We get by," she says.

Siroush Poghosyan notes that twenty families have left for Yerevan and Russia during recent years. None have returned.

Tavush residents say that if supplied with irrigation water, they will be able to farm the land and life in the village will start to rebound.

Photos by Hakob Poghosyan
DNO Reports Payment for Tawke Deliveries

Oslo, 20 August 2018 - DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today reported receipt of USD 69.03 million as payment for May 2018 crude oil deliveries to the export market from the Tawke license in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The funds will be shared by DNO and partner Genel Energy plc pro-rata to the companies' interests in the license.

Separately, a payment of USD 5.99 million has been received net to DNO, representing three percent of gross Tawke license revenues during May, as provided for under the August 2017 receivables settlement agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government.

DNO operates and has a 75 percent interest in the Tawke license, which contains the Tawke and Peshkabir fields.

Following regularization of export payments for Tawke license production since February 2016, the Company will no longer make monthly receipts announcements. The Company will instead update the market on export volumes and values as part of its quarterly financial reporting.

--

For further information, please contact:

Media: media@dno.no

Investors: investor.relations@dno.no

Tel: +47 911 57 197

--

DNO ASA is a Norwegian oil and gas operator focused on the Middle East and the North Sea. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Company holds stakes in onshore and offshore licenses at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, Oman, the United Kingdom and Yemen.

--

This information is subject to 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: DNO ASA via Globenewswire


Armenias Prosecutor Generals Office will appeal an August 13 ruling by the Court of Appeals that former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan cannot be prosecuted for the March 1, 2008 post- election violence in Yerevan that killed ten.

The Court of Appeals overturned a lower courts ruling to arrest Kocharyan on charges that he usurped state power during the 2008 protests.

Kocharyan was charged on July 26. Two days later, a Yerevan court issued an order detaining him for two months.
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The Western mass media recently ran stories about how al Qaeda members in Yemen often took bribes to abandon territory and sometimes al Qaeda members switched sides and fought in pro-government militias. The implication was that the United States provided some of the bribe money and quietly condoned or encouraged the use of bribes as well as former al Qaeda members fighting for the government. The reality was that these practices are local customs, have been reported on for decades and known by American Special Forces troops and intel agencies since the 1970s. It was no secret. It was simply the way things were done in Yemen. Its actually worse than the recent headline stories imply and gotten worse since 2008 when many survivors of the al Qaeda defeat in Iraq fled to Yemen, where Arab Islamic terrorists could always find some sanctuary among the Sunni Arab tribes of southern and eastern Yemen. The bin Laden family came from Yemen as did many recent Islamic terrorists. Yemeni sanctuary is easier to obtain and sustain if the Islamic terrorists have the cash to share with their hosts. If a Sunni Arab dominated government later comes along with more cash and other gifts the Islamic terrorists, especially local tribesmen serving al Qaeda, will take the money and disperse or even join government forces.

American involvement in Yemen has been limited (to UAV attacks and intel gathering) since 2014 and mainly directed at areas where Islamic terrorists were most active. This has often been in central Yemen, especially Baida province. Most of Baida province is controlled by Sunni tribes, many of them hospitable to Islamic terrorists (or anyone with a lot of cash). Baida is where most of the American UAV attacks on AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) members take place. The American UAV attacks continue in Yemen and many of the attacks are not announced. So far in 2018, there have been about 30 attacks. As in 2017 (when there were 131 attacks), the ones in 2018 have been mainly against AQAP and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) camps and key personnel in central Yemen (especially Baida province). This greatly reduces Islamic terrorist capabilities in Baida, which had long been an Islamic terrorist stronghold. East of Baida province are Shabwa and Hadramawt provinces. The later stretches from the sea to the Saudi border and is largely desert. Along with Baida, these two provinces used to host most AQAP personnel and base areas. But since 2017 AQAP has been under heavy attack by the Americans and the Arab coalition and the Islamic terrorists have responded by shifting more of their attacks to the government and Arab coalition forces. AQAP took credit for 273 attacks in 2017 and in the first six months of that year, some 75 percent of these attacks were against the Shia rebels. But in the second half of 2017 half, the attacks were against fellow Sunnis (government and coalition forces). In 2018 the remaining AQAP are mainly fighting for survival against the government and coalition forces.

All this is taking place in the midst of a civil war in Yemen which began in 2014 as Iran backed Shia tribes from the north seized the capital (Sanaa). The Yemen government is backed (often reluctantly) by the majority Sunni Arabs. That is why Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab states in the region oppose the Shia rebels. These Arab states intervened during 2015, first with air power followed by ground troops. The Shia rebels have been losing, slowly, ever since and while Arab air power performed well Arab cash was key to achieving victories on the ground,

By 2017 the war in Yemen had morphed into two separate conflicts. In the northwest and along the Red Sea coast it is Iran-backed Shia rebels versus the Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia (and their local allies plus the United States). The rest of Yemen is a fight between Yemeni government (backed by the Saudi coalition) and Yemeni tribal separatists who often host AQAP factions. In the past Yemen was rarely united and that separatism divides the country between the north (where most of the Shia are) and the south (mostly Sunni Arab tribes. The current civil war is not unique, the last one was in the 1990s.

At the same time Yemen has serious economic and social problems that are getting worse because of all the unrest since the 2011 Arab Spring (and outright civil war since 2015). Before the civil war began in 2011 the Yemeni GDP was $37 billion. Now it is less than half that and falling. Hunger and disease are increasing as are associated deaths. Foreign aid efforts are often plundered by locals. Yemen has long been considered one of the most corrupt nations on the planet. In 2016 Yemen ranked 170th out of 176 countries. Most Yemenis will agree that corruption is a major problem. Yet most Yemenis are less willing to admit that Yemen is not a country but rather a collection of tribes that dont get along and cannot agree on how to work together to make a united Yemen work.

Poverty and hunger are nothing new for Yemen and the primary causes, in addition to corruption, have been around for a long time. The population problem is the result of a high birth rate, which is made possible by modern technology and encouraged by ancient customs and religious beliefs. The impact of conservative forms of Islam also means there has been little economic or educational improvements, at least compared to the non-Islamic world, for a long time. The economy is primitive and unproductive. Even before the unrest escalated in 2011 water, food and power shortages, as well as growing unemployment made life miserable for most Yemenis. Because of all these pre-existing problems and all the unrest since 2011 Yemen is now broke, disorganized, desperate and still fighting itself.

While most adult males in Yemen are armed (its an ancient tradition) few of those armed men are trained soldiers or even members of some kind of organized combat unit. What does exist is a lot of local tribal leaders who can quickly organize a few dozens to a few hundred armed men to oppose someone they fear or simply dont like. This means, and has always meant, that Yemen never had sufficient security forces (reliable soldiers or police) to impose order if large segments of the population disagreed with the central government. This has long been a problem with the Shia tribes of the north and many of the Sunni tribes in the south and southeast. Since 2011 both these groups have been very unhappy and since early 2017 the separatist Sunni tribes in the south have become more hostile to the government and more willing to tolerate the presence of Islamic terrorists, especially if these groups contain some locals and know how to behave themselves.

Because of this inability to occupy and police much of the country there are large areas where armed groups can freely move (sometimes only at night) and thus threaten government claims that the area is under government rule because it is no longer occupied by Shia rebels or Islamic terror groups. This is most evident in the southwest where the Shia rebels and local allies can still wander about. A similar situation is evident in the southeast where large areas along the coast between the two largest ports in the country (Aden and Mukalla) are home to separatist tribes who are not only hostile to the government but often willing to tolerate the presence of AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) groups. Because of this until April 2016 AQAP controlled more territory than the Shia rebels. This included the southeastern port of Mukalla, about 600 kilometers of coastline and much of the surrounding Hadramawt province. AQAP took control of Mukalla in April 2015. For over a year AQAP controlled most of the roads near the southeastern coast. As a result, government forces or anyone else was subject to attack or, if armed, a request for a contribution of cash or goods before passing without violence. As a result of this government forces had to move in heavily armed convoys to avoid ambushes or extortion attempts. Aid convoys are also subject to demands for taxes. AQAP was trying to operate like a government in the southeast but was hampered by a shortage of money and regular air attacks by Arab warplanes and American UAVs. AQAP obtained most of the cash needed to run its government by taxing everything (commercial goods and aid supplies) coming through Mukalla. This income enabled AQAP to pay most of its government workers on a regular basis. By the end of April 2016, AQAP lost control of Mukulla and with it a major source of income. After that AQAP was scattered to the countryside and actively seeking allies. These were found among separatist-minded tribal leaders. For this reason, AQAP can still travel regularly from the areas north of Mukulla all the way north to the Saudi border or all the way west to the outskirts of Aden.

Since early 2017 American UAVs have been more active in these areas, monitoring the traffic and carrying out more missile attacks on AQAP personnel. But it most cases the local tribesmen and the AQAP look identical from the air. It requires electronic eavesdropping and some informants on the ground to identify vehicles carrying just AQAP members who are worth a missile or two.

Between the rebel west and the separatist tribes in the east, there is a large area from the coast north to the Saudi border that is under government control. This is largely because of friendly (and often well compensated) local tribal leaders. Because of that government forces are now within 20 kilometers of the rebel-held national capital Saana and even closer to the remaining Red Sea ports the rebels hold and use to raise money and through which Iran smuggles military supplies. This includes, so far, components for over a hundred ballistic missiles which are assembled in Yemen with the help of Iranian advisors and then fired at targets in Saudi Arabia. All of these missiles have either landed in the empty desert or been intercepted by Saudi operated American Patriot anti-missile missiles. But in most of Yemen, the most potent weapon has been cash. If you want to get AQAP camps away from important roads or oil facilities (Yemen has much less of that that the other Arabian states) large cash payments are more effective, and unlike smart bombs, avoid any civilian casualties. This use of bribes instead of bloodshed is an ancient tradition worldwide and especially in Arabia.
Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinooks from RAF Odiham flew in the lead formation, along with Pumas from RAF Benson, for the RAF100 flypast over London. Photo by SAC Pippa Fowles (RAF)  Crown copyright

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Because of the May agreement on national presidential and parliamentary elections being held in December many of the larger militias are demanding assurances that militia leaders and their followers will not lose power or income because of a unified government. The combined demands of all the major militias, especially those loyal to the GNA (Government of National Accord), far exceed what will be available. This is one of the reasons the GNA is the weaker of the two existing national governments, despite occupying Tripoli (the national capital and largest city in the country). While the GNA is based in Tripoli and recognized by the UN it has proved much less capable than its eastern (Tobruk) rival the HoR (House of Representatives). It was agreements between these two existing governments that made the December election plan possible. The governments agreed to increase their cooperation (already functional enough) to improve the operation of the National Oil Company and the Central Bank of Libya. But these two institutions are about the only two that are fully functional and even that is difficult to accomplish because of the relentless efforts by various factions to corrupt the bank or the oil company. Keeping these two institutions going is essential to national survival because without the oil income living standards will plunge to levels that will force much, if not most of the current Libyan population to emigrate or starve.

The lack of other functioning national institutions (courts, legislature, civil service and security) keep getting in the way. The judicial system, such as it is, remains local (at best) with no national court to make final decisions. This makes it much more difficult to settle disputes about things like exactly how to conduct the December elections or even complete the registration (only about 55 percent of potential voters have been registered so far). There are still two legislatures (GNA and HoR) and neither of them can get all their members to attend legislative sessions. The lack of a national civil service is largely because of the lack of many national institutions and the many militias demanding more government jobs than the current oil income can pay for.

National security is in somewhat better shape because of the HoR recognizing general Hiftar and his LNA (Libyan National Army). The many still independent militias see the LNA as an enemy because accepting the authority of the LNA will mean a militia can no longer do whatever get away with and that means a substantial loss of income and decline in membership.

The LNA now controls most of the Libyan coast and is establishing security in the major cities. In the east Derna was the last major coastal city to have a Islamic terrorists and rogue militia problem and in the last few months the LNA eliminated that and is now seeking out less visible outlaws in the city. This takes time, as does the process of organizing forces to move further west against the GNA dominated cities of Misrata and Tripoli. Hiftar has held off on that to give the GNA an opportunity to pacify these two cities. That is happening, but very slowly. Meanwhile, the LNA is working on restoring order in the south and massing forces to the final advance west, to the Tunisian border.

In short, the leaders of the GNA and HoR can go to Paris in May 2019 and agree to national elections and a unified government but neither of these leaders has the means to actually make this happen. The leaders have no legs to walk on. The unification agreement was recognition that if the unification did not take place, and the national institutions get established, Libya was doomed. The problem is many armed factions still believe that the interests of their faction come first despite the risk of the nation disintegrating because of that greed.

Neighboring countries (especially Egypt, Tunisia and Italy) are cooperating with the two Libyan governments to identify key Libyan gangsters (often former government officials) and Islamic terrorists based in Libya and impose international (via the UN and Interpol) sanctions on them. These outlaws are key movers of illegal money and goods (people, weapons, oil and so on). Italy has been particularly effective here because many of the European criminals (working with Libyan outlaws) are Italian.

But in Tripoli, the traditional capital, the GNA never had complete control of the city because of so many powerful and uncooperative militias that had been there since the 2011 revolution. The HoR thrived because it had more competent military commanders who literally took over and rebuilt the pre-2011 Libyan armed forces. This was done by replacing all the officers and troops loyal to the deposed 2011 government with tribal militias and former Libyan officers returning from exile and training a new generation of Libyan military leaders. The UN and the West opposed this but it worked and with the cooperation of most Arab countries the HoR was finally accepted by the UN. This made possible the December elections that will merge the GNA and HoR. But the GNA might not last until December and that is a problem that has to be fixed if the elections are to take place.

The Southern Expanse

Most of Libya is desert and most of the desert in the far south has nothing (oil fields or pipelines) of value and the few people scratching out a living belong to Taureg (Berber) or black (sub-Saharan) African tribes. Poverty and knowledge of the territory have made the tribes susceptible to the influence and control of outside groups with money (or guns, but the money works more effectively). Since 2011 the south has seen a number of Islamic terrorist groups (mainly al Qaeda affiliates) enter the area and offer cash for cooperation in providing the Islamic terrorists with sanctuary and assistance (which is paid for) to operate their smuggling (people, drug, weapons and otherwise legal goods) operations. The most lucrative smuggling routes are in southwest Libya (the Fezzan region) bordering Niger and Chad. Smuggling routes tend to come up via Mali into Algeria (which has well-guarded borders) and Libya (which does not). In southeast Libya the routes come via Sudan and Chad. There is a further complication with Sudan because Libya borders the Darfur region which has suffered violence for decades and several Darfur rebel groups have taken advantage of the post-2011 chaos in Libya to establish bases in the southeast. The rebels make deals with the Libyan tribes and life goes on. In the southeast, the LNA persuaded many of the tribes to side with the LNA and with that the LNA found that it had over a thousand Darfur rebels on the payroll. That was because the Darfur rebels often joined local tribal militias and shared profits from smuggling operations the Darfur rebels operated to finance themselves. This puts the Libyan tribes in touch with Chad based smuggling gangs that also run goods (and people) into southeastern Libya.

The smuggling gangs are another matter as most are dominated by Islamic terrorists who also plan and carry out terror attacks. Some Islamic terrorists will also try to impose their religious views (and lifestyle rules) on the local tribes. That never ends well and for that reason, more of the tribes are welcoming LNA forces as they seek to shut down al Qaeda and other such groups. This Islamic terrorist clearance operation has accelerated since 2017 and the LNA is the only one thats really making an effort to restore law and order in the south.

External Complications

Another complication the LNA encounters in the southeast is Qatar involvement. Complaints about this have been common since 2014. Initially, this came as a surprise because in late 2011, after the fall of the Kaddafi government neighboring Sudan, long the target of Kaddafi meddling, welcomed the change in Libya. But there were side effects. Huge amounts of weapons were stolen from Kaddafi era warehouses and some of the Libyan arms were showing up in Sudan, where Darfur rebels were working with Libyan smugglers to get the weapons into Sudan. It was difficult to blame this on Israel and America and Qatari groups appeared to be financing this arms trade. The LNA has also encountered Turkish efforts to influence events in Libya but these may have been mainly Turkish businessmen rather than the Turkish government.

While foreign experts believe there are still 3,000 or more ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) members in Libya the LNA has encountered far fewer and is chasing them down. Currently, a lot of this is taking place in south-central Libya (Jufra, 650 kilometers southeast of Tripoli). This began in May when LNA forces cornered an ISIL faction believed responsible for some recent attacks on southern oil facilities (like the one near Jufra). Most of the remaining ISIL fighters are operating in the largely desert south, surviving as bandits most of the time. The LNA is tracking them down and destroying them, something no other organization in Libya can do.

Oil

Another achievement of the LNA peace effort in the south is to reduce violence against oil production and movement (pipelines) facilities. Most of these are halfway between the coast and the southern borders. Normally the main source of interruption is extortionate oil facility guards or other local militia problems. The LNA has concentrated on dealing with that and been successful. As a result by now (August 2018) production has returned to a million BPD (barrels per day). At the end of 2017 production was about a million BPD but that was disrupted occasionally in early 2018. The current goal is to reach 1.5 million BPD by the end of 2018 and 2.1 million BPD by the early 2020s. This is far in excess of pre-2011 levels (1.6 million BPD) but is necessary because of the need to finance reconstruction and adapt to the fact that the world price may be up now but is at risk of continuing to fall, despite OPEC (the Arab dominated oil cartel) efforts to reduce overall production and drive up the price. The problem is that the United States and Canada are producing a lot more due to new technologies (like fracking) that open up huge new sources that were long known but not reachable. The problem with increasing production is that it attracts more greedy militias seeking to get paid.

August 8, 2018: The LIA (Libyan Investment Authority) has been forced it leave Tripoli (because of militia threats and violence) for a less vulnerable location (believed to be Malta) where it can work with foreign governments and banks to safeguard the Libyan sovereign wealth fund ($67 billion of cash and other assets). Since the 2011 Libyan revolution these assets have been frozen under a UN Security Council resolution and are only accessed for national emergencies and even then there is a lot of scrutiny by foreign auditors.

August 2, 2018: In southwestern Egypt Sudanese forces handed over five Egyptian soldiers who had been captured in mid-July by a Chad militia force from Libya and held prisoner until late July. The Egyptian soldiers (an office and four subordinates) were carrying out a border reconnaissance near the Sudan border when they accidentally crossed into Sudan and caught the attention of the Chadian gunmen (who often pass this way because of their smuggling activities). Sudanese troops were alerted and at the end of July had conducted an operation in southeast Libya to help free the five Egyptian soldiers. At that point Sudan insisted that Egypt reciprocate with problems Sudan was having with rebels and dissidents finding sanctuary in Egypt. Negotiations ensued and an agreement was reached.
Prof John Warren - thwarted egos & political games are costing PNG talented university administrators (& a craven local media remains silent)

STEPHEN HOWES

CANBERRA - Last month, University of Natural Resources and the Environment Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren quit his post and Papua New Guinea after receiving police threats.

Professor Warren, who only took up his position in 2016, was previously Professor of Botany at Aberystwyth University in Wales. PNG Attitude has released his letter giving his account. It seems that he fell out with the chancellor and then with the university council.

After receiving threats of being reported to the police, first from the Chancellor and then others, he resigned and left PNG as quickly as he could.

UNRE is clearly a troubled institution. The previous vice chancellor had his appointment terminated following allegations of mismanagement of funds, and was referred to the fraud squad following allegations made by Rabaul MP, Dr Allan Marat.

University students protested last year following the re-appointment of two senior staff. Student are once again protesting, this time at Prof Warrens departure.
At a meeting today in Yerevan, National Security Service Head Artour Vanetsyan assured Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Kazem Sjjad that the Armenian government is taking all possible measures to ensure the safety of Iranian tourists to Armenia.

An Armenian government press release did not specify the context in which the issue was raised.

The two officials, according to the press release, stressed that the two countries maintain friendly relations and that steps are underway to strengthen cooperation between Yerevan and Tehran.

Vantesyan said that Armenia has adopted a special approach towards addressing problems facing the tourism sector and described the increase of Iranian tourists to Armenia as an encouraging trend.
Confronting journalisms misogynistic trolls By Hannah Storm, exclusive to the Sunday Times, Sri Lanka View(s): View(s):

LONDON  Before the Internet revolutionized how news was gathered and shared, journalists rarely had to worry about the threat of virtual violence. The main risks they faced were in the field: the physical and psychological safety concerns of reporting on disaster and conflict. But todays media battlefields are increasingly online, and more than ever, it is women who are coming under fire.

According to Demos, a UK-based think tank, female journalists are three times more likely than their male counterparts to be targeted by abusive comments on Twitter, with perpetrators frequently using sexualized language (such as slut and whore) against their targets. In 2016, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe published research showing that women working in the media were internationally and disproportionately targeted by gendered threats, noting that the abuse had a direct impact on their safety and future online activities.

The threats of violence against women working in the media often extend to family members, and the intimate nature of the attacks, received as they are on personal devices outside the professional parameters of the newsroom, also heightens the impact. Here we see the blurring of virtual, physical, and psychological frontlines of safety.

While this digital vitriol is not new, the misogynistic tenor is clearly deepening. Unless media executives begin to take these trends seriously, the voices of women journalists could be silenced.

Another way in which women journalists are frequently targeted online is through the undermining of their work or reputation. Already there is evidence that women are self-censoring and drawing back from writing about certain issues, specifically rights-based issues and those affecting marginalised communities. But, by doing this, the voices of the vulnerable are also silenced.

To be sure, some women are fighting back against the violence and refusing to let the trolls win. Alexandra Pascalidou, a Swedish-Greek journalist who has experienced threats online and offline for her work covering human-rights issues, has spoken openly about her experiences and has even publicly forgiven one of the neo-Nazis who ran a campaign of abuse against her. Speaking at the News Xchange media conference late last year, Pascalidou described it as her duty to bring attention to the abuse she and other female journalists regularly endure. What we need is more people like us, she said. As soon as we are few, it is easier for them to scare us.

Maria Ressa, a former CNN war correspondent, is equally outspoken. The founder and CEO of Rappler.com, an online news organisation in the Philippines, she has been the target of a campaign of sexualised harassment since 2016. Ressa has lost count of the number of death threats she has received and says none of her previous experiences covering physical conflict could have prepared her for the scale of the violence directed toward her and her Rappler colleagues.

But she is fighting back with a strategy that could well serve as a blueprint for media leaders who recognise the severity of online harassment. Among the tactics she has used are investigative journalism to identify her abusers, and she has publicly called on social media platforms to do more to counter abuse and acknowledge the psychological impact it has on victims.

Unfortunately, most female journalists bullied online are less willing to challenge their accusers. For many, fear of reputational or even physical harm has created a culture of shame that discourages a strong, dignified response.

This reticence is understandable; after all, there is some truth to the argument that engaging trolls only feeds the fires of online hate. But by staying silent, targets and their supporters are essentially victimised twice  first by their attackers words and actions, and second by the powerlessness to respond. Its an old-fashioned form of gendered power dynamics updated for the digital age.

Most female journalists I know admit to self-censoring their online engagement. Many more have abandoned social-media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram altogether, despite pressure from bosses to remain connected to audiences. For already-established female journalists, this digital distancing may not be such a big deal. But for female journalists at the start of their careers, the decision to renounce social media carries professional and reputational risks. Simply put, online abusers are forcing women in the media to make impossible choices.

Despite evidence that some media executives are moving toward improving gender equality, many are not giving online harassment the attention it deserves. When I discussed this issue with several senior, predominantly male industry leaders, most were shocked to hear that their female colleagues felt so threatened in the digital space. Worse, the executives lacked adequate answers about how to address the problem.

The lack of awareness is partly due to the way women minimise their online experiences; many worry that speaking out will somehow negatively affect their job status.

For example, one female colleague told me that she didnt want to make a fuss about a harassing post she had received, because it was only a threat of rape  not a death threat like the one a friend had received. Another colleague did not think her experience of digital violence would be taken seriously, because it had not happened in the real world.

We cannot blame women for feeling this way, but we can demand more from the executives responsible for their journalists safety and security. At the moment, most media organisations are failing to tackle the problem, and if that results in more women leaving the industry altogether, journalism will become more skewed toward male perspectives than it already is.

Traditionally hostile news environments  like war zones  have, for obvious reasons, drawn the bulk of sympathies from the public and media executives; raising the alarm about online harassment is not meant to diminish the dangers that journalists in these circumstances face. And yet, as any female journalist knows, digital combat leaves scars, too. If women are to navigate the industrys virtual frontlines without injury, they must not be expected to go into battle alone.

(Hannah Storm is Director of the International News Safety Institute.)

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018. www.project-syndicate.org
Hajj: The journey of a lifetime By Brigadier (Retd) Ishrath Zanoosey View(s): View(s):

Hajj and its rites were first ordained by Almighty Allah during the time of Holy Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim  Peace be upon him). Muslims believe in all the prophets sent by Almighty Allah starting from the first Prophet Adam (Peace be upon him) to the last Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). All of them had a common mission  To guide mankind on the right path.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of a Muslims life. They are the belief in the oneness of God and his last Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the five daily prayers, giving alms to the needy, self-purification through fasting; and finally the pilgrimage to Mecca or the Hajj.

Hajj is a mandatory duty on all Muslims capable of making the journey both physically and financially. Hajj consists of several rituals meant to symbolise the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials and tribulations of Abraham (Peace be upon him) and his family. Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him) had been commanded by his Lord to leave his wife Hagar (Hajara) and his new born son Ishmael (Ismail) in the uninhabited barren valley of Mecca.

In the valley, they depleted their supplies and ran out of water. Hagar had to run between the hills of Safaa and Marwah in search of water leaving her baby Ismail in the valley. As the Almighty willed, miraculously, a spring started to gush and spurt out water from the ground near the feet of baby Ishmael. This spring came to be known as Zam-Zam.

Holy Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him) and his son Ishmael were again commanded by Almighty Allah to rebuild the house of worship, exclusively for worship of Allah. Both the father and the son painstakingly completed the cubic-shaped building which came to be known as Kaaba in Mecca. Even during the pre-Islamic era, Kabah had been revered by different people who frequented and encamped there. They circumambulate the Kaaba as part of the rituals. With the passage of time, the main goal and the form of Haj changed or were distorted. As ordained by Almighty Allah, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), who was a descendant of Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him), later eradicated false rituals and revived the purest form of Hajj, preserving the sanctity.

Muslims from all over the world take part in this largest gathering on Earth, the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. For more than 14 centuries, countless millions of Muslims, men and women from all over the world, have made the pilgrimage to Mecca. This is a religious obligation that every Muslim must fulfil at least once in his or her lifetime. The pilgrimage is centred on Mecca, Islams holiest site and the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Religious observances associated with Hajj could be considered as the spiritual climax of Muslims, as they enter in to a sublime state of total devotion, piety and purity.

During the performance of Hajj, people, irrespective of their colour, gender and social status will stand before Almighty Allah, seeking forgiveness and the acceptance of their good deeds. According to the revelation in the Holy Quran, Hajj reminds us of the life hereafter, especially the gathering on Judgment Day when people will be resurrected and will stand before their Lord, awaiting the verdict on the good or bad deeds they committed during their worldly life. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has said God does not judge according to the shapes and appearances of your bodies, but the Almighty scans your hearts and minds to judge your deeds.

The pilgrims  with men dressed in two pieces of unstitched cloth  perform the same rituals, say the same prayers at the same time in the same manner, for the same goal. The Hajj pilgrimage enables Muslims from all around the world to come together in a spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood to worship the One God. This demonstrates the concept of equality of mankind, which is the most loud and clear message of Islam, signifying that there is no place for superiority on the basis of race, gender or social status.

Another feature of this journey is that Hajj provides a unique opportunity for Muslims to reflect on their lives, contemplate the greatness of Allah and to return to their families and homes spiritually enriched and cleansed of sins. According to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), a person who performs Hajj properly (Hajj mabroor) returns home as a newly born infant, devoid of all sins.

The rites of the hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circumambulating counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which symbolises the Islamic direction of prayer better known as Qibla, running back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah as did Abrahams wife Hagar during her search for water, drinking from the Zam-zam Well, standing together on the wide plains of Arafat (a large expanse of desert outside Mecca) and joining in prayer for Gods forgiveness, in what is often thought as a preview of the Day of Judgment and throwing stones in a ritual stoning of Satan.

It was on a Hajj day that Holy Prophet Muhammad, in his final year of life, gave his farewell sermon. He stood on the plain of Arafat and proclaimed the completion of his mission and announced the proclamation of God: This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam, or submission to God, as your religion (Quran 5:3). The holy prophet laying emphasis on the importance of Arafa has stated that Hajj is Arafa.

The culmination of Hajj is marked by the Hajj festival or better known as Eid-ul- Adha. Muslims all over the world celebrate this day with special prayers and sacrifices. Pilgrims in Mecca sacrifice a sheep or goat, in remembrance of Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him) and share the meat with the poor. This re-enacts the story of Abrahams near-sacrifice of his son, when commanded by the Almighty to test his faith. Almighty God then provided a sheep to Abraham as a substitute for his son for sacrifice. This act demonstrates Prophet Abrahams ((Peace be upon him) unswerving faith and total submission to Almighty Gods command.

(The writer is in Saudi Arabia, performing Hajj)
Revisiting the 1987 Parliament bomb blasts By Prof Ravindra Fernando View(s): View(s):

Soon after nine oclock in the morning on August 18, 1987, Senior Technical Officer T.K. Siriwardana rushed into our room in the Department of Forensic Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and said, Sir, there is an explosion in the parliament! We immediately contacted the Welikada police station, which confirmed the fact and we were asked to visit the scene.

When we visited Committee Room A, we saw that the carpets in the room were soaked with the blood of MPs. Footwear, which the parliamentarians and ministers had been wearing, was strewn all over the place. Documents and diaries of members of parliament were also lying scattered on the floor, some smeared in blood. In the corridors, through which the injured parliamentarians had been taken to hospital, were patches of blood daubed here and there.

Where the grenades had exploded, there were two craters with a diameter of about one foot each. Not only tables and chairs but equipment fixed in the room was also badly damaged.

Large windows had cracked and pieces of glass were strewn everywhere.

What really happened?

The ruling United National Party Parliament group was meeting in Committee Room A at the Parliament building, with President J. R. Jayewardene presiding.

At 8.40 a.m. President Jayewardene arrived with Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa. The President was all smiles. This was the first day with his MPs after the signing of the accord with India. The MPs stood up, thumped their tables and cheered for two or three minutes.

At 8.45 a.m., the meeting began. About 120 MPs were present. President Jayewardene in the Chair addressed the Parliamentarians.

Few minutes later, Mr. Senadheera, who was looking after the work of the Secretary to the Leader of the House, bent down to draw the Prime Ministers attention to a document. There was a door to the right of the President, which was never opened. Suddenly this door was opened about a foot from its frame. Just then an explosion was heard.

An object was lobbed inside, which bounced on the table right in front of the President and ricocheted to a side, in the region where Lalith Athulathmudali was seated, and blew up. The hall was engulfed in black smoke. In the meantime another grenade was hurled in and it also exploded almost simultaneously, throwing the Parliamentarians into panic, screaming and yelling We are being bombed!

With the explosion of the second grenade, several parliamentarians started yelling Get down, get down! By that time, the President who was in the Chair and the Prime Minister who was with him together with Chief Government Whip Vincent Perera had ducked under the table to escape the grenade attacks. It was Prime Minister Premadasa who promptly responded and got the President under the table for safety.

Gradually, the darkness inside the hall, which had been caused by the black smoke dispersed. The members of parliament and ministers who were cowering under the table left the Committee Room. It was reported that President Jayewardene was the first one to come out saying that it was not good for the President to stay under the table! The Presidents security guards carried him away.

The female members who were, as usual, seated near the main entrance had run out of the main door and they were huddled together under the portico. MPs Lohini Wijesiri, Renuka Herath and Sriyani Daniel screamed when they saw a blood-stained Montague Jayawickrema walking towards the lawn unassisted!

Matara District Minister Keerthi Abeywickrema, who was seriously injured in the grenade attack was rushed to the National Hospital, Colombo.

The next person who was brought was National Security Minister Lalith Athulathmudali. He was taken to the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital on the laps of Health Minister Ranjith Atapattu and Mahendra Wijeratne. Mr. Athulathmudali had his spleen removed in emergency surgery and shrapnel removed from his back at Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital.

Norbert Senadheera, a Parliamentary staff member who had received severe head injuries was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. He and the Minister Keerthi Abeywickrema underwent surgery.

When President Jayewardene came out of the building his shirt appeared to have patches of blood. He commented That is not my blood. It must be somebody elses. I dont know whose blood. I will keep this coat as a memento, though,

His security officers were begging of him to come inside the car. How can I go when so many members are injured? he kept on saying. Absolutely unruffled, he was steady as ever and concerned about others.

He calmly walked to his official vehicle, got in and left. It was reported that the Presidents face conveyed disgust while the Prime Ministers face reflected great anger.

Several Ministers and MPs suffered injuries.

A day after the attack, the BBC reported that the Patriotic Peoples Movement, which would later be identified as the military wing of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, claimed responsibility.

The anonymous caller told BBC correspondent John Rettie that the attack was carried out by the Patriotic Peoples Movement to protest the Jayewardene-Gandhi agreement.

The BBC journalist said the caller also said that his group was behind the July 29 attack on Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a member of a Sri Lanka naval honour guard. As Gandhi reviewed the guard, one of the sailors raised his rifle and aimed a blow at the prime ministers head. Gandhi ducked away and was not seriously injured.

Not long after the explosion took place, the Police Special Task Force arrived at the Parliamentary Complex. At the same time, official Police dogs were brought in too.

The Government Analyst visited the scene and did several checks to ascertain the type of weapon used and other details. The government decided to call in the experts from the Scotland Yard to assist in the investigation.

One employee of the Parliament was missing from the complex after the explosion. He was R. M. Ajith Kumara and the Police wanted him for questioning in connection with the attempted assassination of the President and others.

Keerthi Abeywickrema died in the General Hospital, Colombo, the same day and Dr. P.U Telisinghe, Senior Lecturer in my Department, performed the post-mortem examination of Mr. Abeywickrema at 9 p.m.

At the conclusion of the post-mortem, Dr. Telisinghe stated that death was due to cranio-cerebral injuries following a blast injury.

Geraldine Ganlath, the Additional Magistrate of Colombo, who held the-magisterial inquiry into the death, returned a verdict of homicide due to an explosion.

Norbert Senadheera, the 42-year-old clerk in the office of the parliamentary whip, who suffered serious injuries died at 7.50 a.m. after five days in critical condition at the Colombo General Hospital.

Mr. Senadheera had recently been promoted to the supra grade in the clerical service and his promotion became effective as from the ill-fated day. He was to be absorbed to the local government service shortly.

A team of medical experts and neurology intensive care unit doctors led by Dr. Colvin Samarasinghe, Consultant Neurologist of the General Hospital, Colombo made a tremendous effort to save Mr. Senadheeras life. He was on the ventilator since admission on the 18th.

Ms. Ganlath, ordered the post-mortem, which I started at 7.30 p.m. and completed at 11.30 p.m. Forensic Medicine Professor H.V.J. Fernando, Dr. Colvin Samarasinghe and Dr. P.U. Telisinghe were present at the post-mortem conducted at the Medico-legal Morgue, Colombo.

Prior to the post-mortem examination, I had telephone conversations with Chandra Jayawardana and Bennet Perera of the CID. They were also present at the mortuary.

Mr. Senadheera was operated upon twice by Dr. Colvin Samarasinghe. During surgery, a piece of metal was removed from the brain. I was informed by Assistant Government Analyst Jegatheeswaran, it was as a part of a grenade and not a bullet.

The damage caused to the brain by the shrapnel was considerable. The injury appeared to be incompatible with survival. Terminally, Mr. Senadheera had developed pneumonia.

I concluded that Mr. Senadheera had suffered a necessarily fatal head injury caused by shrapnel from explosion/s. The shrapnel has pierced the skull and travelled from left to a right-anterior direction more or less parallel to the ground level.

I gave the cause of death as Cranio-cerebral trauma following explosive injury.

The main suspect of the grenade attack, Ajith Kumara, for whom the police offered a reward of a million rupees, was arrested on April 8, 1988 in Naula.

Ajith Kumara was among the Parliament employees who were briefly detained and questioned immediately after the grenade attack, but was released since there was no suspicion at that time.

Ajith Kumara fell into police hands quite accidentally.

The Naula police were conducting a raid on a Kasippu (illicit liquor) den at Akaranduwa when they spotted two men and a woman carrying a child taking to their heels.

They gave chase and nabbed a bearded man while the others had escaped. The man escaped again after he was brought to the main road, but the police officers gave a dramatic chase and arrested him. Following interrogations, the police learnt he was Ajith Kumara. CID detectives brought him to Colombo in the early hours of April 11.

A policeman casually pointed him out as a JVPer and then, suddenly another policeman pointed at him and asked Arent you Ajith Kumara? Taken aback he answered Yes.

He was then put into a cell, one of his wanted photographs was brought and a positive identification was made.

Ajith Kumara, along with four others, was charged with carrying out the grenade attack. They were indicted on ten counts, including conspiracy to commit the murder of President Jayewardene and attempting to commit the murder of Minister Athulathmudali.

On October 12, 1990, the Colombo High Court at Bar delivered a unanimous verdict acquitting Ajith Kumara. Delivering the verdict, High Court Judge Ananda Grero said the prosecution had not proved the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. However, immediately following their discharge from prison, Ajith Kumara and Goonewardene were re-arrested.

Ajith Kumara entered politics becoming an active member of the JVP. He later became a JVP politburo member, a Pradeshiya Sabha member and an unsuccessful Chief Ministerial candidate of the JVP for the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections.

In 2001, he gave up contesting elections to campaign for the UNP-led United National Front.

Interviewed in 2016, when asked Did you accept a job in Parliament to carry out a plan in a decisive moment? Ajith Kumara replied, That is history and I cannot comment on certain incidents. History will reveal and decide what they are.

You were accused of hurling two hand grenades at the meeting of the government MPs held in Parliament with President Jayewardene on August 18 1987. Is that true?

I was accused and held in jail for six years. My wife and child were killed during that time. I was subjected to all kinds of torture and acquitted.

When asked, Who threw the bombs into the meeting, he said that a witness had said a white hand in a long sleeved shirt had thrown the bomb. When asked, Whose hand was that?

Ajith Kumara said, I dont know. It was not my hand!

Ajith Kumara was freed in August 1993.

(Excerpts from the soon-to-be-released book Explosion in the Parliament of Sri Lanka)

(The writer is Emeritus Professor of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, University of Colombo, and Senior Professor of Forensic Medicine, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Sri Lanka. He can be contacted at ravindrafernando@hotmail.co.uk)
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 ...
Abortion is not a source of prosperity. Chelsea Clinton recently claimed that legalizing abortion has added $3.5 trillion to the U.S. economy between 1973 and 2009. Michael New writes that her unseemly attempt to inject utilitarianism into a debate about fundamental rights turns out to be wrong on the facts:

[O]n Twitter, she cited a 2018 study by Diana Greene Foster that appeared in the American Journal of Public Health. This study was part of the abortion turnaway study which compared the life outcomes of women who obtained abortions to women who had sought abortions but were unable to obtain one because of gestational age limits. The study finds that women who were unable to obtain abortions were more likely to live in poverty in the short term. However, after a five year period, the poverty rates of women who carried their pregnancy to term were almost identical to the group of women who had first-trimester abortions. As such, this study provides no evidence to support Clintons assertion that legalizing abortion created trillions in wealth. []
Chethan B G Senior - BHPian



Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,561 Thanked: 1,387 Times

View My Garage





Re: BMW - Coding & enabling hidden features BimmerCode & BimmerLink with Vgate iCar2 Wi-Fi adapter - X1 F48



Enabling hidden features at the consumer level is mainly meant to improve Comfort / Convenience and maybe, to activate a few other cool stuff. It is important that the engine / drivetrain parameters are left untouched unless one is trained to do so. It is prudence to limit Coding only to activate the important features that make our life easy on the day to day basis and not to keep meddling with it on a regular basis. As we are just changing the status of the stock features, the changes made are only over-written in the registry. Coding as we do with the BimmerCode does not add lines to the programme and therefore, the checksum or the coding registration should not change. This is similar to selecting options from the iDrive Infotainment system, except that they are not directly accessible.



Hardware remains the same without any changes; it is only that their default status change and that anyway can be altered by the user ON-THE-GO. There is no way this can have any adverse effect on the car as a whole and therefore, denying warranty is not justifiable. However, preserving a copy of the stock setup file can prove invaluable at times.



BimmerCode: The App allows coding of BMW cars and has 2 stages; the first being the simple / straight forward one, which covers the most common features, that too in English. This is sufficient for most purpose. The second being an advanced one, needs in-depth knowledge and unfortunately is in German language; therefore, best avoided unless one can understand German language and knows exactly what he /she is up to. The app saves a copy of the log file every time it scans. This can be exported to an iMac through iTunes for later use.



It is a good practice to check error logs through BimmerLink before attempting any changes. This can serve as a reference for future too. It is important to keep the slate clean after every session and therefore, investing on both BimmerCode and BimmerLink makes sense; BimmerCode is used to make changes to the default status of the features and BimmerLink is used to check / clear errors if any.



It is good to turn-on Airplane mode and enable only Wi-Fi connection before starting the activity. This will avoid any calls / messages interrupting the activity itself which can stall communication.



It is recommended to keep the Engine off with the ignition turned-on during the activity. As the modules are reset after applying the changes to the registry, the engine will be turned off. This can create a tense situation un-necessarily.



As the modules are reset during the process, there can be communication drop between modules which can throw-up errors. These errors are automatically erased during the end stages of coding. However, after the coding activity, it is good to manually check for errors through BimmerLink and erase them if needed.



It is best to code features pertaining to one module at a time and verify the results before attempting another module. Some modules which are a combination of analog and digital components will be slower in communication. Therefore, for modules such as Infotainment system, Speedo-Combo, etc. slow communication needs to be selected under settings.



App can be downloaded for free and verified in the Demo mode before purchasing / unlocking the same for coding. Quick start guide and FAQ including the list of supported cars and the options available are all available within the app too.



Make sure that the Mobile battery is fully charged and plan ahead to complete the coding activity within 15-20 minutes so that the car battery does not drain. It is a good practice to keep all accessories switched off during the activity.





















BimmerLink: A must have for reading and clearing errors. I would not recommend coding without having this app, as it is very important to clear errors if any, after the activity. This will also help as a future reference. The app also has features to display sensor values, control exhaust flap, along with the provision to have required parameters to be displayed as a dashboard. I am yet to check these features as everything is in German; will update as and when I figure out something!









Vgate iCar2 Wifi OBD2 adapter which was available with me came in handy. I downloaded both BimmerCode and BimmerLink apps from Apple Store for approximately Rs.2100 each. Wi-Fi dongle worked fine with communication speed similar to that I have experienced with the VCDS.



Vgate iCar2 Wifi OBD2 adapter



BimmerCode & BimmerLink





But honestly, I miss VCDS; wish Ross-Tech had their product covered for BMW too.



Features that I could successfully code:



1. Auto Start/Stop system OFF by default

2. Auto fold/unfold ORVM with lock/unlock



Indian variant X1 F48 does not have the hardware pertaining to the front passenger seat belt reminder!! Therefore this non-existing feature can-not be activated!! Crap!!



Of-late, BMW has hard-coded lane change indicator cycle selector. Therefore this can-not be accessed for coding. Choice through Infotainment system is only between 1 and 3 cycles.



Auto Handbrake activation is not possible through BimmerCode. Have to try my luck elsewhere. I read somewhere on the net that this is possible through E-Sys.



I will be glad to support fellow BHPians in Bangalore to activate these features if they need / interested. It will be nice if someone has Carly or the E-Sys in Bangalore, so that they can be compared. Maybe, they can activate a couple of things that the BimmerCode couldnt.



Thanks for reading! Any suggestions / comments will help! Enabling hidden features at the consumer level is mainly meant to improve Comfort / Convenience and maybe, to activate a few other cool stuff. It is important that the engine / drivetrain parameters are left untouched unless one is trained to do so. It is prudence to limit Coding only to activate the important features that make our life easy on the day to day basis and not to keep meddling with it on a regular basis. As we are just changing the status of the stock features, the changes made are only over-written in the registry. Coding as we do with the BimmerCode does not add lines to the programme and therefore, the checksum or the coding registration should not change. This is similar to selecting options from the iDrive Infotainment system, except that they are not directly accessible.Hardware remains the same without any changes; it is only that their default status change and that anyway can be altered by the user ON-THE-GO. There is no way this can have any adverse effect on the car as a whole and therefore, denying warranty is not justifiable. However, preserving a copy of the stock setup file can prove invaluable at times.The App allows coding of BMW cars and has 2 stages; the first being the simple / straight forward one, which covers the most common features, that too in English. This is sufficient for most purpose. The second being an advanced one, needs in-depth knowledge and unfortunately is in German language; therefore, best avoided unless one can understand German language and knows exactly what he /she is up to. The app saves a copy of the log file every time it scans. This can be exported to an iMac through iTunes for later use.It is a good practice to check error logs through BimmerLink before attempting any changes. This can serve as a reference for future too. It is important to keep theclean after every session and therefore, investing on both BimmerCode and BimmerLink makes sense; BimmerCode is used to make changes to the default status of the features and BimmerLink is used to check / clear errors if any.It is good to turn-on Airplane mode and enable only Wi-Fi connection before starting the activity. This will avoid any calls / messages interrupting the activity itself which can stall communication.It is recommended to keep the Engine off with the ignition turned-on during the activity. As the modules are reset after applying the changes to the registry, the engine will be turned off. This can create a tense situation un-necessarily.As the modules are reset during the process, there can be communication drop between modules which can throw-up errors. These errors are automatically erased during the end stages of coding. However, after the coding activity, it is good to manually check for errors through BimmerLink and erase them if needed.It is best to code features pertaining to one module at a time and verify the results before attempting another module. Some modules which are a combination of analog and digital components will be slower in communication. Therefore, for modules such as Infotainment system, Speedo-Combo, etc.needs to be selected under settings.App can be downloaded for free and verified in the Demo mode before purchasing / unlocking the same for coding. Quick start guide and FAQ including the list of supported cars and the options available are all available within the app too.Make sure that the Mobile battery is fully charged and plan ahead to complete the coding activity within 15-20 minutes so that the car battery does not drain. It is a good practice to keep all accessories switched off during the activity.A must have for reading and clearing errors. I would not recommend coding without having this app, as it is very important to clear errors if any, after the activity. This will also help as a future reference. The app also has features to display sensor values, control exhaust flap, along with the provision to have required parameters to be displayed as a dashboard. I am yet to check these features as everything is in German; will update as and when I figure out something!which was available with me came in handy. I downloaded both BimmerCode and BimmerLink apps from Apple Store for approximately Rs.2100 each. Wi-Fi dongle worked fine with communication speed similar to that I have experienced with the VCDS.But honestly, I miss; wish Ross-Tech had their product covered for BMW too.1. Auto Start/Stop system OFF by default2. Auto fold/unfold ORVM with lock/unlockIndian variantF48 does not have the hardware pertaining to the front passenger seat belt reminder!! Therefore this non-existing feature can-not be activated!! Crap!!Of-late, BMW has hard-coded lane change indicator cycle selector. Therefore this can-not be accessed for coding. Choice through Infotainment system is only between 1 and 3 cycles.Auto Handbrake activation is not possible through BimmerCode. Have to try my luck elsewhere. I read somewhere on the net that this is possible through E-Sys.I will be glad to support fellow BHPians in Bangalore to activate these features if they need / interested. It will be nice if someone has Carly or the E-Sys in Bangalore, so that they can be compared. Maybe, they can activate a couple of things that the BimmerCode couldnt.Thanks for reading! Any suggestions / comments will help!
"I am proud to endorse JB Pritzker to be the next governor of my home state of Illinois, and let me tell you why. Its simple, JB gets things done," the former president says in a 1.26 YouTube ad released by the Pritzker campaign Monday.

Pritzker created "hundreds of new companies" and more than 7000 "good jobs," Obama says.
"We needed a person that would be ready to be an actual state representative first, and then a candidate," Shaw, who also serves as the IL GOP's new state co-chairman and member of the party's State Central Committee, told Illinois Review. "Second, we needed a person that could jump into a campaign while serving as state representative. We're confident Helene will be able to do both."

BARRINGTON - Sunday, Lake County GOP chairman Mark Shaw listed an array of reasons why Lake County resident Helene Miller-Walsh was the "clear pick" to fill the vacancy former State Rep. Nick Sauer left when he resigned earlier this month. Walsh was sworn into office Saturday afternoon.

With less than three months left before the General Election, Miller-Walsh's experiences over the past decade added up for Shaw, who had 95 percent of the weighted vote along with Chris Geissler's 5 percent, serving the one Cook County precinct in the 51st District.

"Helene was ready to hit the ground running with an army of volunteers she's worked with along with her husband for over a decade. She had a proven ability to raise funds, and being married to a talk show host and former congressman Joe Walsh, her name recognition will likely cause interest in the race," Shaw said.

Miller-Walsh has years of corporate experience in banking, marketing and publishing. She's also active on several boards of non-profit groups - including the Haym Solomon Center that reaches out to the North Shore Jewish community where Miller-Walsh attends synagogue. She's also on the Board of Advisors to Project HOOD - an organization working within violence-ridden Chicago neighborhoods.

"Helene holds conservative views and I'm certain she will vote in agreement with the Illinois Republican Party platform," Shaw said.

Shaw said over 20 persons expressed interest in the appointment, but only nine submitted the required written applications. He and Geissler personally interviewed all those that submitted written applications. From those interviews, Geissler and Shaw agreed on Walsh.

Three candidates will be on the ballot for the 51st in November: 1. Miller-Walsh, 2. a Democrat public school teacher and 3. an independent candidate. (Clarification made by editor - our apologies to Mrs. Miller-Walsh)

The 51st State Rep District has long been represented by Republicans. Together with State Rep. Dave McSweeney's (R-Barrington) neighboring 52nd District, the two House Districts make up State Senator Dan McConchie's (R-Hawthorn Woods) 26th Senate District.
Kerala floods give way to stench and uncertainty



Aluva, India, Aug 20 (AFP) Aug 20, 2018



The overpowering stench that fills the air in the towns and villages of Kerala is an inescapable reminder that while the filthy flood waters may be subsiding, the full toll of the devastating monsoon deluge will take time to emerge.

In Aluva, on the outskirts of the southern Indian state's main city Kochi, the rain had barely stopped and abandoned cars, sodden furniture and mattresses filled the streets while dirty black water still flowed above knee-level.

A foul smell greeted arrivals at the town's Union Christian College, where classrooms and halls have become a relief camp for some 4,000 people.

Residents speculated that the stench was from rubbish and dead cats, dogs and rats -- or worse.

"Maybe it's human," said one survivor.

More than 400 people have died since heavy rain hit Kerala, triggering deadly landslides and submerging entire villages as rivers burst their banks.

"This smell is of five days without a bath," said Savita Saha. There are long queues at the school's few toilets and no bathroom to wash in.

"Everyone here is wearing the clothes they had when they escaped," she said, squeezed onto a jute mat with her husband, who works at a cashew factory in Kochi.

In one classroom, Rasitha Sojith, from the nearby town of Kaprassery, sobbed as she told of how she escaped through chest-high waters carrying her two-month-old son.

Sojith said water had burst into her home without warning last Wednesday while her father and sister with her three children were visiting to see the new baby.

"With water rising fast, we only grabbed a few clothes for the baby and went to the first-floor terrace of the neighbour's house," she said.

Torrential rain fell for hours as their fear of being trapped mounted, until local fishermen rowed the family to safety the next day.

"Everything is lost. Everything! We don't even have money to go back to our neighbourhood," said Sojith.

"I don't think we will be leaving this camp any time soon."



- Muddy rubble -



An estimated 725,000 people are crammed into similar makeshift camps across Kerala.

Authorities have given a provisional damage toll of $3 billion but the extent of the destruction is likely to prove much greater, some officials and legislators say.

In the Malikampeedika area of Kochi, Mumthaz, who goes by one name, found the smell waiting for her when she returned to her home.

"This muddy rubble and stench is all that is left of our memories," Mumthaz told AFP, as she dragged out mud-caked mattresses and a sofa set, damaged utensils and even her daughters' school awards.

As word spread of flood warnings, Mumthaz had taken her two daughters on Thursday to the home of her parents-in-law, in another neighbourhood.

But floodwaters soon surged through their house as well and the whole family had to be rescued.

"It was surreal. The water was close to the knees at one point and within a few minutes it was touching five feet, with a current so strong that we saw big cars floating like tin cans," she said.

With her husband searching for work in Dubai, Mumthaz knows she will struggle to look after her daughters, with the family facing an uncertain future after the nightmare of the floods.

"There is no kitchen, electricity and water here. I don't know how long it will take before I will be back... (in) my home," she said.
Kerala floods give way to stench and uncertainty



Aluva, India, Aug 20 (AFP) Aug 20, 2018



The overpowering stench that fills the air in the Kerala town of Aluva is an inescapable reminder that while the filthy floodwaters may subside, the full toll of the devastating monsoon deluge will take time to emerge.

The rain had barely stopped falling in the town on the outskirts of the southern Indian state's main city, Kochi, and abandoned cars, sodden furniture and mattresses filled the streets while dirty black water still flowed above knee-level.

A foul smell greeted people arriving at the Union Christian College, where classrooms and halls became a relief camp for up to 4,000 at the peak of the floods.

Some have started to leave. Residents who remain speculated that the stench was from rubbish and dead cats, dogs and rats -- or worse.

"Maybe it's human," said one survivor.

More than 400 people have died since heavy rain hit Kerala in recent weeks, triggering deadly landslides and submerging entire villages as rivers burst their banks.

"This smell is of five days without a bath," said Savita Saha, one of the migrants in the big hall. There are long queues at the school's few toilets and no bathroom to wash in.

"Everyone here is wearing the clothes they had when they escaped," she said, squeezed onto a jute mat with her husband, who works at a cashew factory in Kochi.

In one classroom Rasitha Sojith, from the nearby neighbourhood of Kaprassery, sobbed as she told how she escaped through chest-high waters carrying her two-month-old son.

Sojith said water burst into her home without warning last Wednesday while her father and sister, with her three children, were visiting to see the new baby.

"With water rising fast, we only grabbed a few clothes for the baby and went to the first-floor terrace of the neighbour's house," she said.

Torrential rain fell for hours and they grew increasingly fearful of becoming trapped, until local fishermen rowed the family to safety the next day.

"Everything is lost. Everything! We don't even have money to go back to our neighbourhood," said Sojith.

"I don't think we will be leaving this camp any time soon."



- Muddy rubble -



An estimated 725,000 people are crammed into similar makeshift camps across Kerala.

Authorities have given a provisional damage toll of $3 billion but the extent of the destruction is likely to prove much greater, some officials and legislators say.

In the Malikampeedika area of Kochi, Mumthaz, who goes by one name, found the smell waiting for her when she returned home.

"This muddy rubble and stench is all that is left of our memories," Mumthaz told AFP, as she dragged out mud-caked mattresses and a sofa set, damaged utensils and even her daughters' school awards.

As word spread of flood warnings, Mumthaz had taken her two daughters on Thursday to the home of her parents-in-law in another neighbourhood.

But floodwater soon surged through their house as well and the whole family had to be rescued.

"It was surreal. The water was close to the knees at one point and within a few minutes it was touching five feet, with a current so strong that we saw big cars floating like tin cans," she said.

With her husband searching for work in Dubai, Mumthaz knows she will struggle to look after her daughters, with the family facing an uncertain future after the nightmare of the floods.

"There is no kitchen, electricity and water here. I don't know how long it will take before I will be back... (in) my home," she said.
Five dead in flash flood in Italy's Calabria region



Rome, Aug 20 (AFP) Aug 20, 2018



Five hikers have died after a mountain stream suddenly flooded in Italy's Calabria region, local emergency services said Monday.

"We can confirm five deaths, according to the police on the scene," the local civil protection unit told AFP.

According to local media reports the five dead were part of a group of approximately 15 people walking along the Raganello stream in the Pollino national park, around a dozen of whom were rescued.

A search and rescue operation is ongoing, including with the help of a helicopter, to establish whether there are any more people missing. It is not clear how many people were in the park when the stream flooded.

Earlier on Monday this part of Calabria, near the town of Cosenza, experienced several hours of heavy rain and strong winds although conditions have now eased.
Makeup enthusiasts frequently look for easy-to-apply, durable and affordable products for everyday makeup. However finding one that fits the bill is not an easy task.

Fortunately, Indonesias beauty industry is growing, resulting in plenty of emerging local brands to choose from.

Below are five local products that are practical without burning a hole in your wallet.

5-in-1 Makeup Palette by Minuet

5-in-1 makeup palette by Minuet allows makeup enthusiasts to create both formal and informal looks. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

Founded by makeup artist Vinna Gracia and beauty influencer Marcella Cindercella Febrianne Hadikusumo, Minuet offers a 5-in-1 makeup palette, comprising four eye shadow colors, contour, bronzer, highlighter and blush.

Priced at Rp 330,000 (US$22.58), the palette features wearable matte and shimmery shades, such as brown, terra cotta, pastel orange and metallic gold, allowing you to create both formal and informal looks.

Matte Liner  Pitch Black by BLP Beauty

A post shared by BLP Beauty (@blpbeauty) on Jun 23, 2018 at 10:19pm PDT

BLP Beauty is among the popular local brands nowadays. Founded by makeup artist Elizabeth Lizzie Christina Parameswari, the brand offers various products, including lip coats, eye shadow pens, eyeliners and loose powders.

BLP Beauty Matte Liner  Pitch Black is among the recommended local liquid eyeliners. Featuring a thick yet smooth sponge tip, the eyeliner is relatively easy to apply.

The waterproof eyeliner can last the whole day and it is only priced at Rp 109,000.

Read also: Local matte lipstick brands that you should try

Melted Matte Lip by Goban Cosmetics

A post shared by Goban Cosmetics (@gobancosmetics) on Jul 11, 2018 at 1:54am PDT

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Lipstick by Nood Cosmetics

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One cant have too many lipsticks. Those who still have room in their makeup pouch may want to consider this product from Nood Cosmetics.

The new kid on the block offers vegan, cruelty free and halal lipsticks.

The formula includes vitamin E, which works to moisturize your lips. The lipstick is priced at Rp 155,000 and is available in various shades.

The Realest Lightweight Foundation by Rose All Day

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Many people have a love-hate relationship with foundation. We need it to cover up dark spots or wrinkles, but not everyone fancies the sticky and heavy textures.

Rose All Day offers a lightweight foundation. Priced at Rp 209,000, the product combines hyaluronic acid, zinc, vitamin C and vitamin E, which work to protect, hydrate and keep your skin moisturized.

Moreover, the foundation comes in an airless pump tube, ensuring that users have a mess-free makeup session. (kes)
Commedia dellarte (art of comedy) is a form of professional theater originating from Italy, in which actors have the chance to improvise their dialogue.

Most of the time, the actors wear masks to represent different characters. Although there is dialogue, often times words are rarely used as a way for the audience to interpret the show however way they like.

The art, essentially, delves deep into the ways people communicate with each other through different gestures, signals and minimal words.

Indonesia was treated to the art through a performance by Italian maestro Enrico Bonavera, who staged I segreti di Arlecchino (The Secrets of Harlequin) at the Goethe Institute Jakarta on Aug. 3. The Italian actor visited Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java in 1993 to perform the same art.

Bonavera was invited to Jakarta this time around not only to showcase his skill in Commedia dellarte but also to display a link between Italian culture and Indonesia.

This form of art happens to have many connections to Indonesian traditions such as the Balinese tari topeng (mask dance), which also requires masks to perform.

[We want] to present some pieces of theater that are really a challenge. [] We want to give an example of an Italian art form  Commedia dellarte, said Vittorio Sandalli, Italian ambassador to Indonesia.

Through the performance, Bonavera aims to show the secrets of Commedia dellarte and the core of this niche of theater through his point of view. It is also believed that watching the performance can be a training tool for those who may want to enter this kind of art.

What is the performance about? Still, the question  is there even an answer? It is about Commedia dellarte. []. [The play] is about the core of Commedia dellarte from the point of view of Enrico Bonavera, of course, explained Carmencita Palermo, Balinese mask expert from the University of Naples LOrientale and moderator of Bonaveras press conference.

Bonavera first started studying and performing Commedia dellarte more than three decades ago during the 1980s when he first stumbled upon the many masks that actors use on the field.

With his attention drawn, the actor later continued his studies from just the masks to the actual art and methods to be a Commedia dellarte actor.

Read also: Italian jazz duo commemorates Nice attack

I came from another kind of theater. And then, when I got in touch with the mask, I started to really study the mask. But at the same time I discovered that Commedia dellarte is a very large field where we can practice improvisation and also study Italian culture, said Bonavera.

Before he became one of the most well-known interpreters of Harlequin  one of the main characters in the Commedia dellarte world  he was an apprentice of legendary actor Ferruccio Soleri.

Later on, he studied experimental theatre with directors Eugenio Barba and Jerzy Grotowski at the Teatro di Ricera.

Previously, Bonavera acted in a play titled Il servitor di due padroni (The Servant of Two Masters) as his usual Harlequin and another character known as Brighella.

From 1987 to 1990 and from 2000 until present day, the Italian actor has traveled all over the world  Europe, the United States, Canada, South America, North Africa and Asia to perform. The show was directed by Giorgio Strehler and was originally performed at the Piccolo Theatre in Milan.

Bonavera collaborated with Scuola del Teatro Stabile in Genoa as a teacher in 1990. Since then, he has also taught at the ENSATT National School of Arts and Techniques in France, the European Summer School in S. Miniato of Pisa, Teatro del Veneto in Italy and the Mask Center in Abano Terme.

He has been working as an adjunct professor since 2004 at the DAMS of the University of Imperia and is a tutor at the Commedia dellarte Academy in the Piccolo Theatre in Milan and Shapkin Theatre School in Moscow.

The show in Jakarta was held as part of collaboration between the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Jakarta.

Bonavera expressed the hope the audience would feel a sense of joy through his character and acting and could relate to them.

The message [of this play] is the poetry of human behavior, of human survival. This is a nice way to get in touch with these problems because the characters of Commedia dellarte are really nice, sometimes silly. Also, when they are bad characters there is some childishness, he says. [I hope the audience could feel] inside. From the mask, there is naivete.

__________

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.
Robots that can diagnose diseases, play badminton and wow audiences with their musical skills are among the machines China hopes could revolutionise its economy, with visitors to a Beijing exhibition offered a glimpse of an automated future.

The popular stars of this year's World Robot Conference, which ends Sunday, were undoubtedly the small, amateur-made "battle bots" which smashed, hammered and sawed their way through their opponents to a cacophony of cheers and shouts from a rapt audience.

"With this robot, I can fully express myself. I love the sparks," said Huang Hongsong, one of around a dozen Chinese youths whose creations went head-to-head.

But while the battle bots are designed largely to entertain onlookers, China is deadly serious about riding the robotic wave with an eye on its economy.

Cheap manufacturing propelled the populous giant to become the world's second largest economy in just a few decades.

But the country's population is ageing, leaving it facing a double whammy of a worker shortage and increased labour costs as it gets wealthier.

Automated machines offer a possible way out with President Xi Jinping in 2014 calling for a "robot revolution".

Under the ruling Communist Party's road map for its industrial future -- dubbed "Made in China 2025" -- state subsidies are pouring into the sector.

And at the robot show, a vast array of machines demonstrated how technology may eventually replace human workers.

In one corner, a mechanical arm -- designed to teach children -- painted an elegant Chinese character while a robotic fish explored its tank and a bat flapped its mechanical wings overhead.

- Delicate balance -

By 2020, China is aiming for half of the industrial robots sold in the country to be made by Chinese companies, up from 27 percent currently -- with a target of 70 percent by 2025.

"Robots are the jewel in the crown for the manufacturing industry... a new frontier for our industrial revolution," said Xin Guobin, China's vice minister of industry, as he opened the conference.

But it is a delicate balancing act for Chinese policy-makers due to the potential for human job losses -- a 2016 World Bank report said automation could threaten up to 77 percent of jobs in China's current labour market.

Nonetheless a great robotic leap forward has already been made.

China is now the world's number one market for industrial robots with some 141,000 units sold last year, accounting for a third of global demand, according to the International Federation of Robotics, which says demand could rise an additional 20 percent per year until 2020.

"China has huge opportunities to increase the level of its industrial automation (and) industrial robotisation," said Karel Eloot, an expert at consultancy firm McKinsey.

He notes that China still has huge room for growth given that competitors like Japan and Germany have four times the level of robotisation in their factories compared to the Asian giant.

Qu Daokui, president of local firm Siasun, which was showing off a snake-like robot that can operate in narrow passages, said China needs to increase the quality and sophistication of its robots, particularly in the field of AI.

"We used to focus on the accuracy, reliability and speed of robots -- now it's their flexibility, intelligence and adaptability that makes the difference," he said, adding robots needed to interact and adapt to their environments and "make independent decisions".

Read also: Kevin Herjono: Taking it to the next level

- Doctor Bot -

Outside China's factories, robots are becoming a more visible presence, deployed in restaurants and banks and even delivering parcels.

China's iFlytek, a specialist in speech recognition systems, presented a new "medical assistant" robot at the Beijing show which it said was able to help identify up to 150 diseases and ailments -- even passing a national medical qualification exam with a high score.

The robot, which operated in conjunction with a doctor, asks patients a series of diagnostic questions and can also analyse X-rays.

"It's already being used in hospitals since March and has made some 4,000 diagnoses," company president Liu Qingfeng said, adding such a device could be particularly useful for clinics in more remote parts of China.

Chindex, a subsidiary of the conglomerate Fosun, also distributes the "Da Vinci System" in China, an American built robot with arms and high-tech cameras to aid surgeons in the operating theatre.

"It transcends the limits of the (human) eye," chief operating officer Liu Yu enthused.

But like the diagnostic robot, it still needs a helping human hand.

"It only helps the doctor, it cannot replace them. It would not be ethical, the human body is still too complicated," he said.
Wednesday morning, Oct. 7, 1998 could have been just another ordinary day for Judy. She got up and prepared for her day as usual, being completely unaware that that morning would mark a turning point that would send her little universe  her family  rocking and rolling.

She learned that her 21-year-old son Matthew had been found in a coma after being brutally attacked by then-unidentified assailants, who subsequently left him dying after tying him to a fence outside Laramie in Wyoming, the United States. He was pronounced dead six days after the attack on Oct. 12, 1998.

One of his attackers, who initially identified Matthew as a robbery target, eventually beat him to death after Matthew unintentionally touched his knee. Matthew was gay and the attack was motivated by the murderers disgust of homosexuals.

Judys life was turned upside down in an instant. Her grief was intensified by three elements: the breaking of the myth that parents should die before their children and the fact that she would never see her son grow into the latter part of his adulthood; the violent, senseless and brutal manner, in which her son died, as well as the sudden occurrence of the death itself.

Recollecting the days after the tragic incident, Judy said she could not even picture how to move on with her life and continue to live with this big boulder of grief blocking her way forward.

Little did she realize, she was going through a baptism by fire. The idea of a baptism by fire was first used in the Bible, specifically quoting John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11. It then appears again in several other Biblical verses: Mark 10:38, James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 4:12. Taken metaphorically, the phrase seems to symbolize a persons archetypal journey into a tremendous test of faith  of themselves, of the people around them, of the sacredness of life, of humanity in general.

After being purified by the fire, the person would eventually commit him or herself to a life of service to others, in many ways, shapes or forms.

Now let me tell you about Viktor Frankl. A Jewish-Austrian man, he and his family were sent to a Nazi ghetto in 1942 in Germany. Later, in 1944, he and his wife, Tilly, were transferred to Auschwitz.

Read also: Essay: Childhood memories

During those years, Frankl worked as a forced laborer, enduring back-breaking and grueling physical work day after day after day after day. Like many other prisoners in that camp, he was made to eat unappetizing meals with very low nutritional value. He began to lose weight, dramatically. And yet he survived. In 1944, Germany lost World War II. In January 1945, the Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp and he made it out alive.

Not only that, he also lived to tell the tale. Frankl died in 1997 at the age of 92, leaving behind a treasure trove of experiences as a teacher, therapist and prolific writer. Despite the horrors he went through in the concentration camps, he lived a vibrant and inspiring life afterward.

He said the secret to his resilience was his lifes meaning. This drove him to work hard to survive the concentration camps  the physically weak ones were the first ones to be murdered while the strong ones were used as forced laborers  in order to reunite with his wife again and become a lecturer who would live to tell these stories to enlighten his students.

His wife unfortunately died. But his teaching and writing activities restored his lifes meaning. His 1946 memoir Mans Search for Meaning eventually became an all-time bestseller, providing countless people  myself included  solace and strength in difficult times.

Why Frankls message remains relevant and powerful today?

This is a life full of challenges. Many people have been victims of violence, disasters and other tragedies, resulting in pain and chaos in their lives. But pain and chaos do not mark our storys ultimate finale. They just represent plot twists in our lives. We can always change it for the better.

Pain and chaos allow us to choose to take the wisdom out of the wound, to reclaim our life. By going through such experiences, we become more refined emotionally and intellectually. We also try our best to prevent and mitigate other peoples suffering.

Painful experiences also refine our sensitivity toward other peoples suffering. When somebody else speaks about their trauma, we do not just say the cold and formal Im so sorry, but we are able to hold a space for them with a heart and mind that truly understand what helplessness feels like.

Finally, having been confronted with death and helplessness, we begin to really think about what is truly meaningful in our lives. We know our time is short. We know that we have suffered enough and are no longer willing to waste our time on superficial things anymore. We begin to think about what we truly want to do with our lives.

Read also: Essay: Literature and politics

Frankl was able to come out on the other side strengthened and ennobled by his suffering, as did Elie Wiesel, another Auschwitz survivor who, like Frankl, also lived a long life before his death in 2016 at the age of 87. Elie also discovered a new meaning that sustained his post-Auschwitz life as a writer and activist who was fighting for everybodys rights to be treated humanely.

Wiesel even said in his memoir Night (1960) that perhaps he had survived the concentration camp so he could write that book, to serve as a cautionary tale to humanity about just how dark and violent humans could be, to strive for a more peaceful world.

Wars and conflicts are not going to stop. We would never be able to attain utopia. But it is worth the fight. Because we have to take sides in a constant battle between good and evil. We will leave this planet the same way we arrived: with nothing, but the residue of our choices. Will we do our best to alleviate the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, or will we have added to their pain?

Well, wait a minute, I hear you say, what about Judy?

Judy has also chosen to turn her suffering into a beacon of light. She wants to overcome hate crime and stop violence  because one human victim is too much a cost to bear already. She knows this because she has gone through the experience of losing her son to a senseless hate crime.

She is currently running the Matthew Shepard Foundation, an organization seeking to embrace diversity in its various forms  race, gender, sexual orientation. She also authored a book called The Meaning of Matthew (2009), true to Frankls notion of finding meaning in ones post-traumatic life.

I do not know what kind of hardship you are in right now, but if you are about to throw your hands up: hold on. For just one more day.

Who knows what kind of insight you will get tomorrow? Who knows what kind of new, life-affirming interpretation with which you can approach your suffering tomorrow? Who knows what kind of meaning you might discover from your life experiences tomorrow, which might lead you to a life of service to others? To protect the sacredness of life? To be an instrument of peace in a politically-turbulent world?

Maybe you too  like Judy, Frankl and Wiesel  are undergoing a baptism by fire. And you will, like them, also come out on the other side, purified and ennobled by your experience.
Global luxury brands from Prada to LVMH are investing in China for the first time since a crackdown on conspicuous spending five years ago, focusing on smaller, less developed cities even as the world's second-largest economy slows.

Increasing spending by cash-rich Chinese millennials, largely unhindered by a crackdown on corruption and extravagant spending, is prompting brands to revamp some stores and open new ones in second- and third-tier cities where luxury spending is growing faster.

The youngsters, who account for around 30 per cent of the sector's China sales, are a demographic less sensitive to wider economic factors, executives said.

"There is the emergence in China of a very strong upper class or upper middle class," Mr Jean-Paul Agon, chairman and chief executive of cosmetics group L'Oreal said on a call with analysts.

"And the difference is that now millennials from this middle and middle upper class are absolutely not hesitant to buy luxury brands."

Often single children armed with family money, the 20-34 year-old demographic started buying luxury brands at a young age and purchases more frequently, splurging on everything from jewellery and fashion, to cosmetics and handbags, industry experts say.

Many millennials are also choosing to remain in the country's outlying provinces, shunning more expensive, larger cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, thanks to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation.

"Where the spend is? It is the post-90s, the young generation - definitely a young generation that spends money on luxury," said Shanghai-based Mr Daniel Zipser, senior partner at McKinsey & Co.

Revenue growth in China's luxury segment was around 15-20 per cent for the first half of the year, Mr Zipser added.

Read also: LVMH shrugs off China concerns in boon to luxury peers

Trade war jitters

Chinese luxury shoppers account for more than 500 billion yuan (S$100 billion) in annual spending, representing almost a third of the global luxury market, McKinsey said in its latest report.

Brands including Kering's Gucci to Britain's Burberry and French luxury handbag maker Hermes all reported resilient appetite from Chinese shoppers in the second quarter even as escalating China-US trade tensions cast a pall over the broader economy.

The share of luxury purchases made in China is rapidly increasing, several executives said, spurred by price cuts from top brands after authorities reduced import duties on some goods and made it harder to buy products from overseas websites and vendors. A strong euro at the start of 2018 also put off tourists from spending in Europe, executives said.

Prices of luxury goods in China, previously significantly higher than in Europe and the United States, have been gradually falling. Taxes have also been lowered by 7-17 per cent, allowing firms to cut prices.

Italian luxury outerwear maker Moncler has reduced its prices in China by 3.5 per cent on average since July, while Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermes have also cut prices.

"When I compare it with the United States, the price difference between brands is not that large," said student Sunny Deng, 28, who studies in the United States but was on holiday in Shanghai. "Sometimes it's even cheaper here."

Smaller city push

To capture the rapidly growing millennial market, global names are increasingly moving further afield from China's first-tier cities - the previous engines of growth.

Prada, which reported strong half-year earnings bolstered by Chinese consumers, opened seven stores this year in Xi'an, home of China's Terracotta Army in the northwest. Three were for the Prada label, two for its Miu Miu brand and two for Church's.

Read also: China's European fashion habit moves to the boardroom

LVMH opened a store in the sprawling central city of Wuhan, home to 11 million people, while jewellery brand Chaumet opened a store in the city of Wuxi, outside Shanghai. Hermes is launching a store in Xi'an in September.

Even so, luxury firms are wary of demand softening in the second half of the year as a trade row between China and the United States escalates.

"It would be unwise not to make some allowances for the uncertain political and macroenvironment," Mr Jean-Francois Palus, Kering group managing director, said in July.

LVMH chief financial officer Jean Jacques Guiony, on a call with analysts in July, also warned of potential risks from increased global tariffs.

"Although the luxury industry is not in the front line on this, such a risk would certainly bare some negative consequences for us," he said.

Brands have also been putting increasing emphasis on their digital offerings to court China's online shoppers.

Louis Vuitton and Gucci both launched Chinese e-commerce sites last year and Hermes plans to roll out its site in China later this year.

Louis Vuitton has also teamed up with China's Baidu to use facial recognition to support its first fragrance campaign in the country.

Mr Zipser said Chinese households were ramping up spending thanks to a younger generation who enjoyed buying luxury. McKinsey expects incremental spending from existing Chinese customers to account for 60 per cent of the next 10 years of growth.

"It is all the extra spend per person increasing on that. In the past, it was primarily more people. Now it is more people plus more spend of existing people," he said.
Photographer Ron Amir spent years visiting African migrants in the Israeli desert to understand the new world they had created. He came back with a provocative set of pictures -- without people in them.

The human-less photographs include objects such as a makeshift bench and gym or a mud oven, composed in a way that hints at the migrants' desperation and their attempts to manufacture new lives.

The exhibition, previously on display in Israel, is set to move to the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, where it will open on September 14 and run until December 2.

Amir said recently at the Israel Museum, where the exhibition appeared in 2016, that keeping people out of the pictures was a way to stimulate questions about what the viewer sees.

It was a means to "open another channel of observation that enables developing broader connotations on these sites," the Israeli photographer said.

In one, a plank of thin metal sits atop three stones, wild shrubs behind it leading to a cloudless sky and a red ball attached to power lines.

The understated photograph, its yellowish desert shades punctuated by red flecks of garbage, is named "Hamed Alnnil's Bench."

Alnnil, one of the thousands of African migrants who were held at the Holot detention centre near Israel's border with Egypt, had ventured out of the open facility's boundaries to create his much-needed personal space.

Amir had visited Holot over the years 2014-2016 and befriended some of the facility's residents, who showed him the spaces they had created -- most of them hidden away in the desert land surrounding Holot.

Those held at the now-shuttered facility were allowed to leave during the day.

- 'Time to kill' -

Amir created a series of photographs of the special spaces, with some of them serving clear functions, such as the gym, an oven for baking bread or a row of stones delineating the outline of a small mosque.

Others, such as a line of empty water bottles half-buried in the hard desert ground, give no hint as to their purpose.

The 30 photographs show "what happens when people have a lot of time to kill," Amir said.

The oven ultimately "tells more about us, about Israel, about the system, about the limitations it imposes -- and less about the people who came from Africa," he said.

His decision to keep the migrants unseen in some ways matched what they were facing.

At the time of Amir's work, the Israeli government was seeking a way to make the approximately 42,000 African migrants in the country vanish, with religious and conservative politicians portraying the presence of Muslim and Christian Africans as a threat to Israel's Jewish character.

Many of the migrants, predominantly from Eritrea and Sudan, arrived in Israel illegally through Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

They settled in a number of poor neighbourhoods in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, the country's economic capital.

Others were eventually sent to Holot.

In April, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled an agreement with the UN refugee agency aimed at avoiding forced deportations of thousands of the migrants.

Under the deal, some 16,000 migrants were to be transferred to Western countries, with Israel giving residency to an equal number of them.

Netanyahu faced heavy pressure to cancel the deal from his right-wing base, who want to see all the migrants expelled. Their fate now remains in limbo.

Read also: Photo exhibition reflects on May 1998 riots in Surakarta

- 'Expand the limits' -

Accompanying Amir's photographs are six videos from outside Holot which do contain people -- migrants chatting, posing for a picture, making coffee or listening to music and waiting.

"In Ron's videos, nothing happens," said Noam Gal, the curator for Amir's exhibition in Jerusalem and Paris.

"That's just the point -- you can see what's happening at Holot only if you take upon yourself to sit and kill time from your day, and understand that what happens to the people there is the same time as yours," he said.

The exhibition arrives in Paris as France and other European states also seek ways to deal with an influx of migrants.

To Gal, the Israel Museum's curator of photography, the exhibition is also "an opportunity to draw public attention to the phenomenon (of asylum seekers) from the artistic perspective," he said.

Doing so could even "expand the limits of the discourse so that it's not just between decision-makers of the high political and diplomatic echelons, but maybe there's room here for other voices," Gal said.
Hundreds of thousands celebrated Montreal's Gay Pride March on a sun-drenched Sunday, an event opened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and marked by a minute's silence for the victims of discrimination and repression around the world.

"It's great to celebrate today with everyone. Bonne Fierte! Happy Pride!" the premier told the crowd, dressed in a pale pink shirt and white trousers.

Trudeau was joined by his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and the Canadian-Polish actor Antoni Porowski, who stars in the hit series "Queer Eye."

Hundreds of thousands of people, according to organizers, cheered on a colorful procession of pride, which put women in the limelight and observed a minute of silence for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) victims of repression certain countries.

The pride parade, which involved about 10,000 marchers, notably welcomed as a guest LGBTQ activist Kennedy Olango, who is striving for change in his native Kenya where homosexuality is brutally punished.

Olango called for help from Trudeau's government to change attitudes in his country.

Read also: Istanbul LGBT pride march will go ahead despite ban: Organizers

Trudeau, at a press briefing, added: "Can we stop talking about tolerance?

"We need to talk about acceptance; we need to talk about openness; we need to talk about friendship. We need to talk about love, not just tolerance."

Montreal's Pride March is one of the largest in Canada, drawing hundreds of thousands of people each year, according to organizers.

Justin Trudeau made a splash in 2016 when he kicked off Toronto's Pride march, a first for a Canadian prime minister.
In less than two years, five books filled with Riyas Irmadonas mouth-watering recipes have been published by publisher Gramedia. The fifth book, Chocolate ala Donas Delight, recently hit bookstores.

Dona has been living in Luzern since 2000 with her husband, American chef Andrew Clayton, and their children  Mutiara Putri Clayton and Iman Putra Clayton.

She loves making little treats for her family and occasionally for her friends. However, Dona says she does not sell her cakes.

The love story between Dona and baking started when she wanted to celebrate Mutiaras first birthday in Luzern. Unlike today, when there are more options in terms of decorations on birthday cakes, back in 2001, choices were limited.

I wanted to buy an elaborate birthday cake to celebrate my daughters first birthday. However, back in 2001, in terms of decorations, Swiss cakes were too simple for my liking, she says.

I think the reason is because making a decorative cake from scratch is a very labor intensive process, and labor cost has always been very high in Switzerland, thus they offered simple birthday cakes only. So, I decided to make my own decorative birthday cake.

Making the birthday cake for her first child awakened Donas passion for baking. From that moment on, she decided to start making cakes that suit her taste. Even though nowadays I like European cakes, I disliked them at first, says Dona.

European cakes, which generally use lots of whipped cream and are classed as sponge cakes, are an acquired taste for Dona.

When she and her husband arrived in Switzerland in 2000, her palate was used to the rich American cakes and Indonesian bolu (butter cakes), which are heavier than the typical light, fluffy European cakes.

Dona had never dreamt of publishing a recipe book. Initially, she shared her recipes on her personal Facebook account, Riyas Irmadona.

Her blog of recipes, donasdelight.blogspot.com, which she started at her mother-in-laws suggestion, was launched in 2014. Later, donasdelight.com and Donas Delight public group on Facebook were created in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Read also: World's top chef doesn't want to go back into the kitchen

Dona has always loved sharing her recipes, but taking time to write a recipe book was not yet on her mind.

However, as luck would have it, she was contacted by Gramedia senior editor Intarina Hardiman, who was referred to her by Neni Wiwin, one of 46,687 followers of Donas Delight. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

In March 2017, Gramedia published Donas Delight: Kue Indonesia Populer (Donas Delight: Indonesian Popular Cakes); Donas Delight: Cake Favorit (Donas Delight: Favorite Cakes); and Donas Delight: Roti & Pastry (Donas Delight: Bread & Pastry) at once.

Donas fourth book titled Donas Delight: Resep Cookies (Donas Delight: Cookies Recipes) and fifth book Chocolate ala Donas Delight were released in November 2017 and July 2018 respectively.

Each book had 2,000 copies printed. Two of her books Cake Favorit and Roti & Pastry have been reprinted once, while Resep Cookies is going to be reprinted soon.

It was such a pleasant surprise, actually people do not have to buy my books, as recipes and videos are accessible for free on donasdelight.com, she says.

When asked about the recipe of success for her books, Dona says many people told her that her recipes were fool-proof. However, she begs to differ.

In my opinion, there is no fool-proof recipe. When it comes to baking, there is always the potential for something to go wrong and no matter how good a recipe is, sometimes you will find your cake does not live up to your expectations, says Dona.

Dona is a mainly self-taught baker. She learnt how to bake at Trisakti Tourism Academy in Jakarta but then fell out of practice.

Before getting married, she was the florist manager at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Jakarta, where she met her husband who worked there as a chef.

When her husband ran a catering company and restaurant in Luzern, he entrusted Dona to use her own recipes and make delicacies for his private dining clientele. These days her husband works in a restaurant that has its own pastry chefs.

Tweaking recipes is Donas forte. Her recipes and baked goods have won the hearts of many, including Bruno Heini, one of the two proprietors of Heini Conditorei in Switzerland, which is famous for its delicious cakes.

I am really impressed by the quality of Donas products. She is enormously talented and has a huge passion for baking. Several times I experienced how Dona bought a good product somewhere. When she made it herself, her variation was even better than the original. She is not interested in baking something good; she is always looking for the even better one, says Bruno Heini.

Dona does not mind that people use her recipes for commercial gain. Many people excitedly told Dona they had used her recipes, especially Donat Kampung Celup Cokelat, for commercial use.

Baking and writing recipes are Donas passion; earning money from her recipe books is icing on the cake.

Riyas Irmadona is not a professional baker, but she sure knows how to make delicious cakes, cookies and bread for her family in Luzern, Switzerland and has penned five books that established her reputation as an author.
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Linkedin Usman Sharifi (Agence France-Presse) Kabul, Afghanistan  Mon, August 20, 2018 10:10 1168 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53e3325 2 World #Afghanistan,#Taliban,Afghanistan,Taliban,ceasefire,USA Free

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani declared a provisional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban in a televised broadcast Sunday, a move welcomed by Washington but yet to receive a reply from the militants themselves.

The announcement followed a bloody week of fighting across Afghanistan which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault against the provincial capital Ghazni.

Anticipation had been mounting ahead of Ghani's speech following mixed signals from the presidential palace over whether the government would offer a fresh truce -- following a brief, unprecedented ceasefire earlier in June.

That three day pause in the fighting saw thousands of insurgents pour into cities across Afghanistan to celebrate.

"I once again announce a ceasefire from tomorrow until the prophet's birthday provided that the Taliban reciprocate," said Ghani, referring to the Prophet Mohammeds birthday which Afghanistan celebrates on November 21.

Ghani said his administration removed "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups. But he said the truce would hold only if the insurgents reciprocated.

"We call on the leadership of the Taliban to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long lasting and real peace, and we urge them to get ready for peace talks based on Islamic values and principles," he said, in an announcement as Afghans celebrated their independence day.

- 'Time for peace' -

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed Ghani's announcement and called on the Taliban to participate.

"We remain ready to support, facilitate, and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban," he said in a statement. "There are no obstacles to talks. It is time for peace."

NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg tweeted: "I encourage the Taliban to demonstrate their concern for Afghans by respecting it."

Ghani's announcement was also swiftly welcomed in neighbouring Pakistan, which has long been accused of fostering links with the Taliban's leadership and providing sanctuary to its fighters.

However the offer drew mixed responses among Afghans, with some slamming the idea of welcoming Taliban fighters back into their cities to eat ice cream and pose for selfies like they had during the three-day ceasefire over the Eid holiday in June.

We should not be begging for peace with the Taliban. I promise, if I see any Taliban eating ice cream in Kabul, I will hit him with a stone, wrote Facebook user Rahman Ahmadi.

Others seemed more optimistic if the deal ensured an end to fighting.

Now it is up to the Taliban to make this best ever opportunity for peace & security in Afghanistan, tweeted analyst M. Shafiq Hamdam. 

- Desperation? -

The June ceasefire -- the first such truce in the country since the 2001 US invasion -- spurred hopes that a new path was opening for possible peace talks in the country to the end the nearly 17-year-old war.

But violence has surged in the weeks since as talk of a new ceasefire continued.

The days-long fight for Ghazni, which concluded on Wednesday killed hundreds and saw Taliban fighters ransack the provincial capital, torching buildings and destroying infrastructure.

That battle coincided with blistering attacks on government installations across the country. Analysts have suggested the Taliban were seeking to demonstrate strength ahead of any possible talks.

Ghani did not mention any cease in fighting with the Islamic State group, which has expanded since it first emerged in the region in 2014 and was not included in the June ceasfire, or any of the other militant groups plaguing Afghanistan.

Kabul-based analyst Haroon Mir said the move might be perceived as an act of desperation by the government following mounting battlefield pressure from insurgents.

I doubt the Taliban would reciprocate given their past stance and recent gains on the ground, said Mir.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and low morale, have taken staggering losses since US-led NATO combat forces pulled out at the end of 2014.

But it is ordinary Afghans who have borne the brunt of the violence in the grinding conflict, especially in Kabul, which the United Nations has said is the deadliest place for civilians in the country.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to the offer but in a message from its leader published over the weekend to mark the upcoming Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha the group continued to push for direct talks with the US.

Washington has repeatedly refused, saying negotiations must be Afghan-led.

Last month, however, Taliban representatives met US officials for talks in Qatar, though little is known about the details of the meeting.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, August 20, 2018 16:53 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53fda08 1 Business MRT,MRT-Jakarta,trains,arrival,tanjung-priok Free

Four trains for the Jakarta MRT have arrived in the capital from Toyohashi, Japan.

The trains, each of which comprises six cars, are being transported from Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta to the MRT Jakarta depot in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, starting on Sunday, with the final delivery expected to be made on Aug. 27, according to a press release from PT MRT Jakarta.

Produced by Nippon Sharyo, the trains arrived in Jakarta on Saturday. Two trains that previously arrived are currently being used for system acceptance tests (SAT).

MRT Jakarta plans to purchase a total of 16 trains, 14 of which will be used daily while the other two will be set aside as backup.

The remaining trains are scheduled to arrive in Jakarta in November.

MRT is set to start a trial run in December before becoming fully operational in March 2019, MRT Jakarta president director William Sabandar has said.

The 15.7-kilometer phase one of the MRT from Lebak Bulus to the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle in Central Jakarta is expected to start operating in March 2019.

Phase two, which is 8.3 km long, will run from the HI traffic circle to Kampung Bandan in North Jakarta. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, August 20, 2018 10:01 1168 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53e2419 4 Business smelters,development,concentrate,export-permit,revocation Free

The government has temporarily revoked four concentrate export permits because the mining companies had failed to fulfill their commitment to develop smelters as part of the permit's requirements.

Kontan.co.id reported that three of the four companies are nickel miners, all based in Southeast Sulawesi: PT Surya Saga Utama in Bombana; PT Modern Cahaya Makmur in Konawe; and PT Integra Mining Nusantara in Konawe Selatan. The other company is bauxite miner PT Lobindo Nusa Persada, based in Bintan, Riau Islands.

Another nickel miner has received a final warning letter from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.

The ministry's mineral business supervision director Bambang Susigit confirmed that the export permits had been revoked. Correct, their permits were revoked," Bambang said on Sunday in Jakarta, as the companies had not submitted any progress reports on the smelters' development.

Bambang said the government would soon reinstate the exports permits if the companies showed their commitment to fulfill the requirement.

It depends on the company. If they submit their reports, we will clarify and review them immediately. If the reports are valid, we will reissue the permits. Otherwise, we will issue their final warning 45 days before we stop [their exports], he said.

The requirement to develop the smelter over a certain time is stipulated in Energy and Mineral Resources Ministerial Regulation No. 25/2018 on mineral and coal mining.

Processing and Smelting Companies Association (AP3I) founder Jonathan Handojo criticized the ministry for failing to monitor progress in smelter development.

The ministry lacks [a control mechanism]. The ministry should closely and periodically monitor the commitment of each company, Jonathan added. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, August 20, 2018 19:33 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5407b59 1 City Joko-Avianto,Bundaran-HI,Independence-Day,bamboo,art,installation Free

Joko Avianto, a West Java-born artist, has graced the landscape of the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta with his latest bamboo installation dubbed Getah Getih.

It took 10 men, one week and 1,600 pieces of bamboo to install the 5.5-meter-tall artwork named Getah Getih, in reference to the red-and-white flag of the 13th century Javanese Majapahit Kingdom, which became the country's national flag.

The artwork was held up by 73 bamboo stilts, symbolizing 73 years of Indonesian independence. The tangling shape was made to imitate a rope knot, which symbolizes unity.

Joko also said he did not mind peoples interpretation of his work. Many internet users have voiced negative comments on the work, saying it looks like two people having sex when seen from above. Many also said the work, worth Rp 500 million (US$34,282), was a waste as a fast-degrading installation.

Joko has consistently used bamboo for his work, which has brought him to many high-profile exhibitions around the world.

My first international exhibition was in the 2012 Art Jog, Yogyakarta, Joko said as quoted by kompas.com on Sunday. He was a commissioned artist, having his tangling bamboos decorating the facade of Yogyakarta Cultural Park, the venue of the exhibition. Afterward, he took off to Malaysia and decorated the City Hall of George Town in Penang with 3,000 bamboo stalks in 2013. In the years that followed, he had his works exhibited at Art Stage Singapore, Frankfurter Kunstverein in Germany and Yokohama Triennale in Japan. (gis)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Almaty, Kazkhstan  Mon, August 20, 2018 20:38 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df540b80b 2 World #Kazakhstan,Kazakhstan,activist,fine,menstruation Free

A Kazakh court on Monday fined a feminist and LGBT activist for "hooliganism" after she took part in a campaign aimed at breaking the taboo around menstruation in the ex-Soviet nation.

Zhanar Sekerbayeva, co-founder of the feminist group Feminita, was ordered to pay a fine of 35 dollars (30 euros) by a court in the Central Asian republic's largest city of Almaty, an AFP journalist said.

Sekerbayeva took part in a photoshoot in the centre of Almaty on August 9 in which she and other activists held up posters, including a drawing of a woman menstruating over traditional Yurt tents.

"This subject has always been and remains shameful in Kazakh society: we don't talk about it and we prefer to avoid any discussion of the subject," Feminita wrote at the time on its website.

A week later the activist was taken to a police station and charged with minor hooliganism, a crime that can be punished with up to 10 days in jail.

"It's a shame that activists from the LGBT community are facing judgement for their political views," Sekerbayeva told AFP following the ruling.

"We didn't attack anyone. Quite the opposite -- during the demonstration we were subject to mockery and condemnation of passersby," she said, adding that she intended to appeal the judgement.

Shortly after she was charged, Amnesty International denounced the process against her and called on authorities to end any prosecution immediately.

"Rather than addressing the human rights concerns raised by these activists and seeking ways to break down the harmful stigma surrounding menstruation in Kazakhstan, the authorities have opted to shut down the discussion," said Amnesty's Eastern Europe and Central Asia researcher Heather McGill.
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Linkedin Putera Satria Sambijantoro (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, August 20 2018

In 2010, economist Joseph Stiglitz warned of the danger of deficit-cut fetishism as finance ministers in Europe and the United States  under pressure from politicians to cut debt  decided to impose fiscal austerity and reduce government spending.



Stiglitz particularly took a swipe at the so-called deficit hawks, or those who prioritize stability over growth. His argument: Debt-financed productive spending on infrastructure can actually lead to lower long-term deficit, as faster growth and returns on public investment yield higher tax revenues.



Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who designed the 2019 state budget proposal unveiled to lawmakers last week, could be one of the hawks. At 1.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the 2019 state budgets fiscal deficit will be Indonesias lowest in many years.



For foreign economists, it might make little sense why an emerging and underleveraged economy like Indonesia, whose debt-to-GDP ratio stands at the relatively low figure of 29 percent, would cut back spending and put the brakes on growth. But the past few years have taught us a lesson: Indonesia, for now, just cannot (productively) spend the money we have, with the country still constrained by various issues from a lack of human resources to prevalent regulatory loopholes.



The drastic cut in fuel subsidies in 2014, which has freed up more than Rp 200 trillion (US$13.7 billion) of fiscal space every year, has indeed brought more funds for infrastructure. Yet, the budget execution every year remains low and ineffective. In the first six months this year, for example, the government only managed to spend 20 percent of the allotted capital expenditure (capex) funds in the 2018 state budget. Even if the government and its strategic state-owned enterprises (SOE) managed to spend their productive capex funds, Indonesias domestic manufacturing industry is not yet ready to support.



Unlike in Europe and the US, where infrastructure projects brought a windfall for their local high-tech industries, infrastructure development here had to rely massively on imports, particularly for intermediate goods and high-tech machinery. Ultimately, the projects widened Indonesias current-account deficit, weakened the rupiah and triggered capital flight.



That is why there should not be excessive concerns over the modest 2.6 percent year-on-year increase in capex (infrastructure) spending, with Rp 421 trillion allotted in the 2019 state budget proposal versus Rp 410 trillion this year. Money is rarely a deal-breaking factor. Certainly, a lot of foreign investors would be glad to pour in their dollars if Indonesias sheer economic size, large domestic market and strategic positioning in the global stage were the only factors taken into consideration.



The hard truth here is that many ministries and regional administrations still lack the human resource capacity and willpower to support investors, while the economy is bereft of local talents who can be entrusted with strategic responsibilities in foreign-led infrastructure projects.



Regulatory certainty, particularly on taxation, also remains an issue, on top of the lack of supporting local industries that are able to participate in both local infrastructure projects and the global supply chain.



All of those impediments help explain why, despite all the investment process streamlining efforts undertaken by President Joko Jokowi Widodo and various tax incentive packages offered by the government, Indonesia actually lost its appeal among foreign investors. Recent data released by the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) showed foreign direct investment realization here fell 13.4 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2018.



The 2019 state budgets emphasis on human resources, or the favor of software over hardware, should be greatly appreciated. So far, the issue has received less attention from the media, which instead are engaged in debates on the realistic levels of macroeconomic assumptions and state spending or revenue  something that only God knows.



It is worth highlighting that education and healthcare projects received a significant increase in fund allocation in the 2019 state budget. Among them is the Rp 17.2 trillion earmarked for the development of vocational schools next year, rising threefold compared to Rp 6.8 trillion the last time the program operated in 2015.



The Public Works and Housing Ministry has also been instructed to rehabilitate more school classrooms (9.3 million next year versus 5.8 million this year), as well as more public health centers. In contrast, the ministry is given fewer construction targets for new roads, highways, bridges and railways in 2019.



Cynics might describe the 2019 state budget as political, especially as the fiscal setting is inundated with populist programs that are ostensibly devised to ensure the reelection of President Jokowi next year. However, amid uncertainty in the global economy, the government has few policy options to spur GDP growth and ensure its attractiveness among foreign investors remains intact. It needs to stay away from import-generating investments and relying instead on domestic consumption.



The government can still do something to ensure that the populist, consumption-oriented programs will bring the maximum economic spillovers. For example, the salary hike and annual wage bonus received by civil servants in 2019 could be disbursed based on performance, with state officials at A-rated ministries and local governments getting more than those at underperforming agencies. The same could be done for disbursement of funds for regional transfers.



Such a carrot-and-stick approach has been adopted successfully by China, which used an array of macroeconomic indicators to measure the performance of its regional governments. If the strategy is applied in Indonesia, it should motivate ministers and local leaders to work hard and, most importantly, keep their focus amid all the political distraction they shall come across during the election year.



If the Indonesian economy is compared to a laptop, it is fair to say that President Jokowi has spent a lot of money over the past four years to upgrade its processor and memory. Now its time to invest in the OS and software programs so that the hardware can be utilized to its maximum capacity.

_________________________________



The writer is an economist at Bahana Securities. The views expressed are his own.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, August 20, 2018 16:15 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53fc6ac 1 City low-cost-apartment,rusunawa,rent,increase,revocation Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has decided to revoke a decree on increasing the rate for low-cost apartment rent for further evaluation.

Pak governor has directed that we suspend the decree. We will evaluate [the decree] first, acting head of the Jakarta Public Housing and Peoples Settlement [PUPR], Meli Budiastuti, said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.

Previously, Anies issued Decree No. 55/2018 on low-cost apartment rent rate increase for 15 apartment blocks. The decree regulated that the rates would increase by around 20 percent. Not only were regular citizens affected by the decree, but evictees relocated to the apartments from many eviction locations in Jakarta also had to pay more to put roofs over their heads.

Meli further said one of the considerations to hold up the decree was that many evictees would object to the rate increase. Moreover, the PUPR noted that there were many cases of rent arrears in low-cost apartments throughout Jakarta.

Total rent arrears in the city have reached Rp 43.1 billion (US$2.95 million) from 24 low-cost apartments. The amount consists of rent arrears and unpaid water and electricity bills, which many regular residents living in the apartments also failed to pay. (gis)
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Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura  Mon, August 20, 2018 18:25 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5402463 1 National Papua,shooting-incident,soldiers Free

The Cendrawasih Military Command (Kodam) in Papua beefed up security following an encounter between armed civilians and military personnel in Puncak Jaya regency, Papua, on Sunday which resulted in the deaths of two military personnel.

I order all levels of personnel of Cenderawasih Kodam to increase their caution in every post, Cendrawasih Kodam 17 commander Maj. Gen. George E Supit said Monday.

And to chase the armed separatist criminal group [the Papua National Liberation Army], which is based in the forests of inland Papua, he added.

George, however, ensured that the situation in Papua remained "under control" because the scene was relatively far from the center of public activities.

Lt. Inf. Arman Blegur, the head of military task force for safeguarding vulnerable areas in Tingginambut, and First Officer Fredi, a member of the task force, were shot by armed civilians on Sunday afternoon.

The incident occurred when the armed civilians encountered the victims at the Tingginambut bridge. At that time, the soldiers were heading to a village after receiving a call from Teranus Enumbi, a member of the armed group who requested food in exchange for firearms that they had, according to the military command. The two soldiers rode a motorcycle to the village at around 1:30 p.m., but half an hour later residents reported that the two had been shot.

When found, the victims had suffered gunshot wounds and a bow shot. The bodies were then transferred to Mulia Hospital in Papua before being flown to Jakarta to their families on Monday morning. (sau/swd)
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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi and Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Jayapura  Mon, August 20, 2018 13:21 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53ee93d 2 National Papua,self-determination,Independence-Day,Morning-Star-flag,red-and-white-flag,surabaya,Jayapura Free

The 73rd celebration of Indonesias Independence Day was tinged with reports on actions from some Papuans outside and inside the provinces, which upset authorities over their perceived refusal to celebrate Indonesias independence from the Dutch.



On Aug. 15, a clash occurred between Papuan students and mass organization members on Jl. Kalasan in Surabaya, East Java, as the students reportedly refused to raise the countrys red-and-white flag in front of their dormitory.



The men demanded the Papuan students comply with a regulation mandating the raising of the Indonesian flag every Aug. 17.



A release signed by Azizul Amri of the National Students Front and Nies Tabuni of the Papuan Students Association in Surabaya said the students actually did not object to raising the flag. They accused people from the mass organizations of attacking their dormitory before the dialogue between them had concluded.



According to the students, about 30 people from mass organizations asked them to raise the Indonesian flag. The students claimed they did not object to it but they needed time to coordinate with the dormitorys caretaker, who was out of Surabaya at that time.



A clash ensued, in which a man was injured. Basuki, one of the mass organization members, said as quoted by kompas.com that one of his men had been attacked by a dormitory resident wielding a sharp weapon. The students said in their release that three members of the organizations had beat one student. The student later ran to the kitchen to retrieve a machete. He brandished the weapon and the men ran away in a panic. One of them collided with another and he hurt himself from a fall, the release stated.



Surabaya Police officers then visited the scene and took dozens of students living in the dormitory to police headquarters for questioning.



But by Thursday, the students had returned to the dorm, and none of them were taken into custody.



As many as 48 students have been returned to the dorm, said Surabaya Police criminal unit chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sudamiran. He said the police would first gather evidence on the injured man.



After the clash, local residents of Jl. Kalasan eventually raised the countrys flag in front of the dormitory, named Kemasan III.



Separately, during the orientation event for freshmen at Cendrawasih University in Jayapura, Papua, on Aug. 14 and 15, senior students required the freshmen to chant free Papua slogans and bring Morning Star attributes to the campus. Morning Star refers to a flag used by the Papuan independence movement.



During the opening ceremony of the event, the seniors reportedly prohibited the freshmen from singing the national anthem, Indonesia Raya.



The universitys rector, Apolo Safanpo, confirmed the incident, accusing some people of imposing their political motives on the orientation event.



The intruders required the freshmen to bring Morning Star attributes and chant slogans contrary to Indonesias ideology, Apolo said, adding that the orientation events had been halted.



Meanwhile, Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Gustav Urbinas said the use of Morning Star attributes could be linked to treason, and therefore he had called Cendrawasih University student executive body chairman Ferry Kombo and the chairman of orientation events Agus Helembo to the police headquarters.



We asked for some explanations about the use of Morning Star attributes and the chanting of free Papua slogans, Agus said. Both of the students had signed a statement citing that they would not let the same incident happen again at their university, or else they would be prosecuted for treason.



A prominent youth figure in Papua, Samuel Tabuni, who is also the director of the Papua Language Institute, said what happened at Cendrawasih University was the students spontaneous action to show their intention to create a future that is free from all threats.



According to a 2018 Amnesty International report titled Dont bother, just let him die: Killing with impunity in Papua, unlawful killings by security forces remains high in Papua even after the 1998 reform began.



Amnesty International has recorded 69 cases of alleged unlawful killings between January 2010 and February, with 95 victims. Eighty-five of them were native Papuans, the report said.
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Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak  Mon, August 20, 2018 14:15 1167 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53f2314 1 National haze,smog,forest-fires,Pontianak Free

Pontianak authorities have ordered temporarily school closures, as thick smog from forest fires has worsened in the city.

Pontianak Mayor Sutarmidji announced the school closure on Sunday via his Facebook account.

I have instructed PAUD [early childhood education centers], kindergarten and elementary schools to close and resume operations on Aug 27. As for junior high schools, students can go back to school on Friday, he wrote.

The closure applies to all schools that are under regional government supervision.

Meanwhile, the West Kalimantan Education and Culture Agency has issued a circular that calls on senior high schools to close from Monday to Thursday in Pontianak and Kubu Raya regency, which are affected by the smog.

The agency stated that the closure might be extended, depending on the smog.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that hot spots detected in West Kalimantan had declined to 526 by 8:22 a.m. local time on Monday. On the morning of Aug. 16, the BNPB had recorded 1,061 hot spots across the province.

Six helicopters have been deployed to combat the forest fires in the province, which resulted from employing slash and burn to clear agricultural land. (sau/swd)
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 21 2018

Neighborly notes: Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano signs a guest book at the Foreign Ministry while Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi looks on before their bilateral meeting on Monday in Jakarta. (JP/Umair Rizaludin)

The Philippines has called on Indonesia to help both the economic and social development of the newly established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR)  home to minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic country.

Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano met his Indonesian counterpart Retno LP Marsudi in Jakarta on Monday, amid his schedule supporting Philippine athletes at the Asian Games.
A British tourist who fell off a cruise ship near Croatia has been rescued and is safe after spending a full night in the Adriatic Sea, officials said Monday.

"I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me," the woman, appearing in good health, told Croatia's National Television (HRT) after her rescue on Sunday.

"I am very lucky to be alive."

The tourist, who said she "fell of the back" of the Norwegian Star cruise ship, was found by Croatia's Coast Guard on Sunday around 1.3 kilometres (0.8 miles) from where she went overboard, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP.

The rescuers used the wind and sea currents to pinpoint her location, he added.

"We saved a human life, it is a feeling that cannot compare to anything," the rescue ship's captain Lovro Oreskovic said in a statement on the ministry's website.

Read also: Six tips for cruising with your children

British tourist Kay Longstaff (C) exits Croatias coast guard ship in Pula, on August 19, 2018, which saved her after falling off a cruise ship near Croatian coast. (AFP/File)

Norwegian Cruise Line declined to comment on how the passenger went overboard.

"The guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment," the company said in a statement to AFP.

"We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."

The incident took place while the Norwegian Star was on its way to Venice, the cruise company said.

Tourism accounts for 20 percent of Croatia's gross domestic product, drawing some 18 million visitors each year.
The 1912 Jarmulowsky Bank Building has been covered in scaffolding and shrouded in secrecy for several years. Now the owner, DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners, is raising its local profile ahead of the anticipated opening of a boutique hotel in the historic Lower East Side property next year.

This month, representatives from various neighborhood organizations have been invited inside the 12-story tower at 9 Orchard St. (54 Canal St.) We tagged along on one of those recent hard hat tours through the historic landmark. Our hosts were Kristen Korndoerfer of DLJ Real Estate, and Kerri Culhane, an architectural historian who has been working with the developers, and architect Ron Castellano, to make sure the restoration is historically faithful. Culhane knows the neighborhood well, having documented many of the Lower East Sides most important buildings and serving until 2016 as associate director of the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council.

The Jarmulowsky property was purchased in 2011 by DLJ for $33 million. The owners knew the restoration project would be complicated in a city-protected landmark, but they could not have anticipated just how long and expensive the endeavor would become.

Some of those complications were due to the owners own decision to go beyond what the Landmarks Preservation Commission required (restoring a spire on top of the building, for example, was the developers call). But there were other factors, too. Extensive stabilization work was required at the cellar level. An extension of the Jarmulowsky to the west was also time-consuming. Even though it was intended to be part of the main structure, the city required the owners to build the addition as a separate building with its own certificate of occupancy).

Korndoerfer said the hotel, known as Nine Orchard, is on target for an opening in the early summer of 2019. While each floor is still very much a construction zone, she explained, the most difficult parts of the restoration project have been completed. Now its really a matter of putting the pieces together, said Korndoerfer.

Overall, the hotel is meant to evoke old New York. The first floor features a soaring ceiling and beautiful arched windows. There will be a small lobby for hotel guests, with an entrance on Orchard Street, and three distinct dining/drinking spaces on the main level. They include a lounge running across the eastern end of the building, a formal restaurant and a more casual neighborhood restaurant opening onto Allen Street.

The team behind the food and beverage operations at the Eventi Hotel (on 30th Street) will be running the restaurants, but they wont be offshoots of other dining establishments. The restaurants will be unique to the Nine Orchard hotel. The owners/operators have not yet sought approval from Community Board 3 for liquor permits, but thats coming.

On the second floor, there are two spaces for private events. Korndoerfer said a lot of thought is being given to the flow of pedestrian and auto traffic around the hotel. Guests going to events on the second floor will enter on Allen Street, which can handle crowds more easily than Orchard.

The 116 guest rooms are located on floors 3-12. Each one will be different, but all feature high ceilings, big newly constructed windows and period-style furniture (those pieces are being fabricated from antiques).

The highlight of the tour was a trip to the roof, which offers sweeping views of the Lower East Side, and the uptown skyline, even on a rainy day.

Its also where we got a close up look at the Jarmulowskys 50-foot spire, which only has metal framing now, but which will soon start to take its final form.

When the building was landmarked in 2009, the Landmarks Preservation Commission described the tempietto as, a two-story-high circular pavilion with a round dome ringed by eagles and topped by a pinnacle. It was unceremoniously removed in 1990, which the New York Times wrote, instantly reduced the building, from the exceptional to the ordinary.

In her research, Kerri Culhane dug up old photographs and other details, allowing architects and fabricators to create a historically accurate facsimile. The next steps will be moving scaffolding into place, and then assembling the new terra-cotta pieces like a puzzle around the metal structure. Finally, the dome will be coated in copper. At nighttime, the spire will be bathed in white lights. There will also be a staircase that winds up into the dome, allowing people to go to the tip of the building.

The roof has been almost completely rebuilt (it hadnt been touched in years). Theres a new green roof, and the decorative stone railings have been recreated (some of the pieces on the roof are made of geo fiber reinforced concrete, others plastic). The space, which will include a trellis structure with an awning, is going to be reserved for private events. Korndoerfer said the owners recognize that the Lower East Side community has little interest in another rooftop bar, so theyve decided against creating a public venue on the roof.

Over the years, DLJ has floated different ideas for the Jarmulowsky Bank Building. Recognizing that the hotel market was becoming saturated, they considered leasing the property for offices. They also thought about handing management to the Ace Hotel team. But ultimately, Korndoerfer said, they decided that a one-of-a-kind hotel, which will be unlike any other property on the Lower East Side, held the most appeal.

If all goes according to plan, Nine Orchard will be open for business at this time next year.
Robert James, the mens fashion designer, is fighting to keep his headquarters at 74 Orchard St. He launched a fundraising drive on GoFundMe, right on the heels of celebrating his 10th anniversary on the Lower East Side.

Hes raised almost $14,000 of $25,000 needed by the end of this month. Here are portions of the appeal for By Robert James, his independently operated, American-made brand:

Just 3 weeks from completing our 10th year of making quality New York Made Menswear and bringing them to market in our own independently owned and operated boutiques we find ourselves like so many others in this space fighting to keep our doors open. We are looking to raise 25K quickly to pay our rental arrears to keep our American Made Brand alive A walk through Soho shows the carnage of independent retail is on full display. Where mom and pop, as well as vertical designer brands like mine used to mix with the big box, now there is little left but the mass market and fast fashion. Which means shopping in NYC is no different than shopping in any major city the world over. The forces at play in Soho have come to our door as well and account for much of the arrears that jeopardize our business today. You have the power to make a difference! Please help us keep these American artisans in the garment center and this independent retailer alive.

James says his goal isnt simply to pay the rent for the next month or two. Hes planning to revamp the brands e-commerce and marketing to appeal to an audience beyond New York. James is seeking an equity partner to help fund an upgrade. Hes already been selected a a case study for a new e-commerce platform.
Gold Star's latest single, 'Dani's In Love' is more upbeat than what we're used to from Rabenreither. A buoyant love song built on a proud strut of a piano. Reviving the 90's, one beat at a time.Don't let the lyrical rage fool you, Idles are well aware of the controversy they may face with the release of 'Great'. With lyrics such asthe Bristol punks describe 'Great' as a pro-immigration black comedy.

London-based Italian producer Vonica throws around colourful, flamboyant electronic grooves with new single 'Ai'. Packed to the rafters with euphoric electro sounds, Vonica took inspiration from a visit to an Ai Wei Wei exhibition ahead of writing the track, hence the name and its sense of urgency in expressing unadulterated joy.

imaginary

A passionate love song which has Speight confessing he is head-over-heels in love in what every girl dreams of from theirindie-pop boyfriend. 'Want You' screams happiness in all aspects; the bubbly, bright, uplifting beat has us excited for the album release in Spring 2019.Taken from their upcoming EP, 'Warped Minds' gives us intriguing vocals, luscious lyrics and a glorious atmospheric melody radiating chilled out vibes. The Leeds duo channel serious Wolf Alice and The XX vibes, making the perfect addition to your chill-out mix.

RuthAnne

is

Melodic guitar riffs and deep rhymical drum beats. RuthAnne's powerful yet soothing voice delivers relatable lyrics that make a point that for some, hit a bit too close to home.Inspired by classic love films 'Summertime' comes across as a happy dream-like pop-song matched with an upbeat collaboration of guitar and drum. A mixture of pop and grunge, this is modern rock 'n' roll at its finest and it's just a glimpse of what's to come from Lucia.Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith has dropped his first single for his upcoming album Diagrams. The track tells a story of self-doubt against overdriven guitars. Paul comments: "Its a punchy song where the self-doubt and regret in the lyricsmirrored by the musical tension that develops as it goes along. I grew up in the grunge era, so this has echoes of that sound but with my own romantic view of everyday life".If you're looking for your latest dancefloor banger, look no further. Easily one of Danny's most unique tracks to date, 'Just A Step Away' ft. Ownglow sets the tone for his new album, set to release on Friday 7th September. The track has become one of his greatest weapons in his arsenal for live shows, boasting gorgeous vocals, volatile synths and dizzying sub-bass.

Labelled as 'an anthem for unhappy', 'This Is My Cue' is an emotional, overwhelming piece from Shaddad. The guitar riffs paired with her lyrics read like a dark, poetic memoir to a lost lover, creating a somewhat mystic feel for the whole track. We almost feel as though we're going through the break-up with her...
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Q: If the ballot proposal to legalize marijuana passes in November, will I be able to smoke pot on my break at work?

A: No  unless your employer is OK with pot use at work, which is highly unlikely.

RELATED: Lawmakers ask governor to halt scheduled shutdown of Michigan medical marijuana facilities

The ballot initiative, which would permit adults age 21 and older to possess and use small amounts of marijuana for recreational purposes, does not give pot smokers any additional rights at work. Employers remain free to establish workplace drug policies; any use of marijuana that violates those policies  even medicinal use  can still result in discipline or discharge. Section 4(3) of the proposal states:

This act does not require an employer to permit or accommodate conduct otherwise allowed by this act in any workplace or on the employers property. This act does not prohibit an employer from disciplining an employee for violation of a workplace drug policy or for working while under the influence of marihuana*. This act does not prevent an employer from refusing to hire, discharging, disciplining, or otherwise taking an adverse employment action against a person with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of that persons violation of a workplace drug policy or because that person was working while under the influence of marihuana.

Under many company policies, a worker can be fired for testing positive for marijuana. The courts have not limited a private employers right to fire workers for this reason, even when use of the drug is authorized under Michigans Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA). But, because medicinal use of marijuana is legal under the MMMA, an employee with a Registry Identification Card for use of medical marijuana who is fired for testing positive due solely to medicinal use cannot be denied unemployment benefits. Branka v. Challenge Mfg. Co, 307 Mich 340 (2014). Whether an employer would be on the hook for unemployment benefits for discharging an employee for any legal use of marijuana is unclear and untested.

The ballot proposal places several restrictions on the use of marijuana: People under the influence would be forbidden to operate a motor vehicle and the use of marijuana in a public place would be barred, including smoking pot on a public sidewalk and possessing marijuana  or marijuana accessories  or using marijuana on school grounds. The proposed law would also allow landlords to ban the use of marijuana on their properties.

Proponents of the proposal claim legalizing marijuana would allow law enforcement to focus on more serious issues and would help generate significant revenue for the state. The bulk of any revenues raised from taxes on the sale of marijuana would support K-12 education and help pay for road repair and maintenance (the remainder would go to municipalities and counties).

If the proposal passes, Michigan would join several states, including Colorado, Washington, Maine, and Vermont in permitting the recreational use of marijuana. Possession and use of marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

* About the spelling: Marihuana is spelled an h instead of a j in Michigan laws because thats the spelling chosen by the federal government back in 1937 for the Marihuana Tax Act (before marijuana became illegal). That spelling was used in the statutory definition of marijuana in Michigans Public Health Code, and state laws have been using an h ever since. Changing from marihuana to marijuana would require an act of the legislature, and revision to marijuana references in many statutes.

Attorney Daniel A. Gwinn has a practice focused on employment law, trusts and estates. Contact him with your legal questions at daniel@gwinnlegal.com or at gwinnlegal.com. Ask the Lawyer is informational only and should not be considered legal advice.
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Royal Mail chairman Peter Long has been forced into an embarrassing U-turn in a fresh row over fat-cat pay at a second company he runs.

Just weeks after suffering one of the biggest shareholder revolts in corporate history at Royal Mail, the 66-year-old faced investor fury at estate agency Countrywide, where he is also chairman.

The company, whose brands include Hamptons International, Bairstow Eves and John D Wood, had planned to hand top bosses including Long up to 20m in shares.

Humiliated: Peter Long has faced further investor fury

But the controversial bonus scheme has been axed following a backlash from investors who threatened to vote against the plan at a meeting next week. The climbdown comes weeks after Long was humiliated by Royal Mail shareholders when 70pc of them voted against the postal services pay policies.

Concerns have been raised about whether he is over-stretched. He is paid 300,000 a year as chairman of Royal Mail and 360,000 as executive chairman of Countrywide.

He is also deputy chairman of the supervisory board at travel agent Tui, where he earns 167,000, but has relinquished his role as chairman of Spanish theme park operator Parques Reunidos.

In an interview two years ago Long said: You have to ensure that when you take on chairmanships you can give sufficient time to them and you dont spread yourself too thin.

Peter Kyle MP, a member of the parliamentary business committee, said: I have met people who can do the most prodigious amount of work and do it very well. But we have to judge the performance of executives by outcomes and not on their words, and its very clear there have been some outcomes for Royal Mail that have affected staff and affected customers, and this for me should trigger a period of reflection.

Countrywide is Britains biggest estate agent and has about 10,000 employees, but has been struggling in the face of slumping property sales and online competition. It has issued four profit warnings in less than a year.

It had wanted to bring in an incentive scheme to try and boost morale, along with a 140m refinancing package to help keep the company afloat. Under the plan, father-of-three Long could have received stock worth more than 6m, managing director Paul Creffield 8m, and chief finance boss Himanshu Raja 7m.

However, it provoked a backlash, with leading shareholder advisory group ISS calling it excessive and recommending shareholders vote against the pay plans at a meeting on the refinancing plans next Tuesday.

Yesterday Countrywide pulled the scheme adding: Consultation meetings on remuneration with major shareholders have been constructive and supportive.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: Peter Long is very committed to Royal Mail.
Former employees of Lehman Brothers London offices have arranged a reunion next month to mark the tenth anniversary of the banks collapse. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell predictably describes the event to Financial News as sickening. In a timely reminder of when Labours front bench featured some grown-ups, ex-chancellor Alistair Darling sighs: Honestly, of all the problems we face today, frankly a bunch of people having a glass of wine is the least of them.

On message: Aldi UK boss Giles Hurley has proven that he knows how to promote the brand

Aldis recently anointed UK boss, old Harrovian Giles Hurley, isnt one to veer off-message. Asked by The Caterer what his greatest career regret was, he says: That I didnt join the business sooner. His business idol? My greatest admiration tends to be for the people in our organisation. Death Row meal? Its got to be Aldi Specially Selected ribeye steak with our Specially Selected chips. No wonder Aldis fuhrers have taken to him.

It never rains but it pours for erratic Tesla pioneer Elon Musk. Following his car crash interview with the New York Times last week, theres speculation that his relationship with Bride-of-Frankenstein girlfriend, Canadian rapper Grimes, 30, is off. Any evidence? Well, Elons just unfollowed his bohemian inamorata on Instagram. In our social media-obsessed age that basically equates to splitsville.

Superdry founder Julian Dunkertons 1m donation to help fight for a second referendum is odd. Even Remainer William Hague admits holding a second ballot would be logistically impossible before the March deadline on EU membership. Dunkerton, 53, has dipped his toe in politics before, standing unsuccessfully as a Labour councillor in Cheltenham at 21. He decided to concentrate on selling clothes which hes proved rather better at.

A torrid few days last week for still state-owned RBS, which came bottom in a banking quality survey. Humdrum boss Ross McEwan then clumsily threatened to move tens of billions worth of business out of the UK because of Brexit. All hands to the pump in the banks press office, then? Not really. Calls to RBSs Edinburgh HQ at the end of last week were informed they clock off at 4pm on a Friday.
British & American tops the table of the highest income-paying investment trusts as it is paying investors who bought in 10 years ago a yield of more than 10 per cent on the purchase price, new analysis shows.

The investment trust, one of the dividend heroes that has raised dividends for 22 consecutive years, is now yielding investors 10.4 per cent on the 2008 share price.

Yield is the income paid as a percentage of the share price. If an investor had put 10,000 in British & American in 2008, they would be receiving an annual income of 1,037 today.

Top investment trusts: There are 21 trusts that pay over 6 per cent, research shows

The investment trust is one of the twelve trusts to pay a yield of over 7 per cent when compared to the price investors paid ten years ago.

There are 21 trusts that pay over 6 per cent, research by AJ Bell shows.

Second in the list of the highest-yielding trusts is Schroder Oriental Income, which would have turned 10,000 into 39,000 over the past 10 years with dividends reinvested and today would be generating a growing annual income of 900.

Caledonia Investments, a long-standing 'dividend hero' which has increased dividends for 50 consecutive years, is one of the highest yielding based on the 2008 price, at 8.6 per cent.

City of London, which has a 51-year track record of increasing its payout, is yielding 7.1 per cent on the same basis.

TOP 10 INVESTMENT TRUSTS BY INCOME Company Years of divi raises 2017 yield on 2008 price 2017 yield on 2018 price Growth of 10k over 10 years Income today on 10k investment* British & American 22 10.4 11.2 23,926 1,037 Schroder Oriental Income 11 9 3.6 39,051 902 Henderson Far East Income 10 8.9 5.6 27,293 887 Caledonia Investments 50 8.6 5.5 18,221 858 Henderson Smaller Companies 14 7.9 2 51,693 788 MedicX 10 7.8 7.5 20,772 779 Establishment Inv Trust 14 7.4 5.4 19,941 739 Value & Income 30 7.2 4.2 26,192 718 City of London 51 7.1 3.9 27,365 711 Murray International 13 7.1 4.1 25,760 708 Source: AJ Bell & AIC. Data to 30th June 2008 and 29th June 2018. Dividend data based on 2017 full year payout. *Based on investing 10 years ago.

Investment trusts pool investors money together to invest in other companies' shares, bonds or other assets, with a manager picking those to back.

Unlike investment funds, however, trusts have their own shares traded on the stock exchange - which is how investors buy in.

AJ Bell noted that table-topper British & American is the only trust whose share price has actually fallen during the past ten years, hence pushing the 10-year yield higher.

But even once the share price fall is taken into account, investors selling today who had reinvested dividends would still have seen a total return of 139 per cent over that period thanks to the divi increases.

Total return includes capital gains and dividend yields.

Investment trusts focused on smaller companies delivered the largest total returns, led by BlackRock Smaller Companies, at 480.8 per cent return over the past 10 years.

It is followed by BlackRock Throgmorton at 478.5 per cent and Standard Life Smaller Companies at 431.2 per cent.

Henderson Smaller Companies has also delivered one of the highest total returns of 417 per cent, meaning it has turned 10,000 into 51,700 and would be generating an annual income today of 790.

TOP 10 INVESTMENT TRUSTS BY TOTAL RETURN Company AIC sector Years of divi raises Total return 2017 yield on 2018 price Growth of 10ky over 10 years Income today on 10k investment* BlackRock Smaller Companies UK Smaller Comps 14 480.80% 1.5 58,078 682 BlackRock Throgmorton Trust UK Smaller Comps 14 478.50% 1.5 57,848 585 Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Global 35 438.30% 0.6 53,829 241 Standard Life UK Smaller Companies UK Smaller Comps 10 431.70% 1.3 53,171 561 Henderson Smaller Companies UK Smaller Comps 14 416.90% 2 51,693 788 F&C Global Smaller Companies Global 47 335.90% 0.9 43,590 343 Schroder Oriental Income Asia Pacific ex-Japan 11 290.50% 3.6 39,051 902 Witan Investment Trust Global 43 248.00% 1.8 34,800 490 Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust Global 47 221.80% 1.4 32,181 356 Alliance Trust Global 51 218.60% 1.7 31,858 420 Source: AJ Bell & AIC. Data to 30th June 2008 and 29th June 2018. Dividend data based on 2017 full year payout. *Based on investing 10 years ago .

Laura Suter, personal finance analyst at investment platform AJ Bell, said: These figures look at the return youd have seen over 10 years if youd reinvested your dividends back into the investment trust, and so benefitted from the power of compounding.

She added: The figures show that investors often have to decide between jam today and jam tomorrow, with income often coming at the price of lower capital growth, or vice versa. With the example of British & American investors would be seeing a solid dividend yield today, but would have sacrificed capital growth over that period.

Conversely, some of the lower yielding trusts based on the investor buying in 2008 have delivered some of the highest total returns.

Scottish Mortgage is only yielding 2.4 per cent but has delivered one of the highest total returns at 438 per cent. Similarly F&C Global Smaller Companies, which is yielding 3.4 per cent, has a 10-year total return of 336 per cent.

Suter added: That said, even the lowest yielding trusts have proven their ability to hand investors a reliable and growing income each year for at least 10 years, making them particularly attractive for those using the pension freedoms in retirement relying on the income to fund their lifestyle.
A free energy switching service last night landed an entrepreneurial duo the best ever deal on Dragons' Den.

Henry de Zoete, 37, and Will Hodson, 36, accepted a 120,000 investment for just 3 per cent of their company after a three-hour session on the BBC programme.

Two of the Dragons, Tej Lalvani and Jenny Campbell, invested in Look After My Bills, which is said to save users 253 on average on their gas and electricity.

Will Hodson (left), 36, and Henry de Zoete, 37, accepted 120,000 for 3 per cent of their firm

The deal for the firm, which has 15,000 customers, is the best in Dragon's Den's 13-year history

The London-based firm, which claims to be Britain's largest free energy switching service, automatically searches and changes energy supplier for consumers.

The deal for the firm, which has 15,000 customers, is the best in Dragon's Den's 13-year history - beating the previous record of 5 per cent for 100,000 in 2014.

Mr de Zoete told The Sun: 'We were apprehensive about applying to the Den and worried we'd get torn to shreds... but we were blown away by the positive feedback.'

'Too often families are being ripped off in the energy market but I'm confident we'll all look back in 15 years time and think it was crazy that people had to spend hours searching on comparison sites or calling up companies to get a good deal.'

Mr Hodson added that getting offers from all five of the Dragons - the other three being Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones and Touker Suleyman - was 'very special'.

Two Dragons, Tej Lalvani (left) and Jenny Campbell (right), invested in Look After My Bills

The duo were on Dragon's Den last night, in the second episode of the 16th BBC series

The five Dragons in the BBC entrepreneurial programme are (from left) Touker Suleyman, Jenny Campbell, Deborah Meaden, Tej Lalvani and Peter Jones

He added that the Dragons were 'backing a company that protects people against rip-off pricing forever' following a raft of price increases from UK energy suppliers.

On the show, Mr de Zoete said: 'That was hardcore. Just getting one dragon would have been amazing, getting two is double whammy - it will make a huge difference.'

The duo were on Dragon's Den last night, in the second episode of the 16th series. Mr Hodson added: 'I feel like my internal organs have been in a vice.'

The episode was filmed in April, when the company had just 6,000 customers. Its product works by people first signing up with their energy details.

The firm searches the market and switches people to a better energy deal if possible, then keeps checking the market and switches them again when their deal is up.

Mr de Zoete has previously worked for the Department for Education and in communications for clients including Tesco and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Meanwhile Mr Hodson is an award-winning technology entrepreneur who has produced research for the likes of Consumer Focus and Co-operative Food.

Other companies in Britain claiming to eliminate hassle by organising regular switches on your behalf include Labrador, Switchd and Flipper.
SITEKI  A father who drugged his daughter and raped her repeatedly will spend the next 15 years in jail for this transgression.



*Sizwe (46) of Sinyamantulwa near Lubuli was jailed 15 years without an option of a fine by Lubombo Principal Magistrate Dumisani Magagula.

This was after the court had found him guilty of aggravated rape, an offence he committed on two separate days within the month of April 2018, according to court papers.



I regard the offence at hand as one that does not warrant a discount in sentence, stated the magistrate shortly before passing sentence.

According to court papers, Sizwe did wrongfully and intentionally have unlawful sexual intercourse with his daughter who was aged 16 at the time.

The accused person forced the victim to drink an unknown concoction to induce her to submit to the unlawful sexual intercourse. (He) failed to use a condom to avoid the risk of infecting (the victim) with sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, read in part the aggravating factors of the offence.

Sizwe pleaded guilty to the offence. Evidence presented to court revealed that Sizwe was residing with the minor and therefore took advantage of the fact that they were residing together without the mother.



After the rape ordeal, prosecutors told the court that the minor fled from home and went to reside with her maternal relatives.

She (minor) subsequently reported the matter to them (maternal relatives) who eventually advised that it be reported to the police, reads a statement of agreed facts between the prosecution and the accused (Sizwe).



In his submissions, Lubombo Senior Crown Council Melusi Lukhele said: The prevalence of this offence is at shocking levels. Society views this offence in a very serious light



He then implored the court to pass a sentence that would be a deterrent to would-be offenders.

Meanwhile, in mitigation, Sizwe pleaded for a lenient sentence, stating that he had children who were entirely dependent on him.

He then apologised to his daughter.
EZULWINI  As Muslims prepare to celebrate Eid ul- adha, a lot of local farmers will strike it rich.

Eid ul-Adha is the festival of sacrifice, which is celebrated by Muslims yearly.



Moulana Feroz shared that at least 30 cattle, which they buy at about E10 000 each from local farmers, will be slaughtered at the Ezulwini Mosque on Wednesday during the festival while more will be slaughtered in other centres around the country. Feroz said this during an interview at the Ezulwini Mosque yesterday and invited anyone who wanted the meat to come through.



Feroz narrated that they noted a high demand in that there were a lot of poor people. He said they could not believe that some people ate meat once a week or even once a month. He said they were aware that locally, animals were wealth to people. He shared that they tried to empower locals by not importing the livestock to be slaughtered but they bought it locally at very exorbitant prices.

If your cow normally costs E3 000 or E4 000; at this time we pay E9 000 or E10 000 for it. We do not hesitate because for us the money is the sacrifice but there should be no damages to it, Feroz explained.



He explained that the distribution would be done nationally, adding that they also had a database of individuals whom they would deliver the meat to in their homes. He said these people included those who could not walk to the mosque to receive the meat due to different reasons. He welcomed people who knew others who might want the meat but could not go to mosques to send someone to inform them so that it could be delivered.

They say you take the extra step and that is what counts, Feroz said.



He stated that the people who slaughter the animals should have a bond with them. He explained that they have to feed the animals, look after them and make them comfortable. He also explained that even the slaughtering was carried out in a certain procedure which entailed using a very sharp knife to cut three vital jugulars then have all the blood drawn-out completely. We lay the cow down on the side with its head up and from the neck at the bottom with a very sharp knife, in a matter of two or three seconds we cut three compulsory veins out of the four and in fewer than 10 seconds, the animal bleeds and dies, Feroz explained.



He said the festival was based on the story of Abraham who was prepared to sacrifice his child to God. He said God loved this so much that He immortalised it that those who were His followers would make it a ritual.
MBABANE  EmaSwati could soon join the hordes of medical tourists who flock to India annually.



Medical tourism is the term given to the phenomena of people travelling to another country to seek medical treatment. The Government of Eswatini is planning on taking patients who need specialised care to the Asian country. Currently, patients are being referred to South Africa and Mozambique under the Phalala Fund.



The country recently established a relationship with the Government of India with cooperation in health and medicine. This was done through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which was signed on April 9, during President Ram Nath Kovinds visit to the country.



According to The Times of India, the MoU covers cooperation in areas of drugs and pharmaceutical products, medical consumable products, medical research, medical equipment, public health, communicable disease control and surveillance and health tourism. It was further reported that a working group would be set up to further elaborate the details of cooperation and to oversee the implementation of the MoU.



According to a source, the Ministry of Health is currently researching on the logistics that would be required to send patients to India.

However, it has also been gathered that a few patients have already been in the Asian country for treatment. The source said the ministry was researching on the costs that could be involved and the Indian health scene.



They are also looking at the costs of accommodating patients and how relatives could stay in touch with them while they receive treatment.

Director in the Ministry of Health Dr Vusi Magagula confirmed that government was considering sending patients to India.

He said the matter was not being discussed with the public for now as it was still in the preliminary stages.



Dr Magagula said some patients had already been to India on special dispensation, but said they did not go there through the Phalala Fund.

The relationship with India has been established but we are still looking at standard operation procedures (SOPs), he said. When he was asked if they would no longer be sending patients to SA and Mozambique, Dr Magagula said they were weighing their options, and deciding whether it could be cost effective. He said they were also negotiating with the Indian Government.
MBABANE  Hands off their pension benefits The High Court has declared the law which empowered government to withhold pension for civil servants or public officers who had been found on the wrong side of the law as unconstitutional.



Usually, the State would approach the courts for an order to withhold pension for civil servants who had been dismissed for misappropriation of funds. Most of the culprits were school head teachers and officers from the law enforcement agencies.



This effectively means that even the Parliament Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which recovered monies from civil servants, cannot now force the officers to sign the acknowledgement of debt allowing government to deduct money from their pension.

The full bench of the High Court found that Section 32(2) of the Retirement Fund, which permitted such attachment, was inconsistent with Section 195 (6) of the Constitution and therefore was invalid.



The section which the court has since declared unconstitutional stipulated as follows: A retirement fund may deduct an amount from a members benefit in respect of; (a) an amount representing the loss suffered by the employer due to any unlawful activity of the member and for which judgment has been obtained against the member in a court or a written acknowledgment of culpability has been signed by the member and provided that the aforesaid written acknowledgment is witnessed by the member and who had no less than eight years of formal education (b) an amount for which the employee is liable under a guarantee issue by the employer for purposes of obtaining a housing loan; provided that an original notarised document exists which confirms that the guarantee was made.



Section 195(6) of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini provides as follows: Pension benefits of public officers shall not be subject of attachment by order of court for the satisfaction of any judgment or civil proceedings other than in respect of maintenance.The full bench which decided the matter consisted of Justices Mbutfo Mamba, Mumcy Dlamini and Sipho Nkosi.



The judges made this ruling in the case where the Eswatini Government had filed an application for the attachment of terminal benefits of former Head teacher Lucky Mhlanga,

This was after Mhlanga was dismissed by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) for allegedly misappropriating school funds amounting to E114 333.75.

After his dismissal, the Eswatini Government instructed the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) to deduct the aforementioned amount.

PSPF is reported to have declined to accede to this request, saying it had no right or obligation in law to effect the deduction. Section 195(6) was cited as the basic for such refusal.



A move by government to have the effectiveness of the declaration postponed failed as the court saw no value or justification to postpone its effect. Judge Mamba said; to delay or postpone it may cause further prejudice to public servants or officers who may find themselves in the same situation as Mhlanga.



Judgment



Respondents in the matter were Mhlanga, PSPF and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). In its judgment, the full bench stated that in terms of Section 2(1) of the Constitution, the Constitution was the supreme law of the land and where or if any other law was inconsistent therewith, that other law shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void.



Therefore, what this means for example is that, where Section 32(2) of the Retirement Funds Act is found to be inconsistent with any provision of the Constitution, the said section must be declared null and void, to the extent to which it is inconsistent with the constitutional provisions, reads part of the judgment.

The judges said the above statement was just a cursory observation by the court as the main point for adjudication was whether this section was consonant or consistent with the provisions of Section 195(6) of the Constitution.



During the argument of the matter, government averred that there were no inconsistencies between Section 32 (2) of the Retirement Act and Section 195(6) of the Constitution. The respondents, however, argued that there were inconsistencies in these sections.



Judge Mamba said words used in a statute were clear and unambiguous and it was the duty of the court to give effect to that meaning.

In the present case, I have stated what the two provisions of the statute mean. They are plainly inconsistent. The constitutional provisions plainly state that pension benefits of public officers may only be the subject of an attachment by an order of the court in respect of a claim of maintenance. There is no ambiguity in that, said Judge Mamba.
Titusville resident Scott Preston (right) accepts a plaque commemorating his joining the Agricultural Hall of Fame from former Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture George Greig at an award ceremony Sunday, at the Crawford County Fair.
By Trend





Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and all your people on the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Independence Day, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

I am confident that Azerbaijan-Afghanistan relations will continue developing and expanding in an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation serving the best interests of our two peoples. On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health and success in your endeavors, and the friendly people of Afghanistan peace and well-being.
By Trend





Russia is ready to continue to render assistance in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Aug. 20.

We are considering the issue of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the OSCE Minsk Group, where Russia is one of the co-chairing countries, he said. "Our goal is to render all possible assistance to the parties of the conflict for them to be able to agree between themselves. The solution that is acceptable for the parties of the conflict will be acceptable for us as well."

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.
By Trend





Kazakhstan will be able to state about the completion of the legal formalities for the boundaries, sovereign rights for subsoil use in the Caspian Sea after the location of the junction of the lines of delimitation of the sea-bed segments is determined in the trilateral format with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, the official website of the Kazakh prime minister cited Ambassador at Large of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry Zulfiya Amanzholova as saying.

The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea regulates the whole range of issues related to the rights and obligations of the coastal countries with respect to the use of the Caspian Sea, including its waters, the bottom, subsoil, natural resources and air space above it, she said.

"The issues of delimitation of the water area have been clarified, Amanzholova said. The boundaries of the territorial waters with a width of 15 nautical miles have been determined. Their external borders acquire the status of state ones. Ten-mile fishing zones are adjacent to the territorial waters, where each country has exclusive rights to fishery."

Fishery will be carried out on the basis of the agreed national quotas, she added. There is a common water area outside the fishing zones. Outside the sea borders, there will be freedom of navigation for ships with flags of coastal countries."

The ambassador also stressed that Kazakhstan has determined the state border along the entire territory because if before the signing of the Convention the country had legally stipulated land borders, the Convention also allows Kazakhstan to determine the limits of sovereignty at sea.

As for the delineation of the Caspian seabed for subsoil use, according to the document, each country enjoys sovereign rights for subsoil use within its bottom sector.

Up till now, the seabed and subsoil of the Caspian Sea in its northern and central parts have been delineated. Kazakhstan entered into a corresponding agreement with Russia in 1998, as well as a protocol to it in 2002.

The demarcation of the seabed between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan was fixed in the agreement of 2001 and the protocol to it in 2003. There is also the Kazakh-Azerbaijani-Russian agreement on the point of junction of the lines of delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea bottom, signed in 2003.

The agreement of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on the delimitation of the seabed was fixed by an agreement in 2014.

Moreover, great attention at the summit was paid to environmental issues.

On the basis of general approaches to the preservation of the natural environment of the Caspian Sea, in 2003 the parties concluded a framework convention on the protection of the natural environment of the Caspian Sea, the so-called Tehran Convention. According to the Aktau Convention, any activity that damages biodiversity is prohibited in the Caspian Sea.

The parties also agreed on the rules for the implementation of scientific research in the Caspian Sea.

The signing ceremony was held on August 12 at the 5th Summit of the Heads of State of the Caspian Countries in the Kazakh city of Aktau.

The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The design was inspired by Minoan civilization and Cretan mythology and utilizes the power of the worlds most recognized brand to promote Crete as an international tourist destination

Coca-Cola Greece has launched a bottle design celebrating the Greek island of Cretes unique culture and history.

The design was inspired by Minoan civilization and Cretan mythology and utilizes the power of the worlds most recognized brand to promote Crete as an international tourist destination.

The limited-edition bottle features a modern design inspired by murals of Knossos Palace (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the famous myth of the Minotaur and the ancient ritual sport of bull-leaping in Crete island, Taurokathapsia.

We were inspired by Cretan values, tradition, and history, noted Diana Birba, marketing manager for Coca-Cola Greece, Cyprus, and Malta. By depicting them in our first collectible Coca-Cola bottle for a specific region in Greece, we aim to promote Crete as a tourist destination, offer visitors the opportunity to take a unique piece of modern art memorabilia home with them, and celebrate 10 years of making our products here in Crete.

Read more at greekreporter.com

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: Lemur12 License: CC-BY-SA
DHL Global Forwarding, a leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services, has appointed Christelle Fadel, Rob Kennaugh and Fadi Bastoni to lead its business in Morocco, Bahrain and Kuwait, respectively.



Amadou Diallo, chief executive officer, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa, said: The wealth of experience that the new appointments have amassed throughout the years in the logistics industry strengthens our existing business in the respective countries, helping us to fully capitalise on key sectors.



We have high hopes for growth within our region: The Middle East is projected to grow by 3.7 per cent this year while a similar upward trend is predicted for Africa, he said.



With these three leaders taking the helm, their respective countries will benefit from their deep local and regional logistics expertise, as well as individual visions to improve business results, he added.



Christelle Fadel takes on the role of general manager for the business in Morocco; she has been with DHL since 2014 and brings with her close to two decades of experience in supply chain and freight forwarding in Germany, France and Morocco, said a statement from the company.



She was most recently head of product and customer service for DHL Global Forwarding in Morocco. Fadel holds a degree specialising in International and Wholesale Trade from the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) in Germany.



Fadel said: This is an exciting time for the businesses as Morocco grows in significance as the gateway for Europe and Africa. The economic outlook for North Africa is extremely positive with a projected average growth of 5 per cent for 2018 and 4.6 per cent for 2019, and we are ready to take the lead in developing customised logistics solutions to further enhance trade links between Morocco and the global markets.



With the support of the committed and top-class expertise, and our deep understanding of the market, I'm confident that we will deliver a world-class forwarding service for Moroccan businesses in all industries, she said.



Rob Kennaugh officially assumes role of country manager in Bahrain, said a statement.



A veteran of DHL, Kennaugh has been with the company for 25 years, taking on various roles across Australia, China, Oman, Germany, Spain and the UK. He brings with him a wealth of international experience in end-to-end logistics for the oil and gas sector.



Most recently, he was the head of Lead Logistics Partnerships (LLP) for DHL Global Forwarding in Abu Dhabi, where he has been based since 2015.



As country manager, he will oversee DHL Global Forwarding's business in the country, as well as lead the region's integrated warehouse solutions (IWS) and a global shared service centre.



Kennaugh said: I'm honoured to be appointed to this role as it marks another career milestone for me within the DHL family.



I believe my understanding of the region puts me in good stead to lead the team here in Bahrain, as we work together for greater growth. I'm also keen to spearhead more digital customised solutions for our customers to enhance their logistics efficiency, he added.



Fadi Bastoni has been appointed as country manager to oversee operations in Kuwait, it said.



Bastoni first joined DHL Express Saudi Arabia in 2000 where he was, over the years, responsible for various functions including air freight as well as global customer solutions.



In 2009, he left the company to pursue another role in the industry, but returned to DHL in 2012 as country manager for DHL Global Forwarding Bahrain. During his tenure, Bastoni grew the business by achieving double digit growth for shipments handled and revenue. He holds a Masters in Financial Institutions Accounting from Damascus University in Syria.



Bastoni said: Over the years, I have had various opportunities to contribute to the DHL business and the wider logistics industry. With the economy poised to see a 3.5 per cent growth this year and the government pushing to maintain strong spending on transport and logistics infrastructure, Kuwait presents a tremendous opportunity for us and Kuwaiti businesses.



I look forward to continue building on DHL's reputation and reach in the region by helping these businesses gain greater and more efficient access to global markets, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The UAEs Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports to support the United Nations (UN) World Data Forum 2018, which will be hosted by the UAE in October.



The agreement was signed to strengthen cooperation frameworks and activate joint action for the forum, which will see the participation of government leaders, policy decision-makers and more than 1,500 global experts and specialists in the field of data and statistics, said a statement from the organisation.



The official partnering ceremony was held at the FCSA headquarters in Dubai, with the agreement signed by Mohamed Hassan Ahli, executive director of the National Statistics and Data Sector at the FCSA and Abdullah Humaid Al Hamli, executive vice president of corporate support at Abu Dhabi Ports, in the presence of senior officials from both parties.



Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA director-general, chairman of the organising committee of the UN World Data Forum 2018, said: Effective, efficient and accurate data collection improves the performance and efficiency of the logistics sector. It is a vital contributor to sustainable economic development as it leads to the formulation of long-term plans and strategies that support transport and shipping.



As well as strengthening the logistics sectors role as a vital resource for local economies, it is a key factor in maintaining the UAE's leading position on global competitiveness indicators, he said.



The participation of Abu Dhabi Ports in the forum is of particular importance as it contributes to highlighting the UAEs achievements in the use of statistical data and information. The organisations inclusion places a spotlight on the development of the UAEs world-class port sector and showcases its role in meeting the growing demands of maritime transport and logistics, he added.



Abdullah Humaid Al Hamli, executive vice president of corporate support at Abu Dhabi Ports, reiterated that the signing of the agreement with the FCSA was in line with the directives of the UAE's wise leadership to encourage all parties to strengthen cooperation to achieve the goals and aspirations of UAE Vision 2021.



Al Hamli said: Hosted by the UAE, the forum is a major event for organisations, bodies, companies, universities and experts from around the world to promote the dissemination of the objectives of the UNs 2030 SDGs.



We are proud to support the forum, which confers numerous benefits to companies and institutions from the public and private sectors, as well as individuals involved in the field of data, he added.



Mohamed Hassan Ahli, executive director of statistics data at the FCSA, said: Data and statistical information are fundamental building blocks that contribute to the development of SDGs, which meet the current and future needs of societies.



The forum is a premium platform that promotes the exchange of ideas on the best ways to implement modern technologies and to benefit from the collection of data, statistics and accurate information to achieve SDGs at the local, regional and global levels, he added.



The agreement signed between the FCSA and Abu Dhabi Ports also stipulates that the two parties should utilise their expertise to contribute to the development of national competencies, improve their skills in the field of statistical data and information and to employ them to the best of their abilities to realise UAE Vision 2021 and UAE Centennial 2071, it said.



The forum is the worlds most prominent international gathering of data and statistics experts and acts as a scientific incubator to enhance the contribution of data and statistics to the achievement of the 2030 SDGs. The event provides an ideal opportunity to build a broad network of relationships with prestigious corporations, institutions and universities, as well as experts, specialists and data leaders from around the world, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has appointed Samir Aldarabi as director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) for Gulf Countries located in Bahrain.



Prior to this appointment, Aldarabi was the acting director of the United Nations Information Centre in Manama, leading the strategic communications and building understanding and support for the aims and goals of the United Nations in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates since June 2015.



From 2002 to 2015, Aldarabi held progressively responsible public information positions across the United Nations Secretariat. He served as director of the United Nations Information Centre in Sanaa from 2010 to 2015, where he also joined the United Nations Special Political Mission for Yemen; as the national deputy director of Radio Miraya with the United Nations Mission in Sudan in Khartoum from 2009 to 2010; and as a radio producer at United Nations Headquarters from 2002 to 2009.



Before joining the United Nations, Aldarabi was the spokesperson and Arab Press Coordinator for the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, a non-governmental organization, from 2003 to 2004; and led the media campaign for the first ever population, housing and establishment census at the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics from 1997 to 1998.



Aldarabi holds a Master of Arts degree in social science and United Nations studies from Long Island University in the US, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethlehem University. He is fluent in Arabic and English.  TradeArabia News Service
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based aluminium smelter, received a high-level delegation from General Electric (GE) Power on August 15 at Al Dana Hall, Alba.



Led by the president and chief executive officer of GE Gas Power Systems (GPS) Chuck Nugent, the delegation comprised the chief executive officer of GE Turkey Canan Ozsoy, President and chief executive officer of GE GPS Projects MEI Mohamad Ali and the chief executive officer of GAMA Holdings Evren Unver, said a statement from Alba.



The delegates were received by Albas deputy chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali; chief marketing officer Khalid A Latif; chief power officer Amin Sultan; chief administration officer Waleed Tamimi along with other officials from Alba, it said.



The delegation was briefed about Albas historical background, its achievements and importance to Bahrains economy then accompanied in a tour to Power Station 5 site, it added.



Al Baqali said: Our flagship project, Line 6 Expansion Project, is under way especially as we have on-boarded the last batch of new recruits in June.



We are pleased to share the progress made-to-date on the Power Expansion Project with GE officials; we also trust that our EPC contractor, GE-GAMA, will continue their intensive commissioning effort to meet the pouring of First Hot Metal on January 1, 2019, he added.



Nugent said: We have a strong and long-term partnership with Alba, which has set a global first by deploying GE Powers advanced H-Class turbine, the worlds largest and most efficient gas turbine for the first time in the region and in the aluminium smelting industry.



The H-Class technology will help Alba increase its power capacity to support its smelter expansion, and we will work alongside the team providing maintenance coverage, onsite support, digital remote support and other efficiency measures, he added.



We are also committed to advancing Albas vision to become the worlds largest single-site smelter. We are progressing Power Station 5 to support Albas goal of First Hot Metal by January 1, 2019, Nugent concluded.



In line with the Kingdoms 2030 Economic Vision, the Line 6 Expansion Project has created around 500 permanent direct jobs in Alba and will boost the downstream cluster by creating indirectly few thousand job opportunities. To-date, the company is proactively training the new hires to be ready to operate Line 6 smelter and PS 5 facilities as the construction nears completion.



Line 6 Expansion Project will bring Albas total production capacity to 1.5 million metric tonnes per year making it the worlds largest single-site aluminium smelter, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
New sleeping pods, inspired by Japan's famed 'capsule rooms', have been introduced in Saudi Arabia in time for Hajj, which commenced on Sunday (August 19), said a report.



A total of 18 to 24 capsules have been made available for pilgrims to nap in for free for the next few days, said a report in Mubasher.



Less than three metres long and just over one metre high, each fibreglass pod, imported from Japan at cost of around $1,114 each, will feature a mattress, clean sheets, air-conditioning and a large, well-lit mirror.



The nap pods provide a solution for pilgrims who cannot afford to book hotels on site but need a quick rest during hajj, the report said.



Each napper will have a three-hour access to the pods. When they wake up for prayer time, the capsule rooms will be sterilised before handing it over to the next pilgrim.



Earlier this year, the kingdom implemented the trial run of 12 pods by allowing around 60 people to use each pod every day during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, it said.



To cater to the mounting demands of hajj, the government has also introduced apps for on-the-spot translation and emergency medical care.
Abel Noser Opens New Office in Atlanta

Abel Noser Holdings recently announced the opening of a new branch in Atlanta, GA. The office will provide a local presence to support Southeastern clients and is part of the company's continued expansion, both in the US and globally.

Abel Noser, the global leader in TCA, along with its headquarters in New York, also has offices in London, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. "We're pleased with the opportunity to expand our physical footprint into such a vital regional market. In addition to reaching out to new firms in the area, we will continue to provide our Atlanta-based clients with the industry's best agency-only brokerage and TCA services. Our focus is always on lowering their trading costs and helping them capture alpha while remaining in compliance with regulatory mandates," said Ted Morgan, CEO of Abel Noser Holdings.

Yannis Vitsentzos, Managing Director of the company's Sales Trading unit, will head the new Atlanta office. "I'm excited to be in such close proximity to key local clients, allowing us to provide the utmost in best-in-class trading services." In addition to managing the trading desk, Mr. Vitsentzos will oversee the full suite of Abel Noser brokerage services including commission recapture, corporate buy-backs, program trading, and transition management.

Following Abel Noser's management-led buy-out in 2016, the firm has amassed an impressive record of growth. The company also recently acquired Zeno Consulting Group, LLC (formerly Plexus Group), a premier provider of trade analytics and consulting services to asset owners.

"We are thrilled to be further increasing our North American coverage," said Peter Weiler, President of Abel Noser Solutions, the firm's analytics and compliance subsidiary. "Our philosophy has always been to provide traders superior execution with actionable TCA. This new office amplifies our capabilities."

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The staff of UNDP join family and friends in mourning the death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan who passed away peacefully after a short illness, according to a statement published on his official Twitter account on Saturday. He was 80 years old.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed him as a guiding force for good and a proud son of Africa who became a global champion for peace and all humanity.

He provided people everywhere with a space for dialogue, a place for problem-solving and a path to a better world. In these turbulent and trying times, he never stopped working to give life to the values of the United Nations Charter. His legacy will remain a true inspiration for all us.

Farewell Kofi, you were the most gentle of giants, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner in a statement. Your empathy and unwavering dedication to peace made us all stronger. To Nane and your family I extend my heartfelt condolences and join people across the world in deep gratitude for how you touched our lives.

Annan was instrumental in creating the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 and galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the worlds poorest and people with AIDS.

Kofi Annan was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938. Mr. Annan was the seventh Secretary-General to lead the United Nations and the first African Secretary-General.

He served as UN Secretary-General for two consecutive five-year terms, beginning in January 1997.

Mr. Annan joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, rising to hold senior-level posts in areas such as budget and finance, and peacekeeping.

As Mr. Guterres noted: In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organization into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination.
New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Even as there is a push by certain quarters for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping to speed up negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Sri Lanka on Monday said such a process will take some more time.

"Even for the frame work agreement, it took seven years....it is easy to negotiate FTA between two countries.....India and Sri Lanka have it. But when seven countries are involved, may be it is not easy," Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Chitranganee Wagiswara said at an interactive session organised by FICCI.

"So, I think it will take more time to come on some agreement on FTA," she said in presence of envoys and senior officials from other BIMSTEC member nations including Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan.

Therefore, she underlined that though trade and economy is the 'main issue', other aspects of parleys should be pursued between the member nations.

"If FTA and issues like import and export take time, we should pick up other areas where we could agree upon. So, I spoke about soft diplomacy, connectivity and people to people contact," she said and "fast track" these.

The Fourth BIMSTEC Summit is likely to be held on August 30 and 31 in Nepal.

Nepal government, which will be hosting the event, has also said that the upcoming summit must assess its role of past 20 years and chart out the plan of action with time-bound targets for the future course of action in order to have positive impacts in the region.

BIMSTEC has seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

UNI DEVN SHK1604
New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Bangladesh on Monday strongly pitched for "safe return" of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar and also made it clear that the political agenda "should not over shadow" the economic priorities.

"We must make sure that the political agenda does not overshadow economic agenda or economic priorities," Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Counsellor in Bangladesh High Commission to India, said at an interactive session organised by FICCI.

On Rohingya issue, he said "We are under an agreement with Myanmar and we believe Rohinga people who are in Bangladesh will have a safe return to Myanmar soon and as early as possible".

Both Bangladesh and Myanmar are members of the BIMSTEC grouping.

On June 6, 1997, a new sub-regional grouping was formed in Bangkok under the name BIST-EC. In 1997, Myanmar became a full member, resulting in the renaming of the grouping to BIMSTEC.

In 1998, Nepal became an observer. In February 2004, Nepal and Bhutan became full members.

On July 31, 2004, in the first Summit the grouping was renamed as BIMSTEC or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

Speaking at the session 'Fourth BIMSTEC Summit: Expectations, Challenges and Opportunities, the official from Bangladesh High Commission on BIMSTEC there is need "to implement and compliment" the unfulfilled steps as there is already "convergence" among the member nations on the regional grouping.

"We have to make sure the spark is not lost....," Mr Ahmed said.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) has seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

The Fourth BIMSTEC Summit is likely to be held on August 30 and 31 in Nepal.

The host country has highlighted the need to have concrete outcomes from the BIMSTEC process for the benefit of the people in the region.

Nepal government has also said that the upcoming summit must assess its role of past 20 years and chart out the plan of action with time-bound targets for the future course of action in order to have positive impacts in the region.

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Sino-Nepal bilateral agreement implementation process begins

Kathmandu, Aug 20 (UNI) The Nepali government has begun a process to implement energy cooperation agreement held with the government of China in a bid to attract more foreign investment and expand hydropower market in the country, according to a report in The Himalayan Times.

So far, Nepal has signed such agreements with India and Bangladesh as well. The process has begun following the Sino-Nepal agreement reached on 14 different areas during the Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis recent visit to China.

Bilateral agreements including railway construction in Nepal based on the trade and transit agreement, protocol concerning the utilisation of highways in Tibet Autonomous Region of China by Nepal for cargo transport was signed on the occasion.
TN kids return from musical tour in Russia, Hungary

Chennai, Aug 20 (UNI) Rajesh Viswa Sudhan, Pavithra Anup and Nishchita Bandeka-the fortunate three students of Atomic Energy Central School, Kudankulam in Tuticorin district, returned home on Monday after showcasing their talent in `Nuclear Kids musical extravaganza in Russia and Hungary.

They were among 79 kids chosen from different countries of the world to be part of the program.

'Nuclear Kids' was the International Childrens Creativity Project and was being organized annually by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM).
Providing legal and social assistance to vulnerable migrants from Venezuela in Brazil results in positive outcomes

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - 20 August 2018 - From 9 to 13 July 2018 the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT) continued to provide support to vulnerable migrants from Venezuela. GLO.ACT supported the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU) in delivering its mobile assistance Itinerant DPU programme in Manaus, Amazonas. The mission focused on providing quality legal assistance, disseminating information, and identifying cases of trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM). The Itinerant DPU aims to reach those living in risky and remote areas that do not normally have access to legal assistance. Following the success of the mission a report was published here.

Over the past few years, the crisis in Venezuela has led to an increasing number of its nationals, including members of displaced indigenous populations, crossing the Venezuela/Brazil border. For many the main destinations are Boa Vista in Roraima, and Manaus in the Amazonas. This population has been identified as being particularly vulnerable to the humanitarian crisis by local human rights institutions. After Boa Vista, Manaus is the Brazilian city that receives the largest number of Venezuelan migrants in the country. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, there were 2577 refugee status requests made in the Amazons between 2016 and 2017, which represents 12.8 per cent of the total number of requests made nation wide. This number does not include those who requested temporary residency.

Venezuelan migrants arrive in a region that already struggles with issues related to trafficking in persons (TIP). According to the Executive Secretary of Policies for Women of the Amazonas State Department of Justice, Human Rights, and Citizenship, the state of the Amazons serves as a human trafficking route involving criminal networks in Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, and Venezuela. Nine out of ten TIP cases registered in the Amazons - between 2011 and 2014 - related to TIP for the purpose of sexual exploitation. TIP for forced labour and organ removal were also mentioned as criminal objectives of human traffickers.

According to the NGO Rede Um Grito pela Vida (A Cry for Life Network), women and girls from small villages in rural Amazonas are recruited by criminal organizations and taken to Manaus with the hope for a better life that might include the possibility of studying and working. However, it is not uncommon for them to be forcibly moved to other Brazilian cities or even abroad. Some testimonies include girls as young as 8 years old.

This mission represents the second time GLO.ACT provided assistance to Venezuelan migrants. A similar mission was carried out in October 2017 to assist vulnerable Venezuelan migrants arriving in the cities of Boa Vista and Pacaraima in the State of Roraima.

On the first day of the mission in Manaus, meetings aimed at assessing the local situation of migrants and their access to rights were held with the local anti-TIP network, including Cry for Life Network and church representatives, UNHCR, as well as different government authorities. In addition, a meeting was held with the Parliamentary Front to combat Sexual Violence Against Children and Adolescents. GLO.ACT and the DPU also conducted some informal conversations and provided free legal assistance to migrants at the shelter 'Residencial Sao Jose' where Venezuelan indigenous migrants belonging to the Warao ethnicity are housed. During the mission particular attention was paid to helping migrants validate their legal status. During these interventions many cases of migrant smuggling were identified. On the second day of the Itinerant DPU, targeting over 70 non-indigenous Venezuelan migrants, was carried out at the 'Saint Catherine of Siene' shelter managed by the archdiocese 'Caritas of Manaus'. During the afternoon, the DPU also visited the interstate bus terminal, distributed information, hung up posters on walls containing information regarding the rights of migrants. At the same time, two families in severe situation of vulnerability were identified and taken to appropriate shelters.

The two-day Itinerant DPU mission included three public defenders belonging to the Federal Public Defender's Office Assisting the Victims of Human Trafficking, Migration, Statelessness and Refugee, and Eradicating Modern-Day Slavery Thematic Working Groups. Apart from the DPU members, representatives from NGOs such as Mission Peace, the Brazilian Association for the Defense of Women, Childhood and Youth, the Federal Highway Patrol, a human rights journalist and a member of the National Committee against TIP also participated in the mission.

The week concluded with a two-day seminar held from 12-13 July 2018 on "Trafficking in Persons, Smuggling of Migrants and Human Mobility" for over 100 participants from government and civil society in Manaus. Speakers included representatives from the DPU, IOM, UNHCR, the Federal Highway Patrol, the Federal Police of Amazonas, the National Committee to combat TIP and members of the NGO Astral, the national Secretariat of Justice, members of the NGO Um Grito pela Vida and the Brazilian Association for the Defense of Women, Childhood and Youth.

Ms. Beth Fernandez, psychologist and member of the National Committee to combat TIP and member of Astral, gave a lecture on how to improve the assistance to victims of TIP. This also included a gender perspective and highlighted the importance of recognizing the diversities between victims, including LGBT and Intersex people.

Mr. Igor Ramos, representing the Federal Highway Police gave a lecture on trafficking of children and adolescents for the purpose of sexual exploitation. He presented the Federal Highway Police's project map, which charts locations prone to be hotspots for the sexual exploitation of children along Brazilian federal highways. Mr. Ramos ended his lecture quoting Edmund Burke by saying, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".

The mission aimed to combine the provision of direct legal and social assistance to vulnerable migrants with the capacity building workshop. Combining both allowed GLO.ACT and the DPU to improve the protection of migrants by providing direct assistance while at the same time raising awareness and building the capacity of local networks.

The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), 11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Fernanda Patricia Fuentes Munoz

GLO.ACT National Project Officer

Liaison and Partnership Office in Brazil

Email: fernanda.fuentes@unodc.org

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

Email: glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_act
UT Martin nursing class achieves 100% NCLEX pass rate

08 - 09 - 2018

Contact: Erin Chesnut

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MARTIN, Tenn.  One hundred percent of nursing graduates from the University of Tennessee at Martins 2018 class passed their National Council Licensing Examinations this year as first-time test-takers. The NCLEX is a mandatory examination to receive licensure as a registered nurse, and this total includes students from both the UT Martin main campus and the Parsons Center.The faculty at UT Martin value the current and future success of our students. We are committed to ensuring that our graduates are prepared for the NCLEX and their careers in the profession, said Dr. Mary Radford, associate professor of nursing and department chair. Our curriculum is challenging yet preparatory for both the NCLEX and clinical practice, and our signature three years of clinical rotations play a key role in students preparation.UT Martin has educated nurses for more than 45 years, and program graduates hold many positions in the health-care field to make a difference in the lives of their patients.Students who leave UT Martin with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree complete more than 900 clinical hours in hospitals and health-care facilities across the state and gain experience in surgical, intensive care, maternity, pediatric, geriatric, mental health and emergency units, among others. Classes are also provided on topics such as leadership skills and community-based nursing in addition to clinical learning opportunities.I think no matter where you attend school, the NCLEX is nerve-wracking. However, UTM prepared me more than I ever expected. We have a 100 percent NCLEX pass rate for a reason, said Brittany Benjamin, a 2018 graduate from South Fulton. Although I was nervous, I was confident after I left (the exam).  Its all because UT Martin sets their standards high, and we all excel because of it.Benjamin has secured a position in the orthopedic trauma unit at Vanderbilt University and says interviewers were impressed by her academic resume.It goes to show how amazing our program is and how well known we are to employers. They know this program prepares us for life after graduation. Out of the largest selection of applicants at Vanderbilt, I landed my dream job, and I do believe that graduating from such a rigorous program is what helped separate me from other (applicants), she said.Students can earn a UT Martin nursing degree on the main campus in Martin and at the UT Martin Parsons Center. The RN-BSN bridge program for currently licensed nurses is available online.For more information on the UT Martin Department of Nursing, contact the department directly at 731-881-7080 or email nursing@utm.edu ###PHOTO ID: Nursing students monitor simulated vital signs in a campus laboratory.

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(Aug. 20, 2018) -- Roadrunners have a big week ahead of them. Before they step into their first class tomorrow, they will engage in several fun and meaningful activities during Roadrunner Days.

Todays big events give students opportunities to take part in time-honored UTSA traditions, explore their majors, meet new friends, gain valuable lessons from current students and celebrate the start of the new academic year, all important foundations of the exceptional student experience UTSA fosters.

Heres whats going on today:

Honors College Breakfast

8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Student Union Denman Room (SU 2.01.28), Main Campus

Roadrunners in the Honors College are invited to have a free breakfast and meet Honors College students, administrators, faculty and staff to learn more about all the amazing opportunities and experiences to help them succeed at UTSA.

Convocation

10 a.m., (doors open at 9:30 a.m.) Convocation Center, Main Campus

Overflow seating with simulcast in Recreation and Wellness Center

Convocation is a UTSA tradition for all new Roadrunners. The Class of 2022 will get a lesson in several UTSA staples including the Roadrunner Creed, UTSA Alma Mater and UTSA Fight Song. President Taylor Eighmy and Provost Kimberly Andrews Espy will deliver an inspirational speech to get students excited for their academic journey at UTSA. Representative from faculty and the student body will also get students pumped for the fall semester.

Explore Your Major

11:15 a.m. to 12:30p.m., Various locations, Main and Downtown Campuses

Immediately following Convocation, students branch out around campus to explore their major. They will meet with professors, advisors and create an academic plan specific to their degree goals. Shuttles will be provided for students going to the Downtown Campus.

University Peer Mentorship (UPM) Experience  Meet Your Mentor Mixer

2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Recreation & Wellness Center Texas Room (RWC 2.214) and San Antonio Room (RWC 2.218), Main Campus

Students who enrolled in UMP 1000 course this fall will meet their First-Year Experience (FYE) UMP Peer Mentor during this fun social event. The mentors will support and guide the new students academically and socially throughout their first year at UTSA.

2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Students in life and health sciences, natural and physical sciences and interdisciplinary education pathways

3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Students in arts and humanities and exploratory and business studies pathways

4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Students in public service and policy studies, social sciences, and technology, engineering and mathematics pathways

UTSA Midnight Light

11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., John Peace Blvd. entrance, Main Campus

The entire Roadrunner community will want to be a part of this explosive celebration that includes President Eighmy, Rowdy and the Spirit of San Antonio marching band. Everyone gathers together near the Monuments when theyre lit at midnight, marking the start of a new academic year. There will also be a fireworks show, dance party and special presentation of the various Monument light sequences and their meanings.

Students will need to check into all Roadrunner Days events using Event Pass on their mobile device. To do so, simply log in to RowdyLink, click on profile and download event pass using Apple Wallet, Google Play or screenshot. Saving the event pass makes checking into campus events quick and easy. In many cases, students will need their event pass or abc123 to get free swag, food and shirts at events.
Business Pitches Topic of Aug. 24 Event at UW

Small-business owners and entrepreneurs can learn the best practices for pitching business ideas to potential investors Friday, Aug. 24, from 8-10:15 a.m. at the Wyoming Technology Business Center on the University of Wyoming campus.

Sponsored by the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, this no-cost event will show attendees how to give successful elevator pitches and presentations.

Wyoming SBDC Network personnel and Certified Licensing Professional Jeff Carpenter will be on hand to offer expert advice. This training will address verbal pitches and formal presentations. It also will help you understand and plan for the wide range of outcomes you might be seeking as an entrepreneur.

Attendees should come ready to prepare or share their own pitches in this interactive training.

To register for the event, or to learn more, visit the events section of the Wyoming SBDC Network website at www.wyomingsbdc.org.

The SBDC is a partnership among UW, the Wyoming Business Council and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC focuses on educating small-business owners and potential owners on how to successfully start and operate small businesses. The SBDCs main office is located at UW.

The Wyoming SBDC Network is a business-advising group of the Wyoming SBDC, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Market Research Center and Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Initiative. The networks mission is to help Wyoming entrepreneurs succeed. Advising and most market research activities are free of charge to Wyoming residents.
UW Employees Granted Release Time to Vote in Primary Election

University of Wyoming employees have a maximum of one hour of release time to vote in Tuesdays Wyoming primary election, in accordance with state law and UW policy.

The 2018 primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 21, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. To locate polling places, go here.

The scheduling of release time should be a collaborative discussion between employee and supervisor to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the unit.
UW Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting Aug. 28

University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols will provide updates on key issues and initiatives, and outline future plans during the UW Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 1 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom.

In addition to the presidents State of the University address, newly promoted faculty members and academic professionals will be recognized, and the presidents of the Associated Students of UW, Faculty Senate and Staff Senate will offer brief remarks.

The meeting will air on the WyoCast system at https://wyocast.uwyo.edu/WyoCast/Play/ebd1e5e023b440b69c5604f98d4e5e341d.

The Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting will be followed immediately by the New Student Convocation, set for 3:30 p.m. at the Arena-Auditorium. Faculty members are encouraged to participate in the convocation.

The president has authorized two hours of release time for employees to attend the Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting. The scheduling of release time should be a collaborative discussion between employee and supervisor to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the unit.

For a list of fall semester kickoff events for faculty and staff members, go to www.uwyo.edu/president/_files/docs/events/fall-2018-kick-off-events.pdf.
Vietnam's renewable sector is still far behind its potential

With the message Clearing the path for renewable energy to every home in Vietnam, the Renewable Energy Week this year aims to encourage all Vietnamese citizens to become part of the energy transition and to directly benefit from this process.

Together with our partners, we will redouble our efforts in the development of Solar PV technology as a means of facilitating a socially just energy transition that gives customers the means to produce their own power and to become empowered consumers, said Nguy Thi Khanh, GreenIDs Executive Director, the coordinating organisation of Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance (VSEA).

In addition, this programme will also attract the participation of management agencies, policymakers, as well as leading national and international experts in renewable energy, and individuals and organisations working in the energy sector to discuss issues and find solutions to overcome challenges, promote success and innovation in Vietnam. There will be a series of events held by Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance (VSEA) and the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho, including workshops, exhibitions, and site events.

At the policy level, the long-awaited Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme for utility-scale solar projects, along with a net metering scheme for household rooftop PV systems, was issued by the prime minister in April 2017. The FiT went into effect on June 1, 2017 and will remain in effect until June 30, 2019.

On September 12, 2017 the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) released the circular Regulating Solar Power Project Development and Standardised Power Purchase Agreement for Solar Power Projects, creating more clarity on these issues. In response to this policy incentive, there was massive solar project registration and several thousand MW were added to the national grid, with some constructions already underway.

Accordingly, the 3rd Renewable Energy Week will focus discussions on these barriers, on how to remove or bypass them to make RE feasible and a benefit for all in Vietnam. The week will involve a chain of inter-related activities, including workshops, seminars, field trips, exhibitions, and other events in parallel.

VSEA initiated the 1st Renewable Energy Week programme in Vietnam in 2016. So far, this programme has become an annual forum for policy makers, academics, and the public to discuss concerns and ideas and propose solutions to facilitate energy transition in Vietnam in a sustainable manner.
According to Brian Hull, country managing director of ABB in Vietnam, ABB has had a wonderful first 25 years in Vietnam and the company is looking forward to the next 25 years and beyond.

ABB has played an integral role in sveral important projects underpinning the countrys development

The Energy and Fourth Industrial revolutions are shaping the future of the countrys economy and we have the right technologies in place that have withstood the test of time to allow the utilities, industries, infrastructure, and transport sectors to capitalise on these changes, said Hull.

ABB will continue working as a pioneering technology leader in the country and we want to thank our customers for partnering with us through the years and anticipate many more years of shared growth and success.

In its 25 year growth journey in Vietnam, ABB has taken part in a string of important projects underpinning the countrys development.

These projects include Phu My and Uong Bi thermal power plants, Tri An Hydro Power Plant, diverse 500/220/100kV substations that feed the national power network, and Hai Van Tunnelthe longest tunnel in Southeast Asia.

ABB has also powered and automated numerous important industrial plants, promoting economic development across Vietnam, such as Dung Quat Petrochemical Complex, the Nui Phao mining project, Song Gianh Cement Plant, Cam Pha Cement Plant, Cao Son Mine, and numerous other plants across the spectrum of the Vietnamese economy.

As a developing nation, Vietnam is encountering challenges related to fast-paced urbanisation, paired with the ever-increasing demand for infrastructure, safe energy and water sources, standard healthcare services, and diverse environmental and urban sustainable development issues, as well as issues of global concern, such as climate change and the rising sea level.

According to Hull, the journey for building a brighter future for Vietnam is on-going. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is shaping the global industry. With its technology leadership and experience, ABB is committed to enabling the integration process and seizing opportunities to help build up a digital future for Vietnamese industries. ABB will accelerate the delivery of solutions to support the smart and sustainable development of renewable energy, smart cities, and electric vehicles in the country, he added.

ABB's high voltage and distribution solutions factory in northern province of Bac Ninh

A key driver for ABB in Vietnam will be ABB Ability, the companys cross-divisional digital offering, which builds on ABBs pioneering technology and more than four decades of industrial digital leadership. ABB Ability will enable customers to innovate and compete in the emerging digital-industrial marketplace.

By combining ABBs deep domain expertise with network connectivity and the latest digital products and innovations, ABB Ability creates powerful solutions and services that solve real business problems and produce tangible business opportunities to increase productivity and efficiency.

Apart from this, ABB attaches great importance to promoting education, specifically the training of engineers. ABB in Vietnam has donated its latest technologies to leading engineering universities, such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Danang University of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, RMIT, and Ton Duc Thang University. This equipment brings practical work processes and experience into the learning environment.

In addition, ABB in Vietnam has supported a string of other programmes to nurture young talents. The companys Jurgen Dormann Foundation has awarded scholarships to support talented students with limited financial resources until graduation, as well as donating computers to help them pursue their passion for technology.

ABBs Graduate Engineering Programme (GEP) has employed excellent graduates and given them opportunities to work at ABB in Vietnam and ABB Groups subsidiaries in other regional countries.

ABBs internship programmes, implemented throughout the year, have offered fresh graduates the experience of working in a global company which sets the highest standards for quality, safety, and integrity.
Recognised for excellence in digital banking and innovation, Citi swept a total of 36 wins across the magazines Corporate/Institutional and Consumer Digital Bank Awards, reaffirming the banks commitment to innovation and excellence in digital banking across its Corporate/Institutional as well as Consumer Banking business.

Citi Vietnam wins Best Corporate Digital Bank

The bank also won five sub-category awards, including Best Online Cash Management, Best Online Treasury Services, Best in Mobile Banking, Best Mobile Banking App and Most Innovative Digital Bank.

Citi was the first global transaction bank to launch Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for institutional clients in 2017. Close to 20 APIs across a wide range of functionalities have been implemented.

The bank also has the largest footprint in Virtual Cards in Asia across 11 markets, bringing automation and efficiency to supplier payments for clients. MobilePassCitis app that generates dynamic passwords for digital access to accounts by corporate usersis now available across 14 markets in the region.

Being the leader of world class banking experiences, Citi Vietnam introduced two groundbreaking banking platforms, namely CitiDirect BEthe next collaborative online platform helping institutions increase transactional transparency, reduce fraud exposure and improve operational efficiency and Citi Supplier Financea global pioneering supply chain finance.

The bank has consistently worked with clients through the recent years to move them to the CitiDirect platform across desktop, mobile and tablet.

Our strategy is to leverage technology to provide simple, digital, and global platforms and solutions for our clients. We continue to invest in continuous development and improvement our platforms and connectivity channels to drive this strategy. By leveraging technology to tie the local cash management and trade infrastructures into our global network and platforms, we are helping our corporate clients in Vietnam to be more digitally savvy and efficient in managing their treasury needs, said Jared Mecham, Citi Vietnam head of Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS).

In the Consumer Digital Bank Awards, Citi was named Best Digital Bank in Australia, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Bahrain.

In sub-category awards, Citi was recognised for Best in Mobile Banking and Best Information Security and Fraud Management in Asia Pacific.

Anand Selva, Citis head of Consumer Banking for Asia Pacific said, Our ongoing transformation from an analog to a digital business continues to yield results and generate client-led growth. We continue to build digital relevance and scale by plugging into relevant digital ecosystems where our customers are active, simplifying processes and customer onboarding and leveraging data to offer our customers increasingly innovative and personalised products and services.

From June 2017 to June 2018, the Asia Pacific Consumer Banking franchise added over one million new mobile clients. Mobile is now the most popular digital channel for Citis clients, with more than one in three digitally active clients choosing mobile.

The past year also saw a number of digital global-firsts for Citi launched out of the region. The banks chatbot on Facebook Messenger was launched in Singapore early this year while video banking for Wealth Management was introduced to customers in India.

Citi welcomes 1 million new mobile banking users across Asia-Pacific Citi has reported over 1 million new mobile banking clients across its Asia-Pacific consumer banking network in the last 12 months, adding to some 4.3 ...

Citi Foundation supports local innovation and startups Vietnam has seen huge growth in startups in recent years, with 3,000 registered startups in 2017.
E-GP opens up unlimited business opportunities in publicly-funded projects

Business opportunities open to any firm

Having been officially applied nationwide for two years since 2016, e-procurement in Vietnam has attracted thousands of procuring entities and bidders. As a result of applying technology to save costs and time, Vietnam National EProcurement System (VNEPS) run and managed by the Public Procurement Agency uder the Ministry of Planning and Investment, is becoming an active trade platform reporting constant growth.

VNEPS is the fundamental platform where all procurement processes, including publishing bidding invitations, bidding documents, submitting bids, and announcing the bidding results, take place. All information related to the bidders submitting bids, such as their identities and number of submitted bids, are kept confidential until bid opening.

Albeit being a fairly new format, e-GP is receiving considerable attention from a large number of project owners, procuring entities, and bidders. Statistics from the Vietnam National e-Procurement Centre show that the number of e-procuring packages in 2017 totaled 8,200, more than in 2016, the first year VNEPS was launched on a national scale. The total value of e-procurement packages reached VND9 trillion ($398.2 million) in 2017.

Up to now, there have been 23,000 procuring entities and 72,000 bidders, ranging from various cities and provinces like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoa Binh, Son La, Danang, Gia Lai, and Kon Tum registering on VNEPS.

Accessing information and bidding documents from anywhere, anytime, preparing and submitting bids online without needing to travel to procuring entities locations, e-GP has enabled bidders to get better access to many attractive business opportunities in the market of public procurement with ease and speed.

E-GP continues to accelerate in 2018

If 2016 and 2017 gave the first push for the system to adjust to the market, this year promises to see VNEPS bloom. According to the Vietnam National e-Procurement Centre, in the first six months of the year, the number of e-procurement packages has reached 6,100, almost doubling the figure of 3,300 packages in the same period in 2017. Specifically, the number of goods procurement packages accounted for the largest proportion with 3,000 packages.

With this growth, it is expected that the number of e-procurement packages in the second half of 2018 can be doubled or even tripled against 2017. In all likelihood, the projected numbers are attainable as when Circular No.04/2017/TT-BKHDT issued by the Ministry of Planning and Investment came into force on March 1, 2018 with many salient points, including expanding the scope of e-GP to cover the procurement of consulting services, non-consulting services, high-value goods, and civil works contracts where the procedure of one stage, two envelope applies, optimising the process of selecting bidders on VNEPS.

Circular No.04 will accelerate e-GP in 2018

Under Circular 04, administrative procedures and paper documents are reduced significantly with seven standard e-bidding documents maximising the usage of web forms. Circular 04 is also expected to relieve difficulties and inadequacies in the process of online bidding, such as no procurement document samples being available for the field of civil works, consulting and non-consulting services or that bidders are only allowed to submit bidding documents once.

From now on, bidders are able to seek procurement information with ease and speed through the system thanks to the clear classification of bidding information. Bidders can easily see and download bidding documents which are publicly available and free on the system, as well as prepare and submit bids via the system.

Notably, through VNEPS, the number of submitted bids and the bidders identity is kept confidential until bid opening. The Vietnam National e-Procurement Centre stated that prior to bid openings, no one can get access to this information, even procuring entities or the systems admins.

Bidders should only focus to prepare their best bids to be able to win the contract. This important feature can help eliminate fraud and corruption practices like collusion or obstruction during the bidding process. VNEPS also provides applicable governing documents and guidance for bidders reference when participating in e-bidding.

The system, after a six-year pilot and two years of formal operation, has partially met the needs of procuring entities and enterprises. However, improvements need to be made to satisfy higher requirements in operational function and security capabilities.

With various sides engaged in the process, VNEPS pays due attention to technology and content in order to maximise the potential for investment and public procurement, contributing to the socioeconomic development of Vietnam.
A public canteen for workers at Truong Hai Auto Joint Stock Company in Hanois Ha Dong District. - VNA/VNS Photo o Truong

Tran Van Chung, deputy director of Hanoi Department of Health, said several food poisoning cases have occurred at public canteens in the city in recent months. He blamed substandard food at canteens and low awareness of their staff.

In the latest incident, 29 trainees from Song Hong Human Resources JSC suffered food poisoning after having dinner provided by New Sky Food Processing and Trading Ltd. They were rushed to local hospitals for emergency treatment after experiencing stomach aches, headaches, vomiting and high fevers.

The incident has prompted competent agencies to tighten the management of public canteens at industrial zones and schools in the capital.

According to the health department, there are 4,256 public canteens in the city, including 457 in industrial zones.

Hoang Thi Minh Thu, deputy head of Hanoi Food Safety and Hygiene Division, said inspectors from the Hanoi Department of Health and Hanoi Food Safety and Hygiene Division have inspected 133 public canteens, including 96 in industrial zones.

Fourteen canteens were found to have violated food safety and hygiene and safety standards, with total punishment amounting to VND85.5 million (US$3,700).

Common violations included failing to store food samples properly, using substandard facilities and a lack of regular health examinations for kitchen staff.

Food origin

Nguyen Thanh Phong, director of the Ministry of Healths Administration of Food Safety and Hygiene said food poisoning at public canteens is a major problem.

According to him, ready-to-eat food was the biggest issue leading to food poisoning.

Surveys conducted by the administration showed that about 70 per cent of food poisoning cases came from catering services, he said.

Inspections revealed that only 20 per cent of companies at industrial and processing zones set up their own public canteens, while the rest signed contracts with food processing and trading companies.

Ngo Dinh Loat, deputy head of Hanoi Agro-Forestry Fisheries Quality Assurance Division, said with a population of more than 10 million, the demand for food in the city was big.

Hanoi could produce only 60 per cent of the food and the rest comes from neighbouring provinces.

Ha Linh Chi, a representative from Panasonic Appliances Vietnam Ltd company, said the biggest challenge in ensuring food safety in canteens was the honesty of food suppliers.

Most public canteens could show certificates declaring the origin of food and sample tests were used, but it was impossible to ensure they met standards stated in signed contracts or not, she said.

Vo Viet Dung, chairman of Nam Hanoi Food Processing JSC, agreed.

He cited the fact that some small enterprises affiliated with big firms who specialise in producing safe food. However, they still purchased food with unclear origin to supply public canteens.

Dung also said the low cost of a meal for workers at industrial zones posed difficulties for companies in ensuring nutrition and quality.

Tran Kieu Huong, a representative from Ba Sao Food Service Ltd company, agreed.

A meal for workers must meet certain quantity and quality of food while the company pays only VND18,000 per dish, she told the Hanoi Moi (New Hanoi) newspaper.

In addition, she said, companies who provided safe food couldnt meet the requests of every canteen as they were scattered in different places.

To tackle these problems, city authorities had signed contracts with 21 provinces and cities in the north to provide safe food, Loat from Hanoi Agro-Forestry Fisheries Quality Assurance Division said.

Quick response (QR) code applications had been deployed to trace the origins of agricultural products to control quality. This enabled companies to choose the right products, he said.

Regarding communications activities, Huong stressed the need to improve the awareness of those involved.

It was necessary to educate managers, chefs and staff working at canteens and food processing companies about their responsibility in ensuring safe food, she said.

To ensure food safety at public canteens, Tran Van Chung, deputy director of Hanoi Department of Health, said the origin of the food would be tightened and inspections on public canteens would be strengthened. Any violations should be strictly dealt with.

The management board of industrial zones should enhance co-operation with public canteens, he said. Only units meeting standards were allowed to operate and only those who had undergone training on food safety were permitted to work there.
Two new solar power plants are scheduled to be built in the central province of Ha Tinh with total capacity of 58MWp. - Photo vietnamfinance.vn

The Cam Hung solar power plant will be built in Cam Xuyen Districts Cam Hung and Cam Quan communes in 2018-20. It will cover an area of 29ha with capacity of 29MWp.

The Son Quang solar power plant is planned for Huong Son Districts Son Quang Commune with the same capacity.

The Northern Power Corporation under the Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) will mobilise capital for the two plants as planned to ensure progress and power supply.

Duong Tat Thang, vice chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said the two plants were the initial results of Ha Tinh Provinces trade promotion efforts in Germany.

Thang said that the Ministry of Industry and Trade approved the adjusted and supplemented planning for electricity development in Ha Tinh Province in the 2016-25 period.

Earlier, Ha Tinhs leaders held a meeting with Nguyen Huu Trang, Trade Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy to Germany, management board of the Viet Nam-Germany Industrial Park (GVIP) and businesses from Germany and Italy.

The provincial Peoples Committee signed a memorandum of understanding on investment with Ruland Arthur representing the German firms.

The committee issued Document No 7766/UBND-KT on December 8, 2017 allowing German companies to conduct a survey for construction of the two solar power plants.
How would you evaluate the potential of the Vietnamese real estate market?

I think there are incredible opportunities at hand, but like in any market with a lot of opportunities, there are inherent risks. The Vietnamese economy is growing at about 6.8 per cent, one of the highest growth rates in the world. We also have a demographic profile to support real estate development: about 3 per cent of the population is migrating into the cities, resulting in a very strong urbanisation rate, and when I look at the opportunities for us at Indochina Capital, the hotel and hospitality markets are quite compelling. International arrivals are up nearly 30 per cent, but what is even more interesting is that domestic arrivals are in excess of 70 million. Since the costs of travel were brought down by Vietjet, Jetstar, and others, more Vietnamese people travel. Additionally, GDP per capita has reached $2,400. Economists say the $2,000 threshold is the inflection point where consumer spending really picks up, and this is evident in hospitality and consumer spending. Overall, the potential of the Vietnamese real estate market is extremely strong.

What have been the most prominent changes in the industry during your time here?

A lot has changed. I have been here for about 12 years, doing real estate the entire time. I would say the biggest change is that domestic developers are rising to dominance. When I came, the main projects were carried out by foreign developers using foreign capital, but over the last 10 years, we have seen local players emerging as the dominant developers. We see this in the cases of Vincom, FLC, and Novaland. They control all the major projects now, which is a major shiftand this is good. The domestic market should be dominated by domestic players.

Foreigners are now permitted to purchase and own residential units in Vietnam. How has this impacted foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the domestic real estate sector?

I think the changes had a tremendous impact. If you look at most high-end projects throughout Vietnam, the 30 per cent quota for foreign ownership has been maxed out.

I started selling real estate to foreigners about 12 years ago in Danang. At the time, I had to travel to Hong Kong or China to do real estate shows and to get one buyer here, one buyer there. Now, we have a real estate brokerage division called Indochina Properties and our biggest problem is that we do not have enough products to sell. Now, foreign buyers are actually chasing me for properties. I think this is a tremendous shift. The Vietnamese government has done a good job relaxing policies to encourage foreign investment in real estate and I think this trend should continue. Vietnam has been continuously relaxing foreign ownership regulations. When I first arrived, it was highly restricted. After a few years, they introduced the 50-year lease for foreigners. Then they allowed ownership of one property for Viet Kieu. A few years later, Viet Kieu could own multiple properties. Another few years later, foreigners were allowed to lease property for 70 years.

Now, we see a pretty much equal playing field between foreign and Vietnamese real estate investors. There is still a little way to go, but the trend has always been progressive. Although Vietnam has not been very fast in liberalising foreign ownership regulations, it has been very supportive and foreign investors are encouraged by these trends. This progress is less restricted than in some markets like Thailand. I think Vietnam is sending a great message to the world with this.

What is real estate investors biggest worry in Vietnam?

Canada, where I am from, has a land mass of about 10 million square kilometres, while Vietnam has about 330,000sq.km. So Canada is about 30 times larger, but its population is only a third of Vietnams. Just looking at these numbers, it is clear that the demand for land in Vietnam is going to be very strong and I have no doubt of the long-term potential of the market. We only need to balance what happens between now and then.

With its unpredictable cycles, the real estate business is always difficult. We conduct a lot of predictive studies to prepare for when the cycles change, but the truth is nobody truly knows. This is a young, developing, and relatively immature market, which brings tremendous opportunities at the cost of increased volatility. This makes the risk profile different from developed markets.

Investors from Canada, Europe, or Japan are likely used to a more mature market, while in Vietnam you can seize opportunities that take you very high, but you have to be ready for things to come down more quickly. It comes down to your timing, understanding of the country, and managing the risksbut overall, market conditions are great, the government is extremely encouraging towards foreign investors, and I think now is a great time to enter.

Which real estate segments will you focus on in Vietnam in the future?

Indochina Capital and our partner Kajima have a clear strategy to focus on pretty much anything with a bed in ithotels, residential units for sale or serviced apartments, everything. This is our primary focus, which represents about 70 per cent of our portfolio. For the remaining 30 per cent we are looking at office, logistics, and industrial properties, but we think we mainly want to support the growing population and tourism by getting people a bed to sleep in.
In yesterday's post we looked at the debate around an arty poster for a regatta considered as a political attack to the policies of the Italian Minister for Interior Affairs, Matteo Salvini.

You can bet that the debates will continue but will also be shifted onto other artists and works. At the moment the Interior Minister is indeed engaged in a new war and theatening to send back to Libya 177 migrants rescued by Italian coast guard ship Diciotti.

Italy asked Malta to take them, but the Maltese authorities refused highlighting the ship was not in distress and the migrants preferred continuing their journey towards Italy.

Yesterday Salvini demanded other European countries to take in the migrants and threatened to send them back to Lybia, a solution that may have legal repercussions on Italy as using the country's own ships to return migrants to Libya is in violation of the civil and political rights as assessed by the European Court of Human Rights.

As the odyssey of the migrants continues, Lampedusa is getting ready for a performance by Fabio Viale that will take place on the local beach on 23rd and 24th August.

Organised with the support of the local authorities and the Galleria Poggiali, the performance is entitled "Souvenir Pieta (Madre)" (Souvenir Pieta (Mother)) and it a development of a 2007 project, "Souvenir Pieta (Cristo)" (Souvenir Pieta (Christ)).

Both the projects consists in 1:1 replicas of Michelangelo's Pieta, but in the early version Viale reproduced Christ without the Mother and in the second and more recent version, the Mother was represented without the Son, hinting in this way at the sorrow of separation.

The statue of the Mother without the Son was also employed for the conceptual project "Lucky Ehi", presented last year in Milan: in this case the artist asked to a young man from Nigeria he had met in a refugee centre in Turin to pose in the place of Christ.

The contrasts in "Lucky Ehi" were striking: the white marble of the static Madonna statue held the living body of a man of colour, a modern representation of a suffering Christ, but at the same time a metaphor for somebody who found peace after a troubled life, while the statue became a universal symbol, a mother for all sorts of children with no distinctions of cultures and religious beliefs, an ancestral icon with a modern global power. The installation was accompanied in that case by an audio recording in which young refugee Lucky Ehi told his story and recounted how he flew from his country because of religious persecution.

The statue of Mother without Christ will land on Lampedusa's beach on Thursday this week and will be looking towards Lybia, her empty but open arms ready to welcome people, sons and daughters arriving in pain from all sorts of places, seeking love, comfort and support.

As seen in previous posts, Viale plays a lot with visual illusions, misperceptions, juxtapositions and contrasts between classical art and urban moods. At the moment Viale is exhibiting at the Glyptothek Museum in Munich, at the Battistero del Duomo and at the Galleria Poggiali in Pietrasanta, Italy, but this is the first time one of his works is presented in a very symbolic public space in Italy, in a performance that will certainly raise the debate on the current Italian policies about migrants and human rights. Will "Souvenir Pieta (Madre)" enrage Salvini, so busy at the moment with his ethnic cleansing campaign? Hopefully yes, after all that's what art should do - irritate big powers, question their decisions and prompt more people to think.





All images in this post by Nicolo Taglia
Investors follow stock movements on FPT Securities Company (FPTS)s trading floor in Ha Noi.- VNS Photo Truong Vi

Each quarter, the ETFs, comprising of four foreign ETFs and two domestic ETFs, restructure their portfolios by adding stocks that meet their requirements on capitalisation and liquidity, and remove those that do not to ensure profitability.

Nguyen Hong Khanh, head of market analysis at Viet Nam International Securities Joint Stock Company (VIS), told tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn that investors were waiting for the outcome of the ETF restructuring because stocks added to the lists were likely to shine and encourage foreign investors to stay in the Vietnamese market.

Hoang Thach Lan, head of the individual investor division at Viet Dragon Securities, said the prices of stocks added to ETF portfolios would increase significantly.

As far as I know, three stock codes are expected to be added to the FTSE ETF: VHM, GEX and HNG. Among them, GEX is likely to increase. VHM may gain but foreigners are always net sellers on this stock. HNG has experienced a correction in August after a sharp increase in the previous two months, so the trend for this stock is unclear, Lan said.

The VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange added 0.48 per cent to close Friday at 968.88 points. It rose 0.3 per cent in the previous session. The index gained 0.04 per cent for the week.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index inched up 0.09 per cent to 108.02 points after losing more than 1.7 per cent in the last three sessions. It rose 2.66 per cent week on week.

The HNX Index decreased 0.52 per cent on a weekly basis.

An average of more than 227.3 million shares worth VND4.9 trillion (US$212.3 million) were traded in each session last week, up 4 per cent in volume and no change in value compared to the previous week.

Khanh told tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn that the market had gained for five consecutive weeks with liquidity remaining stable and cash flow spreading evenly.

The information that would likely impact the market the most was still the fluctuation of the exchange rate, which seemed to still be going up, Khanh said.

After continuous increases, the market may experience several short-term corrections this week but the target for the short-term was still rising to approach the 1,020 point, he said.

According to market expert Ngo Quoc Hung at MB Securities Joint Stock Company (MBS), cash flow increased and blue-chips in the bank stock group were still market drivers.

Foreigners had also reduced their net sales, he said.

In the next week, I think that the market will trade positively. However, the VN-Index will face significant challenges when it reaches 980 to 985. If it successfully overcomes this resistance, it is expected to return to the 1,000-point level, Hung said.

VN stock market offers great investment opportunities: analysts

Despite the volatility in the stock market and risks caused in part by the US-China trade war, there are still buying opportunities in the Vietnamese stock market this year, with the trick being to identify good companies, according to analysts.

Nguyen Thanh Lam, head of analysis at Maybank Kim Eng Securities Limited, said the Vietnamese stock market posted the highest gains in Asia in the first quarter of this year but lost the most in the second quarter.

When information about the US-China trade war spread, the VN-Index fell sharply, even more than indices in China, which were affected directly by the trade war, but this was an overreaction by investors, he said.

In recent weeks, the market has seen some recovery, though it is still off previous highs, he told a seminar on the stock market last week.

He offered three scenarios for the Vietnamese market in the second half.

In the base scenario, in which the outcome of the trade war was not too bad, the index would likely reach 1,100 points.

In the worst-case scenario, with the US imposing a 25 per cent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports in September, there would be a big impact, with regional markets plunging 30 per cent and the Vietnamese market to 820 points.

In the best-case scenario, if the US and China ended their trade war, regional markets would increase by 20 per cent and the VN-Index to around 1,300 points, he said.

Dr Chua Hak Bin, senior economist at the Maybank Kim Eng Group, said in a globalised world, the trade war affected many countries, but many, including Viet Nam, also benefited from the demand diversion.

Lam said stocks would see great divergence during the rest of the year, so investors needed to choose the right ones.

Le Hong Lien, head of institutional research at Maybank Kim Eng Securities Limited, said despite facing difficulties, the top 70 listed companies had enjoyed over 30 per cent profit growth this year, indicating that the Vietnamese stock market remained attractive.
The launching ceremony of Vietnam Innovation Network

In the afternoon of August 19, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, head of the Party Central Committees Organisation Commission Pham Minh Chinh, and Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, along with leaders of the ministries of Planning and Investment (MPI), Science and Technology (MST), Education and Training, and Foreign Affairs, and scientists launched Vietnam Innovation Network.

Vietnam Innovation Network has gathered around 100 overseas Vietnamese scientists and experts to mobilise the maximum resources of gray matter in science and technology. These experts will be a crucial resource to ensure the successful implementation of the Industry 4.0 strategy, bringing about rapid technological changes in Vietnam, allowing the country to transform vigorously in harmony with the globe.

Industry 4.0 is booming and has made it possible for developing countries like Vietnam to restructure their economy and create a breakthrough in development. Innovation was already the key before and the shortest way to achieve fast and sustainable development. Countries which do not seize this opportunity will not be able to succeed, said Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment.

At the ceremony, scientists proposed solutions to mobilise knowledge resources, utilise advanced technology, as well as approach markets and venture investment capital over the world.

Bui Hai Hung, researcher at Google Deepmind (in US), said that there are many Vietnamese artificial intelligence (AI) experts working in other countries. However, Vietnam has yet to appear on the world map in this field. He proposed Vietnam to establish an AI Centre for further development in this sector, in addition to technical infrastructure and cloud computing.

Meanwhile, Ho Anh Van said that there are many Vietnamese experts working at leading universities and groups in Japan. To make Vietnam Innovation Network successful, the government should be a bridge between domestic and overseas intellectuals by creating effective policies, while enterprises should be willing to receive technology and coordination.

Vietnams Global Innovation Index has climbed 14 steps to stand 45th among 126 countries over the last two years. Enterprises have been paying attention to research and development (R&D), rising from 68th in 2016 to 48th in 2018.

Chu Ngoc Anh, Minister of Science and Technology, shared that the impact assessment scheme of Industry 4.0 is currently being formulated. Based on Vietnam Innovation Network, the minister asked the experts to contribute to the creation of appropriate policies for the development of human resources in the field of science and technology.

The PM meeting with overseas Vietnamese experts at the Government Office

In the morning, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met over 100 overseas experts and scientists. The government will use the advantages of Industry 4.0 to raise the performance and efficiency of the economy, thus improving the quality of peoples lives and the scale of the economy, emphasised the PM. The country cannot develop without innovation, and one of the solutions is to create innovation centres in technical parks, with Hanois Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park first.

The PM confirmed to continue developing the Innovation Network. Vietnam needs more and more innovative knowledge to serve as the foundation for raising value and improving the competitiveness of the economy. The PM also affirmed to create the most favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to directly take part in science-technology projects and programmes.
Instant noodle consumption in Vietnam is fuelled by a growing number of producers

According to statistics published by the World Instant Noodle Association (WINA), Vietnam is currently ranked fifth in the world in terms of instant noodle consumption, following China, Indonesia, Japan, and India.

According to WINA, around 100 billion instant noodle packets are sold annually worldwide. Global sales saw a growth rate of 40 per cent from $44 billion in 2013 to $61 billion in 2017, as revealed by Euromonitor's statistics.

In Vietnam, the wide range of products available to customers thanks to the growing number of both foreign and local firms joining the market is one of the reasons behind the increase in consumption.

At present, there are approximately 50 enterprises producing instant noodles in Vietnam. Seventy per cent of the revenue is made by Vina Acecook, Masan Consumer, and Asia Foods, the three largest instant noodle producers.

Notably, Vina Acecook ranks first with 43 per cent of the market share in general and 50 per cent of the market share in the urban areas in particular.

While Vina Acecooks products are dominating the urban market, the products of Masan Consumer and Asia Food are in the lead in rural areas, with the total market shares of 60 per cent.

Regarding the high-end instant noodle segment, imported products are overwhelming the local products with the average selling price of VND23,700-35,000.

Recently, the increase in instant noodle consumption increased the revenue of manufacturers.

Notably, Acecook Vietnam reported that its revenue in the first half of 2018 saw an increase of 8 per cent on-year, thanks to favourable market conditions.

Similarly, Colusa-Miliket Foodstuff also reported an increase of 10 per cent on-year in revenue during the six-month period, reaching VND281 billion ($12.13 million).
VSIP Charity Fund were held in Binh Duong last week to offer scholarships for students

The ceremony has offered scholarships for the studious children of disadvantaged workers at VSIP and other local families ahead of the academic year 2017-2018. At the ceremony, 252 scholarships were granted to students from primary school to university with the total cash and gift value of more than VND600 million ($25,800).

In Binh Duong, VSIP Scholarship is one of the series of meaningful community activities ran by VSIP Charity Fund, which was founded by VSIP JV Company and VSIPs customers in Binh Duong. The scholarship has supported 1,400 cases with a total value of VND4 billion ($172,000).

Education plays a critical role in the development of the local community. Thus, VSIP places a high priority on supporting the young generation for a brighter future, Tran Thi Anh Dao, president of VSIP Charity Fund, stressed at the ceremony.

Since being launched in 2003, VSIP Charity Fund has raised nearly VND20 billion ($860,000) as well as carried out a wide range of meaningful activities for the community in Binh Duong, such as VSIP Scholarship, VSIP Charity Day, as well as the initiative to build houses for the needy.

In addition, the funds were also used to provide financial support and care for heroic Vietnamese mothers, granting gifts for orphanages, renovating schools, building libraries, and donating stationery, among others.

Throughout its 22 years of development, VSIP Group has been actively participating in the development of the local community. In particular, VSIP has made great contribution to the provinces where it operates, like Binh Duong, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Quang Ngai, Hai Duong, and Nghe An. In line with the motto 'Together We Grow Communities,' VSIP in general and VSIP Charity Fund in specific are committed to contributing to the socioeconomic development of local provinces.
A Holocaust denier is running for Congress. One of his constituents would be Auschwitz prisoner No. 27,276
The release of the Paradise Papers and Panama Papers exposed how multinationals, politicians, and the wealthy use offshore tax havens to conceal their wealth and money flows, and reduce their exposure to tax. Now, a team of researchers from the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC) at Stockholm University and the Global Economic Dynamics and the Biosphere (GEDB), Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, have published the first study showing how tax havens are linked to economic sectors that potentially cause serious global environmental impacts.

Their study, published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, reveals that 70 percent of known vessels involved in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing are, or have been, flagged under a tax haven jurisdiction.

The study also finds that on average, 68 percent of all investigated foreign capital (US$18.4 out of US$26.9 billion) flowing to sectors associated with deforestation of the Amazon rainforest between the years 2000 and 2011 was transferred through tax havens. Victor Galaz, lead author of the new study, said:

Our analysis shows that the use of tax havens is not only a socio-political and economic challenge, but also an environmental one. While the use of tax haven jurisdictions is not illegal in itself, financial secrecy hampers the ability to analyse how financial flows affect economic activities on the ground, and their environmental impacts.

Taxing the global commons

The new study is part of an ongoing research project called Earth System Finance: New perspectives on financial markets and sustainability. It is led by GEDB and the Stockholm Resilience Centre in collaboration with Future Earth.

Most previous analyses of the environmental impacts of tax havens have been done by investigative journalists focusing on a few locations. The new study, on the other hand, takes a more systematic approach to analyze how tax havens influence the sustainability of the ocean and the Amazon rainforest as two key examples of global environmental commons. Co-author Beatrice Crona, GEDB executive director, said:

The absence of a more systemic view is not surprising considering the chronic lack of data resulting from the financial opaqueness created by the use of these jurisdictions.

This lack of transparency hides how tax havens are linked to degradation of environmental commons that are crucial for both people and planet at global scales. The Amazon rainforest, for example, is critical for stabilizing the Earths climate system, while the ocean provides a vital source of protein and income for millions of people worldwide, particularly in low-income food-deficit countries.

From the Cayman Islands to the Amazon

The paper includes the first quantification of foreign capital that flows into the beef and soy sectors operating in the Brazilian Amazon  two sectors linked to deforestation. They wrote:

Our analysis shows that a total of US$26.9 billion of foreign capital was transferred to key companies in these sectors between October 2000 and August 2011. Of this investigated capital, about US$18.4 billion was transferred from tax haven jurisdictions.

The Cayman Islands turned out to be the largest transfer jurisdiction for foreign capital to these sectors operating in the Brazilian Amazon. The well-known tax haven provides three benefits to investors: legal efficiency, tax-minimization, and secrecy.

Fishy havens

The new study also includes a systematic analysis of tax havens role in illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing activities around the world. It revealed that 70 percent of the vessels found to carry out or support IUU fishing, and for which flag information is available, are or have been flagged under a tax haven jurisdiction, in particular, Belize and Panama.

Many of these tax havens are also so-called flags of convenience states, countries with limited monitoring and enforcement capacity that do not penalize vessels sailing under their flag, even if they are identified as operating in violation to international law.

The combination of tax havens and flags of convenience allows companies to sail fishing vessels with dual identities  one of which is used for legal and the other for illegal fishing activities. Co-author Henrik Osterblom, deputy science director at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, said:

The global nature of fisheries value chains, complex ownership structures, and limited governance capacities of many coastal nations make the sector susceptible to the use of tax havens.

Indirect subsidies

The new study suggests three issues that they believe should be central in future research efforts and governance of tax havens: (1) The loss of tax revenue caused by tax havens should be considered as indirect subsidies to economic activities with negative impacts on global commons; (2) Leading international fora and organizations, like U.N. Environment, should assess the environmental costs of these subsidies; (3) The international community should view tax evasion and aggressive tax planning as not only a socio-political problem, but also as an environmental one.

Provided by: Stockholm Resilience Centre [Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.]

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Environment Monitors the Spread of Harmful Bacteria Affecting Plant and Trees

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Climate Change is closely monitoring the recent discovery of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa on Myrtle-leaf Milkwort Polygala myrtifolia plants in Andalucia, Spain.

This disease is native to the Americas and was discovered in Europe for the first time in 2013 near southern Italy. It devastated olive plantations and destroyed more than a million specimens, either by their succumbing to the disease itself or as a result of the precautionary destruction by authorities in an attempt to prevent the bacteria from spreading. Although no trees appear to be affected in Gibraltar, officials are placing conditions on the importation of some species of plants, including Myrtle-leaf Milkwort, Almond, Oleander and Olive.

Xylella fastidiosa is transmitted exclusively by insects and there is presently no known remedy, which is why it is usually deadly to some plants and trees. Symptoms include the drying out of leaves and branches. Infected plants may, however, show no evident symptoms, especially when the infection is at an early stage.

The importation into Gibraltar of plants that are considered potential carriers will not be not be allowed unless accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. More detailed information on Xylella fastidiosa is available on the European Commissions website:

https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/plant_health_biosecurity/legislation/emergency_measures/xylella-fastidiosa_en
Lana Condor as Lara Jean in To All the Boys Ive Loved Before. Photo: Masha Weisberg/Awesomeness Films/Netflix

Hopefully you spent your weekend wisely, i.e., tearing up and softly sniffling at the sweet, hopeful teens of Netflixs new release To All the Boys Ive Loved Before. (The teens, they just want love! Let them find it!) And while To All the Boys author Jenny Han could have been content to write the source material for one of the best rom-coms of the new and rising rom-com wave, she wisely used her down time on the films set to recreate some of the teen film genres most iconic moments, channeling everyone from Patrick Swayze to John Cusack to Heath Ledger, which she subsequently posted to Twitter on Sunday. So enjoy! Use them as a shot of romantic adrenaline before your next dozen Tinder dates, if you need to.

pic.twitter.com/aGPBoESFox  Jenny Han can't come to the phone right now (@jennyhan) August 19, 2018

pic.twitter.com/SqlOVSN9aZ  Jenny Han can't come to the phone right now (@jennyhan) August 19, 2018
Asia Argento. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Actress Asia Argento has been a vocal proponent of the #MeToo movement since her sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein went public. Now, in a report published Sunday, the New York Times reveals that Argento paid $380,000 to actor Jimmy Bennett after allegedly sexually assaulting him in a hotel room in 2013 when he was 17. Argento had played Bennetts mother in her 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.

According to documents obtained by the Times through a third party  including communication from Argentos lawyer and a selfie of the actress and her accuser in bed  Bennett, now 22 years old, sent a notice of intent to sue to Argento in November of last year, describing an incident of sexual battery that he says has detrimentally affected his work and threatened his mental health. Initially a child actor, Bennett has appeared in Orphan, Movie 43, and the Amazon show Bosch. His lawyer Gordon K. Sattro said in the intent to sue, His feelings about that day were brought to the forefront recently when Ms. Argento took the spotlight as one of the many victims of Harvey Weinstein.

While Bennett declined to speak to the Times directly about the settlement, his lawyer replied to them in an email, In the coming days, Jimmy will continue doing what he has been doing over the past months and years, focusing on his music. Argento also declined to comment on the Times report prior to its publishing.

The actress  who recently made headlines following the tragic death of her late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain  went public last October about her sexual assault at the hands of Harvey Weinstein, later speaking at Cannes in support of a sea change in Hollywoods treatment of sexual harassment and assault victims. Weinsteins New York trial for six felony charges stemming from the accounts of three different women is set to begin with a hearing next month.
Comedian-turned-activist Chelsea Handler shares the moment she recognized her white privilege and dishes on exactly how she wants to see Donald J. Trump humiliated  Posted by PROFILE by BuzzFeed News on Sunday, August 19, 2018

If youre ever about to defend a friend or loved one from groping accusations and are about to point out, I mean, Ive groped a ton of people too, stop. Reconsider. In her Profile by BuzzFeed News interview posted Sunday, Chelsea Handler defended friend and former senator Al Franken, who resigned from Congress following allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, by pointing out how very many times shes grabbed people too. I would love for Al Franken to run again, she told host Audie Cornish. Which, fine, but then she tries to parse how much groping she herself has gotten up to in the service of comedy.

I dont want to diminish anyones legitimate claim of feeling like theyve been assaulted, because thats your feeling, but I think there is a very big difference of a man putting his arm around you  hes a comedian, she explained. Im a comedian. Ive touched peoples breasts and genitals, I cant imagine how many times, in photos. That doesnt excuse it, but thats something thats just, thats not rape. Thats not sexual assault. Thats not repeated behavior over and over again. Says Handler, I think he can redeem himself.

Of course, most of the misconduct alleged by the seven women who came out with complaints against Franken did not take place on a stage or behind a mic. The broader issue facing America would seem to be: How much unwanted groping and forcible kissing are we collectively still cool with from an elected official? If you ask her, Handler traces the origin of our new cultural conversation to the outcome of the 2016 election, without which we might never have had to hash these questions out. If Hillary had won, I dont think there wouldve been the #MeToo movement. I dont think we would have had the Times Up movement, the comedian and host said. I think that we all realize whats at stake, and so people are really willing to stick their necks out and fight. So, in a sense  thank you, President Trump?
Lana Del Rey. Photo: C Flanigan/Getty Images

To paraphrase Orwell: If you want a picture of the future, imagine pop stars writing tortured tweets about Israel  forever. Or at least until theres peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, which these days feels like it might only arrive in whatever comes after forever. Yesterday, Lana Del Rey issued two such tweets  themselves just screenshots of long passages in Apple Notes  about her decision to headline the Meteor Festival in Israel next week. Theyre worth reading in full, but a few lines stand out.

I understand many of u are upset that were going to Tel Aviv for the Meteor festival, I understand your concern I really get do [sic], the smoky-throated chanteuse declared (the festival is actually on a kibbutz near the Jordan River, but never mind that). What I can tell you is I believe music is universal and should be used to bring us together. She went on to talk vaguely about the situation and her decision, saying that performing in Tel Aviv is not a political statement or a commitment to the politics there just as singing here in California doesnt mean my views are in alignment w my current governments opinions or sometimes inhumane actions.

For the average teenage LDR fan, who probably isnt a fervent Zionist or anti-Zionist, the tweets, taken on their own, are deeply baffling. After all, Lanas ballads of love and loss have little overt political content. She doesnt aim to radicalize her supporters. Why should she have to justify playing a festival? A quick scan of the replies offers something resembling an answer, though not much of one.

Quoth a reply with more than a thousand likes: U never come to africa, and you never come to arabic/muslim countries, and the one time u decide 2come 2the middle east u pick israel? The one country that embodies everything youve been singing agains? My heart is broken and idk how to feel abt it, enjoy dancing on dead bodies. The fan may still be confused  in what way does Israel embody everything Del Rey sings against? Whose dead bodies are these? Another reply gets a little closer to explaining the outrage: If your intention is to use music to bring people together, then demand Israel allow West Bank/Gaza Palestinians to attend! Cant bring ppl together at an apartheid venue under apartheid rule. Palestinians do not have the same rights to attend. Apartheid? Gaza? The average American teen may be sort of aware of those terms, but is likely still scratching their head. They may have a vague sense that playing in Israel is somehow wrong, but they dont have anything resembling a firm grasp on why.

If youre a longtime observer of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, no matter your leanings, you should find this thread infuriating. Fandom Twitter, with its emphasis on passionate brevity, is no place to adjudicate one of the most intractable political battles in modern history. And yet, to an increasing extent, pop culture is the way people are being introduced to the particular issues at hand. If you find yourself banging your head against a wall over the lack of nuance in the LDR replies  or if youre a celebrity whos contemplating an appearance in Israel  gird yourself, because this sort of thing is going to happen more and more. Indeed, it may become the primary battleground for global discussions about the conflict.

Thats not because the conflict is the worst its ever been. Far from it. A full reckoning of Israeli and Palestinian history is beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say that there are those who believe Israel regularly commits war crimes and other injustices against the Palestinian Arabs who live within its borders and in the contested territories of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem; there are those who believe Israels actions toward the Palestinians are fully justified and legal; and there are many who fall somewhere in-between. The disputes between Jews and Arabs date back to the late 19th century and have ignited wars and uprisings, and though were currently in a period free of suicide bombings and ground invasions, tensions still run thick. The past few months have seen more than a hundred Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers at the fence separating Gaza from Israel, rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, as well as the passage of a controversial Israeli law that emphasizes the Jewish character of Israel proper without talking about equal rights for the Arabs residing there.

Whats changing isnt a major uptick in violence, but rather a nonviolent new front in the debate. In 2004, Palestinian activists launched the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), which called on academics and cultural figures to refuse to engage with Israeli institutions and events. The next year, PACBI was rolled into a larger effort called the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement (BDS). BDS seeks to isolate and shame Israel into better treatment of Palestinians through the triptych of methods described in its name and, after simmering for about a decade, its exploded into prominence in the past few years.

As the Guardians Nathan Thrall outlined in a lengthy feature last week, BDS is now arguably the most salient rhetorical flashpoint in the international debate about Israelis and Palestinians. Its supporters can be found around the world, including well-known figures like longtime Israel critics Roger Waters and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Pushes to enact BDS measures at college campuses have become commonplace. The Democratic Socialists of America have adopted a pro-BDS stance. At the same time, the movement has become the bete noire of Israels supporters and government. The coalition of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu regularly claims that BDS denies Israels right to exist (a claim that BDS supporters often take issue with) and went so far as to announce that it will not allow activists affiliated with 20 pro-BDS groups to enter the country. Even vehement liberal critics of the Netanyahu government  for example, prominent American rabbi Rick Jacobs  often decry BDS as counterproductive. If you watch the politics of Israel/Palestine, the movement has become impossible to ignore.

And in just the past year or two, cultural observers who otherwise dont much care about the Holy Land have been drawn into the discussion. Music has perhaps been the most visible field of battle. Lorde famously (or infamously) canceled a tour stop in Israel last year after two BDS activists launched a campaign to get her to do so. Nick Cave and Radiohead both chose to defy pressure, play shows, and speak out against boycotting. When a pro-BDS band was dropped from a German arts festival, artists ranging from Laurie Anderson to Viggo Mortensen decried the decision. And now, Del Rey has become the latest entrant into the fight.

That fight is not without precedent. In the mid-1980s, as international condemnation of South African apartheid reached a fever pitch, musicians including Bono, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Afrika Bambaataa, and the members of Run-DMC all decided to refuse invitations to play in the country, even going so far as to record a collaborative single entitled Sun City, which referred to a resort in contested territory within South African borders. BDS activists argue that Israeli policy  in which Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza have no opportunity to elect the government that controls their lives and are subject to different laws than Jews  is just another form of apartheid. In their eyes, the recording of a Sun City about Tel Aviv would be a welcome development.

Its not impossible to imagine such a thing becoming a reality someday. Despite Del Reys decision to play, the fact that she and others have been put in the hot seat is a sign that the wind is at BDSs back. Fifteen years ago, there was little to no stigma attached to a gig in Israel. Now, it seems inevitable that every musician who chooses to play there will face at least some degree of condemnation for doing so. Surely there are now regular discussions between artists and managers about whether its worth the hassle to make a date in the Jewish state.

And, for better or worse, anti-Israel rhetoric plays well on the social-media platforms that these artists rely on for stirring up enthusiasm. Even Israels supporters have to acknowledge that defending the countrys actions toward the Palestinians is a challenge that requires jumping through an assortment of hoops. (That said, a bizarre astroturf campaign to endorse Del Reys decision has been launched through a shadowy pro-Israel app called Act.il, but the messages it offers are just vague support of the idea of playing in Israel, not anything ideological.) A condemnation of Israel, on the other hand, can be easily expressed in 240 characters or a few seconds of an Instagram Story. Add all that to the facts that Netanyahu has enthusiastically embraced Donald Trump, young Jews are feeling increasingly alienated from Israel, and Democrats are increasingly siding with the Palestinians and a vision of the next few years starts to take shape: more division and more anger in pop-fandom communities. Heres hoping it spurs people to learn and not just yell.
Photo: Netflix

Netflix today confirmed its first Mexican reality-TV series, Made in Mexico, which follows the lives of nine well-to-do socialites, revealing the flawed lives of the seemingly perfect elite. The series will debut globally on September 28. Despite the name, the nine cast members include both Mexico City natives and expats trying to navigate the exclusive social order of Mexico Citys A-list. And yes, at first it might sound like a Netflix version of Real Housewives, but its actually more like a Netflix version of Keeping Up With the Kardashians with less family and more lifestyle blogging. The show will star businessman Pepe Diaz, fashion designer Kitzia Mitre, her brother-in-law Roby Checa, TV host Carlos Giron Longoria, food blogger Liz Woodburn, model Columba Diaz, lifestyle blogger Chantal Trujillo, TV personality Shanik Aspe, and politician and philanthropist Hanna Jaff.
Sharp Objects Falling Season 1 Episode 7 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * *  Previous Next Photo: HBO

Sharp Objects was always leading here, right? So much of the penultimate episode, Falling, feels like a reckoning. The masks people wear slip. Characters find solace in unexpected, even dangerous places. Confrontations spark and the knotted history of the Crellin household untangles enough for us to understand the rot lurking in its manicured halls. Falling doesnt take the rhythm of a mystery doling out clever twists but rather something slipperier  like a fairytale in which the most important story is the one a womans body has to tell.

In the opening scene, Camille wakes from a curious dream to find her clothes changed, her ankle swollen, and Adora hovering in the corner, watching. Always watching. Adora tries to care for Camille  her voice in sweet and lilting tones, medicine in hand. But Camilles scabrous nature and refusal to live within the narrow bounds of sanctified womanhood  everything people in Wind Gap loathe her for  is why shes survived. Amma, of course, has taken the opposite approach, keeping her rebellion far from home and playing the dutiful daughter. She takes the medicine in the thick blue bottle, leading her to be withdrawn, strangely childlike, and later, vomiting  exactly as Adora wants. Even when she protests, she ultimately relents to Adoras narrative. Everyone does. Shes the sickly child and Adora is the kind, perfect mother hovering at her childrens bedside with nary a hair out of place. Even though the reality, as Richard finds out in investigating the family, is far different.

Richard moves throughout Wind Gap  from a grimy methadone clinic to speak to a nurse who cared for Marian to the fluorescent halls of a hospital  to piece together a story of Camilles family. But he finds a startling truth that snaps so much of Sharp Objects into focus: Adora has Munchausen by Proxy. Shes been poisoning her children  killing Marian in the process and leaving Amma with a hospital record littered by a variety of symptoms. But what has pushed Adora to do this? What horrors visited her in her own girlhood?

Munchausen by Proxy snakes through so much of pop culture  crass Law and Order: SVU episodes, true crime like Michelle Deans bracing investigative work on Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard; even classic films have traces of it like the controlling mother in the Bette Davis masterwork Now, Voyager, who prefers her daughter to be overcome by anxiety rather than live a full life beyond her grasp. But Adora comes across as no simplistic villain but something far murkier and complex. She strangely synthesizes two different fairy-tale archetypes: the absent mother and the wicked (step)mother. For Camille she comes across as a mother devoid of true care and sympathy  shes a ghost fluttering through her memories never clearly seen. For Amma, shes both saviour and torturer. I found myself drawn to the graceful ritualism of Adoras cruelty. The mortar and pestle with which she grinds up the sunflower-bright pills; the droplets of an unknown liquid; the mysterious glass bottle the color of the ocean deep; the way she gently sways to Alans music as if shes baking a birthday cake, not poisoning her daughter.

When Alan sees Adora concocting her elixir hes touched by the fear of the inevitable. But he doesnt stop her. He doesnt get Amma help even though he knows exactly whats going on. How could he not? Perhaps, its easier to accept Adoras fiction than to face the bitter truth that he has enabled her darkness, allowed it to fester and inflict harm. But Alan isnt alone; the entire town of Wind Gap is complicit. The townsfolk who fawn over Adoras generosity and wealth. Vickery, who brushes off Richard when he mentions Marians hospital records and the nurse he spoke with as mere town gossip. Jackie, who loses herself in alcohol in order to numb the hurt, only to confess at episodes end that she knew the truth but felt helpless to stop Adora.

Amma and Camille wrestle with Adoras influence in starkly different ways throughout Falling. My heart hurt watching Amma see her friends skate away from the house unable to cry out for help. At the end of the episode she looks a step away from death, pale and covered in a sheen of sweet. She wears a crown of flowers looking like a wayward Ophelia who has risen from her riverbed looking for vengeance. Eliza Scanlen is a knockout as Amma, at once a menacing hellion and a girlish figure you cant help but protect  a contradiction with a slick grin.

Elsewhere, Camille doesnt suffer in silence. Instead, she finds John at a Mexican-populated bar at the edge of town just as the police are closing in on him. But its not clear what shes looking for. Truth? Solace? To collect new hurts? When she finds John hes slinging back cheap beer and wallowing in his grief. He jokes, bitterly, about suicide. He laments the way hes been framed by everyone in Wind Gap. Guys arent allowed to have soft emotions, Camille explains. He describes Ann and Natalie during this long conversation as girls who spoke their own truths, and Wind Gap swallowed them whole for it. Then he tries to play the part the townsfolk have framed him with: the perverse killer. His face goes slack, and eyes dark, as he feeds Camille the story he thinks she wants to hear  about killing his sister and Ann out of some dark desire. See I can tell stories too, he counters. He of course admits he didnt kill either of them, despite what evidence Vickery was able to dredge up with help from his girlfriend, Ashley, who is more interested in the fame that comes from seeing her name in the paper rather than any justice. Soon, their conversation drifts into something flirtatious, at least on Johns end, like he has a schoolyard crush. He remarks on Camilles beauty, her face both incredulous and doubtful in response. Then she follows him to the El Camino motel. And when he grabs her in an achingly longing way, the whole episode spins in a new direction.

Let me see you, John whispers. He knows of her scars and he wants to see all of them. It seems John can see Camille clearer than anyone else. Hes drawn to hurt because it reflects his. He slowly undresses her, his eyes hungrily darting across her body. But it isnt lust, so much as communion. This is undoubtedly a bad idea on more levels than I can count. Yes, John is 18. But hes still a high school student with a target on his back. Camille has never known how to love in a healthy way. Look who shes learn how to live from. The sex scene between John and Camille is sad and yearning and heartbreaking. Her scars seem to leap from the screen in the harsh light of day. Drained. Cherry. Sick. Gone. Wrong. Wicked, he rattles off the words that mark Camilles body as if hes searching for an answer.

When he kisses the word mercy thats carved on her back  in one of the rare moments she exposes her entire body to someone  I could have sworn I heard the whistle of sirens. When he describes Ann and Natalie as the lost girls  the ones everyone gave up on, I braced myself for Vickery and a hoard of police to knock down the door. I was on the edge waiting for that knock to come. Sharp Objects is excellent on the kind of suspense that hinges on emotional cataclysms not procedural ones. She has to feel the same anxiety because she sloppily puts on her clothes just before the harsh knock of Vickery explodes the silence of the room. Then the room tips into chaos. Camille huddling under the sheets. John halfway putting on his pants as hes arrested. Richard with a stare a mile long.

The moment Richard and Camille kissed, the series was heading to this. They could never last. She has yet to fully grapple with her familial and mental health struggles; she guards her secrets. He doesnt know if he wants to save her or force her truths into the open. Richard closes the door, leaving them alone, and the room suddenly feels vacuum-sealed, teeth-gratingly claustrophobic. Camille tries to play it off. But he can see right through her. This room stinks of you. Believe me I know that smell, isnt the worst of his responses. Is that what you discussed when he had his dick in you? he says. I get it. Hes hurt and angry. She ran into another terrible mistake looking for a spark of connection with someone who has experienced her specific trauma. Shes so desperate to not be hated she throws herself at his feet, tries to kiss him, pleasure him, anything. Hes only cruel and biting and sexist in response. I dont think youre bad, okay. I think one bad thing happened and you blamed the rest of your shitty life on it. People really buy it  your sad story. But really youre just a drunk and a slut.

Richards remark reveals that Sharp Objects is as much about the cultural obsession with dead girls as it is about the ways women grappling with mental illness are framed and mistreated in this culture. Is it any surprise no one cares for Camille? That her pain is minimized or disregarded? Is it all that shocking that she doesnt know how to care for herself when shes never had someone fully care for her? Camille shares a tense scene at the end with Jackie. With the support of the medical files Richard found, shes able to piece together that Jackie has known about Adora  including how she cremated Marian to hide evidence  but she stopped short of doing much about it. Asking for hospital records isnt enough. So a town suffers in silence and a child dies. But its this scene with Camille and Richard  all their hurts writhing in the open  that is the most impactful. Amy Adamss performance  a nesting doll layered with hurt and trauma and desperate yearning  is so potent it left me bruised.

Your health is not a debt you just cancel, Adora warns Camille in the beginning of the episode. The body collects. The body is the vehicle for so much of Sharp Objects commentary on the fraught, beguiling nature of womanhood. It collects scars and bruises, the inherited traits of our families, the politics of beauty and presentation as a means of survival. For Camille and Amma, their bodies tell a story they are just now coming to understand. Whether this story saves them or consumes them remains uncertain.
Noah Centineo. Photo-Illustration: Vulture and Photo by Getty Images

As our heroine in the Netflix rom-com To All the Boys Ive Loved Before, Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) is a winning collection of one-liners and neuroses. But the most surprising performance comes from Noah Centineo, who plays Peter Kavinsky, a lacrosse-playing, Jeep-driving bro. When a handful of Lara Jeans love letters are accidentally mailed out to their intended-but-unintended recipients, she agrees to fake-date Peter to cover up her crush on her sisters ex-boyfriend (one of the letter recipients). He convinces her a temporary relationship is the answer to both of their problems: She wont have to confront her feelings about her sisters ex, and he can make the popular mean girl that dumped him jealous.

Peter is a jock who makes decidedly anti-jock moves: He writes Lara Jean love notes, wins over her family, and drives to the Korean grocery store to pick up the yogurt snacks she likes. Teenage fantasy is To All the Boys vibranium, the inexhaustible resource that fuels all manner of cute hijinks, Vultures critic Emily Yoshida wrote in her review. And yet, it has the nerve to go and deliver a romantic interest (two, if youre feeling generous) that in every way lives up to the burning ball of emotion that is Lara Jean Covey. Centineo also looks  and, eerily, sounds  just like another certified romantic-comedy leading man: Mark Ruffalo.

Centineo knows he has an ineffable Ruffalo-ness, that kind of easy geniality and aw shucks demeanor. The Ruffalo comparisons, though, hes been hearing since he was 15, and even more since he dropped out of school and started going on auditions. Does it ever get old? No, he laughs. Oh my God, my dream would be doing a film with him as his son or something. The All the Boys star talked to Vulture about crushes, high school, and of course, Mark Ruffalo.

I love the name Peter Kavinsky. It just rolls off the tongue.

Peter Kavinsky!

So you hear about this project and then what happened? As someone who didnt read the books, what made you want to be involved?

I remember going into the auditions and loving the character of Peter. Hes this, like, jock, a prototypical guy. I thought the story was really endearing, this idea of not being afraid to love in the first place or love again. If we learn how to love again after having your heart broken, its one of the greatest lessons on earth. And then I met Lana and it was sealed! I had to be a part of it.

Can you tell me about your first meeting?

We were both auditioning for it. Neither one of us were attached yet, and I remember sitting in the audition room. I wanted to run lines with someone because I hadnt run it yet. So I was like, Hey, do you want to run lines? to Lana. It was just us two in the waiting room, and she was like, No, no thanks!

She turned you down?

At this point we didnt know that either one of us were going to be in it. And then chemistry reads came around a couple weeks later and I walked in said hi and she was like, Oh my God, hi, and we finally got to do our run together.

How were those chemistry reads? You both fit so well together as Peter and Lara Jean.

It was pretty fun. It just flowed. It felt very natural. Lana does these reactions throughout the movie, like little facial expressions, and I think they are so hilarious. I remember seeing her face and poking fun at that and being like, What is that! Like, What is this face you are doing? The judgy-face line in the film, that was improv-ed from the chemistry read.

This is random, but: Peter drives an Audi in the book, but a Jeep in the movie. Thats such a specific and funny detail to me. Its definitely part of some hot jock in high school starter pack.

They were like, This is your car, and it was a lifted silver sick Jeep. And its funny, too, because in [my other movie] Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, I drive a red Jeep.

Okay, thats what Im saying! All the cool high-school boys have Jeeps.

I guess so! My sister drove a Jeep. She was a pretty cool high-school girl. I drive a Mini Cooper.

Were you cool in high school?

Nah, not really.

Its okay if you were  you can admit it.

I dont think so. Like, I was like this tiny little kid that was goofy and would always crack jokes or sit in the back of class and not listen to anything that the teacher was saying. I didnt do well in school, and I didnt really care to cater to certain social structures that were in place to be cool.

So, like a rebel?

It was like neither a rebel nor a conformist. It was like, Im here and Im going to do my thing, and then Oh I want to act, Im not going to stay in school. So I dropped out  halfway through sophomore year I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting, and I did one semester to finish my sophomore year. I was working a good amount so I couldnt balance school.

Have you written love letters? What did they say?

Oh man, hundreds of different things. Some of them are like one-liners like, I love you endlessly. And Id leave it in her room to find. We were dating at this point  Ive never sat down and written a love letter confessing my love to someone to then send.

Have you ever played matchmaker, like Kitty?

Not like Kitty. I got in a lot of trouble with my sister once in elementary school because her crush walked into the front office of our school and I said, Oh Taylor, is that your crush, and she slapped the shit out of me. I stayed out of peoples love lives after that.

The other thing I wanted to talk about was how much you remind me of Mark Ruffalo. Its uncanny, and Im not the only one whos pointed it out. Have you heard that before?

Its not conscious! But I get it all the time.

People are just like, Oh my God, dude, you remind me of the Hulk?

[Laughs.] Like before Hulk even. Ever since I can really remember auditioning in L.A., people  even if I was too inexperienced  theyd be like Yeah, hes a little green, but you remind us of Mark Ruffalo. And I think its great. I guess its just my mannerisms, like the way I talk, the way my eyes move around maybe when Im thinking ? I dont know!

There was a time when he did a lot of romantic comedies, and I think hes so great in them. But a lot of young actors  men and women  reject romantic comedies, or feel like the genre is beneath them. Did you ever feel that way?

Its hard to do a romantic comedy thats not, like, bad. And maybe part of it is doing them at our age, too. At least when it comes to young men doing romantic comedies, you have to have a certain level of openness and vulnerability, while also being that male lead type. Finding the balance and being able to play comedic moments, play a brutish male, but also have sensitivity  and make it all very authentic and natural  you just have to be the type of person to do that, and some actors dont want to be that type of person.

Heres a totally unrelated question: How did you end up in that Camila Cabello music video?

Oh, that was so cool! My manager calls me one day, like, Hey man, weve got this opportunity for you to be in a music video. I dont know if youre going to want to do it  Im like, Well who is the artist? He said Camila Cabello, Havana. I was like, Dude you dont even know. My sister just showed me this song like a week ago, I love this song, I am in 100 percent.

So I get there and they put me in this incredible suit. They give me gold rings and necklaces, my hair is slicked back, and I look all Cubano. And then they take me to set and Camila is there, and she is, like, the kindest, smallest, most loving creature ever. She had so much energy.

Since you were in that video, what do you think the song of the summer is?

This Is America. Childish is using music as a vehicle to discuss injustices in the world right now. For me, that makes it the song of the summer. Drake drops an album and you are like, This is incredible. Jay-Z and Beyonce did the music video for Apeshit at the Louvre, and it was great but nobody really talks about it anymore.

This Is America was insane and created tsunami waves. It had a message behind it that he doesnt comment on. Hes like, Thats not for me to tell you what it is. [Laughs.] Hes so cool. Things get lost in translation. To me, words convey feelings and feelings are just vibrations that we feel, so words are never as authentic as what feelings are and what intentions are.

Since were talking about feelings and intentions, Lara Jean has a hard time talking about her feelings and owning her emotions. Do you think youre the same way?

Its funny. Thats the impetus for the entire film: Shes afraid to share her feelings or to even involve herself with anyone else, so she writes love letters and puts them away until her sister releases them. No, I think I used to. I used to have a big issue, one, identifying how I feel and being like, I feel this way. Over the years, Ive tried to work on that.

Tried how?

Just to be more open, to be more conscious. In relationships sometimes I would just shut down. I wouldnt explain why. It was actually mirrored in my partners at the time, and I would have to pull out of them what I did to piss them off or hurt their feelings. By that process of unraveling someone else, I actually got better at understanding why I started feeling certain ways. Thats the cool thing about relationships. Youre relating to someone else. Its another thing to balance who you are off of.

Can you tell me about your most devastating crush?

A crush or love?

If you wanna talk about love, thats fine, too.

I mean, theyre different. To me, a crush  like this girl Carly when I was like 10 years old. I had a huge crush on her, and then I found out she didnt like me, and I was like, Argh! But that was like a three-minute thing. I remember sitting thinking, Dang, she doesnt like me  Okay, yeah, Im over it. And that was that.

But first love, the first time I ever was leveled by a human being and was like, Yo, you have me; I surrender, I think I was 18. It was the most incredible relationship ever. It was like super positive, super toxic, all over the place, passionate. Its that 18-, 19-year-old young love: Youre no one elses; were just for each other, which is cool but 

Draining.

Yeah, very draining. That almost kills you to go through something like that.

Lets end on a happier note. After making these great romantic comedies, what do you want to do next?

This romantic-comedy genre has been really great thus far. Ive always wanted to hit that like 13 Going on 30; Failure to Launch, Matthew McConaughey; What Happens in Vegas, Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher wave. I love that whole world and I see myself continuing this. But at the same time, Id really like to branch out and do some more auteur filmmaking like Gaspar Noe, the Nolan brothers, the Coen brothers, these very existential, philosophical, visceral films.

Peters favorite movie is Fight Club and Lara Jean loves Sixteen Candles. Whats your favorite movie?

Honestly, Love by Gaspar Noe, and then my second one is The Matrix.
Chris and Shanann Watts detailed their life on social media. They shared photos of beach vacations to San Diego and screengrabs of lovey-dovey text messages. They gushed about their daughters and posted photos of the little girls' gap-toothed grins and funny dances.

"Happy Husband Appreciation Day! I couldn't imagine a better man for us," Shanann Watts wrote next to their photo in April.

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"You spoil us with love an(d) attention! You put up with 3 impatient, demanding women in the house," she continued. "You work so hard everyday to provide for us. I love you so much."

Four months after Shanann Watts posted that photo, her husband sits in a jail in Colorado, suspected of killing her, along with their daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3.

The pregnant mother and her two daughters vanished Monday from their suburban Denver home. Their bodies were found Thursday at the site of the petroleum company where Chris Watts once worked, authorities said.

Chris Watts, 33, was arrested in connection with their deaths but has not been formally charged. He's next due in court Tuesday.

Authorities have not suggested a motive in the killing.

Couple files for bankruptcy in 2015

As stunned friends seek answers on how the love story of a couple that seemed so picture perfect could end so tragically, bankruptcy filings reveal a family that had struggled financially.

Chris and Shanann Watts filed for bankruptcy in June 2015, according to documents in the court record. That was after they bought their house, an asset valued at $400,000, records show.

The year prior to the bankruptcy filing, the couple had a combined income of $91,000 -- most of it earned by Chris Watts, who made about $63,000 from his job at Anadarko Petroleum, records show. The rest was earned by Shanann Watts, who worked in 2014 at Children's Hospital Colorado.

Still, they were about $70,000 in debt, most of it from student loans and credit card purchases, according to the filings. The couple reported two savings accounts with a total of $9.51 and a joint checking account with $864.

By all accounts, they appeared to have moved past that, with Shanann Watts posting numerous times this year about her new job at a lifestyle company. She was also 15 weeks pregnant with a son the couple planned to name Niko, her brother, Frankie Rzucek, posted on Facebook.

"Little peanut!! Lover her/him already!!" her husband texted back in June when she sent him a photo of her ultrasound picture, according to a screengrab she posted on Facebook.

Some victims may have been strangled

Documents filed Friday in Chris Watts' arrest reveal some of the victims may have been strangled, along with other grim details.

Shanann Watts and her daughters appear to have been killed at their house in Frederick, Colorado, a town of about 8,600 people some 30 miles north of Denver, prosecutors have said.

Chris Watts' attorneys asked a court Friday to require pathologists conducting autopsies to swab the little girls' necks and hands for DNA, court filings show.

In a second motion, obtained by CNN affiliate KDVR, defense attorneys asked the court to compel the coroner's office to look for DNA under the mother's fingernails and on her hands.

Defense attorneys did not say why they made those requests. They also asked the court to allow defense expert Richard Eikelenboom to take swabs from the bodies.

It's not clear whether a judge ordered the coroner's officer to swab for DNA. The first motion was filed 20 minutes before the autopsies were scheduled to begin, documents show.

The cause of death for each family member is still pending while medical investigators wait on test results, the Frederick Police Department said.

Little girls found in an oil well

Shanann Watts' body was found on the property of Anadarko Petroleum, authorities said. And the girls' bodies were in an "oil well filled with crude oil for several days," Chris Watts' attorneys indicated in a court filing.

A company spokeswoman confirmed that Chris Watts used to work there but declined to say when his employment ended or what role he served.

Watts was arrested on three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of tampering with a human body, a Weld County District Court judge said Thursday. He is being held at a county jail north of Denver, and prosecutors have until Monday to formally charge him.

A judge sealed the arrest affidavit, which might have provided information about a possible motive or other details.

Chris Watts describes 'emotional conversation'

In an interview Tuesday -- after his family disappeared but before his arrest -- Chris Watts said his wife got home from a business trip about 2 a.m. Monday.

"We had an emotional conversation, I'll leave it at that," Watts told a reporter who asked whether they'd argued. "I just want them back. I just want them to come back."

Watts said he left for work about 5:15 a.m. that day and wasn't concerned when his wife didn't respond to his texts and phone calls, since she'd just returned from out of town.

But he grew worried, he said, when one of her friends contacted him around noon and said she wasn't responding to messages.

"I walked in the house and -- nothing," Chris Watts told KMGH. "She wasn't here. The kids weren't here."

Correction: An earlier version of this article featured on the CNN app used the wrong photo of Shanann Watts. That photo has been removed and replaced with the correct image of Watts.
ERIN, Tenn. (AP) - Authorities in Tennessee say a former county school board chairman has been charged in his wife's death.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says in a news release 51-year-old Kinney Louis Spears was charged with one count of criminal homicide after the body of his wife, 50-year-old Donnita Spears, was found at their home Saturday in the Houston County community of Erin.

The statement did not release details about how Donnita Spears died. Autopsy results are pending.

Kinney Spears was being held at the Houston County Jail on $100,000 bond. It wasn't immediately known whether he has an attorney.

Kinney Spears was a county school board member for seven years before resigning last August, citing health issues.
Several Huntsville City School teachers and administrators are working to better understand the home lives of some of their students by participating in poverty training. As a part of their professional development the educators gathered in the gym at the Academy for Science and Foreign Language to go through a simulation that put them in the shoes of families in poverty.

Eye-opening was the word the educators used when describing the poverty simulation they experienced before the school year began. They told us they simply didn't know the depth of the hardships some of their students face at home.

The educators took part in the poverty simulator at the Academy for Science and Foreign Language. The educators took part in the poverty simulator at the Academy for Science and Foreign Language.

"Some of the students in our school system - and parents - live in poverty. And so, they got to see what they experience on a daily basis," said Pamela Barnes.

Barnes, the Professional Development Coordinator for the schools, told me there were different "communities" set up throughout the gym. Several volunteers worked each community as the teachers made their way through the day.

"Social services, the mortgage company, the bank, the grocery store," Barnes explained.

The educators were given background information such as if they were homeless or not, how many kids they had, and how much money they had to work with. Some of the teachers even played the role of students. They then experienced what is was like to not be able to pay their bills or buy basic necessities. They said they didn't expect the experience to be so tough.

"...was an eye-opening experience. It allowed me to see families from different backgrounds and things of that nature," said Tasheria Small a Professional Development Specialist with the schools.

Both Barnes and Small said they think teachers will be able to take this knowledge back to their classrooms and be better educators because of it.

"Building that relationship with your students, knowing who they are, knowing where they come from, to better serve them," said Small.

WAAY 31 talked to a grandmother with grandkids in the Huntsville school system .She told us she thinks this training is much needed.

"If you haven't been there or haven't been around anybody doing that then you wouldn't understand," said Mary Liles.

Barnes told us 40% of students in Alabama live in poverty so doing a program like this helps address the needs of students in the city.

Huntsville city schools told us they hope to do this training again and continue to find ways to improve their relationships with the students and families that attend their schools.
Power has been restored following a brief outage in the Moores Mill/Chase area overnight.

Around 11:15 p.m. Sunday night, Alabama State Troopers said a driver heading eastbound on Old Gurley Road lost control of the vehicle, started spinning and crashed into a power pole at the intersection of Valleystone Road.

An Alabama State Trooper told WAAY 31 that the driver began spinning on Old Gurley Road before crashing into the power pole. An Alabama State Trooper told WAAY 31 that the driver began spinning on Old Gurley Road before crashing into the power pole.

Troopers told WAAY 31 that the driver was uninjured in the wreck.

Huntsville Utilities said in a statement that power was knocked out in an area that stretched from Winchester Road south to Highway 431 South and from Chapman Mountain east to Moontown.

Crews had to replace the damaged pole that was snapped near the base.

A state trooper at the scene said the wreck was deemed accidental and the driver would not be charged in the crash.
The WAAY 31 I-team is digging into more problems with Alabamas Parole Board. Monday, we learned the board is letting two inmates out early even though prosecutors fought it from happening.

Two men from Florence, Michael Prater and Darnell Rice, haven't served their full sentences yet but have been granted parole.

Lauderdale County District Attorney, Chris Connolly, said he wanted both men to serve out their sentences for crimes they committed in Florence, he even wrote letters to the parole board asking them to keep both me in prison to serve out their sentences, but that didn't happen.

Prater plead guilty to aggravated stalking and escape. The two sentences were supposed to run consecutively. The sentences would keep him locked up for 15 years, but according to Department of Corrections documents uncovered by the I-team the state granted him parole in April. After only serving about four years of his 15 year sentence.

The parole board granted Darnell Rice an early release 7 years into a 20 year sentence. Hes in prison for shooting a man in Florence.

The I-team started pressing the Department of Corrections and Parole Board more than a month ago. Thats when we were first to report a man named Jimmy Spencer was serving a life sentence. He was then released on parole, walked away from his re-entry program about a month later and was then arrested on drug charges. He was let out and is now charged with killing three people in Guntersville.

The I-team started looking into parole rates after Madison County Sheriff Blake Dorning ripped into the system late last week.

"No it don't work. Hadn't worked. It's never been proven to work. The thing is if you're going to do a punishment than do a punishment and let it be done," said Dorning in a press conference.

We uncovered of the 14,000 inmates let out last year more than half were released early.

We have requested information from the parole board on why these two men were let out early. They told us we would have to send money to get the parole action sheet, which would give us answers as to why.

Even though both men were granted parole in April 2018. It's unclear if they have left prison yet or not. If an inmate is granted parole they are then set to have a release date.
Two men were arrested for the theft of nearly $193,000 from a casino near Montgomery, USA Today reported. One of the men is a worker at the Wind Creek Montgomery where the theft occurred. Jory Dumas and Timothy Pettiway were both charged with theft from a gaming establishment on Indian lands. The charges against Dumas were dismissed after it was determined he was incorrectly identified as the person who took the keys.



According to federal prosecutors, Pettiway found keys left on top of a gaming kiosk by a casino employee. Video shows he him walk into a restroom carrying a cash box from the first machine, then return to the floor before he retrieved a cash box from the second machine and return to the bathroom. Authorities said he emptied $100,800 from one machine and $92,000 from the other. The employee who left the keys behind informed her boss she couldn't find the keys, and her boss immediately notified security. Security found the empty boxes inside the handicapped stall in a restroom.
2 traders nabbed for creating obstruction in monitoring Kalimati market

Two traders have been arrested for their alleged involvement in creating obstruction in monitoring the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market.
EPG report will be implemented at any cost

Foreign Minister Pradip Gyawali said the differences expressed over the joint report prepared by Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India relations will have no effect against the desire of nations current political leadership to implement it.
Former ambassador Keshab Raj Jha stabbed to death

Former Nepali ambassador to France Keshab Raj Jha was found dead at his home in Thapathali on Monday morning.
Ludwig von Mises probably sums my thoughts up on the government buying a failing hotel with tax dollars and stated it better than I can:

History does not provide any example of capital accumulation brought about by a government. As far as governments invested in the construction of roads, railroads, and other useful public works, the capital needed was provided by the savings of individual citizens and borrowed by the government. Ludwig von Mises, Human action: a treatise on economics

To elaborate a bit, bailing out Hutchison Whampoa by buying their defunct hotel is the opposite of Capitalism. The free market is a system of profit and loss. Not a programme of private profits and socialsed losses.

I realise the government purchase of the hotel is being billed as saving jobs and the Grand Bahama economy, but the deeper question is why investors are shying away from Grand Bahama?

If there is to be an economic turnaround the government has to provide the framework that makes investors, Bahamian and foreign alike, feel like they want to invest. That does not include bailing out failing projects. The owners enjoy the benefits given under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, they should not benefit of tax dollars as well.

Investors or capitalists, however one wishes to refer to them, are important for economic growth and the government should shout this from the halls of Parliament to the campaign trail. Impugning investors and the market process and tying investors hands with more and more regulations only dampens economic activity slowing growth and job creation.

As Professor Deirdre McLoskey pointed out "the Bourgeois Revaluation, was the coming of a business-respecting civilization, an acceptance of the Bourgeois Deal: Let me make money in the first act, and by the third act I will make you all rich. Much of the elite, and then also much of the non-elite of northwestern Europe and its offshoots, came to accept or even admire the values of trade and betterment. Or at the least the polity did not attempt to block such values, as it had done energetically in earlier times."

We need that revaluation here.

We also need our government to understand its proper role and using tax dollars to bail out a failing business enterprise is not one of them.
By Aug. 19, 2018

Children who are scared of going to the doctor often find comfort when they have their own teddy bear to snuggle and accompany them.





Trish Edwards, RN, who serves as Chest Pain Coordinator at Baptist Health Paducah, will offer a teddy bear clinic as part of Kentucky Oaks Malls Toddler Tuesdays. The clinic will be from 11 am until noon on Tuesday, Sept. 4, by the CFSB Play Area, near Dillards. Children who attend the clinic are invited to bring their stuffed animals with them.





Teddy bear clinics can help children understand basic healthcare treatments and tools and allow them to become more familiar with people who work in the medical field, said Edwards, who is also a paramedic. We want to hear that we have helped children become more confident and less apprehensive about being a patient.





The free clinic will provide children hands-on opportunities to interact with common medical equipment, such as stethoscopes and otoscopes, practice health habits, such as hand washing and sneezing into their elbows, and learn first-hand what healthcare workers do on a daily basis.



For more information about teddy bear clinics, email trish.edwards@bhsi.com or phone Kentucky Oaks Mall at 270-444-0440, ext. 102.



PADUCAH - Baptist Health Paducah will host a Teddy Bear Clinic at KY Oaks Mall on Tuesday, Sept. 4th.
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Government asks top officials to lend vehicles

The government has urged top VIPs to hand over their vehicles for movement of heads of states of the seven member states arriving here for the 4th BIMSTEC Summit later this month.
Our first frost can't be far off
By City of Paducah Aug. 19, 2018 | 09:37 PM | PADUCAH

The Paducah Parks & Recreation Department is partnering with Barkley Regional Airport to host its award-winning Touch a Truck event on Friday, September 21, 10 a.m. until noon.

Touch a Truck is a free, annual event where kids, teachers, and families can see and touch approximately two dozen types of vehicles. Vehicles typically participating at Touch a Truck include a helicopter, fire truck, ambulance, tow truck, concrete mixer, dump truck, garbage truck, trolley, and police car. Participants also get to meet the people who operate the vehicles on a daily basis.

School and church groups are asked to call 270-444-8508 to pre-register. Individuals do not need to pre-register. For more information, contact Recreation Specialist Mallory McVey at 270-444-8508 ext. 5 or by email at mgmcvey@paducahky.gov.

The Kentucky Recreation & Park Society has recognized Touch a Truck with the Outstanding Program Award.

For more information about Parks & Recreation Department events and activities, stop by the office at 1400 H.C. Mathis Drive, visit the website www.paducahky.gov, or call 270-444-8508.
House endorses proposal for endorsement of Bimstec Convention

A meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) on Monday passed a proposal tabled, seeking an endorsement of the 'BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking'.
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House panel to consult KC on Medical Edu Bill

The Education and Health Committee under the House of Representatives(HoR) is planning to hold discussions with Dr Govinda KC and the concerned people regarding the National Medical Education Bill- 2075 BS.
NC to discuss ways to lower tax rates

Claiming that the local governments are imposing random taxes on the public, Nepali Congress has called all of its heads and deputies of the local governments in Kathmandu on August 27 to discuss ways to minimise taxation.
The White House has rejected a Turkish offer to release an American pastor in exchange for forgiveness of billions of dollars in US fines on a Turkish bank, expressing that other matters would be considered only after Andrew Brunson is released, a senior administration official told The Wall Street Journal.

The rejection could lead to the US imposing additional sanctions against Turkey sometime this week, the Journal reported. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that the United States is willing to do so if Brunson isn't released.

Andrew Brunson Companies Continents and regions Donald Trump Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Middle East Middle East and North Africa Misc people News Corp North America Political Figures - US The Americas The Wall Street Journal Turkey United States US federal government White House 2016 Turkey military coup Coups and attempted coups Unrest, conflicts and war

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the senior White House official told the Journal, referring to Turkey's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Who is Andrew Brunson, the detained pastor central to the US-Turkey dispute?

Worsening relations

Brunson has been held in Turkey since 2016, accused of helping to plot a coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The North Carolina native's case has rapidly soured relations between Washington and Ankara, with the two sides trading increasingly heated rhetoric and retaliatory tariffs.

On Friday, a Turkish high criminal court rejected Brunson's appeal to be released from house arrest and allowed to travel abroad after his appeal was rejected by a lower court.

Later that day, Trump tweeted, "Turkey has taken advantage of the United States for many years. They are now holding our wonderful Christian Pastor, who I must now ask to represent our Country as a great patriot hostage. We will pay nothing for the release of an innocent man, but we are cutting back on Turkey!"

An evangelical pastor, Brunson has lived in Turkey for more than 23 years with his wife and three children, according to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), an organization led by attorney Jay Sekulow that has advocated for his release.

But in October 2016, several months after a failed coup attempt in Turkey, Brunson was arrested and accused of plotting to overthrow the Turkish government.

He was formally indicted in March on charges of espionage and having links to terrorist organizations. The charges against Brunson include supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party as well as the Gulen Movement, which Turkey says orchestrated the coup attempt.

Earlier this month, Trump doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey, in what administration officials said was a move to punish Ankara for a lack of progress in bringing about Brunson's release.

The US has also slapped sanctions against Turkey's ministers of justice and interior over the issue, and both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have taken up Brunson's case with Turkish officials.

Tensions in the Turkey-US relationship have been steadily ratcheting up for weeks, even as the NATO allies cooperate on other fronts, perhaps most importantly coordinating over the US air base in Incirlik, Turkey.

In an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this month, Erdogan criticized the US over its actions in the Brunson affair, its reaction to the coup attempt two years ago and its alliance with the People's Protection Units, or the YPG, the fighting group in Syria that Turkey asserts is a branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, labeled a terror group by the US.

"Before it is too late, Washington must give up the misguided notion that our relationship can be asymmetrical and come to terms with the fact that Turkey has alternatives," Erdogan said. "Failure to reverse this trend of unilateralism and disrespect will require us to start looking for new friends and allies."
UPDATE: Utica police are investigating homicide on the 700 block of Elizabeth Street that occurred Sunday night.

Police said they got the call around 8:30 p.m. Sunday for shots fired with a person injured.

The Utica Fire Department treated one male victim who later died at the hospital.

Police are asking anyone with any information to call them at 315-223-3510. All calls will remain confidential.

____________________________________

UTICA - Utica police are currently at the 700 block of Elizabeth street investigating an incident that happened just before 9 p.m. on Sunday night.

Officers with the Utica Police department told NEWSChannel 2, a male has been shot in that area.

They tell us there is no danger to the public.

We are still working on getting more details.
UPDATE: Due to weather the closure is being rescheduled.

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  The Indiana Department of Transportation will close North River Road in Tippecanoe County, beginning Monday.

The closure begins at 6 a.m. and lasts through August 24 at 6 p.m.

The project includes the removal of the bridge deck and the removal of the east causeway in the Wabash River.

The detour will follow Happy Hollow Road to Soldiers Home Road and back to Sagamore Parkway.

The Sagamore Parkway eastbound Bridge over the Wabash River will be replaced with a new, approximately 938-foot long, eight span bridge on the existing alignment.

The new bridge will provide two 12-foot travel lanes, standard shoulders and a multi-use trail on the bridge deck.

There will also be accommodation for connections to a future multi-use trail on the south side of the road.

The project is scheduled to be finished by June of 2019, it is anticipated the new bridge will be open for traffic this fall.
Nepal-China road link severed

The only Nepal-China link road currently in operation has been closed after the rain-swollen Gerkhu stream damaged a bridge at Trishuli-Betrawati road section on the Pasang Lhamu Highway in Nuwakot district on early Sunday morning.
LEBANON, Ind. (WISH) -- A man wanted for criminal homicide in Pennsylvania was taken into custody Friday night at a Boone County hotel.

Officials with the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Police Department informed Boone County officials that 49-year-old Edward Heck was at an America's Best Value Inn in the 1200 block of West State Road around 8 p.m.

Police established a perimeter at the area and had Heck surrender outside his hotel room just before 10:40 p.m. Another man was also taken into custody with Heck, but he was later released after questioning.

Investigators are working to collect any evidence to transfer to officials to Williamsport.

Heck is currently jailed in Boone County as he awaits the extradition process back to Boone County.
RENSSELAER, Ind. (WLFI) - A Rensselaer company hosted a special guest today. US Army Major General Kurt Ryan visited Talbert Manufacturing. The General addressed employees as they begin a follow-up order building military trailers.

Since 2007, Talbert Manufacturing has played a vital role in military supply transportation. The company builds special trailers designed for transporting ammunition and other supplies. "The M870-2A4 is the logistic line haul backbone of the army, so they haul the majority of their supplies in any theatre of operation, said Andy Tanner, President of Talbert Manufacturing.

With some of the military's equipment now outdated, the demand for upgrades increased. As part of a contract extension, this year has seen 200 new trailers roll off the production line. A second order has been placed, calling for an additional 400 trailers.

During his address, US Army Major General Kurt Ryan shared how his hometown experience reflects the drive of Hoosier industry. "I'm from a small village in south-central Pennsylvania. In that place, it's very much like right here in Indiana. We are surrounded by great industry, said Major General Ryan.

Andy Tanner, links the success of the industry to more jobs in Rensselaer. "As a company, it's been great for us. It gives us the ability to add on people, grow, and we'll keep that growth even after this contract is gone, he said.

By the time the company reaches full production, an additional 60 jobs are planned to be filled. The trailers are expected to be completed by July of next year, with the potential for a new five-year follow-on contract.




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Nepal, India to sign MoU on rail survey, bulk cargo

Nepal and India are set to sign two key agreements on Kathmandu-Raxual railway line and movement of bulk cargo from three more transit points between the two neighbours on the margins of the fourth BIMSTEC Summit to be held in Kathmandu on August 30 and 31.
Yu Lan gives an interview. [People.com.cn]

Yu Lan, 98, a famous actress who is particularly well known for her roles in many much-loved 1960s movies, recently spoke to reporters about her experience of working in the Chinese film industry.

In the report General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered during the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), he said: "Without full confidence in our culture, without a rich and prosperous culture, the Chinese nation will not be able to rejuvenate itself."

The cultural confidence of the Chinese nation not only derives from the country's long history, but also from the excellent literature and art works appearing along with the history and those people who have participated in creating those works.

Many of those familiar with Yu will be reminded of when she played Jiang Zhuyun, a Chinese revolutionary martyr, in the movie Living Forever in Burning Flames, which was adopted from the novel Red Crag.

After the policy of reform and opening-up implemented in 1978, Yu became more engaged in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking.

Remarkable Roles

There are many photos in Yu's home, which show her achievements, and in one old photo, she is meeting with late Premier Zhou Enlai. At that time, Yu played the role of Zhou Lian in the film A Revolutionary Family, which was highly praised by Zhou.

The film won many honors for Yu, including the Best Actress Award of the Moscow International Film Festival. In the film, Zhou Lian grew into a revolutionist from a common housewife.

The shooting process encountered many difficulties, since the role required Yu to play Zhou from 16 until she became an elder woman. This was impeded by the limitations of the make-up skills at the time.

"I posted a lot of paper onto my face, but it was not harmonious with my facial moves, so I do not think it was a successful performance when I acted as an elder woman," Yu recalled.

Derives from the People

Yu left a deep impression on others with her performances, and she has always adhered to the principle of getting inspiration from common people.

When she participated in the film Longxu Ditch, she needed to act as a Beijing woman called Cheng Niangzi.

"At that time, I was not sure whether I could play the role well, so I visited many places where there were households to get inspiration of the role from real life," Yu said.

"At that time, I was pregnant," she added.

"There are hundreds of methods for literary and artistic creation, but the most fundamental, crucial and reliable one is to take root in the people and their lives," Yu concluded.

Dedicated to Children's Film in Her 60s

After the reform and opening-up policy was implemented, more attention was paid to the growth of adolescents, whilst the 60-year-old Yu was appointed as first director of Beijing Children's Film Studio.

When referring to her experiences, Yu said: "I had never been a leader before. I just wanted to unite all the people together for the development of Chinese children's film industry initially."

Furthermore, Yu also made many achievements as director, such as making Four Buddies, Brother's Echo and Yong Peng Dehuai, all of which won prizes at home or abroad.

Except for fully presenting positive work for children and teenagers, Yu has never stopped calling for a good environment for the development of children's film.

Yu Lan poses for a photo with late Premier Zhou Enlai. [People.com.cn] Still of the film Living Forever in Burning Flames. [People.com.cn] Photos in Yu's house [People.com.cn]

(Source: People.com.cn/Translated and edited by Women of China)
According to JLL's latestreleased this week, office rents in Hong Kong's Wanchai/Causeway Bay areas rose by 1.5% month-over-month in July 2018, their fastest pace in three years. The relatively strong growth in the submarket was underpinned by an extremely tight vacancy environment, which dropped to a record low of 1.6% last month.Against this backdrop, the average monthly rent of Grade A offices in Wanchai/Causeway Bay rose to HKD 68.7 per sq. ft in July. Monthly rents in Tsimshatsui grew by 1.0% month-over-month to HKD 51.5 per sq. ft, led by a 1.3% m-o-m increase in the office buildings along Canton Road. Rents in the overall market continued to rise, up 0.8% month-over-month.New lettings in Central surged 109% m-o-m on the back of expansion requirements from banks and financial firms. Among the more notable, Oriental Patron leased 13,900 sq. ft at One Exchange Square while Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing leased 13,000 sq. ft at Two Exchange Square; both expanding in-house.Alex Barnes, Head of Markets at JLL reports, "Leasing activity outside of Central remained active last month. Tenant decentralization supported leasing demand and contributed to net take-up amounting to 250,700 sq. ft in July. With space at a premium in Central, tenants are shifting to new office buildings in Wong Chuk Hang and Quarry Bay. This has been a very active summer, with tenant demand fueled in part by the change of ownership in The Center and redevelopment of Hutchison House."Denis Ma, Head of Research at JLL commented, "Hong Kong's property market continues to charge forward despite the escalating trade war between the US and China. For commercial property, demand for office space from both tenants and investors remains strong while the recovery of the retail sector remains largely intact with retail sales recording growth for the fifth consecutive month in July. In the residential sector, buyers remain upbeat despite the heightened uncertainty around the economy's outlook. In the warehouse sector, which is likely to be most affected by the trade war, demand remains firm with a number of 3PLs expanding their operations in July. All-in-all, we believe that Hong Kong's property market will likely stand tall this year though growth may ease slightly in the second half".
Nepali wins honour society achievement award in US

A Nepali student at University of North Carolina has received the David Merchant International Student Award for Achievement from the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars.
Cuts to services sees one day a week opening for Cambrian Credit Unions Wrexham office

This article is old - Published: Monday, Aug 20th, 2018

An organisation that helps people with financial problems is having to cut back  with its Wrexham office set to open just one day a week.

The Cambrian Credit Union currently operates on King Street in town, along with a further four and two libraries across north and mid Wales.

However the financial cooperative has now announced that jobs will be lost and counter service will be slashed in order to cut costs.

As a result, the offices in Wrexham, Caernarfon and Denbigh will now only open for one day a week  despite currently being open five days.

Part-time counter services at Newtown and Welshpool libraries are to be slashed completely, leaving Rhyl and Llandudno Junction as the only offices open five days a week from October onwards.

The North Wales Credit Union was established in 2010 following the merger of Caledfryn, Clwyd Coast, Llandudno, Wrexham and Y Llechen Credit Unions, joined by Hafren Credit Union in May 2015 before changing its name the following year.

According to its website , it currently has over 12,000 adult members and 1,500 junior savers, employing over 30 members of staff and around 50 volunteers. It is not yet known how many jobs will be affected.

The number of jobs lost is not yet known, but the decision has raised concern that the decision could lead to some vulnerable people opting for loan sharks due to the office closures.

A spokesperson for the Cambrian Credit Union Board, noted: We have nearly 9m in savings which is totally protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

This money cannot be used for speculative investments and the way that we make a surplus is via the loans that we make to our members. Any surplus after operating costs may be returned to our members as a dividend.

In recent years our loan revenue has not been covering our operational costs. This means we have not paid a dividend and we are forced to make changes to improve the situation.

Regretfully, this means that we are reducing staff numbers and office opening hours. This is not a decision taken lightly.

In order to best serve members, the offices with highest footfall  Rhyl and Llandudno Junction  will remain open five days a week.

Our Wrexham, Denbigh and Caernarfon Offices will open one day a week and operate a cashless system. Members will still be able to complete loan applications, request BACS transfers and talk to a member of staff.

Due to exceptionally low footfall in Newtown and Welshpool (of around 25 members a month) we will not offer a face-to-face service. Collection points will also close.

We were set up to offer savings and affordable loans to our communities, to prevent people falling into the hands of high cost lenders and improve the financial wellbeing and this remains our core purpose.

To improve our loan service, we now give decisions in principle within one working day of receiving an application. People can also apply for a loan either in person, on the telephone or online.

*Picture: Google Maps

By Gareth Williams  Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme).
Niles Niemuth is the Socialist Equality Partys candidate for Congress in Michigans 12 th Congressional District. The campaign will be holding a meeting on Thursday, August 23, 7:00 pm at the Brownstown Community Center. Visit niles2018.com to donate and get involved in the campaign.

Supporters of the Socialist Equality Party campaigned throughout the Downriver area of Michigans 12th District last week to promote an upcoming meeting at the Brownstown Community Center. Downriver, which is the unofficial name of 18 suburban Michigan cities and townships in Wayne County, has been politically dominated by the Democratic Party for many decades. It is the core of the political fiefdom of the Dingell family, which has held a congressional seat based in the Downriver towns for more than 80 years.

During the 2016 elections, masses of workers stayed away from the polls, disgusted by both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Voter turnout in the Downriver area decreased in every township by figures ranging from about 2 percent in Taylor to as much as 22 percent in River Rouge. Under these conditions, Trump was able to edge out an electoral college victory in Michigan, despite the fact that during the primaries the state went to Bernie Sanders, who postured as a socialist.

The current Dingell, Debbie, is the multi-millionaire wife of former Representative John Dingell. An heiress to the Fisher Brothers auto fortune and a former lobbyist for the auto bosses before she became one of their representatives in Congress, Dingells real constituency is the financial aristocracy, along with the upper-middle class and union bureaucracy, a tiny fraction of the population of the district.

Contrary to the corporate politicians and the media, which present white workers as reactionary and racist, our campaigners found warm support for a socialist alternative. In the city of Wyandotte, many small shop and restaurant owners put up posters in their front windows announcing the meeting, while any others took flyers to display to their customers.

When approached by SEP campaigners, a young Wayne State University student studying anthropology at first said she had no time for politics, since she also worked a minimum wage job. SEP campaigners explained this was precisely the situation facing an entire generation of young people. The fight against precarious employment is tied to an economic system in which a US CEOs compensation is 312 times greater than the average workers. This means that the typical CEO of a large firm makes in a single day almost as much as the typical worker earns in an entire year.

Karen, an artist and mother of two young children, said she was very open to socialism. I became so disgusted and disheartened by the politics of both the Democrats and Republicans that I could hardly bring myself to vote in 2016. I supported Bernie Sanders because I thought he was a socialist, but I was very disappointed when he threw his support to Clinton.

Karen added that she thought the fight between Trump and the Democrats over the issue of Russia was more about in-fighting between them, and not about anything that concerns us. She expressed interest in the fight for the freedom of Julian Assange and the Flint water crisis and purchased pamphlets explaining the SEPs analysis and program.

TJ was eager to speak with SEP campaigners and said he could not bring himself to vote for either Clinton or Trump. He is a firefighter and said he was very aware of the recent tragic house fire in Lincoln Park, which killed three people and destroyed a home and a family.

Campaigners canvassed the neighborhood of Lincoln Park, speaking with residents living near where the fire took place. While the exact cause remains unknown, it is highly likely that the age and structure of the 100-year old home, with an aging electrical system, played a role.

The communitys residents take enormous pride in their homes and neighborhoods, but they struggle financially from week to week and cannot put aside funding to update electrical systems. An older resident in the neighborhood said she helps one daughter who works 12-hour shifts by babysitting the children during the day, and she assists another daughter with twins who is medically disabled and unable to work.

Mexican immigrant couple interviewed in Lincoln Park

One immigrant couple in the neighborhood, Felipe and Maria, spoke to the World Socialist Web Site at length about the impact of the crisis, particularly on immigrant workers. They previously lived in southwest Detroit and moved to Lincoln Park three years ago. They came to the United States to work, and have not encountered racist attitudes from most people, although occasionally people will ask about their speaking Spanish.

They said they live close to Dearborn, and they said anyone should be able to speak Arabic or Spanish or any other language. If its the language you are comfortable speaking, whats wrong with speaking it? Maria said. What does it matter? Everyone should be able to speak whatever language they want and live their own lives.

Felipe previously worked in a manufacturing plant which had good working conditions, but the plant went bankrupt and he lost his job. He was denied unemployment pay because the company said he had not worked long enough to earn it.

Campaign teams also visited locations near the Great Lakes Steel plant, where a recent explosion injured 15 workers. They spoke with active and retired workers from the plant. There was also a highly successful campaign at an Amazon warehouse facility in Brownstone Township, which has just opened. Many workers took flyers and expressed interest, both in the SEP election campaign and in the SEPs effort to unite UPS, Amazon and other warehouse and distribution workers in a common struggle against these corporate giants.
The Socialist Equality Group (New Zealand) invites health workers to take part in an online forum on Saturday September 1 at 4:30 p.m. (NZ time) to discuss the critical political lessons of the sellout pay agreement imposed by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) on August 7.

The deal exposes the right-wing, pro-business character of the Labour Party-led government, which insisted there was no more money to pay hospital workers decent wages and provide safe levels of staffing. This was a brazen lie: billions of dollars are being squandered on war preparations, prisons, the police and intelligence agencies, and ultra-low taxes for the rich.

Nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants waged a determined fight for better wages and conditions, rejecting four union-backed offers over the past nine months. On July 12, nearly 30,000 public hospital workers held their first nationwide one-day strike since 1989. The final deal, however, is virtually the same as two offers workers previously rejected.

Health workers must draw critical lessons from this experience. They were betrayed by the NZNO, which isolated, wore down and demoralised workers by recommending one sellout offer after another. The union used anti-democratic methods including cancelling one strike and refusing to hold mass meetings where workers could debate the offers.

The health workers fight is part of a resurgence of working-class struggle, including teachers who held a nationwide strike on August 15. Internationally, workers are seeking a way to fight back against austerity measures imposed since the 2008 financial crisis. The main obstacle is the privileged trade union bureaucracy, which works hand-in-hand with governments and big business to suppress working-class resistance.

The Socialist Equality Groups online meeting will discuss the need for a rebellion against the NZNO and the formation of new, rank-and-file committees, democratically controlled by health workers themselves. It will also outline a socialist strategy to unite health workers with teachers, public servants and other workers in New Zealand, Australia and internationally, in a political and industrial campaign against austerity.

We urge workers to attend this vitally important discussion forum at 4:30 p.m. NZ time, Saturday September 1. Take part online via GoToMeeting or over the phone by calling (0064) 09 282 9510.

For more information, contact the SEG on Facebook or via email.
Kathmandu-Kerung railway: Project to cost Rs257 billion

The Department of Railways (DoR) on Sunday said construction of Kathmandu-Kerung railway is estimated to cost Rs257 billion.
More than 370 people have been killed and some two million displaced by flash flooding and landslides caused by heavy monsoonal rains which began on August 8 in the southwest Indian state of Kerala.

Twelve of the states 14 districts have been inundated, in what has been described as Keralas worst disaster since 1924. Crop and property damage is estimated at about 80 billion rupees ($US1.146 billion), with 20,000 homes and 40,000 hectares of agricultural crops destroyed and at least 83,000 kilometres of roads damaged.

Most of the fatalities occurred when entire villages were wiped out by catastrophic landslides. Tens of thousands of flood victims are currently being accommodated in over 4,000 relief camps.

According to state government officials, tens of thousands remain marooned, including up 5,000 people trapped in the riverside town of Chengannur. Authorities also fear outbreaks of water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and leptospirosis could take more lives.

Although flood waters subsided in most areas on Sunday, and official red alert warnings were lifted in most of the state, dam levels remain dangerously high. The Indian Meteorological Department has also warned that rain will continue falling on the state until August 23, with heavy downpours forecast for the districts of Idukki, Kozhikode and Kannur. Idukki, which has received more than 321 centimetres of rain since June, is now virtually cut off from the rest of the state.

In an attempt to downplay the extent of the disaster, Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan, of Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, told the media: What prevails in Kerala is not a situation that is getting out of control  Things have improved a lot.

Notwithstanding Vijayans claims, tens of thousands throughout the state are stranded in their homes surrounded by floods or in relief camps without food, drinking water and medicine.

Flood survivor Inderjeet Kumar, 20, who is currently at a church shelter in Thrissur district, told an AFP reporter: These were the scariest hours of our life ... There was no power, no food and no [drinking] watereven though water was all around us.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a clear indication of the Indian elites contempt for the flood victims, said the central government would provide just five billion rupees ($US72 million) in aid. This is less than half of the 12 billion rupees requested by the state government. In line with the prime ministers usual practice, Modi took a helicopter flight over some of the flood-hit areas on Friday.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric declared that he was saddened by the disaster but, when asked if the UN would be providing relief funds, said India had not specifically asked for any help.

The media has reported that thousands of people, including women, children and college students across Kerala, are collecting food, medicine, clothes and other essentials to be sent to the relief camps. An estimated 600 fishermen from the Kerala coast are also involved in rescuing flood victims.

The state usually receives about 1,649 millimetres in monsoon rain at this time of year, but some 2,344 millimetres has already fallen. The disastrous levels of flooding are also unprecedented and not a natural event.

Indian governments of every political colourationfrom Modis Hindu-supremacist Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) to the main opposition Congress Party or the Stalinist CPM, which currently rules Keralaare responsible for the current human catastrophe. Preoccupied with maximising profits for foreign and local investors, these governments have refused to provide the necessary flood-mitigation and emergency rescue infrastructure.

Environmental experts have declared that the current Kerala floods are a man-made disaster and pointed to illegal constructions on river beds and unauthorised quarrying.

Ecologist Madhav Gadgil, 76, the former head of the Indian government-constituted Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), told the media that although Kerala has had heavy monsoon rains, the current flooding and landslides have not been experienced before.

In 2011, the WGEEP recommended that several areas in Kerala should be classified as ecologically sensitive. The report said several areas were vulnerable to floods because of quarrying, mining, illegal re-purposing of fore sts and high-rise building constructions. It called for strict restrictions on these dangerous practices.

Kerala state governments, led by Congress from 2011 to 2016 and by the Stalinist CPM since 2016, rejected these recommendations and allowed the environmentally hazardous practices identified by WGEEP to continue.

The flooding has definitely brought to light the existence of illegal stone quarries or a large number of unauthorised constructions on river beds, Gadgil said. In this sense, it is definitely a man-made calamity where intense rainfall and human intervention have made it a serious disaster.
Momentum leader Jon Lansman will be a keynote speaker at the Jewish Labour Movements (JLM) one-day conference next month. The announcement underscores the key role played by the supposedly grassroots organisation in the trumped-up anti-Semitism campaign against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Lansmans appearance takes place amid the unremitting offensive by the Labour Partys right wing, which is allied with the Conservative Party and the media in trawling though Corbyns political history to manufacture proof of his anti-Semitism. The pro-Zionist JLM has played a central role in this manufactured campaign whereby Corbyns historic criticism of Palestinian oppression by Israel is denounced as evidence of his blind hatred of Israel and support for terrorism.

Speaking alongside Lansman are Labour MPs who have been the most vociferous proponents of the anti-Corbyn campaign. They include current JLM chair Luciana Berger and Ruth Smeeth (former director Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre). Both took part in the attempted 2016 anti-Corbyn putsch by the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). Wes Streetinganother key anti-Corbyn figureis also on the platform, as is Dame Margaret Hodge.

Described as iconic by JLM, it was Hodge who staged a provocation against Corbyn in Parliament, smearing him as a fucking anti-Semite and racist. Despite the party dropping disciplinary action against her, while throwing out others accused of far lesser charges, many of which were false, Hodge has not let up.

Earlier this week, she earned deserved contemptespecially among those of the Jewish faith she presumes to speak forwhen she likened the potential disciplinary proceedings against her to the terror felt by those who had to flee Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Norman Finkelstein, an American Jewish scholar known for his trenchant criticism of Israeli policy, was one among many expressing outrage at her remarks, stating acidly that if the campaign against the trivialising of the Holocaust had any real content Hodge should be the first to be thrown out of the party.

The JLM announcement underscores earlier reports by Jewish News that Lansman has for weeks been lobbying Labours leadership to adopt the international definition [sic] of anti-Semitism with all its examples.

Labour is the only political party to have adopted the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism, along with most of its examples of behaviour and statements to be proscribed. But it has balked at the example stating that to define Israel as a racist endeavour is anti-Semitic.

Lansmans appearance comes after months in which the Momentum leadership did nothing to oppose right-wing moves against long-standing Labour members Jackie Wilson, Tony Goldstein, Marc Wadsworth and Ken Livingstone on fraudulent anti-Semitism charges, but rather endorsed them in some instances.

Last month it went still further, withdrawing its backing of Peter Willsman from its nine-person slate for elections to the National Executive Committee after he became the latest target. Its action was denounced by Jewish Voice for Labour, which has opposed the anti-Semitism campaign.

An Open Letter from Momentum members in Camden, published by Skwawkbox, attacked the move as cowardly and a craven betrayal. Calling on Momentum to start seriously pushing back against the right-wing alliance, it criticised as mistaken the belief that Labours so-called broad church will mean that your political enemies on the right will give you an easy ride if only you find the right kind of compromise.

The appeal was to no avail.

Lansmans decision to join the JLM platform goes beyond mere conciliation. He is solidarising himself and the organisation he heads with the most reactionary elements of the PLP and their political backers in the ruling elite.

Their aim is not only to silence criticism of Israels murderous onslaught against the Palestinians and its adoption of the apartheid-style nation state law. It is part of a broader offensive aimed at intimidating and outlawing socialist opposition to capitalism and imperialism.

In the Tory-controlled London borough of Barnet, for example, the council has agreed, subject to legal verification, that it can refuse to allow organisations and individuals that support the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movementprotesting illegal Israeli settlementsfrom hiring premises. Using IHRA, Barnet is defending its antidemocratic move on the basis that BDS is anti-Semitic because it targets Israel.

Lansmans actions demonstrate that the rights McCarthyite smear campaign could not have any traction were it not for the leadership of Momentum.

Founded as a people-powered, grassroots movement working to transform Britain in the interests of the many, not the few, following Corbyns surprise 2015 leadership bid, it attracted tens of thousands of new members to Labour. This support was key in defeating a right-wing leadership challenge against Corbyn just one year later.

Behind the trappings of mass participatory democracy, Momentum perpetuated the fiction that Labour could be transformed into a political instrument of working class opposition to austerity and war. But whatever the progressive sentiments of those who signed up to the project, the Momentum network was from the very start aimed at controlling and ultimately sabotaging any genuine challenge to the right.

Founded by Lansman, a life-long Labour left apparatchik and millionaire, its political core is made up of professional anti-Trotskyists such as Owen Jones and Paul Mason. The loyalty of this pseudo-left layer is not to socialism, much less the working class, but to the goal of shoring up Labour as the principal political prop of capitalist rule.

As David North explained in The Frankfurt School, Postmodernism and the Politics of the Pseudo-left, the term pseudo-left denotes political parties, organizations and theoretical/ideological tendencies which utilize populist slogans and democratic phrases to promote the socioeconomic interests of privileged and affluent strata of the middle class.

Hostile to the class struggle, the pseudo-left promotes instead identity politics, fixating on issues relating to nationality, ethnicity, race, gender and sexuality in order to acquire greater influence in corporations, the colleges and universities, the higher-paying professions, the trade unions and in government and state institutions, to effect a more favourable distribution of wealth among the richest 10 percent of the population.

The Syriza government in Greece, which has implemented vicious austerity policies and anti-migrant measures, is the archetypal representative of this social layer. But Syriza shares the same political DNA as Die Linke in Germany, Jean-Luc Melenchons La France Insoumise and the pro-Bernie Sanders Democratic Socialists of America.

Syriza was the model for what Corbyn described as his attempt to prevent the Pasokification of British Labour (i.e., the electoral rout of Greeces social democratic PASOK). In founding Momentum after Corbyns 2015 victory, the aim of Lansman et al was to strangle the rank-and-file rebellion against the right wing in its crib.

Momentums 2016 conference was cancelled at the last moment, and an undemocratic constitution and structure imposed aimed at barring from membership anyone who was or remained a supporter of another political organisation, or who had registered political opinions deemed to be at odds with those of the Labour Party. The youth movement was also liquidated. Its national conference in July heard no motions and took no elections.

In a secret recording made by the Observer, Lansman explained that Corbyn and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell had personally asked him to exclude members of the Socialist Party [the successor to the Militant Tendency] from Momentum owing to the embarrassment they were causing.

Momentum is now playing the lead role in efforts to overturn opposition to a second referendum on British withdrawal from the European Union, in line with the interests of powerful sections of the corporate elite and the military/intelligence apparatus. A Momentum-backed petition is being circulated to force a vote at Labours upcoming conference on shifting the party decisively in favour of a Peoples Vote on Brexit.

Among Lansmans vocal supporters are none other than representatives of Open Labour, which was also formed in 2015, but to oppose Corbyns leadership on behalf of the soft-left. In 2016, one of its lead proponents, Jade Azim from Women in Political Data, was scathing in her denunciations of Corbyn. A supporter of Andy Burnhams failed attempt to be selected as a leadership challenger that year, she wrote longingly of howjust months after Corbyns second winshe had watched a few Shadow Cabinet members shine, and secretly wished they would replace Jeremy.

Open Labour is part of the debate at the JLM on The Labour PartyA Church Too Broad? which also features the Blairite think tank Progress alongside Momentum.

Azim now writes as a defender of Momentum in the real battle for Labours soul. On Labourlist she defends Lansman, attacks his opponents within Momentum as cranks and insists that Beyond these elections ... the real question is what the nature of the Corbynite left will be.

The Lansmanite left will have to stay vigilant, organise as best they can, pick candidates without histories of bigotry, and not let the cranks define what it means to be left-wing in the Labour Party and at its grassroots, she writes.
On Thursday, the Economic Policy Institute reported that average CEO pay at Americas 350 largest companies grew by 17.6 percent between 2016 and 2017. The typical chief executive received $18.9 million in compensation. The wage of a typical US worker, on the other hand, grew by a negligible 0.3 percent.

The typical CEO in the US now makes 312 times what the average worker makes, up from the 20-to-1 ratio that prevailed in the 1960s. This means that, on average, a CEOs earns in a single day almost as much as the average worker makes in an entire year.

Ten years after the Bush and Obama administrations carried out the largest bank bailout in human history in response to the 2008 financial crisis, every indicator of social inequality is soaring.

In 2008, the 400 wealthiest people in America had a net worth of $1.5 trillion. This figure has since doubled, standing at close to $3 trillion.

Ten years ago, the net worth of Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, was $8.7 billion. Now, it stands at $140 billion, a 16-fold increase. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had a net worth of $1.5 billion at the time of the financial crisis. His wealth now stands at $69 billion, a 46-fold increase.

Not only have the individuals whose crimes triggered the financial crisis avoided going to jail, they have become vastly more wealthy. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein have both become billionaires over the past decade, despite playing key roles in creating the mortgage-backed securities bubble then profiting by betting on its collapse.

In the ninth year of the supposed economic recovery, in which the economy is nominally approaching full employment, with the tightest job market in decades, wages continue to fall year after year. Over the past 12 months, wages fell 0.2 percent in real terms, while stock prices shot up by 12 percent.

When the capitalist media write on the persistent fall in wages amid soaring profits, they scratch their heads in bewilderment as to why the vaunted mechanism of the free market, with its mantra that a rising tide lifts all boats, has broken down. But in ruling circles it is an open secret that the growth of social inequality was the desired outcome of the financial bubble, the crash and the bailout.

In the run-up to the financial crisis, Democratic and Republican administrations alike, together with the banking regulators, encouraged the creation of one financial bubble after another. After the crash, none of those responsible were criminally charged, all of the banks bad bets were recouped with public funds, and the Federal Reserve and Obama administration encouraged the creation of another massive financial bubble to enrich the ruling elite at the expense of the working population.

The historically unprecedented levels of social inequality are incompatible with democratic forms of rule. More than a decade ago, responding to the stolen 2000 election and the ripping up of democratic rights in the name of the war on terror, the World Socialist Web Site explained that underlying the destruction of democratic rights was the growth of social inequality.

In a 2006 lecture, WSWS International Editorial Board Chairperson David North noted:

American society is deeply fractured. The level of social polarization has assumed explosive dimensions. Those in the top five or top one percent of society in terms of income and wealth have no deep commitment to democratic rights. Of course, there are exceptions to be found within this social category. But the objective relation of the wealthiest strata of society to democracy is of an entirely different character than that of the broad masses. For the ruling elite, democracy is something of a convenience, not a necessity. As has been demonstrated all too often in the 20th century, dictatorship serves to protect wealth, not to threaten it.

In the period following the 2008 crash, these processes have only accelerated. In 2010, the Obama administration asserted the right to kill American citizens with drone missile strikes, even within the United States, and murdered two American citizens without trial overseas to prove the point.

Whistleblower Edward Snowden showed that the US intelligence agencies are spying on the American people on a scale that makes Richard Nixons plumbers look like amateurs. He was forced into exile in Russia. Journalist Julian Assange, who documented war crimes and conspiracies against democracy, was, and remains, effectively imprisoned in London at the demand of US authorities.

Most ominously of all, the major technology companies are, at the behest of the US intelligence agencies and leading figures within the political establishment, implementing a regime of Internet censorship unprecedented in scope and scale.

Now the crisis of American democracy has entered a new stage. Donald Trump, who embodies the corruption and criminality of the capitalist ruling elite, is creating an ever-more openly authoritarian government, resting on appeals to his fascistic base.

But there is not the slightest democratic content in the opposition to Trump from within the state and ruling class. Figures like former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper express the direct intervention of the state intelligence agenciesresponsible for countless crimes against the American and international working classinto political life, with the support of the Democratic Party and the media.

More and more, sections of the media and ruling elite are using language that implies support for a military coup. On Friday, the New York Times ran an op-ed by author Tim Weiner all but calling for a mutiny by the military and intelligence bureaucracy.

He wrote:

John Brennan, who knows whereof he speaks, believes that the president is a threat to the security of the United Statesa counterintelligence threat, no less, in thrall to President Vladimir Putin of Russia  They are sending a message to active-duty generals and admirals, soldiers and spies. Remember your oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Think twice before following [Trumps] orders in a crisis.

Both factions of the ruling class, despite their mutual mud-slinging, represent right-wing, authoritarian political tendencies.

These representatives of the capitalist oligarchy must be opposed through the methods of the class strugglethat is, the conscious, independent intervention of the working class into political life. All over the world, workers are entering into struggle, from UPS workers in the United States to Ryanair pilots and cabin crew in Europe. Poll after poll shows growing support for socialism among workers and young people.

The struggle to arm this growing movement of the working class with a socialist perspective is the only means for defending democratic rights, which can be secured only by ending the capitalist systemthe source of inequality, war and authoritarianism.
A new series of protests is shaking the Social Democratic (PSD)-led government in Romania. On August 10 and 11, demonstrations took place in Bucharest and other cities.

The conflict between different factions of Romanias ruling class is increasingly taking place outside the traditional channels of bourgeois democracy, as violent street actions, secret service involvement and the use of the courts against opponents increasingly dominate political life. This is taking place under the pressure exerted by international factors.

On the one hand there is the militarization of the country as part of the drive by the NATO powers against Russia, accompanied by a growth in the power and the budget of the military and the secret services. On the other hand, the international upsurge of working class militancy has found expression in struggles by autoworkers at Ford and in the health care system.

The latest crisis is being fueled by the sharpening conflict between the US and the European Union. Since winning the 2016 general election, PSD leader Liviu Dragnea has steered the former Stalinist party, already distrusted by the European capitals, towards the Trump administration in the US.

The opposition has organized large street protests at regular intervals, placing intense pressure on the government. The PSD has been forced to replace the prime minister twice in less than two years.

The protests of the opposition have focused on the person of chief anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, whom the PSD succeeded in removing in July of this year. Kovesi and her DNA (National Anti-Corruption Agency) have been instrumental in Romanian politics in recent years, and enjoyed the support of the EU powers as well as both the Bush and Obama administrations.

A WikiLeaks cable showed that in 2006, then-FBI Director Robert Muller advised Kovesi on the need for stepped-up wire tapping and promised increased FBI collaboration with her office. Reports have circulated in the Romanian media of the intimate ties between the DNA and the secret services. These reports, though unverified, led to the resignation of the SRI (Internal Intelligence Agency) operational director.

The PSD attempted to counter this pressure by staging its own rally in June. In front of nearly 100,000 supporters brought to the capital, PSD speakers denounced the DNA and SRI. Greetings were sent from the platform to the Trump White House, which was said to be engaged in a similar fight against the deep state.

The Obama-appointed US ambassador issued a warning that there were aggressive mobs participating in the PSD rally. Several days later, it was officially announced that he would be replaced by New York real estate lawyer Adrian Zuckerman, whose family emigrated from Romania.

The PSD rally, despite ostensibly condemning wire tapings and political meddling by the prosecutors, failed to attract significant genuine popular support. This party is synonymous with bourgeois rule after the restoration of capitalism in the 1990s, trampling on the most basic social and democratic rights, often in tandem with the same forces it condemns today. Its government is currently involved in a historic attack on workers, having recently put into law the shifting of social contributions from the employers to the workers.

Tensions escalated between the two sides on August 10, when an anti-PSD rally turned violent. Ostensibly called as a protest of Romanian emigres, the roughly 20,000-strong crowd was composed mostly of better-off sections of the middle classes, animated by crude anti-communist slogans.

In scenes reminiscent of 2009 Moldova or Ukraines Maidan riots, protesters repeatedly tried to break through police barriers to enter the government building, torched surrounding streets and broke into a nearby museum. Two riot cops were severely beaten and one of their firearms was captured.

The ensuing police crackdown was presented in the pro-EU media as an attempt by PSD leader Dragnea to stifle democratic opposition and consolidate a personal regime, akin to Turkeys Erdogan. Opposition parties and President Klaus Iohannis have requested a parliamentary inquiry into the crackdown, and a military prosecutor has been appointed to investigate. For their part, PSD leaders threatened to impeach the president for his support for the protests and suggested another pro-government rally might be called in Bucharest.

Despite mutual accusations of authoritarianism and attempted coups, both sides are careful not to touch on any issues that might arouse genuine popular opposition, such as foreign policy, health care or the social rights of workers. A few days after the latest events, Iohannis and PSD ministers shared a platform on Navy Day, where they all reiterated their commitment to the preparation of the war against Russia.

A revival of the cutthroat politics that characterized the 1930s is accompanying the return to militarism and war and growing dread in the ruling class of a resurgent working class.
A recent coronial inquest into the deaths of ten people from thunderstorm asthma in the state of Victoria in November 2016 pointed to the impact of years of budget cuts and understaffing in the public health system.

Testimony to the inquest disclosed that callers to the Triple O emergency line were wrongly told an ambulance was on its way, when it was not.

Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) executive manager of operations Michelle Smith said in evidence that the organisation was unable to meet its five-second response target. Ambulance Victoria (AV) also ran out of vehicles, she said.

Between 6 p.m. on November 21 and 6 a.m. the next day, the authority received its greatest volume of calls ever2,332. More than 1,300 calls came in between 6.15 p.m. and 8.15 p.m. alone. Between 7 and 7.15 p.m. alone, 201 calls were received.

Within half an hour of the surge, AV had no ambulances available in the western suburbs of Melbourne, the state capital. Crews were called in from other areas but by 7.40 p.m., ESTA management determined that no more non-emergency crews would be dispatched. By 8 p.m., 150 cases were pendingan ambulance had been requested but there were none to dispatch.

Protocols required Triple O operators to stick to scripts saying the ambulance is on its way even though no ambulance had been dispatched.

That this decision led to deaths is incontrovertible. According to the testimony of University of Melbourne allergy specialist Professor Jo Douglass, there was an average of just 15 minutes between people experiencing severe symptoms and cardiac arrest.

On a 60 Minutes television report in May 2017, the mother of 20-year-old asthma victim, Hope Canevali, described how she rang back AV when the promised ambulance had not arrived. After been kept on hold for many minutes, she was told, once again, the ambulance was on its way and not to transport her daughter to hospital. Hope died in her arms on the front lawn of the housesix minutes from the nearest hospitalwhile waiting for an ambulance to arrive. As she recounted, had she been told an ambulance had not been dispatched, she would have taken Hope to the hospital but that choice was taken from me.

The Victorian Labor governments response was not to increase staff levels and the preparedness of the health system for future events of this nature, but to develop a new script for Triple O operators. Priority callers to AV will now be told help is being arranged but they should consider arranging their own transport.

Triple O operators now have the discretion to end a call in order to deal with higher priority cases, a decision that operators will have to make quickly and under pressure, which could lead to calls being erroneously ended.

The thunderstorm asthma event of November 2016 was the most intensive and deadly in history internationally, but it was not an unknown phenomenon. Melbourne is known as a global hotspot for thunderstorm asthma because of grass grown in regional Victoria. On November 21 there was a heatwave before a cool change at 5 p.m. Rye grass pollen swept in from the countryside northwest of Melbourne and became saturated with water. The pollen burst into fine particles, provoking asthma in thousands of people.

The city had experienced three previous non-fatal events in 1986, 1987 and 2010. Most significantly, the seriousness of the 2016 event was predicted and warned about 24 hours earlier by Doctor Philip Taylor of Melbournes Deakin University AirWatch facility. His warnings went unheeded.

AirWatch operates the only volunteer pollen counter in the world. Over the past 25 years Dr Taylor and Biomedical Science Associate Professor Cenk Suphioglu, also from Deakin University, had studied the effects of thunderstorm asthma and campaigned for pollen count stations and warning facilities in Victoria.

In 2012, respiratory specialists in Victoria appealed unsuccessfully for an advance-warning system for thunderstorm asthma.

Hospital emergency departments were also overwhelmed in 2016, with patients reduced to sleeping on the floor. At least two major hospitals, including the Royal Melbourne, ran out of Ventolin, a basic asthma medication.

On November 21, nearly 10,000 people presented at hospital emergency departments in metropolitan Melbourne and Geelong. At Footscray Hospital, in Melbournes west, which has three ambulance bays at emergency, between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., 37 ambulances lined up for help with their critically-ill patients. At nearby Sunshine Hospital, 18 ambulances banked up in the early hours of the morning.

Despite calling in almost 80 extra paramedics, doubling the call operator staffing and cancelling all meal breaks, police and fire crews had to supplement the ambulance service, along with non-emergency vehicles and field doctors specialising in disasters.

The 10 thunderstorm asthma victims who died were Omar Jamil Moujalled, 18, Hope Marsh, 20, also known as Hope Canevali, Apollo Papadopoulous, 35, Clarence Leo, 37, Ling-Ling Ang, 47, Thao La, 48, Hoi-Sam Lau, 49, Priyantha Peiris, 57, Min Guo, 29 and LeHue Huynh, 46. Some victims died waiting for ambulances that did not arrive.

The court heard that eight victims were from Melbournes northwest, where the storm appeared to have hit hardest. The victims were mostly men, with an average age of 36, and were predominantly from Asian backgrounds, recently immigrated to Australia. Professor Douglas hypothesised that they developed allergies within three or four years of arriving.

AV executive director of emergency operations Michael Stephenson told the inquest that before November 2016, he had never heard the term thunderstorm asthma or heard anyone at his organisation use it. He described that night as extraordinary and very confronting.

Earlier, the Victorian government commissioned an inquiry by the Inspector General of Emergency Management (IGEM). This was in response to the popular anger over the inadequate response on the night of November 21.

A constant theme of the report was the lack of coordinated systems, leadership and communication between the different layers of the health system, which resulted in information not being available in a timely and clear manner to hospitals, ambulances and the public.

It stated: Minimal public information, emergency warnings or health advice were issued on 21 November 2016 during the thunderstorm asthma event (Finding 18). Further: Communication was adhoc, inconsistent across health services and not timely. (Finding 4)

Despite being the first responder to health emergencies, AV is not a control agency for any emergency and did not have access to the necessary platforms and networks. AV resorted to Twitter to send tweets with high alerts.

While the thunderstorm hit Geelong at 5 p.m. and moved rapidly eastward toward metropolitan Melbourne by 8 p.m. there was no understanding of the number of people affected and the severity of the consequences.

The Labor governments response to the IGEM report was a derisory $15.56 million in funding, for research, education and engagement campaigns, monitoring of pollen data, research to inform response protocols and improved real time monitoring of data.

While the crisis of November 2016 was caused by weather and environmental conditions, the entire health system buckled. This was the outcome of years of austerity measures imposed by Liberal and Labor governments alike.

The Labor governments reaction, which is not to deal with the fundamental problems within the public health system but to paper over the political establishments responsibility for the disaster will mean the next thunderstorm asthma event could lead to worse outcomes.
In a further political intervention by the military-intelligence apparatus, several high-ranking intelligence officials took to the Sunday morning talk shows yesterday to denounce Trumps decision last week to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan.

These included Brennan himself on NBCs Meet the Press, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Obama counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco and former NSA and CIA chief Michael Hayden on CNNs State of the Union, and former CIA director and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who appeared in a taped segment on CBSs Face the Nation. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen made an appearance on Fox News Sunday criticizing the strident tone of Brennans rhetoric against Trump, whom Brennan has all but accused of treason, while opposing Trumps decision to retaliate by revoking his security clearance.

The ex-spies all postured as defenders of freedom of speech. Whether one agrees or disagrees with what John Brennan said is not the issue, Leon Panetta said. We have something called free speech in this country. And whether youre a former CIA director or whether youre a former President of the United States or whether youre just a citizen on the street you have a right to free speech to say what you think about our country and our Presidentand thats the right that John exercised.

The claim by these spy chiefs to be defending free speech is as grotesque as it is absurd, although it was predictably unchallenged by the pliant corporate media. Meet the Press host Chuck Todd was arguably the most sycophantic, at one point interjecting during his interview with Brennanreferring to Brennans charge that Trump was guilty of treason in relation to RussiaWhen you speak as a former CIA Director, Ill be honest, my ears always perk up more, I think peoples perk up more. He followed this up by badgering subsequent guest and Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani for daring to question the unproven claims that Trump colluded with the Russian government during the 2016 elections.

What they are really defending is the untrammeled right of the intelligence agencies to intervene in American politics. Brennan himself complained in the pages of the New York Times last week that 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, with the clear implication that democratic norms must be restricted in order to combat Russian meddling.

In reality, the campaign over alleged and unproven Russian hacking, which began as the means for the Democrats and sections of the state to force Trump into a more aggressive stand against Russia, has expanded into a justification for sweeping acts of censorship, above all against left-wing and anti-war groups.

In the course of his interview with the former CIA chief, Todd asked Brennan, If you were currently the head of the C.I.A. and the president revoked the security clearance of a former C.I.A. head, what would you do as sitting C.I.A. Director under that circumstance? And what advice would you give to Gina Haspel, the current head of the C.I.A.? Brennan issued a veiled call for a rebellion by the intelligence agencies against the civilian government:

I think thats what a lot of these very senior officials are trying to reconcile in their own minds how much they can stay and be governors on Mr. Trumps behavior and how much they cannot countenance at all. People like John Kelly, his chief of staff, who I know and respect and like so much, John and I worked very close together. Im sure hes trying to keep Mr. Trump from doing awful, terrible things. But at some point a lotthese senior officials have to ask themselves, are they enabling this continued abusive and reckless behavior or not? And if they feel as though theyre enabling it, and theyre not having that type of governing influence on it, I think they have to show their displeasure and their unhappiness and leave.

Brennan claimed that he has not been in contact with anyone in government since Trump revoked his security clearance last Wednesday. Clapper, however, acknowledged on CNN that he has had discussion with active intelligence officials in relation to the campaign against Trump, adding, And I do know there is a lot of angst at the working levels in the I.C. [intelligence community] work force. Hayden then interjected, adding, These people are still in government. We dont want to make them vulnerable.

It is significant that almost no elected officials, and no Democrats, appeared on the Sunday talk shows during the segments on Brennan. The fact that the programs were turned over almost entirely to the representatives of the intelligence agencies demonstrates the degree to which the military and the deep state have emerged as a dominant political force within Washington.

However, given the fact that the Democrats own campaign against Trump is pitched to and articulates the differences that the military and intelligence agencies have with Trump, primarily over foreign policy, the appearance of leading congressional Democrats yesterday would have simply been redundant. Moreover, the Democratic Party itself is an organization that is increasingly staffed by, of and for ex-intelligence and military officers, who have flooded into Democratic primary contests in record numbers.

There is no progressive faction in this struggle between the CIA, supported by the Democratic Party, and Trump. While the anti-Russia campaign against Trump revives the methods of McCarthyism and the extreme-right John Birch Society, which alleged secret Soviet infiltration of the US government, Trumps first political mentor was Roy Cohn, Senator Joseph McCarthys former chief counsel, a fact which Hayden pointed out on CNN.

Trumps National Security Advisor John Bolton, in an interview with ABC News yesterday conducted from Jerusalem, attempted to redirect the campaign over Russian meddling onto the Trump administrations preferred adversaries in China, Iran and North Korea. He declined to respond to a question by ABCs Martha Raddatz that the NSA has been authorized to conduct offensive cyber operations in response to any kind of election meddling in the lead-up to the midterms in November.
There are growing calls among UPS workers for a fight against the concessions contract backed by the company and the Teamsters, and for a united struggle with their counterparts at Amazon and other logistics companies.

The Teamsters is working to push through a sellout contract that will boost UPS profits, create a new, lower-paid tier of hybrid driver/warehouse workers, and maintain poverty wages for part-time warehouse workers.

Manuel, a full-time 22.3 warehouse worker with 14 years at the Ontario hub in southern California, said he has not met a single person who is excited about this contract. Were all voting it down, but I also fear it will be shoved down our throats.

Manuel told the WSWS UPS Workers Newsletter, I agree with the need to unite workers at Amazon and UPS, and even more than that. UPS is bad, and Amazon is worse. A new organization would be able to unite us all. He added that there is potential for a wildcat strike against the Teamsters union. It would catch on like a wildfire.

The Teamsters is opposed to any effort to connect the struggle of UPS workers with their counterparts at Amazon, because it opposes any serious fight against the demands of the corporations. It is not a workers organization, but a labor management business, tasked with ensuring a supply of cheap labor to the employer by suppressing strike action.

This reality was demonstrated at the Teamsters Local 70 meeting in Oakland, California yesterday. A UPS worker who attended told the WSWS that workers in the meeting asked Teamsters Local 70 Secretary Treasurer Marty Frates if there should be a strike in the event the contract was voted down. Frates replied: No one wants that.

Later in the meeting, Frates, whose officially reported income is over $140,000, was asked his opinion as to whether UPS workers should reach out to their counterparts at Amazon, to which he responded: No, thats our competition.

Frates pro-corporate statements were denounced by workers who spoke to the WSWS after the meeting. John, a part-time warehouse worker with 10 years, said, We shouldnt be competing with Amazon workers, we should be helping them. We should be setting an example. UPS is taking advantage of the situation and saying, Amazon is doing this, so we might as well do it to our members too.

Earlier this week, John read the WSWSs call for UPS workers to elect their own organizations, rank-and-file committees in the warehouses and hubs, in opposition to the Teamsters union, in order to conduct a struggle. He said that when he read this statement, It was like a light bulb going off in my head. I realized that we dont need to wait on the union to fight this contract.

On August 7, the Vote No on UPS Contract Facebook page, which is connected to the Teamsters for a Democratic Union, a faction of the Teamsters union, censored a post of Amazon worker Shannon Allens video calling for the formation of rank-and-file committees connecting Amazon and UPS workers. The Teamsters resorts to censorship because it is aware that such appeals have widespread support among both Amazon and UPS workers.

UPS and Amazon workers perform similar work, and warehouse workers are paid similarly low wages. Starting wages for part-time UPS warehouse workers, who make up over 70 percent of the workforce, are as low as $10 per hour, approximately the same as their Amazon counterparts.

Amazon has used advanced automation technologies to create a high-tech nightmare for its employees, with brutal working conditions, surveillance of workers, and constant electronic monitoring of workers performance. This modelthe intensified exploitation of half a million Amazon workers around the worldunderpins Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wealth of $150 billion. Other corporations, including UPS, are being driven to implement similar measures to remain competitive.

This is what the Teamsters means when it labels Amazon our competition. Workers must accept longer working hours, lower wages, more flexible working arrangements, cuts to their health benefits, cuts to their pensions, and increased quotasin a race to the bottom to meet the insatiable profit demands of UPS management and the Wall Street investors who stand behind them. The Teamsters bureaucrats are all too willing to facilitate this process, knowing they will be repaid in kind by their corporate partners.

John said that his Oakland facility was automated two years ago, eliminating 100 jobs from the sorting aisle. Today a worker unloads packages out of a trailer, and instead of coming to somebody to look at the state and the zip code, it goes down a belt, the lasers shoot it, and then the belts pull it wherever it needs to go for its destination, he said.

John commented that this automation is meant to handle the increased volume coming from Amazons online orders, many of which are delivered by UPS. Ever since they automated the building, theyve just been catering to the Amazon style, which is just more, more, more, he said. They want more numbers. Theyve automated it pretty much just for Amazon, and even created a UPS facility in Lathrop, a super-hub near Sacramento, which just does volume for Amazon and reduces their shipping costs.

Heather, a part-time pre-loader at the Tualatin hub in Oregon with three years experience, also rejected the Teamsters-imposed isolation of UPS workers. She said, The union has this attitude of, You have it better, so just take it. The only way to overcome that is to form alliances with other workers at Amazon and around the world. We have to start planning and reach out as a UPS group to other workers, like Amazon, through leafleting or by social media. This can make a big difference.

Heather said that at her Portland facility, they get the upper layers of management to assess statistics, track all of us, and come up with some new rules that make our work more demanding. They really dont understand what would help. Its all about numbers.

The Teamsters is isolating workers not only at UPS and Amazon, but within UPS itself. It is negotiating three separate contracts within one companyone for warehouse workers and parcel delivery drivers, one for UPS Freight workers, and one for airline workers and mechanics.

The Teamsters sabotage of any fight against the assault on workers by UPS shows that workers need new organizations to conduct a struggle. The WSWS UPS Workers Newsletter calls for UPS workers to elect rank-and-file committees in the warehouses and hubs, independently of the Teamsters union. Such committees would draw up their own demands for a nationwide strike, and immediately send delegations to factories at Amazon, USPS, FedEx, and elsewhere, to explain the significance of this struggle and organize a united fight.
Every week, I offer a glimpse of the kind of intelligence assessments that are likely to come across the desk of the President of the United States. Modeled on the President's Daily Briefing, or PDB, which the director of national intelligence prepares for the President almost daily, my Presidential Weekly Briefing focuses on the topics and issues the President needs to know to make informed decisions.

Here's this week's briefing:

Asia Business, economy and trade Central Intelligence Agency China Continents and regions East Asia Eastern Europe Europe Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government departments and authorities Government organizations - US Intelligence services International relations and national security International trade Investigations John Brennan Middle East Middle East and North Africa Military Military operations National security North America Political Figures - Intl Political Figures - US Politics Russia Russia meddling investigation Syria The Americas Trade and development United States Unrest, conflicts and war US federal departments and agencies US federal government US government independent agencies US intelligence agencies Vladimir Putin White House Christmas Holidays and observances

Christmas came early for Putin: Clearance contagion

We assess that President Vladimir Putin views your decision to revoke former CIA Director John Brennan's clearance as an opportunity to advance his mission against the United States.

Putin is focused on sowing divisions in the United States and reactions among elected officials to your decision on Brennan's clearance have fallen mostly along partisan lines. Senior Democrats condemned your decision, while most Republicans supported you or stayed quiet. We should assume that Russia's digital and bot army will amplify these partisan divisions.

Russia's propaganda machine likes to highlight criticism of alleged US shortcomings in democracy and civil liberties. Russia will likely amplify the narrative that your decision is a dire attack on free speech and that US democratic freedoms are under attack. This helps Putin make the US-led liberal democratic order look weak and by comparison makes him feel stronger.

Putin also wants to undercut confidence in US institutions, and he probably wants to spin your decision as indicative of a widening chasm between you and the intelligence community. His team will likely spread the message that you made this decision based on your executive authority -- which is what press secretary Sarah Sanders said in her initial press briefing on the clearance revocation. Putin's minions will highlight that neither Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats nor CIA Director Gina Haspel were consulted before your final decision on Brennan's clearance, fueling the narrative that you made this decision on your own without consulting the experts. And his trolls could spread the message that this is just the latest indication you made a decision with national security implications without your key advisers.

As a bonus for Putin, a growing bipartisan group of former intelligence professionals are criticizing your decision, further supporting the idea that you and the intelligence community are divided.

Putin is also probably pleased with your Wall Street Journal interview -- in which you drew a correlation between revoking Brennan's clearance and his involvement in the "rigged Russian witch hunt." He may use this statement to push the narrative that you are assailing the free functioning of our democratic legal system by trying to silence officials who worked on Russian election interference. He'll play both sides, though, doing what he can to stoke the idea that you are trying to cover something up.

Your tweet about Brennan's mistakes while CIA director may also be used by Putin to fuel conspiracy theories about the agency, much like the deep state conspiracy theories about the FBI and its purported politicization. This helps him in his goal of undermining confidence in our democratic institutions.

China: Wargaming

We are engaged in multiple wars with China, which you referenced in your tweet when you said, "All of the fools that are so focused on looking only at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China." With $16 billion worth of US tariffs against China going into effect this week, our trade war with China is ongoing.

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen is in Washington this week. While he will participate in relatively low-level trade talks, the fact that President Xi Jinping is open to talking again may mean Xi is feeling domestic pressure to negotiate an end to the trade war.

However, you should expect the war of words to continue, especially because Xi likely took note of National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow's statements last week emphasizing your "willingness to continue this battle." Kudlow's comments about the Chinese economy and yuan "slipping" were likely viewed as threats against China, and they'll respond with threats of their own.

National security adviser John Bolton's comments expressing concern over potential Chinese hacking of US elections are also likely going to elicit a response of some kind from Beijing. Chinese officials know that Russian election meddling has been met with US sanctions but also caused internal divisions for your team, so they will likely feign dismay but won't be overly concerned about any repercussions.

More tariffs aren't the only kind of strike the Chinese may be planning against us. The Pentagon now assesses that the Chinese military -- with its estimated $190 billion defense budget last year -- is "likely training for strikes against US and allied targets." The Pentagon is also reporting that China is increasing efforts to develop its nuclear capabilities, including by developing its ability to launch nuclear missiles from the air. This would give it a full triad (air, land and sea) of nuclear capable delivery systems, a signal that they are preparing to match us in conventional, as well as unconventional, areas of engagement.

Syria: Stepping back

Your decision to withhold $230 million in development assistance to Syria is likely being met with cheers from Russia and Iran, who will see it as an indication that you are handing more control -- literally and figuratively -- over to them. Because your tweet says it is time for other "countries [to] help us," involved parties -- including President Bashar al-Assad, ISIS and members of our coalition -- probably think you are announcing a draw down in US assistance in Syria in advance of a US troop draw down, which they know is one of your near-term goals.

Iran and Russia may also feel that they can use your tweet to show you're willing to cut assistance and use Syrian lives as a negotiating tactic to get other countries to contribute more militarily and financially to improve the situation in Syria. On the heels of your decision to cut US assistance, Putin publicly called for more humanitarian assistance for Syria. Putin is no humanitarian -- he has backed "animal Assad" and Assad's grave human rights abuses -- but Putin wants to position himself as the power center for postwar Syria on all fronts, because it gives him more control and you less.

Syria will likely be a key agenda item for Bolton's meetings with the Israelis and later with the Russians in the coming days. We assess that Israel will be focused on our efforts to counter Iran in Syria while the Russians will, because they want less of us in Syria, reassure Bolton that the United States stepping back is responsible.
TIA runway to be closed for 10 hours daily for repairs

The runway at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) will be closed for 10 hours daily from February to carry out rehabilitation works on its dilapidated runway. Renovation of the 3,050-metre runway will take at least five months, airport authorities said Sunday. The project is estimated to cost Rs3.5 billion.
Every week, I offer a glimpse of the kind of intelligence assessments that are likely to come across the desk of the President of the United States. Modeled on the President's Daily Briefing, or PDB, which the director of national intelligence prepares for the President almost daily, my Presidential Weekly Briefing focuses on the topics and issues the President needs to know to make informed decisions.

Here's this week's briefing:

Christmas came early for Putin: Clearance contagion

We assess that President Vladimir Putin views your decision to revoke former CIA Director John Brennan's clearance as an opportunity to advance his mission against the United States.

Putin is focused on sowing divisions in the United States and reactions among elected officials to your decision on Brennan's clearance have fallen mostly along partisan lines. Senior Democrats condemned your decision, while most Republicans supported you or stayed quiet. We should assume that Russia's digital and bot army will amplify these partisan divisions.

Russia's propaganda machine likes to highlight criticism of alleged US shortcomings in democracy and civil liberties. Russia will likely amplify the narrative that your decision is a dire attack on free speech and that US democratic freedoms are under attack. This helps Putin make the US-led liberal democratic order look weak and by comparison makes him feel stronger.

Putin also wants to undercut confidence in US institutions, and he probably wants to spin your decision as indicative of a widening chasm between you and the intelligence community. His team will likely spread the message that you made this decision based on your executive authority -- which is what press secretary Sarah Sanders said in her initial press briefing on the clearance revocation. Putin's minions will highlight that neither Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats nor CIA Director Gina Haspel were consulted before your final decision on Brennan's clearance, fueling the narrative that you made this decision on your own without consulting the experts. And his trolls could spread the message that this is just the latest indication you made a decision with national security implications without your key advisers.

As a bonus for Putin, a growing bipartisan group of former intelligence professionals are criticizing your decision, further supporting the idea that you and the intelligence community are divided.

Putin is also probably pleased with your Wall Street Journal interview -- in which you drew a correlation between revoking Brennan's clearance and his involvement in the "rigged Russian witch hunt." He may use this statement to push the narrative that you are assailing the free functioning of our democratic legal system by trying to silence officials who worked on Russian election interference. He'll play both sides, though, doing what he can to stoke the idea that you are trying to cover something up.

Your tweet about Brennan's mistakes while CIA director may also be used by Putin to fuel conspiracy theories about the agency, much like the deep state conspiracy theories about the FBI and its purported politicization. This helps him in his goal of undermining confidence in our democratic institutions.

China: Wargaming

We are engaged in multiple wars with China, which you referenced in your tweet when you said, "All of the fools that are so focused on looking only at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China." With $16 billion worth of US tariffs against China going into effect this week, our trade war with China is ongoing.

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen is in Washington this week. While he will participate in relatively low-level trade talks, the fact that President Xi Jinping is open to talking again may mean Xi is feeling domestic pressure to negotiate an end to the trade war.

However, you should expect the war of words to continue, especially because Xi likely took note of National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow's statements last week emphasizing your "willingness to continue this battle." Kudlow's comments about the Chinese economy and yuan "slipping" were likely viewed as threats against China, and they'll respond with threats of their own.

National security adviser John Bolton's comments expressing concern over potential Chinese hacking of US elections are also likely going to elicit a response of some kind from Beijing. Chinese officials know that Russian election meddling has been met with US sanctions but also caused internal divisions for your team, so they will likely feign dismay but won't be overly concerned about any repercussions.

More tariffs aren't the only kind of strike the Chinese may be planning against us. The Pentagon now assesses that the Chinese military -- with its estimated $190 billion defense budget last year -- is "likely training for strikes against US and allied targets." The Pentagon is also reporting that China is increasing efforts to develop its nuclear capabilities, including by developing its ability to launch nuclear missiles from the air. This would give it a full triad (air, land and sea) of nuclear capable delivery systems, a signal that they are preparing to match us in conventional, as well as unconventional, areas of engagement.

Syria: Stepping back

Your decision to withhold $230 million in development assistance to Syria is likely being met with cheers from Russia and Iran, who will see it as an indication that you are handing more control -- literally and figuratively -- over to them. Because your tweet says it is time for other "countries [to] help us," involved parties -- including President Bashar al-Assad, ISIS and members of our coalition -- probably think you are announcing a draw down in US assistance in Syria in advance of a US troop draw down, which they know is one of your near-term goals.

Iran and Russia may also feel that they can use your tweet to show you're willing to cut assistance and use Syrian lives as a negotiating tactic to get other countries to contribute more militarily and financially to improve the situation in Syria. On the heels of your decision to cut US assistance, Putin publicly called for more humanitarian assistance for Syria. Putin is no humanitarian -- he has backed "animal Assad" and Assad's grave human rights abuses -- but Putin wants to position himself as the power center for postwar Syria on all fronts, because it gives him more control and you less.

Syria will likely be a key agenda item for Bolton's meetings with the Israelis and later with the Russians in the coming days. We assess that Israel will be focused on our efforts to counter Iran in Syria while the Russians will, because they want less of us in Syria, reassure Bolton that the United States stepping back is responsible.
The goal of politicians appearing on Sunday shows is simple: Set the agenda for the week ahead.

Rudy Giuliani achieved that -- and then some -- in an appearance on "Meet the Press" on Sunday. But the agenda he set was an absolute disaster for the Trump White House. Watching it was the equivalent of watching someone slip on a banana peel on the street -- it's hilarious and sad all at once. You feel bad for laughing but you find yourself laughing anyway. (And then you realize you may just be crying).

Arts and entertainment Chuck Todd Continents and regions Donald Trump Donald Trump, Jr. Eastern Europe Europe Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Hillary Clinton Investigations James Comey Political Figures - US Politics Robert Mueller Rudy Giuliani Russia Russia meddling investigation Television news Television programming US federal government White House

Let's start with Giuliani's seeming attempt to rebut the idea of truth. Here's the back and forth with "MTP" host Chuck Todd -- begun when Todd asks Giuliani why President Donald Trump couldn't simply sit down with special counsel Robert Mueller and tell the full truth:

GIULIANI: And when you tell me that, you know, he should testify because he's going to tell the truth and he shouldn't worry, well that's so silly because it's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth. He didn't have a, a conversation --

CHUCK TODD: Truth is truth. I don't mean to go like --

RUDY GIULIANI: No, it isn't truth. Truth isn't truth. The President of the United States says, "I didn't -- "

What Giuliani is, I think, trying to say is that not everything that Mueller might ask about is a fact. The example he cites is how former FBI Director James Comey has said that Trump asked him to leave off the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn while Trump has insisted no such conversation took place.

"Donald Trump says, 'I didn't talk about Flynn with Comey,'" Giuliani noted. "Comey says, 'You did talk about it,' so tell me what the truth is."

OK, a few things here.

First, the idea that the fact that Trump would describe a meeting with Comey differently than Comey has isn't perjury -- as Giuliani would like you to believe. It's a "he said, he said" -- which happens all the time in a court of law. So the idea that Trump can't talk to Mueller because it's possible he had a differing understanding of what he told Comey is a red herring.

Second, not all "he said, she said" situations are created equal. Comey testified under oath -- in written testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee -- that "[Trump] asked what we could do to 'lift the cloud.'" Trump saying -- or tweeting -- that he never mentioned the idea of going easy on Flynn is entirely different. He's not under oath. He can say almost whatever he wants. And Giuliani's assertion that Trump would tell Mueller exactly what he has said publicly is, again, sort of a misdirection. Saying what you would tell the special counsel is not the same thing as actually sitting down with the special counsel.

Third -- and this one feels obvious -- you can't, ever, say "truth isn't truth." That goes double when you are part of an administration that has already used the phrase "alternative facts." And it goes triple when you represent a President who, in the last month, has said "don't believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news. ... What you're seeing and what you're reading is not what's happening."

Like Todd said, truth is truth. Facts are not up for debate.

Giuliani, clearly being leaned on to fix the mess he made, tweeted out a clarification on Monday morning.

"My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic 'he said, she said' puzzle," Giuliani tweeted. "Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesn't." (Say it with me: Perjury isn't "he said, she said.")

If Giuliani had only said "truth isn't truth," that would have been bad enough. But he did more! Way more!

Here's Giuliani and Todd talking about the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between the campaign's senior officials and a group of Russians:

GIULIANI: Well, because the meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about, about Clinton. The meeting turned into a meeting --

CHUCK TODD: Which in itself it's attempted collusion. I understand --

RUDY GIULIANI: No it's not.

CHUCK TODD: You just said it. The meeting was intended to get dirt on Hillary Clinton from a criminal lawyer.

RUDY GIULIANI: No, it wasn't. No, no.

CHUCK TODD: That was the intention of the meeting, you just said it.

RUDY GIULIANI: That was the original intention of the meeting. It turned out to be a meeting about another subject and it was not pursued at all. And, of course, any meeting with regard to getting information on your opponent is something any candidate's staff would take. If someone said, I have information about your opponent, you would take that meeting. If it happens to be a person with a Russian --

CHUCK TODD: From the Russian government?

RUDY GIULIANI: She didn't represent the Russian government, she's a private citizen. I don't even know if they knew she was Russian at the time. All they had was her name.

There's so much here; it's such a rich text.

First: Giuliani says the intention of the meeting was "for the purpose of getting information about, about Clinton." Then, when Todd puts out that such a deal could well amount to collusion, Giuliani say that the meeting was not, in fact, intended to get dirt on Clinton. Uh......so, like, the thing you said literally two sentences ago was not true? This is the new true thing?

OK.

Now onto this claim about what Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner knew going into the meeting. "I don't even know if they knew she was Russian at the time. All they had was her name," Giuliani said of Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Nope! In an email from music publicist Rob Goldstone, who was functioning as a liaison for Russian billionaire Aras Alagarov to Don Jr., Goldstone wrote:

"The Crown prosecutor of Russia met with his father Aras this morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father.

"This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump - helped along by Aras and Emin."

You could make the argument that Kushner and Manafort might not have known the details of the meeting -- and that it was with Russians -- prior to sitting down. It is impossible to make that argument about Don Jr.

Impossible.

Here's the thing: The sole reason Giuliani is out on these Sunday shows is because the President likes the job he is doing. And we know from lots and lots of evidence that Donald Trump is not terribly concerned with the truth; he is far more interested in his advocates going out and fighting for him.

But even by Trump's odd standards of success, what Giuliani did on Sunday was a total train wreck. Let's see if Trump allows Giuliani to have a do-over. Trump allies should hope he doesn't.
OCALA, Fla. (AP) - Federal investigators are looking into allegations of rape, assault, and the smuggling of drugs into a central Florida prison for women.

The Miami Herald reports that about 100 former inmates and relatives of inmates at the Lowell Correctional Institution near Ocala, Florida, attended a town hall meeting on Sunday to talk with the investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The U.S. Department of Justice opened a federal civil rights investigation into sexual abuse of inmates in July.

The Herald previously reported that inmates are threatened with beatings, receive substandard medical care, and are coerced into sex with male guards in exchange for necessities like soap, toilet paper, and sanitary napkins.

The federal investigators are examining whether the Florida Department of Corrections ignored complaints of misconduct.

___

Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg shared a conservative post criticizing Muslims.

The community is calling for an apology and asking the city official to step down.

One Muslim activist says this kind of biogitry is never okay... but it's especially damaging when it comes from people in a position of power.

Rasha Mubarak of the Young Democrats of Orange County commented on Greenberg's action.

"He has to understand, as an elected official you have the responsibility to share language that is intersectional, that is welcoming," Mubarak said. "This puts people in danger. This feeds into the Islamophobic rhetoric."

On the phone, Greenberg* said he didn't condone the message he shared, but did not regret sharing it.
Seven held for gang-rape in Chitwan

Chitwan Police have arrested seven persons for their alleged involvement in gang-raping two teen-aged girls in the district.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 00:25:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MADRID, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Government on Sunday paid tribute to humanitarian aid workers in commemoration of World Humanitarian day, which is celebrated on Aug. 19.

The Spanish government twitted: "THANKS to those who dedicate their lives in taking humanitarian air to those who live in conflict zones."

"They are attacked many times while carrying out their labor of solidarity by those who want to stop those who most need help getting it."

The Spanish Foreign Ministry 'tweeted' "today is World Humanitarian Day! An occasion to pay homage to all of those who dedicate their lives to those affected by emergencies."

Several non-government organizations also used the day to stress the need for humanitarian aid, with the charity 'World Vision Espana' highlighting the plight of children in East Africa, who need help as they flee from conflicts in the area.

The organization's 'Girls on the Move' report explains "children are escaping war and conflict to fall into other forms of violence and girls are especially vulnerable and in need of protection."

The charity 'Aldeas Infantiless SOS' also focused on the "high number of children who are fleeing unsupportable living conditions"

"This shows we need a stronger global commitment to protect vulnerable infants and guarantee them a better future," according to the organization's President, Pedro Puig.

Finally, Oxfam Intermon asked the Spanish government to raise its Official Aid Budget to 0.4 percent of basic national income from its current level of 0.17 percent.

Oxfam Intermon's General Director, Jose Maria Vega called the current level of spending "indignant," saying "it's not much to ask it to be raised to 0.4 percent, especially bearing in mind it was fixed at 0.7 percent almost half a century ago."

World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is celebrated every year on the same date to pay tribute to those who put themselves in danger to carry out humanitarian service, and to raise awareness of humanitarian crises around the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 00:25:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SINGAPORE, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday that his government would provide further support for the people in public housing and health care.

Lee delivered his National Day Rally speech respectively in Mandarin, Malaysian and English after Singapore's National Day which falls on Aug. 9.

When the country celebrated its 53th birthday this year, it has witnessed that around 80 percent of the Singaporeans live in the government's Housing and Development Board (HDB)-developed flats.

Besides providing residence for its citizens, the Singaporean government also finance its maintenance.

According to the prime minister, the Housing Board's Home Improvement Program, which heavily subsidizes the maintenance of aging HDB flats, will be expanded to cover flats built up to 1997 from those built up to 1986, benefiting 230,000 more flats.

It means that every HDB flat can expect to be upgraded twice during their 99-year lease: once when they are about 30 years old, and a second time when they are about 60 to 70 years old.

Moreover, the Community Health Assist Scheme, which provides health care subsidies for middle and lower-income Singaporeans and the Pioneer Generation, will be extended to all Singaporeans with chronic conditions, regardless of income, Lee said.

The government will make sure that people can afford housing, health care and education, but Singaporeans also need to strive for saving water and electricity, and making smart consumer choices, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 01:31:01|Editor: Liangyu

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By Eric J. Lyman

ROME, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Around one percent of worldwide users of social media giant Facebook are located in Italy -- but if the company's legal woes are in indication, it might have more than that share of its enemies in the country.

U.S.-based Facebook is the world's biggest social media network. The company has more than 2.2 billion users worldwide, and of that number, about 25 million -- roughly one out of 99 users -- are in Italy.

That footprint in Italy has caused Facebook more than a few headaches in recent years. The Milan office of the Guardia di Finanza, Italy's financial law enforcement agency, is pursuing Facebook for payment of at least 300 million euros (340 million U.S. dollars) in unpaid taxes.

Additionally, two Italian consumer advocacy groups -- Altroconsumo and Condacons -- have filed class action lawsuits against the company, alleging improper use of user's personal information.

Along the way, the company has been the subject of probes and rulings by Italy's privacy regulator, the Italian Communications Authority, and the Antitrust Authority.

For its part, Facebook has consistently denied wrongdoing, stressing that it follows all the laws in every country where it operates, including Italy.

The latest Facebook-related headlines in Italy came from Unicredit, the country's leading bank in terms of assets and one of the ten largest banks in Europe. Unicredit announced it would sever all ties with Facebook -- maintaining no presence on the network, not using it to communicate with or advertise to clients.

To be sure, Facebook, the first global social network, has legal issues in other countries. But in Italy, the last few years have seen a regular stream of negative Facebook news stories.

Alberto Castelvecchi, a communications professor at Rome's LUISS University, said the problems in Italy became more serious for the company when it started to use financial data in its marketing.

"Italians have a kind of double personality when it comes to sharing information," Alberto Castelvecchi told Xinhua.

"On the one hand, they like to share gossip and show where they are on vacation. On the other hand, they don't like to have anyone look into their financial affairs. On this count, Italians are very private."

Innocenzo Genna, co-founder of Digit@lians, a network of professionals in digital fields, said Facebook's controversial association with the now-defunct Internet data analysis company Cambridge Analytica and their possible impact on the 2016 election in the United States have caused damage.

"After Cambridge Analytica it became more difficult to see Facebook as an inoffensive way to keep up with distant friends," Genna said in an interview. "There are real-world consequences for what Facebook does, and each time Facebook expands further into our lives, the more many people in Italy want to push back."

An official with Altroconsumo, one of the consumer rights groups with a class action lawsuit against Facebook, said the organization has no issues with Facebook's business model -- only in what he said was a "lack of transparency" in the way it communicated with users.

"The consumer has a right to understand how his or her information is being used," Marco Pierani, Altroconsumo's director of public affairs, told Xinhua. "So far, Facebook has not done that. What we are seeing so far might be the tip of the iceberg."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 01:36:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday urged citizens to abide by the rule of law so as to avoid recurrent violence in the country.

Ethiopia is currently facing the negative impacts of misunderstanding between freedom and disorder, eventually affecting the country's peace and security efforts, Ahmed told a party meeting.

As the country strives to ensure the rights and freedom of its citizens, some are creating chaos by abusing the opportunities provided for them, he said.

Ahmed called on the security forces to work together with the public to ensure that the rule of law is well preserved.

Ethiopia is reeling from a week of vigilante violence in various parts of the country, with photos of lynching, beatings and burning of religious institutions shocking many in the east African country of around 100 million people.

The violence, mostly based on ethnic and religious lines, has put into question the stability of Ethiopia, which already hosts around 2.8 million internally displaced persons, according to figures from the United Nations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 03:26:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ZAGREB, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tourists will soon be able to visit the small island of Vanga on the Croatian islands of Brijuni, where the former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito had a residence.

The Vanga Island was closed to the public for 38 years after the death of Josip Broz Tito, and now last preparations are underway for the arrival of tourists who will be able to see the residence of the former president next month.

Tito had been using the island of Vanga since 1952 and had received more than 50 world leaders in his residence, as well as numerous film stars such as Sofia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Orson Wells and others.

At Vanga, Tito also had a photographic studio, a metal workshop, a tangerine grove and a vineyard. In the basement of the residence there is a wine cellar with archival wines.

This summer, a huge number of tourists from all over the world have visited the National Park Brijuni, including Chinese tourists who are especially interested in visiting the museum of Josip Broz Tito.

"Chinese tourists are interested in details from the life of the former Yugoslav president who was among the founders of the non-aligned movement," tourist guide Slavica Markic told Xinhua.

Tourists can also drive a Cadillac, which was owned by Josip Broz Tito, and half an hour drive costs around 800 U.S. dollars.

Large tourist chains have shown interest in investing in hotels in Brijuni, but the National Park has not yet made a decision on investment in the island.

There is also a small zoo in Brijuni, with the elephant named Lanka, which President Tito received as a gift from the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Today the Brijuni islands are the venue for theatrical performances of the Ulysses Theatre led by the world-famous actor Rade Serbedzija.

Brijuni islands are situated in the northern part of the Adriatic, consisting of 14 islands with a total area of 33.9 square kilometers.

The two largest islands are Mali and Veliki Brijun, and because of the variety of flora and fauna they are known as "the paradise on earth". They were declared a national park in 1983.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 04:56:33|Editor: Yurou

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LONDON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The British government plans to begin publishing its first technical notices on Thursday for the public in the event that the country crashes out of the European Union (EU) without a deal, the prime minister's office has said.

The first of the explanatory documents are expected from the British Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) within days and are designed to inform citizens and businesses how to cope with a no-deal scenario.

As the March 2019 Brexit is drawing near, London and Brussels find the chances for a no-deal Brexit is increasing. British Prime Minister Theresa May and her ministers visited other EU countries to rally European support her latest Brexit proposals, hammered out at Chequers in early July.

May set out the Chequers plan to create a free trade area for goods and agricultural products between Britain and the EU, in effect keeping the sector under EU single market rules and ensuring an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

All 84 of the notices are due to be published before the end of September. Some are thought to be broad in scope, covering issues like financial services, company law and climate change, while others will focus on specific problems including traveling abroad with pets.

Two days before the first publication, British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will travel to Brussels in a bid to pick up the pace of talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, the prime minister's office added.

The plan was released as the co-founder of fashion brand Superdry donated a million pounds (1.28 million U.S. dollars) to the campaign for a referendum on the final Brexit agreement.

"On the agenda will be resolving the few remaining withdrawal issues related to the UK leaving the EU and pressing ahead with discussions on the future relationship," Downing Street said of Tuesday's planned summit.

Raab is also due to give a speech outlining how the government plans to mitigate the potential risks of leaving the EU without a deal and ensure continuity and stability.

It comes amid The Independent newspaper's campaign for a Final Say on any Brexit deal. More than 660,000 people have signed our petition, and The Independent has joined forces with the People's Vote campaign for a mass march through central London later this year.

Almost half of the technical notices have been drawn up by either the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Chris Grayling's Department for Transport and the Treasury have also played prominent roles. Planning is being coordinated by DExEU.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 05:06:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GENEVA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Though the road network in Switzerland is generally good, about 40 Swiss bridges, or one percent of total, are in critical condition and need renovation, the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) said Sunday.

FEDRO confirmed a recent report on the state of roads, saying that the state of the Swiss road network is generally good, and renovation of critical infrastructure such as bridges and tunnels has been well managed in recent years.

"If a structure proves to be in poor condition, for example if the support elements of a bridge are damaged, we would immediately close the bridge and start work," FEDRO director Jurg Rothlisberger said.

However, about 16 percent of the structures have not yet been checked, but FEDRO said they do not play an essential role in terms of security. So even if a problem were identified, it would not have serious consequences.

As the vast majority of Swiss motorway bridges were built in the 1960s and 1970s, their renovation will thus become more and more frequent, but FEDRO said thanks to the fund for road infrastructure, Switzerland is in a good position.

However, according to Sunday's local NZZ am Sonntag paper, more than half of Switzerland's 45,000 highway bridges are over 35 years old, and maintenance costs could double or even quadruple in the next 30 years.

Last Tuesday, Swiss President Alain Berset sent his condolences after a bridge collapsed in the Italian city of Genoa, in which 43 people died.

A spokesman for the Swiss Federal Roads Office said such a collapse could not happen in Switzerland.

He said visual inspections are carried out regularly and safety teams are obliged to report any damage immediately, adding that each of Switzerland's 1,500 bridges, along with 3,600 over- and underpasses, are thoroughly examined every five years.
Supreme Court seeks clarification over ouster of Nepal Telecom head

The Supreme Court has instructed the government to furnish an explanation within 15 days on why Kamini Rajbhandari was dismissed as the managing director of Nepal Telecom.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 07:21:55|Editor: Lu Hui

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MEXICO CITY, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A total of 20.6 million international tourists visited Mexico during the first quarter of the year, the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) said on Sunday.

The growth was a 7.3 percent increase from the same time period last year, Sectur said.

Between January and June, tourists spent a total of 11.582 billion dollars, which was an increase of 4.3 percent over the same period in 2017, Sectur said.

In comparison, 9.5 million Mexicans traveled internationally during the first half of the year, an 11.4 percent increase from the same period last year.

"Mexico maintains a constant growth in international tourism as well as economic revenue in spite of natural phenomena and external factors," Sectur said.

The number of foreign travelers arriving by air between January and June was 9,639,00 or 5.4 percent.

In comparison, 4,191,000 travelers arrived at the country's various ports by way of cruise ships, this represented a 10.4 percent increase from January to June 2017.

In 2017, Mexico was the sixth most visited country in the world with 39.3 million tourists beating out such countries as Germany, Great Britain and Turkey, according to the government data.

Mexico could see 41 million visitors in 2018, according to an estimate provided by Minister of Tourism Enrique de la Madrid on July 4.

Foreign revenue received from tourism could grow 7 percent this year from the 21.3 billion dollars generated in 2017, according to projections from Sectur.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 07:31:56|Editor: Liangyu

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BERLIN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Stuttgart and Erik Thommy have agreed on a contract extension ahead of schedule, the "Swabians" confirmed via the club's official homepage on Sunday.

The 23-year-old midfielder extended his running contract, which was stipulated until June 2020, for another two years to stay with the "VfB" until summer 2022.

"With his early contract extension we take into account his extremely positive sporting development. Erik's development is yet not completed as he still has further development potential. He will be an important part of our squad for the coming years," Stuttgart's sporting director Michael Reschke said.

Erik Thommy joined Stuttgart from Augsburg in January 2018 and made overall 14 competitive appearances to provide two goals.

"It has been a very intensive time at Stuttgart for me so far. I feel very welcome from the first minute and I am very grateful with the renewal of my contract. I would like to return this confidence in the coming years," Thommy said.

Stuttgart will travel to Mainz for their Bundesliga curtain raiser on Aug. 26.
Source: Xinhuanet| 2018-08-20 09:25:45|Editor: ZD

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Hazem Samir

China has engaged in a lot of projects to help Africa accomplish its much-needed development.

Zeng Aiping, a Chinese expert in Sino-African relations, said this to Xinhuanet recently, ahead of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

China has a faithful desire to transfer its development experience to the African partners to help them surmount their problems, he noted.

Zeng expected Africa to emerge as a competitive market in future because a large number of African countries have made major strides in many fields.

Africa, a wealthy continent of natural and human resources as well as unique geographical location, is moving now on the right track, he said.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow at an average rate of 5.0 percent per year from 2018 to 2040.

Putting development at the agenda top, some countries such as Rwanda, Senegal, and Kenya have achieved a high rate of growth, according to Zeng.

In years, China gave a fillip to the southern and eastern parts of the continent and it is now paying more attention to the other parts, he said.

China has done a great deal in promoting cooperation with Africa by launching infrastructure and development projects.

Under the flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China helped accomplished last year Kenya's first high-speed railway from the capital Nairobi to port city of Mombasa.

There are plans to extend this network into South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to spread its benefit, he added.

China is also helping with the 10-billion-dollar projects: a mega port and an economic zone in Bagamoyo in Tanzania.

In north, he went on, "The Suez Canal project, which will include a mega industrial zone, logistic services, and road networks linking Suez Canal area to the other parts of Egypts governorates, will play an important role in BRI and also will enhance the ties between Egypt and China. Zeng said BRI would continue to boost the trade volume between Africa and China and increase in many aspects of cooperation between them.

On the coming FOCAC, he said,I think the FOCAC next month will focus on Johannesburgs agenda of FOCAC in 2015 and BRI.

He added BRI will lead to the increase of trade ties between the two sides by sharing investment, finance and development.

The China-Africa production capacity fund with an initial capital of 10 billion dollars established In the 2015 FOCAC summit has played a major role, he said.

Zeng stressed the importance for Africa to attract foreign investments, saying China will not give up its conviction on helping the African partners.

On the western economic policy in Africa, the Chinese specialist said:Some Western countries impose certain conditions to support the Africans."

"But China only pays attention to economic development, to invest in the continent and that, in turn, will serve the public interest and humanity as whole," he said.

He added the worlds largest exporter opens its market to Africa, adding the Shanghai Import and Export Exhibition in November will be a great opportunity to display African products.

Zeng revealed that almost 90 percent of African products enter the Chinese market without custom duties to reduce trade imbalance.

He also affirmed that China opens its market not only for Africa but also for all parts of the world.

China underlines a policy of win-win cooperation with Africa in many fora, and pushes Africa, which depends heavily on exporting raw material and oil, to diversify its economy and improve investment environment.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 09:47:14|Editor: Liangyu

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An old woman of the South Korean separated families(C) leaves a hotel for a bus trip at Sokcho, South Korea, Aug. 20, 2018. A group of South Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War from relatives living in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) left Monday morning for Mount Kumgang in southeast DPRK for rare reunions with their long-lost relatives. (Xinhua/Lee Sang-ho)

SOKCHO, South Korea, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A group of South Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War from relatives living in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) left Monday morning for Mount Kumgang in southeast DPRK for rare reunions with their long-lost relatives.

The South Korean separated families gathered Sunday at the northeast coastal city of Sokcho to register for reunions, get their health checked among other preparations.

The first session of reunions, scheduled to last from Monday to Wednesday, would be attended by 89 South Koreans who have never seen their DPRK relatives since the Korean War ended with armistice, and 108 other accompanying family members.

The second session of three-day reunions, involving 83 DPRK family members who applied for gatherings with South Korean relatives, will begin later this week at the same venue. The two Koreas agreed in June to hold the reunions as part of efforts to implement the Panmunjom Declaration.

The declaration was signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un after their first summit on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom to defuse military tensions and increase exchanges of the two sides.

It will be the first reunion of the war-separated families in nearly three years. The latest was held in October 2015.

A combined 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions have been arranged since the first-ever inter-Korean summit was held in 2000, but the reunions have been limited to about 200 separated families from each side. Over half of South Koreans on the waiting list for reunions are in their 80s or older.

Their meeting, arranged after decades of separation, will be painfully short. They will be granted permission to meet for only 11 hours in group and private gatherings during the three-day reunions.

It could be the only chance for the separated families to meet face-to-face. The eldest South Korean participant for the first session of reunions is a 101-year-old Baek Sung-gyu who will meet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter from the DPRK.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 10:37:23|Editor: ZD

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JAKARTA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 40 others wounded as quakes measuring 6.5 and revised 6.9 magnitude rocked again Lombok Island in central Indonesia on Sunday morning and evening, a senior disaster agency official said on Monday.

The jolts amplified damages resulted from the 6.4 and 7.0 magnitude quakes hitting the island earlier on July 27 and Aug. 5, head of emergency unit of disaster management agency Agung Pramudja said.

The official said that a preliminary report indicated that at least 200 houses were seriously destroyed by the temblor.

"The shakes incited significant damages and many residents have fled home and taken shelters in makeshift encampment," he told Xinhua from the province.

The official said that the assessment of the further risks of the jolts is being undertaken.

The two quakes with scales of 6.5 and 6.9 magnitude rattled Lombok Island on Sunday but no tsunami alert was issued.

The first one jolted at 11:10 a.m. Jakarta time (0410 GMT) with epicenter at 32 km East Lombok of West Nusa Tenggara province in western parts of the island and a depth of 10 km, the agency said.

The other struck at 9:56 p.m. Jakarta time (1456 GMT) with an epicenter at 30 km northeast East Lombok district of West Nusa Tenggara province and a depth of 10 km, it said.

The latest figure put the total death toll of the quake since July 27 to at least 465, according to the the data from the disaster agency.

Indonesia is prone to quake as it lies on a vulnerable quake-hit zone of "the Pacific Ring of Fire."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 10:37:24|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- In her last summer vacation of graduate study, Xu Jia started a two-month internship at the Chinese branch of transnational food giant Mars Inc.

"The field of marketing is new to me, but the experience is invaluable," said the Tsinghua University student who is majoring in international journalism.

While some of her friends were surprised as her major and internship do not seem to overlap, Xu regards the opportunity as interconnected with her major and said it could affect her choice of career.

As an intern with the Dove chocolate division, Xu is engaged in all kinds of work from market analysis to research and development, which requires extensive communication with colleagues from different departments.

"At first it was quite challenging, because I had to learn everything from scratch," she said. "But later I began taking pleasure out of working with all these interesting people."

Of course, knowledge learned in college helps. "My major and my internship in marketing have one thing in common: both are about getting the information to the right audience," Xu said.

Xu is now seeking a career in marketing and learning as much as she can.

"I have been through two internships before. But it was not until this one that I found out where my passion is," she said.

While college students like Xu are carefully planning about their future, others are still searching for a perfect place for their internship. Liu Yueqiao is one of them.

Unlike her fellow Chinese schoolmates who took up internship overseas, the soon-to-be sophomore student from New York University returned to China during the summer vacation and started her very first internship at one of China's most influential news outlets in China.

Major in liberal arts, Liu said it was the first time she had entered the field of journalism.

"I have to learn too many things as I work," she said. "But it's a must since my primary goal is to find out whether I fit the job."

Unlike Xu, Liu doesn't think the internship will determine her choice of career, but the internship is likely to affect her path in postgraduate studies.

"Internships are more about breaking new ground. They don't have to do with your major," she said. "If your major becomes too much of a restraining factor when you look for internships, you'll lose a lot of opportunities."

"Summer internships can help students better discover and demonstrate their potential," said Zhang Lihua, professor with school of labor and human resources at Renmin University.

Noting many students used to spend their vacations preparing for graduate school entrance exams or TOEFL tests, Zhang has found that Chinese students are increasingly focusing on internships.

Social responsibility is now a considerable part of many internships, and Shanghai-based Fudan University a model example. Starting in 1984, Fudan University dispatched students from their ivory towers to the country's grassroots to sharpen their skills and serve society.

This summer, Fudan provided 2,745 students with 335 programs in China's mainland, Hong Kong and six countries overseas.

"Born in the 1990s, I didn't get a chance to experience the entire 40 years of China's reform and opening-up," said Tan Sijia, a graduate student at Fudan. "My understanding of the reform and opening-up primarily is on its achievements and influence, rather than its historic logic and development mechanism."

The programs have also attracted foreign students studying at Fudan to join their Chinese classmates in activities such as popularizing science, researching traditional culture and teaching in rural areas.

To allow students who aim to work in impoverished regions to gain deeper understandings of China and learn more skills, Fudan sent over 200 students this summer to government offices, state-owned enterprises and institutions for temporary positions.

While trying new things, Liu had other considerations when choosing the internship as a student studying overseas, such as getting a closer look at the situation back home.

Although Liu plans to finish her graduate studies abroad, she will eventually return to China for a steady job.

"I'd say I'm enjoying this internship so far, but I'll definitely try something else as I go," Liu said. "There's always something better out there."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 10:47:25|Editor: ZD

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CANBERRA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government is considering waiving the debts of students who unknowingly took on loans, local media reported Monday.

The federal Student Loans Ombudsman has received more than 5,000 complaints from former students of private colleges about substandard education or being ripped off.

The complaints were linked to Vocational Educational Training (VET) FEE-HELP, a controversial scheme that was scrapped by the government early in 2017.

Under the program, students who took out a loan to study were granted almost unregulated access to government subsidies -- incentivizing colleges to enrol as many students as possible.

A majority of complainants to the Student Loans Ombudsman said they were unaware that they would incur a debt when they signed up for a private college course.

Gerard Brody, chief executive of the Consumer Action Law Centre, welcomed any initiative that would help students who had been conned into taking out the loans.

"It's really overdue," Brody told Fairfax Media on Monday.

"There are potentially thousands of people who have these VET FEE-HELP legacy debts hanging over their heads.

"We've long been calling for the government to waive these unfair debts when there is good evidence that people have been taken advantage of."

VET FEE-HELP has been replaced by VET Student Loans which caps loans based on the cost of the course.

The total amount of the debts that would be wiped under the government proposal is unknown but Fairfax Media reported that the Commonwealth Actuary believed more than 1 billion Australian dollars (about 730 million U.S. dollars) in loans would never be repaid.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 10:57:26|Editor: ZD

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YANGON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- An agrochemical factory has been put into service in Hmawby, northern outskirts of Yangon in Myanmar, Myanmar News Agency reported Monday.

The factory, the first of its kind lying on a plot of 87.4 hectares near Wanetchaung village, was opened in the presence of Second Vice President U Henry Van Thio on Sunday.

Jointly established by Myanmar Awha Group Company Ltd. and the International Financial Corporation (IFC), which is a member of the World Bank, the 35-million-U.S.-dollar agrochemical factory will produce over 200 types of high quality agrochemicals including pesticide, fungicide, herbicide and phytohormone with the use of advanced technology.

Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Aung Thu underlined the good prospects for investment opportunities in the agricultural sector.

The aims of the factory also include manufacturing of agricultural implements, import substitution and situation-based manufacturing process, the report said.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's Yangon regional government has planned to implement 22 agricultural development projects under government-private partnership to bring about rapid development in the sector.

The project is expected to create more than 6,000 job opportunities for local people and the export of agricultural produce is mainly carried out through the Yangon market.

The regional government has also drafted a master plan 2018-2021 in cooperation with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry for the development agricultural sector.

According to official figures, the export of Myanmar's main agricultural product of rice in the fiscal year 2017-18 which ended in March was more than 3 million tons, the highest number in over 70 years.

During the period, the country's agricultural product export hit 2.4 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 25 percent of the total exports.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 11:17:29|Editor: ZD

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A total of 117,061 Cambodian applicants on Monday took the national high school graduation exam, which is a prerequisite for the students to pursue their studies at university levels.

The candidates will sit for the test in the subjects of geography, history, biology, foreign language, Khmer literature, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and moral-civic education over the course of two days, according to an Education Ministry's statement.

There are 195 exam centers with 4,716 rooms across the country.

Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said crib sheets, cell phones, smart phones, and other electronic devices would not be allowed to be taken into exam rooms, and anyone found cheated would be automatically failed.

"There is a change in the behavior of students and teachers, and from one year to another, the exam has proceeded better and better," he told reporters while visiting an exam center in Phnom Penh.

"Today, we do not see any students bring cheat sheets or electronic devices into the exam classes. If compared to five years ago, it was completely different," he said.

According to the minister, the ministry spent about 5 million U.S. dollars to prepare for the examination.

To prevent cheating and bribery during the exam, the ministry has cooperated with the Anti-Corruption Unit to deploy more than 5,000 anti-corruption officials and volunteers at all exam centers.

Dressed in a school uniform -- a white shirt with black skirt, an exam-taker Touch Somonea, 18, said she had brought into the exam room only pens and rulers.

"I think the regulations are good with strict discipline, and cell phones and electronic devices are not allowed to be taken into the classes," she told Xinhua. "I think I will pass the exam. Surely, I can do."

The results of the exam will be announced on Sept. 12 and 13.

Cambodia strengthened high school quality since 2014 through cleaning up cheat and bribery during the Grade 12 high school exam.

In last year's test, 63,668, or 63.84 percent, of the total 99,728 candidates passed the annual exam.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 11:52:36|Editor: mmm

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CANBERRA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The leadership of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is under threat from the conservative wing of his party.

Peter Dutton, Australia's minister for home affairs and the most senior conservative member of the governing Liberal National Party (LNP), was reportedly preparing to mount a leadership challenge against Turnbull on Monday in response to the prime minister's controversial energy policy.

Dutton and fellow conservatives among the center-right LNP have raised concerns over Turnbull's National Energy Guarantee (NEG) and the 26 percent emissions reduction target embedded in the policy.

A Fairfax-Ipsos poll published on Sunday night revealed that the LNP trailed the Australian Labor Party (ALP) 45-55 on a two-party preferred basis, down from 49-51 earlier in August.

The government's primary vote fell from 39 percent to 33 percent while Turnbull's popularity among the voters took a significant hit.

In a bid to appease Dutton and his supporters, Turnbull on Monday morning announced that he had abandoned his plan to legislate an emissions reduction target under the NEG.

"It is clear that in the absence of bipartisan support, the legislation to move forward with the emissions component of the National Energy Guarantee will not be able to pass the House of Representatives," Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

"Now, in politics you have to focus on what you can deliver and that's what we've done and we'll continue to do."

However, the move is unlikely to save the prime minister from facing a leadership challenge with one minister telling News Corp Australia that "it is now almost inevitable, the question is timing."

Addressing leadership speculation, Turnbull said that Dutton had offered his full support.

"Peter Dutton was at our leadership group meeting this morning and he was at the Cabinet last night," he said.

"He's a member of our team. He's given me his absolute support."

Even with the support of the LNP, the NEG would be unlikely to pass through parliament after the ALP vowed to oppose any bill that set an emissions reduction target lower than 45 percent.

Tony Abbott, the former prime minister who was defeated in a leadership ballot by Turnbull in 2015, has been a strong opponent of the NEG and supporter of Dutton and on Monday said that the leadership was "not about personalities, it is about policy."
When ice turns to water

Rising temperature due to climate change is taking its toll on mountains
South Korean participants leave for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to take part in family reunions with their war-separated DPRK families in Sokcho, South Korea, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Lee Sang-ho)

By Yoo Seungki

SOKCHO, South Korea, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Min Byung-hyun, an 85-year-old South Korean grandfather, showed up in wheelchairs at a hotel in the country's northeast coastal city of Sokcho Sunday to reunite with his younger sister from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) he has never met since the Korean War broke out in 1950.

Two of his younger sisters ended up in the DPRK since the war ended three years later with armistice that left the Korean Peninsula divided. Min recently heard from the South Korean Red Cross that one of his sisters was still alive though the other passed away 25 years ago.

Min lost both of his parents during the war. While fleeing southward, he was separated from the sisters when they were six and eight years old each. The sense of guilt that he failed to look after his young sisters has weighed down on his entire life.

"I'm a sinner. I alone fled to the south failing to take care of my little ones. I want to say I'm sorry' to her (when I meet her). But it will not be enough (to expiate my sin)," Min told Xinhua with tears in his eyes.

Min was among 89 South Koreans who will cross the heavily armed border into Mount Kumgang in southeast DPRK for the first reunions of war-separated families in nearly three years. The latest was held in October 2015.

The South Koreans gathered here to register for the reunions, get their health checked and take lessons in what to do and what not to do in the DPRK. They will leave for the venue Monday morning to stay there for three days.

The second session of three-day reunions, involving 83 DPRK families who applied for gatherings with South Korean relatives, will begin from Thursday at the same venue. The two Koreas agreed in June to hold the reunions.

Lee Chun-ja, 88, told Xinhua that the war shouldn't have erupted as she never saw two of her elder brothers after the war. She was separated from her brothers by an air strike while fleeing.

Lee gave her brothers up for dead, but she heard from the Red Cross that the children of her brothers were alive in the DPRK. "(When I meet them), I'll say thanks to them because they are still alive," said Lee sitting in wheelchairs.

Since the fratricidal war was halted by armistice in 1953, the separated families have been banned from exchanging letters and phone calls, much less meeting each other.

A combined 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions have been arranged since the first-ever inter-Korean summit was held in 2000, but the reunions have been limited to about 200 separated families from each side. Over half of South Koreans on the waiting list for reunions are in their 80s or older.

Im Eung-bok, 78, brought an old photograph of his whole family taken before the war. Im told Xinhua he will show it to the wife and the son of his elder brother, who only ended up in the DPRK out of his five siblings.

Im recently heard that his brother passed away in 2001 though the brother's wife and son were alive. After hearing their being alive, Im wrote letters by hand to convey those when he meets them.

He wrote in the letter, "I hope the day would come soon when people of the South and the North come and go freely. On the day, let's live happily hugging each other as there are many siblings alive in the South."

Their meeting, arranged after decades of separation, will be painfully short. They will be granted permission to meet for only 11 hours in group and private gatherings during the three-day reunions.

It could be the only chance for the separated families to meet face-to-face. The eldest South Korean participant for the first session of reunions is a 101-year-old Baek Sung-gyu who will meet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter from the DPRK.

South Korean separated families brought old prewar photographs to show those to the long-lost DPRK relatives as well as household items, including underwear, toothpaste, soap and others, as a gift.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 13:22:51|Editor: ZD

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SINGAPORE, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's domestic wholesale trade grew by 10.3 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2018, contributed by higher sales of petroleum and petroleum products, the Department of Statistics of Singapore announced on Monday.

The domestic wholesale trade grew by 2.4 percent quarter on quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis in this quarter.

The authority said excluding petroleum, the wholesale trade of these three months declined by 0.4 percent year on year but grew by 5.4 percent quarter on quarter.

Meanwhile, Singapore's foreign wholesale trade increased by 16.3 percent year on year, thanks to significant growth in sales of petroleum and petroleum products. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, the foreign wholesale trade increased by 1.6 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 13:52:54|Editor: Liangyu

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TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks dropped marginally Monday morning as Shanghai stocks pulling back late last week weighed on the market mood.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average shed 39.92 points, or 0.18 percent, from Friday to 22,230.46.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, edged down 6.29 points, or 0.37 percent, at 1,691.24.

Warehousing and harbor transportation service, nonferrous metal and metal product-oriented issues comprised those that declined the most by the morning break.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 14:17:57|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China is releasing a package of policies more swiftly to enhance the competitiveness of its new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, the Economic Information Daily reported Monday.

Policymakers are considering a new regulation on auto industry investment, the newspaper cited sources with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) as saying.

Under the new regulation, new manufacturers of electric vehicles are required to have a minimum annual production capacity of 100,000 units, and sustainable development capacity will be a must.

Tighter restriction on diesel and petrol cars will be highlighted in the "most draconian" policy, including suspending new projects and limiting capacity expansion, according to the newspaper.

NDRC official Cai Ronghua said more will be done to facilitate the development of smart NEVs, referring to plans to create a favorable environment for intelligent vehicles.

China has remained the world's largest NEV market for three consecutive years, with some 777,000 cars sold in 2017.

For the first seven months of 2018, China's NEV production rose 85 percent year on year to 504,000 units, while sales jumped 97.1 percent to 496,000 units, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 14:27:59|Editor: Liangyu

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SYDNEY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Australian parents need clearer and more consistent guidelines for deciding their children's mobile device screen use, according to a research published on Monday from Western Australia's Curtin University.

Because of the new and ever updating nature of mobile device technology, which is now readily available to most children, many parents are finding it difficult to know how much is too much, and what effects it is having on them.

Lead researcher Professor Leon Straker told Xinhua that there is conflicting advice from authorities which is leaving parents unsure about what is best for their children.

"We found that the current national guidelines provided in Australia consisted of conflicting information, philosophies, priorities and processes, making it difficult for health professionals and educators to give valuable and balanced advice to parents on the use of digital technologies," Straker said.

Many now consider the use of mobile touch screens to be ubiquitous with the modern world, and therefore important for children to become comfortable with, "however it is important to address both the positive and negative effects of digital technology for young children," Straker said.

"Education and industry authorities encourage the use of digital technology by young children to prepare them to thrive in the digital world, while health authorities discourage the use and raise concerns about the potential negative effects on children's physical, cognitive, emotional and social well-being."

This conflicting advice is leaving parents and teachers with no clear understanding of how best to familiarize young people with the technology which increasingly forms part of daily life, while also setting boundaries for use and allowing their minds to develop naturally and healthily.

"Our findings may be of interest to health providers, family doctors, along with educators and other professionals, who are in an ideal position to help families more successfully navigate through this rapidly evolving digital world."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 14:53:02|Editor: Liangyu

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MANILA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 300-million-U.S. dollar loan to support the Philippines' efforts to strengthen the framework under which the private sector can participate in the government's infrastructure development program, the bank said on Monday.

ADB said the policy-based loan seeks to help and allow public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects in the Philippines to flourish using private sector expertise and innovation.

"PPPs can raise the quality of life for citizens by providing reliable public services through efficient infrastructure," said ADB Senior Trade Specialist Cristina Lozano.

With its fast-growing economy, archipelagic geography, expanding population, and rapid urbanization, ADB said the Philippine government aims to raise infrastructure investments to 7.4 percent of the gross domestic product by 2022 from 5.1 percent in 2016.

The "Build, Build, Build" program, part of the medium-term Philippine Development Plan, is estimated to require a total 168 billion U.S. dollars in investments for 75 high-impact priority projects nationwide.

To finance this, the government wants to use an optimal funding mix composed of government spending, official development assistance, and private capital.

Since 2010, the Philippine government has awarded a total of 16 national PPP projects worth around 6.2 billion U.S. dollars. Feasibility studies for six projects were also completed during the program period.

Classified in 2011 as an emerging country in terms of PPP readiness, the Philippines now ranks seventh in the overall ranking, joining India, Japan, and South Korea in the group of developed PPP markets, according to a report of The Economist Intelligence Unit.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 14:58:04|Editor: Liangyu

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MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Scores of militants possibly around 100, including four senior commanders, were killed as government aircraft targeted Taliban hideouts in northern Faryab province on Monday, police spokesman in the northern region Sayed Sarwar Hussaini said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 15:03:04|Editor: xuxin

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- People in Pakistan are likely to spend over 24 million U.S. dollars on the forthcoming festival of Eid-ul-Adha to be marked on Aug. 22-24 in the country, officials said Monday.

Malik Sohail Hussain, chairman coordination of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, told Xinhua that during Eid days the largest economic activity in the country happens, but there is no mechanism to record it for precise figures.

Hussain said that every year during the festival people collectively spend a chunk of money on buying sacrificial animals and also on clothes, shoes and other accessories for the festival.

He said that a huge amount of money is likely to flow from urban areas to rural areas at the festival as village farmers transport their animals to bigger markets in the city to get maximum profit.

"If an animal costs Rs. 20,000 at a rural market when it comes to urban area its price jumps to 30,000 to 50,000," Hussain told Xinhua.

According to Pakistan Tanners Association, an estimated 8.1 million animals were slaughtered last year during the three-day festival of Eid.

An estimated 3 million cows, 4 million goats, 1 million sheep and 0.1 million camels were sacrificed in the country on the festival in 2017.

Pakistan is one of the biggest raw hides producer in Asia, and about 30-40 percent of the total production is generated on Eid-ul-Adha.

Affluent Muslims slaughter sacrificial animals including goats, sheep, cows and camels on the Eid-ul-Adha festival, which is celebrated on the 10th to 12th day of the 12th month of Islamic calendar every year.

After slaughter, the meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three equal portions. The one who sacrifices the animal can keep one portion of the meat with himself, the second portion is distributed among the relatives, friends and neighbors, while the third portion is distributed among the poor and needy.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 15:08:05|Editor: xuxin

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VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Pacific Fleet will conduct a live-fire drill in the Sea of Okhotsk in the west Pacific Ocean, the fleet's spokesman said Monday.

The war game involves naval ships, including the Varyag missile cruiser, the Bystry destroyer, as well as the Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev large anti-submarine ships, the spokesman, Nikolai Voskresensky, said.

Ship-aircraft interactions are also expected to be part of the exercise, the official added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 15:08:05|Editor: xuxin

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File photo taken on Oct. 9, 2017 shows the visa office of the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Unidentified assailants fired gun shots at the U.S. embassy in Ankara early Monday, hitting a window of a security cabin but causing no casualties, local media reported. (Xinhua/Qin Yanyang)

ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified assailants fired gun shots at the U.S. embassy in Ankara early Monday, hitting a window of a security cabin but causing no casualties, local media reported.

At least four gunshots were reportedly fired in front of Gate 6 of the embassy from a white car at around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT) local time, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

Police are searching for the suspects who reportedly fled in a white car before the car's license plate number could be seen.

The embassy is set to close this week for an official public holiday to mark the Eid al-Adha festival.

The attack comes amid high tension between Ankara and Washington over the detention of a U.S. pastor in Turkey. The U.S. diplomatic missions in Turkey have been targeted several times in the past.
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

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Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 15:48:13|Editor: xuxin

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By Pankaj Yadav

NEW DELHI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- As water level reportedly started receding in parts of floods-ravaged southern Indian state of Kerala, the focus was slowly shifting to relief and reconstruction work, said state government sources.

In the next few days, efforts would be made to make real estimates of the damages done to life and property by the floods fury.

Kerala's main English daily Manorama reported in its online edition on Monday, "Floodwaters slowly recede as rain wanes in Kerala. The flood situation in Kerala has eased to a large extent with sky turning clear in the state but affected areas in the districts of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Thrissur are still reeling under crises. Several people are still stranded in these areas even as rescue operations have entered the final stages."

Like in the aftermath of a natural disaster, enough care was being taken to ensure prevention of outbreak of any epidemic in the water-logged areas. According to a report in the Indian Express, the state has sought from the federal government 90 different kinds of medicines to prepare in advance for disease outbreaks.

Health Minister J.P. Nadda assured all kinds of medical help to the state devastated by floods, described as the worst in a century.

He said that he was in regular touch with his counterpart in the state government, and that his ministry was coordinating with other Indian states which have promised to provide medicines so as to augment supplies.

"We are monitoring the flood situation in Kerala on a regular basis. Heath Secretary in Delhi is in constant communication with the state health functionaries and monitoring the situation daily through the disease surveillance network," said Nadda.

There is said to be an acute shortage of drinking water in the flood-affected districts in the state. To address this problem, the Railways Ministry is making elaborate arrangements to provide potable water.

According to sources in the Railways Ministry, as many as 300,000 water bottles of one liter each have already been dispatched for the flood-ravaged state. Besides, nearly 2 million liters of water was being transported to Kerala through water-special trains in various parts to cater to the needs of the people living in relief camps.

Rough estimates that there are nearly 1 million people staying in around 5,000 relief camps across the state.

Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons, who hails from Kerala, tweeted: "Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. Biggest heroes are fishermen, they came in 600 boats and are rescuing people."

Amid water logging in some parts of the state, the Indian Railways has announced cancellation of as many as four long-distance trains, partially cancelled three other trains, and diverted the routes of some trains.

Indian Railways' staff have been working round-the-clock to clear the tracks of debris/carcasses due to earth slips, boulders and uprooted trees.

Officials were deployed near sensitive locations such as rail bridges, tunnels and curves to gauge water levels.

In order to get the state connected with the rest of the country, trains are run to various destinations through the available diverted routes touching districts of Erode, Dindigul, Karur, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil.

Daily special trains are run between Ernakulam district to the state capital Trivandrum via Alleppey district which helped many rescue officials to reach different places with support.

Meanwhile, in a major development addressing the connectivity problem, air operations began at Cochin city even as a commercial flight landed at the naval base airstrip on Monday morning.

This stopgap arrangement has been made as air services from the Cochin International Airport have been suspended over the last few days owing to water-logging on the runway amid incessant rains.

It's after 18 years that this naval base airstrip has been used for civil flight operations.

India's Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted: "Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with over 70 passengers."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 15:53:14|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is to chair the 2018 Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which is scheduled for Sept. 3-4 in Beijing.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the announcement Monday, noting that Xi would also hold relevant activities on the sidelines of the summit.

The summit will be themed "China and Africa: toward an even stronger community with a shared future through win-win cooperation."

Leaders of FOCAC members are invited to attend the summit, and representatives of related regional organizations in Africa and international organizations will also participate in relevant activities.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 15:53:14|Editor: xuxin

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MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Scores of militants possibly around 100 including four senior commanders were killed as government aircraft targeted Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province on Monday, police spokesman in the northern region Sayed Sarwar Hussaini said.

"The security forces aircraft conducted series of sorties against Taliban rebels in Bilchiragh and Gurziwan districts since early morning, killing scores of the insurgents possibly about 100, including four senior commanders, and injuring dozens others," Hussaini told Xinhua.

Taliban senior commanders including Mawlawi Jabir alias Bilal, Mawlawi Abdul Baqi alias Omar, commander Shirzad and Matiullah were among those killed in the deadly strikes, the official added.

Bilchiragh district was captured by Taliban on Sunday morning and the government forces have been fighting back to recapture it.

The Taliban militants are yet to make comment on the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 16:03:15|Editor: xuxin

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Photo released by Pakistan's Press Information Department (PID) on Aug. 20, 2018 shows new Pakistani cabinet taking oath at a ceremony at the President House in the capital Islamabad. (Xinhua/PID)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A 16-member Pakistani cabinet was sworn in on Monday at a ceremony at the President House in the capital Islamabad.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered oath to the new ministers of their offices at the ceremony that was also attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Five advisers to the prime ministers were also inducted into the cabinet. The government has already allotted portfolios.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi will serve as the minister of foreign affairs in the new cabinet.

Qureshi, a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had previously served as foreign minister during the government of Pakistan Peoples Party during 2008-2011.

Asad Umer, an economist, has been appointed as minister of finance while Pervez Khattak will serve as minister of defense.

Fawad Ahmed, who is also known as Fawad Chaudhry, has been appointed as minister of Information and Broadcasting Division, while Ghulam Sarwar Khan has been appointed as minister of Petroleum Division and Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar will work as minister for water resources.

Imran Khan has summoned the first meeting of the cabinet after the oath taking ceremony to chalk out strategy for the implementation of policies of the new government.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 16:33:19|Editor: Chengcheng

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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The solid relationship that some U.S. states have with China provides a model for overall Sino-American ties, a Chinese diplomat said here on Sunday.

The cooperation between China and the five U.S. states of Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and California has become a paradigm for sub-national ties between the two countries, Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Wang Donghua said Sunday evening.

San Francisco is home to one of the largest populations of overseas Chinese residents, who have made important contributions to the prosperity of the city, the state and the country at large, Wang told hundreds of overseas Chinese in Chinatown in downtown San Francisco.

The overseas Chinese living the United States are key "stakeholders" of the China-U.S. relations, and they are a vital driving force behind the sub-national cooperation between China and the United States, Wang said.

He hoped the Chinese communities here will continue to contribute to the economic, cultural and scientific exchanges between Chinese provinces and cities and U.S. states to help move ties forward.

A stable, sound China-U.S. relationship will benefit not only the interests of both peoples, but also world peace, stability and mutual development, Wang said.

He noted that the overseas Chinese in the San Francisco Bay Area have played a unique role in acting as a bridge between the United States and China.

More than 25 percent of San Francisco's population is of Chinese ancestry, and the city has enjoyed deep cultural and economic ties with China for more than 150 years. San Francisco and the Chinese city of Shanghai have been sister cities since 1979.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 16:53:21|Editor: Chengcheng

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by Xinhua writers Yang Dingdu, Zhu Ruiqing, Deng Xianlai

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- In 1824, a British ship arrived at the island of Ceylon -- now known as Sri Lanka -- loaded with tea trees from southeast China's Wuyi Mountains that were later hybridized with the Assam black tea from India and resulted in a new variety, the Ceylon tea.

Some four decades later, the Ceylon tea was carried by commercial vessels sailing further westward and ultimately reached Europe, where it soon gained vast popularity.

Cultural exchanges between China and Sri Lanka, accelerated nearly 200 years ago by the trade of tea, continues today.

The South Asian island country is among the first to endorse the China-proposed "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" under which it has a great number of projects co-launched with Chinese companies.

Cultural convergence is a big challenge for CICT, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based China Merchants Group that builds and operates the South Container Terminal of the Port of Colombo, the only deep-water container terminal in South Asia.

"How do we integrate the many Sri Lankan employees into our company and let them wholeheartedly accept and agree with our standards, visions and goals?" Huang Peng, CEO of CICT, said, adding that his method is to take time to drink tea with every one of the domestic employees and let them express their thoughts freely.

Pasinda Nayanajith, 25, said he enjoys black tea, and enjoys his work at CICT even more. Previously a electrician and now a supervisor, Nayanajith said that the work has taught him a lot, and that he wishes to become a duty manager or a chief inspector in the future.

According to company staff, what attracts the Sri Lankan workers to CICT the most is the opportunity to visit China Merchants Group's home port in Shenzhen in southern China, getting first-hand experience of the vitality of the Chinese port and learning about state-of-the-art technologies in Chinese universities.

Instilled with the gene of China's Wuyi black tea, Ceylon tea has become one of the most celebrated black teas in the world, with varieties cultivated in Uva province and Nuwara Eliya city being among the best known. Sri Lanka is now the world's biggest black tea producer and exporter.

The Port of Colombo handles the world's largest amount of tea exports, with the Ceylon tea setting sail every day along the Maritime Silk Road sea route toward every corner of the world.

In the end, it's the tea that binds the employees with the company.

"From office maintenance to salary raises, the company quickly gets to know the various needs of our staff, solves them as soon as possible, and builds deeper trust with everyone," Huang said. "It's all accomplished through a sip of tea."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 17:18:26|Editor: xuxin

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HONG KONG, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- One more person was confirmed to have contracted Dengue fever on Sunday, bringing this year's total number of local Dengue cases to 16 in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

The new case involves a 52-year-old man who has developed fever, headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia and skin rash since last Wednesday, according to the Center for Health Protection in the Department of Health in the Hong Kong SAR government.

His home contacts have remained asymptomatic and have been put under medical surveillance, the center said.

Center for Health Protection Controller Wong Ka-hing said the patient's blood sample tested positive for Dengue virus serotype 3, while the previous 15 cases tested positive for serotype 1.

The difference indicates there is more than one source of infection, Wong said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 17:23:27|Editor: xuxin

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SUVA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A 31-year-old woman, Seeta Sanjana Ram, appeared in the Fijian court on Monday and was charged with 35 counts of various offences, 16 of which involve allegations of human trafficking.

Ram, of Nasole in Nasinu, 20 minutes drive out of Fiji's capital Suva, is charged alongside her sister Geeta Anjana Chandar, an Australian resident.

Presiding Magistrate Waleen George granted an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for an arrest warrant for Chandar who was charged in absentia with similar offenses.

The ODPP will work with Interpol to extradite Chandar from Australia to answer to the charges of human trafficking as well as money laundering and obtaining property by deception.

The two sisters had been operating a travel agent business from Nina Street in Suva, and allegedly have placed an advertisement in one of the dailies about employment opportunities in New Zealand.

The two are then alleged to have facilitated the travel of 17 Fijian citizens who were exploited through slavery and became victims of human trafficking in New Zealand's Auckland between April to August of 2014.

Both suspects had remitted and received more than 83,000 Fijian dollars (39,000 U.S. dollars) to and from an accomplice Faroz Ali who was convicted in New Zealand last year for human trafficking offences.

The case against the two sisters has been transferred to the Suva High Court.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 17:23:27|Editor: xuxin

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MADRID, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man armed with a knife attacked a police station in the north-eastern region of Catalonia, Spain, and was shot dead at the site, local police said on Monday.

The attack happened at around 5.50 a.m. local time (0350 GMT) in the town of Cornella de Llobregat (south of Barcelona) when a man drew his knife shouting "Allahu Akbar", which means "God is great" in Arabic, at a local police station.

He was later shot and killed in the reception area of the police station, confirmed by the police in a tweet.

The attacker was confirmed to be a 29-year-old of Algerian origin, but with Spanish nationality, according to newspaper La Vanguardia.

So far the police gave no further details about the incident.

The police station has been cordoned off following the attack as investigations continue with agents from the the General Commission of Information and high-ranking officers of the Mossos d'Esquadra also visiting the scene.

This attack came just three days after the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on La Ramblas in Barcelona and in the town of Cambrils which claimed 15 lives in Barcelona and one in Cambrils.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 17:33:30|Editor: xuxin

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COLOMBO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday offered his condolences to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the passing away of former UN chief Kofi Annan last week.

In a letter sent to Guterres, Wickremesinghe said Annan served the United Nations with distinction and calling himself an eternal optimist, he devoted his entire life to working towards peace among nations, peoples and communities.

Annan also achieved the noble goals of the United Nations towards achieving better living conditions and a fairer and just world for all, Wickremesinghe said.

"We all recall with much gratitude, His Excellency Kofi Annan's visit to Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by the December 2005 Tsunami. His compassion, sense of empathy and calm demeanor soothed many who were grieving and in pain," he said.

"Similarly, the work he carried out throughout his life brought peace and comfort to many around the world," the prime minister added.

Wickremesinghe further said that while Annan will forever remain in the hearts of the people that he touched, his memory will continue to inspire and guide everyone to continue their journey of working for peace, justice, democracy, rule of law and human rights for all.

Annan, who served as UN secretary-general from January 1997 to December 2006, passed away on Saturday at the age of 80.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 17:53:35|Editor: xuxin

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SUVA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) has advised Fijians to use water sparingly following a dry spell currently experienced in the island nation.

Water Authority Board Chairman Bhavesh Kumar said on Monday customers who are already facing a shortage of water are requested to use water wisely for their immediate needs during this dry period.

He said WAF continued to monitor water levels in reservoirs closely by recording changes to the consumption levels as rainfall remained below average in the Western and Northern divisions of Fiji.

Kumar said for now, the water levels in the dams have not reached critical levels, but they continued to monitor them on a regular basis.

He said the dry weather conditions in the Western and Northern Division was quite bad.

WAF General Manager Customer Services Sekove Uluinayau said they would assist affected customers facing water shortages through water carting and other means in Fiji.

Makelesi Vuki, a farmer of Tailevu, said they could not plant anything because the soil was too hard.

She said the dry and cold spell and the absence of rain was causing a lot of dryness in the soil.

Vuki said her nursery was dry and she could not plant her flowers.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 17:58:35|Editor: xuxin

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, said Monday that it had extended a currency swap agreement with the central bank of Malaysia.

The swap is for 180 billion yuan (26.2 billion U.S. dollars) or 110 billion Malaysian ringgit, according to the bank.

The two parties believe the extension will facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

Valid for three years, the agreement can be extended upon mutual consent.

A currency swap allows two institutions to exchange payments in one currency for equivalent amounts in the other to facilitate bilateral trade settlements and provide liquidity support to financial markets.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:03:37|Editor: xuxin

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DHAKA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A massive fire erupted on Monday at Bangladesh's state-run Meghna Oil depot in Khulna city, 180 km southwest of the capital Dhaka, killing two people and injuring nine, a police official said.

Moshraf Hossain, officer in-charge of Khulna city's Khalishpur Police Station, told the media that an explosion took place at the depot at around 11:00 a.m. local time Monday when oil lorries were being loaded with octane and diesel.

"Eleven people were rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital with burn injuries where doctors declared two dead," he said.

Five units of fire fighters spent an hour tackling the blaze and finally brought it under control.

The cause of the explosion was not known immediately.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:03:40|Editor: xuxin

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VIENTIANE, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Laos and Myanmar have approved the 12th map of the border between the two countries, which they will use as an annex to the agreement on a permanent borderline dated June 11, 1994.

According to local daily Vientiane Times on Monday, the approval took place at the 13th meeting of Lao-Myanmar Border Authorities at Central Level held in northern Laos' Luang Prabang province on Wednesday and Thursday.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sengphet Houngboungnouang led Lao delegates while the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar U Myint Thu led the Myanmar delegation at the meeting.

"The extension of the cooperation ties will not only bring economic benefit to people living along the border but will also promote the peace and prosperity of the two nations as well as of the region," said a statement from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two sides also highly valued the past year's implementation of the minutes of the 12th meeting of the Lao-Myanmar Border Authorities at Central Level.

They discussed issues relating to cooperation between border officials from the two countries, particularly the use of border papers, border passes, border trade, management and inspection of border markers, drug trafficking control, and maritime trade in the Mekong River.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:13:43|Editor: xuxin

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NANJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A baby koala born in Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo in east China's Jiangsu Province made its first public appearance on Monday.

The little koala's parents settled down in the zoo about six months ago, and they have attracted over 2.5 million visitors, according to the zoo.

"We noticed some slight changes in the mother koala's belly in late May. But the status of a baby koala is sort of a secret, so we have no idea of the exact date of birth," said Yin Tao, a koala breeder at the zoo.

Koalas can give birth within 40 days of conception. Baby koalas weigh around 0.5 grams and are 1.9 cm tall at the time of birth, looking like a little pink peanut, Yin said.

The baby koala first came out of the pouch last month and has gradually expanded its range of activities, including climbing and sleeping on the mother's back, said zoo staff. The baby is too young to tell whether it is a male or female.

"The koalas are in excellent shape now. We will keep on providing good care," Yin said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:18:46|Editor: xuxin

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese financial regulator has vowed stronger credit support for the real economy.

The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) has encouraged banks and other financial institutions to work more vigorously to meet the financing demand of the real economy, in particular, cash-starved private and small firms, agriculture and rural regions, and lagging economic areas including infrastructure.

This came as the latest move of a government campaign to tackle corporate financing difficulties and prompt the financial sector to better serve the real economy.

China's new yuan loans stood at 1.45 trillion yuan (211 billion U.S. dollars) in July, up 627.8 billion yuan from a year ago, data from the central bank showed.

Loans to infrastructure and small firms contributed half of the total last month, a sign that the targeted credit policy has started to take effect, Wu Wen with Bank of Communications said, predicting regulators will channel more energy into the area.

Banks have been instructed to continue credit support for companies that have good records and qualifications but face temporary capital strain, as worries emerged that lenders may ask companies to pay off loans early or stop lending agreements.

The CBIRC said in a statement that banks should raise the proportion of medium- and long-term loans and set reasonable lending terms and repayment schedules to avoid the cash crunch for borrowers.

More capital will also be channeled to consumer finance and import and export enterprises, according to the statement.

The measures will let consumption play a bigger role in propelling the economy and help companies deal with the impacts from changes in foreign trade, said Dong Ximiao with Renmin University's Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:28:49|Editor: xuxin

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- An artificial intelligence voice recognition system that can monitor and identify pornographic content began online testing on PCs from Sunday, according to the Science and Technology Daily on Monday.

Helped by the voiceprint recognition method, the Alibaba voice recognition system can identify multiple languages such as Chinese, Japanese, English and Russian, as well as Chinese dialects from different provinces such as Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Sichuan and Guangdong.

Transforming voice into script, the system compares the scripts with key words in its lexicon and anti-spam audio models, which were also developed by Alibaba.

The lexicon and anti-spam audio models collect tens of thousands of pornographic words with the same or similar pronunciations, Alibaba told Xinhua.

The system monitors both online and offline voice files.

The multiple language and dialect recognition ability needs to be trained like a robot. The system's Cantonese recognition ability was cultivated by watching TV series.

The system is scheduled to be put into operation in September this year.
Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome (front) cuts the ribbon during the inauguration ceremony of the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has inaugurated its first waste-to-energy facility that is expected to process 1,400 tons of solid waste daily.

The Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, fully financed by the Ethiopian government, was constructed by China National Electrical Engineering Company (CNEEC).

Speaking at the inauguration event on Sunday, Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome said investment in energy projects are crucial if Ethiopia is to achieve its aim of becoming an environmentally friendly industrialized middle-income economy by 2025.

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2018 shows a part of the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

"The growth of energy sector has been a key driver of economic growth in Ethiopia over the last several years, this happened because electricity supply is much needed in order for the economy to transition from predominantly agricultural to industrial and to attract local and foreign investors," Teshome said.

"Ethiopia has been investing extensively in hydro power, geothermal, wind energy, solar energy and now biomass to boost the manufacturing sector with a supply of clean, renewable energy," he said. "Reppie waste-to-energy project is part of that grand strategy."

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2018 shows the interior of the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

"The Ethiopian government hopes with the commissioning of this project it can turn an increasing urban rubbish menace into an economic boon," he said. Zhang Yanfei, president of CNEEC, said the waste-to-energy facility is one big step forward to make Addis Ababa, a city with a population of over 4 million, clean and healthy.

"As Africa's first waste-to-energy facility, Reppie's completion and operation shows great vision," he said. "It has found a green road to urban development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Africa."

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Tan Jian delivers a speech during the inauguration ceremony of the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 19, 2018.(Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

"Reppie is the best possible way to address the capital city's garbage problem, while providing steady power supply" Zhang said.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Tan Jian said the construction of the facility also boosted the knowledge capacity of Ethiopians.

"Construction is important. Capacity-building is equally important, if not more. For many projects in Africa, this could be quite a challenge; software could be more important than hardware," Tan said.

Workers monitor the waste-to-energy generating process at the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

"Sustainable development and environmental protection are major components of China-Africa cooperation. China supports Africa's endeavor towards green, low carbon and sustainable development," he said. "We actively participate in projects on clean energy, wildlife protection, environmentally friendly agriculture and smart cities."

Workers monitor the waste-to-energy generating process at the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2018 shows the exterior of the Reppie waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.(Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:48:54|Editor: Yamei

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ULAN BATOR, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia will hold the 8th Coal Mongolia International Conference and Exhibition in Ulan Bator to attract investment in the country's coal industry, organizers said Monday.

With the motto of "together towards technological advancement," the biggest coal trade and investment conference and exhibition of Mongolia will be held on Sept. 4-5 this year.

The annual event aims to attract foreign investment into the Mongolian coal sector, introduce advanced technologies, and strengthen the competitiveness of Mongolia's coal sector in the Asian market.

A total of 3,000 representatives, including 200 officials and investors from about 10 countries including China, Australia, Canada and Britain are expected to participate in the event, the organizers said.

Coal is Mongolia's main export. The country exported 33.3 million tons of coal in 2017, almost 99 percent of which was exported to China, according to the Mongolian Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry.
Al Bawaba, excerpt Egypt's Trade Minister Courts Private Sector for Cotton Production

(Shutterstock/ File Photo)

Egypts Trade and Industry Minister Amr Nassar said that cooperation is underway between the Agriculture Ministry and the business sector to develop Egypts cotton industry further, diversify its uses in the industry and thus improving the quality of products manufactured by Egyptian cotton, making it more appealing to global markets.

Nassar stressed the importance of placing Egyptian cotton in its proper position as among the finest type of cotton in the world.

On Saturday Nasser met with the chairman of the Cotton Egypt Association (CEA), Wael Olama. Nasser then expressed how important the CEAs efforts are in protecting the quality of Egyptian cotton, which includes follow-ups of its DNA through careful sampling, analysis and identification of violations.

The CEA conducts global awareness campaigns in major retail chains in the United Kingdom, as well as the Europe, the United States of America, India, Turkey, China and Pakistan.

Olama said that the CEA is currently implementing a comprehensive plan to increase the rates of production and exports of cotton, ready-made garments and textiles.

He explained that since utilizing careful DNA tests to ensure the cotton is pure Egyptian, the export demand for Egyptian cotton has seen a significant increase.

Olama added that the association contracted with an international company to conduct examination of Egyptian cotton samples globally.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:48:54|Editor: Yamei

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ULAN BATOR, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia is going to raise its monthly minimum wage to 320,000 Mongolian tugriks (129.8 U.S. dollars) as of Jan. 1 2019, the country's Minister of Labor and Social Protection Sodnom Chinzorig announced on Monday.

It was agreed by Mongolia's Tripartite Council, which brings together representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, employers, and trade unions, to increase the minimum wage by 80,000 Mongolian tugriks (32.4 U.S. dollars) from the beginning of the next year, the minister said in a press conference.

The country raised the monthly minimum wage last time in January 2017, from 192,000 Mongolian tugriks (77.9 U.S. dollars) to 240,000 Mongolian tugriks (97.4 U.S. dollars).

Currently, a total of 1.1 million people are employed in the country, of whom about 8 percent receive minimum-wage salaries, according to data released by the National Statistical Office.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:53:56|Editor: Yamei

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Sunday condemned militia attacks on Libyan sovereign institutions.

"UNSMIL expresses its strong condemnation of the violence, intimidation and obstruction to the work of Libya's sovereign institutions by militiamen," the mission said in a statement later on Sunday.

Brigades members affiliated to the UN-backed government's Interior Ministry attack sovereign institutions, preventing them from operating effectively, the mission said.

The UN mission called on Libyan government to bring those responsible to justice, confirming that the UN would "investigate the possibility of bringing sanctions against those interfering with or threatening the operations of any sovereign institution which works for the good of Libya and the Libyan people."

Libya's sovereign institutions mainly include the UN-backed Government of National Accord, the National Oil Corporation and the Libyan Investment Corporation.

However, these institutions are not always in accord with each other on all national issues. Military groups supporting different institutions conflict with each other.

The National Oil Corporation a few days ago revealed that a number of its employees have been kidnapped from its headquarters by armed groups.

Furthermore, the Libyan Investment Corporation said that some of its officials have been subjected to threats and kidnappings recently by armed groups believed to be operating under the interior ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 18:58:59|Editor: Yamei

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday offered dialogue to neighboring India as he insisted that bilateral engagement is the best option to find out solution to problems.

India had suspended bilateral dialogue with Pakistan in April 2016 after an attack on an Indian air base in January, which Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Pakistan had denied any involvement and offered cooperation in an investigation.

Qureshi told reporters that the Foreign Ministry has received a letter of felicitations for Prime Minister Imran Khan from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he has called for resolving disputes through bilateral talks and indicated the beginning of talks between the two countries.

"This is a positive development. There is a need for continued and uninterrupted dialogue with India," the foreign minister said, adding that Pakistan and India cannot afford any adventurism.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars, two over Kashmir, since their independence from the British colonial rule in 1947.

On Afghanistan, Qureshi said he wants to pay first visit to Afghanistan with a message of goodwill and friendship, and will soon speak with his Afghan counterpart on the phone to decide date for the visit.

"Pakistan and Afghanistan are inter-linked. I want to tell Afghans we need each other. I will travel to Afghanistan with a solid message to work together for peace and stability in both countries and the region," he said.

Responding to a question about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the top diplomat said the new government will pursue the project, which he described as a "game changer."

He said he will discuss with his Chinese counterpart about the future initiatives to be undertaken under CPEC for socio-economic development of the country.

Qureshi said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had supported CPEC when it was in the opposition.

To a question about relationship with the United States, the foreign minister said he will listen to the U.S. concerns and also put before them Pakistan's viewpoint.

He stressed that bilateral relationship should be improved on the basis of mutual respect and equality. He told reporters that he will represent Pakistan in the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly next month.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:04:01|Editor: Yamei

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File photo taken on Oct. 9, 2017 shows the visa office of the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Unidentified assailants fired gun shots at the U.S. embassy in Ankara early Monday, hitting a window of a security cabin but causing no casualties, local media reported. (Xinhua/Qin Yanyang)

ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Monday morning's shooting at the U.S. embassy in Ankara was "a clear attempt to create chaos," said Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, amid an escalating row between the two NATO allies.

"We condemn the attack against the U.S. embassy. This is clearly an attempt to create chaos," said Kalin in his tweet, pointing out that "Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions in the country are safeguarded by laws."

He also added that the incident was being investigated and would be elucidated as soon as possible.

At least four gunshots were reportedly fired in front of Gate 6 of the embassy from a white car at around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT) local time, broadcaster CNN Turk reported. No one was hurt and the police is seeking the culprits, reported local media.

The Ankara governor's office said in a statement that three bullets hit the embassy building, adding that "several suspects at large where being actively searched by the police."

The mission is closed this week for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.

The attack comes amid increasingly strained ties between Ankara and Washington, and several days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the U.S. of an "attempted economic coup."

Turkey has seen its economy thrown into turmoil this week after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions, including doubling tariffs on aluminium and steel, to which Ankara responded by steeply hiking taxes on some U.S. products.

The focal point of the spat is an American clergymen detained in Turkey for terror-related charges that Washington insists be immediately set free.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:09:03|Editor: Chengcheng

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LHASA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Herds of yaks graze in a village that overlooks Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China. Every day, more than 200 kg of yak milk produced here is sent to a bar near the Potala Palace to be fermented into yogurt.

Lhasa celebrated the Shoton Festival last week. Shoton means "feasting on yogurt" in the Tibetan language. As more and more tourists have come to know the festival, having a bowl of yogurt while taking a selfie in the most popular yogurt bar in Tibet has become the latest trend.

Stepping into the bar, one can easily feel "overwhelmed" by the many boarding passes, train tickets, postcards and snapshots left by its customers that have been stuck to the walls, the ceilings and under the glass tabletops.

Kelsang, the bar owner, said over 1,000 bowls of yogurt were sold every day during the Shoton Festival.

Kelsang was born into a noble family of a prestigious branch of Tibetan Buddhism in Xigaze and raised as a "princess." In 2007, the 19-year-old "princess" was sent to pay homage to sacred temples in Lhasa on behalf of her family. After the pilgrimage, instead of coming back to inherit her family's Tibetan incense business, she decided to stay.

Soon she came across two tourists from Shanghai and Shenzhen, who loved Tibet so much that they wanted to open a small business in Lhasa. After some brief discussion, the two agreed to invest money in a yogurt bar with Kelsang in charge of the operation.

"The three of us had never met before. But we shared the same vision and had total trust in one another," Kelsang said.

Traditional Tibetan yogurt may taste too sour for non-Tibetans. To help make it more appealing for tourists, Kelsang modified her yogurt to make it a bit sweeter. Yogurt with honey, ice cream balls, or rose petal jam on top soon became popular and were widely recommended on the Internet.

Thanks to the booming business, the bar space is three times larger than before. A kitchen for desserts and meal preparation and a toilet have also been added.

But the prices for the yogurt have barely gone up. "The price of yak milk has constantly risen over the past 11 years. Many regular customers kindly reminded me to mark up our yogurt prices. But I'm reluctant. I'd rather have more customers come and enjoy my yogurt," she said.

The yogurt bar has attracted many loyal fans. Kelsang said over 1,000 customers had bought a pre-paid membership card. Besides a must-go place for tourists, her bar has also become the go-to hangout spot for local residents. Many members have made friends with Kelsang.

"Customers like my outgoing personality. I hope to make tourists feel the warmth of Lhasa and fall in love with the city through my hospitality," she said.

Since opening, Kelsang has hired eight waitresses, many of them from remote and impoverished Tibetan villages. She treats them like her own family. Besides solving their problems in life, she often takes them to hair and nail salons and nice restaurants.

"If the waitresses are treated well, they will treat their customers well," Kelsang said. "The girls have all become more confident and beautiful after working in the bar."

"After all those years, I can feel myself turning younger and prettier. Can you tell that I'm already 30 years old?" She asked, laughing.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the sixth congress of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara, on August 18, 2018. (AFP photo)

ISTANBUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that the attack directed against Turkey's economy is no different from a strike against its flag or call to prayer.

"The purpose is same. The purpose is to bring Turkey and its nation to their knees, and hold them captive," Erdogan said in a televised address to the nation to mark the Eid al-Adha festival, which starts on Tuesday.

"Those who tried to make Turkey bow before them by using terror groups, traitors and plots will soon see that Turkey will not give up," the president stressed.

He added, "Those who think they can make Turkey give in with the exchange rate will soon see that they are mistaken."

The Turkish lira sank rapidly against the U.S. dollar after Washington imposed economic sanctions on Turkey on Aug. 10 over Ankara's continued detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

Turkey responded by increasing tariffs on U.S. products such as cars, alcohol, and tobacco, in a development that has further chilled an already strained relationship between the NATO allies.

A Turkish court on Friday rejected the second appeal for the release of Brunson from house arrest during his trial.

The pastor has been accused of espionage and terror-related charges over alleged links to a network led by the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party.

Washington has threatened more punitive moves against Ankara over its refusal to free Brunson.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:39:20|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's campaign against poverty will not come to an end in 2020, as the country is working on a long-term strategy for poverty reduction, an official said Monday.

"To become a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, our biggest area of weakness lies in rural areas, especially the poor people in rural areas," Han Jun, deputy director of the office of the central agricultural work leading group, said at a press conference.

On Sunday, Chinese authorities unveiled a guideline on winning the battle against poverty by 2020.

In the past 5 years, China brought 68.53 million people out of poverty. Between 2018 and 2020, but the country still needs to lift around 30 million people out of poverty.

"We aim to solve the problem of absolute poverty by 2020. To solve the problem of comparative poverty, efforts must be made throughout China's modernization process," Han said.

The new guideline said that China should step up plans for its poverty reduction strategy for the years after 2020. "We are currently working in this respect," Han said.

Among the annual average of 13.7 million people brought out of poverty, the amount who fall back into poverty is "not very large," according to Ou Qingping, deputy director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

The amounts for 2016 and 2017 were just around 600,000 and 200,000, respectively, Ou said, adding that China would provide timely support to such groups to ensure that no one is left behind by 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:44:23|Editor: Liangyu

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by Gan Chun, Wang Huijuan, Han Chong

SMEDEREVO, Serbia, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- When Aleksandar Duncevic took a job at the Smederevo steel plant in 2013, he did not expect just a few years later his life would be closely tied to China, a country some 6,800 kilometers away from Serbia.

The 25-year-old works as a maintenance electrician in the cold rolling mill of the steel plant, which was renamed Hesteel Serbia after being taken over by Chinese steel and iron manufacturing giant HBIS in April 2016.

"After the Chinese company bought the factory, the biggest change is that I now feel more certainty and security," said Aleksandar, adding that many of his friends are envious of him for having a steady paycheck that allows him to "make plans for the future".

The formerly state-owned steel plant, about 60 kilometers southeast of the Serbian capital Belgrade, was founded in 1913 and once the epitome of the country's industrial success.

Struggling to face fierce market competition and resolve management issues, the factory found itself on the brink of bankruptcy years ago, putting at risk some 5,000 jobs.

When HBIS stroke a deal with the Serbian government to buy the steel plant for 46 million euros (52.3 million U.S. dollars), it promised to keep all the Serbian employees, ending the uneasy atmosphere inside the factory.

Aleksandar said he's now fully confident in the new owners of the factory, and is working hard in the hope of getting a promotion.

"Every one of my colleagues is happy with the new management. We no long feel stressed," he told Xinhua.

The workers' regained confidence comes from the surprising turn in the performance of the factory.

Hesteel Serbia started to make profit in December 2016, just months after the takeover. Since the second half of 2016, it has been standing firmly as the second largest export enterprise in the country.

According to Song Sihai, executive director of Hesteel Serbia, the factory produced 1.46 million tons of steel last year, and paid the Serbian government 39 million U.S. dollars in taxes.

FAMILY OF STEEL

For Aleksandar and many other young workers in Hesteel Serbia, working in the steel plant means continuing a family legacy that has lasted several generations.

Aleksandar's maternal grandfather Miodrag Markovic retired from the factory in 1991, and still remembers vividly how he started the job in 1958.

"They offered me money for transport to the factory, but I walked instead, and used the money to buy bread for the family," he told Xinhua in his home in the village of Saraorci, 20 kilometers away from the factory.

Working as a steel worker back then was tough, as old-fashioned manufacturing techniques and extreme working conditions usually led to health problems, Miodrag, 83, recalled. "I'm one of the few that live this long."

He said when his grandson told him about the latest developments in the factory, he could not believe it.

"I'm grateful for all the changes and improvements. All I want to say is praise and gratitude," he added.

Aleksandar's mother, Jasmina Duncevic-Markovic, who works in the steel plant's accounting department, said the arrival of HBIS Group cleared the air of uncertainty lingering over the factory.

"We were worried about our future, but HBIS brought the sense of security that we needed," she said.

She noted the company's profit sharing scheme, thanks to which every employee received an extra 100 euros in June.

"I hope our production will continue to grow, and we will gain more competitiveness, as our lives and future plans are all tied to this factory," she told Xinhua.

The Duncevic-Markovic family has great confidence and trust in the future of the steel plant.

Jasmina's husband quit a job in Germany and returned home to join Hesteel Serbia, and her other child, Aleksandar's older sister, is also seeking a job in the factory.

"As far as I know, China is a prosperous, stable country in terms of commerce and finance, and HBIS Group is a large manufacturer with stable production and revenue," she explained, adding that paying a visit to China is now on her wish list.

With regards to skeptical views of the Chinese takeover, Jasmina commented that she could not understand why anyone would criticize the deal only because it was a Chinese company.

"We welcome any company willing to come to Serbia, provide us with good jobs and a good working environment, and bring us stability," she said.

CITY OF HOPE

The Chinese takeover not only brings back vitality to the steel plant, but also injects momentum to the development of the city of Smederevo, according to mayor Jasna Avramovic.

The city's annual tax revenue was around 2 million euros (2.27 million U.S. dollars) before the takeover, but has now exceeded 5 million, the mayor told Xinhua, adding that the population benefiting from the deal goes far beyond the 5,000 steel plant workers like the Duncevic-Markovic family.

She explained that with their steady income, the workers and their families feel more comfortable spending, thus boost local businesses.

Smederevo's birth rate is now the highest in Serbia, which Avramovic considers another positive consequence of the revival of the century-old steel plant.

"Many local contractors have also found jobs," she added. "We are also able to invest in and improve our municipal facilities."

In an interview with Xinhua, Dragan Stevanovic, state secretary at the Serbian ministry of economy, estimated that the livelihood of some 20,000 people in Smederevo depend directly or indirectly on Hesteel Serbia.

He revealed that before the takeover the Serbian government had to finance the production at the steel plant with taxpayers' money, which cost 10 million U.S. dollars per month.

"When we look from today's perspective, Hesteel (Serbia) has increased profit and income by 77 percent, while the investments are at a so high level that we don't dare to mention it, 485 percent compared to the period prior to the purchase," said the state secretary.

Stevanovic added that revenue of the steel plant is estimated to account for 0.8 percent of Serbia's GDP.

"These numbers can in the best possible way illustrate what HBIS means for Smederevo, whole Serbia and its government," he said.

In addition to keeping its promise to save existing jobs, Hesteel Serbia creates 200 new vacancies every year, while investing large sums in technical upgrades and facility improvements.

Avramovic believes that the Chinese company will also bring new technology which can further develop the city's historical steel industry.

"More importantly, you can see big smiles on people's faces, as they are more certain about their future," said the mayor.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:49:24|Editor: Chengcheng

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SUVA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace, which is on Mission Harmony - 2018, departed on Monday from Port of Nukualofa after ending an eight-day goodwill visit and medical service in Tonga.

At a farewell ceremony on the wharf, Tongan Minister of Internal Affairs Losaline Ma'asi, Minister of Education Penisimani Fifita, Chinese Ambassador to Tonga Wang Baodong, local citizens as well as overseas Chinese and members of the Chinese medical aid team to Tonga came to bid farewell.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Tonga. During the visit, the commanders of Mission Harmony - 2018 paid courtesy calls on Tongan Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva and some government ministers.

Over 20 VIPs from the Tongan side, including her Royal Highness Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita, Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva and Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Sika, boarded the ship for tour, physical examination or medical treatment.

Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita joined a deck reception and visited the medical staff and local patients. She wrote on the message book: "Ark Peace's visit is the symbol of friendship between the two peoples and your care and assistance to the people of Tonga are appreciated."

During the stay, Ark Peace fulfilled consultation and treatment for 5,532 persons, conducted auxiliary examinations for 2,598 persons, hospitalized 28 inpatients and performed 34 surgeries.

Ark Peace deployed six batches of medical teams, totaling 49 persons, at a local hospital and community health centers for joint medical service while conducting all-weather consultation and treatment on the major platform onboard. The rescue helicopter carrying a medical team was dispatched to the island of EUA, delivering medical services to 337 villagers on the island.

Ark Peace, which is currently heading for Papeete of French Polynesia for technical berthing, will visit the countries in Central and South America.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:54:25|Editor: xuxin

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BEIRUT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and 25 were injured in car accidents in the past 24 hours, the National News Agency reported Monday.

The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces reported that around 6,495 speed tickets were given in the past week in a bid to encourage citizens to drive carefully which will reduce road accidents.

Car accidents have been increasing in Lebanon, requiring actions from authorities.

YASA International, an international non-governmental organization, emphasized on July 31 the need to inspect vehicles that enter Lebanon for the first time according to the traffic law.

"We call upon the Lebanese authorities to implement the consumer protection law number 659 issued in February 2005 for the protection of citizens against imported vehicles in poor conditions that enter the local market," it said.

Lebanese International Road Safety Academy (LIRSA) previously told Xinhua that road accidents have increased because the government has never adopted a national road safety strategy.

The source also noted that other reasons for the increased car accidents are a lack of national capabilities and budget for road safety.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:59:26|Editor: xuxin

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BEIRUT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese authorities should consider re-opening Rene Mouawad Air Base to reduce traffic at Rafik Hariri International Airport (RHIA), President of the French-Lebanese Businessmen Association Antoine Menassa said Monday.

"Rene Mouawad Air Base is a very important facility socially and economically as it can facilitate travel and shipping especially during holidays when traffic is at its peak," he was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.

Lebanese officials have on many occasions called for the re-opening of the air base, also known as Qleiaat Airport, currently being used by the Lebanese Army to maintain its helicopters.

The current base is equipped with a runway of 3,600 meters by 60 meters. There are warehouses for fuel, areas for maintenance, spare parts, telecom devices and radars.

Menassa said the re-opening of Qleiaat airport will create development balance among all Lebanese areas and governorates.

He noted that travelers at RHIA are suffering from jam due to the high number of passengers using the facility mainly in times of holidays and annual pilgrimage.

RHIA has witnessed an unprecedented increase in the number of passengers which reached 552,000 in the first half of August.

This prompted Lebanese Finance Ministry to approve 18 million U.S. dollars in funding for the expansion of the RHIA.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:29:36|Editor: xuxin

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TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iranian petroleum minister said Monday that the French Total has officially left the contract with Iran for the development of phase 11 of South Pars gas field, official IRNA news agency reported.

It has been more than two months that Total announced its plan to leave the SP11 project, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was quoted as saying.

The process of substituting another company is now underway, Zanganeh told the Iranian lawmakers in a parliament session on Monday.

Also, he said that Iran's oil and gas facilities are worn out and the country is in dire need of its renovation.

On May 8, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and reinstate sanctions that were in force before the implementation of the landmark agreement.

He has vowed to reimpose oil sanctions against the Islamic republic in early November.

On May 16, Total said it might not be able to continue its gas development project in Iran, unless it gets a waiver from the United States to protect it from reimposed sanctions.

The SP11 project is a gas development project dedicated to the supply of domestic gas to the Iranian market, which was executed on July 4, 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:29:37|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a message of condolence to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the passing away of former UN chief Kofi Annan last week.

In the message, Xi said he deeply mourned Annan and expressed condolences to his family and the UN.

Annan is an old friend of China, and China-UN cooperation was comprehensively strengthened during his term as the UN chief, Xi said.

Xi commended Annan as a worldwide renowned activist on international issues, who was committed to promoting multilateralism and greater UN influence, and made excellent contributions to the world peace and development.

Annan was an outstanding representative of the African people, cared about Africa and pushed for increasing global awareness of African issues as well as investment in Africa, Xi added.

In a world of increasing uncertainties and instabilities, the multilateralism championed by Annan bears significant relevance and his efforts and contributions will be honored by people of all countries, Xi noted.

The former UN chief and Nobel Peace Prize laureate passed away on Saturday at the age of 80.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:34:38|Editor: xuxin

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STOCKHOLM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The number on frauds on bank ID has doubled in Sweden since the beginning of the year and students in search of an apartment are a special target group, the Swedish Television SVT reported on Monday.

According to the police, in July and August more people are tricked because students have to move and search for an apartment.

"There is a continuous shortage of apartments especially in big cities. When schools start, the students will most likely do anything to get an apartment. The impostors take advantage of this," police inspector Jan Olsson told SVT.

The impostors have acquired bank ID's and access to bank accounts for example through Facebook groups where people search and rent apartments. In many cases, the impostor pretends that they want to do a credit information check-up and asks the person to log in to their mobile bank to approve the check-up.

"This is guaranteed to be a scam. One should never log in to their mobile bank by the request of someone else," Olsson said.

According to the police, the number of frauds has double from February till July.

"I cannot say exact numbers, but in early February we knew of a few hundred cases. In July, this figure has doubled. The true number is probably even bigger since only a few percent of the victims report the crime."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:42:16|Editor: Chengcheng

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Giant panda Mengmeng eats bamboo shoots as waiting for transportation in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, Aug. 20, 2018. Giant pandas Jiajia and Mengmeng on Monday started the journey back to the Dujiangyan base of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda in Sichuan for the 2019 breeding program. Three years ago, they were moved from Sichuan and given new homes in Jilin Wild Life Rescue and Breeding Center, becoming the first giant pandas to live in a high-altitude habitat. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:44:42|Editor: Chengcheng

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You Quan (R, front), a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, meets with a non-partisan delegation of young Japanese politicians led by Kiyohiko Toyama, a member of the New Komeito Party, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official on Monday met with a non-partisan delegation of young Japanese politicians led by Kiyohiko Toyama, a member of the New Komeito Party.

You Quan, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, said that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Leaders of the two countries have reached important consensus on improving and developing bilateral ties in the spirit of the treaty.

You said the Chinese side is willing to maintain friendly exchanges with Japan's major political parties, enhance political mutual trust, and make positive contributions to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations.

Toyama said Japan's major political parties are willing to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and to make contributions to the improvement and development of their relations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:44:44|Editor: xuxin

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WELLINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Australia on Tuesday on bilateral ties.

"Our relationship with Australia is hugely important. For two independent nations, Australia and New Zealand enjoy an unparalleled level of connection and integration," Peters said in a statement on Monday.

Peters will meet with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop for their six-monthly Foreign Ministers' Consultation.

"These six-monthly consultations provide a formal opportunity for us to discuss the Australia-New Zealand relationship in-depth, as well as many global and regional interests we share as partners," Peters said.

"However, we must not take this for granted. During our meeting we will be focused on how we can keep working to strengthen and build on the bilateral relationship," he said.

While in Canberra, Peters will also make a keynote speech to the National Press Club. He will be in Australia from Tuesday to Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 20:59:50|Editor: xuxin

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo (L) shakes hands with Prime Minister of South Korea Lee Nak-yeon in Jakarta, Indonesia, Aug. 20, 2018. Indonesian President Joko Widodo and visiting Prime Minister of South Korea Lee Nak-yeon met here at the State Palace on Monday, calling for acceleration of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a minister said. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

JAKARTA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo and visiting Prime Minister of South Korea Lee Nak-yeon met here at the State Palace on Monday, calling for acceleration of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a minister said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters after the meeting that both leaders think it is necessary to bolster cooperation at bilateral and regional levels amid the global economic uncertainty.

"The two leaders look to the acceleration in the negotiation of the RCEP. When it is completed, it will send a strong message that the economic integration in Asia runs smoothly," she said.

Retno was upbeat that the acceleration to complete the talks would end in several months ahead as some differences in the negotiation have narrowed recently.

"The gap must be persistently trimmed. Obviously, we hope the talks end at this year end, still we need to see the progress," she said.

RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between the the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the six countries with which ASEAN has existing free trade agreements -- China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:04:55|Editor: xuxin

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Members of separated families reunite in Mount Kumgang in the southeast of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Aug. 20, 2018. Families of South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, finally reunited in tears and joy as they had never seen each other for decades until Monday when the rare reunions were held in Mount Kumgang in southeast DPRK. (Xinhua)

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Families of South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, finally reunited in tears and joy as they had never seen each other for decades until Monday when the rare reunions were held in Mount Kumgang in southeast DPRK.

Eighty-nine South Koreans, mostly in their 80s or older, crossed the heavily armed border earlier in the day into the scenic mountain resort to meet their DPRK relatives they never saw since the Korean War ended with armistice that left the Korean Peninsula divided.

Han Shin-ja, a 99-year-old grandmother from South Korea, kept weeping without any word when she met her two daughters from the DPRK. She rubbed her cheek against the ones of her daughters who kept wailing and found no word to say, according to a pool report from South Korean reporters at the venue.

Han repeatedly said to her daughters "I'm sorry." She fled the DPRK after the war broke out, leaving her little ones to an aunt. At the time, Han never knew their separation would last so long.

The first session of reunions was scheduled to last until Wednesday. The second session of the three-day reunions was set to start Friday, involving 83 DPRK separated families who applied for gatherings with their South Korean relatives.

South Korean participants were mostly senior and frail, thus many of them were supported by their accompanying families or sat in wheelchairs. Some had difficulty in hearing, so their talks went on slowly.

A 101-year-old Baek Sung-gyu, the eldest South Korean participant for the first session, put on a light smile flanked by his daughter-in-law and granddaughter from the DPRK who wailed next to his wheelchair holding his shoulder.

The frail Baek had difficulty in saying a word. The daughter-in-law showed to Baek two photos of his first son who passed away in the DPRK. Baek's second son from South Korea led the conversation with the DPRK relatives.

South Korea and the DPRK agreed in June to hold the emotionally charged event, the first in nearly three years.

A combined 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions had been arranged since the first inter-Korean summit was held in 2000, but the reunions had been limited to about 200 separated families from each side. Over half of the South Koreans on the waiting list for reunions are in their 80s or older.

A 91-year-old Moon Hyun-sook was joyfully greeted by her two younger sisters from the DPRK, asking one of them "Why are you so old now?" The joy changed into tears when she heard how they have lived.

Among her seven siblings, only Moon ended up in South Korea as she moved to the South in 1947 after marriage. At the time, one of the younger sisters was eight years old, while the other had yet to be born.

Moon asked many questions about how her sisters have lived as she was the eldest daughter of her siblings. One more sister was still alive in the DPRK, but she failed to participate for frailty and sickness.

Their meeting, arranged after decades of separation, will be painfully short. They will be granted permission to meet for only 11 hours in group and private gatherings during the three-day reunions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:14:58|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A foreign expert symposium on the China Book International (CBI) project was held Monday in Beijing to pool wisdom on how to share China's experience of reform and opening up with the world.

The event was attended by experts and scholars from research institutions and publishing houses from China and abroad.

Four senior publishers from the Peter Lang Publishing Group, Sage Publishing, Springer Nature and Paths International Ltd. were employed as CBI foreign experts at the event.

"We hope both domestic and overseas publishers will continue their focus on, support, research and precise interpretation of China's reform and opening up, and publish more high-level academic works that reflect the reality of China and are of world significance," said Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the publicity department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up.

"China's experience and wisdom have injected fresh air into world governance... China's practical experience in reform and development should be turned into more academic works and elevated to norms and theories as China's contribution to the world's social sciences," said Cai Fang, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The CBI project aims to provide overseas readers with the latest Chinese publications.
A doctor from the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark examines a child at the Kurasini Children's Home in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Nov. 21, 2017. A team of Chinese doctors from the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark on Tuesday visited the Kurasini Children's Home (KCH), a government-owned center established in 1968 to look after abandoned, lost and abused children, where they provided free medical care and donated school bags and toys. (Xinhua/Li Sibo)

DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China and Africa have enjoyed a long history of cooperation in terms of health.

The presence of Chinese medical teams is now a common feature in most sub-Saharan countries where they are saving the lives of tens of thousands of people.

STAND SIDE BY SIDE

Since China sent out its first medical team to Africa in 1963, China has exerted all means to assist Africa, including building medical institutions, providing medicines and medical devices, organizing training sessions, and offering scholarships to assist Africa's health infrastructure building, capacity building and talent training.

A doctor checks a man's heart in the Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark in Djibouti, on Aug. 24, 2017. The Peace Ark arrived in Djibouti on Wednesday and was expected to carry out a nine-day medical service in Djibouti. It will then travel to Sierra Leone, Gabon, Tanzania and other countries to provide free medical and humanitarian services. (Xinhua/Wang Shoubao)

From Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to Windhoek in Namibia, Chinese medical staff of 43 medical teams are working round the clock providing medical services to local residents across Africa.

China has sent over 20,000 medical workers since 1963 and some 200 million African people have benefited from medical service of Chinese medical teams in Africa.

When the outbreak of Ebola virus disease picked up pace in West Africa in 2014, China sent medical workers and experts to help with no hesitation.

In February 2014, an Ebola epidemic broke out in Guinea and later spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia, while other countries also reported infection cases. The outbreak claimed hundreds of lives in months and posed a great threat to those affected countries.

Chinese doctor Li Xiushan checks the eyes of a boy at the Ethio-China Friendship Hospital, located in Akaki at the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 17, 2018. The 20th batch of the Chinese medical team, which constitutes 16 medical professionals, is based at Tirunesh-Beijing Hospital, also known as the Ethio-China Friendship Hospital. China issued the first Medical Workers' Day on Aug. 19.(Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

Since the outbreak, China has carried out its largest aid program in health area, providing several rounds of financial aids to Africa, sending hundreds of medical personnel and public health experts to the affected countries and training local medical workers on the continent.

"China has always stood with Liberia as a true friend," the then Liberian President Sirleaf said, noting China's assistance and contributions to her country's fight against the Ebola disease should be appreciated by all Liberians.

PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING MEDICAL SUPPORT

In Tanzania, Chinese medical team is a household name across the country where China has been sending teams of doctors since half a century ago.

Members of Chinese mobile laboratory team work at a laboratory in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, Jan. 22, 2015. Chinese mobile laboratory team has analyzed 4,272 cases of Ebola virus. Since the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease, China provided its aid in the first time and so far has sent successively several medical teams and four batches of emergency aid worth a total of 700 million yuan (around 112.2 million U.S. dollars) to the epidemic-hit countries, becoming one of the biggest donors to the infected areas and playing an important role in coping with the epidemic.(Xinhua/Xin Wenwen)

According to Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Wang Ke, medical and health cooperation between China and Tanzania began in 1964 and 1968 when the Chinese government started sending medical teams to Zanzibar and Tanzania mainland.

Wang added that a total of 32 Chinese medical team members are currently working at the Muhimbili National Hospital, the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute and in hospitals in Zanzibar and Pemba.

In November last year, Chinese navy hospital ship "Peace Ark" visited Tanzania and provided 6,441 Tanzanians with free medical treatment.

Tanzanian President John Magufuli thanked Chinese doctors for treating the patients in the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark during its eight-day stay in Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Magufuli said the move by the Chinese government to send the Peace Ark to Tanzania has further improved the relationship between the two countries.

Wang Peng (L), a Chinese doctor checks a girl's injury at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, July 22, 2015. The 10th Chinese Medical Team to Namibia consists of four doctors and nurses of the Traditional Chinese Medicine from China's Zhejiang Province. They treat about 600 patients monthly free of charge at the Chinese Acupuncture Department of Katutura State Hospital in Namibian capital Windhoek. China sent its first medical team to Namibia in 1996. (Xinhua/Wu Changwei)

"The coming of the ship has written a new history in the cordial relationship of the two countries," he said.

In Ethiopia, Chinese medical teams have more than nearly 45 years of working in Ethiopian cities and towns, and authored their stories of success and dedication.

Mei Gengnian, head of the first Chinese medical team to Ethiopia, died in 1975 in a car accident while he was serving local communities in Jimma town of Oromia regional state, 380 km south of Addis Ababa.

File photo taken on Aug 15, 2007 shows Chinese doctor Wu Weiguo (2nd L) exchanges experiences of surgical anesthesia with local doctors in Lusaka, capital of Zambia. In 1963, China's first foreign aid medical team arrived in Africa. For the past 50 years, Chinese government has sent 23,000 medical personnel to 66 countries and regions, most of which are African countries. (Xinhua/Zhai Xi)

Buried near the spot where he died, his grave is being tended by a local family, and Mei's son has followed his father's footsteps by joining a medical mission to Ethiopia.

Amid success and dedication, China-Ethiopia health cooperation is continuing to progress as both sides have learned valuable lessons from each other.

Chitalu Chilufya, Zambia's Minister of Health honored the 19th Chinese Medical Team in May for their exemplary work during their tour of duty in the southern African nation

He said the doctors worked diligently during their tour of duty as evidenced in improved service delivery in the four hospitals where they were stationed in.

Zambia and China, he said, have developed cordial relations in the last 40 years in the health sector which has resulted in the improvement of both infrastructure in the sector and capacity building of health personnel.

"We would like to express our gratitude to the team for helping in strengthening our health system. Since 1978, Zambia and China have collaborated in the health sector," he said.

A Chinese doctor takes medical examination of children at a orphanage in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, June 1, 2013. In a move aiming at promoting China-Zambia friendship, three Zambia-based Chinese organizations -- the Confucius Institute, Chinese medical team and Sino-Hydro Zambia Limited on Saturday got together with children of the Kabwata Orphanage in Lusaka during celebrations to mark the International Children's Day. (Xinhua/Kris Moonga)

DEEPENED COOPERATION IN HEALTH SECTOR

In 2015, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Johannesburg listed public health cooperation as part of the 10 China-Africa cooperation plans, lifting China-Africa health cooperation to a new level.

China and Africa have also seen deepened cooperation in the health sector thanks to efforts from both sides in recent years. Besides, medical service such as China-led Brightness Action campaign and medical training has also witnessed achievements.

In the Republic of Congo, since the China-led Brightness Action campaign was launched in 2016, the China-Congo Friendship Hospital (CCFH), where the Chinese medical team in the country is stationed, has been receiving modern surgical supplies and medical instruments from China to treat eye illness.

Zhang Weipeng, an ophthalmologist at the hospital and also the doctor in charge of cataract surgery, said his department receives an average of 30 patients every day and many of them come to CCFH specially for phacoemulsification.

File photo taken on Oct. 11, 2009 shows military medical officers examine patients in Bukavu, capital city of Sud-Kivu Province, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In 1963, China's first foreign aid medical team arrived in Africa. For the past 50 years, Chinese government has sent 23,000 medical personnel to 66 countries and regions, most of which are African countries. (Xinhua/He Changzhen)

The doctor, however, said some local patients are reluctant to seek treatment until their eyesight is blurred by cataract, making it more difficult for the surgery to be performed.

"But as an ophthalmologist, the biggest happiness is to see my patients regain eyesight. It moves me a lot to see that Congolese patients trust Chinese doctors," said Zhang.

Zhang said he is also actively involved in training sessions for local people and doctors to increase public awareness of eye illness and medical officers' skills.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime," said Zhang, adding that only when local doctors can independently perform cataract surgeries, there will be a "permanent" medical team to provide service to the public.

At a ministerial conference held with the aim of stepping up China-Africa cooperation in health in Pretoria, South Africa last year, China pledged to work with all other countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations in addressing the global health challenge, and through South-South cooperation, to help build the health sector in developing countries.

File photo taken on March 12, 2013 shows Chinese doctor Liang Weimin operates on a patient at a hospital in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo. In 1963, China's first foreign aid medical team arrived in Africa. For the past 50 years, Chinese government has sent 23,000 medical personnel to 66 countries and regions, most of which are African countries. (Xinhua/Meng Chenguang)

China also called for intensified efforts to improve the accessibility of Africa's health services, strengthen the public health prevention and control system and capacity-building in Africa, scale up support for the health needs of the youth and women, deepen people-to-people exchanges in health and bring more benefits to the people through China-Africa health cooperation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:30:05|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on bilateral ties on Monday.

Li congratulated Imran Khan for taking office as Pakistani prime minister.

The two countries have enjoyed a strong strategic cooperative partnership and bilateral ties withstood the test of time, including a changing international scene, Li said, adding that the two sides always treat each other on equal footing and support each other.

Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a successful visit to Pakistan in 2015, which greatly promoted the development of the bilateral ties, Li said.

China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's efforts to preserve its national security, stability and development, Li said.

China is willing to work with Pakistan to conduct close high-level contacts, deepen pragmatic cooperation, enhance coordination on major international and regional issues, promote common development and make contributions to regional peace and prosperity, Li added.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a landmark project in bilateral cooperation in the new era, Li noted, adding that China appreciates the prime minister's remarks on firmly supporting its construction, and hopes that the two sides will work out plans for its development.

China also appreciates Pakistan's great efforts in safeguarding the corridor's construction and believes that Pakistan will continue to take measures to guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in the country as well as cooperation projects, Li said.

China is willing to strengthen cooperation in various fields with Pakistan, import more competitive and high-quality products from Pakistan and facilitate a balanced development of trade in order to bring more benefits to the two peoples, Li added.

For his part, Imran Khan said the Pakistani people have a profound friendship with the Chinese people.

China always stood on the Pakistani side when Pakistan was at its most difficult moments, he said, adding that the new Pakistani government is willing to forge stronger relations than ever with the Chinese side.

The Pakistan-China Economic Corridor brings new development opportunities for Pakistan, and the country will continue to promote its construction and take the most strictest precautions to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and projects, he said.
Yemeni internally displaced children are seen at a displaced camp in Aden, Yemen, on Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Murad Abdu)

by Murad Abdu

ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- For the first time, Ahmed Obeid, a father of four, could not prepare for Eid al-Adha feast because the ongoing fighting forced him and thousands of Yemeni people to flee their homes.

They are located in different war-torn areas and take shelter in other safe provinces in the impoverished Arab country.

Yemeni families used to start preparing and shopping to enjoy Eid al-Adha, the second largest religious festival for Muslims, to be celebrated across the country on Tuesday.

But this year, thousands are suffering due to displacement and no preparations could be made to receive Eid al-Adha, as some families struggle to survive hunger and diseases after leaving their residential buildings.

Standing with his four children next to their tent at an internally displaced camp in the outskirts of Aden province, Obeid told Xinhua that there is no place for happiness to enjoy festival celebrations this year.

"This is the first Eid I receive without my beloved relatives. Fighting deprived us of staying inside our houses to receive Eid al-Adha peacefully with joy like previous years," he said.

He said that most of the displaced families are without financial sources and did not receive new clothes for their children from aid organizations.

"Some of the children inside these tents are crying and asking their mothers to buy them new Eid clothes and don't know that everything is changed and they are homeless," he said.

This Eid al-Adha means nothing for displaced Yemenis who are living in destitution, he said, adding that "stopping this ugly war and bloodshed will be our real festival. Shelling and fighting destroyed everything nice in our country."

In other Yemeni provinces including the Red Sea coast city of Hodeidah, fighting still takes place between government forces backed by the Saudi-led Arab coalition and the Shiite Houthi rebels even during Eid al-Adha holiday.

Some of the families in Hodeidah urged the two-warring sides to hold cease-fire to give citizens a chance to celebrate Eid al-Adha along with their children without fear and random shelling, but no response was made.

"The warring sides don't care about our suffering and only look for gains and seizing control over our areas," Fuad Saleh, an internally displaced person who arrived Monday in Aden.

"Muslim occasions mean nothing for the war leaders who came from other provinces and forced us to flee our houses and properties during Eid holiday," Fuad said.

"Most of the army commanders and the Houthi leaders are not from Hodeidah and their families are at safe places and just came to destroy our areas," he said angrily.

He added that "leaving our houses was something very painful but those military leaders didn't experience it and know nothing what displacement is."

On June 13, the Arab coalition, backing internationally-recognized government of Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, declared a major assault to recapture Hodeidah and the Yemeni western Red Sea coast from the Houthis.

Yemen's government and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly accused the Houthis of using the port to smuggle Iranian weapons. Both Houthis and Iran denied the accusation.

Humanitarian agencies have warned of any attack on the port, saying it would lead to the world's biggest humanitarian catastrophe in modern history.

Hodeidah is the single most important point of entry for food and basic supplies to Yemen's northern provinces controlled by Houthis, including the capital Sanaa.

More than 121,000 residents have fled the war-torn city of Hodeidah and other parts of the province since June 1, the United Nations said this week.

The coalition intervened in Yemen's conflict in March 2015 to roll back Iran-allied Shiite Houthi rebels and reinstate Hadi.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:35:07|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A group of students from 18 China Cultural Centers across the world gathered in Beijing on Monday to kick off a study tour organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The 48 students, who come from countries including Benin, France, Mexico, New Zealand, and Thailand, will visit several cities during the 10-day "Experience China - 2018 China Cultural Center Students Award Tour."

During their stay in the capital, the students will attend lectures on Chinese poetry and the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as participating in activities such as painting silk fans and a traditional tea ceremony.

They will also visit the Palace Museum, the Great Wall, and 798 Art Zone, a modern art precinct of galleries and cafes.

The tour, starting from 2003, is aimed at offering outstanding students from China Cultural Centers worldwide the chance to better understand Chinese culture through first-hand experiences and communication.

There have been more than 30 Chinese Culture Centers overseas with the aim of building a bridge for people around the globe to learn more about China.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:40:08|Editor: xuxin

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LONDON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 3.8 million European Union (EU) citizens living in Britain will be allowed to stay, even if there is no deal with Brussels about Britons living in the EU countries, reports in London claimed Monday.

The Daily Telegraph in London said Britain would give EU migrants a unilateral right to stay in the event of a no-deal Brexit amid concerns that failing to do so would lead to labor shortages.

The newspaper based its story on government papers due to be published later this week.

The papers, which the Telegraph says it has seen, state that Britain will take a "moral high ground" by agreeing to enable EU migrants to live in the UK and continue to access the National Health Service and claim benefits.

The report adds that government ministers have warned that Brexit must not lead to shortages in sectors such as health, social care, construction and tourism.

The government will guarantee the rights of EU migrants regardless of whether Brussels agrees to do the same for Britons living in Spain and other European nations, says the report.

Details of the offer for EU citizens in the event of a no-deal Brexit will be set out in one of 83 technical papers on no deal.

The government paper, which was given to ministers last month, describes the rights of EU citizens as "one of the most important aspects" of no-deal planning, adds the Telegraph.

Under the deal, all 3.8 million EU migrants living in the UK will be entitled to stay and continue to enjoy access to healthcare, benefits and pensions. They will also be able to bring spouses and "close family members" from abroad to live with them in the UK.

It states: "The Home Office plans to make an offer to existing EU residents that they can remain in the UK in a 'no deal' scenario, in effect unilaterally implementing the (immigration element of the) Citizens' Rights agreement agreed with the EU in December 2017.

"The proposal is to make the offer irrespective of whether the EU reciprocates. Any package would need resolution for the reciprocal elements of the December 2017 deal."

The approach was welcomed by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP who leads a 60-strong group of Eurosceptic MPs. He said: "I have always thought we should make a unilateral offer in this area. EU migrants came here legally, and the UK is not the sort of country that applies retrospective legislation. They should have broadly the same rights as British citizens -- no better or worse."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:49:00|Editor: Chengcheng

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Children pose for photos in a residential community called "rainbow village" in Nantun District of Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Aug. 20, 2018. The colorful paintings on the walls and grounds of the village attract many tourists. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:50:11|Editor: xuxin

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RAMALLAH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party slammed on Monday the Islamic Hamas movement over advancing a brokered truce with Israel.

Fatah spokesman Osama Qawasmi said in a press statement that the truce between Hamas and Israel comes with a political price, describing Hamas' claims as "nonsense, lies and disinformation that cannot fool anyone."

"The price will be allowing the passage of the American-Zionist Deal of the Century, bashing the Palestine Liberation Organization, turning the division into separation, implementing Israeli schemes aimed at having total hold over Jerusalem and the West Bank, and blocking the possibility of an Israeli withdrawal from the land of the State of Palestine," he stressed.

At the same time, Qawasmi warned that this truce deal would be "a real threat to the Palestinian national identity."

Egypt and the UN are mediating a long-term cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel.

Last week, three delegations representing Hamas, the left-wing Palestinian parties and senior employees in various ministries in the Gaza Strip headed to Cairo to resume talks, reportedly focusing on the cease-fire deal and the resumption of the national reconciliation deal.

Gaza Strip has been placed under a tight Israeli blockade since Hamas seized the territory after routing forces loyal to President Abbas in 2007.

The blockade has pushed Gaza's 2 million people deeper into poverty with unprecedented unemployment rate.

In the recent nine years, Israel and Hamas movement have been engaged in three major wars that claimed lives of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:50:11|Editor: xuxin

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HARARE, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Journalists covering opposition leader Nelson Chamisa's challenge in the Constitutional Court to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's recent election victory will view proceedings from a special tent where a live feed will be provided, a court official said Monday.

The official said the tent would accommodate about 100 journalists, which will make up for the limited space inside the courtroom.

The Constitutional Court will on Wednesday hear Chamisa's challenge in which he seeks the court to nullify the declaration by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that Mnangagwa had won the July 30 presidential election.

He alleges some irregularities in the conduct of the election.

The petition has generated a lot of interest from Zimbabweans, journalists and the international community, with the church urging impartiality on the part of the judges.

The Judicial Service Commission also announced that the road leading to the Constitutional Court, Samora Machel Avenue between Sam Nujoma and Simon Vengai Muzenda streets, would be closed to traffic the whole of Wednesday.

"This is to make way for the hearing of the Presidential Election petition on 22nd Aug, 2018, at the Constitutional Court," the commission said in a statement.

For the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, national broadcaster ZBC-TV will be allowed to broadcast court proceedings live to the whole nation.

Chamisa is being represented by a team of local and South African lawyers while Mnangagwa and ZEC, who are respondents in the matter, will be represented by local lawyers.

"I have put together an A-team of experienced, tried and tested legal experts drawn from the best minds in the region and in the country," Chamisa told a press conference Monday.

In his petition, he wants the court to either declare him the winner, or alternatively order a re-run of the presidential poll.

According to results released by ZEC, Mnangagwa won the election with 50.8 percent of the vote while Chamisa polled 44.3 percent.
Photo provided by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 10, 2018 shows Kim Jong Un (R), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), shaking hands with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/ KCNA)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said here on Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will leave for a trip to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the fourth visit since he assumed the current office.

In an interview with ABC's "This Week," Bolton said that "I think Secretary Pompeo will be returning to Pyongyang soon for his fourth visit."

"I think the timing will be announced at an appropriate point by the State Department," he said, adding that the U.S. sides expects Pompeo to meet with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un.

"To move on with the process of denuclearization remains our highest priority," said Bolton, adding that "it's important that they (the DPRK) demonstrate seriousness" in this regard.

He noted that the DPRK has one year to follow through from making "the strategic decision to denuclearize." However, he did not give more details on the timeline.

"We're counting on North Korea following through on the commitments," he added.

Bolton said earlier last month that Washington has had a plan to dismantle the majority of the DPRK's nuke and ballistic missile programs, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be discussing it with Pyongyang while visiting the country.

However, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the State Department will not provide a timeline for Pyongyang's abandonment of nuclear and missile program.

Pomeo has visited the DPRK for three times, respectively in April, May and July.

Nauert also said on Aug. 14 that inter-governmental talks between the United States and the DPRK will become a "regular course of business" with denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as the focus.

Saying that Washington supports building a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula "by which countries can move forward toward peace," she added that "our main focus is on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 21:55:15|Editor: xuxin

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Somali women on Monday called for inclusion in humanitarian response and post conflict reconstruction process in the Horn of Africa nation.

Speaking during the World Humanitarian Day celebrations held in Baidoa the capital of South-Western state, Somali women called on the federal and regional governments to include them in the drafting of the new constitution as well as put in place measures to encourage more women into political leadership.

Deqa Yasin, Minister of Women and Human Rights Development, promised to work with all stakeholders including the civil society to ensure that the upcoming constitution making process is inclusive and takes care of the interest of women and girls in Somalia.

According to a statement from the UN Women Africa, the women suffer the highest consequences during armed violence and conflict.

"There is an urgent need to address the specific needs of women and girls and involve them as equal partners in humanitarian response and post conflict construction. This will help address humanitarian and protection needs of displaced women and girls, including violence against women and girls," said the UN agency.

Speaking at the celebration, UN Woman's Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka appreciated the role played by humanitarian actors in protecting people in crisis majority of whom are women and children.

Mlambo-Ngcuka called on humanitarian actors to ensure that that women and girls are not left vulnerable and insecure in conflict and post conflict situations.

She observed the young girls are particularly vulnerable in conflict and humanitarian situations and are often subjected to harmful practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation and human trafficking.

"Practices that are a violation of their right and contribute to systemic gender inequality within society. Women and girls should not be targets for extensive gender-based violence during situations of conflict and disaster and must be protected by everyone in society including the civil society, government and community leaders," she said.

The UN official said over 2.6 million people in Somalia live in internally displaced camps, most of whom are women and children due to environmental shocks and conflict.

"Critically still more than 5 million people in Somali need humanitarian assistance.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said the UN Women is working with the federal and regional governments to protect Somali women and girls through targeted humanitarian and development actions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 22:00:17|Editor: xuxin

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JUBA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Members of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Monday begun their fifth field mission to Juba and will also later this week visit Uganda, Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia, the UN rights body said.

The UN rights commission said Yasmin Sooka (chairperson), Andrew Clapham and Barney Afako will be in South Sudan for five days to discuss human rights situation in the country.

"They are expected to meet government officials including the First Vice President and key ministers, members of civil society, religious leaders, diplomats and UN agencies and staff of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in South Sudan, David Shearer, to discuss the current human rights situation in the country," it said in a statement issued in Juba.

The commissioners also intend to visit camps for internally displaced persons across the country, including UNMISS Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites, to meet the people living there, community leaders and civil society organizations.

The UN rights body said the Commissioners will separately visit Uganda, Sudan and Kenya between Aug. 25-29, where they will visit refugee camps and settlements along the South Sudanese border.

It said the Commissioners will conclude their mission in Ethiopia on Aug.30-31 holding meetings with African Union leaders, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), senior UN officials, as well as other members of the international community.

The commission will present an oral update on the human rights situation in South Sudan to the Human Rights Council on Sept. 17 and a comprehensive written report in March 2019.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 22:10:20|Editor: xuxin

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TIRANA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Air Albania, the national flag carrier airline of Albania, will launch its flights within the first week of September, Albanian Civil Aviation Authority confirmed on Monday.

Albanian shareholder of Air Albania, Sinan Idrizi, in a declaration for the local media, informed that the first aircraft to be completed is an Airbus 319 and will operate flights to the Istanbul-Tirana-Istanbul line.

Meanwhile, two other A320 aircraft will be put into use after that.

"In order to reduce the ticket prices, we have requested to self-provide raw materials. This means that we will build a parallel enterprise to provide the same service and quality. This is a practice that other companies have, such as Turkish Airlines, our support company," stated Idrizi.

According to the Albanian government's decision to set up Air Albania, 51 percent of the shares of Air Albania are Albanian, whereas 49 percent belong to the Turkish Airline Company.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 22:30:23|Editor: Liangyu

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A Chinese peacekeeper explains drug descriptions for local people in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 19, 2018. Peacekeepers in Lebanon carried out a free clinic on Sunday, China's first Medical Workers' Day, winning praises from local residents. (Xinhua/Yang Shuangquan)

BEIRUT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese peacekeepers in Lebanon carried out a free clinic on Sunday, China's first Medical Workers' Day, winning praises from local residents.

Nine medical workers, from a hospital affiliated with the multifunctional engineer unit of the 17th Chinese Peacekeeping Contingent to Lebanon, provided volunteer consultation and lectures explaining in detail how to prevent common diseases.

During the lectures, the doctors also communicated with the residents, and demonstrated emergency treatment methods for common injuries, including burns, snake and worm bites, and emergency trauma.

"Thank you very much for what you have done. You spent the rest time to provide medical assistance to us, and tried your best to help us reduce the pain of the disease," said Amina, a local resident, during the treatment.

Zhang Leilei, head of the hospital, said that after the free clinic, the hospital will continue to increase its participation in humanitarian assistance and cultivate local medical workers.

Since the 17th Chinese Peacekeeping Contingent arrived in Lebanon in May this year, the peacekeepers have contacted local clinics in surrounding villages, and provided free treatment to nearly 1,300 local residents with free medicine.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 22:35:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAPE TOWN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Monday urged its members to offer their full cooperation to an inquiry into state capture.

This came after the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, began its first long-awaited hearing on Monday, with former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor among the first group of witnesses to testify.

The commission will first deal with the influence of the controversial Indian Gupta family on the appointment of ministers and boards of state-owned entities under the administration of former president Jacob Zuma.

Zuma and a number of senior government officials were also accused of collaborating with the Guptas in looting from state coffers.

"The ANC urges its members and others who are summoned to appear before the commission to offer their full cooperation to the commission, so that the country can deal with this difficult chapter," the party said in a statement emailed to Xinhua.

"The allegations and reports on this matter have done immense damage to the image of the country and the confidence of ordinary citizens in state institutions," ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said.

Therefore it's crucial to ensure that the commission completes its work expeditiously, Mabe said.

In May last year, the ANC National Executive Committee endorsed the establishment of the judicial commission to investigate the alleged state capture.

The commission will assist to ensure that where wrongdoing was done, appropriate action is taken and people are held accountable.

The ANC has repeatedly said it wants to see the facts and truth to come to light even though a number of its senior members are involved in state capture allegations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 22:40:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The official visit by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to China has brought a closer relations between the two countries and has laid a solid foundation for future friendly development, a Malaysian daily said Monday.

The 5-day official visit is widely watched as it is Mahathir's first visit to China since he returned as Prime Minister in May, said Sinchew Daily in a comment on its evening edition.

The purpose of Mahathir's visit is to wipe out doubts arises following the change of government after the general elections, and to further enhance political trust between the two countries, it said.

As a developing country, Malaysia needs foreign investment to support its economic development. Any foreign investment, including those from China, will be welcomed as long as it would help the economic growth.

"Malaysia hasn't changed its stance despite the change of government," the article said.

"Malaysia has released a very clear message, namely the government will continue its good ties with China and will push it forward on the basis of mutual benefit," said the daily, adding that the Chinese side has responded positively.

The daily said the removal of uncertainties is good for both countries and Malaysia has already harvested economic benefit from Mahathir's visit, as China has indicated its willingness to increase import of Malaysian products including palm oil and other agricultural goods.

"It means the trade between Malaysia and China would further expand, bringing in a positive factor for our economic development."

The newspaper said Malaysia and China have reached consensus and are looking forward to pushing the bilateral relations to a higher level.

During the visit, Mahathir has met with Chinese leaders, visited several of China's top companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba, car manufacturer Geely and the drone making company DJI.

During his first tenure as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003, Mahathir visited China seven times, and nine more times after he retired, said New Strait Times, another Malaysian daily, in its report.

Mahathir's "landmark" visit to China is expected to strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and China, especially in the areas of politics, trade, investment, agriculture, technology and regional security, the newspaper said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 22:55:32|Editor: Liangyu

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R), also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, meets with Tran Quoc Vuong, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and permanent member of the CPV Central Committee's Secretariat, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with a senior official of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), calling for efforts to further promote bilateral ties.

During the meeting with Tran Quoc Vuong, Politburo member and permanent member of the CPV Central Committee's Secretariat, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Xi said that complicated and profound changes are currently taking place concerning the international and regional situation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said that bilateral ties and the socialist causes of both countries have entered into a new phase of development and face new opportunities and challenges.

Xi said he and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the CPV Central Committee, again made mutual visits to each other's countries within a year in 2017 and reached a series of important consensus on deepening relations between the two parties and the two countries.

China is glad to see the momentum of the sound development of bilateral ties be consolidated and potential of bilateral cooperation be released, he said.

"We stand ready to work with Vietnam on in-depth conversations on overall and strategic issues and enhance the political guidance on bilateral ties so as to further promote relations," Xi said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of forging the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation. Hailing the achievements scored in the past 10 years, Xi said China has always viewed the bilateral ties from a strategic height and a long-term perspective.

China is willing to work with Vietnam to make sure bilateral ties forge ahead along the right path under the guidance of the policy of long-term stability, forward-thinking, good-neighborliness and comprehensive cooperation, and the spirit of being good neighbors, friends, comrades and partners, said Xi.

He called on both sides to maintain high-level exchanges, enhance the synergy of development strategies, continue dialogue and consultations, manage differences and consolidate the foundation of people-to-people exchanges.

Xi said the CPC and the CPV share common views on party building. The CPC is willing to further promote exchanges with the CPV and upgrade both sides' governance ability.

Vuong congratulated China on the progress it has made under the leadership of Xi and the CPC Central Committee since the 19th CPC National Congress held last year, and spoke highly of China's contributions to regional and world peace and stability.

It is of great significance at present to cement and deepen relations between the two parties and to remain true to both parties' original aspirations, said Vuong.

Vietnam values its traditional friendship with China, he said, adding that it is the top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy to develop relations with China.

He said Vietnam is willing to work with the party and the government of China to promote the healthy and stable development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:00:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday signed a royal decree to deliver a pardon to prominent land rights activist Tep Vanny at the request of the country's Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

In the royal decree, the monarch granted amnesty to convict Tep Vanny, 37, who was convicted of two counts -- insulting and obstructing public officials, and committing intentional violence during protests -- and was sentenced to a total of three years in prison in Sept. 2016.

"Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, must take responsibility to implement this royal decree from the day of signature," the king wrote.

Vanny was released from the Prey Sar Prison on the outskirts of Phnom Penh on Monday night.

The activist was arrested in early Sept. 2016 after two state security guards filed a complaint to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court against her, claiming that she pelted them with plastic bottles, soft drink cans and shoes during protests in Phnom Penh.

On Sept. 19, 2016, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced her to six months in prison for insulting and obstructing public officials, and on Feb. 23, 2017, the court gave her another two and a half years in jail for causing intentional violence.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:05:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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COLOMBO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were injured when a massive clash erupted in the female ward of Colombo's main prison on Monday.

The incident occurred as a group of inmates, who were allegedly involved in drug trafficking, were protesting against their transfer to other prisons in the island country.

A prison spokesperson from the Welikada Prison told Xinhua that security had been heightened at Welikada and other prisons throughout the island country after the female inmates revolted during the protest which was held on top of the prison roof.

The spokesperson said the protest began on Monday morning.

Following the clash, 52 female inmates had been transferred to other prisons.

"We humbly requested them to stop their protest but the inmates then attempted to run towards the prison gates following which officers tried to prevent them. The injured officers and inmates have been admitted to a hospital," the spokesperson said.

The police said the situation in the prison remained tense and additional security had been deployed.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:10:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NICOSIA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- As Muslim Turkish Cypriots prepare to celebrate Eid al-Adha, also called the "Festival of Sacrifice", the continuing Turkish lira crisis makes it difficult for them to celebrate properly.

Religious tradition of Eid al-Adha, one of the two biggest Islamic festivals, calls for the sacrifice of a lamb by each family and giving some of the meat to their less fortunate neighbors.

With the Turkish lira standing at just over six lira to one U.S. dollar, compared to about five before the onset of the crisis, many say they will not be able to buy a lamb for the most sacred Muslim feast, which starts on Tuesday night and lasts until Saturday.

"Celebrating Eid properly is important. But more serious is our everyday living," said Hasan Mahmoud as he was leaving a supermarket in the Turkish part of the capital Nicosia.

Turkish Cypriots gave up the Cypriot pound and started using the Turkish lira as their currency in 1974, when the Turkish army occupied the northern part of Cyprus in reaction to a military coup by the Greek rulers. This led to the creation of a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in 1983, recognized only by Turkey.

The slide of the lira over the last few weeks has made them poorer. What's more, there has been a 12-percent increase over the last year in the price of basic food commodities such as bread, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, butter and cheese.

Meanwhile, Greek Cypriots have been taking advantage of the depreciating lira to make cheap purchases in Turkish Cypriot shops.

"Turkish Cypriots have become poorer by half. They buy less and less," Tenzel Nisam, a supermarket executive told a Turkish Cypriot newspaper.

"Before the crisis, I earned the equivalent of 1,000 U.S. dollars, now it is 500 U.S. dollars," complained businessman Ziya Alpturk.

Buying household items such as a TV set would be even more expensive, as prices of imports are expected to go up by as much as 65 percent.

Sacide Bayuk, a sales representative of imported Japanese TV sets said that people are spending less on non-essentials.

Suppliers have started withholding deliveries to shops because of the uncertainty over how much prices will go up. Vendors in the north have limited sales of cigarettes to three packets per person and some of them have pulled imported tobacco off their shelves.

Suppliers of building materials such as bricks, cement, timber and paint suspended sales, leading construction companies to stall.

Even more serious is people's inability to repay loans borrowed in foreign currency. Sometimes the money needed for servicing a loan is more than what its owner earns.

Authorities in the north have also announced a set of measures, such as lowering value added tax (VAT) on basics, fixing foreign exchange rates for rents, introducing multiple electricity tariffs to help the most vulnerable, and incentives to local producers.

Even though lira rates have eased somewhat, Turkish Cypriots pray for a respite in the worsening relations between the United States and Turkey, a major source of the problem.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:15:39|Editor: Liangyu

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MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- With the United States recklessly wielding its sanctions on a number of countries of late, Russia has quickly responded by strengthening cooperation with other nations such as Iran and Turkey.

Though the active interactions enable Moscow to establish closer ties externally, no major changes can be expected until fundamental problems are resolved, Russian experts said.

ECONOMIC BLOWS

The United States has lately gone further in its aggressiveness and slapped economic sanctions -- once after the next -- on several countries.

On Aug. 7, the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran that it lifted just two years ago.

On Aug. 8, Washington declared to take punitive measures against Russia that will affect almost all Russian state companies.

On Aug. 10, it announced the decision to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum products from Turkey.

"Sanctions - not only against Russia - are becoming one of the main instruments of the U.S. foreign policy," Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov said.

The heavy punches have immediately brought about chaos in these economies. Russia's ruble has plunged to its weakest since mid-2016 and Turkey's lira lost 25 percent of its value in just one week.

The global economy is also taking a serious hit, with a universal depreciation in the currencies of emerging economies and fluctuations in the stock markets of developed countries, all in a chain reaction.

"The measures are sensitive, because they are aimed at reducing the incomes of national economies. This is painful for any country," said Azhdar Kurtov, editor-in-chief of the National Strategic Issues journal published by the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies.

Kurtov said the United States is trying to use economic means to force others to yield and follow its lead.

CLOSER NEIGHBORS

Common challenges make alignment possible, and Russia has been in closer-than-ever touch with its neighbors in the past few days.

Right after the sanctions on Iran were announced, Moscow declared to consolidate its economic cooperation with Teheran and reiterated its determination to preserve and implement the landmark Iran nuclear deal, which was abandoned by Washington in May.

During the visit to Ankara on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Turkey and Russia would take steps to enhance their strategic partnership and continue talks for cooperation on Syria. Moreover, the two sides are reportedly discussing the scenario of settlements in their national currencies.

In addition, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have signed a new convention lately for collective use of the Caspian Sea.

"Cooperation allows countries to act more efficiently and find productive solutions," Kurtov told Xinhua.

He noted that the pressure of U.S. sanctions will also be reflected across regional organizations in which these countries are included and therefore other members will "be forced to coordinate their actions" to cope with the sanctions as well.

Furthermore, the international community may also question the global status of the U.S. and seek more a pluralistic trade system if Washington continues to violate international law and harm the interests of others, he said.

"It will not happen quickly, but the U.S. is gradually losing its dominant position," Kurtov said.

NO QUICK SOLUTIONS

Despite closer ties with other countries, Russia for the moment still has limited bargaining chips on the matter of the U.S. sanctions.

Imbalanced trade between the United States and Russia has made retaliation from Moscow less intimidating to Washington.

Experts say Russia is currently much more dependent on the West economically than the other way round.

Russia should move to manage multiple risks and survive in an environment of extremely severe pressure, said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine.
By Damali mukhaye.

The opposition forum for Democratic change are demanding for the unconditional release of kyandondo east legislator and other party members who were arrested in arua last week.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanakumbi, the party president Patrick Amuriat says that despite the legislators who were arrested, majority of other people who are currently in police custody belong to FDC.

He says that if they are not released unconditionally, the party is going to join the demonstrations which have been staged by different protesters across the country to show the government that they will not tolerate human torture.

He also says that those people in police custody should be allowed to access their personal doctors for proper treatment.

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Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:30:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Brunei is moving towards an ageing society, which poses challenges for the sultanate's healthcare system, said Dr Hajah Norhayati, Head of the Health Promotion Centre at Brunei's Ministry of Health.

According to a report on local daily the Borneo Bulletin on Monday, figures from the UN Development Program said that the proportion of seniors in Brunei in relation to its overall population is expected to grow to more than 15 percent by 2030, and to more than 30 percent by 2050.

"We know the number of our seniors is increasing, we have evidence of this over the last few years. For us at the Ministry of Health, the concern is whether we are ready to face it, as elderly people tend to have a higher prevalence of suffering from chronic diseases in comparison to the general population," Norhayati said.

In 2016, the life expectancy for Brunei males was 80.5 years and 80.8 years for females.

"So we want the elderly who live longer to be as healthy as possible. Even though they might be living with a chronic disease, we want their condition to be under control, we want them to at the least maintain that state and not develop new diseases," she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:35:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BERLIN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Germany is set to record the world's largest current account surplus once again in 2018 in spite of growing international criticism of its export-focused growth model, German media reported on Monday.

The reports cited a study by the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research which calculated that Germany would achieve a current account surplus of 299 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.

The country was followed by Japan and the Netherlands in the Ifo ranking with surpluses of 200 billion dollars and 110 billion dollars respectively.

The current account is an important economic indicator that measures the sum of a country's balance of trade (imports and exports) and net income (or losses) from international investments. As already held true for previous years, Ifo explained that Germany's surplus in 2018 would largely owe to the high volume of goods which the country exports abroad.

Ifo expert Christian Grimme estimated that Germany's surplus on trade in goods this year was due to lasting strong demand from foreign customers in the eurozone, the wider European Union (EU) and the United States.

Grimme also noted, however, that the German capital account would also record an 18-billion-U.S.-dollar surplus in 2018 as Germans earned more income on international investments than the volume of funds transferred to other countries.

In contrast to the goods trade and capital accounts, Germany would continue to run its traditional deficit on international trade of services (minus 18 billion euros) which weighed on the overall surplus.

Grimme noted that the United States stood to retain the dubious honor of boasting the world's single largest current account deficit at 420 billion U.S. dollars according to the Ifo calculations.

U.S. President Donald Trump and the Washington-based International Monetary Fund have repeatedly criticized Germany for allegedly contributing to global current imbalances by pursuing an export-driven growth model.

The IMF argues that permanent surpluses above six percent of gross domestic product (GDP) endanger economic stability because they imply corresponding deficits and a build-up of international liabilities in other countries.

In an unusual public intervention, IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld recently urged German policy makers to take steps to reign in such "excessive surpluses".

Obstfeld warned that a lopsided cycle of capital and trade flows was likely to fuel harmful protectionist policies, like those implemented under the banner of Trump's "America First" doctrine.

At the same time, however, Obstfeld also attacked the United States and the United Kingdom for contributing to the problem on the opposite end of the spectrum by running excessive current account deficits.

Unless surplus and deficit countries do not act quickly and cooperatively to achieve adjustment, imbalances will grow even larger and could potentially provoke a global financial crisis, Obstfeld said.

Consequently, he recommended to Washington and London that they reign in government spending, encourage households to save more, and adopt tighter monetary policy towards this end, while Berlin should simultaneously increase government spending, especially in public infrastructure, to animate companies to invest more at home.

Commenting on the findings on Monday, Grimme similarly highlighted the risks posed by the current situation to Germany's longer-term growth.

"Sustained high current account surpluses can become problematic when international claims cannot be met, for example when foreigners are no longer capable of servicing their borrowing costs," Grimme said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:40:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BERLIN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has identified far-reaching reforms of Germany's public pension system as key policy priority of her coalition government on Monday.

Speaking to press in Berlin, Merkel's official spokesperson Steffen Seibert said that her goal was to ensure social security for all generations in the period both until and beyond 2025.

The comments were made in response to a widely-publicized call by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) for the government to stabilize pensions until 2040 with a corresponding financing model.

The ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and German Social Democrats (SPD) have made a pledge in their coalition agreement to guarantee citizens a pension level equivalent to 48 percent of their current income until 2025. The parties hereby left open how to approach challenges posed by Germany's ageing society in this regard after the cut of date and said that they would appoint an expert commission to explore policy options for the longer-term.

Scholz has described a successful overhaul of the German pensions system as being critical to alleviate citizens' concerns about socio-economic inequality and hence prevent the rise to power of a populist politician like U.S. President Donald Trump in the country. A spokesperson for Scholz reiterated on Monday that the "clear goal" of the debate he had provoked on pensions was to nip "populist tendencies" in electoral competition in the bud.

In spite of highlighting the priority which Merkel attaches to the issue, her spokesperson Seibert noted on Monday that the chancellor would not intervene with the work of the independent expert commission. Seibert noted that the 2020s in particular would become a critical period for the German social insurance system when a large number of citizens from the so-called post-war baby boomer generation are expected to retire.

Merkel's public statement on pensions underscores growing concern in Germany about the fiscal and economic consequences of demographic change. A recent study by the Bertelsmann Foundation found that nearly two thirds (65 percent) of Germans associate risks with an ageing population for themselves, including falling into old-age poverty, having to work longer and a need to pay higher salary contributions towards pension schemes.

"The survey clearly shows that citizens experience demographic change as a significant and far-reaching trend which will significantly influence the future of Germany," Bertelsmann demography expert Andre Schleiter explained. Schleiter further highlighted that a failure to successfully manage demographic change was likely to result in an increase of social inequality in Germany.

Whereas policymakers and business representatives still regularly pointed to asylum seekers as a potential solution to severe labor shortages and low birth rates during the 2015 "refugee crisis", increasingly hostile attitudes on foreigners and the electoral rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have since led Merkel to shift to a more restrictive stance on migration. Instead, Berlin now places a greater emphasis on measures designed to encourage natives to have more children, such as expanding the availability of public childcare facilities.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:45:50|Editor: Liangyu

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Ma Yili, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) ambassador, speaks during an interview at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug. 17, 2018. The international community should forge a united front to secure a brighter and healthier future for all children, said Ma Yili during her recent trip in Kenya. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

NAIROBI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The international community should forge a united front to secure a brighter, and healthier future for all children, said Ma Yili, a well-known Chinese actress and UNICEF (UN Children's Fund) ambassador during her recent trip in Kenya.

"The purpose of this visit is mainly to learn from and exchange with health workers in Kenya, and to share my experience there with people back home," said Ma.

"It has been a great honor for me to serve as a UNICEF ambassador, and to work with them to promote early childhood development," she added.

Ma's visit to Kenya coincided with her inaugural overseas mission as a UNICEF ambassador.

At the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, which happens to be one of the largest state-funded maternity facilities in Kenya, Ma was impressed by the warm reception she received from the mother of a 2-month-old baby whom she administered an oral polio vaccine.

"I did not expect the mother of the child to trust me this much -- this has been inspiring," she remarked with excitement.

Catherine Mutinda, the president of the hospital, hailed Ma's visit and the positive impact it created in the lives of young ones.

"She is very friendly and down to earth," said Mutinda.

As a mother of two girls, Ma had an easy time connecting with children at the maternity hospital.

The well-known Chinese actress was in 2013 appointed the UNICEF Special Advocate for Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Development.

She has in the last couple of years engaged in robust advocacy for breastfeeding as a means to promote children's health.

"I feel that the social responsibilities on my shoulder are even heavier since I have become a mother," Ma told Xinhua, adding that she intends to use her influence as a performing artist to raise public awareness on children's health.

She has been visiting projects supported by UNICEF and its partners in various parts of Kenya that are geared toward promoting maternal and children's health.

Some of the UNICEF-funded projects in Kenya have achieved remarkable results in increasing breastfeeding rates and reducing neonatal mortality.

"What is even more encouraging is that with the advocacy effort of UNICEF, Kangaroo Mother Care has been popularized in majority of maternity hospitals in Nairobi," said Ma.

"I have seen that many premature babies lie on the mother's chest every day to have intimate contact with them," she added. Evidence has shown that a close contact between mothers and their babies can help stabilize a toddler's temperature and stimulate its respiratory system.

Ma also underscored the critical role of community health volunteers to ensure the success of child-centered health programs. "There are many male volunteers, which is laudable," she said.

"I think men should play their part in nurturing the children, share their duties with young mothers and contribute to improvement of maternal and child health," said Ma.

Kenya and other sub-Saharan African countries are the epicenter of childhood illnesses and deaths because of inadequate and ill-equipped health facilities, poverty and cultural beliefs.

Statistics from UNICEF indicate that sub-Saharan Africa region accounts for 38 percent of the 7,000 newborns who die every day across the globe.

"It is especially saddening because the vast majority of these deaths are preventable," Ma remarked.

"I hope every child, every woman and every parent have access to quality health care services in Africa, in China and around the word. Let's unite together for a brighter future where all children enjoy better health," added Ma.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:50:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- One day ahead of Eid al-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, markets in the Palestinian Gaza Strip were packed with various kinds of commodities, but shoppers did not show up.

"I see the goods at the market, but I have no money to buy anything for my family. I cannot even buy a pair of socks for my children," Tareq Abu Jabal, a Gaza resident, told Xinhua.

The 40-year-old man, who used to be a construction worker, said he has been jobless for 11 years due to the Israeli blockade imposed on the seaside territory, which is ruled by Islamic Hamas movement.

Shops and vendors sell new cloths and candies while the demand is acutely weak.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated by Muslims worldwide in memory of Prophet Abraham's deed of nearly sacrificing his own son as ordered by God.

It comes at the end of the pilgrimage rituals in Saudi Arabia as Muslims slaughter sheep, goats, camels or calves as means of getting closer to God.

Traditionally, buying new cloths for children and sweets to serve visiting relatives is a regular habit to mark this occasion.

But people in Gaza complain that they cannot afford buying the feast needs as all prices have skyrocketed, with notable increase in poverty and unemployment rate caused by the Israeli blockade which has been in place since 2007.

Nihad al-Nashar, a Gaza housewife in her 50s, said she only bought basic needs in addition to very limited amounts of pancakes and sweets for the feast.

The lady added that her husband could barely meet the basic needs of his large family amid the deteriorating economic conditions in Gaza.

"This feast is different from previous ones," the woman said. "Despite the Israeli blockade, salary cuts and the worsening economic conditions, we will celebrate the Adha feast."

Gaza has been placed under a tight Israeli blockade since Hamas movement seized the territory by force after routing forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.

The blockade has pushed Gaza's 2 million people deeper into poverty as economists in Gaza warned that extreme poverty exceeded 50 percent in 2017 compared with 37 percent in 2011.

In addition to the blockade, the coastal enclave also suffered from a political division caused by Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza, which had been engaged in three major wars with Israel that claimed the lives of thousands.

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, unemployment rate in Gaza Strip reached 53.7 percent compared with 19.1 percent in the West Bank.

Ongoing salary cuts in government employees have added harm to the injury.

The market recession also delivered a heavy blow to merchants who cannot sell out their goods.

To avoid losses and increase sales, traders offer discounts that may reach up to 50 percent to attract buyers, but it is still not helpful.

The situation is getting worse every year and the difference between this year and last year's sales is big, said Kamal al-Reefy, a candy seller.

Al-Reefy said that economic situation last year was way better than this year as civil servants received complete salaries and prices of goods were cheaper.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 23:55:53|Editor: Liangyu

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) holds talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang held talks with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on Monday, saying China will work with Malaysia to promote neighborly friendship to a new high.

With new governments established in the two countries this year, the development of bilateral relations was standing at a new starting point, Li said.

He said that China will follow the friendly policy towards Malaysia, and will work with Malaysia to score the long-term healthy development of bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.

China and Malaysia have strong economic complementarity and great potential for cooperation. China is willing to better integrate the Belt and Road Initiative with Malaysia's development strategy, while promoting China-Malaysia industrial cooperation and construction of industrial parks, and strengthening cooperation in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, fisheries, and transportation infrastructure, said Li.

He said China will import more high-quality Malaysian products to cater to the needs of domestic consumers, improve the level of trade facilitation, and encourage strong and reputable companies of the two countries to expand two-way investment.

Li called on the two countries to provide a stable and sound business environment.

"China is willing to explore new cooperation with Malaysia in the fields such as science and technology innovation, automobile, finance, and e-commerce," said Li.

He also stressed the need to promote cultural exchanges, so as to lay a solid foundation of public support for cooperation.

As Malaysia is an important member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the development of China-Malaysia relations will not only benefit the two countries but also help deepen China-ASEAN relations and cooperation, said Li.

Against the background of rising unilateralism and protectionism, China is willing to work together with ASEAN countries including Malaysia to advocate multilateralism and free trade, adhere to putting development as a priority, and promote the building of an economic community in East Asia, so as to contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, Li said.

Mahathir said that this is the first time he has visited a country outside ASEAN since he assumed office as Malaysian prime minister for the second time but his eighth visit to China as the prime minister.

He confirmed that the Malaysian government will continue to pursue the friendly policy toward China and look forward to further consolidating bilateral relations through this visit, realizing mutual benefit and win-win results in the economic and trade fields, and promoting the upgrading of Malaysia-China relations.

While calling trade protectionism a historical reversal, Mahathir said Malaysia hopes to export more products to China, welcomes investment from Chinese companies, and hopes that both sides will expand cooperation in tourism, innovation and research and development.

Malaysia actively supports the Belt and Road Initiative, which is conducive to promoting inter-connectivity and trade exchanges between countries and enhancing the links between the East and the West, he said.

A healthy and stable Malaysia-China relationship will not only benefit Malaysia but also contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, he said.

Li and Mahathir also attended the signing of bilateral cooperative documents on economy, trade, agriculture, finance, and technology.

When meeting the press after the talks, Li said they agreed that the two countries should be partners in trade and investment, industrial cooperation, and innovation and growth.

Li said China will work with Malaysia to build a new pattern of pragmatic cooperation and open up a new space for cooperation in the fields of e-commerce, upgrading of traditional industries, and technological innovation.

The two sides also agreed to expand two-way opening up through capacity and industrial cooperation, and promote a more balanced development of bilateral trade on the basis of expanding trade scale.

Under the current international situation, the two sides agreed to jointly safeguard free trade, oppose trade protectionism, and promote the healthy development of economic globalization, according to Li.

The two sides are committed to promoting the construction of the East Asian Community, supporting ASEAN's central position in regional cooperation, and jointly sending a positive signal to the region and the world of maintaining the long-term friendship and safeguarding regional peace, stability, and development, he added.

Mahathir said Malaysia hopes to learn from China's experience and enhance the level of e-commerce and innovation cooperation.

The two countries are willing to work together to support globalization and maintain an open, free, and fair international economic system.

Also on Monday, the two sides released a joint statement, saying that standing at new historical junctures of their respective national development, China and Malaysia are optimistic about the prospect of their bilateral relations.

The statement said that during the visit, leaders of the two countries charted the course for future development of the bilateral relations, and had in-depth exchanges of views on regional and international issues of common interest in a friendly and cordial atmosphere.

It said both countries underscored the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability, as well as safety and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Both sides emphasized the need for all sovereign states directly concerned to resolve their differences by peaceful means through friendly consultations and negotiations, and the need for all parties to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities, and to avoid actions that would complicate or escalate tensions in the South China Sea.

China and Malaysia, together with the ASEAN Member States, will work for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and encourage maritime cooperation, as well as actively push forward consultations on a Code of Conduct (COC) to see early conclusion of an effective COC, the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 00:05:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkish leaders and officials have condemned an attack at the U.S. embassy in Ankara on early Monday.

Turkey condemns the armed attack carried out against the U.S. embassy, and an investigation has been launched to find out details of the incident and to catch the attackers, said a written statement issued by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy.

Security measures have been taken to ensure the security of the U.S. embassy in Ankara and other U.S. diplomatic missions across the country and their personnel, Aksoy said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also condemned the "provocative attack" on his Twitter account.

"We will make sure that this incident is investigated quickly and the perpetrators are brought to justice," he said.

"We condemn the attack against the U.S. embassy. This is clearly an attempt to create chaos," said the Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, pointing out that "Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions in the country are safeguarded by laws."

Unidentified gunmen fired gun shots at the U.S. embassy in Ankara early Monday, hitting a window of a security cabin without causing casualties.

At least four gun shots were reportedly fired in front of Gate 6 of the embassy from a white car at around 5 a.m. local time (0200 GMT), broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

The Ankara governor's office said in a statement that three bullets hit the embassy building, adding that the police were actively searching for the suspects at large.

The embassy is set to close this week for an official public holiday to mark the Eid al-Adha festival.

The attack came amid high tension between the two NATO allies over the detention of a U.S. pastor in Turkey.

Turkey has seen its currency rate thrown into turmoil this week after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions, including doubling tariffs on aluminium and steel. Ankara has responded by steeply hiking taxes on some U.S. products.

The U.S. diplomatic missions in Turkey have been targeted several times in the past.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 00:21:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NAIROBI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) member states are considering increasing import duty on finished goods in order to protect their local industries, a Kenyan official said on Monday.

Peter Munya, the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, told journalists in Nairobi that the six member states have a Common External Tariff (CET) that is currently under review.

"We are at the tail end of the discussions and all member states are in agreement that we need to raise the import duties so that we shield our local industries from foreign competition," Munya said during a tour of the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute.

Munya said partner states will have a high level meeting to conclude talks to develop a new CET in the next two months.

Currently, the CET calls for zero percent duty on raw materials, ten percent for intermediate goods and 25 percent for finished goods.

He said member states are all keen to develop an industrial base so as to benefit from job creation and save foreign exchange used on importation of goods that can be produced locally.

Munya said Kenya has over the years experienced a huge trade deficit as imports have expanded faster than exports.

He noted that trade liberalization has seen Kenya face unfair competition from goods produced abroad and this has resulted in the stagnation of the manufacturing sector.

The CS added that Kenya is also developing a policy that will improve the competitiveness of local manufacturers.

"The policy will ensure that small and medium enterprise (SMEs) receive the necessary support to enable them expand their businesses," he added.

The Ministry of Industry hopes that once the policy is in place, it will enable the country to overcome the challenges affecting SMEs.

Kenya has also rolled out the Big Four Agenda that prioritizes manufacturing, affordable housing, universal healthcare and food security.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 00:36:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The state capture commission of inquiry will probe whether South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma played any part in the alleged offering of cabinet positions to former Deputy Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas and ex-MP Vytjie Mentor by the controversial Gupta family.

The much anticipated inquiry began in Johannesburg with the Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo outlining the terms and references of the inquiry set to take place for two years.

"In particular, the commission must investigate the veracity of allegations that former deputy finance minister and Mentor were offered cabinet positions by the Gupta family and whether the President had any role in the alleged offer," Zondo said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed the commission to investigate allegations of state capture, fraud and corruption in the public state.

The inquiry stems from the findings made in the State Capture report by the former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that alleged improper relationship between Zuma and the Gupta family in the appointment of cabinet ministers and directors at state owned companies which benefited the family.

In 2016, Jonas alleged that Ajay Gupta offered him a post of Finance Minister and R600m bribe in exchange for executive decisions favorable to the interests of the Gupta family.

According to South Africa's Constitution, only the president can appoint and dismiss cabinet ministers.

Zondo said the inquiry would establish if the allocation and the distribution of state resources was determined by a network of individuals both inside and outside government.

"It bears emphasis that state capture is not just about corruption. It is not even about widespread corruption. Corruption may be part of State Capture, but it is more than that," said the Judge.

He added that, "State Capture would concern a network of relationships both inside and outside government, whose objectives is to ensure the repurposing of government departments, officials and state owned entities for private gain. Did what occurred concern not only acts of corruption but also a deliberate weakening of constitutional government?"

Zondo also said that it would investigate whether the appointment of "any member of the executive was disclosed to the Gupta family."

The ruling ANC said it welcomed the inquiry, appealing to members with evidence to appear before it.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 01:11:16|Editor: Liangyu

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on Monday.

Xi expressed his appreciation for the great importance Mahathir has attached to advancing ties between the two countries and his support for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, as well as his contributions to accelerating regional cooperation within Asia.

China is endeavoring to achieve its two centenary goals, meanwhile, Malaysia has embarked on its journey of building a new Malaysia, Xi noted, saying that bilateral ties stand at a new and pivotal point.

China and Malaysia, as major rising forces in Asia, are cooperating in providing development opportunities for each other, Xi said, voicing his hope that the two countries can strengthen strategic communication to promote bilateral ties, the rejuvenation of Asia and prosperity of the world.

Malaysia was the first country from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish diplomatic relations with China since the regional organization was founded.

Xi reiterated China's commitment to developing friendly ties with Malaysia and expressed his confidence in further intensifying relations in the new era.

He called on the two countries to respect one another, settle issues properly through negotiation and follow the direction of friendly cooperation, so as to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win results.

With a focus on Asia and a global perspective, the two should upgrade the quality and efficiency of China-ASEAN cooperation, speed up construction of the East Asia economic community, inject new impetus into South-South cooperation, enhance the representation and voice of developing countries, and take a firm position against unilateralism and trade protectionism, Xi said.

He noted Malaysia is an important country along the ancient Maritime Silk Road and was among the first to participate in the Belt and Road construction.

Xi called for the joint construction of the Belt and Road, which serves as a focus in pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the new era.

China and Malaysia should increase overall planning and alignment of development strategies, push forward industrial and innovation cooperation, cultivate new bright points, expand new fields, and seek new ideas and models in their cooperation, Xi added.

He also encouraged the two countries to look for cooperation opportunities with third parties along the Belt and Road so as to inject positive energy into the economic development of the region and the world.

Saying his visit to China indicates an important step taken by Malaysia's new government, Mahathir stressed his country's friendly policy toward China remains unchanged.

Malaysia has benefited from its cooperation with China, a significant and influential country as well as Malaysia's largest trading partner, said Mahathir, adding that China's development never poses a threat to his country.

Malaysia admires the miraculous achievements China has made in industrial and commercial fields and hopes to learn from China's experience in its attempt to "Look East," he said.

China is welcome to invest more in Malaysia, the Malaysian prime minister said, expressing his hope that through this approach bilateral cooperation can be cemented and people of the two countries will benefit.

He spoke of the great Chinese navigator Zheng He's visits to Malaysia more than 600 years ago and voiced his country's support for the Belt and Road Initiative, which is expected to increase regional exchanges.

Also on Monday, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, met with Mahathir, calling for more cooperation between the two countries' legislatures.

Mahathir is paying an official visit to China from Aug. 17 to 21.
Police and the army have fired teargas and bullets to stop rioters who have lit fire in the middle of roads in Kisekka Market, Namirembe Road and Kikuubo.

The police were chasing crowds who were shouting People Power, Our power demanding Bobi Wines release. The protesters accuse the government of arresting and torturing MPs Bobi Wine, Francis Zaake and others who were arrested in Arua last Monday, after chaos that occurred when MP-Elect Kassiano Wadris supporters met with those of NRM candidate Nusura Tiperu.

Police have deployed heavily in downtown Kampala and police cars, mambas can be seen on the streets.

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Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 01:16:17|Editor: Liangyu

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Wang Huning (R), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, holds talks with Tran Quoc Vuong, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and permanent member of the CPV Central Committee's Secretariat, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Wang Huning held talks with Tran Quoc Vuong, Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee's Secretariat, in Beijing on Monday.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, said China and Vietnam should turn consensus reached by the leaders of the CPC and the CPV into concrete actions.

He said China-Vietnam relations are generally maintaining a positive development trend and the general secretaries of the two parties have charted the blueprints of bilateral relations under the new situation.

He stressed the guiding role of high-level CPC-CPV exchanges in promoting healthy and stable development of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.

The CPC and Chinese government always view China-Vietnam relations from a strategic height as well as a long-term perspective, and are ready to work with the CPV and Vietnamese government to carry forward, consolidate, and develop the traditional friendship, said Wang.

He called on the two sides to enhance high-level exchanges, promote political mutual trust, solidify the foundation of a community with a shared future for China and Vietnam, forge ahead with pragmatic cooperation in various fields, improve the foundation of public opinion between the two countries and safeguard a peaceful and steady situation in the South China Sea.

Vuong said it is Vietnam's consistent position to consolidate, enhance, and deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries.

He said China is the top priority of Vietnam's external relations and the CPV has always supported the development of a socialist China.

Vuong said under the guidance of the policy of long-term stability, forward-thinking, good-neighborliness and comprehensive cooperation, and the spirit of being good neighbors, friends, comrades and partners, the CPV stands ready to work with China to deepen experience exchanges on party and country governance, enhance pragmatic cooperation in various fields, properly handle differences, and jointly build a community with a shared future of strategic importance.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 01:51:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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OSLO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The first shipload of military equipment arrived in Norway during the past weekend in preparation for a massive NATO exercise this autumn, the Norwegian Armed Forces said on Monday.

About 40,000 soldiers from more than 30 countries are expected to take part in exercise Trident Juncture -- NATO's largest military exercise since 2002 -- this autumn. The live training will be conducted from Oct. 25 to Nov. 7.

Around 130 aircraft, 70 vessels and up to 10,000 vehicles will be used during the exercise, according to the Norwegian Armed Forces.

The first military materiel and vehicles arrived in Andalsnes in western Norway on Saturday. The equipment arrived with the Italian cargo vessel Capucine, the Norwegian military said in a statement.

"Trident Juncture is vital for Norway's defense capability. Our military forces get valuable training along with our allies," Lieutenant General Rune Jakobsen, chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces' Joint Headquarters, was quoted as saying.

"But equally important is to test our ability to receive reinforcements from NATO," he said.

The exercise will take place in central and eastern Norway and the surrounding areas of the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, including Iceland and the airspace of Finland and Sweden.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 01:51:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NICOSIA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S.-born British businessman William Browder has appealed a Cypriot court's decision allowing Cypriot authorities to cooperate with Russian investigators in probing his financial activities in the eastern Mediterranean island, in a case with widespread international ramifications, his lawyer said on Monday.

Russia requested Cypriot authorities to provide judicial assistance and help its investigators probe Browder's financial activities as part of an investigation against him for tax fraud.

Browder, founder of Hermitage Capital Management, had tried to block the investigation by initially obtaining last September an interim court order barring Cypriot authorities from cooperating with Russia -- a move that destabilized Cypriot-Russian relations.

However, the same court reversed the interim order and dismissed Browder's request to permanently block Cyprus from cooperating with Russia in its investigation against him.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court decided on Aug. 3 to allow Cypriot authorities to assist Russia on the grounds that probable violations of Browder's human rights would not be irreparable and that the state could subsequently compensate both Brower and his associate Ivan Cherkasov, who is also being investigated.

Lawyer Christos Pourgourides, in announcing the appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision, called on Cypriot Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou to take into consideration that in its Aug. 3 ruling the court did accept Browder's argument that the investigations against him and Cherkasov were politically motivated.

He said that helping Russia against Browder could prove costly for Cyprus.

Cyprus is at the receiving end of pressure from both Russia and the United States.

Russia has leverage on Cyprus as it has evolved into a base for many Russian-owned companies. Russia is a major customer for the Cypriot corporate and legal services providers and the second largest source of tourism.

On the other hand, the United States has been trying to contain Russian influence on Cyprus, and also pressures Cyprus to observe sanctions imposed on influential Russian individuals and companies.

According to Russian news agency Sputnik, Russia had in 2013 sentenced Browder in absentia to nine years in prison for tax evasion and falsely claiming tax breaks for hiring disabled persons.

The court also ruled that Sergei Magnitsky, a tax and legal consultant for Hermitage Capital Management, who died in pretrial detention in Moscow in 2010, developed and implemented a tax evasion scheme while working for the businessman.

Browder refuted the accusations, saying that he became a victim of a corruption scheme himself, according to Sputnik.

In February 2017, a Moscow court ruled to arrest Browder and his business partner Ivan Cherkasov, both charged with 4.2 billion rubles (62.5 million U.S. dollars) in unpaid taxes, in absentia. The United Kingdom, where they two have resided, has denied requests to have them extradited to Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa)

MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- With the United States recklessly wielding its sanctions on a number of countries of late, Russia has quickly responded by strengthening cooperation with other nations such as Iran and Turkey.

Though the active interactions enable Moscow to establish closer ties externally, no major changes can be expected until fundamental problems are resolved, Russian experts said.

ECONOMIC BLOWS

The United States has lately gone further in its aggressiveness and slapped economic sanctions -- once after the next -- on several countries.

On Aug. 7, the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran that it lifted just two years ago.

On Aug. 8, Washington declared to take punitive measures against Russia that will affect almost all Russian state companies.

On Aug. 10, it announced the decision to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum products from Turkey.

"Sanctions - not only against Russia - are becoming one of the main instruments of the U.S. foreign policy," Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov said.

The heavy punches have immediately brought about chaos in these economies. Russia's ruble has plunged to its weakest since mid-2016 and Turkey's lira lost 25 percent of its value in just one week.

The global economy is also taking a serious hit, with a universal depreciation in the currencies of emerging economies and fluctuations in the stock markets of developed countries, all in a chain reaction.

"The measures are sensitive, because they are aimed at reducing the incomes of national economies. This is painful for any country," said Azhdar Kurtov, editor-in-chief of the National Strategic Issues journal published by the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies.

Kurtov said the United States is trying to use economic means to force others to yield and follow its lead.

CLOSER NEIGHBORS

Common challenges make alignment possible, and Russia has been in closer-than-ever touch with its neighbors in the past few days.

Right after the sanctions on Iran were announced, Moscow declared to consolidate its economic cooperation with Teheran and reiterated its determination to preserve and implement the landmark Iran nuclear deal, which was abandoned by Washington in May.

During the visit to Ankara on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Turkey and Russia would take steps to enhance their strategic partnership and continue talks for cooperation on Syria. Moreover, the two sides are reportedly discussing the scenario of settlements in their national currencies.

In addition, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have signed a new convention lately for collective use of the Caspian Sea.

"Cooperation allows countries to act more efficiently and find productive solutions," Kurtov told Xinhua.

He noted that the pressure of U.S. sanctions will also be reflected across regional organizations in which these countries are included and therefore other members will "be forced to coordinate their actions" to cope with the sanctions as well.

Furthermore, the international community may also question the global status of the U.S. and seek more a pluralistic trade system if Washington continues to violate international law and harm the interests of others, he said.

"It will not happen quickly, but the U.S. is gradually losing its dominant position," Kurtov said.

NO QUICK SOLUTIONS

Despite closer ties with other countries, Russia for the moment still has limited bargaining chips on the matter of the U.S. sanctions.

Imbalanced trade between the United States and Russia has made retaliation from Moscow less intimidating to Washington.

Experts say Russia is currently much more dependent on the West economically than the other way round.

Russia should move to manage multiple risks and survive in an environment of extremely severe pressure, said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 02:11:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ACCRA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Ghanaian government on Monday announced that it would open a book of condolence to honor the memory of the former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said the book would be opened at the Accra International Conference Center from Aug. 22 to 28.

"All Ghanaian missions abroad shall similarly open books of condolence to enable the public pay tribute to the great son of Ghana and widely-admired international civil servant," the statement said.

Annan died last Saturday in Berne, Switzerland, after a short illness.

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday signed a book of condolence opened by the family of the late international diplomat.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 02:21:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RIGA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Latvian armed forces are staging their largest military exercise yet to test and enhance their readiness to defend the Baltic country against any kind of threat, the Latvian Defense Ministry informed on Monday.

The maneuvers Namejs 2018 will be taking place from Aug. 20 to Sept. 2 in all Latvia. The Latvian military will be testing its defense capabilities both independently and as part of NATO's collective defense system.

"After four years of intensive preparations, this will be the largest military exercise since the restoration of Latvia's independence," said Latvia's Chief of Defense, Lieutenant General Leonids Kalnins.

He underlined that the maneuvers are intended as a test not only for the national armed forces but Latvia in general as the more than 10,000 people involved in the drills include not only the regular army but also home guards, reserve troops, volunteers, as well as law enforcement personnel and border guards.

Allied soldiers are also expected to take part in the Namejs exercise.

The maneuvers will be held at the Adazi training grounds outside Riga and other military training facilities across Latvia, with movements of military personnel and equipment planned in at least 36 regions of Latvia, the Defense Ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 02:41:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ACCRA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Government of Ghana is in talks with the family of late UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on funeral arrangements for the global statesman, Deputy Minister for information Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah disclosed here on Monday.

Speaking on local media, the deputy minister who has been nominated for the substantive ministerial position, pledged the readiness of the state to offer any assistance in giving him a befitting burial.

"Today and tomorrow, we are engaging with the family so that we begin exploring how to ensure that we give him a befitting final burial, especially looking at the global interest," the deputy minister disclosed.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo held discussions with Annan's immediate family on Sunday and signed the book of condolence opened in his honor by the family.

Government will open a book of condolence in memory of the late Nobel Peace Laureate who passed away on Saturday.

"A great Ghanaian who served his country, Africa and humanity with dignity and humility, has left us to join his maker. Ghana has suffered a great loss from his passing.

"He brought great renown to our nation, and it is my wish that our nation honors him fully on his passing. God bless him and grant him a peaceful place of abode in his bosom." Akufo-Addo wrote.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 03:56:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI appointed on Monday the new minister of economy and finance after the former minister was dismissed earlier this month.

According to a statement from the king's office, Mohamed Benchaaboun was sworn in before the king in Rabat Royal Palace as the new minister of economy and finance.

The new minister served as director of Banque Centrale Populaire, a major bank in Morocco, before his appointment.

On Aug. 1, the king sacked Mohammed Boussaid from his position as minister of economy and finance after consulting with Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani.

A statement by the king's office said then that the decision was an implementation of the principle of accountability that the king is seeking to apply to all officials regardless of their ranking or affiliation.

Boussaid was the fifth minister fired by the king in less than a year.

King Mohammed VI dismissed last October four ministers over their involvement in delaying the development projects in the northern city of Al Hoceima.

The dismissed were ministers of interior, education, health and housing as well as a secretary of state in charge of vocational training.
The file photo shows that a U.S army soldier stands with his weapon at a military base in the Makhmour area near Mosul during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, Oct. 18, 2016. (REUTERS Photo)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Department of Defense said Monday that one U.S. soldier was killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in Iraq, adding three more were being treated for injuries.

Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning told a briefing that the incident took place during a "partnered counter terrorism mission" and that "there's no indication that the crash was caused by hostile fire."

Manning gave no other detail to the incident, including the identity of the deceased and injured soldiers, saying the investigation is ongoing.

The incident followed a similar helicopter crash in Western Iraq on March 15, in which all seven personnel aboard a U.S. military helicopter were killed.

According to public approximate numbers, the United States currently have 5,200 people operating in Iraq, 2,000 in Syria, and 14,000 in Afghanistan.
A Palestinian protester kicks back a tear gas canister during clashes after a protest against the expanding of Jewish settlements in Kufr Qadoom village near the West Bank city of Nablus, on Aug. 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Nidal Eshtayeh)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has vowed to continue to protect Palestinian civilians despite challenging circumstances.

In a report to the General Assembly on the protection of Palestinians, which went public on Monday, Guterres said that after more than 50 years of Israeli military occupation, Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip remain particularly vulnerable to violence, intimidation, loss of property and income, and various violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

The combination of a prolonged military occupation, constant security threats, weak political institutions and a deadlocked peace process provides for a protection challenge that is highly complex politically, legally and practically, said the report.

It is crucial that ongoing UN efforts to ensure Palestinians' protection, safety and well-being be maintained and strengthened, particularly in the light of the current financial shortfalls faced by humanitarian and development agencies on the ground, it said.

"I urge all member states to step up their financial contributions and political support for these efforts," said Guterres in the report.

Increased UN efforts in support of achieving a lasting political solution to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis are critical, as such a solution is the only way to achieve the full protection of Palestinians, he said.

"This tragedy underlines the urgency of revitalizing the peace process. It is only by realizing the vision of two states living side-by-side in peace, security and mutual recognition, with Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the State of Palestine, and all final-status issues resolved permanently through negotiations, that the legitimate aspirations of both peoples will be achieved," the UN chief said in the report.
By Benjamin Jumbe.

Usuk County Mp Peter Ogwang who is also a parliament commissioner has dismissed reports that Kyadondo East Mp Robert Kyagulanyi is in critical condition

This follows his courtesy visit to the detained colleague together with other legislators including ArinaitweRwakajara, and Doreen Amule the chairperson of committee on Defence and Internal Affairs last evening.

Speaking to Kfm after the visit Ogwang said Kyagulanyi is in stable condition and was able to receive and talk to them well.

He says Kyagulanyi complained to them about his kidney and pain on his hip, but confirmed that the doctors are to do a scan to ascertain the exact problem, appealing to the general public to desist from spreading alarming propaganda and false information about his health

Sound OgwangBobi stable

The UPDF spokesperson Brig Richard Karemire in a tweet confirmed the visit of the legislators and said that there was no need to worry.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 04:52:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Lebanese official said on Monday that 270,000 Lebanese people have lost their jobs after 384,000 Syrian refugees poured into the country's employment market, independent online newspaper Elnashra reported.

"Around 150,000 of those who lost their jobs used to work in the services sector," said Ola Boutros, advisor to the Foreign Affairs Minister in charge of the Syrian refugees' dossier.

"74 percent of Syrian refugees do not have legal residency permits," she noted.

After talks with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil in Moscow on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia will help Lebanon deal with the return of Syrian refugees to their home country.

Notably, Russia has drafted a strategy for the Lebanese authorities to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 05:12:08|Editor: Liangyu

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People visit the 2018 China Brand Goods Show in Toronto, Canada, Aug. 20, 2018. A three-day exhibition of Chinese brand goods opened at the Toronto international center on Monday. (Xinhua/Zou Zheng)

TORONTO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A three-day exhibition of Chinese brand goods opened at the Toronto international center on Monday.

Wu Zhengping, director general of the Trade Development Bureau of Chinese Commerce Ministry, told Xinhua that the exhibition is designed to further optimize the market layout, promote bilateral economic and trade exchanges, and publicize Chinese brand enterprises and products in North American area.

The exhibition covers an area of 3,000 square meters with 120 booths established in show hall of the international center. More than a hundred Chinese brand enterprises are showing their various products, including well-known high-speed trains, maglev train,unmanned aerial vehicles, 3D printers, vehicle maintenance and repair material, auto parts, household ceramic gifts and building materials.

With high technology content and novel design, the products are featured with Chinese traditional characteristics and innovation, providing a good opportunity and platform for the participants to know and understand Chinese brand products, which are highly praised by the participants.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 05:17:09|Editor: Liangyu

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An Egyptian girl poses with goats at a livestock market in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 17, 2018. The livestock markets in Egypt witnessed a recession ahead of Eid al-Adha, or the Islamic "Festival of Sacrifice," because of hikes in animal prices and worsening economic conditions. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Ahmed Shafiq

CAIRO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The livestock markets in Egypt witnessed a recession ahead of Eid al-Adha, or the Islamic "Festival of Sacrifice," because of hikes in animal prices and worsening economic conditions.

"This season, fewer people are approaching markets to buy sacrificial animals," livestock vendor Ahmed Fathy said as he fed a sheep in a livestock market in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

The young man said customers visit the market but few of them buy animals, attributing it to the high prices of cattle as well as the deteriorating living conditions of many Egyptians.

"Last year was way better. I almost sold all my animals. However, this year I have not even sold half of them," Fathy said while looking around to search for customers.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated by Muslims worldwide once a year in memory of Prophet Abraham's near-sacrifice of his own son as ordered by God.

The holiday is marked at the end of the pilgrimage rituals in Saudi Arabia when Muslims slaughter sacrificial animals in hope of getting closer to God.

The frustrating economic conditions as well as high poverty rates led livestock traders to make unprecedented offers in order to sell their animals.

"I have an installment payment system for people I trust. Buyers can pay half of the price and pay the rest on the monthly basis upon an agreement," Fathy added.

Meanwhile, Egyptians are forced to pool funds to buy a sacrificial animal, and then share it between five to eight persons.

Egypt has been suffering economic recessions over the past few years because of political instability and security challenges.

Since late 2016, Egypt has been going through a strict three-year economic reform program, starting with local currency floatation to contain U.S. dollar shortage followed by austerity measures, energy subsidy cuts and tax increases.

The liberalization of the Egyptian pound encouraged the International Monetary Fund to support Egypt's economic reform plan with a 12-billion-dollar loan, two thirds of which have already been delivered to the North African country.

Not far away from Fathy, Moahmmed Hany, an Egyptian engineer in his 30s, was bargaining with another livestock vendor over the price of a sheep.

"The prices of sacrificial animals are really high this year," Hany told Xinhua.

He spent more than one hour in the market searching for a cheap sheep and finally found a small one.

"But it is still more expensive than I expected," he lamented.

The young engineer said he used to slaughter a cow or a camel in previous years, "but the price hikes of all commodities forced me to buy cheaper animal for the sacrifice feast."

The price of one kg of a calf ranges between 50-55 Egyptian pounds (2.79-3.07 U.S. dollars), while the price of one kg of sheep stands at 65 pounds, Hany explained.

"So, buying a sheep is more convenient for me ... I want to keep the habit to slaughter a sacrifice in the feast," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 05:47:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HELSINKI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Discussion about the ways of helping Finland's agriculture sector is heating up in the Nordic country, but there is no long-term consensus.

While the plight of Finnish farmers in the wake of a record dry summer has aroused major sympathy throughout the society, there have been also influential voices in Finland this week raising the question whether unprofitable agriculture should be getting public financial support with no end in sight.

Juha Marttila, chairman of the Finnish agricultural producers and forest owners organization, broke the news on Monday that an emergency appeal to the EU had brought no actual crisis assistance -- only payment schedules of normal EU subsidies will be made faster and some regulations eased.

But otherwise the letter from European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan led to conclusions that the drought problem is too wide for the EU to tackle in terms of assistance.

The Finnish government will review upcoming emergency measures. Marttila gave the 120 million euros that neighbouring Sweden spends on crisis funding as an example.

The political scene is somewhat split, however. The opposition Social Democratic Party leader Antti Rinne on Monday endorsed crisis support, but conservative MP and economist Juhana Vartiainen said there is "nothing wrong if the most unprofitable farms now close down".

"Support must bring structural changes, not conservation," he said.

Touko Aalto, chairman of the Green League, also said there is no sense again and again to patch up losses, but to create profitability. He suggested that commercial harvest loss insurance should be relied on, as happens in forestry. Forest owners can take insurance policies against weather, fire and insects.

Earlier this summer, the government assigned a task force headed by Reijo Karhinen, former director of the OP banking and insurance group, to review the ways of improving the food market and the profitability of agriculture.

Finnish agriproducers have suffered from low price policies of Finnish retail. Marttila said that in Sweden, on the contrary, retail had reduced imports and maintained thus the domestic producer price level.

The problems of Finnish agriculture are by no means only a result of the dry summer. 2018 is the fourth year in a crisis. The biggest reason is the cessation of exports to Russia, due to the mutual sanctions in the wake of the 2014 political crisis.

The number of farms in Finland has been declining at the rate of three percent per year since 2000. The National Institute for Natural Resources reports that in 2000 there were 78,000 active farms applying for EU assistance, while this year some 50,000 applied.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 05:47:19|Editor: Liangyu

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by Mohamed al-Azaki

SANAA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- While millions of Muslims across the globe are sacrificing goats and cows to celebrate Eid al-Adha holidays, or the Islamic "Festival of Sacrifice" starting on Aug. 21, millions of people in the war-torn Yemen are unable to secure one meal a day.

According to recent UN reports, 22.2 million Yemenis depend on aid, and 8.4 million people out of Yemen's 29-million population are struggling to secure next meal.

In Noqum livestock market in eastern Sanaa, dozens of people flocked to buy goats, cows to celebrate the sacrifice festival.

Even some cattle here showed signs of acute malnutrition.

Hosen al-Rajawi, a buyer, said his family would share the cost of a sacrificial cow with six other neighbour families for the festival.

"The cow, which was priced at 350,000 Yemeni rials (636.36 U.S. dollars) during last year's Eid al-Adha, is now sold at one million rials," al-Rajawi told Xinhua.

Saif Mohammed, another buyer in the market, complained that the cattle prices are much higher than the previous year.

"We have already been suffering from soaring prices, war, blockade. Therefore, we are enduring a lethal trinity," Mohammed said.

Meanwhile, Mohammed al-Firsi, a cattle trader, said the hikes in the prices were caused by the soaring prices of fodder, water and fuel.

"The business this year is very weak compared with the previous year because of the war, all-out blockade and the rise in exchange rate of dollar against the Yemeni rial," said al-Firsi.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since 2014, when Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition forces intervened in Yemen's war to fight the Houthis in March 2015 in response to an official request from internationally-recognized Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to regain control over the counry.

In 2016, Hadi's government accused Houthis of using the money of Yemen's Central Bank to finance their military deployments, and moved the bank from Houthi-held capital Sanaa to Aden, the government's temporary capital in the south.

However, the accusations were denied by the Houthi group.

The war has caused a rapid deterioration in the country's already shaken economy and triggered the prices to soar.

In the meantime, more than tens of thousands of civil servants in the north remained unpaid for nearly 24 months due to the war.

Mohammed al-Alawi, a journalist in the Sanaa-based state-run 26 September daily newspaper, said he also does not have enough money to buy his five children meat during the ceremonies.

"I will buy my children one chicken on the first day of the four-day holiday, but I can't secure the next meal," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 05:52:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WARSAW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- "We need Poland as a very important element of the EU," visiting German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday in Harmeze, Oswiecim in southern Poland.

Maas told a press conference after the meeting with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz that his visit to Poland was "very moving", and stressed that wartime death camps constituted "the darkest pages in German history."

He stressed that Germany took full responsibility for wartime atrocities committed against Jews and Poles.

Maas pointed out that the talks were the second meeting between the Polish and German foreign ministers, and said this proved that both sides were intent on expanding their relations.

Maas also underscored Poland's importance for the EU.

He announced an autumn-planned round of Polish-German government-level consultations, among others to focus on the Western Balkans.

Czaputowicz that the German foreign minister's visit to Poland "aimed at underscoring the relations between our countries and open doors to further cooperation."

He said that the talks concerned the situation of Germany's Polish community, and European affairs including Brexit, and the new EU budget.

Czaputowicz said Poland hoped for more government aid for Germany's Polish community, especially in matters related to Polish-language education.

With regard to Brexit and the EU budget, Czaputowicz said cooperation in both fields between Poland and Germany "was possible and could be very fruitful." He added that the talks with Maas also covered Ukraine, Georgia, Syria, migration and the future of the EU.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 05:57:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAPE TOWN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Black South Africans are able to make a success of owning and managing land, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday.

In an apparent bid to alleviate fears for the proposed land expropriation without compensation, Ramaphosa said black South African farmers "are able to farm successfully, ensure food security and sustain livelihoods."

The president was speaking at an event in Kempton Park, Gauteng Province, hosted by the African Farmers' Association of South Africa (AFASA), which is dedicated to ensuring meaningful participation of black individuals in the mainstream commercial agribusiness sector.

Ramaphosa praised the AFASA for shining a light on the historical challenges faced by farmers, and solely on the basis of their skin color.

"Through its lobbying and advocacy work, AFASA is helping to re-shape agriculture, bridging the divide between policy and reality, between legislation and the live experience of emerging black farmers," said Ramaphosa.

In doing so, it is sending a clear message to young South Africans that there is a future in farming, he said.

The AFASA is challenging some of the preconceptions about black farmers and changing attitudes throughout society, Ramaphosa said.

He was speaking as South Africa's Parliament is accelerating the process to review Section 25 of the Constitution and other clauses where necessary to sufficiently cater for the principle of land expropriation without compensation.

Opponents argue that land expropriation without compensation will drive away white farmers, kill jobs and threaten food security, just like what has happened in neighboring Zimbabwe where farming land seized by blacks has turned useless.

Earlier this month, AfriForum, an association of South African farmers, has launched an international campaign to get the South African government to stop its move to expropriate land without compensation.

Ramaphosa disputed the notion that blacks can't manage land successfully.

The ability of black farmers to work the land successfully is constrained by the accumulated disadvantages of centuries of dispossession and deprivation, the president said.

This is in addition to the challenges they face when the forces of nature and forces of the market conspire to cut production and undermine profitability, he said.

"This is the reality that we need to confront and overcome together," Ramaphosa said.

The country's land must be shared among those who wish to work it, and those who wish to work it must be given the support and encouragement to be successful, he added.

South Africa, he said, has embarked on a program of accelerated land reform that aims to redistribute more land, at a faster pace, to black South Africans.

This will ensure tenure security for the insecure and change the distorted patterns of development, both in the cities and the countryside, said Ramaphosa.

"We should ensure that government uses its procurement power to open up markets for emerging farmers," he said.

It is through engagements with groupings like the AFASA that the government must define what other measures it must take to create a conducive and favorable environment for black farmers to thrive, said Ramaphosa.

He said however that land reform should be guided by the need to increase agricultural production, unlock the economic potential of land, stimulate economic growth, create jobs and ensure food security.

"Black and white farmers must together, and working with government, build a better future not just in the agrarian economy but in society at large," Ramaphosa stressed.

Since taking power in 1994, the South African government led by the African National Congress has made land redistribution from whites to blacks without compensation as one of its main policies.

But land remains predominantly in white hands more than two decades after the end of apartheid, sparking growing discontent among South African blacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 06:02:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LISBON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese GNR police working in the Greek islands of Samos and Lesbos rescued 69 migrants from Afghanistan and Iraq on Monday, the GNR said in a statement.

The migrants, who were heading towards the Greek coast, include 36 children, 16 women and 17 men.

The statement said that as part of operations of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the maritime surveillance team of the Costal Control Unit detected a vessel carrying 11 Iraqi migrants and rescued them.

In the patrol action on the island of Lesbos, the GNR military staff helped disembark 58 Afghan citizens and handed them over to the Greek authorities.

Within the framework of the Frontex operation, Portuguese GNR is carrying out actions at the land border near the Aegean Sea to prevent, detect and suppress illegal activities related to illegal immigration, trafficking in human beings and other cross-border crimes, contributing to save lives through land surveillance and patrolling.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 06:22:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LONDON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Three people were shot and injured Monday night outside an underground station in north London, London police announced.

"Officers are at the scene of a shooting in #Kingsbury Road at 9:45 p.m. on Monday. Not terror related. Three people taken to hospital, none believed to be life-threatening," London Metropolitan Police said on its Twitter account.

The police said there has been no arrest so far, according to local media.

Kingsbury Tube station on the Jubilee line was shut down while the police carried out an investigation outside the station, Transport for London announced on its website.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 06:47:33|Editor: Liangyu

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by Xinhua writer Gu Zhenqiu

LONDON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The worsening sense of safety and security in London prompted senior members of the two major British parties -- the ruling Conservative Party and opposition Labour Party -- to attack each other in a struggle to blame the policy of the other party for the rising violence in the British capital.

Shaun Bailey, a Conservative who served as the British prime minister's special adviser on youth and crime from 2010-2013, said that London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a parliament member from the Labour Party, had "lost control of the streets" and wasted money on a "bloated" bureaucracy.

The row is even expected to affect the election of a new mayor in two years as London is witnessing some of the highest rates of violent crime for many years.

"Many Londoners feel less secure than they once did," said a signed commentary carried by the Evening Standard, a London-based newspaper, on Monday.

Knife crime is up by more than 50 percent since 2016 and the murder rate was recently worse that that of New York City.

Standing out as a challenger to the mayor, Bailey on Monday revealed his plan for 1,000 extra police offers to fight London's wave of knife crime. The plan was announced as a 16-year-old boy appeared in court and was accused of murdering a fourth person in knife attack on Friday during a four-day period in London, bringing the total number of homicides this year to 95 in the British capital.

In a stinging attack, Bailey called for resources to be shifted to the frontline and said Khan had shown "lack of leadership" by blaming government cuts instead of taking the fight to criminals.

"Before Khan gets the begging bowl out and complains about the lack of government funding, he should first cut his own bureaucracy," Bailey wrote in the Evening Standard. "Too much of the overall police budget is spent on backroom bureaucrats and not police officers."

Hitting back, Khan accused Bailey of failing to understand how police funding works in London. Knife and gun crime has surged in England and Wales, but the causes and solutions are unclear.

The rival plan would reduce money for measures aimed at preventing crime, the mayor argued, and he blamed the British government for a financial squeeze on the London police.

In a sense, the political discord eclipsed the joint partisan efforts to find the root causes of the street violence in London.

The row puts crime levels at the forefront of the battle for London City Hall when Khan stands for re-election in 2020. It follows months of rising concern about a surge in violence linked to drug gangs in the capital.

The rise in crimes involving knives can also be seen in hospitals. In the five years to March 2017, the number of admissions for stab wounds increased by 13 percent in England and 17 percent in London.

There were 1,438 stabbings in London in the first four months of 2018, according to London police figures. The monthly total of knife crime incidents was 1,030 in July 2016, shortly after the mayor took power, but the figure rose to a peak of 1,371 in June this year.

Controversially, Bailey argued that the cuts cannot be blamed for problem in a capital where 337 pounds (about 431 U.S. dollars) was spent per Londoner on policing, an expenditure more than that of other British cities.

As London has seen a surge in street violence, with the number of knife and gun crimes rising, the Monday commentary joined Bailey in lashing out at the mayor.

"It is the duty of the mayor of London to make sure that it is criminals that feel under pressure, not communities," the commentary added.

While the figures suggest serious violence is on the rise, there is no consensus in the political realm about the causes or solutions, policy experts and criminologists here observed.
Output of Hungarian craft breweries is set to climb by as much as 20-30% this year, Adam Dudok, the head of the countrys Craft Beer Association, was cited as saying in Wednesdays issue of business daily Vilaggazdasag.

Based on the 100,000 hectoliters produced last year by craft breweries in Hungary, compared to the 6.2 million hectoliters produced by major breweries, small brewers account for only around 1.5% of total beer output in Hungary.

Last years craft beer output was already double that of 2016, however, and Dudok believes its share could rise to 4-5% within six to eight years.

Dudok, who is also managing director of craft brewer Horizont, told the paper that small breweries need to expand their capacity and invest in product and technology developments.

Exports offer another growth opportunity, he noted, adding that a number of Hungarian craft brewers already generate 8-10% of their revenues from exports.

Daniel Kurucz, co-organizer of a major beer festival in Budapest and owner of First Craft Beer Co. in the capital, puts start-up costs for a small craft brewery at HUF 40-50 mln. While this is enough for capacity to supply a few pubs, adding a bottling line raises costs to at least HUF 100 mln, he added.

The most popular beers at the moment remain IPAs, lagers and fruit-flavored beers, Kurucz said. Craft brewers could broaden their consumer base if the price of a bottle was lowered from HUF 500-800 to HUF 300-600, he added.

Dudok noted that at least half the output of small breweries is draft beer in barrels, compared to at most 10% for the major producers. He added that domestic consumption habits are changing, with sour beers, barrel-conditioned ales and New England IPA among the new styles that have recently appeared on the beer scene.

The association head said that with the exception of a few county towns and major resorts, craft brewing is largely centered in Budapest.

He observed that, similar to the support provided to the countrys wine producers, it would be worthwhile for the brewing industry to call tenders - even from state funds - to help smaller breweries secure the technology they need to produce quality beers or to help them gain a presence on export markets.

With the central region of the country so well developed, it is provincial producers that should be applying for EU funds for capacity expansion, research and development, he added.
Russian antivirus software developer Kaspersky Lab has rejected all allegations of links to the Russian authorities, or that it represents a threat to national security.

The company was responding to the Hungarian governments ban on the use of Kaspersky software on computers in public administration.

Earlier this week the Hungarian government published a decision concerning "potentially harmful software and devices" being eliminated from computers used in public administration. The decision also applied to Kaspersky Lab products.

Shortly afterwards, Kaspersky issued a statement saying that "all accusations against Kaspersky Lab are totally unfounded, wrong and not proven." A report issued by the European Parliament is based on speculation and allegations rather than facts, the company added, cited by news portal hvg.hu.

Kaspersky Lab is committed to transparency, hence its decision to move its R&D department for data gathering and processing to Switzerland, the statement said. Furthermore, it added, Kaspersky will make the results of the department available to third parties.

Eugene Kaspersky, the founder and CEO of the company, remarked that such decisions only help to spread cybercrime, acting against an open and secure digital market and leading to a less competitive environment.

He added that Kaspersky Lab is awaiting questions from governments and companies regarding the methods and procedures applied by his company.
Performing at the Historic Ironwood Theatre Saturday night, from left to right, as Maurice, Randy and Robin Gibbs are Jeff Celentano on keyboard, John Acosta on guitar and Daryll Borges.

By JEAN NORDINE

[email protected]

IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Historic Theatre was full of fever Saturday night, Saturday Night Fever to be exact, when the Las Vegas-based, Bee Gees Gold Tribute hit the stage. The group featured John Acosta as Barry Gibbs, Daryll Borges (Randy Gibbs) and Jeff Celentano (Maurice Gibbs).

If someone closed their eyes they would swear the actual Bee Gees were in the house. The trio recreated the three part harmonious sounds of the legendary Bee Gees to perfection, from Barry's distinctive falsetto to the vibrato lead vocals of Randy and Maurice's harmony...
An A-10 circles the airspace over the Ontonagon Airport during a training exercise to practice rescuing a downed air crew member behind enemy lines.

By JAN TUCKER

[email protected]

ONTONAGON - The Ontonagon Airport, Schuster Field, was the scene of a simulated rescue mission as part of Operation Northern Strike 2018 hosted by the Combined Readiness Training Center in Grayling last week.

The largest National Guard training in the U.S. came back to northern Michigan with Operation Northern Strike at Camp Grayline and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. They were there to train over 6,000 members of the military from all over the globe for combat.

From air to the ground, personnel from nearly every branch of the military were i...
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...
Article published on the 2009-09-29

There were sporadic clashes between security forces and opposition supporters in Guinea's capital Conakry on Tuesday, the day after security forces shot dead as many as 157 protesters and wounded 1,253 others. France has suspended military co-operation and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has dubbed the incident a "savage and bloody" crackdown.

There were "sporadic gunshots" in the capital Tuesday, reports RFI's correspondent Karim Kamarra after opposition supporters set up roadblocks.

"So now the soldiers are trying to push them back and to make sure that the street is free so that the people can go about their normal business," he says.

Q+A: Correspondent Karim Kamarra

"Some of the angry demonstrators who took to the streets yesterday are trying to do the same today," he says. "But not the majority of them because those who went to the streets yesterday are very much tired, they are weak, some got seriously wounded and they are verymuch afraid of what happened.

"So they don't want to see yesterday's scenario repeated any more."

The latest death toll come from the Guinean Human Rights Organisation, while Guinean opposition parties previously said 128 were murdered.

"France condemns this with the greatest possible firmness and calls for a return to calm," France's Junior Minister for Co-operation Alain Joyandet told RFI.

The people had gathered at a city stadium in the seaside capital Conakry to oppose any bid by the junta leader, who seized power last December, to run for President in the upcoming January elections.

Opposition groups and witnesses said women were brutally raped by soldiers during the violent repression, while outcry boiled over amid reports troops were removing bodies to hide the scale of the bloodshed.

"They were raping women publicly," opposition activist Mouctar Diallon told RFI. "Soldiers were shooting everywhere and I saw people fall. They were live bullets.

"Women were stripped naked. The soldiers were putting their rifles in the vaginas of these women ... I saw this myself."

After crushing the protest against junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, military commanders issued instructions for all bodies from the demonstration to be taken to the Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp, rather than to morgues, a Red Cross source told the AFP news agency.

Camara started a tour of the country at the weekend, fuelling speculation that he will stand in the election.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon slammed the "excessive use of force" and said he was "shocked by the loss of life, the high number of people injured and the destruction of property.

Camara told Senegal's RFM radio station that "I wanted to go (and see what was happening), I was so really disgusted when I was told" about the violence.

I'd rather die [than see people killed] because I didn't take control of this country to have a confrontation," Camara said, speaking in disjointed sentences.

The United Nations, African Union, European Union and leading powers all condemned the killings.
Monday, August 20, 2018

A recent case out of the Northern District of California, Weeks v. Google LLC, Case No. 18-cv-00801 NC (behind paywall), involves Google's Pixel phones, which the plaintiffs allege are defective. The phones were covered by a warranty that permitted Google to either repair, refund, or replace the phones, at its discretion. When the plaintiffs complained about the defective phones, Google offered to replace the phones, but the plaintiffs weren't happy with that result: Their allegations are that their defective phones would just be getting replaced with more defective phones, until the point when the warranty expired.

The court agreed with Google that, under the terms of the warranty, Google had every right to do exactly that: "The Court understands plaintiffs' outrage at Google's being able to replace a defective Pixel with another defective Pixel for 365 days straight. . . . It beggars reason and would appear to make hash of the spirit of the warranty. But the warranty provided a remedy, and as far as the Court can tell, Google abided by its remedy. . . . The question of whether it was valid under the express warranty to replace a defective Pixel with another defective Pixel must be answered in the affirmative based on a plain reading of the Limited Warranty."

However, all was not lost for the plaintiffs, because the court then turned to allegations that Google had breached the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, a claim which the court allowed to survive Google's motion to dismiss. The court found that, while Google's conduct might not have been in violation of the terms of the contract, its conduct was not "expressly permitted" under the contract, nor did it meet "reasonable expectations" as to what its behavior would be. Therefore, the covenant of good faith and fair dealing acted as a backstop here against the dismissal of the breach of warranty claims.

(The court also allowed fraudulent concealment and California consumer protection law claims to survive.)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/contractsprof_blog/2018/08/california-warranty-case-against-google-illustrates-the-work-the-covenant-of-good-faith-and-fair-dea.html
New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal at a press conference earlier this year. He was among those who challenged President Trump's travel ban on Muslim-majority countries. Read more

New Jersey fined 29 unlicensed moving companies that were caught during an undercover sting operation last spring, the state attorney general's office announced Monday.

The movers were snagged during four days in April as part of "Operation Mother's Attic," in which state investigators posed as people hiring the companies to move from a luxury home in Montville, Morris County. The unlicensed movers, who had advertised online, were met by investigators who issued notices of violation and $2,500 fines, authorities said.

"An unlicensed moving company can be a homeowner's worst nightmare," Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement. "They've been known to hold truckloads of property hostage until the customer pays an extortionate fee. And these unlicensed movers often don't carry adequate insurance, creating the risk that homeowners will be left high and dry if their property is seriously damaged during the move. That's why we regulate the industry  and why we crack down on rogue operators."

State law requires movers to be licensed by the Division of Consumer Affairs and to have cargo liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance, and bodily injury and property damage insurance. There are roughly 320 licensed movers in New Jersey, according to the attorney general's office.

The movers cited for operating without a license are:

 Price Movers, Staten Island, NY

Alpha Moving Services, Highland Lakes, NJ

Affordable & Assertive Moving & Storage, Pompton Lakes, NJ

Avelar Trucking, Landing, NJ

Bin It NJ, North Bergen, NJ

Centurion Movers, Willow Grove, PA

Consider It Done, Toms River, NJ

Cruz Moves, Cinnaminson, NJ

Enterprise Van Lines, Congers, NY

GDK Logistics a/k/a GDK International, Fairfield, NJ

H & D Transportation, Clifton, NJ

Helping Hands Moving, Newark, NJ

I.D. Noble Movers a/k/a Noble ID Movers, Hackensack, NJ

Imperial Moving & Storage a/k/a Lion's Den Enterprises, a/k/a Insignia Moving, New York, NY

J & L Moving, Hillside, NJ

Lite Moving, Franklin Square, NY

Moving Good, Little Ferry, NJ

Moving Hero, Rahway, NJ

Old Country Van Lines, East Newark, NJ

Princeton Movers a/k/a Great Eastern Movers, Brooklyn, NY

Rent A Helping Hand, Pennington, NJ

Mundanzas, Dover, NJ

Roadway Moving, Elizabeth, NJ

Round City Moving, Garfield, NJ

Rosie's Master Movers, Cherry Hill, NJ

TB Moving a/k/a TB Moving & Storage, Brooklyn, NY

We Move You, Maywood, NJ

Big Men In Trucks, Sloatsburg, NY

Each mover can contest the violation and fine. The $2,500 penalty will be cut in half for movers who apply for a license within 30 days of receiving a notice of violation.

State police also handed out 29 motor vehicle violations and arrested three people (two for outstanding warrants and one for possession of marijuana) as a result of the sting, authorities said.

Consumers can verify movers have licenses by calling the Division of Consumer Affairs at 973-504-6422.
The Provident Mutual Life Insurance building sits behind a tall chain-link fence as its being renovated by the city at the corner of 46th and Market. Read more

The former Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co. building in West Philadelphia  once eyed as a headquarters for the Police Department  is slated to be transformed into a public health and community service center under a plan by Iron Stone Real Estate Partners.

The Philadelphia-based developer, in partnership with the Public Health Management Corp. health institute, was selected by the city to develop the 325,000-square-foot insurance company building and its surrounding land after a bidding process that ended earlier this month, Iron Stone partners Andrew Eisenstein and Jason Friedland said Thursday.

The decision provides some clarity on the future of the 13-acre property at 46th and Market Streets, which has sat in limbo since the city's announcement in May 2017 that it would move the Police Department into the former Inquirer Building at 400 N. Broad St. instead.

"The plan is for what we're calling a public health campus," Eisenstein said.

Iron Stone's past projects have included the redevelopment of the Medical College of Pennsylvania's former campus in East Falls into an educational and commercial complex. It recently acquired the Girard Medical Center at Eighth Street and Girard Avenue.

Some of the 92-year-old Provident Mutual building will be occupied by development partner PHMC, which plans to use the space for medical clinics, dental offices, a vision center, and mental health and community-outreach services.

Iron Stone is also in talks with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to lease part of the building for medical offices, and it has been speaking with groups including the Young Men's Christian Association about the potential for a day-care center there, Eisenstein said.

Another potential tenant is Kismet Cowork, which could operate a shared office facility aimed at nonprofit users, Eisenstein said. Kismet currently has spaces in Chestnut Hill and in the revitalizing warehouse district north of eastern Center City.

In the future, Iron Stone may seek to develop new low-rise office buildings on the sprawling property surrounding the glass-domed neoclassical insurance company building.

More immediately, it plans to construct semipermanent seating and retail structures  in the spirit of the Porch at 30th Street Station and Penn's Landing's Spruce Street Harbor Park  at the property's southeast corner, near the 46th Street stop on SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line. Other spaces will be landscaped, possibly in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

"All our plans really work on incorporating the building and the site into the neighborhood," Friedland said.

The Provident Mutual building's namesake occupant moved out in 1983. City Council approved plans under then-Mayor Michael Nutter in 2014 for its conversion into a police headquarters to replace the force's current home in the dated four-story concrete building at 750 Race St. known as the Roundhouse.

Those plans were abandoned about three years later during the Kenney administration, when the city said it would instead seek to move the Police Department into the former newspaper tower on North Broad Street. The department is expected to be in its new home by spring 2020 at an expense of $280.3 million.

After changing its plan for the headquarters, the city began seeking a developer to buy the site for some other use in a competitive process that ended with Iron Stone's selection.

City spokesman Paul Chrystie said in an email that officials are not immediately able to discuss specific proposals for the site, but that they "remain excited about the opportunity to reactivate this property in a way that will benefit the community and the city."

Iron Stone will be getting the property after the city has paid more than $52 million to buy it and begin renovating it for use by the Police Department.

Chrystie and the Iron Stone partners declined to immediately disclose how much the developer will pay for the site.

The company's initial round of redevelopment work is expected to cost about $80 million, Eisenstein said. Efforts are being made to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places so it can qualify for federal historic preservation tax credit support.

"That's something we've done throughout the city: trying to take over these large obsolete campuses or buildings and repurposing them in a way that's thoughtful," Friedland said.
Inside Courtroom 676 in Philadelphia City Hall, a group of volunteer housing counselors gather around a table every Thursday morning and afternoon. Together with pro bono attorneys, they try to help homeowners stave off foreclosure through Philadelphia's Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion program. Read more

Two months and 13 days before Linda DaCosta stepped into Courtroom 676 in Philadelphia City Hall, the single mom of twin girls answered a knock she never expected.

It happened on a Sunday, just before dinner, on one of those crisp April days that made her love West Philadelphia. Inside her newly renovated condo, her grade-school-age girls were watching TV. DaCosta, a 41-year-old nurse, had joined in, taking a reprieve from divorce filings, night shifts, and job applications that had consumed her for the last year.

Then came the knock and the doorbell, buzzing again and again. A man was outside, holding a stack of foreclosure documents. DaCosta was being served.

DaCosta, who left her full-time job as a clinical nurse coordinator in June 2017 to care for a sick family member, knew that her mortgage situation was dire. The missed payments had accumulated since September of last year, ballooning until April. But never did DaCosta think her bank would foreclose  after all, she had been negotiating to modify her loan, she said. Still, the lawsuit came. And by the time it did, DaCosta owed more money on her house than she had initially borrowed.

"I was standing at my door, and I'm hyperventilating. I'm saying to myself, 'You have to calm down. The girls can't see you like this,' " DaCosta said. "From there, the rest of the day was a full-on panic."

Immediately, DaCosta called her lender, who told her to appear in court on the scheduled date, she said. But as time passed, stress mounted, and as more bill collectors called, DaCosta began to wonder: Should she bother with court at all?

"I was so low  I thought, what are we going to even do" in court? DaCosta said. She was intimidated and confused about how it would work. "There were so many things that told me, 'Don't go.' "

Yet on July 5  15 minutes before she was due to arrive  something, somehow changed DaCosta's mind. So that Thursday, she strode into the courtroom and took a seat in the row of worn, wooden chairs in the center of the room.

Organized courtroom chaos

Courtroom 676 appears to be an ordinary courtroom inside the winding hallways of City Hall. Gold columns tower behind the court's bench, while oil paintings of judges decorate the walls. A jury box sits in the corner. Flags rest in place.

Every Thursday, however, the courtroom transforms. Court is in session, yet no judge presides. Defendants like DaCosta appear, but no jury decides their fate.

The city has operated its Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program every week since April 2008 with one mission: keeping residents in their homes. Spearheaded by Judge Annette M. Rizzo to combat the foreclosure epidemic that sprouted from the Great Recession, the program  considered the first in the nation  still has thousands of participants today.

The program works by simply pausing a foreclosure process that otherwise would be careening toward sheriff's sale, staffers say. According to the rules established by the court, all homeowners with a foreclosure complaint against them are entitled to attend a "conciliation conference," in which they can meet with a housing counselor  and an attorney, if needed  who will take on the case for free. Then, the counselor and attorney negotiate with a mortgage company's lawyers, arranging, for example, a loan modification to allow for lower payments. If that is not possible, the program will allow homeowners to exit gracefully, letting them sell their homes for less than what is owed, among other alternatives. (Only owner-occupied residential properties experiencing a mortgage foreclosure are eligible for the program. Tax foreclosure cases are handled separately.)

The result is what even some staffers call "organized chaos." Each week, dozens of sharply dressed attorneys for mortgage lenders square off against the city-funded counselors and attorneys, hashing out deals at tables, banisters, and in corners of the room, as homeowners look on. Intermittently, counselors will scurry back to a homeowner, asking questions or distributing paperwork. If any disagreements arise, a presiding law clerk helps settle them then and there.

To observers, the simultaneous negotiations may seem impossibly casual. But in the last decade, the program has saved more than 11,808 homes, according to city data, a 55 percent success rate. A total 21,399 homeowners have participated in the program, data show, though 9,600 homeowners citywide still eventually lost their homes. Nearly 5,900 others are currently participating.

Compared with 2009, when foreclosure filings in Philadelphia surpassed 8,000 annually, according to data from the local Reinvestment Fund, the volume of foreclosure filings has diminished  though not disappeared. In May, one in every 978 homeowners in Philadelphia experienced a foreclosure proceeding, according to Attom Data Solutions  a rate that exceeds thousands of other cities nationwide. And many of today's filings are no longer linked to bad loans of the mid-2000s, the data show.

"We can blame this less and less on the last crisis," said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at Attom. "I'd be more confident that it's an indication of an underlying, fundamental issue with the economy."

A holistic approach

The housing counselors and attorneys who sit in the room  hailing from jobs at community development corporations or firms like Community Legal Services and SeniorLAW Center  say there is no one reason why homeowners come to the program. Participants are old and young, black, white, and Latino, suffering from job loss, disease, or disabilities that set them on the path toward foreclosure. Some are like DaCosta, well-educated and established, but down on their luck. Others have struggled for years.

Many homeowners who arrive these days, according to staff, are seniors with federally insured loans called reverse mortgages, which allow homeowners older than 62 to convert their home's equity into cash. But as the number of these loans has risen in recent years, so has the number of foreclosures, as senior homeowners, still obligated to pay taxes and insurance on the house, let those payments lapse  triggering legal action by a lender. According to AARP, a senior citizen interest group, reverse mortgage foreclosures increased more than 600 percent in 2016.

As a whole, about 80 percent of homeowners who receive notices ultimately show up in court, according to the city. Those who don't, by contrast, face much slimmer chances at success. Of the nearly 6,000 homeowners who did not participate in the diversion program in the last 10 years, more than two-thirds eventually lost their homes, city data show.

To get homeowners into the courtroom, city officials rely on more than just legal paperwork. Neighborhood-based nonprofits go door-to-door to visit homeowners in default, a city spokesperson said, and mailers are distributed. The multimillion-dollar program is funded through the Division of Housing & Community Development budget.

With Philadelphia's foreclosure caseload having fallen and with newer federal guidelines that better dictate the foreclosure process, some lenders  all of whom are required to participate  have asked how much longer the program should last, according to one attorney who represents lenders.

Others on the lending side view the program as generally positive. According to Michael McKeever, a managing attorney at KML Law Group who previously represented lenders in the program, the conferences are a "well-managed" way to bring together competing interests. Even more successful, McKeever said, is the work that happens beyond the mortgage modifications.

"It's not just about getting payments to resume," McKeever said. "There may be a waterfall of things happening to a family.  So the first thing out of the gate is, can we get a budget? What might be available in state and local aid?"

After being paired with a housing counselor when she arrived in court, DaCosta was ushered into a classroom, where an instructor mapped out the months ahead. There would be budgets to create, online courses to take, and paperwork to complete. Homeowners, instructors stressed, must follow the months-long process through.

By the time she finished, DaCosta said, she felt relieved. The shame and stress she carried had begun to thaw.

"I had a six-figure income. I have two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. I'm a registered nurse," DaCosta said last week after meeting with her counselor for a second time to apply for her mortgage modification. "People will say, 'What did you do wrong?' Nothing. It's life, and life happens."

Philadelphia residents in foreclosure or behind on mortgage payments can call the Save Your Home Philly Hotline, operated by Philadelphia Legal Assistance, a program participant, at 215-334-4663.
Cover of "How to Slay," by award winning fashion journalist, Constance CR. White. The cover was shot by black photographer Itaysha Jordan. Read more

When I hear the word slay, I think of models strutting on runways in crazy high heels looking very much in need of a sandwich or two. Women wearing fake hair, fake breasts, and fake butts. And, well, to put it frankly, poor behavior  think Elektra Abundance in FX's Pose. It's a word that brings so much drama, so much extra-ness that I don't see it as the compliment it's meant to be. Why would a down-to-earth woman like myself ever want to slay?

But author, fashion journalist, and pop-culture critic Constance C.R. White has convinced me otherwise. Her book How to Slay: Inspiration from the Queens and Kings of Black Style is a comprehensive look at African Americans' contributions to the fashion industry past and present. Slaying is a rich part of my history.

Because White concludes that at the heart of how we slay  whether wearing natural hair, sporting Kente cloth, choosing a baggier jean over a more fitted one, going makeup-free, or beating our faces within an inch of their lives  is authenticity. And without this realness, White says, it's impossible to slay.

White, who will sign copies of How to Slay in Philadelphia this month, says, "When we are slaying, we are at our best."

Like now.

As White prepares for her Philly journey, black people finally seem to be getting our due in the higher echelons of the persnickety style industry. Black women have landed 10 covers of the world's most influential fashion magazines. Yasss, black women  with our glorious natural hairstyles, stunning ruby lips, and chiseled chocolate arms  are on 10 covers (and the full list isn't even out yet). Now that's slaying.

The word slay, of course, means to kill, as in the medieval tale of St. George slaying the dragon. According to Robert Chapman and Barbara Kipfer's Dictionary of American Slang, slay first appeared in the English language in the 16th century as a trendy way to describe impressing someone so much they lose control of their emotions and die. It was most commonly used in the context of laughing oneself to death.

Slay emerged as a fashion colloquialism in the 19th century as a way to describe a person who was dressed to kill. In that context, slaying began to take on sexual undertones, as in, "I look so good I slayed her."

Gay black men began using the word in earnest in the late 1970s and 1980s and slay became the cornerstone of the ballroom lexicon as show in the 1991 documentary Paris Is Burning. A queen dressed to the nines slayed chile, she slayed! Fast-forward to the early aughts, when gay best friends had become the norm in chick flicks that introduced many of us to these fabulous parts of speech.

Those films, coupled with the popularity of RuPual's Drag Race, brought slay into the mainstream. In 2016, Beyonce instructed the Bey Hive (and beyond) to slay while getting into "Formation," and just like that, slay became synonymous with not just fashion; it defined success and achievement. We slay on the job. We slay in the kitchen. We slay on Instagram.

It's slay, in this hashtag form that inspired White to use it in the title of her book.

"Slay is a term that's broadly understood to mean success and accomplishment," White said. "In this way, it reflects the intersection of fashion and African American vernacular."

Published this year by Rizzoli in New York, How to Slay is a collection of White's essays that explore all the ways black people consider themselves well-dressed. Topics include original divas, the beauty of natural hair, Afro-chic, and Ebonics. Each essay is accompanied by a host of historical photographs of black women and men  most of whom are celebrities  to illustrate the point. The photos were taken early in their careers, when they were defining their personal style  and when, some would argue, they were at their blackest.

We get to see Luther Vandross in his Connecticut home, sprawled out all sexy-like on an animal print rug, as well as rappers Salt-N-Pepa in leather pants, doorknocker earrings, and asymmetrical haircuts. Beyonce is included in the mix too, not in her "Formation" getup, but as she's seen on the cover of her first solo album, Dangerously in Love.

"How to Slay is a celebration, but I also wanted it to serve as a documentation of the contributions of black style to fashion," White said, explaining why she also included in the book images of Mark Wahlberg and Gwen Stefani, two pop artists who copied their style from hip-hop culture.

"There has been a historic exclusion of blacks from the fashion industry, so there is this idea that black people have not contributed to fashion and style, when nothing can be farther from the truth."

The release of How to Slay turned out to be serendipitous, as this is a time when some of the industry's highest-profile brands have put black people in powerful positions.

Late last year, British Vogue tapped British Ghanaian fashion journalist Edward Enninful to be the magazine's first black editor-in-chief. In March, Louis Vuitton, arguably one of the world's most influential houses, named Ghanaian American designer Virgil Abloh, founder of Off-white, creative director of its men's line.

And then there is this month's biggest fashion story: Last week, American Vogue unveiled the cover of its most important issue of the year  the September Issue  featuring Beyonce. But Queen Bey, although radiant on two covers, wasn't the biggest news. It was that the issue marks the first time the cover was shot by a black photographer, 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell. (Yes, really, the first time.)

"We still have a large amount of work to do," White said. "I mean, this historic first is happening and it's 2018. I don't believe it, and, then again, I really do believe it."

It's also worth noting that not only was Beyonce on the cover of American Vogue in a red, black, and green (the colors of the black nationalist movement) tired gown by Alexander McQueen, she was joined by a plethora of black celebrities as models on many of the top fashion magazines this fall.

Rihanna is on the cover of British Vogue  the first black woman ever to grace the UK's fashion bible's September issue. Zendaya is on the cover of Marie Claire. Tiffany Haddish is on Glamour. And Tracee Ellis Ross is all smiles on Elle Canada.

"The bottom line is we have black women on the covers of some of the most important fashion real estate in the world right now," White said. "This is big."

So from this moment on, I will no longer advocate that we seek out high fashion's approval. My kinky hair, my full lips, my crazy curves are fashion history. I am today's fashion. And I am tomorrow's fashion, too. I slay. You slay. This is how we slay.
Lori Gildea, owner of Doylestown-based company, ThePureBags, an anti-microbial yoga bag designed to protect your sweaty yoga items from being, well, icky, Wednesday August 8, 2018 DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer . Read more

Hot yoga is a wet and sweaty situation.

And on those mornings when perspiration drips from the tip of my nose onto my mat while I flow from downward facing dog to plank, my focus is on making it to savasana  not germs.

But Doylestown entrepreneur Lori Gildea wants yogis and gym rats not to just know, but to understand, that post-workout microbes are real. Gildea, a pharmaceutical executive, got so sick two years ago from a bug doctors think she contracted from the gym that she was out of work for six months.

After recovering from myositis, an infection that attacked her muscles and left her in such pain she couldn't pick up a fork, she conceived, designed, and produced ThePureBag, a 29-inch-long germ-fighting crossbody specifically for toting yoga mats.

ThePureBag is fashioned from material infused with silver ion technology that, Gildea says, inhibits the growth of microorganisms. "It detects the slightest moisture and breaks down the cell membrane, killing off the gross stuff," Gildea, 56, said.

Not only is the bag made from fabric that's antimicrobial and antibacterial, its detachable strap (which can be used for stretching) also has antibacterial properties. The zipper is antifungal, too. Even the thread  custom-made in North Carolina  is antibacterial.

"I thought if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right," Gildea said.

ThePureBag is available online at www.thepurebag.com, and Gildea is in talks with several local studios that she hopes will carry it. The bag holds a full-length yoga mat as well as two blocks and a towel and comes in reversible and non-reversible styles retailing for $148 and $98, respectively.

Also a part of the ThePureBag collection are waterproof ZipPockets, perfect for keys and cellphones; cinch bags to store drenched, after-yoga gear; and a silver lining wrap mat designed, Gildea says, to guard against unwittingly rolling germs into your mat. The cinch bags are available at Hot Yoga Philadelphia and, Gildea said, the ThePureBag will be featured in the September issue of the Yoga Journal

"My goal was to make something that protected gear from the inside and out," Gildea said. "I was washing my hands, using wipes, and cleaning every surface, and I still managed to get sick. I was terrified of stepping into a gym again."

After two months of physical therapy, doctors suggested Gildea take up yoga. She started looking for gym bags that were more plastic than cotton so she could more easily spray or wipe them down. When she couldn't find anything, she decided to make her own.

She sketched the bag and found an Amish seamstress to make both the pattern and the sample. She sourced fabric, settling on a New Jersey textile company that makes antimicrobial fabric. (She won't say which one, for competitive reasons.) ThePureBag collection is manufactured in Lancaster County and a patent is pending. All told, Gildea has spent $100,000 on ThePureBag. She launched the line in March and has sold about 200 bags.

"Before I knew it, my project had really just taken on a life of its own," Gildea said. "Maybe the universe had this happen to me for a reason."
NJ Senate President, Steve Sweeney at his West Deptford office on August 13. Read more

Gov. Murphy insists he and Steve Sweeney, the New Jersey Senate president, have a "good relationship."

Says Sweeney: "There is no relationship."

"We talk all the time," says Murphy.

Says Sweeney: "I've had one meeting with the governor, one-on-one. It was 15 minutes and it was not very productive."

A longtime trade union official who lives in West Deptford, Sweeney says he misses the give-and-take of what some described as his "bromance" with Murphy's gubernatorial predecessor, Republican Chris Christie.

"Chris and I figured out what we could agree on, and we worked together to get it done," he recalls. "I had some of the brutal fights of my life with him, but we're friends."

Says Murphy, who retired a decade ago after a successful Wall Street career and calls Middletown, Monmouth County home: "I'm not a transactional guy. I'm not a career [politician]. And that is just a fact."

If Murphy is professional, earnest, and to some, a bit awkward, Sweeney is famously proud of his rougher edges and appears utterly at ease with his power.

The ironworker and the millionaire: Can this marriage of convenience be saved?

And does it really matter to people other than, say, newspaper columnists, whether Trenton's most powerful pair of Democrats get along?

The two  Murphy, a fierce, albeit paint-by-numbers, progressive, and Sweeney, also fierce, but too conservative for my taste  both claim to be taking the high road with their eyes on the big picture.

Those are my cliches, not theirs, although theirs aren't much better: Murphy says he's focused on "what's good for working families," and Sweeney says his goal is "to make this state better."

The two men have working-class roots and similar views on issues such as the sharing of services by local governments, recreational marijuana, and funding for pre-K programs.

Murphy is a newcomer to Trenton and to politics generally, a fact Sweeney cites frequently. The Senate president has served in the legislature since 2002 and was a Gloucester County freeholder for several years before that.

But since the governor took office in January, he and Sweeney have worked together on women's health, pay equity, and other issues.

Last week they shook hands on camera after Murphy signed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sweeney and his friend Sen. Steven Oroho (R., Sussex) that will allow the state to partner with private firms on highway and other infrastructure projects.

"If you look at the work we've done collaboratively, it's been remarkable in advancing the priorities of the governor, and ours," Sweeney said in a recent interview at his West Deptford office.

On the day we spoke, a Wall Street Journal editorial gave Sweeney a somewhat backhanded compliment  but a compliment nonetheless  in characterizing him as a rare New Jersey Democrat "sobering up" from a spending "addiction."

Murphy, the editorial pointedly concluded, "is still in denial."

Elsewhere in Murphy-Sweeney news last week, "Is this Democrat (not Phil Murphy) New Jersey's strongest leader?" was a headline on NJ.com.

And an InsiderNJ commentary crowned Sweeney as a probable leader, along with Sen. Tom Kean (R., Essex), of a potentially bipartisan approach to pension and health care benefits reform for some public employees.

The column by Alan Steinberg also dismissed Murphy as a "political hostage" of the New Jersey Education Association.

That's the statewide teachers' union, which last year spent $5 million to support the campaign of Sweeney's reelection opponent and recently issued a statement assailing the Senate president for allegedly "siding with millionaires over the middle class, again."

By phone Friday, Murphy dismissed the notion that he and Sweeney don't get along as "inside the Trenton bubble, 'he said, she said' stuff that is  of little interest" to him.

"I want to get as much done as fast as possible," the governor said. "We're digging out of a complete mess left to me by my predecessor  and with all due respect to what's been written, with the Assembly speaker [Craig Coughlin, a Middlesex County Democrat] and the Senate president, we're gotten a lot done."

Murphy also had kind words for the "Path to Progress" report issued this month by a bipartisan working group Sweeney appointed earlier this year to make recommendations to address the state's fast-approaching fiscal crisis.

"I welcome [the effort by] smart people trying to figure out the answer," said the governor. "I don't have all the answers by a long shot. My guiding principles on the recommendations will be, 'Does this work for the middle class?' "

After spending a good chunk of our 90-minute conversation painting Murphy as a neophyte who has disrespected him and has unrealistic, if noble, notions, Sweeney did have a number of kinder things to say about him.

"The governor worked very hard to become governor. He believes very much in what he is saying. He didn't mislead anybody. Phil Murphy is who he is."

Sweeney also scoffed at the idea that he is already running to replace Murphy in 2022.

"I hope we have a two-term Democratic governor. We haven't had one since Brendan Byrne," he said. "Phil Murphy, coming in with his background, understands the finances of the state and is the one guy who knows how to fix this. We have to fix New Jersey."

By all means, gentlemen, please do.

We'll worry about your relationship, or the lack of it, after you get the job done.
Anne Ishii is the newly appointed director of the Asian Arts Initiative on Vine Street. She is a publisher, translator, and writer, and a vet of New York startups. DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer Read more

It's not every day that an entrepreneur immersed in the swirling world of gay manga publishing, translation, writing, and marketing becomes head of a major community arts organization in Philadelphia.

But then Anne Ishii, 39, is not your everyday artist or administrator.

Translator of such graphic books as Bat Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan and the Eisner Award-winning My Brother's Husband, Vol. 1, by Gengoroh Tagame, and the cofounder of Massive Goods, a purveyor of gay and feminist art, comics, and fashion by artists from Japan, Ishii has built a kind of renaissance persona within Japanese pop culture in America.

And she has now thrown it all over to become the new executive director of the Asian Arts Initiative, the 25-year-old community arts organization in the 1200 block of Vine Street.

"The grass is always greener on the other side," Ishii said in her office looking out on a blank brick wall just across tiny Pearl Street.

"The free-flowing world of startups and publishing can be as chaotic, isolating, and irresponsible as it is flexible and immediately gratifying. I realize that the world of nonprofit organizations, to say nothing of one with as rich a history and reputation as AAI, would require much more discipline than I might be used to."

That said, AAI is an opportunity, another way to explore collaboration  on a different scale from the loose world of the startup. Arts organizations, particularly in Philadelphia, she argued, have a rich and complex relationship with their communities. This is particularly welcome nowadays, as New York is starting "to feel like it is closing in on itself," becoming a city of "derivatives and speculation" with an oddly monolithic arts culture.

"The cost of living there, the cost of relevance, the cost of everything, is so overwhelming," she said.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, has a rich web of arts organizations that exist within a more varied and nuanced artistic ecosystem.

"I feel that the work I can contribute to the city of Philadelphia may have more practical and human-scale gains," said Ishii, who grew up outside L.A., the daughter of a Japanese father and Korean mother.

"The pull of the city of Philadelphia is definitely in its rich arts organizational culture. I can see that the arts and community organizations here have a profound direct relationship with their constituencies."

>>READ MORE: Gayle Isa is leaving the Asian Arts Initiative, now a force in the future of the city

The Asian Arts Initiative turned 25 this year. It began as a small project under the wing of the Painted Bride Art Center in Old City. Gayle Isa became AAI's first and only executive director until she decided to move on this year.

Ishii took up her new position at the beginning of this month. Isa is a hard act to follow. She turned a little project into a major community player with an annual budget of about $1.5 million. So what's Ishii got cooking?

"We're right on the edge of Chinatown, and the Chinese American population is huge and important, and I absolutely value that relationship," Ishii said. "We also have a rapidly diversifying and growing Asian American populace that identifies as a lot of things that are not necessarily Chinese American and might even not serve that community's interest."

How to simultaneously embrace the older, established community of Chinatown and the proliferating, less visible Asian communities is something of a puzzle, but Ishii plans to find workable solutions.

"I want it all," she said. "I want to address everything."

How to do that?

"I ask myself this question all the time," she said, "and the place I keep coming back to is the fact that we have a physical space and it's huge and we have a lot of art tenants, art groups, and partnerships. So how we effectively use the space is going to be a huge question for me. I want to frame the future of the organization and the vision, my vision, using the physical space that we have and how we are going to be able to utilize it."

That might mean a project to establish a second entrance on Pearl Street that would lead directly into AAI's theater. Such a project would serve not only to focus attention on theater programming, it would further AAI's lengthy efforts to transform Pearl Street from an alley to a vibrant and diverse thoroughfare, a huge project involving many organizations and interests. Ishii is mindful of the complexity.

>> READ MORE: For DesignPhiladelphia, architects re-imagine a forgotten alleyway

Capital and development projects aside, Ishii said she has been struck by the magnitude of AAI's educational and youth programming.

"I want to know how we can engender more art," she said. "It's about creating a place where people can actually learn to prioritize art, to start to consider art's practice."

How to integrate the practice of art into the individual life and ultimately "how we can use art to create community coalitions" is a priority.

"My intention is not to turn the building into a huge art gallery or anything like that," she said. "I'd love for us to continue to use the spaces the way we've been doing, I think pretty successfully. This is to let the artist determine how we use our space. It's a very artist-driven narrative here."

The building is critical to this plan. It is the anchor.

"The fact that we have space is important to me because what I'm hearing from a lot of the artists I've worked with historically is that what they value the most are resources," Ishii said. "I love that."
Just three months into her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania, Sophia Griffith-Gorgati encountered a friend in crisis.

The girl in the bathroom was having a panic attack. She said she'd been raped just minutes earlier, Griffith-Gorgati recalled.

At first, Griffith-Gorgati was overwhelmed. What could she say? How could she help her friend?

"But then it was like having a flashback," she said. "I remembered I'd been here before. I can do this."

The flashback wasn't to another crisis. Instead, Griffith-Gorgati was remembering university-led training she had taken just a few months earlier. The training, called I Care, aims to give students, faculty, and staff the skills to recognize and support students experiencing mental-health problems.

During the role-playing component, Griffith-Gorgati had acted as the friend of someone who had just been sexually assaulted. As she comforted her friend in the bathroom that November, she thought back to the exercise.

Don't automatically jump to giving advice, she recalled. Ask open-ended questions about how people are feeling. Use eye contact. Validate their feelings.

"If I hadn't been in that training, I don't think I would have been able to do or say anything right," said Griffith-Gorgati, who graduated in the spring. "I would have been a total wreck."

Training that prepares college students to recognize and respond to signs of mental distress among their peers is now found at hundreds of universities across the nation. College counselors say a growing number of students like Griffith-Gorgati are opting to learn how to help address issues ranging from sexual assault to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. It's one of many ways students are stepping up to take on mental illness on campus.

In recent years, demand for mental-health services on college campuses has surged, with counseling center use increasing 30 percent to 40 percent while enrollment increased by only 5 percent, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. Resources at many university counseling centers are stretched thin, forcing students to wait weeks for an appointment. And that's just the start: A 2009 study found fewer than half of students who seriously considered attempting suicide sought any professional help.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students  a statistic that local universities have experienced firsthand in recent years. More than a dozen Penn students have died by suicide since 2013, including Olivia Kong, whose death at the SEPTA 40th Street station in 2016 brought renewed calls for action to address mental health concerns on campus. Temple freshman Richard Dalcourt died after falling from a sixth-floor dorm last October, and Drexel student Stevens Glemaud's death was ruled a suicide after his body was found in the Schuylkill in 2012.

Researchers have found that two-thirds of students who disclosed their suicidal thoughts first chose to tell a peer, putting college students at the forefront of this crisis. They're not licensed professionals and are not being trained to replace college counseling centers. But there's a growing recognition that students are uniquely suited to be a kind of early warning system. They can complement university services by noticing problems with peers who aren't reaching out for professional help, students who have had training say.

>> READ MORE: After teen's suicide, new clubs at Temple, Drexel aim to get students talking

"Students have a huge role to play," Griffith-Gorgati said. "We're around each other all the time  studying, cooking, taking classes, living together. We have the responsibility to take care of ourselves and one another."

Can students really make a difference?

Since the training was started after several suicides at Penn in 2013 and 2014, the university says, more than 2,500 faculty, staff, and students have gone through the program. Although there are no data on how this has affected suicide rates, a survey found that after training, two-thirds of participants had asked someone if they were considering suicide and referred them to counseling services. Several national studies have shown that training similar to Penn's help increase students' preparedness to help a friend.

St. Joseph's University has run a similar suicide-prevention training for the last 10 years, said Greg Nicholls, director of the school's counseling services. He attributes part of the increase in counseling referrals to the program's success.

As rates of anxiety and depression continue to climb, St. Joseph's is growing its program. In the last year, it doubled the number of trainings, reaching 300 community members, up from about 150 the previous year.

Nicholls said one of the most crucial aspects of the training is teaching students to ask peers directly: Are you thinking of hurting or killing yourself? It's a difficult conversation to have, Nicholls said. But students have the opportunity to address this issue head-on with each other, which can make a big difference in identifying those at risk.

"The goal of that training is expanding the eyes and ears of the university community," Nicholls said. "It makes sense to focus on students for that."

>> READ MORE: Make suicide prevention a college requirement, experts urge

Sharon Mitchell, president of the Association of University and College Counseling Directors and senior director of counseling at the University at Buffalo, said she's seen the power of student action firsthand. Most referrals to her counseling center come from other students, rather than parents or professors. "Students are going to be more aware of what's going on in their friends' lives than faculty or staff members," she said. "That means they're on the front lines to be helpful as well."

A recent study found even more general student efforts, like running a mental health organization on campus, can make a big difference. Researchers studied members of Active Minds, a mental health awareness organization that started at Penn in 2003 and has since grown to include more than 450 college chapters. Across a dozen California colleges, they found the organizations can improve awareness of mental health issues, reduce stigma, and increase the number of students providing emotional support and connecting peers to services. "Such organizations can complement more traditional programs and play an important role in improving the campus climate with respect to mental health," the study authors noted.

When does helping go too far?

Most students are trained to refer peers to university counseling services. But Max Schechter, co-director of Penn's in-person peer counseling network Penn Benjamins, says university counselors have asked how they can refer students to him.

"What we've heard from [university counseling] is some of the students they see don't need to specifically see them," Schechter, a rising senior, said. "If they need academic guidance or social guidance, that's something we can handle Then the counselors can focus on more severe cases."

Penn Benjamins consists of about 45 student volunteers who hold free and confidential counseling hours five nights a week on campus. The student counselors undergo semester-long training developed in conjunction with university counseling staff, focused on listening skills and referring students to the proper resources. It's modeled on a peer counseling network at Washington University called Uncle Joe's. At Penn, they decided to change the name to Benjamins to reflect the school and city's ties to Ben Franklin.

>> READ MORE: Everything parents should know about college mental health but don't

As peers who've gone through many of the same struggles, Schechter said the Bens  as the student counselors are called  can offer a unique level of understanding. "We can provide validation that everyone gets lonely and that grading in college really is harder than high school," he said.

The network is off to a slow start, with just over 180 student interactions in the last three years, many of which were with freshmen overwhelmed by academics or social pressures. But Schechter said many students don't know about the service yet. The group has a marketing division working to increase its presence on campus and clearly establish what types of problems it can assist with. Schechter said they've been particularly helpful for students who are too scared to approach university counselors, for fear they'd be judged about substance use or word would get out to their professors.

Drexel University offers anonymous and confidential peer-counseling helpline staffed by about two dozen volunteer students. People can call in to discuss relationships, academics, drug use or more. The helpline, which has been running since 2002, typically receives about 20 calls per semester, though it saw a spike in numbers this past spring. Although usage numbers are generally low, the university said the goal of the program is to offer students one more option among various counseling services. It's not meant for crisis intervention.

Some worry about students blurring the lines between compassionate listening and professional counseling. Mitchell, of the counseling center directors association, said students should never try on their own to deal with a seriously troubled peer. "It's great that students are interested in helping," she said, "but they really do need to have partnerships with professionals who can help them identify that this is your lane."

Even in less severe cases  for instance, a roommate conflict  students might benefit from speaking to an unbiased professional who is separate from the campus environment, she added. Another concern is student volunteers becoming overwhelmed by caring for someone else, so it starts affecting their own mental health. There need to be boundaries, Mitchell said.

Griffith-Gorgati agreed. "No student should ever have to be their friend's therapist," she said. "But if every single person at Penn took that training and was a little better about supporting their friends, I think the entire campus culture would be turned on its head."

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. For additional resources, visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources or bethe1to.com.
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Page: 1 2 3 4 South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 325147

08-20-2018 05:55 PM











Post: #1 South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

Advertisement



A letter sent to the owners earlier this year had said: Notice is hereby given that a terrain inspection will be held on the farms on April 5, 2018 at 10am in order to conduct an audit of the assets and a handover of the farms keys to the state...



ANC spokesman ZiZi Kodwa refused to reveal details of the farms being targeted and has attempted to cal investor fears, adding the proposed seizures were tied to addressing the injustices of the past..

[link to



Imagine the International outrage and calls for global sanctions if this were white people confiscating black people's land.. SOUTH AFRICA's government has begun seizing land from white farmers, targeting two game farms in the northern province of Limpopo after talks with the owners to buy the properties collapsed.. The owners wanted 200 million rand (16.7m) for the land, but that the countrys government were willing to offer them just a tenth of that at 20 million rand (1.67m).A letter sent to the owners earlier this year had said: Notice is hereby given that a terrain inspection will be held on the farms on April 5, 2018 at 10am in order to conduct an audit of the assets and a handover of the farms keys to the state...ANC spokesman ZiZi Kodwa refused to reveal details of the farms being targeted and has attempted to cal investor fears, adding the proposed seizures were tied to addressing the injustices of the past..[link to http://www.express.co.uk (secure)]Imagine the International outrage and calls for global sanctions if this were white people confiscating black people's land.. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 354761

08-20-2018 06:05 PM











Post: #2 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

Boycott South Africa. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 325147

08-20-2018 06:07 PM











Post: #3 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:05 PM) Boycott South Africa.

Just the blacks, apparently, they are allowed to be racist and commit economic genocide against whites. No media outrage.



Where's the left? Just the blacks, apparently, they are allowed to be racist and commit economic genocide against whites. No media outrage.Where's the left? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 325147

08-20-2018 06:21 PM











Post: #4 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 457333

08-20-2018 06:24 PM











Post: #5 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:07 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:05 PM) Boycott South Africa.

Just the blacks, apparently, they are allowed to be racist and commit economic genocide against whites. No media outrage.



Where's the left?

It's not just economic genocide. Seventy thousand whites have been brutally murdered in recent years. It's not just economic genocide. Seventy thousand whites have been brutally murdered in recent years. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 89635

08-20-2018 06:45 PM











Post: #6 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

Aren't the liberals against discrimination? Despotism? Fascism? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 453797

08-20-2018 06:47 PM











Post: #7 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?

Land that was stolen from them in the first place. GFY with your white supremacist propaganda. Land that was stolen from them in the first place. GFY with your white supremacist propaganda. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 457333

08-20-2018 06:50 PM











Post: #8 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:47 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?

Land that was stolen from them in the first place. GFY with your white supremacist propaganda.

There was nobody to steal the land from. Blacks didn't live in South Africa when whites arrived. Blacks came later to benefit from what the whites created. There was nobody to steal the land from. Blacks didn't live in South Africa when whites arrived. Blacks came later to benefit from what the whites created. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 397180

08-20-2018 06:52 PM











Post: #9 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?

We're all liberals here. Whites are nazis and deserve genocide. That's why the USA won't be accepting any white refugees. We're all liberals here. Whites are nazis and deserve genocide. That's why the USA won't be accepting any white refugees. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 457333

08-20-2018 06:54 PM











Post: #10 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:52 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?

We're all liberals here. Whites are nazis and deserve genocide. That's why the USA won't be accepting any white refugees.

When the whites are gone the blacks will starve and they will deserve it. When the whites are gone the blacks will starve and they will deserve it. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 457780

08-20-2018 06:57 PM











Post: #11 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?



Nazism is more like what the whites did to the blacks in South Africa in the first place. This is just the whites getting exactly what they deserve.

LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 457777

08-20-2018 06:59 PM











Post: #12 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:57 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?



Nazism is more like what the whites did to the blacks in South Africa in the first place. This is just the whites getting exactly what they deserve.



The fatcats abroad swimming in pools of diamonds and gold? The fatcats abroad swimming in pools of diamonds and gold? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 89635

08-20-2018 06:59 PM











Post: #13 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:54 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:52 PM) We're all liberals here. Whites are nazis and deserve genocide. That's why the USA won't be accepting any white refugees.

When the whites are gone the blacks will starve and they will deserve it.

1000%



Look up the videos of South Africa's capital city....blacks took over and it's LITERALLY covered in trashed.



They will f*#k up everything they touch. White people need to leave. Trump needs to not be afraid of PR and help them.



Liberals will cry over Somalis but whites escaping state sponsored genocide by South African government? 1000%Look up the videos of South Africa's capital city....blacks took over and it's LITERALLY covered in trashed.They will f*#k up everything they touch. White people need to leave. Trump needs to not be afraid of PR and help them.Liberals will cry over Somalis but whites escaping state sponsored genocide by South African government? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 457333

08-20-2018 07:00 PM











Post: #14 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land

LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:57 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (08-20-2018 06:21 PM) Uh. Nobody cares?



This is like full Nazism



The black government has called for killing the whites.



They are now stealing their land.



Hello?



Nazism is more like what the whites did to the blacks in South Africa in the first place. This is just the whites getting exactly what they deserve.



There were no blacks in South Africa when the whites arrived! How is it that you don't know this? The black South African government admits this. Look it up. There were no blacks in South Africa when the whites arrived! How is it that you don't know this? The black South African government admits this. Look it up. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442998

08-20-2018 07:00 PM











Post: #15 RE: South Africa begins confiscating white farmers land













send in the ninja, the white farmers need their protection reparations,send in the ninja, the white farmers need their protection Advertisement


















People embrace at the scene of the murder-suicide that claimed the life of veteran Philadelphia City Council staffer Linda Rios-Neuby on Friday. Read more

I saw Linda Rios-Neuby two days before her husband shot and killed her, and then took his own life. I locked eyes with her in the corner of the La Colombe next to City Hall, but I didn't say hello or give her a hug, as I'd done countless times when I saw her and her twin girls at the ShopRite.

Linda was crying; she looked as if she should've taken a day off. She wasn't alone, so I kept walking to City Hall, where she worked as director of human resources for City Council.

I worked with Linda at City Council from 2002 to 2010. I was a constituent service aide for the late, great Councilwoman Joan L. Krajewski, and Linda worked in City Council President Anna C. Verna's office. A bunch of us started working at City Hall together at the same time. Even though our bosses were sometimes friends and sometimes enemies, Council staffers stuck together and had epic end-of-Council-session happy hours.

Roaming the corridors of City Hall last week, I visited my former coworkers. It's my tradition to bring Stock's famous pound cake to City Hall when I visit, a tip of the hat to the legislation I helped pass to protect Philly bakeries from the trans-fat ban sanctions.

It was a trip down memory lane, but it was also humbling and inspiring to see that, yes, those fresh-faced kids right out of college are now the staffers running the show (the people we used to roll our eyes at 15 years ago).

Sharon Vaughan was an aide to Marian Tasco. She's now the boss lady of the 42nd Democratic Ward and chief of staff for Councilman Derek Green (a former Council staffer, too), and throws the best fish fry fundraisers in the city. Holly Maher, who worked for Councilman Jack Kelly  she led the fight to make Philly a no-kill shelter city for stray animals  is now in Councilman Bill Greenlee's office and still pushing for legislation to protect our animals.

I passed by other offices where friends left public service in the Council offices and went out on their own. John Hawkins and Andrew Zalenski are now big-time lobbyists. Lawyers Darwin Beauvis and Lauren Vidas left City Hall, and I swore they would be scooped up by another city, but they stayed in Philly and made it better. I started getting coffee for Councilwoman Krajewski. Now, I'm running for state representative in my 177th District of the River Wards and Northeast Philly.

I made my way to Linda's office and smiled at her promotion. Here's a woman who started out as a summer intern in City Hall. She learned as she worked and she did it all: finding a lost paycheck, checking late time sheets, picking your health insurance, calculating your sick days, phoning you to tell you to get your council person to caucus now, or sending that glorious email on a Friday before a holiday notifying us that the City Hall offices would close at 3 p.m.

I grabbed a Post-It and scribbled her a note, leaving her two pieces of pound cake and hoping my friend would have a better day after seeing her in distress.

"Hey Linda, you've been Patty-Caked! Give this to your two babies with a cold glass of milk! XOXO, PP"

On Friday morning, around 7:30 a.m., Linda Rios-Neuby was at home in Holmesburg when her estranged husband, Haywood Neuby, entered the house and started fighting with her as their 4-year-old twin daughters slept. The babysitter left out the back door with the girls. Philadelphia police found Linda dead in her bathroom, with three gunshot wounds. Neuby then turned the gun on himself, committing suicide.

As I sit here sobbing and wishing I would've gone to Linda that day when I saw her crying, for the rest of my life I will second-guess myself and replay the last time I saw her alive. I hope her girls remember the night their mom came home with two delicious pieces of pound cake and poured them some milk. I hope that's the vision they have of their mommy, who was taken way too soon, and who managed City Council staffers and offices and never let on that she was in an abusive relationship.

If Linda Rios-Neuby, a woman who worked with 17 of the most powerful people in Philadelphia and the mayor, suffered in silence and couldn't ask for help, where does that leave all the others?

That will forever be a hard piece of cake to swallow.

Patty-Pat Kozlowski, a Republican candidate for state representative in November, can be reached at yopattypat@yahoo.com.

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, call the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline's toll free number for help, support and information: 1-866-723-3014.
Representative Margo "Crash" Davidson, poster child for "why are we pampering and spoiling state legislators?" Read more

Criticize state lawmakers all you want, but they are consistent on one point: They always reliably provide poster children for their own embarrassing excesses.

Such as Vincent Fumo, poster child for public corruption.

And LeAnna Washington, poster child for using her own staff to plan campaign fundraisers

And John Perzel, poster child for constructing elaborate taxpayer funded systems to help him and cronies get reelected.

All of these offenses have a key point in common: They are connected to the sense of spoiled entitlement that often comes with state elected office.

Today, we present Representative Margo "Crash" Davidson, poster child for "why are we pampering and spoiling state legislators?"

According to a recent Inquirer report, Davidson apparently has a hard time handling her state-government-issued car; in the past three years, she's had three accidents in two different state-supplied vehicles, one of which happened when she was driving with a suspended license. In another, separate episode, she left her state-owned car in her driveway unlocked with the keys in it; it was stolen and damaged. Taxpayers have been on the hook not only for her cars, but for $30,000 in repairs.

It's bad enough that cars are provided to state lawmakers; those deals also include fuel and maintenance. But the car perk is just the tip of the iceberg. State lawmakers are paid an average of more than $87,000 way more than any other state except California. Leaders get even more. Lawmakers also get per diems  up to $183 per day, no receipts required.

They get gold-plated health care, and after serving in office for 10 years  eight, if you're a senator  they can retire (at 55, with a pension) and keep it for a low cost, for life. And they get to draw their own district lines, ensuring them long stints in office.

If Davidson's bumper car experience is any guide, no one bats an eye or puts a limit on the amount of money taxpayers are expected to shell out for the damage done by expensive perks.

Who ever thought it would be a good idea to create a body of lawmakers empowered to codify into law generous salaries and perks for themselves?

It's hard to be optimistic anything will change. Following the "Bonusgate" scandal of 2006 when lawmakers approved raises for themselves in the middle of the night, a scathing grand jury report called for a number of reforms for a legislature they said "exists in a time warp." Those reforms called for eliminating political caucuses, cutting bloated staffing levels, and killing per diems.

Nothing much has happened since  except for more car crashes for Davidson.

Other states require voters to approve every pay raise. Still others have a commission that helps establish salaries and perks. Others tie their salaries to the pay of other state employees, according to Ballotpedia. We'd settle for tying it to the average state income which is $56,907.

Lawmakers will continue to assure themselves a well-paid, pampered life at the expense of taxpayers  until, that is, voters get wise and start demanding they behave more responsibly, or find other jobs.
(Reporting by Ashutosh Chandra)

PATNA: The Bihar unit of the Congress Party has come up with what it is touting as a solution to the issue of violence against women. The party has started distributing cans of pepper spray. The idea is that the pepper spray will buy threatened women enough time to notify friends or family that they are in danger using an app that it launched to mark Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary on Monday.

The Congress also sought to ink up the launch of its pepper spray and app bundle as a response to the ongoing scandal over the sexual abuse of children at government-run shelters at a number of places in Bihar.

The branding of the pepper spray and app combo leaves little to the imagination, what with elections around the corner - they are both called 'Indira Shakti' and prominently feature pictures of the namesake's grandson and present Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress's in-charge for Bihar, Shakti Singh Gohil has claimed that the app-pepper spray combo is a key answer to the problem of women's safety in Bihar. He also claimed that the pepper spray the Congress is handing out to women in the state is 20 times more potent than the sprays available on the market.

The Congress does not have it easy with the release of the app and the pepper spray. The main accused in the Muzaffarpur sexual abuse scandal, Brijesh Thakur, is said to have close links with the party. He had claimed that he was in talks with Congress leaders to contest elections on the party ticket. The Bihar Congress however has rubbished this and said it has no connection to Thakur.

The shocking abuse of girls at the shelter home in Muzaffarpur had come to light after one of the girls alleged that a fellow inmate had been beaten to death and buried on the premises. Medical tests on the subsequently rescued girls showed that more than half of the 40 girls lodged at the shelter home had been abused.
The Rigveda is the oldest of India's ancient Vedic texts, extending back by traditional estimates to 3000 BCE or earlier.

Today in the twenty-first century, the Rigveda remains one of the most important books for all humanity, providing not only glimpses of the origins of civilization but a cosmic vision that transcends all time.

The Rigveda is the oldest surviving text from the ancient world, which best preserves the voice and message of our ancient ancestors and spiritual guides. As such, it forms a unique living link with our ancient origins.

The Rigveda is a massive and diverse teaching, containing over one thousand hymns and ten thousand verses. It holds the mantras of dozens of great seers or rishis, famous throughout the history of India. These include such renowned figures as Vasishtha, Agastya, Vishvamitra, Atri, Atharva, Bhrigu, Angiras and many more.

Ancient sages and seers, often seven in number, are lauded throughout the world for their wisdom and influence on civilization. If we wish to hear their message in their own language, we must listen to the chants of the Rigveda.

Yet, the Rigveda is also a book of kings, mentioning numerous great kings like Sudas, Divodasa, Bharata, Mandhata, Trasadasyu and Kuru, including some lauded as Chakravartins, emperors of India from sea to sea. Indeed, for such a large collection to survive over the centuries required the patronage of enduring dynasties.

The living Vedic tradition

Yet most significant is the fact that the Rigveda is still chanted today and has been continually since its compilation thousands of years ago. This claim cannot be made for any other book in the world.

The Rigveda has been preserved in its original pronunciation by a strict set of rules, annotations and styles of chanting. It exists along with several traditional methods of interpretation that provide inner keys to its meanings, which are hidden to the ordinary mind.

The Rigveda is a mantric text, meaning it is poetic, symbolic and imagistic and has several levels of meaning, not easy to grasp by the outward looking modern intellect. The Sun is the visible face of the Divinity, the Atman or the inner Self of the entire universe. Agni is not just a material fire but is the very light of consciousness within us. Soma is not just a plant but the Divine Bliss or Ananda. Vayu is not just the wind but the comic energy in all its forms. The Vedic ritual or yajna is not just an outer fire ritual but inner offering of speech, prana and mind into the Divine flame within us.

Approaching the Rigveda today

There has been extensive research, study and translations relative to the Rigveda since the colonial era that began to examine the text anew. Yet it would be wrong to say that the essence of the Rigveda has been understood or even agreed upon. Western scholars have a very different estimation of the text than Vedic scholars or Yogis. Whereas they tend to look upon the Veda as mere nature worship, Vedic scholars see in it a mantric key to the cosmos and to our own inner Self.

Several great gurus of modern India have emphasized the Rigveda and its continued relevance. These include such towering figures as Swami Dayananda Sarasvati of the Arya Samaj, Sri Aurobindo, Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, Sri Anirvan and Swami Veda Bharati, whose disciples have expanded their Vedic interpretations.

So how does one approach the Rigveda today many thousands of years later in a very different civilization? Vedic texts say that the mantra OM is the essence of the Vedas and we can understand the Vedas through chanting and meditating upon OM alone, connecting us to the power of cosmic sound.

Several Rigvedic verses remain commonly chanted in Hindu and yogic circles today. These include the famous Gayatri Mantra of Vishvamitra, which is the prime mantra of the Hindus used for agnihotra or daily fire offerings. Another is the Mrityunjaya Mantra to Shiva of Rishi Vasishtha that is one of the key chants for the worship of Lord Shiva.

A few complete hymns like the Purusha Sukta, Nasadiya Sukta (creation hymn) or Vak Sukta (to the Goddess of Speech) are still widely studied. Many Vedic verses occur in in later Vedic texts. For example, Rishi Vamadeva's statement "I was Manu and the Sun", is quoted in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad relative to the great statement (Mahavakya) Aham Brahmasmi, or "I am Brahman".

Therefore, one must ask, if these few mantras of the Rigveda can be so transformative, what about the rest of its ten thousand verses, which are cast in a similar language and cadence and reflect the same depths of meaning?

As perhaps humanity's oldest book, the Rigveda remains one of its most mysterious. It requires much more research to uncover its wisdom and its power, which means an honoring of the ancient rishis through whom it was expressed.

A new examination of the Rigveda is one of the most important intellectual and spiritual endeavors today, necessary for humanity to discover its true spiritual origins and destiny.

(Dr David Frawley, or Pandit Vamadeva Shastri, is a Western-born Vedacharya, who teaches an integral approach to Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda and Vedic studies. He is the author of 50 books published in 20 languages, and is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India. He is the director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)
New Delhi: Three men were allegedly thrashed and threatened at gunpoint after they objected to vulgar gestures by a group of men towards their female friend in northwest Delhi's Vijay Nagar, police said on Monday.

Five people were arrested in connection with the incident, they said.

The police received information about the incident at at 12.29 am today, but by the time they reached the spot the injured were shifted to a hospital in Delhi's Ashok Vihar, a senior officer said.

The woman is said to be a member of the Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA), the officer said.

The injured were identified as Sumeet Verma (23), Rishabh (23) and Ankit Pandey (23), all residents of Vijay Nagar, he said.?

They told police that some men in an inebriated state made vulgar gestures towards their female friend. When they objected, the accused verbally abused them and called some other men, one of whom also had a pistol. They thrashed the tiro and also threatened to kill them, the police said.

Based on statements of the victims and CCTV footage, teams were formed and subsequently, the five men were arrested, he added.?

The accused have been identified as Gautam Sonkar (26), Kundan (23), Aayush Bhatia (24), Manish (23) and Shubham (20), while another accused Pawan (25) is still absconding, the police officer said.

A case has been filed in connection with the incident at Model Town police station and investigation is underway, the police said.
New Delhi: A man was arrested for allegedly killing a woman and her son in Seemapuri area of Shahdara when she asked the accused to repay a Rs 25,000 loan taken from her, police said on Monday.

The bodies of the woman and her son with multiple stab injuries were found inside their house on Sunday.

The woman's body was found inside a bed box while her son's body was found in the bathroom, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Meghna Yadav said. The accused, a resident of Nandnagri area here, and the woman's son were batchmates in a computer course a year ago.

The matter came to light when the woman's sister informed the police at 9.15 pm after she could not get in touch with them. During interrogation, the accused, reportedly in his 20s, told the police that he killed the duo on August 17, the DCP said.

The police are also probing the role of another person in the double-murder case, Yadav said.
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday revised its earlier notification declaring a holiday for Eid-ul-Zuha on August 23. As per the new order, the government offices will remain closed on August 22 on account of the festivities.

The change was announced after an intimation from the Ruiyat Hilal (Moon Deciding Committee) headed by the Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid, Delhi, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, that witnesses of the sighting of moon have been received from different cities of India.

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said all central government administrative offices located in Delhi and New Delhi area shall remain closed on August 22 on account of Bakrid.

On August 14, the government had said the Eid-ul-Zuha holiday will be on August 23 in place of August 22. The official notification states that the earlier order stating that Bakrid will be celebrated on August 23 stands withdrawn.
New Delhi: The Delhi court on Monday granted permission to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to travel abroad to visit the family of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away recently.

Tharoor, who has been facing trial on charges of abetment of suicide and committing cruelty in Sunanda Pushkar case, had sought permission from Patiala Court to allow him to visit the foreign land. The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram will also be visiting the United Nations headquarters in Geneva to seek aid for flood-hit state Kerala.

Earlier this month, Tharoor was granted permission from the court to travel abroad for a few days starting from August 10. The court asked him to deposit Rs 2 lakh before leaving the country as surety.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a suite of a five-star hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.

The Delhi Police had on May 14 accused the Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram of abetting Pushkar's suicide and urged the court that he should be summoned as an accused in the four-and-half-year-old case, claiming there was sufficient evidence against him.

In a nearly 3,000-page charge sheet, the police have named Tharoor as the only accused while also alleging that he had subjected his wife to cruelty. The couple's domestic servant, Narayan Singh, has been named one of the key witnesses in the case. Tharoor has not been arrested in the case.
For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force participated with fighter aircraft in Exercise Pitch Black which concluded on August 18 in Darwin in Australia. The exercise was aimed at giving a unique opportunity for exchange of knowledge and experience with the participating nations in a dynamic warfare environment. During the exercise which began from 24 July and concluded on 18 August, the IAF contingent interacted with various countries, gained first-hand experience of training patterns, employment and operating philosophies of their combat assets.

The professionalism and work ethos of IAF pilots, technicians, Airmen and all participating Air-Warriors earned immense praise from all quarters during the exercise.

#ExPitchBlack18 : Glimpses of Assault Ops C-130J.

As part of the offensive forces during ex Pitch Black, IAF Super Hercules landed on a short dirt strip & inserted Spl Ops Vehicles with Engines on, spending minimum time on ground in the threat zone.@SpokespersonMoD@Aus_AirForce pic.twitter.com/OVBsn6RYmH  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 19, 2018

Over the last decade, the IAF has been actively participating in operational exercises hosted by various countries, wherein collaborative engagements have been undertaken with the best air forces in the world. The operational lessons learnt by IAF during the exercise will help in assisting the force in adding more teeth to its overall war waging capabilities and assist us in better joint man ship with the friendly nations.

Here are the highlights of the 25-day Exercise Pitch Black:

1. Exercise Pitch Black was a biennial multi-national large force employment warfare exercise which was hosted by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). With the participation of 16 nations and more than 140 aircraft, the current edition was the largest Pitch Black ever conducted by Australia.

2. The contingent of the IAF consisted of 145 air-warriors including IAF Commandos team, Garuds, 04 X Su-30 MKI, 01 X C-130 and 01 X C-17 for logistic support for induction and de-induction. The contingent assembled at Air Force Station Kalaikunda and departed for the exercise on 19 July from India to Australia via Indonesia. The contingent was led by Group Captain CUV Rao.

#ExPitchBlack18 : Indian Air Force is all packed & ready to board the jets to head for the next destination, Malaysia.

The big boys C-17 & C-130 & the fast jets bid adieu to 'down under' Australia. pic.twitter.com/rJW6YkplVj  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 18, 2018

3. The objectives for the exercise were to foster closer relations between the participating friendly forces and to promote interoperability through exchange of knowledge and experience.

4. The aim for participating crew and specialist observers was to expose them to op environment in international scenarios.

5. The exercise comprised of 2 phases, first being the Force Integration week. During the Force Integration week, the forces flew basic missions with an aim to get to the same working platform. The missions later involved larger packages and simulated air combat exercises were undertaken in near realistic environment.

6. Various day and night operations were undertaken by the IAF and for the first time.

7. SU-30MKI carried out Air to Air Refueling with KC-30A of RAAF. The KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport is a modified Airbus A330 airliner that is used by RAAF to conduct air-to-air refueling and provide strategic airlift.

8. Exchange sorties were flown by IAF pilots flying in Rafale and RAAF F/A-18 (Hornets); and RAAF crew and French Crew flying in SU-30MKI.

9. IAF C-130J crew got a unique opportunity to fly in RAAF C130J aircraft. C-130J also carried out assault landing at Dalmare, Assault Operations of dropping specialist vehicles in Op area and participation in Large Force Engagement missions, both by day and night.

10. Maiden operations were also undertaken by the IAF during the exercise. These included IAF Commandos, Garuds and Para Jump Instructors jumping from C-27J Spartan in a foreign country, Container Delivery System (CDS) drop by C-130 J, Engine Running Ops (ERO) for dropping Ops Specialist Vehicles in Combat Zone. During the exercise, IAF maintenance crew ensured 100 percent serviceability of all the assets, thus ensuring complete participation of the forces in the exercise.
NEW DELHI: India recently met with a huge success when Jabir Moti, a close aide of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was detained in London. Believed to be Dawood's right-hand man, Moti managed Dawood's investments in the United Kingdom, UAE and other countries.

As per sources, Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar's interrogation led to the arrest of Moti. During his questioning by Thane Police and Intelligence Bureau, Iqbal Kaskar made sensational revelations about Jabir Siddiqui alias Jabir Moti, say sources. Apart from Iqbal, another close aide of Dawood, Farooq Takla, had also mentioned Moti's name during his interrogation. Indian agencies had recently deported Farooq from Dubai.

Sources say that after they gathered information from Iqbal, investigators raised a request with the Ministry of External Affairs who contacted the authorities in the UK. The UK officials verified the claims made by Indian agencies and kept Moti under continuous surveillance for a long time. Thereafter, the UK Police arrested Moti from the Hilton Hotel on Friday.

Sources claim that Iqbal had told interrogators that Moti made several investments in the name of Dawood's wife, son, daughters and other family members and also used multiple layers as a cover.

Modus Operandi:

Moti, who reported to Dawood directly, is said to be the CEO of more than 150 shell companies. About 10-15 per cent of what D Company earned from its illegal businesses such as drugs, weapons, fake currencies, betting, extortions, etc were transferred to Moti to be converted into white money.

Using the shell companies as multiple layers, Moti used to transfer the amount in various bank accounts belonging to Dawood's family members who have no criminal background.

Sources say that Moti did not just invest in real estate business but also in Karachi Stock Market. Insiders used to pass tips to him about shares with the help of which he doubled and tripled the money in trading.

Agencies are estimating that Moti has an empire worth roughly Rs 8000 crore which includes number of properties in Dubai, Sharjah, Oman, Muscat, London and other cities. He also had various Karachi-based bank accounts which are under scrutiny after his arrest.

As per sources, Moti invested money in properties in London and other parts of UK and Europe on behalf of Dawood's wife, son and daughters. It is also learnt that huge investments were made in Dubai and Sharjah as well at the behest of Dawood.

He is said to have been well advised by Dawood himself not to use his or his family members' name directly for any of the investments. Hence, unearthing how and where he invested Dawood's money will be a challenge for the investigating agencies.

If intelligence sources are to be believed, Moti was trying to obtain dual nationality status in Barabudur and Antigua and the Dominican Republic and a permanent resident status in Hungary. Moti also possesses a ten-year visa in the UK.
Over three lakh people are living in relief camps as Kerala battles the worst flooding in a century. Apart from the Centre and Kerala government, governments from all states across the country along with volunteers have donated for the rescue and relief work in the state.

As water levels recede, the task now is to rebuild the state and the government is now seeking help from people not for relief material but for their skills. "There will be no electricity in homes, carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes or food. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala," Union Minister KJ Alphons said.

Applauding the rescue operations, Alphons said: "Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala," he said.

He also hailed the fishermen in the state as the 'biggest heroes' for helping people. On hearing about the devastating floods, 600 odd fishermen immediately turned up with their country and mechanised boats to help rescue those marooned in various parts of the state.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also said that rehabilitation will be the next big focus of the state government with most of the marooned having been rescued. The deadly monsoon rains have claimed at least 370 lives and has displaced lakhs from their homes.

According to India Met Department, a fresh low-pressure area has formed over North West Bay of Bengal but it is unlikely to have a significant impact over Kerala. Rainfall is likely to decrease further gradually during the next five days.

Rainfall over Kerala during the South West Monsoon (June 1 to Aug 19) has been exceptionally high. Kerala has so far received 2346.6 mm rains against the normal of 1649.5 mm, according to IMD.
Pakistan has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to the countrys newly-elected Prime Minister, Imran Khan, seeking revival of dialogue between the two countries. However, India has denied any such move, saying that Prime Minister Modi merely wrote a congratulatory letter to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and did not make any reference to revival of talks.

Pakistan-based Geo News in a report quoted countrys foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as saying that Prime Minister has called for dialogue in his letter to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. He reportedly made the remark shortly after being sworn in.

Qureshi also reached out his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, saying that he wanted to tell her that India and Pakistan were not just neighbours, but atomic powers with a lot of common resources.

Asserting that talks between the two neighbours must resume, the Pakistan minister said that there was need for continued and uninterrupted dialogue between India and Pakistan. He said that the countries could not afford to indulge in adventurism.

The report further quoted the Pakistan foreign minister as saying that there were long-standing issues between the two countries. He said that that the issues were complicated and there might be some hurdles in resorting them. He, however, added, We must admit that Kashmir is a reality.

After the victory of the PTI in Pakistan general elections on July 25, Prime Minister Modi had called up Imran Khan and congratulated him on the victory. Speaking to news agency ANI later in an exclusive interview, the Prime Minister had said that he expected Pakistan, under the new Prime Minister, to work to make the region free from terror and violence.

"I have always said that we wish to have good neighbourly relations. We have also taken various initiatives in this regard. I recently congratulated Imran Khan on his victory in the elections. We hope that Pakistan would work for a safe, secure, stable and prosperous region, free from terror and violence," the Prime Minister had said.
NEW DELHI: After India on Monday denied any mention of an offer for dialogue with Pakistan, Islamabad has made a U-turn. Backtracking on its earlier claims, Pakistan said that its foreign Minister never said that the Indian PM made an offer for dialogue.

"Foreign Minister hadn't stated 'Indian PM had made the offer of dialogue' but had said that Indian PM in his letter to PM Imran Khan, had also mentioned something similar to what Foreign Minister elucidated earlier i.e. the way forward was only through constructive engagement," the Pakistan government said in a statement.

Newly-appointed Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for dialogue in a letter to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. "Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a letter to PM Imran Khan in which he indicated the beginning of talks between the two countries," Qureshi said.

India, however, denied making any offers in the letter to PM Imran Khan. India maintained that PM Modi merely wrote a congratulatory letter to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and did not make any reference to the revival of talks.

Asserting that talks between the two neighbours must resume, the Pakistan minister had on Monday said that there was a need for continued and uninterrupted dialogue between India and Pakistan. He said that the countries could not afford to indulge in adventurism.

He said after being sworn- in that the issues between India and Pakistan were complicated and there might be some hurdles in resolving them. He, however, added, We must admit that Kashmir is a reality.

After PTI's victory in Pakistan general elections on July 25, PM Modi had called up Imran Khan and congratulated him. The PM had later said that he expected Pakistan, under the new Prime Minister, to work to make the region free from terror and violence. "I have always said that we wish to have good neighbourly relations. We have also taken various initiatives in this regard. I recently congratulated Imran Khan on his victory in the elections. We hope that Pakistan would work for a safe, secure, stable and prosperous region, free from terror and violence," PM Modi had said.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state police department in connection with an alleged hate speech delivered by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2007. A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra issued the notice while hearing a plea challenging Allahabad High Courts decision in the case.

The Allahabad High Court had upheld a decision by the Uttar Pradesh government to deny sanction to prosecute Yogi Adityanath in the case. The court has sought a response to the notice within four weeks.

In 2008, two persons  Asad Hyat and Pervez  had filed a petition in Allahabad High Court seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It was alleged that the riots in Gorakhpur in 2007 were triggered by the speech of Yogi Adityanath.

Adityanath, who then represented Gorakhpur in Lok Sabha, was arrested and also remanded to police custody for 11 days.

The petition had sought an investigation against Adityanath under sections 302, 307, 153A, 395 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code. The case was then transferred to the CB-CID, which found in the course of investigation that the BJP leaders voice in an audio recording was authentic.

On February 1, 2018, the Allahabad High Court had dismissed the petition seeking action against Adityanath and eight other accused. Following this, one of the petitioners, Pervez, had moved the Supreme Court.

Yogi Adityanath, who earlier was a Lok Sabha MP from Gorakhpur, was made the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh after the BJP won the state Assembly elections in 2017. Later in the bypolls held in the seat vacated by him, the BJP suffered a loss. Pravin Nishad of the Samajwadi Party, backed by the Bahujan Samaj Party, defeated Upendra Dutt Shukla of the BJP.
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Rajasthan government over latest incident of lynching in Alwar on July 24. The top court has sought a detailed affidavit from the Rajasthan government within a week on the steps taken by the state government to deal with incidents of lynching.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the petitioner, asked the court to summon the principal secretary of Rajasthan government and question him over why there was delay in following the apex courts previous order on lynching.

The Supreme Court observed that though it had passed the order on preventing lynching incidents on July 17, a Muslim man named Rakbar Khan alias Akbar Khan was killed in a lynching incident on July 24. The next date of hearing in the case is August 30.

Earlier this month, the top court had sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government over a lynching incident in Hapur. The court had asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit a detailed report on the entire incident.

The Supreme Court has also directed the Union government to formulate a law to prevent lynching incidents.

The latest case in the apex court concerns the lynching of a 28-year-old man in Alwar in Rajasthan. The man, Rakbar Khan, was beaten up mercilessly by an angry mob on suspicion of cattle smuggling.

A probe into the incident later revealed that the life of the victim could have been saved had the cops rushed him to a hospital on time. But the police officials first sent the cows in his possession to a shelter home and then took him to the hospital. As per reports, they even took a tea break while going the hospital.

Reacting to the incident, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria had said that it appeared to be a case of custodial death. He had conceded that the life of the victim could have been saved, had the police acted in a responsive way.
Thiruvananthapuram: Massive rescue operations are being undertaken across flood-hit Kerala with the death toll mounting to 223 since August 8. Several photographs and videos of the rescue operations have been widely shared on social media and some of them are even going viral.

Even as the state got respite from the rain, fears rose over disease in rescue camps. In one of the videos of the rescue operation, a man is seen lending his back as a stair to help women to get into a boat.

Since its release, the video has been doing its rounds on social media platforms and the netizens can't keep calm but hail his generosity. In the video, shared by a Twitterati, the Kerala man is seen bending down and lending his back while his face lies right above the water level.

A man lending his back as a stair to help women get into a boat! #KeralaFlood

Angels come in all shapes and sizes!pic.twitter.com/2fuuKCgvYW  Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) August 19, 2018

(Video courtesy: Twitter@hvgoenka)

The deadly monsoon rains savaged Kerala with heavy rains and severe floods. "Over 10.78 lakh displaced people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children below 12 years of age, have been sheltered in 3,200 relief camps. Today, 602 persons were rescued from various places as the rains receded," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday.

The Centre, meanwhile, declared Kerala flood as a severe calamity. The Chief Minister, however, said that there have been demands from various quarters to declare the floods as a national calamity.

An all-party meeting will be held here on Tuesday to take stock of the flood situation. The government will on August 29 honour fishermen who participated in the rescue operations, he said.

With flood water level receding in many places, people have started returning to their homes and begun cleaning operations. The state government has also decided to distribute cleaning kits to them, Vijayan added.

He further said that as many as 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations and people stranded on rooftops and inaccessible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

(With inputs from agencies)
Mumbai: Kerala has been hit by the most disastrous flood in over a century. Rains lashed parts of the state causing damage to life and property. The Defence forces and National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) are in the state for relief operations, and even common people have extended support for those affected due to the calamity.

Prabhas, who became a household name across the country after he made a splash as Baahubali, has come out in support of those in need. The hunk of an actor has donated Rs 25 Lakhs to Government of Keralas Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund, a report in dnaindia.com report suggests.

Many celebrities have either donated or extended support to the people of Kerala during these tough times. Celebrities have been sharing Helpline and emergency numbers to create awareness about avenues of help and relief.

The Kerala government on Sunday informed the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) that the situation in the flood-ravaged state was gradually improving, even as some rainfall was forecast for the coastal state from Monday onwards.

In the worst ever torrential rains in Kerala in this monsoon season, 370 lives have been lost and 724,649 persons evacuated to 5,645 camps so far.

(With IANS inputs)
New Delhi: Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor continue to remain friends after their much-publicised break-up. They have also starred in several films post that. On world photography day, Deepika shared a picture with Ranbir Kapoor from her Tamasha days. However, the picture didn't go down well with the social media users and Deepika was massively trolled for posting a picture.

The picture was taken in Corsica where the ex-lovebirds were shooting for the Imtiaz Ali directorial 'Tamasha'. Sharing the picture, Deepika wrote, "Capturing Moments."

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on Aug 19, 2018 at 1:16am PDT

Here's what the trolls had to say:

Well, trolls can be really nasty at times.

Meanwhile, the reports suggest that Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh will reportedly tie the knot in November this year. They have finalised Lake Como in Italy as their wedding destination and have issued special guidelines for the attendees. Their wedding is reportedly going to be a private affair with only close friends and relatives in attendance. While Ranbir Kapoor, on the other hand is panting the town red with his ladylove Alia Bhatt. The two reportedly fell in love while shooting their upcoming film 'Brahmastra' in Bulgaria.

In an interview with a fashion magazine, Ranbir had revealed that their relationship is too new. The two were spotted hanging out with each other's family on several occasions and rumoured to tie the knot by next year.
Islamabad: Sixteen ministers from Prime Minister Imran Khan's 21-strong Cabinet were sworn-in today as the formation of Pakistan's federal government was completed after the general elections. President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to the 16 federal ministers. Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Khan was by his side.

The new Cabinet has 16 federal ministers and five advisers to the prime minister, most of them previously held key posts in the regime of former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. The ministers who took the oath include Shah Mehmood Qureshi as the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Finance Minister Asad Umer, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Health Minister Amir Kiani, Religious Minister Nooru Haq Qadri and Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid.

Other ministers are Khusro Bakhtiar as Minister for Water Resources, Farogh Naseem Minister for Law, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema Minister for States and Frontier Regions and Ghulam Sarwar Khan Petroleum.

Three women ministers including Fehmida Mirza minister for inter-provincial coordination, Zubaida Jala defence production and Shireen Mazari human rights minister also took the oath.

Qureshi, the vice president of the party, was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attack took place. He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based LeT terrorists attacked India's financial capital.

Finance Minister Umer is the son of former Lt Gen Mohammad Umer who was part of the Pakistan Army during 1971 war with India. After taking the oath, Umer told media that government will address immediate issues like current account deficit but also take long term measures to fix all problems.

"We will bring structural changes so that recurrent crises are avoided," he said.

Defence Minister Khattak said the cabinet will work 12 hours every day to fulfill the agenda set out by the Prime Minister. "We will bring peace in the country by working day and night," he said.

Information minister Chaudhry said that major changes will be introduced in state media to make it independent.

Prime Minister Khan has also summoned the first meeting of the cabinet on Monday. Those who have been appointed as advisers to the prime minister are former law minister in the PPP government Babar Awan (parliamentary affairs); former KP chief secretary Shehzad Arbab (establishment division); former minister in the regime of Gen Musharraf Abdul Razzak Dawood (commerce, textile, industry amd production and investment); Ishrat Husain (institutional reforms and austerity) and Amin Aslam (climate change).

At least 12 members of Khan's Cabinet served under General (retd) Musharraf.

According to Pakistan's Constitution, the size of the federal cabinet should be not more than 11 per cent of the total strength of the National Assembly and Senate.

Khan, the chairman of PTI, was administered the oath of office by President Mamnoon Hussain at a simple ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (the President House) in Islamabad on Saturday.

His government is the third consecutive democratic government in Pakistan since 2008 when Gen Musharraf announced elections after serving as president from 2001 to 2008 following a bloodless coup in 1999.

The PPP formed the government in 2008, followed by the PML-N led by jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2013.

Pakistan's powerful military has ruled the country through various coups for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947.
Open source

According to the Ministry of Health, for 3 months, 62 cases of botulism were registered in Ukraine, 9 of them resulted in the death. And if in previous years, the cause of the disease was most often the home-made products, recently the cases of the disease after consuming products purchased in the supermarkets have become more frequent. The peculiarity of the current outbreak is that Ukrainian hospitals are not provided with serum antibody response, and without it the probability of a fatal outcome increases several times.

According to the Ministry of Health for the past 3 months, 62 cases of botulism have already been registered in Ukraine, 9 of them were lethal. These figures are just catastrophic, said Deputy Minister of Health Oksana Sivak.

"Last year, there were more overall cases, but this year the fish season began on June 10. And more than half of the number of cases occurred last year," says Olga Golubovska, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, chief infectious disease specialist at the Ministry of Health. According to the Ministry of Health, in the past year, 105 cases of botulism have been reported, 12 deaths were registered.

According to Sivak, cases of deaths from botulism that occurred this year in Kyiv, Poltava, Sumy, and Cherkasy regions were associated with the use of dried fish of industrial production. In other cases, people died after consuming dried fish of domestic production, as well as homemade stew (Cherkasy region) and salted-smoked fish (Odesa region).

According to the State Procurement Service, a man who died of botulism in Kyiv, as well as three other cases, reported that fish goods were produced by Merkulov PIF, the supplier of "Chudo-Yudo" (Kirovograd region), which they purchased in a store network. People from the Vinnytsia, Kyiv, and Kherson region associate consuming of this product with their disease.

Alarming is the fact that recently the cause of botulism is the products of industrial production, Oksana Sivak, deputy minister of the Ministry of Health, said: This shows that the system of checks does not work. The peculiarity of these recent outbreaks is that they are associated with products bought in supermarkets, which is just unacceptable! Earlier, botulism was associated only with domestic products, not industrial production, as now, Olga Golubovska agrees. She clarified that the cases of botulism registered in previous years were associated with the use of home-made pates, sausages, canned mushrooms.

The spread of diseases may be due to the fact that many entrepreneurs have felt uncontrollable due to the limitation of opportunities to conduct inspections, the State Procurement Service.

"According to the Law of Ukraine "On the Fundamentals of State Control in the Sphere of Economic Activity," the business entity should be warned about an inspection for 10 days. In addition, the number of scheduled inspections have significantly decreased after the Cabinet of Ministers adopted resolution No. 1405 of 30 November 2011," State Procurement Service representatives complained: "If earlier some of the objects were inspected annually, now it happens once every 3-5 years. A moratorium on inspections does not allow for the timely conduct the necessary examinations and anti-epidemic measures at the facilities."

According to Olga Golubovska, most often botulinum toxin in fish is a consequence of non-compliance with cooking technology. Botulism pathogen Clostridium can be anywhere (on the surface of furniture, on the skin of the hands, in the intestines or in the mouth of healthy people), but if there is oxygen, it exists in the form of spores and does not excrete toxin. And only when clostridium falls into anaerobic conditions (without oxygen), the spore germinates, acquires vegetative form and it starts to release toxin. If oxygen did not serve as a deterrent to this phenomenon, clostridium could simply destroy humanity on the planet.

If the fish deposits and it is not gutted immediately, anaerobic conditions are created in its body, the botulinum toxin is absorbed into the body. And then it remains in it, even if the fish are then gutted, explains Golubovska. "Toxin, which is a protein by its nature, is destroyed by exposure to high temperatures, but it should be boiled for 10-15 minutes, if the temperature does not reach 100 degrees during drying or smoking, the toxin is not destroyed there," she explains.

Also, according to her, contrary to popular belief, the salt has no effect on butolotoxin: "No matter how much salt you put on fish, even if the concentration is over 50%, it acts only on the causative agent itself."

Another reason for the spread of botulism is a decline in the level of people's well-being. "When the living standard of the population falls, people use domestic conservation, especially in the villages," said Olga Golubovska. According to her, for a similar reason, large-scale outbreaks of botulism were recorded in the 90s.

No serum in the hospitals

One feature of the current outbreak of botulism is that it occurs against the background of the lack of serum in Ukrainian hospitals.

"In Ukraine, there is neither botulism nor diphtheria antitoxin, there are problems with tetanus antitoxin too. These are immunobiological preparations that we were previously buying from Russia and do not buy them now. It is almost impossible to buy them in Europe, because in Europe they are produced in very little amounts, they are expensive, we need to look for other producers, perhaps China and India," says Olga Golubovska.

"We have great problems with serum, because, as you know, we can use only registered medications. Today there is no single registered drug. The registration of Russian serum was finished in 2014. All our negotiations with the producers were unsuccessful, because they are financially disadvantageous. The serum has limited shelf life, it needs special storage conditions, so this is one of the reasons that manufacturers and pharmacies do not want to buy it," Oksana Sivak, Deputy Minister of Health, explained.

The employee of the Ministry of Health did not inform on the availability of the serum in the regional hospital. "Now I cannot tell you the percentage of serum availability, because in some regions it was bought from local budgets and I do not have such information," she said.

The main freelance infectious disease doctor of the Zaporizhya Regional State Administration Iryna Ivanova stated about the serum issue. The majority of regional mass media report about its absence.

At the same time, there is no alternative to treating botulism with serum. "The most effective treatment is, of course, serum. We realize this problem and we are working on it," Oksana Sivak says. She said that the Ministry of Health has an agreement with the Red Cross and with UNDP to supply serum against botulism in the form of humanitarian assistance.

"We ask for as many doses as possible, considering that we already have 62 cases, we need several hundred doses," Sivak said, refusing to predict when the humanitarian aid might arrive in Ukraine.

According to Golubovska, a pressure chamber is used for treatment of botulism. "It really has a very good effect on improving the patients health, but it does not replace serum," she noted.

Now in most Ukrainian hospitals, doctors offer relatives of patients with botulism to buy serum for their own money. "Serum from the black market mainly comes from Russia, in most cases it is smuggling, in fact, illegal import. Actually, there is a serum for 55 USD, and a Polish one costs 630 USD," Olga Golubovska states. She notes that polyvalent serum is more expensive (it is acting immediately on several types of pathogens that cause botulism): "Last year, a young man paid 6 thousand USD for treatment with the use of serum."

"In fact, this is the wrong situation for the country, because the immunobiological drug should be kept properly. Doctors take the responsibility by introducing serum of unknown origin. A patient can be killed after taking the serum. Such cases are rare, but serum is an immunobiological drug, it sometimes gives very severe allergic reactions, including fatal outcome," Golubovska states.

She also points out that people who have very serious clinical syndromes of the disease get to the hospital: "As soon as the diagnosis is established, the person should receive serum at the same moment. And if relatives spend long hours in looking for this serum, naturally, the risk of really great. If the serum is not injected at all, the risk of fatal outcome increases several times."

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On Saturday evening, August 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at her residence in Meseberg, a suburb of Berlin. They talked for more than three hours. Putin visited the residence of the German Chancellor for the first time since 2014. On his way to Meseberg Putin attended the wedding to the Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and her fiance Wolfgang Meilinger, who works in joint projects in the field of biogas with the Austrian company OMV, participating in the implementation of the gas pipeline project Nord Stream 2. Politicians talked with journalists before securing themselves in the park of the Meseberg Palace. Putin and Merkel reaffirmed their intention to implement the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project, the commitment to a nuclear deal with Iran, and stressed the importance of resolving armed conflicts in Ukraine, Syria and Yemen. What specifically discussed Putin and Merkel alone, remains a mystery. The message of the meeting in Meseberg is addressed to the United States and Ukraine. Merkel discussed with the Russian president exactly those issues that are a stumbling block in relations with the US and Ukraine.

Spitting in the Trumps face



The meeting in Meseberg was held on the eve of the meeting of Russian company Gazprom on August 28, where it is planned to discuss the response measures in the case of US sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project. The US plans to impose new sanctions against Russia in response to a chemical attack in the British city of Salisbury after August 22. Putin and Merkel confirmed their intention to implement this project. The gas pipeline is planned to be built between Russia and Germany on the bottom of the Baltic Sea until the end of 2019. Putin stressed that Nord Stream-2 is exclusively commercial in nature, and called for not politicizing this issue. Last year, Gazprom supplied Germany with 53 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which is 13% more than in 2016. Nord Stream - 2 will increase gas supplies to Germany to 110 billion cubic meters of gas per year and turn the country into the largest route for the transit of Russian blue fuel to European countries. The introduction of a new subsea gas pipeline will undermine the potential of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the sphere of transit of Russian natural gas. Ukraine and Poland are against the implementation of this project.



The idea of implementing the Nord Stream-2 project is not popular among the administration of US President Donald Trump. During the NATO summit, the American leader expressed bewilderment why the US should protect European countries from the Russian threat, while Germany concludes gas deals with Russia. According to Trump, if the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline is implemented, Germany will pay billions of dollars to Russia. The new Russian gas pipeline is not profitable for the US economically, since American natural gas producers are going to increase the supply of liquefied gas to Europe. Americans want to free themselves a niche in the European gas market by reducing Russia's share. At a meeting with Putin in Helsinki, Trump said he was not sure that the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project was in the interests of Germany, and stressed that the United States would compete with Russia in the field of natural gas supplies.

Merkel, in fact, spits in the face of the US Republican Party, which supports tightening and the introduction of new anti-Russian sanctions. Instead of supporting the new US sanctions against Russia, freezing the implementation of the Nord Stream-2 project in response to Russia's reluctance to withdraw troops from Eastern Ukraine, as befits a NATO ally, the German chancellor invited the aggressor president to her home. Even Trump is not in a hurry to call Putin to the White House. The recent trips of Putin to Austria and Germany - this is a kind of psychological attack on the United States. Trump should understand that Germany and a number of other EU member states might begin rapprochement with Russia, which president is still a member of the European establishment, and will displace American interests from Europe, as they are not satisfied with the fact that they must bear losses from for his protectionist measures. Merkel made it clear to the Republicans that Germany and other European countries are allegedly doing the US a favor by participating in anti-Russian sanctions. The meeting in Meseburg testifies to the deepening of the split in the relations between America and Europe.

Deceiving Ukraine



Nothing new has been said about Ukraine. As always, Merkel and Putin declared their commitment to the Normandy format, Minsk agreements, despite the fact that they do not work, and the Ukrainian military continues to die as a result of provocations by Russian-terrorist forces. According to the Ukrainian media, from April to July 2018 during the fighting in Donbas 41 Ukrainian soldiers died. Not a word was said about when Russia is going to return the annexed Crimea to Ukraine. According to the editor of the Russian Echo of Moscow radio station Alexei Venediktov, during the talks, Merkel offered Putin the option of placing 40 thousand UN peacekeeping contingent in the conflict area in Donbas.



Putin and Merkel paid attention to the transit of Russian natural gas through the territory of Ukraine. Merkel said that the project of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline will be implemented on the condition that the transit of Russian natural gas through the gas transport system of Ukraine continues, and welcomed the beginning of the interim negotiations with Russia on this issue. Putin expressed himself very flamboyantly: "The future transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, while maintaining it, must meet economic requirements and be economic in all senses of the word."



The leaders of Russia and Germany are clearly cunning. Last year, Russia supplied 193.9 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe (in addition to the territory of Ukraine, natural gas from Russia is transit through Belarus and the Nord Stream gas pipeline from 2012). Transit of Russian blue fuel through Ukraine amounted to 93 billion cubic meters (44% of Russian gas supplies). With the current volumes remaining, the implementation of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year will reduce the transit of blue fuel through the territory of Ukraine to 38 billion cubic meters. If the Turkish Stream gas pipeline (the first two pipes with a total capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year) is put into operation, then the volume of gas transit from Russia via the gas transportation system is unlikely to exceed 6.5 billion cubic meters. The need for Ukraine's gas transportation system, which has never been modernized during the entire period of independence, will remain in case if the forecasts of the British National Grid company on increasing natural gas supplies to Europe by 47 billion cubic meters are justified by 2035. And then this may be smaller volumes than now. If the demand for natural gas in Europe grows slowly, and the use of energy-saving technologies and alternative energy will increase, the volumes of transit of blue fuel through the gas transportation system of Ukraine will decrease. The lion's share of profits from gas transit will settle in the pockets of German business partners of Gazprom.

Interests of German business



The important role in the meeting of Merkel and Putin was played by the concern of the German business regarding the negative consequences of anti-Russian sanctions for their interests. On the eve of the meeting in Meseberg, a survey was conducted among 800 firms participating in the German-Russian foreign trade chamber, on their attitude towards sanctions against Russia. According to the results of the survey, 94% of the firms supported the immediate or gradual abolition of restrictive measures. According to the chairman of the board of the German-Russian foreign trade chamber, Matthias Schepp, the new sanctions against Russia, which the US plans to introduce after August 22, will damage German companies. Representatives of the German-Russian foreign trade chamber criticized the anti-Russian sanctions that the US imposed against Russian state employees and oligarchs in April 2018. In their view, Germany's losses as a result of these restrictive measures could amount to 1.5 billion euros.

Business is one of the key sponsors and electoral base of the Angela Merkels party "Christian Democratic Union". It is possible that Putin's visit was just intended to play up to Merkel, to make it clear to her voters that despite the policy of anti-Russian sanctions of the United States, Russia appreciates the established ties with its German partners. Putin said that Germany is one of Russia's key trade and economic partners. Putin's visit is important for Merkel in order to strengthen her position in opposition to the "Alternative for Germany", which openly calls for the abolition of anti-Russian sanctions and, after the last parliamentary elections, took a significant number of seats in the Bundestag. Apparently, some German businessmen are tired of the policy of anti-Russian sanctions and for them, trade with Russia is more important than the interests of the US and Ukraine.

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Political and customs corruption can be eliminated already in this half-year. This was stated by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko at the end of January near the building of the European Parliament. The Ukrainian parliament joined the crusade against political corruption. People's deputy from Petro Poroshenkos Bloc Andriy Antonishchak has registered a bill according to which deputies and ministers guilty of taking bribes will have to pay a fine and lose "an unjustified remuneration of material nature." However, the unofficial practice of making key decisions in the Verkhovna Rada and other bodies shows that, despite a number of indicative arrests, corruption in the higher echelons of power has a stubborn resistance. It just does not respond to appeals like "Surrender, you're surrounded!". It seems that political corruption in Ukraine is ineradicable



To date, the Criminal Code (Article 368, - Ed.) provides the responsibility for obtaining an illegal benefit by official. That is, we see the responsibility for the same offenses that the author of the bill proposes, since political corruption, according to it, is illegal activity, which consists in the use of power and related rights by a person with public-authority powers in the sphere of state policy to meet their own material or non-material interest or the interest of third parties.



In accordance with the draft law of Antonyshchak, which appeared on the parliament's website in early August, it is proposed to ease the pockets of corrupt officials by 8,5-12 thousand hryvnia (500-750 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens), and also to confiscate the bribes themselves. In fact, we are talking about the decriminalization of top officials and deputies who will be found guilty of corruption. The author proposes to add the article on offenses related to political corruption to the Code of Administrative Offenses. Thus, the author believes that the adoption of a legislative initiative in this form will increase revenues to the state budget. True, the author did not give a clear list of those who fall under the bill.



In accordance with the current legislation, a fine is even provided in a larger amount than the author suggests, namely 1,500 non-taxable minimum incomes (Article 368 of the Criminal Code). And in the event when deputies or ministers take the bribe, according to the current legislation, they generally have the risk to be imprisoned for up to 12 years.



That is, the nominal amount of the fine is reduced by half. You will say that bribes will now be confiscated. It should be noted that to date, the top officials guilty of corruption are also able to say goodbye to the unjustly acquired - the legislation provides for a procedure of special confiscation for such offenses. That's just we have no positive results on such cases.



In accordance with the draft budget-2017, the government expected to receive 10.5 billion hryvnia from special confiscation. In practice, the budget revenues from this article not exceeded even thousands of hryvnia. The only big fish that law enforcement agencies managed to catch were the famous billions of Yanukovych. And then they say that there is a risk of their return due to procedural violations.



How could this look in practice? The suspect / deputy / minister gives the agreed amount, and the agreement is formalized by a court decision, according to which the suspect generously pays a fine, the size of which, as we noted, is reduced in comparison with the current legislation. Taking back the illegally acquired, as evidenced by domestic realities, is almost impossible. The grandmother or more distant relatives will be mentioned as owners of the property. So, for example, one of the prosecutors wrote in the declaration that his grandmother gave him a car Porshe Cayen worth tens of thousands of dollars. As practice shows, even if the prosecutor makes evidence that indicates the possibility of collusion, this still does not guarantee anything. Afflicted political opponents / former comrades-in-arms can suffer; the rest of the "suspect" can have an anti-corruption subscription.

The bill does not solve the issue of corruption in the political system, and it can hardly be eradicated completely, because political corruption is the transition of politicians from faction to faction in pursuit of long hryvnia / dollar / euro or behind an imperious resource. This is buying seats in electoral lists, these are separate self-nominees, passing under the wing of influential people's choices, this is payment for "right" questions. If we talk about going to parliament, the cost of admission to the influential political force on the district is estimated, according to unofficial data, as the sum with six zeros. In US dollars, of course. The same applies to places in the lists. That is, we are talking about a system that can be changed exclusively by evolution, since this requires a restructuring of consciousness. And this will take years.

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It is noted that at 5 am Moscow time, the administrative agencies started bringing the troops in high military alert

Open source

Russia has suddenly begun checking the combat readiness in the formations and military units of Central and Eastern Military Districts, Long-range Air Force and Military Transport Aviation under the order of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Sergey Shoygu, Russias Defence Minister, said, Interfax reports.

Today, at 5 am Moscow time, according to the decision of Commander-in-Chief of Russian Armed Forces on a regular basis the military administration bodies along with the formations and military units of Central and Eastern Military Districts, Long-range Air Force and Military Transport Aviation started the implementation of actions to bring the forces in a high level of military-combat readiness, news agency quotes Shoygu.

It is noted that the inspection will take place on August 20-25.

According to Shoygu, the results of the events are to be regarded while estimating the condition of the combat readiness of the formations, military units, subdivisions and readiness for allowance to maneuvers.

The check is conducted within East-2018 maneuvers.

Earlier it was reported that Russia wanted to hold large-scale drills East-2018 in August-September. In particular, the forces and means of the Eastern and Central Military Districts and the Northern Fleet are to be involved.
According to the Investigation Committee, Roman Ternovsky, being included in the Right Sector, was participating in public rallies aimed against Russias interests

Open source

Russian court accused Ukrainian Roman Ternovsky, involved in the Right sector, rallies aimed against Russias interests and expelled him for two years and three months in prison, as Svitlana Petrenko, the representative of the Investigation Committee, told the journalists, RIA News reports.

The court sentenced Ternovsky to two years and three months of imprisonment in general penal colony. The sentence has entered into force, she said.

According to the Investigation Committee, Roman Ternovsky, being included in the Right Sector, was participating in public rallies aimed against Russias interests.

Moreover, as the representatives of the Investigation Committee stated, the Ukrainian was conducting propaganda of Right Sector activity among the users including those living on the territory of Russia, using his Facebook account.

Earlier, on October 18, 2017 Russian Investigation Committee informed that Ukrainian Roman Ternovsky was detained in Rostov region. According to the Committee, during the search of the place of residence of the suspect in Rostov-on-Don clothes and other personal belongings with Right Sector symbols were found. The Court decided to take Ternovsky into custody at the request of the prosecution.

Later, the representatives of the Right Sector stated that Roman Ternovsky supported the organization earlier, but they added that the connection with him was lost around a year ago.
Ukraine mark Independence Day on August 24, As a rule, a military parade is held annually in the centre of Ukraine's capital

Earlier, three rehearsals were scheduled for August 18, August 20 and a dress rehearsal which is to be held on August 22.

Today, the second rehearsal is conducted in the centre of the capital, which caused huge traffic jams in Kyiv in the early morning. It is known that 4,500 military servicemen and 250 units of equipment will take part in the military parade dedicated to the 27th anniversary of Ukraines independence. Moreover, female soldiers will participate in the parade for the first time.

Independence Day of Ukraine is the day when the state commemorates the Declaration of Independence of 1991. It is traditionally celebrated on August 24.

In addition, traffic jams occurred in the capitals downtown, as Google Maps shows. It happened due to the blockage of the streets  Kyiv holds a rehearsal of a military parade dedicated to the Independence Day, celebrated on August 24.

Moreover, parking is banned in the places where the rehearsal takes place.
Now the representation is developing a scheme of reordering the Prime Minister of the Ministerial Council deleting the Crimean Supreme Council from the process

The delegation of the Ukrainian President in Crimea supported the changes in the order of appointing the Head of Crimea Ministerial Council to provide a possibility of its operation in the condition of peninsulas occupation. Izet Gdanov, First Deputy of Presidents Permanent Representative in Crimea, said it, as Ukrainian News report.

According to the Constitution, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has a special status, a Prime Minister and a Ministerial Council. Crimean Supreme Council appoints the Prime Minister as agreed with the President. For now, we dont have an executive body de facto due to the annexation and we need it to develop the sector programs on de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea and so that after the de-occupation we could without protraction obligate the security of our citizens and control over the territory. How can we do that if we cannot appoint a Prime Minister and a Ministerial Minister right away, as our so-called Supreme Council is illegal? he said.

According to Gdanov, now the representation is developing a scheme of reordering the Prime Minister of the Ministerial Council deleting the Crimean Supreme Council from the process.

We are considering the questions on an appointment scheme to the executive authorities of Crimea We have to develop a separate system of appointment, which would, for instance, allow the President of Ukraine to appoint the Prime Minister, who forms the Ministerial Council so that after the de-occupation we could provide a governmental control over the territory of Crimea, he said.

The Deputy of the Permanent Representative insists that such changes are necessary and now the delegation is waiting for the draft project from the constitutional commission and further decision of Petro Poroshenko.

It should be mentioned that according to the Crimean Constitution, the Crimean Supreme Council implements representative, rule-making functions and credentials within its competence.

Crimeas Ministerial Council is the Republics executive body. Crimeas Supreme Council appoints and firs the Head of the Ministerial Council of the peninsula agreed with the Ukrainian President.

Moreover, the document says that the term of office of Crimean Supreme Court is five years. The termination of powers is a consequence of the termination of powers of its deputies.

Before the peninsula was occupied, Anatoly Mohilev was the Minister of the Ministerial Council in Crimea (November 8, 2011  February 27, 2014).
The conflicts in Crimea and Donbas lead to the mass migration of the Ukrainians, 1 million of whom went to Poland

The data of the Polish Central Bank and Eurostat show that for today, Polish economy is one of the most rapidly developing in the European Union. This fact is being explained by the presence of Ukrainian migrant workers, as DW reported, Censor.net informs.

It is noted that the conflicts in Crimea and Donbas lead to the mass migration of the Ukrainians, 1 million of whom went to Poland.

Our economy would be a disaster without Ukrainians, the Chairman of Polish Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers stated.

Today, according to the data of the Polish foreigners authority, Ukrainians file almost 90% of the requests on getting a residence permit. Most of them get a job then as domestic helpers, on building areas or farms.

They learn the language themselves and then work with due diligence, the Chairman speaks positively of labor migrants from Ukraine.

At the same time, with the fact that Brussels cancels a short-term visa for Ukrainians, the number of Ukrainian migrants in Poland decreases. Other European countries, which became more accessible, start to attract them. Moreover, as the news agency reports, the improvement in wage levels in Poland does not solve the issues right away  it would lower the attractiveness of the state for the foreign investors.
Register for classes to prepare for the exam and further your education.

Santa Fe Community College announces that the application period for classes to prepare for the High School Equivalency/GED tests is open now. Classes begin August 20 in Spanish and English. Call 505-428-1356 for more information.

New students must fill out and submit an orientation packet. Packets are available now at the Adult Education office on the SFCC campus, 6401 Richards Avenue in Room 502, between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 5 p.m. Fridays. New students must attend an orientation session. The sessions are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friday, August 10 or 5 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, August 14. Registration for new students will take place at orientation.

Returning students, those who have enrolled in the program in the last 12 months, are required to take a placement test, which could take up to three hours. Testing is available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Regular enrollment for returning students begins August 6, but students who test early may register early.

The classes, which begin August 20, help students prepare for both state-approved tests  the GED and HiSet. Classes are offered at various times in the mornings, afternoons, evenings and Saturdays to fit students schedules.

A $25 fee covers all of the classes. Call the Adult Education office at 505-428-1356 (se habla Espanol) for more information.

For information about Adult Education programs, contact Lynne Matthes at 505-428-1433 or lynne.matthes@sfcc.edu or visit www.sfcc.edu/adult_education/GED.
The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said it shut down a savings bank in Pangasinan province and a rural bank in Apayao province because of their unsound financial condition. The closures put to 10 the number of savings and rural banks that were placed under liquidation this year. The Bangko Sentral said it prohibited Malasiqui Progressive Savings and Loan Bank Inc. from doing business in the Philippines. Under Resolution No. 1331.B dated Aug. 16, 2018, the Monetary Board directed state-run Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. to proceed with the takeover and liquidation of Malasiqui Progressive Savings. PDIC took over the bank on Aug. 17, 2018. Malasiqui Progressive Savings is a single-unit thrift bank located at Quezon Blvd. Extension in Barangay Poblacion, Malasiqui, Pangasinan. Latest available records showed that as of June 30, Malasiqui Progressive Savings had 1,064 deposit accounts with combined deposits of P73.5 million. Total insured deposits amounted to P67.5 million, or 91.8 percent of total deposits. The Monetary Board on the same day also closed Rural Bank of Luna (Apayao) Inc. PDIC took over the bank on Aug. 17. Rural Bank of Luna is a five-unit rural bank with head office located in San Isidro Norte, Luna, Apayao. Its four branches are in Abulug, Alcala, Allacapan and Buguey.Records showed that as of June 30, Rural Bank of Luna had 10,090 deposit accounts with combined deposits of P213.13 million. Insured deposits amounted to P185.06 million, or 86.8 percent of total deposits. The Monetary Board closed seven small banks in 2017. These included Cabanatuan City Rural Bank Inc., the Laguna-based World Partners Bank (A Thrift Bank) Inc., Rural Bank of Iligan City Inc., Rural Bank of Ragay (Camarines Sur), Rural Bank of Goa (Camarines Sur), Rural Bank of Barotac Viejo (Iloilo) and Countryside Cooperative Rural Bank of Batangas. The Bangko Sentral closed 22 banks in 2016. Under the law, a bank that was placed under liquidation would not be allowed to reopen. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Land Bank of the Philippines and PDIC earlier approved the relaunch of the Consolidation Program for Rural Banks, an incentive program designed to encourage mergers and consolidation among rural banks. The program was set up to strengthen the rural banking industry, in recognition of the major role that rural banks play in providing essential financial services to communities, especially in their specialized or niche markets. The Bangko Sentral said the relaunched CPRB would be available for two years, from Oct. 26, 2017 to Oct. 26, 2019.
The Department of Education could suspend or revoke the permit to operate of a private school in Camarines Sur where an official allegedly burned students school bags. In a statement released on Monday, DepEd said Secretary Leonor Briones had received initial reports from Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad confirming partial details of the incident at the Bicol Central Academy. If the school administrators accountability for the incident is established, DepEd has regulatory tools for private schools at its disposal: a possible suspension or revocation of the schools permit to operate; or disqualification of the school to participate in the Education Service Contracting and Senior High School Voucher Program; or non-issuance of favorable recommendation for tax exemption, like import duties, the statement read. DepEd added BCAs school administrator had called the schools division superintendent of Camarines Sur to explain the incident on Saturday but he had yet to submit a written response as required by Briones. Parents of the affected students are advised to file complaints or administrative charges against the school administrator with the proper authorities, the statement added. It also recommended for the school board to advise the school administrator to go on leave to make way for an impartial probe and to allay the students fear.DepEd wants to assure parents that the investigation will be just and fair, and we will not hesitate to impose the necessary sanctions on those who are proven to have violated the said policy, it added. Sadsad was set to visit the school Monday along with guidance counselors who would provide psycho-social first aid to the concerned students. On Saturday, Sadsad received a report about BCAs teacher-owner-administrator who allegedly burned school bags of students who defied a no-school bag policy during a recent event. The school bags reportedly contained cash, gadgets, and other personal belongings. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
A coalition of civil society groups on Monday called for use of renewable energy as another source of power. At a news conference, Gerry Rances of the Power for People Coalition and Center for Energy, Ecology and Development cited a recent Pulse Asia survey showing majority of the Filipino people are dissatisfied with the price of electricity, particularly in the National Capital Region. The affordability of power and the energy source have become a major concern for us Filipinos, he said. Our policy-makers must consider seriously that the costly and dirty energy are no longer tolerable, he added. Dr. Ana Tabunda of Pulse Asia said the survey showed 84 percent of the respondents in Metro Manila were not happy with the cost of power provided by the Manila Electric Co., the largest distributor of power. On a national scale, 66 percent of the respondents were disappointed, the survey read.The survey results showed a large majority of Filipino adults at 82 percent are in favor of having a new option for electric service provider or electric utility. In the metro, 88 percent of the adults backed the entry of new power service providers. On the other hand, 89 percent are in favor of increasing the use of renewable energy. Ian Rivera of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice said coal is not a cheap source of power.
Iraqs top court has approved results of May 12 elections after manual nation-wide recount following the emergence of fraud allegations which nearly robbed Shia Cleric Moqtada al-Sadrs bloc of its victory.

The Federal Supreme Court issued on the afternoon of Aug. 19, 2018, its decision to ratify the names received, its spokesman Iyas al-Samouk said in a statement.

The courts ratification came after the renewed Independent High Election Commission (IHEC) carried out, at the request of the parliament, a manual recount of the ballot papers of the May 12 elections.

Sadrs joint list was confirmed following the recount as the leading bloc with 54 seats of the 329 parliament seats. The recount benefited Iran-backed bloc which finished first runner-up garnering in the end 46.

Outgoing Prime Minister and current caretaker Premier Haider al-Abadis bloc remains the third powerful political forces of the country, with 42 seats.

With the top courts approval, the Parliament will convene to choose the countrys President and most importantly the Prime Minister who by the constitution should be Shia. Iraq is largely Shia.

Sadr has for the moment ruled out becoming the next Prime Minister. He stroke an alliance deal with the Iran-backed bloc and Abadi who wants to keep his position.

Abadis government in a statement said it welcomed the courts decision that it described as milestone.

The government welcomes the decision by Iraqs Federal Supreme Court to certify the results of the May 12 parliamentary election. This milestone paves the way for the convening of the first session of the new parliament, and subsequently the formation of the new government, the statement said.
Unidentified men early Monday fired several gunshots at the US embassy in capita Ankara, wounding no one in the attack that occurred amid high diplomatic tension between the two NATO allies.

The shots, around five, were fired from a white car at the embassy. A shot hit one of the entrances of the diplomatic mission damaging the window of a security cabin, according to police sources. Nobody was hurt as the embassy was closed at the time of the attack.

The diplomatic facility is scheduled to be closed this week on a public holiday marking the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival, Reuters reports.

Police teams have launched the search for the attackers who fled in the car.

The incident took place amid deep diplomatic spat between Turkey and the U.S. over several issues, more importantly on the fate of U.S. evangelist Andrew Brunson detained in Turkey over terror-related charges. The White House claims Brunson is unfairly held and requests his immediate release.

No group has claimed responsibility for the Monday attack but the mission as well as the consulate in Istanbul were targeted in the past by militants.
Cote dIvoires National Council of the Union of Soroists has called on Speaker of Parliament, Guillaume Soro, to run as a candidate for the countrys 2020 elections.

Soro led the Patriotic Movement of Cote dIvoire (MPCI) in a September 2002 rebellion against then President Gbagbo that triggered the Ivorian Civil War. Soro was also leader of the former Forces Nouvelles rebel group that supported Allasane Ouattara in the brief 2010-11 civil war.

He is considered one of the main contenders to take over from Ouattara, who cannot run for re-election in 2020, but he faces strong opposition from others in the ruling coalition.

According to members of the National Council of the Union of Soroists, it was now up to Soro to decide to run, saying they were ready to support his candidature.

Guillaume Soro has yet to openly declare his ambition to succeed President Allasane Ouattara. In an interview with a French media outlet last month, Soro said he would first discuss the issue with President Ouattara before announcing his decision.

As a reminder, the alliance between two parties that has governed Cote dIvoire since 2010 broke down earlier this month, two months ahead of local elections.

The Democratic Party of Cote dIvoire (PDCI) announced it was withdrawing from an initiative by President Alassane Ouattara to create a joint party with his own organization, the Rally of the Republicans (RDR).

The PDCI and RDR have been in an electoral alliance since 2005  a partnership that brought Ouattara to power after elections in 2010 and enabled his re-election in 2015. The PDCI had demanded that as a quid pro quo, the joint partys challenger for the 2020 presidential elections had to come from within its ranks  a condition that Ouattara rejected.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Police are searching for two black males who assaulted the manager of the Ocean Springs Applebee's early Sunday morning.

Ocean Springs Police Capt. Chuck Jackson said officers responded to a call from the U.S. 90 restaurant at 2:19 a.m. Sunday.

When they arrived, they found the victim, going in and out of consciousness. He was able to advise that he had been assaulted by the two suspects as he was closing the business for the night. The suspects apparently brandished a weapon, but Jackson said the type of weapon is unknown.

The Biloxi K9 unit was called to the scene to assist in a search for the suspects, who reportedly fled on foot in an unknown direction. The search, however, proved fruitless.

Jackson said the victim was transported to Ocean Springs Hospital, where he was treated for lacerations to his head, which did not appear to be life-threatening.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call the Ocean Springs Police Department at 228-875-2211 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.
Leaders from around the world paid tribute to former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan. The Ghanaian-born diplomat died in sleep at the hospital on Saturday in Berne, Switzerland, according to family sources. He died after a short illness at the age of 80.

Current UN chief Antonio Guterres voiced deep sadness at the news, describing his predecessor as a guiding force for good.

Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organization into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination, Guterres tweeted.

Ghanas former president, John Dramani Mahama described the late diplomat as a person who spent his life working for global peace, security and sustainable development.

His successor President Akufo-Addo, extending condolences to his family, said undoubtedly, Kofi Annan excelled in the various undertakings of his life, leaving in his trail most pleasant memories.

The President has also directed all flags to fly at half-mast across the country and at all of Ghanas diplomatic missions across the world.

Kofi Annan served two terms as UN Secretary General from 1997 to 2006. He was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work.

He also served as the UN special envoy for Syria, leading efforts to find a solution to the conflict. Kofi Annan also played key roles on the African continent helping to resolve political and humanitarian crises.
Ambassador of Belarus V.Kachanov presents Credentials to President of Estonia

17-08-2018

On August 16, 2018 the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Estonia, Vyacheslav Kachanov, presented his credentials to the President of the Republic of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid.

During the meeting the head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission informed the Head of the Estonian state about the most important aspects of the development of the Belarusian-Estonian relations, the prospects for the growth of mutual trade turnover, planned high-level visits, as well as upcoming international conferences in Minsk.

K.Kaljulajd noted the high importance of strengthening the Belarusian-Estonian dialogue both through official structures and civil society. She paid special attention to the development of cooperation between the two countries in the field of information technology and the digital state.

The President of Estonia also expressed interest in deepening trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Estonia, developing relations in the sphere of culture.

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Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has departed her home port of Portsmouth, bound for the USA to land fast jets on deck for the very first time. Eight years since a British aircraft carrier last flew a fast jet from her decks, the 65,000-tonne carrier will embark two F-35B test aircraft, from the Integrated Test Force (ITF), based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has departed her home port of Portsmouth, bound for the USA to land fast jets on deck for the very first time. Eight years since a British aircraft carrier last flew a fast jet from her decks, the 65,000-tonne carrier will embark two F-35B test aircraft, from the Integrated Test Force (ITF), based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has departed her home port of Portsmouth, bound for the USA to land fast jets on deck for the very first time. Royal Navy picture.



Around 200 supporting staff, including pilots, engineers, maintainers and data analysts will be joined by two orange wired test aircraft, belonging to the ITF, which are expected to conduct 500 take offs and landings during their 11-week period at sea.

The aim of these initial, or developmental trials are to ascertain, through the specially equipped aircraft and sensors around the ship, the operating parameters of the aircraft and ship, in a range of conditions. Similar successful trials were conducted by HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea earlier this year for Rotary Wing aircraft.

Four F35B Lightning developmental test pilots, who are members of the ITF, will embark to fly the aircraft; three British, one American. The British personnel comprise a Royal Navy Commander, a Squadron Leader from the Royal Air Force and one civilian test pilot. They will be joined by a Major from the US Marine Corps.

The trials follow the recent arrival into the UK of the first joint Royal Navy, Royal Air Force F-35B jets, based at RAF Marham. Operational testing, utilising British F-35B aircraft are scheduled to take place on board HMS Queen Elizabeth next year.

The deployment, known as WESTLANT 18, will be the first-time HMS Queen Elizabeth will have sailed across the Atlantic. As well as the vital deck trials, it will also involve exercises to prove the ability to operate with other nations maritime and aviation assets, as well as the landing of Royal Marines and their equipment ashore in the United States, to conduct training with their US counterparts.

The ship will conduct trials in UK waters over the coming days, before departing for the USA later this month.

She will be joined by RFA Tiderace and Plymouth-based type-23 frigate HMS Monmouth, as well as Merlin Mk2 helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Culdrose, Mk 4 Merlins from 845 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Yeovilton and a contingent of Royal Marines from 42 Commando, Plymouth.
Cardinal Kurt Koch of the Vatican will visit Emory University for two lectures Sept. 18 and 19 examining interfaith and ecumenical efforts in the world today. The lectures are hosted by the Aquinas Center at Emorys Candler School of Theology.

Koch serves as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and president of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. His presentations will elaborate on his Vatican positions, his commitment to ecumenical dialogue, and insights from Pope Francis on interfaith endeavors. Both events are free and open to the public, with advance registration required.

On Sept. 18, Koch will present Toward Full Communion: Hopes, Achievements, Obstacles and Challenges at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on Emorys campus. The lecture is the first in this years Major Catholic Speaker series, presented annually by the Aquinas Center. Register here.

On Sept. 19, Koch will present a Deans Lecture on The Significance of Theology for the Ecumenical Movement from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in room 252 of Candlers Rita Anne Rollins Building. Register here.

A native of Emmenbrucke, Switzerland, Koch studied theology at the University of Munich and the University of Lucerne. He became professor of dogmatic theology and liturgy at the University of Lucerne in 1989, and was named rector of the faculty of theology in 1995. Later that year, he was appointed bishop of the diocese of Basel.

From 1998 to 2006, Koch served as vice president of the Swiss Bishops Conference and then as president from 2007 to 2009. He was appointed president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in 2010, and participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Kochs visit takes on added significance as Candlers new Catholic Studies program launches this fall, preparing leaders and scholars for ministry in the Catholic Church and research in the Catholic intellectual tradition.

Long considered dry ground for Roman Catholicism, the South now has 27 percent of the nations self-identified Catholic population, according to the Pew Research Centers 2014 Religious Landscape Study. There are more than one million Catholics in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.








Dozens of elderly and frail South Koreans met their Northern relatives on Monday for the first time since the peninsula and their families were divided by war nearly seven decades ago.The three-day reunion is the first for three years and follows a diplomatic thaw on the peninsula. The meetings began at Mount Kumgang, a scenic resort in North Korea, Seoul government officials said.Millions of people were swept apart by the 1950-53 Korean War, which separated brothers and sisters, parents and children and husbands and wives.Hostilities ceased with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war and the peninsula split by the impenetrable Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), with all direct civilian exchanges -- even mundane family news -- banned.The 89 ageing South Koreans, dressed in their best suits in the scorching sun, hobbled one by one to 14 coaches in the South Korean port of Sokcho -- wheelchairs alongside the vehicles -- some excited and others in a state of disbelief. Then the convoy set off, escorted by police and medical personnel, and later crossed the DMZ into the North.Among the group was Lee Keum-seom, now a tiny and frail 92, who was to see her son for the first time since she and her infant daughter were separated from him and her husband as they fled.At the time the boy was aged just four. He is now 71."I never imagined this day would come," Lee said in Sokcho. "I didn't even know if he was alive or not."- 'Last time' -With time taking its toll, such parent-child reunions have become rare.Since 2000 the two nations have held 20 rounds of reunions but most of the more than 130,000 Southerners who signed up for a reunion since the events began have since died.More than half the survivors are over 80, with this year's oldest participant Baik Sung-kyu aged 101.Baik, who was to meet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter, said he had packed clothes, underwear, 30 pairs of shoes, toothbrushes and toothpaste as gifts."I also brought 20 stainless spoons," he added. "I bought everything because it's my last time."Some of those selected for this year's reunions dropped out after learning that their parents or siblings had died and that they could only meet more distant relatives whom they had never seen before.But Jang Hae-won, 89, who fled their hometown in Hwanghae province along with his older brother, said he would meet his nephew and niece to offer them a glimpse of their father's life."They don't know what their father looks like so I will tell them what he looked like and when he died," Jang said. "But that's it, because the more we talk, it will only be more sad."- Watching eyes -The reunions are resuming after a three-year hiatus as the North accelerated its pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and relations worsened.But after a rapid diplomatic thaw the North's leader Kim Jong Un and the South's President Moon Jae-in agreed to restart them at their first summit in April in the DMZ. The two Koreas have since discussed cooperation in various fields at meetings between officials.But while Kim and US President Donald Trump held a landmark summit in Singapore in June, Pyongyang has yet to make clear what concessions it is willing to make on its nuclear arsenal, while Washington is looking to maintain sanctions pressure on it.Families at previous reunions have often found it a bitter-sweet experience, with some complaining about the short time they were allowed together and others lamenting the ideological gaps between them after decades apart.Over the next three days, the participants will spend only about 11 hours together, mostly under the watchful eyes of North Korean agents. They will have only three hours in private before they are separated once again on Wednesday, in all likelihood for the final time.Lim Eung-bok, who is meeting his brother and his family, said: "I have so many things I want to say but there are a lot of restrictions."AFP
23:48

Recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leaders from the People's Democratic Party and the National Conference, the two prominent parties of Jammu and Kashmir, today urged the Bharatiya Janata Part-led government to follow the path shown by him for resolving the Kashmir issue and reach out to the people in the valley and start dialogue with Pakistan.





National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti paid rich tributes to Vajpayee and appreciated his approach towards Kashmir, at a prayer meeting for the departed leader organised by the BJP.

Abdullah described Vajpayee as a man with a "big heart" and said he did not differentiate between the people. He always tried to end hatred among the countrymen and with neighbours as well by taking various initiatives.

"Please follow his approach and develop a nation which is full of love and spreads love. And establish healthy and friendly relations with neighbours," he said.

Vajpayee was perhaps the first prime minister who trusted the people of Kashmir Valley and won their trust also, PDP leader Mehbooba said.

"Vajpayeeji was not less than a messiah for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He showed that the all problems of the valley can be resolved by following the humanitarian approach and said that you can change your friends but not neighbours," she asserted.

Mehbooba urged the current dispensation that the best tribute for Vajpayee could be by following the same humanitarian approach towards Kashmir and initiating talks with Pakistan.

Both Abdullah and Mehbooba are former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and were also ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party on different occasions. -- PTI
23:47

BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha today defended Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's hug to Pakistan's army chief, saying both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi had hugged their Pakistani counterparts during their visits to that country.

Sinha said Sidhu has already made himself clear on the issue and "I don't think there is any scope for any controversy."

"I have already said our former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his visit to Pakistan had hugged his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Our present prime minister Narendra Modi had also hugged Nawaz Sharif during his visit. I think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion," Sinha, a member of parliament, told reporters in Kolkata.

Sidhu, who was in BJP and joined the Congress in January last year ahead of the assembly election in Punjab, has often taken a stand at variance with his party.

The cricketer-turned-politician, visited Pakistan last week for the swearing-in of Imran Khan as Pakistan's prime minister. But a photo grab of him hugging Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the function landed him in a controversy back home.

The Punjab minister today defended hugging the Pakistan army chief, saying he got caught in the moment after hearing that Sikh pilgrims may get access to a shrine across the border.

Speaking at a seminar in Kolkata, Sinha said he has never spoken against BJP but tried to "act as mirror" for the party.





"When people say that I speak against my party or the government, it is not speaking against them. I have received my training from leaders like Nanaji Deshmukh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani. I have learnt from them that party is bigger than the individual and country is bigger than the party," he said.

"If I am saying anything in favour of the nation, something positive, then actually I am saying it in favour of the party," he said.

"Keeping in mind the seniority and maturity sometimes you can show the mirror to others. When I am speaking on demonetisation, I am speaking after witnessing the chaos across the country that this decision has led to. Is it not my democratic right to speak up, I am not saying anything against the prime minister," Sinha, who served as Union minister in the Vajpayee government, said.

He also criticised the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, calling it "complicated". "The people of this country faced lot of problems. So is it not my duty to speak up and point out?" he said.

Speaking to reporters later, Sinha expressed sadness over several incidents under the present NDA dispensation which, he said, indicated that the democratic institutions of the country were under threat. -- PTI
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The Cabinet Chief indicated he can see Peru's future every time he looks at a child since they will soon inherit a better country.
Out of the Shark Tank

Teaspressa comes to Main St.

by Sabine Bickford

From the August, 2018 issue

New at S. Main and William is Teaspressa, an Arizona-based cafe whose claim to fame is making coffee-style drinks with extra strong tea.



Founder Allison DeVane staked that claim in a 2016 appearance on the ABC business-pitch show Shark Tank. Though DeVane didn't walk away with a deal, she says the publicity helped her expand the business. She says she decided to open her first location outside of Arizona in Ann Arbor after a college friend introduced her to the city. "I was like 'Oh, this is a great opportunity!' I thought it would be a great fit."



A simple menu allows patrons to choose between Teaspressa's signature drinks and a variety of traditional espresso-based drinks like the mocha, latte, shot, or Americano. All are available with the tea of your choice or with actual espresso.



DeVane is emphatic that her tea lattes are "absolutely not" similar to the chai lattes you can order in coffee shops. "Chai lattes you would get in most places are just sugar, and it's like a powder mix or a liquid," she says. "That's not really tea."



She says her method of brewing teas provides a robust flavor. "I've heard customers say they thought it tastes like coffee, but it's weird, because it feels the same and everything, but it tastes different," she says.



Other customers tell her they can't taste a difference at all. "Especially [with] the black tea. The green tea and the red tea not so much, but once you put flavor like caramel or stuff like that, or vanilla, it's very coffee-esque. It just tastes like a flavored coffee."



The cafe is next door from Marnee Thai on the ground floor of DTE's 414 S. Main office tower. Floor-to-ceiling windows combined with the bright white decor and dark green plants create an instantly Instagram-able environment.



DeVane knows that Teaspressa's signature drinks aren't for everyone, but she hopes everyone can find something there: "If you don't like the tea, we're more than happy to give you a coffee!"



Teaspressa, 414 S. Main. (734) 224-8934. Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. teaspressa.com



[Originally published in August, 2018.]








YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. Several gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the US Embassy in Turkey, hitting a window in a security post, but no casualties were reported, Reuters reports citing CNN Turk.

The incident occurred at 5:00 local time (06:00 Yerevan time).

Police teams were searching for the assailants who fled in a white car after the attack.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. An emergency situation has been created in Shenik, Karakert and Dalarik communities of Armenias Armavir province due to heavy rains, the Armavir Governors Office told Armenpress.

The water channel passing through these communities was unable to contain the flow of the rain, as a result the water burst out of the channel and flooded the cultivated lands, vineyards, basements of houses and etc.

The working group led by deputy governor of Armavir province Gagik Gabrielyan visited the affected communities.

The community commissions which assess the damages caused by emergencies will work in the respective communities from August 20.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecutor Generals Office today will submit an appeal to the Court of Cassation against the decision of the Court of Appeals to release 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan from custody, Head of the PR department at the Prosecutor Generals Office Arevik Khachatryan told Armenpress.

The ruling of the Court of Appeals on releasing 2nd President Kocharyan from custody has been received both by the accusatory and defending sides on August 17.

Robert Kocharyan has been charged on July 26 over the 2008 March 1 case, under the Article 300.1 part 1 of the Criminal Code for breaching the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia. He has been remanded into custody. His attorneys appealed the court ruling. On August 13 the Court of Appeals approved the attorneys appeal, and Robert Kocharyan has been released.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the Investigative Committee Hayk Grigoryan today received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Armenia Seyed Kazem Sadjadi, the Investigative Committee told Armenpress.

The Ambassador congratulated Hayk Grigoryan on appointment to this difficult and responsible position.

In his turn Hayk Grigoryan highly appreciated the cooperation traditions between the Armenian and Iranian law enforcement agencies, including the investigative committees. The officials reaffirmed their readiness to continue and further deepen the mutual cooperation and discussed wide range of issues of bilateral interest.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee said sufficient legal case exists for the active cooperation of the law enforcement agencies of the two countries.

During the meeting statistical data on the criminal cases launched against the Iranian nationals and with their participation which are being investigated in the territorial investigative departments have been introduced.

The officials attached importance to the exchange of information by criminal cases and providing legal support to each other on concrete cases in case of necessity the effectiveness of which directly affects the mutual trust between the law enforcement agencies of the two states.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the Parliament Ara Babloyan today received Tanja Radocaj, UNICEF representative in Armenia, the Parliament told Armenpress.

Speaker Babloyan said the protection of rights of children is always in his spotlight and highlighted in this sense the continuation of ongoing programs in Armenia.

Speaking about inclusive education in the context of protection of rights of children, the Parliament Speaker said ensuring inclusive education especially for children with special development problems should be considered as a global goal.

UNICEF representative Tanja Radocaj attached importance to the process of reforms being carried out in Armenia in the recent years.

During the meeting the sides also discussed a number of joint initiatives aimed at solving several issues in connection with the Childrens Day, and the protection of rights of children, as well as the opportunities to hold events.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. Director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan on August 20 received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Armenia Seyed Kazem Sadjadi, the NSS told Armenpress.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the NSS chief said Iran is a friendly country for Armenia with which the firm cooperation and working relations are very important.

Ambassador Sadjadi congratulated Artur Vanetsyan on appointment and touched upon the cooperation of the two countries. The Ambassador also affirmed that Armenia and Iran have been and will remain friendly countries, expressing confidence that the previous firm partnership will continue and will further deepen for the interests of the two countries. He said Iran has no restriction for Armenia and currently works are underway to find new cooperation directions.

Touching upon the already existing cooperation areas, the NSS Director said Armenia has a specific approach to tourism issues, attaches importance to the great interest and active flow of Iranian tourists to Armenia. He assured that everything is being done to ensure the security of tourists.

In his turn the Iranian Ambassador thanked the NSS chief for the warm reception and productive meeting.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 20 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 20 August, USD exchange rate stood at 483.14 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.48 drams to 549.86 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.07 drams to 7.16 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 613.68 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 24.85 drams to 18335.52 drams. Silver price down by 3.42 drams to 226.86 drams. Platinum price up by 93.20 drams to 12131.52 drams.
From slag to swag: the story of Earl Tuppers fantastic plastics

A UF English professor and a Distinguished Teaching Scholar who has studied the history of Tupperware discusses how the products ability to bridge the humanities and STEM fields speaks to its cultural and utilitarian value.

A postcard from the 1950s advertises a variety Tupperware products. Thomas Hawk, CC BY-NC

When American Horror Story, the Museum of Modern Art and Napoleon Dynamite pay homage to an invention, you know its made a cultural impact in a big way.

Tupperware has a staying power that most plastic products dont. So far, it has evaded the anti-plastics movement, and it seems to survive most kitchen clean-outs. Its annual sales exceed US$2 billion.

Ive taught the story of Tupperware products in a course on the American 1950s. Im also teaching it in the polymers unit of an interdisciplinary course in materials science engineering.

Tupperware products ability to bridge the humanities and STEM fields speaks to their cultural and utilitarian value  evidence of how a compelling, innovative design can have mass appeal.

Polyethylene  Material of the Future

Our relationships with plastics can be as richly diverse as the shapes and colors these malleable materials can assume.

Technically speaking, plastics are pliable, ductile and flexible synthetic materials that are easily shaped through heat and other applications of force. The word plastic also has an aesthetic meaning: A plastic actor is more versatile before the camera, and a medium such as stone can become plastic in an artists hands.

Literary and cultural critic Roland Barthes saw modern plastics as a form of alchemy  a way to transmute matter in seemingly infinite ways.

More than a substance, he wrote in Mythologies, plastic is the very idea of its infinite transformation.

Barthes imagined polystyrene, polyvinyl and polyethylene as Greek shepherds in a world of gods and monsters  magical materials alive with possibility.

Earl Tupper, inventor of Tupperware products, saw such promise in polyethylene  the plastic he used to craft his inventions  that he called it Poly-T: Material of the Future, as Alison J. Clarke notes in her book Tupperware: The Promise of Plastic in 1950s America.

After failing at his first business as a tree surgeon, Tupper decided to try his hand at plastics production. In 1937, he got a gig as a sample maker at a Dupont-affiliated plastics factory.

At the time, DuPont employed amateur sample makers to further research and development. They could even take scrap materials home with them to work on new prototypes  a mutually beneficial arrangement, Clarke points out.

So when working with injection molding machines at the factory failed to yield the plastic Tupper envisioned, he turned to his home kitchen and tried the stovetop.

Its all about the lid

The polyethylene that Tupper brought home from the factory was an industrial waste product  opaque, greasy, clumpy black slag. It was hardly the stuff that marketing dreams are made of. Tupper sought to overcome such material limitations by producing a plastic more durable than molded transparent styrene; he wanted to create something that could flex without cracking or snapping.

He and his son boiled the scrap samples at home, eventually finding the right balance of pressure and temperature so the polyethylene flowed into the desired shapes and thickness. Tupper also fashioned a system for dyeing his containers in pastel colors.

Eventually, Tupper was able to create what author Bob Kealing referred to as a polished, waxy, upscale plastic.

But he still needed the right lid  something that could both preserve food and prevent spills.

Inspired by paint cans, Tupper fashioned a flexible polyethylene lid that, when snapped onto the container, created an airtight seal. As Kealing points out, this worked much better than tin foil or a shower cap  materials many American women had relied on to cover their leftovers.

In 1947, Tupper patented the nonsnap lid for his first plastic container.

Legendary saleswoman Brownie Wise  the first woman to appear on the cover of Business Week  would demonstrate how to burp the container by lifting part of the patented lid before sealing it. Her direct sales acumen made Tuppers product come alive. At her iconic Tupperware parties, she would toss liquid-filled Wonder Bowls across American living rooms, astonishing housewives with the airtight seal that prevented spills.

From pantry shelf to gallery shelf

In the 1972 film Design Q&A, designer Ray Eames insists that design is fundamentally a plan for arranging elements to accomplish a particular purpose, although superior designs may later be judged as art.

Today, Tuppers polyethylene pitcher and creamer reside in the Museum of Modern Art, along with his tumblers, bowls and ingenious popsicle molds, called Ice Tups. Curators have included Tupperware products in exhibitions on mid-century design and most recently in the 2011 exhibit What was Good Design? MoMAs Message, 1944-1956.

As Clarke explains, Tuppers products embodied modernisms ideal of a tasteful, restrained and mass-produced artifact, free of inauthentic decoration and gratuitous ornament.

With their clean lines and elegant curves, they fused form and function. The plastic used in Tupperware products is top-shelf  aesthetically pleasing, meaningful and durable.

In todays Tupperware products, we also see a refined design. Take the Eco Water Bottle. Its sleek curves  together with its softly translucent pink, blue and turquoise variations  conjure glass. The concave center looks pretty and fits the hand.

Tales from Tuppers wares

Tupperware products continue to play a role in our cultural conscious. A friend who lent me her Ice Tups told me that shell always associate it with early memories of her mother.

In one Seinfeld episode, Kramer frantically tries to recover his Tupperware container that hed loaned to someone, while Jimmy of American Horror Story causes mayhem at a Tupperware Party. Meanwhile, the synthwave band Tupper Ware Remix Party spins 80s-inspired dance tracks.

Non-biodegradable plastic like Tupperware containers will be part of Earths future for centuries. The Plastics Free July initiative has advocated against single-use plastics, like bags and straws. Luckily, Tupperware products are reusable, and the stories we tell about them will continue to reinvent our relationships with a material we wont  and cant  let go of.

Marsha Bryant, Professor of English & Distinguished Teaching Scholar, University of Florida

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ara Babloyan issued a statement over the domestic political situation, noting that he plans meetings with the President, Prime Minister, Ombudsman, Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia and representatives of international diplomatic missions to discuss the existing situation, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia.

The statement reads as follows,

Dear compatriots,

I have attentively followed the activities of the Government during the 100 days and as the head of the parliament I expected to see a program aimed at the preservation of the countrys security, economic development, improvement of peoples welfare and of course further strengthening of democracy from my colleague, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. 100 days might be little time for hearing the complete vision of the PM over these issues and the constructive ways to solve them.

Definitely, I find that its necessary to fight against corruption. Its definitely necessary to fight against monopolies.

I am convinced that peoples voice should always be heard. People should be maximally informed and involved in making the key decisions, since, as we know, the power in Armenia belongs to the people. But when doing all these we must be guided by only and only by the Constitution and laws, as well as by the full respect towards the international commitments assumed by the Republic of Armenia.

In this regard I record with regret that I am deeply concerned by the situation in the country.

The normal social-political life of the country, the legal-constitutional relations of state power bodies and public solidarity are under risk. I see dangers tendencies of dividing the public into supporters of revolution and counterrevolution and deepening of intolerance.

My concerns further rise especially after hearing this remark during PM Pashinyans speech. I quote So I advise everyone to think before speaking. And you say that we limit your freedom of speech. You should first learn to think before speaking and then think about your freedom of speech.

I have to admit that it was such remarks were unexpected for me to hear from PM Pashinyan for the simple reason that its just an encroachment against pluralism.

And frightening the judges and threatening the dissidents by the National Security Service parallel to this is not only a pressure against the judicial body, but also against anyone in the country who holds an opposite opinion.

There were also messages in PM Pashinyans speech very dangerous for the Constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia, and the fundaments of statehood, that are in direct contradiction with the international commitments assumed by Armenia for establishing a legal and democratic country.

Particularly, the way of addressing the judges by the Head of the Executive in a way like this sober up, is a merely threat for the independence of the judiciary and an interference to all the ongoing and future judicial examinations and decisions. Under the theory of transitional justice an anti-legal hint of giving retroactive effect to the laws was made.

At the same time, the implementation of possible constitutional changes at the National Assembly of Armenia, moreover, with the threat to ensure the desired outcome, is an overt pressure and compulsion against the legislative branch.

For me, this is further incomprehensible given the fact that the opportunities for such discussions and making decisions at the parliament were not exhausted.

Therefore, taking into account the aforementioned, I plan meetings with the President, Prime Minister, Ombudsman, Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia and representatives of international diplomatic missions to discuss the existing situation.

Remaining faithful to my constitutional mission, I assure you that the National Assembly will continue to exercise the powers vested in it by the law. "

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $285 billion in assets under management. Brookfield has more than a 115-year history of owning and operating assets with a focus on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and private equity. Brookfield offers a range of public and private investment products and services, and is co-listed on the New York, Toronto and Euronext stock exchanges...

As Brookfield stated in its most recent annual report , it operates in more than 30 countries and has over 80,000 employees worldwide. The investment bank Evercore, reported The Real Deal 8/1/18, though it was a good match:

Forest Citys embedded development, its joint ventures and its preference for secured debt would put off some bidders, but Brookfield is a very experienced developer, similar to Forest City, the report states. With Brookfields access to capital, perhaps the company will be able to more quickly accelerate development/redevelopment.





Unlike Buffett, who's becoming an icon and guru, though, Flatt sticks with work. Wrote Antoine Gara:

Brookfield quietly owns entire city skylines in places like Toronto and Sydney. It's the biggest office landlord in London and downtown Los Angeles. In Berlin it owns Potsdamer Platz and, in London, Canary Wharf, two of the biggest real estate developments in Europe. It has 14,200 hotel rooms, including Atlantis in the Bahamas and the Diplomat in Florida, and scores of shopping malls courtesy of divisions like Rouse Properties and General Growth, and several high-end Brazil shopping centers. In all, Brookfield owns some 400 million square feet of commercial space.



And that's just the real estate. Flatt's true passion is infrastructure, which he sees as a $35 trillion opportunity...

From the Forbes Global 2000





The biggest investor, with 7%, is the Qatar Investment Authority. As shown below, it's a complicated financial structure, which folds back on itself.





Brookfield Asset Management's ownership, from its annual report







Brookfield's divisions



BAM's divisions include Brookfield Property Partners, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Renewable Partners (energy), and Brookfield Business Partners (private equity). Also, Brookfield is typically a 20% investor in dozens of private funds it runs, noted Forbes. From Brookfield's annual report Brookfield's big plans





Forbes



Forbes



From the Fortune 2018 Global 500 Fortune



The Kushner deal, and some sales



Perhaps the most controversial deal was, as the New York Times reported 8/3/18,



Click to enlarge At the same time, the Real Deal Brookfield-sponsored core real estate venture," thus raising money. That portfolio includes under-construction properties like One Manhattan West and the Greenpoint Landing megaproject.



What Brookfield says



According to its 2017 Annual Report, Brookfield Asset Management



In its 2017 Annual Report, Brookfield Property Partners

Global Scale, with about 17,000 employees

Sector and Geographic Diversification, which means diversified cash flows.

Superior Record of Executing Transactions, thus adding value

Strong Organic Cash Flow Growth, with escalation provisions in most leases

Attractive Portfolio of Development/Redevelopment Opportunities, which means new investment or sales.

Relationship with Brookfield, thus benefiting from the parent company's strengths and assets Forbes reported 4/15/18 how Brookfield "plans to install solar panels on virtually every roof of the dominant operator of logistics warehouses in China." While the firm invested $10 billion in Brazil and India last year, it sees far more opportunity in China--Flatt estimated that one-third of the company's business will be in China in 25 years.Forbes reported 1/4/18 how Brookfield sees opportunity in nuclear power, buying Toshiba's Westinghouse Electric. And Forbes reported 11/17/17 how Brookfield was buying malls, considered a risky asset, aiming both to bring in new tenants but also to redevelop the land, potentially adding apartments, hotels, and office space.Fortune reported 11/10/16 how Brookfield partnered with the veteran retail Macy's "to create a 'predevelopment plan' for about 50 of Macys real estate assets." And it reported 10/1/14 how Brookfield bought the huge Revel Casino in Atlantic City, built for $2.4 billion two years ago, for only $110 million.Perhaps the most controversial deal was, as the New York Times reported 8/3/18, Deal Gives Kushners Cash Infusion on 666 Fifth Avenue : Brookfield not only took a 99-year lease on the office tower for which the Kushner Companies overpaid, it paid the entire $1.1 billion rent upfront.At the same time, the Real Deal reported 8/1/18, Brookfield Property Partners was selling part of its portfolio toBrookfield-sponsored core real estate venture," thus raising money. That portfolio includes under-construction properties like One Manhattan West and the Greenpoint Landing megaproject.According to its 2017 Annual Report, Brookfield Asset Management claims "three primary competitive advantages that allow us to identify and undertake transactions that others find more difficult, and to create more value from the assets that we own and operate. These are our large-scale capital, global reach and operating expertise." (See graphic at right.)In its 2017 Annual Report, Brookfield Property Partners cites (see below) several competitive strengths that differentiate it from rival companies:

The pending buyer of Forest City Realty Trust, the Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management, is no peer. It's far, far bigger, #165 on the Forbes Global 2000 and #272 on the Fortune Global 500. (Greenland Holding Co., by the way, is #341 and #252 , respectively, on those lists.)As stated in the 7/31/18 press release announcing the Forest City deal:Sales are not expected in the short-term, though, for tax reasons. And Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, well Forest City only owns 5% going forward, so that won't be a focus for Brookfield among the REIT's assets.Indeed, that includes hydroelectric plants, electric power, wind farms, toll roads, and more--"2,000 projects across 30 countries on five continents."And Brookfield has been able to buy huge firms when they stumble, or other companies seen as undervalued--like Forest City. The company, once called Brascan, bought the real-estate company, Olympia & York, which includes the World Financial Center in Manhattan.After establishing divisions in real estate, renewable energy and infrastructure, Brookfield--which took the name in 2005 built an asset-management unit to absorb outside funds: an astonishing network of "450 sovereign wealth investors, pension funds and endowments." That means it can make 100 transactions a year.
Brazil's President Michel Temer called an emergency meeting of key ministers Sunday after ordering troops to the border with Venezuela as regional tensions build over the exodus from its crisis-hit neighbor. The move comes after residents in the border town of Pacaraima clashed violently with Venezuelan migrants, driving them out of makeshift camps. Temer met at his presidential palace in Brasilia with key ministers, including those of defense, public security and foreign affairs to discuss Brazil's response to the crisis. The situation in Pacaraima, on the opposite side of the border to the Venezuelan town of Santa Elena de Uairen, was calm following Saturday's violence, in large part because almost all the Venezuelans had been forced out. "More than 1,200 Venezuelan migrants returned to Venezuela," after Saturday's violence, a spokesman for a Brazilian migration task force told AFP. On average, some 500 Venezuelans cross daily into Brazil but on Sunday, the "flow was much lower than the previous days," the spokesman said. "The city looks deserted today, it's very quiet because police reinforcements have arrived and the markets are reopening," said a local in the town of around 12,000, who did not wish to be identified. The public security ministry announced it was sending a contingent of 120 troops as well as a health specialists to join teams in the area on Monday. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into Brazil over the past three years as they seek to escape the economic, political and social crisis gripping their country. Caracas was set to roll out radical new measures on Monday to curb runaway inflation, including issuing new banknotes. Brazil is the main destination for Venezuelans fleeing their country because it is one of the few countries in the region not to require them to produce a passport. The latest tensions began early Saturday, hours after a local merchant was robbed and severely beaten in an incident blamed on Venezuelan suspects, in Pacaraima, where an estimated 1,000 immigrants had been living on the street. Dozens of locals then attacked the immigrants' two makeshift camps and burned their belongings, forcing the Venezuelans back across the border. Shots were fired, stores were shuttered and debris littered the streets. "It was terrible. They burned the tents and everything that was inside," said Carol Marcano, a Venezuelan who works in Boa Vista and was on the border returning from Venezuela. "There were shots, they burned rubber tires." Roraima state Governor Suely Campos made a plea to temporarily close the border and asked Brasilia to send security reinforcements to "face the increase in crime" she links to Venezuelans in the region, particularly in the capital Boa Vista. Meanwhile, Caracas called on Brazil Saturday to provide "corresponding guarantees to Venezuelan nationals and take measures to safeguard and secure their families and belongings." - Ecuador and Peru tighten controls - Tensions are rising in Latin America over migration triggered by the crises in Venezuela and in Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega has led a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters. Peru and Ecuador are halting immigrants at the border by requiring them to present passports -- which many lack -- instead of identity cards. Last week alone, 20,000 Venezuelans entered Peru, authorities say. On Sunday, 18 undocumented Venezuelans were detained in the capital Lima, according to police. Peru's passport measures go into effect August 25 -- and the government has also narrowed the window for Venezuelans to apply for a temporary work permit, which it has granted for the past two years. Previously, applications were open to Venezuelans who entered Peru by December 31, and the deadline was June 30, 2019. But now, only Venezuelans who enter Peru by October 31 can apply -- and they have until December 31 to do so. Colombia has said it fears that Ecuador's border controls, which went into effect Saturday, will leave thousands of Venezuelans stranded in Colombia, from where an estimated 3,000 cross every day. Argentina also announced tougher new measures to counter an influx of migrants. Horacia Garcia, head of the migration department in Buenos Aires, said stricter new measures would come into force next month. The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the crisis looking for work and to escape poverty, and Colombia has given temporary residence to more than 800,000. Brazilian federal police estimate about 500 Venezuelans enter Brazil every day. In the first semester of this year, around 56,740 requested refuge or temporary residence. Meanwhile, Nicaraguan migrants fleeing months of deadly unrest faced similar difficulties. In San Jose, Costa Rica, hundreds of people took part in sometimes violent protests Saturday using Nazi symbols to repudiate Nicaraguan migrants. Residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima burn tyres and belongings of Venezuelans immigrants after attacking their makeshift camps and forcing them back across the border on August 18, 2018. The remains of a Venezuelan immigrant camp burned by residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima on August 18, 2018 Residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima burn a makeshift camp used by Venezuelan immigrants on August 18, 2018 Venezuelans waiting to enter Ecuador at the Rumichaca border crossing in Colombia on August 11, 2018 A Venezuelan migrant rests at the border between Colombia and Ecuador on August 11, 2018
Chinese police have arrested three suspects alleged to have stolen assets worth 600 million yuan ($87 million) through hacking, state media reported Sunday, as cyber criminals target holders of bitcoin and other virtual currencies. Police in the northern city of Xian began investigating in March when a victim surnamed Zhang complained that hackers had taken control of his computer to steal 100 million yuan ($15 million) worth of cryptocurrency, the Shaanxi Daily reported. The 100 million yuan haul was made up of the popular bitcoin and ether currencies, state news agency Xinhua reported. The transfer of the units provided police with a virtual trail, the Shaanxi Daily said, leading them to a suspect surnamed Zhou in the central province of Hunan. Zhou's communications led to two more alleged accomplices. Altogether, the three suspects are thought to have stolen 600 million yuan by hacking the computers of individuals and companies, according to the newspaper. The police investigation is still underway, it said, with officers in three provinces working together last week to take the suspects into custody. In February an official Chinese publication announced plans to stamp out all remaining cryptocurrency trading in the country by blocking access to overseas-based websites and removing related applications from app stores. The moves were outlined in a report by Financial News, a publication under the People's Bank of China, which said the aim was to snuff out the "dying cinders" of cryptocurrency trading and initial coin offerings "which are glowing once more". Bitcoin featured in a multi-million-dollar Chinese hacking theft
Eight hikers died when a mountain river suddenly flooded in Italy's southern Calabria region, with five people still missing, local emergency services said on Monday. "We have eight dead but we can't rule out the toll increasing," the local civil protection unit told AFP. A statement Monday evening from the prefecture of Cosenza, capital of the province where the flooding hit, said 23 people were saved and five were still missing, as well as the eight fatalities. It also said there were two groups of 18 hikers at the site. The Corriere della Sera daily reported the eight dead were four men and four women, while two of the 23 rescued were children, including a girl with hypothermia who was taken to hospital by helicopter. A local guide is among the five missing, according to the newspaper. Powerful lights were being used to help rescuers work under cover of darkness, regional civil protection chief Carlo Tansi said. A Dutch hiker, quoted in local media, said: "A real avalanche of water came unexpectedly. We did not have time to do anything. I was lucky, it was an incredible thing." Earlier on Monday this part of Calabria, near the city of Cosenza, experienced several hours of heavy rain and strong winds although conditions began to improve during the evening. The dramatic gorges carved by the Raganello river are only recommended for experienced hikers due to the many challenges posed by the route, which at certain times of the year is rendered off-limits, the AGI news agency reported. The local authorities strictly limited access to the area and have also marked certain rocky areas in order to help rescuers' efforts to locate hikers in trouble, the agency said. Calabria is a mountainous southern region that makes up the "toe" of Italy's boot-shaped peninsula
The heartbroken brother of a murdered Colorado mum who was killed along with her two daughters, has shared a poignant tribute honouring his family.

Police arrested Christopher Watts, 33, last week on suspicion of killing his wife Shannan and daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3.

Frankie Rzucek, the younger brother of 15-weeks-pregnant Shanann, posted on Facebook of how the woman and her little girls changed his life.

My sister and nieces meant the absolute world to me. They made me strive to be an even better man.

I wanted them to be proud of their uncle, he wrote early on Friday.

Frankie Rzucek, the grieving brother of a murdered Colorado mother Shanann Watts, shared a poignant message honouring his family. Source: Frankie Rzucek / Facebook

I wish I could go back in time and be there to keep you safe from harm. Sorry uncle couldnt save you. Absolutely heartbroken.

In a follow-up post on Sunday, Mr Rzucek added that Mrs Watts, Bella and Celeste were loved by so many.

In trying to heed his sisters philosophy of finding the positive in the negative, the uncle said it was tough in this tragic circumstance.

Thank you Shanann for all that youve done and continue to do and Im honored to call you my sister. God bless you all.

Frankie Rzucek pictured with his nieces Bella and Celeste. Source: Frankie Rzucek / Facebook

Their bodies were found on Thursday on property owned by Andarko Petroleum, one of Colorados largest oil and gas drillers, where Watts worked as an operator.

Court documents filed by defense lawyer James Merson said the girls had been submerged in crude oil for four days. Weld County prosecutors said Watts was jailed in protective custody and that charges were expected to be filed later today.

Christopher Watts has been arrested in connection with the deaths. Source: Weld County Sheriffs Office

The cause of their deaths has not been made public, however a motion seeking DNA samples from the girls necks suggested that they may have been strangled.

Mrs Watts had planned a party Saturday to reveal the gender of her baby. Mr Rzucek said his sister was going to name her baby boy Niko.
French energy giant Total has officially quit its multi-billion-dollar gas project in Iran, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on Monday, following the reimposition of US sanctions. "Total has officially left the agreement for the development of phase 11 of South Pars (gas field)," he told parliament's news agency ICANA, adding that it had been more than two months since the French firm announced it would leave. Zanganeh also appeared before parliament to underline the dire state of Iran's oil and gas facilities, which he said were "worn out" and in need of renovation that Iran could not afford. The United States said in May that it was abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions on Iran in two phases in August and November, with the second targeting the country's vital oil and gas sector. The other parties to the nuclear deal -- Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia -- have vowed to stay in the accord but their companies risk huge penalties if they keep doing business in Iran. Total had already said it would be impossible to remain in Iran unless it received a specific waiver from Washington, which was not granted. The French firm signed up in July 2017 for the $4.8 billion (4.1 billion euro) project to develop the field off Iran's southern coast, as the lead partner alongside the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Iran's Petropars. It was due to bring state-of-the-art technology to create the pressure needed to tap the gas field, which Iran could then replicate for surrounding fields where pressure has been declining. Total was due to make an initial $1 billion investment, but the company said in May that it had spent less than 40 million euros on the project to date, as uncertainty over US actions mounted. The company would have been highly vulnerable to US penalties for remaining in Iran. It has $10 billion of capital employed in its US assets, and US banks are involved in 90 percent of its financing operations, Total said in May. - Technology needed - Zanganeh said the process to find a replacement for Total was underway. But it is unlikely that CNPC or Iran's own firms can take over the project, said Homayoun Falakshahi, an energy analyst for Wood Mackenzie in London. "The technology Total was hoping to implement would have been world-first, using electricity to compress the gas," he told AFP. "The other complication is that it needs huge platforms. Iran can build 5,000- to 7,000-tonne platforms. This would have been 20,000 tonnes," he added. CNPC was suspended from the project once before, in 2011, for failing to make progress. The urgent need for investment to upgrade Iran's dilapidated energy infrastructure was a key motivator behind its decision to join the 2015 nuclear deal. Zanganeh appeared in parliament on Monday to answer questions on safety concerns following a number of recent fires at refineries. "A big part of the oil industry has been worn out and the necessary renovation has not taken place," he told parliament, according to the official IRNA news agency. He said there were 10 cases per day of tubes perforating in Iran's southern facilities, and that some refineries were up to 80 years old, "whereas the useful life of an industrial unit is 30 years". "We have no resources for renovating them," he added. But some conservatives in Iran oppose foreign involvement in the strategic energy sector, and have frustrated plans to develop attractive investment contracts. As a result, the Total deal was the only major investment project finalised after the nuclear deal came into force. The only other deal was a smaller project with Russia's Zarubezhneft, worth 600 million euros, to develop two oil fields in western Iran. A picture taken on January 23, 2018 shows the logo of Total at the company's headquarters in La Defense business district in Paris A file photo taken on May 16, 2004 shows an aerial view of Iran's Balal offshore oil platform after the inauguration of the offshore oil field developed by French major Total together with BowValley of Canada and Italy's Agip
A German journalist and translator who is on trial in Turkey on terror-related charges said Monday that Turkish authorities had lifted her overseas travel ban. "The reports about the lifting of my exit ban are correct," Mesale Tolu wrote on Twitter. "I would like to thank my supporters and all those who sympathised with me and stood by my side to win my freedom." An Istanbul court in December had conditionally released Tolu, 34, who was held for over half a year on charges of membership of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), which is banned in Turkey as a terror organisation. Under that ruling, she had to report to the authorities every week and could not leave Turkey. With the latest verdict, she will be allowed to leave the country. However Tolu wrote on Twitter that the next hearing in her trial is scheduled for October 16. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison. In February, an Istanbul court ordered the conditional release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel after receiving an indictment from prosecutors seeking a prison sentence of up to 18 years. The latest court ruling on Tolu comes amid a thaw in Turkish-German relations after months of sharp tensions. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he was relieved by the "good news" that Tolu would be allowed to travel and called it "a step forward in improving our relationship with Turkey". But he added in a statement that more steps must follow and said that "we continue to view critically many rule-of-law issues in Turkey and are addressing these openly with our Turkish counterparts". "This applies in particular to ongoing detention cases: At present, at least seven Germans are being detained for reasons that are politically motivated and incomprehensible to us." Turkey has in recent days turned to Europe against a backdrop of escalating tensions with its NATO ally the United States over the holding by Ankara of an American pastor. An Istanbul court last Wednesday allowed the release of Amnesty International's Turkey chair Taner Kilic, who spent more than a year in jail over alleged links to a 2016 coup bid. Also, two Greek soldiers held by Turkey since March for illegally crossing the border were also freed in a move warmly welcomed by Athens. German journalist and translator Mesale Tolu says she "would like to thank my supporters and all those who sympathised with me and stood by my side to win my freedom"
Greece turned a page on eight years of spending cuts and three straight international bailouts on Monday but experts warned that the country's economic challenges are far from over. "The conclusion of the stability support programme marks an important moment for Greece and Europe," said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, hailing "a new chapter" in the country's "storied history". The European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund loaned debt-wracked Greece a total of 289 billion euros ($330 billion) in three successive programmes in 2010, 2012 and 2015. The economic reforms the creditors demanded in return brought the country to its knees, with a quarter of its gross domestic product (GDP) evaporating over eight years and unemployment soaring to more than 27 percent. But Greece has now returned to growth, its once vast public deficit has been turned into a solid budget surplus -- before interest payments are made -- and the jobless rate has fallen below 20 percent, officials say. "For the first time since early 2010 Greece can stand on its own feet," said Mario Centeno, who heads the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers that monitored the bailout deals. "This was possible thanks to the extraordinary effort of the Greek people, the good cooperation with the current Greek government and the support of European partners through loans and debt relief," Centeno said. "It took much longer than expected but I believe we are there." The leftist-led government, at loggerheads with the creditors just three years ago, also hailed the move as a turning point. "The economy, the society and the country as a whole are now entering a new phase," government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos told Greek media. He said that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras would give a televised address on Tuesday. Tsipras is also rumoured to be planning a cabinet reshuffle. Greece is the fifth and last eurozone country after Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Cyprus to emerge from a bailout programme. Greek households, however, continue to feel the effects of unpopular and damaging austerity. "Greece has many rivers to cross," read the front page of the English edition of the Kathimerini newspaper. It warned the country is emerging from the bailout "with a shrunken economy and highly vulnerable to market turmoil". EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici also cautioned that "the reality on the ground remains difficult" but nonetheless welcomed the bailout exit as "historic". "Greece will be able to finance itself on (the financial) markets... define its own economic policies all the while following the reforms of course," he told French radio station France Inter. - No backtracking - Central bank governor Yannis Stournaras warned at the weekend that if Greece backtracks "on what we have agreed, now or in the future, the markets will abandon us and we will not be able to refinance maturing loans on sustainable-debt terms". He also expressed concern that "if there is strong international turbulence, either in neighbouring Italy or Turkey or in the global economy, we will face difficulties in tapping markets". Athens estimates its financing needs are now covered until the end of 2022, opening up room for it to plan for the future. Following the agreement in June by eurozone ministers to bring the rescue programme to an end, Tsipras said that Greece could start focusing on a "social state". "Now we have the opportunity to proceed with targeted relief, to proceed with tax reduction in 2019 and to support the social state and welfare," he said. The country may have achieved budget surpluses excluding debt repayments of around four percent in 2016 and 2017, but at the cost of crippling taxation, and its hands remain tied on social welfare spending. Greece has already legislated new pension and tax break cuts for 2019 and 2020 and will remain under international supervision for several years. - 'Shackles still on' - The improving economic indicators are not yet translating into tangible improvements in the day-to-day lives of Greeks. "The bailout is over but the shackles and the asphyxiation are still on," the opposition-friendly Vima newspaper wrote on Sunday. As part of "post-programme surveillance" by Greece's creditors, a team of auditors will visit the country after September 10. Economics professor Nikos Vettas said he believes it is "imperative" to generate "very strong growth" in the coming years. Otherwise, "households that are in a very weak position due to 10 years of cumulative recession will continue to suffer." Greece, however, has gained some credibility in the international community. "The commitments assumed by Greece for the future are clear. I have no doubt that they will be respected," French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Greek media on Sunday, insisting that the bailout was a "great success". Greece has emerged from three successive international bailouts, but experts say economic challenges remain Greek economy over 10 years Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's government hailed the end of the bailouts
The incredible moment a woman saved a tiny joey from its dead mothers pouch has gone viral on social media.

Lauren Wagner was driving home with her friend Sarah Raggamuffin in McLaren Vale in Adelaide on Sunday afternoon when she spotted the dead animal on the side of the road.

Ms Wagner said she noticed something strange as they drove closer and thought she saw the animals pouch moving.

It was quite obviously kicking in the tummy and I got out and had a look and saw two little feet sticking out of its pouch, she told the Adelaide Advertiser.

The incredible moment a woman saved a tiny joey from its dead mothers pouch has been caught on camera. Photo: Facebook/ Lauren Wagner

Sure enough, on closer inspection she found a tiny joey inside the pouch.

As Ms Raggamuffin filmed the incredible rescue, Ms Wagner dragged the carcass off the road and reached in to grab the joey.

She immediately wrapped it up in a towel.

It was hard to get it out  I got both my hands in there and put it around the whole joey, she said.

Ms Wagner dragged the carcass off the road and reached in to grab the joey. Photo: Facebook/ Lauren Wagner

Ms Wagner posted the video to Facebook and it has since gone viral with more than 78,000 views.

The pair took the joey, who has since been named Jannick, to a wildlife rescue expert and he is being hand-reared by carers.
A police officer shot dead a man armed with a knife as he tried to attack a police station in Catalonia on Monday, just days after the one-year anniversary of a twin attack in the northern Spanish region that killed 16 people.

We are treating it as a terrorist attack. The officer used her gun to save her own life, Rafel Comes, a commissioner with the Catalan regional police, told a news conference in Cornella de Llobregat, where the attack took place.

The man arrived at the police station in the town near Barcelona at 5.45 am local time with a knife and a clearly premeditated desire to kill an agent of our force, he added, saying security was being reinforced at police stations across Catalonia.

The body of a man who tried to attack a police station is carried out of the premises in Cornella near the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona. Source: AFP

Anti-terrorism police sources had earlier told AFP that the man was a 29-year-old Algerian who lived in the area, and had shouted Allahu akbar (God is greatest) as he entered the station.

But Comes said the agent who shot the man dead can only recall hearing him invoking the name of Allah and the rest of what he said was incomprehensible.

The commissioner would not confirm the attacker was Algerian, saying police still needed to confirm that the Algerian identity papers he carried with him were in fact his.

The police station was cordoned off and funeral home employees removed the attackers body from the building, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Spanish police prepare to raid the apartment building of the suspect. Source: AFP

Officers searched the mans home, which was located just a few hundred metres from the site of the attack.

The incident occurred just days after the first anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia.

Sixteen people were killed on August 17, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on Barcelonas popular Las Ramblas boulevard and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, Spains worst since the Madrid train bombings in 2004 when 191 people died and more than 1800 were injured.
A Belarusian model who sparked global intrigue after claiming she had evidence of Russian efforts to help Donald Trump win office pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of running an illegal "sex training" class in Thailand. Anastasia Vashukevich, better known by her pen name Nastya Rybka, has been detained in Thailand since February when police raided a risque seminar in the seaside resort city of Pattaya. Vashukevich had travelled to Thailand after becoming embroiled in a political scandal with Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska, a onetime associate of Trump's now-disgraced former campaign director Paul Manafort. She set off a scramble for details after she promised in an Instagram video to reveal "missing puzzle pieces" on claims the Kremlin aided the US President's 2016 election victory. No material has been released to substantiate her claims, and critics have accused her of a publicity stunt. Vashukevich and her seven co-defendants arrived at the Pattaya court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing on the charges that include unlawful assembly and conspiracy. Police initially charged the group with work permit violations but later alleged the seminar, led by self-styled Russian seduction guru Alex Kirillov and ostensibly a course training participants to be better lovers, was actually intended to arrange paid sex for participants. Photos of course participants in detention after the February raid showed them wearing t-shirts that said "sex animator". Kirillov, who has served as a spokesperson for the mostly-Russian group because he speaks English, told the court that all eight defendants were pleading not guilty. "We did not commit any crimes," he said. "What we do is training on how to seduce men and women. We do not make any sexual activity." Vashukevich cried after the prosecutor showed a photo of several of her co-defendants hugging at a nightclub after a training session. "Why was I arrested? Why am I here?" she said. The next hearing has been set for August 27. Pattaya, on Thailand's southern coast, is a party town with a reputation for vice and a sizeable Russian expatriate community. Both Washington and Moscow have publically shrugged off Vashukevich's story, which US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert described as "bizarre". Additional legal troubles are also awaiting Vashukevich and Kirillov back in Russia, where Deripaska won an invasion of privacy lawsuit against the duo last month. They were ordered to pay $8,000 each to Deripaska, who sued them after a video apparently filmed by Vashukevich surfaced which appeared to show the tycoon vacationing with Sergei Prikhodko, an influential Russian deputy prime minister at the time. Kremlin-connected Deripaska and Manafort did business together in the mid-2000s, The New York Times reported last year, but their relationship broke down into legal wrangling. Manafort is awaiting a verdict in his own trial on fraud and tax evasion charges in the US state of Virginia. Anastasia Vashukevich has been detained in Thailand since February when police raided a risque "sex training" seminar in the seaside resort city of Pattaya
Hundreds of thousands celebrated Montreal's Gay Pride March on a sun-drenched Sunday, an event opened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and marked by a minute's silence for the victims of discrimination and repression around the world. "It's great to celebrate today with everyone. Bonne Fierte! Happy Pride!" the premier told the crowd, dressed in a pale pink shirt and white trousers. Trudeau was joined by his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and the Canadian-Polish actor Antoni Porowski, who stars in the hit series "Queer Eye." Hundreds of thousands of people, according to organizers, cheered on a colorful procession of pride, which put women in the limelight and observed a minute of silence for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) victims of repression certain countries. The pride parade, which involved about 10,000 marchers, notably welcomed as a guest LGBTQ activist Kennedy Olango, who is striving for change in his native Kenya where homosexuality is brutally punished. Olango called for help from Trudeau's government to change attitudes in his country. Trudeau, at a press briefing, added: "Can we stop talking about tolerance? "We need to talk about acceptance; we need to talk about openness; we need to talk about friendship. We need to talk about love, not just tolerance." Montreal's Pride March is one of the largest in Canada, drawing hundreds of thousands of people each year, according to organizers. Justin Trudeau made a splash in 2016 when he kicked off Toronto's Pride march, a first for a Canadian prime minister. "It's great to celebrate today with everyone. Bonne fierte. Happy Pride," Justin Trudeau told the crowd, dressed in a pale pink shirt and white trousers. The pride parade, which involved about 10,000 marchers, notably welcomed as a guest LGBTQ activist Kennedy Olango, who is striving for change in his native Kenya where homosexuality is severely punished Montreal's Pride March is one of the largest in Canada, drawing hundreds of thousands of people each year, according to organizers
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday visited the former Nazi-German death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, which he called "the most horrible place on earth". Maas has often said that the site which Nazi Germany installed in occupied Poland during World War II inspired him to go into politics. "I saw thousands of children's shoes that were taken off them on their way to the gas chamber, tons of human hair that was taken from people before they were sent to the gas chamber," Maas said after visiting the site in the southern Polish city of Oswiecim. "This is the most horrible place on earth. And it is here where you have to make a choice: either you lose all faith in humanity, or you gain the hope and the strength to stand up for human dignity and to work for it," he added. "This is a place of remembrance that reminds us Germans above all of what we did to millions of people. We need this place because our responsibility will never end." Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a symbol of Nazi Germany's genocide of European Jews, one million of whom were killed at the camp between 1940 to 1945. More than 100,000 others including non-Jewish Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and anti-Nazi resistance fighters also died there. Later Monday, Maas will hold talks with Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz at the Maximilian Kolbe Center, a spiritual site in the nearby village of Harmeze. Kolbe was a Polish priest who died at Auschwitz after taking the place of a condemned man. He was made a saint by the Catholic Church in 1982. Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a symbol of Nazi Germany's genocide of European Jews, one million of whom were killed at the camp between 1940 to 1945 German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, seen here laying a wreath on Monday, has often said the death camp inspired him to go into politics
Armed assailants injured several policemen in attacks in three locations in the Russian republic of Chechnya on Monday, as the Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Russia's Investigative Committee said it had launched probes into three separate attacks against police, including a failed suicide bombing. In the first attack on Monday morning, two men entered the district police department in the town of Shali and wounded a pair of policemen with knives, investigators said in a statement. The two assailants were shot dead, Chechnya's interior ministry said. In the village of Mesker-Yurt north of Shali, a man with a backpack attempted a suicide bombing near a police post but "police officers and civilians were not harmed by the blast," the Investigative Committee said. The third incident occurred on the outskirts of the Chechen capital Grozny, where a man attempted to run over a traffic policeman in his car and subsequently hit two more officers as he was chased. "The criminals were neutralised," the Investigative Committee said. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, the SITE monitoring group reported, citing the jihadists' main propaganda agency Amaq. "Fighters from the Islamic State attacked Chechen police officers and elements in Grozny and Shali in Mesker-Yurt," Amaq said, according to SITE. Chechnya's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who was visiting Saudi Arabia on Monday, said extremist propaganda that "confuses the young men" was to blame for the assaults. He said the attacks were staged on Monday to "darken" the festivities ahead of Tuesday, when Muslims begin to celebrate the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday. He said the man who attempted to stage the suicide bombing was injured and was in hospital. "The situation in Grozny and Chechnya is absolutely calm," he said. Chechnya's interior minister Ruslan Alkhanov said the assailants "attempted to destabilise the situation in Chechnya" but have been stopped. He said no officers were killed. Moscow battled separatists in two brutal wars in the 1990s in Chechnya and has since installed Kadyrov, a former separatist turned Kremlin loyalist, to rule the republic with an iron fist. After the defeat of Chechen insurgents, Russian authorities have been locked in a simmering conflict with Islamist militants from across the North Caucasus that has killed scores of civilians and police. Photo released by the Investigative Committee of Russia shows Chechen police officers working at the site of an attack in Grozny on August 20, 2018 Map locating Grozny and Shali in the Russian republic of Chechnya where IS group claimed responsibity for attacks on police Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov said the situation in the region was calm after a series of assaults on police stations
A sea of pilgrims ascended Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Monday to pray and repent, the climax of the annual hajj bringing together more than two million Muslims from around the world. Carrying brightly coloured umbrellas under the blazing sun, worshippers scaled the rocky hill southeast of the holy city of Mecca to atone for their sins. Arms raised, pilgrims repeated "There is no God but Allah" and "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest). "The feeling is indescribable," said Umm Ahmad, 61, who made the journey from Egypt. Nearly 2.4 million Muslims made the trip to western Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, according to the kingdom's statistics authority. Some of the pilgrims -- men in white seamless garments and women in loose dresses -- pushed elderly relatives in wheelchairs on the second day of the hajj, one of the world's largest annual gatherings. Jai Saleem, a 37-year-old Pakistani, said he cried when he and his wife arrived on Mount Arafat, where Muslims believe Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon. "It feels great," he said. "I have always seen this area, since my childhood, in photographs and on television." After sunset prayers, pilgrims will make their way down Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah, another holy site where they will sleep under the stars to prepare for the final stage of hajj, a symbolic "stoning of the devil" ritual. - 'Closer to Allah' - Buses could be seen parked around the hill as workers hurriedly picked up empty water bottles near a yellow sign that read "Arafat starts here" in both English and Arabic. "We know that it's a difficult task," said Amna Khan, a 35-year-old American Muslim pilgrim. "That's why we are all here. We're doing this to get closer to Allah, to be absolved." A hot wind blew across the hill, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), and the surrounding plain after a downpour late Sunday. Many faithful could be seen sipping from bottles of water throughout the day. "I knew it would be a little hard to climb Mount Arafat," said Nigerian pilgrim Saidou Boureima. "So I prepared for this challenge by working out. And God willing, we can see it through." The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so. - Iranian contingent - The hajj has at times been a point of controversy, following an incident in 1987 in which Saudi police crushed an Iranian protest during the pilgrimage against the United States and Israel. The clashes killed 402 people, including 175 Iranians, according to Saudi authorities. Iran boycotted the hajj in 2016, following a deadly stampede the year before which left some 2,300 dead, hundreds of them Iranian. Tehran sent its pilgrims to Mecca in 2017, and the hajj this year includes 86,000 Iranians, according to Mecca governor Prince Khaled al-Faisal. Prince Khaled has also said this year's hajj includes 300 pilgrims from Qatar, a neighbouring emirate hit by a major Saudi-led boycott. Saudi Arabia -- the world's largest exporter of oil -- and its allies accuse Qatar of cosying up to both Sunni Islamist extremists and Shiite Iran, Riyadh's main rival. They have cut all ties with Qatar -- which denies the charges -- and banned all flights to and from Doha. Qatar on Sunday said that its citizens were unable to take part in the hajj because of the diplomatic dispute. Muslims on Tuesday observe the first day of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the hajj. They traditionally slaughter sheep for the three-day Eid al-Adha, a tribute to the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared Ishmael, his son. They will consume some of the meat and give the rest to poor people unable to buy food. Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the climax of the hajj on August 20, 2018 Muslims pray on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on the second day of the annual hajj pilgrimage on August 20, 2018 Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the highlight of the hajj on August 20, 2018 A Muslim pilgrim reads from a prayer leaflet atop Mount Arafat near the Saudi holy city of Mecca on August 20, 2018
A police officer shot dead a man armed with a knife as he tried to attack a police station in the northern Spanish region of Catalonia on Monday, in what authorities are treating as a "terrorist attack". Police said the man invoked the name of Allah during the assault, which came just days after the first anniversary of a twin attack in Catalonia that killed 16 people. The man arrived at the closed police station in the town of Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona at 5:45 am (0345 GMT) and repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in, Rafel Comes, a commissioner with the Catalan regional police, told a news conference. After police allowed him in, the man pulled out a "large knife" and lunged at officers in "a clearly premeditated desire to kill an agent of our force," Comes said. "The officer used her gun to save her own life," Comes said, adding the man shouted "Allah" as well as words the police officers did not understand. "These are enough indication to treat the events being investigated as a terrorist attack." Anti-terrorism police sources had earlier told AFP the man was a 29-year-old Algerian, but Comes said police still needed to confirm that the Algerian identity papers he carried with him were in fact his. The police station in Cornella de Llobregat, a working-class town of around 86,000 people, was quickly cordoned off after the attack and the attacker's body removed, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. - 'It was strange' - Police explosives experts searched the man's flat, which was located just a few hundred metres (yards) from the site of the attack. Resident Conchi Garcia, a 50-year-old office worker, said the man came to the neighbourhood two years ago, when he moved in with a woman and her two daughters who had always lived in the area. "It was strange that the woman started wearing the veil shortly after he arrived," Garcia told AFP. Security has been reinforced at police stations across Catalonia. The incident occurred just days after the one-year anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia. Sixteen people were killed on August 17 and 18, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas boulevard and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, Spain's worst since the Madrid train bombings in 2004 when 191 people died and more than 1,800 were injured. Spain has kept its terrorist alert at the second-highest level since 2015. - 'Centre of jihadist activity' - Catalonia, which is home to a significant number of second-generation North African immigrants, has had a long history of Islamic militant activity. Spain's first Muslim extremist -- a member of the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (GIA) -- was uncovered in Catalonia in 1995. Mohammed Atta, the pilot who slammed a passenger plane into one of New York's World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, spent time in Catalonia shortly before the attacks. And in 2008, police foiled a plot targeting Barcelona's underground trains. One in four people detained in Spain in relation to extremist Muslim-linked terrorism come from the Catalan province of Barcelona, according to a study published last year by the Real Instituto Elcano, a Spanish think-tank, which called the province the country's "main centre of jihadist activity". The Islamic State group has frequently called on their followers to attack soldiers and police in neighbouring France. The body of a man who tried to attack a police station is carried out of the premises in Cornella near the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona Officers searched the Algerian attacker's home, which was located just a few hundred metres (yards) from the police station A map locating Cornella de Llobregat in Spain, where a man armed with a knife was killed while attacking a police station
Japan's education ministry is planning to place English-speaking artificial intelligence robots in schools to help children improve their English oral communication skills.

Japanese students are generally not good at writing in English or speaking the language. Curriculum guidelines that are due to be fully implemented in 2 years will focus on nurturing those skills.

In April, the ministry will launch the robot initiative on a trial basis at about 500 schools nationwide.

Some schools have already adopted similar robots to enable students to have fun while honing their English pronunciation and conversation skills.

The ministry will also make study apps and online conversation sessions with native speakers of English available to students.

The ministry is currently dealing with some tough issues. It is under pressure to improve the English language skills of elementary school teachers, and it lacks the funds to hire enough native speakers of English for every school.
Jemma Lilley wasnt like other girls her age. For as long as anyone can remember, she fantasised about torture  and murder.

From a young age, Jemma developed an unusual obsession with extreme violence. She was just 15 and living in England when she started writing a book called Playzone, about a brutal killer called S.O.S. who tortures his victims. The writing was so graphic that it horrified the teachers at her school.

Jemmas father Richard Lilley encouraged her writing, believing she was simply being a creative young woman. Ive read some of it and its not for me. Its not for a lot of people, he told Sunday Nights Steve Pennells. Its a little bit too graphic for me. A lot of people thought she had a mental problem.

The character would go onto dominate her life. She had his name tattooed on her body, she signed her name S.O.S. and when she was angry she told people, S.O.S. is coming out.

In 2009, when Jemma was 18, she left England to begin a new life in Australia. She got a job at a supermarket in Perth. Her colleague at the time, Bobby-Leigh McGregor, recalls her initial impressions of Jemma. I liked her. She was quick-witted and she was funny and she was very likeable.

Soon after, Jemma shared her writing with Bobby-Leigh. Around four or five months after wed initially met, she told me that she was writing a book and I read it, and it was about a serial killer who had a cult following and who liked to torture their victims to death. And I just thought she was imaginative and lived in a fantasy world and had a creative imagination.

Later, Jemma would also proudly show off her collection of butchers knives to Bobby-Leigh. She showed me how sharp they were. And she had them in the black pouch, and she showed me how sharp the knife was by shaving her arm hairs with it.

Jemma was obsessed with knives  but was also a huge fan of horror films, and with movie villains like Freddy Krueger. She became a regular customer at a video store managed by Angela McKibbin.

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She liked horror movies. And thats the only genre she would rent, Angela explained.

As time went on, Angela noticed Jemmas thoughts growing darker. She told me that she wanted to kill someone and that the feeling that she had was getting stronger and stronger, Angela recalled. She didnt know if she could control it for much longer. And that she wanted to kill someone before she was 25.

Jemma wanted a partner in her murder plan. She enlisted mother of three, Trudi Lenon. Trudi introduced her to one of her sons friends, 18-year-old Aaron Pajich-Sweetman. Aaron lived on the same street as Trudi, and theyd known each other for eight years.

Aarons stepmother, Veronica Desmond, remembers Aaron as an innocent person. He had a smile with his eyes, blue and sparkly. Even if he wasnt smiling with his face, you could see the smile in his eyes. However, he was different to other kids.

His Aspergers Hed make friends with anyone, and didnt see the bad in anyone.

At school, Aaron was bullied and struggled to make friends  but he found one in his teacher, Meghan Wiasa.

I took him under my wing, Meghan remembered fondly. Teachers do that in every school, every class, there is always that one wounded bird in the nest that you have to try and protect that little bit more than the others. He was my little wounded bird.

While Aarons Aspergers-like condition meant he had some learning difficulties, when it came to computers he was one of Meghans most gifted students. He had some areas of intelligence that were superior, she revealed. Quirky computer knowledge that most people arent really interested in, or arent very good at.

In early June 2016, Jemma and Trudi started to formulate a plan. Jemma texted Trudi: I feel as though I cannot rest until the blood or flesh of a screaming victim is gushing out and pooling on the floor, until all the roads and streets are stained red. Trudi replied, It is definitely time  I am ready, you are ready.

In preparation, the two women made several visits to a hardware store, buying supplies to dispose of a body. They even tested a small batch of hydrochloric acid, to see if it would dissolve meat. Their gruesome experiment worked, and they returned to purchase 100 litres of the acid.

The next morning, after dropping her children at school, Trudi called Aaron and invited him to her home to install some software on a computer. As he sat down to get to work, Jemma and Trudi moved in for the kill.

Trudi went outside to lock the back gate and prevent Aarons escape. A home security camera captures her returning. Just as she enters the house, she pulls out a large carving knife.

Either Trudi or Jemma crept up behind Aaron with a wire garrotte. Startled, he tried to bite off his attacker, before the garrotte broke.

As Aaron struggled for his life, he was overpowered by his two captors, and was stabbed three times in the chest and neck. Two of the wounds were fatal.

The plan to dissolve the body in the hydrochloric acid was abandoned. Instead, in the dark of the night, they took the body into the backyard, buried it in a shallow grave, and covered him with tiles and concrete.

With no word from him, Aarons parents began to worry. The police were called, and appealed for help from the public.

Jemmas need to boast about what shed done was so overwhelming, she bragged about it to one of her male workmates at the supermarket.

She told him that she had finally done it, Jemmas colleague Bobby-Leigh explained. He said to her, What do you mean? Youve done what? She said that shed killed somebody, that she had come up from behind and put a garrotte around his throat, but their plans didnt go the way that theyd planned it, so she had to get Trudi to hold Aaron down while she stabbed him.

The workmate was so horrified that he called the police.

When police visited the house, Jemma taunted them by pointing out her recent handiwork  the amateurish tiling job in the backyard.

The next day, police returned to the house with a forensic team. Under the tiles, they discovered Aarons body.

Jemma and Trudi were charged with Aarons murder. While under arrest and under pressure, the two killers were about to turn on each other.

Jemma claimed she went to sleep in another room, and the last time she saw Aaron alive was with Trudi. She says when she got up, Aarons bag was still here, but he was missing  and so too was a piece of carpet roughly the size of a body.

In a conflicting story, Trudi told police she had nothing to do with Aarons murder. However, she did later admit to helping Jemma bury the body.

Jemmas father, Richard Lilly, flew out for the trial with one question for his daughter  did she do it?

She said, No, 100% I did not. Richard told Sunday Night. With the emotion in her eyes, I believe her. She swore to me that she did not play any part.

During a five-week trial, the jury was shown a series of graphic and incriminating crime scene photos linking the murder to the women. Yet one of the most damning pieces of evidence came from the killers themselves  the chilling video caught by their own security camera taken moments before Aaron was murdered, showing Trudi entering the house with a large knife, the likely murder weapon.

The jury took less than three hours to find Jemma and Trudi guilty of murder. Judge Stephen Hall sentenced them to one of the longest jail sentences in Western Australias history  28 years before being eligible for parole.

While Jemma has lodged an appeal against her murder conviction, Aarons stepmother Veronica has been left with many questions. Why? Not just why Aaron, why anybody? Why would you go fetch someone that youd known for so many years, for someone wanting to kill, why?

Aarons former teacher, Megan Wiasa, attended the memorial for her former student and friend. There were people everywhere, she recalls. I remember looking around and I thought, Aaron had more friends in death than he did in life. And it shouldnt be like that, you know? And then I thought, wherever he is, heaven or otherwise, hed be looking down thinking, Wow, look at all my friends now. Go and fly with all the popular kids now. Now hes free to be as popular as he likes.

Reporter: Steve Pennells

Producer: Margaret Parker
A Myanmar judge said Monday he would deliver a verdict next week in the trial of two Reuters reporters accused of leaking state secrets, a case which has sparked an international outcry over declining press freedom. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, could be jailed for up to 14 years if convicted of breaching an official secrets law, a charge which one of them decried as "baseless" after closing arguments Monday. They have been detained in Myanmar's infamous Insein prison since December after meeting police for dinner in the former capital Yangon. The pair had been investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslims in conflict-scarred Rakhine state in western Myanmar. Police allege they had secret documents relating to security operations in the state but the journalists have recounted being lured to the sit-down and entrapped. The judge in the case said he would deliver the verdict on August 27. "We are not wrong and the things alleged by the prosecution are baseless," Wa Lone told reporters after the hearing, adding he was hoping soon to see his daughter, who was born this month. The case has ignited global concern over eroding media freedoms under de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who came to power in 2016 on high hopes for a democratic Myanmar. Reuters launched a worldwide advocacy campaign and hired prominent rights attorney Amal Clooney but the case has proceeded despite the efforts. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were probing the killing of 10 Rohingya men and boys in Rakhine in September, soon after the military launched a crackdown on militants that broadened into what the US and UN have called "ethnic cleansing". Some 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh where they accused Myanmar security forces of rape, arson and murder in a scorched-earth operation that razed hundreds of villages. Myanmar denies targeting civilians but the military admitted that the September killings in the village of Inn Din did occur and convicted seven soldiers. Prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung told the court in his final argument that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had information that was sensitive to national security. "If the documents which were found in the hands of the journalists had spread to the terrorists it would be easier for the terrorists to attack again," he said. "The journalists should know better." But the prosecution's case has been weakened by testimony from a police witness who said he was ordered to help lay an incriminating trap. The reporters previously told the court they were presented with documents at the meeting with police and then quickly arrested. They also testified to being hooded and deprived of sleep during initial interrogations. The defence has highlighted the police testimony of a set-up and argued that the documents thrust on the journalists had already been published in state newspapers. The trial has cast a harsh light on free expression in a country where reporting on the Rohingya crisis and military operations is highly sensitive. At the trial session next Monday, "the court will give an answer on freedom of the press and rule of law," Kyaw Soe Oo told reporters after the hearing ended. Reuters said in a statement it was looking forward to an acquittal. Detained Myanmar journalist Wa Lone speaks to reporters after appearing before a court in Yangon
The Wallabies are hurting after being humbled on their home turf and want redemption at the All Blacks' Eden Park fortress, prop Adam Coleman said from the team's remote island base Monday. Michael Cheika's men have retreated to Waiheke Island, 20 kilometres (12 miles) off the Auckland coast, to plot vengeance for their 38-13 drubbing in the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney on Saturday. A favourite weekend getaway for Aucklanders visiting its upmarket vineyards, the island will this week host an Australia team desperate to stop the All Blacks claiming the Bledisloe for the 16th straight year. Coleman said they were disappointed to let a 6-5 half-time lead slip in Sydney by squandering possession and failing at the set piece. But he believed they could improve in the second match of the three-Test series at Eden Park on Saturday. "I've got a lot of confidence in our boys," he told reporters. "What a challenge to come to Eden Park and respond here in New Zealand. It's great motivation for the squad." Coleman, 26, was not born the last time the Wallabies beat the All Blacks at Eden Park in 1986. But he said the Australians were relishing the opportunity to challenge the Auckland venue's intimidating history. "We laugh about it but we're here to do a job," he said. "The boys are hurting at the moment and to come here and play at Eden Park is something we're looking forward to. "We get to turn around a performance that we're not really proud of to be honest. I think we let down people on our home turf and it hurts." Winger Dane Haylett-Petty said staying on the island was a chance to prepare for the must-win match in a relaxed environment. "It's a nice change-up for the boys doing different things so that so that when we do get away from rugby we're not focused on the footy," he said. But All Blacks fullback Aaron Smith warned the New Zealanders also had plenty of scope to improve, labelling aspects of their game in Sydney "pretty average". He said the world champions did not make enough of their set-piece dominance on attack and repeated the New Zealanders' mantra of continual improvement. "We can take a lot of positives from the weekend but there are heaps of learnings and opportunities for us too to get better," he told reporters in Auckland. "That's what we are focusing on." Wallabies prop Adam Coleman says he believes the team could improve in the second match of the three-Test series at Eden Park
A British woman has miraculously survived a terrifying night lost in the ocean, treading water for 10 hours after she fell from a cruise ship in the Adriatic Sea.

The woman, identified in media reports as Kay Longstaff, told reporters she felt very lucky to be alive.

I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours so these wonderful guys rescued me, she told local news outlet HRT.

Ms Longstaff is also said to have told one of her rescuers that yoga and singing helped her during her 10-hour ordeal.

The unnamed rescuer told The Sun: She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit. And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight.

Kay Longstaff, from England, was rescued after falling from a cruise ship off the coast Croatia. Source: HRT/ABC7

The 46-year-old was taken to hospital in the town of Pula where she was treated for exhaustion. She miraculously escaped any serious injuries.

Ms Longstaff fell from the cruise ship about 95 kilometres off Croatias coast shortly before midnight on Saturday.

A Croatian rescue ship found her swimming on Sunday morning not far from where she was believed to have fallen.

The ships captain, Lovro Oreskovic, said that she was exhausted.

We were extremely happy for saving a human life, he said.

The Norwegian Star cruise was about 95km offshore when Kay fell overboard. Source: Norwegian Cruse Lines

The circumstances of the incident were being investigated and the British Embassy in Croatia was informed.

A statement from the Norwegian Cruise Line said a guest fell overboard while the ship was on its way to Venice, Italy.

We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive and is currently in stable condition, the statement said.
Three-time world champion Peter Sagan on Monday became the first big name to confirm he will start his 2019 season at the Tour Down Under. The Slovakian master will be making his fourth appearance at the event on the streets of Adelaide and through the surrounding countryside from January 10-20. South Australia holds a place close to Sagan's heart, with the Bora-Hansgrohe rider making his professional Tour debut there in 2010. "Once again I am looking forward to being at the Santos Tour Down Under," he said, after taking out the warm-up People's Choice Classic and stage four honours this year. "This iconic Australian race is the perfect start to the UCI World Tour season. It has it all, a challenging course, warm weather and the passionate fans." His commitment gives race director Mike Turtur a handy bargaining chip as he tries to entice other big names to Adelaide. "Peter Sagan is a gentleman of the sport and the most popular cyclist in the world," Turtur said. "He's had a good year so he knows that starting here in Australia is beneficial, as clearly he likes to hit the ground running." South Africa's Daryl Impey was the overall winner at this year's season-opening Tour Down Under. Slovakia's Peter Sagan will be making his fourth appearance at the Australian tour
A Cayuga County college will receive federal aid to for water plant upgrades to defend against algal toxins, New York's U.S. senators announced Monday.

Wells College in Aurora has been awarded $150,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Business Grant Program. The program provides aid to private businesses in rural communities.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand advocated for the funding. Schumer, D-N.Y., sent a letter of support to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging his agency to approve Wells' application.

U.S. Rep. John Katko also wrote a letter of support for Wells' application, his office said Tuesday. The congressman's staff met with Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter and Aurora Mayor Bonnie Apgar Bennett and helped connect them with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"This federal investment is good news for the village of Aurora and Wells College," Schumer said in a statement.

Cayuga Lake is the drinking water source for Aurora and Wells College. The college has a filtration plant to treat water for the school and the village.

Earlier this year, college and village officials announced plans to upgrade the water treatment plant. The main goal of the improvements was to protect against blue-green algae toxins.

Harmful algal blooms have been present in several upstate New York lakes, including Cayuga. Blooms have been found in Owasco and Skaneateles lakes, which provide drinking water to parts of Cayuga and Onondaga counties.

The state provided $500,000 for the project, which was estimated to cost up to $750,000.

Wells will use the funding to install five granular activated carbon filters, which can remove toxins associated with blue-green algae. The new filters will replace two existing Diatomaceous Earth filters.

Aurora Mayor Bonnie Apgar Bennett said last week that the filters have been installed and could be on line as early as this week.

"This will help ensure clean water for residents of the college campus and village of Aurora," said Gillibrand, D-N.Y., a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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AUBURN  A woman was airlifted to a hospital after being hit by a pickup truck when crossing Grant Avenue Sunday night.
Auburns Equal Rights Cultural Heritage Center is entering the final stages of exterior construction. The walls have been erected, the brick facade is going up and we can start to get a three-dimensional sense of how the building will actually look. One local complaint (a distant second to parking issues) is that the look of the welcome center drastically departs from the historic surroundings. It certainly is different from the nearby historic buildings, but there are good reasons why it should be.

Contrary to what many lay people might assume, best practice in preservation suggests that new additions to a historic building, or new structures within a historic district, should not match the significant historic resources to which they are attached, or otherwise near. Beyond that, there are regulatory laws that actually require that it be differentiated. These are known as the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation, and they are federal law. There are a few dimensions to how these work, and these standards apply to different properties in different ways in different places. However, they are usually used as a tool to guide rehabilitation projects on properties that are certified historic. Being certified historic means that the property in question has been listed or determined eligible for listing in a federal or state register of historic places, as the South Street Area Historic District is.

The guidelines have no real power unless there is public funding involved in the project in some way. The real power of the guidelines kicks in when state or federal money is involved, or when the owner of the property is seeking tax credits for the project. They must work with a representative from the State Historic Preservation Office, known in the biz as SHPO" (pronounced ship-O). It is SHPO that reviews the project as it moves through various stages, and decides whether or not it meets the secretarys standards, deciding whether or not the project can proceed, get the next loan disbursement, or capture the tax credits. To some folks, thats a lot of power for one bureaucrat, but that is another topic for a future column.

In addition, the view in the discipline of preservation is that it would actually be quite disrespectful to construct something that simply looked like the nearby historic buildings. Furthermore, it is not clear what historic period represented on South Street should be copied. Would it be constructed to match the street-facing side of the Seward House Museum, which was itself an 1866 adaptation of an 1816 Federal-style facade? Should it replicate the Romanesque style of Westminster Presbyterian Church (1870s), the Colonial Revival style of Memorial City Hall (1930s), or the parking garage (1970s)? There is no right choice, except perhaps deciding to make a statement about the next step in the architectural evolution of Auburn by building something new. New is a word that needs context when it comes to city planning and preservation, anyway. After all, each piece of history standing in the open air museum that is South Street was, at one point, new. In 1848, when Seward built the tower on the north side of his house, neighbors complained it was too European, too untraditional. When the Auburn Schine Theater was built, it was unlike anything within 10 blocks! Conversely, the Equal Rights Heritage Center will itself be historic one day, and our children or grandchildren may try to protect it because of its (future) historic architectural merits. So while the new welcome center may not look like the other buildings nearby, it is respectful of the heritage around it precisely because it is different.

As a mid-century modern apologist, I keep returning to the bank building on the corner of North and Genesee, the poorly named bunker. As an architectural specimen, it had nearly no fans in Auburn until recently, entwined as it was with the trauma of urban renewal. An entire generation focusing their emotional baggage and sense of loss on what the bank represented (the bank, by the way, was not really associated with the urban renewal projects or the Arterial, but gets lumped in with them for some reason). Now there is a new generation of folks who have lived with it their entire lives and can appreciate its own distinctly modern style, one that is itself passing into the realm of being historic.

Andrew Roblee, of Auburn, is an historic preservation planner and serves on the board of the Preservation Association of Central New York.

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A Utica man admitted to felony charges of tax evasion and tax fraud involving untaxed cigarettes in Cayuga County Court on Monday, according to a press release from the Cayuga County District Attorney's Office.

Timothy W. Heburn, Jr., 40, of 1204 Elm Street 1st, was scheduled to go to trial on Monday on charges he was trying to evade or defeat cigarette and tobacco tax but instead entered a guilty plea for the class D felony.

Heburn admitted he possessed and transported over 38,000 untaxed, unstamped cigarettes. Heburn was arrested with more than 190 cartons in his minivan Aug. 4, 2017 on the Thruway in the town of Brutus.

Heburn also plead guilty to fourth-degree tax fraud, a class E felony. The tax owed on the cigarettes was in excess of $8,000, which Heburn never paid. As a condition of his sentence, Heburn made full restitution for the taxes owed ($8,269.35). Acting Cayuga County Judge Mark H. Fandrich then sentenced Heburn to a three-year conditional discharge with the requirement he pay an additional fine of $2,000.

District Attorney Jon E. Budelmann said his office, the state Tax Department and the New York State Police spent months collaborating on the investigation and prosecution. The case was prosecuted through Cayuga Countys state Crimes Against Revenue Program (CARP) Grant at no cost to taxpayers (The CARP Grant is entirely funded through restitution and fines collected from criminal prosecutions).

Assistant District Attorney Jesse M. Eshkol, who served as lead prosecutor, said he was satisfied with the final disposition.

We were well-prepared and ready to go, Eshkol said in the release, adding the evidence against this defendant was very strong.

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TORONTO, Can.PinkCherry has brought on board talented marketing strategist Lana Grypych to fill its newly created position of Director of Marketing. Much of Grypych's duties at the company will be focused on strengthening PinkCherrys market leadership position in Canada, growth in the US market, and North America-wide brand awareness.

PinkCherry is the leading Canada-based e-commerce retail and wholesale distributor of adult novelty products and lingerie through its websites PinkCherry.com, PinkCherry.ca, Lace.com, Lace.ca, PinkCherryWholesale.com, and PinkCherryWholesale.ca.

The role is exciting, said Lana Grypych. The company is ever-expanding, and I see this as a limitless opportunity to develop and apply innovative strategies and tactics to ensure its continued success.

Over the course of her rapidly advancing career, Ms. Grypych has held advertising, marketing, and communication roles related to development and execution of comprehensive media and marketing strategies for an array of top brands in consumer packaged goods, luxury, cosmetics, and high-tech segments. She is experienced in leading complex "big ticket" initiatives such as brand development, website launches, and product launches. She holds an MBA degree from a business school ranked #1 in Canada by Forbes.

The timing is great, commented Daniel Freedman, PinkCherry CEO. Already being the go-to destination for buying sex toys and lingerie online, PinkCherry has now bolstered its marketing function by adding the strategic marketing leadership talent. Together with our recent transition to best-in-class tools such as Bronto and Shopify, these are the steps that will take our business to the next level.
LOS ANGELESFlirt4Free has announced its sponsorship of the first edition of Live Camp, a three-day enrichment boot camp focused exclusively on independent cam models. The goal of this event is to empower and inspire independent performers to become the most successful versions of themselves.

Live Camp is slated to run from September 18th through the 21st of 2018 at Orastie, Romanias action-packed Arsenal Park. Attending models will connect and network with top industry representatives, enjoy inspirational seminars, and learn new and essential camming techniques in a variety of workshops. Theyll also get their adrenaline pumping in group activities like paintball and Close Quarter Combat Airsoft, hosted in Arsenal Park.

Were so proud to be part of the first ever Live Camp, said Jamie Rodriguez, Flirt4Frees director of product. It's going to be a unique and intimate setting for getting to know some of our independent models better and helping them learn how to be more successful on Flirt4Free."

Top model Lindsey Banks, who recently solidified her relationship with Flirt4Free by becoming an official brand ambassador, will be on hand to participate in a number of informative panels.

Im very excited to join Flirt at Live Camp! Sharing knowledge and experiences at different shows creates space for building and strengthening the Cam-munity, Banks said.

For more information on Live Camp, visit their website at live-camp.com. Attendees who would like to schedule a meeting with Flirt4Free staff during the event can email [email protected]. If youre a model interested in joining Flirt4Free, you can apply here. Affiliates interested in promoting the Flirt4Free platform, click here.
Cookery school and Asian cooking brand School of Wok is launching into grocery retail with bao bun kits.

The meal kits, which come in Black Pepper and Barbecue variants, are launching into more than 300 Tesco stores nationwide this month (rrp 3.49).

Each kit serves two and makes four to six bao buns. It comes with flour mix, pickling salts, dry rub and glaze, along with step-by-step instructions on how to create a bao. Consumers need to add fresh ingredients.

Founded in 2009 by TV chef and author Jeremy Pang alongside Nev Leaning, School of Wok aims to make Asian cooking accessible to all.

At School of Wok we believe the time is right for us to bring our flair for demystifying oriental cookery into the grocery sector, says Jeremy Pang, founder and head chef. With this first launch, weve focused on the bao bun to bring something new to the supermarket aisles.

Subscribers to British Baker can read our report on the rise of ethnic steamed breads such as bao here.
Asda has unveiled a duo of own-label Fibre Bars, which boast five grams of fibre per serving.

The NPD is available in two flavours  Chocolate Brownie and Blueberry Muffin  designed for afternoon snacking or on-the-go breakfast. The chocolate variant features chocolate chips and is drizzled with a chocolate glaze, while the blueberry one has fruit and a vanilla glaze.

They are sold in single flavour packs of five bars, priced at 1.25 per box, and are available in stores from today (Monday 20 August).

Notably, each bar contains 88 calories or less while General Mills Fibre One bars promise a calorie content of 90 or less.

Last week General Mills revealed it was extending its Fibre One range with new cake bars in Triple Choc and Carrot Cake flavours.
Superior Court judge says lawsuits ask courts to tackle essential powers of General Assembly, a task trial courts can't address

An amendment dealing with judicial appointments

An amendment reconfiguring the elections board and giving the General Assembly rather than the governor power to appoint members of state boards and commissions

An amendment requiring voters to present photo ID at polling places

An amendment reducing the cap on state income tax rates from 10 percent to 7 percent



Wake County Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway heard testimony Tuesday, Aug. 7, and said he would ask Chief Justice Martin to appoint a three-judge panel to hear a constitutional amendment lawsuit brought by Gov. Roy Cooper, and another by the NC NAACP and Clean Air Carolina. (CJ photo by Dan Way)

A Wake County Superior Court judge wants state Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin to appoint a three-judge panel to hear challenges by Gov. Roy Cooper and two left-leaning advocacy groups about four proposed constitutional amendments.Judge Paul Ridgeway said he was confident Martin would appoint the panel, which has the authority to review "facial" challenges to the constitutionality of laws. Ridgeway said he believes the lawsuits are facial challenges whichUntil Martin acts, Ridgeway will retain authority to decide whether to grant the plaintiffs' request for a temporary restraining order to block the constitutional amendments from appearing on the Nov. 6 ballot.The Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement already has pushed back an Aug. 8 deadline to draft and print ballots based on a TRO granted Monday, Aug. 6, by Superior Court Judge Becky Holt. Holt scheduled a full hearing Monday, Aug. 13, in a lawsuit filed by Supreme Court candidate Chris Anglin.Anglin, who changed his registration from Democrat to Republican three weeks before filing for the court, sued Monday to block Senate Bill 3 , which became law two days earlier over Gov. Roy Cooper's veto. It stripped Anglin's partisan affiliation from the ballot. The elections board can't prepare ballots until Anglin's lawsuit is resolved.Tuesday, the N.C. NAACP and Clean Air Carolina challenged four amendments:Cooper's challenge targeted the first two amendments as well.The advocacy groups said the amendments were enacted by a body of "usurpers," because the GOP built its legislative supermajority in districts which were declared unconstitutional in court. Plaintiffs attorney Kym Hunter said the court had the authority to limit the General Assembly to passing only the bills necessary to keep the government running day to day while prohibiting actions such as constitutional amendments.Legislative attorney Phil Strach called that notion preposterous, amounting to "an unprecedented intrusion into the legislative process."Hundreds of bills have been enacted since 2011, when legislative districts were redrawn. The court would face deep constitutional implications, Strach said, if it decided which bills were routine and should be allowed to stand, and which ones to throw out.Strach cited numerous court decisions that held an illegally elected body is still permitted to act, and plaintiffs didn't cite state cases saying illegally elected lawmakers can't act. He also chided the plaintiffs for raising the issue in court in the final weeks of an election season when they had seven years to file a lawsuit.Cooper - and the advocacy groups - argue the ballot questions are misleading, unfair, and incomplete. His lawyers say they're unconstitutional because ballot questions must accurately describe the effect of the amendment.Although the state elections board is a defendant in the Cooper lawsuit, it submitted a legal brief siding largely with the governor's arguments. N.C. Solicitor General Matt Sawchak represented the board.It said the proposed constitutional amendments the governor is challenging rewrite the state constitution's separation of powers clause, overrule recent Supreme Court decisions striking down legislative attempts to reshape the elections board, and strip the governor of his core constitutional power to appoint thousands of members to hundreds of state boards and commissions.During the hearing Sawchak argued against lawmakers' actions.Martin Warf, representing Berger and Moore, said the elections board was acting like a plaintiff in the case. At one point he called it an adverse defendant.The separation of powers clause prevents government from getting too powerful, Cooper attorney John Wester said. That clause states the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of governmenthe said, but the constitutional amendments would upend that status.Warf argued that the governor can't veto constitutional amendments, so he wants the courts to strike down constitutional amendments before they even get on the ballot. The people have the right to amend the constitution even if the governor doesn't like the proposal, Warf said.The General Assembly passed the constitutional amendments by a legal process, Warf said, soThe governor is bickering over language that would be placed on the ballot describing the amendments.Wester argued amending the constitution isn't the same as electing office holders.Wester said.He agreed with Warf that North Carolina has no precedent for this situation, but that's because
Would North Carolina be a better place without an income tax? A recent Bankrate.com article compared the nine states that forgo broad-based personal income taxes with the rest of the country on economy, population, and jobs.Unfortunately, the article provides little direction for North Carolina. Then again, it is hard to generalize about a group of nine states that includes two of the three most populous states-Texas and Florida-and three of the five least populous state-Wyoming, Alaska, and South Dakota. All nine states-the others being Nevada, Washington, Tennessee, and New Hampshire-vary greatly from one another in economy, climate, politics, and culture. Tennessee and New Hampshire still tax interest and dividends, though Tennessee will stop in 2022.Instead of making blanket statements about such a varied group of states, let's compare similar states. From the trough of the recession in 2009 through the end of 2017, Alaska and Wyoming have lost ground economically, and Nevada and South Dakota have not done as well as their neighbors. Texas has outpaced California in economic growth, but because its population has grown even faster, per capita GDP has grown slightly slower. Florida has a similar story when compared to New York. New Hampshire has grown faster than Vermont and much faster than Maine. Washington has grown faster than Oregon, and Tennessee has outpaced North Carolina, though North Carolina's population has grown faster.Even that does little to guide whether North Carolina should stop taxing income because of the different ways states raise and spend money. Bankrate.com's story did catch some of those. Alaska and Wyoming rely heavily on revenues from oil and coal extraction. Texas and Florida have high property tax rates and high sales taxes. New Hampshire has high property taxes, and Washington has a nearly 50 cent per gallon gas tax. Tennessee has the highest average combined state and local sales tax rate in the country, 9.46 percent compared to North Carolina's 6.95-percent rate.Unfortunately, some of the experts cited in the story give bad advice. Stephen Miller, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, said income, sales, and property taxes are likeHis analogy is flawed, however. Property taxes in North Carolina are entirely local, and the income tax goes entirely to the state, which then redistributes half of those funds to local schools. Of the three sources, the income tax is the most volatile, particularly when it is progressive and applies to capital gains.The volatility of income taxes also undermines Robert Godby, director of the Energy Economics and Public Policies Center at the University of Wyoming, and his claim that states without an income tax are "more susceptible to budget blows" when the economy slows. Income tax collections grow faster than the economy in good times and contract faster in recessions. Also, when Democratic Gov. Mike Easley in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 wanted to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes and when Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue in 2009 sought a billion-dollar tax hike, they raised the sales tax. Perdue also added income surtaxes for high-income earners and corporations, but these were tiny in comparison. Sales tax collections generally adjust more rapidly than income tax withholding, and the highest earners often pay income taxes quarterly with the biggest payment nears the April 15 year-end deadline.Whether the tax is flat, fair, round, or square, it can only be as low as spending. Research by economists Christina Romer and Paul Romer found that lower income taxes do indeed lead to faster economic growth at the national level. State taxes have less room to move and take a much smaller share of income, so their impact would naturally be smaller. States with lower spending and slower spending growth can have lower taxes as a share of income.In a way, all of this debate is a question of terminology. Taxes on earned income penalize saving and investing, primary determinants of future economic growth. That is why we at the John Locke Foundation have repeatedly made a case for a consumed income tax that broadens the sales tax to include all services and exempts income saved or invested in capital. If North Carolina moved to a consumed income tax, it would eliminate the traditional sales tax collection method while eliminating the income tax biases. Then North Carolina would be on better fiscal footing and could leave questions of tax structure to those with more time to debate semantics.
[T]he areas hardest hit by the attacks happen to be in places with high immigration rates, often celebrated for their "multiculturalism." ... For example, Newham, which has been praised as one of "the most multicultural places in the UK," has witnessed the highest number of acid attacks in the country, 398, from 2011-2016.

New police figures reveal that the U.K. is averaging at least 15 barbaric acid attacks a week.The figures, first reported by The Mirror, show a total of 2,602 reported attacks from January 2015 to May of this year, averaging out to 15 per week. In comparison, there were only 100 total attacks reported from 2007 to 2011.Stunningly, nearly 75% of such attacks have been carried out in London, a city often praised by the Left for its multiculturalism and tolerance.And the figures actually reflect a sunnier outlook than the reality of the situation, since four police forces neglected to provide data regarding acid attacks when it was requested of them. Still, Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) found the U.K. to have one of the highest rates of attacks per capita in the world.To make matters worse, the data shows a surge in children perpetrating and being victimized by acid attacks. notes The Sun.The phenomenon of throwing acid in an unsuspecting person's face is common in some Muslim-majority counties, typically victimizing women. But with the attacks in the U.K., according to ASTI, a majority of the victims are men.Curiously, though, it's common for victims to be unwilling to press charges.the BBC reported As previously noted by The Daily Wire, figures provided by Metro show a correlation between cities with high immigrant rates and spiked attacks:Last summer, London surgeon Dr. Martin Niall told National Public Radio (NPR) that acid attacks werehe said.
Why are the County Commissioners of Beaufort County not spraying for Mosquitoes?

Why are the County Commissioners of Beaufort County not spraying for Mosquitoes - worst I ever seen - this year after raising taxes 16% in the last two years?



Every crony that begged for money supped from the county treasury in the last four years, every Vendor, that has their political blessing, got big fat contracts; some of them no-bid contracts, and still no spraying for Mosquitoes as this hot, humid Summer is now winding up.



I know that the priority of this sitting board is to waste the public's money to favor their old, and new, good buddies, but, again I query: How much would it cost to spray for Mosquitoes?



Actually, just a fraction of the money this sitting board wasted in the last 4 years operating as a Republican majority of strong, committed RINOs.



I served Beaufort County as a county commissioner for 18 years; I never voted to raise taxes; always voted to cut wasteful spending, and always voted to spray for Mosquitoes every year, so that every citizen might benefit, not just the favored.



I reckon a honest county commissioner must possess a firm sense of propriety to be a decent public servant, and this is the weakest board of county commissioners that I have ever witnessed.



How long will the voters of Beaufort County allow these weak government officials to represent them?



How long will the taxpayers of Beaufort County allow these inept governing hands to strangle the potential of this county in favor of this poorly perceived perpetration of RINO progress. That's right, you read me correctly. These Beaufort County RINO commissioners routinely throw around the word progress, including all derivatives of the root word, as if Hillary Clinton had just tutored them on how to consistently explain the incoherent to the gullible amongst us.



And while I am in a ranting spirit, please be aware of this redirection of attention:

Over the last few months, I have turned my attention to the Mueller Witchhunt / Democrat Media Conspiracy as they only report the elusive "Trump Collusion with Russia" to keep other countries from meddling in our elections /hacking into our cyber system, which was never an issue for Obama's FBI or the Fake News until Donald J. Trump was elected. I will now give it a rest.



Why?



1) The Mueller Investigation, in collusion with the Democrat Media (breathless in their exhortation), is farther away from proving any unidentified crime than when they started; 2) There is as much of a "swamp" in Beaufort County's government as in Washington, DC, and I intend to do something about it when elected, with all of your help, to the Beaufort County Commission.



Once a day, I'll send out a message of my passion to drain that local swamp here in Beaufort County, with the hope that it can be achieved if you can get yourselves, and your friends to the polls to get me/us elected.



Let's do what is right. Elect a real Republican for a change; elect Stan Deatherage.


Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure

Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure



South Lawn  August 17, 2018  10:44 A.M.



THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. We're going to New York. We're going to New Jersey for work. It's going to be all work. And I think you see what's happened. The economy is maybe better than it's ever been. The numbers are coming out - the best they've ever had. We just came out with youth numbers. They've been just fantastic, off the charts. So we're very happy about that.



And I think for that reason, I think, in November, we're going to do extremely well. Extremely well.



Q (Inaudible) two times or four times a year? Should companies report twice or four times a year?



THE PRESIDENT: I'd like to see twice, but we're going to see. This took place when I had, as you know, the world's top executives - among the world's top executives. And the head of Pepsi Cola - a great woman, who is now retiring, she said - because I asked, "What could we do to make it even better?" And she said, "Two-time-a-year reporting, not quarterly."



And I thought of it, and it made sense to me. Because, you know, we are not thinking far enough out. We've been accused of that for a long time, this country. So we're looking at that very, very seriously. We're looking at twice a year, instead of four times a year.



Q Admiral McRaven says take his pass, too.



THE PRESIDENT: I don't know McRaven. I know that I've gotten tremendous response from having done that, because security clearances are very important to me. Very, very important. And I've had a tremendous response for having done that.



Q Sir, what do you say to those who say you're trying to silence your critics by taking away the clearances?



THE PRESIDENT: There's no silence. If anything, I'm giving them a bigger voice. Many people don't even know who he is, and now he has a bigger voice. And that's okay with me, because I like taking on voices like that. I've never respected him; I've never had a lot of respect. And Senator Burr said it best: If you knew anything, why didn't you report it when you were before all of these committees, including their committee?



So he had a chance to report; he never did. This was just - came up lately, and it's a disgusting thing, frankly. Look, I say it. I say it again: That whole situation is a rigged witch hunt. It's a totally rigged deal. They should be looking at the other side. They should be looking at all the people that got fired by them. All of the people that got fired. They should be looking at Bruce Ohr and his wife Nellie for dealing with, by the way, indirectly, Russians.



They should be looking at Steele. They should be looking at all these FBI guys who got fired and demoted. It's a really - it's not us. It is a rigged witch hunt. I've said it for a long time.



Q Bruce Ohr's security clearance?



THE PRESIDENT: Say it?



Q Bruce Ohr's security clearance?



THE PRESIDENT: I think Bruce Ohr is a disgrace. I suspect I'll be taking it away very quickly.



I think that Bruce Ohr is a disgrace, with his wife, Nellie. For him to be in the Justice Department, and to be doing what he did, that is a disgrace. That is disqualifying for Mueller. And Mr. Mueller has a lot of conflicts, also, directly yourself. So you know that.



Mr. Mueller is highly conflicted. In fact, Comey is like his best friend. I could go into conflict after conflict. But sadly, Mr. Mueller is conflicted. But let him write his report. We did nothing. There's no collusion.



But if he was doing an honest report, he'd write it on the other side. Because when you look at criminality, and you look at problems, take a look at what they did, including colluding with the Russians - the other side.



Q Mr. President, who's next? Bruce Ohr?



THE PRESIDENT: I can't hear you too well; you have a helicopter.



Q On Turkey, what is your next - what is your next move on Turkey? Will you speak with President Erdogan? What do you want to happen?



THE PRESIDENT: Well, Turkey has been a problem for a long time. They have not acted as a friend. We'll see what happens. They have a wonderful Christian pastor. He's a wonderful man, Pastor Brunson. They made up this phony charge that he's a spy, and he's not a spy.



He's going through a trial right now, if you call it a trial. They should have given him back a long time ago. And Turkey has, in my opinion, acted very, very badly. So we haven't seen the last of that. We are not going to take it sitting down. They can't take our people. So you will see what happens.



Q Mr. President, will you pardon Paul Manafort? Will you pardon Paul Manafort if he's convicted?



THE PRESIDENT: I don't talk about that, no. I don't talk about that. I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad. When you look at what's going on there, I think it's a very sad day for our country.



He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what? He happens to be a very good person. And I think it's very sad what they've done to Paul Manafort.



Thank you very much.


The HSI responders, who have been operating in Nilambur and Tirur, two of the most devastated communities, face dangerous and treacherous conditions in their work, as the floods continue to submerge homes, and landslides continue to hit the affected areas.

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Your Humane Society International team is often among the first to respond to crises affecting animals around the globe. For the past week we have been on the ground in the south Indian state of Kerala, where the worst floods in more than a century have killed more than 300 people.

During their time on the ground, HSI team members have seen and experienced some of the most heartbreaking stories and also some incredibly inspiring ones. On the one hand, countless animals have, like the people of Kerala, been displaced or drowned in the flooding caused by unusually heavy monsoon rains. On the other, as we have worked to save animals, we have come across stories that demonstrate the deep love people feel for their companion animals as they fight with all they have to keep their animals safe.

Our responders found one woman, Sunitha, who refused to evacuate her home without her dogs. She rebuffed rescuers who told her she could not save the animals, and managed to contact HSIs team in Kerala who arranged for a local team to rescue her and her dogs. However, when the relief camp refused her entry with her dogs, she returned to her house where HSI is now providing veterinary care, as well as food for her and her dogs.

The responders, who have been operating in Nilambur and Tirur, two of the most devastated communities, face dangerous and treacherous conditions in their work, as the floods continue to submerge homes, and landslides continue to hit the affected areas. But theyve been pressing on to find animals trapped in the remains of dwellings, often without any hope, and delivering them to safety. For instance, among the animals rescued were two little puppies who were tied up and left behind to drown. The puppies, who we named Wally and Eva, were taken to HSIs temporary shelter with 17 other rescued dogs.

Our team also saved 20 goats and eight cows left stranded in the floodwaters, and across Kerala the HSI helpline is facilitating the rescue of countless other animals like Kuttus, a dachshund, who was rescued after being trapped in a house, Jack, a dalmatian, who was saved from drowning, and Bailey, an eight-month-old Labrador, who was rescued after repeated attempts over four days by rescuers from the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu.

HSI has been helping animals affected by disasters for many years, and we have years of experience doing this work. Over the last decade and a half, HSI has responded to disasters ranging from an earthquake and a hurricane in Haiti to a tsunami and an earthquake in Japan. Last year, HSI helped more than 6,200 animals affected by deadly earthquakes in Mexico.

Each time our teams follow a clear strategy: getting to the disaster area, making assessments of the work needed, and uniting with local organizations to identify needs on the ground. In most cases, HSI doesnt just help the animals in immediate need, but makes long-term commitments and investments to strengthen the animal welfare infrastructure in the affected regions.

In Kerala, the HSI team is working with representatives of the Government of Kerala and Indias National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to locate and rescue animals left behind in the floods and in need of help. HSI is also coordinating with the collector of the districts and government veterinary hospitals to assist and to accommodate animals across Kerala. The team is providing vital medicines, shelter and food for sick and injured animals, and a second team of responders will shortly deploy to the zone, to relieve the first team.

HSI is deploying another team to Coorg in the neighboring state of Karnataka, which has also been ravaged by rains and landslides. Early reports say many animals have been washed away but we are determined to save the ones stranded. You can rest assured that we will not stop until we have saved every animal we can.

You can help us with this important work. Your donations to our international disaster relief fund make it possible for us to train, purchase and maintain necessary equipment and resources, and to deploy rapidly to areas in need. As we fight to bring help to the animals of Kerala, your help can go a long way in ensuring that as many animal lives as possible are saved, now and in future.

Support HSIs International Disaster Relief Fund
Life-Plus Affirmed for 2010 Murder of Utah Deputy

For Roberto Roman, the criminal justice system must seem unreal. Reading the recent Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in his case, it's easy to see why.

After Roman confessed to the murder of a Utah sheriff's deputy, he then was acquitted of the murder (after a state-court jury trial where he testified that the deputy's brother, who died of a drug overdose a few months after his sister's death, and who just so happened to be riding along in the car with Roman and doing meth, murdered his own sister). Although Roman was acquitted in state court, federal charges were brought against him, and Roman was convicted for the murder in federal district court. He was sentenced to life plus 80 years.

Appeal Affirms Judgment

On appeal, Roman argued that the district court erred in not allowing in evidence of his state-court acquittal. Despite the fact that Roman claimed to only be seeking to introduce it to rebut certain evidence via attacking the credibility of the offering witness, an officer Roman basically claimed to harbor a vendetta due to the state-court loss.

The appellate court disagreed with Roman, explaining that there was no error in failing to allow the evidence of the state-court acquittal because there was other means of rebutting the evidence, and the evidence was just too prejudicial to the state's case.

Roman also challenged the prosecution on grounds of double jeopardy, though conceding the fact that SCOTUS has clearly established the dual-sovereignty rule, and preserving the issue for cert. to the High Court.

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A woman insured by Anthem was paying $285 for a generic heart medication prescription. Recently, she was planning to go overseas for months and wanted to stock up on the medicine, but Anthem wouldn't give it to her because her previous prescription had not yet run out. So she went to Costco and bought the medicine. She was surprised that is cost only $40.

A spokesperson for the company that Anthem uses to manage its prescription drug program had no explanation for the price difference, other than the fact that Costo sometimes offers generic drugs for a lower price. No shit, sherlock. (In a June post, Cory gave the real reason: insurance companies have "successfully lobbied for gag rules that keep pharmacists" from being able to tell patients that it is often cheaper to buy medicines with cash.)

From PBS:
A 12-person jury in Texas found Shafeeq Sheikh, a former physician at Baylor College of Medicine, guilty of raping a heavily sedated patient. The jury recommended that Sheikh receive no prison time, and state law compelled the judge to comply.

From Fox News:

DNA evidence was collected from a rape kit  but it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh. The DNA collected from the former doctor's cheek swab match those in a rape kit.

Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located. He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night.

"He sought her out. He chose her to prey on," Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing. "You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that."

"You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did," she added.
On Game Terrain Engineering, Jim Kelly posted this great tutorial on building a wall-mounted display for your lovingly-painted fantasy miniatures collection. The display, while looking quite elaborate and substantial, is little more than a cheap wooden picture frame, some foam board, and lots of time and hot glue. The Archdevil Moloch statue in the middle was 3D printed. That is, of course, optional.

Months ago, well-known dungeon crafter, DM Scotty, posted some similar wall displays on Facebook that used a printed image on their back walls (relevant to the theme of the minis on display) and simpler shelving. Scotty's might be an overall better solution for displaying your minis in a less busy but still thematic way. Jim admits that the lighting/viewability of some of the miniatures on his dungeon-themed display is not the best. He's considering adding LED lighting.

I am definitely going to build some of these displays. With all of the time I'm putting into painting minis these days, I don't want to hide my hard work away in cases when it could be enjoyed by others. I think this is a really fun way to do it. I can't wait to plan out and create thematic frame-displays for my Frostgrave, Gaslands, Blood Bowl, and All Quiet on the Martian Front minis. For displaying years of collected Warhammer 40,000 armies? We're going to need a bigger boat.

BTW: The latest D&D game book, Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, includes the exiled Archdevil Moloch in its bestiary, with great artwork, background, and stat block. Old school roleplayers will remember the gem-eyed Moloch statue being looted on the cover of the first AD&D Players Handbook. Mordenkainen's bestiary also includes Eidolons, the undead spirits that get bound into statues, and even a stat block for Sacred Statue, the Moloch statue featured on that early D&D cover.


Museum of Modern Art film curator La Frances Hui narrates this fascinating introduction to the genre of Kung Fu films:



Many directors and actors have been associated with the kung fu genre, Hong Kong cinema's most unique creation, but no one compares to Lau Kar-leung (19372013) as a purist of the genre and the kung fu form.





Associate curator La Frances Hui explores the history of the kung fu films, the actors and filmmakers associated with the genre like Bruce Lee, Gordon Liu, and Jackie Chan, and why Lau Kar-leung has been hailed as the grandmaster of kung fu films.
John Oliver made fun of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's terrible performance on the talk shows Sunday. Giuliani's "truth isn't truth" statement should surely end up inscribed on both his and Trump's gravestones: a bungled effort to describe perjury traps and other reasons one should generally not talk to cops and most certainly not the FBI.

"What is Giuliani doing, and why does the White House keep letting him go on TV?" Oliver said. "Because at this rate, Trump is going to wind up behind bars with Giuliani visiting him and saying, 'Don't worry, Donald: Prison isn't prison.'"

The usual problem along these lines is vain lawyers thinking they're good at PR. But Giuliani's just a weird idiot.
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. There's nothing quite as useful as being able to read sheet music for singers and songwriters. It's a cinch to learn, and you'll be able to not only play more traditional READ THE REST
In an "unprecedented" letter to the the laity, Pope Francis described priestly child abuse as an atrocity and the Catholic Church's protection of abusers as complicity.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.
Surfsafe is a browser extension that compares all the images you load in your browser to images that appear on "trusted news sites," fact-checking services, and Snopes, and pops up a tool-tip warning when you hover over known hoax images with links to more information.



The tool comes from Robhat Labs, who created the Botcheck.me extension, which predicts whether the accounts you operate with on Twitter are operated by bots or humans.

Though the tool only spots known fakes, the creators say this is an acceptable limitation, since their goal is to the stop the viral spread of fake news, which is, by definition, widely dispersed and thus likely to appear in the database of fakes.



When a user hovers over a photo, SurfSafe scans the entire database of fingerprints to see if it's ever encountered that image before in its raw or doctored form. If it has, it instantly surfaces the other images on the right side of the screen, prioritizing the earliest instance of the image, as it's most likely to be the original. Users then have the ability to flag the image as either propaganda, Photoshopped, or misleading, which helps inform the SurfSafe model going forward.

This Browser Extension Is Like an Anti-Virus for Fake Photos [Issie Lapowsky/Wired]
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairperson of the Commission, Justice Priscilla Makanyara Chigumba does not have a twitter account and the nation should not be misled by statements posted on bogus accounts created in her name by mischievous elements, the ZimTechReview has reported.Some fraudsters have duped the public into believing that the ZEC boss was running a Twitter account under Justice Chigumba's name.In a statement, ZSE Chief Election Officer, Mr Utoile Silaigwana, rubbished the Twitter account, saying it was a malicious act of fraudsters calculated at misleading the nation."The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission wishes to inform members of the Public that the Chairperson of the Commission, Justice Priscilla Makanyara Chigumba does not have a twitter account. The purported account on twitter attributed to her is fake and a fraudulent creation of unscrupulous elements meant to mislead the public."The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission urges the public to disregard any statements posted on the fake Twitter account."
News / National

by Ndou Paul

REQUEST FOR PUBLICATION OF WANTED PERSONS FOR FRAUD AS DEFINED IN SECTION 136 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW (CODIFICATION AND REFORM) ACT CHAPTER 9:23 (Potential Prejudice)

The Zimbabwe Republic Police, Criminal Investigation Department is looking for any information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects whose photographs are shown below.The suspects are wanted in connection with a case of fraud in which they connived with a local public entity employee, who has since been arrested, to defraud the entity to the tune of USD2,385,073.20 purportedly for payment of goods and/or services not delivered/rendered.Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest or identification of the above suspects to contact CID Commercial Crimes Division (Northern Region) on landline 0242 703030, Zimbabwe Republic Police National Complaints Desk on landline 0242 703 631, the Investigating Officer Detective Sergeant Bakacheza. J. on 0772 811365 or any nearest police station.Harare Central CR 407/05/18 and CID Commercial Crimes Division (Northern Region) DR19/05/18 refer.CRIMINALINVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT COMMERCIAL CRIMES DIVISION (NORTHERN REGION)
News / National

by Staff reporter

"There are documents that were left at the Registry by Advocate Hashiti on 15 August 2018 which documents were not issued by the Registrar.



After consultation with the Chief Justice, a decision was made that these documents could not be accepted.



Please kindly come and collect your documents. After our numerous phone calls to Advocate Hashiti, he indicated that he would send someone to collect them and he still has not done so."

The registrar of the Constitutional Court has refused to accept some of the legal documents which lawyers for Nelson Chamisa attempted to file on the 15th of August, an online news portal reported.The Court will on Wednesday hear Nelson Chamisa's petition in which he wants the results of the election to be overturned alleging that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) manipulated the results in order to guarantee a win for President Emmerson Mnangagwa.According to the registrar, the reason why the documents were rejected was the expiry of dies induciae (the number of days that a party in a legal proceeding has to file documents).The letter from the registrar reads,
News / National

by newsZWire

ZANU-PF often makes the claim that it is the opposition that has called for sanctions. The opposition's stance on sanctions has shifted according to its proximity to power.In 2012, Tendai Biti, then Finance Minister, told a meeting in Washington that "your foreign policy as a country, as America, could be better towards Zimbabwe. You do not deal with very difficult, fragile states by disengagement, by isolation. It does not work".However, in a post-election interview with the Daily Maverick on August 1 this year, Biti declared that "the international community is not going to be fooled by this madness. We will make sure they don't get a cent." Asked how he would do this, he added: "I can't tell you how but I can tell you we have done it before."In testimony before the US foreign relations committee in December, Biti did not expressly call for sanctions as his critics often charge. The closest he got was when responding to a question from Flake on whether or not the US should support debt relief for Zimbabwe. Biti's answer was that debt relief had to be on condition that there were free elections and a smooth power transfer. However, a certain Dhewa Mavhinga called for sanctions to remain in place.In January 2002, the late leader of the MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, called on South Africa to cut off fuel and close the border to Zimbabwe in order to deal with Zanu-PF's violent campaigns."I think SA will have to go it alone and do something effective on the ground," he told the BBC. "And South Africa should say, 'OK, under those circumstances we are going to cut fuel, we are going to cut transport links'."However, as Prime Minister under the unity government, Tsvangirai frequently called for the lifting of sanctions on the country. In meetings with Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and other Western leaders, Tsvangirai called for an end to the embargo.
Opinion / Columnist

From 1953 to 1963, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe were one country. Except for someone who has a real problem in their heads, even now that they are separate sovereigns, in fact their people are one. President Kaunda's mother and father hailed from Malawi.In 1965, President Emmerson Mnangagwa was deported to Zambia by the then Rhodesian regime following his conviction of treason. Mnangagwa and his colleagues some of whom were executed were convicted of, inter alia, sabotaging rail lines. He himself was spared the maximum penalty due to his young age at the time as minor. He lived in Chief Shakumbila in Mumbwa.In fact, all of them Josua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe, Sam Nujoma of Namibia, and many other nationalist freedom fighters as well as ordinary people from then Rhodesia, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique and Malawi during the brutal dictatorship of Kamuzu Banda for years sheltered in Zambia.So what is the problem with Tendai Biti fleeing to Zambia when he has problems in Zimbabwe? Independent media had reported that security forces in Zimbabwe had surrounded his elderly mother's house, a poor woman who is not a politician.Same sources reported that Biti had escaped abduction by unknown people outside his law firm and later that live bullets had been fired to his car, all this after his statement in which he suggested that opposition leader Nelson Chamisa may have won this years' disputed presidential elections.The decision by Zambian authorities to handover Biti to Zimbabwean authorities after he had crossed into Zambian soil and in the face of a Zambian High Court Order prohibiting this deportation is a clear affront to the Zambian constitution which guarantees the independence of the judiciary.Even in the most barbaric states, a civil servant cannot overrule a judge, it is simply not possible. But here it is in Zambia. Judge Yangayilo's order staying the deportation of Biti was overruled by an immigration officer and Biti was handed over to the Zimbabwean authorities.Yet, Zambia has had clear jurisprudence stretching to since the days of the one-party state forbidding the executive from deporting foreign nationals whose matters were pending before courts.Many Zambians wondered why Biti's deportation provoked such widespread anger and immediate response not only from western countries including the US State Department but from the United Nations as well? A friend had asked me how important Biti was to lead to this international outrage? Another colleague wondered whether Zambia did not act within her sovereign right in deporting Biti?Zambia's Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Information were reported to have said Biti had to be returned back to his country because he did not meet the minimum conditions for grant of asylum.On the other hand, a South African Broadcasting Corporation newsman travelling with President Ramaphosa to his visit in Zambia reported that his Zambian sources suggested that Biti had to be sent back in order for Zambia not worsen the already bad political situation post the harmonised elections and in particular the stand-off that followed the declaration of president Mnangagwa as winner of the presidential election.As usual, Zambian authorities do not understand the applicable asylum laws. In basic international law, there is a distinction between immigration law and asylum law. The two are not the same and must not be confused for the other. In the Biti case, authorities invoked the immigration law yet Biti's case did not fall under immigration law.Tendai Biti was seeking political asylum which is a human right. A human right stands on a higher pedestal than other standards. A human right is a binding obligation on the part of the state, the duty bearer. It cannot be defeated by an abuse or even if properly exercised, immigration power of a civil servant.Unlike Zimbabwe, Zambia ratified the UN Convention against Torture on 7 October 1998. Article 3 of the Convention provides for the principle of non-refoulement according to which state parties or states like Zambia that ratify this treaty are forbidden from turning back any foreign national who crosses the border in search of asylum. General Comment Number 4 of 2017 which replaced General Comment Number 1 of the Committee against Torture has detailed the obligations of state parties not to refoul asylum seekers regardless.The principle of non-refoulement is a cornerstone of public international human rights law. Non-refoulement is a binding obligation of states. Besides article 3 of the Convention against Torture, the same principle of enshrined in article 33 of the 1951 UN Convention on the Rights of Refugees.Both Zambia and Zimbabwe are party to the Refugee Convention. Most of the freedom fighters in the government of President Mnangagwa are beneficiaries of this principle.Paragraph 2 of article 3 of the Convention against Torture provides that a state party shall not refoula person to a country whether it is feared she or he risks being tortured. In the current circumstances, and despite the toppling of founder president Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe quite clearly fits the conditions described in paragraph 2 of a country which relishes the use of torture as state policy.With this clear position of international law, why did President Edgar Lungu still deport Tendai Biti, risking all the international condemnation which followed? Of course the first answer is simply because as indicated authorities don't understand international law and its applicability on Zambia. Even with international law which Zambia has voluntarily acceded to like the two conventions above, it is typical to find so-called authorities still citing sovereignty not realizing that by signing the treaty, they have effectively signed it away.But the main reason is political. Tendai Biti and other members of opposition in Zimbabwe had visited Hakainde Hichilema, Edgar Lungu's nemesis, in the wake of his imprisonment in 2017 on trumped up charges of treason later withdrawn in humiliation.Not only did Biti and his colleagues visit Hichilema to convalescence with him but Biti himself made statements bitterly criticizing Lungu's decision to arrest Hichilema on trumped up charges but describing the Zambian legal system as dead as the Zimbabwean.Despite the expensive efforts to paint Edgar Lungu with the colour of a saint, in fact he is a vengeful man who believes in revenge. Tendai Biti is paying for being opposition member in his country and for exercising his fundamental right to freedom of expression on the Zambian soil.This article is taken from Zambia Watchdog.
Opinion / Columnist

Zanu pf is a character Assassinator. It is so bad to be associated with them that a person with a conscience would feel like he is in a satanic church. I just wonder how it feels like to be a member of an organisation that has spilt so much human blood and continues ti si unabated.Thousands of people have lost their lives just for a few individuals to maintain their political power and it looks like its going to stay like that until we don't know when.Zimbabweans have become violence villains of their liberators' claimants. I'm some video Paul Mangwana boasts of zanu pf as a powerful system that one cannot fight and that it has arms and prisons. He speaks with so much conviction in himself and sounds like he has been imprisoned by this cartel of crooks.This man is a lawyer for crying it loud but his character is dead. Those arms and prisons are for the state Mr Mangwana. The arms are for protecting the state and prisons are for correctional service and not to kill and incarcerate civilians for peacefully demanding their rights. Joshua Muqabuko Nkomo was subjected to so much violence that he ended up thinking he should agree to everything that Zanu pf wanted. They simply killed his character. At each and every general election people are murdered in Zimbabwe.Those that remian alive are given foodhand outs, bribes in the form of stock and money and are rhetorically indoctrinated just before the next election. Zanu pf is a killer of souls and an organisation of murders and that is how they have been maintaining their political power. If they cant kill the character they may take the life out of it.Philip Valerio Sibanda is the most senior professional soldier that this country has ever had since independence. The previous most senior commanders of our defence forces were political appointees and were definitely far from being classy professionals as General Sibanda is. But I'm afraid General Sibanda's good professional charster is dead. Zanu of has killed it. Zimbabweans may applaud him for the coup d'etat to remove Robert Mugabe but they definitely won't for the shooting of unarmed civilians in the streets of Harare on 1 August 2018. The claim that he may not have known about the deployment of soldiers is not good enough, no, not at all.We don't know how much of him was left out of the Democratic Republic of Congo diamond scum. We dont know how many civil servants have been character asassinated by Zanu pf by being involuntarily involved in shady deals at first up until they get to taste the benefits and are sunk into corruption.I think it's many of them including politicians who go into politics thinking of serving their country honestly but are taught otherwise by Zanu pf the architectural institute of the downfall of Zimbabwe politically and economically.The Zimbabwean politics is like a horror film in demand. Its the same actor on the same subjects tormenting them again and again. For how long? It is the liberation claimants holding people at ransom for having liberated them by not allowing them to exercise that free will which is their political right. They want it all for themselves - the natural resources and exessive access to land. Surely there shall be a turning point one day.Clement MoyoMediation for Peace Centre+263 712 708 284/77 662 090clemenmoyo@gmail.com
CAIRO (Reuters) - Cyprus has handed over to Cairo an Egyptian man who hijacked an airliner to the island in 2016 using a fake explosive belt, Egypt's state prosecutor said on Saturday, after a court ruling cleared the way for his extradition. The prosecutor said in a statement that Seif Eldin Mustafa was handed over to an Egyptian Interpol team in Nicosia after Cairo provided assurances that he would face legal proceedings that conform to international standards. Cypriot courts had heard appeals since 2016 against the extradition of the 61-year-old to Cairo, rejecting his arguments that he would not receive a fair trial in Egypt. Mustafa commandeered a domestic Alexandria-Cairo flight with 72 passengers and crew on board in March 2016, ordering it to land in the island's Larnaca airport. He surrendered to Cypriot authorities about six hours after he landed, having gradually released all passengers and crew unharmed. One passenger took "selfies" with Mustafa which were posted on social media. Mustafa had taken charge of the early morning flight by showing flight attendants what appeared to be a belt stuffed with plastic wires and a remote control. After directing the flight to Cyprus, he asked for the release of female prisoners in Egypt, and to have contact with his Cypriot ex-wife. (Reporting by Haitham Ahmed; writing by Sami Aboudi; editing by Andrew Roche)
One home was destroyed after a fire in northeast Calgary.

The fire department said it responded to the blaze on Templeby Drive shortly before 3 p.m. to find the single-family home engulfed in flames.

Five residents had fled the home before firefighters arrived on scene.

Twenty-eight firefighters brought the fire under control and prevented damage from neighbouring homes, the department said.

The home's residents won't be able to return to the house, as it was heavily damaged.

Investigators were on scene with crews on Saturday evening to work to determine the cause of the blaze.

- MORE CALGARY NEWS | Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer cancelled due to poor air quality from smoke

- MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Alberta's new normal could be a 'constant state' of drought: expert

- Read more articles by CBC Calgary, like us on Facebook for updates and subscribe to our CBC Calgary newsletter for the day's news at a glance.
Man shot to death in residential building in downtown Toronto

A man was found dead of a gunshot wound in the hallway of a residential building in downtown Toronto early Sunday, police say.

Officers were called to the scene at 501 Adelaide Street East near Parliament Street shortly after 2 a.m. Residents reported hearing a couple of gunshots.

The man was found lying in a pool of blood in the hallway on the fourth floor, according to Staff Sgt. Dan Hoffmeyer of Toronto Police Service's 51 Division. The victim had been shot in the head, Hoffmeyer added.

"The wounds were grievous in nature," he said.

Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene, James Burgin, deputy commander for Toronto Paramedic Services, said on Sunday.

Homicide detectives have taken over the investigation.

Hoffmeyer said officers have been guarding a vehicle of interest that is believed to belong to the victim and it will be investigated.

Officers are also searching for security camera video and appealing for witnesses to come forward.

The man's name and age have not been released.

Police described the suspect as a white man who was wearing dark clothing at the time.

Anyone with information is urged to call Toronto police at (416) 808-5100.
A man was shot and killed by Edmonton police Saturday night after officers were called to investigate a two-vehicle collision just north of Yellowhead Trail.

The incident happened in the area of 66th Street and 123rd Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. when police were called to the collision, the Edmonton Police Service said in a media release Sunday morning.

One of the vehicles involved in the collision was determined to have been stolen.

When police approached the stolen vehicle, an "incident occurred" between the male driver of the vehicle and the officers, police said. One of the officers then fired their weapon.

The driver of the vehicle was killed. A male passenger was not injured and was taken into custody.

The driver and passenger in the other vehicle were not injured, and no police officers were injured.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has now taken over the investigation.
In May, Jimmy Lefebvre set out to walk from Grande Prairie, Alta., to his father's gravesite in Palmer Road, P.E.I., to honour his father's fight with cancer and raise funds.

His mother, wife and three youngest children are travelling with him, camping along the way in a large motorhome.

"Today is day 108," Lefebvre told Island Morning's Matt Rainnie Monday, as he neared Woodstock, N.B., on his way to P.E.I.

"Feeling pretty good," he added. "Got things kinda dialed in now as far as sleep and nutrition."

'A real precious gift'

After Lefebvre's father Simon died from lung cancer in 2016, he decided he wanted to do something to raise funds and awareness.

"After that I got thinking about what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it," he said.

"It spurred me on to do a lot more things and realize life is a real precious gift."

He began planning the cross-Canada walk last fall and in May he set out to walk from Alberta to P.E.I. to reach his dad's gravesite on what would have been his birthday.

"The whole reason for the walk itself was just trying to help people realize we used to live healthier lives," Lefebvre explained. "To inspire people to get up off the couch and get moving and get active.

"I just finished walking across Canada  there should be no reason why anybody can't get up and go for a walk for five or 10 minutes," he said.

'Chance to see dad again'

Lefebvre created "The L Foundation" to raise awareness and funds  so far it has raised more than $30,000.

The family hopes to use the money to donate to cancer research, education and prevention programs.

Lefebvre covers an average of about 46 kilometres per day, he said, and has stopped for only a couple of rest days. He'll occasionally take a break, but the journey doesn't come to a halt  one of his family members will walk in his place.

"It's interesting having six people loaded up in a motorhome together," he said. "Brings the family a little closer together for sure."

Story continues

The walk is planned to end at Simon Lefebre's grave at the Immaculate Conception Church on Palmer Road, P.E.I., on Aug. 31 which would have been his 72nd birthday.

"It's going to be an emotional day but a positive day," his son said. "A chance to see dad again for a little while."

More P.E.I. news
PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. (AP)  A 30-year-old Massachusetts man won Saturday's bicycle race up Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States.

Barry Miller, of Beverly, Massachusetts, was the top finisher in the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb up the 7.6-mile ascent to the summit of the 6,288-foot peak in 53 minutes and 34 seconds.

Miller was followed by Drake Deuel, 20, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Eric Levinsohn, 28 of New Haven, Connecticut.

In the women's race, 40-year-old Aimee Vassee, of Longmont, Colorado, finished the course in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 5 seconds. She was followed Stefanie Sydlik, of Pittsburg, and Kristen Roberts of Reading Massachusetts.

The start of Saturday's race was delayed two hours due to rain, fog and heavy clouds.

Last year's top male finisher wasn't in the race this year, nor were any of last year's other top seven finishers.

Vasse defended her title as reigning champion in the climb. She won the race from 2004 to 2006. After a long absence, she returned last year and won in her fastest time yet.

Riders deal with a steep grade averaging 12 percent and rising to 22 percent at the finish, as well as Mount Washington's unpredictable weather.

The race raises money for the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, New Hampshire, which provides environmental and recreational education for children, schools, and families.

___

This story has been corrected to show the first name of one racer is Erik, not Eric.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, seen here in Brussels, Belgium, on July 11, 2018, says "Arctic sovereignty is much more than national defence." Photo from The Canadian Press.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan's Northern tour didn't come with any new spending announcements. Instead he talked up the importance of projects nearing completion that he says will bolster Canada's claim to Arctic sovereignty.

Sajjan spent a day at CFS Alert and visited the Nanisivik refuelling station, near Arctic Bay, Nunavut, last week. Those visits followed a stop in Yellowknife to deliver new rifles to the Canadian Rangers.

At Alert, Canada's northernmost military base, he spoke about $10 million of ongoing infrastructure and equipment upgrades at the facility. Those include new firefighting systems, upgrades to fuel tanks and power generators.

"Arctic sovereignty is much more than national defence," he said. "These are Canadians, these are communities [of people] who actually live up in the North. Sovereignty is far more real because it's making sure communities have support so they can live.

"But let's also be very clear we want to ensure we have the national defence resources that we can equip the Canadian Armed Forces so we can protect our sovereignty."

The government has committed to upgrades in the Arctic, Sajjan said, citing the purchase of new fixed-wing search and rescue planes and ongoing upgrades to the four Twin Otter aircraft stationed in Yellowknife, along with the upcoming launch of new Arctic patrol vessel, HMCS Harry DeWolf, and improvements to the radar systems.

"We need to do the proper research in the North to make sure we're making the right decisions as a government," Sajjan said.

"From a national defence perspective, we're going to be investing in research and development about what type of equipment is needed, what infrastructure's in place to guarantee Canada's sovereignty."

Construction continues at Nanisivik refuelling station, which is expected to open in 2019. Engineers had initially expected the station, which will service vessels with the Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy, to be open this year, but delays combined with a short construction season pushed that estimate back.

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A small team will man the station during the summer shipping seasons once it is open and Rangers from Arctic Bay will patrol the site during the winter.

These upgrades to Canada's presence in the Arctic come as global interest focuses on the region. Russia, the United States, Denmark and Norway are all trying to assert their jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic as shrinking polar ice creates new opportunities for exploration.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has made the Arctic a high priority for his government. Over the past two years, Russia has launched two new nuclear-powered icebreakers and opened a military facility in the Arctic.

China also has expressed interest in expanding its presence in the Arctic, issuing its "Polar Silk Road" policy last year. That policy encourages building Arctic infrastructure and Chinese economic activity in the region.

"I would describe the Arctic as the most dynamic area of geopolitics in the last five years," said Rockford Weitz, a professor at the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

Weitz previously worked as a consultant to the Singapore government on how a warming Arctic will affect global shipping.

He sees geopolitics in the Arctic as having two, simultaneous currents: One where countries wish to co-operate and one where they want to get the upper hand over each other.

"The dominant current is one of co-operation, but there is an undercurrent of competition," he said. "That is driven by Vladimir Putin's investment in military infrastructure, largely for domestic reasons  to project a powerful Russian naval and military presence on Russia's longest coastline."

Though NATO countries should monitor these developments, there's still little incentive for countries to become aggressive about their claims in the near future, Weitz explained.

"The Arctic is still the Arctic," he said. "It is a warmer Arctic, but it's still, generally speaking, a cold part of the planet and a harsh environment. When things go wrong, search and rescue efforts happen, and they have to be collaborative.

"It's such a huge geography, the weather is so harsh, the population is so sparse, that co-operation is the dominant current in international relations in the High North," Weitz said.

The challenge, he said, is for countries to continue acting in good faith through organizations like the Arctic Council, to keep the competition from boiling over.

So far, that's happened, he said. For example, the Arctic is one of the only areas where the Russian and United States militaries continue to communicate on a regular basis.

Rob Huebert, a professor at the University of Calgary who studies Canada's Arctic defence policy, says the Liberal government is meeting this situation with a playbook similar to the one used by the former Conservative government under Stephen Harper.

"When it came to the Arctic defence issues, it was fascinating to see the manner in which almost every single one of the [Harper-era] Arctic initiatives, offshore vessels, the modernization of NORAD, all of these were not only continued, but given enthusiastic support," he said.

"To a very large degree, at least in terms of the policy, we've seen a widespread acceptance of a traditional security policy when it comes to the Arctic."

During Sajjan's trip to Alert, he didn't talk about addressing Russia specifically, preferring to speak in general about how Canada is monitoring the Arctic.

The strength of Canada's Arctic defence policy lies in its commitment to international diplomacy, Sajjan said.

"We have ships from other nations that do follow the appropriate procedure. We will always work with like-minded partners for the research and development [of the Arctic]," Sajjan said. "But, Canada's sovereignty is something we take very seriously."

Those soothing words are just rhetoric, Huebert says. The Arctic isn't exempt from Russian actions and Canada is preparing for any potential conflict with Russia in the Arctic whether the government talks about it or not, he says.

"What all governments want to talk about in the Arctic and everything is peace and kumbaya. That's the rhetoric," he said. "But if you look at what we're actually preparing to do, you can see the focus is preparing for a much more darker future."

At this point, Canada doesn't have everything it needs to properly patrol the Arctic, Huebert said, but it is improving.

"We have the proper plans in position, but do we have them built? No. In Canada we know how difficult it is once we've decided on something, to actually build it," he said.
Luckily for the kid, the quick-thinking and definitive actions of Seminole County Deputy Bill Dunn meant that the girl was not killed.

A dramatic video has shown the moment 3-year-old girl was saved by a Florida deputy from a sweltering auto after being locked inside by her mother.

Body camera footage released by the sheriff's office showed Dunn running while holding the girl in his arms.

"Once the cold air hit her, I started noticing her eyes fluttering", he recalled.

"I didn't feel a pulse", Dunn said. Dunn said he rushed the girl to his cruiser and immediately turned on the air conditioning.

"My baby's missing", Keller says in a 911 call obtained by ABC News.

"Sadly I didn't think she was alive when I got to her", Dunn said in the video".

"I remember one thing distinctively was my hand on her chest and feeling her heart racing. It was beating really, really, real fast", Dunn said. The footage captured him slumping over as he walked to his patrol vehicle.

This email will be delivered to your inbox once a day in the morning.

Dunn confessed that he was nervous to meet the little girl, again, on Wednesday after he saved her life just a few days prior.

The deputy said, "Sometimes we're able to have a moment like this that makes it all worthwhile".

Sheriff's office Public Information Officer Bob Kealing warned that hot auto incidents usually occur when a parent's routine is disrupted.

The child, despite being in the vehicle for roughly 12 hours, survived.
People in Ottawa's South Asian community are coming together to help those affected by floods in Kerala, India that have killed hundreds of people  the worst flooding in the state in a century.

Heavy rains over the past week have triggered flooding and landslides, and have caused homes and bridges to collapse.

The rains have also severely disrupted air and rail service in Kerala, a popular tourist destination with beautiful beaches.

In addition to the hundreds who've died in the floods, more than 300,000 people have been displaced.

'An unprecedented disaster'

Heavy rains began hitting parts of the state again Saturday morning, slowing attempts to deploy rescuers and get relief supplies to isolated areas  many of which have seen no help for days and can only be reached by boat or helicopter.

At Kochin Kitchen in Ottawa, partners in the restaurant watched the destruction on Indian news channels.

"We are from Kerala, and we would like to help our friends and people who are suffering there by the flood," said Biju George, one of the restaurant's co-owners.

"It is an unprecedented disaster."

The restaurant is holding a fundraiser on Aug. 25 and 26, with two seatings at 11:00 a.m. and 1 p.m. where all the proceeds will be donated to relief efforts.

The servers and kitchen staff are also donating their salaries from those two days.

Worry for family and friends experiencing flooding

George said he has friends and family in Kerala, where about 35 million people live, and also owns land and a house there.

He said he's never seen a disaster of such magnitude hit the state before. He said he's spoken with family and friends who've had to abandon their houses for higher ground.

His own house is most likely immersed in water and completely destroyed, he added.

"I'm not worried about that, but I'm worried about the people who are living in the area and who have lost their life. Every minute people are losing their life," he said.

Story continues

Rescue workers have used helicopters and boats to rescue people stranded on rooftops. As of Saturday, 1,500 state-run camps were temporarily housing more than 300,000 people seeking shelter.

"We are very sad about the situation and we wanted to do something for them," said George. "This is a real human tragedy."

'It has hit the community'

People were also thinking of their family and friends in India at the annual South Asian Fest Saturday at Ottawa City Hall.

"There is concern. It has hit the community," said the festival's artistic director, Hunsdeep Rangar, who has family in Kerala.

"Naturally it hits a nerve here in Ottawa," said Rangar who estimates the Indian community to number roughly 50,000 in the national capital region.

Rangar said people in the community are talking to each other and reaching out to local community associations about what can be done in terms of fundraising and relief efforts.
While New Zealand's just-passed foreign buyer ban is getting a positive reception from some in B.C., an economist in the southern hemisphere is calling it misguided.

On Wednesday, New Zealand banned most foreigners from buying most types of housing in that country, where affordability has become a struggle.

B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver wants the province to look at a similar ban, but Auckland, New Zealand-based economist Shamubeel Eaqub calls it "a rushed bit of policy, and not very good."

"Be very careful what you wish for because public policy quite often is complicated and has unintended consequences," Eaqub told On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko.

"Getting rid of the foreigners is not going to make housing more affordable. The way that the legislation has been written it's probably going to make it harder for overseas investors to supply new housing in New Zealand."

Eaqub says the policy is weak in several regards.

First, foreigners are still allowed to buy apartments in new developments.

Second, it still allows Australians and Singaporeans to buy property in New Zealand because of existing free trade deals. Australians alone, he said, account for about 30 per cent of foreign buyers in the New Zealand market.

But, he also said the ban is a solution in search of a problem.

In Auckland at least, which is the largest urban area of the country, foreigners make up less than 10 per cent of all buyers. "We are trying to deal with something that is very much at the margin."

Home prices are increasing all over New Zealand, he said, not just where foreign buyers are active. There are also widespread supply issues and construction comes at a slow place.

He believes there are better solutions to housing problems in his country: renting could be made more affordable and have more secure rules; social housing supply could be increased; and policies and planning could be improved to encourage affordable housing.

Listen to the full interview:

With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast
Mr. Beinart

Ms. Hernroth-Rothstein is a Stockholm-based journalist.

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Wall St. Journal..19 August '18..I stepped up to the counter at Ben Gurion Airport and handed the young woman my Swedish passport. She eyed me up and down as she typed on her computer. I had taken that same flight, Stockholm to Tel Aviv, dozens of times, but this day was different. The clerk kept my passport and told me to take a seat in a room at the back of the hall.Two hours later, a member of the Israeli security service interviewed me. She asked about my travel patterns, my family history, my professional and political affiliations. She even asked to see texts on my phone. After a total of four hours, I was free to enter Israel.I have also been questioned at length while flying into Ethiopia, Germany, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia and the U.S. The inquiries each time followed a similar pattern. So I was surprised to read Peter Beinarts recent article in thecomplaining about his detention at Ben Gurion.From what I can gather, Mr. Beinart entered the same room I did and was subjected to many of the same questions. But he concluded he was being persecuted for his political views. Few people are further apart politically than Mr. Beinart and me. He is left, I am right; he criticizes Israel, and I have worked for several pro-Israel publications. The facts point to a different conclusion: Israeli border security searches for patterns and flags that go far beyond either Mr. Beinarts or my ego, and the profiling is much more sophisticated than any political spectrum.To date, I have been questioned at Ben Gurion four times for up to five hours, yet this is the first time I have ever written about it. I have seen enough of the world and traveled to enough dangerous places to be able to differentiate between questioning and detention, thoroughness and threat.A few years ago, I sat on a chair at a government office in Tehran, being questioned about my affiliations with Israel and the U.S. and asked whether I had a secret Zionist mission. It may sound similar to the questions Mr. Beinart got at Ben Gurion, but the experiences are worlds apart.I did not argue with my Iranian interviewer, as I did his Israeli counterpart. I did not post about the experience on social media or make sarcastic jokes as I left. When they held my passport at Ben Gurion, I did not fear I would never go home. The Israeli questions about my family did not hold an eerie, underlying threat that made my mouth go dry and my legs turn to jelly.When I am pulled aside and questioned on entering a free country, I am inconveniencedbut also grateful that the place I am visiting is sufficiently serious about border security that a white woman from the most liberal country on earth isnt exempt. Comparing an interview to an interrogation, or implicitly equating a democracy with a dictatorship, may be an effective way of getting publicity. But it comes at the price of legitimizing and emboldening evil regimes, which can use the comparison as an excuse for further atrocities.
From Calcutta, India, where Zschech is currently leading worship at a Festival of Life crusade, she wrote, "we are fully persuaded that this is the will of God for us and our family."

The move for Zschech comes after serving at Hillsong Church for 25 years alongside Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston as worship pastor of the Hillsong team, leading praise and worship worldwide.

On the Hillsong Church website, Senior Pastor Brian wrote, "Mark and Darlene have been an enormous blessing to Hillsong Church and they will move into this new role with the complete support of both the Hillsong Church eldership and Bobbie and I personally. For 25 years the Zschech family have been an integral part of our church family and whilst they will be greatly missed, we feel as though this is a good and a timely step for them.

"We have welcomed Darlene to continue to be part of the team in key Hillsong praise & worship projects and, with Mark, in Hillsong Conference's and we pray great things for their future."
Photo - Berkanau sleeping

In our family archives is a newspaper cutting from the Sydney Morning Herald dated Thursday 30 March 1939, with a photograph of Adolf Hitler the Chancellor of Germany sitting with Czechoslovakia's President Hacha.

The history of this meeting between these two 1939 European leaders, was the 1938 Munich Agreement, where the great European powers met to work out a solution for the Sudatenland's 'generic German speakers' who lived in Czechoslovakia along the border areas with Germany.

After WWI, the victorious Allies at the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, set the fate of a defeated Germany. The German borders were changed and Czechoslovakia was established as a sovereign state. These Sudantenland border areas had become part of Czechoslovakia.

In the later 1930's the Nazi political machine had stirred these traditional Germans in the Sudatenland demanding they be reinstituted as part of Germany. The Munich agreement of 1938, in effect, handed the Sudatenland to Germany, which bought Europe peace for another twelve months.

But no Czechoslovakian official was invited this Munich meeting and many throughout the world were aghast and it was realised too late, that in reality it signed the death knell for Czechoslovakia. Pressure was placed upon her to give away their entire national sovereignty to Germany.

Photo - Berkanau Cyklon 2

Elderly Hacka was kept waiting

The German Chancellor Adolf Hitler kept the elderly Hacha waiting until after 1.00am in the morning. Hitler had been watching movies with his entourage and when he did meet the Czechoslovakian, it was to tell him that he had four hours to demobilise his armed forces: at 6.00am that morning the German military was to cross the border.

The best representation I have seen of these events is a play entitled 'Countdown to War' which was a documentary some years ago shown on ABC television, starring Ian McKellen as Hitler.

It follows the historical account of how President Hacha takes 'a turn' and collapses. Hitler's personal physician Dr Morel comes to his aid. This play can be downloaded.

Herman Goering, the head of the German Luftwaffe, is overheard making the threatening sounds that he wouldn't really want to see his bombers destroy such a beautiful city as Prague.

German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop expresses his concern that the last thing they wanted was 'a dead Czech in the Chancellery'.

President Hacha recovered from his fainting spell, and was helped to the Chancellery desk, where he signed the document. The play shows the fountain pen slipping from his hand to the table top, illustrating his total inability to do anything more.

Photo - Berkanau crematorium Ashes

Lost a battle but won the war

There are many occasions in our lives where the saying we lose one battle but eventually win the war bears great truth. President Hacha realised he was in a no-win situation and resigned his country to 'protective' occupation.

Praque was never bombed by the Allies. There were never any tank battles in the city nor was there any street to street flighting. Today, historians believe that Hacka saved his country from such a fate and he made a judgement call that in his view, would be the best outcome out of what was a no-win situation on a grand scale.

I cannot but ponder upon such a sacrifice by a national leader. It is a little like a praying mother for their young adult child who has chosen a wayward life, leaving behind the things of the Lord, and instead of nagging, has turned to prayer.

A classic historical example of this was the 4th century's Augustine (the great theologian) who left Carthage as a young man for the flesh pots of Rome and returned many years later as the newly appointed Bishop for Carthage (the Evangelist of their Church).

Thoughts on Anzac brings out many different levels of reflection for Christians.

Photo - Berkanau crematorium

Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.

Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at

http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Photo - Task Cynbler Auschwitz survivor

The Holocaust had many bedfellows both within and without Nazi Germany, people who did nothing to express their horror, on the one hand, or on the other, actively assisted the eventual process of mass extermination of the Jews.

This article is on the latter and as ANZAC it is well nigh time Australia acknowledged it's shocking little secret that this nation too was involved in this horrid affair.

Four years ago it was Australian Senator Guy Barnett (Tasmania) who let the cat out of the bag for the world to hear and be disgusted, as he said in his speech on the 28 February 2011 to the Australian Senate: I would like to speak about Australias involvement at the Evian Conference in 1938 and call on the Australian government to apologise for the hurt that was caused.

What was this all about? What was the Evian Conference  that an Australian Senator, 73 years later, call for an apology by the Australian Government? Still the ripples are being heard, what was our part in the ultimate development of the Holocaust? Are not we a long way from Germany?

Wikipedia describes it as: The Evian Conference was convened at the initiative of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. For eight days, representatives from thirty-one countries met at Evian-les-Bains, France. Twenty-four voluntary organisations also attended, as observers, many of whom presented plans orally and in writing. Journalists came from all over the world to observe how the world reacted to the brutal German crushing of the rights and lives of fellow human beings.

Well, what part did Australia play in the Evian Conference?

Australia had three delegates:

(1) Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas W. White, DFC, VD, MP, Minister for Trade and Customs;

(2) Alfred Thorpe Stirling, Australian liaison officer in the Foreign Office, London; and

(3) A. W. Stuart-Smith, Australia House, London.

At that conference, Thomas White stated: It will no doubt be appreciated also that as we have no real racial problem, we are not desirous of importing one by encouraging any scheme of large-scale foreign migration 

Photo - Berkenau entrance

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum

Senator Barnett in his 2011 speech said: It is a matter of national shame that Whites statement on behalf of the government of Australia is still visible at the Yad Vashem holocaust memorial in Jerusalem as the single representative response for all other nations responses of indifference at the Evian Conference and is viewed by thousands of tourists annually.

However, he did admit that a few months later after the infamous Kristallnacht when Nazis burned Jewish synagogues, businesses and books, that Australia did reassess its policy to admit 15,000 refugees over three years, compared to the previous quota of 1,800 per year.

On reflection, this was far from enough although some but progress was made. Six million died in the holocaust.

The then Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd (he had been deposed of the Prime Ministership seven months before by his Labor colleagues in favour of Julie Gillard) likewise expressed regret for Australias initial refusal to open our doors to those fleeing Nazi persecution. He spoke to the Australia-Israel Leadership Forum in Jerusalem, December 2010.

However, the original statement of the Evian conference remains on the public forum.

I've been to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem and I held my head in shame as I read White's words as the Australian position on this issue. I tried to cover up the plaque with my body so passers bye would not read my own nation's sin of omission.

Senator Guy Barnett had further stated: I do not believe that Australia has gone far enough to formally and deliberately apologise for those offensive and insensitive comments..

I ask the foreign minister to express regret and an apology on his next visit to Israel as foreign minister or, indeed, as part of the next Australia-Israel Leadership Forum. The formal apology should also be acknowledged on a plaque and presented to the Yad Vashem holocaust memorial in Jerusalem for public display

Australia wasn't the only one.

Ultimately the conference was a failure, at least from the point of view of the Jews and their sympathisers, with both the United States and Britain refusing to take in substantial numbers of Jews. Most of the countries at the conference followed suit, the result being that the Jews had no escape and were ultimately subject to what was known as Hitler's "Final Solution to the Jewish Question".

The conference was seen by some as an exercise in Anglo-American collaborative hypocrisy.

Photo - Auschwitz Wire

In her autobiography My Life (1975), Golda Meir, former Prime Minister of Israel, described her outrage being in "the ludicrous capacity of the [Jewish] observer from Palestine, not even seated with the delegates, although the refugees under discussion were my own people...."

After the conference Meir told the press: "There is only one thing I hope to see before I die and that is that my people should not need expressions of sympathy any more."

Chaim Weizmann who later became the first President of Israel elected 1 February 1949, was quoted in The Manchester Guardian after the Evian conference (1938) as saying: "The world seemed to be divided into two parts  those places where the Jews could not live and those where they could not enter."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89vian_Conference

Hitler's Response

German Chancellor Adolf Hitler responded to the news of the conference by saying essentially that if the other nations would agree to take the Jews, he would help them leave. We do not know if he would have ever honoured his promise, as the world did not take him up on his offer. But certainly, for a short time, Jews were given passes to leave Germany.

Many Jewish children were sent by their desperate parents, unaccompanied, to England on one refugee program called the Kindertransports, which started in 1938. Experiences such as these are recorded in the autobiography of renowned scientist Leslie Baruch Brent , and reviewed here:

By the time the Western world started to realise the seriousness of the problem and had agreed to take refugees, Hitler had changed his policy and was interring the Jews in what he called work camps, treating them as criminals (along with as gypsies, mentally ill people, homosexuals, some academics with progressive ideas and others he regarded as a danger to society), and not allowing them to leave.

Subsequently Hitler and the Nazi's introduced the Final Solution. Six million European Jews were exterminated. Many historians and commentators believe that the world's collective guilt was the well-spring of support in 1948 by the United Nations for the establishment of the State of Israel.

Today, many Christians associate the 1948 establishment of Israel as part of the economy of God. I discuss this in an article published in Christian Today (24 March 2010) titled  Theology and History , the sixth in a series he wrote on Israel and Prophecy.

This is the first of five Anzac articles this week. 2018 is the anniversary of the end of WWI, the Great War that was to end all wars. Many Christian Ministers across the nation will lead services associated with this commemoration.

Photo - March of the Living Auschwitz to Bernenau

Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.

Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at

http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
But Mexico's next economy minister, Ildefonso Guajardo, said that other countries needed to be "flexible" in the talks, likely referencing the United States' firm stance on several issues.

For four straight weeks, US trade czar Robert Lighthizer and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo have held bilateral NAFTA talks while Canada has been absent from the bargaining table.

The renegotiation has now dragged on for a year. The Mexican negotiating team had considered the original US proposal to be unacceptable and a violation of World Trade Organization rules. The Trump administration has said an agreement with Mexico will put pressure on Canada to soften some of its demands.

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.

U.S. President Donald Trump, however, said alongside him he was in "no rush" to conclude talks on NAFTA, which he wants renegotiated in favor of the United States. "They've preferred bilateral negotiations, and I think that might be a reason why we're seeing some progress". "But there is no final NAFTA deal unless Canada, in the few remaining days, agrees to rejoin the process and also comes to an agreement".

The two officials met in D.C.to resolve the issue surrounding the re-negotiation of the deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Mexico has not yet engaged with the United States over a "sunset clause" that could kill NAFTA after five years, he added.

Mexican and US ministers will meet again on Tuesday, Guajardo said, after a sectoral meeting on Monday to discuss financial issues related to government action.

"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.

United States 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.
I am not usually fooled by questions relating to the history of railways, but someone asked me these two "trivia" questions, and I did not, at first, get them right. Now that I know the answers, I cannot understand why these facts are not more widely known within our cultural heritage.

Different rail gauges

Before we get to the story of General Douglas MacArthur, I need to give a brief back-story explaining the three different rail gauges (widths between the tracks) used in Australia. In the 1940s, different states used one or more of three different gauges for a variety of political, economic and historical reasons. South Australia used all three. They were narrow gauge (3ft 6ins or 1067 mm), broad gauge (5'3" or 1600 mm) and standard gauge (4' 8.5" or 1435 mm).

Since the 1990s, most of the long distance trains have been converted to standard gauge, so passengers can now traverse the country more conveniently. But this isn't universal, and there are still some areas where the gauges vary, for one practical reason or another.

Importance of "break of gauge" towns.

So, you can imagine that, in previous eras, at places where a rail gauge from one system met a rail gauge from another system, the trains had to stop because one train could not magically adjust its wheels and run on a track of different width.

Therefore, everything from one train had to be transferred to another train for the onward journey. This included passengers and their luggage of course, but also livestock, coal, grain, food, heavy mining equipment, and, particularly during the War, military supplies and equipment.

This could take up to 20 hours for livestock or equipment. Passenger trains usually accomplished the changeover more quickly, but my parents tell stories of having to change trains at Albury in the middle of the night, where the NSW standard gauge met the Victorian broad gauge. They remember having to carry their heavy bags all the way along a very long platform (450 metres, or in thos days, 1,480 ft). There were no wheelie-bags or lightweigh backpacks, just large, solid suit-cases.

In fact, the transfer of military personnel and equipment at Albury was somewhat of a hindrance to the War effort. Russell Drysdale's famous painting depicts what would have been a typical scene of soldiers waiting, huddled in their great-coats.

General MacArthur's arrival in Australia

In March 1942, General MacArthur was ordered by President Roosevelt to leave the Philippines before it was overrun by the Japanese invaders. He and his wife, his son and some of their staff journeyed through Japanese-controlled waters by Torpedo Boats (PT boats  perhaps best remembered by J F Kennedy's wartime exploits, and then in the 60s and 70s by the American wartime sitcom, "McHale's Navy").

His party got safely to Darwin, then flew on to Alice Springs in a DC3 aircraft. Legend has it that his wife had such a terrible flight, that she refused to fly in this aircraft again, so they boarded the old Ghan (narrow gauge train) of the Commonwealth Railways to continue their journey to Adelaide, then on to Melbourne and later Brisbane where he was to oversee the Allied war effort in the South Pacific; and much later, the occupation and rehabilitation of Japan.

Knowing this, when asked the trivia questions above, I realised that the answer to question #2, "Why was he there", was "because he would have had to change trains." The South Australia's train to Adelaide was broad gauge; the Ghan he had been on was narrow gauge.

So I thought maybe the answer to question #1 might be Port Augusta or Port Pirie or even Maree, which were "break of gauge" towns. I knew Peterborough was later a "triple gauge town"  so on reflection I thought that it was the most likely place.

But I was wrong. As is usual when we make mistakes or look up something we are unsure of, I discovered something interesting. It turns out that there is a much older break-of-gauge town  the first to be estabilished in South Australia, originally to facilitate the transportation of wool from the north and east to Port Adelaide on broad gauge and grain to Port Pirie on narrow gauge. That town is Terowie.

Who has ever heard of Terowie?

Although I was mistaken, the reporters in Adelaide in 1942 knew all about Terowie!

It was a thriving town of about 2000 from 1880s through to the war years, when the population increased even more due to a military base nearby. It was a railway town, with staff employed in ensuring the safe and efficient transfer of all those goods (and passengers) from one train to another.

It had trains travelling east west and from Silverton and Broken Hill down to the coast to smelters for processing the ore. This was a very busy railway junction between 1910 and 1920 with over 100 trains per day. They say it still holds the world record for the number of trains passing through a region on a single track system.

Having eschewed the plane from Alice Springs, General Douglas MacArthur travelled by train on the rickety 3'6" gauge line over two nights, finally arriving in Terowie on the 20 March 1942. The news reporters from Adelaide all knew that the family had to change trains, and everyone knew his schedule. General Douglas MacArthur gave what is now referred to as a "door stop interview" and made his famous speech which included the phrase: "I came out of Bataan and I shall return".

So the answer to question #1 above is "Terowie, South Australia."

MacArthur subsequently repeated the line "I shall return" in a number of other speeches, in a number of other places. The event is commemorated by a plaque on the now disused railway platform.

Terowie is 20 km south of Peterborough which did become the central railway hub in 1969, when the standard gauge track was built west to Port Augusta. Terowie was bypassed, and its population dropped suddenly. Many of the old rails were even removed to be used in new lines being built.

Today, Terowie is a tourist town with a population at best of around 200 people with many historic railway memorabilia on show and plenty of history illustrating what the town was like in its historic heyday where the freight was transhipped from one gauge wagons to another, back and forth. It has a number of well-preserved 1880s buildings, and has been declared a "historic town".

Being a little more than 200 km north of Adelaide, it belongs in the Council of Goyder, named after the famous surveyor who established the "Goyder line", demarkating the areas that are too dry to grow wheat. My almost-brush with fame is that, in my high school days in Canberra, our family home was in Goyder Street, Narrabundah Heights.

The Footplate Padre says that history describes many situations where there are similar local differences on an overall theme. Missions are the classic example. When evangelism all around the world took place in the 18th and 19th centuries the missionaries bought with them their denominational boundaries, and although they are all at one purpose in spreading the Gospel, some of these differences still remain today.

Perhaps one day there will be a "standard gauge" and Christians will heed 1 Corinthians 1 verse 10 "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement."

Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.

Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
There's a reason why you won't find The Amazing Spider-Man actress Emma Stone on social media, and that is because of the 26-year-old's disdain for "keeping up with the Joneses."

In a talk with The Los Angeles Times and EPIX's five-part TV series Hollywood Sessions, Stone said that she could not understand why her peers have the constant need to partake in social media.

"It's that need to be liked, that need to be seen, that need to be validated, in a way, through no one that you know," she explained. "And so people ask the question about fame, or what it feels like, and it seems like everybody knows what that feels like. It seems like everyone's cultivating their lives on Instagram or on different forms of social media, and what pictures looks best of their day."

"It's this very modern 'keeping up with the Joneses.' It's almost impossible to find someone that's not, in some way, on the Internet," she added.

The closest the starlet ever came to being public on social media was on Twitter, but she immediately abandoned the site.

Stone's personal opinions about social media vary greatly from the thoughts of the character she plays on Birdman. Her character slams her actor-father for his aversion towards social media: "You're scared to death, like the rest of us, that you don't matter. And you know what? You're right. You don't."
Fratello Cigars has announced that Leesburg Cigar and Pipe will be the exclusive home to a new Churchill size of the Fratello Oro blend. The exclusive offering is meant to coincide with Leesburg Cigar celebrating 30 years in the premium cigar business.

The Churchill size will be in a 6 1/4 x 47 format. The cigars are packaged in 20-count boxes and an initial run of 150 boxes will be made for Leesburg. Pricing is set at $8.75 per cigar.

I am incredibly proud to be part of Leesburg Cigar and Pipes 30th anniversary. To continuously run and operate a small business for 30 years is no easy feat. Bill is a passionate Connecticut shade cigar smoker and played a huge role in selecting the final oro blend, commented company owner Omar de Frias.

Fratello Oro is Fratellos Connecticut Shade offering. It is produced in the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic

This marks the fourth store exclusive for Fratello Cigars. The other exclusives include the Fratello H-Town Lancero (Stogies World Class Cigars, Houston, TX); Fratello Firecracker (Two Guys Smoke Shop, New Hampshire), and Fratello Esclusivo (Old Virginia Tobacco Co, Virginia).

At a glance, here is a look at the Fratello Oro line:

Blend Profile.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Cameroon

Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (La Aurora SA)

Vitolas Available

The Fratello Oro was launched in six sizes. Each is packaged in 20-count boxes.

Churchill: 6 1/4 x 47 (Exclusive to Leesburg Cigar & Pipe)

Corona 5 1/2 x 47

Robusto: 5 x 50

Robusto Extra: 4 x 58

Toro: 6 1/4 x 54

Gordo 6 x 60

The Boxer Oro: 6 1/4 x 52 (BP Torpedo)

Photo Credit: Fratello Cigars
In 2018, Tobacco Haven, a family run retailer out of Brookline, New Hampshire is celebrating 30 years in business. Earlier this year, the retailer announced it was teaming up with Aganorsa Leaf for a special limited edition shop exclusive to commemorate Tobacco Havens 30th anniversary, Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th. The blend was a 100% Nicaraguan puro featuring Aganorsa Leafs signature tobaccos highlighted by a Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper. However, that wasnt going to be the end of commemorating the occasion. This past July Tobacco Haven and Aganorsa Leaf announced a second cigar for Tobacco Havens 30th anniversary. This one features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper and is appropriately called the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut. Like the Corojo offerings, the Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut cigar is a 7 x 52 Double Corona. Today we take a closer look at the special commemorative cigar.

Aganorsa Leaf is a part of a tobacco conglomerate owned and operated by Eduardo Fernandez. This conglomerate includes the world-renowned Aganorsa Farms in Nicaragua, two factories (Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A  better known as TABSA and Sabor Aganorsa S.A.  better known as SABSA) and the Casa Fernandez Miami in the United States. The conglomerate also owns and operates a U.S. based distribution company. While it is the 30th anniversary of Tobacco Haven, it is also technically the 40th anniversary of the cigar brands that make up the Aganorsa Leaf operation. In 2002, Fernandez purchased Tabacalera Tropical, the company founded by the late Pedro Martin in 1978 and this became the foundation of what would be Casa Fernandez.

Aganorsa Leaf is known for using its Nicaraguan-grown wrappers or San Andres Maduro wrappers on the cigars it produces. Occasionally, the operation has worked in other wrappers such as Ecuadorian Habano and Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade. In 2016, Aganorsa Leaf released its own Connecticut Shade cigar originally called the Aganorsa Leaf TABSA Connecticut, but now known simply as the Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut. That cigar is a box-pressed offering while the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut is a rounded parejo.

Without further ado, lets break down the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut and see what this cigar brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend Profile

The Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over signature tobaccos from Aganorsa Leafs farms.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country of Origin: United States (Casa Fernandez Miami)

Vitolas Available

The Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut is available in one size  a 7 x 52 Double Corona. The cigars are packed in 12-count boxes.

Appearance

The Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper of the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut had a light to medium brown color to it. There was some oil on the surface. I found the surface of the wrapper to have a slightly bumpy feel. There were some visible wrapper seams and veins that were both on the thin side.

There are two bands on the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut. The primary band features a modified design of the old Casa Fernandez Miami (which the Tobacco Haven 30th Corojo used). This band has a red oval sitting on a pale yellow field. On the red oval is the text AGANORSA in gold font. There is an outer gold ring surrounding the red oval. In between the ring and the red oval is the text FABRICA DE TABACOS and CASA FERNANDEZ in black font. On the left and right side of the band is a thick brown stripe. Just above the brown stripe is a thin pale yellow stripe with a gold chicken-wire-like design on it. Finally, the top and bottom of the band have gold and black trim.

The secondary band is black in color with gold trim across the top and bottom. On the center of the band is the text Tobacco Haven 30th in gold cursive font. Just below that text is the text CASA FERNANDEZ in a smaller gold font. On the left and right side of the band are a series of gold leaf designs.

The Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut also features a pale yellow ribbon around the footer.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

I commenced things by first removing the ribbon that surrounded the footer of the cigar. I then opted to use a straight cut to remove the cap of the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut. Once the cap was removed I took a pre-light draw. The dry draw delivered a mix of cream, citrus, and a slight amount of black pepper. While I dont consider this to be a radically different pre-light draw for a Connecticut Shade cigar, I still considered this to be an excellent pre-light draw.

Tasting Notes

The Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut started out with a mix of cream and citrus with notes of black pepper in the background. The cream notes took control early on, but as the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut moved through the first third, the citrus notes started to fuse with the cream notes in the forefront. By the middle of the first third, the fused cream and citrus combination remained in control. There was also a caramel sweetness that joined the pepper in the background. Meanwhile, there was an additional layer of black pepper on the retro-hale.

During the second third, the pepper notes slowly increased. The creaminess in the forefront started to subside earlier, giving way to some earth notes. Just past the midway point, the earth notes took a slight edge in the flavor profile. The cream, citrus, and pepper notes remained secondary. The fusion between the citrus and cream was now pretty much gone. There also were touches of caramel, but this note was now pretty much infrequent.

By the last third of the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut, the pepper notes closed in on the earth notes. While there still were notes of cream and citrus, they played a minimal role in the flavor profile. The caramel notes were now gone. This is the way the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The burn to the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut performed excellently. This is a cigar that had no problem maintaining a straight burn path and keeping a relatively straight burn line. The resulting ash was mostly silver gray. The ash was skewed on the firmer side. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were ideal.

Draw

The draw performed well with the Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut. There a pleasant slight resistance to it. At the same time, this is a cigar that was low maintenance to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

When it comes to Connecticut Shade cigars, there are the traditional ones that are skewed toward the milder side, and then there are the more contemporary ones that try to move beyond the mild zone. The Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut is one that falls into the latter category. This is a cigar that falls into medium range for both strength and body. I did find both attributes increased in intensity. Toward the end of the cigar experience, the strength and body had closed in on medium to full intensity, but fell just a little short of crossing the threshold.

In terms of strength versus body, I found both attributes to balance each other nicely with neither attribute overshadowing the other.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

During the first two thirds, I found the Casa Fernandez Tobacco Haven 30th Connecticut fired on all cylinders in terms of flavor. While not an overly complex cigar, the flavors delivered were excellent. As the cigar moved into the last third, I did find things fell a little flat. The cigar lost some of the sweetness and creaminess that I felt were the key components of the first two thirds. However this is a 7-inch cigar, so there was quite a bit of time where this cigar really hit the mark. While this is a bolder Connecticut Shade cigar, its one that I would still recommend to either a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself, this is a cigar I would smoke again  and its one definitely worthy of buying multiples of.

Note: The Casa Fernandez Miami Tobacco Haven 30th can be ordered here.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Earth, Natural Tobacco, Pepper, Cedar, Mineral, Cream

Burn: Very Good

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium to High

Strength: Medium (1st 2/3), Medium to Full (Final Third)

Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)

Finish: Excellent

Rating

Value: Buy Multiples

Score: 90

References

News: Casa Fernandez Tobacco Haven 30th Anniversary Connecticut Launched

Price: $9.99

Source: Tobacco Haven

Brand Reference: Casa Fernandez

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Most American parents would forbid their teen from getting a tattoo due to concerns about possible infection and future job prospects, a nationwide survey finds.

The poll of more than 1,000 parents found 78 percent said they would not let their 13- to 18-year-old get inked.

About half expressed concern about infection, scarring or transmission of hepatitis, HIV and other diseases through unsanitary needles.

Half of the respondents also worried employers might hold a negative opinion of a tattooed worker, and 24 percent feared a tattoo would reflect badly on the parents themselves. The most common concern was that teens would go on to regret their decision (68 percent).

But 27 percent of parents of 16- to 18-year-olds and 11 percent of parents with younger teens said their teen had asked them for permission to get a tattoo. Five percent said their teen had already gotten one, and 32 percent of parents had a tattoo, too.

About one out of 10 parents said they'd let their teen get a tattoo as a reward, to mark a special occasion or if the tattoo could be hidden, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan.

While two-thirds of parents (63 percent) viewed tattoos as a form of self-expression similar to dying hair or clothing choice, most strongly supported state laws requiring parental consent for tattoos for children under 18 years old, the findings showed.

"As tattoos become increasingly popular across all age groups, more parents are navigating discussions about tattoos with their children," poll co-director and pediatrician Dr. Gary Freed said in a university news release.

About 38 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo, according to a Pew Research Center study.

"In addition to doing their own research and having conversations at home, parents may encourage their teens to talk to their doctor if they ask for a tattoo," Freed said.

"While medical complications aren't common, it's important for young people to understand and consider all potential risks associated with body modifications like tattoos," he added.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on tattoos.
MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Many U.S. doctors aren't telling teenaged patients and their parents about a newer vaccine for potentially deadly bacterial meningitis infections, a new study finds.

Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the brain and spinal cord. It is uncommon in the United States, but sporadic outbreaks occur -- often on college campuses, where close quarters make it easier for the infection to spread.

Each year, around 4,000 Americans fall ill with bacterial meningitis, and roughly 500 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new study surveyed doctors about the meningitis B vaccine. It protects against the "B" subtype of meningococcal bacteria, and became available in the United States in 2015.

But as of late 2016, the survey found, a majority of doctors were not routinely discussing the vaccine with teenaged patients and their parents.

What is going on? Researchers said the issue centers on the way the CDC's vaccine recommendations are made.

The meningitis B vaccine has a "Category B" recommendation, which means it's optional: The CDC says that 16- to 23-year-olds "may" get immunized, rather than "should."

That's in contrast to the other bacterial meningitis vaccine -- the conjugate vaccine that protects against four other subtypes of meningococcal bacteria. Since 2005, the CDC has recommended it as a routine shot for all preteens and teenagers.

"Our data suggest that there are differences in how a Category B recommendation is being interpreted by providers," said lead researcher Dr. Allison Kempe, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some doctors, she said, may think it's unnecessary to bring up the meningitis B vaccine because they've judged a patient to be at low risk.

In other cases, Kempe said, doctors may not feel they have enough information to discuss the pros and cons of the vaccine. The CDC said the Category B recommendation was made, in part, because it was still unclear how effective the vaccine would be in the real world.

In fact, meningitis B is rare in the United States. In 2016, there were only 130 cases reported, according to the CDC.

Given all of that, the latest findings are "not particularly surprising," said Dr. Mobeen Rathore, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Like Kempe, he said doctors are likely interpreting the recommendation on meningitis B vaccination in different ways.

Plus, Rathore said, there is a lot to cover during routine doctor visits -- particularly those pre-college appointments. So, doctors may be prioritizing other health concerns.

The findings were based on 660 pediatricians and family doctors nationwide. Kempe's team asked them how often they discussed the meningitis B vaccine with 16- to 18-year-old patients and their parents. That age range is considered the optimal vaccine window, to protect kids who are heading off to college.

Overall, only half of pediatricians and 31 percent of family doctors said they often brought up the vaccine during routine check-ups, the findings showed.

Those discussions were more likely to happen when doctors said they were aware of meningitis outbreaks in their state -- but that was no guarantee.

Even though the meningitis B vaccine is optional, the AAP says doctors should be discussing it with parents and patients -- so they can make an informed decision for themselves. But not all doctors agree with that AAP advice, Kempe noted.

If your doctor doesn't bring up the vaccine option, she said, you can.

"Parents should certainly feel empowered to ask about the vaccine if it isn't brought up," Kempe said.

Rathore agreed. "This vaccine is safe," he said. "As a parent, if you're concerned about this disease, you can certainly talk to your doctor about whether your child could benefit from vaccination."

The findings were published online Aug. 20 in Pediatrics.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on meningococcal vaccine.
MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Maybe it's time to retire the office cubicle.

A new study suggests that open workspaces without partitions between desks encourage employees to be more active and help curb stress.

"We are becoming an increasingly sedentary workforce, and anything that we can do, even passively, to nudge physical activity up will have enormous benefits," said lead researcher Casey Lindberg.

"There is not a one-size-fits-all design solution here, as office cultures, job types and individuals differ widely," he added.

Lindberg is a research associate with the University of Arizona Institute on Place and Wellbeing in Tucson.

He and his colleagues tracked physical activity and stress levels of 231 government employees, all of whom were described as healthy. Some worked in an open office, with either low partitions between desks or none at all. Others worked in offices outfitted with high-walled cubicles or in fully walled-off spaces.

Workers in open offices were 20 percent more active than those in cubicles, and 32 percent more active than colleagues in private offices, the study found. And compared to more sedentary colleagues, more active workers had 14 percent lower stress levels outside the office.

The researchers noted that office workers are at risk for low levels of physical activity and related health problems, and workplace-related illnesses cost the U.S. economy $225 billion a year.

But just how does an open office get people moving?

Not in the way you might think.

"The difference in activity at the office may be in part due to an increased awareness of others when in an open workstation setting," Lindberg said.

That may prompt workers to move around in search of privacy when engaging with others in person or by phone.

For three days and two nights, participants in the study wore devices to monitor their heart and overall activity. They also completed hourly surveys to track mood swings on the job. A longer survey at the end gauged overall stress levels.

After adjusting for a range of factors -- including age, gender and obesity -- researchers observed that overall, men were more active at the office than women, and younger and leaner workers were less stressed on the job than their older, heavier peers.

And more stress at work was associated with more stress off the clock as well.

On average, though, those working in open settings were found to be significantly more active and less stressed out on the job than those in less open work environments.

That said, Lindberg noted that while an open office layout appears to be associated with better mental health, the study does not prove cause and effect. Other office design features -- such as access to stairwells or informal meeting spaces -- might also affect worker stress, Lindberg said.

Still, he and his team hope that their findings lead to "a new conversation about the pros and cons of different aspects of office design on health outcomes."

Dr. Joe Verghese, chief of the Divisions of Cognitive and Motor Aging at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, reviewed the findings.

"It makes sense that workplace environments, where people spend a major part of their weekdays, may influence stress levels," he said.

"A caveat is that there are a number of other factors -- including the type of work, workflow, education, cultural and gender differences, and personality types -- that might also influence stress levels," Verghese added.

But the possible link between office structures and stress "should spur further research into optimal office designs," he said.

The study appears in the current online edition of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health offers more on stress and stress management.
Panini language laboratory was recently inaugurated at Mahatma Gandhi institute in Mauritius to promote reading and writing Hindi amongst young and its further development. It was launched by External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of 11th World Hindi Conference held in Mauritius.

Panini language laboratory

Panini language lab aims to promote reading and writing Hindi amongst young generation and its further development. It will serve as medium to generate more interest in learning Hindi amongst youngsters thereby strengthening language. It has been established in Mauritius with support from Indian External Affairs Ministry.

The lab has 35 computers and equipments along with advanced software of various Indian languages installed by Indian IT professionals to aid students of junior, middle and high schools to imbibe new techniques of language learning and getting them acquainted with four language mantrashearing, prounciation, reading and writing through easy and scientific ways.
Myanmar: Marine export earnings hit nearly $ 200 million in over four-month period

by Zeyar Nyein

August 20,2018 | Source: Eleven Myanmar

From April 1 to August 3, Myanmar has earned over US$ 198 million from exports of marine products, up over US$ 20 million compared with the same period last year, according to the Commerce Ministry.



On March 7, Htay Myint, President of Myanmar Fishery Federation called on the government to provide entrepreneurs with fish and prawn strains, land space and loans in order to hit a goal of earning up to US$ three billion from exports of fish and prawn during the coming two years, at the 15th regular meeting between the Private Sector Development Committee led by the Vice-President-1 and local entrepreneurs.



Under this plan, entrepreneurs will have to contribute 50 per cent as Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) loan, the government, 25 per cent and foreign investors, 25 per cent. Myanmars marine export volume is relatively low, compared with those in neighbouring countries. Myanmar needs to pay more attention to fish breeding rather than natural fishing and upgrade the fish breeding system in order to increase export volume.
Andhra Pradesh: First consignment of cage farmed fish species flagged off

by Santosh Patnaik

August 20,2018 | Source: The Hindu

The Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has flagged off the first consignment carrying the maiden harvest of orange spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) and Indian pompano (Trachinotus mookalee) - two candidate species known for lot of demand for finfish mariculture in Kolkata.



The successful harvest is a major breakthrough in the history of mariculture. This is the first form of harvest of orange spotted grouper and Indian pompano in marine cages in the country, Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan, Director, CMFRI, told The Hindu. Groupers weighing 1.2 tonne and two tonne of Indian pompano were sent in insulated containers in a truck from the city for supply to the West Bengal Fisheries Development Corporation in the presence of CMFRI scientists here on Saturday evening.



CMFRI principal scientist Shubhadeep Ghosh said that they would popularise the seed production technology developed by them for the two species by encouraging pond culture in a big way. Right now it is being encouraged at Nagayalanka in Krishna district and at Bhimavaram in West Godavari district. The National Fisheries Development Board has identified pond culture as one of its thrust areas.



Good returns expected



The average size of the two species is put at 750 gram. The production cost of each fish is Rs.180 and it is expected to be sold at almost double the cost. Pompano resembles and tastes like white pomfret, which is sold in local market at Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,200 per kg depending on the size. The two species are conducive for cage culture with 95% survival as our results in stocking hatchery-produced seeds yielded nearly four tonne in a span of one year, Dr. Ghosh said.
Tamil Nadu: State can issue provisional certificates to vessels

by B. Tilak Chandar

August 20,2018 | Source: The Hindu

The Supreme Court has asked the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai to expedite, within six months, the disposal of all the petitions pertaining to the registration of unregistered fishing vessels and indiscriminate fishing carried out in the coastal regions of the State.



The Bench comprising Justices S.A. Bobde and L. Nageswara Rao allowed the State to issue provisional certificates to the unregistered fishing vessels, the validity of which would be subject to the final result of the petitions pending before the High Court Bench. The Supreme Court said that the State was at liberty to regulate the fishing conditions with regard to hours, time, area and others in order to prevent clashes between small and big fishing boats.



The State could approach the High Court Bench for a direction seeking monitoring by the Coast Guard, if the need arises, it said. The series of direction were given by the Bench while disposing of the special leave petition preferred the State.



Earlier, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in an interim direction had directed the Director General of Shipping to consider the pleas for the registration of the unregistered deep sea vessels on merits, individually. The Thoothukudi Deep Sea mechanised fishing development association had sought the direction for registration citing that they were put to hardships as a result. They wanted a survey, certification and registration of their mechanised fishing vessels.



A situation of ambiguity had resulted earlier, when the State in their submission before the High Court Bench said that the authority of the registration of the vessels was with the Centre. However, the Centre said that the registration was left to the States discretion and the Centre had delegated the powers to the State.



Meanwhile, an impleading petition was filed before the High Court Bench against the indiscriminate fishing being carried out by the unregistered deep sea vessels. Advocate MJT Jerome, who moved the petition claimed that these boats were fishing within the 12 nautical miles, which was earmarked for the country boats. Under Section 435 of The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, the vessels should be inspected before being registered, he had said.
Iran Human Rights (Aug 18, 2018): Six prisoners were executed at Mashhad Prison on the charge of armed robbery.





According to a report by ISNA, on the morning of Saturday, August 18, six prisoners were executed at Mashhad Prison.





The prisoners, whose identities have not been mentioned, were sentenced to death on the charge of armed robbery.





According to the report, the defendants attacked a car that was carrying jewellery and stole one kilogram of jewellery.





They also committed an armed robbery in October 2015.





The report doesnt mention whether anyone has been injured.





According to confirmed reports by Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 36 people were executed in different Iranian cities in the month of July.





Six hanged at Rajai Shahr Prison





Iran Human Rights (Aug 19, 2018): According to new information obtained by IHR, six prisoners were hanged at Rajai Shahr Prison on murder charges in early August.





According to a close source, on the morning of Wednesday, August 1, six prisoners were executed at Rajai Shahr Prison.





The prisoners, all sentenced to death on murder charges, were transferred to the solitary confinement on Saturday, July 28.





Only one of the inmates who were transferred to the solitary confinement was able to return to his cell by asking for time from the plaintiffs, the other six were executed.





Neither the state-run media nor the Iranian Judiciarys Public Relations announced these executions.





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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

Considering the high number of unannounced executions, as well as the measures were taken by the authorities to prevent leaking news from prisons, there is a high probability that the number of the executions carried out in the last few months is much higher than what human rights organizations are aware of.The suppression of Iranian human rights activists whose activities involved raising awareness and informing people also gives a cause for concern. Iran Human Rights , August 18-19, 2018
Libyan UN-backed Ministry of Justice on Sunday rejected foreign opposition to a court sentence of 45 former regime supporters to death.





"The Ministry of Justice confirms the fairness, integrity and independence of the Libyan judiciary, especially that the defendants of the case had received fair trial with all legal guarantees, and that they were able to defend themselves," the ministry said in a statement.





"The ministry calls on all parties, particularly international organizations and missions, to refrain from interference in Libyan sovereign affairs, especially judiciary," the statement 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.





UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concern over the court's death sentence, opposing "the imposition of the death penalty as a matter of principle."





The case goes back to Aug. 21, 2011, when supporters of the Gaddafi regime killed a number of civilian demonstrators near the highway in the capital Tripoli.





Video footage circulated showed Gaddafi supporters forcing the demonstrators to kneel before killing them on the spot.

Canada opposes Libyan court's sentence of 45 former regime supporters to death

Canadian Embassy to Libya on Friday announced Canada's opposition to a Libyan court's sentence of 45 supporters of former regime to death over killing demonstrators in 2011.





"Canada supports justice for crimes committed, opposes the death penalty, and calls on Libyan authorities and leaders to redouble their efforts to achieve reconciliation, stability and decent living conditions for all Libyans," the embassy said.





UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concern over the court's death sentence, opposing "the imposition of the death penalty as a matter of principle."





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.

UN "concerned" by death sentences passed on 45 pro Qaddafi killers of 2011 revolution supporting protestors

UNSMIL has today expressed its concern on the 45 death sentence by firing squad passed by a Tripoli Court of Appeal yesterday on 45 people aligned to the Qaddafi regime who had opened fire on pro 2011 revolution supporting protestors on the main Tripoli motorway back in 2011.





In its statement today, UNSMIL said that "the verdict announced on 15 August 2018 by the Criminal Circuit of the Court of Appeal of Tripoli is a cause of concern, given the 45 death sentences pronounced.





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", the short statement concluded.





It will be recalled that despite other death sentences being issued by Libyan courts against former Qaddafi supporters since the 2011 revolution, none of these sentences have been carried out.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

xinhuanet.com, August 19, 2018: xinhuanet.com, August 19, 2018: libyaherald.com, August 19, 2018
Prison officials have told the Nevada Supreme Court that witnesses reported no complications during Nebraska's execution of Carey Dean Moore, which used some of the same drugs that Nevada wants to use to carry out a death penalty.





Nevada state attorneys, on behalf of state prison officials, said in a Wednesday court filing that media witnesses in Nebraska "reported no complications, only some coughing before Moore stopped moving."





The document also noted that Nebraska's 4-drug combination included a sedative, the synthetic opioid fentanyl and a muscle-paralyzing agent like the one Nevada plans to use.





Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C., said Thursday that it is too soon to know if the Tuesday execution of the 60-year-old Moore in Nebraska was trouble-free.





"Witnesses did not see the death itself," Dunham said, noting that Moore was pronounced dead several minutes after a death chamber blind was closed.









RELATED: Transparency concerns surface after Nebraska's 1st lethal injection execution "I think we have to wait to see what the autopsy results show," Dunham said.





In July, Nevada prison officials proposed substituting the sedative midazolam for expired stocks of another sedative, diazepam, to be followed by fentanyl and the paralytic cisatracurium for the planned execution of twice-convicted killer Scott Raymond Dozier.





Nebraska's use of diazepam, fentanyl and cisatracurium represented the first use of each in a lethal injection.





In Nebraska, officials also administered a heart-stopping drug, potassium chloride, that is not part of Nevada's planned 3-drug protocol.





Media witnesses said they saw Moore take short, gasping breaths that became deeper and more labored. He gradually turned red and then purple as the drugs were administered, and his chest heaved several times before it went still. His eyelids briefly cracked open.





2 pharmaceutical companies want the Nevada high court to let a state court judge decide whether prison officials can use their drugs for an execution.





The state wants justices to decide a fast-track appeal.





Dozier, 47, is not challenging his convictions or sentences for drug-related killings in Phoenix and Las Vegas in 2002. He said he wants to die and doesn't care if it's painful.





His executions were called off in November and July amid legal arguments over the products the state decided to use after having trouble obtaining lethal drugs for the state's 1st execution in 12 years.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

Associated Press, August 17, 2018
They were the three reigning queens of the male dominated Indian banking industry till recently when the cracks started to appear on the scripted story of their successes, decisions, policies and actions.

All these are now part of the soon-to-be forgotten history. A former woman bank chief said the system is robust, institutionalised and does not differentiate between man and woman. It only rewards leaders and follows due process of law if there are any allegations to be investigated.

JN Gupta, former executive director at SEBI said, "One should never generalise corruption on gender basis. The fact is that each individual has its own character and whenever something goes wrong the true character of the person is revealed. In case of Usha Ananthasubramanian there are no allegations of personal corruption by the CBI and it's a procedural issue. No one has said that she has benefited personally or she has benefited any individual. The PNB fraud is being investigated and we do not know what will be the final outcome."

Adding to the list, in the latest NSE co-location scam, SEBI has questioned former NSE managing director Chitra Ramakrishna also.

As the country was preparing to celebrate 72nd Independence Day, Centre gave CBI permission to act against Allahabad Bank MD Usha Ananthasubramanian in the Rs 14,000 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank. The government dismissed Usha, former MD and CEO of Punjab National Bank and MD of Allahabad Bank on the day of her superannuation on August 14.

JN Gupta, former executive director at SEBI said, One should never generalise corruption on gender basis. The fact is that each individual has its own character and whenever something goes wrong the true character of the person is revealed. In case of Usha Ananthasubramanian there are no allegations of personal corruption by the CBI and its a procedural issue. No one has said that she has benefited personally or she has benefited any individual. The PNB fraud is being investigated and we do not know what will be the final outcome.

Adding to the list, in the latest NSE co-location scam, SEBI has questioned former NSE managing director Chitra Ramakrishna also.

As the country was preparing to celebrate 72nd Independence Day, Centre gave CBI permission to act against Allahabad Bank MD Usha Ananthasubramanian in the `14,000 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank. The government dismissed Usha, former MD and CEO of Punjab National Bank and MD of Allahabad Bank on the day of her superannuation on August 14.

Ananthasubramanian was divested of all her powers as MD of Allahabad Bank after being named in a CBI charge-sheet in the multi crore PNB fraud case but had continued to be an employee of the bank. She was at the helm of PNB in two stints. She headed the bank between August 2015 and May 2017, before moving to Allahabad Bank. She was executive director at PNB from July 2011 to November 2013.

Usha Ananthasubra manian and some other senior bank officials were in the know of the fraud, ignored the circulars and kept misleading the RBI about the true state of affairs involving PNB Dubai and the Indian Overseas Bank, Chandigarh. Yet they did not take any corrective action and remained silent spectators. This facilitated continuance of the fraud resulting in wrongful loss to the PNB, the CBI said in the charge sheet.

A career banker, Usha also headed Bharatiya Mahila Bank which was merged with SBI in April 2017. In January this year, she became the first woman chairman of the Indian Banks Association.

The curtains were finally drawn on Kochhar. In June, she voluntarily decided to go on leave to facilitate an independent probe into allegations of quid pro quo in her dealings with the Videocon group, the bank had said. Chanda, daughter of the principal of an engineering college had joined ICICI Bank in 1984 as a management trainee.

The CBI has already registered a preliminary enquiry into allegations that the ICICI Bank chiefs husband Deepak Kochhars company NuPower Renewables received an investment from a Videocon group company as a quid pro quo for a loan from the bank .

In Chanda Kochhars case, she has not been proved guilty. The enquiry commission is yet to come out with its report. There is a slight difference between the two cases. Chanda has been accused of helping a company while in case of Usha its the responsibility as head of the institution where she has been accused of being lacking. In both the cases, the jury is not out. So we should be cautious of putting the corrupt person tag on them. Its unfair, added Gupta.

The CBI is enquiring into the conflict-of-interest allegations against ICICI Bank on its loans to the Videocon Group, ICICI Bank said in the filing to US SEC.

In case of Shikha Sharma, the case was different as it has pure incapability on the work front to check the NPAs and poor asset quality of the bank on which RBI was irked.

The fall from the grace has been in public. Earlier in April, RBI asked the Axis Bank board to reconsider the fourth three-year term it gave CEO Sharma last year. Shikha, born to an army officer, began her career with ICICI Bank in 1980 and spent a 29-year tenure with the ICICI group.

Sharma took over the reins of the Axis Bank in 2009. She has been credited enough with building the banks investment banking and the retail businesses. But over the last few years, its toxic loans have increased considerably.

Under Sharmas tenure, the gross NPAs of the bank rose from 0.96 per cent in March 2009 to 5.28 per cent in December 2017. The banks increased exposure to sectors such as infrastructure, power, and mining have mostly turned to NPAs.

In the aftermath of the November 2016 note ban, Axis Bank once again found itself in a controversy. At least 19 of its employees were suspended for flouting norms and for alleged money laundering.

A clinical psychologist at a leading college in Mumbai said, The whole work scenario is changing. More women are coming in the workplace and at top positions so its natural that you are seeing a rising number of such frauds committed by them. It has nothing to do with gender.

Then there was credibility crisis also. It has been noticed twice by the central bank for under-reporting bad loans for financial years 2016 and 2017. The divergence was around `9,480 crore.

In 2017, the lender once again reported a loan divergence of `5,633 crore. Then came the WhatsApp information leaks when in December, SEBI ordered Axis Bank to probe insider trading allegations against bank officials following reports that the lenders earnings were already being shared on WhatsApp before it was sent to the exchanges.

Shriram Subramaniam, managing director InGovern (a proxy advisory firm) said, Its a wrong notion that women have more integrity then men. Integrity and credibility has nothing to do with gender. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This saying does not have any gender implication.

Only history and investigating agencies will judge them, said a finance ministry official.
Rajan, who was RBI governor for three years till September 2016, is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at Chicago Booth School of Business. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: A parliamentary committee looking into the issue of mounting non-performing assets (NPAs) has asked former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to appear before it and brief on the matter.

Rajan was invited after former Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian praised him before the Parliament's Committee on Estimates, headed by veteran BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi, for identifying the NPA crisis and trying to resolve it.

Joshi has written a letter to Rajan asking to appear before the panel and brief the members on the issue of mounting NPAs, a source said.

Rajan, who was RBI governor for three years till September 2016, is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at Chicago Booth School of Business.

The letter has been written to Rajan after Subramanian credited him for identifying the problem, the source said.

Subramanian appeared before the panel last month as CEA and briefed it on the bad loans issue. During his submission, he expressed scepticism over the handling of the NPAs and indicated that big-ticket loans by public sector banks were influenced.

However, he did not elaborate who and how the approvals were influenced. Subramanian also said there was an environment of fear among the bankers and they were reluctant to lend, besides retail lending.

The panel has already questioned senior finance ministry officials, including Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia and top brass of banks, about rising bad loans.

Members of the panel also demanded various documents including minutes of the board meetings of the public sector banks, in which high-ticket value loans were approved.

The banking sector is grappling rising non-performing assets, which touched Rs 8.99 trillion or 10.11 per cent of the total advances at December-end 2017.

Of the gross NPAs, the public sector banks accounted for Rs 7.77 trillion.

The rising number of banking frauds has also become a serious cause of concern.
Trump himself pointed the finger of blame on Saturday, tweeting: 'All of the fools that are so focused on looking only at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China.' (Photo: File | Pixabay)

Washington: US National Security Advisor John Bolton on Sunday singled out China, North Korea and Iran as countries who could possibly meddle in American elections -- as President Donald Trump railed about a probe into Russian interference in 2016.

Trump himself pointed the finger of blame on Saturday, tweeting: All of the fools that are so focused on looking only at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China.

When asked about the tweet, Bolton also mentioned Beijing, which is currently at an impasse with Washington on trade talks.

I can say definitively that its a sufficient national security concern about Chinese meddling, Iranian meddling and North Korean meddling that were taking steps to try and prevent it, Bolton told ABC News. So all four of those countries, really.

When pressed for further details, especially with relation to China, Bolton was vague, saying he could not offer details.

Im telling you (that) looking at the 2018 election, those are the four countries that were most concerned about, he told the networks This Week news program.

Trump has intensified his attacks on special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and whether his campaign team colluded with Moscow to sway the contest in the Republicans favor.

On Sunday, the President called the probe McCarthyism at its WORST! other entities including individuals have extended a helping hand to Kerala.
Hoanh Anh Gia Lai Agrico expects to harvest over 106,000 tons of banana this year. Photo by Reuters

Hoang Anh Gia Lai Agriculture Jsc is set to invest in another 5,000 hectares of land in Cambodia to grow bananas for export to China.

It will invest VND976 billion ($42 million) in the project, the company said in a recent statement.

Most of the bananas will be exported to China by ship or road. They will fetch VND22,000-23,000 (95-99 cents) per kilogram from September to March and VND13,000-14,000 (56-60 cents) at other times.

While China has a demand for 15 million tons of bananas a year, the company has only been supplying 240,000 tons, Doan Nguyen Duc, CEO of Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) Agrico, said.

But to reduce its excessive reliance on the Chinese market, Duc is also hoping to shift 20 percent of the companys banana exports to South Korea and Japan.

It expects to harvest over 106,000 tons of bananas and earn revenues of around VND1.7 trillion ($73 million) and VND983 billion ($42 million) in gross profit this year.

The company already possesses 13,500 ha of farmlands in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It is also a major producer and exporter of dragon fruit and chili.

HAGL used to be a leading property developer in Vietnam, but restructured in 2010 to focus on rubber and livestock farming.

HAGL Agrico has been growing fruits since 2016, and last year its passion fruit, banana, chili, and dragon fruit crops fetched revenues of VND1.6 trillion ($71 million), accounting for around 49 percent of HAGLs total revenues.

This year, the firm expects sales of VND3.7 trillion ($164.4 million) and gross profits of VND1.67 trillion ($74.2 million).
The Thai Binh 2 thermal power project's first turbine should have gone on stream three years ago. Photo by VnExpress

PVN is seeking to withdraw $5.5 million worth of frozen deposits its subsidiaries have in OceanBank to finance its much-delayed Thai Binh 2 plant.

The deposit accounts of PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC) and Petroleum Industrial and Civil Construction JSC (PVC-IC) have been blocked since the embattled bank was acquired by the central bank for zero dong in 2015.

The state-run PetroVietnam (PVN) is building the 1,200MW Thai Binh 2 thermal power project, part of the Thai Binh Power Center in the northern province of Thai Binh, and PVC is the EPC contractor with a $1.2 billion contract.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade reported to the government recently that only 83 per cent of the plant has been built though the work has been going on for six years now.

Its first turbine should have gone on stream three years ago.

Unfreezing the deposits is one of the funding solutions PVN has proposed to relevant authorities.

Of the VND127 billion ($5.5 million), VND82 billion ($3.53 million) belongs to PVC.

In response to PVNs plea, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) said it is instructing OceanBank to outline a restructuring plan for submission to the government.

The deposit issue would be handled as part of the banks restructuring, with the money returned to depositors in phases after approval from authorities, it said.

The 2010 Law on Credit Institutions limits credit lending to a single customer to 15 per cent of a banks equity.

So PVN has petitioned the SBV to give approval to banks seeking permission to exceed the limit. The central bank has promised to seek the governments permission for banks to exceed the cap.

But it said PVN has failed to submit a full set of documents related to the Thai Binh 2 projects amended investment capital and feasibility study.

PVN has also sought permission to borrow from the state-run Vietnam Development Bank (VDB) as another financing option.

But the SBV rejected this proposal saying the project is not entitled to the governments policy credit.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, which oversees the power sector, said it wants the government to instruct the SBV to submit a restructuring plan for OceanBank soon so that the issue of PVN subsidiaries deposits at the bank could be addressed early.

PVN recently urged authorities to allow PVC to continue being the EPC contractor, and said it plans to have the first turbine running by June 2019 and the second three months later.

A court ruling last May found Dinh La Thang, former chairman of PVN, responsible for the actions of PVC general director Trinh Xuan Thanh that caused losses of more than VND119 billion ($5.24 million) to the Thai Binh 2 project.

The court said Thang violated regulations by assigning PVC as the EPC contractor for the plant.
Vietnam's officials and scientists launch Vietnam Innovation Network in Hanoi on Sunday. Photo by VnExpress/Ngu Hiep

The Vietnam Innovation Network, launched Sunday by the Prime Minister, aims to connect Vietnamese scientists across the world.

"The new network will enable Vietnamese experts working in technologically advanced countries to assist their home country in preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the launch.

The network has been joined by over 100 Vietnamese scientists and tech experts living overseas as well as hundreds of their peers in Vietnam.

Pham Minh Chinh, head of the Central Organizing Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam and member of the Party Secretariat, expressed high regard for the network and its role in Vietnam's push for comprehensive development.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam called for Vietnamese intellectuals overseas to express their love for their country through actions to help Vietnam develop and not miss opportunities brought forth by Industry 4.0.

Several Vietnamese scientists working overseas spoke at the launch and proposed ways for Vietnam to take advantage of advanced technologies, adopt new market approaches and attract venture capitalists from around the world.

Dr. Bui Hai Hung, a researcher at Google's AI company DeepMind in the U.S., said that while there were many top AI experts of Vietnamese origin working across the world, Vietnam has yet to put itself on the map in this area.

He urged Vietnam to establish an AI Center, develop IT infrastructure and invest in training programs for cloud computing.

Associate Professor Ho Anh Van, who works in Japan, also affirmed that there are many Vietnamese teaching or researching in top Japanese universities, as well as experts working for top tech firms in the country.

This network would enable all Vietnamese to work and cooperate to help transfer technology back to their home country, he added.

Ho Anh Van speaks at the launching conference of Vietnam Innovation Network. Photo by VnExpress/Ngu Hiep

To prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Prime Minister Phuc has approved a long-term strategy on scientific and technological development and innovation with vision, including Industry 4.0, until 2035, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh said at the event.

Over the past two years, Vietnam's ranking in the Global Innovation Index has jumped 14 places to 45th among 126 countries and economies, with many businesses focusing on investing in research and development, he noted.

However, Anh stressed that to develop further, Vietnam needs the assistance of Vietnamese scientists and experts living overseas.

The new innovation network was an important step in connecting them with the country, he added.

The launch of the Vietnam Innovation Network was the first event in a five-day program that also includes talks between scientists and the government and relevant ministries as well as visits to hi-tech parks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnamese soldiers (in orange life vests) join a rescue campaign following a dam collapse in Laos in July 2018. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen

The Vietnamese army is capable of conducting relief operations abroad upon request, a senior military official said Monday.

The Vietnamese armys humanitarian and disaster relief capabilities are on the rise, and it can help not only Vietnamese people, but also those of other countries upon request from their governments in case of natural disasters, said Colonel General Pham Hong Huong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Peoples Army of Vietnam.

Huong said the Vietnamese army has been equipped with new and advanced technologies for providing humanitarian and disaster relief in affected areas.

Colonel General Pham Hong Huong at the Pacific Armies Management Seminar in Hanoi on Monday. Photo by VnExpress/Vu Anh

It doesnt matter whether its the Vietnamese people or people from other countries, our army will always do our best to help them, he said.

He was speaking at the 42nd Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS 42), which will last from Monday to Thursday in Hanoi with the participation of military personnel from 27 countries and territories.

Robert Brown, commander of the United States Army Pacific and co-host of PAMS 42, said that Vietnams co-hosting this seminar for the first time reflected the increasingly important role of the country in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

PAMS is an annual multinational military seminar providing a forum for senior-level officers from regional ground forces and security forces to exchange views and to establish and enhance a set of strong interpersonal relationships among the future leaders of regional armies and security forces.
People wait for aid next to a makeshift raft at a flooded area in Kerala, August 19, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Sivaram V

Torrential rain finally let up in Indias flood-hit Kerala state on Sunday, giving some respite for thousands of marooned families.

But authorities feared an outbreak of disease among around 725,000 people crammed into relief camps.

Incessant downpours since Aug. 8 have caused the worst floods in a century in the southwestern state, and close to 200 people have perished in the rising waters and landslides.

The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall in only one or two parts of Kerala on Sunday and withdrew a red alert in several districts.

Using boats and helicopters, Indias military led rescue efforts to reach people in communities cut off for days, with many trapped on roofs and upper floors, in desperate need of food and clean water.

A Reuters photographer on a naval helicopter said water levels had receded in villages around the city of Kochi.

Rescue teams were focused on the town of Chengannur on the banks of the Pamba River, where about 5,000 people are feared to be trapped, officials said.

Keralas chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said the total number of people taking refuge at the 5,645 relief camps had risen to 725,000.

Thirteen deaths were reported on Sunday, he added, taking the total number confirmed to nearly 200.

Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at Keralas health department, said authorities had isolated three people with chickenpox in one of the relief camps in Aluva town, nearly 250 km (155 miles) from state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the department was preparing to deal with a possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases in the camps.

A supply truck transporting boats to flooded areas moves through a water-logged road in Aluva in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 18, 2018. Photo by Reuters

Destroyed

Kerala, which usually receives high rainfall, has seen more than 250 percent more rain than normal between Aug. 8 and Aug. 15. State authorities have had to release water from 35 dangerously full dams, sending a surge into the main river.

As the rain abated on Sunday morning, 60-year-old T P Johnny visited his home in Cheranelloor - a suburb of Kochi situated on the banks of the Periyar river - to see when he and his family could return.

The entire house is covered with mud. It will take days to clean to make it liveable. All our household articles, including the TV and fridge have been destroyed, he told Reuters.

The beaches and backwaters of Kerala are top destinations for domestic and international tourists, but far fewer visit during the monsoon season.

Kochis airport is closed due to waterlogging, and Jet Airways has arranged additional flights from Thiruvananthapuram for passengers holding confirmed tickets from Kochi.

Indias national carrier, Air India, will operate ATR flights from the naval airport in Kochi to Bangalore and Coimbatore, starting Monday.

Late on Saturday, the chief minister had said that there was no shortage of food in the state as traders had stocked up before a local festival.

The only problem is transporting it, he told reporters. The central government and public have cooperated well in this effort to fight this disaster.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates, where many Keralites work, has also offered assistance to the state. Qatars Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani has also announced $5 million aid.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during a meeting with China's Premier Li Keqiang (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, August 20, 2018. Photo by How Hwee Young/Pool via Reuters

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday he believed China would sympathize with his countrys internal fiscal problems

He seeks to renegotiate, or possibly cancel, more than $20 billion in Chinese-funded projects.

Mahathir said after meeting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing he did not believe in confrontation with any country and stressed the benefits Malaysia stood to gain from increased exposure to Chinese trade, technology and entrepreneurship.

We hope also to get China to understand the problems being faced by Malaysia today, Mahathir told a joint news conference with Li.

I believe that China will look sympathetically toward the problems that we have to resolve and perhaps helping us to resolve some of our internal fiscal problems, he said.

Mahathir did not mention the projects in question but he vowed repeatedly before his China visit to discuss what he called unfair Chinese infrastructure deals authorized by former premier Najib Razak.

Najib courted Chinese investment and was a cheerleader for President Xi Jinpings signature Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia during his decade-long rule, but Mahathir has questioned the value of the deals and the risk that they would leave Malaysia indebted to China.

Mahathir made no mention of Low Taek Jho, the Malaysian financier wanted for his role in the multi-billion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Malaysia believed Low was being harbored in China and that a request to extradite him would be high on Mahathirs agenda during his five-day trip. Reuters could not verify the report.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he was not familiar with Lows case.

But on principle, China is willing to, on the basis of mutual consultations, start normal legal cooperation with other countries, he told a regular news briefing.

'Free and fair'

Li said China hoped that a further expansion in trade ties with Malaysia would result in greater balance in two-way trade and that China was ready to increase to a fairly large extent imports of palm oil and other agricultural produce to meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

China is Malaysias third-largest export market after India and the European Union.

He said consensus reached during talks and a raft of memorandum of understandings signed during Mahathirs visit, including on a bilateral currency swap, palm oil, rubber and durian imports, sent a message that the two countries would remain friendly to each other in the long term.

However, Mahathir, who turned 93 last month, offered only a qualified endorsement when Li, addressing him directly, asked whether he believed they had consensus on upholding free trade.

I agree with you that free trade should be the way to go but of course free trade should also be fair trade, Mahathir said.

We do not want a situation where there is a new version of colonialism happening because poor countries are unable to compete with rich countries, he said.

The centerpiece of Chinas Belt and Road infrastructure push in Malaysia is the ambitious $20-billion East Coast Rail Link project, work on which has been suspended pending discussions over pricing.

Mahathir has also halted work on two projects worth more than $2.3 billion awarded to the China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau that have been linked to graft at 1MDB.
Businessman Larry Sloven, 69, speaks in Hong Kong, China, August 9, 2018, in this still image taken from Reuters TV footage.

Manufacturers are working to litmit additional sourcing from China and shift sourcing to other countries.

Larry Sloven arrived in southern China three decades ago, just as the region was taking off as the low-cost manufacturing center of the world. Since then, he has exported millions of dollars of goods, ranging from power tools to LED lights, to some of Americas biggest retailers.

That era may now be coming to an end.

For years, Sloven has seen profits whittled away by rising costs, tighter regulations and Chinese government policies aimed at building a more sustainable and services-oriented economy that have squeezed lower-end manufacturers.

But the final straw may be the prospect of tariffs stemming from a trade war between the United States and China, and a world of more protectionism.

Its been step, by step, by step. And its been getting more and more expensive to produce products in China, said Sloven, president of Capstone International HK Ltd, a division of Capstone Companies, from Deerfield Beach, Florida, a maker of consumer electronics goods.

Manufacturers have been feeling the squeeze as China shifts its priorities from lower-end manufacturing to high technology industries as part of a broader bid to upgrade its economy.

But with tariffs looming, everybody finally woke up to the extent that maybe I should face reality, he said. Manufacturers were increasingly worried that the next group of tariffs would be the killer.

Sloven is now stepping up efforts to trim his exposure to China, diversifying into growing manufacturing centers like Thailand.

Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia are countries that have potential opportunities, he said. However, its not going to be as easy as many may think. And you dont know whats coming next in China.

Interviews with over a dozen manufacturers from medical device makers to agricultural equipment firms illustrate how companies exporting to the United States are now rethinking their calculations about making goods in China.

Before the tariffs came on board, we were looking to move about 30 percent of our production from China to the United States, said Charles M. Hubbs, European director at Premier Guard, a medical products manufacturer, citing reasons such as rising wages, a shrinking workforce and soaring costs.

With the latest tariff development, assuming those tariffs will go into effect, well probably be moving about 60 percent of our manufacturing out of China to the United States.

Other companies are closely reviewing their options.

In the current tariff environment, its only natural for companies like ours and others to be internally reassessing the impact and taking steps to mitigate that, said a senior China-based executive with a major U.S. manufacturer.

Moves could include limiting additional sourcing from China, shifting sourcing to other countries, or bringing work back to the United States.

Supply chain threat

The escalating tit-for-tat trade war between the United States and China, with President Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs on Chinese-made goods, could have huge implications for heavily integrated and globalized supply chains.

For some, the impact has been obvious and direct.

Georgia-based AGCO Corp told the United States Trade Representative that tariffs would make the farm equipment it makes in Changzhou, a city in Chinas Jiangsu province, price uncompetitive in the United States.

Maroon Group, a chemical maker from North America said it would be priced out of the market, a concern echoed by Goodman Global, which assembles air conditioners in Houston from Chinese-made parts.

Some firms have already made their moves. The furniture makers At Home Group Inc and RH have said they will cut back production in China.

Others are trying to adjust supply chains. DSM China Ltd, part of the Dutch nutrition firm Royal DSM, is looking to replace U.S. soybeans with new ingredients such as pea powder it can source locally to avoid Beijings retaliatory import duties.

Rising risk from the trade tensions gave us good impetus to check out how we look at the whole business, said Bernard Cheung, director of global strategic marketing at DSM China.

For some, the response has been dictated by where they sit in the supply chain.

U.S.-based GMM Nonstick Coatings has moved some production to India after a 30-40 percent drop-off in China orders for advanced chemicals used to coat American household kitchenware brands such as George Foreman and Bakers Secret as those clients move some production out of China.

This tariff thing is adding extra friction to being in China and its making the decision to shift production quite easy for U.S. sourcing departments, said Ravin Gandhi, GMMs chief executive.

$2 trillion question

There are still plenty of manufacturers staying in China for now, especially those targeting the huge domestic or regional market, Gandhi said.

China still has the best infrastructure, supply chain networks and engineering talent, a major hurdle for potential rivals seeking to lure firms away with lower costs, according executives interviewed by Reuters.

In terms of scale, China cannot be easily replaced: it has a manufacturing output of around $2 trillion, according to a Brookings Institution report in July, the worlds largest.

Bird, a Santa Monica, California-based scooter start-up, wrote in a submission to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in June that it was unaware of any U.S. producer of electric scooters that can manufacture to Birds scale and needs.

Keith Siilats, the head of Bytelogics, another U.S.-based scooter start-up that manufactures in China, said it was hard to shift production from China. Instead, he expects to absorb the higher costs for the moment and plans to develop European operations less vulnerable to tariff pressure.

Chinas manufacturing sector will not vanish overnight, but a shift is inevitable, said Dan Krassenstein, Shanghai-based director of Asia operations at ProconPacific, which makes around 3 million specialized industrial shipment bags.

He said manufacturing was moving to South Asia and Southeast Asia in search of cheaper labor costs and as Beijing discourages polluting, lower-margin sectors.

The tariff escalation is just going to accelerate it, he said.

Five years ago his company made all its products in China. Now, a quarter are made in India and 5-10 percent in Vietnam.

Doing the sums

In Southern Chinas Pearl River Delta, the cost of renting industrial and commercial space has surged around 80 percent in the past eight years, while companies have complained of soaring labor costs.

Production costs are cheaper in the U.S. than in China, said Yuan Juyou, deputy head of marketing at Wonderful Group, a ceramics maker. Even though labor costs are more expensive, we have automated a lot of processes. Plus electricity, land, these kinds of costs are cheaper than China.

Wonderful, a unit of the Chinese manufacturer Marco Polo, began shipping products from its new factory in Tennessee in June.

Regional rivals are also starting to sense an opportunity to step up and into Chinas competitive space.

Thailand is actively promoting itself as a regional manufacturing hub, offering incentives such as an exemption of up to eight years on corporate income tax for certain industries and exemptions on import duties for some raw materials.

The countrys corporate income tax rate of 20 percent also ranks it as the second-lowest among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to Thailands Board of Investment.

Thailand is already a major center for some electronics and components, and the government plans a series of industrial zones to push development of target industries. A China-ASEAN free trade deal also helps mitigate the trade-war risk for companies trading with both the United States and China.

The Thai government is making it very easy now to move down there, said Sloven.

The Chinese government embraced manufacturing back in the day. But now, theyre not looking for growth in the product business. Theyre looking for high-tech, he said. Its a bit like when a wife comes to a husband and says, I dont love you anymore.
The move may come amid concerns the pipeline would heighten Europes dependence on Russian natural gas.

As President Vladimir Putin met with Chancellor Angela Merkel near Berlin on Saturday to try to safeguard a controversial Russian-German gas pipeline, the U.S. was not present but it could have a big say in the outcome.

It has in hand a package of sanctions that could be used to try to stop completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is already in its advanced stages, by targeting companies, and potentially financial firms, involved in its construction, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Current and former U.S. officials said such sanctions had been discussed and could be mobilized in a matter of weeks, though they added that no action was imminent.

Consecutive U.S. administrations have long opposed the pipeline, which would run alongside an existing one, over concerns that it would increase Europes already-high dependence on Russian natural gas and give the Kremlin political leverage and substantial revenues.

Germany-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline would double direct Russian gas imports, as President Trump accuses Berlin of being "captive to Russia."

U.S. opposition to the project escalated after Russia was accused of interfering in the 2016 election and as the Trump administration grew increasingly skeptical that internal resistance within Europe would stop the plan, officials said.

Read alsoNord Stream 2 submits application for route bypassing Danish territorial waters

In August 2017, Congress gave President Trump power to impose sanctions on companies and individuals working on the pipeline following revelations of Russian interference in the U.S. election, a power several U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal would now be used to try to block the project.

One U.S. official said work on the measures was being finalized between the White House and the State, Commerce and Energy Departments.

The official said the only decision left before enforcing the sanctions was whether to levy them only on the companies that would lay the pipes in the Baltic Sea, or to extend them to banks and other firms involved in financing the pipeline. Washington would give the European Union advanced warning before enforcing the sanctions, this person added.

German officials have countered that Western countries had been buying Russian natural gas at the height of the Cold War. One aide to Ms. Merkel said the U.S. push was motivated by Mr. Trumps desire to sell more U.S. liquefied natural gas, or LNG, to Europe.

The EU in late July pledged to ramp up U.S. LNG purchases as part of an effort to de-escalate trans-Atlantic trade tensions, triggered by Mr. Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs on European producers.

Read alsoPoroshenko calls on European partners to abandon Nord Stream-2

One concern about the pipeline is that it could make it easier for Russia to stop delivering natural gas via Ukraine after Gazproms transit contract expires at the end of 2019. The country, which has been locked in a bitter conflict with Moscow since Russian troops seized part of its territory in 2014, currently acts as a transit country for Russian natural-gas exports to the EU and levies a fee on this trade.

Ms. Merkel had hoped that assurances by Mr. Putin to continue channeling a substantial amount through Ukraine even after Nord Stream 2 comes online would placate the U.S.

In my view Ukraine must retain its role in the transit of gas, Ms. Merkel said on Saturday.

Mr. Putin reiterated his pledge but emphasized that the transit volume would need to suit economic demand. Ukrainian officials have complained that once Nord Stream 2 is built, demand for transit via their country would drop.

Read alsoPoland signs 20-year deal on U.S. LNG supplies

A U.S. official said Washington was chiefly concerned with curbing Europes dependency on Russian natural gas, which the Kremlin has used in the past as a means to pressure recipient nations.

Russian influence will flow through that pipeline right into Europe, and that is what we are going to prevent, the U.S. official said.
Ukraine completes testing of 152mm ammo for Hyacinth artillery system  Poroshenko

The new highly-explosive fragmentation shells are designed to engage enemy troops, artillery, and other fire means, as well as military fortifications and facilities.

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Ukraine seeing brain drain in high-yield economy sectors  expert

A couple of decades ago, Ukraine was traditionally and rightly considered a scientific and technological state.

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Moldova not to sign new contract with Russia's Gazprom

The current deal on gas supplies to Moldova is valid until December 31, 2019.

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The outlook for passage of the Van Hollen-Rubio bill, S. 2313, remains uncertain.

The leading effort in Congress to deter Russia from meddling in the U.S. midterm elections is likely to be rewritten to minimize unintended effects on global economies from stiff automatic sanctions on sovereign debt and energy.

"We want to make sure that the economic harm is confined as much as possible to the Russian economy and the spillover effects are limited," said Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, Bloomberg said.

The bill, introduced in January by Van Hollen and Florida Republican Marco Rubio, would impose the sanctions if Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats certified that Moscow is interfering in the November election in the U.S.

The proposal calls for sanctions on issues of new Russian sovereign debt, a penalty the U.S. Treasury Department warned in February could damage global financial markets, and would block certain transactions in property involving Russian energy companies, including Gazprom and Rosneft PJSC. It also would sanction Russian banks, mining interests and officials.

Read alsoU.S. could use sanctions to stop Nord Stream 2 completion  media

Coats, the intelligence chief, warned this month that Russians are only a "keyboard click" away from interfering in this year's election, saying they "are looking for every opportunity, regardless of party" to disrupt the process.

Efforts to deter such meddling have inspired a number of measures in Congress. The ruble and Russian bonds retreated this month when Russian media published the full text of a bill that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sponsored with Democrat Bob Menendez of New Jersey. Graham said their measure was intended to "impose crushing sanctions and other measures against Putin's Russia until he ceases and desists meddling in the U.S. electoral process" and withdraws from Ukraine.

The outlook for passage of the Van Hollen-Rubio bill, S. 2313, remains uncertain, although Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the chamber could take up the measure and directed the Foreign Relations and Banking committees to hold hearings.

Tweaking the legislation may help broaden its support in Congress.
Authorities in Tunisia have confiscated the passport of a man suspected of being an Islamist militant who once served as Osama bin Ladens bodyguard to prevent him from returning to Germany.

The 42-year-old Tunisian man, Sami Aidoudi, applied for asylum in Germany in 2007. His application was rejected and he was deported last month. On his return to his homeland he was arrested but released after a judge found that no charges could be brought against him.

Tunisian authorities say an investigation on suspicion of terrorism is ongoing, during which time he will be barred from leaving the country. But a German court last week demanded his return, saying he may face torture in his native Tunisia.

According to the court, the deportation was grossly unlawful and an infringement of fundamental principles of the rule of law because no diplomatic commitment had been received from Tunisia ensuring Mr Aidoudi would not be tortured on his return.

Spokesman for the German government said Berlin was in constant contact with Tunis via its embassy there and would continue to discuss the case.

Aidoudi lived in the western German city of Bochum with his wife and four children for nine years. They lived on monthly welfare payments of 1,168, though his asylum application was refused because German intelligence classifies him as a dangerous person for having trained in an al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan in 2001.
Poland buys most of the gas it consumes from Russia but has taken steps to reduce that reliance.

Poland, unlike Germany, strongly opposes Russia's plan to build a new gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea, and shares U.S. opinion that the project would help strengthen Moscow's market position, Polish foreign minister Jacek Czaputowicz said.

Berlin has given political support to the building of a new, $11 billion pipeline to bring Russian gas across the Baltic Sea called Nord Stream 2, bypassing traditional routes through Ukraine, despite qualms among other EU states, Reuters said.

In July U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticised Germany for supporting the pipeline deal with Russia.

Read alsoNord Stream 2 submits application for route bypassing Danish territorial waters

"I would like to underline that Poland's stance differs here from the German one. We see this dispute as an existing one between the U.S. and Germany," Czaputowicz said at a joint statement with his German counterpart Heiko Maas.

Poland buys most of the gas it consumes from Russia but has taken steps to reduce that reliance.

"In this U.S.-Germany dispute we are at the U.S. side, as its arguments are more convincing and besides, we have raised them before," Czaputowicz also said in a broadcast speech.

He reiterated Poland's concerns that Nord Stream 2 was a harmful and political project that will strengthen Russia's dominant position in the gas market and be a threat to Ukraine.

"I know about these objections but the German government does not share them," Maas said.

The foreign ministers spoke in Harmeze, south of Poland, near the Auschwitz Nazi death camp, which Maas visited earlier on Monday.
On a recent visit to Brazil, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis empasized the shared values of the hemisphere's two largest democracies, - the U.S. and Brazil - as defenders of democracy, fundamental human rights, the rule of law, and peace at home and abroad.

These values find expression in Article I of the Inter-American Democratic Charter: "the peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it."

The U.S. remains focused on strengthening its military-to-military relationships with Brazil because it seeks a collaborative, prosperous, and secure hemisphere where each country individually and collectively maintains situational awareness in all domains: air, land, sea, outer space, and cyberspace. It's a hemisphere where we address national, regional, and hemispheric priorities together, declared Secretary Mattis.

The U.S. would like to work with Brazil to strengthen a cooperative, strategic partnership that is transparent, that is trustworthy, and that is steady because we see a bright future ahead -- for Brazil and for our hemisphere, said Secretary Mattis.

We see this future reflected in Brazil's demonstrated global leadership, from demining missions in Central and South America to peacekeeping missions in Haiti, Lebanon, and Central Africa. We see this future in your prudent response to Venezuela's destabilizing actions.

In the broader military relationship, the U.S. sees future opportunities for advanced research with Brazil, particularly in space.

The U.S. also looks for future two-way military sales. America is not looking to make quick cash, explained Secretary Mattis, we are looking to earn and keep friends, sharing our most combat-proven technology while drawing on your areas of expertise. We believe it is in America's best interests that [Brazils] industrial base be internationally competitive.

The U.S. military seeks to work side-by-side with Brazil and with Brazil's neighbors to build a future together, one that shares all the benefits of living in our great hemisphere, said Secretary Mattis. It should be an island of democracy and prosperity in an unstable world. Our hemisphere, should show the way and be a model.
Cyprus justice authorities Sunday said they handed over to Egypt a 61-year old Egyptian man who hijacked and diverted in 2016 an EgyptAir flight from the city of Alexandria to Cyprus.

Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa was returned to his homeland after Egypt provided guarantees that it will provide international standard legal procedures for his trial, the justice ministry of the European island said.

Mostafa reportedly arrived at Cairo international airport on Saturday under tight security measures. The 61-year old man will be facing prosecution in the city of Alexandria after the prosecutor ordered his detention for 15 days in custody.

The Egyptian man in March 2016 seized a flight of the Egyptian national carrier with 72 people onboard including the crew. He hijacked the aircraft, wearing a fake subside bomb belt, and ordered it be flown to Cypruss Larnaca airport.

Mostafa freed the passengers and surrendered himself to Cyprus security authorities after requesting that all women in Egyptian prisons be liberated and demanding to see his ex-wife living in Cyprus.

During hearings over the past two years during his detention in Cyprus, Mostafa described himself as a liberal who wanted democracy for an Egyptian people subjected to abductions, disappearance, illegal detention and extrajudicial killings, AFP reports.

The hijacker filed an asylum application on the grounds he would not receive a fair trial in Egypt, but the Greek Cypriot supreme court dismissed his appeal against being sent home last year, the agency adds.

Cyprus authorities turned down the asylum request after flagging the Egyptian man as perpetrator of serious crimes.
UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH

Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees

Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia

UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13

Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition

S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive

Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk

Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide

1217 new cases

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel

Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch

"Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia

UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month

Google Ad

The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York

Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency

UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden.

"The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer

Generation A 13  your chance to be the change

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only

For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road
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
Meeting of Director of National Security Service of Armenia and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Armenia

Director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan on August 20 received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Armenia Seyed Kazem Sadjadi. Welcoming the Ambassador, the NSS chief said Iran is a friendly country for Armenia with which the firm cooperation and working relations are very important. Ambassador Sadjadi congratulated Artur Vanetsyan on appointment and touched upon the cooperation of the two countries. The Ambassador also affirmed that Armenia and Iran have been and will remain friendly countries, expressing confidence that the previous firm partnership will continue and will further deepen for the interests of the two countries. He said Iran has no restriction for Armenia and currently works are underway to find new cooperation directions. Touching upon the already existing cooperation areas, the NSS Director said Armenia has a specific approach to tourism issues, attaches importance to the great interest and active flow of Iranian tourists to Armenia. He assured that everything is being done to ensure the security of tourists. In his turn the Iranian Ambassador thanked the NSS chief for the warm reception and productive meeting.
Speaker Babloyan issues statement over domestic political situation (video)

President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ara Babloyan issued a statement over the domestic political situation, noting that he plans meetings with the President, Prime Minister, Ombudsman, Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia and representatives of international diplomatic missions to discuss the existing situation, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia. The statement reads as follows, Dear compatriots, I have attentively followed the activities of the Government during the 100 days and as the head of the parliament I expected to see a program aimed at the preservation of the countrys security, economic development, improvement of peoples welfare and of course further strengthening of democracy from my colleague, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. 100 days might be little time for hearing the complete vision of the PM over these issues and the constructive ways to solve them. Definitely, I find that its necessary to fight against corruption. Its definitely necessary to fight against monopolies. I am convinced that peoples voice should always be heard. People should be maximally informed and involved in making the key decisions, since, as we know, the power in Armenia belongs to the people. But when doing all these we must be guided by only and only by the Constitution and laws, as well as by the full respect towards the international commitments assumed by the Republic of Armenia. In this regard I record with regret that I am deeply concerned by the situation in the country. The normal social-political life of the country, the legal-constitutional relations of state power bodies and public solidarity are under risk. I see dangers tendencies of dividing the public into supporters of revolution and counterrevolution and deepening of intolerance. My concerns further rise especially after hearing this remark during PM Pashinyans speech. I quote 'So I advise everyone to think before speaking. And you say that we limit your freedom of speech. You should first learn to think before speaking and then think about your freedom of speech.' I have to admit that it was such remarks were unexpected for me to hear from PM Pashinyan for the simple reason that its just an encroachment against pluralism. And frightening the judges and threatening the dissidents by the National Security Service parallel to this is not only a pressure against the judicial body, but also against anyone in the country who holds an opposite opinion. There were also messages in PM Pashinyans speech very dangerous for the Constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia, and the fundaments of statehood, that are in direct contradiction with the international commitments assumed by Armenia for establishing a legal and democratic country. Particularly, the way of addressing the judges by the Head of the Executive in a way like this "sober up," is a merely threat for the independence of the judiciary and an interference to all the ongoing and future judicial examinations and decisions. Under the theory of transitional justice an anti-legal hint of giving retroactive effect to the laws was made. At the same time, the implementation of possible constitutional changes at the National Assembly of Armenia, moreover, with the threat to ensure the desired outcome, is an overt pressure and compulsion against the legislative branch. For me, this is further incomprehensible given the fact that the opportunities for such discussions and making decisions at the parliament were not exhausted. Therefore, taking into account the aforementioned, I plan meetings with the President, Prime Minister, Ombudsman, Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia and representatives of international diplomatic missions to discuss the existing situation. Remaining faithful to my constitutional mission, I assure you that the National Assembly will continue to exercise the powers vested in it by the law."
The State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine has decided to repeal a decision on the privatization of PJSC State Food and Grain Corporation, which was adopted in early December last year.

A new resolution was adopted on August 7 this year, the SPF's Kyiv office said in an announcement in the Vidomosti Pryvatyzatsii privatization bulletin on Monday, August 20.

An entire 100% stake in PJSC State Food and Grain Corporation was supposed to be sold this year and the asset was included in the provisional list for privatization in 2018, but the government excluded it.

First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Maksym Martynyuk said at the end of May that the corporation needed to be privatized, but for this it was necessary to restructure a $1.5 billion loan issued by the Export-Import Bank of China. According to him, the loan agreement provides for the approval of creditors for any change in the corporation's ownership.
Acting CEO of national energy company Ukrenergo Vsevolod Kovalchuk estimates investment to be made by Ukrainian electricity market operators in measures to integrate into the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) at UAH 11 billion, or about EUR 350 million.

"According to preliminary estimates, all together will require UAH 11 billion (EUR 352 million), but one should be aware that it is extremely difficult to tell which money is needed for measures related to the integration and which for maintaining, among other things, the reliability of our own power grids," he told the Delo publication in an interview.

"For example, thermal power plants' power units should upgrade automatic load-frequency control equipment and connect it to the central regulator. All nuclear power plants need additional modernization of the excitation system of generators. We estimate the generating companies' investment alone at EUR 150-200 million," he added.

In 2018-2019, Ukrainian power plants' power units must be tested for checks on the dynamic stability of the power grids, he said. All technical conditions and configuration of tests have been agreed with ENTSO-E.

"We are now on schedule without delay, we are in constant coordination with Moldova, we have signed a memorandum on the governments' level. We have also signed a memorandum with all Ukrainian electricity companies who have declared their readiness for integration. I think investment in modernization of generating equipment could start after all tests are over," he added.

As reported, Ukraine and Moldova in April 2018 signed a memorandum on cooperation and joint actions between the two countries' relevant ministries aimed at ensuring European integration processes to achieve the synchronous operation of the power grids of Ukraine and Moldova with ENTSO-E.

In June 2017 Kovalchuk signed an agreement on the conditions of the future unification of the energy systems of Ukraine and Moldova with ENTSO-E. In July, the agreement came into force after it had been signed by the necessary number of European electricity transmission system operators.

The deadline for Ukraine's fulfilling the requirements for accession to the united energy system of continental Europe is July 2022.

ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators, which was established in 2009, represents 43 electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) from 36 countries across Europe. It united six industry associations that existed at that time: ATSOI, BALTSO, ETSO, NORDEL, UCTE and UKTSOA.

Ukrenergo operates trunk and interstate transmission lines, as well as centralized dispatching of the country's integrated power grids. Ukrenergo is a state-owned enterprise under Ukraine's Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, but it will be transformed into a private joint-stock company.
PJSC Motor Sich (Zaporizhia) says Russia's unfair competition in the field of military-technical cooperation is behind criticism expressed in an article published by The Washington Times about the company's cooperation with China, and in particular, the supply of AI-222 aircraft engines for Chinese JL-10 jet trainers.

"Only the blind cannot see lobbying Russian producers' interests behind all that hype... Such methods have all the signs of unfair competition," Motor Sich said in a statement for the media on Friday, August 17.

"The author of the article calls for exerting pressure on Ukraine to refrain from cooperation with China, pathetically calling it 'stabbing in the back,'" the company said, predicting that if Motor Sich drops the contract, similar Russian AI-222 will be shipped to China.

Motor Sich says that after the events of 2014, it lost its traditional Russian market for the sale of its products and had to seek alternative markets, namely China.

As part of the contract, it developed and produced a new version of the AI-222 aircraft engine without Russian components for Chinese jet trainers, the company said.

"Yet, the Russian Federation uses AI-222 engines manufactured in violation of licensing conditions for installing on the Yak-130 combat training aircraft, and constantly makes attempts to arrange shipments of those engines to China in replacement of the Ukrainian equipment," it explained.

"The severance of business relations and the loss of Motor Sich's supplies will not affect the combat capability of the Chinese Air Force, but Ukraine will face the aggravation of crisis-related trends in the aircraft industry and a reduction of jobs at the leading enterprise of the aviation industry," the statement said.

In this connection, Motor Sich insists on the inadmissibility of manipulation and pressure "for the sake of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation" and calls on the Ukrainian authorities to safeguard the interests of the Ukrainian producer. "Whoever says anything, China is Ukraine's strategic partner today," it said.

On August 15, The Washington Times published an article where the author, Bill Gertz, mentions that "critics say the Trump administration should pressure Ukraine to halt the engine sales along with other military transfers to China." The publication reportedly criticizes Motor Sich's 2016 contract on the supply of 250 engines for China's JL-10 jet trainers. It cites William C. Triplett, a China expert and former counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who says: "Basically the Ukrainians are getting away with taking the U.S. taxpayer's money in the one hand while stabbing the U.S. Navy in the back with the other."

A second argument, according to the article, for pressuring Kyiv is that China for the first time in decades is now identified by the U.S. government as a strategic competitor that American forces could one day face in the shooting war. "Thus Ukraine should be pressed to end sales of jet engines and other military gear that are bolstering China's military," the article said.
Chattanooga Market will host the annual Lodge Cast Iron Cook-off on Sunday, Aug. 26 . Market patrons will be able to watch five regional chefs show off their culinary skills for a live cooking competition. The participating chefs have been carefully selected, and are eager to impress not only a live audience, but a panel of judges as well.

The chefs will have to be creative, quick-thinking and skillful.

11:30 a.m.

11 a.m.

And, it's no small feat since they will not be able to plan or prepare ahead of time. They will arrive to the Market armed only with their personal cooking equipment. The chef introductions will be at(Market opens at) and then the shopping begins. Market patrons will be able to watch the chefs carefully pick out the freshest fruits, vegetables, spices, cheeses and more to make their dish remarkable, right from Chattanooga Market vendors. In support of the Tennessee Aquarium's Serve & Protect mission, the chefs will be surprised with a sustainable seafood with which to prepare for the judges.After the shopping portion is complete, the chefs will then demonstrate their culinary skills using Lodge's Cast Iron skillets. They will cook for one hour while guest emcee Dyan Damron , gives a play by play on what the chefs are creating, keeping the audience well informed. From there, the judges will be presented one by one with the chefs' dishes and asked to rate them by presentation, taste and creativity. After the judging process is complete, the winner will receive a one of a kind metal trophy designed and crafted by Market artist, Allen Hampton. Additionally, the winning chef will be awarded an automatic entrance into the World Chef Challenge for 2018, held in Orange Beach, Alabama this year.St. Johns/Meeting PlaceRead House/Bridgemans ChophouseHummingbirds PastariaCulinard InstituteFunk Seoul Brother
Algerias President Abdelaziz Bouteflika last weekend dismissed two powerful army generals, the official news agency APS said.

The generals, Said Bey and Lahbib Chentouf, had been in charge of the first and second military regions. Algeria is divided into six military regions. Algerias army has long been considered a behind-the-scene decision-maker.

The presidency did not give a reason for the dismissals, which came two months after Bouteflika sacked the North African nations police chief, Abdelghani Hamel, who was seen as a likely successor to the head of state.

The spring 2019 presidential election has thrown the country into a slow-burning political crisis with the prospect that ailing 81-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika may seek a fifth term.

Bouteflikas health is understood to be a grave concern for those within his inner circle after two severe strokes left him very weak.

The opposition accuses the presidents inner circles, particularly his youngest brother Said and a group of associated moguls, of taking over power and state institutions by taking advantage of Bouteflikas health conditions.

Last May, fourteen Algerian opposition politicians, activists, jurists, and academics, led by former Prime Minister Ahmed bin Beitour, sent a letter to President Bouteflika directly, urging him not to yield to the calls for a fifth presidential term because it would be a disaster for himself and the country.
Reps of 18 countries to take part in parade on Ukraine's Independence Day  Poltorak

Representatives of 18 foreign countries will take part in the military parade on the occasion of the Independence Day celebration, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has said.

"The other day we expect the arrival of 18 foreign delegations from around the world who will participate in the parade," the Ukrainian defense minister said on his Facebook page on Saturday night, commenting on the rehearsal of the parade in Kyiv.

As reported, 4,500 servicemen and 250 pieces of military equipment will take part in the parade on the occasion of Independence Day this year, including new pieces of weapons and military equipment that have already been adopted and those that are being tested by the state.

The Independence Day of Ukraine is celebrated every year on August 24.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a bill into law to amend laws of Ukraine on resolving several questions of the debt of state-owned Concern Ukroboronprom's defense enterprises to the aggressor country and/or occupying country and providing for their stable development, the presidential press service has reported.

The law proposes mechanisms for protecting the economic activities of defense industry enterprises included in the list of state-owned assets of strategic importance for the economy and security of the state against the negative impact of legal entities registered on the territory of the aggressor country and/or occupying country or legal entities with foreign investment of the aggressor country and/or occupying country.

The law ends enforcement proceedings and enforcement measures for judicial decisions to recover debts from the listed enterprises of strategic importance for the economy and security of the state in favor of legal entities of the aggressor state and/or occupying state, legal entities with foreign investment and foreign enterprises of the aggressor state and/or occupying state.

In addition, judicial proceedings in the case of bankruptcy of these defense enterprises are not allowed on claims filed by legal entities of the aggressor state and/or occupying state or legal entities with foreign investment or foreign enterprises of the aggressor state and/or occupying state.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada on July 12 adopted at second reading and as a whole a draft law releasing the state-owned Ukroboronprom concern from contractual military technical cooperation (MTC) obligations with Russia (draft law No. 6697).

The explanatory note refers to the decision taken by state leaders in 2014 to terminate MTC with Russia and cancel MTC contracts with Russia, because until 2014 it was impossible to appeal to Russian courts to recover debts, fines and other penalties, as well as for Ukrainian enterprises invoke force majeure provisions.

"Conducting legal proceedings in the territory of the aggressor state resulted in the issuance of a number of court decisions, according to which the Ukrainian party is obliged to pay amounts exceeding the cost of a contract itself," the document says.

Violation of the rules of jurisdiction for adjudicating decisions on the territory of the aggressor state against Ukraine's defense industry enterprises resulted in the accrual of excessive fines, the authors of the bill said.

According to the estimates made in parliament, the amount of indebtedness for termination of MTC contracts with Russia, including fines and interest, is an estimated UAH 3.8 billion.

Ukraine in 2014 stopped exports of military equipment and dual-use goods to Russia, citing the latter's illegal annexation of Crimea and invasion of eastern Ukraine.

The government in May 2015 terminated the 1993 intergovernmental agreement with Russia on military technical cooperation. In August of the same year, the government denounced the intergovernmental agreement with Russia on the production and scientific and technical cooperation of defense industry enterprises, which was signed in 1993.

In August 2017, the Cabinet terminated the 2003 intergovernmental agreement with Russia on cooperation in the export of military products to third countries. In October 2017, it cancelled an intergovernmental agreement with Russia signed in 2000 on retaining the specialization of enterprises and organizations involved in the production of military products, and in November 2017, it cancelled the agreement with Russia signed in 2005 regulating the procedure for the mutual supply of weapons and military equipment, military components and services.
On the 10th commemoration of World Humanitarian Day (WHD), the United Nations Office in Ukraine has called on the world community to increase assistance to the civilian population of Donbas, according to a UN statement in Ukraine.

I ask the international community to increase their support for scaling up efforts to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population affected by the crisis wherever they reside within Ukraine's territory and reiterate appeals for full respect for international humanitarian law, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Osnat Lubrani said on Sunday.

Lubrani noted that more than 3,000 civilians were killed and more than 9,000 were wounded in the fifth year of the crisis in eastern Ukraine. More than 3.4 million people face difficulties in obtaining food, access to water, shelter, health services and education.

Only in the first half of the year 2018, more than 600,000 Ukrainian civilians in all the affected areas of Ukraine received vital humanitarian assistance, Lubrani said.

According to her, it is necessary to increase funding to fully meet the large humanitarian needs in the east of Ukraine.

I am concerned that that the humanitarian response is funded at less than a third of the required amount. Despite this underfunding, local, national and international humanitarian actors are still trying to provide assistance to some 2.3 million men, women and children in 2018. I call on the member states to demonstrate their solidarity with people in Ukraine and support our tireless efforts, the UN system coordinator in Ukraine added.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during which the latter informed him about the results of her talks with the Russian president, which took place in Germany on August 19.

"Poroshenko and Merkel agreed to continue consultations at the level of foreign ministers of the Normandy format on a UN peacekeeping mission in the occupied part of the Donbas," the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state said on Monday.

Poroshenko called for the intensification of efforts to free Ukrainian hostages, who are illegally held in Russia and on the territories it occupied.

"A number of issues on the bilateral agenda were discussed, and it was agreed to continue contacts at the highest level," the report says.
The Ukrainian president's permanent representation in Crimea supports the selection on a competitive basis of a company for legal passenger transportation to the administrative border of Kherson region and the Crimean peninsula, the president's first deputy representative in Crimea, Izet Gdanov, has said.

"Our citizens in Crimea pay attention to the absence of legal passenger transportation with operating entry and exit checkpoints. I want to remind you that there are three of them - Kalanchak, Chonhar, Chaplynka. So far people don't have documents there. So far the issue of legal transportation is not being decided," Gdanov said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.

According to him, the issue of transportation lies in the competence of district and regional state administrations, as well as the State Service of Ukraine for Transport Safety.

Gdanov noted that there is a transport hub in the village of Novooleksiyivka and the president's permanent representation had repeatedly drawn attention to the need to hold a tender and appoint a transport carrier according to Ukrainian legislation.

"We hope that this issue will be resolved in the near future," he said.

At the same time, he said that it would be possible to liquidate illegal carriers after the legal ones appear.

"The issue of illegal transportation, illegal and semi-legal business near the administrative board is gaining momentum. We cannot state the improvement of the situation. Even in some localities, for example, transportation from the Kalanchak checkpoint, the situation there has only worsened," the president's permanent representative in Crimea, Borys Babin, said.
Five Ukrainians who were injured in a bus accident have been discharged from hospital, the Ukrayinska Pravda ezine has reported, with reference to Director of the Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Serhiy Pohoreltsev.

"Thirty-six Ukrainians injured in the road accident in Poland stayed in hospitals as of 18.00 on Sunday. Five more people have been discharged and are staying at a hotel," the report said.

In addition, he noted that one person, an adult woman, was in serious condition.

As reported, three people were killed and 18 more were injured after a bus carrying 54 Ukrainians swerved off the road and overturned in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship in Poland on August 18. The bus transported tourists from Lviv to Vienna.

Fifty-one people were taken to hospitals. According to the portal Fakt24, there were 11 children on the bus.
The issue of top Iranian officials and their children who have dual citizenship has once again flared up after a conservative MP indirectly accused the Islamic Republics President Hassan Rouhani of being a British citizen.

During the presentation of a parliament Investigation and Probe Committee report on Iranian officials who have dual citizenship, it was announced on Sunday, August 19, that one of the Iranian top officials in a very high and important position has British nationality.

A hardline MP and member of the Committee, Abolfazl Torabi, maintained, one of the countrys top officials has been naturalized as a British citizen, while studying in Scotland.

Although Torabi did not mention Rouhani by name, but, he was apparently referring to the president, whom hardliners are grilling these days.

Rouhani and his office have not yet reacted to the MPs comments.

Earlier, the chairman of the Nuclear Subcommittee of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of parliament, Mojtaba Zonnour, had asserted that Rouhanis son has British and Canadian nationality. A Rouhanis aide dismissed the claim as unfounded.

Nevertheless, in an interview with the pro-reform daily Etemad, Zonnour went further and claimed that President Barack Obama ordered 2,500 green cards issued to Iranians (families of the elite) to curry favor with Tehrans negotiating team.

Zonnour pointed out that only 30 to 40 of the children of top Iranian officials are currently studying in United States, while the majority are wasting Iranian public assets living extravagant lives there.

The claim was widely reflected in the right-leaning media in the United States, and Fox News presented it in a special report.

President Rouhani and his allies have, so far, preferred to ignore Zonnours comments cited by daily Etemad.

Now, the debate over the issue of Islamic Republic officials and their close relatives carrying dual citizenship has once again flared up after the presentation of the report compiled by the parliaments Investigation and Probe Committee.

The Committee, a parliamentary subdivision of Investigation and Probe Commission, has also announced in its report that many children of Iranian top officials have gained citizenship abroad and without renouncing their new nationalities are active in the public and economic sectors in Iran.

The report has directly named the children of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Oil as well as the children of several Presidential aides and advisors as those who carry dual citizenship.

The Minister of Oil, Bijan Namdar Zangeneh has already admitted that his two children are living abroad.

The son and daughter of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have also been born in the USA.

Based on reports published by local news outlets, the son of deputy President Masoumeh Ebtekar, Eisa Hashemi is holding a Green Card and resides somewhere in the U.S.

Ms. Ebtekar was the spokesperson of the students who took 52 American diplomates hostage for 444 days, less than a year after the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.

The same news outlets have also claimed that President Rouhanis former Chief of Staff, Mohammad Nahavandian, holds a Green Card.

In the meantime, former spokesman of the Rouhanis Administration,

The case of top managers with dual citizenship initially triggered a heated debate after the head of Irans National Bank (Bank Melli), Mahmoud Reza Khavari fled Iran in 2011, following news of his involvement in a $2.6 billion embezzlement scandal.

Last December, Khavari was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison for "disrupting the economic system," Iranian news agencies cited the head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, as saying on December 9.

Khavari, who obtained Canadian citizenship in 2005, joined his family there.

Tehran has appealed to Canada for assistance, but Ottawa has refused, citing the absence of a bilateral extradition treaty.

Nevertheless, Rouhanis Intelligence Minister, Mahmoud Alavi has insisted that There are no managers with dual citizenship serving in the Rouhanis Administration and insisted that highlighting the case of dual nationals is a scenario written by governments opponents.

Mahmoud Alavi has also argued that people who are carrying U.S. green cards are not counted as dual nationals and installing them in governmental positions, wherever the law permits, is acceptable.

Conservative mid-ranking cleric and the Islamic Republics Prosecutor-General, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri has dismissed Alavis comments as unconvincing.
Irans supreme leader has appointed a former F-14 Tomcat pilot and veteran of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war as the new commander of the countrys air force, Iranian media are reporting.

The official IRNA news agency on August 19 said that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh as the new air force chief.

Nasirzadeh has been the air force's acting commander since 2017. He succeeds General Hassan Shahsafi, who assumed the post in 2008.

Officials said the move was made as part of a routine reshuffling of military leaders.

Nasirzadeh flew U.S.-made F-14 Tomcats, which Iran begin purchasing from the United States in 1976, before the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution, which led to the breaking of ties between the two countries.

Many of the Tomcat pilots at the time received training in the United States, although it was not reported if Nasirzadeh had done so.

Based on reporting by AP, Press TV, and IRNA
Details added (first version posted on 12:26)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Russia is ready to continue to render assistance in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Aug. 20.

We are considering the issue of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the OSCE Minsk Group, where Russia is one of the co-chairing countries, he said. "Our goal is to render all possible assistance to the parties of the conflict for them to be able to agree between themselves. The solution that is acceptable for the parties of the conflict will be acceptable for us as well."

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.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

Trend:

All objects moving in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian sea are continuously monitored by radars, says the article of the Chief of the State Border Service, Colonel-General Elchin Guliyev, published in local official media outlets.

Guliyev noted that in recent years Azerbaijan has achieved such success as the first night shots from anti-aircraft gun mounts and guided missile systems in the country's naval history, the first night flights by MI-17 helicopter.

The chief of the state border service added that the material and technical base of the State Border Service is being strengthened, new weapons, military equipment, special equipment, highly maneuverable vehicles, devices for underwater operations and observations, protective equipment are being purchased.

"One of the main objectives of the tactical exercises is to create conditions for the full learning by the personnel of operation instructions of new weapons and equipment, improving their skills of flawless application of theoretical knowledge in practice. In addition, Azerbaijan has become one of the three CIS countries and the only one in the South Caucasus region that owns a telecommunications satellite: a space industry has been established and a national satellite has been launched into orbit, which, along with other achievements, creates new opportunities for the protection of state borders," Guliyev said.

The colonel-general said the border patrol ships built in the "Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center of the Coast Guard of the State Border Service are equipped with advanced navigation equipment and communication equipment and radio equipment, missiles and anti-missile systems, as well as night and day vision systems and submarine acoustical devices.

"Currently, all objects moving in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian sea are continuously monitored by radars. The work to increase the capabilities of control in the Caspian sea based on international experience continues," Guliyev said.

The chief of the service also noted that the participation of the President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev in the opening of the "Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center of the Coast Guard of the State Border Service on July 18, 2014, his familiarization with the border patrol ships in 2015-2018 and the recently commissioned modern high-speed boats at this center, as well as with the special equipment, is a manifestation of high attention and care on the part of the head of state.
Algerian and Mauritanian authorities opened a new border post south of Algerias main southern city of Tindouf, despite the security reality on the ground, and the fact that the border region, decreed military zone by Mauritania, is frequently used by cross-border criminals and traffickers.

The post dubbed, Mustapha Ben Boulied has 46 offices, 4 car parkings and other facilities, Algerian media reported.

The border crossing is said to be necessary for promoting trade between Algeria and Mauritania as Algiers seeks a foothold in West Africa.

The new border post is also a tool to be used by Algerian authorities in its cold war with Morocco over influence in West Africa.

The news comes almost one year after Mauritanian authorities declared the borders with Algeria a military zone strictly forbidden to civilians amid the proliferation of terrorist groups that engage in all kinds of criminal activities including kidnappings and all sorts of trafficking.

Mauritanias borders with Algeria and Mali have been a transit point for terrorist groups, including the Mali-based al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other terrorists based in southern Algeria.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and all your people on the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Independence Day, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

I am confident that Azerbaijan-Afghanistan relations will continue developing and expanding in an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation serving the best interests of our two peoples. On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health and success in your endeavors, and the friendly people of Afghanistan peace and well-being.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Russia is ready to continue to render assistance in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Aug. 20.

We are considering the issue of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the OSCE Minsk Group, where Russia is one of the co-chairing countries, he said. "Our goal is to render all possible assistance to the parties of the conflict for them to be able to agree between themselves. The solution that is acceptable for the parties of the conflict will be acceptable for us as well."

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.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Details added (first version posted at 12:26)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

The signing of the Convention on the status of the Caspian sea is a historic event, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference Aug. 20.

He noted that the most important factor is that this Convention has been signed by five fully independent states, which primarily take into account their own interests. "It is important that the sovereign states participated in the signing of the Convention. Nobody has been imposed upon anything. The countries settled for signing the Convention proceeding from their own interests. This is a great achievement. An international legal regime which strengthens the ties of good-neighborliness has now been established in the Caspian sea. This is a very important historic event," Bocharnikov said.

In his view, the Convention, which is of a general nature, will soon be translated into concrete projects as a result of the work of the high-level working group established by the decision of the heads of state of the Caspian region.

"It is expected that the first meeting of the high-level working group will be held before the end of 2018 in Azerbaijan. I do not know yet what projects will be developed. Perhaps one of them will be the creation of the system of cruise tourism in the Caspian sea. Both our countries and our people who want to travel are interested in this. This is still an idea, but I would like it to be implemented in a fairly short time," Bocharnikov said.

The signing ceremony of the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian sea was held on August 12 at the 5th summit of the heads of state of the Caspian countries in the Kazakh city of Aktau.

The document 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, the heads of the relevant agencies of the Caspian states signed other important documents arising from this Convention  the Protocol on cooperation in the field of combating organized crime in the Caspian sea, the Agreement between the governments of the Caspian states on trade and economic cooperation, the Agreement between the governments of the Caspian states on cooperation in the field of transport, the Agreement on the prevention of incidents in the Caspian sea and the Protocol on cooperation and interaction of border agencies.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolence to his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind.

I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties caused by large-scale floods in your country, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

On the occasion of this tragedy, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who were killed, and all the people of India.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Russia and Azerbaijan are planning to sign a big package of documents in the near future, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference Aug. 20.

He noted that the package will include documents on cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres.

"This package of documents will set a fundamental approach to economic cooperation. We primarily aim to increase our trade turnover; in 2017, it amounted to about $2.6 billion. We hope for its further growth," the diplomat said.

Bocharnikov said both countries also intend to continue to develop cooperation in industry, transportation and a number of other sectors of economy.

"Soon we will witness the creation of joint ventures with participation of Russian capital, which will create the foundation for our further rapprochement," the ambassador said.

He also noted that the work of the business councils of the two countries, in which the chairmen were replaced, has intensified recently.

"Our economic cooperation will get a new impetus until the end of the year," Bocharnikov said.

The decision to establish the Russia-Azerbaijan Business Council was made in 2015 at the 15th meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council was established in 2016. The last meeting of the business councils in the expanded format was held in December 2017.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover with Russia in January-July 2018 amounted to $1.3 billion. Russia accounts for 7.89 percent of the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan.
Title changed, details added (first version posted on 12:07)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

Azerbaijan and Russia are working to organize the interregional cooperation forum, as well as hold the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Aug. 20.

Presently, the priority is for the presidents of the two countries to discuss practical issues, he said. "These friendly contacts between the presidents of our countries set the tone for the diverse and multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The current agenda includes the issues of organizing an interregional cooperation forum to be held in Ganja in early October, Bocharnikov added. This will be a big meeting with the participation of businessmen, officials, representatives of the corresponding ministries of the regions of our countries. I think the meeting must give another stimulus to the development of our cooperation.

The ambassador said that the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission, co-chaired by Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev and Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin must also take place till the end of the year.

"This is also one of the tasks, that is, at the first stage of my activity here, that is, until the end of this year," he added. I said about the state tasks. As for me personally as an ambassador, the task is to establish close contacts with officials and public representatives and also try to get to know the country."

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Details added (first version posted at 12:28)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Russia and Azerbaijan are planning to sign a big package of documents in the near future, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference Aug. 20.

He noted that the package will include documents on cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres.

"This package of documents will set a fundamental approach to economic cooperation. We primarily aim to increase our trade turnover; in 2017, it amounted to about $2.6 billion. We hope for its further growth," the diplomat said.

Bocharnikov said both countries also intend to continue to develop cooperation in industry, transportation and a number of other sectors of economy.

"Soon we will witness the creation of joint ventures with participation of Russian capital, which will create the foundation for our further rapprochement," the ambassador said.

He also noted that the work of the business councils of the two countries, in which the chairmen were replaced, has intensified recently.

"Our economic cooperation will get a new impetus until the end of the year," Bocharnikov said.

The decision to establish the Russia-Azerbaijan Business Council was made in 2015 at the 15th meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council was established in 2016. The last meeting of the business councils in the expanded format was held in December 2017.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover with Russia in January-July 2018 amounted to $1.3 billion. Russia accounts for 7.89 percent of the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Uzbekistan and Turkey plan to increase mutual trade turnover to $5 billion in 2018, the Uzbek media quoted Turkish Ambassador to Uzbekistan Ahmet Basar Sen as saying.

The head of the diplomatic mission noted that the trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan has recently reached record levels and will reach $ 2 billion by the end of 2018.

Sen noted that President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev invites entrepreneurs from Turkey to invest in the economy of Uzbekistan.

"Everything possible is being done to create all conditions for Turkish business," Sen said.

The ambassador said that the mutual visits of the presidents and meetings of the business circles of the two countries contributed to the improvement of economic relations and the growth of trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan.

In 1H2018, Turkey entered the list of top five foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $940 million.

In addition, in the seven months of 2018, Turkey has taken the first place by the number of new foreign enterprises in Uzbekistan. Some 147 enterprises have been established with the participation of the capital of residents of Turkey.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

Trend:

Russian company Holding Aqua, a subsidiary of the state-owned company Kavminkurortresursy (KMKR), has started to export mineral water "Essentuki No.4" and "Essentuki No.17" to Azerbaijan, TASS reported referring to KMKR's press service.

"The Russian enterprise has concluded a contract on "Essentuki No.4" and "Essentuki No.17" deliveries to the Republic of Azerbaijan". Azerbaijan will be supplied with mineral water, mined and bottled in the Caucasian Mineralnye Vody city. In the near future, the company's exports to other countries will also be launched," the message said.

Some 48,000 bottles of mineral water have already been shipped to Azerbaijan within the framework of the agreement. The parties plan to expand cooperation and increase the volume of supplies. For the case of export to Azerbaijan, water will be produced with a special label, written in Russian and Azerbaijani.

"Our enterprise not only exports Essentuki to the Azerbaijani market, but also prepares to start deliveries of products to a number of other countries, including Israel, Kazakhstan and Belarus. Essentuki is a brand with a history. I am confident that our Russian brand will have a worthy place on the shelves of foreign stores. However, we firstly need to fully meet the demand within the country," General Director of Holding Aqua Suleyman Vagapov said.

State Company Kavminkurortresursy is the largest subsoil user of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. The company has the right to extract mineral waters from five deposits - Kislovodsk, Yessentuki, Beshtau, Pyatigorsk and Zheleznovodsk. The company owns Tambukan deposit of therapeutic mud, 210 wells of mineral water, more than 50 km of mineral water pipelines.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Azerbaijan is interested in the establishment of joint ventures with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the fields of industry, logistics and transport, trade representative of Azerbaijan in Dubai Elnur Aliyev told Trend.

"At the same time, we are interested in attracting a big number of Arab companies to the country, because Azerbaijan is an ideal market for foreign investors because it has access to key markets of neighboring countries in the region," he said.

To date, more than 250 companies from the UAE work in Azerbaijan. Baku-Dubai-Baku, Baku-Sharjah-Baku flights operate between the countries.

"In general, Azerbaijan and the UAE have great potential for cooperation and may successfully develop cooperation in the spheres of industry, transport, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism and high technologies," he added.

"Currently, the work is being carried out to accelerate the dynamics of trade turnover between the countries," Aliyev said. "The main share of export of Azerbaijani products to the UAE accounts for Dubai, to which mainly agricultural products are supplied."

"Vegetables and fruits in big volumes, while meat in small volumes, are exported to Dubai," he said. "We intend to maximally increase meat supplies in the future, taking into account the needs of the Dubai market and the growing opportunities for production of this kind of products in Azerbaijan."

"Azerbaijan mainly imports high-tech products, electronics, industrial goods and building materials from the UAE," he said. "Taking into account that the UAE is one of the biggest importers of agricultural products, we expect that our high-quality products will have a niche in this promising market."

"As the UAE has a big potential for re-export, the supply of Azerbaijani goods to the UAE market, may contribute to the supply of our domestic products to the markets of other countries of the Persian Gulf in the future," he added.

"Besides agricultural products, Azerbaijan intends to increase supplies of various types of industrial goods, namely, aluminum plates, pipes, etc. to the UAE," Aliyev said.

According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to $28.457 million in January-July 2018, which is 67 percent more than in the same period of 2017.

At the same time, exports from Azerbaijan to the UAE amounted to $12.317 million (an increase of 58.8 percent), while imports - $16.139 million (by 73.8 percent).
King Mohammed VI has appointed Mohamed Benchaaboun as Minister of Economy and Finance in replacement of Mohamed Boussaid who had been sacked on August 1.

The royal office announced in a statement that the King received Benchaaboun on Monday at the Royal Palace in Rabat and appointed him Minister of Economy and Finance.

The King appointed Benchaaboun at the proposal of Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani, in accordance with the provisions of Article 47 of the Constitution.

Benchaaboun, current Chairman and Managing Director of Moroccos Banque Centrale Populaire, hails from the same RNI party as his predecessor.

Major reforms await the new Economy & Finance Minister, starting with the appropriation bill, as he will have to lead discussions for a 2019 budget that is elaborated in difficult conditions marked by a potential rise in oil prices and unfavorable international climate marked by sluggish growth in the EU, Moroccos main trading partner.

The new economy and finance minister will also have to tackle the issue of the gradual dirham liberalization. Although the reform has so far shown the good health of the Moroccan financial system, a future expansion of the trading band for the dirham is an issue that requires careful thought and strengthening of Moroccos economy, notably exports.

The appointment also comes as the Parliament is about to make a decision on the reform of the status of Bank Al Maghrib. The reform has been designed to give the central bank more autonomy.

The Royal office statement also announced that King Mohammed VI agreed to a proposal by El Othmani to abolish the Secretariat of State in charge of Water and to transfer and integrate all its responsibilities within the structures and prerogatives of the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics, and Water.

According to the statement, this decision aims to improve the governance of water projects and their effectiveness and efficiency and to reinforce complementarity between the ministrys various water departments.

The monarch, who devotes special importance to the issue of water, underscored in the Throne Day speech he delivered on July 29, the importance of water and its preservation.

He called on the Government and institutions concerned to take urgent measures and muster all the means required to deal with emergencies that arise from a lack of access to drinking water and to water for irrigation and livestock, especially during the summer.

The national water plan should address the various issues relating to water resources for the next 30 years, he said stressing the need to maintain the dams building policy and insisting that water plays a fundamental role in development and stability.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Ilkin Shafiyev  Trend:

Azerbaijans drilling company SOCAR-AQS intends to expand activity in Bangladesh, director general of the company Ramin Isayev told Trend.

Earlier, SOCAR-AQS won a tender to conduct drilling operations in Bangladesh. The contract, concluded in 3 + 1 format, envisages the drilling of four wells. The work is estimated at $35 million. The work on the first well is planned to be completed in September 2018.

"The work on each of the wells is expected to be carried out within approximately 50-60 days, depending on their depth," Isayev said. "The wells are located 60-100 kilometers from each other. After completion of work on one well, the drilling rig is dismantled, and then it is assembled again at the site of drilling a new well."

"In general, the government of Bangladesh has plans to drill 108 exploratory wells," he said. "We would like to participate in this work. Moreover, SOCAR-AQS company has a drilling rig and employees in Bangladesh."

He said that the company intends to gradually develop new foreign markets.

"For this purpose, new human resources are required," Isayev said. "We can purchase any equipment, nevertheless we need experienced personnel who can use this equipment."

SOCAR-AQS LLC was established in 2007 by SOCAR and Absheron Drilling as a joint venture rendering integrated drilling and well servicing operations.

The company is currently conducting drilling work at the Gunashli, Western Absheron, Umid and Bulla Deniz fields.

Shareholders of SOCAR AQS are SOCAR and Nobel Oil Services.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

The ban on the import of gasoline from Russia to Kazakhstan will enter into force on August 26, Kazakh media reported.

The corresponding order was adopted by the Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan on July 3, 2018 and was published in the "Kazakhstanskaya Pravda" newspaper on August 16, 2018.

The ban on the import of gasoline from Russia by rail has been introduced for a period of three months, the document said.

The order will come into force upon expiration of ten calendar days after its first official publication, the message said.

Earlier, the Vice-Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Bolat Akchulakov explained that such a ban is introduced due to an overabundance of gasoline in the Kazakhstan market.

"This decision was made due to the fact that we have an overabundance of the AI-92 gasoline on the market. In principle, the consumers guess the overabundance by the price. It is not growing and it is even below the level in January-December last year. We have discussed this issue with the Russian side in advance. This is not news for them," the vice minister said.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Uzbekistan has invited the Indian IT companies to participate in investment projects in the country, the Ministry for Development of Information and Communication Technologies of Uzbekistan announced.

The Uzbek side also stated that the government has introduced unprecedented tax benefits and preferences to support IT companies.

For the purpose of increased use of the potential of the Jawaharlal Nehru India-Uzbekistan Center for Information and Technology, which operates at the Tashkent University of Information Technologies, it was proposed to strengthen cooperation with the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) of India.

It was also proposed to expand the academic cooperation between the specialized universities of the two countries: Tashkent University of Information Technologies with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Delhi Technological University.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 20

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Turkmen commercial company Ferhar is expecting its first harvest of bananas, the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan said in a message on Aug. 20.

A greenhouse with a height of 8.6 meters was built on an area of one hectare in Sakarchage district of Turkmenistan's Mary region. The seedlings were imported from Turkey.

The entrepreneur intends to harvest the first crop by the mid-December, which is expected to be around 30-40 tons. Under favorable conditions, 300-350 pieces of bananas can be removed from each tree.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 20

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent a letter of condolence to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in connection with the death of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Turkmen government said.

In his message, the Turkmen president expressed confidence that the bright memory of Kofi Annan will remain forever in the hearts of present and future generations.

Kofi Annan, a prominent politician and great personality, did a lot for the sake of peace and progress on the whole planet, for the prosperous and happy life of peoples, says the letter.

Berdimuhamedov conveyed his sincere sympathy and support to Annan's relatives and friends.

Former United Nations Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan died at the age of 80 in hospital in Bern, Switzerland on Aug. 18.

Annan served two terms as UN Secretary General in New York in 1997-2006 and retired in Geneva and later lived in a Swiss village in the nearby countryside.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 20

Trend:



Iran's First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said no limitations have been so far created by the US sanctions for European nations and Iran's economic and oil trade with them is going ahead without any issues.



The US sanctions have created no limitations so far for European countries in the economic sector, particularly with regard to oil purchases and trade exchanges, Jahangiri said, Shana news agency reported.



He added that Tehran is hopeful that the European countries can meet their commitments but even if they cannot, Iran is seeking solutions to sell its oil and transfer the revenues.



The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on August 4, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies, three months after President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.



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.



Trump warned that those who don't wind down their economic ties to Iran "risk severe consequences."

Jahangiri further said that while a number of European private companies have pulled out of the country, the results of their exit have not been very determining so far.

"Politically speaking, the Americans are lonely and isolated and the Islamic Republic is in a position where, except for two or three countries, all the countries have supported Iran's stance," he added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 20

Trend

The 27th Iranian handmade carpet exhibition will be held in the Iranian capital of Tehran soon.

More than 670 domestic and foreign firms will participate in the exhibition scheduled to be held in Tehrans international trade fair on August 3-9, IRIB news agency reported on August 20.

In addition to displaying a diverse range of hand woven rugs, the exhibition this year provides an opportunity for visitors to get familiar with some of the lesser known aspects of the Persian carpet.

Irans hand-woven carpets are exported to about 80 countries.

The United States, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Lebanon, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Japan have long been buyers of Iranian carpets.

However, new markets, including China, Russia, South Africa and Brazil, have also joined the list of customers in recent years.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 20

Trend:

Iran has resumed crude oil export from the oil layer of South Pars Gas Field, the Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) has announced.

The 19th oil cargo of the South Pars gas fields oil layer (SPOL) loaded last week by floating production, storage and offloading vessel, named FPSO Cyrus, the IOOC said via its official website Aug. 20.

The crude oil was suspended last month after FPSO Cyrus had a collision with the [Panama-flagged] SOL tanker in July, which caused slight damage to the vessel's body, hose and other offloading equipment.

However, the oil production resumed few days after the incident and continued simultaneously with overhaul operations in the, according to the report.

Iran began to extract crude oil from South Pars in March 2016 using FPSO Cyrus.

The Islamic Republic produces 25,000 barrels per day of crude oil from SPOL and was in talks with foreign investors, including Maersk, for the second phase of the layer development project, in order to increase the output level to 54,000 b/d.

The first phase of the project was developed by Iranians, and Tehran needs to offer the second phase of the layer development project to foreigners, because domestic companies lack the necessary technology for development of the next phases.

Development of SPOL needs use of modern technologies, including the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods.

Previously, Fardin Asadi, operator of SPOL's development project said, that oil export from the layer is carried out each 20-25 days, when the extracted oil reaches the ceiling of 550,000 barrels.

Based on long-term plan, Iran targets to extract 200,000 barrels of crude oil from the South Pars oil layer in the next 20 years. At least 300 wells will be drilled in this regard.

The SPOL is estimated to contain over 6 billion barrels of crude oil with an API of 21 and recovery rate of 10 percent, which can be increased to 35 percent by adopting EOR and IOR techniques for oil recovery.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 20

Trend:



Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said French energy giant Total has officially withdrawn from Phase 11 of South Pars, one of the countrys biggest gas projects.



Total has officially quit its contract with Iran to develop Phase 11 of South Pars, Zangeneh said on August 20, Fars news agency reported.



Total  with a leading share of 50.1 percent in the development of Phase 11  announced two months ago that it was withdrawing from the project.



Stressing that the terms of the contract with Chinas CNPC and Irans Petropars over the development of Phase 11 of South Pars had not changed, the minister said a new firm would take over a leading role held by Total in the project.



In July 2017, the NIOC (the National Iranian Oil Company) awarded the project to the trio through a contract worth around $4 billion.



CNPC has now a 30 percent stake, while PetroPars holds the remaining 19.9 percent.



The French energy company announced on May 16 that it may pull out of South Pars deal in light of a decision by US President Donald Trump to pull his country out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.



The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on August 4, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies, three months after Trump pulled the US out of the nuclear deal.



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.



Trump warned that those who don't wind down their economic ties to Iran "risk severe consequences."
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 20

Trend:

The chief executive officer of NPC (National Petrochemical Company) said the Iranian government has managed to sign 10 MoU in the petrochemical sector, since the signing of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers.

Reza Norouz-Zadeh said Irans petrochemical industry has great potential to attract more foreign investors, ISNA reported.

Since the signing of the Iran nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, the oil ministry has managed to ink 10 petrochemical memorandums of understanding and talks with foreign firms are underway.

The official further expressed the hope that talks with the firm would soon yield results.

On May 8, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Three months later, the US reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran, 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.

Trump warned that those who don't wind down their economic ties to Iran "risk severe consequences."
Morocco has renewed its commitment to the dynamics launched by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in cooperation with his personal envoy for the Sahara, making it clear that this commitment is based on the same frame of reference set out earlier.

Morocco has been confidently and responsibly engaged in the dynamic action launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in cooperation with his Personal Envoy, said King Mohammed VI in a speech he addressed to the Nation Monday evening on the 65th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People.

Our commitment in this connection is based on the same frame of reference I set out last year in my address on the occasion of the anniversary of the Green March, he said, expressing satisfaction that there is increasing compatibility between these principles and the stances adopted by the international community.

Indeed, the Monarch noted, the recent resolutions of the UN Security Council and the African Union Summit confirm, without any doubt, that the UN has exclusive authority to manage the political process relating to the Sahara issue.

I should like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and appreciation to the leaders of African sister nations who have reacted positively to Moroccos principled stances and responded to the call of the Security Council, which invited the members of the international community to support its efforts.

The epic of the Revolution of the King and People illustrates the heroic struggle jointly waged by the Moroccan Monarch and people against the French colonial authorities, which exiled on August 20, 1953, the Late King Mohammed V and the Royal Family.

The exile ignited a fierce resistance that ended only in 1955 after Morocco recovered its independence and the Royal family returned home.

In his speech on this anniversary, the Monarch underlined that the spirit and values of the Revolution of the King and the People, and the unanimity, cohesion and sacrifices underpinning it, are the same as those that galvanize Moroccans whenever it comes to the question of the countrys territorial integrity.

Although it took place in difficult circumstances, it was an enlightening revolution. It taught Moroccans the true meaning of patriotism and helped us move forward, the King said.

Today, we are witnessing the dawn of a new revolution  one in which we seek to rise to the challenge of completing the construction of modern Morocco; a revolution through which we aim to give Moroccans the place they deserve in life, especially our young people, whom I have always regarded as the countrys true wealth, the King stated further.
The remarks came after a member of the Supreme Council of Provinces in Iran said recently that overfishing by Chinese ships in waters off the southern Iranian coasts in the Persian Gulf has put seafood resources at risk there.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

By Matanat Nasibova  Trend:

Azerbaijan and Belarus have a strong potential for expanding economic cooperation in the production sector, Belarusian expert Yuri Shevtsov told Trend, noting that Azerbaijan is one of the most reliable economic partners of Belarus in the region.

In particular, the expert touched upon the cooperation between the Ganja Automobile Plant and the Minsk Tractor Works, which are expected to sign an agreement on expanding the production of Belarus tractors in Azerbaijan by the end of 2018.

Shevtsov said the implementation of this serious contract promises financial benefits for the two countries, and will significantly improve the level of cooperation between Belarus and Azerbaijan in this important sphere.

"Ganja Automobile Plant is the leader of joint activity in the field of production cooperation, and the largest facility for the assembly of Belarusian tractors outside the Eurasian Economic Union. From the point of view of trade relations, Azerbaijan is much more attractive to Belarus than, for example, Armenia, which is a member of the Customs Union, the Eurasian Union and participates in integration processes", Shevtsov said.

"The fact that about 8,000 "Belarus" tractors and over 3,500 units of vehicles of "MAZ" brand have been assembled at the Ganja Automobile Plant demonstrates that there is a base good enough for effective cooperation," Shevtsov said.

"In general, the engineering sector is a priority area for expanding bilateral cooperation, and I think that it will be one of the leading areas in the future. At the moment, the parties are working closely in this area, expanding the assembling yards for Belarusian MTZ tractors and MAZ vehicles, which are successfully operated in Azerbaijan", Shevtsov added.

The expert noted that the bilateral cooperation in the areas of production cooperation and services, and in the field of investments is significantly expanding.

"As far as I know, more than 250 enterprises which supply hundreds of commodity items are involved in bilateral trade between our countries. In such a case, more than 40 Azerbaijani companies are dealers and distributors of Belarusian enterprises in Azerbaijan. Such areas as construction, food industry, mechanical engineering, transport, tourism, banking and insurance services are also attractive for local investors," Shevtsov said.

Belarus is also interested in the establishment of joint technological parks with Azerbaijan, as well as in the development of export directions for the supply of industrial products to third countries, he said.

"The cooperation in the field of high technologies is also one of the promising areas, and, as far as I know, the bilateral agreements on cooperation in this sphere have already been concluded. Our countries are interested in implementing joint projects on mutually beneficial terms," the expert said.

"For example, joint activities on the development of nuclear energy, which is explored currently by Azerbaijan, are being considered. Given the extensive experience of Belarus in the field of nuclear research, I would not rule out that cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy can contribute to the implementation of major scientific projects in the medium term", the expert continued.

"Azerbaijan is also building up the experience of cooperation in this direction. All these opportunities give grounds to believe that our countries can work together on cooperative projects in the field of science and high technologies, develop intellectual, scientific, technological and production potential," the expert concluded.
At least 19 people were killed in an Islamist militant attack on a village in northeast Nigeria in the early hours of Sunday, a survivor of the attack said, Reuters reported.

The strike is the latest blow to Nigerias efforts to defeat insurgencies by the Nigerian Islamist Boko Haram group and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA). In recent months, the military has suffered its heaviest defeats in years, commanders have been repeatedly replaced, and special forces soldiers have mutinied.

The militants attacked the village of Mailari in the Guzamala region of Borno state at around 2 a.m., according to the survivor, Abatcha Umar. He said he had not been able to tell whether they belonged to Boko Haram or to ISWA.

Umar said he had counted 19 people killed, including his younger brother. An aid worker at a camp that received the survivors, and who declined to be identified, put the death toll at 63.

The Islamist militants had been spotted around the village three days before their attack, said Umar. Locals had warned Nigerian troops stationed in the nearby town of Gudumbali, but no action was taken, he said.

The aid worker said hundreds of people from villages in the area had fled to the camp for displaced people where he worked, in Monguno.
New Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said Monday he believed that one of the key problems of the country is the ongoing debt crisis. Along with the debt crisis, lack of human development, inequality, problems in the system of education, water shortage and climate changes are also mentioned as key Pakistans problems, Sputnik reported.

Khan also said that the progress of Pakistan would be based on several principles including the rule of law, accountability of everyone, fair tax system and creation of the system of meritocracy.

On Saturday, Khan, the leader of Pakistan's centrist Tehreek-e-Insaf party, was sworn in as the country's 22nd prime minister.

Khan was elected prime minister as a result of Friday's vote in the country's National Assembly. Khan's candidature for prime minister was backed by 176 lawmakers out of 272. His key rival, Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the center-right Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was supported by 96 votes.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his plans to once again run for member of the countrys parliament in the 2019 general election, Sputnik reported.

Weve accomplished a lot since 2015, but theres still more work to do, together. So today, Im excited to accept the nomination as the 2019 Liberal Party of Canada | Parti liberal du Canada candidate for Papineau, Trudeau wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday.

Trudeau, 46, has been heading the Liberal Party since 2013. In 2015, he became the 23rd prime minister of Canada. He has been member of the Canadian parliament for the Papineau federal electoral district in Montreal since 2008.

Trudeau's statement comes amid tensed talks over modernized North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada, Mexico and the United States have been engaged in talks for exactly a year at the initiative of US President Donald Trump.

Moreover, the United States has earlier filed separate disputes at the World Trade Organization challenging tariffs imposed on US goods by Canada and other countries as a retaliation to the Trump administration originally imposing steel and aluminum tariffs.

Meanwhile, the most recent survey carried out this year by the Mainstreet Research showed that majority of Canadians prefer Trudeau's policies, describing Canadian Prime Minister as "honest and intelligent."
A series of new earthquakes were recorded by seismologists throughout Sunday, the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday which triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover, Sputnik reported citing AFP.

According to the US Geological Survey, the new tremors were followed nearly twelve hours later by a quake measuring 6.9 and at least five more significant aftershocks.

Indonesia's disaster agency spokesman Agung Pramuja said that five people were killed by the new jolts late Sunday evening, two in eastern Lombok and three on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa.

According to the Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency, power outages had hit much of Lombok and a large fire broke out in a village on Sumbawa.

Moreover, landslides were reported in a national park on Mount Rinjani where hundreds of tourists had been briefly trapped after the quake in late July.

On August 5, the 6.9-magnitude earthquake followed by several aftershocks hit Lombok, leaving at least 436 people dead.

Indonesia is located in a seismically active zone known as the Ring of Fire and regularly suffers from powerful earthquakes. Hundreds of thousands died in 2004, when the most powerful earthquake at that time hit Sumatra's Aceh region, triggering a tsunami in several states bordering the Indian Ocean.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

Trend:

The central banks of Qatar and Turkey signed a currency swap agreement in the Qatari capital Doha, Turkish media reported.

According to sources from the Turkish central bank, the first step has been taken after Qatar pledged $15 billion of investment package in Turkey last Wednesday.

The agreement aims to enhance bilateral cooperation between two banks by setting a two-way currency exchange line.

It will provide liquidity and support for financial stability, along with facilitating exchange of trade between Turkey and Qatar. The agreement will also contribute to the enrichment of reserves of both countries.

The funding for the first phase of the deal is expected to be worth $3 billion.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 20

Trend:

Unknown persons have opened fire at the building of the American Embassy in Ankara, Turkish media reported.

The incident occurred around 05:00 local time (GMT+3).

According to reports, the shooting was carried out from a white car. No human casualties have been reported.

The shooters fled the scene following the shooting.
They discussed "efforts to deepen the US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership" during their meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of the 16th G20 Summit, according to State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.
At a rally in Minnesota this summer, Donald Trump invited his audience to offer its opinion on the fake news media. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

For decades now, the conservative movement has sought to keep its core voters confined to a carefully curated media ecosystem  one where the Democratic Party is a Marxist-Islamist organization, America is the worlds most over-taxed nation, illegal immigrants bear sole responsibility for the stagnation of middle-class wages (and/or all violent crime), and theres never been a better time to buy gold coins.

In many respects, this project has been a great boon to the Republican Party. Research suggests that Fox News existence significantly boosts the GOPs vote-share (and might have even swung the 2004 election to George W. Bush). And, in addition to helping Republicans win elections, the right-wing echo-chamber has given the party a freer hand once in power. More tax cuts for the wealthy, less social insurance for the working class, and near-total impunity for polluters and predatory lenders is not a popular platform, even with Republican voters. But by supplying conservatives with alternative facts about such policies; stoking their cultural resentments and racialized fears; and branding all non-conservative media as biased or liberal (or, in todays parlance, fake news) the GOP has succeeded in retaining the loyalty of its grassroots, while betraying their stated preferences on a wide range of economic issues.

But cultivating mass delusion has also had downsides for the GOP  or, at least, for its Establishment. During the Obama years, the tail began wagging the dog  the partys propaganda outlets went from selling the leaderships policies to dictating them. Alarmist lies about an imminent debt crisis didnt just provide momentum to Paul Ryans austerity agenda  they nearly forced a debt default that the Speaker (along with all of corporate America) had no interest in. And then, of course, Fox News lost control of its own audience, and the networks birther correspondent became the GOPs 2016 standard-bearer.

Now, Republican consultants are concerned that the combination of their voters insulation from reality  and Donald Trumps fragile ego  could cost the party control of the House.

And their fear is quite rational. The party that controls the White House almost always has a tough time mobilizing its base in midterm elections. When voters see their team in power everyday, they feel secure; and thus, complacent; and thus, less obligated to drive to their polling places after work. GOP strategists hope to combat this perennial problem by turning their partys weakness into a strength: With polls predicting a blue wave this November, Republicans hope to instill an energizing panic in their base over the terrifying prospect of Speaker Pelosi.

But the presidents narcissism compels him to undermine this gambit. To acknowledge that Democrats are poised for a landslide would be to acknowledge that the American people do not overwhelmingly approve of his job performance. Therefore, Trump has assured his voters that all those reports about a blue wave are fake news, and that Republicans are certain to keep Congress in November. Fox News has dutifully echoed this message, and the GOP base has fully absorbed it.

As Axioss Jonathan Swan reports:

The presidents contempt for mainstream polling and the media may come back to haunt him in November. Several top Republican operatives working on the midterm elections told me Trumps fanciful red wave predictions could depress Republican turnout and, ironically, serve to make any blue wave even bigger.

What were hearing: One of those strategists told me hes detecting something interesting  and concerning  from focus groups of Trump voters. You have Trump-MAGA loyalists, and their friends on Fox, who have reached a point of not believing polls and media people telling them things are going wrong, that I believe is actually causing the Republicans problems, the strategist told me, granted anonymity in order to be candid.

Weve seen it in focus groups, with Republican base voters, where youll come up with a hypothetical that the Democrats win, and people are like, Thats not going to happen, thats stupid.  Theyre like, Oh, to hell with this crap, we were told Trump wasnt going to win. Its bullshit.

 They watch Hannity and hear that a red wave is coming to save the House. They really believe its going to be 2016 all over again.



If Democrats do retake the House (as probabilistic forecasts currently predict), perhaps the GOP base will finally realize that their movements fair and balanced media outlets arent actually interested in keeping them well-informed. But it seems much more likely that theyll follow their leaders guidance  and conclude that Democrats are busing more illegals to the polls than theyd ever imagined.
Tom Cotton is dead set against any sort of criminal-justice reform, and Cory Bookers not jazzed about weak-tea compromises. Photo: Pete Marovich/Getty Images; Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The long-delayed consummation of a modest, bipartisan federal criminal-justice-reform push began to look more likely a few weeks ago when President Trump signaled support for a Senate deal that combined a House-passed prison-reform bill with some key sentencing-reform provisions. The House bill was to a considerable extent the handiwork of presidential son-in-law and Minister Without Portfolio Jared Kushner, who then worked hard on The Boss to get him to sign off on adding in some elements of a bipartisan sentencing-reform bill that came tantalizingly close to enactment in 2016 before it succumbed to Senate Republicans who thought it might conflict with Trumps law-and-order rhetoric on the campaign trail. Perhaps, many observers thought, Trump could provide cover for any GOP senators fearful of doing the right thing to relax mandatory minimum sentences created during the ancient and failed War on Drugs because it might make them look weak on crime.

This strategem is now running into some predictable opposition in the Senate from two different directions. Longtime criminal-justice-reform nemesis Tom Cotton (whose basic position is that America has an under-incarceration problem) published a Wall Street Journal op-ed last week denouncing the proposed compromise as constituting a jailbreak:

[U]nder no circumstances should Congress cut mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes or give judges more discretion to reduce those sentences. That foolish approach is not criminal-justice reformits a jailbreak that would endanger communities and undercut President Trumps campaign promise to restore law and order.

The U.S. faces a drug epidemic today, exactly the wrong time to go soft on crime.

Cottons belief that it makes sense to address the opioid crisis with the harsh sentencing tools that so notably failed during the crack epidemic of the 1980s is more than a little dubious. But hes on solid ground when it comes to the race-fueled crime rhetoric that has been a Republican staple since the 1960s. And he has an unknown number of Senate sympathizers, as the Hill reports:

Besides Cotton, other reliable allies of the White House, including Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), are opposing the administrations approach, which would combine a House-passed prison reform bill with changes to sentencing and mandatory minimums that have wide, bipartisan support in the Senate.

But the compromise initiative has an additional problem: a tepid reception from Senate Democrats who prefer the original 2016 bipartisan bill to any new watered-down package designed to get Trump on board. Criminal-justice-reform activist Cory Booker is already expressing skepticism:

The bipartisan bill that we passed out [of the Judiciary Committee], which was negotiated extensively, was the compromises that I wanted to make, Booker told The Hill. For me to give up on something that was negotiated. I find it hard to think that would cut mustard for me.

Im still open to seeing what would happen, but remember we fought really hard for what was in that bill and to have it be vacated to get an even more watered-down one is concerning to me, he added.

Kamala Harris  like Booker, a much-discussed 2020 presidential possibility  is also thought to be resistant to a Trump-supported compromise. Dick Durbin seems to be the principal Democratic negotiator in the Senate, but its unclear how much support he has among other Democrats.

All in all its a very sensitive situation, particularly this close to a midterm election. Trump might be able to isolate Cotton and Cornyn with a few phone calls or meetings. But on the other hand, at a time when he is widely reported to be settling on a rev up the base approach to the midterms, he might be tempted to launch a few polarizing law and order tweets that scorch any common ground on criminal-justice issues. Presumably Jared Kushner knows this, and a lot will depend on his ability to keep Trump under control while the process works itself out in the Senate. One good thing is that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been even more adamantly opposed to criminal-justice reform than Cotton, is probably not exercising a lot of influence in the White House these days.

In the end Senate Democrats will probably come around to support a compromise if they are convinced its the best deal they are going to get. So while no one should place a bet on it, the odds are reasonably good that a rare bipartisan achievement is in the offing at a most unlikely time.
New Delhi: India on Monday denied that Prime Minister Narendra Modi PM Modi pushed for a dialogue between the two countries to newly-appointed Pakistan PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan in his congratulating letter. However highly-placed government sources confirmed that PM wrote congratulatory letter to Imran Khan.

The response of PMO of India came shortly after Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed that the Indian Prime Minister had written a letter to newly appointed PM Imran Khan and indicated a start of talks.

Pakistan-based Geo News quoted countrys foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as asserting Prime Minister has called for talks in his congratulatory letter to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. He reportedly made the statement shortly after taking oath.

According to the Zee news Qureshi also reached out his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and said that he wanted to tell her that India and Pakistan were not just neighbors, but atomic powers with a lot of common resources.

Sources said in his letter, PM Modi congratulate Imran on his smooth transition. Polls and the smooth transition strengthen belief in democracy, PM wrote. The letter read about shared belief to bring peace and prosperity in the subcontinent and make it free from terrorism and violence, details of the letter available with Times Now show.
Description

For the past decade, St. Marks Church and the Village of Westhampton Beach have graciously hosted the Westhampton Beach Festival of the Arts each Labor Day weekend. This year the event returns on September 1-2, 2018. Through your support, this event has grown into one of Americas top fine art events. This reputation and national ranking reflects both the artistic talents of the artisans and the extraordinary support given the event by residents and visitors to eastern Long Island  You!

Each year, artisans and their artwork transform the Great Lawn into an extraordinary outdoor gallery of works in sculpture, jewelry, painting, photography and mixed-media, created using a variety of materials, styles and techniques. Find exquisite creations in glass, ceramics, fiber art, metalwork and wood. Enjoy the opportunity to interact with the artisans, learn how they came to their artform and how your pieces were created. Purchase for home and office. Consider commissioning art made specifically for you! All the while discovering how art enriches your life!

The 10th Annual Westhampton Beach Festival of the Arts is open Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 11-6. Admission and parking are free. Join us on the Great Lawn in front of St. Marks Church. Your journey into discovering art awaits!
ASX Blockchain

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has disclosed that millions of dollars in savings could be generated by Australian firms once the exchange migrates from the existing Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS) to a blockchain technology-based platform.

Currently, it is estimated that the average fee that large investors are charged for clearing and settlement services is approximately 1.2% of the assets. The superannuation industry, on the other hand, incurs costs of approximately $23 billion.

If the value of what we can deliver by providing an enriched, real-time source of truth information to the industry ultimately allows the industry to offer new services that create only 5% incremental revenue or cost savings to end-issuers and investors, we think its absolutely worth pursuing, the CEO of ASX, Dominic Stevens, said during the exchanges full-year results briefing.

Simpler, Faster, Cheaper

According to Stevens, adopting distributed ledger technology will make reconciliation processes redundant as participants will be in a position to access the correct data in real-time without having to consult the securities exchange. Additionally, a DLT-based system will reduce risk and costs as well as complexity. Currently, there are many disparate databases and supporting, upgrading and maintaining them is expensive. The adoption of distributed ledger technology will also spur innovation.

By doing all of this within a highly secure environment where permissioned users have access only to the data that they are entitled to see, ASX is safely liberating the source of truth information in real-time such that it can be used by participants and other providers to build new services across the value chain, Stevens added. This will provide tremendous value by being a great business enabler for our customers, and a significant enabler of innovation for issuers and investors.

One Harmonized Database

Unlike the CHESS platform which has multiple versions of multiple applications programmed in multiple languages residing on multiple databases, the ASXs DLT-based system will use a standard modeling language for Ethereum-like smart contracts and this will sit on a harmonized database.

Story continues

So far ASX has spent 3 years researching and developing the technology which is expected to go live in two years. This will make it the worlds first industrial-scale application of blockchain in critical financial market infrastructure. Development of the distributed ledger technology to replace CHESS will be done in collaboration with Digital Asset Holdings, a fintech firm based in New York. ASX Limited owns a 5% stake in the startup.

As CCN reported at the time, ASX initially began considering replacing its CHESS platform with a blockchain-based one in October 2015 when it was headed by Elmer Funke Kupper. Early the following year, the worlds16th biggest exchange announced that it had picked Digital Asset Holdings to develop the blockchain-based system.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post $23 Billion: Blockchain Pivot to Bring Big Savings for Australias Biggest Stock Exchange appeared first on CCN.


Dividends play a key role in compounding returns over time and can form a large part of our portfolio return. In the past 10 years Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc (NYSE:ANW) has returned an average of 1.00% per year to investors in the form of dividend payouts. Should it have a place in your portfolio? Lets take a look at Aegean Marine Petroleum Network in more detail.

View our latest analysis for Aegean Marine Petroleum Network

How I analyze a dividend stock

When assessing a stock as a potential addition to my dividend Portfolio, I look at these five areas:

Is it paying an annual yield above 75% of dividend payers?

Has its dividend been stable over the past (i.e. no missed payments or significant payout cuts)?

Has it increased its dividend per share amount over the past?

Is its earnings sufficient to payout dividend at the current rate?

Will it be able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future?

NYSE:ANW Historical Dividend Yield August 19th 18

How does Aegean Marine Petroleum Network fare?

The current payout ratio for ANW is negative, which means that it is loss-making, and paying its dividend from its retained earnings.

Reliablity is an important factor for dividend stocks, particularly for income investors who want a strong track record of payment and a positive outlook for future payout. Dividend payments from Aegean Marine Petroleum Network have been volatile in the past 10 years, with some years experiencing significant drops of over 25%. This means that dividend hunters should probably steer clear of the stock, at least for now until the track record improves.

Compared to its peers, Aegean Marine Petroleum Network has a yield of 2.04%, which is on the low-side for Oil and Gas stocks.

Next Steps:

Now you know to keep in mind the reason why investors should be careful investing in Aegean Marine Petroleum Network for the dividend. On the other hand, if you are not strictly just a dividend investor, the stock could still be offering some interesting investment opportunities. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I urge potential investors to try and get a good understanding of the underlying business and its fundamentals before deciding on an investment. Ive put together three relevant factors you should look at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for ANWs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for ANWs outlook. Historical Performance: What has ANWs returns been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here.

To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
The AUD/USD and NZD/USD are showing no response to higher U.S. equity markets which tends to indicate increased demand for higher risk assets. A drop in U.S. Treasury yields also seems to be having little or no effect on demand for the Aussie and Kiwi. Higher gold prices, which tend to indicate demand for commodities, are also having a limited effect on the currencies.

The Australian and New Zealand Dollars are trading lower on Monday, showing little reaction to last weeks late rally. The lack of fresh economic data today may be behind the limited price action. Additionally, traders may also be also be squaring positions ahead of domestic reports later this week.

At 1115 GMT, the AUD/USD is trading .7307, down 0.0009 or -0.14% and the NZD/USD is at .6622, down 0.0014 or -0.21%.

Caution ahead of the planned trade talks later this week between the United States and China is also helping to limit gains. Traders are hoping the talks will ease tensions between the worlds two biggest economies, however, they are not betting heavily on a positive outcome because the meeting are being called low-level.

There are also no new developments over the currency crisis in Turkey. The price action in the Turkish Lira suggests policymakers may have stemmed the tide with their decisions, which included ending short-selling. Over the week-end, several rating agencies downgraded the countrys creditworthiness, however, these moves were widely expected. Furthermore, the country is preparing for a three-year holiday.

The AUD/USD and NZD/USD are showing no response to higher U.S. equity markets which tends to indicate increased demand for higher risk assets. A drop in U.S. Treasury yields also seems to be having little or no effect on demand for the Aussie and Kiwi. Higher gold prices, which tend to indicate demand for commodities, are also having a limited effect on the currencies.

Aussie traders appear to be taking to the sidelines ahead of a speech by Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe at 2200 GMT and the release of the RBA Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes at 0130 GMT.

Kiwi traders are preparing for Tuesdays reports on Visitor Arrivals and Credit Card Spending. Early Wednesday traders will get the chance to react to a report on Retail Sales.

Today is a light day as far as U.S. economic data is concerned. At 1500 GMT, Federal Open Market Committee Member Raphael Bostic is scheduled to speak. Fed speakers have been quiet this month. Although the Federal Reserve remains upbeat on the outlook for U.S. growth, which grew at a 4.1 percent pace in the second quarter, a number of officials including Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic have warned that the trade dispute is a downside risk for the economy.

Story continues

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
FRANKFURT, Aug 11 (Reuters) - German automotive supplier Duerr has halted its activities in Iran, which has been hit by the reintroduction of U.S. sanctions this week that include threats to blacklist any companies trading with the Islamic republic.

"Business in Iran has grown over the past year. Now we have stopped our activities for the time being," Duerr Chief Financial Officer Carlo Crosetto told Boersen-Zeitung in an interview published on Saturday.

"We've won two larger contracts in 2017. This is not overly important, but it's not small either. This was also an opportunity in terms of margins that we're now losing," Crosetto said, without providing further details.

China and Germany on Wednesday defended their business ties with Iran in the face of President Donald Trump's warning that any companies trading with the country would be barred from the United States.

Several European companies have suspended plans to invest in Iran, including oil major Total as well as carmakers PSA, Renault and Daimler. (Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Mark Potter)
Bitcoin gained 1.44% on Sunday, partially reversing Saturdays 3.08% fall, to end the day at $6,483.4.

An early pullback to an intraday low $6,309.3 saw Bitcoin steer clear of the first major support level at $6,249.03, with Bitcoin having found plenty of support at $6,300 through the weekend, a new line in the sand for the Bitcoin bulls looking to avoid another slide to sub-$6,000 levels.

A late rally saw Bitcoin hit an intraday high $6,550.3 before easing back to $6,400 levels by the days end. The late in the day high fell shy of the first major resistance level at $6,568.53 and more importantly, well-short of the 23.6% FIB Retracement Level of $6,757, to leave the extended bearish trend firmly intact.

The moves through the weekend left Bitcoin up 2.68% for the week, bringing to an end a number of heavy weekly losses stemming from regulatory chatter from the South Korean government and the much talked about SEC postponements to approving or declining a number of Bitcoin ETFs.

For the Bitcoin bulls, failing to hold on to $6,500 levels remains the issue, with Bitcoin having managed to break through to $6,500 levels and beyond in 5 of the 7 days of last week, whilst failing to hold on to $6,500 levels by the close on each occasion except one, Fridays $6,571.2 finish that came off the back of the broad based rally that saw Bitcoin gain 4.06%.

The continued resistance at $6,500 has left Bitcoin in a relatively tight range in recent sessions, which may well be a signal for a sizeable move, though direction will likely be more hinged on updates from the G20, regulators from key crypto jurisdictions and also news from the SEC on the status of Bitcoin ETF approvals.

Get Into Cryptocurrency Trading Today

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was up 0.08% to $6,490, with Bitcoin moving through to an early morning $6,524 high before pulling back to sub-$6,500 levels, the moves through the morning leaving the major support and resistance levels untested as Bitcoin continues to struggle to break out from $6,500.

Story continues

For the day ahead, a move back through the morning high $6,524 would support a run at the first major resistance level at $6,586.03 and $6,600 levels, though for Bitcoin to break out from $6,500 levels, sentiment across the broader market will need to improve, with a hold above $6,450 key through the morning.

Failure to hold above $6,450 and move back through to $6,500 levels could see Bitcoin take a hit later in the day, with any fall through $6,450 likely to bring the days first major support level at $6,345.03 into play before any recovery.

Through the weekend $6,300 support proved to be key for the Bitcoin bulls and we will expect this to continue through the early part of the week.

{alt}

Buy & Sell Cryptocurrency Instantly

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) continue to receive criticism for their stance on gun policies adopted post mass shootings in some high schools earlier this year.

In a voting held on Aug 16 by Louisianas state bond commission, Bank of America BAC and Citigroup C have been voted to keep out from participating as underwriters of $600 million worth bonds sale to finance interstate projects.

The commission led by Chairman and State Treasurer John M. Schroder, voted seven to six to ban two of the major Wall Street biggies due to the restrictive gun policies that both the banks had adopted earlier this year, post mass shootings carried out in at a high school in Parkland, FL.

The two banks had announced that they will end relationships with retailers and manufacturers that sell firearms to people below 21 of age. The commission sees these policies as a breach of second amendment rights that allow civilians the right to own a firearm for self-protection.

Schroder said, I personally believe the policies of these banks are an infringement on the rights of Louisiana citizens.

He further added, As a veteran and former member of law enforcement, I take the Second Amendment very seriously.

We have a very capable group of underwriters including some of the biggest banks in America who want to participate in this deal. No one can convince me that keeping these two banks in this competitive process is worth giving up our rights.

Another major wall street bank to take action against gun dealers was JPMorgan Chase JPM. The company had cut down business relations with gunmakers at the time.

Citigroup and Bank of America have been facing constant criticism from the Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association since they have taken stance against lending money to gun makers.

Shares of Citigroup and Bank of America have lost 9.5% and 3.6%, respectively, over the past six months compared with the industrys decline of 4%.

SIx Months Price Performance

Both the stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

A better-ranked stock in the same space is Comerica Incorporated CMA. The company has witnessed 5.2% upward estimate revision over the last 60 days. Also, its shares have rallied 44.3% in the past year. The stock currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?



Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.



Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.



See the pot trades we're targeting>>



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JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Comerica Incorporated (CMA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Citigroup Inc. (C) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Bank of America Corporation (BAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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Vindicating the right to vote in states like Georgia has been a struggle since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013. Photo: Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

Randolph County, Georgia, is the 144th largest of the states rather excessive 159 counties, with a population of just over 7,000 souls. It was named after the famous early 19th-century ultrareactionary Virginia politician John Randolph of Roanoke. And its now living up to that ideological heritage by seeming to make itself a symbol of the cause of voter suppression.

This small county set off a large national brouhaha by proposing to close seven of nine polling places before the November general election. Because Randolph is a majority-black county, this is precisely the kind of action that would have instantly triggered U.S. Justice Department scrutiny under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965  until that preclearance provision was gutted by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. Now it took local voter agitation, an intervention by the ACLU, and some reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to place a spotlight on the highly suspicious contraction of polling places.

The plan to close the polling places came from a consultant recommended by the office of Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who is the Republican gubernatorial nominee and a bit of a renowned vote suppressor. He explained the plan in a couple of heavily attended public meetings, as the Journal-Constitution reported:



The consultant, Mike Malone, presented a slide to county residents at two courtesy meetings last week addressing the changes that included these lines he read aloud about the plan to reduce polling sites:

Consolidation has come highly recommended by the Secretary of State and is already being adopted by several counties and is being seriously considered and being worked on by many more.

The trend in Georgia and other states is to reduce polling places to reduce election costs and this is being accomplished by consolidating polling places into more combined vote centers.

Actually, the vote centers trend is mostly in states with procedures that make it very easy to vote from home, and maintain the centers for the convenience of those relatively few voters who prefer to drop off their ballots instead of popping them in the mail. Such states typically send voters mail ballots automatically or allow them to register for such automatic ballots. Georgia is not among them. But Malone seems to think voters disenfranchised by the elimination of polling places ought to take care of the problem themselves by figuring out to take advantage of absentee and early voting alternatives.

But the main rationale the county offered for their move is that the polling places in question were not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. They were, however, considered suitable enough for use in the recent GOP gubernatorial runoff won by Brian Kemp.

After bad publicity arose over the Randolph County action, Kemps office joined most of the world in urging a reversal of the poll closures:

Republican Brian Kemp, who as secretary of state oversees elections, said through a spokeswoman his office advised the county to ditch the proposal. His Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, said closing the sites would infringe on the rights of voters to have their voice represented at the voting booth and in our government.

Abrams is as famous as an advocate for minority voting rights as her opponent is famous for championing voter ID and voting-roll purges. So you can see how the brouhaha might embarrass Kemp considerably.

The county commission could soon overturn the election boards action, and beyond that, a state law allows voters themselves to stop it if enough of them sign a petition. But its just one small battle in a larger fight in which the right to vote is being treated by conservative governments as a privilege that can be revoked for all sorts of dubious reasons.
A sizeable part of portfolio returns can be produced by dividend stocks due to their contribution to compounding returns in the long run. Over the past 3 years, Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ) has returned an average of 1.00% per year to shareholders in terms of dividend yield. Does Constellation Brands tick all the boxes of a great dividend stock? Below, Ill take you through my analysis.

Check out our latest analysis for Constellation Brands

5 checks you should use to assess a dividend stock

When assessing a stock as a potential addition to my dividend Portfolio, I look at these five areas:

Is it paying an annual yield above 75% of dividend payers?

Has it consistently paid a stable dividend without missing a payment or drastically cutting payout?

Has dividend per share amount increased over the past?

Does earnings amply cover its dividend payments?

Based on future earnings growth, will it be able to continue to payout dividend at the current rate?

NYSE:STZ Historical Dividend Yield August 19th 18

How does Constellation Brands fare?

Constellation Brands has a trailing twelve-month payout ratio of 16.74%, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a higher payout ratio of 30.96%, leading to a dividend yield of 1.61%. However, EPS is forecasted to fall to $10.57 in the upcoming year. Therefore, although payout is expected to increase, the fall in earnings may not equate to higher dividend income.

If there is one thing that you want to be reliable in your life, its dividend stocks and their constant income stream. Unfortunately, it is really too early to view Constellation Brands as a dividend investment. It has only been consistently paying dividends for 3 years, however, standard practice for reliable payers is to look for a 10-year minimum track record.

Relative to peers, Constellation Brands generates a yield of 1.45%, which is on the low-side for Beverage stocks.

Next Steps:

After digging a little deeper into Constellation Brandss yield, its easy to see why you should be cautious investing in the company just for the dividend. On the other hand, if you are not strictly just a dividend investor, the stock could still be offering some interesting investment opportunities. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, you should always research extensively before deciding whether or not a stock is an appropriate investment for you. I always recommend analysing the companys fundamentals and underlying business before making an investment decision. There are three pertinent factors you should further examine:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for STZs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for STZs outlook. Valuation: What is STZ worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, its not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether STZ is currently mispriced by the market. Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here.

To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
New Strong Sell Stocks for November 2nd Here are 5 stocks added to the Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) List today:

Canopy Growth Corporation CGC was a big mover last session, as the company saw its shares rise more than 9% on the day. The move came on solid volume too with far more shares changing hands than in a normal session. This continues the recent uptrend for the company as the stock is now up 32.8% in the past one-month time frame.

The move came after Constellation Brands Inc. said it will invest around $4 billion in the company.

The company has seen no estimate revisions over the past few weeks and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter remained unchanged. The recent price action is encouraging though, so make sure to keep a close watch on this firm in the near future.

Canopy Growth currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while its Earnings ESP is 0.00%.

Canopy Growth Corporation Price

Canopy Growth Corporation Price | Canopy Growth Corporation Quote

A better-ranked stock in the Medical - Products industry is BioLife Solutions, Inc. BLFS, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Is CGC going up? Or down? Predict to see what others think: Up or Down

Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?

Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.

Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.

See the pot trades we're targeting>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Oil prices rose on Monday

Investing.com - WTI crude oil prices settled higher Monday on optimism for improved U.S.-China relations ahead of trade talks this week and expectations U.S. sanctions on Iran would reduce global crude supplies.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude futures for September delivery rose 52 cents settle at $66.43 a barrel, while on London's Intercontinental Exchange, Brent rose 0.47% to trade at $72.17 barrel.

Low-level talks between China and U.S. slated for this week have eased investor concerns that an escalating trade war between the two would stifle global growth, slowing demand for oil.

The talks are reportedly part of plan to set the stage for an end to the trade war in November, when President Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are slated to meet.

Still, investors have reason for a cautious outlook on trade. The US is expected on Thursday to impose 25% tariffs on an additional $16 billion in Chinese imports. And Beijing has threatened to retaliate with 25% tariffs as well.

Gains in oil prices were limited, however, as crude supplies reportedly rose at a domestic delivery hub at Cushing, Okla.

Information provider Genscape reportedly said U.S. crude inventories at Cushing increased in the week, according to traders. Stockpiles at the hub rose by 0.519 million barrels as of Friday, August 17.

The upbeat start to the week for oil prices comes as investors continue to bet on U.S. sanctions against Iran -- slated for November and expected to hit the country's energy infrastructure -- reducing the country's exports, exacerbating the shortage in global supplies.

After pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear agreement in May, Trump paved the way for sanctions against Iran to snap back into place. The first set of sanctions came into effect last month.

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Gold Prices Recover After Largest Weekly Decline in Over a Year
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has the inside track for the top job in his caucus, but maybe not if its Minority Leader. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Even as it struggles for survival against a possible Democratic wave election in November, the House GOP has its own internal leadership issues to sort out. The retirement of Paul Ryan as Speaker (announced in April) will generate a postelection leadership shuffle in which Kevin McCarthy, the second-ranking House Republican, is the putative successor. But a quiet campaign by House GOP whip Steve Scalise to make himself available if McCarthy stumbles, and an open challenge from hard-core conservative Jim Jordan, show that McCarthy doesnt have the gavel quite within his grasp. And the open question is whether an adverse outcome in the November midterm elections could make the Californians colleagues restless enough that he get tossed over the side along with Ryans gavel, which would presumably be wielded again by Nancy Pelosi.

McCarthy is in the difficult position of being expected to show his stuff as a future Leader by making himself very present on the campaign trail, as the Washington Post observes:

He has spent his August trekking across the country, campaigning with embattled candidates in multiple states, adding to a fundraising haul that already exceeds $40 million for the election cycle and doling out advice, encouragement and occasional ultimatums to the Republicans who will determine whether the GOP will hold on to its precarious 23-seat majority.

If he is successful, McCarthy is confident he will have a bulletproof case for the speakers gavel: With the head winds of political history, an unpopular president and an energized Democratic electorate standing against the GOP, no one did more to keep Republicans in power.

But that exposure also increases the risk that a party defeat could be personalized for McCarthy, and open a path for the very popular Scalise if not the more controversial Jordan (or some other ambitious back-bencher).

Despite solid support from Ryan and a good relationship with Donald Trump, McCarthys right flank remains exposed. Mistrust among conservatives, after all, derailed his last speakership campaign in 2015.

But might not losing the House reduce the pressure for ideological rigor as the GOP sought to move to the center to regain marginal seats in 2020? No, almost certainly not. A House minority girding up its loins to do battle with Democrats on Donald Trumps behalf isnt going to be in a moderating mood. And more generally, for todays Republicans, electoral setbacks are never attributed to too much conservatism. Add in the fact that a scapegoat-searching Donald Trump might throw my Kevin under the bus at the drop of a hat if Republicans lose the House and you have a perilous landscape for Ryans designated successor.

In fact, even if Republicans narrowly hold onto the House, McCarthy could be in trouble, since that scenario would almost certainly increase the intra-party leverage of the House Freedom Caucus.

A surprisingly strong GOP performance in November might be the only safe haven for Kevin McCarthy, and hes certainly talking as though thats a lively prospect:

While political forecasters increasingly see worrying signs for Republicans, with some declaring it likely that they will lose their House majority, McCarthy insists the party is not facing anything akin to the 63-seat Republican landslide he helped orchestrate in 2010. Instead, hes fond of pointing to 1998, when Democrats picked up seats despite a scandal-tarred President Bill Clinton, thanks to a strong economy and GOP missteps.

That sort of pre-spin can be dangerous, too, setting expectations that Republicans probably cannot meet. All in all, McCarthy is probably wishing he could just go to sleep and wake up on November 7. Election Day could well be a challenge for him.
Irans oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said Total has officially left the country in response to looming US sanctions - REUTERS

French oil major Total has abandoned its billion-dollar plans to develop the world's biggest gas project in Iran as the threat of US sanctions against the Middle Eastern state begin to take their toll.

Irans oil minister Bijan Zanganeh reportedly told the state broadcaster that Total has officially left Iran in response to US threats to impose sanctions on companies that do business in the country.

The process to replace [Total] with another company is underway, he said.

Total warned in May that it would turn its back on the $1bn (740m) South Pars gas development within six months unless it could clinch a sanctions waiver for the project from the US government.

Without an exemption Total would not be able to afford to fall foul of the looming US sanctions due to its reliance on US banks and shareholders.

A spokesman for Total said: "Despite the backing of the French and European authorities such a waiver could not have been obtained."

Iran nuclear deal | The sanctions explained

South Pars is the first major energy deal to be unhinged by the US financial crackdown on Iran. The US decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal between Iran and an alliance of western powers was taken earlier this year - despite European opposition - and threatens a huge swathe of international business deals.

Total has always been clear that it cannot afford to be exposed to any secondary sanction which might include the loss of financing in dollars by US banks for its worldwide operations, the group said.

The Iranian oil minister said the company confirmed its plans to abandon its 50pc stake in the worlds largest gas field two months ago. The project is expected to cost in total around $2bn to develop, but Total is understood to have invested just $60m so far.

The French company's exit leaves the door open for China to take a larger stake in the project. Iranian officials have suggested that Chinas state-owned oil company CNPC may now step up to take Totals stake in the South Pars gas project by growing its existing stake from 30pc of the project to more than 80pc with Totals share.

The group's spokesman said: "As for the future of Total's share, we have not been informed of an official CNPC position, but as we have always said, CNPC, a Chinese state-owned company, has the right to resume our participation if it decides so."
FILE PHOTO: A gas flare on an oil production platform in the Soroush oil fields is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Gulf July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/File Photo

By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin

LONDON (Reuters) - Iran told OPEC on Sunday no member country should be allowed to take over another member's share of oil exports, expressing Tehran's concern about Saudi Arabia's offer to pump more oil in the face of U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil sales.

In a meeting with OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo, a senior Iranian diplomat urged him to keep the group out of politics.

"No country is allowed to take over the share of other members for production and exports of oil under any circumstance, and the OPEC Ministerial Conference has not issued any licence for such actions," Iran's oil ministry news agency SHANA quoted Kazem Gharibabadi, the permanent envoy to Vienna-based international organizations, as saying.

In May, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international nuclear deal with Iran and announced sanctions against the OPEC member. Washington is pushing allies to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero and will impose a new round of sanctions on Iranian oil sales in November.

Trump has called on OPEC to pump more oil to bring down prices. Energy ministers of Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, and Russia said in May they were prepared to ease output cuts to calm consumer worries about supply.

"Iran believes that OPEC should strongly support its members at this stage and stop the plots of countries trying to politicize this organization," Gharibabadi said.

Regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran are involved in proxy wars, including in Yemen and Syria.

Iran and other signatories of the nuclear deal, including Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, have been working to find a way to salvage the agreement despite U.S. pressures.

Iran has set a series of conditions for European powers if they want Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal, including steps by European banks to safeguard trade with Tehran and guaranteeing Iranian oil sales.

EU'S PLAN

Iran's vice president said on Sunday the government was seeking solutions to sell oil and transfer its revenues despite fresh U.S. sanctions.

Story continues

In August, Washington imposed sanctions on acquisition of U.S. dollar by Iran, and its trade in gold and precious metals. Washington will reimpose on Nov. 4 sanctions on Iran's oil exports, and banking sector.

"We are hopeful that the European countries can meet their commitments but even if they cannot, we are seeking solutions to sell our oil and transfer its revenues," Eshaq Jahangiri was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

In similar remarks, Iranian foreign minister praised the European signatories for their efforts to salvage the deal, especially for EU's so-called blocking statute that aims to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions for European businesses.

However, Mohammad Javad Zarif said such measures have not been enough.

"The European have so far expressed their stance, but have failed to present an action plan ... We believe the Europe is not ready yet to pay a price," Zarif was quoted as saying by the Young Journalists Club (YJC) website.

Zarif also tweeted on Sunday that the formation of a new Iran "Action Group" in the U.S. State Department to coordinate Trump's pressure campaign against Iran aimed to overthrow the Islamic Republic, but it would fail.

(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Jane Merriman and David Evans)
By Stephanie Kelly

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil futures rose on Monday after weeks of declines, as investors grew more concerned about an expected fall in supply from Iran due to U.S. sanctions and worried less that a trade war between the United States and China would hurt economic growth.

Brent crude futures <LCOc1> rose 38 cents to settle at $72.21 a barrel, a 0.5 percent gain.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude <CLc1> rose 52 cents, or 0.8 percent, to end at $66.43 a barrel.

Last week, Brent declined for a third consecutive week, while WTI fell for a seventh week due to concerns that economic growth would slow because of U.S.-Chinese trade tensions and weakness in emerging economies.

China and the United States will hold trade talks this month, the two governments said last week, hoping to resolve an escalating tariff war between the world's two largest economies.

Still, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Beijing should not underestimate President Donald Trump's resolve.

"Part of the weakness we've seen in crude oil has largely been due to trade as people are concerned that increasing tariffs and tensions on trade are going to increase the level of uncertainty and potentially reduce global GDP demand," said Brian Kessens, portfolio manager and managing director at Tortoise.

"Anything that reduces those tensions, you can see oil generally move back the other way."

Story continues

Traders said U.S. sanctions against Iran were supporting prices. The U.S. government has introduced financial sanctions against Iran which, from November, will also target the petroleum sector of OPEC's third largest producer.

On Monday, Iran asked the European Union to speed up efforts to save a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers, which Trump abandoned in May. Most EU companies have pulled out of Iran for fear of U.S. sanctions and Tehran said France's Total had officially exited Iran's South Pars gas project.

"The Iranian sanctions will likely remain as a latent bullish force for another month or so until more definition is provided with regard to the impact on the country's oil exports," Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates, said in a note.

China signalled it wanted to continue buying large volumes of Iranian oil despite U.S. pressure and was now switching to Iranian tankers to skirt U.S. sanctions on ship insurers.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is offering 11 million barrels of crude for sale from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) ahead of the sanctions on Iran. The sale appears to be designed to show the Trump administration is taking measures to restrain energy price increases ahead of the sanctions, one crude trader told Reuters.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia crude exports rose to 7.240 million barrels per day in June, official data showed.

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly in New York; Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore and Dmitry Zhdannikov in Moscow; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Frances Kerry)
China US

REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang

President Donald Trump is proposing new 25% tariffs on Chinese imports.

A hearing on the proposals starts in Washington on Monday.

The US Chamber of Commerce said in written testimony that the new tariffs would "dramatically expand the harm to American consumers, workers, businesses, and the economy."

Furniture, lighting products, tires, chemicals, plastics, bicycles, cradles, and Chinese seafood are among the imports set to be hit by the new duties, Reuters reports.

The Trump administration's proposed tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese goods could force Americans to pay more for items as varied as cradles and seafood, businesses have warned.

Monday features the first session of a planned six-day hearing in Washington on the proposed 25% tariffs, which are part of the Trump administration and US trade representative's efforts to put pressure on Beijing.

The US Chamber of Commerce, which represents a wide range of American businesses, said in written testimony for the hearing that the new tariffs would "dramatically expand the harm to American consumers, workers, businesses, and the economy."

Past rounds of sanctions have targeted mainly Chinese industrial machinery and intermediate goods, but the proposed tariffs could affect thousands of consumer products by late September, Reuters reports. Furniture, lighting products, tires, chemicals, plastics, bicycles, cradles, car seats, and seafood are all in line to be hit by the new duties.

The US Chamber of Commerce accused the Trump administration of lacking a "coherent strategy" to address its claims of rampant Chinese theft of intellectual property and other harmful trade practices, according to Reuters. It called for "serious discussions" with Beijing.

The Office of the US Trade Representative received more than 1,400 written comments from businesses about the Trump administration's plan. Most businesses argued the tariffs would cause harm by raising costs on products and services.

Story continues

The largest bicycle brand in the US, Huffy, said a 25% tariff posed a "serious threat to the company." It sells 4 million Chinese-made bikes a year.

"There is no other country in Asia or Europe that can provide the volume Huffy requires as China is the largest bicycle producer in the world," Bill Smith, the CEO of Huffy Corp., said in his submission.

Graco Children's Products, which makes car seats for infants, said there would be an increase in customers buying secondhand items for their children.

The company said the tariffs would "have a direct negative impact on our company, American parents, and most importantly the safety of American children."

Trump administration officials and their Chinese counterparts are expected to meet later this week in Washington to discuss their trade dispute.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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By Sonam Rai

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) shares fell nearly 4 percent on Monday as a $113 cut in JPMorgan Chase's (JPM.N) price target for the electric carmaker added to growing doubts among market players about a plan to take the company private.

Slashing its price target for Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) from $308 to $195, the brokerage said it did not believe Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk had funds for a plan announced by a tweet that said "funding secured" two weeks ago.

Analysts from the U.S. bank had upped its forecast from $198 to $308 after a roughly $100 surge in Tesla stock following Musk's tweets on Aug. 7 and the note on Monday was the latest evidence of scepticism about the deal on Wall Street.

People familiar with the matter said on Sunday that PIF, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund that Musk says had been pressing to help fund the buyout, is in talks to invest in aspiring Tesla rival Lucid Motors Inc.

"Our interpretation of subsequent events leads us to believe that funding was not secured for a going private transaction, nor was there any formal proposal," JPMorgan analyst Ryan Brinkman wrote in a client note.

"Tesla does appear to be exploring a going private transaction, but we now believe that such a process appears much less developed than we had earlier presumed, suggesting formal incorporation into our valuation analysis seems premature at this time," Brinkman said.

JPM now targets the stock, which it continues to value at underweight, back at $195, versus Friday's close of $305.50. The median price target of the Wall Street analysts covering Tesla is $336.

Story continues

Tesla shares touched a three-month low of $285 in premarket trading before recovering to trade around $290, reducing its market value back below that of General Motors (GM.N) as the biggest U.S. carmaker.

An interview with the New York Times, in which Musk said he was under major emotional stress in the "most difficult year" of his life, on Friday added to investors' concerns over his leadership after a series of social media spats.

A person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters last week that the SEC has opened an inquiry related to Musk's tweets on the buyout and the billionaire is also facing a class action suite from investors who lost money in the share moves.

"The lack of process to (Musk's) announcement has now caused governance and competency concerns which are starting to snowball," said Tigress Financial Partners analyst Ivan Feinseth.

(Reporting by Sonam Rai and Jasmine I S in Bengaluru; editing by Patrick Graham)
- By Jacob Maslow





Shares of Texas Capital Bancshares Inc. (TCBI), a Dallas-based bank holding company, rose 0.98% on Friday, hitting $92.80 a share. The company remains off of its 52-week high of $103.05, but shares are still higher than the 52-week low of $69.65.

The stock had been riding a decline since July 18, when the company released its second-quarter earnings report.





Net income to common shareholders rose 40% from $48.7 million in second-quarter 2017 to $69 million in the most recent quarter. Diluted earnings per share also rose 42%, from 97 cents to $1.38.

The company's shares were down over 3.4% in the period between July 18 and Aug. 15 before rising. The stock has struggled since the earnings release despite the company's financials rising significantly year over year.

Investors fear that increased competition is allowing smaller entities to help borrowers reach their financial goals. The bank's headquarters is experiencing an increase of direct competition from niche lenders focusing on borrowers with bad credit.

Investors also remain concerned over increased costs across the board. Non-interest expenses rose 18.2%, reaching $132.1 million. Net interest income rose 26.6% to $231.7 million, fueled by mortgage finance loans.

Credit losses rose to $27 million.

Texas Capital's projections for 2018 remain positive with percentage growth in the low double-digits. Seasonal declines in total mortgage finance loans in the first quarter hit the company's bottom line, but it is projecting positive growth in the third quarter.

Higher deposit costs are the primary reason for net revenues rising in the mid-to-high teens.

Expenses are expected to be between $60 million and $65 million.

The company recently announced Chief Risk Officer John D. Hudgens will be stepping down in September, followed by his resignation from Texas Capital Bancshares on Dec. 31.

Story continues

Hudgens will remain with the company until August 2019, entering the position of vice chairman.

John Turpen will be filling Hudgens' role. The veteran banker will take over both roles, helping the company transition into 2019. Turpen is committed to forming a strong risk management culture within the company. He has played a key role in helping the company achieve a high growth rate and become one of the country's most successful banks.

Disclosure: The author does not own any stakes in the listed equities

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






So many ways to say, Im flipping. Photo: Yana Paskova/Getty Images

Capping off the most exciting weekend for Watergate aficionados since the premiere of the Slow Burn podcast, on Sunday night, Michael Cohens lawyer, Lanny Davis, revealed that hes been consulting with John Dean, the former White House counsel who helped bring down Richard Nixons presidency.

I reached out to my old friend John Dean because of what he went through with Watergate, and I saw some parallels to what Michael Cohen is experiencing. I wanted to gain from Johns wisdom, Davis told Politico.

I certainly dont want to raise expectations that Mr. Cohen has anything like the level of deep involvement and detailed knowledge that John Dean had in the Nixon White House as a witness to Nixons crimes, but I did see some similarities and wanted to learn from what John went through.

Dean confirmed that hes been talking with Davis. Hed already come up this weekend in the drama surrounding Don McGahn, with the New York Times reporting that Trumps White House counsel has been talking to Russia probe investigators because he didnt want to wind up like Dean, doing time for obstruction of justice. (Dean became a key witness for the prosecution and he only wound up serving four months in prison.)

While Cohen once said hed take a bullet for the president, in recent months hes made it quite clear thats no longer the case. Since the Feds raided Cohens office and residence in April, hes ended his joint defense agreement with Trump, announced in a TV interview that my wife, my daughter, and my son, and this country have my first loyalty, and released a secret recording of Trump, which proves he knew about the hush money payments to Karen McDougal.

So why is Cohens legal team signaling his willingness to flip once again? A new report from the Times sheds some light on the situation. It was previously reported that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are investigating Cohen for bank and tax fraud, in addition to potential campaign finance violations related the hush payments. The Times revealed that prosecutors are focused on more than $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses owned by Cohen and his family in 2014:

Publicly filed financing statements indicate that Mr. Cohen used 32 taxi medallions as collateral for the Sterling [National Bank] loans. The medallions were then valued at more than $1 million each, and generated more than $1 million a year in income.

The loans were made to 16 separate companies controlled by Mr. Cohen and his family, each company owning two taxi medallions, the person who reviewed the transactions said. Mr. Cohen and his wife also personally guaranteed the loans, according to the filings.

The tax fraud aspect of the investigation has been focused in part on whether Mr. Cohen properly reported the income from the medallions, which was sometimes in cash, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The paper also reported that the investigation has entered its final stage, and prosecutors may file charges by the end of August. Its unclear if Cohens attorneys have already had detailed conversations with federal prosecutors about a plea deal, which would likely also involve Cohen talking to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. If an agreement cant be finalized by the end of the month, the matter will probably drag on until after the midterms, as the Justice Department has an informal policy of not releasing sensitive information in the weeks before an election (though as we all know, sometimes they ignore that).

Using the last few days of summer vacation to brush up on Watergate is probably good advice for everyone.
A cloud of uncertainty seems to be hovering around TransCanada Corporations TRP Keystone XL pipeline project yet again. After facing delays for near about a decade, the pipeline finally received a regulatory approval from Nebraska commissioners late last year, albeit on an alternative route to the one proposed by the company. However, the pipeline has been hit by a fresh controversy again, as rerouting of the pipeline has subjected it to new legal investigation.



Lets delve deeper.



Past Challenges Galore



The $8-billion Keystone XL pipeline, with a capacity of 830,000 barrels, was designed to improve oil extraction from Albertas oil sands and the Bakken region in the U.S. refineries. The initial phase of the pipeline project was finished in 2011. A proposal was made to add another 1179 miles to the 2100-mile-long pipeline.



However, the proposed extension was strongly opposed by environmentalists and politicians, owing to risks involved in transporting bitumen and crude to the United States, as this might emit greenhouse gases. In November 2015, president Obama rejected TransCanada's application to construct the Keystone XL pipeline on fears that it would weaken United States position in the international climate change negotiations. The outgoing administration also halted the construction of Energy Transfer Partners L.P.s ETP Dakota Access Pipeline on environmental and climate change concerns.

However, in 2017, both the projects were cleared by President Trump as he was of the opinion that the development of such pipelines can revive the economy.



While the 1,172-mile Dakota Access Pipeline became fully operational in June 2017, Keystone XL has been facing regulatory obstacles, route challenges and opposition from landowners, environmentalists and Native American tribes.



Last year, TransCanada had to stall operations at the existing Keystone pipeline, following a spill of around 5,000 barrels in Marshall County, SD, highlighting the risk posed by the pipeline expansion.



It cleared a major regulatory hurdle when Nebraska commissioners approved the Keystone XL project, although on an alternative route to the one proposed by the company. The alternate route will likely balloon costs and delay the disputed pipeline project further. The alternate path calls for a 63-mile detour, and attempts to add 5 miles of pipeline along with additional transmission lines, and pumping stations.



The project has been challenged by a new set of problems of late.



Latest Setback



Recently, a U.S. federal judge, Brian Morris, issued a decree requiring the State Department to conduct a fresh environmental evaluation of the Keystone XL pipeline under the new alternative route. The judge believes that the alternative route proposed by the Nebraska Public Utilities Commission had not been properly assessed.



Per Morris ruling, the State Department is required to reexamine the changed route as it is interdependent on the entire project. Under the alternative route which is likely to be longer, the pipeline would run across different countries and water bodies, posing environmental risks to indigenous communities and marine life. Federal defendants are thus required to review the alternative route under the National Environmental Policy Act.



The recent ruling comes as a huge blow to the company, especially after the project had won a relatively positive nod from the U.S. State Department about a month ago on the ground that the pipeline would not lead to significant environmental concerns.



Notably, this is not the only obstacle faced by the pipeline as of now. The project faced other challenges in Nebraska, pursuant to a lawsuit currently pending before Nebraska Supreme Court, which is not expected to get resolved by this year. In view of such roadblocks, TransCanada already declared that it wont commence the construction of the project until the second quarter of 2019. TransCanada currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Pipeline Worries Loom Large in Canada



With pipeline construction in Canada failing to keep pace with rising domestic oil, it has forced producers to sell their products at a discounted rate. Political and environmental turmoil, along with lack of streamlined regulatory policies associated with the pipeline projects have challenged the Canadian energy sector to be competitive globally. Reportedly, infrastructural bottlenecks are likely to result in lost revenues of C$15.8 billion in 2018.



The industry has got bogged down with various pipeline projects either getting derailed or delayed. With the cancellation of major projects like TransCanadas Energy East and Enbridge Inc.s ENB Northern Gateway, along with uncertainties related to the existing ones, things have gone from bad to worse for investors in the Canadian oil energy space.



While Enbridges mega Line 3 pipeline project recently begun construction, providing some ray of hope, it is nonetheless facing public outcry amid environmental concerns. Also, while the National Energy Board recently green-lit Kinder Morgan, Inc.s KMI Trans Mountain expansion project, it is unlikely to become operational until late 2019.



With the Canadian production soaring and pipeline options running dry amid dysfunctional policies, the Canadian oil industry is under much ambiguity at least in the near term, if not in the long run.



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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
Four years ago, the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Field Institute launched an effort to heal a 14,000-foot mountain.

In the first installment of the Earth Corps program, 20-somethings shuttled to Crestone and hauled equipment about 5 miles up a steep trail, to the tundra above the waterfall at Willow Lake. There they started constructing Kit Carson Peaks new summiting path, not far from where hikers have followed a straight fall line and caused erosion and damage to the fragile ecosystem.

Over the next three years, they camped for several weeks and built a switchbacking trail with heavy stone, forming steps. Other crews would take their place for several more weeks.

This was all years after Loretta McEllhiney, the U.S. Forest Services fourteener specialist, designed the trail and saw it through the governments lengthy environmental process.

Jennifer Peterson, RMFIs executive director, accompanied McEllhiney last month to the work site on Kit Carson. We had to stop, Peterson says. Loretta was like, Man, I cant believe were here. We made it.

Peterson expects the new trail to be finished this summer, connecting with the uppermost portion of the current spur to the summit.

The young workers came from around the country over the years, and they cant wait themselves to use the trail, Peterson says. They want to see it finished and know they played a hand in building it for thousands of others. Its fulfilling for them and certainly for us.

RMFI looks to start another multiyear job next year: McEllhineys proposed reroute of the Devils Playground trail on the back side of Pikes Peak. No decision has been made yet on the alignment though, said a spokeswoman for the Pike National Forest.

That initiative is part of the National Forest Foundations Find Your Fourteener campaign, which this summer announced investing $500,000 in the project and those across three other fourteeners.

Meanwhile this season, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative continues other missions on the states biggest, ever-crowding mountains. Heres a rundown:

Mount Columbia

Crews for a third year have worked on a trail that CFI hopes will change the reputation of one of the worst fourteeners to climb, says the organizations executive director, Lloyd Athearn, echoing popular sentiment. A loose talus field makes for a less-than-desirable hike to the top.

One more season is planned to finish the super technical task, Athearn says, with workers recently using a tramlike system to move heavy rocks and create a corridor of steps.

In the end, itll be an incredible trail, Athearn says. Its really some of the best work CFI has ever done and should make the mountain immeasurably more enjoyable to climb and less impactful (to the environment) to do so.

Mount Elbert

Builders last year turned their focus to the southeast slopes of the states highest peak. They again cut tread, aiming for 0.8 miles of new trail toward treeline. The goal is to make the second of three envisioned bypasses, taking hikers from a current route thats been eroded by heavy use  among the heaviest of all fourteeners, CFI reports.

This month, volunteers planned to spend multiple days stabilizing the area known as the cat claw for the channels that tear down the mountainside.

That area is above the under-construction second bypass, which Athearn says should be finished by the end of this season. Work on the third bypass is set to begin next summer.

Quandary Peak and Mount Evans

Quandary Peak promises to continue to be one of the simplest summit routes to follow, thanks to another year of CFI placing directional logs and steps. Retention walls also have been built to catch debris.

While maintenance wraps up there, it begins on Mount Evans, where another small crew is mostly based near 13,000 feet, working to stabilize and close socially created portions of trail above Summit Lake.

Looking ahead

CFI staff have spent another summer taking inventory of trail conditions, assessing the shape of some theyve never detailed before and returning to others that have changed since the organizations YEAR Fourteeners Report Card.

That study, done from 2011 through 2013, determined that $24 million in baseline investments was needed. Athearn says a new report card could be out in the fall.

He says he hopes crews can start work next year on the Navajo Basin approach to Mount Wilson and El Diente Peak. Also in desperate need, he says, is the CFI-owned Mount Shavano. The organization continues consulting with the Forest Service about a proposed route via Blank Gulch, to relieve pressure from the Jennings Creek approach.
Colorado Politics senior political reporter

Joey Bunch is the senior correspondent and deputy managing editor of Colorado Politics. His 32-year career includes the last 16 in Colorado. He was part of the Denver Post team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 and he is a two-time finalist.
The Hanover Fire Department on Sunday delivered water to Midway-area residents lacking clean water after flooding Friday disrupted the supply.

About 200 homes are without water, or have diminished access to water, said Carl Tatum, Hanovers fire chief.

We have delivered about six or eight loads of water to folks who have no water for their livestock, said Tatum. Other residents picked up water at the fire station, he said.

A boil order was issued Saturday because of a break in a water main and a propane leak, officials said. Tatum said debris and air was being vented, but it's unknown when the delivery system will be restored.

The boil order is for all water that is going to be consumed, cooked, or bathed in and affects roughly 400 homes in the Midway area.
ASPEN  A 56-year-old Texas man has been rescued from Colorado's Maroon Peak after he who fell 100 feet (30.5 meters) into a gully.

The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office identified the man as Keith Brewer, of Austin. Brewer's condition was not immediately released, but one sheriff's official said he had broken ribs.

The Aspen Daily News reports that authorities were notified of an injured hiker at about 12:55 p.m. Saturday.

A passerby had reported that the man was injured severely enough that he couldn't climb out of the gully unassisted.

Brewer was evacuated by helicopter off the mountain at 3:28 p.m. and taken to Aspen Valley Hospital.

___

Information from: Aspen Daily News, http://www.aspendailynews.com
Rudy can fail. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Trump lawyer and Islam skeptic Rudy Giuliani felt the need to do a little cleanup Monday morning after drawing hours of flak for telling Meet the Presss Chuck Todd that truth isnt truth on Sunday afternoon.

My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said,she said puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.  Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) August 20, 2018

Giulianis explanation of what he really meant, in the context of discussing whether Trump will ever sit down for an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, isnt completely implausible. If this was a one-time Trump- presidency offense, maybe Giuliani would even get the benefit of the doubt.

But, of course, this administration has developed a hard-won reputation for Orwellian tendencies, dating back to the very first days of the presidency, and continuing on through alternative facts, dont believe what youre reading or seeing, and all the rest. And Giuliani himself has shown so little fidelity to the truth during his tenure as Trumps lawyer  just yesterday, in the same interview with Todd, he casually changed the official explanation for the infamous 2016 meeting with Russians at Trump Tower in 2016  that his walk-backs carry about as much weight as anything else he says.
Four intersections will have red light cameras up and working later this year. One of the four intersections is for the eastbound lanes traffic light at Chelton Rd. and Platte Ave. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)
Countdown wrote:

A result of the recent election is realizing that in this increasingly urban area, there is now more worry about crime than health care.





A) realizing that in this increasingly urban area, there is now more worry about crime

B) the realization that in this increasingly urban area, they now worry more about crime

C) the realization that in this increasingly urban area, voters now worry more about crime

D) a realizing that in this increasingly urban area, there is now more concern about crime

E) the realization that in this increasingly urban area, concerns about crime are greater

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

First of all, realizing in the original sentence is wrong because it doesn't really describe a result. Instead, the participle defines a process. Even though the phrasing may sound strange, the realization is correct because, as a noun, realization can logically describe a result. Eliminate (A) and (D). (B) introduces its own unique error with the entirely vague they. Since we don't know what they refers to, the pronoun is incorrect. (C) and (E) remain. (E) sounds fine when read on its own, but if you read it into the sentence you'll see the problem: concerns about crime are greater than [those about] health care. Without those about, the sentence misuses ellipsis. (C) it is._________________
Shulagna21 wrote:

I am a non engineering background candidate struggling badly with my quant scores. my scores are pretty inconsistent. Please help me achieve a Q49 - Q50.
I was caught off-guard and pleasantly stoked by Eric Atkins' editorial on Chattanoogan.com last week suggesting that one of the soon-to-be surplused city buildings could be turned into a history museum. I didn't think anyone other than myself that I didn't know cared, or at least would turn their thoughts into the topic of an editorial. I believe that most of the public support a museum, but there's a "too soon" vibe from the rest. The History Center's attempt to go big next to the Aquarium resulted in its slow-moving demise and a PR nightmare. That, of course, burned many private donors and supporters. For someone who has tried to do something to move history forward in Chattanooga, it's like an elephant always resting on my back.

My history with the idea of a historic venue for Chattanooga

I started talking about the goal of a historic venue in April of 2016. I had called for "champions" in an article on Nooga.com, but no one (not a big surprise) stepped forward. At the time, one group who solicited my help to make their dated history department more up-to-date and relevant distanced themselves from me because of the "museum" aspiration. The logic behind their attitude still baffles me.

Since, I've kept an eye on surplus and underutilized properties in Chattanooga for a history space, and have made two asks from private companies, which resulted into two polite rejections... a guy has to try.

Last year I proposed that the Williams/Hardy House, adjacent to the historic Cravens House on Lookout Mountain, be turned into a small history venue focusing on Chickamauga Park history through their visitor's eyes. This would save it from the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park's plans from demolition for a new parking lot. Even with a petition of over 2,300 people, plans from the Park remain steadfast to demo the landmark in the undetermined future.

Chattanooga needs a history venue

For nearly a century, Chattanooga billed itself as scenic, historic, and industrial. The spoils left behind from industry collapse has slowly turned to a focus on innovation. Despite some very eco-unfriendly infrastructure planning in the late 50s and through the 1960s, Chattanooga's scenic appeal has remained intact or on the mend. History, on the other hand, has been like a train that keeps derailing before it even gets a few feet from the depot. Why can't public and private resources unite to develop and build a proper history venue? Why can't Chattanooga be scenic, historic and innovated again? History has been an economic cash-cow for tourism for many years, why not pour gas on that spark?

Both Nashville and Knoxville offer a full and rich historical footprint with public and private support. Since the 1930s, Chattanooga mostly has hung its historical footprint on the efforts of the U.S. government and the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to project only a very brief and controversial period in the area's history. There is so much more history before and since to impress upon its citizens and visitors that are not Civil War related. Right now, you have to dig for information one story at a time through numerous resources. The only public history lessons come from the news, like the recent effort to remove the bust of a Confederate General from in front of the County Courthouse.

Chattanooga's history is not all gumdrops and lollipops, and that's not unusual for any U.S. city its size. I suppose some might be concerned about the narrative a history museum might tell? For instance, for years, Ed Johnson's lynching was a taboo discussion and if I were to bring it up on Facebook, there would be a spirited community dialog with several strong suggestions to sweep the topic back under the carpet. Today, the Ed Johnson Project has provided an ointment for a once sore and scared subject for many. Sometimes exposing a wound with a quick yank of a band-aid can help with its healing, even after 100+ years. I personally view the project as on the path of a successful public and private effort. And that offers hope for a successful future for a history museum.

Although there are several efforts to maintain and care for historic collections, very few are interested in building upon their collections, or ongoing research of local history topics, or have any plan to publicaly exhibit local history.

Lastly, history is disappearing. In today's digital age, more immediate history is easily lost in hard drive failures or deleted or forgotten on the cloud. Old photos and artifacts are grossly underappreciated. They often get thrown away, traded on eBay or deteriorate into dust.

A proposition: Chattanooga Museum of History and Industry

The fizzle of the Chattanooga Regional Museum and the failure-to-launch at the History Center has proven that Chattanooga should not attempt a venue with dusty shelves full of tired artifacts or a high trafficked Disney attraction. A new public/private proposition would still perform the core and much-needed activities of a history center or historical society, but also to help incubate and inspire new projects and support existing organizations much like an ArtsBuild. Along with flexible exhibit space, offering collections online drastically reduces costs. Sponsoring independent projects like River City Company successfully does with ArtSpark, Passageways, and OpenSpaces, only with historical themes, make the city into an expanded public history venue that reaches beyond the walls of a museum. Deals can be arranged with various local organizations and individuals to provide assets for display. Picnooga's, a project I founded, has an impressive collection of historical material to offer.

To fit with Chattanooga's innovation brand the physical museum space would focus on the history of the local industry. Baltimore and Seattle have had great success with industry-centered museums, and Chattanooga's industrious past is just as exciting. A donation or other arrangement from the City of Chattanooga for the soon to be surplus Purse Building (Old Water Dept. Building) at E. 10th Street and Lindsay would be an ideal location for museum operations. It has a close proximity to Bessie Smith Cultural Center and is convenient to the New Miller Plaza and Downtown Chattanooga. A focus on industry would help open corporate sponsorship opportunities to cover costs to remodel the interior and restore the building's facade in time. Built in about 1910, the property was originally home to the Purse Printing Company. According to its Hamilton County GIS record, it's 8,500 sq ft. That's about 10,000 sq ft less than the city-owned Bessie Smith Center.

Chattanooga history needs the confidence of its city government before confidence of private philanthropy will loosen up. One less missed opportunity for affordable micro-apartment living or one less high-tech startup office space with exposed brick walls and interior glass garage doors would go a long way to elevate the public's connection with its past. The value would be long-term and last beyond many of our lifetimes. It'll also ensure the preservation of a building that has its own history to tell. Even with the security of a physical space, it'll be a lot of hard work. And there are many, like myself, willing to do the labor. An opportunity downtown that wouldn't cost millions to purchase and renovate may never come again.

I challenge City Hall and local government to imagine greater for Chattanooga history. I challenge the Chamber of Commerce to endorse an industry museum concept in the Purse Building. And I challenge the Chattanooga Visitors Bureau to acknowledge the positive impact that a history and industry museum could generate.

David Moon
Academic and former White House aide Darren Beattie appearing in a 2009 video shared on YouTube. Photo: Screencap/YouTube

A speechwriter and policy aide has left the White House after CNNs KFile uncovered that he had spoken at a conference mostly attended by white nationalists. Darren Beattie appeared on a panel with well-known white nationalist Peter Brimelow, the founder of of the anti-immigration website Vdare, at the 2016 H.L. Mencken Club Conference, a small annual gathering popular with white nationalists like Richard Spencer and others on the alt-right. (The conferences namesake, Mencken, was a satirist and journalist whose posthumously published diaries also revealed him to be an anti-semite and racist.)

When CNN asked the White House to comment on Beatties involvement in the conference, they dragged their feet and asked them to hold the story. A few days later, Beattie no longer worked in the Trump administration. According to the Washington Post, Beattie insisted he was not a racist and refused calls to resign when confronted with the CNN story. Once White House officials realized he would not quit, per the Posts sources, they fired him out of concern his continued presence would generate negative headlines. It is not yet known if Trump or White House chief of staff John Kelly were involved in the decision.

No one has reported that Beattie himself is a white nationalist or holds racist views, only that he spoke at a conference that was mostly attended by white nationalists. Forward also noted on Sunday that:

Beatties PhD thesis, which according to his Mencken Club bio was largely completed in Germany, was about the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, who was a member of the Nazi Party. Beattie wrote in his thesis that Heideggers Nazi affiliation was highly troublesome but argued that studying his philosophy was still worthwhile.

The Post points out on Twitter that Beattie was no low-level staffer, but a well-paid academic working under chief White House speechwriter Vince Haley, and that he also occasionally worked with Stephen Miller. Miller, of course, has been the architect of some of Trumps most controversial policies, like the separation of immigrant children from their parents at the southern U.S. border, and the Islamaphobic travel ban  which Beattie once wrote an editorial defending while he was a visiting instructor at Duke University. (Beattie, who has a doctorate from Duke, was one of a small number of U.S. academics to openly support Trump, and one of the very few who then ended up working in the White House.)

And who else, if anyone, in the Trump administration has associated with Peter Brimelow in last 2 years? If a 2016 panel with Brimelow is a bridge too far for this speechwriter, Beattie, then it's worth asking if Brimelow has had meetings or chats w/ others in the admin.  Robert Costa (@costareports) August 19, 2018

Beattie told CNN he said nothing objectionable at the conference when he delivered a speech called The Intelligentsia and the Right, and that he still stands by his remarks completely.

It was the honor of my life to serve in the Trump administration, he added. I love President Trump, who is a fearless American hero, and continue to support him one hundred percent.

Beattie might end up with a soft landing spot, as many other staffers forced to leave the White House have. Politico reported on Sunday that exiting the White House amid a scandal is not necessarily a career killer  at least at first  thanks to a small network of Trump loyalist organizations that take care of their own. The organizations, sometimes on the recommendation of Trumps inner circle, often award plum jobs to former White House staffers who need work  or need a financial incentive to keep their mouth shut.
Bunuel wrote:

If \(xy^2 = 12\) and \(xy = 4\), then x =





A. 1



B. 2



C. \(\sqrt{3}\)



D. \(\frac{2}{3}\)



E. \(\frac{4}{3}\)

Lets first establish that both x and y must be positive. Since xy^2 = 12, we see that x must be positive. And since xy = 4, we see that y must also be positive.Dividing the first equation by the second, we have:y = 3Substituting y = 3 into the second equation, we have:x(3) = 4x = 4/3Alternate Solution:Lets rewrite the first equation as:x(xy) = 12We are given that xy = 9, so we can substitute:x(9) = 12x = 12/9 = 4/3Answer: E_________________
Re: Independent contractors pay higher taxes and paid less consistently [ #permalink

OE:



The sentence describes several differences between the situation of independent contractors and that of statutory employees. The first two observations depict the situation of independent contractors as less favorable than that of statutory employees, but the reverse is true of the final observation; therefore, the sentence must properly express the contrast between the first two observations and the last one. Additionally, the first two observationseach of which describes a relative disadvantage faced by independent contractorsshould be written in parallel.



(A) And links the constructions pay... and paid... These constructions are not parallel: the first is a verb phrase, but the second is a participial modifier. The helping verb to be (appearing here as are) cannot be used to stand for an action verb, so the construction are statutory employees is not parallel to pay higher taxes. The adverb freely is incorrectly placed; it is intended to describe the act of performing similar work for other companies, but, in its current location, it illogically modifies "allowed". Finally, the modifier unlike statutory employees is used to modify a pronoun (they) rather than a noun, resulting in an awkward and unacceptable construction.



(B) CORRECT . The two disadvantages faced by independent contractors are properly represented by two parallel verbs (pay... and are paid...), and the transition though is appropriately used to describe the contrast between the first two observations and the last.



(C) This construction contains a list of three constructions (pay..., are paid..., and they may freely...) that is incorrect in terms of both meaning and grammar. The construction x, y, and z makes no sense here, since the last observation contrasts with the first two; the same list is also grammatically nonparallel, since pay and paid are verbs but they may... is a full clause with a subject and a verb.



(D) The transition in addition implies that the following statement reinforces the idea(s) stated earlier; in this sentence, the last observation contrasts with the first two, so in addition is inappropriate.



(E) And links the constructions pay... and paid... These constructions are not parallel: the first is a verb phrase, but the second is a participial modifier. The helping verb to be (appearing here as are) cannot be used to stand for an action verb, so the construction are statutory employees is not parallel to pay higher taxes. Finally, the transition moreover implies that the following statement reinforces the idea(s) stated earlier; in this sentence, the last observation contrasts with the first two, so moreover is inappropriate.
Type : Strengthen

Boil It Down : Conserve water & Boost output

Missing Information : There is a way to do both (likelihood of success)

Goal : Find the option that provides a way for this farmer to simultaneously boost output AND conserve water



 Control of water resources is irrelevant. Were concerned with finding a scenario by which this farm can both boost output and conserve water.



 This option provides an irrelevant fact that seems to reinforce the facts given in the prompt, but the option in no way provides a way farm can both boost output and conserve water.



 Irrelevant. Were not concerned if other areas in the world are able to make up the loss in production for the farms required to reduce output. We need to find a way this farm can both boost output and conserve water.



 The demand for agricultural products is irrelevant on two levels: 1) Demand is altogether irrelevant 2) As if that werent enough, this option is referring to agricultural PRODUCTS. What does that mean? Tractors? Notice how that subtle shift in wording violently shifts the focus of the option.



 Here we go! If more than half of the water used for agriculture in this region is lost to evaporation, this option provides the capacity to CONSERVE and potentially boost output. If evaporation can be controlled, the plan could work.



Many agriculturally intensive areas of the world are beginning o encounter water scarcity problems. As a result, many farmers in these areas are likely to reduce their output as the water supply they need in order to maintain production shrinks. However, one group oi farmers in such a region plans to increase their production by implementing techniques tor water conservation.Which of the following, it true, would most strongly support the prediction that the group's plan will succeed?(A) Farmers that can gain a larger share of the food market in their regions will be better positioned to control more water resources.(B) Most agricultural practices in areas with water shortages are water intensive.(C) Other regions of the world not facing water shortages are Likely to make up for the reduction in agricultural output.(D) Demand tor agricultural products in the group's region is not expected to decline.(E) More than halt the water used tor agriculture in the farmers region is lost to evaporation or leakage from irrigation channels._________________
Ty Cobb has only reinforced Trumps distrust of mustachioed men. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images

It appears President Trumps latest predicament is partly the result of an epic unforced error  and this time, he had nothing to do with it.

On Saturday the New York Times reported that White House Counsel Donald McGahn has cooperated extensively with Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the question of whether Trump attempted to obstruct the Russia probe. The suggestion that McGahn flipped inspired memorable tirades from Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani.

Trumps former Russia probe attorneys, John Dowd and Ty Cobb, had sold him on a strategy of cooperation with Mueller, as they believed Trumps claims that he had nothing to hide. Thus, they made no effort to keep McGahn from giving Mueller three voluntary interviews over the past nine months, totaling 30 hours of testimony. According to the Times, that made McGahn suspicious:

Mr. McGahn and his lawyer, William A. Burck, could not understand why Mr. Trump was so willing to allow Mr. McGahn to speak freely to the special counsel and feared Mr. Trump was setting up Mr. McGahn to take the blame for any possible illegal acts of obstruction, according to people close to him. So he and Mr. Burck devised their own strategy to do as much as possible to cooperate with Mr. Mueller to demonstrate that Mr. McGahn did nothing wrong.

In a follow-up article published Sunday, the paper reported that McGahn had good reason to think Trump and his legal team were conspiring against him: Last fall, a Times reporter overheard Dowd and Cobb complaining about McGahn while having lunch at BLT Steak, a popular D.C. steakhouse, and the paper published snippets of their conversation. From the September 2017 report:

The White House counsels office is being very conservative with this stuff, Mr. Cobb told Mr. Dowd. Our view is were not hiding anything. Referring to Mr. McGahn, he added, Hes got a couple documents locked in a safe.

Mr. Cobb expressed concern about another White House lawyer he did not name. Ive got some reservations about one of them, Mr. Cobb said. I think hes like a McGahn spy.

Sources said that when asked for comment, Mr. McGahn privately erupted at Mr. Cobb.

Talking too loudly over lunch wasnt the only misstep by Trumps legal team. The Times reports that they only realized this weekend that theyd never asked McGahn for a full rundown of what he told Muellers team. McGahns lawyer gave the Trump team an overview of the first interview, but didnt say what his client divulged in subsequent interactions with the special counsel.

On the Sunday shows, Trumps allies also questioned Dowd and Cobbs strategy of cooperation with Mueller. On ABCs This Week, Chris Christie said it put Don McGahn in an impossible situation, because once you waive that privilege and you turn over all those documents, Don McGahn has no choice then but to go in and answer everything, every question they could ask him.

Its bad legal advice, bad lawyering, and this is a result of it, Christie added.

At least Trump can take solace in his lawyers assurances that the Mueller investigation is almost over.
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Nearly every body part sweats  and requires a specific strategy for staying dry. To help you deal with all of them, were rounding up all the best products for perspiration. Welcome to Sweat Week. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist. Photos: Courtesy of the Retailer

When you find a natural deodorant that works (in a sea of subpar options), it feels like a miracle. Take a certain Real Purity natural deodorant that Aubrey Plaza told us about back in 2017 and soon after became beloved by many Strategist editors, who said it kept them dry as a bone (and odor-free) even though its formula didnt contain aluminum. Anecdotally, New York magazine deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff and at least ten of her friends say the Real Purity has stopped their sweating, period. Real Purity legit changed my life, says Swerdloff, who is still using it many years later. (Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens, whos been using it just as long, says it keeps her dry, too, which hasnt happened with any other natural deodorants shes tried: The rest have all stopped working after a month.) Many of Real Puritys customers, too, have expressed the same disbelief about its drying effects.

Intrigued by Real Puritys apparent ability to prevent sweat, we first spoke to to dermatologists years ago, in 2018, about whether a natural antiperspirant exists. Their answer then was technically no, because at the time aluminum was the only FDA-approved antiperspirant, or sweat inhibitor, on the market. In the years since, weve heard about more natural deodorants that folks say also minimize sweat, leading us to wonder if the science has changed. The short answer? It has not, as aluminum remains the only FDA-approved antiperspirant. Antiperspirants, dermatologist Dr. Shari Sperling reminds us, work to block sweat ducts and prevent sweating, while deodorants work to eliminate odor. Dr. Annie Gonzalez of Miamis Riverchase Dermatology adds, Given that aluminum cannot be an added ingredient in natural deodorants, there is technically no such thing as a natural antiperspirant. But there is a longer answer that is less cut and dry.

Dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick, an assistant professor of dermatology at Cornell, who also treats patients with hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating), explains that Natural ingredients may work to mask odors, but at this time there is not enough evidence to classify any of them as an antiperspirant. But Gonzalez says natural deodorants that make you feel dry are likely doing something to that effect: They use alternative ingredients that absorb moisture and dry the area rather than enter the pores. Garshick says that Real Purity users, for instance, may feel like they sweat less with the deodorant due to the drying effects of the aloe and vegetable glycerin it contains. The vegetable glycerin can help to absorb excess moisture, so while it is not acting as an antiperspirant and does not prevent the formation of sweat, it can help to absorb moisture, minimizing the feeling of wetness, she explains.

So while a natural antiperspirant doesnt technically exist, natural deodorants with drying properties do, and there are certain moisture-absorbing ingredients you can look for. Gonzalez says a form of powder or starch is effective at absorbing moisture and killing bacteria that cause body odor. Our experts say that natural deodorants with arrowroot powder and baking soda can have this effect. Baking soda absorbs moisture, so it inherently makes you feel dryer, says dermatologist Dr. Angela Lamb, the director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Practice. The only caveat, she warns, is that some people may experience skin irritation from baking soda. As for arrowroot powder, Lamb, Gonzalez, and dermatological nurse Natalie Aguilar, a celebrity aesthetician, all cite it as another effective ingredient for moisture absorption.

For those looking to make the switch from an aluminum-based antiperspirant to a moisture-absorbing natural deodorant, we asked our experts for recommendations that may help you with dryness (and certainly with odor) in addition to Real Purity. Their suggestions below take many forms  from roll-on sticks to creams to pastes  and for even more natural deodorants (that may or may not help with sweat) head here.

Real Purity Roll-On Natural Deodorant $19 $19 We start our list with Real Puritys natural deodorant, the one that our editors and Plaza swear by. Plaza, in fact, isnt its only celebrity fan: Actress Judy Greer actually recommended it to her. She told me its the only one that works, and its true. I dont have to reapply. Its all-natural. Its light and smells good, Plaza says. As we noted above, its made of aloe, vegetable glycerin, and several essential oils, all of which users say work together to keep your pits nice and dry. $19 at Amazon Buy $19 at Amazon Buy

Native Deodorant $12 $15 now 20% off $12 Both Garshick and Lamb pointed us to the brand Native, a direct-to-consumer option whose deodorants are frequently said to smell like Jesus (in a good way). Generally, they contain a blend of baking soda, oils, arrowroot powder, and shea butter  which is a happy medium of drying agents and moisturizers. $12 at Amazon Buy $12 at Native Buy

HyperDri Aluminum-Free Antiperspirant $25 $25 Garshick says another promising (though far from proven) natural alternative to aluminum are peptides, which may decrease stimulation of the muscle that triggers sweat release and actually block the pores that release sweat. Peptides function similarly to Botox for the prevention of sweat, she explains, cautioning that not enough studies have been performed to show if they are truly effective or how they compare to aluminum-based antiperspirants. Should you want to give peptides a go for wetness protection, try Klimas HyperDri, the only natural deodorant on the market containing peptides. It bills itself as an aluminum-free antiperspirant, though technically thats incorrect, per FDA definitions. $25 at Amazon Buy $25 at Amazon Buy

Truvani Organic Deodorant $20 $20 This natural deodorant from Truvani is made with USDA certified organic ingredients. Aguilar recommends it to her clients with sensitive skin. The formula contains many of the absorbent ingredients our experts told us can help with dryness, including arrowroot powder, baking soda, tapioca starch, and glycerin (which is found in its MCT oil). $20 at Truvani Buy

Taos AER Lavender Myrrh Deodorant $12 $12 Taos AER Lavender Myrrh deodorant is an excellent alternative to an antiperspirant, says Gonzalez. Thats because its made with tapioca, corn starch, baking soda, and essential oils, all of which, she notes, help absorb moisture and keep you smelling good throughout the day  even in the summer. $12 at Amazon Buy $12 at Amazon Buy

Megababe Rosy Pits $14 $14 Echoing Lamb, Sperling says that baking soda can cause irritation to the skin, which is why she likes this baking-soda-free deodorant from Megababe that instead contains corn starch to absorb odor and wetness. $14 at Ulta Beauty Buy

With additional reporting by Lori Keong.

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The Indiana Republican Party filed an ethics complaint Monday against U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.).

The complaint objects to video footage Donnellys office released of his meeting with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Donnellys office posted 42 seconds of silent footage on YouTube from his meeting last week with Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Indiana television stations used it in their coverage.

But the Indiana GOPs complaint says the video has no conceivable official purpose. And it alleges the senators office posted it for use by campaign organizations.

If campaign organizations do use the video, Donnelly campaign spokesperson Will Baskin-Gerwitz acknowledges it would be an ethics violation. But even the GOP says neither the campaign nor an outside group has used the footage.

In a statement, Baskin-Gerwitz calls the ethics complaint a nakedly political stunt.
People have until Monday to comment on whether ORSANCO  the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission  should give up regulatory power.

Since 1948, the commission has worked to control pollution from eight states that surround the river, including Indiana.

ORSANCO has proposed getting rid of its pollution control standards, leaving the care of the Ohio River largely to the states. The organization would continue its other programs.

READ MORE: Ohio River Pollution Watchdog Could Give Up Regulatory Power

Some of ORSANCOs pollution standards are more strict than the Environmental Protection Agencys or cover issues the agency doesnt.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.
Nearly 100 Indiana University students marched through Bloomington Saturday, saying theyre angry at the administrations lack of action against sexual assaults on campus.

The group was founded by junior student Ellie Johnson in response to what she says was a violation of her rights under Title IX.

In response, the group has drafted a list of action items they want IUs President and Board of Trustees to do.

Xakilah Daniel was one of the events organizers. She says the cause is personal and plans to continue advocating for victims.

"Definitely, the rest of my time here at IU, the rest of my life," says Daniel. "This is something that happens outside of IU. This is campuses everywhere, and it needs to be talked about and globalized."

In a statement, IU spoksperson Chuck Carney says the univeristy appreciates students' attention to these serious matters.

"We stand behind our processes which are fair, thorough, and equitable for all students. In orientation, later on arrival to campus and again in their first year, IU students participate in programming that addresses sexual assault education. IU will continue to lead in educating all students on matters of sexual assault prevention," wrote Carney.

According to data from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women is sexually assaulted during their time in college. IUs most recent Clery Report disclosed 15 cases of rape on campus during the 2016 school year.
Users on social media have accused the Iranian president of selling off Irans share of the Caspian Sea to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Iran now has the smallest share.

The sea is rich in both oil and gas with estimates indicating there could be around 8.5 trillion cubic metres of natural gas and 50 billion barrels of oil beneath the seabed. Hence the major disputes over the sea.

The Iranian regime is worried about the reaction from the public and it is trying to cover the issue up with the usual tactics. Propaganda is in full swing and President Rouhanis speech in a cabinet meeting two days after the treaty was signed revolved around the issue. He tried to justify the major concessions made by Iran. Rouhani said that the negotiations have been going on for two decades and that less than a third of the issues had been resolved with this treaty, implying that the next round of negotiations would be more in Irans favour. However, this is a complete contradiction to what the Iranian had previously said. It had claimed that only around 10 per cent of the issues remain outstanding.

However, he revealed further information at the end of his speech. He said: In these negotiations and agreement we had a very great achievement in terms of national security. The United States, and even NATO, had a plan to come to the shores of Caspian Sea. So that their soldiers, their soldiers boots reach the shores of the Caspian Sea.

The Foreign Minister of Iran, Javad Zarif, appeared on television to justify the treaty. He was asked whether it was a good idea that Iran signed the treaty given its current weak position. However, he refuted that the regime was in a weak place, saying that it is very strong.

Even some state media outlets have criticised Irans concessions, calling the agreement the second Treaty of Turkmenchay referring to the treaty that was made between Iran and the Russian Empire many years ago. In this agreement, Iran gave Russia control over a number of areas of South Caucasus. To this day, the treaty is still regarded as symbolic of Irans interests being sold out.

This is just another example of the Iranian regime mismanaging the countrys resources. It should not be surprising as the country is in a mess because of the current leadership. This is just one more reason for the people to take to the streets.

Since December last year, the people of Iran have participated in protests and anti-government demonstrations and are calling for regime change. They are angry at the regimes corruption, mismanagement and neglect.
What's This Blog About?

Who needs to read about the latest pop chart tart? Who cares about another formulaic mall movie? That's what People Magazine is for, right?



Off-Center Views is for those who want to wade outside the mainstream without getting dashed upon the rocks of academic pretense, post-modernist mumbo jumbo, or high culture snobbery.



Look to this blog for reviews and opinions (including some truly cranky notions) on films, music, sports, art, and anything else that's on our minds at present. We aim to be provocative, but also entertaining and understandable.



Enjoy and share the posts with others.



Phoenix Brown & Lars Vigo


The NCRI explained that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif usually attend to meet the representatives and ambassadors. This year, the list of officials included Minister of Intelligence Mahmoud Alavi, Defense Minister Amir Hatami, Speaker of the Majlis Ali Larijani, head of the judiciary Sadeq Larijani, head of the Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi, adviser to the Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati, commander of the Qods Force Qassem Soleimani, Interior Minister Rahmani Fazli, chairman of the Organization of Islamic Culture and Communication Abuzar Ebrahimi Turkman, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi, and other regime leaders and officials.

A large part of the meeting, according to the opposition, was a briefing about the Iranian terrorist diplomat that was arrested in Germany last month. Furthermore, there were extensive discussions about confronting the Iranian Resistance.

Faced with the news of the arrest in Germany, the regime officials obviously saw it necessary to encourage the diplomats and provide reassurance to ensure that morale does not drop.

Some of the diplomats that are posted abroad voiced their concern about the repercussions of the foiled terrorist plot last month. They pointed out that foreign governments and media outlets have pointed to the role of Iranian diplomats in the incident. It has been widely reported in foreign media that the involvement of diplomats in such incidences is a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention. The foiled attack has also been described as a serious terrorist act.

The diplomats were instructed on how to deal with the incident. The NCRI said: Alavi and Zarif briefed them on how to deal with Assadis case and emphasized that with psychological warfare and the pumping of false information, previous and future measures against the hypocrites (PMO/MEK) must be made digestible. In this regard, the regimes representatives were ordered to activate their relations with the intelligence and security organs of the host countries.

In an internal report compiled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), it was recorded that a priority of the regime is to deliver a blow to the PMOI(MEK). It said that targeting the group is on the agenda.

The NCRI also spoke about the coordination between the IRGC and the Qods Force and the Foreign Ministry and foreign representative offices with regards to terrorist interventions and conflicts in the Middle East, in particular in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. The overseas representatives were instructed on how to justify measures to their local politicians, government, press, and so on.

As it loses more and more control, it is clear that the Iranian regime is panicking and trying to ensure that its story is straight with its overseas diplomats. The arrest of the diplomat in Germany on charges of orchestrating a terrorist attack has clearly shaken it.
Sector-specific teams are continuing to meet, he said after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Friday.

During a televised cabinet meeting today, the US president said his administration isn't negotiating with Canada right now, before adding that its tariffs are too high and barriers too strong.

U.S. President Donald Trump, however, said alongside him he was in "no rush" to conclude talks on NAFTA, which he wants renegotiated in favor of the United States. "And as a matter of fact, the Trump administration has even said 'we'll add extra tariffs on you if you don't play ball".

"We're either going to do a good NAFTA, a fair NAFTA for us, or we're not doing NAFTA at all", he said. The U.S. and Mexico are pushing for an agreement this month that would give the countries time to sign the pact before Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office in December.

"Our focus remains defending Canadian interests as we work towards a modernized, updated NAFTA agreement". Plus, the incremental progress, along with "good faith negotiations" between Mexico and the US are offering signs of hope to USA farmers and business in the global trade arena. They've stressed that there have been a lot of one-on-one talks during NAFTA's renegotiation process. "I'm hopeful with Mexico".

UK lawmakers urge government to relax rules on e-cigarettes

The government has said it will "carefully consider" the evidence and recommendations made by the by the committee. They also pointed to links between some experts, the tobacco industry and firms that manufacture e-cigarettes.

U.S. President Donald Trump is suggesting the United States has deliberately left Canada on the NAFTA sidelines as negotiations between Washington and Mexico have heated up in recent weeks.

Guajardo said that the few remaining issues, mainly involving autos, are close to resolution, but Canada could be a fly in the ointment.

According to U.S. auto industry sources, the two sides 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.

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.
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani announced three months conditional ceasefire with the Taliban entering into effect from tomorrow and would last till Eid Melad-ul-Nabi.

KABUL-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday proposed a conditional three-month cease-fire in the government's USA -backed war against the Taliban, seeking to regain political momentum following a string of devastating battlefield losses to security forces at the hands of the insurgents.

Abdul Rahman Aqtash, the police chief in neighbouring Takhar province, said the passengers were from Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were traveling to the capital, Kabul.

The United States on Sunday welcomed the announcement by Kabul of a provisional ceasefire with the Taliban, saying the plan "responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people".

The statement went on to reiterate the group's position that direct talks with the United States is the only way to bring the 17-year war with the nation to an end.

Ghani's ceasefire announcement was limited to the Taliban and excluded other militant groups such as Islamic State.

Mexico hopeful to conclude NAFTA talks with United States next week

They've stressed that there have been a lot of one-on-one talks during NAFTA's renegotiation process. "I'm hopeful with Mexico". Sector-specific teams are continuing to meet, he said after meeting with U.S.

There was no comment from the Taliban but the area of the incident is under Taliban control.

It had been hoped the ceasefire could have been observed until November 20, marking the Prophet Muhammad's birthday.

Taliban sources said their leaders had also provisionally agreed a four-day truce during the annual Islamic feast of sacrifice, though supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada still had to give his final approval.

"It is our hope, and that of the worldwide community, that the Afghan people may celebrate Eid al-Adha this year in peace, free from fear", he added, referring to the Islamic holiday that starts next week. Afghan security forces battled the militants inside the city for five days, as the US carried out airstrikes and sent advisers to help the Afghan ground forces. The heavy casualties underscore the challenges the government in Kabul faces since the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation officially ended their combat mission at the end of 2014.

The battle for Ghazni killed at least 100 members of the Afghan security forces and 35 civilians, according to Afghan officials. Since then, American forces, now in a training and advising role, have repeatedly come to the aid of Afghan forces.
And Muslims have been doing this for hundreds of years!

As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before.

The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God.

Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites and organizing a peaceful hajj, which has been marred in the past by deadly stampedes, fires and riots.

The kingdom has plans to introduce capsule rooms in the western city of Mina in the coming days, as an estimated two million Muslim faithful gather for the six-day hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

"They say charity begins at home", he said.

The Saudi Government had announced the figure, saying 233,000 of the total were domestic pilgrims now in Makkah, while others were being expected. This means days in a month are based on the phases of the moon, which makes the Islamic year around 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, which is from January to December. Though the border was open hardly anybody from Qatar could perform the pilgrimage past year because of the hurdles and humiliation they were subjected to, sources said.

The Kaaba is a large square building in the middle of the Great Mosque of Mecca.

"There is a comprehensive electronic agenda for every pilgrim and we have provided many apps that offer guidance", Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mohammed Bintin told Reuters. Many seek to deepen their faith on the hajj, with some women taking on the Islamic hair covering known as "hijab" upon returning.

Mexico hopeful to conclude NAFTA talks with United States next week

They've stressed that there have been a lot of one-on-one talks during NAFTA's renegotiation process. "I'm hopeful with Mexico". Sector-specific teams are continuing to meet, he said after meeting with U.S.

Pilgrims perform Sa'i which is to run between two hills - Al-Safa and Al-Marwa - seven times. People who are older or have mobility issues may find it hard, so wheelchairs and motorized carts are now on-hand.

Hajj pilgrimage brings millions of Muslims to Saudi Arabia every year. This is where pilgrims ask Allah (God) for forgiveness for any past sins. After sunset, pilgrims head to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and Mina, where they stay at least until midnight, engaged in prayers after performing Maghreb and Isha prayers combined. The wuquf is the most important part of Hajj.

But the Indian translator, Ghuri, said the presence of real-life interpreters made the experience of hajj easier for pilgrims.

While following a route the Prophet Muhammad once walked, the rites of hajj are believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

What else should I know about Hajj? After listening to the Arafat sermon to be delivered at Namira Mosque, they will perform the Dhuhr and Asr prayers together in the shortened form.

Men attending the hajj dress in only terrycloth, seamless white garments meant to represent unity among Muslims and equality before God.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Friday concluded the transportation of Nigeria's pilgrims to this year's Hajj with the arrival of about 190, making up 37,746 pilgrims now in Saudi Arabia.

Hajj is a tough, but very important and rewarding journey for Muslim pilgrims. It is also forbidden for pilgrims to argue, fight or lose their tempers during the hajj.
Beyonce Gives Glimpse of Twins and Flaunts Real Hair with Behind the Scenes of Vogue Cover Shoot

Beyonce continues to speak on her terms without words. Her latest conversation is through recently released behind the scenes videos, of her newly iconic photo shoot for Vogue. The internet went crazy as Beyonce made the cover of Vogue during her birthday month, making history by choosing the first African American photographer to ever shot a Vogue cover, Tyler Mitchell.

A post shared by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Aug 6, 2018 at 6:03am PDT

During the released videos she shows off her motherly charm and gets her hair braided.

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A post shared by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Aug 14, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT

Some have questioned the length of Mrs. Carter hair and she gives you the reality of the length in the videos.

A post shared by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Aug 14, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT

Beyonce is currently on the U.S. leg of her worldwide tour On the Run II with her husband Jay Z.

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The Broad Announces 2019 Exhibitions Focusing on the Intersection of Art, Politics and Culture

The Broad announced its exhibition schedule for 2019, led by the exclusive West Coast presentation of the internationally acclaimed exhibition Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983, followed by Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again. Originated by The Broad, Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again launches the first major survey of the renowned multidisciplinary artist to take place on the West Coast.

These important exhibitions expand our long-established commitment to the work of artists confronting social and political themes, said Joanne Heyler, founding director and chief curator, The Broad. Soul of a Nation brings to Los Angeles a deep look at the crucial work of Black artists across the United States from the civil rights era to the early 1980s, highlighting the experimentation, production and exhibition of Black art during that time. It features several collaborative activist groups, and a vital scene in Los Angeles. This carefully curated shows capacity to deepen our audiences appreciation of the American postwar era motivated us to present it at The Broad.

Heyler continued, Our fall 2019 exhibition will present, for the first time in Los Angeles, a survey of the work of Iranian American artist Shirin Neshat. In the late 1990s, the Broad collection began a long engagement with the artists work with the acquisition of her twin-screen, immersive video piece Rapture (1999). It added her captivating voice to the collections emphasis on artists responding to global culture and politics. Neshats stark and powerful work in photography, film and video addresses issues around migration and exile as well as the Wests preconceptions about Islamic culture. We are excited to be working alongside the artist in developing one of the most relevant and poignant surveys to date of her work.

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It is my tremendous honor to be invited to hold one of the largest exhibitions of my past and most recent work at The Broad, said Neshat. Not only do I feel privileged to be among the roster of amazing and iconic artists whom The Broad has thus far presented in major solo surveys, but Im also extremely excited by the opportunity of seeing my work finally be brought to the city of Los Angeles, with its diverse population including the largest Iranian community living outside of Iran.

The survey will be accompanied by a full-color catalog, including essays by exhibition curator Ed Schad and leading scholars and artists working in Iranian culture, photography and film. For both 2019 special exhibitions, The Broad will present public programs and cross-disciplinary collaborations throughout the year with artists, authors, scholars and others to amplify and build on the ideas presented in the galleries.

Full details (including ticket pricing and public programs) for Soul of a Nation and Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again will be announced closer to the exhibition opening dates. For news and updates, sign up for email newsletters at www.thebroad.org/press or follow The Broad on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983

March 23-Sept. 1, 2019

Soul of a Nation celebrates the work of Black artists made over two decades beginning in 1963, at the height of the civil rights movement. The exhibition devotes individual galleries either to groups of artists working in a particular city  with three galleries dedicated to artists living and working in Los Angeles  or to a different kind of art production. The exhibition showcases communities engaged in robust artistic dialogues, while also revealing disagreements about what it meant to be a Black artist at this time. Artworks in the exhibition are both figurative and abstract, and range from collage, assemblage and photography to painting, sculpture and performance. Ultimately, the exhibition emphasizes the dynamic contributions of Black artists to this significant period in American history and art.

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Developed by Tate Modern in London (July 12-Oct. 22, 2017), Soul of a Nation debuted in the United States at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Arkansas (Feb. 3-April 23, 2018), and will travel to the Brooklyn Museum in New York (Sept. 14, 2018-Feb. 3, 2019) before making its final (and only West Coast) stop at The Broad in Los Angeles. It is accompanied by a full-color catalog surveying this crucial period in American art history, featuring thought-provoking essays that explore abstract and figurative art, and examine the most significant groups, exhibitions, publications, campaigns and institutions of the time.

This exhibition is organized by Tate Modern, London in collaboration with The Broad, Los Angeles, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas and Brooklyn Museum, New York. Curated by Mark Godfrey, Senior Curator, International Art and Zoe Whitley, Research Curator, Tate Modern. The Broad presentation is curated by Sarah Loyer, Associate Curator and Exhibitions Manager.

Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again

Mid-October 2019 through early 2020

Originated by The Broad, the exhibition surveys 25 years of Neshats dynamic video works and photography, investigating the artists passionate engagement with ancient and recent Iranian history, the experience of living in exile, and the human impact of political revolution. Taking its name from a poem by poet Forugh Farrokhzad, it is accompanied by a full-color catalog that includes essays by exhibition curator Ed Schad and leading scholars and artists working in Iranian culture, photography and film.

Neshat left Iran when she was 17 years old to complete her studies at the University of California at Berkeley, after residing initially in Los Angeles. Due to the turbulence of the Islamic Revolution (1978-79) and the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88), Neshat continued to live outside of her home country. She first gained renown for her iconic 1990s photographic work Women of Allah, as well as immersive videos such as Rapture (1991) and Possessed(2001) (both now in the Broad collection). Neshat completed her first feature film, Women without Men, in 2009, and recently debuted a new feature film, Looking for Oum Kulthum, in 2018.

The exhibition connects Neshats early work  centered on the experiences of Muslim women as a mirror for Iran and Iranians living in exile  to acclaimed recent projects never-before-seen in American museums. Dreamers, the artists first examination of American society, will feature prominently. Influenced by the Surrealist films of Man Ray and Maya Deren, these photographs and videos examine the lives of outsiders and exiles from other countries who navigate their personal identities in the United States through a divided sense of culture and shifting sense of home.

About The Broad

The Broad is a contemporary art museum founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, the museum offers free general admission and presents an active program of rotating temporary exhibitions and innovative audience engagement. The Broad is home to more than 2,000 works of art in the Broad collection, which is among the most prominent holdings of postwar and contemporary art worldwide.

The 120,000-square-foot building features two floors of gallery space and is the headquarters of The Broad Art Foundations worldwide lending library, which has been loaning collection works to museums around the world since 1984. Since opening in September 2015, The Broad has welcomed more than 2.1 million visitors. Generous support is provided by Leading Partner East West Bank.

For more information on The Broad and to sign up for updates, please visit thebroad.org.
Afghan forces rescued nearly 150 people hours after their abduction by Taliban militants. The militants, however, escaped with 21 people following a battle in Kunduz in northern Afghanistan.

The quick response marked a rare battlefield success for the government after weeks of continuing attacks. A government spokesman said tribal leaders were trying to negotiate their release.

The Taliban have been fighting the U.S.-backed Afghan government for nearly 17 years. Recently, they have stepped up attacks, seizing rural areas and launching major attacks against government forces every day.

Earlier this month, the militants seized several neighborhoods in Ghazni, a city 120 kilometers from the capital, Kabul. It took more than five days for government forces to re-take the city with help from U.S. airstrikes and advisers.

The battle for Ghazni killed at least 100 government troops and 35 civilians. The Defense Ministry said about 200 militants were killed.

The latest attack came a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani proposed a holiday ceasefire. The proposal would be conditional on the Taliban halting attacks and could last up to three months.

Ceasefire and prison releases

Presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansoori said on Monday the government would continue its operations against the Taliban until their leadership announces an official ceasefire.

However, he added, the Afghan security forces will continue their operations against other Islamic State militants and drug smugglers.

Taliban sources said their leaders had told local commanders to stop fighting for four days this week during the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Adha. But they were not likely to officially announce anything, the sources said.

Chakhansoori also said the Afghanistan government had asked the Taliban for a prisoner list for possible release over Eid. He said the government would consider releasing Taliban prisoners that were old, sick, or who had finished jail terms or were declared free by courts.

The Taliban said they would also release a number of prisoners over Eid.

The US ready to support

From the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that the U.S. is ready to support direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Pompeo said in a statement, "The United States welcomes the announcement by the Afghan government of a cease-fire conditioned on Taliban participation. This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace.

"The last cease-fire in Afghanistan revealed the deep desire of the Afghan people to end the conflict, and we hope another ceasefire will move the country closer to sustainable security," the statement added.

The last ceasefire was in June and lasted for three days.

Im Phil Dierking.

Ayesha Tanzeem and Ayaz Gul reported this story for VOA News. Phil Dierking adapted the story for Learning English with additional materials from the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor.

Do you think violent conflicts should stop during religious holidays? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

response - n. something that is said or written as a reply to something

participate - v. to take part in an activity or event with others

smuggle - v. to take or bring (something) secretly

source - n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed

reveal - v. to make (something) known

sustainable - adj. able to last or continue for a long time
Participants in Girls on Rock get to explore forests, hike mountains and sleep under the stars. But that is only part of the experience the young women seek in the free Colorado-based educational program. The program also provides them the chance to carry out field research with actual scientists.

Girls on Rock is part of the organization Inspiring Girls Expeditions. The group supports similar programs in the American states of Alaska and Washington, and in the countries of Canada and Switzerland.

In late July, a team of nine girls and five instructors launched the first Girls on Rock trip. The group spent 12-days in the Gore Mountains near Frisco, Colorado.

Each girl took turns climbing a wall of rock. After climbing, the girls took a hike. During the hike, they stopped for a lesson on map reading. They also learned how to find their position on Earth using nothing but a thin rope and information about their current elevation.

The young women had several reasons for wanting to enter the program. They wanted to meet new people, be involved in science during the summer break and face fears. They were surprised by how quickly they made friends as they learned how to trust themselves and others.

Girls on Rock does not consider academic performance when choosing participants. Instead, interested girls are asked to explain in writing why they want to participate in the program.

The nine girls came from all over the U.S. Miauaxochitl Haskie, who goes by the name Mia, is a 16-year-old from New Mexico. She hopes to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the future.

Guadalupe Ramirez came from the city of Denver, Colorado. Small towns were also represented by students like 16-year-old Chloe Crocker from Fredericksburg, Texas.

Some brought outdoor experience with them, like 17-year-old Taliyah Emory-Muhammad from Silver Spring, Maryland. She rock climbs as a sport during the school year.

Eighteen-year-old Jessi Figard from North Carolina said she had never hiked before. She has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which, in the past, kept her from similar outdoor activities.

Ive never been so dirty, Figard told the Associated Press. This is the longest Ive been without showering. Its refreshing.

Evelyn Cheng, an ecologist, and Megan Blanchard, a chemical ecologist, began developing the program in 2014. They were both studying at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

The two scientists asked for donations, applied for grants and requested help from companies to establish the program.

Now, they are seeking corporate sponsorship to keep the program going.

Blanchard said she felt she was given many opportunities and wants to give that to others.

Science and rock climbing are both majority-male fields. And Cheng said women can sometimes feel like they do not belong in those fields, as a result. She believes Girls on Rock can help make that change.

If I had something like this early on, I wouldve tried so many more things, questioned so much, Cheng said.

Im Pete Musto.

Danika Worthington reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Are there similar programs for young women in your country? What are they like? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________ Quiz Quiz - Summer Program Teaches Young Women Science, Outdoor Skills Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

participant(s)  n. a person who is involved in an activity or event

hike  v. to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise

elevation  n. the height of a place

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

shower(ing)  v. to wash yourself by using a device that produces a spray of water for you to stand under

refreshing  adj. pleasantly new, different, or interesting

ecologist  n. a scientists who studies the relationships between groups of living things and their environments

grant(s)  n. an amount of money that is given to someone by a government or company to be used for a particular purpose, such as scientific research

sponsorship  n. an agreement in which a person or organization promises to give money to someone or something

opportunities  n. amounts of time or situations in which something can be done
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Indian-origin billionaire businessmen based in the UAE have announced Rs 12.5 crore donation for flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala, according to a media report.

Nearly 200 people have lost their lives in Kerala since August 8 due to floods caused by rains and landslides, while over 3.14 lakh people have been moved to relief camps.

The southern Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the scenic state, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities severely hit.

Kerala-born businessman Yusuff Ali MA, chairman and managing director of Lulu Group, has announced a Rs 5 crore donation for rain-battered Kerala, Khaleej Times reported on Sunday.

KP Hussain, chairman of Fathima Healthcare Group, has donated Rs 5 crore. He said that Rs 1 crore out of Rs 5 crore will directly go to the Kerala Chief Minister's relief fund, while the rest will be allocated for medical relief aid, the Gulf paper added.

Hussain said that his group has coordinated with the state's health secretary to send volunteers from its medical faculty. This includes doctors and paramedics being sent to relief camps.

"As per our geological studies and today's condition in Kerala, the stagnant water will be drained much later than expected. Hence, there is a high possibility of more deaths in the event of spread of various diseases like fever, dysentery, gastric issues, skin disorders etc," he was quoted as saying by the paper.

"This situation needs to be handled very seriously and emergency treatment has to be provided with immediate effect. As recommended by the public health secretary, we have received the list of medicines which will be supplied to the relief camps."

Other UAE-based businessmen had pledged amounts to help in flood relief operations.

India-born billionaire BR Shetty, chairman of Unimoni and UAE Exchange, had pledged Rs 2 crore.

Azad Moopen, Indian physician and philanthropist, and founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, pledged Rs 50 lakh. The group also announced that it had mobilised a disaster support team of over 300 volunteers.

Yesterday, the United Arab Emirates prime minister and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum came out in support for deluge-hit Kerala and ordered the formation of an emergency committee to provide relief to the victims hit by devastating rains and floods in the state.

The Indian community in the UAE, numbering 2.6 million, constitutes 30 per cent of the total population. It is the largest expatriate community in the country.
The Macau City Visual Arts Society will hold a woodblock print exhibition Carving White by local artist Mel Cheong today at Roomage30.

The local artist created a series of works about Mount Fuji and started her Carving White exhibition tour which traveled from Yamanashi to Tokyo and Fukuoka, with her number of artworks increasing from 10 to 14.

Woodblock printing technology was spread to Japan in 8 C.E. through religious and cultural exchange, and in the 17th century it became the popular artform Ukiyo-e.

Famous artist Hokusai Katsushika created the series of 36 Views of Mount Fuji in Edo Period, which is the main theme of Cheongs exhibition.

According to a statement, Cheong used several white spaces for the winter time images of Mount Fuji, using handmade washi paper.

The blanks in the images [not] only broadens the imagination of the audience, but also leaves the feeling of the natural texture of washi, the statement read.

Earlier this year, Cheong was invited to Artist in Residence Yamanashi (AIRY), a program which invites artists from Japan and abroad to live in the mountainous area of Yamanashi.

There, Cheong hosted a workshop about the drawing of the Portuguese tiles (Azulejos) and shared the history and gastronomy of the city.

Supported by the community and other artists, AIRY organizes different art projects.

In May, AIRY and local curators organized an exhibition about sento culture called Tip-Tip, Plop Plop, and invited Cheong to create a work on Mount Fuji.

Carving White will be held until August 28.
Residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima attacked Venezuelan immigrants on Saturday after a local storeowner was robbed, stabbed and beaten in an assault blamed on four migrants, authorities said.

Pacaraima, in the northern jungle state of Roraima, is a major border crossing with Venezuela, where economic and political turmoil has driven tens of thousands to cross into Brazil over the past few years.

After a rally held to protest the attack against the storeowner, groups of residents roamed the town hurling rocks at the immigrants and setting fire to their belongings.

Police said the storeowner, who was beaten and robbed on Friday night, has been hospitalized and is in stable condition.

The Roraima state government estimates that more than 50,000 Venezuelan refugees have crossed the border, occupying already existing shelters or sleeping in tents, plazas and streets. The influx was nearly equal to 10 percent of the states population of 520,000 inhabitants.

Police said that to escape the violence, hundreds of immigrants crossed the border back into Venezuela. On a video posted by the G1 news portal a mans voice is heard shouting Get out. Get out. Go back to Venezuela.

Wandenberg Ribeiro Costa, one of the organizers of Saturdays rally, told the G1 news portal we have expelled the Venezuelans.

Claudio Lamachia, president of the Brazilian Bar Association, said in a statement that the violence that took place in Pacaraima exposed the humanitarian drama afflicting our neighbors  who are trying to improve their lives and survive.

The state of Roraima does not have the conditions to shelter all the immigrants, he said, adding that close to 800 Venezuelans enter Roraima every day.

The crisis has prompted state authorities in recent months to try to limit services to Venezuelans and temporarily shut the border. The federal government and high courts have curtailed attempts to do those things.

Milene de Souza, a volunteer at an evangelical church, told the Associated Press by phone that the situation is desperate.

The world has to see what is happening here, where no one knows what to do, she said, adding that every day she helps Venezuelan engineers, doctors, lawyers and other professionals who sleep on the streets with their diplomas tucked under their pillows. AP
Lee Soo-nam was 8 the last time he saw his older brother. Sixty-eight years ago this month the boy watched, bewildered, as his 18-year-old brother left their home in Seoul to escape invading North Korean soldiers who were conscripting young men just weeks after invading South Korea to start the Korean War.

An hour later his brother, Ri Jong Song, was snatched up by North Korean soldiers near a bridge across Seouls Han River. Lee always assumed Ri died during the three-year war that killed and injured millions before a cease-fire in 1953, but his mother prayed daily for her lost sons return, only giving up a few years before her death in 1975.

But Ri survived the war, living in North Korea. The brothers, now 76 and 86, will be among hundreds of Koreans who will participate, starting Monday, in a week of temporary reunions of divided families. Many have had no contact with each other since the war cemented the division of the peninsula into the North and South.

The elderly relatives gathering at North Koreas scenic Diamond Mountain resort know that, given the fickle nature of ties between the rival Koreas, this could be the last time they see each other before they die.

Im nervous. Im still unsure whether this is a dream or reality. I just want to thank him for staying alive all these years, Lee said in an interview in his home in Seoul, not far from where he last saw his brother.

Since the end of the war, both Koreas have banned ordinary citizens from visiting relatives on the other side of the border or contacting them without permission Nearly 20,000 people have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000. No one has had a second chance to see their relatives.

This weeks reunions come after a three-year hiatus during which North Korea tested three nuclear weapons and multiple missiles that demonstrated the potential of striking the continental United States.

At past meetings, elderly relatives  some relying on wheelchairs or walking sticks  have wept, hugged and caressed each other in a rush of emotions. According to Seouls Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, more than 500 separated South Koreans and their family members will cross the border for two separate rounds of reunions between Aug. 20 and 26.

At Diamond Mountain, Lee expects to meet Ri and his 79-year-old North Korean wife and 50-year-old son. Lee will bring more than a dozen family photos, including a black-and-white picture of Ri in a buzz-cut when he was 16 or 17.

Thats how I remember him, Lee said. I lost a brother and my parents lost a child, but my brother lost his parents, siblings, friends and an entire hometown, and he probably spent his whole life longing for all of those things. Its heartbreaking to think about.

The difference in the siblings family names is a product of the Korean Peninsulas division  each country uses different English transliteration rules, so Lee in the South is spelled Ri in the North.

Many of the South Korean participants in the reunions will be war refugees who were born in North Korea.

Kim Kwang-ho, 79, was among some 14,000 refugees who were ferried to South Korea by the American freighter SS Meredith Victory in December 1950 in one of the worlds largest humanitarian operations. Also on the ship were the parents of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who described the evacuation as a voyage of freedom and human rights in a speech in Washington last year.

At the reunions, Kim expects to meet his 78-year-old brother, Kim Kwang Il, and his sister-in-law. Kim has vivid memories of what he described as a beautiful hometown in northern North Korea, where he plowed rice and corn fields with cattle, picked peaches and apricots from trees and spent hours swimming in brooks.

He gets emotional when talking about the mother he left behind, who used to cry over the death of his brother during the war.

I have clear memories of events that happened, Kim said. But somehow I cant remember the faces of my mother and brother.

Behind the raw emotions, the meetings are tightly coordinated events where participants are closely watched by North Korean officials and dozens of South Korean journalists.

As in previous reunions, South Koreas Red Cross, which organizes the events with its North Korean counterpart, has issued a guidebook telling South Koreans what to do and what not to do.

Political comments such as criticism of the Norths leadership and the state of its economy could put your (North Korean) family members into a difficult situation, the green book says. If a North Korean family member sings a propaganda song or makes a political comment, restrain them appropriately by naturally changing the subject of the conversation.

Lee knows he wont be able to talk much about what happened when his brother was taken in August 1950. Instead, he plans to share childhood memories, such as when Ri took his younger brothers on a hike on nearby Mount Nam to look at foxes living near an old fortress wall.

South Koreans also cant give their North Korean relatives luxury items because of international sanctions imposed on the North over its nuclear and missile programs, with past cash gifts banned this year to reflect the sanctions, according to a South Korean Red Cross official who didnt want to be identified, citing office rules.

The reunions are occurring during a flurry of diplomatic contacts. In recent months, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met Moon twice and held a summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore, where they issued a vague goal of a nuclear-free peninsula, without describing how and when it would occur.

Moon, who plans to meet Kim again in September in Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, says progress in inter-Korean reconciliation will be a crucial part of international efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff with the North. The Koreas have held military talks and are fielding combined teams at this months Asian Games in Indonesia in a gesture of goodwill.

Still, South Korea has failed to persuade the North to accept its long-standing proposal for more frequent reunions with more participants. North Korea has also ignored the Souths suggestion of hometown visits and letter exchanges.

The limited number of reunions cannot meet the demands of divided family members, who are now mostly in their 80s and 90s, South Korean officials say. More than 75,000 of the 132,000 South Koreans who have applied to participate in reunions have died, according to government figures.

Analysts say North Korea sees the reunions as an important bargaining chip with the South, and doesnt want them expanded because they give its people better awareness of the outside world. While South Korea uses a computerized lottery to pick participants for the reunions, North Korea is believed to choose based on loyalty to its authoritarian leadership.

When we meet this time, that will be the end for me, said Yoon Heung-kyu, a 91-year-old Korean War veteran from the South and a staunch anti-communist campaigner in his youth who will be meeting his North Korean brother-in-law and grandnephew.

North Korea guards against exposing its people to the free South because of fear of a regime collapse. It just allows 100 or so participants every several years to save face internationally, he said. These arent really family reunions; if they were, we would be meeting in our hometowns, not at Diamond Mountain. Kim Tong-Hyung, Seoul, AP
The acting head of the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) refuted media reports over the weekend that the citys education authority refers homosexual students to doctors and psychologists for examination. She said that the media had misunderstood her position on such matters.

First published by Portuguese newspaper Ponto Final, deputy director Leong Vai Kei was reported to have made several comments regarding homosexuality and premarital sexual intercourse, viewed by many as controversial and inappropriate.

The newspaper reported that Leong had said that students who show signs of homosexuality are referred to competent authorities for a medical examination.

If [a student] has evidence of this homosexuality, we refer this case to other competent authorities. If the children or the students think they are homosexual, we can transfer the case to a doctor or psychologist for a clinical examination, she said, according to Ponto Final.

In the controversial media interview, Leong was also cited as having said that students do not have the capability to assess their own sexuality and that young women should refrain from having sexual intercourse before marriage because their future husbands might not like it.

She said that pre-marital sex was an ethical question for society to reconcile and on this matter the education authority follows the conservative view of Macaus majority Chinese population.

In remarks that might be construed as sexist, Leong said: We find that men do not like having their future wife [having had] premarital sex. [] We think this is not an appropriate act for a lady, for this ladys body as for her psychological part. This lady will face stress and this ladys parents will also have stress.

The DSEJ advocates the teaching of young men and women to avoid sexual intercourse outside of marriage, and this will come through in the bureaus recommendations on sex education, she said.

Over the weekend, the DSEJ head hit back at some media reports concerning the issue of homosexual students being referred for therapy. She claimed that the media reports were not consistent with what she had expressed, adding that language translation issues had likely been the cause of the misunderstanding.

According to All About Macau, Leong stressed that the psychological and medical examinations for homosexual students were only conducted in cases when the students are in trouble with sex and need assistance.

The authorities can assist them to refer to the professionals for help, and the relevant referral is not mandatory, and no students have been required to accept referral services in the past, she added. The DSEJ corroborated these views in a statement issued yesterday.
Its been 50 years, but powerful images of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia taken by photographer Josef Koudelka still resonate among Czechs and elsewhere in the world  theyve even been admired in Russia.

As the armies of the five Warsaw Pact countries invaded his country an hour before midnight on Aug. 20, 1968, Koudelka was ready. Risking his life, he took thousands of photos in the week that followed, capturing the shocking experience for his nation  and the defiance of its people.

After the negatives were smuggled out of the country, the photos that were published in the West became one of the most famed documentary series of the 20th century.

Looking back at 1968 in an interview with The Associated Press, Koudelka said he seized the once-in-a-career opportunity.

The opportunity to take so many photos made it possible for me to do something I never thought I would be able to do, Koudelka said. And I think that a majority of people in Czechoslovakia who knew me as a photographer didnt even think I could do anything like that.

His photos captured the mood on the streets of Prague: the public anger, frustration and massive protests against the troops that came in with tanks to crush the Prague Spring  the brief period of liberal reforms under leader Alexander Dubcek meant to lead toward democratization of communist Czechoslovakia.

It was a tragedy. But also miracles happened at the time, Koudelka said. One of the biggest miracles for me was  and that has happened at major events elsewhere  that people are able to completely change overnight.

He said in reaction to the attack, the whole nation became united. No matter who you were, only one thing mattered: We were all against them, he said.

One of his now-iconic photos shows a man holding his coat wide open in front of an armed soldier standing on a Soviet tank, while another one captures an elderly man trying to hit a tank with a cobblestone.

My photos captured a moment when we behaved like a nation, Koudelka said. And that didnt happen too often in our history.

Unarmed people could not stop the armies, however, and the country was subsequently taken over by a hard-line Communist regime fully loyal to Moscow. The occupying troops stayed for over 20 years and withdrew only after the 1989 Velvet Revolution led by the late Vaclav Havel.

According to historians, 137 people were killed by Warsaw Pact soldiers in 1968 alone, and a total of over 400 died during the occupation of Czechoslovakia.

Koudelkas photos were first published by media around the globe in 1969 under the attribution P.P. (Prague photographer) to prevent his persecution by the Communists.

He left the country in 1970 to work for the Magnum Photos agency and didnt reveal until 1984 that he was the author of the 1968 pictures.

Now 80, Koudelka is not ready to retire. He still keeps his camera busy every day.

Over his long career, he took many great photographs, including his Gypsy, Exile and Panoramas series that are in the collections of major museums, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

But his 1968 photos have been most known globally. This year alone, there are exhibitions of his work in Poland, Belgium and Italy, together with a retrospective, Returning, at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague accompanied by the publication of his new book of the same name.

His photos been displayed around the world, including in China and Russia.

I never believed I would be able to take the Russian tanks to Moscow, Koudelka said. Karel Janicek, Prague , AP
Veteran legal advisers of the Legislative Assembly (AL) Paulo Cardinal and Paulo Taipa were dismissed by the board of the AL, headed by President Ho Iat Seng, early last week.

The news broke Saturday on Plataforma Media news outlet and caused a generalized sense of incredulity and shock in the community, particularly within the legal fraternity.

Mr Cardinal and Mr Taipa are two living encyclopedias on the historical and legislative developments over the last crucial three decades, lawyer and political commentator Sergio de Almeida Correia told the Times yesterday, reflecting a common perception among peers that both advisers possess extraordinary professional qualities and are men of character and high work ethics.

On Tuesday afternoon, Cardinal and Taipa each received a letter informing them that their contracts were not to be renewed and that their work would cease at the AL by December 31. The short and laconic letter also stresses that the board is extremely grateful for the exceptional contribution the advisers have given to the Legislative Assembly. However, neither letter stated the reasons for the terminations.

Cardinal and Taipa, both taken by surprise with the sudden and unexpected dismissal, requested a meeting with President Ho Iat Seng and Vice-President Chui Sai Cheong, which took place the next day. On the occasion, Ho talked about a vague idea of a restructure of the legal advisers team, six of them Portuguese nationals. For that reason, it is time we part ways. We [AL] go our way, you go yours, said Ho. The presidency of the AL reiterated a tremendous respect and admiration for the positive contribution to the work of the Legislative Assembly both have given.

None in the legal community and beyond accepted this reasoning as valid.

They invoked as a reason a certain renovation or restructuring [of the legal team]. Well, I dont know if this restructuring is going to happen or not. But one thing I know for sure, Mr Cardinal and Mr Taipa should have a place in any possible restructuring that may occur, because of their qualities and vast accumulated experience, top lawyer Jorge Neto Valente told Radio Macau yesterday, from Portugal.

Paulo Cardinal, 53, came to Macau in 1990 and Paulo Taipa, 50, arrived here in 1997 to work in the Legal Affairs Bureau (GAL, as per the Portuguese acronym).

Cardinal moved to the AL in 1992 when Anabela Ritchie, who succeeded the revered Macanese lawyer cum politician Carlos DAssumpcao, was at the helm. He holds the position of coordinator adviser and teaches in the Faculty of Law at the University of Macau.

Taipa followed his colleagues footsteps and joined the Legislative Assembly in 2001, when Susana Chou was presiding over the first legislature post-handover. Taipa, who is also a coordinator, taught at the UM for a period of ten years.

In total we are talking of 43 years of combined experience at the legislative branch of the government and during a period of dramatic change in Macau and its legislation.

They were both involved in the localization of crucial legislation in an historic moment of Macaus development, as well as of the localization of legal practitioners, Correia noted. Cardinal and Taipa helped in the training of many local legal experts, prosecutors and even judges, that you see now sitting in our courts, MP and government departments.

Truth or dare

Amelia Antonio, lawyer and president of Casa de Portugal, told the Times that a thorough clarification is needed on the nature of the dismissals, because what we know at this stage is little and it doesnt make sense.

It was with great perplexity that I heard the news. When highly competent professionals [at the peak of their careers] are dispensed in the course of a restructuring or renovation of cadres, it is worrying; because the most qualified and experienced professionals are always very important in the process of integration of new legal advisers.

The president of the Casa de Portugal thinks and hopes the dismissals hold no implication for the stability of the Portuguese community, but stressed that these kinds of situations, when poorly explained  and it may take some time for us to know what really happened  creates anxiety in people because we dont know if this is an isolated case or if it is some kind of a signal for the future. We dont know at this stage.

However, lawmaker Pereira Coutinho speaking to Radio Macau, was adamant in saying that there will be spillovers.

The sacking of the two most respected advisers has to do with several legal opinions the duo had submitted to the specialized commissions that went against the interests of the pro-establishment camp and the will of the house board. And there will be more [cases like this]!

Neto Valente somewhat corroborates Coutinhos words with a note of cynicism on how legal opinions are generally treated at governance levels: Its against? So, its rubbish.

I dont see this as politically motivated because as of now that reason was not invoked  but I admit that it could be interpreted as such, moreover because in the termination letter of the two advisers [the AL Board] recognizes the merits of their work, Almeida Correia told the Times.

So, if from the standpoint of personal qualities and of professional qualities, they are untouchable, the plausible explanation is that there are reasons of a political nature, or there is a hidden agenda to the dispensing of competent individuals, in order to approve legislation in violation of the Basic Law.

Sergio de Almeida Correia named many a pressing piece of legislation to be discussed and approved during the next legislative session which ends in August next year: the new gaming law, the internal security law and the electoral reform. Paulo Taipa has been in charge of all gaming- related legislation since 2001 to date.

For Correia, this is another disastrous decision by the President of the Legislative Assembly as others during the current legislature, when he displayed lack of competence for the job.

Lawyer and commentator Miguel de Senna Fernandes holds a particular opinion on the damage that the dispensing of experienced advisers such as Cardinal and Taipa may cause to the MSAR with all the projects currently under way, namely the Greater Bay Area.

At a time when Macau is on the verge of an exceptional turning point, having in mind the practical implementation of the policies of the so-called Greater Bay Area, which is a process of integration of Macau into the area, matters of a constitutional nature will arise and have to be addressed. Replacing now, at this sensitive period, Cardinal and Taipa is a heavy loss for the interests of Macau.

The Portuguese Consul General, however, is confident that Cardinal and Taipa will continue to live and work in Macau.

Mr Paulo Cardinal and Mr Paulo Taipa are examples of the best Portugal and the Portuguese have here contributing to the development of the Macau SAR of the Peoples Republic of China, Vitor Sereno told the Times.

The outgoing consul also said that he is following the case with utmost attention and commitment.

Sereno spoke to the Times on the sidelines of a farewell dinner Saturday evening hosted by the community where the case of the two Portuguese AL advisers was a prime topic of conversation and great cause for consternation.

It is a very somber day for Macau, a participant lamented to the Times.
The Executive Council has finished discussion on the draft law on the Light Rapid Transit system, which will be delivered to the Legislative Assembly (AL) for deliberation.

The bill notes that the hijacking of trains, impeding operational safety, dangerous driving or handling, throwing objects at the trains, and other behaviors should be considered criminal matters.

The coordinator of the Transportation Infrastructure Office (GIT), Ho Cheong Kei, highlighted that the bill proposes to apply between five to 15 years of imprisonment to whomever engages in train hijacking or train control without approval.

The Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system to be implemented in Macau will be automated and unmanned. It will be operated by the staff of the operation control center. If the staff of the operation control center fail to perform their duties, they may be sentenced to a maximum of one-year imprisonment or a fine of up to 120 days.

Besides having regulated LRT operators obligations, the bill also proposes to prohibit some types of behavior among passengers.

The prohibitions include the possession of explosive, flammable, toxic, radioactive or corrosive items, installation of any obstacles or obstructions to the entrance gates of stations, trains, pay zones or exits.

The bill also lists 14 prohibited actions, including the unauthorized opening or obstructing the normal operation of the train, or the platform; the destruction of stations or trains; making stations or trains dirty; making noise next to other passengers or the public, and the use of audio equipment; improperly or temporarily obstructing passengers or the public at pay zones, entrances or exits.

According to Executive Council spokesperson Leong Heng Teng, the penalty for general illegal acts will range from MOP500 to MOP5,000, with the penalty for more serious illegal behaviors possibly reaching MOP10,000.

Previously, during the bills public consultation period, one of the drafts suggested penalizing the act of not giving up priority seats. The proposal stirred strong controversy among the residents. Ho later explained that the completed bill had deleted this specific article, with the government believing that it is more suitable to have the LRT operation company persuade passengers to give up priority seats to those in need.

The bill also proposes that the LRT operators must immediately notify the Transport Bureau (DSAT) regarding any accidents, and that a report should be delivered to DSAT within 72 hours.

The DSAT shall conduct investigations into accidents and the relevant reports shall be made public within one year from the date of the accident.

Regarding LRT fares, the bill proposes that fares should be determined by factors such as the balance of social and economic benefits and the fairness of the prices charged, the distance of each route, and the operating costs associated with each passenger.

Fares are still being discussed, said Ho, further stating that the GIT will be dismissed gradually later after the LRT operation company is established.

When asked which department will be responsible for the LRTs construction in Macau section after the GIT is dismissed, Ho did not answer.
Malaysias leader courted Chinese e-commerce investment in his country on Saturday, the start of his first trip to China since his stunning electoral victory three months ago.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamads visit to the worlds second-largest economy is being watched for signs on the fate of multibillion-dollar Beijing-backed projects hes said he wants to cancel.

On Saturday, Mahathir toured the campus of Chinese online shopping giant Alibaba Group in the eastern city of Hangzhou, met with the companys founder, Jack Ma, and told the companys executives that Malaysia wants to explore ways to collaborate further with Alibaba, according to Malaysian state news agency Bernama.

He also visited Geely, which owns Geely Auto, one of Chinas biggest independent automakers. It owns 49.9 percent of Proton, a Malaysian automaker. On Sunday he will visit a Chinese drone company and meet with Malaysian businesspeople in Beijing.

Mahathir, a vocal critic of Beijing-backed investment in his country, has tested Malaysias ties with China by suspending multibillion-dollar Chinese-backed infrastructure projects.

Hes expected to attempt to renegotiate the terms of the projects during his meetings with Chinese officials. He will hold talks with Chinese leaders including Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping on Monday.

Days before heading to Beijing, Mahathir said Malaysia doesnt need a Chinese-backed $20 billion East Coast Rail Link and two energy pipelines worth $2.3 billion. The projects have been suspended pending renegotiation.

Malaysias new government has called for drastic cuts to the projects ballooning cost, which it estimates at more than $22 billion. Some of that money has already been paid and could be difficult to recoup.

China said Tuesday that Malaysia should handle any problems it has with the Chinese projects through talks.

The foreign ministry in Beijing defended Chinas projects in Malaysia, saying such deals have brought tangible benefits to the two countries.

Any problems arising in the cooperation should be handled properly through friendly negotiation, the ministry said in a statement.

The projects are part of Xis Belt and Road initiative to build ports, railways and other trade-related infrastructure across Asia, often built by Chinese contractors and financed by loans from Chinese state banks.

Belt and Road projects in Thailand, Sri Lanka and other countries have run into complaints they are too costly, give too little work to local companies or might facilitate embezzlement and other graft. AP
Taiwan is responding to Chinas arms buildup by developing missiles and interceptors of its own that could reduce Beijings military advantage over the self-ruled island, defense experts say.

Since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, Taiwan has deployed one set of missiles, perfected another and sped production of a third, the analysts say, in the latest sign of how its handling a Chinese military threat that is raising the chances of an armed confrontation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken a hard line against advocates of independence for Taiwan and has sent warships, bombers and fighter planes on training missions circling the democratic island in a show of strength.

While Beijing has an increasingly overwhelming military advantage, Taiwans missile systems advance its odds of holding off China in asymmetrical warfare, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan. The term refers to effective resistance of an enemy with targeted firepower rather than overwhelming force.

Taiwan with limited resources can only invest in the area that would create some kind of asymmetrical advantage, which would dissuade the Chinese from taking actions, Huang said. President Tsai has committed more or at least expressed willingness to invest more in the asymmetrical capability.

The two sides have been separately ruled since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, and China still claims sovereignty over Taiwan. Beijing has not ruled out using force to unify the sides, a threat it has highlighted amid Tsais continuing rejection of its demand that both interact as parts of a single Chinese nation.

Hsiung Feng IIE missiles built in Taiwan have been deployed to hit military bases in China up to 1,500 kilometers away, said David An, senior research fellow with the policy incubator Global Taiwan Institute in Washington, D.C.

Those missiles also underwent a substantial upgrade last year to increase their effectiveness against ships, An said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has stepped up production of its indigenous Wan Chien air-to-ground cruise missiles by about 100, An added.

Backing up those improvements, the locally developed Tien Kung system can now intercept Chinese missiles at ranges of up to 200 kilometers, An said. PAVE PAW, a U.S. long-range early warning radar system located in Taiwans high central mountain range, would track incoming missiles or aircraft.

Taiwanese Defense Ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi declined to confirm deployment of the Hsiung Feng IIE missiles after the military news website Kanwa Defense Review posted photos indicating they were situated about 50 kilometers west of the capital, Taipei, near the islands major international airport. Kanwa did not answer requests for comment.

Chinas Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comments on Taiwans missile program.

They are looking more at building their land-based military capabilities, said Collin Koh, maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

To pressure Tsai into meeting its demands, the communist leadership has flown military aircraft near the island a dozen times and passed Chinas only functioning aircraft carrier through the 160-kilometer ocean strait separating them.

China has a powerful arsenal of missiles targeting Taiwan and raised its military budget by 8.1 percent this year, compared to Taiwans increase of about 2 percent in 2017-2018. China is building warships at a world-setting pace, while also developing stealth fighters and bomb-delivering vehicles that travel at up to six times the speed of sound.

Military experts call the deployment of the Hsiung Feng IIE missiles likely. It has been successfully developed, said Andrew Yang, a former Taiwanese defense minister and current secretary general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies think tank. Theyve test fired many times and called it successful.

China and Taiwan have never fought a full-scale war, though in the late 1950s, China shelled outlying islands controlled by Taiwan without taking them. Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou eased tensions during his 2008-2016 term by allowing talks with China on Beijings terms, but frictions have resumed under Tsai.

Success in an asymmetric war would hinge on Taiwans budget, the ability of its hardware and Chinas attack strategy, military analysts say.

Taiwans current crop of missiles can probably hit ships and sink transport vessels, An said. Taiwan should also focus on resisting an amphibious landing, which Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy has not demonstrated the ability to do without significant cost, he said.

Taiwan still lags in submarines and stealth aircraft, An said. It looks to the United States for much of its air force fleet and hopes Washington will license it diesel-electric submarine technology.

China routinely denounces defense cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S., but has been unable to prevent what limited arms sales and exchanges have occurred. Last Monday, President Donald Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, which among its clauses calls for a comprehensive assessment of Taiwans military forces with an eye toward helping them.

Taiwans greatest promise is the hope that the United States and its allies could decide to assist Taiwan if and when Taiwan is under threat, An said. Ralph Jennings, Taipei, AP
As head of state I will live in Parliament Lodges: Dr Arif Alvi

KARACHI: Following in the footsteps of his party chief and newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insafs nominee for the office of president Dr Arif Alvi has announced that after his election as head of the state he would prefer to live in one of Parliament Lodges instead of Presidents House.



Talking to reporters at Karachi airport after his arrival here from Islamabad on Sunday, Dr Alvi expressed gratitude to Mr Khan for nominating him for the office of president. He also thanked the people of Karachi for their support and added that he would continue to keep in touch with them.



In reply to a question, he said he would try to solve all pressing issues of Karachi, such as transport, water shortage and garbage disposal, on a priority basis.



Dr Alvi said after election of Mr Khan as prime minister the process of change in the country had begun. The new prime minister, he added, would announce the road map of his government for fulfilling promises he had promised with the people of the country, such provision of jobs and health, education and housing facilities.



He asserted that a big change in the country was in the offing. He said the PTI government would pay attention to human rights issues in all provinces.



Answering a question, he said the federal government would like to work with Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government for initiating development schemes in the province.



r Alvi said that the PTI-led government would focus equally on all parts of the country for launching development projects and prioritise provision of basic amenities to the masses.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Pyongyang next month as ties between the two countries improve amid mounting U.S.-China trade tensions, The Straits Times reported, without citing anyone. Xi has been invited by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the countrys founding on Sept. 9, the paper said. The visit would be the first by the Chinese leader to the North Korean capital since Xi took power in 2012, it said.

North Korea also asked South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit for the celebrations during high-level talks earlier this month, Asahi Shimbun has reported, citing people familiar with inter-Korean relations.
Imran Khan inaugural speech to nation 20 August, 2018



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Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD: In his inaugural address to the nation since being elected as prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan Sunday unveiled a roadmap his government.

Imran Khan, who swept to power in last months election on a populist platform vowing to root out corruption among a venal elite and lift people out of poverty, vowed to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state, and requested the masses to bring change in their lives. Country will head towards disaster if we dont change our direction, he said in his address broadcast live by state-run PTV.



The prime minister said he will follow Medinas example to rid Pakistan of its chronic problems. They did not borrow from Roman or Persian empires. They strengthened the people and made them self-sufficient, he added.



Promising wide-ranging reforms with a focus on safeguarding Pakistans resources and their redistribution among the disadvantaged, the prime minister urged the nation to play a more proactive role in the rebuilding process. I need your help, he said. When you are being robbed, you dont wait for the police to come. You nab them and hand them over. [Similarly], you should help me catch the robbers of the nation. This is the social media age. Keep check and report such people. We have to act as a team. Help me protect your money, he added.



Identifying Pakistans challenges, Imran said the foremost on his mind are Pakistans debt liabilities. Never in Pakistans history have we faced such a difficult economic circumstances, he said. Our debt burden now stands at Rs28 trillion. The interest that we have to pay on our debt obligations too has reached levels where we have to take on more debt just to settle it, he said.



Pledging to begin accountability from himself, the prime minister announced that rooting out corruption will be a high priority for his government. I will meet the NAB chairman and facilitate him with whatever he needs, he said. We will enact a law for whistleblowers like we did in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Whoever helps identify corruption will get a share of the money that we recover. The SECP will be fixed on a priority basis. The FIA will also be fixed, he added.



I want you all to understand that the moment we start going after corrupt people, they will start raising a hue and cry. They are everywhere. They will come out on the streets. They will say that democracy is in danger. I want you all to continue standing with me. We will save this country or these corrupt people will save themselves, he said.



Detailing his plans to cut down countrys expenditure, the prime minister said, I will keep only two people with me out of the [prime ministers staff of] 524. I will be staying in a three-bedroom house that served as the military secretarys house.



I will have to keep two of the cars because intelligence agencies say my life is under threat. We will be auctioning off all the other bullet proof cars. I invite businesses to come and buy them. We will put the proceeds of that auction in the state treasury.I also wish that all the governor houses are kept as simply as possible. I further wish that the PM House will be turned into a university. It is in a great location to be one, he said, adding that a committee under Dr Ishrat Husain will figure out how to cut the expenses nationwide.



On reforming the financial sector, Imran Khan said that instead of trying to rebuild the economy via external loans, his government will try and fulfill its needs from within. No country can succeed by taking on debt again and again, he said.



We also need to pay our taxes. I am going to fix the Federal Board of Revenue on a priority basis. It has lost its credibility and that is why people dont pay taxes. There needs to be progressive taxation which helps in providing basic amenities to people of low-income levels. I will promise my people that I will protect your tax money and spend it on you, he said. We are raising a task force to repatriate the wealth looted from the country. We need to put an end to money laundering. It is our biggest problem right now. We need to boost our exports. How will that happen? We will need to help export industries. We have made a business advisory council to help address their challenges, he revealed.



The prime minister invited overseas Pakistanis to come back and invest in the country, saying, We need to facilitate overseas Pakistanis. Our embassies need to facilitate them in every way we can. I have a special message for overseas Pakistanis. We are trying our best to create a good investment environment for you. We want that you bring your money to Pakistan and park it in Pakistani banks. We are short on foreign exchange, and I hope you will park your money in Pakistani bank accounts. Send your money through official accounts. We need your help and I hope you will help us, he appealed to the overseas Pakistanis.



Imran said more than 20 million children were not going to schools in the country, adding that his focus will be to improve public sector educational institutions as well as the madaris. We need to make sure our government schools are good enough that everyone can send their children to them. This is an emergency, he said, adding, We also cannot leave madrassah students behind. They too should become engineers and doctors and generals. Why do we not give them the opportunity? he asked.



Stressing the need to fix the healthcare system, the prime minister said fixing the pre-existing system is a very tough job. It takes a long time: the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health system did not start showing results till the fifth year. But we still need to do it, he added.



Sharing his reforms plan in detail, the prime minister said he will enforce meritocracy to improve civil service. We will not tolerate any political interference in anyones appointment. I just want people ready to work for the nation, he said, adding that Dr Ishrat Hussain is forming a committee to bring the merit back.



Imran said he will seek Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisars help to revamp the entire judicial system. We have a massive backlog of cases. We will sit with the chief justice and discuss how we can ensure that cases can be wrapped up within a year, he added.



The prime minister said he has asked former KP IGP Nasir Khan Durrani to implement the KP police model in Punjab. We won the election in KP because of how good our police had become. The former IGP, who oversaw those successes, has been asked to help fix the Punjab police and he has agreed, he said.



On the international front, Imran said, I have spoken to all of Pakistans neighbours to improve relations with them. There is a need for peace and without it, we cannot improve the countrys situation.



Imran Khan stressed the need to transfer the power to the local government, saying, Power must be given to the bottom-most tier. Nazims will be directly elected in districts, while checks and balances will be kept, he added.



On water crisis in the country, Imran said new dams need to be built to resolve the issue. A ministry will work towards saving water. New methods will be taught to farmers. Canals will be lined to save water, while the Bhasha Dam will be constructed at all costs. Its a commendable initiative started by the chief justice, he added.



The prime minister said that jobs will be given to the countrys youth. A big project of housing will be started. It will be a one-window operation to create jobs and [to boost] industries. The youth will be given loans without interest so they can become entrepreneurs.



The prime minister reiterated his promise towards creation of a province in southern Punjab. Law and order, garbage, water and other problems in the city need to be solved, he said on Karachi.
Four Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority facilities will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3, in observance of Labor Day. Locations include the Old Dixie Landfill & Convenience Center, McGaughey Chapel Convenience Center, Westside Convenience Center, and the M.L. King Convenience Center.

All locations will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 4, from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706 277-2545.





Labor Day Holiday Schedule:

Saturday, Sept. 1 - All Locations Open - Normal Hours (7 a.m.  3 p.m.)

Monday, Sept. 3  All Locations Closed

Tuesday, Sept. 4  All Locations Open (7 a.m.  6 p.m.) (Westside Normally Closed)

Wednesday, Sept. 5  Resume Normal Operating Days and Hours (McGaughey Chapel Closed)
New cabinet sworn-in

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has convened the first cabinet meeting today. The Prime Minister is expected to outline the goals for the government and the associated strategies needed to achieve those goals.



The new cabinet includes 16 federal ministers and five advisers.



PTIs vice chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi will be the countrys new foreign minister, a position where he had previously served during the last PPP government between 2008-13 under the then president Asif Zardari and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Qureshi had resigned from the cabinet after developing differences with the party leadership during a reshuffle in the cabinet.



Qureshi had also once served as provincial finance minister in the cabinet of Nawaz Sharif when he was the chief minister of the Punjab during the military rule of Gen Ziaul Haq.



With no surprise, Asad Umar has been made minister for finance and revenue whereas the portfolio of the information and broadcasting has been given to PTIs information secretary Fawad Chaudhry, who had also previously served as spokesman for Gen Musharrafs All-Pakistan Muslim League (APML) and remained part of the media team of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari before joining the PTI.



Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who defeated PML-Ns estranged leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the July 25 elections in two constituencies, has been allocated the portfolio of petroleum ministry. Nisar had also served as petroleum minister in the first two governments of Nawaz Sharif.



Dr Shireen Mazari has been given the portfolio of human rights, whereas former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak is the countrys new defence minister.



Former PTI information secretary Shafqat Mehmood has been given the portfolio of federal education and professional training with the additional charge of national history and literary heritage division. Having Masters degree from Harvard University, Mehmood had served as senator in the 1990s. He also served as Punjab information minister in the PML-N government in 1999.



Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiyar, who had previously served as minister of state for foreign affairs during the military regime of Gen Musharraf, has been made the minister for water resources.



PTI MNA from Rawalpindi Aamir Mehmood Kiyani is the minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.



Among those who have been given representation in the federal cabinet for being leaders of the PTIs allies are Senator Farogh Naseem of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (law and justice); Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema of the PML-Q (states and frontier regions); Zubaida Jalal of the Balochistan Awami Party (defence production); Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (railways); Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of the MQM-P (information technology and telecommunication); Dr Fehmida Mirza of the Grand Democratic Alliance (inter-provincial coordination) and an independent MNA from Fata Noorul Haq Qadri (religious affairs and interfaith harmony).



Senator Naseem, who had served as the youngest advocate general of Sindh, also represented former military ruler Gen Musharraf in a court hearing the high treason case under Article 6 of the Constitution.



Zubaida Jalal, too, was an active member of the cabinet as education minister during the regime of Gen Musharraf.



AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has managed to get back the portfolio of railways, the position he had previously enjoyed during the rule of Gen Musharraf. Previously, he had served as a cabinet member under former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.



Dr Fehmida Mirza, who had enjoyed the honour of the first woman speaker of the National Assembly during the PPP government from 2008 to 2013, contested the July 25 elections from the platform of the GDA after her spouse Dr Zulfiqar Mirza had developed differences with the government.



PM Khan has retained the vast interior portfolio, for at least the time being.

Advisers



Those who have been appointed as advisers to the prime minister are former law minister in the PPP government Babar Awan (parliamentary affairs); former KP chief secretary Shehzad Arbab (establishment division); former minister in the regime of Gen Musharraf Abdul Razzak Dawood (commerce, textile, industry & production and investment); Dr Ishrat Husain (institutional reforms and austerity) who had served as State Bank governor during the military rule of Gen Musharraf and another former minister of state in the Gen Musharraf regime Amin Aslam (climate change).
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Children who regularly use their native language at home while growing up in a different country have higher IQs, a new study has shown.

Research carried out by the University of Reading showed that children who spoke one language at school but practised their native tongue at home with their families scored better in intelligence tests than those who spoke only their non-native language.

The study of 100 Turkish children, aged 7-11, living in the UK used a non-verbal IQ test to compare those who spoke English at school and Turkish at home with those who spoke English at both.

Dr. Michael Daller, Associate Professor of English Language and Applied Linguistics at the University of Reading, led the study. He said: "It is easier to develop concepts at a young age in a first language and then learn a new word for it later in a different language. Children who have to learn to understand things for the first time in a less familiar language will find it much harder, so it follows that the children in our study who had done this scored lower on the IQ test.

"The research suggests parents can help their children develop their intelligence by encouraging them to use their native language at home, as this won't be supported at school."

The researchers say that native languages should be practised at home through 'meaningful communication'. This includes reading books and having conversations.

Being bilingual has been shown to have positive effects on the brain, due to the work involved in suppressing one language or the other at all times depending on the situation. Research has shown this exercising of the brain can even delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

The study was undertaken by Dr. Daller and Dr. Zehra Ongun at the University of Reading and presented at the BAAL Vocabulary SIG Annual Conference in July 2018. All the children in the new study were from families where at least one parent had a university or college degree. Dr. Daller's team now intends to expand the research to cover children from a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds.

Dr. Daller said: "This study was larger than most of its kind, and unusual in that it only tested children, all of which were of similar ages and backgrounds. This means we can read into these results more than those of previous experiments.

"The next step is to make the study more comprehensive and see if our findings are similar with children from all backgrounds and age groups."

Explore further Bilingual children more likely to stutter

More information: F. I. M. Craik et al. Delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease: Bilingualism as a form of cognitive reserve, Neurology (2010). Journal information: Neurology F. I. M. Craik et al. Delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease: Bilingualism as a form of cognitive reserve,(2010). DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181fc2a1c
(HealthDay)Many U.S. doctors aren't telling teenaged patients and their parents about a newer vaccine for potentially deadly bacterial meningitis infections, a new study finds.

Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the brain and spinal cord. It is uncommon in the United States, but sporadic outbreaks occuroften on college campuses, where close quarters make it easier for the infection to spread.

Each year, around 4,000 Americans fall ill with bacterial meningitis, and roughly 500 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new study surveyed doctors about the meningitis B vaccine. It protects against the "B" subtype of meningococcal bacteria, and became available in the United States in 2015.

But as of late 2016, the survey found, a majority of doctors were not routinely discussing the vaccine with teenaged patients and their parents.

What is going on? Researchers said the issue centers on the way the CDC's vaccine recommendations are made.

The meningitis B vaccine has a "Category B" recommendation, which means it's optional: The CDC says that 16- to 23-year-olds "may" get immunized, rather than "should."

That's in contrast to the other bacterial meningitis vaccinethe conjugate vaccine that protects against four other subtypes of meningococcal bacteria. Since 2005, the CDC has recommended it as a routine shot for all preteens and teenagers.

"Our data suggest that there are differences in how a Category B recommendation is being interpreted by providers," said lead researcher Dr. Allison Kempe, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some doctors, she said, may think it's unnecessary to bring up the meningitis B vaccine because they've judged a patient to be at low risk.

In other cases, Kempe said, doctors may not feel they have enough information to discuss the pros and cons of the vaccine. The CDC said the Category B recommendation was made, in part, because it was still unclear how effective the vaccine would be in the real world.

In fact, meningitis B is rare in the United States. In 2016, there were only 130 cases reported, according to the CDC.

Given all of that, the latest findings are "not particularly surprising," said Dr. Mobeen Rathore, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Like Kempe, he said doctors are likely interpreting the recommendation on meningitis B vaccination in different ways.

Plus, Rathore said, there is a lot to cover during routine doctor visitsparticularly those pre-college appointments. So, doctors may be prioritizing other health concerns.

The findings were based on 660 pediatricians and family doctors nationwide. Kempe's team asked them how often they discussed the meningitis B vaccine with 16- to 18-year-old patients and their parents. That age range is considered the optimal vaccine window, to protect kids who are heading off to college.

Overall, only half of pediatricians and 31 percent of family doctors said they often brought up the vaccine during routine check-ups, the findings showed.

Those discussions were more likely to happen when doctors said they were aware of meningitis outbreaks in their statebut that was no guarantee.

Even though the meningitis B vaccine is optional, the AAP says doctors should be discussing it with parents and patientsso they can make an informed decision for themselves. But not all doctors agree with that AAP advice, Kempe noted.

If your doctor doesn't bring up the vaccine option, she said, you can.

"Parents should certainly feel empowered to ask about the vaccine if it isn't brought up," Kempe said.

Rathore agreed. "This vaccine is safe," he said. "As a parent, if you're concerned about this disease, you can certainly talk to your doctor about whether your child could benefit from vaccination."

The findings were published online Aug. 20 in Pediatrics.

Explore further UK rolls out world's first Meningitis B vaccination programme

More information: Allison Kempe, M.D., M.P.H., professor, pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Mobeen Rathore, M.D., professor, pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, and spokesperson, American Academy of Pediatrics; Aug. 20, 2018, Pediatrics, online Allison Kempe, M.D., M.P.H., professor, pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Mobeen Rathore, M.D., professor, pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, and spokesperson, American Academy of Pediatrics; Aug. 20, 2018,, online The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on meningococcal vaccine. Journal information: Pediatrics

Copyright  2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Drugs that fight many common infectious diseases are becoming less effective because of increased antibiotic resistance, a direct consequence of persistent high levels of community antibiotic use in New Zealand.

A University of Auckland study has analysed almost 5 million antibacterial prescriptions dispensed in New Zealand during 2015 and found that per head of population, courses of antibiotics were more commonly dispensed to Pacific and Maori people than to people of European, Asian or other ethnicities.

"This is not surprising as many infectious diseases, for example rheumatic fever, are more common in Pacific and Maori people," says lead author Dr. Mark Thomas, of the Faculty's Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology.

The study, just published in the New Zealand Medical Journal found that while admission to hospital for acute rheumatic fever is approximately 50 times more common in Pacific and Maori people, the rate of dispensing of the antibiotics commonly used to prevent acute rheumatic fever was only 1-2 times more common in Pacific and Maori people, when compared with people of all other ethnicities.

"The authors think that the antibiotics commonly prescribed for sore throat, to prevent rheumatic fever, are being hugely over-prescribed for European, Asian and other people, who are at extremely low risk of rheumatic fever."

Dr. Thomas says the study findings strongly suggest that a very large proportion of the antibiotics dispensed in New Zealand are of no benefit to patients.

"There is considerable scope to reduce antibiotic prescribing in New Zealand, especially for patients with winter coughs and colds."

"All New Zealanders should make efforts to reduce their antibiotic consumption, and the greatest opportunities to reduce unnecessary antibiotic consumption are in people of European, Asian and other ethnicities."

"High rates of antibiotic consumption in New Zealand are leading to high rates of antibiotic resistance in the bacteria that infect people in New Zealand."

"If the present very high levels of antibiotic use continue, antibiotic resistance will be much worse in the years ahead than if we promptly and dramatically reduce our unnecessary use."

Dr. Thomas says the higher levels of antibiotic dispensing for Pacific and Maori people appear to have contributed to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) becoming a more common cause of staphylococcal infection in Pacific and Maori people than in people of other ethnicities.

Everybody needs to understand that a large proportion of the antibiotics dispensed in the community in New Zealand are unnecessary. All antibiotic use increases the spread of antibiotic resistance.

"We should only take antibiotics when they may make a genuine difference to our health."

Explore further Too many antibiotics for New Zealand children
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The popularity of electronic cigarettes continues to grow worldwide, as many people view them as a safer alternative to smoking. But the long-term effects of e-cigarette usage, commonly called "vaping," are unknown. Today, researchers report that vaping may modify the genetic material, or DNA, in the oral cells of users, which could increase their cancer risk.

The researchers will present their results today at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

"E-cigarettes are a popular trend, but the long-term health effects are unknown," says Romel Dator, Ph.D., who is presenting the work at the meeting. "We want to characterize the chemicals that vapers are exposed to, as well as any DNA damage they may cause."

Introduced to the market in 2004, e-cigarettes are handheld electronic devices that heat a liquid, usually containing nicotine, into an aerosol that the user inhales. Different flavors of liquids are available, including many that appeal to youth, such as fruit, chocolate and candy. According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Surgeon General, 13.5 percent of middle school students, 37.7 percent of high school students and 35.8 percent of young adults (18 to 24 years of age) have used e-cigarettes, compared with 16.4 percent of older adults (25 years and up).

"It's clear that more carcinogens arise from the combustion of tobacco in regular cigarettes than from the vapor of e-cigarettes," says Silvia Balbo, Ph.D., the project's lead investigator, who is at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. "However, we don't really know the impact of inhaling the combination of compounds produced by this device. Just because the threats are different doesn't mean that e-cigarettes are completely safe."

To characterize chemical exposures during vaping, the researchers recruited five e-cigarette users. They collected saliva samples before and after a 15-minute vaping session and analyzed the samples for chemicals that are known to damage DNA. To evaluate possible long-term effects of vaping, the team assessed DNA damage in the cells of the volunteers' mouths. The researchers used mass-spectrometry-based methods they had developed previously for a different study in which they evaluated oral DNA damage caused by alcohol consumption.

Dator and Balbo identified three DNA-damaging compounds, formaldehyde, acrolein and methylglyoxal, whose levels increased in the saliva after vaping. Compared with people who don't vape, four of the five e-cigarette users showed increased DNA damage related to acrolein exposure. The type of damage, called a DNA adduct, occurs when toxic chemicals, such as acrolein, react with DNA. If the cell does not repair the damage so that normal DNA replication can take place, cancer could result.

The researchers plan to follow up this preliminary study with a larger one involving more e-cigarette users and controls. They also want to see how the level of DNA adducts differs between e-cigarette users and regular cigarette smokers. "Comparing e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes is really like comparing apples and oranges. The exposures are completely different," Balbo says. "We still don't know exactly what these e-cigarette devices are doing and what kinds of effects they may have on health, but our findings suggest that a closer look is warranted."

Explore further E-cigarette vapor disables key immune cells in the lung and boosts inflammation

More information: Integrating multi-"omics"- mass spectrometry-based methods to characterize electronic cigarette exposure in humans, the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Integrating multi-"omics"- mass spectrometry-based methods to characterize electronic cigarette exposure in humans, the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Abstract

Characterizing chemical exposures in humans remains a significant challenge. Our lab has been developing state-of-the-art high-resolution mass spectrometry-based methods to characterize the exposome and determine how it may influence overall health. Because it is challenging to capture the complexity of exposures, often at trace levels, improved tools are needed to move this field of research forward. We have recently developed a neutral loss (NL) screening and relative quantitation strategy for the targeted analysis of reactive carbonyls in biological fluids. In addition, a comprehensive DNA adductomics approach was developed to characterize covalent modifications in DNA generated from these exposures. Here, we have integrated these MS-based methods to characterize electronic cigarette exposure in humans, with the goal of identifying reactive carbonyls generated during vaping and the corresponding DNA adducts formed in the oral cavity. Human saliva and oral cell samples from e-cigarette users (n=10) and non-user controls (n=10) were obtained to screen reactive carbonyls and DNA adducts. Reactive carbonyls in saliva were derivatized with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine to form hydrazones and analyzed by the NL screening method. Likewise, DNA from oral cells were isolated, hydrolyzed to nucleosides, and analyzed by both targeted and non-targeted DNA adductomics approaches. Using the NL loss screening strategy, increased levels of acrolein, methylglyoxal, and formaldehyde were observed after vaping, while the levels of acetaldehyde and glyoxal vary within subjects possibly due to variations in composition of the e-liquid used. This information was then used to develop targeted and non-targeted DNA adductomics approaches to monitor the corresponding DNA adducts in oral cells of e-cigarette users. Our results showed increased levels of acrolein-derived DNA adducts, in particular, gamma-OH-Acro-dG in e-cigarette users compared to non-users. We are currently investigating other DNA adducts that might be relevant to e-cigarette exposure using non-targeted DNA adductomics approaches and expanding our analysis to a larger sample size.
An estimated 30 percent of all diseases globally require surgical care and expertise, yet global surgeons based in academic health centers (AHCs) often face institutional barriers that make it difficult for them to take the time to offer their services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, a new position paper from the Association of Academic Surgeons (AAS) Global Affairs Committee, the Society of University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Operation Giving Back (OGB) program contends that surgeons from AHCs have much to gain, including professional education, research experience, and an opportunity to enhance their institution's reputation when AHCs support academic global surgeons from their institutions. The position paper appears as an "article in press" on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons ahead of print.

Making the Case for Global Surgeons

The taskforce that developed the position paper sent a survey to 62 U.S. academic global surgeons to get a sense of who global surgeons are and how they spend their time. The results showed that academic global surgeons typically have appointments at U.S. medical schools and spend dedicated time working with underserved populations, focusing on research, education, and health equity to improve surgical care globally. The taskforce argues that global surgeons can add strategic value to AHCs and surgical departments, but leadership at these institutions may need guidance on what it means to support and meaningfully engage in this emerging field as increasing numbers of trainees aim to establish careers in global surgery.

"With the recognition that there is growing interest among academic surgeons and a role for academic institutions in global surgery, we recognize that there is a need to legitimize the field of academic global surgery," said Jennifer Rickard, MD, MPH, lead author of the position paper and co-chair of the AAS Global Affairs Committee.

To help legitimize the field of academic global surgery, the position paper includes the following recommendations:

Global surgery is a defined academic surgical specialty and avenues for promotion should be clearly delineated within the field. U.S. AHCs and surgical departments should recognize the value of academic global surgery. Due to the large burden of global surgical disease, the field is ripe for productivity in all academic spheres. U.S. academic surgical departments should provide support for academic global surgeons. There are many ways to show support. Protected time and funding are the two greatest needs for global surgeons. However, administrative, logistical, and statistical support are also critical.

"We need to see more and more institutions support global surgery to show that it can be done, and how it can be done, in a way that's accommodating and welcoming to everyone," Dr. Rickard said.

Academic global surgeons face particular challenges in advancing their careers at AHCs because, as the authors note, the standard metrics for promotion in academic surgery translate poorly to an academic global surgery setting. To address this challenge, the authors recommend a list of measurable outputs of global surgical work that could serve as a guide for AHC leadership when considering recruitment, retention, or promotion of academic global surgeons. These outputs include specific metrics within the areas of education, clinical service, and research, among others.

"Global surgeons, because they're working in different cultures, may work better with others, may have more cross-disciplinary collaborations, and may be more likely to be interested in cost-effective or cost-reducing innovations," Dr. Rickard said.

Unifying the Efforts of Global Surgery

A related challenge facing the field of global surgery is that there has been no unifying force to coordinate the efforts of different groups working to bring LMICs access to surgery. To address this challenge, OGB has supported the development of a Consortium for Academic Global Surgery Programs (CAGSP). The consortium had its first meeting at the ACS Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, with another meeting planned for Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, where the plan is to define the mission, vision, and organizational structure of CAGSP. Leaders of academic global surgery programs who are interested in attending this meeting should contact OGB.

"There is a growing interest from academic surgeons as well as residents and students to participate in global surgery. The problem has been that these efforts have been uncoordinated," said Girma Tefera, MD, FACS, a corresponding author of the position paper and Medical Director of OGB. "We are trying to create a platform where academic global surgery programs can join hands and work together so we can better utilize resources and avoid duplication of efforts."

As a way to unify the global surgery efforts of academic global surgery programs, Dr. Tefera said OGB is working to create training hubs around the globe to serve as places to train surgeons, develop collaborative research projects, and foster innovation. The first of these training centers will be in Hawassa, Ethiopia. It will serve as a place where 13 different U.S. academic global surgery programs will collaborate and work together to train surgeons and bring surgical services to sub-Saharan Africa.

"As we develop more training hubs, we will welcome contributions of academic global surgery programs and encourage them to join hands," Dr. Tefera said.

Explore further Partnerships between rural hospitals and academic surgery departments can reduce costs

More information: Jennifer Rickard et al, Value of Global Surgical Activities for US Academic Health Centers: A Position Paper by the Association of Academic Surgeons Global Affairs Committee, the Society of University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons' Operation Giving Back, Journal of the American College of Surgeons (2018). Journal information: Journal of the American College of Surgeons Jennifer Rickard et al, Value of Global Surgical Activities for US Academic Health Centers: A Position Paper by the Association of Academic Surgeons Global Affairs Committee, the Society of University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons' Operation Giving Back,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2018.07.661
When Medicare in 2011 agreed to pay for a revolutionary procedure to replace leaky heart valves by snaking a synthetic replacement up through blood vessels, the goal was to offer relief to the tens of thousands of patients too frail to endure open-heart surgery, the gold standard.

To help ensure good results, federal officials limited Medicare payment only to hospitals that serve large numbers of cardiac patients.

The strategy worked. In the past seven years, more than 135,000 mostly elderly patients have undergone transcatheter aortic valve replacement, known as TAVR. And TAVR's in-hospital mortality rate has dropped by two-thirds, to 1.5 percent.

Now, in a campaign motivated by a muddy mix of health care and business, smaller hospitals and the medical device industry are arguing that the technique should be more widely deployed. They note only about half of the nearly 1,100 hospitals offering surgical valve replacement can do TAVR. And they say current limitations discriminate against minorities and people in rural areas, forcing patients to undergo a riskier and significantly more invasive treatmentor miss getting a new valve altogether.

Hospitals that already have a TAVR franchise are fighting to stifle new competitors, saying programs that don't do enough procedures would not provide high-quality care.

At stake is the care of thousands of patients. Half of the more than 250,000 Americans estimated each year to develop severe aortic valve stenosisnarrowing of the valve that regulates the flow of blood from the heart to the largest artery of the bodydie within two years. Getting an artificial heart valve lowers that death rate to as low as 17 percent, studies show.

Also at stake is the $45,000 Medicare pays hospitals for each TAVR caseexcluding the doctor's fee. While hospitals typically make only a small profit on the procedurepartly because the device costs more than $30,000they benefit because each TAVR patient typically needs other cardiac services and tests that can boost the hospital's bottom line.

In addition, offering TAVR carries a cachet that helps recruit and retain top specialists, who bring in more patients.

At a Medicare advisory committee hearing in Baltimore on July 25, both sides of the debate emphasized how they were seeking to help patients. But the economics of TAVR was ever-present given the horde of medical device and hospital officials and industry analysts in the audience.

The committee split on the issue, although a majority of members backed the continued use of volume requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is expected to decide later this year whether to change its patient volume minimum for TAVR.

Dr. Jason Felger, a heart surgeon who wants his community hospital in San Angelo, Texas, to offer the procedure, said behind the fight over TAVR is protecting profit and revenue. He refers patients to hospitals more than three hours away for the procedure or, if they aren't willing to travel, they risk their lives to undergo the conventional operation.

Hospitals that offer TAVR, he said, aren't willing to give up the referrals they now rely on from other hospitals.

"It's all about the money," he said.

Unlike open-heart surgery, in which the chest is cracked open to remove the unhealthy valve, TAVR involves threading a catheter tipped with a replacement valve through a blood vessel to the heart. Doctors then implant the new valve. The old valve remains but is pushed aside, and the new one takes over its work.

With this less invasive valve procedure, people can get out of the hospital within two or three days and get back to daily activities much sooner than with open-heart surgery, which typically has a six-week recovery time.

TAVR has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for people who cannot have open-heart surgery or for whom it would be risky. These include the elderly and frail and people with complications such as kidney and lung disease. But TAVR use has expanded among younger, and less sick, patients in recent years. Within the next year, the FDA is likely to approve the procedure for all patients needing a new aortic valve, industry analysts say.

TAVR does carry risks, including stroke. Patients may also need a pacemaker after the procedure to regulate heart rhythm.

The large majority of patients getting TAVR are 65 and over. The importance of Medicare's blessing goes beyond its payments, since private insurers typically follow Medicare standards. Physicians seeking to expand use of TAVR point out that Medicare has no volume requirements for other major cardiac procedures.

The two largest TAVR medical device companies are divided on the issue. Edwards Lifesciences Corp. of Irvine, Calif., supports eliminating the minimum-patient requirements, while Minneapolis-based Medtronic favors keeping the status quo. The Advanced Medical Technology Association, or AdvaMed, an industry trade group, also supports the change.

About 50,000 patients are expected to have TAVR this year, and those numbers are forecast to double by 2020, according to American College of Cardiology and other major heart groups.

When Michael Vigil, 50, needed TAVR in May, he drove more than three hours from his home in eastern Wyoming to a hospital in Denver. Before the procedure, the oil-drilling contractor was constantly tired and out of breatheven after mundane chores at home. Vigil's aortic valve had been damaged from radiation treatments for non-Hodgkin lymphoma decades before.

Vigil was sent home a day after the TAVR procedure. He was back at work the following week.

He said he felt more energized almost immediately after having the procedure.

"It's worked so well, my wife wishes they dialed it back a little," Vigil said.

Donnette Smith, president of the patient advocacy group Mended Hearts, said many patients don't have good access to the procedure.

"Patients do not know of this option unless they walk through the right door of the right hospital," said Smith of Huntsville, Ala. She had heart valve surgery in 1988.

Mended Hearts receives funding from device makers.

To gain Medicare approval for TAVR programs, hospitals have to perform annually 50 open-heart valve repairs, 400 angioplasties and 1,000 cardiac catheterizationsa procedure in which medical teams use skills similar to those needed for TAVR.

Doctors at larger hospitals say procedure volume is a good predictor for success. The American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons recommend hospitals be able to do at least 50 TAVRs each year within two years of startup. More than three-quarters of the 582 hospitals authorized by Medicare for TAVR meet that standard.

"Whether it's playing the violin or performing heart surgery, experience matters," said Dr. Thoralf Sundt, chief of cardiac surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Ashish Pershad, an interventional cardiologist who performs TAVR at Banner Medical Center in Phoenix, agreed that there are access issues. But he said it's not because of a lack of programs. Rather, he said, surgeons too often don't refer patients for it because they make more money from doing the open-heart surgical valve replacement.

"Patients are missing out on this procedure because they are not being referred, and primary care doctors lack knowledge about it," he said.

Doctors seeking a Medicare rule to widen access say there is little evidence hospitals that perform more TAVRs have lower mortality rates. As long as they can show low mortality and complications, they believe their hospitals should be able to offer the service.

"Our intention is not to lower the quality of outcomes by expanding to 'low volume' centers; but to provide excellent care to a larger population of patients," Felger and his colleagues at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas, wrote to the CMS advisory group.

Last year, Felger said, he sent a dozen patients to hospitals in Austin or Dallas for TAVR, while eight other patients opted for the open-heart surgery.

"I have patients tell me they would rather have the surgical procedure at their local hospital than traveling to another city," he said. "They tell me 'Let's do this; if I die, I die.'"

Explore further New study shows length of hospital stay impacts outcomes after TAVR procedure

2018 Kaiser Health News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The medical profession is not immune to bullying, harassment and discrimination, and in this #MeToo era, it is time that physicians, medical schools and institutions aim to abolish these behaviours, argue the authors of an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

"A work climate that enables bullying, harassment, discrimination and micro-aggressions can negatively affect a person's health and career pathway," write Drs. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, and Sharon Straus, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. "Harassment and discrimination of female medical staff and trainees are well documented."

Unprofessional behaviour affects both men and women, and it can affect patient care. Organizational factors that may lead to inappropriate behaviour include poor leadership, power imbalances, unconscious biases and a culture of silence.

"As a profession, we need to stop excusing unprofessional behaviour toward colleagues just because physicians are accomplished in clinical care or academia."

The authors suggest that measures of professionalism be included in review and promotion processes. Medical workplaces should also have safe, transparent processes to report and investigate unprofessional behaviour, as well as strategies to address unprofessional behaviour.

"It is time that all Canadian medical schools and health care institutions implement and evaluate initiatives aimed at achieving a culture of respect within medicine. The medical professionand ultimately patient carewill improve for all when we treat each other with respect, regardless of gender, age, race or stage of career," they conclude.

Explore further Medical organizations must address sexual harassment
PPP nominated Aitzaz Ahsan as president candidate 20 August, 2018



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Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry

Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) nominated senior party leader and legal wizard Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan as its candidate for the post of president of the country.



Reacting to media reports that the PPP has decided to field Mr Ahsan in the Sept 4 presidential election against the nominee of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Dr Arif Alvi, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) on Sunday categorically stated that Mr Ahsan could not be considered a joint opposition candidate because the PPP had not consulted any of the parties sitting on the opposition benches before making the decision.



The PML-N is also angry because the PPP refused to vote for its president Shahbaz Sharif in the Aug 17 election for the office of prime minister only because of his controversial statements against the PPP leadership in the past, whereas the PPP has now nominated a person who had also made some nasty remarks about the illness of Nawaz Sharif and his wife Kulsoom Nawaz in recent past.



How can you expect us to vote for the nominee of Asif Ali Zardari after refusal of the PPP to vote for our president (Shahbaz Sharif) in the National Assembly and our candidate (Hamza Shahbaz for the office of chief minister) in the Punjab Assembly, said PML-N information secretary and Senator Mushahidullah Khan, when contacted to seek his partys viewpoint on the PPPs move.



Mr Khan alleged the PPP had nominated Mr Ahsan intentionally in order to provide a walkover to the PTI in the presidential election. The PPP has been hand in glove with the PTI since earlier this year when first it managed to topple the PML-N government in Balochistan and then got Sadiq Sanjrani elected as Senate chairman. The PML-N leader claimed that the PPP was doing all this under pressure after the opening of the fake accounts case against Mr Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur. You see, how he (Mr Zardari) has been granted a protective bail in the case on a holiday, he said in reference to the granting of two weeks protective bail to the PPP co-chairman by the Islamabad High Court on Saturday, only a day after a banking court had issued arrest warrants for him.



Mr Khan advised the PPP to better formally join the treasury benches with the PTI, instead of playing tricks on the opposition parties. He termed the PPPs justification of not voting for Shahbaz Sharif unrealistic and an excuse.



The PPP had refused to vote for Mr Sharif despite agreeing on a formula during an opposition parties multi-party conference earlier this month that authorised the PML-N to nominate any candidate for the PM office.



Mushahidullah Khan recalled that when Shahbaz Sharif had stated that he would drag Asif Zardari in the streets, the partys supreme leader Nawaz Sharif as well as the PML-N had expressed their displeasure and asked the younger Sharif to withdraw his statement. On the other hand, he said, Mr Zardari never withdrew the offensive remarks he had uttered against Nawaz Sharif on a number of occasions.



When asked if the PML-N would not vote for Mr Ahsan because of his controversial statements about the illness of the ousted prime minister and his wife, Mr Khan said that this issue is irrelevant as they knew that the PPP was actually a B-team of the PTI.



When contacted, PPPs Punjab secretary general Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed rejected the PML-Ns allegation that the party or Mr Zardari had been doing all this under pressure. There is no pressure on us, he said, adding that had there been any deal, Anwar Majeed would not have been arrested in the fake accounts case.



The PPP leader said that so far they had only proposed the name of Aitzaz Ahsan and they would soon start contacts with other parties. He claimed that the party was in touch with the PML-N at certain level and was awaiting a response.



Responding to a question, Mr Ahmed said Shahbaz Sharif could not have won the election even if the PPP had voted for him. You could only raise objections if we had voted for Imran Khan, he added.



The PPP leader said the party had tasked different members with contacting political parties on its proposal to nominate Mr Ahsan for the post of president.



Similarly, PPP information secretary Dr Nafeesa Shah said that Aitzaz Ahsan was the best choice for the office of president as he had a long struggle for the cause of democracy in his credit. She said the president should be a person like Aitzaz Ahsan who should be acceptable to the federation.



Rejecting the PML-Ns objections to Mr Ahsans unilateral nomination, she said that every party has its own strategy.



The Election Commission of Pakistan has already announced the schedule for the presidential election which will be held on Sept 4  five days before the expiry of the five-year term of President Mamnoon Hussain.

The PTI has already approved the nomination of Dr Arif Alvi as the partys candidate for the post of president.
Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

Gene therapy using an optimized adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver the human factor VIII gene to cynomolgus macaques showed a substantial increase in hFVIII expression and no detectable antibody response for 30 weeks in some animals. These promising data combined with evidence that the optimized vector AAVhu37 is suitable for manufacturing and purification at scale, suggests that AAVhu37-based gene therapy has the potential to advance to the clinic to treat hemophil-ia A, according to an article published in Human Gene Therapy.

James M. Wilson, MD, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and colleagues from University of Pennsylvania and Ultragenyz Gene Therapy, Cambridge, MA coau-thored the article entitled "Optimized Adeno-Associated Viral-Mediated Human Factor VIII Gene Therapy in Cynomolgus Macaques." The researchers compared two AAV cap-sidsAAVrh10 and AAVhu37combined with two liver-specific promoters and en-hancersE03.TTR and E12.A1AT. The researchers concluded that development of AAV-based gene therapeutics for hemophilia A should continue using the AAVhu37 capsid.

"The field now appreciates that there is a finite dose window in which systemic rAAV will be safe and effective," says Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chan-cellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. "This means that optimization of the potency of vector constructs may be critical to enable a long-term clin-ical success in the treatment of hemophilia A."

Explore further Researchers improve vbectors for delivering hFVIII gene therapy to treat Hemophilia A

More information: Jenny A. Greig et al, Optimized Adeno-Associated ViralMediated Human Factor VIII Gene Therapy in Cynomolgus Macaques, Human Gene Therapy (2018). Journal information: Human Gene Therapy Jenny A. Greig et al, Optimized Adeno-Associated ViralMediated Human Factor VIII Gene Therapy in Cynomolgus Macaques,(2018). DOI: 10.1089/hum.2018.080
The new treatment will serve as both diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors. This breakthrough in the technologies of cancer diagnosis and treatment was made by an interdisciplinary Russian-German collaboration of chemists, physicists, and biologists from NUST MISIS, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU), and the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany). Credit:  NUST MISIS

The new treatment will serve as both diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors. This breakthrough in the technologies of cancer diagnosis and treatment was made by an interdisciplinary Russian-German collaboration of chemists, physicists and biologists from NUST MISIS, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU), and the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany).

For the first time ever, scientists have shown that a hybrid nanomaterial based on magnetite-gold particles can serve as a universal platform to detect cancer cells anywhere in the body and to complete targeted deliveries of drugs to these cells. The discovery makes it possible to create and implement a completely new generation of cancer treatments in the coming years. The results of this fundamental research conducted at the intersection of physics, chemistry, biology and medicine have been published in Scientific Reports. The interdisciplinary collaboration of scientists led by Maxim Abakumov, a Candidate of Chemical Sciences and the Head of the NUST MISIS Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory, has developed a platform for simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

"The aggregation of diagnosis and therapy at the cellular levelso-called theranosticsis now considered one of the most promising areas in modern medicine. Scientists now [have] to learn how to detect pathogenic cells at the earliest stage of the disease," said Alevtina Chernikova, rector of NUST MISIS.

If these pathogenic cells are tagged with magnetic nanoparticles, they can be diagnosed with the help of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and subsequently destroyed by either a drug or a magnetic field that heats and kills cancer cells.

Maxim Abakumov, the Head of the NUST MISIS Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory. Credit:  Sergey Gnuskov/NUST MISIS

"We have managed to combine gold (Au) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles into a hybrid that has both magnetic properties and is capable of carrying the drug [to a tumor]. It turned out as a kind of 'nanodumbbell' which could become a platforma universal baseof future theranostics, and we have shown that in our research," said Maxim Abakumov, one of the project participants, assistant professor at RNRMU, and head of the NUST MISIS Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory.

This man-made nanohybrid has been tested both in vitro and in vivo. Laboratory tests on mice with grafted tumors have already been completed.

"The article considers a model of a mouse breast tumor and shows the possibility to deliver the hybrid Fe 3 O 4 -Au particles to the tumor loaded with the anti-tumor drug doxorubicin. The drug is released inside the tumor and has a therapeutic influence," said Mariya Efremova, junior research assistant at the Laboratory for Chemical Design of Bionanomaterials for Medical Applications at Lomonosov Moscow State University, and an engineer at the NUST MISIS Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory.

It is possible to place almost any drug (in place of doxorubicin) into the "nanodumbbell," and this makes this hybrid an ideal platform to detect tumor cells and deliver drugs; previously proposed methods were only suitable for certain types of drugs and only worked on certain types of cancer cells. Such versatility offers the hope for a new generation of treatments for malignant tumors in coming years.

According to the most optimistic researchers on the project, it will be possible to proceed to pre-clinical trials in just two to three years time, as a few years of work lie ahead before clinical trials on patients. "As a scientific discipline, theranostics is now developing very quickly. The proposed platform demonstrates impressive and diverse effectiveness in lab conditions, however, it still has a long way to go before getting to patients," said Marina Sekacheva, head of the Center for Personalized Oncology "OncoTarget" at Sechenov University. Sekacheva believes that doctors should provide maximum practical support to fundamental scientists and continuously work with them on potentially groundbreaking projects such as this one.

Explore further Anticancer drug doubles lifetime of sick animals

More information: Maria V. Efremova et al, Magnetite-Gold nanohybrids as ideal all-in-one platforms for theranostics, Scientific Reports (2018). Journal information: Scientific Reports Maria V. Efremova et al, Magnetite-Gold nanohybrids as ideal all-in-one platforms for theranostics,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29618-w

Provided by National University of Science and Technology MISIS
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Cellphone use while driving has been estimated to increase crash risk by 2-9 times and texting while driving may be especially risky because it involves three types of driver distraction: visual (eyes off the road), manual (hands off the wheel), and cognitive (attention away from driving).

A new study led by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined individual- and state-level factors associated with texting while driving among teens. The study, done in conjunction with researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Ohio State University, looked at Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 35 states.

The study, published today in Journal of Adolescent Health, found that nearly 2 in 5 teen drivers age 14 years and older had texted while driving at least once in the month prior to the survey, despite the fact that 34 of 35 states in the study ban text messaging for drivers 21 years and younger.

Texting while driving prevalence varied by state, from 26% in Maryland to 64% in South Dakota. More teens texted while driving in states with a lower minimum learner's permit age and in states where a larger percentage of students drove. White teens were more likely to text while driving than students of all other races/ethnicities. Texting while driving prevalence doubled between ages 15 and 16 years, and it continued to increase substantially for ages 17 years and up.

"The increase in texting while driving at the age when teens can legally begin unsupervised driving was not surprising," said Motao Zhu, MD, MS, Ph.D., the study's lead author and Principal Investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Graduated driver licensing laws could have an impact on texting while driving behavior: the earlier teens start driving, the earlier they start texting while driving."

The five states where more than 50% of teen drivers reported texting while driving had a learner's permit age of 15 years or younger.

Teens who engage in other risky driving behaviors were also more likely to text while driving. Teen drivers who didn't regularly wear seatbelts were 21% more likely to text while driving compared to frequent seatbelt users. Teens who reported drinking and driving were almost twice as likely to text while driving compared to those who did not.

"Risky driving behavior is known to be much less common with an adult in the car," said Ruth Shults, MPH, Ph.D., formerly, senior epidemiologist with the CDC's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. "The association between age and texting while driving highlights the need for parents to pay attention to their child's texting while driving throughout the teen yearsnot just when their children are learning to drive."

The data from this study is likely an underestimate of teen drivers' cellphone use. The survey question asked specifically about "texting and emailing while driving," and therefore does not measure the full range of ways that teens use their cellphones while driving, including answering or placing a phone call, accessing social media, playing music, and using other apps. It's also possible that students who took the survey considered reading a text or email to be different from writing or sending a message. And some may not have considered texting while their vehicle was stopped at a light as texting while driving. All these could lead to underreporting of the behavior.

Parents can help limit their teens' texting while driving behavior by doing the following:

Be a good role model. Teens are more likely to use their cellphones while driving if they see their parents doing it. If having your cellphone on and within reach while driving is tempting, put it on silent so you won't hear notifications. Try putting it in the trunk or backseat compartment or locking it in the glove box so you can't reach it while driving. If you cannot or do not want to put your cellphone away completely, ask a passenger to make and answer calls, read and reply to texts, or look at the calendar as you make plans.

Be patient. If you know your teen is driving, wait until he arrives before you text or call. Teens report that they are more likely to respond to a call or text while driving if it is from a parent, close friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend.

Set clear rules about prohibiting all cellphone use while driving. Make sure to communicate those rules clearly and enforce them.

Continue to monitor new drivers. Keep riding with your teen even after he gets his license. Compliment your teen's safe driving behaviors and remind him of the rules when he makes poor decisions.

Take advantage of built-in features. Many phones have a driving mode you can turn on to disable texting, calling, or other functions while in motion. Consider having your teen use this mode or installing an appsome of which will send immediate notifications to parentswith a similar purpose.

Explore further Laws banning hand-held cellphone calls more effective than texting bans for teen drivers
While lamenting abusive conduct on Twitter Inc., Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey said any move to block content based on political or social views would stoke already rising concern about the power of social-media companies.

We cant just keep changing randomly based on our viewpoints, Dorsey said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN televisions Reliable Sources. That just adds to the fear of companies like ours making these judgments.

Dorseys comments aired a day after President Donald Trump, a devoted Twitter user, wrote on the site that Social Media is totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices. Earlier in the week, Twitter put temporary limits on the account of right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for violating the companys policies against abusive behavior.

More and more people have fear of companies like ours and the perceived power that companies like ours have over how they live and even think every single day, Dorsey said in the interview. He said he understands that feeling, but doesnt see himself as having that power.

Trump, in his tweet, said social-media companies are unfair in the way they apply their rules. They are closing down the opinions of many people on the RIGHT, while at the same time doing nothing to others, Trump tweeted, saying his administration wont let that happen.

Left-Leaning Workers

While Dorsey has conceded his workforce is left-leaning, Twitter has insisted that many allegations of anti-conservative bias reflect only actions against those engaged in threats or other banned behaviors  regardless of the political content.

The restrictions against Jones were a reversal from earlier in the month, when Dorsey said Jones would be allowed to continue to use Twitter because he hadnt violated the companys rules. That was at odds with moves by Facebook Inc. and Googles YouTube, which pulled Jones off their platforms over content that violated hate-speech and harassment policies. Jones, who had previously hosted Trump on his Infowars show, among other things claims the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 was staged by the government.

Dorsey, who has declared his intention to improve the health of Twitter conversations, said during the CNN interview that hes open to changing the platform to help avoid abuses.

Possible Fixes

Possible initiatives including placing lower emphasis on follower counts and adding context to misinformation, he said, adding that he was reluctant to give a timeline.

Social-media sites such as Twitter and Facebook spent years boasting that they were committed to open discourse, only to face backlash as they became platforms for the spread of false information, racist violence and election interference. Thats prompted a debate about whether the companies should continue expanding the sliver of content they have long blocked, such as terrorist propaganda.

The controversy, though, has also fueled concerns about censorship. Trumps reelection campaign manager, Brad Parscale, wrote in a Aug. 16 opinion piece in the Washington Examiner that a law providing social companies a shield against liability for most content posted by users is enabling a new Orwellian impulse.

Even as Trump attacks social media, staffers for House Energy and Commerce Committee told Twitter officials during an Aug. 16 meeting that the panel could subpoena Dorsey, according to a person familiar with the talks. Dorsey is also slated to testify Sept. 5 before the Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss social media companies efforts to prevent Russian meddling in U.S. elections, according to a different person familiar with those talks.
Uber has called on the South African Transport Ministry to revise a number of proposed amendments to the National Land Transport Act.

The amendments aim to update the legislation to account for the proliferation of ridesharing companies like Uber.

Uber has expressed concerns with some of the proposed amendments, including a new clause which will force its drivers to acquire permits to be drivers.

Failure to comply could result in Uber and the driver having to pay a fine of up to R100,000.

Uber said the problem with the clause is the inefficiency of local authorities which result in major delays with drivers getting permits.

The permit-issuing systems and processes of many of South Africas major municipalities are flawed and this has resulted in massive application backlogs and delays of up to 18 months, said Uber.

Uber said the implementation of this clause must be delayed until the current challenges experienced by public transport operators applying for operating licences are resolved.

There are currently over 12,000 Uber drivers in South Africa, and Uber said the implementation of these regulations would have a major effect on their lives.

Uber added that the majority of its drivers have applied for operating licenses, but most have not received them  due to lengthy delays by municipalities.

Now read: Uber lobbying for contract workers not to become employees
The latest version of Android has started rolling out to compatible devices.

The new operating system  Android 9  is currently available on Google Pixel, Pixel 2, and Essential PH-1 devices, but will soon launch to more models.

Devices which participated in the Beta programme will be part of the first wave of smartphones to get the official Android update, along with a number of Android One devices.

Googles Android One programme allows compatible smartphones with near-stock systems to receive updates faster than standard devices, which require more stringent modification and testing.

[View a list of the smartphones which will get Android 9 first]

Android 9 brings a number of new features which change the way the OS functions, including an overhauled navigation system, and support for modern displays with notches and varied aspect ratios.

The two most popular Android smartphone brands in South Africa  Samsung and Huawei  do not have any devices which are part of the early rollout, however, as they use their own operating systems built on Android.

Android 9 on Huawei

Huawei told MyBroadband that it would release the new version of its operating system next month.

Huawei will release EMUI 9.0, based on the latest Android 9 system, at the IFA in September, said a Huawei spokesperson.

Existing Huawei devices will receive the update as it is launched, beginning with the manufacturers P20 series.

First, the P20 series will be released in September, and the Mate series will be launched in the future, said Huawei.

The manufacturer said it is also working on developing stable and powerful software for its devices and would roll out further EMUI 9.0 updates to customers when they are ready.

Huawei has continued to invest a lot of resources in technology R&D to provide the most high-quality, stable, and top-notch technology experience for consumers.

Therefore, when the technology is ready, we will release it to the market.

Now read: Huawei aims to overtake Samsung in South Africa in the next 2 years
The board of directors of the American Red Cross of the California Northwest Chapter held its annual meeting in June and elected six new members to the board, including Nate Weis of Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars.

We are wrapping up an extraordinary year," said Jeff Baumgartner, executive director of the America Red Cross California Northwest Chapter. "More than 4,000 volunteers stepped up for 118 local disaster responses. They helped more than 3,200 local families facing disasters large and small; installed almost 500 smoke alarms to make families safer; taught lifesaving skills like first aid, CPR and AED to more than 9,500 residents; and assisted more than 300 members of the armed forces."
Last years California wildfires set benchmarks for costly destruction on a scale unheard of before, with the more than $12 billion in losses topping the combined tab for the states worst wildfires dating back decades.

There are no estimates yet for losses from this years blazes. But halfway through the fire season, the state has already seen its largest fire ever with the Mendocino Complex Fire eclipsing Decembers Thomas Fire in scorched acreage. Last months Carr Fire near Redding was the sixth most destructive to property, comparable to San Diegos devastating 2007 Witch Fire.

And soon, state officials warn, the more than 3 million homeowners near wildland areas and the 1 million considered at high risk for wildfires will face a new worry: home insurance rates will rise, and insurers will drop coverage in some areas, making it hard to get a policy at all.

In Santa Rosas Coffey Park neighborhood, hard-hit by last years wildfires, neighborhood association president Jeff Okrepkie said many residents are worried that insurers will cancel their policies as soon as they legally can.

We know insurers out there that have said as soon as we arent legally obligated, were out, said Okrepkie, who also works in commercial property insurance. As far as rates go, they are going to go up.

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones acknowledged that were going to see more nonrenewals, more insurers declining to issue policies in some areas and rate increases as a result of the wildfires.

It isnt just homeowners in designated high-risk areas that are vulnerable. Jones said that insurers are re-evaluating how they gauge wildfire risk in the Golden State, noting that in Sonoma County, 16.5 percent of homes were rated high or very high risk, but significant areas thought to be lower risk burned down. Insurers charge more for higher risk areas.

Theres no question insurers are going to reassess, Jones said. What I anticipate were going to see is the number or percentage of homes rated high or very high risk going to go up. So this phenomenon is not just limited to areas that burned or counties where fires have occurred.

The average California homeowner premium, excluding earthquake and flood insurance, was $1,045 last year, up about 10 percent from $954 a decade ago, according to the insurance department. Rates vary widely based on the size and value of the home, deductibles, amount of insured coverage and fire risk.

The days of people paying under $1,000 for insurance are fast coming to a close in California, said Amy Bach, executive director of the consumer group United Policyholders. People can expect to be edging up well over $1,000 in these rural areas, nudging above $2,000.

Its hard to say yet what the exact impact will be on homeowners because the fires are so recent and the state heavily regulates insurers. State law requires insurance companies to renew homeowners policies at least once following a catastrophic loss. Insurers must seek state approval to change rates, and they must spread recovery for catastrophic losses over at least 20 years, so increases would be gradual.

But the costs of last years wildfires raise the specter that with a warming climate expected to fuel more frequent and destructive blazes, wildfires could produce damage on a scale of historically more costly disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods.

As Californians know from their experience with earthquakes, catastrophic costs on that scale can lead insurers to abandon the market.

I dont think fire risk is as acute as flood and earthquake, Jones said, but it could get there.

Last Octobers fires in and around Californias wine country alone caused more than $9.7 billion in insured losses. The yearly total, including Decembers massive Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, tops $12.3 billion, statistics show.

Thats about four times the toll of what had been the countrys costliest fire disaster before last year  the Oakland Hills Fire. That 1991 blaze caused $1.7 billion in insured losses, more than $2.7 billion in todays dollars, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit industry-supported organization.

By contrast, the countrys most devastating hurricanes and earthquakes are typically much more costly because they tend to strike major metropolitan areas. Hurricane Katrina, the nations costliest disaster, caused an estimated $41.1 billion in insured losses in 2005 along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, about $50 billion today, according to the institute. Last years Hurricane Harvey, which inundated Houston, caused an estimated $19 billion in insured losses.

Californias Northridge earthquake caused $15.3 billion in insured losses in 1994, about $25.6 billion today, according to the institute. The Loma Prieta earthquake caused $960 million in insured losses in 1989, about $1.9 billion today.

Losses from the Northridge quake were so high that many insurers bailed on California, forcing the state to create the California Earthquake Authority to help homeowners obtain coverage.

But the Los Angeles Times reported that, today, only about one in 10 insured California homeowners has earthquake coverage. Those who decline often cite concerns about high premiums and deductibles for earthquake coverage. Earthquake premiums averaged $1,033 last year, according to the insurance department.

A similar program, the California FAIR Plan, already exists to provide fire insurance for homeowners unable to get coverage in the insurance market. It was set up in the 1960s after the Watts riots prompted insurers to drop coverage in some urban areas. It provides bare-bones fire coverage at an average premium of $637 but not other risks such as water damage covered in a typical homeowner policy. So those homeowners need supplemental coverage on the insurance market for that.

Among the 3 million homes near wildland areas, the number with FAIR Plan policies has grown by about 2,000 a year over the last four years, totaling 30,000 today, or about 1 percent of homes in those areas. A big spike in FAIR Plan policies could signal trouble in the private fire insurance market.

Theyre the canary in the coal mine, Jones said.

State lawmakers could make matters much worse  theyre kicking around a proposal to ease utilities liability for wildfires caused by their equipment. Currently, utilities are liable if their equipment was a factor in starting a wildfire, even if they properly maintained it, and that helps insurers recoup their losses and keep a lid on premiums.

That would fundamentally change the ability of insurers to recover from the responsible party, said Mark Sektnan, vice president of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, which represents the homeowner insurance industry. And that, in turn, would likely boost insurance rates further.

Still, with many more homes outside of wildfire risk areas, Californias insurance market is resilient when it comes to wildfire risk, Jones and industry representatives said.

There are some companies that are re-evaluating risk, and there may be some companies pulling out of some areas, Sektnan said. But some of our member companies specialize in writing in high-risk areas.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Knowledge, its been said, is power. The more you learn about something that affects you, the more you can influence that something.

Its especially true in politics, whose insiders joust constantly among themselves and with outsiders, including the media and the voting public, over access to information.

One of Californias more important arenas of information war is public education.

We Californians spend at least $100 billion in taxpayer money each year on educating 6 million elementary and secondary students, and several million more in community colleges, state universities and the University of California.

However, information on how well those millions of mostly young Californians are being educated is, at best, scattered among several non-integrated data systems and, at worst, not available anywhere.

As a new state Senate report points out, Currently, 38 out of the 50 states maintain a longitudinal data system that records academic, demographic, assessment-oriented and programmatic information that follows students from early education to postsecondary education and often into the workforce.

California isnt one of them, making it impossible for even legislators, in appropriating the many billions of education dollars, to know whats working and whats not  much less the public at large.

The education establishment and its political allies are not eager to disturb the status quo of ignorance.

That reluctance has been obvious in efforts by the state Board of Education and state schools Superintendent Tom Torlakson to fashion a supposed accountability system for K-12 education thats a confusing mishmash of often trivial factors and minimizes the most important one, academic achievement.

Civil rights and education reform groups have pressed for more data to determine whether the states efforts to close the achievement gap that afflicts poor and English-learner students are working, or whether billions of extra dollars meant to help them are being squandered.

As the Senate report on a longitudinal data system was being issued for a hearing on the issue last week, Children Now, one of those civil rights/education reform groups, was pressing Torlakson and the state board to effectively monitor the outcomes of all students and determine if gaps in achievement are closing or not

But the education establishment, which also includes the California Teachers Association and Gov. Jerry Brown, has resisted such demands. Brown, in fact, has vetoed legislation calling for more comprehensive education data.

Why? Perhaps, its because a longitudinal system might reveal that his Local Control Funding Formula, which provides extra money to help low-achieving kids, isnt working well.

Such a system would also tell us which school districts and which schools are succeeding or failing, and could reinvigorate the states parent trigger law that allows parents to take over failing schools and run them as charters.

The education establishment despises that law and the current reporting system that discounts academics effectively undermines it.

The Senate hearing was conducted by its Select Committee on Student Success, chaired by Sen. Steve Glazer, an Orinda Democrat. Hes carrying a bill to authorize a data collection system, but its stalled for the year  in part, at least, because of Browns reluctance to act.

However, Browns almost certain successor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, is on record as supporting a longitudinal system. This is profoundly important, and it gets lost because you dont usually get celebrated for your IT upgrades, Newsom said at a public forum in March.

Well see whether hes willing to buck the education establishment, much of which is supporting his candidacy.

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.
For the first time in 13 years, the United States may soon send teams into North Korea to search for remains of U.S. soldiers killed during the Korean War. That's encouraging news for the families of many long-lost loved ones, but we must not mistake that as real progress toward the far more important security goal: denuclearization.

North Korean officials confirmed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month that they want to resume joint recovery operations north of the demilitarized zone. Bringing back U.S. soldiers' remains is a worthy endeavor in its own right and could result in the identification of hundreds of missing Americans, giving their families closure. As a nation, we commit to those who serve that we will not leave anyone behind enemy lines, alive or dead.

But Trump administration claims that recovering remains represents progress in the nuclear talks are incorrect. National security adviser John Bolton said only last week that North Korea has made no progress on denuclearization. Then, on Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert pointed to the unilateral return of 55 boxes of remains from North Korea at the end of July as evidence of forward movement.

"Well, I think we have certainly seen progress so far. We've seen the remains of service members brought home," she said when asked about the denuclearization talks. "That is certainly a step in the right direction."

President Donald Trump often brings up the remains issue to divert attention from the lack of progress in the nuclear talks, sometimes inflating the numbers. Trump says he asked Kim Jong Un to return soldiers' remains at their Singapore summit in June, and he points to Kim's favorable response as evidence the North Korean leader is sincere.

Pentagon officials, speaking at the White House on Tuesday, said recovery operations are not connected to the nuclear negotiations, as far as they are concerned.

"It could be drawn into the greater geopolitical stream," said Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. "But for now, we're treating it as a military-to-military contact, but more importantly, as a humanitarian endeavor that's separate and distinct from anything else."

Officials who worked on the recovery operations inside North Korea from 1996 to 2005 said they fought hard to keep the remains-recovery issue separate from nuclear diplomacy for a good reason: North Korea treats them completely differently.

"Progress on one doesn't speak to progress on the other, and vice versa," said Ashton Ormes, a former Pentagon official and negotiator with North Korea over remains recovery.

North Korean leaders, he said, are perfectly capable of cooperating on what they don't mind doing - recovery operations - while refusing to cooperate on what they don't intend to do - denuclearization.

If Pyongyang's game is to draw out the diplomatic process and pocket concessions without ever moving to denuclearize, the remains-recovery issue fits their purposes perfectly. It gives Trump political space while the Kim regime and the South Korean government try to persuade him to declare an end to the Korean War.

Remains-recovery operations are also a cash machine for Pyongyang. Then- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld cited security concerns in canceling the program in 2005,but officials involved said he also didn't want to give more money to the Korean People's Army.

"A very clear incentive for [North Korea] to do these operations is to try to get hard currency for the KPA," said Victor Cha, a senior White House official during the George W. Bush administration. "It's not a signal at all that they are interested in denuclearization."

From 1996 through 2005, the United States and North Korea conducted 33 joint missions north of the demilitarized zone that resulted in collecting 229 sets of remains, 67 percent of which were eventually identified. Officially, the Pentagon gave North Korea almost $20 million during those missions as reimbursement for security and logistics. Several people involved told me that the actual number was much higher because the North Koreans abused the program to extract various other payments.

There's also evidence the recovery missions are often staged by Pyongyang. An internal Pentagon reportfound that U.S. officials were deceived into digging up remains that the North Koreans took out of storage and planted at former battle sites, a practice known as "salting" recovery sites.

By playing off Trump's own rhetoric, Kim has skillfully turned the remains-recovery issue into a key deliverable and a way to assert that Trump-Kim diplomacy is succeeding. But the administration can't claim real progress on the nuclear file until, at minimum, Kim hands over a declaration of his nuclear assets, a Pompeo request that Pyongyang has yet to fulfill.

The Trump administration should work with Pyongyang to get back as many U.S. soldiers' remains as possible, even if the process isn't always wholesome. But we must not delude ourselves into believing that means Kim is sincere or that the nuclear diplomacy is going well. The United States must not be duped.

Josh Rogin is a columnist for the Global Opinions section of The Washington Post. He writes about foreign policy and national security. Rogin is also a political analyst for CNN. He previously worked for Bloomberg View, the Daily Beast, Foreign Policy, Congressional Quarterly, Federal Computer Week and Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
Less than one month before the New York state Democratic Gubernatorial primary, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, seeking his third term as New Yorks governor, is being politically pelted from the Right and the Left, at the same time as Upstate New York is being battered by torrential storms. Yet Cuomo, strong and resolute, is weathering the withering attacks, like his battered fellow Upstaters, just as his father did, decades before.

Cuomo has gotten into court battles with the lawless, amoral Trump administration, almost daily, just the way Mario Cuomo relentlessly resisted Ronald Reagans attempts to eliminate state and local tax deductions for middle-class homeowners, and to illegally force an unsafe nuclear power plant down the throats of Long Islanders.

Andrew Cuomo has taken dead aim at the financial stability of the NRA, echoing his fathers fearless fights with the greedy gun-lobby that couldnt tell the difference between a constitutional right, and their own institutional recklessness, or, today, their sellout to rich Russians out to undermine democracy.

But nowhere has Andrew Cuomo been more articulate in channeling his father, than on the defining issue of our time, immigration and human dignity.

In an impassioned op-ed in the New York Times less than a week after what would have been Mario M. Cuomos 86th birthday (A Moral Outrage We Must Not Tolerate, June 21, 2018), Andrew Cuomo, excoriated the Trump administration for its inhumane treatment of immigrant children.

Cuomo punctuated his well-reasoned legal case against the complete disregard for parental rights, with a paragraph that could have been written by his father, Mario Cuomo, whose three-terms as governor were devoted to serving the Family of New York:

New York State will not remain silent. Our state has always served as a beacon and opportunity for the world, and the Lady of the Harbor holds her torch high not only to light the way for immigrants, but to light the way forward when our country is lost.

I re-read the paragraph and closed my eyes. The words were familiar to me. I had heard the same sentiments with that same sense of optimism, strength and compassion many times before, having worked for Andrew Cuomos father when he was governor of New York, and was the ringing voice for people around the country without the power, money or connections to speak for themselves.

I was with Mario Cuomo in June, 1992, when he spoke at New York Universitys Urban Research Center on Immigration, explaining how his father and mother  immigrants from Southern Italy  battled discrimination each day:

I thank God the country didnt say to them, We cant afford you, you might take someone elses job, or cost us too much. Im glad they didnt ask my father if he could speak English, because he couldnt; Im glad they didnt ask my mother if she could count, because she couldntIm glad they didnt ask my father what special skills he brought to this great and dynamic nation, because there was no special expertise to the way he handled a shovel when he dug trenches for sewer pipe. Im glad they let him in anyway.

On the day after Andrew Cuomos Times op-ed echoed his fathers eloquence, he traveled to a facility in New York state that housed 15 immigrant children separated from their parents. Later that week, he asked Trumps Secretary of Health and Human Services for information about 345 children kept in New York by the federal government without the knowledge of any New York State officials.

They are in my state, Andrew Cuomo said. They are my legal charge.

More importantly, Cuomos deepest values  the fundamental right to family integrity  as taught to him and scrupulously practiced by his father, and mother, Matilda, who devoted herself to the Decade of the Child while First Lady of New York State  had been violated. These immigrant children, forcibly taken away from their parents in violation of every religions teaching, were Andrew Cuomos children, and he was morally offended by what was being done to them.

I read Andrews words and was transported back to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, to an electrifying speech his father gave in May, 1990, when racial tensions were near the boiling point in New York, less than a year after the murder of Yusef Hawkins  a 16-year old black child  in heavily Italian Bensonhurst:

There is hostility, and I dont like it. It makes me cringe. Ive seen a lot of it in my timebut we need to refocus our hostility away from one another and onto the government policies that neglect people in need.

Mario Cuomos words quaked with emotion, shaking the rafters of the huge cathedral:

Tell me, for Gods sake, why are we fighting among ourselves? We must save our strength for the real battles; for fighting the closed-minded people, the skin-heads, the anti-Semites, the racists, the gay-hatersWe must save our strength for all the small-minded, shrunken-souled, big-mouthed demagogues who seek to tear us apart.

Cuomos words resonated with New Yorkers so deeply that the great Pete Hamill, writing in the New York Post, on May 24, 1990, expressed it perfectly:

Cuomo spoke with the personal authority of a man who had triumphed over stereotypes, over bigotry, over ignorance.

Now 28 years later, when the shrunken-souled, big- mouth demagogues are tearing apart this nation, Mario Cuomos words, personal decency and actions are more urgent than they have ever been.

And, if you listen closely, you can hear him speaking through his son:

Theres a line and its called basic decency and basic humanity, Andrew Cuomo told NY 1, referring to the Trump administrations policy of rippling immigrant families apart. And they have stepped over that line.

Steve Villano is a Napa-based blogger. He was a director of Gov. Mario M. Cuomos New York City press office, and is the author of Tightrope: Balancing a Life Between Mario Cuomo and My Brother. This originally appeared on his blog.
The city of St. Helena will host an informational workshop on mobile home rent stabilization at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, at the firehouse.

The City Council first discussed a potential rent stabilization ordinance on July 26. Such an ordinance could apply to Vineyard Valley Mobile Home Park residents who are on leases of one year or less.

The workshop is geared toward the community, but its being advertised as a special City Council meeting in case more than two councilmembers wish to attend.
A citizens dialogue on the Prospects of Manipur and Sagaing Region, in the light of the India-Myanmar cross-border initiatives was held under the aegis of the Act East Policy Committee, Government of Manipur (India) in association with the Indo-Myanmar Fraternal Alliance here on Sunday.

Titular king Leisemba Sanajaoba, King of Manipur and president, All Manipur Working Journalists Union, Brozendro Ningomba attended the inaugural function of the citizens dialogue as the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, titular king Leisemba Sanajaoba appealed to shun bandh and blockade to to avail the opportunities of Indo-Myanmar cross-border and focus on development. Bandh and blockade only bring hindrance to development of the State, said titular king Leisemba Sanajaoba.

Appreciating the Government under Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and the Act East Policy Committees contribution in opening the international entry-exit checkpoint at Moreh-Tamu border on August 8, he expressed that he would urge the CM for construction of one Buddhist Guest House at Imphal for taking a sojourn by the Myanmar Buddhists who are going to Bodha Gaya in Bihar.

Convenor RK Shivachandra Singh of Act East Policy Committee, Government of Manipur, expressed the need to develop the underdeveloped regions of Saigang division of Myanmar and Manipur in Indias Northeast in this era while the Director of Information and Public Relations, Heisnam Balkrisna Singh gave welcome address of the occasion.

After the inaugural function of the citizens dialogue, there were three technical sessions.

In the days first technical session on Academia Interface and Prospects of Collaborations, Tourism Director W Ibohal; Mizzima Foundation chairman Soe Mynt, Executive Director of Fly Mya Company and Dr Elangbam Bijoy, Professor, Manipur University shared their views as resource persons.

Myanmar delegation leader former secretary Myat Kyaw Kyaw of Saigang region also spoke in one of the technical sessions. Other delegates from Myanmar who were present at the dialogue are Managing Director Soe Myint of Mizzima media group and Nyan Tun Lin, a close aid of Saigang Chief Minister.

Entrepreneurs from both inside and outside the State participated in the programme. The citizens dialogue will continue till Monday at Sendra.
Life-changing. Humbling. I felt so connected.

These were among the insights shared by faculty, staff and students who gathered August 16 to assess their experience as part of the Intergroup Dialogue (IGD), a program piloted this past summer and spring that aims to heighten the value of diversity and appreciation for our unique life experiences, celebrate our differences and to nurture a culture of belonging at the University of Miami.

Forty faculty, staff, and students attended two pilot sessions: the 2018 spring session focused on race/ethnicity and the summer session on sexual orientation/gender. Participants gathered for a lunch last week in the Newman Alumni Center to discuss their takeaways with program coordinators and with UM President Julio Frenk, who has championed the broad initiative to cultivate a culture at UM where everyone feels valued and has the opportunity to add value.

This topic is of obvious importance for me, and one we started right off the bat when I arrived, said Frenk, who celebrated his third anniversary as president on the same day. Im glad to see how broad, abstract ideas have been translated into concrete action steps and initiatives. This (progress) allows us to build a real scholarship of belonging that we can assess the impactits exciting.

Renee Dickens Callan, the director of multicultural students affairs, was one of many in the room who was surprised by the depth of the experience.

Ive done this work a lot, attending predominantly white institutions for a long time, she said. The dialogue provided an opportunity that was enriching and a connection to colleagues that was not there before, she said. "I felt very connected with the folks in my groupand thats important for the U moving forward.

When Laura Kohn-Wood, recently named dean of the School of Education and Human Development, left a faculty position at the University of Michigan almost a decade ago to join UM, she transplanted the seeds of the intergroup dialogue program spawned by a study directed by her Michigan colleague Pat Gurin.

It was a dream that this would become a reality, Kohn-Wood said.

When President Frenk joined the University she said she talked with him about this evidence-based practice that generates empathy and understanding of inequality and privileges, and optimizes learning opportunities for students. The president was immediately supportive and has remained so, she said.

In Miriam Lipsky, the acting assistant vice provost with the Office of Institutional Culture (OIC), and the rest of the OIC team, Kohn-Wood found a capable driver eager to move the belonging bus down the road.

Supported with small grants from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Association of American Colleges & Universities, and the Interfaith Youth Core, Lipsky and the OIC team formed a working group from which participants for the spring and summer pilot sessions were drawn. This fall a small student group will participate in the first pilot course for undergraduate students, and the course will launch formally in Spring 2019.

The curriculum that has been transplanted from the University of Michigan was customized to fit Miamis unique cultural and nuanced diversities. The approach remains the same: session by session build trust and bonding through conversations and questions that tackle thorny issues that are often the basis for discord and alienation yet rarely discussed in our society. There are four proposed modules: race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and religion. Gender and sexual orientation were fused in the summer pilot to review course materials more expeditiously.

Allan Gyorke, chief academic technology officer and assistant provost for Education Innovation, attended one of the pilots and described how the IGD has dovetailed with the Universitys Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which includes the promotion of discussion-based learning.

The two originally were separate, but theyve grown to become parallel and complementary, said Gyorke. He explained that in a program that promotes dialogue and discussion-based learning, it is important to consider the social identities of the students in the courses and how this might relate to their participation. Doing so can also help deal with stereotypes that might emerge at any time in a class, such as the notion that women are not as apt at math as men. Through the collaboration of the Culture of Belonging and Educational Innovation initiatives, faculty will be primed for dialogue and discussion-based courses with background on "stereotype threat" and other research related to belonging in the classroom.

The two initiatives have different structures and origins but both share the same purposethat students learn from each other, Gyorke said.

Andrea Iglesias, a UM adjunct professor and also a facilitator with the North Star Group, which organizes similar sessions at other universities, facilitated the spring session and participated in the summer session.

What stood out most was that this group was very knowledgeable about inclusivity, issues of diversity and equality, and yet the conversations were still very engaging and meaningful, Iglesias said. I could just imagine what it would be like for students who have very little experience. Being open to see what shows up creates a completely new learning experience.

The dialogue has already generated a number of related initiatives on campus. Dickens Callan formed a committee of students through the multicultural office for student affairs who developed a survey on associated efforts on campus. They plan to measure student outcomes, identify partners to work with, and examine the current onboarding process to see what should be communicated to new students about these efforts on campus.

Andrew Wiemer, program director at the Butler Center for Service & Leadership, and Chris Hartnett of the OIC are developing an intergroup facilitation scholarship program, which has yet to be formally named, similar to the existing Civic Scholars Program. The aim would be for students who master the techniques of facilitating intergroup dialogues to be recognized, and for them to act as facilitators to teach others.

Janet Bringuez-Sanchez, an assistant programs director on the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine campus, said her participation was a life-changing experience.

It was wonderful to see the bond that formed in our groupand we want for students to see that, too, she said, adding that she plans to seed the dialogue module on the medical campus.

Wilson Mejia, a grad student and intern in the OIC office, was the lone student to attend a pilot session.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Mejia grew up in New York. His humble upbringing and identity as a student of color didnt prepare him, he said, to attend a university as prestigious, and sometimes as daunting, as UM.

As we went along I was able to reflect, and when I was able to tell my story to my group it allowed me to break through so much of the uncomfortableness Id been feeling, Mejia said. An experience like this could help a lot of students bridge differences and build solidarity.
Afghan Taliban Leader Boasts of Success in War, Expresses Willingness for Direct Negotiations with U.S.
Home | News | General | Why National Assemblys budget under Saraki should be probed - Senator Adamu

- Senator Adamu claims the influence of Bukola Saraki in the Senate has diminished completely

- The lawmaker says the Senate president has the right to aspire for any office, including that of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

- PDP senators begin sleeping at NASS to prevent Sarakis impeachment

A federal lawmaker, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has called for a probe into the budgetary allocations to the National Assembly.

Adamu made the call when speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, August 19, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

He said an audit had become necessary in view of the president of the Senate, Bukola Sarakis refusal to vacate his seat after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to him, Sarakis refusal to vacate his seat after defecting to a minority party could be because he has something to hide.

READ ALSO: PDP welcomes Buharis declaration to jail looters

He said: I call for a forensic audit of the finances of the Parliament which has been thoroughly messed up under the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.

We did not know what Sarakis agenda is. As we go through this tenure of his, the more we see things being unearthed.

For him to refuse to move or leave the chair, there must be a reason for it.

As the Chairman of the National Assembly, there is so much that he is doing that we want to take a look at.

If he is clean let him move away and accept that there should be a forensic audit of the national assembly funds under his watch. Simple. Let him move so that we will see what he is sitting over.

We have seen his unbridled ambition. We have seen now that even though the odds are so much against him, he went to a party that is now losing ground and that is now a minority in the National Assembly.

On continued call by the leadership of the APC for Saraki to vacate his seat, Adamu said: it is pretty obvious that Sarakis influence has diminished completely.

Because he has lost the respect and confidence of majority of senators and well-meaning Nigerians, but hes just latching on to that seat because of the privileges he enjoys.

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Ordinarily, Saraki needed not wait for any pressure to be mounted on him before he resigns from his position as Senate president.

You cannot command any respect or assert your authority as a leader when majority of those youre supposed to lead have lost confidence in you and are opposed to your leadership.

So, if he is a self-respecting person, he does not even need anyone to ask that he should throw in the towel because he and his PDP have lost majority in the Senate.

He stressed that, Saraki was entitled to aspire for any office, including that of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

However, he said: but he should not try to destroy the system just because he wants to realise that ambition at all cost.

On who succeeds Saraki, if he exits his seat as President of the Senate, the lawmaker said, you do not cross a bridge before you get to it.

All the speculations about the purported rift is aimed at dividing us and distracting us from our determination to assert the interest of our party which enjoys the majority in the Senate.

He added that the lawmakers were united and that the party had the goodwill of Nigerians in view of progresses being made in different sectors of the economy.

While citing the partys victory in recent senatorial by-elections in Katsina, Kogi and Bauchi states, the lawmaker said it was a sign of victory for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2019.

They were the clearest pointers to the victories that would be recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2019 General Elections.

READ ALSO: Breaking: 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

Adamu further said that his partys victory was not only remarkable, but pointed to the confidence that Nigerians had in President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

He said the victories recorded would boost governments effort to accelerate empowerment of the ordinary citizens in order to reduce the level of poverty in the land.

The senator stressed the need for the APC to galvanise all its teeming members, especially members of Mr. Presidents cabinet to accelerate the pace in executing capital projects as another avenue for deepening the rising public confidence in the administration.

Meanwhile, Senator Philip Gyunka (PDP-Nasarawa north) has 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, The Nation reports.

NAIJ.com gathers that Gyunka said he had also completed his own night shift and was returning for another.

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Home | News | General | PDP reacts as Buhari vows to jail more looters

- PDP urges President Buhari to investigate Adams Oshiomhole, sacked DSS boss, Lawal Daura and other APC members for alleged corruption

- The party faults the anti-corruption war of the president administration

- Okorocha says he will defeat Atiku in any election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Muhammadu Buharis renewed declaration to jail treasury looters as a welcomed development.

The party however urged the president to investigate Adams Oshiomhole, sacked Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Lawal Daura and other APC members for alleged corruption.

The spokesman for the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Sunday, August 19, said Nigerians have been expecting the president to prosecute some persons who are perceived to be corrupt.

READ ALSO: Breaking: 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

The statement from the party read in part: President should also allow the investigation of his ministers, who as former governors, were indicted of stealing billions of naira belonging to their states, particularly, a former governor, who was indicted by his state for allegedly diverting over N40 billion to finance APCs 2015 Presidential campaign.

Mr President must also investigate how billions of naira allegedly moved from parastatals under his Petroleum ministry to finance the failed attempt to change the leadership of the National Assembly as well as the certificate scandals among his ministers and special advisers and jail all those involved.

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These are the people Nigerians have been expecting President Buhari to investigate, prosecute and if found wanting to be sent to jail. Unfortunately, Mr President has been pursuing perceived political enemies, and innocent opposition members while dining and wining with corrupt persons, a development that has completely called to question the integrity of his anti-corruption fight.

Since President Buhari came into office, he has not allowed any investigation into the corrupt activities under his Presidency, instead he has been attracting to himself, all manner of corrupt persons and giving them the perfume of sainthood, once they identify with his APC.

Meanwhile, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has boasted that he will defeat former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, in any election, even in Adamawa state.

Okorocha made the statement on Sunday, August 19, in reaction to Atikus comment that he would lead struggle for the PDP to take over Imo and Nigeria at large.

Speaking through his chief press secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor accused Atiku of trying to run down his government.

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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
Home | News | General | Ngige clears the air on Federal Government's approval of 37bn debt owed Anambra

- The minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has thrown more light on an issue concerning his home state of Anambra

- Ngige cleared the air on the recent payment of monies owed Anambra state by the Federal Government

- He, however, faulted claims by Senator Victor Umeh, that he was one of those who facilitated the process

The minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has thrown more light on the recent payment of monies owed Anambra state by the Federal Government

Ngige threw more light on the issue on Sunday, August 19, in a live radio interview on Odenigbo 99.1 FM in his home state of Anambra.

He, however, faulted claims by Senator Victor Umeh, that he was one of those who facilitated the process, stressing that Umeh was not even a lawmaker when the issue was resolved.

READ ALSO:3 important bills Osinbajo signed into law before Buharis return from UK (list)

His words: Recall that the seat of Anambra Central was vacant for two years after the removal of Senator Uche Ekwunife by the court.

During the time we worked through the approval process of the monies, Senator Umeh has not even neared the Senate. How can a senator who has spent only five months claim that he facilitated the approval of the monies we worked on before he arrived the Senate? We must give honor to whom honor is due.

I as the minister representing Anambra state worked together with the two Anambra state senators, Senators Andy Uba, and Stella Oduah to approve these funds.

Initially Anambra submitted about N45bn but during the vetting process, it was reduced to 37billion. Senator Umeh was never in the picture at the time we processed the fund for approval.

Just recently, a group, Coalition Of Anambra Youth For Buhari (CAYB), expressed gratitude to Senator Andy Uba for facilitating the release of the money.

This was made known by CAYB chairman, Martin Chukwu, through a press release sent to NAIJ.com on Monday, July 30.

Chukwu noted that the amount will go a long way in improving the living standard and well-being of the state, stressing that it further demonstrates the fact that President Buhari means well for the people of the Southeast region.

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On Andy Ubas effort towards facilitating the release, Chukwu added that Uba remains the best senator in the history of Anambra state.

It is on record that the senator remains the best federal lawmaker to have ever come out from Anambra state. His track records through numerous constituency projects are a testament of his goodwill for the people of the state, he said.

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Home | News | General | Governor Ganduje brings smile to 6, 600 women as he disburses N99m for their empowerment

- In its effort to empower 6,600 women to be self-reliant, the Kano state government has disbursed the sum of N99 million

- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who announced the good news on Sunday, August 19, said that each of the beneficiaries will get the sum of N15,000

- Ganduje said that the gesture was aimed at empowering the women to contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of their respective families and communities

Kano state government has disbursed N99 million to 6,600 women under its empowerment programme as start up capital to enable them establish their chosen businesses for self-reliance, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: Okorocha says he will defeat Atiku in any election

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje disclosed this on Sunday, August 19, in Kano during the flag-off of the empowerment programme at the Government House, Kano. He explained that the beneficiaries were selected from the 44 local government areas of the state.

The governor said that the sum of N99 million would be disbursed to the beneficiaries and each of them will collect N15,000 to start business.

He further said that the gesture was part of the state government's efforts to empower women to enable them become self-reliant and contribute to the economic growth and development of the state .

According to him, it is also to empower the women to contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of their respective families and communities.

We are doing this in compliance with President Muhammadu Buharis spirit of human development. We believe that, any step taken by our dear President, deserves to be followed at any given time, he said.

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Earlier, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Murtala Sule-Garo commended the governor for his efforts in empowering women and youths in the state. He urged the beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously in order to become self-reliant.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano had approved the employment of 1,196 female teachers with the National Certificate of Education (NCE) throughout the state.

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 had 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.

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Home | News | General | I will defeat Atiku in any election even in Adamawa - Okorocha boasts

- Governor Rochas Okorocha accuses former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, of trying to run down his government

- The Imo state government urges Atiku to leave Imo and the governor alone and face his own challenges

- 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has boasted that he will defeat former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, in any election, even in Adamawa state.

Okorocha made the statement on Sunday, August 19, in reaction to Atikus comment that he would lead struggle for the PDP to take over Imo and Nigeria at large.

Speaking through his chief press secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor accused Atiku of trying to run down his government.

READ ALSO: Breaking: 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

He said: The Former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was in Owerri for a meeting with the stakeholders of the PDP in the State over his presidential ambition.

While meeting with the PDP Stakeholders in the State, he was reported to have told them that he would lead the struggle for the PDP to take over Imo and Nigeria in 2019.

He also tried to run down the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his government.

The Imo state government urged Atiku to leave Imo and Governor Rochas Okorocha alone and face his own challenges.

The statement read in part: "What we do not take from anybody is blackmail against the government of Rochas Okorocha. We would do our best to set the record straight. The former Vice-President would have done his meeting without scratching the governor and the government he heads in the State. And that is where we come in.

The former Vice-President therefore leave Imo and Governor Rochas Okorocha alone and face his worrisome challenges. And if he does not know, Governor Rochas Okorocha will defeat him in any part of the Country including his Adamawa State in any election involving two of them.

He does not therefore have what it takes to lead any struggle that will return the PDP to power in the State or the Country in 2019. That promise was a false one.

To say the least, that promise of returning Imo to PDP was very deceitful knowing full well that in 2011 Rochas ran on the ticket of APGA that had no structure on ground and defeated an incumbent PDP governor with a very wide margin.

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In 2015, he took the soul of APGA to merge with other parties to form APC and defeated two powerful Candidates of PDP and APGA, even with the PDP Candidate having the Federal might behind him. Interestingly Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was not in exile when all these happened.

Imo PDP is dead. The monumental achievements of Governor Okorocha in less than eight years have destroyed the Imo PDP because the Party has no claim again to make before Imo people.

And that is the reason all those who made the Party thick in the State have all left to join either APGA or APC. Today, all the former guber aspirants in the PDP are doing so in APGA including Chief Ikedi Ohakim. They have left the PDP for two people.

In another report, two hundred and fifty-two aides appointed under Governor Aminu Tambuwals administration have resigned their positions.

The aides comprising of special advisers and special assistants, said their resignations were prompted by the recent decision of the Sokoto state governor to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party which they owe their loyalty, The Punch reports.

The former appointees said they will be unable to function in their respective positions under Tambuwals administration because of their determination to remain members of APC.

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Home | News | General | APC Delta : Now that the storm is over

By Felix Eshalomi

THE swearing in of Prophet Jones Erue as new chairman of APC in Delta State has brought with it the much-needed stability longed for and has proved to be the first step in our march forward. In his short time as chairman, he has succeeded in uniting the party and restoring peace amongst warring brethren. Gone are the divisions. There is peace in the APC, Delta State.

Minister for Niger Delta Development, Pastor Usein Uguru (r) exchanging greetings with a delegate from Kogi State, Mr. Frank Nneke while the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Prof. Steve Ocheni (2l) and another delegate looked on at the 2018 All Progressives Congress National Convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida

The timeous restoration of peace and unity within the party was far and above the most important assignment that needed to be dealt with as the lack of peace within the party had threatened to throw the party into disarray and confusion. Thus, so credit must go to the chairman for pointing correctly at the problem and tackling it headlong. It was important for the party to create an atmosphere for meaningful progress to be achieved.

However, the peace we now enjoy in the Delta chapter of APC took the sacrifice and compromise of numerous stakeholders with diverse interests.

These men have put the interest of Delta State above their personal interest. By suspending their personal ambitions in favour of the party, they have kick-started an era of progress for the people of Delta State. In the midst of the many challenges that beleaguered our party, these men served as beacons, and that showed us the way.

At a time loyalty has become rare, these men are sterling examples of loyalty and the abiding principles of our party.

We must commend men like Olorogun Otega Emerhor who has been at the forefront as a leader of APC in Delta State since 2015. It was his steadfast and unwavering belief in the party that attracted other progressives. Under his steady leadership, the party achieved new political heights.

He has brought his vast experience into the fold, and the party is better for it. Chief Great Ogboru has been the very symbol of opposition in Delta state.

He bears the brunt of all electoral malpractices perpetrated against the people of Delta State by the PDP. But yet he stands tall and well respected amongst his people. He epitomizes the peoples desire for proper governance, and soon, his efforts will be crowned.

The distinguished Senator Ovie Omo Agege has been a major addition to our party. He has brought with him to the party the much-needed spark and cutting edge to get the job done. To count the distinguished Senator among our party rank and file is to have a reliable comrade in the struggle to deliver the people of Delta from the demonic holds of the PDP come 2019.

Also deserving of equal mention is Professor Pat Utomi, a man whose outstanding reputation precedes him. He has brought his vast experience gained over many productive years to bear on the party, and the party stands to benefit immensely from his wealth of experience.

There are no shortages of leaders and intellectuals in APC Delta state. It is a party with men and women who can properly articulate the needs and yearnings of Deltans and equally respond to it. It is not a party of or for riff-raffs and scallywags. Among us are leaders from all walks of life with a proven track record.

However, I must caution that while all looks set for the inevitable defeat of the PDP in Delta State, it is not yet Uhuru. I urge us all to be vigilant as we watch against the unscrupulous element, paid mercenaries, wolves disguised in sheep clothing. We must continue to ensure that peace is maintained within the party and that individual interest is subsumed under party interest. For only in the atmosphere of peace can our collective dreams and aspirations as a party be realized.

*Barr. Felix Eshalomi, a constitutional lawyer, writes from Lagos.

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Home | News | General | Breaking: Six slaughtered in Borno by Boko Haram

At least six people were killed when Boko Haram jihadists raided a village in northeast Nigeria, burning houses and looting food supplies, a local militia leader and residents said on Sunday.



Boko Haram militants arrived in trucks at Mairari village, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the garrison town of Monguno in Borno state, on Saturday evening, firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

In the confusion, the Boko Haram gunmen seized six men and slaughtered them, militia leader Babakura Kolo told AFP from the state capital of Maiduguri.

The bodies of the six victims were found this morning (Sunday) when residents returned to the burnt village, Kolo said.

A village resident, Aisami Grema, gave a similar death toll, adding that police stationed in the village did not fight the Islamists.

The police made no attempt to engage the Boko Haram fighters, Grema said.

The militants ransacked the village for two hours before leaving, said another resident Masida Umar.

On Friday, four farmers were killed when Boko Haram raided crop fields near Maiduguri.

The attacks on civilians come after the Islamists have launched a series of assaults against Nigerian troops, putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buharis government to tackle insecurity in Africas most populous country ahead of general elections in February.

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Home | News | General | DISCOs reject N72bn networks projects by TCN

By Chris Ochayi

ABUJACrisis rocking the power sector of the economy, Sunday, took a different dimension as Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, rejected the N72 billion distribution networks investment being executed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

Ikeja electric

The DISCOs, instead, argued that any investment in distribution networks without recourse to them managing the networks was wrong investment.

Acting under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, ANED, DISCOs in a statement in Abuja, expressed concerns that customers might bear the cost of the unsolicited and wrongly directed investment, stressing that government-run TCN had no capacity to invest in a private-led power network.

ANED spokesperson, Sunday Oduntan, said: To ensure that electricity customers do not unduly bear the cost of electricity inefficiencies, procurement is required to be implemented efficiently and on a best-value basis.

Managing Director of TCN, Mr Usman Gur Mohammed, told newsmen recently that TCN was no longer the weakest link in the power sector value chain and that the Federal Government had directed it to invest N72 billion in the DISCOs network to improve power distribution.

But the DISCOs said it was the obligation and business of the investor to access debt financing for any such investments, freeing government funds for other urgent social investments.

It said: Given the heavily regulated nature of the distribution sub-sector and that this planned expenditure falls outside of the legal/regulatory requirement that capital investment must be recovered through the tariff, failure to adhere to this requirement will cause a problem of lack of recovery of the N72 billion.

This initiative creates the potential for a return to the old days of the government trying to implement projects that it is not suited for.

They noted that rather than government intervening in reducing the N1.3 trillion market shortfalls in the power sector, the N72 billion TCN investment directed at evacuating a non-existing 2,000 megawatts (MW) would further raise the debt profile.

According to DISCOs, we believe that the N72 billion should be directed towards filling the tariff gap, providing the commercial framework that will ensure that Nigerian electricity customers receive the immediate benefits of increased and stable power.

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Home | News | General | PDP condemns demolition of Aiyefeles studio

By Dirisu Yakubu

ABUJA-The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the demolition of a building belonging to musical icon, Yinka Aiyefele, in Ibadan, allegedly by agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Oyo state government.

Ayefeles N800m music house

The PDP described the demolishing of the building, said to be worth N800 million and which houses Aiyefeles Flash FM and his recording studio, in spite of a court order, as horrifying and wicked.

The PDP noted that Aiyefeles building was demolished for allegedly singing songs considered to be against the interest of the APC, even when our Constitution allows all citizens right to free speech, freedom of opinion and association within the ambit of the law, adding that The current clampdown on the media is now being extended to other public opinion moulders, including musicians and perhaps actors.

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Home | News | General | Saraki should be held responsible for budget delay  Presidency

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA  THE Presidency Sunday night said that the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the National Assembly should be held responsible for the delay in passing the supplementary budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for 2019 general elections.

*Senate President Bukola Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari

The Presidency further explained that the National Assembly delayed the 2018 budget that was submitted on November last year for seven months, adding that there was no way a supplementary budget could have been submitted without the passage of the main budget.

In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidency noted that President Muhammadu Buhari reluctantly signed the 2018 budget into law after it had been distorted by the National Assembly.

The statement titled, Senator Saraki, look at mirrow, its your face thats in it, the presidency denied any culpability by President Buhari in the supplementary budget delay.

The statement read this, The Presidency wishes to respond to the false accusations by Senator Bukola Saraki who alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is to blame for the delay in approving the supplementary budget for INEC.

On the contrary, the Senate President should look into the mirror and what he will see is his own face. He is solely to be held responsible for deliberately driving the nation to this cliff edge as far as the preparations for next elections are concerned.

It is not true that INEC submitted their draft budget to the Presidency in February. No, it came much later but even then, this is not the real issue.

The fact that their proposals came well after the President had laid his budget for the year 2018 before the National Assembly meant that their own will be sent as supplementary budget. This was clearly stated to them by the Minister of Budget and National Planning.

A supplementary budget cannot be submitted until the main budget is passed, and so the delay in passing the main budget was the reason for the delay. The National Assembly passed the 2018 budget seven months after the document was submitted to the National Assembly by President Buhari.

Unless someone has forgotten, the budget was submitted to the National Assembly and it took the Saraki-led National Assembly seven months to release it. There is no way President Buhari could have submitted a supplementary budget while the main one was still pending. It is never done.

Because Saraki did not return the main budget, we could not have submitted the supplementary one.

After the long delays, the President was pained to sign the much distorted, butchered and debauched document. In giving his assent, President Buhari said that he was compelled to sign the budget so as not to keep the economy continuously on a standstill.

In his words: When I submitted the 2018 Budget proposals to the National Assembly on 7th November 2017, I had hoped that the usual legislative review process would be quick, so as to move Nigeria towards a predictable January-December financial year.

It is also worthy of note that this is the first time in Nigerias history that a government would bring together the cost of an election in one budget, with each agency involved invited to defend their portion of the budget before the National Assembly.

It is all part of the transparency that this government is known for. In the past, governments would approve INEC budgets and funding without a breakdown, often using ways and means to fund it Not so under President Buhari.

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Unidentified gunmen believed to be Fulani militia have again attacked Tiv farmers, killing a pregnant woman, raping and injuring scores of others in the Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Northern City News gathered that the gunmen shot a 28-year-old woman, Mrs Dorcas Mbagbidi-Akaahan, and injured scores in Tse Shiga, Azara area of Awe LGA.

The attackers were said to have laid siege to the community in the early hours of Monday, shooting sporadically into the air to scare residents, but Mbagbidi-Akaahan was hit by stray bullets leading to her death.

Speaking to our source, a survivor, Obasanjo Akaahan, said the community would have recorded many casualties if the attack had occurred in the daytime.

He said, Last week Monday night, some Fulani herders suspected to be from Wurgan-Dogo stormed Tse Shiga aka Gidan Soja in their numbers, shooting sporadically as we scampered for our dear lives. One person was killed and many others injured.

Similarly, a woman was also allegedly raped by the attackers in Kalachi, a Tiv community in the Giza area of Keana LGA.

It was learnt that two women were going to the farm in the early hours of Tuesday when they ran into suspected Fulani herdsmen who allegedly assaulted them.

It was further gathered that the security operatives in Giza hurriedly swung into action following a tip-off and rescued the women.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Command, ASP Samaila Usman, said two suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime, adding that the command had commenced investigation to apprehend other suspects still at large.

He said, So far, two suspects in connection with the crime have been arrested and investigation is still going on to ensure that the prime suspect is arrested.
The Nigerian Air Force says more bandits have been killed in their hideouts inside Zamfara state forests and therefore appealed to remnants of the bandits to surrender themselves and their weapons to the Government authority.

The spokesperson of the Air Force, Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said in a statement that the attacks against the bandits were carried out after an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms have established the presence of the bandits and their kingpin in the area.

The statement reads:  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA, on 15 and 18 August 2018, successfully degraded several identified hideouts of a notorious armed bandit kingpin.

The attacks, which were executed in support of ground troops in Sector 2 of Operation SHARAN DAJI, were planned based on credible intelligence that the kingpin and his group of armed bandits were using an abandoned primary school in SHAMASHALE as well as some makeshift settlements in nearby RUGU Forest in the Eastern part of ZAMFARA State as bases for their operations.

 The attack at SHAMASHALE was conducted on 15 August 2018, following further confirmatory Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that revealed the presence of several armed bandits in the area.

 Accordingly, the ATF dispatched 2 combat helicopters to attack the location. During the attack, some bandits carrying sophisticated high caliber weapons were seen trying to flee the area. Some were on motorcycles carrying AK-47 rifles and, rather than dropping their weapons and surrendering, attempted to shoot at the helicopters; hence they were neutralized.

Read also: 55 Babies die daily in Niger State

 Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) conducted on 16 August 2018 confirmed that the kingpins main hideout had been severely degraded and human intelligence (HUMINT) sources later availed pictures of some of the slain bandits. Items recovered from the armed bandits include 2 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 2 AK 47 rifles, 100 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 2 mobile phones.

 The adjoining settlement camps within RUGU Forest, which had earlier been confirmed by HUMINT sources to be inhabited by only bandits, were attacked on 18 August 2018. A ground attack aircraft and 2 combat helicopters struck the camps in successive waves; first targeting the shelters and then executing follow-on attacks to ensure the threat posed to the local villagers was adequately dealt with.

 The ATF will continue to dominate the area through armed reconnaissance and air interdiction missions to completely decimate the armed bandits in order to ensure a return to normalcy in Zamfara and other States in the North West.

 All persons involved in armed banditry in the area are therefore advised to renounce violence, surrender to security agencies and hand over their weapons.
Home | News | General | Group raises alarm; says 700 Nigerians have drowned in Mediterranean

- The Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria says over 700 Nigerians died in the Mediterranean Sea while migrating illegally in the last six months

- The group pointed out that Nigeria has the highest number of illegal migrants from Africa

- It said it is on a mission to raise awareness on the risks and dangers of irregular migration

Over 700 Nigerians died in the Mediterranean Sea while migrating illegally in the last six months, the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) had disclosed.

The group made the disclosure via its president, Femi Awoniyi, while addressing newsmen in Abuja, the nations capital, Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: My spiritual embargo made INEC shift 2015 elections - Bakare

NAIJ.com gathers that Awoniyi however pointed out that compared to those who died while trying to cross the Sahara Desert, the figure is low.

He lamented that Nigerians have the highest rate of rejection among sub-Sahara asylum applicants in the European Union; as he pointed out that the country has the highest number of illegal migrants from Africa.

He said: This year alone, more than 1,500 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, many of them Nigerians.

This is not even counting those who have died travelling through the Sahara Desert, or in the transit countries.

Everybody knows that more than half of Saharan migrants in Africa are Nigerians. We cannot count the number of people who die in the Sahara Desert. Experts say more people die in the Sahara Desert than the Mediterranean.

For those who are lucky to reach Europe, a difficult struggle to obtain legal residency begins.

More than 30,000 Nigerians are currently awaiting deportation in Germany alone. Their asylum claims have been rejected since Nigeria is not considered by the European Union as a country where there is political persecution.

Awoniyi said the MEPN was on a mission to dispel the notion that they are better job opportunities outside the shores of Nigeria, and also raise awareness on the risks and dangers of irregular migration.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) disclosed that hundreds of migrants from Nigerian and other countries that were crossing to Italy and Spain, were feared dead in the Mediterranean Sea.

IOMs public information officer in Libya, Christine Petre, reported that the boats carrying the migrants departed from the coastal towns of Azzawiyah and Al Khums in Libya.

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Home | News | General | Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

- Supporters of Bukola Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari met at Ilorin airport

- Each group was reportedly cheering its principal and trying to sing louder than the opposition

There was a bit of drama as supporters of the Senate President Bukola Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari met at the Ilorin International Airport, Kwara state on Sunday, August 19.

The supporters of Saraki were reportedly at the airport to welcome the Senate president, while supporters of Buhari were there to Kwara state governorship aspirant, Moddibo Kawu, and a Labour Party governorship aspirant in the state, Issa Aremu.

READ ALSO: 2019 INEC budget: Saraki hits executive, accuses it of delaying submission

Punch reports that trouble reportedly started when Saraki's loyalists who were mostly women started singing the Senate president's praises and not to be outdone, the APC members, who were mostly young men started shouting "Sai Buhari" ontop of their voices.

The atmosphere became charged prompting security officials and elders from both parties to maintain orderliness.

Kawu and Aremu, whose aircraft had landed waited for some time at the arrival hall for supporters to stop the noise before leaving the airport while Saraki's suporters waitd behind for the Senate President.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buharis 2019 reelection bid has been endorsed by the Etsu Patigi, Patigi local government area of Kwara state, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta-Umar.

While receiving youths from Lade, Kpada and Patigi districts in his palace, the monarch said the people of the area will vote for the president in 2019.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | Soldiers, suspected herdsmen engage in gun battle in Benue state

- Soldiers, armed herdsmen fought in Benue state

- No casualties was allegedly recorded in the gun battle

The theatre commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, said the military and some armed herdsmen engaged in a gun battle that lasted for several hours in Guma local government area of Benue state.

Yekini said no casualties was recorded as the army tried to repel the armed men.

He said: Our men went on patrol along Gbajimba and encountered the herdsmen but we have no record of death or injury yet because our troops are still on the field. However, Ill let you know as soon as possible.

READ ALSO: 2019 INEC budget: Saraki hits executive, accuses it of delaying submission

A report by Punch, however, claimed that the suspected herdsmen in the early hours of Saturday ambushed the military personnel who were on surveillance in the Guma local government area, killing one soldier and injuring two others.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that seven suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Garanda village in Borno state were killed by troops serving in the counter insurgency operation.

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The deputy director of information, Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Clement Nwachukwu, said on August 9 that the killing of the insurgents occurred when troops were repelling an attack by the terrorists.

Nwachukwu said the terrorists had launched an attack on a military location in the village in Guzamala local government area of the Borno state.

He said the troops who were alert swiftly repelled the attacks, killing seven of the insurgents in the process.

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Home | News | General | Presidency fires back at Saraki over INEC budget delay; says Senate president is to blame

- The Presidency says the Saraki-led Senate is to be held responsible for the delay in approving INECs supplementary budget for the 2019 elections

- Presidential aide, Garba Shehu, explained that a supplementary budget could not be submitted until the main budget was passed

- He further pointed out that after long delays, the president was pained to finally sign the much distorted, butchered and debauched document

The Presidency has dismissed Senate President Bukola Sarakis allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is to blame for the delay in approving the supplementary budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Malam Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, who stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, August 19, said on the contrary, the Saraki-led Senate should be solely held responsible for the delay, NAN reports.

READ ALSO: 2019: Kwara monarch endorses Buharis second term bid

NAIJ.com gathers that Shehu asked the Senate president to look into the mirror; stating that what he will see is his own face.

He is solely to be held responsible for deliberately driving the nation to this cliff edge as far as the preparations for the next elections are concerned.

It is not true that INEC submitted their draft budget to the Presidency in February. No, it came much later but even then, this is not the real issue.

The fact that their proposals came well after the president had laid his budget for the year 2018 before the National Assembly, meant that their own will be sent as supplementary budget.

This was clearly stated to them by the minister of budget and national planning, he maintained.

The presidential aide explained that a supplementary budget could not be submitted until the main budget was passed; and so, the delay in passing the main budget was the reason for the delay.

The National Assembly passed the 2018 budget seven months after the document was submitted by President Buhari.

He said: Unless someone has forgotten, the budget was submitted to the National Assembly and it took the Saraki-led National Assembly seven months to release it.

He said there was no way President Buhari could have submitted a supplementary budget while the main one was still pending, adding that it is never done.

Because Saraki did not return the main budget, we could not have submitted the supplementary one, he said.

Shehu noted that after the long delays, the president was pained to sign the much distorted, butchered and debauched document.

While signing the budget, President Buhari said that he was compelled to sign it so as not to keep the economy continuously at a standstill.

In his words: When I submitted the 2018 budget proposals to the National Assembly on November 7, 2017, I had hoped that the usual legislative review process would be quick, so as to move Nigeria towards a predictable January-December financial year.

The presidential aide further said that, It is also worthy of note that this is the first time in Nigerias history that a government would bring together the cost of an election in one budget, with each agency involved, invited to defend their portion of the budget before the National Assembly.

It is all part of the transparency that this government is known for.

He observed that in the past, governments would approve INEC budgets and funding without a breakdown; often using ways and means to fund it. Not so under President Buhari.

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Recall that NAIJ.com previously reported that Senate President Bukola Saraki, on Sunday, August 19, lambasted the executive arm of the government for allegedly submitting the Independent National Electoral Commissions budget for 2019 general elections late.

Saraki, who accused the executive of lack of foresight, made the statement through his special adviser on new media, Olu Onemola, while reacting to the allegation by the Muhammadu Buhari Media Organisation, that the Senate intentionally delayed the approval of the INEC budget

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Home | News | General | Governor Shettima speaks on alleged bombing of dam by Boko Haram insurgents

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has dispelled speculations on Saturday, August 18 that a lake in Alau town, a distance of about five kilometres from the state capital, Maiduguri, had been bombed by Boko Haram insurgents.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that following over-flow of water from the dam, locals of the town had circulated misleading information to the effect that insurgents had destroyed the dam.

Shettima, who dispelled the rumor on Sunday after a tour of the facility with Brig.-Gen. Bulama Biu, Acting GOC 7 Div. Maiduguri, said the damage was caused by lack of maintenance.

Shettima said that it was one of the embarkment that was slightly washed away by water.

Our findings reveal that one of the embankments got washed away, embankments that require regular maintenance.

READ ALSO: APC better off with exit of Saraki, Tambuwal, others - Tinubu

The GOC (7 Div) was there early this morning; he assessed it and has pictures of what happened to that particular embankment, he said.

The governor said he and some management staff of Chad Basin Development Authority were also at the scene and assured that measures would be taken to remedy the situation.

Shettima said that some days ago, some of the dikes were opened to decongest the dam, saying that the measure might have been responsible for the washing away of the portion of the embankment.

I wished to assure Borno Citizen that all is well; there was no any terrorist attack on the dam, he said.

Also clarifying the issue, Bashir Garga, NEMA Northeast Zonal Cordinator, said that one of the dikes close to a desserted community, got destroyed.

Garga said an emergency response team comprising NEMA and SEMA officials undertook an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the situation.

Though the team could not gain access to where the incident occured, but based on the information gathered on the field, it was one of the dikes close to one of the deserted communities, Bale kayamla, that was washed away, he said.

Also speaking on the incident, Babagana Yuroma, Executive Director Engineering Chad Basin Development Authority, said three of the five dikes had washed away.

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Yoruma said the activities of insurgents around Alau village had made it impossible for maintenance to be carried out on the dikes, hence the sudden lapses.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that seven suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Garanda village in Borno state were killed by troops serving in the counter insurgency operation.

The deputy director of information, Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Clement Nwachukwu, said that the killing of the insurgents occurred when troops were repelling an attack by the terrorists.

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Home | News | General | 2019: Buharis achievements have endeared him to people - Kwara monarch endorses presidents second term bid

- The Etsu Patigi, Patigi local government area of Kwara state, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta-Umar, has endorsed President Muhammadu Buharis 2019 reelection bid

- The monarch said the presidents achievements had endeared him to people

- He however urged the federal government to do more, while thanking Buhari for touching the lives of his subjects

President Muhammadu Buharis 2019 reelection bid has been endorsed by the Etsu Patigi, Patigi local government area of Kwara state, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta-Umar.

While receiving youths from Lade, Kpada and Patigi districts in his palace, the monarch said the people of the area will vote for the president in 2019, The Nation reports.

READ ALSO: Lagos cant be third most dangerous city to reside in - Falana

NAIJ.com gathers that the royal father said his call for support for Buhari was based on the fact that the presidents achievements had endeared him to people.

He pointed out that the Patigi-Share and Patigi- Kpada roads, which had been in deplorable conditions for about two decades, are now being built.

He said: Our roads have been there for 20 years with no repairs; and then, within the three years that he came on board, the road is being rebuilt.

Chatta-Umar however urged the federal government to do more, while thanking Buhari for touching the lives of his subjects.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that traditional rulers in Imo state endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for his second term 2019 re-election bid.

The monarchs made the decision during a meeting at the Okigwe local government area of the state.

In a communique read by His Royal Majesty Eze Oliver Ohanwe, the monarchs said President Buhari had remained selfless since becoming Nigeria's president in 2015.

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Home | News | General | Saraki blames executive for delay in 2019 INEC budget

- Senate President Bukola Saraki has blamed the executive for submitting the 2019 election budget late

- The Senate president blamed lack of foresight on the part of the government for this delay

- The aide to the minister of budget and national planning has however denied that the executive delayed the budget

Senate President Bukola Saraki, on Sunday, August 19, lambasted the executive arm of the government for allegedly submitting the Independent National Electoral Commissions budget for 2019 general elections late.

Saraki, who accused the executive of lack of foresight, made the statement through his Special Adviser on New Media, Olu Onemola, while reacting to the allegation by Muhammadu Buhari Media Organisation that the Senate intentionally delayed the approval of the INEC budget, Punch reports.

The statement by Saraki's aide read in part: By now, the Nigerian people are aware that the executive branch could have submitted INECs 2019 elections budget at the time it submitted the 2018 appropriation proposals last year.

READ ALSO: APC better off with exit of Saraki, Tambuwal, others - Tinubu

The executive had from January till June this year to submit the budget request. However, due to a perceived lack of foresight, display of usual tardiness or an attempt to ensure that due process would not be followed, this request was submitted only a few days before the statutory National Assembly annual recess.

More importantly, the Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly to help legalise the various innovations that needed for free and fair elections is still absent because President Muhammadu Buhari chose to withhold his assent the first time it was transmitted.

The question the Buhari Media Organisation should ask their principal is: What is he afraid of in the very progressive proposals contained in the Electoral Bill? Why does he want to frustrate the 2019 elections by denying the nation the much-needed enabling law?

However, the media adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Akpandem James said it was untrue the executive delayed the submission of INEC budget.

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James said the budget could not be submitted with the national budget because it came in form of supplementary budget.

He said: INEC budget came as a supplementary budget. You dont send the supplementary budget to the National Assembly when the substantive budget has not been passed. That is why they call it supplementary. So when was the budget passed? When was it assented to? Those are the issues.

If the budget was passed early, that supplementary budget would have been sent to the National Assembly. The supplementary budget was sent one month, in fact the following month.

The budget was signed in June and in July the supplementary budget was sent to the National Assembly. So, its not that INEC budget came and it was kept. Supplementary budget is sent to the National Assembly after the substantive budget has been passed.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that INEC said it will not postpone the 2019 general elections because of the delay in the passage of its budget.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made the clarifications while fielding questions from State House correspondents on Friday, August 17, in Abuja. He said that there was no provision under the law for postponement of elections.

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Home | News | General | Lagos cant be third most dangerous city to reside in - Falana slams report

- Femi Falana says he doesnt believe Lagos state is the third most dangerous city in the world, to reside in

- The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) had ranked Lagos as 138th out of the 140 countries, in its 2018 report

- The legal luminary advised the state government to quickly respond to the report and let people know that the state is safe

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has said that he does not believe in the report that Lagos state was the third most dangerous city to live, in the world.

Falana debunked the report on Sunday evening, August 19, during the investiture of Kayode Opeifa, the former commissioner for transport in Lagos state, as the president of Rotary Club, NAN reports.

READ ALSO: 2019: Ganduje dares Kwankwaso to launch presidential campaign in Kano

NAIJ.com gathers that Falana was reacting to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), that ranked Lagos State as the third worst city to live in among 140 cities worldwide.

Lagos was ranked 138th out of the 140 countries in the EIU 2018 report.

Part of the EIU report stated: With a relatively low score of 38.5 percent, the city was just a little above Syrias war-torn capital, Damascus, and Bangladeshs Dhaka.

Falana said: I dont believe Lagos is the third dangerous city to leave in because there many cities in other countries that are more dangerous than Lagos.

The Lagos state government should quickly respond to this report and let people know that the state is safe for people.

The only challenge we are facing is that the quality of our representation in government is low; at the state, local government and federal levels.

Lagos alone has 24 members at the Federal House of Representatives. Let us be sincere to ourselves, how many of them do we hear about?

We have 40 legislators in the state House of Assembly; what is the quality of the debate there? Who are the people representing us at the various local government levels?

Falana, therefore, advised the residents of the state to always challenge their representatives at both the national and state assemblies on proactive legislation.

He said that legislators from Lagos and the south-west should stand out for the good of their states and not go to the assemblies to dance.

The lawyer also appealed to the Rotary Club members to do what they could to make the society a better place for all.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Femi Falana, while reacting to the recent defections of lawmakers from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the defections were illegal.

Falana said the lawmakers defection was contrary to both the provisions of the 1999 constitution as well as previous court judgments regarding the issue.

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Home | News | General | Judiciary should probe the NASS siege

SHORTLY after the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, fired the former Director-General of the Directorate of State Services, DSS, Alhaji Lawal Musa Daura, over the siege to the National Assembly Complex on August 7, 2018, the Nigeria Police issued a statement denying foreknowledge of it.

Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, after a quick investigation presented an Interim Report to Osinbajo on Friday August 10, 2018. In a nutshell, the report alleged that Daura was working for some politicians for selfish aggrandisement, though it failed to name names.

Though the IGP said investigations are continuing, we are not satisfied as police investigations in Nigeria tend to drag on indefinitely. The nation cannot afford to wait as it may never come. A Police interim report that did not name those behind a brazen assault on the hallowed arena of our democracy is a non-starter.

The unusual speed with which it was done and the conclusions reached only when Daura had fallen from grace smacked of hurriedly sweeping this outrage under the carpet. Coming on the heels of the unsolved daylight abduction of the Mace in the Senate, and Police sieges to the residences of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, we are not reassured that the Police is best placed to get to the bottom of these events which sullied Nigerias democratic image.

Though the July 24, 2018 blockade of the residences of the Senate presiding officials was reported on live television, the Police authorities still denied knowledge of the perpetrators. They also promised to investigate it but nothing has come of it yet. The Police has continued to act as if it is a willing tool in the hands of some privileged political actors at every twist and turn.

Besides, it is always ideal that whenever there is a rift or power struggle between the Executive and the Legislature, then the Judiciary is best placed to come in and show the way forward.

It is for this reason that we call for a judicial panel of inquiry to unmask those behind the daylight hijacking of the Senate Mace, blockage of the residences of the Senate presiding officers as well as the DSS siege to the National Assembly. They must be identified and punished in a manner to prevent future occurrences.

As long as we continue to shield these enemies of our democracy they will continue with their acts of impunity until they take our democracy to the abyss of civilian dictatorship and the total loss of our civil rights and freedoms.

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Home | News | General | Why Buhari must urgently sign new Electoral Bill  Falana

Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sign the new Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

He said the bill should be signed now to avoid altering the arrangements for 2019 elections, in accordance with the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance act.

Femi Falana

The National Assembly had first amended the Electoral Act but it was rejected by President Buhari due to what he described as provisions inconsistent with the 1999 constitution.

The lawmakers then expunged the said provisions and passed a new bill, which had been transmitted to the President for assent.

Falana said the new bill should be promptly signed into law, in view of the fact that Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced that the 2019 elections will commence in February 2019.

He said: In making this, call the attention of the President ought to be drawn to article 2 (1) of the Economic Community of West African States Protocol A/SP1/12/01 on Democracy and Good Governance, which provides that: No substantial modification shall be made to the electoral laws in the last six (6) months before the elections, except with the consent of majority of political actors.

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Home | News | General | Breaking: NECO releases 2018 result, details of candidates performance

The National Examinations Council on Monday, August 20, released the June/July 2018 Senior Secondary Schools Certificate Examination results.

The Punch reports that out of the 1,041,536 candidates who sat for the examinations, only 742,455 of the candidates got at least five credits, including Mathematics and English Language.

A statement signed by the acting registrar of the council, Abubakar Gana, stated that a total number of 20,181 candidates were involved in examination malpractices less than that of 2017.

READ ALSO: I can compete with Buhari for APC presidential ticket if I want to - Tambuwal

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the result of the June/July 2017 Senior School Certificate Examination by the NECO were released on Thursday, September 14.

According to reports, the results were announced at the NECO headquarters in Minna, Niger state, by Prof. Charles Uwakwe, the registrar of the council.

Uwakwe stated that 745,053 candidates (representing 70.85 per cent ) out of the total 1,051,472 who sat for the exams, got at least 5 credits, including in the core subjects of Mathematics and English Language.

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According to the registrar, this represents an improvement, compared to the exams conducted in June/July, 2016.

According to the registrar, this represents an improvement, compared to the exams conducted in June/July, 2016.

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Home | News | General | Exclusive interview: Fashola reveals important things Buhari said he must do

His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola is a man whose political journey and story is a reference point of what dedication and uncommon commitment can do to a man. As Chief of Staff to the former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his meticulous and workaholic disposition to service did not go unnoticed.

Babatunde Raji Fashola

From relative obscurity, he was propelled to become the governor of Lagos. Not only did he become governor of Africa and Nigeria's foremost commercial and financial hub, he came, saw and conquered the battle of good governance as he turned Lagos state to one huge construction site with rapid infrastructural development.

His expertise was sought from far and near. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka described Fashola as not just a politician but a skilled workman who goes straight to the root to fix the problems of Lagos state. Such was the dexterity the "Eko Oni baje" proponent brought to governance as he rolled up his sleeve for 8 years in Lagos as governor.

It was no surprise to many observers that President Muhammadu Buhari could entrust 3 powerful ministries to the University of Benin graduate of law and senior advocate of Nigeria. His assumption of office as one of the most important public servants of this dispensation was the aftermath of the present administration's collapse of 42 ministries to 24 in its bid to cut the cost of governance.

The honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing spoke to NAIJ.coms Head of Government Relations, HC Anthony Eshemokhai and Miss Nnenna Ibe in Abuja.

Find the excerpts and video of the interview below.

Buhari's priority project for Fashola

The amazing thing Fashola holds dear about Mr President is that 3 years down the line, he has never referred anyone (friends or family) to his ministry for jobs, contracts etc. Neither has the wife or members of his family. This, according to Fashola is a huge departure from the plundering of the past where governance was simply a sharing of the national cake with nothing visible to show for it. There is no interference whatsoever on his job except mandating him at the onset to pay prime attention to:

(1) The second Niger bridge

(2) Lagos Ibadan express way

(3) Ilorin Jebba Mokwa road and

(4) Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway

This reveals how dear those projects are to the president, which is why work is ongoing in those areas among others.

Coping with 3 powerful ministries

The Honourable Minister explained that such challenges are not new to him because as governor of Lagos, he superintended over 30 ministries and 57 parastatals. At the federal level, he is not alone as minister but has 2 ministers of states working with him, they are Honourable Mustafa Baba Shehuri and Suleiman Hassan.

Also, there are very dedicated directors and permanent secretaries as well as controller of works in all the states of the federation. Such command structure made his job of coordination much more easier. Fashola revealed that there are road constructions currently going on in every state of the federation, housing projects in 34 states out of 36, incremental power generation and a 10 years road map to ensure adequate infrastructural development that will ensure uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians.

The minister assured Nigerians that plans to ensure this has already started and the road map is clear as enumerated in a giant drawing board in his office. "We know where we are going. Its a journey. It's not a big bang like let there be and it shall be. Its a gradual process and soon. we are beginning to wok the journey to be like those nations we want to be like" said Fashola who elucidated that advance countries like France, Britain etc have several nuclear reactors and alternative sources of energy. Such reactors cannot be conjured overnight but Nigeria is making steady progress. In 3 years, 3000mw have been added to the 4000mw they met, resulting in the 7000mw available now.

Sundry issues

In summarising what was an explosive interview, the minister said even with so much work done and ongoing, there is still so much to be done. There may be challenges but things are definitely better now even in the area of security. The president never promised there will be no problems. He solved the insurgencies issue in the north east; today, many IDPs have returned home.

Fashola stated he recently drove from Yobe to Borno at night, which was not possible four years ago according to Borno state governor. He recalled that the recovery of the Chibok girls remain a huge promise fulfilled. Several jobless people are engaged in ongoing constructions, especially housing sites. Additional 6 million farmers have benefited from rice and wheat farming from the Federal Government. Finally, recent elections held in Katsina, Yobe and Kogi states showed that the president is still strong in his traditional political strongholds, so contenders will have to battle the president in their own strongholds.

Watch the interview below and share your thoughts and comments.

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Home | News | General | Police deploy additional 1,000 officers ahead of Eid-El-Kabir in Lagos

- The Lagos state police command has received an additional 1,000 officers in preparation for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration

- The police officers were deployed to maintain peace and order in the state

- The spokesperson for the command said additional specialised units of the police would also be activated during the Sallah period

The Police in Lagos on Monday, August 20, announced the deployment of an additional 1,000 officers across the state for the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir.

The spokesperson for the Lagos state Police Command, Chike Obi, said the officers would help ensure a hitch-free Sallah celebration through effective coverage of the prayer grounds, holiday spots, and the neighbourhoods.

Premium Times reports that additional specialised units of the police like the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD), the Canine section among many others would be activated during the period.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Oti said: In addition, specialised units like the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD), the Canine section (Police dogs), the Air support unit, Marine police and the Mounted troops (Horsemen ), have been activated and sufficiently mobilised to guarantee security during the holidays, said Mr Oti, quoting the state police commissioner, Imohimi Edgal.

The CP assures Lagosians that the command is committed to their security before, during and after the holiday.

He wishes Muslim faithfuls happy Eid El Kabir celebration and admonishes the city dwellers to be security conscious and enjoy moderately during the holiday."

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the federal government has declared Tuesday, August 21, and Wednesday, August 22 as public holidays to celebrate the 2018 Eid-el-Kabir.

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The minister of interior, retired Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration on Thursday, August 16, in Abuja.

Wishing Nigerians a happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Dambazau admonished all citizens to use the period to embrace the virtues of love and sacrifice for the unity and development of the country.

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Home | News | General | Nigerian plus-size model replies internet troll who attempted to mock her

We rise by lifting others. This particular phrase describes what it means to help others, you can help someone feel better by giving them a compliment, you can help the needy by providing for them and you can also help the sick by staying by their side.

The way we rise by lifting others might not come as monetary profit or an accomplishment of some kind. A young Nigerian woman has shown the depths of the words we rise by lifting others after someone attempted to bring her down.

Monalisa Stephen, who is a plus-size Nigerian model had woken up to a message sent to her by an internet bully.

In the message that was sent to Stephen, a woman on Instagram had attempted to bring her down by mocking her weight. The woman had laughed at her stretch marks but Stephen refused to fall for the emotional torment.

READ ALSO: Nigerian brothers become twin priests in Imo state (photos)

Instead, the young lady told the woman thank you and even told her that she is a beautiful woman.

Stephen shared a screenshot of the message along with her reply on Instagram. She also captioned the post, talking about how body shamming comments would have made her depressed years ago.

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The beautiful lady who has learnt to love her body, noted that she lives a healthy lifestyle. She further added that her body and stretch marks does not offend her.

Read post below:

"So I woke up to this message and the first thing I think is, what is wrong with women? First of all, even if I had a child [which I don't] so what? A few years back a comment like this would have probably had me crying and depressed but right now I am way passed there. Most women have stretch marks with or without child birth, the only difference is I'm not offended by my stretch mark. I go to the gym, I work out and I'm healthy, my size doesn't make me unhealthy, neither does my stretch marks. Dear women, let's learn to appreciate each other's body and be encouraging to each other because irrespective of what size you are, we all have fought insecurities at some point! Let's learn to help each other grow. "I'm not doing this to spite or shame her, it just hurts that this is coming from a woman."

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Size, colour, or age, does not define beauty. NAIJ.com had published photos of a 17-year-old plus size model who embraces her curves.

What Do Women Really Want From Men? Nigerians Speak | NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | I have what it takes to compete with Buhari for APC presidential ticket - Tambuwal tells Tinubu

- Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state accuses APC national leader, Ahmed Tinubu, of being displeased after he was denied Buharis vice presidency

- Tambuwal describes Tinubus statements about recent defections in the APC as an indication that the party lacks internal democracy

- Aides to the Sokoto state governor allege that they were sacked by the state government

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has said he has what it takes to compete with President Muhammadu Buhari for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket if he wanted to.

Tambuwal made the statement via Twitter on Monday, August 20, in reply to the comments by the APC national leader, Ahmed Tinubu, about the governor's exit from the ruling party.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

The Sokoto state governor alleged that the APC leader was displeased after he was denied Buharis vice presidency.

Tambuwal described Tinuibus statements about recent defections in the APC as an indication that the party lacks internal democracy .

Read tweets from the Sokoto state governor below:

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Meanwhile, contrary to the news that 250 special advisers and special assistants resigned their appointments under Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwals administration, the former employees have said that they were actually sacked and did not leave of their own accord.

In a statement signed by the 250 special advisers and special assistants on Sunday, August 19, and made exclusively available to NAIJ.com, the aides said: "We write to inform the public that contrary to a statement credited to us that we resigned from the services of the Sokoto State government, all appointees were actually relieved of their appointments by His Excellency Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in his effort to reinvigorate government operations and services."

The statement was signed by Umar Bature former special adviser, Mustafa Shehu, former special senior adviser on media, Maiakwai Abubakar, former special senior advisor, Dr Aliyu Inname, the former senior adviser contributory health scheme, and Bashir Gidado, special adviser PPP.

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Home | News | General | Eid-el-kabir: Pray fo rancour free elections in 2019, Speaker urges Nigerians

Nasarawa

LAFIA- THE SPEAKER, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi has appealed to the Muslims and other Nigerians to pray fervently for the successful conduct of 2019 general elections in the country.

The Speaker in his Eid-el-kabir good will message signed and issued by Chief Press Secretary , Jibrin Gwamna and made available to newsmen in Lafia said fervent prayers by Muslims and other Nigerians would not only ensure rancour-free elections in 2019 but would also promote peace and unity in the country.

I urge all Nigerians irrespective of religion, political affiliation, ethnic differences to reconcile with one another and God in the interest of peace and in order to get more God blessings and favour, the statement said.

There is the need for all to guard against hate speeches, do the right thing and intensify prayers for a hitch-free general elections and for the emergence of leaders that will deliver the needed dividends of democracy to the people.

Abdullahi called on religious, political and traditional leaders to engage their followers on peace and unity as 2019 general elections draws nearer.

According to the statement,  I want to congratulate Muslims and other Nigerians on the occasion on Eid-el-Kabir celebration. Let all of us use this period to pray fervently for the successful conduct of 2019 general elections.

Besides commending the giant developmental strides of President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov.Tanko Al-Makura the Speaker further called on the citizens and other residents to continue to pray and support the leaders at all levels to succeed.

The speaker re-assured the people of the state that the assembly would continue to enact laws and pass resolutions that would be in the best interest of the people of the state.

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Home | News | General | Why many defections in Nigeria are based on selfish interests - Constitutional lawyer

- A constitutional lawyer, Wale Ogunade, says defections are good for the nations polity and would strengthen democracy

- He states that Nigerians have become wiser with more interest in politics and would make informed decisions before voting during the 2019 general elections

- Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state accuses APC national leader, Ahmed Tinubu, of being displeased after he was denied Buharis vice presidency

A constitutional lawyer and president, voters awareness initiative, Wale Ogunade, on Monday, August 20, said that the gale of defections in the nations polity was exposing selfish politicians.

Ogunade told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that many of the defections were about personal interests and not in the interest of the masses who elected them.

He, however, noted that such defections were good for the nations polity and would strengthen democracy.

According to him, these defections will help Nigerians make informed decisions at the 2019 general elections as they can separate the wheat from the chaff.

The gale of defections demonstrated that these politicians are not ready to work for the interest of Nigerians.

How can somebody just decide and say he does not think he has interest in a particular party, without even consulting with the electorate who elected him.

These are aggrieved politicians who have not done well in terms of living up to their mandates as elected official and since elections are around the corner, they are jumping from one party to another to find relevance.

They are also defecting because their plans to reorder the election timetable did not scale through and it is unfortunate that it is not in the interest of the people but for their own selfish reasons.

The good thing is that these politicians are indirectly exposing their true personalities and Nigerians are taking note, he said.

Ogunade said Nigerians had become wiser with more interest in politics and would make informed decisions before voting during the 2019 general elections.

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As far as Im concerned, this is no more 2015 when people were led by the nose. Obviously, 2019 elections is going to be totally different.

Many people, especially the youth are becoming more aware and are coming out en masse to collect their PVCs for their own benefit and to deal with self-interest politicians.

This will in turn strengthen good governance and democracy because after the elections, politicians will learn their lessons that never again should they defect on personal interest.

You can only defect when you know you have done something that is in the interest and favour of the people, Ogunade said.

Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has said he has what it takes to compete with President Muhammadu Buhari for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket if he wanted to.

Tambuwal made the statement via Twitter on Monday, August 20, in reply to the comments by the APC national leader, Ahmed Tinubu, about the governor's exit from the ruling party.

The Sokoto state governor alleged that the APC leader was displeased after he was denied Buharis vice presidency.

Tambuwal described Tinuibus statements about recent defections in the APC as an indication that the party lacks internal democracy.

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Home | News | General | 9 cool animals that live in water

A water animal is a vertebrate or invertebrate animal that lives in water for a certain time or all of its life. Many insects, such as mosquitoes, dragonflies and caddis flies, begin their life cycle as water larvae before they turn into winged Checkout interesting animals that live in water.

Water animals can breathe air or receive oxygen dissolved in water with the help of specialized organs called gills, or directly through the skin. The natural conditions and animals that live in them can be divided into two main categories: water or land. Checkout pictures of animals that live in water.

List of animals that live in water

1. Hippo

Hippos love to swim in the water so that only the head peeks out. These massive mammals cool their huge bodies every day in lakes, ponds and rivers up to 16 hours a day. Although these animals can hold their breath for about half an hour, they usually do not deep into the water completely under the water, leaving the top of the head on the surface. At night, the hippopotamuses leave the water and go out on land in search of food. If they stay too long on dry land on a hot day, they quickly dehydrate.

2. Manatee

READ ALSO: Top 10 weird animals and their homes

Manatees like slow swimming along shallow and warm coastal waters and rivers. For example, clear river in Florida. The large mammals weigh up to 1,300 pounds or 600 kg and are born underwater and remain in it throughout their life, although they have to surf every few minutes for a breath of air. Known as sea cows, they are insatiable herbivores, feeding on various species of seagrasses, weeds, and algae.

Several different species of manatees live along the Atlantic coast of North and South America, the west coast of Africa, and the Amazon River.

3. The muskrat

The muskrat or ondatras are frequent inhabitants of wetlands, swamps, and ponds, where they make holes for themselves, breaking through tunnels in swampy banks. This large rodent has a body length of 30 cm. as well as a flat tail almost the same length as its body. Ondatras are well adapted to water and begin to swim 10 days after birth. Perhaps the muskrats are most famous for their developed communication skills, they exchange information with each other and frighten predators with their pronounced smell.

4. Baikal seals

In the world there is a large number of seals, but only one of their species is a real freshwater animal - this is the Baikal seal. These seals live in the lake of the same name in Russia, the lake is also the deepest in the world. Although new generations of Baikal seals are born every year, this species is not seriously threatened. The main threats are poaching, as well as pollution from paper and cellulose industries that are near the lake.

5. The Amazonian dolphin

To track down food (small fish and crustaceans) in the turbid waters of the river, the charismatic Amazonian dolphin uses echolocation. During annual leashes, these dolphins actually swim in flooded forests and hunt among trees. A bright hue (often pink or very pale) and the natural curiosity of this species of dolphins makes them easy prey for poacher fishermen who illegally catch them to use as bait for catfish. The population of these animal has significantly decreased in recent years. Among the locals inhabiting the shores of the Amazon, these dolphins have long been considered supernatural beings who could take on a human face.

6. Capybara

The largest rodent in the world, capybara, grows to 4 feet long (130 cm) and weighs about 145 pounds (66 kg). These moisture-loving mammals reach this size by eating grass and water plants.

In most cases, these mammals live in watery terrain, to which they are physically well adapted. They have membranous paws, thanks to which they swim well and can be under water for five minutes or more. Capybara live in Central and South America, inhabiting the lakes, rivers, and wetlands of Panama and south of Brazil.

The eyes, ears, and nostrils of the capybara are located high on the head, so they remain on the surface when the animal is in the water. These social mammals move around and live in groups where the alpha male predominates, and they also protect the territory of their residence and food together. People hunt (and grow) capybara for their skin and meat, which is especially popular during Lent. Catholics in South America consider this animal an acceptable alternative to beef or pork.

7. Beaver

READ ALSO: Major differences between plants and animals

Beavers are environmental engineers, second after a human being in their ability to significantly change the landscape to their liking. Using their powerful jaws and teeth, they cut down dozens of trees and build dams of wood and mud from 2 to 10 feet (1-3 meters) in height and more than 100 feet (30 meters) in length.

8. River otter

This sleepy river otter is actually very playful. The hygrophilous mammal always willingly submerges under water and can gracefully move thanks to its webbed paws and paddle tail. Otters have a special structure of ears and nostrils that close under the water, as well as water-repellent fur. Young otters begin to swim at the age of 2 months. River otters live in burrows along the edges of rivers or lakes in the immediate vicinity of the fish they feed on.

9. Platypus

The platypus is an incredible mixture of different animals: its fluffy trunk resembles an otter's body, a beak - a duck, and webbed paws and a paddle like tail - beaver. Like all these animals, the platypus swims well and spends most of its life underwater. Unlike otters and beavers, they lay eggs. Males of the platypus have poisonous stings on their hind legs. These animals build their holes at the very edge of the water and feed on underwater worms, mollusks and insects.

In the water, a completely different world reigns: the special flora and fauna, represented by many varieties, has not revealed even half of their secrets to mankind. Every year, thanks to developing technologies, scientists manage to explore new areas and discover unique species and names of animals that live in water!

READ ALSO: Classification of farm animals based on their uses

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Home | News | General | Why we won't be paying Sallah homage to traditional rulers in Adamawa - Governor Bindow reveals

- The usual Sallah homage paid by the Adamawa state government to traditional rulers haves been cancelled

- Ahmad Sajo, the state commissioner for information, who made the announcement on Monday, August 20, said this came because of insecurity and flooding

- Sajo stated that the decision was taken by the state government after serious considerations with the leadership of traditional rulers' forum

The Adamawa state government, owing to issues of flooding and insecurity, has cancelled its usual Sallah homage to traditional rulers and other stakeholders for this year, The Guardian reports.

READ ALSO: Breaking: NECO releases June/July 2018 SSCE results

Ahmad Sajo, the state commissioner for information, made this announcement in Yola, the state capital on Monday, August 20.

Sajo said that this years homage was cancelled after due consultations with the leadership of the traditional institution in the state.

Sajo said: After due consultation with the Chairman, Adamawa State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, the Adamawa State Government has directed that the usual Sallah homage be cancelled.

The cancellation was due to a number of reasons which included insecurity and the emergencies created by flooding which washed away a number of bridges and rendered many families homeless.

However, he appealed to traditional rulers, top indigenes and stakeholders in the state to use the Sallah period to educated the people on the importance of peace, unity and security.

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The commissioner urged the people to also use the period to reflect on things that unite them rather than those that brew disunity.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that not less than two million pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Monday, August 20, to mark the climax of the 2018 pilgrimage.

NAIJ.com gathered that at least 55,000 Nigerians were part of the gathering. The event at Mount Arafat features pilgrims supplication for Allahs guidance and forgiveness. It also involves staying at Arafat from sunrise until sunset as a major rite of the pilgrimage.

It was gathered that movement from Muna, where the pilgrims spent the night in tents, started as early as 12 midnight on Sunday, August 19, and was completed around 6 am.

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Home | News | General | Even rats in the kitchen knows Buhari has flopped!  Angry Nigerians blast Buhari after crowd was rented to welcome him

Nigerians on Twitter has voiced thier anger after huge crowd was rented to welcome the President from vacation in far away London. According to one of them and I quote

even a rat in the kitchen knows Buhari has flopped





When will this madness stop in Nig. I have never seen this type of thing except in Nig. Just because a president is coming back from vacation, dance groups were arranged for his welcome. Is he coming back from a war front or international summit? We need to grow. pic.twitter.com/IzW00vIo9d  B O L A N L E. C ???????? (@bolanle_cole) August 18, 2018

Rented crowd wearing printed pmb t-shirts welcoming a failed leader to help boost his over sized ego and further deceive him that the people love him..Only in Nigeria!!!  Pipper231 (@peterozaka2) August 18, 2018

I see aged people in the pics and Im wondering if they gave it a thought that their future generations life expectancies are at stake! EAch of them cant get paid upto 5k! I weep for this nation! Even the RAT ???? in my kitchen knows Buhari has flopped! ???? pic.twitter.com/DQvOND6KjL  Yankee2Naija (@Yankee2Naija) August 18, 2018

I remember as a form 1 student in FGC Sokoto in 1979, we would be forced to line up in the hot sun to wave to President Shehu Shagari as his convoy drove along.

It's amazing almost 40 years later, the same thing is still happening.

Indeed, we need to grow beyond this nonsense!  #DoubtlessThouArtMyFather (Isaiah 63:16) (@harrydaniyan) August 19, 2018

Lol!

What did we know?

I was 11 years old, I didn't know any better.

As an adult 39 years after, it's depressing to see the same nonsense going on.

The sychophancy and eye service is still as present (if not worse) as it was in 1979.

We need to grow beyond this, honestly  #DoubtlessThouArtMyFather (Isaiah 63:16) (@harrydaniyan) August 19, 2018

We don't need to grow. We just need jobs. More jobs = less rented crowds. They love to keep us unemployed so they can rent us whenever they want; Or share onions to us whenever they need our votes. Issa strategy  Chisolm (@Nosike_C) August 19, 2018

Our gallant soldiers return from war, yet no reception. Some fall in battle and their deaths aren't acknowledged by our govt; then buried hastily and secretly????! PMB returns from VACATION & he gets hero's welcome + eyeing 2nd T. Who bewitched us in this country??? Oh! Nigeria!!!  Mfon Dickson (@MfnDxn) August 19, 2018

They even managed to get Shango to welcome Buhari. Our politicians are powerful o! Lol!  BG (@BiolaBlack) August 19, 2018

Hope of the hopeless??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????  JAY???? (@Iamjayumoh) August 18, 2018

But why called a "working vacation"  Ali Franklin (@AliFranklinEric) August 19, 2018

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Home | News | General | APC lists 10 allegations against Saraki

- The All Progressives Congress has released a statement in which the party disclosed why the Senate president, Bukola Saraki cannot become Nigeria's next president

- The party urges Nigerians to be wary of a man whose personal ambition will always supersede the interest of the majority and national interest

- Yekini Nabena, the APCs acting publicity secretary, said the only politics that Saraki plays is self interest

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, August 20, listed some allegations against the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, saying that he would fail an integrity test to run for Nigerias presidency.

Saraki recently declared his intention to contest the 2019 Presidency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

APCs acting publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena said: Against the backdrop of the litany of corruption allegations trailing the Senate president, Sarakis declaration, brings to the fore our earlier call to anti-graft agencies to check the use of stolen public funds to finance elections in this country. We reiterate our position that the Nigerian electorate must have the opportunity to choose from candidates that can pass the integrity and anti-corruption test.

Bellow are some of Sarakis corruption allegations listed by the party:

1. Allegations of fraud which led to the collapse of the Saraki family-owned Societe Generale Bank (Bukola Saraki who was Director of the defunct bank was indicted over N1bn alleged to have been looted from the banks treasury).

2. Misappropriation of Kwara state funds, disregard of government due process and conversion of State government assets into his and cronies when he served as two-term governor of Kwara State.

3. History of betrayals, treachery and sabotage family, political party (PDP, APC), Senate, government.

4. Saraki was questioned by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit over a N11 billion financial scandal at the defunct Intercontinental Bank.

5. Gluttonous property acquisitions and hidden multi-billion dollar assets spread across the world as disclosed by the Panama Papers revelations.

6. The multi-million dollar white elephant Shonga Agricultural Project in Kwara State when Saraki served as two-term governor.

7. Falsification of Senate standing order

8. Sarakis link to the N298m armored Range Rover SUV seized by the Nigeria Customs Service.

9. Sarakis link to $19.5b Paris Club Loan refund scandal

10. Oversaw budget padding in the National Assembly

Nabena urges Nigerians to be wary of a man whose personal ambition will always supersede the interest of the majority and national interest as currently displayed in the National Assembly.

He said: While Saraki refuses to reconvene the National Assembly, the 2019 election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dangerously delayed, an action deliberately taken to sabotage INECs ability to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2019.

While Saraki refuses to step down as Senate president as rightly and severally demanded by the APC-dominated Senate, he is bent on foisting a PDP-minority rule (Senate president and deputy Senate president) in the upper legislative house.

The only politics that Bukola Saraki plays is self, himself only and only himself. The interest and welfare of the people of Nigeria do not mean anything to him. Now it is the presidency Saraki wants. And we ask with what antecedents is he doing this? Conspiracy, blackmail, treachery and vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other, as rightly captured by William Shakespeare. Bukola Saraki will rather rule in hell than serve in paradise.

Ahead of 2019 elections, Nigerians must ensure that we never again entrust the leadership of this great country to thieves whose sole aim is treasury looting and returning us to the dark ages where impunity and institutionalized corruption was the order of the day.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported President Buharis aide on social media, Lauretta Onochie again reacted to the defection of the Senate president Bukola Saraki from the APC to the PDP.

Onochie, in a long post on her Facebook page, titled: ''The Many Sins of Bukola Saraki Against APC and The APC led government listed the sins she perceived the Senate president must have committed and one of which is that Saraki was a clog in the wheel of progress of the development of the Nigeria and the implementation of the policies of the administration.

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Home | News | General | Customs chief orders commands to release seized goods-laden trucks to owners

- Nigeria Customs has directed commands in the zone to release cargo-laden trucks

- Customs said seizure of the goods-laden trucks was a violation of the importation and trade policy of the

- The Customs says the seizure amounts to making the transporters to suffer for offence committed by importers

Mr Aminu Dahiru, the Nigeria Customs Service Zone `A coordinator, on Monday, August 20, directed commands in the zone to release cargo-laden trucks seized from transporters.

Dahiru, an assistant comptroller-general, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the seizure of the goods-laden trucks was a violation of the importation and trade policy of the federal government.

According to him, it amounts to making the transporters to suffer for offence committed by importers.

READ ALSO:Why Saraki will fail integrity test for presidency - APC lists allegations against Senate president

He said the commands which seized the trucks might have done so out of ignorance as they might not have read current circulars on importation.

It is possible that those commands that siezed the cargo-laden trucks committed trade infractions and they do not know Section 69 of the Customs and Exercise Management Act (CEMA).

The policy says that in the case the irregularities incurred by the importer of the goods do not have anything to do with the transporter such trucks should be allowed to go.

The trucks are only means of conveyance and not the culprit and, therefore, should not be detained, Dahiru said.

NAN reports that several commands including the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, and the Idiroko Command in Ogun, have recently seized cargo-laden trucks with their owners being turned back daily in their quest secure their release.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that vehicles carrying bags of foreign rice along Kaduna, Zaria and Kano have been confiscated by the Nigeria Customs Service.

The confiscation was confirmed on Monday, July 2, by the assistant comptroller and commander, strike force of the command, Ekanem Wills.

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Home | News | General | Just in: We know you have presidential ambition ahead of 2023 - Saraki replies Tinubu, reveals what he told APC leader before his defection

The president of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Monday, August 20, replied the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying the latter was accommodating inadequacies in the party because of his presidential ambition for 2023.

Saraki said this in response to a letter reportedly written by Tinubu giving reasons why the Senate president and others left the APC.

The Senate president noted that he had severally complained to Tinubu and a host of party leaders in the APC about the administration of Muhammadu Buhari as well as the need to carry critical stakeholders along.

He said these complaints were never taken seriously adding that his actions as the Senate president had always been in the interest of the nation.

READ ALSO: I can compete with Buhari for APC presidential ticket if I want to - Tambuwal

Read the full response below:

The Tinubu Rhetoric: My Response

-by Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki-

I have always restrained from joining issues in the media with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this is based on my respect for him. However, I will not allow him to create a wrong, false and mischievous impression about the reasons for my decision to exit the All Progressives Congress (APC) and present his prejudice as facts for public consumption.

I have been consistent in my complaints to all leaders of the APC, including Tinubu, that a situation where the National Assembly is not constructively engaged or carried along in key policy decisions, particularly those that will eventually require legislative approval, is not in the best interest of the nation. No genuine leader of the legislature will be comfortable that the Presidency will simply write a terse letter to the National Assembly on key issues which the federal legislature is expected to later deliberate upon and give its approval. The Buhari administration consistently treats the legislature with contempt and acts as if the lawmaking body should be an appendage of the Executive. To me, this is unacceptable.

In the same way, I find it very objectionable that many stakeholders who worked strenuously to get the administration into office have now been excluded in the government and not consulted on key decisions as necessary and expected. In fact, some of them are treated as pariahs. A party that ignores justice, equity and inclusion as basic pre-conditions for peace, unity and stability cannot sustain its membership and leadership.

Let me redirect the attention of the former Governor of Lagos State to the aspect of my July 31, 2018, statement announcing my exit from APC in which I emphasized that the decision "has been inescapably imposed on me by certain elements and forces within the APC who have ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist".

In that statement, I further noted that those APC elements "have done everything to ensure that the basic rules of party administration, which should promote harmonious relations among the various elements within the party were blatantly disregarded. All governance principles which were required for a healthy functioning of the party and the government were deliberately violated or undermined. And all entreaties for justice, equity and fairness as basic precondition for peace and unity, not only within the party, but also the country at large, were simply ignored, or employed as additional pretext for further exclusion. The experience of my people and associates in the past three years is that they have suffered alienation and have been treated as outsiders in their own party. Thus, many have become disaffected and disenchanted. At the same time, opportunities to seek redress and correct these anomalies were deliberately blocked as a government-within-a-government had formed an impregnable wall and left in the cold, everyone else who was not recognized as one of us. This is why my people, like all self-respecting people would do, decided to seek accommodation elsewhere".

Tinubu himself will recall that during the various meetings he had with me at the time he was pursuing reconciliation within the APC, I raised all the above issues. I can also vividly recall that he himself always expressed his displeasure with the style of the government and also mentioned that he had equally suffered disrespect from the same government which we all worked to put in office. I also made the point that whatever travails I have gone through in the last three years belong to the past and will not shape my decisions now and in the future.

However, during those meetings, the point of disagreement between Tinubu and I is that while I expressed my worries that there is nothing on ground to assure me that the administrative style and attitude would change in the next four years in a manner that will enable us to deliver the positive changes we promised to our people, he (Tinubu) expressed a strong opinion that he would rather 'support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher' to get a second term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west. This viewpoint of Tinubus was not only expressed to me but to several of my colleagues. So much for acting in national interest.

It is clear that while my own decision is based on protecting the collective national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies of the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency  particularly when one reviews his antecedents over the years.

Again, let me reiterate my position that my uncertain and complex relationship with Tinubu has been continually defined by the event of 2014 when myself and other leaders of the APC opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket arrangement about to be foisted on the APC for the 2015 polls. It should be noted that he has not forgotten the fact that I took the bull by the horns and told him that in the interest of the country, he should accept the need for the party to present a balanced ticket for the 2015 General Elections in terms of religion and geo-political zones. Since that time he has been very active; plotting at every point to undermine me, both within and outside the National Assembly.

It is a surprise to me that Asiwaju Tinubu is still peddling the falsehood about the fact that my defection is about automatic ticket and sharing of resources. Members of the public will recall that when the issue of my decision to quit APC came to the fore and many APC leaders were holding meetings with me, a newspaper owned by the same Tinubu published a false report about the promise of automatic tickets, oil blocks and other benefits. I immediately rebutted their claims and categorically stated that I never discussed any such personal and pecuniary benefits with anybody. My challenge that anybody who has contrary facts should come forward with them still remains open.

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It should be known that Democracy is a system that allows people to freely make their choices. It is my choice that I have decided to join others to present a viable alternative platform for Nigerians in the coming elections. Tinubu and leaders of the APC had better respect this decision or lawfully deal with it. As for me, Allah gives power to whom He wishes. Human beings can only aspire and strive to fulfill their aspirations.

Signed:

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON,

President of the Senate.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, August 19, said that defectors who left the party wanted automatic tickets and sharing of the national wealth which the governing APC could not guarantee.

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REQUEST FOR PUBLICATION OF WANTED PERSONS FOR FRAUD AS DEFINED IN SECTION 136 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW (CODIFICATION AND REFORM) ACT CHAPTER 9:23 (Potential Prejudice)

The Zimbabwe Republic Police, Criminal Investigation Department is looking for any information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects whose photographs are shown below.

The suspects are wanted in connection with a case of fraud in which they connived with a local public entity employee, who has since been arrested, to defraud the entity to the tune of USD2,385,073.20 purportedly for payment of goods and/or services not delivered/rendered.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest or identification of the above suspects to contact CID Commercial Crimes Division (Northern Region) on landline 0242 703030, Zimbabwe Republic Police National Complaints Desk on landline 0242 703 631, the Investigating Officer Detective Sergeant Bakacheza. J. on 0772 811365 or any nearest police station.

Harare Central CR 407/05/18 and CID Commercial Crimes Division (Northern Region) DR19/05/18 refer.

CRIMINALINVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT COMMERCIAL CRIMES DIVISION (NORTHERN REGION)

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Home | World | Africa | Chamisa taunts Mnangagwa

OPPOSITION MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday ordered his political nemesis President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa to do the "most gracious and revolutionary thing" by conceding defeat and start negotiating his retirement package before Wednesday to avoid humiliation at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

Chamisa told NewsDay that it was clear from responses by Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) that their defence was weak, adding that he was confident the ConCourt would rule in his favour when the matter goes for hearing on Wednesday.

"In fact, the people have spoken and it is only counter revolutionary to disregard the will of the people," Chamisa said.

"He knows he lost and he should do the honourable thing; concede defeat. He and (Vice-President Constantino) Chiwenga should start negotiating their retirement packages and allow the people to move on."

But Justice minister and Mnangagwa's chief election agent, Ziyambi Ziyambi, challenged the youthful opposition eader to "keep his confidence for Wednesday".

"The matter is going to court. Do you need comment from outside the court? Chamisa should keep his confidence for Wednesday," he said.

Chamisa is challenging Mnangagwa's slim 50,8% win in the July 30 polls, where he garnered 44,3% of the vote in initial results declared by Zec before slashing the Zanu-PF leader's margin to 58,6% following the opposition party's petition.

The ConCourt will on Wednesday hear the matter in which Chamisa is seeking to overturn Mnangagwa's electoral victory in the watershed July 30 polls.

The case will, for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, be televised live.

In his heads of argument filed on Saturday, Chamisa said Zec had failed to explain Mnangagwa's vote tally, claiming the Zanu-PF leader was a beneficiary of 70 000 illegal votes "engineered" by Zec to avoid a run-off election.

He claimed the number of votes cast in the presidential election did not square up with the voter turnout claimed by the Zec.

He said the number of votes cast for the presidential election exceeded the number of votes cast for each parliamentary election, according to Zec's figures and the discrepancy was not explained.

Chamisa, whose legal team is led by Advocate Thabani Mpofu and also includes South Africa's advocates Dali Mpofu and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, also claimed some polling stations had more votes recorded than the registered voters, while at others, the voters exceeded the threshold of 1 000 and again there was no explanation by Zec.

Mnangagwa is due to file his heads of argument today.

The Zanu-PF leader has insisted he won in a free and fair poll and accused his rival of political grandstanding.

Mnangagwa claims Chamisa's court case is flimsy.

Advocate Lewis Uriri leads Mnangagwa's defence team made up of a dozen lawyers, who include Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa and party legal secretary Paul Mangwana.

Chamisa said he had noted the caution and circumspect position taken by Sadc in its communique of the just-ended Summit when it congratulated Angolan President Joao Lourenco on his victory in the August 23, 2017 elections, but withheld congratulations on Mnangagwa.

"Sadc congratulated Angola's President and withheld congratulating Zanu-PF and Mnangagwa because they know very well that he did not win," he said.

"They knew he was defeated and that is why they encouraged Zimbabwe to complete the court process."

Chamisa said it was also a fallacy that Zanu-PF garnered a two-thirds parliamentary majority because most seats were being challenged, especially in rural areas where alleged electoral malpractices, including voter intimidation and fictitious assisted voters, were rampant.

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Home | World | Africa | No one ordered fatal shootings, claims Mnangagwa

PPRESIDENT-ELECT Emmerson Mnangagwa has sensationally claimed that none of his lieutenants gave orders for the fatal shooting of seven civilians, where soldiers opened fired into groups of protesters in Harare on August 1 to quell protests by opposition MDC Alliance activists.

The picture of a soldier in kneeling position while shooting at fleeing civilians, while a colleague rushes to stop him during MDC Alliance protests that turned violent in the capital on August 1In a recent interview with Independent Foreign Service, Mnangagwa said he regretted the killings, but insisted that no one among his lieutenants gave soldiers the order to shoot indiscriminately into the crowded city streets, killing seven people and injuring at least 14 others.

"No one gave orders, there is this perception and it is disjointed. I explained, the army has a strict command structure, I am the commander-in-chief and matters are handled according to the process," he said.

"I consulted the commissioner-general of police (Godwin Matanga) and he indicated to me that in terms of the law, the commissioner of police can contact his counterpart who commands the local unit to give him immediate support while the process is ongoing," Mnangagwa told Independent Foreign Service journalist Peta Thorncroft.

"The entire country was in a jovial mood. No one expected the violence that happened so suddenly. The police were taken by surprise. They were deployed countrywide, covering the election process. So suddenly, the small unit (left in Harare) could not control what was happening: In terms of the law, police are allowed to summon assistance to bring order."

The matter has received international condemnation with human rights groups and victims' families calling for trial of the killer soldiers and their commanders.

The Zanu-PF leader, whose recent electoral victory is being challenged at the Constitutional Court by his rival MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, said he had identified British and South African experts to help investigate the shooting incident.

"We regret what happened thereafter and since then. This should not happen again. We are instituting a commission of inquiry and to give it more flavour and transparency we are bringing people in from abroad," he said.

"I have one name from South Africa, one from the United Kingdom to consider with three names to join us to look at the matter. The inquiry will begin immediately after the inauguration."

Mnangagwa claimed he had not yet seen a photograph shown in the media of a soldier shooting at fleeing protesters in kneeling position and another stepping forward to stop him on August 1.

"I have not seen that picture. Orders have been given about all those people who took the law into their own hands, whether it was police or others who take the law into their own hands. I also don't want to pre-empt the outcomes of the commission I am instituting."

The Zanu-PF leader dismissed reports of opposition activists brutally assaulted by 'rogue soldiers' in post-election retributive attacks.

"Let me assure you, the best thing to do is get the list of 150 cases and pass it onto us. This is fake news and it's flying left, right and centre. We were told (of these cases) by Philippe van Damme, the EU ambassador here, and we took him to task and said let's go around all the hospitals in Harare and see if there is any record of people in hospitals. He had to later apologise as this was not true," he said.

"Be wary of Zimbabwe human rights groups. They have an agenda. They have always been against the government. They have not changed their minds, they have not shifted their mindset to become democratic but that will take time. We must deal with facts and not any speculation. Whatever you hear try to check and I think the police will be able to assist you in checking."

Mnangagwa also dismissed reports that citizens were now afraid of the military and police following the post-election crackdown on opposition leaders and their supporters.

"I have not received information from my party or from the general public or from any citizen saying I am fearful. Never, never. You will see the police walking in uniform. It is legitimate, it's allowed by the law. You will see soldiers in their trucks. They are not on a mission to intimidate," he said.

"Our police and our army they are very friendly, we have defence forces week, where they go around building clinics, building schools to show the army and the public are in good relations. So this fake news about our people ? that they are afraid of the army."

He also disclosed that former President Robert Mugabe would be stripped of all his farms and left with one.

"It's not a question of voluntary giving up, but about complying with the policy. I am still receiving evidence of what the (former) First Family had. When that process is complete they will select one farm and the rest will be given elsewhere," Mnangagwa said.

"We have the land commission, and this is one of the matters they are seized with attending to. It's not on the basis of the family, (one family, one farm). It is on the basis of government policy. There are so many others families who have more than one farm. It must all be governed by the size of the farm," he said.

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Home | World | Africa | Chamisa rejects call for vote recount

MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has rejected Zanu-PF's suggestion for a vote recount saying the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has tempered with the ballot boxes.

This comes after Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana and head of the party's legal team said the petition filed by the MDC Alliance lacked merit because they failed to ask for a recount in time.

"It is based on some theoretical calculations by some statistician whose qualification we doubt a lot. The elections are not won in court but in the ballot. They have not even asked for the ballot boxes to be re-opened and recounted. The election material is there for everyone to see," Mangwana said last week.

In his answering affidavit, Chamisa said there was interference with the ballot box and the V11 forms.

"For reasons that are not difficult to understand, first respondent would rather I asked for a recount. I do not need a recount and cannot ask for one. I cannot drink from a poisoned chalice.

"I have placed before the court evidence which has not been refuted showing interference with both the ballot box and the V11 forms. In characteristic fashion, first respondent chooses not to deal with such evidence."

According to section 67 A (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) "(1) Within forty-eight hours after a constituency elections officer has declared a candidate to be duly-elected in terms of Section 66 (1), any political party or candidate that contested the election in the ward or constituency concerned may request the Commission to conduct a recount of votes in one or more of the polling stations in the ward or constituency."

Chamisa claimed to have won the election with 60 percent and that Mnangagwa failed to garner enough votes for him to be declared the winner.

He is seeking an order for him to be declared the winner of the July 30 presidential election, failure of which he is seeking an alternative order for a fresh election to be conducted.

Mnangagwa on the other hand is claiming that he won the election and that Zec was correct in declaring him the winner. Mnangagwa asked for the Con-Court to dismiss Chamisa's application with costs.

But Chamisa, through his legal team headed by Thabani Mpofu, said the evidence is too overwhelming for the court to ignore his arguments.

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Home | World | Africa | 'Chamisa's expat lawyers applied for admission to practice in Zimbabwe'

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa's international attorneys contesting President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's victory in the July 30 harmonised elections have applied for authority to work in the country.

This emerges after Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi indicated that top South Africa advocates Jeremy Gauntlet, Dali Mpofu and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi had not sought clearance from him to represent Chamisa in his case.

Senior MDC Alliance official and former Education minister David Coltart insisted yesterday that the lawyers had made their application as far back as last Friday.

"An application was made on Friday for Advocate Jeremy Gauntlett SC QC to argue a portion of the Chamisa case. We trust that the application will be granted urgently. Anything less will be a travesty," Coltart said on twitter yesterday.

The claims by Coltart that Gauntlett had made the application was also confirmed by exiled former Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo who also took to Twitter to post the respected barrister's supposed letter to Ziyambi seeking to be given authority to partake in the court proceedings.

The letter Moyo posted was accompanied by the comment "Ziyambi Ziyambi is either being dishonest or malicious and if neither apply, then he is ignorant".

"A letter from #Chamisa lawyers was delivered to & received by his office on Friday 17 Aug 2018. A Justice minister should speak through facts, not propaganda!" Moyo tweeted.

In the August 17, letter written by Chamisa's lawyers Atherston and Cook, the attorneys requested for a ministerial certificate for Gauntlett in terms of Section 7 of the Legal Practitioners Act (Chapter 27:07).

"We make this application for a ministerial certificate to your office in terms of Section 7 of the Legal Practitioners Act (Chapter 27:07) which provides for the issuance of a certificate of exemption by the minister," the letter reads in part.

Chamisa's lawyers submitted that the subject matter was complex as it relates to "evidentiary issues that are not ordinarily addressed in usual court cases."

"Because of the sophisticated and specialised nature of the case, we intend to instruct an advocate with expertise that we expect to be applied in advancing our client's interests," the attorneys requested, adding that "the legal practitioner whom we have identified is Advocate Jeremy John Gauntlett SC and QC who lives and practices law in South Africa."

The South African pair of Mpofu and Ngcukaitobi arrived on Friday and met with the MDC-Alliance local legal ensemble fronted by Advocate Thabani Mpofu.

In an interview with the State media, Ziyambi said it was impossible for the South African pair to practice in "our courts without permission."

He said by close of business on Friday, he had not received any request from Mpofu and Ngcubkaitobi for permission to practice in the country.

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Home | World | Africa | Mnangagwa and Mugabe: A case of Siamese twins

Former Zimbabwe President, Mugabe, told the British Prime minister then Tony Blair, "Keep your England and l will keep my Zimbabwe ". A few months after assuming Presidency through the back door words of almost similar tone are uttered by the junta frontman .."America is not the only country in the world".

These statements show a false bravado from our leaders, African leaders love to be cheered on saying reckless statements which have an effect on their states down the line.The economy dwindled further after Mugabe's words because as much as you can deny it an attack on one country is an attack on all the economic powerhouses. There is no way you can say you want to re engage with West then show false bravado in front of cheering people. African leaders watched as whites were driven out of Zimbabwe and accepted them with open arms in their own countries. A case in point is Zambia were their agricultural production has increased, thanks to the former white farmers from Zimbabwe now doing what they know best in their new found states.

Mugabe would appear at foreign gatherings attacking the West in eloquent English while fellow dictators cheered him on. Today we have his former right hand man doing exactly the same. Asked about Gukurahundi recently Munangagwa could only say "it was a moment of madness just like what his predecessor said". He is no different from the former President,he seems to have inherited his predecessor's way of doing things .

Munangagwa goes on to say we have resources in our country, my question is have they been just discovered? Resources need machinery for extraction, they need a market after processing and so on so but identifies SADC and AU member States as potential partners. These states he thinks will come to the rescue of Zimbabwe are doing business with the West. Look at Mozambique, they have invited Western investors in their gas adventure, why do they not seek SADC partners as brotherly love from member States? They cannot do that because they know how corrupt and inefficient we are apart from making reckless statements.

The Chinese and Russian business people you invite are nothing more than briefcase business persons coming to loot natural resources. Stories have been in the media of Chinese nationalities caught trying to smuggle diamonds or gold out of the country. These are nothing more than fake investors which your government has given freeway to do as they want.

As long as you follow your predecessor's style let it be clear Zimbabwe will sink further and further. Venezuela has vast oil fields but what is happening there, their former bus driver President Maduro is cheered on as he attacks the West. Yes, there are plenty of natural resources but without the expertise required in extraction and other fields it is as good as we have nothing.

SADC to be honest should have stuck to its goal when it was formed in 1980, for socio-economic cooperation and integration among member States. The addition of an organ in Politics, Defence and Security in 1996 was a big mistake for now we see the regional bloc defending dictators. They come as election observers with the same motto "See no evil and hear no evil"and after enjoying they declare elections free and fair. The AU is no different, just useless organizations serving no purpose apart from taking care of one another.

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Is there anyone in troubled Zimbabwe who still believes that Mnangagwa/Chiwenga regime is a democracy? You better awaken from your dream and face reality before it is too late. Zimbabwe is now a military dictatorship. The kind that cannot be removed neither through the ballot or the courts.

It is khakistocracy as epitomised by the men in camouflage taking over all political institutions and policing. Since 15 November 2017 the army is more visible in the streets than the police. Is that not strange in a country which is not at war?

In a true democracy soldiers stay in the barracks and come out only if there is war or threat of it. But not in Zimbabwe where you meet fully armed soldiers in the street corners and even in politics, good examples being General Chiwenga (Vice President and Minister of Defence), General Sibusiso Moyo (Foreign Affaires Minister) Air Marshall Perrence Shiri (Minister of Agriculture)

Those who do not comprehend this simple fact ,hear ye! Zimbabwe shifted from civilian dictatorship to military dictatorship on 15 November 2017. That is when Zimbabwe Defence Forces led by Rtd General Chiwenga, deposed former President Robert Mugabe through a military coup and replaced him with his (Chiwenga) stooge, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The military dictatorship will be worse than civilian dictatorship for even the simplest political political dispute will be solved by the gun. Forget about development. Military principles do create good invironment for investment.

Look how they have tried to conceal themselves as a "new dispensation" or, "new era" until that fateful day when the mask finally fell down and the real murderous military junta came out. Yes it was on 1 August 2018 when the military junta government set its army on innocent people to shoot and kill. Once a mass murderer always a mass murderer!

In Ndebele we say ufudu lutshekela oluphetheyo (a tortoise soils the one handling it) Britain that has been pampering and massaging the military junta is now calling for the head of the coup master, General Chiwenga. Does the military junta care? Not at all. They will keep Chiwenga, after all he is the defacto President. Britain will rather keep its sanctions.

Americans have renewed the suctions and the military junta has scoffed at them. It does not not care at all. Business people who had promised to invest in the so called new dispensation have pulled out. But the military junta does not care.

For the Zimbabweans or the real owners of Zimbabwe as shona people call themselves, you have to live with this military junta government, facing the noose of the gun up until another general decides to stage another coup. Forget about elections and courts, no military dictatorship can be removed through those.

For Matabeles or those who are always referred to by the real owners of Zimbabwe (shonas)as foreigners or cockroaches, hear ye! You have two options. Its either; a) you listen to your fears and continue to be oppressed, tribally humiliated, tribally discriminated, dominated and subjected to physical and psychological genocide that would continue to slowly wipe out the whole nation. Its history, identify, languages and culture would disappear 20 to 50 years down the line. b) listen to MLO's loud calls of independence and join us in our march to our independence

where Matabeleland shall be restored to its former glory. That is, the Jameson line border between Matabeleland and Mashonaland will be restored with our territory fully claimed, Matabeleland independency and sovereignty shall be restored.

For the first time after over 1

00 years Matabeles would be able to govern themselves, be in a position to have leaders of their own choice picked up from all Matabele tribes, be able to run their own social, economic and political affairs from Beitbridge border to Jameson Line border without being closed out by tribalistic shona gate keepers who are deployed in all strategic positions in Matabeleland to serve the evil purpose of the shona Grand plan, live peacefully side by side with our neighbours including Zimbabwe.

MLO does not expect a smooth sail or walk in the park. The road to independence is never smooth. We know fully well that no oppressor in the world has ever volunteered to give independence to the oppressed. We are fully prepared for every bit and piece of object that our oppressor would throw at us. If it is stones that they will throw at us, we will pick some from the ground and respond in kind. If it is bricks, we will go to where bricks are found and respond in kind until our goal of independence is achieved. For the sack of freedom we are prepared to pay the highest prize.

Izenzo Kungemazwi!

Israel Dube

MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs.
Dear Newsie Readers,

Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019.

Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one.

Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures.

With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day.

Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles.

Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight.

The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions.

We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news.

The team at Newsie
Chinas crackdown on free speech spurs rise of toilet revolution where people scribble messages of freedom on toilet stalls

The governing Chinese Communist Party has never been much for upholding basic civil rights like those found in the U.S. Constitutions first ten amendments, but in recent years the party has come down even harder on one of the most fundamental of all rights: Free speech.

As reported by Radio Free Asia, the governments speech crackdown has gotten so bad that one activist, Ji Xiaolong, was reduced to writing political messages critical of the ruling party in public toilets in the city of Shanghai.

And now hes missing.

The news site reported:

Authorities in Shanghai have detained an activist who called on people to write Down with the [ruling Chinese] Communist Party in public toilets in the city, in a fresh twist on the Chinese presidents call for a toilet revolution.

Ji previously called on civil rights activists and democracy advocates to log responses to President Xi Jinpings call for a toilet revolution by writing political slogans on the walls that could then be seen by thousands of people.

In February, NPR reported that the Chinese government launched an ambitious $3 billion toilet revolution plan in 2015 to clean up public toilets in Chinas tourist centers, which were often too disgusting to use. Some cities have gone as far as to install Wi-Fi, ATMs, newsstands, and electric-vehicle charging stations to their upgraded public facilities.

Ji, the activist, used the slogan to spread pro-democracy messages. On July 20, he took to social media to urge fellow Chinese citizens to write the down with message, according to a friend who spoke with RFA.

He has been incommunicado since July 31, with his phone switched off and nobody at his apartment, Chen Jianfang told the news station. It is very likely that this is because he posted messages online calling for a toilet revolution. He wrote a few words in a hospital toilet.

According to RFA, Ji wrote, I dont have money to cure my bowel movements, Fatty Xi is chucking money around, changing the constitution to make himself king. When will this suffering end? Down with the Communist Party! (Related: Facebook now de-platforming conservative journalists who simply ask Muslim congressional candidates tough questions.)

He just cant let things go

As the Nikkei Asian Review reported in March, the Chinese [rubber stamp] legislature overwhelmingly voted to amend the countrys constitution to do away with presidential term limits and allow Xi to consolidate power to a degree unseen since Mao Zedong.

As for Ji, his sister said that she got a call from her brothers girlfriend July 31 saying she was afraid that something bad had happened to him.

He has the kind of personality that cant just let things go, such as official corruption or whatever, she said. As a family, we cant let it go either. I cant.

And while she added that Ji and his family werent all too concerned about international affairs involving China, we definitely care about any policies affecting ordinary people.

Jis girlfriend, who was in Taiwan  which China considers a breakaway province  at the time of this writing, said shes not yet gotten any information about where he is or what actually happened to him. She also told RFA shes continuing to hunt for information, and that shes heard from various sources he could be in one of two or more provinces.

I dont know what is happening, because everyone is saying something different.

Another acquaintance of Ji, Shanghai-based rights lawyer Dai Peiqing, said Ji has also not shown up at the Christian church they both attend, though he normally shows up daily.

If the history of Chi-Com party behavior is any indication, its likely that Ji is sitting in some dark, dank cell someplace, perhaps counting the hours before hes either put into a reeducation camp for a few years or into the ground somewhere.

Sounds a lot like what authoritarian Democrats would do to all conservative, pro-Trump Americans if they could.

Read more about oppression and tyranny at Tyranny.news.

Sources include:

RFA.org

NPR.org

Freedom.news
TORONTO (AP)  When Saudi Arabia ordered its citizens studying in Canada to abruptly leave the country it left institutions like Techno Canada in the lurch, forcing the small Toronto business school to scramble for new students in the middle of the summer.

But that doesn't mean the school's director wants his government to abandon its advocacy of civil rights in Saudi Arabia, which prompted the worst diplomatic rift in history between the two countries.

"I am very much with my government to stand up for human rights," the head of Techno Canada, Basu Mukherjee, said as he conceded the loss of Saudi students will hurt his bottom line. "It is going to be hard, but we will try our best to replace them."

Similar sentiments have been expressed in recent days across Canada as schools, hospitals and even some businesses largely shrug at Saudi Arabia's decision to punish the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over tweets supporting two jailed dissident bloggers.

In a sign that the Saudis may not have as much leverage over Canada as they thought, many in the country say they are less concerned about the effects on Canada of the diplomatic spat than they are concerned for the well-being of the 15,000 students who were told they cannot resume studies for the fall semester and 800 doctors and medical residents who must leave by Sept. 1.

"It's very difficult for people who have families and leases," said Dr. Salvatore Spadafora who oversees 216 of Saudi doctors and medical residents in the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network. "They are all working very, very hard and trying to study and then this happens."

The Saudi government expelled Canada's ambassador to the kingdom and withdrew its own ambassador on Sunday, days after two Canadian tweets in support of arrested activist Samar Badawi, whose writer brother Raif Badawi was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and later sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for insulting Islam. Then it halted flights by its national airline and ordered the students home, a decision that affects institutions as small as Techno Canada, which has just 40 people enrolled, to major institutions such as the University of Toronto.

Story continues

But even though the Saudis are a significant presence in Canadian hospitals and in higher-education, contributing about $1 billion to $1.5 billion Canadian dollars (US$770 million to US$1.1 billion) to the Canadian economy last year, the overall effect is minimal since other foreign students can easily replace them.

Spadafora said other medical students will pick up the shifts of the Saudi residents and physicians when they go home by Sept. 1.

Brian Hodges, who oversees about 94 from Saudi Arabia including 58 or 59 trained specialists or fellows at Toronto's University Health Network, said patient care won't be affected. "The first priority really is figure how to support them," he said. "Many have been with us for five or four years and are close to doing exams."

Trudeau, a staunch defender of woman's rights, is not backing down and has received only limited criticism from domestic opponents.

"Canadians have always expected our government to speak strongly, firmly, clearly and politely about the need to respect human rights at home and around the world," he said.

Financial markets did not appear hurt by the dispute amid reports that the Saudis intended to unload Canadian assets. There were rumors that Kingdom Holding Co. intended to sell its 47.5 percent stake in the Toronto-based luxury hotel chain Four Seasons. A company spokeswoman, Sarah Tuite, would only say that "day to day operations" have not changed. "It is business as usual," she said.

Bilateral trade between the two nations is just $3 billion a year. Canada does get 10 percent of its imported crude oil from Saudi Arabia, but even if the dispute escalates further Saudi oil could potentially be replaced with U.S. shale oil or oil from Canada's oil sands region  the third largest oil reserves in the world.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister said oil sales to Canada will not be affected.

The worst potential impact on Canada would be if Saudi Arabia canceled Canada's largest arms deal, a $15 billion deal with Saudi Arabia in 2014 to export its light-armored vehicles to the kingdom. Jim Reid, a union leader who represents 500 workers at the General Dynamics facility in London, said that could lead to job losses.

The Canadian foreign ministry says they have heard nothing about the contract.

"The Saudi's are shooting themselves in the foot," Reid said. "Yes, it's going to cause some economic hardship for some universities and colleges and hospitals but this is disrupting their own citizens' lives whether they are doctors in hospitals or students. It boggles the mind."

Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto, said anything Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman does to harm Canada will also harm a range of Saudi interests including their investments and students.

"The Saudi monarchy is playing around with thousands of Saudi subjects, slaves. Their interests are not being regarded. They are just pawns and that's very much to be regretted," Bothwell said.
The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has constituted a team of highly trained medical personnel to support the treatment of Arua suspects allegedly tortured while under custody.



The Association says that 15 of the experts are on standby to voluntarily provide treatment to all victims of torture arising out of the infamous arrests. More than 35 people were arrested on Monday and Tuesday last week on allegations of stoning President Yoweri Museveni's motorcade.

Among those arrested are Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi and Mityana municipality MP Francis Zaake are said to be in very bad shape after they were allegedly tortured.

Dr Ekwaro Obuku addressing the media (file photo)

There are reports that other civilians who were arrested alongside the MPs were also tortured with one female suspect tortured to the extent that she is passing out blood from her privates. Dr Ekwaro Obuku, the president of Uganda Medical Association says the assembled experts were chosen based on descriptions on the condition of the victims.



The specialists include nephrologists, specifically to treat diseases that affect the kidneys and their ability to function, gastroenterologists for any condition that could have affected the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and liver.



Also on standby are cardiologists, for anything that could have affected the heart and toxicologists, trauma surgeons who will look at severe injuries, neurosurgeons to look at brain problems and anesthesiologists, to deal with critical care.



Dr Obuku was speaking at a press conference held in Mulago yesterday. The press conference was organized in response to demands for specialized treatment for two of the legislators that suffered immense bodily harm while under custody.



"We are happy with the medical care Hon Zaake is receiving outside the walls of the military freely and out of his own choice. Were saying the same should be accorded to Hon Kyagulanyi so that he can receive the best highly specialised medical care because it appears hes not in the best state.

Physically and mentally he is actually severely injured as described by his wife and his lawyers and needs specialised medical care. As Uganda Medical Association we have constituted a team of experts to handle Hon Kyagulanyi in particular but also other victims who are not known." said Obuku.



Kyagulanyi is currently held at Makindye military barracks, where he is reported to be in extreme pain and covered in bruises, on the head, face and all over the body. Reports indicate that he suffered internal bleeding and has a damaged kidney.



The other legislator Francis Zaake is admitted in Lubaga hospital, where he has been in a critical condition over the last three days. Their colleagues, Gerald Karuhanga, Paul Mwiru, MP-elect Kassiano Wadri, former Makindye East MP Micheal Mabikke and over 30 others are detained in Gulu.



Dr Obuku says they have written to President Museveni to ensure that Kyagulanyi can be treated outside the military walls where it is uncertain if those specialised experts exist. He added that they have alerted their colleagues in the diaspora in the event that medical evacuation for further care is needed.



He says doctors should ensure they treat torture suspects as per their ethics, adding that they should also document issues of torture. The association says it is very unfortunate that torture victims have been denied access to specialized medical care.
remember when she was married to Bradley Cooper? because I honestly do not.

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Lol she was?

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She was, lol. Years ago, for five months. Before he was anybody, really.

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She describes the mystery suitor as, "funny, smart, cocky, arrogant and a master manipulator," adding that she didn't "necessarily find him that attractive." They quickly became a couple, although the actress says her boyfriend had a "mean, cold side" and "his personality could flip on a dime." Yep, she's not a fan

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LoL, yep, they lasted slightly longer than Kitchen Confidential.

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She was fired from Blue Bloods because of a chronic illness, so that might be a part of it too.

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Lol. I was trying to figure out who she was, but once you mentioned Spin City instant recognition. I loved that show and was sad when Michael J. Fox had to stop work due to his illness.

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random but that little vegan/glutton free(?? i dont remember which) bakery place she owns in the east village is bomb.



or was i forgot she closed it last summer smh



Edited at 2018-08-20 01:27 pm (UTC)

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glutton free lol

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lol I don't have the self-control for that.

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if this white woman isn't white enough to get roles then imagine what it's like for all the actresses who actually aren't white.

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my first thought. it's making me hard to empathize.

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all i know about her is that she used to be married to bradley cooper and tbh that sounds a lot more tragic

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Shes the kind of white people call ethnically ambiguous

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Even though shes... not

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this reminds me of when some1 here tried to argue with me that nina dobrev is ethnically ambiguous lmao

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??????

????????????????

???????????????????????????????????????? ??????????



Even the most delusional of stans....? Ambiguous for what? A different brand of white?

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this ariana grande realness

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If I remember correctly, casting directors have called Alia Shawkat "too ethnic" because of all her freckles, so apparently that's a thing.

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There must not be a market for Italians as Hispanics right now. Theres something else at play, not necessarily on her end.

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oop

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lmao valid

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Lol, mte, the mess that was Crash had her as a Latina (from Guatemala? I think) and like, nope.

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ugh, hate that movie so much.

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Floriana Lima is taking all those jobs.

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For years I thought she was a Latina--this post is just a revelation.

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She shouldn't have said white enough bc she is in fact, white but I understand what she's saying & I wouldn't be suprised if she was right about her name especially bc she's not pale.



Edited at 2018-08-20 01:31 pm (UTC)

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oh wow shes def an exotic yt woman. i c it.

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I know her nephew and he gave me tea about her.

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well damn, spill some

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I don't want to say too much bc there are eyes all over ONTD but she's difficult to be around, so they said.

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Well spill it!

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Spill it 

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dont fucking hold out on me sis

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The issue is her name not her look. and possibly blacklisted post blue bloods dramas

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Yes but years later she was still cast on NCIS that is also on CBS

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i stand corrected. i haven't followed her carer post blue bloods.

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What happened with Blue bloods?

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It's both. Her look like many other Southern Italians tend to be cast as Mexican-Americans but rarely white.



Most anglo's I know that see a name like Esposito and think Espinoza.

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Eh, I wouldnt be surprised if theres more at play here than just her last name...

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i dont know her

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I'm sure she's at least partially right, though it probably is more about her name than that she's not white enough. Her age may be part of it, too. Casting directors have always had a HUGE problem casting women over 40-hell, even 35-for anything but dumpy mom roles, and she's definitely not a dumpy mom. It's changing, but it's still a problem.

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She has a problem with both. Esposito's skin tone and look can have her placed into the Hispanic category. Even when she's not.



I get a ton of questions about my last name because it's not Hispanic enough by everyone.

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i kind agree with her response

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I did not know this about Singapore. I've been there a couple of times and used Grindr while I was there.



Edited at 2018-08-20 03:29 pm (UTC)

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Hope you got some good D tbh!

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there's a law against sodomy but it's not enforced

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I would like to add though that someone that is openly apart of the community being on the cover in a country against the community, should be celebrated. isnt that a step forward?



Omg lol





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i mean this response is a lil tone deaf but at the same time, this just feels like such an obscure thing to be mad about it. The internet is doing too much tbh

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the schools aren't well in neverland

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Singapore is such a beautiful country but has some backward views on homosexuality. But take note, this is mostly targeted on males, as women hugging or holding hands with each other in public are generally considered being affectionate. Its toxic masculinity at its finest basically.



They are on the same ranks with India and in some parts of Indonesia where they freaking raid your house to catch you doing gay sex and then lash you in public.



Philippines and Thailand remain superior in terms of tolerance. Taiwan is on the path to being the first Asian country to legalize ssm.

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>They are on the same ranks with India and in some parts of Indonesia where they freaking raid your house to catch you doing gay sex and then lash you in public.



omg this blatant lie. Singapore does not raid your house to catch you doing gay sex and lash you in public! the law against sodomy isn't even enforced!



source: I AM A SINGAPOREAN AND PROUD TO BE ONE.

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there's a law against sodomy but it's not enforced

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i didnt realize it was illegal there, really changes the context of the queer character in CRA

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i think they tried to touch on it a bit in the film,?in that he is only tolerated because he does things for everyone else

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i thought that was because he was poorer, not just because he was gay. but i guess either way makes sense

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yeah, cra is set in a country where homosexuality is illegal, there's rampant indentured servitude, and the class divide is so sharp. like, it kind of killed my ability to fully enjoy the movie

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I don't know if it's odd to get mad (and I really mean just mad, NOT cancel her) about it... I mean, Natalie Portman/Scarlett Johannson and SodaStream, Kendall Jenner and Pepsi, etc. etc.? We hold celebrities accountable for shit they can't be assed to familiarize themselves with all the time.



I don't think she was supposed to research Singapore but I mean a little backlash as an openly bisexual public figure by those who may feel slighted by the decision isn't entirely unreasonable.

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the shoot was for harper's bazaar in general, not HB singapore exclusively. the photos originally ran in HB US (or so i think?? they did a music dynasty issue) and another photo from the shoot was used as HB spain's cover.

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Wow, I didn't know this about Singapore either.

Penalty:Up to 2 years, fines, and canings



Canings?

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Singapore does not mess around with the cane. Big situation in the 90s when a dude bro from the US (I think?) got arrested for something and the punishment was caning.

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spraypainting/vandalism



it was a huuuuge deal bc everyone was like "woooow so barbaric to cane someone for vandalism" like, y'all hit your kids so no

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Well if it's any consolation to us Singaporean gays, it's an unenforced law (at least the government has said so a couple of times in public media). The city is still homophobic af...rooted in conservative mindsets

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i would like to add though that someone that is openly apart of the community being on the cover in a country against the community, should be celebrated. isnt that a step forward?



uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no, bc they don't care about your sexuality, they care about that name recognition

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also, because i'm Tired, here's a list of countries where homosexuality is illegal: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-25927595 and a site that tracks the cases trying to make changes: https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/

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I didn't know that about Singapore. That's puts it in particularly weird context that a lesbian friend and her partner went there on vacation two weeks ago.

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ugh. I hate planning intl travel. I mean, not going anywhere now with our shitstain president putting our lives at risk but... when I planned the first international trip with my wife, I found incredible things in places like Jamaica where we'd be able to do the tourist thing but also be in the community and help out and interact but they're apparently really bad about LGBTQ people? I follow lgbtq travel sites/blogs and the things I've heard from different countries are scary af. it really crosses a whole lot of opportunities off the list :(

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There's so many extra considerations, especially when you're married.

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singapore is an ugly, boring city state.

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you sound Singaporean

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i'm from maritime southeast asia sis! i'll take malaysia or thailand over that boring small city! singapore is so ugly and lifeless and too costly lol

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lmfao girl if telling people that you get to stay at home and cuddle on the couch with your pets for a full week while everyone else has to schlep their ass to work to make a living is gonna get you any sympathy points....

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wow i just felt a pang of jealousy in my heart omg

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I wish I could stay home for a week cuddling my kitty every time I got into an argument on ONTD. Y'all can be vicious

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that's me this summer bc teachrs are off. I go back in Sept

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seriously. i rolled my eyes. tall poppy syndrome? you were born into wealth and don't do shit. the fact she's getting covers at all is ridiculous. go enjoy your millions and stay out of my face.

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I really don't think it's a step forward if she was chosen due to her name. For all we know they weren't even aware she was bi \_()_/ Also, wouldn't it be more of a celebration if it was someone from Singapore who was LGBT+ on the cover? Or at least someone who's more involved in the country?? idk I feel like a lot of places will make passes for celebs that they wouldn't otherwise make :/

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this is random, but it always shocks me how many people use "apart" and "a part" interchangeably. they mean opposite things.

also echoing the comments of not knowing singapore outlawed homosexuality. and i don't blame her for not knowing either

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just like "lose" and "loose"

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I have no room to talk about how other people write, but this drives me bonkers. I didn't notice it until the last few years, but now I see it EVERYWHERE and no one ever says anything! Online, I mean. People still seem to be all, "You do know 'alot' isn't a word, don't you?" Then again, I don't see that followed up with, "but 'allot' is," so maybe that's why, because 'apart' is actually a word! I get that English is a living language and as such evolves, but c'mon. They LITERALLY have two different meanings. :)



Anyway, I try to not be too judgemental of Paris, but I kinda find her annoying. She definitely would not have whatever sort of career she has now were it not for her family.

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this. they mean quite the opposite of one another so it's silly. who passed these people through school?

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lol such an ott reaction. i get want to boycott and all but is not like this is some widely spread information

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With the end of the semester and moving, I haven't read in over a week!



I enjoyed the first two Bintis!

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seriously, that is impressive af

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Well damn, I need to read her books.

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i'll never forget how incredibly homophobic the first book was.

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Was it really? Im kind of disappointed to hear that. I bought first book recently and was going to start it soon. :/

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Ack it's been a while since I read it -- what was the homophobia? I honestly remember squat

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She's wonderful. Well deserved honor.

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The Red Queen series was the book equivalent of Marvel movies. Fun, action-packed, but not particularly unique or clever. And the main character was the biggest drag I've ever read. (There's an asshole lesbian anti-hero who got a happy ending, so that makes me kinder to the series)



Absolutely skip Leigh Bardugo's Grisha series, and just go to the Six of Crows duology, which is better.



I HATED The Young Elites. I was so disappointed in that series. RF Kuang's The Poppy War was like if you took that series and made it 100x better.



Other YA fantasy books that I really liked:

- The Engelsfors trilogy remains the pinnacle of the genre

- The Abyss Surrounds Us duology (teenage lesbian pirates vs genetically engineered sea monsters!)

- Eon: Dragoneye Reborn duology

- Son of a Trickster only has the first book out so far but I'm eagerly anticipating more



I finished Julia Unbound by Catherine Egan, despite not having read the first two books, in only two days. I enjoyed it, but I don't know if I can necessarily rec it until I've read the prior two.







Edited at 2018-08-20 08:24 pm (UTC)

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I gave up half way through the second book of the red queen serious because I could not stand another page of that main character. Had she died somewhere in the first book, it would have been a much better series.

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Same here. I don't remember much about the book, but I remember thinking she was an asshole and the book being written like that was okay.

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Mare was the worst. The next two books got way better by adding more perspectives so there wasn't nearly as much time spent on her.

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I looooved Six of Crows so I read the first Grisha book then and ugh I didn't enjoy it

I hated the Young Elites too but I only read the first one

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Damn, I bought the first of the Grisha trio without sample-reading it, because I loved the Six of Crows books so much. Haven't started reading it yet.

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I saw RF Kuang at a panel at this year's comic con in Denver and was really put off by her there. Is The Poppy War worth reading?

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I'm glad I bought the Six of Crows duology.



I hated the "Red Queen" series, unfortunately. =\ Mare being the main reason.

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Read only The Grisha's first book, THEN SKIP THE LAST AT ALL COSTS



5 YEARS AFTER READING IT AND I'M STILL SO MAD



And I loveeed Marie Lu's Legend series, but The Young Elites was awful! Idk if it was my mood, I want to try again, but it made me so sad

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the Throne of Glass series is terrible

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sarah j maas is a trash author who writes trash books. i'm currently on the second book in the grisha trilogy and i like it. it reminds me of mistborn in a lot of ways

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if you like the grisha trilogy, the six of crow duology and her short story book are good.



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i actually started the grisha trilogy just because i want to read six of crows so much! people on goodreads recommended reading the grisha trilogy first, but it sounds like that wasn't so necessary. my only gripe is alina is so passive - the plot happens to her instead of alina taking action for herself.

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I still don't quite understand the hype around Throne of Glass. I only read the first two or three so maybe shit picks up after that idk.

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don't bother

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I saw the author speak at a con years ago and she seemed like an oblivious moron. Maybe this getting published was some kind of nepotism thing...?

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And I finished The Astonishing Color of After the other week and really enjoyed it but it's more magical realism fantasy than fantasy fantasy I just got my hold on from the library about Trail of Lightning.And I finished The Astonishing Color of After the other week and really enjoyed it but it's more magical realism fantasy than fantasy fantasy

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which one?

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I know people say good things about city of brass, but I've always side-eyed it bc it keeps popping up in those "fantasy by WOC" lists and like... the author is white lol. she's using initials and her husband's surname to make her book sound more "authentic" (kinda like the guy who wrote final girls using an ambiguous name and popped up in lists of horror written by women)

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I was wondering about that lol. I'm not really a believer in only ever writing about your own background but someone named R.A. Chakraborty writing a book about Cairo just didn't add up unless they lived there/had Egyptian heritage.

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I'm on the second book of the Fionavar Tapestry FINALLY.

The fantasy books I remember liking as I grew up were the Heir series by Cinda Chima, the Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, and the Prydain chronicles by Lloyd Alexander.

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The Prydain Chronicles are the greatest. So underrated!

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I wish I could get into fantasy.

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I have read An Ember in the Ashes but haven't gotten around to reading the rest of the series yet. I also read the first Mistborn book, but never continued with the series. I read A Daughter of Smoke and Bone and the second book, but then lost interest and never read the third.

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the first Mistborn book is the best one, I finished the series and it was only worth it so I could read the Wax and Wayne books

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city of brass was EXCELLENT and i'm forever a holly black fan but fuck sarah j. maas's books and her lazy writing, worldbuilding, and erotica

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Lazy's a good word. I got really cross with A Court of Thorns and Roses - no, you can't just tell us to completely reinterpret the entire first book of a series then pretend it's complexity. You have to have laid the damn groundwork.

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I really enjoyed Furyborn. Currently reading some stuff for work so fun books had to be shelved for a bit =(

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i'm a few chapters in to furyborn and i'm kinda bored... does it get better

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Yeah for me it was a bit of a slow start and then it started to pick up

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Is there a place to download these? just saying.

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The Trump administration on Wednesday held a new auction for offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), yielding some $178 million in winning bids, a slight improvement from its last major lease sale in March which was at the time was called a major setback for the presidents plan to increase oil and gas investment in the region.

The new sale encompassed 77.3 million acres and 14,474 unleased blocks in federal waters off of the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. It received 171 bids by 29 companies, with independent oil and gas producer Hess making the largest bid at $25 million. Hess is the eighth largest producer in the GOM and also has offshore assets in Europe, Asia Pacific and South America.

In the previous March sale, oil companies bid on just 1 percent of the total acreage that was offered at the time, raising $124.8 million on 159 bids from 33 companies, including bids from oil majors Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, Total, and BP.

Just like in March, the Trump Administration put a positive spin on last weeks sale, calling it an improvement, while also downplaying perceptions of reduced interest in offshore oil and gas drilling.

I look at it as a positive sale, Michael Celata, GOM regional director at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), told reporters Wednesday morning. There is obviously continued interest in deep water. Overall, I still think the Gulf is a very viable place.

Bidders  appeared more willing to focus on deep water exploratory prospects than in the last couple of auctions, when companies chose acreage for its proximity to infrastructure and near-term production prospects.

"Today you saw some companies willing to look at [new] opportunities," as big independent producer Hess and majors ExxonMobil and Norway's Equinor apparently won large block clusters in more remote areas where infrastructure is less built-out than where their current production is, Celata added.

Others held a similar positive view. Global commodities data provider S&P Global Platts said that results from Wednesday's GOM lease sale suggest that oil operators are once again starting to think long-term, selecting acreage in frontier plays that may not pay off for a decade or more.

In April, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said that crude oil production in the Federal GOM increased slightly in 2017, reaching 1.65 million b/d, the highest annual level on record.

Although briefly hindered by platform outages and pipeline issues in December 2017, oil production in the GOM is expected to continue increasing in 2018 and 2019, based on forecasts in the EIAs latest Short-Term Energy Outlook. The EIA expects the GOM to account for 16 percent of total U.S. crude oil production in each year. Related: Would The U.S. Sanction China For Buying Iranian Oil?

Results of last weeks sale are preliminary since the BOEM has 90 days to review the bids and assure that the offers are at fair market value. The agency often rejects several bids in each auction.

Forgotten safety issues

Though its been more than eight years since the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon accident in the GOM, the government and even the media seem to have forgotten the incident amid talk of the most recent lease and what it means to the countrys oil sector.

The Deepwater Horizons blowout preventer failed to seal the well on the night of the accident because the drill pipe buckled due to a mechanism known as effective compression. The accident is considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the world, and the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.

However, the latest annual report from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcements (BSEE) SafeOCS reporting system, which details offshore drilling equipment failures, has called for more data sharing among GOM operators. BSEE is an agency operating under the Department of the Interior.

According to BSEE report, offshore drilling rig operators in the GOM reported 1,129 blowout preventer equipment component failures in 2017.

Findings from the agency showed that 18 of 25 active operators in the GOM, representing 45 of 59 active rigs, logged failures during the reporting period, which marked the first full year in which industry professionals could submit confidential well control equipment failure reports under the Well Control Rule.

However, it should be noted that the reports findings were based on a 59 percent participation rate, meaning 41 percent of the gulfs operators did not participate, which would have pushed the number of blowout preventer component failures much higher.

Increasing participation in SafeOCS and sharing safety data across industry are critical for generating meaningful analysis, BSEE Director Scott Angelle said in a press release last month. The ultimate goal of this program is to identify proactive steps to mitigate risks and ensure offshore operations are safe, reliable and environmentally sustainable. Related: Can U.S. Shale Stop A Global Oil Supply Crisis?

It should also be noted that a vast majority of reported equipment failures (1,044) occurred subsea, including 902 when rigs were not in operation. Overall, 83.8 percent of all reported failures occurred when rigs were not operating.

The report added that external leaks accounted for 49 percent of observed equipment failures, with some 87.7 percent of those failures occurring on rigs not in operation. Internal leaks (24.4 percent) and mechanical damage (7.2 percent) were the next most common observed failures. Wear and tear were the reported root causes of equipment failure in 53.6 percent of these incidents. Report authors, however, stated that they believed that figure might be an overestimate and would require further research.

More participation needed

The reports authors added that collecting more detailed, accurate, timely and relevant equipment failure data can support a more in-depth statistical analysis on root causes of equipment failures and the development of predictive analytics of failure events.

The industry can use this information to make changes to current practices and improve safety and equipment reliability.

By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The United States no longer needs to conserve oil as domestic production increases have reduced the need for imports. As a result, the United States has been given more flexibility than in the past to use our oil resources with less concern," the Associated Press reports, citing a memo from the Department of Energy.

In the same memo, the DoE added a general note about oil conservation by expressing a belief that energy needs to be used wisely, without going into detail. The AP notes that the memo effectively challenges previous attempts to conserve energy, including ones that have become legislation, such as the mileage standard.

Related to this, earlier this month reports emerged that the administration planned to freeze the mileage standard instead of requiring carmakers to improve new cars energy efficiency further. This, media suggested, would pit Washington against states that have voluntarily stipulated higher mileage standards in their legislation. If the mileage standard freeze proposal passes, it will increase U.S. oil consumption by half a million barrels daily.

Yet the idea presented in the memo is in tune with President Trumps energy dominance concept aimed at making the United States not just energy independent, but also expand its clout on international oil and gas markets. Related: Why Mexicos Oil Production Could Fall Even Further

Whether as a result of this policy or the oil price improvement over the last year or so, U.S. production hit an all-time high last month, and is expected to reach the highest in the world next year, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia. However, even that wont be enough to meet domestic demand on its own.

As of 2017, the EIA has calculated daily oil consumption in the country averaged 19.88 million barrels. Production this summer hit 10.9 million bpd, and the EIA expects it to rise further to 11.7 million bpd in 2019, which would make the country the biggest oil producer in the world, provided Saudi Arabia and Russia continue pumping at their current level. In other words, the United States is on track to boost its oil production and exports further. but energy independence is not yet attainable.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The always-volatile oil market is set for even more volatility over the next two years as investors and speculators try to make sense of the conflicting market forces determining the pace of demand growth and global oil supply.

Over the past month, the two key themes have been how much Iranian oil will come off the oil market from U.S. sanctions in November, and how much demand growth could suffer with the trade wars. More recently, another theme is the emerging markets turmoil following Turkeys crisis. Throw in all the new and much stricter International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations on sulfur fuel oil requirements from 2020 that are expected to upend the refining and shipping markets, and oil prices are set for wild swings, industry executives and analysts say.

The severe IMO restrictions on fuel oils sulfur contentaimed at reducing emissionswill drive increased demand for middle distillates such as diesel and marine gasoil, which in turn will push up demand for crude oil, Morgan Stanley analysts say. This would boost crude oil demand by additional 1.5 million bpd, potentially sending oil prices to $90 a barrel in 2020, according to Morgan Stanley.

But before the 2020 regulation, analysts and investors are closely watching two currently unfolding developmentsthe sanctions on Irans oil and possibly weakening global oil demand growththe main bullish and bearish factors, respectively, in the market right now.

With new sanctions coming into play and also the IMO 2020, we see there is more volatility and therefore more opportunities to trade. So, we see our customers taking, slowly but surely, positions for that to happen, Eelco Hoekstra, chief executive at independent tank storage company Vopak, told CNBC on Friday.

Earlier this month, Tom Kloza, co-founder of the Oil Price Information Service, told CNBC that prices could swing wildly, with a plunge to $50 and a spike above $100 not completely ruled out.

If we had an oil [volatility index] it would be incredibly volatile over the next year and a half, Kloza told CNBC. Related: WTI Set For Longest Weekly Losing Streak Since 2015

The volume of Irans oil that sanctions would take out of the market is the biggest known unknown on the supply side, with Venezuelas plunging production and unstable Libyan exports already factored in in analysts estimates. But some experts believe that the Iran sanctions are yet to be fully priced in.

Earlier this month, Fitch Solutions said that the market is unprepared for the loss of Iranian oil, and that Iranian exports are set for a 'cliff edge exit' from the market in Q418. Under its core scenario, Fitch Solutions sees Iranian oil exports dropping by 1.3 million bpd by end-2019 with China expected to keep imports at around current levels; India and Turkey substantially reducing intake to qualify for waivers; and Europe, Japan, and South Korea cutting imports to low or near-zero levels.

We are substantially above-consensus and our forecast implies Brent will average almost USD80.0/bbl over the rest of the year, Fitch Solutions said.

ING, for its part, sees the global oil market largely balanced over 4Q, but this assumes that Iranian losses due to U.S. sanctions dont exceed 500,000 bpd and Venezuelan production averages 1.2 million bpd in Q4.

However, ING commodities strategist Warren Patterson warned last week that the trade war and the higher risk in emerging markets have weighed on the price of oil, with Brent Crude prices dropping nearly 10 percent since late May.

It does seem that the synchronised global growth story from earlier this year is losing some momentum, Patterson said. Related: U.S. Drillers Turn On The BrakesRig Count Remains Unchanged

Looking at individual cases suggests the potential impact on demand growth is limited, however when looked at in aggregate, the potential impact does start to look more significant, the strategist noted.

The higher oil prices are already destroying gasoline demand in Brazil, for example, where motorists have the alternative to switch to ethanol, INGs Patterson says. In Brazil, more than 50 percent of the light vehicle fleet consists of flex fuel vehicles that can run on gasoline or 100 percent ethanol. When ethanol becomes cheaper than gasoline, drivers switch to ethanol. In the first half of this year, gasoline sales dropped compared to the same period of 2017, while ethanol sales increased, said Patterson, adding that This alternative option for motorists in Brazil has meant that we are actually seeing oil demand destruction in the country.

Emerging markets currencies have weakened against the U.S. dollar in recent weeksespecially with the Turkish crisiswhich could affect oil demand and depress oil prices. But the upcoming sanctions on Iran put an upward pressure on prices, with analysts currently only guesstimating how much oil would be removed from the market. The IMO rules throw in another unknown, so experts see wild swings in oil prices ahead.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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United Way of Greater Chattanoogas 2018 Chattanooga campaign kickoff will be held Tuesday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Michael Mathis, 2018 Chattanooga campaign chair, and Lesley Scearce, president and CEO at United Way of Greater Chattanooga, as well as community leaders, will speak on the goals and impact of the 2018 United Way campaign.

Matt Busby, director of The Camp House, will host a panel discussion on Chattanoogas need for stability and family support. Members of United Ways Building Stable Lives support program and city government will give firsthand reflections on the Chattanooga communitys needs. Led by Dr. Bryan Johnson, attendees will then raise funds live to place 2-1-1 kiosks in Hamilton County Schools.

Around 1,000 community members, including local dignitaries and United Way corporate partners, will be in attendance.

The 2018 Chattanooga Campaign Kickoff is sponsored by Bridge Innovate, Soundforce and Atomic Films.








U.S. supermajor Chevron has started work on a preliminary contract with the Iraqi government for the development of oil fields in southern Iraq, Reuters reports, citing Iraqs Oil Ministry. The memorandum of understanding that gave Chevron the rights to explore for oil in the fields that are owned by Basra Oil Company and Dhi Qar Oil was inked in June.

Under the terms of the contract, Chevron will survey and study the fields, and build production facilities to help the two Iraqi state-owned companies boost their operational and financial performance.

This would be the first major deal for Chevron in Iraq, although the company has a presence in the autonomous region of Kurdistan, which it had to leave last year after an ill-fated independence referendum led to the central Iraqi government taking control of Kirkuk and the surrounding fields from the Kurds.

Chevron returned to Kurdistan in February this year. The company has an 80-percent stake in the Sarta block, where it began drilling one appraisal well last year. Drilling was completed in the second quarter of this year.

Iraq boasted an increase in crude oil production to 4.46 million bpd last month, although the figure reported by OPEC secondary sources was lower, at 4.36 million bpd. This was the second largest increase within the cartel for June, after the Saudi production jump of 405,400 bpd, according to the secondary sourcesthe ones that OPEC uses for calculating quotas and compliance. Iraq also said that its crude oil exports in July hit their highest level since January 2017at 3.875 million bpd, up by 25,000 bpd from June.

Iraq is the second-largest exporter of crude oil in OPEC but it has struggled to boost its production further as it tries to resurrect its economy, embattled by the war and the fight against Islamic State.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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In order to keep Iranian oil flowing to China, Chinese refiners and oil traders have started to switch to using Iran-owned tankers for almost all their crude oil imports from Tehran, Reuters reported on Monday, citing four sources with direct knowledge of the issue.

Sinopec, the largest refiner in Asia, as well as Chinese state-run oil trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp, have activated the clauses in their long-term supply deals with Iran to use tankers owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), according to Reuters sources. Iran is also now covering the costs and risks of shipping the oil to China and is taking care of the insurance, the sources said.

According to Thomson Reuters Eikon shipping data, all 17 crude oil tankers from Iran to China in July were operated by the Iranian tanker company. To compare, the previous month, Chinese companies operated 8 out of 19 tankers that shipped oil from Iran to China.

China has said that it would not stop buying Iranian oil despite U.S. efforts to have the Iranian exports down to zero. But Beijing is also said to have agreed not to increase its oil purchases from Iran.

Iran, for its part, is keen to keep its single biggest oil customerChinawhen U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports kick in later this year.

While Western shipowners and insurers are backing out of deals with Iran for fear of running afoul with the U.S. Administration and risking secondary U.S. sanctions, Iran is looking to maintain its customers in Asia by offering Iran-owned tankers and providing cargo insurance.

Tehran is said to have started to offer India cargo insurance and tankers operated by Iranian companies as some Indian insurers have backed out of covering oil cargoes. Tehran is also cutting the prices of its oil for Asian customers.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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French oil and gas major Total has officially left Iran due to the threat of secondary sanctions from the United States if it were to continue to do business with Tehran, Iranian state television reported on Monday, citing oil minister Bijan Zanganeh.

Total has quit the project to develop South Pars Gas phase 11, and the process to find another company to replace it is underway, according to Zanganeh.

Last year, Total became the first supermajor to have returned to Iran after the previous sanctions were lifted, with the multi-billion-dollar South Pars 11 gas development project.

But after the United States pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and announced that sanctions were returning, Total, like many other companies doing business in or with Iran, has been concerned about being exposed to secondary U.S. sanctions if they continue operations in Iran.

After the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran deal, Total said that would not be in a position to continue the South Pars 11 gas project and would have to unwind all related operations before November 4, 2018, unless Total is granted a specific project waiver by the U.S. authorities with the support of the French and European authorities. This project waiver should include protection of the Company from any secondary sanction as per US legislation.



Related: What Happens Next To Chinas Crude Imports?

Total has always been clear that it cannot afford to be exposed to any secondary sanction, which might include the loss of financing in dollars by US banks for its worldwide operations, the French company said a week after the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran deal.

In early June, Totals chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said that the companys chances of securing a waiver were very slim.

Last month, Frances Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French newspaper Le Figaro that the United States had rejected a request from France for waivers for French companies operating in Iran.

Until a week ago, Iran was saying that Total was still part of the South Pars contract, and if the French major pulls out, Chinas CNPC would take over its share in the project.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Saudi Arabia may be looking to build an oil port in Yemens southeast al-Mahra governorate, where the Saudi-led coalition troops are present, Al Jazeera reported on Monday, quoting sources and a document it has obtained.

Saudi Arabia-based marine construction company Huta Marine has sent a letter to the Saudi ambassador to Yemen in which it thanks the official for the opportunity to submit a technical and financial proposal for the future oil port, according to the document that Al Jazeera has obtained.

The al-Mahra governorate borders Oman, and the border crossing, as well as the seaport and airport in the governorate, is under the control of the Saudi and UAE coalition, which has been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen since 2015.

Earlier this month, Yemen was said to have resumed oil exports.

Despite a worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen amid a war between the Houthi rebels and a coalition between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the poorest Arab country has found a way to restart oil production and has even exported the first cargo: 500,000 barrels from a field in the southern Shabwa province bound for a Chinese company, The National reports.



Related: Canadas Pipeline Crisis Is A Boon For Russia

This is the first outbound shipment of crude oil from Yemen since 2015 when a civil war broke out and quickly escalated into an international conflict. The oil was offered in an open tender, in which 35 companies from around the world took part, the Yemeni ministry of oil and minerals said in a statement.

Now there are plans to restart the rest of the oil fields in Shabwa and neighboring provinces, the secretary to the oil and minerals minister told The Emirati daily. The provinces are under the control of the elected government that the Houthis are fighting as a result of the intervention of the Saudi and Emirati forces.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Oil and gas production at three platforms operated by Total in the North Sea shut down early on Monday for 24 hours as workers of the Unite union began, as planned, their 24-hour strikethe third 24-hour stoppage and the fifth strike in a month, due to a dispute with the company over pay and shifts.

The 24-hour stoppage is ongoing and we have shutdown as a result, Total told Platts in an email.

The Unite union confirmed that the 24-hour strike at Totals oil and gas platforms Alwyn, Elgin, and Dunbar started at 05:00 a.m. GMT on Monday.

The fields hit by the strikes account for some 10 percent of the UKs gas production. Crude oil production at Alwyn, Elgin, and Dunbar pumps up to 50,000 bpd to the Forties and Brent Blend crude streamsthe key components of the Dated Brent benchmark. The strikes have not seriously disrupted Forties loadings, although some loadings delays have been seen.

Last week, the Scotland chapter of the Unite union said that the strike planned for today would go ahead, after a meeting with the French major to resolve the dispute over pay and shifts ended without an agreement.

The dispute arose after Total wanted to place workers at the platforms on a three-week rotation system instead of a two-week one.

The dispute concerns the companys wage review and its plans to force workers to increase their offshore working time, Unite union said in early July, when it announced it would go on a strike.

At the meeting last week, Unite representatives made a series of counter proposals to Total for consideration. The company will now consider these proposals and both parties will re-convene next Thursday (23 August) for further discussions, the union said.

The union also announced prospective industrial action of 12-hour stoppages scheduled to take place in the next two months, on September 3 and 17, and on October 1, 15, and 29.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The quasar dates back to less than one billion years after the big bang. Credit: NASA/ESA/G.Bacon, STScI

Last year, physicists at MIT, the University of Vienna, and elsewhere provided strong support for quantum entanglement, the seemingly far-out idea that two particles, no matter how distant from each other in space and time, can be inextricably linked, in a way that defies the rules of classical physics.

Take, for instance, two particles sitting on opposite edges of the universe. If they are truly entangled, then according to the theory of quantum mechanics their physical properties should be related in such a way that any measurement made on one particle should instantly convey information about any future measurement outcome of the other particlecorrelations that Einstein skeptically saw as "spooky action at a distance."

In the 1960s, the physicist John Bell calculated a theoretical limit beyond which such correlations must have a quantum, rather than a classical, explanation.

But what if such correlations were the result not of quantum entanglement, but of some other hidden, classical explanation? Such "what-ifs" are known to physicists as loopholes to tests of Bell's inequality, the most stubborn of which is the "freedom-of-choice" loophole: the possibility that some hidden, classical variable may influence the measurement that an experimenter chooses to perform on an entangled particle, making the outcome look quantumly correlated when in fact it isn't.

Last February, the MIT team and their colleagues significantly constrained the freedom-of-choice loophole, by using 600-year-old starlight to decide what properties of two entangled photons to measure. Their experiment proved that, if a classical mechanism caused the correlations they observed, it would have to have been set in motion more than 600 years ago, before the stars' light was first emitted and long before the actual experiment was even conceived.

Now, in a paper published today in Physical Review Letters, the same team has vastly extended the case for quantum entanglement and further restricted the options for the freedom-of-choice loophole. The researchers used distant quasars, one of which emitted its light 7.8 billion years ago and the other 12.2 billion years ago, to determine the measurements to be made on pairs of entangled photons. They found correlations among more than 30,000 pairs of photons, to a degree that far exceeded the limit that Bell originally calculated for a classically based mechanism.

"If some conspiracy is happening to simulate quantum mechanics by a mechanism that is actually classical, that mechanism would have had to begin its operationssomehow knowing exactly when, where, and how this experiment was going to be doneat least 7.8 billion years ago. That seems incredibly implausible, so we have very strong evidence that quantum mechanics is the right explanation," says co-author Alan Guth, the Victor F. Weisskopf Professor of Physics at MIT.

"The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old, so any alternative mechanismdifferent from quantum mechanicsthat might have produced our results by exploiting this loophole would've had to be in place long before even there was a planet Earth, let alone an MIT," adds David Kaiser, the Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and professor of physics at MIT. "So we've pushed any alternative explanations back to very early in cosmic history."

Guth and Kaiser's co-authors include Anton Zeilinger and members of his group at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna, as well as physicists at Harvey Mudd College and the University of California at San Diego.

A decision, made billions of years ago

In 2014, Kaiser and two members of the current team, Jason Gallicchio and Andrew Friedman, proposed an experiment to produce entangled photons on Eartha process that is fairly standard in studies of quantum mechanics. They planned to shoot each member of the entangled pair in opposite directions, toward light detectors that would also make a measurement of each photon using a polarizer. Researchers would measure the polarization, or orientation, of each incoming photon's electric field, by setting the polarizer at various angles and observing whether the photons passed throughan outcome for each photon that researchers could compare to determine whether the particles showed the hallmark correlations predicted by quantum mechanics.

The team added a unique step to the proposed experiment, which was to use light from ancient, distant astronomical sources, such as stars and quasars, to determine the angle at which to set each respective polarizer. As each entangled photon was in flight, heading toward its detector at the speed of light, researchers would use a telescope located at each detector site to measure the wavelength of a quasar's incoming light. If that light was redder than some reference wavelength, the polarizer would tilt at a certain angle to make a specific measurement of the incoming entangled photona measurement choice that was determined by the quasar. If the quasar's light was bluer than the reference wavelength, the polarizer would tilt at a different angle, performing a different measurement of the entangled photon.

Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In their previous experiment, the team used small backyard telescopes to measure the light from stars as close as 600 light years away. In their new study, the researchers used much larger, more powerful telescopes to catch the incoming light from even more ancient, distant astrophysical sources: quasars whose light has been traveling toward the Earth for at least 7.8 billion yearsobjects that are incredibly far away and yet are so luminous that their light can be observed from Earth.

Tricky timing

On Jan. 11, 2018, "the clock had just ticked past midnight local time," as Kaiser recalls, when about a dozen members of the team gathered on a mountaintop in the Canary Islands and began collecting data from two large, 4-meter-wide telescopes: the William Herschel Telescope and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, both situated on the same mountain and separated by about a kilometer.

One telescope focused on a particular quasar, while the other telescope looked at another quasar in a different patch of the night sky. Meanwhile, researchers at a station located between the two telescopes created pairs of entangled photons and beamed particles from each pair in opposite directions toward each telescope.

In the fraction of a second before each entangled photon reached its detector, the instrumentation determined whether a single photon arriving from the quasar was more red or blue, a measurement that then automatically adjusted the angle of a polarizer that ultimately received and detected the incoming entangled photon.

"The timing is very tricky," Kaiser says. "Everything has to happen within very tight windows, updating every microsecond or so."

Demystifying a mirage

The researchers ran their experiment twice, each for around 15 minutes and with two different pairs of quasars. For each run, they measured 17,663 and 12,420 pairs of entangled photons, respectively. Within hours of closing the telescope domes and looking through preliminary data, the team could tell there were strong correlations among the photon pairs, beyond the limit that Bell calculated, indicating that the photons were correlated in a quantum-mechanical manner.

Guth led a more detailed analysis to calculate the chance, however slight, that a classical mechanism might have produced the correlations the team observed.

He calculated that, for the best of the two runs, the probability that a mechanism based on classical physics could have achieved the observed correlation was about 10 to the minus 20that is, about one part in one hundred billion billion, "outrageously small," Guth says. For comparison, researchers have estimated the probability that the discovery of the Higgs boson was just a chance fluke to be about one in a billion.

"We certainly made it unbelievably implausible that a local realistic theory could be underlying the physics of the universe," Guth says.

And yet, there is still a small opening for the freedom-of-choice loophole. To limit it even further, the team is entertaining ideas of looking even further back in time, to use sources such as cosmic microwave background photons that were emitted as leftover radiation immediately following the Big Bang, though such experiments would present a host of new technical challenges.

"It is fun to think about new types of experiments we can design in the future, but for now, we are very pleased that we were able to address this particular loophole so dramatically. Our experiment with quasars puts extremely tight constraints on various alternatives to quantum mechanics. As strange as quantum mechanics may seem, it continues to match every experimental test we can devise," Kaiser says.

Explore further Tracking down the mystery of entangled particles of light

More information: Dominik Rauch et al, Cosmic Bell Test Using Random Measurement Settings from High-Redshift Quasars, Physical Review Letters (2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.080403 , Journal information: Physical Review Letters Dominik Rauch et al, Cosmic Bell Test Using Random Measurement Settings from High-Redshift Quasars,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.080403 , dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.080403

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.
The same study site in late March 2011, before the drought began, and in late March 2014, three years into the drought. Researchers were able to study the response of this unique ecosystem to an exceptional climate event. Credit: J. Chesnut

The Carrizo Plain National Monument is a little-known ecological hotspot in Southern California. Though small, it explodes in wildflowers each spring and is full of threatened or endangered species.

A long-term study led by the University of Washington and the University of California, Berkeley tracked how hundreds of species in this valley fared during the historic drought that struck California from 2012 to 2015. It shows surprising winners and losers, uncovering patterns that may be relevant for climate change.

The findings are published Aug. 20 in Nature Climate Change.

"The Carrizo Plain is one of the global hotspots of endangered species, with endangered species at every trophic level: plants, rodents, carnivores," said lead author Laura Prugh, a UW assistant professor of quantitative wildlife sciences, part of the UW School of Environmental and Forestry Sciences. "It also is an ideal laboratory to see how an exceptional climate event affects a whole ecosystem."

By studying this natural laboratory for many years, researchers found that drought actually helped ecological underdogs by stressing the dominant species. Similar patterns are likely to hold up for other ecosystems, Prugh said.

"We think that even though these extreme climate events, in the short term, can be pretty devastating for some populations, in the long run they might be important in maintaining biodiversity in the system, by keeping inferior competitors from getting pushed out of the system entirely," she said.

Giant kangaroo rats were common on the Carrizo Plain until the third year of the drought, when more than 90 percent of the population died off. Credit: John Roser

The results also showed surprising losers: carnivores, ranging from foxes to barn owls. These suffered when their favorite prey species became scarce in year three of the drought.

"A lot of times when people think about drought what they're really concerned about is plants, and there isn't as much focus on animal populations," Prugh said. "Our results show that when these extended droughts occur, we really want to pay attention to animals at the top of the food chain, because they're likely to be hit pretty hard."

Prugh began the project in 2007 as a postdoctoral researcher with co-author Justin Brashares, at the University of California, Berkeley, to study the giant kangaroo rat and other endangered species that are abundant in the Carrizo Plain. She sought to understand the relationship between different species to see how protecting one might affect the others.

Then in 2012, the drought begana prolonged dry spell that studies show may be the worst that California has experienced in 1,200 years.

"We saw our sites turn from these areas that were just beautiful and filled with wildflowers in the spring to what really looked like the surface of the moon," Prugh said. "We realized that we were in a unique position to look at how this historic climate event affected an entire community."

Field crews collected data on 423 species spanning plants, birds, reptiles, mammals and insects. Their field season went from late March through late August from 2007 onward, with support from the National Science Foundation, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Wildflowers in bloom across the Carrizo Plain, shown in 2016. Credit: Laura Prugh/University of Washington

The laborious endeavor took many forms. Researchers cordoned off random plots of land and counted plants inside each square. They dug holes and put pitfall traps to catch insects, and identified everything that fell inside over a two-week period. They set live traps to catch rodents and other small animals during the day, and different traps to catch nocturnal rodents. The volunteer-run Carrizo Plain Christmas Bird Count provided the best numbers for birds. While driving around at night, researchers shone flashlights to look for reflections off the eyes of nocturnal animals. Observers counted the numbers of pronghorn antelope and tule elk from small airplanes.

Over the years, the fate of hundreds of species show how the prolonged drought affected the ecosystem:

Plants suffered immediately from the drought, and the impacts grew gradually more severe every year

Giant kangaroo rats remained plentiful during the first and second year of the drought, but in the third year their numbers plummeted 11-fold

As populations of dominant species collapsed, plant and animals that had been rare became less so, including several other species of kangaroo rats

Some 4 percent of 423 species were named "winners" because their overall numbers actually increased during the drought

Toward the end of the drought, carnivores, such as coyotes, badgers and hawks, were the hardest hit, likely because their giant kangaroo rat prey had grown scarce

"If we'd given up earlier or narrowed our efforts, we would have missed this rare and powerful opportunity to quantify how an ecological community is impacted by a major environmental shock," Brashares said. "Such shocks are intensifying on our rapidly changing planet, and we can't predict and manage their effects if we don't have studies in place to monitor them."

Since the drought ended in 2015, the Carrizo Plain ecosystem has bounced back and the giant kangaroo rat population has also recovered.

"In terms of implications for climate change, it gives some cause for optimism in showing that ecosystems have a remarkable ability to handle some of these extreme events," Prugh said.

Results suggest that focusing on how key prey species respond to a drought could help to predict the fate of top predators, Prugh said, and those key prey species could become a focus for conservation efforts.

Explore further Heatwave and climate change having negative impact on our soil, say experts

More information: Ecological winners and losers of extreme drought in California, Nature Climate Change (2018). www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0255-1 Journal information: Nature Climate Change Ecological winners and losers of extreme drought in California,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0255-1
Ancient stone carving of the Maya God Pauahtun, taken at Copan Ruinas, Honduras. Credit: Peter Douglas

Deforestation is suspected to have contributed to the mysterious collapse of Mayan civilization more than 1,000 years ago. A new study shows that the forest-clearing also decimated carbon reservoirs in the tropical soils of the Yucatan peninsula region long after ancient cities were abandoned and the forests grew back.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, underscore how important soils and our treatment of them could be in determining future levels of greenhouse gases in the planet's atmosphere.

The Maya began farming around 4,000 years ago, and the spread of agriculture and building of cities eventually led to widespread deforestation and soil erosion, previous research has shown. What's most surprising in the new study is that the soils in the region haven't fully recovered as carbon sinks in over a millennium of reforestation, says McGill University geochemist Peter Douglas, lead author of the new paper.

Ecosystem 'fundamentally changed'

"When you go to this area today, much of it looks like dense, old-growth rainforest," says Douglas, an Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill. "But when you look at soil carbon storage, it seems the ecosystem was fundamentally changed and never returned to its original state."

Soil is one of the largest storehouses of carbon on Earth, containing at least twice as much carbon as today's atmosphere. Yet scientists have very little understanding of how soil carbon reservoirs change on timescales longer than a decade or so. The new study, along with other recently published research, suggests that these reservoirs can change dramatically on timescales spanning centuries or even millennia.

Sediment from mesoamerican lakes show that the carbon reserves in Central American soils are still affected by ancient Mayan deforestation. Credit: McGill University

To investigate these long-term effects, Douglas and his co-authors examined sediment cores extracted from the bottom of three lakes in the Maya Lowlands of southern Mexico and Guatemala. The researchers used measurements of radiocarbon, an isotope that decays with time, to determine the age of molecules called plant waxes, which are usually stored in soils for a long time because they become attached to minerals. They then compared the age of wax molecules with that of plant fossils deposited with the sediments.

The teamwhich included scientists from Yale University, ETH Zurich, the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin-Superiorfound that once the ancient Maya began deforesting the landscape, the age difference between the fossils and the plant waxes went from being very large to very small. This implies that carbon was being stored in soils for much shorter periods of time.

The project stemmed from research that Douglas had done several years ago as a Ph.D. student at Yale, using plant-wax molecules to trace past climate change affecting the ancient Maya. At the same time, work by other researchers was indicating that these molecules were a good tracer for changes in soil-carbon reservoirs. "Putting these things together, we realized there was an important data-set here relating ancient deforestation to changes in soil carbon reservoirs," Douglas explains.

Researchers sampling lake sediment in one of the three lakes in Guatemala studied in this paper. Credit: Mark Brenner

Protecting old-growth tropical forests

"This offers another reasonadding to a long listto protect the remaining areas of old-growth tropical forests in the world," Douglas says. "It could also have implications for how we design things like carbon offsets, which often involve reforestation but don't fully account for the long-term storage of carbon." (Carbon offsets enable companies or individuals to offset their greenhouse-gas emissions by purchasing credits from environmental projects, such as tree-planting.)

The technique used by the researchers has been developed only recently. In the years ahead, "it would be great to analyze tropical forests in other regions of the world to see if the same patterns emergeand to see if past human deforestation and agriculture had an impact on soil carbon reservoirs globally," Douglas says. "I'm also very interested in applying this technique to permafrost regions in Canada to see what happened to carbon stored in permafrost during previous periods of climate change."

Explore further Fungi respire millennium-old carbon from Antarctic soil

More information: Peter M. J. Douglas et al, A long-term decrease in the persistence of soil carbon caused by ancient Maya land use, Nature Geoscience (2018). Journal information: Nature Geoscience Peter M. J. Douglas et al, A long-term decrease in the persistence of soil carbon caused by ancient Maya land use,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-018-0192-7
Credit: Brigham Young University

Her major in environmental sciences has given Griffin all kinds of opportunities. She competed with BYU's Mars Rover team. She presented at conferences in Leuven, Belgium; Portland, Oregon; Boulder, Colorado; and Davos, Switzerland. But visiting both poles, where she completed research with her team from BYU, was a unique experience.

"I can't imagine anywhere but BYU sending an undergraduate student to do research at both poles. I feel ridiculously lucky to have gone to Antarctica and the Arcticboth places are really unique and important environments to study," she said.

Griffin's work in Antarctica was a dream come true. When her faculty mentor Byron Adams had a spot open on one of his teams, he sent her a casual email asking if she was interested. Griffin was more than interestedshe was thrilled. She rushed to his office, nearly in tears, telling him she'd love to go.

That trip took them to the largest ice-free region in continental Antarctica where they worked with the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research Group. The team studied how microscopic worms and other microfauna in the soil responded to changes in the environment like soil warming and lake level rise.

The team published a paper explaining their findings: when soil nutrients change, the microbial community can respond in a wide range of ways, from increased biodiversity to an altered biological network. Most excitingly, this research is a great example of how Antarctic scientists can collaborate on long-term projects and use the relatively simple ecosystem to test ideas in ecology.

Standing by a soil sampling spot and NSF helicopter in Beacon Valley, Antarctica. Credit: Brigham Young University

Her work in the Arctic allowed Griffin to design and carry out an entire project. The research looks at how thawing permafrost is affecting the microbial communities and chemistry of Arctic streams. She hopes the research contributes to a conversation about Arctic warming, helping the scientific community understand how ecosystems respond to climate change.

A typical day in the field, like Griffin has done in the Arctic and Antarctica, involves early mornings, lab gear, and heading out to the field site on a snowmobile (or helicopter!). Fieldwork involves a lot of being lost and getting dirtybut Griffin always enjoys her time.

Griffin isn't all science, all the time. She also has an appreciation for the humanities. She grew up in a humanities-based home with a dad who researches history and a mom who teaches English. She believes scientists have a responsibility to communicate their findings, which she hopes to do with the skills she has acquired through her minor in writing and rhetoric.

"What I love most about studying environmental science is that it really feels like my projects matterI'm helping to further our understanding of how our environment works and what we need to do to keep it healthy. There's just a sense of wonder whenever you discover new things about the natural world," said Natasha.

"BYU is the best place I could have studied environmental sciencethe faculty study diverse parts of the environment, and they're truly dedicated to involving undergraduates in their research and helping them to develop their own ideas."

After graduation, Griffin will do a bit more traveling. A road trip around the west, a backpacking trip in Australia and a trip back to Alaska are on her list. She's also committed to the work she's done in Antarctica and will be going back with her team for more research. When all the traveling is finished, Natasha plans to go to graduate school where she will study ecology.

Explore further Scientists lack vital knowledge on rapid Arctic climate change

More information: Zachary T. Aanderud et al. Stoichiometric Shifts in Soil C:N:P Promote Bacterial Taxa Dominance, Maintain Biodiversity, and Deconstruct Community Assemblages, Frontiers in Microbiology (2018). Zachary T. Aanderud et al. Stoichiometric Shifts in Soil C:N:P Promote Bacterial Taxa Dominance, Maintain Biodiversity, and Deconstruct Community Assemblages,(2018). DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01401
For stink bugs to attract a mate or to communicate that they have found food, they use their own chemical language: pheromones. Virginia Tech researchers have discovered insights into this chemical language, which can be used to develop alternative pest controls. Credit: Virginia Tech

For stink bugs to attract a mate or to communicate that they have found food, they use their own chemical language: pheromones.

Virginia Tech researchers have discovered insights into this chemical language, which can be used to develop alternative pest controls.

"We have gained a deeper understanding of how stink bugs synthesize pheromones, and this knowledge may allow us to produce pheromones in expendable food cropsalso called 'trap crops' - to lure the bugs away from cash crops," said Dorothea Tholl, a professor of biological sciences in the College of Science and a Fralin Life Science Institute affiliate.

These new environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives to insecticides could save farmers millions of dollars.

In Virginia, crops such as grapes, sweet corn, and apples, have been under attack by the invasive brown marmorated stink bug since 2004; cabbage has also been affected, but by the harlequin stink bug. A relative, the southern green stinkbug is also a severe pest worldwide and attacks many different crops including beans and soybeans.

Tholl is interested in the chemical communication of organisms and studies how this chemical language has evolved in insects. With support by a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, her lab investigates the enzymes that produce stinkbug pheromones in an interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues at Virginia Tech and national and international institutions.

Her team's research has recently been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Recent Virginia Tech doctoral graduate Jason Lancaster examines a harlequin stink bug infestation in Virginia. Credit: Virginia Tech

"Our recent paper provides valuable insight into our understanding of how insects synthesize complex sesquiterpene compounds that are typically used as pheromones. The work could pave the way in the future for plants to manufacture insect pheromones, which could be utilized in pest surveillance and pest management strategies, such as attract and kill," said Thomas Kuhar, a professor of entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist.

Very little was known about the biosynthetic evolution of these insect pheromones, and the research of Tholl's team has shown that stink bugs have their own enzymatic machinery to make pheromones without receiving them from symbiotic microbes or the host plant, as was previously thought.

Jason Lancaster of Knoxville, Tennessee, a recent biological sciences Ph.D. graduate from Tholl's lab, used next-generation sequencing to identify and functionally characterize the first enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of the harlequin bug pheromone compound.

"Pheromones for thousands of insects are known, but very little is known about the synthesis of the pheromones. This paper focuses on terpene derived pheromones from the harlequin stink bug Murgantia histrionica and encompasses many years of research. Besides the development of dead-end trap crops, this research may allow establishing "RNAi interference" type gene silencing mechanisms to disrupt the pheromone production of the insect," said Lancaster.

Lancaster also found that other stink bugs such as the brown marmorated stink bug use enzymes in pheromone biosynthesis similar to that identified in the harlequin bug. Beyond the team's current study on stink bug pheromones, the research may allow for exciting future discoveries in the biosynthesis of pheromones of other insects and their application in pest management.

Two of Tholl's graduate students, Andrew Muchlinski and Bryan Lehner, are co-authors on the paper and contributed substantially to this research.

There is commercial interest in using the genetic tools developed by Tholl's team to produce the pheromones via synthetic biology for application in the field to promote pest mating disruption.

"Overall, we are excited about the prospect that our research has the potential to develop new pest management techniques," says Tholl.

More information: Jason Lancaster el al., "De novo formation of an aggregation pheromone precursor by a trans-isoprenyl diphosphate synthase-related terpene synthase in the harlequin bug Murgantia histrionica," PNAS (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Jason Lancaster el al., "De novo formation of an aggregation pheromone precursor by a trans-isoprenyl diphosphate synthase-related terpene synthase in the harlequin bug Murgantia histrionica,"(2018). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1800008115
Champagne grapes are all harvested by hand, requiring the labour of 120,000 mainly seasonal workers

Champagne's grape harvest kicked off on Monday, about two weeks earlier than usual, with the industry predicting a "very good" vintage of the prized bubbly thanks to ideal weather conditions.

The first contingent of the region's army of around 120,000 seasonal workersall Champagne grapes are picked by handgot to work in several villages of the region's southern Cote des Bar area.

"The remarkable condition of the grapes and ideal weather conditions made starting the harvest early an easy decision," the Comite Champagne said in a statement.

The ideal weather conditions of the spring and summer promise an "excellent 2018 vintage", said the group, which sets its harvest calendar by sampling the grapes' maturity, alcohol content and acidity.

Some producers even jumped the gun, with Champagne Beaufort Reolan organic vineyardstarting its harvest last Friday.

"There were already lots of good, ripe grapes on the ground" as the workers began picking, vintner Jacques Beaufort told AFP.

"If I'd waited another week, the harvest would have been ruined."

The schedule will see the region's 300 or so winegrowing villages gradually join the picking through the end of August and up to September 2.

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 2018 AFP
On August 19, 2018 at 12:43 p.m. EDT (1643 UTC) the GPM satellite measured rainfall intensity measurements near hurricane Lane's eye was over 143 mm (5.6 inches) per hour. Rain was falling at a rate of over 89 mm (3.5 inches) per hour in an intense feeder band wrapping around the northern side of the hurricane. The lowest cloud heights are blue while the tallest storm tops are shown in yellow. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

Hurricane Lane had moved westward into the central Pacific Ocean far southeast of the Hawaiian Islands when NASA's GPM core observatory satellite passed above and looked it the heavy rainfall it was generating. Hurricane Lane may be a threat to portions of the Hawaiian Islands this week.

Hurricane Lane intensified and had maximum sustained winds reaching about 105 knots (~ 121 mph) when GPM passed overhead on August 19, 2018 at 12:43 p.m. EDT (1643 UTC). This made it a category three on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.

The GPM satellite's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments provided highly accurate information about precipitation within the hurricane. GPM's GMI revealed rainfall coverage and GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) provided precise rainfall intensity measurements near the hurricane's eye. GPM's radar found that rain was falling at a rate of over 89 mm (3.5 inches) per hour in an intense feeder band wrapping around the northern side of the hurricane. GPM's DPR (shown in lighter shades) also measured precipitation in powerful storms in Lane's eye wall that were dropping rain at a rate of over 143 mm (5.6 inches) per hour.

The GPM satellite's radar data (DPR Ku Band) were used to provide a unique 3-D cross-section view of rainfall intensity in hurricane LANE's eye wall. DPR revealed that very strong downpours there were returning radar reflectivity values greater than 57 dBZ to the GPM satellite. GPM's Ku band radar is capable of showing the 3-D structure of precipitation to heights of 19 km (11.8 miles). Those GPM radar data revealed that the tops of very powerful storms in Lane's eye wall were reaching heights above 14.3 km (8.9 miles). GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.

On August 19, 2018 at 12:43 p.m. EDT (1643 UTC) the GPM satellite measured rainfall intensity measurements near Hurricane Lane's eye was over 143 mm (5.6 inches) per hour. Rain was falling at a rate of over 89 mm (3.5 inches) per hour in an intense feeder band wrapping around the northern side of the hurricane. The lowest cloud heights are blue while the tallest storm tops are shown in yellow. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

On Aug. 20, NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center or CPHC in Honolulu, Hawaii cautioned "All interests in the Hawaiian Islands, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, should continue to closely monitor the progress of Lane this week. On the current forecast track, a Tropical Storm or Hurricane Watch may be required for parts of Hawaii later today or tonight."

At 5 a.m. HST/11 a.m. EDT/1500 UTC, the center of Hurricane Lane was located near latitude 13.7 degrees north and longitude 148.2 degrees west. Lane is moving toward the west near 14 mph (22 kph), and this general motion is expected to continue today. Lane is forecast to move westward at a slightly slower forward speed from tonight through early Tuesday, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest starting late Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph (205 kph) with higher gusts. Lane is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength is expected through early Tuesday, with some weakening possible starting late Tuesday.

CPHC cautioned "Large swells generated by Lane will impact the Hawaiian Islands this week. These swells will likely produce large and dangerous surf, as well as strong currents, along some shorelines."

For updated forecasts, visit: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc

Explore further Intensifying Hurricane Lane examined by GPM satellite
Stone pendants and earrings from the communal cemetery of Lothagam North, Kenya, built by eastern Africa's earliest herders ~5000-4300 years ago. Megaliths, stone circles, and cairns flank the 30-m platform mound; its mortuary cavity contains an estimated several hundred individuals, tightly arranged. Most burials had highly personalized ornaments. Lothagam North demonstrates monumentality may arise among dispersed, mobile groups without strong hierarchy. Credit: Carla Klehm.

An international team, including researchers at Stony Brook University and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, has found the earliest and largest monumental cemetery in eastern Africa. The Lothagam North Pillar Site was built 5,000 years ago by early pastoralists living around Lake Turkana, Kenya. This group is believed to have had an egalitarian society, without a stratified social hierarchy. Thus, their construction of such a large public project contradicts longstanding narratives about early complex societies, which suggest that a stratified social structure is necessary to enable the construction of large public buildings or monuments. The study, led by Elisabeth Hildebrand, of Stony Brook University, is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Lothagam North Pillar Site was a communal cemetery constructed and used over a period of several centuries between about 5,000 and 4,300 years ago. Early herders built a platform approximately 30 meters in diameter and excavated a large cavity in the center to bury their dead. After the cavity was filled and capped with stones, the builders placed large, megalith pillars, some sourced from as much as a kilometer away, on top. Stone circles and cairns were added nearby. An estimated minimum of 580 individuals were densely buried within the central platform cavity of the site. Men, women and children of different ages, from infants to the elderly, were all buried in the same area, without any particular burials being singled out with special treatment. Additionally, essentially all individuals were buried with personal ornaments and the distribution of ornaments was approximately equal throughout the cemetery. These factors indicate a relatively egalitarian society without strong social stratification.

Historically, archaeologists have theorized that people built permanent monuments as reminders of shared history, ideals and culture, when they had established a settled, socially stratified agriculture society with abundant resources and strong leadership. It was believed that a political structure and the resources for specialization were prerequisites to engaging in monument building. Ancient monuments have thus previously been regarded as reliable indicators of complex societies with differentiated social classes. However, the Lothagam North cemetery was constructed by mobile pastoralists who show no evidence of a rigid social hierarchy. "This discovery challenges earlier ideas about monumentality," explains Elizabeth Sawchuk of Stony Brook University and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "Absent other evidence, Lothagam North provides an example of monumentality that is not demonstrably linked to the emergence of hierarchy, forcing us to consider other narratives of social change."

Stone palette with zoomorphic bovine carving from the communal cemetery of Lothagam North, Kenya, built by eastern Africa's earliest herders ~5000-4300 years ago. Megaliths, stone circles, and cairns flank the 30-m platform mound; its mortuary cavity contains an estimated several hundred individuals, tightly arranged. Most burials had highly personalized ornaments. Lothagam North demonstrates monumentality may arise among dispersed, mobile groups without strong hierarchy. Credit: Katherine Grillo.

The discovery is consistent with similar examples elsewhere in Africa and on other continents in which large, monumental structures have been built by groups thought to be egalitarian in their social organization. This research has the potential to reshape global perspectives on howand whylarge groups of people come together to form complex societies. In this case, it appears that Lothagam North was built during a period of profound change. Pastoralism had just been introduced to the Turkana Basin and newcomers arriving with sheep, goats, and cattle would have encountered diverse groups of fisher-hunter-gatherers already living around the lake. Additionally, newcomers and locals faced a difficult environmental situation, as annual rainfall decreased during this period and Lake Turkana shrunk by as much as fifty percent. Early herders may have constructed the cemetery as a place for people to come together to form and maintain social networks to cope with major economic and environmental change.

View of Lothagam North Pillar Kenya, built by eastern Africa's earliest herders ~5000-4300 years ago. Megaliths, stone circles, and cairns can be seen behind the 30-m platform mound; its mortuary cavity contains an estimated several hundred individuals, tightly arranged. Most burials had highly personalized ornaments. Lothagam North demonstrates monumentality may arise among dispersed, mobile groups without strong hierarchy. Credit: Katherine Grillo.

"The monuments may have served as a place for people to congregate, renew social ties, and reinforce community identity," states Anneke Janzen also of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "Information exchange and interaction through shared ritual may have helped mobile herders navigate a rapidly changing physical landscape." After several centuries, pastoralism became entrenched and lake levels stabilized. It was around this time that the cemetery ceased to be used.

"The Lothagam North Pillar Site is the earliest known monumental site in eastern Africa, built by the region's first herders," states Hildebrand. "This finding makes us reconsider how we define social complexity, and the kinds of motives that lead groups of people to create public architecture."

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More information: Elisabeth A. Hildebrand el al., "A monumental cemetery built by eastern Africa's first herders near Lake Turkana, Kenya," PNAS (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Elisabeth A. Hildebrand el al., "A monumental cemetery built by eastern Africa's first herders near Lake Turkana, Kenya,"(2018). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1721975115
Geographic locations of 34 modern Indo-European populations, colored by language group. Credit: Science China Press

Does the mother or father have a stronger influence on their children's language? The mother tongue hypothesis suggests that language usage follows matrilineal inheritance. The father tongue hypothesis holds that paternal lines dominate the local language in an already populated region, which was proposed based on other genetic and anthropological research.

A team of researchers led by population geneticist Li Jin found that in Indo-European populations, the paternal lineages (Y-chromosome) were correlated to the vocabulary (lexicon) of their languages, while the maternal lineages were associated with pronunciation (phonemes). For the study, the authors explored the genetic-linguistic relationship of 34 populations speaking different Indo-European (IE) languages. They assembled compositions of the Y-chromosomal and mtDNA haplogroups or paragroups from these IE populations, which reflect paternal and maternal lines, respectively. These haplogroups or paragroups were defined using stable mutations that all developed in the Paleolithic Age (over 10,000 years ago). For comparing the IE languages, the basic word list and phonemic inventory they used reflect the vocabulary system and sound system in a language, respectively.

The team found that that the change in lexicon reflects the differences in paternal lines, while phonemic dissimilarity reflects the differences in maternal lines, after removing the effect of geography. Such observations of unbalanced correlations were consistent with differently sized lexical datasets, and were successfully evaluated for their robustness based on alternative statistical approaches.

Dr. Menghan Zhang, the first author of this paper indicated that the unbalanced correlation between genetics and linguistics can be explained by male-dominant population contact, and the strategy of language learning by local females, which is similar to second language acquisition.

The authors note that this study was on the basis of correlation analysis, but not causal inference. However, they also proposed one hypothetical scenario of language evolution that fathers could affect the usage of words, while mothers could pass down pronunciations. The research was published in the National Science Review.

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More information: Reconciling the father tongue and mother tongue hypotheses in Indo-European populations, Reconciling the father tongue and mother tongue hypotheses in Indo-European populations, DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwy083
Aggregation of marimo balls in the laboratory, with one that has become buoyant. Credit: Dora Cano-Ramirez and Ashutosh Sharma

Scientists from the University of Bristol have uncovered the age-old mystery of why marimo algae balls sink at night and float during the day.

The balls are a rare form of algae found naturally in lakes in the northern hemisphere, particularly Japan and Iceland.

In Japan they have such important cultural significance, they are a protected species. They are also very popular with aquarium owners, although, in recent years, their popularity has resulted in a significant decline.

In a new paper, published today in the journal Current Biology, Bristol biologists have shown that photosynthesis and daily circadian rhythms are responsible for the floating and sinking of the balls.

When these aquatic plants photosynthesise, they become covered in tiny bubbles of oxygen, which the scientists predicted was the cause of their buoyancy.

They tested their theory by using a chemical that stops photosynthesis. The chemical stopped bubbles forming, so the marimo did not float.

The lab then investigated whether the photosynthesising surface of the algae balls had a biological "clock" or circadian rhythm.

Marimo were kept under dim red light for several days. They discovered that if the marimo were then given bright light at the time that corresponded to the start of the day, they floated much more rapidly than if they were given light at the middle of the day.

This shows that marimo floating is controlled by their biological clock.

The study may have future implications for conserving marimo, which have experienced a global decline.

Ph.D. student Dora Cano-Ramirez, lead author of the study, said: "Unfortunately, marimo balls are endangered, being currently found in only half the lakes where they were once spotted.

"This might be caused by changes in light penetration due to pollution. By understanding the responses to environmental cues and how the circadian clock controls floating, we hope to contribute to its conservation and reintroduction in other countries."

Japanese botanist, Takuya Kawakami, from the Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University) first discovered the green algae aggregates in the bay of Lake Akan and named them "marimo" in 1897.

However, Aegagropila linnaei the scientific name was given by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in samples collected at the Dannemora Lake in Sweden.

Marimo from Lake Akan were designated a Natural Monument of Japan in 1921, and Special Natural Treasure in 1952 which started the conservation efforts on these so called "mysterious creatures" because most of its physiology and ecology are still unknown.

Lake Akan is unique due to its basin shaped form, shallow bays and diverse mineral water which harbours a Marimo community of an estimated 600 million, with some individuals recorded to be over 30 cm.

Due to its beauty and critically-endangered status, Marimo has been used as an environmental education tool and is subject of a three-day annual festival by the Ainu people in Hokkaido, where marimo is welcomed at the beginning of the festivities and returned to the lake at the end in a sacred ceremony.

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More information: 'Photosynthesis and circadian rhythms regulate the buoyancy of marimo lake balls' by D. Cano-Ramirez, T. de Fraine, O. Griffiths and A. Dodd, Current Biology (2018). Journal information: Current Biology 'Photosynthesis and circadian rhythms regulate the buoyancy of marimo lake balls' by D. Cano-Ramirez, T. de Fraine, O. Griffiths and A. Dodd,(2018).
This graphic shows the flux of radiation detected by NASA Mars Science Laboratory on the trip from Earth to Mars. The spikes in radiation levels occurred because of large solar energetic particle events caused by giant flares on the sun. Credit: NASA

New technology that detects radiation from the sun in real time and immediately predicts subsequent health risks could protect astronauts on future deep-space missions, according to a new study.

Astronauts face dangers during solar energetic particle, or SEP, events, which occur when an eruption in the sun's atmosphere hurls high-energy protons out into space. These protons can penetrate the walls of a spacecraft and enter the human body.

This radiation can cause immediate effects such as nausea, performance degradation and other acute radiation syndromes, while long-term effects can include cancer, degenerative tissue damage, heart disease and damage to the central nervous system.

In a new study, scientists outline a new tool designed to protect astronauts from these harmful effects. The tool was developed for NASA's upcoming Exploration Mission-1, which will send the Orion spacecraft around the Moon to simulate deep-space flight.

The SEP Acute Radiation Risk Tool aboard the spacecraft will report radiation detection levels to Mission Control in real time. The information will allow scientists on the ground to immediately predict the biological effects of any given SEP event and provide warnings to astronauts on the spacecraft to take shelter if necessary.

"The tool that I developed is to take those [SEP] measurements and convert that into the quantities that you really want to know: What are the organ doses within the body?" said Christopher Mertens, a physicist at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and lead author of the new study in Space Weather, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. "Then the second step is: Knowing the organ doses within the body, what can we expect as a biological response to that?"

This two-step process did not exist before Mertens' research, which he said is vital in keeping astronauts safe during deep-space missions. Before the new tool was developed, there was no way of knowing the amount of radiation astronauts were exposed to until after an SEP event took place, according to Mertens.

"Without the protective environment of the Earth, acute radiation effectsvomiting, nausea, fatigue, weakness, performance degradationall of that is a real possibility," Mertens said. "The fact that we are going into deep space now is really prompting to better characterize the environment."

The SEP Acute Radiation Risk Tool in action

The SEP Acute Radiation Risk Tool uses dosimeters aboard the spacecraft to measure the absorbed dose of ionizing radiation. These readings are sent to the Mission Control at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston in real time, where they are then inputted into the SEP organ dose model, which predicts organ doses at the different crew locations within the spacecraft. Once received, the measurements are inputted into a biological model that determines the possible risks to astronauts.

The tool uses the geometry and mass distribution of the spacecraft and its storm shelter to determine the risks astronauts might face. The tool uses a detailed model of where each part of the spacecraft is located, how much mass they have and the overall geometry of the spacecraft. All these components are folded into the SEP Acute Radiation Risk Tool to determine the risk to the astronauts.

"An ideal use of [the SEP Acute Radiation Risk Tool] is: There's a solar storm in effect and the spacecraft is measuring the radiation dose rates, it's getting fed into the model, and we're predicting what sort of biological effects [will occur] in response to this," Mertens said. "The tool would be able to tell us whether this storm is going to have an adverse effect on mission success."

Should the readings indicate dangerous levels of radiation, the astronauts will retreat to a storm shelter aboard the spacecraft. The shelter has more mass surrounding it, shielding the astronauts inside. More mass is more protection, which is why the new tool is unnecessary for the International Space Station. The ISS itself has a lot of mass and is protected by the Earth's magnetic shielding, according to Mertens.

The new tool was tested using data from the October 1989 SEP event, a historically large solar storm. The benchmark storm has been well studied, and the radiation properties of this event are well known, Mertens said. A solar storm of this magnitude could occur in future exploration missions, and the Orion spacecraft and its shelter are designed for such an event, he said.

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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.
The State Library in Victoria illustrates that libraries are so much more than just places that contain books. Credit: shutterstock.com

In 2017, archaeologists discovered the ruins of the oldest public library in Cologne, Germany. The building may have housed up to 20,000 scrolls, and dates back to the Roman era in the second century. When literacy was restricted to a tiny elite, this library was open to the public. Located in the centre of the city in the marketplace, it sat at the heart of public life.

We may romanticise the library filled with ancient books; an institution dedicated to the interior life of the mind. But the Cologne discovery tells us something else. It suggests libraries may have meant something more to cities and their inhabitants than being just repositories of the printed word.

Contemporary public libraries tell us this too. Membership has generally declined or flat-lined, but people are now using libraries for more than borrowing books. Children come to play video games or complete homework assignments together. People go to hear lectures and musical performances, or attend craft workshops and book clubs.

Libraries have become vital for the marginalised, such as the homeless, to access essential government services such as Centrelink, and to stay connected. They have become defacto providers of basic digital literacy training  such as how to use an iPad or access an eGov account. Others cater to tech-enthusiasts offering advanced courses on coding or robotics in purpose-built spaces and laboratories.

Yet the future of Australia's public libraries is unfolding according to a contradictory, double narrative. One-off funding for "feature" libraries built by star architects exists in parallel with cuts and closures of libraries on the margins. In Victoria's city of Geelong, for example, three regional libraries on the city's periphery faced closure scarcely a year after the opening of the A$45m Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.

Part of the reason for this is that the expanded contribution of libraries to our communities and cities isn't recognised at higher levels of government.

Libraries have a lot of programs around technology and the use of computers. Credit: shutterstock.com

How libraries are changing

In the early 2000s, as archives shifted online, futurists predicted an imminent death to public libraries. But the threat of obsolescence made libraries take proactive steps to remain relevant in a digital world. They thought creatively about how to translate services they have always offered  universal access to information  into new formats.

Libraries digitised their collections and networked their catalogues, exponentially extending the range of materials users could access. They introduced e-books and e-readers to read them with. They mounted screens to watch movies or to play video games.

They also installed computers crucial to that 14% of the population who don't have access to the internet at home. And they wired up their spaces with free WiFi, retrofitting extra power-points so users could plug in their own devices.

Besides offering new technologies and services, libraries offer people a welcoming, safe space to gather without the pressure to spend money. Investing in attractive, versatile furnishings, they have actively encouraged people to dwell in their spaces, whether this is to read a newspaper, complete a job application online, or to study.

In an age where communication technologies create both efficiency as well as forms of isolation, such spaces assume a renewed social importance.

The Geelong Library and Heritage Centre cost millions of dollars to build, while three local libraries lost funding. Credit: shutterstock.com

How libraries shape the city

As vital as libraries are to individuals, their value is also connected to broader civic agendas. Libraries have deliberately sought to change perceptions of themselves from spaces of collection to spaces of creation. Some, such as the State Library of Victoria, see themselves facilitating creativity not only in an artistic sense, but also as entrepreneurial hubs for start-ups and budding innovators.

Public libraries have promoted their relevance to cities by strategically aligning themselves with government visions of economic growth. For instance, the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre was a signature investment in Geelong's Digital Strategy, promoted as a "platform" to build "digital capacity" and a visible symbol of the city's transition to a digital future.

Others, such as Dandenong library in Victoria, attract high levels of funding as part of urban renewal projects aimed at revitalising declining urban precincts.

These high-profile libraries, usually in urban centres, overshadow the uncertain fate of smaller libraries on the periphery, fighting to stay viable due to insufficient funding.

This contradiction is occurring because provisioning for libraries is not embedded at high levels of urban planning and policy making. There is no nationally consistent model for allocating funds between the states and local government. Nor is there a consistent framework across Australia for evaluating library performance.

Critically and most revealingly, libraries are evaluated based on traditional metrics, such as loan and membership numbers, capturing only a fraction of the full value they contribute to our individual and collective life. Failure to recognise this by governments and policymakers puts at risk the diverse and nuanced ways libraries might shape Australia's future.

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This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre today revealed the most detailed picture yet of the prison population in Wales.

The previously unseen data, which was obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, details the prisons where all Welsh prisoners are being held, as well as which of the 22 local authority areas they come from. Separately, there is information to show the local authority origin of all English prisoners who are serving their terms in Wales.

Imprisonment in Wales: A Breakdown by Local Authority, is a follow-up to Imprisonment in Wales: A Factfile, which was released earlier in the year. Both are part of a two-year research project by the Wales Governance Centre entitled Justice and Jurisdiction, which will explore the organisation and operation of the justice system in Wales. The latest report, which, for the first time, gives an insight into the geographical spread of Welsh and English prisoners, is being shared with local authorities, Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service in Wales Welsh Government and the Commission on Justice in Wales.

The report includes two datasets: a breakdown by local authority and prison of all Welsh prisoners and information on the local authority origin of all English prisoners currently being held in Welsh prisons.

Key findings of the data, captured in June 2018, include:

37 percent of all Welsh prisoners (based on home address prior to entering custody) were in England  spread across 104 prisons;

Welsh people were held within 91 percent of English prisons (104 out of 116);

Prisoners from different local authorities in Wales are frequently held in England. For example, male prisoners from Flintshire are held at 44 different English prisons. Male prisoners from Carmarthenshire are held at 36 different English prisons.

There were a total of 261 Welsh women in prison at the end of June 2018. Welsh women were being held in each of the 12 women's prisons in England.

30 percent of all prisoners held in Wales in June 2018 had an address in England prior to entering custody.

There were prisoners at HMP Berwyn, in north Wales, from 125 English local authoritieswhich make up 83 percent of all unitary and county authority areas in England (125 out of 151)

At HMP and YOI Parc, in south Wales, prisoners from 74 unitary and county level authorities in England (49 percent) were being held at the prison.

There are currently a total of 4704 Welsh prisoners, who are spread across 110 different prisons in Wales and England.

Dr. Robert Jones, of Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre, commented: "This report presents an accurate statistical picture of the prison population in and from Wales. By making this information publicly available for the very first time we hope that it will help those responsible for prisoners and prison leavers across Wales to better target and deliver services.

"We must recognise that prisoner location is a complex but important issue, which hasn't been fully scrutinised or explored. As recently argued by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, dispersal and distances from home is an area that requires further attention if we are to see improved outcomes. I hope that this information contributes to further discussions about imprisonment and the justice system in Wales."

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US, EU reach agreement to settle rift over Trump-era tariffs

ROME (AP)  The U.S. and European Union have reached an agreement to settle their diplomatic rift over Trump-era steel and aluminum tariffs, the White House announced Saturday, as President Joe Biden is in Rome attending the Group of 20 summit. The Trump administration had placed taxes on EU steel and aluminum in 2018 on the claim that the foreign products produced by American allies were a threat to U.S.

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Minutes after arriving at the scene of the brutal murders of Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez nearly 37 years ago, Orcutt resident and forensic analyst Doug Coleman said he knew their deaths were the work of a law enforcement officer.
Before Stacey Q, before Cyndi Lauper, before Madonna, before Gwen Stefani there was the original recipe manic pixie dream girl, Clare Grogan. It was her ...

WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT

Symbolism, dad jokes and esoteric interpretation of the tragicomic fool's paradise of Late-Imperial America.



Opinions entirely my own and not yours. Yet.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Reuters) - A Malaysian panel of experts reviewing the economy and public finances said on Monday it will present its recommendations to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad this week, days after it completed its 100-day mandate.

Mahathir formed the "Council of Eminent Persons" after his coalition government took power following a surprise election victory in May, to help his largely inexperienced cabinet focus on problem areas and manage mounting debt and corruption.

The council's chairman, Daim Zainuddin, said its recommendations focussed on three broad themes of improving governance, the well-being of the people and promoting sustainable growth.

But he declined to go into details.

"It is up to the government, what they want to do with the recommendations. As far as we are concerned, we have finished our 100 days on Sunday," Daim told a news conference.

Mahathir, who returns on Tuesday from an official visit to China, had given the council a broad mandate to advise his administration on government policies and the management of public agencies and government-linked firms.

State-owned firms and agencies saw management shake-ups since then, including the resignation of the managing director and entire board of sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd and a change in central bank governor.

The council also established separate committees to look into a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad and institutional reforms.

The opposition and some members of Mahathir's coalition criticised the council, saying it had too much influence over the government and may have overstepped constitutional boundaries by summoning top judges.

(Reporting by Joseph Sipalan Editing by Robert Birsel)
Apple has removed thousands of gambling apps from its App Store in China after state media denounced the US technology giant for failing to protect consumers against banned online content.

Gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China, Apple said in a statement on Monday. We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store.

Apple had taken offline 500 apps, with the keyword lottery in their names between July 31 and August 13, as well as more than 4,000 gambling-related apps on August 9 to comply with regulations, according to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday.

The iPhone maker, however, has not confirmed how many apps it has wiped out of its App Store.

Chinas internet watchdog clamps down on disrespectful advertising

Policing online content, which has expanded because of the growth of social media, has become a major challenge to internet companies around the world. Earlier this year, the Chinese government launched a crackdown against various inappropriate online content.

Those include sensitive political news, lowbrow content, celebrity gossip and off-colour jokes deemed by Chinese authorities to be against socialist values.

With China as its second-largest market after the United States, the stakes are high for Apple to abide by the countrys strict laws covering online content.

Apples quarterly profit leaps 30 per cent, beating expectations and boosting valuation to near US$1 trillion

The Cupertino, California-based company, which offers more than 1.8 million apps in China, has seen 270 per cent growth in app revenue in the country over the past two years, according to a Macquarie Research published earlier this year.

Apple has a history of routinely pulling apps from its online store for various reasons. In June last year, Apple removed more than 22,000 apps from its App Store in China  nearly 10 times greater than the normal rate  after the company was blamed for taking a 30 per cent cut of revenue generated by in-app donations sent via Chinese social networking platforms like Tencent Holdings WeChat.

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The US company has also removed hundreds of virtual private network apps from its App Store in China since last year at the request of Beijing, which considers use of such software as a violation of the countrys cybersecurity laws.

Chinas Baidu turns to AI to police online content, but is the technology reliable?

Still, the Chinese government seemed less than impressed with Apples actions.

Apple established the rules for allowing apps onto its store, but it did not follow them, which has resulted in a proliferation of fake lottery apps and gambling apps, the CCTV said on Sunday.

It said Apples removal of gambling apps are not sufficient to protect consumers because the apps that have already been downloaded onto iPhones can still be used and updated.

In an earlier report on July 31, CCTV interviewed an iPhone user surnamed Mou who claimed to have lost 120,000 yuan (US$17,451) from using a lottery app downloaded from Apples App Store. It turned out that the app, which had the name Chongqing Welfare Lottery Distribution Centre, was not owned by that lottery firm based in that municipality in southwest China.

How Chinese tech start-ups are cashing in on country bumpkins

Mou was unable to file a lawsuit against the app developer because Apple refused to provide relevant information after negotiating with the US company for more than 50 days, according to the CCTV.

It said a Shanghai court has accepted Mous case, which demands that Apple provide information related to the fake lottery app and compensate his loss.

Apple said on Monday that it has set out to review rules that apps involving games, gambling and lottery tickets need to comply with relevant legal requirements of all countries and economies.

This article Apple pulls thousands of gambling apps from App Store in China amid tightened regulations first appeared on South China Morning Post

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The national body will foster better fintech collaboration

Last Wednesday, the Cambodia Fintech Association (CFA) officially launched with a commitment to give better focus more on the countrys fintech community, which includes fintech startups, accelerators, and VCs. The CFA is going to be based in Daun Penh district in Phnom Penh.

CFAs membership will consist of banks, digital payment companies, and financial operators. Cambodias central bank has also explored the use of blockchain technology to track interbank payments.

Joining the non-profit organiz\sation, fintech companies will pay a membership fee for US$100 annually.

Also Read: Qualgro makes first close of US$100M second fund, will continue to invest in B2B services

Fintech startups are slowly but surely starting to surface in Cambodia with the progressing startup community, said CFA vice president Eddie Lee, as reported by Phnom Penh Post.

The CFA has also signed a number of MoUs with other fintech associations in the region, including the Taiwan Fintech Association, Thailand Fintech Association, and Singapore Fintech Association. The next is to register the CFA as part of the Asean Fintech Network.

Chea Serey, the director-general of central banking in National Bank of Cambodia agrees on how the country has been seizing momentum and it is time for a change. We want people in remote areas to have convenient, affordable, fair and safe access to financial services, she said.

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Photo by Florian Hahn on Unsplash

The post Cambodia joins the club with a newly established fintech association appeared first on e27.
The Redcore farce has exposed abuse of the independent innovation and pursuit of rapid success in Chinas tech industry, state media warned in a commentary published on Monday.

The remarks come after the Beijing-based start-up admitted that the home-developed web browser it claimed was breaking the American monopoly was based on Googles Chrome technology.

Online postings that showed the installation software for the web browser contained Chrome files went viral last week, just one day after Redcore announced it had raised 250 million yuan (US$36 million) in funding.

Independent innovation has become a high frequency phrase spreading across academia and industry circles to the whole society, as if it can come true based solely on belief itself, the Science and Technology Daily newspaper said. If its okay to cut corners and mint quick fortunes by hyping such concepts, who else would be willing to toil on the sidelines and stick to original research?

Without the backbone principle of feet on the ground, technology innovation would end up descending into speculation, the commentary added.

Science and Technology Daily, funded by the State Science and Technology Commission and China's Academy of Science since 1986, is considered a mainstream state media outlet in the field.

Redcore CEO admits 100pc China-developed browser is built on Googles Chrome, says writing code from scratch would take many years

The public censure adds weight to the growing debate about China exaggerating its technological strength. Last week Liu Yadong, chief editor of the same publication, said the countrys lack of a scientific spirit was often the underlying reason for problems ranging from weaknesses in research to widespread counterfeiting and fraud.

Liu, who cited Chinas lack of scientific spirit despite a century of trying, sparked national soul-searching two months ago after criticising the local media for hyping Chinas strength in technological innovation.

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The self reflection coincided with Beijings apparent dialling down of rhetoric on its ambitions for global leadership in advanced technologies amid a trade war with the United States.

On Thursday Chen Benfeng, founder and chief executive of Redcore, admitted in an interview at the companys Zhongguancun headquarters in northwest Beijing, that it was wrong to have made the overblown claims.

We dont deny building on Chromes technologies, said Chen. We know that this is a life-or-death situation for the company. If we dont clarify properly, there may be no tomorrow.

Redcore didn't immediately respond to inquiries sent via WeChat. Phone calls made to a product manager at the company could not get through.

The social media revelations of Redcore also drew comparisons to false claims of breakthroughs in the past, including the case of Hanxin. In 2003, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University unveiled a digital signal processing chip he dubbed a Chinese chip, which rhymes with Chinese soul, which was later found to be based on a sanded down Motorola chip.

A century on, China still lacks the drive for scientific truth, says outspoken editor

Although Redcore did not make false claims to obtain national research funds as Hanxin did, the former was more wicked as an opportunist hyping the concept and failing to label the source  going against the spirit of open sourcing, the commentary said.

Customisation and improvement is a far cry from breaking a monopoly or independent innovation, the commentary continued. It is just common sense. Its easy to connect what they are cunningly after in business given the recent sentiment.

In last Thursdays interview Chen said: We will never promote [ourselves like that] again. No more ideological or US monopoly stuff. We will be more down-to-earth and focused solely on technology.

This article China state media blasts start-up for claiming Google Chrome-based browser as own innovation first appeared on South China Morning Post

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China called for more strategic communication with Malaysia and more cooperation on infrastructure projects as the leaders of the two countries met on Monday, amid uncertainties in their bilateral ties.

President Xi Jinping made the remarks during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, whose call for a review of Chinese projects has cast a shadow on relations between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.

Mahathir, who is on a five-day visit to China, also met Premier Li Keqiang earlier in the day, when he asked for Beijings help to tackle the financial problems facing the Southeast Asian nation and warned against colonialism over less affluent countries.

Xi and Mahathir both put on a positive front, with Xi saying the relationship between China and Malaysia had potential to grow in a new era.

The Chinese president also said Beijing hoped to strengthen cooperation with Kuala Lumpur, in particular on the Belt and Road Initiative  a vast trade and infrastructure strategy spanning Asia, Europe and Africa. He said the two sides should explore cooperation in other countries involved in the initiative, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Xi said China and Malaysia should increase their strategic communication and that Beijing wanted to cooperate more with Kuala Lumpur and other Asean members, and take a strong stance against unilateralism and protectionism.

Earlier, Mahathir and Li oversaw the signing of agreements on currency swaps and plans to increase imports of Malaysian frozen durian and palm oil.

In a joint statement released after the meetings, the two countries pledged to adopt a strategic and long-term vision and to enhance political mutual trust and practical cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Uncertainty has hung over relations between China and Malaysia since Mahathir came to power in May. He has announced plans to review at least three major Beijing-led projects, including the US$20 billion East Coast Rail Link and two pipeline projects worth a combined US$2 billion.

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The new Malaysian prime minister is in China seeking to renegotiate billions of dollars of China-led investment projects in his country, many of which were endorsed by Mahathirs predecessor, Najib Razak, who is now enveloped in a corruption investigation.

But Beijing has been eager to use Mahathirs visit to present a united front with Malaysia, Chinas biggest trading partner among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, amid an escalating trade war with the United States.

Neither side mentioned the Beijing-led projects in the joint statements, but Mahathir said his country wanted not only free but also fair trade with China.

I agree with you. Free trade is the way to go. And of course free trade should also be fair trade, Mahathir said during his meeting with Li. We do not want a situation where there is a new version of colonialism happening because poor countries are unable to compete with rich countries.

He said he hoped China could understand the problems facing Malaysia today.

And I hope that China  and I believe that China  will look sympathetically towards the problems that we have to resolve and perhaps help us in resolving some of our internal fiscal problems, he said.

A source from the Malaysian delegation said Mahathirs trip had already exceeded our expectations.

The Chinese have been very generous in their hospitality and have expressed gratitude for Tun [Mahathirs] honesty and very direct sharing of views. The same extends to this mornings meeting, those involved on our side were happy with how it went, the source said.

Oh Ei Sun, a political analyst and former Malaysian official, said China cannot afford not to be understanding because the large trading volume between the two sides and Malaysias strategic position means the country is crucial for the viability of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Malaysia is one of the more important open economies in the world. In this increasingly protectionist world, it is important for China to ally itself with more such economies, he said.

During his meeting with Mahathir, Li said Beijing would not change its friendly approach towards Kuala Lumpur despite the change in administration, and stressed that China and Asean shared a common interest in global free trade.

I believe Prime Minister Mahathir wants to express our common position on free trade, he said. No matter what changes have happened in our two countries, China-Malaysia ties have been solid, stable and upwards.

Mahathir also said he would work to improve ties with China despite ups and downs and that Malaysia did not believe in confrontation with any country.

Malaysia has a policy of being friendly to every country in the world irrespective of their ideologies, he said.

The Malaysian leader will wrap up his China trip on Tuesday.

Additional reporting by Bhavan Jaipragas and Kinling Lo

This article Malaysia big part of Beijings belt and road vision for future, says Xi Jinping first appeared on South China Morning Post

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President Trump believes that tariffs are the greatest! and tweets about them quite a lot. But on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the host pointed out that, like many things, the president may not fully understand how they work.

Trumps imposition of tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods has resulted in trade wars with both allies and foes. Everyone knows he doesnt know a lot of things, but occasionally its important to remember that he also doesnt know anything, Oliver said.

He referred to Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs, which could generate about 26,000 new jobs in the U.S., which is great. But the increase in costs to companies could also result in the loss of over 400,000 American jobs, which is bad.

If Trumps trying to create jobs, almost anything would be a better idea than tariffs, Oliver said. Hed be better off dressing a turtle up like David Bowie and throwing him into a pool full of milk. Will that create jobs? No. But it wont actively lose hundreds of thousands of them.

Olivers concern for the presidents lack of understanding of how tariffs affect the economy led him to make an animated tutorial, with the hope that Trump will watch and learn. In the video, Uncle Sam throws a tariff boomerang at China, but it comes back to hit Sams groin. A narrator explains, If you think you can use tariffs as a weapon, you should understand a tariff isnt something other countries pay you, it is a tax you are forcing your own people to pay, which might end up hurting them a lot less than it hurts you.

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver airs Sundays at 11 p.m. on HBO.

Watch as Sacha Baron Cohen convinced a food critic he was eating human meat and he loved it:

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Rio de Janeiro's drug war hit a bloody crescendo Monday when at least 11 suspected criminals and two soldiers were reported killed in a huge military sweep through impoverished favelas and during a rush-hour police car chase. The military command heading security in Brazil's second biggest city said the two troops killed were the first lost since conservative President Michel Temer sent them into protect Rio. The military command said 4,200 soldiers, backed by armored vehicles and aircraft, entered the Penha neighborhood and the Alemao and Mare favela complexes -- poor, densely populated swaths of city in large part run by heavily armed drug traffickers. Only 70 police officers were said to be involved, suggesting a turnaround from previous operations into the dangerous favelas where police have taken the lead and soldiers provided backup. According to the Rio police force, 948 pounds (430 kg) of drugs were seized in the Mare, a far bigger amount than usual in such operations, which often end with few concrete results. - 'Positive effects' - Troops removed roadblocks erected by drug gangs, followed up on tipoffs against suspected traffickers, and checked vehicles and residents, the military said in a statement. In addition, "troops distributed leaflets asking for cooperation from the population," it said. The military said the incursion brought "positive effects" to some 550,000 residents. However, human rights activists worried that the deaths and the overwhelming role of soldiers, as opposed to police, signaled a concerning development in Rio's unending crime wars. "We think this is very serious. If there is confirmation that the dead were executed by officers of the armed forces, it would be a troubling change," said Silvia Ramos, from the Observatory of the Intervention, which monitors the security forces in Rio. "The armed forces cannot enter this logic of useless confrontations and unacceptable killings that are the hallmark of the Rio police." - Rush-hour gunfight - In a separate incident in the Rio suburb of Niteroi, six suspected armed criminals were shot dead by police after a rush-hour car chase that briefly caused traffic snarls near one of Rio's main bridges. Police said in a statement that "four died on the spot and two died in hospital, and three were taken prisoner." Four assault rifles, four pistols, four grenades and seven radios were seized from two cars, police said. A commuter bus carrying 38 people was caught in the crossfire during the shootout and hit by 14 bullets, although just one passenger was slightly injured, Globo news site reported. Rio de Janeiro hosted the Olympics two years ago, winning widespread praise for a smoothly run games. However, corruption, budget problems and spiraling crime have cast a shadow over a city that has long veered between the extremes of joyful carnivals or beach life and shocking violence. Six months ago, Brazil's military took over all security in Rio, following the government's decision that the local police are incapable of combatting the well-armed drug gangs. While police still perform all their normal duties, their top commanders are now military officers.
For nearly two weeks, Chinas top leaders disappeared from public view as they gathered at a secluded beach resort in eastern Hebei province this month. Though the heavily guarded gathering in Beidaihe was secret, their agenda was likely dominated by the trade war with the United States  and the emerging view that the nations escalating tensions go beyond trade and economic disputes.

There are signs of a new resolve that sees the trade conflict as part of Washingtons design to temper Chinas rise to greater power. While Beijing is willing to continue engaging the US  it has dispatched commerce vice-minister Wang Shouwen to the US for talks this month  the earlier optimism of finding a quick solution has been replaced by a grittier determination.

Observers said Wang was unlikely to achieve any breakthroughs other than paving the way for more negotiations.

Trump is very confident now, and China should not appear weak, a former Chinese trade official said, referring to US President Donald Trump. China has to appear confident and stand firm, resisting the maximum challenges by Trump. Making too many concessions at an early stage will only push Trump to be more provocative.

Leading up to and during the Beidaihe meeting, state media published a series of editorials and commentaries casting a harsher light on Sino-US relations. A signed commentary published by party mouthpiece Peoples Daily on August 10 said the Trump administration had continued the engagement plus containment approach to China, hoping to significantly reshape Chinas development in Americas image.

A review of the trade negotiations with the US shows the American government has been inconsistent, ambivalent and capricious, it said. But the behind-the-scenes logic is pretty clear  it is never just about narrowing trade deficits, but to contain China in much broader areas.

Another commentary by the overseas edition of Peoples Daily on August 12 said the US was seeking hegemony, and China should be determined to fight.

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Watch: Feeling the effects of the US-China trade war

Cheng Li, a China expert at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that along with trade, a long list of security and other disputes with the US had posed a political dilemma for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

If its only on the economic and trade front, the Chinese leadership would be willing to compromise, Li said.

The escalating trade tensions had not only hit key engines of Chinas economic development  including the Greater Bay Area, the Yangtze River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Corridor  but also had clear implications for the Chinese stock market and even property prices, Li said.

That really undermines Xis power base  the middle class, which is the most important stabilising force in China  and therefore we began to see criticism and challenges from the intellectuals and the public about Xis foreign policy, Li said.

Li and Stapleton Roy, a former US ambassador to China, both said that while there was no evidence that Xis all-powerful status was being threatened despite rising criticism over his approach to the US, he might have faced unprecedented pressure during the Beidaihe meeting.

According to Roy, Xi would have been presented with two key challenges at Beidaihe  the confrontation with the US and the resistance in China to the direction which the party is moving in trying to restore complete party control over everything.

Observers pointed out that Beijings attitude towards the US began a delicate shift after the Trump administration billed China as a strategic competitor and rival power in December.

Thats a big blow for China, Li said. For Beijing, everything can be discussed as long as it was treated as a possible partner or a friend. But many things cant be negotiated as enemies.

Fast-changing dynamics over North Korea and especially the dramatic change of attitudes towards China among American businesses are also important factors at play in the US-China relationship. Many US business leaders are critical of Chinas restrictions on foreign companies, especially in the car industry, and policies that favour state-owned companies.

Because of these concerns about trade practices and economic behaviour, most US business leaders who disagreed with Trumps tariffs were unwilling to speak up on behalf of China, Li said.

Washingtons recent actions promoting ties with Taiwan, the most sensitive issue in Beijings relationship with the US, also appeared to have pushed Xi towards a more hard-line approach on the US, observers said.

Both sides constantly misunderstand each other, Li said. The US underestimates the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue for Beijing due to various reasons and Beijings determination to [use] force if necessary. China also underestimates Americas willingness to push China back by force if China resorts to its military means.

In what has been described as a breakthrough by Taiwanese media, the president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-Wen, was allowed to give a speech as she travelled through Los Angeles last week  a high-profile example of Washingtons recent moves promoting ties with the self-governing island.



The view that Trumps underlying strategy is to contain China is shared by Wei Jianguo, a former deputy commerce minister.

The trade war is going to be a long and uphill battle, Wei said. Trump actually subscribes to the prevailing view that sees Chinas rise and our industrial development policy, such as Made in China 2025, as a major threat to the US and his America first strategy. Thats why curbing Chinas further rise out of Americas fear and misperceptions about China will make the trade war last much longer than expected.

That view even seems to be supported by several senior Trump administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and top economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who have warned that Beijing should not underestimate Trumps determination to continue the trade war to exact changes from China.

We have to create a situation where its more painful for them to continue their bad practices than it is to reform, Ross said on August 2, adding that Trump will keep turning up the pressure on China as long as it refuses to level the economic playing field.

Watch: Biggest trade war in economic history begins

Indeed, it appears the US administration is in no hurry to end the conflict.

On August 7, the US released the list of US$16 billion worth of Chinese goods that will be subject to 25 per cent import tariffs from Thursday. China responded immediately with a vow to impose retaliatory duties on an equivalent value of imports.

Before this most recent action, Trump had asked US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to consider raising the proposed tariffs on US$200 billion of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 per cent. Trump has also said he would consider imposing tariffs on all US$500 billion of Chinese imports.

Against the backdrop of such dramatic escalation, resolution appears a distant prospect.

Claire Reade, a former assistant US trade representative for China affairs, said she believed there was no deadline for the US to re-enter formal talks.

[Trump] believes you have to turn the screws until it hurts enough for China to come up with something good, said Reade, who served in the George W Bush and Barack Obama administrations and is now with the Washington law firm Arnold & Porter, advising clients on governmental issues in the US and China.

I dont think he is interested in doing something for the short term if he doesnt get a good enough response out of it.

But looming on the horizon is an event that some say could exert substantial influence over Trumps approach to China: the midterm elections.

Roy, the former US ambassador to China, said the administration would look at everything that happened between now and November 6 in terms of the impact on the midterms. The biggest concern for Trump is to not lose the midterm elections, and hes going to put his own survival ahead of everything else, Roy said.

American farmers, normally a reliable Republican voting bloc, are also starting to feel the trade wars effects. The price of US soybeans has plummeted, prompting the administration to announce a US$12 billion emergency farm bailout in late July.

Watch: US soybean farmers hope for an early end to trade war

As this trade dispute goes into the October-November time frame, thats when it will ratchet up the maximum amount of pressure from the agriculture community, said Chad Hart, an agricultural economics professor at Iowa State University.

China cant necessarily go out and find all of the soybeans they need outside of the US.

The US cant find enough soybean customers to replace everything they would lose if China were to stop buying.

China expert Derek Scissors said there was little reason to believe the trade war would cause farmers to shift their traditional allegiances. Farm states are Republican states, and theyre Trump states, said Scissors, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank.

In addition, he said, farmers did not tip the electoral balance to Trump in 2016. He won on the back of industrial workers, Scissors said, referring to his critical victories in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Thats the overwhelming political calculation here. Its not farmers.

A recent poll published exclusively by CNBC suggests that Trumps support in farm states is resilient, and even on the rise in some parts of rural America.

With those bearing the brunt of the trade war standing firm, Trump seemed to have the support he needed if he continued the trade war, said Jorge Guajardo, former Mexican ambassador to China.

Inasmuch as the other trade fronts  Nafta, EU, Japan  are at peace, or not a worry, I dont think that hell feel too much pressure to put an end to the China trade dispute, said Guajardo, now a senior director at McLarty Associates in Washington, which counsels private sector clients on international trade.

Washington lawmakers have also expressed agreement with Trumps China policy. There is bipartisan support for the way he is confronting China, Guajardo said. I think hell be on pretty solid ground to continue with the China front before, during and after the elections.

As part of a wider strategy to slow Chinas economic and technological rise, the trade war joins other recent moves by the US to rein in Chinas global influence.

On August 13, Trump signed the annual defence spending bill that included the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernisation Act (FIRRMA), a new law that, while not mentioning China by name, is considered an effort to curb Chinese investment into US industries that have a bearing on national security.

Some analysts have voiced concerns that the law could, without adequate oversight, be used to further an economically protectionist agenda in the name of national security.

Chinese firms hit by trade war get help as banks are told to lend more

Meanwhile, legislation is pending that would step up US investment in the Indo-Pacific region in response to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, the multibillion-dollar pursuit of development initiatives in Asia and beyond.

Like FIRRMA, the bill  the Better Utilisation of Investments Leading to Development Act (BUILD Act), which would double the spending cap of US overseas investment agency to US$60 billion  does not directly reference China, but it was described by the House Foreign Affairs Committee as offering an alternative to predatory development finance models offered by China and others.

A co-sponsor of the bill, Representative Ed Royce, said before its passage in the House that the US should offer a more transparent and debt-sustainable model of investment to counter that of China, whose development practices have often left countries worse off.

The Chinese ambassador to Washington, Cui Tiankai, has tried hard to put a positive spin on the fraught US-China relations, but nonetheless admitted that bilateral ties were in uncharted waters.

For those arguments that we are in different boats, should ride in different boats, even have a head-on collision, they are not supported by facts, he said late last month. It does not serve the good of anyone. The common challenge is to navigate this boat through the uncertainties or uncharted waters.

But unfortunately, said Cheng Li of the Brookings Institution, we are not moving in that direction.

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also expressed frustration over the suspension of trade talks, but said the timing of their resumption was uncertain because of the retaliatory actions on both sides.

How can talks take place under this pressure? he said after a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Singapore on August 3, Reuters reported.

The two countries were effectively in the middle of a new cold war, Li said.

Although its not very likely at the moment, we need to be careful about the risk of escalation from a trade war to a real war, he said, especially over contentious issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea.

We should not have illusions because weve never seen the danger of a military conflict or a limited hot war running unusually high between our two countries for a long time.

But a realisation of such potential dangers might help both sides to get back to the negotiating table, Li said.

Beijing remains flexible on the resumption of talks, according to Li, as long as the US doesnt exaggerate political and security concerns over China, treat Beijing as an enemy or overplay the Taiwan card.

The best-case scenario, Li said, was for Xi and Trump to have a direct conversation, which might produce a temporary truce or even a dramatic turnaround.

Trump and Xi can always pick up the phone and talk to each other, Li said. We should never underestimate the importance of such direct exchange between top leaders.

After several meetings in 2017, the two have yet to meet in person this year, and have not had a telephone conversation since Trumps Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June. They are likely to cross paths at the Group of 20 meeting in Argentina, which begins on November 30.

US and Chinese negotiators were making plans for new talks with a goal of ending the trade war before that meeting, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing unnamed officials from both nations.



Itll be relatively easy to end a full-fledged trade war, but it would be a lot more challenging and probably require some drama for the two countries to restore their once friendly relationship, Li said. We have no idea how to achieve that. The best we could do is to carefully manage our differences and avoid further escalation. Well have to wait for the right moment to repair the estranged relationship.

Others see additional complexities in the power dynamic.

Reade, the former assistant US trade representative, said prospects for face-to-face dealings by the nations leaders were complicated by the two mens personalities. Xi would not set himself up for potential embarrassment, she said, and Trump looks at everything in terms of win/loss.

Trump would only stop with strong statements about the fact that we won, she said. Which means that China lost.

Additional reporting by Laura Zhou and Wendy Wu

This article More than tariffs: China sees trade war as a new US containment tactic first appeared on South China Morning Post

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(Getty Images file photo)

There is a fundamental reason that leases for HDB flats run for 99 years, after which homeowners must return their flats to the state: to be fair to future generations, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (19 August).

Lee touched on the controversial subject during the English portion of the annual National Day Rally (NDR), which was delivered at Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Central in Ang Mo Kio. This is the only way to recycle the land and ensure that all our descendants can buy new BTO (built-to-order) flats of their own, said the 66-year-old.

If instead the Government had sold you the flat on freehold, i.e. in perpetuity, sooner or later we would run out of land to build new flats for future generationsOur society would split into property owners and those who cannot afford a property. That would be most unequal, and socially divisive.

The Prime Minister added that there is also a practical reason for not extending HDB leases: after a century, the concrete will have deteriorated in the tropical climate, while the mechanical and electrical systems would be obsolete. All this would translate to high maintenance costs.

So it is better to let the leases expire, take the blocks back, demolish them and rebuild afreshwe can rebuild newer, better, more liveable flats, blocks, and townships, more suited to what our grandchildren and great- grandchildren will want to live in, said Lee.

Lee, who was delivering his 15th NDR speech, added, Very few of todays HDB owners will outlive their leases.

With Singapores oldest flats at 52 years old, the Housing and Development Board estimates that the scenario will only apply to less than 2 per cent of households, including those who have bought resale flats.

And even if you have to return your old flat at the end of its lease, dont worry, because the Government will help you get another flat to live in, said Lee.

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NDR 2018: More HDB flat owners to benefit from redevelopment before leases expire

Story continues

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NDR 2018: CHAS extended to all Singaporeans with chronic conditions

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NDR 2018: Singaporeans must manage lifestyle changes to cope with cost of living, says PM Lee

NDR 2018: Government cannot completely prevent prices from increasing, says PM Lee

LIVE BLOG: PM Lee delivers National Day Rally 2018 speech
UPDATE: Police report that two men have been arrested in connection with the missing device. No further update on where the materials could be, or whether the two newly detained suspects were the same two as from before.

Hello, readers! Not to alarm you on this fine Monday, but police and the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) have recently reported that they are currently elbows deep in a search to retrieve a lost Radioactive Dispersal Device (RDD) that went missing ten days ago.

No cause for alarm though, other than the fact that the paper that broke the story, New Straits Times, reports authorities are unsure where its gone, or why it went missing.

However, deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman is urging the public not to panic, and that the situation is under control.

Authorities report that the 23kg RDD, worth RM75,000 (US$18,000) was part of non-nuclear industrial radiography equipment, and contains the isotope Iridium-192, with a half-life of 73 days. It is a strong gamma ray emitter, and according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, its the most popular radioactive material to steal en masse when attempting to make a dirty bomb.

Oh, good to know!

According to NST, two technicians who work for the company that lost the radioactive device claim that it went missing while being transported between Seremban and Shah Alam, a one-hour trip where both allege was non-stop.

Arriving in Shah Alam at 3am on the morning of August 10, they told police that they noticed the device was missing, and had perhaps fallen out of their pick-up truck on the way there.

Although a police report was filed after the men say they retraced their steps to try to find the missing equipment, authorities later arrested them for their suspicious account. They were released Friday due to lack of evidence to hold them.

Now, dear public, the AELB is asking for your help! Know anything about wayward nuclear materials finding their way unlawfully into the wrong hands? Holler at the police! If youve got them in your possession, dont open it!

Meanwhile for the rest of us, we just Googled this as a refresher.

The post [UPDATE] Malaysia Impossible: Popular radioactive material used to make dirty bombs gone missing from local company appeared first on Coconuts.
Samoa's prime minister has rejected a call for Pacific island nations to ask China to write-off debts granted under Beijing's foreign aid programme in the region. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said asking for aid loans to be forgiven painted an "unfaithful picture" of the recipient nation. Malielegaoi likened it to someone requesting assistance and receiving milk, then later coming back and asking for the entire cow. "The bigger countries (will) become reluctant to give loans with minor interests because this is what will happen," he told the Samoa Observer in remarks published Monday. "A loan is granted with minor interest yet in five years time a request is put in to write it off. That is embarrassing." He was responding to a suggestion from his Tongan counterpart Akalisi Pohiva that Pacific island nations band together and ask Beijing to collectively forgive their debt. Chinese aid in the Pacific has ballooned in recent years with much of the funds coming in the form of loans from Beijing's state-run Exim Bank. Pohiva raised concerns that small developing nations would struggle to repay the debt and could face asset seizure by Beijing. He initially suggested they address the issue at next month's Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru but later backtracked, issuing a statement praising the help China has given to his country. Australia and New Zealand had raised concerns recently about China's growing influence in the Pacific, ramping up their own aid efforts in response.
A judicial inquiry into alleged corruption at the top of government in South Africa is scheduled to open on Monday when the first public hearings begin. The hearings by a panel led by the country's second highest judge, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, will probe allegations of corruption and fraud in the public sector during former president Jacob Zuma's tenure. Although the panel does not have powers to arrest or prosecute, evidence it collects can be used in any future prosecution. Zuma appointed the judicial inquiry into the alleged graft in January on the orders of a high court. A month later, on February 14, he was forced to resign from office as criticism grew from within the ruling ANC party over multiple corruption scandals. State corruption in post-apartheid South Africa was first exposed formally two years ago by the country's former ombudswoman Thuli Madonsela, who issued a damning report and called for a judicial inquiry into Zuma's relationship with a wealthy business family. Zuma was accused of being in the sway of the Guptas - a wealthy family of Indian origin - allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses. Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister, but now responsible for state companies, has estimated that around 100 billion rand ($6.8 billion) of state funds may have been looted through corrupt practices. Justice Zondo has vowed that the investigation into the so-called "state capture", will be carried out thoroughly regardless of who is being investigated. "I will investigate anybody and everybody no matter who he or she is. This commission will do its job properly. We owe that to the people of South Africa." he said earlier this year. The first witnesses to appear before the commission include a former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, an ANC lawmaker Mabel Mentor and the former government spokesman Themba Maseko. The local Sunday Times said Zuma has been "invited" to appear before the panel, but the commission's spokesman declined to comment on the newspaper report. Initially tasked to probe and conclude its findings within six months, the commission has asked for an extension of up to two years. Zuma's successor as president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has vowed to crack down on government corruption, which he has admitted was a serious problem. "I would hope that the inquiry gets to the bottom of how the South African state was captured in the way it was and what can be done to prevent this from happening again," David Lewis, the executive director of South Africa's non-profit organisation Corruption Watch, told AFP.
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
By Abdul Qadir Sediqi, Rupam Jain and Jibran Ahmad

KABUL/PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Taliban rejected on Monday an Afghan government offer of a ceasefire and said they would persist with their attacks, militant commanders said, while insurgents ambushed three buses and nearly 200 passengers travelling for a holiday.

Two Taliban commanders said their supreme leader rejected President Ashraf Ghani's Sunday offer of a three-month ceasefire, beginning with this week's Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday.

In June, the Taliban observed a government ceasefire over the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, leading to unprecedented scenes of government soldiers and militants embracing on front lines, and raising hopes for talks.

But one of the Taliban commanders said the June ceasefire had helped U.S. forces, who the Taliban are trying to drive out of the country. Taliban leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada rejected the new offer on the grounds that it too would only help the American-led mission.

"Our leadership feels that they'll prolong their stay in Afghanistan if we announced a ceasefire now," a senior Taliban commander, who declined to be identified, said by telephone.

An official in Ghani's office said the three-month-long ceasefire declared by the government was conditional, and if the Taliban did not respect it, the government would maintain military operations.

The Taliban have launched a wave of attacks in recent weeks, including on the city of Ghazni, southwest of Kabul. Hundreds of people have been killed in the fighting.

Government officials are trying to secure the release of at least 170 civilians and 20 members of the security forces who were taken hostage by Taliban from three buses in the northern province of Kunduz.

Esmatullah Muradi, a spokesman for the governor of Kunduz, said the kidnapping happened when the buses were travelling through Kunduz from Takhar province.

"The buses were stopped by the Taliban fighters, passengers were forced to step down and they have been taken to an undisclosed location," Muradi said.

Story continues

A Taliban commander in neighbouring Pakistan said civilian hostages were being divided into small groups to be sent back home. However, members of Afghan security forces had been shifted to the Talibans secret jail. "Most probably we would exchange them for our prisoners later, said the commander.

'TRAVELLING FOR HOLIDAY'

The Taliban confirmed they had captured "three buses packed with passengers".

"We decided to seize the buses after our intelligence inputs revealed that many men working with Afghan security forces were travelling to Kabul," Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said by telephone.

"We are now identifying members of the security forces," he said, adding that civilians would be released.

Kunduz provincial council member Sayed Assadullah Sadat said people on the buses were travelling to be with family in Kabul for the holiday.

A senior interior ministry official in Kabul said officials in the area were talking to Taliban leaders in Kunduz to get the estimated 190 hostages released. "We're are trying our level best to secure freedom for all passengers," the official said.

Separately, Mujahid said the Taliban would release at least 500 prisoners, including members of the security forces, on Monday, a day before Eid celebrations begin.

Sporadic clashes between Taliban fighters and Afghan forces erupted on the outskirts of Ghazni on Monday as aid workers tried to get help into the city, aid agency officials said.

The government has said its forces had secured the city after the Taliban laid siege to it for five days this month.

At least 150 soldiers and 95 civilians were killed and hundreds were injured. Aid agencies officials said their teams had entered the city but clashes in the outskirts prevented them from launching large-scale operations.

(Editing by Paul Tait, Robert Birsel and editing by David Stamp)
Hundreds of Venezuelan migrants wait outside the Ecuadoran Migration offices at the Rumichaca border bridge between Colombia and Ecuador, hoping to get authorization to enter Ecuador after fleeing the crisis in their country. Colombia says it fears that Ecuador's border controls, which went into effect Saturday, will leave thousands of Venezuelans stranded in Colombia, from where an estimated 3,000 cross every day.
The Secretary of States office announces Tennessees 2018 Student Mock Election. The Student Mock Election was first introduced during the 2016 presidential election, which drew participation from 165,968 students and 479 schools across the state.

Students in preschool through high school from all public and private schools, as well as home school associations across the state, can cast a vote for Tennessees next governor and U.S. senator. Registration is open through Oct. 12, and results must be submitted by Mock Election Day, Oct. 30.

Our goal with the Student Mock Election is to emphasize the importance of civic engagement in our schools, hopefully preparing our students to be engaged citizens as they reach adulthood, said Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

The Civic Education and Engagement Advisory Committee has prepared lesson plans for teachers to incorporate civic engagement into their curriculum leading up to the Student Mock Election.

For more information about the Student Mock Election and other civic engagement initiatives, visit sos.tn.gov/civics
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State of the climate: 2018 set to be fourth warmest year despite cooler start

Posted on 20 August 2018 by Zeke Hausfather

This is a re-post from Carbon Brief

Temperatures on the Earths surface in the first half of 2018 were lower than over the same period for the three previous years. This was due, in part, to a moderate La Nina event during late 2017 and the first half of 2018.

However, the world is quickly switching to El Nino conditions, which should contribute to a somewhat warmer finish to the year.

Sea ice has been at record or near-record lows in the Arctic for much of the year, but has recovered slightly over the past two months.

Antarctic sea ice extent has generally been on the low-end of normal for the first half of 2018.

With the data now in for the first half of the year, Carbon Brief estimates that 2018 is most likely to be the fourth warmest on record for the Earths surface. Depending on what happens in the remaining six months, it could be as high as the second warmest in some temperature datasets, or as low as the sixth warmest in others.

La Nina fading, El Nino growing

Global surface temperatures have warmed about 1.1C since 1850  with 0.8C of that warming occurring since the 1970s. The best estimate provided by scientists is that almost all of this long-term warming is due to human emissions of greenhouse gases.

However, there is still a sizable amount of year-to-year variation on top of this warming trend. Short-term variations in the Earths climate are mainly associated with El Nino and La Nina events, fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the tropical Pacific which help to make some years warmer and some cooler. (Large volcanic eruptions can also lead to a run of relatively cooler years, though there has been no eruption with a major climate impact since Mount Pinatubo in 1991.)

For example, 2016 was exceptionally warm with help from a strong El Nino event. In contrast, 2017 was largely neutral, having no strong El Nino or La Nina conditions. The first half of 2018 was cooled by a modest La Nina event, while the second half of 2018 will likely feature modest El Nino conditions.

The figure below shows a range of different El Nino forecast models produced by different scientific groups, with the average of all the models shown in blue. Nearly all El Nino forecast models expect modest El Nino conditions for the remainder of 2018, with sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific around 1C above the recent average.

Typically, there is a lag of about three months between El Nino or La Nina conditions in the Pacific and their effects on global surface temperatures. This means that La Nina conditions in late 2017 and early 2018 may have a larger impact on 2018 temperatures than El Nino conditions in the latter part of the year.

Surface temperatures

Global surface temperatures are reported by a number of different international groups of scientists, including NASA, NOAA, Met Office Hadley Centre/UEA, Berkeley Earth, and Cowtan and Way. Copernicus/ECMWF also produces a surface temperature estimate based on a combination of measurements and a weather model  an approach known as reanalysis.

Carbon Briefs figure below compares the annual global surface temperatures from these different groups since 1970  or 1979 in the case of the Copernicus/ECMWFreanalysis. It shows the temperature for each year, as well as the 2018 to-date estimate  the January-June average  as coloured dots. Values are shown relative to the 1979-2016 average temperature for each record as a common baseline period.

Annual global mean surface temperatures from NASA GISTemp, NOAA GlobalTemp, Hadley/UEA HadCRUT4, Berkeley Earth, Cowtan and Way (lines), and Copernicus/ECMWF, along with 2018 temperatures to-date (January-June, coloured dots). Anomalies plotted with respect to a 1979-2016 baseline. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.

All the surface temperature records from the different groups agree quite well on the warming experienced over the past 40 years. However, there are growing differences over the past three years between the groups. For example Berkeley Earth, NASA and Copernicus/ECMWF had 2017 as the second warmest year on record after 2016, while NOAA, Hadley/UEA and Cowtan and Way had 2017 as the third warmest after 2016 and 2015.

The differences in recent years are more easily seen in the monthly data. The figure below shows monthly data from each record between January 2012 and June 2018. The 2015-16 El Nino event stands out as particularly warm, with temperatures having fallen modestly to around 2015 levels in the months since.

Monthly global mean surface temperatures from NASA GISTemp, NOAA GlobalTemp, Hadley/UEA HadCRUT4, Berkeley Earth, Cowtan and Way, and Copernicus/ECMWF. Anomalies plotted with respect to a 1979-2016 baseline. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.

Temperature records from the groups differ based on how much data from the Arctic and Antarctic that they include, as well as what sea surface temperature record they use. For example, in early 2018 records from NOAA and Hadley/UEA showed considerably cooler temperatures than other groups, as they did not fully account for unusually warm conditions in the Arctic. As the UK Met Office points out, when they are restricted to areas of common coverage, all of the records match up quite well.

The figure below shows the distribution of temperature anomalies  namely, differences from the 1979-2016 baseline period  in the Berkeley Earth record over the first six months of 2018.

The Arctic has been strikingly warm so far this year, with many areas 3C warmer than the global average. Turkey has also experienced unusual warmth of about 2C above average. Southwestern US and northern Mexico have experienced temperatures about 1.5C above average. And there has been a noticeable La Nina pattern in Pacific off the coast of South America, with its characteristic cold tongue of water.

Conditions have been a bit different in June (and July), with much of the Arctic experiencing cooler temperatures. At the same time there has been near-record warmthover many mid-latitude land areas. The figure below shows temperatures in June, also from Berkeley Earth.

La Nina had mostly faded in the Pacific by June and land temperatures were at least 2C above normal over much of the US, UK, northern Europe, Middle East and Siberia. Much of Antarctica was also experiencing warmer-than-usual winter temperatures. The heatwaves experienced in June and July across Europe were made up to five times more likely by the human-caused warming experienced over the past century.

High temperatures and heatwaves in the northern hemisphere were also likely driven, in part, by unusual behaviour of the jet stream. A split jet stream pattern has led to stagnant high-pressure and low-pressure systems sticking around for longer than usual. These persistent northern-hemisphere weather patterns may be linked to the rapid Arctic warming experienced over the last few decades, though this is still an area of active research among scientists.

Land warming faster than the ocean

In recent decades the Earths land areas have been warming twice as fast as the oceans. The figure below shows the two different ocean records most commonly used in global temperature estimates  Hadleys HadSST3 and NOAAs ERSSTv5  as well as three different land-only records from Berkeley Earth, NOAA, and Hadley/UEA (CRUTEM4).

Annual ocean surface temperatures from Hadleys HadSST3 and NOAAs ERSSTv5. Land surface temperatures from Berkeley Earth, NOAA, and Hadley/UEAs CRUTEM4. Anomalies plotted with respect to a 1979-2016 baseline. 2018 temperatures to-date (January-June) are shown by coloured dots. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.

Global oceans are a bit cooler in 2018 then over the past few years. Temperatures to-date would be the fifth warmest on record, below the annual values for 2016, 2015, 2017, and 2014.

Global land areas were relatively warmer. Values to-date would be the third warmest in Berkeley after 2016 and 2017 and the fourth warmest in NOAA and CRUTEM4 after 2016, 2017, and 2015.

Temperatures of lower atmosphere

In contrast to the surface-based measurements used by the groups mentioned above, satellite-based temperature records from microwave sounding units (MSU) have also been providing estimates of changing temperatures since such instruments were first launched into orbit in 1979. They measure the temperature of a broad part of the lower atmosphere rather than the surface. On average, their lowest atmosphere measurements come from a region around 5km above the surface.

Two groups provide estimates of temperatures of the lower troposphere (TLT), the part of the atmosphere closest to the surface. The TLT records from Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) and the University of Alabama, Huntsville (UAH) are shown in the figure below.

Global average annual lower troposphere temperatures from RSS version 4 (blue) and UAH version 6 (red) relative to a 1979-2000 baseline (lines), along with 2018 temperatures to-date (January-June, blue square for RSS and red triangle for UAH). Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.

While these measurements have similarities to surface temperatures, they are not measuring the same thing. The region of the atmosphere that they measure tends to be influenced more strongly by El Nino and La Nina events than the surface. Therefore, satellite records show correspondingly larger warming or cooling spikes during these events. This is why, for example, 1998 shows up as one of the warmest years in satellites, but not in surface records.

There are also much larger disagreements between the two satellite records than between different surface temperature records. These disagreements become particularly pronounced after the year 2000, with the RSS record showing a rate of warming similar to surface records, whereas UAH shows considerably slower warming. These differences are largely due to choices in how each group handles corrections for the orbital decay of satellites changing the time of day over which different parts of the world are measured.

Estimating where 2018 will fall

With half the years data recorded and forecasts of El Nino development over the next six months now published, it is possible to estimate with reasonable accuracy where 2018 annual temperatures will likely end up.

Carbon Brief has examined global temperature data from seven different climate centres around the world, both for the Earths surface and the lower troposphere. Temperatures for the full year of 2018 were estimated using the data available to-date for each dataset, along with projection of the El Nino Index for the remainder of 2018.

A multivariate linear regression model was used to forecast the best estimate of the annual temperature  and the uncertainties  based on the first six months of each year between 1950 and 2017, as well as the El Nino/La Nina index for the first and last six months of each year.

The results are shown in the figure below. Annual temperatures from 1979-2017 are shown in black for each record, while the likely range (95% confidence interval) of the 2018 annual temperature is shown by the red bar.

Annual global mean surface temperatures and 2018 estimates from NASA GISTemp, NOAA GlobalTemp, Hadley/UEA HadCRUT4, Berkeley Earth, Copernicus/ERA-Interim, RSS TLTv4, and UAH TLTv6. Anomalies plotted with respect to a 1979-2000 baseline. See methodological note below for details. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.

For all surface temperature records, 2018 will likely be in the top four warmest years. Carbon brief estimates that four groups  NASA, NOAA, Hadley/UEA and Berkeley Earth  will likely have 2018 as the fourth warmest year on record, after 2016, 2017 and 2015. The reanalysis-based Copernicus record will likely have 2018 as the third warmest year on record, after 2016 and 2017. The two satellite-based lower troposphere records will likely have 2018 as the 6th warmest year on record.

The probability of where 2018 will fall on the leaderboard of warmest years based on 2018 temperatures so far this year is shown in the table below.

Where will 2018 likely fall in the list of warmest years?

NASA GISTEMP Hadley/UEA HadCRUT4 NOAA GlobalTemp Berkeley Earth Cowtan&Way Copernicus RSSv4 TLT UAHv6 TLT 1st 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2nd 6% 0% 0% 17% 8% 1% 0% 3rd 17% 1% 1% 23% 70% 8% 0% 4th 76% 71% 83% 60% 21% 4% 2% 5th 0% 16% 15% 0% 0% 8% 22% 6th 0% 7% 1% 0% 0% 74% 38% 7th or below 0% 5% 0% 0% 0% 5% 38%

Estimated probabilities of 2018s temperature rank for each dataset, with the most likely outcome highlighted. Note that this does not include measurement uncertainty for the records, just the likely best estimate for each group. See the methodological note at the end for details.

There is effectively zero chance that the temperature reported by any group will show 2018 to be the warmest year on record. There is a small chance that NASA, Berkeley, or Copernicus might show 2018 as the second warmest year on record, and a somewhat larger chance that those records might have 2018 as the third warmest. Similarly, NASA, Berkeley and Copernicus all suggest a near-zero chance that 2018 is the 5th warmest or below.

Robert Rohde @rarohde Jul 17, 2018 Replying to @rarohde June was hot across most of North America, Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. Antarctica and its sea ice regions were also well above what is typical for June.



Low temperatures occurred in South America, and record lows for June occurred in parts of Quebec. pic.twitter.com/H0QaG4oSVV Robert Rohde @rarohde With 2018 half over, we still see a high probability that this year concludes as the fourth warmest year since 1850. Currently, we give that outcome a 77% likelihood.



This is consistent with the long-term global warming trend. pic.twitter.com/FW686lZsgH

Hadley/UEA and NOAA show somewhat different results due to less coverage of the Arctic than other surface temperature records. While both have 2018 as most likely being the fourth warmest year on record, they see almost no chance of it being 3rd or above  and a modest chance of it being the fifth warmest or below.

Satellite temperature records from UAH and RSS predict that 2018 will have a considerably lower rank, reflecting, in part, the larger impact of El Nino events on prior years in the satellite lower troposphere record. RSS and UAH both suggest that 2018 will most likely be the 6th warmest year on record for the lower troposphere, but could be as high as the 3rd (in RSS) or as low as the 10th (in UAH).

These show more uncertainty in their 2018 projections than the surface records, as there is a less clear historical relationship between the first six months of the year and the annual temperature in satellite records.

Low sea ice persists

Despite the slightly lower temperatures in 2018 compared to the past three years, sea ice has been at record lows in the Arctic and quite low in the Antarctic for much of the year. The figure below shows both Arctic and Antarctic sea ice in 2018 (solid red and blue lines), the historical range in the record between 1979 and 2010 (shaded areas), and the record lows (dotted black line). Unlike global temperature records, sea ice data is collected and updated on a daily basis, allowing sea ice extent to be viewed through to the end of July.

Arctic and Antarctic daily sea ice extent from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. The bold lines show daily 2018 values, the shaded area indicates the two standard deviation range in historical values between 1979 and 2010. The dotted black lines show the record minima for each pole. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.

For the first four months of 2018, Arctic sea ice extent set a new record low nearly every day. It recovered slightly in June and July, though in recent days has fallen back close to the record low for this time of year. It is still likely to be too early to tell how low the summer minimum in the Arctic will be, as the size of the summer low will also depend on Arctic weather during the next two months.

2018 has also seen record low amounts of multiyear ice in the Arctic  ice that has survived without melting for multiple years. In 2018, multiyear ice comprised just 34 percent of sea ice, with only 2% at least five years old. Back in the 1980s, upwards of 60% of Arctic sea ice was multiyear ice.

Antarctic sea ice extent set new record lows for a brief period in February and has generally been on the low-end of normal for the first half of 2018.

Methodological note

A statistical multivariate regression model was used to estimate the range of likely 2018 annual temperatures for each group that provides a temperature record. This model used the average temperature over first six months of the year, the latest monthly temperature value combined, the average ENSO 3.4 region value during the first six months of the year and the ENSO 3.4 value during the last six months of the year to predict the annual temperatures over the period from 1950 through 2017 (or 1979 through 2017 for satellite TLT records). The model then uses this fit to predict both the most likely 2018 annual value for each group, as well as the 95% confidence interval. The predicted ENSO 3.4 region values for the last six months of 2018 are taken from the NMME model mean forecast.

The percent likelihood of different year ranks for 2018 is estimated by using the output of the regression model, assuming a normal distribution of results. This allows us to estimate what percent of possible 2018 annual values fall above and below the temperatures of prior years for each group.
The Bulgarian Empire won a decisive victory in the Battle of Achelous on this day in 917. You may use the comment thread on this page to discuss this and other aspects of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars, or to pursue other points of off-topic, freewheeling discourse.

Find previous discussions in the Open Thread archive.

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If you depend on this community and Slates journalism, please consider joining Slate Plus. We appreciate your support!
When New York University announced last week that it would provide all of its medical students full-tuition scholarships from now on, the school politely challenged its competitors to follow suit. We hope that many other academic medical centers will soon choose to join us on this path, Robert Grossman, the school of medicines dean and CEO of the NYU Langone Health, said in a statement.

Lets hope Harvard and Johns Hopkins can resist chasing NYUs lead. While its hard to fault a school for offering its students a free education, this dramatic gesture is, at best, a well-intentioned wastean expensive, unnecessary subsidy for elite medical grads who already stand to make a killing one day as anesthesiologists and orthopedic surgeons. It would be a pity if other top medical schools decided to imitate it, rather than use their resources in other, more helpful ways that might solve more of the problems NYU claims to be worried about.

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NYU says it decided to stop charging tuition at its medical school because the overwhelming student debt burdens that todays young doctors face are fundamentally reshaping the medical profession in ways that are adversely affecting healthcare. This is a pretty common refrain in the medical profession. Three-quarters of medical students graduated with education debt in 2017, leaving school with a whopping median balance of $192,000, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. This is not necessarily a problem for every graduate, since doctors are generally some of the best paid professionals in the United States, and tend to earn more than enough during the prime of their careers to make up for all that early borrowing. Physicians who go to work at nonprofit or government hospitals can also get their debt wiped after ten years through the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, no matter how much theyve actually paid. But there is some evidence that high debt loads may discourage young M.D.s from practicing in needy communities, while pushing them away from important but lower-paying jobs in primary care, and toward much more lucrative fields like dermatology or radiology. Thats an especially urgent problem if predictions that the U.S. will soon face a massive shortage of primary care physicians turn out to be correct.

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Its also possible that the high cost of medical school may be scaring some students away from applyingparticularly black and Hispanic students, who tend to come from less wealth. Earlier this year, the New Yorker reported on how some African Americans have started heading to Cuba for medical school, in part because of cost.

According to NYU, nixing tuition will help fix all of these issuesit addresses both physician shortages and diversity, as one associate dean for admissions put it. But if those are truly NYUs goals, then giving every student a free ride, no matter who they are, or what career they pursue, is an incredibly wasteful, haphazard way of tackling them.

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Take the schools apparent desire to produce more primary care doctors. If the administration really wanted more of their graduates to pursue family medicine in places like the south side of Chicago or rural Montana, the most straightforward move would be to waive tuition or offer loan forgiveness for students who actually committed to that sort of a career. The school could take a page from the federal governments National Health Services Corps., which offers scholarships and pays off debt for M.D.s who agree to practice primary care in an underserved community for a minimum period of time, and has proven incredibly effective at encouraging participants to pursue long-term careers as general practitioners (unfortunately, the program is badly underfunded). By covering every students tuition, without any conditions, NYUs leaders are essentially crossing their fingers and praying a few more of their grads decide to do something public spirited with their lives. Meanwhile, theyre handing a windfall to every student who plans to make millions as a Manhattan cardiologist.

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As for diversity: If NYU wanted more black students, they couldand this might sound crazy, but hear me outjust admit more black students. If those young men and women needed financial help, the school could even offer them a needs-based aid package. Im sure at least a few of them would accept the deal. That might require NYU to pursue affirmative action a little bit more aggressively, but with its rock bottom admission rate, Im fairly certain it could find plenty of capable candidates out there. If NYU wants more minorities overall to pursue medicine, it could do more outreach on college campuses or invest in nonprofits that prepare black and Hispanic students to apply to med school, to expand the pipeline (full disclosure: my mother, who works in medical education, helps run one such program). Another ambitious option would be for the countrys top medical schools to pool their resources and create a scholarship fund specifically for talented minority students. That approach, though, would require the schools to be a bit selfless, since none of them would get a recruiting edge out of it.

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Anyway, its not happening. Instead, NYU is going to offer free tuition to every upper-middle-class Caucasian student destined to make a killing as a urologist in Florida, and hope that a few more exceptional black students show up at its door as part of the bargain.

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None of this would be such an affront if it werent for the amount of money involved. NYU says it has raised $450 million of the $600 million it needs to fund its scholarship program indefinitely. Those are tax deductible donations from overwhelmingly wealthy men, like billionaire Home Depot founder Ken Langone, whose name adorns NYUs medical center and who chipped in a cool $100 million to this effort. Its the kind of money that could actually make a difference on issues like diversity, or the type of practices students pursue, if it were used in a thoughtful way. Instead, its a donation from todays rich to tomorrows rich, all at the taxpayers expense.
Each night at 6 p.m., San Diegos New Life Assembly church opens its parking lot to dozens of people who will spend the night in their cars. The church is one of three sites in the city where the homeless can park overnight without fear of being ticketed or towedor worse. Its part of a citywide safe parking program started in 2010 to confront an increasingly visible face of the states homelessness epidemic: Californians sleeping in their cars.

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As housing costs soar in major cities, more Americans are living behind the wheel. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development doesnt collect national data on vehicle residency, but unsheltered homelessnessa category that includes people sleeping in vehiclesis on the rise. In 2016, HUD counted 176,357 unsheltered people nationwide on a single night; last year, that number jumped to 192,875. In King County, Washington (which includes Seattle), about 3,372 peoplemore than half of the countys unsheltered populationare living in vehicles. And in Greater Los Angeles, which has the largest unsheltered homeless population in the country, more than 15,000 people live in cars, vans, and RVs.

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The car has become a new form of affordable housing, says Graham Pruss, a researcher and former outreach worker for Seattles Road to Housing program, a city initiative that helped residents living in cars find more stable housing. In the tight housing markets of West Coast cities, its not just the destitute or the unemployed who see their cars as their best option. I have met people who are working at Amazon and rent an RV to live on the streets of Seattle while theyre saving enough to get into their own place, Pruss said.

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After years of crackdowns, cities from Santa Barbara, California, to Kirkland, Washington, are trying a new strategy: safe parking programs. San Diegos program, run by the nonprofit Dreams for Change, has three lots with 150 spaces. The program has 325 residentsmore than two people share a car, in some casesranging from families to retirees to tech workers making nearly $100,000 a year. And they sleep in models ranging from a Honda Civic to a Lexus. Most of the time you walk through the parking lot, you wouldnt know that they are a parking lot full of individuals living in their cars, said Teresa Smith, CEO of Dreams for Change.

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Americans living in cars find themselves at once exposed to street crime like theft and vandalism and reluctant to call the police for fear of costly tickets or impoundment. But its a gamble that even those with access to a shelter are willing to take. With doors that lock and a watertight roof, cars offer a sense of safety, privacy, and autonomyeven if parked on a public streetthat tents and emergency shelters do not.

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As vehicle residency grows, local governments have largely responded by trying to legislate it out of existence: Cities are moving to tighten parking restrictions or ban vehicle residency altogether. From 2006 to 2016, the number of bans on vehicle residency increased 143 percent among 187 cities surveyed by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. Seattle has 20 ordinances criminalizing vehicle residency, according to a 2016 report from Seattle Universitys Homeless Rights Advocacy Project. San Diego, too, has sought to crack down with laws that ban vehicle residency and prohibit RVs from parking on the streets between 2 and 6 a.m.

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Behind these lawsoften championed by neighborhood groups and businessesis the concern that vehicle residents, especially those in RVs or campers, will bring more noise, trash, and crime into neighborhoods, as well as take up parking space. Vehicle residents are fighting back. Los Angeles ban on vehicle residency was struck down by a federal court four years ago, after four vehicle residents sued the city. The court ruling found that the cryptic law was used to discriminate against the poor. (The city then prohibited vehicle residents from parking overnight near homes, parks, and schools.)

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But even as these battles go on, nonprofits and, in some cases, city governments are trying a more accommodating approach. In San Diego, lots run by Dreams for Change have strict rules: no RVs, no entry after 10 p.m., no residents with records of violent crimes or sex offenses. There are no security guards anymore; instead, residents take turns supervising the lots themselves. Each parking space costs $2,950 per year to operate, Smith said, which goes toward the case managers salary and portable bathrooms. Case workers visit seven days a week, and about 35 to 40 percent of residents transition to housing within three to eight months of arrival.

But not all programs have had that level of success. Seattles attempts to create a safe parking program in the past two years have racked up expenses and produced few results. The first lot opened in 2016 with 25 spaces, but was shuttered that same year after the city spent $16,800 per space and found permanent housing for only 11.5 percent of the residents, according to the Seattle Times. The second lot, a safe zone located in the SoDo neighborhood, had 12 spaces, each costing the city $5,300. A case worker visited just once a week. Three residents diedtwo older men with chronic illnesses and a young woman who had struggled with a heroin addiction. The zone was scheduled to be shut down at the end of July; its unclear if that has happened. Mayor Jenny Durkans office did not respond to Slates repeated requests for comment.

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It was a terrible site, said Rev. Bill Kirlin-Hackett, director of the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness, referring to the safe zone. It had inadequate outreach to it. It really wasnt a pathway out of homelessness for anybody there.

Perhaps the greatest test of safe parking programs is underway now in Los Angeles, Americas homelessness capital. Safe Parking L.A. opened its first lot this spring. The nonprofit now runs three lots with about 34 spaces and plans to open more.

Safe Parking L.A. lots, which are overnight only, have security guards on site. Each lot costs the nonprofit about $100,000 a year to operate. The residents dont all come every night, and access is first come, first served. Residents meet with case workers during the day. About five or six people have transitioned to housing since the first lot opened earlier this year, according to Pat Cohen, one of the nonprofits founders.

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Even well-run efforts can feel like a drop in the bucket. The average stay at Dreams for Change has increased from three months to six or eight months, which Smith chalks up to San Diegos skyrocketing rents. At times, the programs waitlist has surged as high as 150 vehicles.

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Lola Cheatham has stayed at Dreams for Changes safe lots for about two years. The 36-year-old mother sleeps in a minivan with her three children. Shes one of many vehicle residents who have found more privacy and safety in a car than in a shelter. But her search for affordable housing has been complicated by long waitlists and rents that remain out of reach.

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Every once in a while I go through a burst, Im going to find some housing, its going to be okay,  she said. And then about a week and a half into it, I get really discouraged.

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Not all residents will successfully make the transition to housing that the programs advertise. And funding constraints have forced some nonprofits to scale back their safe parking programs in favor of continuing to fund shelters and other homeless services.

But the programs want to help vehicle residents in the interim. Naomi Lender and her 14-year-old son spend the night in an SUV at a Dreams for Change lot. The 46-year-old San Diego native hopes to secure housing before the start of a new school year. But thats fast approaching, and she has been at the lot since last October. Things werent always so uncertain for Lender; she said she grew up in a huge house in a nice neighborhood. She never imagined herself living in her car until she had no other choice.

People who are homeless in general, whether were living in our cars or not, were not all here because we want to be, she said. Its not because were lesser humans. It can happen to anybody.
The New York Times reported Sunday that actress and director Asia Argento, who became one of the leading faces of the #MeToo movement after accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, quietly arranged to pay $380,000 to her own accuser in the months after the Weinstein story broke.

Actor and musician Jimmy Bennett, who appeared as a child in Argentos 2004 film adaptation of J.T. LeRoys The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, claimed in documents leaked to the Times that the director sexually assaulted him in the spring of 2013, when he was 17 and she was 37. Through her lawyer, Carrie Goldberg, Argento agreed to pay Bennett $380,000 in exchange for an settlement that barred Bennett from suing and transferred the copyright of a photograph Bennett took that showed the two of them together in bed with unclothed torsos exposed.

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The Times received documents about Argento and Bennetts agreement via an anonymous encrypted email but was able to authenticate them. Bennett laid out his claims in a notice of intent to sue sent in November of 2017 to Anthony Bourdains longtime lawyer, Richard Hofstetter, who was representing Argento at the time. (Bourdain, who killed himself in June, was in a relationship with Argento and, the Times says, helped her handle Bennetts accusations.) According to Bennetts claim letter, hed stayed in touch with Argento over the years since playing her son in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things and thought of her as a mentor. On May 9, 2013, the two reunited at the Marina Del Rey Ritz-Carlton, a meeting Argento documented on her Instagram page:

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Bennett claims that after being driven to the hotel by a family member, Argento got him alone, then gave him alcohol, kissed him, gave him oral sex, and ultimately had intercourse with him. The age of consent in California is 18. After the two had lunch, Bennett went home to Orange County and Argento posted another photo, writing in the comments, jimmy is going to be in my next movie and that is a fact, dig that jack.

Bennett was motivated to sue, according to his claim letter, when his feelings about that day were brought to the forefront recently when Ms. Argento took the spotlight as one of the many victims of Harvey Weinstein. According to the claim letter, in the five years before the alleged assault, Bennett, who was a successful child actor, earned $2.7 million; since then, he has averaged $60,000 a year. He initially asked for $3.5 million in damages.

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The settlement agreement between Argento and Bennett doesnt have a nondisclosure or confidentiality clause. California law doesnt allow that kind of provision in settlement agreements involving claims of felony sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, or sexual exploitation of a minor, although the Times doesnt say which category Argentos lawyer thought the allegations would fall under. In a letter outlining the terms of the deal for Argento, Goldberg wrote that the actress decided not to go forum shopping because she felt it was inconsistent with the public messages youve conveyed about the societal perils of non-disclosure agreements. Bennett is not barred from discussing the case, as Goldberg explained:

Bennett could theoretically tell people his claims against you. However, under this agreement, he cannot sue you for them. Nor can he post the photo of the two of you.  At the very least, he is not permitted to bother you for more money, disparage you or sueso long as you comply with your obligations in the agreement.

Neither Argento nor her lawyers have commented on the story, despite a dayslong effort on the part of the Times. Through his lawyer, Bennett declined to be interviewed, saying he was focusing on his music.




Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday announced that, the Assam government would extend financial aid of Rs 3 crore to the Kerala government in view of the devastating flood in the southern state.



The Assam CM also directed the state Revenue and Disaster Management Department to open helpline to extend help to the people of Assam who are trapped in the deluge and to expedite their relief and rescue.





Meanwhile, the Revenue and Disaster Management Department opened two helpline numbers and a control room to help the marooned people from the state.





The helpline numbers are 03612237219 and 03612237460. The control room can be accessed through dialling 09401044617.




This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist. The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission.

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.

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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

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This Bodum travel press works just like a full-size French-press coffee makerand 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 areeven if its in a subway car, as one former co-worker of mine used to do.

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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.

BUY: Bodum Travel Press

$20, Amazon

Most Versatile Portable Coffee Maker

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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 gobut 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.

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BUY: Bobble Presse

$25, Amazon

Best Pour-Over Portable Coffee Maker

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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.

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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.

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BUY: Soma SM18501K Brew Bottle Coffee

$40, Amazon

Best Portable Cold-Brew Coffee Maker

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For my money, theres no better way to make cold-brew coffee to-go than in a Mason jar, and Im not alone in this conviction. I interviewed baristas about their favorite cold-brew coffee setups and Claire Chan, owner of the Elk in Manhattans West Village and Bar Beau in Williamsburg, recommended brewing in a wide-mouthed Mason jar. Its sturdy, reusable, and looks really cute, she exclaimed at the time. All you have to do is grind up coffee, pour cold water and stir, then leave it in the fridge overnight. To filter out the grounds, just strain the liquid over a cheesecloth. This method is, by far, the cheapest and most efficient way to make cold brew, and itll leave you with a silky concentrate thatll keep you buzzing all day. And as long as its in that Mason jar, you can take it basically anywhere.

BUY: Ball Glass Mason Jar with Lid and Band, Wide Mouth, 64 Ounces (6-Pack)

$20, Amazon
Executive Time is Slates pop-up blog about bosses.

In the more than 10 years Ive been writing the workplace advice column Ask a Manager, Ive heard about some really bad bosses. Really bad ones. Picture the worst boss youve ever had, and these still might be worse. Were not talking garden-variety incompetence here. Were talking wedding-crashing, organ-pilfering, horse-murdering bad.

Ive pulled together the eight awful boss letters that still give me nightmares. Im going to ease you in (somewhat) slowly, but they get pretty horrific by the end of this list.

The boss who wants 20 percent of your salary from your next job

Ideally bosses invest in your development and help you build the skills and connections that will lead to your next job. But this one thinks that makes him entitled to a cut of your next salary:

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I recently told my boss that I am looking for a new job, and that I would be leaving his company within four weeks. When I had a few offers, I met with the boss and discussed them with him, especially since one of the offers is a current client. He said that he wishes me well and that he will waive adherence to the non-compete clause, as the client is not changing any services with his company. A few days later, my boss calls me and says that he feels that it is fair that I pay 20 percent of my new salary as a conversion fee to his company. He said that it was because of him that I was able to interact with the company, and most recruiters charge 20 percent of the new salary as a fee.

The boss who wants help hiding his affairs from his wife

Being an assistant can mean you learn more about your bosss personal life than you might want to know  but this guy has enlisted his assistant to facilitate his affairs and hide them from his wife:

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My boss is having multiple affairs. I am his assistant, so I know about all his visitors and his schedule. He is married, but he often has visits from two different women, and he outright told me to never tell his wife about them. When either of them visit, he locks his door and tells me he is not to be disturbed. This happens almost weekly. He sometimes asks me to book local hotel rooms for an hour or an afternoon, and he sometimes buys jewelry and flowers for the two women he sees regularly. I know this because he sends me out to pick up the jewelry (which I later see them wearing) or asks me to have the flowers sent to them. He never does anything like this for his wife. One of the women just had a baby who is named after my boss and has his surname. One time, his wife showed up for a surprise visit to take him out to lunch, and he directed me to lie that the woman who was in his office was there for a job interview. He also submits expenses from his business trips (where he has traveled alone) and I have to re-calculate everything because he has upgraded the company-provided hotel room to a better one on his personal credit card and bought breakfast for more than one person the next morning. When this happens, he tells me he had company. There was also an incident where he came to work panicked because he said he accidentally used his company credit card at a strip club. He sent me to retrieve it and pay his tab with cash, but the address he sent me to was actually a massage parlor.

The boss who crashed a wedding

People sometimes agonize over whether to invite their boss to their wedding. What if you decided not to and he showed up anyway?

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Im an executive assistant. My boss  went to a coworkers wedding because he had a question about something and she was the only one who could answer it. One of the grooms relatives is a police officer and she had to escort my boss out because he wouldnt leave. He tried to have the coworker written up at work over what happened, and she ended up quitting before she left for her honeymoon.

The boss who showed up while an employee was having chemotherapy

Speaking of showing up at inappropriate places to ask work questions, when this person was diagnosed with cancer, her assistant manager decided to show up at her chemotherapy sessions:

Recently while I was having chemotherapy, Ned showed up at the clinic and started asking me about work matters. I was completely surprised that he even knew where I was and that he was asking me about work on my off-time. The things he was asking about were not emergencies or work with deadlines.  I have asked the clinic not to admit Ned, but sometimes he comes in anyway or waits until no one is looking before he comes in. There have been times when the nurses have asked him to leave or told him to get out of the room I am in. Sometimes he lies to them and says it is an emergency, and one volunteer told me Ned told the nurse on duty that he was family.  His behavior is stressing me out even more than I already am.

The boss who read every email employees sent  and put cameras in their offices

Lots of people have worked for micromanagers at one point or another, but this boss took lack of trust to a new and deeply paranoid level:

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One of the first things that alarmed me was that I learned the companys CEO has our email system set up so that he is automatically blind copied on every single email that is sent out from a company address.  They also recently installed security cameras that include audio in each of our offices. I am fine with having video surveillance for common areas, but it feels odd to me that my boss could be watching me from his office at any point in the day without my knowing. It isnt that I have something to hide, but sometimes on my lunch break, I close the door to take a personal call, and now I feel like there is nowhere to get any privacy.  Although my boss repeatedly tells me (almost as if he senses my apprehension) that I am the very last person hed ever be watching or be suspicious of and that I am far from the reason he is taking such precautions, I feel very strange knowing that I have someone invading my space to that degree.

The boss who threatened to fire people if they didnt sign up to be a liver donor for his brother

This boss must have desperately wanted to help his sick brotherbut apparently forgot that you cant demand that employees hand over parts of their bodies:

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The owner of the company has a brother who needs a liver transplant. Two weeks ago, a company-wide memo went out that all employees would be required to undergo testing to see if they were a suitable liver donor for the owners brother. No exceptions. Last week at the branch the owner works out of most of the time, his assistant went around to schedule days off for everyone so they could go get tested. People who declined were let go.  Im in remission from cancer. Im ineligible to donate and any kind of surgery would put a major strain on my system. Even if I was healthy, I would still object to possibly being forced into donating an organ just to keep my job.

The boss who let an employees horse die

One of the saddest letters Ive ever received was from someone whose friend was taking care of her horse, discovered the horse was seriously ill, and tried to reach her at work since the vet wouldnt proceed with treatment without her authorization:

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My friend explained how dire the situation was and my manager told her he would let me know immediately. Except that he didnt.  Unfortunately, in the three hours between my friend calling and my hearing of it, my horses heart rate had shot over 120 beats per minute. That 120 mark is used as an indicator that recovery is very unlikely, and I made the choice to have her put down. I asked my manager why he hadnt let me know what was going on and he said he was going to let me know at lunch time (approximately five hours after the call came) and I could leave then.  The kicker in all of this? That morning, my manager had me hosing walkways because he didnt have anything else for me to do.

The boss who made an employee leave a work note at a grave

Think its bad that your boss wont stop calling you when youre out sick? (It is.) This boss told an employee to leave a work note at the grave that he expected a bereaved colleague to be visiting:

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Three weeks ago one of my coworkers lost a relative. She has been off work on bereavement and family leave. Our boss isnt happy with her being off for so long. Since it is out of his control and he doesnt get to approve or deny her leave in this case (the HR department is in charge of that) I have been doing my best to ignore him whenever he complains. Last week my boss gave me an envelope with my coworkers name on it and told me to leave it at the grave of my coworkers relative. He said it was a condolence card at first, but I didnt buy it because our work had already sent a card. When I asked him about it again, he said it was a note with some work-related items only she knows about and he needs answers ASAP and she wont answer her (personal, not work) phone when he calls her. He gave me directions to the cemetery and everything.

Read more from Executive Time, Slates pop-up blog about bosses.
Over the past several decades, and especially since 2002, when the Boston Globe first reported extensively on sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the Boston area, Catholics in America and around the world have been asking themselves profound questions about the way their faith is administered and led. Those questions have become even more pressing this summer. Last week, a grand jury reported that more than 300 priests sexually abused children in Pennsylvania over a period of seven decades. This follows the revelation that Washington, D.C.s former archbishop, Theodore E. McCarrick, had also committed sexual abuse, some of which took place at his beach house.

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In July, Pope Francis accepted McCarricks resignation. This week, the pope issued an unprecedented letter to his flock, saying the church had showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.

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I recently spoke by phone about all this with Paul Elie, an author and senior fellow at Georgetown Universitys Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, who has written extensively about the Catholic Church. During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed how to think about any connection between the churchs teachings and predatory priests, what Francis isand isntdoing differently than his predecessors, and how Catholics should respond to so much horrible news about their church.

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Isaac Chotiner: Do the Pennsylvania revelations, and the McCarrick story, change the way you think about sexual abuse in the Church in any way?

Paul Elie: In the case of Pennsylvania, these are stories and incidents that are not unfamiliar. They are all too familiar in some respects. Just the scale of it leads the ordinary person to think that this was not the exception; this was something like the rule. And I think, on some level, many of us had been telling ourselves that this was the exception for a couple of decades now.

In the case of Cardinal McCarrick, I had heard the rumors about his behavior at the beach house a dozen years ago, to the point that I have to ask myself why I didnt call somebody or write about it, because I think I naturally assumed that was the extent of it, and that the past was past. I am ashamed of that. At this point, there is still revelation upon revelation where we get into the weeping and gnashing of teeth. In other words, I had heard this rumor about Cardinal McCarrick and it turns out that the rumor concealed darker and more awful behavior that was chronic and went on for decades. And the rumor itself was bad enough, but it turns out what the two men featured in [the New York Times] stories underwent was just so appalling.

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I think, on some level, many of us had been telling ourselves that this was the exception for a couple of decades now.  Paul Elie

What was the rumor you heard specifically?

That McCarrick, I think when he was the bishop of Metuchen in New Jersey, had a beach house where seminarians would go with him, and at one point he would ask them to sleep with him. I heard that back about the time of the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI, because I interviewed Cardinal McCarrick around that time. My recollectionwhich probably wont check out but it is my recollectionwas that I was in an airport, and there was a news crawl about rumors surrounding McCarrick, which I had already heard. And then the rumors went away and he became archbishop of Washington, and was considered one of the good ones. The idea that he was a liberal doesnt make sense by anything other than debased Catholic standards. He wasnt a liberal. He was more moderate than some. But in retrospect I think we can see that if he lacked leadership in some areas, it was because he was a deeply compromised figure.

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Are you implying you cut him some slack because he was a liberal?

No. The typical reporting I have read about McCarrick has implied that conservatives were calling for his ouster, or conservatives were pleased that one of the liberal cardinals had been exposed. And that in a kind of tit-for-tat way, there was a bit of schadenfreude on the right, as if McCarrick were a figure on the left, that in the pontificate of Pope Francis, that a cardinal associated with Pope Francis is under fire is not unpleasing to certain people on the hard right.

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Does the weak, halting response of church higher-ups make you feel differently about the leadership structure?

What I am feeling is the sense that the churchs response to it is still so full of defensiveness, so eager to split hairs, so determined to focus on whether or not someone should keep his job, instead of on a deeper question of what our religion is about and what is good in it and what is not. And if what is not good in it is so close to the core of the way our church is organized, what does that tell us about what it means to be Catholics?

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What do you make of the way Pope Francis specifically has handled this?

I think that Pope Francis did something remarkable earlier this summer. He is far from perfect. Even the sainted Popes John XXIII and John Paul II were far from perfect. These are frail, imperfect human beings in difficult roles.

What is striking to me about Pope Francis, who has been far from sound on this issue from the beginning of his pontificate, was his willingness to change right in the glare of the media essentially over a period of a couple of weeks earlier this summer when it came to the question of sexual abuse in Chile. There are many people who can dispute the particulars, but he went from claiming there was calumny against a bishop with whom he was associated, to being told there was a preponderance of evidence against the guy, to committing a trusted deputy to amass that evidence, to reviewing it and essentially saying, I was wrong, and inviting the victims to Rome. To change quickly, and obviously, in a short time is very uncharacteristic of popes. That Francis could do that gives me hope.

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I see some of this in the letter he released Monday morning. Again, it was far from perfect, such as in the fact that it weirdly seemed to suggest that all of us Catholics are responsible for the problem of sexual abuse in the church, and all need to undertake fasting and penance. But the important thing is that the letter came right away and that it sounds so obviously human. It is a personal statement, not a papal statement from on high.

There was a debate in 2002, and in the wake of the Boston revelations, about the degree to which Catholicism itself and things like celibacy were responsible for exacerbating the sexual abuse problem. What did you think of the debate then and what do you think of it now?

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I think that the sexual abuse crisis has occluded the issue and made it extremely difficult for the church to attend to a host of issues about human sexuality that it needs urgently to deal with. I am writing a book about the 1980s, when a lot of these questions came up in the public eye for the first time. Questions about the churchs consideration of homosexuality, the whole idea of Hate the sin, love the sinner. That was 35 years ago, and these questions have not been dealt with, and one of the reasons is that the sexual abuse crisis has sucked all the air out of the room.

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OK, maybe I should rephrase my question. Do you think that the abuse itself has something to do with the teachings of Catholicism or celibacy?

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Yes. [Pauses]

How so?

I think we need to think about that together as a church, and the church is not willing to begin to think about it, and the sexual abuse crisis has sadly given one more pretext for that institutional self-examination to be kicked down the road.

But you dont have a specific thing in mind? You just think it needs to be broadly thought about?

Basically, the danger to which Catholics are prone is to oversimplify human sexuality, so its all very complicated and there is no single cause to any of these things. Even in the best of times, if there had not been one instance of sexual abuse, for the church to frame a coherent position on human sexuality would be extraordinarily hard. This has just made it so much harder.

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What should Catholics do now? I assume you dont think they should leave the church, and I assume you think the way the church is dealing with the crisis is unacceptable.

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[Long pause] I know what I am doing, which is a word that is part of the Jesuit tradition that I came to know as a student at Fordham in the 1980s and is really at the center of Pope Francis approach, and it is the word discernment. In this instance, we have to call evil what it is, and call a crisis what it is, but also approach it from the point of view of discernment, and not from the point of view of the culture wars, lets say. What does it mean for me? What does it mean for the victims? What does it mean for us as a Catholic people? What does it mean for our society if Catholic Christianity were sort of amputated from the body politic? We have to think about all those things and then try to look backward and forward at the same time.

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Maybe its because I am nonbeliever, but you are being too cryptic for me. I dont know exactly what you mean.

I mean: The secular lingo for this is a teachable moment. I think thats a shallow cliche. A serious believer asks himself or herself with some regularity, What do I believe? Why do I believe it? Do I believe that its the path of virtue? Is it one that I would recommend to other people? Is it one that I carry out into public life or just practice at home? Does it bind me to the pastto Saint Augustine, and St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Ignatius of Loyola? And if it does, does it bind me to those predatory priests also? CatholicismJudaism tooclaims an essential continuity between the past and the present, and so if you claim that continuity, it makes it very hard to say, Oh, things were done differently then. The past was the past, which is what a lot of people are trying to do right now. If you are serious about Catholicism, I dont think thats an easy move to make. Its a cop-out.

I wrote a book about some of the best things that have happened in American Catholicism from after World War II until Walker Percy died in 1990. And that period coincides with a period in which we now know there were thousands of acts of sexual abuse in the United States. Same years. Same church. Its tempting to try and separate the two, but things arent that simple.
The White House fired a speechwriter named Darren Beattie last week after the CNN investigative KFile unit discovered hed spoken at a 2016 conference that featured a number of prominent white supremacist pseudo-intellectuals. Media accounts have highlighted Beatties appearance on a panel with an individual named Peter Brimelow, a prominent extremist known for advocating immigration policies intended to maintain white control of American government. (Brimelow has said, among other things, that Hispanics  specialize in rape.) The schedule from the 2016 event, held by a group called the H.L. Mencken Club, indicates that there was a third participant on Beattie and Brimelows panel, an author named Ilana Mercer  and she also turns out to be a real piece of work, racism-wise!

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Mercers primary contribution to the world of arts and letters, it appears, is a book about her native South Africa. Its called Into the Cannibals Pot, its about the end of apartheid, and this image is on its cover:

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It may not surprise you, given that insanely unsubtle symbolism and title, to learn that Mercer thinks that getting rid of apartheid has been bad for South Africaand that, broadly, white people shouldnt support democracy in countries in which theyre a minority population because they will be exterminated by nonwhite savages.

That Beattie would be fired for associating with these kind of individuals makes sense from a PR perspectivebut, on the other hand, it also doesnt make sense, given that Trump-orbit figures like Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, and Donald Trump Jr. have been promoting white supremacist/white nationalist ideas and cultivating connections to the white-power community for years now. Mercers ideas specifically seem to converge with those articulated by Bannon, who has said that current world events remind him of the apocalyptic 1973 race-war novel The Camp of the Saints, in which whites must fight for survival against dirty Arabs, niggers, and an Indian warlord who eats human excrement. (Bannon left the White House in 2017, but his departure didnt have anything to do with his views on race.)

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The curious thing for future historians to parse out, if reading and writing exist in the future, is that the modern United States is, for its various faults, an overall prosperous place where employment rates are high, crime has been falling for years, and immigrants live successfully with native-born individuals in various thriving locales. It isnt a place in which white people, as a distinct group, are threatened by anything more material than symbolic protests and acts of cultural inclusion. Far from being premised on racial redistribution, the most radical policies proposed by the political party most strongly identified with ethnic diversity would benefit huge portions of the white population. And yet we are led by individuals who seem sincerely convinced that European-descended U.S. whites are in danger of being totally destroyed at any moment by immigrant rape and cannibalism. Its weird.
Senate Republicans have twin fears in Arizona this year: that ultraconservative Kelli Ward will win next weeks GOP primary over establishment-approved U.S. Rep. Martha McSally and that Ward will then quickly prove toxic in one of 2018s most important general elections. If that nightmare scenario isnt already keeping Mitch McConnell up at night, it should soon.

On Friday, Ward will set out on a two-day, statewide bus tour along with a small collection of right-wing agitators chosen to generate headlines. Chief among them: Mike Cernovich, the anti-feminist troll best known for spreading the dangerous IRL conspiracy theory attempting to link Hillary Clinton to a nonexistent child-sex cult in the basement of a D.C. pizza joint. Cernovich describes himself as an American nationalist, and while he denies being part of the alt-right movement, the xenophobia and misogyny of his mens rights activism aligns closely with it. Given that his brand-building mantras include conflict is attention and attention is influence, theres little reason to doubt hell play it safe onstage. (You will not be surprised to learn Donald Trump Jr. counts himself a fan.)

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During a Sunday appearance on MSNBC, Ward defended her decision to invite Cernovich by claiming, bizarrely, that she knew almost nothing about him. I dont really know what Mike Cernovichs views are, she said. I know hes got an audience and we want to serve everyone. She similarly feigned ignorance when asked about the debunked #PizzaGate conspiracy theory, which motivated a man to show up at the D.C. restaurant and fire a military-style assault rifle in December 2016: All I know about Hillary Clinton is that she would have been a terrible president. And Ward awkwardly answered a question about whether the GOP should embrace the alt-right by repeating Donald Trumps campaign slogan. I think the Republican Party and the people of the United States should embrace making America great again, she responded.

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Ward will also be joined on her bus this weekend by U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Steve King of Iowa. The former is a proudly politically incorrect member of the House Freedom Caucus who once called on Capitol Police to arrest undocumented immigrants who were invited to attend the State of the Union. The latter has a habit of saying things like, We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies, and that, for every Dreamer who becomes a valedictorian, theres another 100 out there who weigh 130 poundsand theyve got calves the size of cantaloupes because theyve been hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Also making the trip: conservative TV personalities Tomi Lahren and Eric Bolling.

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Wards play here is, sadly, obvious. McSally remains the favorite for the GOP nominationbut in large part because Ward appears to be splitting the far-right vote with disgraced former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In the current RealClearPolitics rolling average, McSally leads with 33 percent to Wards 25 percent and Arpaios 20 percent. If Ward tried to move toward the middle after months of attacking McSally for being insufficiently conservative, shed likely lose some slice of her support to Arpaio, while not necessarily poaching any from McSally. So instead, Ward is making one final push to consolidate the right wing by trotting out a few of its favorite mascots. The ensuing controversy and press coverage is a feature, not a bug. This, after all, is a woman who happily went on Alex Jones national radio show to receive his endorsement in her 2016 primary challenge to Sen. John McCain.

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Republican leaders are clearly concerned Ward can prevail next week, spoiling their chances of holding on to retiring-Sen. Jeff Flakes seat. The head of the Senate GOPs campaign arm reportedly asked Donald Trump recently to change his mind about staying on the sidelines, believingnot unreasonablythat the presidents stamp of approval would seal the nomination for McSally. And a McSally-aligned outside group spent nearly $1 million last week alone attacking Ward, money theyd have much rather spent attacking the likely Democratic nominee, U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.

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Of course, terms like establishment and outsider can only tell us so much in todays GOP. McSally was elected to the House in 2014 as a relatively moderate Republican. She had shown willingness to compromise on things like immigration and originally kept her distance from Trump, criticizing him for his Access Hollywood boasts about sexual assault and refusing, to this day, to say whether she voted for him. But since entering the Senate race, McSally has tacked right and now happily embraces the president and his America First agenda. On matters of policy, then, Ward and McSally agree on much more than they dont, and both are selling themselves as key players for Team Trump. The difference, then, is simply how far out on the ledge each is willing to stand to make their case to Republican voters.
Has Don McGahn turned on Donald Trump? On Saturday, the New York Times published a lengthy story suggesting as much, hinting that the White House counsel may have reached the limits of his loyalty to the president. Reporters Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt detail McGahns assistance to Muellers Russia probe, including 30 hours of voluntary interviews with investigators. Trump, they write, allowed McGahn to speak to Muellers team, though the president may not have grasped the extent of his cooperation.

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Haberman and Schmidts narrative is quite tantalizing, not least of all for its obvious parallels to former White House counsel John Deans testimony against Richard Nixon during Watergate. A closer examination of the Times piece, however, reveals that there is good reason to be skeptical that McGahns testimony will help unseat the president as Deans did. Haberman and Schmidt frame McGahn in an extremely favorable light, giving him far too much credit for ostensible transparency when it is not at all clear that his testimony will help Mueller. And they do so while intimating that obstruction of justice is at the heart of Muellers probean inaccurate assumption that buoys the dubious claim of McGahns full cooperation at Trumps expense.

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Perhaps the strangest aspect of Haberman and Schmidts story is what it does not mention. The reporters highlight the fact that Trump expressly permitted McGahn to speak to Mueller, a fact the president touted on Twitter after the articles publication. But they fail to note that, in fact, McGahn is legally obligated to give testimony. As former White House counsel Bob Bauer notes in Lawfare, McGahn represents the office of the president, not Trump. He is an employee of the United States government, not personal lawyer to the president. For that reason, the courts have already concluded that the White House counsel cannot cite attorney-client privilege or executive privilege to avoid testifying about the presidents alleged malfeasance. Had McGahn refused to meet with the special counsel, Mueller could have compelled him to do so.

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Still, it is notable that McGahn did not even try to avoid speaking with Mueller. Although the law here is settled, the Trump administration is not known for its respect of precedent; McGahn could have at least delayed the interview through a legal battle. There are two possible reasons why he apparently decided to simply comply with Muellers request. The first is that a futile court fight over his testimony wouldve made him look bad, raising suspicions that he (and the White House) had something to hide. The second is that he saw little riskand even some rewardin telling Muellers team about the events that could constitute obstruction of justice.

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Its reasonable to infer that some combination of these two possibilities probably led McGahn to forego a privilege claim that he could have deployed to fight his legal obligation to testify about possible obstruction. Yes, he would lose, but more importantly, he would convey unscrupulous recalcitrance for no good reason. Haberman and Schmidt imply that Mueller has zeroed in on obstruction as a key aspect of his investigation. But while Mueller is no doubt interested in obstruction, there is little indication that he considers it a priority. To the contrary, the special counsel has already obtained four indictments and five guilty pleas involving conduct that has nothing to do with obstruction. He seems to be working his way through a criminal conspiracy of Trumps associates, one that may turn out to feature the president in a leading role.

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The bigger question is whether McGahn spoke to the special counsel about matters beyond obstructionspecifically, about collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

True, in media appearances, Trumps personal lawyersparticularly Giuliani and Jay Sekulowhave sought to depict Mueller as fixated on obstruction. That is because they recognize, correctly, that an obstruction charge against the president would go nowhere. According to Giuliani, Mueller is operating under the assumption that he cannot indict a sitting president. Even if Giuliani is lying, Trumps lawyers have a backup argument that the president does not commit obstruction when he exercises his constitutional authority, even for illicit purposes. (They argue, for instance, that it should not matter why Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, because he has the power to terminate a subordinate executive-branch official.) These arguments might fare well in our increasingly Trumpy courts. At most, then, Mueller could advise Congress to impeach Trump for obstruction. Good luck with that.

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In short, Trumps legal advisers do not believe that obstruction-related inquiries can legally endanger the president. Its no surprise, then, that McGahn would speak with Muellers team about the events that lie behind a potential obstruction charge. The bigger mystery is whether he spoke to the special counsel about matters beyond obstructionspecifically, about collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, the actual focus of Muellers probe. Unfortunately, the Times report is maddeningly vague on this topic, stating only that it is not clear if Mueller asked McGahn about Russian collusion.

As Marcy Wheeler pointed out on Saturday, this single passage is the most telling in the whole article. There are, Wheeler noted, at least three ways in which Russian collusion might have involved campaign finance violations. McGahn, a former FEC commissioner, is a campaign finance expert, and he served as Trumps campaign counsel through the 2016 election. In that capacity, he was presumably involved in the campaigns hiring of British Cambridge Analytica employees, a move that raised the possibility of improper foreign contributions. McGahn may have been aware of the infamous meeting between a Russian lawyer and Trump campaign officials to get dirt on Hillary Clinton, running afoul of campaign finance rules. And McGahn may have failed to wall off Roger Stone from the campaign as Stone allegedly bypassed election laws to seek more dirt on Clinton from foreigners. (Mueller is keenly interested in Stones work for the campaign.)

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Has McGahn spoken about any of these episodes with Mueller? Thats a critical question, because citing Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator in these alleged crimes may be Muellers strongest move. But we dont know the answer, and the Times story conspicuously declines to tell us. It thus creates the false impression that McGahn is a model of transparency with regard to the special counsel. And that is almost certainly the reason why Haberman and Schmidts sourcesincluding, most likely, McGahn himselftold them about the White House counsels vaunted cooperation. Saturdays story provides McGahn with a publicity boost, depicting him as an honest broker with Mueller. And it paints the picture of a president who is, at worst, underestimating the threat that McGahns obstruction testimony could pose to him. Trump comes across as naive about the investigation, a much more innocent look than his usual panicked rage.

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As the White House braces for a verdict in Paul Manaforts trial and remains at an impasse over Trumps hesitance to testify, the Times story can only help the presidents public standing. It strengthens his claims of transparency and insinuates that McGahn has nothing to hide. (A follow-up report that Giuliani does not know the extent of McGahns testimony makes the White House counsel look even more independent.) The real test of McGahns candor will arrive if, and when, Mueller asks to speak to him about the campaign. At that point, McGahn could raise attorney-client privilege, since he represented Trump at the time, triggering a genuine conflict with the special counsel.

Until then, its worth reading these stories of cooperation with a grain of salt. Trump and McGahn want us to think that Mueller has no reason to compel testimony, because they are already giving him everything he wants. And although it was not their intention, Haberman and Schmidt lay the groundwork for that position. By talking to Mueller about obstructionthen, apparently, publicizing those talksMcGahn did not throw Trump under the bus. He strengthened the White Houses armor ahead of the looming collision.
Pope Francis released a letter to Catholics worldwide on Monday apologizing for the churchs inaction in the face of its global and decades-long sex abuse scandal, calling for greater accountability and promising that no effort will be spared to change the church culture that has allowed both an epidemic of abuse and the broad conspiracy to conceal it.

The letter came less than a week after a grand jury in Pennsylvania released a devastating report finding more than 1,000 victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the states Catholic clergy. A spokesperson for the Vatican told the New York Times that Francis letter likely marks the first time a pope has addressed sexual abuse to the worlds Catholics.

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He acknowledged his regret over the Vaticans complacency and its minimization of the allegationsa source of criticism levied against him personally, as with past leaders of the church, particularly after he defended a Chilean bishop and accused the alleged victims of slander, prompting protests in the country. In his letter Monday, Francis wrote:

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With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them. I make my own the words of the then Cardinal Ratzinger [now known as Pope Benedict] when  he identified with the cry of pain of so many victims and exclaimed: How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to [Christ]! How much pride, how much self-complacency!

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Francis also called for Catholics around the world to join forces in uprooting this culture of death and indicated the church would cooperate more with work being carried out in various parts of the world to combat the abuse. And he denounced the practice of focusing on the elites, or clergy, of the church rather than the faithful. This is clearly seen in a peculiar way of understanding the Churchs authority, one common in many communities where sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience have occurred, he wrote.

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According to the Times, Francis is scheduled next week to visit Ireland, where the legacy of sexual abuse has driven a dramatic decline of followers in what was once the most Catholic country in Europe. The pope is set to arrive for a Dublin event where Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of of Washington, was supposed to give a keynote speech. Wuerl, who recently replaced Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick after McCarrick was accused of abusing an altar boy, was himself accused in the Pennsylvania report of covering for accused clergyman. After the report was released, Wuerl pulled out of the Dublin event, but he maintained he act[ed] with diligence. He remains in his position.

Survivors of sexual abuse in Ireland are planning to protest during the popes visit. In the U.S., a group of Catholic theologians and lay leaders are calling for all American bishops to resign. In churches in Pennsylvania and around the Northeast, clergy held a mass of forgiveness Sunday to apologize and pray for forgiveness.
A jury agreed that a former Houston doctor raped a heavily sedated patient. But the jury decided that Shafeeq Sheikh, a former Baylor College of Medicine resident, should be sentenced to 10 years probation and register as a sex offender but not face any time behind bars. The sentence, which visiting Senior District Judge Terry L. Flenniken was required to follow by law, sparked outrage among rape victims advocacy groups and defense attorneys.

In 2013, a woman who has been identified as Laura by local media, was admitted to Ben Taub Hospital in Houston with shortness of breath and wheezing. She was sedated and kept overnight. The 46-year-old former doctor admitted during the trial he had sexual contact with the woman during the night, but insisted it was consensual. In fact, Sheikh testified that the woman was the one who made the initial approach.

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Both Sheikh and the victim took the stand during the eight-day trial and provided very different accounts of what happened that night. The victim said the doctor started touching her breasts and later raped her without using a condom. Sheikh insists the patient was the one who touched his genitals and made it clear she wanted to have sex with him. The woman said she was unable to call for help but reported the incident in the morning. It took investigators two years to charge Sheikh.

Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder called on jurors to keep in mind that Sheikh abused his access to a vulnerable person. He sought her out. He chose her to prey on, Reeder said. You know hes the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that.

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In an interview with local CBS affiliate KHOU, Laura said she believes she wasnt Sheiks only victim. Of course, yes, and the reason I think so is because this person had everything very organized, she said.

Sheikhs attorneys, however, defended the jurys decision saying the issue isnt as clear cut as it may seem. The 12 members of the jury who sat there and heard evidence for two solid weeks were in the best position to make that call  And when youre not there and you havent heard the evidence, people should not jump to conclusions about facts they didnt hear, defense attorney Lisa Andrews told the Washington Post. The facts are not black and white.
This piece was originally published on Just Security, an online forum for analysis of U.S. national security law and policy.

Over the weekend, Michael Schmidt and Maggie Haberman published a remarkable story in the New York Times chronicling White House Counsel Donald F. McGahns substantial cooperation with special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian criminal election interference. McGahn had a ringside seat to many of President Donald Trumps alleged efforts to impede that inquiry. The story paints a picture of McGahns alienation from the president and other members of the legal team, and the defensive measures he undertook as he believed he might be hung out to dry by President Trump. Apparently it took the president and other members of his legal team by surprise.

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The legal avenues McGahn has pursued reveal a great deal about how he may be navigating profound tensions between his roles as White House counsel, as a potential defendant (even if framed by others), and as a government attorney who the president reportedly expects will remain personally loyal. McGahns chosen paths also reveal much about the White Houses view of the presidents exposure to criminal liability.

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Almost a year ago, I told Business Insider McGahn will be a fact witness to what Trump was saying at the time with regard to James Comeys dismissal. Back then, I was concerned about his ability to be effective in his role if sidelined. The Times reveals that McGahn spent some 30 hours over three sessions in interviews with the special counsel. That is an eye-popping amount of time. I cant recall spending that much time deposing crucial witnesses in multibillion-dollar litigation cases.

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I encourage people to read Bob Bauers reaction to this report. Having served as counsel to the president in the Obama White House, he is in a position to understand the myriad duties and tensions of that job at the level of seniority of those who interacted with the president on a daily basis. I would like to add a few further observations based on my experience as one of his lieutenants who was brought in, in part, for consigliere services once President Barack Obama faced a Republican-led Congress after the 2010 midterm election.

The levels of dysfunction in the Trump White House and its in-house legal advisers portrayed in the Times report are astounding. They range from the institutional to the professional to the personal. Organizational dysfunction is always negative, but it is especially damaging at the White House as well as in lawyer-client relationships. Here we appear to have both of these problems.

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Legal doctrines designed to shield the White House from having to disclose informationsuch as executive privilege and attorney-client privilegeare always highly controversial. Even principled and valid claims of privilege will give rise to the hue and cry of stonewalling, cover-up, contempt, or obstruction of justice. But put aside that dynamic for a moment to consider the purposes of the privileges. They are designed to promote trust and candor in the relationship between a president and his senior legal adviser.

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The White House could have taken the position that the government attorney-client privilege should operate to preclude McGahns testimony.

In United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court explained the rationale for a qualified privilege shielding presidential communications from disclosure in common-sense observations about individual behavior: Human experience teaches that those who expect public dissemination of their remarks may well temper candor with a concern for appearances and for their own interests to the detriment of the decisionmaking process. Similarly, it is basic black letter law that the purpose of an attorney-client privilege is to encourage clients to tell their lawyers the unvarnished truth, even if its ugly or incriminating. Bauer rightly observes that a government attorney-client privilege was likely ultimately unavailable as a legal matter to shield McGahn from grand jury testimony in light of Clinton-era D.C. Circuit precedent. However, the arguments certainly could have been made to limit the scope, or slow the pace, of Muellers inquiry.

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In McGahns case, even in the absence of an assertion of executive privilege, the underlying concerns identified by the Supreme Court in Nixon have already been realized. President Trump has a personal legal team headed by private lawyers and a White House legal team to address official duties and institutional interests. Both the Times and Bauer correctly note that, in the final analysis, McGahns professional allegiances run to the office rather than its occupant. And it was prudent for McGahn to hire Bill Burck (who served as deputy White House counsel under President George W. Bush) as personal counsel. But the Times article goes a step further than McGahn giving evidence. Rather, it suggests that McGahn actually feared he was being set up by President Trump as a potential fall guy. And that McGahn took defensive measures to protect himself while remaining on the job as the presidents senior legal adviser. Adding context, the Times reports McGahn has derisively referred to Trump as King Kong, owing to McGahns dim assessment of Trumps volcanic temper in the face of unwelcome news. That strikes me, asserted privilege or not, as a presidential adviser who might very well temper candor with a concern  for their own interests to the detriment of the decisionmaking process.

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Of course President Trump represents the principal figure on the other side of the White House counsel relationship. As we have seen in other contexts, President Trump thinks in personal, rather than institutional, terms. The Times reports that President Trump has questioned Mr. McGahns loyalty. Further, it claims: The president wrongly believed that Mr. McGahn would act as a personal lawyer would for clients and solely defend his interests to investigators, according to a person with knowledge of his thinking. Personal loyalty to the president will put a White House legal professional in a bind if that presidents personal interests diverge from those of the presidency or the Constitution. The Russia investigation has clearly exacerbated that line of tension.

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Another significant facet of the Times report on McGahn is what it suggests about the special counsels investigation into President Trumps efforts to impede the Russia investigation. President Trumps personal lawyers claim that a president cannot ever be guilty of an obstruction of justice statute where the conduct at issue relates to supervision of a criminal investigation. Some have even claimed that it was that functional immunity from legal liability for obstruction that prompted McGahns willingness to provide so much transparency into conversations in the inner West Wing sanctum. Marcy Wheeler offers another plausible theory: that McGahn may have greater personal exposure related to his role in the campaign and thus benefits from news coverage that assumes the key here is the obstruction investigation rather than Russian collusion or election law violations.

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I disagree with the broad claim that the president cannot obstruct justice based on official acts. I am also mindful of Marty Ledermans refrain that Mueller will not seek to indict a sitting president. However, it appears to me that McGahn and Burck share my lack of confidence in Trumps foundational legal defense to an obstruction of justice charge. The Times reports that Burck explained to others that he told White House advisers that they did not appreciate the presidents legal exposure and that it was insane that Mr. Trump did not fight a McGahn interview in court.

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Whats more, if McGahn believed President Trump faced no criminal legal exposure for obstruction of justicewhether related to pressuring Comey to drop the Michael Flynn investigation, or firing Comey thereafter, or pressuring the attorney general to reverse his legally mandated recusal from the Russia investigation, or publicly expressing support for Paul Manafort as his jury entered deliberations, or revoking John Brennans security clearance because he was a classified witness to Trump campaign Russia contactsthen McGahn would not face derivative liability for serving as a conduit for those presidential acts. In other words, McGahn wouldnt have the same need to undertake defensive legal measures if the obstruction case against Trump were meritless.

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Moreover, the White House could have taken the position that the government attorney-client privilege should operate to preclude McGahns testimony. If there were no potential criminal wrongdoing at play in McGahns story, then the rationale of the D.C. Circuit ruling abrogating the government-attorney client privilege would be absent here. However, to be fair, it appears that the strategic decision to allow McGahn to be interviewed by the special counsel was made over McGahns objection or contrary to his advice.

At bottom, the news report is reminiscent of the old warning not to listen to what their lips say but look at the direction their feet are pointing. McGahns legal body language, according to the Times, appears to assign great legal jeopardy to the special counsels obstruction of justice investigation and potentially collusion, too.

More from Just Security:

Peter Strzoks Firing Gives the Bureau a Chance to Reset

Brennans Due Process Case Against the White House




Guwahati: The Guwahati city police have arrested two persons involved in cheating several bitcoin investors in Assam.





They were running an organised criminal multi-marketing fraud.





According to the reports, following complaint, the Azara police under the Guwahati city police on Sunday had launched operation at Beltola area in the capital city of Assam and arrested two persons named Dilip Mohan J Singh hailing from Karnataka and Mayur Gogoi hailing from Assams Sivasagar district in connection with the cheating case.





Pranjal Bora, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Guwahati city police said that, police had launched operation after receiving complaints from some investors.





The accused lured people to invest in bitcoin for higher returns and collected several lakh of rupees from the people in different locations. The investors told that, they had invested money, but two main persons of Dilip Mohan J Singh and Mayur Gogoi had cheated them, Pranjal Bora said.





During search operation at the flat, where the accused persons were staying, police had seized two laptops, 13 numbers of ATM card, 13 numbers bank account passbooks, documents, three cheque books, Rs 13,140 cash, several stumps.





Police had registered a case at Azara police station in connection with it.




Amberthe fossilized tree resin prized for its beauty, fabled healing properties, and ancient plant and animal inclusionshas long intrigued and delighted humans. Likewise, our millennia-long adoration of and working relationship with our pets shows no signs of slowing. We spent over $69 billion on our furry friends in the U.S. in 2017, and thats a number thats projected to grow yearly. Enter an eye-catching and purportedly functional product that combines our adoration of our pets with the surge in demand for all things natural: a dog or cat collar that claims to use natural amber to stave off the ticks and fleas we dont want our critters to carry.

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Protecting your pet from parasites is an important part of responsible care but millions of people are doing it wrong and unknowingly harm their pets health using chemical collars, spot-on pesticide products and medicine, the company Amber Crown says on its website. Amber Crown and Ambertick are the two leading sellers of these collars, both sourcing their raw, unpolished gems from Lithuania, in the heart of the Baltic region where the largest known deposit of the fossilized tree resin is found. According to an Amber Crown representative, its collars are on shelves in around 200 stores and are also popular online. Amazon lists over 20 Prime-eligible amber collar options. Etsy and other online sellers are also littered with amber collars. The question is: Do they live up to the big claims they make about protecting our pets?

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But experts are hesitant. Nothing in these makes me think they would work, says Jake Bova, an entomologist and graduate teaching assistant at Virginia Tech.

The companies claim that amber collars can be used as a preventive measure, repelling fleas and ticks in two ways. First, theres ambers natural electrostatic properties, a phenomenon thought to have first been recorded by Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus in the sixth century B.C. Static electricity generated when amber rubs against the pets fur makes parasites uncomfortable and unable to cling to hairs, explains Amber Crowns FAQ page. Naturally a cat or a dog doesnt feel it but every tick that comes in contact with the electrically charged fur gets an electric shock and just falls off, claims Ambertick.

The second way these collars supposedly work is that when amber is warmed via the friction and body heat that comes with wear, a resinous aroma is created that repels fleas and ticks from settling into the wearers fur. Sellers of amber teething necklaces for infantspopular among the natural parenting crowd and also sold by some of these same companiesclaim that they work in a similar way: A babys body heat supposedly releases a painkilling substance from the beads into the bloodstream. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a warning in 2015 to state that theres no evidence that amber teething necklaces work (for one, body temperature is too low to facilitate the release of any significant amount of chemicals from amber) and cautioned that they pose a strangulation hazard.

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Ambertick says on its website that its collars are 95 percent effective, adding that we have received over a hundred positive responses from our customers. So now we can strongly reassure you - Yes, it does work.

But experts are hesitant. Nothing in these makes me think they would work, says Jake Bova, an entomologist and graduate teaching assistant at Virginia Tech who runs the Relax, Im an Entomologist Facebook page. Michael Potter, an urban entomologist and extension professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky, tells Slate that these collars purported modes of action really [sound] incredibly farfetched. Amber collar makers seem proud of their overwhelming customer satisfaction, but its very difficult to prove prevention without doing a controlled research study, Potter says. For one, a hefty portion of the pets in glowing testimonials may never have ended up with a flea or tick problem in the first place.

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An active dog will produce a slight static charge, and fleas can get around this pretty easily because theyre well adapted to parasitizing hairy animals, entomologist Joe Ballenger, who helps run the Ask an Entomologist website, explains.

The problem is that demand for this kind of product is understandably high; traditional flea and tick medications come with serious risks, especially when used incorrectly. For example, in 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency received an influx of reports of adverse reactions in dogs and cats after using liquid spot-on pesticide products, which are applied topically between the shoulder blades. It was found that most of these bad reactions, which included digestive and nervous system problems and even death, were due to cat products being used on dogs and vice versa, user error in dosage, administering the treatments to puppies and kittens too young to receive them, and manufacturers not incrementally varying weight-based dosages sufficiently. Notably, this spike coincided with a number of formerly prescription-only products becoming available online and in stores over the counter. Veterinarians took notice, making sure to provide clearer guidance to pet owners, and the EPA ultimately implemented tighter regulations associated with flea and tick treatments, including improved labeling and more stringent testing and evaluation requirements. Its also worth noting that spot-on treatments and collars are considered safe for people who come in contact with pets, but households with infants and young kids need to be cautious when using them.

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For pet owners, part of the appeal of amber collars comes from the fact that they dont contain active ingredients that seem like they could harm your pet. As one user wrote in a review, I tried everything - including one of those dangerous spot on flea & tick remedies - ONCE - & I felt so guilty knowing I was applying a carcinogen on my beloved dogs. Its understandable for pet owners to be reluctant to use the stronger chemicals, but its worth noting that for those concerned about topically applied pesticides, there are oral tablets that kill fleas and ticks and dont expose your loved ones to pesticides on fur. There are some terrific newer chemistries that have come out in the last two to three years in spot-on, collar, and oral form, Potter says. These products are so effective, so fast-acting [that] within 24 hours of a flea getting on a pet, its toast. He points out that many of these products have been registered with the EPA and in recent years have gone through extensive testing by their makers with guidance from the EPA, including demonstrating efficacy for specific claims (like kills on contact).

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Should amber collars be subject to regulation, even though their purported mode of action is static, rather than through a chemical pesticide? The EPA doesnt regulate them now, but its website says that pesticide devices that work by physical means and do not contain a substance or mixture of substances to perform its intended pesticidal purpose should not make false or misleading claims and should have scientific data to back up claims.

After answering questions via email about its sales, Amber Crown did not reply to a subsequent request for data to back up the claims made about its flea and tick products. Ambertick explained that its testing methodologies involve trial and error and are a little secretive, noting the complex biological and environmental factors involved in this type of scientific research. A company spokesperson wrote in an email that no private company would ever fund such research since the results couldnt lead to profitable outcome - amber stone as a resource cant be patented.

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One things clear: If your pet is likely to encounter fleas or ticksespecially if it spends time outdoors and interacts with other animalstrying an amber collar in lieu of vet-recommended preventive measures is probably not worth the gamble. Tick-borne disease can be severe and even deadly, flea bites can cause dermatitis, and once a flea lays eggs, you could have thousands of developing fleas in your home, where they can bite your family members, Potter cautions. Theres no 100 percent effective preventive measure; flea and tick prevention isnt one-size-fits-all. Your best bet is talking to your veterinarian about whats best for your furry friend, depending on factors including its age and health status, size and breed, and your unique lifestyle and needs.
Shared Service Centers - soon the second biggest employer in Slovakia with over 60 thousand people - how did it get there and where is it heading?

The first shared services centers (SSCs) started to appear in Slovakia at the beginning of the new millennium. Since then, more than 40 shared services centers have become part of an evolving community and they nowadays represent a significant industry sector in our country. SSCs create job opportunities for more than 30 000 skilled and educated people with a double the average salary of the Slovak economy, pay more than three million euro a year on taxes and levies to the state, and thus significantly affect the economy in a positive way.

Thanks to more than 15 years of experience and dynamic growth, the centers located in Slovakia have been given more and more sophisticated tasks, which tend to transform from simple and transactional activities into tasks with a higher added value. SSCs as an industry are turning from very operational and regional to global enterprise services. We do not employ people to work with Excel sheets like many without the knowledge might think. We create accounting reports for parent or affiliated companies, develop or manage software solutions or marketing activities and support clients all over the world with their day-to-day business activities. Our organizations are either in the process of growth, standardization or already using advanced efficiency tools - automation and robotics. Many of the centers have started to, or have the ambition to, establish co-centers of excellence.

More than 60 % of SSCs are well-known brands of the service sector - consulting services, IT & telecom services. A third belongs to the manufacturing industry, and a fourth covers the high-tech & electronics sector. 15 % is taken by software development, 86 % of all services fall within advanced Customer Operations including Sales, Fulfillment, Tech Support and Customer Care, Financial Services and IT services. We are growing in each possible way.

Slovakia is one of the countries with the highest share of people with secondary education in the EU. Qualified workforce is thus logically one of the reasons that international companies see as an attractive element for setting up a center here. Low fluctuation rate, language skills or the strategic position in the time zone are other advantages of our market. In 2016, the Slovak Government approved an action plan to proactively support the development and expansion of strategic and business centers in Slovakia. This was the first integrated conceptual document including 21 measurements divided into three main areas: ensuring sufficient manpower, creating environment that supports development of SSCs and seeking and active supporting of new investments. This was an important milestone for all of our organizations. SSCs in Slovakia have also the opportunity to join a business association called the Business Service Center Forum, that brings together most companies in the sector and tries to commonly work around their interests.

In order to serve their clients in their mother tongue, SSCs hire staff with good and diverse foreign language skills. While proficiency in English is a must everywhere, the level of the second or third foreign language makes a difference when exploring the job opportunities in this sector. Although the digital skills of the Slovak work force are above basic compared to the European average, theres still room for improvement. And theres a lack of qualified people that we need  one of our main struggles.

To be able to grow in the changing business environment, we continue to be involved in discussions with the local government and Slovak universities to define the new framework of cooperation for the future. Especially when knowing that the Ministry of Economy predicts that by 2020, the SSC sector will be the second biggest in Slovakia, employing over 60K people. We will need new investors and we will need to expand our existing activities. For this, administrative restrictions need to be removed, the position of Slovakia in the Doing Business ranking needs to improve, a continuous monitoring of legislation needs to be in place and cooperation with the private sector shall be on a better level. These are topics that the companies involved in the Business Service Center Forum regularly talk about and bring up for discussions with the representatives of government and academia. I hope we will see more organizations joining us so that we can represent a full image of what SSCs in Slovakia stand for, need and can offer for cooperation and mutual development of our country.

Paul Burt is Managing Director at IBM International Services Centre s.r.o.

Originally published in Connection, the magazine published by AmCham Slovakia

20. Aug 2018 at 12:30 | Paul Bart
Foreign Ministry summons Russias representative in Slovakia

The reason being the status of the Russian Defence Attaches Office on Facebook.

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The Slovak Foreign Ministry on August 16 summoned the representative of the Russian Federation to Slovakia. They discussed the statements of the Russian Defence Attaches Office on Facebook about the report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which are in conflict with the interest and efforts to develop good relations between the two countries, the ministry informed the SITA newswire.

The ministry expressed concern about the biased evaluation of the UN High Commissioners report, especially in sections touching on the activities of Ukrainian armed forces during the defence of their countrys territory. Also, the reports sections on the participation of Russian citizens in the conflict with the Ukraine were deliberately ignored. Moreover, the ministry has been angered by the sections that accuse Slovak representatives of lying.

No interference

The Deputy Ambassador of the Russian Federation was warned that it is categorically unacceptable for the statements of the Russian Defence Attaches Office and those of Russian representatives to Slovakia to interfere in Slovakias internal affairs. An appeal was made to the Russian Embassy to Slovakia and its departments to base their statements solely on true and exact information, the Foreign Ministrys press release reads, as quoted by SITA.

The Slovak ministry also reminded Russia that the formers foreign policy is foreseeable, transparent and based on consistent analysis of facts. Slovakia has always advocated consequent investigation of crimes against humanity in all conflicts, and will continue to do so.

20. Aug 2018 at 13:15 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Former police president now working as adviser at Interior Ministry

This step by minister Sakova has sparked huge controversy but Gaspar himself does not see it as a problem.

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Former Police Corps president Tibor Gaspar started working for the Interior Ministry at the beginning of August, the ministry spokesman Petar Lazarov confirmed for the TASR newswire.

"Tibor Gaspar has been employed as an adviser on legislation and socially excluded communities, Lazarov informed, adding that Gaspar is not a full-time employee of the ministry.

Following the murders of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his girlfriend, Gaspars dismissal was one of the demands made during the spring For a Decent Slovakia anti-government protests, TASR wrote on August 17.

However, he refused to step down. The Interior Minister at the time, Tomas Drucker (a Smer nominee, who later resigned) did not sack him either, but following Druckers resignation, the curren6t Prime Minister, Peter Pellegrini (also of Smer) who was then temporarily tasked with managing the Interior Ministry announced that Gaspar would leave his post in late May.

Gaspar left... and is back again

Subsequently, the new Interior Minister Denisa Sakova (Smer, former Interior Ministry State Secretary) announced that Gaspars successor would be Milan Lucansky. Sakova took over from Robert Kalinak who also left in the aftermath of Kuciaks murder.

In an interview for the Pravda daily, the new Gaspar tried to explain that he did not land a fat office but, rather, it is common for ex-police presidents to offer their experience. He also stressed for Pravda that his job would centre on legislative changes involving the work of the Police Corps. He is also an adviser to the Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamacek (CSSD) but on a more occasional, symbolic basis, paid the due sum for the service offered.

What will the new adviser do?

For the Novy Cas tabloid daily, Gaspar said that he would work to help people who are in contact with marginalised and excluded communities and added that when still holding the office of Police President, he had focused for several months on this issue.

When asked whether he fears that future protests in the autumn could call for his resignation, the ex-police president said that he does not care what the organisers of the protests think.

The adviser also noted that his contract is valid as long as Sakova is in office and that it has nothing to do with (ex-minister) Kalinak. Kalinak has nothing to do with it, Gaspar said in the interview, adding they have never been on very friendly terms and they do not see each other privately.

Gaspars salary will be 2,030 per month gross, Novy cas wrote.

The daily also reported that another man laid off due to recent scandals, the ex-head of the Anti-corruption Unit of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA), Robert Krajmer, is also returning to the Interior Ministry: he will join the transport and traffic section. The property of his wife is being checked by the General Prosecutors Office due to dubious contacts with controversial business people, according to Novy Cas.

Opposition slams the step

The Opposition, in the words of OLaNO MP Gabor Grendel, believes that minister Sakova scored an own goal when she hired Gaspar, and also when she refused to publish his salary. He added, as quoted by Pravda, that the ruling Smer party always takes care of its top people, even after they leave their positions.

Chairman of the SaS party, Richard Sulik, deems it an absence of political taste and sense of reality by a minister who does not have the trust of the President, the opposition, sections of the public and even some coalition politicians, Pravda wrote. He summed up that the police president will also in future have to be a person close to the ruling coalition, as his main task will be to cover up coalition dirt and thefts, especially those of Smer.

20. Aug 2018 at 13:41 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Unemployment rate up for second consecutive month

From July employers have been able to use a new system to employ foreigners based on a list of scarce positions.

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The registered unemployment rate calculated from the number of job-seekers immediately able to start work stood at 5.47 percent in July. This was up by 0.04 percentage points from June and down by 1.23 percentage points year-on-year, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Centre (UPSVaR) announced on Monday. The number of job-seekers immediately able to start work numbered 150,268 in July, an increase of 541 individuals m-o-m and a drop of 32,486 y-o-y.

Branislav Ondrus, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministrys State Secretary, describes the development of unemployment in July as typical for the summer period.

This can be seen in the relatively small increase in the number of job vacancies, as well as in the figures related to the recruitment of people from labour office registers, said Ondrus, as cited by the TASR newswire. However, I have information from the labour offices that a relatively high number of people on their registers have been promised jobs as of September.

In July 1,000 fresh university graduates managed to find employment, while 7,500 of them still remain on the labour office registers.

However, Eurostat figures show that last year 80 percent of fresh university graduates managed to find a job by the autumn at the latest and we expect this to be the case this year, as well, said Ondrus. It might be even better, as the labour market situation indicates that there are more jobs available for university graduates on the market now.

Contrary to this, Lubomir Korsnak, macro-economic market analyst of the UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia, gives the mismatch in demand and supply on the labour market, especially from the regional point of view, as the main reason for the halt in the decrease of unemployment.

The unemployment rate calculated from the total number of job-seekers reached 6.60 percent in July, up by 0.02 p.p. m-o-m and down by 1.31 p.p. y-o-y. The total number of job-seekers stood at 181,322 in July, falling by 152 m-o-m and by 34,173 y-o-y.

Number of foreigners up

From July employers were already able to use a new system to employ foreigners based on a list of scarce positions.

In July 1,306 foreigners were employed in this way in Slovakia with more than half of them being citizens of EU countries, said Ondrus. The highest number of foreigners work in the Bratislava Region.

The number of foreigners working in Slovakia increased by over 2,000 in July to about 60,000.

20. Aug 2018 at 22:07 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Communist leaders cared little about the ideology. They only wanted power.

Some events strip regimes naked, down to the bone. They wipe the smiles from the faces of their determined builders, rip off their costumes and bring down the scenery. They take a long time to die, but from that moment on they only grow weaker and live a prolonged and decaying agony. So do their citizens.

The Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia was such a moment. Marxism had evaporated, its ideology exhausted and all that was left was one party that nourished opportunists. They crawled into their positions, some for their antique fame, some for a price they would not put on display.

On that night in August, many woke up not just from their sleep but also from their illusions and beliefs that the Communist leaders cared about other things than just their own power. At the moment the tanks crossed the borders, it was clear that a regime that allowed this kind of violence against its own citizens would not shy away from many graver crimes.

It would falsify history and spread a culture of snitches, reporting those who would not believe the twisted version it promulgated. It would wage a crusade against truth and ban it from the public gaze, forcing it into the shadows of the living rooms or cellars where a few courageous individuals would meet to write about it to the samizdat.

Those who showed courage in those August days and refused to call the occupation 'friendly help' were down-graded to enemies. They, of course, were given one last chance to take everything back as the folly of youth, a mistake or a momentary lapse of reason.

If they insisted that their resistance against the occupation came from their personal awakening, they were uprooted and literally thrown out onto the street, or into the mines, to try and survive with their truth that contradicted the official doctrine.

Many of them did not want a new ideology, they did not want to be part of another only party. They only wanted to be free. But nothing was more dangerous for the regime than this instant desire to be free" so the Communist Party declared a war against every citizen who wanted to be free and wove their propaganda into schools, poems, novels, songs, and onto facades. Like seasoning that unified the taste of every meal, for the next decades.

But the agony of the regime was irreversible. Despite their attempts to cover the stink of decay with the clove pinks in the hands of children during the Communist parades.

Democracy is fragile, even today, 50 years later, after all the learned or missed history lessons.

It will not be Russian tanks that crush it today. We might lose it gradually, from inside. Based on the same principle as the generations before: a group of those in power will create a state within the state.

They will offer a party doctrine to replace the truth. They will silence critical voices and label those who call out against the abuse of power enemies of the nation. They will create selective equality before the law and claim that they derive their legitimacy from the support of the masses. They will turn democracy into a mere scene and as they will be curbing freedoms, they will add adjectives to democracy such as illiberal. But democratic institutions cannot bear to be twisted as the ruling group wishes. Today we are not as powerless as the people who woke up to the roar of the foreign armies on the morning of August 21, 1968. We decide to whom we entrust power.

20. Aug 2018 at 22:51 | Beata Balogova
Czech television heeds viewers call to broadcast speech by Slovak president

President Kiska on Tuesday will mark the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops.

Slovak President Andrej Kiska will deliver a special speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact troops. The Slovak public-service broadcaster RTVS will broadcast the speech on its first programme on August 21, at 19:50. The Czech public-service broadcaster Ceska Televizia will broadcast his speech simultaneously, on the CT24 channel.

Czech President Milos Zeman has not prepared a speech for this occasion and neither will he attend any commemorative event.

Mr president delivered a courageous speech when he said during the start of the normalisation process that he did not agree with the occupation, tweeted his spokesperson Jiri Ovcacek, as cited by the medialne.sk website. He was ousted from his job at the Economic University for this statement. Such a statement is more valuable than the thousands of purely formal and unfaithful speeches that will be certainly be delivered on August 21.

The tweet has raised a wave of criticism and a call by activist Robin Suchanek on Czech television to broadcast Kiskas speech. Suchanek has organised several protest rallies against Zeman and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis .

In a letter sent to the heads of public-service Czech television and Czech radio he writes that he does not agree with Zemans arrogant opinions and behaviour, saying that he is the Czech president and should at least mention the hundreds, if not thousands of victims of the Russian occupation.

Read also:

Read also: Our emigrants stories: lessons in humanity Read more

The Troops of the Warsaw Pact armies, with the exception of Romania, invaded Czechoslovakia during the night of August 20. The invasion meant an end to the reform process of the Prague Spring. A period of normalisation followed.

20. Aug 2018 at 21:59 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Experts: Due to faulty consumption, Slovaks have probably paid more for medicaments

Slovakia reported a higher consumption of medicaments than reality.

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The fact that Slovakia has been reporting higher consumption than reality of medicaments for OECD statistics could have negatively impacted ordinary patients. Some of these patients probably paid unnecessary additional payments to balance the payments made by health insurers to pharmacies or may have been treated with drugs of poorer quality than required for their health conditions.

Balance payments for medicaments

Slovakia's high consumption of medicaments has been publicized by the media repeatedly, based on wrong statistics  at least in this decade, experts approached by Sme agree. They add that the highly-publicised demand has appeared to reduce this consumption.

Higher over-consumption leads to stronger efforts to regulate consumption, naturally, Koloman Gachall, head of the Association of Drug and Medical-Device Suppliers, says.

Thus, the states goal of regulating consumption might have been demonstrated, according to Ondrej Sukel, head of the Slovak Chamber of Pharmacists (SLeK), through higher balance payments made by patients for their drugs.

When drug consumption is high, the state tends to moderate the excessive consumption by shifting the bigger part of the payment on the patient, according to experts.

Health care analyst of the INEKO think-tank, Dusan Zachar, does not rule out this trend, either. His institute deals with OECD health statistics, and it was among the first to show doubts about the accuracy of data they received.

20. Aug 2018 at 23:18 | Jan Krempasky
The Build-Outs of Summer are heading north of to the border to one of the most exciting food cities in North America. We are of course speaking of Montreal, home of the brand new headquarters for Cafe Saint-Henri Micro-Torrefacteur. With five locations already established, Saint-Henri is a known commodity in Montreal, and with their new mega roastery/cafe/office space/lab/warehouse they are looking to cement their place on the coffee map.

And this a space this newest edition, Saint-Henri will certainly be hard to forget. The HQ includes, but is not limited to: a vertical greenhouse (with accompanying purple lights), a boardroom that looks like something from a Wes Anderson movie, and one of only 13 Kees van der Westen La Stombolis ever made. So grab one of the 60+ seats and check out the all new headquarters for Saint-Henri Micro-Torrefacteur in Montreal, Quebec.

As told to Sprudge by JF.

For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Cafe Saint-Henri Micro-Torrefacteur started roasting in 2011, offering for the first time to Montrealers coffees that were sourced directly at the farm, as well as coffee from specialty importers and cooperatives. Weve been training the general public since our first year, offering different classes such as seed-to-cup and espresso at home. Our company is present on the retail front, with six cafes, which also help us understanding first-hands the needs of our wholesales partners. We have two roasting facilities: one in Montreal and one in Quebec City. Through our website, we also ship directly to consumers in Canada and the U.S.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Situated strategically at the crossing of four upcoming neighborhoods (Mile-End, Mile-Ex, Villeray and Rosemont), the new installations serve as the companys new headquarters.

In addition to a large 60+ seating cafe equipped with the latest coffee technology and some vertical greenhouses (which feeds our kitchen/menu), a coffee laboratory and a room dedicated to coffee classes is consolidating Saint-Henri Micro-Torrefacteurs role as both a pioneer and a leader amongst the North American coffee roasters which are focusing on specialty coffee.

The new roasting facility, the office spaces (finally!), our lab, and a large warehouse all under one roof (8500 sq. ft.) will help increase quality control and production, which we hope will lead to open new commercial accounts across Canada and the U.S. northeast coast.

Whats your approach to coffee?

Since our opening in 2011, weve kept the same well-balanced recipe for our green purchasing: the majority of our coffees are selected directly at the farm, while the rest of our offerings are split between some private imports and some cooperative-based coffees.

Trying to take care of both ends of the coffee chain, Saint-Henri is offering social/health benefits to its employees, as well as a relaxed working environment.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Yes!

A Mavam three-group (dipped in zinca first at MAVAMto match our cafe :)

A Weber EG-1 grinder for pour-overs and some lab usage

Classic Mahlkonig EK-43 and Curtis batch brewers

In our lab, a piece of history: a Kees van der Westen La Stomboli, one of 13 that were made in 1993! This was KVDWs first attempt to a series of machines. Weve tweaked it a tiny bit to make sure it wouldnt show its age too much and be useful in our lab.

Whats your hopeful target opening date/month?

Opened since July 12th, 2018!

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that youd like to mention?

Yes, we worked with designer team Gauley Brothers to build this up!

Thank you!

Merci a vous :)

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.
The United States ambassador Scott Brown and his wife Gail dropped into Tauranga for the first time this week, and they made some special time for four local teenagers and two instructors from the Tauranga-based Youth Search and Rescue volunteer group.

The YSAR group has just returned from the USA, where they joined a major search and rescue exercise at Yosemite National Park in California. They left just days before deadly wildfires closed parts of the park. Their American hosts included a senior firefighter who is currently battling the blazes.

The YSAR students showed Ambassador Brown photographs of them learning rope climbing skills at Yosemite, searching for a missing person at Yosemite Falls, visiting the local sheriffs office and fire department and training around the Golden Gate Bridge.

They quizzed students Sophie Wardell, Jack Niles, Laura Degas and Tom Hoffart and volunteer instructors Neil Penniston and Mark Dingo Noack about what they had learned in the US, and how the YSAR programme worked.

The ambassador also wasnt above a story or two at his own expense, telling the students about his wayward teenage years.

However, the self-confessed rebel did become a prominent political leader, attorney, National guardsmen and diplomat. He was also a model who won Cosmopolitan magazines Americas Sexiest Man award and he remains a keen athlete.

Ambassador Brown also presented each of the YSAR students with a personalised challenge coin designed by him to reflect his 35-year military history, former US senator role and dual ambassadorial posts in New Zealand and Samoa.

An American contingent from Marin County SAR is expected to make a return visit to Tauranga in April next year. They will stay with local families and participate in a joint exercise with YSAR. The initial visit happened as a result of a social media connection after a Marin County Search and Rescue leader found YSAR on Facebook.

They liked what they saw and wound up asking if wed be willing to do an exchange, says Neil Penniston. The exchange also attracted interest from information technology company Eagle Technology and the US Embassy in Wellington, both of whom offered sponsorship.




Guwahati, August 20 : Son of a former judge of Gauhati High Court had surrendered before the police in Guwahati in connection with a hit and run case.





According to the reports, Abinash Sharma, son of a former judge of Gauhati High Court, whose car had allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian on August 14 night had surrendered at Jalukbari police station in Guwahati on Sunday night following public uproar over the incident.





On August 14 night, a Wagon-R car driven by Abinash Sharma hit a person named Ganesh Rao at Maligaon area leading to his death.





But, the Guwahati city police didnt take any action against the owner of the car.





On Sunday evening, local people of Maligaon area had gheraod the Jalukbari police station and demanded to arrest the murderer of Ganesh Rao, an employee of Indian Railways.





Following the public uproar, Guwahati city police had issued summon to Abinash directing him to surrender by Monday (August 20).





Guwahati city police had arrested Abinash Sharma, but he was granted bail on Monday.





Ponjit Dowarah, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Guwahati city police said that, the person was arrested and has been granted bail as it was a bailable case.





 A case (no  1085/2018) was registered at Jalukbari police station under section 279, 338, 304A, 427 of IPC in connection with a road accident took place at Maligaon 3 no gate area. During the investigation, it is revealed

that, a person named Abinash Sharma, whose car hit a person named M Ganesh Rao, who later died. Yesterday, Abinash Sharma had surrendered and we arrested him and also granted bail as all sections are bailable, Ponjit

Dowarah said.




Made In Chelsea concludes its summer special in Croatia this evening but when does it start and who's on the cast?

Season 16 of the E4 series started last month and here's all you need to know about the show, as the gang head out to Hvar Island.

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Made In Chelsea: Croatia start time

The air time of the new series of Made In Chelsea in Croatia has now been confirmed.

Made In Chelsea will be back on E4 for its new series TONIGHT, Monday, September 10 at 9PM with its final episode.

Made In Chelsea 2018's Croatia special aired on E4 for 6 episodes, starting in August.

Made In Chelsea 2018 cast

Back for series 16 will be MIC favourites Harry Baron, Sam Thompson, Ollie Locke, Digby Edgley, Liv Bentley, Jamie Laing, Mark Francis Vandelli and Victoria Baker Harber.

Also a part of the cast for the summer getaway will be Sophie Habboo and Melissa Tattam.

After returning to the show last series, Sophie Hermann will be joining the group once again, alongside newbies Miles Nazaire, Tabitha Willett and Jamie's new girlfriend, Heloise 'Ell' Agostinelli

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Meanwhile, jetting out later will be Sam's sister Louise Thompson.

She revealed to the Daily Mail newspaper: "I have been coaxed out to Croatia. I've been getting reports back from Hvar about some of the new people.

"You'd never imagine that some of the stuff could happen but then it goes and happens. It's why the show remains fresh I guess."

Louise teased of her appearance: "I need to go out there and deal with my brother's bulls**t. Just like I had to in Ibiza.

"Every time Sam strays from the nest on his own he seems to create havoc."

Made In Chelsea spoilers

In tonight's final episode, it's the end of the summer and Digby is happily planning his future with Liv back in London, but will Liv believe a summer in Croatia has healed their relationship? Meanwhile, Sam returns to the island with his notoriously protective sister Louise, planning to confront Habbs with proof of her own secret betrayal.

And will the fallouts of the summer between Melissa, Harry and their best friends finally be resolved or will these feuds be returning to the Royal Borough?

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Made In Chelsea airs on E4 at 9PM, Monday nights.

A new full series is expected to start later this year.
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ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for dialogue with Pakistan in a letter to its newly elected leader and Pakistan also saw talks with its old rival as the only way forward, Pakistans foreign minister said on Monday.





New Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan offered an olive branch to India after his election victory last month, proposing talks to resolve a long-standing dispute over the Kashmir region. The two leaders spoke by telephone late last month.





The Indian prime minister has sent a letter in which he congratulated Imran Khan and ... he has sent a message to open talks, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters in the capital, Islamabad.





An Indian foreign ministry official confirmed Modi wrote to Khan on Saturday and expressed Indias commitment to build good neighborly relations between India and Pakistan and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region.The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since the end of British colonial rule in 1947, two of them over the disputed Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir, where their two armies face off other and occasionally exchange fire.





India has long accused Pakistan of encouraging separatist Muslim militants fighting Indian rule in the Indian part of Kashmir. The militants occasionally launch bloody attacks in Indian towns and cities.





Afghanistan has also for years accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban militants fighting the Indian- and Western-backed Kabul government.





Pakistan denies aiding insurgent groups in both Kashmir and Afghanistan.





Khan, in his offer to India last month, said Pakistan was ready to respond positively to any effort on dialogue.If India comes and takes one step toward us, we will take two, said Khan, who had been bellicose towards India while campaigning for last months election.





Qureshi repeated a call for a resumption of talks, which have made little progress in recent years.





We need a continued and uninterrupted dialogue. This is our only way forward, he said.





But Pakistani security policy is largely determined by its powerful military, not by civilian governments.





Pakistans former civilian government, let by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, also sought better ties with India.





Hopes soared following a surprise visit by Modi to Sharif in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore in December 2015, the first such visit by an Indian prime minister in more than a decade.





But the hopes unravelled weeks later when militants attacked an Indian army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir.





India blamed Pakistan for the attack. Pakistan denied that.





Sharifs efforts to improve ties with India were seen as undermining his relations with his army.








Guwahati, August 20 : Security forces had arrested a youth with arms and ammunition in Baksa district on Sunday evening.





According to the reports, based on intelligence input the Indian army and Baksa district police had launched operation at Belaguri Pathar area under Musalpur police station and recovered one point 22mm pistol with magazine and three rounds live ammunition, which were buried.





Security personnel had arrested a youth identified as Anjan Das in connection with it.





It is to be mentioned that, Anjan Das earlier also arrested in connection with a firing incident.





Meanwhile, Baksa district police had registered a case in connection with it.





The arms and ammunition were recovered from a jungle area, backside of Anjan Dass house. We have recovered one point 22mm pistol, three rounds ammunition and a magazine, a police officer said.




Kathmandu, Nepal: Senior-most Justice of the Supreme Court (SC) Deepak Raj Joshee sat on six-day casual leave after Sunday. His 15-day leave was ended on Friday.





Chief Justice nominee Joshee had gone on a 15-day leave after being rejected by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee (PHC) for the post of Chief Justice (CJ).





Joshee has said that he is not going to resign from the post as senior justice at the Supreme Court but awaiting the decision of the Constitutional Council (CC) which had nominated him for the post of chief justice.





As Joshee remained adamant not to resign from the post, the constitutional council has not become able to recommend another senior justice in the post of the chief justice.





The Parliamentary Hearing Committee had rejected Joshees recommendation as chief justice alleging him of incompetent in the post through the majority process.




Kathmandu, Nepal: Dilip Singh Bista of Khanna Chaurahi in Bhimdatta Municipality-19 of Kanchanpur district has been arrested on Monday on the charge of rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant of the district.





A joint team from Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police and Kanchanpur Police arrested Bista today. He had been absconding after he allegedly murdered 13-year-old girl after rape at Bhimdatta Municipality-2, Ultakham of the district on July 26.





Minor girl Panta was gruesomely murdered after rape while she was returning home after tuition class. Following the arrest, Bista has confessed his involvement, Police have claimed.





Meanwhile, he was presented before the Kanchanpur District Court and remanded to custody for investigation. Police have said that investigation into the case has reached near to the conclusion.





Likewise, Chitwan Police have also said on Monday that it has arrested seven youths for their alleged involvement in two separate gang-rape incidents which occurred at Bharatpur Municipality and Madi Municipality in the district on August 15 and 16.





Yubraj Saru Magar, 21 and Sainthil Dhimal, 19 of Nawalpur, Akash Thapa, 20 and Arjun BK ,35 of Bharatpur and a 17-year-old minor, whose name is kept secret for being a minor had raped 17 year old Shiva Acharya of Pyuthan district.





It is said that five persons had raped taking her to a mineral water production plant in Bharatpur Municipality-11 at night on August 15.





It is revealed that Thapa, who is the driver in profession and his assistant 17 year old boy had lured the girl to ride with them, took her in the water production plant and gang raped through the night after intoxicating her with alcohol.




Nepali Times, August 17, 2018

by Om Astha Rai

Seven years after the Supreme Court issued a landmark verdict in the Sabina Damai vs Government of Nepal case, allowing children to obtain citizenship in the name of the mother alone, the 2015 Constitution and a draft bill in Parliament have set the clock back.

Activists say the 2015 Constitution which was drafted, debated and promulgated mainly by men, denies equal citizenship rights to women, and the draft bill further entrenches Nepalas patriarchal culture. The three main objectionable provisions are:

a) A foreign woman married to a Nepali man can get naturalised citizenship right away, and is given six months to furnish proof that she has renounced her original citizenship. But if a foreign man marries a Nepali woman, he will not get Nepali citizenship. He can apply for naturalised citizenship after residing in Nepal continuously for 15 years. But his marriage to a Nepali woman will not count, and he has to apply for naturalised citizenship just like any other foreigner.

b) Children of a Nepali man married to a foreign woman are entitled to citizenship by descent. But the children of a Nepali woman married to a foreign man will get naturalised citizenship, and that too only after producing proof they arenat already citizens of their fatheras country. They can get citizenship by descent only if the father has naturalised Nepali citizenship.

c) Children above 18 can easily get citizenship if their fathers are Nepali, but it is much more difficult if they only have their motheras citizenship. If the father is unknown, is estranged, or refuses to accept them, their mother will have to adeclarea to authorities that she does not know who the father of the child is.

aThe constitution and the citizenship bill perpetuate the male notion that their semen is superior, and women are not equal to men,a says former Supreme Court Justice Balram KC.

KC was one of two justices who ordered the Dolakha district administration in 2011 to grant citizenship to Sabina Damai through her motheras name. Sabinaas father was not known, and Dolakhaas Chief District Officer had refused to grant her citizenship unless her fatheras identity was established.

The Supreme Court not only directed the Dolakha administration to grant Sabina citizenship without asking about her father, it also ruled that women would henceforth be able to pass on citizenship to their children even without their husbands.

aThat verdict was not just for Sabina Damai, but for every person whose father is unknown and who wants citizenship through his or her motheras name,a KC says.

Barring a few exceptions, male-dominated district administration offices have defied the precedent set by Damai vs GoN and continue to deny citizenship to offspring of single mothers.

In 2013, Shanti Nagarkoti filed a petition at Supreme Court after she was denied citizenship by the Kathmandu district administration unless she provided her fatheras name. Two years later, the Supreme Court ordered the Kathmandu administration to grant her citizenship despite her father being unknown.

Thanks to the judiciary, a handful of other mothers have been successful in getting citizenship for their children in their name only, but it is not yet the norm. Only the most determined mothers and those willing to fight a long legal case have managed to get Nepali citizenship for their children.

When the Constituent Assembly passed the new Constitution in September 2015, fewer than 30% of the 601 member House were female, and none of them were in decisive positions. Their voices were easily suppressed by a cartel of male leaders from the hill upper caste community.

As a result, the Constitution, which is progressive in many ways, embarrasses even its staunchest supporters. Former top United Nations official Kul Gautam has always defended the statute, but he too believes it discriminates against women. At a conference on Nepalas constitution in Kathmandu this week, he admitted that gender discrimination in citizenship is the only fundamental flaw in the charter.

But Parliament is unlikely to amend the Constitution and the draft Citizenship Bill to grant equal rights to women. When women MPs demanded equal citizenship rights in the Parliament this week, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa fell back on the nationalist argument that citizenship was a matter of national security.

Nepalas main parties have always held the view that granting equal citizenship to women will encourage more foreign men, especially Indians, to marry Nepali women. They have spread the fear that Nepal will become aanother Fijia , where Melanesians were outnumbered by descendants of migrants from India due to a liberal citizenship law.

Krishna Bhakta Pokharel, a ruling party MP who was a member of the Constitution drafting committee, says: aOur constitution is shaped by the idea that women go to live in their husbandas homes after marriage, and not vice versa. This is the reality, and we cannot ignore it while drafting the citizenship law.a

NCP MP Binda Pande says the citizenship provisions in the Constitution not just violate international treaties to which Nepal is signatory, but also contradict the statuteas guiding principles and election manifestos of all political parties.

The Constitution stipulates that a person whose father aora (not aanda) mother is a Nepali citizen at birth is entitled to citizenship, but this provision is rendered ineffective by other clauses that bar citizenship for offspring of Nepali women married to foreign men.

aAll Nepali citizens should be able to pass on citizenship to their children irrespective of their gender,a she says. aIt should be as simple as this. Why do we pretend to grant equal citizenship rights through one clause, only to take it back by enacting many other clauses?a

Women have slammed discriminatory citizenship provisions by writing articles and speaking out in public. Some have added Dosro Darjaki (Second Class) before their names on their Twitter handles.

Says Election Commissioner Ila Shamra: aThis is my way of non-violently protesting against a patriarchal state that wants to treat us as unequal citizens.a
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
Voices of Auschwitz - An Historic Evening with Eva Schloss will be at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium on Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for groups of ten or more, plus fees.

Review for Eva Schloss:

Dont miss this rare appearance of Eva Schloss, one of the few-remaining Nazi death camp survivors. She was a childhood friend of diarist Anne Frank who later became Annes half-sister.

With a powerful voice of her own, Eva now travels the world spreading a message of remembrance, peace and hope.
Luxembourg Insider is a new regular column that takes a deep dive into life as an expat in the Grand Duchy.

This part of the guide is all about initialisms and acronyms  well cover everything from CCSS (or should that be SSCC?), to EHIC, CNS, and RIB. Youre in for a treat.

Before we jump into the wonderful world of initialisms associated with social security and healthcare, its important that you've gone through the process of obtaining your certificat de residence and national identification number. You read that right  you need to do some paperwork before you have the dubious pleasure of doing more paperwork. And you thought the physical move itself would be the hardest part, huh?

The good news is that weve got you covered on this part of the journey as well. Just check out part two of our Luxembourg Insider guide, if you havent already (you rebel, you!). You will find a link to it in the link box at the bottom of this article, and the information you need is under the heading Who can work here? Requirements and procedures. Now, if thats not a title that gets your juices flowing I guess you are a pretty normal, healthy, person really, but its important. Off you go, and Ill see you back here in a wee bit.

Social Security

So by now youve got your national identification all sorted (right? Surely you arent rebellious enough that you read right past the instructions above?), and its time to make sure that you are covered should anything go wrong. Lets dive into a couple of initialisms, shall we? The acronyms will come later  saving the best for last, you know?

CCSS

CCSS stands for Centre commun de la securite sociale, but in English they prefer turning things on their head a bit with Social Security Common Center (the American spelling of center is all their doing, not a mistake on our part). These guys are pretty important as they coordinate data and contributions collection for the national health fund (CNS, more on that below), sickness funds, the national pension fund, and so on  essentially all of the elements that make up Luxembourgs generous social security system. Anyone working in Luxembourg must be registered with CCSS and pay contributions.

Employed people

Assuming that you are here as an employee of a company or some other entity, it is your employers duty to register you with CCSS  so you should not have to do anything. It is also their duty to inform CCSS should your employment end. This means that the majority of you will not have to do anything to enrol with CCSS, but things are slightly different if you are self-employed.

Self-employed enrolment

If you are self-employed or working as a freelancer, it is your duty to register yourself with CCSS. This is a comparatively more complex process and requires that you first obtain the necessary permits to operate a business or as a self-employed person. The actual registration with CCSS is not particularly difficult, however, as the process of registering as self-employed requires that you collect the final documentation from the CCSS offices. Now, this warrants an entire article of its own, which will come later in our series. For the time being, however, a good place to start is to contact the House of Entrepreneurship (details in the link box below). Their staff will provide you with all of the forms you need to fill out and are more than happy to guide you through the process.

CNS



CNS stands for Caisse nationale de sante, which is the national health fund - essentially the NHS of Luxembourg. You will be enrolled with CNS once you start paying into CCSS, so again you will not actively have to register with them. Hopefully you will not have to deal with them too much, but they are the people you turn to if you fall sick.

The three main things for which you will need to turn to CNS are:

1) Getting your European health insurance card (EHIC)

Getting issued with a EHIC is very straight-forward  assuming that you are all set up with CCSS, all you will have to do is follow the link in the link box below and fill out a short form.

2) Refunds for medical expenses

Luxembourgs medical system is slightly different to for example the UKs NHS, in that (in a majority of cases) the patient has to pay upfront and send in a reimbursement request. If you visit a general practitioner, for instance, you will be charged a consultation fee in addition to any costs that may be associated with the specific treatment you require. Your doctor will provide you with a breakdown of the services rendered, and you can usually either pay on the spot or through invoice.

Once you have paid you will need to send the original invoice or receipted original fee to CNS, as well as proof of payment (this can be printed using online banking if you pay by invoice). If it is the first time you claim reimbursement you will also need to send them a releve d'identite bancaire (RIB). This is basically a document that provides your banking details, and can be obtained through online banking or by contacting your local bank branch. Your refund will be sent electronically to the account provided. If you prefer a more personal approach you are also free to visit one of the CNS branch offices, but in a majority of cases requesting your refund by post will be quicker and easier. Sending a reimbursement request to CNS is free, all you have to do is pop the required documents into an envelope and address it to:

Caisse nationale de sante

Service Virements

L-2980 Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Do note that CNS does not always cover 100% of medical expenses. A good rule of thumb is that your refund will amount to 80-100% of the total, and the actual percentage will vary depending on what it is you are being treated for. Refunds for dental and ocular care (such as glasses) also vary  if you want to be on the safe side, it is a good idea to call CNS before seeking non-urgent care. You may also want to invest in additional private health insurance, more on which below.

3) Sick leave/incapacity for work compensation

If you need time off work for medical reasons, you will need to have a medical certificate issued by your GP or other doctor as relevant. Your doctor will issue you with two 'declarations of incapacity', one of which (the original part 1) you must send to CNS through the address above. The second part should be sent to your employer. It is the employers responsibility to declare any incapacity for their employees on a monthly basis, which is then used to calculate the financial benefits which will be paid to the individual employee.

Insuring your family and dependents

If you have moved here with your partner and they do not yet have a job in Luxembourg, they will gain access to social security through you. This is not an automatic process, and you have to send a request to register them to CNS service Coassurance. If they have not previously been insured in Luxembourg, the documentation required will depend on the country through which they were previously insured.

EU, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein, or Switzerland

If they were personally insured (i.e. not as a dependent or co-insured) they will have to provide a form called E104, which is issued by the given countrys health insurance fund. If they were co-insured as a dependent, they will need a certificate of co-insurance from the countrys health insurance fund  the name for these will vary, and you should contact them directly to order one if you are unsure of the name in your specific country.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Morocco, Montenegro, Tunisia, Turkey, Macedonia, or Serbia

These are countries with which Luxembourg has a bilateral agreement that covers health insurance. The process is essentially the same as above, but the name of the form itself will vary  though CNS says that they will generally end with 104. Again, you should contact the health fund with which you were insured to order your form. If your partner was co-insured as a dependent, you will need to provide a certificate in evidence of this, exactly the same as for the above countries.

Other countries

If the country in which your partner was last insured is not listed above you will need to contact CNS directly to get the proper forms to fill out. They will send you a sworn statement which must be filled out by the spouse/partner to be co-insured.

Co-insurance of a child

Any child born in the Grand Duchy will automatically be enrolled with CNS through their parents, and no action should be required on your part. If you move here with your children you should contact CCSS and CNS directly to get them registered. Co-insurance of a child with one of the parents is possible up until the age of 29 (inclusive) under the condition that they are not in employment and making the minimum wage or more. They can also be co-insured after the age of 30 under the condition that they are enrolled at university, though this requires authorisation from CNS.

Supplementary health insurance

While Luxembourgs social security is pretty smashing, it is also very common for residents to take out additional private health insurance  some sources put the figure at around 75% of the working population. Some employers offer additional health insurance as an additional perk for employees, but if yours does not you can still enrol privately. As a side note, the author of this very article is a registered self-employed freelancer (which is why I am quite intimately familiar with how CCSS works, so that paid off!) and I have chosen to enrol with CMCM for additional private insurance. Thats not to say that CMCM is the only option  you should always research the many options available to find the one that fits you best.

Supplementary insurers will cover the difference between what you paid and what CNS refund for a given treatment, though of course you should check to see what exactly is covered by your insurer. Common benefits include a higher degree of coverage for eye care (glasses, contacts), dental treatment, and hospitalisation (for instance getting a private room, which is more expensive and not covered by CNS per default).

---

Martin Jonsson moved to Luxembourg in October in 2016, before which he lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, for 10 years. He's a freelance journalist and RTL Today contributor.
Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation
US spy drama Counterpart, starring J.K. Simmons, which had a premiere episode in June followed by an SBS On Demand screening, now gets a full television broadcast.

The 10 part series, produced for Starz, begins with a double episode.

A thrilling twist on the traditional spy drama, Counterpart gives new meaning to the term double-crossing. Howard Silk (Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons) is a lowly cog in the bureaucratic machinery of a Berlin-based spy agency. When Howard discovers that his organisation safeguards a secret crossing into a parallel dimension, he is thrust into a shadow world of intrigue, danger, and danger  where the only man he can trust is his near- identical counterpart from this parallel world. Howard is forced to navigate through an unfamiliar, yet identical, territory that poses the question  can we truly only trust ourselves?

Series One, Episode One: The Crossing

Increasingly dissatisfied with his 29 years as a midlevel bureaucrat in the United Nations Office of Interchange in Berlin, Howard Silk is anxious to do something new. After his boss makes it clear that a promotion isnt in the cards, Howard learns the position he sought has gone to his colleague, Marcel. Stranded in a job he doesnt like, Howard is resigned to caring for his comatose wife, Emily, who was hospitalised after being hit by a car. However, his life is upended when Quayle and OI Director of Counterintelligence Aldrich introduce him to Prime, his doppelganger from a parallel universe created by a Cold War experiment gone awry.

Episode Two: Birds of a Feather

Upon Primes return to the Other Side for a visa that will allow him to continue pursuing Baldwin, his ex-wife Emily alerts him to a rendition order thats been issued for him. After Emily helps him take out the three contractors whove been sent to bring him in, Prime finds a note containing the name Nadia Fierro.

Thursday, 23 August at 9.30pm on SBS
TEN Eyewitness News senior reporter Hugh Riminton landed an apparent scoop yesterday when he revealed home affairs minister Peter Duttons business interests could disqualify him from parliament.

Riminton revealed Duttons interest in two Brisbane child care centres, are for-profit operations owned by RHT Family Trust.

Duttons Parliamentary register declares he is a beneficiary of the RHT Family Trust, along with his wife and children.

But a change in the law, for which Dutton voted, means the two childcare centres, along with most others in the country, now receive direct subsidies from the Commonwealth. Under Section 44(v) of the Constitution, any person with any direct or indirect pecuniary interest with the Public Service of the Commonwealth is disqualified from Parliament.

#EXCLUSIVE: Peter Dutton has a constitutional cloud in his leadership fight. Two of the country's most senior constitutional lawyers say there is a case Mr Dutton should be disqualified from Parliament  over his business interests. #TenNews @hughriminton pic.twitter.com/6eHlvH47um  Sandra Sully  (@Sandra_Sully) August 20, 2018

The information comes at a time when Duttons name is being used for a potential leadership spill.

A spokesman for the minister told AAP on Monday: Mr Duttons legal advice clearly states there is no breach of Section 44.

Rimintons story, which he credits to researcher Kate Doak and denies was a leak, was widely reported across media last night.
The story of Microsofts founding is one of the most famous episodes in computing history. In 1975, Paul Allen flew out to Albuquerque to demonstrate the BASIC interpreter that he and Bill Gates had written for the Altair microcomputer. Because neither of them had a working Altair, Allen and Gates tested their interpreter using an emulator that they wrote and ran on Harvards computer system. The emulator was based on nothing more than the published specifications for the Intel 8080 processor. When Allen finally ran their interpreter on a real Altairin front of the person he and Gates hoped would buy their softwarehe had no idea if it would work. But it did. The next month, Allen and Gates officially founded their new company.

Over a century before Allen and Gates wrote their BASIC interpreter, Ada Lovelace wrote and published a computer program. She, too, wrote a program for a computer that had only been described to her. But her program, unlike the Microsoft BASIC interpreter, was never run, because the computer she was targeting was never built.

Lovelaces program is often called the worlds first computer program. Not everyone agrees that it should be called that. Lovelaces legacy, it turns out, is one of computing historys most hotly debated subjects. Walter Isaacson has written that the dispute about the extent and merit of her contributions constitutes a minor academic specialty. Inevitably, the fact that Lovelace was a woman has made this dispute a charged one. Historians have cited all kinds of primary evidence to argue that the credit given to Lovelace is either appropriate or undeserved. But they seem to spend less time explaining the technical details of her published writing, which is unfortunate, because the technical details are the most fascinating part of the story. Who wouldnt want to know exactly how a program written in 1843 was supposed to work?

In fairness, Lovelaces program is not easy to explain to the layperson without some hand-waving. Its the intricacies of her program, though, that make it so remarkable. Whether or not she ought to be known as the first programmer, her program was specified with a degree of rigor that far surpassed anything that came before. She thought carefully about how operations could be organized into groups that could be repeated, thereby inventing the loop. She realized how important it was to track the state of variables as they changed, introducing a notation to illustrate those changes. As a programmer myself, Im startled to see how much of what Lovelace was doing resembles the experience of writing software today.

So lets take a closer look at Lovelaces program. She designed it to calculate the Bernoulli numbers. To understand what those are, we have to go back a couple millennia to the genesis of one of mathematics oldest problems.

Sums of Powers

The Pythagoreans lived on the shores of the Mediterranean and worshiped numbers. One of their pastimes was making triangles out of pebbles.

One pebble followed by a row of two pebbles makes a triangle containing three pebbles. Add another row of three pebbles and you get a triangle containing six pebbles. You can continue like this, each time adding a row with one more pebble in it than the previous row. A triangle with six rows contains 21 pebbles. But how many pebbles does a triangle with 423 rows contain?

What the Pythagoreans were looking for was a way to calculate the following without doing all the addition:

They eventually realized that, if you place two triangles of the same size up against each other so that they form a rectangle, you can find the area of the rectangle and divide by two to get the number of pebbles in each of the triangles:

Archimedes later explored a similar problem. He was interested in the following series:

You might visualize this series by imagining a stack of progressively larger squares (made out of tiny cubes), one on top of the other, forming a pyramid. Archimedes wanted to know if there was an easy way to tell how many cubes would be needed to construct a pyramid with, say, 423 levels. He recorded a solution that also permits a geometrical interpretation.

Three pyramids can be fit together to form a rectangular prism with a tiny, one-cube-high extrusion at one end. That little extrusion happens to be a triangle that obeys the same rules that the Pythagoreans used to make their pebble triangles. (This video might be a more helpful explanation of what I mean.) So the volume of the whole shape is given by the following equation:

By substituting the Pythagorean equation for the sum of the first n integers and doing some algebra, you get this:

In 499, the Indian mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhata, published a work known as the Aryabhatiya, which included a formula for calculating the sum of cubes:

A formula for the sum of the first n positive integers raised to the fourth power wasnt published for another 500 years.

You might be wondering at this point if there is a general method for finding the sum of the first n integers raised to the kth power. Mathematicians were wondering too. Johann Faulhaber, a German mathematician and slightly kooky numerologist, was able to calculate formulas for sums of integers up to the 17th power, which he published in 1631. But this may have taken him years and he did not state a general solution. Blaise Pascal finally outlined a general method in 1665, though it depended on first knowing how to calculate the sum of integers raised to every lesser power. To calculate the sum of the first n positive integers raised to the sixth power, for example, you would first have to know how to calculate the sum of the first n positive integers raised to the fifth power.

A more practical general solution was stated in the posthumously published work of Swiss mathematician Jakob Bernoulli, who died in 1705. Bernoulli began by deriving the formulas for calculating the sums of the first n positive integers to the first, second, and third powers. These he gave in polynomial form, so they looked like the below:

Using Pascals Triangle, Bernoulli realized that these polynomials followed a predictable pattern. Essentially, Bernoulli broke the coefficients of each term down into two factors, one of which he could determine using Pascals Triangle and the other which he could derive from the interesting property that all the coefficients in the polynomial seemed to always add to one. Figuring out the exponent that should be attached to each term was no problem, because that also followed a predictable pattern. The factor of each coefficient that had to be calculated using the sums-to-one rule formed a sequence that became known as the Bernoulli numbers.

Bernoullis discovery did not mean that it was now trivial to calculate the sum of the first positive n integers to any given power. In order to calculate the sum of the first positive n integers raised to the kth power, you would need to know every Bernoulli number up to the kth Bernoulli number. Each Bernoulli number could only be calculated if the previous Bernoulli numbers were known. But calculating a long series of Bernoulli numbers was significantly easier than deriving each sum of powers formula in turn, so Bernoullis discovery was a big advance for mathematics.

Babbage

Charles Babbage was born in 1791, nearly a century after Bernoulli died. Ive always had some vague idea that Babbage designed but did not build a mechanical computer. But Ive never entirely understood how that computer was supposed to work. The basic ideas, as it happens, are not that difficult to grasp, which is good news. Lovelaces program was designed to run on one of Babbages machines, so we need to take another quick detour here to talk about how those machines worked.

Babbage designed two separate mechanical computing machines. His first machine was called the Difference Engine. Before the invention of the pocket calculator, people relied on logarithmic tables to calculate the product of large numbers. (There is a good Numberphile video on how this was done.) Large logarithmic tables are not difficult to create, at least conceptually, but the sheer number of calculations that need to be done in order to create them meant that in Babbages time they often contained errors. Babbage, frustrated by this, sought to create a machine that could tabulate logarithms mechanically and therefore without error.

The Difference Engine was not a computer, because all it did was add and subtract. It took advantage of a method devised by the French mathematician Gaspard de Prony that broke the process of tabulating logarithms down into small steps. These small steps involved only addition and subtraction, meaning that a small army of people without any special mathematical aptitude or training could be employed to produce a table. De Pronys method, known as the method of divided differences, could be used to tabulate any polynomial. Polynomials, in turn, could be used to approximate logarithmic and trigonometric functions.

To get a sense of how this process worked, consider the following simple polynomial function:

The method of divided differences involves finding the difference between each successive value of y for different values of x. The differences between these differences are then found, and possibly the differences between those next differences themselves, until a constant difference appears. These differences can then be used to get the next value of the polynomial simply by adding.

Because the above polynomial is only a second-degree polynomial, we are able to find the constant difference after only two columns of differences:

x y Diff 1 Diff 2 1 2 2 5 3 3 10 5 2 4 17 7 2 5 ? ? 2    

Now, since we know that the constant difference is 2, we can find the value of y when x is 5 through addition only. If we add 2 to 7, the last entry in the Diff 1 column, we get 9. If we add 9 to 17, the last entry in the y column, we get 26, our answer.

Babbages Difference Engine had, for each difference column in a table like the one above, a physical column of gears. Each gear was a decimal digit and one whole column was a decimal number. The Difference Engine had eight columns of gears, so it could tabulate a polynomial up to the seventh degree. The columns were initially set with values matching an early row in the difference table, worked out ahead of time. A human operator would then turn a crank shaft, causing the constant difference to propagate through the machine as the value stored on each column was added to the next.

Babbage was able to build a small section of the Difference Engine and use it to demonstrate his ideas at parties. But even after spending an amount of public money equal to the cost of two large warships, he never built the entire machine. Babbage could not find anyone in the early 1800s that could make the number of gears he needed with sufficient accuracy. A working Difference Engine would not be built until the 1990s, after the advent of precision machining. There is a great video on YouTube demonstrating a working Difference Engine on loan to the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, which is worth watching even just to listen to the marvelous sounds the machine makes while it runs.

Babbage eventually lost interest in the Difference Engine when he realized that a much more powerful and flexible machine could be built. His Analytical Engine was the machine that we know today as Babbages mechanical computer. The Analytical Engine was based on the same columns of gears used in the Difference Engine, but whereas the Difference Engine only had eight columns, the Analytical Engine was supposed to have many hundreds more. The Analytical Engine could be programmed using punched cards like a Jacquard Loom and could multiply and divide as well as add and subtract. In order to perform one of these operations, a section of the machine called the mill would rearrange itself into the appropriate configuration, read the operands off of other columns used for data storage, and then write the result back to another column.

Babbage called his new machine the Analytical Engine because it was powerful enough to do something resembling mathematical analysis. The Difference Engine could tabulate a polynomial, but the Analytical Engine would be able to calculate, for example, the coefficients of the polynomial expansion of another expression. It was an amazing machine, but the British government wisely declined to fund its construction. So Babbage went abroad to Italy to try to drum up support for his idea.

Notes by The Translator

In Turin, Babbage met Italian engineer and future prime minister Luigi Menabrea. He persuaded Menabrea to write an outline of what the Analytical Engine could accomplish. In 1842, Menabrea published a paper on the topic in French. The following year, Lovelace published a translation of Menabreas paper into English.

Lovelace, then known as Ada Byron, first met Babbage at a party in 1833, when she was 17 and he was 41. Lovelace was fascinated with Babbages Difference Engine. She could also understand how it worked, because she had been extensively tutored in mathematics throughout her childhood. Her mother, Annabella Milbanke, had decided that a solid grounding in mathematics would ward off the wild, romantic sensibility that possessed Lovelaces father, Lord Byron, the famous poet. After meeting in 1833, Lovelace and Babbage remained a part of the same social circle and wrote to each other frequently.

Ada Byron married William King in 1835. King later became the Earl of Lovelace, making Ada the Countess of Lovelace. Even after having three children, she continued her education in mathematics, employing Augustus de Morgan, who discovered De Morgans laws, as her tutor. Lovelace saw the potential of Babbages Analytical Machine immediately and was eager to work with him to promote the idea. A friend suggested that she translate Menabreas paper for an English audience.

Menabreas paper gave a brief overview of how the Difference Engine worked, then showed how the Analytical Engine would be a far superior machine. The Analytical Engine would be so powerful that it could form the product of two numbers, each containing twenty figures, in three minutes (emphasis in the original). Menabrea gave further examples of the machines capabilities, demonstrating how it could solve a simple system of linear equations and expand the product of two binomial expressions. In both cases, Menabrea provided what Lovelace called diagrams of development, which listed the sequence of operations that would need to be performed to calculate the correct answer. These were programs in the same sense that Lovelaces own program was a program and they were originally published the year before. But as we will see, Menabreas programs were only simple examples of what was possible. All of them were trivial in the sense that they did not require any kind of branching or looping.

Lovelace appended a series of notes to her translation of Menabreas paper that together ran much longer than the original work. It was here that she made her major contributions to computing. In Note A, which Lovelace attached to Menabreas initial description of the Analytical Engine, Lovelace explained at some length and often in lyrical language the promise of a machine that could perform arbitrary mathematical operations. She foresaw that a machine like the Analytical Engine wasnt just limited to numbers and could in fact act on any objects whose mutual fundamental relations could be expressed by those of the abstract science of operations, and which should be also susceptible of adaptations to the action of the operating notation and mechanism of the engine. She added that the machine might one day, for example, compose music. This insight was all the more remarkable given that Menabrea saw the Analytical Engine primarily as a tool for automating long and arid computation, which would free up the intellectual capacities of brilliant scientists for more advanced thinking. The miraculous foresight that Lovelace demonstrated in Note A is one major reason that she is celebrated today.

The other famous note is Note G. Lovelace begins Note G by arguing that, despite its impressive powers, the Analytical Machine cannot really be said to think. This part of Note G is what Alan Turing would later refer to as Lady Lovelaces Objection. Nevertheless, Lovelace continues, the machine can do extraordinary things. To illustrate its ability to handle even more complex problems, Lovelace provides her program calculating the Bernoulli numbers.

The full program, in the expanded diagram of development format that Lovelace explains in Note D, can be seen here. The program is essentially a list of operations, specified using the usual mathematical symbols. It doesnt appear that Babbage or Lovelace got as far as developing anything like a set of op codes for the Analytical Engine.

Though Lovelace was describing a method for computing the entire sequence of Bernoulli numbers up to some limit, the program she provided only illustrated one step of that process. Her program calculated a number that she called B7, which modern mathematicians know as the eighth Bernoulli number. Her program thus sought to solve the following equation:

In the above, each term represents a coefficient in the polynomial formula for the sum of integers to a particular power. Here that power is eight, since the eighth Bernoulli number first appears in the formula for the sum of positive integers to the eighth power. The B and A numbers represent the two kinds of factors that Bernoulli discovered. B1 through B7 are all different Bernoulli numbers, indexed according to Lovelaces indexing. A0 through A5 represent the factors of the coefficients that Bernoulli could calculate using Pascals Triangle. The values of A0, A1, A3, and A5 appear below. Here n represents the index of the Bernoulli number in the sequence of odd-numbered Bernoulli numbers starting with the first. Lovelaces program used n = 4.

Ive created a translation of Lovelaces program into C, which may be easier to follow. Lovelaces program first calculates A0 and the product B1A1. It then enters a loop that repeats twice to calculate B3A3 and B5A5, since those are formed according to an identical pattern. After each product is calculated, it is added with all the previous products, so that by the end of the program the full sum has been obtained.

Obviously the C translation is not an exact recreation of Lovelaces program. It declares variables on the stack, for example, whereas Lovelaces variables were more like registers. But it makes obvious the parts of Lovelaces program that were so prescient. The C program contains two while loops, one nested inside the other. Lovelaces program did not have while loops exactly, but she made groups of operations and in the text of her note specified when they should repeat. The variable v10 , in the original program and in the C translation, functions as a counter variable that decrements with each loop, a construct any programmer would be familiar with. In fact, aside from the profusion of variables with unhelpful names, the C translation of Lovelaces program doesnt look that alien at all.

The other thing worth mentioning quickly is that translating Lovelaces program into C was not that difficult, thanks to the detail present in her diagram. Unlike Menabreas tables, her table includes a column labeled Indication of change in the value on any Variable, which makes it much easier to follow the mutation of state throughout the program. She adds a superscript index here to each variable to indicate the successive values they hold. A superscript of two, for example, means that the value being used here is the second value that has been assigned to the variable since the beginning of the program.

The First Programmer?

After I had translated Lovelaces program into C, I was able to run it on my own computer. To my frustration, I kept getting the wrong result. After some debugging, I finally realized that the problem wasnt the code that I had written. The bug was in the original!

In her diagram of development, Lovelace gives the fourth operation as v5 / v4 . But the correct ordering here is v4 / v5 . This may well have been a typesetting error and not an error in the program that Lovelace devised. All the same, this must be the oldest bug in computing. I marveled that, for ten minutes or so, unknowingly, I had wrestled with this first ever bug.

Jim Randall, another blogger that has translated Lovelaces program into Python, has noted this division bug and two other issues. What does it say about Ada Lovelace that her published program contains minor bugs? Perhaps it shows that she was attempting to write not just a demonstration but a real program. After all, can you really be writing anything more than toy programs if you arent also writing lots of bugs?

One Wikipedia article calls Lovelace the first to publish a complex program. Maybe thats the right way to think about Lovelace accomplishment. Menabrea published diagrams of development in his paper a year before Lovelace published her translation. Babbage also wrote more than twenty programs that he never published. So its not quite accurate to say that Lovelace wrote or published the first program, though theres always room to quibble about what exactly constitutes a program. Even so, Lovelaces program was miles ahead of anything else that had been published before. The longest program that Menabrea presented was 11 operations long and contained no loops or branches; Lovelaces program contains 25 operations and a nested loop (and thus branching). Menabrea wrote the following toward the end of his paper:

When once the engine shall have been constructed, the difficulty will be reduced to the making of the cards; but as these are merely the translation of algebraic formulae, it will, by means of some simple notation, be easy to consign the execution of them to a workman.

Neither Babbage nor Menabrea were especially interested in applying the Analytical Engine to problems beyond the immediate mathematical challenges that first drove Babbage to construct calculating machines. Lovelace saw that the Analytical Engine was capable of much more than Babbage or Menabrea could imagine. Lovelace also grasped that the making of the cards would not be a mere afterthought and that it could be done well or done poorly. This is hard to appreciate without understanding her program from Note G and seeing for oneself the care she put into designing it. But having done that, you might agree that Lovelace, even if she was not the very first programmer, was the first programmer to deserve the title.

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SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP)  Macedonian authorities say two paragliders have died in central Macedonia when their parachutes collided in the air.

Police said in a statement Saturday that the accident occurred mid-day Friday near the central town of Krusevo.

They say a 56-year-old Ukrainian citizen, identified only by his initials as I.V., was killed at the site, while a 54-year-old British citizen, also identified only by his initials as I.P, died in a nearby hospital during resuscitation attempts.

The prosecutor's office said it has ordered that video and data from the paragliders' tracker systems be downloaded and autopsies performed on the two bodies.

Krusevo is known as a good location for paragliding.

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DGAP-News: Rocket Internet SE / Key word(s): Change of Personnel





The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Rocket Internet SE: Rocket Internet CFO Peter Kimpel resigns with effect of beginning of October 2018 Berlin, August 20, 2018 - Rocket Internet SE ("Rocket Internet" or the "Company") announces today that Peter Kimpel, Chief Financial Officer of Rocket Internet, has informed the supervisory board of the Company that he decided to leave the management board of the Company with effect of beginning of October 2018 to pursue a new management challenge. Peter Kimpel joined Rocket Internet from Goldman Sachs in 2014 and was in particular responsible for a number of financing transactions including the IPO of Rocket Internet as well as various subsequent capital markets transactions. Peter Kimpel commented: "I am very grateful for the time at Rocket Internet and hope that in my future role I will have the opportunity to continue working with Oliver and the team. With Rocket Internet being very well capitalized and three of the selected companies having successfully gone public, it is the right time to move on." Rocket Internet founder and CEO Oliver Samwer said: "Peter is an extraordinary CFO and has built up very strong finance and accounting teams to support the Company going forward. Since he joined in 2014, Peter has developed a very thorough understanding of our various businesses and has been an invaluable partner in developing the business over the last years. I commend Peter for his outstanding contribution to Rocket Internet and would like to thank him for his commitment. I look forward to continue working with him in his new role in the future." The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rocket Internet, Prof. Dr. Marcus Englert, commented: "The Supervisory Board thanks Peter for his valuable contribution to the performance of the Company and wishes him well. Upon Peter's departure, Oliver Samwer will assume these responsibilities with the support of the finance and accounting team." --- END-- Media Contact T: +49 30 300 13 18 68 E: media@rocket-internet.com About Rocket Internet Rocket Internet incubates and invests in internet and technology companies globally. It provides operational support to its companies and helps them scale internationally. Rocket Internet focuses predominantly on four industry sectors of online and mobile retail and services that make up a significant share of consumer spending: Food & Groceries, Fashion, General Merchandise and Home & Living. Rocket Internet's selected companies are active in a large number of countries around the world with more than 33,000 employees. Rocket Internet holds stakes in three significant publicly listed companies, Delivery Hero, HelloFresh and Home24. Rocket Internet SE is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A12UKK6, RKET) and is included in the MDAX index. For further information please visit www.rocket-internet.com. Disclaimer / Important Note Despite not having control over the selected companies mentioned above, the aggregate financial information is shown on a 100% basis (i.e. 100% of revenues and EBITDA). The actual legal and economic interest of the Rocket Internet group in the network companies shown above is far lower than 100%. Please refer to Rocket Internet SE's consolidated financial statements for additional information on the group's consolidation policies and its segment information. This document contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the current views, expectations and assumptions of the management of Rocket Internet SE and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those described in such statements due to, among other things, changes in the general economic and competitive environment, risks associated with capital markets, currency exchange rate fluctuations and competition from other companies, changes in international and national laws and regulations, in particular with respect to tax laws and regulations, and other factors. Rocket Internet does not assume any obligations to update any forward-looking statements.



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A car with the Lexus logo is seen on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

(Reuters) - A Texas jury awarded damages of $242 million to a Dallas family after finding that defects in the family's Lexus sedan caused injuries to their two children during a rear-end collision, the law firm representing the plaintiffs said on Friday.

The verdict by the jury in Dallas County District Court includes more than $143.6 million in punitive damages after jurors agreed that the actions of Lexus-maker Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> and Toyota Motor Sales amounted to gross negligence, the Law Offices of Frank L. Branson said in a statement.

The collision involving the family's 2002 Lexus ES 300 sedan occurred in September 2016. The 3-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter of Benjamin and Kristi Reavis were in the car's back seat, in child safety seats, the statement said.

The jury found that the sedan's front seats "were unreasonably dangerous and the defendants failed to warn about those dangers," the statement said.

"The automaker made a conscious decision to protect front-seat occupants from crash injuries like whiplash at the expense of rear-seat passengers," attorney Frank Branson said in the statement.

Toyota said it would consider its options going forward.

"While we respect the jury's decision, we remain confident that the injuries sustained were the result of factors specific to this very severe collision, not a defect in the design or manufacturing of the 2002 Lexus ES300," a Toyota spokesman said in an emailed statement.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Storyful

A Galapagos tortoise who was flown to Australia from Germany several months ago to meet her new boyfriend marked her first Halloween in a new country by chowing down on a jack-o-lantern pumpkin.Footage released by the Australian Reptile Park on October 29 shows Estrella munching on the pumpkin and some hibiscus flowers.After a long journey across the world and months in quarantine, Estrella is settling in well to her new home, the park said in a statement.We always get into the Halloween spirit at the Australian Reptile Park, and we thought it was only fitting to feature Estrella as she celebrates her first Halloween in Australia, said head of reptiles Daniel Rumsey.Most Galapagos tortoises enjoy hibiscus, but Estrella absolutely loves them. We decided to use hibiscus to decorate her special Halloween pumpkin and it went down a treat, Rumsey said.Earlier this month, Estrella was introduced to her new boyfriend, Hugo, and the pair have been getting along great, Rumsey said.Its wonderful to see the pair finally interacting after such a long courtship. Theyre definitely the reptile parks hottest couple, he said. Credit: Australian Reptile Park via Storyful
Russian military police officer stands guard near the town of Alhureyeh, Syria - AP

The UK government said on Monday it was ending funding for some aid programmes in rebel-held areas of Syria, which have become too risky ahead of an imminent government offensive there.

"As the situation on the ground in some regions has become increasingly difficult, we have reduced support for some of our non-humanitarian programming, but continue to deliver vital support to help those most in need and to improve security and stability in the country," a UK government spokeswoman told Reuters in an emailed statement.

The attempt to create an independent police force would also be scrapped from September, while projects funding local councils were being reviewed and would likely be halted by the end of the financial year.

The report added that the Foreign Office and Department for International Development had determined the aid programmes in the northwestern parts of Syria to be "unsustainable".

Instead, the focus in northern Syria is now on basic lifesaving needs, providing medicines and medical equipment and water and sanitation support.

It is feared an imminent Syrian government and Russian offensive on the province of Idlib - the last remaining rebel stronghold - could create a humanitarian disaster.

Some 2.7 million people are trapped in Idlib, which is controlled by a complex patchwork of jihadists and more moderate rebels.

Syrian onlookers gather around rescue teams clearing the rubble in the morning of April 10, 2018 in the northwestern city of Idlib. Credit: AFP

The UK government said it had spent 152 million pounds on humanitarian programmes in Syria for the financial year 2017-2018.

Britain had increased its aid as well as supply of armoured vehicles and training to Syria's opposition in 2013.

Syria's northwest is the last major region still held by rebels.

The conflict in Syria has killed an estimated half a million people, driven more than 5.5 million people out of the country and displaced over 6.5 million within it.

In 2011, the United States adopted a policy that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must leave power. But Washington and its Western allies, including Britain, have subsequently watched Assad's forces, backed by Iran and then Russia, claw back territory and secure his position.

On Friday, the US state department announced it was cutting $230m (180m) from its budget to stabilise areas of Syria captured from Isis, saying it had been compensated by $300m in extra contributions from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other US allies.
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  Cyprus police say an Egyptian man who in 2016 hijacked a domestic EgyptAir flight and ordered it to land on the east Mediterranean island has been extradited to his homeland.

Police said Sunday that Seif Eddin Mustafa boarded an EgyptAir flight that took off for Egypt on Saturday evening.

Cyprus Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou told The Associated Press that Mustafa's extradition went ahead after he dropped a three-year legal fight to avoid his extradition.

Doros Polycarpou, with the migrant support group KISA that assisted Mustafa, told the AP the 62-year-old decided of his own accord to return to Egypt and face prosecution there, despite fears that he may be tortured.

Last year, the European Court of Human Rights blocked Cyprus from extraditing Mustafa until it could examine the case.

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Venezuelan migrant waits in line to register their entry into Ecuador, at the Rumichaca International Bridge, in Tulcan, Ecuador August 19, 2018. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

Thomson Reuters

By Steven Grattan

IPIALES, Colombia (Reuters) - Dozens of furious Venezuelan migrants fleeing economic misery in Venezuela for a new life elsewhere on Sunday defied rules requiring they hold a valid passport to cross the border from Colombia into Ecuador, and authorities appeared to be allowing it.

Hundreds of desperate people who traveled days from Venezuela, mostly by bus but some on foot, were prevented from passing the checkpoint near the southwestern town of Ipiales by a regulation set by Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno that kicked in on Saturday.

But as tension mounted in the frigid Colombian mountain town, migrants decided to risk being detained and simply walked across the ungated and loosely guarded border, having spent days in freezing conditions at the Rumichaca crossing.

"We have no money, we need to move on now and get our lives back," said Mayerly Isaguirre, out of breath from dragging her belongings up the steep hill at the Ecuadorian border.

The primary school teacher, 37, was traveling with her boyfriend and had planned to cross legally with her Venezuelan national ID card en route to find work in Peru, where other family members successfully arrived weeks ago. But they were stopped by the new regulation.

After more than 24 hours shivering from the cold at the border, she took the chance.

"They haven't told us anything - we are just waiting around like idiots," she said, wheeling her fuchsia colored suitcase across the open check point as guards looked on.

Peru's government announced immigration measures similar to Ecuador's on Friday, with passport requirements for Venezuelans beginning on Aug. 25. Ecuador on Sunday said children and adolescents traveling with their parents could cross without passports.

"They're in limbo," said Gustavo Salvador, a Red Cross Ecuador worker. "Many people who are crossing illegally are going to be hit by fines at Peru's border, and these people don't have money."

Story continues

Ecuador's foreign and interior ministries declined to comment. A spokesman for Colombia's migration office could not immediately be reached for comment.

On Sunday morning, arguments broke out between migrants - those rallying for people to move on into Ecuador in groups while others argued they should stay and do things "the right way."

More than a million Venezuelan migrants have entered Colombia over the last 15 months, according to official estimates, but Ecuador, Peru and Brazil also have received many.

Over the last two years, especially, many Venezuelans have struggled to obtain passports amid the OPEC nation's political and economic chaos.

This year alone, 423,000 Venezuelans have entered Ecuador through the Rumichaca border.

In Ipiales, Venezuelan migrants who said they had hitchhiked for days were huddled under blankets in tents. Exhausted and hungry, they scraped their last few pesos together to buy food.

Many like Jorge Luis Torrealba, who traveled with 12 friends and family members, including two small children, were unable to find space in the tents and were sleeping on the freezing concrete pavement.

"We are from the Caribbean, we can't handle this cold," he said, shivering despite wearing four t-shirts, two sweaters, two pairs of socks and two pairs of jeans.

He said is considering trekking across the border to Peru but is afraid of what would happen to his children if he is detained. "We just want to move on."

(Editing by Helen Murphy and Dan Grebler)

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The Ministry of Justice is stepping in to take over the running of HMP Birmingham after officials decided private contractor G4S could not cope with the out-of-control prison.

It comes after a damning critique was issued by the prison watchdog warning that the Birmingham jail had "slipped into crisis" after its latest inspection uncovered "appalling" squalor and violence.

In a letter to David Gauke, the justice secretary, Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke noted that many staff felt fearful and unsafe after a number of violent incidents, including an arson attack that destroyed nine vehicles in the car park.

He wrote: "It was often difficult to find officers, although we did find some asleep during prisoner lock-up periods.

"On more than one occasion we found groups of staff who had locked themselves in their own offices.

"We were told this was to prevent them, when busy, from being distracted by prisoners - an explanation that was neither plausible nor acceptable."

Mr Clarke said he was "astounded" by the deterioration of the prison since it was last inspected in February 2017, and concluded: "There has clearly been an abject failure of contract management and delivery."

The MoJ, which will take over running of the jail for an initial six-month period, said there were "serious concerns over safety, security and decency".

Officials say the action is justified under the terms of the MoJ's contract with G4S, because of the firm's failure to run the prison safely, representing a breach of contract.

The government insists there will be no additional cost to the taxpayer.

Under the contract, G4S is liable for any additional costs where there has been a forced "step-in."

G4S has welcomed the move.

The notorious prison, which was the scene of rioting in 2016, has been issued with multiple improvement notices this year.

In March, one notice related to concerns about high levels of violence, low levels of activity and cleanliness.

Story continues

Most recent figures show that Birmingham had the largest volume of assault incidents of all prisons in the 12 months to July 2018, with a total of 1,434.

In July, the prison was graded "poor" in all four categories: safety, respect, activity and resettlement.

The urgent notification notice was the first issued for a prison run by a private company and it requires the government to formulate an action plan within 28 days to make improvements.

Today's measures include:

:: Putting in place a new governor to lead the prison, which Sky News understands will be Paul Newton, the former governor of Swaleside prison. He will also have a new senior management team.

:: Allocating experienced HMPPS officers to bolster existing staffing at the prison. An initial 30 extra officers will be deployed.

:: Reducing the prison's capacity by 300 places while improvement action is under way.

:: The six-month government-run period may be extended if ministers are not satisfied sufficient progress has been made.

Prisons minister Rory Stewart said: "What we have seen at Birmingham is unacceptable and it has become clear that drastic action is required to bring about the improvements we require."

Mr Stewart told Sky News that government cuts to spending on prisons are not behind Birmingham's problems.

"The big driver of the problems has been these new type of psychoactive drugs like spice that have a massive impact on people's brains, creating aggression," he said.

Mr Stewart said substances had found their way into the prison through mail, inmates swallowing drugs and drones.

He said: "This is why we have spent 6m on special scanners and we have trained sniffer dogs to detect these drugs."

He said that while there had been failings by G4S at Birmingham, the company ran three of the best prisons in the country.

Asked about government cuts, he said: "There have been 2,500 extra prison officers recruited. I'm pleased to say that prisons are fully staffed."

He added: "This step-in means that we can provide additional resources to the prison while insulating the taxpayer from the inevitable cost this entails.

"We have good, privately run prisons across the country and while Birmingham faces its own particular set of challenges, I am absolutely clear that it must start to live up to the standards seen elsewhere."

Jerry Petherick, managing director of G4S's custody and detention services, said: "HMP Birmingham is an inner-city remand prison which faces exceptional challenges including increasingly high levels of prisoner violence towards staff and fellow prisoners.

"The well-being and safety of prisoners and prison staff is our key priority and we welcome the six month step-in and the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Justice to urgently address the issues faced at the prison."

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said the situation was a consequence of privatisation in the justice system.

He said: "HMP Birmingham was the first publicly run prison to be transferred to the private sector. This should be a nail in the coffin for the flawed idea of prison privatisation. The government must scrap its recently announced plans to build yet more private prisons."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said there would be no privatised prisons if his party wins power.

He said: "Another week, another privatisation crisis. This government's obsession with selling off our public services has been a total failure.

"Under Labour there'll be no more privatised prisons. We'll run them safely, efficiently, and accountable to the public. "
ROME (AP)  Italy's firebrand interior minister is threatening to return to Libya 177 migrants who have been aboard an Italian coast guard ship for days following another standoff with Malta.

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini demanded Sunday that other European countries take in the migrants after his Maltese counterpart, Michael Farrugia, insisted that the "only solution" is for the Diciotti ship to dock at the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.

The Diciotti has been off Lampedusa after rescuing the migrants Aug. 16. Italy asked Malta to take them in, but Malta refused, saying the migrant boat wasn't in distress and that the migrants declined Maltese assistance, preferring to continue toward Italy.

In a tweet Sunday, Farrugia accused Italy of rescuing the migrants in Maltese waters "purely to prevent them from entering Italian waters."

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Jamie Oliver has launched a 'jerk rice' dish

Jamie Oliver has defended the name of his new product "punchy jerk rice", claiming it shows where he drew his culinary inspiration from.

The celebrity chef issued a statement after he was accused of cultural appropriation by Dawn Butler, Labour's shadow equalities minister.

She told him the meal, which is made of brown rice and red kidney beans with aubergine and bell peppers in a coconut "jerk-style" sauce, was "not okay".

Oliver's statement said: "I've worked with flavours and spices from all over the world my whole career, learning and drawing inspiration from different countries and cultures to give a fresh twist to the food we eat every day.

"When I named the rice my intention was only to show where my inspiration came from."

MP Dawn Butler says 'appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop'

The row centres over whether Oliver's rice is really jerk, which is traditionally a blend of spices used to flavour meat.

It originated in Jamaica but has many different versions.

Ms Butler wrote on Twitter that she wondered if Mr Oliver "knows what Jamaican jerk actually is".

"It's not just a word you put before stuff to sell products," she said.

"Your jerk rice is not ok. This appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop."

:: Food sensitivities - which traditional dishes have proved divisive?

Ms Butler said that Levi Roots, the Jamaican chef behind Reggae Reggae sauce, should "do a masterclass".

Levi Roots said he thought the recipe name was a 'mistake'

Weighing into the row, Mr Roots said: "I do think it was a mistake by his team."

Tory MP Neil O'Brien hit back, saying: "If Jamie Oliver isn't allowed to make jerk chicken because it's cultural 'appropriation' she's going to go mad when she finds out about 'Jamie's Italy'."

Social media users are divided on the issue.

Comedian and author Shappi Khorsandi said food was an "emotional issue" and that the word Persian is "slapped on any old dish".

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Others complained the row was "ridiculous" and said the term "jerk" actually comes from Latin America.

It comes after Malaysia's ex-prime minister entered a row over a chicken dish that was criticised on MasterChef for not being "crispy" .

Gregg Wallace, one of the show's judges, said the Malaysian-born contestant's chicken rendang curry was flawed.

Malaysia's then prime minister Najib Razak hit back after a social media storm, tweeting a picture of the curry along with the words: "Does anyone eat chicken rendang 'crispy'? #MalaysianFood".
At least 14 people have died after Brazil's military swooped on drug gangs in Rio de Janeiro.

Soldiers and armed police officers were involved in the raids in two impoverished favelas and a suburb of the city.

The military command in charge of security in Rio, Brazil's second biggest city, said eight people died "and there could be more".

Local media reported six suspected armed gang members were also killed after a car chase in the suburb of Niteroi.

They were shot dead by police after a rush-hour car chase that caused traffic chaos near one of Rio's main bridges, according to reports.

More than 4,000 soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles and aircraft, entered the favela complexes of Alemao and Mare, which are largely run by heavily armed drug traffickers.

Troops removed roadblocks erected by drug gangs and followed up on tip-offs against suspected traffickers, the military said in a statement.

Brazil's military took over all security in Rio six months ago in the face of escalating violent crime and the local police's inability to combat well-armed drug gangs.

The security situation in Rio has been deteriorating since the city hosted the 2016 Olympic games, prompting accusations that the government has failed to distribute potential benefits of the event to the city's poorer communities.

Last week, US defence secretary Jim Mattis said he heard gunfire while he was staying at a hotel near Rio's Copacabana beach.

There were reports of a pre-dawn gunfight among drug gangs near the hotel but there was no suggestion that Mr Mattis was in danger.
Photo credit: Charles McQuillan - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

Ahead of her first royal tour with husband Prince Harry, which will see the couple visit Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and the Kingdom of Tonga, Meghan Markle has hopped on a flight back to Toronto. Prior to moving to the United Kingdom to be with her husband, Meghan was, of course, based in Toronto, where she filmed all seven seasons of Suits.

The Mirror is reporting that Meghan flew via Air Canada to Toronto, and that the airline was asked to protect the Duchess' privacy during her flight. The publication cites royal news hub, Royal Central, as their source for the information regarding Meghan's flight, with it being alleged that Kensington Palace gave Air Canada strict instructions in a letter about her itinerary, apparently "requesting that no one takes Meghans picture or approaches her on the flight."

This is Meghan's first solo trip abroad since she became the Duchess of Sussex. It's likely that the royal is savoring some time with the close friends she made in the city when she lived there, prior to a busy few months of official engagements alongside Prince Harry.

Meghan is reportedly in Toronto. https://t.co/MFVEav6bzu

- Mad About Meghan (@MadAboutMeghan) August 19, 2018

Meghan is in Toronto and apparently shes there to visit her friends before September.

- Meghan and Harry (@royalharryandm1) August 19, 2018

Meghan's trip to Canada comes just as her father, Thomas Markle, continues his tirade against his daughter and the royal family. According to The Telegraph, his latest interview with The Sun saw him make a whole host of accusations against Meghan and her husband's relatives. Thomas described them as "either like Scientologists or the Stepford family," as well as branding them "cult-like" and "secretive."

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Related Video: Did Kate Middleton Hand Meghan Markle Her Bouquet?

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Photo credit: Christopher Furlong - Getty Images

From ELLE

Meghan Markle is coming home. The Duchess of Sussex reportedly landed in Toronto, where she lived while filming her hit USA series, Suits, on Sunday, according to Royal Central. A source confirmed Meghan's arrival to the known hub of info on all things royal.

Other things we know about Meghan's trip to Toronto:

She flew commercial - on Air Canada, specifically (royals really are just like us).

Kensington Palace reached out to the airline ahead of her trip to request that other travelers not be allowed to take pictures of or approach the duchess (okay, so not exactly like us).

And, finally, she was traveling alone.

The trip marks Meghan's first solo international travel since her wedding to Prince Harry in May. Meghan is expected to use the trip as a chance to catch up with friends (like the Mulroneys, who still live in Toronto and who are so close to Meghan, their children were actually in the royal wedding).

Photo credit: CHRIS RADBURN - Getty Images

It's also speculated that Meghan will take a trip home to the United States while she's on this side of the pond. Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, is reportedly planning a move to the UK to be closer to her daughter and could make the move as soon as next month. If these rumors (and the speculation about the timing) are true, Meghan might be helping her mom pack.

Harry and Meghan are also reportedly planning a joint tour of the United States and Canada in spring of 2019, during which she'll be able to show Harry all of the most meaningful places from her past.

"Meghan and Harry want to solidify ties between the U.K. and the U.S.," a source, described as a palace insider, told Us Weekly. "They want to highlight and foster these relationships."

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Mexican voters upended their countrys political establishment this summer when they elected Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador  the left-wing former mayor of Mexico City known as AMLO  by an overwhelming margin. His impressive victory owed a lot to his personal charisma and populist rhetoric, but it also reflected the publics weariness with Mexicos current state of affairs  and in particular, with criminal violence.

Long a problem for Mexico, deadly violence is now at an all time high. There were more than 31,000 murders in 2017, the highest number on record, and this year is shaping up to be even deadlier.

Lopez Obradors term begins on December 1, but his incoming government has already pledged to reduce violent crime by between 30-50% within three years, and to bring crime rates in line with those in OECD countries within six years. To achieve this, it has come up with three strategies: tackling the root causes of crime through social policy, ending the war against organised crime, and restructuring security institutions.

One of the central ideas behind Lopez Obradors approach to security is that when it comes to fighting crime, the best policy is social policy. But muddling social policy with crime policy is troublesome; rather than lifting people out of criminogenic conditions, it can simply spawn a welter of social programmes that have little bearing on crime at all.

This is what happened during the tenure of the outgoing administration, when every proposal from cooking lessons to handing out free glasses to schoolchildren was held up as a worthwhile crime prevention initiative. This sort of policymaking neglects the fact that the police can actually be very effective at preventing crime in the short term.

AMLO clearly sees things differently. He plans to roll out an extensive scholarship programme aimed at preventing the 7m young people not in education, employment or training from joining criminal gangs, even though there is no consistent evidence showing that youth unemployment and poverty are the main drivers of involvement in organised crime. Though scant research on this topic has been conducted in Mexico itself, evidence from the UK has shown the opposite: as youth unemployment and poverty has increased, the amount of crime committed by this age group has actually decreased.

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Beyond the drug war

On a different front, the incoming government has correctly identified the decade-long war on organised crime as one of the main drivers of violence. But while it has proposed a three-pronged plan to bring about peace, it is unlikely that this is achievable in the short term.

First, AMLO and his team have proposed implementing a process of transitional justice to break the cycle of violence, including a controversial amnesty for low-level drug-traffickers. There is still much uncertainty as to how this would be implemented, but it remains unclear whether it would actually help end violence in Mexico, since these mechanisms were designed to manage the aftermath of political and ethnic conflicts.

Second, with a growing global consensus that the current drug prohibition regime has failed, the new government plans to legalise cannabis and the cultivation of opium poppies. However, wholesale legalisation of cannabis has never been attempted in a country as large and complex  and as fraught with poor institutions  as Mexico. That means it may be years before legalisation is implemented, as the necessary regulatory frameworks and institutions will have to be established first.

In addition, legalisation in Mexico would create more opportunities for smuggling drugs into the US  potentially a boon for some organised crime groups, and potentially a serious risk to an already troubled relationship with Washington.

Finally, the new government has pledged to train enough police officers to remove the armed forces from the fight against organised crime in three years. But this plan is based on a highly optimistic estimate of the states capacity to recruit and train new police officers.

Between 2015 and 2016, there were 133,000 soldiers involved in the fight against organised crime; replacing them would require at least 50,000 new elite federal police officers. President Calderon (2006-2012) took six years to recruit 20,000 federal police officers. His successor, Pena Nieto, promised a 50,000-strong National Gendarmerie, but ultimately delivered a force of fewer than 5,000. Its highly unlikely that the new government will be able to perform any better.

Reinventing the police

The incoming government has also hinted at yet another redesign of Mexicos security institutions. Though they have dropped a plan to create a National Guard incorporating the army and the police, AMLO plans to recreate the Federal Security Ministry (dissolved by the outgoing president, Enrique Pena Nieto), to form a new police force charged with protecting tourist destinations, and to replace the countrys intelligence agency with an entirely new body.

These reforms are likely to take much longer than anticipated, wasting precious resources that could otherwise be spent on actual police work. And even if theyre implemented swiftly, they are unlikely to directly improve the security situation.

Mexico is simply too vast and too diverse for centralised control of security policy to work. The federal government does not and will not have the resources to properly deal with most of its crime problems. A better approach would be to delegate responsibility to state and local governments, using federal policy to induce improvements in local policing. Security institutions require continuity and time to mature; small, incremental improvements to their operations are a better bet than wholesale redesign.

The security situation in Mexico remains dire, and its likely to remain that way for some time. Social policy can help reduce poverty and improve welfare, but its no substitute for intelligent, evidence-based crime prevention delivered by a well-trained local police. Removing the army from the streets without capable police officers to replace them could strengthen organised crime groups and make the situation worse.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Patricio R. Estevez-Soto receives funding from Mexico's National Science and Technology Council and the Mexican Ministry of Education through the country's postgraduate funding schemes.
RABAT (Reuters) - King Mohammed of Morocco appointed Mohamed Benchaaboun, a prominent banker, as the new economy and finance minister on Monday, according to a statement from the Royal Cabinet.

Benchaaboun succeeds Mohamed Boussaid, who was dismissed by the king on Aug. 1, three days after the monarch urged action to tackle Morocco's pressing social and economic problems and said the government should do more to boost investment.

Benchaaboun has been serving as head of Morocco's Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), one of the North African country's three biggest lenders.

The new minister was appointed at the suggestion of Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani as the constitution stipulates, the statement said.

It also said King Mohammed had approved a proposal from El Othmani to scrap the state secretariat for water, whose portfolio will be transferred to the ministry for equipment, transport, logistics and water. It said the move would improve management of water supplies.

(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Jeremy Corbyn has been urged by the Palestinian ambassador to the UK not to "give in" on excluding certain examples of anti-Semitism from Labour's code of conduct.

Professor Manuel Hassassian said the Labour leader's "principled stand has been watched with bated breath by all Palestinians" as he called on Mr Corbyn to resist changes to his party's rules.

It comes as Mr Corbyn faces growing pressure from MPs and union bosses to adopt the full list of anti-Semitism examples as set out in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's widely-accepted definition.

In a statement, Prof Hassassian wrote: "As Palestinians, we urge him not to give in to the forces which would like to silence legitimate criticism of Israel's racist policies and actions against our people and bury the crimes of Israel's past."

:: Corbyn ally brands Hodge's complaints 'absurd' and 'hyperbolic'

Labour's National Executive Committee decided last month to exclude four examples of anti-Semitism from the IHRA definition in its new code of conduct, including "claiming Israel's existence was a racist endeavour".

The omissions prompted veteran Labour backbencher Dame Margaret Hodge to confront Mr Corbyn and accuse him of being a racist and an anti-Semite. Disciplinary action against her was recently dropped.

Last week, Unite union leader Len McCluskey said Labour should change tack and adopt the full list of examples, following similar calls from GMB, Unison and USDAW.

In September, Labour MPs will vote on whether they believe the IHRA definition and examples should be adopted in full.

But Professor Hassassian said the NEC had come to the correct decision: "Labour rightly judged that this example could be used as a tool to challenge criticism of nationalist tendencies and violations of human rights in Israel and legitimise its prolonged occupation of the Palestinians rather than protecting Jews worldwide.

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"Anybody who is serious about understanding the historical context in which Israel was created will know that 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed by Zionist terror militias and 500 Palestinian villages destroyed.

"It is difficult not to define this as a racist endeavour."

The ambassador also dismissed the accusations that Mr Corbyn had commemorated suspected terrorists during a visit to Tunis in 2014 as "fake news", saying the annual ceremony was focused on those killed in the 1985 Israeli airstrike on the-then PLO headquarters.

Mr Corbyn was pictured holding a wreath next to the grave of Salah Khalaf, a senior PLO figure accused by Israel of founding the group Black September, who carried out the 1972 Munich massacre.

It prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to demand "unequivocal condemnation" of Mr Corbyn "from everyone - left, right and everything in between".

But Prof Hassassian disputed the characterisation of Khalaf as a terrorist, saying he was assassinated in 1991 "because he had adopted the path of diplomacy after greater international recognition of the Palestinian cause".
Afghan security forces have freed 149 people abducted by the Taliban hours earlier, but the insurgents still hold 21 hostages, officials have said.

The Taliban's abduction came as a proposed ceasefire started in Afghanistan.

The group had ambushed three buses n Kundaz, in northern Afghanistan, and abducted more than 150 passengers, reportedly including women and children.

But in a rescue operation carried out by Afghan security forces, 149 people were freed and at least seven Taliban insurgents killed, said Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

The 21 hostages still held by the Taliban are understood to be members of the security forces - reportedly the main target of the Taliban's ambush.

A spokesman for the provincial governor in Kunduz also confirmed the rescue of the hostages and said the operation was continuing.

President Ashraf Ghani had called for a month-long ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha, but ithe insurgents acted within hours of it starting.

The Taliban gave the reason for the ambush as a "lack of clarity" over the proposed ceasefire.

They said they will be releasing 500 prisoners, including some Afghan security forces.

Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, earlier said he believed the Taliban had been looking for government employees or members of the security forces.

Abdul Rahman Aqtash, a police chief in neighbouring Takhar province, said the passengers had been on their way to Kabul.

A Kundaz governor spokesman added: "The buses were stopped by the Taliban fighters, passengers were forced to step down and they have been taken to an undisclosed location."

The ceasefire was announced by Mr Ghani during celebrations of the 99th anniversary of Afghanistan's independence.

He said: "The ceasefire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depend on the Taliban's stand."

It had been hoped the ceasefire could have been observed until November 20, marking the Prophet Muhammad's birthday.

The Taliban accepted a three-day ceasefire during Eid al-Fitr in June, but rejected calls for it to continue any longer.

The Taliban's resurgence in recent years has seen entire districts of Afghanistan fall under its control. Large-scale bombings and attacks by the Taliban have killed scores of people.
The number of grenades seized from criminals trying to smuggle weapons into the UK has soared, fuelling fears they could fall into the hands of terrorists.

Police found 17 grenades on criminals between January and April this year, compared with 40 discovered over a four-year period between 2013 and 2017.

The most recent seizures were in Sussex and Scotland where the devices - believed to be from the former Yugoslavia - were attached to the bottom of vehicles.

The largest haul included six grenades and 1.5kg of dynamite which were discovered by Police Scotland.

The devices are usually smuggled over land on lorries and trailers after they arrive by ferry.

Although the number of grenades coming into the country is on the rise, the number of exploded devices remains very low, with an average of one a year between 2013 and 2017.

Police fear there are several stashes of unused explosives in the country that are in criminal hands and may be sold to terrorists.

The devices have been used three times in buildings and once against a vehicle between 2013 and 2017.

Chris Farrimond, deputy director of investigations at the National Crime Agency, said: "If we just work on the figures that we know about, the ones that have been recovered over the past four years and the ones that we know of that have been exploded, then somewhere, somehow in the UK there are a number of grenades that are in criminal hands and have not been used.

"They don't get used very often but where they have we have fortunately seen them not used in crowded areas, but they've been used quite specifically against either buildings or a vehicles.

"Not one of these was actually used against a person, they were used to create fear and or criminal damage. It was almost a warning device."

Mr Farrimond said it was possible the weapons, which cost between 250 and 750 on the street, could get into terrorist hands.

Mr Farrimond said: "The bottom line is that firearms do get offered up for sale and so then the question is how accessible is that criminal sale area to somebody who wants to create a terrorist offence of some type.

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"Of course we have a concern that they could fall into terrorist hands and they could be used in a particular way."

Multiple murderer and drug dealer Dale Cregan used grenades as his "calling card" in three of the four killings he carried out in 2012.

He threw grenades at the bodies of his victims after they had been shot.
Andalas Energy and Power provided investors with an update on its seismic interpretation work programme undertaken on the Southern North Sea Licence P2112.

Eagle Gas, in which Andalas holds a 25% stake in, wrapped up its 2018 technical work programme on Monday, completing the group's commitment to the licence as a result.

Following the interpretation of reprocessed 3D seismic data covering the block, Holywell, a subsidiary of Eagle, assessed the Badger prospect as having a resource potential of 399bn cubic feet of recoverable gas and 3.9m barrels of natural gas liquids.

The AIM-listed explorer also revealed that a location had been picked for a potential exploration well to target two of the four identified objectives.

Andalas said the well would be drilled in water depth of roughly 45 metres to a total depth of 4,200 metres.

Simon Gorringe, Andalas' chief executive, said, "We believe that the definition of a prospective resource is validation of our decision to participate in the project via our investment in Eagle. Badger is a significant gas prospect, which has the potential to be one of the larger discoveries in recent years in the UK Southern North Sea."

As of 0835 BST, Andalas shares had jumped 8.25% to 0.92p.
UK Oil & Gas has entered into sale and purchase agreements with Gunsynd and Primorus Investments to acquire their combined 7% shareholding in Horse Hill Developments - the operator and 65% interest holder in the Horse Hill-1 Portland and Kimmeridge Limestone oil discovery and 55 square mile PEDL137 and PEDL246 licences - it announced on Monday.

The AIM-traded company said that on completion, it would hold a majority 56.9% holding in HHDL, equating to a 36.985% beneficial licence interest - the largest single beneficial interest holding in both licences.

As it reported in July and August, a comprehensive 150-day extended well test programme, designed to confirm the HH-1 well's commerciality, was in progress.

It said that results to date from the Portland oil pool had been very positive, with short-term high rate tests achieving stable implied daily pumped rates of 401 and 414 barrels of oil per day of dry 36 API oil over two periods of six and two hours, respectively.

Testing of the two Kimmeridge Limestone oil pools would begin following completion of the Portland test.

UK Oil & Gas said for a total consideration of 1.93m, it would receive Gunsynd's 2% and Primorus' 5% shareholding in HHDL, equating to a further 4.55% beneficial interest in the licences.

The total consideration, with an effective date of 17 August, comprised 0.43m payable in cash and 1.5m through the issue of 85,714,286 new ordinary shares in UKOG.

It said the consideration shares were calculated based on the closing UKOG share price on 16 August of 1.75p.

Completion of both acquisitions, which the board said would be announced in due course, remained conditional on HHDL consent.

In the year ended December 2016, HHDL made a loss of 0.15m.

Although modest in overall size, these acquisitions, the first under the company's new AIM operating company status, are highly strategic in that they deliver to UKOG, the driving force behind the HH-1 Portland and Kimmeridge oil discovery, a majority 56.9% shareholding in HHDL, said UK Oil & Gas chief executive Stephen Sanderson.

Importantly, the resultant 36.985% beneficial Licence interest also makes UKOG the largest single party in the HH-1 discovery and Licences.

Sanderson said that, in cooperation with the remaining co-venturers, the company could now effectively steer the project directly towards planned permanent production and potentially significant cash flow in 2019.

These acquisitions are also fully in line with UKOG's strategy of increasing its working interests in key assets to gain effective control and operatorship.
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields:

US: 2.82% (-4p)

UK: 1.22% (-1bp)

Germany: 0.30% (-0bp)

France: 0.65% (-1bp)

Italy: 3.01% (-11bp)

Spain: 1.39% (-6bp)

Portugal: 1.79% (-6bp)

Greece: 4.33% (-1bp)

Japan: 0.10% (+1bp)

Government bonds across the developed world moved higher at the start of the week, as traders waited on the US central bank's annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at the end of the week.

Bond prices move inversely to their yields.

There was also interest in what the minutes of the Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting, which were set for release on Wednesday, might reveal.

Against that backdrop, and news at the weekend that Venezuela had devalued its currency, the Bolivar, by 95%, longer-dated Gilts lagged behind similarly-dated US Treasuries heading into next week's bank holiday.

Venezuela aside, as well as rating agency Standard&Poor's decision to downgrade Turkey's long-term debt further into 'junk' territory, by one notch to 'B+', the spotlight appeared to be on the release of the latest weekly CFTC data Stateside.

It revealed that speculators had accumulated a record 'short' position in 10-year US Treasuries; hence, according to some strategists, investors were now exposed.

Combined, the above appeared to set the stage for a contrarian move higher in prices on Monday.

Analysts at UBS did nevertheless sounds an optimistic note when it came to the subject of Italian debt risks.

In a research note sent to clients, they argued that when looking out to the medium-term those risks were likely over-priced, although they did see scope for substantial "noise" [on the budget front] heading into the fall.

On the short-end of the US Treasury curve meanwhile, yields were down by two basis points at 2.59%.
Analysts at Berenberg hailed NMC Health 's latest set of half-year figures, dubbing them "impressive", and its ability to "deploy capital", after management announced roughly $200m-worth of new acquisitions - not all of which had been previously disclosed.

Regarding the Emirates-focused company's operating performance during the period, the German broker highlighted the "meaningful" increase seen in revenues per patient across all of NMC's verticals, with sales in its Healthcare, Long-Term & Home Care and Maternity & Fertility divisions having all "modestly outperformed" its forecasts.

As well, NMC's distribution margins had "materially exceeded" Berenberg' estimates.

Aside from the over $100.0m of previously undisclosed mergers and acquisitions outlined in Monday's figures, Berenberg estimated that roughly $100.0m more of M&A had been conducted post period-end.

Notable among the latter, Berenberg said, was the purchase of Aspen, a UK company with four hospitals and five clinics which NMC will use as a platform for a UK IVF Business.

The broker also noted "strong" growth in Dubai and Oman which, would support the company's expansion plans.

On the back of all of the above, Berenberg revised its target price on the shares from 4600p to 5400p, whils reiterating its recommendation to 'buy'.

As of 1123 BST, shares of NMC were rising by 5.81% to 4,296.0, having hit a fresh all-time high of 4,376p earlier during the session.
Corporate results will take the spotlight on Tuesday, amid a light calendar for economic data both at home and abroad.

Among those outfits which were set to update investors on Tuesday were BHP Billiton and Persimmon.

For BHP, estimates from analysts at Deutsche Bank were calling for fiscal year 2018 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of $24.3bn, net debt of $11.7bn and free cash flow of $12.0bn.

In annualised terms, the latter implied $14bn of FCF over the back half of the fiscal year.

Among the potential near-term catalysts for the shares, they said, were self-help measures, the upcoming disposal of its onshore activities and, within the next 12 months, a share repurchase plan.

For Persimmon meanwhile, analysts at Numis had penciled-in a 10% rise in the homebuilder's profits before tax for the six months ending on 30 June, on the back of a further improvement in its margins of about 150 basis points.

"Overall, we think that Persimmon is well placed to continue growing profits due to its regional geographic profile, low exposure to higher price points and the potential for further margin growth," they said, but added, "Whilst we think that the attraction and safety of the group yield is not fully reflected in its valuation, we do see superior upside elsewhere in the sector."

On the economic side of things, public sector borrowing figures covering the month of July were set to be on the top of investors' minds.

According to Barclays Research, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, at 0930 BST, were set to reveal a surplus of 0.9bn, leaving the rolling 12-month deficit at 35.0bn, which would be its lowest level since in over 15 years.

Also set for release were the results of the Confederation of British Industry's Industrial Trends survey for August, at 1100 BST.

As well, Brexit talks between the UK and European Union were set to restart on Tuesday.

Tuesday August 21

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (11:00)

Public Sector Net Borrowing (09:30)

FINALS

BHP Billiton

INTERIMS

Charter Court Financial Services Group , Empiric Student Property , Hostelworld Group , Persimmon, Wood Group (John)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Dewhurst

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Supermarket Income Reit

GMS

Micro Focus International

ANNUAL REPORT

Renishaw

AGMS

Albion Enterprise VCT, Henderson Diversified Income Ltd.

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Gabelli Value Plus Trust
Hopes that China and the US would be able to avoid an escalation in trade tensions saw stocks on the Continent rise at the start of he week.

Last Friday evening, the Journal had reported that Chinese and US negotiators were drawing-up a road-map aimed at resolving their difference on trade by the time of a planned summit between China's Xi Jinping and America's Donald Trump, in November.

A drop in government bond yields around the globe also helped to buoy share prices, even as the US yield curve continued to flatten.

By the end of trading, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was higher by 0.57% or 2.17 points to 383.23, alongside a 0.99% or 120.75 point jump for the German Dax to 12,331.30.

Basic Resources, Automobiles and Parts, and Pharmaceuticals fared best on the Stoxx 600 on Monday.

To take note of as well, by the close of trading the FTSE Mibtel had reversed course to trade up by 0.27% or 55.70 points to 20,470.97, helped by a rally in the country's longer-term debt as 10-year government bond yields fell by 11 basis points to 3.01%.

That was despite remarks from Italian cabinet undersecretary, Giancarlo Giorgetti, that he could not rule out a larger than previously expected budget deficit for 2019 following the collapse of the toll-road in Genoa during the previous week.

In the background, sovereign bond yields were lower around the world after the release of the latest US Commitment of Traders report, which revealed that speculative short positions on 10-year US Treasuries had hit record levels during the previous week.

Nevertheless, when it came to the risks around Italy's debt, analysts at UBS were arguing that, when looking out to the medium-term, they were likely over-priced, although they did see scope for substantial "noise" [on the budget front] heading into the fall.

"So far, however, policy statements do not confirm market fears for blown-out budget deficits," they said.

Euro/dollar meanwhile was up by 0.18% at 1.1460.

On the economic front, investors were digesting the result of the first bilateral meeting since 2013 between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russia's Vladimir Putin at the weekend, when the two leaders discussed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and various other matters, including Syria.

The Financial Times noted talk about a possible four-way summit on Syria alongside France and Turkey, which it believed might indicate that Merkel was now more open to the idea of a post-war role for Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad.

Monday also marked Greece's official exit from its three-year 61.9bn bail-out programme.

Regarding Turkey, investors did not react too negatively to rating agency Standard&Poor's decision, on Friday, to downgrade its rating on Turkey's long-term debt from 'BB-' to 'B+'.

The flow of economic news was otherwise light, with a reading on German producer prices for the month of July printing at up by 0.2% month-on-month and 3.0% on the year, according to the country's Ministry of Finance, exactly as expected by analysts.

Similarly, euro area construction output had edged up by 0.2% month-on-month in June, Eurostat reported.

In the corporate patch, shares of Italian infrastructure operator Atlantia skidded 8.71% lower to 17.69 after Italian PM Giuseppe Conte said the company's concession was already in the process of being revoked.

After the close of markets, S&P lowered its outlook on BBVA's long-term corporate debt from 'stable' to 'negative'.
Stocks on the Continent are holding onto early gains on the back of reports of increased contacts between China and the US aimed at resolving their stand-off on trade.

Also boosting sentiment was news that China's banking regulator had instructed the country's lenders to boost financing for infrastructure projects and exporters, even as a negotiating team, led by vice-commerce minister Wang Shouwen, prepared to travel to the US on Wednesday for two days of talks.

Against that backdrop, as of 1233 BST the benchmark Stoxx 600 was higher by 0.52% or 2.0 points to 383.06, alongside a 0.91% or 110.83 point jump for the German Dax to 12,321.82, although the FTSE Mibtel was dipping 0.03% or 5.66 points and trading at 20,409.23.

Basic Resources was among the best-performing areas of the market, with the Stoxx 600's gauge for the sector tacking-on 1.64% to 437.55.

In parallel, euro/dollar was off by 0.15% at 1.1421 after UBS lowered its year-end 2018 target from 1.25 to 1.20, even as it pointed out the single currency's recent sharp strengthening versus the yuan and sterling.

Nevertheless, some analysts remained wary, with CMC Markets UK's Michael Hewson telling clients that: "As an exercise in clutching at straws this is merely the latest example of the markets looking for a reason to ignore the possibility of any type of escalation in the current situation, where both countries have already slapped $50bn worth of tariffs on each other's goods."

To take note of, Monday marked Greece's official exit from its three-year 61.9bn bail-out programme.

Investors were also digesting the result of the first bilateral meeting since 2013 between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russia's Vladimir Putin at the weekend, where the two leaders discussed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and other matter, including Syria.

The Financial Times noted talk about a possible four-way summit on Syria alongside France and Turkey, which it believed might indicate that Merkel was now more open to the idea of a post-war role for Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad.

Regarding Turkey, investors appeared to be brushing-off rating agency Standard&Poor's decision on Friday to downgrade its rating on Turkey's long-term debt from 'BB-' to 'B+'.

News was light on the economic front on Monday morning, with a reading on German producer prices for the month of July printing at up by 0.2% month-on-month and 3.0% on the year according to the country's Ministry of Finance, exactly as expected by analysts.

Similarly, euro area construction output edged up by 0.2% month-on-month in June, Eurostat reported.

In the corporate patch meanwhile, shares of Italian infrastructure operator Atlantia were skidding 8.51% lower to 17.69 after Italian PM Giuseppe Conte said the company's concession was already in the process of being revoked.
Reports of fresh progress in trade talks between China and the US are buoying markets at the start of the session, helping to offset continuing negative headlines from the Emerging Markets space.

On Friday evening, the Journal reported that negotiators from Beijing and Washington were working on a plan to resolve trade tensions by the time of a summit between China's Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in late November.

Nevertheless, some analysts remained wary, with CMC Markets UK's Michael Hewson telling clients that: "As an exercise in clutching at straws this is merely the latest example of the markets looking for a reason to ignore the possibility of any type of escalation in the current situation, where both countries have already slapped $50bn worth of tariffs on each other's goods.

"Nonetheless the prospect that any possible escalation may well be some way away has prompted some investors to tentatively step back into the market, though concerns about the situation in Turkey have kept European markets and investors much more cautious."

Against that backdrop, as of 0827 BST the benchmark Stoxx 600 was higher by 0.35% or 1.35 points to 382.41, alongside a 0.58% or 70.64 point jump for the German Dax to 12,285.18, while the FTSE Mibtel was edging up by 0.22% or 43.54 points and trading at 20,458.07.

To take note of, Monday marked Greece's official exit from its three-year 61.9bn bail-out programme.

Investors were also digesting the result of the first bilateral meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russia's Vladimir Putin since 2013 at the weekend, where the two leaders discussed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Ukraine, the Iranian nuclear accord and Syria.

In emerging market news, and also on Friday evening, Standard&Poor's cut its rating on Turkey's long-term debt from 'BB-' to 'B+', albeit with a 'positive' outlook.

S&P forecast that the recent extreme volatility in the Turkish lira would see the country slide into recession in 2019.

Reacting to the above, the US dollar was up by 1.32% against the Turkish lira and trading at 6.0972.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, at the weekend the government devalued the country's currency, the bolivar, by 95%.

News was light on the economic front on Monday morning, with a reading on German producer prices for the month of July printing at up by 0.2% month-on-month and 3.0% on the year according to the country's Ministry of Finance, exactly as expected.

Still on the calendar for later in the session, Eurostat was set to publish a reading on Eurozone construction sector output for the month of July at 1000 BST.

In the corporate patch meanwhile, shares of Italian infrastructure operator Atlantia were skidding 8.51% lower to 17.69 after Italian PM Giuseppe Conte said the company's concession was already in the process of being revoked.
Britains political landscape has already been reshaped irrevocably by the Brexit vote. But there is a growing feeling at Westminster that the deep divisions over whether, and how, Britain should break from the EU, cannot be contained within the existing party system. - Guardian

Ministers are facing calls to preserve a focus on Britains trade with the European Union as they hunt for new markets ahead of Brexit. Business leaders are also urging the government to provide the smallest companies with as much trade aid and support as its largest and to focus on essentials, such as improving broadband and patching up roads. - The Times

After years of tough austerity measures, Greece emerged on Monday from its third and last bailout, although officials warned the country still has a long way to go. The European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund loaned Greece a total of 289bn ($330bn) in three programmes, in 2010, 2012 and 2015. - Guardian/AFP

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has been forced to take immediate control of HMP Birmingham from its contractor G4S, after a damning inspection found that prisoners used drink, drugs and violence with impunity and corridors were littered with cockroaches, blood and vomit. The government is having to take the unprecedented step of seizing control of the failing prison, removing its governor and sweeping out hundreds of prisoners on Monday, just hours before an extraordinarily critical report is released by the prisons inspectorate. - Guardian

J Sainsbury and Asda could have to dispose of stores in up to 300 locations across Britain if the two grocers are to succeed in convincing regulators to approve their proposed merger. In a sign of the potential regulatory challenge facing the companies, an analysis by The Times and industry bodies using modelling techniques typically employed by the Competition and Markets Authority shows that there are at least 300 catchment areas where the merger could run into local competition concerns. - The Times

Italys populist government is drawing up a Marshall Plan of up to 80bn to rebuild the countrys dilapidated infrastructure after the Genoa bridge collapse, seizing on the politically-charged disaster to smash EU budget rules. Officials aim to invoke the Golden Rule championed by Britains Gordon Brown to remove chunks of public investment from the headline budget deficit, a ruse that would make it easier for the radical Five Star-Lega coalition open the floodgates of fiscal stimulus and reflate Italys stagnant economy. - Telegraph

Shareholder payouts have hit a new record as global dividend payments inched towards the $500bn mark, according to a new study. Investors around the world enjoyed a 13pc increase in dividends for the three months to June after only a handful of companies, including European banks Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse as well as French energy giant EDF, decided to cut their shareholder payouts for the period. - Telegraph

Britain's big banks have been criticised for their slow take-up of so-called Open Banking reforms designed to spark a digital revolution in banking. The rules kicked in at the start of the year to make it easier for people to move their financial data to rival service providers. - Telegraph

MPs are asking for their expenses budgets to be increased to help them manage an increased workload resulting from Brexit, the parliamentary watchdog has revealed. A poll last year of MPs and their staff by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said there had been demands from politicians and staff to give them more money to cover their higher costs. - Guardian

Britains manufacturing industry has fallen to ninth in the world behind France, reversing a recovery in its performance since the financial crash. The UKs total manufacturing output stayed ahead of Brazil and Indonesia but slipped below France and remained well adrift of Germany in fourth position and Italy in seventh at the end of 2016. - Guardian

Tougher demands by European Union regulators may force banks to shift more jobs to Frankfurt, Paris and Dublin than originally planned due to Brexit, a senior City executive has warned. Tracy Clarke, Standard Chartereds CEO for Europe and the Americas, said the bank has been waiting nearly nine months for EU officials to approve an operating licence that will turn its Frankfurt branch into a subsidiary, but regulators have yet to make a decision. - Guardian

The government is facing pressure to bolster the rules around pre-pack administrations after figures showed that a voluntary scheme was being shunned. Only 11 per cent of eligible cases were referred to the Pre Pack Pool last year, its annual report shows, with its directors acknowledging that there are no penalties to compel purchasers to make referrals. - The Times

A City body that represents the financial and professional services industries has been criticised by one of its own members over a plan to collaborate with Russian financial groups, despite tensions between London and Moscow over the deadly nerve agent attack on British soil. The City UKs project to work with Russias central bank and the state-backed Moscow International Financial Centre also involves the UK government, because the British embassy is involved and public funds administered by the Foreign Office are set to be used to send UK-based business people on trips to Moscow. - The Times

Britain's pensions watchdog has had to drop 74 fines against fund trustees after messing up its enforcement timetable, it has emerged. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) admitted in an update published this month that the penalties were revoked between April and June this year. - Telegraph

Households are facing a further round of energy price rises despite the introduction of the governments price cap, industry experts have warned. Ministers have promised to protect 11 million households on default tariffs with a cap by the end of 2018. - Guardian

More than half of the British public would install solar panels and home batteries to tackle climate change if there was greater assistance from the government, polling has found. While many have already made their home more energy efficient, 62% said they wanted to fit solar and a surprisingly high 60% would buy an energy storage device such as those sold by Tesla. - Guardian

The number of households switching energy supplier can be dramatically boosted by removing the requirement for users to provide details of their energy tariff and consumption, a pilot project has found. A trial of 50,000 people showed that simplifying the switching process led to more than one in five people moving to a better deal, eight times as many as normal. - Guardian

The co-founder of Arm Holdings, formerly Britain's biggest listed technology company, has said China will easily beat the US in a battle for control of the global semi-conductor market. Hermann Hauser, a pioneer of the Cambridge chip design scene who founded Arm's parent company Acorn and engineered its spin-out during the 1990s, told the Telegraph China was set to "clearly take over" the US in the industry. - Telegraph

Uber drivers and Amazon couriers may be at a higher risk of crashing because of the demands of gig economy work, a new study suggests. Researchers from University College London (UCL) found that 42% of drivers who picked up work through apps had damaged their vehicle in a collision at work. - Guardian

Vineyards in Bordeaux are selling for millions of euros per acre as investors seek to capitalise on the global taste for claret. Figures released by the French government last week showed businesses and wealthy individuals paying more than ever before for vineyards in the most renowned areas of Bordeauxs wine-growing region. - The Times

Amazon is hoping to capitalise on the turmoil on the high street as it circles Homebase stores in a bid to expand its delivery empire. The internet retailer has emerged as an aggressive bidder for a tranche of stores Homebase is looking to offload through a sweeping restructure of its business, sources have said. - Telegraph

US car giant Ford has issued an ominous warning to UK politicians that it will do whatever it takes to protect its profits after blaming Brexit for a near-$1billion fall in 2017 earnings. The firm, which employs 9,000 people in this country, is also expecting to make a loss in Europe, including the UK, this year. - Mail
Jill Duggars youngest son, Samuel, experienced a first-time haircut. Mom Jill, dad Derick, and his older brother Israel gathered as little Sam was given a haircut by his mother. She did not go overboard with a full-on cut, but more like a trim. Still, it was an important milestone in the little boys life, as Pop Culture duly noted on August 19.

Though Sam appears quite at-ease in two videos posted to the Dillards YouTube Channel on August 18, his parents are affected. In Touch Weekly aptly described the videos as cute, pointing out that his dad, Derick, offered moral support while documenting the occasion.

Mommys going to cry, Jill said as she cut Sams curls

Jill offers words of encouragement, stating, Sam-Sam was getting his haircut, adding, yay! Dad Derick was in the background. He echoed Jills excitement, also saying, yay! Jill grew emotional while she trimmed her sons hair. Cutting Sams curls really got to her. She said, Mommys going to cry, Pop Culture reported.

Worry not since son Israel, 3, offered his mother comfort. He told Jill that he was sorry Mommy. He hugged Jill. As everyone would hope, his dad Derick assured Israel that Jill was okay.

Look who got his first haircut!... https://t.co/tnSp6KEmKv  Jill (Duggar)Dillard (@jillmdillard) August 18, 2018

After Sams first haircut, Jill and Derick described the event on their family blog.

They noted that Sam seemed to enjoy his haircut, with big brother Israel looking on. In their words, his haircut actually ended up being a success.

The Dillards YouTube Channel also presents additional milestone moments in the boys lives, such as when Sam took his first steps, according to Pop Culture.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Fans wish that Jill would return to TLC

Fans have missed seeing Jill and her sons featured in episodes of TLCs Counting On. Jill and Derick have not been on the program after Derick posted disparaging remarks on Twitter in December 2017 about another TLC star. He tweeted homophobic comments directed at Jazz Jennings, who is still a teenage girl.

Social media facilitates Duggar daughters ability to update fans

From the time that TLC and the Dillards severed ties, Jill has been using social media to update her fans and followers about events in her familys life. Though she did not post to any social media platform about Jennings, many followers still strive to hold Jill accountable for her husbands use of his social media accounts.

While many fans want Jill to resume filming Counting On with her sisters, she has been taken to task nearly every time she shares an update about her sons and husband. Jill has taken flack for recently feeding her son, Sam, some cucumber.

Critics take Jill to task for her cooking

After she shared a photo on Instagram on August 15, followers were quick to reminisce about an earlier blog post when Jill relayed ingredients of stew she had prepared.

Her recipe called for canned ingredients, which did not measure up to her critics standards for making stew. Several of Jills social media followers wish that she would ditch a can opener and give her sons fresh foods instead, according to In Touch Weekly.

Behold! Jill Duggar Gave Her Son a Fresh Vegetable and It's About Time https://t.co/gOLhiNok99 pic.twitter.com/V3pWqudc0r  In Touch Weekly (@intouchweekly) August 16, 2018

Jill has never professed to be a world-class chef. Whats more, her sons do not appear to be starving  for food, attention, or love. The fact that Sam appeared to be okay with his very first haircut also signals that Jill is doing what people wish for every child, needing to feel safe and content.

Be sure to follow Blasting News for updates about the Duggar Family and for the latest information.
A British woman, Ms. Longstaff, fell overboard from the cruise liner, Norwegian Star, off Croatia. The incident happened on Sunday, August 19. She was found ten hours later, exhausted but still alive, around 60 miles (95 kilometers) out to sea. According to Sky News, the ordeal lasted into the night so she was "singing [which] helped her fight off the cold as night fell." In addition to that, she does a lot of yoga and is fit, which may have helped her through the terrifying incident.

Woman went overboard off the back deck 60 miles from land

The Times UK reported that she was finally rescued at around midnight last night (local time).

She spoke to Croatia News outlet, HRT, telling them she knew she was extremely "lucky" to still be alive. She added that she "was sitting at the back of the deck." Exactly how she fell overboard isn't known, but ten hours in the water must have been utterly exhausting. In fact, the rescue ship's captain, Lovro Oreskovic, noted that she was swimming, but was exhausted.

He said that it was very satisfying to rescue a person, knowing that someone's life had been saved. Apparently, she was not that far from where she actually went overboard the cruise liner. In a statement by Croatia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs, spokesperson David Radas, noted that as CCTV footage was able to mark the exact time she fell into the water, it was easier to calculate her probable whereabouts.

The British woman was taken to hospital in Croatia

The woman was taken to a hospital in Pula, Croatia, Times UK noted. The vessel itself was on its way to Venice. Now there will be an investigation into the incident in terms of Maritime Safety laws. But for one passenger, there is probably a happy reunion with her loved ones and family ahead.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

British woman rescued by Croatia's coast guard after falling from cruise ship and treading water for 10 hours in the Adriatic Sea. https://t.co/k7glPgHTKF pic.twitter.com/KgOSZMZQaL  ABC News (@ABC) August 20, 2018

In the meantime, @DivaKnevil took to Twitter and posted a photo that seems to indicate that the area where she fell off the ship has been taped off from access.

So. My good friend is on the Norwegian Star cruise ship that the Brit lady fell from 60miles off Croatia's coast late last night. pic.twitter.com/4lFJ5U18uI  DivaKnevil  #FBPE  (@DivaKnevil) August 19, 2018

Apart from drowning, there may have been other dangers

The obvious dangers Ms. Longstaff had to cope with were hypothermia and drowning from exhaustion. However, there were other potentially life-threatening issues. Sharks do occur during the summer months in the Adriatic. According to Sharknewz.com, "In October 2008 a 43-year old spearfishermen was attacked in the waters around Vis Island in Smokvina Bay, Dalmatian Coast (Croatia) by a 5m long great white." Although not very common, there were also recorded shark attacks in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Some of them were fatal.
North Korea celebrates the 70th anniversary of its creation on September 9 and Chinese president Xi Jinping is expected to attend the program. Kim Jong-un wants to hold it on a grand scale to show that he is changing his style of functioning. There will be a military parade to showcase its might. However, tourist visas have been put on hold, and there is a watch to ensure that the youth do not sport haircuts that are banned.

The Washington Post reports that North Korea relies on anniversaries to display to the world various aspects of its strengths and send across messages to its rivals.

Examples of the past included showing off its ICBMs to prove that it has become a force to reckon with in the arena of nuclear weapons.

Xi Jinping to attend North Korea's 70th anniversary celebrations of regime's establishment: Straits Times https://t.co/9CGtCi6m2W  NorthKoreaRealTime (@BuckTurgidson79) August 18, 2018

The new face of Kim Jong-un

After the summit in Singapore between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea appears to have modified his priorities. His plans this year will be different because he probably wants to pass on some positive messages to the world. One of these is his efforts to come closer to South Korea which is an indication that he is also in favor of peace in the region.

Kim has already held meetings with President Moon Jae-in, the president of South Korea on the subject.

Incidentally, Pyongyang is not releasing tourist visas till September 9. This has been confirmed by tour groups who normally conduct these tours. The reasons are not known but it is believed that the authorities have taken such a decision in view of the number of visitors who might be attending the celebrations.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Chinese tour groups have cited renovation of hotels as one of the reasons.

Kim Jong-un wants support of Xi Jinping

According to The Fox News, Chinese President Xi Jinping has accepted the invitation of Kim Jong-un to be present at the 70th anniversary of North Korea. This visit will be the first that Xi will undertake to Pyongyang after taking over the reins of China.

The trip is also significant because the last time a Chinese president had visited North Korea was in 2005.

China is the major ally of North Korea and Kim Jong-un had visited China on three occasions this year itself before and after the Singapore summit with Donald Trump. However trade between China and North Korea has suffered because Beijing has enforced the United Nations economic sanctions consequent to North's nuclear bomb related activities. Pyongyang finds itself hemmed in and is trying to wriggle out of the situation. It wants to use the anniversary to prove that it is interested in peace.
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August 20, 2018

Texas jury convicts doctor of raping incapacitated patient ... then sentences him to probation for 10 years

It is sometimes assumed that having juries impose sentences will produce harsher outcomes, but a recent rape case from Texas provides an example of a jury imposing only a non-prison sentence after returning a guilty verdict in a rape case. This Houston Chronicle story, headlined "Many surprised at sentence for ex-Baylor doctor who raped a Houston hospital patient." Here are some of the details:

When a former Houston doctor was sentenced to probation Friday for raping an incapacitated patient at a county hospital, the punishment surprised defense attorneys, disappointed law enforcement, elicited concern from a rape victims advocacy group and sparked outrage on social media. The doctor, who has been stripped of his license, admitted during the trial that he had sexual contact with the woman during the night shift at Ben Taub Hospital in 2013, but told jurors it was consensual. Although he was not assigned to her case, he slipped into her room anyway after he noticed her breast implants.... The jury five women and seven men sentenced Dr. Shafeeq Sheikh, a former Baylor College of Medicine resident, to 10 years on probation for raping the patient while she was tethered to machines and receiving treatment for an acute asthma attack. The jurors found Sheikh guilty Thursday after deliberating for 14 hours over two days. The conviction means Sheikh, 46, must be a registered for the rest of his life as a sex offender. Jurors recommended the 10-year probated sentence for the doctor and suspension of a $10,000 fine after deliberations on Friday, recommendations that visiting Senior District Judge Terry L. Flenniken was required by law to follow. During argument for the sentencing phase of the trial Friday, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder asked jurors to keep in mind that Sheikh exploited his access to harm a vulnerable person. He sought her out. He chose her to prey on, Reeder said, noting that Sheikh checked the womans chart and knew exactly what medicines she had been prescribed. You know hes the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that.... Sheikhs defense lawyer, Stanley Schneider, asked the jury to have mercy on a man whose wife and children had suffered greatly from his actions and who had been punishing himself for five years for this one shameful, erratic act. He said he hoped they would sentence Sheikh, who has no prior felonies, to probation. The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams, Schneider said. What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him.... Prosecutors respect the process that rendered the result, said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for District Attorney Kim Ogg. After being presented all the evidence, the jury convicted this man of rape and decided that he should be sentenced to 10 years of probation, Schiller said. The jury voted on behalf of the community to determine his sentence, and although prosecutors sought prison time, we respect this process, and the jurys decision, which carries with it a lifetime of registering as a sex offender.... Both the victim, who is now 32, and the former doctor took the stand during the eight-day trial, providing contradictory accounts of what happened the night of Nov. 2, 2013. The victim said a doctor came to her bedside in the dark and began touching her breasts during a chest exam. She said she was weak, sore and confused, and tried to summon a nurse with the call button. The man returned two more times, and raped her without using a condom. Sheikh said the patient took his hand and placed it on her breasts. He was intrigued by her breast implants and returned to her room again. At this point, he testified, she began touching his genitals and demonstrated with her body language that she wanted to have sex with him. He said he knew it was a breach of his marriage vows and the Hippocratic oath, but he succumbed to his impulse. He told jurors he understood that it was consensual sex.... One factor that could have impacted what some saw as a lenient sentence was the testimony from his wife, brother and family friends, who spoke about his vital role as the father of four children. Attorney Paul Schiffer, a former prosecutor who has devoted more than four decades to defending people charged with sex offenses, said he thought Sheikh was fortunate. Defendants who take the stand and deny theyre guilty statistically are in a worse position to get probation, Schiffer said. But various factors, including their history while on bond and the impact incarceration could have on their own children can be a significant factor. He and Kiernan, who also defends people accused of rape, said it also may have been the case that jurors had residual doubt about his culpability. Kiernan suggested there was another important factor jurors may have mulled over. The real question is whether the best interest of the defendant and society are served by sentencing him to the penitentiary, he said.

In trying to understand this outcome, I wonder if the jury might also have been influenced by the fact that the defendant here is subject to a lifetime on the sex offender registry. (I assume Texas law allows the jury to be informed of this fact; judges certainly know this fact when deciding on a sentence in a serious sex offense case.)

August 20, 2018 at 06:16 PM | Permalink

Comments

Stupid jury. The jerk re-victimized here with BS testimony.

Posted by: federalist | Aug 20, 2018 7:18:52 PM

Texas's system of jury sentencing is fascinating to me as a federal practitioner. I'm sure many of my clients would fare way better being sentenced by a jury, since most federal prosecutions are for nonviolent or victimless offenses (e.g., drugs, felon in possession, illegal re-entry). Does anyone know if Texas requires unanimous sentencing verdicts?

Posted by: Anon AFPD | Aug 20, 2018 7:37:36 PM

Yes, unanimous verdict for both guilt and sentencing. Chapter 37, Tex. Code. Crim. Pro.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Aug 20, 2018 11:09:06 PM

This is a shocking verdict when you consider that there are over 900,000 of our citizens on the registry now. Most of them having been incarcerated. I know of a mom with 4 children whose husband was convicted of possession. He is now serving 5 years. In her letter to the judge before her husband's sentencing,she tells the judge how much she needs her husband and their children need their father. Her closing remarks were...I ask you judge what did I do wrong? What did I do to have my children's father taken away from them and now I have to raise them and care for them as a single mother?

Most judges in our nation simply don't care of the collateral damage they inflict of the offender's family.

Posted by: tommyc | Aug 20, 2018 11:13:43 PM

Doug's probably all good with this. Long time ago, and I can't find the thread (or I just don't care enough to spend that much time), Doug challenged me on sentencing law and pointed out that sentencing was to be tied to minimum amount necessary to protect society. (of course, there's much more to it than that, and Doug had to be called out). Here, this guy is unlikely to re-offend. And his family needs him. So, all good, right Doug?

Posted by: federalist | Aug 21, 2018 6:52:19 AM

I did not hear all the evidence in this case, federalist, so I am disinclined to disagree with a unanimous jury verdict without a lot more information (including information about what the victim might have urged for the sentence). As I recall, federalist, you were inclined to defend the short jail term given in the Bock Turner case, in part because he is subject to lifetime sex offender registration. Are you less supportive of this sentence because it was imposed by a jury, whereas a judge handed down the Turner sentence? I thought you did not trust judges, but it seems you do not trust juries either. Do you trust anyone's sentencing judgment other than your own?

More generally, I do think utilitarian risk/public safety concerns provide a more sound and sensible metrics for sentencing decisions than vague (and more readily biased) concepts of dessert, especially in hard cases involving less clear victims (e.g., drug dealing, white-collar offenses).

I recognize that lots of people feel that retributivist justice has to be a central part of every aspect of our criminal justice system (especially in cases with tangible victims), and most sentencing systems include laws that call for incorporating retributivist concerns. Paul Robinson has a classic article arguing that we actually best achieve public safety ends if/when people believe that we are mostly concerned with just desserts.

I prefer to focus on public safety because when I think really hard and seriously about what retributivist commitments really seem to mean --- particularly any version committed to equal justice and to trying to ensure nobody avoids getting punished as much as they deserve --- it seems extraordinarily hard to pursue retributivism in a principled way within a functioning criminal justice system that has limited resources and also cares a lot about public safety. Some of Adam Kolber's scholarship does a nice job highlighting how hard it is to be a principled retributivist when you really think hard about the challenges of a dessert-based punishment system: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=95874

Posted by: Doug B | Aug 21, 2018 9:39:14 AM

So many clients serving time for sex assaults. And this is worse by far. A doctor raping a sedated patient. As did the California case, this one cries out to the Texas legislature for the enactment of a mandatory minimum sentence.

Posted by: Dave from Texas | Aug 21, 2018 10:49:36 AM

As normal, I have a different take. This sentence in the article struck me. "the jury voted on behalf of the community to determine his sentence, and although prosecutors sought prison time, we respect this process, and the jurys decision, which carries with it a lifetime of registering as a sex offender. That quote is from the prosecutor.

Eliminate the last clause. It's as if in the prosecutor's mind sex offender registry is the consolation prize, as it if they are saying to themselves, "well we didn't get the criminal version of prison but we got the civil version of prison so that's better than nothing."

That is not how the sex offender registry was sold to the public. It was sold under the theory of "stranger danger". It is difficult to comprehend how this doctor is a danger to anyone other than a patient. And I can't help but wonder if jury's knew this. That perhaps one of the major reasons they did not send him to prison is because they knew he would have to register for life. If that intuition is correct, it would be more damning evidence of how the registry has gone astray from its intended purpose.

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 21, 2018 2:03:25 PM

@federalist writes, " Here, this guy is unlikely to re-offend."

But if that is the case he shouldn't be on the registry at all. So the question I would pose to federalist is this. If given the choice in this case between (1) a term of years sentence and no registry vs (2) no term of years sentence and a life-time on the registry, which would you chose and why?

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 21, 2018 2:09:04 PM

Great points Daniel.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Aug 21, 2018 5:32:42 PM

Also, the "intended purpose" of the registries was to satiate a bloodthirsty, vengeful public that knows little to nothing about crime, and even less about "sex crimes," but is soaked to the gills in crime TV. And more importantly to get votes for family values Republicans! Yay (I used to be one, Republican anyway, not so much the family values type).

The "not-a-punishment," but merely a prophylactic, was a post-hoc, disingenuous meme contrived for litigation purposes.

The federal sex offender act is named after the kid of a celebretard for God's sake. Not to unduly disparage Mr. Walsh or his tragically deceased son, but come the frick on.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Aug 21, 2018 8:12:46 PM

The guy got a life sentence, what more could be asked for?

TODAY ... individually identify "people" who support the $EX Offender Registries ($ORs) and do anything you can that is legal to lower the quality of their lives. Do the same to their spouses and children. That is what they have their $ORs for. So the same needs to be done to them. Remember that they are not Americans. They are not people for whom us decent people need have concern. Identify them and their families. Neutralize, ostracize, and marginalize them. Let the hate flow. MAGA. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Friggin eh.

Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Aug 30, 2018 1:28:22 PM

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Great hope for organic food in Vietnam

The shortage of organic foods in the country is both an opportunity and a challenge for growers, a forum on organic agricultural development was told on August 18.



Solving problems related to brand and distribution forum in HCM City heard how Vietnam has optimal conditions to produce organic items such as vegetables, fruits, rice, tea and fish.



The increasing demand for organic products means retailers are seeking partnerships and investment opportunities in the organic agricultural sector.



Pham Phuong Thao, the founder of Organica, which grows and sells organic produce, said everyone can see the great demand for organic food, especially among high-income and health-conscious people.



For instance, her company is unable to meet demand, she said.

The short supply also offers foreign producers the opportunity to expand into Vietnam, she said.



Most Vietnamese customers do not have accurate information and always ask questions about the quality of organic products.



Raising consumers awareness and providing them with full information are her missions in business and something she would recommend to people entering the business, she said.



She trains her employees to provide information to customers, she said.



Nguyen Lam Vien, general director of Vinamit Joint Stock Company, said new growers should opt for a shop-in-shop model at supermarkets or flea markets to introduce and sell their products.



He cited an example of the Phien cho Xanh - Tu te (Green-Nice Market Day) organic produce market held every Saturday and Sunday, where consumers can buy directly from farmers.



Supermarkets offer great convenience to growers thanks to their existing customers, he said, adding that organic farmers need to understand the demand and supply situation to meet the needs of retailers.



Farmers can focus on just one unique organic product instead of many if they do not have enough resources, he said.



They also could set up online businesses and advertise on social networks like Facebook to save costs, he said.



Thao encouraged young people to enter the organic field but warned they would face challenges, including high investment costs, problems related to customers and getting international quality certification.

Young entrepreneurs should not focus too much on growth figures in the beginning, she said.



Developing organic products requires a lot of time and so young entrepreneurs need a lot of patience.

VNS/VNA
South and North Korea will begin their weeklong family reunion events from Monday, the first such events since October 2015.



The elderly people and more than 300 others left for a Mount Kumgang resort on the North's east coast in nearly 30 buses in the morning from the northeastern coastal city of Sokcho, where they spent the night.

Some were in wheelchairs or supported by their accompanying families when they boarded the buses with bags of gifts prepared for their loved ones in the North.

Many of them waited in the hotel lobby way ahead of schedule for the departure. "I slept before 9 p.m. last night and woke up at around 3 in the morning," said Shin Jong-ho, one of the elderly persons. "I feel okay now with no health problems. I hope that things continue like this when I arrive there," the 70-year-old added. The first session of reunions is scheduled for 3 p.m., followed by a dinner hosted by the North Korean side. On their second day, they are scheduled to meet again in the morning and have lunch together in their rooms, the first time for separated families to have such a private meeting since the reunion event started. They will meet on six occasions lasting about a combined 11 hours during their three-day stay that will end Wednesday. The South Korean participants are mostly in their 70s and 80s, with a 101-year-old man the oldest.

As many participants are elderly, reunions between parents and sons and daughters are rare. Most cases were meetings among cousins, nieces or nephews. The government has dispatched around 30 medical staff to the venue to brace for any emergency cases among the participants. From Friday to Sunday, 83 North Koreans will also be reunited with the families they have found alive in the South at the resort. The family reunion is the result of an agreement the leaders of South and North Korea reached in April to address humanitarian issues arising from nearly seven decades of division caused by the Korean War. The two Koreas have held 20 rounds of face-to-face family reunions since the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000. Some 57,000 South Koreans are waiting to be reunited with their families who might be living in the North. The two Koreas technically remain at war as the Korean War ended only with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Source from the Yonhap.
TWH  The Troth announced Tuesday that Freya Aswynn, a longtime member and elder, violated its inclusiveness policies and was removed from the organization. In a public statement, the High Rede explains: Aswynn was observed making remarks on social media which belie the spirit of inclusiveness the Troth strives to foster. The board said that it tried to intervene privately but Aswynns posts allegedly continued with increased islamaphobic rhetoric, as described in statement, which is available on the Troth site.

The High Rede of the Troth must honor our oaths and condemn this behavior, the board writes, [We have] determined that our relationship with Freya as an elder is no longer appropriate, and we have rescinded her status as elder and have terminated her lifetime membership.

The decision has led to intense social media debates. Aswynn has been labeled an oath breaker and the Troth board is being accused of spreading hate and judgment. Aswynn, who has not yet spoken out publicly, told The Wild Hunt that she does take issue with being called an oath-breaker, but that she is pleased with the boards decision. Freedom of mind. She welcomes people to review her work and decide for themselves.

* * *

LITTLE ROCK  The Satanic Temple erected its Baphomet monument, if only for a short time, on the grounds of the Arkansas state capitol Thursday. The rally and public viewing of the statue were held in protest to the state legislatures support of a Ten Commandments monument, which was originally approved in 2015. Sen. Jason Rapert (R), sponsor of the bill, told one news source that the Ten Commandments are an important component to the foundation of the laws and the legal system of the United States of America and of the state of Arkansas. Rapert heads the nonprofit American History & Heritage Foundation, Inc., which sponsored the project and has a mission to, as written on site, educate and inform the public about American history and heritage.

The original monument was destroyed in April, 2017 by the same man who destroyed a similar monument at the Oklahoma state capitol. The Heritage Foundation helped support the Arkansas monuments rebuilding, and it was erected in June of this year. That is when the Satanic Temple decided to plan its August rally and transport its nine-foot-tall Baphomet statue to Arkansas from Michigan, where it has been in storage.

The Satanic Temple is not the only organization fighting this battle. The ACLU is also involved. Both see this act by legislators as violation of the first amendment implied separation of church and state. Unlike Oklahoma legislators who opted to remove the monument when TST came calling, Rapert is not backing down from his position. He told NPR that he respects freedom of speech, but the people of Arkansas have the right to say that we disagree with your profane statements  and really a war on the Ten Commandments. It will be a very cold day in hell before an offensive statue will be forced upon us to be permanently erected on the grounds of the Arkansas State Capitol.

* * *

PORTLAND  Solar Cross Temple members continue their work to assist immigrants and refugees in that region. According to a news bulletin, Solar Cross members have held vigils at the ICE building in that city, have joined interfaith actions, and shown up at city hall to speak with the mayor and city council about the situation.

They are encouraging other Pagans to follow their lead. They offered their second devotional focused on supporting immigrants Aug. 19. That working is published online for anyone to use for inspiration.

In addition, Solar Cross members are actively working with Oregon Sikh communities to supply needed goods for asylum seekers who are currently being held at Sheridan Prison. Members are hoping for a release soon.

In other news

Dia del Paganisme, an annual free Pagan Conference in Catalonia, will take place for the first time in Barcelonas center. Now in its sixth year, the pride event will be held Sept. 22, and will include lectures and various activities. Organizers will also be hosting a corresponding harvest ritual Sept. 23 in Puig Castellar, an authentic Iberian village not far from Barcelona.

Derby Cathedral in England is under fire from some of its members after showing The Wicker Man (1971) and Dont Look Now (1973). Members felt the selections were inappropriate for the church, according to a BBC report, The same members are also unhappy with other films scheduled for its film series, which includes Monty Pythons Life of Brian (1979). The church supports its series saying the films are classic British cinema.

Bibliotheca Alexandria has opened submissions for two new anthologies. One is a devotional to the Titans, be it Cronus, Rhea, Helios, Selene, Atlas, and all. We will be accepting articles, hymns, short fiction, essays, and rites,  editors say. The second is a devotional to the forces of Hellenic nature, the dryads and satyrs. We are looking for rituals, hymns, essays, visual artwork, short stories, plays, recipes, and new translations of ancient and public domain works. The deadline for both is January 2019; details are available online.

In July, Playboy magazine published an article on sex magick, featuring interviews with some familiar names in Pagan circles, including authors Courtney Weber and Skye Alexander, Philip English and Kami. All spoke with writer M. Leona Godin candidly about the dos and donts of sex magick.

Card of the week with Star Bustamonte

Deck: The Sacred Circle Tarot by Anna Franklin, illustrations by Paul Mason, published Llewellyn Publications

Card: the underworld, major arcana 14

This week may offer up some opportunities to both recognize, and address, deep-seated fears that have been allowed to influence how we function. Proper use of power requires that we know and manage our fears, and keep our ambitions in check. To do otherwise sets the stage for an unending cycle of abuse.

Decks generously provided by Asheville Raven & Crone.
Most collectors would scream with horror at such an uncontrolled repository for their wines, but Im not a collector and never have been ... The wines Ive stored over the years have been a hodge-podge ... So if less-than-perfect storage conditions meant speeding up their maturation  in effect adding a few years to their calendrical age  that was and is no problem for me. In fact, its an advantage, since I have no plans to bequeath a cellar to my heirs and assigns, and Id like to taste these wines while I still have functioning taste buds.

Jeremy Oliver's suggestions show two peaks of time (technically, the data are bimodal), with peaks at 4-5 years and at 9 years, presumably representing his idea about short- and long-term cellaring;

James Halliday's suggestions are also rather bimodal, but with peaks at 6 years and 9 years  plus, there are a lot of much longer times, as well;

the Wine Front suggestions are only slightly bimodal, with most of the suggestions being in the range 6-9 years.

A few weeks ago I raised the issue of how long we should keep our newly purchased wines, in order to drink them while at their best. Most of us have no idea about how to decide this, so we might seek advice from people who possibly know more than we do. However, it is usually rather hard to do this, unless the actual winemaker has suggested something.This because most wine writers seem to either: make rather generic statements (eg. based on the origin of the wine), or be very vague (eg. short-, medium-, long-term cellaring), or ignore the topic entirely. I don't blame them. There are two parts to the problem of making such a decision: (i) where are the wines being stored? and (ii) why are you storing them? Recently, Tom Maresca wrote a blog post addressing both issues with respect to his own cellar ( Tales from the crypt: a cellar story ):Well, like Tom, I am cellaring my wines for my own drinking, and my storage conditions are less than perfect. How do I decide when to open each bottle?I decided that I would find out what sort of advice I get given. Since few commentators provide the required quantitative information (ie. some actual drinking dates), I ended up falling back on my trusty Australian wine experts (as I have done in previous blog posts).There are three I found who have, at least in the past, provided a range of actual years that they consider to be the "peak drinking window" for the wines they have reviewed: Jeremy Oliver James Halliday , and the Wine Front . The first two commentators are individual people, while the third one is a group of three people (Mike Bennie, Campbell Mattinson, Gary Walsh), any one of whom may have provided the commentary.I have been recording their data whenever I consulted their writings about an Australian wine. So, there is nothing planned about the following data  it is simply whatever wines I have researched over the past couple of years, and for which all three critics have provided a minimum and maximum recommended drinking year. All of the wines are considered to be worth cellaring (otherwise I wouldn't need the data!), and therefore most of them are red (and, coincidentally, none are sparkling).I got to a total of 111 wines, before I decided to write this post. I checked 194 wines, but only these 111 had complete data from all three sources. The following two graphs summarize the data for these 111 wines. Each of them is a frequency histogram, in which the vertical axis counts the number of wines fitting into each of the categories represented horizontally. The three commentators are shown in different colors.The first graph shows the actual cellaring ranges suggested by each critic  that is, the number of years between their earliest suggested drinking date and the final suggested date (ie. the length of the drinking window). Note that, since it is the same 111 wines shown for each critic, the three superimposed graphs would be identical if the critics perfectly agreed with each other. Clearly, not only are they not identical, they differ quite a lot.So, there is not much agreement between the three sets of suggestions:So, it seems that, while the suggestions differ, it is the Wine Front that differs the most  Oliver and Halliday pretty much ignore 7-8 years as a storage time. Furthermore, for one-fifth of the wines there is actually no overlap in the suggested drinking window between: (i) the Wine Front and Jeremy Oliver, or (ii) between Oliver and Halliday. A fat lot of help this is to me, as a person seeking advice!Now let's look at the data in a slightly different way. The second graph shows each critic's suggested drinking window as a proportion of the total suggested window  that total length is the number of years between the earliest suggested date from any of the critics and the last date suggested by any of them.James Halliday is often the one who determines the maximum value of the window (represented by the big orange peak at the right), making him the most optimistic about how long the wines will last. Jeremy Oliver's suggestions are often only 40-50% of the length of the total window, while those from the Wine Front are often more than that. So, Oliver's suggested lengths average about 88% of those of Halliday and 82% of the Wine Front's, while Halliday's average is about 27% longer than those of the Wine Front.This means that Oliver is the most cautious in making his prognostications  he suggests shorter drinking windows. Perhaps he is less optimistic about the conditions under which wine will be stored by most people? Interestingly, Halliday no longer makes suggestions for the upper limit of his drinking windows. Perhaps he has realized that wine-storage conditions make this particular prognostication fraught with danger?There is not much agreement between the three sources of cellaring information. This matches the situation for wine-quality scores, where disagreements among commentators abound, as I have discussed before.I can see why most wine commentators refrain from being too precise about how long to cellar any given wine. Not only are they making a forecast about each wine's future development, they have to contend with unknown but probably less-than-ideal storage conditions. This is a pity, because I still have to somehow make my decision, every time I buy a bottle of wine. I can also see why wine-interested people often buy multiple bottles of each vintage  at least one of them might be drunk when the wine is at its peak!
Nathan Thrall in The Guardian:

The movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel  known as BDS  has been driving the world a little bit mad. Since its founding 13 years ago, it has acquired nearly as many enemies as the Israelis and Palestinians combined. It has hindered the efforts of Arab states to fully break their own decades-old boycott in pursuit of increasingly overt cooperation with Israel. It has shamed the Palestinian Authority government in Ramallah by denouncing its security and economic collaboration with Israels army and military administration. It has annoyed the Palestine Liberation Organization by encroaching on its position as the internationally recognised advocate and representative of Palestinians worldwide.

It has infuriated the Israeli government by trying to turn it into a leper among liberals and progressives. It has exasperated what is left of the Israeli peace camp by nudging the Palestinians away from an anti-occupation struggle and towards an anti-apartheid one. It has induced such an anti-democratic counter-campaign by the Israeli government that it has made Israeli liberals fear for the future of their country. And it has caused major headaches for the Palestinians donor governments in Europe, which are pressured by Israel not to work with BDS-supporting organisations in the Palestinian territories, an impossible request given that nearly all major civil society groups in Gaza and the West Bank support the movement.

More here.
by Richard Passov

Researching the history of a particular computer has taken me along an arc spanning George Boole to Claude Shannon. By some measures the works of these men combine to give us our modern, programmable computer.

Shannon recast Booles Calculus of Thought into the modern symbolism for computer logic. And while that work has been labeled as the most important masters thesis of the 20th century, ten years later Shannon would release a more profound work  his Theory of Information.

Profound works are sometimes simple and perhaps this is why a few mathematicians derided Information Theory. Shannon, secure in his finding, generally ignored his critics. Among his many endeavors and though unnecessary, John Pierce took up Shannons defense. Thats how I found his writings.

Sometimes men have been concerned with religion, sometimes with mathematics and philosophy, sometimes with exploration, trade and conquest, sometimes with the theory and practice of government, sometimes with ancient learning, sometimes with the arts. John R. Pierce in Electrons, Waves and Messages

* * * * * * * * * *

Pierce and Shannon worked together at Bell Labs. By the time Shannon came aboard Pierce was a mainstay, having risen to director of all research concerned with Electrical Communications.

In the two decades after WWII according to its then Executive Vice President of Research, William O. Baker, Bell Labs was full of Young Turks  Shannon and Pierce  who were proving that  the hard, fundamental questions of science were no longer captive to the  great universities like Cambridge, Oxford and Harvard.

Describing the Bell Labs of his time for the New Yorker, Baker offered: It was really a sort of revolution of expectations for the industrial lab, and, in effect, it created a new kind of science  one that was deep but at the same time closely coupled with human affairs.

Indeed, it may have well been a high-water mark for the industrialization of science in the western world. Coming from those labs  The Transistor (invented by Shockley, named by Pierce), the first measurements of matter as a wave, radio astronomy, information theory, the communications satellite, masars, lasers, along with eight Nobel prizes.

Early on Pierce proved adept at  telling lay audiences what their telephone rates were helping to buy in the way of research. And he wrote. Science papers and various technical writings, beginning with a how-to manual for building gliders, penned while attending Woodrow Wilson High School in San Diego. Royalties from the manual contributed to the tuition that his parents paid and which carried him through a B.S., M.S. and, finally, a PhD all from Cal Tech.

Pierce joined Bell straight from his PhD program. Thirty-five years later he would return to Cal Tech, first to the School of Engineering and then as Chief Technologist for the Jet Propulsion Labs. After JPL, he took the curious title of Visiting Professor of Music, Emeritus at Stanford, serving for twelve years, never asking for a salary.

In addition to technical and journal writing, Pierce wrote science fiction. His stories began to appear in the mid-1940s in the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction  Astounding Science Fiction  whose publisher happened to be the same as that of the glider manual. Early works include Dont Write!: Telegraph and Unthinking Cap.

Clarkson Potter, of his eponymous publishing house, looking for someone to translate the scientific progress of the post-war era into laymans terms, found Pierce, two decades into his career at Bell,   distressed   by   scientific illiteracy   and more than willing to take on the task.

 the most effective thinking of our age, and a great deal of its energy and enterprise, go into science, and especially into the sort of science which guides an immensely complicated technology in doing new things and in doing old things cheaper and better. This prodigious technology in turn supports science with a lavishness unprecedented in any former age.John R. Pierce in Electrons, Waves and Messages

* * * * * * * * * *

Recently, my research brought me to the MIT museum. The second floor was a mixture of art and science; together as in fantastic patterns in blown glass and apart, as in a giant tuning fork delightfully playing to the rhythm of marching on stairs.

After drifting I found myself at a desk facing a robot, a foot taller than the average man, housed in a white plastic exoskeleton as though straight from a Saturday morning cartoon. Housed except for its right thigh and below which, exposed, revealed a collection of powerful pistons, wires and tubes.

A woman sat behind the desk. This is where the children cry. Every time, she said. Something about the robot scares them.

It seems to me that the outstanding feature of modern technology is that skill  and  art are rapidly being replaced or explained by science, by understanding. John R. Pierce in Electrons, Waves and Messages

* * * * * * * * * *

R. W. Hamming also worked at Bell Labs, for a period sharing an office with Shannon. Among other things Hamming is known for key contributions to error detection, establishing the concept of the Hamming distance, a measure of how far errors may have taken the intended message.

The University of Chicago offered a full ride in math. After Chicago, Hamming earned a PhD from the University of Illinois at Champagne. He came to Bell Labs from the Manhattan Project where he had managed the calculating machine while it determined the critical mass of fissionable material necessary to sustain the reactions above Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Well into his career, Hamming joined a long running discussion on the place of mathematics in understanding the natural world. The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics was his response to a paper, with a similar title, written by the Nobel Prize winning Physicist, Eugene Wigner.

Wigner fell on the side of those who believe that mathematics, since it translates natural laws, is discovered. Influenced by Boole who understood mathematics as an abstraction, and the possibility for other abstractions to expose alternative truths, Hamming believed that mathematics evolves as our capacity to observe grows and therefore, there is no fixed sense of mathematics.

Science gives so many details about how that we have the feeling that we understand why. R. W. Hammond in The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics

* * * * * * * * * *

Im  a computer scientist, and it occurred to me that the principles needed to build  planetary-scale inference-and-decision-making systems , blending computer science with statistics, and taking into account human utilities, were nowhere to be found in my education. Michael I. Jordan in Artificial Intelligence  The Revolution Hasnt Happened Yet

Michael Jordan is the Pehong Chen Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Department of Statistics, at the University of California, Berkeley. On his wiki page, among other accolades, is the fact that in 2016 the Semantic Scholar project identified Jordan as themost influential computer scientist.

Recently (Medium, April 18th and at 3QD) Jordan shared his thoughts on the need for a new branch of engineering that will bring together  computers and humans in ways that enhance human life. In this endeavor, Jordan sees a place for the humanities:

Moreover, since much of the focus of the new discipline will be on data from and about humans, its development will require perspectives from the social sciences and humanities. Michael I. Jordan in Artificial Intelligence  The Revolution Hasnt Happened Yet

Jordan warns of the  many problems arising  from  societal-scale systems  capable of analyzing  data streams to discover facts about the world, and interacting with humans and other things at a far higher level of abstraction than mere bits. But, he writes, while the problems might be many in number, they  should properly be viewed as challenges, not show-stoppers.

* * * * * * * * * *

Around the time that Pierce started writing his book Walter Gropius, the father of the Bauhaus school of design, began a world tour that continued for ten years, eventually leading to a collection of essays published under the title of the lead essay, Apollo in the Democracy, originally penned in 1956.

In his essay Gropius defined his version of democracy as that which is  without political identification  slowly spreading over the whole world establishing itself upon the foundation of increasing industrialization, growing communication and information services, and the broad admission of the masses to higher education and the right to vote.

This democratization, combined with what Gropius saw as a science-driven, increasingly mechanized society led to his writing the following:

The profound changes in our life resulting therefrom have taken place mostly during the last half century of industrial development and have effected in this short period of time more comprehensive transformation of all human living conditions than have the sum of all events of all the centuries since the birth of Christ. Walter Gropius in Apollo in the Democracy

This observation led him to ask,  what is the relationship of this form of life to art ?

He formulated his answer through summarizing Tolstoys criticism of our technical modernity  that science, from its study of everything, results in our tearing  ourselves to pieces, instead of making clear what was most important to us.

After writing, as only a cultural elitist could, of how  a few generations ago our society was actually still a balanced entity in which every man found his place and where respect for established customs was unquestioned  Gropius brought his piece home.

In our technological society we must passionately emphasize that we are still a world of human beings and that man must stand in his natural surroundings as the center point of all planning. Walter Gropius in Apollo in the Democracy

* * * * * * * * * *

Pierce, in his later years, drifted in Alzheimers, unable to see the circle of his own thoughts close. Unable to witness  prodigious technology   supporting  science with a lavishness unprecedented in any former age 

If he were alive today, seeing the fear on the child peering inside the robot, Pierce might feel unsettled witnessing the pace at which science begets more science. Perhaps he would struggle with communicating his feelings, even reaching for art.
by Michael Liss

Will you know what to do when the atomic bomb drops? This question, and others like it, are vividly on display in the 4K restoration of Jayne Loader, Kevin Rafferty, and Pierce Raffertys 1982 documentary, The Atomic Cafe. Having seen the movie when it was first released (my kids reaction to this information was of course you did) I was determined to return to my roots. But, this being 2018, I took full advantage of technologies not available in the Neolithic Age: I quickly went online and bought two tickets for a night when the filmmakers themselves would be there for a Q&A. Then I fired off a few text messages to friendly liberals of a similar vintage to see who else was going, because you really dont go to one of these things without a posse.

I was not to be disappointed. Six of us converged on the newly renovated, but still decidedly funky Film Forum. First, my 26-year old son, who spared me the dubious honor of being the only person in the audience in a suit, white shirt, and dark tie (we looked like refugees from a Book of Mormon casting call). Then four of the like-minded, three of whom could be described as gracefully aging hipsters (wearing, respectively, a pair of gray braids, a great-looking gray Van Dyke, and a graying inside out T-shirt) and finally, my pal (and liberal conscience) Melinda.

I could write books about Melinda, and I should, because there arent enough Melindas in the world. Shes a Yellow Dog Texas Democrat who brought with her to New York an indestructible accent, an odd affinity for driving minivans as basic transportation in a car-unfriendly city, and an inexhaustible capacity for good works. If there was a protest anywhere, Melinda knew about it, probably organized it, and occasionally got arrested for it. There are still places that are off-limits to her, for a variety of Deep State-ish reasons. Greenwich Village, of course, is not one of them. Melinda is the genuine article.

But I digress. The movie is the thing you came to see, and the movie is what you should get.

It opens with the first A-bomb tests in the New Mexico desert, and, with those blasts, you notice something different: No narration. The filmmakers spent five years reviewing material at the National Archives, and one of the very smart choices they made was to let the original footage speak for itself. This isnt some Comedy Central mashup. Its a serious film that trusts itself.

Next, the Enola Gay flies unopposed over Hiroshima, Little Boy drops, and the unimaginable occurs. Paul Tibbets, the captain and leader of the mission appears on screen, speaking directly into the camera. Tibbets is calm and authoritative, and the use of him, and his presence, so early, helps to frame one of the central moral ambiguities about the dawning of the Atomic Age: Are there circumstances in which the use of nuclear weapons is morally acceptable?

This is a more complex question than it appears at first, and the answer isnt forced on you. To Tibbetts, its a clear yes, and, as uncomfortable as that may make many feel now, he was voicing the prevailing opinion of the time. My father, drafted in 1944 and deployed to the Philippines, was unquestionably a life-long liberal, and an early and vocal opponent of Vietnam. But when it came to Hiroshima, he really didnt have doubts. The Japanese were extraordinarily stubborn and courageous fighters, and he saw the first bomb as an awful, but justified alternative to a D-Day-like invasion of the mainland. He did question the second strike, at Nagasaki: having demonstrated the power of what Emperor Hirohito called a new and most cruel bomb, couldnt we have waited a bit longer than three days for Japan to surrender? But I never heard him waver on Hiroshima, even several decades afterwards, when the full impact of all of the consequences of the bomb became clear.

Reasonable people might disagree with Tibbets and Dad, and its more than likely that the filmmakers do, but I think its a sign of their sophistication and discipline that the movie doesnt dwell on it. The heart of The Atomic Cafe is what happens after the genie is let out of the bottle: the jaw-dropping efforts by our government to shape public opinion through a staged combination of Doomsday and Pollyanna.

Americans in the 1950s and 60s believed, simultaneously, in three somewhat conflicting things: The first was that we were the most powerful country in the world, all the more so because we had this absolutely wonderful nuclear arsenal. The second was that we were in mortal danger from the Communists, who were trying to undermine us from within, while planning for our mass destruction from without. And the third was that, while the danger was real, proper preparation would save most of us, so, preparation was both prudent and patriotic.

The Atomic Cafe takes us back to the first years of living under the threat of mass annihilation. A lot of it looks like it could have been written for an early version of The Onion, so absurd is the footage to modern eyes. There are cartoons, portentous voice-overs, silly songs, school kids ducking and covering, and Moms in pearls making themselves comfortable in fallout shelters. Add an exceptionally humorless and unappealing American Communist woman (in shawl and tortoiseshell glasses!) gesticulating wildly, an absolutely excruciating clip of two girls who look like they belonged at a 4-H meeting describing the canned goods theyve set aside in case of attack, and a variety of politicians making bat-shit crazy statements, more than a few of whom should have known better (Lloyd Bentsen, looking at you here). Theres even Hugh Beaumont (Beaver Cleavers Dad) projecting manly, but comforting confidence.

What is fairly clear is that the policy-makers in Washington didnt have much different a strategy then that of the fictional General Buck Turgidson in Dr. Strangelovea nuclear war was bad, but winnable. Mr. President, Im not saying we wouldnt get our hair mussed. But I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed, tops. Uh, depending on the breaks. All provided, of course, that we had the will to prepare. Mr. President, we must not allow a mineshaft gap!

But this isnt fiction, and the unreality of what unspools in front of you (a family at a picnic seeing the blast, and then covering themselves with a sheet?) leads you back to a very contemporary feeling: Government sees the public as something to be manipulated, not as something to be served.

I dont think theres a more stunning example of this than a bit of footage that had stayed with me since I first saw the movie in 1982American troops, seen in a training exercise, first sitting in trenches, waiting for a small tactical nuclear weapon to be exploded. A Chaplain comforts them by saying it would be one of the most beautiful sights ever seen by man. The soldiers are all given little badges to wear to register their exposure to radiationit should be safe, they are reassured, but if its too much, well, they might die, but dont worry about it. Several are interviewed as they calmly discuss whats about to happen. Then, detonation, the men emerge, and march straight into the mushroom cloud.

One of the most striking aspects of seeing the movie again, 36 years later, is that, even though I remembered it almost frame by frame, my emotional reaction was significantly different. It turned out that experience was common to the room. In the Q&A afterwards with the filmmakers, it was clear that much of the audience was like meformer duck-and-cover kids who roared the first time, but were now laughing nervously, if they were laughing at all. My friends felt the same way, and my son, not generally given to overstatement, called the movie terrifying.

Same film, why the difference? The world has changed. In 1982, the USA, the Soviet Union, and China understood that nuclear war meant mutual assured destruction, and, notwithstanding the rhetoric, none of them wanted it. Strategic arms reduction talks had begun in 1969, during Nixons first term, and led to SALT I and SALT II. While most people realized that the agreements merely blunted the arc of nuclear proliferation, at least there was a consensus that we should step back from the abyss. The danger, many thought, came not from the superpowers, but from two newer members of the nuclear club, India and Pakistan, who, for tribal reasons, might not necessarily be rational actors. That was then. Now, we just seem to surrounded by a dangerous entropy and implacable hostility: Not only are there rogue states like North Korea and Iran, but also stateless threats and random kooks, hopped up on a bizarre ideology or just a desire to be destructive. The bomb could drop at any time.

With that as perspective, you again have to acknowledge the skill of Loader and the Raffertys: while the material is old, the movie isnt in the least bit dated. As you watch, time speeds up and the surreal kaleidoscope tells the story: The Bomb as savior, The Bomb as part of competitive nationalism, The Bomb as described by J. Robert Oppenheimer: Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.

Then, its over. The lights come on, and you sit back in your chair and wonder at the cosmic irony of we humans flailing helplessly against the Golem we birthed.

The Atomic Cafe. Its worth the trip.
by Anitra Pavlico

In April, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted favorably on a bill aimed at protecting Special Counsel Robert Mueller from being fired by the President without good cause. Some Republican senators doubted the legality of the bill, based on a one-judge dissent in a U.S. Supreme Court case decided in 1988, Morrison v. Olson. One senator even considered himself bound by Justice Scalias dissent in that case. A dissent in a case in Supreme Court, or any court, is the losing argument and cannot bind anyone to follow its reasoning. Was Scalias opinion correct and the rest of the Supreme Court justices made a terrible mistake? Maybe shooting down the bill is what the framers of the Constitutionbecause this is in fact a constitutional questionwould have wanted? Well, no. As constitutional scholar Victoria Nourse writes, Cloaking themselves in Scalias lonely and incorrect dissenting opining, senators opposing the Integrity Act are attempting to upend the Constitution by embracing a dangerous constitutional argument contrived to render the President immune from scrutiny.

The so-called unitary executive theory animates critics claims that the bill impermissibly curtails the Presidents authority. Under this theory, any attempt to limit the Presidents control over the executive branch is seen as unconstitutional. You may recall it rearing its head during George W. Bushs presidency, as its adherents relied on it to justify the infamous torture memo drafted by White House counsel John Yoo, who argued, The historical record demonstrates that the power to initiate military hostilities, particularly in response to the threat of an armed attack, rests exclusively with the President. [. . .] Congresss support for the Presidents power suggests no limits on the Executives judgment whether to use military force in response to the national emergency. Carried to its extreme, the unitary executive theory could potentially undermine a democracy.

The constitutional language in question reads: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. Scalia wrote in his Morrison dissent that this does not mean some of the executive power, but all of the executive power. Yet in Article I of the Constitution, the framers did use the word all to describe the legislative power vested in Congress. The word all does not, however, appear in the phrase regarding executive power. Most of the framers were skilled attorneys, and they must have appreciated the implications of excluding all in this context. They clearly did not intend for the President to hold all power to structure the executive branch of the government.

Scalia has tweaked the original language of the Constitution, for reasons purportedly to do with separation of powers. He writes:

That is what this suit is about. Power. The allocation of power among Congress, the President, and the courts in such fashion as to preserve the equilibrium the Constitution sought to establish  so that a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, Federalist No. 51, p. 321 (J. Madison), can effectively be resisted. Frequently an issue of this sort will come before the Court clad, so to speak, in sheeps clothing . . . But this wolf comes as a wolf.

The Morrison case majority opinion asserted that [t]he Acts provision restricting the Attorney Generals power to remove the independent counsel to only those instances in which he can show good cause, taken by itself, does not impermissibly interfere with the Presidents exercise of his constitutionally appointed functions. Although the exact legislation at issue in Morrison is no longer in effect, the good cause requirement still stands in the U.S. regulatory scheme and is no different from what the Integrity Act would require.

It is unclear what is so wolf-like about this safeguard. All quibbling over constitutional language or framers intent aside, it is a common legal adage that no man can be a judge in his own trial. Congress merely seeks to impose a good cause requirement on the President to explain why he is firing an independent counsel; it would not even forbid him from firing counsel. If the bill passes, Congress would further insure that the President does not arbitrarily dismiss the person who is prosecuting possible crimes stemming from the Russian interference in the 2016 election, even if the investigation hits uncomfortably close to home.

Nourse points out that there has always been functional overlap among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. Otherwise, they would operate on parallel tracks and never be able to check one another:

Congress has extensive power to structure the Executive branch by creating agencies that allow the President to perform his duties. Tenure and removal limitations are perfectly necessary and proper means to further Congresss duty to legislate for the general welfare. In the case of the Special Counsel, they are necessary because the President has a conflict of interest in the investigation and they are perfectly proper since they serve the purpose of public transparency.

It defies common sense that the drafters of the Constitution, working against the recent historical backdrop of a Declaration of Independence that complained of absolute Despotism in a king who has refused his Assent to Laws, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments, would then turn around and prescribe a system of government in which the President could essentially do whatever he wanted without answering for his actions.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down claims that the chief executive has absolute power. In its landmark decision in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, the Court held that executive and legislative powers must be balanced against each other, with neither one able to impose itself in an unchecked fashion. Justice Jacksons influential concurring opinion noted that men have discovered no technique for long preserving free government except that the Executive be under the law, and that the law be made by parliamentary deliberations. In the circumstances surrounding the Youngstown case, President Truman at least professed to be acting in the best interests of the nation when he sought to seize steel mills to support the Korean War effort. It is unclear what national interests would be served by allowing the President to dismiss the Special Counsel without giving a good reason. Avoidance of embarrassment for the President or even potential prosecution in not in the best interests of anyone except the President and those in his immediate social circle.

As James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 51 with regard to the separation of powers, Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. He added that the government not only has to control the governedit has to control itself. The desire for re-election is a realistic check on government officials ambitionthe people in the place itself get to decide whether their officials ambitions have been self-serving or have instead been aimed at serving their constituents. The motivation of the senators opposing the Integrity Act is doubly suspect: They do not seem to be acting in their own best interests as members of Congress, as they would effectively reduce their own branchs influence, and they do not appear to be acting in the best interests of their constituents, either. It does not serve American citizens well to refuse to investigate election interference to the fullest extent possibleespecially as all signs indicate it will happen again this election season.

Senate committee meetings are not generally exciting fare. But wouldnt it be more interesting if voters realized that some of their senators were swayed or even considered themselves bound by a lonely dissent from 30 years ago, a dissent that puts words into the Constitution that are not there? Elected officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States, but a dissent is not law, and numerous other Supreme Court opinions support the notion that requiring the President to offer good cause for dismissing an independent counsel is constitutional.

It is not difficult to imagine disturbing implications of the unitary executive theory. Consider, purely hypothetically, a president who gradually becomes mentally or psychologically unbalanced throughout the course of his term, or reveals the extent of such deficiencies. Say, for example, that this leader threatens other nations with nuclear war and carries out inhumane domestic policies such as separating toddlers from their parents for extended periods. Then consider that this leader could remove at will anyone who has been appointed to investigate potential illegalities. This is a slippery slope that could lead to totalitarianism. We have to consider whether we would accept this, if not now, then perhaps in the future if a dangerous precedent is set during the current presidency. By passing the Integrity Act, Congress can insure that the President follows the law, at least in this narrow instance.
by Bill Benzon

I didnt even know he had written a book set in New York City in the wake of catastrophic climate change. By he I mean Kim Stanley Robinson. But there it was on the table, New York 2140. A couple quick glances told me that, yes, it was set after the sea rise. Thats something very real to me. Id lived through Hurricane Sandys flooding on the Jersey shore  I was living in Jersey City at the time. I was without power for four or five days (I forget which), but others were without power for two or more weeksnot to mention flooding and homes destroyed, and the effects ripple out from there. Theyre still rippling.

When climate change hits home  we cant stop it, its already started, and the sea will rise appreciably no matter what we do  will we survive? Well of course we will, we meaning humans, some of us. But how will we live? Our spirit, what of that?

Perhaps Robinson offers some insight. Not, mind you, that I somehow think KSR is a prophet. He isnt (a prophet) and he doesnt (know the future). But hes a smart guy with a good imagination and really, thats the best we can do under the circumstances, no?

And so I began to read the New York 2140.

Caveat: This is not a review, its a consideration, a meditation? Its full of spoilers. Ive been re-reading the book and coming to grips with it. Or something. An earlier and somewhat different piece on the book.

Not about the future, but the present

As I was reading my mind collided with that old cliche:

Science fictions not about the future, its about the present.

But then isnt all fiction like that? No matter when and where its set, it is necessarily about the authorial present, because thats what the author lives, day in and day out. The rest is costumes, stage sets, blocking, and action.

Thats what I was thinking. But I was also thinking that THATs not why Im reading New York 2140, not at all. Its about NYC after the climate apocalypse, and thats why it interests me. Its as though I was almost looking for a how-to-do-it book. I say almost because when you put it that baldly it seems silly and I wasnt really thinking that. But sorta, kinda, almost.

As I read through the book  which is both complex (lots of interacting characters) and simple (little in the say of intricate scheming, but some)  I read about the financial collapse of 2008. Thats something very real to me, as it diminished the value of my inheritance and hence my wellbeing.

By the time I got to the end I was telling myself, whoa! this isnt about the future, its about the present! Financial collapse, massive debilitating storm crushing New York City, those may well happen in the future, but Ive already lived through them. And as for a spontaneous uprising of people in protest, thats Occupy Wall Street: I marched in that! In the end, nothing got occupied but our minds, with the idea of inequality: the 1% vs. the 99%. Occupy created the cultural mind-space that allowed Piketty (Capital in the Twenty-First Century) to make a splash.

But just what is THE PRESENT?

Thats a very tricky question.

What time scale do we use to measure the present? Theres a body of research in psychology that pegs the perceptual present at about three to four seconds. Thats certainly not the appropriate scale for this discussion. But what is? A year, a decade, a century? Theres a reasonable sense in which the financial crash of 2008 and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 are nonetheless part of my present. Theyre certainly in the time horizon Stanley invokes/evokes in his book.

Events unfold in nested waves. Some waves have a frequency measured in seconds, or less (even way way less). Others have frequencies measured in decades or centuries or more. Weve also got hours, days, weeks, months, years. Nested waves on all scales, with casual links of various kinds crossing from one scale to another. Its complicated.

If Im going to extend my present a decade into the past, then perhaps I can also extend it a decade into the future, call it 2030. Thats still over a century short of Robinsons start date. But then climate change looms large in his imagination and surely we can push that back to the beginning of the carbon-spewing Industrial Revolution. Now were going two centuries back to the beginning of the 19th century, and that entitles us to push two centuries into the future, to the end of the 22nd century. Our imaginative present (Robinsons novelistic present?) now runs roughly from 1800 to 2200, leaving him a little wiggle room after the imaginary events hes detailed for us.

In his penultimate chapter, attributed merely to the citizenwho functions a bit like a Greek chorus, commenting on the actionRobinson tells us (p. 604):

Every moment is a wicked struggle of political forces, so even as the intertidal emerges from the surf like Venus, capitalism will be flattening itself like the octopus it biomimics, sliding between the glass walls of law that try to keep it contained, and no one should be surprised to find it can squeeze itself to the width of its beak, the only part of it that it cant squish flatter, the hard part that tears our flesh when it is free to do so. No, the glass walls of justice will have to be placed together closer than the width of an octopuss beaknow theres a fortune cookie for you! And even then the octopus may think of some new ways to bite the world. A hinged beak, some super suckers, who knows what these people will try.

For you see, capitalism had just suffered a crushing defeat. But the books gone on for 604 pages at this point, so it really must come to an end  though I note that KSRs Mars adventure extended over three volumes. But we mustnt think that the end of the book is also the end of the causal forces it cast into wicked struggle.

So no, no, no, no! Dont be naive! There are no happy endings! Because there are no endings! And possibly there is no happiness either!

Though there a few more sentences in this chapter and then, yes, theres one final chapter. It takes place in some submarine speakeasy called Mezzrows  named, we presume, after a mid-20th century jazz musician and scenester who hung with the cats and supplied them with joints (aka mezzes)  where we dance to West African rhythms.

And the take-home? The lesson, what does it tell us about, I suppose, radical historical change? Thats tricky. Or perhaps not. Whatever it is, it would be about chance favoring the prepared mind and how in this case, in KSRs New York City and the world of 2140, there were lots of minds prepared by decades upon decades of subservience to the 1% (which, we know, is actually a tiny fraction of the 1%) in which 100s of millions managed to eek out a more or less self-sufficient existence in the tidal boondocks created by massive coastal flooding.

And things just happened!

What is fiction anyhow?

Sometime during the period when I first read New York 2140  Im now reading it again  I had slipped over to Manhattan for a panel discussion about artificial intelligence that was held  wouldnt you know? at the New York Yacht Club, an honorable establishment with old money written all over it, not to mention a handsome stash of full and half-hull ship models  and was delighted with the Times Square area at night. Its like something from the future, all bright and slithering lights. Next time Ill take my camera.

Would the New York of Kim Stanley Robinsons 2140 be like that? Times Square itself, of course, would be under water, but many of the tall buildings would still be sticking around, their middle and upper floors rising above the water. And thats where a lot of the electronic signage was. That would be quite a sight, to see all those animated lights reflecting in the water.

So, I ask you: Does New York 2140 exhibit a distinctive mode of fictional being? Thats perhaps not the best way to put the question, but theres no really good way. What I have in mind is the way Robinson combines rich array of details about New Yorks past  something Adam Roberts reminded me of on Facebook  with a richly imagined future. Weve got the real and the imaginary combined into one seamless extended novelistic present. I could almost have said the real pastas Robinson imagines itand the futureas Robinson imagines it, for the imagination is a faculty we use for everything, not just fantasy and fiction. Its all imaginable, and some is real, some not so real.

Whats real?

Indeed.

Heres what Robinson had to say about his craft in Nature (20 December 2017):

Heres how I think science fiction works aesthetically. Its not prediction. It has, rather, a double action, like the lenses of 3D glasses. Through one lens, we make a serious attempt to portray a possible future. Through the other, we see our present metaphorically, in a kind of heroic simile that says, It is as if our world is like this. When these two visions merge, the artificial third dimension that pops into being is simply history. We see ourselves and our society and our planet like giants plunged into the years, as Marcel Proust put it. So really its the fourth dimension that leaps into view: deep time, and our place in it.

Yep, thats what hes done in New York 2140. Hes given as a world where the overall social organization is pretty much what it is today. We seem to have pretty much the same bunch of nation-states  he doesnt say this that I recall, so it becomes true by default. The World Trade Organization is still doing whatever it does. The Federal Government is still there, though a bit weakened, private security forces are more prevalent. The 0.001% stays on top by trading in ever more exotic financial instruments.

Robinson uses the future as a device to tweak these arrangements so that when a hurricane triggers a flood (like Sandy) and the flood triggers a financial collapse (like 2008), we get a different outcome (p. 521).

Strategic defaulting. Class-action suits. Mass rallies. Staying home from work. Staying out of private transport systems. Refusing consumer consumption beyond the necessities. Withdrawing deposits. Denouncing all forms of rent-seeking. Ignoring mass media. Withholding schedules payments. Fiscal noncompliance. Loud public complaining.

And the banks are nationalized.

Do I believe it? How should I know? Does it matter? Of course it does, I guess so, maybe. Its like that. Reality. Fiction.

Back in the 1960s and 1970s there was something called the new journalism, in which writers like Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer, and Hunter Thompson wrote about real events using literary techniques. They gave up the conventions of journalistic objectivity and entered into the events they chronicled. At the same time E. L. Doctorow was earning praise for his fictionalized history. What about alternate history, for example, P. K. Dicks The Man in the High Castle, set in a world where Japan and Germany won World War II? How does New York 2140 fit into that, whatever that is?

This, it seems to me, is something for Latours conception of modes of existence, where each mode has its own truth conditions. What is the mode for New York 2140, versus, say, The Tale of Genji, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, The Interpretation of Dreams, or On the Origin of Species, and what are the respective truth conditions for each?

And what of those scenarios beloved of futurists, such as the team at Royal Dutch Shell? You study the situation from all angles  economics, political, demographic, cultural, meteorological, whatever  and explore the space of possible futures by crafting two, three, or more possible futures. But its one thing to do this five, ten, or even twenty years into the future. But a century and a quarter?

Robinson posits two major climate events  he calls them Pulses  before hurricane Fyodor. It causes massive damage, but not, I believe, as bad as that of the two Pulses. But still, basic social structures managed to survive those two catastrophes, otherwise the social world of 2140 wouldnt look so much like that of 2018, or 17, 16, 15, whenever Robinson was thinking, researching, and writing.

What held things together through all the troubles?

And in the end

I have a guess, perhaps a wish, a hypothesis. Something thats missing from the book until the very end.

Remember how I said they ended up dancing in an underground club named after Mezz Mezzrow  just up there ^ move your eyes, scroll the window  (p. 611):

Everyone in the room is now grooving to the tightest West African pop any of them have ever heard. The guitar players licks are like metal shavings coming off a lathe. The vocalists are wailing, the horns are a freight train.

Well, thats what kept people together through the dark times. Lots of dance and music.

Aretha Franklin just died. Whered her music come from? It came from the church, the African-American church. And that music was/is a hybrid of African and Western musical traditions. Its that music that kept enslaved Africans and their descendants alive during the years of slavery and Jim Crow racism.

Yes, I know, thats an assertion that needs an argument. Ive provided some of that argument at book length, Beethovens Anvil: Music in Mind and Culture, where I argue that its music and dance that opened up the social space in which clever apes could become proto-humans. Ever since then music and dance have been a central vehicle of social cohesion. It connects us and gives us hope.

How could Robinson have missed it? Well, he didnt miss it, not completely. He added it on to the end, perhaps to give closure to a story that otherwise was still very much unfolding?

How could you rewrite the book so that music and dance are central, bring them up out of the basement clubs? In some measure its a technical problem, a matter of craft? Do you just drop party scenes in here and there? No, that wont do. What then?

Im thinking we almost have to go surreal, perhaps magically real. You know, Leonard Bernstein used to talk of how, when fully cranked up in his conducting, hed all but become the composer of the music. Ive sometimes thought of using that as a time travel device: Go up on the podium, become Mozart, and exit the concert hall into 18th century Vienna. Take the Vivaldi to 17th century Italy, Glinka to 19th century Russia. But how do you get to the Middle Kingdom? Which Middle Kingdom, you ask? Does it matter? All of them.

Robinson does a lot of this, of course, through literary allusion, quotation, and direct reference, as Stefano and Roberto go looking for Herman Melvilles grave. But Stefano and Roberto are only two, and its we who get the allusions, each of us in our own reading space. It needs to be more collective, even more hallucinatory, prophetic if you will. Dance back through the Second Pulse, then the First, and keep on going.

Maybe THAT will keep us together.



Met Life Tower at dawn. You may recall that the story is centered on this building.
NSU football holds off late surge from MSU Moorhead to win 33-27 on the road

Northern State kept their playoff hopes alive on Saturday, when they defeated MSU Moorhead 33-27 to improve to 3-1 in the NSIC North Division.
Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung commented that in the past, thanks to their patriotism, many talented Vietnamese scientists like Tran Dai Nghia, Pham Ngoc Thach, Ton That Tung, Do Dac Di, Pham Huy Thong, and Nguy Nhu Kontum came back to serve their country after studying abroad. All of them wished to develop their own fatherland.

At present, the state government and the Central Party continuously foster the task of building the high-quality human resources and attracting talented people, especially scientists and scholars from all over the world.

The Vietnam Innovation Network at the moment has over 100 members who are scientists and technological experts working and studying abroad. All ministries and state offices are always willing to listen to their recommendations so that an innovative ecosystem might be formed as soon as possible, insisted Minister Dung after showing his laud to these talented people and his hope for a more prosperous nation in the near future.

The government will create advantageous conditions for young scientists to live and work comfortably in Vietnam. Simultaneously, Vietnamese businesses will try their best to collaborate with them to take full advantage of all opportunities brought by the new era.

Dr. Bui Hai Hung, senior scientific researcher from Google Deepmind (the USA) shared that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is very promising and profitable in the future. Yet there is not any renowned Vietnamese scientist of the field, which is a great pity.

He, therefore, suggested that Vietnam should focus more on building an AI research center, training the suitable human resources for the field. It is also necessary that Vietnam pay more attention to cloud computing.

According to Associate Professor cum Doctor Ho Anh Van from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), the secret formula for a success of the Vietnam Innovation Network would be a combination of ability, enthusiasm, and critical thinking. This calls for specific policies from the government as well as the readiness of related intellectuals.

Guest speaker Tran Van Hinh, member of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts in France, also commented that to be successful, it is necessary to let culture become the foundation of a human  human connection, and national pride become the motive for all activities.

This program, taking place from August 18  24, 2018, is co-held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Education and Training, as well as related organizations and the local authorities of many areas in Vietnam. The core participants of the event are 100 young Vietnamese people working abroad in the field of science and technology.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc led the dignitaries who attended.

By ANH PHUONG  Translated by Yen Nhi
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

King Coal has ruled for decades as the Navajo Nations economic mainstay, but with the industry in frank decline, the Navajos are facing potentially devastating impacts on tribal well-being.

Thousands of Navajo workers and others in the Four Corners could lose their jobs in coming years as the regions three coal-fired power plants scale back operations and consider shutting down all together. That presents a looming economic predicament for all of New Mexicos northwestern communities, but particularly for the Navajo Nation, which relies on those plants and the three coal mines that supply them for about one-third of the tribal governments annual revenue.

Collaborative efforts are emerging to diversify the economy and create more employment opportunities for displaced coal workers and next-generation job seekers. That includes a workforce training program funded by Public Service Company of New Mexico to help Navajo students train for jobs in other existing and emerging industries.

That program offers recurring scholarships for recipients studying at Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint and San Juan College in Farmington. It has assisted nearly 600 Navajo students.

But given the tribes huge dependence on coal, a lot more assistance may be needed in coming years, said Lucinda Bennalley, vice president of the Navajos Nenahnezad Chapter, located near PNMs San Juan Generating Station and the San Juan Mine that supplies it.

Were one of the most impacted chapters on the Navajo Nation, Bennalley said. The coal mine and the power plant have allowed our community to be self-sufficient for many years. If they close, it will have a devastating impact on us and the surrounding communities.

PNM shut two of San Juans four generating units in December to comply with federal environmental regulations, and it plans to completely close the plant in 2022. The combined plant and mine workforce already have shrunk from about 650 employees to 550, about half of whom are Navajo. About 950 indirect jobs are also connected to those facilities, putting about 1,500 total jobs at risk.

Nearly 800 people work at the nearby Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Mine, about 80 percent of them Navajo. Utility owners shut three of that plants five operating units in 2013.

And in Arizona, another 700 people work at the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine, 83 percent of them Navajo. Another 1,600 indirect jobs are connected to those operations. The Salt River Project, which runs the power plant, plans to shut it down in 2019, although the Navajo Nation is negotiating with two other companies to potentially continue running it after SRP pulls out.

The power plants and coal mines together contribute about $70 million of the tribal governments $220 million annual gross budget, said Navajo Nation Council Speaker Lorenzo Bates.

Thats a lot of money for the Navajo Nation, Bates said. Were involved in every facet of the industry today. We receive substantial royalties, and we have hundreds of people working at these operations.

With unemployment above 45 percent, the impact on Navajo families is huge. Power plant and mining jobs offer some of the best wages on the Navajo Nation at $15 to $25 an hour.

The Navajo government is working to keep the plants and mines open as long as possible. It bought the Navajo Mine from BHP Billiton last year, and in July, it acquired a 7 percent stake in Four Corners.

Apart from negotiating to prolong Navajo Generating Station operations, the tribe is also seeking to keep San Juan open past 2022.

Could there be an opportunity there (at San Juan) for another group to come in? Bates asked. Probably. Its something being considered as we speak.

The tribe is also working with public and private partners to diversify the regional economy. The Four Corners Economic Development organization, for example, is coordinating a collaborative effort to promote other industries, including tourism, agriculture, food processing and alternative energy businesses, and to retrain workers for those sectors.

PNM is actively supporting those efforts. It launched its workforce training program in 2013, when it first began planning to close two of San Juans generating units, said Ron Darnell, senior vice president for public policy. It has provided $200,000 a year for scholarships, or $1 million to date.

We have real concern for the area, particularly the six chapters that surround the San Juan mine and plant, Darnell said. We feel an obligation to do what we can to mitigate the impact on employment.

All Navajo students are eligible, but the program especially targets at-risk students, such as those who have depleted government financial aid, or who reside in the Navajo chapters that surround the San Juan and Four Corners operations, said Cathy Newby, PNM director of tribal government and customer relations.

The program offers up to $1,500 per semester to pursue bachelors degrees, $1,000 for associates programs and $500 for trade certifications.

Its a recurring scholarship to see students through to graduation, Newby said.

As of May, 260 scholarship recipients had earned certificates and degrees, among them Kelso Peterson, 26, who earned an associates degree in industrial process engineering from San Juan College.

The scholarship helped out a lot with books and tuition, Peterson said. It pretty much paid for everything.

Corwin Largo, 27, gets $1,500 per semester to earn an industrial engineering degree. He interned at the Army Research Lab in Maryland this summer and expects to graduate next May.

All my federal Pell Grant funding ran out, so the scholarship helped pay my tuition, food and books, Largo said. Its helped a lot.

The colleges have set up internships for scholarship students at public and private entities, including a first-ever internship this summer for one scholarship recipient, Adriane Tenequer, with The Boeing Co., said Navajo Tech President Elmer Guy.

This is a unique program that specifically helps communities affected by the decline in the coal industry, Guy said. Its making many opportunities available for Navajo students, but theres still tremendous need out there.

PNM hopes its efforts will encourage more public and private entities to assist the Navajo Nation and Four Corners communities as coal continues to decline.

That part of the state has contributed a lot of money from extractive industries into the state economy, Darnell said. We owe that region something in return.
Preventing job-related injuries and fatalities requires companywide safety consciousness and a commitment to spend time and money on workplace safety, but the folks at the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau say that in addition to supporting a safe and healthy workforce, there are other benefits that make the effort worthwhile.

Increased productivity and lower workers compensation and insurance payouts are tangible rewards that affect a businesss bottom line.

To encourage small businesses with 250 or fewer employees to take a proactive approach to workplace safety, federal OSHA provides 90 percent of the funds necessary to run the free and confidential New Mexico State Occupational Health and Safety Bureau Consultation Program. The point is to help employers find workable and cost-effective ways to eliminate or control dangerous conditions and to create and implement a sustainable health and safety program.

Part of the programs appeal, according to program manager Melissa Barker, is that its collaborative, involving business owners, employee representatives and NM OSHA in workplace health and safety. Companies are exempt from OSHA Programmed (random) enforcement inspections while working with NM OSHA. The participating companys only obligation is to correct serious job safety and health hazards.

Businesses can request a limited-scope consultation, during which a trained NM OSHA consultant may examine a specific area, process, piece of equipment or written program and make safety recommendations, Barker said. A company can also request a comprehensive health and safety assessment. The employer controls the scope of the on-site visit and can end it at any time.

After NM OSHA receives a request to work with a business, it sends a consultant to the workplace at a prearranged time and convenes an introductory meeting with the employer and an employee representative to explain the process. Afterward, the group walks through the site and the consultant evaluates potential hazards in the physical environment and work practices and discusses the employers existing health and safety programs. During the closing conference, the consultant reviews his or her findings about what the employer is doing well and where improvements are needed; this information is reiterated in a written report that also documents any schedules the consultant and employer set to abate identified hazards or imminently dangerous situations.

Employers must post the list of serious hazards and correction deadlines after receiving it from the consultant for at least three days or until all hazards are corrected. Employees also are informed of hazards that were identified during the visit and what their employer has promised to do to correct them.

Participating in the program doesnt guarantee that a company will pass an OSHA inspection, but employers learn what is required to comply with health and safety laws.

And they learn of the significant benefits of participating in the program: potential reduction of workplace accidents and lost work time, fewer fines and lower workers compensation insurance premiums and health care costs, and better retention as employees see that the company cares about their well-being.

To request a free and confidential onsite consultation, businesses should call 505-476-8700 or visit the NM OSHA website at https://www.env.nm.gov/Ohsb_Website.

Finance New Mexico connects individuals and businesses with skills and funding resources for their business or idea. To learn more, go to www.FinanceNewMexico.org.
SANTA FE, Texas  Students in Santa Fe, Texas, will begin a new school year Monday with additional security measures in place following a mass shooting in May that left 10 people dead.

The school district had metal detectors installed at entrances and hired five additional police officers, as well as 10 security assistants who will monitor hallways throughout the day. Teachers are receiving training on both trauma support and active shooter situations.

For some students, Monday will be the first time theyve been back in class since the shooting rampage , which happened toward the end of the school year.

We are going to try our best to get it all right on Monday, but Im sure there will be things well have to go back and tweak to get it right, school board President J.R. Rusty Norman said last week, according to the Houston Chronicle. But we will get it right.

The school has also built a new hallway so students and staff wont need to walk in the art classroom area, where authorities say Dimitrios Pagourtzis began a rampage that killed eight students and two teachers. A grand jury has indicted Pagourtzis on capital murder charges, and he remains jailed without bond.

The school says its also hired additional counselors who specialize in trauma to aid students and staff, Superintendent Leigh Wall said in a video posted on the districts website that outlines the security changes.

Its going to be difficult in many ways for many people to return, Wall said. But I also think its going to be a great opportunity for us to come together and pull together as a community.

Rhonda Hart, whose 14-year-old daughter, Kimberly Vaughan, was among the students who died in the shooting, said she and other victims parents welcomed new safety features at the high school, including metal detectors. However, Hart, who has been outspoken on the need for more gun control, said her middle-school-age son would not be returning to a Santa Fe district school this year.

As long as we have the leadership in Austin and Washington, D.C., that we have now, I dont trust Texas schools to protect my kid, Hart said.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Mayor Tim Kellers city clerk nominee told the Journal she would resign her voluntary duties with outside boards and councils to accept the job.

Keller recently nominated Albuquerque-native Katy Duhigg to serve as the next city clerk. City councilors are expected to consider the nomination during their meeting today.

Duhigg said that if confirmed, she would call it quits as vice president of Common Cause New Mexico, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fair elections, and as a member of the Bernalillo County Code of Conduct Review Board.

I plan to resign from both of those, Duhigg said. At the very least, there could be an appearance of impropriety if I stayed on those.

According to a letter to the city, Duhigg said she would also resign from positions on the Bernalillo County Valuation Protest Board and as governance council member and executive board secretary with RFK Charter School.

Duhigg said she would ask a deputy clerk to take on any issues where their might be conflict of interest.

If theres any situation that I have a conflict of interest on, I will recuse myself from that and let others take the lead, she said.

As city clerk, Duhigg would serve as the citys chief records custodian, conduct municipal elections and manage administrative hearings related to vehicle seizures, animal appeals, handicapped parking and personnel matters.

Duhigg said she has always wanted to be involved in public service.

With my background, this particular position is right up my alley, she said. I was very excited (when I found out I was nominated).

Most of her experience with Common Cause has centered around election protection programs, she said, including legal analysis and interpretation.

Duhigg is a graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of New Mexico School of Law.

She is managing partner of the Duhigg Law Firm, focusing on election law and consumer protection cases.

Her main goal, she said, is to ensure that the city is as transparent as it should be, that laws are followed, that everyone is treated equally and fairly and that the public and candidates have all the access (to information) they are entitled to.
Two grants totaling $3.5 million have been made to the University of New Mexico by the National Science Foundation that will allow the school to acquire a transmission electron microscope for research and to create an online professional development program for high school science and math teachers.

The initiatives are designed to enhance science and computer education for students across New Mexico, according to a news release by U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham who announced the grants this week.

A $1.75 million grant will be used for an open-access scanning transmission electron microscope, housed at UNM  the first of its kind in the Rio Grande corridor. It will enable students and faculty to study specimens at the nanometer level in high resolution, aiding research into promising new areas, such as energy storage, fuel cells and nanoparticles, according to the release.

Another $1.75 million award is for the online professional development program to help high school science and math teachers incorporate computational thinking into their curriculum.

This funding is critical to the University of New Mexicos efforts to increase student participation in STEM-related studies and advance science in important new areas, said Udall in a statement.

New Mexicos world-class scientific research is one of our states greatest assets, said Heinrich in a statement. Im proud to support these federal investments that will keep the University of New Mexico on the cutting edge of research and development for emerging energy technologies and also help UNM train the next generation of science instructors who will teach our children to embrace opportunities in the STEM fields.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

University of New Mexico racked up more than $600,000 in legal bills as it navigated a special congressional committees investigation into how it procured fetal tissue for research purposes, expenses officials say were necessary to protect the university and its employees.

UNM used the Chicago-based law firm McDermott Will & Emery, spending a total of $611,446 over a two-year period on what the invoices call the fetal tissue inquiry, according to documents provided to the Journal through a public records request. The firms work on the matter commenced in January 2016, three months after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to convene the select investigative panel to probe fetal tissue transfers and related matters. Federal law prohibits the sale of fetal tissue.

The Republican-led committees $1.5 million investigation ultimately alleged that UNM violated state law in obtaining fetal tissue from Southwestern Womens Options  an allegation denounced by the Democratic members who represented the panels minority.

The committee sent what it called criminal referrals to New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas in June 2016. Balderas announced earlier this year that his offices review found that UNM had not broken the law.

The same referrals were sent to the FBI headquarters and the bureaus relevant field offices for review and any action deemed appropriate, according to a December 2017 letter from a U.S. Department of Justice official to U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce.

Pearce, who represents New Mexicos southern congressional district and is running for governor, had last September asked U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate wrongdoings between UNM and SWWO, according to his congressional website.

But a UNM Health Sciences Center spokeswoman told the Journal last week that the FBI has never contacted the university as part of a fetal tissue investigation. The partially redacted McDermott invoices provided to the Journal do not mention interactions with the FBI.

McDermotts last billable activity on the fetal tissue inquiry occurred on Jan. 29, 2018, according to the invoices.

UNMs fetal tissue research has attracted intense scrutiny from anti-abortion activists, and safety is one reason UNM says it considered it necessary to spend money on specialized counsel. UNM also lacked internal experience dealing with Congress, UNM spokeswoman Alex Sanchez said, noting McDermotts help preparing, presenting and meeting the expectations of the panel.

More than 100 pages of invoices show the firms work on UNMs behalf included communicating with the congressional panel and its staff (often dealing separately with the committees majority and minority); reviewing, preparing and redacting documents to submit to the panel; corresponding with and providing information to Balderas office; and helping UNM respond to media inquiries. Bills show regular coordination with UNMs in-house attorneys and that the firm also updated UNMs Board of Regents on the work.

Appearing before Congress is an area that we at the HSC are not as familiar with and we needed assistance from trained professionals, Sanchez wrote in an emailed response to Journal questions. As you are aware, fetal tissue research is controversial. No matter which side of the debate one falls on, there can be an incredible learning curve to understanding the research, its value and its place in medical advancements.

There are also real threats that have had deadly consequences all over the world to researchers and doctors in this area. We believe in being as transparent as possible while also protecting our faculty and staff. We sought counsel to help us prepare for our congressional hearings, ensure we were communicating effectively and efficiently, and provide as much information as we could without jeopardizing the safety of our employees.

Most of the McDermott expenses accrued in early 2016, with invoices from March through July of that year totalling $424,017.

Sanchez said HSC covered the McDermott bills from its general budget.

UNMs Health Sciences Center  which includes UNM Hospital, Sandoval Regional Medical Center, UNM Medical Group and some academic units  has a total annual budget of about $2 billion.

HSC leadership is always thoughtful about expenditures and believe strongly that outside counsel was necessary to protect the interests of the University as well as the researchers and staff working in this field of study, Sanchez wrote.

The $611,446 total does not include the legal fees associated with an investigation some UNM regents initiated in the summer of 2016.

UNM paid Sutin Thayer & Browne, a private Albuquerque law firm, nearly $43,000 for advice and counsel regarding issues of compliance within federal law including fetal tissue law.

The Sutin firm never produced a written report of its findings, and UNM heavily redacted the related billing documents released through a public records request. Regent President Rob Doughty, who signed the engagement letter and to whose private law firm all bills were addressed, said UNMs in-house attorneys related Sutins findings directly to the Board of Regents in lieu of a written report, and that they characterized Sutins five-month investigation as inconclusive.

Doughty said to his knowledge Sutin did not find any evidence that UNM was breaking federal fetal tissue laws.

UNM legal counsel did not indicate to us that Sutin found that kind of evidence, Doughty said in a written response to Journal questions.

UNM is not currently doing any fetal tissue research.

Dr. Paul Roth, UNMs health sciences chancellor, in June permanently barred Dr. Robin Ohls from conducting fetal tissue research after two internal investigations found she violated UNM policies in her collaboration with a Michigan company to which she was sending fetal tissue.

The policies related to internal approvals and documentation. But UNM said neither investigation found any evidence she broke any laws, and Ohls remains at UNM, where she continues to conduct clinical research and treat newborns as a neonatologist.

Ohls was the only researcher using fetal tissue at UNM at the time. However, UNM says it remains possible that another researcher could utilize fetal tissue in the future.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on August 20, 2018

2018/08/20

The 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing on September 3 and 4 under the theme "China and Africa: Toward an even stronger community with a shared future through win-win co-operation". Chinese President Xi Jinping will chair the summit and host relevant events. Leaders of the FOCAC African members will attend the summit upon invitation, and representatives of relevant regional organizations in Africa and international organizations will also participate in related activities.

The Foreign Ministry will hold a press briefing in Lanting (Blue Hall) at 8:30 on August 22 (Wednesday). State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be present to brief the press on the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit. Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong will also join us in the Q&A session. Your participation is most welcome.

For your information, the official website for the media center of the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit (www.focac2018.com) went into service at 8:00 this morning. You may refer to it in case you need some information.

At the invitation of Minister Tsogtbaatar Damdin for Foreign Affairs of the State of Mongolia, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay an official visit to Mongolia from August 23 to 25.

Q: Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan passed away at the age of 80 on August 18 in Switzerland. How does China comment on Mr. Annan? Has China expressed condolences?

A: China expresses its deep condolences to the passing of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and our sincere sympathy goes to Mr. Annan's family. Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent messages of condolences to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Mr. Annan was an old friend of the Chinese people. As an outstanding and world-famous representative of the African people, Mr. Annan had been campaigning around the world. His work strengthened people's trust and confidence in the UN and garnered more attention and input from the international community onto Africa. We believe that his endeavors and contributions will be forever remembered by all.

Q: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the establishment of the Iran Action Group to step up pressure on Iran. What is China's comment?

A: We have noted relevant reports. I believe you are well aware of our position on this. China always maintains that disputes between states shall be addressed through dialogue and we oppose the reckless imposition of unilateral sanctions or threatening to do so.

The situation in the Middle East is highly complicated and sensitive at the moment. We hope that all relevant parties could bear in mind the interests of all the people living in this region and contribute to regional peace and stability.

Q: There are reports that President Xi Jinping will visit the DPRK next month. Can you confirm it? What is China's expectation for the denuclearization process of the Korean Peninsula?

A: I will take your second question first. The Chinese government has been making unremitting efforts for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace and stability in the region. The international community will give us credit for that.

As for your first question, China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors, and the two parties and two states have been in friendly exchanges. I have no information to offer for your specific question.

Q: Reports say that the three-day reunion of separated Korean families kicked off today at the DPRK's Mount Kumgang. What is your comment?

A: We have noted relevant reports. We are glad to see the resumption of the reunion activities of separated families after a lapse of over two years.

The DPRK and the ROK are of the same ethnic group bound by blood. Both sides are actively implementing the consensus reached by their leaders, following the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration and continuously promoting reconciliation and cooperation. This is conducive to cementing their mutual trust and improving their relations, and will play a positive role in sustaining and consolidating the improving situation on the Korean Peninsula.

China will continue to fully support the DPRK and the ROK in improving their relations. We also hope that all relevant parties of the international community could be generous with their encouragement, thus creating favorable atmosphere to sustain the momentum for dialogue, advance the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and move forward the political settlement process of the Korean Peninsula issue.

Q: Chairman of Tehreek-e-Insaf (the Justice Movement Party) Imran Khan has taken oath as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan. In his victory speech, he particularly emphasized the importance of China-Pakistan relations and he also mentioned the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. What is your comment please?

A: We have already sent out our warm congratulations to Mr. Imran Khan on his election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. We value and appreciate Prime Minister Imran Khan's positive remarks on China-Pakistan relations and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners. We stand ready to join hands with the new Pakistani government to enhance friendly exchanges and cooperation across the board, accelerate the advancement of CPEC and move forward the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Q: AFP recently reported on the remarks by the Prime Minister of Tonga concerning his country's debts to China. That report has attracted some attention. What is your comment?

A: We have noted that the government of Tonga issued a statement on August 17 to clarify the relevant report, and Prime Minister Pohiva himself also cleared up his remarks in an interview. They all spoke highly of China-Tonga relations, expressed their great appreciation to China's recent years of assistance in various forms, and made clear that the Pacific Islands Forum is not a proper venue to discuss the debt issue and that Tonga and China will properly resolve the relevant issue through friendly consultations via bilateral channels.

I would like to stress that China and Tonga are strategic partners that respect each other and seek common development. China will continue to do its best to support and assist Tonga and other Pacific Island countries in their pursuit for sustainable development.

Q: China announced that its delegation will visit the United States for trade talks at the end of August. Do you have any specifics on the actual dates and schedules of that visit?

A: The Commerce Ministry of China issued a pretty clear statement. I suggest a little more patience on the release of further information.

Follow-up: Do we have any dates for it?

A: At the invitation of the US government, Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen will lead a delegation to the US and have talks with the US delegation led by David Malpass, the US Treasury Department's Under Secretary for International Affairs, on how to properly resolve trade issues between the two sides on the basis of mutual respect.

We hope that the talks between the two sides on the basis of reciprocity, equality and good faith could lead to good results that meet the interests of the Chinese and American people and live up to the expectations of the international community.

Q: The Chinese Defense Minister is due to visit India in the coming days. Do you have details? How do you see the significance of his visit to India?

A: The relations between China and India have been improving for some time, and progress has been made in bilateral exchanges and cooperation on various fronts, including high-level military interactions as you mentioned. As for the specifics, I would refer you to the Defense Ministry.

Q: Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen has visited NASA's space center. What is your comment?

A: With regard to the Taiwan's leader exploiting all kinds of excuses to justify her foreign trips and separatist activities, the Chinese side has made its stern position clear to relevant countries that we oppose offering convenience and avenue for such activities.

As for the specific case you mentioned, I can tell you unequivocally that we have made clear our stern position to the US side. We urge the US to stick to the one-China principle and the three joint communiques. The Taiwan separatist forces should not be aided nor have any space on the international stage. We firmly oppose any country that has diplomatic ties with China engaging in any official interaction with Taiwan.
Picturesque scenes are occurring in communities all across our great state. Parents are driving up to school for the first time to drop off their kindergarteners. As their children hop out of their cars, eager to learn, you can imagine the mixture of smiles and tears. Parents strive to be strong as they turn away, leaving their baby at school, holding the hand of his or her teacher. But what if the school at which they leave their child was one of the schools failing for the last several years? What if that parent was you? Would you have faith your child would learn all they need to find success in the future? It would be challenging at best to believe your child would receive the education he or she deserves.

This unfortunate image is all too common for parents across New Mexico.

School grades may be a controversial topic across the state, but they are a must. Schools must be held accountable for the education they provide students. With the political climate changing in our state, some would suggest we do away with school grades, but how can we? It can never be acceptable for the children of New Mexico to attend a school with 90 percent of students falling below grade level. The response to struggling students is never to lower the standards, do less or expect little.

As a New Mexico teacher for the last 10 years, I understand the difficulties facing both our profession and our families. I want my school held to a high standard each year. I want to struggle and strive with parents to make it the best it can be. Some years we have the outcome we want, while other years we fall short of our goals. With that in mind, we do not stop the fight to improve our school.

Some people may wonder why we fight so hard, but if you have ever looked into the face of a child and held their future in your hands, then you understand, without a doubt, that we cannot give up. Children matter! Our future as a state and as a country is in the hands of our kids. School grades may seem like a small part of the equation, but they define what we will accept for growth and achievement in our schools and ultimately for our children. Parents cannot possibly know the drive and determination of school staff without a universal tool to measure success. People in our country are evaluated based on how well their organizations succeed. Public education should not be any different. We must set the bar to be better, go further, and push outside the box of expectations for the students in New Mexico.

The students of our state are special, as are our families. No matter the difficulties, we must find a way to rise above and go beyond the norm. School grades help us do just that. They do not put us in a box and say do this or say that. School grades allow us the ability as individual professionals to find the way to successfully serve our student populations. They celebrate our positive growth, parent and student feedback, and students achieving at grade level or above. As a teacher, and as a parent and grandparent of children who have and are attending school in this state, I cannot see how celebrating hard-earned success is a bad thing. School grades drive us toward improvement.

One thing I know after 20 years in education is that no matter how well we are doing, we can all be better tomorrow. There are lessons yet to be learned and battles yet to fight. Every one of these lessons and battles are worth it for the children in our classrooms and in our lives.
In March 2014, I was invited by Albuquerque City Councilor Diane Gibson to visit the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope tent camp that serves homeless individuals in Las Cruces. This trip was a result of many conversations with community members about the growing homeless population in Albuquerque. This visit also helped us respond to the concern of citizens over the controversial removal of the rail yards tent camp months earlier.

I was not sure what to expect, but I wanted to visit the Las Cruces camp since it had been successfully functioning for several years. What I witnessed was a well-maintained, well-secured camp providing about 35 tent sites. After visiting with residents, it was clear they were proud of their community. They had developed a list of rules and were committed to enforcing them. They told us they had a very good relationship with surrounding business owners because they watched out for them  reporting any suspicious behavior.

Soon after, we discovered Opportunity Village in Eugene, Oregon, a tiny home village that had also been successfully functioning for years. It was structured very much like the camp in Las Cruces, but unlike tents the structures were much more durable.

Further research on similar projects proved, that when managed properly, a tiny home village can serve a segment of the homeless population by providing an opportunity for individuals to have the stability they need to improve their lives.

So the idea for the Tiny Home Village (THV) for our community began to take shape. The funding for the village is from the Affordable Housing Bond approved by voters in 2016. After several public meetings to educate the public on the project, we are reviewing potential sites on which to construct it.

The Bernalillo County THV will be structured similar to the Community of Hope and Opportunity Village, but the units and site will have very high construction standards. They will not look like storage sheds. Each unit will have electricity, cooling and heating.

Its important that people who own homes or property in our community understand the THV is one solution for a segment of a growing population who find themselves unable to pay for housing. People such as Ramona G., who was injured and not able to work or pay her hospital bills. She now lives out of her car.

People become homeless for a variety of reasons, and just like the general population have problems with drug addiction, depression, behavioral health and mental illness.

As a result, there is not one program that will make homelessness go away. We can begin to address this issue by implementing programs and projects that are proven to work. We need more transitional housing such as THV, and we need more truly affordable permanent housing. Unfortunately, the gap between wages and housing has grown steadily. Families and individuals who pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing are literally a paycheck away from homelessness.

I believe most people in our community are compassionate and want to help those in need, but they also need to feel safe when interacting with or helping a population they fear. We all want our contributions to make a difference.

As I was leaving the parking lot at Camp Hope in Las Cruces, an expensive car pulled up and two women about my age stepped out. I noticed their expensive clothes, purses and jewelry. Smiling and chatting, they proceeded to open the trunk and remove boxes of food to donate to camp residents. I remember thinking that the interchange between those of us with means and those without is not one-sided. It is an opportunity for us to do what is right and just.

My grandson, age 9, in response to criticisms about housing people who are homeless, said Dont people understand that when a person has a home they are not homeless anymore?

Debbie OMalley is founder and first executive director of the Sawmill Community Land Trust, a permanently affordable housing community.
People are making this so complicated.

A couple of weeks ago, the New York Times editorial board hired a technology writer, Sarah Jeong. When it was revealed that she had tweeted barbs against white people, conservatives formed a Twitter mob to demand her dismissal. While a few on the right said  or claimed  they were offended by the substance of her tweets, the overriding passion derived from an understandable outrage about liberal double standards.

The argument took a familiar form: If a white or conservative person said something like this about any other group, her career would be over!

Many liberals responded that conservatives just dont get it. There is no such thing as anti-white racism because racism is all about power. Whites  or white men  have it, other groups dont.

Perhaps because this theory defies lived experience, progressives offered a new defense: We dont really mean it when we attack the pale patriarchy.

Voxs Ezra Klein recalled that he didnt enjoy the Twitter hashtag #KillAllMen, which apparently became popular in his progressive circle a while back. I didnt like it. It made me feel defensive. It still makes me feel defensive.

But, Klein added, I also knew that wasnt what they were saying. They didnt want me put to death. They didnt want any men put to death. They just wanted things to be better for women.

Klein has a point, but he also misses one. I have no doubt that many of his female  or male!  compatriots arent much interested in wholesale androcide. Nor do I think Jeong is interested in canceling white people. These are shibboleths of the Woke Establishment.

But what Klein and others miss is that they cant play Humpty Dumpty when it comes to the language they use. When I use a word, Humpty Dumpty famously said, it means just what I choose it to mean  neither more nor less.

The notion that racism is solely about institutionalized white power simply doesnt compute for most Americans. In common parlance, racism means prejudice or bigotry on account of race or skin color. Period. The pathetic racists who marched on Washington this weekend dont have much cultural power. Surely that explains their racism more than it mitigates or absolves it.

If a neo-Nazi paints a swastika on a Jews front door, no decent person withholds judgment pending an audit of the victims social or institutional power. We just call it anti-Semitism. Would you wait for a clever explanation if someone launched the hash tag #KillAllJews or #CancelBlackPeople? It makes no sense to claim that Louis Farrakhan is not a racist when he says, White people are potential humans  they havent evolved yet, but David Duke is a racist when he says something similar about blacks.

Even if we were to collectively accept that racism means structural oppression by whites, wed still need a word for hating or degrading people solely on account of their race. Why reinvent the wheel? And why muddle the principle that this is bad?

Think of it this way: Would you want your kids to go to a school where the white kids were taught that the slightest racial insensitivity was a profound sin but all the non-white kids were free to say whatever they wanted about the white kids?

It is right and proper to teach kids that bigotry against blacks or other particular groups is especially evil for historical reasons. But it is morally daft to celebrate or condescendingly explain away bigotry against whites as some sort of historical comeuppance for the sins  real or alleged  of their ancestors.(Its also counterproductive: Theres ample evidence that calling non-racist people racist actually makes them more racist.

Double standards breed resentment and rage, regardless of ideological orientation. Theres a reason white supremacists co-opt the language of the left, demanding identity politics for white people. I consider myself a civil and human rights advocate focusing on the underrepresented Caucasian demographic, Jordan Kessler, the racist Unite the Right rally organizer, told NPR.

The double standard that says the left can say whatever it damn well pleases, but the right must constantly check its privilege, fuels hateful buffoons like Kessler.

Jonah Goldbergs new book, Suicide of the West, is now available wherever books are sold. E-mail at goldbergcolumn@gmail.com or Twitter @JonahNRO.) Copyright 2018 Tribune Content Agency LLC.
WASHINGTON  What Donald Trump did Wednesday isnt supposed to happen in a democracy. A president who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution just carried out a personal political vendetta against a career intelligence officer.

In revoking the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, Trump took another step toward the abyss. He cited the risk posed by (Brennans) erratic conduct and behavior, a ludicrous charge coming from our unguided missile of a chief executive.

Brennans real crime is that he has been in Trumps face nearly every day, trading insults on Twitter and cable television. Brennan has taken to using words like high crimes and misdemeanors and nothing short of treasonous to describe Trumps behavior and likened him to convicted fraudster Bernie Madoff. Stripping Brennans clearances was presidential payback, dressed up in national-security language.

I wrote back in January that I wished Brennan and other former intelligence chiefs would resist slugging it out with Trump  not because their criticisms are wrong, but because they risked tarnishing the credibility and professionalism of their agencies. As I argued, Trump supporters would fume that the spy chiefs are ganging up on the populist president. Conspiracy theories about an imaginary deep state will gain more traction, and the cycle of national mistrust will get worse.

But lets be honest: Brennan isnt a guy who was going to back down in a bar fight, any more than Trump. Hes a tough, stubborn Irish-American with a chip on his shoulder. Hes a guy who, if you write five positive things about him and one negative, only remembers 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.

The prevailing media explanation of the Brennan move was that Trump was trying to distract public attention from Omarosa Manigault Newman, a disaffected former staffer who just published a tell-all book about the president called Unhinged. But I wonder if that was the real Brennan trigger.

Trump himself offered a clearer  and more damning  explanation in an interview Wednesday with The Wall Street Journal, suggesting that he punished Brennan because he was one of the original instigators of the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. I call it the rigged witch hunt, (it) is a sham. And these people led it! So I think its something that had to be done.

With Trump, you always have to question whats rubbing him so raw, and driving him toward possibly illegal and unconstitutional actions. As prosecutors like to say: We may not know what hes done wrong, but he does. Does a warped protective impulse drive Trump into these furies of defensive action?

With James Comey, ground zero may have been the briefing given by the then-FBI director to the president-elect in January, detailing the salacious sexual allegations contained in a now-famous  but unconfirmed  dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and funded partly by lawyers representing the Hillary Clinton campaign. Trump brought up this sleazy evidence repeatedly afterward and pressed Comey for a pledge of personal loyalty. When Trump didnt get it, he fired his FBI director and, in a television interview, blamed it on Comeys pursuit of the Russia investigation.

Brennan poses a similar challenge for Trump. Its not that Brennan embodies the deep state. In truth, he disliked a CIA operations culture that he felt had rejected him as a young officer; while his modernization efforts at the CIA had supporters, Id bet that many at the agency were relieved to see him go.

What was so threatening about the former CIA chief? Beyond Brennans sheer cussedness, Id guess that Trump was frightened  and remains so to this day  about just how much Brennan knows about his secrets. And by that, I dont just mean his dealings with Russian oligarchs and presidents, but the way he moved through a world of fixers, flatterers and money launderers.

Brennan, like Comey, was there at the beginning of this investigation. Trump must have asked himself: What does Brennan know? What did he learn from the CIAs deep assets in Moscow, and from liaison partners such as Britain, Israel, Germany and the Netherlands? Does Trump think Brennan will be a less credible witness without a security clearance?

The Brennan episode is just one more warning of what may be ahead. Trump appears ready to take our country over the waterfall to save himself. Before its too late, Trump should realize: Even in his rage, he cant fire everybody.

David Ignatius can be reached via Twitter: @IgnatiusPost. Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
It was a dangerous situation that easily could have ended in tragedy. Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office detectives attempting to apprehend a wanted man fired their weapons, striking a nearby day care center.

Fortunately, no bystanders were hit during the Aug. 6 incident. The suspect, 36-year-old Carlos Ochoa, was struck in the buttocks and arm and hospitalized at University of New Mexico Hospital. He was wanted on felony warrants for trafficking a controlled substance, aggravated assault and resisting or eluding officers.

Theres no question this was a fluid situation.

Sheriff Manuel Gonzales told reporters undercover detectives with the Fugitive Apprehension and Surveillance Team unit were looking for Ochoa and found him at the Bow & Arrow Lodge on Central and Utah SE. As detectives determined how to apprehend him, Ochoa walked out and identified the detectives.

Gonzales said Ochoa fled the motel, and as detectives were chasing him, he pulled a gun from his waistband. Gonzales says detectives fired four rounds; two struck Ochoa and two pierced the wall and door frame at Kingdom Builders Pre School & Day Care. Children and adults were inside. In hindsight, most would agree giving chase to a suspect near a day care is a bad idea. The risk of a child being caught in the crossfire isnt worth it.

Of course detectives didnt have the benefit of hindsight, having been forced to make a split-second decision.

Still, given BCSOs recent history, and Gonzales patent refusal to adopt lapel cams to record both deputy and civilian actions, this incident adds to a troubling pattern.

Its the fourth deputy-involved shooting this year. In February, a sergeant injured Adrian Chacon after a pursuit in the South Valley. In June, a deputy shot a woman holed up in her East Mountain home and reportedly shooting at deputies. Last month, deputies on a U.S. Marshals Service task force shot and killed Wes Allen in the parking lot of a Motel 6. Last year, BCSO had a spike in shootings  five killed, three wounded and two others shot at but not hit.

This comes amidst a policy change allowing deputies to initiate more car chases, resulting in a massive rise in high-speed chases, including a death Friday. Given BCSOs escalating use of deadly force and more aggressive chase tactics, its past time deputies wore on-body cameras. This isnt the first time weve urged this action, but given the increase in shootings and car chases  which raises the danger for suspects, bystanders and deputies  its more critical than ever to increase the documentation of whether BCSO actions are warranted.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerque Public Schools is seeking special legislative funding to help upgrade security at 70 schools across the 144-school district.

APS proposal would spend a total of $13.2 million of combined state and district money for the upgrades. Plans include classroom door locks, fencing, card-access to front doors and secure front entryways.

School districts are required to match a certain percentage, so 45 percent of the cost would be covered by APS, if approved, and the remaining 55 percent would be picked up by the state.

Kizito Wijenje, APS executive director of capital master planning, said the district is prepared to cover its $5,950,723 portion for the project through money in its capital master plan budget.

Jonathan Chamblin, executive director of the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority said that up to $16 million in legislative funding  made available earlier in 2018  is accessible statewide this year.

Chamblin said the authority has been working with APS to verify its application and said the district has been generally pretty sound.

He said Oct. 11 is the tentative date for the awards announcement.

Wijenje said security assessments have been done at all APS schools and each will eventually get uniform security upgrades regardless of how much money the district may get from the state.

What an award will do is accelerate this process such that more of our students and families will have their schools receive adequate security equipment faster, he told the Journal.

Security initiatives have become an amplified priority for schools across the country after 17 people were killed in a mass shooting at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February. The incident sparked a national movement on gun violence and school safety.

APS submitted seven grant applications, each with 10 schools prioritized per state requirements.

Wijenje said the 70 schools represent roughly one-third of the schools statewide that are expected to apply for the money, which matches APS ratio of schools in the state.

Location, traffic and pedestrian patterns, existing security and crime in the area of the school were all factors into prioritizing which schools were addressed first.

If we receive funding for all the requests, it will take approximately six to nine months to complete procurement, design and installation of all the hardware applied for at 70 schools, Wijenje said.

Each project in APS applications had a summary of how the measures will improve the schools security and the total project cost.

The most expensive project estimate, totalling $313,926, was for West Mesa High School, including $10,609 for fencing, $59,140 to put into securing doors and $150,000 for a secure entryway.

The APS Board of Education unanimously voted to apply for the security grants at Wednesdays meeting.
WHAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION BACKUP ON I-40? Zeeandjohn asks via email, What sort of road work is being done on Interstate 40, and when is it going to be finished? It has been months, and little is being done. For instance, (on a recent Friday) traffic started backing up at Coors, barrels started at the east end of the bridge and no one was doing anything until near Fourth where one or two people seemed to be making desultory efforts at something. This was in the last couple hundred yards of the work. The work seems to be either unnecessary, under the auspices of incompetents, or both.

Kimberly Gallegos, spokeswoman for NMDOT District 3, explains, The concrete repair work being done on I-40 is taking place in segments. The frustration that drivers experience is understandable, but the reason they will see the work zone blocked off and sometimes no one currently performing work is due to the concrete that is curing. It takes several hours for the concrete to cure, and because of this, no traffic is allowed to pass over it during this time. Lots of overnight work has taken place in order to not inconvenience drivers; however, some daytime work is necessary.

According to NMDOTs project website, the expected completion date: Summer 2019.

MORE ON THAT UNFUNDED ROUNDABOUT: After a recent column item on there being no funding for a proposed roundabout at Rio Grande and Mountain, a reader emails: (City) Councilor (Isaac) Benton (was) promoting this ridiculous idea yet again at the Land Use meeting (Aug. 15). How many times is he going to close down Rio Grande  remember ART closures  before completely killing Old Town businesses?

And she adds, The city wants to build the traffic circle sooner or later, whenever the money becomes available. I felt the original answer was a misdirection and did not address the concerns of those of us who oppose the project.

Diane Dolan, policy analyst for Benton, explains, There is currently no funding to pursue a roundabout at Rio Grande and Mountain, which was the preferred of two options for the intersection studied in the Rio Grande Complete Street Concept Plan. Councilor Benton did get $750K in the 2017 GO bonds for implementation of a few of the other segments:

 Cross section Aspen to Mountain phase 1

 Bellamah Ave. intersection

 Pueblo Bonito median

 Hollywood pedestrian crossing

 Striping between Central and Alhambra

The plan estimates the cost of the roundabout at $2.69 million; no funding sources have been identified yet for design. Nothing Councilor Benton (has said) conflicts with this; there is still no funding for the roundabout at this time. The bill he has introduced simply adopts this plan as policy. Funding would still have to be secured before design can even begin.

LOST IN THE U.S. 550 CONSTRUCTION: Reader georgekey1955 emails, There need to be signs saying Business Access on 550 for the businesses that (are) in the road-construction zone. After three attempts to cross  to an IHOP on the north side, we were finally able to do so. Its dangerous for all as there are many large trucks and pieces of heavy equipment working at the same time. Some help is needed for both the customers and the businesses. Hope you can get someones attention on this matter, IHOP has tried with no success.

Gallegos says, I checked with the project manager, and she informed me that there are signs for restaurants and even for IHOP. So I am not sure if they just did not see it or if it had blown over.

BUMPING ONTO PASEO DEL NORTE: Finally, a reader emails, When is the DOT going to address the horrendous transition between the asphalt and concrete at the Wyoming and San Pedro intersections on PdN?

Gallegos says the need is on the states radar. She adds, We have special equipment coming in to help smooth the transitions in this area! Work is being scheduled in the very near future!

Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103.
NEW YORK  Allegations that disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick engaged in sex with adult seminarians have inflamed a long-running debate about the presence of gay men in the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Some conservatives are calling for a purge of all gay priests, a challenging task given that they are believed to be numerous and few are open about their sexual orientation. Moderates want the church to eliminate the need for secrecy by proclaiming that gay men are welcome if they can be effective priests who commit to celibacy.

Among the most outspoken moderates is the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer whose book, Building a Bridge, envisions a path toward warmer relations between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community.

The idea of a purge of gay priests is both ridiculous and dangerous, Martin said in an email. Any purge would empty parishes and religious orders of the thousands of priests (and bishops) who lead healthy lives of service and faithful lives of celibacy.

That outlook infuriates some conservative Catholics.

Citing McCarricks case, Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute, which promotes traditional Catholic teaching, says there must be a complete and thorough removal of all homosexual clergymen from the church.

It is going to be difficult and will likely result in a very serious priest shortage, Hichborn said. But its definitely worth the effort.

While the McCarrick scandal has intensified debate in the U.S. about gays in the priesthood, its a global issue. Recent gay priest sex scandals have surfaced in Chile, Honduras, France and Italy.

In the U.S., where investigations may determine if church leaders turned a blind eye to McCarricks penchant for young seminarians, there have been follow-up allegations of sexual misconduct in seminaries. Cardinal Sean OMalley of Boston, who said Monday that he didnt see a letter sent to his office by a priest in 2015 concerning McCarricks activities, recently announced an investigation into his diocesan seminary.

Catholic teaching, when it comes to homosexuality, is nuanced. The church says gays should be treated with dignity and respect, yet it has long taught that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.

In 2005, the Vatican stated that even celibate gays should not be priests, saying church leaders cannot accept seminary applicants who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.'

Pope Francis has reaffirmed this policy, despite his famous Who am I to judge? comment in 2013 when asked about a purportedly gay priest.

In a May meeting with Italian bishops, Francis said, If theres even the slightest doubt, better to not accept them into seminary, according to participants at the closed-door session.

On the front lines in implementing that policy are priests like the Rev. Thomas Berg, admissions director at St. Josephs Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has reduced the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction.

As for gays already serving as priests, Berg says he doesnt advocate a witch hunt to root them out. But he says the church needs to identify sexually active priests, challenge them to repent, and consider their removal from the priesthood.

Berg proposes that dioceses appoint independent watchdogs  ideally people with law enforcement background  to receive and assess anonymous allegations of clergy sexual misconduct.

Our problem is sexually active priests who are breaking their commitment to celibacy, Berg said. That wreaks havoc.

Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates equality for LGBT Catholics, questioned the effectiveness of the seminary screening process.

Anecdotally, what were finding is that the policy encourages people to lie, DeBernardo said. If a man feels called to the priesthood, hell rationalize that he should not admit his sexuality.

The effort to exclude gays complicates things for those who do become priests, DeBernardo added.

The institutional leaders want to promote a message that gay men should not exist in the priesthood, he said. So they dont offer healthy, holy examples of gay priests who are living their celibacy in effective ways.

Rome-based journalist Robert Mickens, a veteran of Vatican coverage, argued in a recent essay that the church should be more forthright in acknowledging the substantial presence of gay priests.

Rather than encourage a healthy discussion about how gays can commit themselves to celibate chastity in a wholesome way, the Churchs official policies and teachings drive such men even deeper into the closet, Mickens wrote.

Some conservative Catholics blame the climate of secrecy directly on gay clergy, contending there is a homosexual subculture in many dioceses and seminaries.

Numerous reports from clergy and seminarians are coming out worldwide which confirm the existence of networks of homosexually active men who cover for each other, said the Rev. Paul Sullins, who has taught sociology at Catholic University in Washington.

The current debate over gay priests is framed by the allegations against McCarrick  that he allegedly had sex with adult seminarians as well as abusing minors. Pope Francis ordered him removed from public ministry in June.

In past years, the debate has often focused on the problem of child sex abuse by priests  and the extent to which homosexuality played a role. Those questions are being revisited following the recent release of a grand jury report in Pennsylvania detailing alleged sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by about 300 priests in six dioceses over a 70-year period.

A study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, released in 2011, concluded that gay priests were no more likely than straight priests to abuse minors. Some conservatives, noting that about 80 percent of the abuse victims were male, nonetheless cite the findings to advocate for a purge of gay priests.

One of the top conservatives in the U.S. Catholic leadership, Cardinal Raymond Burke, indicated this month that he favors at least a partial purge.

Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root, he said in an interview with Catholic Action for Faith and Family, a conservative advocacy group.

What is needed is an honest investigation into the alleged situations of grave immorality followed by effective action to sanction those responsible, Burke said. Shepherds can go astray  and then must be appropriately disciplined and even dismissed from the clerical state.

One of Burkes moderate colleagues, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, sounded a different tone in an interview with the Jesuit magazine America.

I really believe that the issue here is more about a culture of clericalism in which some who are ordained feel they are privileged and therefore protected so that they can do what they want, Cupich said. People, whether heterosexual or homosexual, need to live by the Gospel.

___

Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield, who covers the Vatican for the AP, contributed to this report.
LAS CRUCES  Annual school report cards released by the New Mexico Public Education Department on Friday issued grades of D or F to 40 percent of Las Cruces public schools, slightly below the state average, with five A grades compared to four last year.

PED issued grades to 40 schools in the district. B grades decreased to 8 from 11 last year and C grades remained flat at 11. Ds were up slightly at 11 compared to nine last year. Schools receiving failing grades remained flat with five, and one school, Mesilla Valley Alternative Middle School, received its third consecutive F.

Responding to the report cards, Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Greg Ewing noted that four schools improved by one grade, and two  Cesar Chavez and MacArthur Elementary  went up by two grades.

No schools dropped by more than one grade, and 19 (nearly half of the 40 district schools) repeated their grade from last year.

More: Results show grades for New Mexico schools remain flat

Data provided by the district indicate the percentage of Las Cruces schools earning As closely mirrors the statewide trend, while a lower percentage of district schools earned failing grades:12.5 percent in Las Cruces compared to 14.59 percent across New Mexico.

In a statement, Education Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski said the statewide trend indicates the states plan for compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is working. Ruszkowski said, Its harder to earn an A than ever before and our students and schools are rising to the challenge.

Ewing argued that the formula used to assess the grades, including scores on the annual PARCC exam, is opaque.

Since we dont fully understand how the states value-added model plays into the overall calculation of school grades, its difficult for schools to predict their grades, Ewing said in a written statement. As a result, its also difficult for schools to know what they need to do in order to improve them.

Algernon DAmmassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonActor on Twitter.

School grades

Alameda Elementary: C (last year: B)

Arrowhead Park Early College High: A (A)

Arrowhead Park Medical Academy: B (A)

Booker T. Washington Elementary: C (D)

Camino Real Middle: C (B)

Central Elementary: D (C)

Cesar Chavez Elementary: A (C)

Columbia Elementary: B (B)

Conlee Elementary: F (D)

Desert Hills Elementary: A (A)

Dona Ana Elementary: C (C)

East Picacho Elementary: C (C)

Fairacres Elementary: C (B)

Hermosa Heights Elementary: D (D)

Highland Elementary: B (B)

Hillrise Elementary: C (C)

Jornada Elementary: B (B)

Las Cruces High: C (C)

Loma Heights Elementary: B (C)

Lynn Middle: D (F)

MacArthur Elementary: C (F)

Mayfield High: D (C)

Mesa Middle: D (D)

Mesilla Elementary: D (C)

Mesilla Park: B (B)

Mesilla Valley Alternative: F (F)

Monte Vista Elementary: A (B)

Onate High: C (B)

Picacho Middle: D (C)

Rio Grande Preparatory Institute: D (D)

Sierra Middle: F (D)

Sonoma Elementary: C (C)

Sunrise Elementary: F (F)

Tombaugh Elementary: D (D)

University Hills Elementary: B (B)

Valley View Elementary: F (F)

Vista Middle: D (C)

White Sands Elementary: A (A)

Zia Middle: D (D)



2018 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.)

Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Taiwan is responding to China's arms buildup by developing missiles and interceptors of its own that could reduce Beijing's military advantage over the self-ruled island, defense experts say.

Since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, Taiwan has deployed one set of missiles, perfected another and sped production of a third, the analysts say, in the latest sign of how it's handling a Chinese military threat that is raising the chances of an armed confrontation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken a hard line against advocates of independence for Taiwan and has sent warships, bombers and fighter planes on training missions circling the democratic island in a show of strength.

While Beijing has an increasingly overwhelming military advantage, Taiwan's missile systems advance its odds of holding off China in asymmetrical warfare, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan. The term refers to effective resistance of an enemy with targeted firepower rather than overwhelming force.

"Taiwan with limited resources can only invest in the area that would create some kind of asymmetrical advantage, which would dissuade the Chinese from taking actions," Huang said. "President Tsai has committed more or at least expressed willingness to invest more in the asymmetrical capability."

The two sides have been separately ruled since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, and China still claims sovereignty over Taiwan. Beijing has not ruled out using force to unify the sides, a threat it has highlighted amid Tsai's continuing rejection of its demand that both interact as parts of a single Chinese nation.

Hsiung Feng IIE missiles built in Taiwan have been deployed to hit military bases in China up to 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) away, said David An, senior research fellow with the policy incubator Global Taiwan Institute in Washington, D.C.

Those missiles also underwent a "substantial upgrade" last year to increase their effectiveness against ships, An said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has stepped up production of its indigenous Wan Chien air-to-ground cruise missiles by about 100, An added.

Backing up those improvements, the locally developed Tien Kung system can now intercept Chinese missiles at ranges of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles), An said. PAVE PAW, a U.S. long-range early warning radar system located in Taiwan's high central mountain range, would track incoming missiles or aircraft.

Taiwanese Defense Ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi declined to confirm deployment of the Hsiung Feng IIE missiles after the military news website Kanwa Defense Review posted photos indicating they were situated about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of the capital, Taipei, near the island's major international airport. Kanwa did not answer requests for comment.

China's Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comments on Taiwan's missile program.

"They are looking more at building their land-based military capabilities," said Collin Koh, maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

To pressure Tsai into meeting its demands, the communist leadership has flown military aircraft near the island a dozen times and passed China's only functioning aircraft carrier through the 160-kilometer (100-mile) ocean strait separating them.

China has a powerful arsenal of missiles targeting Taiwan and raised its military budget by 8.1 percent this year, compared to Taiwan's increase of about 2 percent in 2017-2018. China is building warships at a world-setting pace, while also developing stealth fighters and bomb-delivering vehicles that travel at up to six times the speed of sound.

Military experts call the deployment of the Hsiung Feng IIE missiles likely. "It has been successfully developed," said Andrew Yang, a former Taiwanese defense minister and current secretary general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies think tank. "They've test fired many times and called it successful."

China and Taiwan have never fought a full-scale war, though in the late 1950s, China shelled outlying islands controlled by Taiwan without taking them. Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou eased tensions during his 2008-2016 term by allowing talks with China on Beijing's terms, but frictions have resumed under Tsai.

Success in an asymmetric war would hinge on Taiwan's budget, the ability of its hardware and China's attack strategy, military analysts say.

Taiwan's current crop of missiles can probably hit ships and sink transport vessels, An said. Taiwan should also focus on resisting an amphibious landing, which China's People's Liberation Army Navy "has not demonstrated the ability to do without significant cost," he said.

Taiwan still lags in submarines and stealth aircraft, An said. It looks to the United States for much of its air force fleet and hopes Washington will license it diesel-electric submarine technology.

China routinely denounces defense cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S., but has been unable to prevent what limited arms sales and exchanges have occurred. Last Monday, President Donald Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, which among its clauses calls for a "comprehensive assessment of Taiwan's military forces" with an eye toward helping them.

"Taiwan's greatest promise is the hope that the United States and its allies could decide to assist Taiwan if and when Taiwan is under threat," An said.
ROCKVILLE, Md.  Melania Trump talked up the importance of teaching children positive cyber habits Monday on the same morning that her husband sent tweets deriding current and former U.S. officials, including one message referring to a former CIA director as a political hack.

Asked about the contradictory messages, the first ladys office said in a statement that she is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does.

Mrs. Trump delivered brief remarks to help open a government-sponsored summit called Federal Partners on Bullying Prevention, encouraging social media and technology companies to provide more opportunities for young people to share ideas for how to be good citizens online.

But the split screen of the first lady encouraging children to act a certain way when they see President Donald Trump behaving in the opposite way underscored the challenge Mrs. Trump faces with her Be Best campaign. A key focus is on youth cyberbullying.

Mrs. Trump spoke highly of a group of students she recently met who participate in Microsofts Council for Digital Good. The students provide the computer software maker with ideas and feedback for Microsofts policy work on youth-centered online safety.

She told the summit at the Health Resources and Services Administration building in Rockville how impressed she was by their deep understanding of how important it is to be safe and said she was inspired by their sincere commitment to reducing peer-to-peer bullying through kindness and open communication.

I encourage technology and social media companies, schools and community groups, to establish more opportunities for children such as Microsofts Council for Digital Good, the first lady said. By listening to childrens ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate this often-difficult topic.

Lets face it: Most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits.

After speaking, Mrs. Trump took a seat in the front row and listened as a panel featuring representatives from Facebook, Google, Twitter and the nonprofit Family Online Safety Institute talk about how theyre responding to the issue.

As the panelists spoke, Trump sent fresh tweets about John Brennan, calling him the worst CIA Director in our countrys history and a political hack. Brennan, who led the CIA under President Barack Obama, a Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of Trump, a Republican, over his performance and behavior as president. Trump recently revoked Brennans security clearance.

Trump also tweeted against Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who has come under Republican scrutiny for his contacts to Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS. The opposition research firm hired former British spy Christopher Steele during the 2016 presidential campaign to compile a dossier on Trump and his Russia ties. Ohrs wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS during the campaign  and Trump has been tweeting about the connection to highlight his assertions of political bias behind the Russia investigation.

Trump tweeted Monday: Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions Justice Department? A total joke!

Trump said last week that he was close to revoking Ohrs security clearance, too.

The first ladys appearance at the conference came as part of her campaign to help children Be Best, which also includes an emphasis on child well-being overall and opioid addition.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the Health Resources and Services Administration, which sponsored the conference and which his department oversees, began an anti-bullying campaign in 2001 to help raise awareness. He said one in five children experience bullying, and that 16 percent of children currently are victims of cyberbullying.

We need to recognize that bullying is bullying wherever it occurs, Azar said. And we need to stop it.

The conference also heard from Joseph Grunwald, who described his experiences being bullied during middle and high school. Grunwald said the bullying started as taunts on the school bus and grew into physical harassment by high school, including violence. He did not go into detail.

As the same time, he said he was also being harassed on social media.

Because the bullying was also online, I couldnt escape it, no matter where I was, Grunwald said.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap
MISSOURI CITY, Texas  A female employee opened fire at a Houston-area food distribution center early Monday, killing a company manager and wounding another worker, police said.

The shooter, identified by police as Kristine Peralez, 38, was also killed in the attack, which happened around 2:30 a.m. at the Ben E. Keith facility in Missouri City, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Houston.

Police Chief Mike Berezin said the woman walked outside the warehouse after the shooting and was confronted by a responding officer.

We actually had an officer that engaged the shooter, he said. Whether or not the shooter actually was hit by one of our officers bullets or if it was self-inflicted, were not totally sure at this point.

Peralez was pronounced dead at a hospital. She had worked for the company for about two years, according to police Capt. Paul Poulton.

The overnight manager who died was identified as Francisco Reyes. The other wounded worker was listed in stable condition at a hospital.

Poulton said it was too early to discuss a motive, but he noted that Peralez posted a message on social media indicating that something significant was about to happen. The post provided no specifics.

Berezin said earlier during a brief news conference that the attack happened during the overnight shift, when fewer workers were on duty. Officers were conducting interviews with the 20 to 25 people working in the area at the time, he said.

Several workers had spoken with the shooter before the gunfire began, Berezin said.
DENVER  A Colorado man told police that he killed his pregnant wife in a rage when he discovered she had strangled their two daughters after he sought a separation, according to an arrest affidavit released on Monday.

Colorado prosecutors, though, filed formal charges earlier in the day, accusing the former oil and gas worker of murdering his entire family days before he was interviewed by local television stations and pleaded for his missing familys safe return home.

Christopher Watts, who is being held without bail, is due back in court on Tuesday morning to be advised of the charges filed against him.

District Attorney Michael Rourke declined to answer most questions about the case Monday but said his office has three prosecutors assigned to it. Rourke also said it was too early to discuss whether he will seek the death penalty.

Under state law, the top punishment for homicide is the death penalty or life in prison.

The arrest affidavit was sealed at prosecutors request until Monday, a frequent request in Colorado as prosecutors determine what charges to file after someone has been arrested.

After filing charges, prosecutors asked a judge on Monday to unseal it  revealing Watts confession that he had killed his wife and his accusation that she was responsible for the deaths of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. The document also says police confirmed that Christopher Watts was having an affair with a co-worker, something he denied in earlier conversations with investigators.

According to the affidavit, early on the morning of Aug. 13 Christopher Watts told his wife that he wanted to separate. She had returned from a business trip a few hours before their conversation.

Watts told police that he walked downstairs, leaving his wife in their bedroom. When he returned, Watts said he checked a baby monitor on Shananns nightstand and saw his wife strangling their youngest daughter. He said the monitor also showed their oldest daughter sprawled on her bed, looking blue.

Watts, 33, said he then went into a rage and strangled his wife.

He told police that he loaded all three bodies into his work truck, and then he buried his wife at an oil work site and dumped the bodies of Bella and Celeste inside oil tanks.

Autopsies have been completed but not released. A judge on Friday denied a request by defense lawyer James Merson to require the coroner to collect DNA from the necks of the children.

Watts faces three first-degree murder charges, two counts of murdering a child, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

The charges come a week after a friend reported Shanann Watts, 34, and the girls missing.

Before his arrest last week, Christopher Watts lamented in interviews with local television stations about missing his wife and daughters. He spoke in front of their home in Frederick, a small town on the grassy plains north of Denver where fast-growing subdivisions intermingle with drilling rigs and oil wells.

Police spoke with Watts several times before he was arrested late on Wednesday, according to the affidavit. It says Watts initially told police that his conversation with Shanann about a separation was civil but emotional. Watts later told police that both he and his wife were upset and crying and Shanann told him she was going to a friends house that day.

The bodies were found on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of Colorados largest oil and gas drillers, where Watts had worked as an operator. He was fired on Wednesday. Court documents filed by Merson said the girls had been submerged in crude oil for four days.

The affidavit says Watts gave police an aerial photograph of the area and identified three areas where he placed the bodies. Investigators used a drone to search the area and spotted a bed sheet that matched other linens found in the family home, along with fresh dirt.

Family and friends have said they were shocked by the slayings, saying the family seemed happy and Christopher Watts appeared to be a good father. The social media accounts for Shanann Watts, who was from North Carolina, are filled with photos of the family smiling and playing and posts praising her husband and expressing excitement about the couple expecting their third child.

A June 2015 bankruptcy filing showed that the family was dealing with financial strain, including tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, student loans and medical bills totaling $70,000 in unsecured claims along with a sizable mortgage.

___

Associated Press writer James Anderson contributed to this report.
Extending its brand philosophy of A better life. A better world to the upcoming World Photography Day, Panasonic India, a leader in technology and innovation, has collaborated with Know Disability, an NGO dedicated towards empowering specially abled individuals. As a part of the association, Panasonic is identifying special kids that have a knack for photography and training them under the tutelage the professional photographer Mohit Ahuja, who will be using Panasonic Lumix G Series Cameras for the program. This activity will culminate at the Delhi Photo Fair, on the World Photography Day on August 19, with an event displaying the work captured by these proteges.

Panasonic Lumix, the pioneer in 4K mirrorless cameras, is determined to go #BeyondFrames this World Photography Day, with the aim to transform the struggles of the specially abled kids into joy by helping them envision their perspective. Panasonic is facilitating regular workshops for these children to help them find eccentric ways of expression.

Sarthak Seth, Chief Marketing Officer, Panasonic India commented on the occasion, We are extremely humbled to have partnered with Know Disability, in order to bring together different children and uniting them under the singular notion of photography. We believe that through this activity these kids and many more will dare to dream, and look at developing a passion that helps them see the world through a different lens.

Gaurav Ghavri, Product head, Digital Imaging, Panasonic India,  This World Photography Day, we intend to celebrate the unwavering spirit of the superhuman kids who are transcending the standards put in place by the society. It gives us immense pleasure to be able to allow these children realise their passion and identify their special talent. Considering that super humans arent limited to the conventional frames of society, we came up with the concept of  #BeyondFrames.

Campaign links:
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.
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CAIRO  "Stop philosophizing" say Egyptians to indicate their irritation and boredom when they are treated to a long didactic monologue. To that end, a group of philosophy professors from the American University in Cairo (AUC) started a project in 2017 that aims to change the common belief that philosophy is didactic, boring, elitist and irrelevant to daily life.

Philosophy in Arabic is a series of lectures and workshops on philosophy that are held at AUC and open to students and members of the public. Videos of the lectures are also shared on Facebook. The project aims to simplify philosophical thought and show how philosophy can be applied to the issues of daily life.

The lectures and workshops, which kicked off in July 2017, have celebrated their first anniversary with more than 4,100 followers on Facebook. The professors' attempts to get the students and the public more interested in philosophy also attracted the attention of the local and international media, such as London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper and Cairo 360 website.

The organizers, most of whom are philosophy professors at AUC, said that the starting point of the project was to rekindle the public interest on philosophy through a series of weekly lectures and workshops. These sessions are advertised on Facebook, as there is no budget for publicity.

Initially, the lectures were only attended by philosophy students from AUC or other universities. But gradually, the public interest increased on both the Facebook page and in the lectures, particularly after the videos of the lectures were posted online. Today, at least half of the participants are members of the public who wish to learn more about philosophy.

The lectures have catchy titles such as Is philosophy haram?" What is freedom? What is diversity? and What is tolerance? They include discussions on the events of Egypt's January 25 Revolution projecting philosophical ideas in the context of the revolution.

Commenting on the success of the workshop in attracting the attention of the media and social media users, Yousra Hamouda, who has a master's degree in philosophy from AUC and is the mastermind behind "Philosophy in Arabic," told Al-Monitor that the initiators criteria had been, from the start of the project, attracting people from different cultural backgrounds and age groups. She said that many young women actively participate in the online discussions that follow the seminars.

Hamouda said that the lectures offer a general introduction to philosophical topics such as the concepts of identity, freedom, sense of belonging and religion, with an overview on philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, a 19th-century German philosopher known as the father of modern philosophy; Roger Garaudy, a 20th-century French philosopher who converted to Islam; and Ibn Rushd, also known as Averroes, a 12th-century Arab thinker.

Hamouda explained that the lectures aim at bridging the gap between the different views of philosophers and what is happening on the ground in modern times. The participants are invited to come up with scenarios of what, for example, Ibn Rushd would think of the January 25 Revolution and other major events.

Wafaa Wali, one of the organizers who has a master's degree in philosophy from AUC, told Al-Monitor that some people believe philosophy is complicated, not relevant to daily life and limited to only an elitist group of people.

We have been battling against this kind of stereotype, stressing that philosophy is entrenched in the daily lives of people, Wali said. She presented a lecture titled The Philosophy of Education, discussing the ideas of German philosopher and critic Friedrich Nietzsches definition, outlook and criteria of success for an education system. Wali then moderated the discussion of why a good education system is key for the Egyptian people and what that system should be.

Fatima Mansour, a student at AUC's faculty of education who attended the forum on education, told Al-Monitor that she had enjoyed the session because she plans to work in the field of education after she graduates. After she was introduced to Nietzsche's ideas on education, she became more convinced of the rigid curricula taught at schools to be in direct conflict with the real education experience, she told Al-Monitor. Didactic education and rigidity  fail to give students a real opportunity to learn and deprive them of learning through their own experience and trial and error," she said.

Sharif Salem, a lecturer at the AUC Department of Philosophy, told Al-Monitor that while the initiative aims to simplify philosophical concepts, it does not intend for students to just memorize definitions or to learn philosophers and their ideas by heart. On the contrary, he said, Philosophy in Arabic aims to help students reflect and develop their own ideas on current questions and challenges using philosophy as a tool, just like the great philosophers did in the past.

It does not matter if students do not reach accurate answers; philosophy teaches them how to establish a method of thinking to deal with most aspects of life, Salem said.

Mohammed Ibrahim, a student at the faculty of engineering who attends the lectures, told Al-Monitor that he enjoyed the lecture on the concept of freedom. He said that he now realizes that equating freedom with lawlessness or breaking laws is a common misconception. This is wrong not only because [not being bound by laws] leads to chaos, but also because the law is the only guarantee for everyone to have the minimum basic rights. Without laws, people would have free rein to do whatever they want, but this would be at the expense of the rights and freedoms of marginalized groups. The traffic law, for example, restricts the freedom of some to speed, but guarantees the safety and security of everyone else, he said.

Hassan Abu al-Magd, a philosophy student who attended the same lecture, told Al-Monitor that the concept of freedom was discussed in relation to the January 25 Revolution and subsequent events. He said that the lecture shed light on the importance of philosophy in the reconciliation between ideals and reality.

He also spoke of the pros and cons of direct and indirect suffrage, saying, For example political freedom must be exercised through the ballot box. Everyone must cast their vote, then let their elected representatives rule. A direct vote on each and every decision may not lead to chaos but would slow the process of decision-making. This was what led to the collapse of Athens during its war with Sparta. Platos ideas about direct democracy and that the people are the source of all authorities were undermined, he said.
CAIRO  The Egyptian Finance Ministry has begun implementing the Government Financial Management Information System (GFMIS), which will facilitate the electronic monitoring of state agencies financial performance and public accounts. While the attempt to control public expenditures and keep a tight rein on the financial transactions of government agencies, ministries and governorates might be laudable, the success of the system  part of the economic reforms the government has been implementing since November 2016  will depend on how well it is implemented and agencies' and employees' compliance.

The parliament on July 25 passed the Government Accountability Law, which includes provisions greenlighting the e-system's implementation to manage budget accounts. To that end, it requires government agencies to create e-payment orders with e-signatures, eliminating paper checks except when absolutely necessary. The agencies are also required to collect revenues through an electronic system.

The government paved the way for a new financial management system in August 2017, when it announced a two-part initiative to manage the budget. The first phase involved an electronic system for outlays and collection, and the second phase was the GFMIS, through which the Ministry of Finance will monitor and manage government agencies accounts and budgets.

The initial step in the first phase was the introduction in early August 2017 of payroll cards for paying employee salaries. The government issued some 4.9 million such cards, allowing employees to obtain their salaries from ATMs. The implementation of this process served to train Ministry of Finance representatives across government agencies for the second phase, that is, the broader use of GFMIS for overseeing accounts and budgets.

On Aug. 9, the Ministry of Finance instructed its employees in the various agencies to begin using GFMIS. The ministry is supposed to submit its first report assessing how the system is functioning on Sept. 30 at the latest.

Al-Ahram on Aug. 3 had reported Finance Minister Mohamed Maait explaining, The ministry opted for the Administrative Control Authority to be the first government agency to have in its hands the systems implementation tools allowing every official to follow up on all the financial transactions relevant to his agency via an e-network linking him to the state budgets account.

All ministers, governors, heads of courts and heads of administrative bodies have since been equipped with screens and connected to the monitoring system to check financial performance. Egypt has been committed to an economic reform program since it signed a three-year, $12 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in November 2016. So far, it has received $8 billion, with the fourth installment of $2 billion being disbursed last month.

Yomn al-Hamaki, a professor of economics at Ain Shams University, thinks the new system is a good step, albeit late. She explained to Al-Monitor that it is the first effective measure that the government has taken to optimize expenditures and to control and reduce the budget deficit since embarking on economic reforms.

Hamaki said that the goal is to realize the reform programs objectives of optimizing expenditures and combating corruption. She noted, however, that the government has failed to resolve the problems that have led to overspending, that is, the accumlated debts and losses of state-owned public companies, in short, the squandering of public funds, including government officials being involved in bribery and other forms of corruption.

Fakhry al-Fekky, former IMF assistant executive director, told Al-Monitor that 816 agencies have a financial account in the general budget, yet no effective system had been in place to monitor them. The absence of financial performance and account monitoring have contributed to budget deficits and hence a waste of public funds.

Egypt ranked 117th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index, nine positions worse than in 2016, when it ranked 108th out of 176 countries.

The government has been making some effort to curb corruption, with the Administrative Control Authority referring a number of officials to the judiciary in the past few months. In one case, Gamal Abdelazim, head of the Customs Authority, was arrested July 9 for accepting bribes in exchange for allowing banned goods into the country and reducing fines.

Rashad Abdo, a lecturer at Cairo University, called the new system a crucial step on the path toward tightening control over government agencies spending by monitoring adherence to the budget submitted to the Ministry of Planning and incorporated into the general budget.

According to Abdo, the systems success is conditioned on its professional implementation and the commitment of government agencies in complying with it. He believes that none of the agencies will impede implementation as the optimization of expenditures is a pressing matter for the state.
After the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, a widespread fear among Iranian hard-liners was that the United States and Western European countries would begin to infiltrate key institutions in Iran and attempt to influence domestic cultural, political and economic policy. The word infiltrate, which was first introduced by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, became a catchall phrase used by hard-liners to disparage anyone who expressed openness to broader ties with the West. One group receiving particular attention during this time was dual nationals working within the managerial and executive positions within the Hassan Rouhani administration.

Given the focus over dual nationals, parliaments foreign policy and national security commission initiated a special investigation. On Aug. 20, Ali Najafi Khoshroudi, spokesman for the commission, read the report during an open session on the parliament floor.

Khoshroudi said there are a number of dual nationals working within the government, including four people at the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, three people at the Iranian Red Crescent Society, two people at the State Welfare Organization and four people at the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution. This would put the total at 13, though some websites claimed there were a total of 17. According to the report, there are six individuals at the Ministry of Culture and Guidance whose names were given to the Foreign Ministry for review due to suspicions about them being dual nationals.

Khoshroudi added that there are laws restricting the employment of dual nationals within government positions. According to Iranian media reports, dual nationals were given three months to quit their government assignments before facing punishment. According to parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, the Intelligence Ministry presented the names of the dual nationals to the commission.

Khoshroudi said there is currently no data bank of dual nationals working in government positions in the country. Officials can enter Iran with their Iranian identification cards and keep their foreign passports hidden from authorities. Khoshroudi recommended a data bank be created by the Foreign Ministry and be put at the discretion of the intelligence services of the country for review and supervision.

Abolfazl Aboutorabi, a member of parliament who worked on the report, said that the children of a number of officials are also dual citizens and that one official even had Scottish citizenship. According to Fararu website, 1.2 million Iranians are dual nationals. The parliamentarians who worked on the report, however, stressed that Iranian dual nationals will not be targeted; rather, the focus will be to prevent the employment of dual nationals as ambassadors, ministers and governors.

That assurance may fall on deaf ears. According to Khoshroudi, One of the most important cases of penetration in Iran that took place from dual nationals is related to Mohammad Bagher Namazi and his son Siamak Namazi. The Namazis, Iranian-Americans, are serving 10-year sentences for cooperating with the hostile American government. Though they did not work with the administration, they are part of a dozen or so dual nationals currently being held in Iran with vague charges that have been condemned by international rights groups.

With tensions rising between Iran and the United States, and with Iran attempting to clean house with a domestic anti-corruption campaign, the list has the potential to become an explosive weapon against the Rouhani administration.
In the 25 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO, Israel stuck tenaciously to a single, clear policy. It would engage in negotiations with the PLO (and later with Palestinian Authority [PA] leadership) and wage a relentless war against Hamas terrorism, which was seen as being the greatest foe of the two-state solution.

For the first time ever, Israeli policy is changing right before our eyes and becoming the exact opposite of what it once was. The current government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Education Minister Naftali Bennett may be the most right-wing government in Israeli history, but now it is isolating the PA and conducting negotiations with Hamas. Israel is punishing the entity with which it signed a long list of agreements and rewarding Hamas  even though it still does not recognize Israel and remains committed to its underlying goal of destroying the Jewish state and expelling its Jewish population to wherever they came from.

The consequences of this move are almost impossible to imagine. Sitting in Ramallah is an aging Palestinian leader  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas  who is committed to the war against terrorism and keeping Palestinian agreements with Israel. His security forces cooperate with Israel in wiping out terrorism, since they regard Hamas as an existential threat no less than Israel does. And yet despite all this, today, in 2018, Abbas is isolated, irrelevant and under siege. He is being thrown under a bus being driven by Netanyahu, Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, Liberman and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

All of this is happening despite the unequivocal recommendations and warnings of the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet. They claim that Abbas must not be kept out of the picture, and that any agreement reached between Israel and Hamas that does not involve the PA and does not make Ramallah responsible for moneys flowing into Gaza poses a threat to the stability of the PA if not the entire region.

The underlying impression is that everyone is ignoring these warnings. This includes the Egyptians, Qataris, Americans and Europeans. As far as Egypt is concerned, reaching a state of calm between Hamas and Israel is a strategic necessity that would allow it to focus its attention on its fight against the Islamic State in the Sinai Peninsula by neutralizing Hamas as a player in that regional conflict. These days, Qatar is the major supporter of Hamas, and was, until recently, treated with disdain by Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Liberman had no qualms about meeting the special Qatari emissary to Gaza, Mohammad al-Amadi, in Cyprus on June 22  as was reported by Channel 10 (and never denied)  during a summit of defense ministers representing Greece, Israel and Cyprus.

The process is very risky. Similar to the disengagement process in which Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Israel is once again missing an opportunity to prove to the people of Gaza that terrorism does not pay. It is missing an opportunity to show that following Hamas path will eventually lead to a dead end at best and a deadly abyss at worst.

An Israeli-Hamas arrangement would reduce pressure on Gaza. Hamas will receive a seaport in Cyprus (under Israeli supervision), the supply of electricity will be improved and the salaries of government bureaucrats in Gaza will be paid. But all of this would actually prove yet again that Israel only understands force, and that the incendiary kites launched from Gaza into Israel and the marches of return on the border fence can cause Israel to fold, just as terrorism caused Ariel Sharon to withdraw unilaterally from the Gaza Strip.

Liberman explains things differently. He says that Israel is not negotiating with Hamas and there will be no official calm between the two parties. Instead, he speaks of the need to drive a wedge between the people of Gaza and Hamas and to do everything to ensure that the Arab Spring finally reaches Gaza.

Liberman does not speak about the real reason motivating him and his partner Netanyahu to continue defending Hamas. He does not explain why he opposes any initiative or even the slightest hint that he intends to fulfill his old election promise to topple the Hamas regime in Gaza. He and Netanyahu are more worried about the possibility of the Palestinian Ramallah leadership returning to Gaza and reuniting the wayward territory with the West Bank, since this would present to the world at large and President Donald Trump in particular a Palestinian partner that is not torn apart by internal divisions. In other words, Israel could have once again a potential partner for negotiations.

For Liberman, Netanyahu and even Bennett, this scenario would be the fulfillment of all their worst nightmares. The nightmare only got worse on the evening of Aug. 19, after Channel 10 reported on a meeting between Trump and King Abdullah of Jordan. The two leaders discussed the possibility of letting the two-state solution die and replacing it with a single state solution, with equal rights for everyone. Under these circumstances, Trump told the king, the prime minister of Israel in a few years will be called Mohammed. Almost immediately, popular Israeli Arab Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi tweeted a correction: President Trump is confused, he wrote. Its not Muhammad. Its Ahmad. (Tibi has been hinting for years that at some point the citizens of Israel will have to choose between Bibi [Netanyahu] and Tibi.)

What Liberman and Netanyahu are trying to do is to double their yield with a single move. They want another year or two of calm in Gaza; at the same time, they want to reduce the chances of reaching the deal of the century, which Trumps team is still trying to achieve in Washington. They want to make sure that such a deal is never presented at all, or if it is presented, it is not adopted by the Palestinians. Isolating Abbas and making him irrelevant while strengthening Hamas will contribute significantly to fulfilling that. It will enable Netanyahu to continue with his strategy of getting Israelis used to living the good life without a peace process. That is how the most right-wing government in Israels history reached a situation in which it grants its seal of approval to Hamas, a terrorist organization that sanctifies the destruction of Israel, while attacking the PA and the PLO, even though Israel has already signed a long list of agreements.

All that remains to be done is to try and imagine this policy under a left-wing government in Israel. The streets would be in flames, Netanyahu would be leading furious demonstrations and Liberman would focus his rage on the traitors among us  as the Israeli right-wing sometimes refers to Israeli left-wingers. The settlers would be running amok, and Bennett would be organizing the masses in loud demonstrations and hunger strikes. None of that is happening now. Every now and then, Bennett attacks Liberman (while being careful not to harm Netanyahu), Liberman then responds to Bennett and that is all. The people are calm. As has been proven time and again, in Israel, only a right-wing government can shift to the left (if such an arrangement with Hamas is considered a shift to the left), and only a left-wing government can shift right.
ALEPPO, Syria  Turkeys Kilis municipality held training sessions for a number of Syrian engineers in the Euphrates Shield area in the countryside of Aleppo from Aug. 3-6 at the headquarters of the Azaz local council. The training was held in cooperation with the Syrian Engineers Organization for Reconstruction and Development and the Shafaq Sham nongovernmental organization.

Twenty-five Syrian engineers from the Euphrates Shield area received free training in various fields, including the development of networks for sewage, water and electricity and methods of developing the municipal services sector. The training aims to transfer the expertise of the Turkish engineers in the municipal sector to Syrian engineers and contribute to the Euphrates Shield areas future development with the support of the Turkish government.

A number of Turkish engineers supervised the training program. The director of the cultural center in Kilis municipality, Mahmut Selcuk, was the general supervisor of the training course held in Azaz. Assisting him were Kilis' planning director, Murat Bilecen, who is an architect, Kilis' project manager Huseyin Azmi Dokuzluoglu, who is a mechanical engineer, and Kilis' water director Begum Bostanci.

In addition to lectures given in Turkish and interpreted into Arabic, lectures were also given in Arabic by two Syrian engineers, Abdullah al-Sagheer, the head of the Syrian Engineers Organization for Reconstruction and Development, and Mohammad Wisho, a member of the organization's board of directors.

Wisho told Al-Monitor, Turkish engineers have extensive experience in the municipal services sector and the development of sewage, water and electricity networks, in addition to other services. In cooperation with Kilis municipality, we wanted to transfer experiences and expertise to the Syrian engineers in the Euphrates Shield area in order to develop the municipal sector so that Syrian citizens can have access to better services.

He added, The Euphrates Shield area is in dire need of securing drinking water for homes in its cities and towns. Drinking water networks topped the priority list that was highlighted during the training and we expect an improvement in this aspect during the coming period through the experience gained by the Syrian engineers. It then comes down to local councils in the area, which must cooperate with engineers to develop the service sector.

There are no abundant water sources in the Euphrates Shield area to secure a constant water supply. Most cities and towns in the area rely on artesian wells. Since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in early 2011 and until now, water networks, sewage systems and other facilities have been destroyed due to aerial bombardments and battles, not to mention neglect.

Turkey began Operation Euphrates Shield on Aug. 24, 2016, against the Islamic State in the countryside of Aleppo. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Turkish army took control of the area on Feb. 23, 2017. It was only then that municipal services started improving in general, after local councils were formed with the support of the Turkish government. Local councils then started receiving direct support from Turkey to further develop the service sector.

Sagheer told Al-Monitor, Training workshops for Syrian engineers in this area will carry on for the coming months. Our training will target 200 engineers working in several service sectors. We took the structure of services in Kilis as a model to try to replicate in this area, particularly in terms of water treatment plants, water networks, water resource management and sewage systems.

He added, The governor of Kilis and Turkish officials there have shown great interest in our training sessions. Our purpose is to meet Syrian engineers in the area and develop their skills with the help of Turkish engineers so we can employ them for projects that Turkey supports in the area.

Sagheer said, We hope for more Turkish support for the local councils in the Euphrates Shield area and Afrin in the countryside of Aleppo. Local councils here need this extra support so they can implement large service projects and repair sewage and water networks. In addition, a greater financial support allows local councils to hire trained Syrian engineers in various service sectors.

Mohammad Omar, the director of the service office for the Azaz local council and who attended the training, told Al-Monitor, The training was very useful for us as Syrian engineers working in the service sectors in Aleppos countryside. We can benefit from the Turkish experiences in the development of electricity, water, roads, sewage networks and other service sectors. The Turkish engineers have given us a great experience and we hope that these sessions will be repeated and include as many Syrian engineers as possible in the north of Syria.

The Turkish government is trying to develop the Euphrates Shield area on several fronts, mainly by improving electricity service, industrial work and roads, as well as college education. In addition, the Turkish government is trying to win over residents by compensating families of FSA fighters killed in battle.
A book fair I recently attended held a pleasant surprise for me: An abundance of Turkish military history books had been given the most prominent displays.

The annual event in the northern Aegean resort town of Edremit, Turkey, ran Aug. 13-16. The prevalence of those particular books seems to confirm a revived interest in Turkey's military past among a variety of readers.

Graduate sociology student Emrah Y. showed me a book he bought narrating the Kut battles in Iraq, which pitted the Ottoman army against the British army. It's impossible to understand the new Turkey without understanding societys popular interest in military history, he said.

Hasan T., a veteran of Turkey's 1974 Cyprus operation, told me he came to the fair specifically to look at military history books. Writings on World War I, the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923) and the Korean War have increased, but there were no books on the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Many soldiers were writing their Cyprus memoirs," Hasan said. "I hope their families will show them to publishers.

Retired teacher Sefika P. described herself as a Republican Kemalist. She said she was a fan of "Vatanim Sensin" (Wounded Love), a TV drama about the fictional Col. Cevdet, who infiltrated the Greek occupation army at Izmir during the War of Independence. The series became a favorite of Turkish secular society.

I am reading military history to better understand Ataturk and his comrades and their lives at the fronts, she said.

The conservative segment of society nowadays favors books on Alparslan (also Alp Arslan), emperor of the Seljuk Turks, whose forces defeated the Byzantine army at Malazgirt (then called Manzikert) in 1071 and opened the gates of Anatolia to Islam. Kurds are mostly interested in the life of Selahaddin Eyyubi  who they believe is an Iraqi Kurd  and how he liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders.

According to a prominent historian who studies comparative Turkish and European military history, military history research was seen throughout the 1990s as a job for retired officers working at the military history department of the chief of staff headquarters. Yet civilian academics and authors entering the field has enabled its diversification.

In 2014, marking the centenary of the beginning of WWI, the Turkish public also began to remember the war, with particular interest in Ottoman fronts that are now outside Turkey's borders. Many Turks have remembered just in the past couple of years that that their grandfathers fought not only at Dardanelles and Sarikamis in the east, but also at Galicia, Spain; Iraq; the Caucasus; and Palestine, and were killed or taken prisoner on those distant fronts. Families began lining up at publishing houses with memoirs of their forefathers. Turkeys current political climate  along with the ambition of the Justice and Development Party rekindling the old days of the Ottoman Empire beyond Anatolia  is encouraging a wide segment of society, even those who are less-than-avid readers, to become interested in the events and characters of Turkish military history.

According to naval military historian Murat Acmuz, historical novels, movies and TV documentaries and serials have popularized the war history of 1914-1918. Popular history lecturers found themselves in demand for meetings and lectures organized by municipalities. The presidency sponsored such gatherings and even gave financial support to ceremonies commemorating events like the victory of the siege of Kut al-Amara during WWI and the 1915 battle at Manzikert.

Tuncay Yilmazer, a prominent civilian military historian who specializes in the Gallipoli Campaign, said there are two key reasons for the growing interest in military history.

The Turkish region has always been active militarily and diplomatically, he said. "It is generally accepted that the low-intensity wars Turkey has lived through and the occasional eruption of diplomatic crises are not that old. [Some] think of century-old events as recent. Dardanelles, Palestine, Iraq, Syria and Sarikamis have massive public appeal. Sagas of heroism are cited to elaborate on todays events. We easily say any crisis with a Western country is an outcome of the Sykes-Picot deal. In the crisis with Saudi Arabia or the UAE, the first thing we remember is the Sharif Hussein rebellion in WWI, and we start searching for a new T.E. Lawrence [Lawrence of Arabia]," he said.

According to Yilmazer, the spread of social media has also contributed to this increased interest in military history. The exploits of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk at Dardanelles and Palestine; Enver Pasha; Lawrence; Fahreddin Pasha; and the defense of Medina instantly generate heated debates on social media.

Fatih Bas, another military historian, agreed with Yilmazer, saying, Another important role of social media is to enable academics working on military history to contact each other and submit their findings to the public for debate."

Historian Erhan Ciftci, known for his doctoral dissertation on the Korean War, also noted that the tendency of civilian politicians to frequently refer to recent history encourages discussion on subjects not discussed before. Finally, publishers [have] detected the public demand and stepped up their works on military history, he said.

A military historian who didnt want to be named said that "this sudden, exceptional interest in Turkish military history is different from the US, UK and Europe because we still dont have a well-structured, documentary basis for war history. The military history archive, which keeps documents from the 1853 Crimean War to the 1974 Cyprus operation, is still under the chief of staff structure and is not fully accessible to civilian researchers. Our research is still market-oriented, serving todays popular demands, [and] thus [it is] devoid of critical and analytical products. The public is served with anti-foreigner, religious, nationalist, single-hero- and supreme-commander-themed, chauvinistic publications. Human elements of war and non-combat aspects of military history are ignored.

He added, Moreover, events and actors of recent history are ignored, [such as] the Ottoman public rejecting compulsory military service and not wanting to fight the occupiers. The role of non-Muslim personnel in the Ottoman army during WWI  despite their outstanding services  is not appreciated.

It's true that the lack of an established popular and academic military history tradition results in abundant disinformation and chauvinist publications, which naturally promote public interest. Meanwhile, publishers have expanded their offerings of translated publications. Cinema and TV productions on military subjects have increased. Those who want to learn more have realized there is no real military history tradition in Turkey, and this has encouraged the interest shown to military history subjects at the new National Defense University. It doesn't come as a surprise that civilian universities are taking notice of the growing demand and beginning to offer graduate courses in military history.

All military historians are pleased with translations made from Western languages on Ottoman and world history, the increasing number of military history dissertations, production of textbooks by the National Defense University and steps to turn over military archives to state archives. They see these as welcome trends.
As the diplomatic tug-of-war between the United States and Turkey escalates, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is lining up new friends. In early August, Erdogans 100-day action plan identified new markets in China, Mexico, India and Russia. It did not mention Africa, despite the African continent opening Erdogan sought in the early 2000s.

Frequent headlines in the mainstream media have celebrated Erdogan as "the best friend of Africa. As president he has visited 21 African countries on more than 30 trips.

In February, Turkey's state Anadolu Agency reported on impressive progress from 2003 to 2017. For example, Turkeys investment has increased from $100 million to $6.5 billion, the number of its embassies from 12 to 41. Turkish Airlines flies to 52 destinations in 33 African countries. Construction companies have invested in several projects worth $55 million.

Somalia hosts not only Turkeys largest foreign military base but also a hospital named after Erdogan, roads constructed by a Turkish company through Turkeys state-funded aid organization and garbage collection by the Turkish Red Crescent. More plans are in the making, such as the million cataract surgeries to be performed by 2022 in partnership with Islamic Development Bank in 12 African countries.

Almost all of Erdogans rallies feature numbers, such as the miles of roads constructed or the number of classrooms built. Erdogan once gave the number of MRI machines purchased during his administration. But not a word about Africa. With such impressive numbers, why doesn't Erdogan brag about his achievements in Africa more frequently, particularly today, when the challenges and risks facing the Turkish economy are worrying the public?

How do the rewards Turkey is reaping from its projects in Africa actually look when we deduct the costs?

A Nigerian businessmen and consultant who works in Europe and Middle East told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, I have been following Erdogans growing reach and influence in Africa. I understand there are three categories of interests that are vital for Turkey: economic, security and cultural. Within the security interests, I do not only mean the military base in Somalia and the 99-year lease of Sudans Suakin Island but also minimizing the influence of [exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen] on the continent. Turks have been working relentlessly to convert Gulen schools and arrest Gulenists. These schools will have a significant impact in two decades for the future of these countries. Turkey has performed successful humanitarian missions but it is a mixed blessing. Turkish government here is mired in contracts that were received through back-door channels, without proper transparency. I frequently observe that cutting corners, not having to meet high standards and lack of obligation to report back to agencies is what makes Africa so attractive to Turkey.

Turkish involvement had the initial goal of expanding its soft power to justify its claim to emerging power status. The high risks are countered by lack of competition for projects in several cities. Erdogan and his travel companions must also have liked the warm welcome they found. When Erdogan visits an African country, the prime time news provide wide coverage of how the public loves Erdogan and Turkey. Turkish flags, cheering crowds and all the extravagant celebrations must make Erdogan feel like a king, a senior bureaucrat from Ankara told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

Speaking to business consultants in Istanbul who work for companies operating in Africa, it is easy to conclude that doing business in Africa has been lucrative. One from an Istanbul firm that is heavily invested in the continent, particularly Somalia, said, Money begets money. People love Erdogan and Turkey because we have no colonial baggage, plus we started with projects that are visible and useful to people like hospitals, water sanitation. These affect their everyday life. We work directly, with cash, which is unusual in the Western world. There are few records without banks. So we get profits, but locals earn as well. We do not get involved in their business, we keep to ourselves. That minimizes risk and we both win. All the businessmen agreed Turkey has given millions of dollars in aid and investment to Africa, but they could not say how much. Turkish aid to Somalia from 2011 to 2012 alone was in excess of $350 million, according to one credible estimate.

Sedat Aybar, a professor of economics and finance at Istanbul Aydin University and the director of the Africa Research Center, told Al-Monitor, Turkeys pursuits in Africa can be summarized around the idea of an ensuring a perpetual win-win situation for both Africa and Turkey. This requires an enabling business [environment]. Hence, Turkeys long-term interest in Africa is not limited to bringing aid to the continent but it also aims at developing economic and diplomatic collaboration on an equal basis with equal partners, which would foster mutual economic development and growth.

Aybar explained that one of the reasons behind Turkish success in Africa was Turkeys new policy that is based on promoting bilateral business interactions that will help to find African solutions to African problems.

When asked why Turkish accomplishments in Africa are not commonly discussed in the public domain, Aybar commented, Unfortunately, the importance of Africa and what it means for Turkeys future have not been recognized by the Turkish intelligentsia and academia. However, there exists some fledgling academic research and interest on African affairs in Turkey. There are 17 Africa research centers associated with an academic institutions. There also exists a sizable African community living in Turkey. All of these help increase awareness of Turkeys involvement with the continent.

Aybar emphasized business interests as well. Now Turkeys fast-growing electronics sector can gain access to raw materials directly from the African market. It should be noted that some of the fastest growing economies of the world are located on the continent. Demand from the middle classes of those countries on commodities can be counted as the main source of faster-growing Turkish exports to Africa.

"Turkeys foreign direct investments in the continent are also creating positive returns for the Turkish economy. Some of the priority areas for investment are agribusiness, rural development, civil defense, water resource management, the development of micro- and small-scale enterprises, security, health and transportation.

Still, Turkish involvement in Africa carries serious risks due to the lack of transparency and oversight on these major international contracts. For example, in 2013, Turkish firm Favori LLC acquired the management of Mogadishus International Airport. The contract was leaked, exposing a $1.5 million initial premium fee paid to the Somalian government. Mogadishus port management was given to the Albayrak group, again amid allegations that millions of dollars were paid to secure the contract. And given all the corruption in these failed states, these charges are quite minute, said the Nigerian consultant.

Overall, Turkey is presented as an honest broker that is able to get projects completed and running in multiple African sites without getting bogged down with local issues. And despite security challenges, such as 2013 bomb attack at the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu, the investments remain lucrative for Turkish businesses. Considering the International Budget Partnership concluded from 2017 data that Turkey has limited budget transparency with no room for public participation, it is not possible to properly assess how lucrative the quiet expansion in Africa has been for Turkey since 2003. That might well be the reason behind Erdogans silence on Turkey's African accomplishments.
Square One Goods Co., a card, gift and stationery shop, is set to open at Founders Station in downtown Birmingham on Saturday, Aug. 25.

The 500-square-foot shop will feature Square One's signature line, locally made products and Birmingham-centric gifts such as "I love you more than James Spann loves suspenders" card, "What the food truck?" t-shirt and "Bham AF" throw pillows.

"We're beyond excited to be joining the growing family of shops in downtown Birmingham," said owner Kate Hardy. "The people of Birmingham have been so supportive of our journey, and we're incredibly proud of our city and its creative talent and can't wait to show it off. Our aim has always been to add to the vibrancy of downtown Birmingham, provide a place for local makers and creators to showcase their products, and give back to a city that has given so much to us."

Founder's Station is on 1st Avenue North between 20th Street North and Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard in the historic Caldwell-Milner building. It was developed by Orchestra Partners.

The development is already home to the Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar, a basement speakeasy, and The Essential, a neighborhood cafe and bar serving seasonal, New American fare featuring local produce.

Cayo Coco, new downtown concept from the owner of The Collins Bar, is expected to open in September.

Hardy began selling her wares in early 2017 as a vendor at Woodlawn Street Market. Later that year, Hardy pitched the idea of a permanent retail location as a finalist in REV Birmingham's 2017 Big Pitch Presented by PNC. She came in second place.

The cash from her second place win allowed her to open a month-long pop-up shop at Alabama Theatre in December 2017.

According to REV Birmingham, Hardy worked with REV on the search for Square One's permanent retail space after the success of the pop-up.

Shop visitors also have a chance at a sighting (and possible petting) Square One's Chief Fido Officer Murphy  a rescue cocker spaniel.

With its new shop, Square One is working to give back to the community with the "All Write" initiative in partnership with Build UP- Ensley. For every stationery item purchased at Square One's downtown location, they will donate a stationery item to Build UP's workforce development school serving Birmingham youth.

Build UP provides young people with career-ready skills through paid apprenticeships with industry-aligned academic coursework, leading them to become educated, credentialed, and empowered civic leaders, workers and property owners.

Square One Goods Co.'s hours of operation will be: Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
Authorities have released the name of a man shot to death Saturday in west Birmingham.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Deontre Gernond Turner. He was 25 and the father of a 1-year-old son.

Turner was found inside a vehicle about 6 p.m. Saturday on Pike Road and Court N. Police said he crashed after he was shot. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 6:08 p.m.

Birmingham police have not released any additional information.

Turner previously attended Jackson-Olin High School. His friends and family are grief-stricken over his death. "He made everybody laugh,'' said his girlfriend Jillian Davis. "He made everybody feel special."

Turner is Birmingham's 71th homicide victim this year. Of those 71, five have been ruled justifiable and therefore the Birmingham Police Department does not count them in their year-end tally. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 103, including the Birmingham slayings.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
The Lipscomb police chief has been fired following his arrest last month on misdemeanor drug charges.

Brian "Scott'' Martin, 37, was taken into custody in late July on charges of second-degree marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, authorities said. The case against the chief was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency which then obtained the warrants against him. ALEA Lt. Jon Riley said Martin's arrest followed a search at his home on Dove Drive in Odenville on July 27, 2018.

A second person was also arrested on the same charges: 33-year-old Crystal Lynn Tindle of Pell City.

Martin, who has not responded to requests for comment, was arrested by Odenville police and booked into the St. Clair County Jail. He was released a short time later after posting $1,500 bond.

According to court records, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Major Crimes Unit, along with the agency's Narcotics Unit, carried out the search warrant at Martin's Odenville home. Once they made their way inside, they found Martin, Tindle and a young boy.

The arrest report states that Tindle was detained while the agents conducted their search, and Martin was transported to the Odenville Police Department to be interviewed. A search of the home turned up marijuana and a bong under the sink in the master bedroom.

Martin is an Odenville resident. The case is being handled through St. Clair County District Court.

Lipscomb Mayor Brenda Renz on Monday said she is taking applications for the position of chief. She said she doesn't believe Interim Chief Lamar Lackey will apply for the position.

Renz said Martin is innocent until proven guilty and that he left on good terms. She said, however, the city did not want to wait until his case worked its way through the legal system, which can take years.

"He did a lot of good things for the city,'' the mayor said. "We want to find the best we can. We've got a lot to look for to make it a safer city."

Renz said the official job listing will be posted on Facebook and will run for three weeks. Anyone interested in the position should go to Lipscomb City Hall. The position is appointed.

Martin has a trial date set for Aug. 28.
A formal charge was filed Monday against a man arrested Sunday after Jefferson County lawmen busted a dog-fighting ring in Mulga.

Reginald Antonio Dowdell, 42, was taken into custody Sunday. Sheriff's detectives obtained one felony dog fighting warrant against Dowdell Monday afternoon, and will seek additional charges on Tuesday. Dowdell could face three additional dog-fighting charges, and possibly 16 animal cruelty charges.

"It's gut-wrenching and heartbreaking,'' said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. "The fact that some people can see it as a sport to facilitate or be an audience for is just despicable and hard to comprehend."

Deputies received a complaint of dogs fighting in the Mulga area about 11:30 a.m. Sunday. As they arrived on the scene, they could hear what sounded like dogs fighting in the woods behind a home on Main Street.

As deputies headed into the woods, they were met by a juvenile carrying an injured dog. Once at location of the dog fight, Christian said, deputies initially found 17 pit bulls, four of which had injuries consistent with dog fighting. Several more dogs were later found.

There was a ring with fresh blood inside, he said. Investigators also recovered 11 dog skulls so far.

Animal control responded to the scene with the sheriff's office to take the dogs into their care. Allison Black Cornelius, president and CEO of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, posted this on her Facebook page about the bust:

"If you see or hear something say something. And that's what happened. It was a long and grueling day. Many thanks to our staff and to Sheriff Hale's incredible deputies. None of us will ever forget what we saw and none of us will rest until violence like thisstops. It sickens me to think these people live and walk amongst us in our community. And the fact that these scum bags had a child on scene made me want to throw up. Pray for all of these poor creatures and pray for the GBHS hands that will be trying to heal the hurts these animals have suffered over the next many, many months."

Dowdell was booked into the county jail at 5:06 p.m. Sunday. He was released at 9:49 p.m. after posting $15,000 bond.
A domestic violence suspect who was the subject of an intense search Friday night was taken into custody early Monday in Birmingham.

Jefferson County sheriff's deputies arrested 37-year-old Michael Ray Mullins about 6 a.m. at a business in the 5300 block of First Avenue North, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian.

Mullins was taken to the Jefferson County Jail and is being held on charges of domestic violence by strangulation, three counts of third-degree domestic violence, resisting arrest and attempting to elude law enforcement officers. His bonds total $61,600.

Deputies and U.S Marshals on Friday were searching for Mullins after a Friday-morning incident. Additional details about what led to the charges against him have not been released.

Lawmen searched the woods near the 6800 block of Ashberry Drive in Pinson. An Alabama Department of Corrections tracking dog and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's helicopter joined in on the search.

Authorities previously described Mullins as armed and dangerous.
It was around 2 a.m. when masked men forced their way into Markia Kendall's northwest Huntsville apartment one Sunday.

The armed men wore latex gloves and shouted, "police."

But they weren't law enforcement; the men were there for drugs and money.

Kendall, a paraplegic man, was in bed. There were seven children -- including three of Kendall's own children -- in the apartment. The other children were relatives, and three of them were having a sleepover in the living room when someone kicked in the front door.

Markia Kendall (GoFundMe)

The children -- ages 8 - 13 -- were corralled at knifepoint in a back bedroom. From there, they heard the three shots that killed Kendall on Jan. 25, 2015.

Nearly four years later, one of four capital murder suspects has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A jury on Friday deliberated for about an hour and a half before returning a guilty verdict against Trolando Jebron Watkins Sr. Madison County Circuit Judge Karen Hall sentenced 35-year-old Watkins at the culmination of a weeklong trial.

"We are very thankful for a jury that was very attentive and considered the evidence," said Madison County Assistant District Attorney Bill Starnes, who prosecuted the case along with ADA Melissa Heron.

"We are very happy with the result -- especially for the family and the children," Starnes added.

Watkins was charged along with Latransezon Malloy, who previously had a mistrial. Artavious Crutcher already pleaded guilty, and a fourth defendant, Cordell Derrick, agreed to testify for the prosecution. Heron said Derrick hasn't been offered a plea or other deal.

"But I have no doubt he hopes for better (a deal) at some point," Starnes added.

A retrial for Malloy and trial for Derrick haven't yet been scheduled.

Prosecutors said Watkins fired the first of three shots that hit Kendall -- that one striking his face. The other shots -- one to the leg and the other to the chest -- were fired by Malloy and Crutcher, respectively, Heron said. Derrick is the one who took the children at knifepoint into a back room at the Norwood Drive apartment, he testified.

The suspects got away with cash and some pills, the prosecutors said.

The trial

It was a long trial with several surprises and a multitude of objections. One witness implicated another in the case, and one witness refused to testify. The case was the first homicide probed by Huntsville police Investigator Julian Johnson.

Crutcher and his brother Derrick both testified this week, but their stories conflicted.

Crutcher pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of murder and was sentenced to 25 years, which is running concurrently with other unrelated 20-year sentences for burglary and robbery. Crutcher testified for the defense and acknowledged his own role in Kendall's killing.

Crutcher testified that Watkins wasn't there, but he refused to tell the jury who was.

When asked by Assistant District Attorney Bill Starnes who was with him during the early-morning hours that Sunday, Crutcher at one point replied, "You."

Crutcher refused to answer any questions that implicated anyone other than himself. He repeatedly told the jury that Watkins wasn't in Kendall's apartment during the murder.

Judge Hall threatened to hold Crutcher in contempt. But, that would only add a few days to his 25-year sentence. Starnes and Heron threatened to revoke Crutcher's plea deal. But the defense called that coercion and intimidation, and the judge said she doesn't believe the state has that authority.

Derrick testified that he was with Crutcher, Malloy and Watkins inside Kendall's apartment the morning of the killing.

Derrick said he chose to testify -- despite not having a deal with prosecutors -- because he didn't think Kendall deserved to die.

Derrick testified that the whole situation began because he wanted to sell a pair of shoes. He ended up trading the pair of Jordans to a man who suggested Derrick go rob the "man in the wheelchair" to get some money. Eventually, the others suspects got involved and they formed a plan, Derrick testified.

During his testimony, Derrick also implicated another witness, Chaquille Ayers. Derrick told the jury that Ayers picked up Derrick, Malloy, Watkins and Crutcher and drove them from the shooting scene. After the shooting, Derrick testified, Ayers received a portion of the money that was taken from Kendall's home.

In his own testimony, Ayers denied being involved in the murder or robbery. He testified that he was just giving the other guys a ride.

During opening and closing arguments, defense attorney Ron Smith said Investigator Johnson had promised Ayers, "'You're not going to be in any trouble because you're our witness.'"

Smith defended Watkins along with attorney Eric Wood. They told the judge Watkins plans to appeal the conviction and sentence.

The investigation

One of the children who was in the apartment during the killing testified that there were four black men and one white man. But police and prosecutors have only charged four people.

Artavious Crutcher, from left, Latransazon Malloy, Cordell Derrick and Trolando Watkins

The defense questioned the quality of the investigation by suggesting there's another killer walking the streets. Smith questioned why Ayers wasn't charged. The defense also suggested several other potential suspects who should have been looked at more closely during the investigation.

Because the masked men wore gloves, there weren't any fingerprints or DNA found inside the apartment. Smith said there is no evidence that places Watkins at the crime scene. The masks prevented the children from being able to positively identify any suspects.

It was about six months after the killings when Crutcher, Malloy and Derrick were arrested. A few months after that, Watkins also was charged.

Watkins didn't testify this week, but the jury heard statements he gave to the investigator. He has one prior felony conviction for possession of a forged instrument. His arrest records shows several drug charges.

Kendall's sister testified that he sold drugs but didn't deserve to die. In 2013, Kendall was shot at a nightclub. Since then, he'd been in a wheelchair.

One of Kendall's daughters, who was in the apartment on the night of shooting, was killed in an unrelated homicide earlier this year. Xzariah Rice, 16, was gunned down along with her friend Heaven Hines and Heaven's mom Iris Bynum.
The case of a Huntsville police officer, who was arrested in connection with an off-duty drunken crash, has been dismissed at the request of Madison County prosecutors, records show.

In a written order today, District Judge Linda Coates dismissed Curtis Mitchell's DUI case. Prosecutors on Friday filed a motion to drop the charge.

"The defendant has completed substance abuse treatment," Assistant District Attorney Emily Carroll wrote in the motion. Mitchell also agreed to pay court costs and a $100 fee.

Mitchell, 22, was off duty when state troopers found open bottles of Crown Royal and Jack Daniels in his personal vehicle at a crash scene, a police report says. The crash happened March 17 around 4 a.m. in Madison.

After Mitchell's arrest, the police department said he would be on desk duty until further notice.

Mitchell currently is on military deployment. But Lt. Michael Johnson said today Mitchell still is employed by HPD in an administrative-duty capacity.

"Any administrative action will be addressed when he returns from his deployment," Johnson said.

Mitchell was heading west on McCrary Road when he ran the stop sign at Wall Triana Highway and pulled out in front of another driver, according to a state trooper crash report. Mitchell was driving a 2008 Honda CRV that collided with a southbound 2005 Chevy Avalanche, the report says.

Lewis Lockett, a 53-year-old from Harvest, was driving the Avalanche. Lockett was taken to Madison Hospital for treatment of "incapacitating" injuries, the crash report says.

Mitchell was taken to Huntsville Hospital because he was unable to walk and vomiting, the report states. Emergency workers at the scene were unable to determine whether Mitchell was injured. Hospital workers said Mitchell had no injuries, "but was unable to walk or function on his own," the trooper report says.

State troopers charged Mitchell with driving under the influence and issued citations for failing a stop sign and open container. Because the case was dropped, Mitchell won't have a conviction on his record.

Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard said Mitchell didn't receive any special treatment.

"As a general rule, if you've never been charged with DUI or have no criminal record, you are afforded the chance for diversion programs," Broussard said. "That's available to anyone in similar circumstances."
Speaking at a White House immigration event, Alabama Attorney General State Marshall pointed to the recent beheading of a Huntsville girl as an example of violence associated with the drug trade.

"Just this summer, our state was rocked by the brutal murder of a special needs 13-year-old girl -- killed by affiliates of the Mexican drug cartel," Marshall said today during an immigration discussion in the East Room of the White House.

"Due to our state's proximity to Atlanta, a major distribution point for drugs, and to Texas, a border state, Alabama has become a prime transit point for drug trafficking," Marshall said. "We see marijuana, cocaine, meth, and now illicit fentanyl coming into our state as a result. The drug trade brings dangerous and violent illegal aliens into Alabama."

In June, Mariah Lopez, a 13-year-old Huntsville girl, and her Sinaloa cartel-connected grandmother were killed and dumped in rural Madison County. Yoni Aguilar and Israel Palomino are held in the county jail on capital murder charges.

Lopez was beheaded after witnessing the killing of her grandmother, Oralia Mendoza, in a cemetery, investigators have said. Mendoza was killed just days after a drug run to a Georgia city near Atlanta, according to court testimony.

Marshall talked about the Madison County case while discussing the partnership between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration agents. Marshall was among several officials who joined Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Ron Vitiello for the panel discussion.

The discussion preceded a ceremony at which President Donald Trump praised federal immigration officers and touted them as "heroes."

In a speech at the "Salute to the Heroes," Trump called the estimated 150 officers and agents from ICE and CBP "great patriots" who have sought to protect the nation against crimes by undocumented immigrants.

The president also denounced Democrats who have called for the abolition of ICE over concerns that the agency has acted recklessly and cruelly in its efforts to round up and deport those living here illegally.

"As the chief law enforcement officer of the State of Alabama, I want to thank each member of ICE and CBP for your courage and your loyalty to enforcing the laws of this country in the face of irresponsible rhetoric and meritless attacks," Marshall said at the White House. "The people of Alabama thank you, too. The work of ICE and CBP has a direct connection to the safety of the citizenry that extends far beyond those states that are on the border."

Marshall thanked the President and Attorney General Jeff Sessions for their strong support of border security, while blasting the Obama administration.

"We must secure our borders and we must restore respect for the rule of law throughout this country," Marshall said. "The men and women of ICE and CBP are critical to securing our borders, and attorneys general -- I believe -- must play a major role in restoring the rule of law."
Red tide, caused by massive blooms of the toxic organism Karenia brevis, continues to plague a 130-mile stretch of coastline in Southwest Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee said the red tide outbreak continues to occur on both coastal and inshore sites from Manatee to Collier counties, also though declines were seen in parts of Manatee, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties. The organism's presence ranges from background levels to high concentrations, officials said.

The outbreaks have caused respiratory and other health problems in humans. It has also caused the massive kill off of marine wildlife. Over 100 tons of dead animals have washed on up beaches in the last few months, including 12 dolphins in the span of just one week, Inertia.com reported.

The current red tide began in October 2017 but has intensified in the last few months. Scientists are currently developing a way to battle red tide that includes pumping the algae-filled seawater through an ozone treatment system. Once clean, the purified water would be pumped back into the ocean.

Such an undertaking would be massive and there's no time frame for real-world application, however.

Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in seven Florida counties, clearing the way for additional funding to assist with red tide cleanup.

Going to the beach? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Research Institute provides updated reports on red tide conditions here.
If your doctor once touched a patient inappropriately, and that patient filed a complaint, the incident would be investigated by the state medical board.

The Board may even officially discipline your doctor.

But how would you know any of that happened before you go in for your appointment?

Alabama law makes it difficult - and in some cases, impossible - for you to know if your doctor is under investigation by the state Board of Medical Examiners. You may not be legally allowed to know if the doctor treating you is practicing under a set of restrictions, such as being required to have a chaperone present in the exam room. This became clear after AL.com received reader emails and inquiries after an initial story ran about how doctors are disciplined.

Many states, including most of Alabama's neighbors, make public some doctor information that Alabama does not. This includes a doctor's hospital disciplinary actions, criminal convictions and medical malpractice suits.

Read more: Sexual Misconduct by doctors: Alabama law keeps patients in the dark

But there is some information that's public. So how do you access it?

The first step is to look at your doctor's public file with the state medical board. Go to On the next page, click the larger blue icon that says "Searchable Licensee Database ENTER." On the next page, enter the doctor's last name and first name in the appropriate boxes. Select "MD" as the license type, unless you're searching for someone other than a medical doctor; there are several different types of health practitioners you can search. Click the "I'm not a robot" button and then click Search. Find your doctor on the list that comes up, and click on the little printer icon in the "details" section.

The following page will tell you whether your doctor's license is active, where the doctor received a medical degree and when, and whether the license is active, suspended or revoked. It will also include information on the doctor's Controlled Substances Certificate - which allows the doctor to prescribe medicine - and any collaborative practice agreements.

To find out about whether your doctor has ever officially been disciplined, look for the "Public File" line about halfway down.

If it says no, then the doctor has not been publicly disciplined by the Board.

That does not necessarily mean the doctor hasn't been investigated or received complaints, or that the doctor hasn't been put into a confidential treatment program for behavior or substance abuse problems. If any of those things has occurred, patients generally will not know.

If it says Yes, then click the "Download Document" hyperlink.

This will bring up all Board documents related to any public disciplinary actions the Board and the Medical Licensure Commission have taken against the doctor.

The documents are in order of most recent first, so you may want to scroll to the end and work your way back up to the beginning.

They typically look like legal documents and can include affidavits, administrative complaints, official orders and notices for hearings and meetings.

If you don't understand what the documents mean, your best bet is to call the Board's office and ask for a clearer explanation.

The Board's website also offers information about how to file a complaint, and listings of recent actions by the Board.

Unlike many other states, there's not a section on an Alabama doctor's public profile that lists any criminal charges or convictions.

Those are public record, but they are not easily searchable by the general public. The quickest way to find out about any convictions is an internet search for news articles that may have been written about the doctor.

You can also search the Alabama Sex Offender Registry for free at https://app.alea.gov/community/wfsexoffendersearch.aspx.

State convictions in Alabama can be found at www.Alacourt.com, but there are setup and monthly fees to use the website. Federal court records are available at www.pacer.gov, but may cost money to access. Municipal court records are available by calling the individual court.
Miss Alabama Callie Walker is throwing her support behind Miss America Cara Mund amid claims of bullying and intimidation by the pageant's national leaders.

Walker, who will compete Sept. 9 in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, praised Mund's "bravery" in an Instagram post featuring a photo of the two women.

The Miss Alabama Organization joined in the support, sharing a photo of Mund with the hashtag #standwithcara.

Controversy has swirled around the pageant after several national boards, including Alabama's, called for the resignation of Miss America Organization Director Gretchen Carlson and other national leaders over what they described as a lack of communication and failure of leadership.

Last week, Mund penned a letter to current title holders detailing what she said was bullying, intimidation and marginalization by Carlson and others.

"Our chair and CEO have systematically silenced me, reduced me, marginalized me, and essentially erased me in my role as Miss America in subtle and not-so-subtle ways on a daily basis. After a while, thepatterns have clearly emerged, and the sheer accumulation of the disrespect, passive-aggressive behavior, belittlement, and outright exclusion has taken a serious toll," Mund wrote.
An 11-day strike involving approximately 250 members of a Teamsters union in coastal Alabama and Mississippi ended late Sunday.

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, in a news release Monday, issued a statement indicating that its union associates were returning to work Monday without a contract. The company and Teamsters Local 991, based in Mobile, have been in talks for weeks after the union's contract expired last month.

"Our Coca-Cola United team worked into the night and early morning hours to reactive these associates," a statement from the Birmingham-based company said. "Negotiations through the mediator continue, and it is our hope to come to an agreement with the Teamsters as soon as possible."

David Stephens, a union steward and a 38-year employee at the Coca-Cola Bottling plant in Robertsdale, said the union felt like "we needed to go back to work," and that a contract seemed likely soon.

"The strike is over for now," said Stephens.

He said he felt the walkout made an impact. "I think the company realized that they needed us back. Progress is being made in negotiations."

The union workers went on strike during the early hours of Aug. 9, and have been picketing outside four Coca-Cola Bottling plants ever since: Robertsdale, Mobile, Leroy, and Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

The union's concerns revolved around what they said was "unfair labor practices" by the company that stemmed from low pay offered to new employees, along with higher costs for insurance. According to union representatives, incoming worker salaries being offered by the company were $6 an hour to $8 an hour less than the previous contract.

Coca-Cola United, through a consolidation approved in October 2017, took over a Mobile production facility as well as several sales and distribution territories, including Mobile, Leroy, Robertsdale and Florence in Alabama; Laurel and Ocean Springs in Mississippi; Bainbridge, Columbus and Sylvester in Georgia; and Panama City, Fla.
A plan to make the biggest manmade thing in Mobile Bay even bigger is up for discussion -- at least for a few more days.

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study on enlarging the Mobile Ship Channel has been years and millions of dollars in the making. That process recently reached a major milestone with the release of a draft version of its final report. Early response includes dismay from some who say it underplays the potential for environmental damage or at least misses an opportunity to right old wrongs, where the fragile health of Dauphin Island is concerned.

In late July, the Corps opened a 45-day public comment period on what's formally known as a General Reevaluation Report and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The full report and supporting documents can be found at the Corps of Engineers website for the project: http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Program-and-Project-Management/Civil-Projects/Mobile-Harbor-GRR/

The comment period is a chance -- maybe the last chance -- for the public to weigh in. It includes a town hall meeting set for 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center.

The GRR/SEIS presents a project that is estimated to cost $387.8 million dollars. It calls for easing some bends, creating a wide section to serve as a passing zone, extending a turning basin and deepening the channel by 5 feet to a nominal depth of 50 feet. Altogether, that work will involve moving 24 million cubic yards of material.

Despite that massive scope, the Corps says in the study's executive summary that "Results of the detailed analyses suggest that, overall, no substantial impacts in aquatic resources within the study area are anticipated due to channel modifications." It also says "overall effects to essential fish habitat and protected species would be temporary in nature" while the work is done.

That sanguine assessment doesn't ring true to some people who know the Bay well and whose livelihoods depend on its health. Some, dissatisfied with what they see as a lack of flexibility from the Corps, plan to participate vocally in the public comment period but already are looking beyond it.

"Politics is going to have to fix this," said Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier.

Fears and hopes

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne heard the fears expressed plaintively when he recently held a town hall meeting on Dauphin Island. Avery Bates, vice president of the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama, pleaded with Byrne to address two issues related to dredge spoil from the project.

One, Bates said, is that the dispersal of dredge spoil in the upper bay will simply bury oyster, crabs and other life is sand and silt, worsening a long decline in the Bay's bounty. The other concerns the contentious issue of using dredge spoil to feed a flow of sand onto Dauphin Island, counteracting erosion. That has been the subject of contentious discussion for years, with critics accusing the Corps of stubbornly avoiding a fix for a problem they say it helped create.

"We need Dauphin Island bad because our seafood's north of us," Bates said. "They call it progress. But what's progress for them is death for us."

"We have no control [over] what the Corps is doing, us as individuals," Bates told Byrne. "But you should have some strings up there to pull to make sure we have some beneficial uses to this island, and to stop killing us up the bay with what they're calling open water dispersement."

"I think you've oversold my control over the Corps of Engineers a little bit there," said Byrne. He said he'd been working with Collier on the issue for years and that he had had some "interesting" meetings with Corps representatives.

"While I think we've made some progress in where they're trying to put it, I don't think we're there yet," Byrne said.

His immediate message to the crowd was to take the public comment period seriously. He called it a "critical period" in shaping a project that was almost certainly going to happen.

"Look. They're going to widen the ship channel. They're going to deepen it," Byrne said. "The more people they hear from, the more that does put pressure on them and their process."

Neither Bates nor Collier disagree that the project likely will proceed, one way or another. The economic forces driving it are clear: The Corps began its study because the Alabama State Port Authority asked it to. Port Authority chief Jimmy Lyons maintains that a bigger channel is needed to accommodate bigger ships. Being able to serve those bigger ships is essential to maintaining the port's growth, particularly booming traffic at its container terminal.

"I'm not against the channel," said Bates. "The economy and the wellbeing of our state depends on that commerce coming in and going out. Well, our commerce is important too, and our way of life is important."

"My position hasn't changed," said Collier. "The pointing fingers and all that doesn't get us anywhere. What I've said from the beginning, and my stance hasn't changed, we have an opportunity here to do something beneficial."

"This study, potentially, is going to say, well, making this channel deeper and wider is going to have no adverse effects to anybody," Collier said. "Regardless of that, we have opportunities here. We're going to have a dredge product ... this provides us with an opportunity that we don't otherwise have to do other good things."

A Corps spokesman said the organization wasn't going to respond to concerns outside the public comment process. The purpose of the comment period was to gather concerns so that the Corps could consider its responses and incorporate them into the final draft, he said.

The draft study itself does seem to anticipate some objections. Some dredge spoil in the upper bay will be put into areas called "relic shell mining areas." Alabama long allowed companies to mine deposits of oyster shells for use in concrete and roadbuilding, a practice that was disastrous for future oyster populations. The Corps says that dumped spoil will be neatly contained by those areas, and that "placement of material may help to restore bay bottoms within this site."

The study also acknowledges that the ship channel's impact on Dauphin Island erosion, and the possibility of using dredged material as a cure, are controversial. Under "issues to be resolved," the draft study lists "further consideration of potential beneficial use of dredged material projects."

Weighing in at hundreds of pages, the draft study and its appendices contain a wealth of data to back up its conclusions. Some worry that it still may contain significant shortcomings.

Heavy reading

The environmental organization Mobile Baykeeper has filed a detailed response to the draft study. In it, the group questions some of the Corps' assumptions, calls for long-term monitoring of dredge disposal areas and says other issues need intensive study.

It also accuses the Corps of "using weather patterns from 2010 as the only year to develop a model for the entire project." That wasn't a drought year, didn't show the full range of possible conditions, and "we strongly believe they should use more than one year to create a more accurate model," Baykeeper's reply says.

A Corps of Engineers graphics shows relic shell mining areas in the upper bay (marked in tan) that the Corps plans to use as disposal sites for dredge spoil.

To be clear, the Corps didn't base everything in the draft study on 2010 data. It cites many sources that draw data from various time periods, such as the storm surges associated with historic hurricanes. But it did put a heavy emphasis on that year for its study of "GSMB hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and water quality modeling" which means data recorded that year was used to run computer models analyzing impacts of the channel project.

Rivers carry fresh water down into the bay while tides push saltwater up into it. This creates a distinct environment that is important to the spawning of many species. "An awful lot of things that matter to fisherman start up in that estuary," said marine ecologist John Valentine, executive director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

The balance of salinity changes continually, and long-term cycles -- such as droughts -- can contribute with short-term effects to produce big swings. By changing the patterns of water flow, a channel also affects things.

The Corps clearly lays out its logic for relying on one year by saying that "the annual mean flow for year 2010 also roughly falls into average condition; however, January and February are closer to high flow conditions, whereas July through December are within low flow conditions. The combination of this data results in a year (i.e., 2010) that covers the range of hydrological conditions (i.e., low, average, and high)."

Valentine first heard of that approach as Baykeeper's response was described to him by a reporter. He found it surprising.

"If that's what's actually in the report, that's not so good," he said.

Mobile Bay is a complex environment and Valentine said it hasn't been studied enough for scientists to have a thorough understanding of all its baseline conditions. "Good God," he said. "What is a normal year down here? What is a normal year on Mobile Bay?"

"My suspicion is, if there's going to be [water quality] issues, they're going to be during the drought years," he said. "An awful lot of focus needs to go on the combined effect of drought and shipping."

Speaking of shipping, the Corps envisions that although the ships coming up the bay after the project will be bigger, there will be fewer of them because each one can carry more. Therefore, it projects, there won't be an increase in the damage done to shorelines by cargo ships' wakes. That's one of the assumptions that Baykeeper calls "tenuous."

At the time he was interviewed, Valentine said he wasn't ready to draw firm conclusions and didn't want to politicize the discussion. He said he planned to take a good look at the draft document to see if it addressed his concerns. He encouraged anyone interested in the bay to do the same.

"I would just encourage people to read the document independently and form their own opinions," he said. He other scientists might weigh in by filing their own responses, either as individuals or on behalf of the institutions they represent. "It's going to depend on what we see in that document," he said.

He offered one more piece of perspective. "I like to remind people it's not the economy versus the environment," he said. "There's no way to do this assessment without thinking about the economic ramifications of not doing it [the project]."

Bottom lines

Lyons has been unequivocal about the economic justification for the project. The Panama Canal historically provided a limit on the size of container ships and other vessels. But as the canal has been widened, the ships have gotten bigger and bigger.

Container business has been a point of strong growth for the Port of Mobile in recent years. But the size of the current channel threatens to choke that off at some point, giving the advantage to other ports with deeper channels.

Lyons too said he hadn't given the draft study a comprehensive read yet, but liked what he saw at first blush. "I think what they have found is while there'll be some impacts, they're not monumental impacts," he said. He said he also sees some room for compromise on a beneficial use of spoil material.

After the study is finalized, Lyons said, the funding will have to be lined up. He said three-quarters of the money will have to be allocated by Congress and a quarter will come from the state. "The Corps can't do anything until they have the money appropriated and in hand," he said.

That presents at least the possibility of another round of negotiation.

A Corps of Engineers graphic shows an expanded offshore dispersement area for dredge spoil, as well as sites designated as Sand Island Beneficial Use Area (SIBUA).Critics argue the placement squanders an opportunity to counteract beach erosion on Dauphin Island.

To his listeners at the Dauphin Island town hall meeting, Byrne expressed hope. "What you and I need to make sure is that they put that spoil in the right place," he said. "I'm actually optimistic on that. And there hasn't been a whole lot of room for optimism in a while."

Afterward, he said that "we deal with the Corps, my office, frequently on a wide range of issues." The spoil placement issue has been "particularly difficult."

"One way I can force them is to put something in legislation, which is hard to do," said Byrne.

But ultimately, he said, it comes down to the question of what he hears from people like Bates and Collier. "I'm going to be listening to them and if they tell me it's not good enough, then it's not good enough for me," he said.

Collier said he plans to give the Corps a letter for its public comment file. He expects many other residents, officials and institutions will do the same. "We've done it in the past," he said. "We'll do it again."

More than anything, he said, he'd like to escape a longstanding "circle of conversation" in which people stick to the same old positions while the island's beaches starve for replenishing sand.

"There needs to be a beneficial use addressed. That's what we're talking about," he said. "Let's just quit going around that tree, and let's ask the question, okay, we have the opportunity here to do things that have needed to be done for many, many many years. How do we work together to do something that's going to be lasting and beneficial going forward?"

The deadline

"Responses from federal, state, and local agencies and the interested public should be received during the 45-day comment period following the publication of the Report's Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on July 27, 2018. Written comments may be submitted to the USACE, Mobile District by mail, facsimile, or electronic mail by the closing of the public comment period on September 10, 2018."

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District

Attention: PD-EC

109 St. Joseph St.

Mobile, AL 36602

Email: MobileGRR@usace.army.mil

Fax: 251-690-2054
WASHINGTON - A White House speechwriter for President Donald Trump was terminated last week after revelations that he had spoken at a conference attended by well-known white nationalists, according to three people familiar with the decision who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Darren Beattie, who was a visiting instructor at Duke University before he joined the White House speechwriting team, was fired Friday after a media inquiry about his appearance at the 2016 H.L. Mencken Club conference, where Beattie spoke on a panel alongside Peter Brimelow.

Brimelow, founder of the anti-immigrant website Vdare.com, is a "white nationalist" and "regularly publishes works by white supremacists, anti-Semites, and others on the radical right," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an advocacy group that tracks extremists.

Earlier this year, Brimelow described himself as a believer in "racial nationalism" who sees the future of the United States "precipitating out on racial lines."

CNN's "K-File," an investigative unit, published a report on Sunday on Beattie and his appearance at the Mencken event, which has been attended in the past by white nationalist Richard Spencer. Spencer is a prominent figure in the "alt-right," a movement whose adherents are known for espousing racist, sexist and anti-Semitic points of view.

Once White House officials were informed about CNN's pending report, Beattie reportedly was confronted and urged to step down immediately. But he apparently refused to resign, arguing that he was not racist and that he had made uncontroversial academic points at the Mencken gathering. When it became clear that Beattie would not resign, the people familiar with the matter said, the White House terminated him.

Beattie worked for Vince Haley, the head of speechwriting at the White House and, at times, he worked on speech projects for Stephen Miller, Trump's top policy adviser and speechwriter, the people added.

It was not clear Sunday whether President Trump or Chief of Staff John Kelly were personally involved in Beattie's departure.

"Mr. Beattie no longer works at the White House," White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement to The Washington Post. "We don't comment on personnel matters."

Beattie, when reached by phone on Sunday, declined to elaborate on his dismissal but provided The Post with a statement.

"In 2016 I attended the Mencken conference in question and delivered a stand-alone, academic talk titled 'The Intelligentsia and the Right.' I said nothing objectionable and stand by my remarks completely," Beattie said in the statement. "It was the honor of my life to serve in the Trump Administration. I love President Trump, who is a fearless American hero, and continue to support him one hundred percent. I have no further comment."

Beattie, who holds a doctorate from Duke, was one of the rare academics on the White House staff.

In 2016, he went public with his support for Trump and cited Trump's hard-line immigration position as one of the key reasons for his victory.

"One of the signals for me is when Trump made his provocative remarks on immigration and then refused to apologize in the wake of overwhelming corporate and media opposition," Beattie told the Chronicle, a newspaper at Duke.

Beattie wrote his doctoral thesis on Martin Heidegger, who was a member of the Nazi Party in Germany. Beattie has called Heidegger's Nazi affiliation "highly troublesome" but maintained that his work is worthy of scholarly attention, according to a report by Forward magazine.

(c) 2018, The Washington Post. Story by Robert Costa.
School officials are asking for donations and supplies after a fire destroyed a building at Booker T. Washington Magnet School in Montgomery Saturday morning.

The school has posted a list of office and movie supplies needed on their website, which include:

Paper

Pens

Tape dispensers

Bankers' boxes

Packing tape

The donation drop-off point is the Alabama PTA office at 470 S. Union St., which is about a quarter mile from the school.

Teachers will be packing to move to the school's temporary location at Hayneville Road School on Tuesday, school officials said.

We've had incredible outpouring of support," said Tom Salter, communications director for Montgomery schools. "This morning, we had parents bringing food for teachers and helping put things in boxes to get ready to move. We've had churches, Alabama State University, Auburn University, and Montgomery schools offer help. We've even had school systems as far away as Florence and Tuscaloosa call and offer their support. It's been encouraging and heartwarming we're able to get that level of support from the community."

Salter said there's so much support that they're no longer asking for additional volunteers.

"We've had so many volunteers, we don't have enough for everyone to do," he said.

Information on how to donate directly to Montgomery City Schools will be available on the school's fire information page early this week, Salter said. Donations made directly to the school will go toward replacing equipment and supplies damaged in the fire.

More than $100,000 in camera and film developing equipment was destroyed in the fire along with art studio supplies, computers in the library media center and other supplies and equipment in the additional 11 classrooms affected by the fire.

The school's FAME Board is also collecting donations. You can make a donation online here.

Classes will resume at Hayneville Road School Aug. 27.

Parents can visit the school's fire information page on the school website for the latest updates.
John Meredith, of Huntsville, is a former Capitol Hill lobbyist who was recognized as one of the country's 100 most influential Black Republicans.

This year's municipal election cycle in Huntsville has been disappointing.

Statewide elections have curbed the desire among voters to spend their remaining summer days parsing municipal candidates. But it is local government that most impacts our daily lives, so vetting city council hopefuls is exactly what constituents should be doing.

John Meredith is a contributing columnist for AL.com (Contributed photo)

No vote impacts the quality of life in individual neighborhoods more than a vote for city council, which is coming up next Tuesday, Aug. 28.

The lack of multi-candidate forums this cycle has not hindered meaningful discussion on local issues like gentrification, city employee wages, human trafficking, municipal debt, street resurfacing and economic development between the candidates.

Despite knowledge of many District 2 issues, Keith Ward failed to seize his opportunity. His passion for educational issues is commendable but outside the purview of the office he seeks. His vision for the district is overshadowed by the passion of his challengers.

Mary Jane Caylor is a political force in North Alabama. She is passionate about the community and has a record of political successes that spans decades. She knows the issues important to District 2 residents. Caylor knows how to get the vote out and how to govern once elected. She has a lot to offer district voters.

Francis Akridge has a command of District 2 issues and a bevy of potential solutions. Her embrace of servant leadership will tether her to the district. A commanding presence, Akridge is humbled through collaborations that ground her in service to others while ensuring she never has to stand alone. She will be a people's champion.

Candidate Trent Iley has limited knowledge of District 3 issues. He's passionate but lacks vision. Iley is a good man but not ready to serve.

District 3 incumbent Jennie Robinson knows all the issues and doesn't have to sell herself to constituents. Over the last four years, few on the council have interacted with residents more than Robinson. She runs on her vision and her record of one success after another. She will prove hard to unseat.

Rosemary Schexnayder is, politically speaking, "that girl." It's hard to delineate just why you like her but you do. Focused on limiting the effects of gentrification and affordable housing in District 3, her knowledge of other issues is thin. She has earned a modest, vocal following but it will take massive support to oust the incumbent.

District 4 is the fun council race. On paper, it is a three-person matchup but one of those candidates is Jacob Anders. So, yard signs aside, only two candidates are actually competing for the seat.

Jackie Reed is a Huntsville institution. She is mom and apple pie. She knows District 4 issues as well as anyone and has managed to embody constituent service without ever being elected to public office. If the incumbent was not on the ballot, she would win by a landslide.

Unfortunately for Reed, incumbent Bill Kling is on the ballot in District 4. He knows the issues, inside and out. He is approachable and, in a good way, predictable. Those qualities are the reason his constituents have made him the longest serving council member in Huntsville and have expressed no desire to replace him.

Hopefully, the lack of a spirited municipal campaign cycle is indicative of district residents' satisfaction with their current council representation. The worst critics of Robinson can say about her public service is she focuses too much on her district. For Kling, it would be he cares too much about the city as a whole.

The only uncertainty this cycle is whether District 2 voters will choose to fill their open council seat with a sledgehammer (Caylor) or a velvet hammer (Akridge).
sen. Doug Jones (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

By Senator Doug Jones

Joshua Hillman, a bright young man from Prattville, Alabama, is heading to law school this fall with the hopes of someday becoming an advocate for others who need help.

Joshua knows firsthand what it's like to face a daily struggle and to do so with a positive attitude. You see, Joshua has lived with Cystic Fibrosis for as long as he can remember. He's used to the routine by now: an hour or more of breathing exercises first thing in the morning and countless medications throughout the day to keep the symptoms of this incurable condition at bay - at least on the good days.

Joshua's older brother, Dominic, has Cystic Fibrosis, too.

That means every major decision their parents made from the moment of their diagnoses onward centered on getting their boys access to the best health insurance and medical care possible. It meant they would move from Mississippi to Alabama to be closer to Children's of Alabama. It meant they took or kept jobs because they could get good insurance that would cover their children's expensive and life-long conditions. It meant that they constantly worried about how their two boys with pre-existing conditions would find and afford health coverage when they were adults and trying to make it on their own. At least, that's what they feared until the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prevented insurance companies from denying coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions and ended the practice of imposing annual or lifetime caps on coverage costs. For them, the ACA was truly a Godsend.

Joshua and his brother aren't alone.

One in three Alabamians under age 65 lives with a pre-existing condition that would've left them with no health insurance or higher-cost insurance before the ACA was passed. That ranks Alabama among the states with the highest rates of residents with pre-existing conditions in the country and makes our state one of those hurt most if protection for pre-existing conditions is rolled back or eliminated.

And that's not just a possibility - these protections are under serious threat because the Trump Administration is refusing to defend key provisions of the ACA in court. In responding to a lawsuit brought by the State of Texas, the U.S. Department of Justice abandoned its defense of the Affordable Care Act's most popular protections, including the requirement that insurance companies do not deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

This is a highly unusual move and unfortunately appears to be just another effort to undermine the health care law. Instead of working with Congress to improve and strengthen the health care system, and after failed attempts to repeal the ACA, the Administration is resorting to sabotaging it altogether.

To make matters worse for Joshua and the more than 900,000 Alabamians who suffer from a pre-existing condition, the State of Alabama has joined Texas in its lawsuit.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, three-fourths of voters agree that these protections are very important to preserve. Seven in 10 agree that insurance companies shouldn't be able to charge sick people more money. Nearly six in 10 say they live in a household with at least one person who has a pre-existing condition.

This is an issue that disproportionately impacts Alabamians - and we need to wake up to the risks of losing these protections. This is something that affects people every day from every walk of life and it shouldn't be a political issue. This is a nonpartisan issue that we need to work together to try to solve.

If we don't, families like Joshua's will have to go back to worrying about how their boys will get access to the life-saving care they rely on every day. It will mean people who've survived cancer or live with disabilities will face new exhausting battles with their insurance companies. It will mean people with conditions from diabetes to heart disease to acne could be denied coverage or be charged exorbitant prices to get coverage.

Alabamians deserve better. Families like the Hillmans deserve to know they'll have access to affordable, quality health care. Period.

That is why I will continue to oppose efforts by the Trump Administration and those in Congress who want to roll back these important protections for Alabamians.
Hundreds killed and thousands displaced as cow thieves murder and kidnap, but state and media focus on other conflicts.

Zamfara state, Nigeria  Besides Boko Haram attacks in northeastern Nigeria and the pastoralist crisis across the central regions lush vegetation belt, a lesser-known conflict is brewing in the northwest, and casualties are rising.

Cattle thieves are carrying out daily killings and kidnappings in Zamfara state.

Hundreds have died this year alone.

In early August, 22-year-old Zuleiya Kura braved a two-day trek in the bush with her four children  including 40-day-old twins  to escape the violence.

The young family fled their village of Kanya to Zurmi town, both in Zamfara state, after cattle rustlers on motorcycles stormed her hometown with AK47s.

Her husband, the familys breadwinner, is missing. He had stayed behind with other men to defend Kanya and no one knows if they were killed or managed to escape.

We all deserted the town after we heard that the bandits have come, says Kura, from the safety of a government-owned Arabic school housing more than 6,000 displaced people from across the state  all of whom were impacted by the same violence. They were chanting Allahu Akbar.

Zuleiya Sura, 22, and her children survivied a two-day trek in the bush to escape the attackers [Eromo Egbejule/Al Jazeera]

Zamfara state is home to 4.1 million people and more than 90 percent are Muslim. It was the first Nigerian state to adopt Islamic law, in 2000.

Cattle rustling, which has long afflicted northern Nigeria, has assumed a dangerous dimension in recent years, say residents and analysts.

The many forests in the area, especially the twin forests of Mashema in Zamfaras north bordering nearby Niger Republic and Birnin Gwari to the south leading to the neighbouring, equally insecure state of Kaduna, have served as bases for criminals who stockpile sophisticated weapons.

According to an estimate from Amnesty International, at least 371 people have been killed in Zamfara state alone since January.

Zamfara is our laboratory for conflict resolution. How we resolve it, if we can resolve it, will determine whether we can resolve future conflicts. Cheta Nwanze, head of research at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence

In July this year, young people incensed by the frequent killings burned down a police station in the town of Zurmi after policemen refused to release three suspected bandits to them for vigilante justice.

The situation in Zamfara is nothing new and has been building for years since the state adopted [Islamic] law as a placebo to respond to economic challenges, explains Cheta Nwanze, head of research at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence.

Zamfara is one of Nigerias poorest states, and there is circumstantial evidence that some of the perpetrators of violence may have been part of the enforcement brigade of that law almost two decades ago. Having said that, the seeming escalation is indicative of the wider issue in Nigeria where there is less money to go round and a larger population struggling for dwindling resources.

Nigerias law enforcement agencies are understaffed and with its army stretched thin by other conflicts, the cattle-rustler crisis has continued unabated mostly in Zamfara but also Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and, recently, Sokoto states.

Kidnappings and vigilantism

Two military exercises codenamed Operations Sharan Daji (Hausa for Sweep the Forest) and Harbin Kunama (Hausa for Scorpion Sting) set up in previous years, have proved unable to curb the attacks.

A dusk to dawn curfew, imposed again after being lifted in 2016, is not fully enforced either.

Encouraged by the failure to stem the violence, the perpetrators have also taken to indiscriminate kidnapping-for-ransom schemes across major highways, killing locals in communities after stealing their cows and abducting women and forcing them into sex slavery. There have also been a few cases of artisanal gold miners being robbed of their gold and then killed.

The attackers tend to arrive on Honda motorcycles, says Sokoto-based taxi driver Abdullahi Abubakar.

They park across the road and look inside vehicles they stop for those with fine skin or well-dressed [people] that look like they have money. Then they kidnap you and ask you to call your people to pay millions. Recently, they took one expatriate engineer working on a project in [Zamfara] and kept him for 12 days, feeding him well until a ransom of N30 million ($83,100) was paid.

A displaced man stands outside the makeshift clinic in the camp at Zurmi in Zamfara state [Eromo Egbejule/Al Jazeera]

Young people in several affected communities have formed local vigilante groups, arming themselves with sticks, Dane guns and crude weapons available for self-defence in case of reprisal attacks by ethnic militia.

The bandits are mostly Fulani mercenaries attacking predominantly Hausa settlements, with some criminal elements among the ethnic militia also instigating their own attacks in similar patterns, says the state government.

After our ban of Yan Banga (vigilante) and allowances stopped, some transformed into Yan Sakai (volunteer forces) to revenge on Fulani people and some of them became criminals, said Ibrahim Dosara, a government spokesperson. When we discovered that they were now part of the problem, the government banned them again.

Our equivalent of black-on-black crime

The crisis has largely gone under the radar as both media and the government focus on rumblings elsewhere in northern Nigeria.

Some analysts also believe the conflict is considered less pressing because it is an example of Muslim-on-Muslim violence.

In Nigeria, we like our binary fixtures  Muslim versus Christian, Igbo versus Hausa, Fulani versus Yoruba, said Nwanze, the researcher. Most of us cant process anything outside of those binaries, and since Zamfara doesnt fit any of those binaries, and is our equivalent of black-on-black crime, it is largely ignored. However, Zamfara is our laboratory for conflict resolution. How we resolve it, if we can resolve it, will determine whether we can resolve future conflicts.

In June, apparently frustrated by the situation, Zamfara governor Abdulazeez Yari told reporters that he was powerless in his role as chief security officer of the state.

We have been facing serious security challenges over the years, but in spite of being governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I cannot direct security officers on what to do nor sanction them when they err, he said.

Yari, who has been criticised for weak leadership and living outside his state on a regular basis, has no control over the internal security infrastructure because, in accordance with Nigerias constitution, law enforcement apparatus is controlled wholly by the federal government.

Dosara, the government spokesperson, says in 2016, the state government convened a series of reconciliatory meetings with two main suspected leaders of the attacks, Dogo Gide and Buharin Daji. Both are Fulani.

We initiated a disarmament and reconciliation process which succeeded in recovering over 3,000 different types of arms comprising machine guns, AK47s, locally made pistols, revolvers and other ammunition  and they took payments. Just about four months ago, they [the weapons] were destroyed before international organisations.

Not long after the suspected leaders surrendered their weapons and were paid off an undeclared sum, Daji broke the brief ceasefire.

Nicknamed General Buharin to mimic the title of Muhammadu Buhari, the retired general and Nigerias president, Dajin went rogue.

One of the communities he attacked and stole cows from was a small village in the Dansadau area of the state, the hometown of Gides wife.

Gide, exasperated by Dajis refusal to return his booty, pretended to extend an olive branch to his former ally  and killed him.

A few weeks ago, the army shot dead Dajis teenage heir after a run-in between his gang and security officials.

Still, the kidnappings, killings and general instability are yet to end.

Buharis belated response

Calls for communal policing have resurfaced as the government at state and federal levels deliberate on how to ease the crisis.

It is both a case for communal policing since the locals know many of the perpetrators, and a cautionary tale about communal policing without proper training and funding. Eventually, these people will turn those weapons against the very people they are meant to protect, warns Nwanze.

In a belated response in July, President Buhari  who came to power in 2015 vowing to tackle insecurity  deployed a 1,000-man strong military contingent from the army and air force to embark on yet another military exercise, Operation Diran Mikiya (Hausa for Eagle Fighting).

Buharin Daji is the main rustling and kidnapping guy in-country and hes supposedly a Nigerian, says Beegeagles, a popular anonymous military intelligence blogger.

In northern Zamfara, there are far more menacing guys coming in from Niger [Republic]  most of whom go unchallenged, given the negligible security. Everything that spells cash  gold, cattle, kidnapping  feeds into the conflict.
As the leader of South Africa, Ramaphosa has a responsibility to stand up to the likes of Joseph Kabila across Africa.

On August 10, 2018, South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa met with his Congolese counterpart Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa in his capacity as the current chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This working visit came soon after Kabila had declared that he would not be seeking a third, divisive and plainly unconstitutional mandate in long-delayed elections scheduled for December.

As has become the norm in African diplomacy, the meeting seemingly made no tangible progress on the democratic front and yielded little else but a polite joint communique and the obligatory officious photograph such get-togethers customarily produce. In fact, Kabila emerged smiling and relatively unscathed from his encounter with one of Africas most powerful leaders, and that was quite an achievement for a president who has long disregarded the basic tenets of democracy.

Diplomatic etiquette and civilities aside, one would have expected Ramaphosa to show public concern with how the Kabila administration has been clamping down on civil and media liberties, civil rights activists and opposition demonstrations and creating an antagonistic electoral environment ahead of a landmark poll; one would have expected Ramaphosa to stand up for the thousands of girls and women who have been victims of mass rapes, cannibalism and dismemberment in the Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRC) volatile Kasai region; one would have expected Ramaphosa  a former trade unionist  to show solidarity with the estimated 40,000 child labourers who are reportedly working in Congolese cobalt mines.

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Ramaphosa could also have touched on how Kinshasa barred opposition leader Moise Katumbi from entering the DRC, ostensibly to prevent the former governor of Katanga Province from lodging an application to participate in Decembers presidential election. And at the very least, one would have expected Ramaphosa to publicly promote the liberal and democratic ideals, which he negotiated at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), the difficult and combative talks which gave birth to the new South Africa in 1994.

Instead, according to the communique released by South Africas Department of International Relations and Cooperation after the meeting, Ramaphosa commended President Joseph Kabila for honouring the Congolese Constitution as promised to the Nation. This unwarranted diplomatic praise could embolden an undoubtedly wayward, despotic and violent regime months before a critical poll (which might not even take place).

Ramaphosa should lead the way

We need to hear Ramaphosa standing up for the progressive values he helped craft for South Africa at CODESA  unwavering respect for the right to life, the rule of law, all-inclusive human rights and adherence to the spirit of constitutional rule  for the good of African people living under difficult, despotic and murderous conditions. South Africa exported goods worth $23.7bn to African countries in 2017 and it hosts millions of political and economic migrants from many of Africas perpetual trouble spots  the DRC, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan, and Nigeria.

South Africa should assume an unwavering leadership role in a hitherto ideologically rudderless continent and export its electoral and democratic workings and values to fragile African states. Indeed, South Africa should break ranks with Africas strongmen and condemn tyrannical, illiberal and problematic actions on democratic and humanitarian grounds.

Africans besieged by tyrannical rule should begin to hear words of support (and see definitive actions) coming from Ramaphosa and Africas leading liberal democrats and not just EU and US actors. As things stand today, with civil conflicts, tyranny and third-term and sixth-term obsessions in Sudan and Uganda respectively, casting an ever-darkening shadow over Africas postcolonial dispensations, the continent needs South Africas strong liberal voice to sound again, as it once did under the late Nelson Mandelas leadership.

Tata Mandelas passion for universal peace, humanitarian justice and human rights introduced a new political paradigm in Africa, which has found no influential takers in the African Union. Speaking out against totalitarianism and standing on the right side of long-suffering people should not be deemed politically taboo or treacherous in African politics. With Ramaphosa leading the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and South Africa, it remains to be seen whether the Southern African nation will leverage its substantial economic power for diplomatic influence and help navigate Africa towards a rich and fully liberated destiny. No doubt, it is in South Africas economic and geopolitical interests to do so.

Quiet diplomacy wont work

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) policy, a voluntary instrument for monitoring performance in governance, which was introduced by the African Union in 2003, has failed to introduce substantial change in governance policies in places such as Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola and Gabon  nations that cant seem to uphold multiparty democracy or hold free, fair and transparent elections. The APRMs primary objective is to foster the adoption of policies, values, standards and practices of political and economic governance that lead to political stability, accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration, economic growth and sustainable development.

But only 35 out of 55 AU members have signed up for the APRM. Of the 35 APRM signatories, countries like Egypt, Sudan and Cameroon remain brutal and unrelenting dictatorships. So finding African solutions for African problems must begin with levelheaded and liberal African actors aligning themselves with progressive thinking and progressive movements that are people-centred.

Ramaphosa must change tack and break ranks with the brotherhood of African tyrants and liberator-turned-political villains and speak out against democratic infringements and despotic rule on the African continent.

South Africa has come a long way since 1974 when the apartheid regime detained Ramaphosa in solitary confinement for 11 months for organising rallies in support of Frelimo and Mozambiques independence. But sadly, the struggle for economic, social and political well-being is far from over in Africa. This is why ordinary Africans still need to see his Pan-Africanist zeal for democratic and global liberties shining through the asphyxiating maze of totalitarianism that an unapologetic mob of bloodthirsty and dictatorial African leaders has woven. This is why Ramaphosa must stand behind the defenceless and long subjugated Congolese people and actively back the evolution of liberal democracy in the DRC and, indeed, Africa.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
No one excels more than a Washingtonian at coming up with fancy words that turn a dull bureaucratic day job into a stimulating venture and might occasionally trigger a global panic. Announcing the Iran Action Group (IAG) at the US Department of State on August 16 was one of these moments meant to bewilder watchers of the American bureaucracy under President Donald Trump.

The Department of State traditionally forms a task force when a certain country is facing a political crisis or is high on US priority, but typically no one bothers to make a fuss about it. President Barack Obamas administration was masterful in establishing the concept of czar, which created parallel decision-makers to existing institutions and diplomats. When Trump came to power in January 2017, he closed these positions and declared them wasteful spending. Last Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a killer presentation to announce a mere staff reshuffle: Brian Hook was demoted from policy-planning adviser to Special Representative on Iran and will be supported by few unnamed existing staff to form the secret cabal of IAG.

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Of course, a panic wave followed speculating how ingenious to make this announcement on the 65th anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) bringing down the government of Iranian Prime Minister Mohamed Mossadegh. Peacemongers warned this cabal reminds us of the lead up to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq while warmongers beat the drums by whispering the r-word for regime change. One cannot blame them, it might be easy to fall for the Trump administrations bombastic rhetoric. However, heres why the IAG is a hollow codename when it comes to policy impact but serves much needed bureaucratic purposes.

It is worth noting that the State Department simultaneously appointed a new Special Representative on Syria, former Ambassador James Jeffrey, without brouhaha. The establishment of the IAG masks a tacit and belated recognition by the Trump administration that a traditional approach is required for US diplomacy to become at least seemingly effective once again.

What is ironic though is how excluded has Mike Pompeo become from the Iran portfolio. Last Thursday, he introduced Brian Hook in a short statement and went out of sight. Since making his major speech on Iran last July, Pompeo came under pressure by Trump allies in Congress who saw him harbouring an ideological attitude that could take the US on a path of war with Iran. One week later, Trump outmanoeuvred his secretary of state by calling for a dialogue with Iran: no preconditions and whenever they want. Since then, Pompeo is involved in the Iran decision-making process as much as he is in the Israeli-Palestinian portfolio. The State Department could name the new unit Iran Coup Squad, this will not change the fact the White House sets the Iran policy. Brian Hook is National Security Adviser John Boltons man in the State Department, and thats the only reason why the White House has embraced the Iran Action Group. What Pompeo did on August 16 was officially transferring the Iran portfolio at the State Department to Brian Hook who is tasked by the White House with engaging the world on US policy towards Iran.

The decision to establish this group also reflects the White House recognition that reintroducing sanctions on Iran will be an arduous path and that the Iranian regime might not be coming to the negotiation table anytime soon.

Moreover, the IAG was desperately needed to bring some order and sense to a disoriented US policy. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis obviously do not see eye to eye on how to tackle the Iranian challenge, and the White House has been struggling to set the tone. But keep in mind that the IAG is not even an interagency unit in which representatives from multiple departments take part in the deliberations, meaning its ability to shape US policy is limited and the White House National Security Council is not giving up its mandate of coordinating interagency policies. The Trump administration needed a full-time point person dedicated to rallying or coercing reluctant world leaders to abide by the re-imposed US sanctions on Iran. The IAG is similar, but in a reverse way, to the team the Obama administration assembled to implement the Iran nuclear deal. However, it additionally addresses Irans wider regional activities, which reflects the Trump administrations approach of linking these activities to Irans nuclear deal.

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The decision to establish this group also reflects the White House recognition that re-introducing sanctions on Iran will be an arduous path and that the Iranian regime might not be coming to the negotiation table anytime soon. Unlike the sanctions under the Obama administration, the lack of international consensus requires intensive diplomatic efforts to convince countries like India, China and Iraq, among others, to refrain from doing business with Iran. The IAG will be so overwhelmed with requests from allies asking for exemptions to trade with Iran, and with decisions penalizing others who did not comply, that it will not have time to plan a coup in Tehran.

The ambiguous policy towards Tehran, ranging from calls for unconditional talks to psychological warfare, seems to be meant to keep Iran second guessing US intentions, which could lead to miscalculations or unintended consequences. The Trump administration is pushing the Iranian regime to the corner, and those who are cornered typically surrender or act desperately. For now, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is saying no war and no negotiation with Trump. Neither the US nor Iran have changed their military posture in the region nor drastically altered their tactics in countries like Iraq and Lebanon where they share influence. The tightrope between Washington and Tehran will last until the end of the year, at least, as Iran will continue its attempts to evade US sanctions. Ironically, if and when the US decides to take action on Iran, whether escalating conflict or engaging in dialogue, the IAG might automatically become null.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
African Union says it will send a fact-finding mission to the countries as tensions between the neighbours mount.

The African Union (AU) has urged Djibouti and Eritrea to show restraint as tensions over a disputed border territory intensified and threatened to revive a long-standing and at times violent dispute.

Djibouti on Friday accused Eritrean soldiers of occupying territory in the contested Doumeira region following the departure of Qatari peacekeepers from the location earlier this week.

Doumeira is situated northeast of Djibouti and east of Eritrea near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic waterway at the foot of the Red Sea through which nearly four million barrels of oil are shipped daily to Europe, the United States and Asia.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, AU commission chairperson, said on Saturday that the union would send a fact-finding mission to the Djibouti-Eritrea border.

The AU is ready to assist Djibouti and Eritrea to normalise their relations and promote good neighbourliness within the framework of relevant AU instruments, he said.

Qatar announced that it was pulling its contingent out on June 14, days after the two East African countries sided with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their allies in a major diplomatic standoff with Doha.

Qatars foreign ministry did not give a reason for the move.

Djiboutis Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssef said on Friday that his countrys army was on alert and accused Eritrea of moving its forces into the Doumeira region where Qatari peacekeepers had been stationed since 2010 as a buffer between the two nations armies.

READ MORE: Djibouti accuses Eritrea of occupying disputed area

In a statement issued on Saturday, Eritrea did not address the allegations directly, saying it would not respond to news  factual and speculative  churned out in the last few days.

The government of Eritrea will make its views known when it obtains full information of the entire episode, said the statement issued by the information ministry in Asmara.

Djibouti, a close Western ally, has repeatedly clashed with Eritrea over the disputed territory, raising fears that the spat could engulf the entire region.

Clashes broke out between the Horn of Africa countries in June 2008, which triggered several days of fighting that killed a dozen Djiboutian troops.

Eritrea had initially denied making any incursions, accusing Djibouti of launching unprovoked attacks.

The UN Security Council then requested both sides withdraw from the area before the neighbours accepted a Qatari request to mediate and deploy peacekeepers.
Top courts verdict clears the way for Keita to begin his second five-year term on September 4.

Malis constitutional court has confirmed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keitas win in this months runoff election, rejecting fraud accusations by the opposition candidate.

Mondays verdict by the countrys top court clears the way for Keita to begin his second five-year term on September 4 after he was declared the winner of Malis presidential election on August 16.

Challenger Soumaila Cisse had contested the results of the August 12 vote when he filed a fraud complaint to the constitutional court seeking nullification of Keitas victory.

I reject the results proclaimed by the Ministry of Territorial Administration that do not reflect the vote of Malians, Cisse said on Friday.

Keita, who is widely known as IB, got 67.2 percent of the votes, comfortably beating Cisse, who received 32.8 percent, according to electoral officials.

More than 2.7 million Malians voted in the runoff election, a 34 percent turnout despite threats by armed groups.

Cisse said he would have won 51 percent of the vote but for ballot box stuffing and other cheating by Keitas camp. Keita rejected the allegations.

European Union observers said there were irregularities during the vote but did not say there was fraud.

After results were declared, Keita received congratulations from French President Emmanuel Macron, whose military has been engaged in Mali in the fight against the rebel groups.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called the 73-year-old Keita to congratulate him.

The UN has had more than 12,000 peacekeepers in Mali since 2013.
Austerity measures have brought some important results and the budget has been balanced, but dark clouds may loom.

Athens, Greece  On June 22, at 3am (01:00 GMT), eurozone finance ministers meeting in Brussels declared a victory for the eurozones last intensive care patient after eight years of public spending cuts, and cleared Greece to borrow from markets after August 20.

Austerity has brought some important results. Greece balanced its budget, so it is living within its means, perhaps for the first time.

Its exports are rising, bringing in much-needed foreign revenue. The assurance of creditworthiness from the IMF and the European Stability Mechanism  the sovereign distress fund that now owns most of Greeces debt  is an important signal to markets.

That should mean that Greece can start to rebuild its credit history and refinance its debt.

Other aspects of the deal are less reassuring.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras, who balanced the budget as finance minister in 2014, warned of the challenges ahead: Important problems remain, such as the high public debt, the countrys low credit rating, the high rate of non-performing loans, high unemployment and the investment gap.

Greeces debt stands at $329.8bn  almost twice the size of its economy, and this month its credit rating was upgraded by Fitch to BB from B  a far cry from the AAA rating it enjoyed before 2008.

Its official unemployment rate is 19.5 percent, but the Labour Institute, a think-tank attached to the General Confederation of Greek Workers, believes real unemployment is closer to 27 percent.

In other words, the Greek economy is still fragile  one reason why supervision of public spending will persist for the next 40 years.

As economist Plamen Tonchev pointed out, monitoring is now replaced by enhanced surveillance. During those two generations, Greece must set aside an average of 2.2 percent of its economy to repay its creditors  a rare feat. Even if it succeeds, it is likely to remain encumbered by high taxes.

Workers have been protesting austerity measures adopted to end Greeces bailout package [AP]

According to the Center for Liberal Studies Markos Dragoumis, a think-tank, Greeks worked 198 days  from January 1 to July 26 this year  to pay taxes.

That represents an increase of 50 days during the eight-year crisis, putting Greeks on a par with Germans among the most highly taxed Europeans.

Unlike German taxpayers, however, Greeks register the lowest rate of satisfaction from public services  especially healthcare, education and the delivery of justice  in the developed world.

Competitiveness

Greeces competitiveness rankings tell the story. Despite lowering its labour costs dramatically, Greece still ranks below all its EU partners for productivity in the World Economic Forums competitiveness survey.

It beat only Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary in Transparency Internationals corruption perception index.

In short, after eight years of unprecedented reform and belt-tightening for a developed economy, Greece underperforms countries that have had the benefits of democracy, market economies and EU membership for a fraction of the time Greece has had them.

Some economists have warned that Greece could go bankrupt again in under a decade [File: AP]

Banks

Banks would normally be relied upon to finance a private sector recovery and boost consumption, but $105.5bn of their capital is still tied up in non-performing debt.

The banking system plans to recover $28.5bn of its money by the end of next year by collecting or selling loans and liquidating collateral.

Some of that money should go to new lending, but much will be needed to refinance $16bn in write-offs.

Demography

Greeces ageing demographic enhances over-taxation. Its labour force is just 4.8 million in a population of 11 million, and only 3.8 million of those people are working.

The crisis contributed to this as hundreds of thousands of public servants in their late 50s and early 60s rushed to retire, rightly judging that the retirement age would rise (it is now 68).

Greece cannot even afford to pay out pensions for all those who have applied. Some 300,000 are on a waiting list. Once they are approved, Greece will have about three million retirees  a third of the population.

At the same time, the birth rate has plummeted by a fifth, as young people shrink from the cost of a second child. In 2011, it dropped below the death rate.

Measured together with the emigration of young people to healthier job markets, Greece is losing an average of 75,000 people a year  0.7 percent of its population.

Both the rush to retirement and the loss of new blood suggest a narrowing tax base for the foreseeable future.

Most economists agree that it is unlikely that Greece can achieve high rates of growth under these circumstances. Greece failed to meet the 2.5 percent growth last year, gaining only 1.4 percent. This year, it is expected to achieve a little below two percent.

They also agree that a fast-growing economy is the most effective way to reassure markets about the manageability of its debt.

When Greece was forced out of markets in 2010, its debt was about 130 percent of its economy. Today, it stands at 177 percent, because austerity caused its economy to shrink by a quarter  the worst depression in any developed postwar economy.

Unless that process is reversed, some economists say, Greece could go bankrupt again in under a decade.

Plummeting birth rate and retirements suggest a narrowing tax base for the foreseeable future [File: AP]

What next?

The crisis may have paved the way for future success by changing attitudes. Realising how much they are paying for poor services has awakened Greeks out of their statism, argued Alexandros Skouras, who heads the Center for Liberal Studies.

The crisis has shifted the climate of ideas in Greece from support for big government to support for entrepreneurship and innovation, he said.

[This] replaces what I call the formerly Greek dream  a seat in the public sector, job security forever, vastly better benefits than in the private sector. Every parent wanted their kid to join the public sector. Thats no longer the case.

Three years ago the majority of Greeks wanted more government programmes, even if it meant more taxes. Now, the situation is reversed. Sixty percent of Greeks want lower taxes and only 35 percent of Greeks want bigger government.

Others disagree that Greece is on the right path. Former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis still believes that Greece would have been better off ditching the euro.

For the most part of this past decade Greece has lived through the biggest peacetime economic catastrophe since the Great Depression, he said.

It is, therefore, absolutely necessary that the country be prepared to return to its national currency.

Varoufakis famously confronted his eurozone colleagues in early 2015 with a challenge to reschedule Greeces unsustainable debt and lower its annual repayment costs to between one and 1.5 percent of GDP.

Led by Germany, they refused and the newly elected Syriza government, unwilling to return to the drachma, was forced to accept more austerity measures, overruling 62 percent of the electorate which voted against austerity in a referendum.

Claus Regling, who heads the European Stability Mechanism, believed that through his stance, Varoufakis was responsible for between $77.6bn and $228.3bn in increased costs.

The debate over whether austerity was the right policy for Greece  and the rest of the eurozone  is likely to continue while low growth and high unemployment persist.

Greece may have been saved from profligacy and official bankruptcy, but it has yet to find prosperity and confidence.
The outgoing United Nations human rights chief has warned the world bodys five permanent Security Council member states wield too much power and it could lead to its collapse.

China, France, the UK, Russia and the United States are running too much of the business because they are able to veto resolutions put forward by other UN members, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein told reporters on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland.

When they cooperate things can move; when they dont everything becomes stuck and the organisation, in general, becomes so marginal to the resolution of these sorts of horrific conflicts that we see, Hussein said.

That has to change: [otherwise] in the end the organisation can collapse at great cost to the international community.

The UN Security Council has 15 members, all with one vote. But only the five permanent members have the capacity to reject resolutions unilaterally.

Hussein announced in December he would step down from his post after his initial four-year term expires at the end of August. He cited concerns he might be required to bend a knee in supplication or mute a statement of advocacy were he to continue in his current role.

Outspoken critic

The rights chief has drawn plaudits among many human rights advocates for his frankness, but in so doing has ruffled feathers among many governments, including some of the most powerful.

Hussein has been an outspoken critic of several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, as well as Israels treatment of Palestinians and human rights violations in Syrias ongoing war.

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His comments exemplified his call for reforms at a world body whose shortcomings have been exposed over issues such as Syrias devastating seven-year war and rising nationalism.

He also alluded to the lessons of World War II that, he suggested, appeared to be fading with time.

My sense is the further away we get from those historical and dreadful experiences, the more we tend to play fast and loose with the institutions created to prevent repetition, he said.

All states are works in progress and one or two generations of reckless politicians can destroy any and every state. Its applicable to the US as well.

Hussein, a Jordanian, will be replaced by former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet.
Sadr-backed Sairoon and Abadis Nasr agreed to form a core for an alliance together with Hikma and Wataniyah blocs.

Iraqs Sairoon Alliance led by Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr is in talks to form a coalition with the Nasr alliance led by outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, along with two other parliamentary groups.

The parliamentary blocs of Sadr-backed Sairoon and Abadis Nasr met on Sunday with the Hikma bloc led by Shia cleric Ammar al-Hakim and the Wataniyya bloc led by former prime minister Iyad Allawi, in Baghdad to discuss forming the largest alliance that would form a government for the next four years.

After the meeting, the four blocks announced late on Sunday a preliminary agreement to form a coalition.

We agreed today to form a core for an alliance, seeking to form a parliamentary bloc that can form the government. We have decided at this meeting to open up to our other partners to contribute together in the formation of this (largest) alliance, said the blocs in a statement on Sunday.

The announcement also confirmed the blocs commitment to taking an anti-sectarian approach to the process of forming a new government.

The coalition is determined to work hard to build a state of citizenship, justice, equality and the provision of a decent life for all our people, the statement said.

Confirming the progress of the talks, Kadhim al-Shimmary, a leading figure in the Wataniyya bloc told Al Jazeera: We had a successful meeting and agreed to form a coalition among us.

We are now waiting to see if we will be able to form the largest bloc, he added.

The announcement came as Iraqs Supreme Court ratified the final results of the May 12 parliamentary elections, setting in motion a 90-day constitutional deadline for the top parties to form a coalition government.

Many Iraqis disputed the results of the vote, alleging widespread electoral misconduct but a nationwide recount of votes on August 10 did not change the number of seats Sadrs bloc won.

According to the commission, only one seat from Iraqs Baghdad Coalition had moved to the second-placed Al-Fatih bloc, giving it 48 instead of 47 assembly seats.





But while Sadr retained his lead, his potential alliance with Abadis bloc and the others does not grant him the 50 percent plus one  or at least 165 seats  needed to form a majority bloc.

The Sairoon alliance won the largest number of parliamentary seats at 54, while the Nasr alliance, which came in third place, won 42 seats.

Together with the Hikma bloc, which won only 19 seats, and Allawis Wataniyya bloc, which won 21 seats, the potential alliance has 137 seats  28 seats short of a majority bloc.

Commenting on the coalition forming, Iraqi analyst Jassim Moussavi said despite this shortcoming, the alliance was likely to form a strong bloc that could place it in a position to gain support from other groups in order to form the new government.

These blocs have a lot in common including their anti-sectarian approach and inclination towards garnering strong relations with all regional powers, Moussavi told Al Jazeera.

It is quite likely that they will be able to form the largest bloc and hence the new government, he added, saying that if this group was to remain allied, it would likely announce Abadi  an ally of both the United States and Iran  as its candidate for prime minister.

In a televised speech earlier on Sunday, al-Abadi called on the political blocs to accelerate their negotiations, and on Iraqi President Fuad Masoum to invite the new parliament to hold its first session soon.

Following the Supreme Courts ratification of final results, incoming MPs are now expected to hold a first session to elect a new assembly speaker.

Within 30 days of that first session, a two-thirds majority of the assembly will elect the countrys next president, who will then task the largest bloc in parliament with drawing up a government.

The new government will have to be referred back to parliament for approval.
Survey by Italian Consumer Association identifies 22 bridges on the countrys motorway network showing worrying signs of degradation.

By
The worst monsoon flooding in a century has left hundreds dead and upwards of a million people displaced.

Indian health authorities have started preparing defences against the spread of disease in flood-hit Kerala state, as water receded and a huge clean-up gathered pace.

By Monday, the death toll in the southern state had reached 370 and the number of people displaced was upwards of a million.

Incessant rain since August 8 has caused the worst floods the region has experienced in a century and triggered landslides.

Dozens of people are missing and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in thousands of makeshift relief camps, state officials said.





The biggest challenges immediately ahead are cleaning of the flood-hit houses, rehabilitation, and prevention of water-borne diseases, said Mahesh P, a village-level officer from Rayamangalam, some 45km from Keralas financial capital of Kochi.

Al Jazeeras Andrew Thomas, reporting from a relief camp in Kayamkulam, said the huge number of people gathered in the shelters increased the risk of disease spreading.

When you have more than three quarters of a million people in temporary camps like this one, disease is always a risk, he said.

You have lots of people in a small space, and without the things they would normally have at home, like clean water and regular food.

Survivors who spoke to Al Jazeera said even places of shelter were under threat.

One woman, a 45-year-old named Ayisha, said she was in a hospital when waters threatened those inside.

We were on the ground floorwater rushed into the place where we slept, the speed of water was way too fast, she said.

The volunteers immediately transferred us to the first floor. Since the ground floor was filled with water, it was impossible for us to leave the building.

We were saved by breaking the walls and a (make-shift) bridge.

Disease control

Light to moderate rain was expected across Kerala on Monday, bringing some respite to rescue workers, who have been battling rising waters and mudslides to reach tens of thousands of stranded villagers.

Rainfall in the state during the June-September monsoon season has been more than 40 percent higher than normal, with torrential rain in the last 10 days forcing authorities to release water from dozens of dangerously full dams, sending surges into rivers that then overflowed their banks.

At least 40,000 animals have died as a result of the floods, according to the animal welfare NGO, People for Animals, which is helping the government in its response.

As flood waters receded from, thousands of animal carcasses floated away with them.

Weve found the decomposing bodies of dogs and cows floating on the water, said Abdurrahman, a volunteer helping the relief effort.

Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at Keralas health department, said the state was preparing to battle any outbreak of diseases in the relief camps and preventive medicines were being distributed.

Mahesh said villagers had all pulled together to rescue people and prevent an even bigger disaster.

The bulk of the credit for the rescue goes to the ordinary citizens. The army, the navy, the local authorities assisted them, Mahesh said.

The flood has bonded the people like never before, with people sharing whatever they had.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no shortage of food in the state as traders had stocked up ahead of Onam, the states biggest festival which falls on August 25.

The state has cancelled all official celebrations in connection with the Hindu harvest festival.

Additional reporting by Aslah Kayyalakkath.
Gebran Bassil says parts of Syria now peaceful, stable, adding he sees no reason for refugees to remain in Lebanon.

Russia lashed out at Western countries, accusing them of blocking UN aid for Syrias reconstruction and trying to prevent the return of refugees

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks on Monday with his Lebanese counterpart, Gibran Bassil, the US refusal to provide assistance for rebuilding Syria after more than seven years of fighting would deter Syrians from returning to their homes.

Lavrov said the United Nations political affairs department last year sent out a secret directive forbidding organisations belonging to [the UN] system from any project aimed at restoring the Syrian economy.

Russia has been the chief backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, helping his forces to regain control over most of the country. Now, Moscow is calling on Western countries, which backed the opposition, to help fund reconstruction efforts, saying it would reduce the flow of refugees and migrants to Western Europe.

Lavrov bristled at the US and its Western allies for making assistance to Syria contingent on a political transition process. He also accused the West of pressuring the United Nations to stay away from reconstruction efforts in Syria.

He said Moscow is looking into why the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, is dragging its feet on the reconstruction of world-famous archaeological sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra. He said the UN Secretariats political department has explicitly banned any involvement in reconstruction in Syria pending a political settlement.

Lavrov added he protested the move in a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Its inadmissible when a group of countries manipulates secretariats of international organisations, which are supposed to be unbiased and independent, Lavrov said.

The UN was created on the basis of  equality of all countries. I strongly urge our Western partners to return to that principle and not try to covertly exploit international organisations.





Al-Qaeda raids?

He also criticised recent comments by Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN refugee agency, who said last week it was too soon to talk about the mass repatriation of the more than five million Syrian refugees.

Lavrov said the UNHCR should not be a subsidiary of a group of Western countries.

The Russian foreign minister also alleged that al-Qaeda fighters located near al-Tanf, in southeastern Syria where US military advisers are based, had launched raids intended to prevent refugees from returning from Jordan.

Bassil said Lebanon, which is hosting more than one million refugees, fully supports Russian efforts to help Syrians return.

Lebanon supports the quick and safe return of Syrian refugees without any link to a political solution, Bassil said. The circumstances in Syria have changed and many areas are safe, and for that reason, there is no reason for the refugees to stay.

Several thousand Syrian refugees in Lebanon have started to return to their homes in Syria voluntarily in recent months.

Everyones interests

Some Lebanese officials have pushed for speedy returns, but the UN and human rights groups say conditions are still not safe in Syria.





Bassil said also said Lebanon should serve as a platform for the economic revival of Syria, and ensured Beirut would coordinate its efforts with Moscow, Interfax news agency reported.

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about international reconstruction efforts and the humanitarian situation in Syria with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

Its important to help those areas that the refugees can return to, said Putin, whose decision for Russia to militarily intervene in Syrias conflict in 2015 tilted the odds in favour of Assad, who has regained large swaths of land from armed rebel groups.

I think its in everyones interests, including Europes.
Nicaragua: Tourism industry crumbles after months of protests

Tourist operators say it will take years to regain trust with locals and foreign visitors, and that is only if the fragile calm in the country continues.
Witnesses said 19 bodies were counted but an aid worker at a camp that received survivors put the death toll at 63.

Boko Haram fighters have killed more than a dozen people in an attack on a village in northeast Nigerias Borno state, witnesses say.

Abatcha Umar, a survivor, told Reuters news agency that at least 19 people were killed when the armed group stormed Malari village at around 2am on Sunday.

Umar said he counted 19 bodies, including that of his younger brother, after the attack.

However, an aid worker at a camp that received the survivors, and who declined to be identified, put the death toll at 63.

Hundreds of people from villages in the area have fled to the camp for displaced people in the garrison town of Monguno in Borno state, the aid worker said.

Boko Haram fighters had arrived in trucks at Malari village on Saturday evening, firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades, villagers said.

A village resident, Aisami Grema, said that police stationed in the village did not interfere with the attack.

The police made no attempt to engage the Boko Haram fighters, Grema told AFP news agency.

The fighters ransacked the village for two hours before leaving, another resident, Masida Umar, said.

Increasing attacks

The strike is the latest blow to Nigerias efforts to defeat Boko Haram and allied groups.

On Friday, four farmers were killed when Boko Haram fighters raided crop fields near Maiduguri.

Boko Haram has launched a series of assaults against Nigerian troops, putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buharis government to tackle insecurity in the country ahead of general elections in February.

In recent months, the military has suffered its heaviest defeats in years, while commanders have been repeatedly replaced, and special forces soldiers have mutinied.

Founded in Maiduguri in 2002, Boko Haram is an armed group that fights against Western influence in West Africa and is active in Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon.

The groups nine-year revolt has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced more than two million from their homes, triggering a dire humanitarian crisis in the remote Lake Chad region.

The majority of the displaced people used to be subsistence farmers, but because of the ongoing violence they can no longer tend to their fields and rely on food handouts from aid agencies to survive.

Chad, Cameroon and Niger have all joined the military effort by Nigeria against Boko Haram.
Ahead of Pope Francis scheduled visit to Ireland, an international research group launched a database of Irish clergy convicted or credibly accused of sexually abusing children.

BishopAccountability.org said the online database, unveiled on Monday, was created in the hope of pressing Pope Francis to disclose the names of all priests and brothers deemed guilty of child abuse by the Catholic Church.

It shows the degree to which information remains hidden in the country, it said.

Hiding the names of credibly accused child molesters puts children at risk, withholds validation from survivors, and makes it nearly impossible for Catholic laypeople to protect their families or hold church leaders accountable, said Co-Director Anne Barrett Doyle.

The Massachusetts-based group seeks to compile every publicly available document and report on the child abuse crisis to hold bishops accountable for bringing abusers into the church and shielding them from punishment.

The database includes names of priests and religious brothers, along with summaries of the allegations against them.

The Catholic Church in the United States, Chile, Australia, and Ireland  where the pope is making a two-day visit this weekend  are reeling from crises involving sexual abuse of minors.

Numerous surveys have pointed to plummeting confidence in the church in those countries and elsewhere.

Culture of death

The online database coincides with Pope Francis unprecedented letter to all Catholics asking them to help root out this culture of death and vowing there would be no more cover-ups.

The pontiff addressed his letter on Monday to the people of God, church language for all members. He appeared to be launching an appeal for all Catholics to face the crisis together and not let it tear the church apart.





The pope referred to the suffering endured by children because of sexual abuse at the hands of a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons.

The Vatican said it was the first time a pope had written to the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics about sexual abuse. Past letters on sex-abuse scandals were addressed to bishops and faithful of individual countries.

We have realised that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death, he said.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realising the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives.

We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them, Pope Francis wrote.

Vaticans responsibility?

Colm OGorman, director of Amnesty International and a victim of sexual abuse within the church, told Al Jazeera while the popes language was stronger than previous statements, the letter still didnt go far enough.

The problem is that the bar has been set so low by the Catholic Church  which for decades dismissed the idea that abuse was even happening; accused those of us who spoke out about the systematic nature of the cover-up of slander, of being anti-Catholic; accused the media of an anti-Catholic bias and denied all of this for years, OGorman said.

The acknowledgment finally that there was a cover-up in parts of the church is welcome, but unfortunately at no point in the popes very lengthy two-page letter does he acknowledge the Vaticans responsibility for that cover up.





Last week, a grand jury in Pennsylvania released the findings of the largest-ever investigation of sex abuse in the US Catholic Church, finding that 301 priests in the state sexually abused more than 1,000 children over the past 70 years.

In his first response to the report, Francis said that while most cases it listed belong to the past it was clear the abuse cited was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced.

Last month, Theodore McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, DC, and one of the US churchs most prominent figures, stepped down as a cardinal after accusations he abused two minors about 50 years ago and later abused adult seminarians.

In May, all 34 of Chiles bishops offered their resignation to the pope over a widening sexual abuse scandal there. He has so far accepted five of the resignations.
Saudi Arabia accused by its neighbours of politicising Hajj

Riyadh has been accused of using the annual pilgrimage to Mecca as a tool of pressure in its foreign politics.
Letter addressed to a Saudi official suggests the kingdom plans to establish an oil port in Yemens al-Mahra province.

Saudi Arabia is seemingly planning to build an oil port in Yemens al-Mahra governorate in the countrys southeast, where Saudi and United Arab Emirates troops are present, sources told Al Jazeera.

A document obtained by Al Jazeera on Monday points to Saudi Arabias intention to develop the port, which would extract and export petroleum, the sources said.

In a letter addressed to the kingdoms ambassador to Yemen, a Saudi-based marine construction company, Huta Marine, thanked the official for trusting the companys capabilities by asking it to present a technical and financial proposal for the design and implementation of the port.

The company added it would arrange to visit the site and carry out necessary fieldwork needed to develop a proposal and construction plan.

Al Jazeera has reached out via email to Huta Marine for comment, but has yet to recieve a response.

The companys phone lines were temporarily put out of service on Monday.

Huta Marine [Al Jazeera]

Reports that previously emerged in Yemens media revealed Saudi Arabias alleged intentions to kick-start development projects in al-Mahra, which borders Oman, including the construction of a pipeline that would extend to Saudi to transport its oil.

There have been restrictions and tariffs imposed on imported goods, which come through the al-Mahra border crossing between Yemen and Oman.

Seventy percent of imports to Yemen enter from Oman through this key border crossing, which, along with the provinces seaport and airport, is under the Saudi-UAE coalitions control.





Residents of al-Mahra were protesting in April, calling on the coalition to scale back its military presence.

Troops arrived to the area in December 2017, about two years after Saudi Arabia and the UAE  along with other Arab states that are no longer a part of the coalition  launched a military offensive on the impoverished country.

The coalition, which revives US logistical support, says it is concerned by the rise of the Houthi rebels and has repeatedly accused regional rival Iran of arming the rebels, allegations the Houthis and Iran deny.

It says its military campaign is aimed at re-installing the government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

At least 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting and more than 22 million are in dire need of assistance.
(AP) Allegations that disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick engaged in sex with adult seminarians have inflamed a long-running debate about the presence of gay men in the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Some conservatives are calling for a purge of all gay priests, a challenging task given that they are believed to be numerous and few are open about their sexual orientation. Moderates want the Church to eliminate the need for secrecy by proclaiming that gay men are welcome if they can be effective priests who commit to celibacy.

Among the most outspoken moderates is the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer whose book, Building a Bridge, envisions a path toward warmer relations between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community.

The idea of a purge of gay priests is both ridiculous and dangerous, Martin said in an email. Any purge would empty parishes and religious orders of the thousands of priests (and bishops) who lead healthy lives of service and faithful lives of celibacy.

That outlook infuriates some conservative Catholics.

Citing McCarricks case, Michael Hichborn, president of an institute that promotes traditional Catholic teaching, says there must be a complete and thorough removal of all homosexual clergymen from the Church.

It is going to be difficult and will likely result in a very serious priest shortage, Hichborn said. But its definitely worth the effort.

While the McCarrick scandal has intensified debate in the U.S. about gays in the priesthood, its a global issue. Recent gay priest sex scandals have surfaced in Chile, Honduras, France and Italy.

In the U.S., where investigations may determine if church leaders turned a blind eye to McCarricks penchant for young seminarians, there have been follow-up allegations of sexual misconduct in seminaries. Cardinal Sean OMalley of Boston recently announced an investigation into his diocesan seminary.

Catholic teaching, when it comes to homosexuality, is nuanced. The church says gays should be treated with dignity and respect, yet it has long taught that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.

In 2005, the Vatican stated that even celibate gays should not be priests, saying church leaders cannot accept seminary applicants who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.

Pope Francis has reaffirmed this policy, despite his famous Who am I to judge? comment in 2013 when asked about a purportedly gay priest.

In a May meeting with Italian bishops, Francis said, If theres even the slightest doubt, better to not accept them into seminary, according to participants at the closed-door session.

On the front lines in implementing that policy are priests like the Rev. Thomas Berg, admissions director at St. Josephs Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has reduced the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction.

As for gays already serving as priests, Berg says he doesnt advocate a witch hunt to root them out. But he says the Church needs to identify sexually active priests, challenge them to repent, and consider their removal from the priesthood.

Berg proposes that dioceses appoint independent watchdogs  ideally people with law enforcement background  to receive and assess anonymous allegations of clergy sexual misconduct.

Our problem is sexually active priests who are breaking their commitment to celibacy, Berg said. That wreaks havoc.

Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates equality for LGBT Catholics, questioned the effectiveness of the seminary screening process.

Anecdotally, what were finding is that the policy encourages people to lie, DeBernardo said. If a man feels called to the priesthood, hell rationalize that he should not admit his sexuality.

The effort to exclude gays complicates things for those who do become priests, DeBernardo added.

The institutional leaders want to promote a message that gay men should not exist in the priesthood, he said. So they dont offer healthy, holy examples of gay priests who are living their celibacy in effective ways.

Rome-based journalist Robert Mickens, a veteran of Vatican coverage, argued in a recent essay that the Church should be more forthright in acknowledging the substantial presence of gay priests.

Rather than encourage a healthy discussion about how gays can commit themselves to celibate chastity in a wholesome way, the Churchs official policies and teachings drive such men even deeper into the closet, Mickens wrote.

Some conservative Catholics blame the climate of secrecy directly on gay clergy, contending there is a homosexual subculture in many dioceses and seminaries.

Numerous reports from clergy and seminarians are coming out worldwide which confirm the existence of networks of homosexually active men who cover for each other, said the Rev. Paul Sullins, who has taught sociology at Catholic University in Washington.

The current debate over gay priests is framed by the allegations against McCarrick  that he allegedly had sex with adult seminarians as well as abusing minors. Pope Francis ordered him removed from public ministry in June.

In past years, the debate has often focused on the problem of child sex abuse by priests  and the extent to which homosexuality played a role. Those questions are being revisited following the recent release of a grand jury report in Pennsylvania detailing alleged sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by about 300 priests in six dioceses over a 70-year period.

A study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, released in 2011, concluded that gay priests were no more likely than straight priests to abuse minors. Some conservatives, noting that about 80 percent of the abuse victims were male, nonetheless cite the findings to advocate for a purge of gay priests.

One of the top conservatives in the U.S. Catholic leadership, Cardinal Raymond Burke, indicated this month that he favors at least a partial purge.

Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root, he said in an interview with Catholic Action for Faith and Family, a conservative advocacy group.

What is needed is an honest investigation into the alleged situations of grave immorality followed by effective action to sanction those responsible, Burke said. Shepherds can go astray ... and then must be appropriately disciplined and even dismissed from the clerical state.

One of Burkes moderate colleagues, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, sounded a different tone in an interview with the Jesuit magazine America.

I really believe that the issue here is more about a culture of clericalism in which some who are ordained feel they are privileged and therefore protected so that they can do what they want, Cupich said. People, whether heterosexual or homosexual, need to live by the Gospel.

Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield, who covers the Vatican for the AP, contributed to this report.
Six-day reunion, hosted in North Korea, is the first time most of 150-plus people meet family from across the border.

Separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, dozens of elderly North and South Koreans have met for the first time since their families were broken apart nearly 70 years ago.

The first such family reunion in almost three years started on Monday when a group of 89 South Koreans crossed the border to meet their family members at Mount Kumgang, a scenic resort in North Korea.

Crying and talking excitedly, the reunited relatives clasped one another and tried to bridge decades of separation through precious physical contact, pulling out pictures of absent relatives so they could be included in the happy occasion.

Many of the North Korean women wore traditional dresses, known as hanbok in South Korea and joseon-ot in the North, and all wore the ubiquitous pins commemorating North Koreas founder Kim Il-sung or his son and successor Kim Jong-il, while the Southerners wore their best suits.

At the meeting, as soon as 99-year-old South Korean Han Shin-ja approached her table, her two daughters  aged 69 and 72  bowed their heads deeply towards her and burst into tears.

Han also broke down, rubbing her cheeks against theirs and holding their hands tightly.

When I fled during the war she began, choking back tears as if she were about to apologise for leaving them behind. She was not able to finish.

Lee Geum-shim, now a frail 92-year-old, hadnt seen her son since she and her infant daughter were separated from him and her husband as they fled.

At the time Ri Sang-chol was just four. Lee shouted his name when she saw the now 71-year-old, before hugging him as both were overcome with emotion.

Her son showed her pictures of his family in the North  including her late husband  telling her: This is a photo of Father.

Since 1988, more than 132,000 people have registered with the Red Cross in South Korea for the reunion programme  over half of them have died [Yonhap via Reuters]

With time taking its toll, such parent-child reunions have become rare.

Some of the South Koreans were in wheelchairs or had to be supported by accompanying family members when they boarded the buses with bags of gifts prepared for their long-lost families in the North.

Since 1988, more than 132,000 people have registered with the Red Cross in South Korea for the reunion programme. Over half of them have died.

Almost 36,000 of the 57,009 people that registered who are still alive are aged 80 and above. More than 12,000 are over 90.

Most of the 89 participants chosen from the South are in their 70s or 80s, while the oldest is 101.

Over the next three days, the 89 families will spend only about 11 hours together, mostly under the watchful eyes of North Korean agents.

They will have only three hours in private before they are separated once again on Wednesday, in all likelihood for the final time.

While 89 South Koreans were lucky enough to be selected, for thousands of other Koreans, time is running out.

I signed up for a reunion 30 years ago but have yet to be picked for one, 80-year-old Nam Gyu-hyeong told Al Jazeera earlier this year.

While I would still like to be part of a reunion, I think the Red Cross and the authorities shouldve done something earlier.

For me, there isnt much time left. Five of the nine people I fled North Korea with are dead already.

With additional reporting by Faras Ghani
South Africa to launch probe into corruption under Zuma

A judicial inquiry will examine claims of corruption and fraud in the public sector during former President Jacob Zumas rule.
Attack took place just days after anniversary of twin assaults that killed 16 people in the Catalonia region.

Spanish police are investigating a terrorist attack in Catalonia just days after the one-year anniversary of two assaults in the countrys northeastern region that killed 16 people.

An officer shot dead a man armed with a knife on Monday at 5:45am (03:45 GMT) as he attempted to attack a police station in the town of Cornella, 10km from the regional capital Barcelona, local police commissioner Rafel Comes told reporters.

We are treating it as a terrorist attack. The officer used her gun to save her own life, Comes said.

There was no evidence linking the attacker with a terrorist cell, Comas said, and documents found on him suggested he was an Algerian national.

Police searched his home, located near the site of the attack, as part of their ongoing investigation.

Reinforced security

Anti-terrorism police sources told AFP news agency the attacker was a 29-year-old Algerian male who lived in the area.

Security was reinforced at police stations across the region following the incident.

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Mondays attack took place three days after the first anniversary of a pair of deadly assaults by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group in the region that left 16 people dead and more than 120 others wounded.

A man drove a van into crowds on Barcelonas popular Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14. A separate knife attack in the nearby seaside resort of Cambrils, further south, killed two other people.

Last years attack was the worst on Spanish soil since train bombings in the capital Madrid in 2004 killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 others.
Brazils northeastern state of Alagoas has declared a 180-day state of emergency after dozens of cities in the region experienced water shortages that have affected more than 200,000 people.

Arapiraca is among the 38 cities in an area that thrives on tobacco crop. This year, however, has experienced an extremely bad harvest.

Local farmers are also experiencing a shortfall in the corn yield and its very different from last years harvest when corn, beans and cassava were completely sold out.

Most families in rural areas depend mostly on their home water tanks.

The water is only enough for two days for one family. After it runs out, we will have to take a bucket and ride the motorbike to find water in other places, said Jose, a resident.

This region of Brazil is known for its dry weather conditions and frequent droughts,

According to experts, regional development is one of the primary reasons behind the fast desertification process happening across this part of the country.

During 2012-2017, the already poor Brazilian northeast experienced its longest and most intense drought since 1980, when more than half of the region was affected.

In July, large water reservoirs in the northeast, which can store up to 10 billion litres of water, were only operating at an average of 16 percent of their normal capacity, down from 46 percent that they were at close to the beginning of the ongoing drought six years earlier.
Around 21 people still held hostage by Taliban after the group ambushed three buses en route to Kabul.

Security forces have freed 149 passengers, including women and children, after Taliban fighters ambushed three buses and abducted more than 150 people in Afghanistans northern Kunduz province.

Three buses, carrying passengers from Badakhshan and Takhar provinces, were on their way to Kabul when they were captured in Khan Abad district on Monday, according to Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief of the Takhar province.

A Taliban spokesperson confirmed that the group seized three buses packed with passengers before adding that civilian passengers will be released while security forces personnel will be kept in custody.

Security forces conducted a rescue operation and managed to release 149 passengers, a spokesperson for the Kunduz governor, Esmatullah Muradi, told Al Jazeera, adding that 21 people were still held hostage by the armed group.

The passengers were taken hostage in the morning when they were on their way to the capital Kabul from Takhar province, Muradi said earlier.

{articleGUID}

The ambush comes a day after Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghanis announced a conditional ceasefire with the Taliban during Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holy festival.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment after the announcement but released a statement saying they planned to free hundreds of prisoners during Eid.

The government previously announced a ceasefire with the Taliban during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June this year.

The Taliban accepted the three-day truce but rejected calls by Ghani to extend it.

the fresh ceasefire announcement on Sunday followed a week of fighting across Afghanistan which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault on the provincial capital Ghazni, located two hours from Kabul.

At least 150 soldiers and 95 civilians were killed in a five-day siege, which eased last week when Afghan soldiers backed by US forces pushed back the groups heavily armed fighters.
Ugandan police fired live rounds and tear gas in the capital to disperse a crowd of protesters angered over the arrests and alleged torture of several opposition politicians, including local pop star and government critic Bobi Wine.

Demonstrations continued for a second day in Kampala and other parts the country on Monday, with protesters burning tyres and blocking roads, a day after one man was shot dead and five others were wounded in anti-government protests in the town of Mityana.

Unrest in the East African country began last week when five opposition legislators were arrested in northern Uganda during campaigning for a by-election and two were allegedly tortured, part of what demonstrators call a pattern of repression by President Yoweri Musevenis government.

The police and the military moved in, broke up the protests using live gunfire and tear gas, said Al Jazeeras Malcolm Webb, reporting from Kampala. Some people have gunshot wounds and we can still hear shots of tear gas being fired at a short distance.

Footage on local television on Monday showed demonstrators setting up bonfires and barricades on streets in Kampala and police and military personnel trying to remove the roadblocks.

Demonstrators are seeking the release of those detained, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a popular musician-turned-opposition-MP, who goes by the stage name Bobi Wine.

Treason charges

Political tensions rose last week after Kyagulanyis driver was shot dead following largely peaceful election campaigning. At the time, the pop star tweeted that the government was trying to kill him.

According to the presidents office, opposition supporters stoned Musevenis convoy and security forces were reacting to protect the president when the shot was fired in the northwestern town of Arua.

Five members of parliament and dozens of other people were detained shortly afterwards on suspicion of taking part in the alleged assault. Two of the MPs were beaten during their arrest, according to politicians and relatives who visited them.

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On Thursday, Kyagulanyi and three other parliamentarians were charged with treason and unlawful possession of weapons.

We are not going to rest until the government releases Bobi Wine and others, a youth protesting in Kampala told dpa news agency on Monday, before fleeing advancing security forces.

Kyagulanyi, who joined parliament last year and has appealed to young voters, will make another military court appearance on Thursday.

Hes very popular here in the capital and in other parts of the country, even in neighbouring Kenya, noted Webb. He can get young people on the streets quite effectively.

Kyagulanyi has accused Museveni of being a dictator seeking to satisfy his ego.

We seem to be stuck with a president who doesnt believe anyone else can lead Uganda. Unfortunately, that has left us lagging behind for a very long time, he told Al Jazeera in an interview earlier this year.

In power since 1986, Museveni, 73, is accused of stifling dissent through intimidation, beatings, detentions and prosecutions on trumped-up charges.

Critics say he is set to rule for life after parliament last year removed an age limit from the constitution that would have barred him from seeking re-election in 2021.
Venezuela exodus threatens to spiral out of control

Neighbouring governments are trying to make it harder for Venezuelan migrants to stay or even enter their countries, but despite their efforts the exodus keeps accelerating.
Worst drought in decades grips two-thirds of Afghanistan

Severe drought threatens to cause food shortages for up to two million people across country in six months time.
About the show

A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMT
When CNN is not Trump bashing, they are virtue signaling to fellow leftists. Causes near and dear to CNN include global warming, gun control, and diversity. When they are on top of their game, CNN makes a link between these causes and President Trump.

CNN, famous for fake news, focuses their 24-7 news cycle on anything damaging to President Trump, even if they have to provoke it or make it up. Their low television ratings reflect the lack of public interest in their incessant Trump bashing. In late June, In primetime, CNN lost to HGTV, Investigation Discovery, the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and the Food Network.

So Omarosa Manigault Newmans book release, serial audio recordings and Trump bashing publicity tour was irresistible bait (as the canny former reality television villainess / protege of Donald Trump knew it would be): White House diversity is front and center stage for CNN.

Erin Burnett, CNN host, begins a panel discussion with criticism of the White House not being diverse enough for the CNN social justice warriors.

Kellyanne Conway not able to say the last name of one African-American she could label who worked with her in the White House, it would seem a simple question, how many black staffers work in the White House? She couldn't even give a rough number. Does that disappoint you?

CNN also took to twitter to reinforce their criticism.

Tag teaming with Ms. Burnett was Angela Rye, former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus. I wish someone would ask Ms. Rye how diverse the Congressional Black Caucus is? I suspect it is quite monochromatic. She too piled on the Trump White House saying,

I'm telling you it is a problem in this White House with the staff, the reason is it's slim pickings. You know why? Because nobody wants to work for a racist. There's not a single senior black person in the White House, and don't you dare say to me Ben Carson because he doesn't work there, how dare his gifted hand who is a brain surgeon and who has never done anything on a construction project become the secretary of housing and urban development.

Back to the standard talking points of the left, that Trump is a racist. They did leave out the Nazi part, but that must have been an oversight.

How diverse have the last three presidential cabinets been? This photo (link) from the Los Angeles Times, is a montage of the Trump, Obama, and Bush cabinets. Since we are in color-counting mode for the benefit of CNN, I count one black face in the Trump cabinet, two in the Obama cabinet, and one in the Bush cabinet.

From a statistical perspective, its a dead heat. All three administrations would fail CNNs diversity test. Yet CNN is far more upset with white guys and gals filling the Trump cabinet than they were with a similar color palette in the Obama cabinet.

Lets take it a step further and look at CNN. Its always instructive to turn the mirror back on the accuser. Will they like what they see?

CNNs leadership team of 15 includes 9 men and only 6 women. And most notably, all white individuals. Its amazing that Trumps cabinet of 16 has one black member and CNNs cabinet of 15 has zero black members.

Where is CNNs diversity? Are they a bunch of racists?

CNNs fellow traveler, MSNBC, shares the same disdain of President Trump. After Omarosa was told Youre fired, they ran an article entitled, President Trumps racist past. Racist past? Was Trump ever accused of being a racist before he descended the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015, announcing his candidacy for President?

This is the same Donald Trump who in 1986 received an Ellis Island award, in celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood and diversity. Wearing the award medal around his neck, he posed for a photo with Rosa Parks and Muhammed Ali. Some racist he must have been to receive such an award. So much for MSNBC and Trumps racist past.

How does MSNBC fare in the diversity department? Take a look at parent company, NBC Universals executive team. Of 19 members, I count only 5 women, and one black. Wow thats a lower percentage of blacks than even that racist guy Trump has on his executive team. How can that be?

CNN and MSNBC once again fall flat on their faces, accusing Trump of something they too are just as guilty of, if not more. They preach about diversity while their leadership teams are lily white. CNN is no different than the virtue signaling climate warriors who travel around the world on their mega carbon footprint private jets and yachts, telling everyone else how to live their lives while they do the exact opposite.

If blacks believe President Trump is a racist, the opinion polls certainly dont reflect that. The Rasmussen Reports Daily Snapshot for August 17, 2018 shows the President with a 34 percent total approval rating among blacks.

Perhaps this CNN headline explains the surprisingly high Trump approval rating among blacks, Black unemployment rate hits a record low. Pretty good for such a racist. Even the latest kerfuffle between Trump and Omarosa isnt turning blacks against the President, as ABC News notes, Black Americans aren't buying Omarosa's turn against Trump.

CNN would be wise to make sure their diversity house is in order before accusing Trump of ignoring the liberal laws of diversity and being a racist. Otherwise they step in it once again, diminishing what little credibility they have left.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
New NASA-funded research has discovered that Arctic permafrost's expected gradual thawing and the associated release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere may actually be sped up by instances of a relatively little known process called abrupt thawing.

Abrupt thawing takes place under a certain type of Arctic lake, known as a thermokarst lake that forms as permafrost thaws.



The impact on the climate may mean an influx of permafrost-derived methane into the atmosphere in the mid-21st century, which is not currently accounted for in climate projections.

The Arctic landscape stores one of the largest natural reservoirs of organic carbon in the world in its frozen soils. But once thawed, soil microbes in the permafrost can turn that carbon into the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane, which then enter into the atmosphere and contribute to climate warming.

"The mechanism of abrupt thaw and thermokarst lake formation matters a lot for the permafrost-carbon feedback this century," said first author Katey Walter Anthony at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, who led the project that was part of NASA's Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE), a ten-year program to understand climate change effects on the Arctic. "We don't have to wait 200 or 300 years to get these large releases of permafrost carbon. Within my lifetime, my children's lifetime, it should be ramping up. It's already happening but it's not happening at a really fast rate right now, but within a few decades, it should peak."

The results were published in Nature Communications.

Using a combination of computer models and field measurements, Walter Anthony and an international team of U.S. and German researchers found that abrupt thawing more than doubles previous estimates of permafrost-derived greenhouse warming. They found that the abrupt thaw process increases the release of ancient carbon stored in the soil 125 to 190 percent compared to gradual thawing alone. What's more, they found that in future warming scenarios defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, abrupt thawing was as important under the moderate reduction of emissions scenario as it was under the extreme business-as-usual scenario. This means that even in the scenario where humans reduced their global carbon emissions, large methane releases from abrupt thawing are still likely to occur.

Permafrost is ground that is frozen year-round. In the Arctic, ice-rich permafrost soils can be up to 260 feet (80 meters) thick. Due to human-caused warming of the atmosphere from greenhouse gas emissions, a gradual thawing of the permafrost is currently taking place where the upper layer of seasonally thawed soil is gradually getting thicker and reaching deeper into the ground. This process wakes up microbes in the soil that decompose soil organic matter and as a result release carbon dioxide and methane back into the atmosphere. This gradual thaw process is accounted for in climate models and is thought to have minimal effect as thawed ground also stimulates the growth of plants, which counterbalance the carbon released into the atmosphere by consuming it during photosynthesis.

However, in the presence of thermokarst lakes, permafrost thaws deeper and more quickly. Thermokarst lakes form when substantial amounts of ice in the deep soil melts to liquid water. Because the same amount of ice takes up more volume than water, the land surface slumps and subsides, creating a small depression that then fills with water from rain, snow melt and ground ice melt. The water in the lakes speeds up the thawing of the frozen soil along their shores and expands the lake size and depth at a much faster pace than gradual thawing.

"Within decades you can get very deep thaw-holes, meters to tens of meters of vertical thaw," Walter Anthony said. "So you're flash thawing the permafrost under these lakes. And we have very easily measured ancient greenhouse gases coming out."

These ancient greenhouse gases, produced from microbes chewing through ancient carbon stored in the soil, range from 2,000 to 43,000 years old. Walter Anthony and her colleagues captured methane bubbling out of 72 locations in 11 thermokarst lakes in Alaska and Siberia to measure the amount of gas released from the permafrost below the lakes, as well as used radiocarbon dating on captured samples to determine their age. They compared the emissions from lakes to five locations where gradual thawing occurs. In addition, they used the field measurements to evaluate how well their model simulated the natural field conditions.

Team members with the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) for Polar and Marine Research in Germany then used U.S. Geological Survey-NASA Landsat satellite imagery from 1999 to 2014 to determine the speed of lake expansion across a large region of Alaska. From this data they were able to estimate the amount of permafrost converted to thawed soil in lake bottoms.

"While lake change has been studied for many regions, the understanding that lake loss and lake gain have a very different outcome for carbon fluxes is new," said co-author Guido Grosse of AWI. "Over a few decades, thermokarst lake growth releases substantially more carbon than lake loss can lock in permafrost again [when the lake bottoms refreeze]."

Because the thermokarst lakes are relatively small and scattered throughout the Arctic landscapes, computer models of their behavior are not currently incorporated into global climate models. However, Walter Anthony believes including them in future models is important for understanding the role of permafrost in the global carbon budget. Human fossil fuel emissions are the number one source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and in comparison, methane emissions from thawing permafrost make up only one percent of the global methane budget, Walter Anthony said. "But by the middle to end of the century the permafrost-carbon feedback should be about equivalent to the second strongest anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases, which is land use change," she said.

To learn more about ABoVE, visit: https://above.nasa.gov/



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Is Trump a Big Bad Bully?

I admit that Donald Trump is not perfect. Tyrants and populists such as Cuba's Castro, Venezeula's Maduro in our neighborhood, and Iran's Khamenei, and even some of our European allies, call President Trump the Big, Bad Bully. In a way, to be name-called by these people is a compliment. But when those who owe their lives to America call America a "bully," a phrase that vilifies, a response is in order, since remaining silent is often taken as a concession to such accusations. Our trans-Atlantic "friends" have been vilifying our president simply because he wants to "Make America Great Again." If our so-called "friends" make fun of us, then it is understandable that a whole slew of our ill-wishers trip over one another to follow suit. European Union (E.U.) nations never seem to miss an opportunity to berate and betray us. We know that the Russians and the Chinese are too happy to do all they can to give us pain. And the Islamists and the mullahs in Iran portray America as a brain-dead Great Satan tool of Zionism.

To make matters worse, a vociferous clique of local leftists, Democrats, and mainstream media with a suicide wish are doing all they can to take the country with them to the grave. These self-appointed squatters of higher ground, on both sides of the Atlantic, are riding so high on their horses that they are blind to the realities down on Earth. It is a fact that the spiteful E.U. is mired up to the eyeballs in problems that hold every promise of spelling its members' own doom before long. Instead of focusing on solving their own problems, many E.U. countries place them at America's doorstep. These "wise" Europeans find it their highest calling to lecture and deride us at every available opportunity. To understand what is going on, we need to take a quick look at some of the quirks of the human mind. Venting, blaming, and loathing provide mental relief, but at a price. Venting can be a relatively harmless way of expressing frustration, a get-it-off-your-chest exercise, the kind of thing people do with friends at a bar or on a psychotherapist's couch. Yet when it comes to blaming and loathing, the picture changes considerably. It is common for people to blame themselves, deservedly or not, for their own problems. It is also not uncommon for people to loathe themselves. In extreme cases, the self-loather may destroy his own life. Therefore, loathing is a dangerous energy that must find expression. It is by far safer for the person to discharge his loathsome venom on others, particularly at others not likely to retaliate. Donald Trump's America has become a safe and convenient target for both the calculating and the mindless loather. Why Trump? Because unlike his predecessors, he loves America and wants to stop America from being taken advantage of and abused. Another reason is that saying and writing nice things is not provocative, gets no one's attention, and is unlikely to get published. If you want to be heard, you need to say nasty things, as nasty as you can, and preferably against the biggest target you can attack while getting away with it. Furthermore, by being venomous, you become the voice for the frustrated, resentful, and envious. A few words to our European friends are in order. The leftist gadflies deride America's way of life while extolling the virtues of their present political and social model. The E.U. claims that its model is the wave of the glorious future and will be adopted by the rest of the world. Strangely enough, ordinary Europeans don't seem to think so. Demographic trends show that most Europeans don't believe in the European ideal in sufficient numbers to want to pass it on to the next generation. According to the European Commission, the average birth rate for the European Union is now 1.4 children per woman, which is well below the 2.1 replacement rate. According to Germany's Federal Statistics Office, more people died in that country in 2005 than were born. Not only is Europe declining in numbers, but it is aging as well. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Europe in 2000 had the highest percentage of people aged 65 and older in the world, and this figure is set to double by 2050. Who is going to work and pay for all the entitlement programs they have become accustomed to? Economists forecast that European budget deficits will skyrocket as governments strain to reconcile declining tax bases with millions of elderly people who force increased spending on pensions, health care, and other services. Politically, Europe is not much better off. Der Spiegel, a leftist German magazine, recently made the following observation: Europe has become a continent of political crises with governments in Italy, France, Britain and Germany all suffering from paralysis or a lack of voter approval. Is the continent about to abandon its integration project and return to the old era of national rivalry? Let's not forget: no sooner were the Nazis defeated than the Soviet Union annexed some of the continent and prepared to swallow the rest. Again, it was this "military-loving" American nation that paid the lion's share of the bill to defend Europe against the Soviets' menace while they made money and provided a comfortable life for themselves under the shield of American forces. Contra European delusions, Donald Trump is not a bully. The real bully is Islam, and it's right in Europe's midst, eroding the social and political fabric bit by bit. Europeans don't need to fantasize about their future. Their future has already played out in Islamic lands. Dear gadfly Europe: To check out your future, you only need to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran, for instance, which is one of the most civilized countries that fell to the sword of Islamists. While you are there, see for yourself how Iran is quivering under the stone-age rules of Sharia. Attend a public hanging, not an uncommon event. The man's crime, you may ask? Homosexuality, you are told. Try hoisting a poster demanding gay rights, and see what happens. If you do, you run the risk of being hanged then and there as another homosexual. The seriously "gay-loathing'" are the Islamists. They are the very same people busily laying the groundwork to perform similar barbaric spectacles in your cities and towns before long. That's your future as more and more Islamists invade your countries and supplant human rights with Islamic sharia. Although I wish Europe the best of luck, I fear that this time around, America can't help. The E.U. nations are on their own. Let them say whatever they like about our president and America while their voice is not yet stilled. Regrettably, their slurs about us seem like the last words of an ungrateful and doomed people.
The Jewish Nation and State

Since Plato, political thinkers have addressed in different ways the reasons, basis, and conditions to explain why the many in any society are governed by the few. In the world today, official power and government is exercised by the modern state, usually referred to as a nation-state. Yet the two terms, though often used interchangeably, as with the United Nations which is in reality an organization of nation-states, are different in nature. A nation is a group of people, bound together by various ties stemming from history: language, race, religion, culture, tradition, who have a particular character, and an emotional unity that has developed over time. The state is created, a political and juridical entity, with features: population, fixed territory, government, a legal entity possessing sovereignty. The state has legal rights to exercise power, the nation does not have official or police power.

However, terminology is made complex because of two elements. One is that a nation exists without necessarily being related to a state. Jews have been a nation for many centuries, and did have a state two thousand years ago, but only since 1948 have had a modern state of their own. Currently, the Kurds are a nation devoid of a state. The second factor is that different nations can exist within a single state, as in the case of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Indeed, almost all states today are in effect multinational states, blending the different nations together in a state with sovereign power. The interaction between nation and state has long been a controversial issue in the land of Israel with its mosaic of different peoples. The issue was raised by David Ben Gurion in his 1946 testimony before the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, when he argued that a "Jewish commonwealth" was in the making in the disputed land in which Jews would be free from fear and dependence, no longer objects of pity and sympathy. By a "Jewish state" he meant a Jewish country, Jewish agriculture, industry, language, schools, and culture. The problem is ongoing and is being addressed on a piecemeal basis. The State of Israel does not have a written constitution, but has a number of Basic Laws passed by the Knesset acting as a Constituent Assembly. They outline the role of the chief institutions of the State and relations between the authorities. They are intended to be part of a future constitution. The 14th Basic Law, "Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People," on the character of the State, was passed by vote in the Knesset of 62 to 55 on July 19, 2018. This Nationality Law states that the Land of Israel is the historical birthplace of the Jewish nation, and in it the State of Israel is founded. Israel is the national home of the Jewish people in which it fulfills its natural, cultural, religious, historical right to self-determination. The Law also states that the realization of the right to self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish nation. Hebrew is the national language. Arabic has a special status: use of the Arabic language in or to government offices will be required by law. In angry opposition, the 13 Arab members of the Knesset tore up copies of the bill, saying it was the official beginning of racism and fascism, and denounced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. More significant and unexpected was a large protest meeting of 50,000 Druze in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on August 4, 2018, proclaiming their loyalty to the State of Israel and waving both Israeli and Druze flags but calling for the law to be rescinded. A few Druze military officers said they would stop serving in the military. Druze lawyers filed a petition in the High Court to strike down the new Law. Opponents of the law contend it does not include a clause that guarantees equal protection for non-Jews, and that it allows discrimination against non-Jews. Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian official negotiator who never negotiates, stated that the law is racist and imposes apartheid, although the reality is that the law does not create two separate legal norms., even though it might annoy non-Jews. The law states that Hebrew is the language of the State. Arabic has special status: the use of Arabic in or to government offices will be required by law. Contrary to the critical view, by the Nationality Law no substantive rights of minority groups have been lost. The law deals with the Jewish character of Israel not with other issues such as civil rights or equality. These are dealt with in another of the Basic Laws, Human Dignity and Liberty 1992, outlining the values of Israel as "a Jewish and democratic state." The Nationality Law does not imply any inequality of non-Jewish minorities in law, nor does it mean the existence of tension between Israel being both a Jewish and a democratic state. Nevertheless, the Druze people, part of the Israeli mosaic, are concerned by the Nationality Law. The Druze are an offshoot of Shia Islam since the 11th century. They are a distinct ethnic community in Israel, speak Arabic, and have their own flag. They number about 140,000, 1.6% of the Israeli population, a substantial increase from the 14,000 in 1948, due partly to the natural growth, and partly to the inclusion of Golan Heights Druze since the annexation of the area by Israel in 1981. Almost all the Israeli Druze live in one of 19 towns and villages, 17 of which are in the hill town towns in northern Galilee and Golan, and some live in the Carmel and Haifa area. The education of Druze has been increasing. Currently, more than 5,500 Druze are enrolled in colleges and universities, including as graduate and doctoral students. Druze participate in various aspects of the country, as writers, in sports, culture, military generals, diplomats, and government minsters, since Salah Tarif was appointed in 2001. Theoretically, a Druze can be appointed prime minister. In an important way Druze play a different role from Arab-Israelis. In 1948 when the newly created Israel was attacked by Arab armies and the Arab League, the Druze fought alongside Israeli Jews. Since 1956 Druze, unlike Israeli Arabs, are subject to the military draft, a compulsory conscription though Druze women are exempted, and they have participated in hostilities. They are prominent in combat units of IDF and as officers. More than 5,000 Druze soldiers and police officers have been killed in the line of duty. Two aspects of Druze in Israel are interesting. One is the existence of a certain amount of tension between Druze and Muslims in northern Israel, and occasional friction as was shown in a school dispute in 2014 in Abu Snan, a town of mixed populations. A second issue is that the 20,000 Druze in the Golan Heights, the area of 60 square miles captured by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1981, are not as friendly as other Druze who are loyal to Israel. They retain Syrian nationality, and tend to be supportive of Syrian President Assad. In April 2018 they disapproved of western airstrikes against Assad's suspected chemical weapon sites. They complain of Israel's failure to help them though Israel provides medical aid to Syrian civilians and combatants. As a result of the Druze criticism of the Nationality Law Prime Minister Netanyahu has proposed a plan to be introduced in October 2018 relating to the legal status of Israel's minority communities serving in the IDF. It recognizes the contribution of the Druze community to the State of Israel, speaks of Israeli society as equal and varied, and calls for funding of towns and villages, residential construction, and preservation of the Druze heritage. It is based on social equality including ensuring benefits to minority community members who serve in the security forces. Yet, despite these plans, the essential problem remains, acceptance of the Jewish nature of Israel. In 1896 Theodore Herzl wrote Der Judenstaat. It is still best translated as "The Jewish State." The Druze and others should acknowledge this.
Though it wasnt the case in my instance, to heighten the level of threat, sometimes these e-mail scams even contain passwords used by the recipient. This is a new type of scam dreamed up by criminals seeking to prey on those who, because of their immoral behavior, have made themselves vulnerable to such a scheme.

Hope you do not really mind my english language sentence structure, because i'm from Germany. I infected your system with a trojan and now have all of your private data out of your operating system. It previously was set up on an adult page then you have selected the video and clicked on it, my program instantly got into your os. And then, your cam documented you soloing, also i caught a footage that you've seen. Just after a little while this also pulled out your device contacts. If you ever wish me to clear off your everything i have got -- transfer me 450 dollars in bitcoin it is a cryptocurrency. [An account address was given.] At this moment you will have 24 hours. to make a decision The minute i will receive the deal i'll get rid of this footage and every little thing entirely. Otherwise, you should remember that your video is going to be submitted to all your contacts.

A little over a week ago, someone attempted to blackmail me. On August 12, I received this message in an e-mail:

Having never before received such a message, I was taken aback. However, because I knew that I had not done what the accuser had claimed -- and because of the bad grammar and other clues -- I was never frightened that the threat was real. I suppose a clear conscience is worth at least $450.

Evidently, some have been frightened enough to fork over the money. Business Insider reports that according to analysis of bitcoin wallets, Some scammers have even made over $50,000 from the blackmail scheme. To paraphrase Proverbs (28:1), though the threat is empty, the guilty will pay.

The ability to hack into other digital lives, along with the rampant use of online pornography, have much such a scam possible and profitable. As Ive noted recently (more than once), the plague of porn has resulted in obscene numbers for obscene behavior. Consider:

People watched 4,392,486,580 hours of porn on PornHub in 2015. Just to put that in perspective, that means that in one year, people around the world spent 501,425 years watching pornographyon one porn site. On PornHub, people watched 87,849,731,608 porn videos. As the porn site hastened to point out, thats 12 porn videos viewed for every single person on the planet.

With numbers such as those, its little wonder that savvy criminals thought they could dupe more than a few into literally paying for their sin. If one sends out 10,000 threatening emails, the odds are in ones favor that a large portion of the recipients are indeed porn users. And among the users, theres probably no small number trying to keep their lurid online life a secret. Almost certainly there are more than a few husbands, wives, politicians, teachers, and even ministers and pastors who would gladly pay $500 to $1,000 -- maybe more -- to keep their porn lives from becoming public knowledge.

At $500 per recipient, with 10,000 emails, the scammers have to have only a one percent success rate in order to net $50,000. Whats more, when our conscience is troubled, our thinking is not clear, and we become easy targets for criminals. If were sweating whether someone really does know our sin, we often miss clues such as bad grammar, the absence of our name in the email, and so on, that might reveal the scam.

As weve become a culture nearly bereft of shame, sadly, many Americans would probably not care if their porn use was publicized. As the previous link reveals, when you concoct a foolish song and dance that hails your sex junk, declares that sexualitys a spectrum, and demands that Sex how you want it; Its your god*amn right! are you really going to care if anyone knows of your porn habit?

A few have even become rich and famous because they turned their personal lives into a porno. How many so-called celebrities have become well-known millionaires because a sex tape was leaked? How many others will be lured into trying the same, hoping to get similar results? Either way -- whether or not earthly fame and fortune are achieved -- lives are ruined.

Miriam Weeks -- aka Belle Knox -- the infamous Duke freshman who decided to pay for college with a career in the porn industry, describes her first scene as a porn star:

I remember getting naked, and the guy said, You have cuts on your legs. You're a cutter. He could tell I had written the word fat in my thigh, so he started calling me fat. Once they called action, she was pushed to the ground and slapped. And I said, Stop, stop, stop. No, no. And then they stopped, and they were like, We have to keep going. And I was like, Just please don't hit me so hard. But it went on like that, me getting hit, pushed, spit on. I was being told I was fat, that I was a terrible feminist, was going to fail all my classes, was stupid, dumb, a slut. But I got through it. You know how you kind of zone out sometimes? I just disassociated.

She just disassociated. Nevertheless, Miss Weeks went on to complete her brief porn career and graduate from Duke -- where she majored in, of course, Womens Studies and Sociology. She is now -- of course -- in law school in New York. Is there any doubt she will soon be donning a vagina hat, joining in the #metoo chorus, lamenting the plight of women and telling us to vote for Democrats?

One of the great lies of the porn industry, whether for a participant or a consumer, is that one can simply disassociate such activity from the rest of ones life and whenever you like, just leave it behind. Its a terrible lie. Whether disease, death, or despair, for decades now, porn use has wrought havoc on an addicted American culture. Divorce, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault, child sexual abuse (even in the church!), and other wickedness has roots in, or ties to the use of pornography. Thus, whether or not you are duped into paying blackmail, you will pay for your porn use. There is a way out. Confess, repent, and get help from those who know well your plight.

Trevor Grant Thomas

At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.

www.trevorgrantthomas.com

Trevor is the author of The Miracle and Magnificence of America

tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com
The press is still at it, trying to press a sob story on us about supposedly heartless ICE agents arresting an "undocumented worker" who was driving his wife to the hospital for a pre-scheduled C-section for the birth of her fifth child, because, horrors, he "could be deported." CBS led its television report that way.

The problem here is that the illegal was wanted in Mexico on a murder warrant. Murder. Authorities in Mexico are convinced he killed someone, and it must be bad, because they don't enforce all that much on the murder front.

Anyone wanted for murder, regardless of immigration status, is someone long overdue to be picked up by the long arm of the law. Obviously, the man, Joel Arrona-Lara, 36, who claims he has lived here for 12 years illegally, along with his wife Maria del Carmen Venegas (note that the last names don't match), who spoke absolutely no English for the cameras, and whose lawyer says that she, too, is here illegally, doesn't think that law applies to him. Because he's here illegally. The press accounts are pressing that very narrative.

For any American citizen, the rule is, you don't get to pick the time and convenience of your arrest. If you're wanted for murder, your only job is to turn yourself in. You stop right there. You should not be walking the streets, anywhere, in any freedom until the issue is dealt with in court. Never mind about the wife and the kid; the issue is murder. So this ICE arrest was hardly a case of heartlessness; it was a case of a suspected killer finally getting apprehended and ICE taking a dangerous criminal off the streets to protect society. The Mexican murder warrant is the one we know about, because who knows what he's done here, or if he really did spend all twelve of those years here in the States. Regardless of what he claims about his circumstances or how the media spin it, this guy needed to be rounded up and taken to court to answer charges.

Yet the press thinks this is all about heartlessness. What we see here is one set of laws for them and another set for us. The double standard of illegals getting exempt from U.S. law because they are here illegally seems to be the norm, just as the press has pushed the separation of children as a dreadful wrong to illegals breaking into the U.S. illegally when the issue there is the break-in, not the kids. Any American parent picked up for lawbreaking gets separated from his kids, too, without comment.

The CBS report then sank into really skeevy reporting.

First, CBS also tried to cast aspersions against the ICE claim that there was a murder warrant, as if ICE would actually lie about such a thing in an official statement. CBS (I use them, but there were a lot of them reporting this story this way) said ICE originally said the man was here illegally and rounded up for that reason and then said, when news of the video got out, it was the murder warrant, as if changing its story.

Here's the proof that ICE was telling the truth: ICE didn't pick up Venegas, who most certainly should have been picked up alongside her husband, if they were just picking up people for being here illegally. Her own husband's lawyer said she was here illegally on national television. What's more, she was obviously using public services for the birth of her baby in that very expensive scheduled C-section. (Pregnancy medical costs and drug rehab are part of the Obamacare mandate and precisely why Obamacare costs are so high among its unwilling buyers.)

No questions from the press, of course, about who got to pay for that medical care.

Then CBS asked the shifty-eyed lawyer for the now busted illegal if he knew of any murder warrant for his client's arrest. The lawyer's reply was an evasive "no," and he hadn't "verified it," which at a minimum was weasel words. The lawyer's reply refers only to whether he checked, not whether such a thing actually existed, yet CBS tried to pass that reply off as the final word that the ICE charges are therefore baseless.

Note also that CBS didn't use the term "murder" even though that is the issue. The network used the clinical "homicide" term and printed the ICE statement, which put that word at the bottom of its statement, as if to make bland the effect and draw attention away from the blaring matter for those who don't read all the way through.

Worst of all, CBS didn't even bring it up until more than three quarters into the story. If you watch this CBS report, the murder reference gets brought up at 1:17 in the 1:54-minute report. All the rest is sob-storying, and using that very interested lawyer as their verifier of the facts.

They didn't bother checking any facts of their own on his claims; they just took his word for it.

Is this reporting? No. It's propaganda, on behalf of the Democrats, with their big plan to end all immigration law in the name of importing Democratic voters, and the open borders lobby, which has its roots in the interests of the ruling classes of Latin America's crummiest states.

Yet the reporters just keep pouring it on, pouring on the sob-story "narrative," expecting the result to be the same, hoping for another separated children dilemma to strike out at President Trump. Now they're defending the rights of murderers to stay in the U.S. with no fears of deportation on the grounds that they are in the protected illegals class.

Does this stink, or what? One can only hope it blows up in their faces.
BBC:

Down in the polls and desperate to hold on to his position, Malcolm Turnbull knows a leadership challenge could be near.

After all, it's only three years since he launched his own "spill" to oust former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Once a leader looks vulnerable, the political rumour-mill goes into overdrive and trusted Cabinet colleagues can start to look like rivals.

Choosing to back down on the emissions legislation shows that Mr Turnbull wants to avoid testing his support in a parliamentary vote.

Even if the current threat retreats, his authority has been damaged and his opponents have gained momentum.

Mr Turnbull said he would not proceed with the emissions target  part of his National Energy Guarantee (NEG)  because it had no prospect of passing through the House of Representatives, where he has only a slim majority.

He said the NEG would still require electricity retailers to cap their prices and provide more "reliable" streams of power.

"Cheaper power has always been our number one priority when it comes to energy policy," Mr Turnbull said.
One of the brightest stars in President Trump's White House, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, who's part of that team that triggered our current economic boom, has a bead on the skeevy statements about it coming from the left, such as those of vaunted New York Times columnist Paul Krugman.

Mulvaney points out the obvious about why the left keeps attempting to downplay the economic growth that has characterized the Trump administration: leftists have an actual political interest in a bad economy for America.

As Mulvaney explained to Fox News:

Keep in mind, all of the folks who are now saying it's  it's just a short-term sugar high, it's just a blip, it's not sustainable, including the CBO, are the same people who said it was impossible to get to 3 percent in the first place. They have a vested interest in seeing us fail. One of my favorite lines came, I think, from Paul Krugman who said that  about the time we rolled out our first budget, which introduced this concept of 3 percent growth, sustainable 3 percent growth, he said you could make him complete dictator of the country and he couldn't get you there. So there's a lot of folks who are interested in seeing us fail because we are proving that if you regulate (INAUDIBLE), you let people keep more of their own money, that the American economy can grow and that that growth is sustainable.

Now, part of this is undoubtedly jealousy at President Trump's success, which makes their own record, by contrast, look so bad in comparison.

First, as Mulvaney noted, they said 3% growth wasn't possible. The good times were forever over. Small was beautiful, just as Jerry Brown in the 1970s used to say, and that included a small economy. Guys like Paul Krugman, putting on their economist green eyeshades, were quite loud about that.

Then a number of them tried to switch the "narrative," generally espoused by the Obama administration's deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, that Obama was the real author of the booming Trump economy, something that doesn't stack up in the wake of Obama's long eight years in office without so much as a hint of such results.

That didn't work for them, either (note President Trump's rising support among black Americans as the first president who ever did anything good economically for them), so there are now the claims, coming out of Krugmanville and probably his echo chamber, that the good economy is a sugar high. Back to fake economics, for sure.

And that as the economy booms, "capitalism" is out of control. Look at this crap from Elizabeth Warren, as noted by Kerry Jackson, writing for Investor's Business Daily, calling for "accountable capitalism."

Oh, and throw in the sorry Democrat talking point that just fell apart yesterday, about wages not rising, so the boom was invalid. Turns out there are big wage rises in store for American workers, as I noted here.

One wonders why they just can't be honest about things instead and follow the lead of leftist comedian Bill Maher, who said he wants the economy to crash.

"By the way, I'm hoping for it because one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy. So please, bring on the recession," Maher said. "Sorry if that hurts people but it's either root for a recession or you lose your democracy[.] ... I feel like the bottom has to fall out at some point."

They all want the economy to crash. It's what Mulvaney meant by noting their "vested interest."

How pathetic that the word of a comedian carries more truth than the contortions of a Nobel Prize-winning economist.

Because here's what's really going on: free-market ideas are not the property of the right or Trump or anyone. They are there for all to take, and like a reliable machine, they work every time they are tried. Democrats could have had a Trump-style economy too if they wanted one, all they had to do was cut taxes and deregulate, just as Trump did. The result would be exactly the same. But they didn't, and it was because they didn't want to, and it wasn't just because they don't understand economics; it's because they have a vested interest in a bad economy, the better to keep the masses down.

One can only hope the voters notice this as guys like Krugman continue to try to sugarcoat that vested agenda, into their latest claims about a "sugar high."

Screenshot from Grabien and Fox News.
Prominent Democrat encouraging the assassination of Trump

Forget about excusing this as "only a joke." Jokes are a well recognized means of expressing hostility while pretending not to. We have already seen a Bernie Bro attempt to assassinate a number of Congressional Republicans on a softball field, so any sane person understands that provocations issued by a person in a position of public trust and authority should not go anywhere near inciting violence. Yet Alcee Hastings, a senior Democratic whip in the House of Representatives, and a prominent member of the Congressional Black Caucus, offered a threatening joke to a rally on Sunday. As the poor quality of the video embedded below attests, TV cameras were not there to record the event, and Hastings probably didn't expect the broader public to become aware of his incitement.

Amber Athey of the Daily Caller: Hastings was speaking at a rally in Sunshine, Fla. when he repeated a joke he heard from Ari Silver, the son of former Florida state legislator Barry Silver. ("Collusion"? T.L.) "I will tell you one joke," Hastings said. "Do you know the difference between a crisis and a catastrophe?" "'A crisis is if Donald Trump falls into the Potomac River and can't swim,'" Hastings said, retelling the joke. "'And a catastrophe is anybody saves his ass.'" The crowd cheered and whooped in delight at the joke. While specifically recommending against rescuing a dying Donald Trump, the joke makes the broader point that his death would be desirable. This is in effect incitement. Hastings, of course, does not belong in any position of prominence or trust, as he was impeached, convicted, and driven off the federal bench for soliciting a $150,000 bribe in return for leniency in the sentences of two mob-related felons. A criminal inciting violence against a president is embraced by the voters of his racially gerrymandered district (Wikipedia: His "district includes most of the majority-black precincts in and around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach"), the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Democratic Party. Imagine any Republican having made the same joke about Barack Obama during his presidency. It would have been the top story in the media until he was driven from office, with incessant pestering of other Republicans to denounce the offender and impeach him.
The Trump card

Many Republicans, including the leaders of the House and Senate, have cautioned President Trump not to interfere in the Mueller probe. Let him finish the investigation, they insist. Let the process play out. But what if the process never plays out? The investigation into "Trump-Russia collusion" in the 2016 election should wind down of its own accord eventually, after every plausible thread of evidence has been examined and the president is either exonerated or impeached. That shouldn't take forever.

But what if Mueller's intention is simply to keep the investigation going? He has the means to do that. Part of his mandate is to pursue any other potential crimes he happens to come across in the course of his investigations, so there's no limit to the number of suspicious activities he might choose to look into. He could play this process out forever. And so long as the probe continues, President Trump remains in the minds of half the country and ninety percent of the media "the illegitimate president who stole the election with Putin's help." Mueller's strategy appears to be a forever-probe, with considerable activity in pursuit of other crimes and little action on the Trump front. Midnight raids, guilty pleas for "lying to the FBI," an indictment for financial crimes a dozen years ago, and charges against unindictable Russians create great sound and fury but signify zero about Trump involvement. That narrative is sustained only by trumped up leaks, the New York Times' latest being: "White House lawyer Don McGahn is taking the fall for Trump's crimes." But why would Mueller want to keep the Trump investigation going? Because it's a counterweight to congressional investigations that have been gathering considerable evidence that officials of the Obama administration, perhaps including Obama himself, engaged in the biggest political scandal in our nation's history: a conspiracy to rig the election. Those investigations are being stymied by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who greets congressional requests for documents with tactics that would embarrass Kim Jong-un. He piles delay upon delay, and eventually he releases a few documents slowly and heavily redacted. These actions strongly suggest he's hiding something. Perhaps he's trying to hold out until November, when the election of Democrats would make the congressional investigations go away. That would leave us with one never-ending investigation into a fictitious scandal and no investigations at all into the real scandal. But what if the president had a trump card that could destroy both Rosenstein's and Mueller's plans? He does. The president has the authority to declassify and order the immediate release of any "sensitive" (i.e., incriminating and embarrassing) documents being withheld from Congress. We don't know what's in those documents, of course. But the conspirators  the people who wrote them, or received them, or are mentioned in those documents  know what's in them, and they're beginning to sound desperate. John Brennan calls the president "treasonous," James Clapper labels him "a Russian asset," and, most revealing, James Comey exposes his own terror in a tweet: "All who believe in this country's values must vote for Democrats this fall." They know that Trump's trump card is a light sword that can slash through all the firewalls they've installed and identify them for the corrupt election-fixers they attempted to be, all in the service of the "scandal-free" Obama administration. For the president, it's business as usual, for now. He knows he can turn the political table upside-down any time he chooses. He also knows that he can use this weapon only once. When to use it? When fake media demands for a Mueller interview reach a peak? Before the midterm elections? Afterward? How about waiting until 2020? That would make things interesting. Timing is everything.
During the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, between Great Britain and the United States, the border between British Canada and upstate New York saw some of the fiercest fighting, much of which took place around Lake Champlain. This freshwater lake situated across the US-Canada border provided the British a direct invasion route into the heart of America. Had this important travel corridor from the mighty Saint Lawrence to the Hudson fell into the hands of British troops, the results of the American Revolutionary War could have been very different.

Anxious to prevent another invasion attempt, immediately following the War of 1812, America decided to fortify the shores of Lake Champlain. A small sandy spit called Island Point was chosen as the site for an octagonal fort. The fort, when finished, was to have 30-foot-high walls and 125 cannons that could blow out of waters any British ship attempting to sail past.

Fort Montgomery, also known as Fort Blunder. Photo credit: Axel Drainville/Flickr

Construction of the fort began in 1816, and continued for two years when a survey conducted jointly by the United States and Great Britain discovered a problemthe fort was being built on the wrong side of the border. The actual border passed almost a mile south of the fort.

Once the embarrassing mistake was discovered, construction of the fort was hastily stopped and the unnamed citadel earned the nickname Fort Blunder. For the next 20 years, the abandoned fort was pilfered by local residents who carried away stones and building materials from it and used them to build their homes and public buildings.

In 1842, American and British diplomats sat down to discuss this and many other boundary problems. The original border between New York and Quebec, as ratified by the 1783 Treaty of Paris, was supposed to pass along the 45th parallel, according to which Fort Blunder is on Canadian soil. The United States insisted that the new boundary be pushed up north just enough so that the half-finished fort could return to US soil. This was agreed, and it became one of number of tradeoffs negotiated during the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842.

At last, Fort Blunder belong to the United States. Without wasting any time, the US began reconstructing a new fort, and named it Fort Montgomery, in honor of the Revolutionary War hero General Richard Montgomery who was killed during the 1775 invasion of Canada.

The fort was still being built when the American Civil War broke out in the 1860s. Amidst rumors of possible British intervention against the Union from Canada, there was a frenzied attempt to complete and garrison the fort. When the basic structure was eventually completed, Fort Montgomery had 48 feet high walls, taller than the previous fort. By 1886, the fort was armed with seventy four guns, all with their barrels trained northward towards Canada.

However, by then, the possibility of an attack from the Canadian side had become so far fetched that the idea of fortifying the US-Canada border was seen as absurd. Slowly over the next half a century, the forts old guns, which were already made obsolete by modern artillery, were removed. Once again local scavengers took the fort apart and carried away untold amounts of bricks, lumber, windows, and doors for private use. Eventually, a large part of the fort was demolished and the stones were used in the foundation of a new bridge across Lake Champlain. What little remains of Fort Montgomery today rests on private hands.
A couple of days ago, Google has started rolling out Android Messages v3.5 with Dark Mode and new design, amongst other improvements, but it seems like the company quickly backtracked, and removed said dark mode from the app, along with the design. This was spotted by a Reddit user, who complained that Android Messages reverted back to the old design quickly after the update hit with new design and dark mode. And no, a new update did not land in the meantime, Google simply rolled back to the old design via a server-side change.

Android Messages v3.5 originally brought the companys new Google Sans font to the table, along with a number of other visual changes, such as removing the blue bar that was included at the top. Android Messages v3.5 basically had a lot of white color going on, or dark gray / black in dark mode, until Google reverted back to the old design. This design was rolled out and quite probably will be again in order to fit well with Android 9 Pie, as the company decided to redesign Android Oreo, and release a new version of Material Design, basically. Reactions to the new design are conflicted, some users love it, others think that it does not have anything to do with Material Design, and that Google is going the wrong way. Whichever the case may be, this is the design that well all be seeing in Googles apps in the near future.

It is still unknown why Google reverted to the old design so soon after updating Android Messages, but its possible that the company stumbled upon some bugs or something of the sort, and that it wants to iron those out before making this new design and features available to everyone. In any case, you can expect to see that design rolling out to Android Messages once again in the near future.
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Congratulations to Menarge Williams from Michigan, USA the Winner of the Note 9 Giveaway! Stay tuned as we have a some very huge giveaways starting up in the next few weeks!

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is now official after recently being unveiled by Samsung. This is not only the newest addition to the Galaxy Note line, but also the newest and most advanced smartphone to come from Samsung to date. Making it the go-to option for anyone now in the market for a new smartphone. That said, this is by no means an affordable smartphone and while there are currently a number of launch deals available, the Galaxy Note 9 comes with a $999 price tag attached. Which is what makes this giveaway all the better as on offer here is a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for free, courtesy of AndroidHeadlines.

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At the superficial level, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 does not look all that different to the Galaxy Note 8. Which is not really a bad thing considering the Galaxy Note 9 offers an edge-to-edge design with minimal bezels, a great display in general, and a re-positioning of the rear fingerprint sensor for easier use. As for the major changes, most of these occur beneath the surface resulting in Samsungs most powerful smartphone ever. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 features a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display along with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and a 2960 x 1440 resolution. The Galaxy Note 9 also comes loaded with 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC along with a 4,000 mAh capacity battery and Android 8.1 (Oreo). Cameras include dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, along with an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, as well as a bunch of software-based tweaks and optimizations. As is usually the case with Samsungs flagship phones, the Galaxy Note 9 boasts a number of additional features, including Bluetooth v 5.0, stereo speakers tuned by AKG, an iris sensor (facial recognition), a heart rate sensor, an IP68 rating, as well as support for Samsung Bixby, Samsung Pay, Samsung Knox and much more. Not forgetting, it also comes with an S Pen  which now features Bluetooth.

To be in with a chance of winning a Galaxy Note 9 all you need to do is take part in the giveaway widget below. You will first need to enter the contest by signing into the widget using your email address. After you have entered, you will be able to gain additional entries by completing various actions, including visiting AndroidHeadlines social media channels. The good news is that you can complete as many actions as you like. Each action offers a unique number of entries and each entry has the potential to be the winning one. This contest is a USA ONLY contest and will close promptly at 2:59 pm PST on Oct 15th, 2018. Enter now for the chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Note 9, courtesy of AndroidHeadlines.

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The patent and technology experts at TechInsights teardown labs have now performed a deep teardown and analysis of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Theres not a whole lot to be surprised by since a less detailed teardown was already performed the same day it was announced. Moreover, Samsung has done a very good job of highlighting and explaining many of the internals it uses and other components such as the cameras found in its Galaxy Note 9. So its already known that the Korean smartphone manufacturer included an enormous heatsink and that Qualcomms Snapdragon 845 SoC platform drives Android 8.1 Oreo in the U.S. However, the teardown does provide a few key insights into the components chosen, along with some new images. The brand new Bluetooth-enabled S Pen is included in those as well. Among the more interesting points to note is that Samsung did not opt to use its second-generation 10nm LPDDR4X RAM module for the Galaxy Note 9. Instead, it opted for a Package-on-Package installation of its first-generation LPDDR4X SDRAM at 6GB.

The newer RAM would likely have been substantially more efficient and its not really possible to know why the company didnt use the component. Speculatively, it may be that there are still issues that need to be sorted out or that using it would have increased the overall cost to consumers, above its already hefty price tag. Setting that aside, the use of a Snapdragon SoC also means Qualcomm solutions for power management and radio frequency transceiving are in use. That includes the suppliers solutions for display power management and audio codec. However, the Audio Amplifier and other related components are provided by Maxim while the Power Amplifier is made by Avago-owned Broadcom. NXP is responsible for the devices NFC connectivity and Murata provided the Galaxy Note 9s combination Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module. Presumably, that includes the Bluetooth module found in the new S Pen.

Conversely, Samsung also provided its own storage unit in the Galaxy Note 9. The NAND Flash component is a UFS 2.1 affair  Samsungs KLUDG4U1EA-B0C1  allowing for high bandwidth throughput and optimized energy efficiency. Although the teardown is highly technical, it does mean that more tech-savvy user means that users will now have a very good idea of what exactly they can expect from the device when it arrives. Thats not at all a bad thing since pre-orders for Samsungs latest flagship phablet have already reportedly begun shipping starting today.
T-Mobile is discreetly pushing smaller wireless carriers in the United States to support its proposed merger with Sprint, Reuters reports, citing industry insiders. The Bellevue, Washington-based telecom giant has been sending emails with suggestions of how its virtual network partners could voice their public support for the deal, including regulatory filings and op-eds. Not all companies that received such communication view it as T-Mobile applying pressure on them to support the deal that would reduce the number of major wireless competitors in the country from four to three, with Consumer Cellular CEO John Marick confirming hes not opposed to the idea of publicly supporting the consolidation but has yet to decide on how to proceed.

Still, some are clearly concerned what any potential unwillingness to support the tie-up could mean for their future relations with T-Mobile, regardless of whether the mobile service provider is allowed to absorb Sprint as part of a $26.5 billion all-stock deal or not, with at least one such partner disclosing the companys latest communication under provision of complete anonymity. The email thats now being circulated among T-Mobiles partners also includes talking points that CEO John Legere already raised in recent months, including the argument that the merger would create additional competition in the 5G space.

Its presently unclear whether all of T-Mobiles MVNO partners received the same communication, though thats now widely assumed to be the case. The federal regulators are still vague in regards to the merger proposal and have so far signaled theyre willing to at least review it and arent fundamentally opposed to big-business consolidations like the former Obama administration was. Opponents of the deal are arguing the merger would hurt the poorest Americans by eliminating any remnants of competition in the prepaid segment and have called for divestments to be made before the deal is approved. The FCC is still in the process of accepting public comments on the proposal, with T-Mobile and Sprint hoping their consolidation will be greenlit in the first half of 2019.
Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk.

Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen.

If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned.

I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country.

It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously.

Vote

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After a slow start to his nine-year-old campaign, Mel Mara ($3.60) found victory in his ninth start of the year and became harness racing's newest millionaire on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 19) at Harrah's Philadelphia.

The son of Lis Mara left from post 5 in a $12,500 third-level conditioned pace and worked clear of Cyamach (Pat Berry) at the end of a :27.2 first quarter before using three straight :28 sectionals to outpace the field. Mel Mara and driver Victor Kirby started to gain separation on their seven rivals with three-eighths to go, amassing a five-length lead off the far turn before ultimately defeating the late-rallying Frankys Beach Boy (George Napolitano Jr.) by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:51.2 over good going. Archangel Three (Tony Morgan), who provided cover to the runner-up, finished third.

Dylan Davis trains Mel Mara, runner-up in last year's Ben Franklin and Sam McKee Memorial events, for the partnership of the Robert Cooper Stables, J&T Silva Stables and Howard Taylor.

The day's $17,000 featured pacing event saw Commentariat ($22.00) skim the pegs to spring a 10-1 upset in rein to Sean Bier. The 4-year-old Bettors Delight gelding remained perched in the pocket behind favoured pacesetter Spondulicks N (Art Stafford Jr.) before working up the open stretch to win by half a length in 1:53. Spondulicks N held second over Rough Odds (Dexter Dunn), who lifted down the grandstand side to miss the runner-up spot by a further neck.

Noel Daley trains eight-time winner Commentariat, a Caviart Farms homebred.

Favourites finished one-two in the day's fifth race, resulting in multiple winners in the 20-cent Jackpot Hi-5. As such, a mounting carryover of $3,852.96 heads to the Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 22) program. First post is 12:25 p.m.

(Harrah's Philadelphia)
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
Barry.Nilsson. has made its national liability team stronger with the addition of senior lawyers from other firms.

Katie Swain has joined the firm as consultant in Melbourne, while Christian Breen has been appointed as special counsel in Sydney. Swain moved from Lander & Rogers, where she was a partner. Breen was previously a senior associate at Carter Newell.

Swain, who has been working exclusively in insurance for the last 14 years, specialises in property damage liability and recovery claims. She has particular expertise matters that involve the building, construction, energy, retail, and commercial sectors.
A major professional indemnity insurance underwriter in the UK is quitting the market, leaving some law firms a tight deadline to find another insurer.

The Law Society Gazette said that Libra Managers, which insures 20 of the 200 largest law firms in the UK, will not underwrite any new business from 1 October. Of the 20, ten have 1 October as their renewal date, which means they will have to find a new insurer in just six weeks.

Libra provides professional indemnity insurance underwriter at Lloyds of London, which recently launched a review of the business after a 2bn loss. Libra is run by Tindall Riley & Co Limited, an established group of managers established in 1855.
The tasks planned for this first week seem to have been completed without a hitch. NASA says the spacecrafts high-gain antenna, which will be used to communicate with Earth, was released from locks. Parker is also currently using thrusters to remove momentum.Parker Solar probe is equipped with four instrument suites meant to help it accomplish its mission. Since this week and over the following months, they will all have to be powered up and readied for work.NASA already activated the part of the FIELDS instruments on August 13 and await their deployment 30 days into the mission. FIELDS will be followed by the activation of the magnetometer boom and other instruments.Parker Solar Probe is operating as designed, and we are progressing through our commissioning activities, said in a statement Project Manager Andy Driesman.The team - which is monitoring the spacecraft 24 hours a day, seven days a week  is observing nominal data from the systems as we bring them online and prepare Parker Solar Probe for its upcoming initial Venus gravity assist.Parker Solar Probe is using gravitational assist to change speed and course because of orbital mechanics. Since any spacecraft that launches from Earth is affected by the planets lateral motion, the spacecraft could not have been launched straight at the Sun.As it spins around the sun, Earth is traveling at about 67,000 miles per hour (107,800 km/h), almost entirely sideways relative to the Sun, causing anything shot straight at the sun to miss it by possibly millions of miles.To cancel the lateral motion it inherits from the home planet, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe on a flyby route towards Venus. The neighboring planet will act as a brake of sorts, providing gravity assist in accelerating the probe forward and decelerating it laterally.
New Book Helps Parents Talk to Children About Cancer

Contact: Sharon Farnell, 212-593-6337



NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /Standard Newswire/ -- We live in a time where there's a lot for our young kids to be afraid of. How do we explain to our children the things in life that are difficult for adults to comprehend like cancer or even losing a pet?



Watts Bugging You is a brand new series of children's books written by Kristen Barnett that will help parents, teachers, or youth leaders talk through real life scenarios like bullying, adoption, moving, etc., with kids who may be facing difficult situations. Designed for children ages two through seven, the series incorporates faith messages while using children's language and characters like bugs to tell the stories.



September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month which times nicely with the release of the first book in the series called The Bug Who Thought He Lost His Buzz: What Happens When the Big, Bad Beast Stings (August 8, 2018). This story follows Bugsy the bee, who no longer feels his buzz and soon learns he has the Big, Bad Beast. Like many bees, Bugsy begins asking God the tough questions such as why, but learns that God is right by his side to support him through his difficult journey. This endearing story allows adults the priceless opportunity to talk to their child about being diagnosed with cancer or a serious illness.



"The birth of the series came from over 10 years of volunteering within the Oncology department at the Children's Hospital Colorado, along with the adoption of my daughter," says Barnett. "Parents at the hospital would ask me if they should tell their young child they have cancer. At the same time, parents and colleagues would ask me how I would tell my daughter that she was adopted. It was these two scenarios that led me to libraries and bookstores to find that there were plenty of books for young readers, but very few that deal with real life topics," says Barnett.



Kristen Barnett is available for interviews and can discuss:

Her personal story as a volunteer at a children's hospital, and why she developed the Watts Bugging You Series.



How The Bug Who Thought He Lost His Buzz is being used to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer or a serious illness.



Why she felt it was important to incorporate a faith based message in the books.



How the book can help explain other difficult issues to children like loved ones who may be facing cancer.



Practical ways we can all get involved to help children who may be facing cancer or a serious illness.

The Watts Bugging You team is passionate about making a difference in the lives of children. A portion of the proceeds from each book will be donated to organizations who pay it forward to children. For the first book, The Bug Who Thought He Lost His Buzz, the author is honored to provide a percentage of the proceeds to Children's Hospital Colorado, which is the very place that helped the series come to life!



For additional details about the Watts Bugging You Series as well as helpful tools like conversation starters, activities, Bible verses, prayers, and reference materials, please visit:

wattsbuggingyou.com/. For review copies, please contact Sharon Farnell @ Sharon.Farnell@Finnpartners.com.
Garmin has filed a lawsuitin a federal court in Montana, where uAvionix is based, accusing that company of using Garmins patented ADS-B technology without permission. The products under dispute are the EchoUAT and skyBeacon, which are sold for the experimental market. In the court filing, dated June 19, 2018, Garmin says they were originally involved in discussions with uAvionix relating to drones. Over time, those discussions changed, and Garmin eventually learned that uAvionix had taken its patented ADS-B technology without permission, according to the lawsuit. In a statementposted online Monday, uAvionix says they did not infringe Garmins patent. uAvionix has our own patent-pending method for using Mode 3/A and altitude information that differs from the method in the 301 Patent [U.S. Patent No.8,102,301], the company said. We wont be able to comment on the proceedings, and it will likely take some time to resolve. Meanwhile, the uAvionix statement says, they will continue to ship the disputed products.

Garmin says in the court filing it sought to resolve the dispute before going to court, but uAvionix dragged its feet, hid its true intentions from Garmin, and wrongly contended it designed around the 301 Patent.' Garmin said they purchased the disputed uAvionix product, determined for themselves that it utilized their patented technology and decided to file the lawsuit. The skyBeacon and EchoUAT will directly compete with Garmins GDL-82, GDL-84, and GDL-88, Garmin states in the suit. Garmin asks the court to stop uAvionix from infringing its patent, and also asks the court to require uAvionix to reimburse Garmin for all of its expenses and losses related to the infringement. A Garmin spokesperson told AVweb on Monday, Unfortunately, we cannot comment on ongoing litigation.

(This story has been updated with comment from uAvionix.)
The president's contempt for mainstream polling and the media may come back to haunt him in November. Several top Republican operatives working on the midterm elections told me Trump's fanciful "red wave" predictions could depress Republican turnout and, ironically, serve to make any blue wave even bigger.

What we're hearing: One of those strategists told me he's detecting something interesting  and concerning  from focus groups of Trump voters. "You have Trump-MAGA loyalists, and their friends on Fox, who have reached a point of not believing polls and media people telling them things are going wrong, that I believe is actually causing the Republicans problems," the strategist told me, granted anonymity in order to be candid.

"We've seen it in focus groups, with Republican base voters, where you'll come up with a hypothetical that the Democrats win, and people are like, 'That's not going to happen, that's stupid.' ... They're like, 'Oh, to hell with this crap, we were told Trump wasn't going to win. It's bullshit.'"

"I would rather Sean Hannity get on TV every night and go, 'Oh my God, Nancy Pelosi could be Speaker and they're going to impeach Trump. You better get out to vote.'"

Between the lines: Questionable outlier polls like Rasmussen that favor the president have lulled and reassured Trumps base. The president tweets out the polls, his media mouthpieces echo them, and his voters feel pacified  and, several top strategists I've interviewed fear, less motivated to show up in November.

Trump isn't helping. The president is flatly denying what most polls indicate  saying he sees not a blue wave in November, but a giant "red wave."

Republican strategists want the base to panic so they'll show up to vote. But instead, Trump is breeding complacency.

Another of the country's top House operatives told me:

"It's worrisome. The President's tweeting 'red wave,' and they watch Fox News," the source said. "These [Trump voters] will say, 'The same Fake News, Deep State people told me Hillary was going to win and Hillary lost. We've won all these elections.'"

A third said: "They watch Hannity... and hear that a red wave is coming to save the House. They really believe it's going to be 2016 all over again."

The bottom line: Trump is virtually alone among Republican elected officials in predicting a red wave, but his megaphone is the party's loudest. So many strategists wish he'd be more realistic with his voters  many of whom loathe Congress and are already reluctant to vote in an election where Trump isn't on the ticket.

The fact that Republicans have won eight out of nine special elections so far this cycle  a record Trump touts as evidence they'll sweep to victory in November  obscures the fact that Democrats have made these races way closer than they should've been.

In these races, Republicans have deployed their top surrogates, including the president, and they've spent piles of money. They don't have nearly enough resources to replicate this formula across the country in November.

But, but, but: If the Trump base shows up in November, Republicans have a chance at holding the House. Trump has an unprecedented hold over his party's base, so if he changes tack it's possible his voters will, too  and quickly.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called on Sunday for a suspension of violence with Taliban insurgents to observe Islam's Eid al-Adha holiday with the potential to extend the ceasefire through November, reports the AP.

The details: There are conflicting reports on whether it'll happen. The AP says the Taliban did not "immediately respond," though Reuters reports that there's a provisional agreement in place, citing Taliban sources. It's worth noting that the sides agreed to a multi-day ceasefire back in June during Eid al-Fitr, though the Taliban rejected similar calls for a prolonged end to the violence.
Businesses are arguing that the Trump administration's proposed 25% tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will force American consumers to pay more for everyday items ranging from "cradles to coffins," reports Reuters.

The big picture: More than 1,400 written comments submitted by American firms will be heard beginning Monday, as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative hosts the first of six days of public hearings on the new tariffs. Led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, businesses nationwide are claiming that the administration lacks a "coherent strategy" on trade and intellectual property theft, warning that everyday Americans will be forced to pay the price.
President Trump's special envoy for Middle East peace, Jason Greenblatt, held a secret meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' son last September on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York, Israeli officials tell me.

Why it matters: They met to discuss the White House efforts to get a deal between Israel and the Palestinians. The Israeli officials say the undisclosed meeting was an attempt by the White House to strengthen ties with Abbas' inner circle and potentially even create channels to promote the Trump administration's peace efforts in the future.

According to the Israeli officials, Greenblatt spoke with Abbas' son about the administration's efforts to reach a peace agreement and asked for his opinion.

Tarek Abbas told Greenblatt that, unlike his father, he is against the two state solution because he thinks the building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank made it impossible. Abbas' son told the U.S. envoy he supports a one state solution with equal rights for all citizens.

The backdrop: Yesterday I reported on a June meeting between Trump and Jordanian King Abdullah, in which Trump said a one-state solution would lead to an Israeli prime minister named Mohammed. The meeting between Greenblatt and Tarek Abbas shows the White House heard messages about a one state solution from the closest people to the Palestinian president.

The meeting between Greenblatt and Tarek Abbas took place at a time when the relations between the White House and the Palestinians were still quite good. Trump held a constructive meeting the same week in New York with Mahmoud Abbas.

But three months later Trump announced his decision on recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. That enraged the Palestinians, who cut all ties with the White House. The boycott continues to this day.

Trump and Abbas will both be in New York this year for the General Assembly but are not expected to meet. Trump and his advisers are still committed to putting their peace plan on the table in the upcoming months but havent decided when and how to launch it.

A National Security Council spokesman told me: "We dont confirm the existence of private meetings."
European analysts and diplomats alike are increasingly concerned that the Trump administration might be pursuing a policy of destabilizing Iran. The administration's abrogation of the Iran nuclear deal, new economic sanctions and explicit encouragement of continued protests in Iran have contributed to the ongoing unrest there, which has begun to seem a goal in itself.

The big picture: The combination of Secretary of State Pompeos demands and the massive sanctions have left Iran with no ability to negotiate. And since Trump likely isn't seeking military confrontation with Iran (despite his bombastic rhetoric) or Iraq-style regime change, many in Europe are worried that Washingtons policy might be geared toward a third scenario: regime collapse.

Several factors may be driving the Trump administration in this direction. On the one hand, U.S. regional allies  Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE  have consistently pushed the U.S. to recommit its military resources to the region in order to curb Irans regional rise. On the other, Trump seems intent on avoiding the costs that would attend a major war or the nation-building efforts entailed in regime change.

To its proponents in the administration, chiefly John Bolton, regime collapse would achieve the same end result as war or regime change, but without the costs: Rather than bear responsibility for "the day after" in Iran, the U.S. could simply let the country deteriorate. In turn, the collapse would preclude Iran from projecting power in the region, shifting the balance in favor of Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Of course, instability in Iran would likely result in displaced people across the region, but this is of little concern to the Trump administration. Nor would it appear to be much of a concern to Israel, Saudi Arabia or the UAE, which seem to believe that they would be largely insulated from refugee flows from Iran, much as they have been from those from Syria.

The bottom line: For Europe, however, and for the rest of the Middle East, Iranian instability would be a major security threat. As long as Trump's Iran policy continues along this trajectory, Europeans will continue sounding the alarm.

Trita Parsi is the founder of the National Iranian American Council and the author of "Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy."
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin cannot sue the Kentuckians who are trying to stop him from adding work requirements to the state's Medicaid program, a federal court said today.

The big picture: Bevin's latest loss is not a surprise. But it compounds the setback of an earlier ruling, from a separate court, against his proposed work requirements.

The intrigue: A group of 16 Kentuckians sued the federal Health and Human Services Department for approving Kentucky's plan for work requirements, saying it violates Medicaid's stated purpose.

They won the first round of that challenge. A judge in Washington, D.C. blocked Kentucky's rules from taking effect at the end of June.

In addition to intervening in that case, Bevin also took the unusual step of countersuing those same constituents.

A federal court in Kentucky dismissed Bevin's countersuit today.

Between the lines: Bevin's countersuit was always a long shot, but if had worked, it could have moved the dispute over work requirements into a more conservative court. The litigation will instead remain before Judge James Boasberg  the judge who blocked the new rules earlier this summer.
Pope Francis addressed "the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience" in a letter to Catholics worldwide, condemning the Church's failures in the wake of its ongoing sexual abuse scandal.

"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

The big picture: The pope's letter comes after a shocking Pennsylvania grand jury report released last week detailed systemic, decades-long sexual abuse of minors by hundreds of priests in the state.
City workers in San Fransisco are taking to the streets and offering bupenorphine prescriptions to homeless people addicted to opioids, reports the New York Times.

Why it matters: This is an example of a city applying effective treatment for opioid addiction. At the end of a year long pilot program, just 20 of 95 participants were still taking buprenorphine.

Correction: This story has been updated to delete an incorrect sentence suggesting there had been opioid overdoses in Connecticut.
Six gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on Monday, striking a gate and window but causing no casualties, reports the AP.

The big picture: The apparent attack on the embassy comes amid escalating tensions between Ankara and Washington over the detainment of American pastor Andrew Brunson, which has contributed to the recent free fall of Turkey's currency.
A 20-foot high barbed wire fence and 1,100 police officers in the city of Ceuta  which belongs to Spain despite its place on Africa's northern coast, bordering Morocco  is all that separates migrants from dreams of asylum in Europe, writes Rod Norland for The New York Times.

The big picture: Spain has become a destination of choice for asylum-seekers now that Italy and Malta have shut their doors to new migrants. Efforts to cross Spain's borders have quadrupled in 2018  with more than 3,300 migrants reaching Spanish soil in August alone. But, because of the especially dangerous currents in the Strait of Gibraltar, hundreds of migrants from all over the continent have taken to "mobbing" the fence in Ceuta, where a chance to travel to the European mainland could await them on the other side.
The White House has rejected Turkey's attempt to link a U.S. investigation into Halkbank, a state-owned Turkish bank accused of helping Iran skirt sanctions, with the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, the Wall Street Journal's Michael Bender reports, citing a senior White House official.

Between the lines: President Trump thought he already had a deal last month to secure the release of Brunson, who faces dubious terrorism charges in Turkey, and was infuriated when the pastor was instead moved to house arrest. Trump is now demanding Brunson's immediate release from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refusing to tie his detention to any other issues.

Rather than release Brunson last month, Erdogan attempted to use him as leverage to reduce the punishment on Halkbank and discourage further investigation of the bank by the Treasury Department. His government seemed stunned by Trump's infuriated response.

"Political ties will remain tense until Erdogan finds a way to release Brunson and sell it in Turkey," says Soner Cagaptay of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. " Erdogan didnt want this crisis with Trump, but now hes looking at how he can intertwine it with the other crises he faces," Cagaptay added. Most notably, Erdogan is blaming Turkey's economic meltdown on U.S. sanctions, despite having largely caused it with his own economic policies.

Erdogan didnt want this crisis with Trump, but now hes looking at how he can intertwine it with the other crises he faces," Cagaptay added. Most notably, Erdogan is blaming Turkey's economic meltdown on U.S. sanctions, despite having largely caused it with his own economic policies. The standoff has led to fears that relations between the U.S. and Turkey, a NATO ally, could break down entirely.

Go deeper: How U.S.-Turkey relations reached a breaking point.
Typhoons Soulik and Cimaron are both on collision courses with highly populated areas of Southeast Asia, including Southwest Japan and the Korean Peninsula. The storms will hit one after the other, possibly battering two massive Asian economies on the same day.

What to expect: Typhoon Soulik is up first and is forecast to deliver a fierce blow to Japan's Rykyu Islands in the next two days, before curving north-northwestward to make landfall in South Korea on August 22 or 23. The storm is the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds estimated at 115 miles per hour, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Soulik is forecast to maintain its intensity through its close encounter with the Rykyu Islands, where it could deliver a punishing combination of strong winds, heavy rains, and storm surge flooding to Kagoshima Prefecture. It is then forecast to weaken to a Category 2 storm as it nears its second landfall in southwest South Korea.

By August 23, the storm should be delivering a windswept rainstorm to Seoul.

Satellite loop of Typhoon Soulik on Aug. 20, 2018. Credit: U-Wisconsin/CIMSS.

The details: Typhoon Soulik has an unusually large eye that is 86 miles (75 nautical miles, according to JTWC) across. Typically, such intense storms have eyes that are closer to 20 to 40 miles across, which is where the minimum central pressure is located. In contrast to the violent motions of air within the areas of showers and thunderstorms surrounding the eye, the air within the eye sinks, scouring out any cloudiness.

From the vantage point of the International Space Station, astronaut Ricky Arnold snapped a photo of Soulik with its large eye on Monday:

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

What we're watching: The storm track forecast for Typhoon Cimaron is uncertain, since it is forecast to move west-northwest for the next few days before turning more toward the north, possibly making landfall near Tokyo on August 23. The exact point where it makes its turn is a key uncertainty facing forecasters for this event, and it could make the difference between a direct hit to Tokyo and a landfall in a less highly populated region.

Be smart: When typhoons curve northward out of the northwest Pacific basin during the late summer and fall, they can add juice to the jet stream winds blowing west-to-east across the North Pacific. This can result in a wavier jet stream across North America several days later, which could yield a fall preview for some and a renewed blast of heat for others.
Robert Mueller's team has been working "extensively" with White House counsel Don McGahn, the New York Times reports as he shares "detailed accounts about the episodes at the heart" of the special counsel's investigation.

Why it matters: It's unusual for a lawyer to be so open with investigators probing matters regarding his client, the Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt point out. Trump's legal team has "explained that they believe their client had nothing to hide and that they could bring the investigation to an end quickly." McGahn has met with Mueller's team for at least three voluntary interviews totaling 30 hours over nine months, the NYT reports.

The big picture: McGahn and his lawyer, William Burck, "devised their own strategy" to cooperate with Mueller as a safe-guard, the Times reports. Because Trump was "so willing" to let McGahn speak with Mueller's team, they feared that Trump "was setting up Mr. McGahn to take the blame for any possible illegal acts of obstruction."

Full cooperation with Mueller was seen as "the only choice he had to protect himself."

The White House did not exert attorney-client privilege  which would have allowed the president to withhold some information  meaning that McGahn has had to answer Mueller's questions in full.

McGahn and Burck met with Mueller's team for the first time in November. Per the Times, McGahn "was a fruitful witness" because of his involvement in so many events being questioned by the special counsel.

He told the special counsel of Trump's "mind-set" in the days leading up to his firing of former FBI Director James Comey.

He spoke to them about the White House's handling of the firing of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

He also told Mueller's team about Trump's relationship with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as he "tried to get him to assert control over the investigation."

A deputy independent counsel in the Whitewater investigation, Solomon Wisenburg, told the Times: "A prosecutor would kill for that. ... [I]t would have been phenomenally helpful to us. It would have been like have the keys to the kingdom."

The president responded to the report claiming the White House "readily gave over one million pages of documents. Most transparent in history."
Armenias Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan flew to Moscow on Monday for what will be his second visit to Russia in ten days.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said Tonoyan was invited by his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu to attend the opening ceremonies of an international defense exhibition and security conference organized by the Russian military. He will hold a number of working meetings during the trip, it said without going into details.

Tonoyan already travelled to Russia on August 10 to attend the closing ceremony of the 2018 International Army Games held near Moscow. He also held talks with Shoygu. According to Tonoyans press office, the two ministers stressed the importance of timely realization of Russian-Armenian defense agreements.

Last October, Russia provided Armenia with a fresh $100 million loan for buying more Russian weapons at discounted prices. Tonoyan expressed confidence on August 10 that the resulting defense contracts will be mutually realized despite a rare diplomatic dispute between Moscow and Yerevan. The row was sparked by criminal charges levelled in Armenia against Yuri Khachaturov, the secretary general of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

The Defense Ministry in Yerevan reported that Armenia will also be represented at the annual Armia-2018 exhibition outside Moscow by another official delegation headed by Davit Pakhchanian, a deputy defense minister overseeing the Armenian defense industry. A ministry statement added that Armenian defense firms will demonstrate their products at the expo.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 92 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said August 20.

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.

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By Rashid Shirinov

Kazakhstan will be able to state the completion of the legal registration of the boundaries of sovereign rights to subsoil use in the Caspian Sea after defining the point of junction of the lines of delimitation for the bottom sections in the trilateral format with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, the official website of the Kazakh prime minister cited Ambassador-at-Large of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry Zulfiya Amanzholova as saying on August 18.

The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea regulates the whole range of issues related to the rights and obligations of the coastal states regarding the use of the Caspian Sea, including its waters, the bottom, subsoil, natural resources and air space above it, she said.

Amanzholova noted that delimitation of the water area was clarified and territorial waters with a width of 15 nautical miles were established.

Their external borders acquire the state status. Ten-mile fishing zones are adjacent to territorial waters, where each state has exclusive rights for fishing, she said. Fishery will be implemented on the basis of agreed national quotas. Outside the fishing zones, the common water area is preserved. Outside the sea borders, there will be freedom of navigation for vessels flying the flags of coastal countries.

Amanzholova also noted that Kazakhstan has defined its state border along the entire territory, because the country had legally designed land borders before the signing of the Convention. The Convention also allows Kazakhstan to determine the limits of sovereignty at sea, she added.

As for the delineation of the Caspian seabed for subsoil use, according to the document, each state enjoys sovereign rights for subsoil use within its bottom sector. By now, the seabed and subsoil of the Caspian Sea in its northern and central parts have been delineated. Kazakhstan signed the corresponding agreement with Russia in 1998, as well as the protocol to it in 2002.

The delimitation of the seabed between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan was fixed in the agreement of 2001 and its protocol in 2003. There is also the Kazakh-Azerbaijani-Russian agreement on the point of junction of the lines of delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea bottom, signed in 2003. The agreement of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on the delimitation of the seabed is secured by the agreement of 2014.

As a result of the summit in Aktau on August 12, where the presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the body of water 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.

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.

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By Sara Israfilbayova

The country plans to open two wine houses and one pavilion in China until the end of this year.

Trade representative of Azerbaijan in China Teymur Nadiroglu told Trend that this will allow to actively promote goods of Azerbaijani production in the capacious consumer market of China, and will have a positive impact on the level of trade turnover between the countries.

The opening of two wine houses in China will allow us to further improve the level of trade between the countries on this type of product, as well as promote the Made in Azerbaijan brand in the Chinese demand markets, the trade representative said.

He went on to say that one of the wine houses of Azerbaijan will open in Shanghai this November in the framework of the international import exhibition.

Despite the fact that China is the birthplace of tea, the Chinese have already become interested in the variety of black Azerbaijani tea. Today, the export of Azerbaijani tea is small, but we are working to strengthen the interest of Chinese importers and consumers in this type of our products, Nadiroglu noted.

According to the trade representative, not only domestic products and goods will be displayed in the new Azerbaijani pavilion, but also Azerbaijani culture, the tourist potential of the country and so on.

"In the future, there will be various events, including exhibitions in the field of culture and business.In general, our representative office in China is engaged not only in export promotion, but also in attracting Chinese investments to Azerbaijan.The heads of our states pay great attention to the dynamic development of trade- economic relations, and at the same time, thanks to the work done by us, there is a certain interest in China for our domestic products and, in general, for Azerbaijan," he summed up.

The cooperation between China and Azerbaijan strongly contributes to the realization of the Great Silk road program.

The Great Silk Road is a general name of a caravan road, which has been the main two-way trading bridge of East and West since the 3rd century BC up to now. The Great Silk Road starts in Japan and China stretches up to Europe cutting through India, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, Caucasus, Asia Minor, Northern Africa including connecting the Indian Ocean, the Chinese Sea, the Japanese Sea, the Red Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean Sea.

China became Azerbaijans 4th largest trading partner in 2017. Customs data of Azerbaijan estimated bilateral trade at a record close to $1.3 billion in 2017, up 33 percent from the previous year.

Exports of Azerbaijani goods amounted to $433.8 million (3.21 percent of total exports), while imports of Chinese products to Azerbaijan reached $854.5 million (9.73 percent of total imports).

The main export products from Azerbaijan to China last year were chemical products, fuel, and plastics. From China to Azerbaijan over the past year were imported electric equipment, vehicles and spare parts, clothing, ceramic products, household items.

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Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

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By Naila Huseynli

The State Service on Management of Agricultural Projects and Credit under the Ministry of Agriculture has launched a campaign among farmers and entrepreneurs.

The purpose of the campaign is to inform farmers and entrepreneurs of the preparation of grant projects for creating value chains in the field of agriculture, said the Ministry.

Grants to agribusiness value chain are funded under the project "Strengthening Agricultural Competitiveness" implemented by the State Service together with the World Bank.

Within the framework of the campaign that will cover whole country, the project staff has already met farmers and entrepreneurs in Gabala, Ismayilli, Gakh, Shamakhi, Goranboy, Goygol to provide detailed information on their selection criteria for grant allocation.

Head of the State Service on Management of Agricultural Projects and Credit, Mirza Aliyev noted that it is planned to allocate grant to up to 20 agribusiness value chains within this project. "We evaluated the projects submitted during the first stage of the awareness campaign and we chose those who meet the criteria. We have already signed a contract for 5 projects. Several projects are on the verge of approval. We want to develop pilot models that can be an example of robust, steady value chains in economy, in the production of agricultural products by implementing this project. That is why the numbers are limited.

Clarifying the preferred criteria for the selection of projects on value chains, Aliyev said that innovation in production is a key aspect. Moreover, the grant is intended to benefit all members of the value chain, not just one person, establishing the project on partnership, promising effectiveness, producing competitive, export-oriented products and import substitutions are the important points during the evaluation of the value chain project.

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By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan is planning to open trading houses in Kharkiv and Odessa, Ukrainian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade told Trend on August 17.

The ministry noted that Azerbaijan is also considering the possibility of opening its trading houses in the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Truskavets in the future.

The first trading house of Azerbaijan in Ukraine opened in Kiev on June 22. The opening ceremony was attended by Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv.

Presently, Azerbaijan is considered one of the main trade partners of Ukraine among the CIS countries. Azerbaijan mainly imports from Ukraine products of metallurgy, machine building, agro-industrial and chemical industry. Meanwhile, major exports from Azerbaijan to Ukraine include products of energy industry, chemical industry, and agro-industrial products.

According to the Azerbaijan State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Ukraine amounted to $304.8 million in January-May 2018, of which over $144 million accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to Ukraine. The trade turnover between the countries increased by 36.5 percent for the year.

In general, Azerbaijan has been actively promoting its brand in foreign countries in recent years. To this end, trading houses have already been opened in Latvia and Belarus. Moreover, a wine house of Azerbaijan is expected to open in Shanghai, China.

Mineral waters, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, motor oils, tea and other products are among the products presented in trading houses under the Made in Azerbaijan brand. Trading houses in foreign countries facilitate the export process, promote exports of competitive Azerbaijani production and enable the countries to expand trade operations.

For now, 92 trademarks of Azerbaijan are protected under the Made in Azerbaijan brand, while the countrys total output nears 250 kinds of products in food, light, heavy and construction industries. The brand is highly successful in regional and world markets, as Azerbaijans local output meets all the necessary standards.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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By Trend

Russia and Azerbaijan are planning to sign a big package of documents in the near future, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference Aug. 20.

He noted that the package will include documents on cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres.

"This package of documents will set a fundamental approach to economic cooperation. We primarily aim to increase our trade turnover; in 2017, it amounted to about $2.6 billion. We hope for its further growth," the diplomat said.

Bocharnikov said both countries also intend to continue to develop cooperation in industry, transportation and a number of other sectors of economy.

"Soon we will witness the creation of joint ventures with participation of Russian capital, which will create the foundation for our further rapprochement," the ambassador said.

He also noted that the work of the business councils of the two countries, in which the chairmen were replaced, has intensified recently.

"Our economic cooperation will get a new impetus until the end of the year," Bocharnikov said.

The decision to establish the Russia-Azerbaijan Business Council was made in 2015 at the 15th meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council was established in 2016. The last meeting of the business councils in the expanded format was held in December 2017.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover with Russia in January-July 2018 amounted to $1.3 billion. Russia accounts for 7.89 percent of the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan.

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By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan plans to send two export missions to the UAE by the end of 2018 in an effort to expand the geography of exports of national products to the Persian Gulf markets, the Trade Representative of Azerbaijan in Dubai Elnur Aliyev told Trend on August 19.

In particular, negotiations continue on the export of fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, honey, milk powder, meat, tea, nuts to the Persian Gulf countries and access to trade networks operating in the region, he said.

Aliyev noted that the main purpose of export missions with the participation of local producers is to promote the national brand Made in Azerbaijan to the markets of the UAE and other Gulf countries.

He further reminded that last year export missions of Azerbaijan were sent to Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Now the parties are negotiating in order to finally determine the place and date of the meetings. Last year, the export missions were sent in November and December, and most likely this year the visit of the missions will occur in the same period, the trade representative said.

Aliyev mentioned that today there are many medium and small enterprises in Azerbaijan that want to enter the Dubai market, so more than 10 Azerbaijani companies are expected to participate in the upcoming export mission to Dubai.

He added that the quality of Azerbaijani agricultural products exported to Dubai is very high, but given that the Dubai market is very developed, a lot of attention is paid to the stability of supply in addition to quality.

In my opinion, this is one of the important criteria for the successful promotion of export goods and products to the competitive markets of the UAE. Our companies must seriously catch up in this direction so that to achieve the desired results, Aliyev said.

The trade representative added that Azerbaijan has done serious work by stating its export potential, and agreements have been reached in this direction not only with the UAE, but also with the leading European countries.

In the future, it is planned to hold negotiations in order to expand the geography of exports of national products, in particular to the markets of the Persian Gulf countries, he said, noting that Azerbaijani products have already been demonstrated at exhibitions held in Dubai (Gulfood 2017) and Germany (Prowein), where 20 Azerbaijani companies participated.

Azerbaijan, focusing on the export-led growth strategy, aims to expand the list of its foreign trade partners in the near future. The country has already sent export missions to Qatar, Kazakhstan, Germany, Afghanistan, the UAE, Pakistan, etc.

Development of the non-oil sector mainly depends on the export of non-oil products and the main goal for the country is to expand access to new markets. The volume of non-oil exports from Azerbaijan in the first half of 2018 amounted to $846,5 million, which is 15 percent more compared to the same period of 2017.

The EU, the Persian Gulf countries, China, the CIS countries, Turkey and Russia are considered to be the strategic markets for Azerbaijan.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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By Laman Ismayilova

A great gastronomic event will be held in Baku.

The First Congress of Azerbaijani cooks will take place at Baku Boulevard Hotel on August 21.

The main purpose of the congress is to create a platform for sharing experiences and ideas, gathering cooks and food producers, Azertag reported.

About 200 guests from Azerbaijan and abroad are expected to attend the event.

Several presentations will be held within the congress, one of which will be the presentation of Chefs.az, the first site dedicated to chefs. The site provides cookbooks, vacations, news and other useful information.

There will also be a presentation of the "First Step" charity project which aims to help young people in children's homes and low-income families learn the basics of cooking art. It should be noted that the project with the charitable purpose was organized together with Account.az/Goldenpay.

Besides, the foundation of the Guild of Azerbaijan Cooks and its future prospects will also be discussed as part of the congress.

The organizer of the Congress is Public Association for Tourism and Support for the Development of National Cuisine, chaired by the blogger Farhad Ashurbeyli.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijan and Russia are working on the organization of the forum of interregional cooperation, as well as the implementation of the regular meeting of the intergovernmental commission.

Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov made the remarks at a press conference on August 20.

Presently, the priority is for the presidents of the two countries to discuss practical issues. These friendly contacts between the presidents of our countries set the tone for the diverse and multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan, he stressed.

The current agenda includes organizing an interregional cooperation forum to be held in Ganja in early October, Bocharnikov said, adding that this will be a big meeting with the participation of businessmen, officials, representatives of the corresponding ministries of the regions of our countries.

The ambassador said that the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission, co-chaired by Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev and Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin must also take place till the end of the year.

This is also one of the tasks, at the first stage of my activity here, that is, until the end of this year," he added. I said about the state tasks. As for me personally as an ambassador, the task is to establish close contacts with officials and public representatives and also try to get to know the country, he mentioned.

He went on to say that Russia and Azerbaijan are planning to sign a large package of documents in the near future, adding that the package will include elements of cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres.

This package of documents will set a fundamental approach to economic cooperation. We primarily aim to increase our trade turnover; in 2017, it amounted to about $2.6 billion. We hope for its further growth, the diplomat said.

Bocharnikov said both countries also intend to continue to develop cooperation in industry, transportation and a number of other sectors of economy.

Soon we will witness the creation of joint ventures with participation of Russian capital, which will create the foundation for our further rapprochement, the Russian ambassador said.

He also noted that the work of the business councils of the two countries, in which the chairmen were replaced, has intensified recently.

The decision to establish the Russia-Azerbaijan Business Council was made in 2015 at the 15th meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council was established in 2016. The last meeting of the business councils in the expanded format was held in December 2017.

Further, the Ambassador said that multiculturalism and tolerance further enhance the prestige of Azerbaijan.

The diplomat conveyed his congratulations on occasion of the upcoming Eid al-Adha (Islamic holiday).

This is a very great bright holiday that brings up everybody in accordance with the ideals of love and mercy. I was just beginning my stay in Azerbaijan when on another occasion I heard the speech of the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Clerical Board, Sheikh Ul Islam Haji Allahshukur Pashazade, who noted that Muslims in Azerbaijan enjoy equality and all the benefits of multiculturalism and tolerance in the country. I am very pleased to hear that. Multiculturalism and tolerance are the factors that improve international prestige of Azerbaijan and increase the respect which Azerbaijan enjoys internationally. Therefore, I want to once again congratulate everyone on occasion of the upcoming holiday and wish everyone good health, happiness and prosperity, Bocharnikov said.

Settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Speaking of the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Bacharnikov stressed that Russia is ready to continue to provide its assistance in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group.

We are considering to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the OSCE Minsk Group, where Russia is one of the co-chairing countries, he said. Our goal is to render all possible assistance to the parties of the conflict to enable them to agree between each other. The solution that is acceptable for the parties of the conflict will be acceptable for us as well.

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.

Signing of Convention on Caspian Sea status

Further he pointed out the importance of signing the Convention on the status of the Caspian Sea, saying that it is a historic event.

The ambassador noted that the most important factor is that this Convention has been signed by five fully independent states, which primarily take into account their own interests.

It is important that the sovereign states participated in the signing of the Convention. Nobody has been imposed upon anything. The countries settled for signing the Convention proceeding from their own interests. This is a great achievement. An international legal regime which strengthens the ties of good-neighborliness has now been established in the Caspian sea. This is a very important historic event, he stated.

In his view, the Convention, which is of a general nature, will soon be translated into concrete projects as a result of the work of the high-level working group established by the decision of the heads of state of the Caspian region.

The first meeting of the high-level working group is expected to take place before the end of 2018 in Azerbaijan. I do not know yet what projects will be developed. Perhaps one of them will be the creation of the system of cruise tourism in the Caspian sea. Both our countries and our people who want to travel are interested in this. This is still an idea, but I would like it to be implemented in a fairly short time, Bocharnikov underlined.

The signing ceremony of the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian sea was held on August 12 at the 5th summit of the heads of state of the Caspian countries in the Kazakh city of Aktau.

The document 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.

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Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

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By Sara Israfilbayova

World oil prices are declining on August 20 amid investors concerns about a possible slowdown in the growth of the world economy in light of the uncertainty in China and the problems in Turkey.

Brent crude futures, a benchmark for international oil prices, were at $72.11 per barrel, up 28 cents, meanwhile U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 3 cents at $65.94 per barrel, Reuters reported.

Traders worry that the trade contradictions between Washington and Beijing are beginning to exert some pressure on Chinas economy. So, last week official statistics were published, according to which the volume of retail sales in the country in July slowed the growth rate in annual terms to 8.8 percent from 9 percent in June.

Moreover, investors are concerned about the economic situation in Turkey. In August, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he authorized double tariffs on aluminum and steel from Turkey was in creased up to 20 percent and 50 percent respectively. This caused the collapse of the Turkish lira to the historic minimum. After that, the international rating agency S & P lowered the long-term sovereign credit rating in Turkeys foreign currency to B + from BB -.

OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached an agreement in December 2016 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices. OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day from January 1.

Non-OPEC oil producers such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan agreed to reduce output by 558,000 barrels per day starting from January 1, 2017.

OPEC and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till the end of 2018 in Vienna on November 30, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry.

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Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

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By Kamila Aliyeva

Imports of gasoline from Russia to Kazakhstan will be limited starting from August 25. This follows from the corresponding order of the Kazakh Energy Ministry.

According to the document, the ban applies to the 92nd and 98th gasoline transported by rail. The ban is associated with a surplus of gasoline produced by Kazakhstan's refineries.

The ban on import of Russian gasoline has been discussed on an official level since May, but was later postponed constantly. On August 7, Vice Minister for Energy Bolat Akchulakov said that it will come into force in August.

Our Russian colleagues have been warned and they do not mind this and do not see this as a restriction. On the contrary, they believe that they can sell these volumes of oil products to third markets, charging a duty, which is even more profitable. The prohibition concerns only the supply by rail. Perhaps, some volumes will be imported by road in the border areas, but there will not be large deliveries, he said.

An agreement with Russia on the volumes of fuel delivery was signed when Kazakhstan experienced a deep fuel shortage. Historically, Kazakhstan imported about 900,000 tons of high-octane gasoline, about 400,000 diesel fuel and 250,000-270,000 tons of aviation kerosene.

Meanwhile, the volume of gasoline production at three oil refineries of Kazakhstan, namely, Pavlodar, Atyrau and Shymkent, is expected to stand at 4.102 million tons by late 2018.

Modernization of the Pavlodar petrochemical plant was completed in December 2017. At the same time, the modernization of Atyrau oil refinery has been accomplished.

As for the reconstruction and modernization of the Shymkent oil refinery, the first stage was completed in June 2017, and the second stage was finished on March 15, 2018. Currently, commissioning work is underway there, which is expected to end by September 2018.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Kamila Aliyeva

The trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan has recently reached record levels, Turkish Ambassador to Uzbekistan Ahmet Bashar Shen told Anadolu.

This figure is expected to reach $2 billion by the end of the year, said Shen, who arrived in Ankara to participate in the 10th conference of ambassadors.

At the next stage, the two countries will focus on the trade turnover of $5 billion, he added.

Sen said that the decision to form a "high-level strategic cooperation council" between the two countries was made during a visit by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Uzbekistan last April.

There were some disagreements related to the economy between Turkey and Uzbekistan in the past, but today President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev invites Turkish businessmen to invest in the Uzbek economy and does everything possible to create all conditions for the Turkish business, he said.

The ambassador recalled that in the last two years the leaders of the two countries made mutual visits and held meetings with businessmen.

All this contributed to the improvement of economic relations and the growth of trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan, Shen added.

In 2017, the volume of bilateral trade increased by 30 percent to $1.5 billion. In the first quarter of this year, this indicator increased by 20 percent. Uzbekistan is ready to expand supply of products of light, chemical, metallurgical industry, engineering, electrical engineering, leather and footwear and agricultural goods to the Turkish market. The Uzbek-Turkish trade house, opened in Istanbul, is set to play an important role in this regard.

There are currently about 500 companies in Uzbekistan with Turkish capital, 100 of which are representative offices. They carry out activities in the sectors of textile, food, hotel management, building materials, plastic, medication, and services. The investments of the Turkish side in the economy of Uzbekistan are about $1 billion.

There are 114 companies in Turkey with Uzbek capital. Only last year more than 20 enterprises with the participation of Turkey's investments were organized and 53 companies were accredited in Uzbekistan.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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By Trend

Uzbekistan and Turkey plan to increase mutual trade turnover to $5 billion in 2018, the Uzbek media quoted Turkish Ambassador to Uzbekistan Ahmet Basar Sen as saying.

The head of the diplomatic mission noted that the trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan has recently reached record levels and will reach $ 2 billion by the end of 2018.

Sen noted that President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev invites entrepreneurs from Turkey to invest in the economy of Uzbekistan.

"Everything possible is being done to create all conditions for Turkish business," Sen said.

The ambassador said that the mutual visits of the presidents and meetings of the business circles of the two countries contributed to the improvement of economic relations and the growth of trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan.

In 1H2018, Turkey entered the list of top five foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $940 million.

In addition, in the seven months of 2018, Turkey has taken the first place by the number of new foreign enterprises in Uzbekistan. Some 147 enterprises have been established with the participation of the capital of residents of Turkey.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Kamila Aliyeva

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan reached an agreement on further study and elaboration of proposals on enhancing cooperation between the sectoral industrial enterprises of the two countries.

This agreement was achieved during the talks held with the participation of delegation of both states at the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Trade on August 18, 2018.

The delegation of Tajikistan was headed by Minister of Industry and New Technologies Shavkat Bobozoda, while the Uzbek delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Trade Jamshid Khodjaev.

Representatives of major industry associations and companies of the two countries in the mining and metallurgical, textile, construction, fruit and vegetable, pharmaceutical, electrical, transport, trade, oil and gas and other spheres took part in the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Trade reported.

Prospective directions of cooperation in industrial and commercial sectors, improvement of logistics, preparation of investment and trade agreements, as well as opening of joint ventures were on the agenda.

It was noted that such a dialogue helps to establish close cooperation ties between the enterprises of the two countries. The parties stressed their commitment to provide all kinds of support and promote the establishment of cooperation in the spheres of industry and trade.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Naila Huseynli

The tourism potential of Azerbaijan will be presented at thematic exhibitions in Asia.

Head of the Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTA) Nahid Bagirov said that currently, the Association together with the State Tourism Agency is preparing to participate in two exhibitions in Pakistan and Singapore.

In early October (October 2-4) we will take part together in the tourism exhibition in Pakistan (Pakistan Travel Mart). Then in the middle of the month (October 17-19) we will participate in the exhibition in Singapore (ITB Asia). I think that participation in these exhibitions will significantly increase attention to Azerbaijan in the Asian countries, mentioned Bagirov.

He added that at present, a lot of work is carried out to promote the tourism potential of Azerbaijan. "Our offices are active in various countries. Also, the Azerbaijan's State Tourism Agency was very active in this work, which together with us, and individually conducts great work to popularize Azerbaijan as a tourist destination," said Bagirov.

It is noteworthy to underline that in January-June 2018, 1.325 million foreigners and stateless persons from 189 countries visited Azerbaijan, which is 10.2 percent higher than the same period of 2017.

State Statistics Committee reports that 30.5 percent of the arrivals were made by Russian citizens, 21.1 percent by Georgia, 11.1 percent by Iran, 10.8 percent by Turkey, 3.6 percent by the UAE, 2.1 percent by Iraq, two percent by Ukraine, 18.7 percent by citizens of other countries, 0.1 percent by stateless persons.
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.
School dress codes are often at the center of controversy, and now that the 2018-2019 fall semester is off to a start, the topic is back in the spotlight.

Like many schools in the Lone Star State, Marcus High School in Flower Mound started school on Aug. 15, but it wasn't long before it had to face the wrath of the Twitter-verse.

ANOTHER CONTROVERSY: Lesbian Texas teacher barred from her classroom to start new academic year

A student shared a video to her Twitter that was shown to her school about violating the dress code, which has caused outrage over sexism still being persistent in schools.

The "violators" in the video were all female students who wore outfits that were too short to be in accordance with school policy, which states that all female students "may wear long pants of appropriate length, skirts or shorts of appropriate length, at or about mid-thigh or longer."

"Cat," the student who shared the video, also posted a caption saying she was disappointed in her school.

"I understand why my school has a dress code, but what about the boys who wear shorts, or show their shoulders? It's 2018...Why are we still over-sexualizing teen girls?"

According to the MHS Student Handbook Addendum posted in the school's website, all students are allowed to wear shorts if they are mid-thigh or longer and sit and the natural waistline for men.

However, clothing items such as trench coats, mini-skirts, halter or tube tops, split sides, midriffs, bare shoulder tops, see-through clothing, fishnet tops, spandex shorts, or other items that the staff deems "inappropriate or offensive for school in general" are not allowed. Sleepwear is also not permitted.

The school has not publicly responded to the controversy, but according to a follow-up tweets by "Cat," the school's principal "he had an important conversation with [her] about the issues" and he apologized to the students and parents. "He made it clear that this issue was a MISTAKE, which doesn't define Marcus as a whole."

Take a look through the gallery above to see other dress code violation controversies.

Daniela Sternitzky- Di Napoli is a digital producer covering Texas news and pop culture. | Daniela.DiNapoli@chron.com | @Dani_DiNapoli


The radiology department at New York University School of Medicine in New York City has joined forces with Facebook to launch fastMRI, a collaborative research project applying artificial intelligence to MRI scans.

It can take anywhere from 15 minutes to more than an hour to scan a patient in an MRI machine, which makes MRIs challenging for children, patients with claustrophobia and those with back pain, among other issues. With AI, NYU School of Medicine and Facebook think they can complete MRI scans up to 10 times faster.

The fastMRI project centers on changing the way an MRI machine creates an image. Today, an MRI puts together a rendition of a patient's internal organs by gathering a series of sequential views of a patient, which it translates into a cross-sectional image.

However, early research conducted at NYU School of Medicine suggests AI can generate high-quality images from limited data, meaning an MRI may be able to capture less data  and therefore scan more quickly  and still create an accurate image by applying this technology.

This method would rest on the researchers training an artificial neural network  which mimics the way a human brain learns and processes information  to recognize the underlying structure of the images it gathers. That way, it can fill in any omissions without sacrificing accuracy.

"A few missing or incorrectly modeled pixels could mean the difference between an all-clear scan and one in which radiologists find a torn ligament or a possible tumor," a Facebook blog post announcing the collaboration reads. "Conversely, capturing previously inaccessible information in an image can quite literally save lives."

To apply this early research to the medical imaging field, the research team will develop artificial neural networks using 10,000 clinical cases and 3 million MRI scans of knees, brains and livers collected at NYU School of Medicine. NYU School of Medicine said it has stripped all identifying patient information from the clinical data to ensure the work is HIPAA-compliant and approved under NYU Langone Health's institutional review board.

Facebook will participate in the research project through its research arm FAIR  or Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research  and supply the fastMRI team with its computer vision expertise and ability to train AI models at scale.

In April, CNBC reported that Facebook had asked several large U.S. hospitals to share anonymized patient data for a research project. At the time, Facebook said it was contemplating a project to match patient data with Facebook data to help hospitals determine which patients require extra care. However, the social network pumped the brakes amid the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

The fastMRI research project, by contrast, will not use any Facebook data, according to the blog post.

"This collaboration focuses on applying the strengths of machine learning to reconstruct the most high-value images in entirely new ways," Facebook's blog post reads. "Our aim is not simply enhanced data mining with AI, but rather the generation of fundamentally new capabilities for medical visualization to benefit human health."
AbbVie, a North Chicago, Ill.-based pharmaceutical company, donated $100 million to the Ronald McDonald House Charities  the largest single gift in the charity's history.

The record-setting gift will expand access to housing and family-centered services for pediatric patients and their families during hospital stays. Specifically, part of the $100 million will support construction of family-centered spaces and more than 600 guest sleeping rooms in 26 states and at 32 Ronald McDonald Houses. The gift will also be used to fund support services, such as providing meals, buying groceries and offering laundry services for families with a sick child.

"While RMHC serves millions of children and their families each year, we know that we only serve a small percentage of pediatric patients' families who need our services. This extraordinary gift from AbbVie will move us closer to meeting that unmet need," said Sheila Musolino, president and CEO of RMHC.
The federal Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $125 million in quality improvement grants to 1,352 community health centers across the U.S., HHS announced Aug. 15.

The selected community health centers  which represent all 50 states, U.S. territories and Washington, D.C.  will use the funds for programs to expand patient access to comprehensive care, improve care quality and outcomes, increase comprehensive care delivery in a cost-effective way, address health disparities, advance the use of health IT, and deliver patient-centered care.

HHS unveiled details of the quality improvement grants as part of National Health Center Week, which took place Aug. 12-18 this year. The commemorative week honors the role the U.S.'s nearly 1,400 health centers play in providing affordable primary care.

"Community health centers provide coordinated, comprehensive and patient-centered care to millions of Americans," HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan said in a news release. "They have a track record of delivering quality care at significantly lower cost and are vital partners in our movement toward a health system that delivers quality, affordable, value-based healthcare for all Americans."
Dickinson County Healthcare System in Iron Mountain, Mich., continues to face financial stress even after laying off about 10 percent of its staff in the past year, according to The Daily News.

The hospital laid off 80 employees, or about 10 percent of its staff, between June 2017 and June 2018 to improve its financial position. However, the hospital still faces financial pressure due to a decline in patient volume.

"There is an aggressive, direct competitor in our market and they are funneling healthcare dollars into other communities and away from DCHS," the hospital stated in a press release, according to The Daily News.

"As we are all aware, the healthcare dollars that are generated in our communities through our insurance coverages and from Medicare and Medicaid are limited," said John Schon, administrator and CEO of Dickinson County Healthcare System, according to the report. "If patients are referred out of this community for services that are provided at our local hospital, the result will be the loss of these services in the future, eventually leading to the further loss of jobs and jeopardizing the hospital's future ability to continue to provide the full scope of services it currently provides for our community 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days a year."

Mr. Schon said DCHS could have avoided some layoffs if patient volumes had not fallen in the first half of this year.

"The annual impact of these staffing reductions equates to an estimated $4.5 million reduction in our hospital payroll. However, if our hospital patient utilization would have remained the same as 2017, we would have been able to maintain a significant number of these jobs  bolstering our local economy, rather than the economy of other communities where patients are being referred for their patient care," he said.

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Many Americans struggle to afford their medical bills and are increasingly turning to crowdfunding for support, reports Yahoo Finance.

Six things to know:

1. GoFundMe, an online fundraising and crowdfunding platform, reports building a community of more than 50 million donors and helping raise more than $5 billion over its eight-year history. According to GoFundMe CEO Rob Solomon, 1 in 3 of the website's campaigns are medical fundraisers.

2. GoFundMe noted in the report that medical fundraising includes bills, travel, accommodations for families, and various other expenses related to care or recovery.

3. The company did not comment to Yahoo Finance about the number of medical fundraising campaigns. The GoFundMe website showed medical fundraising accounts for 250,000-plus campaigns annually, with $650 million-plus raised through those campaigns.

4. Americans are increasingly struggling to afford their medical expenses amid rising copays and deductibles.

5. But Tom Kise, the director of public affairs for the United States of Care, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, told Yahoo Finance he believes people should not have to use crowdfunding for support.

"The role of our family and friends isn't supposed to be to help us pay for our medical bills," Mr. Kise said. "We can do better as a nation."

6. GoFundMe told Yahoo Finance in a statement: "Despite the progress made with the Affordable Care Act, there are ever-widening gaps in coverage for treatment, prescriptions, and related healthcare costs, even for patients with insurance. However, while GoFundMe can provide timely, critical help to people facing healthcare crises, we do not aim to be a substitute social safety net."

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Shattuck, Okla.-based Newman Memorial Hospital and Aetna filed lawsuits against People's Choice Hospital, an Oak Brook, Ill.-based management company, alleging People's Choice committed billing fraud, according to News OK.

Newman Memorial Hospital tapped People's Choice, which aims to turn around financially struggling hospitals, for financial assistance after the rural hospital nearly closed in May 2016. In its complaint, the hospital claimed People's Choice told Newman Memorial's administration it could keep the hospital afloat if it followed a plan to bring in and bill more lucrative lab tests.



In its lawsuit, Aetna accused People's Choice of sending samples from blood and urine tests to other labs and falsely claiming Newman Memorial processed the tests. Aetna claims it lost $21.6 million on more than 10,000 bills for lab tests over 16 months, according to News OK. The insurer's lawsuit states it paid about $2,250 for some tests it thought were performed at the rural hospital, compared to the $120 it would have paid at a larger lab.



People's Choice denies the allegations. Newman Memorial and People's Choice settled the hospital's lawsuit out of court. Their arrangement was undisclosed.



Aetna has not pursued any repayment from Newman, alleging People's Choice and its partners collected most of the lab revenue, according to News OK.



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From reimbursement landscape challenges to dwindling patient volumes, many factors lead hospitals to close.

Here are the factors that led 11 hospitals to close so far this year:

1. Chestatee Regional Hospital (Dahlonega, Ga.). Chestatee Regional Hospital closed July 26, making it the seventh rural hospital in Georgia to close since 2010. The closure came after Chestatee Regional Hospital was at the center of a CBS News investigation that included allegations that the hospital's owner, Aaron Durall, was using the facility to reap huge paydays from insurers. In March, Gainesville-based Northeast Georgia Health System announced it had reached a conditional agreement to buy Chestatee Regional. A spokesperson for Mr. Durall told Becker's the sale of the hospital was underway before the CBS News report.

2. Good Samaritan Hospital (Dayton, Ohio). Dayton-based Premier Health shut down Good Samaritan Hospital July 23. Premier said operating two hospitals  Good Samaritan and Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton  within 5 miles of each other had become unsustainable.

3. Community Medical Center Long Beach (Calif.). Community Medical Center Long Beach opened in 1924 and closed July 3. The hospital shut down due to an inability to retrofit the facility to meet California's seismic standards.

"This is a difficult announcement," John Bishop, CEO of MemorialCare Community Medical Center, Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach, said in a prepared statement in March. "We exhaustively explored all options to continue operations at Community Medical Center as an acute care hospital. This proved not possible since large portions of the facility would have to be demolished, resulting in a small, 94-year-old hospital with no more than 20 acute care beds, which would not allow for viable acute care operations."

4. Regional Medical Center Jacksonville (Ala.). After 42 years in operation, Regional Medical Center Jacksonville, a 104-bed hospital, closed June 30. The Healthcare Authority of the City of Anniston (Ala.), which operated RMC Jacksonville's parent company, announced plans in May to close the hospital due to rising healthcare costs and insufficient revenue.

"In today's volatile healthcare environment, sustaining under-utilized, high-cost services and facilities is not fiscally responsible," Billy Grizzard, chairman of the Healthcare Authority of the City of Anniston, said in a prepared statement in May.

5. Florence (Ariz.) Hospital at Anthem. Florence Hospital at Anthem closed June 18, just two days after its affiliated hospital, Gilbert (Ariz.) Hospital, shut down. The hospitals entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late May after creditors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition seeking to collect from the hospitals. The hospitals failed to contest the involuntary petition within the required 21-day timeline, and the court subsequently granted creditors' request for relief through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

6. Gilbert (Ariz.) Hospital. Financial troubles pushed Gilbert Hospital to close June 16, two days before its affiliated hospital, Florence (Ariz.) Hospital at Anthem, shut down. Both hospitals faced financial troubles and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy before closing.

7. Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center (Kennett, Mo.). Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems closed Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center, a 116-bed hospital, June 12. The company cited less demand for inpatient care as the reason for the closure. CHS consolidated Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center's operations with Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Regional Medical Center.

"As healthcare delivery evolves and medical innovation makes inpatient services less needed, consolidating operations with the larger resources of Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center became the most sustainable plan for the future," Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center CEO Christian Jones said in a prepared statement to KAIT. "We plan to continue offering excellent outpatient care locally, which is how 95 percent of our patients' medical needs were provided last year."

8. Coalinga (Calif.) Regional Medical Center. A decline in inpatient volumes and significant financial losses caused Coalinga Regional Medical Center to close June 12. The 24-bed hospital's debt totaled approximately $4.5 million as of early June.

9. Bay Area Regional Medical Center (Webster, Texas). Leaders said unfavorable contracts with managed care companies pushed Bay Area Regional Medical Center to close in May. "When it came to negotiations with our managed care contracts, we were unable to come to an agreement, a favorable agreement, and due to overhead, we couldn't survive," a hospital spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle in May.

Although the hospital shut down, the facility may be used for a different purpose in the future. In August, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston signed a letter of intent to lease Bay Area Regional Medical Center.

10. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Garland (Texas). Baylor Scott & White Health, a nonprofit health system based in Dallas, explored several other options before shutting down 113-bed Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Garland Feb. 28. The health system closed the hospital, which incurred significant financial losses over the last three years, after scaling back services and trying to secure a new owner for the facility without success

11. Affinity Medical Center (Massillon, Ohio). Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health closed Affinity Medical Center, a 156-bed hospital, Feb. 11. Quorum cited financial troubles as the reason for the closure. The company said declining revenues, increasing provider compensation and a competitive market caused Affinity Medical Center to record financial losses for the last six years.

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A federal district judge in California approved a $115 million settlement to resolve a 2015 data breach at Anthem that exposed 78 million members' personal information, according to Bloomberg Law.

The payer's settlement will be split among 19.1 million plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, all of whom were required to prove that their personal information was stored in the data warehouse hackers targeted. Members' Social Security numbers, names, dates of birth, healthcare identification numbers and other data were affected.

Consumers may claim up to $10,000 each, with a collective cap of $15 million, to cover out-of-pocket expenses related to the breach. Plaintiffs can also receive free credit monitoring services beyond what Anthem has already provided.

"The Court finds that the Settlement is fair, adequate and reasonable," Judge Lucy Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California wrote in her Aug. 15 opinion, which was obtained by Bloomberg Law.

The approval marks one of the largest settlements in a consumer data breach case. Anthem reached the deal June 23 without admitting any wrongdoing.
Mesa, Ariz.-based Banner Desert Medical Center is seeing a baby boom in its intensive care unit, with 16 of the unit's nurses pregnant at the same time, CNN reports.

Although some of the nurses were aware a few coworkers had received fertility treatments, the pregnancies are a coincidence, the nurses said.

The hospital has been preparing to be short-staffed for months, a Banner official told CNN. The nurses are due between September and February, and they will each be on maternity leave for 12 weeks after giving birth.

"The 16 nurses are from three different critical care units," Heather Francis, director of nursing for Banner Desert's trauma neural ICU and medical ICU, told CNN.

The hospital gave each of the pregnant nurses a onesie boasting the phrase "Relax... my mom is a Banner Nurse!" to celebrate the occasion.
CMS has placed the Indian Health Service hospital on the Rosebud (S.D.) Sioux Indian Reservation on "immediate jeopardy" status and will terminate the hospital's Medicare provider agreement Aug. 30 unless the deficiencies are corrected.

Here are five things to know:

1. CMS discovered the issues during a surveyof the hospital in late July. The incidents that led to the "immediate jeopardy" status were detailed in a report released Aug. 17, according to The Wall Street Journal.

2. In one incident, a 12-year-old girl reportedly attempted to strangle herself with a call-light cord and shoe laces after she was left alone in a closed room for 20 minutes. She had previously been asking to see her dead father and was despondent. CMS regulators said hospital staff failed to follow proper procedures.

3. CMS said hospital staff failed to follow proper restraint and emergency procedures when restraining a mentally disturbed man. The 35-year-old patient died of cardiac arrest the day after he was improperly restrained, according to WSJ.

4. In a statement to WSJ, IHS said it had made "measurable improvements" at the Rosebud hospital and presented a correction plan to CMS.

5. This is the second time in recent years CMS has threatened to revoke the hospital's Medicare billing privileges. In 2015, inspectors found employees hand-washed surgical instruments after a sterilizer broke, failed to communicate that a patient had untreated tuberculosis, and did not monitor a patient who delivered a baby prematurely on a bathroom floor. The IHS closed the hospital's emergency room in 2016. Although health service officials tried to improve care at the facility and later reopened the ED, they shuttered the facility's surgical and OB-GYN units.

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Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation Aug. 17 to improve care for patients who have been sexually assaulted, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The new law will require hospitals to train enough nurses to ensure sexual assault victims coming to the emergency room will receive treatment from a trained provider within 90 minutes.

In early March 2018, a separate Chicago Tribune report found only 32 nurses of the more than 196,000 registered in Illinois are certified to work with adult patients who've experienced a sexual assault.

Hospitals have until January 2022 to comply with the new law.

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The University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Medicine has the nation's longest ongoing single-center kidney transplant chain, performing more than 101 transplants in five years, according to Alabama NewsCenter.

The kidney transplant chain started December 5, 2013, after Paula King approached UAB about donating a kidney to a stranger.



"The UAB Kidney Chain is an impressive feat that shows how teamwork and innovation can achieve miraculous results," Ms. King told Alabama NewsCenter. "I am humbled to be a small part of what has been accomplished thus far. I would encourage anyone who is considering donating their kidney to think about the impact they can have on someone else's life. I would do it again without hesitation."

Ms. King's generosity spurred others to also donate a kidney  to either a paired match or stranger  in a transplant chain that has since involved more than 200 people from 12 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.



"From our perspective, this is a significant achievement for the 93,000 people around the country on the waiting list for a transplant, including almost 2,300 people here in Alabama," Jayme Locke,MD, surgical director of The Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program at UAB's School of Medicine and coordinator of the chain, told Alabama NewsCenter.

About 6,000 living donor transplants occur nationwide each year. Dr. Locke estimates that number could double with a national paired exchange program that includes living kidney chains like the one created at UAB.

More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
Newark, Del.-based First State Orthopaedics opened a new facility in Dover, Del., according to the Delaware State News.

Here are five takeaways:

1. The new building allows three First State Orthopaedics offices in Dover to consolidate into a central location.

2. The $10 million, 43,000-square-foot building comprises 24 exam rooms and an MRI suite. First State Orthopedics also included physical therapy offices in the new building.

3. First State Orthopaedics Executive Administrator David Blaeuer said there is an additional 18,000-square-foot space that is under contract.

4. First State Orthopaedics plans to hire additional physicians in 2019 to fill the new building. The group recently merged with Orthopaedic Associates of Southern Delaware in Lewes, bringing its total number of physicians to 35.

5. With its Dover location complete, First State Orthopaedics plans to break ground on a Lewes location in September.
Frisco, Colo.-based St. Anthony Summit Medical Center declined to renew its contract with Vail (Colo.) Summit Orthopaedics, according to the Summit Daily.

Here are five highlights:

1. St. Anthony, instead, partnered with Denver-based Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center, effective Oct. 1.

2. Vail Summit Orthopaedics surgeons have been providing emergency trauma surgery for Summit patients for more than 30 years.

3. Some Vail Summit Orthopaedics surgeons believe the hospital's partnership with Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center is retaliation after Vail Summit Orthopaedics did not agree to a contract that would exclusively commit its surgeons to St. Anthony.

4. Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center's new practice will be named Summit Orthopedics at Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center.

5. St. Anthony Summits's interim CEO Marshall Denkinger, MD, denied accusations its decision to find new trauma surgeons was out of retaliation.
Almost half of small and medium size businesses in Northern Ireland have postponed or cancelled investment plans due to Brexit, a new report has suggested.

The Brexit Sentiment Index, released today by First Trust's parent company AIB, found just 17% of smaller businesses here had a positive outlook on the impact of Brexit between April and June this year.

It compares with 21%, who said they were optimistic over Brexit in the first three months of 2018.

With just over seven months to go until the UK officially leaves the EU, the index found that 61% of businesses in Northern Ireland now have a negative outlook on Brexit. The same index found 50% of firms expressing negativity over the issue in the first three months of 2018.

The survey, carried out by Ipos MRBI, found there are now more businesses that feel negatively about Brexit in Northern Ireland than in the Republic (58%).

Brian Kearns of the Co Antrim based Camden Group, which manufacturers uPVC doors, windows and frames said his company has enjoyed growth in turnover in the last year, adding 17% to its workforce. But he said the firm has faced additional annual material cost increases of around 1m plus as a result of the decline in the value of sterling.

"We purchase raw materials from Europe and the Far East, where materials costs are priced in euro and dollars, so the weakening of the sterling against both those currencies since June 2016 has had a major effect.

Mr Kearns said the possibility of a hard border remaining is a major concern for a lot of businesses.

"No one wants a return to a hard border, especially not businesses like ours that trade across the Island of Ireland," he added.

The index found that Brexit has had a major impact on the ability of businesses to set out a long-term vision for investing and expanding.

First Trust's head of business and corporate banking Brian Gillan said: "The overall Brexit sentiment trend is something which only goes to reinforce the main source of negativity for NI businesses, identified as the lack of visibility as to what Brexit means for them - with some 89% suggesting visibility was either limited or very limited.

"There is little doubt this lack of certainty is impacting investment decisions here - with one in two investment or expansion plans now being postponed or cancelled as a direct result of Brexit.

"This is a worrying trend which, if it continues, will have a long-term impact on the competitiveness of our local businesses, especially those operating in export markets," he added.
A Brexit-linked drop in demand is probably a factor in significant falls in the points needed for entry to Trinity College Dublin

A Brexit-linked drop in demand is probably a factor in significant falls in the points needed for entry to Trinity College Dublin.

Ireland's oldest university, created by royal charter in 1592, has a proud tradition of attracting significant numbers of UK applicants, particularly from Northern Ireland.

However this year there was a big dent in demand, with a 20% decline in applications from this side of the border - down from 964 to 759.

It was the first time the figure had fallen in four years.

While there is no official explanation for the trend, Trinity acknowledged that Brexit has had an impact on course choices and applications.

Overall demand for its two-subject arts course was down 16% this year and it is likely UK students contributed to that.

The uncertainty created by Brexit in the UK and the less favourable sterling-euro exchange rate are likely to be weighing on the minds of students and their parents.

Northern Ireland students hand over a mandatory student contribution of 3,000 if studying at Trinity, whereas fees in Northern Ireland are 4,160 for locals and can rise to 9,250 elsewhere in the UK.

Traditionally, law has been a popular choice for Northern Ireland students coming to Trinity.

In April, Trinity launched an initiative in an effort to attract more students from Northern Ireland and university officials visited schools here earlier this year to try and persuade students to come to Dublin. While total applications for law were up this year, two Trinity courses have seen a significant points drop - law and business from 589 to 577, while law and German is down from 541 to 509.

In 2015/16, 40% of students from Northern Ireland studying outside of the UK were enrolled in Trinity - an increase from 24% the previous year.

In recent years, applications to Trinity from Northern Ireland have fluctuated from 601 in 2014 to 964 last year, according to data from the University Council.

There were 70 enrolments of Northern Ireland students in 2011 - when every applicant who accepted an offer took it up.

The figure rose to 96 last year.

The number of offers from the university to students in Northern Ireland has varied from 178 in 2011 to 288 last year.
The father of a schoolboy with severe autism has hit out at the way his son was allegedly treated by staff at Belfast International Airport.

Carter Coyle (11) was wearing a special lanyard provided by the airport to alert staff to the fact that he has autism as he checked in to fly to Paris last Thursday.

Despite this, his dad Gerry said staff began a physical search without warning him beforehand and then threatened to remove the youngster from the building when Mr Coyle complained.

Mr Coyle said: "I'm so disappointed at how my son was treated. I specifically chose to fly from the International Airport because they advertise themselves as autism-friendly but that was anything but our experience last week.

"I won't be flying from there again because they were anything but understanding of my son's needs."

Describing the experience at the airport, Mr Coyle said: "We went through check-in and they gave Carter a special lanyard to highlight to staff that he has autism.

"I'm disabled and had to go through a separate security process because I was in a wheelchair and by the time I got through, one of the security people had Carter taking off his shoes for him to go through the X-ray machine. I called over and said, 'excuse me, can you stop please?' and warned him to be careful. I told him Carter had autism and he has sensory issues and it could cause him to have a meltdown.

"The security man told me that Carter had to go through the machine and when he came out they started to do a body search, so I called for the security man to stop. I said that because of Carter's sensory issues he doesn't like to be touched.

"I told him that he shouldn't have started touching Carter without me giving permission and without me getting the chance to talk to him first.

"He brought his supervisor over and I told him I was unhappy about what was happening.

"He said that no-one could force Carter to be searched, that it was fine if Carter wasn't searched and that he would just escort him off the premises and he wouldn't be flying anywhere.

"Carter went through with the search but I could tell how uncomfortable he was, he hates being touched, especially by a complete stranger. It was a horrific experience for him."

Mr Coyle said Carter was diagnosed with autism at two years old and had struggled since his mum Carrie died aged 36 two and half years ago.

He said: "There was just nothing when he was a baby.

"He was non-verbal until he was five and we had to use sign language to communicate with him.

"We had to work very hard with him to get him to where he is today."

Even so the 11-year-old suffers serious meltdowns and can often lash out or run away.

He said he understands the need for security but felt the airport should have allowed him to prepare Carter for the search.

"That's why it's so important that people take their time with him," said Mr Coyle.

"I just don't understand why the staff at the airport wouldn't give me time to talk and explain to Carter what was happening."

According to the airport's website, the lanyard informs staff that the passenger has autism and "may need a little more time to process information and may require additional assistance to prepare for check-in and security screening".

It continues: "Staff are also aware that passengers wearing a lanyard may need to remain with family or friends throughout the process."

The Coyle family was making a return trip to Paris after they were previously caught up in a terror attack in the French capital in April 2017.

The youngster is fascinated by tall buildings and always wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower.

However, he missed out on the experience last year after the landmark was shut in the aftermath of the murder of a policeman who was gunned down in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

When he finally reached France, Carter was able to climb the Eiffel Tour.

However, he was so unsettled by his ordeal at the airport that he will not be carrying on for a visit to Disneyland Paris.

Mr Coyle said: "He's had a huge meltdown and is asking to go home.

"The thing with Carter and his autism, when something happens it isn't too bad at the time but day by day it builds and builds until finally he explodes.

"I just wish people understood that the things we take for granted and see as trivial, Carter really struggles with."

Belfast International Airport did not respond to requests for a comment.
A list of all Catholic clergy members in Ireland convicted of child sexual abuse will be published for the first time.

Pressure has been mounting on the Vatican to release all documents relating to clerical abuse.

International organisation BishopAccountability.org - which has published similar lists of those accused of abuse in the US and South American - will publish the database today.

It includes names of priests and religious brothers who have been convicted or named in State enquiries and will contain more than 70 names, according to the group.

The organisation is calling on Pope Francis to release the names of all priests - including Irish ones - who have been disciplined by the Church for child sexual abuse.

The pontiff will visit the Republic this weekend amid a deepening international scandal around its handling of child sexual abuse by clergy members.

The group will ask Ireland's Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, to endorse this idea to Pope Francis.

"An institution with a long and troubled history of concealing child sex abuse has two moral imperatives: to protect children and to help survivors heal," said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of the group.

"Disclosing the names of the credibly accused is a powerful way for the Catholic Church to achieve both these goals."

Irish survivor Mark Vincent Healy will also publish a body of work which he has derived from audits published by the National Board of Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church of Ireland, which operates on both sides of the border.

It points to a low conviction rate for clergy members accused of abuse - in a number of diocese no convictions were secured against those who were accused of sexual abuse.

Mr Healy said he believes with the focus on the papal visit it is a prime time for Ireland to take a fresh look at the scale of abuse carried out by clergy members.

He fears people have become "desensitised to have has been the most appalling attack on the youth of Ireland who have had to live with this trauma".

He said he would like to see Pope Francis, whom he met previously, hand over the Vatican's files on child sexual abuse to an "independent truth and conciliatory body" who can then examine them on a global scale.

He said the 'name and shame' approach advocated by BishopAccountability would need to include strict controls to ensure there is zero room for false allegations.

Meanwhile, the mandatory reporting approach advocated in Ireland falls short as there is no provision for mandatory care for those who come forward, he said.

Separately, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar backed calls for the release of Church files to State bodies.

Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday, when asked if he believed the Church should hand over relevant files, he said: "What we need, I believe, is truth, justice and healing for the victims.

"And, yes, that does involve making available any information that the State authorities ask for."

The Fine Gael leader has said he believes the Pope should address the issue of child sexual abuse when he visits but said ultimately it was a decision for him to make.

The Archdiocese of Dublin and the Vatican did not respond to requests for comment last night.
A man charged with attempting to murder his partner allegedly phoned police to describe thinking about "strangling her until there was no breath left in her", the High Court heard.

Prosecutors said Joseph McKenna made a 999 call to claim he had just tried to choke her and that his "horrible" actions should not go unpunished.

Details emerged as the 30-year-old, of Dingwell Park in Lurgan, Co Armagh, was refused bail on Monday.

McKenna is also accused of attempting to choke the woman with intent to commit murder over the incident on June 16.

Crown lawyer Catherine Chasemore told the court he phoned police to set out his alleged actions before leaving her conscious and breathing.

During a nine-minute call he stated: "I had a thought in my head that I was going to strangle her until there was no breath left in her."

According to the prosecution McKenna said he let go when his thoughts changed to leaving the house.

Mr Justice Colton heard the defendant continued: "I sort of lost it, and I don't believe I should go unpunished for my actions because they were quite horrible."

He described thinking about keeping his hands around her throat until she was "away", it was claimed.

In the call McKenna also allegedly said: "That shouldn't be a thought in anybody's head.

"I did come to my senses, but at the same time it's a horrible think to do to anybody, never mind the person that you love the most and... the mother of your children."

He ended by telling police he would wait for them outside a bar in Lurgan.

His partner made an initial statement claiming he had grabbed her by the throat and choked until she thought she would die.

Following his arrest McKenna claimed to have used a "bad choice of words" in the 999 call and may have been "acting the lad", the court heard.

Defence barrister Barry McKenna said it was an unusual case where the accused contacts police to report the alleged offences.

He argued, however, that it was highly unlikely for the attempted murder charge to be sustained.

Counsel also described his client's struggles with depression and deteriorating mental health, involving a period where he came off medication.

But the judge stressed the alleged offences could have resulted in death.

Ruling that McKenna must remain in custody, he said: "I'm concerned that if I did admit the applicant to bail, even with conditions, there could be a recurrence of acts of violence, serious violence."
Raymond McCrory has been jailed for seven months.

A Belfast man who attacked and left his ex-partner unconscious before taking her phone and cash has been jailed for seven months.

Prosecutors said Raymond McCrory, 32, launched the assault in the home she shared with their three-year-old son.

McCrory, of Brittons Drive in the city, was told the boy's presence in the house was a strong aggravating factor.

Belfast Magistrates' Court heard violence flared following a dispute about the child.

A Crown lawyer said the woman was in the kitchen on a phone call to a friend when McCrory entered the property and punched her to the head.

She fell the ground before being grabbed by the hair, according to the prosecution.

Her friend could hear her screaming, a man shouting and a child crying.

The woman said she lost consciousness, coming to later in the bathroom with no recollection of how she got there.

Her son was no longer present, while a mobile phone and purse containing 15 had also allegedly been taken.

Police subsequently located McCrory and the child at another address.

He pleaded guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft.

A defence barrister acknowledged the seriousness of the attack, but insisted it had not been witnessed by the child who was in a different part of the house.

"There's a certain irony that the defendant goes to the house because he has concerns about the child's welfare," counsel added.

But District Judge Fiona Bagnall held that the case crossed the threshold for immediate custody.

"He left this lady in a state where she seems to have lost consciousness," Mrs Bagnall pointed out.

"The facts themselves are so serious, but further aggravated by a young child in the house distressed by hearing the impact of this violence on his mother."

Imposing seven months imprisonment, she agreed to release McCrory on bail pending an appeal against the sentence.

He is banned from contacting the injured party or entering a designated area.
The McDonald's at Connswater Retail Park in Belfast / Credit: Google Maps

A man who launched an unprovoked assault at a McDonald's restaurant thought he was "dispensing relationship advice", a court heard today.

Daniel Shields was given 18 months probation for an attack carried out after drinking a bottle of whisky.

The 37-year-old, of Springfield Road in Belfast, admitted disorderly behaviour and common assault.

The city's Magistrates Court heard he shouted and swore at people in McDonald's at Connswater Retail Park, east Belfast on March 29.

Shields was also said to have assaulted another man attending the restaurant.

Following his arrest he told police he had no recollection of the events.

A defence lawyer described it as a bizarre and unprovoked attack on another member of the public.

Amid alcohol problems which were at "crisis level", Shields had drunk a bottle of whisky on the day in question.

"He perceived a problem between two people in McDonald's and he was in some way thinking that he was going to dispense relationship advice," the solicitor said.

"It escalated quite quickly, he has no memory of the matter at all. He's mortified."

Based on the guilty pleas, District Judge Fiona Bagnall agreed to impose a probation order for 18 months.
A security alert in Portrush has been declared an elaborate hoax after a controlled explosion was carried out.

Police attended the scene of a the alert following the discovery of a suspicious object outside commercial premises in the Glenmanus Road area around 4.30am on Monday.

A number of houses in the area were evacuated and part of the Glenmanus Road remains closed in both directions between its junctions with the Glenarriff Road and the Coleraine Road.

The Coleraine Road was closed for a time but has now reopened.

Army bomb squad attended the scene and a controlled explosion was carried out on the object. It has been declared an elaborate hoax and has been taken away for further forensic examination.

Inspector David Anderson has appealed to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area in the early hours of the morning or anyone with any information which could assist with police enquiries to contact officers on 101 quoting reference number 152 of 20/8/18.

Alternatively, information can also be provide to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
Loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson has confirmed that he filed a complaint with the Police Ombudsman on Monday morning following his arrest last week.

Mr Bryson was arrested last Thursday after Paramilitary Crime Task Force and Security Industry Authority (SIA) searches in Ards and North Down.

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The PSNI said the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation into criminality linked to the east Belfast UVF, a claim Mr Bryson denies.

Mr Bryson was held on suspicion of unlawfully supplying door staff and denies any wrongdoing.

Speaking to The Belfast Telegraph he confirmed that his complaint had been filed and that the Ombudsman's Office had confirmed receipt.

The 'Unionist Voice' blogger said that the complaint relates to exchanges on social media which he alleges identify him as the person arrested and make disparaging remarks about him.

"I have specified the times and dates of the correspondence in which by virtue of those messages that I was the person arrested and also made a number of disparaging remarks about me," Mr Bryson said.

"It is wholly inappropriate because regardless of whether I have been widely identified or have named myself, the police still have to maintain the position that they don't comment on individuals."

Mr Bryson said that the complaint also concerned another police officer who tipped off the media prior to his arrest and he claims continues to brief journalists on the situation.

"A specific officer is named and I have requested that this officer be suspended. My understanding is he is continuing to brief the media, which I believe is unauthorised," he claimed.

"It is entirely unlawful, outside his remit and in breach of my privacy."

Mr Bryson said that he was still unable to publish a CD of his police interviews because police said that they provided him with the CD in error and 'compounded the error' by sending the code to his solicitor.

"They have written to my solicitor and told him he cannot give me this code. This matter will now be the subject of High Court proceedings," he said.

The loyalist blogger attempted to clear up confusion surrounding his role in dealing with security companies, and said he had been contacted by the SIA prior to his arrest.

"There's a company registered to me called J and J Security Services which has never traded, the SIA wrote to me in June and asked me a series of questions about the company," Mr Bryson said.

In documents seen by the Belfast Telegraph Mr Bryson contacted SIA and told them that the company was not active and had been registered to secure the name.

"They were in possession of all the information before they activated the arrest," Mr Bryson said.

"My involvement with the security industry is as a sole trader with JWB consultancy and I offered them all my tax returns, accounts and documents related to that

"I provide administrative services to a sole trader who supplies SIA door supervisors and that individual is entirely licensed and lawful."

A PSNI spokesperson said that they did not comment on named individuals and no inference should be drawn from this.

The Police Ombudsman's Office confirmed that it had received the complaint and it will now be investigated.
Jamie Bryson speaking in a website post following his arrest last week

Loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson has claimed that equipment seized from him by the PSNI last week cannot be accessed as it is protected by "journalistic privilege".

Bryson, from Donaghadee, was arrested last week in connection with an investigation into the supply of illegal door staff to nightclubs.

The 28-year-old claimed police did not ask about this during nine hours of questioning last Thursday after documents and laptops were removed from his home and business premises.

The PSNI said that the Paramilitary Crime Task Force and Security Industry Authority (SIA) conducted the searches as part of a wider probe into UVF criminality in east Belfast.

But Bryson, who is editor of the Unionist Voice website, claimed police only sought to seize equipment during their operation, and that they failed to question him on matters surrounding his JJ Security Services firm.

He stressed he had no connection to a Belfast company called JJ Security.

He also runs a sole trader firm known as JWB consultancy.

In yesterday's Sunday Life, the temporary National Union of Journalists (NUJ) member said police agreed with him that the items seized would not be opened.

He said: "During my interview the PSNI accepted that it could not access the laptops of documents because I'm an NUJ member and I've claimed journalistic privilege.

"They've admitted that and have gave assurance that they won't unseal the material until an independent counsel makes a ruling, which of course can be challenged by myself."

In a blog post on Unionist Voice, Bryson added that he believes he is being targeted because of his profile as an individual who is regularly in the media, and he has pledged to publish details of the police interview.

"During over nine hours, the PSNI brought me into one interview," he said.

"If I am lying I will be publicly shown to be a liar. I have given a public undertaking to publish the full contents of my interview CD, but the PSNI are refusing me access to the relevant codes.

"They are currently on notice that I require the codes, and failure to provide them will lead to immediate High Court proceedings."

A unique code is required to access the recorded interview on the CD given to him by police.

"This tape will shock all right-thinking persons," he claimed.

Bryson said he refused to be bailed by police on Thursday, claiming he was threatened with trespass if he didn't leave the station.

"I was eventually let go after writing 'I do not accept bail' on my release form and the PSNI recording on the system that I was not signing bail nor would be bound by the conditions they had sought to impose on me, in the absence of any charge," he added. "It's a ludicrous and farcical situation and they now find themselves in somewhat of a legal conundrum."

When asked about the claims, the PSNI said: "We do not comment on named individuals and no inference should be drawn from this."

The NUJ was not available for comment yesterday.
Methodist minister and peacemaker Rev Harold Good has called on the leadership of the DUP and Sinn Fein to come together and restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland following the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing.

Rev Good played a vital role in the peace process and was one of two independent witnesses who oversaw the decommissioning of IRA arms following the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. He has also worked on peace processes in Spain and Colombia.

In an open letter addressed to the leadership of both the DUP and Sinn Fein, published by journalist Eamonn Mallie on his website, Rev Good appealed for Arlene Foster and Michelle ONeill to come together and do whatever it takes to restore the Assembly.

He said that he had been moved to write to the party leaders after the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing, saying he was inspired by the courage shown by the families of the 29 victims who died in the Real IRA bombing.

Expand Close Rev Harold Good addresses a rally to celebrate the announcement of disarmament by Eta in Bayonne on Saturday AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Rev Harold Good addresses a rally to celebrate the announcement of disarmament by Eta in Bayonne on Saturday

He said: Personal stories of moving on contrast so sharply with the murderous intent of those who planted the bomb and of the political intransigence which prevents us from leaving our dark past where it belongs and moving forward together.

I suggest that passive admiration of the spirit of others is not enough, however sincere. You will know that I am not alone in asking  if the stories and voices of the victims of Omagh are not enough, what will it take to lift us out of the sodden trenches of our political impasse?

Surely we owe it to these yet quietly grieving people of incredible courage  and to those for whom they grieve  to come together and do whatever it will take to restore OUR Assembly and our confidence in normal effective governance?

Rev Good, who is a former Methodist president and was awarded the World Methodist Peace Prize, said he feared that people in Northern Ireland "are learning to live with political inactivity" and that many did not realise the "very serious short and long-term consequences" if the Assembly is not restored.

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He added: "I plead with you once more, listen not to predictable and tired old voices like mine, but to those from Omagh and to so many others from across our community who, out of their unspeakable suffering, have shown us in their own incontrovertible way how to face the challenges of the present and the future with dispassionate courage.

"I will continue to watch this space with ongoing and deep concern, yet refusing to give up on my hopes of what you and all of our political leaders can yet deliver."

"I trust you have the will to undertake the necessary courageous journey as have the people of Omagh to whom I have already referred, along with so many others who share both my frustration as well as my great expectations."
Jamie Bryson speaking in a website post following his arrest last week

The Belfast Branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has said they will offer no support to loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson, despite his membership of the organisation.

Mr Bryson, who writes on his 'Unionist Voice' blog, is currently a temporary member of the NUJ.

He was arrested last Thursday following Paramilitary Crime Task Force and Security Industry Authority (SIA) searches in Ards and North Down.

The PSNI said the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation into criminality linked to the east Belfast UVF, a claim Mr Bryson denies.

Mr Bryson was held on suspicion of unlawfully supplying door staff and denies any wrongdoing.

He said that during the searches police confiscated a number of laptops that contained "journalistic materials" and that these could not be opened due to "journalistic privilege".

Mr Bryson said that the only way police could gain access to the materials would be through an independent counsel which he would be willing to challenge.

The Secretary of the Belfast and District NUJ Branch Ciaran O Maolain said that the branch would not be offering Mr Bryson any help or support.

"The Branch does not regard Bryson as a journalist, has no intention of supporting his claim to journalistic privilege or otherwise assisting him in any way," he said.

However, NUJ Assistant General Secretary Seamus Dooley said that Mr Bryson would be treated the same as any other member.

"If an application for support or assistance is received from Jamie Bryson it will be considered in the normal way," he said.
Residents have been left shaken following a petrol bomb attack on a house in Co Londonderry.

Police are appealing for information and witnesses following the incident in the Stradowen Drive area of Strathfoyle on Sunday.

Police received a report that a petrol bomb had been thrown at a house in the area at approximately 1.30am. Scorch damage was caused to the back wall of the property.

There were no reports of any injuries, however, the occupants of the house were left shaken by the incident.

"Our enquiries are ongoing, and I would appeal to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area, in particular, anyone who saw two men in the area around this time," Detective Constable Richard Donnell said.

Anyone who could assist with our investigation is asked to contact police at Strand Road on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 1262 19/08/18. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime."
Police sealed off the street in Eglinton as forensic experts move in to examine a bomb left under a car - Police said the a bomb left under a serving police officer's car near Londonderry was a "clear attempt to kill".

A court was told how "gut instinct" woke an off-duty Londonderry policewoman and may have saved her or her policeman husband from possible death from a lethal booby trap bomb.

In a statement read to Belfast Crown Court, the now retired policewoman told of her "sheer disbelief" on seeing a "skinny man" attaching to her husband's car what turned out to be a new type of improvised under-car explosive device.

She said that she was also "so shocked" she rapped so hard on the bedroom window of her bunglow home in the Eglinton area of Londonderry that it "bruised" her knuckles. The would-be bomber, her statement added, "must have croaked himself" because he immediately "legged it ... took to his heels" down the driveway and into a waiting dark car.

On trial accused of attempting to murder police on June 18, 2015, and possession of an under vehicle improvised explosive device with intent, is 37-year-old Sean McVeigh from Victoria Street, Lurgan.

McVeigh, initially picked up by members of the Garda Regional Support Unit in Co Donegal a short time after the alarm was raised, was finally arrested by the PSNI on a Lurgan bound train almost a year later in May 2016.

Judge Stephen Fowler QC, sitting alone in the Diplock type non-jury trial, heard that save for giving his name and date of birth, as he did when first interviewed by Gardai, McVeigh refused to answer any further questions put to him by PSNI officers.

A prosecution QC also told the court that traces of explosives were allegedly found on McVeigh's jacket and trousers. He further claimed that CCTV footage taken from the police couples' bunglow, of the jacket worn by the would-be bomber, provided a strong match as to the make and model of the jacket taken from McVeigh.

However, the lawyer said he wanted "to make it clear, although the court might very well come to the conclusion that McVeigh was the person who planted the device on the underside of the policeman's car, the prosecution case is simply that he was one of a number of people who were involved in the joint enterprise to plant the device.

"There is no need to ascribe his particular role," he added.

The prosecution lawyer also reveled that after bomb squad made safe the device, contained within a box heavily covered in black tape, it turned out to be the first of its kind as an under-car booby trap.

He said while it incorporated the usual mercury tilt switch, "it was unusual in that it had a copper cone incorporated in it". Counsel explained that normally such components were often found in mortar or propelled grenades.

This was designed that, "on detonation it is deformed by the blast into a 'slug' or rod shaped projectile", and in a field test conducted on a similar model of car as that of the policeman, it "showed that anyone sitting on the driving seat would have sustained serious and possibly fatal injuries".

The Belfast Court heard that after the alarm was raised, police tasked to go to the house "encountered" two vehicles travelling at speed towards Londonderry. Picked up on various CCTV installations, and by ANPR (automatic number plate recording", they were identified as a VW Passat and a Toyota Corolla, both with Republic of Ireland plates.

Both vehicle, which had been stolen, and bore false plates, were traced travelling over the border into Donegal, after driving through a checkpoint which had been set up on the Foyle Bridge. They drove to Lifford, where the Toyota was abandoned in a car park, with the driver getting into the Passat.

As the VW drove towards Ballybofey, it was spotted by the alerted specialist Garda unit who gave chase, stopping the car by blocking its path about a mile outside the village of Killygordon. Along with the driver, and a rear seat passenger, McVeigh was found sitting in the front passenger seat.

In a follow-up search of the route taken by the VW, Garda found three pairs of Tesco Marigold type gloves, later found to have traces of explosives residue.

In addition RDX explosive was also allegedly found on McVeigh's black outer jacket and tracksuit bottoms. Further traces of RDX were also found on swabs taken from the front seat of the VW car, the interior door handles and from the rear seat.

Similar explosive traces were found on the Toyota car located six days later in the car park where it had been left that night.

The trial, expected to last up to three weeks, continues on Tuesday.
One of Northern Ireland's best-known clerics has expressed his disappointment that Pope Francis is not coming north of the border on his two-day visit to Ireland, branding it a "mistake".

Half a million people are expected to attend the Papal Mass in Dublin's Phoenix Park when Pope Francis attends the World Meeting of Families.

A further 250,000 people will be attending events at Croke Park stadium and Knock in Co Mayo. It will be the first visit to Ireland by a pope since John Paul II in 1979.

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It was Pope John Paul II's intention to cross the border then and negotiations were still in progress on August 27 when Lord Mountbatten and 18 soldiers were killed in attacks for which the Provisional IRA claimed responsibility.

After these killings, the Pope's programme had to be revised radically and Northern Ireland was crossed off the itinerary.

In June, when the Papal visit was announced, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said Pope Francis was "disappointed" he wouldn't cross the border.

That disappointment is shared by Fr Brian D'Arcy, the Fermanagh-born Passionist priest, who is based in Crossgar in Co Down.

In an open letter to the Pontiff in the Sunday World, he said: "I cannot hide my disappointment that you are not coming to the North.

"I was just as disappointed in 1979, but the evil actions of the IRA in Warrenpoint and in Mullaghmore made it impossible for John Paul II to cross the border.

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"There is no good reason why Francis cannot visit Northern Ireland. It's a mistake."

While the Pope is not travelling to Northern Ireland, politicians from all the main parties here will join the celebrations - with the exception of the DUP.

Party leader Arlene Foster declined her invitation saying she would be on a family holiday at the time, and the DUP has said it will not be sending another member in her place.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill are both expected to travel to Dublin to see the pontiff.

The UUP and Alliance will be sending representatives.
Parents are being urged to register for the Childcare Voucher Scheme by the end of this month - or risk losing out on financial assistance worth almost 1,900.

The call from Employers For Childcare comes as the Government gets set to close the scheme to new entrants on October 4.

It means parents need to register now in order for their application to be registered and processed via their company payroll or miss out on savings of up to 933 each towards the cost of childcare.

New entrants are first-time parents with babies born after the scheme's closure, families not registered before then, and current users who change jobs after October 4, 2018.

Earlier this year the Belfast Telegraph revealed that parents in Northern Ireland are now spending more than 6,000 per child in annual nursery fees. However, in many cases the 6,000 price tag - which equates to almost a quarter of the average salary here - can be significantly higher, often rising to more than 8,000 per part-time place for many parents.

Aoife Hamilton of Employers For Childcare, said parents must act now if they want to avail of some precious financial help.

"Working families are set to lose out on vital savings - up to 933 per parent per year. Employers For Childcare can't stress strongly enough how imminent this deadline is," she said.

"To join, parents must have made a salary sacrifice through their payroll before October 4.

"Many companies run their payroll four to six weeks in advance, therefore parents need to take action now to avoid missing out on annual household savings of up to 1,866 towards the cost of childcare.

"The message is clear: if you think your family may benefit from childcare vouchers now or in the future, sign up immediately. Childcare Vouchers can be used not only for registered childminders or day nurseries, but for school-aged children's breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and summer schemes.

"If you're unsure whether your family is eligible or not, call our charity helpline, the Family Benefits Advice Service on 0800 028 3008".

Ms Hamilton also reminded parents of the importance of supporting the campaign to stop the abolition of the vouchers.

"It's critical that we continue to put pressure on Government, highlighting the strength of feeling behind our #SaveChildcareVouchers campaign," she said.

"We are delighted to have been supported by MPs including Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP) and Lady Hermon (UUP) and to have received cross-party support from our local MLAs.

"There is still time for concerned parents, employers and childcare providers to stand together by lobbying their MP to halt the closure of childcare vouchers".
Mother-of-one Shiva Devine died when the car in which she was a passenger hit a wall

Conall McAleer died when the car in which he was a passenger hit a wall

The aftermath of the crash in which two passengers died, including Conall McAleer

The aftermath of the crash in which two passengers died, including Conall McAleer

Tributes have been paid to two friends from Co Fermanagh killed in a road crash across the border in Co Donegal early yesterday morning.

Mother-of-one Shiva Devine from Belleek and Conall McAleer from Pettigo, both aged in their early 20s, were passengers in a blue Peugeot 306 car which hit the wall of a business premises in the Eastend area of Bundoran at around 3.25am on Sunday.

They were among six people who were travelling in the car after a night out in the popular seaside resort.

Mother-of-one Rachel Elliott, who is 25 and from Ballinamallard, was last night transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin from Sligo University Hospital, where she had been on life support.

A past pupil of St Mary's College in Irvinestown, she was said to be in a critical condition after sustaining a broken back in the crash.

Two other men were being treated for serious injuries in Sligo University Hospital last night.

The crash scene remained sealed off for most of yesterday as a forensic examination took place.

Meanwhile, a man in his 20s arrested by gardai investigating the fatal traffic collision was released without charge last night.

Police in the Republic said a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The young man, who is also in his 20s, had presented himself to gardai yesterday morning.

He had been detained under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act at Ballyshannon Garda Station.

Post-mortem examinations are to be carried out on the two deceased at the mortuary in Sligo University Hospital today.

Eyewitnesses said the crash scene was something that they never wanted to see again.

"It was horrific to see all those young people just lying there," said one. "The car was a total wreck and there were bits of debris lying everywhere.

"There was smoke coming from the car and the back axle was around 30 yards away from the car."

Former Bundoran town councillor Frankie O'Gorman said there is a history of serious crashes in the area, which is nine miles from the border with Fermanagh.

His family ran the O'Gorman Arms Hotel, which once stood where this latest incident happened.

"This occurred at a very dangerous corner and years ago there were a lot of accidents there," he said.

"When the hotel was knocked down I would have thought that the road would have been widened but unfortunately that didn't happen. It's very sad.

"Driving conditions were difficult at the time because of the heavy rain so the road would have been slippy."

Bundoran Tourism Officer Shane Smyth told the Belfast Telegraph: "The whole town, both residents and visitors, has been stunned by this shocking event overnight in Bundoran.

"The lives of these young people presumably in Bundoran on a night out have been cut tragically short and our thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased.

"We hope that those injured make a speedy recovery."

Bundoran priest Canon Raymond Munster added: "We send our condolences to those who died. At our Masses today we prayed for the happy repose of their souls and that those injured in the crash would soon come back to full health."

Ballyshannon Fine Gael councillor Barry O'Neill said the whole community in the town of Bundoran was just "numb with shock".

"For the grieving families, today my heart and the hearts of many people locally goes out to those families.

"Obviously these incidents can happen, but when it happens in a small area like Bundoran, a seaside town and a small community, it makes it more tragic," he said.

Prayers were said for Ms Devine at Mass yesterday morning in St Patrick's Church in the Fermanagh border village of Belleek. A former pupil of Colaiste Cholmcille in Ballyshannon, she is survived by her three-year-old son Kyle, parents Nicola and Julian and siblings Odin, Che, Freya and Eris Daisy.

She was well known in her native south Donegal where she was described as a popular young woman.

"Shiva was lovely both inside and out and she always had a smile on her face," one friend said. "She was kind and considerate and very popular".

Her cousin posted on social media last night: "RIP my beautiful cousin. So sad today. You're in our hearts. We all love you and will miss you so much."

A family friend added: "You were such a sweet girl and loved by a lot. Until we meet again sleep tight."

The second victim Conall McAleer, known as 'Squeek', was from the Pettigo area.

He attended South West College in Enniskillen and worked for D Montgomery Contracts in Dromore, Co Tyrone.

Heartbroken friends took to his Facebook page last night to pay tribute to the popular young man.

"A true gentleman with not a bad word to say or a complaint to make about anyone! A good friend to all of us! Take it easy and fly high," said one.

Another added: "Still can't believe the news, rest in peace Squeek. Such a pleasure to have known such a kind and caring person.

"You really are one of life's truest gentlemen! Watch over your family in the weeks and months ahead."

News of the tragedy has left Fermanagh reeling and comes exactly a year after two young men lost their lives in a horrific crash in the county.

Luke Lynch (22) died in on the Clones Road in Newtownbutler on Sunday, August 20, 2017, when the blue Peugeot 206 he was driving hit a tree.

His lifelong friend, 21-year-old Ronan Melarkey, died in hospital two days later.

Writing on Twitter yesterday, DUP leader Arlene Foster (inset), who represents the Fermanagh and South Tyrone area, said: "This is very tragic news, which will shock the community.

"Remembering their families at this difficult time. Praying that others involved make a full recovery."

Sinn Fein MLA Jemma Dolan is from Belleek and said the crash had resulted in several heartbroken homes.

"It's an awful tragedy, especially at such young ages. My thoughts are with their families and friends at what is undoubtedly a very tough time," she said.

Belleek-based councillor John Coyle knew the deceased and says the local community is stunned.

"To wake up to this terrible news on a Sunday morning that these young lives have been lost is truly awful," he said.

"People are devastated that a night out has ended in such unspeakable tragedy."

Erne North councillor Raymond Farrell added: "Words really fail at a time like this as we think of the sudden deaths and critical state of everyone involved in this horrific accident.

"Amidst carnage, wreckage and broken bodies there are the broken and distressed hearts of the families of everyone concerned."

As a mark of respect to the community and all affected by the tragic event, the Republic's broadcaster RTE has postponed a planned outside broadcast of The Ryan Tubridy Show, which was due to take place in Bundoran tomorrow, to a later date.

Meanwhile anyone with information in relation to the collision is asked to contact gardai in Ballyshannon on 00 3537 1985 8530 or any Garda Station.
Bernard Byrne in his shop in Knock where Pope Francis will visit (Niall Carson/PA)

Businessman Bernard Byrne sells Catholic religious goods from his shop in the Co Mayo village of Knock.

His grandfather, Dominic Byrne Senior was one of the visionaries of the apparition in Knock in August 1879.

His family are the last remaining descendants in the village of the 15 witnesses who saw a light coming from the parish church on that rainy night.

On the gable wall they saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary, St Joseph and St John the Evangelist.

Bernard never met his grandfather but his story remains an integral part of their family history.

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My grandfathers story has always been with us, he said.

Its very important I pass it on to my family. I have written it down and documented my memories.

At that time Knock was a very small place, it was like a little hamlet and all the families who lived in the vicinity of the church all saw the apparition.

After the apparition they nearly had to open a bed and breakfast when all the pilgrims came.

Many of the families opened up their homes to the people who descended on Knock after the apparition in the hope of finding a miracle cure for ailments and disabilities.

Knock has changed completely and the apparition has brought a lot of wealth into the areaBernard Byrne

My family saw people being brought in on stretchers in to their kitchen, then going to the shrine and leaving the stretchers behind them, he added.

They came to the house to see my grandfather and be near the shrine.

Knock has changed completely and the apparition has brought a lot of wealth into the area.

After my grandfather died, people wanted to talk to my dad all the time as he was the next in line.

Im very proud of it and Ive always said theologically its a phenomenal apparition.

Bernard is one of 40 choir members who will be singing for the Pope when he visits on Sunday.

They have been practising three nights a week to prepare for the Pontiffs arrival.

He said that despite his grandfathers place in the history of Knock, it has had little influence on his religious beliefs.

We always had great faith, he said.

It didnt make us any more religious.

Speaking from his shop where he sells religious statues, memorial cards, books and rosary beads, Bernard describes the excitement sweeping through the village ahead of the Popes visit.

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The village has had a great clean up, nearly everything has been done.

Almost 20 million euro has been spent on the church in the last three years and I think once they announced the Pope was coming to Dublin they expected him to come to Knock.

All the houses around the village have been painted, theres bunting up all around and flowers have been planted so it has got a great facelift just for the Pope.

It has been a massive community effort and with the Church authorities and Co Mayo council.

You can feel the atmosphere in the place, there is something extraordinary happening in the place.

We are so delighted and feel a great honour by him coming to the shrine.
The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin has said the Pope should speak frankly about Church abuse scandals.

Diarmuid Martin said in a homily that the institution had come through moments of real darkness and needed to avoid covering up or justifying what happened.

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The first papal visit to Ireland for almost 40 years takes place next weekend.

Archbishop Martin said: "My hope is that he will speak kindly but also speak frankly.

"The recent history of the Church in Ireland had its moments of real darkness.

"We need a Church of light, a light that exposes darkness for what it is, and a light that is such that the mechanisms of cover-up and self justification cannot extinguish or tone down.

"My hope is that Pope Francis will challenge the Church in Ireland to be different, to be more authentically the Church of Jesus Christ in a culture that is different."

The Catholic Church faces a sex abuse crisis global in nature which has caused great harm to a once all-powerful institution in Ireland, he said.

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Archbishop Martin added: "The Pope has to speak frankly about our past but also about our future."

He said the scandals had produced deep-seated resentment amongst believers - not just anger over the horror of abuse, but an anger at the role of Church leadership in compounding the suffering of so many in institutions for children, for unmarried mothers and for vulnerable women.

"These were people who found themselves placed in the care (of) the Church to be loved and respected but who so often encountered extraordinary harshness," he added.

"What is worse, they were in the main poor and vulnerable people, those who should above all have been the privileged recipients of what the love and care of Jesus Christ mean.

"I keep asking myself what it was in Irish Catholicism that led to such a level of harshness?"

He said the number of victims was "immense" and not all their identities were known.

"It is not something that belongs to the past but a hurt that survivors and those close to them carry in their hearts every day of their lives," he said.

He said the anger was not just about abuse but directed at a Church that was authoritarian, harsh, and self-protecting.

The Archbishop added: "Rather than bringing the liberating message of the love of God, it imposed a world of rules to such an extent that it lacked respect for the personal life of many and especially of women.

"We experienced a Church that felt that it knew all the answers; we experienced a Church that failed to form mature consciences and help men and women grow in discerning a mature faith.

"Faith requires rules and norms but there are also occasions where empty rules alienate from Jesus himself."

The Archbishop, who is president of the World Meeting of Families, delivered the homily at St Mary's Pro Cathedral in Dublin a week ahead of Pope Francis' Mass in the Phoenix Park.
The decision by the Presbyterian Moderator to travel to a Dublin reception for Pope Francis has been branded "a betrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ" by a minister at the late Ian Paisley's church.

Free Presbyterian the Rev Ian Brown also labelled the Pope a "religious imposter" and Catholic teachings as "arrogant and unscriptural" as the Republic prepared to welcome Francis.

Moderator Dr Charles McMullan will join other religious leaders, as well as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, at a civic reception in Dublin Castle on Saturday.

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Referencing Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther, Mr Brown, clerk of presbytery in the Free Presbyterian Church, condemned those from the Protestant faith taking part in this weekend's visit.

"Love for the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and concern for the eternal souls of men will prevent any Bible believer from union or communion with a Roman Catholic Church that remains as contrary to Holy Scripture today as it ever has been," Rev Brown said.

"As long as it proclaims its leader as the supreme head of the church on Earth, denigrates the work that Christ completed on Calvary by the pretentious teachings central to its Mass, refuses the scriptural way of salvation that justification is by faith alone in Christ alone, fleeces its adherents by means of an imaginary purgatory, and offers indulgences with as much aplomb as Tetzel managed in Martin Luther's day, no true Christian should engage in fellowship with this system, never mind travel to welcome its Pope," he claimed.

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Rev Brown ministers at former DUP leader Paisley's Martyrs' Memorial Church on the Ravenhill Road in east Belfast.

He added: "In this deception and destruction of the souls of men, a true Christian must never play a part.

"Any Reformed Protestant preacher worthy of the name cannot stand on any other ground.

"All of which begs the obvious question: how can the Presbyterian Church of Ireland present its recent vote in favour of its Moderator participating in the upcoming papal visit as anything other than a betrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ?"

The Presbyterian Church chose not to send its Moderator to Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland in 1979.

Last week Presbyterian clerk the Rev Trevor Gribben told the Belfast Telegraph that while there was a broad consensus within the Church to welcome the Pope, some had disagreed with the decision.
Charities have raised 28 million for Rohingya refugees stranded in Bangladesh within the first year of the most recent exodus.

In 12 months, an already-substantial refugee settlement in southern Bangladesh has become home to 700,000 more Rohingya fleeing neighbouring Burma amid reports of extreme violence.

The Kutupalong-Balukhali expansion site, informally known as the megacamp, is now considered the worlds biggest refugee camp, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) said.

This camp in Bangladesh - known informally as the megacamp - is now considered the largest #refugee settlement in the world.



DEC charities are there and our appeal is still open. Pls, donate at https://t.co/4cCQShIhh9. #Myanmar #Rohingya pic.twitter.com/V5autEzmF0  DEC (@decappeal) June 26, 2018

An appeal launched by the consort of 13 UK aid agencies has raised 28 million, including 5 million matched by the UK Government, and will end in August.

Simon Beresford of the DEC said the money raised had once again demonstrated the incredible generosity and compassion of British people.

Thanks to the British public, DEC charities have been able to reach hundreds of thousands of people in what is now the worlds biggest refugee camp with food, shelter, clean water and much more, he said.

But this crisis is ongoing and the monsoon rains have worsened the situation which is why we are hoping to push the total even further.

During the first six months, the money provided food for 351,500 people.

Over the current phase, which will stretch for a further year, funds will go toward supporting nine health facilities and two mobile clinics helping 200,000 people.

More than 900,000 Rohingya are estimated to be living in the sprawling camp system and nearby communities around Coxs Bazar in the south of the country.

Seasonal monsoons have not proved as catastrophic as aid agencies feared, but have been damaging nonetheless, with tens of thousands of Rohingya relocated to safer ground.

More than 100 learning centres have been damaged by landslides, and 70 by flooding, according to the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), which is coordinating the humanitarian response.

Repair work continues on over 300 latrines and bathing facilities damaged by rains, while an estimated 15,300 refugees have been impacted by 296 landslides and/ or erosions.

With the cyclone season imminent, and the rains continuing to fall, DEC say the worst may be yet to come.

A recent update from the ISCG said: A year later, refugees now face additional threats.

They live in congested sites that are ill-equipped to handle the monsoon rains and cyclone seasons  with alarmingly limited options for evacuation.

Many refugees have expressed anxiety about their future, explaining that they would not agree to return until questions of citizenship, legal rights, access to services, justice and restitution are addressed.
The prisons watchdog has accused the Ministry of Justice of failing to stop one of the countrys largest prisons slipping into crisis.

Peter Clarke suggested somebody must have been asleep at the wheel for conditions at HMP Birmingham to deteriorate so drastically.

Mr Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, lamented institutional inertia as he published a devastating assessment of the jail.

His report said staff were found asleep or locked in offices during an inspection that uncovered appalling squalor and violence.

It cannot be the case that the only time urgent action is taken to restore decency in a prison is when an inspection report is published  surely somebody must have been asleep at the wheel?Peter Clarke, Chief Inspector of Prisons

Some inmates were so frightened they reported feeling unsafe behind locked cell doors  while violent prisoners could act with near impunity.

Many staff felt fearful and unsafe after a number of incidents, including an arson attack that destroyed nine vehicles in a car park.

Mr Clarkes inspection team found blatant use of illegal substances went largely unchallenged amid a looming lack of control.

At one point, staff were said to have shrugged when inspectors pointed out that drugs were being smoked.

As Mr Clarkes findings were revealed, the MoJ confirmed it has taken control of the privately-run jail after ministers concluded drastic action was required.

We have today taken over the running of HMP Birmingham for an initial six-month period  read more here: https://t.co/d3CgJsxrTt  Ministry of Justice (@MoJGovUK) August 20, 2018

Speaking on Monday, the chief inspector said:How is it that in 18 months a prison which is supposedly being run under the auspices of a tightly-managed contract, how has that been allowed to deteriorate?

There are Ministry of Justice officials on-site permanently, and yet somehow there seems to have been some sort of institutional inertia that has allowed this prison to deteriorate to this completely unacceptable state.

Asked whether the MoJ had failed, Mr Clarke told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I think thats the only reasonable conclusion you can come to.

He added: It cannot be the case that the only time urgent action is taken to restore decency in a prison is when an inspection report is published, surely somebody must have been asleep at the wheel?

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From Monday HM Prison and Probation Service took over the running of the jail from G4S for an initial six-month period.

Following the highly unusual intervention, an HMPPS governor has taken charge, an initial 30 extra officers are to be deployed to bolster staffing levels, and the jails capacity is being reduced by 300 places.

The Government, which has stressed there will be no additional cost to the taxpayer, says the action was taken following an extended period of working with G4S in an attempt to drive up standards at the jail.

Multiple improvement notices have been issued this year, according to the MoJ.

It said steps had already been taken to reduce the capacity, re-balance the population and provide additional funding for body-worn cameras, drug detection equipment and netting.

Acknowledging that it was a shocking situation, Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said: This is partly the responsibility of me as the Prisons Minister, of the Government and also of G4S, which is why weve taken the step of moving in, bringing in our own management team and reducing the prisoners.

He told Today that the take-over announced on Monday followed negotiations with G4S through last week.

Mr Stewart added: That comes on the end of an enormous amount of work that weve done over the last few months.

Downing Street backed G4S to run prisons despite the problems in Birmingham, citing its work at other facilities including HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire.

As the fallout continued, it also emerged that an official investigation concluded that a riot at the prison in 2016 could and should have been prevented.

The report on the disturbance, released by the MoJ under freedom of information rules, said staff had become worn down by chronic staffing shortages and had gradually relinquished authority to the prisoners who were in effect policing themselves for much of the time.

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After an unannounced inspection at HMP Birmingham concluded earlier this month, Mr Clarke triggered the urgent notification scheme to alert the Government to his findings.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the crisis shows just how shortsighted the policy is of privatising services, while shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: Tory privatisation is now putting the public in danger.

G4S, which has run the jail since October 2011, welcomed the six month step-in, saying the well-being and safety of prisoners and staff is its key priority.

The firm said the prison faces exceptional challenges including increasingly high levels of prisoner violence towards staff and fellow prisoners.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers Association, said the announcement is no reflection on its members at Birmingham and across England and Wales.

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He said: They have been placed in an unacceptable position by failed Government policies and now once again it will be brave prison officers and related grades picking up the pieces.

The Prison Governors Association said HMP Birmingham has been one of the most challenging in the system for years, irrespective of whether it was run by the private or public sector.

Built in 1849, HMP Birmingham is a category B facility for adult male inmates and had a population of 1,269 at the end of last month.
Boris Johnson's official Facebook page is host to hundreds of Islamophobic messages, it has been reported.

The Sunday Times said an investigation it carried out into online abuse had uncovered calls to ban Islam, deport Muslims and "vile" attacks on London Mayor Sadiq Khan

A source close to the former Foreign Secretary said he "totally condemns" the "hateful" views posted by a small minority of respondents.

Mr Johnson is currently facing an internal Conservative Party investigation for an article he wrote for The Daily Telegraph likening women who wear the Muslim full face veil to "bank robbers" and "letterboxes".

According to The Sunday Times, the posts on his Facebook page include calls for "no Muslims in government, police or army".

A source close to Mr Johnson said: "Mr Johnson totally condemns the hateful views posted by a small minority on these Facebook pages, brought to light by The Sunday Times.

"However, it is ridiculous to attack Mr Johnson for comments made by individuals on social media when even the official website and Facebook page of the Times and Sunday Times host racist and Islamophobic messages from page visitors."

Allies of Mr Johnson have indicated that, to date, his team had not "censored" comments on his Facebook page - including those attacking him - as he believed in free speech and that people should be able to contact their elected representatives easily.
Chelsea Clinton has said she has not ruled out running for office in the future, although she described a move into politics as a definite no now.

She told the Edinburgh International Book Festival that while she abhorred Donald Trumps presidency, she has no current plans to follow in her parents footsteps.

She strongly criticised the US leader on issues such as the separation of children from their parents at the Mexican border, branding the policy the greatest sin of the moment.

At federal level as much as I abhor so much of what President Trump is doing, I have a great amount of gratitude for what my congresswoman and my senators are doing to try to stop him at every point, Ms Clinton said.

I'm outraged every day by something our president has done or said or left undone or neglected, or who he has recently bullied on Twitter or televisionChelsea Clinton

While I disagree with the President, other offices that I could run for I think my family  is being really well represented, but if that were to change, if my city councillor were to retire, if my congresswoman were to retire, my senators, and I thought that I could make a positive impact, then I think I would really have to ask my answer to that question.

For me its a definite no now but its a definite maybe in the future because who knows what the future is going to bring?

Ms Clinton, who was promoting her childrens book on women who have persisted against adversity, was also asked about how her mother Hillary Clinton had handled the loss of the 2016 presidential election.

She just has continued to persist forward in trying to have a positive impact in politics and outside politics in the way that I have seen her do my entire life, she said.

Of course its not the way I wish she would be doing that because I think she wouldve been a uniquely extraordinary president, but Im not remotely surprised that she hasnt pulled the covers over her head because thats just not who my mom is.

She added: Im outraged every day by something our president has done or said or left undone or neglected, or who he has recently bullied on Twitter or television.

For me, sometimes, I think Im just so fundamentally my mothers daughter that Im far more outraged by the Trump administration ripping children away from their families at the border and not having reunified those children with their families now for months, than I am about anything he has ever done to my families.

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She continued: In some ways I think this is the greatest sin of the moment in our country and we very much are doing everything we can to stop this from happening.

Ms Clinton, who was just 12 when her father Bill Clinton entered the White House, spoke of how critics made fun of her looks and referred to her as a dog.

I feel incredibly protective of Barron Trump, who is now 12 years old, the same age that I was, she said.

I disagree with his father on everything but people have made fun of, bullied him, for his appearance, or for him being more private.

Equally I have no patience for that because hes a child and he deserves a childhood as every child does.
The family of a teenager who died after falling ill have paid tribute to their kind, loving son.

Police said Corey Doyle, 15, died after taking unwell in the Fordoun area of Aberdeenshire on Sunday.

His family, from Fettercairn, said they are devastated in a statement released through police.

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The 15-year-olds family said: Corey was a much-loved son, brother and grandson, and was a popular pupil at Mearns Academy in Laurencekirk.

He was a kind, loving son who also enjoyed spending time with his many friends.

He loved spending time with his family, joking and making us laugh. We are all absolutely devastated by what has happened.

We are grateful to those who have supported us at this incredibly difficult time and ask that we are now given privacy to grieve.

Detective Inspector Stewart Drummond said: Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Corey at this sad time.

We are continuing to support his family as our enquiries progress and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.
Indian ride-hailing app Ola has launched its inaugural UK services in South Wales.

The firm, which hopes to challenge Uber, plans to expand into Manchester before operating nationwide by the end of the year.

It says it has launched across South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and Vale of Glamorgan.

Ola claims it is the only app offering both private hire vehicles (PHVs) and black cabs through one consumer-friendly platform in the UK.

We are determined to do a great job for the communityOla

It has pledged to lead the industry with its approach to passenger safety, including its screening of drivers and support services.

Founded in 2011, Ola operates in more than 110 cities across India and Australia, with one million drivers.

Ola UK managing director Ben Legg said: This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that South Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey.

Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in South Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service.

We are determined to do a great job for the community and work closely with local authorities to help with their mobility goals.

Uber is used in 600 cities across 65 countries and has three million drivers. It launched in the UK in 2012.

In June it won a partial victory when a judge granted it a short-term operating licence in London after the permit was not renewed over safety concerns.
An EU flag flying in front of the Houses of Parliament in London (Victoria Jones/PA)

Downing Street has refused to be drawn on reports suggesting it will give EU migrants living in Britain the right to remain if a no deal Brexit materialises.

Leaked Cabinet papers show ministers plan to take the moral high ground by unilaterally granting the 3.8 million EU nationals in the UK the right to stay, according to The Daily Telegraph.

However the move was also said to reflect concerns of potential labour shortages in key sectors of the economy once Britain is outside the EU.

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The Telegraph said the details would be set out in one of around 80 technical notes due to be published by the Government, starting on Thursday, setting out its preparations for a no-deal break across a wide range of sectors.

It will mean EU citizens in the UK would be able to continue accessing the NHS and the benefits system, regardless of whether British nationals in the EU are granted reciprocal rights.

The leaked paper states: The Home Office plans to make an offer to existing EU residents that they can remain in the UK in a no deal scenario, in effect unilaterally implementing the (immigration element of the) Citizens Rights agreement agreed with the EU in December 2017.

The proposal is to make the offer irrespective of whether the EU reciprocates.

Any package would need resolution for the reciprocal elements of the December 2017 deal.

Making an offer is not only important to provide certainty publicly, but will enable the UK Government to take the moral high ground.

A number of other plans are also dependent on the Governments position on this issue, relying heavily on the availability of existing labour in a no deal scenario.

The paper, which was said to have been given to ministers last month, describes the issue as one of the most important aspects of the Governments no-deal planning.

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A Downing Street spokeswoman declined to comment on leaked documents.

But she told reporters at a regular Westminster briefing: One of the priorities for us right from the get-go has been securing the rights of EU citizens living here. Thats why we moved swiftly to agree something with the EU early.

The move was welcomed by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the influential pro-Brexit European Research Group of Tory MPs.

EU migrants came here legally, and the UK is not the sort of country that applies retrospective legislation.

They should have broadly the same rights as British citizens, no better or worse, he told the Telegraph.

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Conservative Peter Bone, the Brexit-backing MP for Wellingborough, said he did not expect the Government to shift from seeking reciprocal arrangements for Britons living in the EU.

He told the Press Association: It seems most unlikely Theresa May would do such a deal as she has been very firm on this.

Mr Bone said a no-deal Brexit would result in a trade agreement on World Trade Organisation terms and he expected other issues, including EU nationals and civil aviation, to be dealt with by a series of agreements.

Conservative former Brexit minister David Jones also told the Telegraph: Its got to be reciprocal.

We have a large number of Britons in the EU and their interests have got to be reflected.

We have got to look after our own people.

The disclosure comes as Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab prepares to travel to Brussels on Tuesday for a further round of talks with the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

We are working constructively and at full speed 24/7, seven days a week to reach an agreementAlexander Winterstein, EU

Mr Raab said that, while he believed a deal was still by far the most likely outcome of the negotiations, a responsible Government needed to set out the steps it was taking to mitigate the risks of a no-deal break.

EU Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein, speaking ahead of Mr Raabs visit to Brussels, told journalists that officials were working at full speed, 24/7 to reach an exit agreement.

He said: We are working constructively and at full speed 24/7, seven days a week to reach an agreement.

Our chief negotiator has been engaging constructively as he has always done with his British counterpart and its in that spirit that the meeting tomorrow will take place.
The Greek government has launched a new bid to engage the UK in talks over the return to Athens of the Elgin Marbles.

Greeces culture minister has written her to British counterpart to formally propose negotiations on the future of the celebrated ancient sculptures originally ornamenting the Parthenon Temple at the Acropolis.

A ministry statement said Lydia Koniordou invited British officials to Greece to discuss the Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Sculptures.

The case of the 5th century BC works in Londons British Museum is one of the longest-running cultural heritage disputes in the world.

The works were removed by a Scottish nobleman  Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin  in the early 19th century when Athens was under Turkish rule.

Greece wants them back, which Britain has consistently refused to do.
Drinks giant PepsiCo has bought Israels fizzy drink maker SodaStream for 3.2 billion dollars (2.5 billion).

PepsiCo said it is acquiring all SodaStreams outstanding shares at 144 dollars (112) per share, a 32% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price.

Earlier this month, SodaStream reported its strongest results in company history, a 31% year-over-year jump in revenues to 172 million dollars (134 million), an 89% leap in operating profit to 32 million dollars (25 million) and an 82% climb by net profit to 26 million dollars (20 million).

Calling all bubble lovers, we want your pollution solutions! Tweet us your favorite ways to reduce waste and you could win an Aqua Fizz Starter Kit and one of our Fruit Drops. pic.twitter.com/QQhWYLsUDG  SodaStream USA (@SodaStreamUSA) August 17, 2018

PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi has called the companies an inspired match.

Three years ago, SodaStream shut down its West Bank factory amid international boycott calls and opened a sprawling new factory deep in Israels Negev Desert instead.

Actress Scarlett Johansson was previously a brand ambassador for the company.
Pope Francis has issued a letter to Catholics around the world condemning the crime of sexual abuse by priests and subsequent cover-ups.

Francis demanded accountability in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church.

The Pope begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and cover-ups.

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He attacked the self-referential clerical culture that has been blamed for the abuse crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

Francis wrote: We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.

The Vatican issued the letter on Monday, ahead of Francis trip this weekend to Ireland which is expected to be dominated by the abuse crisis.

In the three-page letter, Francis wrote: With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realising the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives.

Expand Close The Pope has openly referred to crimes having been committed (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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The churchs credibility has been damaged in Ireland by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered up for them.

Sex abuse within the church was always expected to dominate the trip, but the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the US that one of Francis trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

In addition, a US grand jury report in Pennsylvania last week reported that at least 1,000 children were victims of some 300 priests over the past 70 years, and that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

In the letter, which was issued in seven languages and addressed to the People of God, Francis referenced the Pennsylvania report, acknowledged that no effort to beg forgiveness of the victims will be sufficient, and vowed: Never again.

He said, looking to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.

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Francis did not, however, provide any indication of what concrete measures he is prepared to take to sanction those bishops  in the US and beyond  who covered up for sexually abusive priests.

Francis several years ago scrapped a proposed Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops, and he has refused to act on credible reports from around the world of bishops who have failed to report abusers to police or otherwise botched handling cases, and yet remain in office.

In Chile, where a church sex abuse scandal exploded earlier this year, Francis strong-armed the 31 active bishops to offer to resign en masse over their handling of abuse. So far he has accepted five of their resignations.

Unlike the US bishops conference, which has referred only to sins and omissions in their handling of abuse, Francis labelled the misconduct crimes.

The Pope wrote: Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others.

An awareness of sin helps us to acknowledge the errors, the crimes and the wounds caused in the past and allows us, in the present, to be more open and committed along a journey of renewed conversion.
Dozens of elderly South Koreans have crossed the border into the North to meet relatives for the first time since they were driven apart during the 1950-53 Korean war.

There were emotional scenes as the reunions took place in the Norths Diamond Resort, as the rival Koreas step up reconciliation efforts.

One 92-year-old South Korean woman wept and stroked the wrinkled cheeks of her 71-year-old North Korean son.

As they met, Lee Keum-seom asked her son Ri Sang Chol: How many children do you have? Do you have a son?

Expand Close South Korean Cho Hye-do, 86, centre, hugs her North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, right, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp South Korean Cho Hye-do, 86, centre, hugs her North Korean sister Cho Sun Do, 89, right, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting (AP)

Hugging the woman hed last seen as a child, Mr Ri showed his mother a photo of her late husband, who had stayed behind in the North with him as a boy.

The week-long event is the first of its kind in nearly three years, and was arranged as part of diplomatic efforts to resolve a stand-off over North Koreas nuclear ambitions.

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Most of the participants in the reunions are in their 70s or older and are eager to see their loved ones once more before they die.

Most have had no word on whether their relatives are still alive because they are not allowed to visit each other across the border or even exchange letters, phone calls or emails.

About 90 elderly South Koreans, accompanied by their family members, will have three days of meetings with their North Korean relatives before returning to the South on Wednesday. A separate round of reunions from Friday to Sunday will involve more than 300 other South Koreans, according to Seouls unification ministry.

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During Mondays meetings, many elderly Koreans held each others hands and wiped away tears while asking how their relatives had lived. They showed photos of family members who were not able to attend the meetings.

Han Shin-ja, a 99-year-old South Korean woman, was at a loss for words after she reunited with her two North Korean daughters, both in their early 70s.

Not knowing their separation would be permanent, she had left them behind in the North during the war while fleeing south with her third and youngest daughter.

Before this weeks reunions, nearly 20,000 people had participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000. Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives. None of them had a second chance to see or talk with their relatives.
An alligator has attacked a woman who was walking her dog on a US resort island, pulling her underwater in a lagoon and killing her, authorities in South Carolina said.

Beaufort County Sheriffs Office said the attack happened around 9.30am on Monday at the Sea Pines resort on Hilton Head Island.

Witnesses said the woman was pulled under the surface of the water by an alligator thought to be about 8ft long.

Deceased woman in alligator attack identified as 45-year-old Cassandra Cline of Hilton Head Island. https://t.co/swravYNDFL  BCSO Emergency Management Division (@BCSOTraffic) August 20, 2018

Police said the coroner had identified the woman as 45-year-old Cassandra Cline.

The dog did not appear to have been hurt, the sheriffs department said.

The alligator believed to have been responsible for the attack was located later, the sheriffs office said without specifying what happened after it was found.

The resort said it is working with authorities to ensure necessary access to the site while the investigation is under way.

We are extremely saddened by this news and will share information with the community as it is made available, Sea Pines said in a statement.
Pacemaker Press 17/08/2018 Preparations underway to prepare the Ring for Carl Frampton's Fight at Windsor Park in Belfast. Carl Frampton tops the bill as he takes on Luke Jackson at Windsor Park on Saturday night, with Tyson Fury fighting two-time world title challenger Francesco Pianeta. Paddy Barnes challenges WBC World Flyweight champion Cristofer Rosales for his world championship. Picture Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Steven Ward with Steve Collins Jr during Saturday nights Light Heavyweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Steven Ward defeats Steve Collins Jr during Saturday nights Light Heavyweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Luke Keeler with Dwayne Grant during Saturday nights Middleweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Luke Keeler defeats Dwayne Grant during Saturday nights Middleweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Luke Keeler defeats Dwayne Grant during Saturday nights Middleweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Conrad Cummings with Nicky Jenman during Saturday nights Middleweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Conrad Cummings after defeating Nicky Jenman during Saturday nights Middleweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th August 2018 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Conrad Cummings after defeating Nicky Jenman during Saturday nights Middleweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Paddy Barnes lost out to Cristofer Rosales in their WBC Flyweight Title fight.

Tyson Fury with Francesco Pianeta during Saturday night's Heavyweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Tyson Fury during Saturday night's Heavyweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Tyson Fury with Francesco Pianeta during Saturday night's Heavyweight contest at Windsor Park, Belfast. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho

Tyson Fury, Carl Frampton and Paddy Barnes will all take to the ring at Windsor Park.

Carl Frampton enters the ring. He takes on Luke Jackson at The National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Belfast. Picture Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker

Carl Frampton up against Luke Jackson at Windsor Park.

Carl Frampton up against Luke Jackson at Windsor Park.

Carl Frampton will take on Josh Warrington for his IBF World Featherweight title later this year.

Carl Frampton will take on Josh Warrington for his IBF World Featherweight title later this year.

Carl Frampton celebrates victory at Windsor Park as he stopped Luke Jackson in the ninth round.

belfast boxer Carl Frampton showed his true class after he decisively defeated Australian challenger Luke Jackson in nine rounds at Windsor Park on Saturday night.

He has now set himself up for a world title shot against IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington in a showdown that will hopefully take place by the end of the year.

Frampton fulfilled his dream by fighting in front of a 25,000 home crowd and he did them proud. The atmosphere was simply electric all night.

He has done so much for the image of Northern Ireland.

Carl is indeed a champion boxer and also a champion human being.
Given the divisions over religious identity which persist in so many parts of Northern Ireland, it is encouraging to discover that more than one in five relationships are now mixed.

This is in sharp contrast to the picture not so long ago, when a mixed marriage posed major problems for anyone considering such a step.

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In our interview today with Paul McLaughlin, the development officer for the Northern Ireland Mixed Marriage Association, we learn that much depends still on a couple's social background.

People from more affluent areas appear to have fewer problems with mixed relationships than those from working-class backgrounds, where the problems are very real.

Some couples encounter difficulties from their own families, and from the wider communities.

In some cases the situation is so fractious and distressing that the couple have to leave Northern Ireland to find peace of mind somewhere else.

Many of us grew up reading Joan Lingard's Across the Barricades series about Kevin and Sadie, and also listening to Spandau Ballet's Through The Barricades.

Therefore it is so difficult to discover and to accept that in the so-called "peaceful" Northern Ireland of 2018, couples are still facing some of the same old problems about "them and us."

Mr McLaughlin, who deserves great credit for the work he has done in helping people to cross the divides, has made the point strongly for how enriching it can be for children to have one foot on each side of those divisions.

This is reminiscent of the late Maurice Hayes, who spoke so eloquently about identity, and the fact that being from one religious and cultural background does not exclude us from liking and respecting parts of the background and culture of others.

However, it is so sad that too many of us remain isolated from "the other side".

No-one is suggesting that Stormont, if it was operative, should pass laws to insist upon mixed marriage, but in reality, working together and achieving outreach goes some way to neutering the sectarianism that is still much too prevalent in our society.

It would be rare indeed for a newspaper to call for job closures, but to echo Paul McLaughlin's comments, it would be a welcome sign of progress if there was no further need for the Northern Ireland Mixed Marriage Association.
If you book The Wolfe Tones, youre licensing a group to sing rabble-rousing songs about how the IRA stood up for Mopes (most oppressed people ever) and will not rest until theres a united Ireland, and its your fault that young, impressionable kids imbibe and celebrate a message about the legitimacy of political violence.

So if youre the Taoiseach and agree to launch a festival that will have as its final event a Wolfe Tones concert, you should condemn that message trenchantly.

I was talking about this with my old friend Henry Robinson last week after reading damning reports of sections of the crowd waving tricolours daubed with Provo graffiti along with loud chants like Ooh, ah, up the Ra.

We were walking out of a graveyard in Surrey after a moving service commemorating James Barker, a 12-year-old murdered (yes, Jude Collins, murdered) by the Real IRA in Omagh in 1998.

(According to Mr Collins, the poor chaps merely sought to inflict commercial damage on the town in the name of Irish freedom. He failed to explain why people who wanted no casualties would leave a bomb in the early afternoon of the busiest shopping day of the year.)

This led us into reminiscences of our visit to the Feile almost two decades ago. I had been invited to be on a panel about politics which included a unionist and was, I think, the first attempt by Gerry Adams, to have what might be represented as a cross-community event.

I chose Henry because he was brave and adventurous, and also to annoy my hosts, as for a long time, running Families Against Intimidation and Terror, he had been a powerful public critic of the brutality of paramilitaries of all stripes.

Our minder Danny Morrison had to hustle us out the back door at the end because some of the 800-strong brainwashed audience were beside themselves with rage over some of my blunt criticisms of the Provos and, particularly, Mr Adams, who lost his temper and attacked me (mostly inaccurately) from the floor to great applause.

Having been assured we were welcome to any event, the following day we went to a musical happening at the Felons Club.

The denizens were not exactly welcoming, yet they knew that as a participant in the festival, they were required to put up with me, but they became cross when they identified Henry.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road - Credit: Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. He is pictured meeting Michelle O'Neill. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. He is pictured meeting Michelle O'Neill. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. He is pictured meeting Michelle O'Neill. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th June 2018 - The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, was in West Belfast today to launch the 30th anniversary events programme of Feile an Phobail, the West Belfast Community Festival, at an event in St Marys University College on the Falls Road. He was welcomed to the launch event by Feile Director Kevin Gamble, Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Colaiste Feirste pupil Katie-Rose Mead. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook

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Youve no right to be here, one of them hissed at him as he and I joined in a particularly catchy rebel song.

Oh, yes I have, he retorted. Im a felon.

But as he said last week, he was clearly the wrong kind of felon. For he had recognised the truth about paramilitary evil while in jail for being a member of the Official IRA and shooting a Provo in the leg.

Since the audience was exclusively republican, and we were obviously teasing, I didnt worry about being thought to endorse the songs message, but a Wolfe Tones public concert is a different matter.

I went to one in Kilburn in the 1980s out of curiosity and was appalled to see IRA badges being sold outside and thousands of young people singing with wild enthusiasm in support of murderers and thugs killing and maiming every day because of a poisonous sectarian ideology.

I had a drink with a Wolfe Tone afterwards and asked him if before writing his song eulogising Patrick Pearse hed read my biography of him.

He said hed begun it, but had stopped because of the negative bits.

There was no getting through to him at any level.

Heres the chorus, with its clear message: The poet and the Irish rebel, a Gaelic scholar and a visionary/We gave to him no fitting tribute/When Irelands at peace only that can be/When Irelands a nation united and free.

The song about James Connolly was a typical exercise in Anglophobia, containing the memorable lines: Gods curse on you England, you cruel-hearted monster,/Your deeds they would shame all the devils in Hell.

All their stuff is like that, as Mr Varadkar and his advisers must well know.

And anti-Agreement republicans who support the Omagh bombers should feel quite at home too.

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 The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Orlaith and Mollie perform during the party in the park at Feile in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in west Belfast on August 11th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Feile Party in the park and parade take place in 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In his speech at the launch the Taoiseach could have explicitly disassociated himself from events with a political message, like that concert.

He chose not to.

What message does he think this sends to unionists?

Or is he only interested in wooing the party that defends murdering them?
Indonesian cleric Rizieq Shihab gestures as he arrives in court to testify in the blasphemy trial of Jakarta Gov. Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, in the Indonesian capital, Feb. 28, 2017.

Supporters of hardline Indonesian cleric Muhammad Rizieq Shihab have set up a think-tank named after him in a sign of his growing stature at home as he fights legal troubles from a self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia.

The Habib Rizieq Shihab Center, which was inaugurated in Jakarta over the weekend, aims to be a scientific and strategic research hub based on Islamic values for the benefit of Muslims and the country in general, said its chairman, Abdul Choir Ramadhan. Habib is an honorific used to address a Muslim scholar believed to a descendant of the Prophet Mohammad.

The center is named after him because of his stature and as a show of our admiration for his struggle to uphold Islamic values, Ramadhan told BenarNews. He said the center was self-funded but did not rule out public donations.

Rizieq, founder of the vigilante group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), shot to political prominence after he led a campaign in 2016 and 2017 to oust then-Jakarta Gov. Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian of Chinese descent, over allegations that he had insulted the Koran in off-the-cuff remarks.

The centers launch coincided with the 20th anniversary of the FPIs founding. The group is notorious for past anti-vice raids targeting places accused of harboring sex workers and drug users, as well as nightspots that remained open during Ramadan.

Rizieq has been in a self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia following attempts by Indonesian police to question him last year over allegations he had engaged in a lewd online chat with a female supporter and a separate charge of insulting the Indonesian state ideology of Pancasila.

Investigations into the cases were stopped this year with police citing a lack of evidence.

The clerics supporters said the cases against him were fabricated by the government of President Joko Jokowi Widodo because of Rizieqs role in inflaming Muslim sentiment against Ahok, an ally of the president.

Ramadhan said Rizieq had doubts about returning home any time soon, saying the political climate is unfavorable.

The investigations may have been dropped, but they can always reinstate them any time, Ramadhan said.

For the ummahs benefit

On Saturday, Rizieq delivered a speech through a telephone link during the ceremonial launch of the center.

I hope that the HRS Center will become a place for the advancement of knowledge for the benefit of the Muslim ummah (society) and the country, he said in the message posted on YouTube.

This is in line with the principles of my struggle that I have always adhered to: That the Scripture must be above the Constitution, and that the Constitution should not deviate from the Scripture, he said.

The institutionalization of Sharia is inevitable for Islamic values are an inseparable part of our nation building, he added.

Emrus Sihombing, a political analyst at Pelita Harapan University, described the center as a positive move.

If the center is indeed engaged in scientific and strategic studies for the benefit of the ummah, its very good for public discourse because there will be debates on the merits of their ideas, he said.

It will be a lot more productive, he said. He is a leader who commands the strong loyalty of people who subscribe to his views.

Rizieq played a key role in last years conviction and imprisonment of Ahok on blasphemy charges.

Conservative Muslim groups held protests against Ahok in 2016 and 2017 in the run-up to a gubernatorial election in which he was a front-runner after an edited video made it appear that he had said the Quran deceived people.

Ahok lost the Jakarta gubernatorial election to former Education Minister Anies Baswedan, who courted support of FPI and other conservative Muslim groups despite his liberal credentials. Ahok later was sentenced to two years in prison for blasphemy.

Ramadhan said the HRS Center would conduct studies, hold seminars, provide training as well as publish books to influence public discourse on Islam, including in the aspects of law, governance and public policy.

We want to promote ideas of a system of governance based on Islamic values, he said.

Theres no contradiction between Pancasila (the state ideology) and Islamic teachings.
By Bonnie Blankinship

Mason Tinney thought his lifes flight plan was all mapped out. As a senior at the University of Toledo, he was majoring in history and pre-law and preparing to graduate. But then his liver malfunctioned, landing him in the hospital seven times in 18 months, including gallbladder surgery and a near cardiac arrest. It was a pretty fun time, he said grimly.

When it was over, I had a life-changing epiphany, he said. I realized, I dont think I want to do law. I want to do something I actually really love. My fiancee told me about BGSUs aviation program, where she had a friend in the pilot program, and right after I got out of the hospital I transferred over. I dont recommend it to anyone, but it was one of those experiences that opens your eyes.

The change meant Tinney would not be graduating so soon. It knocked me back about two years, he said. They told me it would take three years, but every single semester I took 18 credits and maxed out at 21 credits a few times, so I crammed the three years into about two.

This was all the more notable in light of the fact that Tinney was also working almost full time while he was a student, and had moved to Findlay while his now wife, Brecken, was pursuing her Ph.D. in physical therapy there, making his drive to school and work nearly an hour each way.

In spite of all these challenges, Tinney achieved so many accomplishments that during the last semester of his aviation management and operations program at Bowling Green State University, he was named the 2018 Ohio Aviation Student of the Year by the Ohio Aviation Association (OAA), besting nominees from Ohio State, Kent State and Ohio universities.

The association states, Ohios aviation industry success depends upon the engagement of its future leaders. This award recognizes an aviation student member for demonstrating leadership, service and dedication to advancing their education in an aviation trade.

Tinney epitomizes those criteria.

Simply put, he is one of the rising stars of aviation in the state of Ohio, wrote Dr. Russell Mills in his nomination. Mills, who is the vice president of the OAA and, at BGSU, director of the Center for Regional Development, taught Tinney in an aviation law class and worked with him on an independent study this summer to help him obtain his Association of American Airport Executives (AAAE) Certified Member certification. This will give him a decided edge in the job market, Mills said.

As he prepares to take the rigorous exam, Tinney, who graduated from BGSU in August, has begun a new job as international flight clearance coordinator for Kalitta Air, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and works out of Willow Run Airport. He and his wife have bought a house nearby.

This takes me a little bit out of what I was doing and provides me an opportunity to see another side of aviation from what I experienced in my co-ops, Tinney said. Later, I can decide which area I want to focus on. I plan to take a year and work and then prepare to get my masters degree in aeronautics.

He is one of our most talented, driven and experienced students who has taken an active role in acquiring skills and practical experience that will help him in his career, Mills wrote in his nomination letter. Specifically, Mason has a 3.6 GPA at BGSU. This is even more impressive given Mason's rigorous work schedule, including serving as an operations intern at Toledo Express Airport, where he works both on the operations side as well as assisting in the airport's air service development efforts.

He is extremely talented, dedicated, and has a wide range of experience in aviation management at a very young age. He is also a drone pilot, a certified airport inspector, and trained in wildlife hazard management prevention. As an example of his drive and motivation, even though he is graduating this summer, he approached me to do an independent study to earn his AAAE Certified Member certification.

In my five years at BGSU, I have never been more sure of a student's ability to positively impact the aviation industry as I am with Mason.

Tinneys co-nominator for the award was Joseph Rotterdam, his supervisor at Toledo Express Airport. Rotterdam said Tinney was one of the most talented interns he has ever worked with.

Mason has been trained to conduct FAR part 139 airfield self-inspections to ensure the airfield, including runways and taxiways, meet all regulatory standards, Rotterdam said. He has also been trained under the airports wildlife program to assist in spotting and hazing birds, coyotes and other nuisance wildlife that could present a danger to aircraft. Mason has also assisted with air service development, researching various data points for specific markets to help me build a pitch for nonstop service from Toledo on airlines like Allegiant, American, Delta and United.

Joe was a huge part of my getting all my certifications and helping to train me, Tinney said.

Tinney attended the aviation association conference and ceremony with Mills, Rotterdam and a group of other BGSU aviation students and alumni, including alumnus Matt McVicker, now manager of the Findlay Airport.

Going to the conference was an incredible experience, Tinney said. I got to talk with airport professionals from Cleveland, Columbus and other places and with some of the other FAA professionals. Getting the award was a nice surprise. Ive been working hard on my aviation career, and it was a nice pat on the back.

When he transferred to BGSU, Tinney did not plan on the track he wound up taking. Initially, I was interested in the pilot program, but after learning more about it I found myself drawn to the operational side, and thats what intrigued me. As soon as I could, I started working for Quick Flight Services in Swanton. Airlines like Allegiant basically hire this group to conduct all their ground operations.

Theyre really versatile, they do all the charters as well as Allegiant. When I was with Quick Flight, I started out as a basic crew member and was trained to be a ground security coordinator and I got my certification for ground security.

In that job he was responsible for ensuring the safe operation and security protocols were maintained while aircraft were on the ground or being serviced. He worked directly with flight crews, fuelers, maintenance and ground crews for proper handling and inspection of aircrafts ranging from Boeing 737s, McDonnell Douglas MD-80s and the Airbus A320. He also trained on counter and gate operations so the airport could utilize his customer service experience to handle difficult customers, as well as alleviate staffing shortages.

After about a year, I moved over to the Port Authority, where I worked for the rest of my BGSU career, and thats where I got all my certifications. Its also when my operational career really took off. I really love it, Tinney said.

Coming to BGSU, I found that BGSU really appreciates nontraditional students. I didnt fully understand when I transitioned over how things operated very differently from the University of Toledo.

But he found major resources and sources of support in aviation program coordinator Carl Braun and Melissa Webb, his academic adviser.

Taking 18 credits and working 35 hours a week, I was running around like a chicken without a head. Carl Braun was a really huge professor for me and so helpful. He taught a lot of my aviation courses and he was just awesome helping get my co-ops in line. He really went the extra mile and helped me excel.

Melissa Webb was really awesome as well. It was really nice to have the college work with me and to see their flexibility to help me finish my degree.

When Mason first met with me about transferring into BGSU, he said he was willing to work hard and would like to complete the degree as quickly as possible, Webb said. He explained the extreme shift from his previous studies and was excited to get started in the aviation industry. From there, Mason and I worked together to develop a degree-completion plan that we revisited every semester (sometimes multiple times in the semester) to see if anything could be shifted around. He even came up with creative solutions to get additional exposure/experience in the Aviation Management field by proposing substitutions of high-level AERT courses for lower level non-AERT courses. Every time Mason came in my office, he had a smile on his face and was enthusiastic about his coursework and co-op experiences. He is a real testimony to how effective the co-op experiences can be in a students educational journey and professional development. Helping students like Mason to realize their goals are why advisers advise! Masons authentic positivity and passion for the industry are contagious, and I cant wait to see all he will do moving forward.

Although he only met Mills in his final semester, he turned out to be an important figure in Tinneys aviation trajectory.

I really enjoyed taking aviation law with him, Tinney said. At the end of class one day we got chitchatting and he knew my supervisor at the airport. Joe Rotterdam. We connected through him. Im really happy Russ agreed to work with me on getting my AAAE Certified Member certification. It was very much an independent study, but Russ wants to implement it into BGSUs program, which would be great for the students.

Membership connects you with other airports and helps you get certifications that you can really utilize when you get out of college. The test combines all four years of what youve learned in aviation and airport management. You have a national and even international organization standing behind you that is well recognized around the world and tells employers you really know what youre talking about.

The 150-question test comprises everything from airport finance to safety and security, public relations and federal and state regulations, Mills said.

As a transfer student, Tinney had to take some additional general education courses along with his aviation classes, and he spent most of his study time at the airport.

I could stay at the airport and study and look out and watch other BG pilots. It immersed you in that world. In addition to the BSU students, there was also the traffic from Wood County Regional. It was such a nice atmosphere, watching the planes come in, and the building is so nice. I made a good group of friends, from aviation engineering and aviation management. We always had something to talk about and good examples to bring to class about our aviation experience.

One thing that BGSU did, and Im so glad they did, was have us go through pilot ground training so you get a basic understanding of planes and the flight, and different stages and the things that happen. It was nice when I was doing ground security coordination when pilots gave us feedback to help make things better for not only the passengers but also the crew.

In addition, his work with Rotterdam at the Port Authority on promoting air service from Toledo is exactly in line with what Mills and the CRD have been engaged with for a number of years.

Mason is so mature, hes serious and goal-oriented, Mills said. He came in with a wealth of information and already has certifications most students dont. He has a unique blend of the airport management side and the airlines side. Plus, hes the nicest guy.
By Kandace York

A CURS grant did more than enable Bowling Green State University seniors Kayla DeMuth and Justin Newcomb to spend 17 days studying western Italy's cultures through their Cultural Explorations class.

It deepened the commitment to their new careers as certified family life educators . DeMuth and Newcomb graduated in August from the College of Education and Human Development

"The focus of our research was intercultural wonderment," Newcomb said. That's the process of people getting comfortable in a culture that was first uncomfortable from a cultural perspective.

Their studies took them across a broad swath of Italy: as far north as Milan's alpine foothills near the Switzerland border, and as far south as Sorrento and the island of Capri, in the bay of Naples. Additional travels included Rome, Florence and Pisa.

Each destination has its own cultural "look and feel," from the bustling pace of Milan's industrial, financial and fashion districts to the Greek influence of the Naples area. It all comes together in a country that has been the fountain of western civilization and a cultural crossroads for more than 2,000 years, home to the Renaissance as well as the Roman Empire.
Be still and know that I am God Psalm 46:10

Psalm 46:10, is a popular verse for comforting ourselves and othersmany people tend to think this verse means to rest or relax in who God is. This verse does encourage believers to reflect on who God is, but there is more to this psalm than one verseand verse 10 is actually more of a wake-up call to be in awe than a gentle call to rest. Taking time out of our day to meditate on Scripture and be silent with listening ears toward God is mentioned in other sections of Scripture (Psalm 119:15, Joshua 1:8, Luke 5:16, and others). But this commandBe stillis written in the context of a time of trouble and war; therefore, we should consider the verse with that context in mind.

Common Misunderstandings of Psalm 46:10

Instead of interpreting be still as a gentle suggestion, the meaning in this psalm lends itself more to: cease striving or stop and more specifically in this context stop fighting, which is directed toward the enemies of the people of God. The people of God should interpret the command for themselves to read more like: snap out of it, wake up, stop fearingacknowledge who your God isbe in awe! However, it is good to note that theres nothing wrong with the words in the translation be still; those words are not incorrect, it is simply helpful to note the context of the phrase. Verse 10 has something to say to both the enemies of God and the people of God, but it is the people of God the psalm is written to. Verse 1 starts, God is our refuge and strength (emphasis added). The Psalms are for Gods people.

In this article well take a look at the context of Psalm 46:10 and the various views on it; lets start by reading Psalm 46 in its entirety.

The Message of Psalm 46:



God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Need to focus more on a consistent prayer life? Download our FREE 31-Day Prayer Guide through Romans to help get yourself back on track today.

Watch and Listen to this Scripture:

What Is the Real Meaning of "Be Still and Know"?

John Casteel, Senior Pastor of The Bridge in South Carolina and former pastor of mine, points out that be still is the same thing that Jesus says to the wind and the waves in Mark 4:39. The wind and the sea completely died down in silence, in awe and worship of the Creator. Casteel continues,

There is a silence and stillness that should overtake us in the presence of someone that is so overwhelmingly holy and glorious. The call to all is to be still before our holy, awesome, and glorious God.

To summarize Casteel, as more knowledge and worship flow out of the city Zionthat is Gods message shared with the worldthe more people will come to know him and understand his ultimate security and enjoy his presence. Gods goal in being with his people is so they can accomplish his purpose, to spread knowledge of him so more and more people can come to know him.

The people of God must stop what they are doing and acknowledge that God alone is the sovereign ruler of the universe and commit to following him. He will one day stop all wars and he will be exalted among the nations (the Gentiles and Jewish believers as one family, the Church) and all the earth. There will be no question of who God is and what he is doing.

At Gods voice the earth melts, the enemies cease fighting, and the people of God remember who their God is. God commands stillness and silence, but why is this important for the people of God? The people of God were prone to fear; they needed to remember who their God is. We dont need to fear the end of our lifeeven in the midst of battlebecause were going to that city; were going to Zion one day. We will dwell with God and there will be no more wars, no pain, and no end (See Rev. 21). We dont need to fear what the world can do; we need to remember who our God is and we need to share that knowledge with others.

So, theres nothing wrong with the translation Be still in Psalm 46:10 vs. Stop fighting or Cease striving, and theres certainly nothing wrong with believers taking time to be still and quiet before the Lord in prayer. Thats something Christians should do every day, and we have Jesus as our example for that in Luke 5. But is the quiet, meditative interpretation of be still the best interpretation for Psalm 46:10 based on the context of the psalm as a whole? Maybe not, as it may take away from the intensity of the psalmthe way that God can command the earth and everything in it to be still before him and it is. But heres what we need to remember about the application of this verse and the different views.

Regardless of whether we interpret the be still, cease striving, or stop phrase of Psalm 46:10 to be Gods words toward the enemies of the people of God, his people, or both groups, there is great comfort in this psalm that extends past one verse. We should find immense comfort in the fact that our God is an impenetrable refuge, that he will bring glory to his name among the nations and all the earth, and that he will protect his people and bring them to everlasting peace. But God does call us to stop fearing, to be still and commit to him. In order to feel secure, we have to know that we have an impenetrable home with God. Casteel reminds us,

In order to find security in God, we have to stop finding security in everything else. Nothing in this world will offer you the security you have in God.

May stand-alone verses that we see on graphics or read in posts, like Psalm 46:10, always inspire us to read more of Gods Word. When we see the same verses in the future we will remember the deeper context of the passage and be thankful for who God is in our lives and the incredible things he is doing. And we get to be a part of it! Our amazing God, who is so far above us, allows us and encourages us to carry out his purpose with him. If we take away nothing else from this psalm, let us remember the call to spread Gods Word so that others may find the same security we have.

...My idea of God is not a divine idea. It has to be shattered from time to time. He shatters it Himself. He is the great iconoclast. Could we not almost say that this shattering is one of the marks of His presence? -C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

God will make sure his glory is known. His Word reminds us who he is and calls us to worship in awe. Be still and remember who God is, be still and stop fearing, be still and see what God is doing, be still and acknowledge his greatness, be still and know God is with younow spread the knowledge of who he is!

7 Other Translations of "Be Still and Know"

It's always enlightening to read a verse in several Bible versions to see what English words translators have used to convey meaning:

English Standard Version

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

New American Standard Bible

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

King James Version

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

New King James Version

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Christian Standard Version

"Stop [your fighting]-and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth."

New International Version

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

New Living Translation

"Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world."

The key commands we read in these various translations are be still, cease striving, and stop. The next command know is the same in all the above translations, which lends itself in this context to mean acknowledge and be in awe. God will make sure his name is glorified among the nations and in all the earth.

Two Steps for How to Be Still and Silent:

"As we become silent, we have two aims:

1. Remove external distractions.

First, it is important to remove distractions. Life can be fast-paced. We may be overwhelmed with busyness and activities. We may feel we cant slow down. Our busyness can get in the way of having time alone.

Find a specific time and place for solitude. Turn off any distracting noise in the background. Take the time to experience Gods presence.

2. Silence internal distractions.

Second, besides removing outside distractions, it is essential to silence our inner being. That is, banish all the thoughts within us that pull our attention away. If something needs to be taken care of later, write it down and then forget about it for now." -Excerpted from Deborah Nayrocker - Encouragement to be Still and Know God's Love on Crosswalk.com

The Biblical Background of Psalm 46

Psalm 46 is a song for Zion, Gods holy city where his people dwell with himthe city is holy because God dwells in it. This psalm is all about security with God that God is our true home. Its mostly written in third-person, but at verse 10 theres a change and God speaks directly. Throughout the 11 verses, we also read several descriptions about Godhis characteristics and attributes: he is our refuge, he is strong, present, and a great help to those who are weak. God is higher than all else and able to rule above all. At his voice the earth melts.

We read this is the God of Jacob, he is with believers, and he is exalted among the nations and in the earth. He is a fortress and protects the weak that belong to him. The psalmist is probably living through some sort of turmoil or war as he mentions the phrases: trouble, the nations rage, the kingdoms totter, war, the spear, bow, and chariotsthough the psalm is also pointing forward to a future time when wars will cease. It is clear by the end of the psalm that waring against God is always in vain, and the people of God who are protected by their Mighty Fortress have nothing to fear.

A big takeaway from Psalm 46 is that the people of God are always secure no matter what environment they may be living in on earthturmoil, war, destruction, etc.God has secured the souls of believers through his Son Jesus Christ.

Digging Deeper into Psalm 46:10  What Do the Commentaries Say?

Some commentaries differ on whether to interpret verse 10 as God speaking directly to the enemies of the people of God, God speaking to his people, or God speaking to both his enemies and the people of God in different ways. Lets take a look at a few.

The ESV Study Bible comments:

Since the address in v. 10, be still, and know, is plural, readers should imagine God speaking these words to the nations, among whom he will eventually be exalted. This is the meaning of the LORD of hosts being with his people (v. 11; cf. Matt. 28:20): he will indeed see to it that the mission of Gen. 12:13 is accomplished.

There is certainly a shift from third-person to first-person, and the ESV points out the grammar of the phrase be still, and know. They interpret the phrase as being spoken to the nations.

Zondervans Expositors Bible Commentary explains verse 10,

The psalmist goes on to encourage the godly to know that the Lord is God. Though it was tempting to ally themselves with foreign powers, to rely on military strength, or to give themselves over to idolatry and pagan ways, the godly must learn to persevere to the end. The exhortation be still calls on them to stop doing one thing in favor of something else. What their temptation was may be implied from v. 2: Therefore we will not fear. Throughout the history of Israel and Judah, severe national distress brought the temptation to abandon true religion for the ephemeral security of political alliances, military strength, and worldly paganism. Instead of choosing a negative option, the people of God distinguish themselves by the pursuit of godliness: Know that I am God. The knowledge of God includes factual knowledge about him, his past acts, and his promises. But in this context, the psalmist calls on them to commit themselves to the Lord and to seek his refuge, strength, and fortress (vv. 1, 7, 11). The life of faith is lived continually in commitment to Gods sovereignty, rule, and ultimate exaltation over all the nations (cf. Hab 2:1314). (Bold emphasis added).

Knowing God in this context means acknowledging and committing to the fact that God is the only refuge worth running towardthe only refuge that will stand strong through every circumstance.

Commentators from the Past:

In The Treasury of David commentary, Charles Spurgeon noted verse 10 as:

Be still, and know that I am God. Hold off your hands, ye enemies! Sit down and wait in patience, ye believers! Acknowledge that Jehovah is God, ye who feel the terrors of his wrath! Adore him, and him only, ye who partake in the protection of his grace. Since none can worthily proclaim his nature, let expressive silence muse his praise. The boasts of the ungodly and the timorous forebodings of the saints should certainly be hushed by a sight of what the Lord has done in past ages. I will be exalted among the heathen. They forget God, they worship idols, but Jehovah will yet be honoured by them. (Bold emphasis added)

The enemies of the people of God and the people of God will see God exalted in all the earth. The people of God should not fear because their God is with them and he will triumph over the world.

That is the most remarkable takeaway from Psalm 46 in my opinionthat God is the defender of his own name, his people, and his Word. He alone is our protector, the sovereign ruler, and the everlasting refuge. His actions are not hindered by our fear and worrying or our distracted minds. God is God alone and he will protect those who believe in his name and trust in him.

Present-day Commentators:

J. Ligon Duncan, Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Mississippi, wisely summarizes:

And this is a picture of the aftermath of God's judgment against His enemies, His war against His enemies. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth, not through negotiation, not through the Department of State, but through obliterating everyone who stands in His ways. God speaks to the opposition. Look at verse 10: Cease striving and know that I am God. This is not like God's word for Moses to the children of Israel at the Red Sea, You stand still and watch what God is going to do to you. This is God speaking to His enemies, Silence! I will reign. This is God's announcement of His rule and judgment against them. Knock it off! He says. I will reign on earth.

And the city of God doesn't make this happen. The people of God don't make this happen. Were simply called to trust and to be faithful. God does this. This informs our whole approach to the Christian life. You see, the world thinks that God's word is so weak. How can God's word overthrow the world? You just watch it. Be silenced! I will reign. God, by His word, accomplishes His victory. All we're called to do is trust in that word and be faithful in walking in its way. And we stand still, and we, as His people, behold Him bring about the salvation that He has promised. May God enable us in the midst of our own troubles to trust in Him, even as the Psalmist did.

How amazing is this reminder! That Gods voice has power over all. God used his voice to create the universe, the earth, and everything in it including us. He uses his voice to accomplish his glory and protect his people victoriously. He will put an end to all wars at the end of the age by using his voice. This is something to be still and stand in awe of.

How often do we think about judgment as good news? Judgment means there will be an end to all the wars and fighting; one day God will end this cursed world with the sound of his voice and the new heaven and earth will begin.

Pastor Steve Moulson, of Church Hill Presbyterian, relays:

"The New American Standard translates 'Be still' as 'cease striving.' I think the focus of the message in this case is the people of God, since the Psalm begins 'God is our refuge and strength' The goal is to point the Israelites to a knowledge that even though the nations may be powerful, that God is more so. Even the rage of nations only causes kingdoms to totter, but when God speaks the whole earth just melts! The Israelites are not ultimately responsible for their own protection, God is."

A Prayer to Be Still and Know

Dear God, How majestic is your name in all the earth! You are our mighty fortress, our refuge in times of strife, and our protector no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. Thank you that as a believer, I can be still and know that you are God! Thank you that you do not leave us in the hands of our enemies; thank you that one day all fighting will stop and all wars will cease at the sound of your voice. That on that glorious day Lord your people will be with you, knowing that you are their God forever and ever. Holy Spirit please give us hope until that day, challenge us to live as your people, and grant us grace and forgiveness for our mistakes and wrongdoings.



In your worthy name Jesus, by which all this is possible, amen.

Photo credit: Unsplash.com/ Diana Simumpande

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.

"Be Still and Know that I Am God"

"Pray Without Ceasing"

"Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"

"All Things Work Together for Good"

"Do Not Fear"
BILD meets Yanis Varoufakis  the man who was THE symbol of the Greek left-wing governments resistance against the targets set by the bailout troika for the broke state of Greece.

From late January to early July 2015, Varoufakis  professor of economics, motorcyclist, and prominent baldhead  was minister of finance at the side of radically left-wing head of government, Alexis Tsipras. Europes left was eating out of his hand. The rest was scared to watch the show that he pulled off: a loud and complete refusal.

In early July 2015, it was over for Varoufakis. His former buddy, Alexis Tsipras, advised him to step down.

BILD met the professor of economics  who has his own left-wing collective movement DiEM25  in his summer house in the mountains of the sunny island of Aegina.

BILD: Mr. Varoufakis, Greece went broke ten years ago. Where does Greece stand now, after three rescue programmes, 270 billion euros in loans and two debt cuts?

Varoufakis: At the same point, in the same black hole, and it keeps sinking deeper into it every day. One reason among others is that the creditors cutback demands obstruct investments and consumption.

BILD: But allegedly, Greece can now stand on its own two feet and can be released from the hands of the troika after August 20th 

Varoufakis: What has really changed? Greeces state debts have not become lower, but higher. We just have more time now to pay back even more debts. Despite two debt cuts over several billion euros, the debts have grown: the state is still broke, private citizens have become poorer, companies still go bankrupt, and our gross national product has decreased by 25 percent. The cutback demands limit consumption and investments. Companies owe money to each other and to the state. The state owes enormous sums in refunds to companies. Everybody owes money to everybody  but nobody has money to pay back their debts. Since 2010 young people have been leaving the country, in recent years at the rate of 15000 every month. If this continues, well soon only have old people here who either stayed or came back from abroad when they retired. Plus there are the people who work for them, or in tourism. I call this desertification. The Roman Tacitus used the expression They made a desert and called it peace. In Greece they call it fixed.

BILD: But tourism is booming with more than 37 million visitors 

Varoufakis: We have a dramatic over-taxation in Greece. Combined with social security contributions, small businesses, even the self-employed, pay 75 percent to the state - beginning with the first euro! This is killing young entrepreneurs, in particular. In Bulgaria, next to us, the business tax is ten percent. The companies are running away from us. And yes, tourism is booming, there has been an incredible push over the past years. However, the infrastructure in Greece does not suffice for this. New investments are required. But there is not enough money for that. Plus, the boom and increase in tourism do not suffice to lift the sunken ship from the bottom of the sea.

BILD: Your former boss and former buddy, head of government Alexis Tsipras, the troika, the German government, the EU  they all point out the budget surplus of XZ percent. Are they all lying?

Varoufakis: The surplus is very real, not at all a lie. However, it reflects the flesh and blood that the state extracts from a dying private sector. It is the evidence of the crime against logic, not of recovery or success. They portray the statistics of misery as evidence of success. They change the rules so they can say that the Greece bailout was a success. If it doesnt fit, get a bigger hammer. That is not only against any logic, it is also a crime against the people in the EU states  from Portugal to Germany.

BILD: Who has lied?

Varoufakis: All of them! Greek governments, the IMF, the ECB, everyone. And you Germans have been heavily lied to by Ms. Merkel  twice. The first time was when she stepped into the Bundestag for the first rescue package and said that this would be an act of solidarity with the Greeks, when the money was intended only for German and French banks who had, against logic, loaned a lot of money to the Greek state and oligarchy.

Auch Interessant



BILD: Well, the banks  mostly Greek banks  were saved so the Greek state wouldnt collapse, would still have access to money, and could pay for wages and salaries  But what was the second lie?

Varoufakis: It was not the Greek banks that were saved. It was Deutsche Bank and the rest of France's and Germany's banks. As for the Greek banks and state, they should not have been saved - we should have been allowed to go bankrupt, suffer the consequences but then be allowed to pick ourselves up and move on - something that these bailouts prohibited, forcing Ms. Merkel to her second lie: the promise to the Germans that the bailout loans would be paid back and with interest - something that was impossible given Greece's bankruptcy. She has been trapped in this lie ever since. Once you start lying about such things, you can no longer escape. And so she continues to lie ...

BILD: Before 2002, Greece lied its way into the euro with faked statistics. Now, after all these years of rescuing the country, it should finally meet the euro criteria, right?

Varoufakis: Ha! Of course not. First, do you really think that the EU and Berlin were fooled by Greek statistics? They always knew. They were conniving in the statistical manipulation of Italy because the politicians really needed Italy in. Greece entered on the basis of the same intentional manipulation of the 'rules'. Rules that could not be met then and which are impossible to apply now. Turning a blind eye to this was a concession that Helmut Kohl made to Frances head of state, Mitterand, for his agreeing to the German reunification. Wolfgang Schauble was present back then  he and the German Bundesbank knew this couldnt work. He has basically stuck to his position.

BILD: You and Wolfgang Schauble were the two big brawlers in the decisive months of 2015 when your country was close to leaving the euro. Schauble supported an exit with billions in help  so that Greece could either make itself fit for the euro and return at some point, or do its own thing. In hindsight, was he right?

Varoufakis: At least he wasnt completely wrong. But what he really meant was: go away, get out of the euro. He wanted us forever out, since this doesnt work, after all, and because he saw that, with Italy, a far bigger catastrophe is approaching the euro zone. What sense does it make to kick someone out with a huge amount of money, for a short period of time? Then there would be no reason to return to the badly construed euro, which would be expensive for Greece.

BILD: If you had the choice, which government would you rather enter: that of your former buddy Alexis Tsipras or Schaubles?

Varoufakis: Neither of those. But if youre asking who I trust more, then my answer is clear: Wolfgang Schauble.

BILD: Why?

Varoufakis: In all this time, he was the only one who told at least part of the truth. I could trust the things he said to me privately  even though that was not always the same as what he said in public to the Germans. He always kept his word to me.

BILD: And Ms. Merkel?

Varoufakis: Never! She seems terribly uninspired and devoid of vision to me. She will go down in history as the politician who had almost all of the power and possibilities to unite Europe and to lead it into the future and to implement reforms  but then she failed to make use of a historical opportunity. And I dont trust her in general.

BILD: How did Merkel manage to make Alexis Tsipras side with her in 2015 and agree to the third rescue package  against his conviction and the vote of the majority of Greeks?

Varoufakis: To be honest, I dont know. But she has also destroyed many others with her very peculiar charm: various leading SPD men, the men in her own party, Frances former president Hollande  and she will also do it with Macron. Tsipras was one of her easiest exercises. She promised him a lot and gave him nothing. For instance, she promised him debt relief  and then obstructed them. She had an aim: we were supposed to get more money and then shut up. Even Schauble said then that this wouldnt work.

BILD: But why dont you trust her?

Varoufakis: Very early on, she asked Tsipras  according to his narrative  to kick me out. He refused to. Later, when there were serious struggles between me and Wolfgang Schauble, Merkel apparently told Tsipras something like: its great that you didnt fire him, we can let Schauble and Varoufakis fight, and then the two of us will calmly find a solution. So she didnt only go behind my back, but also that of her own minister of finance, who fought for the third rescue package in the Bundestag, against his own conviction.

BILD: Did Schauble ever tell you what he thought of the third rescue package that was under discussion in 2015?

Varoufakis: Yes.

BILD: And?

Varoufakis: He told me that he was against it, that it wouldnt work like this. Thats why he supported the idea of us leaving the euro. He thinks the same about Italy. But he believed  and here he was wrong, I think  that he could keep France in the euro, even though it is also in a bad position.

BILD: You caused a stir, when you rehired hundreds of cleaning ladies for the ministry of finance, despite the bankruptcy. At the same time, there was a lack of financial investigators for checking the dirty money lists that came from abroad  such as the Legarde list 

Varoufakis: Im really fed up with having to justify myself for the 300 poor cleaning ladies who received the minimum wage and whose dismissal was cruel and unnecessary. Especially if you see what the troika and Alexis Tsipras' government did FOR tax evaders immediately after I resigned.

BILD: What was that?

Varoufakis: Tsipras fired me exactly at the point of time when we wanted to bring charges against huge numbers of tax evaders. A special group, that I had assembled, had identified 485,000 tax evaders with the help of a particular computer programme and bank data. These people had evaded at least 100,000 euros in taxes each between 2000 and 2014. We had everything ready, we had even linked the banks live data with account numbers and tax numbers. Following the German model, we wanted to offer something like an act of grace: whoever pays back their taxes voluntarily and on their own initiative will only pay a minimum fine of 15 percent. We would have caught anyone who then didnt pay. Among the people we found were many Greek oligarchs and their families.

BILD: Are you saying that Tsipras fired you because you were going after the rich?

Varoufakis: No. I was pushed out because I would not sign the 3rd bailout loan. However, the moment I resigned in early July 2015 the troika, with the acquiescence of the Tsipras government, killed the programme that would have caught the tax evaders. As far as it was reported to me, the senior representatives of the troika  not the ministers of finance  wanted to protect the oligarchs. The oligarchs were the troika's allies in Greece, running the banks and controlling public opinion. They had to be protected.

BILD: Final question, Mr. Varoufakis: Can you understand the regular German taxpayers view that Greece should be grateful for their help and the huge amount of money? You dont really sound as if you do 

Varoufakis: I understand that this is how they feel because the facts have been kept from them. I am sure that if your readers knew the truth, they would be very angry with their own government for giving so much money to the German bankers and the Greek oligarchs while pretending they were helping the normal Greek - who only saw pain and misery in the past decade, thus finding it impossible to be grateful. Germans and Greeks must be united in our anger against our governments!

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They have saved more than 114,000 people from Syrias ruins, have been awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize, and at the end of October, eight of them will be granted political asylum in Germany  this is the rescue organization White Helmets.

Its founder and director, Raed Saleh, visited Germany last week. Following his meeting with foreign minister Heiko Maas, the latter tweeted: The White Helmets are a strong symbol of humaneness and hope.

An dieser Stelle findest du Inhalte aus Twitter Um mit Inhalten aus Twitter und anderen sozialen Netzwerken zu interagieren oder diese darzustellen, brauchen wir deine Zustimmung. soziale Netzwerke aktivieren

BILD met the head of the White Helmets at the end of his three-day visit to Germany and talked to him about the risk of a bloodbath in case of an Assad-offensive against the last rebel stronghold, Idlib; the accusation of antisemitism raised against his organization; and propaganda attacks from Russia.

BILD: At the beginning of this year, you were still active in four of the areas in Syria that Russia calls de-escalation zones. Since then, Assad and Russia have conquered three of them and have expelled you and your staff. How does that affect your work?

Raed Saleh: The shrinking of the free areas has of course affected our work. However, we are still working in Syrias north, where there are millions of people who need help. We are capable of adapting. Initially, we worked in very few areas, then in very big ones, and now in fewer areas again. We can imagine expanding our activities again in the future.

BILD: Expanding? Can you also imagine working in areas that are controlled by the mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces or the regime itself?

Saleh: We want to be there for all Syrians  wherever they are. If we receive guarantees for our neutrality and safety, we would gladly work together with everyone else in Syria.

Auch Interessant



BILD: However, at the moment, the regime is threatening with an offensive against Idlib, where you are active. Do you think that this offensive will happen, or that a last-minute solution will be negotiated?

Saleh: That is difficult to predict. As a humanitarian aid organization, we must be prepared for all scenarios. We are currently working on this, even though we dont yet know what will happen.

BILD: Observers think that, in the worst case, there will be a full-scale offensive against the almost three million people in the region. Would you be capable of dealing with the massive number of victims that could then be expected?

Saleh: Unfortunately, this is one of the possible scenarios. An offensive like that would cause a humanitarian catastrophe. We are regularly meeting with other aid organizations to prepare for that case. If there is to be a full-scale offensive, we will be prepared and can handle it  for the time being. But we dont know for how long. That depends on the intensity of the offensive. We do not have infinite amounts of petrol for the ambulances, and ambulances themselves could quickly become sparse, because the regime and the Russians deliberately target them. This also applies to medicine.

BILD: How do other countries, and Germany in particular, help in preparing for this scenario?

Saleh: Our supplies are regularly stocked up by the German government and many other governments such as the US, Denmark, France, and Qatar. At the same time, we receive a lot of help from online crowd funding.

BILD: In July, 422 White Helmets and their families were evacuated from the south of Syria to Jordan by the Israeli army. In your letter of gratitude, you didnt mention Israel. Some people in this country have therefore accused you of anti-Semitism. Whats your reply to them?

Saleh: Thats nonsense! We also didnt mention Germany. Does that mean were anti-German? (laughs) But seriously: we did not mention Germany, Sweden or any other country in the letter, but have thanked all governments who helped us. We didnt even explicitly mention Canada, even though it was the initiator of the evacuation.

BILD: Let us talk about propaganda. You are regularly accused of cooperating with Al-Qaida and other Islamists 

Saleh: And with the West and Mossad!

BILD: How do you deal with these attacks?

Saleh: So far, we have not done enough to counter this propaganda, because we have focused on our rescue missions. We dont have specialists who could deal with this. But we publish information an all missions and let the facts speak for themselves. People should then decide for themselves. There are maybe eight or nine accusations against us that are continuously conflated, that contradict each other, and that are published again and again. Always by the same channels. According to them, we are, simultaneously, anti-Semites and cooperating with the Israeli secret service. The next day, the same channels claim that we are allied with Al-Qaida and, the day after that, that we are agents of the West.

BILD: What is the aim of this campaign against you?

Saleh: The aim is to destroy us. Because, if our true story reaches everyone, the propaganda by Russia and the regime  that they are allegedly fighting against terrorists in Syria  will collapse. If people see that civil societies are working in the opposition areas, it will contradict this narrative and will prove that good people are living in Syria  not just the government and extremists.

BILD: Who is behind this campaign? Individuals or state agents?

Saleh: It is clear to us that this is the work of states. Primarily Russia. Enormous resources are invested in this disinformation campaign. It is obvious that many of the accounts that attack us on the social networks are hired for this purpose. They are agents and companies that chase us and surveil hundreds of our volunteers individual Facebook pages. They monitor who likes, shares, or posts what. This is an organized and systematic campaign and not the work of individuals. Moreover, we can see how many defamatory articles about us are published in Russian news.

An dieser Stelle findest du Inhalte aus Twitter Um mit Inhalten aus Twitter und anderen sozialen Netzwerken zu interagieren oder diese darzustellen, brauchen wir deine Zustimmung. soziale Netzwerke aktivieren

BILD: Do you want to do more against this in the future?

Saleh: Our focus will remain the rescue efforts. We cant deal with the media so much. We save lives. We believe that people and governments are smart enough to form an opinion about us on that basis, not on the basis of articles in Sputnik or Russia Today.
Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the loss of religion in America.

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For Immediate Release, August 20, 2018 Contacts: Amaroq Weiss, Center for Biological Diversity, (707) 779-9613, aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org

Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands, (314) 482-3746, nick@cascwild.org Lawsuit Seeks Emergency Halt of Washington's Kill Order for Wolf Pack OLYMPIA, Wash. Two conservation groups filed an emergency lawsuit today seeking a temporary restraining order to stop Washington wildlife officials from carrying out a kill order for the Togo wolf pack in Ferry County. The decision, issued today, orders the death of the collared, black-male adult from the pack and holds open the possibility for killing additional pack members. The Togo pack consists of only two confirmed adults plus an unknown number of pups. Todays suit was filed on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands. It asserts that the agencys order to kill wolves from the Togo pack in northeastern Washington relied upon a faulty protocol and failed to undergo required environmental analysis. The suit was filed in Superior Court of Washington for Thurston County. Its outrageous that Washington wildlife officials want to kill more wolves from the states small and recovering wolf population, said Amaroq Weiss, the Centers West Coast wolf advocate. Washingtonians overwhelmingly want wolves recovered, and current science says that killing wolves to prevent conflict is counterproductive. This isnt the Old West anymore. Since 2012 the state has killed 18 state-endangered wolves, nearly 15 percent of the states current confirmed population of 122. Of those 15 were killed on behalf of the same livestock owner. Those kills have now led to the eradication of three entire wolf packs, including the Sherman pack last year, Profanity Peak pack in 2016 and Wedge pack in 2012. The state should not take actions against the publics wildlife that are counter to best available science nor should it be violating state laws to craft protocols giving itself permission to take these ill-advised actions, said Nick Cady, legal director at Cascadia Wildlands. Wolves are part of Washingtons wildlife heritage, and agency management of these magnificent animals should be based on science, follow the law and allow for full public input. Background

In June 2017 state Fish and Wildlife officials adopted a revised wolf-livestock interaction protocol for determining when to kill wolves in response to livestock conflicts. The protocol allowed the state to kill wolves more quickly than in prior years. It was adopted without any public input or environmental review, in violation of the states Environmental Policy and Administrative Procedure acts. That summer and fall, the department issued kill orders on the Smackout and Sherman packs and killed wolves from both packs. The Center and Cascadia Wildlands sued the state in September over its kill operation on the Sherman pack. A May 2018 court ruling held that the 2017 lawsuit was moot because the court had already destroyed the Sherman pack, so the court could not provide plaintiffs with a remedy. However, in its ruling, the court also noted that the plaintiffs issues were of significant public interest and required the department to provide eight hours public notice of the intention to start any new kill operation. This notice requirement was meant to allow plaintiffs or any other members of the public sufficient time to seek a temporary restraining order to prevent future kill operations. Washingtons wolves were driven to extinction in the early 1900s by a government-sponsored eradication program on behalf of the livestock industry. The animals began to return from neighboring Idaho and British Columbia in the early 2000s, and their population had grown to 22 confirmed packs by the end of 2017. But wolf recovery in Washington is still a work in progress. Wolves remain absent from large areas of the state, and although the population has been growing, it remains small and vulnerable. Plaintiffs are represented in the case by attorneys from the law firm Lane Powell. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Recognizing the ecological importance of wolves, bears and other carnivores, the Center uses science-based advocacy to defend these magnificent animals from persecution, exploitation and extinction. Find out more about our Carnivore Conservation campaign. Cascadia Wildlands educates, agitates, and inspires a movement to protect and restore Cascadia's wild ecosystems. We envision vast old-growth forests, rivers full of wild salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry, and vibrant communities sustained by the unique landscapes of the Cascadia bioregion.
Delaying your journey to motherhood? Is it ever too late to be a mom?

As issues like gender equality take a centre stage and we have more women leading businesses or important roles within an organization, starting a family takes a back seat. Women are often faced with a question how late is too late to be a mom? Everyone wants to give their child the best. Working women are more at pressure to juggle between their careers and personal life. Society at large believes that women is complete when she rejoices motherhood. But without denying the social norms they also want to achieve their career aspirations and life goals. So, it is okay to be little late in being a mom?

Motherhood is every woman's dream. While they fight the social pressures and focus on their careers but at the back of their mind they know that their biological clock is ticking faster. As they grow older and smarter, their eggs also grow older and their quality decreases..

As per the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a woman's fertility starts to decline beginning in her 30's, with a more significant decline after the age of 35. Every month, there's only a 20 percent chance of pregnancy for a woman in her 30s. Studies also suggest that women conceiving at later age may be at risk of having a child with chromosomal abnormality such as Down Syndrome.

Shall they lose heart and all hope? No.

With evolving IVF techniques, it is probably not even late till your 60's. Recently in a rare case in Punjab, India, a 70 year old woman had given birth through IVF. While this is one of the rare case, it tells us the extent of how evolved is medical science today but not one of the ideal one.

So with advancements in fertility treatments, there is an option for professional women not yet ready for motherhood, to continue to build their careers without being in an emotional dilemma of choosing between a baby and their career.

Women now have choices! These range from egg freezing, IVF treatment, surrogacy, adoption among others. We know of many celebrities who have gone through either the above options to experience their joy of parenthood much later in their lives.

Option one: Egg Freezing for a Future Pregnancy

Egg freezing is considered as a safe, sound and competent method for women who wish to delay parenthood. This could be a career choice or a recommended way forward for those diagnosed with medical conditions which have a direct impact on the embryo quality and quantity.

As per Zsolt Peter Nagy, PhD, an Atlanta embryologist, accurate data on the number of babies born from frozen eggs are hard to obtain, but it is approximately 5,000 births worldwide. Though a small number now, the number of women opting to freeze their eggs in their late 20's or early 30's is on a rise.

Big companies like Apple, JP Morgan chase, Citigroup, Facebook and many more are bearing the cost of voluntary egg freezing for women who decide to delay child-bearing.

Option two; The rise of Surrogacy 

Surrogacyis a popular and a successful method for women who are unable to carry their own babies. This is a choice for those who decided to have a baby much later in their lives and couldnt conceive due to infertility or other medical or personal reasons. This method entails IVF with the eggs of either the intended mother or a donors egg as the case may be. In this case the surrogate mother is not genetically linked to the child.

Option three: IVF is the way forward

Besides being opted by infertile couples to conceive a baby, both egg freezing or surrogacy also utilize an IVF treatment.

While the success of IVF depends on a lot of factors such as the age of the woman, the quality of the embryo, status of the uterus etc. But the two principal factors for maximizing the chances of implantation during an IVF treatment are a chromosomally normal embryo and a receptive endometrium.

With the recent advancements, genetic techniques such as Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and Endometrium Receptivity Analysis (ERA) are being used to advance the chances of IVF success and pregnancy.

Option four: Adoption

There are still many who believe in the noble cause. Adoption helps completing your family balance and the desire to be a parent.
Company reports 93 percent rise in its consolidated net profit and 26 percent rise in its consolidated net sales revenue in Q1 of FY 2018-19

Morepen Laboratories Ltd. has reported a 93 percent rise in its consolidated net profit at Rs. 2.46 crore, on consolidated net sales revenue of Rs. 161.81 crore in the first quarter (Q1) of FY 2018-19. The consolidated net sales revenue has grown up by 26 percent in Q1 FY 2018-19 from Rs. 128.41 crore in Q1 FY 2017-18 backed by improved sales revenue from home diagnostics, formulations and OTC businesses. The companys consolidated net profit before tax in Q1 FY 2018-19 grew up by 108 percent at Rs. 2.65 crore from Rs. 1.27 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

The companys expanding domestic reach assisted in achieving a higher topline in Q1 FY 2018-19. Domestic sales registered a growth of 71 percent in Q1 at Rs. 108.20 crore. EBIDTA in Q1 FY 2018-19 increased by 10.4 percent at Rs. 12.25 crore, Interest Cost fell by 67 percent at Rs. 44 Lakhs only and cash profit increased by 21 percent at Rs. 11.81 crore. With only one lender remaining to be paid, the company aims to become a zero debt company in the second quarter of FY 2018-19.

This was disclosed by Mr. Sushil Suri, Chairman and Managing Director, Morepen Laboratories Ltd., after the Q1 (FY18-19) results board meeting here on Monday. Having serviced its debt obligation successfully, the company now aims to utilise its available resources to invest in R&D infrastructure, capacity enhancement & process improvements to fuel the future growth. Mr. Suri said.

The bulk drugs (API) segment contributed around 48 percent to the companys total turnover in Q1 FY 2018-19. Morepen Labs bulk drug Montelukast Sodium has once again emerged as a growth accelerator for the company in Q1 FY 2018-19, followed by Rosuvastatin. Sales from Montelukast Sodium increased by 55 percent in Q1 at Rs. 23.67 crore and sales from Rosuvastatin increased by 10 percent. Montelukasts trial shipments to USA market has already started in the quarter under consideration.

The entire Dr. Morepen brand portfolio did well during Q1 FY 2018-19 and recorded sales revenue of Rs. 83.54 crore as against revenue of Rs. 48.53 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal, registering a growth of 72 percent.

Sales from Formulations business in Q1 FY 2018-19 went up by 101 percent and that from Brand sharing by 102 percent. Total sales revenue from both the businesses jumped significantly to Rs. 36.34 crore in Q1 FY 2018-19 as compared to Rs. 18.06 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

The overall Home Diagnostic Segment recorded total quarterly sales at Rs. 34.58 crore in Q1 FY 2018-19, registering a rise of 51 percent vis-a-vis corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. Blood Glucose Monitors and Blood Pressure Monitors recorded highest growth in the quarter @ 78 percent and 28 percent respectively. The combined sales revenue of Blood Glucose Monitors and Blood Pressure Monitors in the quarter increased to Rs. 31.48 crore as compared to Rs. 19.06 crore in the corresponding quarter of previous fiscal, registering a growth of 65 percent. Looking at increasing incidence of diabetic cases in India, the Blood Glucose Monitors and Blood Pressure Monitors segment offers great opportunity for growth in the coming years. In all, 200 million Glucometer strips have been sold by the company till date.

The overall branded OTC category grew up by 69 percent. Sales of Lemolate went up by 94 percent and that of Burnol by 35 percent. Isabgol and Grooming range grew by 65 percent and 47 percent respectively.

Morepen Laboratories Ltd. has received US FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) approvals for both its bulk drugs manufacturing facilities situated in Himachal Pradesh. While the Baddi facility has got US FDA approval for the manufacture of bulk drug Atorvastatin Calcium, a Cholesterol reducing drug, the Masulkhana facility has recently got the nod for manufacturing an anti-asthma bulk drug Montelukast Sodium for export to the US market. It is significant to note here that the US market size for these two bulk drugs is Rs. 7,000 crore approximately.

Highlights Q1 FY 2018-19 (Consolidated) are:
The Nurse Practitioner Critical Care programmes in India will support hospitals to increase the number of higher educated nurses trained to care for critically ill patients.

The University of Houston College of Nursing and the Indian Nursing Council, a national regulatory body for nurses and nurse education in India, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), for developing opportunities for nursing education in India through academic and leadership exchange.

The Nurse Practitioner Critical Care programmes in India will support hospitals to increase the number of higher educated nurses trained to care for critically ill patients. The nurse practitioners will work closely with physicians to provide treatment and care for patients in intensive care units.

Graduates of the Nurse Practitioner Critical Care programme will be eligible to pursue the doctoral programme. The Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) programme is a professional graduate degree which focuses on the clinical aspects of a disease process and uses evidenced-based practice to improve patient outcomes. Nurses in India with a DNP will have completed the highest level of training in nursing practice.
In recent years frontline health workers have been provided critical training in mass casualty management and basic emergency protocol.

Humanitarian workers are the backbone of every effective, life-saving humanitarian response. Though the role of a humanitarian worker is straightforward  to provide life-saving assistance and long-term rehabilitation to communities affected by acute events  the situations they must operate in are far from it: From natural disasters such as earthquakes and cyclones to disease outbreaks, war and even radiological emergencies, functioning effectively requires a special set of skills and a deep well of fortitude.



Whether volunteering for a local NGO, working for an international aid organization or the United Nations, humanitarian workers are to be commended for their courage and determination. Given the nature of humanitarian work, many humanitarian workers are also health workers.



With WHO South-East Asias support  and as per its Flagship Priority on scaling up emergency risk management  countries across the Region have worked to enhance the preparedness of health workers at all levels to respond to domestic crises. In recent years frontline health workers have been provided critical training in mass casualty management and basic emergency protocol, while higher-level officials have engaged in risk communication training. These and other activities must be conducted on an ongoing basis, with an emphasis on multisectoral cooperation and effectively utilizing information communication technologies.



Notably, several Member States have also developed highly skilled national emergency medical teams (EMTs) capable of operating within the WHO-led Health Cluster during acute events in the Region and beyond. As Member States will discuss at WHO South-East Asias Seventy-first session of the Regional Committee in early September (the Regions highest-decision-making body), a WHO-led mechanism to build the capacity of and coordinate these teams could enhance domestic capacity, increase the Regions surge capacity, and reinforce regional solidarity.



Beyond good training and coordination, humanitarian workers also need effective financial and logistical support. To this end, the South-East Asia Region has created its own innovative mechanism  The South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF)  to which Member States contribute funds which are then disbursed in the event of an emergency. To date, SEARHEF funds have been used in nine of the Regions 11 Member States and have covered 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than $5.9 million. Significantly, in 2016 SEARHEF opened a new funding stream to increase preparedness where gaps were identified. The extent to which that funding stream performs its purpose is incumbent on the extent to which Member States contribute funding.



Importantly, the efforts of humanitarian workers must be facilitated by strong health systems at all levels  especially the primary level. Strong primary health systems ensure that what is often the first point-of-care will be an effective one and that, as necessary, referral networks can function effectively. Moreover, in the event of disease outbreaks, frontline health facilities are the first line of defense in containing a diseases spread, meaning they must have the means to act with decisive efficiency.



On World Humanitarian Day, WHO South-East Asia commends all humanitarian workers for their courage and determination, and reiterates its ongoing assistance to Member States as they strive to support and facilitate the efforts of humanitarian workers to save life and get the job done.
Exhibition That Recreates Rape Survivor's Outfits To End Victim Blaming Life oi-Syeda Farah

The moment a woman is raped, the first thing that people ask is about the dress that the victim was wearing. From blaming the victim about her dressing sense, the world misses out on the actual cause of what the rapist thought when he raped. In reality, the rapist does not get turned on by the revealing dress of the woman. It is often in the mind of the individual.

To prove this fact, an exhibition in Brussels showcased the dresses of the rape victims by displaying the outfits that they wore during their assault. This thought of making humans understand was inspired by a project that was created by students at the University of Kansas.

The outfits of the rape victims described in the exhibition read, "What Were You Wearing?" The clothes that were hanging on panels around the room were several outfits that included a pair of pyjamas, a bathing suit, a child's school uniform and even a police uniform!

Human Trafficking Victim Revealed She Was Raped For 43,200 Times!!

In the exhibition, there was also a wall that was dedicated to three outfits from the three times one single woman was raped. While there was another wall that displayed a single outfit which represented the clothes a woman wore the three times she was assaulted.

Rape Defined In 11 Tweets!

Though the exhibition was open for a short time, it did make an impact on the minds of those who think that the girl/woman is at fault. The dresses in display did leave many with the thought that it can happen to just anybody, anywhere!

What are your thoughts on the same? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 15:24 [IST]
Canada NewsWire

SMITHS FALLS, ON, Aug. 20, 2018

SMITHS FALLS, ON, Aug. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) (the "Company" or "Canopy Growth"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Tweed Inc., has been selected as an approved supplier by the Ontario Cannabis Store ("OCS") to supply a wide variety of cannabis products through its online store starting October 17th, 2018.

Specific quantities will be disclosed once those details have been released by the province. In total, Tweed has successfully listed over 100 cannabis SKUs across multiple formats including pre-rolled joints, dried flower, oils, and softgel capsules.

"Today marks another significant milestone for us as we've officially ensured Ontarians will have access to a huge variety of Tweed-branded products," said Mark Zekulin, President & Co-CEO, Canopy Growth. "With our private retail plan being rolled out in other provinces, our attention in Ontario will now turn to bricks and mortar shops in this key market."

Canopy Growth applauds the Province of Ontario's recent decision to initiate a private cannabis retail network. It is an incredible opportunity that will see the private sector make investments around the province, reducing taxpayer dollars spent while maintaining a smart, centralized warehouse inventory system.

Private retail is a more profitable business model which will also allow Tweed to build a deeper connection with its customers.

Every detail of Tweed's retail stores, from the backend point of sale and loss prevention systems to the fixtures on the walls, have been finalized. With the prep work complete, Tweed stores can be opened within weeks of receiving the green light.

With today's announcement Canopy Growth continues its streak of being included in every province and territory's supply plans. Canopy Growth is a proudly Canadian company with a truly national presence, Coast to Coast to Coast.

Here's to (a steady drumbeat of) Future Growth.

About Canopy Growth Corporation Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis and hemp company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time.

Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names including cannabis icon Snoop Dogg, breeding legends DNA Genetics and Green House seeds, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth operates ten cannabis production sites with over 2.4 million square feet of production capacity, including over 500,000 square feet of GMP-certified production space. Canopy Growth has operations in eight countries across five continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis, and through its partly owned subsidiary, Canopy Health Innovations, has devoted millions of dollars toward cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. Through partly owned subsidiary Canopy Rivers Corporation, Canopy Growth is providing resources and investment to new market entrants and building a portfolio of stable investments in the sector. From our historic public listing to our continued international expansion, pride in advancing shareholder value through leadership is engrained in all we do at Canopy Growth. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com

Notice Regarding Forward Looking StatementsNotice Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forwardlooking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Examples of such statements include statements with respect to the Company's extension of the existing agreement. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and such risks contained in the Company's annual information form dated June 28, 2018 and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation
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With helicopters, drones and foot crews continuing their search of the area he was believed to have disappeared, there was still no sign of Jeffrey David Freiheit as of press time on Sunday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 19/8/2018 (1168 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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With helicopters, drones and foot crews continuing their search of the area he was believed to have disappeared, there was still no sign of Jeffrey David Freiheit as of press time on Sunday.

Freiheit was last seen on Aug. 2, in Bad Tolz, Germany, en route along a hiking rail called Der Traumpfad (The Dream Way), which spans from Munich to Venice.

Jeff Freiheit

An unverified tip came in during the investigation regarding his disappearance that he might have been helped at a grocery store in the nearby community of Jachenau the following day by two girls, but even if true it will have still been more than two weeks since he was last seen.

The 32-year-old local educators wife Selena joined Freiheits mother Kathy in flying out to Germany on Aug. 11 to assist in the search however they could.

Selena said by written message during the weekend that they continue holding out hope they will find Jeff alive and bring him home safely.

"We have been advised that people have been lost or injured in these areas for weeks at a time and have been able to survive," she said.

Their belief at this point is that Freiheit, an experienced hiker, had some kind of accident along the way.

"In some areas of the trail, it would be easy to lose your way due to criss-crossing trails including hunting and deer trails," she said. "In some other parts the terrain is more dangerous and treacherous, (so) an accident such as a fall or injury is very possible. A person could fall to great depths, there are ledges, gullies, caves and dense vegetation. This greatly complicates search efforts and in many areas the average hiker wouldnt be able to search. This is why it has been necessary for the use of drones, helicopters, dogs, canyon and cave teams."

Selena said that professional and volunteer searchers have been excellent to work with, and that German authorities offered them some peace of mind upon their arrival in the European country.

"The first day that we arrived in Germany, we immediately went to the police station," she said. "The police there were kind to us and were helping us to the best of their ability. It is clear that they are taking this seriously and are doing their best to assist us. Unfortunately, there is a language barrier and that can be difficult when sharing information and communicating. Weve had locals who have helped us with that and we are so thankful."

More than 200 people have joined a Facebook group called "Volunteers searching for Jeff Freiheit," many of whom have been taking time off work and using their own equipment to assist in the search, put up posters and help Selena and Kathy with translations.

As of Sunday, Selena said that the search continued, with a growing collection of volunteers and hired search crews scouring the grounds where Freiheit might have been.

Rescue operations manager Sepp Bergmayr told German news source merkur.de on Friday that the official search would be stopped for the time being. Despite this, they reported that volunteers hadnt given up hope and continued their search throughout the weekend.

According to merkur.de, investigators have determined that Freiheit was hiking southbound toward the community of Vorderriss when he disappeared.

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
A total of $44,195 has been raised so far on the GoFundMe page to help with the search for Jeff Freiheit.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A total of $44,195 has been raised so far on the GoFundMe page to help with the search for Jeff Freiheit.

On top of this running total is $1,800 raised recently with the help of various people in the Brandon community.

Their fundraising effort started out as a Facebook post auctioning off a family photo shoot for $50 by Stacey Gabriel.

The owner of Stacey Gabriel Photography in Brandon said that she wanted to do something to help with the search for Freiheit.

"I was just kind of thinking like how can I help," Gabriel said. "I figured we would get $200 maybe, but, it grew from there like crazy."

Local businesses commented on the Facebook post donating gift cards for food, haircuts, flowers, a spa day and even a cake.

When the auction was over, what started as a photo shoot ended up with not only that, but a basket full of gift cards and a winning bid of $1,800.

"I dont personally know Jeff, but I just wanted to help, and I guess we all just wanted to," Gabriel said.

That money was all added to the GoFundMe page to help support search efforts for Freiheit after the auction came to a close on Friday morning.

The winning bidder, Carrie Campbell from Brandon, said that she just wanted to do something to assist with the search for Freiheit.

"Theres a lot of people that I know that do know him, he taught my friends grandson, hes related to friends of ours," Campbell said.

"Ive only heard amazing things about him and Im just sick about how agonizing this must be for his family. Im hoping anything that we all do can help find him and bring him back home."

Its the help from those who live in Brandon that has been valuable in the more than two weeks that have gone by since Freiheit was last heard from, said his wife Selena.

Freiheit was traveling alone along the Der Traumpfad (The Dream Way) hiking trail, which spans from Munich to Venice. He had booked overnight accommodations along the path he intended to hike, but failed to show up.

"The messages of support from the community at home help to give us hope and strength on a daily basis," she said.

The money that theyve received through the GoFundMe page has also allowed them to continue with their search efforts in ways that wouldnt have been possible without the help of others.

"The overwhelming support that we have received through that page is enabling us to give back to volunteers here for equipment or items they might need," Selena said. "It also gives us the opportunity to hire additional search crews which can cost anywhere from 3,000 to 9,000 Euros (CAN $4,481 to $7,469) per day. Without the support of people at home we would never had the option to do this."

Besides the search efforts, Selena said that they would be receiving a bill from the Mountain Search and Rescue crew in Germany that has already put many hours in.

They also have many volunteers working to try to bring Jeff home, she said.

There are more than 200 people in a Facebook group called "Volunteers searching for Jeff Freiheit," she said.

"These people have been amazing, taking time off work and using their own equipment to search in possible areas where he could be," she said.

A total of $44,195 had been raised by Sunday afternoon on the GoFundMe page.

"We are beyond grateful for all the contributions and the immediate response with a willingness to help," she said.

 mverge@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @Melverge5
Kevin Deasy of Accounting Pro tells Padraig Hoare how his company is thriving in the outsourced/contract accounting market despite the threat posed by AI and automation.

Even the most traditional of businesses can be disrupted in the technological age, according to Kevin Deasy.

The Bishopstown native fused accounting with tech in setting up Accounting Pro, which targets contractors, after extensive research on the freelance sector.

Just as software-as-a-service (SaaS) has become one of the most lucrative tech areas for developers in recent years, Mr Deasys system is akin to accounting-as-a-service, targeting contractors such as tradespeople, project managers, consultants, and other freelancers, as well as startups and SMEs.

Accounting Pro is the fastest- growing and premium brand in the Irish contractor accounting market. We also provide accounting and payroll services to the SME and startup markets.

Having former contractors on our management team, we feel we understand our market intimately and provide services that match their needs. We also leverage off our technology experience to automate and simplify the accounting experience for our clients, he said.

Having been a contractor in several countries for many years, Mr Deasy said he garnered a lot of experience on various accounting solutions.

I then wanted to look at the Irish market and the options here. The detailed research I conducted indicated that there was a gap in the market and Irish-based contractors felt they were not getting the service they required.

The accounting firms servicing the contractor market in Ireland are firms set up by accountants with their needs in mind, as opposed to contractors needs in mind, naccording to Mr Deasy.

Accounting Pro thinks from the point of view of the contractor, as I was a contractor for many years. I have brought that experience to the table, and we build our solutions bearing in mind their needs.

Also, we learned there was confusion in the market from contractors [as to] what their choices were and what the service they had signed up for was. Many really did not know what they were using or why, when they had signed up with companies, Mr Deasy said.

A challenge for a disruptor like Accounting Pro is persuading contractors to break with tradition, Mr Deasy said.

The traditional route to market for contractors is via recruitment agencies. They already operate with existing companies and have a close relationship with the existing players.

"It can be hard to break into the market as a result. We spend a lot of time building our brand recognition and differentiating our product from other providers in the market to win business and gain new channels to the market.

Irish agencies and organisations set up to help firms like Accounting Pro could be doing more to assist, according to Mr Deasy.

We have found dealing with the Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland a challenge. It can be quite hard to engage, gain traction and to talk to the right people to get assistance.

For any business starting out, assistance is vital for success. Although we did not get the help we thought we deserved, we still managed to make a profit after our first years trading and have employed new staff in Ireland, and opened an office in the City of London, by the Bank of England building.

Mr Deasy said breaking into markets such as the US is on the horizon for Accounting Pro.

For the rest of 2018, we will continue to take market share in Ireland; into 2019 we will expand our UK foothold via Accounting Pro UK, using our unique contractor-driven approach, and then push into further markets farther afield. Our vision is to look at the US market and to expand there to assist the contractor market, he said.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is absolutely a threat to the traditional financial services sector, but Accounting Pro has anticipated the changes predicted in the coming years, Mr Deasy said.

AI and robotics is making a huge impact in financial services.

Already JP Morgan in the US is employing robotics to process mortgage applications. It is only a matter of time before this level of tech hits accounting.

Accounting Pro has already developed software that allows clients to enter and upload their client data and timesheets and automatically generate invoice and notifications. It also integrates with other software packages via APIs and allows secure communications with clients, and to send automated notifications to clients as part of a detailed workflow process.

The automation component of the application is constantly being upgraded, he said.

The firm has attracted attention from would-be investors as it expands its services, Mr Deasy said.

We offer a whole suite of additional services  discounted healthcare offers, banking advice, pension solutions, insurance, company incorporation, FX services, and funding. We also have IT expertise - website build, search engine optimisation, system development and support.
By Eamon Quinn

Opportunities for top executives have increased outside Dublin and fewer were actively seeking new jobs last month as unemployment falls, according to recruitment firm Morgan McKinley.

Its latest employment monitor suggests economic recovery outside the capital is picking up steam, it said.

There are a lot of positives in terms of what is happening right around the country, said the firms Trayc Keevans.

Approximately 65% of the publicly announced jobs in July were outside of Dublin. In the early part of the economic recovery, job creation was skewed towards the capital. However, we are starting to see a real shift as regional job creation has grown significantly, she said, citing new jobs announcements for Athlone, Donegal, Laois, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford.

Morgan McKinley also said concerns about Brexit is helping to attract executives from across Europe to Ireland. Jobs in life sciences, technology, and professional services, and data analytics remain in demand. Separately, temporary work has fallen back to pre-recession levels and is not a huge part of the feature of work patterns in Ireland, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

And the study by the think tank found temporary employment is not filled by low-skilled jobs, while freelance work only account for one in 50 of the workforce. Temporary jobs did not generally act as a stepping stone to permanent employment even though temporary workers were as satisfied with their work as full-time workers, the ESRI study found.

The evidence in this report suggests that it [temporay work] is not an increasing phenomenon in Ireland, said Professor Seamus McGuinness.
By Chris McCullough

These tears are tears of love as a young farm boy says goodbye to one of his own lambs that he reared and is now destined for slaughter.

Growing up on a farm is a real educational adventure for children as they explore the land and learn all about animal production.

In reality, farms produce food and ensure animals have the best life possible before they ultimately are sent for slaughter.

Dalton with his sheep.

However, after forming such close relationships with an animal a child has brought up since birth, it can be a tough day when they have to say goodbye.

That is exactly what happened to eight-year-old Dalton Carpenter from Franktown in Colorado when he led his lamb through a sale ring before it went for slaughter.

Although Dalton understood clearly why he was doing it the tears of love for his lamb Beans rolled down his face as he led the animal into a truck for its final journey.

Daltons parents, Dillon and Brittney, run a small farm keeping a few animals on it but it was the boys passion for breeding sheep that persuaded the Carpenters to introduce four breeding ewes to the farm.

Back in March Dalton wanted to participate in the fat lamb project for his first year in the 4-H young farmers programme. His parents made it clear to him the lambs would possibly end up being sold at the Douglas County Fair.

The boy proudly reared the lambs, feeding them before school and had them in tip-top condition before the show and sale.

Both his parents are super proud of Dalton for his achievements and how he has matured during the entire steep but rewarding learning curve.

Brittney said: Proud doesnt even come close when I reflect on what I learned about our eight-year-old son. Back in March, he decided to do the fat lamb project for his first year in 4-H.

We made sure that he understood the end would result in one of his lambs most likely being in the sale at the fair and fulfilling its purpose as an animal produced for food.

Dalton knew he would get attached to both ewe lambs, which he named Pork and Beans, and he knew where one would likely end up. He surprised us with his tenacity when it came to early morning feedings before school and late nights nursing a sick one through pneumonia.

He taught them how to lead and brace. He measured and weighed feed and supplements as well as making sure they had clean fresh water at all times. I would catch him hugging and loving on them when he would have a quiet moment. There was no doubt that he loved them, she said.

When it came to the day of the fair Dalton was visibly very proud of his lambs as he walked them around the show ring.

He had built a beautiful partnership with Pork and Beans. As a mum my heart was so full and I was in awe of my boy. I looked at his dad beaming with pride of his son, said Brittney.

During the fair, one of the lambs - Beans - made the cut and a very pleased Dalton happily posed for a photo with his prized lamb in front of the buyers.

However, as the auction number was painted on the lambs back the emotion finally took over Dalton as the tears streamed down his face.

Brittney said: That night we watched him proudly walk Beans around the ring and sell her for a number beyond what any of us ever expected. The incredible thing about 4-H auctions is that buyers dont pay just what the animal is worth, they exceed far beyond their market value because they believe in our childrens hard work and want to invest in them.

Dalton left the sale ring with a huge smile beaming across his face but as Sunday came the Carpenters knew it would be a tough day.

A colour on Beans' back indicated which truck she had to go to and it was brave Daltons task to lead her there.

My heart ached as I watched my child say goodbye to his partner, Brittney said. As much as I tried, I couldnt help but let the tears stream down my face.

My boy gave her many hugs. His father, fighting back his own tears, asked if Dalton needed him to take Beans to the truck but he insisted on doing it himself.

With tears flooding his eyes Dalton said one last goodbye to Beans and walked back to the barn where he was embraced with many hugs from other 4-H members wiping away their own tears because they too had said goodbye to their partners.

Brittney said: My son is my hero. He is bigger than I ever knew. My son ran the race and finished regardless of his feelings and emotions. He loved his lamb, but he knew what was important.

He raised a great product through blood, sweat, and tears, and he completed his project. He never asked to keep her. He never tried to quit. He gave it his all and succeeded.

We are a family that loves to eat meat and he wanted to contribute to that in his own way by raising a market animal. He will never forget Beans but is ready to do it all again next year. This is what 4-H is all about, she said.

And, if you want to know what happened to Pork; well she is back on the farm to be used as a breeding ewe.
There is a 10% increase in passengers flying local routes from Dublin to Kerry and Donegal.

It follows the renewal of the Government contract for Public Service Obligation routes last February.
An 84-year-old postmaster in Co Cork fighting to keep his post office open has turned down a severance package from An Post.

John Murphy from Kishkeam says closing the post office would sound the death knell for the local community.

Almost 400 postmasters around the country have been offered retirement and redundancy after a report showing hundreds of branches are no longer financially viable.

But postmaster John Murphy says post offices are about more than money.

"There are two or three villages around me where the post office is gone," said Mr Murphy.

"They are deserted now. It would remind you of nothing but a ghost town in America long ago.

"Now [there is] only house. Empty houses. There is no business left.

"The whole heart of the community goes. There is nothing there."

Last week, Mr Murphy told the Irish Examiner that he planned to keep going for as long as he can.

"The severance package [being offered by An Post] is good. But it would be a huge body blow to the village if I was to close. As far as Im concerned Ill keep it open as long as I can."

He added that if the post office closed, the nearest one is 8km away and this could present difficulties for people collecting their pension if they dont have their own cars.

"We dont have a bus service here anymore, he said.

- Digital Desk
Update 1.30pm: Engineering and construction are among the courses that have seen the biggest rise in points in this year's CAO.

Students across the country found out how many points they got in their Leaving Cert last week.

Today, they discovered if it would be enough to get them a place on their first choice college course.

Demand for courses in areas like construction, law and teaching are up.

While the points for engineering have seen large increases at Trinity and NUI Galway.

Damien Owens from Engineers Ireland says there is a shortage in the industry.

"In the last four or five years, during the recession, students didn't go into those branches of engineering so now consequently there is a shortage of graduates coming out," said Mr Owens.

"So we're seeing with employers that many final year students have three or four job offers before they sit their final exams."

Many arts and computer science courses have seen a drop in demand.

But the points for arts at UCD have rocketed after they cut the number of places available.

It was good news for two-thirds of students, who got their first preference course.

Students have until Friday to confirm their place on their first choice college course.

Earlier: More than 50,000 students receive CAO round one offers

The CAO Round One offers have been released this morning.

The CAO has issued over 73,500 Round One Offers to 50,746 applicants.

Students can check to see if they have received an offer by logging on to their account using the 'My Application' facility at cao.ie.

Successful applicants will also get an offer notification through email and text message, if they have selected this option on their application form.

Paper offer notices will reach most students today; if someone has not received an offer they will get a 'Statement of Application Record' in the post.

Students have until the August 24 at 5:15pm to accept Round One offers - if they fail to accept by this date their offer will lapse.

DCU academics have found the number of pupils taking higher-level maths has more than doubled.

Dublin City University Professor Lisa Looney says there is also been a rise in the number of teenage girls sitting the higher level paper.

"This is a really good news story," said Prof Looney.

"In 2011 we had just under 4,000 girls, young women, who would have taken higher maths. And this year it was over 8,000.

"So we have a growth of 4,000 in the potential pool of young women who have higher maths and who could take up STEM subjects at third level."

- Digital Desk
Update 9.33pm, 21/08/18:Hannah Hughes has been found safe and well.

Update 11.20am, 21/08/18:

Janelle Quinn has been found safe and well.

The whereabouts of Hannah Hughes are still unknown.

Gardai are appealing for anyone with information of her whereabouts to contact Athlone Garda Station on 090-6498550 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

20/08/18: Gardai in Athlone seek help locating missing teenagers

Gardai in Athlone are looking for the public's help in tracing two teenage girls.

Janelle Quinn and Hannah Hughes were reported missing last Wednesday, August 15.

16-year-old Hannah is described as 5ft 2 in height, with long red hair.

When last seen she was wearing a peach hoodie, pink and black leggings, pink Nike Air Max runners and a black jacket.

Janelle who is 15, is 5ft 4', with long brown hair and brown eyes.

When last seen she was wearing grey leggings, a grey hoodie, green jacket and white Nike runners.

Both girls are thought to be in the Dublin area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Athlone Garda Station 090-6498550 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

- Digital Desk
International group BishopAccountability.org has published a list of more than 70 clergy from across Ireland who have been convicted of abuse, or who were named in the Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne reports as having faced abuse allegations.

The group, which has relied on media sources and the reports of the State inquiries, says the list is probably only about 6% of the total number of accused priests known to the Irish Church.

It is thought to be the first time such a list has been published of Irish priests. It is the fourth database published by BishopAccountability.org, which maintains a running database of accused US clergy, and has also published databases of publicly accused clergy in Argentina and Chile.

The group said: "These databases have confirmed for us the clarifying power of lists of names. A public list makes children safer. It gives profound validation to victims. It serves as a resource for prosecutors, journalists, scholars and even church insiders: over the last few years, several church officials have asked us to add names or information to our U.S. database."

In a statement today, the US-based group also said: "... We are painfully aware of what we as outsiders do not bring. We dont have the anguished history of Irish survivors, or the deep knowledge of the Irish crisis that many visitors to this page will have", and called for help to improve the database.

The statement adds: "We hope that this Irish database will encourage an open debate about how societies balance an accused person's privacy rights against a childs right to be safe and the publics right to know."

The list includes notorious paedophiles including Fr Brendan Smyth, Fr Sean Fortune and Fr Malachy Finnegan. Former President Mary McAleese, whose brother was "seriously physically, sadistically abused" by Finnegan in St Colman's College in Newry, Co Down, has called for a public inquiry into the church's handling of allegations against the priest.

Former President Mary McAleese says her younger brother was abused by Fr Malachy Finnegan pic.twitter.com/q00uoLxGfs  RTE News (@rtenews) March 12, 2018

One in Four founder Colm OGorman was sexually abused by the late Fr Sean Fortune between 1981 and 1983. His case led to the resignation of The Bishop of Ferns, Dr Brendan Comiskey and was instrumental in setting up the Ferns Inquiry, whose report was published in October, 2005. Fortune killed himself with a cocktail of drink and drugs in 1999, escaping trial.

Pope Francis is expected to address the issue of clerical abuse when he visits Ireland this weekend. Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has called for the Pope to meet survivors.

Earlier today, Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics around the world condemning the "crime" of sexual abuse by priests and subsequent cover-ups, saying: "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."
By David Raleigh

Update 4.45pm: Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has said the evil of paedophilia must be rooted out of the church to rebuild the trust it has lost through a global clerical child sexual abuse scandal.

Leahy welcomed Pope Francis letter to all Catholics today condemning sexual abuse by priests around the world and subsequent cover-ups by senior church leaders.

He said the evil of abuse must be rooted out and asked for Catholics throughout the Diocese to pray in support of victims and reparation.

There are absolutely no words good enough to adequately apologise for the abuse perpetrated by representatives of the Church and the abysmal failure to manage and report cases, added Leahy.

There can be no justification for any type of cover up anywhere.

Nothing that is said can take away the pain of those who have been abused and of their families. I completely accept that.

But it is essential that we acknowledge the darkness of what has happened.

Leahy said: The Pope has spoken before of his deep regret but I think it was important that he issued his letter today.

Straightaway the opening line is striking, if one member suffers, all suffer. Its a clarion call.

There can be no let-up in our resolve and compunction to fight a reality that led to what the Pope calls atrocities.

At every turn it was absolutely disturbing, starting of course with the horror of what was done to these young people, the warped mindset of the perpetrators, the cover-up that followed.

One also has to question how did this evil, in the first instance, penetrate the very place, the Church, that is supposed to be a shrine for love and peace, Leahy added.

We have to work on this together and I am grateful to the lay people who have committed themselves to this in our Diocese: parish delegates, members of various advisory bodies, those engaged in training and publicity initiatives.

The Popes letter reminds us of how important this commitment is.

As he puts it, we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history.

Leahy said the Church has a lot to make up for.

Peoples lives were destroyed by those who were supposed to protect them and this has understandably led to a trust issue.

Trust will never be regained unless we learn the lessons from the past and make sure that the most robust systems are in place so that this never happens again.

He called on anyone who has been abused or know of anyone who has been abused in this diocese to contact us.

We need your help to make sure we can root this evil out of the Church once and for all.

Leahy added: We must not forget the power of prayer in this; we must pray for healing.

I would ask that, as an immediate response to Pope Francis letter, Catholics throughout the Diocese of Limerick to spend some time of prayer this coming Wednesday so that we can grow in the gift of compassion, in justice, prevention and reparation.

Earlier: Popes child abuse intervention too little too late  campaigner

Update 3.30pm: The Popes latest intervention on child abuse days before his visit to Ireland is too little too late, a campaigner said.

Pope Francis said the church had delayed action and urged a culture of care at present and in the future as he published a strongly-worded letter on the subject.

He arrives in Ireland this weekend.

Margaret McGuckin, leader of SAVIA (Survivors & Victims of Institutional Abuse), a charity set up to give a voice to victims of historic abuse in Northern Ireland, said: It is a last-ditch attempt to see what he can do.

It is too little too late, nothing will change.

A Pennsylvania grand jury report published recently in the US found more than 300 priests abused more than 1,000 children.

The Pope expressed shame and repentance.

He added: We acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realising the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives.

We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.

The Pope is due to spend two days visiting Dublin and the Knock shrine in the West of Ireland this weekend.

He will meet President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, address a session of the World Meeting of Families and celebrate mass for half a million people at Phoenix Park.

Margaret McGuckin said the Popes intervention is too little too late (Niall Carson/PA)

He said: We have realised that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death; these wounds never go away.

The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced.

But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity.

Ms McGuckin is urging a further public inquiry into clerical abuse in Northern Ireland.

When the Pope came to office in 2013, she thought he was a breath of fresh air.

She was left disillusioned after his decision to ordain a bishop in Chile who is accused of covering up sexual abuse committed by a priest.

The Pope said: Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient.

Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.

The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.

- Press Association

Earlier: Clerical abuse survivor says Pope's comments don't go far enough

Update 2.22pm: An Irish survivor of clerical sex abuse says the Popes comments on the matter do not go far enough.

In an unprecedented

Read More:

The Pope added that the Church should be able to acknowledge and condemn the atrocities with sorrow and shame and also says that the Church did not act in a timely manner.

Mark Vincent Healy was abused from the age of nine by two priests in Dublin in the 60s and 70s and he says there needs to be less talk and more action.

"I think he's sincere in the apology and what he is saying in sorrow terms," said Mr Healy.

"But we need a different paradigm. We need actions which will make a difference.

"And it's not his actions. he has to negotiate those actions with us and we have to talk to him about them. We need to sit down. We need to...open the files

"Let's get in there and discuss these things to move forward."

- Digital Desk
Gardai in Ronanstown in Dublin are renewing their appeal for the public's help to find 16-year-old Jodie Mulvihill, who is missing since August 17.

She is described as being 5'5", with brown hair and a nose piercing, of slim build with brown eyes.
Former White House press spokesperson Sean Spicer has insisted Donald Trump will remain as US president for six more years, saying the US must come back together and stop undermining its systems of government.

Mr Spicer made the prediction as he denied Russian collusion in the 2016 US presidential election, defended the removal of immigrant children from their parents and questioned the value of investigations into Mr Trump.

Speaking at an Institute of International and European Affairs event in Dublin where he also said far right organiser Steve Bannon was a "good steward" for Mr Trump's message, Mr Spicer said despite "style" concerns most Americans back the US president's "results".

Sean Spicer, pictured signing copies of his new book in Dublin. Photo: Julien Behal Photography

And, while acknowledging the significant opposition to his tenure both in the US and abroad, he predicted Mr Trump will win the 2020 presidential election and remain in the White House until 2024.

"Six years," Mr Spicer said bluntly when asked how long Mr Trump will remain in power, adding repeated polls are showing American voters are continuing to support the US president despite a series of scandals surrounding his tenure.

"It's not just what I'm saying, I'm telling you what the polls said. It's not my opinion, this is literally what it is.

"That is what every consistent poll shows. All show consistently the same thing. It's not my interpretation of anything as much as it is what the polls show," he said.

During a detailed question and answer session, Mr Spicer also controversially rejected ongoing evidence of Russian collusion in the 2016 US election that brought Mr Trump to power.

Downplaying the attacks as "meddling", he said 18 months into investigations which have highlighted a series of damning issues surrounding Mr Trump's officials and their interactions with Russia there has been no "evidence" of any wrongdoing.

"There's meddling and there's collusion. On meddling, there's no doubt, hands down, no question that Russia tried to meddle in the US election.

"But that's morphed into collusion, and I have not seen anything to believe there was any kind of collusion," he said, before dismissing ongoing inquiries by saying "the Democrats would spend all of their time just investigating as opposed to legislating" if they could.

Mr Spicer acknowledging there has been difficulties in how the crackdown on illegal immigrants coming to the US has been handled in light of shocking images of children being held in cages - hundreds of whom have yet to be returned to their parents.

However, despite saying the US must remain "a beacon of hope and freedom", he backed the controversial immigration policies.

"Obviously those [the child images] are very difficult to look at, but again I think we've got to do what we can to make sure children are protected, that they're not trafficked, that they're not coming in to be abused in any way," he said.

Mr Spicer rejected suggestions Mr Trump has created divisions in the US and said "If it was up to him he would like people to come together",

He side-stepped questions on whether he would like to become the US ambassador to Ireland and said he did not miss his old job, before referencing his book The Briefing when asked if he has any regrets by saying:

"Have you read the book? Buy that and then ask the question."
By Patrick Flynn

Update 7.15pm: A fleet of ambulances and rapid response vehicles left Shannon Airport two hours after a transatlantic jet diverted there.

A number of flight attendants and passengers were assessed however the airline has confirmed that no one required to be transported to hospital.

The flight was later cancelled so that engineers could carry out checks on the aircraft. The passengers were sent to local hotels for the night.

The flight is due to continue its journey on Tuesday.

Earlier: Transatlantic jet with 'odour' in cabin diverts to Shannon with ill cabin crew and passengers

By Patrick Flynn

Update 5.07pm: A transatlantic jet has diverted to Shannon Airport after a number of passengers and cabin crew complained of feeling unwell.

The American Airlines flight was en route from Madrid in Spain to New York in the US at the time. There were a 170 passengers and crew on board.

The Boeing 767-300 jet was off the south coast when the crew declared an emergency and requested clearance to divert to Shannon.

Its understood that a number of flight attendants and passengers have complained of feeling unwell after an odour was detected on board.

Airport fire crews were standing by for the jet when it landed at 4.35pm. A number of HSE ambulances and fire crews from Shannon and Ennis were also sent to the airport.

An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed that flight diverted due to an odour in the cabin.
Update 11.55am: Gardai investigating the killing of a 63-year-old man in Dublin are trying to trace the movements of a red Toyota Yaris.

The victim was stabbed at a house at Rutland Grove in Crumlin at around 8 o'clock last night, and a man in his 30s was later arrested in Blanchardstown.

Detectives are appealing to anyone who was in the Rutland Grove or Clogher Road area to contact them.

They are also looking to speak to anyone who noticed the Toyota with L plates and 04-WW registration.

Speaking today at Sundrive Road Station, Superintendent Michael Cryan said: "We are appealing to anyone who was in the Rutland Grove/Clogher Road area of Dublin 12 between 8pm and 8.15pm on Sunday the 19 August 2018 to come forward.

"We are also trying to trace the movements of a Red Toyota Yaris, described as four-door hatchback with L plates and partial registration 04-WW, that was driven from the scene at Rutland Grove at about 8pm before it was recovered at approximately 8.20pm at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.

We would also appeal to anyone with dashcam footage from the Rutland Grove or Connolly Hospital areas in and around the specified times to make it available to investigators.

Gardai say they are continuing to question the man who was arrested last night.

A post-mortem is due to be carried out on the deceased man today.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room at Sundrive Road Garda Station 01-666 6600 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

- Digital Desk

Earlier: Gardai investigating all circumstances around fatal Dublin stabbing

Gardai say they are investigating all of the circumstances around the fatal stabbing of a 63-year-old Dublin man.

He was attacked at a house in Crumlin last night. It is believed the victim knew his attacker.

The incident happened on Rutland Grove at around 8 o'clock last night.

A 63-year-old man was found injured after gardai were called to the house.

He was rushed to St James' Hospital where it is believed he was a staff member, but was later pronounced dead.

A man in his 30s was arrested in Blanchardstown and taken to Crumlin Garda Station.

A motive for the attack is still unclear, and detectives at Sundrive Road are appealing for information.

- Digital Desk
Olivia Kelleher

Broadcaster and author, Gareth O'Callaghan, has said he is "blown away" by the kind messages of support he has received from people he has never even met following his diagnosis with Multiple System Atrophy. (MSA)

Mr O'Callaghan, who is also a clinical psychotherapist, announced his decision to leave his role at Classic Hits FM at the weekend. In an interview on Cork's Red FM he said that he was hugely appreciative of the warm messages on social media.

"I was really taken aback by the beautiful comments from thousands of people who I've never met but people who tell me they feel as if they've known me as a friend all of their lives. I will deeply deeply miss that. My afternoons will be a lot quieter because I'm not doing what I love doing."

Mr O'Callaghan said his mind remains sharp and that his form is "positive and remaining strong."

He told show host Mick Mulcahy that he wants to spend his time making memories while he has the quality of life and the ability to move around independently.

"I'm still out here still buzzing and hopefully will see you around the place. Too many people waited and then it gets to the point where that special space is limited and time is slowly taken away from you."

He said his neurologist at the Mater Hospital Professor Peter Kelly told him that he has "one serious fight" on his hands as MSA progresses at a phenomenally fast rate.

"The thing is you have to fight it. You can't give in to it. You have to exercise. You have to keep moving."

He emphasised that it was important to avoid stress in his situation saying that anxiety was like "red meat to a shark to this thing."

In a post on his Facebook page over the weekend, Mr O'Callaghan said he was devastated at being diagnosed with the neurodegenerative illness.

"It is a rare disease, very progessive and sadly incurable. I thought I might have been able to continue working as normal for another few months but unfortunately the pace and the painful decline of this awful thing has really taken us by surprise."

Mr O'Callaghan said he was learning to take life a day at a time.

"I've always said that life is only a short journey, and that is true - whether you are lucky enough to remain healthy throughout; or you suddenly find you are unexpectedly challenged by something you never thought would happen to you: something that terrifies you and challenges you at every level of your being. I now find myself facing those challenges. "

Gareth was initially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in March. He was subsquently diagnosed with MSA.

The former 2FM and Radio Caroline DJ also has another book in the pipeline.

MSA is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a combination of symptoms that affect both the autonomic nervous system (the part of the nervous system that controls involuntary action such as blood pressure or digestion) and movement.

The symptoms reflect the progressive loss of function and death of different types of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

MSA is a rare disease with around 3,300 people in the UK and Ireland currently living with it.
A stake in activewear brand Lorna Jane could be up for grabs with private equity firm Champ Ventures considering selling out.

Lorna Jane has retained KPMG to "conduct a strategic review" of the brand, with the accounting firm due to report back to shareholders in a few months.

Lorna Jane Clarkson at her book launch in Sydney in June.

Founders Lorna Jane and Bill Clarkson opened the first Lorna Jane store in Brisbane in 1990 and since then the activewear brand has grown to encompass 125 stores in Australia, 32 stores in the United States alongside online stores in both countries.

With leggings becoming the new jeans, Lorna Jane has expanded to China, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore.
United States President Donald Trump will be forced to back down on tariffs on goods such as steel and aluminium because it will ultimately hurt his voters, Britains Investment Minister Graham Stuart says.

Mr Stuart, who was in Australia this week to increase investment ties between the United Kingdom and Australia, said Mr Trumps 25 per cent tariff on steel, in which Australia was spared, would also likely carve out Britain.

Mr Trump has previously indicated nations who are friends and that spend big on defence could be spared from the tariffs.

Britains Investment Minister Graham Stuart was in Australia this week to increase investment ties between the UK and Australia. Credit:Simon Schluter

But the trade war with China continues, and has spooked financial markets and increased concerns about global instability.
The family of jailed politician Eddie Obeid has failed in its legal battle to suppress parts of a Federal Court judgment.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched legal action in 2015 against two of Obeid's sons, Moses and Paul, along with prominent lawyer and businessman John McGuigan, his son James and investment banker Richard Poole as well as companies associated with them.

The family of jailed politician Eddie Obeid has failed in its legal battle to suppress parts of a Federal Court judgment. Credit:Daniel Munoz

The ACCC alleged the group had engaged in cartel conduct and that in 2009 Paul and Moses Obeid struck a deal with Cascade Coal that resulted in other bids being withdrawn to ensure Cascade was awarded a lucrative coal exploration licence from the NSW government.

In July Federal Court judge Lindsay Foster found in favour of the Obeids and the other defendants. However, Moses Obeid took action to have parts of Justice Fosters 172-page judgment suppressed.
Cr Cheryl Bromage (right) is consoled following the Ipswich City Council's final meeting on Monday. Credit:AAP One, Paul Tully, has served as a councillor since 1979. We dont take this step lightly, Ms Palaszczuk said. But we are not going to sit idly by. We are going to make sure that it is cleaned up, the residents can see an end to this and the whole thing can just move on. CCC chairman Alan MacSporran QC supported the sacking of the Ipswich City Council.

It is not about them individually being guilty of misconduct or otherwise, he said. It is about systemic failures collectively of good governance, and a lack of transparency and accountability across the board, he said. On Tuesday, Mr Hinchliffe will introduce the Local Government (Dissolution of Ipswich City Council) Bill 2018. All Ipswich councillors will lose their jobs when the bill is passed by Queensland Parliament. An administrator will be appointed until new elections in March 2020. The administrator's identity is a closely kept secret.

Two of Ipswichs 10 councillors have been charged by the CCC: long-serving former mayor Paul Pisasale and his successor Andrew Antoniolli, both members of the ALP. But who are Ipswichs other councillors? These councillors face no charges. Former Westside Christian College teacher David Morrison has been the councillor for Camira and Springfield since 2000. He was the chairman of Ipswichs parks committee for 13 years until 2017 and since then has chaired the Councils Planning, Development and Heritage Committee.

Paul Tully is Queenslands longest-serving councillor, first elected in 1979 for the Goodna area. Along with Mr Pisasale he has the citys highest profile. He is a colourful Labor politician, a republican with a keen sense of history and politics. He battled Pauline Hanson and rallied against uranium mining. He used secret emails which were questioned by the Crime and Corruption Commission. He was the long-serving chair of the citys planning and development committee. Kerry Silver was elected as an independent candidate in March 2016, although she was a member of the ALP. She previously worked in the office for the previous Redbank councillor, Victor Attwood, the citys earlier deputy mayor. Mr Attwood, a long-serving Labor politician, retired at the 2016 election. Cr Kerry Silver (left) is seen following the Ipswich City Council's final meeting. Credit:AAP Kylie Stoneman was also elected in 2016 as an independent councillor although she was a member of the ALP. She represents Blackstone, Booval, Flinders View and Silkstone. She previously worked for Labor federal MP Shayne Neumann and was a member of the ALP. Wayne Wendt is Labors former state MP for Ipswich West from 2006 to 2012, who then worked as the chief executive officer of the Ipswich Jets. He has also been the citys acting mayor since May 2018, when Mr Antoniolli was charged with fraud by the CCC.

Cheryl Bromage was first elected in 2004 to represent the suburbs around Brassall. She is a rising member of the ALP and was the youngest woman to be elected to Ipswich City Council. She chairs the citys Infrastructure and Emergency Management committee and is a patron of many of the citys community organisations and committees. David Martin, a former carpenter and teacher, was recently elected in a byelection in October 2017 after former councillor Mr Antoniolli was elected mayor. He was not a member of a political party. Charlie Pisasale is Paul Pisasales older brother and has represented Ipswichs western suburbs out near Leichhardt and Amberley since 1995. He is a long-term member of the ALP and one of Ipswichs senior councillors. He chairs the Employee Development Advisory Committee. Sheila Ireland ran the well-known Ipswich business Pamela Browns Cards and Gifts in the inner city before being elected in 2004. She is linked to the citys Walker family, which goes back to its mining history. She chairs the citys Health Committee. She is not a member of a political party. Cr David Pahlke (left) with acting mayor Wayne Wendt after the last council meeting. Credit:AAP
Four out of five teens in Victoria's juvenile justice system have been released into the community on supervision orders rather than being locked up, new research shows.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare research shows Victoria is sending fewer teens to juvenile detention than any other state, a fact that drew praise from criminologists.

On an average day during the 2016/17 financial year, the study found 1038 young Victorians aged 10 to 17 were under the supervision of youth justice.

Of those, 82 per cent were being supervised in the community with the remaining 18 per cent imprisoned, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows.

Deakin University criminologist Richard Evans said the single biggest predictor of reoffending was sending a teen to youth detention.
A Queenslander extradited over the death of a man whose remains were found in a wheelie bin 17 years after he went missing has appeared in a Melbourne court and been remanded in custody.

John Spencer White is charged with murder over the death of John Christianos, who was reported missing in 2001 and whose body was found last month at a storage facility in Oakleigh South.

The body was found at a storage unit in Oakleigh South. Credit:Nine News

Mr White, 62, dressed in a black suit and white business shirt, appeared briefly in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday charged with murder.

A 2011 inquest found Ms Christianos, 40, was last seen leaving his Bentleigh East unit on June 11, 2001.
A man in a luxury car has allegedly been threatened by two men armed with guns during a terrifying carjacking in Melbournes north.

The 46-year-old Craigieburn man was sitting in his Mercedes in a supermarket car park on Blair Street, Dallas, when the men allegedly got out of a nearby car and approached him, just after midnight on Sunday.

The armed men allegedly demanded the 46-year-old get out of his car before they got into the Mercedes and drove off. They were followed by the car they got out of.

On Monday afternoon, police arrested four men and a woman at a home on Tylden Place, Westmeadows, about 4.30pm, in relation to the incident. Officers seized two firearms.

A Dandenong North man, aged 27, has been charged with aggravated carjacking and was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The family of a woman killed by her mentally unwell ex-partner, a man who absconded from hospital, say they were failed by Victorias mental health system and now cannot get answers out of the hospital or police.

Kim Lynch was killed by her former partner and her body left in a cupboard in his unit, about a week after he was granted three hours of leave by Dandenong Hospital, where he was an involuntary patient being treated for a schizophrenic illness.

The man, who cannot be named, was admitted on January 30, 2016 in a psychotic state and six days later was granted permission to leave for three hours, on the condition he stayed with his grandmother the whole time.

Kim Lynch was killed by her former partner when he was released from hospital.

He had his grandmother take him to see Ms Lynch, but then refused to return to hospital. The grandmother called the hospital, which, the Supreme Court heard, contacted police.
Police are investigating the death of a man in his 40s in a laneway in Perth's CBD on Monday morning.

The usually busy section of Murray Street from Barrack Street to Pier Street has been closed to the public while detectives continue their investigation.

Police were called to the scene about 8am. Credit:Hamish Hastie

A police spokeswoman confirmed they received a call about the death at 8am this morning.

She said detectives were asking local businesses and property owners for any CCTV footage.
Tax Office staff should prepare for a wave of hot-desking as their bosses ready plans to adopt the workplace fit-out craze at four more offices, a union has warned.

Australian Taxation Office workers in Melbourne and Queensland can expect building renovations to bring layouts forcing them to look for a new desk each day, the Australian Services Union representing tax officials says.

After the ATO's hot-desking plans for offices in Gosford and Docklands survived a fight at the Fair Work Commission, buildings in Melbourne suburb Moonee Ponds and Townsville are believed to be next on the list for hot-desking.

The Tax Office says it has not settled on a fit-out for the offices but confirmed it will review layouts for the sites, and at others nearing lease expiry in Brisbane suburbs Chermside and Upper Mount Gravatt.

ASU official Jeff Lapidos warned a hot-desking "tsunami" would spread across the ATO's offices when their leases expired and the agency redesigned their fit-outs.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton may be ineligible to sit in Parliament due to his family's financial interests in the Commonwealth, according to an explosive report that has added a dangerous new dimension to the leadership speculation gripping the Turnbull government.

Network 10 on Monday night reported Mr Dutton could be in breach of the constitution, which rules ineligible anyone who "has any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the Public Service of the Commonwealth".

The allegation comes amid fevered speculation Mr Dutton is considering a leadership challenge to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and the report will trigger a frenzy of finger-pointing as to the origin of the story.

Peter Dutton in Question Time on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Fairfax Media understands Network 10 had been researching the story for weeks. Journalist Hugh Riminton affirmed on Twitter that the story was "not a leak".
It is not the public humiliation so much, even if Malcolm Turnbull will have those words of his from 2009 - I will not lead a party that is not as committed to effective action on climate change as I am  forever repeated to him.

It is not even that he has changed policy twice in a few days on one of the two or three central tenets of his period as prime minister.

Senior politicians, who talk all the time, inevitably say things that come back to haunt them. And leaders change policy for all sorts of reasons.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton during question time on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

What is worse for Malcolm Turnbull is that Australian voters, his remaining supporters and his lurking enemies now know for sure that he can be pushed off the last bit of ground that once supported his stated principles.
Beijing: Veteran Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad lived up to his reputation for straight talk, calling for "fair trade" and warning against a new colonialism in a joint press conference with Chinese premier Li Keqiang.

Dr Mahathir, 93, is visiting Beijing to strengthen economic ties with China. But he is also seeking to renegotiate massive Chinese infrastructure contracts worth around $US23 billion ($31 billion) that were signed by his predecessor, Najib Razak, who is now facing corruption charges.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing on Monday. Credit:AP

He met with Li on Monday morning after a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, and was due to talk with Chinese president Xi Jinping in the evening.

At a morning press conference, Mahathir said: "I believe China will look sympathetically towards the problems that we have to resolve and perhaps help us in resolving some of our internal fiscal problems."
Kim has vivid memories of life in North Korea: of climbing an apricot tree outside his house and sitting up there singing, looking out over an apple orchard; of running up into the hills when he heard the planes of the US-led United Nations force flying toward his rural town, and watching their bombs, "boom-boom-boom," exploding in a line along the railway tracks. He remembers dozing off on top of the train carrying him toward the port of Hungnam, snow piling up on his shoulders. But he can't remember his brother's face, or even his mother's anymore. Still, he says he was happy to be chosen for the reunion and is looking forward to seeing his brother again. "My two older brothers who came south with me both died in their 60s," he said. "My younger brother is 78 now, I am surprised to see he is still alive." About 200 war-separated South Koreans and their family are crossing into North Korea for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives they havent seen for decades. Credit:Yonhap/AP He will come bearing gifts: some warm jackets, socks, soap and cosmetics for his brother's wife, and two packets of Choco Pies, the cake-and-marshmallow chocolate sandwich snack made in South Korea but particularly coveted in the North.

Participants are discouraged from bringing cash, and he has chosen not to, worried that his brother probably wouldn't get to keep it anyway. Luxury goods, including expensive bottles of spirits or watches, are also banned under UN sanctions. On Sunday, the South Koreans gathered in the city of Sokcho, for a briefing on how to behave and what they can and cannot say, before travelling by bus across the border to the North Korean resort of Mount Kumgang on Monday. Kim will have to stay in a different hotel than his brother in Mount Kumgang, but they will be brought together for group reunions, dinner banquets and lunches between Monday and Wednesday, including a three-hour individual meeting on Tuesday when they will exchange gifts. North Korean Son Kwon-geun, centre, weeps with his South Korean relatives as he bids them farewell at Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea at the end of last reunion, in 2015. Credit:AP Southern participants are advised not to criticise the North Korean leadership or ask about the country's economic situation in case it causes problems for their relatives. And if their counterparts start singing propaganda songs or making political statements - a common problem in the past - participants are advised to "naturally lead the conversation to another topic." Gifts of a propaganda-type nature should be politely refused.

Still, Kim is looking forward to hearing about his mother, and about how his hometown has changed. Then, on Wednesday, after just 11 hours together, he and his brother will part again, almost certainly for the last time. The meetings are like a sudden spark of light after nearly seven decades of darkness. Many people have heard nothing about their relatives in the North during that entire time, and are nervous about who and what they will encounter. And then, after the brief meeting, darkness will reign once again. "I really wish we could exchange letters afterwards, or talk to each other the phone, or by video call," Kim said, "but these reunions are one-time-only meetings." South and North Koreans bid farewell after a reunion in 2015. Credit:AP Yun Jung-sik applied to see his older sister, whom he last saw when he was 12 in 1950. She was already married by then, with two young children, and when the rest of the family fled south, she stayed behind with her husband's family.

Ten days ago, Yun found out he had been selected for this round of family reunions. But he also learnt his sister had died 25 years ago. Instead, he will meet her children, his nephew and niece. He knows nothing about them except their names and ages, 71 and 70 respectively. "I feel pretty neutral about it, I'm not that excited," he said. "Maybe if we'd exchanged pictures over the past 70 years, I might have felt differently." He and his wife will bring $355 in cash each, as well as clothes - eight pieces for women, in different sizes, and five for men - some vitamin pills, and, of course, some Choco Pies. "I hope the family we are meeting have not become Communists all the way," he said. "If they have become totally indoctrinated, they will not tell us frankly what their lives are like. I hope they're not like that."

There is a good chance they will be. Daily NK, a South Korean news service with contacts inside the North, reported last week that only North Koreans seen as loyal to the regime would be chosen for the reunions. That could rule out many people. North Koreans whose relatives had fled south were often seen as suspect and placed in the lowest rungs of the country's heavily stratified society, experts say. Either way, those who do get chosen have to undergo a month of political indoctrination to make sure they say the right thing, said Choe Eun-bum, who worked to reunite divided families at the Red Cross for many years. "Among the first things the North Koreans tell their South Korean relatives is their gratitude to their great leader," he said, which immediately "casts a chill over the long-awaited reunion". Son of defectors: South Korean President Moon Jae-in, centre. Credit:AP The 14-year-old Kim sailed south on the SS Meredith Victory, a US Merchant Marine ship that was nicknamed the Ship of Miracles for carrying 14,000 refugees on that voyage, the largest land evacuation by a single ship.
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

The founder of a major brokerage has unveiled details of how ambitious young people will now be supported to pursue a career in broking and finance.

Astute Ability Finance Group has established a pathways program for senior high school students that gives them the opportunity to gain experience in the financial services sector.

The program involves intern ships provided by Mhairi MacLeod, the firms founder and principal, for local students with her company, based on the NSW Central Coast.

We want to give back to the profession and providing an avenue for students to gain vital real-life experience in the financial services sector is one way to do that, she said.

I know from my own experiences there are limited opportunities for students to obtain valuable work experience and we are keen at Astute Ability Finance Group to make this program a major part of the firms fabric, MacLeod added.

The groups first intern Bridie Cartwright, a year 11 student at St. Josephs Catholic College East Gosford, said, Ive learnt a lot, particularly the amount of effort the staff put in.

The internship program follows MacLeods work with the School Entrepreneurs Program, of which AFL star Alex Rance is an official ambassador.

The program is a joint initiative between her firm and the MFAA to teach high-school aged students how to run a real start-up business as part of their commerce or economics class, with brokers delivering the lessons on a voluntary basis.

This involved finance brokers delivering a six-hour program of lessons on such topics as business set up, developing business plans, product development, marketing strategies, human resources, strategies for profit, loss and future business direction.

Related stories:

Demand drops for real estate, banking jobs
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Anchors aweigh to borough son Petty Officer Second Class Aaron Nudel, who is presently serving our nation and helping to deter nuclear war.

Nudel, a missile technician, is serving aboard one of the worlds most advanced ballistic-missile submarines, the USS Nebraska. Based at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Washington, not far from Seattle, USS Nebraska is one of 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines in the Navys fleet.

As a missile technician, Nudel is responsible for strategic deterrence and making sure the U.S. is safe against enemy attacks.

I enjoy learning something new everyday and working with electronics, said Nudel. My favorite part of being a submariner is the level of expertise it takes to perform my job.

Nudel draws from lessons he learned growing up in Brooklyn.

Ive learned being patient is key while working long hours and building a foundation for friendships, said Nudel.

The Navys ballistic-missile submarines, often referred to informally as boomers, serve as undetectable launch platforms for intercontinental ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols, and the precise delivery of missiles, and they are the only survivable leg of the nations strategic nuclear forces.

As long as nuclear weapons remain in the hands of potential adversaries, Navy officials say, the nations nuclear forces must provide a credible deterrent to the threat of nuclear attack. The Navys continuous at-sea deployment of submarines like USS Nebraska provides the ability to mount an assured response.

As effective as the Ohio-class submarines have been over their decades-long lifetime, the fleet is aging, Navy officials say, with the oldest submarines now more than 30-years-old, well past their planned service lives. A new and effective successor is critical to national security, and the Navy is well into the process to design and field a more advanced ballistic-missile submarine, which will provide the necessary sea-based nuclear deterrence into the 2080s.

Submarine sailors are some of the most highly trained and skilled people in the Navy. The training is highly technical and each crew has to be able to operate, maintain, and repair every system or piece of equipment on board. Everyone also has to learn how everything on the submarine works and how to respond in emergencies to earn the right to wear the coveted gold or silver dolphins on their uniform.

The men and women from across our nation who volunteer for military service embody the fundamental values of honor, courage and sacrifice that are the bedrock of our republic, said Rear Adm. Blake Converse, Commander, Submarine Group Nine. They protect and defend America from above, below, and across the worlds oceans. The entire nation should be extremely proud of the hard work that these sailors do every single day to support the critical mission of the Navy and the submarine force.
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South Korean automaker on Monday announced a partnership with self-drive car-sharing firm Revv in the country.

The partnership entails development of an innovative car sharing service and conducts creative marketing activities in India, the auto major said in a statement.

The company's strategic investment and partnership will enable both Motor and Revv to build competency and the technology necessary for leading the future mobility market in India, it added.

It , however, did not disclose the financial details.

" Motor India has been growing rapidly with its outstanding performance to become a strong market leader in India," MD and CEO Y K Koo said.

The company is just about to step forward and expand its business into the future mobility with Revv, he added.

" will build prominent system with both 'Open Innovation' strategy and India's fastest growing self-drive car sharing company, Revv," Koo said.

Hyundai Motor, which is the only automotive company among Revv's investors, will explore ways to support Revv's car sharing service, including the supply of car sharing products, the development of new mobility service platforms, and product marketing.

Commenting on the development, Revv co-founder Anupam Agarwal said the mobility industry is going through a dramatic shift globally, with the bulk of the innovation still to come.

"We want to be at the forefront of creating innovative solutions that can meaningfully shape this shift, and Hyundai Motor will play a crucial part in this mission," he added.

The self-drive segment in the country has been showing exponential growth, expanding from USD 900 million in 2016 to USD 1.5 billion in 2018, and projected to expand to USD 2 billion by 2020.

India's 15,000 car sharing vehicles are expected to grow to 50,000 by 2020, and 150,000 by 2022, as per the company estimates.
India's cab-hailing service Ola on Monday started operations across South Wales to mark its UK launch.

The Bangalore-headquartered company began its services in Cardiff, Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan and said it will offer additional transportation options on its platform in the future to provide passengers with greater choice.

One of the world's largest ride-hailing platforms, which had announced the acquisition of a licence to operate in the region earlier this month, said it is the only cab-hailing app in South Wales to offer customers the option of private hire vehicles (PHVs) and official taxis on one "user-friendly" platform.

"This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that South Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey," said Ben Legg, Managing Director of

"Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in South Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service. We are determined to do a great job for the community and work closely with local authorities to help with their mobility goals," he said.

Legg added that passenger safety was at the heart of the Ola app, which had features to allow passengers to alert police and loved ones at the touch of a button, ensuring any concerns are "de-escalated and resolved quickly".

To celebrate its UK launch, Ola is offering customers a limited number of discounted rides to try out its new service. Customers can download the Ola app on Google Play or the iOS App Store and register for an account to begin booking rides, the company said.

ALSO READ: Delhi HC orders anonymous social network portal to remove posts against Ola

Ola said its aim was to lead the industry with its approach to passenger safety, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) screened drivers and processes such as 24/7 voice support, options to share ride details with emergency contacts and in-app emergency features.

The Indian company is working with local authorities across the UK to expand nationwide by the end of 2018 and has already obtained licences to operate in Greater Manchester. By incorporating local Black Cabs that operate on UK roads, Ola is aiming for a more diverse service than its rivals.

Ola's entry into the UK follows its launch in Australia in February 2018, where it now operates in seven major cities.

Over 40,000 drivers across Australia have registered since its launch in February and have completed millions of rides. Ola claims to conduct 1 billion rides each year globally, with more than 1 million drivers and 125 million customers in over 110 cities.

The company's main rival in the UK market, as in other markets, will be American giant Uber, which also operates a similar ride-hailing and sharing taxi service. However, Uber has come under some scrutiny in recent months over passenger safety and the treatment of its drivers. It has been banned from some UK cities and had to enter into a legal battle to keep its licence to operate in London.

Uber and Ola both have Japan's Softbank among their investors.
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Private equity firm TPG Capital is looking to buy a stake in the frequent-flyer loyalty programme of debt-laden carrier Jet Airways (India) Ltd, the Mint newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources. Jet has appointed Morgan Stanley to advise on the potential deal, Mint reported. The deal with TPG could value the loyalty programme, Jet Privilege Private Ltd, at $400 million, the newspaper said, adding that Jet continues to engage with Blackstone Group for a similar deal. The deal with Blackstone could value the programme between Rs 30 billion ($428.02 million) and Rs 40 ...
Traders' body CAIT on Monday said it has called a Bharat Bandh on September 28 to oppose US retail major Walmart's acquisition of Flipkart.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the deal has "violated Press Note No 3 of 2016 of Government and is a combination with a sinister design to control and dominate the retail trade through the passage of e-commerce".

He claimed that it will create an uneven level playing field and will wipe out the competition due to their business module, which entails predatory pricing, deep discounting and loss funding.

In a statement, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) also said it will launch a nation-wide Rath Yatra on September 15 against the deal.

The traders' body will also hold a mega rally in New Delhi on December 16 to protest "discriminatory treatment against traders".

The decisions were taken yesterday at the annual general meeting of CAIT held at Nagpur which was attended by over 200 prominent trade leaders across the country.

Walmart Inc on Saturday said it has completed deal with Flipkart and now holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian e-commerce major.

Besides, the Bentonville giant's investment includes $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business.

"The markets across the country will remain closed on 28 September while observing Bharat Trade Bandh and traders will take out protest march in their respective cities across the Country," CAIT said.

The commerce and industry ministry notifies FDI policies through press notes. Press Note 3, which was released in 2016, enlists guidelines for foreign direct investment in e-commerce sector.

It also claimed that no discounting is allowed and that no inventory ownership directly or indirectly is allowed by e-commerce marketplaces.
Reliance Group on Monday said its Chairman Anil Ambani has written to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the fighter jet deal saying his party has been "misinformed, misdirected and misled" by "malicious vested interests and corporate rivals" on the issue.

Ambani, who had first written to Gandhi on the issue in December, last week again wrote to him saying not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by his group for the 36 jets India is buying from France, the company said in a statement here.

Gandhi has been attacking the government for inking the deal at a much higher price than the one the previous UPA regime had negotiated. While he has accused the government of changing the deal to benefit "one businessman", his party has demanded a JPC probe into the deal.

"Allegations of Reliance benefitting by thousands of crores is a figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests," the company statement said, quoting from Ambani's letter. "Simply put, no contract exists with the Government of India."



French company Dassault, which is supplying the fighter jets, has entered into a joint venture with Reliance Group to meet its offset requirement of the contract.

Under defence offset, a foreign supplier of equipment agrees to manufacture a given percent of his product (in terms of value) in the buying country. Sometimes this may take place with technology transfer.

While direct offsets are linked to the original defence contact where companies often agree to transfer relevant technological know-how or use local suppliers to build the equipment they are selling to the government, indirect offsets have nothing to do with the deal and can include the company making up investments in local industries.

In case of deal, which will give new comer Reliance Group a foothold in the defence industry, the companies have not specified what components will they manufacturer in India.

Ambani in the letter expressed "deep anguish over continued personal attacks by Rahul Gandhi on him", the statement said. He termed all allegations as "baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate"



Explaining the role of Reliance in offset exports/ work share with Dassault, he said: "The Congress has been misinformed, misdirected and misled by malicious vested interests and corporate rivals."He said Rafale fighter jets are not being manufactured by Reliance of the Dassault Reliance joint venture. "All 36 planes are to be 100 per cent manufactured in France, and exported from France to India.""There is no contract from the Ministry of Defence to any Reliance Group company related to 36 Rafale aircraft," the statement said.

Ambani said his group's "role is limited to offset/ export obligations. More than 100 medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) will participate in this, along with public sector undertakings like BEL and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

"This role strengthens Indian manufacturing capabilities, and is in pursuance of the Offsets Policy introduced by the Congress-led UPA government itself from 2005 onwards."



He said Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defence manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, "months before the intention for the purchase of Rafale aircraft".
Former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday in connection with the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from different parts of the state between August 9 and 11, an official said.

Pangarkar was arrested under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he added.

Three persons -- Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar -- were arrested from Palghar and Pune districts on August 10 in connection with the seizure of bombs and weapons.

All three are in custody till August 28.

Pangarkar, a former member of the Jalna Municipal Corporation, was detained by the (CBI) last night in connection with the killing of anti-superstition activist Dabholkar.

sources had said Pangarkar's name had cropped up during the interrogation of Sachin Prakasrao Andure, the alleged main shooter in the Dabholkar murder case.

Andure, who was arrested by the from Pune last evening, was produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class A S Mujumdar at Shivajinagar today and remanded to the agency's custody till August 26.

The told the court that Andure was one of the two assailants who had shot at Dabholkar at the Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune on August 20, 2013.

Pangarkar, aged around 40, was detained after Andure told the CBI that he was with him when Dabholkar was killed, the sources said.

The former corporator was allegedly riding pillion on the motorcycle driven by Andure, they added.

Dabholkar (67) was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants on August 20, 2013, when he was on a morning walk near his home in Pune.

Andure was arrested on a tip-off from the Maharashtra ATS, which had arrested Raut, Kalaskar and Gondhalekar for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to carry out blasts in the state.

One of the arrested accused gave the input about Andure's involvement in Dabholkar's murder, which the shared with the CBI.

Dabholkar's murder case was transferred to the CBI from the Pune Police in 2014.
Prime Minister has sent a letter to his newly elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, conveying that India was looking for constructive and meaningful engagement with his country.

Modi noted that India was committed to peaceful neighbourly ties with Pakistan, official sources said, quoting from the letter.

The prime minister also stressed the need to work for a terror-free South Asia, they said.

The prime minister conveyed to Khan that India was looking for constructive and meaningful engagement with Pakistan, the sources said.

ALSO READ: Will improve ties with all neighbours: Pak PM Imran Khan in maiden speech

Khan was sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd prime minister on Friday.
No-frills airline on Monday said it would operate flights from the Kochi naval base from Tuesday, as domestic carriers look to provide more air connectivity to flood-ravaged Kerala.

A senior official at the civil aviation ministry said that Jet Airways is also planning to start operations from the naval base.

Alliance Air, part of group, on Monday started operations from the naval base. It is being used for commercial flights as Cochin International Airport is shut till August 26 due to flooding of the runway.



In a statement on Monday, said it would continue to operate eight round-trip relief flights from Kozhikode, Bengaluru, Coimbatore and Trivandrum.

This would be in addition to "flying three daily additional relief flights (round trip) from Kochi naval base effective August 21, 2018, to August 26, 2018", it added.



According to an official, Alliance Air on Monday operated four flights to and from the naval base and ferried around 256 passengers.

With heavy rains pounding the state, more than 200 people have lost their lives and over 724,000 people have been displaced in the last few days due to floods and landslips.



Last week, aviation regulator DGCA asked scheduled domestic airlines to mount additional flights in view of the closure of the Cochin airport.
A special court in Mumbai granted bail on Monday to Usha Ananthasubramanian, former managing director and CEO of Allahabad bank, in connection with the Rs 140-billion fraud at the (PNB).

Earlier this month, the court had taken cognisance of the sanction granted by the President to prosecute Ananthasubramanian in the case.

As per the procedure, when a court takes cognisance of the sanction, summons are issued to the accused to appear before the court.

Thereafter, the accused can move a bail application.

Accordingly, Ananthasubramanian appeared before special judge J C Jagdale and applied for bail, which was granted by the court.

The government had dismissed Ananathasubramanian on August 14.





ALSO READ: PNB Fraud: Govt sacks Usha Ananthasubramanian as Allahabad Bank chief

Three months ago, she was divested of her powers as MD and CEO of the Allahabad Bank following the country's biggest allegedly carried out by diamond jeweller and associates at the PNB.

Ananathasubramanian, who was the MD and CEO of the before moving to the Allahabad Bank, was named in the charge sheet in connection with the Rs 140-billion fraud through fake LoUs in connivance with some PNB employees.

It was alleged that she failed to exercise proper control over the functioning of the PNB while serving as the bank's managing director.

It enabled the fraud in the bank through misuse of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications), an international payment gateway for large transactions, at PNB's Brady House branch.

Ananthasubramanian had enjoyed leadership roles in the PNB in two stints. She headed the bank between August 2015 and May 2017, before moving to the Allahabad Bank. She was executive director at the bank from July 2011 to November 2013.



ALSO READ: PNB fraud: Allahabad Bank says Ananthasubramanian ceases to be MD & CEO

and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of about Rs 140 billion through issuance of fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs).

The Mumbai branch of the PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Modi since March 2011.

The total number of LoUs issued to the companies of Nirav Modi, his relatives and the Group were 1,213, and to Mehul Choksi, his relatives and the Gitanjali Group were 377.

Besides Anathasubramanian, the court had also taken cognisance of sanction for prosecution against former PNB executive director Sanjiv Sharan. He, too, was granted bail on Monday on similar ground.
Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, wanted in the Rs 135 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, is in the United Kingdom, the has confirmed, prompting the to seek his extradition, officials said on Monday.

According to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, the UK authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence in the country on Sunday through a mail on the basis of the diffusion notice issued against him by the probe agency to the

The official also said the sent an extradition request to the (MHA) on Monday.

"The Home Ministry has also been requested to move its extradition request to the Ministry of External Affairs and through the MEA to the UK authority."

Earlier on August 2, Minister of State for External Affairs informed Parliament that the government had sent a request to the UK for extraditing Nirav Modi.

On July 2, the had issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nirav Modi under money laundering charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Nirav Modi along with his uncle of the Gitanjali group is being probed in the fraud case by the and the

The had, on May 24 and May 26, filed prosecution complaints or chargesheets against Choksi and Modi.

The court has taken cognisance of the chargesheets and issued non-bailable warrants against both of them.

Nirav Modi left India along with his family in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the CBI. His wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and Choksi on January 4.
US technology giants plan to intensify lobbying efforts against stringent Indian data localisation requirements, which they say will undermine their growth ambitions in India, sources told Reuters. US trade groups, representing companies such as Amazon, American Express and Microsoft, have opposed India's push to store data locally. That push comes amid rising global efforts to protect user data but is one that could hit planned investments by the firms in the Indian market, where the companies currently have limited data storage. The issue could further undermine ...
China's rapidly ageing population which has touched 241 million, accounting for one-fifth of over 1.4 billion people in the world's most populous country, has sparked a fierce debate on who will foot their bills, the state media reported.

Ageing means pension contributions by workers no longer cover retiree benefits, forcing the Chinese government to fill that gap.

By standards, a country or region is considered to be an "aging society" when the number of people aged 60 or above comprises at least 10 per cent of the total population.

According to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the number of people aged 60 or older in China hit 241 million last year, accounting for 17.3 per cent of the country's population.

This number, according to the National Working Commission on Aging, is expected to touch 487 million, accounting for 34.9 per cent of the population, by 2050.

These data have sparked a debate in the state and social media about how to meet the costs of social welfare amounting to billions of dollars.

China's aging society resulted from increased life expectancy and a decreased fertility rate, Zhai Zhenwu, president of the School of Sociology and Population Studies at Renmin University of China said.

"Even if China abolished the family planning policy or enhanced efforts to boost fertility, the effect would be very limited on easing the pressure brought on by this aging society," he told the state-run Global Times.

According to World Bank analysis, life expectancy in China rose from 66 in 1979 to 76 in 2016, which means that older people are living longer.

According to the latest available data from the finance ministry, pension expenses rose 11.6 per cent to 2.58 trillion yuan ($409.4 billion) in 2016, leaving the government a 429.1 billion yuan tab to cover the shortfall.

That shortfall will reach 600 billion yuan this year and 890 billion yuan in 2020 if the system is not reformed, a report published in the South China Morning Post quoted Wang Dehua, a researcher at the Beijing-based National Academy of Economic Strategy, as saying.

China has been paying retirees with contributions made by the working population since it set up the current pension system in the early 1990s. The gap between money coming in and payments going out has been widening as more people retire and fewer join the workforce, the report said.

The communist giant in 2016 had ended its decades-old 'one child' policy and permitted couples to have two children with the declining number of young people and rising geriatric population in the country.

However, the response was not very encouraging due to high cost of living.

Last week two Chinese scholars proposed salary deductions for all under-40s to subsidise families with two children.

Their proposal included establishing a fertility fund where citizens under 40 would be required to annually contribute until they had two children, the Global Times report said.

This had outraged internet users, mostly made up of young and middle-aged people who shot back saying that that fines amassed from violators of family planning policies should instead be spent on the elderly.

China has collected about 25 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) in these annual "social maintenance fees".
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit on Monday paid tribute to late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said, the latter never let the party deviate from the path of its ideology.

Throwing light on Vajpayee's extraordinary career, BJP President Amit Shah said, "Atal Ji had a multifaceted personality. Besides being such a benign human being, he was a great poet, journalist and a politician who never let the party deviate from the path of its ideology."

Union Minister and senior Lok Janasakti Party (LLP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan noted, "The biggest trait of a politician is whether he has a good heart. He always made sure India remains his topmost priority."

The all-party prayer meeting in New Delhi on Monday in remembrance of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was attended by stalwarts across the political spectrum from BJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress and other parties alike.

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All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said, unless the Supreme Court decides on the Ayodhya issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot do anything about it.

The comment came as a reaction to a statement made by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, where he said, "People have faith that Supreme Court's judgment will come soon and obstacles in the constructions of Ram Mandir will be removed. Either the judgment will come soon or we will find a solution through dialogue. Third option of passing a law in the Parliament is also open."

Commenting on the same, Owaisi said, "They (BJP) have been failed on real issues like crashing economy, unemployment and security therefore they have come to speak about temple. They don't want to wait for the Supreme Court order. In a way this is contempt of Supreme Court. Unless the matter is decided by the Supreme Court they can't do anything constitutionally".

The Hyderabad MP also spoke on Congress member Navjot Sidhu hugging Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa during his recent visit to the country. He said, "Our Prime Minister also went to Nawaz Sharif's house uninvited, and hugged him. Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Modi hugged in Parliament also. Giving a hug has become the latest fashion these days; however I am not a fan of this fashion".

Owaisi also criticised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Hapur lynching case. He said, "Qasim was killed openly in Hapur, his killers confessed in a channels sting operation that they did not even let him drink water. What did the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister do about it? He may be Yogi of a temple, but first, he is the chief minister and has taken oath of the Constitution".

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has requested Interpol Manchester to detain fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, who is an accused in the Punjab Bank (PNB) scam, in the United Kingdom, as per sources.

Earlier in the day, the CBI said that the UK authorities had confirmed Modi is in their country. The CBI has also moved an extradition request to the UK to get Modi back to India.

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are accused of duping the PNB of nearly USD 2 billion, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

Earlier on July 2, the Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against Modi in connection with the multi-crore scam.

On June 28, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed that India requested a group of countries to deny entry to Modi. The ministry also sought assistance from some European countries including France, United Kingdom and Belgium to trace and restrict Modi's movements.

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Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government should allocate adequate financial aid for relief efforts in the state's Kodagu district.

While expressing his gratitude towards the Centre for dispatching the Army and the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for relief operations, the Congress leader said, "The Prime Minister has announced Rs 500 crore for Kerala. We expected at least Rs 100 crores to restructure Kodagu. We will request the central government for it."

"The Prime Minister should have come to Kodagu and at least conducted an aerial survey. We asked for the Army and the NDRF, which they sent, but they haven't sent any money. We will ask for it. It's our right," he added.

Parameshwara also stated that the official death count from the floods in the district stood at 7 with 4 others missing, adding that there may be a few more deaths.

Parameshwara further stated, "We have sent 150 toilets through the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), while the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has sent heavy machinery to pump out the waters."

He also mentioned that Rs 3 crore had been contributed by the BBMP towards relief efforts, while Rs 1 crore each was given by the BWSSB and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

"We have requested the Police and the Fire department to donate a day's salary, which is around 6 crore. We will rebuild the houses of those who lost theirs. We will also try to build 5000 prefabricated houses in one month. We will do this on priority," Parameshewara said.

While saying that most people didn't have documents, including Aadhar and other documents to verify their identity, Parameshwara said that the authorities were verifying their identities with the local residents and they were also keen to identify the Bangladesh nationals.

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Delhi's Patiala House Court on Monday granted bail to former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya in connection with the Disproportionate Assets (DA) case.

Vikramaditya was granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. The court has further listed the matter for hearing on September 19.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July filed a supplementary charge sheet against Vikramaditya in the case.

Earlier in February, the ED filed a supplementary charge sheet against Virbhadra, his wife, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, Life Insurance Corporation agent Anand Chauhan and two other co-accused Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach in the matter.

Virbhadra is accused of allegedly amassing assets worth Rs 6.1 crore disproportionate to his total income while he was serving as the union minister between 2009 and 2011.

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Defence Cooperation is a key pillar of the relationship between India and Japan, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after meeting Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera here on Monday.

The Prime Minister also called for strengthening various defence dialogue mechanisms between India and Japan and enhancing linkages between the armed forces of the two countries.

Recalling his long association with Japan before assuming the office in 2014 , Prime Minister Modi welcomed the broadening and deepening of the Special strategic and global partnership between the two countries in recent years.

The Japanese Defence Minister, who is on a two-day visit to India will also hold discussions with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman later in the day.

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A new law has been approved by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to tighten the government's control over the internet.

Aimed at combating extremism, the Anti-Cyber and Information Technology Crimes legislation bans the "promotion of the ideas of terrorist organisations", CNN reported.

The new law, which was signed on Saturday, also allows authorities to block websites deemed by judges as threatening to national security.

It also prohibits the dissemination of information on the movement of security forces, while also imposing strict punishments for hacking government information systems, according to the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper.

Fattah el-Sisi's government has been criticised for blocking critical voices in the media and scrubbing digital content ever since it came into power in 2014.

Nearly 500 websites have already been blocked in Egypt since May 2017, according to the Cairo-based Association of Freedom of Thought and Expression.

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The Supreme Court on Monday set August 27 as the date for further hearing in the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) case.

FGM or 'khatna' is a process involving the removal of skin from the clitoral hood of women of at an age between six and 12. It is generally practiced in the Dawoodi Bohra community.

The lawyer appearing for Dawoodi Bohra community told the three-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, that it the tradition had been prevalent for the last 1,400 years.

He also argued that there is no gender discrimination in it, as the males of the community are also made to undergo the procedures of genital mutilation.

The Apex Court said that Constitutional ideological principles will be followed and that they will scrutinise the health hazards due to this practice.

The court also observed that the lawyer's argument of the practice being 1,400 years old was baseless; adding that they will see it from a constitutional angle and decide whether this kind of tradition is actually a part of a religion or it was just to please the males of the community.

The United Nations General Assembly had passed a resolution in December 2012, wherein it banned the practice of FGM.

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Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani on Monday said that he considers himself fortunate as his friendship with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee lasted for 65 years.

Addressing the all-party prayer meet for Vajpayee, Advani said, "I consider myself fortunate that my friendship with Atal Ji lasted for 65 years during which I watched him closely. Working together, we shared our experiences, watched films together and read books together. He was also a great cook; he had cooked for me many times."

"I have addressed several public meetings but I had never thought that I will once have to address a meeting like this, a meeting where Atal Ji would not be there," he added.

Advani also expressed his happiness over the presence of several Opposition leaders at the prayer meet and said, "Although the fact that not just people who knew him, worked with him are present here, but leaders from several parties are in attendance makes me happy."

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat also lauded Vajpayee for his "loving and caring nature, despite being in politics".

"Atal ji's words and his life, be it someone who watched him closely or from far, everyone found him to be the same and believed in him. The work he had been involved in, which was a sapling back then, has now become a tree and everyone is reaping benefits from it. His life is an example for every Swayamsevak of the Sangh," he added.

A host of political leaders and other eminent personalities attended the prayer meet. Apart from Vajpayee's daughter Namita Bhattacharya and granddaughter Niharika, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, Union Minister Rajnath Singh were some of the notable attendees.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Communist Party of India leader D. Raja and Yoga guru Ramdev were also present at the occasion.

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Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi was honoured with this year's Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavna Award for promoting communal harmony and peace. The award was presented on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"We have all gathered to remember someone who grew up in the political circles and was destined to be a politician later on. Rajiv Gandhi's good faith on everyone was spontaneous and not a show-off," Gandhi said during accepting the award.

Praising Gopalkrishna Gandhi, prime minister of two consecutive terms Dr Manmohan Singh said, "Over the years, he has been a liberal voice of sanity and reason, epitomising India's glorious tradition of secularism, tolerance, and respect for diversity."

"Today's function is a celebration of Shri (Rajiv) Gandhi's outstanding contribution to the promotion of peace, integration and communal harmony. The values Rajiv ji lived and worked throughout his life were essentially the values that define India's nationhood," Manmohan Singh further said during the event.

Emphasising on how Rajiv Gandhi's prudent outlook benefitted the Indians, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi said, "Although his political career was a brief one, he gave a new direction to our economy. He led the foundations for India's entry into the 21st century with his focus on Information Technology, Telecommunications, and computers. He almost single-handedly changed the structure of our polity, by the constitutional empowerment of Panchayats and Nagar Palikas through reservation for women."

Hailing Gopalkrishna Gandhi as an eloquent and uncompromising champion on the values that Indians take immense pride in, Sonia added, "By conferring him the award, we collectively express our resolve to oppose the ideologies that reject the composite essence of India and to fight the forces of divisiveness, hate, and bigotry."

Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, to former prime minister Indira Gandhi and Feroz Gandhi.

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In a case of medical negligence, a sweeper gave stitches to a patient in Gujarat's Baruch Civil Hospital. The matter came to light after the video of the incident surfaced on social media on Sunday.

Taking note of the matter, the resident medical officer (RMO) of the hospital assured action in the incident. "We are investigating the case and once it is complete, we will inform the higher authorities. Action will be taken accordingly," RMO S. R. Patel told ANI.

In the video, the class four employee of the hospital was seen giving stitches to a man, despite nurses and a doctor being present at the scene.

The sweeper in question was involved in a similar incident three months ago when he was filmed giving stitches to another patient.

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Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh for next 48 hours, informed Dr. K. Nagarathnam, Scientist 'D' at the Meteorological Department, Hyderabad.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "In next 48 hours coastal Andhra Pradesh will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in most of the districts. Under the influence of upper air cyclonic circulation, in next 48 hours Telangana state will also receive widespread rainfall in all the parts of the state."

Scientist Nagarathnam also talked about the latest rainfall pattern in the region and the reason behind it. He said, "Northern coastal area of Andhra Pradesh received heavy rainfall in last 24hours due to the low-pressure area lying in Odisha, West Bengal and its adjoining areas in North West Bay of Bengal. West Godavari, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and some parts of Krishna and Guntur districts have received heavy rainfall".

Andhra Pradesh's neighbouring state Karnataka and southern coastal state of Kerala have been facing flooding and landslide issues due to torrential rains. As much as 357 people have lost their lives in Kerala due to incessant rains.

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Seems like fans are not very happy with the latest trailer of 'Ralph Breaks the Internet', particularly with the representation of Disney's first black princess Tiana.

In the trailer, Vanellope von Schweetz meets the iconic Disney princesses, from Cinderella to Mulan to Moana to Princess Tiana, in one place.

The controversy arises when Princess Tiana from 'The Princess and the Frog' is presented in a new style, reported Deadline. Apparently the princess' skin tone is lightened, hair style is changed, and the facial features are altered.

The representation of hair is very crucial for black women, not only for cosmetic purposes. "Black hair is complicated, political, and not something one thread on Twitter can explain," said author and cartoonist C. Spike Trotman. Trotman further gave tips, including basic information about black women's hair, which could be helpful in the future for Disney, animators, cartoonists, and others.

Trotman tweeted, "Black Hair for Non-Black Artists: a Cheat Sheet Thread.

Hi, folks! Just spur-of-the-moment decided to put together some reference for folks who want to draw/model black characters in their work, but aren't confident they won't make simple, obvious mistakes w/r/t black hair."

Trotman further added, "Black people can have any hair texture, but what's commonly considered "black hair" is hair that's tightly coiled, with each individual hair shaft looking like a Slinky. These Slinky-hairs interlocking with lots of space between them is what gives black hair so much volume."

Many fans have taken to Twitter to comment on the look of Princess Tiana in the trailer saying that she isn't properly representing black women.

A user said, "Y'all don't understand how important Princess Tiana is to Black girls," said one Twitter user. "We finally had a Disney princess that looked like us, and now, she doesn't. They gave her Eurocentric features and turned her into a racially ambiguous woman. It's a no from me, dawg."

"I was very excited for this film and I still am. But I cannot look away from this. So I fixed it," tweeted a disappointed fan.

Another fan tweeted, "In today's edition of "you tried it," Disney decided to reinforce colorism by lightening Princess Tiana's skin in #RalphBreaksTheInternet. Tiana was a dark skin Black woman in Princess and the Frog, now she has light skin and Eurocentric features. What happened to her wide nose?"

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Addressing the concluding session of 11th Hindi Conference in Port Louis , the Acting President of Mauritius Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory said that the Hindi will strengthen peace.

Vyapoory further said that the present state of Hindi is very encouraging and it will find rightful place in the United Nations as seventh recognised language.

Minister Mentor, Minister of Defence and Minister of Rodrigues of Mauritius, Sir Anerood Jugnauth said that language and culture are not separate, hence language is essential to keep culture alive.

Jugnauth also said that Mauritius will do its level best to propagate and spread Hindi.

India's Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar thanked the participants, saying that Hindi is very popular in many parts of the and it is silently moving ahead.

External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj, Governor of Goa Mridula Sinha, West Bengal's Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and many other ministers from India and Mauritius were present in the concluding session.

Swaraj also addressed the people at the Hindi Conference and provided OCI cards to 10 Mauritian nationals with Indian ancestry, including to the wife of the Mentor Minister, Lady Sarojini Jugnauth and to the Education Minister Leela Devi Dookun.

Talking about the event, Swaraj said, "An event is not measured by its size but by its importance."

She further said that she wanted to organise this event and give the OCI cards to people on August 16, but could not due to the passing away of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Mauritius is the first country to have the privilege of the OCI cards

On last day of the conference, recommendations upon deliberations were held on 'Hindi World and Indian Culture' and eight sub topics which were read out during the conference.

Eminent Scholars, academicians, teachers and institutions working for Hindi in India and across the world were also felicitated.

More than 2000 delegates across the world attended three-day conference. The World Hindi Conference was started in 1975 to propagate and spread Hindi language around the world.

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The India Gold Policy Centre (IGPC), IIM Ahmedabad won an award for Outstanding Contribution to Gold Policy Research in 2017-18 at the 15th India International Gold Convention recently held in Kochi. The award was received by Professor Arvind Sahay, Chairman of IGPC, along with his team, on behalf of the Centre.

The convention, that was held at Le Meridien Convention Centre, saw around 400 delegates representing different sections of the gold industry from India and abroad, trade organizations, financial institutions and policy experts holding deliberations over policy and trade matters related to gold ecosystem.

The gathering consisted of 11 bullion banks, 6 nominated banks, 6 international refiners, 25+ domestic refiners, leading jewellery manufacturers from India, official / trade representatives from Canada, Peru, Ghana, Liberia, Myanmar and Singapore.

"We are honored to have received this award. IGPC has been doing extensive research work in the field since its inception. IGPC has organized two policy workshops and an academic research conference in the past 3 years. IGPC has published several papers on research studies undertaken by faculty and doctoral students of IIMA or other institutions funded by the Centre. We have a brilliant team and this award is testimony of the hard work we put in," said Prof. Arvind Sahay, Chairman at IGPC.

The convention was organized by Foretell Solutions where IGPC participated as a 'Research Partner'. Prof. Arvind Sahay addressed the delegates on 'Mapping Gold Policy-Present to Future'.

The India Gold Policy Centre, a part of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), is a Centre of excellence sponsored by World Gold Council (WGC). A pioneer Think tank in global gold industry, the Centre was set up in 2014 and aimed towards conducting cutting-edge research on all aspects of the Indian gold industry. It was established as a result of a collaboration between the World Gold Council and IIMA.

The objective of the Centre is to develop insights into important questions relating to the gold industry. These include, but are not limited to, the role of the significant stocks of gold India owns that can be used to advance growth, employment, social inclusion and economic wealth of the nation, bullion banking, consumer participation in GMS, refining, etc. Located within the premises of the IIMA, the Centre connects closely with practice and was set up in line with the Institute's vision to connect with industry as an important stakeholder.

IGPC operates on various levels and conducts several activities under its aegis. These include carrying out high quality research, producing an annual gold policy report, disseminating research through a variety of channels including media outreach, participation in industry conferences, roundtable discussions and/or authored articles etc. It also engages with the government and policy makers about the role of gold in the financial architecture and gem and jewellery industry. It focuses on developing case studies on the role of gold in the financial system and society.

One of the Centre's projects is to build relationships with other leading management institutions and global institutions on gold industry research, including WGC's other global research initiatives. From time to time, it undertakes multi-disciplinary, thematic and applied research in several key areas relating to the use of gold as a fungible financial asset in India.

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Hours after Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi made a statement claiming India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan indicating beginning of a dialogue between the two nations, his office denied the minister had made such a statement and blamed Indian media for misquoting him.

"Foreign Minister had not stated that 'the Indian Prime Minister had made an offer of a dialogue', but had said that the Indian Prime Minister in his letter to Prime Minister, Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, had also mentioned something similar to what the Foreign Minister elucidated earlier i.e. that the way forward was only through constructive engagement. The Foreign Minister was also briefed about the same positivity and constructive environment prevailing during the meeting of the former Minister of Law & Information with the Indian External Affairs Minister during his visit to India on 18 August 2018 to attend the funeral of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee," said Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal in a statement.

"Pakistan looks forward to a mutually beneficial, uninterrupted dialogue with India to resolve all issues. Any attempts to instigate controversy and vitiate the environment are counter-productive and against the spirit of responsible journalism," the statement added.

However, a video on Geo TV still shows Qureshi making that statement. "Mujhe abhi Foreign Secretary ne muttala kiya ki Hindustan ke Wazir-e-Azam ka kal khat aaya, jis me unhone Imran Khan sahab ko mubarakbaad pesh ki hai. Unhone guft-o-shunid ke raaaste ke aaghaz ka paigam diya hai. (The Foreign secretary just informed me that we received a letter from the Prime Minister of India yesterday, in which he congratulated Imran Khan. He also gave a message of paving the path for a dialogue.)," he said.

The claims made by the Foreign Minister about the letter were also denied by sources in India, and they emphasised that there was no fresh proposal for resumption of dialogue between the two countries. Sources in India said, "Prime Minister wrote to the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, on 18 August congratulating him on his assumption of charge. He expressed the belief that the smooth transition of Government in Pakistan would strengthen and cement people's belief in democracy. He recalled their telephone conversation, in which they spoke of their shared vision to bring peace, security and prosperity in the Indian subcontinent, in order to make it free of terror and violence, and to focus on development," sources said.

"Prime Minister expressed India's commitment to build good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region," sources added.

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Canadian Formula One driver Robert Wickens, who met with an accident during the early stages of the IndyCar Pocono race, has been admitted to the hospital with severe orthopaedic injuries.

The IndyCar driver was competing in ABC Supply 500 Series when he got bumped while trying to overtake another driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay on lap six.

Giving out the further details of the accident, an official statement of the IndyCar said that the medical authorities are further evaluating the condition of the racer.

"Rookie Robert Wickens was awake and alert before being transported by helicopter for further observation at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the hospital with orthopaedic injuries and undergoing further evaluation," the statement read.

The race was restarted following a two-hour delay after race workers cleared the track and fixed the busted fence. Ex-Formula One racer Alexander Rossi later emerged victorious in the race.

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The body of a woman and her three children were found in Giridih district on August 18.

Police suspect that the woman Jubaida Khatoon (32) and her three sons --Mozmil (11), Mozsir (9) and Danish (7) -- allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a well over domestic violence.

The incident took place in Nimadih village under Rajdhanwar police station.

Speaking to ANI, Rajdhanwar police station in-charge Kamlesh Prasad said that "the bodies have been recovered and sent for post-mortem. An FIR has been registered against the husband of the deceased."

"A case has been registered on the plea of the deceased's father who claimed that the woman was tortured by her in-laws since many years. Further investigations are underway in the matter." Prasad added.

Following the incident, Jubaida's husband Manowar Ansari and other family members have been missing.

Meanwhile, accusing the in-laws for the deaths, Jubaida's relative Alauddin alleged that she was tortured for last 15 years of her married life.

"On Saturday (August 18) at around 6 pm, Jubaida's in-laws informed us that she and her children were missing. On the one hand, we along with villagers were frantically searching for them. On the other hand, the in-laws misguided us about her whereabouts; we were upset since it was getting dark," Alauddin told ANI.

"Villagers found their bodies around 11 pm, and kept the bodies beside the well. Soon after the police were informed, Jubaida's husband and in-laws went missing," he added.

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Bollywood star Katrina Kaif has treated her fans with a picture from Malta, where she is shooting for her much-anticipated film 'Bharat'.

In the picture she shared on social media, the 35-year-old looks fresh as a daisy with her hair styled into glamorous beachy waves. She captioned the photo, "Malta".

While 'Bharat' went on floors in July, Katrina began her first schedule last week. Salman Khan had begun shooting for his second schedule of the film in the European island country earlier this month.

After Priyanka Chopra walked out of the film, the 'Zero' star was roped in to play the lead, opposite Salman. The film also stars Tabu and Disha Patani in pivotal roles.

'Bharat' is set to have a character-driven story spanning across many periods and will be shot across exotic locations in Malta and Abu Dhabi, besides Punjab and Delhi in India.

Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the flick is slated to hit theatres on June 5, next year.

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A day after air traffic to and from Kerala's Cochin International Airport was completely halted due to flash floods, the first commercial flight landed at Kochi Naval Air Station on Monday.

The Alliance Air flight, a subsidary of Air India, took off from Bengaluru and landed at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station.

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu took to social media and congratulated Air India for the development.

"Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with 70+ passengers".

Pleased over the resumption of the commercial flight operation in the state, Commanding Officer INS Garuda, Commodore R. R. Iyer told ANI, "It is a historic day as the airport is back into civil operations. Substantial work is being done to ensure all facilities are available and support is given for aircrafts to operate."

"We have segregated parking bays so that unhindered operations take place," he added.

Further assuring that more destinations will be a part of the operations, Prabhu tweeted, "The @airindiain flight landed at INS Garuda will take off to Bangalore at 9:15 am today. More destinations such as Coimbatore, Madurai are also in the pipeline. Other airlines are likely to join this effort too. All possible steps are being taken #KeralaFloods".

Kerala has been facing the worst flooding in a century. On Saturday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan confirmed that the death toll due to the floods has increased to 357. He added that the state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge.

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Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, along with the Foreign Affairs Minister Taro Kono, on Monday, extended their condolences over the devastating floods that have ravaged Kerala and parts of Karnataka.

"We would like to inform you that in the wake of the flooding and damages caused by widespread heavy rain which has hit southern states of India, including Kerala, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr.Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, sent messages respectively to H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, and H.E. Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister, which extend condolences to the affected people and wishes for rapid recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas and convey Japan's readiness to provide any assistance," read a statement from the Embassy of Japan.

Meanwhile, the Japanese ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu also issued a statement, saying, "I am deeply saddened by the news of tragic loss of many innocent lives and thousands of people being forced out of their homes due to the recent heavy rainfall, widespread flooding and landslides in various states, especially the State of Kerala."

"On behalf of the people of Japan, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the people of India. Our thoughts and sincere prayers are with the people of India and the unfortunate victims, especially those who lost their near and dear ones, in this difficult time. Japan is ready to provide any assistance when needed by the Government of India," he added.

As many as 357 people have lost their lives in the worst floods in over a century in Kerala so far, with the state incurring a loss to the tune of Rs 19,512 crore.

Also, incessant rains since August 14 have lashed Karnataka, resulting in landslides and flooding in many parts of the state. Over 11,000 houses have been damaged, with at least seven people having been killed and a further four missing.

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The Government of Maldives on Monday extended help to India by donating USD 50,000 for the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit southern state of Kerala.

"At this time of national distress, the Government of Maldives conveys profound sympathies to the Government and the people of India, in particular to those directly affected by the tragedy, as well as commiserations to the members of the bereaved families," read the statement issued by the Government of Maldives.

A many as 357 people lost their lives in India's Kerala state so far. Kerala has been hit by the worst flooding in a century. The deluge has also caused a loss to the tune of Rs 19,512 crore to the southern state.

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Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali has decided to donate his one-month salary to flood-hit Kerala state.

As a gesture of support, Telangana Home Minister, Nayani Narshimha Reddy also handed over a cheque of Rs 25 crore to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.

Apart from this, the Telangana administration has also airlifted 50 R.O machines worth Rs 2.5 crore to Kerala from Begumpet to facilitate drinking water.

The aid was announced by the Telangana Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday.

Various states across the nation have come forward to help rain-battered Kerala in its hour of need.

While Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered an aid of Rs 15 crore from the Uttar Pradesh Relief Fund, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu have offered a contribution of Rs 10 crore each. The states of Jharkhand and Odisha also announced a financial help of Rs 5 crore. Patnaik on Sunday announced an additional financial assistance of Rs. 5 crores for the massive flooding in Kerala from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF). Patnaik has also ordered 500 metric ton of polythene sheets worth about Rs. 8 crores for the southern state.

The calamity has also grabbed global attention. Even the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took note of the issue and formed a committee to provide relief to the affected people.

Kerala has been facing the worst flooding in a century. Kerala Chief Minister confirmed on Saturday that the death toll due to the floods has increased to 357. He added that the state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge.

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Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Monday called a review meeting to take stock of the Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, and decided to donate a month's salary for relief measures.

Senior officials of the upper house and Vice President Secretariat I.V. Subba Rao also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, various other states leaders have announced monetary help for Kerala, which has been reeling under acute flood situation.

The Centre has also launched massive rescue operations in the state, along with Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a relief fund of Rs. 500 crore to the state, in addition to the financial assistance of Rs 100 crore, announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

This flood is being considered as the worst flood in Kerala's history in 140 years, claiming at least 357 lives.

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Terming the demand for his resignation over the Muzaffarpur shelter home case baseless, Bihar's Urban Development and Housing minister Suresh Sharma on Monday said that fromer Bihar Deputy CM and Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav should first look within.

"My department (urban development and housing) has nothing to do the Muzaffarpur shelter home case. The demand for my resignation is completely baseless. I have nothing to do with this incident. Tejashwi Yadav should look within first. He has been charge-sheeted in many cases and summons have been issued against him," he told ANI.

Clarifying further, the Member of Legislative Assembly from Muzaffarpur said, "I am only an MLA from the city where the incident happened. People are trying to find a link to drag me into this incident. If being an MLA of a constituency is the basis of demanding resignation, then there have been four recent murders in his (Tejashwi Yadav) constituency and he should resign first".

Sharma also informed about a legal notice for defamation sent by him to Tejashwi Yadav. He said, "Politics is not my occupation. My character is well-known in Muzaffarpur and whole of Bihar. I am very sad about the charges being levied upon me. We have also sent a court notice for defamation to him (Tejashwi Yadav) and are awaiting a reply before taking further action. I am in politics for social work only. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry is already underway if they have any proof they should put it in court. I have full faith that CBI will reveal all the real facts of this case".

On August 18, RJD leader Tejashwi had tweeted, "I demand Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to drop another Minister immediately who has close relation with main culprit Brajesh Thakur in Muzaffarpur shelter home. Better Nitish Ji and Sushil Modi sack him otherwise again we will make another Minister resign.

Rest you know what I am talking about".

He later took name and intensified his attack on Muzaffarpur MLA Suresh Sharma.

Earlier today, an FIR was registered against Bihar's former Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma and her husband Chandrakant Verma under Arms Act, in relation to Muzaffarpur Shelter home case.

Over a month ago, Mumbai based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) uncovered the Muzaffarpur shelter home case in which over 40 inmates have been allegedly sexually exploited. 11 employees of the shelter home were arrested later and a further investigation is being carried by CBI.

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By Trend





Russia and Azerbaijan are planning to sign a big package of documents in the near future, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference Aug. 20.

He noted that the package will include documents on cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres.

"This package of documents will set a fundamental approach to economic cooperation. We primarily aim to increase our trade turnover; in 2017, it amounted to about $2.6 billion. We hope for its further growth," the diplomat said.

Bocharnikov said both countries also intend to continue to develop cooperation in industry, transportation and a number of other sectors of economy.

"Soon we will witness the creation of joint ventures with participation of Russian capital, which will create the foundation for our further rapprochement," the ambassador said.

He also noted that the work of the business councils of the two countries, in which the chairmen were replaced, has intensified recently.

"Our economic cooperation will get a new impetus until the end of the year," Bocharnikov said.

The decision to establish the Russia-Azerbaijan Business Council was made in 2015 at the 15th meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council was established in 2016. The last meeting of the business councils in the expanded format was held in December 2017.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover with Russia in January-July 2018 amounted to $1.3 billion. Russia accounts for 7.89 percent of the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan.
The Chief Ministers of the Northern States on Monday unanimously decided to set up a common secretariat in Punchkula to tackle the issue of drug menace in their respective states.

The announcement was made by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar after a meeting along with the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also attended the meeting through video conferencing.

The Chief Ministers also decided to be more proactive and spend more resources to fight the problem, spread awareness, and prevent people from falling prey to drugs.

"We have decided to come up with strategies to deal with the raging problem. We will set up a common secretariat in Panchkula, every state will appoint one nodal office for this. There will be a meeting of all Chief Ministers every six months, and an officer level meeting every three months," said Khattar while addressing the media after the meeting.

"The Chief Secretary / Director Generals of Police of the concerned States, Senior Superintendents of Police of the adjoining districts of the various states would also coordinate on a day to day level," added the Haryana Chief Minister.

He also said that Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and senior officials or authorities from Jammu and Kashmir would also be asked to join in the next meeting to find a solution to the common problem.

The meeting was also attended by senior civil and police officers from Rajasthan, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

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In his maiden speech after taking over as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan on late Sunday night said that it is important to change the direction of the country or else it will head towards disaster.

Addressing the country, the new Prime Minister said, "If we do not change our direction we will head towards disaster."

Further hitting out at the corrupt politicians of the country, he said that his government will fix the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). "The corrupt people will make a lot of noise when we target them. They might come onto the streets or say that democracy is under threat. Either Pakistan will be saved or these corrupt people," he added.

Underlining the economic condition of Pakistan, Khan said that it is essential to create investment opportunities for overseas Pakistanis.

He also pledged to make a high-powered task force to recover money stashed out of Pakistan 'illegally', saying that the people indulged in such acts are the real criminals of the country.

The 22nd Pakistan Prime Minister further stressed on improving the health care system and condition of government schools in the country.

Further raising concern on the cases of child abuse in the country, Khan assured strict action against the perpetrators and also pitched for better law and order situation in the country.

"I am happy about the change in the police system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This was a major reason for our election victory in the province. Nasir Durrani will be given an advisory in the Punjab cabinet to fix the police in the province. We will work with the Sindh government to also do this," Khan said.

Khan, 65, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, took oath as the Prime Minister of the country on August 18.

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United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is likely to visit Pakistan on September 5 to meet newly sworn-in Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and discuss issues on mutual interests, The Dawn quoted diplomatic and official sources as saying.

Pompeo, who would make a brief stopover in Islamabad, would likely be the first foreign dignitary to meet Khan, who took oath as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan on Saturday, the paper quoted sources as saying.

The US Secretary of State, who will hold talks with Pakistani officials, will likely deliberate on efforts to revive the strained relations between Washington and Islamabad and ask for Pakistan's support and cooperation to re-start the US-led Afghan peace process, sources added.

After the meeting, Pompeo would leave for New Delhi on September 6 to attend the 2+2 dialogue.

Pompeo is likely to be accompanied by Alice Wells, who heads the Bureau for South Asian affairs at the State Department.

On August 14, Pompeo, in a special message to Pakistan on their Independence Day, said that he wishes to improve and bolster bilateral relations between the two countries.

He was quoted by Geo News as saying, "The US hopes to further strengthen ties with Pakistan in the years ahead and work with its people and government to advance shared goals of security, stability and prosperity in South Asia."

"For more than seven decades, the relationship between the US and Pakistan has rested on the strong foundation of close ties between our two peoples", Pompeo added.

After Khan took oath as the Pakistan prime minister on Saturday, US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said that Washington is looking forward to work with the new government.

"For over 70 years, the relationship between the United States and Pakistan has been a vital one. The United States looks forward to working with Pakistan's new civilian government to promote peace and prosperity in Pakistan and the region," Nauert said.

The relations between the US and Pakistan strained in January this year, when US President Donald Trump slammed Pakistan in a tweet, saying that the country gave "safe haven" to the terrorists and is not taking steps to tackle terrorism, following which Trump suspended the military aid to Pakistan.

"The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!," Trump had tweeted.

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On the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi's 74th birth anniversary, Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh remembered the seventh Prime Minister as a true visionary and a mass leader.

The 39-year-old took to his Twitter handle, writing, "Remembering Bharat Ratna Shri #RajivGandhi ji on his birth anniversary today. Mass leader & a true visionary. Your work will forever inspire us sir.... ???????? #SadbhavnaDivas #RememberingRajiv"

Alongside, he uploaded pictures of his late father and politician Vilasrao Deshmukh with Gandhi.

Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi represented Uttar Pradesh's Amethi parliamentary constituency four times. He assumed office as the prime minister after the assassination of his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

The youngest Prime Minister of India was assassinated in a suicide bombing at Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, and was later cremated at Veer Bhumi, on the banks of the river Yamuna.

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Hollywood actor Danny DeViton will be honoured for his career achievements at the 66th edition of the San Sebastian Festival.

The actor will be awarded on September 22, where he will also present his new film 'smallfoot'.

The Hollywood Reporter quoted the statement of festival organiser saying that the award recognises a career of about five decades of acting in theater, film, and television, and presenting stories as actor, producer and director.

The Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner is known for his roles in films like 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', 'Terms of Endearment', 'Romancing The Stone', 'The War of the Roses', 'Tin Men and Ruthless People'.

DeVito has also voiced animated characters in films like Hercules, The Lorax, and Space Jam.

The 66th edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival will be held from September 21-29.

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Delhi's Patiala House Court on Monday granted permission to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to visit Geneva, Switzerland, to meet the family of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away on August 18.

Tharoor is an accused in his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death case. The court had earlier barred him from foreign travel without prior permission.

The court also allowed him to visit the United Nations Headquarters to seek aid for Kerala floods after an urgent application was moved by senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Gaurav Gupta, representing Tharoor.

Annan's death was earlier confirmed by his family and foundation on his official Twitter handle.

On May 14, the Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet in the court, naming Tharoor as an accused, under Sections 306 (Abetment of suicide) and 498A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Tharoor, however, had dismissed the charge sheet as "preposterous".

Sunanda was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a suite of a five-star hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.

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The Special Cell of Delhi Police has on Monday arrested both the accused in the connection with attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid outside Constitution Club of India.

The accused, identified as Naveen Dalal and Darvesh Shapur, will be produced before the Patiala House Court in Delhi tomorrow.

Khalid was attacked on August 13 outside Constitution Club of India here, where he was supposed to speak at an event. Khalid escaped unhurt.

Khalid was scheduled to speak at an event titled - 'Towards a Freedom Without Fear', organised by United Against Hate Initiative.

According to an eyewitness, who identified himself as Khalid Shafi, "A man in white shirt pushed Khalid down on the ground and fired on him, while he was standing at a tea stall outside the Constitution Club. The shot missed him and the gunman fled from the spot leaving behind his pistol as people standing near Khalid rushed towards him."

Few hours after the attack, the JNU student activist sought protection from the Delhi police.

"I have received threats in the past too, but this was the first time there was an assassination attempt. I have sought police protection now," Khalid told ANI after recording his statement with the police.

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The United Kingdom (UK) authorities have confirmed that fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi who is an accused in the Punjab Bank (PNB) scam, is in their country, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Monday.

The CBI has moved an extradition request to the UK to get Modi back to India.

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are accused of duping the PNB of nearly USD 2 billion, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

Earlier on July 2, the Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against Modi in connection with the multi-crore scam.

On June 28, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed that India has requested a group of countries to deny entry to Modi. The ministry also sought assistance from some European countries including France, United Kingdom and Belgium to trace and restrict Modi's movements.

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Usman Buzdar was elected as the new chief minister of Punjab province, defeating his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) rival Hamza Shehbaz with a slender margin.

While Buzdar garnered 186 votes in the Punjab assembly, Shehbaz managed 159 votes. After his victory, the newly elected chief minister pledged to root out all perennial problems in the Punjab province.

Buzdar was quoted by Geo News as saying, "My merit is that I am from the most impoverished region of Punjab. We will develop the underdeveloped areas [of Punjab] and sustain the developed regions."

He elucidated that he would focus on ensuring good governance, tackling corruption and strengthening of state institutions and local bodies, while adding that he would take Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah's vision to greater heights.

The PTI leader further said that he would bring the "Khyber Pakhtunkhwa model" of development to Punjab province.

Buzdar made headlines after media reports emerged that he had allegedly paid blood money to settle a murder case.

The newly elected Punjab chief minister and his father were in a legal soup for plotting a murder, wherein six men were killed in a firing during the 1998 elections. Reports citing sources disclosed that more than 20 people were involved in the incident, who had started indiscriminate firing during Buzdar's poll campaigning, The News International reported.

A court had declared Buzdar and others guilty in connection with the murder case. However, the Punjab chief minister nominee and his father allegedly paid Rs. 7,50,000 as a settlement, following which the charges against them were dropped.

However, Buzdar himself rejected the allegations against him, terming it as 'propaganda' and said that the murder charges against him were 'fake'. Buzdar's brother also rebuffed the claims, saying they were 'baseless'.

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Remembering former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his prayer meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that whenever someone cornered India on the Kashmir issue, it was the former who changed the narrative.

"Whenever someone tried to corner India on the Kashmir issue, it was Vajpayee Ji who changed the narrative. His far-sightedness helped other countries realise that who actual sponsors of terrorism were. It was because of him terrorism became an important issue at the world stage," the Prime Minister said while recalling the legacy of Vajpayee's foreign policy.

Further praising the veteran leader, the Prime Minister said that Vajpayee dedicated his entire life for the people of the country.

"Atal Ji's was a life for the people of India. In his youth itself he decided that he wants to serve his fellow Indians. He entered when only one party held sway over the political discourse. Atal Ji spent several years in Opposition. Not once did he compromise on his ideology. He distinguished himself as a Parliamentarian and was proud of our Parliamentary traditions," he added.

Highlighting Vajpayee's contribution in the development of the country, Prime Minister Modi said "Atal Ji's efforts ensured Indian became a nuclear power." "He attributed the tests of 11th May 1998 to the brilliance of our scientists. Two days later, India tested again & showed what a strong political leadership can do. He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all," the Prime Minister added.

Besides Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh also lauded the great leader and said that Vajpayee would have been equally revered even if he had not become the country's Prime Minister.

"I think he would have been immensely popular in the same way, had he worked in the social or political sectors. Personalities like Vajpayee didn't need to be popular by being the prime minister," Singh said.

Vajpayee, the country's 10th prime minister, breathed his last on August 18 at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after a prolonged illness.

The 93-year-old, who led the Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to become India's Prime Minister.

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By Azernews





By Sara Israfilbayova

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan will hold next auction on privatization of state property on September 18, where 172 state objects will be put up for sale.

The auction will offer 23 joint-stock companies, 88 small state enterprises, 52 non-residential areas and nine vehicles.

Joint-stock companies are mainly located in Yevlakh, Shamkir, Ismayilli, Bilasuvar regions of the country.

The portal for privatization  privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country.

The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4.

The electronic auction service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented.




Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Monday heaped praises on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying that he was the "king of everyone's heart".

Speaking at the all-party prayer meet, organised to pay tribute to Bharat Ratna Vajpayee, Abdullah said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not the Wazire-e-Azam (head of state) now but was the king of everyone's heart. He captured every Indians' heart not with power but with love. I don't think anyone had a heart as large as Atal Bihari. He never discriminated against any people on the basis of caste, ethnicity, religion or language."

During Kargil conflict, Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and Abdullah was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Reminiscing his days with the former prime minister, Abdullah said, "During Kargil war, when he came to Kargil, he spoke to everyone while standing in the middle of an open ground despite adverse warnings of his Special Protection Group. He said that no one can bring India down. He later pointed towards the hills, and said that they will repent for their mistakes".

Vajpayee's intent behind Pokhran nuclear test was to demonstrate India's strength, and not war with any country. Recalling the days, Abdullah said, "When we reached the place of nuclear test, I asked him why was it necessary to do it. He replied that we are not going to use it on anyone but we need to show everyone that we are powerful and we can fight with anyone if we need to". Abdullah, who later became a minister in UPA II, culminated his eloquent speech by slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Jai Hind'.

Later, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti also addressed the prayer meet and called Vajpayee a "messiah" of the people of the Valley. "Atal ji was a great man and great human being and for us, the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he was no less than a messiah. He was the first leader and Prime Minister who won the trust of people of Jammu and Kashmir and listened to the citizen of the state," she said.

Recalling a conversation between her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Vajpayee, she said, "When my father apprised him of how people of Kashmir did not believe in the election process and thought it to be rigged, Atal ji assured from Red Fort that Jammu and Kashmir will have free and fair elections. It was him who for the first time made Jammu and Kashmir people believe in the democratic process."

Mehbooba also recalled former prime minister's contribution in bringing peace in the Valley and said, "This was Vajpayee ji who went to Pakistan and made General (Pervez) Musharraf say that they will not use the land of Jammu and Kashmir for militancy."

Vajpayee breathed his last on August 18 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He was cremated on August 19 at Delhi's 'Smriti Sthal' with full state honours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yoga guru Ramdev on Monday expressed his condolence on the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said, such iconic leaders are remembered for ages to come.

"As long he was alive, he made Bharat Mata immensely proud. He equally set such an example that he will be remembered for the ages to come," Ramdev said at the prayer meeting held in Vajpayee's honour in New Delhi.

Leaders across the political spectrum also paid rich tributes for the former prime minister. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted how immensely popular Vajpayee was as a leader, opposition leaders such as Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti underscored the human side of the late BJP veteran.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last on August 16 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after a period of prolonged illness. He was 93.

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The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu and Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sumitra Mahajan on Monday issued a joint statement appealing to the Members of parliament (MPs) to contribute to the flood-ravaged Kerala.

"We appeal to all the Members of Parliament to contribute generously from their MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds for the relief and rehabilitation works in the affected areas of Kerala, as permissible under the MPLADS guidelines and also to consider donating their one month's salary for this noble and humanitarian cause," read the statement.

The statement further stated that the government has declared the calamity of a "severe nature".

Earlier in the day, Naidu called a review meeting to take stock of the Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh, and decided to donate a month's salary for relief measures.

Kerala has been going through the worst flood in its history in 140 years, claiming at least 357 lives. In order to help Kerala in this hour of need, several political leaders have come forward to support the state and announced monetary help for it.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a relief fund of Rs. 500 crore to the state, in addition to the financial assistance of Rs 100 crore, announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Centre has also launched massive rescue operations in the state, along with Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The second day of the 11th Hindi Conference saw deliberations on relations of Culture and Language with films, media and literature.

Many eminent scholars from both India and Mauritius, renowned lyricist and poet Prasoon Joshi, Goa's Governor Mridula Sinha and West Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi and others participated in the occasion.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj invoked late former prime minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee and recited some of his poems.

Addressing at the 11th Vishwa Hindi Sammelan ( Hindi Conference), Swaraj said, "Those who paid their rich tribute to Atal Ji through his poetries, I deeply thank them. It is a fittingly deserving tribute to a tall leader like Atal Ji."

She continued to recite some of Vajpayee's renowned poems, inviting a round of applause from the audience.

Swaraj underlined that Vajpayee had penned down a few couplets, which were inspired by the political scenario of the country. The EAM further said that the former prime minister was a great proponent of Hindi language and his poems would continue to inspire the masses.

Earlier on Sunday, Swaraj inaugurated 'Panini Language Laboratory' at Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) in Mauritius. The lab, gifted by the Indian government, will help MGI in teaching Indian languages in Mauritius.

Swaraj said that similar laboratories equipped with all modern technologies and similar facilities need to be build up in India also to promote Hindi and regional languages. She and Minister of State for External Affairs Gen V K Singh also paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi statue at the institute.

Education Minister of Mauritius Leela Devi Dookun and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Swaraj also met with the Mauritian leadership and held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jagnauth, former Prime Minister of Mauritius, Paul Berenger, former Prime Minister of Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam and leader of opposition of Mauritius Xavier Luc Duval.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CG Power and Industrial Solutions rose 1.43% to Rs 60.30 at 14:13 IST on BSE after the company said it entered into a strategic alliance agreement with TENAGA Switchgear Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia.

The announcement was made after market hours on 17 August 2018.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 389.55 points, or 1.03% to 38,337.43.

On the BSE, 4.68 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 10.96 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 61.40 and a low of Rs 60 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 99 on 12 January 2018. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 46.75 on 27 June 2018.

CG Power and Industrial Solutions (CG) entered into a strategic alliance agreement with TENAGA Switchgear Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia (TSG) to leverage each company's unique strengths and assets to expand market reach and enhance customer base in Southeast Asia-Pacific (SEAP), particularly Malaysia. The alliance further cements the existing strong bond between CG and TSG where CG is already a key partner to Tenaga Switchgear on power transformers and circuit breakers. The agreement between the companies includes product development and promotion of 11 kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) in Malaysia to address the rapidly growing demand in this region. As per the agreement, both the companies will collaborate in the Malaysian market.

On a consolidated basis, CG Power & Industrial Solutions reported net loss of Rs 85.57 crore in Q1 June 2018 as against net loss of Rs 85.98 crore in Q1 June 2017. Net sales rose 11.29% to Rs 1490.14 crore in Q1 June 2018 over Q1 June 2017.

CG Power and Industrial Solutions (formerly Crompton Greaves) is a global pioneering leader in the management and application of electrical energy. CG provides end-to-end solutions that meet all electrical needs of its customers. CG's offerings include electrical products, systems and services for utilities, power generation and industries.

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Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd, Graphite India Ltd, Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Ltd and TTK Prestige Ltd are among the other losers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 20 August 2018.

Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd, Graphite India Ltd, Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Ltd and TTK Prestige Ltd are among the other losers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 20 August 2018.

Federal Bank Ltd crashed 5.62% to Rs 81.5 at 14:48 IST.The stock was the biggest loser in the BSE's 'A' group.On the BSE, 26.25 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 6.1 lakh shares in the past one month.

Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd tumbled 5.08% to Rs 287.9. The stock was the second biggest loser in 'A' group.On the BSE, 9711 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 7624 shares in the past one month.

Graphite India Ltd lost 4.52% to Rs 1046.35. The stock was the third biggest loser in 'A' group.On the BSE, 1.2 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1.56 lakh shares in the past one month.

Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Ltd slipped 4.09% to Rs 301. The stock was the fourth biggest loser in 'A' group.On the BSE, 41814 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 41032 shares in the past one month.

TTK Prestige Ltd fell 3.15% to Rs 6100.2. The stock was the fifth biggest loser in 'A' group.On the BSE, 290 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1152 shares in the past one month.

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PTC India Financial Services Ltd, K P R Mill Ltd, Cadila Healthcare Ltd and Larsen & Toubro Ltd are among the other gainers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 20 August 2018.

PTC India Financial Services Ltd, K P R Mill Ltd, Cadila Healthcare Ltd and Larsen & Toubro Ltd are among the other gainers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 20 August 2018.

Hindustan Construction Company Ltd surged 11.07% to Rs 14.25 at 11:48 IST. The stock was the biggest gainer in the BSE's 'A' group. On the BSE, 25.7 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 17.86 lakh shares in the past one month.

PTC India Financial Services Ltd soared 8.85% to Rs 18.45. The stock was the second biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 2.66 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1.19 lakh shares in the past one month.

K P R Mill Ltd spiked 6.01% to Rs 675.55. The stock was the third biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 9964 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 2793 shares in the past one month.

Cadila Healthcare Ltd jumped 5.83% to Rs 377.6. The stock was the fourth biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 5.27 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 2.59 lakh shares in the past one month.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd advanced 5.69% to Rs 1310.9. The stock was the fifth biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 7.35 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1.75 lakh shares in the past one month.

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Firmness prevailed on the bourses in mid-afternoon trade on steady buying demand in index pivotals. At 14:19 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 368.16 points or 0.97% at 38,316.04. The Nifty 50 index was up 87.35 points or 0.76% at 11,558.10. Oil & gas stocks gained. IT stocks saw mixed trend. Positive global stocks boosted sentiment on the domestic bourses.

The market sentiment was also boosted by data showing that domestic and foreign funds, both, were net buyers of Indian stocks on Friday, 17 August 2018. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 147.31 crore on Friday, 17 August 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 151.89 crore on Friday, 17 August 2018, as per provisional data.

Domestic stocks drifted higher in early trade on positive Asian stocks. Stocks extended gains in morning trade. Key benchmark indices held firm in in mid-morning trade. Indices extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in afternoon trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 1.07%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.26%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1,476 shares rose and 1,172 shares fell. A total of 157 shares were unchanged.

Oil & gas stocks gained. Among shares of oil exploration and production (E&P) companies, Reliance Industries (up 2.43%), ONGC (up 3.07%) and Oil India (up 1.05%) edged higher.

Among PSU OMCs, HPCL (up 1.55%) and BPCL (up 0.52%) gained. Indian Oil Corporation (down 0.31%) fell.

IT stocks saw mixed trend. Wipro (up 2.02%), TCS (up 0.21%), Oracle Financial Services Software (up 0.48%), Hexaware Technologies (up 1.56%) and Mphasis (up 0.99%) rose. HCL Technologies (down 1.13%), Tech Mahindra (down 0.5%) and MindTree (down 0.24%) fell.

IT major Infosys lost 3.21% after the company said that its board has accepted the resignation of M D Ranganath as the chief financial officer and key managerial personnel of the company. Ranganath will continue in his current position as chief financial officer till 16 November 2018. The board will immediately commence the search for the next chief financial officer. The announcement was made on Saturday, 18 August 2018.

Overseas, European stocks were trading higher, with investors awaited developments on proposed US-China trade talks later this week. Most Asian stocks rose following a higher finish on Wall Street last Friday.

China and the United States will hold lower-level trade talks this month, offering hope that they might resolve an escalating tariff war. Reports suggested the talks in Washington would take place on Aug. 21 and 22, just before $16 billion in new US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect. The talks could set the stage for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November.

US stocks rose on Friday on strength in technology hardware shares and optimism for a resolution in America's trade dispute with China. On the US data front, the University of Michigan said its consumer-sentiment index in August fell to 95.3, down from 97.9 in July, the lowest level in 11 months.

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Infosys fell 1.96% to Rs 1403.25 at 10:08 IST on BSE after the company said that its board has accepted the resignation of M D Ranganath as the chief financial officer and key managerial personnel of the company.

The announcement was made on Saturday, 18 August 2018.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 287.17 points, or 0.76% to 38,235.05.

On the BSE, 2.33 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 1.28 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 1408 and a low of Rs 1373.55 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 1,436.65 on 17 August 2018. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 861.50 on 22 August 2017.

Infosys said Ranganath will continue in his current position as chief financial officer till 16 November 2018. The board will immediately commence the search for the next chief financial officer.

On a consolidated basis, Infosys' net profit declined 2.1% to Rs 3612 crore on 5.8% rise in revenues to Rs 19128 crore in Q1 June 2018 over Q4 March 2018.

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting.

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With floods playing havoc in Kerala, the state, known as 'God's Own Country' would have suffered massive economic losses, the estimates of which could well be Rs 15,000-20,000 crore with a staggered impact of a few months, mostly on tourism, cash crops, trade including international trade from Kochi and other ports, besides shaking the lives of millions of people, an ASSOCHAM quick assessment has indicated.

In the state's Rs 8 lakh crore Gross Domestic Product, tourism and agriculture, mostly rice, pepper, cardamom, cashew, tea, coffee, coconut, contribute about 10 per cent each (tourism -10 and slightly more for agriculture). Then, the internal and external trade contribute a lot. The external trade not only comprises exports of cash crops and other industrial goods and services from Kerala, but also commercial activities from ports like Kochi and three international ports from the state. At this point of time, all these components of the state GDP are in a state of total chaos and destruction, the chamber said, receiving inputs from the state.

Kerala which is among the states receiving maximum of remittances from the Non-Resident Indians, particularly in the Gulf, would look up to its people abroad to raise their level of remittances to support families, though it may not be enough.

It said, Kerala is not only witnessing the worst ever floods and devastation since 1924, the phase of natural fury has been quite prolonged. The prolonged impact not only hampers the relief and rehabilitation, it takes long to re-build even the basic infrastructure like roads, re-erecting of electric poles, broad band cables, clearing the roads in the mountain region of the mud and landslides . Besides re-building of houses would take weeks and months.

As far as the economic impact is concerned, while the official agencies would arrive at their own estimates, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the loss could even be Rs 20,000 crore, as things stand today.

ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr D S Rawat said, Tourism and cash crops are the life line of Kerala. When these two are completely crippled with a prolonged impact, the losses would be enormous leaving lakhs of people in the hardship. We in the industry would appeal to our members to generously contribute towards the relief and rehabilitation work.

According to the official documents like the Economic Survey of the state, in agriculture the cropping pattern is dominated by cash crops constituting 63 per cent of the total cropped area while food crops consisting of rice, tapioca and pulses account for about 10 per cent of the state's farm products. Among cash crops, coconut has the largest area under crop cover (30 per cent) followed by rubber (21.3 per cent) pepper (3.3 per cent) and coffee (3.28 per cent). Rice has the third largest area under crop cover (6.6 per cent). Floods have left nothing untouched among all these crops, breaking the back of the farmers and those allied sectors like marine products.

Same is true about tourism as the state had become a sought after destination for international tourists with several beaches and a wide range of geo-ecology. With airports shut and likely to resume operations after a week or more, the entire tourism economy has gone into a troubled spot.

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Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced that its board will meet on 23 August 2018, to consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares of the company. The announcement was made on Saturday, 18 August 2018.

IT major Infosys said that its board has accepted the resignation of M D Ranganath as the chief financial officer and key managerial personnel of the company. Ranganath will continue in his current position as chief financial officer till 16 November 2018. The board will immediately commence the search for the next chief financial officer. The announcement was made on Saturday, 18 August 2018.

Goa Carbon announced that the maintenance work at its Goa unit located at St. Jose de Areal, Salcete-Goa has been completed and the Kiln has been lit up. After preliminary heat up, feeding of raw material will commence and normal production will resume from 18 August 2018. The announcement was made after market hours on 17 August 2018.

Jet Airways (India) will be watched. With reference to news quoting, "Jet Airways in talks with True Jet for subleasing of ATR Aircrafts", Jet Airways (India) clarified after market hours on 17 August 2018, that it continues to evaluate all possible alternatives to ensure optimum utilisation of its fleet. The company has been regular in making the required disclosures. It is, however, unable to comment on the reasons for the increase in its share price on the stock exchanges.

CG Power and Industrial Solutions (CG) entered into a strategic alliance agreement with TENAGA Switchgear Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia (TSG) to leverage each company's unique strengths and assets to expand market reach and enhance customer base in Southeast Asia-Pacific (SEAP), particularly Malaysia. The alliance further cements the existing strong bond between CG and TSG where CG is already a key partner to Tenaga Switchgear on power transformers and circuit breakers. The agreement between the companies includes product development and promotion of 11 kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) in Malaysia to address the rapidly growing demand in this region. As per the agreement, both the companies will collaborate in the Malaysian market. The announcement was made after market hours on 17 August 2018.

Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers announced that, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India, vide its letter dated 14 August 2018, has accorded the Environmental Clearance (EC) to the project for expansion cum modernisation of a fertilizer plant. The announcement was made after market hours on 17 August 2018.

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Key benchmark indices held firm in in mid-morning trade. At 11:27 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 289.60 points or 0.76% at 38,237.48. The Nifty 50 index was up 66.55 points or 0.58% at 11,537.30. Metal and mining stocks were in demand. Cement stocks rose. Positive Asian stocks boosted sentiment on domestic bourses.

Domestic stocks drifted higher in early trade on positive Asian stocks. Stocks extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in morning trade. The Sensex and the Nifty, both, scaled record high in morning trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.8%, outperforming the Sensex. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.32%, underperforming the Sensex.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1390 shares rose and 975 shares fell. A total of 126 shares were unchanged.

Overseas, Asian stocks rose following a higher finish on Wall Street last Friday as investors awaited developments on proposed US-China trade talks, while keeping a wary eye on the Chinese yuan and Turkish lira.

China and the United States will hold lower-level trade talks this month, offering hope that they might resolve an escalating tariff war. Reports suggested the talks in Washington would take place on Aug. 21 and 22, just before $16 billion in new US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect. The talks could set the stage for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November.

US stocks rose on Friday on strength in technology hardware shares and optimism for a resolution in America's trade dispute with China. On the US data front, the University of Michigan said its consumer-sentiment index in August fell to 95.3, down from 97.9 in July, the lowest level in 11 months.

Back home, metal and mining stocks were in demand as copper prices rose in global commodity markets.

Tata Steel (up 1.55%), Steel Authority of India (Sail) (up 0.59%), Vedanta (up 0.98%), JSW Steel (up 0.75%), National Aluminium Company (up 0.29%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 0.16%), Hindalco Industries (up 0.84%) and Hindustan Copper (up 0.41%) rose. Hindustan Zinc (down 0.99%) and NMDC (down 0.48%) fell.

Copper edged higher in the global commodities market. High Grade Copper for September 2018 delivery was currently up 0.93% at $2.6535 per pound on the COMEX.

Cement stocks rose. Ambuja Cements (up 0.07%), ACC (up 0.65%), UltraTech Cement (up 0.43%) and Shree Cement (up 0.09%) gained.

Grasim Industries was off 0.6%. Grasim has exposure to the cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement.

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Fresh buying in index pivotals propelled the key benchmark indices to intraday high in early afternoon trade, with the Sensex and the Nifty, both, scaling fresh record high. At 12:18 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 316.48 points or 0.83% at 38,264.36. The Nifty 50 index was up 78.20 points or 0.68% at 11,548.95. Auto stocks rose. Telecom stocks saw mixed trend. Positive Asian stocks boosted sentiment on domestic bourses.

The market sentiment was also boosted by data showing that domestic and foreign funds, both, were net buyers of Indian stocks on Friday, 17 August 2018. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 147.31 crore on Friday, 17 August 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 151.89 crore on Friday, 17 August 2018, as per provisional data.

Domestic stocks drifted higher in early trade on positive Asian stocks. Stocks extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in morning trade. Key benchmark indices held firm in in mid-morning trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 1.03%, outperforming the Sensex. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.37%, underperforming the Sensex.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1433 shares rose and 1049 shares fell. A total of 153 shares were unchanged.

Auto stocks rose. Tata Motors (up 4%), Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) (up 1.22%), Ashok Leyland (up 1.44%), Escorts (up 1.99%), Bajaj Auto (up 1.69%), Hero MotoCorp (up 1.69%) and TVS Motor Company (up 0.56%) gained. Maruti Suzuki India (down 0.36%) and Eicher Motors (down 0.84%) fell.

Telecom stocks saw mixed trend. Idea Cellular (up 5.5%), Reliance Communications (up 2.29%) and Bharti Airtel (up 0.15%) rose. MTNL (down 0.66 %) and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (down 1.01%) fell.

Shares of Bharti Infratel rose 0.71%. Bharti Infratel is a provider of tower and related infrastructure and is a unit of Bharti Airtel.

Overseas, Asian stocks rose following a higher finish on Wall Street last Friday as investors awaited developments on proposed US-China trade talks, while keeping a wary eye on the Chinese yuan and Turkish lira.

China and the United States will hold lower-level trade talks this month, offering hope that they might resolve an escalating tariff war. Reports suggested the talks in Washington would take place on Aug. 21 and 22, just before $16 billion in new US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect. The talks could set the stage for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November.

US stocks rose on Friday on strength in technology hardware shares and optimism for a resolution in America's trade dispute with China. On the US data front, the University of Michigan said its consumer-sentiment index in August fell to 95.3, down from 97.9 in July, the lowest level in 11 months.

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CG Power & Industrial Solutions announced inauguration of Indonesia's first High Voltage (HV) and Extra High Voltage (EHV) factory owned by PT Crompton Prima Switchgear Indonesia at the Modern Cikande Industrial Estate, Banten (Indonesia).

PT CPSI is a joint venture company between CG International Holdings Singapore [a subsidiary of CG Power and Industrial Solutions (CG)] and PT Prima Layanan Nasional Enjiniring [a subsidiary of PT PLN (Persero)].

The establishment of the Switchgear plant is a part of the initiatives and efforts to develop domestic industries that will support the electricity sector in Indonesia, to meet the needs of domestic Switchgear equipment and to export to the Southeast Asian and Asia Pacific markets.

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Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 33 points at the opening bell.

Overseas, Asian stocks mostly rose following a higher finish on Wall Street last Friday as investors awaited developments on proposed US-China trade talks, while keeping a wary eye on the Chinese yuan and Turkish lira. US stocks rose on Friday on strength in technology hardware shares and optimism for a resolution in America's trade dispute with China.

Back home,the domestic equity market registered smart gains Friday. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 284.32 points or 0.75% to settle at 37,947.88. The Nifty 50 index rose 85.70 points or 0.75% to settle at 11,470.75.

The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 147.31 crore on Friday, 17 August 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 151.89 crore on Friday, 17 August 2018, as per provisional data.

Among corporate news,Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced that its board will meet on 23 August 2018, to consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares of the company. The announcement was made on Saturday, 18 August 2018.

IT major Infosys said that its board has accepted the resignation of M D Ranganath as the chief financial officer and key managerial personnel of the company. Ranganath will continue in his current position as chief financial officer till 16 November 2018. The board will immediately commence the search for the next chief financial officer. The announcement was made on Saturday, 18 August 2018.

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UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya Maria Ribiero said on Sunday that 130 civilians in Libya have been killed as a result of hostilities since the beginning of this year.

"According to the UN, in 2018, hostilities in Libya have already resulted in at least 130 civilian deaths and many injuries, including children," Ribiero said in a statement on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day.

Libyans struggle to meet their basic daily needs, amid difficult educational and medical situations, Ribiero said, Xinhua reported.

The UN official called for a safe work environment for all humanitarian staff "so that life-saving assistance can reach people in need without delay in every part of Libya."

She also called on all parties in Libya to do everything in their capability to protect those most vulnerable, especially people caught up in conflict, and to ensure access for humanitarian assistance.

Sunday marks the World Humanitarian Day, which pays tribute to humanitarian workers and those lost their lives in doing humanitarian work.

Libya has been suffering escalating violence, chaos and political division ever since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

--IANS

ahm/

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Sixteen members of newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's 21-strong cabinet took oath at a ceremony held on Monday at the President House here.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to the nominated federal ministers, reports Dawn news.

The new cabinet comprises 16 federal ministers and five advisers.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) vice chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi will be the country's new foreign minister, a position which he previously held between 2008-13 under then President Asif Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Qureshi had resigned from the cabinet after developing differences with the party leadership during a reshuffle in the cabinet.

Asad Umar has been made Minister for Finance and Revenue whereas the portfolio of the Information and Broadcasting has been given to PTI's information secretary Fawad Chaudhry.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) estranged leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the July 25 elections in two constituencies, has been allocated the portfolio of Petroleum Ministry.

Shireen Mazari has been given the portfolio of human rights, whereas former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak is the country's new Defence Minister.

Meanwhile, the new Prime Minister has retained the vast interior portfolio, for at least the time being.

Khan was sworn-in as Pakistan's 22nd Prime Minister on Saturday, in a ceremony marking the second peaceful democratic transition from one civilian government to another in the country's 71-year history.

--IANS

ksk

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The Delhi Police has detained two youth from Haryana for their murderous attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid, days after their self-confession video went viral, an officer said on Monday.

"Special Cell teams detained Darvesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal from Haryana on Sunday following a tip-off of their location," the senior police officer told IANS.

In the video that went viral on August 16, Shahpur and Dalal said that they will surrender to police at a gurdwara near the house of freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha the next day.

"We are responsible for the attack on Khalid (outside Constitution Club) that was meant to be a gift to our country men before the Independence Day. We appeal to police to not punish any innocent youngster for our crime," they claimed in the video.

Khalid was attacked by an unknown assailant carrying a revolver on August 13 at a tea stall outside the Constitution Club. Accused of raising anti-national slogans in 2016. The student leader survived the attack.

"We are presently interrogating them to establish the reality behind their claims or whether they created the video clip to only create sensation on social media. We are investigating," the officer added.

--IANS

sp/ksk/in

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) student wing will fight the upcoming elections of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) with an aim to bring about a positive change in student of the university, Labour Minister Gopal Rai said on Monday.

He was invited as the Chief Guest at a programme organised by the Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYCC) of the AAP in Shankarlal Hall of the Delhi University.

Speaking to students on the "Talk of the country" programme, Rai said the country needs positive in the present times as all major revolutions in this country have been started by the students and the youth.

"Once again, the country needs the cooperation of students and youth. In view of this, AAP has decided that its student wing will register their participation in the upcoming elections of the DUSU and give a positive direction to Delhi's student politics," he said.

The AAP leader requested the students to come forward for bringing about positive changes in everyone and face anti-national forces to save the country from being ruined.

AAP MLAs Ajesh Yadav and Pankaj Pushkar, Prof Shashi Shekhar Singh, Prof Pradeep Singh and Prof Bhupendra Chaudhary, besides CYSS President Sumit Yadav were present on the occasion.

--IANS

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Pope Francis on Monday released a letter addressing recent revelations of a decades-long clerical sexual abuse scandal in the US, in which he said that the outcry of victims was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence them.

The pontiff said in his missive addressed "to the people of God" that no effort must be spared to prevent future cases of abuse and cover-ups, less than a week after a grand jury in the state of Pennsylvania released a report detailing the systematic rape of children by clergymen in six dioceses over a period of at least 70 years, reports Efe news.

More than 300 Catholic priests were allegedly involved in these abuses and many high-ranking ecclesiastical officials were knowingly complicit in the crimes.

"I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons," Francis said.

"The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced," he added.

"The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults."

Other than the US, sexual abuse scandals are rapidly consuming the church in several countries.

In Australia, a bishop has been found guilty of covering up sexual abuse.

In Chile, the Pope was forced to recant his dismissal of an abuse scandal involving a prominent priest and bishops accused of covering up his crimes.

--IANS

ksk/sed

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By Trend





The 27th Iranian handmade carpet exhibition will be held in the Iranian capital of Tehran soon.

More than 670 domestic and foreign firms will participate in the exhibition scheduled to be held in Tehrans international trade fair on August 3-9, IRIB news agency reported on August 20.

In addition to displaying a diverse range of hand woven rugs, the exhibition this year provides an opportunity for visitors to get familiar with some of the lesser known aspects of the Persian carpet.

Irans hand-woven carpets are exported to about 80 countries.

The United States, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Lebanon, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Japan have long been buyers of Iranian carpets.

However, new markets, including China, Russia, South Africa and Brazil, have also joined the list of customers in recent years.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday appealed to the people of Uttar Pradesh and his party workers and leaders to extend all possible help to flood-hit Kerala.

The appeal comes after repeated tweets from the former Chief Minister seeking financial and other forms of help to the people of Kerala who are faced with the worst ever flooding in a century.

He said he and his wife Dimple Yadav, a Lok Sabha member, were making personal donations to help the flood victims.

The Samajwadi Party cadres have also been told to go to Kerala with medicines and food.

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police O.P. Singh has urged the police personnel to donate a day's salary to the flood victims.

--IANS

md/mr

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The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Monday called for an all India traders strike against the Walmart-Flipkart deal on September 28.

"We are organising a 'Bharat Trade Bandh' (All India Traders Strike) on September 28 against the Walmart-Flipkart deal. We want the government to nullify the deal as it is against the sector," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal told IANS.

"We have also planned a host of other activities like a mega traders protest march to gain public support against the deal."

Accordingly, the confederation has called for a 'Bharat Trade Bandh' on September 28 and a massive nationwide 'Rath Yatra' to begin on September 15 and a mega traders rally on December 16 at New Delhi.

On Saturday, Walmart Inc. acquired approximately 77 per cent stake in e-commerce major Flipkart.

Accordingly, Walmart now holds approximately 77 per cent of Flipkart, while the remainder of the business is held by other shareholders, including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent, Tiger Global and Microsoft Corp.

Walmart's investment includes $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business and both companies will retain their unique brands and operating structures in India.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-run Air India subsidiary -- Alliance Air -- on Monday commenced operations from Kochi naval base -- INS Garuda -- with an ATR-72 aircraft to aide the rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, budget passenger carrier IndiGo would also commence scheduled operations from INS Garuda from Aug 21, 2018.

The development comes as the state reels under the worst bout of floods in the recent past.

The grim situation has left the state with only two operational civil airports at Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut, as operations at Kochi airport have been suspended till August 26.

The civil airport in Kochi is severely flooded and stands closed till August 26.

"Monitoring of airfare carried out on August 20, 2018 has revealed that maximum fares on various domestic non-stop direct routes to and from Kerala and nearby airports remained within the limits specified by DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation)," the Ministry said in a statement.

"Based upon request received from Kerala Government to facilitate them in air-dropping of relief material, DGCA has permitted three helicopter operators M/s Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd, M/s Ghodawat and M/s Devengere for carrying out aerial dropping of flood relief material."

On August 18, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu in a series of tweets said that due to disruption of flights from Kochi airport, a joint team sent by the Ministry approved to commence scheduled flights by Alliance Air ATRs between Bangalore and Kochi naval air base.

Prabhu further said that more destinations, including Madurai, will be added soon and that other airlines are also likely to join the effort.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Rajasthan government to apprise it of the action the state has taken in a lynching case in Alwar district in July.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud asked the Principal Secretary of the state's Home Department to file an affidavit on a plea seeking contempt of court proceedings against the state government.

It sought the affidavit on the action taken to prevent future incidents of lynching. Asking for the affidavit to be filed in one week, the court posted the matter for the next hearing on August 30.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for petitioner Tehseen Poonawala, had sought the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the state government, contending just a few days after the apex court's directions on the lynching incident in Alwar.

The bench asked the Rajasthan government whether any disciplinary action has been taken against the police officers who allegedly took three hours to reach a hospital with a badly injured man accused of smuggling cows.

The counsel appearing for Rajasthan told the bench that action has been taken. The central and state governments have come under sharp criticism from the top court over frequent lynching incidents across the country.

The court had condemned the mob lynching incidents and suggested enactment of a law in Parliament to deal with the crime that threatens the rule of law and the country's social fabric.

Rakbar Khan, 28, was beaten to death by suspected cow vigilantes in Alwar district on July 24.

Alwar had earlier also witnessed similar attacks in the name of cow protectionism. The latest killing comes more than a year after Pehlu Khan was murdered allegedly by some cow vigilantes in April 2017.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has written to Congress President Rahul Gandhi saying that the party has been "misinformed, misdirected and misled" by malicious vested interests and corporate rivals on the offsets related to the Rafale fighter jet deal.

A Reliance Infrastructure Ltd release said that Ambani wrote a letter to Gandhi last week and expressed "deep anguish over continued personal attacks" on him while terming all allegations as "baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate."

Clarifying on the role of Reliance in offset exports/ work share, Ambani wrote that Rafale fighter jets are not being manufactured by Reliance or Dassault Reliance Joint Venture.

Ambani said Gandhi's allegation that Reliance Defence was set up 10 days before the announcement on April 10 , 2015 of government's decision to purchase 36 French-manufactured Rafale jets links factually incorrect information "and is thus irrelevant and completely false."

"The Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defence manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, months before the intention for purchase of Rafale aircraft. In February 2015, we informed the Indian Stock Exchanges of the companies we have incorporated," Ambani said.

The release said that all the 36 fighter jets are to be 100 per cent manufactured in France and exported from France to India. Ambani clarified that not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by Reliance for these 36 Rafale jets.

"The allegations relating to 'lack of experience' are, thus, irrelevant," the release said and added that there is no contract from the Defence Ministry to any Reliance Group company related to 36 Rafale aircraft.

Ambani said allegations of Reliance benefitting by thousands of crores was a "figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests" and put simply, "no contract exists with the Government of India "

"Our role is limited to offset exports / export obligations. More than 100 medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) will participate in this along with public sector undertakings like BEL and Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). This role strengthens Indian manufacturing capabilities and is in pursuance of the Offsets Policy introduced by the Congress-led UPA Government itself from 2005 onwards," the release said.

Gandhi has been attacking the Modi government, alleging that the deal had caused a loss of Rs 41,000 crore to the exchequer compared to the price negotiated by the Congress-led UPA government. He has also making allegations about the offsets.

The party also said on Saturday that it will launch a month-long nationwide agitation from next week on what it said was "Rafale scam" of the Modi government and other issues.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apple has reportedly removed 25,000 gambling apps from its App Store in China that flouted the local Internet policies.

In a statement given to The Wall Street Journal on Monday, the Cupertino-based iPhone maker said "gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China".

"We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store," Apple added.

The company, which recently touched the $1-trillion mark, reacted after China's state broadcaster CCTV, accused the tech giant of not doing enough to screen out gambling and other illegal apps.

"

"Apple established its own rules for allowing apps on to its store but did not respect them itself, resulting in a proliferation of fake lottery apps and gambling apps," the Financial Times reported, quoting a CCTV statement.

Apple last year removed apps for virtual private network (VPN) services in China, used to circumvent Beijing's censorship tools as well as hundreds of other apps, including Skype.

Amid heightened trade tensions between the US and China, tech giant Apple in July joined hands with its suppliers to launch a $300 million clean energy fund in China.

The "China Clean Energy Fund" will invest in and develop clean-energy projects totalling more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy in China, the equivalent of powering nearly 1 million homes, Apple said in a statement.

Apple in 2017 announced it would invest nearly $500 million in China to build two new R&D centres in Shanghai and Suzhou.

In September 2016, Apple opened its first China R&D centre in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, often referred to as "China's Silicon Valley".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Apple store in Amsterdam has been temporarily closed after an iPad battery exploded and released harmful chemical substances, the media reported.

The store was evacuated as a precautionary measure and three employees who reportedly experienced trouble breathing were treated.

"Due to the chemicals potentially released, the store has been closed as firefighters work to ventilate the space and clear out any harmful vapours," 9to5Mac reported on Sunday.

The staff placed the iPad immediately into a container with sand and called the firefighters. It is unclear if the tablet has burst into the flames.

"Although, not related with this iPad battery explosion, as Apple started its iPhone battery replacement programme we've seen a few more incidents like this over the past months.

"Apple stores in both Switzerland and Spain were evacuated this year after thermal events with iPhone batteries. Like today's incident, fortunately those also didn't see any major injuries, but Apple employees did sustain minor burns," the report added.

Meanwhile, an iPhone 6 exploded and went up in flames in a moving car in China last week, according to EEC Media.

A video was shot by a dash cam installed inside the vehicle, which showed the woman screaming in the video after her phone burst into flames in the moving car.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Kerala continues to battle the worst flood disaster, it faces yet another fear: epidemics.

Health experts say as the flood water recedes, the state may have to cope with waterborne and vectorborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, hepatitis and other fevers.

"Most houses are submerged and the people are living in relief camps where it is very difficult to maintain hygiene. So, there are chances of getting infected by typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis A and E," said Ashok Grover, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali.

According to the directorate of health services (DHS), Kerala, the state has already recorded 846 cases of dengue fever, 191,945 cases of acute diarrhea disease (ADD), 518 cases of malaria, 34 cases of chikungunya and 225 cases of leptospirosis (infection from animals).

"Stagnant water is the source of mosquitoes and other insects. Diseases like malaria and dengue don't take much time to spread in relief camps," said Amitabh Parti, Additional Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute.

The health experts also warn that not just waterborne and vectorborne diseases, other diseases such as skin allergies, ENT problems and conjunctivitis may emerge, too.

Fever, chills, abdominal pains, vomiting, diarrhea, severe dehydration and fatigue are some of the early symptoms for both waterborne and vectorborne diseases.

"Such illnesses can be controlled before turning into major epidemics by maintaining hygiene in the relief camps. No raw fruit or food should be consumed. It is better to eat only well-cooked food. However, maintaining hygienic conditions in such an atmosphere is difficult," Parti said.

"Washing hands is a must. Also consuming more fluids is recommended to resist falling prey to the epidemic-prone diseases. One must take ORS and other liquids such as fresh lime and coconut water," Grover said.

The doctors recommend medicines only after medical tests.

As a preventive step, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is also taking measures to combat communicable disease.

According to the ministry, it has already set up 3,757 medical camps in Kerala and shared health advisories on infectious diseases.

"While no outbreak of any communicable disease has been reported, health experts warn that once floodwater recedes, the environment will become conducive to epidemic diseases," said the ministry on Sunday.

The Health Ministry said it has also sent the first batch of 90 types of medicines as requested by the state.(Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading #MeToo advocate Asia Argento settled an accusation of sexual assault from former child actor and musician Jimmy Bennett for the sum of $380,000 to be paid over the course of a year and a half, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.

The claim and resulting discussions of payment are included in documents between the lawyers for Argento and Bennett, reports variety.com.

The claim states Bennett was a little over 17-years-old at the time of the alleged assault, which took place in a California hotel room in 2013 when Argento was 37.

The legal age of consent in California is 18.

As part of the agreement, Bennett, who is now 22, gave a selfie of him and Argento in bed and its copyright to Argento, now 42. Three people familiar with the case told the New York Times that the documents were authentic.

The lawyer for Argento who handled the settlement, Carrie Goldberg, in the documents described the money as "helping Mr. Bennett".

"We hope nothing like this ever happens to you again.You are a powerful and inspiring creator and it is a miserable condition of life that you live among s--y individuals who've preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses," Goldberg wrote.

According to the documents, Bennett's initial notice of intent to sue was for $3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.

Argento was one of the 13 women included in the first October 2017 New Yorker report about disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment and assault that dated back decades.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) on Monday said it has opened a North America representative office with a view to strengthening Indian industry's presence in the US.

The North American office, chaired by PeopleHive President Pavan Abraham, forms part of the industry chamber's strategic plan to expand into promising markets and strengthen global competitiveness of Indian businesses, an Assocham statement said here.

"It would also work towards attracting foreign investment to India," the statement added.

Commenting on the development, Assocham President Sandeep Jajodia said: "The Assocham chapter office would actively promote, support and facilitate investors, entrepreneurs, and other leaders across the region and further boost the immense potential for bilateral trade and commerce that exists between India and the US, especially in sectors like defence, natural gas, energy, education, space tech, and healthcare, among others."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend





The chief executive officer of NPC (National Petrochemical Company) said the Iranian government has managed to sign 10 MoU in the petrochemical sector, since the signing of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers.

Reza Norouz-Zadeh said Irans petrochemical industry has great potential to attract more foreign investors, ISNA reported.

Since the signing of the Iran nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, the oil ministry has managed to ink 10 petrochemical memorandums of understanding and talks with foreign firms are underway.

The official further expressed the hope that talks with the firm would soon yield results.

On May 8, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Three months later, the US reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran, 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.

Trump warned that those who don't wind down their economic ties to Iran "risk severe consequences."
The Australian government is considering waiving debts of students who unknowingly took on loans, authorities said on Monday.

The federal Student Loans Ombudsman has received more than 5,000 complaints from former students of private colleges about substandard or being ripped off, reports Xinhua news agency.

The complaints were linked to Vocational Educational Training (VET) FEE-HELP, a controversial scheme that was scrapped by the government early 2017.

Under the programme, students who took out a loan to study were granted almost unregulated access to government subsidies -- incentivzing colleges to enrol as many students as possible.

A majority of complainants to the Student Loans Ombudsman said they were unaware that they would incur a debt when they signed up for a private college course.

Gerard Brody, chief executive of the Consumer Action Law Centre, welcomed any initiative that would help students who had been conned into taking out the loans.

VET FEE-HELP has been replaced by VET Student Loans which caps loans based on the cost of the course.

The total amount of the debts that would be wiped under the government proposal is unknown but local media reported that the Commonwealth Actuary believed over A$1 billion ($730 million) in loans would never be repaid.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Australian High Commission on Monday warned Indians of a visa scam in Delhi wherein over 50 people had been duped of lakhs of rupees.

"The public is warned of a new visa scam allegedly perpetrated by an employment agency operating in southwest Delhi," the High Commission said in a statement here.

"In recent weeks, more than 50 people have approached the High Commission after paying lakhs for work visas, only to be told that they have become victims of yet another visa scam."

Emphasising that the High Commission is concerned about the growing number of victims of such fraud and advising potential visa applicants to exercise due caution when agencies offer job visas, a commission spokesperson said: "Australia does not have a work visa programme of the sort promoted by scammers -- our Temporary Skills Shortage work visa is run only with approved sponsors, and only for applicants with specific skills in demand in Australia.

"Some of the recent victims have said they paid up to Rs 50,000 just for a non-existent airfare and a medical check with an unauthorised clinic, in addition to all the other fees they have been charged."

In addition to being charged for job placement -- sometimes with bogus job offers using the names of genuine, well-known companies in Australia -- and "visa lodgement" fees, the victims have also had to pay to undergo medical examination in a medical facility located in South Delhi, that is not associated with Australia's approved panel of physicians, according to the statement.

The southwest Delhi agency has also provided its victims with a fake visa grant notice, which links to a non-genuine visa checking service on a fake website.

"We have seen clones of our website before but the newest versions link to a fake visa checking site that only contains the visa details concocted by the agent," the High Commission spokesperson said.

"This may look convincing to someone who is wanting proof that the agent is not duping them -- but actually, it is still all fake."

Calling upon those who fell for this and other scams to promptly report this illegal activity to local authorities, the High Commission statement said: "All potential visa applicants should refer directly to information published on our official Home Affairs website: www.homeaffairs.gov.au.

"A list of approved physicians can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about/contact/offices-locations/india.

"The Australian High Commission website also has a page listing recent scams: http://india.highcommission.gov.au/ndli/Visas_and_Migration.html."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday said his government has abandoned plans to set an emissions reduction target in legislation.

Turnbull said he would not proceed with the emissions target -- part of his National Energy Guarantee (NEG) -- because it has no prospect of passing through the House of Representatives, where he has only a slim majority.

He said the NEG would still require electricity retailers to cap their prices and provide more "reliable" streams of power. Despite the setback, the nation remains on track to meet its Paris climate accord commitments, the BBC reported.

"Cheaper power has always been our number one priority when it comes to energy policy," Turnbull said.

The original commitment would have set in legislation Australia's pledge for a 26 per cent cut in emissions, based on 2005 levels, by 2030.

Turnbull's U-turn alters a key plank of his signature energy policy, and follows a revolt by conservative MPs within his government. He said the climate policy was not supported by all of his colleagues.

"In you have to focus on what you can deliver," Turnbull told reporters on Monday.

The move comes amid media reports that Turnbull could face a leadership challenge if the issue is not resolved. He though, said he retains the support of party colleagues, including Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

The Australian media outlets named Dutton as considering the leadership challenge, but the Home Minister has tweeted his supported to the Prime Minister.

Turnbull has been facing increased pressure over the last few weeks ever since he lost a bye-election in Queensland.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that the state government is drawing up major schemes for promoting renewable energy including solar.

"Today is National Renewable Energy Day. Our state government is drawing up major schemes for the promotion of solar power and other sources of renewable energy like tidal power in Bangla," Mamata tweeted.

Mentioning about a solar based scheme, she wrote, "One such scheme is 'Aaloshree' under which roofs of all government offices & schools are being fitted with solar panels."

State power minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee had earlier said that the Bengal government is expecting to add over 2,000 megawatt (mw) of power in the next five years including 300 mw of solar power.

He said the state has already made significant progress in adding capacity in solar power under the present regime.

National Renewable Energy Day is also known as Akshay Urja Diwas. This is an awareness campaign about the developments of renewable energy in India, celebrated on August 20, every year since 2004.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of the Bimstec Summit in Nepal this month-end, envoys of the seven-nation regional bloc on Monday called for early conclusion of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among member-nations, which is hanging fire for 13 years.

Speaking at a panel discussion here on the "Fourth Bimstec Summit: Expectations, Challenges and Opportunities", organised by industry body Ficci, the envoys of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand were of the view that the time is ripe to give unequivocal directives to facilitate the conclusion of the FTA.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.

It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people, or 21 per cent of the world's population, and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.

The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.

With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, largely due to non-cooperation on part of Pakistan on issues like connectivity and counterterrorism, India has been giving more importance to Bimstec in recent times.

India is the lead country for cooperation in four priority areas: Counterterrorism and transnational crime, transport and communication, tourism and environment, and disaster management.

This year's Bimstec Summit, only the fourth since the bloc's inception, will be held in Kathmandu on August 30-31.

In his address at Monday's panel discussion, Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali called for expediting the Bimstec FTA to boost trade as "poverty is a common enemy for development of the region".

Pointing out that Bimstec nations should work together for connectivity, energy and counter-terrorism, Ali said: "Comprehensive connectivity will be a game changer."

He said that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken a zero tolerance approach towards terrorism/extremism and will not allow the country's soil to be used against other countries.

"Institutional mechanism of Bimstec has to be strengthened," Ali said.

"Our government puts priority in taking forward the Bimstec process."

The Bangladesh High Commissioner was also of the view that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has adopted a more pragmatic and accommodative approach to Bimstec.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara said that Bimstec should work to create its visibility in international fora.

"The Bimstec Summit should work for outreach programmes with international organisations and agencies," Wagiswara said.

Calling for people-to-people contact between member-states, she called for promoting Buddhist tourism trails in the region.

Thailand Ambassador Chutintorn Gongsakdi said that his country would like to see some "transformative changes" in Bimstec.

"We should look at how Bimstec can be a building block for the Indo-Pacific region," Chutintorn said.

Stressing that Bimstec is a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, he called for increased cooperation between the bloc's seven nations in terms of connectivity, trade and investment, people-to-people contacts, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Myanmar Ambassador Moe Kyaw Aung said that cooperation with Bimstec is a priority for his country but lamented the fact that there is still lack of a strategic cohesion in regional economic cooperation.

Former Indian Ambassador to Myanamar Rajiv Bhatia said it is time to recognise the seven countries of Bimstec as a powerful geopolitical construct.

"No matter what happens to Saarc, we should be committed to Bimstec," Bhatia said.

"Bimstec should concentrate on governance, the business community, and the people of the region at large."

The unanimous view of the Bimstec envoys was that out of the 14 identified priority sectors of cooperation, there was a need to focus on select areas such as connectivity, energy, trade, investment, climate change, and counter-terrorism measures.

This, they said, would give visibility to the regional grouping and make it a meaningful platform for prosperity in the region.

The heads of Bimstec missions called for people-oriented decisions based on regional connectivity and economic integration.

Piyush Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Bimstec and Saarc) in India's External Affairs Ministry, expressed the hope that the Nepal summit would give further impetus to the expectations of the region's people to better their lives.

On the occasion, a knowledge paper prepared by Ficci's core group of experts was released, which makes several policy recommendations for a thorough renewal and rejuvenation of Bimstec as a premier regional grouping, committed to securing greater cooperation and integration in the next decade.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Health officials on Monday began disposing of carcasses after numerous animals became victims of the worst ever floods to hit Kerala.

On Monday morning, official teams went around areas in and around Ernakulam city, especially near the Cochin airport where a good number of dead cows, buffaloes and dogs were seen floating in the flood waters.

"It has been decided that the carcasses will be disposed of in two ways. Depending on the human habitation, they would be burned or buried in large pits and covered with plenty of lime and bleach powder," said an official overseeing the campaign.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress in Rajasthan has demanded suspension of the ongoing statewide Gaurav Yatra by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje alleging misuse of government machinery.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot said on Monday that despite the High Court objecting to government machinery being misused for the yatra, the Public Works Department in Pindwara-Abu has yet again invited tenders for yatra arrangements.

"It amounts to insulting the judiciary," said Pilot.

"The Rajasthan High Court has admitted a PIL challenging the misuse of government machinery in organising the yatra. But PWD officials on Aug 18 again invited tenders for making arrangements, which is a complete violation of the court's observations," he added.

"This also shows that the state government has no respect for the taxpayer's money," he added.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also demanded the State government to stop this yatra, alleging misuse of government machinery.

"The chief secretary should direct all collectors and officials to stop participating in any way in this party-specific event," Gehlot said.

The Rajasthan High Court on Saturday asked the ruling BJP to submit an affidavit with details of expenses incurred on the ongoing Gaurav Yatra.

The court fixed Aug 21 as the next date of hearing, asking party officials to come prepared with documents.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition Congress in Manipur remembered former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 74th birth anniversary at a solemn function held on Monday in the party office in Imphal.

"Rajiv Gandhi was instrumental in passing the anti-defection Bill to check floor crossings," said former Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.

Senior Congress MLAs, MPs and other office functionaries paid floral tributes to the former Prime Minister.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam told IANS that while the state is battling various problems, the BJP-led government has been in deep slumber.

"The boundary pillar 81 dispute (with Myanmar), protest against the provisions of the framework agreement with the insurgent group NSCN(IM) and over 80 days of university shutdown demanding removal of the vice chancellor A.P. Pandey have disrupted the normal life in the state. No serious attempt has been made to solve these issues," said Gaikhangam.

T.N. Haokip, the state Congress president, said: "There are moves to bring together United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allies. The UPA allies will defeat the BJP in the forthcoming elections, sounding the death knell for the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 21-year-old student pursuing a Company Secretary (CS) course committed suicide during a video chat on Whatsapp with her male friend in north Delhi, police said on Monday. The man has been booked for abetment to suicide.

Shivani Sharma had arguments with her friend during a WhatsApp video conversation and hanged herself with a sash from a ceiling fan at her house in New Usmanpur area late Saturday night, police added.

"While Sharma was taking the extreme step, her friend called up her father -- who has a shop on the ground floor of the house. He ran upstairs but by the time he reached her room, Shivani had hanged herself," Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Kumar Thakur said.

The woman was taken to a hospital where doctors declared her brought dead on arrival.

"We have seized her mobile phone and sent it for forensics analysis to extract the video footage of the incident. An FIR has been registered against her friend for abetment of suicide," Thakur added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Sherlock" star Benedict Cumberbatch will reportedly take home 7.5 million pounds for the sequel to the superhero movie "Doctor Strange".

Filming on "Doctor Strange 2" is expected to begin next spring and could take as long as six months. And the 42-year-old British star is in line for a 5 million pounds increase from Disney on the pay packet he received for the original in 2016, reports mirror.co.uk.

But it could mean that he might not have time to fit in filming a fifth series for the hit show based on legendary detective Sherlock Holmes.

A source said: "Benedict has become a huge player in the Marvel universe. But the nature of the shoot for the sequel means we're looking at 2020 for the next time we see the sleuth in a full series - if it happens at all."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The registration is currently open for the IRU World Congress, a platform for global decision-makers to exchange ideas, debate solutions and define the future of the road transport industry, to be held later this year, in Oman.



Held in the region for the first time, interested participants can join the discussions by registering to attend the event which will take place from November 6 to 8, at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat.



Organised by IRU and co-hosted by Asyad under the patronage of the sultanates Ministry of Transport and Communications, the event is expected to bring together more than 60 government officials, business executives, transportation and logistics experts and 1000 delegates from 100 countries to address the industrys challenges and potential solutions.



Participants will have access to all sessions, the exhibition, the Innovation Alley, and start-up competition, in addition to the welcome reception and Gala dinner, said a statement from the organisers.



Abdulrahman bin Salim Al Hatmi, member of the events organising committee and chief executive officer, Asyad, said: The road transport sector is experiencing rapid development particularly with new business models, automation, fuel technology and new market structures.



We are proud to be bringing together industry leaders to address these real issues, associated with such development. At our company, we continue to play a pivotal role in developing Omans logistics sector in line with the sultanates Logistics Strategy 2040 and further heightening the countrys logistic standing globally, he said.



Centred on the theme of innovation on the move, the programme consists of more than 20 interactive sessions along with a ministerial and CEO summit. Highlights include discussions on innovation, automation, road transport, mobility, and trade to name but a few, it said.



Speakers comprise high level professionals, notably: Norbet Kouwenhoven, customs, borders leader at IBM; Dr Marika Hoedemaeker, senior project manager with the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research; Jose Manuel Barroso, non-executive chairman at Goldman Sachs and former president of the European Commission; and Ahmed Al Bulushi, chief executive officer of Mwasalat.



Umberto de Pretto, IRU secretary general, said: With road transport rapidly becoming more digital, connected and automated, this event is a platform for global leaders to exchange ideas, debate solutions and define the future of the industry.



It will offer a forum to demonstrate the benefits of innovative digital solutions that are realistic and sustainable, while challenging decision-makers to stay ahead of the curve, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
A series of 102 indigenous artworks by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, with the oldest dating back to the 1800s, are being exhibited at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here till Sunday, and reflect undercurrents of anti-colonial resistance.

The artworks -- running into canvasses, cloth and ink works, sculpture, and wood bark paintings -- had started pouring in decades after 1788, the year of British entry into Australian lands, and continue even today, as the aftermath of a colonial history still impacts indigenous Australians.

A window into the history of the people, these historic and contemporary artworks allow a glimpse into their creative traditions influenced by invasion.

"Art was a mechanism (for Aborigines) to place these phenomena within a broader cultural context. Many rock art paintings from different regions of Australia have incorporated horses, rifles, British tall ships, etc," exhibition curator Franchesca Cubillo told IANS in an email interview.

Indigenous artist Tommy McRae's ink-on-paper work "Meeting the White Man" (1890) shows a white man walking towards a group of singing and dancing tribespeople, as they hold a 'corroborees' -- an Aboriginal ceremony involving dance and music -- and look at the intruder apprehensively.

Works like these are a unique visual record of contact between two cultures, as seen through an Aboriginal vantage point.

Many works reveal an unjust colonial past -- the invasion and denial of Aboriginal sovereignty, displacement from their homeland, and the devastatingly changed political landscape.

"Aboriginal people have also utilised their art as political (and provocative) statements about ownership of their land/country, about the artists status and place," Cubillo added.

A photograph titled "Broken Heart" in a photographic series -- "Portrait of a Distant Land" -- by Ricky Maynard, is a melancholic self-portrait of the artist standing on the shore of an island to which his people were exiled, as he cranes his neck to gaze at his out-of-sight homeland.

To this extent, the exhibition bears stories of personal loss and trauma.

A contemporary digital print called "Austracism" (2003) is a clever and satirical take on the prevailing racism against Aboriginal people, the roots of which were laid during the colonial rule.

"I'm not racist but...I don't know why Aboriginal people can't look after their houses properly and I'm not racist but...Aboriginal people weren't doing anything with land before we came here and I'm not racist but....they never even wore any clothes before we came...and I'm not racist but..."

The list goes on. The work puts together tens of statements from popular culture to convey racist commentary existing against Aboriginal people today.

"The British did not want to acknowledge the Aboriginal people's sovereignty and sophisticated society that existed within Australia at the time of the invasion in 1788," Cubillo said.

What about art created by colonialists?

Cubillo says the colonial representation of aboriginal people differed from how they represented themselves and wanted to be represented.

"The colonial representation was eurocentric and therefore biased. Aboriginal people were both perceived and portrayed as 'uncivilised aimlessly wandering nomads', sometimes happy and playful, often content to have their corroborees," she explained.

However, Aboriginal artists countered this perception of barbarity through their art.

Vintage ashtrays with Aboriginal faces or torsos caricatured on them -- which required stubbing cigarettes on the faces or torsos -- are offensive objects which have been used brilliantly by artist Tony Albert to surface the discrimination faced by Aborigines. The 2008 work is titled "ASH on me".

The exhibition explores themes of identity, politics, racism, ethnicity and people's connection with their land, and is open for public viewing till Sunday.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)

--IANS

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Sonakshi Sinha, who is geared up for the release of her new film 'Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi', on Monday said that her father and veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha is impressed by its director and looking forward to watch the film.

Sonakshi was interacting with the media at the reality show 'Sabse Bada Dramebaaz' in Mumbai.

Asked about her father's response to the movie's trailer, Sonakshi said: "When I showed him the trailer, he loved it so much that he started asking me about the first part. He didn't know about 'Happy Bhag Jayegi'. So he asked about the film and he was so impressed with the film that he invited director Mudassar Aziz home.

"He had coffee with the filmmaker and a really nice discussion. He is very happy with the trailer...."

The 'Akira' actor also said that the vibe around 'Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi' is so positive that she is not nervous anymore.

"There is no nervousness. Wherever we have gone, the vibe has been pretty positive. Media and audience response has been really good and positive.

"Everything about this film has been very positive... that has been instrumental in beating the nervousness. I am really excited that the film is finally releasing and everyone will have a good time and laugh."

Sonakshi said that she would personally congratulate 'Desi Girl' Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, who got engaged on Saturday.

'Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi' produced by Anand L. Rai and Krishika Lulla is a sequel to Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016).

It also stars Diana Penty, Jimmy Sheirgill, Ali Fazal and Jassi Gill and is slated for August 24 release.

--IANS

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If you are a student or a citizen scientist and curious to understand how waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago have been changing as a consequence of the warming trend over the Arctic circle. Here is an opportunity!

A group of scientists along with students -- most of them young undergrads - on August 23 is embarking on a major three-week investigation of related conditions at the top of the planet.

During the 22-day voyage, they will produce ground level baseline data to assess changing Arctic Ocean frontier, freshwater inflow from ice melt, CO2, methane, plankton, bird life, marine mammals, more.

The team will also take questions directly from classrooms, citizen scientists and the public worldwide in the first-ever interactive Facebook Live sessions from the Northwest Passage -- four in total, August 30, September 3, 5 and 9 -- all fully open and available to the public, say voyage organisers.

Departing from Resolute Bay in Canada's Nunavut Territory aboard the One Ocean Expeditions' 384-foot vessel Akademik Ioffe, the Northwest Passage Project team will observe conditions and collect data to improve the resolution of scientific picture of, and assess changes underway in the far North, considered a harbinger of climactic change for the rest of the world.

The voyage will be returning to Iqaluit on September 13.

The team will update the public in real time en route via 31 interactive sessions hosted by three major US museums and science centres: The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, the Exploratorium, San Francisco CA, and the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward AK.

In addition, the team will report in real time with videos and photos via its social media channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and post blogs accessible on the project website, NorthwestPassageProject.org.

Managed by the University of Rhode Island's Inner Space Center (ISC), part of the Graduate School of Oceanography, with major funding from the US National Science Foundation and additional support from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Northwest Passage Project's 37-member on-board team includes experts in natural and social sciences, students, as well as an award-winning documentary filmmaker and crew.

Led by Chief scientist Brice Loose of the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, the research focuses in particular on volumes and flows of freshwater ice melt entering the Arctic Ocean, which when it enters the Atlantic has world-affecting impacts.

Changing water column chemistry and its effects on greenhouse gases and vulnerable constituents of the Arctic food web: plankton, sea birds and marine mammals are also the focus of the research.

--IANS

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Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, whose suspension has been revoked by the party, said the suspension had prevented him from visiting his Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu for the past eight-nine months and now he can go to his constituency and nurture it ahead of the general elections in 2019.

Former Union Minister Aiyar lost his Lok Sabha seat, Mayiladuthurai, in the 2009 election.

"I am happy to be back (in the party). Since the elections are just a few months away, now I can go my constituency and nurture it...nurse my constituency," Aiyar told IANS.

"For the past eight-nine months, I was prevented from going to my constituency," he added.

Asked if he was given any instruction by the party to avoid personal remarks on any leader, Aiyar said: "I don't want to comment on the (party) high command."

The Congress on Saturday revoked the suspension of Mani Shankar Aiyar from the party following recommendation by its disciplinary committee.

Aiyar was suspended in December 2017 after he used a derogatory word against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections.

Asked about dialogue with Pakistan, Aiyar said: "I have been saying this for the past 40 years that an uninterrupted dialogue should taken place with Pakistan."

"Why should I comment on it (on Prime Minister for constructive engagement with Pakistan) further. You should ask the Prime Minister what does it mean," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to his new Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan that India desires "constructive engagement" with Islamabad but Pakistan quickly clarified that there is no offer of a bilateral dialogue.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even as hundreds remained stranded on hilltops in towns and villages in flood-hit Kodagu in Karnataka, an official said 4,320 marooned people have been rescued till Monday.

"The rescue work has entered its final stage. The 4,320 who have been rescued have been shifted to 41 relief camps in the district," a Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority official told IANS.

Teams from the Indian Army and Navy along with state officials were screening the villages and towns to rescue anyone still stranded, he added.

Cut off by landslides and damaged roads, the coffee-growing district, located in the Western Ghats, has been the worst affected in the state due to southwest monsoon since June first week.

The state's emergency operation centre, which was receiving many distress calls from those stranded, did not get any since early Monday, said the official who did not wish to be named.

"Several phone lines have been cut off due to the rains," he added.

The unabated rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed eight lives so far in the district, according to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's office.

About 50 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 12 naval divers, 62 officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 750 fire service officials and Home Guards with boats and hundreds of volunteers have been carrying out relief work.

The Air Force is using M-17 helicopters to airlift the marooned.

In all, 1,194 specialised rescuers from the state and central agencies are involved in the drive.

With several relief camps sheltering more people than they can accommodate, the district administration on Monday asked volunteers, NGOs in the state to donate relief materials including clothing, raincoats, kitchen utensils and first aid equipment among other things.

The state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corp (KSRTC) has resumed all its intra-state bus services towards Madikeri in Kodagu district and flood-hit Kerala.

The bus services were suspended due to flooding and damaged roads due to landslides.

About 123 km of roads are estimated to be damaged due to the rains, while more than 800 homes have been destroyed. Most of the district's arterial roads have been damaged in landslides.

Over the past 24 hours, Kodagu district received an average of 6.1 cm of rainfall, while few regions received a maximum rainfall of up to 10.3 cm, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts moderate to heavy rains to continue across coastal districts of Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada till Wednesday.

The heavy rains in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada have claimed one life so far, forcing nearly 800 people to shelter in temporary shelters.

The Met office predicts light to moderate rains in south interior districts, including Kodagu, over the next two days.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Joint Action Committee for Bengali Refugees (JACBR) on Monday demanded the inclusion of all Indians in the draft NCR in Assam and grant of citizenship rights to those who arrived in the country on or before December 31, 2014.

The committee, enlisted as one of the stakeholders by the Supreme Court whose suggestions be taken into account while drafting the standard operating procedure (SOP) for filing claims and objections for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), said that it would submit a memorandum to West Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi on August 30 on their demands.

It claimed that there is an attempt to keep away certain people from the NRC list in Assam and divide the country on communal lines. It said all Muslims living in India be considered as its citizens and not Bangladeshi infiltrators.

"Most of the over 40 lakh people left out of the draft NRC in Assam are actually Indian citizens. There might be a negligible percentage who may have infiltrated from Bangladesh. There is an attempt to leave out people from the NRC. We demand every Indian to be included in the citizenship list," its President Sukriti Ranjan Biswas said.

"The BJP is saying that migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Christian or other religious communities coming from neighbouring countries (mostly from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan) on or before December 2014, should be granted residence in India but not citizenship. We demand all these people be given citizenship rights in accordance with the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016," he said.

Terming the documentation process of the NRC as unjustified, he said it was impossible for economically backward people of Assam to preserve old documents as they have been displaced several times due to natural calamities in the state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australia's long-term economic strategy for India is one of the three pillars on which the bilateral relationship should rest, the other two being geopolitical congruence and people to people contacts, former Australian High Commissioner to India Peter Varghese said on Monday.

Speaking at a panel discussion here on the report titled "An India Economic Strategy to 2035" authored by him, Varghese also noted that while comparison with China gets in the way of understanding India, Indian growth will be driven by consumption and services sector and that its drivers of growth are "deeply structural and so highly sustainable".

The report, commissioned by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and released here earlier this month, recommends that Australia should target to make India among its top three export markets and the third largest destination in Asia for the country's outbound investment.

The economic strategy for 2035 report said Australia should seek to increase exports to India from the current level of $14.9 billion to around $45 billion in the next 20 years, and raise outward investment to India from $10.3 billion to over $100 billion.

The report also noted that in order to achieve this transformation in the relationship, the Australian government would need to have a sharper focus on India, an unambiguous commitment by Australian business and a deeper understanding of the rapidly developing Indian market.

"They (Australia) will also require an approach to the investment relationship with India that markedly differs from the trajectory of Australian investment in most other Asian markets," the report said.

The report has identified 10 sectors where Australia's competitive advantages can serve Indian needs, and 10 states in India where Australia should focus its efforts.

It also said no single market would offer more growth opportunities for Australia than India over the next 20 years.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Japan on Monday reaffirmed their commitment for greater bilateral defence cooperation and ensuring a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region at the annual defence ministerial meeting here.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held talks with her Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera who is on a two-day visit to India at the invitation of the Indian Defence Minister, and reaffirmed the commitment to further strengthen defence and security cooperation under the "Japan-lndia Special Strategic and Global Partnership".

Sitharaman will be visiting Japan next year for the next edition of the meeting.

"The Ministers recognised that the peace and stability of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are crucial for ensuring the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, and had a frank exchange of views on the current security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including developments in the Korean Peninsula," an official communique said at the conclusion of the meeting.

It said the Ministers agreed that both sides will seek to realise the 7th Defence Vice Minister/ Secretary-level Defence Policy Dialogue and the 6th Vice Minister/ Secretary-level "2+2" dialogue in Tokyo in 2019.

The Ministers also welcomed the progress made in preparing for the first-ever bilateral joint exercise in counter-terrorism between the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) and the Indian Army to be held later this year.

The Ministers expressed satisfaction at the success of Japan-India-US trilateral maritime exercise "Malabar 2018" in June this year as well as the start of the constructive, trilateral discussion toward the next round of the exercise.

The two Defence Ministers underlined the need to continue bilateral joint exercises, including those in areas of anti-submarine warfare and mine-countermeasures.

Following the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) helicopter crews' visit to India's Sarsawa Air Force Station in December last year, the two sides affirmed JASDF's participation as observers in the next round of Exercise Cope India "to add further momentum to air-to-air exchanges".

The Ministers welcomed the regular exchange of students between the defence educational and research institutions of the two countries, including the National Defence College of India, and the National Institute of Defence Studies of Japan, and reaffirmed that they would be continued.

It said the constructive engagement between the Acquisition, Technology and Logistical Agency (ATLA) of Japan and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has resulted in the signing of a project arrangement between the two countries on cooperative research in the field of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/ robotics, marking the start of the first bilateral cooperative project.

Sitharaman briefed Onodera on the setting up of two Defence Industry Corridors in India and invited participation of Japanese enterprises.

--IANS

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An Israeli study said on Sunday that fungal infections could be cured using bacteria found in the soil.

The researchers tried using bacillus subtilis bacteria, which naturally secrete substances that inhibit candida growth, according to the study published by the Israel Institute of Technology "Technion," Xinhua reported.

The researchers developed a new model for drug therapy, which is a tiny "factory" where the bacteria inside it begin to produce the active substance.

The prevalence of fungal infections is on the rise due to the aging of the population, global warming and the increasing use of antibiotics.

The effectiveness of pills currently available for fungal infections is low due to side effects such as headaches and rash, and in some cases, life-threatening toxicity in the liver and kidneys.

The researchers hope that in the future it will be possible to use the new model to treat a variety of diseases including psoriasis, acne, inflammation and even cancer.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday, Modi told the visiting dignitary that he looks forward to visiting Japan later this year, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Onodera was on a two-day bilateral visit to India on August 19-20 at the invitation of Defence Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman.

Recalling his long association with Japan since before assuming office as Prime Minister, Modi welcomed the broadening and deepening of the special strategic and global partnership between India and Japan in the recent years.

Modi warmly recalled the successful visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India last year, and said that "he is looking forward to visiting Japan later this year".

The Prime Minister said that defence cooperation is a key pillar of the relationship between the two countries.

"The Prime Minister welcomed the strengthening of various defence dialogue mechanisms between India and Japan, and the enhanced linkages between the armed forces of the two countries. He also appreciated the progress in defence technology cooperation between the two countries," said a PMO statement.

--IANS

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Italy-based Pirelli, a premium tyre manufacturer, has urged GCC residents to pay more attention to tyre durability during the summer season to minimise road risks and reduce tyre-related accidents.



In the regions extreme summer months, soaring temperatures impact air dissipation from tyres and create additional pressure, increasing the likelihood of punctures and blow-outs. And while the majority of car owners are aware of the importance of regular tyre rotation throughout the year, Pirelli has urged drivers to add a monthly tyre pressure check into their regular maintenance routines, said a statement from the company.



According to Carlos Milani Pirellis managing director in the Middle East and India - who delivered his warning less than a month before Dubai Polices A Road Without Accidents campaign on September 2 - the onus on road safety lies with car owners.



Milani said: Drivers can assess their tyres visually to find obvious damages or punctures, while a quick trip to a petrol station or garage can solve pressure shortage problems caused by the increased amount of tread wearing in summer.



By carrying out these checks every month, and professionally every six months, drivers can consistently monitor their tyres to avoid damage and minimise the risk of accidents, he said.



Milani continued: Many drivers arent fully aware of the risks they take when avoiding regular tyre checks during summer  a simple check can save lives, let alone money.



We are committed to increasing overall road safety and to make it easier for GCC residents weve recently introduced our game-changing Tyre Scan with the Groove Glove technology to the region. The technology enables drivers to scan their tyres easily and ensure theyre consistently safe, he added.



Groove Glove gives drivers tyre-related information, including suspension, pressure, alignment, wear and tear, and replacement recommendations. The technology also calculates tread depth of the major grooves on a tyre to a tenth of a millimetre, said a statement.



For residents planning to jet away for long periods, Milani added that it was important for idle vehicles to be moved every two weeks to avoid finding their tyres are potentially unusable due to parking deformation.



We are committed to providing the highest quality of tyres and services to our customers, added Milani. Keeping in mind the safety of drivers, we are offering UAE residents free tyre scanning and promotions on our tyres at various AutoPro service centres across ENOC/EPPCO petrol stations in Dubai.



Through its partnership with Al Hawai Tyre Co.(AHT), the official distributor of Pirelli tyres in the UAE, Pirelli offers the highest standard of tyre service, care and maintenance befitting its premium tyres. AHT services customers in highly technical service centres and showrooms across the UAE, while its mobile service van takes the Pirelli premium tyre service to drivers, enabling AHT to stay ahead of the competition, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
A leader of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United on Monday demanded reservation for the poor among the upper castes in the state.

Rishi Mishra said: "I will meet Chief Minister Nitish Kumar soon in connection with this demand."

He said he will also stage a day-long protest here on October 2.

Mishra's demand was supported by JD-U spokesperson Sanhay Singh, who said the poor among the upper castes deserved reservation.

--IANS

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The Kerala unit of CPI on Monday admonished Forest Minister P. Raju from the party for leaving for Germany last week when the state was in the grip of devastating floods and directed him to return immediately.

State Communist Party of India Secretary Kanam Rajendran told the media here that the party had taken a dim view of Raju's trip abroad from August 16.

"He has been asked to return immediately," said Rajendran.

Though there were murmurs within the CPI for strict action against Raju, informed sources said that a strict warning will be issued for his alleged callousness in going abroad when a calamity had struck Kerala.

--IANS

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A migrant worker from West Bengal, stranded in the flood-ravaged Kerala, has made an appeal to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to rescue him and others like him.

"The condition here in Kerala is becoming worse. Getting relief aids, potable water and everything else has become a problem. I request the Chief Minister to make immediate arrangements to rescue the Bengalis as we are left with nothing," the worker appealed in a video call made to his family.

He said the conditions are frightening. People of Kerala have suffered huge losses and many people from West Bengal are also untraceable.

Meanwhile, some other workers have returned safely and shared their first-hand experience after they arrived at the Howrah Railway Station here.

"My room is completely submerged. I slept under the bridge for almost two days after which I boarded the train from Ernakulam. It took almost 26 hours to reach here which usually takes around 12 hours," a migrant worker said after reaching their own state.

Another person said that the situation cannot be explained in words as the water has inundated everything starting from houses, crops, vegetables and so on.

"We could not get anything to eat for almost three days," he said.

The situation is "scary" for all of them and they all returned to save themselves.

Worried about his family at home, a Kerala man working in Kolkata said: "I have my wife and a three-month-old baby. They were living on the second floor and the rest of the house was under water when I got a call."

He said that no rescue team could reach them and after that, he could not make any further contact.

--IANS

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The DANICS Officers Association on Monday announced a donation of Rs 1.5 lakh and contribution of one-day salaries by its members for the Kerala flood survivors.

Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officers handed over a cheque for Rs 1.5 lakh to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here and also assured Kerala of all help possible in relief efforts, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tweeted.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to the public for generous donations. The Delhi government has already announced Rs 10 crore to help flood survivors.

All Delhi Ministers, party MLAs and MPs will also donate a month's salary each.

--IANS

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A Keralite working in Sultanate of Oman in a supermarket has been terminated from his job following a highly insensitive post he wrote in the wake of the worst-ever floods in the state.

Rahul C. Palayattu who works as cashier at the Lulu Hypermarket, Bousher, has been handed his termination letter that stated that the action is prompted by his highly insensitive and derogatory comment in his post.

On a post that requested for sanitary napkins to be supplied at various relief camps at the earliest, he added that condoms too can be sent.

The Lulu group is headed by Keralite business honcho M.A. Yusuf Ali who owns 150 supermarkets across the globe and employs around 25,000 Keralites.

The termination letter has now been circulated in the social media, despite Palayattu's plea that he is "extremely sorry" for his comment.

--IANS

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Real Madrid may have defeated Getafe 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Sunday night in their first game of the new Liga Santander season, but it seems fair to say that the side have so far failed to capture the imagination of their fans.

Just 48,466 supporters turned up at the 81,044 capacity stadium to watch goals from Dani Carvajal and Gareth Bale give Julen Lopetegui's side a win to help them forget Wednesday's defeat to Atletico Madrid in the European Supercup, reports Xinhua news agency.

It is the lowest turnout for a league match at the Bernabeu since a 3-1 win against Mallorca at the end of the 2008-9 season.

That game nine years ago was the last match before Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at the club from Manchester United, while Sunday's was the first since Ronaldo left to join Juventus in July.

There are probably other factors beyond Ronaldo's departure behind the low turnout, such as the failure to sign a big-name replacement for the Portuguese, leaving Lopetegui to compete with a squad which doesn't look as strong as that which finished third in La Liga last season.

The fact the match was played in August at the height of the holiday season also didn't help, with many season ticket holders likely to be away from Madrid, while the 22:15 kick off time was hardly helpful for fans who had to work on Monday morning.

FC Barcelona also suffered a low turnout in their first league match of the new season, with just 52,350 supporters in their 99,350 capacity Camp Nou stadium on Saturday night.

--IANS

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A team of 81 doctors from Mumbai and Pune left by an Air India flight on Monday with medical relief supplies to help the flood victims in Kerala, an official said here.

The team comprises 55 doctors from Sir J.J. Hospital, Mumbai and 26 from Sassoon Hospital (Pune), said Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan.

They will join other medical teams from across the state who are serving the people of Kerala amidst apprehensions of outbreak of diseases as the flood waters start receding.

Meanwhile, through efforts of various organisations coordinated by the state government, another five tonnes of relief supplies including food packs, milk powder, blankets, bedsheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins will be sent to Kerala on Monday.

This is in addition to over 30 tonne already sent during the past two days besides a cash donation of Rs 20 crore from the state government.

Navi Mumbai's Kerala Bhavan has collected 200 tonnes of materials of which 150 tonne has been dispatched through Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and RoRo vessels.

A group of 20 persons from Saudi Arabia landed in Mumbai as the Kochi Airport is still closed and they have been given shelter in Kerala Bhavan.

A group of Mumbai-born Kerala youths in Powai have launched coordination efforts between various relief agencies, organizing transport and other logistics, identifying the required materials to be sent to Kerala and related issues to streamline the aid pouring in from various sources, said one of the coordinators Pradeep Menon.

A charity show with top Keralite artistes and others in Bollywood is being planned soon after monsoon to raise funds specifically for the poor and displaced flood victims to be handed over to Kerala CM's Distress Relief Fund, Menon said.

Several hundred of members of Azad Hawkers Union, Mira Road (Thane) led by the president Dayashankar Singh, have donated voluntarily over one tonne of relief materials which will be dispatched to Kerala through the Ayappa Swami Temple Trust here.

A large number of Mumbaikars are also contributing to various pick-up points started in Mumbai, suburbs and adjacent districts for relief materials for onward dispatch to Kerala.

--IANS

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Expressing sympathies to the government and people of India over the death and destruction in Kerala floods, the Maldives has announced a donation of $50,000 as a "token contribution in solidarity", the Maldives Embassy here said on Monday.

"The government of Maldives conveys profound sympathies to the government and the people of India, in particular to those directly affected by the tragedy," the Embassy quoted a statement from Maldives President Abdulla Yameen's office as saying in a statement.

"India is our closest neighbour," Maldives Ambassador to India Ahmed Mohamed said in the embassy statement.

"Any natural disaster or calamity that strikes our neighbour has an emotional impact on Maldives.

"This donation is a small gesture to a neighbour and friend who has always stood by Maldives in its hour of need."

Ties between India and the Maldives have been strained since President Yameen imposed Emergency in February after the Supreme Court ordered the release and retrial of former President Mohamed Nasheed, a pro-India leader, and other prisoners.

--IANS

ab/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A life convict in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case told the Supreme Court on Monday that no decision has been taken by the Tamil Nadu Governor on his mercy petition pending before him for over two years.

A bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice K.M. Joseph asked advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for A.G. Perarivalan, who is among the seven convicts in the case, to file the documents on record in two weeks.

Perarivalan, who had filed the mercy petition seeking remission or pardon from the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution, contended through his advocate that he wanted to file the documents to bring it on record of the court as no decision has yet been taken on the mercy petition.

The court posted the matter for September 6 for further hearing.

On December 30, 2015, Perarivalan had filed the mercy petition before the Governor, saying he has suffered more than 24 years of solitary/ single confinement.

The now-vanquished Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka were blamed for the Congress leader's killing by a suicide bomber at an election rally near Chennai in 1991.

--IANS

gt/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a disobedience petition filed before the Mhadei Inter-state Water Disputes Tribunal in the national capital, the Goa government has sought the arrest of officials of the Karnataka government for violation of the adjudicating body's orders.

The petition comes a week after the Tribunal in its award allotted 13.42 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) water to Karnataka, resolving a decades-old dispute primarily between Goa and Karnataka, as well as Maharashtra government's claim over sharing of water from the Mhadei river, also known as the Mahadayi in Karnataka.

"In our prayer, we have prayed for the arrest of the officials of Karnataka who are involved in these violations and attachment of properties of the State of Karnataka," state's Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande told reporters in Panaji.

He also said that the disobedience petition was filed under Rule 2A of the Civil Procedure Code before the Tribunal.

The Goa government has maintained that despite an injunction ordered by the Tribunal against actual diversion of the Mhadei water -- before the award was delivered -- Karnataka had already started diversion of the water using canals at Kalsa village, located on the Goa-Karnataka border.

The Goa government now wants the officials responsible for "illegally" diverting the water arrested and the canals built by them attached by the Tribunal.

Last week, the Tribunal which was hearing a dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra over sharing of water from the Mhadei river had allotted 13.42 tmcft (including 7.56 tmcft for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) from the Mhadei river basin to Karnataka, as against 36.55 tmcft demanded by the southern state, while also allotting 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra.

Mhadei river is known as a lifeline in the northern parts of the state. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra.

While 78 per cent of the basin of the Mhadei river lies in Goa, 42.79 per cent of the basin is located in Karnataka and a small portion comes under Maharashtra.

--IANS

maya/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As many as 586,718 tourists visited Salalah during the end of the seventh week (August 2 to 8) of the Khareef season, an increase of 36.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2017, which was 429,349.



According to the latest statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of visitors in the seventh week decreased by 5.6 per cent to 138,856 compared to 147,054 visitors during the sixth week of the current season.



NCSI statistics showed that visitors arriving by land during the end of the seventh week increased 81.5 per cent to 478,306 visitors, which is a rise of 44.2 per cent compared to 331,699 visitors during the same period in 2017. The number also showed a decline of 8.4 per cent to 114,765 from 125,235 visitors in the sixth week of the current season.



A total of 108,412 visitors reached Dhofar governorate by air, an increase of 11 per cent over the same period in 2017, which was registered at 97,650 visitors.



There was an increase of 10.4 per cent in the number of visitors by air in the seventh week compared to the sixth week of the current season, with the number of arrivals on domestic flights increasing to 18,184 visitors in the seventh week from 16,339 visitors in the sixth week. The number of visitors arriving by international flights reached 5,907 in the seventh week compared to 5,480 in the sixth week.



The statistics showed that 81.6 per cent, or 113,317 visitors, during the seventh week were residents of the sultanate and 25,539 were non-residents.



The tourists from Gulf regions, including the Omanis, accounted for 94.4 per cent of the total visitors to the Salalah Khareef season during the seventh week, reaching 553,599 visitors compared to 389,834 visitors during the same period in 2017, which is a rise of 42 per cent.



The number of visitors of Asian nationality was 17,860, which is a decrease of 33.6 per cent from 26,898 visitors during the same period. Of the total number of visitors, 12,166 were from other Arab countries, 1,926 from European countries, and 1,167 were from other countries. - TradeArabia News Service
Director Peter Berg says it was a remarkable experience to shoot "Mile 22" in just 42 days.

The movie was filmed between November 2017 and February 2018, filming the majority of its interior shots in Atlanta, Georgia during the first five weeks, before moving to Bogota, Colombia for the remainder of the shoot, where the exterior action scenes were filmed.

"It was remarkable how President Santos (former Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos) and his government really opened up their city to us," Berg said in a statement to IANS.

Written by Graham Roland and Lea Carpenter, "Mile 22", featuring Mark Wahlberg, is the story of an elite American intelligence officer who, with the help of the top-secret tactical command unit, tries to smuggle a mysterious police officer with sensitive information out of a foreign country.

To lay the groundwork for filming an action film, which involves multiple car chases, gunfire and explosions, the filmmaker started talking to officials of the Colombian government and the city of Bogota back in June of 2017. One of the most important special permits the makers had to get was to allow aerial filming in what were normally the city's no-fly zones.

"We were basically given keys to the city. We were allowed to go into their equivalent of Times Square and shut it down for 10 days and do some pretty hectic stuff. The fact that we were able to use the real city and interact with the real city in a pretty kinetic way really helped give us the look we were going for," he added.

Being brought to India by PVR Pictures, the film will release in India on Friday.

--IANS

sug/rb/bg

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to his new Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan that India desires "constructive engagement" with Islamabad but Pakistan quickly clarified that there was no offer of a bilateral dialogue.

Modi wrote to Imran Khan expressing India's commitment to build good neighbourly relations and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement with Islamabad.

He also talked about a shared vision to bring peace to make the subcontinent free of terror and violence.

Informed sources said in New Delhi that Modi wrote to Khan on Saturday, congratulating him after he took oath as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Modi expressed India's commitment to build good neighbourly relations between New Delhi and Islamabad and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region.

He expressed the belief that the smooth transition of government in Pakistan would strengthen people's belief in democracy.

Modi recalled their telephonic conversation in which they spoke of a shared vision to bring peace, security and prosperity in the subcontinent to make it free of terror and violence.

In Islamabad, the Foreign Ministry denied that Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had stated that Modi made an offer of a dialogue.

"In response to a query regarding the controversy being unnecessarily created by sections of the Indian media, the Foreign Minister had not stated that the Indian Prime Minister had made an offer of a dialogue," the Ministry said in a statement.

"The Indian Prime Minister in his letter to Khan had mentioned something similar to what the Foreign Minister elucidated earlier that the way forward was only through constructive engagement."

Earlier on Monday, Qureshi said that there was a need for "continued and uninterrupted" dialogue with India, which was the only way forward for the two neighbours to resolve outstanding issues.

Qureshi, the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Vice Chairman, was sworn-in earlier in the day along with 15 other members from Imran Khan's 21-strong cabinet, Dawn news reported.

"Pakistan looks forward to a mutually beneficial, uninterrupted dialogue with India to resolve all issues," the Ministry said.

"Any attempts to instigate controversy and vitiate the environment are counter-productive and against the spirit of responsible journalism."

--IANS

ksk-ps/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said that there was a need of "continued and uninterrupted" dialogue with India, which was the only way forward for the two neighbours to resolve outstanding issues.

Qureshi, the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Vice Chairman, was sworn-in earlier in the day along with 15 other members from the newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's 21-strong cabinet, Dawn news.

In his maiden speech as Foreign Minister, Qureshi said: "I want to tell the Indian Foreign Minister that we are not just neighbours; we are atomic powers. We have a lot of common resources.

"Us coming to the table and talking peace is our only option. We need to stop the adventurism and come together. We know the issues are tough and will not be solved overnight, but we have to engage," he said.

"We cannot turn our cheek. Yes we have outstanding issues. Kashmir is a reality; it is an issue that both our nations acknowledge... We need a continued and uninterrupted dialogue. This is our only way forward," the minister added.

Quereshi said the two countries may have a different approach and line of thinking, but he wants to "see a change" in how we behave.

"India and Pakistan have to move forward keeping realities before them," he asserted, adding that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a letter to Khan, in which he has indicated the beginning of talks between the two countries.

Qureshi, emphasising the importance of fostering better relations with neighbouring countries, said: "I will try to bridge the trust deficit between Pakistan and other regional countries," the Dawn report said.

He also said that Pakistan's interest lies at the very centre of foreign policy.

"Wherever we need to fix our foreign policy we will fix it," the Minister said.

Qureshi also announced his plans of a visit to Kabul, saying: "The two countries share a future and geography, and we have to work together and begin our long journey."

When questioned about the party's stance on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Minister said that PTI "supports CPEC".

Qureshi had previously served as Foreign Minister during between 2008-13 under then President Asif Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

--IANS

ksk/hs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday formed an expert committee headed by a retired judge to decide whether to allow Vedanta Limited to open its Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin, which was shut by the Tamil Nadu government on environmental grounds.

The committee will include representatives of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Ministry of and Forest (MoEF).

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson A.K. Goel directed the committee to start work in two weeks and decide the matter within four weeks of formation.

"We remit the matter to a committee of a former judge and technical members of the CPCB and MoEF," the NGT bench ordered.

It added, "We are also permitting interveners to be heard. They (committee) may visit the site, gather technical data and submit report."

The bench said that the committee will evolve a credible mechanism whereby the rival considerations can be balanced and a view can be taken.

Tamil Nadu had ordered the closure of the Tuticorin plant, around 650 km from Chennai, following protests and the death of 13 persons in police firing on May 22.

Earlier this month, the NGT had permitted access to the administrative office at the plant that was shut down, but barred the Sterlite management from accessing the production unit on the premises.

--IANS

spk/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the Interpol confirming the presence of fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, wanted in the Rs 13,500-crore PNB fraud, in the United Kingdom, the CBI on Monday moved to seek his detention and extradition to India, an official said on Monday.

According to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, UK authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence in the country on Sunday through a mail after a diffusion notice was issued against him by the agency to the Interpol.

A diffusion notice is an international alert for the arrest of a specific person.

The official said that the CBI sent an extradition request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday for approaching the UK authorities. The CBI official said that the agency had requested the Interpol to detain Nirav Modi on the basis of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him. Nirav Modi's location was not traced until then.

The Interpol revealed two months ago that Modi had travelled to six countries on a passport that was revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs.

On July 2, the Interpol had issued a RCN against Nirav Modi on the basis of money laundering charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

On August 2, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh informed Parliament that the government had sent a request to the UK for extraditing Nirav Modi.

Nirav Modi along with his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali Group is under probe in the Punjab National Bank fraud case by both the CBI and the ED.

The ED had, on May 24 and 26, filed prosecution complaints or chargesheets against Choksi and Modi.

The court has taken cognisance of the chargesheets and issued non-bailable warrants against both.

Nirav Modi left India along with his family in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the CBI. His wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and Choksi on January 4.

Choksi was last traced to Antigua, where he has been granted citizenship.

--IANS

rak-aks/tsb/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A mobile phone application has been launched that will benefit thousands of personnel serving in remote areas to help develop and maintain the countrys robust border infrastructure.

The application "Gref Abhilekh" was launched by Lieutenant General Harpal Singh, Director General Border Roads.

"It would "immensely benefit the 36,000 General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) personnel serving in remote border areas of our country", an Indian Army spokesperson said.

The app, compatible with all Android /Window/ioS based mobile phones, will provide real time personnel and career management information to all serving GREF personnel.

The personnel can access information related to personal details, family details, service details, probation or confirmation details and honours, awards and medals they have won.

Besides it also contains details related to promotions and seniority lists. They can also download pay slips and submit grievances through the app.

The Director General Border Roads who launched the app at GREF Centre and Records in Pune expressed his satisfaction on how the centre had drawn the IT road map for the organisation.

"The mobile app will not only enhance functional efficiency but also bring transparency in overall system thereby boosting the morale of the troops," the officer said.

He reaffirmed his faith that the Border Roads Organisation continued to be "the nation's most reputed, multifaceted and modern construction organisation will prosper further by adopting newer technologies and procedures".

--IANS

sar/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The IAS and IPS officers in Odisha have decided to contribute their one day's salary to help the flood-affected people of Kerala.

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officers Association of Odisha and Odisha Indian Police Service (IPS) Association have decided to contribute the money to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

"The Association stands as one with the people of Kerala during this crisis and wishes them strength to overcome the tragedy," Secretary of the Odisha IAS officers' body, Vishal Dev, told media persons here.

In a resolution made by the Association, the members have expressed deep anguish and concern over the unprecedented floods and the consequent hardship that the people of Kerala are facing.

Pointing out that people from all walks of life are engaged in providing relief to the flood-affected people, Dev said the Odisha government has also deputed a special team to Kerala to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance.

The Odisha IPS Association in a release said that it has decided to contribute one day's salary to help the flood-affected people of Kerala.

"Our heart goes out to the people of Kerala whose spirit of hope could not be diminished by the floods that have wrecked havoc. We empathise with them in this hour of need and express our solidarity," said the release.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 crore and ordered 500 MT of polythene sheets worth Rs 8 crore for Kerala.

It has already sent a 240-member team of fire service personnel armed with 65 rescue boats and other equipments to carry out rescue and relief operations.

--IANS

cd/mag/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian ride-sharing major Ola on Monday forayed into the UK market by launching its services in South Wales, the company said in a statement.

"Ola will offer the customers in South Wales, including in Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan, the option of hailing private hire vehicles and taxis on one platform," the city-based online cab aggregator said in a statement here.

With a plan to expand across the UK by the end of this year, Ola said it has already obtained the licences to operate in Greater Manchester, in northwest England, where it will begin its operations soon.

Over the past few weeks, the company has received positive feedback from the drivers in South Wales, said Ola UK Managing Director Ben Legg.

"We will work with the local authorities in helping the people with their mobility," Legg said in the statement.

As part of launching its services in UK, the company is offering limited discount rides to its customers.

Ola's UK entry comes about seven months after it announced driving into Australia on January 30 to foray into the international market to rival US-based Uber.

The Bengaluru-based firm is currently operating in seven cities across Australia including Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Canberra.

Founded in 2011, Ola has been competing against Uber in the ride-hailing market.

The seven-year-old Ola claims to have 125 million users in 110 cities.

--IANS

bha/anp/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistani-origin Mehreen Faruqi, of the Australian Green Party, on Monday became the first Muslim woman to occupy a seat in the country's Senate.

Faruqi took office a week after Senator Fraser Anning, of Australia's Katter Party, made controversial comments on Muslim and non-English speaking immigrants from the "third world", reports Efe news.

"After last week particularly, it is really good to have you here," Labor Party leader Penny Wong said in the Senate, referring to remarks by Anning, who also called for a plebiscite on immigration.

Farqui migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1992 and represented the Green Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council since 2013.

She replaces Lee Rhiannon from the Green Party, WHO announced her retirement in May.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Continuing its investigations into the August 9 arms seizures in Palghar, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) nabbed former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar from Jalna, official sources said on Monday.

A businessman, Pangarkar - alleged to be the main financier of the Palghar operations - was brought to Mumbai and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act and more.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Padalkar remanded him in police custody till August 28.

Seeking his custody, the ATS urged the court that investigators needed to probe his links in the sensational arms seizure case of Palghar, his other associates, analyse hard disks, pen drives and other incriminating materials seized from his home in Jalna.

Besides, the prosecution said that Pangarkar was allegedly providing funds to the other three accused and investigators needed to probe his banking details.

A businessman dealing in grains and kerosene, Pangarkar is a former two-term Shiv Sena corporator from Jalna, but quit the party in 2011 to become a full-time Hindutva activist and later shifted to Aurangabad.

He was associated with several right-wing organisations including the Hindu Janjagran Samiti over the past few years.

Pangarkar's arrest comes 10 days after three others - Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanva Gondhalekar - were nabbed from Nala Sopara in Palghar and Pune following the discovery of a large cache of arms and explosives.

Early on August 10, the ATS created a sensation by claiming to have unearthed a terror plot targeting Mumbai, Pune, Satara and Solapur ahead of the Independence Day celebrations and the upcoming Bakri Eid festival.

Besides nabbing the three right-wing activists, it unearthed a mini arms production unit, recovered 20 crude bombs, explosive material to manufacture another two-to-four dozen bombs, five country-made pistols, three incomplete pistols, 39 cartridges, springs, triggers and other materials.

The ATS is also probing the links of these activists with the ongoing probe into the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, Gauri Lankesh and others.

--IANS

qn/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Your OPED yesterday, which was picked up by every liberal media outlet in the country, was sadly indicative of the current state of mind of many of our nations recently retired and active duty senior military leaders.

I was ready to write a stinging rebuttal to McRaven's craziness, but Ray Starmann (of US Defense Watch) saved me the effort. He has written a stellar piece calling out McRaven. Starmann gave his permission for the following to be posted here (he too is a fan of Colonel Lang) The Friend:

As someone who has worked under Admiral McRaven (USN retired), I had always held him in high regard. I thought he was a man of integrity and honor. But that has now changed. His opinion piece in the New York Times last week decrying President Trump's correct and justified decision to strip John Brennan of security clearances exposed him as a partisan who does not give a damn about facts. Just because he was in command of a group of Navy SEALS who killed Bin Laden does not mean that he gets a free pass to say or write stupid things. Defending John Brennan goes beyond stupid. It is a defense of evil.

You stated that former CIA director John Brennan, is one of the finest public servants I have ever known. Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who dont know him.

The man whom you describe as being a cross between George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Mother Theresa is a deep state hack; who, along with other Obama holdouts, is openly and aggressively pursuing a coup detat against the current President of the United States, for one reason and one reason only  his side lost the election.

Frankly, I cant think of any actions that are more un-American, and against the values that Americans hold dear and that which so many Americans died for in the past.

What you call unparalleled integrity, I call honest to goodness treason.

Former CIA director Brennan, whom you state has honesty and character authorized the CIA to spy on American citizens, tried to rig a Presidential election and then lied to Congress about that spying. A man you claim has unparalleled integrity was caught fabricating stories about attacks on US personnel in Libya and providing weapons to ISIS backed militias in Syria.

Mr. Brennan also voted once for a communist candidate. How Mr. Brennan was hired as DCI after voting for a communist and why you support a man who once did, is a mystery to everyone but you and God.

Former members of the special operations community do not share your adoration for Mr. Brennan. Kris Tanto Paronto, a former Army Ranger and private security contractor who was part of the CIA team that fought back during the 2012 Benghazi terror attack, accused Brennan of putting his politics before those in the field.

On Twitter, Paronto stated:

My principles are greater than clearances too John Brennan, especially when you and the @CIA kool-aid drinkers punishes us for not going along with the Benghazi cover-up story in order to protect you, @HillaryClintons & @BarackObamas failures. You put your politics before us.

Mr. Brennan was recently referred to by retired Army Brigadier General Anthony Tata as a clear and present danger to the nation.

No doubt John Brennans complete absence of integrity and his erratic behavior are what convinced the President to revoke his clearance. Mr. Brennan stated that Trumps  performance in Helsinki, exceeds the threshold of high crimes & misdemeanors. It was  treasonous.

In a recent article, Pat Buchanan stated that had Brennan made the same accusations of treason against former President Andrew Jackson, he would have been challenged to a duel and shot.

As you know sir, on the security clearance form, Question 29 reads, have you ever supported overthrowing the U.S. Government?

I think its more than apparent, from his nightly rantings on CNN to his Twitter expletives that John Brennan supports over-throwing the President and the current cabinet members of the US government.

You also wrote, sir, in reference to the President, 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,

Actually, Admiral, the only person who has humiliated the US on the world stage in the last decade is Barack Hussein Obama. During the eight years of the Obama administrations, the world watched as the US kow-towed to Iranian thugs, let the Chinese run rings around us in the Pacific, while ISIS murdered tens of thousands of innocent people in the Middle East. Believe me, Admiral, the children of Syria and Iraq are rejoicing in their liberation from ISIS mass murderers. And, the people of the Middle East and across the world are sleeping soundly tonight, knowing that an incompetent, narcissistic maniac like Hillary Clinton isnt sitting in the Oval Office.

As far as the nations current political schism, you need only look at your fellow liberals who are inciting violence and propagating hatred on a daily basis.

You then dared the Commander in Chief to revoke your security clearance.

Im sure youre aware of the following regulation in the UCMJ.

"Retired military officers are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) under Article 2 of the UCMJ, which extends the jurisdiction of military law to Retired members of a regular component of the armed forces who are entitled to pay. Retirees are subject to the UCMJ and may be tried by court-martial for violations  that occurred  while in a retired status.

Article 88 of the UCMJ criminalizes

contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State.

Something to ponder, sir.

No doubt your OPED was designed to whip up some more anti-Trump hysteria and to usher you into the political arena. No doubt you are a serving member of the resistance. No doubt, you have your eyes on some office space in the capitol building or in the White House. No doubt, you have your eyes on the prize, all at the expense of the nation you once served.

When I read your OPED, sir, I wondered where and when and why you went wrong. How does someone from a military family, a SEAL, who came of age in the Reagan years; someone who understands what its like to be on a team; the camraderie, the toughness mentally and physically required; someone who grew up reading about people like Patton, MacArthur, Lee, Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Hal Moore- How does a guy like that end up aligning himself with the party of Pelosi, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, and slime like Hillary who was chanting "baby killer" back at Wellesley, and her husband too gutless to serve, I hate the military Bill?

How does a guy like you still support the destructive policies of Obama, and furthermore, how does a guy like you support Brennan, when you know damned well Brennan was a communist, and that he perjured himself in front of Congress, how does that happen?

You, sir, are representative of what is, in my opinion, as a former Army Captain and combat veteran of the 7th Cavalry, the worst generation of senior leaders this nation has ever fielded. Bar None. The majority of you, were and are what the late Colonel David Hackworth so eloquently described as perfumed princes.

It doesnt matter how many degrees you have; how many combat tours you did and how much fruit salad you earned. It doesnt matter that you have the SEAL Trident.

Your generation of senior leaders sold and is selling out the nations defense to the highest bidder and that bidder is social engineering and leftist ideology. You and your generation of leftist senior leaders have allowed our military to be destroyed for the greater glory of pensions, Tricare and political power, national security be damned. Now, that youve overseen the decimation of our military, you are determined to overthrow a sitting President because he represents everything anathema to the left  America First and the fact that the USA IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

You are all nothing more than political hacks; Obama leftists fighting some kind of insurgent anti-Trump campaign like a division of crazed left-wing fanatics holed up in the Beltway National Redoubt, waiting for a last op order from der Fuehrer, Barack Hussein Obama.

I believe sir, that you need to examine your conscience and ask yourself one very important question  what in the name of God Almighty would Hillary Clinton have done for anyone in this country?

The answer is nothing.

Ray Starmann

Editor in Chief

US Defense Watch"
US National Security Advisor John Bolton announced that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will leave for North Korea soon, his fourth visit to Pyongyang since he assumed office.

In an interview with ABC News, Bolton said: "I think Secretary Pompeo will be returning to Pyongyang soon for his fourth visit," reports Xinhua news agency.

"I think the timing will be announced at an appropriate point by the State Department," he said, adding that the US sides expects Pompeo to meet Kim Jong-un.

"To move on with the process of denuclearization remains our highest priority," said Bolton, adding that "it's important that they (North Korea) demonstrate seriousness" in this regard.

He noted that Pyongyang has one year to follow through from making "the strategic decision to denuclearize", However, he did not give more details on the timeline.

"We're counting on North Korea following through on the commitments," he added.

Bolton said earlier last month that Washington has had a plan to dismantle majority of North Korea's nuke and ballistic missile programmes and Pompeo will be discussing it with Pyongyang while visiting the country.

Pompeo previously visited North Korea in April, May and July.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Federal prosecutors are preparing criminal charges against US President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen and could announce them by the end of the month, according to sources.

The US Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York has been investigating Cohen for possible bank and tax fraud and campaign finance violations related in part to a $130,000 hush money payment made to silence porn star Stormy Daniels' allegations of an affair with Trump, the sources told CNN on Sunday.

Trump has however, denied the affair.

Investigators are also examining more than $20 million in loans obtained for Cohen and his family's taxi companies.

The Cohen investigation was referred to the Southern District of New York by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Should Cohen seek to make a deal to avoid indictment, it could require him to cooperate with any investigation prosecutors wish, including the ongoing Russia probe, the sources told CNN.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided Cohen's hotel room, office and home in April.

At the time prosecutors said their investigation had been underway for months.

The search warrant authorising the raid referenced Cohen's taxi medallion business, the identity of banks that loaned him money and payments made to suppress negative information during the presidential campaign.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the rains that battered Kerala for a week finally abating on Monday, water levels dropped in the swollen rivers even as the number of people who have taken shelter in relief camps crossed the one million mark.

A total of 10,28,000 people were now housed in 3,274 camps in the flood-hit districts, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media while tonnes of emergency aid poured in from all over the country.

Officials have so far admitted to some 370 deaths, most of them occurring after the monsoon rains turned into a fury on August 9, forcing authorities to open the sluice gates of numerous dams across the state.

Monday did see some people return to their homes from camps in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram and parts of Pathanamthitta after volunteers working selflessly helped to clean up their muddy homes.

Fifty cases of snake bites were reported in these areas as snakes from overflowing ponds had entered homes, the officials and volunteers said.

Rains in the catchment areas of the major dams in Idukki district subsided. The outflow of water from both the Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams has been reduced.

As a result, the water intake into the Periyar and its tributaries that flow through Ernakulam and Thrissur has come down considerably.

By and large the sky was clear on Monday.

On Monday, helicopters were engaged in rescue operations in places where people were still marooned -- in parts of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. Small boats helped to ferry people from interior Chengannur and Pandalam areas.

Other helicopters transported food and relief materials from here to affected areas.

Finance Minister Thomas Issac, who is overseeing the rescue operations in Kuttanadu area in Alappuzha district, said 1.25 lakh people had been moved to relief camps in the district.

Neliyamapathy in Palakkad remained cut off from the main district headquarters as the roads have been badly damaged. Essential items are being airdropped.

An Army officer said the roads would be made motorable, at least for jeeps, on Tuesday.

Waters in the Cochin airport, which was shut on August 15 after flood waters entered the operational area, receded on Monday. Small aircraft started operating from the Cochin Naval airbase.

On Monday, following a request from the Kerala government, the State Level Bankers Committee decided to provide a moratorium on agricultural loans for a year.

Thiruvanathapuram Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor meanwhile flew to Geneva to meet international humanitarian agencies.

While seeking help was the prerogative of the Indian government, "I am here in close consultation with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to explore what help could be possible", he tweeted.

The central government flew 100 tonnes of pulses and 52 tonnes of emergency medicines to Kerala, which is receiving donations in cash and kind from all over the country. Volunteers have also poured in from many states.

State Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran said that all those who suffered property losses would be compensated.

The railways started operations in the Kottayam and Shornur routes.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corp too began services from many depots and it was expected to be fully functional in a day or two.

Kerala has faced the heaviest rains and floods since 1924, leading to unprecedented destruction.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi along with his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi paid homage to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 74th birth anniversary on Monday.

They were accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra to the Veer Bhumi here, where many Congress veterans and leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also paid tributes at the Rajiv Gandhi Samadhi.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted his father was "a kind, gentle and affectionate man whose untimely death left a deep void in my life".

"I remember the times we had together and the many birthdays we were lucky to celebrate with him when he was alive. He is greatly missed, but his memory lives on," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi. "Tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv GandhiJi on his birth anniversary. We remember his efforts towards the nation."

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ashok Gehlot also visited the former Prime Minister's memorial and paid tributes.

All India Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Fondly remembering our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhiji on his birth anniversary".

Born on this day in 1944, Rajiv Gandhi served as the seventh Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took to office after the 1984 assassination of his mother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He was the youngest Prime Minister of India at 40. He was assassinated by a suicide bomber in 1991 in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur during an election campaigning.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even as different estimates of losses suffered by Kerala in the monsoon floods are doing the rounds, general insurance experts on Monday said that there will certainly be an increase in the premium charged by reinsurers for covering flood risks.

They said the reinsurers may increase the loss deductibles to quote a lower rate to cover catastrophic risk.

In the case of Kerala floods, the loss will be higher under the motor insurance portfolio as the state has a sizeable number of costly vehicles, they added.

A reinsurance company is the insurer for primary insurer that insures properties and lives of people.

Loss deductibles are the amount of loss that a primary insurer has to bear from its own pockets while anything above it is borne by the reinsurer.

"Incidents of floods in India seems to be regular in recent years. The reinsurers may ask the primary insurers to manage the risk with their premium rates. If the primary insurers want a catastrophic insurance cover, then the reinsurers may levy higher deductible to cut down on his own losses in case of flood losses," a senior insurance industry official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"The deductible will vary from primary insurer to insurer based on their loss experience," he added.

"Floods seem to be a regular occurrence in India. We saw that in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Chennai and other places. So, the reinsurers may increase the deductibles," another expert told IANS.

"The reinsurers may increase their rates and also the deductibles. But the premium rate for the policyholders may not be increased by the primary insurers on their own. They have to get the insurance regulator's nod," K.K. Srinivasan, a former Member of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) told IANS.

According to an expert, there had been instances in the past where general insurers rejected a claim on the pretext that insurance policy covers flood loss caused naturally and not floods due to opening of dams/reservoirs by the government after due warning.

"However, the IRDAI nipped this concept in the bud. Normally, the policy covers the risk of floods and inundation without specifying the causes," a former IRDAI official told IANS.

Speaking of the damage to property in Kerala due to floods, an industry official said that the state is not an exception to the general rule of under insurance or no insurance.

"The loss may be high in the case of motor insurance portfolio. Further, Kerala has a sizeable number of costly cars. The insurers may be impacted due to losses in the motor insurance portfolio," he added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of South Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War from relatives living in the North left on Monday for Mount Kumgang for rare reunions with their long-lost relatives.

Over half of South Koreans on the waiting list for reunions are in their 80s or older. The eldest South Korean participant for the first session is a 101-year-old Baek Sung-gyu who will meet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter from North Korea.

Their meetings, arranged after decades of separation, will be painfully short lasting only 11 hours. They will meet in groups and private gatherings during the three-day reunions.

It could be the only chance for the separated families to meet face-to-face, Xinhua news agency reported.

The families from South Korean gathered on Sunday at Sokcho to register for the reunion, and get their health checked among other preparations.

The first session of reunions will last from Monday to Wednesday, and will be attended by 89 South Koreans who have never seen their relatives from the North since the Korean War ended with armistice. A total of 108 others are accompanying the family members.

The second session of three-day reunions, involving 83 North Korean family members will begin later this week at the same venue.

The two Koreas agreed in June to hold the reunions as part of efforts to implement the Panmunjom Declaration.

The declaration was signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after their first summit on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom to defuse military tensions and increase exchanges between the sides.

It will be the first reunion of the war-separated families in nearly three years. The last one was held in October 2015.

A combined 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions have been arranged since the first-ever inter-Korean summit was held in 2000, but the reunions have been limited to about 200 separated families from each side.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of 89 South Koreans left for Pyongyang on Monday to meet their families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, the first such initiative since October 2015.

The elderly people and more than 300 others left for a Mount Kumgang resort on the North's east coast in nearly 30 buses in the morning from the coastal city of Sokcho, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Some were in wheelchairs or supported by their accompanying families when they boarded the buses with bags of gifts prepared for their loved ones in the North.

The first session of reunions is scheduled for 3 p.m., followed by a dinner hosted by the North Korean side.

On their second day, they are scheduled to meet again in the morning and have lunch together in their rooms, the first time for separated families to have such a private meeting since the reunion event started.

They will meet on six occasions lasting about a combined 11 hours during their three-day stay that will end on Wednesday.

The South Korean participants are mostly in their 70s and 80s, with a 101-year-old man the oldest.

The Seoul government has also dispatched around 30 medical staff to the venue to brace for any emergency cases among the participants.

From Friday to Sunday, 83 North Koreans will also be reunited with the families they have found alive in the South at the resort.

The family reunion is the result of an agreement the leaders of South and North Korea reached in April to address humanitarian issues arising from nearly seven decades of division caused by the Korean War, Yonhap reported.

The two Koreas have held 20 rounds of face-to-face family reunions since the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000.

Some 57,000 South Koreans are waiting to be reunited with their families who might be living in the North.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from Uttar Pradesh government on a plea challenging an order of Allahabad high Court order which had dismissed a petition seeking prosecution of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a hate speech case of 2007.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice to the state government and the District Magistrate of Gorakhpur and posted the matter after four weeks for hearing.

Petitioner Rasheed Khan has challenged the high court order which had upheld the Uttar Pradesh government's refusal to grant sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Earlier this year, the Allahabad High Court had upheld a sessions court order which had quashed a magistrate's order taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the police in 2009.

The High Court had said that sessions court was right in holding that there was no prosecution sanction to initiate trial against the Chief Minister and others in the case.

In January 2017, the sessions court in Gorakhpur had quashed the magistrate court's cognisance order. The sessions court had said that there was no sanction to prosecute the accused, including Adityanath and others.

The Uttar Pradesh government had in May 2017 refused to grant the mandatory sanction for the prosecution of the Chief Minister.

Several incidents of violence were reported in Gorakhpur on January 27, 2007, after the alleged hate speech of Adityanath.

IANS

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The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its order on a plea by the West Bengal State Election Commission challenging the Calcutta High Court order allowing e-nominations for the panchayat elections in the state, as the apex court once again declined to lift its stay on the notification of results of candidates elected unopposed to rural local bodies.

The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud declined to lift its order barring the notification of the candidates elected unopposed, even as senior counsel Vikas Singh appearing for the state said that it was hampering the release of funds to rural local bodies.

Not accepting the plea of the state government, the Chief Justice Misra said that they would pronounce the order with a week or so.

The top court had ordered the State Election Commission (SEC) on May 10 not to notify the results of candidates declared elected unopposed.

Pointing to over 20,000 uncontested seats going to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), senior counsel P.S. Patwalia told the court that such a large under of seats went uncontested because of obstruction by the ruling party members.

Appearing for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior counsel Patwalia pointed to large-scale violence and irregularities in the conduct of the election.

In his rejoinder arguments, senior counsel Vikas Singh said that the allegation being made by the BJP and others are general and not specific. He sought to draw distinction between violence and seats going uncontested.

Referring to the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana which have much large uncontested victors -- more than 50 per cent -- in rural local bodies elections, Vikas Singh said "if merely a seat goes uncontested", it does not become wrong.

The court is hearing an SEC plea against the Calcutta High Court's May 8 order permitting e-nominations and reading the provision of the Information Technology Act into the Representation of the People Act, 1954.

On July 3, the apex court had said that it would examine whether the high court, in exercise of its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, could do so.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Several shots were fired at the US Embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Monday but no casualties have been reported, police said.

"We can confirm a security incident took place at the US Embassy early this morning. We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details," David Gainer, the spokesperson of the US Embassy told the Hurriyet Daily News.

"We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response," he added.

CNNTurk reported that the drive-by shooting occurred at around 5 a.m. and the assailants fled in a car. The police has launched an investigation into the attack.

The Governor's Office said in a statement that six shots were fired and three bullets hit the metal door and glass panel of the security cabin.

"Armed attack against the US embassy is a clear provocation. Embassies are under the protection of our state," the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Omer Celik said.

The incident comes as ties between Ankara and Washington are in an unprecedented crisis over the continued detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson.

The US administration has imposed sanctions and vows to do more against Turkey in case the pastor is not released immediately.

The US embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have been the targets of attacks by militants and have faced numerous security threats in the past.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

Earlier this month, we had conducted a two-part investigation in and around Baba Raghav Das Medical College, where dozens of infants had died in August last year due to a critical shortage of liquid oxygen in the hospital.

Read our investigation here:

As our investigation showed, the college, as well as the administration and the government, are not equipped to fight the outbreak of an epidemic such as encephalitis in Tarai region encircling many areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar as well as Nepal. Irrespective of this fact, patients keep pouring in at Gorakhpur, and most of them directly go to BRD Medical College without consulting any other health services.

What happened in August 2017 was certainly an administrative failure which led to the deaths of several innocents. However, several investigative committees went on to say that deaths did not happen because of oxygen shortage and toed the line that the state government asked them to.

Piles of letters and reminders written to authorities showed that Pushpa Sales, the firm responsible for supplying oxygen, was constantly pursuing BRD authorities for the payment of the dues. But those requests went unanswered. Even on August 9, the day before oxygen supply was cut off, Yogi Adityanath was in the BRD Medical College and Gorakhpur District Magistrate, States Health Secretary, and apparently, Yogi Adityanath as well were aware of the fact that Medical College was fighting for the dues, but none listened to the demand.

The most crucial, debated and/or appreciated role was that of Dr Kafeel Ahmed Khan, a young paediatrician and assistant professor at BRD Medical College, who ran to the medical college on the night of August 10 and tried to save lives of the children by arranging jumbo oxygen cylinders on his own capacity. While the messages of oxygen shortage were flashing on WhatsApp groups of Medical College and Dr Khan was talking to authorities for immediate relief measures, authorities had already decided whom to make culprit.

I met Dr Kafeel on a rainy evening at one of the Gorakhpurs hotel. Dr Khan reached the hotel in a black SUV wearing a pink-white striped shirt with a dark blue tieone of the several markers to identify himand said, I am just coming after concluding a free encephalitis health camp outside of Gorakhpur.

Ever since his arrest and subsequent suspension from the BRD Medical College, Dr Khan does not have any concrete work to do. At the beginning of the conversation itself, Dr Khan says, I do not like to hang in between. Either authority should terminate me or reinstate me at the medical college.

Dr Khans suspension is about to complete a year. He is firm in his opinion that he can earn to feed his family since he is a doctor, but the only thing that is stopping him is his suspension because of which he cannot conduct private practice. I will be happy if they terminate me. After all, I have not been able to earn a single penny since my suspension.

He further says, I can start my practice right here and can feed my family. But the thing is I have a desire to work for the children and to strengthen the government set up at BRD Medical College so that more and more patient can get benefit from the medical college.

But authorities have no reply about when and if the suspension order of Dr Khan and other doctors will be revoked. I raised this with Dr SK Tiwari, the chief medical officer of Gorakhpur, to which he responded that only higher authorities would have a say in it.

Another interesting fact is that since their jail term and bail, only Dr Khan has spoken in front of the media and various other platforms. Other doctors, who are out on bail, have chosen to remain silent. But Dr Khan can be seen frequently on the public platforms and forums, most of which are organized to attack fascism in the country.

His latest and most visible association is with United Against Hate, an organisation which has been talking to deliver voices of Muslims of the country. United Against Hate is the organisation which is under the guidance of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, but that is not a problem for Dr Khan.

When should one speak? When all end? asks Dr Khan, When the tragedy took place last year in medical college, I was scolded by Yogi Adityanath in a closed room. He said if I was trying to be a hero by arranging a few oxygen cylinders. No, I was not trying to be a hero that day. I was just trying to save the children who were dying that day. Any human could have done that.

But following a media trial, all actions of Dr Khan were reduced to his much-debated private practice. Since so many news reports were going on about me and whatever I did, my colleagues and seniors at Medical College told me that I should take leave and spend some time in silence until Yogi Ji cools down. I did so, but the situation worsened. I was jailed for something I did not commit, he says.

While media and human rights organisation were writing and protesting for the wrongful booking of Dr Khan and his imprisonment, he did not speak a word until April this year, when he wrote a letter from jail claiming that he was charged and jailed based on false charges. This was the first time he made any statement about his involvement in the case. In the same month, police took him to the hospital for a check-up, where he told media that he was being made scapegoat in the case.

It was the time to speak. People were thinking that I had quietly accepted all the charges and accusations, but that was not the case. I have to speak more and more for profiling the real culprits of the oxygen tragedy, which is not even a scenario for the authorities, Dr Khan told me. That is why I frequent public forums and platforms. And I feel I have to do that more and more.

He further says, People are right in saying that I was not speaking earlier. But it is time now. See the mob lynching and false terrorist cases in the country, dont you think one should not speak even now?

In a response to questions asked under Right to Information Act, the public information officer at BRD Medical College has said that Dr Kafeel Khan brought oxygen cylinders from Anand Lok Nursing Home, Gorakhpur on the night of August 11. The response apparently refutes the administrative claims that there was no such critical shortage of oxygen in medical college that night.

In our investigation, we managed to get images of the pressure gauge of the liquid oxygen cylinder tank which showed zero pressure during the critical night of August 10-11. The doctors at the paediatrics department, albeit anonymously, confirmed that Dr Khan extended help going beyond the way, but he was implicated because of very few at the medical college like him. Dr Khan is senior to me. I personally saw him running everywhere that night to get help. But his colleagues and seniors do not like him at all, even our head Dr Mahima Mittal is very critical of him. But he did not do any wrong, said one resident doctor in the paediatrics department.

Dr Khans younger brother Kashif was shot by unidentified gunmen couple of months back while his other brother Adeel Ahmed has been implicated in a case of fraud. Dr Khans jail term and legal help have cost him money, and as he claims, his family has to sell out ten pickup trucks they owned.

A month back, Dr Khan started an online fundraising program to generate money for him and his family. While most of the people pitched in to donate, many condemned him for using his popularity to make money. He told me, There is no denying that I come from a wealthy family. You saw me coming in an SUV, right? But the scene is different now. We are in a large amount of debt. My family has acres of lands, but we cannot sell them to anyone, because no one in Gorakhpur to Lucknow is ready to buy seeing controversy behind me and my brothers. The businesses of my brothers have been collapsed and, as I already said, I am suspended. I have to make money to feed my family and get rid of debt.

Dr Khan further said, I have completed my target of crowdfunding, and I am thankful to the people living in the gulf from where I have received the largest part of the donation.

Dr Khan is still struggling with his two-year-old daughter not recognising him because he spent more than eight months in the prison. He said, The problem is in the system of the healthcare. Authorities have been trying to hold anyone they want responsible for the deaths of the children that nightI was one of the many. But there are few attempts on their part to create awareness in the rural areas of the region.

Contrary to our findings and whatever Dr Khan reiterates, there are still many who believe that doctors at BRD Medical College took help of the media to encircle Yogi Government for the deaths. College Principal Ganesh Kumar and Paediatrician Dr RN Singh are some of them. Ganesh Kumar, without naming any doctor, said, Actually, doctors helped media to smear the name of the medical college. Even after I pursued him on the question of which doctors, he said nothing more. However, Dr RN Singh, the 70-year-old Yogi-fan paediatrician, said, Dr Khan wanted to be a hero, and he became one. He further said, But whatever followed him later, certainly made him into a zero.

After a failed assassination attempt on JNU student Umar Khalid last week, a message flashed on the cell phone of Dr Khan telling him that he could be the next target. He told me, I dont know when they will try to kill me.

But Dr Khan is apparently not paying heed to these talks and is busy conducting more free encephalitis camps across Gorakhpur region. Towards the end of the conversation, he says, I have to treat children, that is what I am trained into. And I have to talk to people, that is what a citizen must do.
The US is addicted to applying sanctions on Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN in an exclusive interview.

"I believe there is a disease in the US and that is the addiction to sanctions," he told CNN on Sunday from Tehran.

"Even during the (former President Barack) Obama administration, the US put more emphasis on keeping the sanctions it had not lifted rather than implementing its obligation on the sanctions it lifted."

The interview is the first Zarif, the key architect of the complex nuclear deal between Iran and the West, gave to Western media since some of the US sanctions against Tehran were renewed last week.

The US-educated minister gave the interview in English on the 65th anniversary of a Washington-backed coup that overthrew democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

Zarif retained a clear belief during the hour-long interview that the nuclear deal could be revived regardless of President Donald Trump's administration's denunciation of it.

In May, Trump withdrew from the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and intended to limit Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief, calling it a "horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made".

The first wave of sanctions that were to "snap back" under the administration's move hit the import of car parts and precious metals on August 6.

Zarif expressed his dismay that the US has not learned that sanctions were ineffective in changing the political climate in Iran.

"We felt that the US had learned that at least as far as Iran is concerned, sanctions do produce economic hardship but do not produce the political outcomes that they intended them to produce, and I thought that the Americans had learned that lesson. Unfortunately I was wrong," the Minister told CNN.

He said that the same '50s thinking embodied the current US approach.

"I think the US administration still believes that it is working with the government it installed in Iran after the 1953 coup," he said, adding "As they say, they have to wake up and smell the coffee."

For much of the interview, Zarif appeared to dismiss the possibility of future talks with the Trump administration and maintain the hope the deal can be revived.

"We do not want to revisit that nuclear deal... We want the US to implement that nuclear deal. Today the closest US allies are resisting those sanctions. The US basically arm-twisting -- its attempt to put pressure. I don't want to use the term bullying ... (but) that's what it amounts to."

Additional sanctions are due to hit Tehran in November against the Iranian oil industry, which accounts for a fifth of the country's GDP.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US declared it is ready to support, facilitate and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, on the occasion of the Afghan government's announcement on Sunday of a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban.

"This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace," the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

"The United States and our international partners support this initiative by the Afghan people and the Afghan government, and we call on the Taliban to participate," he added, saying that his country also supports Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's offer "for comprehensive negotiations on a mutually agreed agenda."

"It is our hope, and that of the international community, that the Afghan people may celebrate Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) this year in peace, free from fear," he said.

Pompeo recalled that the last ceasefire in the Asian country revealed "the deep desire" of the Afghan people to end the conflict and said the US hopes that "another ceasefire will move the country closer to sustainable security," Efe reported.

President Ghani on Sunday, the day Afghanistan was celebrating the 99th anniversary of its independence from British rule, announced a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban, beginning on Monday ahead of Eid al-Adha, provided the insurgents reciprocate.

After the Taliban's surprise three-day ceasefire in mid-June on the occasion of the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice, Gani has now proclaimed a ceasefire that would be the longest since the US invasion in 2001.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss issue of Iran.

According to statement from Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu discussed with Bolton "Iran's aggression in the region and to make sure that they never have nuclear weapons," Xinhua reported.

Bolton echoed Israel's accusation, saying that "Iran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are right at the top of the list."

The hawkish adviser has called for the cancellation of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, from which the US backed out earlier this year.

Bolton will also visit Ukraine and Geneva, where he will meet Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An exhibition of vintage cameras and some turn-of-the-century images that throw light upon the life of a former Nepalese Prime Minister opened for public viewing at the India Habitat Centre here on Monday.

Titled "Nirvasanama: Portraits of a Life in Exile Through Changing Viewfinders", it presents vintage cameras by The Museo Camera, grown out of the personal collection of photographer Aditya Arya and images from the Bhuvan Kumari Devi Archive.

The four-day exhibition, curated by Aditya Arya and Isha Singh Sahney, consists of photographs, postcards, records, letters and notes dating back to over a century that provide a rare glimpse into the life of Dev Shumsher Rana, who was the Prime Minister of Nepal for 144 days in 1901.

It presents rare photographs of Rana's short rule, his journey to India and subsequently takes up the narrative in the twenties and thirties when his seven children lived in Mussoorie.

"We almost lost these images many times, as various family members would look at these gunny sacks with exasperation. The process of digitisation has also been extremely tedious, because of the meticulous nature of the restoration taken with each image.

"The foundation did a brilliant job, and that is why we can take this collection to the public now," co-curator Sahney, who is related to Rana's family, told IANS.

The Museo Camera collection, also displayed at the exhibition, consists of around 150 iconic cameras from the tiniest to the oldest, tracing the evolution of technology from the 19th century to early 20th century.

The exhibition is open for public viewing till August 24.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The White House rejected Turkey's offer to release an American pastor in exchange for forgiveness of billions of dollars in US fines on a Turkish bank, a senior administration official told The Wall Street Journal.

The rejection could lead to the US imposing additional sanctions against Turkey sometime this week, the Journal reported on Sunday.

Last week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the US was willing to do so if the pastor Andrew Brunson was not released.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the senior White House official told the Journal. Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Brunson's incarceration in a Turkish prison has soured the two countries' relationship, sparking a crisis that has contributed to a sharp decline in Turkey's currency, reports CNN.

On Friday, a Turkish high criminal court rejected Brunson's appeal to be released from house arrest and allowed to travel abroad after his appeal was rejected by a lower court.

The North Carolina pastor has been held in Turkey since 2016 after being accused of helping plot a coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi's ruling AAP on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not declaring Kerala's devastating floods a national calamity.

"Why the delay in declaring Kerala floods a national calamity? People are suffering and you are being indecisive?" the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tweeted on its official Twitter handle.

Hundreds have died and thousands have been displaced following the worst floods to ravage Kerala since 1924.

--IANS

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A 26-year-old youth committed suicide at the Vailankanni Church here, with his family claiming he was forced to take the step due to tension over borrowed money, police said on Monday.

A police officer said Ruban was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a servant quarter on Friday evening. No suicide note was found at the spot.

"Ruban's mother raised an alarm after he didn't respond to knocking of the door. Some church employees later saw Ruban hanging inside the room," police officer Dileep Kumar told IANS.

Ruban's parents work in the church located in Khan Market in south Delhi. He is survived by his wife and two minor sons.

Ruban's cousin brother Marx Mathew said the family suspected foul play.

He claimed that Ruban was tense as his friends were harassing him over the money he had borrowed.

"We are trying to ascertain the reason for the death. We are awaiting the post-mortem report. We are investigating the case from all possible angles, keeping in mind the allegations by the family," Assistant Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar said.

--IANS

sp/tsb/mr

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Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 72nd anniversary of our Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi generously lauded the contribution that Indias armed forces had been making not only for safeguarding its territorial sovereignty but also in aid of civil population. Actually, this recognition has come every year and from the same spot, by all his predecessors, two of whom were sitting in the audience.

But this is more than about the patriotism and valour of our men in uniform. It is about what military power meant when India got its freedom in 1947 and what ...
Sixteen ministers from Prime Minister Imran Khan's 21-strong Cabinet were sworn-in today as the formation of Pakistan's federal government was completed after the general elections.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to the 16 federal ministers. Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Khan was by his side.

The new Cabinet has 16 federal ministers and five advisers to the prime minister, most of them previously held key posts in the regime of former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

The ministers who took the oath include Shah Mehmood Qureshi as the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Finance Minister Asad Umer, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Health Minister Amir Kiani, Religious Minister Nooru Haq Qadri and Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid.

Other ministers are Khusro Bakhtiar as Minister for Water Resources, Farogh Naseem Minister for Law, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema Minister for States and Frontier Regions and Ghulam Sarwar Khan Petroleum.

Three women ministers including Fehmida Mirza minister for inter-provincial coordination, Zubaida Jala defence production and Shireen Mazari human rights minister also took the oath.

Qureshi, the vice president of the party, was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attack took place.

He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based LeT terrorists attacked India's financial capital.

Finance Minister Umer is the son of former Lt Gen Mohammad Umer who was part of the Pakistan Army during 1971 war with India.

After taking the oath, Umer told media that government will address immediate issues like current account deficit but also take long term measures to fix all problems.

We will bring structural changes so that recurrent crises are avoided, he said.

Defence Minister Khattak said the cabinet will work 12 hours every day to fulfill the agenda set out by the Prime Minister.

We will bring peace in the country by working day and night, he said.

Information minister Chaudhry said that major changes will be introduced in state media to make it independent.

Prime Minister Khan has also summoned the first meeting of the cabinet today.

Those who have been appointed as advisers to the prime minister are former law minister in the PPP government Babar Awan (parliamentary affairs); former KP chief secretary Shehzad Arbab (establishment division); former minister in the regime of Gen Musharraf Abdul Razzak Dawood (commerce, textile, industry amd production and investment); Ishrat Husain (institutional reforms and austerity) and Amin Aslam (climate change).

At least 12 members of Khan's Cabinet served under General (retd) Musharraf.

According to the Pakistan's Constitution, the size of the federal cabinet should be not more than 11 per cent of the total strength of the National Assembly and Senate.

Khan, the chairman of PTI, was administered the oath of office by President Mamnoon Hussain at a simple ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (the President House) in Islamabad on Saturday.

His government is the third consecutive democratic government in Pakistan since 2008 when Gen Musharraf announced elections after serving as president from 2001 to 2008 following a bloodless coup in 1999.

The PPP formed the government in 2008, followed by the PML-N led by jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2013.

Pakistan's powerful military has ruled the country through various coups for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947.

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Two persons were booked for allegedly sharing an obscene audio clip about former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on social media following which one of them was arrested, police said today.

A case was registered against them following a complaint by social worker Sunil Singh, Superintendent of Police Sabharaj said.

"Azad Khan, a resident of Bhopatpur village, had on Saturday posted a nearly two-minute indecent audio about the former prime minister on WhatsApp, and forwarded the same to his friends and various groups," the SP said.

Anwar-ul-Haq who was posted as a pharmacist at a government hospital in Bahraich encouraged people to spread it further, the official said.

The case was lodged against them for spreading animosity and disturbing communal harmony under the IPC and IT Act.

"Azad Khan was arrested yesterday and the police is raiding possible places related to Anwar-ul-Haq," he said.

After the audio clip went viral, local Hindu organisations demanded that police take tough action against those who posted the obscene audio.

Chief Medical Officer of Bahraich AK Pandey said a departmental probe would be initiated against the pharmacist after analysing the FIR.

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Shots were fired from a moving car at the US Embassy in Turkey before dawn today, an attack that came during heightened tensions between the two NATO allies.

Officials said two people with criminal records were detained.

There were no casualties in the fleeting attack, in which three of the six bullets fired hit the embassy gate and a reinforced window in the building in Ankara.

"We can confirm a security incident took place at the US Embassy early this morning. We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating," embassy spokesman David Gainer said.

He thanked Turkish police for their "rapid response."



Ankara governor's office named the suspects as Ahmet Celikten, 39, and Osman Gundas, 38, saying they had confessed. They were apprehended along with a 9-millimetre gun and a vehicle with Ankara license plates.

The statement said Celikten had escaped prison and Gundas had several crimes under his belt, including car theft, drugs, threats and injury.

Turkish officials are locked in a trade and diplomatic dispute with the United States but they fully condemned the shooting in Ankara.

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tweeted that it was "an attempt to create chaos."



A top official in Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party said the attack was a "clear provocation" and that foreign diplomats are guests of the country.

"The utmost sensitivity will be shown to ensure their security," said the party spokesman, Omer Celik. "Turkey is a safe country."



The governor's office said they were investigating the suspects' links.

The US Embassy was planning to close at midday Monday anyway until the end of the week for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Tensions between the US and Turkey are high, partly because of the case of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who is being prosecuted in Turkey for alleged espionage and terrorism-related offenses. He denies any wrongdoing and US President Donald Trump has called for his immediate release.

Turkey has long criticised the United States for not agreeing to hand over Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric accused by Turkish authorities of engineering an attempted coup in 2016. Gulen denies those allegations.

Washington has told Turkey it must present convincing evidence for any extradition proceeding to go forward.

The Turkish lira has lost 39 per cent of its value against the US dollar since the beginning of the year and was hurt further by recent US tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum.

Turkey's economy is already vulnerable because of heavy foreign currency borrowing that fueled high growth for years.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government imposed its own tit-for-tat tariffs on some American goods, alluded to the dispute with the US in a pre-recorded holiday message.

"There is no difference between the direct attacks on our call to prayer and our flag and the attack on our economy," said Erdogan. "Those who think they can make Turkey give in with the foreign exchange rate will soon see they are wrong." U.S. diplomatic offices have been targeted in the past in Turkey.

At least one suspect was wounded in a shooting outside the US consulate in Istanbul in 2015. In 2013, a suicide bomber killed a Turkish guard and himself outside the embassy in Ankara. In 2008, three assailants and three Turkish police officers died in a shootout outside the Istanbul consulate.

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The two men, arrested for allegedly attacking JNU student leader Umar Khalid, claimed today they were cow vigilantes who had come to disrupt the event that was underway at Constitution Club in Delhi to draw attention towards protection of cows, police said.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal were detained by police in the early hours today from Fatehabad in Hisar, Haryana, they said, adding the two were later arrested.

During interrogation, they told police that they had planned to disrupt the event 'Khauff se Azaadi' (Freedom from Fear) that was being held at Constitution Club on August 13, where activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha were present as speakers.

When Dalal reached the Constitution Club, he found Khalid outside the venue and attacked him.

Dalal claimed he did not fire from the weapon he was carrying and it fell down while he was fleeing the spot.

However, police are probing Khalid's allegations about the weapon being pointed towards him.

According to police, Shahpur was also present at the spot, but did not attack Khalid. After the attack, they both fled separately. One of them took a bus and then a metro.

The two men told police they wanted to draw attention towards the issue of cow protection and thought targeting the event would highlight their cause, police said.

A team of the Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha, where the two had said they would surrender on August 17 but they did not turn up since they developed cold feet.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on August 15, they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to citizens.

"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 had said in the video message.

They had also requested the police not to trouble anyone and said they would surrender in Sarabha village.

Khalid was attacked when he was on his way to take part at the event. He 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 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 cartridge was found at the spot.

A case of attempt to murder was registered by the police in connection with the incident.

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Two men were arrested for allegedly killing a woman and her son in Seemapuri area of Shahdara when she asked one of the accused to repay a Rs 25,000 loan taken from her, police said today.

Bodies of the woman, Veena Malhotra (45), and her son, Ravi, aged around 20, with multiple stab injuries on their abdomen and neck were found at their house on Saturday.

The matter had come to light when the woman's sister informed the police at 9.15 pm after she could not get in touch with them. The woman's body was found inside a bed box while her son's body was found in the bathroom, the police said.

"During investigation, enquiries were made in the neighbourhood. More than 40 people, who were known to the deceased, were questioned as entry into the house was found to be friendly," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Meghna Yadav said.

Footages of CCTV cameras installed in the building where the woman and her son stayed, showed two men entering it. From that one Ankit was identified and called for questioning.

During interrogation, Ankit revealed that he and his friend Amit had killed the woman and her son on August 17 as he was was being pressured to repay the loan he had taken from Veena Malohtra through her son Ravi, the DCP said.

The accused also wanted to steal money and jewellery from the house as Ankit was under the impression that Veena Malhotra would be having handsome amount of money and jewellery, the police officer said.

However they found no cash and jewellery in the house. So they took away Ravi's motorcycle to sell it, she said.

Ankit, a resident of Nandnagri area here, and the woman's son were batchmates in a computer course a year ago.

Both the accused have been arrested, the police said.

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Two men, who had claimed responsibility for attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid, have been detained, police said today.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal are currently being interrogated, they added.

A team of the Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the villageof Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha where the two had said they would surrender on August 17 but they did not turn up.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on August 15,they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens.

The 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 had said in the video message.

They also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of the Sikh revolutionary.

Khalid was attacked on August 13 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 was registered by the police in the incident.

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Two Muslim youths were allegedly thrashed and paraded by a mob, led by the head of a cow protection group, on suspicion of cow smuggling in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district this evening, police said.

Dilshad and Shah Rukh were ferrying two cows, bought from a temple priest, to their village when a mob intercepted the truck in Shamli town and attacked them. Anuj Bansal, the head of the cow protection group, has been arrested and search is on for the remaining activists, Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar told PTI.

According to the FIR, the duo and the priest, who was also in the vehicle, told the attackers that they had bought the cows for rearing, but the accused thrashed the two youths and paraded them in the area. The priest was not attacked.

The police rushed to the spot and rescued the youths who have been taken into custody, the officer said.

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A woman, the recipient of a kidney of a brain-dead 15-year-old girl, died at a state-run hospital here today, three days after the transplant, an official said.

Moumita Chakraborty died at around 2:45 am at the SSKM Hospital as her body had developed 'rejection' to the kidney of another person, State Nodal Officer on organ transplantation Aditi Kishore Sarkar told PTI.

She had been on ventilation since August 17 post-transplant, and her condition remained extremely critical. She had been undergoing treatment for her renal problems at the hospital since the first week of August, a hospital spokesman said.

Chakraborty was one of the recipients of the organs of Mallika Majumder who was declared brain-dead by the SSKM Hospital on August 17 and her two kidneys and liver were transplanted on three recipients.

A resident of Khardah in North 24 Parganas district, she was the recipient of one kidney of Majumder.

Another kidney of Majumder and her liver were transplanted on two other patients on August 17-18.

The nodal officer said the renal functions of the other kidney recipient - Sanjib Das of Sodpur in the same district - were normal but still he will be under observation for 36 hours.

"He (Das) has developed some cold and we are taking all precautions," Sarkar said.

A patient from Hyderabad, who was the recipient of the liver of the Siliguri girl, was in stable condition at a private hospital in city, Sarkar said.

Besides the three organs, the cornea of Majumder was taken out for implant on a blind patient while her skin was grafted and preserved at the skin bank.

Majumder had been diagnosed with a brain lesion after being admitted to the hospital on July 23 and had slipped into coma on August 14.

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Nearly 300 Dalits who allegedly faced a social boycott by people from other castes for over an year in village Bhatla in Haryana's Hisar district embraced Buddhism at a function organised in the village's Guru Ravidas temple.

Rajat Kalsan, convenor of National Alliance of Dalit for Human Rights was the chief guest at the event while social activist Dinesh Khaper presided over the function.

Buddhists from Yamunanagar and Ballabhgarh were present on the occasion to perform the rituals and complete the documentation of the conversion.

Speaking on the occasion, Kalson alleged Dalits were being discriminated against at a large scale under the present government.

He alleged the state government had failed to take appropriate steps to end the alleged discrimination faced by Dalits in Bhatla.

Balwan Singh, president of Bhatla Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, said the Dalit community was facing a social boycott since July last year and police officials and members of the village's 'bhaichara samiti' (peace committee) did not help in resolving the issue.

Recently, as many as 120 Dalits from Haryana's Jind district converted to Buddhism over non-fulfilment of their demands.

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Five cattle smugglers, including a minor, were arrested and six cattle recovered in a raid at Pakur district, a senior police officer said today.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team intercepted a pick-up van and recovered the cattle being transported on the vehicle near Bikrampur mode under Muffasil police station last night, SP Shailendra Prasad Burnwal told reporters.

Three persons travelling in the vehicle, including the minor were arrested, he said, adding, two others travelling on a motorcycle ahead were also nabbed.

Police has confiscated the pick-up van and the motorcycle, the officer said.

Burnwal said police has arrested altogether 12 persons and recovered 56 cattle during the last three days in the district.

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Five pilgrims, including three women, sustained serious injuries when their two motorcycles collided with a car near Khati, 5 kms from here, on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road, police said today.

They all belonged to Ludhiana and were going to pay obeisance at Mata Chintpurni shrine in Una district of Himachal Pradesh last evening, the police said.

The injured persons were identified as Mohan Lal, Bimla, Pooja, Sanjeev Kumar and Rajni, they said.

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The killing of anti-superstition crusader Narendra Dabholkar five years ago did not stop the expansion of his city-based organisation which has spread its wings in several states and is present even in faraway Assam.

Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) or Maharashtra Blind faith Eradication Committee has intensified the unfinished work of its founder Dabholkar and entered new territories like Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, said a functionary of the outfit today.

Dabholkar, a trained doctor who gave up his profession to take up the rationalist cause, was shot dead by gunmen here on August 20, 2013. Today is his fifth death anniversary.

Milind Deshmukh, state chief secretary, MANS, said till 2013, the number of branches of the organisation was around 250.

But over the last five years, the branch count has gone up to 350 with full time volunteers increasing year after year, he said.

"When Dr Dabholkar was alive, besides Maharashtra, we had branches in Goa and Karnataka, but now we have branches in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Assam and Andhra Pradesh.

"Now due to the work and outreach programmes of the MANS, several organisations in states like Punjab, Haryana are inviting our members for giving guidance on various issues such as superstition and social boycott," said Deshmukh.

MANS members go to these states and organise small workshops on how to create scientific temper among people. They also conduct demonstrations on myth busting and countering superstitious practices, he said.

Dabholkar's relentless campaign led the Maharashtra government to enact a law banning superstitious practices and black magic. The anti-superstition and black magic act came into force in 2013.

"Till date, with the intervention of MANS members, over 500 cases have been registered under this Act. Also, 23 cases have been registered across Maharashtra under the Social Boycott Act," Deshmukh said.

He said the organisation is now campaigning for an anti-superstition and black magic law at the central level.

Nandini Jadhav, Pune district executive president, MANS, said social media outreach, too, has increased. Over 80,000 followers are associated with the organisation through social media platforms.

"So far this year, 5,000 new people, mostly youth and college students, have got associated with the MANS," she added.

Talking about her association with the MANS, Jadhav, who runs a beauty parlour, said she got actively involved with the organisation after Dabholkar's death.

"Besides creating awareness among people against superstitious practices, I have been working for women who develop dreadlocks (jata) and convince them to cut them off."



Jadhav said so far she has persuaded 68 women to get rid of their dreadlocks.

According to the MANS, its aim is to oppose and agitate against harmful superstitions and rituals which misguide and exploit people.

It also works to inculcate and propagate scientific outlook, scepticism, humanism and critical thinking.

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A 63-year-old woman was arrested with cannabis here in Gujarat early this morning, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the police intercepted the woman who was moving in a suspicious manner in the Jungleshwar area, they said.

On searching her, 1.3 kg of cannabis worth Rs 7,380 was found from her possession, the police said, adding the woman was identified as Amina Sunna.

"We have seized the drug and arrested the woman under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," said SOG police inspector S N Gaddu.

This is the second time in as many days that cannabis was seized in the Saurashtra region of which Rajkot district is a part.

Yesterday, the police had arrested two persons and seized 9.5 kg of cannabis worth of Rs 57,000 from them in the Morbi city of the region.

"The two were coming to Morbi from Rajkot in an auto- rickshaw. We had a tip off that they were carrying cannabis. We intercepted their vehicle near the Shanala Road area in the Morbi city and recovered the drug from them," said Morbi SOG inspector S N Sati.

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Rows of submerged houses, paddy fields under sheets of water and Pamba river in spate bear testimony to the devastating floods in Kerala.

A train journey from Ernakulam to Thiruvananthapuram, which usually presents a picture of greenery all along, gave a peep into the tragedy that befell the residents, especially in worst hit Chengannur in Alapuzha district, and other areas.

Train services to the state capital which remained suspended in the section as also in several others from August 15 in the wake of the unprecedented floods that ravaged the state, claiming 216 lives in the last 11 days, resumed yesterday.

A PTI correspondent who travelled by the first train saw the destruction caused by the floods, the worst in a century, through the journey as houses and fields were under water on both sides of the track.

The train was empty as it chugged out of the Ernakulam station, but became crowded when it reached Chengannur, about 70 km away, with displaced people boarding it to move to the homes of their friends and relatives.

In nearby Pandanad and Cheriyanad, where lush green paddy fields and swaying coconut palms normally soothe the eye, the whole area was a sea of water.

Officials said nearly 90 per cent of the people stranded in the Pandanad area have been shifted to shelters.

Around 30,000 people were rescued from the area with the help of 400 Army personnel and NDRF and local volunteers, using around 80 boats, including 65 of fishermen.

As the train crossed a bridge across the Pamba river, the roar of the gushing waters gave an indication of the intensity of the floods.

The river has been flooded since the shutters of two major dams - Pamba and Kakki- in Pathanamthitta district were opened days ago after water level reached the maximum due to heavy rains.

Scenes were similar during a ride in the Kochi Metro to the worst affected Aluva in Ernakulam district on Saturday.

Multi-storey buildings, including the office of Kochi Metro yard,in the busy town upto a radius of five to six KM of the Periyar River were fully under water then.

The Metro services, which were suspended for a day last week, have helped people of Aluva to move to safer places and offered free travel.

There has been a let up in the rains in the last two days and the flood waters have started receding in some parts.

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A day after AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal visited Punjab, the ad hoc Political Affairs Committee (PAC) formed by the party's dissident MLAs today appointed their leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira as the Punjab unit's interim president.

The committee was constituted early this month and comprises eight of the 20 MLAs in the state upset over the national leadership's decision to sack Khaira as the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly.

The position of the AAP state unit chief has been vacant since Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann resigned from the post in March to protest Kejriwal's apology to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a defamation case.

"Today the ad hoc PAC unanimously decided to appoint Sukhpal Khaira as the interim chief of the Punjab unit of AAP," party MLA Kanwar Sandhu said.

MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia had proposed Khaira's name, he added.

However, Khaira's appointment will have to ratified by volunteers in a forthcoming convention.

The PAC's decision comes at a time when the AAP has initiated talks through Sunam legislator Aman Arora to end the infighting in the party's state unit.

Yesterday, Kejriwal had said the party's attempt was to reach out to all those who hold grudges and if need be, he will talk to the dissidents.

Khaira's appointment as the interim chief is likely to further deepen the crisis in the party.

Sandhu said they were ready to hold dialogue to resolve the infighting. But, he said, the talks should be based on the resolutions passed at a volunteers' convention in Bathinda.

At the convention, held on August 2, the rebel MLAs had passed a resolution declaring the party's Punjab unit "autonomous" and "dissolved" its current organisational structure.

AAP MLA and current Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema rejected Khaira's appointment and dubbed it an "anti-party" activity.

"It is certainly an anti-party activity and we will bring this issue to the notice of the party leadership in Delhi," he said.

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A girl, belonging to the Gujjar community, was rescued and her abductor arrested during an operation on the outskirts of Jammu today, police said.

A case was registered after the father of the girl had lodged a written complaint in Samba district last Tuesday, stating that his daughter had gone missing a day earlier. A special team was immediately constituted and during investigation it came to light that the girl had been kidnapped, a police official said.

Raids were conducted at different places, following which the girl was rescued from Kari-Ramta area of Akhnoor today. The accused, Romesh Singh, has been arrested from the spot, the official said.

The girl has been handed over to her parents, he said, adding the people of the area appreciated the swift action of the district police in rescuing the kidnapped girl.

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A fugitive gangster named in over 15 cases of murder, robbery and theft and carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head, has been arrested in Dwarka, police said today.

The gangster of the dreaded Naveen Khati gang was arrested by the crime branch on August 17. He was absconding for the last eight years, they said.

Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch team laid a trap near the expected place of his arrival and apprehended him, police said.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to his involvement in the crimes. Subsequently, he was arrested, they said.

According to the police, the Naveen Khati gang operates in the area of South-West Delhi and has more than 50 active members indulging in murder, extortion and property disputes in the area. The gang leader is presently in jail.

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Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, criticised the Maharashtra government today over the "slow pace" of investigation into the killing of Pune-based rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

He said during the last five years since the killing of Dabholkar, the outfits involved covered up their tracks by erasing their links with conspirators and actual killers.

"When we raise a question why the recent arrest in Dr Dabholkar case was made and why the similar action was not taken earlier, it is very simple that they wanted to erase the links of the outfits, its conspirators with the actual killers," said Gandhi.

He was speaking at the 'Jawab do' rally, organised to observe the fifth death anniversary 'of Dabholkar here in Pune.

The CBI had arrested Sachin Andure, the alleged main shooter, on August 18.

Gandhi said chances are that the accused will be let off due to lack of evidence by courts.

"Even if they are penalised or convicted, the real perpetrators or outfits at whose behest Dabholkar, (Govind) Pansare, M M Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh were killed, will never be penalised, because courts can not penalise or prosecute such outfits," said Gandhi.

He said such outfits should be isolated socially.

Gandhi rued that if somebody asks questions, he or she is dubbed as "anti-national" these days.

Noted film actor and director Amol Palekar also criticised the Maharashtra government for "slow pace" of investigation into Dabholkar case.

"If the government takes five years to arrest two persons, then how much time it will take to reach to the real conspirators. Whatever progress that was made in the case in terms of arrests, it was because of the constant pressure from judiciary," he said.

Megha Pansare, daughter-in-law of slain rationalist and CPI leader Govind Pansare, said the recent developments regarding the probe suggest that the killings of Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi and Lankesh had a common link.

On recent seizure of crude bombs and firearms from three persons by the Maharashtra ATS, she said right-wing Sanatan Sanshta has been "talking violence and spreading venom through its publication Sanatan Prabhat".

"Not only four families of slain rationalists, but also the like-minded people should be brought together to build a consensus on the demand for banning the outfit," she demanded.

Earlier in the day, a protest rally titled 'Jawab Do' was taken out from Vittal Ramji Shide bridge (Omkareshwar Bridge) where Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2014. It culminated at Sane Guruji Smarak.

Noted playwright and theatre artist Atul Pethe, actor Sonalu Kulkarni, activist Baba Adhav and members of MANS (Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti) and various organisations participated in the march.

Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune in 2013, Pansare in Kolhapur in 2015 (He died in Mumbai), Kalburgi in Karnataka in 2015 and Lankesh in Bengaluru in 2017.

Investigating agencies are probing if the killings were carried out by right wing activists.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Action to address climate change begins at an individual level and all citizens can contribute in mitigating its impact, Telangana Chief Secretary SK Joshi said here today.

"Climate change is one thing where you should not depend on anyone. All of us have to face ourselves and we are responsible for our own actions. I would say state action plan or national action plan is just the beginning. It should be the individual household action plan," he said.

He was speaking at an event on 'climate change and sustainable development'.

The individual action begins with consumption patterns being sustainable and how activities in daily life are conducted, he said.

Citizens should be responsible in their own actions as individual activities leave a carbon footprint, Joshi said.

Madhav Gadgil, a professor, had written a report about the Western Ghats in 1991 on the development process being followed, he said.

"27 years, his 'Bhavishya Vani' has come true (an apparent reference to Kerala floods). So, the idea is let's do whatever could be done by ourselves and all of us are responsible individually and collectively," he said.

The state government looks forward to the recommendations coming from the event, he said.

Protection Training and Research Institute-Hyderabad Director General B Kalyan Chakravarthy said the institute has prepared a state action plan on climate change.

The state action plan on climate change identifies how the government departments can align themselves to ensure environment-friendly actions like releasing less carbon dioxide and consuming less water.

Chakravarthy said the state action plan on climate change should come down to the district level.

EPTRI is an independent registered society set up by the state government in 1992 with assistance from the Centre.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Director General Ajay Mathur said agricultural practises should be such that less quantity of fertilisers are used and water is also conserved.

Research should be undertaken on which crop should be taken up in the next season based on what will be the rainfall and temperature for that season, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delirious Reactions to Church Abuse

Contact: Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, 212-371-3191, pr@catholicleague.org

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue (photo) comments on the reaction to the Pennsylvania grand jury report on priests:

While some Catholics are spinning out of control over cases of sexual abuse committed by the dead and the laicized, MTV will present the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award to Jennifer Lopez on August 21. No one from the media, and certainly no finger-pointing Catholic, will question why there is an award named after an accused child abuser.

Actress and director Asia Argento, who was one of the first out of the starting blocks accusing Harvey Weinstein of rape--and one of the pioneers of the #MeToo Movement--has been exposed for paying $380,000 to a minor she sexually assaulted after she outed Weinstein.

No one is calling for an investigation of Hollywood perverts, even though over 400 Hollywood executives and employees have been named for sexual misconduct in the past year-and-a-half. That's over 100 more than the number of Pennsylvania priests implicated in sexual abuse over the past 70 years.

Over at CBS, the executive producer of "60 Minutes," Jeff Fager, is back at work, after being out for a few weeks. He's still being investigated for alleged sexual misconduct; six former employees have made accusations against him. The CBS top brass said it was time to put him back in the saddle, and no one in the media is objecting.

Les Moonves fared better--he never had to leave. The CEO of CBS is accused of sexually abusing six women; his investigation is still on-going. Earlier this month, he showed up at a press conference, but before he spoke the media were informed that only questions on second-quarter financial results would be entertained. The press dutifully complied.

It's back-to-school time, and that means more kids will be sexually molested. Fortunately for the public school teachers, they will be protected by their union chiefs. More important, no one will call for a grand jury investigation. As for the victims, if they don't file suit within 90 days, they are out of luck, and nobody will do anything about it.

In short, zero tolerance is only supposed to apply to the Catholic Church.

This, of course, means nothing to those Catholic purists who want massive probes of every diocese in the nation, and are now demanding that every bishop in the nation should step down. Why? Because of predatory priests long dead or long thrown out of the priesthood.

Whatever happened to "get the guilty" and "protect the innocent"? Calls for collective purges--which include mostly innocent bishops--are unjust. Indeed, they are un-Christian.
Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
Individuals, citizens' groups and government officials, including police personnel, in Gautam Buddh Nagar are extending a helping hand as Kerala reels under the fury of floods and rains.

Incessant monsoon showers, the fiercest in last 100 years, have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and displaced over seven lakh people in Kerala.

Active Citizens Team, a group of social workers with volunteers and members across the district said they are working in tandem with the Trade Union of Guatam Buddh Nagar to collect raw food material.

"We are collecting rice, lentils, powdered wheat and biscuits. So far we have gathered around 10 'katte' (each weighing 25 kgs) of rice. Our target is to gather 25 'katte' by August 26," Harinder Bhati, a member of the Active Citizen Team, said.

The group, which was formed in 2012 and has over 250 members in Noida, Greater Noida, Jewar and Dadri areas, is also collecting monetary donations.

Bhati said they have collected nearly Rs 60,000 and are aiming at Rs 2,00,000.

Some citizens are opting for mobile payment options to lend support to the people in Kerala.

"I made a monetary contribution because I felt I needed to do whatever I could to help," Neti Bedi, who works in a multinational corporation in sector 135 here said.

Initially I was not thrilled with the amount I donated but thought whatever it is, I have to do my bit, the 26-year-old told PTI.

Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh said he has donated his one month's salary Rs 1,25,000 for the cause. "In this hour of need, it should be everyone's effort to help the people caught in the catastrophe in Kerala," Singh said in a statement.

Many police personnel, including constables and officers, are donating a day's salary to help Keralites.

"Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma has exhorted the personnel for the voluntary contribution. Several policeman are donating their one-day salary," Rajesh Sharma, police spokesperson, said.

The district administration, as per guidelines from the Uttar Pradesh government, is preparing for providing essential supplies required in flood-ravaged Kerala. According to an official communication, the district administration is preparing food packets of 1-1.5 kg each which include biscuits, dry fruits, rusk, chocolate energy bars, tetra pack of juices, ORS, small bottles of packaged water and ready-to-eat food essentials, mostly rice-based.

The emphasis is on ensuring that the expiry date of the food products is at least four-six months later. They are also procuring clothes, including t-shirts, lungis, sarees, children's clothes and light blankets, according to the communication.

"Monetary help can be collected in cash, cheque or demand drafts and will be sent through the chief minister's relief fund," it added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced Rs 500 crore financial assistance to Kerala after personally reviewing the flood situation on Friday.

During the June to September monsoon season, till 18 August, the state has received 42 per cent excess rainfall, leading to the worst floods in a century that have claimed hundreds of lives and impacted lakhs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Afghan forces launched a lightning operation in northern Kunduz province today, rescuing 149 people, including women and children, abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier, officials said.

By mid-afternoon, fighting was still underway in the area to free 21 remaining hostages, officials added.

The operation was a boost for Afghan forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban on battlefields across the country.

On Monday morning, the Taliban ambushed a convoy of three buses travelling on a road in the Khan Abad district, and forced everyone to come with them, according to Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Rahimi said that after Afghan security forces freed 149, the insurgents were still holding 21 hostages from the buses. He added at least seven Taliban fighters have been killed in the fighting so far.

The ambush came despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's announcement of a conditional cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week.

The Taliban have stepped up their assaults in recent months, seizing entire districts across Afghanistan and regularly carrying out large-scale bombings and attacks that have killed scores of people.

Esmatullah Muradi, spokesman for the provincial governor in Kunduz, also confirmed the rescue of the hostages. According to Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, the Taliban were likely looking for government employees or members of the security forces who usually go home for the holidays.

All the passengers on the buses were from Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were traveling to the capital, Kabul, said Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief in neighboring Takhar province.

Ghani's call for the truce, made during celebrations Sunday of the 99th anniversary of Afghanistan's independence, said "the cease-fire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depend on the Taliban's stand."



On Saturday, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzadah, said that there will be no peace in the country as long as the "foreign occupation" continues. He reiterated the group's standing position that the country's 17-year war can only be brought to an end through direct talks with the US.

In a message released on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, and without mentioning any cease-fire, Akhunzadah said the insurgents remain committed to "Islamic goals," the sovereignty of Afghanistan and ending the war.

For his part, Ghani said he hoped extensions could also be agreed upon to make the cease-fire last until Nov. 20, which will mark the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad.

The government had previously announced a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June. The Taliban accepted that three-day truce but later rejected a call by the president to extend it.

Earlier this month, the Taliban launched a major assault on the eastern city of Ghazni, just 120 kilometers from Kabul and the capital of a province with the same name.

Afghan security forces battled the militants inside the city for five days, with the US carrying out airstrikes and sending advisers to help the Afghan ground forces, until the Taliban were routed from Ghazni.

The battle for the city killed at least 100 members of the Afghan security forces and 35 civilians, according to Afghan officials.

The heavy casualties underscore the challenges the government in Kabul faces since the US and NATO officially ended their combat mission at the end of 2014. Since then, American forces, now in a training and advising role, have repeatedly come to the aid of Afghan forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A senior US diplomat insisted that any Afghanistan peace talks must include the Kabul government, and would not occur directly between the Taliban and Washington.

"Negotiations have to take place between the Afghan government and the Taliban, we are not a substitute for that," Alice Wells, the senior official for the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asia Affairs, told AFP.

Wells spoke directly with Taliban officials last month in Qatar to try to find a new path toward ending Afghanistan's 17-year conflict, according to several reports that she would not confirm or deny.

"I can't say anything beyond that we are prepared to do what we can to facilitate getting the parties to the table," Wells said.

"But the United States doesn't negotiate with the Taliban over the heads of the Afghan people and government."



A member of the Taliban's leadership council -- the Quetta Shura -- has confirmed to AFP that Taliban members met with US officials last month in Doha, where the militants have established a political office that serves as a de-facto embassy.

The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with the United States. The group refuses to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate.

But Washington indicated a change in its long-standing policy in June when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was prepared to "support, facilitate and participate" in talks.

President Donald Trump a year ago unveiled his Afghanistan strategy, which focuses on pressuring the Taliban to negotiate.

Kabul yesterday was waiting for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Afghanistan today was awaiting the Taliban's response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal for a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war.

Ghani unveiled the offer during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying police and troops would observe the truce from this week -- but only if the militants reciprocated.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw the Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, with estimates suggesting hundreds of people may have been killed.

It also came just hours after regional army spokesman Mohammad Hanif Rezaee said an airstrike against a Taliban convoy in the north of the country killed around 100 militant fighters.

The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups.

The proposal was warmly welcomed by both NATO and the US, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on the Taliban to take part.

It is not yet clear if US-led NATO forces will participate in the ceasefire.

The truce offer was also welcomed by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto, who added it was important "to seize all opportunities for a negotiated end to the conflict".

The Taliban did not immediately respond to Ghani's proposal, but vowed to release "hundreds" of "enemy prisoners" to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday that starts this week.

It was not clear which prisoners they were referring to.

A senior Taliban member based in Pakistan told AFP the leadership had yet to issue a formal response to the ceasefire, but suggested fighting may be restrained during Eid even if no announcement is made.

The president's spokesman later slammed reports the Taliban may reduce fighting without formally declaring a truce.

"Any unofficial ceasefire or restraint in some parts of the country is not a ceasefire. If they announce it officially, we will hold it as long as they continue," Haroon Chakhansuri told reporters, adding that military operations were continuing in several provinces in the absence of a deal.

There have been no major reports of fighting between security forces and the Taliban since Ghani's speech.

Analysts were mixed over the proposal, with some saying the government's move was a sign of desperation after recent heavy bloodshed, while others said the trust-building measure was integral to paving the way for negotiations.

"After Ghazni City and everything else, this looks really desperate," tweeted Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Kabul-based military analyst Ateequllah Amarkhail however said the war had ground to a stalemate, and the Taliban needed to respond positively to open dialogue.

As anticipation mounted over a Taliban response, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed that some 140 people had been briefly kidnapped then set free in Kunduz early today.

He added that authorities did not know who was behind the abductions, which are common in the province. Local officials also could not confirm the culprits. Some media outlets reported that the Taliban may have been involved.

If the militants accept the ceasefire, it would be just the second nationwide truce since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

The first, for just three days in June, saw thousands of insurgents pour into cities across Afghanistan, eating ice cream and posing for selfies with security forces to celebrate.

The brief respite spurred hopes that a new path was opening to peace talks.

Prior to Ghazni there had been tentative signs that diplomatic efforts to initiate peace negotiations were starting to bear fruit.

In June Washington indicated a shift in its longstanding policy that negotiations must be Afghan-led.

Last month Taliban representatives met US officials for talks in Qatar, militant sources have told AFP.

Afghan security forces have suffered enormous losses since US-led NATO combat forces withdrew in late 2014. But it is ordinary Afghans who been suffered the most in the relentless conflict, especially in Kabul, which the UN has said is the deadliest place for civilians in Afghanistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Afghanistan was waiting today for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's suggestion of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after 17 years of war.

Ghani unveiled the government's latest gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the Taliban reciprocated.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw that Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups.

The proposal was warmly greeted by both NATO and the US, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on the Taliban to participate.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to Ghani's proposal but vowed to release hundreds of "enemy prisoners" to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday that starts this week.

Analysts said the government's move belied the desperation after recent heavy bloodshed.

"After Ghazni City and everything else, this looks really desperate," tweeted Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

If the militants accede to the ceasefire, it would be just the second nation-wide truce since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

The first, in June, saw thousands of insurgents pour into cities across Afghanistan, eating ice cream and posing for selfies with security forces to celebrate.

The brief respite observed by both sides spurred hopes that a new path was opening for possible peace talks in the country to the end the nearly 17-year-old war.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The AIADMK in Puducherry today urged the territorial government to immediately convene a special Assembly session and bring in a legislation to ensure 50 percent quota for government sponsored students in the private medical colleges in the Union Territory.

AIADMK legislature wing leader AAnbalagan told reporters here that presently the private medical colleges including deemed-to-be-universities were denying seats at 50 percent of quota for the local students.

"Seat sharing is done according to whims and fancies of the managements and most of the time the local students were not getting admission.

Seats are sold away for exorbitant prices to students from distant States," he alleged



There should be a law to curb this unjust and unfair practice on the part of the managements," he said.

Charging the government with 'keeping mum' on the issue, Anbalagan said parents and students associations should also come forward to press the rights of the students.

The AIADMK leader wanted a legislation to be enacted to ensure fifty percent quota for government sponsored students in private medical colleges.

"When the government could bring in a resolution to divest the nominated legislators of their right to vote on the floor of the House as was done in the recent budget session, there is no reason why a legislation on medical college admission issue could not be brought in," Anbalagan said.

He also sought the intervention of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi to do justice to the students.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today asked the Rajasthan government to state within a week what action it has taken in the case of the alleged lynching of dairy farmer Rakbar Khan on July 20, following its directions on the incidents of cow vigilantism.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered the plea of Congress leader Tehseen Poonawala seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the state's officials including the Chief Secretary and the DGP for alleged violation of the top court's verdict in the Alwar lynching case.

The apex court had on July 17 said that "horrendous acts of mobocracy" cannot be allowed to overrun the law of the land and issued a slew of guidelines to deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism, besides asking the Centre to consider enacting a new law to sternly deal with such cases.

The bench, which also comprised Justices AM Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, also took note of the fact that only Maharashtra, Punjab and Chandigarh had filed compliance reports after the court had directed all states and union territories to take steps to deal with the offences of mob violence and cow vigilantism and file a compliance report by today.

It directed Rajasthan's Principal Secretary of Home department to file an affidavit within seven days detailing the action taken by the state government in the case. It also asked the remaining states to file their compliance reports by September 7.

At the outset, senior advocate Indira Jaising sought criminal action against those police officers who had failed to take the Alwar victim to hospital in time, which had led to his death.

Poonawala, in his plea, said the 28-year old dairy farmer Rakbar Khan was attacked by a group of cow vigilantes in Lalwandi village of Ramgarh district in Rajasthan on July 20, three days after the apex court had delivered a detailed verdict.

Khan, a resident of Haryana and his friend Aslam, were transporting two cows to Kolgaon through a forest area when the mob had attacked them apprehending that they were taking the animals for slaughter, it said.

While Aslam managed survive as he hid in the fields, the crowd killed Rakbar, it said, adding that there was a considerable delay in taking the deceased to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

The contempt plea has alleged that the incidents of mob lynching and vigilantism were taking place despite the apex court verdict in this regard.

The court had issued a slew of directions to the government to provide "preventive, remedial and punitive measures" to deal with offences like mob violence and cow vigilantism.

It had asked the state governments to designate a senior police officer, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, as nodal officer in each district. These nodal officers should be assisted by a DSP rank officer in the district for taking measures to prevent incidents of mob violence and lynching, it had said.

The officers shall constitute a Special Task Force to procure intelligence reports about the people who are likely to commit such crimes or were involved in spreading hate speeches, provocative statements and fake

"The states shall forthwith identify Districts, Sub-Divisions and/or Villages where instances of lynching and mob violence have been reported in the recent past, say in the last five years. The process of identification should be done within a period of three weeks from the date of this judgment, as such time period is sufficient to get the task done in today's fast world of data collection.

"The Secretary, Home Department of the concerned States shall issue directives/ advisories to the Nodal Officers of the concerned districts for ensuring that the Officer In-charge of the Police Stations of the identified areas are extra cautious if any instance of mob violence within their jurisdiction comes to their notice," the 45-page verdict had said.

The judgement was delivered on a batch of petitions including Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Tushar Gandhi and Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla seeking formulation of guidelines to curb incidents of mob violence and lynching in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Days after announcing Rs 10 crore relief to rain-ravaged Kerala, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to all Punjabis to come forward and do their bit to help the southern state cope with the unprecedented calamity.

The death toll in Kerala has mounted to 216. Even as rains abated and rescue operations were in the final stages, the flood-hit state was faced with the gigantic task of rehabilitating lakhs of people rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of diseases.

Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state.

"Every Punjabi should come out in support of the state government's efforts to help out the flood-ravaged people of Kerala, who were facing tumultuous times as a result of the unparalleled flood situation," Amarinder Singh said.

Three planeload of over 90 MT of relief material has been dispatched from Halwara IAF Station by the Air Force's transport aircraft, an official spokesperson said here.

In addition, one C-17 Air Force transport aircraft carrying around 50 MT of relief material was dispatched this afternoon from Adampur IAF station in Jalandhar.

It will undertake a second sortie tomorrow morning from Adampur to carry the balance 50 MT of relief material mobilised by the Jalandhar district administration, he said.

Another 120 MT of relief material has been lined up by Patiala district administration for dispatch from Chandigarh IAF Station on Tuesday, the spokesperson said.

On the request of Kerala, the Punjab government is providing mainly ready-to-use material in the form of one kg packets of drinking water, biscuits, 'chana' and milk powder.

The state government has deputed IAS officer Basant Garg, and a team of officials at Thiruvananthapuram, to liaison with the Kerala government for better coordination of the relief operation, the spokesperson said.

The Punjab government would mobilise further relief material after ascertaining the specific requirements of the local administration, he said.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had earlier announced assistance of Rs 10 crore to the Kerala government, including financial assistance of Rs 5 crore which had been transferred to the Kerala CM's fund from the Punjab Chief Ministers Relief Fund, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, has despatched relief material from Amritsar for the flood victims.

MPs and MLAs of Haryana's principal opposition the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) have decided to donate a month's salary for the flood victims.

After a meeting of the working committee of INLD, the Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Abhay Singh Chautala, said it was decided that relief would be provided to the flood victims in Kerala.

Chautala said the party MPs and MLAs will not only donate a month's salary to the Kerala CM's relief fund, but will also raise funds from the district units of the party as well as from the public.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration today said the sacrifice of animals on Eid ul Zuha (Bakrid) should take place only at designated spots.

Ahead of the festival on Wednesday, District Magistrate Brajesh Narayan Singh along with Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma held a security arrangements review meeting.

Eid ul Zuha or the festival of sacrifice is the second of two biggest Islamic festivals celebrated worldwide each year. Special attention should be given to Muslim-dominated areas. Also tour the areas in advance, to ensure uninterrupted power supply at places of prayers, Singh told officials from the administration and police departments during the meeting held at the collectorate auditorium.

According to an official statement, the district magistrate said stray animals should not be allowed near mosques during the prayers.

"The sacrifice of animals should take place only at the designated spots and if anyone is found doing it in public areas, strict action be taken against them, he said.

The officials have been asked to make sure the remains of sacrificed animals are not disposed off in ponds, rivers or thrown in drains or open grounds.

Ensure that dustbins are available at all designated places of sacrifice, he said, adding that sacrifice of large animals should be avoided.

The district magistrate has instructed the administration to ensure that all places of sacrifice are sanitised in urban as well rural areas.

Roads and routes leading to the places of worship should be repaired and drinking water should be made available, he said.

The officials concerned have been directed to take stock of the law and order situation in their respective areas.

Inform the district administration of any critical situation to ensure peace and harmony, he said. He appealed to the public to help the administration and police.

SSP Sharma asked the personnel to be vigilant and ensure quick action in case of crime or any untoward incident.

Do not wait for any matter to escalate. Inform the police about it immediately. Those spreading rumoursshould be identified and action must be taken. Accord special attention to sensitive areas, he said.

Sharma also directed the officials to ensure that there is smooth traffic en route to places of worship on Wednesday,read the statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: Andhra Pradesh government employees and pensioners today announced a donation of Rs 20 crore towards flood relief in Kerala.

State government employees, teachers and pensioners will pool the amount and donate it to Kerala Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund, according to AP Non-Gazetted Officers Association president P Ashok Babu.

A delegation of NGO leaders met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here and requested that a proportionate amount be deducted from their salary and pension for August and credited to the Kerala CMDRF.

IAS Officers Association of AP also announced contribution of one day's salary towards flood relief in Kerala.

Association general secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar expressed anguish over the flood havoc and hoped the state would recover soon.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister spoke to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan again this afternoon and complimented the latter over the rescue and relief operations.

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Former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar, arrested in connection with the seizure of explosives and arms in Maharashtra, was remanded today in the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) custody till August 28 by a Mumbai court.

The Maharashtra ATS told the court that they need to probe if Pangarkar was assigned any particular target in the form of a person or a place, and also find out the mastermind of the conspiracy.

The former corporator was arrested by the ATS last night.

Seeking Pangarkar's remand, the ATS said they also need to ascertain if he had provided any financial or logistical support to the other three accused, arrested earlier this month following seizure of a large cache of explosives.

On August 10, Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar were arrested by the ATS from Palghar and Pune districts in connection with the seizure of a large number of bombs and weapons.

The prosecution told the court that the ATS also wanted to find out if Pangarkar had conducted recee of any place.

A pen drive, hard disks and some incriminating documents were recovered from Pangarkar's residence in the state's Jalna district, the prosecution said.

Prime facie, he was funding the other three accused -- Raut, Kalaskar and Gondhaleka, the prosecution said, adding that Pangarkar's bank transactions also need to be probed.

Raut, Kalaskar and Gondhaleka have been remanded in the ATS custody till August 28.

The state's anti-terror agency had alleged that the accused were planning to carry out blasts in the state ahead of Independence Day and Bakri Eid.

The ATS also said it would probe if the accused had any connection with the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

The accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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The Army would continue to be engaged in the rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala till the situation stabilised, Southern Command chief Lt Gen D R Soni said here today.

He also said the Army's medical teams would extend the first line of relief in co-ordination with the government.

"There are inaccessible areas and our men will continue to reach out to people who needed to be rescued," he told reporters here.

Noting that it was not possible to provide the exact number of people stranded, he said the rescue operations by the Army had not been called off.

He was replying to a question on the number of people still stranded in the state, ravaged by floods.

At a point of time, the army personnel had to return to the barracks, but "We are not in a hurry to do so until things stabilise," he said.

The Army has deployed 1,500 personnel including engineers and divers, for the rescue operation, the Lt Gen said adding it would provide initial relief to the people hit by floods.

"We do the rescue work and initial relief work. We have got a large number of medical personnel from the Southern Command," he said.

Dwelling on the role of Army personnel in the current operations in the state, ravaged by landslides and floods, Soni said "We have saved people from tough areas".

"They (medical team) are here. I know there are hospitals here, the but the first relief will be given by our people which will be co-ordinated by the government departments," he said.

As a precautionary measure, Soni said, the Southern Command was working out a plan to make sure that equipment required to meet flood situations would be stationed in the region.

"I want to make sure in the next two-three months, this is centrally located in the region, so that long and large scale movement are not resorted to at a time of calamity. We will be prepared...I promise," the Lt General said.

He said the Army had brought 25 boats from Jodhapur, 15 from Bhopal and many other relief equipment from Pune and Bengaluru.

The Defence personnel have played a key role in the rescue operations in trying conditions and built temporary bridges among a range of activities to help the flood hit people of the state.

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The Arunachal Pradesh government has announced to contribute Rs 3 crore to Kerala Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund in the wake of recent devastating floods in the southern state.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister @Pemakhandubjp announces Rs 3 crore as immediate assistance from Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the Kerala flood and expressed solidarity with the people in Kerala in this trying time. #KeralaFloods, the CMO Arunachal wrote on Twitter.

People of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala have a very strong bond since long. In this trying time we are with the families of all the victims of the #kerelaFloods. @vijayanpinarayi, Khandu tweeted.

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Actor-director Asia Argento, one of the vocal advocates of the #MeToo movement, settled a claim last year from a former child actor that she assaulted him when he was 17.

According to documents obtained by The New York Times, Argento, made a deal with former child actor-musician Jimmy Bennett for the amount of USD 380,000, payable over the period of a year-and-a-half.

She paid off Bennett, who claims to have been assaulted in a California hotel room in 2013 by the then 37-year-old actor when he was a little over 17, in the months that followed her allegations of sexual abuse by the now-disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Argento's counsel who handled the settlement, Carrie Goldberg, described the money as "helping Mr Bennett" in the documents.

According to the papers, Argento asked the family member, who accompanied the minor actor, to leave so she could be alone with him.

She gave him alcohol to drink and showed him a series of notes she had written to him on hotel stationery. Then she kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, removed his pants and performed oral sex. She climbed on top of him and the two had intercourse, the document says.

She then asked him to take a number of photos.

After lunch, Bennett headed home to Orange County, where he lived with his parents. As he was driven home, according to his claim, he began to feel "extremely confused, mortified, and disgusted".

Later that day she shared a close-up of their faces on Instagram with the caption, "Happiest day of my life reunion with @jimmymbennett xox," and added "jimmy is going to be in my next movie and that is a fact, dig that jack." That post and others were included with the notice of intent.

The papers sent to The New York Times through encrypted email by an unidentified party include a selfie dated May 9, 2013, of the duo lying in bed.

As per the terms of the deal, Bennett, now 22, transferred the photograph and its copyright to Argento, now 42.

Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic.

Argento was one of the 13 women whose name was included in the first October 2017 New Yorker report about Weinstein's dark tales of harassment that dated back decades.

The claim and the following arrangement for payments are laid out in documents between lawyers for Argento and Bennett, who once played her son in 2004's "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things".

Bennett's notice of intent asked for USD 3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.

Gordon K Sattro, Bennett's lawyer wrote in the notice of intent to sue that it was Argento presenting herself as a victim of sexual assault was too much to bear for him, which gradually jogged up memories of the hotel incident.

According to The Times, Bennett sent Argento a Twitter message, "Miss you momma!" a month later that included a photograph of an engraved bracelet she had given him to commemorate the movie. He is currently off Twitter.

That same month, he confronted his mother and stepfather over the state of a trust into which some of his earnings as an actor had been deposited, according to a lawsuit he filed in Orange County Superior Court in October 2014.

The Times has tried repeatedly since August 16 to get a response to the matter from Argento and her representatives.

Goldberg is yet to respond too. A woman who answered the phone at Goldberg's office on August 17 said the lawyer would not be available to discuss this article.

Argento, was recently trolled online after her boyfriend, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, committed suicide.

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The Assam government has announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala, which is hit by a massive flood that has so far claimed 210 lives and caused widespread destruction.

In a statement, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the people of his state have expressed profound grief and sorrow at the unprecedented floods that hit Kerala.

"We can very well realise the pain perpetrated by the floods to the people of Kerala as the people of Assam face such kind of furry every year," he said.

In view of the catastrophic flood, the chief minister announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala, the statement issued here said.

"Seeing the deluge and the sufferings of the people of Kerala, the soreness of the people of Majuli, the largest river island, comes to my mind and I pledge to share the sufferings of my brother and sisters in Kerala as I do with the brothers and sisters back home in Assam," Sonowal said.

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Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said Assam can relate to the pain caused by the devastating flood in Kerala, as his state is faced with a similar plight every year.

"We can very well internalise the pain perpetrated by the flood to the people of Kerala, as the people of Assam face such kind of fury every year," Sonowal said in a statement.

Assam has already announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore for flood-ravaged Kerala.

"Looking into the large-scale devastation caused by the flood, our contribution might look meagre. However, we sincerely realise the intense sufferings caused to the people and the mammoth task of rehabilitation that the state faces.

"Seeing the deluge and the sufferings of the people of Kerala, the soreness of the people of Majuli (in Assam), the largest river island comes to my mind and I, pledge to share the sufferings of my brothers and sisters in Kerala as I do with the brothers and sisters back home in Assam," he said.

Sonowal also thanked the people cutting across political parties, organisations and regions for their service to the flood victims in Kerala.

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A suspended DMK worker, wanted in connection with the alleged assault on employees of a restaurant which declined to serve him food, surrendered before a city court today, police said.

Others, involved in the attack, have already been arrested, the police said.

The suspended Yuvaraj was remanded to custody, they said.

A video of the attack, which took place here recently had gone viral on social media showing a couple of persons thrashing the employees of the restaurant which did not serve them food as it was closing time.

A case was filed against Yuvaraj and some of his accomplices following the incident, the police said.

The DMK had suspended him and another person for allegedly violating the party discipline and bringing disrepute to it.

Later, the DMK working president MK Stalin had visited the eatery and enquired about the incident with its owner and some of the affected employees.

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Maharashtra minister Arjun Khotkar today said that he was aware of arrested former corporator Shrikant Pangarkar's links with right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha, but did not bother to find out more as the latter had left the Shiv Sena in 2011.

Pangarkar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) yesterday in connection with the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from different parts of the state between August 9 and 11



"In Jalna, almost everybody knew Pangarkar had started working with the Sanatan Sanstha. He was active in Sanstha's work but I am not aware of the details," Khotkar, a senior Sena leader from Jalna and the Minister of State for Textiles, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development in the Maharashtra government, told PTI today.

"He was a councillor with the (Shiv) Sena in Jalna Municipal Council from 2001 till 2011. After he was denied a ticket in 2011, he left the Sena. I came to know later that he is getting more interested in the Sanatan's work," the minister said.

Khotkar said that his colleagues had told him that Pangarkar was not living in Jalna for the last few years.

"As he was not an active member of Sena, I did not bother to find out more about him," Khotkar said.

To a query on whether he was aware of Pangarkar's plans or alleged inclination towards violence, Khotkar said that he was not aware of those.

Pangarkar was remanded in the custody of the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) till August 28 by a Mumbai court today.

On August 10, three persons -- Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar -- were arrested by the ATS from Palghar and Pune districts in connection with the seizure of a large number of bombs and weapons.

The prosecution today told the court of Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Padalkar that, prime facie, Pangarkar was funding Raut, Kalaskar and Gondhalekar.

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Actor Benedict Cumberbatch has been offered a whopping 7.5 million pounds to star in the sequel of his hit film "Doctor Strange".

According to Mirror, the "Avengers: Infinity War" star will get a 5 million pound raise in his salary from the Disney Studios for reprising his role as the title character in another solo film.

"Benedict has become a huge player in the Marvel universe," an insider told the newspaper.

Cumberbatch first played the part in the Scott Derickson-directed "Doctor Strange" in 2016 and later appeared briefly in "Thor: Ragnarok", which released last year.

Doctor Strange was a pivotal character in "Infinity War" and the 42-year-old actor will play the part again in the untitled "Avengers 4", which is due to release in 2019.

The paper reported that Cumberbatch has already made 4.2 million pounds in total from his work on the "Doctor Strange", "Thor: Ragnarok" and the last two Avengers movies.

The report also stated that the "Doctor Strange" sequel is expected to start shooting next year.

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Dutch challenger Kiki Bertens profited from a third-set collapse from Simona Halep to score the biggest win of her career Sunday, beating the world number one 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 in the Cincinnati final.

Halep, who won the Montreal trophy a week ago and came into the final on a nine-match winning streak, ran out of reserves and was unable to stop the mounting Bertens momentum.

"I've lost three finals here, but maybe I will able to win one at this tournament because I love to play here," said Halep, who fell to Serena Williams in the 2015 final of the hardcourt US Open tuneup and to Garbine Muguruza in the title match last year.

The upset took just over two hours and marked the 10th time this season that 17th-ranked Bertens has defeated a top 10 opponent.

"Hopefully we can play many more matches like this in the future," said Bertens, who claimed a sixth career WTA title.

Bertens saved a match point in the second-set tiebreaker to stay alive. Halep had looked like ending a quick afternoon with a victory after breaking Bertens twice to sweep the first set.

But the 26-year-old Dutchwoman, who had considered retiring last season due to poor results, began to turn the tide in the second as she broke for a 3-1 lead.

Halep got that break back in the eighth game to make it 4-all, and took tighter control in the tiebreaker.

But Bertens won four games in the decider to take a 4-2 lead and quickly seized the set seconds after saving the match point.

Halep seriously faded in the final set, going down two breaks to trail 1-4.

Bertens kept up the pressure and advanced with a winner on her first match point, posting her second career win over Hale six years after beating her for the first time.

The depleted Halep is still entered as top seed in the upcoming WTA tournament in New Haven, which ends just two days prior to the start of the US Open in New York.

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A fake website with Beti Bachao Beti Padhao logo is duping people posing as a government-backed saving scheme, warned an official with the Women and Child Development today.

The fake portal is made to appear a partner of the Ministry of Women and Child Development which aims to secure the future of girl children in the country, the official added.

Advising the people to not fall prey to such fraud, the women and child development ministry has issued a circular stating the ministry does not host the portal and it has not published any kind of form or information on the website.

All details of the ministry are published only on www.wcd.nic.in, the circular read.

An official said a SMS and Whatsapp message is circulating, asking persons with girl children between the ages of 1 to 18 years



to apply in this fake portal for availing Rs 10,000.

"The fake portal has a form which should be filled by the applicants. The portal carries BBBP logo and photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," read the circular.

The police said they have registered an FIR.

Allegedly, the fake website was charging Rs 200 per registration. A case of cheating under relevant sections of the IT Act was registered. The accused has been identified and we are on the lookout for him, the police said.

The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana programme was launched in January 2015 for the welfare of girl children under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme.

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A woman was beaten up, stripped and paraded naked today on the streets of Bhojpur district in Bihar by an irate mob, which suspected her to be involved in the killing of a 19-year-old man, police said.

The incident happened in Bihiya police station area, where the body of Vimalesh Sah, who had gone missing yesterday, was found near a railway track this morning, Bhojpur Superintendent of Police Avakash Kumar said.

He said the residents of Sah's native village Damodarpur rushed to the spot after they came to know about his death and some of them suspected that those living in a red-light area nearby would have strangled the youth to death.

The villagers stormed the place, setting on fire a number of shops and beating up several residents. They dragged out a woman on the street, ripped off her clothes and paraded her naked while kicking and slapping her, the SP said.

The mob also hurled stones at a train passing through the area. The police had to fire in the air to disperse the mob, the SP said, adding, a few rounds were also fired by the villagers.

A heavy deployment of police personnel has been made in the area, the SP said. He said a case would be registered and arrests would be made soon.

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Ahead of the fourth Bimstec Summit, heads of missions of member countries today stressed on the need for early conclusion of free trade agreement negotiations and trade facilitation measures.

The Bimstec member nations include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

The summit is scheduled to be held in Kathmandu on August 30-31, 2018.

Speaking at a meeting organised by Ficci, representatives of the member countries expressed disappointment that 13 years after the framework agreement was finalised, free trade agreement (FTA) was still being negotiated. They felt that the time was ripe for Bimstec leaders to give unequivocal directives to facilitate conclusion of the FTA.

"The panelists shared their vision for the Bay of Bengal initiative for multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation (Bimstec) as a catalyst for regional economic development over the next twenty years," a statement issued by Ficci said.

The panelist were Chitranganee Wagiswara (Sri Lanka); Chutintorn Gongsakdi (Thailand); Syed Muazzem Ali (Bangladesh); Moe Kyaw Aung (Myanmar); and Jambay Yeshi (Bhutan).

"The unanimous view of the Bimstec envoys was that out of the 14 identified priority sectors of cooperation, there was a need to focus on select areas such as connectivity, energy, trade, investment, climate change and counter-terrorism measures. This, they said, would give visibility to the regional grouping and make it a meaningful platform for prosperity in the region," the statement said.

The heads of Bimstec missions called for people-oriented decisions based on regional connectivity and economic integration.

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The Maharashtra government today said BJP Lok Sabha member Sanjay Dhotre, vice-chairman of the Maharashtra Council of Agriculture Education and Research, has been given the status of a cabinet minister.

The state government has decided to accord cabinet minister status to Dhotre, who was appointed the vice-chairman on August 1, an official release said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had recently questioned the appointment of Dhotre to the post, saying it was an "office of profit".

The Delhi-based party said as per law, an MLA or MP is barred from holding an office of profit as it can put them in a position to gain financial benefits.

The appointment of Dhotre falls under the definition of office of profit, it said.

"This is an office of profit where he will draw emoluments and other benefits. According to Articles 102(1)(a) and 191(1)(a) of the Constitution, an MP or MLA is barred from holding an office of profit as it can put them in a position to gain a financial benefit," AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon had said.

"The law says a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament, (a) if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State, other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder," she said.

"There was a hue and cry when AAP MLAs were made parliamentary secretaries, that too without emoluments. The BJP-led government used the Election Commission to disqualify them without a hearing. The Supreme Court came to the rescue and stayed the disqualification," she said.

The council is the governing body of all agriculture universities in the state.

The state agriculture minister is the chairman of the Pune-based council.

The council is tasked with effective coordination in the activities of all agricultural universities in the state, particularly in relation to teaching and research.

It does periodical evaluation of the functioning of the farm universities and supervises over their academic and financial activities and programmes.

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Telangana Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy today said insurance bonds under the state government's "Rythu Bima" insurance scheme have been prepared for more than 26.52 lakh farmers.

Reddy held a video conference with officials on issues, including insurance scheme, impact of rains on crops, increased availability of water in the reservoirs following good rainfall and the presence of "Fall Armyworm" agricultural pest in the state, an official release said.

He suggested undertaking a campaign on the insurance scheme for the benefit of farmers.

He said awareness on the "Fall Armyworm," a feared pest that had caused massive agricultural losses in Africa, should be increased in the state and precautions should be taken at the preliminary stage to prevent its spread.

According to the release, crops have been planted so far in 94 lakh acres in the ongoing rainy season against the normal area of 1.08 crore acres, it said.

Due to the impact of rains, the release said, reports have been received about damages to cotton crop in 97,000 acres and 8,200 acres of red gram in Adilabad district.

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Brazil's President Michel Temer called an emergency meeting of key ministers after ordering troops to the border with Venezuela as regional tensions build over the exodus from its crisis-hit neighbour.

The move comes after residents in the border town of Pacaraima clashed violently with Venezuelan migrants, driving them out of makeshift camps.

Temer held the meeting yesterday at his presidential palace in Brasilia with key ministers, including those of defense, public security and foreign affairs, but no further details were being disclosed.

The situation in Pacaraima, on the opposite side of the border to the Venezuelan town of Santa Elena de Uairen, was calm early yesterday, partly because locals managed to force out Venezuelans living on the streets.

"More than 1,200 Venezuelan migrants returned to Venezuela," after Saturday's violence, a spokesman for a Brazilian migration task force told AFP.

"The city looks deserted today, it's very quiet because police reinforcements have arrived and the markets are reopening," said a local in the town of around 12,000, who did not wish to be identified.

The public security ministry announced it was sending a contingent of 60 troops to join the teams in the area.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into Brazil over the past three years as they seek to escape the economic, political and social crisis gripping their country.

The latest tensions began early yesterday, hours after a local merchant was robbed and severely beaten in an incident blamed on Venezuelan suspects, in Pacaraima, where an estimated 1,000 immigrants had been living on the street.

Dozens of locals then attacked the immigrants' two makeshift camps and burned their belongings, forcing the Venezuelans back across the border.

Shots were fired, stores were shuttered and debris littered the streets.

"It was terrible, they burned the tents and everything that was inside," said Carol Marcano, a Venezuelan who works in Boa Vista and was on the border returning from Venezuela.

"There were shots, they burned rubber tires."



Roraima state Governor Suely Campos made a plea to temporarily close the border and asked Brasilia to send security reinforcements to "face the increase in crime" she links to Venezuelans in the region, particularly in the capital Boa Vista.

Meanwhile, Caracas called on Brazil to provide "corresponding guarantees to Venezuelan nationals and take measures to safeguard and secure their families and belongings."



Tensions are rising in Latin America over migration triggered by the crises in Venezuela and in Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega has led a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Peru and Ecuador are halting immigrants at the border by requiring them to present passports -- which many lack -- instead of identity cards.

Last week alone, 20,000 Venezuelans entered Peru, authorities say.

Yesterday, 18 undocumented Venezuelans were detained in the capital Lima, according to police.

Peru's passport measures go into effect August 25 -- and the government has also narrowed the window for Venezuelans to apply for a temporary work permit, which it has granted for the past two years.

Previously, applications were open to Venezuelans who entered Peru by December 31, and the deadline was June 30, 2019.

But now, only Venezuelans who enter Peru by October 31 can apply -- and they have until December 31 to do so.

Colombia has said it fears that Ecuador's border controls, which went into effect on Saturday, will leave thousands of Venezuelans stranded in Colombia, from where an estimated 3,000 cross every day.

The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the crisis looking for work and to escape poverty, and Colombia has given temporary residence to more than 800,000.

Brazilian federal police estimate about 500 Venezuelans enter Brazil every day.

In the first semester of this year, around 56,740 requested refuge or temporary residence.

Meanwhile, Nicaraguan migrants fleeing months of deadly unrest faced similar difficulties.

In San Jose, Costa Rica, hundreds of people took part in sometimes violent protests on Saturday using Nazi symbols to repudiate Nicaraguan migrants.

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The Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers held a commander-level flag meeting on the International Border (IB) in Jammu, an official of the paramilitary force said.

"BSF and Pakistan Rangers today held a sector commander-level meeting near the Octroi border out post on the Pakistan side," a senior BSF officer said.

The meeting went off in a conducive atmosphere with prime focus on solving of petty matters and the upholding of peace and tranquility, he said.

Today's meeting is likely to create hassle-free environment, particularly along the border, he said.

Commanders on both sides agreed to keep talks on at every level to develop confidence between two border guarding forces, he said.

As per sources, the meeting was held from 10.40 amto 11.45 am on the special request of the BSF. During the flag meeting, officers from BSF participated including DIG P S Dhiman, BSF Frontier HQ Paloura, Commandant Amarvir Singh, 192 BSF, Commandant Happy Verma, 80 BSF.

Commandant VK Singh 78 BSF, Commandant Himmat Kochar (Ops), Second In-charge 78 BSF Battalion and Company Commander Amod Kumar. From Pakistan side eight officers commanded by Brigadier Mohammad Amjad,Sector Commander Chenab Rangers Sialkot took part in the meeting.

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The Calcutta High Court directed today a trial court hearing a divorce suit of West Bengal minister and city mayor Sovan Chatterjee to dispose of two applications by his wife seeking cost of litigation and maintenance for their minor daughter within two months.

Directing the Alipore trial court to dispose of the two applications within two months of communication of his order, Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya set aside the lower court's earlier direction in this matter.

On June 29, the trial court had directed that it will hear the two applications by Ratna Chatterjee seeking cost of litigation and maintenance of their minor child from her husband along with the divorce suit.

Challenging this, the Kolkata mayor's wife had moved the high court on July 4 claiming that the two applications should be decided first and then only the divorce suit can be heard.

Sovan Chatterjee's lawyers submitted that Ratna's claim for hearing of the two applications first were only to delay the hearing of the main divorce suit.

Passing the order, Justice Bhattacharya said it is a well-settled judicial decorum that interlocutory applications are to be disposed of before taking up the suit.

He directed the trial court to hear the divorce suit as early as possible following disposal of the two applications of Ratna Chatterjee.

Sovan Chatterjee, who is also the state Fire Services minister, had filed the divorce suit against his wife claiming irreconcilable differences and incompatibility.

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The forest department has decided to install a trap camera at a village in Ganjam district to track down wild animals that are attacking sheep, a forest official said.

Six sheep were killed by an unidentified animal at Tamanada village and the carcasses were found by forest personnel from the outskirts of the village yesterday.

Over a dozen sheep were also found injured, the official said.

Sheep might have died due to attack by some wild animals like wolf or jackal, said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Ghumusar South, Rama Swamy P.

The wildlife protection squad in the range office would also be deployed in the village, he said.

Cages would be placed in some places to trap the predators, he said.

At the same time, he asked the sheep owners to keep their animals in enclosures to protect their sheep flock from attack by wild animals.

Last year, unknown predators had killed several sheep and goats in different places of the district.

A two-member team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had visited Bhanjanagar to identify the sheep killer last year.

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Canada said it is scrapping a family reunification lottery and going back to a first-come, first-serve immigration policy as it looks to double the number of parents and grandparents admitted to the country.

The change back to the old system follows a backlash from frustrated sponsors who described the lottery as "cruel," "heartless" and a "Vegas-like circus."



Last year when the lottery was introduced, more than 95,000 filled out an online form to be entered in a draw, but just 10,000 potential sponsors were selected.

Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Canada will admit up to 20,500 parents and grandparents under its reunification programme in 2019, and 21,000 in 2020.

The decision to increase these numbers "is a result of continually high demand" for bringing parents and grandparents of Canadians into the country, he said in a statement.

The government, Hussen added, is committed "to helping families live, work and thrive together, in Canada."



In the United States, President Donald Trump has derisively branded a similar family reunification programme "chain migration."It allows naturalized US citizens to sponsor close relatives for permanent residency.

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The Centre today declared the devastating floods in Kerala a "calamity of severe nature" as the state braced for the gigantic task of reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and rehabilitation lakhs of people rendered homeless.

The death toll in the current spell of monsoon fury that began on August 8 has risen to 216, officials said.

"Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes," a home ministry official said in New Delhi.

This categorisation will enable the state get greater monetary and other assistance from the Centre.

Though rains that pounded the state over the last few days have abated, over 7.24 lakh people are still sheltered in 5,645 relief camps, official sources said.

K Santosh, director of India Meteorological Department's Thiruvananthapuram centre said all alerts have been withdrawn and the state experienced only light to moderate rainfall today. Similar precipitation has been forecast for the next five days.

The Army, Navy, and NDRF teams continued their rescue efforts.

Lt. Gen. D R Soni, the chief of the Army's Southern Command, told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations were still continuing and drones being used to help reach to people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

He said 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations and people stranded on rooftops and inaccesible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

Efforts were now under way to clear the houses of the debris to make them habitable, officials said, underscoring the need for making available disinfectants like bleaching powder in adequate quantities to prevent outbreak of water- borne diseases.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Kerala is striving together as one to overcome the "catastrophic" floods with "monumental strength".

Referring to some messages being circulated on social media denigrating the relief efforts by the government, he said in a Facebook post that anyone trying to "pull us down will face serious consequences".

Aviation regulator DGCA is, meanwhile, monitoring airfares for flights connecting flood-hit Kerala as this is a unique situation of 'humanitarian crisis', Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said in the national capital.

Amid concerns raised by many including on social media platforms about steep fluctuations in air ticket prices to and from Kerala, where the main airport at Kochi has been shut till August 26, Prabhu said the ministry as such cannot interfere with the fares but it is "doing it" in this time of crisis.

Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board were trying to restore water and power supply in vast areas that are without power and tap water for the last several days.

Commercial flight operations from the naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning. Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport.

Relief material, including provisions, water and fuel have started arriving at the Kochi port from different parts of the country, official sources said.

A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala today to help the flood- affected people.

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The central government has directed the withdrawal of over 7,000 personnel from their long drawn deployment in four states, the maximum being from West Bengal.

These armed troops, part of seven battalions, will subsequently be re-deployed for conducting operations in Naxal-hit regions of south Bastar in Chhattisgarh, a recent government order has said.

The force was deployed to carry out anti-Naxal operations in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand whereas for internal security-related duty in Uttar Pradesh.

As per the directive issued accessed by PTI, the Union Home Ministry early this week informed the respective states enumerating that the maximum of three battalions are to be withdrawn from West Bengal, two from Bihar and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Official sources said the move to take out the Central Reserve Police Force battalions from these states has come after a long time and the Home Ministry ordered for their marching after the paramilitary made a demand to it that it requires more battalions in in order to open more bases in the Maoist hotbed in

As the biggest (LWE) combat challenge is now in south Bastar, that borders Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, it is required to enhance the number of boots in these areas, they said.

The districts of Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker and Kondagaon witness the maximum movement and activity of the armed Maoist cadres and since the last year, the has begun opening camps in the interior areas to penetrate into the core Naxal areas, they said.

The LWE theatre in all the states from where the battalions have been ordered to be taken out, except Uttar Pradesh, have seen a marginal dip in the strength and control of Naxals and the forces are now in the dominating position, a senior official supervising anti-Naxal operations for the CRPF explained.

Uttar Pradesh has one LWE affected district - Sonebhadra - and the lone CRPF battalion proposed to be taken out from this central Indian state would come from a group centre of the force under which eight-nine battalions operate, he said.

These states are the only places from where the CRPF could take out few battalions as there is not much scope to withdraw units from either Jammu and Kashmir or the northeast, the two other internal security theatres where the paramilitary is deployed thickly.

We expect the withdrawal to begin by this month end and their re-deployment in to be completed by the year-end, he said.

The Home Ministry, under the same order, has asked the Chhattisgarh government to provide "adequate logistics and accommodation" for these new incoming units.

The CRPF, country's largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) with over 300,000 personnel in its ranks, has about 30 battalions deployed in Chhattisgarh at present.

A CRPF battalion has over 1,000 troops.
Chhattisgarh has sent 2,500 tonnes of rice for the people of flood-hit Kerala in a special train.

The train, which departed from here yesterday, is likely to reach the southern state in the next three days covering a distance of 2,100 kms, officials said today.

The move comes after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh announced assistance of Rs 10 crore to Kerala.

The state government has sent 2,500 tonnes of rice, worth about Rs 7.5 crore, through the special train, the officials said, adding that the railways has not charged any money for ferrying the consignment.

The Chhattisgarh government will soon release the remaining Rs 2.5 crore to Kerala, they said.

"We are ready to help Kerala in all possible way. We are also willing to send doctors and a team of self-help groups to help people there," Singh said.

Singh has also spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to enquire about the flood situation and offered his government's assistance in any possible way.

Heavy rains in Kerala have so far claimed 216 lives and forced over 7.14 lakh people to take shelter in relief camps.

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Former Union minister P Chidambaram's wife Nalini and daughter-in-law Srinidhi today appeared before a court here in connection with a black money case.

His son Karti Chidambaram, also an accused in the case, did not appear in the court. The court was informed that Karti Chidambaram had gone to London after obtaining due permission from the Supreme Court.

Recording the appearance, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S Malarvizhi directed the prosecution to provide copies of the documents pertaining to the proceedings to Nalini Chidambaram and Srinidhi.

Recording the submission, the judge ordered all the three to appear on September 3.

According to the Income Tax Department, Karti Chidambaram had not disclosed his bank account in Metro Bank, the UK, and investments he had made in Nano Holdings LLC, USA.

The department said Karti Chidambaram had failed to disclose investments made by Chess Global Advisory, a company co-owned by him, which is an offence under the Black Money Act.

It also said the trio had not disclosed Rs 5.37 crore worth of property they jointly own in Cambridge in the UK and Rs 3.28 crore worth of properties in the US.

The department initiated prosecution against them under Section 50 of the Black Money (undisclosed foreign income and assets) and Imposition of Tax Act.

Challenging it, the three approached the high court.

As a single judge of the court refused any relief, they moved an appeal.

On June 27, the first bench headed by the then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee reserved its order on the appeal.

But as the chief justice was elevated to the Supreme Court in the meantime, orders could not be pronounced in the case.

Now, the appeal would be referred to another Division Bench for fresh hearing.

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China says it has protested to the United States over a stopover by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during which she toured the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Houston.

Tsai made the visit while returning from a trip to Paraguay and Belize, two of only 18 countries extending diplomatic recognition to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters at a daily briefing today that Beijing would "always oppose any country providing conveniences and venues for relevant people from Taiwan to conduct such activities."



Tsai also spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California while in transit last week, the first public address made by a Taiwanese leader in the United States in more than a decade.

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A Chinese man was apprehended at the airport here for allegedly using a fake ticket to enter the terminal area, a senior official said today.

T Zhiwen was intercepted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel as he was about to leave the Terminal-3 building of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) yesterday, the official said.

He was stopped and questioned as exiting the terminal area is not usually permitted for passengers, he said.

The man, holding a Chinese passport, told the security personnel that he used a cancelled ticket to enter the terminal area to see off his relatives, who were travelling to Shanghai, the official said.

The man was subsequently handed over to the police as his ticket was a fake travel document and he was charged with alleged trespass, he said.

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Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang today telephoned Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to congratulate him and hoped that the "all-weather" friendship between the two countries would further strengthen under his leadership.

According to a press release issued from Prime Minister House here, the Chinese premier said his government wishes to work closely with the new Pakistani government and hoped that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project will be completed on time.

The over USD 50 billion CPEC is a network of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that will connect China's Xinjiang province with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province.

India has objected to the CPEC project as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Premier Li expressed hope that the "all-weather" friendship between the two countries would strengthen under the new government in Pakistan, the release said.

Li also invited Khan, who was sworn-in as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan on Saturday, to visit China.

The prime minister thanked his Chinese counterpart and said he is "keen to learn from [China's] experience in poverty alleviation, anti-corruption and social sector reforms like health and education as these are his government's priorities for domestic reforms", the Dawn newspaper quoted the release as saying.

Khan also "vowed" to work closely with China on "all regional and international issues of mutual concern", it said.

Khan thanked Li for his invitation and said that he looked forward to his trip to China. He then extended a counter invitation to Li, asking him to visit Pakistan "at his earliest convenience".

China has historically come to Pakistan's rescue with economic, political and military assistance and the leadership of the two countries have often described their ties as "all weather".

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Corp-backed Elara Technologies, which owns realty portals Housing.com, PropTiger.com and Makaan.com, has raised USD 35 million (around Rs 245 crore) as debt from Citi Singapore to invest in new products, technology and expansion for next phase of growth, a top company official said.

Singapore-based Elara Technologies would hire 150 employees to strengthen its sales team, taking the total headcount to 1,500, said Dhruv Agarwala, who is group CEO of all the three portals -- Housing, PropTiger and Makaan.

Corp and its Australia-based group firm REA as well as SAIF Partners, Softbank and Accel Partners are major shareholders in Elara Technologies, a digital real estate marketing and transactions services firm.

"We have raised USD 35 million fund from Citi Singapore as debt. This amount will be used for investing in technology, product, branding, strengthening of sales team and geographical expansion of all the three platforms," Agarwala told PTI.

Elara Technologies has raised USD 105 million so far from investors as equity and this is the first time that the company is raising debt, he added.

"We currently have offices in 10 major cities of the country and now we want to further expand our business in domestic as well as international markets. We will hire 150 people by December in our sales team," Agarwala said.

Stating that technology is key to its business, he said the company will invest in bringing new features for personalisation, improving conversion rate, and natural language processing based search.

Elara Technologies is currently growing at a rate of more than 50 per cent year-on-year, he said, and expected that this funding would catalyse the next phase of growth and build its leadership in the rapidly expanding digital real estate space in India.

"India's real estate sector is growing at a healthy pace on the back of strong overall market demand. This transaction demonstrates our confidence in Elara Technologies' growth potential and the opportunity that we see in India's digital real estate market over the next few years," said Wong Sin Ping, Global Subsidiaries Group Head of Citi Singapore.

Elara Technologies first founded PropTiger.com in 2011 and then acquired Makaan.com in May 2015. In a major consolidation in the Indian online real estate business, Elara had acquired Housing.com in January 2017, a start-up founded in 2012 by around dozen IIT graduates.

Following the acquisition of Housing.com, the company completed a restructuring exercise to ensure optimal utilisation of resources.

While, PropTiger helps developers in selling flats available in primary market, Makaan.com largely deals in buy-sell of re-sale properties. Housing.com is a classified platform for developers, brokers and home-owners.

On the operation front, Elara said that the revenues of Housing.com more than doubled in fiscal year 2018, helping it become one of the top three players in the digital real estate classified business.

PropTiger's revenue grew by 40 per cent during the first half of 2018, it said and expected this platform to become profitable this fiscal year. Since inception, PropTiger has facilitated the sales of close to 20,000 homes worth nearly USD 2 billion.

Makaan.com, which has a total of 9 lakh properties listed on its platform, has witnessed a 300 per cent growth in revenue in H1 2018 over the same period last year.

Elara said the acquisition of Housing.com helped the company in offering a comprehensive range of real estate services.

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With hundreds of people dead and lakhs other homeless in Kerala due to floods, various Malayali and Keralite associations in Kolkata are collecting funds and reliefs materials for the flood victims in their state.

These association run by Keralite people residing in Kolkata have started a relief drive for the flood victims in their state.

"We have started collecting relief materials and funds. Hopefully we would be able to send them to Kerala by this week. The entire agricultural sector has been badly affected in the floods," said T K Gopalnan, Trustee, Kolkata Kairali Samajam.

"We have already identified the areas where relief materials would be sent. We are also in touch with some schools where the relief materials will be kept so that it can be distributed," he said.

An official of Kolkata Kairali Samajam said they along with other Malayali associations had a meeting with the officials of Kolkata police to chalk out a way to send relief materials to Kerala.

"The entire transportation system has gone for a toss. So we are trying to find a way to send the relief materials. We hope the airport would start functioning very soon," the official said.

Sunil Nambiar , secretary of Calcutta Malayalee Association, said steps are being taken to send essential items which are needed immediately once people start getting back to their homes from relief camps.

"Be it collecting funds or relief materials we are on the job. We have to start from zero in Kerala, everything has been destroyed. We are also in touch with fellow Keralites whose family members are stranded in Kerala and they are yet to communicate with them," Nambiar said.

Communicating with local police or district administration has also been initiated to get in touch with the stranded relatives, a member of a Keralite organisation, who works in a city hospital, said.

Thousands of nurses, both male and female, work in various private hospitals and nursing homes of Kolkata.

"Earlier we used to work in middle east. For the last few years we are working in Kolkata so that we can at least stay in our country and stay close to our family.

But due to these floods, we have been unable to contact our family members for last few days. We don't know whether they are dead or alive," said Namitha, a nurse working in a city hospital.

The flood in Kerala has claimed 216 lives so far while over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state.

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"The Originals" actor Claire Holt has tied the knot with Andrew Joblon.

The actor exchanged vows with Joblon on August 18 in California.

She and took to Instagram to share the

Holt posted a picture from the D-Day, which showed the couple all dressed up for the wedding.

She captioned the photo: "8.18.18."



Joblon also shared a photo of the couple kissing at the ceremony.

This is Holt's second marriage. She was previously married to producer Matthew Kaplan.

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Commercial flight operations from the Naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning.

Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport as the Kochi International Airport has shut operations till August 26 following flooding in the heavy rains.

The first AI flight from Bengaluru arrived this morning and returned by 0830 hrs.

Train services between state capital and Ernakulam are also slowly becoming normalised.

Skeletal services were run between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha-Kottayam routes saw trains packed with flood affected people moving to the houses of their friends and relatives.

The deadly monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, efforts are on to rescue some of those stranded in certain pockets, including Pandanad.

According to India Met Department, a fresh low pressure area has formed over North West Bay of Bengal yesterday.

However, it will not have any significant impact over Kerala, where rainfall is likely to decrease further gradually during the next five days.

Rehabilitation will be the next big focus of the state government with most of the marooned having been rescued, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Rainfall over Kerala during the South West Monsoon (June 1 to Aug 19) has been exceptionally high.

Kerala has so far received 2346.6 mm rains against the normal of 1649.5 mm, according to IMD.

High-range Idukki recorded the highest excess rainfall (92 per cent above normal) followed by Palakkad (72 per cent above normal).

These two districts had reported several deaths and massive destructions due to flooding and landslides.

Thirteen people lost their lives yesterday while 7,24,649 lakh people were housed in 5,645 relief camps across the state.

Rescue operations are in final stages.

Around 22,000 people were rescued yesterday alone in the operations launched by the defence personnel, national and state disaster response forces, fishermen and local people.The next big challenge for the government is the epidemic.

The chief minister said in each panchayat six health officers would be deployed to ensure there was no outbreak of any communicable diseases as the flood water recedes.

People have started returning home from relief centres with flood waters receding.Many were shocked to see the state of their homes covered with mud and slush as the water receded.

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Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik today said new faces will be given tickets in the state for the 2019 elections.

Election for the Odisha Assembly is also due to be held together with the Lok Sabha polls next year.

"The party will field new and fresh faces for next year's polls. The sole criteria for selection of candidates will be their winnability," Patnaik said after a meeting of the party's Pradesh Election Committee (PEC).

Stating that the meeting discussed threadbare various aspects relating to the guidelines and criteria for selection of candidates, Patnaik said the candidates who are connected with the people, will be first choice for the party.

Replying to a question, Patnaik said that all the 15 party MLAs area likely to be fielded and given tickets in the next elections.

OPCC working president Pradip Majhi, however, said that an internal survey report will be referred to while selecting candidates for the elections next year.

OPCC campaign committee chairman Bhakta Charan Das rejected any possibility of forging electoral alliance either with the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP in the state.

"There are so many parties like RJD, CPI, CPI(M) and JMM. We may make alliance with any of these parties," Das said replying to a question.

As the party is gearing up to finalise and declare its first list of candidates in Odisha for 2019 elections, AICC's Odisha in-charge Jitendra Singh had yesterday announced that the names of at least 50 selected candidates would be initially announced.

Meanwhile, Patnaik said Congress has launched efforts to strengthen its base at grassroot level as well as to reach out to the voters at booth level and propagate party's ideology ahead of the general election.

In another development, Subhashree Panda, wife of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, and Manoj Manjari Devi of the erstwhile Nilagiri royal family joined the Congress at the party office here in the presence of Niranjan Patnaik and Jitendra Singh.

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Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy today said the party plans to use modern technology to select candidates for the next Legislative Assembly elections in the state.

Reddy, who held a tele-conference with mandal-level party presidents and other leaders, asked them to intensify enrolment of activists for the party's 'Shakti' app.

The Congress workers who have registered themselves with the 'Shakti' programme would be able to give their opinion on selection of candidates, he said, according to a party release.

Asking the party functionaries to be ready for early polls, Reddy directed them to check their names in the electoral rolls as the authorities have allegedly deleted names of thousands of Congress workers from the list.

He also asked them to check the names of their family members, relatives and neighbours in the electoral rolls.

Legislative Assembly polls in the state are scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections next year.

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The Congress party today launched a Bihar-specific mobile app, named after late prime minister Indira Gandhi, which can be used by women in times of distress, and a pepper spray on which the image of its president Rahul Gandhi is inscribed.

At a function at Sadaqat Ashram, the BPCC headquarters in Patna, on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, AICC in-charge of Bihar Shakti Sinh Gohil launched the "Indira Shakti" app, which is available for download from Google Play Store.

"The app is named after Indira Gandhi to fill the women with a sense of empowerment. Users need to enter numbers of any four trusted persons and, in the event of any emergency, they just need to press tap on the app's icon and press the SOS button. All the four recipients will receive calls with location of the user," Gohil told reporters.

He said the day was chosen for launching the app since Rajiv Gandhi always stood for technological innovation and empowerment of people.

The occasion was also marked by distribution of pepper sprays inscribed with images of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"It is a very effective spray and in view of the rising incidents of crimes against women, it can come in handy. It is a device the size of a lipstick and can be carried everywhere with ease", Gohil said.

A patriarchal social structure notwithstanding, women of Bihar have come to be recognised as a political force in the aftermath of the phenomenal electoral success that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar achieved because of his schemes giving bicycles and uniforms to school girls.

Banning sale and consumption of alcohol, introduced by his government in 2016 when Congress was his ally, was Kumar's another outreach to women voters.

His tie-up with the Congress and the RJD ended last year when he walked out of the Grand Alliance following corruption allegations against his then deputy Tejashwi Yadav, and returned to the BJP-led NDA.

Now, Congress in a bid to increase its support base among women in Bihar has come out with the app and pepper spray.

Ajay Alok, a spokesman of the JD(U) which Kumar heads, mocked the Congress for distributing pepper sprays and said he hopes that "before allowing his photographs on the devices, Rahul Gandhi had tested that the spray works".

Meanwhile, Gohil accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having "never cared to even remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee in any of his major speeches in the last four years" and that the former prime minister's name was being invoked after his death "for political gains".

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Two unidentified men shot dead a manager of a cooperative bank and looted Rs 12 lakh in cash at Milkpur in Bhiwani district today, police said.

The incident took place on Hisar-Bhiwani road this afternoon, they said.

According to police, the manager, Ramphal (55), along with bank guard Dayal Singh, brought Rs 12 lakh in cash from main branch of the bank in Bhiwani to Milkpur.

After they alighted a bus in the village and were walking towards their destination, two bike-borne men came and tried to snatch the bag containing money, they said.

When the manager and the guard resisted, the assailants opened fire at them, the police said.

Ramphal died on the spot, while the guard was injured seriously, they said.

Police said the assailants also took away the firearm of the guard.

The guard has been admitted to a private hospital in Hisar where his condition is stated to be the critical, the police said.

A case has been registered in Bawani Khera police station against unidentified accused and further investigations were under progress.

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In a case of moral policing, an unmarried couple was beaten up by villagers who found them together at a village in West Garo Hills district, police said today.

Someone posted photos of the couple being assaulted on social media, which have gone viral.

A Garo woman and her non-Garo boyfriend were beaten up in the village under Tikrikilla police station area last night, police said.

The couple was taken to hospital from where they were discharged after first-aid.

The victims did not lodge any police complaint and no one was identified or arrested.

"They were caught and beaten up. As they have not lodge any complaint, we have initiated a case suo motu. Investigation is on. The matter has been informed to the Women's Commission," Superintendent of Police Dr MGR Kumar said.

The SP said the person who had posted the photos of assault on social media have deleted the photos and de-activated the account.

The police were trying to find out who had posted the photos, he said.

This fresh case of moral policing incident came four months after a woman was assaulted by a group of men for enjoying a picnic with her friends in Garo Hills in April.

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A Delhi court today allowed Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to travel to Geneva to express condolences to the family of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and also to seek international aid for Kerala which is reeling under unprecedented floods.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal allowed Tharoor to travel today after his counsel said the politician worked under Annan for ten years and he was his mentor at the United Nations.

Annan died on Saturday last.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Gaurav Gupta, appearing for Tharoor, also told the court that the politician was going to seek international assistance through the United Nations for the victims of Kerala flood.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP is on regular bail in a case relating to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death almost four years ago in a luxury hotel here.

"I am allowing the application. Inform the investigating officer about your schedule," the judge said.

The counsel said that Tharoor is scheduled to leave this evening and he will return tomorrow.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel, as the official bungalow of Shashi Tharoor was being renovated at that time.

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A Delhi court today granted bail to former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh's son in a money laundering case.

Special judge Arvind Kumar granted the relief to Vikramaditya Singh on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of like amount.

The court has put various conditions on the accused, including that he will not leave country without its prior permission and he will not try to influence any witness in the case.

Special public prosecutors N K Matta and Nitesh Rana appearing for ED opposed the bail application, saying he may misuse the liberty.

The court has now put up the matter for further hearing on September 19.

The court had on July 24 summoned Vikramaditya Singh and others to appear before it on August 27 in a money laundering case.

The court was considering a charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 21 against Vikramaditya Singh in the money laundering case, which also involved the former Himachal Pradesh chief minister.

The charge sheet also named the managing director of Tarani Infrastructure, Vakamulla Chandrasekhar, and one Ram Prakash Bhatia as accused.

Both Chandrasekhar and Bhatia are also accused in a CBI case related to the matter, along with Virbhadra Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh and others.

Besides 83-year-old Singh and his 62-year-old wife, the others named in the ED charge sheet are Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan and two other co-accused--Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach.

The CBI claimed Virbhadra Singh had amassed assets worth around Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate to his total income during his tenure as a Union minister.

The matter was transferred by the Supreme Court to the Delhi High Court which, on April 6, 2016, asked the CBI not to arrest Singh and directed him to join the probe.

On November 5 last year, the apex court transferred Singh's plea from the Himachal Pradesh High Court to the Delhi High Court, saying it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, but "simply" transferring the petition "in the interest of justice and to save the institution (judiciary) from any embarrassment".

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Authorities in Meghalaya today completely lifted curfew from the 14 "affected areas" of the state capital imposed for the past 80 days following fight between sikhs and drivers of the state-run buses at the Punjabi Lane and the subsequent mob fury on May 31.

The curfew has been imposed beginning on June 1 in the 14 affected areas of Shillong and subsequently in the entire city. After gradual relaxation, the district authorities continued with the night curfew in the 14 "vulnerable areas" which continued till last night.

In an order today, East Khasi Hills district deputy commissioner P S Dkhar lifted the curfew those areas falling under Lumdiengjri PS and Cantonment police beat house.

In view of the improved law and order situation, and in consultation with the police department, curfew has been lifted in the areas it was in force till last night, Dkhar told PTI.

Initially curfew was imposed in the 14 affected localities, but it was subsequently promulgated in the entire after May 31 clash in the Punjabi lane after intelligence inputs indicated that protesters from outside the city had entered the state capital with an intention to disturb peace, he said.

The prohibitory order was lifted in the city earlier, but, the night curfew continued in the 14 affected areas of Shillong.

The Meghalayas capital was rocked following clashes n sikh residents in city's Punjabi Lane area, also known as the sweeper Colony, and drivers of state-run buses on May 31 last.

Severak persons, including some policemen, were injured in the violent fight among sikhs and local Khasis.

The clashes were triggered after a bus handyman was allegedly assaulted by a group of sikh residents of Them Metor area.

Trouble had escalated when rumours spread on social media that the handyman had succumbed to injuries.

Heavy security was deployed across the city in view of the clashes that injured over 10 people, including policemen and CRPF personnel.

A high-level committee was also formed by BJP-backed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government to find a permanent solution to the issue of relocation of the Sweeper Colony, inhabited by the Punjabis.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who heads the committee, had said the panel would recommend a feasible and permanent solution to the state government for the relocation of the colony, which has been a long pending issue.

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Members of an outfit founded by slain anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar and his family members took out a protest rally in Maharashtra's Pune city today, demanding arrest of the "real perpetrators" of the crime.

Today is the fifth death anniversary of the rationalist, who was shot dead in Pune on August 20, 2013.

The family members of Dabholkar and slain rationalist Govind Pansare, theatre director Atul Pethe, actor Sonali Kulkarni, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Tushar Gandhi and several other art, culture and film personalities participated in the march.

The rally, led by members of Dabholkar's Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, started from the Vitthal Ramji Shinde bridge, also known as the Omkareshwar bridge, where Dabholkar was shot dead in 2013, and culminated at the Sane Guruji Smarak.

Dabholkar's son Hamid Dabholkar, daughter Mukta Dabholkar and Govind Pansare's daughter-in-law Megha Pansare participated in the rally.

The protesters carried placards with messages demanding justice and arrest of the "real perpetrators" of the crime.

Veteran actor Amol Palekar and family members of Dabholkar, Pansare, and slain scholar M M Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh are expected to address the gathering during the day-long programme at the protest site.

The Hindi translation of Dabholkar's book 'Bhram aur Niraas' will also be released later today.

Two days back, the Central Bureau of Investigation had arrested Sachin Andure, the alleged main shooter in the killing case of Dabholkar.

Andure, a resident of Aurangabad, was nabbed from Pune late on Saturday evening, a CBI spokesperson had said.

He was remanded yesterday in the CBI custody till August 26.

The Bombay High Court had, in May 2014, handed over the Dabholkar murder case to the CBI.

Pansare was shot on February 16, 2015 in Kolhapur. He died on February 20 at a hospital in Mumbai. The killing of Dabholkar and Pansare in a similar manner had sent shockwaves throughout the state.

Later, noted scholar and rationalist M M Kalburgi was shot dead in broad daylight at his residence at Kalyan Nagar in Dharwad district of Karnataka on August 30, 2015.

Besides, journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, known for her Left leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her house in Bengaluru on September 5 last year.

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A 23-year-old student was killed here today after she was dragged by her hair while on her way to college and her head smashed with a stone by a man who was allegedly putting pressure on her to withdraw the sexual harassment complaint against him, police said.

The incident took place around noon when the Dalit student was walking to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Government Girls College here -- around 350 km from Bhopal, police officials said.

Narrating what had happened, they said the accused, 38-year-old Anil Mishra, got down from his motorcycle and dragged the woman to the roadside by her hair. He allegedly pushed the victim to the ground and smashed her head with a big stone lying nearby, said Kotwali police station in-charge Arvind Jain.

Some people rushed to help and overpowered Mishra. The woman, who was seriously injured and bleeding profusely, died while being taken to a hospital, Jain said.

Mishra, who has been arrested, prima facie committed the crime as the victim refused to withdraw the sexual harassment case against him, said K K Verma, Seoni sub-divisional officer (police)



Both are residents of a village in Seoni district, Verma said, adding that further investigation is on.

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Veteran actor Danny DeVito will receive the Donostia Award at the San Sebastian Festival.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 73-year-old actor will be honoured for his contribution to cinema at the 66th edition of the Spanish film extravaganza, due in September.

He will get the award at the Spanish festival on September 22 and will present his new film "Smallfoot" the next day.

"The award recognizes a career of almost five decades related to acting in theatre, film and television, telling stories as an actor, producer and director.

"The Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner is known for his roles in television series 'Taxi' and 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia', and movies such as 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', 'Terms of Endearment', 'Romancing The Stone', 'Twins', 'Ruthless People', and 'Tin Men'," the festival said.

DeVito has also lent his voice to animated films, including new film "Smallfoot" as well as "Space Jam", "Hercules" and "The Lorax", among others.

The festival runs September 21-29.

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Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's key aide, Jabir Moti, was arrested by Scotland Yard's Extradition Unit on suspicion of conspiracy to commit blackmail, import illegal drugs and money laundering in the US, the Metropolitan Police said today.

Jabir Motiwala, a Pakistani national, was arrested by the Met Police at a hotel in Paddington area of London last Friday. He was produced at Westminster Magistrates' Court in the city the same day, where he was remanded in custody to appear again on Tuesday.

"A man was arrested by the Met's Extradition Unit at a hotel in the Paddington area on Friday, 17 August, in relation to an allegation of conspiracy to commit blackmail, import class A drugs and money laundering in the USA," a statement by the Met Police said today.

"A warrant had been issued by Westminster Magistrates' Court," the statement said on the arrest of Motiwala, aka Jabir Moti and Jabir Siddiq.

He is believed to be the right-hand man of Ibrahim, managing his investments in the UK, UAE and around the world.

Moti, reportedly in the UK on a 10-year visa, has been described as the financial manager of Dawood Ibrahim the key accused in the Mumbai serial bomb blasts in 1993.

According to UK Companies House records, Moti is registered as the director of a company named Mac World Trading Limited under the name Jabir Siddiq since May 2012.

The correspondence address for the company is in the Grove Park Avenue area of east London and Moti's nationality and country of residence is listed as Pakistan.

However, as per the account filing history for the company, Mac World Trading Ltd was dissolved in September 2014 via a "compulsory strike-off" action by UK authorities.

"The registrar of companies gives notice that, unless cause is shown to the contrary, at the expiration of three months from the above date the name of Mac World Trading Limited will be struck off the register and the company will be dissolved," states a Companies House notice dated May 20, 2014, following which it seems the company was struck off.

The notice warned that upon dissolution "all property and rights vested in, or held in trust for, the company are deemed to be bona vacantia (ownerless property), and accordingly will belong to the crown".

Curiously, under the "nature of business" section of the company's filing history, it states "to be provided on next annual return", leaving the details of Moti's UK business interests a mystery.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim remains on the UK government's recently-updated financial sanctions list.

Financial sanctions in force in the UK could apply to individuals, entities and governments who may be resident in the UK or abroad.

The measures include prohibiting the transfer of funds to a sanctioned country and freezing the assets of a government, the corporate entities and residents of the target country to targeted asset freezes on individuals or entities.

The UK Treasury department's 'Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets in the UK', updated on August 16, records Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar as the only "Indian" on its annually updated asset freeze list.

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Employees of the Delhi Commission for Women and teachers of the Jamia Millia Islamia will donate their one day salary for relief operations in flood-hit Kerala which is witnessing its deadliest deluge in close to a century.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal has donated her one month salary for the relief operations in the southern state.

"As a small contribution to relief measures undertaken by various authorities, we, the officials and employees of the Delhi Commission for Women, on appeal of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and chairperson Swati Maliwal resolve to donate our one day salary towards the Kerala CM Distress Relief Fund," the employees said in a joint statement.

Meanwhile, Jamia teachers have also pledged to contribute their one day salary to the relief fund.

"The Jamia teachers decided to donate one day salary as token financial support to the needy people of Kerala. The Jamia Teachers' Association (JTA) will contribute the collected money to the Kerala CM Relief Fund.

"Jamia teachers also observed two minute silence over the loss of lives in Kerala due to worst flood of the century," the JTA said in a statement.

Kerala is witnessing its worst deluge in over a century as the death toll mounted to 216.

As rains abated and rescue operations were in the final stages, flood-hit Kerala now faces the gigantic task of rehabilitating lakhs of people rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of diseases.

Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state, officials said.

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today demanded that the Centre declare Kerala floods a national calamity.

The demand comes close on the heels of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Left parties in Kerala and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy making similar demands to the central government.

"The Centre should declare it a national calamity. It's the responsibility of all to restore normalcy in Kerala," Naidu said.

He said Andhra Pradesh has extended an assistance of nearly Rs 50 crore to flood-battered Kerala "through all means, including donations in cash".

Naidu said he spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan twice.

"IAS, IPS, IFS officers; AP Secretariat Employees' Association, NGOs, and several other organizations have come forward to donate one-day wage towards flood relief in Kerala. Andhra MPs and MLCs are donating their one-month basic salary," he said.

Naidu also said that Andhra Pradesh has been receiving heavy rainfall for the past a few days.

According to him, Kunavaram village in East Godavari district received 275.7 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Heavy rain lashed East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, and Visakha districts, leading to a flood-like situation, the chief minister said.

He said 16 relief camps have been set up and 6,330 people shifted to safer places in Eluru, Kovvur, Narasapur, and Kukkunur.

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Rs 1.5 lakh collected by the association of DANICS officers for the flood-affected people of Kerala was handed over to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today.

Officers belonging to Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS) also pledged to donate their one-day salary for the flood victims, the association said.

The association handed over a cheque to the chief minister.

More than 200 people have lost their lives and over 7.24 lakh people have been displaced due to floods.

Last week the association of IAS officers of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre had donated the first installment of Rs one lakh relief for Kerala.

"IAS AGMUT Association stands with all our brethren in Kerala in their time of need. As our commitment, we send the first installment of Rs 1 lakh as our initial support," the association had tweeted from its official handle.

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The Delhi University today announced its ninth cut-off list for admission to undergraduate (UG) courses with some colleges in North Campus also declaring the availability of seats under some courses for general category students.

Students can apply for BSc Life Science, BA (Hons) Hindi, BCom and BCom (Hons) courses in Daulat Ram College.

Hansraj College has seats for BSc Life Science while Hindu College has seats for BSc (Hons) Physics and Chemistry courses. Kirori Mal College has seats available under BA (Hons) in English, Hindi and Political Science, and BSc (Hons) in Botany and Physics.

Ramjas College also has opened admissions to its BA(Hons) Political Science and Economics while Miranda House has admissions open for BA (Hons) English and Sociology.

Off-campus colleges like Acharya Narendra Dev College, Deshbandhu College, Atma Ram Sanatam Dharma College, Gargi College also have seats available for humanities and science courses.

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Novak Djokovic ended a career-long jinx, lifting the trophy in Cincinnati at last to complete a matched set of Masters 1000 titles.

Djokovic, who came up empty in five prior Cincinnati finals, defeated seven-time winner Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 in the final.

The former world number one became the first man to win all nine of the ATP's Masters 1000 events in the elite series' current configuration.

Federer, meanwhile, lost a final in the hardcourt US Open tuneup for the first time.

"I played five finals (here) before, and most of those finals I lost to this great man, Roger ... thank you for letting me win here once in Cincinnati," Djokovic joked.

"This is a dream come true," Djokovic said.

"I finally won Cincinnati after six finals, some against the greatest ever, Roger."



Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, said his game wasn't sharp -- but he didn't want to take anything away from Djokovic's achievement.

"Novak is a great champion," Federer said.

"This is about him making history."



Federer's streak of 100 straight unbroken service games in Cincy was ended by Djokovic in the seventh game of the first set.

The 37-year-old Swiss had been aiming for a 99th career trophy, but was unable to get over the line due in part to four double-faults at the most inopportune of times, but he said his return game was also lacking.

"It was definitely not my best day on the return - it was just awful," Federer said.

"Missing every second serve on the forehand side, I don't know what that was about.

"But I don't even want to look for reasons why it happened," he added.

"Novak totally deserved to win today. This (effort) was not good enough.

"Good week, but I'm happy it's over and I need to rest," added Federer, his eye on the US Open starting in New York in eight days.

Djokovic claimed the opening set in 37 minutes and came back from an early break in the second to overhaul his longtime rival as they played for the 46th time.

- 'Wonderful feeling' -



=======================



The Serb now leads Federer 24-22 and has won their last three encounters.

The pair had not played since the 2016 Australian Open semi-finals more than two and a half years ago.

Wimbledon champion Djokovic claimed his Masters record on his first match point and now heads to the US Open as a title favorite after a string of sub-par seasons and an elbow injury which required surgery.

"It's a wonderful feeling. it's been a couple of tough months for me with an injury and then winning Wimbledon and Cincinnati," Djokovic said. Federer started the match with three aces in the opening game, then added a pair of love games for a 3-2 lead.

But it began to unravel as the Swiss double-faulted to yield a break point, dropping serve as Djokovic moved ahead 4-3.

Djokovic took advantage for a 5-3 lead and closed out the set after 37 minutes.

Federer broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set but gave the break back immediately as he double faulted to give Djokovic a break point which the Serb promptly converted.

Djokovic broke again to lead 4-3, and after Federer held to close the gap to 4-5 Djokovic ended the afternoon in the next game on his first match point.

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DMK is all set to elect M K Stalin, its working president and younger son of late party patriarch M as party chief at its general council meeting on August 28 here.

The agenda for the meeting to be held at party headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam,' will be the election of party president, and treasurer, a party release said.

Days after Stalin's estranged brother M K Alagiri virtually questioned his brother's leadership saying true loyalists of his father were on his side, DMK today announced that its general council meet will be held on August 28. In a release here, DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan asked all elected general council members to participate in the meeting without fail.

Alagiri's opposition to Stalin is not expected to cast a shadow on Stalin's elevation since party units are firmly behind Stalin, party sources said. Party district units like Cuddalore West have already adopted resolutions unanimously proposing Stalin's elevation, they pointed out.

While Stalin will be the party chief, senior leader and party principal secretary Duraimurugan is tipped to be elected to the post of party treasurer, the sources told PTI. who died on August 7 after a prolonged illness, had during his lifetime made it clear that Stalin will be his successor. Stalin, who is 65-years-old had held several party posts including that of treasurer and youth wing secretary.

His innings in the party began early when he campaigned in the 1967 elections as a 14-year old school student. He became party's youth wing Secretary in 1984. He was incarcerated under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) in 1976 during the emergency.

Stalin's growth has been steady and he became party deputy general secretary in 2003. He was re-elected treasurer for the second five-year term in January 2015. He became an MLA for the first time in 1989 from Thousand Lights constituency from where he was relected thrice.

In 2006, he became the Municipal Administration Minister in the DMK government and went on to become the Deputy Chief Minister in 2009.
A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala today to help the flood-affected people.

The doctors flew to Thiruvananthapuram in two aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

Maharashtra medical education minister Girish Mahajan was on board one of the aircraft to personally monitor relief efforts in the southern state.

"A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff has gone to Kerala. Mahajan will discuss with the Kerala government about their requirement and our doctors and paramedics will be deployed accordingly," an official said.

The medical team comprises 55 doctors, including Mumbai-based J J Hospital's Dean Dr Mukund Tayde, 26 doctors from the Sassoon hospital in Pune, 14 paramedics and some members of the minister's staff, the official said.

The Maharashtra government had earlier pledged to give Rs 20 crore to Kerala, which is reeling under severe floods, the worst in 100 years.

The western state had sent 30 tonne aid consisting of ready-to-eat food packets, milk powder, blankets, bed sheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins to Kerala.

The items were selected on the basis of a list issued by the Kerala government, an official release had said.

The deadly monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives in Kerala since August 8 and displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

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The pet dog of a 14-year-old girl attacked and bit one of the two men who allegedly raped her near here in Madhya Pradesh, forcing them to flee, police said today.

The incident took place on Friday night in Kareela village of Sagar district, a police officer said, adding the duo was later arrested.

On the night of the incident, the minor girl went out of her house to bring fodder to create smoke for keeping mosquitoes at bay, Motinagar police station in-charge Vipin Tamrakar said.

As she came out of the home, two persons, identified as Aishu Ahirwar (39) and Punit Ahirwar (24), overpowered her and took her to a nearby deserted hut at a knife-point, where they allegedly raped her, he said.

The girl shouted for help and her pet dog reached the spot and bit Aishu Ahirwar on his leg. The accused attacked the dog with the knife but the dog continued to bark, Tamrakar said, quoting the victim.

The victim freed herself from the clutches of the accused and ran towards her home. After hearing the noise and the dog's continuous barking, people from nearby homes rushed towards the hut, forcing the duo to ran away, he added.

The victim's family filed a complaint on Saturday following which the two were arrested yesterday, he said.

The duo has been booked for rape and abduction under relevant sections of the IPC and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police officer said.

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Continuing to register double-digit growth, domestic airlines carried 115.57 lakh passengers in July which is nearly 21 per cent higher compared to year-ago period, according to official data.

Budget carrier IndiGo continued to be the largest player with a market share of 42.1 per cent while that of national carrier Air India stood at 12.4 per cent in July.

Latest figures compiled by aviation regulator DGCA showed that there was an increase of 20.82 per cent in the number of passengers flown by local carriers last month.

In July this year, airlines carried 115.57 lakh passengers as against 95.65 lakh people in the year-ago period.

Last month, the market share of SpiceJet and GoAir stood at 12.3 per cent and 8.9 per cent, respectively. Jet Airways garnered a market share of 13.6 per cent in July.

"Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-July 2018 were 800.40 lakh as against 657.21 lakh during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering a growth of 21.79 per cent," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said today.

India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and has been registering double-digit growth for more than three years.

As per the data for July, as many as 2,001 passengers were denied boarding while 14,045 people were affected by cancellations. Besides, delays of flights impacted 1,35,481 passengers.

In terms of On-Time Performance (OTP), IndiGo topped the list with a figure of 85.5 per cent followed by SpiceJet (80.6 per cent).

SpiceJet had the highest passenger load factor of 93.8 per cent.

The overall cancellation rate of scheduled domestic airlines in July was 1.49 per cent, with Zoom Air cancelling all its flights during the month. Air Odisha and Air Deccan also cancelled a large number of flights.

"During July 2018, a total of 714 passenger related complaints had been received by the scheduled domestic airlines. The number of complaints per 10,000 passengers carried for the month of July 2018 has been around 0.62," the regulator said.

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As rain-battered Kerala faces the gigantic task of rehabilitation and rebuilding, several organisations in eastern and north-eastern India have begun collecting funds and relief materials to help the people affected in the idyllic southern state to tide over the crisis.

Malayali and Keralite associations in Kolkata have started a campaign and are collecting funds and necessary materials for the victims of the worst flood in the state in nearly a century.

More than 200 people have died in the state and over 7.24 lakh people have been displaced, officials said. The biggest challenge facing the state machinery is to prevent the outbreak of diseases after floodwaters recede.

"We have started collecting relief materials and funds. Hopefully, we would be able to send them to Kerala by this week. The entire agricultural sector has been badly affected in floods," said T K Gopalnan, trustee, Kolkata Kairali Samajam.

"We have identified the areas where relief materials would be sent. We are also in touch with some schools where the relief materials will be kept for distribution," he said.

The West Bengal government has announced a contribution of Rs 10 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's relief fund.

West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open a call centre in Bengali language to assist the migrant workers from Bengal, especially Murshidabad, trapped in Kerala.

The Congress MP who represents Murshidabad thanked Modi for "initiating best possible relief work in Kerala".

In Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, a Malayali association has decided to cancel Onam celebrations. The annual harvest festival commenced on August 15 and will conclude on August 27.

The association members have instead launched a week-long campaign in and around the steel city to raise money and relief materials for the flood-affected people, its general secretary Sunil Kumar said.

The Arunachal Pradesh government announced contribution of Rs 3 crore to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

The CMO Arunachal wrote on Twitter "Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister @Pemakhandubjp announces Rs 3 crore as immediate assistance from Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the Kerala flood and expressed solidarity with the people in Kerala in this trying time."



In Bhubaneswar, the IAS Officers Association of Odisha decided to contribute at least one day's salary of its members to the Kerala Chief Minister's relief fund.

The association stands as one with the people of Kerala during this crisis and wishes them strength to overcome the tragedy, secretary of the officers' body Sishal Dev said.

The Odisha IPS Officers Association too would donate one-day salary of its members to the fund, association secretary Satyajit Mohanty said.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced financial assistance of Rs 10 crore and ordered polythene sheets worth Rs 8 crore for flood-ravaged Kerala.

"Odisha knows what a natural calamity of this magnitude means to the common man," Patnaik has said in a statement.

The Odisha government on Saturday sent a team of fire service personnel armed with modern equipment to assist rescuers in relief operations in Kerala.

The chief minister has also asked the special relief commissioner to remain in touch with the authorities in Kerala and extend all help to the people from Odisha who are stranded there.

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An educational satellite at a government school in Punjab's Phagwara district was found burgled today, an official said.

The unidentified burglars entered a room after cutting the window grills of the back side of the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys and stole the EDUSAT (or GSAT-3). They also decamped with one LED, two batteries, one UPS along with other valuable goods, Kiran Galhotra, the officiating school in-charge said.

The school was locked on Saturday but the incident came to light today, the in-charge said.

Police are investigating the case, the official added.

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Egyptian security officials say a car bomb has targeted members of the security forces in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula, killing a military officer.

They say the blast, which took place yesterday on a road just south of the coastal city of el-Arish city, also wounded four conscripts.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack, which bore all the hallmarks of Egypt's Islamic State affiliate, which is leading the insurgency in Sinai.

The officials say Egyptian forces clashed with Islamic militants following the attack and killed some.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to reporters.

In February, Egypt launched a security operation against Islamic militants around the country, mainly in Sinai but also elsewhere.

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An Egyptian army captain has been killed by an improvised explosive device blast in North Sinai during a campaign to eliminate jihadists, medics said today.

The officer died yesterday evening after an explosion hit his vehicle west of the coastal city of El-Arish, a local medical source said.

The Egyptian army has since February been conducting a major operation focused on the Sinai Peninsula to wipe out jihadists from the Islamic State group.

The military says that over 250 suspected jihadists and at least 35 soldiers have been killed in its "Sinai 2018" operation.

Jihadists launched an insurgency in Sinai after the 2013 military overthrow of Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who was forced out by the military in the face of mass protests against his rule.

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Eight hikers died when a mountain river suddenly flooded in Italy's southern Calabria region, with more people still unaccounted for, local emergency services said today.

"We have eight dead but we can't rule out the toll increasing," the local civil protection unit told AFP.

"There were about 30 people at the site in three different groups."



Government sources cited by the Italian media also confirmed eight dead, saying another five people had been injured as they hiked along the Raganello river in the Pollino national park.

According to local media reports, the victims belonged to a group of approximately 15 people who had been caught off guard by the bad weather.

A helicopter was helping with a search and rescue operation, with powerful lights also brought in to help rescuers work under cover of darkness.

Earlier today this part of Calabria, near the city of Cosenza, experienced several hours of heavy rain and strong winds although conditions began to improve during the evening.

The dramatic gorges carved by the Raganello river are only recommended for experienced hikers due to the many challenges posed by the route, which at certain times of the year is rendered off-limits, the AGI agency reported.

The local authorities strictly limited access to the area and have also marked certain rocky areas in order to help the rescuers' efforts to locate hikers in trouble, the agency said.

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The ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be immersed in six rivers across Gujarat in coming days, a state BJP leader said today.

The BJP would organise an all-party prayer meeting in Ahmedabad tomorrow in memory of Vajpayee, and prayer meetings in each district of the state between August 25 and August 30.

The 93-year-old BJP patriarch died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi on August 16 after a prolonged illness.

"Ashes of the former prime minister will be immersed in the Sabarmati, Tapi, Narmada, Saraswati and Mahi rivers and at the Somnath trivini sangam," Gujarat BJP vice-president I K Jadeja said.

State unit BJP president Jitu Vaghani will bring the urn containing the ashes from Delhi on August 22, the party said in a release issued here today.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel will pay floral tributes to the ashes at the airport, after which a procession will be taken out, it said. The ashes will be immersed in the Sabarmati river here later that day.

The immersion will be done in the Tapi river in Surat and at the Somanth triveni sangam (confluence of three rivers) on August 25, and in the Mahi, Saraswati and Narmada rivers on August 27, the release stated.

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An ex-serviceman has been booked for allegedly spreading false information on flood relief work carried out by the government jointly with defence personnel.

Unni Nair, working at a firm which takes in retired army personnel, has been booked for spreading false information on the ongoing relief work, police said.

The man posted a video message in the social media, which went viral, soon after which the Army tweeted "Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts.

Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy".

Meanwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned of stringent action against those spreading fake information at a time when Kerala was striving together as one to overcome the "catastrophic" floodswith "monumental strength".

"Some people are trying to malign this great effort with misinformation in the form of fake messages on social media. Police have been instructed to take strict measures against such cyber offenders, he said in a Facebook post.

Vijayan said it has come to the government's notice that there are some fraudulent messages and posters with altered CMDRF (Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund) account numbers.

Some of these stated that the disaster relief fund for cyclone Ockhi victims had not been used efficiently, he said.

The fact was that apart from releasing Rs 20 lakh grant at 'record pace' to the next of kin of the deceased and families of those missing,government had also disbursed Rs two lakh from the Prime Minister's Calamity relief fund to each fisherman impacted by the cyclone, he said.

The grants were released directly to the bank accounts of victims and their families, he said, adding funds are currently being released to aid in purchase of equipment to fishermen.

"We have been utilizing Ockhi relief fund with utmost care and will continue to do so', he said.

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Federal investigators are investigating whether President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen committed bank and tax fraud exceeding USD 20 million via loans obtained by the taxi medallion business he owns with his family, The New York Times has reported.

The Times, in its report first published yesterday, said investigators were also trying to determine whether Cohen violated campaign finance or other laws when he made deals using hush money to silence women who claimed they had affairs with Trump.

Prosecutors could file charges by the end of the month, the newspaper said, citing two people familiar with the matter.

Convictions for tax and bank fraud carry potentially hefty prison terms, which could put additional pressure on Cohen to cooperate with prosecutors in the event that he is charged.

Speculation has mounted in US media that Cohen, who once declared he was so loyal he would "take a bullet for the president", is willing to cooperate with prosecutors, and how much Trump has to fear should he do so.

The federal investigation has focused on his business dealings and reportedly whether payments he made violated campaign finance laws.

Cohen was involved in efforts to hush up allegations from a former Playboy model about an affair with Trump, as well as USD 130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to silence her own claims of an alleged one-night stand with Trump in 2006.

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Former Washim Zilla Parishad president Jyoti Ganeshpure and her son were arrested today in connection with the killing of a local politician in Akola district of Maharashtra, a police official said.

The politician, Asif Khan, a leader of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, was killedon the intervening night of August 16 and 17, Akola SP Rural Rakesh Kalasagar told PTI over the phone.

Jyoti Ganeshpure and her son Vaibhav have confessed to their involvement in the killing of Khan, whose body has not been recovered yet, he said.

After killing the politician, the mother-son duo and four others threw his body into the Poorna river near Mhaisang village in Akola district, the police officer said.

However, the motive behind the killing was not yet clear, Kalasagar said.

An offence of murder will be registered against the accused once the body is recovered, he added.

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A Maharashtra-based civil society today urged the government to speedily probe the case of killings of Gauri Lankesh, Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi who were allegedly targeted for speaking against the right-wing forces.

The Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti launched the "Jawab Do" movement from July 20 to August 20 to protest against the government's "intolerance, unconstitutional and unscientific approach".

The organisation today marched from Sapru House to Jantar Mantar, asking the government to speedily probe the cases.

The committee has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to order a speedy probe into the cases.

"The main conspirators in these killings are associated with Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagran Samiti. There seems a lack of political will behind the procrastination of the investigation. Investigation agencies have failed in revealing the conspirators and to collect evidences to make the case strong," said Avinash Patil, Executive President of the Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti (Maharashtra blind faith eradication committee).

The committee has also sought an inquiry into activities of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagran Samiti.

Describing the recent incident of mass suicide by 11 members of the Chundawat family in north Delhi's Burari as a type of superstition, the committee has urged the Centre to bring in a "law against superstitious and blind faith".

Professor Pramod Ganganmale, a member of the committee, said they want the government to inculcate 'scientific temper' in new generation through education curriculum.

"On behalf of the All India People's Science Network and Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti, it is proposed to recognise August 20 as National Scientific Temper Day which commemorates the day Narendra Dabholkar was killed in 2013," he said.

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Keen to score a political point, Uttar Pradesh's opposition Samajwadi Party has chosen the family of two-year-old Khajanchi, who was born outside an ATM shortly after the Centre's demonetisation move, to flag-off its over 40-km 'Haq aur Samman Yatra' being carried out in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

And the family of another tiny-tot, Akhilesh, who was born on a state highway last year, will mark the closing of the yatra, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said today.

The cycle yatra on September 16 will be led by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav from Kannauj, the constituency from where he will contest the Lok Sabha polls, to Agra Expressway to highlight the "failures" of the ruling BJP at the Centre and showcase his own party's development vision.

"We have chosen, the family of little Khajanchi, who was born while his mother was standing in an ATM queue to withdraw money after demonetisation. His family will be flagging off our cycle yatra. It's an attempt to show the failed demonetisation move which severely affected traders and our economy," Akhilesh Yadav told PTI.

Significantly, it was his birth near the ATM that led to the boy being named 'Khajanchi' which means cashier in Hindi.

The yatra after covering over 40 kms will end at the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, where landing of airforce planes were done during Akhilesh Yadav's regime and later by the Yogi Adityanath government also.

The closing of the yatra will be marked by the family of another child, also named Akhilesh, who was born on the expressway near Khabauli village in December 2017.

Residents of Hayatnagar Bhaura village in Bangarmau area of Unnao district, Shivpal Yadav and his wife Meera had left for hospital as soon as she developed labour pain.

Just when their car reached the airstrip on the expressway, Meera gave birth to her first child, whom they named Akhilesh.

"We have these two children, who are symbolic of the failed demonetisation move and the development vision of the earlier SP government," Akhilesh Yadav, a former chief minister, said.

During the yatra, Yadav will meet party workers, farmers, locals to highlight the failures of both the central and the state government.

"This yatra will just be a start. It is named 'Haq and Samman' yatra so that people realise they have to snatch their rights and get due honour. It will continue till the Lok Sabha elections. Wherever the stretch is upto 50 kms we will be taking out cycle yatras and for longer distance Rath yatras will be taken out," Yadav said.

He said, "we have initiated work of perfume hub in our regime and that was stopped by the present government. The project of open 'Aloo mandi' (Potato markets), which we planned to open were also shelved by this government."



"People of the state are fed up with the present regime as nothing is happening on the ground. We 'samajwadis' (socialists) will continue to raise the voice of the common man and 2019 will be crucial in this regard. People have made up their mind against the BJP and will show their power in the Lok Sabha polls" he said.

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The Supreme Court said today the argument that female genital mutilation (FGM) of minor girls of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community is being practised from tenth century is not "sufficient" to hold that this formed part of the "essential religious practice", which cannot be scrutinised by court.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was responding to submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for a Muslim group, that this was an old practice which formed part of "essential religious practice" and, hence, was not open to judicial scrutiny.

Singhvi told the bench, also comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, that the practice was protected under Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution which deals with religious freedom.

However, the bench differed, saying, "The fact that this is being practised from 10th century is not sufficient for us to hold that this is the essential part of religious practice."



This practice will have to pass the test of constitutional morality, the bench said.

Singhvi said that Dawoodi Bohras have been the most progressive and educated among the Muslim communities and the practice is not so grave as has been made out by those opposing it.

He said the practice has also been an essential religious practice which was protected under Article 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) of Constitution.

The females of the community are educated and moreover, it also does not practice the instant triple talaq for divorce which has been banned by the apex court.

The hearing in the matter remained inconclusive and would resume on August 27.

Earlier, the court had made it clear that it cannot direct doctors to perform genital mutilation of minor girls of the community and had questioned the "scientific justification", if any, behind the procedure.

It had questioned the practice saying that there was hardly any rationale behind it as a girl child is forced to undergo it due to non-medical reasons.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, had reiterated the government's stand that it was opposing the practice and said that this has been banned in many countries like the US, the UK, Australia and around 27 African nations.

The practice causes irreparable harm to girl children and has many health repercussions, the top law officer said and referred to Article 25 to highlight the point that a religious practice can be stopped if it was against "public order, morality and health".

The bench was hearing the PIL filed by Delhi-based lawyer Sunita Tiwari against the practice in the community.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Masooma Ranalvi, a lawyer who herself has been a victim of mutilation, had said the practice of "removal of the clitoral hood" for non-medical purposes of a minor constituted an offence under the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).

The court had on May 8 agreed to examine the issues raised in the PIL by saying that the practice of female genital mutilation was "extremely important and sensitive".

Tiwari, in her plea, sought a direction to the Centre and the states to "impose a complete ban on the inhuman practice" of 'khatna' or "female genital mutilation" throughout the country.

The plea has sought a direction to make it an offence on which the law enforcement agencies can take cognisance on their own. It has also sought to make the offence "non-compoundable and non-bailable" with provision for harsh punishment.

The practice of female genital mutilation resulted in "serious violations of basic fundamental rights of the victims who in these cases are minors," the plea said.

Female genital mutilation is performed "illegally upon girls (between five years and before she attains puberty)" and is against the "UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which is India is a signatory", the plea said, adding the practice caused "permanent disfiguration to the body of a girl child".

"The practice of 'khatna' or female genital mutilation or 'Khafd' also amounts to causing inequality between the sexes and constitutes discrimination against women. Since it is carried out on minors, it amounts to serious violation of the rights of children as even minors have a right of security of person, right to privacy, bodily integrity and the freedom from cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment," the plea said.

"It violates the rights of the child and human rights. It also violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is a crime in the Unites States of America under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and now a crime in Australia and some other countries as well," it claimed.

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The Madras High Court today posted the case relating to the disqualification of 18 AIADMK legislators, owing allegiance to rebel leader T T V Dhinakaran, for final hearing on Thursday.

When the plea came up before Justice M Sathyanarayanan, senior counsel for the disqualified MLAs, P S Raman, submitted that when the governor refrained from action on the complaint made by the MLAs stating that the issue is an inter-party issue, it cannot attract disqualification.

Moreover, for action under Schedule 10 of the Constitution, important ingredients like a violation of the order issued by the whip, voluntary giving up of party membership and joining another political party are mandatory which are all absent in the present case, he submitted.

Honest dissent by members cannot be construed as voluntarily giving up party membership, in the present case the petitioners have not given any resignation or have joined another political party, particularly the DMK, which is a primary ground for disqualification, the senior counsel said.

The counsel said in all the disqualification cases upheld by the apex court, the members have joined another political party with contrasting political ideology of their mother party, he said.

Raman further alleged that the anti-defection law was being used against members who dissent against a leader supported by a group.

Recording the submission, Justice M Sathyanarayanan posted the plea to Thursday for final hearing.

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.

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A fire broke out at a nursing college in south Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today, said a Delhi Fire Service official.

A call about the fire was received at 12:20 pm. Seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire broke out on the second floor of the nursing college, the official said.

The fire was doused by 12:50 pm. The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained, he said.

No injury or casualty has been reported yet, he added.

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The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force and the the Royal Malaysian Air Force commenced today at Subang Air Base in Malaysia, officials said.

India has been eyeing a foothold at the strategically important Subang Air Base, sources said.

"IAF & RMAF #JointExercise :Making History-Today a joint exercise with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) commenced at Subang Air Base, Malaysia. This is the inaugural bilateral exercise between IAF & RMAF," the IAF tweeted.

The IAF, on Twitter, also shared some pictures from the event.

"IAF & RMAF #JointExercise : In a formal ceremony, exercise was inaugurated by Gp Capt CUV Rao, team leader IAF & Col Mahadzer, Ex director of RMAF. It's a platform to exchange Knowledge & Good practices with each other. Glimpses of inaugural ceremony," it said in another tweet.

The exercise seeks to deepen defence and military ties between the two countries.

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A fire in a residential building near Paris left seven people with serious injuries including five children who were in a "life-threatening" condition, firefighters said.

Some 16 people including 10 police officers and a firefighter were also slightly hurt in yesterday's blaze in Aubervilliers, northeast of Paris, which was later brought under control, the fire service said.

In the same town less than a month ago, a fire in a housing complex killed a mother and her three children aged 18 months to six years, and left nine others injured.

Some 100 firefighters were needed to tackle Sunday's blaze, which took hold in the attic of a building with two floors.

According to a police source, people used windows to escape the flames while others sought refuge on the roof.

The cause of the blaze remains unknown, the fire service added.

"Aubervilliers is once again touched by a serious fire," the town's mayor Meriem Derkaoui said on Twitter, adding that the site of the fire was a private residence but that the town needed to look into the conditions of its occupation.

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Five people were today killed and nine others injured when a landslide struck a hilly road in this district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The incident took place at Kulligad when huge boulders and debris suddenly came down from a hillock, trapping a mini-bus and a car plying on the Doda-Kishtwar road, Senior Superintendent of Police Rajinder Kumar Gupta told PTI.

He said four persons were killed on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries in hospital.

The dead included a woman, Gupta said, adding that nine other passengers were rescued and rushed to different hospitals.

He said some of the passengers of the two vehicles were heading for the Paddar valley to join the ongoing Machail yatra.

District Development Commissioner Angrez Singh Rana said the local administration was prompt in providing assistance to the victims.

The incident occurred at around 10.30 am and rescue teams were rushed to the scene and hospitals alerted, he said.

Rana said the condition of three among the injured was stated to be "critical".

He said some of the victims had come from Udhampur district for the yatra.

The 43-day Machail yatra started on July 25 and so far over 1.50 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the goddess Durga shrine.

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Recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leaders from the PDP and the NC, the two prominent parties of Jammu and Kashmir, today urged the BJP-led government to follow the path shown by him for resolving the Kashmir issue and reach out to the people in the valley and start dialogue with Pakistan.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti paid rich tributes to Vajpayee and appreciated his approach towards Kashmir, at a prayer meeting for the departed leader organised by the BJP.

Abdullah described Vajpayee as a man with a "big heart" and said he did not differentiate between the people. He always tried to end hatred among the countrymen and with neighbours as well by taking various initiatives.

"Please follow his approach and develop a nation which is full of love and spreads love. And establish healthy and friendly relations with neighbours," he said.

Vajpayee was perhaps the first prime minister who trusted the people of Kashmir Valley and won their trust also, PDP leader Mehbooba said.

"Vajpayeeji was not less than a messiah for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He showed that the all problems of the valley can be resolved by following the humanitarian approach and said that you can change your friends but not neighbours," she asserted.

Mehbooba urged the current dispensation that the best tribute for Vajpayee could be by following the same humanitarian approach towards Kashmir and initiating talks with Pakistan.

Both Abdullah and Mehbooba are former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and were also ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on different occasions.

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The Delhi government today alleged that Food Commissioner Mohanjeet Singh has decided to cancel more than 2.9 lakh ration cards without proper inspection, setting the stage for another round of tussle between the AAP dispensation and the bureaucracy.

Rejecting the government's allegation, Singh said 2.48 lakh "ineligible" ration card holders have been deleted after following "due process of law".

The cancellation of ration cards has remained a thorny issue between the political leadership and the bureaucracy for some time.

In April, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain alleged Singh was "bent on" cancelling three lakh ration cards without proper verification.

In May, Hussain wrote to Singh, directing him to restore supply of ration to those who have not received it from January to March. The department had stopped distribution of ration to people who had not gotten themselves verified by food and supplies officers by then.

Today, Singh said the exercise undertaken by his department "must be one of its kind" and the Public Distribution System has been "cleansed and sanitised". He said ration "worth crores were saved from pilferage".

Singh also said he has recommended to the government for restoration of the E-POS (electronic point of sale) system, which the government had put on hold.

The government said Singh took the decision despite "strong objection" from Hussain.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took strong exception to the food commissioner's decision, and his government has warned disciplinary action would be taken against the officers concerned.

In a statement the government said, "Since these officers do not report to the elected government, therefore they are working against the interests of the people of Delhi, which is a very serious matter."



It stated that the department's officers have "failed" to appreciate the adverse social impact of cancellation of 2.93 lakh ration cards covering more than 10 lakh beneficiaries.

"All such families and members in one go would be rendered hungry because of the insensitive, apathetic, hostile, inhuman attitude of the officers," it stated.

It has been been informed that the cancellation process has been undertaken without door-to-door survey of households, the government said.

"The cancellation is being done by officers sitting in their offices without any field inspection and without following due process of law. Such acts of commission or omission make the acts of public servants suspicious. Their conduct may invite disciplinary action against the concerned officers," it added.

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Four alleged drug peddlers were arrested in separate incidents in Samba and Ramban districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said today.

Ashwani Kumar (28), Ajay Sharma (24) and Shoukat Ali (30) were intercepted by a police party during checking at Mansar Morh in Samba district and three grams of heroin was recovered from their possession, they said.

In another incident, Shabir Ahmad was arrested after four grams of brown sugar was recovered from his possession during frisking near Ramban district last evening.

All the four people were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the police said.

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French energy giant Total has officially quit its multi-billion-dollar gas project in Iran, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said today, following the reimposition of US sanctions.

"Total has officially left the agreement for the development of phase 11 of South Pars (gas field). It has been more than two months that it announced that it would leave the contract," he told the ICANA agency, which is linked to the oil ministry.

The United States said in May that it was abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions on Iran in two phases in August and November.

The second phase will target Iran's oil industry, and Total had already said it would be impossible to remain in Iran unless it received a specific waiver from Washington, which was not granted.

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A court here today sentenced gangster Sushant Dhalasamant to five years rigorous imprisonment in an extortion case registered against him 19-years ago.

Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bandana Kar convicted Dhalasamant for extorting money from a businessman at Bidanasi area of the city in 1999 and threatening police by firing in the air from his revolver.

The court sentenced him to five years imprisonment in the extortion case and three years in jail for threatening police by firing from his revolver.

The court said both the sentences will run concurrently.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for the charges of extortion and firing each.

Dhalasamant was arrested by the police in January 2016 for allegedly murdering two of his associates and is currently lodged in jail. There are 30 other cases pending against him.

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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has labelled the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland as "hell on earth," during a visit today intended to ensure the atrocities committed by his nation more than seven decades ago are not forgotten.

He was guided at the somber site in southern Poland, which was under Nazi German occupation during World War II, by a Polish Auschwitz survivor, Marian Turski.

More than 1.1 million people were killed there, mostly Jews but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and others.

In the first visit to the camp by a German foreign minister in 26 years, Maas wrote in a memorial book that Auschwitz was "hell on earth" and a "German creation," according to Germany's dpa agency.

"Full of sadness and shame, we bow before the women, men and children who were murdered by the millions by the National Socialists here and other places. From the legacy of the victims arises Germany's responsibility to stand up for the inviolable dignity of humankind - everywhere and every day. This responsibility never ends," he wrote.

The visit is particularly personal to Maas, who took over at the Foreign Ministry in March.

"I went into because of Auschwitz," he said at the time.

"For me Auschwitz is the ever-lasting warning to stand up for the untouchable dignity of people everywhere, personally and politically," Maas said in a statement before his visit.

"We must keep alive the memory of the incredible atrocities, also for the next generations." On Monday, he also visited a nearby center dedicated to St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest killed at Auschwitz.

Maas' visit also included a meeting with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

The two countries are neighbours, allies and important trading partners. Recently, relations have gotten strained as Polish officials have said Germany owes Poland up to USD 850 billion in reparations for World War II.

At a conference today, Czaputowicz said the issue of reparations was not on the agenda but that it must eventually be addressed because Poles continue to feel a sense of injustice.

Berlin is also unhappy about changes by the ruling Polish party Law and Justice to Poland's judicial system which the European Union and others say erode judicial independence. The Polish government says it is reforming a corrupt and inefficient system.

Czaputowicz also repeated his calls for Germany to stop the Nord Stream 2 project, a joint Russian-German project that would increase Russia's ability to transport gas directly from Russia to Germany, bypassing Poland and Ukraine.

Poland, several other European countries and the United States strongly oppose Nord Stream 2, fearing it would increase Russia's energy hold on Europe.

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A German journalist and translator who is on trial in Turkey on terror-related charges said today that Turkish authorities had lifted her overseas travel ban.

"The reports about the lifting of my exit ban are correct," Mesale Tolu wrote on Twitter. "I would like to thank my supporters and all those who sympathised with me and stood by my side to win my freedom."



An Istanbul court in December had conditionally released Tolu, 34, who was held for over half a year on charges of membership of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), which is banned in Turkey as a terror organisation.

Under that ruling, she had to report to the authorities every week and could not leave Turkey.

With the latest verdict, she will be allowed to leave the country.

However Tolu wrote on Twitter that the next hearing in her trial is scheduled for October 16. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison.

In February, an Istanbul court ordered the conditional release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel after receiving an indictment from prosecutors seeking a prison sentence of up to 18 years.

The latest court ruling on Tolu comes amid a thaw in Turkish-German relations after months of sharp tensions.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he was relieved by the "good news" that Tolu would be allowed to travel and called it "a step forward in improving our relationship with Turkey".

But he added in a statement that more steps must follow and said that "we continue to view critically many rule-of-law issues in Turkey and are addressing these openly with our Turkish counterparts".

"This applies in particular to ongoing detention cases: At present, at least seven Germans are being detained for reasons that are politically motivated and incomprehensible to us."



Turkey has in recent days turned to Europe against a backdrop of escalating tensions with its NATO ally the United States over the holding by Ankara of an American pastor.

An Istanbul court last Wednesday allowed the release of Amnesty International's Turkey chair Taner Kilic, who spent more than a year in jail over alleged links to a 2016 coup bid.

Also, two Greek soldiers held by Turkey since March for illegally crossing the border were also freed in a move warmly welcomed by Athens.

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The Goa Congress today appealed to the BJP-led state government to ban "Sanatani" (orthodox) organisations, which it said will "prevent killings" of progressive writers and thinkers in future.

Goa Congress unit president Girish Chodankar also referred to arrests of right wing activists from Maharashtra and Karnataka in connection with the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune in 2013, Pansare in Kolhapur in 2015 (He died in Mumbai), and Lankesh in Bengaluru in 2017.

The agencies are also investigating if Hindutva activists were involved in the killing of writer and scholar M M Kalburgi in Karnataka in 2015.

"It is noticed that the investigating agencies are increasingly arresting the people associated with propagators of Sanatani organisations for killing progressive thinkers and writers," Chodankar told reporters in Panaji in Goa.

The CBI and other investigating agencies in Maharashtra and Karnataka have arrested a number of right wing activists in connection with the killings of Dabholkar, Pansare and Lankesh.

The Maharashtra ATS recently arrested three right wing activists from various parts of the state and seized crude bombs and firearms from their possession.

The ATS suspected that the trio were planning to launch terror attacks in various parts of the state.

The agencies are also investigating whether the arrested persons are anyway linked to Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha, a controversial radical Hindutva outfit.

"It is high time that the Goa government ban all such organisations in the coastal state to prevent any further killings of progressive thinkers and writers," he said.

Chodankar said Damodar Mauzo, a prominent writer from Goa, was also facing threat to his life.

The Goa Police had provided security to Mauzo (73) in July this year following intelligence inputs from the SIT probing the killing of Lankesh that the writer is facing threat to his life.

Chodankar said growth of such Sanatani organisations is dangerous for secular, liberal and progressive Goa.

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The Odisha government today directed all district collectors to ensure physical inspection of all child care institutions (CCIs) and shelter homes for the safety of inmates.

The state government also told the collectors to gather intelligence information about ongoing activities in CCIs and shelter homes.

The direction was issued by Women and Child Development minister Prafulla Samal while reviewing the condition of CCIs and shelter homes in the state today.

Samal had last week visited about four CCIs and shelter homes in Kandhamal district.

"The collectors have also been asked to gather intelligence information about the ongoing activities in CCIs and shelter homes with help of district SPs," Samal said.

The state government also asked the collectors to create awareness on Toll Free Women Help Line (181) and Child Line (1098), so that the inmates can use them during distress.

The state government has been creating awareness among the NGOs, government officials and other stake holders on the issues related to possible sexual abuse of girls in CCIs and shelter homes. The members of the Child Welfare Committees in different districts are undergoing sensitisation programmes, officials said.

Earlier, the Odisha DGP RP Sharma had issued direction to all superintendents of police to carry out a verification of child care institutions in the state.

The DGP had also instructed the SPs to constitute a team comprising officers of the Investigative Unit on Crimes Against Women (IUCAW), Integrated Anti Human Trafficking Unit (IAHTU) and the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) including women officers of the district for verification of shelter homes on a priority basis.

The DGP had sought reports from district police on the activities of CCIs and shelter homes on regular basis.

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The government has asked industrialists and business organisations to provide whatever help they feel is appropriate to flood-affected Kerala, which is facing a "humanitarian crisis", Union minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

Prabhu, who holds the portfolios of Commerce and Industry as well as Civil Aviation, also said that domestic airlines have been persuaded to carry cargo free of cost to the state.

More than 200 people have died and over 7.24 lakh have been displaced following floods and landslips in Kerala, which has been ravaged by heavy rains in the last one week.

Making it clear that the Centre does not want to do "politics" with regard to providing rescue and relief to Kerala, Prabhu said it is only facilitating help.

"Govt has asked industrialists and business organisations... to help in whatever (way) they feel is appropriate," Prabhu told PTI in an interview here.

On steps being taken to help Kerala, the minister said he has directed the DIPP Secretary to talk to all industrialists, business organisations like CII and FICCI, and all philanthropists on what they can give to the state.

"We are not collecting anything, we are only facilitating... What is the purpose of collecting and putting our stamp? We don't want to do any politics over it," he said.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) comes under the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

Prabhu said efforts being made are purely for humanitarian help. "It is a humanitarian crisis... (which is) very sad and unfortunate," he added.

Airlines have been persuaded to carry free cargo (to Kerala) but there should be a counter-party to receive it there, he added.

According to him, the Civil Aviation Ministry devised a strategy wherein key airlines were contacted in terms of helping Kerala deal with the flood situation.

To help the state, commercial flight operations started today from the naval airport in Kochi as the city's main aerodrome is shut till August 26 due to floods.

"We are willing to do anything and everything possible to make Kerala come back on its own fleet," Prabhu said.

The minister said he will be appealing to the NRI community as well whenever he travels abroad.

On August 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an immediate financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to the rain-battered Kerala, after reviewing the flood situation in the state.

Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

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Five foreign students were arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman in Waghodia town of Gujarat's Vadodara city, police said today.

Vadodara Superintendent of Police Tushar Duggal said that they study at a local private university and hail from Mozambique, Madagascar and Zambia in Africa.

He said that a woman staying on the ground floor of the building in which these five students reside had alleged that they had assaulted her.

"They were produced in a local court today which granted bail," he said.

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Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel today moved an application with the mamlatdar office in Gandhinagar seeking permission to hold an indefinite fast at Satyagarh Chhavni from August 25 to press for reservations for the community.

Patel had, earlier, sought permission to sit on a fast at Nikol area but it was denied following which he and his aides protested yesterday and were subsequently arrested.

The arrest led to violence in Surat where a bus was set ablaze and stands vandalised. Patel was later released on bail yesterday.

In another development, the district collector of Ahmedabad today imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits assembly of more than four persons, in the city.

It will be applicable till September 2.

Patel told reporters today that, in case permission was not given to hold the fast at Satyagrah Chhavni, he would do so sitting at home in Ahmedabad.

"We have sought permission to hold the August 25 programme at Satyagrah Chhavni in Gandhinagar. We have not yet received any reply to our application. In case we are not granted permission, I will hold a fast unto death sitting at my home (in Ahmedabad)," Patel said.

PAAS has been at the forefront of a stir demanding reservations in government jobs and education for the Patidar community.

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The Delhi High Court today allowed 20 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators, facing allegations of having held offices of profit, to move the Election Commission (EC) for permission to summon witnesses and asked the poll panel to decide it as per the law.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar had on August 16 issued a "draft order" along these lines, which was finalised today after both the EC and the MLAs consented to it.

The order came after conclusion of arguments on the pleas moved by the AAP MLAs seeking directions to the EC to permit them to cross-examine the person who had complained to the poll panel alleging that the legislators were holding offices of profit when they were appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries to various state ministers.

The MLAs had also sought that the Secretary General of the Legislative Assembly and the concerned officers from the administration and accounts departments and the state's Law Ministry be summoned as witnesses to prove that the legislators did not hold an 'office-of-profit'.

The court did not issue any direction on the plea to cross-examine the complainant as the EC had earlier said it was not relying on his complaint.

The 20 MLAs, including Kailash Gehlot, had moved the High Court seeking a clarification of its March 23 order so that they can summon Delhi government officials as witnesses. The High Court in its judgment had termed the poll panel's recommendation as "vitiated" and "bad in law" and directed it to hear the issue afresh.

In the proceedings before the EC, the MLAs, represented by advocates Manish Vashisht and Sameer Vashisht, had said that they should be allowed to cross-examine the complainants and also summon witnesses.

The poll panel, however, had said that the high court's order clearly meant that only oral arguments were to be heard.

The March order had come on the legislators' pleas challenging their disqualification on grounds of holding offices-of-profit.

The MLAs were accused of holding offices-of-profit as they were appointed parliamentary secretaries to ministers in the Delhi government in March 2015. This was done soon after they were elected to the Delhi Assembly.

In September 2016, the High Court had ruled against their appointment as parliamentary secretaries. The EC had on January 19 this year recommended the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs.

The High Court had on January 24 refused to stay the Centre's notification disqualifying them, but restrained the poll panel from taking any "precipitate measures" such as announcing dates for bypolls to fill the vacancies.

Apart from Gahlot, the other MLAs include Alka Lamba, Adarsh Shastri, Sanjeev Jha, Rajesh Gupta, Vijendra Garg, Praveen Kumar, Sharad Kumar, Madan Lal, Shiv Charan Goyal, Sarita Singh, Naresh Yadav, Rajesh Rishi.

AAP legislators Anil Kumar, Som Dutt, Avtar Singh, Sukhvir Singh Dala, Manoj Kumar, Nitin Tyagi and Jarnail Singh were also disqualified.

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The Delhi High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking change or removal of words "Aam Aadmi" from Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic and Aam Aadmi Polyclinics, saying it was government's exclusive domain to name a scheme and courts cannot interfere with it.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao declined to hear the Public Interest Litigation, which had alleged that the AAP-led Delhi government was taking undue advantage by using the words in its schemes.

The petitioner had claimed that by using the words, the AAP dispensation was trying to suggest to the voters of the national capital that the schemes are not of Delhi Government, but of Aam Aadmi Party.

The plea also stated that the Delhi government had issued a few schemes with the same nomenclature, but had renamed them as 'Mukhiya Mantri Healthcard' and 'Express Bus Service', and sought parity with those schemes.

To this, the bench said, "the present petition which has been filed as a PIL per se is not maintainable and also the decision of the respondent to re-name the schemes in the manner in which they have done is beyond the scope of judicial review. We do not find any merit in the petition, the petition is dismissed."



The petitioner, Shardish Kumar Garg, claimed he has been raising his voice in the interest of public by filing applications under the RTI Act, seeking information as to how the Delhi government has allowed the use of words "Aam Aadmi" in their dream project of mohalla clinics and polyclinics.

When the bench asked the petitioner's counsel whether there was any bar in any statute or under the Constitution for representing the schemes floated by the government in the manner it has been done in these two cases, he answered in the negative.

The bench said, "if that be so, for maintaining a PIL, it must be shown to the court that government or its instrumentalities have failed to discharge their public duty or they have violated the provisions of law or constitutional mandate in discharge of such duty.

"Having noted the submission of the counsel for the petitioner that there is no such violation, this court cannot enter into the arena over which the government has the exclusive domain to name a particular scheme in the manner it would like to," it said.

The AAP government had promised to build 1,000 mohalla clinics within a year of coming to power. However, due to unavailability of lands, currently 187 clinics are operational.

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The on Monday ordered the Central Board of Secondary to publicise in media that stringent action would be taken against institutes not following the board's 'no homework' rule for class 1 and 2 students.

Justice N Kirubakaran passed the order on a plea by advocate M Purushothaman seeking direction to the to follow only syllabus and books prescribed by the National Council Of Educational Research and Training.

When the plea came up for hearing before Justice Kirubakaran, the produced a copy of the circular which said it had issued similar circulars on September 15, 2004, and on September 12, 2016, saying there should not be any homework assigned to students of classes 1 and 2.

According to affiliation bylaws, schools affiliated to the board must satisfy its advisory saying no school bag and no homework for students up to class 2.

The board also stated that in compliance of the directions of the "it is once again reiterated that schools may ensure that no homework is given in class 3."



"It is also reiterated that since is an academic authority for classes 1 to 8, all schools may ensure that CBSE circular dated April 17, 2007, on reducing the satchel load and homework for children, is scrupulously followed," it said.

Recording the submission, the judge asked the counsel for CBSE on the mechanism it has to ensure that all the institutes implement the rule.

To this, the counsel said that CBSE would act whenever they are "put to notice of such violation."



Refusing to accept the contention, the judge said "People are considering CBSE as a premier board, but it is unfortunate that you do not even have a system to check such violations."



"As you said there were over 18,000 schools affiliated to CBSE, but the board has a staff strength of only 1,200. With such a low staff how could you ensure implementation of rules," the judge asked.
To encourage customers do away with plastic bags for carrying food parcels, hotels in Tamil Nadu have announced discounts to those who bring their utensils.

The move by the hospitality industry comes in the backdrop of the state government's decision to ban plastic items from January 1, 2019.

"The plan is to make them bring utensils and vessels to carry the food. A resolution was passed recently, offering five per cent discount on the bill if customers bring the utensils," President of Chennai Hotels Association M Ravi said.

"The practice of serving food in utensils brought by customers is being implemented across districts..," he said.

To a query whether the services offered by some food delivery firms would get affected, Ravi said talks were on with such service providers on how food could be delivered.

"Aluminium foils are used during packing instead of plastic bags; banana leaves also come in handy. The discount offer is to make customers bring their own containers," another official of the association from Vellore said.

In June, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had announced in the state Assembly that use of plastic items, including non-biodegradable bags, would be banned from January 1, 2019 in the interest of the environment and to 'gift a plastic-free' state to the future generations.

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A man allegedly created a ruckus out of frustration and hunger inside the Supreme Court complex today, a police official said.

The Supreme Court security informed the police that a man was lying inside the complex in an unconscious state, the official said.

He was later identified as Babu, a resident of Coimbatore, the official said.

After an enquiry, it was learnt that Babu had lost his case in the Madras High Court. He had come to Delhi to file an appeal before the apex court five days ago, the official said, without giving details of the case.

The official said Babu was hungry and was also frustrated because he could not file his appeal due to a lack of required papers.

Legal aid at the Supreme Court advised him to come with the complete set of documents, after which he came to the parking area of the court and laid on the ground and started shouting and screaming, the officer said.

He was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and is doing better now, the officer added.

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Pakistan's new Prime Minister on Monday moved into a modest three-bedroom house of his military secretary along with two servants, a day after announcing that he would not be staying in the sprawling PM House which has a staff of 524, keeping his pledge to cut down the expenditure of the cash-strapped government.

Khan, announcing a series of austerity measures to cut down the expenditure during his maiden address to the nation late Sunday night, said that he wanted to live in his own house in Banigala "but was told by security agencies that my life was under threat which is why I am living here".

Khan on Monday moved to the official residence of the military secretary which he has announced to use as the PM House, Geo News reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to his newly elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, conveying New Delhi's commitment to pursue "meaningful" and "constructive" engagement with Islamabad and emphasising the need to work for a terror-free South Asia, official sources said today.

In a letter to Khan on August 18, the day he was sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd prime minister, Modi also expressed India's commitment to building good neighbourly relations between the two countries while congratulating him, the sources said.

In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi offered "uninterrupted" dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, saying it is the "only wise course" as the two countries cannot afford any "adventurism".

On July 30, Modi had telephoned Khan to congratulate him on his party's victory in the general elections and expressed hope that both countries will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Days before Modi's phone call, Khan said he wanted to improve ties with India and resolve all the issues through talks. "If India takes one step towards us, we will take two."



In the letter, Modi recalled his telephonic conversation with Khan, in which they spoke of their shared vision to bring peace, security and prosperity in the Indian subcontinent to make it free of terror and violence, the sources said, quoting from the letter.

In his letter, the prime minister also expressed the belief that the smooth transition of government in Pakistan will strengthen and cement people's belief in democracy.

"PM expressed India's commitment to build good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region," a source said.

Ties between India and Pakistan nosedived following a spate of terror attacks on Indian military bases by Pakistan based terror groups since January 2016. Following the strikes, India announced it will not engage in talks with Pakistan, saying terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.

Asked whether Modi's letter revived hopes for resumption of talks between the two neighbours, former diplomat Vivek Katju said he has reiterated India's position and it is for Pakistan to create an environment for engagement by coming down hard on terror groups.

"India has always been ready for talks with Pakistan provided Pakistan creates a terror-free environment," said Katju.

Modi had made an unannounced visit to Lahore in December 2015 -- the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in more than 10 years. He made the surprise visit on his way back from a trip to Russia and Afghanistan.

The visit had raised hope for a thaw in ties but a series of cross border terror attacks in next few months on Indian establishment as well as India's retaliatory 'surgical strikes' put the bilateral ties under further strain.

In the last one year, Pakistani forces have been resorting to frequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir which have been retaliated "forcefully" by Indian Army.

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A former Indian American doctor from Texas who was convicted of raping a sedated patient will not face prison time.

Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at Baylor College of Medicine, was sentenced to 10 years of probation on Friday and will have to register as a sex offender.

Jurors convicted Sheikh of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended last week. The crime is punishable by up 20 years in prison, but the Texas jury sentenced Sheikh to 10 years of probation.

Unlike most states and the federal government, Texas grants juries the power to set criminal punishments.

The jurors had recommended the sentencing, to which visiting Senior District Judge Terry L. Flenniken was required to follow by law, according to local media report.

Sheikh was working the night shift at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital in 2013 when a woman, previously identified as Laura, was admitted for shortness of breath and wheezing.

She was in the hospital overnight and sedated when Sheikh came to her room several times during the night and sexually assaulted her.

Laura said she attempted to get help from a nurse, but the call button wouldn't work.

DNA evidence collected from a rape kit matched the DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab. But it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh.

Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located. He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night.

He sought her out. He chose her to prey on, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing.

You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that.

You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did, she added.

During the trial, the doctor admitted to the sexual contact with the woman, but insisted it was consensual.

His lawyers also pleaded with the jury to show some compassion to Sheikh, his wife and children, who also suffered consequences due to his actions.

The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams, Sheikh's lawyer Stanley Schneider said.

What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him.

The Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015 after they found he was a continuing threat to public welfare. Sheikh has since left the hospital.

Laura, now 32, said after the sentencing that she wanted to move on from the incident. She told KHOU11 in 2015 that she believes there are other victims.

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In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
An Indian-American doctor from Texas, who was convicted of raping a sedated patient in a hospital, will not serve prison time and, instead, will spend 10 years of probation.

Jurors convicted Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at the Baylor College of Medicine, of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended this past week. The crime is punishable by up 20 years in prison, but the Texas jury sentenced Sheikh to 10 years of probation on Friday.

Sheikh will have to register as a sex offender.

Unlike most states and the federal government, Texas grants juries the power to set criminal punishments.

The punishment has surprised defense attorneys, disappointed law enforcement and raised concerns from a victims advocacy group, according to media reports.

The jurors had recommended the sentencing, to which visiting Senior District Judge Terry L Flenniken was required to follow by law, according to local media report.

Sheikh was working in night shift at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital in 2013 when a woman was admitted for shortness of breath and wheezing.

She was in the hospital overnight and sedated when Sheikh came to her room several times during the night and sexually assaulted her.

The woman said she attempted to get help from a nurse, but the call button would not work.

DNA evidence collected from a rape kit matched the DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab. But it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh.

Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located. He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night.

"He sought her out. He chose her to prey on," Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing.

"You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that."



"You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did," she added.

During the trial, the doctor admitted to the sexual contact with the woman, but insisted it was consensual.

His lawyers also pleaded with the jury to show some compassion to Sheikh, his wife and children, who also suffered consequences due to his actions.

"The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams," Sheikh's lawyer Stanley Schneider said.

"What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him."



The Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015 after they found he was a "continuing threat to public welfare." Sheikh has since left the hospital.

The woman, now 32, said after the sentencing she wanted to move on from the incident. She told KHOU11 in 2015 that she believed there are other victims.

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The Indian diaspora in China in association with the Malayalee Association has raised over Rs 14 lakh for the welfare of flood relief victims in Kerala.

In Beijing, the Malayalee Association along with the Indian Community of Beijing (ICB) raised 50,000 yuan (about Rs five lakh) at a get together here yesterday.

Suresh Varma, president of the Beijing Malayalee Association, said the money is being routed to the Chief Minister's relief fund in Kerala through the Indian Embassy here.

The funds were collected at a special platform setup at the Indian restaurant Taj Pavilion with a lunch and donated the to Kerala relief fund, said M H Pastakia, ICB member.

In Yiwu, the international consumer trade hub which has a large Indian diaspora, the Indian community raised about 80,000 yuan (Rs eight lakh) to be donated to the relief fund.

In Shanghai, the Indian association has so far raised 20,000 yuan (Rs two lakh) to be sent to the Kerala relief fund, member Amit Waiker said.

The Indian Embassy is helping the diaspora to route the proceeds to the Chief Minister's welfare fund.

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Shares of Infosys today defied broader market sentiment and fell as much as 4 per cent in morning trade on bourses following the sudden resignation of its Chief Financial Officer MD Ranganath.

On August 18, Ranganath, fondly known as Ranga, who has been working with Infosys for close to two decades, resigned in a surprise move that raises questions about stability at the country's second largest IT services firm.

Ranganath, took over the CFO role in 2015 after the exit of Rajiv Bansal.

Following the sudden exit, shares of the company opened on a weak note at Rs 1,388.70, then fell to Rs 1,373.55, down 4.03 per cent over its previous closing price.

Similar movement was seen on NSE as well, where the stock opened at Rs 1,388.00, then fell 3.97 per cent to a low of Rs 1,373.50.

He is leaving the company to "pursue professional opportunities in new areas" and will continue in his current position till November 16, 2018, Infosys had said in a statement.

The board, which accepted the resignation at its meeting on August 18, said it will immediately commence the search for Ranganath's successor.

"After a successful career spanning 18 years in Infosys, including as CFO for the last three crucial years, I now plan to pursue professional opportunities in new areas," Ranganath said.

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Police today claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of dacoits with the arrest of nine persons in Koraput district.

Sharp weapons, a car, three motor-cycles and Rs 25,000 were seized from them, a police officer said.

The police nabbed six persons from an abandoned building at Bariniput area in the early hours yesterday when they were planning a dacoity in Jeypore town, K C Sethy, Inspector-in-Charge of Jeypore Sadar Police Station said.

Based on the information provided by them, two others, who belong to Uttar Pradesh, were later arrested from a hotel and another from his home at Jeypore, he said.

While two persons identified as Sumit Jadhav (28) and Daroga Jadhav (35) belong to Uttar Pradesh, the rest are from various parts of Koraput district.

Efforts are on to nab some more members of the gang, he said.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today appealed to the people of the state to help the flood victims of Kerala.

"The entire country is shocked by the terrible floods and devastation in Kerala. In this hour of sadness entire Jharkhand along with the whole country is standing firm with Kerala," an official release said quoting Das.

Jharkhand government on Saturday had announced Rs 5 crore as assistance to Kerala for support of the flood-affected people there.

"The state government is sending Rs 5 crore from Chief Minister's Relief Fund to Kerala," Das said while appealing to the people and social welfare organisations to come forward to help the flood victims at the time of this tragedy.

A Malayali association in Jamshedpur has decided to cancel Onam celebrations this year in view of the devastating floods in Kerala.

More than 200 people have died and over 7.24 lakh have been displaced following floods and landslips in Kerala, which has been ravaged by heavy rains in the last one week.

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The Jharkhand government decided today to include life and thoughts of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in school curriculum, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said here.

He said the instructions has been given to the minister in this regard.

"The state government will include life and thoughts of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the school curriculum so that the next generation learns about him," an official release said quoting the chief minister.

The Chief Minister said Vajpayee is the creator of Jharkhand (which was carved out from Bihar on November 15, 2000 when Vajpayee headed the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre).

It is the duty of the people and the state government to do something special for him, he said.

Das had attended Vajpayee's funeral in the national capital.

Saying that the demise of Vajpayee is irreparable damage to the country, Das said, "He will always remain our ideal and inspiration. His ashes will be immersed in the major five rivers of Jharkhand."



Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term before being voted out in 2004.

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The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit will send its activists and relief to the flood-hit areas of Kerala, the party's state president Ravinder Raina said today.

More than 200 people have died and over 7.24 lakh have been displaced following floods and landslips in Kerala, which has been ravaged by heavy rains in the last one week.

"In this hour of devastating floods in Kerala, J&K BJP will send its activists to serve in the flood hit areas of Kerala. We will contribute in the state of Kerala by collecting funds across the state," he said addressing a meeting of party leaders here.

Raina, while paying tributes to former prime minister A B Vajpayee apprised the meeting that multiple 'Asthi Kalash' of the departed leader would be distributed to all the BJP state presidents on August 22 at party headquarters in New Delhi.

"The 'Asthi Kalash' will be taken to all the mighty rivers of the nation. In Jammu and Kashmir, 'Asthi Kalash' will be immersed in the Tawi, Jhelum and Sindhu," Raina said.

Appreciating the strong effort of BJP activists on the ground level, he said the party supported candidates would sweep upcoming Panchayat elections.

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Tension prevailed when kanwar yatris clashed with members of the Muslim community in Fatehpur town of Sikar district here, police said today. Currently, section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the town.

The conflict began when a kanwar yatris' procession was passing by a mosque here yesterday evening. A group of Muslim youths demanded that the music be minimised, an official said. A heated argument broke out between the two group and it soon turned into a physical confrontation.

Eight kanwariyas were injured and the police arrested three persons from the Muslim community, Sikar SP Pradeep Mohan Sharma said.

Today, right wing groups held a sit-in protest at Bhoothnath temple here, demanding more arrests. The protestors pelted stones on police personnel. Some of the right wing activists started shutting the shops in the market area.

The police resorted to cane charging, lobbing of tear gas shells and firing rubber bullets in the air to disperse the crowds and control the situation. Section 144 of CrPC was imposed in the town.

Additional SP Dr Tejpal Singh said eight people in the kanwar yatra were injured in the clashes.

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Pressure on Kerala's limited land resources due to the growing population, denudation of the Western Ghats and climate change could be the reasons behind the floods that have ravaged the state, eminent scientist K Kasturirangan has said.

The former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation noted that the state's population had increased in the last century and it "has its own pressures on the and resources".

"So, together there has been an impact on the ... The population has increased, there is more demand on resources, which includes land, agriculture and many other activities," he told PTI.

Kasturirangan, who was a member of the now defunct Planning Commission and hails from Kerala, said that heavy rains have in the past been "well managed" by nature through an exceptionally thick vegetation and "other kinds of natural endowment that the state has, including the backwaters".

But the size of the backwaters has shrunk to 50-60 per cent of what it was in the 1940s, he said.

Kasturirangan said the Western Ghats have denuded at many places, "and agricultural practices have been pursued there... population pressure has caused this".

Climate change could also be a reason behind the heavy rains, according to him.

"There are multiple factors. One has to really analyse it," he said.

He called for "proper planning" to minimize damage due to heavy rains.

Kasturirangan said steps should be taken to enable sustainable livelihood for Keralites, "make them happy and contented".

The fierce monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

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A Kazakh court today fined a feminist and LGBT activist for "hooliganism" after she took part in a campaign aimed at breaking the taboo around menstruation in the ex-Soviet nation.

Zhanar Sekerbayeva, co-founder of the feminist group Feminita, was ordered to pay a fine of 30 euros by a court in the Central Asian republic's largest city of Almaty, an AFP journalist said.

Sekerbayeva took part in a photoshoot in the centre of Almaty on August 9 in which she and other activists held up posters, including a drawing of a woman menstruating over traditional Yurt tents.

"This subject has always been and remains shameful in Kazakh society: we don't talk about it and we prefer to avoid any discussion of the subject," Feminita wrote at the time on its website.

A week later the activist was taken to a police station and charged with minor hooliganism, a crime that can be punished with up to 10 days in jail.

"It's a shame that activists from the LGBT community are facing judgement for their political views," Sekerbayeva told AFP following the ruling.

"We didn't attack anyone. Quite the opposite -- during the demonstration we were subject to mockery and condemnation of passersby," she said, adding that she intended to appeal the judgement.

Shortly after she was charged, Amnesty International denounced the process against her and called on authorities to end any prosecution immediately.

"Rather than addressing the human rights concerns raised by these activists and seeking ways to break down the harmful stigma surrounding menstruation in Kazakhstan, the authorities have opted to shut down the discussion," said Amnesty's Eastern Europe and Central Asia researcher Heather McGill.

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Amid donations pouring in to rebuild Kerala which is reeling under the deadliest deluge in a century, two school-going siblings have expressed desire to handover an acre of land, gifted by their father, to the government to strengthen rehabilitation efforts.

In a letter written to school authorities today, eleventh standard student Swaha and her younger brother Brahma said they would like to donate the land to the Chief Minister's distress relief fund.

The siblings are the students of a government higher secondary school at Payyannur in northern Kannur district.

In the letter addressed to the school principal, they said "We would like to give a small donation to the CM's relief fund.

We have decided to donate one acre land from the one gifted to me and my brother by our father, who is a farmer."



They said they had already got permission from their father for the donation.

A large number of people shared the letter on social media and lauded the noble gesture.

Various state governments, actors and corporates are donating money to the relief fund of the Chief Minister.

The rain fury has claimed 216 lives since August 8 and displaced over seven lakh people.

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Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan today thanked his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao for the gesturein contributing Rs 25 crore towards relief measures in the rain-ravaged state.

"The overwhelming response from your state and others demonstrate the extent of compassion and care that we show to each other in the hour of crisis and calamity, which makes us all proud of being part of Indian ethos and spirit," Vijayan said in a letter to Rao.

Telangana Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy handed over the cheque for Rs 25 crore to Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday.

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Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today decided to donate his one month's salary towards the relief work in flood-hit Kerala.

He took the decision after attending a review meeting on the flood situation in the state.

"Called a review meeting on Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Harivansh) and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and Vice President Secretariat and decided to donate a month's salary for relief measures," Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Upper House, tweeted.

The vice president gets around Rs 4 lakh per month as salary.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 216 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.24 lakh people from their homes.

The southern state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.

Judges of the Supreme Court have also decided to contribute towards the relief efforts.

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The Gujarat-based National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) today said it will dispatch relief materials worth Rs 2 crore comprising over 10 lakh packs of ready-to-drink milk, 500 tonnes of cattle feed and veterinary medicines to flood-hit Kerala.

A release from the Anand-headquartered dairy cooperative said that its chairman Dilip Rath had informed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that an earlier consignment of one lakh packets of sterile milk was unloaded at Thrissur and Kozhikode on Sunday morning.

"During the next few days, NDDB will supply more than a million such packs for distribution among the people in relief camps across the state. These packs are being sourced from the Dakshina Kannada Milk Unions dairy plant in Mangalore," it said.

The NDDB also informed that 10,000 bags of cattle feed, totalling 500 tonnes, would be supplied to flood-hit areas in the southern state.

"The first lot of 46 tonnes, being sourced from the Karnataka Milk Federations cattle feed plant at Hassan, has reached Wayanad district (in Kerala) and is ready for distribution," it said.

The Gujarat dairy major said that its subsidiary, Indian Immunologicals Limited, would be airlifting veterinary medicines worth about Rs 5 lakh to Kerala.

NDDB employees have also decided to donate a part of their salaries to help in relief efforts in Kerala, it said.

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The IAS Officers Association of Odisha has decided to contribute at least one day's salary of its members to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help the flood-affected people.

The association stands as one with the people of Kerala during this crisis and wishes them strength to overcome the tragedy, secretary of the officers' body Sishal Dev said.

He also said that the Odisha government has deputed a special team to Kerala to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance to support the people in Kerala, which has been reeling under severe floods.

The Odisha IPS Officers Association would also donate one-day salary of its members to the fund, association secretary Satyajit Mohanty said.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced financial assistance of Rs 10 crore and ordered polythene sheets worth Rs 8 crore for flood-ravaged Kerala.

"Odisha knows what a natural calamity of this magnitude means to the common man," Patnaik had said in a statement.

The state government on Saturday had sent a special team of fire service personnel armed with modern equipment to assist in rescue and relief operations in Kerala.

The chief minister has also directed the special relief commissioner to remain in touch with the authorities in Kerala and extend all help to the people from Odisha who are stranded there.

The Labour Department of Odisha has rushed officials to Kerala to ensure the safety of Odia labourers affected by the floods.

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Aviation regulator DGCA is monitoring airfares for flights connecting flood-hit Kerala but it should not be seen by airlines as micro-management by the government as this is a unique situation of 'humanitarian crisis', Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

Amid concerns raised by many including on social media platforms about steep fluctuations in air ticket prices to and from Kerala, where the main airport at Kochi has been shut till August 26, Prabhu said the ministry as such cannot interfere with the fares but it is "doing it" in this time of crisis.

In an interview to PTI, Prabhu said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is monitoring the movement of airfares.

"It is a unique situation. It is a humanitarian crisis... We have told the airlines that it is not a micro-management job," he said.

If there are any complaints, Prabhu said, the DGCA will take care of them.

The minister said airlines have also been persuaded to carry cargo free of cost to Kerala in this crisis situation.

Airlines have been requested to cap the maximum fare at around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and at around Rs 8,000 on shorter routes to/from Kerala and nearby airports, according to the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Yesterday, the ministry had released details of air ticket prices on various direct flight routes to and from Kerala and nearby airports on the basis of monitoring done on the same day.

"... maximum fares on various domestic non-stop direct routes to/from Kerala and nearby airports on ranging from Rs 3,395 to Rs 6,999 for shorter routes and from Rs 6,017 to around Rs 10,000 on longer routes," a release had said.

The ministry had also clarified that high airfares shown on some social media tweets are for hopping and very long duration flights.

In a release issued on August 17, the ministry said the DGCA was constantly monitoring airfares on 32 direct routes operating to/from Trivandrum, Calicut, Coimbatore and Mangalore.

"Spike in airfare on few routes have been observed. Concerned airlines have been advised to cap the airfare on these flights," it had said in a release.

The regulator had also asked domestic carriers to operate additional flights to Kerala.

Air India, Air India Express, Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Vistara and GoAir have already announced new schedules for Kerala.

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A key witness in the 2011 murders of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez was today found dead with multiple injuries on his body in the MIDC area of suburban Andheri in Mumbai, the police said.

The deceased Avinash Bali (40) was a prime witness in the case that had caused a huge public outrage over the daylight killings of the duo while they were trying to save their female friends from eve-teasers.

"Bali was missing for the last two-three days. He was found dead in the MIDC area in the wee hours today," a senior police official said.

He said police were informed by some locals after they spotted a body with multiple injuries.

The deceased was later identified as Bali by his friends, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.

Bali had completed his deposition in the double murder case in 2014 and had supported the prosecution case till the end of the trial.

Keenan Santos (24) and his friend Reuben Fernandez (29) were stabbed by eve-teasers after a scuffle at Amboli in suburban Andheri on October 20, 2011.

The victims were attacked when they tried to shield their women companions from a group of men who harassed, abused and misbehaved with them outside an eatery at Amboli.

The group, after retreating, returned to the spot with over ten aides and brutally assaulted Keenan and Reuben in full public view.

In 2016, Special Women's Court Judge Vrushali Joshi had sentenced the accused to jail for the remainder of their life.

The accused--Jitendra Rana, Sunil Bodh, Satish Dulhaj and Dipak Tival--were convicted on charges of murder, outraging the modesty of a woman and other charges of the Indian Penal Code.

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A man armed with a knife was killed when he attacked a police station near the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona today, police said.

"A man armed with a knife entered the police station in Cornella to attack the officers. The attacker was shot," the Catalonia regional police said on Twitter.

A police spokesman refused to comment on local media reports that the man was from Algeria and had shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) during the attack.

The incident occurred days after the first anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia.

Sixteen people were killed on August 17, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard in the heart of Barcelona and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils.

The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

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A class 12 girl here has developed a safety device that can be attached to a women's wrist watch to help her send emergency alerts to family members in case she is threatened or assaulted without internet.

Bhavya Agrawal told PTI that she has uploaded the details of the project in Namo App -- official app of the prime minister of India -- as she needs funding to compress the device into nano size.

Currently, the device weighs about 500 grams, she added.

"The rising incidents of crime against woman drove me to focus on developing a device for their safety through which they could seek instant help in time of need and if required can be under family's surveillance," said Bhavya, 17, whose favourite subjects are math and science.

Taking help from YouTube, she eventually developed the device, which without internet or data connection, sends an alert and location navigation through GPS to family members of a woman in emergency situations.

Bhavya said the GPS module in the device is directly connected to the Global Positioning System satellites which allows it to send or receive messages and calls without internet connection.

A GPS device can instantaneously give one's exact position and time, almost anywhere on the planet, for free. A person only needs a GPS receiver for that.

"A woman just needs to push a button to send the message that would be delivered to family members' mobile phones within 10 seconds. It has a second button to make a call," Bhavya said.

The device, equipped with GPS, GSM module, audio receiver and transmission, would work even in bad weather conditions, she added.

For her innovation, district administration, Kota, felicitated Bhavya on August 15 during an Independence Day function in Ummed stadium here.

Bhavya aspires to become a scientist or an inventor to serve the people, especially women.

Her father, Paresh Agrawal, who is in electronics business, said he felt happy after her daughter developed the device.

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The Madras High Court today suggested changes to an Act related to payment of subsistence allowance to suspended government employees, noting that those facing disciplinary action stalled enquiry proceedings till their retirement taking advantage of the existing provisions.

The direction was given by Justice S Vaidyanathan of the Madurai bench while disposing of a petition by a deputy block development officer, R Arivanandham, seeking permission to retire and quashing of the suspension order as the proceedings were pending for a long time.

The judge said that in older days an employee who was placed under suspension used to feel that he or she was humiliated as getting suspension order was a shame.

Now, employees feel that it was a great pleasure to get a suspension order and that they could commit any offence and thereafter obtain subsistence allowance by stalling the enquiry proceedings till age of retirement, he observed.

He suggested amendments to the Tamil Nadu Payment of Subsistence Allowance Act in such a way that the suspended employee should be paid 75 per cent of the salary as subsistence allowance for the initial six months of suspension.

Further, he said if the enquiry was not completed in six months the allowance should be reduced to 50 per cent and if the probe was not completed, then it should be reduced to 25 per cent.

The block development officer was suspended on the date of his retirement earlier this year as he was found in possession of unaccounted money.

The judge said that presently the Act was clear that for whatsoever reason the enquiry cannot be completed within six months, the payment of subsistence allowance can be reduced to 50 per cent.

Justice Vaidyanathan directed the officials to finish all proceedings against the suspended government employee within seven days and file a report.

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Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan today said that the party would organise "Jan Sangharsh Yatra" in western Maharashtra to highlight the misrule of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state.

He said that the yatra would begin from Kolhapur on August 31 and culminate at Pune on September 7 and would cover Sangli, Satara and Solapur in between.

He accused the BJP government of making false promises and also alleged that it was vitiating the atmosphere which was leading to instances of mob lynching by cow protection vigilantes.

Chavan, who was addressing a press conference here along with former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, claimed that the state government was unable to safeguard the reservations that the previous Congress-led government had provided to the Maratha and Muslim communities.

He alleged that the recent seizure of explosives, in Nallasopara in Palghar, from persons reportedly having links to the Sanatan Sanstha showed that such organisations were fomenting trouble in society.

Speaking about the right-wing outfit, Prithviraj Chavan said that his government had sent a proposal to ban the Sanatan Sanstha under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to the Union government but the ban was not enforced.

He added that the final decision to ban an organisation under the provisions of the UAPA belonged to the Centre.

He asked the state and Centre to make their stand clear on banning the outfit.

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A Malayali association in Jamshedpur has decided to cancel Onam celebrations this year in view of the devastating floods in Kerala that claimed over 200 lives and rendered more than seven lakh people homeless.

The annual harvest festival commenced on August 15, and is set to conclude on August 27.

Kerala Samajam, comprising 3000 members, celebrates Onam in a grand manner every year, but this time no one is in a mood to rejoice, said Sunil Kumar, the general secretary of the association.

The members have launched a week-long campaign in and around the Steel City in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district to raise money and relief materials for the flood-affected people, he told PTI.

"Onam is a grand affair for the community. We organize various programmes, including 'rangoli' contests, during this period. This year, however, we have decided not to celebrate the annual festival as our brothers and sisters in Kerala are fighting for survival," said Kumar.

The southern state is battling its worst floods in a century, with more than 200 casualties.

Kerala has suffered a loss of Rs. 19,512 crore due to the deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.

The general secretary of the association appealed to people to make generous contributions towards the relief effort.

"We have launched a week-long campaign here and opened two counters on the premises of Samajam office to collect relief materials. The members of the community have connected with the volunteers down south for transporting the materials," he said.

Welcoming the move, Dalbhum Sub-divisional Officer Madhavi Mishra said organizations do not need permission from the district administration to start a relief collection programme.

"The administration has asked all police stations to cooperate with such initiatives. The police will also keep a check on people or groups who try to take advantage of such drives to loot people," she added.

Kumar said the members of Kerala Samajam will approach corporate houses in the Steel City as well as individuals keen on making contributions.

"The collected cash and supplies will be sent to the Kerala CM's Relief Fund and other rehabilitation camps," he added.

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Malaysian police are hunting for an industrial device containing radioactive material that went missing from the back of a pick-up truck earlier this month, reports and an official said today.

The radiography device disappeared on August 10 as it was transported outside the capital Kuala Lumpur, the New Straits Times newspaper reported. Authorities fear the device, which contains the radioactive isotope iridium-192 and, could fall into the hands of militants and be used to make a dirty bomb, the paper said.

Local police chief Mazlan Mansor told AFP an investigation had been launched without giving further details.

Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman confirmed the incident had taken place but insisted "everything is under control".

"There is nothing to be worried about at this moment," he was cited as saying in The Star newspaper.

The company that owned the device -- which weighed 23 kilograms (50 pounds), and consisted of a large metal tube with a handle on top -- reportedly used it to detect cracks in metal as part of inspection protocols in the energy, power and transportation sectors.

It was lost as it was transported to the company's office from the town of Seremban.

Police initially detained two technicians who had been transporting the device, and reported it missing, reports said.

However the pair were later released after investigations failed to link them to its disappearance.

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A 34-year-old man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself inside his one-room accommodation on a church compound in Khan Market here, the police said today.

It is suspected that the deceased, identified as Reuben Rahul Anthony, was suffering from depression because of financial losses in business and an ongoing court case, they said.

No suicide note was found on the spot.

The incident happened on August 17.

Anthony used to live with his wife and two children on the premises of the Church of Mother Vailankanni.

On the day of the incident, his wife had taken her children to her mother's house in Khirki Extension. When she returned around 2.45 pm, she found her husband hanged, the police said.

Anthony was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.

He was into the business of getting cars financed but in the past few months, was facing losses and was currently not earning much, they added.

Anthony purchased two cars and was unable to pay instalment as he was not getting work for the past few months.

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A 35-year-old man died after he fell off an autorickshaw near here, police said today.

The accident took place near Khati village on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road, they said.

The deceased was identified as Balbir Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, police said.

He had sustained serious head injuries, they said, adding that he was rushed to a civil hospital but doctors declared him brought dead.

The body was handed over to his family members after post-mortem, police said.

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A court here today sentenced a man to death for raping and killing a 14-year-old girl in December last year.

Rabbu alias Sarvesh Sen (22) and a minor accused entered the house of the victim in Deval village here and raped her on December 7 last year, Additional District Prosecution Officer (ADPO) M D Awasthi said.

When the victim resisted, the accused poured kerosene and set her ablaze, Awasthi said. The girl died of burn injuries on December 14.

Bina Sessions Judge Alok Mishra today held Sen guilty of rape and murder and sentenced him to death.

The accused has been charged under relevant sections of the IPC as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Quoting lines from the epic poem Ramcharitmanas, Mishra said, "Those involved in raping minor girls have no right to live in society."



Madhya Pradesh Director of Public Prosecution Rajendra Kumar today said the police investigated the case in 21 days and it was submitted for trial on December 28.

Kumar said death sentences had been awarded in 12 rape cases in the state this year, including four in Sagar district.

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A London-bound man was apprehended by CISF personnel at the airport here today for allegedly trying to smuggle over Rs 81 lakh worth of foreign currencies, officials said.

A Bali, an Indian, was intercepted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel after they found his baggage to be suspicious, they said.

A search of the passenger's handbag led to the recovery of an assortment of foreign currencies, including USD 50,110, Euro 30,855 and Pound 25,000, to the tune of over Rs 81.88 lakh, the officials said.

The passenger, travelling to London from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, could not furnish any valid reasons for carrying the currencies and was subsequently handed over to the customs department for further investigation about the source of the money, they said.

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A man was killed in an accident in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district today, the police said.

Babu (37), a resident of village Pure Belraun, was seriously injured when his motorcycle was hit by an unknown vehicle near village Kitiyawan, SHO of Gauriganj police station Najeeb-ul Hassan said.

He was rushed to the district hospital, from where the doctors referred him to Rae Bareli. Babu died on the way, Hassan said.

In another incident, a man was found hanging from the ceiling at his residence in village Pure Baldu under mysterious circumstances.

The deceased was identified as Anas Ali (25), SHO Bazar Shukul police station S K Pandey said.

The incident took place when Ali's family had gone to attend the cremation of someone from their village, he said.

The reason behind Ali's alleged suicide is not yet known as no note was found at the spot, the police said.

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A supporter of a banned left wing extremist outfit has been arrested from a village in Palamau district of Jharkhand, a police officer said today.

Two supporters of the 'Tritiya Prastuti Committee' (TPC), a breakaway faction of the CPI(Maoists), however, managed to escape during the police raid at Pokhra village yesterday.

According to Superintendent of Police Indrajeet Mahatha, members of a special police team raided the village on the basis of a tip-off and arrested the TPC supporter identified as Sambhu Paswan.

Mahatha said that the three persons had taken shelter in Paswan's house.

The police team recovered one rifle and six live cartridges from the house, he said.

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Leading maritime bodies -- MASSA, MUI and NUSI -- have pledged to donate Rs 30 lakh to flood-ravaged Kerala for relief operations.

Besides, Anglo Eastern Shipping Group (AESG), Hong Kong said it would provide about USD 50,000 (about Rs 35 lakh) to the state.

The Maritime Association of Ship owners Ship managers and Agents (MASSA), The Maritime Union of India (MUI) and National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) will each donate Rs 10 lakh to CMDRF, the three organisations said in a joint statement.

"India's leading maritime bodies have pledged to donate Rs 30 lakh to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF)," the statement said.

MASSA Chairman Prashant Rangnekar said, "In the current situation, MASSA is committed to help the maritime state of Kerala which has contributed immensely to the growth of India's maritime sector. Many MASSA members too have declared to donate huge sum to CMDRF."



AESG country head (India) Vinay Singh said: "During the flood in 2013, we provided financial assistance to Uttarakhand CM Relief Fund too. To Kerala CMDRF, we shall donate over 50,000 US Dollars within a week's time."



A sizeable workforce of merchant navy resides in the flood-affected areas of Kerala, MUI General Secretary Amar Singh Thakur said. "It is our duty to support in the moment of distress."NUSI General Secretary Abdulgani Serang said, Apart from giving financial assistance to the State, our office located in Thoppumpady region of Kochi is consistently in touch with the local administration on 24X7 basis for facilitating search & rescue operations in Kerala.

Indian subsidiaries of world's leading ship-manning companies, that employ thousands of Indian merchant navy officers, are active stakeholders of MASSA since its inception in 1947.

The MUI represents merchant navy officers of India since 1941.

India's oldest shipping union, NUSI continues to serve low-skilled and semi-skilled workforce of Indian merchant navy for the past 121 years.

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Amid public outrage over the gang-rape and killing of a minor girl in Uttarkashi, IG police visited the area today even as markets in the district remained closed and no pujas were performed on the ghats of Gangotri this afternoon.

Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress presidentPritam Singh met the family of the victim. He demanded the state government to immediately arrest the accused and provide financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the victim's family.

Singh said the party would hit the streets in protest if the culprits were not arrested within a week.

He also wrote a letter to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, asking him to ensure that verification of antecedents of people coming from outside the state in search of work be made mandatory.

Uttarkashi has witnessed a wave of protests ever since the 11-year-old girl's body was found on a bridge near the village on Saturday.

She was allegedly gang-raped and killed after being kidnapped from her home in Uttarkashi district on August 17.

The accused barged into the girl's house at Bhakda village of the district on Friday after cutting off the power lines and abducted her while she was sleeping along with her parents, the police said.

Uttarkashi and Chinyalisaur remained closed today. No pujas were performed on the ghats of the Gangotri shrine to mark protest, Gangotri temple committee president Mukesh Semwal said.

Garhwal Inspector General Sanjay Gunjyal visited the area today and said the culprits will soon be caught.

He said locals were being interrogated in connection with the incident.

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India is the mother of Mauritius and as a son, the country would do its best to support recognition of Hindi as an official language at the United Nations, Minister Mentor Anerood Jugnauth said today.

He was speaking at the concluding session of the 11th World Hindi Conference here.

"It is time that like other languages, Hindi also gets its place at the international stage. We refer to India as 'Bharat Mata', which makes Mauritius its son. The son knows its duty," the Indian-origin minister said.

"The son, Mauritius, will go all out to support the recognition of Hindi as an official language at the United Nations," he said.

Jugnath added that Hindi has played an important role in the social, economic and political development of Mauritius.

He said the World Hindi Conference had deepened the blood relations between India and Mauritius.

A former president and prime minister, Jugnauth said every time he took over the reins of the country, he worked for the development of Hindi language.

He said it was a matter of happiness for Mauritius that it was chosen for establishment of the World Hindi Secretariat.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the building in 2015.

The mentor minister said his ancestors came to Mauritius as bonded labourers with their language and culture.

With the help of these assets and their blood and sweat they provided for their families and helped Mauritius gain independence, he said, adding that the next generation was working to take the country ahead.

The way the sun's powerful rays cannot be blocked, similarly no one can stop the development of Mauritius, he said.

Jugnauth expressed the hope that Hindi language and culture will grow in his country and it will be read and spoken more by the youth.

"I am sure that after leaving from here, no one will leave any stone unturned to promotion and propagation of Hindi," he said.

The three-day World Hindi Conference was inaugurated on August 18.

A special logo has been designed for the conference this year which depicts the national birds of India and Mauritius, peacock and dodo respectively.

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Tyre maker on Monday said it has commenced commercial supplies from its new plant at Sanand.

The first consignment of two-wheeler tyres for long-time partner Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has been rolled out from the plant, said in a statement.

The company has been supplying original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tyres fitment to HMSI through its Vietnam facility since 2016, it added.

Commenting on the development, Plant Head Chun-Hsuan Liu said, "This is a landmark moment for us at Maxxis India as we mark the first 'Made in India' consignment delivery to our long-standing partners Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India."



The Sanand plant is currently dedicated to manufacturing of two-wheeler tyres and tubes and will have a capacity to produce around 20,000 tyres and 40,000 tubes per day, the company said.

Maxxis has invested $400 million (Rs 26.4 billion) in setting up the facility.

Besides HMSI, the company also serves as an OEM tyre supplier to Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra, Tata and Jeep in India.

"The company aims to supply 1 million tyres to its OEM partners by end of this year," Maxxis India said.

Apart from catering to the domestic tyre market, the product portfolio from the Sanand facility will be exported to South Asia, and will further expand to Africa and Middle East countries in the coming years, it added.

Maxxis group has plans to set up five more plants in India which will also cater to the four-wheeler tyres market.
Melania Trump is planning her first big solo international swing with a trip to Africa in October.

The first lady tells The Associated Press in a statement yesterday that she's looking forward to learning about issues children on the continent face.

She leads a US-based effort focused on child well-being. It will be her first visit ever to Africa.

She plans to travel without President Donald Trump, who was roundly criticized earlier this year after his private comment about "shithole countries" in Africa was leaked to journalists.

The first lady's only other solo international trip came last September, when she flew to Toronto for a day to join Britain's Prince Harry for a military-themed event.

Exact dates and the African countries she will visit in October remain to be announced.

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All ministers of the Haryana



government and BJP MLAs in the state have decided to donate their one month's salary for the flood victims of Kerala, according official statement issued here today.

Chairpersons of all boards and corporations have also decided to donate their one month's salary for the cause, it said.

Besides, the MPs and MLAs of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the main opposition party in Haryana, have also decided to donate their month's salary for the Kerala flood victims, party leader Abhay Singh Chautala said.

The death toll in Kerala has mounted to 216. Even as rains abated and rescue operations were in the final stages, the flood-hit state was faced with the gigantic task of rehabilitating lakhs of people rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of diseases.

Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state.

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A Belarusian model who sparked global intrigue after claiming she had evidence of Russian efforts to help Donald Trump win office pleaded not guilty today to charges of running an illegal "sex training" class in Thailand.

Anastasia Vashukevich, better known by her pen name Nastya Rybka, has been detained in Thailand since February when police raided a risque seminar in the seaside resort city of Pattaya.

Vashukevich had travelled to Thailand after becoming embroiled in a political scandal with Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska, a onetime associate of Trump's now-disgraced former campaign director Paul Manafort.

She set off a scramble for details after she promised in an Instagram video to reveal "missing puzzle pieces" on claims the Kremlin aided the US President's 2016 election victory.

No material has been released to substantiate her claims, and critics have accused her of a publicity stunt.

Vashukevich and her seven co-defendants arrived at the Pattaya court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing on the charges that include unlawful assembly and conspiracy.

Police initially charged the group with work permit violations but later alleged the seminar, led by self-styled Russian seduction guru Alex Kirillov and ostensibly a course training participants to be better lovers, was actually intended to arrange paid sex for participants.

Photos of course participants in detention after the February raid showed them wearing t-shirts that said "sex animator".

Kirillov, who has served as a spokesperson for the mostly-Russian group because he speaks English, told the court that all eight defendants were pleading not guilty.

"We did not commit any crimes," he said. "What we do is training on how to seduce men and women. We do not make any sexual activity."



Vashukevich cried after the prosecutor showed a photo of several of her co-defendants hugging at a nightclub after a training session. "Why was I arrested? Why am I here?" she said.

The next hearing has been set for August 27.

Pattaya, on Thailand's southern coast, is a party town with a reputation for vice and a sizeable Russian expatriate community.

Both Washington and Moscow have publically shrugged off Vashukevich's story, which US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert described as "bizarre".

Additional legal troubles are also awaiting Vashukevich and Kirillov back in Russia, where Deripaska won an invasion of privacy lawsuit against the duo last month.

They were ordered to pay $8,000 each to Deripaska, who sued them after a video apparently filmed by Vashukevich surfaced which appeared to show the tycoon vacationing with Sergei Prikhodko, an influential Russian deputy prime minister at the time.

Kremlin-connected Deripaska and Manafort did business together in the mid-2000s, The New York Times reported last year, but their relationship broke down into legal wrangling.

Manafort is awaiting a verdict in his own trial on fraud and tax evasion charges in the US state of Virginia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai has been elected as the chairman of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir -- previously led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani -- for a period of three years, a party spokesman said today.

In the first elections held after Geelani stepped down as the outfit's chairman in March this year, Sehrai secured a thumping majority.

"The elections were held yesterday at TeH headquarters and Sehrai secured 410 votes out of 433. This is for the first time that Sehrai contested the elections," a spokesman of the outfit said.

He said on March 19, the outfit's executive council nominated Sehrai as the interim chairman, till organisational elections were held, after Geelani stepped down from the post citing ill health and his house detention as reasons.

Geelani held the post for 15 years since the separatist party was formed following a split in the Hurriyat Conference in 2003.

He, however, continued to be the chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference.

Immediately after he was nominated as the interim chairman of the outfit in March, Sehrai's son, Junaid Ashraf, joined Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit.

Junaid went missing after Friday prayers on March 23 and a day later his gun-wielding picture went viral on social media in which he was seen holding AK 47 rifle and wearing an ammo vest.

The description on the picture read that Junaid, who had a Masters in Business Administration from the Kashmir University, was code-named as Amaar Bhai.

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The railways for the first time will allow third party audits of its bridges, a month after one of its road over bridges collapsed in Andheri in Mumbai injuring five, two of whom died later, a senior official of the ministry said.

The general managers of all the zones have been asked to fix specialised national or even international agencies to conduct these technical audits.

"The board has said the present system of inspections of bridges is considered adequate and they will be continue, but keeping in view the incidents of part collapse/failure of ROBs, railway bridge and FoBs it has been decided to conduct third party audit of identified and critical bridges for an independent expert view," the official said.

Zonal railways has been advised to carry out one-time audit which would include under-water inspection, non-destructive testing, design adequacy for present day loading, including earthquake force.

Post the July 3 collapse, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had ordered the Indian Railways to collaborate with IIT-Bombay to carry out an audit of 445 bridges.

However, here, the Railway Board has instructed that IITs/NITs or any other reputed institute may conduct representative checks based on the recommendations made by the third party audit report, the official added.

All mega bridges, railway bridges with ORN 1 rating (requiring immediate building/rehabilitation), ROBs, FOBs, all bridges which are more than 80 years old and all those that railways might consider critical will be inspected in the third party audit, the official said.

The board has given 15 days to the zones to work out an action plan for the audit, the official said.

There are over 37,162 railway bridges which are more than 100 years old with almost 32 per cent of them in the northern zone, the government had informed Parliament earlier this year.

Recently, a parliamentary standing committee had criticised the condition of railway bridges remarking that some British- era railway bridges were in a better condition than the ones built after Independence, blaming the nexus between officials and contractors for the poor quality of bridges.

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The Madhya Pradesh Congress today lodged a complaint with the state Election Commission after the names of a former MLA from Tikamgarh and his family members were found missing from the voters list.

A party delegation met MP Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V L Kantha Rao and submitted a memorandum demanding an inquiry into the deletion of the names of former minister Yadvendra Singh and members of his family.

Singh has, earlier, been a Congress MLA from Tikamgarh four times.

"I am surprised that names of my entire family were deleted from the electoral rolls. I think this was done as part of a conspiracy. All the names existed in the voters list in the month of June but are missing now," Singh said.

CEO Rao told reporters that the district returning officer (the district collector) had been directed to inquire into the matter and take action in case it was done deliberately.

The Congress delegation also complained to the EC that there were 11,000 double entries in the voters list of Narela Assembly seat in Bhopal.

Rao informed that this complaint too was being examined.

He said that the state EC would launch its Twitter handle, Facebook account and YouTube channel to share information about the MP Assembly polls.

The Assembly polls in the state are slated for later this year.

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Armed assailants attacked policemen in various locations in the Russian republic of Chechnya today, the region's leader said, adding that several officers sustained injuries.

One assailant attempted a suicide bombing but failed, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov said.

Two policemen were wounded in the town of Shali, and several traffic police officers sustained injuries in capital Grozny, Kadyrov wrote on his official Telegram social networking account.

"The bandits have been neutralised," he added.

Kadyrov, who was visiting Saudi Arabia today, said extremist propaganda that "confuses the young men" was to blame for the assaults.

"The situation in Grozny and Chechnya is absolutely calm," he said.

Police in the North Caucasus region said two men armed with knives attempted to enter the Shali district police department and "inflicted wounds on two police employees on duty" before being shot dead.

There has been no official explanation of the incident in Grozny. agencies cited unnamed sources as saying an assailant ran over three traffic policemen in his car.

Chechnya's interior minister Ruslan Alkhanov said the assailants "attempted to destabilise the situation in Chechnya" but have been stopped. He said no officers were killed.

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At least 10 people are dead after a string of powerful quakes rocked the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, authorities said today, in a fresh blow just weeks after earlier tremors left hundreds dead and thousands more homeless.

The latest quakes struck yesterday, with the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday. It triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover as parts of Lombok suffered blackouts.

It was followed nearly 12 hours later by a 6.9-magnitude quake and a string of powerful aftershocks.

The picturesque island next to holiday hotspot Bali was already reeling from two deadly quakes on July 29 and August 5 that killed nearly 500 people.

Ten people were killed in the strong quake Sunday evening, mostly by falling debris, including six people on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa, according to the national disaster agency.

Some two dozen people were injured in Lombok and more than 150 homes and places of worship damaged, the agency said.

Tens of thousands of homes, mosques and businesses across Lombok had already been destroyed by the quake earlier this month.

Most people caught in the latest tremor had been outside their homes or at shelters when it struck which kept casualties low, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"The trauma because of the earlier quake on Sunday (morning) made people prefer to stay outside," he added.

Aid agencies vowed to boost humanitarian assistance on the island as devastated residents struggle in makeshift displacement camps.

Indonesia's disaster agency said it was accelerating efforts to rebuild destroyed homes, hospitals and schools, while Save the Children pledged to escalate its humanitarian response.

"We are gravely concerned about the repeated distress caused to children by the multiple shocks," the relief agency said.

Video images from an evacuation camp in Lombok showed children and adults taking cover inside makeshift tents.

"I'm too scared to stay at my house because it's damaged," said resident Saruniwati, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "I've been here since the quake (earlier this month). I went home two days ago and now I'm back here again."



Local Agus Salim said the powerful tremor jolted him awake yesterday evening. "The earthquake was incredibly strong. Everything was shaking," he told AFP. "Everyone ran into the street screaming and crying."



There were landslides in a national park on Mount Rinjani where hundreds of hikers had been briefly trapped after the quake in late July. The park has been closed since then.

Sunday's tremors were also felt on Bali but there were no reports of damage there.

The latest tremor follows the a shallow 6.9-magnitude quake on August 5 that killed at least 481 people and left thousands more injured.

The hardest-hit region was in the north of the island, which has suffered hundreds of aftershocks.

A week before that quake, a tremor surged through the island and killed 17. The disasters have raised fears that Lombok's key tourism industry would take a beating, but the international airport was operating normally Monday with no exodus of frightened tourists.

Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and many of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

The Australian and Eurasian plates, which sit under the archipelago, have been colliding and putting stress on key area fault lines, according to a geologist.

"Clearly there are different parts of the fault that are moving at the moment releasing those stressors," said Chris Elders, an expert in plate tectonics and structural geology at Curtin University in West Australia.

In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.

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Multiple earthquakes -- including a powerful and shallow 6.9-magnitude tremor -- struck Indonesia's Lombok, killing at least two people and sending fresh panic coursing through the already battered island.

A series of quakes were recorded by seismologists throughout yesterday, the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday which triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover.

It was followed nearly twelve hours later by a late evening quake measuring 6.9 and at least five more significant aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey.

The picturesque island is already reeling from two devastating quakes on July 29 and August 5 that killed nearly 500 people and made hundreds of thousands homeless.

National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said two people were killed by the quake late Sunday evening, one in eastern Lombok and the other on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa.

"Two people died... from falling debris and many houses collapsed because of the 7-magnitude earthquake," he said on Twitter, giving a slightly higher local measurement for the largest quake.

Blackouts had hit much of Lombok, he added, posting pictures of cracked roads and video footage of a large fire that broke out in a village on Sumbawa.

One local Lombok resident said that powerful tremor jolted him awake.

"The earthquake was incredibly strong. Everything was shaking," Agus Salim told AFP.

"We were all sleeping in an evacuation tent. I had just fallen asleep when suddenly it started to shake.... Everyone ran into the street screaming and crying."



A dozen foreign guests at the hotel Lina Senggigi, which is in a popular tourist spot, were ushered out of the building as the quake struck.

"The jolt was strong and quite long... Tonight we will ask our guests to sleep in the parking lot. It's safer that way," a staff member told Kompas TV.

The morning quake caused panic but no widespread reports of damage.

One person died from a suspected heart attack and there were reports of localised damage, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Landslides were reported in a national park on Mount Rinjani where hundreds of hikers had been briefly trapped after the quake in late July. The park has been closed since then.

Local disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agung Pramuja said several houses and other structures in the district of Sembalun, on the slopes of Mount Rinjani, collapsed yesterday after being damaged by the previous two quakes.

The structures included checkpoints once used by trekkers climbing the mountain, Pramuja said, adding that the exact number of damaged buildings was still being checked.

Yesterday's tremors were also felt on the neighbouring resort island of Bali but there were no reports of damage.

The latest tremor comes two weeks after a shallow 6.9-magnitude quake on August 5 damaged tens of thousands of homes, mosques and businesses across Lombok.

At least 481 people died and thousands were injured. The hardest-hit region was in the north of the island, which has suffered hundreds of aftershocks.

A week before that quake, a tremor surged through the island and killed 17.

The August 5 quake left more than 350,000 displaced, with many sleeping under tents or tarpaulins near their ruined homes or in evacuation shelters, while makeshift medical facilities were set up to treat the injured.

Badly damaged roads, particularly in the mountainous north of the island, are a headache for relief agencies trying to distribute aid. The economic toll of the quake is estimated to be at least five trillion rupiah ($348 million).

Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and many of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.

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Pakistan's former dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf today demanded presidential-level security to appear before a special court hearing the treason case against him, saying his life is in "danger".

The previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. The 74-year-old former Army chief is currently living in Dubai.

A special court presided over by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar summoned the interior secretary on August 27. The bench will also consider whether the trial can continue without recording Musharraf's statement.

Musharraf's attorney, Akhtar Shah, told the bench that his client wants to appear before the court in the high treason case but wants assurances that he would be given presidential-level security. The court observed that it is the federal government's duty to provide security for the accused and adjourned the hearing of the case till August 27, Dawn newspaper reported.

During the hearing, Shah told the Justice Ali-led two-member bench that his client would return and "appear before the court if he is given presidential level security by the defence ministry".

"Musharraf's life is in danger," he added. "There were two attempts on his life: once in the Islamabad court and the other in Quetta during the Akbar Bugti case hearing."



Bugti was a Baloch leader killed in a 2006 army operation.

Last month, lawyer Akram Sheikh stepped down as the head of the prosecution team tasked by the government in 2013 to prosecute Musharraf.

Sheikh was appointed as the head of the prosecution in the case, by the then-PML-N led government.

Musharraf, the former army chief, was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges.

On March 18, 2016, he left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court.

A few months later, a special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show.

Later, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and identity card were also cancelled since he failed to return to the country despite giving him a last chance.

The legal experts believe that the treason case is a test for the newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan's, as one of the reasons of civil-military tussle was that the PML-N government had initiated the case against the former army chief.

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Pakistan's former dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf today informed a special court hearing the treason case that he would appear before it if the Defence Ministry provides him security, according to a media report.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief Musharraf over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

A special court presided over by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar summoned the interior secretary on August 27. The bench will also consider whether the trial can continue without recording Musharraf's statement, The Express Tribune reported.

Musharraf, 74, who is currently residing in Dubai, has refused to return to Pakistan citing security reasons.

Advocate Akhtar Shah, counsel for the former president, said his client would appear if the defence ministry provided security. The court observed that it is the federal government's duty to provide security for the accused and adjourned the hearing of the case till August 27, the report said.

Last month, lawyer Akram Sheikh stepped down as the head of the prosecution team tasked by the government in 2013 to prosecute Musharraf.

Sheikh was appointed as the head of the prosecution in the case, by the then-PML-N led government.

Musharraf, the former army chief, was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges.

On March 18, 2016, he left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court.

A few months later, a special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show.

Later, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and identity card were also cancelled since he failed to return to the country despite giving him a last chance.

The legal experts believe that the treason case is a test for the newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan's, as one of the reasons of civil-military tussle was that the PML-N government had initiated the case against the former army chief.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Muslim pilgrims today began ascending Mount Arafat for the climax of the annual hajj which brings together more than two million people from around the world.

A sea of worshippers scaled the rocky hill southeast of the holy city of Mecca for a day of prayers and reflection where Muslims believe Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon.

Some of the pilgrims -- men in white seamless garments and women in loose dresses -- pushed elderly relatives in wheelchairs on the second day of the hajj, one of the world's largest annual gatherings.

A hot wind blew across the hill, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), and the surrounding plain after a downpour late Sunday. Many faithful could be seen sipping from bottles of water.

After sunset, the pilgrims will leave for nearby Muzdalifah where they will gather pebbles to perform the symbolic "stoning of the devil".

The ritual begins in earnest tomorrow as Muslims observe the first day of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the hajj.

Muslims traditionally slaughter sheep for the three-day Eid al-Adha, a tribute to the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared Ishmael, his son.

They will consume some of the meat and give the rest to poor people unable to buy food.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

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Muslim pilgrims have gathered in the valley of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for a day of prayer that marks the pinnacle of the annual hajj.

Some 2 million pilgrims packed shoulder to shoulder early Monday for an emotional day of repentance and supplication.

It was on this day some 1,400 years ago that Islam's Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite.

Muslims believe prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometers east of Mecca, is their best chance to erase past sins and start anew.

Overnight, strong winds and thunderstorms roared through Mecca. Officials say the severe weather slightly damaged some tents housing pilgrims, but caused no injuries.

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NASA remains optimistic about reconnecting with the Mars Opportunity rover that has been silent for over two months due to a global dust storm enshrouding the red planet, even though the robotic explorer's operations are expected to be affected.

Since the dust storm is "decaying" -- meaning more dust is falling out of the atmosphere than is being raised back into it -- skies might soon clear enough for the rover to recharge and attempt to "phone home", NASA said in a statement.

The US space agency had performed several studies on the state of the rovers batteries before the storm, and temperatures at its location.

Since the batteries were in relatively good health before the storm, there's not likely to be too much degradation, NASA said.

Dust storms tend to warm the environment the rover should have stayed warm enough to survive, according to the team which notes that they still have reason to be optimistic.

Dust storms on Mars block sunlight from reaching the surface, raising the level of a measurement called "tau." The higher the tau, the less sunlight is available; the last tau measured by Opportunity was 10.8 on June 10. To compare, an average tau for its location on Mars is usually 0.5.

Engineers predict that Opportunity will need a tau of less than 2.0 before the solar-powered rover will be able to recharge its batteries.

A wide-angle camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will watch for surface features to become visible as the skies clear. That will help scientists estimate the tau.

Several times a week, engineers use NASA's Deep Space Network, which communicates between planetary probes and Earth, to attempt to talk with Opportunity.

The massive DSN antennas ping the rover during scheduled "wake-up" times, and then search for signals sent from Opportunity in response.

In addition, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's radio science group uses special equipment on DSN antennas that can detect a wider range of frequencies.

Each day, they record any radio signal from Mars over most of the rover's daylight hours, then search the recordings for Opportunity's "voice."



When Opportunity experiences a problem, it can go into so-called "fault modes" where it automatically takes action to maintain its health. Engineers are preparing for various fault modes if they do hear back from Opportunity.

After the first time engineers hear from Opportunity, there could be a lag of several weeks before a second time as the rover will take time to fully recover.

It may take several communication sessions before engineers have enough information to take action, NASA said.

The first thing to do is learn more about the state of the rover. Opportunity's team will ask for a history of the rover's battery and solar cells and take its temperature.

If the clock lost track of time, it will be reset. The rover would take pictures of itself to see whether dust might be caked on sensitive parts, and test actuators to see if dust slipped inside, affecting its joints.

Once they've gathered all this data, the team would take a poll about whether they're ready to attempt a full recovery.

Even if engineers hear back from Opportunity, there is a real possibility the rover won't be the same.

The rover's batteries could have discharged so much power and stayed inactive so long that their capacity is reduced.

If those batteries can't hold as much charge, it could affect the rover's continued operations.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other leaders today paid homage to former premier Rajiv Gandhi on his 74th birth anniversary, recalling his contribution to the country.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the Congress chief and other senior party leaders, offered floral tributes to him at Veer Bhumi in the national capital.

Modi recalled the "efforts" of the former prime minister "towards the nation".

"Tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary. We remember his efforts towards the nation," he wrote on Twitter.

Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi served as prime minister from 1984 to 1989. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991.

Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, recalled the time he spent with his father.

"Rajiv Gandhi was a kind, gentle and affectionate man whose untimely death left a deep void in my life. I remember the times we had together and the many birthdays we were lucky to celebrate with him when he was alive. He is greatly missed, but his memory lives on," he said.

At Veer Bhumi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra, former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar also paid homage to the former prime minister.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala remembered him as the leader, who took the people of India on the "path of modernisation".

"Inspiration for millions of youth, symbol of amity, harmony and sacrifice, ambassador of peace and nation-builder, my humble tribute to Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi on his anniversary. Rajivji will live in our hearts forever," he tweeted.

Senior Congress leader and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also shared his sentiments on the occasion.

"Missing Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. A great friend, a fine human being and a visionary leader - he was all that and more. His memory lives on, in the hearts of every person whose life he touched, in many small and big ways. #RajivGandhi," he tweeted.

In several other parts of the country, regional leaders also paid tributes to Rajiv Gandhi by garlanding his portrait or statues.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot tweeted in Hindi: "Popular leader with a visionary personality, tribute to former prime minister late Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Wishes to all people of the country on Sadbhavna Diwas."



He also posted a picture of Rajiv Gandhi, whose birth anniversary is celebrate as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'.

In the Nehru-Gandhi family pocket borough of Amethi, various programmes were held to mark the former prime minister's birth anniversary.

Rajiv Gandhi had contested and won four Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh's Amethi seat.

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The Maharashtra government today appointed a single judge committee to inquire into a controversial land deal in Navi Mumbai.

The committee will also inquire into all such deals involving the sale of land after allocation in the last 15 years as part of the Koyna dam rehabilitation policy, stated a GR (Government Resolution) issued by the Urban Development department.

The government has appointed Kishor J Rohi, a retired judge of the Bombay High Court, to conduct the enquiry, it stated.

The opposition Congress had last month accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of facilitating the "land scam" by allotting 24 acres of CIDCO ((City and Industrial Development Corporation) land, valued at over Rs 1700 crore, to a private builder for just Rs 3.6 crore.

The land in question is located in Kharghar node in neighbouring Raigad district.

Congress leaders Sanjay Nirupam and Randeep Surjewala had alleged the state Urban Development department had helped the private builder "illegally acquire" the notified land in the name of compensating a group of families displaced by the Koyna power project.

Rejecting the allegations, Fadnavis had announced in the Legislative Assembly that he would order a judicial probe into the 200 cases of sale of land after allocation, and also the present case of 24 acres land being sold to a builder.

As per the GR, the Navi Mumbai land comes under survey number 183 of Ove village in Panvel taluka of Raigad district. CIDCO is the planning authority in the region.

The panel would also enquire into whether the land under survey number 183 belogs to the state government or CIDCO and about its status, stated the GR.

Fadnavis had said that the Navi Mumbai land did not belong to the CIDCO as claimed by the Congress and that it was the agricultural land belonging to the state government.

He had also said that the land was purchased by the builder from eight farmers as agricultural land.

The panel will also check whether district collector of Raigad was authorised to distribute the said land to the project-affected people (PAP), it stated.

The committee will find out whether the sale of the land in Ove village (Kharghar) in pieces was permitted and if proper procedure was followed while conducting the purported land deal, as per the government order.

The scope of the panel is widened to cover all the PAP land deals and to find out discrepancies, if any, it stated.

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Flood-ravaged Kerala needs electricians, plumbers, and carpenters to bring it back to normalcy, Union minister K J Alphons said today.

At least 216 people have lost their lives in the floods and landslides triggered by 10 days of torrential rainfall in the state which has displaced over 7.24 lakh people. They have now been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps.

"There'll be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds and thousands of electricians, plumbers and carpenters to rush to Kerala. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala," tweeted the Union minister for tourism.

Earlier today, both Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan jointly appealed to parliamentarians to contribute "generously" from their MPLADS funds for relief and rehabilitation works in flood-ravaged Kerala.

The two also appealed to the lawmakers to consider "donating" a month's salary for the cause.

Relief items including ration, clothing and sanitary items being distributed to flood victims. A medical camp has been set up for people requiring urgent treatment at Challakudi, Thrissur, Kerala, the government said today.

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The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has temporarily suspended the flight operations of a private helicopter firm after an Indian Kailash Mansarovar pilgrim died when he was hit by the rear blade of its helicopter at a remote helipad in country's Hilsa region.

Manang Air was licensed to operate commercially by the state aviation regulator after it obtained the Air Operator's Certificate (AOC), the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said.

The AOC is a formal certification by the state that the operator is fully-qualified to meet the safety objectives in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation's stipulations at the minimum.

According to the official, a technical team from the CAAN has already returned from Humla after collecting ground evidences.

Manang Air has been licensed to operate two seven-seater airbus helicopters.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has also formed a four-member committee led by Joint-Secretary Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane to probe the accident, according to ministry's spokesperson Ghanashyam Upadhyaya.

The other members of the committee include senior captain Dawa Jangbu Sherpa, senior engineer Bharat Parajuli and engineer Yogesh Aryal.

Kartik Nagendra Kumar Mehta, 42, a resident of Mumbai, died when he rushed to board the helicopter and accidently hit its tail rotor. He was beheaded with the tail rotor of the Manang Air helicopter.

The committee has been given 30 days to submit its report. It will also check whether the operator complied with the Flight Operations Requirements-Helicopters (FOR-H), the technical regulations for helicopter operations, while conducting flights.

The FOR-H clearly states that the issuance and continuation of the AOC is dependent upon the operator demonstrating an adequate organisation, method of control and supervision of flight operations, training programme as well as ground-handling and maintenance arrangements consistent with the nature and extent of the operations specified.

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To attract more Indian students, New Zealand has taken several steps such as introducing three-year, post-study work visa for international students, its envoy Joanna Kempkers said today.

The New Zealand High Commissioner to India said her country attracts about 20,000 Indian students every year.

"We are trying to get more Indian students in New Zealand universities. New Zealand has eight universities and there are also government-supported institutions," she told PTI on the sidelines of 'New Zealand - India Academic Conclave' here.

Kempkers also said that New Zealand focuses on more quality that thousands of students are pursuing in the country.

Asked about the steps being taken to encourage Indian students to study in New Zealand, Kempkers said that the government has just announced new three-year open post-study work visa for all international students studying undergraduate degrees, masters degrees and Ph.D study.

Also, New Zealand is the second most peaceful country in world, she said.

According to a statement, the academic conclave builds upon a range of initiatives that are pushing New Zealand to the fore as the preferred international destination for students, with a 15 per cent increase in Indian students choosing to study in New Zealand universities.

At the conclave, New Zealand's Regional Director of (South, South East Asia and Middle East) said, "We are delighted that Indian students are future-proofing their careers by choosing to study in New Zealand, particularly given the recent introduction of a three-year open post-study work visa for bachelor's, masters and Ph.D degree international students..."



Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also participated in the conclave, sought collaborations with international academics to understand the dynamics of higher education and know about what needs to be done.

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today remitted mining company Vedanta's plea, challenging closure of its Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin, to a committee headed by a former judge.

A bench headed by chairperson A K Goel said a credible mechanism, through which rival contentions can be balanced and final view taken, has to be evolved.

The green panel said that the committee, which will also include representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of and Forests, may visit the site and consider technical data.

The tribunal asked the committee to assume work within two weeks and decide the matter within six weeks.

It noted in its order that it cannot be ignored that the copper smelting plant contributed to copper production in the country and employed 1,300 people.

"We are of the view that in substitution of the impugned orders, we have to hear before an independent body and remit the matter for fresh consideration before the committee," the bench said.

It directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to provide logistic support to the committee and said their remuneration would be determined by the state government.

The tribunal also said that the committee may hear intervenors MDMK general secretary Vaiko and K S Arjunan, who is Communist Party of India (Marxist) District Secretary in Tuticorin if they feel necessary.

Senior advocate C A Sundaram, appearing for Vedanta, suggested that any retired high court judge from outside Tamil Nadu can be appointed to head the committee, as everyone has made some or the other comment on the issue.

The bench, however, said it will decide on the name after consulting the probable names and after verifying whether they have made a comment on the issue or not.

At the outset, the Central Pollution Control Board told the bench that a joint inspection along with state pollution control board was carried out at the Sterlite units on August 16 and 17 which found that due to improper maintenance of the plant the stored chemical which is of corrosive nature would pose a big threat to the surrounding areas.

The state pollution control board told the bench that baseline date during 1994 was 3,120 milligrams per litre for total dissolved solid.

The tribunal then asked the state pollution control board if the was under threat due to the plant.

When the TN pollution control board replied in the affirmative, the NGT asked what was the grounds.

"What is the pollution that is there today. Have you produced anything to show pollution? Sorry to say but you have no material (to show pollution). It's one-day job and we don't agree that it takes so long...If you have no database how could you take such a coercive action?," the bench said.

The green panel also reiterated its earlier order allowing Vedanta to access administrative unit of its plant at Tuticorin.

On August 9, the Tribunal had allowed Vedanta to enter the administrative unit inside its Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, observing that no environmental damage would be caused by allowing access to the section.

The green panel had, however, said the plant would remain closed and the company would not have access to its production unit and directed the district magistrate to ensure this.

On July 30, the court had refused to grant any interim relief to Vedanta, which had challenged the Tamil Nadu government's order to permanently shut down its Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi, even as the firm termed the government action "political".

On July 5, the tribunal had issued notices to the state government and the pollution board seeking their responses after Tamil Nadu raised preliminary objections with regard to the maintainability of Vedanta's plea.

The Tamil Nadu government had, on May 28, ordered the state pollution control board to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests over pollution concerns.

Earlier in April, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had rejected Sterlite's plea to renew the 'Consent To Operate' certification, saying the company had not complied with the stipulated conditions.

At least 13 people were killed and several injured on May 22 when the police had opened fire on a huge crowd of people protesting against pollution being allegedly caused by the factory.

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The UK has confirmed to the CBI that fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi, alleged to be the mastermind of India's biggest banking fraud of over USD 2 billion, is in their country, officials said today.

The Central Bureau of Investigation submitted an extradition request to the home ministry immediately after getting the confirmation, they said.

The request to bring him back will be sent to the United Kingdom through the External Affairs Ministry.

The agency has also requested authorities in the UK to detain him on the basis of the Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol against him, they said.

The RCN was issued on the request of the CBI in June this year, officials said.

In its RCN issued against a fugitive, the Interpol asks its 192 member countries to arrest or detain the person if spotted in their countries after which extradition or deportation proceedings can begin.

Nirav Modi, along with his wife Ami Modi, a US citizen, brother Nishal Modi, a Belgian citizen, and uncle Mehul Choksi, all accused in the CBI's FIRs in the case, left the country in the first week of January, weeks before country's biggest banking scam surfaced.

Choksi has been located in Antigua, where he has taken citizenship, officials said.

Nirav Modi and Choksi have refused to return to India to join the probe, citing business and health reasons, they said.

Nirav Modi managed to travel across several countries even after information about his passport being revoked by the Indian government was flashed in the Interpol central database on February 24, the CBI had said earlier.

"After the passport was revoked/cancelled by the External Affairs Ministry, we had updated this information in the diffusion notice. The information that Nirav Modi's passport has been revoked was provided in the Interpol central database, available to all the member countries, on February 24," CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal had said.

After the "diffusion" notice was issued by the Interpol on the request of the CBI, the agency followed it up with six countries where Nirav Modi was suspected to have fled to, he had said. The agency requested these countries to share information about his whereabouts and movements.

The agency sent these reminders to the Interpol coordination agency of the United Kingdom on April 25, May 22, May 24 and May 28.

The scam pertains to the alleged issuance of fraudulent Letters of Undertakings (LoUs) of more than USD 2 billion to companies of Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi by the Punjab National Bank's Brady House branch in Mumbai during 2011-17, officials said.

An LoU is a guarantee given by an issuing bank to Indian banks with branches abroad to grant short-term credit to the applicant.

Nirav Modi and his companies allegedly availed credit from the overseas branches of Indian banks using the fraudulent PNB guarantees given through LoUs and letters of credit issued by the Brady House branch which were not repaid, bringing the liability on the state-run bank, the officials said.

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The BJP-led Maharashtra government is shying away from taking serious action against the Sanatan Sanstha because "supporters" of the right wing outfit are part of the ruling dispensation, the Congress alleged today.

Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil also said that the style of functioning of the Sanstha can be equated with international terrorist organisation, the Al Qaida.

The role of Sanstha is under scanner in connection with the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and recent seizure of explosives from different parts of the state.

The Maharashtra ATS is currently probing if the right wing activists arrested in connection with the killings and seizure are anyway linked to the Sanstha.

"The supporters of the Sanatan Sanstha are now part of the state NDA government of the BJP and the Shiv Sena. This is the reason there is no serious action against the Sanstha," Vikhe Patil alleged while speaking with reporters in Mumbai in Maharashtra.

The ATS had yesterday arrested former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar in connection with the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from different parts of the state between August 9 and 11.

The ATS had arrested Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar from Palghar and Pune districts on August 10 in connection with the seizure of bombs and weapons.

"I wonder why the Maharashtra government is not taking any action against the Sanstha despite it being in possession of so many proofs," Vikhe Patil told reporters.

He equated the Sanstha's work with Al Quaida.

"They (Sanstha) have trained at least 500 youths for carrying out attacks," he said referring to the arrests of Raut, Kalaskar and Gondhalekar.

The ATS suspected that the arrested trio wanted to carry out attacks in various parts of Maharashtra with crude bombs and firearms.

Vikhe Patil demanded that Sanstha's founder Jayant Athawale be detained from its Goa-based headquarters.

"Those arrested by the police recently are nothing but pawns....their 'mahaguru' (mastermind) is still out (of reach of police). He should be found out," the Congress leader said.

The Sanstha had denied that any of the arrested activists were anyway linked to them.

Dabholkar (67) was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants on August 20, 2013, when he was on a morning walk near his home in Pune.

Veteran Left leader Govind Pansare was shot at in Kolhapur on February 16, 2015. He succumbed to his injuries on February 20.

The CBI had arrested Sachin Andure, the alleged main shooter in Dabholkar murder case on August 18.

Former Sena corporator Pangarkar was being questionned by investigating agencies for his alleged role in the shooting.

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Pakistan today clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not "made an offer of a dialogue" in a letter to his new Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.

A Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said this in a statement issued in response to a query regarding reports in a section of the Indian media.

The spokesperson stressed that new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had not stated that "the Indian Prime Minister had made an offer of a dialogue", but had said that Modi in his letter to Khan had also mentioned something similar to what the foreign minister elucidated earlier "that the way forward was only through constructive engagement".

The FO said the foreign minister was also briefed about the positivity and constructive environment prevailing during the meeting of former Pakistani law minister Ali Zafar with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during his visit to India on August 18 to attend the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The FO said Pakistan looks forward to a mutually beneficial, uninterrupted dialogue with India to resolve all issues.

"Any attempts to instigate controversy and vitiate the environment are counterproductive and against the spirit of responsible journalism," said the spokesman.

Earlier, Qureshi in his first media interaction had also referred to the letter.

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A retired Army officer, who was arrested on the complaint of the wife of an additional district magistrate (ADM) that she was molested and hurled caste-based abuses in Sector 29 here, was granted bail by a court today.

The release of 76-year-old retired Colonel, Virendra Pratap Singh Chauhan, comes a day after the police arrested two persons, including the ADM's gunner and an aide, on charges of assaulting and attempting to murder the ex-armyman.

"He (Chauhan) has been granted the bail by the court hearing the case on charges registered against him under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," Colonel (retd) Shashi Vaid, who campaigned for his release, said.

"He is OK now. He has come back and met his family after a tiring day in the court. He has not gone home and is staying at a guest house in Arun Vihar," Vaid told PTI tonight.

Meanwhile, the officials of the Sector 20 police station, where the case is registered, said further probe was underway in the case.

Chauhan was arrested on the morning on August 14 from a park near his home in Sector 29following a spat between the two sides over alleged illegal construction by the ADM's family.

He was accused of molestation and hurling caste-based abuses by the ADM's wife. She then called up police, which arrived at the spot and arrested Chauhan.

The ADM's family lives on the third floor of a building, in which he lives on the ground floor, Chauhan, who served in the elite 1 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), had said.

"The ADM was getting some construction done to convert his car garage, near my house, into a guest house. It was illegal and not permitted by the Noida Authority. I had raised objection against it because it was also obstructing the passage, sunlight and air flow into my house," he had said in the complaint, adding that had irked the family.

He had claimed that the ADM has previously served in the Noida authority and used his influence to get his complaint overlooked.

In a complaint to the police from jail, Chauhan had said, "On the morning of August 14, I was sitting in the park waiting for my taxi to go to railway station from where he would go to Agra when the family arrived, they were accompanied by the ADM's gunners also. His wife started hurling abuses at me and soon all the men started punching me on the chest and kicked me."



"The woman soon called up the emergency police who arrived at the spot and arrested me on false charges of molestation made by her and under the ADM's pressure," Chauhan alleged in the complaint.

A couple of days later, the footage of the closed-circuit television camera installed in the park emerged in which it was purportedly seen that Chauhan was being assaulted by the seven persons.

District Magistrate Brajesh Narayan Singh had taken note of the video and instructed the police to file an FIR against the ADM and others involved in the matter.

The police then booked the seven persons, including the ADM, his wife and son, among others for attempt to murder and other relevant sections of assault.

One of the ADM's gunners Rahul Nagar (28) and his household help Jitendra Awasthi (26) were arrested yesterday, the police said.

Several Army veterans and the family of Chauhan had taken out a protest march in sector 29 on Saturday demanding his immediate release and the arrest of the accused ADM.

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Pakistan will work to have "best relations" with all its neighbours and hold talks to normalise ties as without it peace cannot be brought in the country, new Prime Minister Imran Khan has said in his maiden address to the nation.

In his over hour-long address to the nation yesterday, a day after his swearing in as the country's 22nd prime minister, Khan identified Pakistan's challenges on economic front, promised sweeping reforms to bring austerity and revive stagnant economy.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief lashed out at the previous PML-N government for current debt crisis which has risen to Rs 28 trillion, saying the country had not been as indebted in its entire history as it has been in the last ten years.

Speaking on Pakistan's foreign policy, 65-year-old Khan said Pakistan will work to have "best relations with all neighbours."



"I have talked to all neighbours and Insha Allah, we will improve relations with all neighbours. Without peace (with neighbours) we cannot bring peace in Pakistan," he said.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

"If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start," he had said.

In the yesterday's address to the nation, essentially a road map to the 'Naya Pakistan' Khan has promised to his supporters, the prime minister announced he will set up a task force to bring back the bulk of plundered public money from abroad.

Outlining his government's approach to resolve the country's economic issues, he emphasised on taking austerity measures, working on tax reforms instead of taking loans and rooting out corruption.

Khan once again promised to transform Pakistan into a Medina-like welfare state, which was set up by the Prophet in early years of Islam.

He said Medina state was set up on the principles of rule of law, protection of rights of minorities, progressive taxation, based on merit, education for all and honest leadership.

Khan spoke about revamping the judiciary, educational and health care reforms, civil service reforms, devolution of power, providing jobs opportunity to youths and building dams to end water crisis.

He said the economy is in bad shape due to debt heaped by the past government. He said 10 years ago, the total debt of the country was Rs 6 trillion which has increased to Rs 28 trillion.

"Never in Pakistan's history have we faced such difficult economic circumstances. Our debt burden is now Rs 28 trillion. We haven't been as indebted in our entire history as we have been in the last ten years," he said.

"The interest that we have to pay on our debt has reached to a level that we have to take more debt to repay our obligations. Our external debt obligations have reached a level that we have to contemplate how we are going to grapple with them," Khan said.

He spoke about the poor human development index of Pakistan and said more than 23 million children were out of schools and 45 per cent children had stunted growth.

"On one hand we are so indebted, and on the other hand our human development index ranking is very poor," he said.

Khan promised to reform the tax collection machinery, police, judiciary, education system, health and anti-corruption bodies.

He announced to deal with the corrupt elements with iron hand and said all wealth of the country stashed abroad by rich Pakistanis will be brought back.

He asked overseas Pakistanis to keep their money in Pakistani banks and invest here assuring them that their investments will be safe in his government. He promised to facilitate the investors.

Khan announced setting up a task force to cut down the expenses of the government. He also said that he will meet the Chief Justice of Pakistan to draw up a scheme for speedy justice so that all cases were decided within in year.

On tax reforms, he said instead of trying to rebuild the economy by taking external loans, his government will try and fulfil its needs from within.

"No country can succeed by taking on debt again and again. Debts are taken for brief periods of time. I will be ashamed to go abroad and ask for money. If the leader of the nation has to go and ask for debt, what will my nation be?" Khan said.

He said only 800,000 people out of 200 million pay taxes in Pakistan.

"We will fix the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and assure the nation that I will be responsible for your taxes. It is your responsibility to pay taxes. If we start paying taxes we will get out of deficit," he said.

Khan said he will form a committee to figure out how to cut expenses nationwide. He promised to start the change from his life.

He said he will live in a three-bedroom residence within the official PM House, which was reserved for the Military Secretary.

He announced to transform the sprawling PM House into a modern research university.

He said there were 524 workers and officials deputed at the PM House but he will keep only two of them. Out of the 80 vehicles, including 33 bullet proof vehicles, he said he will use only two of them and auction the rest and deposit the money into the national treasury.

The prime minister, at the end of his maiden address, told the nation to play a more proactive role in the rebuilding.

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Actor-rapper O'Shea Jackson Jr has been roped in Warner Bros drama "Just Mercy".

According to Variety, details about Jackson Jr's role are unknown at the time.

Directed by Destin Cretton, the film also stars Jordan and Brie Larson.

Cretton will direct from script that he co-wrote with Andrew Lanham.

Gil Netter and Asher Goldstein will also produce with Jordan.

Based on the book "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption," the movie is the story of Bryan Stevenson (Jordan), a gifted young lawyer fighting for equal justice in a flawed legal system.

Production is set to start next month in Atlanta.

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Odisha urged the Kerala government today to provide help to 337 Odias stranded at



different flood-ravaged places of the southern state, officials said.

The Odisha Labour Department rushed two officials to Kerala during the day to ensure the safety of Odia labourers, they said.

Meanwhile, a special train carrying people from Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh left Kochuveli (Thiruvananthapuram) station today and is expected to reach Bhubaneswar on August 22, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said.

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department of the Odisha government wrote to the Kerala relief commissioner to provide assistance to the 337 Odias there, the officials said.

"It is requested to kindly make necessary arrangements for providing support in terms of food, drinking water and other necessities to these people," said Shyamal Kumar Das, an officer of the department.

The letter was sent after the state government received calls for help from the flood-affected people, they said.

The Odisha government has set up a 24-hour helpline at the special relief commissioner's (SRC) office to coordinate with the affected people in Kerala.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during the day directed the Commerce and Transport Department to arrange for running special trains for Kerala flood victims, officials said.

A similar direction was given by Patnaik to the SRC yesterday.

State Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy said he has received information that 22 self-help group members have been stranded in Kerala floods. The SHG members had gone to Kerala to participate in a fair.

Earlier in the day, the IAS Officers Association and the IPS Association in the state announced to contribute at least one day salary of its members to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help the flood-affected people.

Patnaik had earlier announced financial assistance of Rs 10 crore and ordered polythene sheets worth Rs 8 crore be sent to Kerala.

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One child drowned and four others were missing after they were swept away while taking bath in Mahane river near a temple in Chatra district today, police said.

Divers found the body of one child while efforts were on to trace the four children who had come from Chauraparan in neighbouring Hazaribag district.

A group of devotees that included seven children have come to Itkhori to offer puja in the Bhadrakali temple today, the last Monday of the holy month of Shravan, Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ) Pitambar Singh Khairwar said.

All the group members including the seven children have gone to the river to take bath and the children went deep into the water when five of them swept away and two were rescued, Khairwar said.

The body of one child was found while search was on to trace the four others.

Local fishermen and divers initially started the search operation and they were later joined by divers of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Khairwar said.

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Pakistan's incarcerated former premir Nawaz Sharif today said he used to pay the day-to-day expenses of Prime Minister House from his own pocket, as the newly sworn-in Prime Minister Imran Khan pointed to massive government expenditure.

Talking to reporters outside an accountability court where he appeared for hearing two more graft cases against him, Sharif said he has the cheques as proof to show the payments, the Dawn reported.

He said he used to pay the day-to-day expenses of the Prime Minister House from his own pocket.

Sharif's comments came a day after Prime Minister Khan, in his first address to the nation as the 22nd premier of the country, broke down the expenses of the Prime Minister House.

"The prime minister has 524 servants and 80 cars. The prime minister, which is me, also has 33 bulletproof cars. The prime ministers all have helicopters and aeroplanes to fly them. We have massive governor houses and every conceivable luxury," Khan said.

He said he planned on cutting down his own as well the country's expenditure.

"I will keep only two people with me out of the (prime minister's staff of) 524. I will be staying in a three-bedroom house that served as the military secretary's house," he said.

Outlining his government's approach to resolve the country's economic issues, Khan emphasised on taking austerity measures, working on tax reforms instead of taking loans and rooting out corruption.

He has promised to transform Pakistan into a Medina-like welfare state, which was set up by the Prophet in early years of Islam.

Khan has lashed out at the previous PML-N government for current debt crisis which has risen to Rs 28 trillion, saying the country had not been as indebted in its entire history as it has been in the last ten years.

Sharif appeared before the Islamabad-based court for hearing in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Hill Metal Establishment cases.

Sharif along with his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar are serving jail terms of 10-years, seven years and one year respectively in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, after the accountability court convicted them on July 6 over the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London through illegal means.

A number of PML-N workers gathered outside the accountability court to show their support for the ousted premier.

They attempted to shower rose petals on Sharif but were taken into custody by the police.

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Pakistani troops today violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Some mortar shells were fired by Pakistani forces in the Kamalkote area this afternoon, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain, said.

No loss of life or property was reported, he added.

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Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi today extended the hand of friendship to India soon after taking oath by offering "uninterrupted" dialogue to resolve all the outstanding issues, saying it is the "only wise course" as the two countries cannot afford any "adventurism".

After the swearing-in ceremony at the President House, Qureshi went to Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and addressed media.

Qureshi was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks took place. He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based LeT terrorists attacked India's financial capital.

The new foreign minister said Pakistan wants to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and create peace in the region.

He said Pakistan wants to resolve all issues with India through talks.

"We need a continued uninterrupted dialogue. It is the only wise course for us," he said.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.

The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April last year further deteriorated bilateral ties



Qureshi, the vice-president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, today said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sent a letter yesterday to congratulate Prime Minister Imran Khan and mentioned about talks to resolve issues.

I welcome her letter, he said.

I want to say to Indian Foreign Minister that we are not only neighbours but also nuclear powers. We have old issues and we both know what these issues are. We need to address these issues, he said.

Qureshi said that the two countries cannot afford any adventurism due to close proximity.

We cannot afford any adventurism as response time is so short. The only option is to engage with each other. We cannot live in enmity and we have to accept that there are outstanding issues, he said.

He said Kashmir is an issue and both countries know about it.

He said former prime minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lahore and Islamabad and recognised the reality of Pakistan and the issue of Kashmir.

"Whether we wish or not, Kashmir is an issue and both countries have recognised it. In my opinion there is no option other than talks to resolve it, he said.

Prime Minister Khan in his maiden address to the nation yesterday said Pakistan will hold talks with all its neighbours to normalise ties as without it peace cannot be brought in the country.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

"If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start," he had said.

Talking about Afghanistan, Qureshi said he will make a phone call to the foreign minister of Afghanistan and also visit Kabul with a "solid message" that both countries have same destiny.

There will be no peace in Pakistan without peace in Afghanistan," he said.

I want to tell people of Afghanistan to understand each other's problems and bilaterally try to resolve all issues, he said.

Talking about relations with the US, he said there is trust deficit between the two countries but Pakistan wants to have good ties based on its interests.

Qureshi said that the foreign policy of the new government will be based on interests of Pakistan and it can be fine-tuned according to the needs of the nation.

He said that priority of Pakistan's foreign policy will be how we can change lives of common people through economic diplomacy.

We will try to change lives of people through socio-economic development, he said.

He said there are enormous local and regional challenges but we want to make progress on these issues.

Some forces have been trying to isolate the country but it will not happen now, he said.

He said his government will build national consensus on foreign affairs. I will follow bipartisan approach on the issues of foreign policy.

He announced that he will invite Opposition leaders for consultations before the next month's UN General Assembly session.

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Mehreen Faruqi, a Pakistani-origin woman today became the first Muslim female Senator to be sworn-in to Australia's Parliament.

Greens senator Faruqi was sworn-in less than a week after crossbench senator Fraser Anning called for curbs to Muslim migration and a "final solution" on immigration policy, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

"I'm here to shake up the status quo," the 55-year-old Faruqi told reporters in Canberra.

"If Senator Anning wants to come and have a chat to me and learn a thing or two about the beauty and richness of multicultural Australia he can knock on my door," Faruqi was quoted as saying by the report.

Faruqi replaces veteran senator Lee Rhiannon in the upper house.

Faruqi migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1992, representing the Greens in the New South Wales upper house since 2013.

Faruqi said her "sleeves are rolled up" and she is ready to work.

She described the Turnbull government as a "disaster" for the environment.

"I've been challenging assumptions regarding racism, immigration and the value of multicultural Australia," she said.

"I will continue to stand up and call out racism, no matter who does it or where it comes from.

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Beverage giant has bought Israel's fizzy drink maker SodaStream for $3.2 billion.

said on Monday it's acquiring all SodaStream's outstanding shares at $144 per share, a 32 percent premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price.

Earlier this month, SodaStream reported its strongest results in company history, a 31 percent year-over-year jump in revenues to $172 million, an 89 percent leap in operating profit to $32 million and an 82 percent climb by net profit to $26 million.



Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi calls the "an inspired match." Three years ago, SodaStream shut down its West Bank factory amid international boycott calls and opened a sprawling new factory deep in Israel's Negev Desert instead. Actress Scarlett Johansson was previously a brand ambassador for the company.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open a call centre in Bengali language to assist migrant workers from Bengal who were trapped in flood ravaged Kerala.

Language is a great barrier for Bengali speaking migrants in Kerala and they would not be able to express their condition as well as communicate to their families back home, Chowdhury wrote in a letter to the prime minister.

Thanking Modi for "initiating best possible relief work in Kerala", the Congress MP requested the PM to consider and implement a call centre in Bengali language for assistance to a large number of migrant workers from the state, especially Murshidabad, Chowdhury's constituency.

"Please accept my silent gratitude in advance for and on behalf of families from my constituency in Murshidabad for your positive instructions to the concerned departments towards hastening implementation of the same," he said in the letter written yesterday.

The monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

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A man was today arrested by police in Pakur district for allegedly threatening BJP MLA from Rajmahal in Sahebgunj district over phone, a police officer said.

The joint team of Pakur and Sahebgunj police conducted raid near Badapokhar in Pakur district and arrested the man identified as Dinesh Pandit in the early hours today, the officer said.

Pandit had been allegedly threatening Ananth Ojha, the BJP MLA and was trying to extract money from him, he said.

The police team conducted raid based on the mobile phone location of Pandit and arrested him, the officer added.

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The police today claimed to have busted a fake foreign currency racket here and arrested four persons.

The police arrested the four persons, three from Karnataka and one from Gujarat from a hotel here after a businessman lodged a complaint at Khandagiri police station that the four persons were indulging in foreign exchange racket, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anup Kumar Sahoo.

The police seized several fake currency notes of various countries from the arrested persons, the DCP said adding that the accused persons were allegedly encouraging people to invest in share markets by assuring them of high returns.

The four persons had earlier defrauded Rs 15 lakh from some businessmen in Odisha, police said.

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Police have foiled five major bids to smuggle bovines and rescued 41 animals in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today, officials said.

A police party here conducted surprise checks at different locations in the district and rescued 26 bovines, they said, adding that five people were arrested in three separate incidents.

In Thanamandi, another police team intercepted a vehicle and found seven bovines. The driver, identified as Mohd Junaid, was taken into custody.

In Badhoon, eight bovines were rescued and the police arrested Mohd Amin.

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The office of Goa Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar today filed a police complaint against a netizen for allegedly posting fake about his health, the police said.

The complaint was filed with the Old Goa police station by the minister's PA Vishnu Tivrekar.

Madkaikar remains hospitalised in Mumbai since June 5 this year, after he suffered a stroke.

The purported post was posted on Facebook on August 18 from the profile which states that the user is a girl.

Old Goa police inspector Sudesh Velip said the complaint would be forwarded to the headquarters as the girl, against whom the complaint is filed, is not a resident of the area that falls under his jurisdiction.

The girl hails from Bicholim taluka, he said.

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Union Minister Suresh Prabhu today reviewed proposed agriculture export and new industrial policies and discussed strategies to boost outward shipments with top officials here.

The Commerce and Industry Minister said the government was working on new initiatives to take India's exports to the next level.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

"Held a meeting with the Commerce Secretary and senior officials of @dgftindia today. Discussed various export promotion strategies and reviewed the upcoming Agri Export policy and Industrial Policy. We are working on new initiatives to take India's export to the next level, Prabhu said in a tweet.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry in March came out with a draft 'Agriculture Export Policy', aimed at doubling agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and farm products to the global value chain.

The new industrial policy will replace the old policy of 1991 which was prepared against the backdrop of balance of payment crisis.

The proposed industrial policy aims at promoting emerging sectors and modernising existing industries.

It will also look to reduce regulatory hurdles and encourage adoption of frontier technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in August last year floated a draft industrial policy with an aim to create jobs for the next two decades, promote foreign technology transfer and attract USD 100 billion FDI annually.

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New Zealand's Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter has taken the cycle of life to a whole new level, biking her way to hospital for the birth of her first child.

Genter, a Green MP and keen cyclist, chose pedal power for Sunday's one kilometre (0.6 mile) journey from her home to Auckland City Hospital for the delivery.

"My partner and I cycled because there wasn't enough room in the car for the support crew... but it also put me in the best possible mood!" she posted on social media alongside a picture of her with her bike.

Genter is 42 weeks pregnant, and said in the post that she was going in to hospital for an induction.

She is not only Women's Minister but Associate Transport Minister in New Zealand's centre-left government, advocating for sustainable travel.

Her Green Party colleagues tweeted that the bicycle trip to the delivery ward was "the most #onbrand thing ever".

A party spokeswoman said the baby had still not arrived by late afternoon Monday.

The impending birth comes just weeks after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returned to work after having her first child, daughter Neve, in June.

Ardern, who was elected last year, became only the second world leader to give birth while in office after Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto in 1990.

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The inmates of Central Prison here are toiling hard to feed those staying in relief camps across Kerala, where the worst flood of the century has claimed 210 lives since August 8 and displaced over 7 lakh people.

Ever since the torrential rains started lashing the state causing massive destruction across its length and breadth, the prisoners began preparing large number of chapathis and vegetable curry for relief camp inmates and those stranded in marooned houses.

The Central Prison at Poojappura here has been selling a number of food items including chapathi, vegetable and chicken curries under the brand name 'freedom' on a commercial basis for some years now.

The low-cost dishes sold through a number ofcounters in the capital city have many takers.

According to jail authorities, an average of 40,000-50,000 chapathis were prepared for flood victims during the peak days last week.

Though the work load is too high, around 50 convict prisoners of the chapathi unit were working round the clock in different shifts to meet the demand, they said.

The neatly-packed chapathi and curry were handed over to the district authorities to be distributed to the relief camps.

"Our food packets were used mainly for airdropping to the people stranded in roof tops and isolated building," asenior prison official told PTI.

"Besides chapathi and curry, we have sent jam and packaged water also," he said adding that as the rescue mission is almost over the demand for chapathi packets is reducing now.

The Thiruvananthapuram Central Prison had sent 50,000 'jail-made' chapatis to Tamil Nadu when Chennai was flooded in torrential rains in 2015.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

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Apollo Tyres today said production at its two plants in Kerala has been disrupted due to the floods in the state.

Production operations of the company's plants located at Perambra and Kalamassery, Kerala have been disrupted due to the floods, Apollo Tyres said in a BSE filing.

"The production loss due to this natural calamity is 1,500 MT (approximately) till today. However, consequential loss of profit is not significant," it added.

The company produces commercial vehicle tyres and off-highway tyres at the two plants.

The state is facing the worst flood in 100 years and it has claimed 216 lives since August 8, displacing over 7.24 lakh people, who are now sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state.

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With rains ebbing away, Kerala got some respite today but faced the gigantic task of rehabilitating those rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of water-borne diseases, even as the death toll mounted to 216, officials said.

Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state, they said.

Lt. Gen. D R Soni, the chief of the Army's Southern Command, told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations are still continuing and drones are being used to assist in reaching people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

"The focus is on complete rehabilitation," he said, adding 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations.

He said people stranded on rooftops and inaccesible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

Army personnel carrying satellite phones have fanned out to difficult to negotiate areas in search of stranded people, he said.

Meanwhile, six more bodies were recovered late last night a Paroor in Ernakulam district, local MLA V D Satheeshan said, taking the death toll in the current spell of floods since August 8 to 216.

Satheesan said almost all those stranded in Paroor and nearby areas have been rescued and moved to safety.

Efforts were now under way to clear the houses of the debris to make them habitable.

Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board were trying to restore water and power supply in vast areas that are without power and tap water for the last several days.

Commercial flight operations from the naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning.

Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport as the Kochi International Airport has shut operations till August 26 following flooding of the runways.

Relief material from different parts of the country has started arriving at the port here to provide some succour to the people of Kerala devastated by unprecedented floods in about a century, officials said.

A Cochin Port Trust official said Naval Ship INS Deepak, carrying relief material from Mumbai, arrived with about 800 tonnes of fresh water and nearly 18 tonnes of provisions.

Fresh water is being ferried on two barges to the affected areas. Trucks carrying provisions are being rushed for distribution, he said.

The official said another consignment of relief material sent by the shipping fraternity under an initiative of the Ministry of Shipping arrived at Vallarpadam.

A vessel with 50000 MT of crude from Mumbai has been diverted by BPCL to the Cochin port to meet the fuel demand of Kerala.

Incessant rains over the last few days have blurred the distinction between Kerala's backwaters and roads with sheets of water covering the landscape, but the state is facing shortage of potable water. Several fuel stations in the state are also reported to have run dry.

Train services between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam have resumed and railways is also planning to conduct a trial run from Shornur to Ernakulam.

Train services from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi have been partially restored.

In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, efforts are on to rescue some of those stranded in certain pockets, including Pandanad.

In a tragic fallout of the floods, unprecedented in about a century, a 19-year-old boy committed suicide in Kozhikode district after his class 12 certificate got destroyed in the deluge.

After water gushed into their house, Kailash and his parents from Karanthur had shifted to a relief camp a few days ago.

Kailash had got admission for a course at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and purchased a new set of clothes and set apart some money for higher studies, police said.

As the rain abated for a while, he returned home yesterday and was shocked to find his plus two certificate in shreds. Distraught, he ended his life by hanging himself from the ceiling of their house.

Southern Army Commander Soni underlined the mammoth logistical problem the force was facing while trying to rescue people and reach them relief.

"In the Southern Command, we are working on a relief plan. 27 boats were brought from Jodhpur, 15 from Bhopal. Teams have come from Bengaluru, communication and life jackets from Pune," he said referring to the logistical nightmare in tackling the situation.

He said the Army wanted to ensure that before the next monsoon all such requirements were "centrally located" in the region to ensure everything was in place at the time of a calamity.

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The government employees in Rajasthan have decided to contribute their one day salary to the Kerala flood relief fund.

The IAS Officers Association of the state, too, would contribute to the relief fund.

All officers and employees of the Rajasthan Assembly secretariat have announced to donate one day salary for the people affected in Kerala on the appeal of Speaker Kailash Meghwal, Secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain said.

State Chief Secretary D B Gupta said, "IAS officers are with the people affected in Kerala and would donate one day salary for flood-affected people in the southern state".

Meanwhile, the state unit of the Congress has sent two trucks of relief material to Kerala. The trucks were flagged-off by state Congress chief Sachin Pilot.

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A life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case today told the Supreme Court that no decision has been taken as yet on his mercy petition filed before the Tamil Nadu Governor over two years ago.

A G Perarivalan, who is among the seven convicts in the case, said he had filed the mercy petition seeking remission or pardon from the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph asked advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Perarivalan, to file the documents on record in two weeks. Today was Rajiv Gandhi's 74th birth anniversary.

Sankaranarayanan said they wanted to file the documents to bring it on record of the court as no decision has yet been taken on the mercy petition and this should not prejudice his case.

"Sixth respondent (Perarivalan) prays for and is granted two weeks' time to bring on record a copy of the application for grant of pardon, stated to be filed on behalf of the applicant - 6th respondent -- under Article 161 of the Constitution of India. List the matter on 6th September," the bench said.

Perarivalan had filed the mercy petition on December 30, 2015, saying he has suffered more than 24 years of solitary/single confinement.

"As per jail rules, life imprisonment at ground level is only for a maximum of 20 years and thereafter the prisoner is considered for release. Now I have already undergone more than life imprisonment," his letter said.

He had also claimed that the probe was not full-fledged and was incomplete and partial.

"The main culprits who designed the bomb made of RDX were not nabbed till date. They are scot-free and investigation is still pending into the vital aspects of the crime itself," he had said in his letter to the Governor.

"The chargesheet of the CBI (Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Authority -MDMA) which was constituted pursuant to the Jain Commission report for further investigation of foreign hand in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi is still pending and the real conspirators are yet to be found. There will be no justification in keeping me behind bars even after 25 years of actual punishment when the investigation is itself pending",



Perarivalan's letter said, giving a detailed outline of the case against him for seeking pardon of his sentence from the Governor.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at an election rally. Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were also killed.

This was perhaps the first case of suicide bombing which had claimed the life of a high-profile global leader.

Convicts V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santham, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, P Ravichandaran and Nalini have been in jail for 25 years.

On August 10, the Centre had told the apex court that it does not concur with the Tamil Nadu government's proposal to release seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, saying remission of their sentence will set a "dangerous precedent" and have "international ramifications".

"The central government, in pursuance of section 435 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, does not concur to the proposal of the government of Tamil Nadu contained in its communication letter dated March 2, 2016 for grant of further remission of sentence to these seven convicts," said the reply filed by MHA.

It had said the case involves the assassination of a former prime minister in a brutal manner in pursuance of a "diabolical" plot carefully conceived and executed by a foreign terrorist organisation



On January 23, the apex court had asked the Centre to take a decision within three months on a 2016 letter of the Tamil Nadu government written on March 2, 2016, seeking its concurrence on releasing the seven convicts.

The apex court had on February 18, 2014, commuted the death sentence of three convicts - Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan - citing inordinate delay by the executive in deciding their mercy plea.

After Gandhi's assassination on May 21, 1991, the probe was transferred to a Special Investigation Team of the CBI on the request of the Tamil Nadu government.

The SIT had named 41 accused in its charge sheet - including 12, who died in the blast and three who were absconding - before a TADA court in Chennai. The prolonged trial culminated in 1998, when the TADA court sentenced 26 of the accused to death.

In May 1999, the apex court had upheld the death sentence of four, including Murugan, Santham, Perarivalan and Nalini, commuted the death sentence of three to life, and freed the remaining 19.

In April 2000, the Tamil Nadu Governor had commuted the death sentence of Nalini on the basis of state government's recommendation and an appeal by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The death sentence of remaining three convicts were commuted in February 2014, by the apex court on the ground of inordinate delay of 11 years in deciding the mercy petitions.

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The United Forum of Reserve Bank Officers and Employees today said its members will go on mass casual leave on September 4 and 5, pressing their long-pending demands over pension related issues.

According to a press release, United Forum today held a silent demonstration near the RBI office here which witnessed the participation of various leaders.

"To express deep resentment at the attitude of the officials of the Government of India, RBI staff members have waited too long and the limit of patience is crossing and are left with no alternative but to observe two consecutive days strike action ( Mass casual leave on September 4 and 5, 2018)," it said.

The forum will also submit a memorandum to the respective regional directors of all RBI centres on August 27.

The demands include updation of pension for contributory provident fund retainers and allow CPF/ additional provident fund for those recruited from 2012, among other demands.

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Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said today the "real masterminds" behind the killings of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and three other prominent persons were being protected and some people were being made scapegoats and named as conspirators by probe agencies.

The former Maharashtra chief minister questioned the timing of arrests made recently in connection with the killing of Dabholkar.

Chavan said in 2011, when he was chief minister and Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre, he had sought a ban on right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha as it was a "divisive and violent" outfit.

Chavan said he is still in favour of banning the Goa-headquartered outfit, which has been linked to the killings of rationalists and scholars, including Dabholkar, since 2013.

Sanatan Sanstha has denied any link with these killings.

On Saturday, the CBI said it has arrested the main shooter in the Dabholkar case.

The anti-superstition activist was shot dead on August 20, 2013 in Pune. After Dabholkar, another rationalist Govind Pansare was shot dead in Kolhapur in February 2015.

In a similar attack, rationalist and scholar M M Kalburgi was killed in broad daylight at his residence in Dharwad district of Karnataka on August 30, 2015.

Journalist Gauri Lankesh, known for her Left leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her home in Bengaluru on September 5 last year.

Chavan said a few days before the fifth death anniversary of Dabholkar, investigation agencies suddenly conducted raids and arrested people who, they claimed, were "masterminds".

"Then what about the people arrested earlier, like Manish Nagori and Vilas Khandelwal (alleged arms dealers), who are still in custody," he said, speaking to a regional channel.

"The timing of arrests made by security agencies is a bit doubtful because these developments have taken place just before August 20 (Dabholkar's fifth death anniversary). And agencies have immediately claimed these fresh arrests include the mastermind. I hope their claims are true," Chavan said.

He said the raid on the home of right-wing activist, Vaibhav Raut, arrested from Nallasopara in adjoining Palghar district in an arms seizure case, has again changed the entire narrative because of the police's claims.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad last week said it would probe if Raut and two others arrested along with him had any connection with the killings of Dabholkar, Pansare and Lankesh.

"Now, what happened to the ongoing investigation in the last four years (in the Dabholkar case)?" Chavan asked.

"I still feel the real masterminds behind these fatal attacks are being protected and some scapegoats are being presented as conspirators," Chavan said.

The CBI had said it had sent bullets and empty shells found in Pansare's body and at the site of the killing to the Scotland Yard police in the UK to ascertain if there was any link between the killings of Dabholkar and Pansare.

"This later turned out to be a false information. Even Karnataka has made it very clear (that no sample was sent)," he said.

"I sent a proposal to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, demanding a ban on Sanatan Sanstha in April 2011. But because of tedious process and (being) cautious of not violating any fundamental right, this (ban) could not happen," he said.

"The organisation has a presence in other states as well and hence opinion of those states also matters in this case (of banning Sanatan Sanstha)," Chavan said.

The government had proposed to ban the organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he noted.

"I had again sent a dossier of some 1,000 pages to the Centre in 2013 pertaining to this Sanstha," Chavan said.

The delay in action against the outfit also raises doubt if it enjoys political support, he said.

"We were of the opinion that it (the Sanstha) should be banned," he said, adding it is "not a normal organisation".

In June 2016, Virendra Tawde, a Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member, was arrested in connection with Dabholkar's killing, said Chavan, a former Union minister.

"What happened after his arrest? Hardly any information is out in the Dabholkar killing case. So many new names are coming up in these four assassinations.

"I just hope no more new names (of accused) come up and give another direction to investigations," Chavan said.

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Relief material from different parts of the country has started arriving at the port here to provide some succour to the people of Kerala devastated by unprecedented floods in about a century, officials said today.

A Cochin Port Trust official said Naval Ship INS Deepak, carrying relief material from Mumbai, arrived with about 800 tonnes of fresh water and nearly 18 tonnes of provisions.

Fresh water is being ferried on two barges to the affected areas. Trucks carrying provisions are being rushed for distribution, he said.

The official said another consignment of relief material sent by the shipping fraternity under an initiative of the Ministry of Shipping arrived at Vallarpadam.

A vessel with 50000 MT of crude from Mumbai has been diverted by BPCL to the Cochin port to meet the fuel demand of Kerala.

Incessant rains over the last few days have blurred the distinction between Kerala's backwaters and roads with sheets of water covering the landscape, but the state is facing shortage of potable water. Several fuel stations in the state are also reported to have run dry.

The Cochin Port Trust has set up a relief camp for the affected people from Koonamavu and Vypeen at Sir Robert Bristow Memorial School on Willingdon Island.

Doctors from port trust hospital examined the inmates and provided them medicines.

Volunteers comprising the port staff and their family members, customs and CISF are lending a helping hand at the camp.

Relief material mobilized by all major ports under the shipping ministry are being stored at Tuticorin port in Tamil Nadu and are expected to reach the Cochin port in the coming days, the official said.

The Cochin Port Trust had decided to contribute Rs 62 lakh to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund.

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An organisation of repatriated Bru community people has demanded that the Centre extend to them the same rehabilitation package being given to the Bru refugees whose repatriation was scheduled to begin later this month.

The final repatriation of 5,407 Bru refugee families from Tripura to Mizoram, scheduled to start from August 14, was deferred to August 25. The repatriation process was expected to be completed by September 25.

The Equal Package Demand Committee (EPDC), formed last month, raised the demand for equal rehabilitation. The EPDC has earlier threatened to thwart the repatriation process if its demand was not met.

The organisation held a meeting at Mamit bordering Tripura yesterday, following which a letter on the demand was sent to senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, EPDC chairman Elvis Chorkhy told PTI today.

In the letter, the EPDC expressed gratitude over the attention given to the demands raised by the organisation at a meeting of Joint Monitoring Committee at Dhamcherra, Tripura, on August 10.

As per an agreement signed on July 3, the yet to be repatriated refugee family would get a package of Rs 1.5 lakh for housing assistance, Rs 4 lakh to be withdrawn only after three years, free ration for 2 years and Rs 5,000 per month.

The Brus have already received Rs 80,000 as rehabilitation package and they were demanding Rs 70,000 more.

The repatriated Brus have received free ration for one year and they expect to receive it for another year, Chorkhy said, adding that they also expect to receive Rs 5,000 per month per family.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had supported the demands of the EFDC saying those who obediently returned to Mizoram earlier should be given an equal deal as those who are yet to be repatriated despite several attempts.

Altogether 32,876 Brus belonging to 5,407 families are currently lodged in six relief camps at Kanchanpur sub-division in North Tripura district.

These Brus are in Tripura since late 1997 in the wake of a communal tension triggered by the murder of a forest guard inside the Dampa Tiger Reserve on October 21, 1997 by Bru National Liberation Front militants.

The first attempt to repatriate them in 2009 failed and triggered another wave of exodus after the killing of a youth three days before the commencement of the repatriation process.

Though some Bru families had returned to Mizoram during a number of repatriation processes and on their own, many of them refused to leave Tripura.

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UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today called for a collective resolve to fight forces of "divisiveness, hate and bigotry" in the country, as she asserted that former prime minister and her husband Rajiv Gandhi's 'Sadbhavana' has a great relevance and resonance in the current times.

Speaking at the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award function, which was conferred on former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi for his contribution to communal harmony, she said he has been an uncompromising champion of values enshrined in our Constitution which are now under "determined and systematic assault".

The award, given every year on the former prime minister's birthday, was instituted to commemorate his contributions to promote peace, communal harmony and fight against violence.

The Congress leader said, "Rajiv Gandhi was an unwavering believer that India's unity was actually derived from and strengthened by her incredible diversity. That is what Sadbhavna meant to him -- not just acceptance of, not just respect for, but most fundamentally a celebration of our society's many diversities."



She said Rajiv Gandhi's Sadbhavana has great relevance and resonance in the current times, which was "not just a passive acquiescence and tolerance of different points of view, but active engagement - so that every citizen of India is enabled to lead a life of dignity, security and self-respect."



She further said growing prosperity and social liberalism were two sides of the same coin for the former prime minister.

"Both had to go hand in hand. Technological capabilities would have little value in the climate of growing scientific obscurantism and social prejudice.

"We have seen that the opening of the economy and the closing of the mind is a dangerous and destructive mix," she noted.

Talking about Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the recipient of the award this year, she said there is pain and anguish in his writings in recent years and "every right thinking and right acting Indian shares not only his analysis in what is going wrong, but also his profoundly sensitive articulation of what needs to be done".

"In conferring this award to Shri Gopal Krishan Gandhi, we collectively express our resolve to oppose the ideologies that reject the composite essence of our nationhood and to fight the forces of divisiveness, hate and bigotry," she said.

Sonia Gandhi also recalled the achievements of Rajiv Gandhi as prime minister, particularly in single-handedly changing the structure of the country's polity by the Constitutional empowerment of panchayats and 'Nagar Palikas' through reservation for women.

She said he brought peace to troubled regions of the country, even if it meant sacrificing elected Congress state governments in the process.

Recalling that Rajiv Gandhi saw huge potential for youth, she said the former prime minister ensured that 18-year-olds were given the right to vote. She said he broke new ground with using modern science and technology to address India's challenges in areas like drinking water, primary health, literacy and agriculture.

Former recipients of this award include Mother Teresa, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Mohammed Yunus, Lata Mangeshkar, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Kapila Vatsyayan, Teesta Setalvad, Swami Agnivesh, K R Narayanan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Muzaffar Ali and Shubha Mudgal.

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The soon to be ready Rohtang tunnel, which links the Lahaul valley with the rest of the world, should be named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet agreed at a meeting today and decided to forward a request to the Centre in this regard.

The state cabinet headed by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also decided to erect a statue of the charismatic former prime minister in Shimla's Mall road or the Ridge as well as a memorial in Manali.

Remembering the special attachment of Vajpayee with the people of Himachal Pradesh, the Cabinet passed a resolution that noted that the idea to construct the Rohtang tunnel connecting landlocked hinterland of the Lahaul valley with rest of the world was in 1998 by Vajpayee.

The project was announced by him on June 3, 2000, it said.

This project is nearing completion and would be the biggest gift of Vajpayee to the state, it said.

The cabinet also decided to erect Vajpayee's statue at the Ridge or Mall in Shimla and to construct a memorial at Manali. The statues of Mahatma Gandhi and late prime minister Indira Gandhi exist at the Ridge in Shimla.

The cabinet also decided to re-name the 'Mukhya Mantri Adarsh Vidya Kendra Scheme' launched by the state government as 'Atal Adarsh Vidya Kendra' and 'Mukhya Mantri Aashirwad Scheme' as 'Atal Aashirwad scheme'.

The state cabinet also decided to send a proposal to the union government to rename the Kol Dam project after Vajpayee.

The cabinet also observed a two minute silence as a mark of respect to Vajpayee who passed away on August 16 after prolonged illness. He was 93.

Expressing grief at his sad demise, the state cabinet lauded Vajpayee's contributions for the nation in general and for the state in particular.

Describing Vajpayee as a multi-faceted personality, the resolution said that apart from being a statesman, he was an outstanding orator, poet and a passionate journalist.

The cabinet in its resolution said that Vajpayee considered Himachal Pradesh as his second home and had a house at Prini in Kullu district. He loved to visit the state whenever he had time.

The resolution said it was the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Vajpayee that a special package for industrial development was announced for Himachal in 2003 as result of which investment of thousands of crores of rupees flowed in and employment for lakhs of youth was ensured.

The state cabinet said that it was the sheer grit of Vajpayee to go ahead with Pokhran nuclear tests making India a nuclear power. In addition, one of the largest education programmes 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' was launched during his prime ministership.

The cabinet in its resolution said it was during the tenure of Vajpayee that the Golden Quadrilateral National Highway Project came into being. In addition, 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna' (PMGSY) aimed at linking five lakh villages to cities by all weather roads proved a boon to the hilly states like Himachal Pradesh.

The Cabinet also remembered with reverence the foundation stones of Kol Dam and Parvati Hydro Electric Projects in the state besides Mohan Shakti National Heritage Park at Harth near Solan which were laid by Vajpayee.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cash worth Rs 3.28 lakh was allegedly stolen by an unidentified person from a postal bag here in Maharashtra, police said today.

Several bags containing the day's cash collection from eight post office branches here were brought to the city's head post office on August 18, Thane Police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said.

However, officials at the head post office got suspicious about one of the cash bags as it weighed lighter than the weight specified on it.

On opening the bag, they found paper pieces inside it, instead of the currency notes, Narkar said.

A senior postal official lodged a police complaint about Rs 3.28 lakh missing from the cash bag, she said.

The Thane Nagar police registered a case last evening under IPC section 379 (theft) and were probing the matter, she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Rajya Sabha chairman and the Lok Sabha speaker today jointly appealed to parliamentarians to contribute "generously" from their MPLADS funds for relief and rehabilitation works in flood-ravaged Kerala.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, read out the appeal signed by him and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, in presence of senior officers and the press at his official residence here.

The two also appealed to the lawmakers to consider donating a month's salary for the cause.

"Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods in Kerala, the government has declared this a calamity of a 'severe nature'," Naidu said.

More than 200 people have died and over 7.24 lakh have been displaced following floods and landslips in Kerala, which has been ravaged by heavy rains in the last one week.

"Hon'ble Members are aware that there has been large-scale devastation in various parts of Kerala due to floods in the state in which many people have lost their lives and thousands are left stranded besides heavy damage ton property," says the appeal.

MPs can contribute to various development works through the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds according to the guidelines of the scheme.

"We appeal to the Members of Parliament to contribute generously from their MPLADS funds for relief and rehabilitation works in the affected areas of Kerala, and permissible under the MPLADS guidelines, and also to consider donating their one month's salary to this noble and humanitarian cause," Naidu said, quoting from the appeal.

A senior official, who was present when Naidu read out the appeal, later said according to MPLADS guidelines, in cases of natural or man-made calamity, an MP can contribute "up to maximum of Rs 25 lakh".

"In the event of calamity of severe nature, in any part of the country, an MP can recommend works up to a maximum of Rs 1 crore for the affected district," the official said, quoting the guidelines.

He also said before the appeal was issued, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat had sought to know from the central government the status on the nature of calamity.

"In a reply sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the government said it is a calamity of a 'severe nature' for all practical purposes," he said.

BJP MP Varun Gandhi recently donated Rs 2 lakh to the Kerala Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund and urged parliamentarians and MLAs across the country to make financial assistance to the state, reeling under the worst floods in a century.

Gandhi also appealed to all lawmakers to rise above party lines and help the flood-ravaged state.

The monthly salary of an MP is about Rs 1.3 lakh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's defense minister says the military forces in the country's east have been put on high alert in the run-up to massive war games that also involve China and Mongolia.

Sergei Shoigu said the five-day drills that began Monday will pave the way for the Vostok (East) 2018 military exercise. Shoigu said those maneuvers, set for next month, will be the largest since the massive Soviet war games in 1981.

Shoigu said army, air force and navy units will take part in the exercise that will be held across the Far East and Siberia. He added that military units from China and Mongolia will also take part.

The Russian military has increased both the scope and frequency of its maneuvers amid tensions with the West.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said his party is preparing to enter electoral in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

He was speaking at a conference held here to pay tribute to former SAD president Sant Harchand Singh Longowal on his death anniversary.

"After Haryana, the party is now preparing to enter electoral in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan," Badal said.

Yesterday, the former Punjab chief minister had said at a party rally that SAD will contest the parliamentary and state assembly elections in Haryana independently next year.

He also appealed to Sikhs across the country to unite under the SAD banner.

Following in the footsteps of Sant Longowal, Badal said, the party is taking up the issues of the community and working to resolve them, be it in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir or Shillong.

Badal also paid rich tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who passed away last week.

He said Vajpayee never discriminated against anyone in the name of caste, religion or state and that the former prime minister was a true friend of Punjab and the Punjabis.

The SAD president launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab.

He alleged that Singh was so desperate to seize power in the run up to the 2017 Assembly elections that he promised everything from a complete farm loan waiver of Rs 90,000 crore, unemployment dole of Rs 2,500 to creating employment avenues for all, but did not fulfil any promise after coming to power.

Badal said even after over a year-and-a-half of the Congress coming to power, its government had not been able present any evidence of any Akali worker or leader being behind incidents of sacrilege of the Guru Grant Sahib.

Similarly, he said, the Congress had not been able to prove the involvement of any Akali worker or leader in encouraging the drug trade.

Badal also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said it was strange how sacked Leader of Opposition of Punjab Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira was now finding faults with the party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

"Earlier, when Khaira was the leader of opposition, he found him (Kejriwal) to be the most ideal leader," the SAD president said.

He said Khaira was now accusing the AAP of selling tickets ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections, but had not raised his voice earlier.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Contrary to what it may seem like, this series is actually still very much alive. Vera just needed a break to catch her breath, but shes good now. Todays Sweet Potato is a fellow Marylander, and judging from the cuteness of her son, he might be forced to pay Ada Verastics bride price in the future.

If you have no idea whats going on here, this post is part of a new series on Verastic, called Sweet Potato Files. In this series, each blog post features a Sweet Potato (blog reader), and the reason is that they (you) have been getting to know me for years, and now, I want to get to know YOU.

Todays Sweet Potato is Janet Ilonoh-Oyebanji; lets get to know her!

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am Janet Ilonoh-Oyebanji. Igbo woman to the core, born in Kaduna, and married to a man from Kwara state, so I am an official representative of Nigeria!!lmao. I also have a very, very spoilt 2-year-old son who is the center of my entire universe! Hes my boss, CEO, and owner of my entire life. I work as a patient service coordinator for Johns Hopkins and headed back to school for a second masters degree and I am TERRIFIED!!

2) How long have you been a Sweet Potato? Almost 3 years. 3) How did you discover Verastic and why do you keep coming back? On Instagram oh, and Im not even sure how, considering Im not there that often or even check out blogs for that matter! I keep coming back because you are so relatable! I love how you get excited about the little things in life, I am the same way. 4) Whats your favorite thing about Verastic/what do you love to read/see most on Verastic? All of Ada Verastics growing up stories encourage me that I am not alone in dealing with a 2-year-old. Your write up on mom guilt definitely hit close to home for me, because I quit the first 2 jobs I got after staying home with my baby for 7 months and deciding to go back to work. He is 2 1/2 years old, and I still feel guilty for going to work every day and only having Saturday and Sunday to spend with him. I end up overcompensating by not making any plans on Saturday and Sunday, so if you have faaji (enjoyment galore) on Saturday or Sunday, you already know who will probably not be there! LMAO. 5) Where do you live? [State and Country] Jessup, Maryland. 6) One quirky thing about you? I LAUGH A LOT!and its a problem sometimes because I laugh even when Im angry, so its hard for people to take me seriously! 7) Three words youd use to describe yourself? Im l oving, d riven, and s pontaneous (because I get bored easily). 8) What are your hobbies/what do you do for fun? Dancing, t raveling, l istening to good music. ( Naija music on youtube is on repeat from the time I get to work at 8 AM till I leave at 5 PM !)  keeps me hyped and partying in my seat because I cannot come and die abeg ! I also love sitting on the couch all weekend and watching cartoons in my pajamas..lol. Unwinding at the end of the day with a good Naija movie when my small oga has gone to bed! Irokotv has definitely renewed my faith in Naija movies, so I can watch 1 movie and it ends in less than 2 hours and it actually makes sense!!.. aaahh Jesu! And c ooking. I like cooking. 9) If money and fear were not an issue, what would you be doing right now? Id be traveling the world. 10) What would you like to see more of on Verastic? Or what kind of new content would you like me to add on Verastic? Fashion things! Styles to make with Ankara or lace and contact info for Naija tailors that are not professional hand fallers! LOL.

11) Anything else you want to share with me (us)? I quit my job in 2012 and relocated to Nigeria to complete NYSC!.. one of the BEST decisions of my life!.. it has steered and shaped my life in more ways than one. I met my husband on day 2 inside camp oh, just when I was starting to wonder what kind of witchcraft my village people have used to push me from America to HOT Abuja sun to be insulted by soldier men!! And we have been together ever since. My experience working as a counselor with Boko Haram victims at Wuse General Hospital has pushed me back to school to get another Masters degree, but this time, I am actually pursuing my dreams of being a Clinical Mental Health Counselor, with plans of returning to Nigeria to practice because the lack of mental health professionals and the rate people are committing suicide as a result of very manageable variations of mental illness is saddening.

From me to Janet: My darling! Let me start by saying that you love your exclamation marks oh!!!!!!!!!! Lol. Even after editing your responses, there are still a lot of exclamation marks. In my uncles words, Ill say wondafoo! That said, let me thank you first for being a Sweet Potato for the past three years. Chineke gozie gi (God bless you).

Thank you also for your current and future work in mental health, especially in Nigeria. Every now and then, I shiver when I think about all the individuals suffering from mental illness who are just labeled as mad, or worse, cursed. So its very nice to know that a Sweet Potato will be making a difference. Go get it, girl!

So NYSE is where theyre finding di (husband) now, ehn? Fellow Sweet Potatoes, una don hear? And lastly, on mom guilt, girl, dont get me started. And I do the same exact thing as you: I skip weekend events because I just want to spend more time with Ada Verastic. Between working on and off the blog, theres barely any time left. Oh, the guilt! *tears*

Per wanting fashion posts, well, I don start oh! I have two style posts up here and here . Have you seen them? Also, I hear you on wanting connections to Nigerian tailors. Im working on it (and much more). Thank you, Janet. I appreciate you, and I wish you all the best.

___________________________________________________________________

If you are a Sweet Potato, I would like to get to know you too. To be featured, simply send me an email, and Ill send you the questions. You may email me directly at hello at verastic.com or send it via my contact page. Read this initial post for clarification (and inspiration).

Click HERE to read every post under Sweet Potato Files or click on each feature below.
The Supreme Court today expressed anguish over an emerging "trend of targeting judges" and said this "must stop", while indicating that it



may impose an exemplary cost of Rs 25 lakh on an organisation for raking up the issue of "conflict of interest" against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra.

A charitable organisation 'Bhartiya Matdata Sangathan', in its plea, has alleged that in disregard of constitutional morality, a relative of the CJI, who is an MP from Odisha, was practising as a senior lawyer in the courts and tribunals here.

A bench, comprising the CJI and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, had on July 9 reserved its verdict on a PIL filed by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay seeking to ban legislators from practising as advocates.

Taking strong note of the interim plea of the organisation in the PIL on which the verdict has already been reserved, the bench said "this has become a trend of targeting judges. This trend must stop. If you have to make the allegation, please make them at the outset so that we can deal with them."



Justice Chandrachud did not agree to the submissions of some lawyers that the organisation be asked to pay a fine of Rs 50,000, Rs one Lakh and Rs five lakh for making such scandalous allegations and said, "I think that Rs five lakh is not the upper limit. I was thinking of (imposing) Rs 25 lakh".

Deprecating the practice of targeting judges, the bench said "ultimately, it (allegation) affects the institution".

The bench, which passed over the matter thrice during the day, refused to accept the unconditional apology tendered by the General Secretary of the organisation and told him that Attorney General K K Venugopal was suggesting that a case of contempt was being made out.

"Are you the General Secretary of the organisation? Did you pass the resolution before filing this? Do you take the responsibility of filing this," the bench asked.

It also asked the lawyer, who is the office bearer of the organisation, whether he had taken any legal advice before filing the application.

"There are judgements which say that the advocate-on-records (AoRs) are responsible for filing such an applications," the bench said.

Venugopal said that the AoRs are responsible for all the filings in the case.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for one of the parties, however, said that it appeared that the AoR was not aware of such filing in the case and suggested imposing of a fine of Rs 50,000 on the organisation.

Venugopal then referred to the "great tragedy" in Kerala and said the cost, to be imposed in the case, should be deposited in the Kerala relief fund, besides suggesting that a case of contempt was made out in the present case.

The CJI then informed that the apex court judges would also be contributing in the Kerala relief fund.

The bench, at the end of the hearing, asked the organisation to file the names of its office bearers on August 27 and consult the Attorney General in the meantime on the issue as to how much it can pay as cost for filing such an application.

The bench said it was hearing a PIL and there was no need of naming a lawyer just because he had once appeared in a matter against the organisation or its lawyers.

It agreed to the submission of the Venugopal that such kind of allegations are "extraordinary" and "unheard of" and needed to be dealt with sternly.

"Let the matter be listed on Monday (August 27). The organisation shall disclose the names of its members," the bench said.

The apex court had reserved its verdict on the PIL which had alleged that a lawmaker drew a salary from the public exchequer and a salaried employee was debarred by the Bar Council of India from practising in the courts of law.

The petition has said that while a public servant cannot practice as an advocate, legislators are practising in various courts which violated Article 14 of the Constitution.

The plea said the issue is a matter of concern to both the judiciary and the legislature as most of the lawmaker-advocates were involved in active practice of law, despite receiving salaries and other perquisites drawn on the public exchequer.

The petition also pointed out that the MPs have the power of voting on the impeachment of judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The judges of the Supreme Court will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said today.

A bench comprising CJI and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud made the observation during the hearing of a PIL that had sought barring of lawmakers from practising in courts across the country.

"We are also making some contribution. Judges of this court are also making contribution for the flood relief fund," the bench said.

The observation came after Attorney General K K Venugopal referred to the "grave tragedy" that has struck Kerala rendering 10 million people homeless.

The AG had earlier donated Rs one crore to the flood relief fund.

Many other senior lawyers have also contributed significant amounts towards the relief fund.

The south Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.

As per official records yesterday, 7,24,649 lakh people were housed in 5,645 relief camps across the state.

The deadly monsoon rains have so far claimed 210 lives since August 8.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Uttar Pradesh government's response on a petition challenging the dropping of the 2007 Gorakhpur riots case involving Chief Minister

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notice and sought a reply from the state government in four weeks.

"Issue notice. Let a copy of the petition be served on the caveator. Counter affidavit be filed within four weeks hence. Rejoinder, if any, be filed within two weeks therefrom. List after six weeks," the bench said.

An FIR was lodged at Kotwali police station in Gorakhpur against Yogi Adityanath, then a Member of Parliament, and several others on January 27, 2007 on charges of promoting enmity between two groups. It was alleged that several incidents of violence were reported in Gorakhpur on that day after an alleged hate speech by Adityanath.

The FIR had also claimed that Adityanath's alleged hate speech had led to the riots, in which ten people were reported killed. Adityanath was arrested and sent to police custody for 11 days.

On February 1, the Allahabad High Court had upheld the quashing of a magistrate's order that had taken cognisance of a charge sheet against Adityanath in connection with the riot case.

The high court had dismissed the petition against the Sessions Court verdict filed by Parvez Parwaz, at whose instance the FIR was registered against Adityanath and others.

Parwaz had challenged the sessions court's January 28, 2017 decision quashing the Magistrate's order on the grounds that he was not heard by the court. He had argued before the high court that being the informant in the case, he was a necessary party, but the sessions judge had set aside the order without impleading him.

The CID had completed its probe in 2015 and sought sanction for prosecution that year. The then Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in the state had not granted sanction to prosecute Adityanath.

A charge sheet was filed by the probe agency against Adityanath and others. Later, the magistrate took cognisance of the charge sheet and had summoned him.

The state government had told the high court that while passing the order of cognisance, the magistrate was required to obtain prior approval of state government, which was not done.

It said the Sessions Court was right in setting aside the order and had remanded the matter back to the magistrate for fresh consideration.
The Supreme Court today said it was "surprised" over reports that the Punjab government had spent around Rs 86 lakh from the funds meant for compensatory afforestation, to pay lawyers appearing on its behalf before the NGT.

"We are surprised that the payment (for the lawyers) was made out of CAMPA," the top court said, adding that if the report was correct, then it was a "misuse" of the fund.

The Compensatory Afforestation Funds Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), created under the orders of the apex court on an environment-related matter, was meant to be used for afforestation.

A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur referred to a media report which said that environmentalists in Punjab have questioned the Forest Department's move to spend around Rs 86 lakh to pay senior lawyers who were representing the state before National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a matter relating to Rs two crore deforestation case.

"We are surprised that amount of Rs 86 lakh have been spent," the bench, which also comprised Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta, said.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, said the government would conduct an audit in the matter.

The ASG told the bench that the apex court might take cognisance of the Punjab CAMPA matter.

"You ask Punjab about this item," the bench told Nadkarni and said it would not take cognisance at this stage as the issue of "judicial activism" would crop up.

The bench asked Nadkarni to verify the item and get back to the court on September 27.

At the outset, the ASG told the court that the Centre was collecting data from all the states on utilisation of various funds created under the orders of the apex court and meant for protection of and benefit of people.

An advocate, assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, raised the issue of appointment of a national regulator to monitor the utilisation of these funds and said the top court had delivered a judgement in this regard way back in 2011.

At this, the bench asked the ASG "what do you say about appointment of national regulator."



The ASG told the court that matter related to the appointment of a national regulator to monitor utilisation of these funds, was before the Union Cabinet.

The court had in May expressed displeasure over states "diverting" huge amounts of funds, meant for protection of and benefit of people, for other purposes like municipal works.

It had said that around Rs 75,000 crore, including around Rs 50,000 crore of CAMPA, was lying with the governments and asked whether there was any plan to utilise the money.

The apex court had earlier said there were around 10 to 12 funds which were created after the apex court orders in environmental matters and, as per information placed before it, the amount lying in them ranged over Rs 75,000 crore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today said it will have to consider the issue that there was no contest on over 20,000 seats in recently-held elections for local bodies in West Bengal in the wake of allegation that the candidates were obstructed from filing their nomination papers.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud reserved its verdict on the pleas filed by the West Bengal State Election Commission and parties like the BJP and CPI (M).

It has been alleged by the BJP and the CPI (M) that candidates from ruling All India Trinmool Congress in West Bengal were only allowed to file nomination papers and as a result, they won without any contest.

"The issue of non-acceptance of nomination papers by the Election Commission has to be dealt by the election tribunal in election petition.

"The issue was that over 20,000 seats went un-contested and the allegation was that the non-contest was due to the obstruction in filing of the nomination papers. The another aspect, which has been highlighted, was that nomination papers were filed by the candidates of one party. We have to see as to what can be done in such a situation," the bench said.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the state government, raised the issue of constitutional crisis in view of the fact that panchayat and local bodies have to be notified to avail funds to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore.

The election results of local bodies have to be notified to ensure that the funds are availed and utilised for the public welfare, he said.

The bench made clear that that it did not approve of the Calcutta High Court order allowing the filing of nomination papers through e-mails and WhatsApp.

It, however, said the it would consider the circumstances in which the High Court passed such a direction to infer that there were obstructions in filing of nomination papers.

The counsel for the ruling party opposed the plea of BJP and CPI (M) and said that not a single affected candidate is a party before the apex court and it is the political parties which are before it.

Earlier, the West Bengal government had told court that the row over the recently concluded panchayat polls in the state has led to a "constitutional crisis" since the tenure of several Panchayats were over and new bodies have not been made functional.

The apex court had earlier stayed the High Court order asking the state election body to accept the nomination papers filed through e-mail for panchayat elections and directed the poll panel not to declare in the gazette the names of those candidates who had won unopposed.

"The funds allotted to panchayats will go back. There is a constitutional crisis under Article 243(E) of the Constitution. The development in the villages has come to a standstill," the counsel for the state government said.

The top court had on August 13 asked the state election panel as to whether it conducted any probe into the fact that a large number of seats in the local body elections in the state went uncontested.

Out of a total 58,692 posts for gram panchayat village, zilla parishad and panchayat samiti, 20,159 had remained uncontested in the violence-marred local polls in the state held in May this year.

The apex court had said that the issue of huge number of uncontested seats has been bothering it.

The poll panel, however, argued that 33 per cent of nearly 50,000 panchayat seats going uncontested in the state was not "an alarming situation".

It had cited Uttar Pradesh where almost 57 per cent panchayat seats went uncontested and the figure was 51, 67 and 27.6 per cent in Haryana, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh respectively.

The West Bengal government had said that the panchayat polls cannot be set aside on the basis of "conjecture and surmises" of some political parties as no individual candidate has approached the court with the claim that he or she has been restrained from filing nomination papers.

Elections were held in phases for 48,650 posts in Gram Panchayats, 825 posts in Zilla Parishads and 9,217 posts in Panchayat Samitis and it has been alleged that around 34 per cent seats were uncontested.

The apex court had earlier refused to stay the poll process observing that there were a plethora of judgments which have held that once the poll process has begun, it cannot be interfered into by any court.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by the state election panel against the High Court order asking it to accept the nomination papers filed through e-mail for the panchayat elections.

The CPI(M) had claimed that many of its candidates were prevented from filing nominations by the state's ruling Trinamool Congress.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today said that it will hear on September 4, a plea by over 300 Army personnel challenging registration of FIRs against them for operations in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is in force.

The petition came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta and the court said the matter has to be heard by the bench which had passed an order in this regard last year.

"It has to go before the same bench," Justice Lokur said.

Justice Lokur said that he, along with Justice U U Lalit, had passed the order last year and the matter has to go before the same bench.

The court had on July 14 last year constituted the SIT and ordered lodging of FIRs and probe into as many as 1,528 cases of alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur.

Meanwhile, the bench said that two separate petitions related to Manipur fake encounter cases will be heard on September 4.

The main petition said Army personnel were being "persecuted" and proceeded against for performing duties in such disturbed areas.

The filing of the plea by serving Army officers assumed significance as the CBI's SIT has recently filed charge sheets in two separate encounter cases in Manipur against armed forces in which murder charges have been slapped.

The SIT was constituted by the apex court while hearing a matter related to alleged fake encounters by the Army, the Assam Rifles and the state police in Manipur.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The principal of a missionary school here was arrested for allegedly trying to rape a staffer in the campus today, police said.

Officer-in-Charge of Belsor Police Station Dipul Boro said the victim lodged an FIR and a case was registered against the principal at Panigaon village in the district.

The woman who worked as a cook in the school, in her complaint alleged that the principal entered her room in the school premises this morning and tried to rape her. She managed to escape and informed the nearby villagers about the incident, Boro said.

The villagers gheraoed the school campus and demanded his arrest, he said, adding police rushed to the spot and arrested him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Searching for Saraswati" director Amit Madhesiya says his documentary is a metaphor for the times we live in, where the government can spend Rs 50 crore in finding a mythical river at a time when existing ones are dying.

Successive governments, be it Congress or BJP, have been trying to find Saraswati, which is believed to have disappeared thousands of years ago, Madhesiya said, adding that he and his co-director Shirley Abraham were tracking the story for a while.

Their curiosity was piqued in 2015 when they read that the river was found in Mugalwali village of Haryana's Yamunanagar district.

Madhesiya said they had questions like "How do you find a river?" and "Why is a government trying to find a river that has been lost for some 5,000-8,000 years?"



The result is a much discussed 20-minute documentary, released by The New York Times on its Op-Docs section.

"This search for Saraswati is a metaphor for our times. We are trying to find these things that we can only imagine. We are trying to bring them to life to say that we are great, to say that Indians and Hindus are great. We should not have a problem in saying that but we should be making newer things," Madhesiya told PTI in an interview.

Madhesiya and Abraham earlier partnered to make the multiple award-winning documentary "Cinema Travellers", which was shown at Cannes.

There should, he added, be scientific progress and efforts to explore the frontiers of the universe.

"There is so much to learn but instead of doing that we are trying to find rivers. What is the public utility of finding that river? How is it going to benefit people? These were the questions that we were trying to find an answer to," Madhesiya said.

The Indian government, he said, had invested Rs 50 crore to dig a river, showing that Indians have "spare change" to spend on the "extra-curricular activity of finding a river".

"Who goes to find a river when our existing rivers are dying?" he asked, clarifying that his film does not doubt people's faith. But spending tax-payers' money on a project like this defies logic, in his view.

Questioning the government's actions, he said larger "issues of nationalism" seemed to be the motive.

"Our earth is 4.6 billion years old. Rivers come and go and maybe that river was lost. And now to take water from the ground and say that this river has been found, it is problematic because you are conflating myth with the fact. If you do that, then we are not creating an inquisitive society."



It can be problematic to keep going with the earlier idea of how great the country was if we don't invest in the future and instead present the older idea as the absolute truth, he said.

Describing the Vedas as great texts, he said they should be read by everyone, not forcefully but because they are great literature. But it is a fallacy to say all the knowledge, wisdom and truth about us and our country is written in those books, the director asserted.

"It is the same as saying that all the truth that is ever written in the world exists in the Bible or Quran. That is very dangerous because then it becomes an absolute idea of India and if you want to create that India, what you are doing is scuttling the curiosity of the people and the scientific thought.

"If I want to think big or question something, you would say that it is wrong because our text does not say it or says it in a different manner," Madhesiya said.

He cited the example of Italian astronomer Giordano Bruno, who was burnt alive for claiming that stars were actually suns, as the idea went against the Church at that time.

Villagers are not shown as just curious bystanders but actively participating in the narrative of "Searching for Saraswati". A "Peepli Live" like situation is seen unfolding in the film with some villagers exchanging stories of the miraculous river water's power to heal while others look for a scientific rationale.

"People in the villages are very aware. They know what it (the river's discovery) can bring to them. They see a lot of benefit in calling it 'Saraswati' because the government is telling them that there will be a huge pilgrimage, which will generate business. It is a village somewhere and they do farming, which does not yield much. So they see a lot of value in going with the narrative of the government," Madhesiya said.

At the end of the documentary, the project seems to have been abandoned by everyone, the crowd has disappeared, except for a lone farmer standing next to the well, which was believed by many to be the lost river. Still not ready to let go of his belief, he lies prostrate on the ground, urging the river goddess to appear.

"It was a respectful way of looking at his belief. Who are we to say that he is foolish? We don't have the moral authority to say that. So I have to respect that man's belief, at the same time engage in an intellectual conversation with him and that's how we should engage in any debate. This is why we acknowledge that moment. This exists and we have no answer to this," Madhesiya said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sembcorp Energy India Ltd (SEIL) today said it has won a bid to supply 250 MW electricity to Bangladesh for 15 years.

Sembcorp Gayatri Power, a subsidiary of SEIL, bid the lowest among half a dozen power utilities which submitted offers to Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for the supply.

"SGPL has received letters of intent from BPDB confirming its success in both the short term and long term bids, and supply of power is expected to commence soon upon completion of procedural requirements and relevant government approvals," the company said in a statement.

It, however, did not reveal the price at which it will supply power to Bangladesh.

BPDB had in February invited bids for buying 250 MW power from Indian firms for short duration (August 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019) and long-term (January 1, 2020, and July 31, 2033).

Other bidders included Adani Power Mundra Ltd, Hindustan Power, Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd, Meenakshi Energy Pvt Ltd and Odisha Power Generation Corp Ltd.

SEIL MD Vipul Tuli said, "We are pleased to have emerged the successful bidder, and look forward to commencing supply of power at a tariff that is attractive for Bangladesh and sustainable for SEIL, in keeping with growing Indo-Bangladesh economic ties. This bid fits into SEIL's strategy of providing cost-competitive and reliable power, while prudently contracting our balance open capacity at viable tariffs."



SEIL is part of the Singapore-based energy, water and marine group, Sembcorp Industries. Sembcorp Gayatri operates a 2,640 MW coal-fired power plant in Andhra Pradesh.

"SEIL owns and operates a balanced portfolio of both thermal and renewable energy assets totalling 4.37 gigawatts' capacity in operation and under construction," the statement said.

India exports approximately 900 MW of electricity to Bangladesh.

In February, state-run power giant NTPC had won a bid to supply 300 MW power to Bangladesh for 15 years at an estimated tariff of Rs 3.42 per unit. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, had won that bid over Sembcorp by a few paise, sources said.

That contract gave NTPC Rs 900 crore of annual revenue.

For that tender, BPDB had invited bids for supply of 500 MW power from India for short-term (June 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019) and long-term (January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2033). NVVN, Adani Group, PTC and Sembcorp submitted bids by the scheduled date of January 11.

As on June 5, Bangladesh had about 15,553 MW of installed capacity and 2,800 MW of captive power capacity. This is, however, way short of demand and the country had to import electricity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shiv Sena said today its MLAs and MPs will donate a month's salary for Kerala flood relief.

The money will be donated in the Kerala Chief Ministers Relief Fund, the Maharashtra-based party said and expressed solidarity with the people of the southern state who are reeling under unprecedented floods.

"To stand with Kerala, all MPs and MLAs of the Shiv Sena will be contributing their one months salary to the Kerala Chief Ministers Relief Fund," Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray said.

"For the last week, our Thane city unit has been actively collecting essential food and clothing materials to be sent to Kerala," he tweeted.

Last week, Congress legislators in Maharashtra said they will donate a month's salary towards relief work in flood -ravaged Kerala.

The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress said party president Rahul Gandhi has asked partymen to stand beside the people of Kerala and extend all possible help to flood victims.

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Courtesy KAABOO Del MarKaty Perry is one of the headliners at next month's KAABOO Del Mar festival, just north of San Diego, CA, and she's turning her appearance into an opportunity to raise money for a good cause.

Katy is now offering fans the chance to purchase a Katy Perry Cares Pass for her performance at the festival on Sunday night, September 16. Fans who shell out for the pass, which costs $89, will be able to enter the grounds at 6 p.m., so they can get a good spot for her 7:30 p.m. performance. It's the best choice for KatyCats who don't want to pay for a one-day or three-day pass to the entire festival.

A portion of the proceeds from the pass will benefit MusiCares, the Recording Academy's charitable arm. You can get them at Kaaboodelmar.com/KatyCares.

Other performers at this year's KAABOO Del Mar Festival include Imagine Dragons, Halsey, rock legend Robert Plant, Bebe Rexha, Melissa Etheridge, Jewel, Vanessa Carlton, Blondie, Billy Idol and many more. The festival runs from September 14-16 in Del Mar, CA.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.




The oil market has suddenly gone south in recent weeks, with cracks in the global economy starting to drag down oil. The U.S.-China trade war is one of the drivers of the souring climate. But that conflict could get a lot worse in the months ahead. As Oil Price writes in an article "U.S., China Trade War Puts A Lid On Oil", the latest flashpoint is the lira crisis in Turkey, which is dragging down other currencies and sparking fears of an emerging market crisis. But the problems have been building for some time. The IEA warned last week that the oil market has been cooling down, which was partly the result of a restoration of outages in Libya, but also a slowing of demand in the second and third quarters.

The return of some supply and the slowdown in demand has depressed prices in July and August. Brent is thus facing its third consecutive weekly loss. WTI even looks set to be down for the seventh week running  which would be its longest losing streak in three years, Commerzbank wrote in a note. Other negative signs have become more visible. Fuel markets are showing signs of trouble. Oil demand in Asia is slowing down. Timespreads in the oil futures market are throwing up some bearish signals. From here, it is unclear which way we go. The outages in Iran loom, but so does a potential further knock on demand.

One main factor to consider is that trade tensions might escalate and lead to slower economic growth, and in turn lower oil demand, the IEA warned, clearly referring to the escalating trade conflict between the U.S. and China. If this does happen, it might dampen to some extent the impact on prices of any supply pressures. Intriguingly, however, those two issues could soon become intertwined, whereas up until now they have mostly been separate issues. More specifically, China may defy the U.S. demand that it stop buying oil from Iran, which could heighten the tension between Washington and Beijing. The United States certainly hopes for full compliance by all nations in terms of not risking the threat of U.S. secondary sanctions if they continue with those transactions, Brian Hook, the U.S. point person on Iran sanctions at the State Department, said a few days ago. We are prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments that continue this sort of trade with Iran. The statement was a not-very-subtle threat to Beijing: Cut imports from Iran or face U.S. sanctions. Hook was recently appointed to head the so-called Iran Action Group, which seeks to apply maximum pressure on Tehran. The U.S. government has alternately said that it wants countries to cut their imports to zero while also signaling flexibility for countries that make an effort to dramatically reduce their purchases of Iranian oil. Bloomberg reported that India has considered cutting oil imports from Iran by 50 percent in exchange for a U.S. waiver on the rest. But China has indicated that it would be unwilling to comply with Washingtons demands. Thus, the Trump administration is suggesting that it would slap sanctions on China, which would amount to yet another dramatic escalation in tension between the two countries, which now spans multiple issues.

Meanwhile, the trade war is also proceeding forward as before. Tit-for-tat tariffs are showing no signs of letting up, although negotiators from both countries will meet again later this month to resume negotiations, the first direct trade talks in more than two months. It is unclear if the Trump administration will move forward with the previously announced $200 billion in tariffsbefore then. If the U.S. does move forward on those punitive measures, China will be compelled to respond. Beijing has proposed tariffs on U.S. LNG next, which would force U.S. gas exporters to look to other markets. Analysts say that instead of curtailing existing exports, the bigger impact of the tariffs will be to put new U.S. LNG export terminals on ice. Theres no way in the current environment that anyones going to be signing any deals, Neil Beveridge, senior oil analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., told the Wall Street Journal. Its causing a big overhang on what can get done. China notably refrained from putting levies on U.S. crude earlier this month, but an escalation from here opens up all sorts of uncertainties.

In short, the U.S.-China conflict is a huge weight on the oil market, even as the potential for serious supply outages from Iran loom just over the horizon. Although emerging market contagion and China slowdown fears seem somewhat overstated, neither fundamental nor sentiment should provide support for higher commodity prices, Julius Baer Head of Macro and Commodity Research Norbert Rucker said, according to Reuters.
As many as seven puppies were found dead under mysterious circumstances inside an apartment complex in a posh west Delhi locality today, triggering allegations that they were killed by the residents.

The police received a call regarding the puppies' death by a female resident of the Kargil Apartments in Sector 18A, Dwarka. They were rushed to a veterinary hospital where they were declared brought dead, a senior officer said.

In a Facebook post, the woman alleged, "See we human call ourself so civilised and educated. The case of Kargil apartment sector 18A Dwarka where people were so annoyed with these puppies so they killed all of them."



They were seven in number and all were found dead in the morning. There were so many cut marks on their body, the post read. The woman also urged her Facebook friends to share the post to bring into the attention of the masses and asked people to fight against such alleged cruelty.

The role of the apartment residents are being probed and the complex's CCTV footage examined, the officer said.

A post-mortem has been conducted and a case will be registered as per the report under specific sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of Page Industries today rose for the fifth consecutive session and rose 3 per cent to its 52-week high of Rs 35,049.90 on bourses.

On August 13, MSCI, a leading provider of benchmark indices globally, had said that Page Industries has been added in the MSCI India Domestic Index.

The changes in constituents for the MSCI India Domestic Index will take place as of the close of August 31, 2018, MSCI had said.

The shares of the company today opened on a bullish note at Rs 34,144, then gained further ground and touched its 52-week high of Rs 35,049.90, up 2.95 per cent over its previous closing price.

Similar movement was seen on NSE as well, where the stock opened at Rs 34,130, then touched its 52-week high of Rs 35,080, up 3.14 per cent over its last close.

Since August 10, the share has surged 11.48 per cent and since the start of this year the stock has jumped as much as 37.65 per cent.

Bengaluru-based Page Industries is the exclusive licensee of Jockey International Inc (USA) for manufacture, distribution and marketing of the Jockey brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UAE.

Page Industries is also the exclusive licensee of Speedo International Ltd. for the manufacture, marketing and distribution of the Speedo brand in India, according to company website.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam will be placed on the Exit Control List, the first meeting of the new Cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan decided today, a move that will prevent them from fleeing the country.

Prime Minister Khan chaired the Cabinet meeting, which also discussed economic challenges and austerity measures, among other matters, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said.

He said the Cabinet decided to place Sharif and Maryam on the Exit Control List as part of the government's anti-corruption drive.

The Cabinet also directed the law and interior ministries to implement red warrants against Sharif's sons, Hassan and Hussain, and former finance minister Ishaq Dar and bring them back to Pakistan as they were "absconding criminals of the state".

All three of them are named in corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau and have been declared as absconders by an accountability court.

The law ministry has been directed to contact the British government over the Avenfield properties in London owned by the Sharif family, the minister said. The Sharif family bought the four posh flats through money laundering, a Pakistani anti-corruption court had found.

"Avenfield properties belong to Pakistan," Chaudhry said, referring to one of the corruption cases against the Sharif family in which the 68-year-old former prime minister was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison while his daughter Maryam, 44, was given eight years' sentence by an accountability court earlier in July.

The father-daughter duo are currently serving their term at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, along with Maryam's husband Captain (retd) Safdar who was sentenced to a year in prison.

Sharif's wife, Kulsoom, is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital in London for throat cancer.

"Eliminating corruption is an important part of our [government's] policy," Chaudhry continued, adding that there will be no political appointments in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's government.

The cabinet did not discuss anything regarding former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, he said. Musharraf is staying in Dubai since last year and has been summoned by Pakistani courts in a number of cases.

The Cabinet meeting also focused on implementation of the policy measures announced by Prime Minister Khan in his address to the nation yesterday, the information minister said.

The Cabinet also decided that Prime Minister Khan will not go on on any foreign tours for the next three month "unless there is a pressing matter that needs to be addressed". Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will represent Pakistan on international platforms.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shooting of Bengali TV soaps was stalled for the third day in the city today due to a ceasework by the Atists Forum demanding regularisation of pay and talks between it and the Welfare Association of Television Producers failed.

Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee told reporters that the Artists' Forum did not wish to disrupt shooting schedules of TV soaps but the July 8 agreement between the body and the Television Producers' body should be respected and artists should be paid regularly.

While the agreement between producers and forum had stipulated that the artists should get their salaries within the 15th day of the next month, many producers did not honour it and did nor arrange the payment overdue to the artists, Chatterjee said.

He said in the given situation it was not possible to resume work unless the producers paid the overdue wages on time.

Chatterjee made it clear though he was only referring to a section of producers and not all, the ceasework was disrupting the overall shooting schedules.

Forum general secretary and actor Arindam Ganguly said the July 8 agreement had also specified that any artist, working for more than 10 hours should be paid on hourly basis after the expiry of the time. That too had not been honoured by a section of producers.

"If an artist has to slog for 14 hours on the shooting floor and is not paid his/her dues for three-four months - isn't that an issue which has to be addressed immediately ?" Chatterjee said.

He said the state government was aware of the situation. "Minister Aroop Biswas has been updated of the developments at the meeting and he is trying to arrive at a solution."



The Forum, an organisation of actors and actresses, has 2,200 members.

A spokesman of the Welfare Association of Television Producers said it had joined the talks today with an open mind. Everyone should keep in mind that any further disruption of shooting schedules will led to a halt in the telecast of serials on local TV channels soon.

There was no shooting during the day in all the eight studios located across different areas of south Kolkata due to the ceasework, the spokesman said.

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Turkish media reports say shots were fired at a security booth outside the US Embassy in the capital, Ankara.

Private Ihlas agency said four to five rounds were fired from a moving white car and targeted security booth outside Gate 6 early Monday. It said one bullet hit a window but no one has been hurt.

The US mission is closed this week as Turkey celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Police were dispatched after the shooting about 5 a.m. and were searching for the car.

Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over the case of an imprisoned American pastor, leading the US to impose sanctions and increased tariffs that sent the Turkish lira tumbling last week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gunshots were fired at the US embassy in Ankara today, without causing any casualties, Turkish and American officials said as tensions spiked between the two NATO allies.

Six shots were fired at the embassy with three bullets hitting the iron gate and exterior wall, the Ankara governor's office said, indicating there were "no casualties".

Turkish police detained one suspect in connection with the attack, the state-run Anadolu agency, without providing any details.

Speaking to AFP, spokesman David Gainer confirmed the embassy was investigating a "security incident".

"We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details," he said, thanking the Turkish police for their "rapid response".

A bullet mark could be clearly seen in the window of the security booth, an AFP journalist at the scene said.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu condemned it as a "provocative attack" in a posting on Twitter.

"We will make sure that this incident is investigated quickly and the perpetrators are brought to justice," he said.

The Turkish foreign ministry said measures were taken to "ensure the security of the US embassy in Ankara, other US missions and their personnel" across the country.

The attack took place to the backdrop of a bitter diplomatic spat between Ankara and Washington, with presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also blasted the attack as an attempt to "create chaos" "Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions are safeguarded by law," he wrote on Twitter.

The highly-fortified embassy was also hit by a suicide bombing five years ago that killed a Turkish security guard and injured several other people. That attack was claimed by the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKP-C), a radical Marxist group.

Ankara and Washington have been locked in an increasingly acrimonious diplomatic dispute over Turkey's detention of an American pastor on terror-related charges.

US President Donald Trump has doubled the tariffs on aluminium and steel tariffs from Turkey, prompting Ankara to impose similar measures on several US products.

On Friday, Turkey threatened to respond in kind if Washington imposed further sanctions as a court rejected another appeal to free pastor Andrew Brunson.

The diplomatic stand-off has sent the Turkish currency into free fall against dollar although President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to lead the country out of the crisis.

In a statement ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha, Erdogan remained defiant over the US sanctions.

"The attack aimed at our economy has no difference from an attack aimed at our call to prayer or flag," he said.

Those who thought they could bring Turkey to its knees through the foreign currency exchange rate "will soon see they are mistaken," Erdogan added.

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The Congress today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he was playing politics on the issue of flood relief, and asked him to show large-heartedness in providing more central assistance to flood-hit Kerala as the Rs 500-crore aid was "too little, too late".

Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill asked the prime minister to declare the Kerala floods as a national calamity.

"The large-heartedness Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows in self promotion, advertisement and propaganda, he should show the same large-heartedness towards Kerala in giving the relief fund and providing the assistance that it requires.

"...(the aid announced by the prime minister) is a classic case of too little, too late. A state which is witnessing a disaster of over Rs 19,000 crore has only got a paltry sum of Rs 500 crore from Narendra Modi who has spent Rs 5,000 crore on his self-promotion and publicity, Rs 35 crore on his fitness videos, Rs 1,100 crore on BJP headquarters," he said.

Shergill said everybody in the nation has risen to the occasion to help Kerala except Narendra Modi, "who is busy playing petty politics in such a disaster".

He said the prime minister by "mistreating" Kerala by not extending a helping hand has once again displayed that "he does not believe in the spirit of cooperative federalism or the spirit of 'Team India'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The situation in Kerala is improving and the rescue operations are almost complete, with efforts now moving towards relief and rehabilitation, a senior Navy officer said today.

Floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives in Kerala since August 8 and displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

"As far as the Navy is concerned, we have stepped up our efforts specifically in the last four-five days and today, as you know, the effort is moving more towards providing relief and subsequently towards rehabilitation," Vice Admiral Girish Luthra Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) told reporters here.

"The initial part of rescue has been more or less completed, although a few people may be trapped in different areas. We will be reaching to them and making sure that they are also taken to safe locations," he said.

Vice Admiral Luthra said the rescue operations in Kerala started about two weeks ago and were gradually stepped up as the rains intensified.

"The entire effort is being coordinated from Delhi. As far as the defence forces are concerned, it is coordinated by the Defence Crisis Management Group and at the national level too it is (being) coordinated by the National Crisis Management Group," he said.

He said the situation was expected to come under control soon with the support from all agencies, the central and state governments and a large number of NGOs and individuals.

Vice Admiral Luthra was here to attend the ceremony for affiliation of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) regiment with INS Kochi and 51 Squadron Air Force.

The ceremony was held at the JAKLI Regimental Centre at Rangreth, on the outskirts of Srinagar.

"It is a very historic day. Today, a frontline ship of the Indian Navy -- INS Kochi -- has been affiliated with JAKLI. It is for the first time that we are doing this affiliation between the naval unit and an Army regiment outside a naval base," the FOC-in-C said.

"We will have personnel from JALKI visiting our ships and also sailing our ships and similarly, our personnel from INS Kochi will visit their various locations, including off-locations, and learn about the functioning of various battalions of JAKLI, he added.

"This will promote better understanding and better synergy between our two services," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) Lt Gen Satish Dua said thousands of Jammu and Kashmir youths turning up at Army recruitment rallies showed that not all felt alienated.

He said, "It is true that we have some of our children who are misguided, who are on the wrong path and we hope that they will get back into the mainstream soon. But there is also another face of the youth of J-K. If everybody is so alienated, then why do we have youths coming out in such huge numbers for recruitment rallies of the Army?"



Lt Gen Dua said there had been an "improvement" in the situation in the state this summer, with terrorist encounters, stone-pelting under control compared to the previous years.

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Rescue and relief operations in rain-ravaged Karnataka's Kodagu were intensified today, as the situation in the district bordering Kerala came "under control" after leaving a huge trail of destruction which has claimed at least 12 lives and rendered hundreds homeless.

The administration cancelled hotel bookings made by tourists in the scenic hilly district nestled on the hills of the Western Ghats till the end of this month as it tottered under torrential rains that caused floods and landslides.

The administration has cancelled hotel bookings made by tourists in the scenic hilly district till the end of this month.

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the situation was "under control" and assured the people battered by floods and landslips of a "new life" with fair rehabilitation.

As the rains subsided since this afternoon, government machinery was now focusing on relief and rehabilitation work a almost all those who were stranded have been rescued, he said.

The chief minister also said action has been initiatedto distribute an interim relief of Rs 3,800 per family of distressed people sheltered in relief centres.

Now situation is totally under control, our officers are doing their best. We have taken things very seriously, without rest our people are on the job," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

Calling it the "biggest disaster" that Kodagu has seen inrecent times, he appealed to the affected people not to worryas the government was with them.

"Protecting your (affected people) interest is the responsibility of the government, we will try to build a new life for you," he said.

Asked about the number of people still to be rescued, the chief minister said almost every one has been rescued.

"...if we still get any information or call for rescue, teams are stationed there. As of now the information with the government is everyone has been rescued," he said.

With all major roads leading to Kodagu being blocked, a massive rescue operation had been on for the last couple of days to rescue those stranded in the hilly terrains of the district.

As of today, over 4320 people have been rescued and brought to relief centres.

Several tourists were stuck in resorts and hotels ever since the disaster struck the district last week, with roads, including highways, suffering damage, making access to the region extremely difficult.

Restoration of damaged roads is on a war-footing, official sources said.

Personnel of the army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies are involved in the ongoing rescue operations, where 3,500 people had been moved to safer places till yesterday, officials said.

An official notification issued by the district deputy commissioner today said bookings made by tourists in hotels, resorts and home stays had been cancelled till August 31.

The measure has been taken for the safety of tourists, it added.

Kumaraswamy said 41 relief centres in Kodagu and nine relief centres in Dakshina Kannada, another flood-hit district, have been set up and a total of 6620people are sheltered in these relief centres, where all basic amenities like food, toilet and water facilities have been provided.

Giving details about loss to life and property, officials said, 12 people have lost their lives and 845 houses damaged of which 773 houses are partially damaged.

Also, 23 km of road, 58 bridges, 278 government buildings and 3800 electric poles have been damaged.

A total of 1725 specially trained experts from Karnataka State Reserve Police, National and State Disaster Response Forces, Army, Navy and Air force, NCC, Home guards and District Administration have been deployed in rescue operations, they said.

Kumaraswamy said three officials at the helm of the rescue and relief work- the District Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and in-charge secretary of the district were women officers and commended the district administration for their efforts.

He said the President and the Prime Minister have spoken to him over phone and enquired about the situation.

"I have told the Prime Minister that after gathering information about the extent of damage, I will be coming to Delhi to seek assistance," Kumaraswamy said.

He said during his visit to rain-hit areas, a few labourers, who arewithout any job, expressed worry about the future once therescue centres were shut.

Officials have been instructed to provide them work under MNREGA scheme, the chief minister said.

While a blueprint is being prepared to provide permanent housing for those who have lost their dwellings, he said instructions have been given to set up 2000 temporary sheds in next 10 days, with all basic amenities.

Two IAS officers have been deputed to take up rehabilitation work, he said.

Officials said the government has also spoken to the Madras Engineer Group (MEG) for assistance in clearing andreconstruction of roads in the district that have been severely damaged.

Five divisions of the PWD department have been shifted to the district.

Detailing about the relief and rehabilitation work, officials said five teams of doctors have been deployed to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

Ten teams of revenue officers have been drafted to oversee relief work, the chief minister said.

The chief minister said as schools in Kodagu districtwere closed for 20 days in three months,instructions have been issued to authorities concerned to complete the syllabus by taking special classes.

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The smallest batch of 43 pilgrims today left the base camp here for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas as the 60-day annual pilgrimage entered the final phase with the holy mace joining the yatra, officials said.

The 45th batch of pilgrims comprising 42 men and a woman left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp this morning for Kashmir to undertake the yatra through the shortest 12-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, the officials said.

This was the smallest batch of pilgrims leaving for the cave shrine from here since the commencement of the 60-day yatra from the twin routes of Baltal and traditional 36-km Pahalgam route in Ganderbal district on June 28.

Yesterday, 802 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine taking the number of pilgrims who had performed the yatra this year so far to 2,82,376.

The yatra entered the final phase today as 'Chhari Mubarak', the saffron robed holy mace of Lord Shiva, was taken by a group of 'sadhus' to Pahalgam from its abode at Dashnami Akhara in the heart of Srinagar, the officials said.

They said the holy mace would reach the cave shrine on August 26 after night halts at various places en route including Pahalgam, Chandanwari and Sheshnag and would be offered special prayers at the shrine, marking the end of the annual yatra.

Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 680 pilgrims today left the Bhagwari Nagar base camp here for the Budha Amarnath shrine in mountainous Poonch district, officials said.

The 10-day yatra was going on smoothly and so far over 5000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the shrine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton is bemoaning the "wretched" Iranian nuclear deal in his talks with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bolton told Netanyahu that the United States sees the "highest importance" in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and that's why Trump withdrew from the deal negotiated by the Obama administration and was reapplying stiff sanctions.

"This is why President Trump withdrew from the wretched Iran nuclear deal. This is why he has imposed economic sanctions. This is why we are working with our friends in Europe to convince them of the need to take stronger steps against Iranian nuclear weapons," ABC news cited Bolton as saying.

This is also, Bolton added, the reason why we "continuously worry about Iran's role as the central banker for international terrorism, this is why we worry about Iran's belligerent military activity in Iran, in Syria, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and in Yemen."

Netanyahu agreed the deal was "disastrous" and called Trump's decision to drop out historic.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi today demanded a ban on right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha claiming that some of the people arrested by the Maharashtra ATS recently had links with the outfit.

He further demanded action against people who had been coming out in support of Vaibhav Raut who was arrested on August 10 after the ATS seized crude bombs and explosives in a raid at Nallasopara in neighbouring Palghar district.

He claimed that Raut and the two others arrested by the ATS in connection with the seizure were planning to set off bombs during Eid.

Addressing a press conference today, Azmi praised ATS and CBI for the arrests, including that of Aurangabad-resident Sachin Andure who the central agency has claimed was the main shooter in the killing of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

"We now expect the agencies to make a watertight case so that these persons can be given the strictest punishment," Azmi said, adding that officials of these agencies should be provided security.

"We demand that Devendra Fadnavis government pursue these cases diligently and initiate the process to ban the Sanatan Sanstha," Azmi said.

He claimed that the arrest of persons like Raut had proved that terror had no caste or religion.

Azmi is an SP MLA from Govandi in eastern Mumbai.

The Sanatan Sanstha has repeatedly denied that the arrested persons had any link with it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A police officer shot dead a man armed with a knife as he tried to attack a police station in Catalonia today, just days after the one-year anniversary of a twin attack in the northern Spanish region that killed 16 people.

"We are treating it as a terrorist attack. The officer used her gun to save her own life," Rafel Comes, a commissioner with the Catalan regional police, told a conference in Cornella de Llobregat where the attack took place.

The man arrived at the police station in the town near Barcelona at 5:45 am (0345 GMT) with a knife and "a clearly premeditated desire to kill an agent of our force," he added, saying security was being reinforced at police stations across Catalonia.

Anti-terrorism police sources had earlier told AFP that the man was a 29-year-old Algerian who lived in the area, and had shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) as he entered the station.

But Comes said the agent who shot the man dead can only recall hearing him invoking the name of "Allah" and the rest of what he said was incomprehensible.

The commissioner would not confirm the attacker was Algerian, saying police still needed to confirm that the Algerian identity papers he carried with him were in fact his.

The police station was cordoned off and funeral home employees removed the attacker's body from the building, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Officers searched the man's home, which was located just a few hundred metres (yards) from the site of the attack.

The incident occurred just days after the first anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia.

Sixteen people were killed on August 17, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas boulevard and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, Spain's worst since the Madrid train bombings in 2004 when 191 people died and more than 1,800 were injured.

Spain has kept its terrorist alert at the second-highest level since 2015. Catalonia, which is home to a significant number of second-generation North African immigrants, has had a long history of Islamic militant activity.

Spain's first Muslim extremist -- a member of the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (GIA) -- was uncovered in Catalonia in 1995.

Mohammed Atta, the pilot who slammed a passenger plane into one of New York's World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, spent time in Catalonia shortly before the attacks.

And in 2008, a plot targeting Barcelona's underground trains was foiled when it was already in advanced stages.

One in four people detained in Spain in relation to extremist Muslim-linked terrorism come from the Catalan province of Barcelona, according to a study published last year by the Real Instituto Elcano, a Spanish think-tank, which called the province the country's "main centre of jihadist activity".

There have been a string of similar incidents in neighbouring France targeting police and soldiers, including one in January 2016 in which police shot dead a man wielding a cleaver and yelling "Allahu akbar" as he tried to attack a police station in northern Paris.

That incident came on the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

The Islamic State group has frequently called on their followers to attack soldiers and police in France, who they see as a legitimate target because they represent the French state.

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Students' union elections in all higher educational institutes of Rajasthan will be held in two phases, on August 28 and September 10, state Education Minister Kiran Maheshwari said today.

The ballot-paper based elections will be conducted for four posts -- president, vice-president, secretary and joint- secretary -- from 8 am to 1 pm and the results will be announced on September 11, Maheshwari told reporters here.

Elections in Jodhpur division will be conducted on September 10 whereas in rest of the state on August 31, she said.

The elections will be based on the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee, said the higher education minister.

The Lyngdoh Committee recommendations laid down guidelines for a free and transparent student election, which include the eligibility criteria of candidates, transparency in election expenditures, as well as barring candidates from re-contesting, irrespective of whether they have won or lost the previous election.

The voter list of all divisions, except Jodhpur, will be published on August 24, she said.

Filing of nomination papers will be allowed till August 25 and the final list will be published on August 27, she said.

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Chinese battering ram Sun Yang smashed his rivals to create history today as the swimming goliath scooped the first-ever Asian Games men's 800 metres freestyle gold with another monstrous performance.

For once though he didn't have it all his own way.

Greeted like a rock star by high-pitched squeals from excitable female fans in Jakarta, the three-time Olympic champion returned to the pool expecting to anchor China to victory in the 4x200m free -- only for the pesky Japanese to tear up the script.

Meanwhile, Japan's Olympic hope Rikako Ikee picked up her second and third Asian titles in the women's 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle.

But it was the talismanic Sun who sprinkled stardust on proceedings as ever, storming to victory in the 800m free in a Games record of seven minutes, 48.36 seconds -- almost five seconds clear of Japan's Shogo Takeda.

He also came agonisingly close to completing a relay fightback.

But Japan's Katsuhiro Matsumoto clung on to seal a fingertip upset in 7:05.17 and dash Sun's hopes of winning five gold medals in Indonesia.

China and Japan finished day two of the six-day meet neck and neck on seven gold medals.

Sun, who powered to the 200m title at the weekend, uncoiled his rippling two-metre frame to pull away over the second half of the 800m, leaving Takeda and Vietnam's Nguyen Huy Hoang flailing in his wake.

"That gives me confidence for 2020 Tokyo Olympics," Sun told reporters.

"It was a pity we lost the relay but Japan swam a great race. Two finals in one night isn't a problem for me but I can still work on my endurance for sure."



- Ikee double -



===============Ikee crushed it in the 50m fly, breezing to victory in a Games best of 25.55 -- almost half a second clear of China's Wang Yichun.

The 18-year-old, who has become the new face of swimming in Japan, is expected to be a force in the 100m free and 100m fly at the 2020 Olympics in her home city.

And after setting a new meet best in the 100m free in helping Japan win the weekend's 4x100m relay, Ikee ducked under the record again in the individual race, touching in 53.27 after a brave fight from China's Zhu Menghui.

"I achieved what I came to do tonight so I'm delighted," said Ikee. "The plan was to conserve energy in the first half of the race and finish strong -- that's exactly what happened."



Defending champion Kosuke Hagino was stunned by China's Wang Shun in the men's 200m individual medley.

Wang caught his Japanese rival over the last leg of freestyle to win in 1:56.52 as Hagino clocked 1:56.75.

"I'm delighted," said Wang. "It gives me confidence to beat such a great swimmer."



However, there were some late crumbs of comfort for Olympic silver medallist Hagino, who swam a superb third leg in the 4x200m relay.

"I kind of cramped up in the medley," he admitted. "There just wasn't enough in the tank."



Former world champion Kanako Watanabe kept Japan in touch with medal-topping China by retaining her 200m breaststroke title in 2:23.05, producing a sinew-shredding late spurt to edge China's Yu Jingyao.

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: Srinivasan Services Trust, the social arm of two and three wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company today announced the appointment of retired IAS officer Swaran Singh as its CEO with immediate effect.

Singh has been associated with the Trust since 2007 in the capacity of Deputy Chairman, a press release said.

The Chairman of the Trust, Ashoke Joshi would play the role of an Advisor.

In his three decades of public service, Singh served the Corporation of Tiruchirapalli as the Commissioner, as Tuticorin district collector and Principal Secretary of the Industries and Commerce department, the release added.

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The United States today launched into a key week for trade policy, with Washington due to slap fresh tariffs on Chinese goods and hold hearings to impose even more duties.

US and Chinese officials will simultaneously hold talks in an effort to defuse the dispute.

In addition, US negotiators will continue talks with Mexico aimed at rewriting the nearly 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, which officials are hopeful they can conclude by year end.

President Donald Trump's aggressive actions against China and other trading partners are increasingly worrying businesses and farmers hurt by the tariffs and retaliation.

Dozens of industry representatives will voice those concerns in the first of six days of public hearings on the impact of the next planned round of tariffs, in which the Trump administration is poised to slap 25 per cent duties on USD 200 billion more in Chinese goods.

Interests as diverse as the American Bridal Prom Industry Association, the Juice Products Association, the American Petroleum Institute and the Vapor Technology Association have signed up to urge the US Trade Representative's office to reconsider the tariffs, which could take effect as soon as September.

The tariff proposal "dramatically expands the harm to American consumers, workers, businesses, and the economy," the US Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.

"Help me keep my company alive," Ross Bishop of BrightLine Bags, which produces roll-aboard suitcases, pleaded at the start of the week's hearings in Washington.

He said his company would face an "unjustifiable" tax of nearly 43 per cent.

Others at the hearing lamented the multimillion dollar cost increase which will be a tax on consumers.

Stephen Lang, representing bridal and prom dress businesses, said that industry -- which is not yet targeted for tariffs -- relied on China because labour costs were prohibitive in the United States.

"Their labour is like oil for the rest of the world," and tariffs would decimate our industry, he said.

But earlier rounds of tariffs have shown that complaints to the Trump administration have largely fallen on deaf ears, as only a handful of product lines have been shielded from the new punitive duties.

Trump insists the tough tactics will pressure China to reform what US officials say are unfair practices, including theft of American technology.

Meanwhile, another USD 16 billion in Chinese goods will face new taxes starting Thursday at 12:01 am (0401 GMT), rounding out the first round of USD 50 billion in goods targeted. China has said it will react immediately with tit-for-tat tariffs on US goods.

And still pending are Trump's proposed 25 per cent taxes on all auto imports to protect the US industry.

Business economists overwhelmingly worry trade wars will harm the US economy, according to a survey released Monday, which warned of "unfavourable consequential impacts."



The administration already was forced to announced a USD 12 billion aid program for farmers hurt by the trade wars, as US agricultural products, like soybeans, were an easy target for China and others.

US and Chinese officials are set to hold two days of talks in Washington starting Wednesday in an effort to find a way out of the escalating trade confrontation.

These are the first formal discussions since June, and will be led by China's Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, and David Malpass, a senior US Treasury official.

Efforts to revise NAFTA seem a bit more hopeful, after USTR Robert Lighthizer telling Trump last week he hoped to get a breakthrough in the talks in coming days.

Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said he will return to Washington on Tuesday to continue the discussions on the key US-Mexico issues, which he said could be wrapped up by mid-week, after which Canada will rejoin the talks.

There remain "a couple of things that have to be settled," including the US demand for a "sunset clause" that would end the trade pact after five years unless it was reauthorised.

The three countries have been negotiating for a year to salvage the trade pact that Trump called a "disaster" for the United States.

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Heartbroken on finding his class twelve certificates destroyed in the devastation caused by the deadly monsoon in Kerala, a 19-year-old boy, committed suicide, police said today.

With his house fully waterlogged in the downpour, the boy, Kailash, and his parents, hailing from Karanthur in Kozhikode district, had moved to a relief camp three days ago.

Kailash had got admission for a course in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and had purchased new clothes and set apart some money for higher studies, they said.

As the rains abated for a while, he returned home yesterday to take a look at the house and was shocked to find his plus two certificates soaked in water and in tatters.

A Police officer attached to the Kunnamanagalam station said the boy's death came to light later in the day yesterday when his parents came to clean up the house as the water receeded.

They were shocked to see him hanging, police said.

His shattered father, a labourer, had pinned all his hopes on his son as all their belongings had been mostly destroyed in the rains.

In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, a woman was wailing saying she had lost her Aadhar card, Ration card and all ID proofs.

"All my belongings, my Aadhar and Ration cards and ID proofs are all gone. Only I am alive. My relatives do not even know I exist," she mourned.

Heavy rains in Kerala has so far claimed 210 lives and forced over 7.14 lakh people to take shelter in relief camps in the state.

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Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today asked state government officials to dispatch 500 tonnes of rice to rain-ravaged Kerala.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has thanked Rao for contributing Rs 25 crore financial assistance and officials of the state have also expressed gratitude to their Telangana counterparts for the help, an official release said.

In addition to the financial assistance, the Telangana government has also sent water purifying machines and packets of a nutritious food for children in the rain-hit state, it said.

"The officials of Kerala requested to help for the supply of rice and the Chief Minister responded immediately," it said.

Rao has asked senior officials to dispatch 500 tonnes of rice and the latter immediately made arrangements for it, the release added.

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A woman was featured in two print advertisements of Telangana government with one of them carrying a picture of another man as her husband, prompting an embarrassed administration to issue notices to the ad agencies



concerned seeking an explanation.

The advertisement highlighting newly launched government schemes in Telugu papers carried pictures of the woman and her husband, while the publicity material released for English papers had the photo of a different man as her spouse.

As the goof-up came in for criticism in the social media, the Information and Public Relations Department issued notices to the two agencies which undertook the ad campaign, seeking explanation, a senior official of the department said today.

The notices also sought to know whether the agencies had obtained the consent of the woman to use her picture in the advertisements for 'Rythu Bima' (farmers life insurance scheme) and 'Kanti Velugu' (eye care initiative) that were released on August 14.

The information and Public Relations Department said it asked the ad agencies concerned to furnish relevant information pertaining to the advertisement.

"After ascertaining the facts, action will be initiated against the agencies if they had used the picture without proper authorisation," the department said in an official communication.

The woman a native of Suryapet District has said she was approached by some people a few days ago and they took her and her husband's picture, promising benefits under a government scheme.

However, she was shocked to see her picture in the advertisement with another man as her husband, the woman said, adding she also had to face criticism from family members.

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: Telangana IAS Officers' Association today said it has resolved to contribute at least one day salary of the serving officers to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Expressing concern at the loss of lives and hardship faced by the people in the floods, the association extended solidarity and support for the ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts being carried out in the state.

"The Telangana State IAS Officers' Association further resolved to contribute at least one day salary of the serving IAS officers in Telangana to the CM Relief Fund of Kerala as a small contribution to the rescue, relief and rehabilitation work," a statement issued by the association said.

Telangana Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy yesterday handed over a cheque for Rs 25 crore to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram as assistance for the state government's flood relief activities.

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Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi voiced dissatisfaction with the "slow" progress made in the European Unions package of proposals with regard to the Iran nuclear deal, saying it is mostly due to the holiday season in European countries.

Europeans and other signatories of the deal have been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow. It should be accelerated, Reuters cited the minister as saying.

Iran relies mainly on its own capabilities to overcome Americas new sanctions," Ghasemi told a news conference broadcast on state TV.
Odisha government has started the process to identify the people left out from the National Food Security Act (NFSA) so that they could be included in the state's own food security scheme.

About 25 lakh people who have been left out from the NFSA will be covered under the state's food security scheme, Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister S N Patro said today.

"The identification of the left-out beneficiaries is underway and the department will receive applications in this regard till September 4," Patro told reporters.

Odisha government's own food security scheme will come into effect from October 2 this year.

Stating that efforts are on to include about 25 lakh beneficiaries left out from the NFSA in the first phase, the minister said the scheme would later include all needy people like poor, old, disable, and others.

He, however, said if the number of the application exceeds 25 lakh, arrangements would be made for their inclusion in the states food security scheme in the later stage.

He said the aspiring beneficiaries are getting enrolled in the state scheme in different gram panchayats, municipalities, NACs and block level.

The state government will spend Rs 220 crore towards the state's own food security scheme in the next six months, from October 2018 to March 2019.

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Three people were arrested for allegedly running a fake job racket in the national capital, police said today.

The accused were identified as Shashi Bhushan (26), Sandeep Sidhana (36) and Sheetal Kumar (30), they said.

On January 3, police launched a probe on the complaint of a person who alleged that he was cheated of Rs 24 lakh by one Manish and his associates on the pretext of providing jobs in railways and other government departments, said Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) Rajiv Ranjan.

During investigation, it was found Manish had escaped to Bihar after cheating many people here. After sustained efforts on August 5, Manish alias Shashi Bhushan was arrested from Patna and brought to Delhi and was taken on police remand, he said.

At his instance, accused Sandeep Sidhana was arrested from Saket and Sheetal Kumar from Sarai Kale Khan. Many incriminating documents, including fake appointment letters, educational documents of victims, fake ID cards, fake official Stamps, laptops etc were recovered from their possession.

They admitted to duping youths in Delhi, Bihar and other states on the pretext of providing government jobs in railways, Food Corporation of India, the officer added.

A case has been registered and efforts are being made to apprehend their remaining associates, including Sanjay and Manoj in this case, he said.

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The gesture of a nine year-old girl from a town in Tamil Nadu to part with her savings of four years meant for a bicylce, for Kerala flood relief has moved a premier cycle manufacturer, who has now promised her to gift the cycle of her dreams.

Anupriya from Villupuram in the state has decided to give away about Rs 9000 of her savings, done over the last four years, after coming across TV visuals of the deluge in Kerala.

"I had saved money (of around Rs 8000) for over four years to buy a cycle. But I saw visuals of Kerala flood on televisions and decided to give the money," toward relief activities, she told reporters here.

The girl lending the helping hand won her hearts and accolades, with Hero Cyles taking special note.

Hero Cycles, in it official Twitter account, appreciated her "gesture to support humanity" and said she would get a brand new cycle from them.

"Dear Anupriya, We appreciate your gesture to support humanity in the hour of need. You would get a brand new cycle from us. Please DM your address or contact us at customer@herocycles.com. @PankajMMunjal," it said.

Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Motors Company, Pankaj M Munjal, hailed Anupriya as a "noble soul" and assured to give her "one bike every year of your life."



"Anupriya, parnam to you. You are a noble soul and wish you spread the good around. Hero is too pleased to give you one bike every year of your life. Pl share your contact on my account. Love you and best wishes. Prayers for Kerala," Munjal said in a tweet.

Congress MP from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, welcomed the company's gesture.

"Thanks to HeroCycles for donating a bicycle to a 9-year-old girl who gave up all that she was saving for a cycle to help the victims of the #KeralaFloods," he said in a tweet.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

The Centre, various state governments and other entities including individuals have extended a helping hand to Kerala.

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A group of transgenders in neighbouring Tirupur today contributed its mite to the flood-affected people of Kerala by donating food and other materials.

The materials, worth Rs 30,000, were handed over to the district Social Welfare Officer Poongothai, official sources said.

The items included flour, edible oil, biscuits and sanitary napkins, they said.

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Members of the transgender community today staged demonstration against the alleged killings of their two colleagues in two days in northwest Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

The protests came following an alleged attack and torture of a member of the community in Mansehra area yesterday.

Apart from security for the community members, they also demanded appointment of an advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on the transgender issues.

They also sought immediate notification of KP transgender protection policy, creation of an endowment fund for the welfare of transgender community as promised by the previous PTI government among others, said an official of a rights group advocating for transgender's rights in Pakistan.

President of TransAction Alliance, Farzana Riaz urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to come to Peshawar and listen to their miseries and order stern action against police personnel who violates fundamental rights, abuse their power and act beyond their jurisdiction.

The rights group alleged that 479 incidents of violence and eight murders of transgender persons have taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa in 2018.

"The Constitution has guaranteed that all citizens were free to move in and out of different areas of the country without any restriction," said Riaz.

Another transgender rights activist and a member of the National Task Force and CM committee on Rights of Transgender Persons in KP, Qamar Naseem said that the incidents of human rights violations against transgender persons in KP is the result of highly conservative and trans phobic culture that ostracises and stigmatises transgender people.

It poses a serious threat to their health, security, life expectancy and employment prospects, Naseem said, adding the community is vulnerable without legal protection.

"They are at a greater risk of violence, sexual and substance abuse. Most have little access to health services. Without recognition, many cases of violence and murder go undocumented," they claimed.

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Opposition CPI(M) in Tripura has urged the State Election Commission to ensure "proper democratic atmosphere" ahead of the bye-elections for three-tier panchayats.

"We demand before conducting the bye-polls, the concerned authority must ensure proper democratic atmosphere in the state, so that opposition parties could participate in the elections without fear," Tripura CPI(M) secretary Bijan Dhar told reporters.

Dhar said there are 18 vacant seats in the zilla parishads where the bye-polls are to be held.

However, out of these 18 seats, he said that 16 fell vacant after the BJP-IPFT government came to power in the state in March.

Similarly, 155 out of the total 161 seats in panchayat samities fell vacant after the current dispensation came into force, Dhar said.

"A large number of people's representatives had to resign after the BJP-IPFT government formed in March due to political pressure and terror unleashed by the ruling party's supporters and activists. Abnormal vacancies were created due to resignation under duress," he alleged.

When contacted, state Election Commissioner G Kameswar Rao said, "It is a political statement (about ensuring proper democratic atmosphere) and I need not comment on it."



Rao said bye-polls for the three-tier panchayats would be held in September and election dates would be announced this week.

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The star-studded cast of 'Superstar' Rajinikanth's next venture will see well-known actress Trisha Krishnan featuring with the actor for the first time.

"Trisha joins the cast of Superstar Rajini's next movie," Sun Pictures, producers of the film, said in a brief release.

This will be the "first time" Trisha will be acting with Rajinikanth, Sun Pictures said in a tweet.

Rajinikanth, who had recently dished out the multi-lingual 'Kaala,', is now working with director Karthik Subbaraj of 'Pizza'-fame.

The as-yet-untitled flick has some of the top actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Sethupathy and Simran.

Trisha has paired opposite top Tamil and Telugu stars including Kamal Haasan.

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President Donald Trump used a White House event to pay tribute to federal immigration officials, returning to the fight over the US southern border.

The president honoured the employees of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Customs and Border Protection yesterday.

The federal agencies have been thrust into the debate over the Trump administration's separation of migrant children from their parents after they illegally crossed the US-Mexico border.

"We love you, we support you, we will always have your back," Trump said. He added: "For America to be a strong nation, we must have strong borders."



Trump has assailed some Democratic lawmakers for seeking to abolish ICE ahead of the November mid-term elections.

In a letter to state and local leaders, Trump wrote that ICE workers had been subjected to a "nationwide campaign of smears, insults and attacks" by politicians "catering to the extreme elements in our society."



At the White House event, Trump said that most people support ICE and that opponents are "just a small group that gets a lot of publicity.""They have no courage, they have no guts, they just have big loud mouths," Trump said.

Trump has made border security a key part of his message as he tries to maintain Republican control of Congress in the November elections.

Before the president arrived, the White House held a panel discussion on immigration with several state and local officials, who pointed to the role that a secure border plays in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking and questioned calls to abolish ICE.

Republican Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, who has worked closely with the administration on immigration legislation, said he struggled to see the point of eliminating the federal agency, likening it to someone saying, "I want to get rid of the Marines."



"I just think it's unconscionable, and frankly, I think it's downright unpatriotic and treasonous," Perdue said.

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President Donald Trump today railed against special counsel Robert Mueller in a second day of angry tweets that drew comparisons to Watergate, insisted his general counsel isn't a "RAT" like President Richard Nixon's and accused Mueller's team of "looking for trouble."



"If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!" he tweeted.

Trump's latest rant follows a New York Times report that the White House general counsel, Don McGahn, has been cooperating extensively with the special counsel team investigating Russian election meddling and potential collusion with Trump's Republican campaign.

In a tweet yesterday, he contrasted McGahn with John Dean, the White House counsel for Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

"The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type 'RAT,'" Trump wrote Sunday, misspelling "counsel."



"But I allowed him and all others to testify - I didn't have to. I have nothing to hide ..." he wrote.

Today he called Mueller "disgraced and discredited."



"Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble," he wrote.

"They are enjoying ruining people's lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side - the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more!"



Dean, Nixon's White House counsel and a frequent critic of Trump, tweeted yesterday that he doubts the president has "ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller.

Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didn't think I would tell them the truth!" Trump's original legal team had encouraged McGahn and other White House officials to cooperate with Mueller, and McGahn spent hours in interviews.

Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Trump didn't raise executive privilege or attorney-client privilege during those interviews because his team believed he says now, wrongly that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

"The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president," Giuliani said.

McGahn's attorney William Burck added in a statement: "President Trump, through counsel, declined to assert any privilege over Mr. McGahn's testimony, so Mr. McGahn answered the Special Counsel team's questions fulsomely and honestly, as any person interviewed by federal investigators must."



Trump also assailed the Mueller investigation yesterday.

"So many lives have been ruined over nothing - McCarthyism at its WORST!" Trump tweeted, referring to the indiscriminate and damaging allegations made by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to expose communists.

"Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt!" Trump later wrote.

Giuliani, in his interview, also acknowledged that the reason for the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer, arranged by Trump's son Donald Trump Jr., was that they had been promised dirt on Trump's 2016 Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

"The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about Clinton," he said, adding that the Trump team didn't know that Natalia Veselnitskaya was Russian even though emails later released by Trump Jr. show that she had been described as a "Russian government attorney."



Giuliani also tried to make the case that having Trump sit down for an interview with Mueller's team wouldn't accomplish much because of the he-said-she-said nature of witnesses' recollections.

"It's somebody's version of the truth, not the truth," he said, telling NBC: "Truth isn't truth.

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Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has appointed Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh as the new commander of Iran's Air Force.

In his decree, Khamenei stated that the installation was made upon a proposal by commander of Iran's Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi and in view of the commitment and valuable work experience of Nasirzadeh.

Nasirzadeh, an F-14 Tomcat pilot and veteran of the 1980s Iraqi-imposed war on Iran, has been the Air Forces acting commander since 2017, PressTV reported.

The Leader urged Nasirzadeh to make efforts to train experienced pilots, use state-of-the-art equipment, improve training based on the transfer of scientific and technical know-how to youths and boost the combat preparedness of the forces.

Ayatollah Khamenei also thanked Brigadier General Hassan Shah Safi, who had previously held the post, for his great efforts and services.
A 29-year-old man who was arrested from the scene after his car crashed into the security barriers surrounding Britain's Houses of Parliament last week today appeared in court here on charges of attempted murder and later remanded in police custody.

Salih Khater, a British national of Sudanese descent, was initially held on terror charges as Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command took charge of the investigation.

The MetropolitanPolice said his case was being treated as terrorism due to the location, methodology and alleged targeting of civilians and police officers.

Khater, who lives in Birmingham, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates' Court. He is charged with one count of attempting to kill persons outside Parliament and a second count of attempting to kill police officers.

The youth made no application for bail and was remanded in custody. He will appear before the Old Bailey court in London on August 31.

The Metpolitan Police said the prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism when it returns to court.

Three people were injured on August 14 when Khater drove his car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside the UK's Parliament during rush hour, injuring three persons.

He was arrested by armed officers and the victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

According to his Facebook profile, Khater worked as a shop manager in Birmingham and had studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology.

He is the son of a sorghum farmer and had moved to Britain about five years ago, having studied electrical engineering in Sudanese capital Khartoum.

Some reports suggested that friends and relatives of Khater had been concerned about his mental state, following recent deaths in his family based in Sudan.

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A British tourist, who fell off a cruise ship near Croatia, has been rescued and is safe after spending a full night in the Adriatic Sea, officials said today.

"I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me," the woman, appearing in good health, told Croatia's National Television (HRT) after her rescue yesterday.

"I am very lucky to be alive."



The tourist, who said she "fell of the back" of the Norwegian Star cruise ship, was found by Croatia's Coast Guard on Sunday around 1.3 kilometres from where she went overboard, a defence ministry spokesperson told AFP.

The rescuers used the wind and sea currents to pinpoint her location, he added.

"We saved a human life, it is a feeling that cannot compare to anything," the rescue ship's captain Lovro Oreskovic said in a statement on the ministry's website.

Norwegian Cruise Line declined to comment on how the passenger went overboard.

"The guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment," the company said in a statement to AFP.

"We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."



The incident took place while the Norwegian Star was on its way to Venice, the cruise company said.

Tourism accounts for 20 per cent of Croatia's gross domestic product, drawing some 18 million visitors each year.

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The UN has called on Libya's internationally recognised government to crack down on armed groups obstructing the work of state institutions in the chaos-wracked country.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) late on Sunday night expressed its "strong condemnation of the violence, intimidation and obstruction to the work of Libya's sovereign institutions by militiamen".

It called on the UN-backed Government of National Accord to "prosecute those responsible for these criminal actions".

The GNA's military and security institutions have failed to place limits on the powerful militias that sprung up in the turmoil that followed the 2011 ouster of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Several state institutions, including those in Tripoli, have been regular targets of harassment and intimidation by armed groups technically operating under the GNA's interior ministry.

Members of militias "nominally acting under the Ministry of Interior of the Government of National Accord are attacking sovereign institutions and preventing them from being able to operate effectively", UNSMIL said.

Last week, the GNA's National Oil Corp. said men from the interior ministry had forced their way into the headquarters of Brega Petroleum Marketing Company -- a distribution outfit -- to "arrest" its chief.

The Libyan Investment Authority, the GNA-managed sovereign wealth fund, recently moved from its downtown Tripoli office to a more "secure" location after threats from militiamen against its employees.

UNSMIL said it would work with the international community and the GNA to "investigate the possibility of bringing sanctions against those interfering with or threatening the operations of any sovereign institution".

Libya remains divided between the UN-backed GNA in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east supported by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

A myriad of militias, jihadist groups and people traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the North African country.

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Apple said today it had removed many gambling-related apps from its Chinese app store as the US giant comes under scrutiny amid trade tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Apple removed 25,000 apps suspected of facilitating gambling and illegal lotteries, state broadcaster CCTV reported yesterday, emphasising there was still work to be done.

"Reporters have discovered even after the Apple company's large-scale repairs, loopholes still exist," said CCTV anchor Chang Xiao.

A CCTV report last month accused the company of allowing illegal gambling apps to proliferate.

"We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store," the company said in a statement.

With the rhetoric between Washington and Beijing heating up, China's state media has probed for deficiencies in Apple's China operations.

Another state media report last month tore into Apple for what it claimed was inadequate filtering of messages sent through its iMessage service.

The app store clearance did little to abate the criticism from CCTV.

"With the help of the Apple platform, the (gambling app operators) can directly profit," a law professor was quoted as saying in the latest CCTV segment, adding it was Apple's responsibility not only to remove the apps from the store but to cut off access from phones to which they have been downloaded.

China is one of Apple's largest markets, accounting for roughly 20 percent of its revenue last year. CEO Tim Cook has spent much time in recent years courting authorities.

But Apple's major market presence as the trade battle rages has placed its products front and centre for criticism.

Apple has taken several steps to satisfy Chinese regulators, including this summer transferring control of Chinese user data to a state-owned company.

The move was met by criticism from some rights groups and even Chinese users worried about data privacy.

Apple also upset rights groups last year when it restricted its Chinese customers' access to Virtual Private Networks, which allow users to circumvent China's Great Firewall and to access blocked websites such as Facebook, Twitter and The New York Times.

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The Mahatma Gandhi Central University (MGCU) here has been closed for an indefinite period over tension prevailing in the campus after a professor was beaten up by a mob for sharing a Facebook post critical of the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

An order to close the university sine die with effect from today was issued by the MGCU Vice Chancellor Arvind Kumar Agrawal yesterday.

The VC took the decision exercising powers enshrined under Central University Act 2009, as per the order.

MGCU at Motihari came into functional existence in 2016.

Agrawal said in the order that "keeping in mind the safety and security of its students, teaching and non teaching staff in view of the prevailing atmosphere, the university has been closed sine die. The situation, at the moment, is not conducive for holding academic activities."



The VC said it was a tough call to take such a decision and the university would be re-opened once the situation becomes normal.

The university's assistant professor Sanjay Kumar was beaten up by a group of people after he allegedly made a comment criticising former prime minister Vajpayee on Facebook a day after the BJP stalwart's death on August 16.

The professor was allegedly dragged out of his residence by the mob in Azad Nagar locality of Motihari town, stripped down to his undergarments and thrashed.

According to media reports, Kumar had shared a post on Facebook questioning Vajpayee's political ideology. Subsequently, he had lodged an FIR at the town police station against 12 persons in connection with assault on him.

In his FIR, Kumar had made a mention of some social media post which had since been reportedly deleted.

He had also expressed apprehension that campus rivalry could have been behind the attack saying he had been speaking against a number of influential faculty members and the university administration.

Police has so far arrested two persons in the assault case, Motihari town police station SHO Anand Kumar said.

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The Urdu examination of the 'West Bengal Civil Services' Main was cancelled today after it was reported that the question paper in the second half, distributed among the candidates, was the same as last year, a public service commission official said.

The official said, once the mix-up was reported by the candidates at the Ultadanga examination centre, examinations for both first half and second half papers were declared cancelled by the commission as "we did not want to take any chance."



Examinations for both papers will now take place on September 1, the official said.

Urdu examination during the first half had been conducted without any complaint but since there were allegations of second half question paper having tallied with the question paper of 2017, it was prudent to altogether cancel examinations for both half today and held the exams afresh on a later date, the official said.

An estimated 4,000 candidates sat for the Urdu examinations across the state this year.

The WBCS examinations began on August 17 and were slated to end on August 21.

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The US has an "addiction to sanctions", Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said.

"I believe there is a disease in the United States and that is the addiction to sanctions," Zarif told CNN.

"Even during the Obama administration the United States put more emphasis on keeping the sanctions it had not lifted rather than implementing its obligation on the sanctions it lifted."



It was Zarif's first interview with Western media since US President Donald Trump walked out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May, leading Washington to reimpose sanctions earlier this month.

"We felt that the United States had learned that at least as far as Iran is concerned, sanctions do produce economic hardship but do not produce the political outcomes that they intended them to produce," he said.

"I thought that the Americans had learned that lesson. Unfortunately I was wrong," he said.

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President Donald Trump's administration has rejected Turkey's offer to condition the release of an American pastor on clearing a top Turkish bank of billions of dollars in US fines, media reported today.

Washington and Ankara are locked in a bitter feud over the nearly two-year jailing of Andrew Brunson over disputed terror charges, which has triggered a trade row and sent the lira into a tailspin.

In exchange for Brunson's release, and that of other US citizens as well as three Turkish nationals working for the US government, Turkey asked Washington to drop a probe into Halkbank, which is facing possible fines for helping Iran evade US sanctions.

But the US said that discussions regarding the fines and other areas of dispute between the two countries were off the table until Brunson was released, a White House official told the Wall Street Journal.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the unnamed official said.

Trump has said he had doubled the tariffs on aluminum and steel tariffs from Turkey, prompting Ankara to sharply hike tariffs on several US products.

A court has rejected another appeal to free Brunson and Turkey has threatened to respond in kind if Washington imposed further sanctions.

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A US service member was killed and several other troops injured when their helicopter crashed during anti-jihadi operations in Iraq, officials said today.

The crash appeared to have been accidental, as there were no indications it was caused by hostile fire, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said.

A statement from the US-led coalition that is helping Iraqi partners fight the Islamic State group said the crash occurred around 2200 GMT on Sunday.

"All personnel were recovered by coalition forces immediately following the incident and three were evacuated for further treatment," Manning said.

Manning did not release the nationalities of the injured.

Officials did not provide immediate details on the location of the crash but noted it was "conducting a partnered counterterrorism mission."



The United States leads an international coalition that has targeted IS and other jihadists in Iraq and neighboring Syria since 2014.

The coalition includes Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey along with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

In March seven US troops were killed when their helicopter crashed during a transport mission in western Iraq, near the border with Syria.

Later that month two coalition members -- an American and a Briton -- were killed by an improvised explosive device in the northern Syrian city of Manbij.

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The Congress in Uttarakhand today demanded immediate arrest of the culprits in the alleged gangrape and killing of a minor girl in Uttarkashi district and threatened to hit the streets in protest if they were not brought to justice within a week.

The party also demanded an assistance of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's family.

"If the culprits are not brought to book within a week, the Congress will be forced to agitate in the streets for justice," Singh said in a statement here.

He also wrote a letter to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, asking him to ensure that verification of antecedents of people coming from outside the state in search of work in the hill areas is made mandatory.

Referring to the Kathua rape case in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said criminals appeared to be having no fear of the law in Uttarakhand.

An 11-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped and killed after being kidnapped from her home in Uttarkashi district on August 17.

Uttarkashi has witnessed a wave of protests ever since the girl's body was found on a bridge near the village on Saturday with the markets in Chinyalisaur and Uttarkashi remaining closed today.

Priests and businessmen at the famous Gangotri shrine also kept their activities suspended till 1 pm as a token of protest, a report from Uttarkashi said.

Angry residents had blocked the Gangotri national highway for hours on Sunday.

However, IG Garhwal Sanjay Gunjyal said he was confident that the culprits will soon be caught.

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The employees of Armenia's Special Investigative Service searched former president Robert Kocharyans mansion and office.

"The mansion and the office are being searched as part of a criminal case launched against Kocharyan in connection with March 1-2, 2008 events in Yerevan," ARKA cited the SIS press-service as saying.

Kocharyan was arrested for two months by a local court, but was released from pre-trial custody on August 13. He was accused of violating Armenia constitutional order in March 2008. Kocharyan was released from custody after Armenias Court of Appeals ruled that he could not be prosecuted for the post-election violence. The ruling was backed by Article 140 of the Armenian Constitution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a person who neither buckled under pressure nor lost hope despite the odds.

Addressing a prayer meeting in memory of the former prime minister, who died here last week, Modi said it was Vajpayee who changed the narrative when some countries were cornering India on the Kashmir issue.

"Due to Vajpayee ji, terrorism became an important issue on the world stage," he said.

No party was willing to support Vajpayee when he formed the government for 13 days, Modi said, referring to the short-lived NDA government in 1996.

"The government fell. He did not lose hope and remained committed to serving the people," he told the gathering and added that Vajpayee showed the way when it came to coalition

When the Vajpayee government created the three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, the process was peaceful and without bitterness, the prime minister said.

Referring to the May 1998 nuclear tests, Modi said Vajpayee's efforts ensured that India became a nuclear power.

He attributed the tests to the brilliance of India's scientists. Two days later, India tested again and showed what a strong political leadership can do, the prime minister said.

"He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all," he said, adding that the former prime minister never compromised on his ideology.

He distinguished himself as a parliamentarian and was proud of parliamentary traditions, Modi said.

Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term before being voted out in 2004.

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The ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be brought to Tripura and immersed in the major rivers of the state, according to Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

"We will bring Vajpayee's ashes to Tripura. BJP workers will immerse them in river Gomati, Howrah, Deo and Manu," Deb told reporters here last evening.

The chief minister said his party will hold a Kalash Yatra carrying the ashes of the former prime minister.

Deb also informed that BJP will hold condolence meetings in the state for Vajpayee.

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Paying rich tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the distance seen between the ruling party and the opposition today was not there earlier and the late BJP stalwart worked taking everyone along.

Speaking at a condolence meeting attended by leaders of all major parties, Azad said Vajpayee had brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides even in his death which, he added, was something rare.

The senior opposition leader quoted verses to heap praise on Vajpayee and said he was such an eloquent speaker that even his criticism sounded pleasant whereas, he added, there are some leaders who, even when they say something good, make it sound like abuses.

Azad recalled that as the parliamentary affairs minister during the P V Narasimha Rao-led government, he had to meet Vajpayee, then a key opposition leader, several times a day during Parliament's sessions and they used to have tea and meals together.

"The distance we see today was not there then," he said, apparently referring to the frosty relations between the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the opposition.

Azad said many people in Vajpayee's party (BJP) might not have seen him as closely as leaders like him had.

He mentioned leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Indira Gandhi and said Vajpayee would be remembered as one of the biggest leaders of his time who always worked for the country and its people.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi was expected to attend the event but could not as it was his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary today as well and sent Azad as his representative, the organisers said.

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as an "outstanding politician" who made significant contribution to development of the Sino-Indian relations and expressed condolences over his death.

Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders and inspirational orators, died on August 16 at the age of 93 in New Delhi.

"I am saddened to learn the passing away of A B Vajpayee former Prime Minister of Republic of India," Li said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sent on August 17.

The translated letter of Li was tweeted by the Indian Embassy here today.

"On behalf of the Chinese government and its people, I would like to extend my deep condolences and express my sincere sympathy to the bereaved family," he said.

"Vajpayee is an outstanding politician who devoted his life for national and social development and had earned widespread respect among the Indian people," the Chinese premier said.

During his tenure as Prime Minister, he paid an official visit to China (2003) and has made outstanding contribution to the development of India-China relations, he said.

The Chinese side attaches great importance to China-India relations, and would like to work together with the Indian side to push forward bilateral ties to greater achievements, he said.

Vajpayee visited China in 2003 during which the two countries have setup the Special Representatives mechanism to resolve the boundary dispute.

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Venezuelans desperate to leave their collapsing country continued to flow into Brazil despite fear of anti-migrant violence in the tense border town of Pacaraima.

Two days after a riot in which locals targeted Venezuelan camps, driving some 1,200 migrants back over the border, the crossing, reinforced by extra troops, was again busy yesterday.

One of the many money changers crossing each day from the Venezuelan city of Santa Elena de Uairen to change the country's almost worthless currency and the Brazilian real said Saturday's violence had shaken everyone.

"We were scared and didn't know what could happen," he said, asking not to be identified.

Despite that fear, the pressure to get out of Venezuela -- where under President Nicholas Maduro the once booming economy is in freefall and basic goods are hard to get -- is even greater.

Brazil's security minister, Sergio Etchegoyen, insisted that Brazil will remain open to its fleeing neighbors, saying "closing the border is unthinkable, because it is illegal."



Extra troops from the elite National Force and health specialists have been deployed to the area, the government said over the weekend.

Saturday's violence was sparked by local outrage at the beating and robbery of a local merchant in Pacaraima. Venezuelans were blamed.

Within hours, rioters had attacked two camps housing some of the approximately 1,000 refugees sheltering in the small town, burning their meager belongings and chasing them to the border. Shots were fired.

"It was terrible," said one Venezuelan, Carol Maracano.

Jorge Idrogo, a 22-year-old Venezuelan who supports his family by selling food in Brazil, said refugees felt they had nowhere to turn.

"We were made to pay the price for the sinners. We shouldn't be blamed for the bad done by our government," he said.

But for Brazilians, as for other neighbours or turbulent Venezuela, the pressure is also rising.

Just 12,000 people live in Pacaraima, meaning that almost one in 10 people there comes from across the border.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into Brazil over the past three years, while Colombia has given temporary residence to more than 800,000, with an estimated 3,000 entering daily.

Last week alone, 20,000 Venezuelans entered Peru, authorities say.

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Three seconds. That is how long it would have taken for the Seaking helicopter, which made a dramatic rooftop landing in Kerala to rescue 26 people, to disintegrate into pieces had anything gone wrong.

The daredevil pilot, while recounting the thrilling rescue operation, told PTI that the "roof top low hover in a light on wheels" (technical name for rooftop landing) lasted around eight minutes before the chopper took off again.

"I had to take a decision to go in for the 'light on wheels' procedure where the entire weight of the helicopter is not on the roof as it may have caved in," Lt Commander Abhijeet Garud said.

The video of the daring rescue operation by the Navy's Seaking 42B helicopter at the flood-ravaged Chalakudy town in Kerala on Friday has gone viral on social media and garnered thousands of 'hits'.

Having winched four people, lifting another 22 was a major task and the crew took a call of going for a low hover to embark all those stranded there, he said.

Asked what if something had gone wrong, the 33-year- old pilot said, "It would have taken three to four seconds for the chopper to disintegrate. It was a tough call to make. I am glad we made the right decision."



"It was a classic case of the importance of good pilot judgement, or aeronautical decision-making," he said.

Those rescued, including an 80-year-old man, were shifted along with some luggage from Chalakudy to the naval air base INS Garuda in Kochi.

"The operation was possible due to the teamwork and excellent coordination among the crew. It included Lt Cdr Rajneesh (co-pilot), Lt Satyarth (navigator), Ajit (winch operator) and Rajan (free diver)," the pilot said.

When the chopper first took off in the morning, the sortie was planned for dropping two Gemini boats with eight divers in Chalakuddy, he said.

"After dropping (the payload) we started rescuing people and distributing food and relief material. On one of the ground-plus-two storey houses we saw aged people and women waving. Prioritising them (we) proceeded for a pick up," he said.

"Many people came out thereafter. We saw almost 20 to 25 people, including a woman on wheelchair. She was unable to board the 'basket' sent for winching her up," said Lt Cdr Garud, an alumnus of the Naval Academy in Kerala.

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UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya today said the UP government will name roads after BSP founder Manyavar Kanshiram and socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia.

The deputy CM explained that every great personality irrespective of his lineage must be respected. "To honour Maharaja Suheldeva we could construct a huge statue of him in Bahraich. Similarly, we could name roads after Karpoori Thakur, former Bihar chief minister. I have no hesitation in saying that in the future we will name roads after Manyavar Kanshiram," Maurya, who also holds the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio, told PTI in an interview here.

Maurya said signage with names of great persons send a high-minded message to the people.

Maurya said criminals in Uttar Pradesh must expect harsh punishments as it would deter such activities. "We do not believe Uttar Pradesh is 100 per cent crime-free. However, crime cases are being solved now. No criminal can be saved."



He accused the previous state governments of SP and BSP of weakening the law and order mechanism in the state in the last 15 years.

"We want to assure the common people that the UP government is always vigilant and standing by them," Maurya said.

Speaking on Kumbh arrangements, he said preparations are going on in full swing and a grand festival awaits the tourists.

"Allahabad will be renamed as Prayagraj. I hope that before the Kumbh begins Allahabad is renamed Teerthraj Prayag," Maurya said.

Maurya was optimistic on the prospects in the agriculture sector. Very soon we will convene a meeting of sugar mill owners, he said, adding the government will use technology and tell the farmers what they should produce.

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British doctor Sir Ronald Ross, after discovering on this day in 1897 that malaria parasite is carried by mosquito, had in a poem expressed optimism about the fight against the disease, not knowing then that it would still be one of the dreaded diseases 120 years later.

World Mosquito Day is observed on August 20 to commemorate his groundbreaking discovery and also to raise awareness about malaria and the ways to prevent it spread.

Born in British-India, Ross had confirmed the presence of the malarial parasite inside the gut of mosquito, which he originally identified as "dappled-wings" (which turned out to be species of the genus Anopheles).

On August 21, 1897, shortly after discovering malaria parasites in mosquitoes, Ross had penned an optimistic poem, according to a paper -- Developmental genomics of the most dangerous animal -- by Matthew P Scott.

The paper was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) in 2007.

A few lines of the poem read, "'I know this little thing, A myriad men will save. O Death, where is thy sting? Thy victory, O Grave!," according to the paper.

But, in the 21st century, malaria continues to affect millions of people worldwide, including India, where Ross had made the discovery while working.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria killed 5,84,000 people across the world in 2013, with children under five accounting for at least three-fourths of those deaths.

WHO statistics for 2013 states that the working number for deaths due to malaria in India was 28,000 but could be as high as 46,000 per year.

Malaria was long thought to be caused by miasma from rotting vegetation and foul waters, and considered to be a particular risk in hot and humid climates.

"Earlier records contain Medical Topographies prepared by Indian Medical Officers to designate 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' areas to inform the construction of hospitals and barracks," according to the British Library.

The name malaria, comes from Italian words 'male' which means bad and 'aria' which means air. It was coined so, as the disease was then associated with odorous marshy land.

Malaria is caused by infection with protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes.

While in popular culture, an act of mosquito bite may have been treated with humour, the disease malaria, still sends shivers down people's spines, quite literally.

Besides, malaria, mosquitoes can cause a host of other diseases like dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Dengue and Zika are potentially life-threatening in nature.

While Ross is remembered most for his malaria work, we must note that he was also a mathematician, epidemiologist, sanitarian, editor, novelist, dramatist, poet, amateur musician, composer, and artist.

For his work on malaria transmission, Ross was warded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1902.

He died on September 16, 1932, after a long illness.

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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav today said he was worried about his father Lalu Prasad Yadav's "falling" health.

The RJD chief has been undergoing treatment at the Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai for more than a week, a hospital spokesperson said.

"Visited my ailing father admitted in Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai due to various diseases. Perturbed to see his falling health & increased infection. Praying that he may recover soon under the around-the-clock monitoring & continuous medical care of specialist doctors," he tweeted.

The Jharkhand High Court on August 17 extended the provisional bail of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad, convicted in four fodder scam cases, till August 27. Granting the extension of the provisional bail, the bench of Justice Apresh Kumar Singh fixed August 24 as the date to hear the bail petition.

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By Tom WestbrookSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's biggest grocer Woolworths Group flagged on Monday it had rapidly lost sales momentum after starting to charge shoppers for plastic bags, sending its shares lower. The slowdown, combined with signs of a revival at major rival Coles, where bags are still free, signals a possible end to years of outsized growth at Woolworths, which has dropped prices heavily to win business. It also shows the financial cost of the backlash by Australia's customers against the move, with shoppers cutting purchases they couldn't carry home. Despite the so-called ...
Sanctions the United States intends to introduce against participants in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project constitute violation of international trade norms and cannot be justified by any motives, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said.

"We have already said that attempts to oppose a purely commercial international project absolutely in conflict and constitute a strong violation of all trade rules and norms, WTO norms," the press secretary said.

"This is nothing short of that [violation] and they cannot be disguised by any other motives,"TASS cited Peskov as saying.

It was reported earlier that US senator John Barrasso submitted a bill to the US Congress concerning sanctions against investors into Russian projects for exports of energy resources. Experts explain such steps by the desire of the United States to push forward much more expensive liquefied natural gas to the European market.
By Henning Gloystein and Dmitry ZhdannikovSINGAPORE/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Brent oil stabilised near $72 per barrel on Monday after several weeks of decline, weighed down by concerns over slowing global economic growth but supported by an expected fall in supply from Iran due to U.S. sanctions.Brent crude futures, a benchmark for international oil prices, were at $72.08 per barrel at 1336 GMT, up 25 cents.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 6 cents at $65.96 per barrel. Last week, Brent declined for a third consecutive week, while WTI fell for a seventh week due to concerns ...
(Reuters) - China Biologic Products Holdings Inc on Monday received a $3.9 billion all-cash offer from a consortium of investment firms led by the company's former chief executive David Gao. The consortium, which includes GL Capital Group, Bank of China Group Investment Limited and CDH Investments, said it offered $118 per share, which represents a premium of 28.3 percent to China Biologic's Friday closing price. The company's U.S.-listed shares rose 12 percent to $103.01 in premarket trading.Gao owns 1.3 percent stake in the company that makes and sells plasma products such as human ...
By Chen Aizhu and Florence TanBEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China, seeking to skirt U.S. sanctions, will use oil tankers from Iran for its purchases of that country's crude, throwing Tehran a lifeline while European companies such as France's Total are walking away due to fear of reprisals from Washington.The United States is trying to halt Iranian oil exports in an effort to force Tehran to negotiate a new nuclear agreement and to curb its influence in the Middle East. China, which has cut imports of U.S. crude amid a trade war with Washington, has said it opposes unilateral sanctions and ...
By Jeff Mason and Steve HollandWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump does not expect much progress from trade talks with China this week in Washington, he told Reuters on Monday.Trump said in an interview that he had "no time frame" for ending the trade dispute with China. "I'm like them, I have a long horizon," he added. The talks this week come as new U.S. tariffs on $16 billion of Chinese goods take effect, along with retaliatory tariffs from Beijing on an equal amount of U.S. goods. The U.S. Trade Representative's Office also is holding hearings this week on proposals for ...
By Julie Zhu and Kane WuHONG KONG (Reuters) - China's leading heavy machinery maker Sany Group plans to spin off four business units and is looking to rope in private equity (PE) firms as investors for the deal that could fetch a total of $2 billion, sources told Reuters.Sany's advisers have reached out to firms such as global investment powerhouses Bain Capital, Carlyle Group, CVC Capital Partners and KKR & Co for the deal, the sources said, adding the first round of bids were due in the coming days.The firm's hunt for a deal comes at a time when Asia has become a major battleground for ...
By Chen Aizhu and Florence TanBEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Chinese buyers of Iranian oil are starting to shift their cargoes to vessels owned by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) for nearly all of their imports to keep supply flowing amid the re-imposition of economic sanctions by the United States. The shift demonstrates that China, Iran's biggest oil customer, wants to keep buying Iranian crude despite the sanctions, which were put back after the United States withdrew in May from a 2015 agreement to halt Iran's nuclear programme. The United States is trying to halt Iranian oil exports to ...
By Lawrence WhiteLONDON (Reuters) - Standard Chartered is in talks to sell its private equity business to Intermediate Capital Group (ICG), a source with direct knowledge of the deal said on Monday, as part of a broader disposal of its 'principal finance' investment business.StanChart has separately completed the sale of the other half of its principal finance unit, comprising its real estate investment business in Asia, to private equity firm Actis, the bank said on Monday.The UK-based bank, whose business is focused on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, did not disclose the size of that ...
By Lawrence WhiteLONDON (Reuters) - Standard Chartered has completed the sale of its principal finance real estate business in Asia to private equity firm Actis, the bank said on Monday.The lender is in talks to sell the rest of the business, outside Asia, to Intermediate Capital Group (ICG), a source with direct knowledge of the deal said separately.Reuters reported in November the business has around $700 million in investments across Asia and Africa.A spokesman for the bank confirmed the completion of the Actis deal. StanChart declined to comment on the prospective ICG deal.Actis and ICG ...
(Reuters) - Online fashion retailer Farfetch aims to float on the New York Stock Exchange by the end of the year, the London-based company said on Monday, seeking to capitalise on rapid growth in luxury sales on the web. Competition to capture online shoppers has picked up among premium brands in recent years, pitting conglomerates such as Louis Vuitton owner LVMH against independent operators as some scramble to make up for a slow move into e-commerce. Farfetch runs an online marketplace for luxury wares offered by nearly 1,000 brands and boutiques worldwide rather than hold stock ...
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece has successfully exited its final, three-year bailout programme, agreed in August 2015 to help it cope with the continued fallout from a debt crisis, the euro zone's ESM rescue fund said on Monday."Today we can safely conclude the ESM programme with no more follow-up rescue programmes as, for the first time since early 2010, Greece can stand on its own feet," Mario Centeno, the chairman of the ESM's board of governors, said in a statement."This was possible thanks to the extraordinary effort of the Greek people, the good cooperation with the current Greek government ...
Russia is ready to continue to provide its assistance in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference.

"Our goal is to render all possible assistance to the parties of the conflict to enable them to agree between each other. The solution that is acceptable for the parties of the conflict will be acceptable for us as well," the diplomat explained.

He also pointed out the importance of signing the Convention on the status of the Caspian Sea, saying that it is a historic event. According to Bocharnikov, the most important factor is that this Convention has been signed by five fully independent states, which primarily take into account their own interests.

The diplomat also said that Russia and Azerbaijan are working on the organization of the forum of interregional cooperation, as well as the implementation of the regular meeting of the intergovernmental commission.

According to him, the current priority is for the presidents of the two countries to discuss practical issues. "These friendly contacts between the presidents of our countries set the tone for the diverse and multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. The current agenda includes organizing an interregional cooperation forum to be held in Ganja in early October," he said, adding that this will be a big meeting with the participation of businessmen, officials, representatives of the corresponding ministries of the regions of our countries.

The ambassador said that the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission, co-chaired by Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev and Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin must also take place till the end of the year. "This is also one of the tasks, at the first stage of my activity here, that is, until the end of this year," he added. "I said about the state tasks. As for me personally as an ambassador, the task is to establish close contacts with officials and public representatives and also try to get to know the country," Bocharnikov said.

According to the diplomat, Moscow and Baku are planning to sign a large package of documents in the near future, adding that the package will include elements of cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres. "This package of documents will set a fundamental approach to economic cooperation. We primarily aim to increase our trade turnover; in 2017, it amounted to about $2.6 billion. We hope for its further growth," he stressed.

Bocharnikov noted that both countries also intend to continue to develop cooperation in industry, transportation and a number of other sectors of economy. "Soon we will witness the creation of joint ventures with participation of Russian capital, which will create the foundation for our further rapprochement," the ambassador stated.

He also noted that the work of the business councils of the two countries, in which the chairmen were replaced, has intensified recently.

Further, the Ambassador said that multiculturalism and tolerance further enhance the prestige of Azerbaijan.

The diplomat conveyed his congratulations on occasion of the upcoming Eid al-Adha. "This is a very great bright holiday that brings up everybody in accordance with the ideals of love and mercy. I was just beginning my stay in Azerbaijan when on another occasion I heard the speech of the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Clerical Board, Sheikh Ul Islam Haji Allahshukur Pashazade, who noted that Muslims in Azerbaijan enjoy equality and all the benefits of multiculturalism and tolerance in the country. I am very pleased to hear that. Multiculturalism and tolerance are the factors that improve international prestige of Azerbaijan and increase the respect which Azerbaijan enjoys internationally. Therefore, I want to once again congratulate everyone on occasion of the upcoming holiday and wish everyone good health, happiness and prosperity" the diplomat said.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's environment court said on Monday an independent judicial committee would decide in about six weeks whether to allow Vedanta Ltd to reopen its copper smelter, which was shut by the southern state of Tamil Nadu on environmental grounds.Tamil Nadu ordered the permanent closure of the plant and disconnected its power supply in May following protests that turned violent and culminated in the police opening fire on protesters, killing 13 of them.The company has denied that the plant, India's second biggest copper smelter located in the port city of Thoothukudi, ...
By Norihiko ShirouzuBEIJING (Reuters) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co plans to invest about $900 million to boost vehicle-making capacity in China by 40 percent by 2021 - part of a 60 billion yuan ($8.73 billion) strategy to become a top three player in the world's largest auto market.Nissan and its Chinese joint-venture partner Dongfeng Group intend to invest roughly $900 million for the envisioned manufacturing capacity expansion over the next few years, according to a person close to the plan. That would boost Nissan's vehicle production capacity in China to as many as 2.1 million vehicles a ...
By Stephanie KellyNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil futures rose on Monday after weeks of declines, as investors grew more concerned about an expected fall in supply from Iran due to U.S. sanctions and worried less that a trade war between the United States and China would hurt economic growth.Brent crude futures rose 38 cents to settle at $72.21 a barrel, a 0.5 percent gain.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 52 cents, or 0.8 percent, to end at $66.43 a barrel.Last week, Brent declined for a third consecutive week, while WTI fell for a seventh week due to concerns that economic growth ...
By Steven Scheer and Martinne GellerJERUSALEM/LONDON (Reuters) - PepsiCo will buy carbonated drink-machine maker SodaStream for $3.2 billion as it battles Coca-Cola for an edge in the health-conscious beverage market. Founded in Britain in 1903, SodaStream was a coveted device in British kitchens in the 1970s and 80s, allowing people to create fizzy drinks by adding flavoured syrups to carbonated tap water, but its popularity faded as bottled sodas became cheaper. More recently, the Israel-based company reinvented itself as a fizzy water company popular with younger and more health- and ...
By Rajendra JadhavMUMBAI (Reuters) - India is likely to export 7 million bales of cotton in 2018/19, down 30 percent from an earlier estimate, as scanty rainfall and an attack of pink bollworms are likely to squeeze crop yields, the head of a leading trade body told Reuters. Lower shipments from the world's biggest producer of the fibre amid rising demand from top consumer China could support global prices, which on Monday were trading near their lowest level in over four months. A drop in planting area and the pest attack will limit overseas sales to 7 million bales in the marketing year ...
SINGAPORE/DHAKA (Reuters) - Singapore-listed Sembcorp Industries said its power plant in India won a tender to supply 250 megawatts of power to Bangladesh for 15 years.Other bidders vying for the tender had included Adani Power Mundra Ltd, Hindustan Power, Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd, Meenakshi Energy Pvt Ltd and Odisha Power Generation Corp Ltd, industry insiders said. Sembcorp's Gayatri Power Ltd power plant, wholly owned by Sembcorp Energy India Ltd, has received letters of intent from Bangladesh Power Development Board, the parent company said on Monday.It will start supplying power to ...
By Tanvi Mehta(Reuters) - Indian share indexes rose to fresh highs on Monday buoyed by gains in Larsen & Toubro following a buyback proposal, while financials rose. Sentiment picked up across Asia as investors awaited developments on proposed Sino-U.S. trade talks and the yuan rallied from alarming lows. Investors were also encouraged by news China and the U.S. will hold lower-level trade talks this month, offering hopes of resolving an escalating tariff war. "Markets have been on a bit of a bull run. I don't see any clouds on the horizon right now... Today there is a bit of global overhang," ...
LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian subsidiary has recovered more than 95 percent of the oil from two spills that took place this year, although the pipeline that carries crude to the coast for export remains closed, the company said on Monday. The Trans Ramos pipeline, which carries some Forcados crude oil to the export terminal of the same name, closed in late April following two leaks, one in Abhoro in Bayelsa State and one in Odimodi, in Delta State. A spokesman for Shell said there had been no change in the operating status of the pipeline. "As soon as clean-up and site ...
LONDON (Reuters) - Standard Chartered has completed the sale of its principal finance real estate business in Asia to private equity firm Actis, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday.The 20-strong StanChart team will join Actis, the source said. Reuters reported in March the two parties had reached a provisional agreement on the deal.A spokesman for the bank confirmed the deal. (Reporting By Lawrence White, editing by David Evans)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia and Turkey will hold negotiations on Syria in the next few days, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"As guarantor countries of the Astana process, we work with Turkey and Iran on a daily basis, including telephone calls and personal meetings. In the next few days, we are planning to hold negotiations with Turkish colleagues," TASS cited the minister as saying.

"We discuss Syrian regulation as a whole, all its aspects. However, obviously, we pay attention to the realization of goals that had been agreed on during the creation of the de-escalation zone in Idlib, especially in the military sphere," Lavrov added

Earlier, Russian Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov informed that Moscow and Ankara would hold important talks on Syria in the nearest future.
(Reuters) - Private equity firm TPG Capital is considering investing in India's Jet Airways Ltd but is not close to finalising a deal, two sources with knowledge of the matter said, a plan that could raise money for the beleaguered airline.The investment could be more than $100 million but discussions are at an early stage and the size of the stake and the investment are not clear yet, the sources said. TPG declined to comment. Jet Airways did not respond to an email seeking comment. Jet Airways told staff earlier this month it was running out of money, a source had told Reuters, but it has ...
A broad cross-section of US businesses has a message for the Trump administration: new tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports will force Americans to pay more for items they use throughout their daily lives, from cradles to coffins. Six days of public hearings on the proposed duties of up to 25 per cent will start on Monday in Washington as part of President Donald Trump's and the US Trade Representative's efforts to pressure Beijing for sweeping changes to its trade and economic policies. Unlike previous rounds of US tariffs, which sought to shield consumers by ...
(Reuters) - Online fashion retailer Farfetch plans to float on the New York Stock Exchange, the London-based firm said on Monday, seeking to capitalise on rapid growth in luxury sales on the web. Competition to capture online shoppers has picked up among premium brands in recent years, pitting conglomerates like Louis Vuitton owner LVMH against independent operators as some firms scramble to make up for a slow move into e-commerce. Farfetch runs an online marketplace allowing people to buy luxury clothes or accessories from nearly 1,000 brands and boutiques worldwide, differing from some ...
The CBI has moved an extradition request to the UK authorities after it was confirmed on Sunday that fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi was in Britain. In a mail, the UK authorities confirmed his presence after the CBI sent a diffusion notice to the Interpol regarding the celebrity jeweller.

Nirav Modi and his uncle and partner Mehul Choksi are being investigated by the ED and the CBI after it was detected that they allegedly cheated the Punjab National Bank of over Rs 13,700 crore with the purported involvement of a few of its employees. There are chances that the UK might accept India's extradition request as the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had informed India in June that it could initiate extradition proceedings against Nirav Modi even though his exact whereabouts at that time were uncertain.

This month, Minister of State for External Affairs, told Parliament that India had sent an extradition request to the UK government regarding Nirav Modi. Of total 29 extradition requests sent by India, the UK has accepted 20 such applications in the past 16 years.

Though India had revoked passports of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi in February, they allegedly kept on travelling to different countries on multiple Indian passports, with his last documented exit from the UK at the end of March by air to Paris. It remains unclear exactly how many passports Modi has been travelling on in the recent months.

Earlier it was reported that strict data protection laws in the UK had prevented the British government from confirming if he had indefinite leave to remain in the UK or if he had sought to apply for political asylum. On July 26, a PMLA court in Mumbai summoned Modi and Choksi to appear before it on September 25 and 26, respectively, on the Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking action against them under the new fugitive economic offenders' law.

It was revealed in July that Choksi had got citizenship of Antigua, one of the two major Caribbean islands that make up the sovereign nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Later, the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of Antigua & Barbuda said Choksi was given citizenship after "extensive vetting". Mehul Choksi, as well as his partner Nirav Modi, fled the country in the first week of January, just two weeks before PNB first reported the biggest banking scam.

(Edited by Manoj Sharma)
At Reliance Industries' 41st AGM, Mukesh Ambani said that RIL sees its biggest growth opportunity in creating a hybrid, online-to-offline new commerce platform. More than a month after the annual shareholders' meeting, India's richest man may have finally found a new partner who has tremendous expertise in running an e-commerce business in neighbouring China.

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma is said to be in talks to acquire a large stake in Ambani-led Reliance Retail with an investment of $5 billion to take on India's largest e-retail giant Flipkart and Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon, Livemint reported.

Alibaba Group has proposed to acquire a large stake in Reliance Retail to create a behemoth in the digital marketplace and also expand Alibaba's physical retail businesses in India, the report said.

The joining together of two big companies is likely to rattle existing e-commerce market leaders in the country. The move could spell a bumpy ride for the likes of Flipkart and Amazon in a market where they have pumped in billions of dollars.

At the shareholders' meeting, Mukesh Ambani gave a peek into his long-term plans to grab a bigger piece of country's fast-growing e-commerce sector which is estimated to grow at a 21 per cent CAGR over the next 10 years to $202 billion. The oil-to-telecom conglomerate wants to synergise the widespread presence of Reliance Retail's physical stores with the strengths of Jio's digital infrastructure.

According to the report, Alibaba Group's executive chairman, Jack Ma, met RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani in July-end in Mumbai to discuss the proposal. The two reportedly discussed a number of issues, including a plan to create a large omnichannel retail entity through the proposed joint venture.

"Alibaba is willing to pick up a significant stake in Reliance Retail, preferably 50 per cent, which will require Alibaba to invest $5-6 billion," the report added.

The joint venture will be the largest investment by Alibaba in an Indian company.

"The deal is crucial for Alibaba, especially after RBI (Reserve Bank of India) directed Paytm (in which Alibaba holds 49%) to stop on-boarding new customers because of the shareholding pattern of Paytm," the report further said.

Reliance Retail, with its 7,500 stores in 4,400 cities attracting more than 350 million footfalls, is among the country's largest and fastest-growing retail companies in the country. Its revenues crossed Rs 69,000 crore in FY18, posting a growth of over 100 per cent year-on-year. Its fashion retail arm Reliance Trends and consumer electronics brand Reliance Digital are the largest in their respective categories.

While the company has separate online websites for every retail vertical, what it currently lacks is a common e-commerce platform. By leveraging the inventory, supply chain, warehouses and nationwide reach of its brick-and-mortar operations, Reliance Retail is likely to have an edge in the e-commerce space.

Ajio, its first pan-Indian e-commerce venture has already undergone a major marketing blitz in recent months. Reliance Retail's other online initiatives like RelianceSMART.in, RelianceDigital.in and RelianceTrends.com are yet to gain customer traction.

Reliance Retail had recently launched its Reconnect brand of consumer appliances and electrical goods. It also operates the largest portfolio of 41 international brands like Gas, Steve Madden, DIESEL, etc.

Reliance clarification: A Reliance spokesperson said on Monday there has been no discussions with Alibaba on stake sale in Reliance Retail Limited. And, there was no meeting between Ambani and Jack Ma in Mumbai in July-end.

Edited By Karan Dhar
In a point-by-point counter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi's allegations on the controversial Rafale deal, Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Chairman Anil Ambani said the Congress has been misinformed, misdirected and misled by malicious vested interests and corporate rivals.

In a letter to Congress President, Anil Ambani expressed his anguish over continued personal attacks and termed all allegations as baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate.

Ambani also explained the role of Reliance in offset exports/work share arrangement with French aircraft manufacturer Dassault. "Rafale fighter jets are not being manufactured by Reliance or the Dassault Reliance Joint Venture. All 36 planes are to be 100 per cent manufactured in France, and exported from France to India," the letter read.

Ambani clarified that not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by Reliance for these 36 Rafale jets. "The allegations relating to 'lack of experience' are, thus, irrelevant," said the letter.

There is no contract from the MoD to any Reliance Group company related to 36 Rafale aircraft, said Ambani, adding that the allegations of Reliance benefitting by thousands of crores is a figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests. "Simply put, no contract exists with the Government of India."

"Our role is limited to offset exports and export obligations. More than 100 medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) will participate in this, along with public sector undertakings like BEL and Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). This role strengthens Indian manufacturing capabilities, and is in pursuance of the Offsets Policy introduced by the Congress-led UPA Government itself from 2005 onwards," added Ambani.

"The Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defence manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, months before the intention for purchase of Rafale aircraft. In February 2015, we informed the Indian Stock Exchanges of the companies we have incorporated," wrote Ambani, countering Gandhi's allegation that Reliance Defence was set up 10 days before the announcement of the deal in 2015.
As the rain fury abates and the flooding starts to recede in Kerala - ravaged by the worst monsoon in close to a century - the insurance industry braces up for a deluge of claims. According to The Economic Times, insurance companies have started receiving claim intimations from the state, which has witnessed massive loss of life and property damage in the past few weeks.

"Looking at the initial claim intimations, we expect claims under general and life insurance to touch Rs 500 crore," an executive of a public sector insurer, told the daily. In a similar vein, a New India Assurance executive claimed that the company has received 65 claims worth Rs 35 crore in the first round of intimations and another 110 claims are expected in the second round. Several of these people, who have already initiated claims, are on vacation in Malaysia and have made the claims through emails. "We expect more people to file once they go back from relief camps," he added.

Depending on whom you ask, 6-8 lakh people are stuck in 3,000-5,000 relief camps set up across the state. The death toll has crossed 300 and Kerala Chief Minister recently pegged the overall damage caused in the state at over Rs 19,500 crore. That's just the initial assessment. Insurers expect more claims to come after the water recedes from worst affected areas such as Thrissur, Chengannur, Ernakulam and Kuttanad.

So life insurance claims as well as property and motor/vehicle insurance claims are going to start coming in thick and fast. Health insurers could also take a hit with likely claims from waterborne diseases as the floodwaters recede. In addition, claims are expected under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana. The daily added that many factories and stockyards are still submerged so the loss assessment on those will come in over the week.

Then there is the loss on the agriculture side. The floods and landslides have wreaked havoc on the plantation sector in the hilly regions of the state, which produces spices, rubber and tea. Consider Idukki, once known as the spice capital of the world and currently one of the worst-affected districts in Kerala. Ajit BK, secretary of Association of Planters of Kerala, told PTI last week that the loss suffered by tea, coffee, cardamom and rubber planters due to the rains since the onset of the South West Monsoon on May 29 was pegged at Rs 600 crore.

He added that the estimated loss of tea plantations alone was between Rs 150 crore to Rs 200 crore, with around 100 acres been lost in landslides and flooding of tea fields in Wayanad. But given the incessant rains over the past few days, the loss has reportedly mushroomed to around Rs 900 crore.

But that won't impact insurers' bottomlines much. "Kerala as a state did not take large crop insurance policies, unlike other states like Madhya Pradesh," Sanjay Datta, head of underwriting at ICICI Lombard, told the daily.

Insurers are also looking at writing a fat cheque for Kochi airport, which has an insurance cover of Rs 2,500 crore. But since the airport suspended operations early on, thereby limiting the damage, the claim amount is likely to be in low double digits.

Meanwhile, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has already directed to life insurance companies to "initiate immediate action to ensure that all reported claims are registered and eligible claims are settled expeditiously".

The regulator has also asked the non-life as well as standalone health insurers to widely publicise details of offices/special camps set up for the purpose of claim settlement. "In order to gauge the magnitude of the loss, all non-life insurers (including standalone health insurers) are advised to submit information relating to insurance claims in Kerala on a daily basis," IRDAI announced last week.

With regard to claims involving loss of life, "where difficulty is experienced in obtaining a death certificate due to non-recovery of body", the regulator has suggested the insurers could consider the process followed in the case of the Chennai floods of 2015.

It further directed life insurers that "a suitably simplified process/procedure including relaxations in the usual requirements wherever feasible may be considered to expedite claims settlement" and report progress on claims settled on weekly basis every Monday.

This is not the first time that excessive monsoons will hurt insurance companies. In fact, floods have caused the biggest catastrophe losses to insurers in the past 13 years. Claims from the 2015 Chennai floods were the highest for the general insurance industry at over Rs 5,000 crore, followed by the Mumbai floods of 2005 (Rs 4,000-5,000 crore) and the Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand floods, at about Rs 2,000 crore each.

Yet given the low insurance penetration in the country, it is the common man that takes the hardest hit. Global reinsurer Swiss Re had pegged insured loss in the Chennai floods at less than 35 per cent of the total loss. J&K flood insured losses reportedly were a dismal 6.5 per cent of the total. Kerala will fare far worse, if the projected Rs 500 crore figure for claims stands - it is less than 3 per cent of the total loss so far.

With PTI inputs

Edited By Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal
The Infosys stock fell in early trade today after its chief financial officer MD Ranganath resigned last week after holding several leadership positions during a tenure of over 17 years with the company.

The stock fell 58 points or over 4 percent to touch an intra day low of 1,373.55 level on the BSE. The stock has gained 51.87% during the last one year and 34.89% since the beginning of this year. At 10:53 am, the stock was trading 2.54% or 36 points lower at 1395 level on BSE. The stock was the top loser on Sensex, Nifty.

The stock opened at a loss of 3% in trade today. The stock has fallen after two days of consecutive gains. The stock closed 3.22% or 46 points lower at 1385 level on the BSE.

Infosys said Ranganath will continue in his current position as chief financial officer till November 16, 2018. The Board will immediately commence the search for the next CFO.

Ranganath had taken over the said role after the then CFO Rajiv Bansal had quit in 2015.

Interestingly, exactly one year back on August 18, 2017, Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka quit as CEO of the Bengaluru-based firm.

Morgan Stanley in a note said, "Concerns around exits from the senior management team will remain an overhang," and downgraded the stock to 'equal-weight' from 'overweight'. It set the target price of the stock at 1450 level.

Citigroup has assigned a neutral rating to the stock with price target of Rs 1,315. "In the short term, the market could react negatively, particularly given strong performance YTD. However, in the medium/long-term, we expect stock performance will depend on growth."

25 of 35 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher, eight "hold" and three "sell" or lower; their median price target is Rs 1,411, according to Reuters.
Several gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the U.S. embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, this morning, hitting a window in a security cabin but causing no casualties.

A police officer said that the drive-by shooting occurred around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT) and that nobody was hurt. The embassy was set to be closed this week for a public holiday to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival, Reuters reported.

Police teams were searching for the assailants, who fled in a white car after the attack, CNN Turk reported, adding that four or five gunshots were heard.

Broadcaster Haberturk showed police teams inspecting one of the entrances to the embassy and apparent damage caused by a gunshot could be seen in one window. It said empty cartridges were found at the scene.

The U.S. embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have been the targets of attacks by militants and have faced numerous security threats in the past.

The attack coincided with a deepening row between Ankara and Washington over the trial of American pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey.

Brunson, who has been living in Turkey for more than two decades, was accused of helping supporters of the U.S.-based Fethullah Gulen who Turkish authorities say masterminded the 2016 coup attempt. He was also charged with supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The pastor was released for house arrest on July 25. The court ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet at all times and barred him from traveling outside of the country.

In early August, Washington has imposed sanctions on Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, blaming both officials for the continued imprisonment of Brunson.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned Turkey on August 16 to expect more economic sanctions unless it hands over Brunson.
20 Aug 2018, 7:06 PM

Kerala CM seeks Rs 2,000 cr relief package from PM as state suffers Rs 19,512 cr loss

About 357 people have lost their lives in what could be called the worst-ever flood in a century in Kerala. So far, the National Disaster Response Force has evacuated over 10,000 people from the worst-affected areas of southern state. In an unprecedented relief effort under the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 67 helicopters, 24 aircraft, 548 motorboats and thousands of rescue personnel from Indian Navy, Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force, Coast Guard, other Central Armed Police Forces have been pressed into service to rescue and evacuate people from submerged areas to relief camps and for distribution of relief materials.

Walmart completes deal to acquire 77% stake in Flipkart

US-based retail giant Walmart Inc on Saturday said it has completed its $16 billion deal with Flipkart and now holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian e-commerce major. The Bentonville giant's investment includes $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business.

The mega deal, announced in May this year, is the largest so far in the Indian retail space. This is also Walmart's biggest acquisition and will help it compete more aggressively with its US-based rival Amazon.

Ayushman Bharat scheme: Delhi govt yet to take a call on signing MoU with Centre

The implementation of the government's ambitious Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme in the national capital hangs in balance as the Delhi government is yet to take a call on signing an MoU with the Centre over it.

The Delhi government has not yet given its approval for being part of the health insurance scheme which aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually and benefit more than 10 crore poor families across India.

India's CAD to widen to 2.5 per cent of GDP in FY19: Moody's

India's current account deficit (CAD) will widen to 2.5 per cent of the GDP in the current fiscal due to higher oil prices that has been accentuated by rupee depreciation, Moody's and other experts have said. Rupee last week dropped to a record low of 70.32 to a US dollar as political turmoil in Turkey and concerns about China's economic health continued to support safe-haven assets and weighed on emerging market currencies.

Rajiv Biswas, APAC Chief Economist, IHS Markit, said a further widening of the CAD is expected in 2018-19 to around 2.4 per cent of GDP, due to a further increase in the oil import bill and the impact of rupee depreciation on import costs.

No ATM to be replenished with cash after 9 pm from next year

No ATM will be replenished with cash after 9 pm in cities and 6 pm in rural areas from next year even as two armed guards will accompany crisp notes in transit as per a new directive issued by the Home Ministry. The deadline for putting money in the ATMs located in Naxal-hit areas is 4 pm while private cash handling agencies must collect money from the banks in the first half of the day and transport notes only in armoured vehicles.

In a notification, the Home Ministry said the new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) would come into effect from February 8, 2019 in view of the spurt in incidents of attacks on cash vans, cash vaults, ATM frauds and other internal frauds leading to increased sense of insecurity.

Infosys CFO M D Ranganath steps down after 17 years

Infosys Chief Financial Officer MD Ranganath, who held several leadership positions during a tenure of over 17 years with the company, has resigned. Ranganath will continue in his current position as Chief Financial Officer till November 16, 2018. The Board will immediately commence the search for the next CFO. Explaining the reason behind the move, Ranganath said that he decided to quit to pursue professional opportunities in new areas.
Leading low-cost carrier IndiGo has been forced to ground a new Airbus A320 neo aircraft, inducted into its fleet just a fortnight ago, due to a snag in the Pratt and Whitney engine.

"An IndiGo A320 neo has been grounded and is undergoing a routine engine change. There is no impact on our flight operations," the airline confirmed to Mail Today.

According to sources, the aircraft had flown less then 50 hours after it was delivered to the airline on July 31 this year, raising concern over grounding of a new plane.

The plane is reported to have been grounded on August 10, after a Indore to Bengaluru flight due as oil/magnetic chip was found in the engine.

IndiGo had to seek special permission from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fly this plane from Bengaluru to New Delhi on August 12 as a ferry aircraft , without any passengers, to undertake a replacement of the engine.

As many as six A320 neo planes have been grounded by IndiGo between July and the first week of August. P&W had in a statement said that the grounded aircraft could be back in air from this month onward.

While P& W has been compensating IndiGo for the loss incurred due to the cancellation of flights, the management of the low cost carrier has expressed concern over the issue.

IndiGo also had to cancel hundreds of flights in March when several in-flight engine failures prompted India's aviation regulator to ground eight of the airline's Airbus A320neo aircraft fitted with a particular series of Pratt & Whitney engines.

The airline managed to transfer passengers to other flights, however, minimising revenue losses.
WhatsApp is changing the way it backs up your data. In an attempt to make it more accessible and seamless, the instant messaging application uses Google Drive to save backups. Moreover, the backups won't eat into your precious Google Drive storage limit. The official statement reads, "starting November 12, 2018, WhatsApp backups will no longer count towards the Google Drive storage quota."

Another important thing to note is that WhatsApp will delete data from Google Drive that hasn't been updated in more than a year. The users will have time till November 12 to update their back up, after which any back up that hasn't been updated since a year will be deleted.

Despite the one-year ultimatum, this new development will help free up storage space from the phone, at the same time not occupy any space in the Google Drive. With a barrage of media being exchanged via WhatsApp groups, this will be a welcome move. However, there are a few pre-requisites to use Google Drive as your preferred location for back-up.

The phone needs to have an active Google account

Google Play services on your phone (available for Android 2.3.4 and higher)

Enough free space on the phone to create a back-up.

To ensure that your current backups are up to date with Google Drive, go to WhatsApp Menu > Settings > Chats > Chat back-up. Click on 'Back up to Google Drive' and then you will be asked for the frequency of backups. Select any one of the options ranging from daily to monthly. One can also back up manually at any given instant.

To gain access to the new backup ecosystem, the user will need to have the same Google account that was used during the back-up. While installing or re-installing WhatsApp on a smartphone, the app will prompt the user to restore the back-up.

The messages and media will take a substantial time to restore, depending on the amount of data the user had backed up. It is advised that the backup is completed using a Wi-Fi connection as the file downloads could incur heavy data charges if done over a cellular network.

Disclaimer: The media and messages backed up on Google Drive won't be encrypted the way they are on WhatsApp.
Xiaomi recently launched the Mi 8 series in China. The series is supposed to be its flagship lineup for 2018. There were reports that the company will be launching the Mi 8 SE in India but there's no official confirmation as yet. However, a new report from 91mobile claims that the elder sibling, Mi 8 will launch in India next month.

If this is it to be believed, Xiaomi will be going against the OnePlus 6, Asus Zenfone 5Z with the Mi 8. The report goes on to suggest that Xiaomi will be undercutting OnePlus in terms of pricing. The information is sourced from three retailers in different states. The launch date of the device is still a mystery.

Xiaomi will also be launching its POCO brand in India. The POCO F1, the first smartphone under the new Xiaomi brand, will be launched on August 22 and comes with the flagship Snapdragon 845 chipset. The new sub-brand is aimed at building Xiaomi's presence in the flagship segment in India. So far, the company has been struggling to make a dent in the premium segment.

The Mi 8 series has all the flagship ingredients as well. It will be interesting to see how Xiaomi places both these devices in India. The Mi 8 also comes with a Snapdragon 845 chip but with a more premium design language. The POCO F1, on the other hand, is expected to be a brute performer.

In China, the Mi 8 comes in 6GB RAM/64GB storage variant which is priced at CNY 2,699 (roughly Rs 27,500). It also comes in two more variants - the 6GB RAM/128GB storage which is priced at CNY 2,999 (roughly Rs 30,500) and the 6GB RAM/256GB internal storage which comes at a price of Rs 3,299 (roughly Rs 33,600). The company launched it in White, Gold, Light Blue and Black colour options.

Xiaomi also has a Mi 8 Explorer Edition with 8GB RAM/128GB storage which is priced at CNY 3,699 (roughly Rs 37,600).
The economy has firmly moved into a post-recovery stage with both employment and consumption comfortably passing their pre-crisis peaks. This is according to the latest Ibec Quarterly Economic Outlook for the second quarter of 2018.



However, Ibec has also warned against complacency on competitiveness at a time when external threats are increasingly likely to materially impact on Ireland's growth. As the economy comes close to capacity, Ibec say it is important the government makes the right decisions to protect its indigenous industry.



Last year, 19% of Irelands workforce either changed job or started working. This is up from 13.4% in 2010 and is a sign of the health of the labour market. As a result, the first quarter of 2018 saw the fastest wage growth in the economy since the crisis with average wage growth reaching 2.5% year-on-year. Ibec say that the economy is now firmly in a post-recovery phase.



Speaking this week, Ibec's Head of Tax and Fiscal Policy, Gerard Brady said, "With the economy approaching full employment the biggest challenge facing the Irish labour market will be finding workers to fill vacancies. Feedback from Ibec member companies suggests that firms are now finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain talent. We have pointed out in previous editions of this publication that the outlook for net migration is not as strong as it was in the mid-2000s. There must be a greater emphasis on funding the higher and further education sectors to upskill existing staff."

He added, "The next downturn is likely to be different than the last. It is crucial we put ourselves in a strong competitive position while we still benefit from global tailwinds. US tax reform, the prospect of a retreat of global trade, and Brexit, will pose challenges for our economy over the coming years. At the same time, business costs are rising and undermining our competitiveness. Budget 2019 should tackle these issues by adopting a renewed focus on competitiveness and indigenous business. Doing this, and investing wisely in infrastructure, education and innovation will be the most effective way to protect the economy from any future downturn."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The Small Firms Association (SFA) has today launched its Budget 2019 submission. The Association warns that at 33%, Ireland has one of the highest rates of capital gains tax (CGT) amongst developed economies.

The SFA is calling for a reduction in CGT to 20% across the board, to make investing in a business in Ireland more attractive.

CGT represents only 1% of the Governments tax revenue, so SFA say there is very little to lose by reducing the rate, but the benefits could be significant. The SFA is also calling for CGT Entrepreneur Relief to be extended to compete with the UK scheme.



Ibec believe that Budget 2019 must focus on the small businesses in Ireland. In doing so, they say the Government would reduce the risk on our economy from over reliance on foreign direct investment while seizing an important opportunity to future proof Ireland's economic model.



Launching the Small Firms Associations Budget 2019 submission, SFA Director, Sven Spollen-Behrens said, "Irelands competitiveness is under threat. Government must ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated by allowing business costs to become unsustainable in a period of economic growth. At a time when positivity among small businesses is at its lowest since the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, it is vital that no measures that impose additional costs on small companies are introduced."

Source: www.businessworld.ie


Britain's vote to leave the European Union could "in theory" be reversed although there is a still a strong probability it will go ahead, said the European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici on Monday.

Moscovici was replying on French radio to a question related to a move by the co-founder of fashion brand Superdry to donate a million pounds to the campaign for a referendum on the final Brexit agreement.

Asked whether the Brexit vote could be reversed, Moscovici told France Inter radio: "It is, in theory...it is up to the British themselves who have made the decision to leave, to decide ultimately if they will or not, and how they will do it."

"The probability of Brexit is nevertheless very strong because there has been a vote of the people, a referendum..." added Moscovici.

Asked if there would definitely be a deal between Britain and the European Union regarding the terms of Brexit, Moscovici also replied: "Not necessarily." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Irans oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said that Frances Total has officially left Iran after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in the country, reported.

"The process to replace (Total) with another company is underway," Iranian state TV cited Zanganeh as saying.

The minister added that Total was no longer working on its contract to develop phase 11 of the South Pars gas project.

The Oil Ministrys website SHANA also cited Zanganeh as saying that Total had announced its plans to leave more than two months ago.

Iranian officials had earlier suggested Chinas state-owned CNPC could take over Totals stake in the South Pars gas project, lifting its interest to more than 80 percent from 30 percent now.

The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran after Washington withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers. The agreement had imposed limits on Irans nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.

Totals CEO Patrick Pouyanne said in May that the only way for the company to continue their project in Iran would be to have a special waiver, but added that its quite unlikely.

Head of the Center for Central Asia and Caucasus Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Stanislav Pritchin, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that Total's withdrawal is an unpleasant precedent for Iran in the U.S. sanctions war. "This is quite a serious step, dictated primarily by fear of being sanctioned by the U.S. Despite the fact that Europe has not withdrawn from the JCPOA, European companies are afraid to work with Iran now," he explained.

"Iran needs both Western investments and technologies, which means that the departure of large companies will deal a tangible blow to the Iranian economy. The worst this is the fact that after this case others will suspend their preliminary plans to enter the Iranian markets. Iran has always found an opportunity to sell its oil under sanctions, but it will be coupled with financial losses and, as a consequence, Iran's return to the same state as it was before 2015," Stanislav Pritchin said.

The leading expert of the North-South Political Science Center, Alexander Karavaev, in turn, noted that Total's withdrawal will affect not only the oil sector, but the entire economy of Iran. "Through insurance business it will affect, for example, transport and transportation. And now another question arises: will any other company take Irans' place," he said.

"On the one hand, the place might be interesting, relatively speaking, for CNPC or Rosneft - but we cannot talk about automation here. Nobody was ready for the fact that today, on August 20, Total will publish a memorandum. Companies, which want to replace the French company will put forward their conditions at the upcoming talks. Of course, the replacement may not be fast, approximately, it may take from 2-3 quarters to 1.5 years. Much may change in the upcoming years.," Alexander Karavaev said.
Yesterday someone sent me a column from John Mauldin that had the following graph. The graph shows the BLS Employment-population ratio, 16 years and older, and based on the trend, the author is expecting the employment-population ratio to rise to 65% in 2020.





I think this forecast is incorrect - and this gives me a chance to discuss the participation rate and employment-population ratio.



The employment-population ratio really increased in the '70s and '80s for two reasons: 1) favorable demographics as the baby boom generation moved into their prime working years, and 2) a rising participation rate for women. But that trend was about to change even if there hadn't been a severe recession.



Some definitions:

Participation Rate = Labor force / Civilian noninstitutional population



Employment-population ratio = Employed / Civilian noninstitutional population



Unemployment Rate = Unemployed / Labor Force



If we know the participation rate and the unemployment rate, we can calculate the employment-population ratio as follows:

Employment-population ratio = participation rate * (1 - unemployment rate).



This means that if the unemployment rate stayed steady, the employment-population ratio would follow the participation rate. This is important because the participation rate is impacted by changes in demographics - and we can forecast some of those changes.



The second graph shows the actual annual participation rate and two forecasts based on changes in demographics - both forecasts were made before the recent recession. Now that the baby boom generation is approaching retirement, the participation rate will decline.



Here are the two earlier papers with all of the author's assumptions:

 From BLS economist Mitra Toossi in November 2006: A new look at long-term labor force projections to 2050

 From Austin State University Professor Robert Szafran in September 2002: Age-adjusted labor force participation rates, 19602045



Those papers were written when the participation rate was in the mid-66% range. Based on demographics, Szafran had forecast the participation rate to fall to 64.6% in 2015, and Toosi had forecast the rate to fall to 64.5% in 2020. So some of the recent decline was expected - although it happened sooner and faster than either expected because of the severe recession.



And there might be reasons those forecasts were too high. First the participation rate of the 16 to 19 age group has fallen much faster than Toosi forecast (and might not bounce back much after the recession), and second, some people might have permanently given up.



I've made a similar calculation, and based on demographics, it is clear the participation rate would be falling even without a recession. Look back at the first graph - the projected increase in the employment-population ratio would require an increase in the participation rate (or a much lower unemployment rate than we've seen at full employment) - and that isn't going to happen.



The third graph shows the actual employment-population ratio. The two dashed lines are the calculated employment-population ratio using the actual participation rate - and two steady unemployment rates: 5% and 6%. You can see the impact of business cycles on the employment-population ratio (the participation rate is also impacted by business cycles, but much less than the employment-population ratio).



Using the participation projections from Professor Szafran and BLS economist Toossi, this would suggest an employment-population ratio in the 59% to 61% range in 2020 - not 65%.



Professor Krugman also used the employment-population ratio on Friday, but with one very important difference: he only used the 25 to 54 age group. From Krugman: Meh. And I Say That With Feeling

It could have been worse, but the basic story remains the same as it has been for 2 1/2 years: an economy thats growing, but not enough to feel anything like a real recovery. The measured unemployment rate has trended down for a while, but its all basically reduced numbers of people actively searching. My favorite measure these days is the employment-population ratio for prime-age workers, which isnt affected by changing demography. Here it is for the past decade; see the trend since the recession officially ended? Neither do I.

As Krugman suggests, the participation rate for the 25 to 54 age group has been fairly flat for the last 20 years so we can just look at the employment-population ratio. This graph shows the participation rate for men, women and all in the 25 to 54 age group.The participation rate for women had been increasing for decades, and really increased in the '70s and '80s. This is a key reason why the employment-population ratio was increasing (back to the first graph). But the participation rate for women has flattened out.The participation rate for men has been slowly decreasing for some time. But the overall participation rate has been fairly flat - so for a quick look at the overall employment situation, the 25 to 54 employment population ratio is very useful.However, when looking at the 16 and over population-employment ratio, we have to also analyze the trends for the participation rate. And the participation rate is expected to decline for the next couple of decades.
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
The central banks of Turkey and Qatar signed a currency swap agreement in the Qatari capital Doha.

According to sources from Turkish central bank, the first step has been taken after Qatar pledged $15 billion of investment package in Turkey last Wednesday.

The agreement was signed by the Governor of Qatars Central Bank (QCB), H.E Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani, and the Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, Murat Cetinkaya.

The agreement aims to enhance bilateral cooperation between two banks through setting a two-way currency exchange line, Hurriyet Daily reported.

It will provide liquidity and support for financial stability, along with facilitating exchange of trade between Turkey and Qatar. The agreement will also contribute to enrichment of reserves of both countries, according to the source.

The funding for the first phase of the deal is expected to be worth $3 billion.
JAPON :: A CAMEROONIAN RESIDENT UNJUSTLY SEQUESTRED AND TORTURED FOR NEARLY FIVE MONTHS AT NARITA AIRPORT :: JAPAN

A Cameroonian resident for 19 years in Japan, M. Aristide F. is under an arbitrary and abusive and inappropriate decision of confinement in inhuman conditions and deportation for 17 August to Cameroon, a malicious manoeuver of some authorities of the immigration services involving M. Shomojo MASAMUNE and Ms UNMEINO joined by Mrs KIHARE and M. KUSUMOTO.

Mr. Aristide F. E. is an honest, peaceful citizen, father of two children of Japanese nationality, who has not committed any crime, but who has been improperly detained at the closed Center of Narita Airport, while he normally responded to a summons from the immigration services, after his day work.

A peaceful permanent resident:

M. Aristide F. E., 54 years old, of Cameroonian nationality lived peacefully in Japan since 1999, working legally and paying his taxes. He hold a permanent resident in Japan; is a father of two Japanese children, divorced since 2008 of his wife, a Japanese born, who he meet when they were student in Italy. He speaks French, English, Japanese and Italian. He is the cofounder and first President of the Cameroonian Association of Cameroonians living in Japan.

False allegation and inappropriate decision:

These agents, under false pretexts such as lack of re-entry visa of 30 yen, "obstruction of immigration inspectors", "refusal to board the Ethiopian Air 762 flight to execute deportation orders", "malicious remarks and arrogance" of my brother, have taken legal steps to deport him from Japan on August 17, on the basis of Article 24, para 5 (2) of the Immigration Control & Refugee-Recognition Act.

These agents also decided to cancel by perforation M. Aristide F. E.s permanent residence permit No. FU64181335ED, which was valid until May 27, 2021.

Inhumane conditions of confinement:

Mr. Aristide F. E. was arbitrarily detained, isolated from external contact, detained in inhumane conditions: locked up in a room at the end of the runway at Narita Airport, where he suffered plane noises 18 hours a day, and this nearly FIVE months.

During his five-month confinement, my brother, whom we are looking for everywhere, and who was cut off from all contact with the outside, could not be informed of the death of our father in Cameroon on May 28th, nor of his burial. He only was information after his provisional release on 20 July 2018.

After discussions with M. Aristide F.E., we can confirm that to date, Mr. Aristide F. E. is in a fragile psychological state, sick and morally depressed, because of acts of moral and psychological torture and terror that he experienced. Mr. Aristide F. E. must certainly undergo a serious medical follow-up.

No legal counsel from his Lawyer:

M. Aristide F. E. was unfortunately unable to be validly defended by his counsel, Mr Kim SUHYONG from the Hiroo Park Las Firme, to whom he nevertheless paid a sum of USD 6700 (six thousand seven hundred) and who saw him only once in eight months of proceedings. His letter to his lawyer was forwarded to the Japanese Administration. He did not appear before any court or magistrate. This lack of legal defence also facilitated the non-renewal of the residence permits of his Ethiopian companion, of which he is the financial guarantor/sponsor, and their 8-year-old son, Andre Gregory, born in Japan. Therefore, we maintain that the decision against him was taken without Mr. Aristide F. E. having been able to validly defend himself and benefit from a fair trial, fair and worthy of a great democracy like Japan.

Legally speaking, and reading the texts, Mr. Aristide F. E., does not meet the conditions of deportation stipulated in the decision nr 10010 of 13 April 2018, Article 24, and mainly, paragraph 5 (2) of the Immigration Control & Refugee- Recognition Act) which evokes the cases of foreign residents who have not respected their matrimonial obligations for six months (Note from the Ministry of Justice of July 2012: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/info/pdf/120703/haigusya_fr.pdf). For the very most, the deportation decision could have invoked Article 22-4  1, which indicates the conditions of revocation of residence, and which could have led to the deportation of the concerned person (Click here). However, on examination, the situation of Mr Aristide F. E. Case does not correspond to any of the referenced cases for revocation of the residence.

Moreover, because of his attachments (father of children of Japanese nationality), he can be considered among the cases which the Japanese courts can not easily revoke the status of residence (see Art 24-5, refer to the article 22-2 and 22-1 of the Immigration Control & Refugee-Recognition Act); Note from the Ministry of Justice of July 2012  Specific examples of foreign nationals whose status of residence is not revoked .

Hidden reasons for deportation:

Moreover, since 2012, Mr. Aristide F. E. suffers from the absence of his two 18- and 14-year-old Japanese sons, whom he has been looking for since 2012, and who has been removed from his care by his ex-wife, with the support of Japanese social services, according to the concerned.

Mr. Aristide F. E. leads activist activities against racism and negrophobia in Japan. What in reality may have been one of the reasons for his inappropriate decision for deportation. The accusation of arrogance may rely on his civil rights activist activities.

Finally, there is no criminal act committed that justifies an extreme solution of deportation, for a citizen, who in addition, to have deep family ties to Japan, has contributed by its activities (60 hours of work per week), the shining of the economic and socio-cultural life in Japan.

The Negrophobia Observatory in Europe do not want to believe that the deportation of Mr. Aristide F. E. aims to remove him from his Japanese children, who today, at the time of their majority, can legally emancipate themselves from their mother and find their father.

In conclusion:

The Negrophobia Observatory in Europe acknowledged the fact that the deportation decision has now been transformed into a voluntary departure, which was never requested by M. Aristide F. E.

The Observatory, with the support of the Embassy of Cameroon in Japan, request the followings:

Annulment of the deportation decision nr 10010 of 13 and 26 April 2018;

Regularization of Mr. Aristide F. E.s permanent residence permit and his family resident status;

Medical follow up for moral and psychological acts of torture;

Locate his Japanese children and put them in touch with their father.

The Negrophobia Observatory in Europe count on the understanding and magnanimity of the Japanese Administration.
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Blake Corney was in his element, singing along to his favourite music as he travelled with his family to a toy shop. Tragically, they never made it. The four-year-old boy died in a crash involving a truck and three cars on the Monaro Highway at Hume, near Mugga Lane, on July 28. Now, the Canberra community is rallying around Blake's parents, Camille and Andrew, and his two-year-old brother Aidan. With the family's blessing, members of a mothers' group that Camille set up are trying to raise $10,000 to ease some of the financial pressure Blake's grieving family is now facing. The money will also allow the family to set up a memorial for Blake, described by his aunty Christine Heard days after the crash as an intelligent and inquisitive boy who loved his toy trains and puzzles. There has been an outpouring of support for Blake's family since the crash. At his funeral, where 120 chairs were put out, it was standing room only. Police officers and the first person who stopped to help the family at the scene of the crash were among those who attended to show their support. On Sunday morning, six days after members of the mothers' group set up a GoFundMe page, more than $8600 of the $10,000 target had been raised. Kylie Ingram, a member of the mothers' group, said the response had been heartwarming. "It's completely blown our minds, the amount that people have given," she said. "It's mainly Canberra people [donating], but some of them have been international people. "People's generosity is just amazing." Blake's parents said they would like to thank the community for the support they had received. An ACT Policing spokesperson, when asked if any charges had been laid in relation to the crash, said the investigation was ongoing. "We will provide further details when we are able to," the spokesperson said.

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A long-running defamation case between ex-Canberra union boss Dean Hall and MLA Jeremy Hanson has settled with the former Canberra Liberals leader apologising. Mr Hanson has issued the former CFMEU ACT branch secretary a written apology and agreed to pay his legal costs. Mr Hall will not receive a payout. A notice of discontinuance is expected to be filed in the ACT Supreme Court this week. The ACT ratepayer will foot the legal bill  expected to exceed $500,000  as the government agreed to pick up the tab as Mr Hanson had made the comments in his role as an ACT parliamentarian. The union welcomed the apology but said it had been disappointed the win had to come at the cost of ratepayers. Mr Hall said it had been a shame the money used to fund the case could have been spent on important services, such as schools or hospitals. In March 2016, in the fallout of the Trade Union Royal Commission and in the lead up to the territory election, Mr Hanson appeared on the 2CC Breakfast Show to discuss an agreement between UnionsACT and the ACT government giving unions a role in procurement decisions. Mr Hanson labelled it a "secret deal" and argued it gave unions an effective veto power over government purchases. "Do we want people like Dean Hall, who runs the CFMEU, or others who potentially are facing charges or have been convicted of charges, ah, given access to, ah, company documents? Mr Hanson said on air. Mr Hall alleged this comment had been defamatory and filed action against 2CC and Mr Hanson in the ACT Supreme Court in June 2016. The radio station settled soon after, issuing an on-air apology and agreeing to a confidential payout. Mr Hanson instead attempted to fight the lawsuit. His legal team argued the comments had not been defamatory and did not carry negative imputations as alleged. His case, however, suffered a number of setbacks when the courts struck out his defence a number of times, ruling the arguments had been "defective" and unlikely to succeed. The matter had been set down for hearing in October, but it is understood the parties instead struck a bargain earlier this month whereby the Member for Murrumbidgee issued Mr Hall an apology and agreed to cover his legal costs, estimated to be about $280,000. The cost of Mr Hansons defence costs are unknown, but it is understood to be similar to those incurred by Mr Hall. In a letter to Mr Hall, dated August 3, Mr Hanson wrote: On 16 March 2016, I appeared on the 2CC Breakfast Show in my capacity as leader of the opposition, and made comments about you in your capacity as secretary of the CFMEU. I know that you do not have criminal convictions nor that you are facing any criminal charges. To the extend my words suggested that you had any criminal convictions or are facing any criminal charges, I retract any such words and I apologise for any hurt and distress this has caused you. Mr Hanson declined to comment when contacted by Fairfax Media as the matter was still before the courts. CFMEU ACT branch secretary Jason O'Mara - who replaced Mr Hall earlier this year - said: We are glad to see Mr Hanson finally apologise for his ridiculous comments about the former secretary, Dean Hall. What's disappointing is that it a came at such a significant cost to the taxpayer. This was never about money for Dean or the union, all we ever wanted was an apology." Mr Hall welcomed the completion of the case. My good name has been restored and Ive been totally vindicated in taking action against Mr Hanson," Mr Hall said. It couldve been over years ago, I immediately accepted an apology from 2CC and moved on."

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Lynn Simpson returns to Canberra bracing for reminders of the ordeal that changed her life after she became a whistleblower. The insignia of the Australian government on the doors of its agencies is a cue for some memories she would rather not dwell on, reminding her of the fallout that saw the former Department of Agriculture public servant leave the national capital last year. Dr Simpson became an accidental whistleblower, and grew isolated in her own workplace, after someone at the department in 2013 uploaded to its website a report she wrote - not meant to be public - documenting the appalling conditions for Australian animals on live export ships. "I lost my entire social network and had to build an entire new one," she said. People Dr Simpson had barely spent time with lent her support, while others she had considered friends left her alone. The live export veterinarian's finances eroded as she lost work and took on the government in a lawsuit. She hasn't had a day's paid employment in her field since the report's publication. The episode also brought a physical cost. "When you lose your health, you lose what you need to fight what's the fight of your life." A new Australian Institute of Criminology report shows Dr Simpson's experience mirrors that of other whistleblowers, finding almost all encountered acts of "reprisal and retaliation". They reportedly suffered blame and retaliation by management, feelings of fear, bullying and harassment, and emotional and psychological impacts, including stress, exhaustion, mental and physical health related issues. The report also found whistleblowers experienced substantial financial costs, including for legal advice and litigation, and loss of income when employment was terminated, contracts were not renewed, promotions not obtained, and career development impaired. "For many whistleblowers, the outcomes of disclosing illegal behaviour and misconduct weresubstantial," the report said. "These included both the outcomes associated with observing and reporting misconductas well as the retaliation experienced. "In many cases, the acts of retaliation experienced exacerbated the overall impact on whistleblowers." Dr Simpson had taken a six-month contract as a technical advisor with the Department of Agriculture's Animal Welfare Branch in 2012, as it reviewed the Australian Standards for Exporting Livestock, when she delivered her explosive findings. They revealed the horrific conditions for animals in transit, trampled in overcrowded pens, covered in their own faeces, unable to stand, dying of heat exhaustion and suffocation, and drinking from water troughs filled with excrement. Her report appeared on the Agriculture department's website in February 2013, and stayed for six months. Dr Simpson was told in June she could no longer work in its live exports or animal welfare divisions, because of an industry "witch hunt" against her following the report. She started "miscellaneous leave" the next month and later resigned. Returning to Canberra today risks triggering the symptoms of the post-traumatic stress her experience as a whistleblower gave her. About half of whistleblowers interviewed would not report the misconduct again if given the opportunity to go back in time, the Australian Institute of Criminology report said. It made a number of suggestions on ways to improve procedures, minimise victimisation, and provide better support to whistleblowers. This included financial compensation to whistleblowers, prosecuting people who retaliate against them, ensuring that investigations are carried out independently, and providing independent counsellors or psychologists to guide whistleblowers through the reporting process and to assist them in cases of reprisal or victimisation. Dr Simpson said a lawsuit filed against the federal government for breach of contract and negligence settled out of court last year. She had to sell her home to fund the legal action. She had needed free legal advice and support, and wishes there had been financial aid during her ordeal. Any reforms protecting whistleblowers better should offer aid or legal support to anyone able to prove they'd been wronged, she said. The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources said it did not comment on individual employment matters, but that it supported integrity and accountability across the public sector through public interest disclosure legislation. "All staff may also report alleged wrongdoing to the department's Integrity Unit or Fraud and Corruption Team, and these matters are taken very seriously." Lifeline: 13 11 14

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Several gunshots from a vehicle by unidentified assailants were fired at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara this morning in an attack that the Turkish government condemned as "a clear provocation."

"We condemn the attack on the US embassy. This is clearly an attempt to create chaos. Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions are under the protection of law," presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kaln said in a tweet.

"Armed attack against the US embassy is a clear provocation. Embassies are under the protection of our state," the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Omer Celik said, Hurriyet Daily reported.

The incident comes as ties between Ankara and Washington are in an unprecedented crisis over the continued detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson.
The United States is addicted to applying sanctions on Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

"I believe there is a disease in the United States and that is the addiction to sanctions," Zarif told CNN in the interview, adding that, "Even during the Obama administration the United States put more emphasis on keeping the sanctions it had not lifted rather than implementing its obligation on the sanctions it lifted."

Zarif expressed his dismay that the United States has not learned that sanctions are ineffective in changing the political climate in Iran.

"We felt that the United States had learned that at least as far as Iran is concerned, sanctions do produce economic hardship but do not produce the political outcomes that they intended them to produce, and I thought that the Americans had learned that lesson. Unfortunately I was wrong," Zarif said.

Zarif dismissed the possibility of future talks with the Trump administration, and maintain the hope the deal can be revived. He said pressure from the European allies could persuade Trump to change his mind and accused the United States of "bullying" the European signatories to the deal.

"We do not want to revisit that nuclear deal. We want the United States to implement that nuclear deal. Today the closest US allies are resisting those sanctions. The US basically arm-twisting -- its attempt to put pressure. I don't want to use the term bullying ... [but] that's what it amounts to," the minister stressed.

Asked whether Iranian President Hassan Rouhani could benefit from a one-on-one meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Zarif said the previous nuclear deal had to be respected first. "Not when the previous huge progress that we made was thrown out," he said of a one-on-one. "That [previous deal] was for us the litmus test of whether we can trust the United States or not."
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Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), one amongst the five Central Armed Police Forces of India, has released a recruitment notification for the posts of Sub Inspector, Head Constable and Constable. The notification was released for a total of 390 vacancies. The selected candidates will earn up to INR 1.12 lakhs per month. Interested candidates can start applying for the vacancies between September 4 and October 3, 2018.

ITBP Vacancy Details

Sub Inspector (Telecom) - 17 vacancies

Head Constable (Telecom) - 155 vacancies

Constable (Telecom) - 218 vacancies

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Sub Inspector, Head Constable And Constable Organisation Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Educational Qualification Varies from one post to another Skills Required Technical skills Job Location Across India Salary Scale INR 21,700 to INR 1.12 lakhs per month Industry Defence Application Start Date September 4, 2018 Application End Date October 3, 2018

Application Fee

The application fee for the post of Sub Inspector is INR 200 and INR 100 for Head Constable and Constable posts. However, the fee is exempted for female, ex-servicemen, SC and ST candidates.

Click here for the official notification.

How To Apply

Interested candidates can apply online through the official website of ITBP - http://recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in/.

One should apply between September 4 and October 3, 2018. ITBP has not yet published the detailed notification regarding the recruitment. The detailed notification consists of pay allowances, eligibility conditions, the procedure to fill the online application form, the recruitment procedure and tests, etc.

All You Need To Know About Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination
The corporate world is one where a large number of people are involved in a process. Thus, for the companies to do their job well, it is important that there is effective communication. Who needs to be ascertained what amount of information is something that needs to be effectively chalked out. The information that is to be communicated may range from that of products and marketing campaigns to that of business plans and employment policies. In order to do justice to the magnanimous amount of data that needs to be put forward, there is a need for dedicated people to take up the role of a corporate communications professional.

In the Indian context, not many people are aware of this particular job role. This creates immense job potential here. Indeed, the fact that there is lesser competition here as compared to other jobs in the corporate world is something that works in favour of freshers.

In order to harvest the potential of this field and make a successful career here, go ahead and read this article. It will tell you all you need to know and give you tips for effective career building.

 Job Roles

All sorts of written and other communication that takes place within an organisation happens under the supervision of these people. This includes engaging in media outreach programs, setting up local as well as public announcements as well as creating press releases.

It is the duty of these people to ensure that appropriate presentations and emails are drafted so that all the new initiatives and campaigns that the company indulges in are brought to the notice of its employees.

 Educational Qualification

In order to pursue this profession, the first and foremost thing that would be required is a three-year bachelor's degree in public relations or marketing. Many organisations also give weightage to people who have a degree in journalism.

After having obtained the said qualifications, companies usually groom the newly hired employees to fit into the ethics of the organisation.

 Skill Set

Since the job role here is all about communication, it is obvious that this involves a good amount of social interactions. For that, it is an absolute must for candidates to be vocal and be in a position to explain their point of view to others and convince them of the same. For that, good debating skills help.

Also, one cannot always expect the other person to agree to what you have to say. In such a situation, a corporate communicator needs to be patient in dealing with the situation. A corporate communicator is often seen to be a representation of the image of the company to the general public. Thus, it is important for them to be presentable at all times.

Other than that, basic computer skills with thorough knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel and other Office applications along with decent typing skills are an absolute must for a person who wants to do well in this profession.

 Networking In Corporate Communication

Although networking is an essential survival skill in a corporate these days, it is all the way more important here. This is because in this particular job role you not only represent and speak for yourself, but also for your company.

In such a situation, if you can maintain a personal rapport with clients, it will be beneficial for you and your company. Also, in this particular profession, if a person starts networking from the initial stages of their career, the chances of bearing fruits later on are pretty high.

 Salary

The need for corporate communicators exists in every field of work irrespective of the domain. As is obvious, the salary people take home will depend on their domain. IT firms and media agencies tend to pay corporate communicators higher than other companies. The average starting salary here is about INR 15,000 per month.

 Work Environment

This is a desk job and most of the work that happens here is over the Internet. Thus, there is not much travelling involved. For most companies, corporate communicators do not have to work on the weekends or in shifts. Most of the jobs in this field are based in the cities, with Bangalore, Hyderabad and NCR being the prime areas.

 Job Growth

In the case of freshers in the field, most corporate firms prefer to hire candidates straight out of college. This prompts them to opt for campus placements as well. For people who start off their career as junior corporate communicators, there is an immense scope of growth.

Like every other profession, with due time they can choose to move to managerial roles in corporate communication. Other than that, one can also choose to switch to other roles such as consumer insight managers, public relations specialists.

With globalisation increasing by the minute, the importance of quality service in the field of corporate communication is ever expanding. Thus, experienced people will never find a dearth of employment opportunities.

By now you must have realised that although some of the qualities that are required to succeed in this profession can be improved with practise, most of the skills that are required in this field of work are innate.

Thus, we advise you to take up this profession only if you feel that this is your true calling. Once you have chosen this, there is no looking back. All that you have to do is put in the due amount of work and see your career shine.
Alanna Kelly

Over 1,000 people were delayed in their travels after smoke blanketed the Okanagan Valley, causing troubles for flights.

Both Kelowna International Airport and Penticton Regional Airport saw dozens of delays over the weekend.

Almost 30 flights total over 24 hours were cancelled, causing many people to have to reschedule their flights.

YLW Airport emergency operations manager Sean Parker said visibility has been a challenge all weekend, mainly for arriving flights.

Right now, vertical isnt the problem, it is the horizontal. We have been as low as half a mile, he said. We still need to have visual references when coming in.

Parker said pilots need to have something to see as they are coming in.

There are plans in place to hopefully get some recovery flights over the next day or two, he said. The airlines will do their very best to catch up and solve these problems.

Incoming and departing flights to Penticton Regional Airport from Calgary and Vancouver were cancelled on both Saturday and Sunday.

Environment Canada meteorologist Jonathan Bau said visibility should get better as the week goes on.

Maybe improve slightly throughout the week as smoke is pushed away from the Okanagan Valley, said Bau.

Parker asks travellers to be patient and said airlines are in a difficult situation because there is nothing that can be done about the weather.

People should check their flight status online for updates.
Photo: The Canadian Press

About 200 South Koreans and their family members prepared to cross into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War.

The weeklong event at North Korea's Diamond Mountain resort comes as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a standoff over North Korea's drive for a nuclear weapons program that can reliably target the continental United States.

The temporary reunions are highly emotional because most of those taking part are elderly people eager to see their loved ones once more before they die. Most of these families were driven apart during the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still in a technical state of war.

Buses carrying the elderly South Koreans attending this week's reunions arrived at a border immigration office Monday morning. Red Cross workers wearing yellow vests waved at them. Some were in wheelchairs and others were aided by workers as they got off the buses and moved to the South Korean immigration office in the eastern border town of Goseong. After undergoing immigration checks, they were to cross the border by buses and travel to Diamond Mountain.

Past reunions have produced powerful images of elderly Koreans crying, embracing and caressing each other. Nearly 20,000 people have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions held between the countries since 2000. Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives under a short-lived program from 2005 to 2007. No one has had a second chance to see their relatives.

According to Seoul's Unification Ministry, 197 separated South Koreans and their family members will take part in the first round of reunions that run from Monday to Wednesday. Another 337 South Koreans will participate in a second round of reunions from Friday to Sunday.

South Korea will also send dozens of medical and emergency staff to Diamond Mountain to prepare for potential health problems considering the large number of elderly participants.

Many of the South Korean participants are war refugees born in North Korea who will be meeting their siblings or the infant children they left behind, many of them now into their 70s.

Park Hong-seo, an 88-year-old Korean War veteran from the southern city of Daegu, said he always wondered whether he'd faced his older brother in battle.

After graduating from a Seoul university, Park's brother settled in the North Korean coastal town of Wonsan as a dentist in 1946. After the war broke out, Park was told by a co-worker that his brother refused to flee to the South because he had a family in the North and was a surgeon in the North Korean army.

Park fought for the South as a student soldier and was among the allied troops who took over Wonsan in October 1950. The U.S.-led forces advanced farther north in the following weeks before being driven back by a mass of Chinese forces after Beijing intervened in the conflict.

Park learned that his brother died in 1984. At Diamond Mountain, he will meet his North Korean nephew and niece, who are 74 and 69, respectively.

"I want to ask them what his dying wish was and what he said about me," Park said in a telephone interview last week. "I wonder whether there's a chance he saw me when I was in Wonsan."

During the three years since the reunions were last held, the North tested three nuclear weapons and multiple missiles that demonstrated a potential of striking the continental United States.

North Korea has shifted to diplomacy in recent months. Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a son of North Korean war refugees, agreed to resume the reunions during the first of their two summits this year in April.

South Korea sees the separated families as the largest humanitarian issue created by the war, which killed and injured millions and cemented the division of the Korean Peninsula into the North and South. The ministry estimates there are currently about 600,000 to 700,000 South Koreans with immediate or extended relatives in North Korea.

But Seoul has failed to persuade Pyongyang to accept its long-standing call for more frequent reunions with more participants.

The limited number of reunions cannot meet the demands of divided family members, who are now mostly in their 80s and 90s, South Korean officials say. More than 75,000 of the 132,000 South Koreans who have applied to participate in reunions have died, according to the Seoul ministry.

Analysts say North Korea sees the reunions as an important bargaining chip with the South, and doesn't want them expanded because they give its people better awareness of the outside world. While South Korea uses a computerized lottery to pick participants for the reunions, North Korea is believed to choose based on loyalty to its authoritarian leadership.
Photo: CTV

Smoke from B.C. wildfires can be seen more than one million kilometres away from Earth, and the province's communities are dealing with some of the worst air quality on the planet.

Prince George has a 10+ rating on the air quality health index as of Sunday morning, and those in the area are urged to avoid activity outside.

They also have just 19 out of possible perfect 100 on a worldwide air pollution index called the Breezometer. Mumbai, India has a rating of 45.

Its some of the worst weve ever had, Garth Frizzell, councillor with the City of Prince George, told CTV News. Its fairly serious. The skies are pretty grey and were looking for rest, but for now, were seeing people whove been a lot harder hit than us.

There are currently over 400 active wildfires in the province, emanating smoke that NASA says can be seen from satellites 1.5 million kilometres away.

And it isn't just B.C. that is impacted. Air quality statements have been issued for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as northwestern Ontario.

Environment Canada warns that the poor air can cause coughing, headaches, shortness of breath and throat irritation, specifically in seniors, children and anyone with cardiovascular or lung diseases.

-With files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: The Canadian Press Pope Francis prays for the victims of the Kerala floods during the Angelus noon prayer in St.Peter's Square, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics around the world Monday condemning the crime of priestly sexual abuse and its coverup and demanding accountability, in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church.

Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and coverup. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives," Francis wrote. "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

The Vatican issued the three-page letter ahead of Francis' trip this weekend to Ireland, a once staunchly Roman Catholic country where the church's credibility has been devastated by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered up for them.

Priestly sex abuse was always expected to dominate the trip, but the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the U.S. that one of Francis' trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

In addition, a grand jury report in Pennsylvania last week reported that at least 1,000 children were victims of some 300 priests over the past 70 years, and that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

In the letter, which was issued in seven languages, Francis referred to the Pennsylvania report, acknowledged that no effort to beg forgiveness of the victims will be sufficient but vowed "never again."

He said, looking to the future, "no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated."

Francis didn't, however, provide any indication of what concrete measures he is prepared to take to sanction those bishops  in the U.S. and beyond  who covered up for sexually abusive priests.
Photo: The Canadian Press Catalan police officers cordon off the area near a police station, following an attack in Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona,

A man pleaded to be let into a locked police station in Barcelona before dawn Monday, then lunged with a knife at officers inside. Police shot him dead and the attack is being investigated for any links to terror, authorities said.

Commissioner Rafel Comes, the second-in-command of the Catalan regional police, told reporters that police are treating it as a terrorist attack "for the moment" because the incident was "extremely serious," involving a "premeditated" attack that intended to kill police.

The man shouted "Allah" and other words that police officers did not understand, Comes said, adding that Spanish intelligence services are helping with the investigation.

But he added that police have found no evidence linking the incident to terror attacks last August in Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people.

Officers opened a locked police station security door to the man, who lived in a nearby apartment, Comes said. The police station is located in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the city.

He said the suspect repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in at around 5.45 a.m. and spoke with officers inside over an intercom. After they decided to let him in, he pulled out "a large knife" and lunged at officers, according to Comes.

The man had ID documents on him and police are checking whether they are authentic.

Comes said authorities have found no criminal record for the man identified in the documents, although international police databases are being searched for matches with his fingerprints.

Police were planning to search the man's apartment.
Photo: RCMP

UPDATE: 10:35 a.m.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has released the identity of a man who died following a fight outside the McDonalds restaurant near 129th Street and 96th Avenue in Surrey.

Lakhwinder Singh Bal, 48, of Surrey, was the victim of homicide, IHIT says.

Bal was known to police, and investigators believe his murder was not a random act.

When emergency services arrived, they found him unresponsive in the parking lot. Bal later died in hospital.

UPDATE: 8:45 a.m.

Police say a man severely injured in a fight in Surrey has now died.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team posted a message on social media confirming the death.

Surrey RCMP said in a news release they received several calls about a fight on Sunday night.

Officers found a man collapsed at the scene, and he was rushed to hospital, but could not be saved.

Police continue to appeal for information from anyone who might have seen the assault.

Witnesses who may have spotted someone fleeing the area are also being urged to come forward.

 The Canadian Press

Photo: CTV

ORIGINAL: 6:35 a.m.

RCMP are still on the scene, and the 12900 block of 96th Avenue is closed this morning after a serious assault in Surrey overnight.

A male victim was rushed to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries after a fight broke out about 9 p.m.

Several 911 calls reported the incident, and officers arrived to find the man collapsed on the ground.

Police closed 96th Avenue between 128th Street and 130th Street, and CTV reports Integrated Homicide Investigation Team members were also on the scene. It's not yet known if the attack was gang related, however.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed the assault or saw someone fleeing the area to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or CrimeStoppers.

More details are expected to be released this morning.
Photo: Environment Canada

Okanagan Valley and Interior B.C. residents awoke to yet another day featuring a 10+ on the provinces air quality health index.

Environment Canada indicates a large area of smoke aloft is filling interior valleys with poor visibility & high AQHI values.

According to the BC Air Quality website, conditions in the Okanagan are looking like they will remain in the 10+ range for the today, tonight and tomorrow.

However Environment Canada says according to the models they are looking at conditions are expected to improve in the southern interior as a change in the weather pattern vents the smoke towards the coast and south towards Washington State.

Until the wind shifts and the skies clear Environment Canada has issued a tweet suggesting people "be like Bane".
Photo: The Canadian Press Rudy Giuliani

President Donald Trump's personal attorney says he wasn't trying to make an existential point about the meaning of veracity when he declared "truth isn't truth."

Rudy Giuliani's puzzling statement on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, following one by another Trump aide last year about "alternative facts," suggested that people in Trump's orbit might be denying the existence of reality.

Giuliani says his intent was more mundane: to make the case that having Trump sit down for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller's team wouldn't accomplish much because of the conflicting nature of witnesses' recollections.

"My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology," he tweeted, "but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic 'he said, she said' puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesn't."

Giuliani had told "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd that Trump might "get trapped into perjury" if he were interviewed by the special counsel's Russia investigation. "You tell me that, you know, he should testify because he's going to tell the truth and he shouldn't worry, well, that's so silly because it's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth."

When Todd replied: "Truth is truth," Giuliani responded: "No, it isn't truth. Truth isn't truth."
Press Release For Immediate Release: Monday, August 20, 2018

Contact: Media Relations

(404) 639-3286

Of the approximately 4 million babies born in 2015, most (83.2 percent) started out breastfeeding  but many stop earlier than recommended, according to the 2018 Breastfeeding Report Card released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Good nutrition starts with breastfeeding exclusively (only breast milk) for about the first six months of life, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy on Breastfeedingexternal icon. While nearly 6 in 10 (57.6 percent) infants are still breastfeeding at 6 months of age, only 1 in 4 are breastfeeding exclusively.

We are pleased that most US babies start out breastfeeding and over half are still breastfeeding at 6 months of age, said Ruth Petersen, MD, MPH, director of CDCs Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. The more we support breastfeeding mothers, the more likely they will be able to reach their breastfeeding goals.

Breastfeeding provides benefits for babies and mothers

Infants who are breastfed have reduced risks of asthma, obesity, type 2 diabetes, ear and respiratory infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfeeding can also help lower a mothers risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and ovarian and breast cancer.

Highlights from the 2018 Breastfeeding Report Card show:

Among infants born in 2015, 4 out of 5 (83.2 percent) started out breastfeeding. This high percentage of babies who start out breastfeeding shows that most mothers want to breastfeed and are trying to do so.

Almost half (46.9 percent) were exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months.

Only one-third (35.9 percent) of infants were breastfeeding at 12 months.

Almost half (49 percent) of employers provide worksite lactation support programs.

Over 1 in 4 babies are born in facilities that provide recommended maternity care practices for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

CDC researchers analyzed data on breastfeeding practices and support from 50 states, the District of Columbia (D.C.), Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. For the first time, the Breastfeeding Report Card includes data for Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mothers and families benefit from breastfeeding support from all sectors

CDCs recommendations for support to mothers include encouraging hospitals and health care staff to implement practices that support breastfeeding, including helping patients identify covered benefits, such as breast pumps and access to lactation consultants, to help support the mothers transition back to home, to school, and/or to work.

All sectors of society (family and friends, hospitals, health care offices/clinics, childcare facilities, community-based organizations, and workplaces) can play a role in improving the health of families by supporting breastfeeding. To reach their breastfeeding goals, mothers need worksite accommodations and continuity of care through consistent, collaborative and high-quality breastfeeding services. They need the support from their doctors, lactation consultants and counselors, and peer counselors.

The CDC Breastfeeding Report Card provides state-by-state data to help public health practitioners, health professionals, community members, childcare providers and family members work together to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

For more information on CDCs work on nutrition and breastfeeding, please visit www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding.

###

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

external icon

CDC works 24/7 protecting Americas health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to Americas most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.
Wonder Cement to commission grinding unit

20 August 2018

Indias Wonder Cement is ready to start operations at its 2Mta clinker grinding unit in Dhule, Maharashtra, according to The Hindu. The plant represents an investment of INR4.5bn (US$64.54m) by the company.



"The Dhule plant, which will commence operations on Monday, will distribute cement mainly across Maharashtra, while a minimal quantity would be supplied to Madhya Pradesh. The plant will supply mainly to North Maharashtra and Thane, Mumbai and Pune," said Managing Director, JC Toshniwal.



Once the plant is commissioned, the companys total cement production capacity will rise to 8.75Mta. While an additional 2.5Mta clinker unit is expected to commence operations by mid-2019.

"The civil works for the third clinker unit is in full swing, and we will commission it by mid-next year. This will help to increase our cement production capacity to 11Mta from 8.75Mta," said Mr Toshniwal.

Wonder Cement has also announced plans to set up a further two clinker units as part of a INR25bn expansion project.

Published under
Rock Hard Distribution Ltd fights back against jurisdiction

20 August 2018

The Customs Committee of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has come under fire from Rock Hard Distribution Ltd that says the body has "no jurisdiction" to consider the classification of Rock Hard Cement or any goods under the Common External Tariff.



The CARICOM Secretariat had invited Rock Hard Distribution Ltd to a meeting on 15 August in Guyana to discuss the classification of cements, following the dispute over imported hydraulic cement to Barbados.



However, a statement issued to COTED's Assistant Secretary General, issued by lawyer Symone Mayhew, working on behalf of the client Rock Hard Distribution Ltd, challenged that jurisdiction, reports Nation News.



On 17 July, president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Adrian Saunders, ordered the Government of Barbados to "restore and enforce" the 60 per cent duty on hydraulic cement which was imported from outside the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It had been lowered to five per cent and both Arawak and Trinidad Cement Ltd had filed an application for interim relief.





Published under
Morandi reaffirmed the soundness of the bridge design but warned: "Sooner or later, maybe in a few years, it will be necessary to resort to a treatment consisting of the removal of all traces of rust."
Public Utilities Commission hears concern over nuclear energy

A Colorado Public Utilities Commission hearing was held at the El Pueblo Museum Oct. 28 where activists opposed the possibility of a nuclear power plant.
US Bishop Claims 'Homosexual Subculture' Within Catholic Hierarchy Behind 'Sickening' Child Sex Abuse Christian Post Contributor | 20 August, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov

A U.S. bishop has claimed that a "homosexual subculture" exists within the "hierarchy of the Catholic Church," which is leading to the mass child sex abuse scandals.

U.S. Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison, Wisconsin, wrote in a pastoral letter on Saturday that there is "justified anger" being directed at Catholic leadership over the Pennsylvania grand jury report, released last week, which revealed how 301 priests who abused over 1,000 children over decades were protected by the institution.

Morlino said that the abuse detailed in the 1,300-page report is "sickening," but insisted that it is not just pedophilia that is the problem. "[W]e are talking about deviant sexual  almost exclusively homosexual  acts by clerics."

"It is time to admit that there is a homosexual subculture within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church that is wreaking great devastation in the vineyard of the Lord. The Church's teaching is clear that the homosexual inclination is not in itself sinful, but it is intrinsically disordered in a way that renders any man stably afflicted by it unfit to be a priest," he wrote.

Morlino continued in his strong-worded letter by stating that "the decision to act upon this disordered inclination is a sin so grave that it cries out to heaven for vengeance, especially when it involves preying upon the young or the vulnerable. Such wickedness should be hated with a perfect hatred. Christian charity itself demands that we should hate wickedness just as we love goodness."

While many of the young victims in the report were boys, some were also girls, including a 7-year-old girl. She was raped by a priest who visited her in the hospital after she had undergone surgery to remove her tonsils.

Moral theologian Janet E. Smith, a professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, has also commented on the so-called "lavender mafia" of homosexual networks within the church hierarchy.

"The deeper problem is the presence of homosexual networks in the Church  likely in dioceses all over the world and certainly in the Curia. Yes, there are lots of other immoral behaviors  adultery, greed, luxuriousness, clericalism and substance abuse, for instance, that need to be addressed but first things first," Smith claimed earlier this month.

"Eradicating the homosexual networks from the Church would do a lot to purging the Church of immoral priests  and doing so should help us get at the other problems."

Blame over the latest revelations of mass sex abuse in the Catholic Church has been pointed at different directions.

The U S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said through its president, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, that the abuse and the cover-ups have produced "sadness, anger, and shame."

In his official letter last week, Galveston-Houston admitted that he and his fellow U.S. bishops have failed in certain aspects.

"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," he said, in reference to former Washington, D.C., Archbishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick, who has also been accused of serious sexual misconduct allegations.

"The result was that scores of beloved children of God were abandoned to face an abuse of power alone. This is a moral catastrophe. 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."

Some prominent Catholics are also calling on current D.C. Archbishop Cardinal Donald Wuerl to resign for not doing enough to tackle the sex abuse, though the latter has defended himself.

"While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse. I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report," Wuerl wrote in a statement last week.

Reuters found that Catholic churchgoers in Pennsylvania have also been left "sickened" by all that is being revealed, but are not losing faith.

Read more about the Pennsylvania grand jury report on The Christian Post.
Shots were fired at the U.S. embassy in Turkey Monday amid escalating tensions between the two countries over an American pastor.

The six shots from an unidentified car hit a window but did not injure anyone, The Washington Post reported.

American pastor Andrew Brunson was arrested in 2016 on charges that he supported an attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Brunson and the Trump administration say the charges are baseless.

Brunson, under house arrest, leads a Protestant congregation in the predominantly Islamic nation.

After Trump imposed sanctions on Turkey earlier this month, prices on basic goods skyrocketed, NBCs Richard Engel reported. Eggs cost 20 percent more. Bottled water has doubled in price. The local economy is tanking, Engel said.

Customers arent coming, a shop owner told Engel.

It is the countrys worst economic crisis in 20 years.

But Turkey isnt backing down, and Erdogan has called for a boycott of U.S. products. Some residents smashed iPhones as a show of protest.

Trump is threatening more sanctions if Brunson isnt released.

Hes a wonderful man, Pastor Brunson, Trump told reporters Friday. They made up this phony charge. We are not going to take it sitting down. They cant take our people.

Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com .

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Chris McGrath/Staff
Growing up, I imagined I could easily spot the racists around me. They were the ones proudly displaying the Confederate flag across the back of their pickup trucks or blatantly disregarding other people based on the color of their skin. I looked at them and counted myself lucky that I hadnt been born into that kind of family or raised in that distorted version of Christianity.

But then I started to realize how much I had profited from systems designed to benefit people who looked more like me than my husband, an African American man, or our mixed-race sons. Like many of my European American brothers and sisters, I began awakening to my own racial identity. And that meant confronting the racist within me, lamenting the many ways I had been an oppressor to the marginalized.

When I say this, it makes me realize Im not radically different from someone like Derek Black, once dubbed the White Power Prodigy. Raised in a culture of white supremacy, he seemed fated to become the next leader of the white nationalist movement. His father founded the notorious white supremacist website Stormfront.org, and his godfather was none other than David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard.

But as journalist Eli Saslow shows in Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist, when Black left home to attend New College of Florida, he underwent a most unlikely moral transformationa change birthed by the power of relationships.

A Secret Exposed

As a Christian, I often fling the word relationships around without much of a thought. But relationships are at the heart of the gospel. Because God first loved us, followers of Jesus are commanded, above all things, to love God and love other people ...

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The largest mission field in Western Europe isnt self-identifying atheists or Muslim immigrants; its people who call themselves Christians but exhibit few, if any, signs of faith.

Non-practicing Christians, which a Pew Research Center report defines as those who identify with Christianity but rarely or never attend church services, make up the biggest segment of the regions population.

According to the report, 46 percent of Western Europeans are non-practicing Christians, 18 percent are regular church attendees, 24 percent are religiously unaffiliated, and 5 percent follow other faiths.

Despite their increasing secularism, Europeans still tend to identify with religious labelsif not their more orthodox beliefs.

The regions non-practicing Christians outnumber church-attending believers in every Western European country except Italy, Pew reports. They rarely or never attend worship services, generally dont believe in God as described in the Bible (67%), and dont hold to historic positions on social issues: 85% favor legal abortion (compared to 52% of church-attending Christians) and 80% favor same-sex marriage (compared to 58% of church attendees).

Over the course of a single generation, the number of Western Europeans without a Christian background has skyrocketed, said Evert Van de Poll, professor of religious studies and missiology at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven, Belgium. In his home country of the Netherlands, the number of unaffiliated Dutch (48%) has tripled since he was a boy. At the same time, the Christian label has increasingly become more a cultural signifier than a statement of faith and practice.

With the Christian landscape evolving (or, ...

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Few look to Central Asia for good news on religious freedom. Three of its five nations fill the US State Departments list of Countries of Particular Concern, and a fourth has been highly recommended to join them. But on the sidelines of Washingtons first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, four officials from Uzbekistan made the case that the former Soviet republic has become convinced that the best way to combat Islamist extremism is through more freedom instead of more restrictions. Its an incredibly hopeful and practical moment, said Chris Seiple, president emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement, who wrote his dissertation on Uzbekistan and brokered the meeting. Uzbekistan is bucking all the authoritarian trends worldwide and saying, Were going to set a different model. 

Eritrea: Christians freed from shipping container prisons

Ethiopia and Eritrea finally ended their unresolved state of war and pledged greater cooperation and freedoms. One early result of their July peace pact: 35 Christian prisoners were released from the notorious shipping container prisons that Eritrea has used to punish evangelicals and others viewed as threats to the small Horn of Africa nation. However, the 11 women and 24 men freed had to agree to limits on their religious practices, reports Religion News Service. Open Doors estimates that thousands more religious prisoners remain.

Churches protest parking tax

While Jesus did say to render to Caesar what is Caesars, thousands of American ministries are arguing this doesnt include their parking lots. The Evangelical ...

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Oh, Job is so powerful! said a man I had just met. We had found common ground discussing the congregations where we worshiped. After sharing what we did for work, I told him I had written a book on Job, and he was excited to talk to me about Jobs importance to him: After all he suffered, Job says, Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. 

Others have quoted those well-beloved words to me to demonstrate that, in spite of severe losses, Job continues to trust God. A longtime friend and professional colleague once told me that what he loved about Job was that very statement. Unfortunately the common translation of that verse, Job 13:15, misrepresents Job.

I did not consider it appropriate to challenge these men in either situation, but I cringe when people cite those words from Job. They reflect a mistranslation of Jobs words that has led some to misunderstand the entire book.

Challenging long-held ideas about a well-beloved verse can make believers feel uneasy or like Scripture itself is under attack. But every Christian should want to know the truth of Scripture. Even if it disturbs us, knowing what Job says should engage us all. A careful look at the wording will show why this is important, how various Bible versions translate the text, and how this text fits into its context to give a new appreciation for the full message of Job.

Jobs Protest

Contrary to how many people remember the Book of Job, throughout most of the book, Job articulates a strong protest to God against his undeserved suffering. In chapter 3, for example, in defiance of Gods gift of life and in deep depression, Job seeks the peace of death over the suffering of his life. His speech triggers ...

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Since the 1980s, when the Religious Right helped elevate California governor Ronald Reagan to the presidency, outside observers have typically understood American evangelicalism through the lens of American politics. Melani McAlister, a professor of American studies at George Washington University, wants to tell a broader story by looking outside American borders. Studying American evangelical missionary and humanitarian activity in Egypt, South Africa, Congo, and South Sudan, she says, reveals a movement that has always seen itself as part of a global communion.

In her book, The Kingdom of God Has No Borders, McAlister applies this international lens to the past half-century of American evangelical history. David R. Swartz, associate professor of history at Asbury University and author of Moral Minority: The Evangelical Left in an Age of Conservatism, spoke with McAlister about her research.

What does applying a global lens tell us about American evangelicalism?

It tells us that evangelicalism is politically complicated and racially diverse. Global engagement sometimes pushes American evangelicals in conservative directions and sometimes in liberal directions, but it definitely makes the political ground they occupy much more complex than we often acknowledge.

How have encounters in the Majority World made American evangelicals more liberal in some ways and more conservative in others?

American evangelicals have often given donations to charity. Thats not new. But as they encountered economic insecurity, political instability, health crises, and refugee situations, they began to realize that global poverty couldnt be solved through charity alone. In 2005 American and European evangelicals prayed outside the G8 ...

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In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new.
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Stone Mountain rises 825 feet above the suburban Atlanta landscape, a towering symbol of the area's divisive racial history.

There are two Stone Mountains. One is the No. 1 tourist attraction in Georgia, drawing about 4 million guests a year, many of them oblivious to the controversy, for a variety of family activities.

The other, described as a "Confederate Mount Rushmore," has huge carvings of President Jefferson Davis and generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on its face. Stone Mountain also has a history of Ku Klux Klan activity, beginning in 1915 when a small group of white men climbed the mountain and lit a flaming cross to mark the rebirth of the Klan, after it was largely stamped out in the late 19th century.

Stone Mountain remains a symbol of controversy and division today. Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp recently tweeted, "As governor, I will protect Stone Mountain and historical monuments in Georgia from the radical left. We should learn from the past  not attempt to rewrite it."

His opponent, Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams, has called for the removal of the Confederate carving from the face of the mountain, calling it "a blight on our state."

So Stone Mountain is a perfect place to begin to bring down racism. On August 25, black and white Christians from the Atlanta area and around the Southeast will write a new chapter in the history of the mountain.

As part of an event called OneRace Stone Mountain, they will climb the mountain and erect a cross. This time, it will be a symbol of reconciliation and love instead of division and hate.

OneRace Stone Mountain will draw from the imagery Dr. Martin Luther King used in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech almost 55 years ago to the day.

On August 28, 1963, he spoke to a crowd estimated at 250,000 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington.

At one point in the speech, in a series of lines playing off the lyrics from "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," King declared, "Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia," an apparent reference to the rebirth of the Klan.

This was even before the park was formally dedicated in 1970, in a ceremony attended by Vice President Spiro Agnew, or the Confederate sculpture was completed in 1972.

Even before then, in the 1960s, Stone Mountain was a symbol of racial discord. Sadly, King's dream of racial harmony has eluded us so far. Too often, the words "race" and "violence" seem to go hand in hand, with cities like Ferguson and Charlottesville evoking images of demonstrations and bloodshed.

The leaders of the OneRace movement know that only a united Church can help heal our racial divisions. They follow in the footsteps of leaders like King who marched for nonviolent social change in this country. OneRace Stone Mountain actually will help fulfill part of King's dream.

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood," King said during his "I Have a Dream" speech.

That day is coming Aug. 25.
home US White House rejects Turkey's offer to release pastor Andrew Brunson

The Trump White House has turned down an offer from the Turkish government to release imprisoned evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the White House rejected an offer from Ankara to release the imprisoned North Carolina native in exchange for the United States' forgiveness of billions of dollars of fines against one of Turkey's largest state lenders, citing an unnamed senior White House official.

According to the official, Turkey offered to release Brunson if the U.S. drops its investigation in Halkbank (formerly known as Turkiye Halk Bankasi), which faces fines for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

However, the Trump administration has reportedly told its NATO ally that it will not discuss the Halkbank situation or other issues until Turkish authorities release the 50-year-old Brunson.

Brunson was placed under house arrest last month after spending about a year-and-a-half in prison on what the U.S. says is baseless charges of terrorism that President Donald Trump has called "phony."

Brunson, who has ministered in Izmir for two decades, is accused of having connections to an Islamic group blamed for the 2016 coup attempt against the Erdogan government and to Kurdish militants. Brunson, who spent 17 months in prison before being charged with a crime, has denied all the charges.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the White House official was quoted as saying.

In a tweet last week, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. will "pay nothing" for Brunson's release.

"Turkey has taken advantage of the United States for many years.They are now holding our wonderful Christian Pastor, who I must now ask to represent our Country as a great patriot hostage," the president wrote. "We will pay nothing for the release of an innocent man, but we are cutting back on Turkey!"

The Trump administration has already taken actions to punish Turkey for its detention of Brunson.

In addition to slapping sanctions on two top Turkish officials that head agencies responsible for Brunson's imprisonment earlier this month, Trump also vowed to doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey. The move exacerbated the decline in the Turkish lira and has led President Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan to claim that the U.S. is waging "economic war."

The Wall Street Journal notes that it is likely that the U.S. could impose more penalties on Turkey as early as this week.

It is believed that Brunson is being held as a bargaining chip for the Turkish regime. Many felt, and ErdoAYan even suggested, that Brunson could be released if the U.S. extradites Islamic cleric Fethullah GAlen, who is accused of being involved in the 2016 coup attempt.

While many religious freedom advocates have rallied behind Brunson's case, at least one Christian pastor has called on the U.S. to extradite Gulen in exchange for Brunson.

"The American media has scrutinized Gulen, his Islamist ideology and its charter schools and have written that it is 'a false-flag movement.' So the question is: 'Why is the U.S. government, not only providing refuge for a terrorist, an international criminal, but why are his charter schools getting funding of $800 million dollars to operate in the United States?'" New York City pastor Bill Devlin asks. "Clearly, Mr. Gulen should be extradited back to Turkey by the U.S. government, immediately, if not sooner."

It was reported last month that Trump tried to negotiate a deal that would have seen Israel release a suspected Hamas smuggler Ebru Ozkan in exchange for Brunson.

This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission
North and South Korean families allowed rare reunions after decades apart

Families split apart since the Korean War decades ago have been given the rare chance to meet each other again this week.

It is the first time since 2015 that reunions have taken place between North Koreans and their South Korean relatives. The resumption of family reunions was made possible by the Panmunjom Declaration signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their historic meeting earlier this year.

The reunions are taking place in Mount Kumgang in the North. Only 89 South Koreans and 83 North Koreans have been selected to meet each other and according to Open Doors UK, the North Koreans had to go through a strict propaganda eduction process, which included educating them on speaking positively about life in North Korea and their leaders.

North Korean escapee John Choi told the organisation it was 'tragic' that at least 20 million people have been separated as a result of the Korean War.

He said the reunions should be allowed to take place regardless of the political climate between the North and South.

'The process of family reunion depends on political events but it shouldn't. They should not be stopped nor should they be used as a bargaining chip,' he said.

'The family reunions are a good thing and should not be counted as one of the political processes. These people who have been separated grow old and times is running out for their chance to meet each other.'

Despite the recent thawing of relations between the North and South, life remains difficult for North Koreans, particularly Christians who are persecuted by the state.

North Korea is ranked number one in the 2018 Open Doors World Watch List for countries that persecute Christians. The organisation says that Christians are seen as 'hostile elements' that have to be eradicated and people caught practising the faith, as well as members of their family, can be sent to labour camps or even killed for their faith.

This week's family reunions have been assisted by the Red Cross. Park Kyung-seo, president of the South Korean Red Cross, told CNN that it was a 'human tragedy' that so few were able to take part in the reunions.

'I share fully with the disappointment of those who are not selected so I am trying with North Korean partners to try and find other solutions, huge numbers are waiting, the numbers are very much limited,' he said.

'Imagine 73 years long without knowing whether their family members are still alive or passed away - no news at all. The agony and anger, that's an unthinkable human tragedy.'
Trump administration turns down Turkey's offer to free Andrew Brunson in exchange for bank fines being forgiven

The Trump White House has turned down an offer from the Turkish government to release imprisoned evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the White House rejected an offer from Ankara to release the imprisoned North Carolina native in exchange for the United States' forgiveness of billions of dollars of fines against one of Turkey's largest state lenders, citing an unnamed senior White House official.

According to the official, Turkey offered to release Brunson if the U.S. drops its investigation in Halkbank (formerly known as Turkiye Halk Bankasi), which faces fines for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

However, the Trump administration has reportedly told its NATO ally that it will not discuss the Halkbank situation or other issues until Turkish authorities release the 50-year-old Brunson.

Brunson was placed under house arrest last month after spending about a year-and-a-half in prison on what the U.S. says is baseless charges of terrorism that President Donald Trump has called "phony."

Brunson, who has ministered in Izmir for two decades, is accused of having connections to an Islamic group blamed for the 2016 coup attempt against the Erdogan government and to Kurdish militants. Brunson, who spent 17 months in prison before being charged with a crime, has denied all the charges.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the White House official was quoted as saying.

In a tweet last week, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. will "pay nothing" for Brunson's release.

"Turkey has taken advantage of the United States for many years.They are now holding our wonderful Christian Pastor, who I must now ask to represent our Country as a great patriot hostage," the president wrote. "We will pay nothing for the release of an innocent man, but we are cutting back on Turkey!"

The Trump administration has already taken actions to punish Turkey for its detention of Brunson.

In addition to slapping sanctions on two top Turkish officials that head agencies responsible for Brunson's imprisonment earlier this month, Trump also vowed to doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey. The move exacerbated the decline in the Turkish lira and has led President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to claim that the U.S. is waging "economic war."

The Wall Street Journal notes that it is likely that the U.S. could impose more penalties on Turkey as early as this week.

It is believed that Brunson is being held as a bargaining chip for the Turkish regime. Many felt, and Erdogan even suggested, that Brunson could be released if the U.S. extradites Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of being involved in the 2016 coup attempt.

While many religious freedom advocates have rallied behind Brunson's case, at least one Christian pastor has called on the U.S. to extradite Gulen in exchange for Brunson.

"The American media has scrutinized Gulen, his Islamist ideology and its charter schools and have written that it is 'a false-flag movement.' So the question is: 'Why is the U.S. government, not only providing refuge for a terrorist, an international criminal, but why are his charter schools getting funding of $800 million dollars to operate in the United States?'" New York City pastor Bill Devlin asks. "Clearly, Mr. Gulen should be extradited back to Turkey by the U.S. government, immediately, if not sooner."

It was reported last month that Trump tried to negotiate a deal that would have seen Israel release a suspected Hamas smuggler Ebru Ozkan in exchange for Brunson.

This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission
ConocoPhillips said Monday that it has reached a $2 billion settlement with PDVSA, Venezuela's state-controlled oil company, to compensate for the seizure of its assets more than a decade ago.

In April, the International Chamber of Commerce determined that PDVSA should pay ConocoPhillips that amount after an arbitration tribunal found that the late President Hugo Chavez had expropriated two of the Houston oil company's joint ventures in Venezuela in 2007 as part of his push to nationalize the country's oil industry.
Ethan Hawke's film "Blaze," about the songwriter Blaze Foley opens Friday. Hawke talked about bringing the story of Foley -- who was shot and killed in 1989 -- to the big screen. As did Ben Dickey, who played Foley in the film.

Foley's story has always been dusted with mythology. He was born in Arkansas, and grew up in a traveling musical family. He spent time living in a treehouse in Georgia, with writer and actor Sybil Rosen, who is a central part of "Blaze." Then he settled in Texas, where he made music and ran with songwriters like Townes Van Zandt. He had songs covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and after his death had songs written about him by Van Zandt and Lucinda Williams.

When I wrote about Foley 17 or 18 years ago, I found a friend of Foley's named Joe Bucher, who remembered the songwriter's time in Georgia, a crucial period of creativity in his career.

Bucher told me I needed to track down Rosen, a writer/actor/artist Foley was dating during the time he lived in the treehouse in the '70s. But connections then weren't quite as easy to make as they are now that Foley is the subject of a feature film.

When a Foley documentary came out around 2009, I wrote about him a second time and soon after received a book in the mail: "Living in the Woods in a Tree," Rosen's account of her time with Foley, in Georgia . . . in a treehouse. She'd documented the early creative years of Foley's life in a way I could not, because 1. She was there, and 2. She possessed a poet's heart and skill.

Rosen's book covers one stage among three or four in Foley's life. But it became the backbone of Ethan Hawke's new film, "Blaze." And justifiably so. Rosen wrote openly and beautifully about their time together. In a love story  about a muse and about music  the music lives on in one way, and the muse in another, even when they're intertwined.

Rosen was connected to Foley before he became a myth, and before he bought into his own myth, which ultimately proved ruinous. She was there when he was an aspiring artist trying to bottle lightning.

Hawke describes Rosen's involvement in the film as crucial, even beyond her book. During a promotional appearance for the film at Houston's Rockefeller's a week ago, he told a story about Rosen urging him to shoot one last scene of Foley and her howling at a full moon. Hawke knew the moon doesn't show up on film, and he got his director of photography to back him up. Rosen persisted. So they put actors Benjamin Dickey (Foley) and Alia Shawkat (Rosen) in the treehouse, and had them howl at the moon with film rolling.

Hawke recounted an unscripted magical moment when nearby wolves howled back.

Nearly 20 years after writing about Foley the first time, I finally had an audience with Rosen, who talked about specifics but also touched on the Japanese concept of "wabi-sabi," which she describes as being related to "The Velveteen Rabbit," an appreciation of something old and worn, like slippers or a plush toy with a value that extends well beyond its initial importance. Through Foley was a guy who loved duct tape, Rosen frames his mythology as being like "wabi-sabi." The softness is softer and any rougher edges have also been worn away 20 years after Foley died.

Q: You may not know this, but I tried to find you with no small amount of effort. But failed. On two occasions.

A: Well difficult connections can be rewarding. I think it bodes well. There's a Blaze-ian level of (expletive) up that feels appropriate there.

Q: The two of you split up, what, 40 years ago? There has to be some oddness to all the attention he commands years later.

A: I know, the story seems endless. But it's the momentum from the force of his, I don't know . . . what do you call it? His spirit? His intention? But I think it's all anchored in the music, which is amazing. And there are times where I still kind of feel him there. Like he's looking down and saying, "I told you so."

Q: Did you start to see him as a footnote? There was a decade after he died where nobody could hear his music. And then everything started to change around 2000.

A: Yes, it was interesting because there was a period of stasis, in a way, and then kaboom. A lot of that changed. And it's been amazing. When Ethan pulled together a film crew for the movie, it was mostly young people. And all of them seemed to know Blaze. I knew people were interested in him, young people, too, like Kings of Leon and the Avett Brothers. But it's been interesting to see others find him and his songs.

Q: The treehouse is such a big part of his story even before people in Texas knew him.

A: Yes, the treehouse element in Blaze's story is now sort of mythic. I really have come to believe everybody has a treehouse in them. It's something you get to live out, or long for your entire life. But you say the words, "tree house," and people light up. It's ancient, I suppose. Translate that into film and imagery and it becomes something more interesting. It has stunned me because I'm this real participant in a myth. It's very very odd. But it's funny I was emailing with Alia Shawkat, who played me. And we're physically quite similar. And she said, "I can't wait to get into the treehouse. I might never want to leave." There are people who are just drawn to that. I'm a playwright, so there are aspects of that I see in other actors and characters. It's been a layered experience. I watch it with so many different minds about it.

Q: Ethan described the story as elusive until he found your book. Did you trust him from go? Or did it take a while?

A: From the first encounter I trusted him, because of what he was telling me. It was his feeling for the music, first of all. Which was the heart of his intention and the whole enterprise. Music is at the heart of it. And making a movie about a homeless musician who loved duct tape, that made sense to me. And the integrity of what he wanted to do was undeniable. We all brought things to the story. We'd tussle about things, but he found a great structure that moved back and forth across time. We had similar questions about the structure about time and space. But the script is kind of this thing that touches on all these different lives. It's not a script, it's a story. Because of Ethan's theater background, he was open to improvisation. I know that's something people say. But he was playful and spontaneous and there are scenes in the movie that happened in an instant. He saw some possibility.

Q: Your part of this story ends before a lot of his recorded music. What have you thought about the music that has been released over the past 15 years?

A: It's been interesting. There's one place he's talking on the "Outhouse" album, where he says he has a picture of the treehouse in his pocket. I wanted to know if that was true. I was so curious about what was in his wallet.

Q: Did he talk much about the years before you knew him? There's not a lot of documentation for those missing years.

A: He had some missing years, but he also had this band Buzzard's Roost with his cousins. He was a roadie, and they gave him the name Depty Dog. He was heavy then, and wore this flat hat. I don't think it was a very good experience. But he realized he wanted to play music instead of moving other people's guitars around. The next thing anybody knows, he's in Carrollton, Georgia, and skinny. There's a scene in the movie about how he lost all the weight, and he answered "Thorazine." I don't know what to say about that. But he may have spent some time in the Georgia mental health system. They wouldn't give me the information because I wasn't a family member. We jumped the broom to get married, I thought that might count. It didn't.

Q: There's still a lot of mystery to him. But it seems better to let some of that be.

A: Sure. Part of the mystique is the mystery. For a long time the mystique was his obscurity. That's not really true any more. After this movie comes out, we'll see what it does for awareness. I'm sureious to see if he'll become less compelling the more people know who he is. But I don't think that will happen.
Helen Sung just passed through Houston in March as part of the storied Mingus Big Band. And the jazz pianist and alumnus of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts has already set a return date to her hometown: She'll play the Trinity Jazz Festival in Houston on Jan. 26, 2019.

Sung's Trinity appearance here is tabbed as an album release event for "Sung With Words," her seventh album and first in four years.

True to its title, "Sung With Words" is Sung's first vocal album. It's a collaboration with poet Dana Gioia, California's State Poet Laureate, who published his first collection of poetry in 1986.

Sung won a "New Jazz Works" grant in 2014, which facilitated the collaboration. She met Gioia at a White House State Dinner, where he discussed his affinity for jazz with Sung.

"Dana has a fascinating story, both personally and professionally, and one of his many gifts is his ability to make poetry accessible and even enjoyable for the layperson, similar to how Wynton Marsalis does with jazz," Sung said.

She brought together a top-shelf band for the album, including reedist John Ellis, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, bassist Reuben Rogers, percussionist Samuel Torres as well as drummer Kendrick Scott, who like Sung is an HSPVA alum. Sung brought in four vocalists to sing Gioia's words: Jean Baylor, Carolyn Leonhart, Christie Dashiell, and Charenee Wade.

The album is the most recent point in an oddly plotted course for Sung. Though HSPVA's jazz program is storied, she studied classical music while a teenager in Houston. At the university of Texas, she pivoted dramatically. There Sung fell into a jazz studies program and never looked back. She talked about her path in this 2014 story.

Sung's musical research for "Sung With Words" extended well beyond the jazz vocal tradition. She cited several genre-blending crossover artists as being instrumental in the album's development: Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, A Tribe Called Quest, Me'Shell Ndegeocello and Esperanza Spaulding.
ROTA, Spain  A 2015 Colegio Pierre Favre, in Mexico, graduate and Houston native is serving in Spain at U.S. Naval Hospital Rota in support of ballistic-missile defense ships forward-deployed to Naval Station Rota.

Hospitalman Stephanie Hartley is a Navy hospital corpsman working at U.S. Naval Hospital Rota and is responsible for maintaining medical readiness of our forces, assisting medical providers in administering care to active duty service members, their families and local nationals.

Hartley credits success in the Navy with lessons learned growing up in Houston.

Ive learned to apply my social skills from back home in the Navy, said Hartley. I used to be a part of church and volunteer organizations. It all helps in the military.

Naval Station Rota is operationally equipped with four forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers tasked to enhance the ballistic missile defense of the European region.

These four destroyers have a critical NATO mission, specifically to provide full coverage protection for all NATO European populations, territories and forces against the increasing threats posed by the ability to acquire ballistic missiles capabilities.

According to the NATO website, many countries have, or are trying to develop ballistic missiles. The ability to acquire these capabilities does not necessarily mean there is an immediate intent to attack NATO, but that the alliance has a responsibility to take any possible threat into account as part of its core task of collective defense.

Ballistic Missile Defense is a key defensive capability for the U.S., providing protection against the threat of short and medium-range ballistic missile attacks. Stationing four ballistic missile defense ships in Spain provides an umbrella of protection to forward-deployed forces, friends and allies while contributing to a broader defense of the United States.

Situated on a 6,100-acre Spanish Navy base, Naval Station Rota provides cargo, fuel and logistics support to units transiting the region, supporting U.S. and NATO ships; U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force aircraft with a 670-acre airfield; and the largest weapons and fuels facilities in Europe. Under the guidance of the Agreement on Defense Cooperation, the U.S. and Spanish navies work together and share many facilities.

The Kingdom of Spain is a very important ally to the United States for projecting military power into the Mediterranean, North Africa and Middle East. The United States has significant shared security interests. Spain has traditionally supported U.S. forces deployments and operations, enabling U.S. forces to depart from Spain directly into international air and sea space.

U.S. Naval Hospital Rota understands the unique demands and challenges that the fleet, forces and families of our community face, said Capt. Judy Cynthia, commanding officer U.S. Naval Hospital Rota. We are honored to provide operationally relevant medical care and support that not only meets all of the civilian healthcare quality standards, but is highly specialized and tailored to meet the needs of those we serve.

Hartley is also proud of earning three warfare devices while on a seven-month deployment.

As a member of one of the U.S. Navys most relied upon assets, Hartley and other service members at Naval Station Rota know they are a part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.

Serving in the Navy aided me in developing my social skills and working with others, having more confidence in public speaking and adapting to changes, said Hartley.

Living in Spain while serving at U.S. Naval Hospital Rota has been a positive impact on sailors, including Hartley.

My favorite part about serving in Spain is getting to work with the local national, getting to know people from different ethnicities and backgrounds, said Hartley. The Spanish culture is very relaxed and laid back.

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian T. Glunt is with the Navy Office of Community Outreach.
Registration is now open for the Eighth Annual King & Spalding West U Halloween Dash 5K Race and Texas Childrens Hospital Kids Fun Run, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 27, starting at 8 a.m.

The event consists of a 5K, chip-timed race along the flat and fast streets of West U, and a non-competitive, 1 mile kids fun run. New for 2018, race organizers added a stroller/dog division to the 5K race.
July 23

At 12:44 a.m., Officer Quimby was patrolling the 6800 block of Ferris Street and observed a 2014 gray Toyota Camry with an expired paper tag (06/10/2018). Officer Quimby conducted a traffic stop and while approaching the driver could detect the odor of Marijuana coming from the inside of the vehicle. The lone occupant of the vehicle was found to be in possession of marijuana. The driver was placed into custody for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver qualified for the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program.

At 12:40 p.m., Officer C. Barber was dispatched to the City Hall lobby regarding an identity theft in the 5100 block of Beech Street. An unknown person opened a pay day loan using the identity information of the victim.

At 12:43 p.m., Officer D.Rocha conducted a traffic stop on a black-colored four door Jeep vehicle for expired motor vehicle registration in the 7100 block of South Rice Avenue. The driver was found to be operating a motor vehicle while his Texas Drivers License was currently suspended. The driver was arrested and taken to the Bellaire Jail where he was booked for the charge of driving while license suspended / enhanced with no insurance. Officer Rodriguez assisted on this scene.

July 24

At 10:07 a.m., Officer Trujillo conducted a traffic stop in reference to an attempted burglary of a motor vehicle in the 6700 block of Second Street. After further investigation it was determined the suspect in the traffic stop had just committed a burglary of a motor vehicle just a few blocks away from the second attempt. Suspect was arrested and charged with burglary of a motor vehicle.

At 3:57 p.m., Officer Liccketto was dispatched to 7008 Fifth St. in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. The owner of the vehicle left his vehicle locked and secured and went to a meeting. The victim found his vehicle with the driver side front window broken. The unknown suspect took a checkbook belonging to the victim.

At 4:50 p.m., Officer Liccketto was dispatched to 5801 Bissonnet in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. The owner of the vehicle left his vehicle locked and secured and went into a store. The victim found his vehicle with the driver side front window broken. The unknown suspect took a Bank of America envelope with the victims drivers license in it.

July 25

At 8:58 a.m., Officer D. Rocha observed a white Nissan company truck traveling eastbound in the 4500 block of Bellaire Boulevard. This vehicle was observed failing to obey traffic control sign (Right Turn Only). Rocha made contact with the driver who stated he did not have any form of identification. A name and date of birth was given by the driver, and later during the traffic arrest, the drivers true identity was discovered. Subject was then arrested for fail to identify to a police officer. Officer R. Vorhees assisted at this scene.

July 27

At 5:05 p.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the 5200 block of the IH610 NB when he observed a brown Impala with expired registration. Officer Schwausch initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and found the driver was driving with a suspended driver license without proof of financial responsibility. The driver was arrested for driving while license invalid-enhanced and transported to the Bellaire Police Department without incident.

At 2:50 p.m., Officer C. Barber was dispatched to the 4500 block of Teas Street regarding an identity theft. An unknown person gained computer access to the victims bank account and used funds to make purchases without authorization.

July 28

At 9:32 p.m., Officer Schwausch conducted a traffic stop at the 5400 block of the IH610 ESR on a black Cadillac for speeding. When making contact with the driver, Officer Schwausch observed an odor of unburnt marijuana emitting from the vehicle, along with a green leafy substance consistent with marijuana in plain view. Further investigation showed the driver to be in possession of approximately 42 ecstasy pills, approximately 4 oz. of marijuana, small and large unused clear baggies, a digital scale, and $1,805 in mostly small denominations. The driver was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and felony possession of marijuana. The suspect was transported to the Bellaire Police Department without incident. Officer OSullivan assisted with this investigation.

July 29

At 11 a.m., Officer Carson was dispatched to the 4900 block of Cedar Street in regards to the victim reporting a burglary of motor vehicle. The suspect(s) entered the victims unlocked vehicle stealing her laptop.

At 7:33 a.m., Officer M. Santillanes was dispatched to a burglary of a motor vehicle call in the 800 block of Jaquet Drive. While speaking with the victim, Officer Santillanes was advised and observed a neighbor had their vehicle broken into also. At that time the homeowner was exiting his home to inspect his vehicle. It was determined an unknown suspect broke the rear window of the victims vehicle with an unknown object and stole a black tool kit.

July 30

At 1:51 a.m., Officer Barrientos conducted a traffic stop in the 3100 block of IH 610 West South Loop on a green Ford Mustang for fail to maintain a single lane. Barrientos made contact with the driver who showed signs of intoxication by slurred speech, red blood shot eyes and an odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the drivers breath and/or person. Barrientos placed the driver in custody for driving while intoxicated with child passenger.

At 12:22 a.m., Officer Barrientos conducted a traffic stop in 5400 block of IH 610 north bound(N/B), on a white Kia Rondo for defective equipment (right rear broken tail light). During the investigation, the driver was discovered to be Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) and the driver could not provide proof of financial responsibility at the time of the offense. Ofc. Barrientos placed the driver in custody.

July 31

At 3:30 a.m., the victims unlocked vehicle was burglarized and a black bag was stolen in the 5500 block of Little Lake.

At 3:15 p.m., an unknown suspect entered the victims residence in the 5000 block of Mimosa Street without her permission. The victim confronted the suspect in the entry way of her home at which time he retreated out of the home and fled on foot. Nothing was taken from the residence. The suspect was described as a dark skinned black male, short black beard/mustache, mid 30s, very tall (possibly 63), wearing a black ball cap, white button down shirt with red/blue check/stripes, sagging dark blue jeans with green khaki boxer shorts and a black messenger style bag. The suspect was later identified by photo lineup.

Aug. 1

At 3:42 p.m., Officer OSullivan was dispatched to 7008 S. Rice in reference to an identity theft. The victim stated an unknown person obtained his Valero Credit Card information and made unauthorized transactions.

Aug. 2

At 8:33 a.m., Officer Vorhees was dispatched to the Neuhaus Education Center at 4433 Bissonnet St. in reference to a criminal mischief. The reportee stated an unknown suspect(s) put a hole in the second story northeast office window.

At 11:19 a.m., Officer Vorhees was dispatched to a shoplifting in progress at 5130 Bellaire Blvd., Randalls grocery store. Officers made contact with the suspect who was identified by the Randalls store manager. The suspect was placed in custody and transported to the Bellaire Jail for processing. The male suspect was later charged with third degree felony theft due to previous theft convictions.

At 7:35 p.m., Officers were dispatched to Randalls Grocery store at 5130 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a theft in progress. The reportee stated a black male had exited the store without paying for items. The male was located at 5200 block of Cedar Street with the stolen items. The male was placed under arrest for the theft. Officer Schwausch assisted in this case.

Aug. 3

At 2:47 a.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the 4700 block of Bissonnet Street when he observed a blue Lexus RX3 failed to stop at designated point (crosswalk). Officer Schwausch initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle for this offense. During the traffic stop investigation, the driver was found in possession of approximately 0.75 ounces of marijuana. The driver was placed in custody and released after accepting the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program offered by the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Officer Barrientos assisted and took primary on this case.

At 9:09 p.m., Officers were dispatched for a major accident that occurred in the 7000 block of IH 610 Loop South. During the investigation it was determined the at-fault driver fled the scene of the accident, without exchanging information with the other driver, prior to officer arrival. Officer Younger was assisted by Officers Liccketto, Guerra, and OSullivan.

At 12:31 p.m., Officer C. Barber was dispatched to the 4600 block of Cedar St regarding a theft of construction material from a residential construction site.

Aug. 4

At 12:39 a.m., Officer D. Norman was travelling in the 7800 block of Chimney Rock Road when she observed a 1996 Silver Ford Mustang with expired registration. Officer Norman conducted a traffic stop on the said vehicle. Upon further investigation, the driver was arrested for driving while license invalid.

At 4:22 p.m., Officer Guerra was dispatched to the 4800 block of Pine Street in referenced to a suspicious circumstance. During the investigation Officer Guerra located the suspect in the driveway of the residence. The defendant was subsequently charged with fail to identify/ fugitive. Officer Schwausch assisted in this case.

At 1:01 a.m., Officer Clisham was dispatched to the 4300 block of Beechnut Street in reference to a robbery that had just occurred. After arriving on scene and speaking with the victims of the crime, Office Clisham was able to gather a description of the suspects and the vehicle they were driving. While Officers were on scene conducting the investigation, a Houston Police Department undercover unit spotted a vehicle matching the description given and a marked Houston Police Department patrol car initiated a traffic stop on said vehicle. After further investigation, three of the subjects in the vehicle were taken into custody for aggravated robbery and the driver of the vehicle was taken into custody for separate charges. A large majority of the victims property was located in the suspect vehicle.

At 9:37 a.m., Officer Trujillo was dispatched to 5001 Jessamine Street, Bellaire Police Department Dispatch, in reference to a debit card abuse call. Upon Officer Trujillos arrival he spoke to the victim, who stated an unknown person(s) obtained his debit card along with his pin and used it to withdraw money from an ATM without the victims permission.

Aug. 5

At 4:31 p.m., Officer Delgado was dispatched to the 4600 block of Bellaire Boulevard in reference to a possible DWI in progress. Officer Schwausch observed the suspect vehicle west bound on Bellaire Blvd. crossing over S. Rice Ave. Officer Schwausch pulled up behind the vehicle and attempted to stop the vehicle. The vehicle refused to stop for approximately 1 mile. Further investigation found the driver to be driving while intoxicated. The suspect was subsequently charged and placed into custody for DWI 2nd and evading in a motor vehicle 2nd. Officer Younger assisted in this investigation.

Aug. 6

At 7:01 p.m., Officers Lysack and Schwausch were dispatched to the 4500 block of Mimosa Street in reference to an open door at an abandoned house. Officers arrived on scene and met with the victim who stated the house was vacant because it was heavily damaged during Harvey and was about to be torn down. The victim stated she came by to check on the property and noticed the back door was open. The victim stated the door can be closed but not secured due to the damage from Harvey. Officers checked the house and found no signs of criminal activity. On Aug. 12, the victim called Officer Lysack to advise him she had discovered two bicycles were missing from the garage. Officer Lysack checked his body camera footage from the day of the open door call and determined the bikes were already missing at the time of the open door call. The bikes are believed to have been stolen during a burglary of the building between approximately July 30 and Aug. 6.

Aug. 7

At 2:29 a.m., Officer Clisham observed a vehicle in the 5500 block of Bellaire Boulevard driving without headlights when required. Officer Clisham initiated a traffic stop on said vehicle and made contact with the driver. After identifying the driver and passenger of the vehicle and further investigation, it was found that the driver was the defendant in an open protection order with the passenger listed as the protected individual. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and charged with violation of protection order.

At 12:30 a.m., Officers Quimby, Clisham, Norman, and Corporal Clawson were dispatched to the 4500 block of Elm Street in reference to a physical disturbance. Officers arrived at approximately 0032 hours and all parties were separated.

At 2:27 p.m., Officer Vorhees was dispatched to the Dandelion Cafe at 5405 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to found property. The reportee stated a handgun was found in the public bathroom. Officer Vorhees took possession of the firearm and transported it to the Bellaire Police Station where it was properly secured. The owner later called to claim the weapon.

Aug. 8

At 11 a.m., Officer Carson was dispatched to the 5200 block of Bellaire Boulevard in regards to a theft. Officer Carson met with reportee who advised unknown white male stole three plants with pots from the front of his business. Reportee was able to provide to Officer Carson a license plate of the vehicle the suspect was driving.

Aug. 9

At 5:15 p.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the 4700 block of Bellaire Boulevard when he observed a silver Chevrolet in front of him fail to signal a lane change. Officer Schwausch initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and found the driver was driving with a suspended driver license and without proof of financial responsibility. The driver was arrested for driving while license invalid - enhanced and transported to the Bellaire Police Department without incident.

At 10:34 a.m., Officer M. Santillanese was dispatched to the Bellaire Police Department lobby for a theft call in the 4400 block of Cynthia. Upon arrival the Officer met with the victim who stated an unknown person contacted her and scammed her into purchasing Google Play gift cards. Officer Santillanes completed a theft report.

At 3:07 p.m., Officer M. Santillanes was dispatched to 6330 West Loop South in reference to a stolen wallet. Upon arrival, Officer M. Santillanes met with the victim who advised an unknown person stole her wallet from her office and had begun making unauthorized charges on four of the victims stolen credit cards which had been in the wallet. The victim advised the charges were being made at stores in Meyerland Plaza located in Houston. After further investigation, Officer Santillanes completed a theft report.

Aug. 10

At 8:42 a.m., Detective Salinas was notified of an active scene involving an officer involved shooting. During the course of the investigation it was learned that Officer Vorhees observed a blue Ford Escape run a stop sign at the intersection of the 5400 block of Newcastle Drive and the 4400 block of Glenmont Drive. The Ford Escape was also being operated with a left tail light out, in the territorial limits of the City of Bellaire. Officer Vorhees attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Ford Escape and the driver evaded arrest in the Ford Escape. The pursuit came to an end in parking lot of a Shell Gas Station located at 5910 West Loop South, where the suspect exited his vehicle and fired a handgun towards Officer Vorhees, striking the marked patrol car he was in. The suspect also fired on additional officers as they were arriving. The suspect was eventually arrested by HPD SWAT after a standoff.

Aug. 11

At 7:09 p.m., Officer Guerra was directed to a suspect passed out behind the wheel at a traffic light by concerned citizens in the 5100 block of Evergreen Street. Contact was made with the driver, and front passenger, to check on their safety. Officers Younger and OSullivan checked by to assist. It was observed that both the driver and the passenger were under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The driver was placed into custody for driving while intoxicated 3rd offense and the front passenger was placed into custody for public intoxication.

At 5:02 p.m., Officer Younger made contact with the victim in the 5100 block of Maple Street who advised an unknown suspect used his identifying information to open an energy account. The victim stated he was now receiving collection notices for a delinquent account. The victim was attempting to complete an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission and needed a police report to complete it.

At 3:49 p.m., Officer Younger made contact with the victim in the 4900 block of Holly Street who advised an unknown suspect forced entry through the front passenger window of her vehicle that was parked in her driveway and stole her purse.

Aug. 12

At 2:04 a.m., Officer Clisham observed a black Hyundai Sonata in the 5200 block of Bellaire Boulevard, run a red light. Officer Clisham initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. After making contact with the driver and further investigation, the driver was placed into custody for driving while intoxicated 2nd. Officer Ortega of the Bellaire Police Department assisted with Spanish translation throughout this case.

At 4:23 p.m., officers were dispatched to 4700 Bellaire Blvd. in regards to a motor vehicle accident involving injuries. Officer Delgado made contact with both parties involved. A driver was found to have an ineligible driver license, unconfirmed insurance and also did not comply with commands to exit her vehicle. The driver was placed in custody for driving while license invalid enhanced and interference with public duties. The driver was transported to the Bellaire Police Department Jail for booking.
Aug. 10

An officer was dispatched to a residence located at the 6500 block of Mercer in regards to a theft that had already occurred.

At 7:40 p.m., officers were dispatched to the West U FD in regards to a subject that was possibly experiencing a crisis. The subject was determined to be a danger to himself and/or others and was taken to Ben Taub on an Emergency Detention Order for evaluation.

Aug. 11

An Officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 5400 block of Buffalo Speedway with no Tail Lights illuminated. The Officer then attempted to get behind the vehicle when it was noticed the vehicle picking up speed in the 6000 block of block of Buffalo Speedway. The vehicle was initially clocked traveling 41 mph in a 30 mph zone. Shortly after, the vehicle was observed picking up speed up to 68 mph in the 6500 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was initiated in the 6700 block of Buffalo Speedway and upon further investigation; the driver (Emily Redinger) was taken into custody for the offense of Driving While Intoxicated.

At 1:36 a.m., and officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the 5600 block of Buffalo Speedway. The radar was activated and registered the vehicle to be traveling 38 mph in a posted 30 mph speed limit then shortly after the vehicle failed to maintain its single lane, swerving into the southbound lane then swerving back into the northbound lane. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for the offense of Driving While Intoxicated double the legal blood alcohol content limit with and open container.

Aug. 13

At 12:48 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 5600 block of Kirby in regards to a suspicious vehicle. Upon further investigation, the vehicle was discovered to have been reported to the Houston Police Department as stolen.

At 8:24 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 6300 block of Westchester in regard to construction building material stolen from a home under construction.

Aug. 14

At 4:33 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to a case of identity theft.

Aug. 15

An Officer was dispatched to the 5800 block of Kirby in reference to a disgruntled male who caused damage to an entrance door belonging to a local business. Upon arrival, an Officer located the male walking northbound towards the 5900 block of Kirby and made contact with him. Upon further investigation, the subject (James Higginbotham) was arrested for the criminal offense of Criminal Mischief.

At 7:27 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 4000 block of Bellaire in regards to a minor accident/fail to stop and give information that already occurred

Aug. 16

An officer was dispatched to the 12400 block of S. Post Oak to meet with a Missouri City Officer who arrested a subject (Eddie Everline) with West University warrants. Custody of the subject was transferred and the individual was transported to the West University Place Jail where he was booked in without incident.

An officer was dispatched to a local business located in the 4000 block of Bellaire in regards to a theft that had just occurred. Upon arrival, it was discovered that a security guard had detained a subject (Eddie Hamm) who had just stolen items from the business. The subject was subsequently arrested for theft.
CenterPoint Energy is passing along its savings in federal taxes at the request of state regulators by proposing to reduce average residential bills for natural gas customers by 58 cents each month.

The proposal, which is scheduled to go before Houston City Council on Wednesday, comes seven months after federal corporate tax rates were lowered from 35 percent to 21 percent, and mounting pressure from states, including Texas, to make sure utilities are passing along their tax savings to ratepayers.

Several attorney generals, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in January to adjust rates to prevent utilities from reaping a windfall from the lower federal corporate income tax rate rate.

RELATED: Texas electricity sellers slow to reflect lower costs in published rates

This spring, the Texas Railroad Commission ordered CenterPoint to come up with a way to pass along the tax savings to customers, said CenterPoint's vice president of rates Steve Bezecny. CenterPoint is complying with that order, he said.

The lower rates will help to absorb a 70 cents a month surcharge CenterPoint announced in May to recover infrastructure investments. The surcharge, which did not have to receive regulatory approval, was calculated to include the lower corporate tax rate; otherwise the monthly surcharge would have been 75 cents, according to CenterPoint.

If Houston City Council agrees to CenterPoint's proposal, residential customers will see the fixed portion of their bills fall by 50 cents a month to $15.95, which includes the 70 cents infrastructure surcharge.

RELATED: Natural gas rates to jump 4.6 percent in Houston

The variable portion of the bill which fluctuates based on actual consumption of natural gas will dip an average of 8 cents a month for the average residential customer that uses 34 hundred-cubic feet - or CCF - each month. CenterPoint provides natural gas distribution services to about 385,000 residential customers in the Houston area.

Small commercial customers such as restaurants and dry cleaners will see their monthly fixed fee decrease 58 cents to $17.67. Larger operations such as hospitals and office buildings will pay $5.68 less each month in fixed natural gas fees to $174.32. CenterPoint has about 24,000 small commercial customers in Houston and 1,100 larger ones.

The proposed new rates would have taken effect Sept. 1 under CenterPoint's proposal. The City of Houston, however, will not have enough time to complete a full review and city council is expected to consider an ordinance to adopt CenterPoint's proposed rates on an interim basis so ratepayers can immediately benefit.

CenterPoint has also proposed a one-time refund to natural gas customers to account for the lower tax rate that began in January. The total amount of the proposed refund has not yet been calculated but during the first five months of the year, the refund is $3.7 million.
B&B Butchers & Restaurant owner Benjamin Berg was so taken with photos he saw of an outrageously priced steak sandwich made from one of the world priciest proteins that he vowed to bring it to Houston.

That was about six months ago. Today, that sandwich, called a Wagyu Katsu Sando, is finally available. And it will set you back $120 for three exquisitely composed finger sandwiches.

They're not on the menu yet, but they're available. Berg said he's waiting until Houston Restaurant Weeks is completed to give the sandwich a proper splash. But insiders, already pumped by social media posts about the Instagram-worthy sando (the Japanese abbreviation for sandwich), know they can order it off the menu. Pair it with a bottle of champagne  sommelier Lexey Johnson says champagne is the perfect foil for the luxurious sandwich  and you could easily be talking about a $200 meal.

A STAR IS REBORN: Benjamin Berg takes a new swing at Carmelo's

Even so, Berg is offering a wagyu sandwich bargain, he said. The six ounces of wagyu ribeye used to create the sandwich cost him about $75. At $120 the sandwich is more "affordable" than the same sandwich offered by Don Wagyu, the first restaurant in New York devoted solely to wagyu beef where the top-flight sando is $180.

The efforts of Don Wagyu as well as the members-only Tokyo restaurant Wagyumafia (which offers a $180 wagyu cutlet sandwich) have fueled the food buzz over the wagyu katso sandwich. That prompted Berg and executive chef Tommy Elbashary to create their own version with painstaking attention to detail. It might very well be the most expensive sandwich in town.

What makes it so expensive? Let's start with the beef. B&B uses A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade of beef known for its intense marbling and buttery flesh. B&B already stocks the highest grades of beef, including wagyu (a 28-day dry-aged A5 Japanese wagyu ribeye steak, weighing in at 12 ounces, fetches $250 on the menu; an A5 wagyu tenderloin from Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, goes for $120 for a 4-ounce chunk with $30 more for each additional ounce). The wagyu steak is then coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.

The fried cutlet is then sandwiched between a special toasted bread made with whole milk and delicately dressed with a house-made tonkatsu sauce, a sweet and salty Japanese condiment usually served with deep fried pork cutlets. Elbashary wasn't satisfied with the commercial tonkatsu sauces he tasted so he developed his own.

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Berg and his chef spent two weeks of testing before deciding their sando was ready to serve. It is brought to the table on a wheeled cart with a side dish of ribbons of fried zucchini. Since B&B has no burger on its dinner menu, the wagyu katsu sando provides a sandwich option; Berg also suggests that it can be had as a shared appetizer.

"It's not something you're going to eat every day," Berg said. He acknowledges, however, that he's had a customer, already hip to the sando, order it at least half a dozen times already.

"I love to put it out there because there's a certain a cachet to it," he said.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington, 713-862-1814; bbbutchers.com. The wagyu katsu sando is available for lunch and dinner.

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.
B&B Butchers & Restaurant owner Benjamin Berg was so taken with photos he saw of an outrageously priced steak sandwich made from one of the world priciest proteins that he vowed to bring it to Houston.

That was about six months ago. Today, that sandwich, called a Wagyu Katsu Sando, is finally available. And it will set you back $120 for three exquisitely composed finger sandwiches.

They're not on the menu yet, but they're available. Berg said he's waiting to give the sandwich a proper splash. But insiders, already pumped by social media posts about the Instagram-worthy sando (the Japanese abbreviation for sandwich), know they can order it off the menu. Pair it with a bottle of champagne  sommelier Lexey Johnson says champagne is the perfect foil for the luxurious sandwich  and you could easily be talking about a $200 meal.

MORE: The things you hate yourself for spending money on in SF

Even so, Berg is offering a wagyu sandwich bargain, he said. The six ounces of wagyu ribeye used to create the sandwich cost him about $75. At $120 the sandwich is more "affordable" than the same sandwich offered by Don Wagyu, the first restaurant in New York devoted solely to wagyu beef where the top-flight sando is $180.

The efforts of Don Wagyu as well as the members-only Tokyo restaurant Wagyumafia (which offers a $180 wagyu cutlet sandwich) have fueled the food buzz over the wagyu katso sandwich. That prompted Berg and executive chef Tommy Elbashary to create their own version with painstaking attention to detail. It might very well be the most expensive sandwich in town.

What makes it so expensive? Let's start with the beef. B&B uses A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade of beef known for its intense marbling and buttery flesh. B&B already stocks the highest grades of beef, including wagyu (a 28-day dry-aged A5 Japanese wagyu ribeye steak, weighing in at 12 ounces, fetches $250 on the menu; an A5 wagyu tenderloin from Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, goes for $120 for a 4-ounce chunk with $30 more for each additional ounce). The wagyu steak is then coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.

The fried cutlet is then sandwiched between a special toasted bread made with whole milk and delicately dressed with a house-made tonkatsu sauce, a sweet and salty Japanese condiment usually served with deep fried pork cutlets. Elbashary wasn't satisfied with the commercial tonkatsu sauces he tasted so he developed his own.

ALSO: A $100 food truck item better be covered in gold, right? This San Francisco treat is.

Berg and his chef spent two weeks of testing before deciding their sando was ready to serve. It is brought to the table on a wheeled cart with a side dish of ribbons of fried zucchini. Since B&B has no burger on its dinner menu, the wagyu katsu sando provides a sandwich option; Berg also suggests that it can be had as a shared appetizer.

"It's not something you're going to eat every day," Berg said. He acknowledges, however, that he's had a customer, already hip to the sando, order it at least half a dozen times already.

"I love to put it out there because there's a certain a cachet to it," he said.
UPDATE: The Coast Guard has found and rescued the child and adults who were reported missing earlier Sunday. They are safe, authorities said. A helicopter found them stranded on the water after running out of gas.

Original story: The Coast Guard is searching for a 3-year-old and two adults who left Crystal Beach for a short jet-ski excursion on Sunday.
At only 23, the Heights engineer is an up-and-coming leader in sustainable energy.

Dakota Stormer is a health, safety, security and environmental advisor at Shell. Earlier this summer, he traveled to Singapore for an innovation lab focused on sustainability. This month, he plans to attend a climate leadership training with experts like former U.S. Vice President and environmentalist Al Gore.

Stormer said the UNLEASH event held May 30-June 6 in Singapore brought together talented people from all over the world.

UNLEASH looks for talents that are entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, subject matter experts, activists and overall leaders in the field of sustainability, he said. UNLEASH was unique because of its ability to bring together 1,000 people from over 100 different countries and foster an unparalleled sense of unity.

UNLEASH participants addressed problems in global energy to produce applicable solutions.

Participants were split into teams based on the different United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We then went through a rigorous problem framing phase to ensure we are focusing on real world issues, Stormer said. Once each team found the problem they wanted to solve, we unleashed our creativity.

Stormer said he and his team worked eight days to come up with the Power Tower, which is a mobile cart that uses solar panels to charge batteries and can be used for selling electricity to run fans and lights.

He said he is passionate about sustainability because it can make a difference in combatting climate change and its effects.

I believe that tackling the sustainable energy transition is vital for making an impact on climate change. As a child, I experienced many extreme weather events in Houston. After the 2005 hurricane season, I began writing a weather blog and studying meteorology and climatology, Stormer said. I realized the necessity of sustainability for our society to thrive in the future.

From Aug. 28-30, Stormer plans to attend the Climate Reality Leadership Corps in Los Angeles, where he will meet with world-renowned scientists and communicators to discuss to address the climate crisis.

Climate Reality Leaders arent just raising awareness of climate change. Theyre working for solutions in over 100 countries worldwide, Stormer said. By connecting with leaders from around the globe, we can share our solutions and work toward implementing and advocating for them on a global scale.

Stormer is a native Houstonian and a graduate of the University of Texas chemical engineering program. He joined Shell about 11 months ago.

Johnna Van Keuren, vice president of Shell operations and HSSE for new energies, said he has been a great asset to the company.

Every time I meet with him, he overwhelms me with the progress he is making on the campaigns and initiatives he leads within and external to Shell, she said. He has brought in his passion for change and his innovative spirit, which inspires me, our coworkers and our community to power progress together.

Stormer said he would love to use clean energy technology and innovative methods to solve some of the worlds issues.

I aspire to be a leader of the sustainable energy transition. This could involve serving as an executive within Shell or even as a representative of the United States in the United Nations, but no single role holds the magic potion, he said. I hope to work with policymakers, energy companies and communities from across the world to build a network that can power progress together toward a sustainable future.

To learn more about Dakota Stormer and his work, visit www.dakotastormer.com.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
Euberta Lucas was stunned when she first saw the Katy ISDs flood ravaged Creech Elementary School. The campus was now sitting in the middle of a lake. Almost two decades worth of resources lovingly accumulated over the years by parents, teachers and staff of the school on South Mason near South Fry were washed away from the floods brought on by Hurricane Harvey.

Thats what hurt the most, said Lucas, the schools principal. My first look was in the library. The books had floated off the shelves and there was mold growing on them.

What a difference a year makes.

After spending the last school year at a nearby junior college facility, the Creech Elementary students have been welcomed back to a completely refurbished campus for the 2018-2019 fall semester.

We just say, Welcome home. This is your home away from home, Lucas said as students and parents eagerly awaited the doors to open. We want them to feel like, This is your house. This is your building.

Creech, built in 2000, was constructed only a few blocks from the Barker Reservoir and built in what engineers called the reservoirs flood pool - the area most at risk of being swamped when a major storm causes water to accumulate behind the dam. Although the school did not flood during previous storms, it was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Floodwaters 2 to 4 feet deep sat inside the building for several days and most of the contents in classrooms were lost.

The repairs were estimated to have cost more than $5 million.

Tashema Kirk, a Creech parent, said the prince was worth it for her son Tristen and the other students.

I love the new school. I love how the classrooms now have windows where you can walk by a seen whats happening, Kirk said. But, theyre back to their old stomping grounds.

Tristen said he was excited and happy to begin his 4th grade year at Creech.

It looks so brand new. Im very happy and glad to meet the teacher, he said.

Last year, the 800 students at Creech who remained in the area were moved to the former Katy campus of the University of Houston, which teachers and students dubbed, Creech University. It was a tight fit but Lucas said they were able to make it work.

It was a little crowded. We were down to about 60,000 square feet less (than Creech), she said. We doubled up and we got portables.

Maria Tinajero said her son Santiago thought going to school at a junior college campus was a little weird at first but he quickly adapted.

It was an adventure for him. They made it exciting and had Creech University T-shirts, Tinajero said.

Santiago and his mom both said they were excited to begin the new school year at the campus where his education began.

I think its pretty cool. It looks really nice, Santiago said. Were finally back after a whole year.

While the schools basic floorplan has remained intact, just about everything else is different after work crews gutted the building to the studs once the flood waters finally receded. The floors have been replaced and new lighting brightens the hallways. Security has also been increased, including the windows on the classrooms and a beefed in check-in system for parents and visitors. Lucas said most of the teachers who were at Creech prior to the flood are back.

Were just so excited to be back in this building and to welcome our students and parents, Lucas said. This was rebuilt for them.
The developer of the hotel, conference center and parking facilities in the Katy Boardwalk faces an October deadline to submit a preliminary two-dimensional site plan, layout concepts and development and construction cost estimates.

The timeline is part of an amendment to a memorandum of understanding with KBH Venture LLC and the Katy Development Authority (KDA) approved by the Katy City Council on Aug. 13 after an executive session.

Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner said the convention center/hotel/parking and 650 loft residences are getting started, though he thinks Sueba USA may be a little ahead of the hotel project with its residences. The city will use funds from the hotel occupancy tax to pay for the hotel/convention center complex.

We set up time lines when certain things have to be done by certain times this year, said Jonas W. Skip Conner, KDA president. For example. a nonbinding letter of intent from a hotel operator reasonably acceptable to the authority is due by Nov. 30 as is an estimated development and construction schedule.

The amendment to the July 17, 2017, memorandum of understanding reads, in part, In the event that the developer fails to meet any of the submission deadlines detailed below, this MOU shall terminate automatically according to its terms.

Conner talked of a Dec. 31 deadline for state funds. A contract will be signed by the end of the year or well find someone else. Were looking at probably 2021 before it (The Boardwalk) actually opens.

The first phase of Katy Boardwalk  including a lake, sidewalks and bridges  is complete, said Conner. The area is not open to the public.

Theres still a lot of cleanup that needs to be done. Its not presentable for people to go down there. We dont want people to go down there without there being some sort of lights on, he said.

Land and lake improvements were funded by money from the Katy Tax Increment Redevelopment Zone Number One, which was created originally to develop Katy Mills mall and was extended to include the Boardwalk.

The partially built road is being paid for by the citys metro funding. Katy receives revenue from a half-cent of the 1-cent sales tax collected by the Metropolitan Transit Authority within its boundaries.

But the project ran into issues when it came to providing electricity, said Brawner and Conner.

CenterPoint Energy will serve the area with underground utilities. The multimillion price tag kind of set everybody back, said Conner.

According to the memorandum, cost estimates to provide power for the entire Boardwalk District total approximately $6.4 million. That includes $420,000 for engineering and design, $4 million for the construction of an underground duct bank infrastructure and $2.25 million for the primary wire service to be installed in the duct bank with the property connections to such primary wire service.

City officials worked with its partners on how to handle the utility issue. Brawner said that KDA will initially fund the duct bank.

As each project comes online and ties into the duct bank, it will pay a prorated shared based on square footage, he said.

Were going to become the banker, said Conner, explaining that it will allow the project go to forward. The city actually will get its money back over a period of time, he said. Were going to build it (the bank) ourselves. We can have more control of when it can be done.

Across the street from The Katy Boardwalk, meanwhile, construction continues on the first of two shopping centers called Boardwalk Crossing and developed by Gold Key Partners, said Jeff Goldberg, manager/owner. The first center with 22,000 square feet is 72 percent leased.

We have some good restaurants coming, said Goldberg, who said hes unable to release names of tenants right now.

Construction on the second center of 23,000 square feet is expected to start before the end of the year. Its first lease for 4,500 square feet was just signed, he added.

Reaction from potential tenants has been good, he said, noting the centers are in the shadow anchored by Katy Mills Mall and the Katy Boardwalk/convention center.

Its exciting to see all the new projects being built and traffic generated. Its a good location. We look forward to adding to Katys growth and progress and were glad to be part of it, said Goldberg.

Once both centers are placed on the market, he pegged total market value at between $20 million and $25 million.

A 7,900-square-foot shopping center to the east of Boardwalk Crossing is going up and expected to be completed by December, said Chris Mallett, a partner in the project with Corey Bernstein. The center will house Malletts State Farm Insurance and Houston Appraisal Group with 4,500 square feet open to rent. Mallett picked the location due to possible growth and traffic in the area because its adjacent to the Katy Boardwalk.

karen.zurawski@chron.com
A 100-foot wide by 20-foot wide mural, painted by artist Larry Crawford, was unveiled in the Westchase District on Aug. 16. The theme of the mural is Harveys Heroes, and depicts first responders.

The mural is located at a confluence of two trails, the Brays Bayou and Willcrest Connector Trails.

Multiple first responders who were actively involved with the hurricane were at the event including members of the Houston Police Department, the HPD Dive Team and the Cajun Navy.

I am very grateful, Crawford said. This attention, honestly, I dont deserve.

Crawford continued, It is important for us to do things like this. In the moments of tragedy, when buildings come down, when floods rise and fires tear things down, out of those ashes, people come together. Thats whats beautiful about whats bad.

Crawford is originally from the Houston area and attended the Art Institute in the late 80s. He has multiple works of art featured in the city, and in Westchase District.

Philip Schneidau, chairman of the board of the Westchase District, said that even though the mural depicted first responders such as the National Guard and the Cajun Navy, all types of first responders are to be honored, noting that the West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM) in the Westchase District were a big help in the days after the storm.

Mark Brown, CEO of WHAM, noted that WHAM alone helped almost 16,000 people, by fixing homes and providing clothing and food in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Its almost the anniversary and were still helping people. Just a few days ago we got funding to hire a psychologist. We are seeing a lot of trauma still in our community. Were employing resources to help those that are effected, Brown said.

City Council District G Council Member Greg Travis was also in attendance, telling the crowd, The reason why we did so well after Hurricane Harvey is because we took care of each other. We all stepped up. Larry, thank you for doing this. This is incredible.

Clyde Cain with the Cajun Navy, who was at the unveiling, noted that for him personally, he came to Houston to rescue his friends.

I grew up in Houston. I lived half my life in Louisiana, half my life in Humble. We got here before the hurricane and rode it out in Pasadena, and then started doing rescues immediately, for about five days, Cain said.

About the mural, Cain said simply, Its humbling.

Houston Police Department Assistant Chief Wendy Wendy Baimbridge echoed Cains statements, saying the mural was humbling and touching.

Its not just us, it was also all of our citizens. We suited up, we made sure our own families were out of harms way and then we went to work. Theres a lot of talk about diversity and how that makes us better but I would argue that its really what we have in common. That is where you see the true spirit of humanity. That is what Houston showed, Baimbridge said.

Schneidau noted that the newest mural is a part of a larger goal the district has to beautify everything.

Schneidau said that several years ago, staff members approached the board with the idea to paint the utility boxes.

We did one, then we did two, and three. And then the staff came to us again, and they asked to do outdoor art everywhere. Weve done art on park benches, pillars, sides of buildings, everywhere. We are looking for any canvas, Schneidau said.

rebecca.hazen@chron.com
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  All kids should be happy and healthy  playing outside with friends, not hampered by issues like rashes and itching.

This is also every mother's dream  for their children to grow up confident and be the best they can be. But how do you help a child grow with confidence if they constantly have to think about a skin condition?

Eczema is a common skin condition, one that a child should not feel embarassed of, but Moms understandably get very concerned seeing those red patches on their kids' bodies  not just because its physically uncomfortable, but also for the stares their kids get from people who dont know whats going on.

Eczemoms, moms who have kids with eczema, are pivotal in boosting their childrens confidence and self-esteem through love, devotion, and proper care.

These strong, resilient parents are the perfect role models to their children, as well as other Eczemoms who are just beginning to find ways to help their kids.

From the start, Eczemoms tell their children not to be afraid or embarrassed of the condition, teaching them all there is to know about how and when a flare up starts, and knowing what to do when it happens are essential to boosting confidence.

And to help them manage Eczema, they use Elica.

Elica is often recommended by doctors* because it is proven to relieve symptoms like itchiness, redness, and swelling. While it is available even without a prescription, like all Eczemoms know, it's better to consult with a doctor before using it.

Learn more about eczema, and get support from other Eczemoms by joining Elica's online community on Facebook.

Mometasone Furoate is the generic name of Elica. Do not use for more than two weeks. Use caution in children and pregnant women. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

*IQVIA IMS Data December 2017

ASC Ref. Code: B076P080918E
Erin Faith Allen, a Houston writer, photographer and filmmaker, has published a book titled The In Between, which is a memoir about her 19-day journey through Europe visiting World War II sites.

Allen noted that she has always had an interest in World War II history, ever since she read The Hiding Place in school, which is about Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman who hid Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Its just something that has been inside of me for a long time, Allen said. I have had a strong compulsion to try to understand how a group of people could be responsible for World War II.

She moved to London in 2009, and at the time her husband had been researching World War II.

During her time living in Europe, she met a German soldier at a speaking event, and she also attended a D-Day event at Normandy, France.

That was it for me, Allen said.

Allen continued, I was confronted with a world where World War II was present, and I just fell down that rabbit hole. I decided to follow something that was a life long passion.

All this time she had been researching and traveling intensely, as well has building up a huge amount of artwork and emotional experience. Yet, due, to the grimness of the topic, she kept most of it in secret.

She was going on a 19 day trip to visit World War II sites in Germany, Austria, Poland, Latvia and the Czech Republic during December 2017, and thought she could produce a sketch book from her experiences as a coming out party.

That sketchbook turned into a 408 massive tell all. It became a memoir of 19 days and of one of the hardest times of my life, Allen said.

Allen noted that one of the most powerful sites for her was Gunskirchen Concentration Camp in Austria. The camp was built late in the war and held primarily Hungarian Jewish people, as well as some political prisoners. The site is now a forest.

My friends father had been one of the liberators of this camp. I felt a personal duty to go here. It was a very powerful moment in a still, foggy forest, Allen said.

Allen said that for her, the book is an act of remembrance.

For many of these people, their memories and their stories were completely extinguished. Maybe if we are lucky we known their just their names and where they died. If we know how precious life is, and if we remember all of the people who lived and died through World War II, we can try to make sure this does not happen again, Allen said.

Allen hopes that the people who read the book will realize that people havent changed that much, and we arent as removed from the genocide as we think we are.

We are blindly moving through our lives and judging and harming each other in various ways. It is a slippery slope. I want people to think about how they move through the world and the decisions they make, Allen said.

Allens book The In Between can be bought online at www.erinfaithallen.com. She also welcomes visitors to her website to browse through her blog and her artwork for sale.

rebecca.hazen@chron.com
The Texas Education Agency awarded an A to the Katy Independent School District in their 2018 A-F state accountability system, state education officials said.

The Katy ISD is one of 153 school districts out of more than 8,000 in Texas to receive the designation.

Achieving an A rating reflects the hard work and commitment of everyone within a school district, starting with our classroom teachers, Commissioner of Education Mike Morath said. We should all celebrate the outstanding work of these dedicated educators.

The ratings marked the first time school districts in Texas were given A-through-F letter grades based largely on standardized test scores. The new accountability system was the result of a 2017 law that generated some criticism from those who said it would punish districts that largely serve economically disadvantaged students. Morath told reporters the new grading system addresses those concerns.

The design of the new A-through-F system is really more fair that any other system that has happened in Texas in terms of its appraisal of campus performance, he said. Districts with high levels of poverty who attain this high level performance are proof positive that poverty is not destiny. With strong instruction and curriculum, all students can succeed.

The rating is based on district performance in three areas:

Student achievement  which includes results from several academic assessments across all subjects.

School progress  which measures how much better students are doing on the assessment for this year compared to last year.

Closing the gaps  which looks at performance among different student groups, including different racial or ethnic groups and the students social and economic background.

Katys overall A rating is a combination of a 91 score in student achievement, an 89 in school progress and an 89 in closing the gaps.

District officials said they were pleased with the result but noted the current accountability system does not capture the full essence of students growth and educational experience in Katy ISD.

Its a testament to the hard work of our teachers, staff and community, Katy ISD officials said.

Schools in the Houston area  including Katy  that were among the most devastated by Hurricane Harvey seemed to perform well. Katy ISDs Creech Elementary School, located near the Barker Reservoir, met the states academic standard even after the students and staff were forced to set up operations at the University of Houstons vacant Katy complex after the campus was flooded.

mike.glenn@chron.com
Constance Borders believes a kind and encouraging word to a child will take them a very long way.

Ive seen too many kids that have not had the encouragement that they needed in order to succeed, said Borders, a longtime volunteer with Childrens Books on Wheels.

Through her 15 years of supporting Childrens Books on Wheels and working alongside Rita Wiltz, founder and Executive Director of CBOW, Borders and the other CBOW are working to change that.

For her work with CBOW, Borders will be honored at CBOWs 5th Annual Dress White Party from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sleepy Hollow Multipurpose Building in Tamina. Attendees are encouraged to dress in white attire as they listen to tunes from Ray Parsees Allstars Review featuring Louis Lamb and the Gentle Lamb Experience. A $35 donation contributes to funding literacy programs throughout the county with CBOW.

Wiltz established the mobile nonprofit organization Childrens Books on Wheels in 2004 to bring reading to children in all areas where they live that may not have access to books. Seventy five percent of the population served by CBOW are at or below the poverty level. Wiltz and her team travel to community events, churches, businesses, and other nonprofits in north, south, east and west counties. The after-school site for the YMCA is hosted by CBOW along with Summer Reading Projects to donate books to children and their families at no cost. Each year about 5,000 books are distributed.

Other services Childrens Books On Wheels provide include assistance of social services in multiple languages to the unserved and underserved. Free year-round tax services by IRS certified volunteers at 15 mobile tax sites at no charge for eligible individuals.

Borders first met Wiltz while serving on the Montgomery County United Way Allocations Committee.

Borders said Wiltz is a committed, dedicated and extremely hard worker.

Ive watched her over the years do so many remarkable things with so little, Borders said. She doesnt take no for an answer. If she cant find one way to get it done, shell find another.

When she found out she would be honored at the event, Borders said she was taken aback.

Were all given gifts and talents and we should use them not needing to be recognized in the end, Borders said. Im doing what Ive been called to do and at the end of the day, I can only thank God for allowing me to be a vessel in getting his job done.

Borders is the Assistant Vice President with Woodforest National Bank. She a Community Liaison and Internship Program Director with the bank. She began her career with Woodforest in 1997 after 16 years previous experience in banking. In her tenure she has held the position of Credit Department Manager, Community Development Relationship Manager over Louisiana and Mississippi, and presently has the role of Community Liaison for Harris and Montgomery County, and Internship Program Director over interns from Sam Houston State University.

She is a graduate of Alabama A&M University and her community engagement includes past Board Member of Crisis Assistance Center 2010-2016, Montgomery County United Way Volunteer since 1999, Montgomery County Fair Association since 2000, March of Dimes Walk Team, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Walk Team, Conroe Catfish Festival since 2000, and past Executive Advisory Board and Vice Chairperson of Barbara Jordan Endeavors.

In her work with CBOW, she has helped coordinate Financial Literacy workshops and coordinated volunteers from the bank who helped CBOWs VITA program which helps in tax preparation among many other projects like Easter Egg Hunts and more.

I am extremely honored, humbled, and blessed to be recognized by Rita Wiltz and Childrens Books on Wheels, Borders said. It is really difficult for me to feel deserving of any recognition for my involvement in my career and community. Taking pride in what you do and giving your all is the way I was brought up. Over the years I have found that the best way to receive a blessing is to first be a blessing.

The Sleepy Hollow Multipurpose Building is the location for the Dress White Event located at 9845 Sleepy Hollow Road in Conroe (Tamina) 77385. Dancing, music, and soft bites will be provided with each donation of $35. Sponsors include Planet Ford and AT&T. Tickets available by contacting Rita Wiltz at 281-844-7596 or rw2619@msn.com. Donations may be mailed to 330 Rayford Road, Ste. 201, Spring, Texas 77385.

The mission of Childrens Books on Wheels is to promote literacy by providing books and educational literature to Pre-K through 12 grade children and their families. Learn more about Childrens Books on Wheels by visiting the website www.ChildrensBooksonWheels.org.
A decade in the making, Montgomery ISD teachers and staff walked through the new halls, touring the new classrooms and library of Lake Creek High School  a day before students hit the campus for the first day of school on Tuesday.

Montgomery ISD hosted its annual convocation at the new school on Monday where teachers had the chance to reconnect with their fellow teachers and prepare for the 2018-19 school year.

It was 10 years ago when Montgomery ISD school board members first approved the purchase of land situated along FM 2854 and it has finally come to fruition. To celebrate this landmark, they kicked off the school year and the new $97 million, 355,0000-square-feet school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

It is super exciting and amazing to have Lake Creek High School open and ready for students, Montgomery ISD Superintendent Beau Rees said. To see it all come together and see our staff working hard to prepare for our students to come to school on Tuesday; we are ecstatic. The main thing is high schools must be functional with big spaces such as the cafeteria and auditorium and content-specific classroom spaces.

In addition to the work at Lake Creek High School, Rees also stated they recently completed approximately $35 million in renovations at Montgomery High School.

Lake Creek High School is expected to accommodate about 900 students in the ninth through 11th-grade who live in the LCHS attendance zone. Current juniors were given an opportunity to transfer back to Montgomery High School to complete their high school education.

This school is about innovation, said Jim Dossey, the Montgomery ISD Education Foundation president and Montgomery ISD school board vice president. We selected the architect company, Huckabee, because of their focus on innovation which is something we focus on as a school board and the education foundation. When you go through Lake Creek High, you can see all of the planning and that has paid off. Were excited about opening this new school and look forward to an innovative Montgomery ISD.

The opening of the new high school is a culmination of years of fast student growth and became a reality with the passage of a bond issue in May 2015.

The Montgomery High School class of 1987 graduated with 83 students which is significant to me because my wife was one of them, Montgomery ISD School Board President Ken Thomet said during convocation. One generation later, the graduating class of Montgomery High School was 632  thats an increase of 549 students or a 660 percent increase  thats astounding. Montgomery ISDs growth has been one of the largest in the state and its easy to see why.

Thomet credited Montgomerys diverse population, the small town atmosphere and the school system.

Public education focuses on meaningful and powerful relationships, Thomet said. Montgomery ISD remains very involved in our students successes. Our school system is successful because of all the support we receive from our business community and our residents. The product of this growth and support is our second high school  Lake Creek High School. The board of trustees is very proud of this new school.

Although Lake Creek High School is the second comprehensive high school in the district, school board members and many others stress the importance of Montgomery ISD remaining a united district.

During convocation, the Lake Creek High and Montgomery High Schools dance teams, cheerleaders and mascot joined together for a few cheers before the teachers were released to return back to their classrooms to finish their preparations.

Even though we are multiple schools, we remain as one team -Team Montgomery, Thomet said. The board commitment is to keep all schools equal and work as one team.

jennifer.summer@hcnonline.com
Excitement could be sensed in The Woodlands Saturday night as hundreds of people in black tie attire and Star Wars costumes applauded the outgoing and incoming chairmen for The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce.

The attendees entered the 40th annual Chairmans Ball at The Woodlands Waterway Mariott Hotel and Convention Center by walking through plants recreating an Endor-like jungle scene before sitting at tables with Chewbacca, Yoda, and more decorative toppers.

Some attendees dressed in R2-D2 and C-3PO droid tuxedos, others could be spotted as Jedis and even Queen Padme Amidala while enjoying dinner and a show that included a live lightsaber battle and recognition for those who have served as chairman in the past and helped bring the chamber success.

BIG LITTLE FUDGE: Montgomery business aims for spot on H-E-B shelves

But the main course of the banquet was to honor Frank Holmes, who received a ceremonial gavel in appreciation for his service as chairman for the past year.

The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce as a whole has made outstanding strides in the community in just the past 40 years, Chamber president and CEO J.J. Hollie said. Tonight, we celebrate the past while looking forward to the future. May the next 40 years be even more prosperous than the last.

Now I would like to you join me in raising your glasses to a toast to Mr. Frank Holmes, Hollie said. Frank, there are over 600 people here tonight to say thank you for a job well done and celebrate your year as chairman of the board.

Several elected officials were in attendance, including U.S. Representative Kevin Brady, RThe Woodlands who praised the chamber and Holmes.

PIGSKIN PREVIEW: Conroe party looks ahead, relives the glory days of high school football

Frank, a growing dynamic business community really requires a dedicated business leader and you have provided that leadership with this chamber over the past year, Brady said. Your leadership in developing a New Strategic Development Plan for the chamber and community is going to pay off for years to come.

Brady also congratulated Holmes, who is the vice president of university advancement at Sam Houston State University, and SHSU President Dana Hoyt for securing the first medical school in Montgomery County.

Holmes shared that as if his heart wasnt already full enough, he and his wife received news at the dinner from his son-in-law that his daughter had given birth to her first child, their grandchild. He then expressed gratitude for the attendees, the chamber president and staff, and predecessors, like Linda Head who he said helped lay the groundwork for the plan and help make it possible.

We took steps to renew and revitalization to become the chamber of the 21st Century, said Holmes, noting the team started the process in the spring. I can tell you after a year as chairman (Hollie and the chamber staff) are outstanding in what they do and what they do for us every day and the answer is simplethey love it and they love The Woodlands.

Holmes paused to express his personal appreciation to Hoyt and SHSU colleagues for encouraging and supporting his involvement with The Woodlands Chamber.

You have helped me make a difference, Holmes said.

Holmes shared gratitude for his wife who supported him and introduced the incoming chairman Stuart Lapp to the crowd. Lapp is a partner at Stibbs & Co., P.C., Attorneys, a law firm specializing in areas of energy and business law, employment law, complex commercial litigation and commercial real estate. He heads the litigation section and practices in the areas of complex commercial transactions, commercial real estate and finance. He will officially begin his role as the 2018-19 Chairman on Sept. 1.

Stuart Lapp has been a significant part of providing leadership for business and critical planning and preparations for this year beyond, Holmes said. He will seamlessly move into the chairman of the board role and do a wonderful job. Stuart, thank you and congratulations, you will be an outstanding chairman with confidence and optimism it is my pleasure to turn over the gavel to you.

Lapp received a warm response with cheers as he stood in full costume as a Jawa. The costumes were handmade by his wife Eve, who wore her own, in full support of his decision to accept the position.

Thank you, Frank, Lapp said. I want to say thank you to the chamber for this honor. In case you cant tell, I. Am. All. In. I challenge all of you this upcoming year to be All. In. for the upcoming chamber.

Lapp described The Woodlands as a special community and observed that when new people meet residents of The Woodlands, the residents often share the year they moved to the community. Lapp came to The Woodlands in 1973 when his father moved to help George Mitchell build The Woodlands. When he turned 16 he started in the woods saving trees, worked as a lifeguard, and more.

Its surreal to think 40 years later Im standing on this stage to be the chairman of the board for the chamber of commerce and I plan to give my undying effort and work to make this year a great year and to build on the success of the past chairman, the staff, and everybody who supports the chamber, Lapp said.

Several awards were presented at the program for best table top decorations and costumes. Danielle Comeaux with Texas Childrens Hospital took home the Best Female costume as Padme Amidala.

It was a wonderful evening, there were a lot of great costumes, and great company, Comeaux said.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
A gun-toting woman said farewell to her grandmother before shooting a colleague to death and wounding another at a food distribution plant Monday morning in Missouri City, police said.

Suspected assailant Kristine Peralez streamed her final words to her family on Facebook around 2 a.m. and blamed an unspecified person for the violence yet to unfold inside the Ben E. Keith Foods building where she worked on Cravens Road.

This is your fault, Perelez said, according to footage obtained by KPRC-TV. I'm sorry for everything. I didn't want it to end like this.

Peralez died of a gunshot wound to her upper body after the shooting and Missouri City police are unsure if she killed herself or was wounded in a shootout with an officer.

Police said she killed manager Francisco Reyes and wounded Fedencio Janas, who took a bullet to the leg and is being treated at Southwest Memorial Hospital, according to police.

Several officers arrived at the facility and one exchanged fire with the shooter, Police Chief Mike Berezin said at a brief news conference Monday morning.

Peralez was apprehended and rushed to Memorial Hermann, where she died. It is unclear whose bullet killed her, pending an autopsy.

"This has been a tragic situation," the company said in a statement Monday afternoon. "Our thoughts are with the families of all involved. We are currently working with officials to provide any information useful to their active investigation."

Police have not determined a motive, Berezin said.Investigators are looking into whether certain employees were targeted.

BREAKING MONDAY: Pilot walks away from crash landing near La Porte airport

He acknowledged that the shooter posted items on a social media account, which the police department is reviewing.

In her 48-second video, Perelez said goodbye to her friends and family.

"Tell my grandma I love her," she added. I'm not crazy.

About 20 to 25 workers were inside the building when shots were fired, Berezin said.

Several employees talked with Peralez before the shooting broke out, he said.

Ben E. Keith Foods is a national food distribution company. The Missouri City location opened in 2013 and has 431 employees, according to a Missouri City spokeswoman.

The company, like many private employers, prohibits weapons on the job. Officials with Ben E. Keith said the prohibition is placed in both English and Spanish on all entrances to the property.

Mondays incident was at least the third time in the past 10 months someone walked into a Houston-area workplace and shot a current or former co-worker.

Daniel Ferraretto, a disgruntled ex-mechanic, burst Dec. 27 into the auto repair shop he used to work at, killing two former colleagues, Kendric Wade and Mary McGehee. The furious shooting spree during normal business hours sent employees and customers scrambling. His intent, police said, was to target the owner of Bemer Plus, who dove out a window when the shots rang out. Ferraretto then committed suicide with his own weapon.

At another car repair shop in Dickinson on Jan. 12, Joshua Allen Lee, 29, of Friendswood, shot the manager of Gay Family Auto over a dispute of how many hours Lee was assigned to work. Michael Pavlas, 38, was shot numerous times, but none were life-threatening.

In a scene unrelated to the workplace, a man fatally shot his wife, nurse Senta Yolanda Authorlee, 53, outside a Meyerland assisted living facility on July 12. Anthony Authorlee, 61, later turned himself in to police.

Nationally, workplace murders represent a small share of the homicides in America. Of the 17,250 homicides reported in the U.S. in 2016, 500  or 2.9 percent  were workers, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a part of the Centers for Disease Control. However, that was an increase from 2015, when 417 workplace homicides were reported nationally.

Nicole Hensley contributed to this report
When a Muslim couple sat down for a meeting with a municipal commission in the Swiss city of Lausanne, their interviewers found that they "showed great difficulty in answering questions asked by people of the opposite sex," the city's mayor said.

So they were both denied Swiss citizenship.

Mayor Gregoire Junod told Agence France-Presse on Friday that the man and woman declined to shake hands with people of the opposite sex and that their behavior during the interview signaled to the three-person commission interviewing them that they had not adequately integrated into Switzerland.

Despite laws that ensure freedom of religion, "religious practice does not fall outside the law," Gregoire told AFP.

Handshaking has ignited a debate over the role of religion in Switzerland before, as some Muslims, with the exception of certain relatives, do not physically touch members of the opposite sex.

Swiss teachers often expect their students to shake their hands in a move that is considered to signal respect for their authority. But in 2016, two male students from Syria refused to greet their female teacher in that way. The teenagers' parents then faced fines of around $5,000, after the region's educational authorities said "a teacher has a right to demand a handshake."

Their school initially tried to compromise by telling the two students they didn't have to shake any teacher's hands. But authorities later ruled that "the public interest concerning gender equality as well as integration of foreigners far outweighs that concerning the freedom of belief of students."

The students' father was reportedly a Syrian imam who had won asylum in Switzerland after he moved there in 2001. But the family apparently feared the public dispute over the boys' refusal to shake hands with women could affect their attempts to naturalize as Swiss citizens.

This week, a Swedish woman won discrimination compensation after a company cut short her interview because she wouldn't shake a man's hand. The New York Times reported that the woman, Farah Alhajeh, instead put her hand over her heart and smiled when she was introduced to a man in the office. She explained that she couldn't shake his hand for religious reasons, and the interview ended right then and there. A Swedish labor court ruled that she was owed around $4,350. Alhajeh told the Times that when she's in a mixed gender setting, she greets both men and women by placing her hands on her heart as to not appear to be discriminate against one sex.

"We live in a society where you have to treat women and men the same," she said.

The labor court that ruled in her favor said that "the woman's refusal to shake hands with people of the opposite sex is a religious manifestation that is protected under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights," the Times reported. But the company saw it as a violation of gender equality.

The couple in Lausanne could appeal the decision denying them citizenship, but officials insist they are right.

"The constitution and equality between men and women prevails over bigotry," vice-mayor Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand told AFP. He was one of the commission members who interviewed the couple, and said he was "very satisfied with the decision" that they would not become Swiss citizens.
The Houston Police Department is searching for two suspects who robbed a man outside his house while he was getting ready for work.

The robbery began at 7:20 a.m. July 29 on the 8000 block of Pilot, HPD wrote on YouTube.
The Central Fort Bend Chamber hosted the annual Congressional Update - A Conversation with Pete Olson on Aug. 14.

Members of the chamber, along with businesses in the community, attended the breakfast held at Safari Texas Ranch. The Congressional Update was presented by Rosenbergs Legacy Ford.

Matt Breazeale, Chair of the chambers Governmental Affairs Division, and Olson sat down in front of 125 members of the community to discuss several topics affecting the county today. Topics discussed during the hour-long update ranged from funding for Harvey recovery efforts, better healthcare for veterans, and ways to combat rising healthcare cost. The conversation was completed with questions from the audience.

Underwriters for the event were Johnson Development Corporation, University of Houston Sugar Land and Wharton County Junior College.

For more information about the Chamber or its programs, visit the Chamber website at www.CFBCA.org.

The Central Fort Bend Chamber is a 108-year-old non-profit membership organization dedicated to creating a strong local economy where businesses can prosper. The Central Fort Bend Chamber advocates for more than 1,000 local businesses led by a volunteer board of directors who are dedicated to sustaining Fort Bend Countys quality of life, and keeping the community and economy vibrant.
Wharton County Junior College

WHARTON  Students who recently graduated from six area school districts are receiving a helping hand with their educational expenses thanks to the generosity of the Wharton County Junior College Foundation.

The foundation recently announced its 2018 Scholarship recipients. The students  representing Wharton, Boling, East Bernard, Needville, El Campo and Louise school districts  will each receive a $4,000 scholarship to attend WCJC. The funds will be split, with $2,000 awarded for the 2018-19 academic year and $2,000 for 2019-2020, provided the students comply with the scholarship requirements.
A little more than one percent of the population of The Woodlands lives in the thin sliver where Harris County, the Township and the Spring Creek watershed converge  but Creekside Park suffered the bulk of the Townships Hurricane Harvey damage.

On Aug. 25  a year to the day after Harveys landfall  1,500 residents of the only village in Harris County will have vote to approve a $2.5 billion bond, including seven projects designed to mitigate flooding and improve drainage infrastructure in the Spring Creek watershed.

That would be incredibly welcomed by everybody, said Bruce Rieser, chairman of The Woodlands Township Drainage Task Force. There is no other viable option along Spring Creek - you cant turn it into a concrete culvert.

The village, which officially became part of The Woodlands in 2007, lies squarely in the watershed of Spring Creek, which stretches to the northwestern-most tip of Harris County and continues into Grimes County.

For days after Hurricane Harveys deluge, the village was put on an island when high water cut off every single one of The Woodlands north-south connecting thoroughfares after the creek crested at 111 feet. At its peak, the flood destroyed 100 homes in the subdivisions of Timarron and Timarron Lakes.

If we had another Harvey tomorrow, wed have flooding in The Woodlands, Rieser said.

In October, the Houston Chronicle reported that in discussions with municipal utility district 386, which covers Creekside Park, residents discovered that overflow from Timarron Lakes drains  decimated by Spring Creek breaking its banks  had filled Timarrons drains when it lacked drainage infrastructure.

The Spring Creek bond projects include a total of $74.7 million in land acquisitions, subdivision-specific drainage infrastructure improvements, home buyouts, and, perhaps the most needed improvement, Creekside Park resident Don Hickey said, funds for designing and planning a reservoir along the creek.

Bond projects in the Spring Creek watershed $50 million for right-of-way acquisition and floodplain preservation $12.5 million for planning, acquisition and design of a reservoir along Spring Creek, to be matched locally $10 million for right-of-way acquisition and general drainage improvements $1.6 million for drainage improvements in Timarron and Timarron Lakes $500,000 to investigate general drainage improvements along the creek $90,000 for storm repairs, to be matched locally $75,000 for home buyouts, to be matched locally Source: Harris County Flood Control District See More Collapse

There is great potential that the Harris County bond can contribute to local solutions, Hickey said.

The countywide bond bundles together 237 projects proposed by municipal utility districts and public officials. Hurricane Harvey flooded more than 154,000 homes in Harris County, causing $125 billion in damage in the swath it cut across the southeast United States and $10 million in damage to the infrastructure of the Harris County Flood Control District, operations director Matt Zeve said.

RELATED: Search the flood bond projects in your neighborhood

The projects and the needs are well-known, Zeve said. Some of the projects in the bond list have been on the books for decades.

The bonds, set to be issued over 15 years, are set to be funded by a 2 to 3 cent per $100 home value increase in property taxes to Harris County homeowners, unless they qualify for a disabled or over-65 exemption or their home is worth less than $200,000.

I dont know of anyone who would vote against a 2 or 3 cent increase to have better flood protection, Rieser said.

A University of Houston study in early August found that 55 percent of those polled would vote to approve the bond  an important step in retaining Houstons credibility as a world leader in industry, Hickey said.

This is a can-do city that get things done, Hickey said. We have problems, but we take care of out problems.

mrincon@chron.com
Students at the Lone Star College - Montgomery campus may be able to use their degrees to take them to new heights  literally.

At an LSC Board of Trustees meeting in early August, board members approved a motion to offer a Professional Pilot Certificate Level 1 and Associate of Applied Science degree beginning in Spring 2019.

LSC - Montgomery President Rebecca Riley said they are eagerly awaiting an on-time approval to take flight from the Texas Higher Education Board and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The expansion comes as a pilot shortage looms, both domestically and internationally.

We met with the Air Line Pilots Association, and they know what their hiring needs are going to be based on retirements. Theyll need thousands of pilots over the next 10 years, Riley said.

To help fill that gap, the college wants to offer a curriculum based on the Federal Aviation Associations flight training requirements for students to obtain both commercial pilot and certified flight instructor licenses.

In order to tack on the applied science associates degree, which includes math, English and even meteorology courses, it would involve 15 to 18 normal credit hours as well.

Roughly speaking, the combined training could take students about two years to complete. Yet, this varies from student-to-student based on when they are ready to pass their written and technical flight tests.

The new area of study comes at a high price, though: for an individual entering the program with no prior fight hours, the bill adds up to $65,000.

The cost of flight training is what it is. It involves the cost of the aircraft, fuel and instructor, but the cost of tuition varies tremendously from college to college, Riley said.

At the Lone Star College system, regular in-district tuition for 15 credit hours this school year is less than $1,000. Riley said with the new program, students can complete their first two years of schooling with less debt than if they completed the program at another school, therefore saving money along the way.

Since most airlines require potential pilots to have bachelors degrees, Riley said the college is working with partners such as Sam Houston State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to ensure that students can transfer to a four-year institution as seamlessly as possible.

Three board members voted against the program, but the motion ultimately passed. While she didnt want to speculate as to why some board members voted no, Riley said a primary concern was the cost of the program.

Were concerned about that as well, so were looking into every resource available. For students who make it all the way through to their license and continue to accumulate their flight hours toward commercial jobs, its a very lucrative career, Riley said.

The college anticipates enrolling three different groups of 20 students next year in the program.

Student Services building on track for 202 opening

Switching gears, LSC-Montgomery is making headway with their new 60,000 square feet Student Services building.

Its a $25.5 million project, paid for by a $485 million bond approved in 2014.

The primary need (for the new building) is growth. Students will have the same basic suite of services  admissions and registration, financial aid, advisingbut well be able to provide them more efficiently with a bigger building and more common spaces, Riley said.

Programming for the project, done by architect Harrison Kornberg, has begun. The building is slated for completion in spring 2020.

Classes at LSC-Montgomery begin the week of Aug. 27, when about 16,000 students are expected to return to campus.
Across the U.S., public infrastructure is crumbling thanks to legislative gridlock and chronic underfunding. Roads are overcrowded, bridges are well past their expiration date and transit systems regularly face unprecedented delays. But there will be one thing to celebrate as you seethe in beach traffic this weekend-a small, strange gap in I-95 is being filled.

Come September, one of the most audacious public infrastructure projects in U.S. history will be completed after more than six decades of work. Interstate 95 was the crown jewel of the American highway system championed by President Dwight Eisenhower, and yet the plan for an artery stretching the length of the East Coast almost didn't happen-thanks to local lawmakers and land-owners in Mercer County, New Jersey.

Near the Pennsylvania border, drivers have long been forced off the interstate and onto other roadways, only to join back eight miles away. Transportation officials and civil engineers spent more than two decades and $425 million to eliminate this detour off of I-95, the most-traveled highway in America, spanning 1,900 miles from Miami to Maine.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which oversees the I-95 Interchange Project, said the new infrastructure-which includes the creation of flyover ramps, toll plaza facilities, environmental mitigation sites, intersections, six new overhead bridges, widened highways and new connections to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpikes-will be open to the public by Sept. 24.

"The benefit of completing this 'missing link' is mobility," said Carl DeFebo, the director of public relations at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The new infrastructure will reduce traffic time for north- and south-bound travelers and ease congestion on local roads which used to connect I-95 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

I-95 will be the last infrastructure project financed by Eisenhower's 1956 National Interstate and Defense Highways Act. The legislation authorized $25 billion-roughly $230 billion in 2018 dollars-for the construction of 40,000 miles of the Interstate Highway System. At the time, the act marked the largest public works project in American history.

Today, I-95 is host to more than one-fifth of the nation's road miles and serves 110 million people in the most densely populated region in the country. The road is the main thoroughfare for national economic activity, facilitating 40 percent of the country's gross domestic product, according to the I-95 Corridor Coalition.

So why did it take six decades to complete the last-and most important-highway in the country? Local opposition to development that would follow the roadway through rural New Jersey. "Ultimately it is a state decision to advance an interstate project," said Brandye Hendrickson, the deputy administrator of the Federal Highway Administration.

"There's a natural disincentive for local governments to be a leader in long-distance infrastructure," said Adie Tomer, a fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institution. "They have their own fiscal challenges and need to be judicious with what they spend their money on. So, local authorities can create tensions with entire states."

Frustrated with such regional intransigence, Congress passed the Surface Transportation Assistance Act in 1982. Rather than construct part of I-95 in Mercer County, the act mandated the completion of the interstate using existing state turnpikes.

Thirty-six years later, the "missing link" is a month from opening. New connections will finally allow for a seamless highway through 15 states and portions of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpikes will be re-designated, flaunting brand-new I-95 signs.

Public policy and infrastructure experts, however, see this small victory as a dangerous distraction from the calamitous condition of the nation's infrastructure as a whole. Thanks to decades of political unwillingness to pay for necessary upkeep, it's estimated that spending on infrastructure from 2016-2025 is $2 trillion short of what's needed, according to American Society of Civil Engineers.

And even in central New Jersey, the completed highway won't solve bigger problems. While the Interchange Project will temporarily clear up local roads, it won't remedy long-term congestion. The I-95 Corridor Coalition estimates the number of vehicles on I-95 will increase 85 percent by 2035. Transportation officials don't have a solution for that yet.

Meanwhile, The Trump administration has tapped the private sector to pay for repairs to America's roads and bridges. The White House's proposed budget for fiscal year 2018 calls for $1 trillion investment in infrastructure over the next decade, with $200 billion in direct federal spending and at least $800 billion in spending by states, municipalities and private entities. However, President Donald Trump has yet to outline details for the plan-and the administration has said action on a bill isn't likely this year.

New Jersey in particular faces a number of transportation challenges, due to a lack of state funding (elected officials have long been reluctant to raise the gas tax, typically used to fund road projects) and Trump's refusal to help fund a critical link to the northeast.

The Lincoln Tunnel, which brings 200,000 passengers by car and bus from New Jersey to New York each day, is in a decrepit state, as are the highways that lead to it. NJ Transit's commuter-rail system is struggling to compensate for crowding, delays, faulty technology and a lack of engineers. Roughly 42 percent of New Jersey's roads remain deficient, costing each state driver an estimated $1,951 annually in lost time, according to a 2016 report from American Association of Civil Engineers.

Most dangerously, the proposed $11 billion Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson River, meant to relieve century-old passages severely damaged in 2012 by Superstorm Sandy, is still in question due to Trump's opposition to funding promised by the Obama administration (an earlier tunnel project was killed by then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R).

A shutdown or collapse would do severe damage to the regional and national economy. Unfortunately, Tomer said, completing I-95 won't stop that.

"As much as this interstate can offer a glimmer of positive news, New Jersey needs to grapple with some very real questions in the coming decade," he said.
ISTANBUL - When gunmen opened fire on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara just before sunrise Monday, they struck a fortified guard booth but caused no injuries or other harm.

The shooting in the Turkish capital, however, posed a different kind of danger: threatening to aggravate a bitter feud between Turkey and the United States that has raged for weeks.

The dispute centers on Turkey's refusal to release a detained American pastor and is the worst between the two NATO allies in decades. It has included tit-for-tat economic sanctions and recriminations between President Donald Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Monday, though, both sides appeared determined to prevent their feud from spiraling further. Turkish officials quickly condemned the shooting, with Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Erdogan, writing on Twitter that the attack was "an open attempt to create chaos." Foreign missions, he added, were "under the protection of the law."

By Monday evening, Turkish authorities had announced the arrests of two suspects. A U.S. Embassy statement praised the "fast and professional" action of the Turkish government and police as well as "their support and protection," in a rare moment of solidarity between two countries whose vitriolic arguments have reverberated around the globe.

Tensions between the two sides escalated in early August, when the Trump administration sanctioned two top Turkish officials in retaliation for Ankara's refusal to release the American pastor Andrew Brunson. Turkey is prosecuting Brunson on terrorism-related charges that U.S. officials have dismissed as ludicrous.

When Trump subsequently said he would double tariffs on Turkish steel, the announcement helped further weaken the faltering Turkish currency and raised fears that Turkey's economic troubles could spread to global markets.

Erdogan has reacted with defiance and directed public anger at the United States, accusing the Trump administration of interfering with Turkey's judiciary and waging economic warfare.

Turkish courts have repeatedly rejected appeals to free Brunson from house arrest. His next court hearing is scheduled for early October.

A statement by the Ankara governor on Monday said two suspects, Ahmet Celikten and Osman Gundas, had admitted to carrying out the embassy shooting, which occurred about 5:30 a.m. The statement provided no detail about the motive for the attack and said the investigation was continuing.

Celikten, born in 1979, was wanted by authorities over "his failure to fulfill insurance obligations," the statement said. Gundas, born in 1980, had a history of petty crime, including charges for auto theft, it said.

The U.S. Embassy is closed to the public for four days this week because of Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday.
TULCAN, Ecuador - Denny Gudina spent seven days riding 25 different freight trucks to cross Colombia. He walked through the rain, slept by the highway and rode in an uncovered cargo bed through the frigid Andean highlands at night.

He ate nothing but the crackers he carried and the food donations from generous Colombians who knew about the rampant hunger and misery he fled in his native Venezuela.

On Sunday, he arrived on foot at the Ecuadoran border, only to find it closed to Venezuelans without passports and crowded with hundreds of other migrants who had found their trips suddenly blocked.

More than two million Venezuelans have fled their country since 2014, according to U.N. figures, as an economic crisis intensifies in the oil-rich nation. Many have streamed through neighboring Colombia to countries such as Ecuador and Peru. But some South American countries say they are increasingly unable to cope with the crush of migrants. Ecuador last weekend imposed new rules blocking entry to Venezuelan migrants who have no passports or only a few months left on their documents.

"How demoralizing," Gudina said. "So much time traveling here to arrive, and they tell us no."

Peru last week also announced it would soon require arriving Venezuelans to have passports, rather than just national ID cards. Meanwhile, Brazil deployed more military forces to its northern border after citizens there burned a Venezuelan migrant encampment on Saturday.

"The capacity of the region is overwhelmed," said Yukiko Iriyama, a representative for the U.N. refugee agency in Colombia. "The magnitude of the situation really requires a regional comprehensive approach."

At the Rumichaca International Bridge, one of several connecting Colombia and Ecuador, more than 4,000 Venezuelans were crossing daily by late July, according to Colombia's migration authority, a steep increase over previous months.

Last week, Ecuador declared a "state of emergency" due to the volume of migration and imposed the new passport rule. Venezuelans often lack such documents, because they can face months of delays and have to pay hundreds of dollars to get passports from their increasingly dysfunctional government.

"Everything has its limit," Ecuadoran President Lenin Moreno told local media on Saturday.

Ecuador's public defender challenged the decision, with a court ruling pending, and special exceptions were made for children. But crowds accumulated at the border crossing Sunday and Monday as Venezuelans continued to arrive by bus or on foot.

One family said they had sold their TVs, washing machines, a computer and a motorbike, then borrowed money from relatives outside Venezuela to buy bus passage from the Venezuelan border to Lima, Peru, for $215 per person.

"Imagine people like us who have sold everything, down to our beds, to come here, and they close the door on us," said Jonnayker Lien, 18, standing beside his parents, brother and aunt. "We don't know where to sleep, and we don't have money to go back."

The family, like hundreds of others, huddled in blankets overnight on the concrete sidewalk as the temperature in the mountain border town dipped below 50 degrees.

Even before the new passport rule was announced, the Ecuadoran government and international organizations had installed field medical facilities, portable bathrooms and tent shelters at the border crossing.

But the facilities were overwhelmed by the flood of people who were starting to back up at the blocked border. Some Venezuelans were suffering from hypothermia and many lacked adequate food, said Gustavo Salazar, a coordinator with the Red Cross of Ecuador.

With the passport rule tied up in court, he said, many Venezuelans would probably remain at the border for the foreseeable future.

Some migrants wouldn't accept that fate. Two cousins, Jose and Kenny Ramo, 25 and 30, sat atop their tattered backpacks and wondered what to do. Like others, they had walked and hitched rides across Colombia, leaving behind children and wives. They could not go back, they said.

After hours of waiting, the cousins shouldered their packs and slipped off into the Ecuadoran forest, bound for Peru.

Police appeared to make no attempt to stop those who sought to enter Ecuador on foot without passports. But transportation companies ask foreigners for a passport with an official entry stamp before issuing a ticket, so those without proper documents could face a daunting hike of hundreds of miles through high mountains before reaching a city.

Late Sunday, about 100 of the Venezuelan migrants left the border post and started walking up a highway into Ecuador, suitcases in tow.

"We'll continue on foot, go on to a better life," said Gender Valindo, 25, a former heating systems tech, as he marched up the steep road.
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HAMDEN  Following participation in a distracted driving campaign, police continue to urge motorists to park in a safe location before using their cellphone, according to a news release.

The Hamden Police Department recently participated in the Connecticut Department of Transportations 2018 Distracted Driving High Visibility Enforcement Campaign, and officers issued 635 tickets for cellphone use and distracted driving, the release said.
FALLS VILLAGE The Housatonic Youth Service Bureau (HYSB) announced this week the appointment of Laurie Collins as its new executive director.

Collins brings more than 10 years of experience as a senior manager in health and developmental services to the position and has a demonstrated passion for collaboration with families, community partners and stakeholders in providing care.

Her strong management and business backgrounds, coupled with her deep understanding of the emotional challenges faced by young people, make her the ideal leader for HYSB as it continues to meet the behavioral health needs of youth and families in the Northwest corner.

Laurie has devoted her career to improving the lives of youth and supporting their families, said Nancy D. Bird, Chair of the HYSB Board of Directors. She has demonstrated stellar development and management skills in her prior positions. But, perhaps most important, everyone who met Laurie knew instantly that she was the right person for this important position.

Collins, who worked in various senior management positions throughout her career in Ontario, Canada, recently returned to her hometown in Torrington. She comes to HYSB from a position as Director of Disability Services at JVS Toronto, where she provided leadership and oversight for day support and employment programs for people with disabilities. She previously served as manager, patient experience at the Central Local Health Integration Network, supporting initiatives to better resolve patient complaints, and spent eight years as clinical manager and then director of the Geneva Center for Autism, providing guidance, analyzing community needs and designing group services and programs for children, youth and adults.

Collins has a baccalaureate degree in Health Administration with a major in Health Services Management from Ryerson University and a registered practical nursing degree.

HYSB is very grateful to Rebecca Sakl, the organizations Director of Clinical Services, who stepped in and did an excellent job as Acting Executive Director during the search of a new director, members said in a statement. Sakl will return to her clinical position when Collins starts on Monday, Aug. 20.

Founded in 1991, HYSB is a non-profit organization that exists to strengthen the emotional health of youth and families in the Region 1 school district. It provides free behavioral health services and empowerment programs in partnership with public schools, local organizations, donors and volunteers.

For more information about HYSB, go to www.hysb.org.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran's oil minister said on Monday that France's oil giant Total SA has officially pulled out of Iran after cancelling its $5 billion, 20-year agreement to develop the country's massive South Pars offshore natural gas field over renewed U.S. sanctions.

The parliament's website ICANA.ir quoted Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying that since Total first announced its decision a while ago, Iran has been in the process of "looking for an alternative" to Total. He didn't elaborate.

STOP TWEETING: Iran tells Trump he's driving up oil prices

There was no immediate comment from TotaI.

Earlier this month, Iran said China's state-owned petroleum corporation took a majority 80 percent share of the project. CNPC originally had some 30 percent of shares in the project.

The renewed U.S. sanctions took effect in August, after America's pullout from the nuclear deal in May. The re-instatement of the sanctions exacerbated a financial crisis in Iran, which has sent its currency, the rial, tumbling.

Total announced in May its decision to cancel the multi-billion-dollar project in Iran because of U.S. sanctions. The group said at the time it couldn't "afford to be exposed to any secondary sanction," including the loss of financing by American banks.

The 2017, $5 billion contract for new development at the massive South Pars offshore natural gas field was the first major gas deal signed with Iran following the 2015 nuclear deal.

Total said in May that its actual spending to date with respect to this contract was less than 40 million euros.

Total had pulled out of Iran already once before, in 2008, as Western sanctions over its nuclear program began to ramp up. The 2015 landmark nuclear deal  which curbed the Iranian nuclear enrichment program in return for the lifting of international sanctions  marked a rush for Western businesses to access Iran's largely untapped market of 80 million people. Most prominently, airplane manufacturers rushed in to replace the country's dangerously dilapidated civilian fleet.

LEVELING OFF: Oil steadies after longest run of weekly losses in three years

South Pars is the world's largest natural gas filed and is shared by Iran and Qatar, where it's called North Dome. Qatar produces more than 590 million cubic meters per day from the shared field and plans to increase production by 10 percent by 2022.

Iran's total gas production stands at 750 million cubic meters per day, of which 550 million is consumed domestically.

Iran exports gas to neighboring Turkey and Iraq, and pipelines to Pakistan and Oman are in the works. Iran also imports some 12 million cubic meters per day from neighboring Turkmenistan.

___

Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.
JERSEYVILLE  Recipients of the Jersey Township Food Pantry will get a little more help thanks to the Monsanto Fund.

Jerseyville Monsanto has always been very generous with donations to our food pantry, but this grant from the Monsanto Fund will help us to provide more people in Jersey County with fresh, healthy food, said Sarah Collins, Food Pantry administrator.
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the owner of a beached kayak found in Crystal Beach on Monday.

The Galveston County Sheriffs Office called the Coast Guard around 5 a.m. to notify them of the orange kayak that was found unmanned near Meynig Drive, according to the U.S. Coast Guard 8th District.
A construction worker was injured after an electrical explosion in downtown Houston Monday morning, according to the Houston Fire Department.

Firefighters initially responded to reports of a highrise fire at the Lancaster Hotel on 701 Texas Avenue, around 11:35 a.m.


Product Suite Accepted to the GSA Schedule

Sydney, Aug 20, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - DroneShield Ltd ( ASX:DRO ) ( OTCMKTS:DRSHF ) ("DroneShield" or the "Company") is pleased to advise that its full product suite has been approved for placement on, and placed on, the GSA Schedule.- Full DroneShield product suite approved by the U.S. government for placement on the GSA Schedule.- The GSA Schedule is a list of products pre-approved for purchase by U.S. government agencies (and includes pre-negotiated prices and purchase terms of these products).- DroneGun, DroneSentry and DroneSentinel, as well as DroneShield's other products now available to U.S. government agencies with the click of a button.The GSA (General Services Administration) is an agency of the United States government that supplies products for U.S. government offices and operates the Federal Acquisition Service (the FAS). As part of this effort, it maintains the GSA Schedule, which other U.S. government agencies can use to buy goods and services. Procurement managers from various U.S. government agencies can seamlessly make purchases of the products that are on the GSA Schedule, knowing that the terms of such purchases have been preset between the vendor and the GSA. The process is further streamlined through GSA Advantage, an online government purchasing service run by the GSA in order to provide a streamlined and efficient purchasing portal for U.S. governmental agency procurement. The official description of GSA Advantage refers to it as "the Federal Government's premier online shopping superstore."As part of the placement on the GSA Schedule and GSA Advantage for federal procurement, DroneShield's products have also been approved as qualifying for purchase through GSA Advantage by state and local governments.This is an important step for the Company as it allows any U.S. federal agency and U.S. state and local government agencies, to buy DroneShield's product seamlessly, from a pre-qualified catalogue of products, without going through a competitive and bespoke process.DroneShield CEO Oleg Vornik commented "United States federal, state and local governmental agencies are responding to the ever-increasing drone threats by taking proactive measures. The placement of DroneShield's product suite, including its drone detection and drone mitigation products, on the GSA Schedule and in the GSA Advantage catalogue now allows for instant and pre-approved procurement of the Company's products by governmental employees with appropriate authority, at a click of a button."About DroneShield Ltd

DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (OTCMKTS:DRSHF) is an Australian publicly listed company with its head office in Sydney and teams in the US and UK. We specialise in RF sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Rapid Prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing.

Our capabilities are used to protect Military, Government, Law Enforcement, Critical Infrastructure, Commercial and VIPs throughout the world.

Through our team of primarily Australian based engineers - we offer customers bespoke solutions and off-the-shelf products designed to suit a variety of terrestrial, maritime or airborne platforms.

DroneShield is proudly exporting Australian capability to customers throughout the world and supporting Australia's defence, national security and other organisations protect people, critical infrastructure and vital assets.

.
Sunday was supposed to be a joyous occasion for Houstonians originally from the southern India state of Kerala. They were going to celebrate the state festival of Onam with dancing and a traditional feast served on banana leaves.

But such festivities held little appeal this year when friends and family in Kerala were losing homes and loved ones in catastrophic floodingthe worst in a century. Even as the water began to recede over the weekend, the recent flooding has killed hundreds of people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

This is not a good time to celebrate, said Biju Pillai, president of the Sri Guruvayurappan Temple in Houston, a replica of a Krishna temple in Kerala.

So members of the temple canceled the celebration and instead attended a separate event  the India Culture Centers Independence Day celebration  to raise money for flood victims back home.

In 2016, Harris County was home to more than 62,000 Asian Indians, and more than 49,600 lived in Fort Bend County, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Nearing the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, the flooding in Kerala is significant in more ways than one. Its reminiscent of last years local disaster, but attendees at the Independence Day celebration know that flood victims in India wont benefit from flood insurance programs like those that are helping rebuild Houston.

The annual monsoon brings strong winds and heavy rains every summer to India. But this year has been particularly severe in Kerala, which has witnessed excess rainfall of some 37 percent compared with last year, according to the New York Times.

Here, we can only watch the news and feel miserable, said Reshma Vinod, who is working to bring media attention to the temples fundraising efforts. Were trying to help as much as we can.

Her husbands mother is in Kerala. She doesnt have power but is otherwise alright, with her house dry and stocked with food. But Vinod is concerned about what happens once that supply runs out. Her mother-in-law cant go into town as roads are flooded or washed away.

Still, Vinod said this situation is much better than many others.

Thats nothing when it compares to these others who have actually lost their lives, Vinod said.

Dias Damodharan is working with the temple to collect clothes, medicine, cleaning supplies and nonperishable food that he can put in a shipping container and send to the village where his wifes family lives. Her grandfather founded a school that is now sheltering more than 2,000 people.

Whatever theyre wearing, thats the only dress they have, he said.

The India Culture Center placed the temples fundraising booth at the entrance of the Stafford Centre, next to its own booth, to ensure Independence Day attendees saw it upon entering the building.

It is our duty to help our own country people when they are suffering, said Nisha Mirani, president of the India Culture Center.

India gained its independence from the U.K. on Aug. 15, 1947. The Houston-area nonprofit has been holding a local celebration every year since it was incorporated in 1973. Mirani said its an opportunity to celebrate Indian culture and pass it along to the next generation.

Children submitted essays on how their Indian culture has helped them grow in the U.S. A speech contest gave other children a topic as they entered the building on Sunday, and then asked them to give a speech without notes.

There was dancing and shopping, too. Shilpa Kashyap purchased new apparel and signed up to volunteer with an organization. Shes not from Kerala, but she has friends from there who have posted videos and photos on social media.

She was happy to learn that the local community is collecting donations.

It just talks a lot about humanity. How people are willing to help, she said.

Arun Verma, also not from the affected area, made a $1,000 donation through the Shri Sita Ram Foundation where he is president. The foundation puts on the annual Diwali - Dussehra Festival.

He said the foundation gave $25,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief, and now its helping flooding in India.

We had a disaster here. They are having a disaster there, he said. As a human being, we have to help them out.

The temple has raised more than $10,000 since Friday. Its goal is $100,000. Those interested in providing a monetary donation can visit guruvayurappanhouston.org. Clothing or other tangible donations can be dropped off at the temple at 11620 Ormandy St. in Houston.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/andrearumbaugh
A Stafford-area teen has been charged with murder in a fatal shooting outside an Alief restaurant this month.

Elida Lucia Jovel Medrano, 17, an El Salvadoran native who lives in Meadows Place, was arrested Thursday. She is one of four people sought in the death of 25-year-old Johnny Paramo Torres. He was gunned down about 7:45 p.m. Aug. 4 after an argument at La Union.
A second robbery suspect is in custody Monday after allegedly running over two victims and trying to steal $75,000 in cash days earlier.

Travonn Johnson, 27, joins Davis Dowell Mitchell, 31, behind bars for their alleged role in the violent heist on Friday.

The would-be thieves struck around 9:30 a.m., when they zeroed in on a woman who had just withdrawn $75,000 in cash from a bank and was pulling into a location in the 23200 block of Northwest Freeway.

As she got out of the car and went in the building, another vehicle pulled up. A man - later identified as Mitchell - jumped out and tackled the woman, pulling her to the ground, pummeling her and yanking at her purse. Her husband spotted the attack and ran outside to help.

Then, another car - a black Chrysler 300 - pulled up. A man later identified as Johnson hopped out and began stomping and beating the woman and her husband, authorities said.

EARLY-MORNING HEIST: Houston man's robbery at gun point caught on camera

As the struggle continued, Johnson allegedly got back in his car and video footage shows the vehicle backing up over the couple before fleeing.

The woman managed to hold onto her purse but was critically injured. She was taken to the hospital for surgery and is expected to live.

Afterward, a Harris County Precinct 4 constable deputy who drove up during the attack arrested Mitchell. He's facing aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon charges and is not cooperating with the investigation, authorities said.

Johnson was arrested sometime Monday, authorities said. There could be other charges filed against additional suspects, police said.

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
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) - A judge has dismissed a felony voluntary manslaughter charge against a California man who says he helped his ailing wife hang herself - reducing the possible punishment for his role in her death.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported Saturday that 65-year-old David Clement still faces a charge of aiding suicide, a felony that carries up to three years in prison.

Clement was arrested Jan. 10 after he called 911 to report helping 52-year-old Debra Bales kill herself. He told investigators that Bales was determined to die after being told she could no longer take prescription pain medications she had relied on for more than two decades.

His lawyers argued that prosecutors didn't provide evidence that Clement was an active participant in Bales' death.

The manslaughter charge could have carried an 11-year sentence.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
The findings come from a new poll, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by environmental lawyers ClientEarth, which gauged national opinions on how financial institutions and the government are facing up to the challenges posed by climate change. Financial institutions, particularly pension funds, have been in the spotlight this year. A parliamentary Select Committee recently quizzed the UKs largest funds on their exposure to and management of climate risk  and this month ClientEarth reminded pension professionals of their legal duties to address it. ClientEarth climate lawyer Danielle Lawson said: The signal to the financial world could not be clearer: it must raise its game. A large number of consumers want the financial institutions managing their personal finances  be it everyday bank accounts or workplace pensions  to avoid funding fossil fuel companies that contribute to climate chaos. Historically, climate risk has been sidelined as an ethical consideration, despite exposing investments across the UKs financial system to significant potential loss. But findings from ClientEarths Climate Snapshot show that pension scheme members, far from being ambivalent, are engaged and interested in where their money is being invested. Key findings include:

Fifty percent would consider moving their bank or pension investments if they realised their money was being used to make fossil fuel investments; Almost two-thirds said they believe that investing in fossil fuel companies is a risky strategy (65%) and would prefer an institution that actively considered climate impacts (62%); The preference for climate-aware investment is even more marked among 18-34 year olds (66%), who have the longest investment future ahead of them; More than eight in ten believe that fossil fuel companies who knew about climate change early on and continue to lobby against taking action should be responsible in some way for the costs of major weather events (83%); 53% do not trust fossil fuel companies to change their business models; More than two thirds are in favour of breaking up the Big Sixs market share to allow smaller, cleaner, and locally owned energy systems to develop (68%); and, Almost three quarters of consumers would be interested in joining a community energy scheme if the government made it easier (71%), and individuals are keen to install their own solar panels (62%) and home energy storage (60%). Lawson added: Most people questioned were not aware of the link between their pension and continued investment in fossil fuel and what this could mean for their future. Financial institutions, including pension funds, should be more transparent and engage with individuals so that they can make informed choices about how their money is used  as the DWP recommended pension schemes do earlier this year. This is particularly important for younger people with defined contribution and contract-based pension schemes who will not draw their pensions for several decades and bear the financial risk of their schemes continued support for fossil fuels in the meantime. The fact that less than a fifth of the public trust fossil fuel companies to change their business models and transition to supplying low-carbon energy, shows that there is likely to be a demand for pension and retail investment options which exclude fossil fuels.

A copy of ClientEarths Climate Snapshot opinion poll report can be found here.


Invitations to apply will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis next year

IRCC will end Parents and Grandparents sponsorship lottery and increase application cap to 20,000 in 2019

IRCC will end Parents and Grandparents sponsorship lottery and increase application cap to 20,000 in 2019 Invitations to apply will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis next year

IRCC will end Parents and Grandparents sponsorship lottery and increase application cap to 20,000 in 2019 Invitations to apply will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis next year

IRCC will end Parents and Grandparents sponsorship lottery and increase application cap to 20,000 in 2019 Invitations to apply will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis next year Stephen Smith Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says it will scrap its controversial randomized selection process for its Parents and Grandparents Program in 2019 and revert to a first-come, first-served approach to inviting interested sponsors to apply.

The move was announced August 20 in a news release that also said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) will accept up to 20,000 new sponsorship applications next year through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

IRCCs switch in 2017 to a randomized selection process for applications to the PGP was widely denounced as unjust despite the governments claims it would make the system more fair and transparent.

At the time, the Government of Canada said a randomized approach would level the playing field and give everyone the same opportunity to be selected to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents.

At least one petition was created to oppose the lottery, which it said left family reunification to chance.

IRCC said these new changes to the PGP respond to user concerns.

As a result of listening to stakeholders and closely examining the PGP Program, the government is making further changes to the application intake process that will streamline access to the program and improve client experience, IRCC said.

Canadas Immigration Minister, Ahmed Hussen, said the changes are evidence of the Government of Canadas commitment to helping families live, work and thrive together, in Canada.

Reduced backlog allows for increased quota

IRCC said its inventory of PGP applications stood at 26,000 in June 2018, down from a peak of 167,000 in 2011, and this reduction has allowed the government to increase its intake quota to 20,000 in 2019.

This doubles IRCCs original applications cap for 2018, which was set at 10,000 at the start of the year and was increased to 17,000 last month. To meet this increased 2018 quota, IRCC announced a second invitation round at the end of July and says those invited will have until October 5, 2018, to submit a complete application.

IRCC said those interested in sponsoring their parents and / or grandparents in the 2019 will have to complete an Interest to Sponsor form online at the beginning of the year. In 2018, they were accepted between January 2 and February 1.

David Cohen, senior partner at the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal, said the increased cap is good news for interested sponsors, but its unclear if the reversion to a first-come, first-served selection approach will help correct concerns with the lottery system.

The government should be commended for listening and taking action on what was a deeply unpopular approach to inviting potential sponsors to apply, he said. Whether this actually resolves those concerns is another matter, and well just have to see how it plays out.

If you receive or have received an invitation to apply to the Parents and Grandparents Program, you may email us at pgp@canadavisa.com to learn about the next steps regarding your application.

 2018 CICNews All Rights Reserved
Acquiring and developing technical talent is among the biggest obstacles in the digital era: In Deloittes forthcoming 2018 global CIO survey, 97 percent of global CIOs identified it as a challenge. To win the war for talent, CIOs cant rely only on HR or ad hoc talent initiatives. Instead, they need to develop a cohesive talent strategy with the long view in mind.

Here are six ways CIOs can revamp their approach to finding, recruiting, hiring and developing the best talent.

1. Curate the organizations talent brand. Every organization has a talent brand. If that brand is strong and actively curated, the organization can attract top talent. Digital talent platforms and exchanges propagate talent brand across the globe and provide insights into your working environment: Potential hires are quickly able to ascertain what current and past employees say about your companys culture, management and existing talent, and top talent can quickly determine their value and demand higher pay and additional benefits. Without workplace experiences that foster a positive talent brand, CIOs may find themselves on the losing side of the talent war.

A focused effort on curating a talent brand can pay dividends quickly. It took less than six months for one organization to create marketplace buzz by focusing on three aspects of brand building: building a strong pitch for how technology is changing the organization and its industry, actively curating its presence on online talent platforms, and presenting its vision at industry conferences. This effort can be especially powerful for large incumbents if CIOs can link the IT talent brand with corporate branding/rebranding efforts. On the flip side, if IT culture and practices do not support the brand promise, be prepared to be called out on those same talent platforms.

[ Learn how to define your company culture before it derails your mission. ]

2. Hire for a balance of technical and soft skills. In Deloittes 2018 global CIO survey, respondents identified finding the right mix of technical and soft skills as their top recruiting challenge. Creativity, cognitive flexibility, emotional intelligence and other soft skills will be key in elevating IT from back-office service provider to front-line business partner. ITs heavy bias toward STEM skills means soft skills are often overlooked. But hiring someone with cognitive flexibility can ensure the ability to learn new skills quickly  essential in the digital age. Emotional intelligence may allow IT talent to better connect with customers and stakeholders; creativity can help staff address thorny business challenges in non-traditional ways.

3. Focus on a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Diverse workforces have been shown to deliver better results. Because high-performing teams attract and retain IT staff, cultivating diverse teams and filling the leadership pipeline with technically talented women, minorities and members of other underrepresented groups can help CIOs battle the ongoing shortage of technical talent.

Diversity and inclusion needs to be a conscious effort, not an afterthought. CIOs can work to eliminate hiring biases and wage gaps and establish zero-tolerance policies for those who break established rules. CIOs also need to recognize the ways diverse staff communicate, collaborate and work, and retrain those who evaluate IT staff accordingly. Formally identifying potential high-performers and providing them with the development and mentoring resources to advance their careers can help fill the pipeline with diverse leadership candidates.

[ Find out how your organization may be getting diversity and inclusion wrong  and how to get it right. ]

4. Create a long-term approach to retooling talent. In our interviews for the global CIO survey, some CIOs estimated that between a third and half of their workforce will need to be retrained to take on future IT roles. But in todays age of artificial intelligence and automation, retooling the IT workforce cant be a one-time project; a long-term approach is necessary. One CIO designed a retraining program to enable IT staff to become lifelong learners and provided the flexibility for staff to take time off to retrain and move into different areas of IT anytime during their careers.

A major difference between the current and future workforce will likely be mobility. Organizations that retool and ensure internal mobility will be able to engage top talent for a longer amount of time.

5. Infuse new talent throughout the organization to encourage change. Many digital efforts fail due to a culture of resistance, with many staffers assuming that change initiatives will lose steam over time. Infusing new talent strategically throughout the organization can help CIOs show real intention to change.

This talent infusion can invigorate existing staff who may be stifled by cultural roadblocks and can create ambassadors of change throughout the organization. Many CIOs have kick-started their efforts by hiring a few strategic leaders that then attract other high performers. One CIO turned around his IT organization by replacing two of his six direct reports and giving them additional portfolios, signaling deep commitment to changing the status quo. It also helped set a gold standard for other IT leaders.

6. Design a culture that attracts top talent. Culture is the key ingredient for attracting and retaining top talent. But what cultural attributes attract top talent? The two primary attributes for attracting high performers are the ability to work with new and emerging technologies and a work environment that is fun, creative and inspirational.

Large, established companies with strong cultures developed over decades often find it hard to change. Some CIOs at these companies invest in and acquire small startups not only to gain their intellectual property but also to acquire and integrate their cultural attributes. Others have developed or collaborated with ecosystem partners to create innovation hubs and digital foundries. By integrating or rotating IT staff into those environments, theyre giving them opportunities to work and thrive in these new environments.
You're investing 5 days plus expenses. The Dreamforce payoff is all about time management.

2 weeks out: The finishing touches

Now that the schedule-builder has been up for a week, almost anything worth going to is already filled out. Have no fear, though: not everyone shows up for many of the sessions, and you may be able to sneak in at the last minute. Print out your schedule, looking for gaps of more than an hour...then think about these hot tips:

For technologists, the one-on-one sessions with developers on the first floor of Moscone West are really worth doing! But they're not scheduled along with the rest of the sessions. First thing when you get to Moscone, go and register at the sign-in desk for a drop in session or two.

For everyone else, many of the sessions are theater style -- you can't actually schedule them you just bookmark them and show up. They're almost never full, and some of them are pretty good.

If you have less than an hour, a few vendors are offering drop-in areas at local restaurants, where you can go hang. As there's no such thing as a free lunch, you'll have to register and probably sit through some sort of sales preso.

If you want to clear your head during a break, forget about Starbucks and local bars: they will all be completely jammed all day. However, there are great walks to be had in nearly every direction from Moscone center. Take a map or your phone...and avoid going toward 6th street.

Party on, Garth!

There will be parties galore, but there isn't a party-directory site (as there has been in years past) so you'll just have to keep your ears to the ground and read the emails from vendors. Sorry.

The main attraction, musically, is going to be Metallica. You won't find me going to that one, so I've been looking into these alternatives:

If you're a real big-shot, maybe you can get yourself invited to the Salesforce Tower upper floors. I'm not important enough to know anyone who can get me up there, but it's got to have the best view of anywhere in the city, day or night.

An alternative for mere mortals is to get a drink at the Top of the Mark, or watch the sunset from the viewpoint on Twin Peaks (it's a cheap Uber ride,; get there around 5:30 PM). If you've been partying really late, go to Twin Peaks or Treasure Island to watch the sunrise (get there around 6:30 AM for the best effect).

late, go to Twin Peaks or Treasure Island to watch the sunrise (get there around 6:30 AM for the best effect). Another alternative that most natives don't know about: the best view of the whole Bay Area is on Radio Road on mount San Bruno. It's got that name because it's the home of about 5 MW of transmitters, plus line-of-site to nearly everywhere. Make sure there's no fog rolling in before you start out. The Uber or Lyft ride might be steep, but so's the road.

Beach Blanket Babylon is the always-there, must-see show for tourists and natives alike...8 PM. Silly song-and-dance with amazing & amusing hats. Order your tickets early.

3 weeks out: Agenda Builder is now online.

Put your pre-work to work!

4 weeks out: Focus on what you need to know

It's almost time for the session scheduler ("Agenda Builder") to come online for Dreamforce, but it ain't there yet...so all you can do now is look for sessions to bookmark. As there are so many sessions, you'll definitely want to pick the 15-20 that are the most important for you, and that you could conceivably see during the show. But I'd recommend bookmarking an equal number of standby sessions, as the really cool sessions will likely sell out before you get to the session scheduler.

For me, I pay almost no attention to keynote sessions: they are mainly ads, and not very informative ones at that. I also schedule tradeshow floor ("expo") time as my lowest priority. I talk to vendors when I can't get into the sessions I actually wanted. But in this week's bookmarking exercise, figure out which parts of the system you really need to understand better. That means, things already in production or GA status...not the future whiz-bang stuff.

In looking through the sessions, there's a ton on Lightning...and even the most conservative customers should start learning about it. A good "diet" is one or two Lightning sessions a day, even if you have no immediate plans to go to the new UI. Why? Because SFDC will be pummeling the customer base with demos and new products and veiled threats...and you need to know what your boss is going to be hearing from the SFDC reps (so you can develop sensible strategies and counter-arguments).

There are three topics where there is a serious and surprising dearth of sessions:

GDPR and privacy: yes, there's a session or two...but nothing about all the process changes required around SFDC to make a serious attempt at compliance (see this article for more)

Shield and security: Shield is an amazing feature set from SFDC, and for the serious security professional you need to know lots about it. Not this time...

How to sell Agile to your boss: I hate to beat this drum, but I have to -- too many customers have absolutely no idea what behavior changes they need to make (and that they need to ask of their bosses) to be successful at Agile. The bigger the client, the more likely they'll say Agile and immediately start micromanaging and demand Waterfall metrics.

The other item that's missing from the session list right now: all the developer workshops and "camp" sessions. These alone are worth the price of admission, and you need to get your sessions scheduled as soon as the Agenda Builder is online.

5 weeks out: Plan sessions and other meetings

DreamForce is equal parts technology conference and sales pitches. Personally, I find it amusing that a company get can YOU to pay THEM for sales pitches...so to get the best ROI for my time and money I try to avoid the salesy sessions.

If you really want to meet with sales professionals at the conference, there will be no shortage. You should schedule those in real time, in time slots that are otherwise uninteresting.

Once the Dreamforce session scheduler is actually online, choose your sessions fast! The really good ones fill up in a matter of minutes. I prioritize my session-scheduling this way:

Technology how-tos: deep dives on topics that I haven't been able to figure out for myself. Best practices for the business processes I care about (e.g., quote-to-cash or lead management) Scalability strategies (e.g., what to do with a 200,000-entry price book) Technology one-on-ones ("basecamps" or whatever they call them this year) to help figure out stuff that is poorly documented (e.g., most of the APIs) Everything else

Generally speaking, success story sessions aren't that interesting unless (1) it's actually given by the customer (not the integrator) and (2) you can schedule a meeting (like, dinner, drinks...) with that customer to find out the un-sanitized story. For that second item you'll need to do a little detective work to get the customer information now so you can get on his/her calendar during DF.

6 weeks out: Watch for session scheduling

Dreamforce is the king of software conferences, with over 2700 sessions this year and probably 150,000 attendees. All the full-conference tickets are sold out already, so the only passes you can get are for the show floor and the first day.

For those of you who have full conference passes, the time for homework is now. You can't actually schedule any sessions, but by logging in to the Dreamforce site you can review and bookmark them so they're easy to spot when the scheduling system is turned on.

For whatever reason, SFDC seems to regard the go-live date for the session scheduler as a state secret...they never tell you in advance, and when they do flip the switch all the really interesting sessions are booked out within an hour or two.

Most evocative session titles I've found so far:

"Connected Chickens!"

"Engaging the Customer in the World of Lubricants"

"Engaging with Providers and their Patients for a Better Surgical Journey"

"Making Disagreement Fun"

"Three lessons Marketers can learn from Speed Dating"

"Transforming the member experience"

Supposedly, they'll send all registered attendees a notification email when it's there...but I wouldn't rely on that: every morning when you get into work, log in and see if the site now supports scheduling.
National Life Groups headquarters is nestled in the foothills of Montpelier, Vermont, just across the Winooski River from the Vermont State House. The company has been a fixture for the better part of two centuries, as much a part of the landscape as Barre granite or covered bridges. Yet its focus is entirely future-facing: providing life insurance and annuities to an estimated 60 million underinsured American households.

We have been, by many measures, the fastest growing major life insurance company in the United States over the past five years or so, and weve experienced double-digit growth for the past several years, says senior vice president and CIO Tom Anfuso. Growth and scalability in my tenure here has been one of our greatest challenges.

Anfuso, who joined the firm in 2014, focuses on the operational basics  in his words, security, availability and quality. National Lifes growth has been purely organic, rather than the product of a merger or acquisition. Since the company has increased its own output and increased sales accordingly, Anfuso reports that it is imperative that IT staff provide consistently better tools to operations and agents to ensure larger volumes of business.

Ive been focused on really reinventing the IT shop in the sense of becoming more process-oriented and operationally focused, he says. And were trying to adapt our skills and our workforce to what is really an entirely different set of technologies than what we were focused on when I started.

Rejuvenating a staid digital landscape

Annuity and life insurance policy owners have been really underserved by the carriers in terms of digital, Anfuso says. They tend to not have very robust digital capabilities, whether thats customer portals or mobile apps. And so almost everything a customer wants to do results in them calling their agent or calling the carrier, so delivering even rudimentary self-service is a win in our industry.
The Disasters Emergency Committee Rohingya Crisis appeal has raised 28m to date, the charity said as it announced that the appeal will close at the end of this month.

The DEC, a collaborative group made up of 13 humanitarian charities including the British Red Cross, Save the Children and Islamic Relief, launched the appeal on 4 October 2017, at the start of the most recent exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

Of the 28m raised to date 5m came from UK Aid Match.

In the first six months of the DEC-funded response to the crisis, the period from October 201 to March 2018, DEC funding provided:

351,500 people with food assistance - more than the population of Cardiff

34,000 families with household essentials such as blankets and pots and pans

124,400 people with clean drinking water and sanitation, including the construction of 90 deep tube wells

19,500 families with materials to build a shelter

42,300 people with free medical care and health support

28,200 vulnerable people with some form of protection, including the provision of 43 safe spaces for vulnerable people such as women, children and older people

10,700 families with vouchers to buy fresh food

The DEC has produced a full report for the six-month period, available here.

The DEC said that the second phase of the DEC-funded response runs from April 2018 to September 2019. Plans for this period include supporting nine health facilities and two mobile clinics helping 200,000 people; 55 deep tube wells to provide clean drinking water; public and individual solar lamps to keep 11,000 people safe at night; agricultural tools and seeds; and business grants to help 15,000 people restore their livelihoods.

The DEC said that more than 700,000 people have now arrived in the Coxs Bazar district since 25 August 2017 and in total there are 1.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the area. The Kutupalong-Balukhali expansion site, informally known as the megacamp, is now considered the worlds biggest refugee camp.

It said: Monsoon rains are falling, but it is expected that the worst is yet to come.

"DEC charities are assisting by reinforcing shelters; strengthening the site of the refugee settlements using sandbags and bamboo to prevent landslides; decommissioning and desludging latrines and digging deep tube wells to prevent water contamination and the spread of disease; meeting ongoing food needs.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  The Department of Education has ordered an investigation into Bicol Central Academy (BCA) after its school administrator reportedly burned the bags of students who weren't following policy.

DepEd on Monday said an initial report submitted by its regional office confirmed partial details of the report. It said the school administrator of the private school in Camarines Sur has given his explanation into the viral incident via a phone call, but he has yet to submit his written response.

It said the BCA school administrator, who wasn't named by DepEd, will be held liable for his actions.

"If the school administrator's accountability for the incident is established, DepEd has regulatory tools for private schools at its disposal: a possible suspension or revocation of the school's permit to operate; or disqualification of the school to participate in the Education Service Contracting and Senior High School Voucher Program; or non-issuance of favorable recommendation for tax exemption, like import duties," DepEd said in a statement.

It added they can recommend to the school board to advise the school administrator to go on leave to make way for an impartial probe and to allay the students' fear.

"DepEd wants to assure parents that the investigation will be just and fair, and we will not hesitate to impose the necessary sanctions on those who are proven to have violated the said policy," DepEd said.

DepEd Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad said the burning of students' properties inside school premises is a clear case of child abuse.

"There was a clear manifestation of child abuse and a violation of our child protection policy," the regional office wrote on Facebook.

Sadsad added, "While we cannot sanction the offending person because he is under the jurisdiction of the authorities of a private school, we will be reviewing our policies if we can provide sanctions in terms of possible revocation of the school's permit to operate and other benefits provided by the government."

A Twitter thread posted by BCA alumnus Earl Vincent on August 17 exposed the actions of the school administrator.

"Bags of students who have failed to comply with the 'no-bag policy' set for the school's event today have been confiscated and burned in the school quadrangle," he wrote.

BCA bag burning

He also shared stolen videos  provided to him by some of the students  of the male school administrator calling the students "stupid" for leaving their cellphones inside the burned bags.
Our weekly summary of the latest movers in the charity sector.

Chief executive

Work life balance charity Working Families has appointed Jane van Zyl as its chief executive, ahead of the charitys 40th anniversary next year.

She joins from Breast Cancer Haven, where she was operations director. Sarah Jackson announced her intention to step down from the role of chief executive of Working Families in March, and will continue to support the charity as ambassador.

Kumi Naidoo has taken up his role as secretary general of Amnesty International this month. He previously served as the international executive director of Greenpeace. Last week he made his first statement in the role, where he set out his vision for the human rights sector. Read more here.

The chief executive of Crohns and Colitis UK, David Barker, has announced his intention to step down from the role next month. Barker has been with the bowel disease charity for over five years. The charity has started the recruitment process for a new chief executive. Read more here.

Operations

The British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) has appointed Gary Scott into a new role of general manager.

In the role Scott will continue to drive BASICS forwards in its efforts to support the vital work of healthcare professionals nationwide, whilst refocusing the charity's structure to enable continued growth and development.

HelpForce has appointed Maeve Hully as its UK development director. In the role she will be responsible for establishing HelpForce in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, working in partnership with the country partners being put in place to connect HelpForce with local health and social care organisations.

Hully, who will join HelpForce in October, is a registered nurse with a long and varied career in health and social care. Her previous experiences of working with volunteers in the statutory and voluntary sectors gives her a valuable insight into the unique contribution volunteers can make to a positive patient experience.

Non-executive

Learning disability charity United Response has appointed Malcolm McCaig as its new chair, effective immediately.

Malcolm succeeds Maurice Rumbold who retires and steps down from the role he has held for the past decade.

To tell us about your charity's latest appointments please email: [email protected].




Brittany Young read Ubers boast that theres a strong correlation between Ubers presence in cities and a reduction on drunk driving, and decided to find out if that claim held true in Virginia.

Young was one of four William & Mary students chosen this year for the Summer Research Program sponsored by the Schroeder Center for Health Policy, whose mission is to increase health policy research at the university involving data analysis, writing and presentation. The fellowships also support interaction between students and faculty at W&M and Eastern Virginia Medical School and its Brock Institute for Community and Global Health.

Youngs research focused on two main areas: the impact of Ubers entry into Virginia on the rates of motor-vehicle accident hospitalizations and the likelihood that fatal motor vehicle accidents were alcohol involved.

It turns out that this is the first Virginia case study examining that, Young said. She focused her study on young adults especially. She noted: Statistics from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles show that young adults suffer the most from motor vehicle accidents nationwide and in Virginia. In Virginia, 71 percent of the alcohol-related driver injuries involve drivers age 18-45.

That would coincide with Ubers customer base, people more likely to use a smartphone application to obtain transportation rather than hailing a taxi. Uber also charges lower fees than taxis, which would give it a larger consumer base. Thats how the authors of a California study explained why Uber was associated with declines in alcohol-related traffic fatalities there.

Ride-sharing transportation networks reduce the time and effort required (to get a ride), which should also increase demand for these services, Young said. In addition, Uber may have a farther reach than traditional taxi services so that also improves accessibility. This combination of factors is why economists believe ridesharing could improve public health.

The California study used that states highway patrol integrated traffic report system and showed that Uber made a statistically significant difference in alcohol-related fatalities between 2009 and 2014.

To measure Ubers effectiveness in Virginia, Young implemented a difference-in-differences methodology. She compared counties where Uber entered the market to counties where it did not. In both types of counties, she compared motor vehicle accident outcomes before and after the time period when Uber entered.

According to Youngs research, Uber first entered some markets in Virginia in 2013 and over time has expanded to more areas.

This provides the variation needed to determine a potential causal effect using econometric methods such as difference-in-differences regression analysis, Young explained.

If Uber actually caused accidents to decline, she expected to see that hospitalization rates for motor vehicle accidents fell by a lot more in the counties where Uber entered than in the counties where it did not.

She specified her models to also account for differences in other variables such as percentage of male drivers, drivers under the age of 25, seatbelt usage, inclement weather, lighting conditions outside and weekend driving, when alcohol-related partying would be more prevalent.

On average, from 2012 to 2016, the motor vehicle hospitalization rate was 63 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents per county, across all Virginia counties. Youngs results suggest that the entrance of Uber was associated with an increase of 1.1 motor vehicle accident hospitalizations per 100,000 residents. Young doesnt assert a causal relationship, and this result is statistically indistinguishable from zero. Nonetheless, it runs counter to Ubers claim.

What Young did not find was evidence that Uber lowered motor-vehicle hospitalizations or lowered the chance of alcohol-involvement in fatal accidents. Young hypothesizes that the price of Uber may not be low enough to change behavior on a large scale.

Young cautioned that, given her findings, policymakers should not assume private ridesharing services will alleviate motor vehicle accident rates, total or alcohol-related only. Ride-sharing services will continue to be a presence in the economy.

She said that she hopes her research will lead to other studies to determine if these services are changing road safety.

Overall, (doing this study) has been an incredible experience, she said, and I am so grateful that William & Mary offers excellent programs such as the Schroeder Centers summer fellowship.

Source: William & Mary
There were signs that a natural gas well was not fully sealed before it exploded in January, killing five workers, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said in an updated report on the accident last week.

The incident, which took place at a Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, well being drilled for producer Red Mountain Energy by drilling contractor Patterson-UTI, was the deadliest drilling accident since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion, which killed 11 people.

The CSBs chronology of events in the hours leading to the fatal blowout and fire showed a drill pipe was removed before it was fully emptied of the mud used to seal a well. Later, a mud pit at the site accumulated 107 barrels of the material, providing an indication of a possible gas influx in the well, the report said.

The report does not specifically say what caused the blast. The CSB investigates major industrial accidents and makes recommendations to prevent future incidents.

Patterson-UTI Drilling said in a statement that it is cooperating with the CSB. We value the perspective of outside stakeholders and will be working with the CSB to understand their potential recommendations when they are available at the conclusion of the investigation, a spokeswoman said.

An attorney representing the family of one victim of the explosion said the report illustrates the safety failures that led up to the explosion.

Ten hours before it blew, there were warning signs, said Michael Lyons, an attorney representing the family of Parker Waldridge, a 60-year-old well-site consultant killed in the accident. At this point, the well should have been shut in.

The (mud) pit gains were a big deal, Lyons said.
Many Texas cities are denying workers compensation to firefighters with cancer, according to union leaders and state lawmakers.

Over the past six years, more than 90 percent of the 117 workers compensation claims filed by Texas firefighters with cancer have been denied, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Cities are ignoring a 2005 state law requiring the government to presume that firefighters cancers are caused by exposure to carcinogens on the job, union officials told the Houston Chronicle .

The sky-high denial rate of cancer is the first problem, said Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association. Firefighters with denied claims often have fewer treatment options and face the risk of financial ruin because of lost income.

All seven of the associations members who filed workers compensation claims since 2016 have been denied, the union said.

Houstons benefits provider didnt respond for comment. But firefighters have said that cities use a memo by the Texas Intergovernmental Risk Pool to dodge the cancer presumptive law. The memo only presumes three types of cancer are caused by firefighting: testicular, prostate and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Its not that were not sympathetic to firefighters. We are, said Counsel David Reagan of the risk pool, which handles workers compensation for more than 2,700 Texas municipalities. But at the same time, we have to follow the law in spending taxpayer money.

Union leaders have said that the memo and the risk pool ignore substantial research linking firefighting to other forms of cancer.

Firefighters are much more likely to win benefits on appeal, with nearly 65 percent of cases winning workers compensation appeals over the past six years. But less than one-fifth of firefighters disputed their denied claims. Firefighters risk being sued by the cities that employ them, and often its too daunting a task to battle in court while battling cancer.

Houston sued Margaret Roberts in 2015 after she appealed and won a workers compensation claim for her blood and bone cancer. The Houston Fire Department veteran of 23 years died in 2017, but the citys lawsuit against her estate is ongoing.

Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows sponsored a bill to allow workers to challenge bad faith claim denials this past session, but it died in the Senate. Burrows plans to try again next January.

I am very, very, disappointed in what Im seeing, Burrows said. I think there is a really strong argument thats whats going on here. that maybe theyre making economic decisions rather than actually contractually living up to their obligations.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
On Aug. 17, the New York Times ran a story about our county. The story, which held our county up to national ridicule, focused on the screening at a Medina theater by a local Republican group of a film that claims that the modern Democratic Party is made up of Nazis, racists and fascists. According to the Times story, the audience greeted the film, which had been debunked earlier by actual historians, with great enthusiasm.

In our view, people who screen and cheer films like this harm our county in a very specific way. We think that when they hold the county up to national ridicule, they inevitably make it seem like a much less attractive place to buy a home, start a business or raise a family. After all, who wants to live and invest in a place where people are openly exchanging partisan insults and openly participating in the culture wars that are engulfing so many other communities in our nation?

If our community becomes less attractive to those who might have chosen to come here, it will take value out of every home in Medina County and risk the financial well-being of our county's residents.

This Republican group and those Republican elected officials who spearheaded this event to cheer and blatantly support the film's falsehoods and its rewriting of American history insult all those Medina Countians of all political beliefs who work hard to make Medina County a thriving, forward-thinking community.

Patricia A. Walker, President, Medina Democratic Club; Katie Mullins, Chair, Medina County Together; Donald Baker; David Brown; Pamela Miller,

Medina County
AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man was charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his grandson, police said.

Dann E. Schaffer, 61, was charged with murder after he shot Cody J. Czerpak, 22, about 10:30 p.m. Sunday at a home in the 500 block of Rothrock Avenue, Akron police said.

Schaffer is Czerpak's grandfather and the two lived at the home together, police said.

Investigators said Schaffer shot Czerpak in the chest after an argument between the two. Police did not say what the fight was about or respond to messages seeking additional information.

Czerpak was pronounced dead at the scene. The Summit County Medical Examiner's office will conduct an autopsy and identify the man once relatives are notified, police said.

Schaffer was arrested at the home and was being held in the Summit County Jail. Court or jail records do not list an attorney, bond or court appearance for Schaffer.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man was arrested in Canton over the weekend in connection with the slaying of another man in restaurant parking lot in last month, police said.

Andre A. Warren, 27, of High Avenue in Akron, is charged with murder, felonious assault, and escape in the July 1 shooting death of Dominique Thomas, 31, Akron police said. He was arrested Saturday and is currently being held in the Summit County Jail, records say.

Warren and Bryan D. Esters, 31, approached two men in a gray Hyundai Sonata in the parking lot of Julian's Restaurant and opened fire. Warren ordered food to go moments before the shooting, investigators said.

Thomas was killed in the shooting. He was found dead inside the car, police said.

A 20-year-old passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries in the shooting. He was taken to Akron City Hospital for treatment, authorities said.

Esters remains at large.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State University will not allow Bird electric scooters on its property, according to an email sent out to faculty, staff and students.

The email was sent Monday morning and signed by chief financial officer Stephanie McHenry. In it, McHenry wrote that the university has sent a letter to the company that operates the scooter rentals (Bird Ride) requesting immediate removal.

Any scooters that are not removed will be stored until the company comes to collect them. Bird representatives retrieved three scooters from CSU this morning, though the number taken from property could have increased since then, university spokesman William Dube said.

CSU's main campus is located in downtown Cleveland, where the scooters were dropped on August 10. The same day the city of Cleveland issued a statement demanding Bird Ride remove the scooters from the city, though in the weeks following the scooters remained.

Scooter advocates say the city too quickly dismissed the scooters, and Cleveland city council member Kerry McCormick tweeted that he was meeting with Bird about how to keep the scooters.

Thank you @BirdRide staff for meeting with me today to discuss a path forward to permanent scooters in #Cleveland!  (photo model: Franklin the dog) pic.twitter.com/SlpdF5mnK2  Kerry McCormack (@KerryMcCormack1) August 14, 2018

Sidewalks on CSU's campus are city property. The area around campus buildings is CSU's property and campus employees remove them. The email sent out specifies Bird scooters, but Dube said the policy will likely apply to any electric scooters.

University officials debated allowing the scooters to remain on the campus following the city's statement. After seeing safety incidents in other cities and the city policy, Dube said the university sent the letter to Bird Ride on Friday, August 17.

The university made the decision before a fatal electric scooter crash late Saturday night. The woman killed was riding a green Icon Q electric scooter that she rented from Ray's Scooter Rental and was hit by a driver who admitted he snorted heroin shortly before the collision, police reports say.

McHenry wrote in the email that the university's number one concern is safety and that numerous cities around the country, including Cleveland, have banned the scooters.

Dube noted the university partners with University Hospitals on a ride-share bike program which allows students to rent bicycles to ride on campus.

Read the full text of the email below:

Dear students, faculty and staff,

I am writing to update you on the University's response to the recent unauthorized placement of electric "bird" scooters on campus. The University has sent a letter to the company that operates the scooter rentals requesting the immediate removal of these vehicles. We will be storing those that still remain on CSU property until they are retrieved by the company.



Given the safety issues with these rentals, numerous cities across the country, including Cleveland, have banned their use and cautioned individuals not to utilize them on sidewalks and city streets. Our number one concern is your safety. Please use your best judgement to decide whether to ride these scooters.



To help us in our efforts to protect the campus, please report any scooter rental stations or parked scooters on campus to CSU Facilities Management at (216) 523-7585.



Thank you for your cooperation.



Sincerely,



Stephanie McHenry

Chief Financial Officer

Senior Vice President for Business Affairs & Finance

Cleveland State University
MENTOR, Ohio -- A Lake County grand jury indicted a Kirtland man on several charges in connection with the death of Mentor police officer Mathew Mazany, court records show.

Brian Anthony, 24, was indicted Friday on aggravated vehicular homicide, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them, failing to stop after an accident and other traffic violations, according to Lake County Common Pleas Court documents.

Prosecutors said Anthony tested positive for drugs including heroin, fentanyl, morphine and codeine during a July bond hearing. He was also under the influence of alcohol, Lake County Prosecutor Charles Coulson said Monday.

Investigators said Mazany, 41, was helping another officer on a traffic stop for an equipment violation June 24 about 1 a.m. on Ohio Route 2 near Ohio Route 306.

The late-model Jeep Wrangler struck Mazany as he walked to the stopped car. He was treated by officers and firefighters at the scene and was taken to the TriPoint Medical Center, where he died.

Anthony's parents told officers he was using the Jeep and had not come home that night. Anthony's father persuaded him to surrender to police who were at the marina about 9 a.m.

A court date has not been scheduled yet for the new charges.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 19-year-old man admitted to police that he snorted heroin shortly before hitting and killing a woman riding an electric scooter in downtown Cleveland, police reports say.

Scott McHugh, 19, of Vermilion, is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, a third-degree felony. He is in the Cuyahoga County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.

The crash killed Jenasia Summers, 21, of Cleveland Heights, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner. She was riding a green Icon Q electric scooter that she rented from Ray's Scooter Rental in downtown Cleveland, police reports say.

McHugh told police that he snorted heroin in the parking lot of a grocery store shortly before the crash, police reports say. Police found him unconscious in his car from a suspected overdose after the crash.

McHugh was driving in his red 2016 Chevy Cruze about 10 p.m. south on East 9th Street near St. Clair Avenue when the crash happened, police reports said.

Summers was riding her scooter in the same direction on the street and was in the left turn lane when McHugh slammed into to the back of her scooter "well in excess" of the 25 mph speed limit, police reports say.

The impact sent the scooter flying in the air. It ended up lodged under McHugh's car and being dragged, police reports say.

Police found Summers bleeding heavily from her head in the street. She was taken to MetroHealth, where she died.

McHugh kept driving after the crash, according to police reports. He stopped his car a few blocks away on East 9th near Rockwell Avenue, police reports say. A man got out of the passenger seat and ran, according to police reports. That person has not been identified.

A bystander told police he saw McHugh's car continue rolling down the street. He jumped in the passenger side and put the car in park, according to police reports.

Officers found McHugh in the driver's seat slumped over, police reports say. He was unconscious but breathing.

Cleveland EMS workers gave McHugh naloxone. McHugh woke up, vomited and was taken to St. Vincent Charity Hospital for treatment, according to police.

McHugh upon arriving at the hospital was screaming: "I'm just going to kill myself," police reports say. He told police he was in rehab for opioid addiction and had been clean for 50 days.

He said he snorted heroin with a friend in a grocery store parking lot, the report says. He refused to give the friends name, police reports say. McHugh initially agreed to give a urine sample to police, but ultimately refused, according to police.

McHugh told police he was "very itchy" and was going through withdrawal. McHugh, who cried and was "very emotional" at the hospital, said he has been using opioids and heroin since he was 15 years old, according to police reports.

He told police he doesn't remember anything after snorting heroin until he woke up in the ambulance, police reports say. McHugh was treated at the hospital and taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail.
CAMPBELL, Ohio -- A man is being held in jail on a charge of murder after police say he stabbed his 1-year-old daughter to death, telling authorities he blacked out because he had not taken his medication.

Bond has been set at $500,000 for Marc Anthony Flora, 29, according to the Youngstown Vindicator.

Police say Flora called officers from his home at about 7:50 a.m. Friday and told them he was "covered in blood" and needed rescuers to come to his house.

"I need someone to come ... I just blacked out and she's dead," Flora says in the call, according to the Vindicator.

Police say the child, Jane Flora, was stabbed in the neck.

Another 2-year-old child in the home at the time was not harmed, WFMJ Channel 21 reports. The mother of the children was at work at the time of the incident.

According to WFMJ, Flora tells police he is bi-polar and has not been taking his medication. No drugs were found in the home, reports say.

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WASHINGTON - Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's lead attorney in the ongoing Russia probe, said Sunday that he will not allow special counsel Robert Mueller III to rush Trump into an interview because investigators could try to catch the president in a lie based on their version of the facts.

"I am not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury," Giuliani said on NBC News's "Meet the Press."

Giuliani's exchange with host Chuck Todd produced an odd back-and-forth on the meaning of truth in the context of the Russia investigation.

"When you tell me that (Trump) should testify because he's going to tell the truth and he shouldn't worry, that's so silly - because it's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth," Giuliani said.

Todd responded, "Truth is truth."

"No, it isn't truth. Truth isn't truth," Giuliani said.

The former New York mayor has previously questioned the objectivity of the investigators in the Russia probe.

The "truth is relative," he told The Washington Post in May.

Investigators "may have a different version of the truth than we do," he said.

The two sides have been negotiating the terms for a possible interview with Trump, with the president's legal team seeking to take certain topics, such as possible obstruction of justice, off the table. Giuliani recently told the Wall Street Journal that Trump would not sit for an interview after Sept. 1 because it might interfere with the midterm elections in November.

On Sunday, Giuliani said that while a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Trump campaign officials and Russians was "originally for the purpose of getting information" about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, it was not an attempt at collusion.

"It turned out to be a meeting about another subject, and it was not pursued at all," he said. "Of course, any meeting with regard to getting information on your opponent is something any candidate's staff would take. If someone said, I have information about your opponent, you would take that meeting."

Giuliani, speaking on Fox News, repeated his concern about investigators' potential approach to a Trump interview.

"We get very nervous that they're trying to trap him into perjury, which is not supposed to be what they're doing," he said on "Sunday Morning Futures."

"Meanwhile, they're fumbling around with this collusion thing. It is a laugher. There was no collusion and no conspiracy with the Russians involving Donald Trump," he said.

(c) 2018, The Washington Post * Elise Viebeck wrote this story.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The two major-party candidates for Ohio secretary of state are scheduled to appear this Wednesday at a public forum in the Cleveland area.

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde, a Democrat, and State Sen. Frank LaRose, a Republican, will participate in a Beachwood forum discussing voting issues -- many of which have ended up in the courts -- in Ohio. This will include gerrymandering, voter-roll purging, early voting, voting by mail, voter ID requirements and more.

Thomas Suddes, an editorial board member for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer will moderate the event, co-sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Siegel Lifelong Learning Program, the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland and cleveland.com.

David B. Cohen, a political science professor for the University of Akron, also will participate.

The event is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. at the CWRU Siegel Facility, 25700 Science Park Dr. #100 in Beachwood. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, click here or email teachingcleveland@earthlink.net.

Beachwood city officials recommend drivers access the area via Chagrin Boulevard to Enterprise Place, or via South Woodland Road to Science Park Drive. Science Park Drive is closed at Richmond Road due to a road-improvement project.

Both Clyde and LaRose have appeared recently on Ohio Matters, the weekly cleveland.com politics podcast. You can find their episodes here and here.

The Ohio Secretary of State's Office oversees the state's elections, tracks state-level campaign finance activity and keeps certain business records, among other responsibilities.
Amazon has hired well-known cardiologist Maulik Majmudar for a new role, as it looks to move into the $3 trillion health-care sector.

Majmudar announced his new role on his Twitter account on Monday. Before joining the technology company, he worked as a cardiologist and associate director of the health-care transformation lab at Massachusetts General Hospital and he lectured at MIT. At the lab, he looked at how to incorporate the latest medical technologies into the practice of medicine.

Majmudar did not disclose the specific team he would be joining at Amazon, only that he would be taking on an "exciting and challenging role." He's advised technology companies in the past, such as Quanttus, a company that tried to track blood pressure from the wrist but ultimately failed.

Tweet

Amazon declined to comment. Majmudar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Amazon currently has a number of different teams working on health care and has been on a health-care hiring spree, bringing on experts including primary care expert Martin Levine and Taha Kass-Hout, former FDA chief health information officer.
The Bank of England's Chief Economist Andy Haldane warned on Monday that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) threatens to replace a huge number of jobs.

Haldane said that the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution  a digitally-driven paradigm shift similar to previous industrial revolutions in the West  had the potential to displace numerous jobs and leave people "technologically unemployed."

"Each of those [industrial revolutions] had a wrenching and lengthy impact on the jobs market, on the lives and livelihoods of large swathes of society," Haldane told the BBC.

The BOE economist cautioned that previous industrial revolutions resulted in "heightened social tensions," "financial tensions" and "inequality." The First Industrial Revolution, which took place during the Victorian era, transformed Britain's economy, leading to the creation of ground-breaking industrial innovations including the steam train and advanced machine tools, all the while resulting in layoffs especially in industries like textiles.

"This is the dark side of technological revolutions and that dark side has always been there," Haldane added. "That hollowing out is going to be potentially on a much greater scale in the future, when we have machines both thinking and doing  replacing both the cognitive and the technical skills of humans."

While Haldane did not pinpoint a figure for the number of jobs he thought might be replaced, he said it would likely be "at least as large" as the unemployment levels from previous industrial revolutions. The economist said there was a need for the creation of new jobs and upskilling in order to avoid redundancies.

Haldane is not alone in warning of the impact of AI on the labor market. It is one of the biggest concerns held by experts in the field.

Research firm Gartner has predicted that AI will create 2.3 million jobs and eliminate 1.8 million  a net increase of 500,000 jobs  by 2020. However, that doesn't throw out the fact that it would result in steep layoffs around the world.

And some are less optimistic. Deutsche Bank's former chief executive, John Cryan, warned last year that "a lot of people" in the banking industry would lose their jobs due to automation. He suggested that thousands of his own employees could be replaced by AI.

Some commentators  particularly within the tech industry  argue that the introduction of a universal basic income will be necessary to offset the effects of mass job losses. Finland had trialed the scheme, which promotes a universal welfare system in place of all existing benefit programs, but earlier this year said it would not extend the program and end payments to recipients at the start of 2019.
British tourist Kay Longstaff went overboard from the Norwegian Star cruise ship about 60 miles off Croatia's coast shortly before midnight on August 18, 2018.

The rescuers of a British woman who fell from a cruise ship and spent 10 hours in the Adriatic Sea at night say it's a miracle that she's alive.

The captain of the Croatian rescue ship that found Kay Longstaff, 46, floating some 95 kilometers (60 miles) off Croatia's coast says "luckily for her we saw her immediately because she raised and waved her hands when she saw us."

Lovro Oreskovic tells the Glas Istre portal on Monday that Longstaff told the crew that she practices yoga and that she sang while floating to stay awake.

She says she fell from the back of the Norwegian Star cruise ship shortly before midnight Saturday. Some 10 hours later, she was rescued and taken to a hospital in the town of Pula.
After Walmart shares surged almost 10 percent last Thursday thanks to the company's strong second-quarter earnings numbers, investors might be wondering if the stock has reached its peak. CNBC's Jim Cramer doesn't think so.

"Don't think it is too late to buy some," the "Mad Money" host said.

Cramer traces the stock's rise back to CEO Doug McMillon's turnaround plan for the company, which began three years ago. In McMillon's eyes, Walmart "needed to spend a lot more money to build out its web presence and better compensate its workers," Cramer said. Although the stock initially dropped on the news, McMillon insisted that the plan would pay off in the long run.

After a strong 2017, the stock took a hit this February when Walmart reported fourth-quarter earnings that missed expectations. "While McMillon pointed out that the growth would pick up again, by that point investors weren't in the mood for any nuance," said Cramer.

The slowly escalating trade war with China continued to worry investors since Walmart sources many of its products from the country. The company's acquisition of Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart in May was also viewed as a negative due to the $16 billion price tag.

But throughout the company's troubles, Cramer has believed in CEO McMillon's vision. "Last week, I got some sweet vindication" thanks to Walmart's robust earnings numbers, the "Mad Money" host said.

Along with strong same-store sales growth at both Walmart and subsidiary Sam's Club, online sales rose 40 percent year-over-year. McMillion effectively fulfilled his promise to jumpstart the company's e-commerce business and then some. Cramer even went as far as to say that "Walmart's probably the only retailer with the scale to truly challenge Amazon online."

With respect to the stock, Cramer pointed to the company's price to earnings multiple as an indicator that Walmart still has room to run. While Walmart trades at 19 times next year's earnings estimates, rival Costco trades at 29 times next year's numbers. The discrepancy can be explained by the fact that Costco hast "a faster long-term growth rate, nearly 12 percent, versus more like 6 percent for Walmart," Cramer said. "If Walmart's growth accelerates, it too will start to get a higher price to earnings multiple. That's exactly what's happening."

One of Mad Money's favorite technicians, Tim Collins of RealMoney.com, thinks that the stock will trade sideways through September and then potentially rise to new highs for the year.

Cramer's bottom line? "Given the strength of the fundamentals and what we see in the chart, I think this $96 stock can go to $115 or $120 in the not too distant future. Meaning, Walmart stock is still a buy."

Shares of Walmart closed at $96 on Monday. The stock is down 2.78 percent this year.
A mine worker displays a handful of cobalt metal nuggets in Chingola, Zambia. Waldo Swiegers | Bloomberg | Getty Images

In a laboratory on an industrial park an hour's drive outside Boston, Tufts professor Michael Zimmerman is hoping a material he invented in his basement can help solve a crisis facing the electric car industry  which has inadvertently tied its fortunes to one of the poorest and least stable countries in the world. In between his teaching, Mr. Zimmerman runs start-up Ionic Materials, whose battery material could mark the future for the car industry as it races to go electric after a century of producing petrol cars. His hope is that his homegrown prototype could pave the way for a new generation of batteries that does not use cobalt, a silver-grey metal, more than 60 percent of which is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Backed by highly respected computer scientist and investor Bill Joy, who spent years searching for the perfect battery, Ionic counts the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi carmaker alliance, Hyundai and French oil company Total among its shareholders. Receive 4 weeks of unlimited digital access to the Financial Times for just $1. "The world wants to electrify vehicles," Mr. Zimmerman says in his office across the car park from a shopping mall. "I've never seen such a massive industry say [it wants] to completely switch technologies. Every single company, government and country  they all want to do it worldwide." The list of Ionic's backers reflects increasing concerns among carmakers over current battery technology and its reliance on the DRC. Cobalt supply is dominated by a handful of mining companies, including Switzerland-based Glencore, or mined by hand and sold to Chinese traders in the country. Child labor is common, according to human rights groups. In other words, the product that is the shining hope of the new economy is  for the time being  highly dependent on some of the most-criticized practices of the old industrial economy. For many experts, the battery will reign supreme in this century  just as oil did in the last. Batteries power our everyday digital lives, from our iPhones to our laptops. But they are also key for electric cars to replace petrol-powered vehicles and for some types of renewable energy. Without them, it will be much harder for the world to end its addiction to fossil fuels and limit the impact of climate change.

But batteries are complicated to produce and contain a delicate mix of chemistries that have to meet a demanding list of performance requirements. Customers expect fast charging, a long battery life and safety  and in conditions ranging from the cold winters to the heat of the Arizona desert. Without a big shift in battery technology, cobalt demand is set to more than double during the next decade  with the share from the DRC set to rise to more than 70 percent. Gleb Yushin, a professor at the School of Materials and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, puts it more bluntly: the potential growth of electric cars will not materialize, he says, unless there is a battery breakthrough. "There will be no EV industry without DRC cobalt," says Caspar Rawles, who tracks the market for London-based consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. "Without the DRC, this ramp-up in EVs won't happen." Mr. Zimmerman began thinking about batteries five or six years ago, just as electric vehicles were starting to gain traction and the first Teslas were becoming popular. Back then, cobalt was a niche metal mainly used in jet engines and smartphones. Since then sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid versions have grown from about 6,000 cars in 2010 to 1m cars sold last year, or about 1 percent of annual sales. There will be a further 340m electric vehicles (including passenger cars, trucks and buses) produced between now and 2030, according to analysts at McKinsey. That has led to an increase of battery factories. The number of "gigafactories" under construction, named for the gigawatt hours of batteries they can produce each year, has increased tenfold over the past eight years to 41, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Simon Moores, the founder of the company, says the battery is destined to become the "oil barrel of the 21st century". Discovered by 96-year-old American professor John Goodenough while he was at Oxford university in 1980, the lithium-ion battery has proved pivotal for 20th century science and technology, paving the way for portable electronic devices from camcorders to smartphones. It has also become the standard choice for electric cars, which use hundreds of battery cells placed together in packs that resemble metal briefcases, and weigh up to 600kg. But since Sony commercialized lithium-ion technology in 1991 there have been few substantial improvements in the technology, Mr Zimmerman says. He believes the battery that powers our world may have reached its limit. "Everyone wants their smartphone to last longer and their car battery to not blow up," he says. "My belief is that lithium-ion batteries are at a dead-end right now; there's really no further improvement that can be made with the current technology." Battery cells rely on four main parts: a positive and negative electrode, a separator and a liquid electrolyte. The positive electrode, or cathode, is coated in a carefully processed metal oxide slurry that in most cars includes lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese. When the battery is discharged, lithium ions flow to the cathode generating a flow of electrons and electricity. When the battery is recharged they flow back to the anode, the negative electrode, which is normally made of graphite.
We've been keeping tabs on how much the region's biggest publicly traded employers pay their median worker. The figures on worker pay and how that compares with CEO compensation are from company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Many of Silicon Valley's biggest tech companies pay a typical worker well into the six figures  or in the case of Facebook , a whopping $240,430. That's $43,000 more than what Google parent Alphabet Inc. pays a typical worker, according to the latest Silicon Valley Business Journal analysis of public company filings.

As more public companies are required to disclose median worker pay, we look at which big Bay Area tech employers pay their employees the most  and least. Here's the ranking, from lowest to highest.

** Krzanich was Intel's CEO from May 2013 until June 2018, when he resigned. The company had not yet named a permanent successor as of the publication of this story.

** Smith was Equinix's CEO from April 2007 until January 2018, when he resigned. Peter Van Camp is the company's CEO as of August 2018.

** Watson is Chevron's former CEO and retired in February 2018. Michael Wirth is the company's current CEO.

Employees work at the Square Inc. headquarters in San Francisco, California, U.S.

Pedestrians use mobile phones while walking past Twitter Inc. headquarters in San Francisco, California, U.S.

HQ: Menlo Park

Median pay: $240,430

CEO: Mark Zuckerberg

CEO compensation: $8,852,366

CEO-to-employee pay ratio: 37 to 1

Among our other findings:

 Software companies dominate the highest slots on the list. Along with Facebook and Google, Netflix, Twitter and cloud storage business Box are all near the top.

 Silicon may be what gave the Valley its name, but semiconductor companies tend to fall lower on the median compensation scale. That's because for some, like Intel Corp., a large part of the workforce is in chip manufacturing, not the research, design and engineering jobs that tend to be concentrated in Silicon Valley. That also helps to explain why the median worker at Intel worker makes $45,540 less per year than his or her peer at smaller rival Nvidia Corp.: While Nvidia is a fabless chipmaker, Intel's global manufacturing workforce  which is largely concentrated at its plant outside Portland, Oregon  is factored into its median employee pay figure.

 Two of the Bay Area's other chipmakers  Cypress Semiconductor Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices  also pay their median worker less than $100,000. San Jose-based Cypress notes that of its approximately 6,000 global employees, more than half are in manufacturing and fewer than 2,000 work in the U.S. The rest are in Thailand, the Philippines, India and Japan.

 Two of the U.S.' biggest household names  Wells Fargo & Co. and Chevron Corp.  are headquartered in the Bay Area but also employ the vast majority of their workers elsewhere, in lower-cost markets, no doubt pulling down their median pay figures as well.

Notes on methodology:

 Median pay means half of the company's employees, not including the CEO, make less, and half make more.

 This data is due to new financial reporting rules that require many U.S. public companies to calculate and disclose median worker pay, and how that compares to the CEO's compensation, in their filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 In calculating that figure, the companies notably don't account for the lavish workplace perks that many Bay Area tech employers are known for, including free daily catered meals, unlimited snacks and on-campus gyms and laundry facilities.

 At some companies, like Facebook and Google parent Alphabet, median pay includes the value of restricted stock units and other employee benefits.

 Many of the region's biggest tech employers  including Apple, Inc., Cisco Systems, Oracle Corp. and Adobe Systems  have not yet disclosed their median pay figures. We'll report again as they disclose those numbers.

 Reporting intern Matthew Niksa contributed research.

This article originally appeared on Silicon Valley Business Journal.

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Delegations from China, India, Italy and Spain that were supposed to meet with North Dakota's bean, pea and lentil growers in September have canceled their visits because of trade tensions.

The moves come at a crucial time for American farmers, who use these annual visits to fill orders right after the harvest and make new business connections.

A bumper crop has weighed on soybean prices this year, and trade tariffs already have added pressure on prices of other crops. Growers haven't seen prices this low for their dry peas and lentils since 2006 and for their chickpeas since 2003, according to Tim McGreevy, CEO of the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council.

Soybean futures are down 16 percent since April. And growers have seen a 25 percent decline in dry pea prices, a 40 percent fall in lentil prices and a 49 percent drop in chickpea prices.

Soybean farmers and processors in North Dakota were expecting 16 trade delegates from China to visit from Sept. 17 to 20, and hoped for big orders to come out of the meetings. But a week ago, they heard the visit was canceled.

"They indicated it was not the right political time to visit," said Simon Wilson, executive director for the North Dakota Trade Office, who tried to salvage the meetings unsuccessfully.

Some of the delegates who were supposed to come represented new buyers and were each expected to make purchase orders of up to 200 metric tons. "That's a substantial amount," Wilson said. "These delegations are not social visits. They are coming here to buy. It's about building relationships and making the deal."

Wilson also told CNBC that a trade mission from Spain and Italy recently canceled its planned visit in September to see pea and lentil crops as well as to make purchases. The delegates seemed concerned that their business at home would be affected by visiting the U.S., Wilson said.

"They explained to us that there is too much uncertainty,"" he said. "I took this as they could see a local business impact if seen as supporting the U.S. protectionist policy by coming to the U.S. and buying the product."

Agriculture officials were already scrambling to find new buyers for the crops after India slapped tariffs on American exports, and the canceled trips complicate those efforts. India buys between 150,000 and 240,000 metric tons of U.S. dry peas each year, nearly 30 percent of total U.S. exports. In the last five years, India bought 60,000 to 120,000 metric tons of lentils a year, representing 23 percent of total U.S. lentil exports.

"We were working hard with our producers to help replace the Indian market, which has been shut down to us because of Indian tariffs," Wilson said. "It is a mess."

The September mission to soybean growers was supposed to be in response to a visit U.S. producers and trade officials made in April to meet the Bean Product Committee China (BPCC). American members of that group included the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USEC) and the Foreign Ag Service (FAS).

Nancy Johnson, executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association told CNBC, "When trade delegations get canceled they stay canceled because the planning is complex. When that happens it impacts our ability for relationship building."

The biggest fear, McGreevy said, is that competitors will use the opportunity to aggressively vie for China's business. "Canada has a larger pea crop than ours, Australia is looking to increase their sales and Russia and Ukraine are ramping up their pea production to sell to China," he said.

With a large crop of soybeans coming and no end in sight to these trade issues, Wilson tells CNBC the problem facing the farmers and those involved in shipping the crop is just beginning. Soon enough, farmers will begin having problems finding storage for the unsold crops.

"We are going to have a massive storage challenge as well as a cash crunch," he said. "If it doesn't get resolved soon there will also be the winter transportation issues of trying to move large amounts during the more difficult winter months unless this drags on into the spring."

The lack of exports eventually will force the usual train and shipping routes to change, as freight companies shift their business elsewhere.

North Dakota's soybeans that are exported are sent to the Pacific Northwest to be shipped to China. A lack of orders means "there are no ships or trains waiting," Johnson said. "Typically we get orders placed in June, July, and August. The flow of this trade chain has stopped."

In a recent report, Peter Sand, chief shipping analyst at Bimco, described the trade war as a "speeding train, accelerating with every trade-restrictive retaliatory measure imposed and becoming ever more difficult to stop." He added that the trade war "distorts the free flow of goods, changes trade lanes and makes it difficult for ship operators and owners to position ships efficiently in the market."

Paul Bingham, transportation economist and director of the maritime trade advisory firm Hackett Associates, told CNBC that the fears of the North Dakota agriculture sector are very real. "Bulk shippers operate on an individual vessel basis, which makes them dependent on vessel owners making capacity available," he said. "Bulk vessel owners operate globally, positioning their vessels to routes where they expect to have customers."

With weaker U.S. export shipping activity, these bulk vessel owners are shifting to routes with more cargo, he added. "So, if they are looking at U.S. export levels dropping further, they do not want to have their vessels in that area. With Brazil, China trade route flowing, these vessels are at a great distance to quickly get to the Pacific Northwest if market conditions changed."

If tensions escalate, "retaliation pushes the economy closer towards recession and it will get harder for the United States to pull itself out," Bingham said.

The trade fears eased somewhat last week after China said it would hold a fresh round of trade talks in Washington later this month, but the damage may already be done to this year's crop exports.

"Even with these potential talks the one thing we need to separate is there is a very big difference between tariffs and trade," explained Johnson. "Unlike a tariff that could be turned on and off like a faucet, the trade chain is not. It takes time to get trains and ships. That's the thing we really forget."
Michael Cohen, former personal attorney for U.S. President Donald Trump, exits the Loews Regency Hotel, May 11, 2018 in New York City.

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, is under investigation for bank and tax fraud, and investigators are looking at more than $20 million in loans to a taxi company he owns with his family, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

The value of those scrutinized loans had not been previously reported.

The report, which cited multiple sources familiar with the matter, said authorities are additionally looking into whether the former fixer broke any laws by arranging financial deals with women claiming to have had affairs with Trump. The Times said two of its sources indicated that prosecutors could file charges by the end of August.

Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment about the report from the Times. The newspaper said Cohen and his lawyers declined to comment for its article. A spokesperson for Davis told NBC News: "Lanny cannot comment on advice of counsel since there is an ongoing investigation."

The bank fraud portion of the investigation centers on whether Cohen misrepresented the value of his holdings in order to secure loans from two New York lenders, Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, the report said. The Times added that there's no indication Cohen missed payments or caused losses to either financial institution, which, according to the paper, is usually part of a bank fraud charge.

Politics watchers are tracking Cohen's case because he could potentially reach an agreement with prosecutors that would offer him leniency in exchange for his cooperating with Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into whether the Trump campaign was involved with Russian attempts to skew the 2016 U.S. presidential race.

For more on the investigation of Michael Cohen, see the full report from The New York Times.
Tesla shares will fall dramatically the rest of this year because CEO Elon Musk's plan to go private is becoming more tenuous, J.P. Morgan said Monday.

After the note, Tesla shares closed up 1 percent Monday.

The firm slashed its December price target for Tesla shares back to $195 from $308, representing 36 percent downside to Friday's close.

"We are reverting to valuing Tesla shares on the basis of fundamentals alone, which entails a $113 reduction in our price target back to the $195 level where it stood prior to our August 8 note," analyst Ryan Brinkman said in a new analysis. He told clients the price target increase to $308 on that date had been based on a 50 percent probability that Musk had in fact secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 a share. Musk made that claim in a tweet on Aug. 7.

"Our interpretation of subsequent events leads us to believe that funding was not secured for a going private transaction, nor was there any formal proposal," Brinkman said in his latest note.

He reiterated his underweight rating for the carmaker.
This courtroom sketch depicts Rick Gates, right, answering questions by prosecutor Greg Andres as he testifies in the trial of Paul Manafort, seated second from left, at the Alexandria Federal Courthouse in Alexandria, Va., Monday, Aug. 6, 2018.

The jury in the trial of Paul Manafort will deliberate for a third day on Monday about whether to convict the former Trump campaign chairman of up to 18 criminal charges related to bank and tax fraud, and his failure to disclose overseas bank accounts.

The 12 jurors concluded their discussions on Friday without sending any notes to the judge other than saying when they would go home, one day after they asked for a definition of "reasonable doubt" and clarification on the law governing the reporting of foreign bank accounts.

Shanlon Wu, who represented Manafort's former protege Rick Gates before he pleaded guilty in February and cooperated with the prosecution, said the lack of questions on Friday might bode better for the prosecution than the defense.

"The fact that they were quiet on Friday indicated that they were working hard and working well together, and there was no dissension," said Wu, who is no longer involved in the case and said he was speaking from knowledge of the publicly available evidence. "I think that's a good sign for the prosecution."

Wu said he still saw a chance of acquittals on the four counts of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts, citing the jury's technical question on Thursday about the ownership and control threshold requirements for such disclosures.

The jury is scheduled to resume deliberations at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. The trial is the first stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russia's attack on the 2016 U.S. election.

Before dismissing them on Friday, Judge T.S. Ellis reminded the jurors, who are not sequestered, to refrain from discussing the case or investigating it on their own over the weekend. "Put it out of your mind until Monday," Ellis told them.

However, some legal experts expressed concern that comments by Trump on Friday calling the trial of Manafort "very sad" and lauding him as a "very good person" might still be viewed  inadvertently or otherwise  by jurors over the weekend.

Another headline on Friday that might grab the attention of jurors: Ellis disclosing that he personally had received threats related to the trial and was being protected by U.S. marshals. The jury was not present when he made those remarks.

"In a high profile case, the general assumption is that some outside information may accidentally reach a jury, despite jurors' best efforts to avoid relevant news," said jury consultant Roy Futterman.

"Given the judge's statement, the jurors may reasonably assume that they may be at some risk which may change the tenor of their deliberations, perhaps raising tensions or speeding things up."
An employee demonstrates the use of a smartphone app linked to fashion products from a clothes rail at the launch of the Farfetch U.K. Ltd. 'Store of the Future' pop-up exhibition, at the Design Museum in London, U.K.

London-based luxury online marketplace Farfetch filed for an IPO on Monday and plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FTCH.

Sources previously told CNBC the company is aiming for a valuation as high as $5 billion.

In fiscal 2017, Farfetch generated revenue of $385 million, a 59 percent jump over the previous year. It reported an after-tax loss of $112,275, down from a loss of $81,459 the previous year.

Farfetch and peer Yoox Net-a-Porter have been able to thrive by occupying a niche that Amazon has yet to be conquer: luxury fashion. The world's most elite labels have resisted selling on the Seattle giant's website, suspicious of its ability to maintain the integrity of their brand.

The global market for personal luxury goods was estimated to be worth $307 billion in 2017, according to the filing, citing Bain. It is expected to reach $446 billion by 2025.

Cementing the value luxury companies see in the upper echelons of online retail, Cartier-owner Richemont earlier this year offered up to 2.8 billion euros ($3.4 billion) to buy the stake of Yoox it did not previously own.

Unlike typical retailers, Farfetch does not own the inventory it sells, but rather serves as a conduit for brands and boutiques. As such, it can avoid the complicated task of predicting what customers want and the expense of holding it in stock. Such "marketplace" companies, like eBay, Amazon, JD.com and Alibaba often trade at a higher premium than traditional retailers. A $5 billion valuation would take advantage of that premium, pegging Farfetch against them.

Farfetch touts itself as a marketplace for the global fashion consumer. It connects shoppers to over 700 brands and boutiques internationally, selling established lines like Gucci and emerging ones like Gabriela Hearst. It prides itself on curation and inspiration, allowing shoppers to navigate by brand, item or its stylized edits. It express ships to more than 190 countries.

"We are a technology company at our core and have created a purpose-built platform for the luxury fashion industry. Our platform consists of three main components: applications, services and data," the company wrote in the filing.

Farfetch has grown through a number of partnerships that have helped it broaden its distribution, offerings and capabilities. Its deal with JD.com in Asia and the Chalhoub Group in the Middle East provide distribution and logistics support in those respective regions.

Its partnership with Conde Nast, announced last year, integrates the magazine publisher's content with Farfetch's shopping platform. Its Style.com website also now redirects to Farfetch.

In 2015, Farfetch purchased London fashion boutique Browns. It is using Browns as one of its testing grounds for new retail technology in what it calls the "store of the future." Offerings include touch-screen-enhanced mirrors and connected clothing racks.

Farfetch also launched Black and White, an infrastructure platform that luxury brands can use to develop their own e-commerce business.

Farfetch was founded in London in 2008 by Portuguese entrepreneur Jose Neves. It has offices in 11 cities, including London, Tokyo and Los Angeles.

Its global investor base includes France's Eurazeo and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek.
As questions swirl about whether Tesla will go private -- and the well-being of its chief executive, Elon Musk -- one crucial factor looms large over the fate of the electric car company: Tesla's own financial health.

The company has undertaken drastic measures as it seeks profitability, cutting costs and even erecting a tent-covered third assembly line at its manufacturing plant. But many of those tactics may not be sustainable for long, and some could even hurt the company down the road.

The state of Tesla's balance sheet, and particularly its near-term cash position, are important to the company's future, perhaps even more so since Mr. Musk's surprise declaration on Aug. 7 that he would explore taking the company private.

In an emotional interview with The New York Times last week in which he discussed the ''excruciating'' year he has had, Mr. Musk said Tesla would soon be in the black.

''Tesla is going to be profitable and cash flow positive,'' Mr. Musk said. ''From a Tesla standpoint, I think it is a good place.''

His remarks echo what he said on the company's most recent earnings call, when he predicted the company would turn a profit in the next quarter.

More from The New York Times:

Greece's Bailout Is Ending. The Pain Is Far From Over.

Netflix Tests Promotional Videos but Users See 'Commercials'

Asia Argento, a #MeToo Leader, Made a Deal With Her Own Accuser

Mr. Musk is under intense pressure from Wall Street to make good on that promise, and Tesla has been plagued by manufacturing issues while ramping up production of its mass-market Model 3.

Meanwhile, short-sellers continue to target the stock, injecting a destabilizing element to the company's share price. Good financial results would be bad news for the hedge funds betting Tesla will fail, and serve as vindication for Mr. Musk.

And Tesla's financial position will have a significant impact on any potential effort to take Tesla private. Investors evaluating a potential take-private deal will be assessing not only Tesla's long-term prospects, but its current cash on hand and debts.

To achieve that profitability, Tesla is scrambling to slash spending in almost all areas of it operations.

In June, it announced it would lay off about 3,500 employees, about 9 percent of its work force, in a cost-cutting move. It has approached some suppliers about refunding some money Tesla has paid for projects that are still underway.

Tesla has said it is working to reduce costs by delivering completed vehicles faster. At the end of second quarter, it held inventory valued at $579 million, a figure the company said was ''a substantial increase'' from previous quarters.

And Tesla has even more drastic cost cutting plans in store. It has said it plans to cut capital expenditures by a fourth this year -- to about $2.5 billion from $3.4 billion in 2017.

''There are a lot of levers they are pulling to be cash-flow neutral or positive in the second half, but there's trade-offs,'' said Toni Sacconaghi of Sanford C. Bernstein.

Tesla declined to comment for this story.

But while analysts say Tesla may very well achieve profitability soon, the spending cuts necessary to do so could be costly, delaying the introduction of new models that could help boost revenues.

''Those are not necessarily the best for the long-term growth of the company,'' Mr. Sacconaghi said. ''Cutting back on capex is not sustainable,'' he said, referring to capital expenditures. ''Cutting inventories is not sustainable.''

What's more, Tesla's push to conserve cash will soon be complicated by two bond payments that come due in the next several months.

It is scheduled to pay off a $230 million convertible bond in November, and a payment of $920 million on a second convertible bond is due next February. Tesla could pay the second bond in stock instead of cash, if its share price is above $360. It has traded above that level in recent weeks, but on Friday it closed at $305.50.

Tesla has slipped into financial difficulties, in part because of how much cash it has been using up -- nearly $1 billion every three months. It ended the second quarter with $2.2 billion, down from $3.3 billion at the beginning of the year.

The company's precarious cash position prompted Moody's Investors Service to downgrade Tesla's debt in March, citing ''the likelihood that Tesla will have to undertake a large, near-term capital raise in order to refund maturing obligations and avoid a liquidity shortfall.''

Mr. Musk has said no such capital raise would be necessary, because Tesla will soon be profitable. But Bruce Clark of Moody's said he still expected the company may have to tap the capital markets.

''The company has made some important progress with the Model 3 production and has reduced capital expenditures, but I still think they are going to need additional capital,'' Mr. Clark said. ''It's not as tight as it had been, but they have to stay on the track they've been on recently.''

Mr. Musk has said that the production issues that bedeviled Tesla earlier this year are being resolved.

In June, the company hastily built an assembly line in a gigantic tent outside the walls of its plant in Fremont, Calif., in an effort to speed up production of the Model 3. That extra assembly line -- along with the removing of bottlenecks in the two indoor lines -- has enabled Tesla to put the output level to 5,000 per week, up from fewer than 3,000 cars per week in May.

Those gains have required round-the-clock production, however, which may not be possible for Tesla to sustain. Other automakers have found 24-hour production is untenable in the long run because workers become burned out and machinery tends to break down more frequently.

Further complicating Tesla's financial future is a Securities and Exchange Commission inquiry into Mr. Musk's tweet announcing that he was considering taking the company private. The commission is expected to begin meeting with Tesla executives this week.

To deal with the investigation, the Tesla board and the special committee of the board evaluating a potential buyout, have each retained law firms. Additionally, the special committee has retained a crisis communications firm, and other public relations firms are angling for assignments.

Those legal fees will add up, and the threat of lengthy legal proceedings could also complicate Tesla's efforts to raise more cash should it need to.

Early Sunday morning, Mr. Musk took to Twitter and reminded his followers just how hard he is working as he struggles to make Tesla profitable.

Responding to a post from Arianna Huffington, the Huffington Post founder and member of Uber's board of directors, who suggested he take a vacation and focus on his physical and mental health, Mr. Musk said: ''I just got home from the factory. You think this is an option. It is not.''

tweet
Yeonmi Park is reluctant to describe herself as courageous, but her harrowing life story suggests exactly that. Park, 24, defected from North Korea with her mother at the age of 13 after the dictatorship's oppressive government imprisoned her father and left her family fearing for their lives. She detailed her harrowing journey at the One Young World summit in Dublin in a 2014 speech that went viral, amassing nearly 4 million views on YouTube, and she wrote a memoir, "In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom," published in 2015. Though most Americans will never have to face a fraction of what Park has survived, everyone can use the lessons she learned from the experience. Here, she shares them with CNBC Make It.

A brutal journey

Park was only 9 years old in 2002, when her father was arrested after being caught illegally smuggling metals on the black market and was sent to a North Korean labor camp. At times her mother was also taken away by the government to be interrogated, so Park says she and her sister, Eunmi, had to "grow [up] very fast" and become adaptable. For instance, in North Korea in the '90s, famine killed millions of people: "I had to look for food all the time," she says. She often resorted to eating bugs and plants. "I had to catch dragonflies, grasshoppers, and that was the only source of protein for me," she recalls. Park also had to be careful about how she presented herself and what she said out loud in a country where citizens can be imprisoned for criticizing the government. Park says she "saw people getting killed for saying the wrong things" when she was growing up. "The first thing my mom taught me was not to even whisper because the birds and mice could hear me, and if I ever let other people know, or the regime know, what I was thinking, that was going to get me killed," Park tells CNBC Make It. "So the things I had to do was really not ever thinking critically or speaking up."

Yeonmi Park as a child in North Korea. Courtesy of Yeonmi Park

Eventually Eunmi escaped the country and in 2007, Park and her mother followed. They found brokers to help them get across the frozen Yalu River to China, but that journey bore its own horrors  the two were raped and sold into servitude by human traffickers before escaping after two years to Mongolia in a days-long trek that took them through the Gobi Desert. In 2009, Park and her mother reached safety in South Korea and were granted South Korean citizenship as refugees of North Korea. They were later reunited with Eunmi. Though Park's father was able to escape to China, he died of cancer there.

Moving past hardship to find success

So what did Park learn that others can use? First, perseverance. "I really had loving parents, and my father was the example of perseverance ... he never gave up, and he taught me it's so easy to give up, but to fight is harder. And he already taught me how to choose the harder things than easier things," she says. "I realized that I had to fight for a dignity of freedom that [every] human being deserves," she adds. Second, the power of hope. "I had to be very unrealistic about my situation," she says. "If I was so realistic I would never have made it this far. So, you just sometimes have to be hopeful for no reason." Finally, Park says the best advice she has ever received came from activist and the president of the Human Rights Foundation Thor Halvorssen: "You have everything you need to be grateful and to be loving and to be just happy within yourself," he told her. "You do not need anything." "I think the things that I am most grateful for was that I was born in North Korea and I escaped safely," she says, explaining that it allows her to better appreciate everything she has now, to be optimistic about the future, and ultimately to be happy. Today, Park is a human rights activist who lives in Chicago with her American husband, Ezekiel, and their infant son. Park, who is also working toward a degree in economics at Columbia University, is now on the board of directors at the Human Rights Foundation and she works to raise awareness of the plight of people living under North Korea's oppressive regime. "I do want to let people know that there are people like myself [who] still exist. And they are waiting for us to help them out," Park tells CNBC Make It, referring to people who are suffering in North Korea and trying to escape the current regime under dictator Kim Jong Un. Park looks to highlight the ongoing brutal conditions in North Korea by telling her own story: "I was a slave when I was 13. I was trafficked. I had to be raped and these things [are] still happening," she says. And, looking forward, she's hopeful that human rights conditions will improve in North Korea someday as people like herself spread awareness of the oppressive regime and regular citizens begin to get more access to the outside world through the internet. (She's less convinced that the recent diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Kim Jong Un's regime will yield substantial human rights progress.) In fact, despite everything that Park endured to escape North Korea, she says she would still like to go home some day. "I do want to go home. That's my dream," she says. "North Korea is still my home." Don't Miss: What it's like to travel to North Korea  from an American who's been there 10 times Ex-FBI hostage negotiator: This is what you can expect from President Trump and Kim Jong Un summit Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!
Beverage and snack giant PepsiCo announced plans Monday to acquire at-home carbonated drink maker SodaStream for $3.2 billion.

Purchase, New York-based PepsiCo agreed to pay $144 per share in cash for SodaStream's outstanding stock, a 32 percent premium to its 30-day volume weighted average price.

The deal gives PepsiCo a new line through which it can reach customers in their homes rather than through stores. It comes as U.S. grocers are in a state of transformation, with 70 percent of shoppers expected to buy groceries online by 2025, according to Food Marketing Institute and Nielsen. Meantime, retailers are squeezing brands on price and giving increasing shelf-space to upstart and private label brands.

"We get to play in a business  home beverages  where we don't play," PepsiCo CFO Hugh Johnston told CNBC.

With this move, PepsiCo is doubling down on its drinks business, which has struggled in North America as consumers move away from sugary, carbonated beverages. It also seemingly addresses the challenge that buying new drink brands risks cannibalizing its legacy beverages.

Tel Aviv-based SodaStream makes a machine and refillable cylinders through which users can make their own soda or carbonated water drinks.

The acquisition is one of the boldest moves that CEO Indra Nooyi has made in her 12-year tenure as CEO. Nooyi, who earlier this month announced plans to step down, led the company's shift away from sugary products and introduced healthier alternatives. She also spent years warding off pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz, whose presence cast a close eye on dealmaking.

"PepsiCo is finding new ways to reach consumers beyond the bottle," said PepsiCo President Ramon Laguarta, who will succeed Nooyi as CEO on Oct. 3.
Ihor Bondarenko | Getty Images

The Securities and Exchange Commission today unveiled new charges against five unregistered brokers in connection with a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme that came to light late last year. The five individuals and their companies sold more than $243 million in unregistered securities to more than 1,600 individual investors, according to the SEC. The individuals allegedly promoted the firm's "safe and secure" investments at seminars, a Florida university class, in newspaper ads and on the radio. The problem: The brokers were not allowed to sell securities and were not registered as broker-dealers, the regulator said. That did not stop them from picking up millions of dollars in unlawful commissions, the SEC said. The investors have yet to have their principal returned and are not receiving monthly interest payments, since the firm these professionals worked for filed for bankruptcy. In a Ponzi scheme, the perpetrator generally takes money from one set of investors to pay off others, often earlier investors, or simply diverts the proceeds for private gain. The case is a cautionary tale. "The frightening truth about fraud is scammers scam and liars lie," said Gerri Walsh, senior vice president of investor education at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which regulates brokerage firms. Here are the precautions you should take to protect yourself from become a victim, according to the regulators whose job it is to catch these scams.

Do a background check

Before you begin working with financial professionals, check their registration records to verify that they are, in fact, licensed and have not had any egregious complaints lodged against them. Options include BrokerCheck, which is provided by FINRA; Investment Adviser Public Disclosure from the SEC; or your state securities administrator. If the financial professional does not show up in a search, you should think twice about working with him or her, said Lori Schock, director of the SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy.

If someone offers you a guaranteed high rate of return, they're lying. You're probably looking at a fraud. Owen Donley Securities and Exchange Commission

"Most of the retail-facing fraud that we see is committed by those who are not registered," Schock said. "It is unlicensed people selling unregistered products." You should also look at records periodically to check up on a financial professional. "If you have been working with the person for a while ... go ahead and take a peek and see what you see," FINRA's Walsh said. Not all disclosures that show up on a professional's or firm's record are a red flag, said Walsh. But they should be a conversation starter.

Know what you are investing in

You should be wary of investments that are overly complicated. "If a retail investor can't understand the investment, they ought not pursue that opportunity," said Owen Donley, chief counsel at the Office of Investor Education and Advocacy at the SEC. All the information about the investment, such as through filings made with the SEC, should be readily available. If a financial professional won't make investment paperwork available, that's a "huge red flag," Donley said.

Find out how they get paid

Be sure to ask a number of questions, including "How do I pay you?" and "How do you get paid?" Walsh said. The answers could include commissions or fees, but there might be some other method for payment, such as a sales contest or a proprietary product particular to that firm. Use that information to assess whether the firm is a fit for your risk and liquidity needs, Walsh said.

Check your statements

Monthly statements should show any transactions you made, including the amount. "Especially in down markets, it can be depressing to look at your statements," Walsh said. "But you have to do it. You have to keep tabs." If you see something you did not authorize, you should call your broker and send a written complaint to the firm. You should also notify the appropriate securities regulator. Investors should also do periodic checks of securities they own to see that the prices match up with what appears on their statements, Walsh suggested.

Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics

If a promise sounds too good to be true, chances are it is. That particularly goes for offers that require you to act immediately or success rates that are too good. "If someone offers you a guaranteed high rate of return, they're lying," said Donley. "You're probably looking at a fraud." Sales pitches that lead you to believe that the offer is only available for a limited time or restricted to a special group of people should also be a red flag. And watch for any information that comes with free offers, such as educational seminars that provide lunch or mail offers that include trinkets. Those will make you more likely to respond. "You have a tendency to believe this person and trust this person," Walsh said. "The one thing we always say about free meals is you don't have to bite on what's being offered."

Hold on to your money until you are sure
If reading a book or two this summer is still on your bucket list, former U.S. President Barack Obama recently shared a few of the book titles he has personally managed to tackle in his down time. The books, by authors who've won literary prizes and topped best-seller lists, are ones you might want to check out.

"One of my favorite parts of summer is deciding what to read when things slow down just a bit, whether it's on a vacation with family or just a quiet afternoon," Obama wrote in a Facebook post Sunday. "This summer I've been absorbed by new novels, revisited an old classic, and reaffirmed my faith in our ability to move forward together when we seek the truth."

During his eight years in the White House, Obama turned to books to find balance, "slow down and get perspective."

This latest list includes both fiction and non-fiction books, with many featuring gripping human stories of perseverance touching topics such as health, race and education.

These five book titles are in addition to a list of five nonfiction titles Obama shared earlier this summer.

With just more than four weeks until the end of summer, there's still time to pick up some good reading habits and a good book.

Here are the five new books Obama added to his summer reading list.
Total had already signaled that it could pull out of the Islamic republic, and its intention to develop part of the world's largest gas field at South Pars, after the U.S. said it would reimpose sanctions on the country after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May.

"Total Iran has officially left the contract to develop the South Pars Gas project's phase 11... the process to replace with another company is underway," Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was quoted as saying, Reuters reported.

French oil giant Total has officially left Iran and abandoned its deal to develop a giant natural gas field in the country, Iran's oil minister reportedly told state television Monday, leaving the isolated republic to look for a replacement.

A gas flame is seen through a bus window in the South Pars gas field facilities in the southern Iranian port of Assaluyeh on the shore of the Gulf on January 22, 2014.

The first series of sanctions were reinstated in early August and target the country's automotive sector, issuance of debt and metals trade. But more are to come in November; these will hit Iran's crucial oil sector, shipping industry and financial institutions.

Foreign companies like Total that have business dealings with Iran were told they could face secondary sanctions for doing business in the country, prompting a number to pull out. Maersk, Peugeot, GE, Boeing and Siemens have all cut ties with Iran in a bid to avoid U.S. sanctions, while Russian oil company Lukoil has also said it would put plans to pursue joint ventures with Iran on hold.

The collapse of the deal with Total to develop the South Pars gas project is a blow for major OPEC oil producer Iran. Total had signaled in May that it could pull out once it had assessed the ramifications of President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose sanctions and if it was not granted a sanctions waiver.

Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne told CNBC in June that U.S. sanctions mean that "there's not a single international company like Total who can work in any country with secondary sanctions. I don't have the right. It's just the reality of the world."

Iranian officials had earlier suggested that China's state-owned CNPC, which also has a stake in the South Pars project, could take over Total's stake, lifting its interest to from 30 percent to more than 80 percent, Reuters reported Monday.

Separately, Iran's foreign minister called for an accelerated effort from the European Union, one of the major supporters of the 2015 nuclear deal, to step up efforts to salvage the deal.

CNBC has asked Total to confirm the report but is yet to receive a response.
Trump economic advisor Kevin Hassett told CNBC on Monday that Canada is going to want in on the trade deal that U.S. negotiators are on the verge of crafting with Mexico.

"We're even closer" to reaching a trade deal with Mexico after Mexican negotiators were in Washington for most of last week, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors said.

Canada has not been part of the most recent talks to rework the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, which were expected to continue this week.

"I think what's going to happen after we close the Mexico deal is that Canada is going to look at it and see some stuff they like and maybe some stuff they want to modify," Hassett said on "Squawk Box." "But it's going to make it a lot easier to make a deal with Canada because we got a deal with Mexico."

On Friday, Mexico's economic minister said outstanding bilateral issues with the U.S. could be resolved midweek, adding that Canada could then rejoin negotiations.

Strained relations between the U.S. and Canada took a nosedive after the June Group of 7 summit in Quebec, which led to name-calling and accusations by President Donald Trump and a sharp rebuttal by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday had expressed hope for a breakthrough with Mexico soon.

However, Trump, alongside Lighthizer, said he was in "no rush" to conclude talks on NAFTA, which started about a year ago and has missed deadline after deadline.

Talks moved slowly and stalled in the run-up to the July 1 presidential election in Mexico, which yielded a landslide victory for veteran leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

 Reuters contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters upon his departure from the White House in Washington, August 17, 2018.

In a follow-up message, in which the president appeared to be quoting Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., he wrote: "'Bruce Ohr is at the center of FALSE ALLEGATIONS which led to a multi-million dollar investigation into what apparently didn't happen.' Darrell Issa, House Oversight. We can take out the word 'apparently.' @FoxNews"

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a question from CNBC on Monday about whether Sessions interpreted the tweets as an order.

"Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions 'Justice' Department?" the president wrote in a post on Twitter, accusing Ohr of having direct ties to the so-called Steele dossier. "A total joke!"

The White House has threatened to revoke Ohr's security clearance. On Friday, Trump told reporters he expected to remove the clearance "quickly."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders named Ohr during a news conference last week as among a group of 10 individuals whose security clearances could be in jeopardy. Ohr stood out as the only current official on the list.

Trump tweet

Republicans have criticized Ohr for his connections to Christopher Steele, the former British spy who was commissioned by the research firm Fusion GPS to produce intelligence on Trump during the 2016 election. Ohr's wife, Nellie Ohr, worked for Fusion GPS during the 2016 election.

In dueling memos released earlier this year, Republicans and Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee sparred over the importance of Ohr's connections to Steele. Republicans on the committee, led by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., argued that Ohr was aware of Steele's anti-Trump bias, and that Steele's bias was concealed from a judge when the FBI applied to get a wiretap on Carter Page, a Trump campaign advisor. Democrats said the memo was misleading, and overstated Ohr's connections to Steele.

In July, the Trump administration released documents related to the Page wiretap application that showed that the FBI relied on more than just the dossier to obtain the warrant. The documents also show that the FBI was forthright regarding the political motivations of the dossier.

The president has criticized the Steele dossier, which contains some salacious but unverified claims about Trump, for being politically motivated. He has argued that the dossier taints special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. The FBI cited Steele's dossier, among other factors, in the warrant application to wiretap Page.

Trump has sought to tie the origins of Mueller's probe to the dossier. The FBI's Russia inquiry originated based on a tip from Australian officials after a suspicious encounter between a top Australian diplomat and George Papadopoulos, then a foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, The New York Times reported late last year.
President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walk after lunch at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore June 12, 2018.

President Donald Trump said on Monday he would "most likely" meet again with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, while defending his efforts to convince Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

In an interview with Reuters, Trump, who held a landmark summit with Kim on June 12, said he believed North Korea had taken specific steps toward denuclearization, despite widespread doubts about Kim's willingness to abandon his arsenal.

While insisting that "a lot of good things are happening" with North Korea, Trump complained that China was not helping as much as it had in the past because of its trade dispute with the United States.

Trump, who faced the North Korean challenge as soon as he took office in January 2017, said he had only been working on the North Korean issue for three months whereas his predecessors had been working on it for 30 years.
Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, during the NATO Summit last July.

President Donald Trump on Monday ruled out making any concessions to Turkey to gain the freedom of a detained American pastor and said he was not concerned that retaliatory tariffs he imposed will have a ripple effect and hurt the European economy.

Trump, speaking to Reuters in an Oval Office interview, said he thought he had a deal with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he helped persuade Israel to free a detained Turkish citizen.

He had thought Erdogan would then release pastor Andrew Brunson.

"I think it's very sad what Turkey is doing. I think they're making a terrible mistake. There will be no concessions," he said.

Trump has imposed tariffs on imports of Turkish steel and aluminum in response to Erdogan's refusal to free Brunson, raising concerns of economic damage in Europe. "I'm not concerned at all. I'm not concerned. This is the proper thing to do," he said, when asked about the potential damage to other economies.

Trump said Erdogan had wanted the Turkish citizen returned from Israel. Trump and Erdogan met in Brussels for a NATO summit in mid-July where they discussed Brunson's case and what could be the way forward to release the pastor, a senior White House official said earlier.

Turkey had sought U.S. help to persuade the Israelis to release a Turkish woman who was being held in Israel, the senior official said. In exchange Turkey would release Brunson and other Americans being held in Turkey. Trump said he kept his side of the bargain.

"I got that person out for him. I expect him to let this very innocent and wonderful man and great father and great Christian out of Turkey," Trump said. Israel, which confirmed that Trump had requested Ebru Ozkan's release, deported her on July 15.

Ankara has denied ever agreeing to free Brunson in return.

Trump added: "I like Turkey. I like the people of Turkey very much. Until now I had a very good relationship as you know with the president. I got along with him great. I had a very good relationship. But it can't be a one-way street. It's no longer a one-way street for the United States."

Trump had suggested earlier this month he would be willing to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani if the Iranians wanted to discuss the dispute over Iran's nuclear program. The Iranians, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei, have shrugged off the offer. Asked to respond to Iran's refusal to meet, Trump said it not matter to him whether they met or not.
The U.S. and China are meeting later this week in Washington to try to find some common ground in their escalating trade war, but don't expect a "grand bargain," according to an international trade scholar.

Markets are closely watching the bilateral trade talks aimed at resolving an escalating tariff war that threatens to engulf all trade between the world's two largest economies. But, according to Alex Capri, a visiting senior fellow at the National University of Singapore's business school, China and the U.S. face substantial differences of opinion  especially on issues that define China's "economic nationalism."

"There are just fundamental issues that are part and parcel to the Chinese economy: the subsidies, the technology transfers, the protection of the local markets. That's not going to go away, so there's no grand bargain," Capri said.
Stocks neared a new record as investors renewed their bets that trade wars and other geopolitical worries wouldn't derail this bull market, which is set to become the longest rally ever this week.

Dealmaking activity and falling rates also helped lift market benchmarks on Monday. Netflix shares led the market's gains.

The advanced 0.2 percent to 2,857.05 and is now just under 0.6 percent from its record reached in January. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 89.37 points to close at 25,758.69 with Nike outperforming. Nike shares rose 3.1 percent after Piper Jaffray upgraded the athletic apparel maker to overweight from neutral and raised their price target to $93 a share from $72. The stock traded around $82 per share.

The Nasdaq Composite gained just under 0.1 percent to close at 7,821.01 as a 3.5 percent rise in Netflix offset a decline in Facebook. Netflix shares rose after the company confirmed it was testing ads on its platform.

The bull market turns 3,453 days old this Wednesday. Barring a 20 percent decline between now and then, it would mark the longest bull market in history, according to S&P.

Since the current bull market started on March 9, 2009, the S&P 500 has surged more than 300 percent.

"The length of this bull market is unprecedented but so was the decline we saw," said Shannon Saccocia, CIO at Boston Private. "The depths of the decline were really unprecedented; that's really an outlier." The current bull market started after the financial crisis.
President Donald Trump (L) speaks withh Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of the opening ceremony of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on July 11, 2018.

The Trump administration rejected a proposal from the Turkish government that would free a detained American pastor in exchange for relief of one of its largest banks, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The report, which cites a senior White House official, said Turkey asked the U.S. to drop an ongoing investigation into Halkbank, one of the biggest state-owned Turkish banks. Halkbank faces major fines for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions on Iran.

In exchange, the Turkish government would release Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who has been detained in Turkey since 2016. Turkey accused Brunson of spying and trying to overthrow the government after a failed coup that year. President Donald Trump said Friday the charges against Brunson were "phony," adding "he is not a spy."
Dr. Michael Holick's enthusiasm for vitamin D can be fairly described as extreme. The Boston University endocrinologist, who perhaps more than anyone else is responsible for creating a billion-dollar vitamin D sales and testing juggernaut, elevates his own levels of the stuff with supplements and fortified milk. When he bikes outdoors, he won't put sunscreen on his limbs. He has written book-length odes to vitamin D, and has warned in multiple scholarly articles about a "vitamin D deficiency pandemic" that explains disease and suboptimal health across the world.

His fixation is so intense that it extends to the dinosaurs. What if the real problem with that asteroid 65 million years ago wasn't a lack of food, but the weak bones that follow a lack of sunlight? "I sometimes wonder," Dr. Holick has written, "did the dinosaurs die of rickets and osteomalacia?"

Dr. Holick's role in drafting national vitamin D guidelines, and the embrace of his message by mainstream doctors and wellness gurus alike, have helped push supplement sales to $936 million in 2017. That's a ninefold increase over the previous decade. Lab tests for vitamin D deficiency have spiked, too: Doctors ordered more than 10 million for Medicare patients in 2016, up 547 percent since 2007, at a cost of $365 million.

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But few of the Americans swept up in the vitamin D craze are likely aware that the industry has sent a lot of money Dr. Holick's way. A Kaiser Health News investigation for The New York Times found that he has used his prominent position in the medical community to promote practices that financially benefit corporations that have given him hundreds of thousands of dollars  including drug makers, the indoor tanning industry and one of the country's largest commercial labs.

In an interview, Dr. Holick acknowledged he has worked as a consultant to Quest Diagnostics, which performs vitamin D tests, since 1979. Dr. Holick, 72, said that industry funding "doesn't influence me in terms of talking about the health benefits of vitamin D."

There is no question that the hormone is important. Without enough of it, bones can become thin, brittle and misshapen, causing a condition called rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. The issue is how much vitamin D is healthy, and what level constitutes deficiency.

Dr. Holick's crucial role in shaping that debate occurred in 2011. Late the previous year, the prestigious National Academy of Medicine (then known as the Institute of Medicine), a group of independent scientific experts, issued a comprehensive, 1,132-page report on vitamin D deficiency. It concluded that the vast majority of Americans get plenty of the hormone naturally, and advised doctors to test only patients at high risk of certain disorders, such as osteoporosis.

A few months later, in June 2011, Dr. Holick oversaw the publication of a report that took a starkly different view. The paper, in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, was on behalf of the Endocrine Society, the field's foremost professional group, whose guidelines are widely used by hospitals, physicians and commercial labs nationwide, including Quest. The society adopted Dr. Holick's position that "vitamin D deficiency is very common in all age groups" and advocated a huge expansion of vitamin D testing, targeting more than half the United States population, including those who are black, Hispanic or obese  groups that tend to have lower vitamin D levels than others.

The recommendations were a financial windfall for the vitamin D industry. By advocating such widespread testing, the Endocrine Society directed more business to Quest and other commercial labs. Vitamin D tests are now the fifth-most-common lab test covered by Medicare.

The guidelines benefited the vitamin D industry in another important way. Unlike the National Academy, which concluded that patients have sufficient vitamin D when their blood levels are at or above 20 nanograms per milliliter, the Endocrine Society said vitamin D levels need to be much higher  at least 30 nanograms per milliliter. Many commercial labs, including Quest and LabCorp, adopted the higher standard.

Yet there's no evidence that people with the higher level are any healthier than those with the lower level, said Dr. Clifford Rosen, a senior scientist at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute and co-author of the National Academy report. Using the Endocrine Society's higher standard creates the appearance of an epidemic, he said, because it labels 80 percent of Americans as having inadequate vitamin D. "We see people being tested all the time and being treated based on a lot of wishful thinking, that you can take a supplement to be healthier," Dr. Rosen said.

Patients with low vitamin D levels are often prescribed supplements and instructed to get checked again in a few months, said Dr. Alex Krist, a family physician and vice chairman of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, an expert panel that issues health advice. Many physicians then repeat the test once a year. For labs, "it's in their financial interest" to label patients with low vitamin D levels, Dr. Krist said.

In a 2010 book, "The Vitamin D Solution," Dr. Holick gave readers tips to encourage them to get their blood tested. For readers worried about potential out-of-pocket costs for vitamin D tests  they range from $40 to $225  he listed the precise reimbursement codes that doctors should use when requesting insurance coverage. "If they use the wrong coding when submitting the claim to the insurance company, they won't get reimbursed and you will wind up having to pay for the test," Dr. Holick wrote.

Dr. Holick acknowledged financial ties with Quest and other companies in the financial disclosure statement published with the Endocrine Society guidelines. In an interview, he said that working for Quest for four decades  he is currently paid $1,000 a month  hasn't affected his medical advice. "I don't get any additional money if they sell one test or one billion," he said.

A Quest spokeswoman, Wendy Bost, said the company seeks the advice of a number of expert consultants. "We feel strongly that being able to work with the top experts in the field, whether it's vitamin D or another area, translates to better quality and better information, both for our patients and physicians," Ms. Bost said.

Since 2011, Dr. Holick's advocacy has been embraced by the wellness-industrial complex. Gwyneth Paltrow's website, Goop, cites his writing. Dr. Mehmet Oz has described vitamin D as "the No. 1 thing you need more of," telling his audience that it can help them avoid heart disease, depression, weight gain, memory loss and cancer. And Oprah Winfrey'swebsite tells readers that, "knowing your vitamin D levels might save your life." Mainstream doctors have also urged Americans to get more of the hormone, including Dr. Walter Willett, a widely respected professor at Harvard Medical School.

Today, seven years after the dueling academic findings, the leaders of the National Academy report are struggling to be heard above the clamor for more sunshine pills. "There isn't a 'pandemic,'" said A. Catharine Ross, a nutritional sciences professor at Penn State and chairwoman of the committee that wrote the report, in an interview. "There isn't a widespread problem."
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President Donald Trump is expected to honor federal immigration agents at the White House on Monday as his administration struggles to comply with a federal court order mandating the reunification of migrant families separated at the southern border.

More than 550 children remain separated from their families as a result of Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, according to a document filed in San Diego federal court last week. The court had originally set a deadline to reunite all the families by last month.

Monday's ceremony saluting the "heroes" of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, comes as a number of prominent Democrats have called for the elimination of the agency. Trump has boasted that Democrats' criticism of ICE would hurt them politically.

"That's going to be their platform, open borders which equals crime," Trump said in a Fox Business interview last month. "I think they'll never win another election. So I'm actually quite happy about it."

Vice President Mike Pence and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen are also expected to attend Monday's event, alongside more than 100 law enforcement officials from ICE and other agencies.
Amazon India's senior vice president Amit Agarwal proposed "work-life harmony" to his colleagues and asked them to stop responding to work emails between 6 pm and 8 am, Bloomberg reported.

Agarwal, in his email, talked about the importance of work discipline and how to draw a boundary when balancing work and life, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

The email came at a time when IT employees from Bengaluru expressed on social media as to how sleep deprived they have been.

Experts such as psychologists, sleep laboratories and fertility clinics have raised concerns about the mental and physical toll the employees face. The overworked employees are likely to face symptoms such as insomnia, depression and suicidal tendencies, Dr S Kalyanasundaram, a psychiatrist, told the news website. These days I see many 25- and 28-year-olds suffering heart attacks, something I havent seen in my four decades in this field, he was quoted in the report.

The doctor added that all his Saturday appointments are usually reserved for the tech workers and more than often. the appointments get booked in advance. Its a disaster; its a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, the doctor said.

Along with the tech employees, the rising startup industry faces a similar lifestyle. Giving an example , the report mentioned about OYO Rooms founder Ritesh Agarwal who gets minimal sleep during the work week and catches up by going to sleep early on a Saturday night and waking up in the noon the next day.
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There are good and bad reasons to track people's movements, but the best way to scream to users that you're spying on them is to lie about or not reveal what you're doing. Corporate developers, if you're not guilty of bad conduct, why are you trying to so hard to hide it?

This comes to mind after two unrelated news stories cropped up this week.

The Associated Press reported that Google kept tracking consumers after they had selected a privacy option that supposedly blocked the tracking. Only days after that AP report did Google quietly change its help page, from claiming with Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored" to This setting does not affect other location services on your device and some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps.

The second story, from The New York Times, is about some large banks that are using behavioral analytics to identify customers. In that case, the accusation isn't that they are misleading customers so much as opting to not tell them something that the customers likely wouldn't appreciate. The better approach would have been to state upfront that behavioral analytics is being used, but solely for authentication, and to pledge to never use it for anything other than authentication. And there's the rub: Banks don't want to restrict how they use this data, which is why they are opting to stay silent.

From the Times piece: "When youre browsing a website and the mouse cursor disappears, it might be a computer glitch  or it might be a deliberate test to find out who you are. The way you press, scroll and type on a phone screen or keyboard can be as unique as your fingerprints or facial features. Some use the technology only to weed out automated attacks and suspicious transactions, but others are going significantly further, amassing tens of millions of profiles that can identify customers by how they touch, hold and tap their devices."

Let's start with the Google incident. The key questions are: Who approved that initial help page, and what did they know at the time? Did some Google-ite write "the places you go are no longer stored" knowing full well that it wasn't true  something known in marketing circles as "lying"  or was that page written and approved by people who didn't fully understand how Google's systems worked?

Google hasn't explained its conduct. It simply changed the help page without comment. Although both scenarios are plausible, I am more inclined to believe that anyone involved in a Google help page understands the systems well and would know that what they were saying was bogus.

There's another possibility, however. This goes under the heading of "Come on. You knew what I meant." This possibility is that Google understood the reality, but it was taking a writing shortcut. This would suggest that it's obvious and necessary for Google Maps to still track location, since that is a fundamental element of its "this is how you get from point A to point B." Fair enough. But it wasn't onlyGoogle Maps that still tracked. "Search" kept tracking as well. If turning off location in Google doesn't impact the search engine, then what the heck does it impact? That is a question that Google needs to address, if it wants the remaining 11 people in the world who still trust Google to continue to do so.

The bank situation is still less explicit. At least the banks, as far I can tell, didn't say that they weren't tracking people. They merely said nothing about either way. But bank app developers need to remember that banks are in a much more precarious position than Google and they need to at least pretend to be trustworthy in a much more public fashion.

Why? Google is still the most effective and comprehensive search engine on the planet. I'd love to be able to say that DuckDuckGo or other privacy-oriented engines are as good or better, but based on daily testing, Google still comes out far ahead. Bing, Yahoo and others long ago lost the search battle to Google.

That means that an annoyed Google user can't leave Google without losing some serious search functionality. And on an Android phone, the reliance is even deeper and better integrated. But banks? Not even close. Disgruntled customers can easily take their money and data and move to the rival bank across the street, and they will likely suffer no disruption or degradation of services.

Part of that explanation is the appalling slowness of banks  large and small  to truly embrace technology. That's why fintech is such a hot space right now. Most banks need the tech capabilities of fintech partners to remain even a little competitive.

Secondly, trust is a much greater factor for a consumer choosing a bank than that same consumer choosing a search engine or mobile map service. Consumers are literally turning over a massive portion of their money to that bank. That involves a lot of trust. Why risk all of that just so that the bank has the option of later using customer identities for various marketing schemes? If this effort is so benign, why not share it with customers and let consumers factor that into their decisions about which banks to use?

Thus far, this column has focused on being honest with site visitors for trust issues. There are other reasons, too. In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission is known to hold companies accountable for any air between what they sell the public about their practices and what they actually do. And EU regulators enforcing GDPR are also examining privacy policies and comparing them with what companies actually do, not to mention watching how sensitive PII is handled.

For many reasons, Google and the banks are taking big chances. Developers, this is a position you would be wise to challenge, assuming you have grown fond of your regular paycheck.
Brexit 1) May to take unilateral moral high ground in case of no deal, by giving EU migrants right to stay

But part of reason is fear of labour shortages  Daily Telegraph

The proposal will be in first tranche of no deal papers  Daily Express

They will be able to bring dependents too  Daily Mail

Rees-Mogg welcomes idea. Jones doesnt  The Times

Europeans will be granted the right to stay in the UK if there is a no-deal Brexit under a unilateral act by the government. Theresa May will take the moral high ground and allow EU migrants to continue to access the NHS and claim benefits because the rest of her governments contingency plans for an acrimonious departure from the bloc rely on the availability of existing labour. The offer would apply regardless of whether British migrants in European countries are granted the same rights by the EU, according to The Telegraph. It will be contained in the first tranche of more than 80 papers detailing contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit in different sectors, which the government will publish on Thursday.  The Times

Comment:

This isnt enough. We need to make key EU workers feel valued  Jullien Gaer, Daily Telegraph

Brexit 2) Gibb says country hasnt changed its mind, in response to calls for repeat referendum

Britain is more committed to Brexit than it was at the time of the referendum, Downing Street has said after the founder of clothing firm Superdry donated 1million towards a second vote on leaving the EU. Julian Dunkerton, the co-founder of Superdry, said that he was making the donation to the Peoples Vote campaign because he saw a genuine chance to turn this around. However Downing Street highlighted a poll in The Sun on Sunday which found that 15 per cent of Remainers have changed their minds, compared to 11 per cent on leavers. Robbie Gibb, the Prime Ministers Director of Communications, said: 1.9million Leave voters say they would now vote to Remain. But 2.4million Remain voters would now vote to Leave. The country hasnt changed its mind.  Daily Telegraph

Downing Street: We completely rule out any second referendum  Daily Express

Comment:

Farage could make a second vote more likely  Matthew dAncona, Guardian

Peoples vote campaigners dont see the irony in their anti-democratic approach  Leo McKinstry, Daily Express

Brexit 3) Raab to meet Barnier ahead of release of no deal plans

Brexit 4) Elwood: European security should be unconditional not tit-for-tat

Dominic Raab will kick start negotiations with Brussels tomorrow in a Brexit pincer movement  as a fresh bout of public Tory infighting erupted. The exit boss will stare down Michel Barnier just hours before Ministers unveil a wave of No Deal scenario plans to show the EU and public they are prepared for talks to collapse. Mr Raab will travel to Brussels after a three week summer truce with just eight weeks left to hammer out an EU deal before the crucial autumn deadline. Then on Thursday Whitehall will begin publishing a slew of contingency plans on how they plan to keep the economy afloat next March if Britain crashes out of the bloc without a new trade deal in place.  The Sun

Tuesdays terror incident is a stark reminder of how we remain in the cross hairs of a diverse spectrum of threats by those who challenge our values and wish us harm. We must remain resilient, unified and prepared to respond.  The world is changing, and fast. However, none of these challenges is insurmountable and we can be in the driving seat. They require understanding, international leadership and teamwork. It is therefore disconcerting that Britains military, intelligence and policing contribution to European security could be drawn into the never-ending vortex of Brexit tit-for-tat. Let the Brexit talks continue  but European security should be unconditional.  Daily Telegraph

Meanwhile, Williamson livid after French bill UK for Africa help  Daily Express

Brexit 5) Soubry and Lee claim entryism by Leave.EU poses risk to Conservative Party

Meanwhile, Rees-Mogg says Eurosceptics would make the legislation extraordinarily difficult if it is based on Chequers  Daily Express

The Conservative Party risks being taken over by hard Brexit campaigners, two of its own MPs have said. Anna Soubry and Phillip Lee, pro-EU backbenchers, sounded the alarm after Leave.EU urged its supporters to join the Conservatives in order to replace Theresa May with Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg. Grassroots members have demanded a change in leadership rules which would make Mr Johnson the more likely candidate.  Last week Leave.EU, which was founded by Arron Banks, a businessman and former Ukip donor, called on its supporters to flood the Conservative Party.  Dr Lee, who quit as a junior minister in June to oppose the government on Brexit, called Leave.EUs efforts entryism. He said: An organisation funded by Ukips former backer wants its members to join the Conservatives just to get a new leader. Time to wake up and act against a hard right Momentum. If youve ever voted Conservative please join to stop this.  The Times

Comment:

Heres another call for another peoples vote  Sarah Wollaston, The Times

More Brexit

MPs call for more expenses to deal with Brexit work  The Sun

Varoufakis tells Greece to return to drachma  Daily Express

How Corbyn can fix the EU  Hilary Wainwright, Guardian

Government carries out emergency takeover of privately-run Birmingham prison

Englands worst prison will be taken over by the Government after a damning inspection found that violent inmates have effectively seized control of the jail. HMP Birmingham is becoming the first privately-run prison to be taken over by the Government on Monday after it emerged that fearful staff have taken to locking themselves in their own offices after being targeted by inmates. The Victorian prison, which was being run by G4S, will be run by the Government for up to 12 months with a new Governor and management team installed. Ministers said that G4S, rather than the taxpayer, will foot the bill. However it will lead to questions about the future of the 14 privately-run prisons in England and Wales, amid increasing concerns that they are overcrowded and struggling to cope.  Daily Telegraph

There was terrifying anarchy  Daily Mail

The MoJ seized control  Guardian

G4S had been in charge  FT

Gauke had called for urgent inquiry  The Times

>Today: ToryDiary: Stewarts resignation offer. An example for other Ministers to follow  or shun?

Mordaunt pledges more funding for British drug squad in Africa

Meanwhile, Foreign Office scraps much criticised support programme for northwest Syria  The Times

Kavanagh: The contenders for Mays job

Britians Foreign Aid chief Penny Mordaunt joined Britains specialist heroin-busting squad in Africa as she pledged new cash to help authorities lock-up drug lords. She took to the helm of a police boat off the coast of Tanzania to see first-hand how British expertise has caught 100kgs of heroin in the East-African country bound for Europe. The amount of Afhgan heroin smuggled through ports on the Swahili coast has rocketed since the Taliban seized control in the early 2000s. Now an estimated 40 per cent of all heroin transported across the West Indian Ocean is destined for Tanzania. Most ends up being sold in Europe.  The Sun

The dreamy, steamy days of summer are drawing to an end  but the real silly season is yet to begin. While Theresa May tours the capitals of Europe looking for peace on Brexit, war has broken out between diehard Remainers and fervent Brexiteers. Ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage has stormed back into the fray with Vote Leave II, a remake of his 2016 referendum triumph. In the pro-Brussels corner, Superdry fashion tycoon Julian Dunkerton is forking out 1million for what must surely be a futile, last-ditch bid to keep Britain in the EU. And just to make things extra interesting for the party conference season, the stampede for Mrs Mays Tory crown is already unstoppable.  The Sun

More Conservatives

OBrien mocks Butler for criticising Jamie Oliver for cultural appropriation  The Times

Wright to appear at party conference as a hologram  The Times

Onward joins forces with NEF and others to call for councils to pay less for agricultural land  The Times

Ghani speaks of stalking terror  The Sun

Comment:

We need to focus on the animal kingdom  Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph

>Today:

>Yesterday: George Freeman in Comment: Its time to choose between a Conservative Brexit or a UKIP one

Mark Smith: A jokes a joke  Thomson shouldnt apologise

Meanwhile, civil rights defender calls for Stormont to be bulldozed  Belfast News Letter

Corbyns four-day Scottish tour to attempt to up partys popularity

 Ross Thomson is another example of the different kind of Tory that has emerged in recent years  hes young, gay, and from an ordinary background; Conservatives like Mr Thomson are also much more likely to be extremely liberal on a whole range of issues and so are much harder to define by the old rules that Tories are a certain way and socialists another. And yet in Scotland we still seem to be behaving like nothings changed. I think the SNP in particular wish it hadnt. Perhaps the answer for the future is that we all attempt a new era of open-mindedness and liberalism and try to control the urge to condemn and get angry. We should also get to grips with some basic rules for modern public life. Dont define people solely by their political beliefs. A jokes a joke. And the Scottish Tories are not what they used to be. Or in the words of another joke once made by a Conservative: calm down dears.  Herald

Jeremy Corbyn will spend four days campaigning in Scotland this week in an attempt to revitalise Scottish Labours fortunes after another slump in polling. Labour sources admit the party has failed to capitalise on a surge in support during last years general election, when Labour defied expectations by winning back six Westminster seats from the Scottish National party. Corbyns tour will include a speech in Glasgow on Monday, an event at Edinburgh international book festival and visits to target seats in Lanarkshire, which Labour would have to regain from the SNP if it were to win another snap election. There are concerns that the failure to consolidate last years gains will threaten the partys wider strategy. Of the 64 target seats across the UK it must win to regain power at Westminster, 18 are Scottish constituencies held by the SNP.  Guardian

More Labour

Corbyn hosted panel discussion at conference attended by senior Hamas officials  Daily Telegraph

His aide and a party official are accused of bullying  The Times

Williamson chastised by whip over complaints about antisemitism belittling  The Times

Comment:

Corbyns support for Iran is most worrying  Stephen Pollard, The Times

The complaints were getting about Corbyn coverage  Guardian

News in Brief
Recently I wrote about the Church of Englands poor record as a landowner in increasing the housing supply  despite being keen to denounce the Government. The Church is quite right to say that overcrowding and homelessness are not only political and economic issues, but moral challenges. The difficulty comes when the Church then fails to set a good example. But this was not meant to let the Government off the hook. There is hypocrisy here as well. While complaining about land banking from property developers, the state is the biggest land banker of all.

So I am writing a series on some of the worst offenders. We will start with Network Rail  an arms length public body of the Department of Transport. A spokesman tells me:

Network Rail owns a significant amount of land  approximately 51,700 hectares (127,800 acres), which it uses to operate and develop Britains railway infrastructure; thats 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UKs largest stations and own the land on which these and all of the other 2,500 stations in Britain sit on.

All Network Rail land is classed as part of our operational estate. To release land for housing and development, we need to go through a consultation process to ensure that the land we are releasing is not required for future railway related, or other relevant stakeholder use.

Network Rail has committed to releasing land for homes nationally to support the governments housing goal of building 1.5 million homes between 2015 and 2022. We are committed to releasing land for around 12,000 homes by 2020.

The average density of homes is around 12 per acre. So that makes the maths conveniently simple. 12,000 homes would mean around 1,000 of the 127,800 acres to be sold. Of course, 12,000 new homes helps. But in relative terms, it is completely derisory.

That phrase we need to go through a consultation process to ensure that the land we are releasing is not required for future railway related, or other relevant stakeholder use seems to mean in practice that they will only sell land if they feel like it. In theory, it should be a decision about what Government owned land to sell should be a decision for the Government. In practice, Network Rail has shown utter contempt for any accountability. The mentality is that the tiny contribution they have agreed to make is doing the Government a favour.

Sir Oliver Letwin was the Minister responsible, and recounts his struggle with them in his entertaining memoir of his time as a Minister in the Cameron Government. They would sit at a desk pondering a map of some piece of land that was quite clearly of no use to the railway at all, but the Network Rail officials would insist that it might at some later date be used by the railway for some purpose that they couldnt quite yet put their finger on.

The situation is absurd. Did Sir Oliver not get proper backing from the Department of Transport? Or did Network Rail decide that with its arms length status it could ignore everybody? If Ministers do not have the power to order the release surplus state land, then Parliament should grant them such powers.

It is a genuine scandal. Yet, as I will detail tomorrow, there are other branches of the public sector that are even worse
Chris Whitehouse heads The Whitehouse Consultancy and is Cabinet Secretary of the Isle of Wight Council.

One of the most tedious subjects in modern politics is how the lobbying industry is regulated. Tedious, that is, until the next time an undercover journalist manages to film a member of one House of Parliament or the other appearing to offer political services for cash payments. Then there is a media feeding frenzy; there are calls for lobbyists to be more tightly regulated, and foolish laws are passed.

At least, thats what led to the statutory regulation of lobbyists through the Lobbying Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014  about which dogs dinner of flawed legislation I sounded warnings at the time it was introduced to Parliament and later implemented.

The fundamental flaw of it being that, nearly always, such cases of political scandal are created by the journalists, concerned because they cannot find an actual lobbying agency that behaves in such a way, and the unethical behaviour is not on the part of lobbyists, but on the part of the MP or Peer involved. But hey-ho, thats how it goes.

As a former commercial lobbyist himself, David Cameron must have known that his legislation wasnt fit for purpose but, having raised expectations, he had to be seen to do something, and for politicians that nearly always means more legislation, whether its necessary and effective, or not.

So it is that the lobbying industry is in turmoil about its own regulation once again. Civil war appears to have broken out between two extreme factions within the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) about whether or not it should merge with the much larger Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA).

The introduction, for all its many faults, of the statutory register of lobbyists has caused the APPC membership to question what value belonging to this somewhat tired self-regulatory body now affords, particularly for those agencies whose service offer includes public relations and media management. This in turn leads them also to be members of the PRCA, which includes within it a division focusing on public affairs (as we lobbyists like to aggrandise our profession), and which provides an opportunity for a public register of clients that is much more comprehensive than the inadequate statutory register, and polices adherence to a code of conduct.

Having two bodies to which to belong, in addition to the statutory register, creates unnecessary costs, causes confusion about who actually speaks for the profession, and muddies the water about which register of clients and staff should be considered the authoritative one.

So it comes about that the APPC membership will vote on October 8 on whether or not to merge with the PRCA. This has sparked some vituperative exchanges between members, with each side accusing the other of disloyalty, short-termism and selfishness. Its really quite fun to watch as the two factions of self-proclaimed professional influencers paint themselves into ever tighter corners, polarise the debate, and alienate the middle ground which, frankly, couldnt care less, and has better things to do than to engage in internecine squabbles.

It would have been great if this matter could have been decided by a sensible discussion and a vote within the APPCs Management Committee  but, no, they were split on the proposal and, besides, the committee lacks credibility as its hardly a democratic decision-making body.

Indeed, for historic aberrations of logic, its 16 members include five who are not there as members of the APPC at all, but enjoy seats for life on the committee as former Chairs of the organisation, plus another three who represent Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The APPCs website told an untruth about this point until a few days ago, when I pointed out that it was untrue to claim the members were elected annually  an untruth that had been peddled for many years. Unless theres an outbreak of mortality among the grey-hairs on the committee ,well find ourselves in the bizarre situation, when the current Chair steps down and takes his own seat for life, of having a majority on the Management Committee who are not elected by the membership. Kafka would love it.

The APPCs Young Consultants Committee is also a bit hot under its youthful collar and is demanding meetings with the Chair because they dont feel they have been adequately consulted about the merger proposal. Far be it from me to point out that they arent even members of the APPC at all: its businesses that are members, not individuals, but the young-uns do feel that their views should be taken more seriously by the great and the good of the industry who sit on the committee.

On balance, the APPC has been a good thing in seeking to determine and uphold ethical practice, but its always been far from perfect. There was a time when its rules forbade any lobbyist from holding a Parliamentary pass. When I pointed out that the rule was flagrantly being breached, they didnt uphold the rule  they made such pass-holding permissible instead.

There was an occasion when its Chair  to be fair without any consultation with colleagues  wrote to MPs asking them to back a Commons Motion calling for public sector contracts to be allocated exclusively to APPC members, a ridiculous suggestion which, had it been implemented, would have created a cartel-like situation.

Its one of those silly internal political arguments, mixed up with big personalities and delicate egos, that will ultimately be decided by the bloc that doesnt really give a damn either way, and goes with the faction that seems most likely to get this distraction to go away once and for all. If you think Brexit has caused splits in our Party, you should see what Merger-Gate has done to relations between APPC members.

If youre still awake after reading this riveting update, will you be able to stand the tension as we await the outcome of the poll, late in the evening on 8th October? Watch this space for the results as they come in!
Syed Kamall is Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and is an MEP for London.

Although we have held office for the last seven years, we Conservatives face grave electoral challenges. An estrangement between the party and key sections of the population is threatening to hinder our prospects in many areas of the country.

The growing gulf between Conservatives and Britains millions of black and minority ethnic (BME) voters is an issue we need to tackle urgently. (I apologise to those who dislike the term BME, but it is widely used and there does not seem to be a widely acceptable alternative). Failure to do reach out to more diverse voters means that we could face being out of power for generations.

Given my own background, and as someone who encourages young people from more diverse backgrounds to engage in politics, I am pained by this state of affairs, but not entirely puzzled. While our party struggled to attract different communities as generations of immigrants from Commonwealth countries settled here, Labour went out and actively recruited community leaders.

In the early days, our party had two responses. Some MPs and members, sadly, were plain racist, while others claimed that while Conservatives did not feel comfortable categorising people by their ethnicity or religion, our doors were open to individuals of all backgrounds. Then we scratched our heads as many of the new immigrants failed to walk through the doors of our local Conservative associations.

I used to think that if we could get enough people from our diverse communities elected, this would encourage more people of different backgrounds to vote, join and stand for our party. As the leader of a major pan-European political group in the European Parliament and as a London MEP, I used to think that just being here was enough. I was wrong. We all need to do more.

But rather than complaining about something we dont like, I have always believed that I and others like me must be part of the change. That is why recently I brought together concerned Party members to examine these hard facts and work towards some solutions. Now we have published our deliberations.

The numbers make chastening reading. Conservatives have never succeeded in winning a significant proportion of the UKs black and minority ethnic vote.

In the top 75 seats where half the BME populations lives, Labour has two thirds of the vote. Apart from one seat (Harrow East), there is a highly concerning trend that, when a seat reaches 30 per cent BME population it goes to Labour. In 2010, this applied to 75 seats. By 2022, it could apply to around 120 seats. When we consider the fact that BME populations are significantly under-registered compared to the wider population, we are in serious danger from a concerted voter registration drive by other parties.

For a while, it looked as though we were making progress. From just 11 per cent of the BME vote in 2005, our vote share rose to 16 per cent in 2010. There was further progress in 2015 but, in last years general election, this went into reverse. Labours lead among BME voters increased to 54 points  a swing of six points since 2015. Turnout among BME voters also increased six points, dishing us a double whammy.

Conservatives lost three of the top ten most diverse seats held before the election, including Croydon Central and Enfield Southgate. This followed the losses in 2015 of Ealing Central and Acton, Ilford North and Brentford and Isleworth. It will be hard to consider these even to be target seats unless there is a major reversal in fortunes.

If these trends continue, we will continue to lose London seats. Harrow East, Hendon and Finchley & Golders Green are at risk. Even Boris Johnson may be vulnerable in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, as Labour seem to have noticed, judging by their activity levels.

This is not just a London problem either. The median British seat now has a significant number of ethnic minority voters  over ten per cent meaning that BME voters could influence outcomes in seats as varied as Thurrock, Swansea West, Cambridge, St Albans, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gloucester, Wokingham and Bromley & Chislehurst.

I believe that we can turn this around, but the work has to start now. Here are just some of the suggestions from the Engage LDN conference that I organised last year.

Outreach needs to be integral to everything the Party does: social media, press, candidates, research and campaigns  not just the responsibility of one department. And our Parliamentarians from more diverse communities need to be put on TV more. We need to make significant investment in our relevant Friends Of groups  in time, training and money. We should help them to sponsor social media content, and get members to become councillors and constituency officials.

Young potential BME candidates should benefit from tailored skills sessions provided by the candidates department- maybe a Diversity To Win strategy modelled on the Women2Win initiative championed by Theresa May. We need to start working with candidates as early as possible to support them in community engagement. Recently this approach resulted in 100 or so members of the Bangladeshi community helping out in campaigning in one seat.

In London, our mission has it be to create and communicate a new London Tories brand. If that means we have to be distinct from the national party, we should not rule it out  but also be aware that even in London there are huge differences between constituencies. What might be seen as a positive policy in Battersea may not work in Bromley. We need a localised London infrastructure with substantial finance, potentially outside CCHQ. In time, this could provide a model for our regions.

Some members feel that we need a BME advisory board at the national level and, in London, it would be useful to have some London-wide guidelines for outreach. At our grassroots and on the ground, we need to talk to people about their beliefs and our conservative beliefs.

Local campaigns need to be proactive in their outreach, and research their local BME communities thoroughly. We must train our associations in how to do so. Where community groups are struggling with local issues  be it poor local services or a planning issue over their community centre  we should be helping them navigate the process. We must be much more active in visiting community hubs and religious centres, offering our help: and we need fast rebuttals to attacks from opponents who seek to smear our reputation within certain communities.

For example, we should be clear about how we have dealt with any allegations of Islamaphobia in the Party. Failure to do so will allow the Hard Left to smear our party, in order to distract from their own very real problems with antisemitism.

We must confront this kind of talk vigorously; we must must make ourselves part of relevant communities (not just occasional visitors at election time), and we must take every opportunity to show by example what we mean by fairness, justice and equality of opportunity.

My parents, who came to this country during the 1950s and 1960s, used to tell me that there is no limit to what you can achieve if you believe in yourself and work hard. I joined the Conservative Party since its message of ambition and aspiration chimed with my parents advice.

But, if we want to be in power to help more people from all backgrounds to achieve their ambitions, we need to convince more people from diverse communities that we are the party for them.
Im terrified at the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister. His policies would trash the economy. He has sided with Britains enemies, and honoured the deaths of terrorists. He has enabled anti-semitism in the Labour party. But whoever leads the Conservative Party at the time of the next election will need to have something more to say than: Im not Jeremy Corbyn.

Ive watched the anti-semitism scandal unfold with dismay. It shocks and saddens me that a leader of a political party in the UK commemorated the deaths of terrorists who plotted to kill innocent Israelis for the crime of being Jewish.

And yet even a party led by a terrorist sympathiser is outperforming the Conservatives in the polls. How on earth can this possible? Are the 39 per cent of Brits who would vote Labour tomorrow endorsing Corbyns decision to lay a wreath at the grave of terrorists, or his failure to stand up to anti-semites in his party? Or are these negative stories about him just not cutting through?

Im concerned that the reason Labour are ahead in the polls  and are likely to remain so despite recent events  is because people switch off when they hear negative stories about Corbyn, in the same way that Americans ignored Hillary Clintons warnings about Trump. Come the next election, the Conservatives could appear to have cried wolf too many times, with so much time and energy being spent on scare stories about Corbyn.

Yes, he has behaved disgracefully, and its entirely right to point this out. But trashing Corbyn isnt drawing voters to the Conservative Party. It didnt work at the last general election; and it didnt work for Hillary Clinton. Attacking the man  as opposed to his ideas  is not a winning strategy.

People who are considering voting Labour will look around to see what else is on offer. And if all they see from the Conservatives is repeated attack ads, then why would they shift their support?

The Conservative Party has no God-given right to exist nor to remain in government. Justifying its existence will require more than criticisms of the opposition. MPs, activists and supporters should spend their efforts giving people a reason to support a future Conservative government.

Putting aside the question of leadership  which needs to be addressed  the Conservatives need to restore trust with Brexit voters. Its not too late for the Prime Minister to revert to the vision set out in her Lancaster House speech. Voters were told at the last election that only a Conservative Government would deliver a clean break from the EU, restoring decision making powers on laws, borders, money and trade. Delivering this will be crucial, as well as setting out a vision for what to do with Britains new-found independence.

The cost of living should take centre stage in the Conservative Partys vision. Of course Conservatives can boast about creating the conditions for a steadily growing economy and record employment, but these messages are lost on those who are struggling with less disposable income at the end of the month, regardless of how hard they work. Brits are faced with the highest tax burden in 49 years, and those on lower incomes pay the highest proportion of their earnings in tax. Lowering income tax for all earners would make a huge, tangible impact on peoples paychecks, with more money in their pockets to spend on lifes necessities.

Housing is undoubtedly the biggest cost of living for most families in Britain, with families spending three times as much on housing as they were 50 years ago (as a percentage of income). Relaxing planning restrictions and allowing developers to build in areas where there is the most demand for housing  including on the green belt  would radically increase the number of homes being built in this country. Getting more homes built is the only long term solution to Britains housing crisis. Not only would this mean more families could afford to buy their own home, but it could also make renting a home or apartment less expensive.

A focus on delivering the Brexit that people voted for, and addressing the high cost of living and housing, would do more for the Conservative Partys popularity than criticisms of the opposition.
Imagine an arrangement whereby Ministers were specialists: the Health Secretary was a doctor, the Business Secretary a businessman, the Education Secretary a teacher, and so on. At first glance, it looks like an improvement, since the Ministers concerned would know what they were talking about. Second thoughts, however, bring doubts (or should do).

It is a fundamental of improvement that institutions need reform. Look back 25 years or more, and you will see doctors opposed Ken Clarkes NHS reforms, and teachers doing the same to Ken Bakers education changes. Glance at more recent history, and you will note Michael Gove getting the Baker treatment. The danger of specialist Ministers is precisely that, unlike Clarke or Gove, they are not outsiders with a fresh eye. Rather, they are in danger of being captured by the groupthink of their fellows.

Furthermore, specialism only takes one so far, anyway: for example, someone who has risen through the ranks of a big firm is likely to have a different take from someone else who started a business up himself. And what does one do with the specialist Ministers after he has served for a few years in his specialist department? The logic of the system suggests that he must be fired. There is no Ministerial development. Departments become a revolving door which one can enter only by the backbenches.

No, if Ministers arent delivering the reason, more often than not, is that clear direction from the top is absent. Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron were unlike in many ways, but they had a feature of management style in common: namely, they appointed a fair share of effective Cabinet Ministers, and let them get on with it: Nigel Lawson, Michael Heseltine, Clarke, Baker, Gove, Theresa May, Iain Duncan Smith, Jeremy Hunt. None of these were specialists in the departments to which those Prime Ministers sent them.

Which brings us to the case of Rory Stewart. Unusually, even uniquely in modern politics, he is a figure from the world of John Buchans Thursday Club; a kind of latter-day Sandy Arbuthnot: diplomat, author, lecturer and traveller, who helped to run parts of Iraq post-invasion (he served in a compound besieged by Sadrists) and who walked across Afghanistan, where he introduced himself to Taliban fighters as a follower of the Prophet Jesus. In the unlikely event of being entertained by whirling devishes in Istanbul, you will probably find that one of them is Stewart in disguise.

The Prime Ministers January reshuffle went horribly awry, and Stewarts move from the Foreign Office to the Justice Department, which was part of it, raised eyebrows. Why move a foreign affairs and environmental expert to become Minister for Prisons? Actually, Stewart may well turn out to be proof of the anti-specialist principle. What makes a good Minister is hard grind, intelligence, cunning, a willingness to listen, an understanding of how to handle colleagues and the Commons and, above all perhaps, a well thought-through idea of what he wants to do.

Stewart definitely has clear ideas. To his Secretary of State, David Gauke, falls the controversial business of planning for a bigger or smaller prison population, and justifying his choices to voters, or trying to. Gaukes predecessor-but-one, Michael Gove, had big ideas about how to improve prisons: drawing on his experience at schools, he wanted more autonomy for governors; league tables, and the takeover of failing prisons by successful ones. Stewarts room for manoeuvre is limited but his priorities are evident.

My instinct is we need to get back to basics, he told the Justice Select Committee in the wake of his appointment. We need to absolutely insist that we are going to run clean, decent prisons. There have been too many very abstract conversations in the past two years about grand bits of prison policy. He was speaking in the wake of a report on Liverpool prisons which found a disgusting jail full of rats, cockroaches, broken windows and piles of rubbish. He told the committee that he wanted more fixed broken windows and fewer drugs.

There is undoubtedly more where Liverpool came from. The unvarnished truth, whether one likes it or not, is that, for most voters, the old proverb applies: out of sight, out of mind. Education and Health have strength in numbers: there is a mass of parents and patients to lobby for more funds. Defence and, up to a point, policing can rely on public sympathy. Prisoners have very little. So it is today that we have news of what looks like another Liverpool  an emegency takeover at Birmingham jail.

Stewart is the choice of a certain type of fastidious Conservative to be the next Party leader. He would be a kind of anti-Trump, which has its pluses. We are all in favour of a Prime Minister who can quote Thomas Hardy in the chamber during a debate on hedgehogs, or cite Immanuel Kant and the categorical imperatice during a debate on mobile phones. He has his following and is a feature of our Next Tory Leader survey. But a questionmark hovers over whether he is too rarified for the highest office  though, on the other hand, this is (we are told) the age of authenticity.

One sign of his non-conventional status is his recent offer to resign if drug use and violence dont fall within a year in ten prisons. Either Stewart knows something we dont. Or the pledge is another instance of his unconventional approach.

Our insider take is that good Ministers avoid hypothetical questions about potential resignation  and that to do otherwise is, well, quixotic. The voter in the street, by contrast, might well see Stewarts words as a bracing demonstration of personal accountability. What do you think?
Whats included in the fares consumers pay for airline tickets has become a can of worms over the last few years. What presents itself to the consumer as a $100 fare can easily wind up as $140 by the time "additional fees and taxes" are tagged on.

Then, if you want a certain seat, to carry on a bag, or board the plane in the first group, you could easily run that $140 charge up to $200 or more.

Theres no doubt that the ecosystem of running an airline is complex. Theres fuel, regulations, maintenance, ticketing, and layers upon layers of people trying to make customers happy and the planes get from point A to point B.

Theres also picking out the routes that will create the most return on investment (ROI) and making sure the airline has the deal everyone wants.

What airline has the most add-on fees?

In its annual ancillary revenue rankings, the IdeaWorksCompany found the top 10 most expensive carriers based on average fees charged per passenger were as follows:

Spirit: $51 per passenger WOW Air: $49 per passenger Allegiant: $49 per passenger Frontier: $48 per passenger Jet2.com: $43 per passenger Qantas Airways: $43 per passenger United: $39 per passenger AirAsia X: $33 per passenger HK Express: $33 per passenger Wizz Air: $31 per passenger

Scanning that list, you probably noticed that most of those airlines are small, regional, no-frills types.

"Consumers in the US enjoy far lower fares courtesy of the presence of Spirit, Frontier, and Sun Country, Jay Sorensen, President of Product, Partnership and Marketing Practice for IdeaWorksCompany told ConsumerAffairs.

"These low fare airlines rely upon two revenue streams - fares and ancillary revenue. Now to be certain, the latter must be provided using transparent and fair methods. There have certainly been abuses in terms of transparency and fairness by LCCs. But I confess, if you complete the booking process at the Spirit Airlines website and are surprised by bag fees being charged at the airport for large carry-ons well, you are intellectually challenged."

So, ancillary revenue is a good thing?

IdeaWorksCompany further defines ancillary revenue using these categories: 1) a la carte features, 2) commission-based products, 3) frequent flyer activities, 4) miscellaneous sources such as advertising, and 5) the a la carte components associated with a fare or product bundle.

If you take a close look at IdeaWorks report, your eyes might widen when you see that United, Delta, and American all took in more than $5 billion in ancillary revenue last year in the way of a la carte features, commission-based products, and frequent flyer activities.

But, in the long run, that extra revenue stream can be a good thing for the customer.

If an airline can keep its fares competitive and pick up enough money from its side hustles -- baggage fees, seat assignments, and the like -- then its on the consumer to decide how much the perks are worth and if they really need that extra four inches of legroom.

Do the homework

When looking for a fare, think about what you want versus what you need. Is it a free checked bag? If so, then Southwest may be your answer. Need a seat toward the front of the plane? United has a new plan you may want to try out.

"If you can survive with a smaller bag as a carry-on -- you can save that expense," said Sorensen. "Ditto for seat assignments. Consumers are usually best served by applying for the carrier's co-branded credit card and relying on the customary offer of a free checked bag."

Is the government on the consumers side?

Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called on Congress in 2017 to pass legislation to ground exorbitant airline fees in light of a newly-released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report confirming that many airlines do not consider the costs of the services provided when pricing their airline fees.

"This report confirms what countless passengers across the country already know to be true  that airlines are nickel and diming captive passengers to line their pockets, not to cover the costs of the services provided," said Senator Markey.

"GAOs findings show that many airlines are actually emboldened to increase their fees to match their competitors and actively seek to deceive passengers by offering artificially low fares and then charging exorbitant fees on the back end. Its time to put a stop to this fee gouging and restore sanity to the skies. Its time to pass the FAIR Fees Act."

Unless Markey and Blumenthal can get their bill all the way through and signed, theres not much hope. While the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration take their jobs seriously in protecting the safety of fliers, those agencies have decided to stay out of the ring when it comes to things like ticket prices and baggage fees.

Before the Obama administration left office, it proposed a requirement that airlines list their baggage fees at the start of the booking process, a measure intended to make shopping for tickets easier and more transparent for consumers. However, when Donald Trump moved into the Oval Office, he scrapped that proposal.
Could maple leaves become the next Botoxa? Researchers at the University of Rhode Island think so, which they explain in a study presented at the American Chemical Society's (ACS) latest meeting and expo, held Aug. 19-23, 2018, in Boston.

Skin elasticity is maintained by proteins such as elastin; however, when the elastase breaks this protein down, wrinkles can form. As such, Hang Ma, Ph.D., a research associate in the lab of Navindra P. Seeram, Ph.D., the lead investigator, explained, We wanted to see whether leaf extracts from red maple trees could block the activity of elastase.

Phenolic Feats

According to an ACS press release, phenolic compounds in maple leaves known as glucitol-core-containing gallotannins (GCGs) were specifically explored in vitro and found to inhibit elastase. Computational studies also examined how their structures interact with elastase to block its activity.

GCGs containing multiple galloyl phenolic groups, in particular, were more effective than those with only a single galloyl group. In prior work, Seerams group also showed these same GCGs might protect against skin inflammation and lighten dark spots.

Seeram and Ma plan to test these compounds further. You could imagine that these extracts might tighten up human skin like a plant-based Botoxa, though they would be a topical application, not an injected toxin, said Seeram.

Raking in the Benefits

Based on these findings, the researchers have developed a patent-pending formulation containing GCGs from summer and fall maple leaves and maple sap, which they named "Maplifa" to reflect its origin. They licensed it to botanical extracts supplier Verdure Sciences, based in Indiana, USA.

According to the research team, the supply chain for maple leaf extract would not only benefit the North American economy, as maple trees are indigenous to the region, but also produce a natural active from a renewable source since leaves could be collected during normal pruning or as they fall in the autumn.

Similarly, as previously reported, cosmetic ingredient supplier IFF/Lucas Meyer began distributing a line of extracts derived from or incorporating red maple for anti-aging and anti-wrinkle benefits. Produced by the company Bio Forextra, the line includes Borealine Expert (INCI: Glycerin (and) Acer Rubrum (Red Maple) Extract), which is rich in polyphenols; along with Borealine Hydra (INCI: Glycerin (and) Picea Mariana Bark Extract (and) Acer Rubrum (Red Maple) Bark Extract (and) Betula Alleghaniensis Bark Extract (and) Pinus Bank Banksiana Bark Extract), which has shown lasting hydration via aquaporin-3 gene expression.

Branching Off

According to Seeram, history is what suggested the maple leaf might hold active potential: "Native Americans used leaves from red maple trees in their traditional system of medicine."

Knowing how quickly the industry has tapped into and marketed traditional Chinese medicine and Indian herbs for skin care remedies, it could only be a matter of time before a new category of folk remedies branches off; perhaps Traditional American Medicine (TAM)?

a Botox is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure aimed at ensuring the implementation of proper health and safety standards in workplaces around the country.

The Republic Act No. 11058 or "An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards" (OSHS) also imposes penalties on employers that do not to follow the health and safety standards set by the Philippine labor code and international guidelines.

The new policy requires employers or contractors to:

- furnish a work place free free from hazards

- provide complete job safety instructions or orientation

- inform workers about the hazards associated with their work

- use only approved devices and equipment

- provide workers with free protective equipment like safety belt or harness, gas or dust respirators

The measure gives workers the right to refuse to work if hazardous situations occur in their workplace.

It also directs employers to form an "Occupational Safety and Health Committee" with the task of assuring that the safety and health program is implemented properly. The committee shall be led by a worker and composed of a safety officer, medical personnel and union representatives.

Under the law, the Labor Department can conduct an inspection on a workplace to check whether the standards are applied.

Employers who will fail to comply with the policy will be fined up to 100,000 per day until the violation is corrected.

Senator Joel Villanueva, who heads the senate committee on labor, employment, and human resources development, welcomed the enactment of the measure, saying it is "a resounding victory to all our workers."

"The OSHS law will prevent workplace injuries or deaths, work-related disorders such as muscoloskeletal disorders and occupational lung diseases, and ensure that workplace health and safety is everyone's responsibility," Villanueva said.
*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on Engadget.

Under new legislation, French students will be prohibited from using smartphones and tablets while at school. The law, which was originally noted in President Emmanuel Macron's election campaign, was elevated to a matter of public health amidst concerns French youth has become super-connected.

France endorsed a blanket ban on smartphone usage for drivers (even those who move to the side of the road) earlier this year, so more action in school settings is not unexpected.

Agence France-Pressereports that a softer ban -- which prevented smartphone usage during class hours -- has already been in practice since 2010. The latest prohibition will completely forbid phone use between classes and even during meal times, although schools have been given the option to make 'pedagogical' exceptions.

Those opposed to the ban previously cited the logistical problems of storing phones, and suggested signal jamming as a possible alternative. But experts fear excessive mobile phone use and the allure of the internet may be fuelling cyber-addiction, sleep disruption and bullying. Speaking with LCI News, France's Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer argued mobile phones might be a "technological advance," but they should not "monopolize our lives."

Today, approximately 90 percent of children in France aged between 12 and 17 have access to a smartphone. Blanquer says the ban "sends a message to French society," but it could be a while before similar measures are adopted in the US. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten points out that cellphones are "an essential safety and security tool" that can provide reassurance to parents during emergencies.

Source: Engadget

https://www.engadget.com/2018/08/01/france-bans-smartphones-schools/
The Azores could see a milestone 2018 if everything goes to plan, with 180,000 cruise passengers, smashing the previous record set in 2015 of 141,000 passengers.

Cruise calls are mainly concentrated in Ponta Delgada, according to Andre Velho Cabral, cruise manager. There are also smaller ports for expedition and niche ships, such as Horta and Praia da Vitoria, in addition to seven other call opportunities.

For 2018, Ponta Delgada is expecting around 80 calls and 124,000 passengers, while Praia da Virtoria is scheduled for 27 calls and 30,000 passengers and Horta has 29 calls and 23,000 guests expected.

At this time 2019 is very much like 2018 and 2017, said Cabral. Were aiming for 145 calls and 175,000 passengers but some further calls are expected from expedition operators.

Maiden calls on the books include the Nieuw Statendam, Celebrity Edge, Roald Amundsen and Hanseatic Nature.

This archipelago has nine islands, all different from the others with many different things to do. Were nature-based destination  our credo is like were powered by nature, Cabral added. Our most popular shore excursions mainly focus on nature-based trips.

As ships get bigger, port and local officials in Ponta Delgada are working hard to ensure a quality experience with multiple vessels in port.

In five years, Cabral has his eyes on 200 calls a year and 250,000 guests, with regular summer cruise business.

With more than 100 newbuilds coming on the next years, one of our goals for 2023 is to bring more North American residents to the Azores, he said. With direct four-hour flights from Boston, New York and Toronto to Ponta Delgada, the Azores will be a perfect spot to start a cruise.
To protect corporate networks against malware, data exfiltration and other threats, security departments have systems in place to monitor email traffic, URLs and employee behaviors. With artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, this data can also be used to make predictions. Is an employee planning to steal data? To defraud the company? To engage in insider trading? To sexually harass another employee?

As AI gets better, companies will need to make ethical decisions about how they use this new ability to monitor employees, particularly around what behaviors to watch out for and what interventions are appropriate. Information security teams will be on the front lines.

In fact, some types of predictions about employee behaviors are already possible. "The reality is that it's really easy to determine if someone is going to leave their job before they announce it," says one top information security professional at a Fortune 500 company, who did not want to be named. "I started doing it ten years ago, and it's actually highly reliable."

For example, an employee about to leave the company will send more emails with attachments to their personal address than usual, he says. This is important for security teams to keep an eye on, since departing employees might want to take sensitive information with them when they go, and they will try to download everything early, before they tell their managers about their plans.

This is a valid security concern, and employees are notified ahead of time that the company monitors their work emails. "Most of the time, if we know the person is leaving, we put them on a high-risk list of users that have additional controls in place," he says.

He wouldn't tell the employee's manager that the employee was planning to go, he added. "We've never done that and I don't see a situation where we would do that," he says. "And we've had dozens of those situations."
Rigorous regulations like GDPR and Californias Consumer Privacy Act will only become more prevalent, as long as our current cybersecurity landscape continues to suffer the near-crippling data breach affliction. Attackers seem to be one step ahead of defenders, constantly changing their attack vectors as new technologies become available, such as artificial intelligence and automated bots. But is coming up with new laws protecting or hindering our progress?

Regulatory compliance over cybersecurity

As witnessed overseas, many companies are struggling to stay compliant with standards like GDPR, and are more focused on meeting the minimum requirement rather than proper security policies, which hackers can easily find weaknesses in. The result of regulatory requirements is that they become outdated fairly quickly in the cyber world. Whats worse, regulation outlines that are made publicly available essentially provide hackers a roadmap to breaking through defenses. By the time governing bodies overseeing these standards implement measures to fix these vulnerabilities, it already too late. Businesses are exhausting time, manpower and capital on regulatory compliance that is inherently vulnerable, rather than fool-proof defenses that will protect all stakeholders.

Cyber threats in highly-regulated environments

Highly-regulated industries like energy and utilities face many security and compliance challenges, from protecting consumers payment card data, to complying with internal audit and disclosure requirements under Sarbanes-Oxley. Service providersmany of which have small budgets for cybersecurityunder the authoritative eye of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) must also adhere to the cybersecurity standards set by its certified Electric Reliability Operator (ERO), the North American Electric Reliability Corporation ( NERC ) . These standards call for continuous monitoring of any and all digital access to critical infrastructure, along with detailed reporting that can be produced any time of daywhich requires hours of manual input.

In this struggle to comply with multiple regulations at once, hundreds of U.S. utility companies failed to prevent a Russian-backed campaign in which hackers were able to access control rooms, with many victims still unaware that they were attacked. Despite several warnings, the DHS claims that hackers sent spear-phishing emails to trick vendors and suppliers into giving up their passwords, compromising their network security. From there, the hackers were easily able to steal confidential details, including the type of equipment in use and how its controlled, how the utility networks are configured and how the facilities work, so they can carry out larger-scale attacks down the road posing as trusted employees. Armed with this information, it is a real possibility that they will be able to access our power grids and throw switches, causing blackouts in localized areas. Though that does not sound as harmful as a nationwide power outage, the effects could still be damaging to hospitals, banks and more. It is also expected that these hackers will automate their attacks, if they have not already, in order to scale.

Addressing the issue at scale

In an environment like the utilities space, how can we address the problem from a regulatory complianceand overall cybersecurityperspective? With multiple regulations to stay in line with, its a difficult task for energy providers to keep up, especially those with limited funds to allocate to better cyber protection. To add to the issue, when hackers do automate their attacks on the grid, it will be near-impossible for businesses to combat manually.

Until utility commissions can implement proper cybersecurity standards, providers must work to implement security measures themselves, to protect their systems and their assets. To do so, businesses must look into methods that will be able to decipher true users from cybercriminals while also solving the manpower and cost issues. What many may not be aware of is that the technologies equipped to do so already exist.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be trained to understand and digest large amounts of information, like multiple regulatory mandates, much faster than human counterparts. Firms and regulators can easily use this technology to also help them understand the massive volumes of data, including changes, updates and client documents using systems like intelligent tagging, grouping and de-duplication. This also frees up time for utility company employees, as those staff members can focus on other areas of the business that need attention. Solutions specifically geared for the stringent cybersecurity requirements in the energy and utilities industry, like that from WizNucleus, exist that deliver continuous monitoring, cybersecurity assessment, configuration management and policy automation and compliance.

Combined with technologies like blockchain, AI can quickly share that data across traditional silos through blockchains decentralized structure. Siloing of information in different systems and reliance on legacy IT systems can be problematic for businesses and regulators alike, as they will often be forced to use manual processes or even paper forms to manage data. But with blockchain, all actions are documented in one shared, secure, permanent location (on its distributed ledger), which would alleviate the pressure for regulators and firms to keep their own sets of records, as well as save money, and improve the speed and accuracy of the regulatory review process.

AI-powered behavioral analytics is another solution to address this problem. AI and machine learning algorithms can be used to build behavioral models for every employee, based on their mannerisms, from the way walk, talk, tap, type and swipe, down to the hand they prefer to hold their device in. These models continuously adapt to the users behavior, comparing against any deviation in normal activity and immediately flagging possible threats. AI can also work at high rates that it can also detect any changes in operation and automated attacks in real-time, before they become an issue.

Until better standards are set in place, businesses from all spaceswhether in the energy sector or another industrymust take the reins and harness the latest technology to ensure both regulatory and security compliance, at scale. If not, we can only expect to see more cybersecurity threats and attacks on our critical infrastructure.
BRIDGEPORT - Ruing that gang violence, once the purview of late nights in the city, has made it dangerous for citizens to walk city streets during the day, a judge sentenced a gangland hit man to 53 years in prison.

Superior Court Judge Robin Pavia said on Friday the only thing staying her from imposing the maximum term of 60 years on 20-year-old Deonte Tomlinson is his young age.

Tomlinson, who stood smirking while the judge spoke, said he had nothing to say.

Tomlinson, a member of the 150 gang, was found guilty last month of murder and carrying a pistol without a permit for the May 2016 fatal shooting of Kahlil Kah Diaz, 18, a leader of the Green Hollow Boyz who had only recently been acquitted of killing a rival gang member. Diaz was gunned down on a downtown street in the middle of the afternoon.

Senior Assistant States Attorney Colleen Zingaro urged the judge to send a message with her sentence that a crime that threatens the lives of the citys residents will not be tolerated.

Diaz, a student at Harding High School, was found not guilty Feb. 5, 2016 in connection with the Aug. 10, 2014, fatal shooting of 21-year-old Ryan Hernandez, a member of the 150s on a downtown street. Sources said Tomlinson was at the courthouse when Diaz was acquitted.

Three months later Diaz was getting into a silver Audi sedan parked on Madison Avenue when police said Tomlinson ran up to the car and shot Diaz three times.

Three police detectives were in the area at the time and ran to the scene to see the shooter run off, according to trial testimony. They pursued the suspect down a nearby driveway, catching Tomlinson less than 50 feet from the murder scene. Along the pursuit route the detectives recovered the discarded sweatshirt and knitted hat they said the shooter had been wearing along with the murder weapon.

DNA recovered from the hat was consistent with Tomlinsons DNA.

Tomlinson did not testify at trial.

Diazs death added fuel to the fire between the two rival gangs and police said led to numerous retaliatory shootings in the city. It also raised Diazs profile in the Green Hollow Boyz and was used to inspire younger gang members. The gang renamed their turf Kahland in honor of Diaz and swore to Kah rather than God, according to city gang task force members.
BRIDGEPORT  State and local NAACP leaders want the Chief States Attorney to investigate recently retired Police Captain Mark Straubel for alleged hate crimes.

Youre talking about starting race wars, said Scot Esdaile, president of the Connecticut NAACP, referring to one of several text messages Straubel, who was a key aide to Police Chief Armando Perez, was accused of sending.

Perez placed Straubel on paid administrative leave in July after Ken Kubel, a retired Bridgeport police sergeant who now works for the Stratford cops, filed a complaint about Straubel in June with Bridgeports Internal Affairs office.

Straubel, who is white, in some of the texts obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, allegedly stated that he hates African-Americans, that they are a cancer and that he hoped for a race war.

One text read: I asked (an African-American officer) if he had seen (the film) Planet of the Apes. He said yes. I asked him if it made him homesick.

In still another text, Straubel allegedly complained about having to March in an unnamed parade that he claimed involved mostly black people, and used a racist term to describe the event.

I am appalled by the allegations regarding disparaging remarks against African-Americans that were made by a senior aide in the Bridgeport Police Department, Mayor Joe Ganim said Monday. These or any comments or statements that create any impression of discrimination or divisiveness cannot and will not be tolerated.

My administration, and the community, were more than patient as this matter was being handled with a formal investigation by the Office of Internal Affairs. This investigation concluded with the permanent resignation of Captain Straubel on Aug. 14. Any further action that is allowable by law will be taken in this matter.

Lastly, again, these type of comments or behavior will not tolerated by anyone in the police department or the administration, Ganim said.

Straubel retired Aug. 13 with the internal probe still pending  a move Esdaile and Bridgeport NAACP President George Mintz said they feared would quietly put an end to the investigation.

Thats what weve been dealing with all across the country  rogue police officers retiring and not being held accountable for their actions, Esdaile told Hearst on Monday.

So he and Mintz and Tamara Lanier, who is in charge of criminal justice matters for the Connecticut NAACP, late last week wrote a letter to Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane urging his office to take up the Straubel case under state hate crime statutes.

They also suggested that Kane look into whether Perez dragged his heals in placing Straubel on leave.

Even if you try to run and get your pension and retire, that doesnt exempt you from these (hate crime) laws on the books, Esdaile said.

City officials Monday did not immediately answer a request from Hearst about whether the Internal Affairs case into Straubel ended with the captains departure from the police department.

A spokesman for Kane confirmed his office had received the NAACP letter and will respond.

Straubel has been a member of Bridgeports Finest for more than 20 years and was promoted to captain in 2016. He has been a right-hand man to Perez and often joined the chief at meetings with various officials and community leaders.

The Straubel controversy comes as Perez competes for a five-year contract in a national police chief search for Bridgeports top cop position.

What should be of interest is the relationship the chief had with Mark Straubel, said Mintz. If that has any bearing on the search  maybe it does, maybe it doesnt.
Contributed photo

SOUTHBURY  A Southbury man was scheduled to appear in court Monday after he was accused of shooting a gun at his home.

His wife had called 911 around 4 p.m. Saturday after she said 27-year-old William Sorell fired a gun while at their Bagley Road house, according to state police. Southbury and state police took several firearms from the house.
It's the three words students of all ages dread this time of year back to school. So as students return to the classroom for lessons in reading, writing, and arithmetic, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) studied numbers of their own regarding back-to-school season.

According to the NCES, over 76 million students attended some form of school (from nursery school to college) during the 2017-18 school year. That figure represented roughly 23 percent of the total population of the United States as of September 1, 2017 (326 million).
TAMPA, Fla. - Florida Gov. Rick Scott steals time every day as he campaigns for the Senate to practice a skill his old friend President Donald Trump once dismissed as a bad Republican habit - speaking in Spanish.

"Mi practica en espanol todos los dias es muy importante para mi," he said proudly in early August, as he took a few minutes to talk in the backroom of Casa Cuba, a club for anti-Castro expatriates, where he had just delivered a bilingual statement on Latin American policy.

Back in 2015, Trump frowned upon this sort of politicking, telling voters that "this is a country where we speak English, not Spanish."

Since then, the president has transformed Republican politics on immigration, recasting those without papers as an existential threat bringing terrorism and crime, seeking reductions in the legal immigration flow and warning that the foreign-born are "changing the culture" for the worse.

But Trump has not objected this year as Republicans like Scott in tight races with large Latino voting blocks carefully try to distance themselves from his nativist rhetoric and polarizing tactics. Unlike Trump's 2016 electoral college map, which depended heavily on working-class whites in the Midwest, the midterm elections will run through many parts of the country where Hispanics make up double-digit shares of the voting electorate.

As Trump continues to hammer the threat of criminal undocumented immigrants, calling them "animals" who seek to "infest" the country, with support from some in Congress, Republicans are playing to win these more diverse parts of the country as well.

"In three of the most competitive U.S. Senate races in the country, the only way the Democrat wins is with the Latino vote," says Cristobal Alex, the president of Latino Victory Project, a liberal group supporting Democratic candidates. "The other side understands this and is spending millions of dollars to confuse Latino voters and to run away from Donald Trump."

In addition to Senate races in Florida, Arizona and Nevada, 10 Republican House seats at risk in November fall in districts where more than 1 in 5 eligible voters are Latino, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Like Scott, Republican candidates in those districts have charted their own course, often with the help of the national Republican Party and supportive outside groups.

The result has been a remarkable bifurcation between the continued rhetoric of the Trump administration and local messaging of some Republican campaigns. It has also lead to confusion about the policy focus of the party. At a recent rally in Tampa, for instance, Trump told the crowd that "we have to make sure that Rick Scott wins," even though Scott says he supports a stand-alone bill opposed by the president to give a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as minors.

The printed materials in Spanish for the Orange County GOP in Orlando tell voters that "immigration reform" - "reforma migratoria" - is a core "value of the Republican Party," terminology often used to describe giving some legal status for undocumented immigrants and a generous flow of legal migrants in the future. At the same time, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has warned that the country is approaching "the largest percentage of nonnative born population in our nation's history."

Republicans who have opposed Trump's nativist shift remain concerned about the general drift of the party.

"It's encouraging that candidates and elected officials that are running for reelection don't disrespect large swaths of their population to win an election," said Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor who is supporting Scott and Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., in the midterms. "But not long ago that would have been a given."

In Florida, the efforts have had an impact, especially among the Puerto Rican community that felt neglected by the Trump administration after Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2017, knocking out power and killing many. A June survey by Florida International University found that more than 7 in 10 Puerto Ricans in Florida had a negative view of Trump, but 55 percent of the same group had a positive view of Scott, who had a higher approval rating than his opponent, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

A more recent head-to-head poll by several Democratic-leaning groups found Scott and Nelson locked in a statistical tie, with 46 percent approval for Scott among Florida Latinos, compared with 34 percent approval for Nelson. Notably, Scott was leading among Puerto Rican men and those without a college degree.

"They think that Trump was disrespectful of them," said Eduardo Gamarra, a political-science professor who conducted the poll of the Puerto Rican community in Florida. "Scott, despite his close relationship with the president, is a man who has gone to Puerto Rico seven times. He could appear as somebody who is responding directly to their needs."

Scott has also benefited from extensive outreach efforts by Republicans in Florida, including workshops for newly arriving Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens and can register to vote in Florida after the move, about how to navigate the basics of living in the state. Similar efforts are being made among Latinos in Nevada.

Organizers on the ground admit that the political environment sometimes makes persuading Latinos difficult.

"It was very emotional," says Gary Berrios, the party's director of Puerto Rican engagement in Florida, when asked about the Trump administration's former "zero tolerance" policy that led to the separation of thousands of parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border this summer. But he said his team often tries to direct the discussion away from immigration policies.

"For Puerto Ricans, the important issues are a job, education and housing their families," he said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which typically backs Republican candidates, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads to praise Republicans in two districts where more than 50 percent of eligible voters are Latino: Rep. Will Hurd of Texas and Curbelo. Both spots praised the lawmakers for supporting the stand-alone bill to provide a path to legal status for younger undocumented immigrants.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, the main outside group supporting GOP House campaigns, has tailored its own messaging for different parts of the country. In a recent special election in Pennsylvania, the group attacked Democratic Rep. Conor Lamb for wanting to "give amnesty to illegals." Meanwhile, a partner organization, the American Action Network, has funded Spanish language outreach efforts for Hurd, Curbelo and Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif.

The congressmen were each vocal opponents of the child separation policy. (Scott has called the episode "horrible," without directly criticizing Trump.)

"This is a tough environment for Republicans," said Corry Bliss, the executive director of the Congressional Leadership Fund. "The difference between those who get reelected and those who don't are those who give their constituents a reason to vote for them."

In other competitive open House seats, the party has successfully recruited Latino leaders to run for office. In Arizona, Lea Marquez-Peterson, who heads the area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is favored to win the GOP's nomination this month in a Tucson seat where 22 percent of voters are Latino.

"I don't use illegal as a noun," she said of her approach to immigration, which includes support for a new wall in some parts of the border and an eventual path to legal status for those in the country without authorization.

Some Democrats have begun to sound alarms about the Republican efforts, as polls suggest Latino voters may not turn out in the numbers or with the margins that Democrats had hoped.

Many strategists think the problem will be solved by simply tying Republicans to Trump in campaign ads this fall, much like Rep. Jacky Rosen, the Democratic candidate, has been doing in the Senate race in Nevada by running a new Spanish-language ad that casts Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Trump as "compas," or buddies.

But focus groups and polling by the Senate Majority PAC, the largest ad buyer for Democratic Senate campaigns, have found that while Trump is widely disliked among Latinos, anti-Trump messaging is not always the best way to get them to the polls. Kitchen table issues like jobs, health care and education continue to resonate for a community that often sees itself as detached from the national political debate.

"It's not all as cut and dry as liberals think it is, especially D.C. liberals," said J.B. Poersch, president of the group.

A recent national poll for several Democratic-leaning groups found 36 percent of Latinos said fighting back against racism was the most important reason to vote. But the same survey found only 53 percent of Latino voters said they were certain they would cast a ballot in November.

"You want a commitment much higher at this point," said Matt Barreto of Latino Decisions, which conducted the poll. "The Democratic candidates have this huge opportunity, but they actually have to make the connection in the community."

Making the connection is what Scott has been trying to do in Florida.

While Nelson has yet to spend on television ads, Scott has been blanketing Spanish-language broadcasters with spots boasting of his attention to the Latino community and documenting heavily-accented attempts at speaking Spanish.

He has started saying he will represent both Florida and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico if elected to the Senate, and has highlighted the efforts his administration undertook after the 2017 hurricane to make it easier for Puerto Ricans to relocate to Florida.

In an interview, Scott said he doesn't spend time thinking about distinguishing himself from Trump, a longtime ally he supported in 2016 by chairing a $22.6 million pro-Trump super PAC. But his actions suggest a careful calculation by his campaign.

Scott introduced Trump at an Orlando rally in December 2016, where the president-elect congratulated his supporters for being "nasty and mean and vicious." But when Trump held a similar rally in Tampa in July, Scott did not attend.

"We are a state of immigration," he said back at Casa Cuba, after slipping back into English. "Just go around, look around at all the languages spoken here."

Asked whether Republicans should be a party that welcomes immigrants, Scott answered quickly: "Yeah, I like people. I want people to move here."
Last December, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, held a news conference highlighting what she described as proof of Iran's role in supplying illicit weapons to Yemen's Houthi rebels. A ballistic missile fired at Riyadh by the Houthis the month before - a failed attempt to hit a major airport there - apparently carried components manufactured by an Iranian firm.

This, Haley argued, was "devastating evidence" of Iranian perfidy. Others diplomats weren't so sure. They suggested the American envoy was overstating the conclusions drawn by U.N. investigators - and possibly seeking to divert attention away from the Trump administration's controversial moves elsewhere in the Middle East.

It's worth considering Haley's adamant stance in light of what has happened since. The failed Houthi missile strike caused no casualties, but it prompted Saudi Arabia and its Persian Gulf allies to tighten their blockade on Yemen and intensify the war against the Houthis. Since then, the country's epochal humanitarian crisis has only worsened, and airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition have killed dozens of civilians.

The most glaring incident happened less than two weeks ago, when a missile struck a bus in northern Yemen. According to local health officials, 54 people were killed, 44 of whom were children traveling on a rare school outing.

The BBC's Orla Guerin, reporting from the scene days later, described the agony of parents finding their dead children among piles of corpses; she spoke to young boys helping dig small graves for their classmates. Meanwhile, Saudi officials said the bus was a "legitimate military target," pointing to allegations that the Houthis are training child soldiers.

The United States, as we've detailed in the past, has abetted the Saudi-led war in Yemen, helping refuel aircraft and supplying intelligence and munitions to the coalition. But while Trump administration officials leap to conclusions about the Iranian hand in Yemen's ruinous war, they are far more coy about their own.

When pressed about the American role in the deadly strike, a senior U.S. official expressed apathy.

"Well, what difference does that make?" the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said to reporters in Cairo. "We are providing the refueling and support to Saudi aircraft. We are also selling them munitions. . . . We are not denying that."

Over the weekend, CNN concluded that it was an American bomb - manufactured by Lockheed Martin, an influential defense contractor - that sent dozens of Yemeni children to their deaths. The report cited munition experts and shrapnel evidence from the scene of the strike.

While the Trump administration may wave away its actions in Yemen, there's a growing uproar in Washington about the horrors of the war. Haley's performance last year did not silence critics, who are unconvinced by Trump's arguments about checking Iranian influence.

"Whenever the United States intervenes in the Middle East, or supports others' interventions, it creates the chaotic conditions that amplify Iran's malign influence," wrote Micah Zenko of the Council on Foreign Relations. "Moreover, it is preposterous that backing a horrific and indiscriminate bombing campaign, which primarily targets Iranian-supported Houthi forces, will compel any change in Iran's behavior outside of its territory."

And while the Saudis and their U.S. allies "have a point" when it comes to pinning the blame on the Houthis, argued Frank Giustra and Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group, it's not a strong one.

"The Houthis have interfered with aid delivery and killed civilians," they wrote in the Globe and Mail. "But the Saudi-led coalition is by far the strongest combatant and its Western allies are the most influential powers involved. Together, they are the ones that can now do the most to end the horrors befalling Yemeni civilians."

As my colleague Missy Ryan reported, lawmakers in Congress are citing the catalog of civilian casualties as grounds to establish greater oversight over the war.

"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," Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., wrote in a letter to the Pentagon's inspector general. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sought clarification from Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command, over how the U.S. military helps support and oversee Saudi and Emirati bombing missions in Yemen.

"The ongoing military escalation threatens millions of civilians, and hundreds of thousands are at risk of starvation," Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., said in a statement to The Washington Post. "The United States must have a cohesive strategy to address the situation."

The violence in Yemen - and the mounting evidence of American complicity in atrocities - is fueling a broader conversation about the White House's ability to wage war. The Trump administration is following the Obama administration's tacit support of the Saudi-led campaign, but has likely emboldened Riyadh with its vehement grandstanding over Iran and the Houthis.

Elsewhere, President Donald Trump has also prioritized strength of arms over diplomacy. In Syria, Trump celebrated his military's ruthless bombing campaign against the Islamic State, which helped drive out the militants from the city of Raqqa. But now, after laying waste to the city, Trump wants to cut the U.S. funds set aside to help its recovery and reconstruction - a paltry $230 million compared to the $716 billion defense spending bill Trump signed last week.

Trump tweeted "The United States has ended the ridiculous 230 Million Dollar yearly development payment to Syria. Saudi Arabia and other rich countries in the Middle East will start making payments instead of the U.S. I want to develop the U.S., our military and countries that help us!"

Trump insists that U.S. allies, including the Saudis, can foot the bill to clean up the mess in Syria. But critics say the White House needs to get tough on its friends in the Gulf rather than simply eyeing their purse strings.

"The U.S. allies will accept a peace process only if it is clear that they will not have Washington's support for more war," The Washington Post wrote in an editorial. "Because President Trump remains in thrall to the Saudi princes, it's fortunate that Congress has applied some pressure."

The editorial concluded: "It is long past time to end U.S. support for this misbegotten and unwinnable war."
https://www.aish.com/jw/id/Male-Bonding-in-Israel.html

90 Jewish men from around the world who made their way through Israel on a personal journey for meaning and significance.

I just returned from a nine-day JWRP trip to Israel with a group of 90 Jewish, mostly middle-aged, mostly married men from around the world. Hailing from Canada, U.S., South Africa and Australia, we ate and drank our way through Israel on a personal journey for meaning and significance.

Dubbed How to be great as a man we were treated to riveting motivational speakers, great food and better wine when we werent climbing the Judean Hills, hiking around the Sea of Galilee, or swimming in the Dead Sea, Our trip leader, Saul Blinkoff, a successful Disney animator and director, would regale us with stories of his own long climb to success and how he found purpose and meaning in his life. Think of him as a Jewish Tony Robbins, without walking across the hot coals. After all, as a people we had suffered enough and didnt need to be reminded.

There was the young convert, raised Catholic, who found out his grandparents were Auschwitz survivors for whom never again meant never Jewish again.

Israel was the back story, Jerusalem the colour commentary  the real story was the bonds that were forged amongst the guys, all of whom came on the trip for deeply personal reasons. There was the young convert, a gentle school teacher from Toronto, raised Catholic, who found out his grandparents were Auschwitz survivors, for whom never again meant never Jewish again.

The author, left, with Toby Berkel

Raised Christian by his equally unsuspecting mother, he found out his true heritage on a trip to Czechoslovakia, where his Moravian Jewish roots were uncovered. He was on the trip to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. As was the New Jersey wise guy Hedge Fund Manager, as street smart as a rapper, whose rabbi prevented him from chanting his Bar Mitzvah prayers as a 13-year-old because he was dyslexic and couldnt learn the Hebrew. Forty years later, he stood on a mountain top synagogue at Masada and cried out his prayers, surrounded by his brothers in fellowship and love.

Let me tell you about the young management consultant, who over beers one Jerusalem night, told me his wife sent him on this trip as a tribute to their Israeli-born fertility doctor who made it possible for them to finally have children, after six years of trying and four miscarriages, the last one a bloody stillbirth in his arms. He says he still has nightmares.

Or the heavyset Californian IT recruiter with the 1000-watt smile and the saddest eyes on the trip, whose messy divorce was being broadcast on social media by his vengeful wife. We were able to mollify his pain and suffering with copious amounts of libations, notably McCallans 18. One of the lost Jewish Tribes must have been Scot for sure.

We were a motley crew, vacationers and victims, seekers and cynics, religious and secular, believers and not. Yet, we forged bonds of friendship that I can imagine occurs only during intense moments of decision and resolve. Sort of like enlisting. Doesnt matter why you signed up. You are here and I have to put up with you. So I better find a way to like you. Cause your snoring is keeping me awake. But you are such a nice guy that I havent got the heart to tell you.

Jack Muskat

It was that kind of trip. Guys sharing without mushiness or smarm. Drinking without getting drunk. Hardly sleeping but never tired. Pain mixed with laughter. Lots of laughter. Guys have a kind of unspoken understanding. We are like dogs, sniffing and appraising, comparing and discerning. It was a bit like high school or summer camp, where you try to find out where you stand in the pecking order without looking like you are trying too hard, trying to act cool, remembering your first cigarette or drink. But unlike high school, we were hardened by life, scarred in some places, and the teenage cant and hypocrisy just wouldnt cut it with this crowd.

We were all one, nerds and cool guys, millionaire entrepreneurs and modest Hebrew school teachers.

We were all one, nerds and cool guys, millionaire entrepreneurs and modest Hebrew school teachers, brassy Americans, in your face South Africans, surfing Australians, and the ever-polite Canadians who got along with everybody, except the Saudis. In nine days of close-quarters contact, not one person was asked what he did for a living. We talked instead of what does it mean to be a man, are we good husbands, fathers, grandfathers, why are we on the trip, what do we think of Kentucky bourbon versus Irish Whisky, where to eat, and who had the falafel and shawarma combo.

The author at Ben Gurion Airport

What we learned is that there is no past, no future, only the present. The NOW. And each of us has the power to make a difference, NOW. We have been given free will to make the choice now. And to make mistakes. We came away with the understanding that we are part of a big mystery, a cosmic puzzle, for which the Jewish people have been living for 4000 years and who have been most recently telling their stories in sitcoms and movies, entertaining us with their wisdom, which is universal but not particular to them. What is Seinfeld, except a show about nothing. Which is about everything. Us.

And theres the rub. This was a Jewish guys trip. But it was not just about Jews or guys. It was about all of us who struggle to make sense of it all, who revel in the music of life between the dark chapters that plague us from time to time. I think Jordan Petersons message that Life is suffering is a bit austere. Just visit a Tel Aviv beach and you will be reminded of the bad pun, Life is a Beach.

For a brief nine days I got a glimpse into the beyond. I tore back the curtain of the Truman Show and blinded by the light, met my Maker, saw my reflection, and wept tears of gratitude to be alive for that moment.

Dr. Jack Muskat is a Toronto Psychologist and writer. He has visited Israel dozens of times over the last thirty years but says this is the first time he has really seen it.
CoastHills Credit Union said Thursday it has picked a new chief executive from within its ranks five months after firing its CEO.

CoastHills ($1.1 billion in assets, 67,443 members) chose Paul Cook as president/CEO of the credit union based in Lompoc, on the Pacific Coast about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The board of CoastHills fired Jeff York as president/CEO March 16 after an internal investigation into alleged inappropriate management behavior. Dal Widick, who had retired from the credit union in 2015 as a senior vice president, then agreed to return as interim CEO.
The Senate remains in Washington this week as the House continues August recess. Continuing its award-winning advocacy efforts with lawmakers and regulators, NAFCU on Thursday will meet with Tom Pahl, policy associate director for research, markets and regulations at the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (previously the CFPB). Also that day, NAFCU staff will attend a joint trades meeting on housing finance reform.

NAFCU also continues its outreach to lawmakers  both in Washington and those in their home districts  on credit union issues such as regulatory relief and data security and encourages credit unions to do the same. The association continues to build its top-notch speaker list for the upcoming Congressional Caucus  Sept. 11-14.

On Thursday, the Senate Banking Committee is expected to vote on the nomination of Kathy Kraninger to lead the bureau. During her nomination hearing before the committee last month, Kraninger said that rulemakings by the bureau should be tailored to reduce the burden of compliance, particularly on consumers and smaller marketplace participants.

The committee is expected to clear her to serve in this capacity, which would move her nomination to the full Senate for a final vote.
STORY LINK Limited UK Economic Data Pushes GBP/CAD (Pound to Canadian Dollar) Exchange Rate Higher

Pound Sterling to Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) Exchange Rate Rises on Reduced Brexit Fears

Despite cautious optimism emerging amongst the business community earlier in the year, any momentum appears to have dwindled.



Were heading back to the levels of pessimism we saw before progress was made on phase one of Brexit talks.

Canadian Dollar to Pound Sterling (CAD/GBP) Exchange Rate Drops on Oil Price Upset

We continue to believe that despite all of the political goodwill that may exist in Europe, there is no practical way that many of the sizeable European buyers of Iranian crude can be protected from US sanctions.

Pound Sterling to Canadian Dollar Exchange Rate Forecast: Are GBP/CAD Losses ahead on UK Borrowing Data?

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Last week, the Pound (GBP) opened trading against the Canadian Dollar (CAD) at a level of CA$1.6776 on Monday.Pound Sterling quickly fell in the pairing to a low of CA$1.6597, which was the lowest exchange rate since October 2017.While it didnt put the Pound back up to its best exchange rate of the week, Sterling later staged a recovery and rose to close weekly trading at CA$1.6681.The Pound (GBP) has advanced against the Canadian Dollar (CAD) today, hitting an exchange rate of CA$1.6687.This appreciation has ironically been caused by a shortage of UK data  with no warnings about the consequences of a no-deal Brexit so far, GBP trader confidence has risen.There has been UK economic news to speak of today, but it hasnt contributed to the recent GBP/CAD exchange rate rise.This has been the Institute of Directors report on UK business confidence  a -16% drop in UK business leader confidence levels has been recorded in the latest survey.Surveyed respondents are reportedly concerned about how the difficulties of UK-EU trading after Brexit, but this news hasnt been enough to cause GBP/CAD exchange rate losses.Elaborating on the IoD statistics, company Chief Economist Tej Parikh said:On the other side of the pairing, the Canadian Dollar to Pound (CAD/GBP) exchange rate has fallen today because of concerns about the future price of crude oil.A recent dip in crude prices is being blamed on continuing uncertainty about whether global economic growth will be harmed by US trade tariff activities.Although future US sanctions on Iranian crude oil exports could boost oil prices in the future, these measures will not go into effect until November.Highlighting the potential for a commodities market-wide shift from these future sanctions, analysts at JBC Energy said:The Pounds (GBP) slight advance against the Canadian Dollar (CAD) today could give way to losses in the near-future, when UK borrowing and industrial orders data comes out on Tuesday.Taking these in order, the UK government borrowing reading for July is expected to show a reduction in Junes deficit, but potentially not to the point of a surplus.Such a result might raise GBP trader confidence, but the later Confederation of British Industry (CBI) industrial orders stats could reduce demand for Pound Sterling.The CBI figure is predicted to show a reduction in reported industrial orders, with a shift from 11 points to 9.Any positive reading means overall industrial sector growth, but a slowdown could still unsettle GBP traders and weaken the Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate.The CBIs industrial output reading previously showed 13 points in June, but has steadily fallen since then.There will also be Canadian economic data out on Tuesday, consisting of the afternoons wholesale sales reading for June.This is expected to show a minor slowdown in the pace of sales activity, with a shift from 1.2% to 0.8%.Beyond Tuesdays data releases, the Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate could recover on Wednesday if the afternoons Canadian retail sales figures decline as forecast.The pace of annual Canadian sales growth is tipped to remain at 3.6%, but Junes monthly sales readings with and without automobiles included are expected to slow to 0.1%.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound Canadian Dollar Forecasts
Books on the run from Somerset County libraries to just about anywhere
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MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



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The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE).
The following companies are subsidiares of EnerSys: ABSL Power Solutions Inc., ABSL Power Solutions Ltd., Acumuladores Industriales EnerSys SA, Alpha Alternative Energy Inc., Alpha Broadband Services Inc., Alpha Innovations Industria e Comercio de Produtos Eletronicos Ltda., Alpha Innovations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alpha Mexico Network Power S.A. de C.V., Alpha Tech Energy Solutions India Private Limited, Alpha Technical Services Ltd., Alpha Technologies Ltd., Alpha Technologies Pty. Ltd., Alpha Technologies Services Inc., Alphatec Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Argus Research Ltd., Batterias Hawker de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Battery Power International Pte Ltd., Coppervale Enterprises Inc., DCPM Engineering Sdn Bhd, EH Batterien AG, EH Europe GmbH, EH Global Holdings GmbH, EH Swiss Holdings GmbH, ENAS Industrial Batteries Morocco Sarl, EnerSys (Chaozhou) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (China) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Chongqing) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Jiangsu) Huada Batteries Company Limited (94.7%) *, EnerSys (Luxembourg) Finance Sarl, EnerSys (Yangzhou) Huada Batteries Co. Ltd., EnerSys A/S, EnerSys AB, EnerSys AD, EnerSys AE, EnerSys AS, EnerSys Advanced Systems Inc., EnerSys Argentina S.A., EnerSys Asia Limited, EnerSys Australia Pty Ltd., EnerSys BV, EnerSys BVBA, EnerSys Battery Private Limited, EnerSys Brasil Ltda., EnerSys Bulgaria EOOD, EnerSys Canada Inc., EnerSys Capital Inc., EnerSys Cayman Euro L.P., EnerSys Cayman Holdings L.P., EnerSys Cayman Inc., EnerSys Delaware Inc., EnerSys Delaware LLC I, EnerSys Delaware LLC II, EnerSys Delaware LLC III, EnerSys Delaware LLC IV, EnerSys Delaware LLC V, EnerSys Energy Products Inc., EnerSys Europe Oy, EnerSys European Holding Co., EnerSys GmbH, EnerSys Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl, EnerSys Holdings UK Ltd., EnerSys Hungaria Kft., EnerSys India Batteries Private Ltd., EnerSys JSC, EnerSys LLC, EnerSys Ltd., EnerSys Malaysia Sdn Bhd, EnerSys Mexico Holdings LLC, EnerSys Mexico Management LLC, EnerSys Participacoes Ltda., EnerSys Reserve Power Pte. Ltd., EnerSys S.r.l., EnerSys SARL, EnerSys SNC, EnerSys South East Asia Pte. Ltd., EnerSys de Mexico II S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys de Mexico S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys s.r.o., EnerSys sp. z o.o., EnerSystem Chile Ltda., Enersys Aku Sanaya Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Esfinco LLC, Hawker GmbH, Hawker Power Systems Inc., Hawker Powersource Inc., Hawker Systems GmbH & Co. KG., ICS Industries Pty Ltd, ICS Industries Pty Ltd., ICS Sheet Metal Pty Ltd., Industrial Battery Holding Ltda., International Communication Shelters Australasia Pty Ltd., Lancord Pty Ltd., Lenmic Pty Ltd., MIB Energy Sdn Bhd, N Holding AB, National Infrastructure Pty Ltd., National Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd., NaviSemi Energy Pte Ltd., NaviSemi Inc., New Pacifico Realty Inc., NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery DMCC, Outback Power Technologies Inc., Powercom (NSW) Pty Ltd., Powersonic S de R.L. de CV, Purcell Systems, Purcell Systems Inc., Purcell Systems International AB, Quallion LLC, Riverfront Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Shenzhen Huada Power Supply Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd. , SiteTel Shanghai Co Ltd., SiteTel Sweden AB, Telecomponents & Supply (Hong Kong) Ltd., The Enser Corporation, UTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (JB) Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (PG) Sdn Bhd, YCI Inc., and Yecoltd S. de R.L. de CV.
51 minutes ago

India, UK to launch global solar grid project at COP26

NEW DELHI (AP)  India and the U.K. will launch a project that aims to create a solar grid connecting countries in different parts of the world at the upcoming U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland. The project, known as the Green Grids Initiative, is being initiated by the International Solar Alliance, which was launched by India and France at the 2015 Paris climate conference to promote solar energy.

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Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.

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Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. engages in global investment banking, securities, and investment management, which provides financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The Investment Banking segment serves public and private sector clients around the world and provides financial advisory services, help companies raise capital to strengthen and grow their businesses and provide financing to corporate clients. The Global Markets segment serves its clients who buy and sell financial products, funding and manage risk. The Asset Management segment provides investment services to help clients preserve and grow their financial assets. The Consumer & Wealth Management segment helps clients to achieve their individual financial goals by providing a wealth advisory and banking services. The company was founded by Marcus Goldman in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

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HSBC Holdings plc provides banking and financial products and services worldwide. The company operates through Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Global Banking and Markets segments. The Wealth and Personal Banking segment offers retail banking products and services, such as current and savings accounts, mortgages and personal loans, credit and debit cards, and local and international payment services for ultra high net worth individuals; and wealth management services, including insurance and investment products, global asset management services, investment management, and private wealth solutions. The Commercial Banking segment provides credit and lending, treasury management, payment, cash management, commercial insurance, and investment services, as well as commercial cards, and international trade and receivables finance services; and foreign exchange products, and capital raising and advisory services to small and medium sized enterprises, mid-market enterprises, and corporates. The Global Banking and Markets segment is involved in the provision of financing, advisory, and transaction services, including credit, rates, foreign exchange, equities, money markets, and securities services, as well as principal investment activities to government, corporate and institutional clients, and private investors. The Global Private Banking segment provides a range of services to high net worth individuals and families with complex and international needs. HSBC Holdings plc was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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Targa Resources Corp. provides midstream natural gas and natural gas liquids services. It also provides gathering, storing, and terminaling crude oil and storing, terminaling, and selling refined petroleum products. It operates through the following business segments: Gathering and Processing, and Logistics and Transportation. The Gathering and Processing segment includes assets used in the gathering of natural gas produced from oil and gas wells and processing this raw natural gas into merchantable natural gas by extracting NGLs and removing impurities; and assets used for crude oil gathering and terminaling. The Logistics and Transportation segment includes all the activities necessary to convert mixed NGLs into NGL products and provides certain value added services such as storing, fractionating, terminaling, transporting and marketing of NGLs and NGL products, including services to LPG exporters; storing and terminaling of refined petroleum products and crude oil and certain natural gas supply and marketing activities in support of its other businesses. The company was founded on October 27, 2005 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

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Ukrainian steelmaker Metinvest boosted slab sales in the second quarter of this year, mainly as a result of reduced competition in its major export destinations, the company told Metal Bulletin.

Ukraine's Metinvest sold 456,000 tonnes of slab in the April-June quarter, up 50.5% year on year from 303,000 tonnes in the same quarter of 2017. The company's main target markets are Italy, Turkey and Hungary.



In the second quarter of 2018, conditions in the slab market improved [for us] compared to the same period in 2017 [due to the] reallocation of [some] Brazilian slab volumes from Metinvests target markets to the United States, the company told Metal Bulletin on Friday August 17.



In early May, the Brazilian steel sector agreed to abide by US government quotas for steel shipments to avoid the 25% import tariffs arising from US President Donald Trump's Section 232 investigation.



Another positive factor for Metinvests sales was the reduced presence of Russian steelmakers in the market amid scheduled maintenances at their sites, the company said.



Semifinished steel output at Russias Evraz was down by 14.5% year on year to 2.5 million tonnes from 2.93 million tonnes in the first half of 2017 amid modernization works at one of the blast furnaces at its Nizhny Tagil Metallurgical Plant.



Slab sales accounted for 962,000 tonnes of the total, 14% lower year on year compared with 1.12 million tonnes shipped in the first half of 2017.



Metal Bulletins weekly price assessment for slab exported from the Commonwealth of Independent States averaged $538.85 per tonne fob Black Sea in the second quarter of 2018, up by $132.89 compared with the average of $405.96 per tonne fob in the same quarter in 2017.



For the third quarter of 2018 Metinvest expects slab sales in the free market to fall due to scheduled maintenance of the blast furnace at its Azovstal Iron & Steel Works, although it did not give an estimate of the volumes involved.






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The following companies are subsidiares of MetLife: 1001 PROPERTIES LLC, 10700 WILSHIRE LLC, 1201 TAB MANAGER LLC, 150 NORTH RIVERSIDE PE MEMBER LLC, 1925 WJC OWNER LLC, 23RD STREET INVESTMENTS INC., 500 GRANT STREET ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, 500 GRANT STREET GP LLC, 60 11TH STREET LLC, 6104 HOLLYWOOD LLC, AFP GENESIS ADMINISTRADORA DE FONDOS Y FIDECOMISOS S.A., AFP PROVIDA S.A., AGENVITA S.R.L., ALICO EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LIMITED, ALICO HELLAS SINGLE MEMBER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, ALICO OPERATIONS LLC, ALICO PROPERTIES INC., AMMETLIFE INSURANCE BERHAD, AMMETLIFE TAKAFUL BERHAD, American Life Insurance Company, BEST MARKET S.A., BIDV METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, BLOCK VISION HOLDINGS CORPORATION, BLOCK VISION OF TEXAS INC., BORDERLAND INVESTMENTS LIMITED, BOULEVARD RESIDENTIAL LLC, BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER LLC, CC HOLDCO MANAGER LLC, CHESTNUT FLATS WIND LLC, CLOSED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY MASTER D, COMPANIA INVERSORA METLIFE S.A., CORPORATE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC, COVA LIFE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, DAVIS VISION INC., DAVISVISION IPA INC., DELAWARE AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, DES MOINES CREEK BUSINESS PARK PHASE II LLC, ECONOMY FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY, ECONOMY PREFERRED INSURANCE COMPANY, ECONOMY PREMIER ASSURANCE COMPANY, EURO CL INVESTMENTS LLC, EXCELENCIA OPERATIVA Y TECNOLOGICA S.A de C.V., FEDERAL FLOOD CERTIFICATION LLC, FORTISSIMO CO. LTD, FUNDACION METLIFE MEXICO A.C., GLOBAL PROPERTIES INC., General American Life Insurance Company, Grand Bank N.A., HASKELL EAST VILLAGE LLC, HIGH STREET SEVENTH AND OSBORN APARTMENTS LLC, HOUSING FUND MANAGER LLC, INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADVISORY SERVICES LIMITED, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO DOS LIMITADA, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO TRES LIMITADA, JOINT-STOCK COMPANY METLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, LHC HOLDINGS, LHCW HOLDINGS, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING LLC, LHCW HOTEL OPERATING COMPANY, LONG ISLAND SOLAR FARM LLC, LUMENLAB MALAYSIA SDN. BHD., Logan Circle Partners, MARKETPLACE RESIDENCES LLC, MAXIS GBN S.A.S., MC PORTFOLIO JV MEMBER LLC, MCJV LLC, MCMIF HOLDCO I LLC, MCMIF HOLDCO II LLC, MCP - WELLINGTON LLC, MCP 100 CONGRESS MEMBER LLC, MCP 1500 MICHAEL LLC, MCP 1900 MCKINNEY LLC, MCP 2 AMES LLC, MCP 2 AMES ONE LLC, MCP 2 AMES OWNER LLC, MCP 2 AMES TWO LLC, MCP 220 YORK LLC, MCP 22745 & 22755 RELOCATION DRIVE LLC, MCP 249 INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PARK MEMBER LLC, MCP 3040 POST OAK LLC, MCP 350 ROHLWING LLC, MCP 4600 SOUTH SYRACUSE LLC, MCP 550 WEST WASHINGTON LLC, MCP 60 11TH STREET MEMBER LLC, MCP 7 RIVERWAY LLC, MCP 9020 MURPHY ROAD LLC, MCP 93 RED RIVER MEMBER LLC, MCP ALLEY 24 EAST LLC, MCP ASHTON SOUTH END LLC, MCP BLOCK 23 MEMBER LLC, MCP BRADFORD LLC, MCP BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER 2 MEMBER LLC, MCP BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER BLDG B LLC, MCP BURNSIDE MEMBER LLC, MCP CENTER AVENUE INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, MCP CLAWITER INNOVATION MEMBER LLC, MCP COMMON DESK TRS LLC, MCP DENVER PAVILIONS MEMBER LLC, MCP DILLON LLC, MCP DILLON RESIDENTIAL LLC, MCP ENV CHICAGO LLC, MCP FIFE ENTERPRISE CENTER LLC, MCP FRISCO OFFICE LLC, MCP GRAPEVINE LLC, MCP HIGHLAND PARK LENDER LLC, MCP HUB I LLC, MCP HUB I PROPERTY LLC, MCP LODGE AT LAKECREST LLC, MCP MA PROPERTY REIT LLC, MCP MAGNOLIA PARK MEMBER LLC, MCP MAIN STREET VILLAGE LLC, MCP MOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGY CENTER MEMBER TRS LLC, MCP NORTHYARDS HOLDCO LLC, MCP NORTHYARDS MASTER LESSEE LLC, MCP NORTHYARDS OWNER LLC, MCP ONE WESTSIDE LLC, MCP ONYX LLC, MCP PARAGON POINT LLC, MCP PLAZA AT LEGACY LLC, MCP PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MCP SEATTLE GATEWAY INDUSTRIAL I LLC, MCP SEATTLE GATEWAY INDUSTRIAL II LLC, MCP SEVENTH AND OSBORNE MF MEMBER LLC, MCP SEVENTH AND OSBORNE RETAIL MEMBER LLC, MCP SHAKOPEE LLC, MCP SLEEPY HOLLOW MEMBER LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  ANAHEIM LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  BERNARDO LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  CANYON LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  CONCOURSE LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  FULLERTON LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  KELLWO00OD LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  LAX LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  LOKER LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  REDONDO LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  SPRINGDALE LLC, MCP STATELINE LLC, MCP THE PALMS AT DORAL LLC, MCP TRIMBLE CAMPUS LLC, MCP UNION ROW LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE ONE LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE OWNER LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE TWO LLC, MCP VANCE JACKSON LLC, MCP VINEYARD AVENUE MEMBER LLC, MCP VOA HOLDINGS LLC, MCP VOA I & III LLC, MCP VOA II LLC, MCP WATERFORD ATRIUM LLC, MCP WEST BROAD MARKETPLACE LLC, MCP  ENGLISH VILLAGE LLC, MCPF ACQUISITION LLC, MCPF FOXBOROUGH LLC, MCPF  NEEDHAM LLC, MCPP OWNERS LLC, MCRE BLOCK 40 LP, MEC HEALTH CARE INC., MET 1065 HOTEL LLC, MET CANADA SOLAR ULC, METLIFE 1007 STEWART LLC, METLIFE 1201 TAB MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MANAGER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 555 12TH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 8280 MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ACOMA OWNER LLC, METLIFE ADMINISTRADORA DE FUNDOS MULTIPATROCINADOS LTDA., METLIFE ALTERNATIVES GP LLC, METLIFE ASHTON AUSTIN OWNER LLC, METLIFE ASIA HOLDING COMPANY PTE. LTD., METLIFE ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE ASIA SERVICES SDN. BHD, METLIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP., METLIFE ASSIGNMENT COMPANY INC., METLIFE AUTO & HOME INSURANCE AGENCY INC., METLIFE BL FEEDER, METLIFE BL FEEDER LP, METLIFE BORO STATION MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CABO HILTON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMINO RAMON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAPITAL CREDIT L.P., METLIFE CAPITAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, METLIFE CAPITAL TRUST IV, METLIFE CB W/A LLC, METLIFE CC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CHILE ADMINISTRADORA DE MUTUOS HIPOTECARIOS S.A., METLIFE CHILE INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS DE VIDA S.A., METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS GENERALES S.A., METLIFE CHINO MEMBER LLC, METLIFE COLOMBIA SEGUROS de VIDA S.A., METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND GP LLC, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND LP, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE ORIGINATOR LLC, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE REIT LLC, METLIFE CONSQUARE MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CONSUMER SERVICES INC., METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND LP, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY REIT LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY TRS. LLC, METLIFE CREDIT CORP., METLIFE DIGITAL VENTURES INC., METLIFE EMEKLILIK VE HAYAT A.S., METLIFE EMERGING MARKET DEBT BLEND FUND, METLIFE EU HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE INSURANCE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPE SERVICES LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LLC., METLIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES CO. LTD, METLIFE FM HOTEL MEMBER LLC, METLIFE FUNDING INC., METLIFE GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE GLOBAL BENEFITS LTD., METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY I GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY II GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION S.A. De C.V., METLIFE GLOBAL INC., METLIFE GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE GROUP INC., METLIFE HCMJV 1 GP LLC, METLIFE HCMJV 1 LP LLC, METLIFE HEALTH PLANS INC., METLIFE HOLDINGS INC., METLIFE HOME LOANS LLC, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE LIMITED, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE PTE. LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE AND INVESTMENT TRUST, METLIFE INSURANCE BROKERAGE INC., METLIFE INSURANCE K.K., METLIFE INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HF PARTNERS LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND I LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND II LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND III LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND IV LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND V LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VI LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VII LP, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENTS ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS SECURITIES LLC, METLIFE INVESTORS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, METLIFE INVESTORS GROUP LLC, METLIFE IRELAND TREASURY D.A.C., METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND LP, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS LLC, METLIFE LATIN AMERICA ASESORIAS E INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE LEGAL PLANS INC., METLIFE LEGAL PLANS OF FLORIDA INC., METLIFE LHH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE S.A., METLIFE LOAN ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE MAS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEMBER SOLAIRE LLC, METLIFE MEXICO HOLDINGS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO S.A., METLIFE MEXICO SERVICIOS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL GP LLC, METLIFE MULTI-FAMILY PARTNERS III LLC, METLIFE MUTUAL FUND COMPANY, METLIFE OBS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE OFC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ONTARIO STREET MEMBR LLC, METLIFE PARK TOWER MEMBER LLC, METLIFE PENSION TRUSTEES LIMITED, METLIFE PENSIONES MEXICO S.A., METLIFE PET INSURANCE SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE PLANOS ODONTOLOGICOS LTDA., METLIFE POWSZECHNE TOWARTZYSTWO EMERYTALNE S.A., METLIFE PRIVATE EQUITY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE PROPERTIES VENTURES LLC, METLIFE RC SF MEMBER LLC, METLIFE REAL ESTATE LENDING LLC, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF BERMUDA LTD., METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF CHARLESTON, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF VERMONT, METLIFE RETIREMENT SERVICES LLC, METLIFE SAENGMYOUNG INSURANCE COMPANY LTD., METLIFE SECURITIZATION DEPOSITOR LLC, METLIFE SEGUROS S.A., METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FINCO LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FUND LP, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING GP LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING HOLDINGS LP, METLIFE SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE SERVICES CYPRUS LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EAST PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EEIG, METLIFE SERVICES EOOD, METLIFE SERVICES SOCIEDAD LIMITADA, METLIFE SERVICES SP Z.O.O, METLIFE SERVICIOS S.A., METLIFE SLOVAKIA S.R.O. V LIKVIDACII, METLIFE SOLUTIONS PTE. LTD., METLIFE SOLUTIONS S.A.S., METLIFE SP HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN FUND SCSP, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN LUX GP S.A.R.L., METLIFE THR INVESTOR LLC, METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO FUNDUSZY INWESTYCYJNYCH S.A., METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO UBEZPIECZEN NA ZYCIE I REASEKURACJI S.A., METLIFE TOWER RESOURCES GROUP INC., METLIFE TREAT TOWERS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LLC, METROPOLITAN CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN DIRECT PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC., METROPOLITAN GROUP PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE SEGUROS E PREVIDENCIA PRIVADA S.A., METROPOLITAN LIFE SOCIETATE de ADMINISTRARE a UNUI FOND de PENSII ADMINISTRAT PRIVAT S.A., METROPOLITAN LLOYDS INC., METROPOLITAN LLOYDS INSURANCE COMPANY OF TEXAS, METROPOLITAN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER REALTY COMPANY INC., MEX DF PROPERTIES LLC, MFA FINANCING VEHICLE CTR1 LLC, MIDTOWN HEIGHTS LLC, MIM CLAL GENERAL PARTNER LLC, MIM EMD GP LLC, MIM I LLC, MIM METWEST INTERNATIONAL MANAGER LLC, MIM ML-AI VENTURE 5 MANAGER LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF GEORGIA 1 LLC, MIM THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MISSOURI REINSURANCE INC., ML - URS PORT CHESTER SC MANAGER LLC, ML 300 THIRD MEMBER LLC, ML ARMATURE MEMBER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MANAGER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MEMBER LLC, ML BRIDGESIDE APARTMENTS LLC, ML CAPACITACION COMERCIAL S.A. DE C.V., ML CERRITOS TC MEMBER LLC, ML CLAL MEMBER LLC, ML DOLPHIN GP LLC, ML DOLPHIN MEZZ LLC, ML MATSON MILLS MEMBER LLC, ML MILILANI MEMBER LLC, ML ONE BEDMINSTER LLC, ML PORT CHESTER SC MEMBER LLC, ML SENTINEL SQUARE MEMBER LLC, ML SLOANS LAKE MEMEBR LLC, ML SOUTHLANDS MEMBER LLC, ML SOUTHMORE LLC, ML SWAN GP LLC, ML SWAN MEZZ LLC, ML TERRACES LLC, ML THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML VENTURE 1 MANAGER S. DE R. L. DE C.V., ML VENTURE 1 SERVICER LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 1 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 2 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 3 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 4 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 5 LLC, MLIA MANAGER I LLC, MLIA PARK TOWER MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF COLONY MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF MANAGER LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS II LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS LLC, MLIC CB HOLDINGS LLC, MLJ US FEEDER LLC, MM GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER S.A. DE C.V., MMP CEDAR STREET OWNER LLC, MMP CEDAR STREET REIT LLC, MMP HOLDINGS III LLC, MMP OLIVIAN OWNER LLC, MMP OLIVIAN REIT LLC, MMP OWNERS III LLC, MMP OWNERS LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK OWNER LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK REIT LLC, MREF 425 MKT LLC, MSV IRVINE PROPERTY LLC, MTC FUND I LLC, MTC FUND II LLC, MTC FUND III LLC, MTL LEASING LLC, MTU HOTEL OWNER LLC, NATILOPORTEM HOLDINGS LLC, NEWBURY INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, OCONEE GOLF COMPANY LLC, OCONEE HOTEL COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LLC, OCONEE MARINA COMPANY LLC, OMI MLIC INVESTMENTS LIMITED, PACIFIC LOGISTICS INDUSTRIAL SOUTH LLC, PARK TOWER JV MEMBER LLC, PARK TOWER REIT INC., PJSC METLIFE, PLAZA DRIVE PROPERTIES LLC, PNB METLIFE INDIA INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, PREFCO FOURTEEN LLC, PREFCO XIV HOLDINGS LLC, PROVIDA INTERNACIONAL S.A., SAFEGUARD HEALTH ENTERPRISES INC., SAFEGUARD HEALTH PLANS INC., SAFEHEALTH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, SEVENTH AND OSBORN MF VENTURE LLC, SINO-US UNITED METLIFE INSURANCE CO. LTD., SOUTHCREEK INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS LLC, ST. JAMES FLEET INVESTMENTS TWO LIMITED, SUPERIOR PROCUREMENT INC, SUPERIOR VISION BENEFIT MANAGEMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION HOLDINGS INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE PLAN OF WISCONSIN INC., SUPERIOR VISION OF NEW JERSEY INC., SUPERIOR VISION SERVICES INC., Safeguard Health Enterprises, Security First Group Inc., THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH AVENUE MEZZANINE LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL HOLDING LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL OWNER, THE DIRECT CALL CENTRE PTY LIMITED, TRANSMOUNTAIN LAND & LIVESTOCK COMPANY, UVC INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ASSOCIATION INC., VERSANT HEALTH CONSOLIDATIONS CORP., VERSANT HEALTH HOLDCO INC., VERSANT HEALTH LAB LLC, VIRIDIAN MIRACLE MILE LLC, VISION 21 MANAGED EYE CARE OF TAMPA BAY, VISION 21 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, VISION TWENTY-ONE MANAGED EYE CARE IPA INC., Versant Health, WDV ACQUISITION CORP., WFP 1000 HOLDING COMPANY GP LLC, WHITE OAK ROYALTY COMPANY, and WHITE TRACT II LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of Boston Scientific: 34 Biomedical Merger Corp., 9357-1867 Quebec Inc., Acurate Industria e Comercio Ltda., Advanced Bionics, Advanced Stent Technologies, American Medical Systems, American Medical Systems Europe B.V., Apama Medical, Apama Medical Inc., Asthmatx, Atritech, Augmenix, Augmenix Inc., Augmenix K.K., BSC International Medical Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BSC Medical Device Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BTG, BTG Australasia Pty Ltd, BTG Europe B.V., BTG IM Holdings Ltd., BTG International (Holdings) Limited, BTG International Asia Limited, BTG International Canada Inc., BTG International Germany GmbH, BTG International Healthcare Inc., BTG International Healthcare LLC, BTG International Healthcare Limited, BTG International Inc., BTG International Limited, BTG Limited, BTG Management Services Limited, BTG Medikal Limited Sirketi, Bard Electrophysiology, Barosense, Biocompatibles Inc., Biocompatibles International Limited, Biocompatibles UK Limited, Boston Scientific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Boston Scientific (South Africa) Proprietary Limited, Boston Scientific (Thailand) Ltd., Boston Scientific (UK) Limited, Boston Scientific AG, Boston Scientific Argentina S.A., Boston Scientific Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Boston Scientific Benelux NV, Boston Scientific Canada Limited, Boston Scientific Ceska republika s.r.o., Boston Scientific Chile SpA, Boston Scientific Colombia Limitada, Boston Scientific Comercial de Costa Rica BSCR S.R.L., Boston Scientific Far East B.V., Boston Scientific Gesellschaft m.b.H., Boston Scientific Group plc, Boston Scientific Hellas S.A., Boston Scientific Hong Kong Limited, Boston Scientific Iberica S.A., Boston Scientific India Private Limited, Boston Scientific International B.V., Boston Scientific International Finance Limited, Boston Scientific International S.A., Boston Scientific Israel Ltd., Boston Scientific Japan K.K., Boston Scientific Korea Co. Ltd., Boston Scientific Lebanon SAL, Boston Scientific Limited, Boston Scientific Ltd., Boston Scientific Medical Device, Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited, Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH, Boston Scientific Middle East FZ-LLC, Boston Scientific Middle East SAL, Boston Scientific Nederland B.V., Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Boston Scientific New Zealand Limited, Boston Scientific Nordic AB, Boston Scientific Peru S.A.C., Boston Scientific Philippines Inc., Boston Scientific Polska Sp. z o.o., Boston Scientific Portugal - Dispositivos Medicos Lda, Boston Scientific Pty Ltd, Boston Scientific Romania S.R.L., Boston Scientific S.A.S., Boston Scientific S.p.A., Boston Scientific Scimed, Boston Scientific Scimed Inc., Boston Scientific Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific TIP Gerecleri Limited Sirketi, Boston Scientific Technology & Engineering Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific Uruguay S.A., Boston Scientific Vietnam Company Limited, Boston Scientific de Costa Rica S.R.L., Boston Scientific de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Boston Scientific del Caribe Inc., Boston Scientific do Brasil Ltda., Bravo Bidco Limited, BridgePoint Medical, Cameron Health, Cardiac Pacemakers Inc., Cardiac Pathways Corp, Catheter Innovations, Claret Medical, Claret Medical Inc., Cosman Medical, Cosman Medical LLC, CryoCor, Cryterion Medical, Cryterion Medical Inc., Cryterion Medical Ireland Limited, EKOS LLC, EMcision, EMcision International Inc., EP Technologies, EP Technologies Inc., Electron Acquisition Corporation, EndoChoice, EndoChoice Holdings Inc., EndoChoice Inc., EndoChoice Innovation Center Ltd., EndoChoice Israel Ltd., Endotex, Enteric Medical Technologies, Galil Medical Inc., Galil Medical Ltd., Galil Medical UK Limited, Guidant, Guidant Delaware Holding Corporation, Guidant Europe NV, Guidant Puerto Rico B.V., Hong Kong Medtech Trading Limited, Intelect Medical, Millipede, Millipede Inc., NXT Merger Corp., Notebook Merger Sub Ltd., Novate Medical Limited, NxThera, NxThera Inc., PT Boston Scientific Indonesia, PneumRx GmbH, PneumRx LLC, PneumRx Liimited, Protherics Medicines Development B.V., Protherics Medicines Development Limited, Protherics UK Limited, Provensis Limited, RMI Acquisition Corp., Remon Medical Technologies, Rhythmia Medical, Robert S. Smith M.D. Inc., Roxwood Medical Inc., SNS Merger Corp, Sadra Medical, Sadra Medical Inc., Securus Medical Group, Securus Medical Group Inc., Special K Merger Corp., StarMedTec, Stream Enterprises LLC, Symetis, Symetis SA, Target Therapeutics, Target Therapeutics Inc., The LumenR Tissue Retractor System, Veniti, Veniti Inc., VertiFlex, Vertiflex Inc., Vessix Vascular, Xlumena, Zuma Investment Pty Ltd, iogyn, nVision Medical, and nVision Medical Corporation.
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.
Wall Street analysts have given iShares Russell 2000 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 ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical, and regenerative medicine products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: US Specialized Therapeutics, US General Medicine, and International. It offers a portfolio of products in various therapeutic areas, including medical aesthetics and dermatology, eye care, neuroscience, urology, gastrointestinal, women's health, and anti-infective therapeutic products. The company also offers breast implants and tissue expanders; and RM-131 (relamorelin), a peptide ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. In addition, it develops medical and cosmetic treatments; therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases; inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders; atopic dermatitis drug candidate; peri-ocular rings for extended drug delivery and reducing elevated intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients; and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Further, the company develops RST-001, a novel gene therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; small molecule therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases; topical medicines for fat reduction; and delivery system and botulinum toxin-based prescription products. It has collaboration, option, and license agreement with Lyndra, Inc.; and strategic alliance and option agreement with Editas Medicine, Inc. Allergan plc also has licensing agreements with Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; MedImmune; and Heptares Therapeutics, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015. Allergan plc was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

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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.

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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.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque countered the claim of communist leader Jose Maria "Joma" Sison that President Rodrigo Duterte has gone into a coma.

Sison on Sunday night shared a photo of the President on Facebook, mentioning an unverified 'report' that Duterte has become comatose hours earlier.

He likewise pointed out a 'darkness' on Duterte's face, and that people, in an event last Saturday, noticed that the President's walk and handshake 'had become more unstable.'

In a media briefing Monday, Roque denied the allegations and reiterated that the President is fine and well.

"He's healthy. He was fine, he was in very high spirits," Roque told reporters.

"Joma Sison is a spent revolutionary and not a doctor, let's not listen to him," he added. "I don't even understand why Joma Sison said he was in a coma. He's in faraway Netherlands, how would he even know?"

Roque said Duterte had received a clean bill of health during his latest routine medical check-up, but the Palace found no need to release any public documents.

Roque added that the President will be attending an event in Cebu City on Tuesday, and he hopes the public appearance will be enough proof for critics to stop speculating on Duterte's health.

The health of Duterte, now 73 years old, has been an ongoing topic of public conversation. He claimed to be suffering from migraines in a recent speech, and was also reported to have visited the hospital on the eve of his third State of the Nation Address last month.

In 2016, he admitted to be suffering from frequent migraines, pain on his spine, and a nerve in his face because of a motorcycle accident years ago. He also admitted to be afflicted with Buerger's disease and Barrett's esophagus.

U.S.-based Mayo Clinic says Buerger's disease afflicts arteries and veins in the arms and legs, causing blood vessels to swell and become blocked with blood clots.

It says Barrett's esophagus, often diagnosed in people who have long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), causes tissue changes in the esophagus and increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer.

"Stop wishing him ill, as far as his health is concerned," Roque said in the briefing.

"Kasi everytime you wish him ill, lalong lumalakas (si Duterte). Kasing lakas naman ng kabayo yung Presidente."

(Translation: Because everytime you wish him ill, he only gets stronger. The President is as strong as a horse.)

While Roque slammed Sison for the remarks, he said the Palace is not closing its doors on possibly rekindling ties with the communist leader. The spokesperson, however, mentioned it will be hard to talk to Sison given the latter's 'imaginations.'

Special Assistant to the President Bong Go also countered the claim, saying he has talked to the 'resting' President on Monday early morning.

Meanwhile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, in a text message, said the allegation was "absolutely false," and that unlike Sison, "the President is in robust health."
Posted on: August 20, 2018 2:49 PM

Members of the Church of South India have been at the heart of the relief efforts after flooding devastated swathes of the south western state of Kerala. The dioceses of East Kerala and Malabar, in the eastern hilly areas of south India, along with parts of the Cochin diocese, remain affected.

So far, about 350 have died in the floods, and more the 700,000 are displaced and living in relief camps around the region. The crisis began with a wave of monsoons, leading to swollen rivers. Eventually 35 of the 36 dams in the region broke, releasing nearly 700,000 litres of water per second, causing landslides, flooding homes, and blocking roads.

Moderator of CSI, Most Rev. Thomas K. Oommen, was among the first to visit those affected, either travelling by foot or by boat, due to washed out roads. After the dams broke and the situation became more dangerous, along with other diocesan leaders, he continued to visit those in need, handing out kits with food and medicine. Churches have mobilised, turning parish halls, schools, and administrative buildings into relief centres, providing medicine, food and clothing. Although the water has begun to recede, the relief centres will continue to operate for at least another week.

Young people in CSI have also responded through social media. A group referred to by the Madhya Kerala Diocese as cyber warriors have organised a rescue helpline call centre. Operating from the CSI Retreat Centre in Kottayam, they have been reaching out to those in need through social media, particularly through a Facebook group named Kerala Flood Rescue Facilitating Group. They collect information on survivors, find them on Google maps, and share that with rescue teams. They also provide families with news about survivors. Now that the floodwaters are receding, the team is focused on informing the volunteers about specific needs of medicine, food, and clothes at the relief camps.

The Diocese of Madhya Kerala said, It is really heartening to see how many of the young teams, predominantly the IT professionals, led this social media war against the floods across the state using the connections.

The Revd Sunil Raj Philip, a communications officer for CSI who originally comes from the Madhya Kerala Diocese, found himself feeling helpless as he heard about the situation in Kerala. At the same time, the work done by the dioceses also inspires him.

I couldnt do anything. I could only tell our partners and update our provincial website, he said. My immediate family in Kerala were among the very few to be least affected, but we still feel hit. We still feel the pain.

But being a priest and person from Kerala, I feel proud of my colleagues, who are relentlessly working to save people.

He hopes to join them in the next couple of days.
BASF SE operates as a chemical company worldwide. It operates through six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care, and Agricultural Solutions. The Chemicals segment provides petrochemicals and intermediates. The Materials segment offers advanced materials and their precursors for applications and systems, such as isocyanates and polyamides, as well as inorganic basic products and specialties for plastic and plastic processing industries. The Industrial Solutions segment develops and markets ingredients and additives for industrial applications, such as polymer dispersions, pigments, resins, electronic materials, antioxidants, light stabilizers, oilfield chemicals, mineral processing, and hydrometallurgical chemicals. The Surface Technologies segment offers chemical solutions and automotive OEM which include refinish coatings, surface treatment, catalysts, battery materials, and base metal services for the automotive and chemical industries. The Nutrition & Care segment provides nutrition and care ingredients for food and feed producers, as well as pharmaceutical, cosmetics, detergent, and cleaner industries. The Agricultural Solutions segment offers crop protection products and seeds, such as fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and biological crop production products, as well as seed treatment products. The company has a strategic partnership with IntelliSense.io. BASF SE was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany.

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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..
Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells petrochemical products in the People's Republic of China. It operates through five segments: Synthetic Fibers, Resins and Plastics, Intermediate Petrochemicals, Petroleum Products, and Trading of Petrochemical Products. The Synthetic Fibers segment produces polyesters, acrylic fibers, and carbon fibers that are primarily used in the textile and apparel industries. The Resins and Plastics segment produces polyester chips that are used to produce polyester fibers, coating, and containers; polyethylene resins and plastics, which are used to produce insulated cables and mulching films, as well as molded products, such as housewares and toys; and polypropylene resins that are used for films and sheets, as well as molded products, such as housewares, toys, consumer electronics, and automobile parts; and PVA granules. The Intermediate Petrochemicals segment produces p-xylene, benzene, and ethylene oxide, which are used as raw materials in the production of other petrochemicals, resins, plastics, and synthetic fibers. The Petroleum Products segment operates crude oil refinery facilities used to produce refined gasoline, fuel, diesel oil, heavy oil, and liquefied petroleum gas. The Trading of Petrochemical Products segment is involved in the import and export of petrochemical products. The company was founded in 1972 and is based in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited is a subsidiary of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation.

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First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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The following companies are subsidiares of General Dynamics: 42SIX LLC, ARMA Global Corporation, Advanced Technical Products, Aeromil (Australia) Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aircraft Engineering Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil IT Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil Marine Pty Ltd, Aeromil Pacific Pty Ltd, American Overseas Marine Company LLC, Anteon International Corporation, Applied Physical Sciences, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Ascend Intelligence, Australian Avionics Pty Ltd, Autonomic Resources LLC, Avion Logistics Limited, Avjet Corporation, AxleTech International, Axsys, BATH IRON WORKS CORPORATION, BP-HP Pte Limited, Bath Iron Works, Bath Iron Works Australia Corporation, Bath Iron Works Canada LLC, Bluefin Robotics Corporation, Blueprint Technologies Inc., Braintree I Maritime Corp., Braintree II Maritime Corp., Braintree III Maritime Corp., Braintree IV Maritime Corp., Braintree V Maritime Corp., Buccaneer Computer Systems & Service Inc., CSC Computer Sciences Venezuela S.A., CSRA, CSRA (Costa Rica) S.A., CSRA (Guyana) Inc., CSRA (Middle East) LLC, CSRA Argentina S.R.L., CSRA BH d.o.o., CSRA Bahamas Limited, CSRA Bahrain S.P.C., CSRA Belgium SPRL, CSRA Bolivia S.R.L., CSRA Brazil Servicos de Tecnologia Ltda., CSRA Canada Inc., CSRA Caribbean Inc., CSRA Chile SpA, CSRA Colombia SAS, CSRA Commerce 2010 LLC, CSRA Consular Services Holding Company LLC, CSRA Consular Services Inc., CSRA France SARL, CSRA Guatemala Solutions Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Honduras Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Inc., CSRA Information Systems LLC, CSRA Information Technology Spain SL, CSRA Ireland Limited, CSRA Italy S.R.L, CSRA Kosovo L.L.C., CSRA LATAM LLC, CSRA LLC, CSRA Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., CSRA Netherlands B.V., CSRA Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Panama Inc., CSRA Peru S.R.L., CSRA Senegal SARL, CSRA South Africa (Pty) Ltd, CSRA State and Local Solutions LLC, CSRA Systems & Solutions LLC, CSRA Trinidad & Tobago Limited, CSRA Turkey Bilisim Teknolojileri Limited Sirketi, CSRA Uruguay S.R.L, CSRA Visa Services Israel Ltd., CSRAIT - Information Services Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Centauri Solutions LLC, Command System, Computing Devices International, Concord I Maritime Corporation, Concord II Maritime Corporation, Concord III Maritime Corporation, Concord IV Maritime Corporation, Concord V Maritime Corporation, Convair Aircraft Corporation, Convair Corporation, Creative Technology, Customer Services Ecuador CSRA S.A., Devcor, Diamond Fortress Technologies, DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, EB Groton Engineering Inc., EBV Explosives Environmental, ELCS-CZ s.r.o., Eagle Enterprise Inc., Earl Industries - Ship Repair and Coatings Division, Ebv Explosives Environmental Company, Electric Boat - Australia LLC, Electric Boat - UK LLC, Electric Boat Canada LLC, Electric Boat Corporation, Electric Boat France LLC, Electrocom Inc., Engineering Technology, Expro Finance Inc., FBD Fahrzeug und Bremsendienst GmbH, FC Business Systems, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Force Protection, Force Protection Europe Limited, Force Protection Inc., ForeSight Technology Services LLC, Freeman United Coal Mining Company LLC, GD Brazil Holdings LLC, GD European Land Systems - Steyr GmbH, GD European Land Systems Holding GmbH, GDOTS Services Corporation, GM GDLS Defense Group L.L.C., GPS Source Inc., GTE Government Systems, GWA-Datatrac FAST LLC, Galaxy Aerospace Company, Gayston Corporation - Defense Operations, General Dynamics - OTS (Global) Inc., General Dynamics AIS Australia Pty Ltd, General Dynamics Canadian Finance Inc., General Dynamics Canadian Holdings Inc., General Dynamics Commercial Cyber Services LLC, General Dynamics European Finance Limited, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Austria GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Bridge Systems GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Czech s.r.o., General Dynamics European Land Systems - Denmark ApS, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Deutschland GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - FWW GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Mowag GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems Romania S.R.L., General Dynamics European Land Systems S.L., General Dynamics Global Force LLC, General Dynamics Global Holdings Limited, General Dynamics Global Imaging Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Government Satellite Services LLC, General Dynamics Government Systems Corporation, General Dynamics Government Systems Overseas Corporation, General Dynamics Information Technology Canada Limited, General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., General Dynamics Information Technology Limited, General Dynamics Installation Services LLC, General Dynamics International Corporation, General Dynamics Itronix LLC, General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia Pty. Ltd., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Corporation, General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Services Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canadian Services Limited, General Dynamics Land Systems - Force Protection Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems Customer Service & Support Company, General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., General Dynamics Limited, General Dynamics Marine Systems Inc., General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., General Dynamics Mission Systems International Limited, General Dynamics Mission Systems Overseas Company LLC, General Dynamics Motion Control LLC, General Dynamics OTS (Aerospace) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (California) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (DRI) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (Niceville) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (Pennsylvania) Inc., General Dynamics One Source LLC, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Valleyfield Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Simunition Operations Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., General Dynamics Overseas Systems and Services Corporation, General Dynamics Properties Inc., General Dynamics Robotic Systems Inc., General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Satcom Technologies Asia Private Limited, General Dynamics Satellite Communication Services LLC, General Dynamics Saudi Holdings S.L., General Dynamics Shared Resources LLC, General Dynamics Support Services Company, General Dynamics Swiss Financial Management Limited, General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited, General Dynamics Worldwide Holdings Inc., General Dynamics-OTS Inc., General Motors Defense, Gulfstream 100 Holdings LLC, Gulfstream Aerospace, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (CA), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (DE), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (GA), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (OK), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of Texas, Gulfstream Aerospace Hong Kong Limited, Gulfstream Aerospace LLC, Gulfstream Aerospace LP, Gulfstream Aerospace Ltd., Gulfstream Aerospace Services Corporation, Gulfstream Aerospace Sociedad de Responssabilidad Limitada de CapitalVariable (S. de R.L. de C.V.), Gulfstream Do Brasil Servicos De Suporte E Manutencao A Aeronaves Ltda., Gulfstream International Corporation, Gulfstream Leasing LLC, Gulfstream Product Support Corporation, Gulfstream Services Corporation, Gulfstream Tennessee Corporation, Gulfstream-California Inc., Hawker Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Hawker Pacific Aircraft Management Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Airservices Limited, Hawker Pacific Airservices Pvt Ltd, Hawker Pacific Asia Holdings Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Asia Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Australia Pty Ltd, Hawker Pacific Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Hawker Pacific NZ Limited, Hawker Pacific Pty Ltd, IPWireless, IPWireless PTE. Limited, Information Services Consulting Limited, Interiores Aereos S.A. de C.V., International Manufacturing Technologies Inc., Itronix, Janteq Australia PTY Limited, Janteq Corp., Jet Aviation, Jet Aviation (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd., Jet Aviation (Bermuda) Ltd., Jet Aviation (Hong Kong) Ltd., Jet Aviation (Malaysia) SDN BHD, Jet Aviation 125 Services LLC, Jet Aviation AG, Jet Aviation Brazil Holdings Inc., Jet Aviation Business Jets (Hong Kong) Limited, Jet Aviation Business Jets AG, Jet Aviation Business Jets FZCO, Jet Aviation California LLC, Jet Aviation Dulles LLC, Jet Aviation Flight Services Inc., Jet Aviation France SAS, Jet Aviation Holding GmbH, Jet Aviation Holdings USA Inc., Jet Aviation Houston Inc., Jet Aviation International Inc., Jet Aviation Malaga SA, Jet Aviation Management AG, Jet Aviation Netherlands B.V., Jet Aviation Savannah Holding LLC, Jet Aviation Services GmbH, Jet Aviation St. Louis Inc., Jet Aviation Teterboro LP, Jet Aviation Texas Inc., Jet Aviation of America Inc., Jet Aviation/Palm Beach Inc., Jet Professionals LLC, Kylmar, Longreach Energy LLC, MAYA Viz, Maricom Systems Incorporated, Material Service Resources Company LLC, Matthews Land Company, Mediaware International, Mediaware International Pty Ltd, Metro Machine, Metro Machine co, Midwest Properties Sales LLC, NASSCO, NASSCO Holdings Incorporated, NES Associates LLC, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, Network Connectivity Solutions Corp., Newberry Holdings LLC, OOO Jet Aviation Vnukovo, Open Kernel Labs, Page Europa Srl, Patriot I Shipping Corp., Patriot II Shipping Corp., Patriot IV Shipping Corp., Plane 79 LLC, Praxis Engineering Technologies LLC, PrimeX Technologies, Prodelin India Private Limited, Proyectos Prohumane Mexico S.A. de C.V., Quincy Maritime Corporation III, Raven Acquisitions LLC, SENTECH INC., SRA International Inc., Saco Defense, Santa Barbara Sistemas S.A., Savannah Air Center LLC, Signal Solutions LLC, Southern Illinois Recovery Inc., Spectrum Astro, St. Marks Powder Inc., Stabilo Pty Ltd, Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG & Co KG, Sydney Jet Charter Pty Ltd, Tadpole Computer, Tecnologias Internacionales de Manufactura S.A. de C.V., Tenacity Solutions Incorporated, The Depth of Ideas for General Trading LLC, TriPoint Global Communications, Vangent, Vangent Servicios de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Veridian, Vertex Antennentechnik GmbH, ViPS, Vulnerability Research Labs LLC, and Weco LLC.
Harris Corporation provides technology-based solutions that solve government and commercial customers' mission-critical challenges in the United States and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Communication Systems, Electronic Systems, and Space and Intelligence Systems. It designs, develops, and manufactures radio communications products and systems, including single channel ground and airborne radio systems, multiband manpack and handheld radios, multi-channel manpack and airborne radios, and single-channel airborne radios, as well as wideband rifleman team, ground, and high frequency manpack radios. The company also offers vision-enhancing products; wireless communications systems; and Internet protocol based voice and data communications systems, as well as single-band land mobile radio terminals and multiband radios comprising a handheld radio and a full-spectrum mobile radio for vehicles. In addition, it provides electronic warfare, avionics, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions for defense and classified customers; and mission-critical communication systems for civil and military aviation and other customers. Further, the company offers intelligence, space protection, geospatial, earth observation, exploration, positioning, navigation and timing, and environmental solutions using advanced sensors, antennas, and payloads, as well as ground processing and information analytics for national security, defense, civil and commercial customers. Harris Corporation was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Florida.

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The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T

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The Southern pays an annual dividend of $2.64 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 4.21%. SO has a dividend yield higher than 75% of all dividend-paying stocks, making it a leading dividend payer. The Southern has been increasing its dividend for 20 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio of The Southern is 81.23%. Payout ratios above 75% are not desirable because they may not be sustainable. Based on earnings estimates, The Southern will have a dividend payout ratio of 74.37% next year. This indicates that The Southern will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA.
The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan.
Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Wall Street analysts have given Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy 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 Energy ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment offers deposit and credit products; individual life, and individual and group long-term care insurance; and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. It also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, portfolio and mutual fund management, mutual fund dealer, life and financial reinsurance, and fund management businesses. Additionally, the company holds and manages oil and gas properties; holds oil and gas royalties, and foreign bonds and equities; and provides investment management, counseling, advisory, and dealer services. Manulife Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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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.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Carnival Co. &: 1972 Productions Inc., 6348 Equipment LLC, A.C.N. 098 290 834 Pty. Ltd., A.J. Juneau Dock LLC, AIDA Kundencenter GmbH, Adventure Island Ltd., Air-Sea Holiday GmbH, Alaska Hotel Properties LLC, Barcelona Cruise Terminal SLU, Bay Island Cruise Port S.A., Belize Cruise Terminal Limited, CC U.S. Ventures Inc., CCL Gifts LLC, CSSC Carnival Italy Cruise Investment S.r.L, Carnival (UK) Limited, Carnival Bahamas FC Limited, Carnival Bahamas Holdings Limited, Carnival Corporation & plc Asia Pte. Ltd., Carnival Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Carnival Corporation Korea Ltd., Carnival Corporation Ports Group Japan KK, Carnival Finance LLC, Carnival Grand Bahama Investment Limited, Carnival Investments Limited, Carnival Japan Inc., Carnival License Holdings Limited, Carnival Maritime GmbH, Carnival North America LLC, Carnival Port Holdings Limited, Carnival Ports Inc., Carnival Support Services India Private Limited, Carnival Technical Services (UK) Limited, Carnival Technical Services Finland Limited, Carnival Technical Services GmbH, Carnival Technical Services Inc., Carnival Vanuatu Limited, Costa Crociere PTE Ltd., Costa Crociere S.p.A., Costa Cruceros S.A., Costa Cruise Lines Inc., Costa Cruise Lines UK Limited, Costa Cruises Shipping Services (Shanghai) Company Limited, Costa Cruises Travel Agency (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Costa Cruzeiros Agencia Maritima e Turismo Ltda., Costa Group Digital & Strategic Services GmbH, Costa International B.V., Costa Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Cozumel Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Creative Travel Lab Ltd., Cruise Ships Catering & Services International N.V., Cruise Terminal Services S.A. de C.V., Cruiseport Curacao C.V., D.R. Cruise Port Ltd., Ecospray Technologies S.r.L., F.P.M. SAS, F.P.P. SAS, Fleet Maritime Services (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services Holdings (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services International Limited, GXI LLC, Gibs Inc., Global Experience Innovators Inc., Global Fine Arts Inc., Global Shipping Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Grand Cruise Shipping Unipessoal LdA, Grand Turk Cruise Center Ltd., HAL Antillen N.V., HAL Beheer B.V., HAL Cruises Limited, HAL Maritime Ltd., HAL Nederland N.V., HAL Properties Limited, HAL Services B.V., HSE Hamburg School of Entertainment GmbH, Holding Division Iberocruceros SLU, Holland America Line Inc., Holland America Line N.V., Holland America Line Paymaster of Washington LLC, Holland America Line U.S.A. Inc., Ibero Cruzeiros Ltda., Iberocruceros SLU, Information Assistance Corporation, International Cruise Services S.A. de C.V., International Leisure Travel Inc., International Maritime Recruitment Agency S.A. de C.V., Milestone N.V., Navitrans S.R.L., Ocean Bahamas Innovation Ltd., Ocean Medallion Fulfillment Ltd., Operadora Catalina S.r.L., P&O Princess American Holdings, P&O Princess Cruises International Limited, P&O Princess Cruises Pension Trustee Limited, P&O Properties (California) Inc., P&O Travel Limited, Prestige Cruises Management S.A.M., Prestige Cruises N.V., Princess Bermuda Holdings Ltd., Princess Cays Ltd., Princess Cruise Corporation Inc., Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., Princess Cruises and Tours Inc., Princess U.S. Holdings Inc., RCT Maintenance & Related Services S.A., RCT Pilots & Related Services S.A., RCT Security & Related Services S.A., Roatan Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Royal Hyway Tours Inc., Santa Cruz Terminal S.L., SeaVacations Limited, SeaVacations UK Limited, Seabourn Cruise Line Limited, Shanghai Coast Cruise Consulting Co. Lda, Ship Care (Bahamas) Limited, Sitmar Cruises Inc., Spanish Cruise Services N.V., Sunshine Shipping Corporation Ltd., T&T International Inc., Tour Alaska LLC, Transnational Services Corporation, Trident Insurance Company Ltd., Westmark Hotels Inc., Westmark Hotels of Canada Ltd., Westours Motor Coaches LLC, Wind Surf Limited, and World Leading Cruise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd..
The following companies are subsidiares of InterContinental Hotels Group: 2250 Blake Street Hotel LLC, 24th Street Operator Sub LLC, 36th Street IHG Sub LLC, 426 Main Ave LLC, 46 Nevins Street Associates LLC, Allegro Management LLC, Alpha Kimball Hotel LLC, American Commonwealth Assurance Co. Ltd., Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BHMC Canada Inc., BHR Holdings B.V., BHR Luxembourg SARL, BHR Pacific Holdings Inc., BHTC Canada Inc., BOC Barclay Sub LLC, Barclay Operating Corp., Bristol Oakbrook Tenant Company, Cafe Biarritz, Cambridge Lodging LLC, Capital Lodging LLC, Compania Inter-Continental De Hoteles El Salvador SA, Crowne Plaza Amsterdam (Management) B.V., Crowne Plaza LLC, Cumberland Akers Hotel LLC, Dunwoody Operations Inc., EVEN Real Estate Holding LLC, Edinburgh IC Limited, General Innkeeping Acceptance Corporation, Guangzhou SC Hotels Services Ltd., H.I. (Ireland) Limited, H.I. Soaltee Management Company Ltd, HC International Holdings Inc., HH France Holdings SAS, HH Hotels (EMEA) B.V., HH Hotels (Romania) SRL, HI Sugarloaf LLC, HIM (Aruba) NV, Hale International Ltd., Hoft Properties LLC, Holiday Hospitality Franchising LLC, Holiday Inn Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Holiday Inns (China) Ltd, Holiday Inns (Chongqing) Inc., Holiday Inns (Courtalin) Holdings SAS, Holiday Inns (Courtalin) SAS, Holiday Inns (England) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Germany) LLC, Holiday Inns (Guangzhou) Inc., Holiday Inns (Jamaica) Inc., Holiday Inns (Malaysia) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Middle East) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Philippines) Inc., Holiday Inns (Saudi Arabia) Inc., Holiday Inns (South East Asia) Inc., Holiday Inns (Thailand) Ltd., Holiday Inns (UK) Inc., Holiday Inns Crowne Plaza (Hong Kong) Inc., Holiday Inns Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Holiday Inns Inc., Holiday Inns Investment (Nepal) Ltd., Holiday Inns of America (UK) Ltd., Holiday Inns of Belgium N.V., Holiday Pacific Equity Corporation, Holiday Pacific LLC, Holiday Pacific Partners LP, Hotel Inter-Continental London Limited, Hotel InterContinental London (Holdings) Limited, Hoteles Y Turismo HIH SRL, IC Hotelbetriebsfuhrungs GmbH, IC Hotels Management (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, IC International Hotels Limited Liability Company, IHC (Thailand) Limited, IHC Buckhead LLC, IHC Edinburgh (Holdings), IHC Hopkins (Holdings) Corp., IHC Hotel Limited, IHC Inter-Continental (Holdings) Corp., IHC London (Holdings), IHC M-H (Holdings) Corp., IHC May Fair (Holdings) Limited, IHC May Fair Hotel Limited, IHC Overseas (U.K.) Limited, IHC UK (Holdings) Limited, IHC United States (Holdings) Corp., IHC Willard (Holdings) Corp., IHG (Australasia) Limited, IHG (Marseille) SAS, IHG (Thailand) Limited, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC, IHG ANA Hotels Holdings Co. Ltd., IHG Bangkok Ltd, IHG Brasil Administracao de Hoteis e Servicos Ltda, IHG Commission Services SRL, IHG Community Development LLC, IHG Cyprus Limited, IHG ECS (Barbados) SRL, IHG Franchising Brasil Ltda, IHG Franchising DR Corporation, IHG Franchising LLC, IHG Hotels (New Zealand) Limited, IHG Hotels Limited, IHG Hotels Management (Australia) Pty Limited, IHG Hotels Nigeria Limited, IHG Hotels South Africa (Pty) Ltd, IHG International Partnership, IHG Istanbul Otel Yonetim Limited Sirketi, IHG Japan (Management) LLC, IHG Japan (Osaka) LLC, IHG Management (Maryland) LLC, IHG Management (Netherlands) B.V., IHG Management MD Barclay Sub LLC, IHG Management SL d.o.o, IHG Management d.o.o. Beograd, IHG Orchard Street Member LLC, IHG PS Nominees Limited, IHG Systems Pty Ltd, IHG Szalloda Budapest Szolgaltato Kft., IHG de Argentina SA, IND East Village SD Holdings LLC, Inter-Continental D.C. Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation.
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..
Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. is an international offshore energy company. It focuses on subsea construction, maintenance and salvage services to the offshore natural gas and oil industry. The firm also provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment offers vessels and related equipment that are used to perform well intervention services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea regions. The Robotics segment involves four chartered vessels and also includes ROVs, trenchers and ROVDrills designed to complement offshore construction and well intervention services. The Production Facilities segment includes its investment in the Helix Producer I and Kommandor LLC. Helix Energy Solutions Group was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

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Wall Street analysts have given iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 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 S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
American Electric Power Co., Inc. engages in the business of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission & Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco and Generation & Marketing. The Vertically Integrated Utilities segment engages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The Transmission & Distribution Utilities segment engages in the business of transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The AEP Transmission Holdco segment engages in the development, construction and operation of transmission facilities through investments in its wholly-owned transmission subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Generation & Marketing segment engages in non-regulated generation and marketing, risk management and retail activities. The company was founded on December 20, 1906 and is headquartered in Columbus, OH.

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Texas Pacific Land Corp. operates as a landowner in the State of Texas. Its surface and royalty ownership allow revenue generation through the entire value chain of oil and gas development, including through fixed fee payments for use of the firm's land, revenue for sales of materials used in the construction of infrastructure, providing sourced water and treated produced water, revenue from its oil and gas royalty interests, and revenues related to saltwater disposal on land. The company also generates revenue from pipeline, power line and utility easements, commercial leases, material sales and seismic and temporary permits related to a variety of land uses including midstream infrastructure projects and hydrocarbon processing facilities. The company operates through following segment: Land and Resource Management and Water Services and Operations. The Land and Resource Management segment focuses on managing oil and gas royalty interest and surface. The Water Services and Operations segment offers operators an unparalleled breadth of service across the majority of the Permian Basin. The company was founded in April 2020 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.

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The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Abbott Electronics Ltd., Acme Aerospace, Acme Aerospace Inc., Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp, CEF Industries LLC, Champion Aerospace, Cobham, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, DDL195 Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, HARCO LLC, Harco, Hartwell Corporation, ILC Holdings Inc., Irvin Aerospace Limited, IrvinGQ France SAA, IrvinGQ Limited, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Militair Aviation Ltd., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas Corp., Pascall Electronics Limited, Pemberton 123 Ltd., Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Rancho TransTechnology Corporation, Retainers Inc., SSP Industries, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., TTERUSA Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Technical Airborne Components Industries SPRL, Telair International, Telair International AB, Telair International GmbH, Telair International LLC, Telair International Services PTE Ltd (JV 70.5%), Telair US LLC, Texas Rotronics Inc., TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, and Young & Franklin Inc..
The Hershey Co. engages in the manufacture and market of chocolate and sugar confectionery products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: North America; and International and Other. The North America segment is responsible for the traditional chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery market position of the company, as well as its grocery and snacks market positions, in the United States and Canada. The International and Other segment is the combination of all other operating segments which are not individually material, including those geographic regions where the company operates outside of North America. Its brands include Hershey's, Reese's, and Kisses. The company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 and is headquartered in Hershey, PA.

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Truist Financial Corp. operates as a financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking services to individuals, businesses and municipalities. The firm offers a variety of loans and lease financing to individuals and entities, including insurance premium financing, permanent commercial real estate financing arrangements, loan servicing for third-party investors, direct consumer finance loans to individuals, credit card lending, automobile financing and equipment financing. It also markets a range of other services, including deposits, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health Truist Financial Corp. operates as a financial holding company. It engages in the provision of banking services to individuals, businesses and municipalities. The company operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Wealth; Corporate and Commercial Banking; and Insurance Holdings. The firm offers a variety of loans and lease financing to individuals and entities, including insurance premium financing, permanent commercial real estate financing arrangements, loan servicing for third-party investors, direct consumer finance loans to individuals, credit card lending, automobile financing and equipment financing. It also markets a range of other services, including deposits, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health insurance and commercial general liability insurance on an agency basis and through a wholesale insurance brokerage operation, merchant services, trust and retirement services, comprehensive wealth advisory services, asset management and capital markets services. The company was founded on December 6, 2019 and is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. insurance and commercial general liability insurance on an agency basis and through a wholesale insurance brokerage operation, merchant services, trust and retirement services, comprehensive wealth advisory services, asset management and capital markets services. The company was founded on December 6, 2019 and is headquartered in Charlotte, NC.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Secretary Liza Maza on Monday resigned from her post, saying that she preferred to serve the country outside the government.

Maza said she reached the decision because of the political situation in the country with the return to power of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the new Speaker, and the cancellation of peace talks with the communists.

"Ang perspektibo ko dito ay maisusulong pa ba natin ang ating matagal na pinaglalaban na pagbabago? 'Yan ang konklusyon ko, mahirap na ipaglaban," she explained.

[Translation:My perspective here is can we still push for the change we've been fighting for? That is the conclusion I've come up with, it's hard to fight for it now.]

"Ang mensahe ko na lang sa mamamayan dapat tayo maging mapagmatiyag at laging isaisip na noon pong umupo si Presidente ay tayo lahat may mataas na pag-asa sa ating pagbabago sa ating lipunan. 'Wag po natin bitawan ang pag-asa na 'to," she said.

[Translation:My message to the public, is we should be patient and always think, when the President took his post, we had hopes that our society will change. Let us not let go of this hope.]

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President had accepted Maza's resignation but regretted her departure.

"I would say that she had the trust and confidence of the President and she resigned. We always regret when people who enjoy the trust leave their post but I'm sure there will be more other applicants to the post," he said.

Roque maintained that Maza's resignation was a "voluntary" move, which came after murder charges against her and three were dismissed.

READ: Charges dropped in Liza Maza, 3 ex-solons murder case

Maza, who was previously Gabriela Women's party list representative in the lower house, was charged for the murder of three supporters of rival party list Akbayan in 2001 and 2004. She, along with former Agrarian Secretary and Anakpawis Partylist member Rafael Mariano, and former Bayan Muna Party-list members Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casino, were issued warrants of arrests earlier this year until the charges were dropped for lack of evidence on August 13.

Maza said she would devote her time fighting for victims of "political persecution" similar to her case.

"I am also going to devote my time and focus sa pagkakampanya doon po sa mga similarly-situated, katulad ko na ginipit, yang mga naging biktima ng gawa-gawang kaso at saka ng political persecution and repression nakikita ko doon po na isa 'yan sa focus na gusto kong pagtuunan," she said.

[Translation: I am also going to devote my time campaigning for those who were also in my situation, victims of fabricated cases and political persecution and repression. I see that that is one of things I would like to focus on.]
Giavonna Rossi was heading to her locker in the Arts Centre after a summer class in Organic Chemistry when she saw what looked like garbage in the middle of the floor.

She bent down to pick it up and noticed a mouse was inside struggling to free itself from the sticky substance that had stopped it in its tracks. She soon realized, after checking with staff members, that the mouse was caught in whats called a glue trap.

At first, I was trying to get its feet unstuck but the more I tried the more the mouse kept tearing its fur and was extremely frightful and distressed, she recalls. She pushed the box closer to the wall and asked some faculty members to try and get someone to help the mouse.

Out of the box



When Giavonna realized the traps were used in other Dal buildings, she decided to speak with Facilities Management about finding more humane traps for rodent control across the university.

We always appreciate hearing our students perspectives and finding ways to include them in decisions affecting their surroundings, says Mike Wilkinson, FMs Environmental Services Manager. We did not want to continue with a practice that is inhumane or offensive to some members of our community so we quickly came up with other solutions.

They were very willing to help and cooperate, Giavonna says. I had discussed these traps with PETA to find more humane alternatives of getting rid of the rodent problem. That helped us come up with different options and now Facilities Management is in the process of getting rid of all the glue traps from Dalhousie and replacing them with more humane ones  on the Halifax campuses as well as the Truro campus.

Giavonna has also been reaching out to other universities in the area to highlight the issue and encourage them to try a different method. And shed like to see a national initiative.

I want to spread the word because I wasn't even aware these existed. It's the 21st century: we're better than that. I know theyre banned in other countries and would like to see them banned in Canada as well.

Well rounded



Giavonnas passion for eliminating glue traps encompasses both aspects of her double major in International Development Studies (IDS) and Biology. The connection to Biology seems more direct but Giavonna says it was her IDS classes that made her aware of issues in the local community and around the world while highlighting the responsibility we all have to take action when needed.

Were all connected and can do our part in educating ourselves and helping out where we see its needed even if it seems small. Being more aware of our surroundings that is power; power to make a change and make a difference.

As if a double major wasnt enough, Giavonna is also doing a minor in Music. Music is one of her many passions and she loves making people feel good through her music.

I've always performed and volunteered ever since I was very young. It's really fun and rewarding to give back in bringing joy to others, she explains. I know some people who played an instrument in high school but when they came to university stopped playing, I could never do that, I love my music and it is also a great stress reliever.

It might seem a dizzying combination of topics to keep straight but Giavonna says it works well for her. I like to be diverse and well rounded and couldnt imagine focusing on one thing. It keeps it interesting and I love the challenge.

Going beyond



Giavonna enjoys a range of activities outside of her school work as well. This summer she helped form the first ever Dalhousie Pre-Law Society  just ratified in July. When shes not on campus, Giavonna volunteers at the Veterans Memorial hospital, and is studying for her 10th level for piano and ARCT for flute with the Royal Conservatory of Music. Shes accomplished the Gold level in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Program and is a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo.

Overall, I like to make a difference and give back. I feel that's what everyone should do in any small way they can, she says. If there's something very important to them they should go for it because some people might not realize its an issue . Like with the mice  a lot of people either don't take the time or they dont know the problem exists. For me education is the start of change.
New Delhi: Union Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday reviewed proposed agriculture export and new industrial policies and discussed strategies to boost outward shipments with top officials here.

The Commerce and Industry Minister said the government was working on new initiatives to take India's exports to the next level.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

"Held a meeting with the Commerce Secretary and senior officials of @dgftindia today. Discussed various export promotion strategies and reviewed the upcoming Agri Export policy and Industrial Policy. We are working on new initiatives to take India's export to the next level, Prabhu said in a tweet.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry in March came out with a draft 'Agriculture Export Policy', aimed at doubling agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and farm products to the global value chain.

The new industrial policy will replace the old policy of 1991 which was prepared against the backdrop of balance of payment crisis.

The proposed industrial policy aims at promoting emerging sectors and modernising existing industries. It will also look to reduce regulatory hurdles and encourage adoption of frontier technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in August last year floated a draft industrial policy with an aim to create jobs for the next two decades, promote foreign technology transfer and attract USD 100 billion FDI annually.
Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Viral V. Acharya on Monday called for enacting a special law to enable the proposed public credit registry (PCR) to come into being, and said this can go a long way in resolving the deep data asymmetry in the financial system which in turn can help prevent bad loan pile-up.

With a low credit-to-GDP ratio of a modest 55.7 per cent, the country is still under-penetrated financially and the proposed PCR can help the system move towards more equitable and timely access to credit, especially to the underserved segments, and thus democratise and formalise the credit flow, he said.

According to the Q4 2017 data from the Bank for International Settlements, Indias credit-to-GDP ratio stood at a low 55.7 per cent, against Chinas 208.7 per cent, Britains 170.5 per cent and the US 152.2 per cent. Norway lead the chart with 245.6 per cent credit-to-GDP ratio.

He also said those countries which have PCRs or private credit bureaus have been the ratio of private credit to GDP in many countries by 7 to 8 percentage points over a five-year horizon as credit registries and bureaus do not just increase the amount of borrowing but also improve the quality of borrowing.

Its desirable to have a special comprehensive legislation, overriding the prohibitions contained in all other legislations on sharing of information required for the PCR. Otherwise, all such legislations will have to be amended separately, providing an exemption for sharing of information with PCR, Mr Acharya told at a national banking conference through a Skype call.

Underlining that almost everywhere PCRs are backed by a specific law, he said a PCR Act can enable us transparently address the entire gamut of governance issues including data acquisition and its dissemination through access rights by various users.

Mr Acharya expressed hope that barring a desired legal backing, the country can move on to implement the PCR as there is a robust Aadhaar data of over one billion people in place and other supporting corporate data like GST Network, and other corporate information like CIN, et al.
Picture with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sridevi that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan shared on Instagram.

Mumbai: Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai Bachchan paid her tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by sharing throwback pictures with him on social media.

The actress took to Instagram and posted several pictures with the former Prime Minister where both can be seen sharing some good laugh. Even late actress Sridevi is seen in one of the photographs.

Also read: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan fails to woo the audience

She captioned it, "Respect. Rest In Peace." (Click right arrow to see all pictures)

Earlier, many other celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar, to name a few, paid their last respects to Vajpayee and addressed him as the gem which the nation has lost.

Also read: On Sridevis birth anniversary, Janhvi Kapoor goes back in time with beautiful photo

Vajpayee, the 10th prime minister of India, breathed his last on August 16. The 93-year-old died at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness. He was cremated on August 17 with full state honours at Smriti Sthal in New Delhi.
Washington: Getting a tattoo for teenagers is a fad these days, in contrast their parents are concerned about the negative health effects, social acceptance, and their child's professional career, a new study reveals.

According to a poll conducted in USA, 78% of parents had a clear answer when asked how they would react if their own teen wanted a tattoo- absolutely not. However, another 1 in 10 parents thought a tattoo would be okay as a reward, to mark a special occasion or if the tattoo could be hidden.

Many parents said that they have already faced these types of conversations, with a quarter saying their teen has asked about a tattoo, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan.

Roughly half of the parents said that they were very concerned about negative health effects, such as infection, scarring or transmission of diseases, such as hepatitis or HIV, through unsanitary needles.

Some of them were also very concerned that employers might judge or stereotype their teen unfavorably if they had a tattoo, while 24 percent were very concerned that a tattoo would reflect badly on the parents themselves. The most common concern among 68 percent of parents was future regret.

"Many parents agree that tattoos are a form of self-expression but worry that teens may not consider potential health risks, how a tattoo may impact them professionally or the chance that as they age and mature, they may regret getting a permanent tattoo," says poll co-director Gary Freed.

The national report which is based on responses from 1,018 parents with at least one child ages 13-18, suggests that a substantial number of parents have already addressed the subject of tattoos. About 27% of parents of teens aged 16-18 years and 11% of parents of those aged 13-15 years said their teen asked them for their permission to get a tattoo. While 5% of parents indicated that their teen had already gotten a tattoo and 32% of parents had a tattoo themselves.

Whereas, 63% also said that they considered tattoos a form of self-expression, similar to dying hair or clothing choice. However, parents polled strongly in support of state laws requiring parental consent for tattoos for children under 18 years.

Tattoos and piercings among young people are becoming more mainstream and that pediatricians need to be prepared to discuss potential health risks with adolescents, suggested a 2017 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The report cited a Pew Research Center study that said about 38 percent of young people aged between 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo.

"In addition to doing their own research and having conversations at home, parents may encourage their teens to talk to their doctor if they ask for a tattoo," Freed said.
Hyderabad: The reason for intellectual disability or autism is the presence of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in the food chain which is found to affect a section of pregnant woman despite being banned in several countries, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

European countries and the United States of America have banned DDT since 1970 but it continues to be used in India. Its use in agricultural farms is estimated to be 2,300 tonnes, according to the government report of 2017. DDT is used for disease vector control in agricultural farms.

The shift to organic farming or growing of vegetables with less use of pesticides is being propagated as it is found that insecticides and pesticides are the reason for the increasing incidence of cancers.

DDT is also one of the reasons for low birth weight of the baby, miscarriages and delay in the neurological development of the child.

Researchers have studied 750 children born with autism from 1987 to 2005 and used bio-markers for the first time where they have found levels of dichlorodiphenyl (DDE). DDE is a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT. The researchers have found that the levels in the mother were high due to which the transfer from the mother to the child took place.

With new and better diagnostic techniques, autism is now found in 1 in 59 children from the earlier ratio of 1 in 68 children. In India there are an estimated 1 million children with autistic disorders, according to neurologists.

Dr C.H. Mohan Rao, senior consultant neuro physician at Apollo Hospitals, explained, Autism is due to multiple factors like genetic condition, environmental condition, age of the mother during pregnancy and other factors. Genetic conditions cause Downs Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis. Disintegrative disorder, pervasive development disorders and others are due to environmental and genetic factors.

Experts state that there are several factors for the neurodevelopment of the child being affected and here the age of the mother also plays an important role. Gynaecologist Dr Radhika Reddy explained, The quality of eggs deteriorate when a woman crosses 40 years of age. This is an established fact and these pregnancies have to be monitored to check for defects in the child. The environment and the food chain have a role to play but the age of the mother is also a major factor which cant be undermined.
Currently, pancreatic cancer has become one of the most deadly forms of cancer.

Patients only survive 20% for a year after being diagnosed with the disease, the Daily Mail reported.

Because pancreas are so deep in the body, it is hard to detect warning signs, Dr Eric Collisson, a leading University of California, San Francisco oncologist told Daily Mail.

"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, " Dr Collisson explained.

Adding, "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."

Cancers of this kind are only detected when tumours block something vital like the abdomen.

While there is no screening test for pancreatic cancers, many scientists are working to develop one, including those at John Hopkins University.
These women have been celebrated as trailblazers. Their climb to the top positions of Indias biggest banks have inspired countless young women. But today, Allahabad Banks Usha Ananthasubramanian, ICICIs Chanda Kochhar and Axis Banks Shikha Sharma are in the eye of the storm, with their names being dragged through a mud bath of scams, corruption and profitability allegations. As they stand on the brink of losing credibility, its time for introspection. Why have these women fallen from great heights?

According to a former woman banking chief, the system doesnt generalise between man and woman. It is robust and institutionalised. It only rewards leaders and follows the due process of law, if there are any allegations to be investigated.

As the country was preparing to celebrate its 72nd Independence Day, the Centre gave the CBI permission to act against Allahabad Bank MD Usha Ananthasubramanian in the Rs 14,000 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank. The government dismissed Usha, former managing director and CEO of PNB and MD of Allahabad Bank, on the day of her superannuation on August 14.

Usha was divested of all her powers as MD of Allahabad Bank after being named in a CBI chargesheet in the multi-crore PNB fraud case but had continued to be an employee of the bank. She was at the helm of PNB in two stints. She headed the bank between August, 2015 and May, 2017, before moving to Allahabad Bank. She was Executive Director at PNB from July, 2011 to November, 2013.

Usha and some other senior bank officials were in the know of the fraud, ignored the circulars and kept misleading the RBI about the true state of affairs involving PNB Dubai and the Indian Overseas Bank, Chandigarh. Yet, they did not take any corrective action and remained silent spectators. This facilitated continuance of the fraud resulting in a wrongful loss to PNB, the CBI said in the charge sheet.

A career banker, Usha also headed Bharatiya Mahila Bank that was merged with SBI in April, 2017. In January this year, she became the first woman chairman of the Indian Banks Association.

In the latest NSE co-location scam, SEBI has questioned former NSE Managing Director Chitra Ramakrishna also

J.N. Gupta, former executive director at SEBI, feels one should never generalise corruption on the basis of gender. Each individual has his/her own character. Whenever something goes wrong, the true character of the person is revealed. In Ushas case, there are no allegations of personal corruption by the CBI and its a procedural issue. No one has said that she has benefited personally or she helped any individual to benefit. The PNB fraud is being investigated and we do not know what will be the final outcome.

Adding to the list, in the latest NSE co-location scam, SEBI has questioned former NSE Managing Director Chitra Ramakrishna also.

The curtains were finally drawn on former ICICI bank chief Chanda Kochhar. She, in June, voluntarily decided to go on leave to facilitate an independent probe into the allegations of quid pro quo in her dealings with the Videocon group, the bank had said. Chanda, the daughter of the principal of an engineering college, had joined ICICI Bank in 1984 as a management trainee.

The CBI has already registered a preliminary inquiry into the allegations that Chandas husband Deepak Kochhars company NuPower Renewables received an investment from a Videocon group company as a quid pro quo for a loan from the bank. The CBI is inquiring into the conflict-of-interest allegations against ICICI Bank on its loans to the Videocon Group, ICICI Bank said in the filing to US SEC.

In Chandas case, she has not been proven guilty. The inquiry commission is yet to come out with its report. There is a slight difference between the two cases. Chanda has been accused of helping a company, while Usha is accused of being lacking in her responsibility as head of the institution. In both the cases, the jury is not out yet. So we should be cautious about putting the corrupt person tag on them. Its unfair, added Gupta.

A clinical psychologist at a leading college in Mumbai agrees and says, The whole work scenario is changing. More women are coming to the workplace and in top positions too, so its natural to see a rising number of such frauds committed by them. It has nothing to do with gender.

In the case of Shikha Sharma, what irked the RBI is her incapability on the work front to check the NPAs and the poor asset quality of the bank. Earlier in April, RBI asked the Axis Bank Board to reconsider the fourth three-year term it gave CEO Shikha last year.

Born to an army officer, Shikha began her career with ICICI Bank in 1980 and spent a 29-year tenure with the ICICI group. Shikha born to an army officer, began her career with ICICI Bank in 1980 and spent a 29-year tenure with the ICICI group. Shikha took over the reins of Axis Bank in 2009. She has been credited with building its investment banking and retail businesses. But over the last few years, its toxic loans have increased considerably.

Under her tenure, the gross NPAs of the bank rose from 0.96 per cent in March, 2009 to 5.28 per cent in December, 2017. The banks increased exposure to sectors such as infrastructure, power, and mining have mostly turned to NPAs. In the aftermath of the note ban in November, 2016, Axis Bank once again found itself in a controversy. At least 19 of its employees were suspended for flouting norms and for alleged money laundering.

Then there was a credibility crisis also. Axis Bank has been noticed twice by the Central bank for under-reporting bad loans for financial years 2016 and 2017. The divergence was around Rs 9,480 crore. In 2017, the lender once again reported a loan divergence of Rs 5,633 crore. Then came the WhatsApp information leaks when in December, SEBI ordered Axis Bank to probe insider trading allegations against bank officials following reports that the lenders earnings were already being shared on WhatsApp before it was sent to the exchanges.

Shriram Subramaniam, managing director, InGovern (a proxy advisory firm), says, Its a wrong notion that women have more integrity than men. Integrity and credibility have nothing to do with gender. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This saying does not have any gender implication.

Only history and investigating agencies can judge them, says a finance ministry official.
Bengaluru: A 21-year-old man has been arrested by the Amruthahalli police for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl. The accused, a neighbour of the victim, noticed her playing outside her house and offered to buy her snacks.

He then took her to an isolated place where he sexually assaulted her.

The accused has been identified as Naveen V, a native of Hassan and was residing at Srirampura in an under construction site and working in the same place as a bar-bender. The victim girl was also residing in the same area and was studying in a government school in the same locality.

According to the police, he was seen roaming around the girls house and speaking to her daily. On Friday night, while the girl was playing outside and her parents were busy with daily chores, he offered to by her snacks from a nearby shop.

He took her to an isolated place on his bicycle and raped her. When she tried to raise an alarm, he threatened to kill her and dropped her back to her house. After returning home, she narrated the ordeal to her father who informed his neighbours and asked them to nab him. Fearing that he may get thrashed, he fled. Soon, the parents filed a complaint with Amruthahalli police, who arrested the accused from his relatives house and booked him under POCSO Act. This is second such incident reported in the past two months in Amruthahalli. On June 4, a three-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and abandoned. She was later found behind the Bethel AG Church in Chiranjivi Layout. The accused hails from North India and is still absconding.
Umar Khalid was attacked on August 13 when he was on his way to take part in an event at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Two men who claimed responsibility for the attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid have been detained, police said on Monday.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal are currently being interrogated, police officials added.

However, they did not specify when the two were detained.

A team of Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha where the two had said they would surrender on August 17 but they did not turn up.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on August 15, they claimed the attack on Umar Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens.

The 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 had said in the video message.

They also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of the Sikh revolutionary.

Umar Khalid was attacked on August 13 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 Umar 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 the police in the incident.
Anupriya from Villupuram has decided to give away about Rs 9000 of her savings, done over the last 4 years, after coming across TV visuals of the deluge in Kerala. (Photo: Twitter Screengrab | @Ethirajans)

Villupuram: The gesture of a nine-year-old girl from a town in Tamil Nadu to part with her savings of four years meant for a bicycle, for Kerala flood relief has moved a premier cycle manufacturer, who has now promised her to gift the cycle of her dreams.

Anupriya from Villupuram in the state has decided to give away about Rs 9000 of her savings, done over the last four years, after coming across TV visuals of the deluge in Kerala.

I had saved money (of around Rs 9000) for over four years to buy a cycle. But I saw visuals of Kerala flood on televisions and decided to give the money, toward relief activities, she told reporters.

The girl lending the helping hand won her hearts and accolades, with Hero Cyles taking special note.

Hero Cycles, in its official Twitter account, appreciated her gesture to support humanity and said she would get a brand new cycle from them.

Dear Anupriya, We appreciate your gesture to support humanity in the hour of need. You would get a brand new cycle from us. Please DM your address or contact us at customer@herocycles.com. @PankajMMunjal, it said.

Dear Anupriya, We appreciate your gesture to support humanity in the hour of need. You would get a brand new cycle from us. Please DM your address or contact us at customer@herocycles.com. @PankajMMunjal  Hero Cycles (@Hero_Cycles) August 19, 2018

Chairman and managing director of Hero Motors Company, Pankaj M Munjal, hailed Anupriya as a noble soul and assured to give her one bike every year of your life.

Anupriya, parnam to you. You are a noble soul and wish you spread the good around. Hero is too pleased to give you one bike every year of your life. Pl share your contact on my account. Love you and best wishes. Prayers for Kerala https://t.co/vTUlxlTnQR  Pankaj M Munjal (@PankajMMunjal) August 19, 2018

Congress MP from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, welcomed the companys gesture.

Thanks to HeroCycles for donating a bicycle to a 9-year-old girl who gave up all that she was saving for a cycle to help the victims of the #KeralaFloods, he said in a tweet.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.

The Centre, various state governments and other entities including individuals have extended a helping hand to Kerala.
Bengaluru: We drink Cauvery water which originates from Kodagu and its time for us to do our bit for the district which is in deep distress due to unprecedented floods, is the message doing the rounds on social media, asking people to offer help to the flood-affected in the Coffee Land.

Awake to help Coorg, #help coorg #kodagu floods are being used to get donors to help people in the region, who have been affected by torrential rains, landslides and raging rivers.

As the flood waters are receding, the people of Kodagu have hit the panic button as the threat of epidemics looms. To keep disaster-hit areas clean, the BBMP has dispatched a batch of 300 pourakarmikas and over 100 mobile toilets and e-toilets. The Palike has also sent medical staff and officials to monitor the relief work. These teams have been sent in seven KSRTC buses and the number of men and material will be added as required, BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said.

MLAs and corporators are asking their followers and party workers to collect relief materials from different parts of the city. Quantities of instant food, sanitary napkins, matchboxes, torches, drinking water bottles, blankets, nylon ropes, bedspreads, towels, medicines, milk packets, mosquito repellants and others have been sent to the region.

Karun Kalappa, a senior member of Kodava Samaj, told Deccan Chronicle that nearly 30 trucks of relief materials with rice, atta, ready-to-eat food, clothes, mats and blankets have been sent already. Two more trucks will be sent by Monday.

Eight families have been provided accommodation and extended financial assistance. They have been provided with food and other support, he said.

After contacting other Kodava Samajas in Kodagu and other places, the relief measures have been stopped for a few days. Now, the relief materials will be collected based on the need, he said and added that rains have stopped in some parts and water too is receding. He appreciated the support and concern extended by Bengalureans.

Indiranagar, Banashankari, Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, Ramamurthynagar, Banasawadi, BTM Layout, Vidyaranyapura, Yelahanka, Srirampura and other areas saw volunteers collecting relief materials.

Good Samaritans at Kushalnagar, Virajpet and Ammathi Kavadi in Kodagu have offered to provide accommodation and food at their hotels and home stays to those displaced by floods and landslides.

Various NGOs, volunteers, resident welfare associations, churches, temples, mosques, taxi associations and others have come forward to help people in Kodagu. Volunteers have been appealing to the donors to provide unused and new relief materials.

Politicians from all the three major parties are raising funds and other relief materials to be sent to Kodagu.
Bengaluru: While most Bengalureans were lazing on a Sunday, Indiranagar residents along with Swaratma band, known for their singing for social causes, registered their protest against the proposed chopping of trees for remodelling of Indiranagar BDA.

Actors Chetan, Sruthi Hariharan, AAP's Mohan Dasari and Srinivas Alavili of Citizens for Bengaluru also joined the residents of Indiranagar and registered their protest.

Jishnu of Swaratma band said, "We have been performing at various venues like Delhi, Mumbai etc. After we got to know that 171 trees will be axed, we thought why not sing for the trees? So we decided to perform below the venue of trees like Peepal tree, Rain Tree, Banyan Tree and Pride of Indian tree."

As musicians we should also respond the happenings around us. Trees also have a life and we should respect that. Development should not just mean chopping of trees, added Jishnu.

Srinivas Alavalli of Citizens for Bengaluru, the umbrella organisation which organised protest against the steel flyover and prevented the chopping of nearly 2,000 trees, said "Swarathma is special - they represent the soul of this city beautifully expressed in their music. It is inspiring to see actor Chetan and Sruthi Hariharan show up at the BDA complex in solidarity with so many citizens."

Together we can stop the madness of cutting trees in the name of "redevelopment" and preserve those beautiful trees that define Bengaluru, he added.
Manju's resignation came a couple of days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured that the culprits involved in the alleged incident would not be spared (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Muzaffarpur: An FIR was registered on Monday against Bihar's former social welfare minister Manju Verma and her husband Chandrakant Verma under Arms Act. They were booked in connection with Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier conducted raids at 12 locations, including Manju's Patna residence in Begusarai, and seized 50 cartridges.

Additionally, the CBI had also questioned former Bihar social welfare minister Damodar Rawat, who was accused of having alleged links with Brajesh Thakur-- the key mastermind of the Muzaffarpur shelter home rapes.

On August 9, Education Minister Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma was given an additional charge of the Social Welfare Department, a day after Manju tendered her resignation from the post following allegations regarding the case.

Manju's resignation came a couple of days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured that the culprits involved in the alleged incident would not be spared.

Read: Bihar shelter home rapes: Social welfare minister Manju Verma resigns

The former state minister has been in the eye of the storm lately after the opposition parties demanded her resignation over her husband's alleged involvement surfaced.

Chandrakant, on the other hand, allegedly used to visit the shelter home quite frequently, spending hours in the girls' room. However, the couple had denied the allegations levelled against them.

The issue of alleged sexual exploitation of more than 40 girls at a Muzaffarpur shelter home was uncovered more than a month ago by the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). Later, 11 employees of the child shelter home were arrested in this regard.
To a question if any action could be taken against those who disrespected the National Anthem, the police said that they will know only after investigation if the people had prior knowledge of the National Anthem being played. (Photo: AFP)

Hyderabad: A case was registered against one Ahmed, of Baom Akhada for disrespecting the National Anthem during Independence Day celebrations held on Wednesday.

The case was booked after a video went viral on social media. In the video, a few people can be seen walking while children sang the National Anthem to welcome them.

The police who came across the video registered a suo motu complaint against one Ahmed, who organised the programme.

The man had organised a flag hoisting programme in the Salala Barkas area, where some wrestlers who practice at the Akhada invited their seniors to participate in the programme. They welcomed the seniors with the National Anthem prior to hoisting the national flag, said Assistant Commissioner of Police, Falaknuma, Syed Fayaz.

The police served a notice under Section 41 of CrPC against Ahmed and the case is being investigated.

To a question if any action could be taken against those who disrespected the National Anthem, the police said that they will know only after investigation if the people had prior knowledge of the National Anthem being played.
Hyderabad: Alleging huge irregularities in the transfers of teachers and lecturers, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju on Sunday demanded a high-level probe against Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Kadiyam Srihari and Commissioner of Collegiate Education Navin Mittal for their alleged involvement.

In a letter to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday, Dr Sravan alleged that the web counselling was a big farce with some teachers managing to get transfers to places of their choice on payment of money. Even a few leaders of teachers unions allegedly played the role of middlemen, bringing shame to the entire fraternity, he alleged.

The state government had issued a GO 182 on May 21, 2016 permitting transfer of employees within the same local cadre, on spouse grounds.
After being in a relationship for 2-3 years, the 33-year-old Muslim man converted to get married 23-year-old Hindu woman. They got married in February this year. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: A 33-year-old Muslim man, who converted to Hinduism to marry a 23-year-old Hindu girl in Chhattisgarh, has approached the Supreme Court seeking direction for her parents to let her stay with him.

Mohd Ibrahim Sidiqui, who had converted to Hinduism and became Aryan Arya, challenged the Chhattisgarh High Court order, saying it had erroneously declined to direct his wife's family to allow her to stay with him.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice DY Chandrachud sought response from Chhattisgarh government and asked for a copy of the petition to be served to the state government counsel.

The man said there was a threat to his and his wife's life and she was being deprived of her liberty against her wishes by her family.

Arya said he was being threatened by his wife's family and some others.

He said his wife had told the high court that she was 23-year-old and willingly got married to him. But the high court gave her choice to either live with her parents or stay in a hostel.

According to the petitioner, both of them were in a relationship for 2-3 years.

In February 23, 2018, he converted to Hinduism and took the name Aryan Arya to marry the woman. They got married at the Arya Samaj Temple in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on February 25, 2018, as per Hindu traditions.

In his petition, he said his wife Anjali Jain returned to her parents' home at Dhamtari, but did not immediately inform her parents about the marriage.

Her parents got to know about their marriage and the couple then planned that she will move out of her parents' home without informing them.

She left her home on June 30, but the police found her before she could meet her husband and took her to a Sakhi Centre shelter home for women.

Arya alleged that police recorded a wrong statement that the woman wanted to stay with her parents and handed over her custody to her father.

Arya then approached the high court, which directed Anjali Jain and her father to be produced in the court on July 30.

The high court, after interacting with Anjali Jain, held that she had denied of any illegal detention by her parents' and it recorded that her parents' had serious reservations with regard to the relationship, or their marriage.

The petition said the court had ruled that "certain breathing space and time is required to be given in a free atmosphere to Anjali to make up her own independent mind".

The case is similar to Hadiya case where a Hindu girl from Kerala converted to Islam to marry a Muslim man and the top court on April 9, set aside the Kerala High Court verdict and restored the inter-faith marriage of Hadiya and Shafin Jahan, saying the former had "absolute autonomy over her person".
New Delhi: The United Kingdom has confirmed the presence of fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi in the country. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has requested London to extradite the celebrity diamantaire, who is wanted for loan fraud in India.

Nirav Modi, along with his kin, including uncle Mehul Choksi, fled India in the beginning of this year, weeks before their involvement in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam came to the fore.

The scam, which began in 2011, was detected in January 2018, after which PNB officials reported it to the probe agencies.

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are being sought by multiple investigating agencies after reports that the duo have extracted crores in loans from banks abroad on the basis of fake guarantees in the name of PNB, India's second largest state-owned bank.

In July 2018, the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Nirav Modi after the CBI had approached Interpol.

Earlier in August, the government had informed parliament that an extradition request for Nirav Modi had been sent to the Indian mission in UK.

The request has been sent by a Special Diplomatic Bag to the High Commission of India in London, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh had said in parliament.

India had cancelled the passports of both Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi in February.

Nirav Modi is the 29th fugitive India has asked the UK to extradite since 2002. The government in UK has rejected India's request nine times in the last 16 years.

A case for extradition of Vijay Mallya is still being heard by a court in Britain.
Kochi: Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains has claimed at least 357 lives and left several lakh people homeless in the last few days.

Rescue operations are on in full-swing with relief teams working tirelessly to move stranded people to safer places and ensure food, water and medicines reach each and every person in the state.

While help has been pouring in from all over the world, Union minister KJ Alphons has gone to say that Kerala "doesn't need food and clothes". According to the Union minister KJ Alphons what the state desperately needs is technical assistance to rebuild, recreate and put life back into Kerala.

According to reports, rescue workers have recovered more bodies after the flood water receded on Monday.

The losses due to heavy rainfalls over the last two weeks have been estimated at over Rs 20,000 crore. The worst since the unforgettable flood of 1924 lasted about three weeks and caused a tremendous damage to life and property.

"The Prime Minister visited Kerala and took stock of the situation. He has promised assistance and whatever it takes to rebuild the state. He announced an immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore. Before that Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Kiren Rijiju had sanctioned Rs 100 crore and Rs 80 crore, respectively. So money isn't a problem," the minister said.

Apart from this, states, political parties, ministers, government employees, as well as judges have come to the rescue of Kerala and has assured financial aid to the state.

Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala, Alphons said.

Meanwhile, the Centre has set up 3,757 medical camps in the flood-hit state, the Health Ministry said.

"Things are running very well and all central forces are providing amazing services. Fishermen have turned out to be the biggest heroes. We thank the people of India and other countries for sending help and showing compassion, but we need technical help when the water level goes down. There is no electricity or mobile connectivity. The homes are gone so we need thousands of electricians, carpenters and plumbers to rush to Kerala. The biggest challenge right now is to rebuild. We need people with technical skills to put life back on track," Alphons added.

The state saw 250 per cent more rain than normal between August 8 and August 15, causing authorities to release water from 35 dangerously full dams.

Rescue operations are underway in Chengannur on the banks of the Pamba River, where at least a thousand people are still stranded in five villages.

The weather officials said that heavy rain is likely to subside in the coastal state. Commercial flight operations in Kochi also resumed on Monday after the Navy activated its airstrips to accommodate small passenger aircraft. The first flight -- an Alliance Air ATR plane -- landed early on Monday at the INS Garuda naval air station.

Meanwhile, the Kochi airport will remain closed till August 26.
PM Modi wrote to his newly-elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, conveying India's commitment to pursue 'meaningful' and 'constructive' engagement with Islamabad. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: After Pakistans newly-appointed foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed dialogue in his congratulatory letter to Imran Khan, Pakistan has now denied any such remark.

A statement from the Pakistani government said, Foreign Minister hadn't stated Indian Prime Minister had made offer of dialogue, but had said that Indian PM in his letter to PM Imran Khan, had also mentioned something similar to what the Foreign Minister elucidated earlier, i.e. the way forward was only through constructive engagement.

Qureshi had claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a letter to Imran Khan and indicated a beginning of talks between the two countries.

However, India rejected the claims and said the letter by PM Modi did not state anything about a new proposal for dialogue with Pakistan, official sources told news agency ANI.

Also Read: Modi's 'congratulatory' letter to Imran Khan didn't propose dialogue: India

PM Modi wrote to his newly-elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, conveying New Delhi's commitment to pursue "meaningful" and "constructive" engagement with Islamabad and emphasising the need to work for a terror-free South Asia, official sources said on Monday.

In a letter to Khan on August 18, the day he was sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd prime minister, PM Modi also expressed India's commitment to building good neighbourly relations between the two countries while congratulating him, the sources said.

Following Imran Khan and his partys victory in Pakistan polls, Prime Minister Modi had telephoned Khan to congratulate him and expressed hope that both countries will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Days before PM Modi's phone call, Khan said he wanted to improve ties with India and resolve all the issues through talks.

"If India takes one step towards us, we will take two," he said.
In his letter to Imran Khan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'India is looking for constructive and meaningful engagement with Pakistan.' (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: India on Monday confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a letter to his newly-elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, congratulating him for his appointment.

In his letter to the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, PM Modi wrote that India is committed to peaceful neighbourly ties with the country.

PM Modi further said, India is looking for constructive and meaningful engagement with Pakistan, news agency PTI reported quoting official sources.

He also stressed upon the need to work for a terror-free South Asia.

However, the letter by PM Modi did not state anything about new proposal for dialogue with Pakistan, highly-placed government sources told news agency ANI.

The reaction came shortly after the newly-appointed Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written a letter to Imran Khan and indicated beginning of talks between the two countries.

Addressing his maiden conference as the foreign minister of Pakistan, Qureshi said: India and Pakistan have to move forward keeping realities before them.

Qureshi also stressed on the need for continued and uninterrupted dialogue with India, saying that both the countries cannot afford adventurism.

There is a need for continued and uninterrupted dialogue with India. We are neighbours. We have long-standing issues; both of us know these problems. But we have no other option but to engage in dialogue. We cannot afford adventurism, Qureshi said.

The foreign minister also spoke on the Kashmir issue, saying both the countries should face the realities.

These issues are complicated and we may face hurdles in resolving them, but we must engage. We will have to admit that we are facing problems, we must admit that Kashmir is a reality. The Islamabad declaration is a part of our history, he added.

In his maiden address to the nation after being sworn-in as the prime minister, Imran Khan said that Pakistan will work to have best relations with all neighbours.

I have talked to all neighbours and Insha-Allah, we will improve relations with all neighbours. With peace (with neighbours) we cannot bring peace in Pakistan, Imran Khan said.
New Delhi: On the 74th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi remembered his father and paid tribute to him.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted that his father was "a kind, gentle and affectionate man whose untimely death left a deep void in my life".

"I remember the times we had together and the many birthdays we were lucky to celebrate with him when he was alive. He is greatly missed, but his memory lives on," he said.

Rajiv Gandhi was a kind, gentle and affectionate man whose untimely death left a deep void in my life.



I remember the times we had together and the many birthdays we were lucky to celebrate with him when he was alive.



He is greatly missed, but his memory lives on. pic.twitter.com/IGwTDJprRd  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 20, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid his tribute to Rajiv Gandhi. "Tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv GandhiJi on his birth anniversary. We remember his efforts towards the nation," PM Modi said in his tweet.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee also posted her tribute: "Fondly remembering our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhiji on his birth anniversary". An earlier tweet that had wrongly referred to Rajiv Gandhi's "death anniversary" was deleted from her Twitter page.

Rahul Gandhi, his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited Rajiv Gandhi's memorial Veer Bhumi. Congress veterans and leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too were present there to pay their homage.

Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was the seventh Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He assumed office after the 1984 assassination of his mother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

At 40, Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime Minister of the country. The seventh prime minister was assassinated in 1991, by a suicide bomber while he was at a public meeting in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur.
The first flight -- an Alliance Air ATR plane -- landed on Monday morning at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Kochi: In a major relief for Kerala which has been battling the worst floods in over a decade, commercial flight operations in Kochi resumed on Monday after the Navy activated its airstrips to accommodate small passenger aircraft.

The first flight -- an Alliance Air ATR plane -- landed on Monday morning at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station.

The 70-seater passenger planes are being operated by Alliance Air, a subsidiary of state-run carrier Air India, between Bengaluru and the Kochi naval base, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted.

On Sunday, an Alliance Air plane landed at the Kochi naval base carrying a team of officers from the aviation regulator DGCA, the Airports Authority of India and other flight safety officers to test whether the base could be used for commercial flight landings.

Flights to other destinations such as Coimbatore and Madurai are likely to resume shortly, the Civil Aviation Minister tweeted. "Other airlines are likely to join this effort too. All possible steps are being taken," Suresh Prabhu added.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they are willing to fly to flood-hit Kerala without taking any payment. "We consider this a unique privilege that we can use to assist in such operations," the ICPA said in a letter to the Prime Minister on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Cochin International Airport, which is the country's seventh busiest airport, will remain closed till August 26 as water is yet to recede from the runway.

The Kochi airport had to be shut down for flight operations on August 15 after floodwaters submerged a large part of the runway and the parking bay.

According to the weather office, Kerala which has lost 357 lives due to floods and landslides triggered by torrential downpour is expected to see rains subside across the state on Monday. However, it has been forecast that the state will witness light rain at least till Saturday.

The weather office said rainfall has been gradually decreasing for the last three days.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a total of 6,33,010 people are staying in 2,971 relief camps in Kerala and around 38,000 flood affected people have also been rescued by different agencies so far.
The new law states that there must be other physical observations carried out of injury marks, wounds and the psychological trauma of the women. These are to be recorded by doctors which is a tough task.

Hyderabad: The medical examination of victims in rape and sexual exploitation cases will now follow a new set of guidelines as the Union ministry of home affairs which has discontinued the virginity test.

Doctors in the state, however, are not aware of it and have not been trained for the observational tests. The guidelines were issued in July and only a few doctors were trained and they were supposed to train local doctors but that did not happen.

A senior forensic professor from Osmania Medical College explained, The two-finger virginity test for vaginal laxity has been discontinued by the government. Any comment or observation about the sexual life of women is not to be recorded. The new law states that there must be other physical observations carried out of injury marks, wounds and the psychological trauma of the women. These are to be recorded by doctors which is a tough task.

A vaginal test is a direct evidence of rape and sexual exploitation. The new guidelines will be tough to follow. Doctors have to be trained in these but the state government has not carried out any training so far, the forensic professor added.

Meanwhile, SHE teams have been trained in identifying the cases but the doctors have not been called in yet. Medical records play an important role in ascertaining a case of rape and sexual exploitation and are seriously taken up by the court.

Another senior forensic professor of Gandhi Medical College said, The medico-legal training has to be provided to doctors as it becomes important to use the right words. Often due to lack of training, the right expressions are not used and it goes against the victim. Hence recording observations requires proper knowledge and right terminology as it can be females, males and also transgender.
Hyderabad: Minister K.T. Rama Rao, appealed to the Telangana immigrants in the United Arab Emirates to utilise the facility of Amnesty 2018 declared by the government of United Arab Emirates from August 1 to October 31. During the amnesty period, people with valid passports who wish to exit the country may get an exit permit without ban, return to India. People who entered the UAE country illegally without any documents or visa will get exit clearance with two years ban. People who lost passport or kept with sponsors or have a passport but it has expired or with absconding cases can also appeal for it. The minister in press statement said that the NRI affairs department is collecting details from the consulate in Dubai, Embassy in Abu Dhabi and from the people of Telangana state who are staying at UAE. Such people can contact on 09440854433 or send email on so_nri@telangana.gov.in. They can also contact directly to the consulate help Desk hotline at +971 56-5463903 and email id indiaindubai.amnesty@gmail.com.
Over alleged love failure, a 21-year-old Nepali woman hanged herself to the branch of a tree inside Cubbon Park premise on Saturday night.

Bengaluru: Two women died in separate incidents in the city on Saturday after they allegedly committed suicide by hanging in Cubbon Park and Bellandur police station limits.

In the first incident, over alleged love failure, a 21-year-old Nepali woman hanged herself to the branch of a tree inside Cubbon Park premise on Saturday night.

Police said that the deceased has been identified as Santhoshi N, was working in a Spa in UB City. She was residing in a rented house along with her father at D'Souza Layout near Vittal Mallya road.

The incident came to light on Sunday morning when the security staff noticed the body and alerted the police.

According to the police, on Saturday evening her boyfriend Naresh took her to his house and introduced her to his parents and revealed that the two were in love and are planning to get married.

His parents persuaded him out of it and rejected her as she belonged to a different caste. Santhoshi, who was upset, fought with him and his parents before leaving his house.

Meanwhile, Santhoshis father, Kabir Raja went in search of her and contacted all her friends as she did not return home.

On Sunday early morning, the police found her body hanging from a tree inside the Cubbon Park and informed her father who rushed to the spot and filed a complaint against Naresh.

The Cubbon Park police have registered a case of abetment of suicide and arrested Naresh.

Techies wife ends life

In another incident, a 30-year-old woman committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling at her residence in Ibalur on Saturday night in Bellandur police station limits.

The deceased has been identified as Manasa, a resident of Ibalur. Six years ago, she had married Janardhan, a software engineer.

According to the police on Saturday evening while she was home alone she committed suicide. The incident came to light when Janardhan returned from work at around 9:30 pm.

The police said that the reason behind suicide is yet to be ascertained. The Bellandur police have registered a case and are investigating.
In 2008, Asad Hyat and Pervez had filed a petition in Allahabad HC seeking CBI probe alleging that 2007 Gorakhpur riots in were triggered by Yogi Adityanaths speech. (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government seeking its response as to why Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, should not be prosecuted for his alleged hate speech made at Gorakhpur in 2007.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notice returnable in four weeks on a special leave petition against Allahabad High Court order rejecting the plea for action for hate speech.

The high court had upheld a decision by the Uttar Pradesh government to deny sanction to prosecute Yogi Adityanath in the case. The apex court has now sought a response to the notice within four weeks.

In 2008, Asad Hyat and Pervez had filed a petition in Allahabad High Court seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It was alleged that the riots in Gorakhpur in 2007 were triggered by the speech of Yogi Adityanath. Adityanath, who then represented Gorakhpur in Lok Sabha, was arrested and also remanded to police custody for 11 days.

The petition had sought an investigation against Adityanath under sections 302, 307, 153A, 395 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code. The case was then transferred to the CB-CID, which found in the course of an investigation that the BJP leaders voice in an audio recording was authentic.

The high court, however, said it did not find any procedural irregularity in the order of refusal to grant sanction to prosecute the accused in the case.

The petitioners in their appeal said, We have videotapes of CMs speeches and sufficient material for initiation of action against the CM for allegedly instigating the riots by his hate speech and prayed for setting aside the high court order and a direction to the UP government to initiate action against the chief minister.
Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will be exploring the options of United Nations (UN) assistance for the flood relief activities in the state.

Mr. Tharoor, who is also a former under secretary general with the UN, reached Geneva on Monday and is likely to hold talks with top officials of various agencies under the UN, including the United Nations Office at Geneva and officials of WHO.

According to sources close to Mr Tharoor, since he had a long stint with UN earlier he had got personal rapport with many top officials of UN agencies like the UNOG head Michael Moller. Though the state could not seek UN aid directly, Mr Tharoor would be giving inputs to the state government on the scope of aids from UN and WHO. Based on that the state could propose to the Centre to seek UN and WHO assistance and the Centre could take a call on the matter. Mr Tharoor had held talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vija-yan and additional chief secretary (revenue) P.H. Kurian before going to Geneva.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had earlier expressed concerns over the floods in the state. The secretary general's spokes persons also said the UN officials in India were monitoring the developments.

Mr. Tharoor, who is on bail in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death, had obtained permission from a Delhi court to proceed to Geneva. He will be also visiting the family of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who died recently.
New Delhi: The Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Monday informed the Attorney General K.K. Venugopal that he and other 24 Judges of the Supreme Court have decided to contribute to the Kerala Chief Ministers Flood Relief Fund.

The CJI gave this information during the course of hearing of a petition in which the issue of Kerala floods came up for discussion. Earlier AG brought up the issue of Kerala floods and the devastation caused by the same. He said people have lost their lives and houses. It will take years to rebuild the houses.

The AG suggested that the fine to be imposed by the court could be directed to be deposited to the Flood Relief Fund, for which the CJI readily agreed and said we are also making contributions.

Sources told this newspaper that each judge will donate a minimum of `25,000 to the CM's Relief Fund and the maximum amount is left to the discretion of each judge.

The court was hearing an application alleging conflict of interest on the part of CJI Dipak Misra in taking up a public interest writ petition seeking a ban on advocates who are MPs/MLAs from practising in courts. The Bench headed by the CJI had already reserved verdict in the matter and Bharatiya Matdata Sangatha as an intervener filed a fresh application.

The application alleged that Senior Advocate Pinaki Misra, who is a cousin of CJI Dipak Misra is a practising lawyer as well as a Member of Parliament. It was alleged that Pinaki Mishra has the power of voting on the impeachment of Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. Therefore, allowing him to practice as an Advocate in the Supreme Court and High Courts is a very serious conflict of interest.

The Bench, which included Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrfachud, took strong exception to the insinuation made by the NGO represented by a lawyer. The AG suggested strong measures to be taken against the intervenor organization as the application has been filed after judgment has been reserved. This amounts to contempt of court, he added. The fine amount could go towards flood relief in Kerala.

Justice Chandrachud expressing his anguish over the insinuation observed, Thers is this trend of making allegations against judges. This has to stop. If you want to make allegations do so but we will deal with it. That message has to go out. He wanted imposition of Rs. 25 lakhs as fine but the lawyer said he could afford to pay only Rs. one lakh.

The General Secretary of the organization tendered a written apology admitting that it was a grave mistake on his part. Senior counsel Shekar Naphade, suggested to the court to impose a fine on the applicant. At this juncture, the AG said the fine that could be imposed could be directed to be deposited to Kerala flood relief. The court directed the NGO to file an affidavit expressing unconditional apology and the amount that could be imposed as fine. The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

Eom.
The minimum requirement of citizenship has been set at the possession of the ubiquitous voter identity card; the declaration that every voter is a citizen is West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees riposte to the politics of identity that the BJP-NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen to exclude constituents from others.

The simplification of determining identity is imperative for the Trinamul Congress as the BJP raises the spectre of communal identity by threatening to extend the complicated, expensive and error-ridden process of listing via the National Register of Citizens to West Bengal after the exercise in Assam, in which 40 lakh people have been made stateless as of now.

By declaring that the Voter ID would be the one and only proof required to establish citizenship, Ms Banerjee has transformed herself into a champion of the defenceless against the wicked intentions of an unprincipled aggressor. This is a role where she excels, having perfected it with years of practice against the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front in West Bengal. The fusing of the cause and the champion is reflected in her clumsy but evocative slogan  Ma, Mati, Manush  (Mother, Land and People) originally chanted during the 2006-07 Singur-Nandigram confrontation, and which is being repackaged now in the context of communal identities and citizenship.

The BJP also made it easy for Ms Banerjee to create a new interpretation of the intentions of the NRC, in which the saffron party metamorphoses into an inhuman and unprincipled aggressor, in using the NRCs complicated proofs of identity to exclude legitimate citizens, more specifically 25 lakh Hindus, mostly Bengali-speaking, and 13 lakh Muslims, also Bengali-speaking. After meeting a delegation of members of the United Bengal Front, Ms Banerjee used the eve of Independence Day to launch into the BJP for questioning the rights of citizens after 72 years.

The statistics out of Assam delivered to Ms Banerjee by a delegation of Bengalis from that state has added substance to her attack that Hindus and Muslims who are Bengali speakers are in peril, not only in Assam, but in West Bengal too if the BJP returns to power at the Centre. The invocation of a Bengali identity by Ms Banerjee is a tactics for countering the communalisation of identity and citizenship by the BJP through the NRC. Through multiple iterations, the Sangh Parivar has distinguished between Hindus who fled Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan from others, specifically Muslims, who also fled. In this version, the Hindus are refugees with rights; while the Muslims are infiltrators, whose very presence is illegal.

By contesting the basis of identity and citizenship, Ms Banerjee is tapping into a deep pool of Bengali sentiment as well as anxiety. The seriously flawed and expensive NRC process begins with a cutoff date, which is March 24, 1971. The cutoff date is a reminder of the influx of millions of people from across the border during the Liberation War of East Pakistan from West Pakistan, which was described as a humanitarian crisis, a genocide against the Bengali-speaking nation. Language and dispossession are triggers that address the entrenched angst of Bengali nationhood.

As a counter to the BJPs narrative that has spread through the social media like wildfire that the Bengali Hindu is in danger because of the expansion and increase of the Muslim population within West Bengal with infusions of infiltrators through sinister networks from Bangladesh, Ms Banerjees version invokes the idea of the Bengali nation being marginalised by the machinations of an alien power, in this case the BJP at the Centre, and more insidiously awakens anxiety among families that came to West Bengal in 1971 as refugees and remained as settlers. The families were both Hindu and Muslim. After 1971, there has been a trickle of people who have come across the border to settle in West Bengal for a variety of reasons, including economic ones.

To those families, the NRC is a menacing process. If the process is unleashed in West Bengal by a BJP government at the Centre and at the urging of an increasingly powerful BJP in state politics, these families would find it difficult to prove anything beyond the fact of ration cards, Voters IDs and now Aadhaar cards. These were prized documents that were paid for in multiple ways; sometimes by votes and at other times with support. As a true-blue Bengali, Ms Banerjee is aware of these anxieties roused by the uncertainty of proving a right to citizenship. Her declaration, therefore, that the Voter ID is the only proof needed is an assurance as well as a strategy.

There is no reliable data on how many people from Bangladesh or for that matter erstwhile East Pakistan have come across the border and settled in West Bengal. Efforts in the past to separate the local from the infiltrators produced heartrending stories and visuals of Bengali speakers across India being rounded up, tied together with ropes and sitting on the border with BSF forces guarding them. The terrible experience of Bengali speakers from West Bengals districts on the west bank of the Hooghly being hounded in Maharashtra and Delhi are fresh as memories of being hunted.

By emphasising on the geography of religion as a means of determining who is entitled to citizenship, the BJP may have taken a gamble that could fail in West Bengal. In the process, it has handed to Ms Banerjee an alternative narration that has the potential of galvanising the masses of Manush, menaced by the politics of identity. Her slogan at the July 21 rally that 2019 must see the end of the BJP at the Centre and its political nadir in West Bengal needed something more to make sense in entirely personal terms for the masses of Bengali voters. The peril in which Bengali speakers would find themselves if the NRC is used in West Bengal, just as they are in Assam, could be the one addition to push doubtful voters across and into the Trinamul Congress open arms in 2019, as a way of staving off a danger too terrible to contemplate.
Precisely, the implementation of this new smart functionality will result in 40 per cent of energy conservation. (Representational Image/Source: Pixabay)

Machines replacing humans for various tasks is nothing new and thanks to AI, this is not just applicable to mechanical operations but also intellect-oriented tasks are now handled by computers. This is surely a wise transition and Google's new AI engine handling the cooling of its data centres exemplifies this.

Google has now granted the responsibility of managing the cooling systems of its data centres to an AI system which monitors and controls the ventilation or fans around the array of machines. The new system will not only reduce the consistent need for human monitoring but it also creates a big difference in terms of energy savings. Precisely, the implementation of this new smart functionality will result in 40 per cent of energy conservation.

The team which has worked behind the AI algorithm of this efficient mechanism is DeepMind. The London-based company was bought by Google in 2014 which works solely towards building AI engines. The head of DeepMind also brought to notice that this is the first time that artificial intelligence has been employed for a job of such high scale.

No matter how intelligent, the system still needs human eyes to keep a watch on its functioning in order to make sure it's not going out of its way and doing something risky. For the same, a person has been put on duty to observe all the process.

The induction of AI in such an enormous and important process renders the capabilities this algorithm bears. It is based upon the reinforcement learning technique by DeepMind who have used it for testing games where humans would be replaced by AI and results were favourable.

The implementation of this new project not only saves energy but it also lowers down the carbon emission which takes place during the process. However, Joe Kava, vice president of Google's data centres had a few concerns about its reliability. But, its nature of possessing safety controls to prevent risky tasks and a human being able to intervene during inappropriate instances makes the overall engine safe and usable.

(Source)

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(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - The Coast Guard's Diciotti ship carrying 177 rescued migrants will be able to land in Italy if the European Union dies its bit to redistribute the migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday.

The Diciotti picked up the migrants last week after they were spotted in Maltese waters and Salvini has stressed they must be spread across the EU if the ship is to land in Italy.

Otherwise, he has said, they will be sent back to Libya.

Salvini said on Italian TV: "the ship may land in Italy, as long as the 177 migrants are distributed, in a spirit of solidarity by the EU, which is made up of 27 countries".

"Let them pay us this courtesy to play their part, given that we have taken in more than 700,000 people who came by sea".

He reiterated the intention of sending the 177 back to Libya unless the EU does its bit.


The boy is going through criminal charges after Apple called in the FBI and the case is being handled by Children's Court. (Representational Image)

What best do you think a 16-year-old teen can do? Apart from experiencing the hormonal changes and spending time on social media, there's a lot more teens of the 21st century are doing. And, one of the most astonishing acts now reported is hacking tech giant Apple's system over and over again and getting access to 90GB of private data.

Going by a report of The Age, the techie teen is a school student located in Melbourne, Australia who is not just good with computers but is also an Apple fanboy. Rest of the details about the accused are still unknown as the source says they cannot be uncovered for 'legal reasons.'

The company which itself is known for churning out the most secure smartphones found out that the lad broke into the mainframe of company's secured computer systems. He had been continuing to do so for a year and hacked the engine several times within the period. During this course of time, the 16-year-old managed to get access to 90GB of files consisting details of customer accounts.

All the acquired data was stored on his personal computer in a folder with a rather childish and quirky name 'hacky hack hack.' This was found out by the investigators when they did a raid on his family home and got their hands on the 'computerised tunnels and online bypassing systems' developed by the teen.

The boy is going through criminal charges after Apple called in the FBI and the case is being handled by Children's Court. After executing a search warrant, a prosecutor informed about finding two Apple laptops which bore the serial number matching to those which hacked into the company's system. A software, which allowed the hacking process, was found installed on the teen's laptop through which he got the 'authorised keys.'

As per the lad's statement, he had not been doing this with cruel intentions and has dreams of working for Apple someday, instead. Owing to the case's complexity, the court hearing has been extended until next month.

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A 21-year-old Nepalese woman is believed to have committed suicide by hanging herself from the branch of a tree in the Cubbon Park on Saturday night. The incident came to light on Sunday morning after a security guard saw the body and called the police.

Santoshi N, who worked at a spa in UB City and lived in D'Souza Layout with her father Kabir Raja, may have taken the extreme step as she could not marry her boyfriend, Naresh, the police said.

Santoshi and Naresh, a private firm employee, had been dating for the past few months and wanted to get married after convincing their families. The couple went to Naresh's house on Saturday and talked to his parents, but they shot down the idea, saying Santoshi belongs to a different community and region. Santoshi was so upset that she fought with Naresh and his family.

Hours later, she went missing. Her father went looking for her and contacted her friends, but nobody knew her whereabouts. The police later contacted him after finding the body.

Raja has filed a police complaint, accusing Naresh of abetting his daughter's suicide. They are also looking out for Raja, who has gone missing.
The Swiss city of Lausanne has blocked a Muslim couple's bid to become Swiss nationals over their refusal to shake hands with members of the opposite sex.

The municipality said it refused to grant the couple's citizenship application over their lack of respect for gender equality, Lausanne mayor Gregoire Junod said.

He said a municipal commission had questioned the couple several months ago to determine if they met the criteria for citizenship, but had determined in the ruling made public Friday that they missed the mark on integration.

He refused to divulge the couple's nationalities or other identifying details, but said they "did not shake hands with people of the opposite sex." They also "showed great difficulty in answering questions asked by people of the opposite sex," he said.

Some devout Muslims argue that Islam does not permit physical contact with a person of the opposite sex, with the exception of certain immediate family members.

Junod pointed out that freedom of belief and religion is enshrined in the laws of the Canton of Vaud, which encompasses Lausanne.

But "religious practice does not fall outside the law," he stressed.

His vice-mayor, Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand, who was on the three-member commission that questioned the couple told AFP he was "very satisfied with the decision" to deny the couple's application.

"The constitution and equality between men and women prevails over bigotry," he said. The couple has 30 days to appeal the decision, Junod said.

Not the first time

This is not the first time refused handshakes have stirred tensions in Switzerland.

In 2016, there was national uproar over revelations that a middle school in the north of the country had allowed two Syrian brothers not to shake their teachers' hands after they complained that doing so was counter to their religious beliefs if the teacher was a woman.

This ran counter to a deeply entrenched Swiss tradition of students shaking their teacher's hands as a sign of respect, and amid the outcry regional authorities quickly overruled the school's decision.
Reliance Group on Monday said its Chairman Anil Ambani has written to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale fighter jet deal saying his party has been "misinformed, misdirected and misled" by "malicious vested interests and corporate rivals" on the issue.

Ambani, who had first written to Gandhi on the issue in December, last week again wrote to him saying not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by his group for the 36 Rafale jets India is buying from France, the company said in a statement here.

Gandhi has been attacking the government for inking the deal at a much higher price than the one the previous UPA regime had negotiated. While he has accused the government of changing the deal to benefit "one businessman", his party has demanded a JPC probe into the deal.

"Allegations of Reliance benefitting by thousands of crores is a figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests," the company statement said, quoting from Ambani's letter. "Simply put, no contract exists with the Government of India."

French company Dassault, which is supplying the fighter jets, has entered into a joint venture with Reliance Group to meet its offset requirement of the contract.

Under defence offset, a foreign supplier of equipment agrees to manufacture a given percent of his product (in terms of value) in the buying country. Sometimes this may take place with technology transfer.

While direct offsets are linked to the original defence contact where companies often agree to transfer relevant technological know-how or use local suppliers to build the equipment they are selling to the government, indirect offsets have nothing to do with the deal and can include the company making up investments in local industries.

In case of Rafale deal, which will give new comer Reliance Group a foothold in the defence industry, the companies have not specified what components will they manufacturer in India.

Ambani in the letter expressed "deep anguish over continued personal attacks by Rahul Gandhi on him", the statement said. He termed all allegations as "baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate"

Explaining the role of Reliance in offset exports/ work share with Dassault, he said: "The Congress has been misinformed, misdirected and misled by malicious vested interests and corporate rivals."

He said Rafale fighter jets are not being manufactured by Reliance of the Dassault Reliance joint venture. "All 36 planes are to be 100 per cent manufactured in France, and exported from France to India."

"There is no contract from the Ministry of Defence to any Reliance Group company related to 36 Rafale aircraft," the statement said.

Ambani said his group's "role is limited to offset/ export obligations. More than 100 medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) will participate in this, along with public sector undertakings like BEL and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

"This role strengthens Indian manufacturing capabilities, and is in pursuance of the Offsets Policy introduced by the Congress-led UPA government itself from 2005 onwards."

He said Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defence manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, "months before the intention for the purchase of Rafale aircraft".
Jammu and Kashmir Police is likely to release Irfan Zargar, who had been detained by the Dubai authorities on suspicion of being an Islamic State (IS) sympathiser and then handed over to NIA for further questioning.

36-year-old Zarger, a resident of Chattatabal area of the old city of Srinagar was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) by the UAE authorities on August 14 for allegedly showing active support to IS activities in Syria on social media. He was handed over to the NIA after the intervention of the Indian consulate general in Dubai.

Later the NIA interrogated him for five days before handing him over to Jammu and Kashmir police. Police sources said nothing adverse has been found against Zarger during questioning by the NIA and J&K police. There is also nothing adverse against him in police records in Srinagar, they said.

According to Zargers family, they had been called to Joint Interrogation Center, Jammu where is detained. Zarger, an engineer, shifted to Dubai soon after the 2014 floods where he got a job in a telecom company. In 2017 he visited his home for celebrating Eid ul Fitr and went back after spending one month in Kashmir, they said.

His uncle Nazir Ahmad said that Zarger went missing from Dubai on 28 April, 2018 and after two days his cousin brother Aamanullah who is working in Dubai informed his family members telephonically about it.

While Central government has been maintaining that there is no presence of ISIS in the Valley, state police chief Shesh Pal Vaid had for the first time officially confirmed of any presence of IS militant in Kashmir after security forces killed four Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) militants in a gun battle in Srigufwara area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district on June 22.

In May 2017, ISIS on its website had said that its Indian affiliate, Ansar Gazwatul Hind was being headed by Zakir Musa, who quit indigenous Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit earlier. Sources said eight to ten local militants are affiliated with ISJK.

Zargar is the third Kashmiri to have been deported in recent times after being accused of sympathising with the ISIS. Before him, Srinagar-resident Afshan Parvaiz was deported from Ankara on May 25 while another young man named Parvaiz was deported from Tehran on March 23.

Another youth from Ganderbal, Azhar ul Islam, was deported from the UAE last year for being an alleged ISIS sympathiser.
The Dakshina Kannada (DK) police top brass has stepped up security at various places in the Jodupala area, to prevent theft of valuables from deserted homes.

DK Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told DH, that police officers have been deployed to prevent the entry of unauthorised people (posing as relief workers) into deserted houses.

The entire Jodupala area has been cordoned by the police. A DK police team, including an Additional SP are camping on site.

Meanwhile, the SP said that rescue operations employing multiple agencies, continued at Jodupala on the border of DK district even on Monday.

Two bodies of a family washed away in the flood at Jodupala on Friday, are yet to be retrieved. Intense search operations are on, the SP noted.
(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - The Coast Guard's Diciotti ship carrying 177 rescued migrants will dock at Catania, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said Monday.

But Interior Minister Matteo Salvini won't let any migrants off until the EU tells him they will go elsewhere, interior ministry sources said. "The gallant men of the coast guard," Toninelli tweeted, "performed their duty saving human lives just 17 miles from Lampedusa".

He added: "Now Europe must swiftly play its part." Salvini won't let the ship dock at Catania, however, until he gets assurances from the EU that the migrants will go elsewhere, interior ministry sources said Monday. The sources stressed that answers from Europe were expected.

Until they are provided, they said, no one will be allowed to get off the ship.

Earlier Salvini said the ship would be allowed to land in Italy if the European Union does its bit to redistribute the migrants.

Meanwhile the Italian foreign ministry "officially and formally" requested the intervention of the EU.

The Diciotti picked up the migrants last week after they were spotted in Maltese waters and Salvini has stressed they must be spread across the EU if the ship is to land in Italy.

Otherwise, he has said, they will be sent back to Libya.

Salvini said on Italian TV: "the ship may land in Italy, as long as the 177 migrants are distributed, in a spirit of solidarity by the EU, which is made up of 27 countries".

"Let them pay us this courtesy to play their part, given that we have taken in more than 700,000 people who came by sea".

He reiterated the intention of sending the 177 back to Libya unless the EU does its bit.


On July 28, 2018, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, in an official Declaration of Love Loud Day in Utah, proclaimed that we must cultivate a climate of inclusion for all people, noting the need to encourage relevant and vital conversations about what it means to love each other unconditionally, understand our differences and include support for LGBTQ+ friends and family members.

Utahs public libraries share the values of inclusion that the governor so eloquently stated, as well as the power and importance of having relevant and vital conversations in our communities that promote awareness, respect and understanding. While these values are core to the important role that public libraries play in our civic society every day, the recent banning of an LGBTQ display and buttons at the Washington County Library fell short.

In an Aug. 10 interview with Good4Utah, WCL director Joel Tucker explained that LGBTQ displays and buttons were banned in his library because he had received complaints from a county commissioner about a previous LGBTQ display. Tucker expressed concern that the display might (push) away a segment of our society, give rise to disagreement, be perceived as an endorsement by the library and otherwise upset patrons or cause controversy.

Its true that displaying library materials does not constitute endorsement. But by not allowing the display, and by not allowing library staff to wear buttons inviting inquiry and dialogue, WCL is missing a critical opportunity to cultivate a climate of inclusion. By supporting the display, WCL would have encouraged a vital community conversation that can lead to greater awareness, empathy and understanding of all members of the community.

It is not uncommon for those who work in public libraries to hear from patrons who share how the library was (or is) a safe haven for them

To effectively serve diverse communities, libraries routinely address challenges to books and exhibits. We navigate these challenges by relying on a set of core values, including intellectual freedom, lifelong learning, access, diversity and the public good. Librarians promote an open marketplace of ideas where our communities have access to a wide variety of viewpoints and ideas.

The Library Bill of Rights, a foundational document of the American Library Association, states that library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation, and that (m)aterials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. The practice of librarianship relies upon many values, but avoiding controversy at all costs is not one of them.

It is not uncommon for those who work in public libraries to hear from patrons who share how the library was (or is) a safe haven for them, or even to hear the library saved my life. LGBTQ youth have higher rates of mental health challenges and risk of suicide, which research shows is driven by social isolation and exclusion. Considering that 86 percent of LGBTQ youth report harassment and bullying at school, and that suicide is the leading cause of death among Utah youths ages 10-17, it becomes clear that displays of LGBTQ materials that promote education, awareness and respectful dialogue can help support positive health outcomes for our youths and our community.

The Washington County Library website affirms that they strive to "provide open, non-judgmental access to collections and services," advocate and support the First Amendment Rights and the Library Bill of Rights, and "serve the total community by providing free and open access to the ideas and information available on all subjects." We invite Washington County to reflect on the application of these principles and to revisit the decision to ban LGBTQ displays and buttons in light of these values.
The Mormon pioneers did more hiking than just Ensign Peak that first summer of 1847 in the Salt Lake Valley. They also scaled one of the sets of "Twin Peaks" and encountered more difficulty than they expected.

The Deseret Evening News of Nov. 5, 1897, reported that the "Broads Fork" version of the Twin Peaks (measured in height today at 11,330 and 11,328 feet above sea level) were first climbed in the summer of 1847 by an Elder John Brown on Aug. 21 that year, in company with Albert Carrington, Dr. William Rust and a Brother Wilson.

(Presumably, these Twin Peaks likely appeared to be the highest points in area.)

The men had camped at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. At 8 a.m. the next morning, left their horses and according to Brown's own account:

 After toiling about eight hours and being very much fatigued, three of us reached the summit of the west peak.

(The fourth party member, Rust, gave out and stopped by a snowbank high up the mountain.)

The group made some readings and estimated the elevation to be 11,219 feet above sea level. The temperature on top was 55 degrees, versus the 101 in downtown Salt Lake City that day.

They descended at 5:30 p.m., but got caught in the darkness.

 As we had expected to get back to camp about the middle of the afternoon, we were unprovided with bedding, coats or any kind of arms, wishing to go as lightly loaded as possible, the day before very warm. But, now when the night came, we found it quite cold in the mountains.

While climbing over the rocks, after feeling our way with our hands in order to escape death by falling over a precipice, we became separated and only Brother Carrington and I remained together. At 10 p.m., we laid down under a scrubby tree, being so tired that further progress was impossible and we knew not where the other two men had gone. At length, we found a place between the rocks large enough to lay down. Our bed, however, was by no means horizontal: it had a slope of something like 45 degrees. Instead of feathers, we had pebbles for pillows and coarse sands, which were yet warm from the heat of the sun, for bedding: we kept them warm by our bodies during the remainder of the night.

At 5 oclock the next morning we arose, being somewhat sore and continued our journey down the mountain side. Hungry and faint, having had neither supper or breakfast, we scrambled over the rocks as best we could.

They met up with Rust part way down.

We reached our camp at 7:30 a.m., where we found our other companion, who had made his way in at 10 oclock the night previous. We then returned to the city, satisfied with our first attempt at climbing mountains.

The story reported that only a few men had attempted to climb the peaks between then, 1847 and 50 years later in 1897.

 Heres another climbing account: "The Twin Peaks. Three Gentlemen make the ascent to the summits" was an Aug. 22, 1883, headline in the Deseret News.

Dr. J.R. Park, Joseph T. Kingsbury and Orson Howard were reported as making a climb of these "Twins."

This 1883 climbing report stated that the climbers started at 5 a.m., near Little Cottonwood Canyon, looking for a feasible route to take. They ended up in some "fearfully rugged" terrain and had to scramble upward. They were determined to reach the summits, which they did after eight hours of effort. The men reported the summits as entirely devoid of vegetation, though there was still some snow to deal with. They returned to the valley by 7 p.m., making for a 14-hour trek.

The story estimated the peaks to be 11,050 feet above sea level.

 Some three years later, in August of 1886, the Salt Lake Democrat newspaper contained the account of how another two men climbed the Broad Fork Twin Peaks. They rode horses much of the way, leaving their animals in a meadow as the climb became rugged. The men reported a narrow, foot-wide precipice to negotiate, with hundred-foot cliffs below. Also, lots of deep snow in the upper areas.

 The Salt Lake Herald of Nov. 3, 1897, reportedon a $100 bet to climb the supposedly previously unclimbed north of the Broad Fork Twin Peaks. Conditions of the bet were that the two men, Herman Neipage and Claud Victor, would leave Murray at sunrise and had to return by sunset, after having climbed the summit.

It was reported to be a hard and dangerous climb with 2,000 feet of ledges. Neipage was described as a daring leaper while Victor used a 60-foot rope for help.

Six hours after sunrise, Victor planted an American flag on the summit and even built a fire just below the summit to show they had made it. They were back in Murray one hour before sunset to collect their $100.

 The Salt Lake Telegram of July 30, 1912, reported a group of Salt Lake men scaled the Twin Peaks in just five hours from a base camp in Big Cottonwood Canyon, considered to be a record. The men even took a bulldog along, who had to be lifted over some rocks.

 "Local Girls Climb Dizzy Twin Peaks" was an Aug. 8, 1919, headline in the Salt Lake Herald. A group of 10 females climbed the peaks, led by J.R. Griffiths, physical instructor at the University of Utah. The women made the hike in 12 hours and without a single drink, since there was no water on the mountainside.

 By 1922, the University of Utah sponsored an annual hike to Twin Peaks, according to the Salt Lake Telegram of August 1922. That year was the fifth annual such event. At least 25 persons were registered to go that year.

Note: There are three different sets of twin peaks in just the Salt Lake section of the Wasatch Mountains. There's the "Broads Fork" Twin Peaks, located prominently between Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, that this story discusses; then there's an "American Fork" Twin Peaks, located above Snowbird (elevation 11,489 and 11,433 feet above sea level and the two highest points in Salt Lake County). Finally, there's a smaller set of much more obscure Twin Peaks found directly east of the downtown Salt Lake area.
SALT LAKE CITY  Since the earliest traces of human civilization, the market has found a home in society. While it may be millennia removed from the Ancient Agora of Athens, the Downtown Farmers Marketin Salt Lake City's Pioneer Park is still a place where locals show up to peddle their wares.

Any old market worth its salt would be home to a soothsayer  someone skilled in the art of reading the future. Tucked away at the Downtown Farmers Market in between the beets and cabbages is a group of wise men who may not be able to see what's to come, but are still giving their best effort at helping passersby chart a path forward.

"Anything. You can ask us anything," said Tony Caputo, somewhat of a leader of his unique booth. "We just make stuff up as we go. And the more outlandish your answers are, the more often they'll come to you."

Caputo and his friends sit beneath a banner that reads: "Old Coots Giving Advice." Below that are the words: "It's probably bad advice, but it's free."

He sits in shorts and a black apron, leaning back in a collapsible chair  across the street from his deli and right next to his other booth, where a man is offering free samples of cheese. Part of Caputo's weekend routine involves handing out everything from relationship advice to his sentiments on whether Superman or Batman would win in a brawl.

Caputo's fellow coots on this particular Saturday are Gus Wheeler, a retired teacher, Dr. Louis Borgenicht, a retired pediatrician, and John Lesnan, who once worked for human services.

"We tell them we're not qualified to do anything," Caputo said, gesturing toward his banner. "Like it says, it's probably bad advice."

But if you ask Wheeler if he's "qualified," he turns the question back around: What makes someone "qualified" to give general advice?

"'Dear Abby' wasn't qualified," he said. "Ann Landers wasn't qualified. People want outside information. Sometimes they just want their own thoughts reaffirmed, or hear new things thrown in the mix."

Caputo's three friends point to him when asked where the idea came from to set up camp behind a card table.

"We did this same thing every Saturday over at my store," he said, pointing across the street. "We called it the News Roundup for like 15 years. And then we decided, 'Wow, looks a lot more interesting in the park, let's go over there.' Now, we don't have to talk to each other, because we're a boring bunch."

The group welcomes questions on "anything," and they seem to relish the never-ending conveyor belt of conversational topics.

One woman asks how to stop her cat from relieving itself indoors: Borgenicht recommends a "cat psychiatrist" or a "cat medium," while Wheeler offers the more pragmatic guidance of visiting a veterinarian  once all four men have weighed in with their individual feelings on whether or not they're "cat people."

A man leans in to ask how he can help with the knee pain he's acquired from working on an oil pipeline. Borgenicht asks how much ibuprofen he's taking, while Caputo scolds the man for his choice of footwear in his time off work: "Flip-flops aren't going to be good for your knees."

Another woman says she just started a new job in May, and inquires about whether or not she should head to Taiwan on a trip. Lesnan says if she doesn't have enough vacation, she could consider asking if she's able to take unpaid time off. Caputo decides that if she's going to be away from work, she should spend her time elsewhere.

"Go see your mother," he says. "You've got one mother, and I'm sure she's probably young, because you're fairly young. When you're 55 or 60, you're going to go, ' I wish I would've had more time with my mom.' And Taiwan's not going to matter diddly to you."

There seems to be no end of topics the quartet is asked to tackle. But for Lesnan, one theme stands out.

"We get a lot of relationship questions," he said. "Something that I think's interesting, there are all these forlorn young women in their 20s who can't find young men to have relationships with."

Even those who don't stop to request input on dating, pets, joint pain or vacation are still interested enough to stop and point, or snap a quick photo. The booth attracts a fair amount of bemused glances, and Caputo readily admits the whole thing began as just a way to have fun. Over time, however, the men have learned that some questions are far more daunting than anything they'd expected.

"It started out as a humorous joke," Lesnan said. "But as this has developed, we get some real serious questions. One that sticks in my mind is an old gentleman who came up to us and said, 'What would you do for someone who's going blind?'"

For Caputo, the toughest question he's received was from a man who said he'd been seeing people.

"No one else saw them," Caputo said. "This guy was seriously frightened by this. And it's affecting his life. I mean, people ask us stuff that  what do you say? We try to give them good advice. This guy needed to see a therapist."

For some, maybe the advice itself isn't as important as just wanting to be heard.

"If I have experience in that, in either career or family, I try to share my experience," Wheeler said. "Other times, I just shake my head and say, 'I got no idea. That's a good question.'"

In this small section of the Downtown Farmers Market, it might be more about sharing a smile and a comforting nod than it is about reading tea leaves  and Caputo and his friends certainly know more about ancient history than they do about divining the future. And as for general advice they'll contribute to anyone, Caputo only offers this:

"Don't go searching for happiness  because you'll probably step right over it."
PROVO  Lisa Draper loves being a mother to her three young children, but she also needs time away from them to be completely happy.

"I know what a long and frustrating thing it is to find a baby sitter, sometimes calling six people until you find one, and nights are hard to nail down and weekends are even harder," the Lehi mom said.

She's one of the first women to join Momni, a locally founded global network of mothers who are willing to provide child care for other moms in need, but also book "paid playdates" for their own children.

"It's incredible," Draper said. "It's very freeing. It puts away a little of the guilt (of leaving your kids) if you know your child is going to another mother who would already be caring for children during the day, in her own home. She doesn't have to rearrange her home or her schedule or her lifestyle around your kids."

Draper can book child care for her own children in a matter of minutes from her phone and the agreed-upon rate is charged to her credit card. She can feel confident that they will be safe when she drops them off to do whatever she needs to do.

"I'm a stay-at-home mom with three young children, ages 4, 3 and almost 1, and none of them are in school and none of them will be in school this year and I'm tired," she said, adding that she'd also like to travel with her family and not have to feel exhausted after a day or two.

Momni founder and CEO Karmel Larson knows the frustration all too well. The mother of eight recalls immense satisfaction resulting from the solitude she found during a visit to the dentist shortly after the birth of her fifth child years ago.

"I think there's a lot of moms who rarely, if ever, get a true break," she said, adding that, at the time, it "felt selfish to use the family's resources on myself."

Just over a year ago, Larson learned that reputable child care isn't even an option for many mothers, especially in developing nations. These mothers, some of whom are single and must work or risk starving themselves and their children, are turning to drugs or tying up their children to keep them safe in their homes.

"These are not abusive, bad moms. These are moms who don't have any other options," she said. "Our hearts are broken by stories we hear of babies being doped and tied up as an alternative to child care, and we are passionate about being part of the solution."

An investigation into the international child care crisis was televised on a "Dr. Phil" show segment, Tuesdays with Troy, during which Troy Dunn spoke with Larson about the growing need for day care options. More than 1.6 million people have viewed the short documentary and hundreds have teamed to help, either by hosting their own paid play dates or donating to the Momni Foundation, which kicked off this month.

The foundation, at Momni.com, aims to provide financial support for moms struggling to find appropriate child care in developing nations. For every hour of paid care in a developed nation, Larson said, the Momni Foundation will fund an hour for a mom in a developing nation. She is asking for donationsto help meet that need.

"Since the beginning of time, mothers have formed groups for support and protection," Larson said. "These interlocking circles already exist. We're just asking them to include Momni now."

It is estimated that 1 billion additional women will enter the work force between 2020 and 2030, yet deficits in child care have already reached crisis levels throughout developed and developing nations.

The Overseas Development Institute, a global think tank working for world peace, has reported that the child care gap affects 129 million women around the globe, many of whom are single mothers. And as many as 35 million children under age 5 are left on their own or with a very young sibling on a regular basis, according to the organization.

Momni  patterned after the successful room-sharing Airbnb platform, or ride-sharing success accomplished by Uber, and other networks of service providers throughout the world  is poised to help.

"We call it care-sharing," Larson said. "Moms trust other moms."

Moms, it turns out, also have more experience than teenage baby sitters or even an experienced nanny, having cared for a child "24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said. "Experience level skyrockets when you care for children full-time."

And with Momni, there is an exchange of funds, making the service more worthwhile for the host.

Though, Draper said, the benefits don't end there.

She likes exposing her own children to other kids, kids they don't already know, kids of different ages, different backgrounds and ethnicities that become available by linking people with the technology of the World Wide Web.

"This fills my need to have my children see and love others and create friendships in a time when they usually wouldn't have access to a lot of other children because they're not in school yet," Draper said. The exchange has also resulted in new friends for her, too.

"I find that those who are willing to put themselves out there and work, or pursue hobbies to find themselves again, are people I want to be friends with," she said. "I don't only get a connection with the children, I connect with other mothers who are like me."

More than half of the parents of Utah children ages 5 to 17 have both parents working outside of the home, according to a report from Utah's Office of Child Care, a division of the Department of Workforce Services. Those kids also spend an average of eight hours per week unsupervised, the statistics show.

The state pays child care subsidies to at least 40 percent of families of Utah kids ages 5 to 12, and other resources are available, as the cost of licensed child care in Utah is high, according to the state organization.

But not all families qualify for assistance and still need help once in a while.

Momni is free to use. The application verifies the identity of all users and provides an optional but highly recommended background check at a small cost for prospective hosts, if they want to boost their viability. The site charges a nominal service fee to link interested parties together for child care service  a small percentage of the amount exchanged.

"It's long overdue," Draper said. "It's efficient and effective and those are incredible things to have as a mother."

Larson said that when she learned what some mothers were doing in order to provide for their families, she knew she had to help.

"Call it inspiration. The idea  just came to me," she said. "I know we as mothers can do better. We can help each other. We can do better."

The Momni logo contains an elephant, which purports the matriarchal society of elephants, who instinctually "circle around when there is danger or harm or any need to protect or support," Larson said. "And they put their babies and teens in the center.

"We're circling up to help each other as mothers and elevate the standard for raising our children."

And all children, Larson said, deserve the opportunity to be properly cared for.

"These children in developing nations who are being left alone, or being drugged day after day  it has significant developmental implications for their progress and their opportunities in life," she said.

Research, Larson said, shows that children are more well-served by mothers who are healthy and in strong marriages.

"Momni is the solution that moms everywhere have been praying for, to anyone who will listen. They say, 'I can't lock my kids at home another day,'" she said through tears.

"It's like a huge global hug," Larson said. "Moms need this. They don't just want it. They need it. If they're not experiencing the pain point themselves, they know someone  a sister, a friend, someone  who is. They're so ready to help."

So many times when she couldn't find child care for her own children, she said the only option was to cancel whatever it was she wanted or needed to do.

Larson doesn't want motherhood to be a burden to anyone.

"You lose yourself in motherhood. It's a beautiful, good, purposeful thing," she said. "But, it is also a good thing to make a space for who you are as a woman and as you allow yourself to shine and develop in whatever capacity, that blesses your family as a whole. That doesn't detract from your mothering or child-rearing capacities, it makes you a better mother."

Having more options for child care, and opportunities to pursue other things, Larson said, could help women have better marriages and improved mental health situations, but also "empower women to be able to do more of what they love, more of what they're good at, more of what they're called to do in life."

"It will help them live their mission and purpose," she added. "Momni will absolutely change the world."

More than 1,265 people are using Momni worldwide since it began about 16 months ago, with the majority of "Momnis" enlisting after the "Dr. Phil" video went viral. Larson expects Momni's popularity and usefulness to rise exponentially as word gets out.

"We're here to help," Draper added. "We just need our communities to show up."
LEHI  In 2016, Yongde Chen, 36, joined the U.S. military on a journey that he hoped would lead him to become a naturalized American citizen. But recent developments have stalled that journey and put his dream in peril, as well as risked his family's ability to remain in the United States.

The U.S. armed forces created an avenue to citizenship for scores of immigrants over the years, allowing the military to bolster voluntary participation and strengthen its warfighting capabilities. Recently, however, some foreign-born U.S. Army reservists and recruits who enlisted with a promised path to citizenship are being abruptly discharged, according to the Associated Press.

While the AP was unable to quantify the exact number of men and women who enlisted through the special recruitment program that has been booted from the Army, immigration attorneys claim more than 40 individuals have been discharged or their status has become questionable, thereby jeopardizing their futures and established lives in America.

"Right now, I'm just kind of waiting," Chen said.

Born in China, Chen obtained a work visa and traveled to the U.S. in 2010. Currently living in Lehi with his wife, he is currently employed as a software developer in Utah's burgeoning technology industry. He joined the U.S. Army Reserve two years ago as a way to serve the country and eventually become an American citizen. His military contract is for a six-year term.

But in a recent update, he said a recruiter informed him that his latest background investigation received an "unfavorable" designation.

"That means that possibly I will get discharged from the Army Reserve," Chen said.

In the two years with the reserve unit, Chen said he hasn't received any disciplinary notifications and no one in unit leadership could explain why he received the "unfavorable" rating.

"Even when I check with my squad leader or platoon sergeant, they don't give (any reason) yet," he explained. And to date, he has received no formal notice of discharge, leaving him unsure of his eventual fate.

"He didn't provide me with any more details for now," he added.

Some of the service members say they were not told why they were being discharged, according to the AP. Others who pressed for answers said the Army informed them they'd been labeled as security risks because they have relatives abroad or because the Defense Department had not completed background checks on them.

Spokespeople for the Pentagon and the Army told the AP that, due to the pending litigation, they were unable to explain the discharges or respond to questions about whether there have been policy changes in any of the military branches.

Eligible recruits are required to have legal status in the U.S., such as a student visa, before enlisting. More than 5,000 immigrants were recruited into the program in 2016, and an estimated 10,000 are currently serving. Most go into the Army, but some also go to the other military branches.

To become citizens, the service members need an honorable service designation, which can come after even just a few days at boot camp. But the recently discharged service members have had their basic training delayed, so they can't be naturalized.

Alaska-based immigration attorney Margaret Stock, a retired Army Reserve officer, helped develop the immigrant recruitment program. When the forced separations began, she was inundated by recruits who were abruptly discharged. Each had signed enlistment contracts and taken an Army oath and many were reservists like Chen who had been attending unit drills, receiving pay and undergoing training, while others had been in a "delayed entry" program, she explained

She told the AP the service members she's heard from had been told the Defense Department had not managed to put them through extensive background checks, which include CIA, FBI and National Intelligence Agency screenings and counterintelligence interviews. Therefore, by default, they do not meet the background check requirement.

"It's a vicious cycle," she said. It's unclear how the service members' discharges could affect their status as legal immigrants.

In a statement, the Defense Department said: "All service members (i.e. contracted recruits, active duty, Guard and Reserve) and those with an honorable discharge are protected from deportation." However, immigration attorneys told the AP that many immigrants let go in recent weeks were an "uncharacterized discharge," neither dishonorable nor honorable.

In 2002, then-President George W. Bush ordered "expedited naturalization" for immigrant soldiers in an effort to increase military participation in the time after 9/11, Stock explained. Seven years later, the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest program  known as MAVNI  became an official recruiting program, she said.

Conservatives criticized the program when President Barack Obama added Deferred Action Childhood Arrival recipients  young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally  to the list of eligible enlistees, the AP noted. In response, the military layered on additional security clearances for recruits to pass before heading to boot camp.

The AP reported Trump Administration added even more hurdles, creating a backlog within the Defense Department. Last fall, hundreds of recruits still in the enlistment process had their contracts canceled. A few months later, the military suspended MAVNI.

Republican Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland, who has supported legislation to limit the program, told the AP that MAVNI was established by executive order and never properly authorized by Congress.

"Our military must prioritize enlisting American citizens, and restore the MAVNI program to its specialized, limited scope," he said.

Stock noted that non-U.S. citizens have served in the military since the Revolutionary War when Continental soldiers included Irish, French and Germans. The U.S. recruited Filipino nationals to serve in the Navy in the 1940s and worked to enlist Eastern Europeans in the military over the next decade, according to the Defense Department.

"Immigrants have been serving in the Army since 1775," Stock said. "We wouldn't have won the revolution without immigrants. And we're not going to win the global war on terrorism today without immigrants."

Since Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 110,000 members of the Armed Forces have gained citizenship by serving in the U.S. military, according to the Defense Department. The AP reported many service members recruited through the program have proven to be exemplary. In 2012, then-Sgt. Saral K. Shrestha, originally from Nepal, was named U.S. Army Soldier of the Year.

Stock noted that the RAND Corp., a nonprofit research institution, reported that in general, the immigrant recruits have been more cost-effective, outperforming their fellow soldiers in the areas of attrition, performance, education and promotions.

"This program had been operating quite well for years," Stock said. "It was highly successful."

Despite that success, the program's suspension has put the future of immigrant military members in doubt. For now, Chen said he's in a state of "limbo" regarding his discharge status, as well as the potential for citizenship.

"We don't know yet what they are going to do with my naturalization (application) right now," he said.

The Army suspension of the program while lawsuits make their way through courts leaves individuals like Chen waiting anxiously. In a worst-case scenario, he would have to return to China where his U.S. military service could get him prosecuted in his native country. In his current situation, he said it feels like he is "being treated like a criminal."

"(My intention) was supposed to be for honorable service and (obtaining citizenship) in the 'right way,'" Chen said. "I've already served two years in my reserve unit  and suddenly you may be told to leave this country like a criminal. That's horrible."
SALT LAKE CITY  It's back to school this week for most Wasatch Front public schools.

Salt Lake, Granite, Murray and Alpine schools opened Monday, while Canyons, Davis and Jordan districts are set to start on Wednesday, although some Jordan students in year-round schools returned to the classroom in late July.

More than 660,000 students are expected to enroll in Utah public schools this fall, a slight increase over the previous year, according to Utah State Board of Education estimates.

With the academic year underway, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson said Monday that successful schools rely on the best efforts of multiple stakeholders.

"Parents, teachers and school personnel, and students are all critical factors in creating a successful school environment," she said.

"I wish all of them the best in creating a great school year."

This year's actual enrollment will be determined after the traditional Oct. 1 head count, but projections portend at least 5 percent growth in charter school enrollment, which has been the case the past two years.

Last school year, 75,567 students attended 113 public charter schools in Utah, but numbers of both are expected to increase as more charter schools open their doors this fall and more families elect to attend them.

In Gunnison, students at Gunnison Valley Middle School will get a one-day reprieve from the start of school on Tuesday due to a water pipe that broke over the weekend. School officials tentatively plan to open the school on Wednesday, according to a communication to parents from the school district.

Six of the state's largest school districts are in Salt Lake and Utah counties, with Alpine School District leading the way serving more than 78,800 students.

Utah also has five school districts that serve fewer than 500 students each. Daggett School District is the smallest with 163 students, according to the state's October 2017 head count.

Salt Lake City School District's welcoming message by Superintendent Lexi Cunningham largely focused on school safety, noting every school employee  from food service workers to administrators  has undergone safety training.

"Starting this year, every elementary school and middle school in Salt Lake City School District will feature a security camera/doorbell at the front of each school," Cunningham wrote.

"If a parent or anyone else wants to come into the building during the school day, they'll have to ring the doorbell and be buzzed in by the front office."

A tweet from Granite School District urged parents to "be patient and be kind in our drop-off zones and always utilize marked crosswalks."

One in 5 Utahns is a public school student when compared to census figures that place the state's population at 3 million-plus. These figures do not include school-age children who attend private schools or are home-schooled.
SALT LAKE CITY  A British woman fell off a cruise ship and treaded water for 10 hours before officials pulled her out of the Adriatic Sea, according to multiple news reports.

The woman was on a Norwegian Star ship off the coast of Croatia when she fell overboard, crashing into the water, ABC News reported.

A spokesperson for Norwegian told ABC News the Coast Guard was notified immediately, and a rescue operation began right after she fell overboard.

"We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment. We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family, the spokesperson said.

David Radas, a spokesperson for the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told ABC News that footage from the womans fall shows her going overboard at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. She was rescued at 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

The woman told Croatian TV station HRT that she fell off the ships back deck. The woman  a flight attendant named Kay Longstaff  had experience with emergency training.

"I fell off of the back of Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours," she told HRT. "So these wonderful guys rescued me. ... I am very lucky to be alive."

Longstaff told rescuers she survived in the water for so long because she spent so much time doing yoga. She said she sang overnight to keep from feeling cold.

University of Portsmouth professor Mike Tipton told BBC News that Longstaff fell into a perfect survival situation since the water was warm and calm.

Since she didnt face waves, the woman could float and swim to stay close enough to the cruise line.

"The water temperature would have been about 28 to 29 (degrees Celsius) which is a little bit warmer than a swimming pool," he said.
OGDEN  Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, is bringing his U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources to the state next week to convene a field hearing in Roosevelt and to tour the Ogden area with a top Interior official overseeing the agency's reorganization.

Susan Combs, acting assistant secretary for policy, management and budget at the Department of the Interior, will visit several areas in Ogden, including the Federal Building, which is home to the regional headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service.

I think Utah has a unique perspective that needs to be heard.  Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah

Since Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced his intention to reorganize the agency, states in the West are vying for consideration of being the new home for the Bureau of Land Management's headquarters. Utah and Colorado have repeatedly surfaced as top contenders.

"We will talk about a couple of things," Bishop said. "We want to talk about the overall reorganization to bring all the agencies in an area together, but we specifically wanted to show what kind of opportunities there will be for businesses that are in outdoor recreation. And yes, she will be looking at places."

Combs, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Sarah Lehman, CEO of Enve Composites, which manufactures carbon fiber components for bicycles, will participate in a roundtable discussion with the committee on how the department's reorganization would benefit Utah residents.

That 2 p.m. discussion on Aug. 28 will take place in the Weber County Commission Chambers, 2380 Washington Blvd.

Bishop said he picked Ogden specifically because it is home to a mix of successful outdoor businesses whose leaders need to hear how the reorganization could possibly benefit from them.

He added that the city could be a realistic choice to host the BLM headquarters, but he has no specific knowledge about possible candidates.

"I think the U.S. Department of the Interior has indicated they are looking at a lot of places in the West which have close air traffic control, a workforce that is compatible and good living standards. Obviously that will be in the mix," he said.

Bishop, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, will convene a field hearing at 2 p.m. on Aug. 29 at Union High School in Roosevelt, where committee members will discuss the connection between energy and education.

He said they will dive into a bipartisan energy bill that streamlines permitting, and committee members will get a chance to hear firsthand what type of regulatory hurdles exist in the industry and how that affects education dollars.

"There are some businesses that have picked up and pulled away because they got so tired of waiting for the permitting process," Bishop said.

A State School Board member, local county commissioners and an industry representative are among those slated to participate in the hearing.

Finally on Aug. 30 at the state Capitol, the committee will host a forum on catastrophic wildfires and what can be done to stop them.

"I think Utah has a unique perspective that needs to be heard," Bishop said.

Participants include former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the GOP candidate running to replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Herbert and Utah State Forester Brian Cottam.

Bishop said leaders beyond the West need to understand the pressing challenges of tinder-dry conditions.

"It has to stop, it has to stop in some particular way," Bishop said, stressing the need for land management reforms for rangeland and forests.

"All of these issues are significant to this committee, and I think Utah has a unique perspective that needs to be heard," Bishop said.
Kurt Shuler, Arteris IP

Abstract.

Many in the semiconductor engineering community are new to the ISO 26262 functional safety standard and the automotive industry. This paper explains the changes in the role of the semiconductor industry in the automotive supply chain and seeks to enhance the readers knowledge regarding all aspects of the ISO 26262 standard. This paper also discusses the standards applicability not only to electronic products, but also to the people and processes employed to create them.

Keywords: ISO 26262, Certification, Functional Safety, Automotive, Semiconductor

1. Introduction

Developers of automotive semiconductor devices and electronic systems beware: There may be some vendors who claim their products meet the ISO 26262 safety standard requirements for integration into the production of passenger vehicles without fully understanding the nature of the challenge. These claims might be superficial if they fail to account for the people and processes that are used to make a product intended for an automobile. If system designers fail to carefully assess a vendors qualifications, they risk difficulties getting their product accepted by customers in the automotive supply chain.

Participants in the automotive supply chain are responsible for performing their own functional safety assessments of each vendors offering, taking into account their suppliers documented Assumptions of Use (AoU) which describe how the vendors product is expected to be used in an automotive system. Vendors tailor their own analysis to specific configurations and use cases that will hopefully match those of their integrator customer. A third-party ISO 26262 certification for an element1 to be used in an automotive system can help the system integrator perform this analysis, but it does not replace the obligation of integrators to analyze their vendors product in the context of the integrators own use.

This paper explores the fundamentals of ISO 26262 certification for the people, processes and products involved in designing functionally-safe electronic systems for automobiles. The end goal is to make development teams, executives and investors more aware of the responsibilities involved in complying with the details of automotive safety standards. That, in turn, will provide more information on the efforts and costs associated with compliance and will also enable more efficient communications between supply chain members.

2. The Changing Automotive Industry: New Electronics & New Entrants

All electronic systems for passenger vehicles must satisfy rigorous safety requirements before they are integrated into an automobile manufacturers product. The suppliers to this industry have established a sophisticated supply chain in order to deliver these systems, along with proof of the products ability to meet these safety requirements. This system of information sharing requires detailed exchanges between intellectual property (IP) vendors, semiconductor system-on-chip (SoC) developers, component suppliers, software providers, electronic system designers, and many others to ensure that all critical components comply with ISO 26262 guidelines, procedures, training levels, audits, and assessments.



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Fig. 1 Semiconductor-centric supply chain for critical components of Audi's zFAS central driver assistance controller.

Sources: Audi; IHS Markit; Arteris IP

However, the automobile industry is currently witnessing rapid change as more and more mechanical features transition to electronic systems. As a result, the functions that were in the past performed by a human driver are being supplemented by advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which are evolving into autonomous driving systems. These two trends are fueling a wave of economic growth and technological innovation in the automobile industry. The promise of rapid market growth is spurring new entrants who are aiming to participate in the automobile industrys electronics boom.

What recent entrants might lack is experience in developing and delivering their products in accordance with the ISO 26262 functional safety standard. While these vendors may state that their products are ready to comply with auto safety standards, the companies in the supply chain will still demand an extensive, careful review and assessment of the personnel and procedures involved in developing the product before it is integrated into larger systems. It is important to note that the ISO 26262 standard applies to the people and processes that make the products as much as the product itself.

One way for participants in the automotive electronics supply chain to proactively address this issue is to obtain ISO 26262 certifications from accredited assessment bodies. However, most electronic products targeted for automotive use are not complete standalone systems that can be certified to the ISO 26262 standard with complete knowledge of how the product will be integrated and used in a vehicle. Therefore, it is important for any development team that is serious about serving this market to explore their vendors claims regarding functional safety whether a certification is claimed, or not. While third-party product certifications can be a part of this process, an evaluation of any component must go deeper and must be done by the company using and integrating the product. Failure to conduct assessments on a vendors personnel, process and product qualifications could result in rejection by customers further along the supply chain.

3. Why ISO 26262?

The International Standards Organization (ISO) states the following:

ISO 26262 is intended to be applied to safety-related systems that include one or more electrical or electronic (E/E) systems and that are installed in series production passenger cars.

ISO 26262 addresses possible hazards caused by malfunctioning behavior of E/E safety-related systems, including interaction of these systems.

3.1. First Principle: Information Sharing is the Key

Electrification of vehicle systems continues at a rapid pace, both in terms of the total content of the car and in terms of advanced control capabilities. This trend is propelling a growth spurt in innovation, and it is also attracting larger investments, greater research and development efforts, and new entrants to the automotive market.

What many of these new entrants might not know is that compliance with automotive safety standards requires information sharing through every part of the supply chain. Experienced development teams at every level are challenged by these standards because requirements are evolving and there are only a few experts available throughout the industry to guide projects through this process. In addition, participants in the semiconductor and software supply chains are usually secretive about how their IP was developed and how it works in detail.



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Fig. 2: A semiconductor-centric view of the ADAS and autonomous driving system value chain. Source: Arteris IP

The information that vendors must provide includes analyses, education and documentation for every element of a system which has a safety goal. This information must be provided by every member of the supply chain. Semiconductor IP vendors supply this information to developers of SoC devices. The chip design teams use this information to analyze their custom systems and pass the results along to Tier-1 electronic system suppliers. These Tier-1 suppliers then perform their own analysis and send the results to the vehicle manufacturers and their customers.

These relationships in the automotive supply chain are becoming more complex because traditional semiconductor vendors who are making or designing chips to enable autonomous driving applications are nowadays sometimes competing with Tier-1 electronic system designers and OEMs, who may be making their own chips or providing explicit requirements to their semiconductor vendor partners. Additionally, new entrants like Uber, Waymo and Apple are designing their own complete systems, despite their relative lack of experience in the automotive industry. ISO 26262 mandates high levels of collaboration and information sharing throughout the value chain that may be unfamiliar to new entrants.

3.2. Complexity Mandates Better Analysis

Increasing complexity throughout the automotive industry is driving continuing efforts to enhance the safe operation of these systems. Here is a simple example of how safety analyses can be affected in this transition from mechanical to electronic systems: Modern automobiles use by-wire systems such as throttle-by-wire, where the driver pushes on the accelerator and a sensor in the pedal sends an electrical signal to an electronic control unit (ECU). This electronic system replaces the past mechanical method of using a metal cable attached to the accelerator pedal and mechanical throttle control plate. The ECU is smarter than the mechanical approach: It analyzes several factors such as engine speed, vehicle speed, and pedal position and then relays a command to the throttle.

Even in this simple example of the electrification of systems in cars, we can see that testing and validating the throttle-by-wire system is more difficult than testing the older mechanical version. Complexity has exploded as we have replaced mechanical systems with electronic ones, electrified drivetrains, and added ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities to cars. The goal of ISO 26262 is to have a unified functional safety standard that addresses all of these automotive electronic systems.

New functionalities such as driver assistance, electric propulsion, in-vehicle dynamics control, and active and passive safety systems increasingly touch the domain of system safety engineering. The greater technological complexity, software content and mechatronic implementation come with greater risks of systematic hardware failures, which are produced by human error during system development. ISO 26262 provides guidance on how to minimize risks by prescribing requirements and processes.

For designers of semiconductor SoC devices and IP, the requirements of ISO 26262 compliance are more abstract when compared to the guidelines for complete systems. Therefore, the developers of IP must perform additional analyses regarding many sets of assumptions to determine IP readiness for integration into a functionally-safe automotive system. Appendix A, ISO 26262 Fault Reference Chart, provides more information regarding categories of faults, types of fault analyses, and the parts of the ISO 26262 standard that discuss these. By following best practices and adopting them throughout an organization, a company can provide the required proof that its IP is a safe and reliable component for automotive systems. Successful companies also emphasize employee training as evidence of their commitment to comply with the requirements of ISO 26262 and ensure a strong safety culture.

4. Functional Safety Activities

The goal of ISO 26262 is to provide a unified safety standard for all automotive electronic systems. Achieving system safety requires that several safety measures be implemented in a variety of technologies such as mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and electronic systems, and that these safety measures be applied at various levels of the development process.

ISO 26262 defines various automotive safety integrity levels (ASIL)QM, A, B, C and Dto help map the required processes, development efforts, and in-product functional safety mechanisms to levels of acceptable risk. These five levels of rigor span the broad range from basic quality management to systems where malfunction can lead to fatal accidents. In this latter case, ASIL D requires the single point fault metric (SPFM) in an automotive system to be less than 1%. Table 1, below, has more information relating ASIL levels to fault metrics.

Table 1 To achieve ASIL D, more than 99% of single point faults in a system must be covered by a safety mechanism. ASILs B and C require less coverage. Sources: ISO 26262-5:2011, Tables 4 and 5; ISO 26262-1:2011

Metric Definition ASIL B ASIL C ASIL D Single Point Fault Metric (SPFM) Single Point Fault: Fault (1.42) in an element (1.32) that is not covered by a safety mechanism (1.111) and that leads directly to the violation of a safety goal (1.108). [Source: ISO 26262- 1:2011 1.122] The single point fault metric (SPFM) is a hardware architectural metric that reveals whether or not the coverage by the safety mechanisms, to prevent risk from single point faults in the hardware architecture, is sufficient.  90%  97%  99% Latent Fault Metric (LFM) Latent Fault: Multiple-point fault (1.77) whose presence is not detected by a safety mechanism (1.111) nor perceived by the driver within the multiple-point fault detection interval (1.78) [Source: ISO 26262-1:2011 1.71] The latent fault metric (LFM) is a hardware architectural metric that reveals whether or not the coverage by the safety mechanisms, to prevent risk from latent faults in the hardware architecture, is sufficient.  60%  80%  90%

Automotive SoCs offer diagnostic coverage through specific hardware capabilities to ensure compliance with ISO 26262. These on-chip functional safety mechanisms include techniques such as error correction code (ECC) and parity protection for data links and internal memories; intelligent duplication of processing elements through smart interconnect fabric; built-in self-test (BIST); and error reporting mechanisms.

Although ISO 26262 is concerned with the functional safety of E/E systems, it actually provides a framework that addresses the entire lifecycle of a safety-related system. ISO 26262 provides guidance on the following:

Lifecycle management, product development, production, operation, service, decommissioning, and tailoring the necessary activities during these lifecycle phases

Applicable safety requirements according to a hazards severity, the probability of exposure, and controllability to avoid unreasonable residual risk

Validation and confirmation measures to ensure a sufficient and acceptable level of safety

Requirements for relationships with suppliers

All of this seems onerous at first but understanding the gist of ISO 26262 can be simplified by focusing on three main areas, the 3Ps:

People Process Product

A vendor must provide customers with documents that detail the steps taken by the organization to prepare the people, processes, and products to comply with the standard. Armed with a broad perspective on the role of the 3 Ps within the semiconductor IP market, SoC architects and design teams can make informed choices in selecting the appropriate IP. Knowledge of organizational and operational characteristics of the IP provider leads to better chips, safer passenger vehicles and more efficient development.

Fig. 3: People, process and product are the foundations of ISO 26262 functional safety activities. Source: Arteris IP

Functional safety involves all parts of the development process including specification, design, implementation, integration, verification and validation. It also includes the production, management and service processes. There is a high degree of difficulty in building an organization that designs IP for automotive SoCs because of the specific demands of the safety standards. Additional training, assessments, evaluations, analyses, and documentation required for customer qualification and third-party ISO 26262 certification can add significant expense to the development of IP for the automotive market.

Proof of these functional safety activities must be communicated up the supply chain. As a result, every organization that provides products to the automotive semiconductor market must be able to document that development activities comply with the standard. The documentation covers the personnel involved, the processes used to develop the solution, and the analyses of the products that are needed to comply with ISO 26262 standards.

4.1. People

The first step towards ISO 26262 compliance for a semiconductor IP is to train the people involved in IP development. Many companies take the shortcut of training a small group of people, usually the ISO 26262-required functional safety manager (FSM) and a handful of safety engineers.

However, this may not be sufficient to meet the spirit of ISO 26262 because of the requirements of ISO 26262 Part 2, Management of functional safety, specifically clauses 5.4.2 Safety culture, and 5.4.3 Competence management. Ensuring a sustainable safety culture where team members have a sufficient level of skills, competences and qualifications corresponding to their responsibilities requires that functional safety knowledge be broadly known throughout an organization. This requires substantial employee training.

4.1.1. ISO 26262 training and certification for individuals

While training involves engineers, it also needs to include other people within the organization who are involved in product development and support. This can include executives, marketing personnel, engineering staff, documentation teams, quality assurance managers, application engineers and others. The organizations assigned and trained functional safety manager (FSM) is tasked with promoting a strong safety culture among all the people involved in product development and the FSM is usually responsible for providing in-house or third-party training for all these employees. Proof of employee functional safety training is often required by customerscalled integrators in ISO 26262of semiconductor IP as well as third-party ISO 26262 assessors.

As an example of a practical implementation, more than 50 of Arteris IPs employees have been trained and certified as ISO 26262 Functional Safety Practitioners (FSP) by ISO 26262 consultancy exida, who is also an ANSI-accredited certification body for the ISO 26262 standard. Arteris IP has an experienced FSM on staff, and it promotes a safety culture not only through its extensive ISO 26262 training programs but also with the establishment of functional safety processes that ensure quality throughout the semiconductor IP development process. Appendix B, In-Person ISO 26262 Training and Certification Courses for Individuals and Teams, lists providers of employee training and certification. Appendix C, Online ISO 26262 Training Resources, is a list of free and low cost online introductory training resources.

4.2. Process

Using good processes is crucial to avoiding systematic faults. Systematic faults are tied to a specific cause in a predictable way and can only be eliminated by a change in the design, manufacturing, operational procedures, documentation, or other relevant factors of the system. In short, systematic faults are designed into the system. Quality processes help avoid designing faults into systems.

Because we are engineers, much of the attention to ISO 26262 processes gets caught up in the use of technologies and software tools to address the details of ISO 26262 Part 8 titled Supporting processes. This is the wrong approach.

The key to a good safety process, or any product development process in general, is not the expert use and integration of tools for requirements management, change management, verification and other parts of the development process, but rather the continual use of a quality management system (QMS) by all employees.

4.2.1. Quality management systems (QMS)

Any process that meets the ISO 26262 Part 8 requirements for quality management systems is acceptable for ISO 26262 compliance. However, there are already existing software, hardware, and automotive system development QMS that are state-of-the-art and can be the foundation of a vendors process.

Table 2 below provides some examples:

Table 2: Examples of ISO 26262-compliant Quality Management Systems (QMS). Source: ISO 26262-8:2011

Quality Management System (QMS) History and Relevance ISO 9001:2015/IATF 16949:2016 General system for design, production and servicing of any automotive product. Very broad and provides no guidance specific to semiconductor or software development. Is the QMS most familiar to Tier-1s. ISO/IEC 15504 Automotive SPICE A capability-based system modeled after the older CMM and focused heavily on automotive embedded software (SPICE stands for Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination). CMMI-DEV Developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University. Useful for both semiconductor and software development and has a vast availability of resources publicly available.

Third-party assessment companies provide certifications for each of these quality management systems. Nevertheless, as a supplier in the automotive supply chain, your customers will perform independent audits of your processes, whether you have obtained a third-party process certification or not. Although the reports accompanying third-party process certifications can help your customer assess your processes, your customer still has an obligation to confirm your compliance with ISO 26262.

In the case of Arteris IP, which develops semiconductor IP for use inside chips used in the automotive market, the company implements the CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) for Development (CMMI-DEV) quality management system. This QMS provides more specific guidance for software and semiconductor IP development than any other system, and thereby stipulates more relevant and strict guidelines for development with fewer process areas left under-defined or ambiguous.

4.2.2 Traceability

Although choosing, using, and managing a relevant quality management system is the most important process-related ISO 26262 activity, there is one area where technologies and tooling greatly help in achieving ISO 26262 compliance. That process area is traceability.

In the chip design world, most design teams already have state-of-the-art systems to trace specification items through implementation and then on to verification testing. However, ISO 26262 requires two-way traceability of safety-related requirements, and their implementations, from concept phaseISO 26262 Part 3through to production and operationsISO 26262 Part 7. This means that a quality assurance (QA) test result could be traced backwards through its verification tests, implementation, specification and requirements. Also, configurations, changes, and documentation need to be kept current and part of the traceability information chain.

This level of traceability is usually new to semiconductor design teams that have not developed products serving the automotive market. It's very difficult for these teams to change their spec implementation and verification systems that have worked well in the past to adopt a new system that supports broader traceability. One solution is to implement a traceability system that integrates and wraps around the existing development systems in use by engineering to provide the required level of traceability.

For example, Arteris IP has been using the Atlassian Jira issue tracking tool as the core of its product development spec-implementation-verification processes for both semiconductor IP and associated IP configurability software. In the past, items from Microsoft Word-based market requirement documents (MRD), product requirement documents (PRD) and specifications were used as inputs to the Jira system and associated with engineering development tasks, where their status was tracked, and verification tests automatically generated and logged.



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Fig. 4 Automated traceability tools provide the means for forward and backward traceability while helping change management. Source: ISO 26262-2:2011

Today, because of the need to meet the more complete traceability requirements of ISO 26262, requirements entry and tracking are performed by Arteris IP using a system from Jama Software, which links to the items and activities in the existing Jira system. The combined Jira and Jama system helps the Arteris IP team maintain links between requirements, specification items, implementation, verification and QA while also addressing change management traceability and documentation automation.

The bottom line on the ISO 26262 process is that most companies targeting the automotive market must do the following:

Choose an ISO 26262-compliant quality management system, use it, and be able to explain your use of it to third-party assessors and your customers assessors. Implement a broader level of automated traceability to cover requirements all the way to QA, delivery and support.

4.3. Product

At this point, we can clearly state that if a vendor claims that its products meet the safety requirements of ISO 26262 without first training its employees and documenting its processes, then it is not in compliance. Once people are trained and quality processes are in place and being used, the next step is to analyze the product with respect to ISO 26262 and provide documentation of the analyses to the semiconductor integrator. For semiconductor and semiconductor IP vendors, performing this analysis requires documentation of a set of agreed-upon assumptions because the chip or IP vendor will not have complete knowledge of the system in which it will be a part.

4.3.1. Automotive chips and IP: SEooC, AoU and ASIL tailoring

Here is the issue in a nutshell: ISO 26262 analyses are predicated on the assumption that a system is the entity being developed and analyzed, and Part 1 of ISO 26262 defines a system as, a set of elements that relates at least a sensor, a controller and an actuator with one another. Obviously, a chip and the IPs used to make it are not systems per ISO 26262. So, what are they?

Chips and their IP ingredients are usually developed as elements of a (usually unknown at design time) system. Because knowledge of the complete system of which they will eventually be a part is not 100% understood, chips and IP are classified as special types of elements in ISO 26262, specifically, Safety Elements out of Context, or SEooC. Analysis of a SEooC requires the IP provider or integrator to document Assumptions of Use (AoU) that reflect the expected safety concept, safety requirements, and safety mechanisms to be used by the integrator/user of the IP.

Additional assumptions regarding which parts and clauses of ISO 26262 are relevant to the implementation and analysis of the IP element are documented in a process called tailoring. In addition, based on assumptions of the characteristics and safety goals of the end system and the validated hardware metrics (see FMEDA below) of the IP, ASIL tailoring is performed to determine which configurations of elements can meet ASIL QM, A, B, C or D requirements.

Because there are so many assumptions regarding SEooC, AoU, and tailoring for chips and IP, the ISO 26262 requires IP vendors and chip integrators to agree upon a Development Interface Agreement (DIA) defining the assumptions used by and responsibilities of both parties. This DIA document will explain the ASIL tailoring from the IP supplier and the reasoning behind this tailoring, as well as an explanation of all assumptions of use. As an illustration, Arteris IP provides a complete DIA document explaining the ASIL tailoring related to FlexNoC and Ncore products and the expected responsibilities delegated to the customer, with the reasoning behind those decisions. For instance, since Arteris IP is implemented within a chip as RTL components, all the ISO 26262 requirements related to process technology usage are delegated to the customer because they are the one choosing the technology node for their SoC.

4.3.2. Element functionality, failure modes and safety mechanisms

In-product functional safety mechanisms are used to detect, mitigate, and correct faults and failures caused by random errors when a system is in operation. Single event effects (SEE) electrical disturbances caused by cosmic rays and the ionization energy emitted when they interact with semiconductorsare the cause of random errors. These random errors can have transient (temporary) or permanent effects. Examples of random, transient effectsalso known as soft errorsinclude single bit upsets (SBU), such as bit flips in memory cells or logic flops, and single event transients (SET), which are voltage glitches that may or may not cause an error. There are also instances where these can occur simultaneously, resulting in multiple bit upsets (MBU). Hard errors caused by SEEs resulting in permanent damage include single event latch-up (SEL), single event burnout (SEB), and singe event gate rupture (SEGR).

Fig. 5 Single event effect (SEE) error hierarchy diagram. Sources: Arteris IP; ISO/FDIS 26262 Part 11; JEDEC JESD89A

Because the cause of these errors is natural physical phenomena and they will occur randomly, it is important to detect and mitigate their effects to achieve and maintain system safety. To do this, engineering teams develop safety-specific technical features within their products. Below are examples of these features, also known as functional safety mechanisms:

Adding and checking parity or ECC bits added to on-chip communications traffic

Duplicating logic and comparing results

Triple mode redundancy (TMR) or majority voting

Communication time-outs

Hardware checkers that verify correctness of operation

Safety controller to gather error messages from throughout the system, make sense of them, and communicate higher up the system

Built-in self-test (BIST) for all functional safety mechanisms

Fig. 6 Failure Mode Effects and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA) includes analysis of safety mechanisms, like BIST, using fault injection. Source: Arteris IP

Now that we have described the assumptions required for analysis of IP and chips, and their failure modes and safety mechanisms, we will now discuss the actual analysis processes.

4.3.3 FIRST the qualitative analysis (FMEA), THEN the quantitative (FMEDA)

Once the design team understands its element functionality, failure modes, and functional safety mechanisms, it is time to perform and document a qualitative safety analysis, called the Failure Mode Effects and Analysis (FMEA). The FMEA is a is a step-by-step approach for identifying all possible means of failure in a design (failure modes) and the consequences of those failures (effects). Design teams often fail to pay enough attention to the qualitative analysis of their item, preferring to jump right into quantitative analysis. This is a mistake! Correctly performing the FMEA, first, is the key to correctly defining how to mitigate faults and is the foundation of latter quantitative analysis used to validate the FMEA.

After completing the FMEA, the design team must further analyze the element, failure modes and safety mechanism using quantitative analysis, called Failure Mode Effects Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA). Although assumptions regarding the diagnostic coverage (i.e., protection) of most functional safety mechanisms can be estimated, most semiconductor integrators insist on IP providers using fault injection techniques to validate the diagnostic coverage of functional safety measures implemented in the item. Detailed knowledge of the IP implementation is required to determine where faults must be injected to trigger a functional safety mechanism, and where the mechanisms outputs should most efficiently be observed. In addition, complex clocking schemes and other behaviors can mask faults which can either affect safety or appear as safe faults, depending on the use case.

Although fault injection analysis is important to validate the FMEA, it alone is not sufficient for the FMEDA. Other techniques are used in concert to validate diagnostic coverage that cannot be easily demonstrated using fault injection. An example is validating an Assumption of Use that defines a safety mechanism that the customer must integrate along with the element. This is quite common for safety mechanisms that reside outside an IP block, such as clock and voltage monitors. The additional techniques that can be used in addition to fault injection to validate FMEA include Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Dependent Failure Analysis (DFA), and pin-level FMEA. Arteris IP uses a combination of these techniques to validate the qualitative FMEA for its interconnect IP and delivers this analysis to integrators as part of the FMEDA report.

The FMEDA reportcreated by the IP development teamsallows fully-trained safety managers to review all the information regarding adherence to ISO 26262. A third-party assessment firm or consultancy, hired by either the IP provider or semiconductor integrator, can also review the analysis and development processes to help assess functional safety compliance.

5. Conclusion

Satisfying the standards of functionally-safe components for the automotive market under ISO 26262 is a difficult and arduous process involving the people, processes and products of the supplier. Creating products and technologies that meet these needs requires operational and engineering focus, robust safety culture, management commitment, and significant investments in both time and money. If a vendor offers such a product, it is up to the integrator to discover if the vendor has taken all the steps beyond the product level to determine if the claims are valid. Failure to investigate further leaves integrators at risk of using components that will not stand up to the assessments and audits required to achieve ISO 26262 compliance by their customers further up the supply chain.

Projects that rely on incomplete information about the people, processes and analyses involved in product development of items with a safety goal might invalidate efforts to enter the emerging electronic system designs for passenger vehicles, including those for ADAS and autonomous cars. Electronic system integrators must offer proof to automotive manufacturers that all of the components of the system have been evaluated thoroughly to validate claims that they are safe and reliable. Failure to understand and follow the standard, and to communicate how the standard was followed, could result in additional work or rework by an automotive supplier.

References

[1] Road vehicles  Functional safety  Part 1: Vocabulary, ISO 26262-1:2011, Standard, 2011, https://www.iso.org/standard/43464.html.

[2] Road vehicles  Functional safety  Part 2: Management of Functional Safety, ISO 26262-2:2011, Standard, 2011, https://www.iso.org/standard/51356.html.

[3] Road vehicles  Functional safety  Part 5: Product development at the hardware level, ISO 26262-5:2011, Standard, 2011, https://www.iso.org/standard/51360.html.

[4] Road vehicles  Functional safety, 2nd Edition  Part 11: Application of ISO 26262 to semiconductors, ISO/FDIS 26262-11, Proposed Standard, 2018, https://www.iso.org/standard/69604.html.

[5] Measurement and Reporting of Alpha Particle and Terrestrial Cosmic Ray Induced Soft Errors in Semiconductor Devices, JEDEC JESD89A, Standard, 2006, https://www.jedec.org/sites/default/files/docs/jesd89a.pdf.

[6] A. Boutillier and M. Krishnareddy, Using Synopsys Z01X to accelerate the Fault Injection Campaign of a fully configurable IP, in Proc. Synopsys User Group (SNUG) Silicon Valley, 2018.

[7] K. Shuler and F. Rossi, Challenges adopting fault injection to support safety analysis in complex SoCs, in Proc. Semiconductors ISO 26262: Improving Safety of Advanced Mobility, 2017.

Author

Kurt Shuler is vice president of marketing at Arteris with 20+ years experience in design IP, semiconductors, and software in the automotive, mobile, consumer, and enterprise segments, having served in senior executive and product management roles at Intel, Texas Instruments, ARC International and four technology startups. He is a member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the ISO 26262 TC22/SC3/WG16 working group, helping create automotive functional safety standards for semiconductors and semiconductor IP, and was one of the semiconductor design IP experts contributing to the writing of the new ISO 26262:2018 2nd Edition, Part 11, Guideline on Application of ISO 26262 to Semiconductors. He has extensive experience in aviation electronics operational testing, software quality process implementation, and functional safety mechanism requirements writing. Before working in high technology, Kurt flew as an air commando in the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Forces.

Kurt earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy and an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

1 ISO 26262 Part 1 defines an element as a system or part of a system including components, hardware, software, hardware parts, and software units. Chips, CPU IP cores and interconnect IP are examples of elements.

Appendix A. ISO 26262 Fault Reference Chart

Source: Arteris IP, ISO 26262:2011, ISO/FDIS 26262:2018

Appendix B. In-Person ISO 26262 Training and Certification Courses for Individuals and Teams

All these companies offer training in English as well as other languages. See the links below for details.

Company Information ResilTech Based near Pisa, Italy, ResilTech offers corporate ISO 26262 training and consultancy services. They participate in the ISO 26262 and AUTOSAR specification working groups. Download a brochure and contact ResilTech here (URL: http://www.resiltech.com/index.php/services#training) exida exida is an international functional safety consultancy with expertise in automotive semiconductors and embedded systems. They offer multiple levels of ISO 26262 training and certification for individuals. Sign up for on-site or public classes of Automotive ISO 26262: Road Vehicles Functional Safety (URL: http://www.exida.com/Training/Course/iso_26262_road_vehicles_functional_safety). TUV Nord TUV Nord is a huge organization that offers technical training and certifications for a broad range of industries. Here is a brochure on their person certification program. They have three tiers for individual certification. (URL: https://www.tuvnord.com/data/content_images/tng_en/INFORMATIONSTECHNIK/ISO26262_Flyer_EN.pdf) TUV Rheinland A German-based company that offers worldwide ISO 26262 training and individual certification. They multiple courses. Link to Automotive System Design according to ISO 26262 (4-day, maximum of 12 people) (URL: http://www.tuvasi.com/en/trainings-and-workshops/trainings/automotive/207-tuevrheinland-industrie-service-gmbh) For prospective Functional Safety managers, sign up for Automotive Safety Manager according to ISO 26262 (2-day training, 1-day exam, maximum of 12 people) SGS-TUV Saar SGS-TUV Saar has a comprehensive list of training courses, available at your worksite or theirs. Sign up for classes here. (URL: http://www.sgs-tuev-saar.com/en/functional-safetytraining/automotive-training/schulungen-automotive.html) TUV Sud TUV Sud offers a 3-level ISO 26262 functional safety certification program for individuals. Certification levels are Engineer, Professional, and Expert. Sign up for classes in Europe here. (URL: https://www.tuev-sued.de/railen/ training/automotive-iso-26262) Sign up for classes in the USA here. (URL: https://www.tuv-sud-america.com/usen/resource-center/training/public-training/iso-26262-automotive) KVA KVA offers a 4-day training course in the US in partnership with SGS-TUV Saar. Sign up for classes here. (URL: https://www.kvausa.com/training/automotive-functionalsafety-iso-26262-standard/)

Appendix C. Online ISO 26262 Training Resources

These are free or low-cost online resources for good introductory ISO 26262 training.

Company Cost Information exida and Texas Instruments Free 3.5-hours on-demand videos

Created and taught by TI and one of their functional safety consulting partners, exida (see below).

You can access the videos here (you may have to sign up for an account at the TI site. URL: https://training.ti.com/functional-safety-4-part-training-series)

You can also download the 61-slide PowerPoint training materials here. (URL: https://training.ti.com/system/files/docs/2014-4Q-Exida-TI-Safety-Webinar-PARTII.pptx) SGS-TUV Saar Free 2-hour live webinar.

Good explanation of ISO 26262 basics.

Sign up here. (URL: http://www.sgs-tuev-saar.com/en/functional-safetytraining/automotive-training/schulungen-automotive/module-k-0.html) SAE International USD 425 4.5-hour webinar recording.

SAE International, formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers, offers an online video course taught by Joe Miller, who is chairman of the United States Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC22/SG3/WG16, which provides US input into the ISO 26262 specification.

Sign up here. (https://www.sae.org/learn/content/pd331134on/)

If you wish to download a copy of this white paper, click here






Thomas Mann Joins Disneys 'Lady and the Tramp'

Actor Thomas Mann has joined the cast of Disney's live-action adaptation of 'Lady and the Tramp'. He will be portraying Lady's human owner, Jim Dear. The actor is best known for his role in the critically acclaimed 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl'. Mann was last seen in 'Kong: Skull Island'.





According to the report, Tessa Thompson will play Lady and Justin Theroux will voice the Tramp. Other than this, Kiersey Clemons is also set to play Mann's wife. The majority of the cast will play CGI characters, similar to Disney's wildly successful adaptations of 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Jungle Book', but Mann and Clemons' characters will be live-action roles. Notably, Filmmaker Charlie Bean is directing the remake.





'Lady and the Tramp' is based on the story of an American Cocker Spaniel named Lady who lives with an upper-middle-class family. But she is set astray when the family has a baby. Lady ends up meeting a mongrel known as the Tramp on the streets. They embark on a romantic journey and eventually fall in love. Dear was the human owner who decided to get rid of Lady after the birth of their child.

For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App.





Source: comingsoon.net
(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - Moody's ratings agency has decided to put off until the end of October at the latest its decision on Italy's sovereign debt pending the publication of the government's DEF financial blueprint, due out by the end of September, the agency said Monday.

It said it would then mull whether to cut the current rating of Baa2.


A new survey has revealed the challenge facing UK nurses who treat people with diabetes that live with foot ulcers.

The survey by wound care solution company Molnlycke reports that people in the UK living with an open wound has become common in people with diabetes.

Foot ulcers are closely linked with diabetes, but they are preventable. You can reduce your risk of a foot ulcer or another wound complication by keeping good control of blood sugar levels, taking good care of your feet and attending check-ups with your doctor.

In the survey, a diabetic foot ulcer was shown to take as long as eight months to heal in an average person. Dressings are changed on average five times a week, which underlines the impact wound care has on patients and nurses.

It is important to remember though that several advancements have been made in wound care in recent years. Stem cell research is exploring methods of treating foot ulcers, and in 2015 the NHS approved a device to prevent foot ulcers developing.

Earlier this year a research team led by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust called for foot care to be considered a superspecialty of diabetes care because of current poor outcomes.

Dr Una Adderley is a lecturer in community nursing at the University of Leeds, who leads the Legs Matter coalitio, an organisation that campaigns for better wound care. She told Molnlycke: Community nurses, such as practice nurses and district nurses, are really under pressure when it comes to wound patients. Wound care forms a large part of the nursing caseload and it is becoming increasingly difficult for these nurses to give patients the time and care they need.

In this study, patients report an average dressing time of 18 minutes, but this is rarely enough time to provide the care that is needed. When nurses have more time with each patient to give good quality assessment and appropriate care, we see better healing and improved patient quality of life.

This years Diabetes Professional Care conference will see the return of the Foot and Wound Clinic which will give attendees the opportunity to interact with experienced practitioners and ask questions about real-life situations to help support people with diabetes in looking after their feet and lower limbs.
Ola has announced the launch of its first UK services across South Wales. The company says that it's the only cab-hailing app to offer in South Wales to offer the option of Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) and Taxis to its customers. To celebrate the commencement of its operations, Ola is offering customers a limited number of discounted rides.

Read the complete press release below

Ola, one of the worlds largest ride-hailing platforms, has today launched its first UK services across South Wales. Ola will be the only ride-hailing app in South Wales to offer customers the option of Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) and Taxis on one user-friendly platform, which will include additional transportation options in the future to provide passengers with greater choice.

To celebrate its UK launch, Ola is offering customers a limited number of discounted rides to try its new service. Customers can download the Ola app on Google Play or the iOS App Store and register for an account to begin booking rides.

Ola places the quality of rides at the heart of its approach, and welcomes drivers to its platform to reap the benefits of market-leading introductory commission rates  as low as 10% for PHV drivers and 5% for Taxis  as well as payments made daily, to help them earn more money and access it easily.

Ben Legg, Managing Director of Ola UK, said: This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that South Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey. Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in South Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service. We are determined to do a great job for the community and work closely with local authorities to help with their mobility goals.

Ola seeks to lead the industry with its approach to passenger safety including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) screened drivers and processes such as 24/7 voice support, options to share ride details with emergency contacts and in-app emergency features. Recognised for its collaborative approach, Ola works with national governments and local authorities, to help solve transport mobility issues in innovative and meaningful ways.

Ola is working with local authorities across the UK to expand nationwide by the end of 2018 and has already obtained licences to operate in Greater Manchester.

Olas entry into the UK follows its successful launch in Australia in February 2018, where it now operates in seven major cities. Over 40,000 drivers across Australia have registered since its launch in February and have completed millions of rides. Ola now conducts 1 billion rides each year globally, with more than 1 million drivers and 125 million customers in over 110 cities.

Drivers can learn more about driving and registering with Ola by visiting drive.olacabs.com.
Every capable person has been working relentlessly to help victims of Kerala floods, one of the worst natural calamities in India. Google has jumped onboard to do its bit and has announced that those who are stranded or stuck in a place because of the floods can generate as well as share their Plus Codes without the need for an internet connection so that the rescue teams can locate and reach them. Given the situation, it is obvious that a large chunk of people are not able to access the internet, but Googles solution will let the stranded people share the code even without the internet, via call or SMS.

With authorities and family members looking to locate affected people, the Plus Code sharing can be a boon to rescue workers. The victims can use their Android smartphones or tablets to generate the Plus Codes of their exact location, which can pinpoint their whereabouts and make it easier for rescue workers to reach them. Moreover, users can generate plus codes even when they are offline, and share these over a voice call or an SMS, Google said in a press note.

Plus Codes is a simple addressing system that works across India. Using Plus codes, one can easily search, discover and share an address. Users can search using Plus Codes in Maps on mobile or desktop, and directly in Google Search as well. This system is based on dividing the geographical surface of the Earth into tiny tiled areas, attributing a unique code to each of them. This code simply comprises a 6-character & City format that can be generated, shared and searched by anyone.

For Plus codes to work, users just need to have Google Maps in their phones. Open the Google Maps app and then zoom in to your location to the maximum. Touch and hold a place to drop a pin on the map. At the bottom, the app will show an address or a plus code. Now, tap the section to find the details of the location and copy the plus code. You can paste the code into the SMS app and share it with the rescue temas, friends or families. You can also share the code by calling.

According to The Economic Times, about 370 people have been reported dead in rain-related incidents in Kerala since monsoon arrived in late May. More than 200 of those have been killed in the past week. Here is how you can do your part in helping the stranded and affected people of Kerala. To know more about the Plus Code, you can read a detailed report here.
In an apparent repeat of Apple-FBI issue, the US government is reportedly pressurising Facebook to remove the encryption from its Messenger platform so that the authorities can wiretap the secret conversations between the alleged members of the MS-13 gang. According to an exclusive report by Reuters, the case is in a federal court in California and since it is proceeding under seal, no filings are publicly available. But citing sources, Reuters says that Facebook is contesting the US Department of Justices demand.

The judge in the Messenger case has heard arguments last week in which the government seeks to hold Facebook in contempt of court for refusing to carry out the surveillance request. According to legal experts, if the government wins the case, Facebook could be forced to rewrite services such as WhatsApp, which include both voice and text functions. Meanwhile, Facebook is arguing that Messenger voice calls are encrypted end-to-end which means that only the two parties have access to the conversation. Facebook has two options, either it can comply with the governments request and remove the whole encryption or hack the governments target, the MS-13 gang.

For those who dont know, Mara Salvatrucha, infamous as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s. US President Donald Trump has often used the gang as a symbol of lax US immigration policy and a reason to attack so-called sanctuary laws preventing police from detaining people solely to enforce immigration law, Reuters report claimed.

This development comes at a time when the Apple-FBI feud over user privacy is still fresh in our minds. In that case, Apple was being forced to unlock the iPhone 5C of an Islamic State (IS) terrorist who sprayed bullets on innocents in San Bernardino, California, in 2016. Apple said that it wont unlock the phone because if it does, it would be violating the companys First Amendment speech and expression rights. Facebook and Google sided Apple and the investigators hacked the phone with the help of an outsider.

(Facebook Messengers normal conversations are not end-to-end encrypted. The app has a Secret Conversations feature that can secure chats under strong encryption when it is enabled.)
Huawei has had a good 2018 as far as its smartphone business is concerned. The company also managed to grab a spot in the top five brands that shipped maximum number of smartphones in the second quarter of 2018 in India. The Chinese company brought a triple-rear camera system to its P20 Pro smartphone and introduced a gradient coloured back panel on it. These innovations have put the foundation for other smartphone makers to come out with similar styles to make their phones look cool. Now, a report has claimed that Huawei is planning to bring two more gradient colours to the flagship P20 Pro at IFA 2018, which will be held from August 31 to September 3 in Berlin, Germany.

Android Authority claims that Huaweis will launch two new gradient-adorning colours during Richard Yus keynote at IFA. Weve seen images of the new colors and verified their existence, but we cant reveal any photos or their names to protect our source, the platform said. The first colour is said to be inspired by the night sky and the aurora borealis. The gradient colour style is claimed to use a wider color gamut than the twilight P20 Pro gradient but shares some of the same colours. The gradient starts at black on the left and becomes turquoise at the right of the phone. It uses the purple and blue hues of the original twilight P20 Pro.

The second colour is said to be is inspired by the sea, sea shells and pearls. The phone is claimed to have white with yellow and pink colours in a gradient fashion. Android Authority says that the whole design is very similar to the Rose Gold colour of the P20, which features a gradient from white to pink.

Besides the new colours in the P20 Pro, Huawei is also expected to announce the Kirin 980 SoC based on TSMC's 7nm FinFET fabrication process at IFA this year.

The Huawei P20 Pro is powered by the Kirin 970 SoC, which comes with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) onboard and are running on EMUI 8.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. It features a 6.1-inch full-HD+ OLED FullView display. The triple-camera setup on the huawei P20 Pro comes with a 40MP RGB 1/1.7-inch sensor, a 20MP monochrome sensor and an 8MP sensor with a telephoto lens, which is capable of 3x optical zoom. On the front, it is equipped with a 24.8MP camera which supports 3D portrait lighting effect. The Huawei P20 Pro is powered by a 4,000mAh battery and is IP67 certified dust and water resistant. You can read our review of the smartphone here and the breakdown of the camera and its features here.
Samsung is promoting its Galaxy A8 (2018) smartphone in Brazil and it recently tweeted out some images supposedly taken from the devices selfie camera. However, a keen observant on Twitter, @felipras, caught that the posted images were not taken using the Samsung phone and are actually stock photos from Getty Images that were originally posted on the stock photo agencys website back in 2015. The user posted the original image as a reply to Samsung Brazils original tweet saying (translated directly from Portugese), Want to fool who, @ SamsungBrasil. As a response the company again tried to pass the images as photos taken using its smartphone by replying, This is ours, isn't it nice?

The Twitter user then took it upon himself to dig into other photos posted by Samsung Brasil and find the original images along with their prices. When the user again posted the original images from Getty as a reply to the companys tweets of images that were supposedly captured using the Galaxy A8 (2018), Samsung realised that its lie has been caught and responded saying, Oops, sorry, you're right, Feliperas. The answer given before was not really correct. Many of the photos we post are taken using our smartphones, but some, like that, are images that also express the attitude of our target audience. The company later deleted the tweets.

This is not the first time a company has intentionally or unintentionally tried to mislead its customers. Back in 2012, when Nokia was a part of Microsoft, the company demonstrated the effectiveness of OIS on the Nokia 920. In a video, we saw a couple riding bikes and the guy is recording a video. The promotion was almost flawless and the video was astonishingly stable for being captured from a mobile phone back in 2012, until in a reflective surface we clearly get to see that it is actually being shot using a professional grade camera from a white van with a complete camera crew. Nokia later apologised for the fiasco and posted another video, which it said was captured using the phone, however, the damage was already done. You can read about this in detail here.
Alibaba in talks with Reliance Retail for e-commerce JV: report

Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is reported to be in talks with Reliance Retail Ltd, the retail arm of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), to form an online retail joint venture to challenge the might of Flipkart and its US owner Walmart.

The Jack Ma-led Chinese group proposes to invest $5 billion to acquire a 50-per cent stake in the proposed mega Indian retail joint venture as it looks to enter the worlds fastest-growing economy, reports quoting sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Alibabas executive chairman Jack Ma had met Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani last month in Mumbai to discuss investing in Reliance Retail to create a, digital marketplace and expand Alibabas physical retail businesses in India, the report said.

The two are reported to have looked at options, including the creation of a large omnichannel retail entity through the proposed joint venture.

Alibaba is willing to pick up a significant stake in Reliance Retail, preferably 50 per cent, which will require Alibaba to invest $5-6 billion, the report quoted one source as saying. It could also result in a strategic JV between Alibaba and Reliance Retail, with a smaller stake held by Alibaba.

A combination of cash-rich Alibaba and Reliance Industries could pose a major challenge to Walmart in India, indicating that the battle for Indias booming e-commerce market could intensify further.

A stake in Reliance Retail will give Alibaba an edge over Walmart and Amazon as foreign entities are not allowed to hold inventory in India and can only operate as marketplaces.

Amazon is taking an indirect route  operating through local vendors  to avoid any complications and comply with the numerous conditions that it might have to follow under the multi-brand FDI norms.

Alibabas talks with Reliance Retail and other potential retail partners in India assume significance after RBIs directive to payment firms such as Visa, Mastercard and PayPal Holdings to ensure before October that the data of Indian customers stay in the country.

The deal is crucial for Alibaba, especially after RBI (Reserve Bank of India) directed Paytm (in which Alibaba holds 49 per cent) to stop on-boarding new customers because of the shareholding pattern of Paytm, the report quoted another source as saying.

RBI was concerned of the Chinese company accessing Paytms customer data and has asked Paytm to improve security mechanisms to store customer data, the Mint reported early this month.

Reliance is looking at a similar model like Paytm  an e-commerce and digital wallet business  and such a model would benefit Alibaba.

Alibaba operates two successful online retail marketplaces, Taobao and Tmall  with combined transaction volume of $478.6 billion in fiscal 2016, and expected turnover of over $900 billion by 2020. As of February 2018, Taobao had at least 580 million monthly active users, while Tmall had 500 million.

The joint venture, if it goes through, will be the largest investment by Alibaba in an Indian company.

Goldman Sachs is advising Alibaba on the proposed venture, the person said. A Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment. Emails sent to Reliance and Alibaba remained unanswered.
(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - The Coast Guard's Diciotti ship carrying 177 rescued migrants will dock at Catania, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said Monday. "The gallant men of the coast guard," he tweeted, "performed their duty saving human lives just 17 miles from Lampedusa".

He added: "Now Europe must swiftly play its part." Earlier, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said the ship would be allowed to land in Italy if the European Union does its bit to redistribute the migrants.

Meanwhile the Italian foreign ministry "officially and formally" requested the intervention of the EU.

The Diciotti picked up the migrants last week after they were spotted in Maltese waters and Salvini has stressed they must be spread across the EU if the ship is to land in Italy.

Otherwise, he has said, they will be sent back to Libya.

Salvini said on Italian TV: "the ship may land in Italy, as long as the 177 migrants are distributed, in a spirit of solidarity by the EU, which is made up of 27 countries".

"Let them pay us this courtesy to play their part, given that we have taken in more than 700,000 people who came by sea".

He reiterated the intention of sending the 177 back to Libya unless the EU does its bit.


First flight lands in Kochi as floods recede in most parts of Kerala

Even as the flood waters showed signs of receding in most districts of Kerala and the government withdrew the red alert in all 14 districts, heavy rains continue pound Pathanamthitta, the worst affected district, and water level in the Pamba and Kakki reservoirs continued to rise.

Airlines also started operating flights to and from Kochi at the Kochi Naval Airbase today with smaller aircraft operating services to Bengaluru, Chennai and Coimbatore.

The Naval Airbase in Kochi will now be used for commercial flights as the Kochi international airport at Nedumbasseri has been rendered non-functional since 14 August.

Indian Railways has restored passenger and express train services in the flood-hit Ernakulam district. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation also restored some of the long-distance services.

Clear skies could be seen in some districts of the flood-ravaged state slowly baring the extent of damage caused by the worst floods in 100 years, as heavy rains have reduced in several towns. The water level in the Periyar river also continued to recede.

However, in Pathanamthitta, heavy rains have been reported to be continuing and a rain alert has been sounded in Ranni and Chengannur.

The situation in Kerala is expected to improve a little over the next 4-5 days as the MeT department has predicted that the intensity of rains may reduce in the coming days.

Today there are close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. But the biggest heroes are fishermen, who came all the way from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam in the south with 600 boats to rescue people from inaccessible places.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that fishermen would receive Rs3,000 per day, a new boat and fuel. He also said that damages would be compensated fairly.

The fishermen were crucial to the number of people rescued, as the waters in Kerala have strong currents and normal boats would not be able to traverse. Fishing boats were deployed in all of these areas, and since fishermen spend their lives at sea, they were able to navigate smaller pockets that other rescue personnel were struggling with.

Nearly 9 lakh people are now lodged in shelter camps in Kerala. As rescue operations wound down to its final stages, the government began to shift focus to ensuring relief to affected persons, and to the rebuilding of civic infrastructure damaged by the floods.

Thirteen more deaths were reported on Sunday in the floods triggered by 10 days of torrential rainfall in Kerala, taking the death toll to 210. The overall death toll since 29 May rose to 370.

Kerala received 164 per cent of normal rains in August alone. Between 1 and 19 August, the recorded rainfall in Kerala is 758.6 mm against a normal of 287.6 mm.

The state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs19,512 crore as per initial assessment and requested for an immediate assistance of Rs2,000 crore.

Meanwhile, rehabilitation efforts are now on, even as the authorities have informed victims of the floods to beware of snakes and insects in flood-hit houses.

The Kerala government on Sunday informed the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) that the situation in the flood-ravaged state was gradually improving, even as some rainfall was forecast for the coastal state from today onwards.

The main Kochi international airport, the seventh busiest in the country, has been rendered non-functional from 14 August due to flooding and torrential rains, and would remain closed till August 26. As a result, both domestic and international flights to Kochi are being diverted to other destinations such as Thruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

In view of disruption of flights from Cochin airport due to floods, a joint team sent by @MoCA_GoI has approved starting of scheduled commercial flights using ATRs by Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, between Bangalore and Cochin Naval Air base, civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted on Saturday evening.

In another tweet, he said, flight operations between Bangalore and Cochin Naval airbase will be starting from 20th August morning. He said more destinations such as Madurai were also in the pipeline and that other airlines were likely to join in.

Earlier on Saturday, Alliance Air operated a non-commercial proving flight on an ATR (turboprop) aircraft to Kochis naval base with a team of officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other flight safety officials to examine the feasibility of having operations from the base.

Flight 9I 105 landed at Kochi at 1240 hrs from Bengaluru and the return flight 9I 106 took off from Kochi at 1345 hrs, an Air India statement said.

The naval base would be used to operate the 70-seater ATR aircraft.

A list of flight timings of the ATRs that would be operating from the base to Bengaluru and Coimbatore has also been released by the ministry.

The flight operations between Bangalore and Cochin Naval Airbase will be starting from 20th August morning. More destinations such as Coimbatore, Madurai are also in the pipeline. Other airlines are likely to join this effort too. All possible steps are being taken, Prabhu said in another tweet.

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association has, in the meanwhile, written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing their willingness to fly the planes without payment, on voluntary basis, for relief and rescue operations.

We consider this a unique privilege that we can use to assist in such operations, the association said in a letter to the PM today.

The association had yesterday in a letter to Air Indias director of finance threatened to stop operations if their flying allowance dues were not paid immediately.

On the other hand, private carriers such as IndiGo and GoAir today said they would be operating additional flights to and from Kozhikode, Coimbatore and Trivandrum from tomorrow till August 25 to different parts of the country.

IndiGo will ensure to provide cancellation and rescheduling waiver to passengers booked to travel from August 16, 2018, to August 26, 2018, the airline said in a statement.

GoAir said it will operate special flights to and from Trivandrum airport to Mumbai from August 20 and that all passengers booked to and from Kochi will be accommodated on these flights. It said that impacted passengers to and from Kochi are not being charged additional fees or cancellation charges keeping in mind the current situation.

The civil aviation minister, during the day, also appealed to the airline to cap the maximum fare at around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and Rs 8,000 on shorter routes to / from Kerala to nearby airports.

Meanwhile, Jet Airways in a statement said that it will be operating additional domestic flights to Thiruvananthapuram from Mumbai, Bangalore, Dubai and Dammam from August 19.

For guests with confirmed tickets to and out of Cochin for travel till 26th August, 2018, the Jet Airways has waived off date/ flight change from the original travel date or choosing an alternate destination which is close to Cochin airport, refund, no-show penalties and fare difference if any, due to the closure of the Cochin airport, it added.

The flood fury has also affected parts of the Kodagu region in southern Karnataka with reports of landslides and loss of life and property.

Meanwhile, the Indian Met Department has projected heavy to very heavy rain over Odisha, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Uttarakhand, West UP, East Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Konkan and Goa, Coastal Andhra,Coastal and North Interior Karnataka.
A journey of self discovery

From being part of a ladies drama troupe specializing in male roles to writing plays, from living on a remote island near Madagascar to skydiving at 18,000 feet, Sudha Ramnath has quite the penchant for crafting experiences. She has written, directed and staged four plays in Indian English in Tanzania and Kenya, along with other Indian expats.

She has done the regular things too  worked in a bank, married a man whom she calls the 'sane' part of her life, taught math and physics and describes herself as a mad but loving mum to her two children. While others like her drew up grocery lists and laundry schedules, Ramnath made plans to live the moments and stuck by it  she made the pilgrimage to Alaska to see the Aurora Borealis, danced like there was no tomorrow at a flash mob in San Francisco and stood on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, and watched the million-dollar sunset.

She also volunteers at Hyderabad-based suicide intervention NGO Roshni Trust.

In this interview with Swetha Amit, she talks about her journey as an author, her idea behind this book and her learnings from it.

Flight or Fright is a catchy title and your book deals with the burning issue of terrorism. How did you come up with the idea?

I finished my first book and was working on ideas for the second. I wanted it to be a thriller and have an element of suspense to it. Around the same time, came the news about Malaysian Airline MH370, which had disappeared. I kept wondering what had happened to its passengers. I had also started to watch a TV series in the US called Lost and was completely fascinated with this particular character John Locke in the story who was clairvoyant. In fact, he is the inspiration for one of my characters in the book who is also clairvoyant. At the same time, I happened to read a book called The Himalaya by Michael Palin which is about his journey across the Himalayas. So, I decided to weave all these themes together and pen down a book.

Could you tell us more about your background and journey as an author?

I have always been writing something or the other since my childhood. Sometimes, it would be about the films that I watched or about my travel experiences. This was before the era of Facebook so I would send my write ups over email to people who enjoyed reading. Once Facebook came, I used this as a platform to reach out to people through my writings. So, I started writing snippets and funny things, which got me a lot of positive feedback from people.

It was only when my brother suggested that I should start thinking of a novel, did I even begin thinking on those lines. So, I wrote my first book which is a collection of short stories. I called it Susp'Ended as each story had a suspense ending to it. Once I finished that, I decided to think along the lines of my second book which is Flight or Fright.

The character sketches have been done well, giving the readers a glimpse into each ones life. Were these characters inspired from real life?

I travel a lot so I got to meet a lot of interesting people. I also read about so many characters through books and derive some inspiration from there. I have been associated with theatre for a long time, and met a lot of interesting characters in the play.

Publisher: Notion Press

It was interesting to see how all the characters are waiting to board a flight to the same destination. Yet each one is carrying a unique emotional baggage. Was it a conscious effort to create this angle?

I created my characters in a way that all of them have a problem when they begin their journey and how they get resolved at the end. For instance, in the newly-wed characters from New York in my book, the man didnt know how to deal with his nagging wife. I created a solution for him towards the end of my book. It was a conscious effort to bring this interesting perspective. I feel from the outside everybody seems sorted out but the truth is everyone is battling their own issues. There is more to a person than what meets the eye.

Your book brings out aspects of crisis management and leadership in a tense situation. What do you think corporates can learn from this?

When my husband was the CEO of a company in Mumbai, we used to discuss the problems occurring in his organisation. What I find is that people fail to delegate work.

They think they are the only ones who can solve the problem in a perfect manner. If you look at my story, the leadership angle took a natural course amongst the passengers. The character of Nilima assumed the responsibility of finding their way through the mountains as she was an avid mountaineer. Asiya the air hostess handles the food department. People end up doing what they are good at. I think this is a good lesson for any management to identify who is good at what and allocate responsibility appropriately.

Terrorism is an issue that is enticing innocent lives around the world. Since your book covers this aspect, what do you think are the preventive measures that can be taken to avoid such a catastrophe?

This is an issue to be handled by an expert. However, my take on this is simplistic. These days, people fail to notice what is happening around them. They either plug their earphones or check mails on their phones. It will be a good idea to observe what is going around you especially while travelling, be it airports or stations. If you notice anything suspicious, then maybe you can alert the security forces or use social media to bring that awareness with a proper hashtag.

As an author, you have covered several powerful themes in your book without overwhelming the reader. How did you manage to attain this balance?

I always put myself in the shoes of an average reader. That way I write about things that I personally wouldnt get overwhelmed about and what I enjoy reading.

Some of the conversations between your characters and carry a deep message which can be applied to life. What have you personally learnt during your journey while penning down this book?

I learnt a lot. One thing is about Tibetans. I did a lot of research with regards to their food habits, customs and the terrains that they lived in. So that this particular portion appears authentic in my book. I also grew as a person while penning down this book. I realise that when you get into the minds of so many distinct characters, you observe how they behave and think. As an author, you give life to several characters but after a while you see that these characters take their own course.

Lastly any more books in the pipeline?

Yes of course. When I wrote my first book, I had several ideas in my head. I am currently developing my second short story collection. I am still on the fourth story so it will take a while as I have to finish 15 such stories.

Also see: Book Excerpt Prologue)
A fund set up by members of the Indian community in Donegal has raised over 8,000 for the victims of the Kerala flood.

Donegal Indian Malayalee Association (DIMA) has begun the fundraising campaign after floods and heavy rain in the state in the south of the country.

Hundreds of people have lost their lives and over 200,000 have been displaced.

The association is appealing for donations to help those affected.

The funds raised will be donated to the distress relief fund.

DIMA is a vibrant community of around 250 plus people from Kerala. It is a non-profitable cultural organisation formed to foster communal harmony among its members and also to promote cultural exchanges with other communities. Due to the flooding DIMA has decided to cancel its for the Hindu festival of Onam which were scheduled for September 8. The cost of the celebrations will be donated to the fund.

To donate, go to: https://www.gofundme.com/24vyp-kerala-flood-releif
What is it?

The Jeep Renegade is the smallest  and most urban-focused  model from the iconic American off-road brand.

Its the companys entry into the booming city SUV segment, offering a retro-inspired rival to the likes of the Mazda CX-3, Mitsubishi ASX and Honda HR-V. But it can also be more than just a runabout, as the range-topping Trailhawk has genuine off-road abilities that will appeal to those adventurous city dwellers that escape urban jungle every now and then.

How many models can I choose from?

There are four model grades on offer, starting with the Sport, Longitude and Limited that all come in front-wheel drive configuration.

The Sport is the only one of those to be equipped with a manual transmission as standard, hooked-up to an 81kW/152Nm 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine. It can, however, be ordered with a more modern, powerful and efficient 1.4-litre turbo charged four-cylinder that produces 103kW and 230Nm with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox - the only powertrain option for the Longitude and Limited.

In its most basic form, the Renegade Sport rides in 16-inch steel wheels, has cloth interior trim, manual air conditioning and a 5.0-inch touch screen with digital radio, Bluetooth and a reverse camera.

Step-up to the Longitude and it brings larger 17-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlights and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The Limited has 18-inch alloys, leather interior trim with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, privacy glass and a larger 6.5-inch colour touch screen with sat nav and a premium nine-speaker Beats audio system.

Sitting at the top of the range, the Trailhawk matches the Limited for equipment but has a completely unique powertrain and chassis set-up with a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder that drives an all-wheel drive transmission via a nine-speed automatic gearbox. It also features raised suspension, shallower front and rear bumpers for better off-road clearance, under-body skid plates and 17-inch wheels fitted with dual-purpose tyres.

What do they cost?

Renegade Sport (man) $26,290

Renegade Sport (auto) $28,990

Renegade Longitude $32,390

Renegade Limited $36,290

Renegade Trailhawk $40,290

*All prices exclude on-road costs

Any options I need to know about?

The Renegade is offered in either black or white paint as standard but there are nine other premium hues to choose from, including bright green, yellow or orange.

All models apart from the Sport can be optioned with a unique My Sky Open Air roof system with removeable panels, while the Limited and Trailhawk can be had with a more conventional dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

The Limited can also be equipped with a greater amount of active driver aids. The basic Safety Pack adds forward collision and lane departure warnings as well as blind spot and rear cross traffic detection. Customers can add, on top of that, the Advanced Pack that brings semi-automated parking and adaptive cruise control.

Is it expensive to own?

All Jeep models are covered by the brands There and Back Guarantee which includes a five-year warranty with capped-price servicing and roadside assistance (if maintained through an authorised dealer.

Regular visits are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km and cost from $465, with a significant overhaul due after four years that costs $1695.

Which is the most economical model?

Any of the vehicles fitted with the 103kW/230Nm 1.4-litre turbo charged four-cylinder engine with the six-speed dual-clutch transmission, which has a claimed average consumption of 5.9L/100km.

Its a clever engine developed by Jeeps sister brand, Fiat. Dubbed MultiAir, it features a variable valve system that is operated hydraulically, rather than mechanically like most other systems, that provides more precise control for better performance.

The 1.6-litre in the manual-equipped Sport isnt that far behind with a claimed average of 6.0L/100km while the Trailhawks larger engine and all-wheel drive system means it drinks more with a claimed average of 7.5L/100km.

Which is the safest model?

The Limited is the only model that can be equipped with the optional safety packages.

Otherwise, all Renegades are fitted with seven airbags and the basic suite of electronic driver aids such as anti-skid brakes and stability control.

Which is the best model to drive?

It depends on how far out of the urban jungle you plan to venture. If youre after a small, spacious and funky-looking city machine with plenty of gear then the Limited has all those boxes ticked and drives nicely for what it is.

If, however, you plan to escape every now and then, then the Trailhawk offers genuine off-road abilities that are well beyond the norm in this small SUV segment.

But both of them cost more than the average city-sized soft roader.

Should I buy one now?

A mid-life facelift for the Renegade is just around the corner, so Jeep is offering Driveaway deals on current models until the end of August, with an extra $1000 off for existing owners that trade-in a Jeep.

Where's the sweet spot?

All Renegade models cost a little more than their competitors, so its likely that most owners would consider this car as a lifestyle choice  much like a Mini - rather than a pragmatic one. In that regard, paying the premium for the Limited brings all the equipment you need  and want  unless you plan to head off the beaten path every now and then, in which case the Trailhawk offers unrivalled capability in the small SUV class.
The Honda Amaze is based on the manufacturer's GSP platform. This platform underpins a number of products in the brand's Indian line-up. Some of them include the Amaze, Brio, WR-V and the Mobilio.

The GSP platform has proved to be profitable in India, as well as other Southeast Asian Markets. Therefore, the Japanese brand is planning to get the most out of this platform in the above-stated markets.

According to Honda's future plan, the company plans on first introducing a hatchback, a sub-four-metre SUV (based on the GSP platform) and a full-sized SUV (not based on the GSP platform). The new sub-four-metre SUV will rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the Tata Nexon in the Indian market.

Reports also suggest that Honda has been losing market share to Hyundai in several segments. The company hopes that their new range of products will help them close the gap between the competition. The new products are also aimed at filling the gaps in Honda's portfolio in India.

The GSP platform is already heavily localised, allowing the new products based on the platform to be priced competitively. The new products will also offer better capacity utilization in both of Honda's plants (one in UP and the other in Rajasthan).

Honda has not yet made any official announcement regarding the new product launches, however, sources report the plan is well underway. The new sub-four-metre SUV is expected to come with a choice of both petrol and diesel engines. This will be the same as seen on the Honda WR-V offering. Honda is expected to price the SUV competitively, around Rs 7 to 10 lakh.

Thoughts On The Honda Sub-Four-Metre SUV

With the GSP platform doing well in terms of sales in India, Honda hopes that the new sub-four-metre SUV will help them improve their sales. The company also hopes the new range of product launches will allow them to gain back the lost market share.

Apart from the new GSP platform, Honda is also expected to launch their Creta rival, the HR-V in India soon. The Japanese brand is also said to bring back the Civic sedan in India in the coming months.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  "It's hard, but it's time."

That's how resigned Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza described how she felt about leaving the agency.

Maza was the last person standing among the activist appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte in his Cabinet.

The resigned Cabinet member, who served the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) for more than two years, cited three reasons why she filed her irrevocable resignation to the President Monday morning:

Termination of the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP);

Return of old and corrupt officials in the government; and

Attacks against activists like herself.

After deep reflection, she realized that the direction of the Duterte administration does not align with her advocacies anymore.

"With the current developments, hindi na po, parang hindi ko na nakikita na magkakaroon ng tunay na pagbabago na siyang tinutuntungan ko nung tayo'y unang umupo at hinawakan ang posisyon na ito," said Maza in a one-on-one interview with CNN Philippines.

[Translation: With the current developments, I don't see anymore that there will be genuine change, which was my basis when I took office.]

She sent her irrevocable resignation letter to the President Monday morning.

But, she disclosed that she never had a chance to talk to the President about her decision.

The last time she had a chat with Duterte was around May last year, saying that the President was busy with the Marawi crisis.

Maza said she spoke to Special Assistant to the President Bong Go about her decision, and informed him that she will go public about her resignation.

"Actually, just 30 minutes before or one hour before the presscon, I talked to Sec. Bong that I am going to announce my resignation. And he said he understands me," she said.

Malacanang thanked Maza for her service, and regrets her early departure from the Cabinet.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said "she had the President's trust and confidence."

"We always regret when people who enjoy the trust and confidence of the President leave their post, but I'm sure there will be applicants to the post," Roque said in a press conference in Malacanang on Monday.

Termination of Peace Talks

Maza said she accepted the position as the lead convenor of the NAPC, a secretary-level position under the Office of the President, because she wanted to help facilitate peace talks with the NDFP.

In fact, she became one of the government panel's advisers.

She added her job in the NAPC was related to the agreements being pushed in the peace talks, particularly on the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio Economic Reforms (CASER).

CASER is the supposed joint agreement being formed between the NDFP and the government that focuses on social and economic reforms.

These reforms include land ownership, profit, prices of goods, wages, tax and the development of various industries, such as agriculture, manufacturing and service.

Initially, the discussions went well, as the President was very open to end the decades-long insurrection, Maza said.

"Maganda na sana ang simula [The start was really good]. At saka [And] I was really hoping that CASER will be forged thereby addressing the root causes of armed conflict," said the resigned secretary.

But Maza said things changed when Cabinet members, who are former military men became aggressive in campaigning against the peace talks with the Reds.

"Talagang lumakas ang boses ng mga rightist, mga militarist. Sila ang unang-unang ayaw sa peace talks. If you are monitoring the news, we've heard Secretary Lorenzana saying na [that] the talk should be terminated. Gusto siguro nila yung gera dahil nga naman ang kanilang budget ay patuloy na nandiyan," Maza explained.

[Translation: The voice of the rightists, militarists is getting louder. They are the first ones who dislike the peace talks... They want war because they always have the budget.]

Since then, Maza said the President started setting conditions for the peace talks to resume... conditions that the NDFP is not inclined to accept.

For example, the President said that he will only allow the peace talks to continue if NDFP political consultant Jose Ma. Sison, who is in asylum in the Netherlands, will return to the Philippines to negotiate.

Sison responded against the President's proposal due to lack of assurance of his safety here in the Philippines.

Maza said since September last year, she was no longer invited in Cabinet meetings.

And she never got the chance to talk to the President as early as May 2017. All work related communications with the President were coursed through SAP Go.

Maza explained, "It was also during that time na nag-bog down ulit ang talks. So siguro alam naman ni Presidente na isa yan sa aking mga isinusulong din, ang usapang pangkapayapaan. Baka naaapektuhan ang attitude kung nagba-bog down... Di muna ako pinapa-attend. I don't know. Malacanang can explain that."

[Translation: It was also during that time when the talks bogged down. Perhaps the President knows that's one of my advocacies. It might have affected the attitude, so I was not invited...]

But Malacanang clarified that no one asked the NAPC lead convenor to resign but maintains the President's position on the peace talks with the NDFP.

"The President will only have peace talks with the communists if it is in the Philippines, if it will stop collecting revolutionary taxes, if they will momentarily, while peace talks are ongoing, commit themselves to refrain from resuming the insurgency, and will stay in the designated camp," Roque said.

The return of Marcoses, GMA

Maza is a staunch critic of the Marcoses and former President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The alliance of the Duterte administration with the Marcoses and Arroyo has irked the resigned anti-poverty secretary.

"Ang nakakalungkot po sa palagay ko yung luma, bumalik na [It's saddening to think that the old ones are back]. And they are consolidating themselves in power.

"Sabi nga ni Faulkner [Faulkner said]: 'The past is never dead. It isn't even past.' So siguro ganon ang nangyari sa atin, yung pwersa [Maybe that's what happened to us, the forces ], forces of fascism and corruption are still very much, again in power," said Maza when asked about her thoughts about Speaker Arroyo and the Marcos family.

Attacks against activists

The last straw, Maza said, was the issuance of an arrest order against her and three former partylist representatives under Makabayan bloc--Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casino and Rafael Mariano.

They were alleged to be involved in the killing of two members of rival political party Akbayan in Nueva Ecija in 2001 and 2004.

She believes the case was really a political harassment.

The resigned secretary said she really thought hard about her position in the Duterte administration during the time that she's being hunted by authorities for two murder cases that she had nothing to do with.

"Kaya nga dito parang walang pakundangan na kahit nasa gabinete ako, nangyari pa rin yun. So much more sa iba na walang posisyon at walang means na protektahan ang kanilang sarili."

[Translation: It's relentless that it happened while I was in the Cabinet. It's so much more for others who don't have position and means to protect themselves.]

Maza and colleagues in Makabayan appealed the case before the court. The Palayan City Court eventually dismissed the case and quashed the warrants of arrest against the four due to lack of evidence.

No regrets

Maza said she has no regret in accepting the job to lead the anti-poverty agency.

Known for being vocal about her beliefs, Maza said she went against the tide, pushing for anti-poverty programs that are focused in improving the agricultural sector and strengthening industries in the country.

This, despite strong opposition from economic managers of the Duterte administration.

"I know that I'm going up against strong barriers, but nevertheless, atin pong isinulong pa rin ito [We still advanced it]. Siyempre sa limitadong paraan [Of course, in a limited way]. Ang dominant na pagtingin pa kasi sa ngayon ay yung dala-dala ng ating mga [The dominant perspective is still carried by our] economic managers, which is precisely implementing neoliberal policies," she explained.

Asked if she will recommend anyone to replace her, Maza said it's really up to the President.

She added all the officials in NAPC now are capable of leading the agency.

"Kay Presidente na yan. Pero sana hindi kurakot, yung talagang mauunawaan din ang interes ng batayang sektor, at talagang yun ang perspektiba na tatanganan bilang lingkod lider ng NAPC," she said.

[Translation: It's up to the President. But, I hope not corrupt, but someone who really understands the interest of the basic sector, and bears that perspective as service leader of NAPC.]

But as she left the Cabinet, Maza is hopeful that the President will have a change of heart and will resume the peace talks with the NDFP.

"I hope he finds it in his heart to heed the call of the people for peace talks, for real, genuine change that will once and for all eradicate poverty.

"Ito yung reporma sa lupa, pagsasaayos sa ating ekonomiya, pambansang industriyalisasyon. Gayun din yung pagtigil sa gawa-gawang kaso, yung political persecution and repression," said the outgoing NAPC chief when asked for her message to the President.

[Translation: It includes land reform, fixing our economy, national industrialization. He also stops making up cases, political persecution and repression.]

Aside from her accomplishments, Maza said she is proud that there is no tinge of controversy or corruption under her name, as she exits government service.

She added she will continue being vocal in her advocacies, especially now that she's out of the Cabinet even if it means openly criticizing the President and his administration.
(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - The Coast Guard's Diciotti ship carrying 177 rescued migrants will be able to land in Italy if the European Union dies its bit to redistribute the migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday.

The Diciotti picked up the migrants last week after they were spotted in Maltese waters and Salvini has stressed they must be spread across the EU if the ship is to land in Italy.

Otherwise, he has said, they will be sent back to Libya.

Salvini said on Italian TV: "the ship may land in Italy, as long as the 177 migrants are distributed, in a spirit of solidarity by the EU, which is made up of 27 countries".

"Let them pay us this courtesy to play their part, given that we have taken in more than 700,000 people who came by sea".

He reiterated the intention of sending the 177 back to Libya unless the EU does its bit.

The Diciotti is now heading for the port of Pozzallo in Sicily, sources said.




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There's a lot of hype around artificial intelligence as the greatest thing since sliced bread, but will AI really help with cybersecurity? Criminals who run cybercriminal businesses also are capable of using the AI to commit crimes. It's logical that if one person is smart enough to develop cyberprotection technologies that utilize AI, then thoughtful, creative criminals can use AI to penetrate those AI-created protections.

AI has been around since about 1959. It has had its ups and downs until 2011, when IBM's Watson became a television celebrity by beating Jeopardy!'s reigning champs.

Now IBM regularly has television commercials promoting Watson for myriad uses, including detecting problems with aircraft and elevators. At the same time, these ads make AI appear commonplace and part of our current culture, rather than as some esoteric complex computer technology.

AI in Cybersecurity

It is important to understand what machine learning is and how it relates to AI. To oversimplify, machine learning is a computer's ability to recognize things. Artificial intelligence is a computer's ability to mimic human understanding.

However with all the marketing hype found on the Internet, it is oftentimes difficult to understand when someone really is referring to AI or machine learning.

"I actually don't think a lot of these companies are using artificial intelligence," Malwarebytes CEO Marcin Kleczynski told Wired. "It's really training machine learning. It's misleading in some ways to call it AI, and it confuses the hell out of customers."

Malwarebytes is a provider of machine learning threat detection software.

Machine learning can be very beneficial in the deployment of cybersecurity detection systems, as it enables devices to learn what to watch for.

Curb Your AI Enthusiasm

No matter what security vendors may say, ask any security profession and they will tell you there is no "Silver Bullet."

"To be fair, AI definitely has a few clear advantages for cybersecurity," wrote Tomas Honzak, director of security and compliance at Good Data, in a recent Dark Reading post. "In reality, like any technology, AI has its limitations."

One of these limitations is our reliance on information the AI has learned. It is clear that an AI has the same learning curve as a human intelligence: Both have to see something or make a mistake before it can learn.

"Even when the malware is detected, security already has been compromised and damage might already have been done," Honzak pointed out.

The first time (at least) that an AI sees something abnormal, it may not react to the change in time to block the action or activity.

Another important limitation of AI is that we view it only from the defenders' side, when in fact the same tools are available to the attackers.

"If you're using AI to better detect threats, there's an attacker out there who had the exact same thought," Honzak cautioned. "Where a company is using AI to detect attacks with greater accuracy, an attacker is using AI to develop malware that's smarter and evolves to avoid detection."

The ability for attackers to make use of products to bypass security measures is most clear with antivirus products. While signature-based antivirus products were effective at detecting malicious software in the early days of the Internet, by some accounts antivirus products are 100 percent ineffective at detecting ransomware. This lack of utility is not because antivirus has gotten worse, but because the virus creators have gotten better.

Attackers use the same types of tools to ensure their malicious software will bypass commercial antivirus products. To address this limitation in signature based antivirus, products came on the market that would run software in a "sandbox" to test whether it was malicious or not.

Attackers then started adding timers into their software to execute only within a window, after which the sandbox would expire. The cat and mouse game continues. We surely will see the same game played with AI.

"Once attackers make it past the company's AI, it's easy for them to remain unnoticed while mapping the environment, behavior that a company's AI would rule out as a statistical error," Honzak wrote in his Dark Reading piece.

One more limitation -- and there are others not discussed here -- is the ubiquity of processing power available. While businesses across the globe have been turning to the cloud for elastic processing, so have attackers.

As far back as 2011, likely before many legitimate businesses were exploring cloud computing, attackers were using the power of AWS elastic compute to crack password files. There is no reason to assume attackers will not take advantage of products developed for legitimate businesses to defeat AI defenses.

Conclusion: AI Offers Hope

While the limitations detailed above may suggest a death knell for cybersecurity AI, that is not the final conclusion to draw. Just as AI needed IBM's Watson to make AI accessible, the development of AI for cybersecurity purposes continues.

We currently use humans for detection. If AI can realize its goal of mimicking human intelligence, then it will equal or surpass the human ability to detect threats.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network.

Peter Vogel has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2010. His focus is on technology and the law. Vogel is Of Counsel at Foley Gardere, and focuses on cybersecurity, privacy and information management. He tries lawsuits and negotiates contracts dealing with IT and the Internet. Before practicing law, he received a master's in computer science and was a mainframe programmer. His blog covers IT and Internet topics. Email Peter.

Eddie Block has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2017. His focus is on information security and data privacy. Block is an associate at Foley Gardere. Before practicing law, he spent 20 years as an information security professional in a variety of roles, from network security management to chief information security officer for the State of Texas. His blog covers information security and data privacy topics.




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CVS Health'a retail MinuteClinic on Wednesday announced MinuteClinic Video Visits, a new virtual healthcare offering designed to assist people with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions, and other wellness needs.

The telehealth offering will provide 24/7 access to healthcare services via mobile devices.

It is available for both Android and iOS in nine states: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia. It also is available in Washington, D.C.

"We are planning to expand to other states in the weeks and months ahead," said CVS Health spokesperson Amy Lanctot.

Rules and regulations governing telehealth vary greatly by state, she noted.

"At this time, we are focused on the states where we can implement this new virtual care offering quickly and efficiently," Lanctot told TechNewsWorld.

The service will be rolled out nationwide, where it's allowed, by the end of the year.

"A combination of supportive telemedicine laws and reimbursement models drive what's available," said Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

"For example, telemedicine rules in Texas are the most restrictive," he told TechNewsWorld.

A MinuteClinic Video Visit costs US$59, payable by credit or debit card.

"Since it's currently a [paid] service, it's available to any and all consumers who live in the states where the service is offered," Lanctot noted.

Insurance coverage will be added in coming months.

CVS has more than 9,800 retail locations and more than 1,100 walk-in MinuteClinic locations in 33 states and the District of Columbia. All are located in select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores.

What the Service Covers

The service is available to patients who are at least two years old. Treatment is limited to minor illnesses, minor injuries, or a skin condition.

Among the minor illnesses covered by the MinuteClinic Video Visits service:

Coughs and bronchitis

Diarrhea

Earaches and ear infections

Flu-like symptoms

Gout

Heartburn and indigestion

Nausea

Pink eye

Seasonal allergies

Sinus infections

Sore throats

Sexually transmitted diseases

Upper respiratory infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Vomiting

Injuries covered include blisters, bug bites, joint pains, minor burns and cuts, sprains, stings and strains.

Skin conditions include athlete's foot, eczema, impetigo, lice, minor psoriasis, poison ivy and oak reactions, ringworm, scabies, shingles, skin rash, sunburn and warts.

Conditions commonly affecting women, including UTIs and yeast infections, also are covered.

Information on the conditions treated through MinuteClinic Video Visits is available on the CVS Pharmacy app.

A standard video visit is 15 minutes, "the amount of time needed to handle most medical conditions," Lanctot said.

"The key benefit here is expediency," remarked Rebecca Wettemann, VP of research at Nucleus Research.

The big advantage is "not just in not waiting for an appointment, but in being able to access care from anywhere," she told TechNewsWorld.

One possible downside is "the potential for heavy users of healthcare, such as hypochondriacs, to gum up the system," suggested Michael Jude, program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan.

Also, there is the potential for liability issues, he told TechNewsWorld. "What happens if the condition is acute and the application or physician doesn't catch it? Who's liable?"

How MinuteClinic Video Visits Work

MinuteClinic Video Visits are initiated through the CVS Pharmacy app, which runs on the technology platform provided by virtual care provider Teladoc, a CVS partner for the past three years.

A patient first has to complete a health questionnaire using the mobile app. The service then will provide access to a board-certified healthcare provider licensed in the patient's state. The provider will review the completed questionnaire with the patient's medical history and commence the video visit.

During the visit, the provider will assess the patient's condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment following evidence-based clinical care guidelines.

The provider will submit prescriptions to the patient's preferred pharmacy if a prescription is required as part of the treatment plan.

If it's determined that the patient should be seen in person for follow-up care or testing, the provider will recommend that the patient visit a local healthcare provider, such as the patient's primary care physician or a nearby MinuteClinic.

"The providers all follow MinuteClinic's evidence-based clinical guidelines, so [patients] will receive the same high-quality, affordable and convenient care provided in our in-store clinics," Lanctot said.

The Long History of Telehealth Efforts

Several other companies have launched telehealth services in recent years in the United States. Anthem launched one in 2014.

HealthSpot, launched in 2012 as an mHealth solution, declared bankruptcy in 2016. It had raised US$48 million in funding and constructed about 190 kiosks, 54 of which had been deployed, including 25 at Rite-Aid pharmacies in Ohio. It also had relationships with other organizations, including the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, and the Kettering Health Network.

"MinuteClinic has been testing telehealth for several years to ensure we develop and scale a service that provides an easy-to-use virtual experience combined with high-quality clinical care," Lanctot said. "Our first pilot began in California and Texas in 2014."

Throught the pilot, CVS found that 95 percent of patients who opted to receive a telehealth visit were highly satisfied with the quality of care they received, the convenience of using the service, and the overall telehealth experience.

CVS began collaborating with three telehealth companies in 2015 -- Teladoc, American Well, and Doctor on Demand.

"Over the years, we tested and learned what works best for our providers and our patients and developed a system that is scalable across the country," Lanctot remarked.

Walgreens, Anthem and RiteAid all announced telemedicine efforts last month.

"Telemedicine generally is heating up due to pressures to reduce costs and make medical treatment more accessible," Frost's Jude observed.

Telehealth "definitely has a place in U.S. healthcare, and will probably fill a gap between self-treatment and in-person treatment," he suggested.

Telehealth "drives down cost of delivery on preventative care and addresses issues earlier, before they become larger, more chronic healthcare issues," noted Constellation's Wang, who has a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. "I see this as a strong public health initiative."

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.




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Small and mid-sized e-commerce businesses are likely to be hit hard by the United States Federal Communications Commission's repeal of Net neutrality earlier this month.

The move will let Internet service providers block and manipulate Internet usage and discriminate against users at will, according to critics.

"Net neutrality repeal helps mostly affiliated businesses and larger enterprises at the expense of smaller firms, startups, innovators and entrepreneurs, remarked Common Cause Special Advisor Michael Copps, a former FCC commissioner.

"In e-commerce, I look for the bigger guys like Amazon and Google to dominate the market, along with ISP-affiliated businesses," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Smaller guys will have to enter into pay-and-play agreements to make any headway."

There are basically three Net neutrality models, suggested Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research, who described them using a highway metaphor:

Regular freeway, no carpool/HOV lane or FasTrak congestion payment model. That's a common understanding of Net neutrality, he said. "Everyone can access the Internet at the same speed, which can be really slow or really fast."

HOV lanes model. "One day we realize we need to give emergency vehicles and car poolers special rights, so we grant them special status over others for the public good. This is where we're now making that argument," said Wang.

FasTrak congestion payment model. "We then create situations because we have HOV lanes that some people want to pay to bypass and others want to monetize," he continued. "Suddenly, we find inequities out there."

The U.S. is about to shift from first option toward the second and third options, Wang told the E-Commerce Times.

Net neutrality repeal "will make it harder for smaller players to afford faster access and compete with the big boys unless there are guardrails set by the government," he noted. "The question is, who determines who gets to be in the HOV lane? And that's fraught with political lobbying, special interests, folks with their narratives and agendas on who's disenfranchised."

This will mean "more money is required to lobby and pass a bill and deal with new regulations," said Wang, "and more paperwork and bigger government, which is anathema to small business."

The Once Bright Future of E-Commerce SMBs

SMBs have been betting big on e-commerce, suggests a nationwide U.S. survey DHL conducted this spring.

Twenty-five percent of the 14,000 respondents to the survey expected that Q1 e-commerce sales would increase by 7-100 percent over Q1 2017 figures.

The survey was conducted through a combination of direct outreach to DHL customers and a targeted Twitter poll, DHL spokesperson Stephanie Schiff told the E-Commerce Times.

The participating DHL customers reported having to ship more than 50 percent of orders as B2C orders received online. The non-customer participants were SMBs, but all did not have an e-commerce component. Public sector organizations and national or multinational companies were not included.

"SMBs tend to get a disproportionate amount of their sales through social media promotion," and Net neutrality repeal "is likely to hit SMBs particularly hard," said Rebecca Wettemann, VP of research at Nucleus Research.

"When ISPs decide what content gets priority, they decide which social channels get prioritized or blocked as well," she told the E-Commerce Times.

Service providers "could just decide to charge different retailers different prices to deliver their content," Wettemann said. "What's the going rate for having the highest speed of service on Black Friday? There's simply no way SMBs could compete in such a bidding war."

SMBs Speak

"The worst-case scenario for a small business like mine basically goes like this: Comcast starts a wine club, and, when people search for one to join, instead of being shown Google's results first, they're shown Comcast's option," said Mark Aseltine, founder of Uncorked Ventures.

"Or Google's results and sites like my own are slowed down so much that it's easier to join Comcast's wine club," he told the E-Commerce Times. "There's not much we can do in regard to [that], but we can work on speed and branding where people would find our site fast enough and ask for our site directly."

The consequences in terms of the stifling of innovation and the lack of upside of starting an e-commerce business "are going to be huge," Aseltine predicted.

On the other hand, "e-commerce stores have far more to worry about than the cost of their bandwidth slightly increasing," observed Allen Walton, founder of Spy Guy.

"How about they focus on doubling or tripling their annual revenue instead of being up in arms over something that might not even affect them?" he suggested.

"I pay (US)$79 a month for unlimited bandwidth on Shopify. They could increase that price 10 times and I wouldn't even care," he told the E-Commerce Times.

The Net Neutrality Battlefield

Various public interest groups, including Free Press and Common Ground, have challenged the FCC's repeal of Net neutrality in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which is expected to hear arguments in the case by the end of the year.

Thirty-six states have proposed or passed a resolution, bill or executive order supporting Net neutrality in one way or another, although some of those efforts have failed.

In California, Bill SB-822, the so-called "Net Neutrality Bill," was killed off last week.

Some state legislators, led by Miguel Santiago, chairman of the state's Communications and Conveyance Committee, eviscerated its text, leading to accusations of corruption.

"Net neutrality is a good thing," Aseltine said. "Until I hear a good argument for why it isn't, I'll support an overturn of the repeal."

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.




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Governor Jerry Brown last month signed into law the California Consumer Privacy Act. The CCPA is the state's response to a growing concern that consumers need stronger means to protect their personal information.

The issue came to a head in part due to recent breaches that exposed the personal data of millions of American consumers. However, the CCPA also addresses other privacy incidents that have affected millions of people in California and beyond.

The new law, which is viewed as one of the most far-reaching consumer protection privacy laws in the United States, will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

At that time, businesses will have to comply with a range of new requirements. The CCPA's end goal is to ensure that consumers enjoy "choice and transparency" when it comes to their personal information. For companies based in California, or for those that do business with clients or customers in California, this could be a truly big deal -- and it isn't something any business should ignore.

However, CCPA isn't the only new privacy law that online businesses -- big or small -- need to take notice of at this time. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulations went into effect this spring, and even with two years of warning, many companies were caught off guard. Many companies geo-blocked their content from IP addresses in Europe as a response to the new regulations.

EU lawmakers approved the GDPR more than two years ago to replace the previous Data Protection Directive in the 28-nation bloc. The goal of the GDPR was to give consumers greater control of personal data collected by companies online. It applies not only to organizations that are located within the EU, but also to companies outside the region if they offer goods or services in the EU or have any type of digital footprint with consumers there.

CCPA Controversy

CCPA has been the center of controversy, as its many critics have contended that it was a hastily passed law that came about only as part of deal brokered by the state legislature and Brown as a way to avert what could have been an even more costly fight over a proposed ballot initiative.

That proposal, which was backed by the state's privacy activists, could have resulted in an even more stringent measure appearing before California voters in November.

CCPA grants residents in California the following rights: 1) to know what personal information is being collected about them; 2) to know whether their personal information is sold or otherwise disclosed and to whom; 3) to say no to the sale of their personal information; 4) to access their personal information and request deletion under certain circumstances; and 5) to receive equal service and price, even if they exercise their privacy rights.

At this point it is still unclear as to how CCPA actually will be enforced, but those violating the law could face fines ranging from US$100 to $750 per consumer per incident. More importantly, CCPA also empowers the state's attorney general to pursue cases against businesses for damages of up to $7,500 per instance for "intentional violations."

"CCPA deals with the data of California consumers," said Laura Jehl, a partner with BakerHostetler and co-leader of the firm's General Data Protection Regulation initiative.

"Not that many businesses online in the United States don't have any California customers," she told the E-Commerce Times. "If you offer goods and services and don't comply with the law, you could face a fine. In California, it is also up to the discretion of the state's AG to determine whether to go after violators."

GDPR and American Companies

American companies -- especially smaller firms -- may think they won't be affected by the EU's GDPR, but that could be as far-reaching, or even more so, than CCPA.

"U.S. small businesses may or may not need to address GDPR compliance, as GDPR applies to any EU business and companies that process the personal data of EU citizens," said Greg Sterling, vice president of strategy and insights at the Local Search Association.

"If U.S. small businesses are involved in the collection, storage or usage of personal data of EU citizens they will need to comply, but if they have no dealings with EU citizens they do not," he told the E-Commerce Times.

Yet "GDPR is already relevant to American businesses that provide services through the Internet, as they often have international customer bases and provide services to EU countries," said Erik Ashby, principal program manager at Helpshift, a San Francisco-based customer support technology platform.

"If EU citizen data is involved, businesses must have opt-in consent for storage and use of that data -- consent is mostly not required for legal uses of pre-existing data," added LSA's Sterling. "In asking for consent, businesses must inform people of the specific, intended data uses, while data owners have a right to revoke consent and withdraw their data at any time."

Devil in the Details

GDPR is very specific in terms of its rules as well.

"Consent for one purpose can't be used to justify another, unrelated purpose," explained Sterling.

"Categories of 'sensitive' data -- e.g., children -- carry additional requirements," he noted. "Large-scale data processors, which most small businesses are not, may require the hiring of a data protection officer as well."

Here is where the devil could truly be in the details, as data must be maintained in a secure and appropriate way for its intended use, and it should not be accessible to unauthorized parties. Further, data breaches must be communicated to victims -- and potentially authorities -- in a timely way.

"There must also be procedures in place to enable the owners of the personal data to access or request that it be deleted," Sterling pointed out.

"As we have seen with CCPA, we expect that other governing bodies will follow the precedent set by the EU with GDPR," Helpshift's Ashby told the E-Commerce Times. "Most importantly, GDPR provides a set of basic guidelines that are fundamental to protecting customers, regardless of where they are."

Prep Time

Businesses still have time to prepare for CCPA, but companies that are not yet compliant with the EU's GDPR face serious fines of up to 4 percent of annual global revenue or 20 million euros (US$24.6 million), whichever is larger.

"This is a much stricter law, as GDPR makes very few exceptions when you process data, and it doesn't matter if you are a small business or even a not-for-profit," warned BakerHostetler's Jehl.

"GDPR is about protecting the data of EU citizens, and whether you have offices in the EU or not you still need to be compliant," she added. "An example could be a small hotel chain that has had EU customers in the past, and decides to market to them via email or online -- and when you do so, you need to be compliant in how you use their personal data."

Fine Time in the EU

Firms that are found in violation of the law could face those rather hefty fines.

"What we have seen is that EU regulators have indicated that they won't enforce the full extent of the fines in the first couple of months, and that is a good sign for businesses that aren't yet compliant," said Jehl. "The good news for smaller firms is that they aren't likely to be the first in the crosshairs."

However, the EU isn't likely to ignore violators for long, especially major international firms. Larger tech companies could be the first in its sights, as it has a long track record of imposing large fines on big businesses.

Between 2013 and 2017 the European Commission imposed fines totaling 8.472 billion euros ($9.54 billion). Those numbers don't include the 1.06 billion euro fine imposed on Intel in May 2009 for abusing its market dominance on central processing units, or the 900 million euro fine imposed on Microsoft in February 2008 for "unreasonable" royalty fees.

"They may start with the bigger tech companies, but they will bring some action on smaller companies or outliers as well," added Jehl. "They have to defend it or they risk losing the power of the hammer."

California Enforcement

CCPA may not go into effect for another year and a half, but American companies may need to ensure they're prepared for it.

"Although California's law is more limited than the GDPR in many respects, its implications will likely be felt more broadly by U.S. businesses -- including mid-sized firms that use third-party data but do not operate in Europe," warned Ryan Radia, research fellow and regulatory counsel for the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

"California's law does include express carve-outs for small businesses, however," he told the E-Commerce Times.

"Although most large technology companies that interact directly with users now provide a mechanism for individuals to view or delete their information, thousands of companies that will likely be subject to the new California law have yet to provide for such a mechanism," he noted.

"There's likely to be nontrivial compliance costs for many of these companies, and California is also better positioned to actually enforce its law against U.S. companies, whereas the EU may encounter some challenges if it seeks to enforce the GDPR against U.S. companies that have no physical presence or assets in Europe," explained Radia.

As it now stands, the fines that California could impose are on the smaller side. However, apart from what the AG could do with more egregious violators of the law, there is a concern that CCPA could have an impact on companies of all sizes.

"We do see a scenario where privacy zealots would push to go after small companies because the law would allow it," said Jehl. "However, the enforcement mechanisms are rather unusual, so it is hard to tell how this will eventually play out."

That said, CCPA "will be the strictest privacy regulation in the U.S., and it may wind up becoming a national standard as a practical matter," said LSA's Sterling.

"It's chiefly aimed at data brokers and large processors of data such as Google, Facebook and other online advertising and marketing companies," he noted. "Any company doing business in California or using California citizens' data will have to comply."

Peter Suciu has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2012. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile phones, displays, streaming media, pay TV and autonomous vehicles. He has written and edited for numerous publications and websites, including Newsweek, Wired and FoxNews.com. Email Peter.


(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - The Coast Guard's Diciotti ship carrying 177 rescued migrants will be able to land in Italy if the European Union dies its bit to redistribute the migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday.

Meanwhile the Italian foreign ministry "officially and formally" requested the intervention of the EU.

The Diciotti picked up the migrants last week after they were spotted in Maltese waters and Salvini has stressed they must be spread across the EU if the ship is to land in Italy.

Otherwise, he has said, they will be sent back to Libya.

Salvini said on Italian TV: "the ship may land in Italy, as long as the 177 migrants are distributed, in a spirit of solidarity by the EU, which is made up of 27 countries".

"Let them pay us this courtesy to play their part, given that we have taken in more than 700,000 people who came by sea".

He reiterated the intention of sending the 177 back to Libya unless the EU does its bit.


To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
2018-08-18

Maeci

We agree with the statements made by President Macron and Chancellor Merkel in a recent telephone conversation as to the need for a coordinated European solution to the issue of combating human traffickers, receiving the people entitled to asylum in the EU and, more in general, of meeting the challenge of migration. This position corresponds to what Italy has long been asking for and to the conclusions of the European Council of 28 June, which unequivocably call on European Partners to undertake a common, stable and well-structured commitment on the issue of migration flows. We will continue to promote the prompt implementation of this approach in all the relevant European venues. This was the statement made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Enzo Moavero Milanesi, in commenting yesterdays telephone conversation between the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
2018-08-19

Maeci

In relation to the case of the Diciotti patrol vessel, which is currently anchored offshore the island of Lampedusa with 177 persons rescued from a boat in distress that had launched an SOS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially invested the European Commission with the task of finding a solution in line with the principle of shared responsibility among EU Member States over migration flows that was agreed at the European Council of June 2018.

Consistently with the aforesaid European Council conclusions, the Italian Government deems it necessary that the European Commission directly assume the initiative to single out the EU Member Countries willing to receive the people rescued at sea and perform the required vetting procedures.

Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi recalled: It is an action decided by EU Institutions that Italy naturally fully supports and that can make it possible to overcome the difficulties in an orderly and systemic way, turning burden sharing, a measure already applied several times during the past two months, into a structural approach based on ad hoc agreements between the States.
1. Newer HIV therapies have led to dramatic gains in viral suppression rates over the past 2 decades

Younger persons and blacks saw lower rates of improvement

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M17-2242

Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1944

URLs go live when the embargo lifts

Viral suppression rates have nearly tripled in the U.S. over the past 2 decades, but disparities still exist for younger persons and blacks living with HIV. Researchers say that newer, better-tolerated treatment regimens, such as fixed-drug combinations that include integrase strand transfer inhibitors (ISTIs), have likely contributed to these dramatic gains. Findings from an observational cohort study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Approximately 1.2 million adults in the U.S. are living with HIV, and men who have sex with men and African Americans are disproportionately affected. Achieving and maintaining HIV viral suppression is essential for optimal outcomes and prevention efforts. As such, understanding trends and predictors of viral suppression is imperative to inform public health policy.

Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) analyzed data for nearly 32,000 adults living with HIV who were enrolled in care at eight Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems sites from 1997 to 2015 to evaluate trends in viral suppression. The researchers evaluated associated factors, such as demographic characteristics and ISTI use. They found that overall rates of viral suppression increased significantly during the timeframe, from 32 percent in 1997 to 86 percent in 2015. They also found that the average interval from enrollment to suppression was shortened substantially from 9 months for those initiating antiretroviral therapy, or ART, between 1997 and 2000 to 2 months for those initiating ART between 2010 and 2015. However, the gains in viral suppression were not equally distributed across populations. Younger persons and blacks were more likely to have detectable viral load. According to the researchers, these disparities warrant further research.

Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Heidi M. Crane, MD, MPH, please contact Susan Gregg at sghanson@uw.edu. To reach the author of the editorial, please contact Hillary Hoffman at hillary.hoffman@nih.gov 2. Pregabalin may increase risk for death when coprescribed with opioids

Product monograph should be revised to include a warning about the risk for serious adverse events when combined with opioids

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1136

Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-2175

URLs go live when the embargo lifts

Pregabalin, an anticonvulsant increasingly prescribed as an adjunct for chronic pain, is associated with an increased risk for opioid-related death when coprescribed with opioids. A brief research report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Pregabalin can be sedating and may augment central nervous system (CNS) depression in patients also receiving opioids. Because more than one half of Ontario residents who initiate pregabalin therapy are concurrently prescribed an opioid, determining the risk for opioid-related death among persons coprescribed these medications has important clinical implications.

Researchers from St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto identified a cohort of persons aged 15 to 105 who received publicly funded opioid prescriptions between August 1997 and December 2016. Case patients who died of an opioid-related cause were matched by age, sex, and other characteristics to up to four control participants. After adjusting for multiple variables, the researchers concluded that concomitant exposure with opioids and pregabalin in the preceding 120 days was associated with significantly increased odds of opioid-related death compared with exposure to opioids alone.

According to the researchers, these findings warrant a revision to the pregabalin product monograph, which does not currently warn about the risk for serious adverse events when combined with opioids.

Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Tara Gomes, MHSc, PhD, please contact Debora Creatura at deborah.creatura@ices.on.ca. 3. Studies needed to determine the effects of marijuana use in pregnancy

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1141

URLs go live when the embargo lifts

Marijuana use among pregnant women has increased over the past decade and research is needed to determine its effect on fetal and neonatal outcomes. Authors from Kaiser Permanente Northern

California health system describe the limitations of previous studies and outline a strategy for future research in Annals of Internal Medicine.

With the growing acceptance, accessibility, and legalization of marijuana, its use is likely to rise among pregnant women. As such, it is crucial to understand the effects of prenatal exposure. The weakness of previous studies is that they did not fully account for confounding factors. The authors present new data on the high rate of substance co-use of pregnant patients in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health system who were universally screened for any prenatal substance use between 2009 and 2016. More than a third of women who had a screening result positive for marijuana use also had a positive result for at least one other substance. This result highlights the importance of controlling for co-occurring prenatal substance use to accurately detect marijuana-specific health risks.

According to the authors, well-designed retrospective and prospective cohort studies should include current, large, representative populations, and use validated measures of marijuana exposure while adjusting for other types of substance use. Large health care systems like Kaiser Permanente are well-positioned for this type of research, the results of which can help women make informed decisions about marijuana use during pregnancy.

Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Kelly C. Young-Wolff, PhD, please contact Brett Israel at Brett.T.Israel@kp.org.

Also new in this issue:

Clinical-Community Partnerships to Reduce Food Insecurity Among High-Need, High-Cost Medicaid Patients

Katherine Rediger, MSN, CRNP; D.R. Bailey Miles, MD

Ideas and Opinions

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1104

Association Between Publication Characteristics and Treatment Effect Estimates

Agnes Dechartres, MD, PhD; Ignacio Atal, MSc; Carolina Riveros, MSc; Joerg Meerpohl, MD; Philippe Ravaud, MD, PhD

Research and Reporting Methods

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1517

###
A position statement from three global surgery groups published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons advocates for academic health centers supporting the work of global surgeons

CHICAGO (August 20, 2018): An estimated 30 percent of all diseases globally require surgical care and expertise,* yet global surgeons based in academic health centers (AHCs) often face institutional barriers that make it difficult for them to take the time to offer their services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, a new position paper from the Association of Academic Surgeons (AAS) Global Affairs Committee, the Society of University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Operation Giving Back (OGB) program contends that surgeons from AHCs have much to gain, including professional education, research experience, and an opportunity to enhance their institution's reputation when AHCs support academic global surgeons from their institutions. The position paper appears as an "article in press" on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons ahead of print.



Making the Case for Global Surgeons



The taskforce that developed the position paper sent a survey to 62 U.S. academic global surgeons to get a sense of who global surgeons are and how they spend their time. The results showed that academic global surgeons typically have appointments at U.S. medical schools and spend dedicated time working with underserved populations, focusing on research, education, and health equity to improve surgical care globally. The taskforce argues that global surgeons can add strategic value to AHCs and surgical departments, but leadership at these institutions may need guidance on what it means to support and meaningfully engage in this emerging field as increasing numbers of trainees aim to establish careers in global surgery.



"With the recognition that there is growing interest among academic surgeons and a role for academic institutions in global surgery, we recognize that there is a need to legitimize the field of academic global surgery," said Jennifer Rickard, MD, MPH, lead author of the position paper and co-chair of the AAS Global Affairs Committee.



To help legitimize the field of academic global surgery, the position paper includes the following recommendations:



Global surgery is a defined academic surgical specialty and avenues for promotion should be clearly delineated within the field. U.S. AHCs and surgical departments should recognize the value of academic global surgery. Due to the large burden of global surgical disease, the field is ripe for productivity in all academic spheres. U.S. academic surgical departments should provide support for academic global surgeons. There are many ways to show support. Protected time and funding are the two greatest needs for global surgeons. However, administrative, logistical, and statistical support are also critical.

"We need to see more and more institutions support global surgery to show that it can be done, and how it can be done, in a way that's accommodating and welcoming to everyone," Dr. Rickard said.



Academic global surgeons face particular challenges in advancing their careers at AHCs because, as the authors note, the standard metrics for promotion in academic surgery translate poorly to an academic global surgery setting. To address this challenge, the authors recommend a list of measurable outputs of global surgical work that could serve as a guide for AHC leadership when considering recruitment, retention, or promotion of academic global surgeons. These outputs include specific metrics within the areas of education, clinical service, and research, among others.



"Global surgeons, because they're working in different cultures, may work better with others, may have more cross-disciplinary collaborations, and may be more likely to be interested in cost-effective or cost-reducing innovations," Dr. Rickard said.



Unifying the Efforts of Global Surgery



A related challenge facing the field of global surgery is that there has been no unifying force to coordinate the efforts of different groups working to bring LMICs access to surgery. To address this challenge, OGB has supported the development of a Consortium for Academic Global Surgery Programs (CAGSP). The consortium had its first meeting at the ACS Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, with another meeting planned for Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, where the plan is to define the mission, vision, and organizational structure of CAGSP. Leaders of academic global surgery programs who are interested in attending this meeting should contact OGB.



"There is a growing interest from academic surgeons as well as residents and students to participate in global surgery. The problem has been that these efforts have been uncoordinated," said Girma Tefera, MD, FACS, a corresponding author of the position paper and Medical Director of OGB. "We are trying to create a platform where academic global surgery programs can join hands and work together so we can better utilize resources and avoid duplication of efforts."



As a way to unify the global surgery efforts of academic global surgery programs, Dr. Tefera said OGB is working to create training hubs around the globe to serve as places to train surgeons, develop collaborative research projects, and foster innovation. The first of these training centers will be in Hawassa, Ethiopia. It will serve as a place where 13 different U.S. academic global surgery programs will collaborate and work together to train surgeons and bring surgical services to sub-Saharan Africa.



"As we develop more training hubs, we will welcome contributions of academic global surgery programs and encourage them to join hands," Dr. Tefera said.



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Coauthors of the position statement are Ekene Onwuka, MD, MS; Saju Joseph, MD, FACS; Doruk Ozgediz, MD, MSc, FACS; Sanjay Krishnaswami, MD, FACS; Tolulope A Oyetunji, MD, MPH, FAAP; Jyotirmay Sharma, MD, FACS; Rashna Farhad Ginwalla, MD, MPH, FACS; Benedict C Nwomeh, MD, MPH, FACS; Sudha Jayaraman, MD, MSc, FACS.



Citation: Value of Global Surgical Activities for US Academic Health Centers: A Position Paper by the Association of Academic Surgeons Global Affairs Committee, the Society of University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons' Operation Giving Back. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Available at: https://www.journalacs.org/article/S1072-7515(18)31329-2/fulltext.

* Shrime MG, Bickler SW, Alkire BC, Mock C. Global burden of surgical disease: an estimation from the provider perspective. Lancet Glob Health. 2015;3 Suppl 2:S8-9.

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 80,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit http://www.facs.org.
BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 -- The popularity of electronic cigarettes continues to grow worldwide, as many people view them as a safer alternative to smoking. But the long-term effects of e-cigarette usage, commonly called "vaping," are unknown. Today, researchers report that vaping may modify the genetic material, or DNA, in the oral cells of users, which could increase their cancer risk.

The researchers will present their results today at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the world's largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 10,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.

"E-cigarettes are a popular trend, but the long-term health effects are unknown," says Romel Dator, Ph.D., who is presenting the work at the meeting. "We want to characterize the chemicals that vapers are exposed to, as well as any DNA damage they may cause."

Introduced to the market in 2004, e-cigarettes are handheld electronic devices that heat a liquid, usually containing nicotine, into an aerosol that the user inhales. Different flavors of liquids are available, including many that appeal to youth, such as fruit, chocolate and candy. According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Surgeon General, 13.5 percent of middle school students, 37.7 percent of high school students and 35.8 percent of young adults (18 to 24 years of age) have used e-cigarettes, compared with 16.4 percent of older adults (25 years and up).

"It's clear that more carcinogens arise from the combustion of tobacco in regular cigarettes than from the vapor of e-cigarettes," says Silvia Balbo, Ph.D., the project's lead investigator, who is at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. "However, we don't really know the impact of inhaling the combination of compounds produced by this device. Just because the threats are different doesn't mean that e-cigarettes are completely safe."

To characterize chemical exposures during vaping, the researchers recruited five e-cigarette users. They collected saliva samples before and after a 15-minute vaping session and analyzed the samples for chemicals that are known to damage DNA. To evaluate possible long-term effects of vaping, the team assessed DNA damage in the cells of the volunteers' mouths. The researchers used mass-spectrometry-based methods they had developed previously for a different study in which they evaluated oral DNA damage caused by alcohol consumption.

Dator and Balbo identified three DNA-damaging compounds, formaldehyde, acrolein and methylglyoxal, whose levels increased in the saliva after vaping. Compared with people who don't vape, four of the five e-cigarette users showed increased DNA damage related to acrolein exposure. The type of damage, called a DNA adduct, occurs when toxic chemicals, such as acrolein, react with DNA. If the cell does not repair the damage so that normal DNA replication can take place, cancer could result.

The researchers plan to follow up this preliminary study with a larger one involving more e-cigarette users and controls. They also want to see how the level of DNA adducts differs between e-cigarette users and regular cigarette smokers. "Comparing e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes is really like comparing apples and oranges. The exposures are completely different," Balbo says. "We still don't know exactly what these e-cigarette devices are doing and what kinds of effects they may have on health, but our findings suggest that a closer look is warranted."

A press conference on this topic will be held Tuesday, August 21, at 11 a.m. Eastern time in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Reporters may check-in at the press center, Room 102 A, or watch live on YouTube http://bit.ly/ACSLive_Boston2018. To ask questions online, sign in with a Google account.

The researchers acknowledge support and funding from the University of Minnesota.

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The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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Title

Integrating multi-"omics"- mass spectrometry-based methods to characterize electronic cigarette exposure in humans

Abstract

Characterizing chemical exposures in humans remains a significant challenge. Our lab has been developing state-of-the-art high-resolution mass spectrometry-based methods to characterize the exposome and determine how it may influence overall health. Because it is challenging to capture the complexity of exposures, often at trace levels, improved tools are needed to move this field of research forward. We have recently developed a neutral loss (NL) screening and relative quantitation strategy for the targeted analysis of reactive carbonyls in biological fluids. In addition, a comprehensive DNA adductomics approach was developed to characterize covalent modifications in DNA generated from these exposures. Here, we have integrated these MS-based methods to characterize electronic cigarette exposure in humans, with the goal of identifying reactive carbonyls generated during vaping and the corresponding DNA adducts formed in the oral cavity. Human saliva and oral cell samples from e-cigarette users (n=10) and non-user controls (n=10) were obtained to screen reactive carbonyls and DNA adducts. Reactive carbonyls in saliva were derivatized with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine to form hydrazones and analyzed by the NL screening method. Likewise, DNA from oral cells were isolated, hydrolyzed to nucleosides, and analyzed by both targeted and non-targeted DNA adductomics approaches. Using the NL loss screening strategy, increased levels of acrolein, methylglyoxal, and formaldehyde were observed after vaping, while the levels of acetaldehyde and glyoxal vary within subjects possibly due to variations in composition of the e-liquid used. This information was then used to develop targeted and non-targeted DNA adductomics approaches to monitor the corresponding DNA adducts in oral cells of e-cigarette users. Our results showed increased levels of acrolein-derived DNA adducts, in particular, gamma-OH-Acro-dG in e-cigarette users compared to non-users. We are currently investigating other DNA adducts that might be relevant to e-cigarette exposure using non-targeted DNA adductomics approaches and expanding our analysis to a larger sample size.
BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 -- Nearly 700 million people suffer from mosquito-borne diseases -- such as malaria, West Nile, Zika and dengue fever -- each year, resulting in more than 1 million deaths. Increasingly, many species of mosquitoes have become resistant to the popular pyrethroid-based insecticides. Today, researchers report a new class of mosquito repellents based on naturally occurring compounds that are effective in repelling mosquitoes with potentially fewer environmental side effects than existing repellents.

The scientists will present their research today at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the world's largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 10,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.

A brand-new video on the research is available at http://bit.ly/acsmosquitoes.

"Our new repellents are based on how nature already works," Joel R. Coats, Ph.D., says. "For example, citronella, a spatial repellent that comes from lemongrass, contains naturally occurring essential oils that have been used for centuries to repel mosquitoes. But citronella doesn't last long and blows away easily. Our new, next-generation spatial repellents are variations of natural products that are longer-lasting and have greater repellency."

Coats and graduate students James S. Klimavicz and Caleb L. Corona at Iowa State University in Ames have been synthesizing and testing hundreds of compounds against mosquitoes. They knew that sesquiterpenoids, which are found in many plants, are effective insect repellents, but these large molecules are difficult to isolate from plants and hard to make and purify in the laboratory.

Because of the challenges of synthesizing sesquiterpenoids, Coats' team designed their repellents using smaller, less complex, easily obtainable molecules -- monoterpenoids and phenylpropanoid alcohols with known, short-term repellent activities against insects. By modifying these compounds chemically, they produced new potential repellents with higher molecular weights, making them less volatile and longer-lasting. Klimavicz has synthesized more than 300 compounds, the most effective of which are -terpinyl isovalerate (a natural compound), citronellyl cyclobutanecarboxylate and citronellyl 3,3-difluorocyclobutanecarboxylate.

To determine the compounds' effectiveness as repellents against mosquitoes, Corona tests them in a tubular chamber developed in the Coats laboratory. The chamber has filter papers at either end. One filter paper has nothing on it; the other has the synthesized repellent applied. Then mosquitoes -- raised in the Iowa State University medical entomology lab -- are introduced into the chamber. Corona uses time-lapse photography and in-person monitoring over 2.5 hours to document whether the mosquitoes migrate away from the candidate repellents. The researchers are currently exploring computer tracking of mosquitoes using video footage to gain a better understanding of mosquito repellency and behavior when exposed to these compounds.

With this method, the researchers tested the repellents with Culex pipiens, the northern house mosquito, which is most closely linked to West Nile transmission in the Midwestern U.S.; Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito which is also known to transmit the Zika and dengue viruses; and Anopheles gambiae, which transmits malaria.

"We think the mechanism of our terpene-based repellents, which try to mimic what nature does, is different from that of the pyrethroids," which many mosquito species have become resistant to, Coats says. "We believe these 'next-gen' spatial repellents are new tools that could provide additional protection against mosquitoes in treated yards, parks, campgrounds, horse stables and livestock facilities. Our next step is to understand more precisely how the repellents biologically affect the mosquitoes."

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A press conference on this topic will be held Monday, Aug. 20, at 9 a.m. Eastern time in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Reporters may check-in at the press center, Room 102A, or watch live on YouTube http://bit.ly/ACSLive_Boston2018. To ask questions online, sign in with a Google account.

The researchers acknowledge support from the U.S. Department of Defense (Deployed War Fighter Protection Program). The industry partner on the grant is ISCA Technologies, which will be testing the efficacy of the repellents in the tropics using their proprietary slow-release technology.

The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

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Title

Next-gen biorational spatial repellents

Abstract

Among possible new tools to use against vectors, spatial repellents represent a category of tools that provide additional protection, especially against mosquitoes. In yards, parks, campgrounds, horse stables, and livestock facilities, spatial repellents can deter flies and mosquitoes from entering the treated area. Many personal or local uses of spatial repellents involve burning of a pyrethroid coil or otherwise emitting a volatile pyrethroid insecticide. Emitting oil of citronella is the primary alternative to the pyrethroids. Our lab has synthesized a series of biorational derivatives of natural terpenes to create repellents that provide physicochemical and biological properties that are improvements over citronella and other terpene repellents. Pyrethroid spatial repellents work well in some cases but are less effective against pyrethroid-resistant strains of mosquitoes. Some pyrethroid spatial repellents cause mosquito knockdown and mortality, which adds to their current efficacy, but potentially contributes to evolving of pyrethroid-resistance in a mosquito population. The mechanism of repellent action for terpenes is likely different from that of pyrethroids. The advanced terpenes could be valuable spatial repellents when used in conjunction with other more traditional tools.
DALLAS, Aug. 20, 2018 -- Chagas disease, caused by infection with a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi), causes chronic heart disease in about one third of those infected. Over the past 40 years, Chagas disease has spread to areas where it had not traditionally been seen, including the United States, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

The statement. summarizes the most up-to-date information on diagnosis, screening and treatment of T cruzi infection. Infection occurs when feces from the infected blood sucking insect triatomine enters the skin through the bite site or in the eye. Triatomine insects are found in Central and South America, where they infest adobe houses and in the Southern United States. The disease can also be passed through contaminated food or drink, from pregnant mothers to their babies, and through blood transfusions and organ transplants.

The health risks of Chagas disease are well-known in Latin America where most cases are found in countries that include Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Mexico and El Salvador. However, doctors outside of Latin America are largely unaware of the infection and its connection to heart disease. Countries where infected individuals have been diagnosed include the United States with an estimated 300,000 cases, Spain with at least 42,000 cases, Italy, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.

"This statement aims to increase global awareness among physicians who manage patients with Chagas disease outside of traditionally endemic environments," said Maria Carmo Pereira Nunes, M.D., Ph.D, co-chair of the committee that produced the statement. "This document will help healthcare providers and health systems outside of Latin America recognize, diagnose and treat Chagas disease and prevent further disease transmission," said Pereira Nunes, who is a cardiologist at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Although 60-70 percent of people infected with T cruzi never develop any symptoms, those that do can develop heart disease, including heart failure, stroke, life threatening ventricular arrhythmias (heart rhythm abnormalities) and cardiac arrest. In the Americas, Chagas disease is responsible for more than seven times as many disability-adjusted life-years lost as malaria. However, if caught early, an infection can be cured with medications that have a 60 to 90 percent success rate, depending on when in the course of infection the patient is treated.

"Early detection of Chagas disease is critical, allowing prompt initiation of therapy when the evidence for cure is strong," said statement co-author Caryn Bern, M.D., M.P.H., professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California in San Francisco.

The risk of infection is extremely low for most travelers and residents of endemic countries. To minimize risk, people should avoid sleeping in houses with un-plastered adobe walls and/or thatch roofs, and avoid unpasteurized sugar cane juice, acai fruit juice and other juices when visiting affected countries.

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Other co-authors are Andrea Beaton, M.D., Harry Acquatella, M.D.; Ann F. Bolger, M.D.; Luis E. Echeverria Correa, M.D.; Walderez O. Dutra, Ph.D.; Joaquim Gascon, M.D., Ph.D.; Carlos A. Morillo, M.D.; Jamary Oliveira-Filho, M.D., M.S., Ph.D.; Antonio Luiz Pinho Ribeiro, M.D., Ph.D.; and Jose Antonio Marin-Neto, M.D., Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

Additional Resources:

Available multimedia located on the right column of the release link: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/chagas-disease-caused-by-a-parasite-has-spread-outside-of-latin-america-and-carries-a-high-risk-of-heart-disease?preview=23a47636aa174da9a0961e83215ae416

After Aug. 20, view the manuscript online.

Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the association's science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical and device manufacturers and health insurance providers are available at www at https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/aha-financial-information.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Ken M. Mitchell from the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn., has won the 2018 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation Abe M. Zarem Award for Distinguished Achievement in Astronautics.

"I was born and raised in Memphis by two hearing impaired parents, learning English sign language as my first language, which I attribute to most of my intellectual growth," said Mitchell, a mechanical engineering graduate student at the University of Memphis. "I knew I wanted to be a mechanical engineer right out of high school stemming from a childhood of tinkering with small engines and a variety of other mechanical equipment."

Mitchell is receiving the Zarem award for his research paper "Thermal Conductivity and Specific Heat Measurements of an RTV-655/Polyimide Aerogel Compound at 77K and 298K." He has been invited to participate in the student paper competition of the 69th International Astronautical Congress held October 1-5, 2018 in Bremen, Germany.

"As a professor myself, I know the essential role graduate students play in expanding what's possible in research," said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. "I am inspired by the work being done by the newest generation of innovators."

Mitchell is working in the Bio, Nano, and Space Materials Lab within the Physics Department at the university. He's in the second year of his master's degree studies and expects to graduate in December. He received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering last year at the University of Memphis.

Mitchell's field of study began as an undergraduate when he asked to participate in Jeffrey Marchetta's research. Marchetta is a professor of Mechanical Engineering and faculty advisor of the AIAA University of Memphis Student Branch. He's also a lifetime AIAA Senior Member and a member of the American Society for Gravitational Space Research (ASGSR). He received the AIAA Abe Zarem Award for Distinguished Achievement in Astronautics Research in 1999 and has been a member of the AIAA Microgravity and Space Processes Technical Committee (MSPTC) since 1999.

Marchetta assigned Mitchell to a project pertaining to the development of a cryogenic tank constructed of a novel rubber and insulation compound, leading to work in the physics department's Bio, Nano, and Space Materials Lab.

After Mitchell won second place in the technical paper and presentation category at an AIAA regional student conference in 2017, he was inspired to continue his research under Marchetta. His focus in graduate school has been to measure thermal conductivity and specific heat of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and aerogel at room temperature and cryogenic temperature using the transient plane source technique.

"I attribute all of my success to my mentor and faculty advisor Dr. Jeffrey Marchetta," Mitchell said. "Upon the completion of my degree, I aspire to work for an organization like NASA or a company like SpaceX alongside some of the greatest minds in the world! I want to continue learning for the rest of my life and I want to contribute to the future of astronautics and aeronautics!"

Both Mitchell and Marchetta will be recognized at an awards luncheon at the AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition ( AIAA SciTech Forum) to be held Jan. 7-11, 2019 in San Diego, Calif.

AIAA Honorary Fellow Dr. Abe Zarem, founder and managing director of Frontier Associates, established the Abe M. Zarem Award for Distinguished Achievement to annually recognize graduate students, in aeronautics and astronautics, who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship in their field and who are pursuing graduate degrees.

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About the AIAA Foundation

The AIAA Foundation seeks to "make it exciting, make it empowering, and make it fun." That simple, compelling philosophy drives the Foundation's commitment to math, science, and technology education. The AIAA Foundation offers a wealth of resources to support educators from K-12 through university: scholarships, classroom grants, design competitions, and student conferences, improving scientific literacy and advancing the arts and sciences of aerospace. For more information on the AIAA Foundation and its programs for students, teachers, and professionals, please visit http://www.aiaafoundation.org.

About the AIAA Foundation

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world's largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 85 countries, and 95 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit http://www.aiaa.org, or follow us on Twitter @AIAA.
The medical profession is not immune to bullying, harassment and discrimination, and in this #MeToo era, it is time that physicians, medical schools and institutions aim to abolish these behaviours, argue the authors of an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.181037.

"A work climate that enables bullying, harassment, discrimination and micro-aggressions can negatively affect a person's health and career pathway," write Drs. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, and Sharon Straus, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. "Harassment and discrimination of female medical staff and trainees are well documented."

Unprofessional behaviour affects both men and women, and it can affect patient care. Organizational factors that may lead to inappropriate behaviour include poor leadership, power imbalances, unconscious biases and a culture of silence.

"As a profession, we need to stop excusing unprofessional behaviour toward colleagues just because physicians are accomplished in clinical care or academia."

The authors suggest that measures of professionalism be included in review and promotion processes. Medical workplaces should also have safe, transparent processes to report and investigate unprofessional behaviour, as well as strategies to address unprofessional behaviour.

"It is time that all Canadian medical schools and health care institutions implement and evaluate initiatives aimed at achieving a culture of respect within medicine. The medical profession -- and ultimately patient care -- will improve for all when we treat each other with respect, regardless of gender, age, race or stage of career," they conclude.

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App in Syria allows for escaping bombings, saving civilians Technology and volunteers to alert on possible targets

(ANSAmed) - WASHINGTON, AUGUST 20 - An app called Hala Systems allows Syrian citizens to find out via social media about possible targets for airstrikes and have time to escape.



The app was developed by American entrepreneur Dave Levin together with former US diplomat John Jaeger and a Syrian computer programmer.



It was financed by Western governments as well as donations from friends and family, according to the New York Times.



The team first created a network of trustworthy contacts, month by month, recruiting teachers, engineers, and even farmers as possible aircraft observers.



Some of those recruited live close to Russian or Syrian air bases, and some others live in territories controlled by anti-Assad rebels.



Equipped with a simple smartphone app, the volunteers check the skies in eight-hour shifts, and when an aircraft appears, they share information about its location, direction, and if possible, the type of aircraft.



The information is integrated with other sensor data hidden in the tops of trees and high buildings, in order to gather useful acoustic data to determine the speed and model of the aircraft.



A few seconds later, a Hala Systems software programme compares the new information with previous episodes, calculates the possibility of an airstrike, and provides predictions on the probable targets and time in which the airstrike could take place.



The projections are immediately spread through social media channels, setting off an alarm network among civilians, rescue workers and hospitals.



According to a preliminary analysis, the system has contributed to saving hundreds of lives and preventing thousands of injuries.(ANSAmed).




An international team of researchers has developed a simple laboratory score that is safer and faster at diagnosing patients who visit the emergency department with heart attack symptoms. The score, published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), can also identify patients at risk of subsequent heart issues after discharge.

"We have developed a simple lab score that is superior to using cardiac troponin alone for the identification of patients at low and high risk for heart attack or death at emergency department presentation," say Dr. Peter Kavsak, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. According to Professor Andrew Worster, also from McMaster University, "This lab score may reduce both the number of blood tests and time spent in the emergency department for chest pain patients."

Patients with chest pain symptoms require multiple blood tests over several hours before a diagnosis is reached. Previous studies using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin alone to rule out and rule in heart attacks have not consistently demonstrated sufficient safety to use in clinical practice.

In this international study, researchers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany combined common laboratory blood tests available at many hospitals around the world to create a single laboratory score, or clinical chemistry score, to diagnose heart attack. These blood tests are part of the World Health Organization's list of essential in vitro diagnostics tests for health care facilities with clinical laboratories.

The researchers validated the clinical chemistry score as a predictor of heart attack or death within 30 days using data on 4245 patients from emergency department studies in the four countries. Within one month of the emergency department visits, 727 heart attacks or death in patients occurred. A negative (or low-risk) clinical chemistry score at emergency department presentation missed only one of these events compared with up to 25 missed heart attacks/death when using a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin test alone. A positive (or high-risk) clinical chemistry score also identified about 75% of patients at high risk of heart attack or death when positive compared with a low of 40% detected when the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin test alone was positive. The clinical chemistry score worked equally well in men and women.

The authors suggest the score can be useful for standardizing diagnoses and improving safety.

"Adoption of the clinical chemistry score algorithm would standardize reporting of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin test results, how the tests are interpreted in the normal range, and represent an option less susceptible to both analytical and preanalytical errors. This could result in the safest laboratory approach for physicians to use at presentation in the emergency department," says Dr. Kavsak.

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The Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded the study with reagent support from Abbott Laboratories and Roche Diagnostics.

"Clinical chemistry score versus high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and T tests alone to identify patients at low or high risk for myocardial infarction or death at presentation to the emergency department" is published August 20, 2018.
The method of fabricating objects via silicone molding has a long tradition. Until now, however, creating molds for casting complex objects required a lot of experience and still involved manual work, which made the process expensive and slow. Researchers from the Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologie dell'Informazione (ISTI-CNR) and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have now developed a tool that not only automatically finds the best way of designing the molds but also delivers templates for so-called "metamolds": Rigid molds that are 3D-printed and that are used to fabricate the optimized silicone molds. Their method, which can lower the cost of this fabricating technique, is presented at this year's prestigious SIGGRAPH conference where IST Austria researchers are involved in a total of five presentations.

When it comes to fabricating a series of identical objects, the technique of molding is playing an important role. One of the favored materials for the mold is silicone, as it is deformable and therefore forgiving when it comes to extracting complex objects from the mold at the end of the fabrication process. Extracting the object from the mold generally requires deciding for a direction in which the mold pieces can be separated without getting caught in overhanging parts of the object. A careful cut needed to be placed to open the mold. This process, which until now involved manual work from an experienced craftsman, has now been automated. "Until now, silicone molding of complex shapes was a craft that needed years of experience and a skillful hand. You needed to know where to place the cuts ideally and the work was done manually. Our new tool makes this method accessible for everyone," says Bernd Bickel.

The user only needs to upload the desired shape to the computer. The tool then helps in two steps: first, it calculates where the cuts need to be placed for an optimal result. This means that the smallest possible number of mold pieces is used and that the object can be safely removed from the mold once it is finished. Then the computer goes one step further: it automatically creates the 3D-printable templates of the metamold, a container that is used to fabricate the ideal silicone mold pieces. The printed metamolds are filled with liquid silicone to produce the final silicone mold pieces, which are reusable and allow to cast multiple replicas.

The researchers expect that their method will prove very useful for small series, for example in jewelry design or art. "When you are not producing millions of copies, then this is the method of choice," says Thomas Alderighi from ISTI-CNR, the first author of the study who has spent two months at IST Austria as an intern in the research group of Bernd Bickel.

As noted by Paolo Cignoni, research director at ISTI - CNR, an interesting field of application is the production of a small number of replicas for museums that could be handled by visitors for a deeper experience of the exhibition.

The final silicone mold pieces can then be used to create replicas from a variety of different materials, including traditional ones like various types of resin, but also unconventional ones like chocolate or ice.

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Further information: http://visualcomputing.ist.ac.at/publications/2018/Metamolds/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M2TbQnRLNg

Original publication:

Thomas Alderighi, Luigi Malomo, Daniela Giorgi, Nico Pietroni, Bernd Bickel, and Paolo Cignoni. August 2018. "Metamolds: Computational Design of Silicone Molds". ACM Trans. Graph., Vol. 37, 4, Article 136, 13 pages. DOI: 10.1145/3197517.3201381 https://repository.ist.ac.at/1038/1/metamolds_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
AMES, Iowa - Gender stereotypes and biases still influence voters, especially in elections with more than one woman on the ballot, according to new research from Iowa State University.

Tessa Ditonto (lead author) and Dave Andersen, both assistant professors of political science, say gender had the greatest effect on down-ballot races, in which women were running for a legislative office and another woman appeared on the ballot for a higher office, such as governor or president. The work is published in the Journal of Women, Politics & Policy.

Ditonto and Andersen conducted two separate studies using computer-simulation software, which allowed them to mimic a real election environment. They presented study participants with candidate information and measured how they evaluated and voted for women candidates. For one study, participants saw as few as zero and as many as eight women on the ballot. Researchers manipulated the candidates for each simulation so that all characteristics were the same, except gender.

"When there was only one woman, gender didn't matter. People liked her the same as the male candidate and were just as likely to vote for her," Ditonto said. "When we added another woman, especially one running for higher office, the woman lower on the ballot had more negative evaluations and was less likely to receive votes."

The researchers found in one scenario gender even rivaled party affiliation. In a simulated race for U.S. House, the likelihood of in-party supporters voting for a woman candidate - over a man running for the other party - dropped from 98 to 74 percent when more women appeared on the ballot.

Growing pains

With a record number of women running in this fall's midterm elections, Ditonto and Andersen say their findings are concerning, but not discouraging. The research shows women are just as likely as men to be elected, but the context of the election cycle makes a difference. With that in mind, women must recognize gender is still an issue they will confront on the campaign trail, Andersen said.

"Campaigns for lower-ballot candidates can't dismiss the pervasiveness of gender," he said. "They have to get their candidate ready for questions about whether she's tough enough, if she is capable and competent, and understand those questions are not going to go away."

However, with time those questions may become less relevant. Ditonto says the stereotypes are salient, because women are not the "norm" in politics and there is an expectation that our leaders are men. She sees this gender effect as a temporary bump in the road.

"Hopefully, as more women run for office, gain exposure and win, this effect will go away and won't be a permanent fixture of our political system," Ditonto said. "It should be more of a growing pain as more women enter the political world."

Information matters

In past studies, Andersen and Ditonto found voters were less likely to seek information about down-ballot candidates and spent more time learning about candidates for higher office. When voters looked for information on women candidates, it often related to their competency and intelligence. To better understand gender effects in elections, more experimental studies, similar to the ones described above, are needed, Ditonto and Andersen said.

In a separate paper recently published in the journal Political Analysis, they found computer simulations with high levels of information more effectively replicated election conditions to test voter behavior. They say the key takeaway from the paper - information matters. When voters were given relevant information about a candidate, they relied more on information and less on gender cues.

"If voters only know a candidate's gender, stereotypes dominate and they may guess at where the candidate stands on certain issues," Andersen said. "The more information voters learn about a candidate, the less gender matters."

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The Couette spherical flow is the flow of liquid in a spherical layer caused by the rotation of its borders. In a laboratory setting it is studied using two transparent spheres: the outer one is fixed and the inner one rotates at a given speed. This model helps to describe large scale movements of the atmosphere, oceans, and mantle of the Earth caused by the planet's rotation. All these natural processes are usually turbulent. The first step to turbulence is the loss of stability by a permanent flow causing vortexes to spontaneously appear in liquids or gases. But what affects the stability and determines further flow regime (e.g. the number of vortexes in the flow)? After answering this question scientists will be able to better predict climate changes on the Earth.

The regime of the Couette flow is determined by the history of its development including the value of acceleration with which the rotation speed of the internal sphere changes. This value determines whether there are three or four vortexes forming in the flow. However, there are no stable rotation speeds or accelerations in natural processes, and random variations happen quite often. A team of scientists from the Institute of Mechanics, MSU decided to demonstrate in a new experiment how the flow regime may be influenced by random fluctuations in the rotation speed or by noises. The experimenters amplified the noises on purpose to see what happens with the flow. The number of vortexes in the liquid was determined both by naked eye (using aluminum dust particles for visualization) and by means of measuring the flow speed with the laser Doppler anemometer.

The results of the experiments were more complex than the researchers could have suggested. Random fluctuations and liquid flow regimes actually have a correlation between them, but it is nonlinear. When the noises were not excessive, the flow demonstrated three vortexes. The same scenario was observed when there were no noises at all. Next, when the noise levels were high, the liquid seemed to "forget" the influence of acceleration, and four vortexes were formed in the flow. But when the scientists observed the most complex situation, where the noise levels were average, they found the numbers of vortexes are dependent both on the acceleration value and the noise level, and this dependence is nonlinear.

"It is still to be found out how medium-amplitude noises affect the flow," says Dmitry Zhilenko, a co-author of the work, and a senior research associate of the Institute of Mechanics. "This will help to evaluate the influence of noises on the processes in various natural bodies: pulsars, the atmosphere of the Earth, and atmospheres of other planets. For example, some studies suggest that random fluctuations in the inflow of heat into the atmosphere from the Sun may change the element of atmospheric circulation: Hadley, Ferrel, and polar cells. These cells resemble rings with closed air circulation loops, and the climate of the whole planet directly depends on the atmospheric circulation in them."

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The work was carried out in collaboration with the scientists from the Ural Federal University, the University of Helsinki, and the University of Oxford. The foreign co-authors participated in the processing and discussing of experimental results.
Medical processes like imaging often require cutting someone open or making them swallow huge tubes with cameras on them. But what if could get the same results with methods that are less expensive, invasive and time-consuming?

Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) led by professor Dina Katabi are working on exactly that with ReMix, a system that they describe as an "in-body GPS." ReMix can pinpoint the location of ingestible implants inside the body using low-power wireless signals. In animal tests the team demonstrated that they can track implants with centimeter-level accuracy, and said that one day similar implants could be used to deliver drugs to specific regions in the body.

To test ReMix, Katabi's group first implanted a small marker in animal tissues. To track its movement, they used a wireless device that reflects radio signals at the patient, and a special algorithm to pinpoint the exact location of the marker. The team used a wireless technology that they've previously demonstrated to detect heart rate, breathing and movement.

Interestingly, the marker inside the body does not need to transmit any wireless signal. It simply reflects the signal transmitted by a device outside the body, without needing a battery or any other external source of energy.

A key challenge in using wireless signals in this way is the many competing reflections that bounce off a person's body. In fact, the signals that reflect off a person's skin are actually 100 million times more powerful than the signals of the metal marker itself.

To overcome this, the team designed an approach that essentially separates the interfering skin signals from the ones they're trying to measure. They did this using a small semiconductor device called a "diode" that can mix signals together so that the team can then filter out the skin-related signals. For example, if the skin reflects at frequencies of F1 and F2, the diode creates new combinations of those frequencies such as F1-F2 and F1+F2. When all of the signals reflect back to the system, the system only picks up the combined frequencies , thereby filtering out the original frequencies that came from the patient's skin.

"The ability to continuously sense inside the human body has largely been a distant dream," says Romit Roy Choudhury, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Illinois, who was not involved in the research. "One of the roadblocks has been wireless communication to a device and its continuous localization. ReMix makes a leap in this direction by showing that the wireless component of implantable devices may no longer be the bottleneck."

One potential application for ReMix is in proton therapy, a type of cancer treatment that involves bombarding tumors with beams of magnet-controlled protons. The approach allows doctors to prescribe higher doses of radiation, but requires a very high degree of precision, which means that it's usually limited to only certain cancers.

Its success hinges on something that's actually quite unreliable: a tumor staying exactly where it is during the radiation process. If a tumor moves, then healthy areas could be exposed to the radiation. But with a small marker like ReMix's, doctors could better determine the location of a tumor in real-time, and be able to either pause the treatment or steer the beam into the right position to deal with the movement. (To be clear, ReMix is not yet accurate enough to be used in clinical settings - Katabi says a margin of error closer to a couple of millimeters would be necessary for actual implementation.)

Looking ahead

There are still many challenges ahead for improving ReMix. The team next hopes to combine the wireless data with medical information like MRI scans to further improve the system's accuracy. In addition, the team will continue to reassess the algorithm and the various trade-offs needed to account for the complexity of different peoples' bodies.

"We want a model that's technically feasible, while still complex enough to accurately represent the human body," says PhD student Deepak Vasisht, lead author on the new paper. "If we want to use this technology on actual cancer patients one day, it will have to come from better modeling a person's physical structure."

ReMix was developed in collaboration with researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The team says that such systems could help enable more widespread adoption of proton therapy centers, of which there are only about 100 globally.

"One reason that [proton therapy] is so expensive is because of the cost of installing the hardware," says Vasisht. "If these systems can encourage more applications of the technology, there will be more demand, which will mean more therapy centers, and lower prices for patients."

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Katabi and Vasisht co-wrote the paper with PhD student Guo Zhang, University of Waterloo professor Omid Abari, MGH physicist Hsaio-Ming Lu, and MGH technical director Jacob Flanz.

They will present the paper this week at the Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Data Communications (SIGCOMM) in Budapest, Turkey.
Deforestation is suspected to have contributed to the mysterious collapse of Mayan civilization more than 1,000 years ago. A new study shows that the forest-clearing also decimated carbon reservoirs in the tropical soils of the Yucatan peninsula region long after ancient cities were abandoned and the forests grew back.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, underscore how important soils and our treatment of them could be in determining future levels of greenhouse gases in the planet's atmosphere.

The Maya began farming around 4,000 years ago, and the spread of agriculture and building of cities eventually led to widespread deforestation and soil erosion, previous research has shown. What's most surprising in the new study is that the soils in the region haven't fully recovered as carbon sinks in over a millennium of reforestation, says McGill University geochemist Peter Douglas, lead author of the new paper.

Ecosystem 'fundamentally changed'

"When you go to this area today, much of it looks like dense, old-growth rainforest," says Douglas, an Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill. "But when you look at soil carbon storage, it seems the ecosystem was fundamentally changed and never returned to its original state."

Soil is one of the largest storehouses of carbon on Earth, containing at least twice as much carbon as today's atmosphere. Yet scientists have very little understanding of how soil carbon reservoirs change on timescales longer than a decade or so. The new study, along with other recently published research, suggests that these reservoirs can change dramatically on timescales spanning centuries or even millennia.

To investigate these long-term effects, Douglas and his co-authors examined sediment cores extracted from the bottom of three lakes in the Maya Lowlands of southern Mexico and Guatemala. The researchers used measurements of radiocarbon, an isotope that decays with time, to determine the age of molecules called plant waxes, which are usually stored in soils for a long time because they become attached to minerals. They then compared the age of wax molecules with that of plant fossils deposited with the sediments.

The team - which included scientists from Yale University, ETH Zurich, the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin-Superior - found that once the ancient Maya began deforesting the landscape, the age difference between the fossils and the plant waxes went from being very large to very small. This implies that carbon was being stored in soils for much shorter periods of time.

The project stemmed from research that Douglas had done several years ago as a PhD student at Yale, using plant-wax molecules to trace past climate change affecting the ancient Maya. At the same time, work by other researchers was indicating that these molecules were a good tracer for changes in soil-carbon reservoirs. "Putting these things together, we realized there was an important data-set here relating ancient deforestation to changes in soil carbon reservoirs," Douglas explains.

Protecting old-growth tropical forests

"This offers another reason - adding to a long list - to protect the remaining areas of old-growth tropical forests in the world," Douglas says. "It could also have implications for how we design things like carbon offsets, which often involve reforestation but don't fully account for the long-term storage of carbon." (Carbon offsets enable companies or individuals to offset their greenhouse-gas emissions by purchasing credits from environmental projects, such as tree-planting.)

The technique used by the researchers has been developed only recently. In the years ahead, "it would be great to analyze tropical forests in other regions of the world to see if the same patterns emerge -- and to see if past human deforestation and agriculture had an impact on soil carbon reservoirs globally," Douglas says. "I'm also very interested in applying this technique to permafrost regions in Canada to see what happened to carbon stored in permafrost during previous periods of climate change."

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Funding for this work was provided in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Italian Ministry of the Environment.

"A long-term decrease in the persistence of soil carbon caused by ancient Maya land use", Peter M. J. Douglas et al, Nature Geoscience, published Aug. 20, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0192-7

Contacts:

Peter Douglas

peter.douglas@mcgill.ca

Chris Chipello

McGill Media Relations Office

514-398-4201

christopher.chipello@mcgill.ca
A drug policy researcher is proposing a suite of changes to overhaul the Multi-Criteria Drug Harm Scale (MCDHS), which informs drug policies across Europe. The changes focus on addressing use and abuse separately, collecting input from a broader range of stakeholders, and targeting substance-specific experts for drug review panels.

"The MCDHS, also known as the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis of Drug Harms, is a valuable tool that allows for informed decision making about substances that can have serious consequences for health and well-being on a national scale," says Veljko Dubljevic, author of a paper describing the proposals. "But there is significant room for improvement." Dubljevic is an assistant professor of ethics at North Carolina State University and an affiliate of NC State's Science, Technology & Society program

"My proposals would allow for a deeper assessment of the harms associated with substances such as opioids, cannabis, tobacco and stimulants," Dubljevic says. "And this is an approach that I think the United States should adopt, rather than relying largely on industry-funded research."

The MCDHS has been around for about a decade, and draws on a panel of experts in psychiatry, pharmacology and addiction to rank a drug's risk of causing harm in three areas: physical health effects, potential for dependence, and social harm. To date, the MCDHS has been used in the European Union, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway.

The first of three changes Dubljevic is proposing to the MCDHS is to dissociate the harms of a drug's use from the harms of its abuse.

"The risks of drinking a glass of wine on the weekend are different from the risks associated with heavy drinking," Dubljevic says. "The same is true for the proper use of a prescription drug versus chronic, off-label use. It's important to assess the risks of drug use and drug abuse separately, and to give each drug two ratings: one for proper use and one for abuse."

The second proposal is to incorporate input from people on the front lines of drug use. Specifically, Dubljevic calls for panels to incorporate input from people who use drugs, pharmacists and general medical practitioners.

"This local expertise can provide valuable perspectives that allow for a more robust understanding of a substance's potential for addiction or social harms," Dubljevic says.

The third proposal is to eschew one-size-fits-all expert panels and instead form panels with substance-specific expertise.

"For example, individuals with expertise in prescription opioids are likely not the same people with expertise in khat, a widely-used stimulant in eastern Africa and the Middle East," Dubljevic says. It simply makes sense to convene different panels to ensure that the people with the relevant expertise are at the table.

"The use of the MCDHS, regardless of whether my proposals are adopted, allows for more informed decision making by policymakers, with the potential for improving public health outcomes," Dubljevic says. "That's why I'd like to see the U.S. move toward incorporating the MCDHS into its drug evaluations.

"For example, it's probable that a more complete understanding of risks could boost efforts to develop ways of limiting a drug's potential for abuse," Dubljevic says. "One possibility, for instance, would be to encourage the development of more delayed-release pharmaceuticals, making it more difficult for the drugs to be used recreationally."

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The paper, "Toward an improved Multi-Criteria Drug Harm Assessment process and evidence-based drug policies," is published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.
Scientists funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) report a novel gene therapy that halts vision loss in a canine model of a blinding condition called autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). The strategy could one day be used to slow or prevent vision loss in people with the disease. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.

"We've developed and shown proof-of-concept for a gene therapy for one of the most common forms of retinitis pigmentosa," said William Beltran, D.V.M., Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, a lead author of the study, which appears online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Retinitis pigmentosa refers to a group of rare genetic disorders that damage light-sensing cells in the retina known as photoreceptors. Rod photoreceptor cells enable vision in low light and require a protein called rhodopsin for their light-sensing ability. People with adRP caused by mutations in the rhodopsin gene usually have one good copy of the gene and a second, mutated copy that codes for an abnormal rhodopsin protein. The abnormal rhodopsin is often toxic, slowly killing the rod cells. As the photoreceptors die, vision deteriorates over years or decades. Scientists have identified more than 150 rhodopsin mutations that cause adRP, challenging efforts to develop effective therapies.

Beltran, in collaboration with Artur Cideciyan, Ph.D. and Samuel Jacobson, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania Scheie Eye Institute, Gustavo Aguirre, V.M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and Alfred Lewin, Ph.D., and William Hauswirth, Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville, generated a gene therapy construct that knocks down the rod cells' ability to produce rhodopsin using a technology known as shRNA (short-hairpin RNA) interference.

Gene therapy introduces genetic material, like shRNA, into cells to compensate for abnormal genes or to make a beneficial protein. Often adapted from viruses, vectors are engineered to effectively deliver this genetic material into cells without causing disease.

The researchers tested their gene therapy construct on dogs with a rhodopsin mutation. As in people with adRP, these dogs slowly lose their rod photoreceptors. In the dogs' retinas, the construct knocked down about 98-99 percent of rhodopsin (both mutated and normal). But because normal rhodopsin is required for the rods to detect light, the researchers added a "hardened" shRNA-resistant rhodopsin gene to the same vector.

Initially, the researchers tried using two separate vectors to deliver the shRNA and rhodopsin replacement, but getting the right amount of each into all the cells without overloading the retina with viral vector was challenging.

"The problem is balance," said Lewin. "We wanted to be sure that every cell that got the shRNA also got the replacement, so we made a single adeno-associated viral vector that did both."

When treated with the combined vector, the dogs maintained healthy, functional photoreceptors, and because the vector was designed to produce human rhodopsin, it could potentially work in humans as well.

"This all-in-one, remove-and-replace approach needed a lot of fine-tuning," Beltran said. "The naturally-occurring dog model of adRP was critical. Only in a model where you have natural levels of both the mutant and wild-type copies can you actually test that fine-tuning and see whether you're knocking down sufficiently; whether you're replacing sufficiently," he added.

The team hopes to start pre-clinical safety studies within the next year or two, with the goal of eventual human trials. Because the treatment prevents photoreceptor loss rather than regenerating photoreceptors, it could be helpful for patients who have slowly progressing forms of adRP, and whose retinas include areas with living rod cells that can be treated.

"The beauty of this novel gene therapy product is in its elegant vector design. I hope it works as well in humans, too," said Neeraj Agarwal, Ph.D., translational research program director at NEI.

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This work was supported in part by a multi-institution NEI R24 grant aimed at developing novel translational therapies for the treatment of visual system disorders.

For more information about retinitis pigmentosa, visit the NEI website at https://nei.nih.gov/health/pigmentosa/pigmentosa_facts.

Reference:

Cideciyan A.V., et al. "Mutation-independent rhodopsin gene therapy by knockdown and replacement with a single AAV vector." Aug 20, 2018. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi: 10.1073/pnas.18055115

NEI leads the federal government's research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address special needs of people with vision loss. For more information, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit https://www.nih.gov/.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health
The West Coast of the United States is shrouded in smoke from the 110 large fires (this does not include smaller fires within each complex of fires) that have erupted across the region during this fire season.

Over 1.9 million acres are or have been ablaze. Six new large fires were reported in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon over the weekend and eight large fires have been contained including the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite National Park in California.

The weather concerns in the area include warmer than average temperatures that will continue in the west with diurnal winds and marginal overnight humidity recoveries. Isolated storms will be possible along and west of the Continental Divide in Montana and Wyoming. These storms could also bring more lightning strikes and more blazes to the area with increasingly dry conditions. A breezy easterly flow will blow across the western half of Montana and possibly northern Idaho that could possibly allow fires to spread farther. With the center of the high pressure area located mostly over southern California, the normal wind flow will be suppressed and the rain that might come to this area will be contained mainly in areas near the Mexican Border certainly not helping firefighting efforts. Further north, low pressure will bring cooler temperatures and possibly isolated storms to the Pacific Northwest.

National Preparedness Level is at the highest level of 5. This level includes national mobilization heavily committed to fighting active fires and taking measure to support these geographic areas that are on fire. Taking emergency measures to sustain incident operations on active fires. Providing ongoing full commitment of national resources. Filling resource orders at the National Interagency Coordination Center by coordinating requests with Geographic Area Coordination Centers as resources become available. Recognizing that the potential for emerging significant wildland fires is high and expected to remain high in multiple geographic areas.

Smoke from these fires have traveled along the west to east jet stream and are bringing that smoke across the country as far as the East Coast. NOAA's High-Resolution Rapid Refresh-Smoke (HRRR-Smoke) air quality modeling system is a web-based system that runs in real time and also is predictive of where the smoke may travel taking into account the movements the atmosphere normally takes following the laws of science and those can be calculated mathematically which produces a forecast. The HRRR-Smoke processes data from numerous sources, such as weather balloons, surface observations, aircraft, satellites and other atmospheric monitoring resources to approximate the physics, chemistry and dynamics of the atmosphere but at high resolutions on some of the most powerful computers in existence

This image shows the current movement of the smoke across the U.S.:

This map (10am EDT on August 20, 2018) comes from NOAA and is an experimental model showing both upper level on near-surface smoke. This particular iteration of the map is showing the near-surface smoke (expressed in g/m3) from the HRRR-Smoke Model. The Near-Surface Smoke overlays 10-meter wind data, expressed in knots. The colors represent the fire emitted fine particulate matter (fire smoke) concentrations at ~8 meters above the ground. The darker and redder the color the more concentration of smoke particulates are present. It is interesting to see how the smoke moves across the country traveling south as far as Texas and east as far as Quebec. When wind patterns change, of course, so does the smoke pattern. WTOP, a local radio station near Washington DC, reported that smoke from the California fires had reached the DC Metro area this past week. This map can be found here: https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/hrrr/HRRRsmoke/ This map can be used to either see the smoke currently or forecast where the smoke is predicted to move.

Smoke from any type of wildfire is dangerous. The smoke released by any type of fire is a mixture of particles and chemicals produced by incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials. All smoke contains carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter (PM or soot). Smoke can contain many different chemicals, including aldehydes, acid gases, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, toluene, styrene, metals and dioxins. The type and amount of particles and chemicals in smoke varies depending on what is burning, how much oxygen is available, and the burn temperature. Exposure to high levels of smoke should be avoided. Individuals are advised to limit their physical exertion if exposure to high levels of smoke cannot be avoided. Individuals with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions (e.g., asthma), fetuses, infants, young children, and the elderly may be more vulnerable to the health effects of smoke exposure.

NASA's EOSDIS provides the capability to interactively browse over 600 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks "right now". This natural-color satellite image was collected on August 19, 2018. Actively burning areas, detected by thermal bands, are outlined in red. NASA image courtesy NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) project. Caption: Lynn Jenner with information from the National Interagency Fire Center and from NOAA.

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NEW YORK, NY (August 20, 2018) - Researchers at the New York Genome Center (NYGC) and Columbia University have uncovered a molecular mechanism behind one of biology's long-standing mysteries: why individuals carrying identical gene mutations for a disease end up having varying severity or symptoms of the disease. In this widely acknowledged but not well understood phenomenon, called variable penetrance, the severity of the effect of disease-causing variants differs among individuals who carry them.

Reporting in the August 20 issue of Nature Genetics, the researchers provide evidence for modified penetrance, in which genetic variants that regulate gene activity modify the disease risk caused by protein-coding gene variants. The study links modified penetrance to specific diseases at the genome-wide level, which has exciting implications for future prediction of the severity of serious diseases such as cancer and autism spectrum disorder.

NYGC Core Faculty Member and Columbia University Department of Systems Biology Assistant Professor Dr. Tuuli Lappalainen led the study alongside post-doctoral research fellow Dr. Stephane Castel.

"Our findings suggest that a person's disease risk is potentially determined by a combination of their regulatory and coding variants, and not just one or the other," Dr. Lappalainen said. "Most previous studies have focused on either looking for coding variants or regulatory variants that affect disease in these individuals or potentially looking at common variants that could affect disease. We have merged these two fields into one clear hypothesis that uses data from both of them, which was fairly unheard of before."

Variable penetrance has long posed a challenge for predicting the severity of a disease, even for diseases with a strong genetic association. Dr. Lappalainen and colleagues developed the modified penetrance hypothesis from their interest in the idea that gene variants that regulate the activation of genes could also play a role in modifying the penetrance of coding variants for the same gene.

As a first test of the modified penetrance hypothesis, the researchers conducted an analysis of data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project, a large catalog of genetic variants that affect gene expression in humans, to evaluate the interactions of regulatory and coding variants in a human population without severe genetic diseases. They found an enrichment of combinations of regulatory and coding variants, called haplotypes, that act as protective against disease by decreasing the penetrance of coding variants associated with disease development. This finding was expected in the general population, Dr. Castel explained, as a result of natural selection removing damaging gene variants from the genome over time.

To test their hypothesis in a disease-specific population of patients, the researchers analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health's The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Simons Simplex Collection, a permanent repository of genetic samples from 2,600 families, each of which has one child affected with an autism spectrum disorder, and unaffected parents and siblings. In the cancer patients and individuals with autism, they found an enrichment of haplotypes predicted to increase the penetrance of coding variants associated with cancer and autism spectrum disorder, respectively.

Finally, they designed an experiment using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology to test the modified penetrance hypothesis with a coding variant that is known to be associated with a disease. They chose a coding variant associated with Birt-Hogg-Dube Syndrome, a rare hereditary disease that increases the risk of certain types of tumors. They edited the SNP into a cell line on different haplotypes with a regulatory variant. The researchers were able to show that the regulatory variant indeed modified the effect of the coding disease-causing variant, consistent with expectations based on the large-scale data collections. This finding provides an important framework for scientists moving forward to experimentally test specific disease SNPs to determine if they could be affected by modified penetrance.

"Now that we have demonstrated a mechanism for modified penetrance, the long-term goal of the research is better prediction of whether an individual is going to have a disease using their genetic data by integrating the regulatory and coding variants," Dr. Lappalainen said.

"In future, studies of the genetic causes of severe diseases should take into account this idea that regulatory variants need to be considered alongside coding variants," Dr. Castel said. "This should eventually lead to a more fine-grained understanding of the risk of coding variants associated with disease."

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About the New York Genome Center

The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is an independent, nonprofit academic research institution at the forefront of transforming biomedical research and clinical care. Founded as a collaborative venture by the region's premier academic, medical and industry leaders, NYGC's goal is to translate genomic research into new diagnostic tools and treatments for human disease. NYGC member organizations and partners are united in this unprecedented collaboration of technology, science and medicine, designed to harness the power of innovation and discoveries to advance genomic services. Their shared objective is the acceleration of medical genomics and precision medicine to benefit patients around the world.

Institutional Founding Members include: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Jackson Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Northwell Health, New York University, The Rockefeller University, Stony Brook University and Weill Cornell Medicine. Institutional Associate Members include: American Museum of Natural History, Hospital for Special Surgery, The New York Stem Cell Foundation, Princeton University and Roswell Park Cancer Institute. IBM is a Founding Technology Member.

For more information on the NYGC, please visit http://www.nygenome.org.

About Columbia University Department of Systems Biology

The Columbia University Department of Systems Biology offers an interdisciplinary program aimed at advancing the integration of quantitative and experimental research methods in the biological and biomedical sciences. DSB faculty, students and post-docs focus on understanding the behavior of complex biological networks and how small changes in those networks produce the diversity of life around us. Our onsite research infrastructure includes high-performance computing, next-generation sequencing and high-throughput screening, and we also provide graduate education and postdoctoral training to increase understanding of systems biology and promote its use in biological research and disease-related areas, including cancer, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders.

SCIENTIST CONTACT:

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O: 646-977-7037

M: 917-973-2661

tlappalainen@nygenome.org

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Man yells 'Allah akbar' in attempt to kill Spanish police Algerian man killed by other officers

(ANSAmed) - Rome, August 20 - A man armed with a knife entered a police station in Cornella, a town just outside Barcelona in northeastern Catalonia, on Monday morning around 6 a.m., yelling "Allah akbar" (Allah is great).



Officers shot at him, but a police spokesperson did not specify whether or not the man was killed, as various media sources indicated.



The police tweeted that the man "intended to attack the officers".



According to sources cited by EFE press agency, the man was Taib Abdelouahab, a 29-year-old Algerian resident in Cornella, identified by documents found in his pocket.



The station of the Mossos d'Esquadra Catalan police force involved in the incident is located on Calle Travessera in the town of Cornella de Llobregat, about 15 km from Barcelona.



Police said the man entered the station with a knife and tried to assault a police officer at the reception desk.



The officer responded to the attack by opening fire to stop the suspected terrorist.



Carmen Lamela, the magistrate on duty with Spain's Audiencia Nacional high court, opened an investigation for suspected terrorism and ordered a search of the suspect's home.



August 17 and 18 marked the first anniversary of last year's terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, in which 16 people died, including two Italians.(ANSAmed).




Be it heavy downpours or super-hot spells, summer weather becomes more persistent in North America, Europe and parts of Asia. When those conditions stall for several days or weeks, they can turn into extremes: heatwaves resulting in droughts, health risks and wildfires; or relentless rainfall resulting in floods. A team of scientists now presents the first comprehensive review of research on summer weather stalling focusing on the influence of the disproportionally strong warming of the Arctic as caused by greenhouse-gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Evidence is mounting, they show, that we likely meddle with circulation patterns high up in the sky. These are affecting, in turn, regional and local weather patterns - with sometimes disastrous effects on the ground. This has been the case with the 2016 wildfire in Canada, another team of scientists show in a second study.

"Giant airstreams encircle our globe in the upper troposphere - we call them planetary waves," explains Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and co-author of the second paper. "Now evidence is mounting that humanity is messing with these enormous winds. Fueled by human-made greenhouse-gas emissions, global warming is probably distorting the natural patterns." Usually the waves, conveying chains of high- and low-pressure domains, travel eastwards between the equator and the North Pole. "Yet when they get trapped due to a subtle resonance mechanism," says Schellnhuber, "they slow down so the weather in a given region gets stuck. Rains can grow into floods, sunny days into heat waves, and tinder-dry conditions into wildfires."

Investigating the Arctic Factor and connecting the dots

"While it might not sound so bad to have more prolonged sunny episodes in summer, this is in fact a major climate risk," says Dim Coumou from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, lead-author of the review paper and co-author of the wildfire case study. "We have rising temperatures due to human-caused global warming which intensifies heat waves and heavy rainfall, and on top of that we could get dynamical changes that make weather extremes even stronger - this is quite worrying." This summer is an impressive example of how stalling weather can impact societies: persistent hot and dry conditions in Western Europe, Russia and parts of the US threaten cereal yields in these breadbaskets.

Tons of studies have appeared on this topic in recent years, sometimes with seemingly conflicting results. For the paper now published in Nature Communications, an international team of scientists set out to review the existing research and tried to connect the dots, with a focus on the Arctic factor. Under global warming, the Arctic warms more than the rest of the Northern hemisphere. This reduces the temperature difference between the North Pole and the equator, yet this very difference is a main driving force for the airstreams. "There are many studies now, and they point to a number of factors that could contribute to increased airstream stalling in the mid-latitudes - besides Arctic warming, there's also the possibility of climate-change-induced shifting of the storm tracks, as well as changes in the tropical monsoons," says Simon Wang from Utah State University in the US, a co-author of the review paper.

"Under global warming, the Indian summer monsoon rainfall will likely intensify and this will also influence the global airstreams and might ultimately contribute to more stalling weather patterns. All of these mechanisms do not work in isolation but interact," says Wang. "There is strong evidence that winds associated with summer weather systems are weakening and this can interact with so-called amplified quasi-stationary waves. These combined effects point towards more persistent weather patterns, and hence more extreme weather."

The case of the Canadian wildfire disaster

The wildfire in Canada's Alberta region in 2016 is one stark example for the potentially disastrous impact of planetary-waves slow-down and the resulting summer-weather stalling. In a study now published in Scientific Reports, the other research team shows that indeed the blaze has been preceded by the trapping of a specific kind of airstreams in the region. In combination with a very strong El-Nino event this favored unusually dry and high-temperature conditions on the ground, entailing an increased fire hazard here. It took two months before the officials eventually could declare the fire to be under control. This was the costliest disaster in Canadian history with total damages reaching 4.7 billion Canadian Dollars.

"Clearly, the planetary wave pattern wasn't the only cause for the fire - yet it was an additional important factor triggering a deplorable disaster," says Vladimir Petoukhov from PIK, lead-author of the case study. "In fact, our analysis reveals that beyond that single event, actually from the 1980s on, planetary waves were a significant factor for wildfire risks in the region. Since it is possible to detect the wave patterns with a relatively long lead-time of ten days, we hope that our findings can help forest managers and fire forecasters in the future."

A phenomenon that sounds funny but isn't: "extreme extremes"

"Computer simulations generally support the observations and our theoretical understanding of the processes, so this seems pretty robust," concludes Coumou. "However, the observed changes are typically more pronounced than those seen in climate models." So either the simulations are too conservative, or the observed changes are strongly influenced by natural variability. "Our review aims at identifying knowledge gaps and ways forward for future research," says Coumou. "So there's still a lot to do, including machine learning and the use of big data. While we do not have certainty, all in all the state of research indicates that changes in airstreams can, together with other factors, lead to a phenomenon that sounds funny but isn't: extreme extremes."

###

Article: D. Coumou, G. Di Capua, S. Vavrus, L. Wang, S. Wang (2018): The influence of Arctic amplification on mid-latitude summer circulation. Nature Communications [DOI:10.1038/s41467-018-05256-8]

Weblink to the review article, once it is published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05256-8

Article: V. Petoukhov, S. Petri, K. Kornhuber, K. Thonicke, D. Coumou, H.J. Schellnhuber (2018): Alberta wildfire 2016: Apt contribution from anomalous planetary wave dynamics. Nature Scientific Reports [DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-30812-z]

Weblink to the case study, once it is published: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30812-z

Who we are: The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) is one of the leading research institutions addressing relevant questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. Natural and social scientists work closely together to generate interdisciplinary insights that provide a sound basis for decision-making for society, businesses and politics. PIK is a member of the Leibniz Association.

For further information please contact:

PIK press office

Phone: +49 331 288 25 07

E-Mail: press@pik-potsdam.de

Twitter: @PIK_Climate

http://www.pik-potsdam.de
PRINCETON, N.J.--This month marks the four-year anniversary of protests over the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, an incident met with a heavily armed police response that stoked widespread concern.

While proponents say militarized police units enhance officer safety and prevent violence, critics argue these tactics are targeted at racial minorities, and diminish trust between citizens and law enforcement.

A study published by Jonathan Mummolo, assistant professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University, reveals that militarized policing is ineffective in decreasing crime and protecting police, and may actually weaken the public's image of the police.

Mummolo tested several claims about the costs and benefits of militarized policing using a combination of administrative crime and officer safety data, records of when and where militarized police units were created and deployed, and survey experiments.

He found that militarized policing does not lead to less violent crime or less violence against police officers. Seeing militarized police in the news also may harm police reputation, which prior work shows can create obstacles for police efficacy. The study also shows that militarized police units are more often deployed in communities of color.

The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggest that curtailing militarized policing may be in the interest of both the police and citizens.

"The routine use of militarized police tactics by local agencies threatens to further the historic tensions between marginalized groups and the state with no detectable public safety benefit," said Mummolo, who is on the faculty at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Department of Politics.

In recent decades, police units have grown more militarized in part due to the "War on Drugs" campaign as well as federal initiatives that supplied neighborhoods with excess military equipment and funds to purchase arms. To understand the effects this has had on policing, Mummolo investigated Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) deployments, as the formation of SWAT teams represent an increased commitment to the use of militarized equipment and tactics.

For the study, Mummolo built a nationwide panel measuring whether and when roughly 9,000 law enforcement agencies obtained a SWAT team between 2000 and 2008. He also obtained data on every SWAT team deployment in Maryland over a five-year period through a public records request. He chose Maryland as a test case because, unlike other states, Maryland has a statute requiring every agency to record all SWAT activity.

Mummolo also wanted to test whether militarized tactics occur more frequently in communities of color. To do this, he analyzed the relationship between the percentage of black residents in a particular geographic area with the volume of SWAT deployments per 100,000 residents.

After controlling for social factors and local crime rates, he found that black residents face a more pronounced risk of experiencing militarized policing. However, Mummolo suggests caution in generalizing this analysis beyond the state of Maryland.

To estimate the effects of police militarization on crime and officer safety, he returned to the nationwide panel he had built. He compared the deployments of SWAT teams with the number of violent crimes and officers who were killed or injured.

On average, the results show that creating more SWAT teams and increasing SWAT deployments had little to no benefits in terms of crime reduction or officer safety. Again, he cautions against overgeneralizing this finding, as it may not apply to each agency.

Finally, Mummolo conducted two survey experiments to assess the effect on the public's perception of police when they see militarized police in news reports. First, respondents read a mock news article about a police chief seeking a budget increase, accompanied by a randomly assigned image with either militarized police or traditionally equipped officers. Respondents then answered questions related to perceived crime levels, support for police spending and confidence in police.

The results show that citizens react negatively to the appearance of militarized police units in news reports and become less willing to fund police or want police patrols in their neighborhoods.

"These results come after a single exposure to militarized images. Repeated public exposure to news items featuring militarized policing may amplify negative views of law enforcement among citizens," Mummolo said. "This is concerning because past research indicates that negative views of the police hinder criminal investigations and are associated with stunted civic participation."

While his study found no firm evidence that SWAT teams lower violent crime rates or the rates at which officers are killed or assaulted, the teams are arguably an important tool for violent, emergency situations. "Restricting their use to those situations may improve perceptions of the police among citizens," Mummolo said.

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The study first appeared online Aug. 20 in PNAS. It was funded by Princeton University, Stanford University and the National Science Foundation.
Damage caused by natural disasters and recovery efforts launched in their aftermaths have increased wealth inequality between races in the United States, according to new research from Rice University and the University of Pittsburgh.

"Damages Done: The Longitudinal Impacts of Natural Hazards on Wealth Inequality in the United States" will appear in an upcoming edition of Social Problems. A supplement to the paper highlights the wealth gap between whites and blacks attributable to natural disaster damage from 1999 through 2013 in 20 U.S. counties.

Researchers Junia Howell, a scholar at Rice's Kinder Institute for Urban Research and an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Pittsburgh and Jim Elliott, a professor of sociology at Rice and fellow at Rice's Kinder Institute combined longitudinal data from nearly 3,500 families across the U.S. with governmental data on local natural disaster damages, FEMA aid and demographics. They followed these people from 1999 through 2013 as disaster damage of varying scale struck counties where they lived, and examined how their personal wealth was impacted.

"Last year the United States suffered more than $260 billion in direct damages from natural disasters --mainly from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria," said Howell, who was the study's lead author. "And there were also numerous wildfires, floods and tornadoes. Data show that since 2000, approximately 99 percent of counties in the U.S. have experienced significant damage from some type of natural disaster, with costs expected to increase significantly over coming years. We wanted to investigate how these damages impact wealth inequality and accumulation."

Whites who lived in counties with only $100,000 in damage from 1999 to 2013 gained an average of approximately $26,000 in wealth. However, those who lived in counties with at least $10 billion in damage during the same time period gained nearly $126,000, the paper said.

"In other words, whites living in counties with considerable damage from natural disasters accumulate more wealth than their white counterparts living in counties without major natural disaster damage," Howell said.

However, among blacks, Latinos and Asians, the results went the other direction. Blacks who lived in counties with just $100,000 in damage gained an estimated $19,000 in wealth on average, while those living in counties with at least $10 billion in damage lost an estimated $27,000. Latinos in counties with $100,000 in damage gained $72,000 on average, and those in areas with at least $10 billion in damage lost an estimated $29,000. And Asians gained $21,000 on average and lost $10,000, respectively. These differences occurred even after the researchers controlled for a wide range of factors including age, education, homeownership, family status, residential mobility, neighborhood status and county population.

"Put another way, whites accumulate more wealth after natural disasters while residents of color accumulate less," Elliott said. "What this means is wealth inequality is increasing in counties that are hit by more disasters."

The researchers were able to estimate by county how much of the inequality is attributed to natural disasters. In Harris County, Texas, the disaster-related increase in the black-white wealth gap, on average, was $87,000.

The story does not stop there, Howell and Elliott said. Counties that received more aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) saw additional increases in wealth inequality beyond that attributed to the natural disasters themselves. For example, whites living in counties that received at least $900 million in FEMA aid from 1999 to 2013 accumulated $55,000 more wealth on average than otherwise similar whites living in counties that received only $1,000 in aid. Conversely, blacks living in counties that received at least $900 million in FEMA aid accumulated $82,000 less wealth on average than otherwise similar blacks living in counties that received only $1,000 in FEMA aid. Similarly, Latinos accumulated $65,000 less on average, and other races (majority Asians) accumulated $51,000 less.

"It's unclear why more FEMA aid is exacerbating inequality," Howell said. "More research is clearly needed. However, based on previous work on disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, we know FEMA aid is not equitably distributed across communities. This is particularly true when it comes to infrastructural redevelopment, which often has profound effects on residents' property appreciation and business vitality. When certain areas receive more redevelopment aid and those neighborhoods also are primarily white, racial inequality is going to be amplified."

In addition to exacerbating racial wealth gaps, the researchers found that after natural disasters wealth inequality also increases based on home ownership. Individuals who owned homes in counties that experienced high levels of natural disaster damage accumulated $72,000 more wealth on average than their counterparts in counties with few disasters. Renters, on the other hand, lost $61,000 in wealth on average relative to renters in counties with few natural disasters.

"Put another way, natural disasters were responsible for a $133,000 increase in inequality between homeowners and renters in the hardest hit counties," Elliott said.

Similarly, college-educated residents accumulated $111,000 more on average if they lived in a county that experienced extreme disasters compared to their counterparts who did not live through disasters. Conversely, those with only a 10th-grade education who lived in counties that experienced extreme disasters lost $48,000 from natural disaster damages on average when compared to counterparts who did not live through disasters.

"In other words, in the counties with the most damage, natural disasters are responsible for a $159,000 increase in the educational wealth gap," Howell said.

Howell and Elliott said the results indicate that two major social challenges of our age - wealth inequality and rising costs of natural disasters - are increasingly and dynamically connected. They hope the research will encourage further examination of wealth inequality in the U.S. and development of solutions to address the problem.

"The good news is that if we develop more equitable approaches to disaster recovery, we can not only better tackle that problem but also help build a more just and resilient society," Howell and Elliott concluded.

The researchers are now building on this work by examining how local for-profit and nonprofit organizations influence social inequality after natural disasters.

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For more information, or to request a copy of the paper, contact Amy McCaig, senior media relations specialist at Rice, at 713-348-6777 or amym@rice.edu.

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Related Materials:

Supplemental document highlighting wealth gap between whites and blacks attributable to natural disaster damage from 1999 through 2013 in 20 U.S. counties: https://bit.ly/2PmKpcJ

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,970 undergraduates and 2,934 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
A Rice University computer scientist and his colleagues have proposed a method to accelerate and simplify the imposing task of diagnosing quantum computers.

Anastasios Kyrillidis, an assistant professor of computer science who joined Rice this year, led the development of a nonconventional method as a diagnostic tool for powerful, next-generation computers that depend on the spooky actions of quantum bits -- aka qubits -- which are switches that operate under rules that differ from the 1s and 0s in classical computers.

Quantum computers exploit the principles of quantum mechanics to quickly solve tough problems that would take far longer on conventional supercomputers. They promise future breakthroughs in drug design, advanced materials, cryptography and artificial intelligence.

An open-access paper by Kyrillidis and his team appears in the Nature journal Quantum Information.

Like any new hardware, Kyrillidis said, quantum computer systems are prone to bugs that need to be squashed. That takes continuous testing to validate their capabilities. The sheer complexity of quantum computers that do exponentially more with every bit requires an immense amount of validation, he said.

Kyrillidis' method focuses on quantum state tomography, a process inspired by medical tomography in which images of a body are captured in slices that are later reassembled into a three-dimensional map. Quantum state tomography differs, he said, as it takes "images" of the state of a quantum computer's qubits.

"When a quantum computer executes an algorithm, it starts at a specific state; think of it as the input to the algorithm," Kyrillidis said. "As the computer progresses through steps of the algorithm, it's going through many states. The state at the very end is the answer to your algorithm's question."

By reassembling the full state from these measurements, Kyrillidis said one can later pinpoint hardware or software errors that may have caused the computer to deliver unexpected results.

That takes a lot of measurements, and the computational cost of reconstruction can be high, even for classical computers, he said. Tomography-based analysis of quantum computers with even as few as five or six qubits would be prohibitive without somehow simplifying the task - and state-of-the-art machines have 50 qubits or more.

Qubits are the basic units of information in a quantum computer. Like a bit in a classical computer, each qubit can represent either 1 or 0. Unlike a bit, a qubit can also represent 1 and 0 simultaneously, a state called superposition that exponentially raises the number of calculations an array of qubits can perform at once. To make it more interesting, the state of the qubit as determined by magnetic polarization or electron spin only exists when it's measured.

Kyrillidis said even a modest increase in the number of qubits in a computer dramatically increases its power.

"In a system with five qubits, the state can be represented by a 2-to-the-5 times 2-to-the-5 matrix, so it's a 32-by-32 matrix," he said. "That's not big. But in a 20-qubit system like the one at IBM, the state can be characterized by a million-by-million matrix. If we were taking full measurements with regular tomography techniques, we would need to poll the system roughly a million-squared times in order to get enough information to recover its state."

Kyrillidis and his team solved the validation problem with an algorithm they call Projected Factored Gradient Decent (ProjFGD). It takes advantage of compressed sensing, a method that minimizes the amount of incoming data while still ensuring accurate results. He said the method would cut the number of measurements for a 20-qubit system to a mere million or so. "That's still a big number, but much smaller than a million squared," he said.

Kyrillidis noted that IBM, where he spent a year as a research scientist before coming to Rice, has put a quantum computer in the cloud where anyone can access it and run programs. He said the company reasons that the more people learn about programming for quantum computers now, the more mature their skills will be when the platform comes of age. But there's a side benefit for him, as it gives him a ready platform to test ProjFGD.

"The quantum state tomography tool is generic, and has more to do with the nature of the qubit rather than the specific architecture," Kyrillidis said. "As quantum computers get more powerful, it can definitely be scaled up to certify systems."

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Co-authors are Amir Kalev of the University of Maryland, Dohyung Park of Facebook, Srinadh Bhojanapalli of the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago, and Constantine Caramanis and Sujay Sanghavi of the University of Texas at Austin.

An IBM Goldstine Fellowship and the Department of Defense supported the research.

Read the paper at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41534-018-0080-4.

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2018/08/19/quantum-bugs-meet-your-new-swatter/

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Related materials:

Anastasios Kyrillidis: https://csweb.rice.edu/tasos-kyrillidis

Rice Department of Computer Science: https://csweb.rice.edu

George R. Brown School of Engineering: https://engineering.rice.edu

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,970 undergraduates and 2,934 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
Young people who received radiation therapy for the most common pediatric brain tumor struggle to create new memories about specific events, according to a study of children and adolescents published in JNeurosci. Their ability to recall events prior to treatment, however, remains intact.

Although it greatly improves survival from a brain tumor, radiotherapy has disruptive effects on the developing brain. In their study of seven- to 18-year-olds who underwent radiotherapy as children and a healthy control group, Melanie Sekeres, Paul Frankland, and colleagues asked participants to recall two different memories -- an event from the previous month and another from as long ago as they could remember. The researchers found that the brain tumor patients reported fewer episodic details, such as time and place, about the recent memory and comparable episodic details about the old memory compared to the healthy children.

The preservation of old memories and difficulty forming new ones may be related to reduced neurogenesis in the hippocampus observed in these patients. Overall, the study suggests a previously unknown effect of radiotherapy on the ability to create personal memories that could impact a survivor's quality of life.

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Article: Impaired recent, but preserved remote, autobiographical memory in pediatric brain tumor patients

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1056-18.2018

Corresponding authors: Melanie Sekeres (Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA), melanie_sekeres@baylor.edu and Paul Frankland (The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada), paul.frankland@sickkids.ca

About JNeurosci

JNeurosci, the Society for Neuroscience's first journal, was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today, the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact, while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship.

About The Society for Neuroscience

The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 37,000 members in more than 90 countries and over 130 chapters worldwide.
The bright flashes that lit up the evening skies near Detroit, Michigan earlier this year were not the only signs of the meteor that disintegrated in the atmosphere on 17 January 2018. The meteor explosion was also captured by infrasonic microphones and seismometers, offering a rare chance to compare these data with satellite and ground camera images.

In a report in Seismological Research Letters, a team of scientists led by Michael Hedlin of Scripps Institution of Oceanography use these data to pinpoint the time, location and height of the bolide disintegration, and to calculate an approximate yield for the explosion. Bolides, sometimes called "fireballs," are extremely bright meteors that explode in the atmosphere. They estimate a likely yield within the range of .8 to 8.1 tons of TNT, and probably equivalent to 2.2 tons of TNT.

About 2000 bolides this size or larger pass through the Earth's atmosphere each year, which makes the Michigan bolide a particularly interesting event to study, said Hedlin and colleagues. Scientists would like to know more about how frequently we can expect to see near-Earth objects of this yield, to assess the potential threat they pose on the ground. Researchers also use data from bolide bursts as "test cases" to determine how well infrasound and seismic instruments can locate and characterize secret nuclear test explosions.

Other bolides such as the February 2013 Chelyabinsk, Russia fireball also have been studied intensively through infrasound, seismic and optical observations--and made famous through "dashcam" videos taken by Russian drivers. But "it's pretty unusual for such immense events to occur over a heavily instrumented area; they could be expected to occur once every several decades," said Hedlin.

When the Michigan bolide traveled through and exploded in Earth's lower atmosphere, it produced large shock waves and a variety of soundwaves, including waves in the low-frequency or infrasound range below 20 hertz. These waves were detected by infrasound microphones at seismic stations in the Central and Eastern US Network (CEUSN), deployed through the eastern half of the continental United States. The researchers were also able to detect the burst in seismic wave data collected by seven stations in Michigan, Ohio and Ontario.

Hedlin and colleagues made calculations from these data to determine the location, height, timing and yield of the bolide's disintegration. They were able to compare these values with the "ground truth" for these characteristics as calculated by optical observations of the bolide taken from numerous cameras on the ground and from recordings by the Geostationary Lightning Mapper instrument on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite.

The infrasound and seismic calculations were consistent with the optical observations, the researchers concluded, although some of the calculations--such as the location and yield provided by infrasound data--contained a large amount of statistical uncertainty. The seismic data, however, were able to pinpoint the location and height of the burst within kilometers, in agreement with the optical data.

If the Michigan bolide is the smallest detectable event that can be measured using CEUSN data, researchers should be able to detect about 15 events of this size or larger each year in eastern North America, Hedlin and his colleagues write.

The Michigan analysis could also help researchers who study clandestine nuclear tests "make some inferences about how detectable similar-sized anthropogenic events would be--how far away from the explosion source we'd be able to detect signals, for example," said Hedlin.

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Toyohashi University of Technology researchers have discovered that non-flaming combustion (smoldering) of a porous specimen can sustain, even under nearly 1 % of atmospheric pressure. The thermal structure of a 2-mm-diameter burning specimen at very near extinction condition was successfully measured using an embedded ultra-fine thermocouple, clarifying the key issues that lead to fire extinction at low pressures. The outcome of this research will contribute to improved space exploration fire safety strategies.

Non-flaming combustion (i.e., smoldering) is an extremely slow burning process that emits toxic gas and white smoke during the burning event. This corresponds to the pre-flaming stage of burning a porous specimen, during which the blackened part grows, continuing the slow exothermic process. It eventually generates a flame that quickly accelerates the fire damage. Flaming combustion can be suppressed by reducing the pressure to nearly 1/3 of standard pressure (~30 kPa). Nevertheless, non-flaming combustion can sustain even at 1/100 of standard pressure (~1 kPa) if the ambient gas is fully-oxygenated. Extension of the critical pressure has been pointed out as an experimental fact; however, the actual reason is not known because it is extremely difficult to investigate the thermo-chemical status of near-critical conditions. Because the combustion intensity is very weak, sensor insertion may affect the status, resulting in failure to capture the actual physics.

A research group led by Professor Yuji Nakamura, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Toyohashi University of Technology, took on the challenge of measuring the temperature distribution of a smoldering thin rod in a pressure-controlled chamber at near-critical conditions. To make this possible, special care was taken to adjust the sensor while avoiding the potential failure described above. A tiny hole of 0.2-mm diameter was drilled through the fragile specimen. Then, a 50-micron R-type thermocouple was embedded into the hole. By achieving steady-state burning, even near the critical condition under a well-controlled experimental environment, a repeatable 1-D temperature profile was obtained along the axis.

The first author, Takuya Yamazaki, a PhD candidate, said, "No one could even consider drilling such a tiny hole into the 2-mm scale of the fragile specimen that we used, and then manually inserting the tiny thermocouple in it. Of course, no one has tried this before since it is clearly extremely difficult, and requires considerable patience and effort. In fact, I must admit, it was really exhausting to complete this task. Nevertheless, this provided us insight on the thermal status near the critical condition to thoroughly understand the extinction mechanism. For instance, combustion heat is first transferred along the axis by radiation, then part of the transferred heat shall be lost to ambient via natural convection when the total pressure is in the order of tens of kilo-pascals. Because the convective heat loss tends to be suppressed when the total pressure decreases, the heat transferred by radiation could remain in the specimen to avoid extinction. This fact has been demonstrated by this work for the first time ever because we are the first group to take on the 'super' challenge of measuring the precise temperature distribution of a smoldering specimen at near extinction."

"The present results are opened to the fire society simply owing to Takuya's personal devotion. This outcome suggests that the vacuumed operation to extinguish fire in space may fail unless the proper condition is achieved. Otherwise, smoldering would survive, and it would cause the fire to result in secondary damage to the cabin. This work is just the first step to propose a fire safety strategy (regulation) in outer space habitats to privatize space development", explains Professor Yuji Nakamura.

We use the term "smoldering" frequently, but, in reality, no one knows how a specimen burns to generate heat locally. It has been considered that surface oxidation is the source of heat generation, and that gas-phase reaction is not required to be considered. However, based on recent numerical predictions by a Chinese research team (a member of an international collaboration team led by Prof. Nakamura), it was found that a gas-phase gentle heat generation can support or promote surface oxidation.

To further the cause of understanding smoldering in low pressures, another international collaboration team in the United States, led by Prof. Nakamura, will assume the challenge to experimentally identify the reactivity in the gas-phase. This is a very important endeavor, because scant attention has been paid to the reaction status of the micro-pores of a burning specimen.

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Funding agency: JSPS program "Overseas Challenge Program for Young Researchers"

Reference:

Yamazaki, T., Matsuoka, T., and Nakamura, Y., "Near-extinction Behavior of Smoldering Combustion under Highly-vacuumed Environment", Proc. Combust. Inst., Vol.37, in print (DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2018.06.200).

Further information

Toyohashi University of Technology

1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku

Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, 441-8580, JAPAN

Inquiries: Committee for Public Relations

E-mail: press@office.tut.ac.jp

Toyohashi University of Technology, founded in 1976, is a National University of Japan and a leading research institute in the fields of mechanical engineering, advanced electronics, information sciences, life sciences, and architecture.

Website: http://www.tut.ac.jp/english/
As the cost of genome sequencing decreases, researchers and clinicians are debating whether all newborns should be sequenced at birth, facilitating a lifetime of personalized medical care. But while sequencing the genomes of some infants may be appropriate in specific contexts, genome-wide sequencing of all newborns should not be pursued at this time, and health professionals should recommend against parents using direct-to-consumer genetic sequencing to diagnose or screen their newborns, states the lead article in The Ethics of Sequencing Newborns: Recommendations and Reflections, a new special report of the Hastings Center Report.

Josephine Johnston, JD, MS, director of research at The Hastings Center; Erik Parens, PhD, senior research scholar at The Hastings Center; and Barbara Koenig, PhD, RN, a professor at University of California, San Francisco, director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics, and a Hastings Center Fellow, are co-editors of the special report.

The lead article was written by members of the UCSF Newborn Sequencing in Genomic Medicine and Public Health (NSIGHT) Ethics and Policy Advisory Board, composed of researchers and scholars from genomics, clinical medicine, bioethics, and other fields. Their recommendations grew out of a four-year interdisciplinary investigation funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Human Genome Research Institute, two components of the National Institutes of Health, to examine the ethical and policy issues posed by conducting genome sequencing on newborns.

"Genomics is a powerful tool, but the results it returns are still not fully understood and have not been proven to advance health outside of very specific clinical situations," says Johnston. "The recommendations embrace the use of genomics to aid in the diagnosis of sick newborns, but they draw a sharp distinction between that kind of focused clinical use and population screening."

Specific Recommendations from the New Report:

Targeted or genomic sequencing can be used by clinicians to assist in the diagnosis of a symptomatic newborn. Sequencing these newborns may end the search for a diagnosis, informing medical management.

Genome-wide sequencing should not be implemented as a universal, public health screening tool in newborns. Sequencing the entire genome may result in the return of genetic data of unknown or uncertain significance and may not yield actionable results. Results can generate unnecessary distress and require health resources for unneeded monitoring. And the cost of universal genome-wide sequencing would stretch the operating expenses of state-funded newborn screening programs, undermining the effectiveness of their operations.

Integrating targeted genome sequencing into newborn screening programs may be appropriate when it is the best way to identify a condition that meets existing screening criteria--it affects a newborn's health, programs are able to fund screening and follow-up care, and effective treatments are available. Targeted genome sequencing may also be appropriate to confirm a diagnosis and provide additional prognostic information after initial screening results.

Whole-genome or targeted sequencing should not be integrated into routine infant primary care. In healthy babies; genome sequencing would likely generate undue anxiety and require significant health resources for interpretation and follow-up.

Health professionals should recommend against parents seeking direct-to-consumer genome sequencing for either diagnosis or screening of their newborn. The use of DTC genomic testing in children conflicts with clinical and professional guidelines, which limit testing to clinical contexts and for conditions that manifest during childhood. Most testing services also lack sufficient consultation and follow-up to assure accurate interpretation of results.

"Sequencing the genome of every newborn could cause parents to worry needlessly about their healthy baby," says Koenig.

Twelve essays expand upon the recommendations in the lead article, exploring a range of issues. Among the essays:

"Families' Experiences with Newborn Screening: A Critical Source of Evidence" calls for more research on the impact of expanded newborn screening on the lived experience of parents and children. Such studies "will be essential for guiding decisions about the future," writes Rachel Grob, PhD, MA, clinical professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Scott Roberts, PhD, associate professor of health behavior and health education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health; and Stefan Timmermans, PhD, professor of sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"Commercial Interests, the Technological Imperative, and Advocates: Three Forces Driving Genomic Sequencing in Newborns" raises concern about forces "beyond the desire to implement tests with proven clinical utility, that are fueling interest in genomic sequencing in the newborn period. These three forces have the potential to be problematic for policy and practice." The authors are Stacey Pereira, PhD, an assistant professor at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine, and Ellen Wright Clayton, MD, JD, a professor of pediatrics, law and health policy at Vanderbilt University.

"Using Newborn Sequencing to Advance Understanding of the Natural History of Disease" argues that genomic sequencing of sick newborns has the potential to bypass the prolonged journey to a diagnosis, improving the medical care of individual infants. "But sequencing also has the potential to benefit others beyond the child whose genome is sequenced and his or her immediate family. Sequence data from sick newborns will expand medicine's understanding of genetic diseases," writes Ingrid A. Holm, MD, MPH, an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

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CINCINNATI--In a new study, University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers, in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, have detailed the effect of radiation exposure on the development of hormone deficiency in pediatric and young adult patients treated for brain tumors.

These results, published in the Aug. 17, 2018 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provide evidence that further supports minimizing the dose of radiotherapy to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland and will help predict the risk of hormonal complications for those being treated with radiotherapy for brain tumors.

The hypothalamus is a region of the forebrain that coordinates the activity of the pituitary gland, and together, they regulate many of the hormones in the body that control growth, metabolism, adrenal function and gonadal function.

"There isn't much data defining the dose response of radiation therapy to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in pediatric and young adult patients with brain tumors," says Ralph Vatner, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and lead author on this study. "We examined the correlation between radiation therapy dosage to these brain structures and development of endocrine dysfunction in this population."

Vatner says dosimetric data--measurement, calculation and assessment of the ionizing radiation dose absorbed by the human body--and clinical information was collected from 222 children and young adults (younger than 26 years old) with brain tumors treated with proton radiotherapy on three prospective studies (2003 to 2016) coordinated by Massachusetts General Hospital.

Proton radiotherapy is a form of radiation treatment used for certain types of cancers and lymphomas. A major advantage over traditional forms of radiotherapy is its ability to deliver radiation to a tumor with remarkable precision, sparing healthy tissues. The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center/UC Health Proton Therapy Center is the only facility of its kind locally and only one of about 28 in the country.

Deficiencies of various hormones, including growth hormone, thyroid hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and gonadotropins, were determined using serum collected from patients along with their clinical symptoms, and radiation dose was calculated using the treatment plans for these patients. Statistical models were developed using these data to estimate the effect of radiation dose and age on the development of hormone deficiency.

"Radiotherapy for brain tumors is known to cause hormone deficiency in some patients, and children are especially sensitive to this potential side effect. We were able to analyze data from 189 pediatric and young adult patients treated with proton therapy at [Massachusetts General], with an average follow-up of 4.4 years (between 0.1 to 13.3 years)--the largest study of its kind and the first with patients receiving proton therapy for a variety of brain tumors," Vatner says. "Among these patients, the rate of any hormone deficiency at four years was 48.8 percent, but this was strongly associated with the dose of radiation and the age at time of treatment."

"This provides strong support for the benefits of advanced radiation technologies such as proton therapy for the treatment of brain tumors, especially in younger patients," he continues. "These data will help physicians predict the risk of deficiencies in growth hormone, thyroid hormone, adrenal corticosteroids and sex steroids in their patients receiving radiotherapy for brain tumors on the basis of patient age and radiation dose to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Moving forward, physicians can use these models to help navigate their treatment planning and identify patients who will most benefit from advanced technologies like proton therapy that can treat tumors while better sparing healthy normal tissues."

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This project was supported by the federal share of program income earned by Massachusetts General Hospital on a National Institutes of Health Grant C06 (CA059267).

Vatner receives honoraria and research funding from Varian Medical Systems, a radiation oncology treatment and software maker.
Research carried out at the University of Kent demonstrates that a technique used to produce stone tools that were first found half a million years ago is likely to have needed a modern human-like hand

This research is the first to link a stone tool production technique known as 'platform preparation' to the biology of human hands. Demonstrating that without the ability to perform highly forceful precision grips, our ancestors would not have been able to produce advanced types of stone tool like spear points.

The technique involves preparing a striking area on a tool to remove specific stone flakes and shape the tool into a pre-conceived design.

Platform preparation is essential for making many different types of advanced prehistoric stone tool, with the earliest known occurrence observed at the 500,000-year-old site of Boxgrove in West Sussex (UK).

The study, led by Dr Alastair Key, of the University's School of Anthropology and Conservation, and funded by the British Academy, investigated how hands are used during the production of different types of early stone technology.

Using sensors attached to the hand of skilled flint knappers (stone tool producers), the researchers were able to identify that platform preparation behaviours required the hand to exert significantly more pressure through the fingers when compared to all other stone tool activities studied.

The research demonstrates that the Boxgrove hominins (early humans) would have needed significantly stronger grips compared to earlier populations who did not perform this behaviour. It further suggests that highly modified and shaped stone tools, such as the handaxes discovered at Boxgrove and stone spear points found in later prehistory, may not have been possible to produce until humans evolved the ability to perform particularly forceful grips.

This discovery is particularly important because human hand bones rarely survive in the fossil record.

Dr Key said: 'Hand bones from before 300,000 years ago are rare, particularly when compared to other human fossils such as teeth, so the fact we can study the manipulative capabilities of our early ancestors from the stone tools they produced is incredibly exciting'.

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The findings Manual restrictions on Palaeolithic technological behaviours Key, A. and Dunmore, C.J. 2018 are published open access in PeerJ 6: e5399 and are freely available here.

https://peerj.com/articles/5399/

For further information or interview requests contact Sandy Fleming at the University of Kent Press Office.

Tel: 01227 823581

Email: S.Fleming@kent.ac.uk

News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news

University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent

Established in 1965, the University of Kent - the UK's European university - now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

It has been ranked 22nd in the Guardian University Guide 2018 and in June 2017 was awarded a gold rating, the highest, in the UK Government's Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, it is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook and 66th in its table of the most international universities in the world. The THE also ranked the University as 20th in its 'Table of Tables' 2016.

Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality.

In the National Student Survey 2016, Kent achieved the fourth highest score for overall student satisfaction, out of all publicly funded, multi-faculty universities.

Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium (http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/partnerships/eastern-arc.html).

The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals.

Kent has received two Queen's Anniversary prizes for Higher and Further Education.
For those of you whove been wondering, Mrs. T is in the intensive-care unit of a New Jersey hospital, and Im at her side.

The two of us drove down last week to, a seaside resort at the southern tip of New Jersey, to see aofand celebrate her having successfully weathered a risky medical procedure. As I, Mrs. T suffers from pulmonary hypertension, a rare but deadly disease for which the only cure is a double lung transplant. The procedure in question was the removal of a pair of polyps from her colon, which was done two weeks ago in New York. The polyps had to be biopsied in order to establish that she is cancer-free, a prerequisite for her being put on the active waiting list for a transplant. (In healthy people, the removal of polyps is routine, but Mrs. Ts underlying illness made it much trickier.)

Several years had gone by since we last visited Cape May, a town to which we have a particular attachmentwe took our first overnight trip there after meeting thirteen years agoand it seemed fitting to return when we learned that the polyps were benign. Alas, Mrs. T unexpectedly developed a life-threatening gastrointestinal hemorrhage a few hours after our arrival, and had to be rushed by ambulance from our hotel to the nearest hospital. She lost roughly a third of her blood supply before the emergency-room team was able to bring the bleeding under control.

The good news is that while Mrs. T is very frail, her condition now appears to be stable. She still requires around-the-clock monitoring, though, and the doctors at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, her transplant center, want to move her there as quickly as possible. The bad news is that as of this hour, no ICU beds are available. Hence were sitting tight in the Cape May ICU, eating not-bad hospital food, watching TCM and Law and Order, and waiting for orders to return north via ambulance to upper Manhattan. Until that happens, my own professional activities are on hold.

Such misadventures, I regret to say, are part of everyday life for those who require organ transplants in a city that has, as the New York Times recently explained in an important and disheartening feature story, the lowest rate of organ donor registration in the country. You wait your turn as patiently as you possibly can, and the longer you wait, the more likely it is that something will go wrong. Thats what happened to us.

To be perfectly frank, I nearly lost Mrs. T last week. But she hung on, that being her way, and as of today she appears to be recovering, slowly but surely. I dont know when shell be getting out of the hospital, but once she does, our lives will return to what weve learned in the past few years to think of as normal. In fact, well be heading back to Cape May as soon as her health permits. Thats what you do when you suffer from a chronic illness. You wait, hopeand live.

Henry James said it:

Live all you canits a mistake not to. It doesnt so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life. If you havent had that what have you had?.The right time is any time that one is still so lucky as to have.

Meanwhile, what I said in this space last November is as true now as it was then: If you havent signed up to be an organ donor, please do so now, and encourage your friends to do likewise. The life you save could be that of the woman I love.

UPDATE: Mrs. T was finally transferred last night to the intensive-care unit of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. No word yet on when she might go home, but were doing everything the doctors tell us to do. Ill keep you posted.

If youve sent her an electronic get-well-soon note, please forgive us for not answering it personally. The problemif thats the right wordis that this posting has received nearly ten thousand hits to date. Were overwhelmed with good wishes!

Mrs. T, alas, is still too frail to read your tweets and e-mails, but shell start doing so as soon as she feels a bit better. In the meantime, Ive been telling her about the avalanche of encouraging words that have reached us via Facebook and Twitter, and shes touched more deeply than words can say.

Thank you and bless you all. Your love continues to buoy us up.

* * *

Bob Brookmeyer and the New Art Orchestra perform his Get Well Soon in an undated European telecast. The tenor-sax solo is by Paul Heller:
PHILADELPHIA--The genome sequences of ape parasites related to Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), the main source of mosquito-borne malaria outside Africa, provide insights on the origin and early evolution of the human parasite. This finding could have implications for better comprehending and eradicating malaria infection worldwide, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Edinburgh, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

While not as deadly as malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax malaria is debilitating and widespread, potentially infecting about one third of the world's population, mainly in Asia and Latin America. Most people in Africa are not at risk for infection by P. vivax malaria because they carry a genetic mutation that makes them resistant to this strain. However, African apes living in the wild are naturally infected with parasites that are very similar to those infecting humans. The researchers caution that it is important to monitor new cases of P. vivax infection in central Africa to determine whether any reflect ape-to-human transmissions.

"Chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas all harbor parasites that are close relatives of human P. vivax, but to date our knowledge of these parasites has been limited to a small number of gene fragments," said co-senior author Beatrice Hahn, MD, a professor of Medicine and Microbiology at Penn.

In this study, researchers compared almost-full-length genomes of ape parasites with sequences of P. vivax strains infecting humans worldwide.

"We found that ape and human parasites share near-identical genomes, differing by only two percent within the gene sequences that code for proteins," said Dorothy Loy, an MD/PhD student in Hahn's lab.

After generating sequences of parasites infecting chimpanzees and gorillas, the team found that ape P. vivax show very different patterns of genetic diversity, compared to their human counterparts. They also found no evidence that the ape P. vivax parasites discriminate which ape species they infect.

"We discovered that ape parasite strains show about 10 times more genetic diversity compared to their human-infecting counterparts," said Lindsey Plenderleith, PhD, from the Edinburgh team. This suggests that some time in the past the human parasites underwent a severe reduction in their population size, leading to a massive loss of genetic variation.

From an ancient population of P. vivax parasites, which likely infected both humans and apes in Africa, a "bottlenecked" parasite population emerged when P. vivax migrated with humans out of Africa. This once-small parasite population subsequently underwent a rapid population expansion as it dispersed over much of the globe, while the spread of the malaria-protective mutation eliminated P. vivax from people in most of sub-Saharan Africa.

Based on additional testing of certain P. vivax proteins associated with the parasites' ability to invade host red blood cells, the team also concluded that it is possible that ape and human strains could infect the same hosts and undergo genetic exchange if their geography overlapped.

Recently, reports of P. vivax infection of humans in Africa have been increasing. "Since parasites very similar to human P. vivax infect a large number of wild-living apes, we need to be aware that there could be spillover into humans," said co-senior author Paul Sharp, PhD, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Edinburgh. The team cautions that malaria monitoring programs should keep a watch to see if the genetic diversity of the ape parasites is infiltrating human-infecting strains.

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This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health to (R01 AI097137, R01AI091595, R37 AI050529, P30 AI045008); the Agence Nationale de Recherche, an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Wellcome Trust International Research Scholar Award.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $7.8 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $405 million awarded in the 2017 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital - the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, a leading provider of highly skilled and compassionate behavioral healthcare.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2017, Penn Medicine provided $500 million to benefit our community.
Researchers centered at the University of Tsukuba and Kansai Medical University in Japan reveal matricellular protein Thrombospondin-1 (Thbs1) contributes to the development of aortic aneurysm in mice and humans

The thoracic aorta is constantly exposed to mechanical forces generated by heart contraction and blood flow. Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are life-threatening diseases defined as a permanent abnormal dilatation of the thoracic aorta. Current therapy is largely comprised of surgical and endovascular procedures and medical management with anti-hypertensives. It has been suggested that the disruption of the connection between smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and elastic fibers in the aortic wall impacts SMC's ability to sense and respond to mechanical forces, which may cause TAAs. However, the initiation signal and the signaling pathway necessary for sustaining the aneurysmal expansion in each TAA subtype are not fully understood.

The aim of the current study is to identify the crucial mediator(s) involved in abnormal mechanosensing and propagation of biochemical signals during the aneurysm formation and to establish a basis for a novel therapeutic strategy.

This group uses an established mouse model of TAA and shows that Thbs1 is highly increased in endothelial cells and SMCs of the aneurysmal lesions as well as in human TAAs. Thbs1 expression is induced by mechanical stretch and Ang II in SMCs in vitro, for which Egr1 is required. Deletion of Thbs1 in the TAA mice prevents aneurysm formation in approximately 80% of animals and restores the organization of elastic fibers and actin filaments in SMCs. Furthermore, mechanical testing shows that biomechanical properties of these aortas are markedly improved.

This study reveals that Thbs1 is not only a critical component of mechanotransduction, but also a modulator of elastic fiber organization and actin cytoskeletal remodeling. Thbs1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating TAAs.

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The Carrizo Plain National Monument is a little-known ecological hotspot in Southern California. Though small, it explodes in wildflowers each spring and is full of threatened or endangered species.

A long-term study led by the University of Washington and the University of California, Berkeley tracked how hundreds of species in this valley fared during the historic drought that struck California from 2012 to 2015. It shows surprising winners and losers, uncovering patterns that may be relevant for climate change.

The findings are published Aug. 20 in Nature Climate Change.

"The Carrizo Plain is one of the global hotspots of endangered species, with endangered species at every trophic level: plants, rodents, carnivores," said lead author Laura Prugh, a UW assistant professor of quantitative wildlife sciences, part of the UW School of Environmental and Forestry Sciences. "It also is an ideal laboratory to see how an exceptional climate event affects a whole ecosystem."

By studying this natural laboratory for many years, researchers found that drought actually helped ecological underdogs by stressing the dominant species. Similar patterns are likely to hold up for other ecosystems, Prugh said.

"We think that even though these extreme climate events, in the short term, can be pretty devastating for some populations, in the long run they might be important in maintaining biodiversity in the system, by keeping inferior competitors from getting pushed out of the system entirely," she said.

The results also showed surprising losers: carnivores, ranging from foxes to barn owls. These suffered when their favorite prey species became scarce in year three of the drought.

"A lot of times when people think about drought what they're really concerned about is plants, and there isn't as much focus on animal populations," Prugh said. "Our results show that when these extended droughts occur, we really want to pay attention to animals at the top of the food chain, because they're likely to be hit pretty hard."

Prugh began the project in 2007 as a postdoctoral researcher with co-author Justin Brashares, at the University of California, Berkeley, to study the giant kangaroo rat and other endangered species that are abundant in the Carrizo Plain. She sought to understand the relationship between different species to see how protecting one might affect the others.

Then in 2012, the drought began -- a prolonged dry spell that studies show may be the worst that California has experienced in 1,200 years.

"We saw our sites turn from these areas that were just beautiful and filled with wildflowers in the spring to what really looked like the surface of the moon," Prugh said. "We realized that we were in a unique position to look at how this historic climate event affected an entire community."

Field crews collected data on 423 species spanning plants, birds, reptiles, mammals and insects. Their field season went from late March through late August from 2007 onward, with support from the National Science Foundation, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The laborious endeavor took many forms. Researchers cordoned off random plots of land and counted plants inside each square. They dug holes and put pitfall traps to catch insects, and identified everything that fell inside over a two-week period. They set live traps to catch rodents and other small animals during the day, and different traps to catch nocturnal rodents. The volunteer-run Carrizo Plain Christmas Bird Count provided the best numbers for birds. While driving around at night, researchers shone flashlights to look for reflections off the eyes of nocturnal animals. Observers counted the numbers of pronghorn antelope and tule elk from small airplanes.

Over the years, the fate of hundreds of species show how the prolonged drought affected the ecosystem:

Plants suffered immediately from the drought, and the impacts grew gradually more severe every year

Giant kangaroo rats remained plentiful during the first and second year of the drought, but in the third year their numbers plummeted 11-fold

As populations of dominant species collapsed, plant and animals that had been rare became less so, including several other species of kangaroo rats

Some 4 percent of 423 species were named "winners" because their overall numbers actually increased during the drought

Toward the end of the drought, carnivores, such as coyotes, badgers and hawks, were the hardest hit, likely because their giant kangaroo rat prey had grown scarce

"If we'd given up earlier or narrowed our efforts, we would have missed this rare and powerful opportunity to quantify how an ecological community is impacted by a major environmental shock," Brashares said. "Such shocks are intensifying on our rapidly changing planet, and we can't predict and manage their effects if we don't have studies in place to monitor them."

Since the drought ended in 2015, the Carrizo Plain ecosystem has bounced back and the giant kangaroo rat population has also recovered.

"In terms of implications for climate change, it gives some cause for optimism in showing that ecosystems have a remarkable ability to handle some of these extreme events," Prugh said.

Results suggest that focusing on how key prey species respond to a drought could help to predict the fate of top predators, Prugh said, and those key prey species could become a focus for conservation efforts.

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Other co-authors are Nicolas Deguines at the University of Paris-Sud; Joshua Grinath and Katharine Suding at the University of Colorado Boulder; William Bean at Humboldt State University; and Robert Stafford at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Additional funding was from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and The Nature Conservancy.

For more information, contact Prugh at 206-543-1588 or lprugh@uw.edu or Brashares at 510-643-6080 or brashares@berkeley.edu.

NSF: DEB-1628754, DEB-1354931, DEB-1355055
For stink bugs to attract a mate or to communicate that they have found food, they use their own chemical language: pheromones.

Virginia Tech researchers have discovered insights into this chemical language, which can be used to develop alternative pest controls.

"We have gained a deeper understanding of how stink bugs synthesize pheromones, and this knowledge may allow us to produce pheromones in expendable food crops - also called 'trap crops' - to lure the bugs away from cash crops," said Dorothea Tholl, a professor of biological sciences in the College of Science and a Fralin Life Science Institute affiliate.

These new environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives to insecticides could save farmers millions of dollars.

In Virginia, crops such as grapes, sweet corn, and apples, have been under attack by the invasive brown marmorated stink bug since 2004; cabbage has also been affected, but by the harlequin stink bug. A relative, the southern green stinkbug is also a severe pest worldwide and attacks many different crops including beans and soybeans.

Tholl is interested in the chemical communication of organisms and studies how this chemical language has evolved in insects. With support by a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, her lab investigates the enzymes that produce stinkbug pheromones in an interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues at Virginia Tech and national and international institutions.

Her team's research has recently been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, or PNAS.

"Our recent paper provides valuable insight into our understanding of how insects synthesize complex sesquiterpene compounds that are typically used as pheromones. The work could pave the way in the future for plants to manufacture insect pheromones, which could be utilized in pest surveillance and pest management strategies, such as attract and kill," said Thomas Kuhar, a professor of entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist.

Very little was known about the biosynthetic evolution of these insect pheromones, and the research of Tholl's team has shown that stink bugs have their own enzymatic machinery to make pheromones without receiving them from symbiotic microbes or the host plant, as was previously thought.

Jason Lancaster of Knoxville, Tennessee, a recent biological sciences Ph.D. graduate from Tholl's lab, used next-generation sequencing to identify and functionally characterize the first enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of the harlequin bug pheromone compound.

"Pheromones for thousands of insects are known, but very little is known about the synthesis of the pheromones. This paper focuses on terpene derived pheromones from the harlequin stink bug Murgantia histrionica and encompasses many years of research. Besides the development of dead-end trap crops, this research may allow establishing "RNAi interference" type gene silencing mechanisms to disrupt the pheromone production of the insect," said Lancaster.

Lancaster also found that other stink bugs such as the brown marmorated stink bug use enzymes in pheromone biosynthesis similar to that identified in the harlequin bug. Beyond the team's current study on stink bug pheromones, the research may allow for exciting future discoveries in the biosynthesis of pheromones of other insects and their application in pest management.

Two of Tholl's graduate students, Andrew Muchlinski and Bryan Lehner, are co-authors on the paper and contributed substantially to this research.

There is commercial interest in using the genetic tools developed by Tholl's team to produce the pheromones via synthetic biology for application in the field to promote pest mating disruption.

"Overall, we are excited about the prospect that our research has the potential to develop new pest management techniques," says Tholl.

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The human brain, with its 100 billion neurons that control every thought, word, and action, is the most complex and delicate organ in the body. Because it needs extra protection from toxins and other harmful substances, the blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen and nutrients are highly selective about which molecules can cross from the blood into the brain and vice versa. These blood vessels and their unique network of supporting pericyte and astrocyte cells comprise the blood-brain barrier (BBB). When the BBB is disrupted, as happens with exposure to methamphetamine ("meth") and other drugs, the brain's sensitive neurons become susceptible to harmful damage.

Beyond forming a physical barrier, the BBB is thought to directly interact with the brain and help regulate its function, but figuring out exactly how the cells of the BBB and the brain influence each other has been a challenge, as in vitro models (i.e., cells in a dish) are too simplified and in vivo models (i.e., natural human brain tissue) too complex. Now, researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have created a "just right" model of the BBB-brain interface using microfluidically linked Organ Chips that reacts to meth like the human brain and allows an unprecedented look into how the brain's vasculature influences and regulates its metabolic function. The research is reported in Nature Biotechnology.

"Most of today's research on Organ Chips is focused on trying to increase the complexity of cell types on each chip, but we realized that the brain is already so complex that we couldn't analyze it on one chip, so we did the opposite and divided one organ onto multiple chips," said first author Ben Maoz, Ph.D., a former Technology Development Fellow at the Wyss Institute who is currently an Assistant Professor at Tel Aviv University, Israel. "The beauty of this work is that Organ Chips were able to open up another dimension for neurological research that no other method could; decoupling a very dense organ to unveil new interactions between the different structures within the brain."

The BBB-Brain Chip system consists of three chips: one "influx" BBB Chip, a Brain Chip, and a second "efflux" BBB Chip, physically distinct from each other but all connected with microfluidic channels to allow the exchange of chemicals and other substances between them, much like how the supplying blood vessels, neuronal compartment, and draining blood vessels are linked in the brain. The BBB Chip has one channel lined with endothelial cells through which flows culture medium that mimics blood, separated by a porous membrane from a parallel channel containing pericytes and astrocytes that is perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). The Brain Chip has a similar aCSF flow channel that is separated by another semipermeable membrane from a compartment containing human brain neurons and their supporting astrocytes to mimic brain tissue. The three chips' aCSF channels are connected together in series, creating a fully linked system in which substances can diffuse from the vascular channel across the first BBB into the aCSF, enter the brain neuronal cell compartment, flow back into the aCSF, and ultimately diffuse out across the second BBB into another vascular channel, as happens in vivo.

The team cultured human cells in the linked BBB-Brain Chips and exposed them to meth, which is known to disrupt the junctions between the cells of the BBB in vivo and cause it to "leak." When meth was flowed through the blood vessel channel of the BBB Chip, it compromised the junctions of the BBB's vascular endothelial cells and allowed the passage of molecules that normally wouldn't be able to cross the BBB into the Brain Chip. This experiment confirmed that the model worked, and established that it could be used in research to better understand drugs' effects on the human brain and develop treatments.

In addition to the meth-exposed chips, something in the chips that were not exposed to meth also caught the scientists' attention. They realized that the proteins expressed by the cells on BBB and Brain Chips that were fluidically linked were different from those expressed by cells on unlinked chips. For example, cells in all of the linked chips expressed higher levels of metabolism-associated proteins and lower levels of proteins involved in proliferation and migration than cells in unlinked chips, suggesting that the different cell types do in fact help each other maintain proper function.

"Blood vessels are frequently thought to just be a barrier or a transporter of chemicals. But when we looked at the linked BBB-Brain Chips, we noticed that there seemed to be some crosstalk between the endothelial cells and the neurons," explained co-author Anna Herland, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute who is now an Associate Professor at the Royal Institute of Technology and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. "We also know from studies of long-term meth abusers that this drug affects the brain's metabolism, so we started to dig deeper to see if we could characterize the metabolic link between the BBB and the brain."

The modular nature of the BBB-Brain Chip system allowed the researchers to analyze all of the molecules secreted by the individual cell populations alone, and then connect the chips to trace where those substances traveled. The chemicals secreted by the cells on the uncoupled BBB Chip were largely related to neuron maintenance and protection, demonstrating that the molecules produced by the BBB provide chemical cues to neurons.

To determine the influence of the endothelium on metabolites in the brain, the scientists administered radioactive carbon-labeled glucose, pyruvate, or lactate as an energy supply to Brain Chips that had been decoupled from the BBB chips, and found that the production of both glutamine and the neurotransmitter GABA was lower in unlinked Brain Chips than in Brain Chips linked to the BBB. Intriguingly, this finding demonstrated that products of vascular endothelial cell metabolism become substrates for the production of neurotransmitters that mediate neuronal cell information processing in the brain, suggesting that the health of our blood vessels could have a direct impact on mind function.

"The big breakthrough here is that we have teased out communication networks between cells in a way that never could have been done with traditional brain research techniques. In vivo studies simply do not offer the granularity to determine how complex these metabolic networks function in heterogeneous cell populations within living tissues," said corresponding author Kit Parker, Ph.D., a Core Faculty member of the Wyss Institute and the Tarr Family Professor of Bioengineering and Applied Physics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). "We are seeing here an unanticipated level of complexity that raises the bar in terms of what it will mean to successfully map the brain's connectome."

"What's really incredible is that we were able to do a highly multiplexed, massively parallel metabolomic analysis of many different chemicals produced by different cell types, all on these tiny chips," said co-corresponding author and Wyss Founding Director Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., who is also the Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at HMS and the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children's Hospital, as well as Professor of Bioengineering at SEAS. "We're excited to push the limits of how complicated and sophisticated Organ Chips can be, and potentially use this decoupling approach to analyze how vascular endothelial cells contribute to the specialized functions of other organs as well."

###

This work was supported by the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, DARPA, the Sweden-America Foundation, the Carl Trygger Foundation, and the Erik and Edith Fernstrom Foundation.

Additional authors of the study include Edward FitzGerald, Ph.D., a former Graduate Fellow at the Wyss Institute who is now a Ph.D. student at Uppsala University; Thomas Grevesse, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute and SEAS and current Intern Fellow at Stellenbosch University; Charles Vidoudez, Ph.D., a Mass Spectrometrist at Harvard University; Alan Pacheco, a graduate student at the Wyss Institute and Boston University; Sean Sheehy, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute and SEAS who is currently a Vertex Fellow at Vertex Pharmaceuticals; Tae-Eun Park, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute who is now an Assistant Professor at ULSAN National Institute of Science and Technology in Korea; Stephanie Dauth, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute and SEAS who is currently a Scientific Project Manager at Fraunhofer IME Frankfurt; Robert Mannix, a Research Technologist at Boston Children's Hospital and the Wyss Institute; Nikita Budnik, a student at McGill University; Kevin Shores, a Graduate Research Assistant at Harvard SEAS; Alexander Cho, a Bioengineering Fellow at the Wyss Institute and SEAS; Janna Nawroth, Ph.D., a former Technology Development Fellow at the Wyss Institute and SEAS who is now a Principal Investigator at Emulate, Inc.; Daniel Segre, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Engineering at Boston University; and Bogdan Budnik, Ph.D., Director of Proteomics at Harvard University.
In a paper to be published in the September 2018 issue of TECHNOLOGY, the thrust produced by the microscopic organ delivering sperm cells in plants has now been measured using microfluidic technology.

A team of nano and microsystems engineers and plant biologists at the University of Montreal (now known as Universite de Montreal), McGill University and Concordia University devised a microchip that enabled the researchers to measure how much force the sperm delivery tools used by plants exert when negotiating the female flower tissues to accomplish fertilization.

The fabrication of the lab-on-a-chip used to measure the growth force of the pollen tubes was highly complex since it involved the assembly of multiple layers of precisely designed elastomer material with a precision in the micrometer range. This type of study illustrates that ingenious research drawing from the expertise of multiple disciplines is required to understand microscopic biological processes. Reproduction in plants is crucial for our own survival since most of the calories we consume depend on it. Successful plant fertilization is at the basis of the formation of seeds such as rice, corn and wheat, as well as fruits and numerous vegetables. Failure to fertilize can therefore have dramatic economic and humanitarian consequences.

To mimic the biological maze of the flower tissue, the tools -- the pollen tubes -- were strategically guided into the microdevice and exposed to miniature force balances. When the tubes interacted with the gauge they deflected the device and the stalling force provided information on the amount of thrust the tiny cells are able to exert. The magnitude of this force suggests that the cellular pressure driving the invasion process corresponds to that of a typical car tire. Curiously, the pollen tubes changed the frequency or their oscillatory growth pattern suggesting that the cells "feel" and respond to the physical resistance of the environment.

Sperm cell delivery in plants shows many similarities with the analogous process in humans and animals. The egg cell in plants is deeply embedded in the female tissues and hence the delivery of the sperm cells by the male partner, the pollen grain, requires the formation of a protuberance that invades the female tissues. Contrary to the human counterpart, each plant male only delivers two sperm cells and the process ends with its death. "This is the reason why flowers form so many pollen grains" says senior author of the study, Anja Geitmann. The biological purpose of these microscopic spheres is the delivery of sperm cells from one flow-er to the next.

Unlike animal sperm cells, plant sperm cells are not motile, and therefore they have to be delivered directly to the egg cell for fertilization to occur. The growth of the delivery organ is therefore crucial. The female flower tissues represent a maze of formidable complexity through which the pollen tubes have to manoeuvre. Essential for target finding, the pollen tube is able to follow the guidance cues emitted by the female partner. "We have long suspected that the process requires not only a sophisticated navigation system but also substantial forces" explains Geitmann, "but just how much force this single cell can produce was unknown."

Concordia University Professor Muthukumaran Packirisamy adds "From a mechanical point of view, the process of pollen tube elongation is similar to that of a balloon catheter used for angioplasty -- forces are generated based on the principle of a hydroskeleton, or fluid under pressure. We designed a microscopic cantilever-based gauge against which the pollen tubes had to forcefully push in order to continue their elongation."

Microsystems technology was required to undertake this experiment due to the tiny size of pollen tubes and the consequently minute amount of force they exert to accomplish penetration. In big flowers, pollen tubes can become many centimeters long but independently of flower size the tubes are only between 5 and 20 micrometres wide. By way of comparison, a human hair is typically 100 micrometres thick.

The study was designed not only to quantitatively determine the invasive force of the pollen tube, but also to closely monitor its behavior upon the encounter with the physical object. The researchers observed that the characteristic oscillatory growth pattern of the cell was markedly altered by contact with the physical obstacle leading them to suspect that the tube perceives and is able to adapt its growth force depending on the mechanical impedance it encounters. Such tunable and sophisticated behavior by a single cell is fascinating and illustrates the complexity of the reproductive process, even in plants.

The team from McGill University is working now to further characterize the invasive behavior of the pollen tube to understand how the cellular growth machinery steers the growth direction towards its target, and how the cell interacts with the female tissues while the team at Concordia University continues the development of lab-on-a-chip for studying varying cellular behavior and properties.

###

This work was funded by the Fond de recherche du Quebec - Nature et Technologies (FRQNT).

Corresponding authors for this study in TECHNOLOGY are Professor Anja Geitmann, Ph.D., geitmann.aes@mcgill.ca and Professor Muthukumaran Packirisamy, Ph.D., pmuthu@alcor.concordia.ca.

About the Authors

Mahmood Ghanbari

Mahmood Ghanbari was PhD student at Concordia University at the time the study was carried out.

Anja Geitmann

Dr. Geitmann was Professor at University of Montreal when the experimental work was carried and has since moved her lab to McGill University. Currently, she is Canada Research Chair in Biomechanics of Plant Development, Professor at the Department of Plant Science of McGill University, Dean of McGill's Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Associate Vice-Principal of McGill's Macdonald Campus. She is the President of the International Association of Plant Sexual Reproduction Research. She is plant cell biologist and studies plant development and reproduction at the cellular level. Her research program combines cell biological approaches with high end imaging, micromechanical experimentation, and theoretical modeling to understand the mechanisms that gov-ern shape development in plant cells.

Muthukumaran Packirisamy

Dr. Packirisamy is Professor and Concordia Research Chair at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Concordia University. His research is in the area of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), integrating microfluidics with microphotonics and nano features. Holding the position of Director of Micro Nano Bio Integration Center, he is the Fellow of Engineering Institute of Canada, Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fellow of Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering and Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India).

Lab-on-a-Chip Technology can be used to grow, manipulate and characterize individual plant or animal cells in a single Chip. In this study, Packirisamy and Geitmann collaborated to design a Lab-on-a-Chip in which a rapidly growing plant cell deforms a microscopic cantilever used to measure the growth force. Controlling the growth and direction of the cell while also using surrounding structures as sensors makes it possible to estimate cell forces and monitor cell behavior. Lab-on-a-Chip technology has huge potential for cell sorting, cell (sperm/egg) selection, toxicology, pharmaceutical tests, study of mammalian cells and personalized medicine.

Links:

For more insight into the research described, readers are invited to access the paper on TECHNOLOGY.

IMAGE

Caption: Time sequence of a growing pollen tube pushing against a PDMS cantilever. The tube from a trapped pollen grain emerges from a microchannel at the top of the image, touches the microcantilever at point A near the tip, gets caught in a nudge designed to prevent slippage, and deflects the perpendicularly oriented cantilever.

Credit: Anja Geitmann

IMAGE

Caption: Scanning electron micrograph of the PDMS cantilever in the Lab-on-Chip device used to measure pollen tube invasive force.

Credit: Anja Geitmann and Mahmood Ghanbari

IMAGE

Caption: Scanning electron micrograph of two germinated Camellia pollen grains.

Credit: Anja Geitmann

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The British pound and dollar exchange rates appreciated on Monday "with no initial catalyst other than a spike in GBP Futures" according to FX strategists at Barclays.

In a brief released on Tuesday morning, economists at Lloyds Commercial Banking noted "Prices [GBP/USD] have extended through the 1.2750/90 resistance region increasing the risks that a low is already in place around 1.2660, rather than another test towards 1.26-1.25. Further resistance is seen at 1.2870 and 1.3000, with a move through these levels adding further conviction of a broader rebound in play back towards 1.33-1.35. 1.2755/45 is pivot support ahead of the recent lows.

Updated: 21 Aug, 09:20 BST.

Despite Brexit jitters returning to market focus this week amid a lack of notable UK ecostats due for publication, the British Pound to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate has managed to avoid falling so far. Instead, uncertainty about some upcoming US-China trade talks have weighed on the US Dollar and prevented it from climbing further against Sterling.

Due to Brexit uncertainties and market demand for safe haven currencies, GBP/USD slipped last week from the level of 1.2769 to 1.2748. However, GBP/USD was able to hold above last Wednesdays yearly low of 1.2671 and this week so far has been avoiding further falls.

Pound (GBP) Strength Limited as Brexit Uncertainties Persist

While the Pound has avoided further losses against the US Dollar so far this week, it has been unable to climb much either as investors remain anxious about what kind of Brexit the UK is headed towards.

With the March 2019 end-date for the Brexit process edging ever closer, investors are becoming increasingly anxious about the lack of clarity in what kind of deal the UK could leave the EU with.

The UK government has seen fissures over what kind of Brexit deal it should aim for, and analysts are concerned that the EU could continue to pressure the UK to amend its Brexit plans further.

This has worsened concerns that the Brexit process could actually end with a worst-case scenario no deal Brexit, which may be like a cliff-edge for UK businesses.

Not only is business confidence being negatively impacted by Brexit uncertainties, but UK households and consumer activity too.

According to Sam Teague from IHS Markit:

That said, the spectre of higher living costs on the horizon and ongoing Brexit uncertainty both contributed to renewed worries towards future household finances,

It was largely business and consumer uncertainty about the Brexit outlook and the future of Britains economy that prevented the Pound from benefitting from stronger UK data last week.

Britains key July retail sales results came in well above forecasts in all prints, but analysts doubted the improvement would become a trend due to persistent Brexit uncertainties clouding confidence.

US Dollar (USD) Slips on Market Uncertainty over US-China Trade Talks

As a safe haven currency, the US Dollar has had a mixed reaction to the ongoing trade spats between the US and China.

The US Dollar is more appealing amid global geopolitical uncertainty and trade jitters, due to the US currencys status as a safe haven.

However, the currency has also benefitted from hopes that the US economy wont be effected by recent US trade protectionism.

As a result, the US Dollars movement was mixed on Monday as markets anticipated fresh trade talks between the US and China.

Investors are also hesitant to move too much on the US Dollar ahead of Central Bank news expected this week. According to analysts from MUFG:

Market participants will be eager to hear more details on the interpretation of the Feds most recent comment that further gradual rate hikes were appropriate for now. What does for now mean and might it imply a possible change in forward guidance? Given our view that US Dollar bullishness has become a little excessive, this speech on Friday could well be a catalyst for a sharp reversal the other way as long dollar positions are pared.

GBP/USD Forecast: Geopolitical Developments and Fed News in Focus

As this weeks UK economic calendar is relatively quiet, the Pound to US Dollar (GBP/EUR) exchange rate will spend most of the week reacting to the weeks potential geopolitical news, as well as Federal Reserve news and US data.

The Pounds biggest chance of seeing a shift in direction in the coming sessions will be if there are any notable developments in Brexit negotiations or the Brexit outlook.

Tuesdays UK public sector net borrowing results and factory stats are unlikely to be influential either.

Essentially, the US Dollar is likely to drive GBP/USD for most of the week. Developments in US trade protectionism or US-China trade negotiations may influence the US Dollar throughout the week, but key data will be published from Wednesday onwards.

Of particular importance will be the Federal Reserves latest meeting minutes report on Wednesday, and the Jackson Hole symposium on Friday.

The news is expected to give investors a better idea of the direction of US monetary policy, but may also give investors an excuse to sell the US Dollar from its recent highs on profit-taking, as analysts from MUFG have speculated.
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Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Dont Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.

Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.

Known as The Doyenne of Death, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die ABQ Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 400 videos!

Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.

Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV.

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Alex Hinojosa is quite the Renaissance man.

When hes not serving as managing director of San Antonio-based North American Development Bank, Hinojosa might be be making wine from the grapes he grows in his vineyard or harvesting olives on his farm in Rio Medina.

Or he might be playing some 70s rock, Conjunto or a little country music on his guitar or drums. Or painting a portrait in oil or acrylic.

Or he might even be piloting his Cessna 150. Or he could just be looking after his grandkids.

I have a lot of hobbies, Hinjosa said, adding that its been a way for him to stay connected to his six children.

Occasionally, he combines his passion for flying with his day job by hopping in his plane for a business meeting.

I fly for business maybe about once a quarter, somewhere in Texas thats easier to get to in my own plane rather than driving, he said. Right now, to get to (Rio Grande) Valley of Texas, there are no really direct flights that work for a full day.

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Quick facts on Alex Hinojosa First job where you earned an actual paycheck: Working on a farm - plowing, hauling hay, feeding cattle - near LaCoste. If you had to pick a different career in an entirely different industry, what would it be: A career in the arts or managing investment funds. What book are you reading right now: "Vanishing Frontiers: The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together" by Andrew Selee. What's your favorite movie: "The Quiet Man" Favorite vacation spot: Baja California If you could chose your last meal, what would it be: A ribeye steak and Tempranillo wine he's made from the grapes in his vineyard. See More Collapse

Hinojosa has a lot of interest in the U.S.-Mexico border zone. After all, its on both sides of the border that the North American Development Bank finances water, sewage, landfills, paved roads, storm water, renewable energy and other projects. NADBank is equally funded by the U.S. and Mexican governments.

The bank was established by legislation that was part of the North American Free Trade Agreement that was signed in 1992. Since its formation, the bank has financed 246 projects. It currently has projects in the four U.S. states  Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California  and six Mexican states, Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.

There are many communities that we have helped, he said.

Hinojosa, 62, joined the bank in 2012 as deputy managing director and was promoted to managing director in November. He oversees a staff of 117 and $2 billion in assets. It generated $29.3 million in net income last year, a 51 percent increase from 2016.

Hinojosa recently sat down with the San Antonio Express-News at the banks headquarters in downtown San Antonios International Center. Heres an edited transcript of the conversation.

Q: Did you grow up in San Antonio?

A: I grew up in the Castroville, LaCoste area. I went to Medina Valley High School. I came to (San Antonio to attend) St. Marys University and have pretty much stayed here. (He earned a bachelors degree from St. Marys and a masters in business administration from UTSA.)

Q: What did your parents do for a living?

A: My dad was a welder and my mom, when she worked, was a seamstress.

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: I thought about being a businessman, whatever that was. I had no concept of what it was. I really didnt know who had a college degree, except for my teachers, until I was 18 years old.

Q: What there something in your youth that set you on your career path?

A: I was working in a welding shop in shipping and receiving during high school. My dad had brought me in. I would see this young man with a coat and a tie, and a brand new car, coming in regularly. He looked not that much older than me. I asked what he did and they said, well, thats the auditor. So, thats what changed it for me. Everybody addressed him as mister. I thought, well thats nice.

Q: Talk about your career path.

A: I started off as an auditor, but then I knew that I wanted to get into being in accounting within a big corporation. (His bio says he led investment banking efforts at Cabrera Capital Markets and Frost Bank.) Then I wanted to be a finance director, so I go the opportunity (at San Antonio Water System).

Q: Are most people you meet familiar with NADBank?

A: In the border region or in the border states, yes. Both sides, Mexico and the United States, know us very well. I guess the three federal agencies (that oversee the bank), the Department of Treasury, the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Department, and their Mexican counterparts. Outside of that, were a well-kept secret.

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Q: What was the reason behind the banks establishment?

A: At the time, there was concern that the growth of industries and companies along the border would damage the environment. So they said, what can be done? Well, we can help the cities and the counties and the municipios be prepared for improvements to their infrastructure. Thats how the bank was created.

Q: Who are the banks customers?

A: We help a lot of cities, public entities and private companies. A lot of them are public-private associations. As an example, we are financing a desalination plant that has a contract with the Ensenada water company. Its a private company but doing a public service.

Q: Whats your typical loan?

A: Our sweet spot can range from $15 million to about $50 million. We have a rigorous review process. Every loan we do has to be approved by our board, so we cant get down to small projects  under $1 million or $2 million, because its expensive. What were really trying to do is work on (big projects, such as) waste water treatment plants, solar farms and wind generation plants.

Q: Are these projects that would not get done without NADBank financing?

A: A lot of this is kind of getting things done the first time. Once theyre done, once its established, yeah, others could probably do it a lot easier. But many times were blazing the trail.

Q: You also provide grants for smaller projects, too?

A: We do about $14 million, $15 million in grants for about 10, 12 projects a year. Those are EPA monies that we administer.

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During our first 12 years, we were mostly an administrator for grant money from the EPA. That was extremely helpful to the border communities, especially in Mexico. In 94, perhaps 22 percent of the wastewater flows were being treated in border states. Currently, were probably at 89, 90 percent. Its not all NADBank money, of course, because the money we invested had to be matched by the Mexican entities, both federal and local. That high level of wastewater treatment is much, much higher than the rest of the country. So it has worked.

Q: Are there certain projects you dont want to get involved with?

A: There are certain projects that are riskier. Anything that has to do with a lot of land is a bit riskier. There are some projects that I would like to get into, but we dont have a mandate to do.

Q: Like what?

A: Telecommunications.

Q: Building infrastructure so people have internet?

A: Exactly. (But) its not an approved sector for us at this point. Right now, were also looking at natural gas. There are a lot of U.S. companies that have natural gas that are going to sell into Mexico, and there are a lot of Mexican companies that are getting ready to build the pipelines. Wed like to get more into that.

Q: A typical bank measures a projects success by whether its paid back, so is that the yard stick youre measured by?

A: Certainly, yes. Our loss ratio is less than a third of a percent, which is very good, even for a commercial bank. Weve been good stewards of the federal dollars.

Q: Whats the toughest part of your job?

A: The toughest part of the job is always trying to make sure all of the employees have a good understanding as to how were trying to help a community. As you know, any organization will have different departments with different functions. Ones mitigating risk, while the others trying to get the loan approved. One is looking at the legalities, while the other is looking at the technical aspects. Bringing them all together is important so that we say, OK, heres how were going to help this community.

Q: Your background is in finance. Is your job mostly about numbers or something else?

A: Its mostly about people. Its always about people. Its always about having everybody understand what the project is and how its going to get done.

RELATED: San Antonio judge warns attorneys to behave or he'll make them kiss in front of the Alamo

Q: Do you travel a lot for your job?

A: Every week Im traveling. Last week on Monday (July 30) I was in Juarez. We met with people from the state of Chihuahua and we talked about water issues, a waste water treatment plant. The following Wednesday we were in Mexico City. I got to ring the bell at the Mexican Stock Exchange. We opened up this fund that will use pension fund monies to invest in some of our projects.

Q: Have the trade tensions between the U.S. and Mexico had any impact on the bank?

A: No, I dont think they have. Of course, were always keeping our eye on the cost of the exchange rate and the cost of trade, moving equipment, because that does affect the project sponsors.

Q: So is the renegotiation of NAFTA going to have much impact on NADBank?

A: Well, I think that the renegotiation of NAFTA may provide some opportunities. Im assuming that when it gets done they will have certain goals, or certain needs. I have mentioned this to our federal government, we are standing by, ready to help. We are basically a tool for both the Mexican government and the U.S. government to carry out their goals  as it was back in 1994 when they wanted the environment looked at and they gave us the water, and the wastewater, and landfills to work on. In the same manner, we may be called once NAFTA 2.0 is done.

Q: Has President Donald Trumps policies had any impact on the bank?

A: No, we have our mandate. Weve followed it.

Q: Are there any concerns about Mexicos leftist president-elect, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador?

A: No. He was elected and we are standing by for when the transition team comes in. Im sure that they will have ideas as to things to look at, but were standing by.

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
With a major storm barreling toward New Orleans that stuffy August day 13 years ago, Angela White Williams insisted on staying at her job at Home Depot just a little longer, helping customers buying plywood and other goods to fortify their homes.

Assistant Manager Williams wanted to finish out her night shift for a full paycheck - her daughters needed school uniforms  before leaving town with her family to find shelter of their own.

As they headed east on Interstate 10 the next morning, she remembers thinking the TV broadcasters warning of the impeding hurricane sounded unusually urgent. After all, New Orleans had been through hurricanes before. She and her family knew the drill well: board up the house, pack a bag, stay out of town for a few days, then come back to clean up and return to everyday life.

This time it was different.

The Williams family never made it to their destination. Instead they were caught up in the Category 5 storm named Katrina that slammed into the northern Gulf Coast and upended their lives and countless others.

It was a harrowing time, followed by difficult years that included a paralyzing illness, divorce and homelessness.

But today, crediting her faith and the good Lord, Williams and her children are enjoying a prosperous life in San Antonio. She opened a Christian bookstore and started a second. Her eldest daughter got married and has two children. Her middle daughter was just married Sunday night. The third is a junior in high school and helps at the bookstores.

Bad memories

As the 13th anniversary of Katrina approaches, Williams wont be watching any programs that revisit the deadly storm. Thoughts of that time conjure images of broken levees, people wading through fetid waters and the flood-destroyed home she had to leave behind.

I watched the devastation on TV one time, said Williams, now 44. And I never looked at it again.

Williams and her family were part of a huge migration caused by the storm. According to a 2008 Monthly Labor Review report, 1.5 million people ages 16 and older fled their homes in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi because of Katrina. Many of them never returned.

The Williamses were among the fortunate ones who were able to make a new life outside of New Orleans. They received help from Williams older brother, Derrick Brown, who lived in San Antonio. Between August and September 2005, the Alamo City welcomed more than 30,000 evacuees who filled emergency shelters at Windsor Park Mall, the Levi Strauss building and KellyUSA, now Port San Antonio.

Even now, a coming storm can still make Williams tense.

Dr. Christopher L. Wallace, a psychiatrist with University Medicine Associates, said the anniversary of a traumatic event can trigger bad memories. He said evacuees may have left the physical part of Katrina behind, but it can take years to get rid of the trauma.

You dont have time to decompress with someone and it kind of festers, said Wallace, who helped provide medical care for evacuees at Brooks City Base. And its still all there very fresh.

Williams can relate. She recalls a time when she was in Austin for work, years after Katrina, and the rumble of an unexpected thunderstorm brought waves of fresh terror, causing her to curl up in fear on the floor. A co-worker helped her through the panic.

Prayer helped, too.

Wallace said many people, like Williams, reach out to churches and synagogues that are at their best helping the community.

Faith is important to most people, he said. Its a touchstone and safety net for them. We are the sum total of our experiences and sadly, sad events, but it does add to who we are and with the right support those things can help people get through traumatic times.

Angel at the counter

For Williams, those traumatic times started the day she and her family fled down I-10.

What would have normally been a two-hour drive to Mississippi took 15 hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic. It was so windy, her Ford Taurus swayed side to side. She often couldnt see through the driving rain.

God is just breathing his beautiful air on us, she remembers telling her girls.

Well, her oldest daughter said, its not fun any more.

When she got tired, she stopped and stood outside the car, letting the rain wake her up.

They finally made it to a small town in Mississippi near Diamondhead, about 50 miles northeast of New Orleans, arriving just before midnight. Tired and weary, Williams stopped at a convenience store to ask about available hotel rooms in the area.

I need a place for my children to go, she told the young, red-haired female clerk.

Im sorry, everything is booked, the clerk said.

Dejected, Williams opened the door to leave, but slipped and fell in the doorway, weeping at being stopped at every turn.

The clerk called her back to the counter.

Here, she said, giving Williams two keys, go to my trailer.

Stunned by the white clerks kindness  this was Mississippi, after all  Williams tried to leave her drivers license as collateral and to pay her, but the clerk would have none of it. And she insisted they stay at her home overnight. She was working and wouldnt be there anyway so they could rest comfortably, she said.

The next morning, the young clerk arrived at the trailer to let Williams know that she and her father were leaving town because of the storm but that Williams and her family could stay as long as they wanted.

Thanking her benefactor, Williams opted to leave because she had heard from a neighbor who had a hotel room in Bastrop, Louisiana.

I believe this girl was an angel, Williams said. Thats nobody but God.

After the brief stay at the Louisiana hotel room, where some 16 people crowded in out of the rain, Williams and her family headed to San Antonio to stay with her brother.

Time for a new life

Brown, principal of the Young Mens Leadership Academy, also opened his home to a cousin and his father. During the six months Williams stayed with Brown, he helped her daughters get into school and found a job for her husband.

She still wanted to go back home to New Orleans, but the flooded house wasnt safe to live in. She and her family would have to make a new life elsewhere.

It wasnt easy.

Strained by the stress of the entire situation, she and her husband divorced several years later. Then an illness left her temporarily paralyzed from the waist down for weeks. Her mother died, and Williams lost the final reason for returning to New Orleans.

But, slowly, life started getting better. She found a good job. And she met Bertram Williams, whom she married in 2014. Last year, she opened her first business: Abba Fathers Christian Store at Wonderland of the Americas mall.

Six weeks ago, she opened a second store at Shops at Rivercenter downtown.

Her brother believes it was all part of Gods plan.

She was meant to be here, he said. That wouldnt have been possible without her trading in the old life. She trusts her faith and leans toward what was meant for her. 

She no longer bears ill will toward the storm that changed her life.

This journey prepared me for this moment, she said. My job is to help and thats what the hurricane taught me.

vtdavis@express-news.net
At a Passover Seder this spring, Sarah Abramson did what all Jews do during that important holiday. She remembered the Exodus, when Jews fled Egypt to escape the misery of bondage and followed Moses to freedom and safety.

Were told to remember what it feels like to be a stranger, she said. Of being alone and afraid.

Abramson, a vice president of Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Boston, couldnt help but connect that ancient story to a modern-day humanitarian crisis that kept appearing in her newspaper  children separated from their parents at the border, even as they asked for asylum.

The inhumanity struck many others, and public outrage forced the White House to rescind its zero-tolerance policy. But the policys impact will be felt for generations, especially for those families who may never be reunited, forever to worry and wonder, forever to grieve.

Abramson couldnt read quietly.

You dont just sit at the Seder table for a discussion of these things, she said. You have to put remembering into practice.

A Seder message in Boston ultimately brought 29 people to San Antonio in August to take a stand against the removal of 2,654 children from their parents, 565 of whom remain in shelters, while 366 parents have been deported.

The missionaries, ages 29 to 73, paid their own way for a trip that sold out quickly, to participate in a 24-hour crisis-response effort. They came bearing gifts: $217,000 raised over a few months by 550 Massachusetts-based donors.

The Combined Jewish Philanthropies Fund to Aid Children and End Separation (FACES) awarded money to two San Antonio agencies assisting immigrant families: the Young Center for Immigrant Childrens Rights received $150,000 and the Interfaith Welcome Coalition got $36,000.

Catholic Charities of Boston already had received $630,000 from the CJPs Legal Aid Fund for Immigrants.

While in San Antonio, the Bostonians gathered in two small rooms at El Divino Salvador United Methodist Church on the citys West Side to prepare about 400 backpacks for the Interfaith Welcome Coalitions bus station and airport ministries.

Volunteers in those two projects  low-profile but high-impact  greet immigrants released from detention and help them interpret their travel itineraries. At each encounter, the volunteers hand a backpack to a stranger to comfort them.

The Bostonians organized into assembly lines at El Divino and filled red, black, green and blue backpacks with an array of essentials: a pack of tissues, a water bottle, granola bars, toothbrushes and toothpaste, baby wipes, coloring books and crayons, and small stuffed animals.

The group broke bread at the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and participated in an interfaith sacred text study. They met with Tino Gallegos, who is an immigration liaison for the city of San Antonio; and a Dreamer, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient.

Several of the Bostonians said it was empowering to take collective action in such a meaningful way, to illustrate their Jewish values to a broader community.

Stephanie Berkowitz, 42, of Congregation Kehillath Israel had become concerned about the well-being of young people caught in the immigration crisis. She wanted to learn more and see whats happening on the ground.

For Larry Alford, 52, of Temple Emanuel in Newton, Mass., the crisis became smack-in-your-face real at the bus station, where he saw immigrants arriving from South Texas detention centers. He was stunned to learn there are similar centers in his home state.

Mindy Peckler, who belongs to the same synagogue, made connections to an Episcopal church in Boston, where she volunteers to keep safe an immigrant couple with U.S.-born children whove taken refuge there.

She has never seen them, never talked with them, but she takes her turn standing guard  and has learned what to do and not do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up to arrest them.

Her synagogue has voted to join the sanctuary movement, she said.

The group came to bear witness, representing an agency more than a century old half a country away. The largest nonprofit in Massachusetts found interfaith allies.

Like Abramson, they remembered that the scapegoat for a crisis can change quickly. Someday the target could be you.

Weve once been there ourselves, she said. At any moment, another group could be victimized.

Elaine Ayala covers religion and minority affairs in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala
GREENWICH  Mark Fontana was a typical toddler until, at age 3, he began losing his words and skills, gradually not making eye contact or interacting with the world around him as he always had.

It was like someone erased him, said his mom, Emily.

Doctors diagnosed Mark with late-onset regressive autism, a shattering blow to his family of seven. But the youngsters parents vowed to leave no stone unturned to help Mark.

Thats how they found Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, a program that serves people with disabilities and challenges through horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities and therapies. Founded in 1975 in Brewster, N.Y., the nonprofit organization has a regional chapter at Greenwichs picturesque Kelsey Farm on Lake Avenue.

Its there that Mark, who will be 10 in September, has spent two years in Monday classes, developing a newfound calm that counters the internal and external triggers that often spur unpredictable behavior.

I cant say enough wonderful things about Pegasus, said Emily Fontana. They just know what theyre doing.

Pegasus instructors work with students on the autism spectrum; people with cerebral palsy, Parkinsons disease and Down syndrome; those who use wheelchairs and braces, individuals who have experienced a stroke or other condition that creates muscle weakness; and others, said certified instructor Victoria Fullerton.

Fullerton, who has a physical disability, learned about equine-assisted therapy when her family sought it out to help her strengthen her affected legs and hands.

I found a passion for it, said the Yonkers, N.Y. resident, who is earning a graduate degree in occupational therapy. I felt the horses heal me. Today I feel very strong.

Pegasus (www.pegasustr.org) bases its private and group sessions on the known benefits of transferring movement from a horse to a rider.

A horses movement closely resembles the normal gait of a human. Riding a horse  with direction from a trained instructor and assistance from leaders and side walkers who ensure safety  can benefit people with sensory-integration issues. For instance, the movement might provide input needed to help a rider establish rhythm or give the stimulation needed to help organize and integrate sensory input.

Therapeutic riding can also improve mobility, balance, posture, coordination, language development, behavior control and concentration.

Fullerton, who usually works with children at Pegasus, said the beauty of the program is watching the progress each student makes and the unique bond they forge with the horses.

Im not the therapist, she said. The horse is the therapist.

Each student  and they range in age from 4 to 80  is evaluated and given a program customized to his or her particular situation. For instance, a non-verbal child might be taught how to communicate commands to the horse through gentle tapping on its back.

A student who seems agitated or fearful might walk with the horse instead of riding that day.

We meet them with whatever they bring that day, Fullerton said. You just make it work.

One technique that seems to make a difference with Mark Fontana is backwards riding. Some students require regulation of their neurological system, Fullerton said. Seating the rider backwards and laying his or her arms along the horses body gives the student more input from the horse, providing a calming influence.

They can read body language so well, Fullerton said of the horses. The horses seem very in tune with it.

Emily Fontana has seen the benefits for her son, who has been working with a horse named Jack. At first the Rye, N.Y., mom worried that the instructors would eventually ask Mark to leave because he is prone to screaming and impulsive behavior.

That day never came, she said. Jack is unflappable. And the staff are so patient and aware of the riders. They always talk about potential, not what someone couldnt do.

That positive spirit is one of the reasons Greenwich resident Trish White has been volunteering at Pegasus for more than five years. A metalsmith and jewelry artist, shes at Kelsey Farm for about five hours each Monday during the spring and fall sessions.

While she enjoys interacting with the horses and riders, she also grooms and prepares the horses and has mucked out more than one stall.

I wouldnt miss it for the world, said White, who recently received Pegasus 2018 Pat Bugg Award for Special Service and Dedication. Its all about the horse. Its such a great therapy and you can see the changes in the riders. You can see them get stronger in their core.

Fontana continues to look for new ways for Mark to engage with his world. They have enjoyed dolphin therapy in the Bahamas, and the family welcomed Echo, an autism service dog, to their home a few years ago.

Im convinced at some point science is going to catch up  It might not be in my lifetime, she said. Until then, the small things arent small.
BRIDGEPORT  The Republican campaign for the 23rd state senate district is on hold while recounts take place in two communities.

John Rodriguez, the Republican party-endorsed candidate, came out ahead on Tuesday by a slim six-vote margin over challenger Caz Mizera. The tally was 147 for Rodriguez and 141 for Mizera.
3 1 of 3 Stamford police / Contributed Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





STAMFORD  Police say a New York teen was arrested last week when he tried to make a large delivery of antianxiety pills at the East Side McDonalds.

Capt. Richard Conklin said officers in the Narcotics and Organized Crime squad heard there was going to be a large delivery of Xanax in the McDonalds parking lot Friday night.
FAIRFIELD  Police used DNA to solve a 2017 burglary at a Kings Highway deli.

Abdus-Shahid Muhammad, 54, of Madison Avenue, Bridgeport, was arrested on a warrant Friday and charged with third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief.

The owner of the Hungarian Goulash Deli called police after arriving to work on Aug. 9, 2017, to find the front door of the deli smashed with a rock. One of the cash registers was smashed on the floor. It contained about $20 in coins and the money was not taken. The second register, which contained about $80, was not opened.

Police used the DNA from several drops of blood found on the broken glass door to trace the break-in to Muhammad. According to police, he is a convicted felon and had been arrested 31 times in Connecticut since 1986. In 2016, he was charged with burglary by Fairfied police for a break-in at Mancusos Restaurant, down the street from the deli.

Muhmmand was arrested at state Superior Court in Bridgeport and was held in lieu of $30,000 after arraignment.

greilly@ctpost.com; 203-842-2582
Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Chile 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 Chile ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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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..
Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 433,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 98,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,233 megawatts (MW), including 59 MW of solar capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,048,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 572,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 67,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 270,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 31,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 15,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 91,000 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 49,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada.

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KAZ Minerals PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing copper and other metals primarily in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. It operates through Bozshakol, Aktogay, East Region and Bozymchak, and Mining Projects segments. The company operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the east region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan; three underground mines in the east region of Kazakhstan; and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. It also develops greenfield metal deposits; operates Koksay deposit in Kazakhstan, and the Baimskaya licence area in the Chukotka region of Russia; and produces and sells various by-products, such as gold, silver, molybdenum, and zinc. In addition, the company supplies and distributes heat, water, and electricity; and offers construction, project management, financing, management, sales and logistics, and repairs and maintenance services. The company was formerly known as Kazakhmys PLC and changed its name to KAZ Minerals PLC in October 2014. KAZ Minerals PLC was founded in 1930 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

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Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Switzerland 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 Switzerland ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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Wall Street analysts have given iShares Latin America 40 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 Latin America 40 ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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by Carmen Maiorano | Sun, Aug 19th 11:21pm EDT

Cleveland.com reports that Edwin Encarnacion is making progress after suffering a bruised hand and biceps soreness, as his symptoms have reduced. While he is eligible to come off of the DL on Tuesday, that is not likely to happen.
by Gary VanDyke | Buccaneers Correspondent | Sun, Aug 19th 8:53am EDT

Rookie Jordan Whitehead went down in the second half of the preseason contest versus Tennessee and did not return. At this time there are no injury updates to the extent of his injury. (tampabay.com)

Fantasy Impact:

Any IDP owners who may have been keeping an eye on Whitehead will want to monitor this situation. He had been mixing in with free safety Justin Evans and strong safety Chris Conte and reportedly giving the team a reason to insert him in with the first defensive unit. If Whitehead's injury has him out for a major length of time it could hamper how soon he could become a relevant IDP play, as his momentum before the injury indicated.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  A Senate panel is set to conduct a "full-blown investigation" into a Chinese airline mishap that paralyzed operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for days.

Senate Committee on Public Services Chairman Grace Poe on Monday filed the resolution for the panel to probe the aviation and transport officials' "apparent and seeming broken systems of regulations."

Aside from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and the officials of Xiamen Airlines and local airlines, Poe said the Senate may also summon officials of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

"Ipapatawag din natin actually ang head ng PAGCOR, alam niyo kung bakit? Dahil may proposal na ang lupa ng Nayong Pilipino, imbes na gawing casino, ay puwedeng gawing isa pang runway para sa airport. Kung ito ba ay totoo, o ito ba ay isang pagaaral na maaari nating gawin kasi malaking tulong 'yan para mabawasan ang kasikipan at delay sa airport," she said in an ambush interview on Monday.

Poe said the airport paralysis  the effects of which could still be felt four days after a Xiamen Airlines plane skidded off NAIA's international runway  is a disgrace to the rendering of basic and efficient public service.

"The incident put a spotlight on the grim situation of our airport terminals even after the airport was opened... The airport was left in chaos after passengers were stuck inside the terminals while waiting for response from airport officials or airline crew," it read.

Aside from the inconvenience it caused thousands of passengers, the probe will also look into the mishap's tourism, economic and investment impacts.

She added the probe, which will be conducted in aid of legislation, hopes to protect passengers and the country.

"There may be a need for the Philippine airport management to review and adopt new rules and standards in the aviation industry," she wrote.

The Senate probe is scheduled on August 29. The House of Representatives is also set to conduct its own investigation.

More than an apology

Xiamen Airlines has apologized, but Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Malacanang wants more than an apology from the Chinese airline.

He said the government is investigating the incident, which is also the reason why the pilot of the plane has been asked not to leave the country.

"Hindi po dapat makalusot nang wala man lang [They can't get away without an] apology pero tingin ko [but I think], it's more than an apology because we're now investigating if there's any kind of apology that we can attribute to the pilot," he said in a briefing on Monday.

He said the chaos over the weekend should prompt officials to look into better contingencies for similar cases in the future.

"Perhaps we should look into contingencies kasi parang, kaya naman nagkagulo, ang dami paring flights na dapat siguro kinansel na pero pinaantay parin yung mga pasahero."

[Translation: Perhaps we should look into contingencies. That's why it became chaotic because there were still many flights that should have been cancelled, but they still let the passengers wait.]

The Palace assured the public that solutions to Metro Manila's airport congestion problem are underway, including an additional runway and terminal building in NAIA. He said the medium-term solution is Clark airport expansion, while the long term is a new airport in Bulacan.

Aviation authorities met with Xiamen Airlines officials on Monday to discuss the runway incident.

Xiamen Air Flight MF8667 carrying 157 passengers and eight crew slid off NAIA's 6/24 runway while landing amid a downpour on August 16. The plane's nose wheel collapsed while its left engine was ripped off as the aircraft bounced and veered off the runway.

The incident prompted aviation authorities to close the runway for about 36 hours. As a result, more than a hundred domestic and international flights were canceled or delayed while some were rerouted to Clark or Cebu airports.
The Obama-era EPA Waters of the United States ruling is now on the books in 26 states

(This article has been updated to include information about a court appeal.)

AUGUSTA, Ga.  A U.S. District Court has ruled that the Trump administration improperly suspended the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency a year ago said it would repeal and replace the Obama-era regulation, and it delayed the rules effective date until 2020.

The rule, which took effect in August 2015, was enjoined in 24 states that brought lawsuits against it.

A U.S. District Court in Georgia in June issued a preliminary injunction against implementation of the regulation in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, and a District Court in North Dakota in August 2015 did the same for Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

But U.S. District Judge David Norton in South Carolina on Aug. 16 agreed with environmental groups that EPA did not follow the Administrative Procedures Act when suspending the rule, making the regulation effective in the 26 states where it hadnt been blocked, including Ohio and Pennsylvania.

On Aug. 20, a broad coalition of industry groups asked the court to delay implementation of its Aug. 16 order while the groups appeal the courts decision.

Nationwide WOTUS stay still in works

Earlier this year, the business and agricultural coalition asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas for a nationwide stay of the WOTUS rule, arguing that the EPAs repeal-and-replace process likely will be subjected to legal challenges and that a nationwide preliminary injunction is imperative.

The WOTUS rule expanded EPAs authority over various waters to include, among other water bodies, upstream waters and intermittent and ephemeral streams such as the kind farmers use for drainage and irrigation. It also covered lands adjacent to such waters.

The agencys jurisdiction had included only navigable waters and waters with a significant hydrologic connection to navigable waters.

* *

See related news: https://www.farmanddairy.com/tag/wotus
Oilseed rape seeds are smaller than normal this year due to the drought during pod fill, so farmers should try to drill varieties with bold seeds, particularly where there are establishment challenges.

Bolder seeds are proven to boost vigour at germination due to the extra energy they contain, explains Clive Sutton at DLF Seeds.

This means crops can grow away from disease and pest challenges for more even establishment.

Trials at the Saskatoon Research Centre in Saskatchewan, Canada, revealed that the leaf area, shoot weight and biomass of seedlings from large canola seeds were 1.3-2.0 times greater under controlled conditions than those from small seeds.

Under field conditions without insecticides, seedlings from small seeds had the highest flea beetle damage, poorest establishment, and lowest shoot weight, biomass and yield, says the report.

Seedlings from large seeds are more vigorous and tolerant to flea beetle damage than seedlings from medium or small seeds. This is due to a higher initial shoot biomass and higher growth rate.

Getting rapeseed off to a vigorous start is especially important in the absence of neonicotinoids, to get the crop growing away from flea beetle damage.

At the Cereals Event this year Anglia Grain Services had a display of smaller seeded plants growing next to larger seeded ones, and the difference was really noticeable, says Mr Sutton.

You could see the difference in rooting, and both the cotyledons and first leaves were markedly bigger.

One advantage of using conventional varieties rather than hybrids is that it is relatively cheap and easy to increase the seed rate to account for local weather and pest conditions.

This means you can react to changing circumstances by increasing the seed rate as required.

When farm saving seed, it is vital to get it properly dressed to obtain bold seeds with no admixture, he warns.

Its also worthwhile choosing varieties that naturally have larger seeds through their superior genetics. Broadway and Elevation, both new to the Recommended List this year, were specifically bred for large pods, seed content and seed size.

Elevation in particular has very bold seed, and to date it has topped the yield chart in both 2017 and 2018 official trials.

This year was very challenging for establishing and nurturing crops through the damp spring and dry summer, says Mr Sutton. To achieve this level of consistency is very impressive.

As well as offering good energy stores for germination, bolder seed also boost the resulting yield at harvest.

Plants with larger pods, bolder seeds and more seeds per pod have a natural advantage when it comes to yield. Every 1g extra in thousand seed weight at harvest gives you an extra 15-20% yield for the same seed number.
Farmers and the public have been told to "expect the unexpected" when driving on rural roads following several "dramatic scenes" in North Yorkshire.

A tractor had to swerve to avoid a car, causing equipment it was carrying to fall off into the road, blocking it in both directions, at about 4.10pm, near Wykeham, on the A169.

Police arrived within minutes, and managed traffic in the area to keep everyone safe.

The tractor driver arranged for a forklift to attend and clear the implement, and the road was clear by 4.45pm. No one was injured.

And that wasnt the only disruption motorists encountered on the A169 that day.

Earlier, at about 11am, a clutch of chickens were wandering round the road near Pickering. Officers attended and helped members of the public round them up.

'Safely and patiently'

Vast swathes of North Yorkshires 6,000-mile road network are rural, and police are reminding motorists of the importance of driving safely and patiently on our country roads.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: From poultry to ploughs, these incidents just go to show the unexpected hazards that drivers on North Yorkshires rural roads can encounter. Were grateful for everyones patience while we sorted things out.

Remember to read the road ahead, and expect the unexpected, so that everyone gets home safe.

The warning follows news of several prominent accidents involving farm machinery and the public on rural roads.

In November last year, emergency services attended a crash between a car and a tractor in Bedfordshire. A man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the second person was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.

And in February this year, a young man died and a teenager was left fighting for her life after a tractor collided into a car in Cornwall.

Road tips

 The best drivers read the road ahead and anticipate potential hazards. Look out for upcoming bends, hidden dips, blind summits and concealed entrances.

 Country roads often have sharp bends. To stay in control and give yourself time to react to unexpected hazards, brake before the bend, not in it.

 Overgrown verges, bushes and trees on country roads can block your view and potentially obscure an oncoming hazard. Always drive at a speed which will allow you to stop in the distance you can see to be clear (double that on a single track road). Allow more time to stop on wet or slippy surfaces.

 The speed limit is a limit not a target. The national speed limit on single carriage roads is 60mph, but there will be times you need to drive under that in order to drive correctly for the conditions. In fact most people do on these roads  the average free flow speed is 48mph.

 If you get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle be patient. Dips in roads, bends and other junctions joining your road often hide oncoming vehicles, so unless it's absolutely safe, don't overtake.

 If passing more vulnerable road users such as horse riders, cyclists and walkers, pass wide and slow.

 Even if youre familiar with a country road, never take it for granted as the conditions can be different every time.
The prospect of the UK leaving the EU next March with no trade deal in place is "worrying and would have serious implications" for the UKs beef and sheep sectors.

Livestock representatives from the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), NFU Scotland and NFU Cymru say a no-deal Brexit will leave the sector "vulnerable".

The comments by the farming unions were made following a recent meeting in Belfast.

Discussions focused on the possibility of a no-deal Brexit outcome and the UKs future agricultural policy.

UFU beef and lamb chairman, Sam Chesney said free and frictionless access to export markets in the EU is "vital" to the survival of the livestock sector.

A no deal outcome is very risky  we would face up to 60 per cent tariffs on exports and could result in unfair competition in the UK market from lower standard meat imported from outside of Europe. It would put the livestock sector in serious jeopardy, Mr Chesney said.

'Critical to rural economy'

Wyn Evans, an upland farmer from Mid Wales and Chairman of the NFU Cymru Livestock Board, has labelled sheep production "critical" to the rural economy of Wales. He said it also brings environmental benefits

The Government in its future trade talks with the EU must ensure that we have measures in place that continue to allow tariff free and unfettered access to export markets in Europe," Mr Evans said.

This is vital to maintaining the already tight margins in this sector."

Mr Evans said the whole of the rural economy would be affected and the knock on effect lower production levels would have on the landscape and the environment.

He said a "critical level" of supply of high quality PGI status Welsh lambs is "essential" to keep a viable processing sector in Wales.

Thousands of farmers

The UK currently exports more than 380 million worth of lamb and sheepmeat, with the vast majority being exported to European markets.

Farmers worry that any imposition of barriers to trade as a result of Brexit will impact thousands of sheep and cattle farming businesses across the UK.

NFU Scotland Livestock Committee Vice Chairman, Jimmy Ireland said a no deal Brexit could have "unthinkable consequences" on Scottish farms and crofts.

He has also called for the UK government to secure future protection of Scottish food names, such as Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI.

These names are synonymous with quality, and farmers feel the industry must be protected from imitation, both in the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Future support for the food and farming sector must deliver on-farm profitability that ensures there is a critical mass of cattle and sheep to drive productivity across the supply chain, Mr Ireland said.

The farming unions have confirmed they will work together throughout summer and autumn in a bid to highlight the importance of avoiding a no deal Brexit as the UK enters a "critical period" in the Brexit negotiations.
Scotland "must seize the opportunity" to carry out a comprehensive review of how the nations agricultural sector is to move forward in the long-term.

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) made the comments as part of its response to the Scottish Governments Stability and Simplicity consultation - examining the post-Brexit transition phase for agriculture - which concluded last week.

SLE, membership organisation for landowners and farmers, said it welcomed the clarity that the Scottish Government is seeking to provide in the short-term.

However, it warned that the significant sectoral change needed to deliver long-term resilience should not be kicked into the long grass.

David Johnstone, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates said: Whilst we appreciate that the Stability and Simplicity consultation focuses on the short-term transitionary period, there is a clear need to seize this opportunity to open a larger review of where and how Scottish agriculture might move forward.

The Scottish Government has to be commended for seeking to provide more certainty to the sector but we have to acknowledge that other factors such as trade and access to labour will impact significantly on Scottish agriculture, as will any common frameworks either at an EU or UK level.

These issues must be considered alongside Scottish Government policies and funding mechanisms, he added.

'Fragility of Scottish agriculture'

SLE said more needs to be done to increase the "resilience" of Scottish agriculture and to increase the "clarity of messaging" around priorities for land use and land management.

It said that for too long, a sectoral approach has been taken which has resulted in farming, forestry, conservation and moorland management operating separately.

Future land use policy and funding frameworks have been urged by the SLE to "help break down the silos rather than reinforce them".

The organisation added that it was concerned that the pace of change in other regions of the UK may disadvantage Scotland in terms of discussions on common frameworks, budgets and trade deals.

Mr Johnstone continued: The fragility of Scottish agriculture is not solely down to Brexit, and this must be recognised.

There are issues which will have to be addressed which are not directly associated with the Brexit transition  such as supply chain issues, demographics of those involved in the sector, infrastructure, addressing the challenges in delivering a thriving tenanted sector and the lack of viability of some farming models or enterprises, he said.

These thorny issues must be tackled during the transition phase. Change is inevitable and the impact of any change on the sector or parts of the sector  such as smaller units on marginal land  must be fully recognised and addressed without delay.

If we look at what is being considered in other parts of the UK, Wales is looking to a more radical approach to supporting the sector  moving from direct support at holding level to more sectoral/collaborative economic resilience schemes. We believe that this is something that the Scottish Government should explore during the transition phase.

Mr Johnstone added: We need to move the debate away from individual winners and losers at a holding level to an approach which delivers the desired outcomes in the most effective way.
Mid-season harvest reports from around Scotland suggest a mixed bag for Scottish cereal growers.

The hot, dry weather during June and July saw the start of harvest for winter barley advance by almost a fortnight with yields and quality average or above and drying costs minimal.

A similar story is emerging on winter oilseed rape. Wheat and spring barley harvests are now getting started although showery weather across the country is slowing progress.

As predicted, the severe shortage of rain during the summer has had a significant impact on straw.

With straw likely to be in short supply, NFU Scotland has welcomed reports of choppers being turned off and significant volumes on winter barley and rape straw being baled.

However, early reports on spring barley harvested to date confirm that both volumes of straw and straw length are short.

'How Do You Plan'

As part of the #NFUSHowDoYouPlan 12-week campaign on feed and fodder, those needing straw this winter are being urged to plan ahead, collaborate with neighbours and suppliers on straw and feed supplies and, if necessary, look at alternatives.

NFU Scotlands Combinable Crops Committee Chairman Ian Sands, who farms at Balbeggie in Perthshire said: Although rain has stopped play for the next couple of days, it is great to see harvest progressing around the country.

In my area, winter barley and most oilseed rape is all cut with average yields matching what I was expecting. We cut some spring barley last week which was better than expected, the quality was good, nitrogen levels high and yields of straw poor.

Mr Sands added: A lot of spring barley in these parts is not ready to be cut yet. We also cut wheat last week. On light land, yields were disappointing but in heavy land, yields were quite good. However, straw yields were well below the norm."

NFU Scotlands annualArable Crops Survey has begun for 2018. Member information helps produce an independent estimate of crop production and increase accuracy of figures produced by the Scottish Government, Defra and the European Commission.
A teenager hiking up a Northern Irish mountain has been injured after he was hit by a falling sheep.

The boy was walking with a group on Slieve Bearnagh, a mountain in County Down, on Friday (17 August) when the sheep jumped off an adjacent crag, landing on the boy.

Mourne Mountain Rescue Team received a request for assistance from the injured walker at 4:29pm. The team responded and located the boy on steep terrain.

The boy was assessed and treated for a range of potential injuries including head, neck, back, abdominal and leg injuries.

"When packaged, the casualty was evacuated by stretcher to track access and a team vehicle," the team said.

"After a short transfer to road access, the casualty was handed over to NIAS for further treatment and the onward journey to Hospital. 17 members responded and stood down at 20:00hrs."

It is believed the sheep left the incident uninjured.

Slieve Bearnagh, meaning 'gapped mountain', is one of the Mourne Mountains in County Down. It has a height of 739 metres (2,425 ft).
The first consignment of UK beef has now cleared customs in the Philippines and has the potential to become a major trade opportunity for the local beef industry.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced that the first consignment of Northern Irish beef is now on sale in the Philippines.

The Filipino authorities announced in August 2017 that beef exports from the UK to the Philippines could recommence, alongside existing exports of pork, chicken and lamb.

Welcoming the progress,Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Perpetua McNamee said: "We have been working in partnership with Defra and industry to identify new markets and opportunities for our local meat sector.

This process began in 2015 and it is welcoming to note that the Filipino people will now have the opportunity to sample the fine quality beef produced by our farmers.

Dr McNamee also welcomed the announcement that the pork industry in NI will now have access to the Taiwanese market after authorities agreed to accept pork imports from the UK for the first time.

She added: 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.

Gaining access to the Philippines and Taiwanese markets is further recognition of the rigorous standards we have in place to produce our high-quality, safe and wholesome meat. We in DAERA will continue to invest much time and energy into opening new markets across the globe to expand the agri-food industry in NI.

Defra forecasts that additional trade to these new markets may be worth 34 million and 50 million to the UK beef and pork industries respectively over the next 5 years.
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Here's What He Told

"Today I am sitting alone in my office after the plugs being pulled off from my film Heroine... My conscience stands clear as I have been honest to my craft irrespective of the repercussions.''

Heroine Was My Most Ambitious Project

''No which way would I have trampled my dream project on which I have given my sweat and blood for almost 1 1/2 years.... ''

''This was going to be the most ambitious project of my career... My inherent belief is that motherhood is pious and I am humbled by it. I must also add that I salute every woman who chooses to work in this extremely delicate state.''

I Am A Man Who Is Surrounded By Women

''To put things in perspective, I am a man who is surrounded by women in my family. My wife, my sister, my mother and my daughter.... These are the people that make my life!''

Heroine Is Not A Normal Film

"This is no normal film which can be shot in couple of locations with handful of actors... Heroine is a film that entails a huge canvas of around 40 locations in which heavy duty scenes involving massive crowds are to be shot.''

There is Adult Content And...

''Scenes of the actress being mobbed by the crowds... adult content... the regular song and dance sequences.... heavy duty scenes involving hardcore physical exertion...''

Scenes Which Can Take A Massive Toll

''There are scenes with high emotional content which can take a massive toll on any normal human psyche... One of the days amongst the only 8-day shoot.''

When I Know The Condition Of Aishwarya Rai...

"One of my associate directors while rehearsing for the actress tripped and had a bad fall injuring himself... The terrain we were shooting was rocky.''

''Today, when I know the condition of my then lead actress (Ash) and I shudder at the thought what if instead of my associate she would be the one to be injured; I would have suffered a major guilt throughout my life if anything were to happen to her on my guard and direction.''

Aishwarya Was Required To Smoke

"The lead actress was required to smoke on screen....but even if she chose not to smoke for the camera.''

Things Harmful For A Pregnant Woman

''There are other actors smoking in the same frame entailing to passive smoking which would prove detrimental to a pregnant woman's health.''

Aishwarya Hid The Truth From Us

"The entire event would not have taken place if on the onset the actress would have informed the state of her health an impending maternity.... The truth was hidden from us.''

We Came To Know About Her Pregnancy From News Channels

''We learnt about the entire thing from news channels like the rest of the world that the said actress was 4-month pregnant and she was due on November...''

Film Making Functions On Total Trust

''Film making in Mumbai is not a mere business but the industry is one big fraternity which functions on total faith and trust.''

The Film Was Announced In Cannes

''The film was announced in Cannes on 13th May while we commenced shooting on 7th June.... There was a gap of 24 days even if we had known the truth behind the maternal state of the actress.''

We Can't Show Aishwarya's 7 Months Pregnancy On Screen

''Things could have been reworked keeping the state of matters in mind accordingly and this crisis could have been averted.''

''The entire crisis would have taken a humungous shape had the truth not being unveiled when it was.... With 65 days of shooting remaining.... It would make the concerned actress 6-7 months pregnant.''

I Was In A State Of Shock & Depression Because Of Aishwarya Rai

''Cinema is a visual medium and keeping in mind the physical state of the actress the total interpretation of the character of a diva and the story would land up in major jeopardy post 65 days of her pregnancy...''

''This decision of pulling the plug had a devastating effect on me ... It was like an avalanche collapsing on me... I was in a state of total shock and depression... I have been working on the script for almost a year and a half....''

I Could Not Come To The Office Because Of This

''I could not come to the office for almost 8 days for the fear of facing those people whose bread and butter depended upon the film... because in true sense these people were the worst affected by the turn of events...''
Kareena Kapoor Khan is a doting mother to Taimur Ali Khan. In a recent interaction with Elle magazine, the actress talked about her little munchkin, balancing her life and her passion for acting. She said, "Becoming an actor had nothing to do with my family. It was my passion. Contributing to the Kapoor legacy was important, but it was never expected that I had to do it. I wanted to do it.''

Kareena further added, "And my son, who knows whether he is going to be an actor or a sportsman? He might even want to be a chef. Whatever it is, Saif [Ali Khan; husband] and I are going to encourage him, because no child can flourish without support."

The actress also gave an advice to working women, "I'm a working mother, and I've always been a working wife. I hope women understand the importance of finding the right balance-dividing your time between family, work and friends. I hope women take inspiration from what I'm trying to do."

When asked about her future plans, Bebo said, "I hope to become a better actor and continue to be a good wife. But above all, I hope that years from now, I can look back and say that I've been a very decent mum."

When asked about what change she'd like to bring in to the society, she said, "I want to encourage parents to not put too much pressure on their children. It doesn't always have to be a case where they need to score 98 per cent and get a PhD. I want my child to be a good person, with strong values - and to be true to himself. That's most important."

On the work front, Kareena Kapoor will soon start shooting for Karan Johar's Takht. The movie will revolve around the story of the war between Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb for the Mughal empire.

Also Read: Inside Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas' Engagement Party: DJ Khushi Spills The Beans!
Ali Abbas Zafar Congratulated Priyanka & Nick

"Obviously, there are a lot of special things happening in her life professionally and personally. We wanted to wish her from team Bharat and there was nothing more and nothing less," he said to TOI.

All's Well Between Ali Abbas Zafar & Priyanka Chopra

"She is a dear friend, so I can't feel hurt or angry with her. Priyanka also came with very valid reasons and I couldn't say no to them. Acting and directing is our profession. Whatever is beyond that is our personal life."

The Director Further Commented

"Somebody who is part of the fraternity needs to value your professional as well as your personal life. We can't be insensitive and I am not that kind of a person. I understood her point and where she was coming from."

On The Work Front

The crew of Bharat is currently shooting in the tiny island of Malta and Salman Khan has been sharing a few pictures from the sets on his Twitter handle.
Namaste England director Vipul Shah has been diagnosed with dengue and typhoid, and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mumbai. He was admitted a few days ago and is now out of danger as the film-maker is recovering well from the illness and his wife Shefali Shah confirmed that he'll be discharged by tomorrow afternoon. She said to IANS, "He was diagnosed with dengue and typhoid. He will be discharged by tomorrow. All is well now."

After Divorce With Malaika Arora, Arbaaz Khan To Marry His Girlfriend Giorgia Andriani?

When the media pressed Shefali Shah for more information about Vipul's health condition, she refused to give out any further details. Vipul Shah had been travelling from India to the UK and vice versa for the shoot of his movie Namaste England, which stars Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra.

Namaste England has reportedly completed its shoot and is now in the post-production process. The movie's posters were out, which were quite interesting as well. Namaste England is the sequel to the hit 2007 film Namastey London, starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles. Though Namaste England is a sequel, the story is not connected to its previous part.

The movie has been shot in various locations including Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Paris, Brussels and London. Namaste England, directed and co-produced by Vipul Shah, is all set to hit the theatres on October 19, 2018.

The Climax Of Superstar Rajikinath Starrer Robo 2.0 Revealed! AR Rahman Spills The Beans
Anoop Chandran

Anoop Chandran's brother from Cherthala conveyed that their place hasn't been affected much. Regarding their house, he informed that everything was fine, since they have long paddy fields. It was also informed that the family members as well as the cows in the farms were fine.

Archana Suseelan

It was Archana's sister, hailing from Trivandrum, who talked to her. She informed that there was flooding in some of the nearby regions; but it hasn't affected their house much. She also informed that there is a bit of problem in travelling and they are helping the affected ones in the best possible ways.

Aristo Suresh

It was Aristo Suresh's nephew who talked to him. He informed that there is nothing to worry and all the family members are safe. He also added that Suresh's pet cats were also pretty fine.

Basheer Bashi

Basheer Bashi's wife spoke to him and asked him not to be tensed by any means and added that everyone was safe, despite the rains that have been doing the rounds.

Pearly Maaney

Pearle Maaney was informed by her mother that everyone is fine and they have relocated to one of their relative's house for the time being. She also conveyed that they were just having a small get-together and they were indeed missing her.

Ranjini Haridas

Ranjini Haridas's mother, who is in Ernakulam, conveyed that there aren't a lot of problems in their region and everyone at home, including her grandmother and uncle are fine.

Sabu

Sabu's wife, who is in Bangalore, conveyed to him that she had spoken to the family members in Kayamkulam and it was informed that everything is fine at their home. She added that some of the roads in Kayamkulam have been flooded, but it hasn't affected their area much.

Hima Sankar

It was Hima Sankar's brother who conveyed the message to her. He informed that there is nothing to be tensed about and everyone in their house is pretty safe.
Kerala is slowly recovering from the disastrous impact that the heavy rains have caused. Many of the celebrities were affected by the landslides and the floods that occurred. Popular actor Salim Kumar was stranded in his house and was later rescued by a group of fishermen.

Now, popular actor Jayaram has shared his experience with the media about the recent natural calamity. The actor, who came LIVE on Facebook, informed that he was trapped near the Kuthiran area, where heavy landslide had occurred.

Jayaram mentioned that his family members and he were travelling from Chennai to Cochin; and while they reached Kuthiran area, heavy landslide had occurred and they were just 20 vehicles behind the area where the actual incident had occurred. He mentioned that he was trapped in the block for close to 13 hours and later, they were rescued by the Kerala Police. He added that his family and he were in the police quarters since the past 3 days. The actor thanked the Kerala Police, Chief Minister, Opposition Leader for the assistance and also for all the help that they have been rendering in rescuing and supporting all the people who are affected.

The actor also mentioned that his family and he have visited some of the camps and have been distributing the necessary items and the procedure will continue to go on in the days to come as well.
He Threatened To Harm Himself

The unnamed fan of Saumya Tandon's came all the way from Bhopal to meet her. He landed at her residence in Mumbai directly and asked the actress to have a heart-to-heart conversation with him. Saumya says she was taken aback when he said he would harm himself!

He Was Waiting For Her While He Starved

Talking about the scary incident, Saumya told TOI, "This guy threatened the guard and my husband that he wouldn't leave until I came down to meet him. He said that he had come from Bhopal and hadn't eaten anything since morning."

Saumya Offered Him Food

"He reached my building at 6 pm, and the guards told me about him after I returned home around 8 pm. I was apprehensive about meeting him alone, so I waited for my husband to return and talk to him first. I came down after some time to give him food and requested him to leave."

This Was An Extreme Case

"I often get calls from fans, and I have no clue how they get my number. But this time around, it became a bit serious when the person landed below my building", she further added.

She Appreciates The Fans' Support

Talking about the kind of love she receives from her fans, Saumya said, "It's humbling to see that people care so much about my work, but at the same time, it's a bit scary. However, it becomes my responsibility also to not hurt anyone's sentiments without compromising my privacy."
Ahead of a general election scheduled for Aril 2019, Indonesias economy under President Joko Widodo continues to have a positive, though more measured, outlook according to a World Bank report in June.

Reforms introduced by Widodos economic team headed by award-winning Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati have helped reduced the countrys debt by 50% over the last five years, while Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves have hit $120 billion, according to the the central bank.

But one critical element that has been a thorn in the governments side remains, despite the best efforts of the government getting deals approved by both central and local governments...
Results of RE-DUAL PCI and GLORIA-AF have led to updates of the EU Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for Pradaxa

Nine sub-analyses from RE-DUAL PCI and GLORIA-AF accepted for presentation at ESC Congress 2018

Data from both studies have led to positive update of the SmPC for Pradaxa in the EU

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced that it will present nine sub-analyses from the RE-DUAL PCITM trialand GLORIATM-AF Registry Program at the upcoming ESC Congress 2018, organised by the European Society of Cardiology, taking place in Munich, Germany on the 25-29 August 2018. The primary data from these studies have contributed to a positive label update for dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa) in the European Union (EU).

The primary RE-DUAL PCITM trial investigated anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and stent placement. Data showed significantly lower rates of major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding events for dual therapy with dabigatran etexilate when compared to triple therapy with warfarin without compromise on efficacy.1,2

GLORIATM-AF is a large, prospective, observational study program run in over 40 countries worldwide. The primary analysis of nearly 5000 AF patients treated with dabigatran etexilate showed that the rates of stroke, major bleeding and life-threatening bleeding were low, confirming the sustained safety and effectiveness of dabigatran etexilate over two years of follow-up in clinical practice.3 These data are consistent with the long-term safety profile observed in other real-world evidence studies, as well as in randomised clinical trials.3

Both studies have helped to further confirm the safety profile of dabigatran etexilate in high risk patient populations, as well as in a real-world setting. In recognition of this, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recently authorised the inclusion of data from both studies within the SmPC for dabigatran etexilate in the EU.4

"Insights from the RE-DUAL PCITM and GLORIATM-AF study data have helped to further inform the positive safety profile of dabigatran etexilate for the treatment of AF patients", said Waheed Jamal, MD, Corporate Vice President Head of Cardiometabolic Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim. "We are pleased to see that the value these studies bring is also acknowledged by the EMA and the medical community. This is reflected by the updates to the EU SmPC and the number of abstracts accepted for presentation at ESC Congress 2018."

Details of the data presented at ESC Congress 2018 are as follows:

Abstract Title Details

(Venue: Messe Munchen GmbH, Munich) RE-DUAL PCITM High body mass index and outcomes of dual antithrombotic therapy with dabigatran and a P2Y12 inhibitor in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing PCI: Results from RE-DUAL PCITM SPAF-A346 (1160.186)

15:50 16:40, 26 Aug 2018, Moderated Poster station- Poster Area The effect of age on the efficacy and safety of dabigatran dual therapy in atrial fibrillation after PCI: a subgroup analysis from the RE-DUAL PCITM SPAF-A360 (1160.186)

15:50 16:40, 26 Aug 2018, Moderated Poster station- Poster Area The effect of PCI complexity on the efficacy and safety of dabigatran dual therapy vs warfarin triple therapy in atrial fibrillation: a subgroup analysis from the RE-DUAL PCITM trial SPAF-A356 (1160.186)

10:05 10:55, 27 Aug 2018, Moderated Poster station- Poster Area Dual antithrombotic therapy with dabigatran vs triple therapy with warfarin after PCI in patients with atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus (a RE-DUAL PCITM subgroup analysis) SPAF-A358 (1160.186)

8:30 12:30, 28 Aug 2018, Best Posters screen Poster Area GLORIATM-AF Two-year outcomes of dabigatran etexilate treatment in patients with co-morbid heart failure and atrial fibrillation: the GLORIATM-AF registry SPAF-A343 (1160.129/136/171)

14:00 18:00, 26 Aug 2018, Posters- Poster Area Two-year outcomes of dabigatran etexilate in patients with atrial fibrillation with and without a history of coronary artery disease: Data from GLORIATM-AF SPAF-A354 (1160.129/136/171)

14:00 18:00, 26 Aug 2018, Posters- Poster Area When are Atrial Fibrillation Patients at Risk to Discontinue Anticoagulation Treatment? Results from the GLORIATM-AF Registry SPAF-A349 (1160.129/136/171)

14:00 18:00, 27 Aug 2018, Posters- Poster Area A prospective global registry on oral antithrombotic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation: GLORIATM-AF Phase III baseline characteristics; (1160.129/136/171) SPAF-A347 (1160.129/136/171)

08:30 12:30, 27 Aug 2018, Posters- Poster Area Geographic region, stroke risk and renal function strongly affect treatment choice for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular AF: results from the GLORIATM-AF registry program SPAF-A353 (1160.129/136/171)

10:05 10:55, 28 Aug 2018, Moderated Poster station- Poster Area Others Evaluation of VTE-BLEED for predicting intracranial or fatal bleedings in stable anticoagulated patients with venous thromboembolism VTE-A72 (Study TBC)

12:35, 25 Aug 2018, Moderated Poster station- Poster Area Safety and Effectiveness of Dabigatran Relative to Warfarin in Routine Care Final results from a long-term monitoring program; (1160.207) SPAF-A357 (1160.207)

12:35 13:25, 25 Aug 2018, Moderated Poster station Poster Area Trauma victims requiring dabigatran reversal with idarucizumab in RE-VERSE AD SPAF-A356 (1160.186)

08:30 12:30, 27 Aug 2018, Posters- Poster Area Making sense of real-world evidence: addressing the uncertainties surrounding anticoagulation for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation MAPOR-A42

TBC

More information on the Boehringer Ingelheim data due to be presented or published at the ESC Congress 2018 can be found here.

Intended audiences:

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. It is directed to the international audience outside Germany. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.

For references and notes to editors, please visit: https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/new-data-at-ESC-supports-Pradaxa-safety-profile

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005042/en/

Contacts:

Boehringer Ingelheim

Corporate Communications

Media + PR

Meike Bausinger

Phone: +49 6132 77 182085

Mobile: +49 151 44061760

Fax: +49 6132 77 6601

Email: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Dow Jones received a payment from EQS/DGAP to publish this press release.

MAGNIT PJSC (MGNT) MAGNIT PJSC: Correction of the Previously Published Press Release Announcing the Holding of the BOD Meeting (Headline Added) 20-Aug-2018 / 13:06 MSK Dissemination of a Regulatory Announcement, transmitted by EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Press Release | Krasnodar | August 20, 2018 Correction of the Previously Published Press Release Announcing the Holding of the BOD Meeting The headline of the press release announcing the holding of the BOD meeting published on 20 August at 9:06 should be "PJSC "Magnit" Announces the Holding of the BOD Meeting". The content of the press release remains unchanged. PJSC "Magnit" Announces the Holding of the BOD Meeting ****************************************************** Krasnodar, Russia (20 August, 2018): Magnit PJSC (MOEX and LSE: MGNT), one of Russia's leading retailers announces the holding of the Board of Directors meeting. On August 20, 2018, the Chairman of the Board of Directors made the decision to hold the BOD meeting of PJSC "Magnit" on August 21, 2018 with the following agenda: 1) Election of the Secretary of the Board of Directors of PJSC "Magnit". 2) Approval of the PJSC "Magnit" buyback programme to exercise the Long-Term Incentive Programme of PJSC "Magnit" Group of Companies. For further information, please contact: Dina Svishcheva Media Inquiries Investor Relations Media Relations Department Email: Chistyak@magnit.ru Email: press@magnit.ru Office: +7-861-277-4554 x 15101 Note to editors: Public Joint Stock Company "Magnit" is one of Russia's leading retailers. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. As of June 30, 2018, Magnit operated 37 distribution centers and 16,960 stores (12,503 convenience, 244 hypermarkets, 213 supermarkets and 4,000 drogerie stores) in 2,808 cities and towns throughout 7 federal regions of the Russian Federation. In accordance with the reviewed IFRS consolidated financial statements for 1H 2018, Magnit had revenues of RUB 595 billion and an EBITDA of RUB 44 billion. Magnit's local shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange (MOEX: MGNT) and its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MGNT) and it has a credit rating from Standard & Poor's of BB. ISIN: US55953Q2021 Category Code: MSCU TIDM: MGNT LEI Code: 2534009KKPTVL99W2Y12 OAM Categories: 3.1. Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of a Member State Sequence No.: 5898 EQS News ID: 715577 End of Announcement EQS News Service

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 20, 2018 06:06 ET (10:06 GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The global plant phenotyping equipment market size is estimated to reach USD 276.86 million by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 10.51% over the forecast period. Global population is projected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, thus posing the challenge of adequate crop production to meet rising food needs. This, in turn, is expected to open up potential opportunities for crop improvement and plant science. However, adequate crop production would be challenging, particularly since crop production has been rising by approximately 1.3% per year on an average. This is not sufficient to meet the pace of population growth. Plant phenotyping is emerging as an effective means to overcome this challenge. Thus, the plant phenotyping equipment market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg )

Plants have different optical properties; healthy plants transmit, emit, reflect, absorb, and fluoresce with electromagnetic radiation in a different manner as compared to infected plants. Imaging techniques assist in detecting these properties, particularly those invisible to naked eye. Imaging methodologies, such as imaging spectroscopy, infrared imaging, fluorescence imaging, and visible light imaging among others, are increasingly being used to aggregate multi-level phenotype data. This data ranges from macroscopic to molecular scale for a duration of a few seconds to a few weeks.

Spectroscopy imaging helps measure interaction of solar radiation with plants and is one of the promising methodologies used for plant phenotyping. This methodology is suitable for field phenotyping when used with aerial platforms. However, cost of spectral cameras is comparatively higher. Infrared imaging technologies aid in screening objects of internal molecular movements which release infrared radiation and offer precise measurement and spatial resolution under altering environmental conditions.

Fluorescence imaging is used in many areas of plant physiology. It provides diagnostic tools to resolve heterogeneity issue of leaf photosynthetic performance. Its applications are limited to a single leaf or seedling levels of a model crop. Visible light imaging is easy to use and cost-effective. This imaging system offers 2D images using a wavelength perception similar to the human eye. The images can be used to monitor changes in a plant's biomass and to study numerous phenotypic characteristics.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Plant Phenotyping Equipment Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Equipment, By End Use (Greenhouse, Field, Laboratory), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/plant-phenotyping-equipment-market

Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest:

Rapidly increasing population across the world has boosted demand for agricultural goods

Advancements in imaging techniques are facilitating a better assessment of plant characteristics, thereby helping in development of better plant breeds

North America plant phenotyping equipment market is expected to witness significant growth owing to increasing research activities

plant phenotyping equipment market is expected to witness significant growth owing to increasing research activities Key market participants include Keygene; Heinz Walz GmbH; LemnaTec GmbH; Photon Systems Instruments; spol. s.r.o.; and Qubit Systems Inc.

Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) Market - The global atmospheric water generator (AWG) market size was USD 918.9 Million in 2015 and is expected to witness growth at a CAGR of 20.1% over the forecast period.



- The global atmospheric water generator (AWG) market size was in 2015 and is expected to witness growth at a CAGR of 20.1% over the forecast period. Fingerprint Access Control Systems Market - The global fingerprint access control market size was estimated at USD 2.84 billion in 2015.



The global fingerprint access control market size was estimated at in 2015. Endpoint Security Market - The endpoint security market size was USD 10.12 billion in 2015. The emerging concept of BYOD across organizations is expected to drive the market over the forecast period.



The endpoint security market size was in 2015. The emerging concept of BYOD across organizations is expected to drive the market over the forecast period. Wireless Charging Market - The global wireless charging market size was valued at USD 1.87 billion in 2014.

Grand View Research has segmented the global plant phenotyping equipment market on the basis of equipment, end use, application, and region:

Plant Phenotyping Equipment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025) Hardware Sensor modules Ultrasonic Distance Sensors NDVI Sensors RGB Web Cameras Portable Spectrometers Temperature Sensors Humidity Sensors Imaging devices Infrared Imaging Fluorescence Imaging Structural Tomography Position Emission Tomography (PET) Hyperspectral imaging Others (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Forster Resonance Energy Transfer, NIR Imaging) Automated System Bench-based Conveyor based Drones LED Lightings Portable Devices Software

Plant Phenotyping Equipment End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025) Greenhouse Field Laboratory

Plant Phenotyping Equipment Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025) Plant Research Breeding Product Development Quality Assessment

Plant Phenotyping Equipment Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K. Germany France Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Middle East & Africa South America Brazil



Explore the BI enabled intuitive market research database,The Grand Library, by Grand View Research, Inc.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

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ACORN INCOME FUND LIMITED

(the "Company")

(a closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 34778)

LEI 213800UAZN7G46AHQM67

Annual General Meeting Statement

20 August 2018

Further to the Annual General Meeting Notice dated 24 April 2018 (the "Notice") and sent to members of the Company on 25 April 2018; the Annual General Meeting was held today and members voted in favour of Resolutions 1 to 11.

Details of the voting results, which should be read alongside the Notice sent to members, are noted below.

Note -A vote withheld is not a vote in law and has not been counted in the votes for and against a resolution.

The Special Resolutions were as follows:

Special Resolution 7

1. THAT, the Directors of the Company be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised in accordance with the Articles to issue new Ordinary Shares in the Company PROVIDED THAT:



(i) such powers shall be limited to issue up to 1,591,668 new Ordinary Shares (approximately 10% of the issued Ordinary Shares, excluding treasury shares, as at the date of this Notice); and



(ii) the authority hereby conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2019 unless such authority is renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting (save that the Company may, at any time before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require Ordinary Shares to be issued after such expiry and the Directors may issue Ordinary Shares after such expiry in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired).

2. Special Resolution 8



THAT, subject to and conditional upon the passing of the proposed resolution of the Class Meeting of ZDP Members convened for 20 August 2018 at 11.00 am, the Directors of the Company be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised in accordance with the Articles to issue new ZDP Shares in the Company PROVIDED THAT:



(i) such powers shall be limited to issue up to 2,136,522 new ZDP Shares (approximately 10% of the issued ZDP Shares, excluding treasury shares, as at the date of this Notice) in circumstances where the Cover Test is met or Cover is maintained or is otherwise increased, in each case, immediately following such issue; and



(ii) the authority hereby conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2019 unless such authority is renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting (save that the Company may, at any time before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require ZDP Shares to be issued after such expiry and the Directors may issue ZDP Shares after such expiry in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired).

Special Business to be proposed as Special Resolutions:



Special Resolution 9

3. THAT the Directors be and are hereby empowered (pursuant to Resolution 7 or otherwise) to issue and sell from treasury up to 2,867,640 Ordinary Shares for cash otherwise than pro rata to existing Ordinary Members at:



(i) a price equal to or greater than the prevailing Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share; or



(ii) a discount to the prevailing Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share in circumstances where ZDP Shares are issued at the same time at a premium to Net Asset Value such that the combined effect of the issue or sale of Ordinary Shares at a discount to the prevailing Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share and the issue of ZDP Shares at a premium to Net Asset Value is that (i) Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share is thereby increased; and (ii) gearing is not thereby increased,



PROVIDED THAT the authority hereby conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2019 unless such authority is renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting (save that the Company may at any time before such expiry make an offer or agreement which might require Ordinary Shares to be issued or sold after such expiry and the Directors may issue or sell Ordinary Shares after such expiry in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired).

4. Special Resolution 10



THAT, the Company be generally and, subject as hereinafter appears, unconditionally authorised in accordance with section 315 of the Companies Law to make market acquisitions (within the meaning of section 316 of the Companies Law) of its issued Ordinary Shares, PROVIDED THAT:



(i) the maximum aggregate number of Ordinary Shares hereby authorised to be purchased shall be 2,385,911 Ordinary Shares;



(ii) the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) payable by the Company for each Ordinary Share shall be 0.01;



(iii) the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) payable by the Company for each Ordinary Share shall be the higher of (a) an amount equal to 105% of the average value of an Ordinary Share for the five business days prior to the day the purchase is made and (b) the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest independent bid at the time of the purchase for any number of Ordinary Shares on the trading venue where the trade is carried out;



(iv) the authority hereby conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2019 unless such authority is varied, revoked or renewed prior to such time; and



(v) the Company may make a contract to purchase Ordinary Shares under the authority hereby conferred prior to the expiry of such authority which will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiration of such authority and may make an acquisition of Ordinary Shares pursuant to any such contract.
20 August 2018



AfriAg Global Plc

("AfriAg Global" or the "Company")

Notice of General Meeting

Medical Cannabis to be added to the Company's investment strategy

AfriAg Global Plc (NEX: AFRI) announces that notice has been posted to shareholders convening a General Meeting of the Company to be held at 12.30pm on 12 September 2018 at the offices of Hill Dickinson LLP, 105 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6EE.

Further to the announcement by the Company on 25 June 2018, a General Meeting is being convened to seek shareholder approval for the expansion of the Company's investment strategy to include medicinal cannabis.

David Lenigas, AfriAg Global's Executive Chairman, commented;

"The Company will be seeking shareholder approval to expand its existing investment strategy to also include investments in companies, projects or products that are progressing research in and development of medicinal cannabis and its derivatives, producing or cultivating medicinal cannabis, producing or supplying products derived from or related to cannabis (including, but not limited to, hemp and cannabidiol products); and/or commercialising or marketing medicinal cannabis and its derivatives. We see tremendous opportunities in the sector."

Notice of the General Meeting has been posted to shareholders and will shortly be available at the following link: http://www.nexexchange.com/member'securityid=102247

The directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:

AfriAg Global Plc:

David Lenigas (Executive Chairman) +44 (0)20 7440 0640 Peterhouse Capital Limited

Guy Miller

Fungai Ndoro +44 (0)20 7469 0930

Below is an extract from the letter to shareholders attached to the General Meeting circular, without material change:

Dear Shareholder

ADOPTION OF BROADENED INVESTMENT STRATEGY

DISAPPLICATION OF PRE-EMPTION RIGHTS

Introduction and summary

AfriAg is an investment company focussed on the acquisition of direct and indirect interests in projects in the agriculture and logistics sectors.

At present, the Company holds a 40% interest in African agri-logistics group AfriAg SA (Pty) Ltd ("AfriAg SA"). AfriAg SA export a range of perishable goods from farming and fishing operations in southern Africa to Europe and Asia through Johannesburg and Cape Town international airports.

In addition, AfriAg SA holds a 2 year renewable contract to transport fresh produce farmed in Mozambique, to countries such as South Africa, the UK, Holland, and potential future markets including the United Arab Emirates.

AfriAg Marketing (Pty) Ltd ("AfriAg Marketing") was set up in August 2014, as a 100%-owned subsidiary of AfriAg, to focus on the export and import of perishable food products, with first orders of seafood received in September 2014.

The Company is proposing to adopt the Broadened Investment Strategy and is also seeking approval from Shareholders for disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of Ordinary Shares to be allotted and issued by the Company.

Background to and reasons for the proposed amendment to the Company's Existing Investment Strategy

The Company's Existing Investment Strategy focuses on acquisitions of direct and/or indirect interests in businesses involved in agriculture generally and the production, processing, logistics and distribution of agricultural produce.

Whilst identifying investment opportunities in accordance with its Existing Investment Strategy, the Company has discovered potential opportunities in the developing markets for medicinal cannabis and its derivatives and/or related or complementary products.

In light of this, the Company believes that it is in the best interests of Shareholders to expand its Existing Investment Strategy to also include investments in companies, projects or products that are:

progressing research in and development of medicinal cannabis and its derivatives;

producing or cultivating medicinal cannabis;

producing or supplying products derived from or related to cannabis (including, but not limited to, hemp and cannabidiol products); and/or

commercialising or marketing medicinal cannabis and its derivatives. The Company will seek investments in companies and projects in jurisdictions which have well-developed and reputable laws and regulations for the research and production of medicinal cannabis and that are signatories to the United Nation's conventions on narcotics. The Board has appointed a technical committee, comprising Masello Sello and Germina 'Mamoeti Mphoso on the date of publication of this Document (the " Technical Committee "). Masello Sello qualified as a lawyer from the National University of Lesotho and since qualification has worked within the Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs in Lesotho where she assisted with drafting and reviewing the country's laws and regulations governing cannabis including:

Lesotho's Drugs of Abuse (Cannabis) Regulations 2018; and

Lesotho's Medicines Control and Medical Devices Control Bill 2018. Masello has also worked in the Ministry of Health in Lesotho where she has gained wide experience across a number of health-related matters including the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Germina 'Mamoeti Mphoso was awarded with a Master of Technology in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa. From 2010 to 2016, Germina held the position of Head of Pharmacy Strategy and Regulation in Lesotho. She was responsible for the management of pharmaceutical operations in government and private health facilities in Lesotho and compliance with relevant procedures, rules and regulations. Since then, Germina has worked as Chairman of the Lesotho Narcotics Control Bureau. Her role involves implementing Lesotho's Drug Abuse Act 2008, licensing matters and reviewing potential clients within Lesotho's cannabis industry. As a consequence of their experiences, Masello and Germina both have an in-depth understanding of the cannabis industry and an extensive network of contacts. The Technical Committee will be responsible for reviewing potential investments and reporting to the Board on a regular basis. The Board believes that their collective experience, together with their extensive network of contacts and the Company's Technical Committee, will assist them in the identification, evaluation and funding of appropriate investment opportunities within the medicinal cannabis sector. When necessary, other external professionals will be engaged to assist in the due diligence on prospective targets and their management teams. The Directors will also consider appointing additional directors and/or advisors with relevant experience if the need arises. As part of each investment analysis, the Board will liaise with and instruct Foreign Counsel to produce a legal opinion relating to the terms and lawfulness of the structuring of the Company's proposed investment. The Board as well as the Technical Committee will review the Foreign Counsel's opinion to identify whether the investment is in line with a legal opinion to be given by UK Counsel in relation to the same matter. The Board will heed the advice provided by Foreign Counsel and UK Counsel, and where the advice given reflects any negative, regulatory risks, or otherwise advised, will decline the proposed investment. In particular, the Board will seek to ensure that there is as little risk as possible of breaching POCA 2002, MDA 1971, MDDO 2001 and MDR 2001. The Board will also seek to avoid any risk of breaching any money laundering legislation and will seek to ensure that any prospective future dividends will not contravene any laws, having particular regard to whether there may be any breach of POCA 2002. The Company's proposed Broadened Investment Strategy is set out in full at Appendix I of this Document. Certain risks to and uncertainties for the Company are specifically described in Appendix II of this Document, titled "Risk Factors". The Board's authority to disapply pre-emption rights The Company is seeking approval from Shareholders in relation to granting the Board authority to disapply pre-emption rights in relation to Ordinary Shares to be allotted and issued by the Company. General Meeting Set out at the end of this Document is the Notice of General Meeting convening the General Meeting to be held at 12.30 p.m. on 12 September 2018 at Hill Dickinson LLP, 105 Jermyn Street, St. James's, London, SW1Y 6EE, at which the Resolutions will be proposed. Resolution 1: Adoption of Broadened Investment Strategy Resolution 1, which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution, is to authorise the adoption of the Broadened Investment Strategy. Resolution 2: Disapplication of pre-emption rights Shareholders' approval is being sought for the authority of the Board to allot new ordinary shares on a non pre-emptive basis up to an aggregate nominal amount of 2,238,998.96. This authority will expire at the earlier of the next annual general meeting of the Company or fifteen months from the date of this General Meeting. This summary of the Resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting should be read in conjunction with the Resolutions set out in the Notice of General Meeting at the end of this Document. Recommendation The Board consider that the Resolutions set out in the Notice of the General Meeting are in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole and accordingly, unanimously recommend Shareholders to vote in favour of the Resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting. Action to be Taken A Form of Proxy for use at the General Meeting is enclosed with this Document. The Form of Proxy should be completed and signed in accordance with the instructions thereon and returned to Hill Dickinson LLP, 8th Floor, The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London, EC2A 2EW as soon as possible, but in any event so as to be received by no later than 12.30 p.m. on 10 September 2018. The completion and return of a Form of Proxy will not preclude Shareholders from attending the General Meeting and voting in person should they so wish. Yours faithfully David Lenigas AFRIAG GLOBAL PLC

APPENDIX I: BROADENED INVESTMENT STRATEGY Set out below is the investment strategy which would apply to the Company if shareholder approval is obtained at the General Meeting. Investment Strategy The Company's investment strategy focuses on acquisitions of direct and/or indirect interests in the agricultural and medicinal cannabis sectors. Agriculture The Board intend to seek acquisitions of direct and/or indirect interests in businesses involved in agriculture generally and the production, processing, logistics and distribution of agricultural produce. The Company will focus on opportunities in this sector in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, but will consider possible opportunities anywhere in the world. Medicinal Cannabis The Board intend to seek investments in companies, projects or products that are:

progressing medicinal cannabis research and development;

producing or cultivating medicinal cannabis;

producing or supplying products derived from or related to cannabis (including, but not limited to, hemp and cannabidiol products); and/or

commercialising or marketing medicinal cannabis and its derivatives. The Company will seek investments in companies and projects in jurisdictions which have well-developed and reputable laws and regulations for the research and production of medicinal cannabis and in jurisdictions that are signatories to the United Nation's conventions on narcotics. Types of Investments The Company is likely to be an active investor within these sectors and acquire control of certain target companies although it may also consider acquiring non-controlling shareholdings. The proposed investments to be made by the Company may be in either quoted or unquoted securities and made by direct acquisition of an interest in companies, partnerships or joint ventures, or direct interests in projects and can be at any stage of development. Accordingly, the Company's equity interest in a proposed investment may range from a minority position to 100 per cent. ownership and a controlling interest. The Directors' primary objective is to achieve the best possible value over time for Shareholders, primarily through capital growth. If the Company takes a controlling stake, the acquisition could trigger a Reverse Takeover under Rule 58 of the NEX Exchange Rules. The Board intend to acquire one or more investments in quoted or unquoted businesses or companies (in whole or in part) thereby creating a platform for further investments. There is no limit on the number of companies, projects or products that the Company may invest in with the agricultural and medicinal cannabis sectors. The Company may need to raise additional funds for these purposes and may use both debt and/or equity. The Board believes that their collective experience, together with their extensive network of contacts and the Company's Technical Committee, will assist them in the identification, evaluation and funding of appropriate investment opportunities within the medicinal cannabis sector. When necessary, other external professionals will be engaged to assist in the due diligence on prospective targets and their management teams. The Directors will also consider appointing additional directors and/or advisors with relevant experience if the need arises. It is anticipated that there may be opportunities to spin out businesses privately or by initial public offerings where Shareholders may be able to be benefit through distributions of cash and/or shares and/or rights to subscribe in listings. Given the nature of the investment strategy, the Company does not intend to make additional regular and periodic disclosures or calculations of net asset value outside of the requirements for a NEX Exchange Growth Market traded company. It is anticipated that the Company will hold investments for the medium to long term, although where opportunities exist for shorter term investments, the Company may undertake advantage of such opportunities. The Directors intend to review the investment strategy on an annual basis and, subject to their review and in the absence of unforeseen circumstances, the Directors intend to adhere to the investment strategy. Changes to the investment strategy may be prompted, inter alia, by changes in government policies or economic conditions which alter or introduce additional investment opportunities. It is the intention of the Directors to invest the Company's cash resources, as far as practicable, in accordance with the investment strategy. However, due to market and other investment considerations, it may take some time before the cash resources of the Company are fully invested. It is intended that the funds currently available to the Company will be used to meet general working capital requirements, to undertake due diligence on potential target acquisitions and to make investments in accordance with the investment guidelines described above. APPENDIX II: RISK FACTORS



1. Risks relating to the investment in target companies whose main activities include cannabis production and research and development thereof

The Company and its shareholders may be at risk of committing offences under POCA 2002

Even with the Company taking all precautions to ensure that it and the target companies in which it invests comply fully with all applicable regulations and legislation in relation to cannabis (both in the UK and in the relevant foreign jurisdiction applicable to a target company), there are no guarantees that the activities of the Company and a target company will always be deemed lawful if there are any changes in the applicable law.

The Company will take all precautions possible to ensure that it does not at any time contravene POCA 2002. Contravention of POCA 2002 carries potential criminal liability.

The Company's reputation may be damaged

Damage to the Company's reputation can be the result of the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, and could include negative publicity, whether true or not. This may arise as a consequence of investing in companies that are involved in the production and the research and development of medicinal cannabis, cannabis currently being a Class B drug within the UK.

The increased usage of social media and other web-based tools used to generate, publish and discuss user-generated content and to connect with other users has made it increasingly easier for individuals and groups to communicate and share opinions and views in regards to the Company and its activities, along with those activities of certain target companies in which the Company invests.

Reputation loss may result in decreased investor confidence, increased challenges in developing and maintaining community relations, banking relationships etc. and thereby having a material adverse impact on the financial performance, financial conditions, cash flows and growth prospects of the Company.

The Company, or the medicinal cannabis industry more generally, may receive unfavourable publicity or become subject to negative consumer perception

The Company believes that the medicinal cannabis industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the medical benefits, safety, efficacy and quality of the cannabis distributed for medical purposes to such consumers. Consumer perception of a target company's products can be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, political statements, media attention and other publicity (whether or not accurate or with merit) regarding the consumption of cannabis products for medical purposes, including unexpected safety or efficacy concerns arising with respect to the products of a target company or its competitors.

There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other research findings or publicity will be favourable to the medicinal cannabis market or any particular product, or consistent with earlier publicity. Future research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity that are perceived as less favourable than, or that question, earlier research reports, findings or publicity could have a material adverse effect on the demand for a target company's products and the business, results of operations and financial condition of a target company and therefore materially adversely affect the Company's return on investment.

Furthermore, adverse publicity reports or other media attention regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of cannabis for medical purposes in general, or a target company's products specifically, or associating the consumption of cannabis with illness or other negative effects or events, could have such a material adverse effect. Such adverse publicity reports or other media attention could arise even if the adverse effects associated with such products resulted from consumers' failure to consume such products legally, appropriately or as directed.

Cannabis plant may not be approved for medicinal use in all (or any) jurisdictions

Medical regulatory authorities in many jurisdictions require carefully conducted studies (clinical trials) in hundreds to thousands of human subjects to determine the benefits and risks of a possible medication. In many jurisdictions, researchers have not conducted sufficient large-scale clinical trials that show that the benefits of the cannabis plant (as opposed to its cannabinoid ingredients) outweigh its risks in patients it's meant to treat.

2. Risks relating to regulatory matters

Laws, regulations and guidelines may change in ways that the Company has not predicted

The laws, regulations and guidelines applicable to the medicinal cannabis industry may change in ways currently unforeseen by the Company.

The Company's operations and investments into quoted or approved approved and properly licensed companies lawfully producing and/or conducting research into cannabis are subject to laws, regulations and guidelines. If there are any changes to such laws, regulations or guidelines occur, which are matters beyond the Company's control, the Company may incur significant costs in complying with or is unable to comply with such changes. This may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

Regulatory Compliance Risks and maintaining a bank account

Failure to comply with regulations may result in additional costs for corrective measures, penalties or in restrictions of operations. In addition, changes in regulations, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to operations, increased compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations and financial condition, and, therefore, on the Company's prospective returns.

As a result of perceived reputational risk and regulatory risks, the Company, in the medicinal cannabis sector, may in the future have difficulty in maintaining its current bank accounts, establishing further bank accounts, or other business relationships.

Environmental Regulations and Risk

The operations of some target companies will be subject to environmental regulation in the various jurisdictions in which they operate. These regulations mandate, among other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards and land reclamation. They also set forth limitations on the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner which will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. There is no assurance that future changes in environmental regulation, if any, will not adversely affect the business, financial condition and operating results of a target company, and therefore have a material adverse effect on the Company's return on investment.

Changes to safety, health and environmental regulations could have a material affect on future operations of target companies

Safety, health and environmental legislation will affect nearly all aspects of a target company's operations including product development, working conditions, waste disposal and emission controls. Compliance with safety, health and environmental legislation can require significant expenditures and failure to comply with such safety, health and environmental legislation may result in the imposition of fines and penalties, the temporary or permanent suspension of operations, clean-up costs resulting from contaminated properties, damages and the loss of important permits. Exposure to these liabilities arises not only from a target company's existing operations but from operations that have been closed or sold to third parties. A target company could also be held liable for worker exposure to hazardous substances and for accidents causing injury or death. There can be no assurances that a target company will at all times be in compliance with all safety, health and environmental regulations or that steps to achieve compliance would not materially adversely affect a target company's business, and therefore have a material adverse effect on the Company's return on investment.

Safety, health and environmental laws and regulations are evolving in all jurisdictions. The Company is not able to determine the specific impact that future changes in safety, health and environmental laws and regulations may have on a target company's operations and activities, and its resulting financial position; however, the Company anticipates that capital expenditures and operating expenses will increase in the future as a result of new and increasingly stringent safety, health and environmental regulation. Further changes in safety, health and environmental laws, new information on existing safety, health and environmental conditions or other events, including legal proceedings based upon such conditions on an inability to obtain necessary permits, may require increased financial reserves or compliance expenditures or otherwise have a material adverse effect on a target company, and therefore have a material adverse effect on the Company's return on investment.
Niagara Falls, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2018) - EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies Corp. (TSXV: EHT) ("EHT") together with its African partner Maple Leaf Holdings SA, have reached the final stage necessary to proceed with the previously announced (see July 19, 2018 news release) order from the Government of Burkina Faso Housing Authority to immediately start the construction of EHT ENERTEC housing to help satisfy the need to build up to 40,000 homes.

EHT management has confirmed, by a site visit this week, that the site services for the project are ready thus allowing EHT to commence fabrication this fall following materials delivery and set up. EHT will send one ENERTEC house, based on the approved design, to be used as the model home. Shipment from EHT is expected on or about the first week of November with arrival in Burkina Faso in early January. That ENERTEC model home will be used to take deposits from purchasers and will eventually be sold, offsetting EHT's costs associated with its creation. All the homes are to be sold to the end buyer that have been pre-screened by the government and financial institutions. This screening process has been completed for the first 200 homeowners and deposits have been made. EHT will receive this deposit on each home before EHT will start the build and final payment will be on completion. The homes will sell, depending on the final design and amount of solar capacity selected, for $25,000 to $35,000 USD. The contract granted to Maple Leaf Holdings SA ("Maple Leaf"), will be subcontracted to EHT who is also a shareholder in Maple Leaf.

EHT was selected by the Ministry after testing of other building systems that failed to match EHT's superior ENERTEC product for build time and solar roof integration. Over the last 2 years, the existing construction companies have managed to complete just 500 homes of the 40,000 promised by the Government. EHT management began detailed discussions with the appropriate government departments last November and, after the process of design approval and inspections of the ENERTEC sample homes in Ivory Coast, approval has been granted to move forward. EHT will target a rolling increase in production and installation towards a targeted rate of 1,200 homes per annum by late 2019. EHT has also been asked to provide 1 Kw of Solar with 1.5 Kw Inverters and Battery to the previously built houses using the EHT ENERTEC Solar panels since no power has been brought to the site.

Mr. John Gamble, EHT's CEO, commented that, "Management has worked very hard to bring this contract to this final stage. An established, critical factor in any of these large, government contracts has proven to be the delays in getting sites serviced and concrete pads poured, both of which are necessary first steps prior to construction. Having sites already serviced and ready to go overcomes the long delays we have experienced in other markets. We are a couple of months behind in shipping the model home due to delays in water and sewer service installation. The Government has continued to take the deposits on the houses during this period and I am very pleased to say this project has all green lights."

About EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies

EHT delivers proprietary, turn-key energy solutions which are intelligent, bankable and sustainable. EHT's expertise includes the development of its ENERTEC module structures with full integration of smart energy solutions. Using a proprietary skin and foam core that is stronger than traditional wood or steel structural insulated panels, EHT provides exceptional thermal energy efficiency in modular homes, cold storage facilities, residential/commercial out buildings and emergency/temporary shelters. EHT works with its partners worldwide to erect the buildings on-site utilizing EHT staff and local crews. In addition to traditional support to established electrical networks, ENERTEC buildings excel where no electrical grid exists.

About ENERTEC

The EHT advanced ENERTEC Modular Wall and Roof System uses a proprietary skin and foam core that is stronger and more energy efficient than traditional wood or steel structures providing the highest ratings for energy efficiency. EHT works with its partners worldwide to erect the buildings on-site utilizing EHT staff and local crews. After installation, each structure can be furnished and finished to meet the customer's requirements including siding, tile, kitchens and bathrooms or segregated commercial rooms. The finished wall product can be shipped on pallets and delivered via rail, truck or water in standard formats.

At the core of the ENERTEC product line is the ENERTEC Embedded Solar Roof Module. Solar cells can be embedded in a proprietary fire proof skin resulting in substantial cost savings by eliminating heavy glass panels and aluminum racking required for traditional solar panels. Two barriers to greater adoption of solar energy are weight limitations of the roof on which solar panels could be deployed and onerous shipping and labour costs. A lighter product at a better price point will open a larger market for solar due to the faster return of capital investment especially for rural and remote users looking to go off-grid. Furthermore, the entire EHT embedded solar roof becomes a massive solar panel capable of producing significantly more energy than the home requires, allowing the structure to then become an important source of power for the local micro grid or large battery storage systems.

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.

The statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements.Forward-looking information involves risk, 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. Although EHT believes that the assumptions 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. EHT 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 applicable securities laws.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

John Gamble

Director

(289) 488-1699

jgamble@ehthybrid.com

info@ehthybrid.com

Company Website: www.ehthybrid.com
LEXINGTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 20, 2018 / Oasis Systems, a provider of technology and professional services to the Department of Defense and other Federal agencies, today announced that the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded Oasis a 5-year, $990 million contract to provide Engineering, Professional, and Administrative Support Services to its Battle Management Directorate.

Tom Colatosti, Oasis CEO, said, "We are privileged and thrilled to be selected and entrusted with a major United States Air Force services contract. We are grateful for the Air Force's confidence in the Oasis Team's capability to support their mission-critical programs for our Nation's defense."

The Battle Management Directorate has the mission responsibility to manage and execute the modernization, development, testing, production, fielding and sustainment of warfighting systems.

The Oasis team will provide comprehensive technical and professional capabilities including systems engineering, specialized cost estimation, acquisition, agile software development, financial management and program management support.

About Oasis Systems

Oasis Systems is a premier provider of customer-driven, cost-effective and quality Engineering Services; Enterprise Systems and Applications; Human Factors Engineering; Information Technology and Cyber Security; Professional Services; and Specialized Engineering Solutions to the Department of Defense, Federal Aviation Administration, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and other federal agencies. (http://www.OasisSystems.com)

Contact Information:

Oasis Systems

Robin Doucette

781.879.1422

Oasis@OasisSystems.com

SOURCE: Oasis Systems LLC
NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Atlantia S.p.A. ("Atlantia" or the "Company") (OTC MKTS: ATASY). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Atlantia 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, a motorway bridge operated by Atlantia's subsidiary Autostrade per L'Italia ("Autostrade") collapsed, killing 43 people. On August 16, 2018, media outlets reported that the Italian government had opened an investigation into Autostrade.Italy's Deputy Transport Minister stated that the government was considering revoking Autostrade's operating concession and imposing a fine of upwards of 150 million on Autostrade. On this news, Atlantia's American depositary receipt price fell $1.66, or 13.7%, to close at $10.45 on August 16, 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
The National Statistical Commission (NSC) too said the methodology for back-casting GDP series is 'work in progress' and yet to be finalised.

New Delhi: Amid ongoing controversy over the back series GDP figures showing better economic performance during the UPA regime, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) today said "these are not official estimates" and the data will be released officially later.

As per the back series data on GDP based on the report of Committee on Real Sector Statistics, Indian economy clocked a 10.08 percent growth rate in 2006-07 under the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the highest since the liberalisation of the economy in 1991.

Commenting on the back series data, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had said the UPA governments delivered the best-ever decadal growth and lifted 140 million out of poverty.

"Truth has triumphed. The back series calculation of GDP has proved that the best years of economic growth were the UPA years 2004-2014," he said in one of his tweets.

                          2004-2014    P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 18, 2018

In a statement, the MoSPI said the estimates in the report on the back-casting of GDP series are not "official estimates".

The National Statistical Commission (NSC) too said the methodology for back-casting GDP series is "work in progress" and yet to be finalised.

The NSC had constituted a Committee on Real Sector Statistics under the Chairmanship of Sudipto Mundle in April 2017 for improvement and modernisation of real sector database.

The committee also looked at the issue of data challenges in bringing out the Back Series of GDP (Base 2011-12) as several new sources had been used in the current series, which were not available or not reliable in the earlier series (Base 2004-05).

MoSPI said the committee approached the data challenges using different approaches. Three possible approaches were considered for generating the back series.

"...the estimates in the Report are not official estimates and are meant only to facilitate taking a decision on the appropriate approach," it said.

These recommendations of the NSC Committee will be examined by MoSPI and other experts for deciding on the appropriate methodology to be adopted for generating the back series estimates for each sector, the ministry said.

"The Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics will be deliberating on the Back Series estimates before finalising the same for continuity, consistency and reliability," MoSPI said.

On Saturday, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar attributed the high growth achieved during the UPA government to an untenable fiscal deficit and reckless expansion of bank credit that led to a dramatic economic collapse.

Similarly, Kumar said that the over 10 percent growth rate during the Rajiv Gandhi government was debt funded, leading to disastrous collapse of growth in 1990-92 forcing India to physically transfer gold reserves abroad to avoid a debt service default.

MoSPI further said the statistical processes involved in producing such estimates are open, transparent and in line with the best international practices and standards.

"The processes and estimates are evolved after detailed deliberations in various technical committees and the recommendations placed in the public domain.

"Efforts have also been made to increase the sample size and use of high-frequency data released by various agencies," it said.

These measures, MoSPI said, are in accordance with international best practices and have been largely appreciated by different sections of society, including research analysts, experts, international organisations.

In the clarification on back series of National Accounts Statistics, MoSPI said the government would like to present a proper perspective on these issues so that the end users and public at large become aware of the processes involved in the generation of these estimates and in the base revision exercise.
Standard Chartered is the second bank whose BG have been barred by DoT. The department has earlier barred BGs issued by Axis Bank for Aircel.

New Delhi: The telecom department has blacklisted bank guarantees (BG) issued by Standard Chartered after the bank failed to invoke one that was issued for Aircel Group.

In a strongly worded office memorandum sent to all telecom operators and concerned officers, the DoT (Department of Telecom) has directed entities that they should not accept bank guarantee (BG) from Standard Chartered Bank, including renewals.

"Standard Chartered Bank has failed to invoke a BG issued by them on behalf of Aircel Group of companies. This action by Standard Chartered Bank is a serious breach of trust and contract with government of India. In view of this you are directed not to accept any new BG from Standard Chartered Bank, including renewals," the note said.

When contacted Standard Chartered Bank spokesperson said, "Pursuant to an order passed by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal(TDSAT), we were unable to make payments with respect to certain bank guarantees invoked by the DoT. As per the said order, the invocations are not to be given effect to and the bank guarantees are not to be encashed".

The amount involved in BGs could not be ascertained.

"Hence, our actions were driven by the law of the land and we had no discretion whatsoever in how we dealt with the said invocations," the bank's spokesperson said.

No immediate comments were received from Aircel in this regard.

Standard Chartered is the second bank whose BG have been barred by DoT. The department has earlier barred BGs issued by Axis Bank for Aircel.

Axis Bank had then said that the BGs was issued on behalf of Airtel for Aircel and a case related to the issue was pending before telecom tribunal.
Leading FMCG firms such as Nestle, HUL and ITC are reportedly in the race to buy Horlicks and Complan.

New Delhi: Homegrown FMCG major Emami on Monday said it was not in the race to buy health drink brands Horlicks and Complan, which are on the block.

Emami has been linked to the two brands with reports suggesting that the Kolkata-based firm is among the potential buyers for GSK Consumer Healthcare's Horlicks and Kraft Heinz's Complan.

However, Emami Ltd Director Harsha V Agarwal denied such a possibility.

"We do not have any interest in this potential acquisition opportunity," he said in an e-mailed statement.

Leading FMCG firms such as Nestle, HUL and ITC are reportedly in the race to buy Horlicks and Complan.

Earlier, this month Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan had not ruled out any inorganic acquisition to spur growth.

"Today its a realm in the speculations. I think the realm of malted food drinks is in the portfolio of the company. We cannot comment on that is clearly speculative." he had said.

However, he had also said, "Any inorganic opportunity is certainly evaluated at Nestle."

Emami has been looking to enter into the fast-growing food segment besides expanding in other verticals.
Indias per capita GDP per annum grew 26 times between 1958 and 2018. This increase could have been higher if Indians were less rigid in their religious views, says study

By Charu Bahri

If India discards religious beliefs that perpetuate caste and gender inequalities, it could more than double its per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth of the last 60 years in half the time, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of a new study.

Secularisation precedes economic development and not the other way around as is commonly believed, said the study, Religious Change Preceded Economic Change In The 20th Century, published in the journal Science Advances. The study used data from the World Values Survey, which mapped peoples changing values and beliefs, to estimate the importance of religion in the 20th (1900-2000) century.

India stood 66th among 109 nations ranked by secularisation. China was first, Pakistan 99th, Bangladesh 104th and Ghana last.

Indias per capita GDP per annum grew 26 times between 1958 and 2018. This increase could have been higher if Indians were less rigid in their religious views, co-author Damian Ruck, a post-doctoral researcher at the Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences, University of Bristol, told IndiaSpend.

What are the dominant religious beliefs that could be holding back Indias growth from reaching its maximum potential? IndiaSpend research found that these relate to the two most vulnerable social groups in India  women and marginalised castes.

Both groups are allowed to play a limited role in Indias economy. Consider caste: The proportion of scheduled-caste individuals in the lowest wealth bracket was close to thrice that in other castes  26.6 percent as against 9.7 percent  according to the National Family Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-4), as IndiaSpend reported in February 2018.

Social and cultural factors restrict women from working outside their homes in India, IndiaSpend reported in this nation-wide investigation. At just 27 percent, Indias female workforce participation is amongst the lowest in South Asia. Between 2004-5 and 2011-12, the year of the last census, 19.6 Indian million women left their jobs, according to an April 2017 World Bank report.

Indias secularisation (and its tolerance rank, 69th) would suggest that its per capita GDP per annum should be higher than it actually is. Our model thinks that India should be around Rs 457,015 ($6500) per person richer than it actually is, said Ruck. What this suggests is something else is holding back the Indian economy but that is for Indian specialists to analyse.

But India would still stand to benefit considerably from increased levels of secularisation, estimated the author. If India were to reach secularisation levels seen in western Europe (like Germany, which was ranked 6th of 109 nations), then it could expect to see a Rs 70,175 ($1,000) increase in per capita GDP over 10 years, Rs 1,96,490 ($2,800) over 20 years and Rs 3,50,875 ($5,000) over 30 years, said Ruck.

To put this in perspective, Indias per capita GDP increased 2682 percent by Rs 133,613 ($1904) over the last 60 years, from Rs 4,982 ($71) in 1958 to Rs 138,595 ($1975) in 2018.

China, whose development India aims to emulate, has been ranked first in secularisation. The US, a developed country where hate crimes in the 10 largest cities touched a decadal high in 2017, stood 57th.

It needs to be noted that the study, jointly conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK and the University of Tennessee in the US, did not establish that an increase in secularisation drives economic activity. It only established that secularisation precedes high growth. It did, however, rule out the belief that religion loses its importance once material development begins to satisfy the needs of a society.

Why Indian economists cant ignore links between economy, religion

In India, religion has not lost its place in society through the country has seen economic development: More than 90 percent respondents rated religion as very important or rather important in the latest round of the World Values Survey.

India and Kyrgyzstan are the only two nations where the percentage of people who considered religion an important part of their lives grew by over 10 points over the decade through to 2014, with India logging 12.1 percent growth, from 79.2 percent to 91.3 percent, according to the survey.

A key takeaway of the new study is that policymakers looking to boost economic growth, particularly inclusive economic developmenta stated aim of the incumbent central governmentneed to consider the linkages between religious thought and economy.

Economic theory tells us that a competitive environmentone without different types of stratification, of marketsproduces the best possible outcomes for consumers and society, said Amaresh Dubey, a professor at the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. But by precluding a huge section of the population, women and scheduled caste people, from equal access to resources such as capital and know-how, in India, religion majorly impedes economic activity.

Women are, in large part, low-skilled informal workers in India, engaged in work that requires low productivity and offers low pay, as IndiaSpend reported in March 2018. The inequality between what men and women earn in India is far worse than gender skews in pay noticed in South Africa, Brazil and Chile, if we consider the gender gap in median earnings of full-time employees.

Caste is another divisive factor in development. Scheduled-caste individuals are among Indias poorest people, as we said. Caste, kinship or family, either or all these can hamper economic progress if they impose restrictions, said Andre Beteille, professor emeritus, department of sociology at the University of Delhi.

But sociologists see a problem: Initiatives to get Indias women and scheduled castes better access to resources could boost overall economic activity and promote individual well-being, but they are unlikely to change their social status, according to Dubey. Casteism is so deeply entrenched in India that even scheduled caste converts to Islam and Christianity continue to carry their Dalit status, he said.

As religions go, Islam and Christianity do not practice caste segregation but we see dalit converts call themselves dalit Christians and scheduled caste Muslims, he said.

Development will be short-term in times of communal strife

Indias per capita GDP has trended upwards since 2014, according to the United Nations World Happiness Index 2018, IndiaSpend reported in May 2018.

India also saw rising intolerance in this period, available data show. The year 2017 recorded the highest death toll (11 deaths) and the most number of incidents of hate violence (37 incidents) related to cows and religion since 2010, according to an IndiaSpend database that records cow-related hate crime.

Does this simultaneous increase in the annual per capita GDP and the decline in secular values defy the findings of the new study?

Apparently not. What we measured are the slow changes in public opinion on secularisation and tolerance that occur over many decades as new generations replace older ones, explained Ruck.

Nations can see a rapid increase in intolerance over the short-term but it can be associated with different forces influencing public opinion, he said. The scholar described these as period effects.

In the current political climate, prominent identity qualifiers such as caste, religion and gender are being stoked for short-term gains, creating negative emotions of distrust, hate, prejudices and so on against the other, IndiaSpend reported in May 2018.

But rapid changes are not linked to sustained economic development and tend to be temporary and average out over time, said Ruck.

(Bahri is a freelance writer and editor based in Mount Abu, Rajasthan)
Valuers have a greater role to play in asset valuation rather than in share valuation.

Of the 40 largest NPA accounts sent to various National Company Law Tribunals (NCLTs) since last July, which together constitute around 40 percent of over Rs 11 trillion worth of bad loans, only seven had been resolved so far, where the banks took an average haircut of over 60 percent since some accounts such as Alok Industries were bid out for only 17 percent of the money owed to lenders.

It is against this backdrop that the government is mulling strengthening the valuation process by empowering and educating chartered accountants and company secretaries under a separate law.

The government it seems is missing the wood for the trees. It is common self-deprecating humor in Chartered Accountant (CA) circles that CAs are not valuers though they are intimately connected with values. In any case, while there can be a fiscal law like the Income-Tax Act that makes a valuers valuation binding subject to appeal, there cannot be a law that can possibly make valuations binding in a bidding process for sale of an undertaking except that it may serve as a reserve price. But then this is not going to improve or shore up the fortunes of companies before NCLT under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 (IBC). Bidders are not going to be swayed by official valuations. They often make a meal out of creditors desperation.

The key then is to make the bidding process more robust and participative so that the realisations are greater than hitherto entailing a much less haircut. A 60 percent haircut that the cognoscenti is philosophically resigning itself to is unacceptable because that would, in the long run, make lending in general and banking in particular unviable.

There must be continuous competitive bidding as opposed to one-time bidding presented by way of a sealed quotation. Continuous competitive bidding allows one to keep on revising his bids in response to competition. This results in a better price discovery. One also should not be unduly moralistic about who all can bid so long as they are ready to cough up the moolah.

Those who brought about the ruination of a debtor-company should not be allowed to bid is the rationale behind the prohibition on promoters and their associates' bidding. But a dispassionate look at the issue would show that one should not cut the nose to spite the face. Let the company law and benami law worry about the need for punishing crooks including by way of disgorgement of funds diverted from the debtor-companies.

Under the IBC-NCLT scheme of things, the sale of controlling interest to bidders is the only mode of getting money for distribution amongst secured creditors. The government and the RBI seem to be more interested in cleaning up the balance sheets of banks as if a squeaky clean balance sheet is the panacea for all its ills. Nor can ousting the erring promoter and replacing him with a new one be considered a sufficient punishment for his wayward ways.

Therefore, if at all the law is amended it should be to mandate on NCLT to explore other possibilities that would heighten the recoveries for all stakeholders. Share valuation any day gets entangled in myriad factors. The future earning potential, which is one of the key methods, stares at the volatile and unpredictable future. Yet, it is given the maximum weightage by valuers.

The sum of the sale price of individual assets is the least volatile and easily predictable method. Yet, it is given the least weightage. Value of prime lands, for example, gets buried under the weightage given for future earnings. Therefore, NCLT must use its discretion to decide which course would yield the best results. A real estate company might be interested in the prime lands of the company but not in acquiring controlling interest therein. Valuers have a greater role to play in asset valuation rather than in share valuation.

Valuation skills and norms should be beefed up only if the IBC is going to give up its fixation with the sale of controlling interest in debtor-companies. And if this change is on the cards, then not only chartered accountants and company secretaries must be educated and empowered but also chartered engineers who are in a better position to value plant and machinery and other physical assets.

(The author is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan)
Mutual funds have 2.33 crore SIP accounts through which investors regularly invest in Indian mutual fund schemes.

New Delhi: Retail investors are increasingly opting for systematic investment plans (SIPs) in mutual funds as the industry garnered Rs 7,554 crore through this route in July, a surge of 53 percent from the year-ago period.

This followed investments of over Rs 67,000 crore through SIPs by fund houses in 2017-18 and more than Rs 43,900 crore in the preceding fiscal, as per the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi).

SIPs have been the preferred route for retail investors to invest in mutual funds as it helps them reduce market timing risk, the industry body noted.

Further, investors are not showing interest in investing into traditional asset classes like real estate and gold and preferring financial assets such as mutual funds.

"While SIP remains a popular mode of investment, there is a need for investor awareness on the advantages of SIP, especially in volatile markets. There are emerging challenges in this space such as premature cancellations of SIP instructions as investors rush to discontinue their SIPs in a falling market," said Stefan Groening, Director  Investment Solutions, Sharekhan, BNP Paribas.

As per the latest data, the SIP contribution in July was Rs 7,554 crore -- the same as the previous month.

In comparison, the industry garnered Rs 4,947 crore collected in July last year and Rs 3,334 crore in July 2016.

The latest collection has taken the total inflow through the route to Rs 29,102 crore so far in the current fiscal (till July).

MFs have 2.33 crore SIP accounts through which investors regularly invest in Indian mutual fund schemes. In the current fiscal, the industry has added 9.92 lakh SIP accounts each month on an average, with an average ticket size of Rs 3,250.

SIP is an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amount periodically instead of lump sum payment. The frequency of investment is usually weekly, monthly or quarterly. It is similar to a recurring deposit where investors deposit a small or fixed amount every month.
The deadline for putting money in the ATMs located in Naxal-hit areas is 4 PM while private cash handling agencies must collect money from the banks in the first half of the day and transport notes only in armoured vehicles.

New Delhi: No ATM will be replenished with cash after 9 PM in cities and 6 PM in rural areas from next year even as two armed guards will accompany crisp notes in transit as per a new directive issued by the Home Ministry.

The deadline for putting money in the ATMs located in Naxal-hit areas is 4 PM while private cash handling agencies must collect money from the banks in the first half of the day and transport notes only in armoured vehicles.

In a notification, the Home Ministry said the new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) would come into effect from 8 February, 2019 in view of the spurt in incidents of attacks on cash vans, cash vaults, ATM frauds and other internal frauds leading to increased sense of insecurity.

There are over 8,000 privately owned cash vans plying across the country, operated by non-bank private agencies, and they handle over Rs 15,000 crore daily on behalf of banks.

Some times, the private agencies keep currency overnight at their cash vaults.

"No cash loading of the ATMs or cash transportation activities shall be done after 9 pm in urban areas, after 6 pm in rural areas and before 9 am or after 4 pm in the districts notified by the central government as Left Wing Extremism affected areas," the notification said.

The agencies shall provide private security for the cash transportation with the requisite number of trained staff, every cash van shall have one driver, two armed security guards, two ATM officers or custodians.

One armed guard must sit in the front along with the driver and another in the rear portion of the van while in transit.

During loading or unloading, nature's call, tea or lunch break, at least one armed security guard shall remain present with the cash van all the time.

The ex-serviceman, otherwise eligible, may preferably be appointed for providing security for cash transportation.

Every cash transportation shall be carried out only in secured cash vans fitted with GPS tracking device and it must be ensured that no cash van carries cash of more than Rs 5 crore per trip.

No private security agency shall appoint anyone for the cash transportation unless the person has undergone thorough antecedent check like police, Aadhaar and residence verifications, previous employer check, credit history check and fidelity insurance.

Each of the cash boxes shall be secured to the floor with separate chains and locks that can be opened only by using separate keys kept with different custodians.

The cash van shall be provided with a small CCTV system with at least five days recording facility and three cameras installed in front, rear and inside of the cabin.

A security alarm with GSM-based auto-dialer shall be provided with a motorised siren.

The cash van shall be equipped with hooter, fire extinguishers and emergency lights to ensure quick reaction in case of an attack.

The private security agency will ensure that all cash handling, including counting, sorting, and bundling activities shall be carried out in secured premises in accordance with specific guidelines.

The premises shall be designed to include two physically independent areas, one for general office purpose and other for secured cash processing and handling activities and it shall accommodate space for cash deposit, collection, sorting, counting and delivery and dispatch of cash on secured cash vans.
The United Kingdom has confirmed the presence of Nirav Modi, the main accused in the $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, in its territory

New Delhi: Fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, wanted in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, is in the United Kingdom, the Interpol has confirmed, prompting the CBI to seek his extradition, officials said on Monday.

According to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, the UK authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence in the country on Sunday through a mail on the basis of the diffusion notice issued against him by the probe agency to the Interpol.

CBI On Nirav Modi says UK authorities confirm Nirav Modis presence in UK. Have sent the extradition request to the Home Ministry. Home Min to forward request to External Affairs Min to approach UK pic.twitter.com/Lvj1BHocuG  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) August 20, 2018

The official also said the CBI sent an extradition request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday.

"The Home Ministry has also been requested to move its extradition request to the Ministry of External Affairs and through the MEA to the UK authority."

Earlier on 2 August, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh informed Parliament that the government had sent a request to the UK for extraditing Nirav Modi.

On 2 July, the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nirav Modi under money laundering charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Nirav Modi along with his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali group is being probed in the fraud case by the CBI and the ED.

The ED had, on 24 May and 26 May, filed prosecution complaints or chargesheets against Choksi and Modi.

The court has taken cognizance of the chargesheets and issued non-bailable warrants against both of them.

Nirav Modi left India along with his family in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the CBI. His wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and Choksi on 4 January.
Richest Indian Mukesh Ambani's telecom unit Reliance Jio has been ranked as the top company globally on Fortune's 'Change The World' list that ranked companies using the profit motive to help the planet and tackle social problems

New York: Richest Indian Mukesh Ambani's telecom unit Reliance Jio has been ranked as the top company globally on Fortune's 'Change The World' list that ranked companies using the profit motive to help the planet and tackle social problems.

Jio has ranked ahead of pharma giant Merck and Bank of America, according to Fortune list released on Monday.

Chinese group Alibaba is ranked 5th on the list that has food and drug stores Kroger at number six, industrial machinery firm ABB at number 8 and network and communications giant Hughes Network System at number 10.

"If access to the Internet is a basic human right -- and the United Nations declared it one in the summer of 2016 -- then Reliance Jio deserves more credit than most for expanding access to it," Fortune said.

Jio stormed the sector with free calls and data forcing rivals to merge or exit in September 2016 and has amassed 215 million subscribers since then and says it is profitable.

Fortune said Ambani "likes to say it provides the public with 'digital oxygen'" but "two years ago there wasn't much oxygen to go around in the world's second-most-populous country."

"Mobile phones crawled on 2G networks, and consumers typically paid more than Rs 200 for one gigabyte of data. India had just 153 million mobile Internet subscribers among its population of 1.3 billion.

"Enter Jio, with a speedy 4G network (which it spent billions building out), free calls, and dirt-cheap data (as low as 4 per GB). It has since issued a super-low-cost smartphone and is rolling out fixed broadband service as well," it said. "The resulting 'Jio-fication' has been nothing short of revolutionary; with data use surging and Jio's competitors scrambling to match its offerings, the development has jump-started India's digital economy."

The biggest winners, it said, are those in rural areas or of modest means -- farmers, students, and entrepreneurs who finally have in their hands the tool they need to participate in the modern economy.

Fortune said the Change the World list recognizes companies that have had a positive social impact through activities that are part of their core business strategy.

Considering only companies with annual revenues of $1 billion or more, the list measures social impact, business results (profitability), the degree of innovation and corporate integration, it said.

(Disclosure - Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd)
The United Forum of Reserve Bank Officers and Employees on Monday said its members will go on mass casual leave on 4 and 5 September, pressing their long-pending demands over pension related issues

Hyderabad: The United Forum of Reserve Bank Officers and Employees on Monday said its members will go on mass casual leave on 4 and 5 September, pressing their long-pending

demands over pension related issues.

According to a press release, United Forum on Monday held a silent demonstration near the RBI office here which witnessed the participation of various leaders.

"To express deep resentment at the attitude of the officials of the Government of India, RBI staff members have waited too long and the limit of patience is crossing and are left with no alternative but to observe two consecutive days strike action ( Mass casual leave on 4 and 5 September, 2018)," it said.

The forum will also submit a memorandum to the respective regional directors of all RBI centres on 27 August.

The demands include updation of pension for contributory provident fund retainers and allow CPF/ additional provident fund for those recruited from 2012, among other demands.
By Noel Randewich SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A steep downturn in heavyweight Chinese internet stocks and recent weakness in half of the so-called FANG group have some investors worried that a key component of Wall Street's near-decade long rally may be low on fuel. Outstanding gains in Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet have underpinned much of the U.S. stock market's rally in recent years, along with the broader tech sector, but the group is widely viewed as overbought and valuations remain expensive.

By Noel Randewich

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A steep downturn in heavyweight Chinese internet stocks and recent weakness in half of the so-called FANG group have some investors worried that a key component of Wall Street's near-decade long rally may be low on fuel.

Outstanding gains in Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet have underpinned much of the U.S. stock market's rally in recent years, along with the broader tech sector, but the group is widely viewed as overbought and valuations remain expensive.

Backed up by strong earnings growth and investor confidence in Silicon Valley's innovation track record, the S&P 500 technology index is up 16 percent in 2018, making tech Wall Street's top performer.

But a recent slump in China's own superstar technology stocks, brought into sharper focus after Tencent Holdings reported its first profit drop in almost 13 years on Wednesday, has increased worries about Wall Street dependence on a handful top-shelf growth companies.

Shares of Tencent, China's largest social media and gaming company, have fallen over 6 percent in the past two days and are down by nearly a third from their record high close in January.

"Tencent is a good proxy for global growth and risk. Nowadays, with everything being so momentum driven in the market, if one thing goes, everything can go," said Wedbush Securities senior trader Joel Kulina.

Also unnerving tech investors: Netflix and Facebook, which along with Amazon and Google-parent Alphabet make up the FANG stocks, have fallen sharply since their June-quarter reports.

With Netflix down 22 percent from its record high close in early July, and Facebook down 19 percent since July 25 due to fallout from privacy scandals, some investors are questioning whether "FANG" may be turning into "AG". Even with those worries, investors continue to make the group a centerpiece of their portfolios.

Amazon has surged over 60 percent in 2018 and on Tuesday closed at a record high. Alphabet is up 17 percent year to date.

"FANG will continue to play a huge role over the next two to three years," said Jake Dollarhide, chief executive officer of Longbow Asset Management in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "They're expensive, but you have to hold your nose and buy them."

The S&P 500 in recent days has struggled just short of its January record high and is up 6 percent year to date.

Even after recovering from a steep sell-off in February, the S&P 500 is trading at a relatively inexpensive 16.5 times expected earnings, compared to 18.6 times earnings in January, according to Thomson Reuters data. The S&P 500 technology index is trading at 18.7 times earnings, compared to its high-point of 19.6 in late January.

The FANG stocks, plus Apple and Chinese stocks Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, in August were the most crowded trade on Wall Street for the seventh straight month, according to survey of fund managers by Bank of America.

In crowded trades, most investors share the same opinion, increasing the potential for a volatile sell-off if sentiment changes.

Shares of U.S.-listed Chinese technology companies in recent years have been caught up Wall Street's tech rally, but changes in their prices can also reflect the outlook for China's economy and government regulation.

With China investors also worried about potential fallout from a trade war between Beijing and Washington, Chinese internet heavyweights Baidu and Alibaba have fallen 11 percent and 7 percent since the end of June, respectively. U.S.-listed shares of Baidu and Alibaba both rose more than 1 percent on Thursday following selling earlier in the week.

Facing losses on China tech trades, global investment funds that own those stocks may be tempted to sell some of their U.S. tech stocks to lock in profits.

"Over time, the breadth of the market tends to narrow, you have smaller leadership groups and once they begin to roll over, which perhaps Tencent is telling us is about to happen, then the broader markets have more of a reason to sell off," said Peter Cecchini, managing director and chief market strategist at Cantor Fitzgerald in New York.

Amazon recently traded at 87 times expected earnings, its lowest in over a year. But many investors focus on the Internet retailer and cloud infrastructure company's explosive revenue growth. By that measure, Amazon appears expensive, at 3.5 times expected revenue, its highest level ever, according to Thomson Reuters data.

(Reporting by Noel Randewich, additional reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bangalore; Editing by Alden Bentley and Nick Zieminski)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Delhi Police's chargesheet in the Delhi chief secretary assault case has alleged that the attack on Anshu Prakash was deliberate, CNN News18 reported.

The Delhi Police's chargesheet in the case of the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash has claimed that the attack was deliberate, CNN-News18 reported on Monday. The document names Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The police have stated in the chargesheet that the midnight meeting held by the chief minister, where the assault is said to have taken place, was the first one in three years. The document also alleges that only six out of 21 CCTV cameras at the chief minister's office were functioning.

The Delhi Police has also alleged that the wires of the rest of the CCTVs were "deliberately disconnected and tampered with".

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj refused to comment on the allegations, saying that the matter is still in court.

The alleged assault on the chief secretary in February had triggered a bitter tussle between the Delhi government and its bureaucracy.
AFSPA provides partial protection from prosecution due to prior approval by the Central Government, but it gives no protection from investigation, and that gives scope for much harassment of soldiers against whom FIRs can be registered

A few years ago, at a British institution in London, after listening to a talk on India, I complimented the speaker for mentioning that the two most respected institutions of India, credited with upholding the dignity of the nation, were the Supreme Court and the armed forces. The credentials of the two institutions are certified by almost every Indian. It is therefore quite ironic that this essay is about the very same institutions.

On 14 August, 356 officers and army personnel of other ranks  spread from military stations across the country  petitioned the Supreme Court to alert it about the increasing difficulty faced by soldiers while fighting for the nation in sub-conventional conflict situations. The writ petition on behalf of at least one brigadier, a couple of colonels and representatives of other miscellaneous ranks has been accepted and scheduled for hearing on Monday, 20 August.

Their perception is that while human rights of the public at large and even anti-national elements is a subject of intense scrutiny, soldiers' own human rights are being progressively denied due to a lack of understanding of the conditions in which they operate against terrorists and militants.

The reference here is essentially to the alleged non-adherence to the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which is applicable all over Jammu and Kashmir (less Ladakh) and portions of the northeastern states. Under the AFSPA, protection is to be given to soldiers if inadvertent mistakes are made while operating in the line of duty and acting in good faith.

The petition is in reference to the recent direction of the Supreme Court to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to expedite the investigation of 1,500 cases of alleged extra-judicial killings by the security forces in Manipur. This includes the army, Assam Rifles (officered by the army) and the Manipur Police. A charge against a colonel has already been framed and a case regarding filing of FIR against Major Aditya of 10 Garhwal Rifles, whose column allegedly killed three stone throwers/attempted lynchers in self-defence in Kashmir's Shopian district, is under hearing.

To the general public, most of this makes little sense without a simpler understanding of legal rights and powers in an internal proxy conflict.

Law and order situations, such as various caste-based agitations, are handled by the state police and central police organisations; the army often comes to their aid under the 'aid to civil authority' clause. This is for short durations and for functional requirement, but the army does not operate independently and has a magistrate whose presence is mandatory at all times and a magisterial endorsement needs to be signed to allow the army to use a firearm.

But such a system cannot work in areas where the threat is much larger and affects the integrity of the nation. While battling terror groups or militants, the army cannot await magisterial sanction before it gets into the act, which is often a rapid response to actionable intelligence. Thus, in conduct of such operations, the army functions independently under empowerment of a legislation, which in the case of both Jammu and Kashmir and the North East, is provided by AFSPA (1990) and AFSPA (1958) respectively.

In this, there is one relevant provision of the AFSPA. This is the protection  or part immunity from prosecution  for soldiers who in the line of duty make inadvertent mistakes or are simply forced by circumstances to cause injuries or death to civilians, the stone-pelting mobs in Jammu and Kashmir attempting to hinder operations against terrorists being a case in point. In such cases, prosecution of a soldier can only be done under sanction of the Central Government, although law and order is a state subject. This is to protect soldiers from local bias or pressure.

It needs to be understood that such irregular or sub-conventional operations as they are called are complex procedures involving intelligence gathering and discernment of targets. They are not conducted under simple binary conditions that are involved in conventional operations against an established adversary with clear battle lines. The complexity is further enhanced by the ever-present feasibility of manipulation of situations by terrorists or their supporters, normally referred to as over-ground workers (OGWs), to place the army under legal pressure and impede its operations. Allegations of rape or gender insensitivity are not uncommon.

There is considerable consternation among both serving personnel and veterans on a couple of issues. Firstly, army personnel are involved in these operations at the behest of the State, and that too as the last resort, after the failure of the other organs and agencies. And second, circumstances and complexities of such operations are seldom understood outside the Services community, and therefore prosecution of individuals is unfair.

There are also other aspects involved here, but what is seldom appreciated is the relative infirmities in the law which provides protection to soldiers. For example, AFSPA provides partial protection from prosecution due to the provision of prior approval by the Central Government.

However, it gives no protection from investigation, and that gives scope for much harassment of soldiers against whom first information reports (FIRs) can be registered and the investigation be carried out under arrest for undetermined period. In addition, local police authorities under directions from lower judiciary may also reopen a case or commence investigation of an action by army personnel long after the conduct in which some local civilians may have allegedly disappeared or been killed.

Such personnel may have retired from the army; the interpretation of AFSPA in some instances has gone to the extent to assume that the law does not protect soldiers who may have retired but were serving at the time the operation was conducted. One such case was handled by me when the local police arrested a retired Havaldar from his village in Orissa for an act in which he was allegedly involved while in service.

There are many other issues involved which cause concern to those responsible for executing sub-conventional operations. They perceive severe vulnerability in the absence of what they perceive as insufficient sensitivity about the manner in which such operations are conducted. However, it is also important to flag the division of opinion within the veteran ranks and perhaps within those of the serving personnel on the method of petitioning the Supreme Court.

Some perceive it as bordering on collective insubordination, although legally this step has the scrutiny and presence of a uniformed legal officer. There are others who feel that the situation is exasperating and that instead of receiving support, the army is being obstructed at every step. There is also a prevailing perception that the army's higher leadership may have compromised its credibility by not sufficiently thumping the table on this issue which apparently was sensitive enough to affect the quality of its sub-conventional operations.

Media commentaries have not been entirely sensitive to the issues highlighted leaving the entire case open to perception. The one thing on which any experienced soldier will always agree is that long drawn deployment of the army in such operations is never good.

Also, that the truth in most such cases is almost impossible to determine. It is going to take much understanding and maturity to determine how this thorny issue is going to be resolved such that rights of everybody are respected and yet the protectors of the law are themselves not made the victims of it.
State governments had to release the money to state health societies within 15 days of receiving it, and if they failed to do so state governments were liable to pay interest  5.75 percent to 7.25 percent

By Prachi Salve

Mumbai: Even as health crises in India grew, National Health Mission (NHM) funds unspent by states over five years to 2016 increased by 29 percent, according to a recent audit by the governments auditor. The audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India also reported delayed transfers and misallocation of these funds.

The NHM, launched in 2005, is Indias largest health programme aimed at providing universal access to healthcare. One of its primary missions is to improve maternal and child health and control communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Data show why it is critical that NHM funds be used optimally: India still accounts for 17 percent of global burden of maternal deaths, non-communicable diseases made for 61 percent of deaths in 2016, communicable diseases like leprosy and malaria are yet to be controlled and 55 million Indians slipped into poverty in 2011-12 because of health catastrophes they could not afford.

NHM also disburses funds to state health societies to help strengthen local health systems, institutions and capabilities. Rural health centres in India are short of human resources and infrastructure, as IndiaSpend reported on 30 January, 2018. Sub-centres were 20 percent short of human resources, 29 percent of them did not have regular water supply, 26 percent lacked electricity supply and 11 percent were not connected by all-weather roads.

India ranks lower than neighbouring Bangladesh and even sub-Saharan Sudan and Equatorial Guinea on healthcare access, we reported on 23 May, 2018. And it spends 1.4 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health, the least among BRICS nations.

In a two-part series, we look at the government auditors assessment of NHMs functioning. In part one, we report on instances of financial mismanagement. The concluding part will detail the shortfalls in infrastructure and medical staff caused by this mismanagement.

The government has denied charges of financial irregularity. Funds were being released as soon as states fulfilled the requirements for their allocation, according to Manoj Jhalani, additional secretary and mission director, NHM.

The diversion of NHM funds for non-NHM purposes/state government schemes is never supported by the ministry, he said. If any such instance comes to (our) notice, the same is recovered from the concerned state government, and states are directed to desist from such practice.

Delayed transfers, misallocation and a growing balance

Our analysis of the CAG audit highlighted the following problems in the disbursement and usage of health funds:

The amount unspent by state health societies went up from Rs 7,375 crore ($1.44 billion) in 2011-12 to Rs 9,509 crore ($1.43 billion) in 2015-16. State treasuries delayed the transfer of Rs 5,037 crore ($806 million) and Rs 4,016 crore ($ 606 million) released in 2014-15 and 2015-16 to state health societies. The transfer that is supposed to take 15 days took between 50 to 271 days. In six states  Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura  Rs 36 crore was diverted to other schemes, such as the Mukhyamantri Shubh Lakshmi Yojana (chief ministers scheme for baby girls) and the Sukhibhava Scheme (assistance for institutional deliveries) in Telangana, and so on. 18 states spent only 32 percent of allocation which was already 36 percent short

In 18 states, against a requirement of Rs 133 crore, reflected in the 2013-16 state programme implementation plans, only 64 percent was allocated, we found. But states were not able to utilise even the allocated amount, with no more than 32 percent or Rs 43 crore spent.

There are a number of reasons for unspent funds, ranging from the lack of human resources to complicated procedures for procurement in construction-related activities, said Avani Kapur, fellow at the Centre for Policy Research and Director of the Accountability Initiative. Another key factor is the uncertainty in the timing and amount of funds received under the scheme. There is often a mismatch in the what the state/district administration demands and what is actually approved and received.

NHM is funded by both the central government and the states, with the centre providing 60 percent. The ministry of health and family welfare used to release funds directly to the state health societies till 2013-14. The money is now sent to state governments, which then move it to the societies.

The state-level societies, in turn, disburse the funds to district health societies for further release to blocks. From here, the money goes to various implementing units such as community and primary health centres and sub-centres and village health sanitation nutrition committees.

NHM funds are released in five parts: NRHM Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Flexipool, National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) Flexipool and Flexipool for Communicable Diseases and Non-communicable Diseases, including injury and trauma and infrastructure maintenance.

One of the reasons for the creation of these (state health) societies was that the unspent money gets carried over to the next year unlike the state treasury which has to return unutilised funds at the end of the financial year, said Kapur.

There are significant delays in the receipt of funds as CAG reported too, she said. Given that states/districts have to prioritise routine activities such as salaries and Janani Suraksha Yojana payouts, there is an incentive to not spend money till the funds reach specifically (for certain projects), she said. Our research has thus shown that a lot of the softer expenses such as IEC (information, education, communication) or training often remained neglected.

There are other problems with central sponsorship of schemes like NHM. Item-wise budgeting means that states do not have the flexibility to spend as per need, said Kapur. I have heard the case of Himachal Pradesh where ASHAs (accredited social health activists) were not needed at one time but had to be hired because of NHM norms, she said. Under the new norms of the 14th finance commission, there is a provision wherein 25 percent of the funding is completely untied. (I) havent yet seen how states have operationalised this though.

Unspent funds ranged from 40 percent to 76 percent, Meghalaya spent least

State health societies had spent only Rs 1,06,180 crore ($ 20.7 billion) of the Rs 1,10,930 crore ($ 17.1 billion) available during 2011-16. In some states the unspent balance ranged between 40 percent to 76 percent  for example, in 2015-16, in Meghalaya it was 76 percent and in UP, 52 percent.

Source: Comptroller and Auditor General of India

The table above shows the unspent balance without interest and with interest (as mandated by the NRHM guidelines). In 2011-12, the unspent balance available with 27 state health societies without interest was Rs 5253 crore ($ 1.02 billion) which came down to Rs 3686 crore ($ 555 million) in 2015-16. However, over the same period, the unspent balance, including interest, with 27 states increased from Rs 7375 crore ($1.44 billion) to Rs 9509 crore($1.43 billion).

Defaulting state are not being penalised, as procedure requires

States that do not spend the money given to them must be penalised, according to procedure laid out by the Union Cabinet and applicable from 2014-15.

State governments had to release the money to state health societies within 15 days of receiving it, and if they failed to do so state governments were liable to pay interest  5.75 percent to 7.25 percent, depending on the going bank deposit rate.

The audit observed that Rs 49 crore released during 2014-15 and Rs 450 crore released during 2015-16 under Mission Flexipool and RCH Flexipool to state treasuries were not transferred to state health societies as of May 2016.

When asked to explain, the ministry told CAG that from time to time states had been asked to ensure timely release of funds to health societies. However, the CAG observed that the ministry had no answer when it was asked about action taken against defaulting states.

Operational guidelines for the funds also provide for money to be used for only specific targets. In six states (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura), Rs 36 crore was diverted to other schemes as mentioned earlier. The ministry admitted to CAG that it had not acted properly in diverting NRHM funds for non-NRHM purposes.

For the period 2011-15, utilisation certificates (UCs) of Rs 4,283crore, under Mission Flexipool, were pending in 22 states/UTs. Under RCH Flexipool, UCs of Rs 3,175 crore were pending from 21 states/UTs as of May 2016.

Poor data management

Data management processes are under NHM are very poor, we have also found that data is often poorly maintained, said Kapur who has authored the budget study on the NHM. The inability to maintain data management systems has a consequence on planning for the next year as well as implementation. UCs need to show utilisation and the failure to submit it has implications for future rounds of fund release.

Lack of staff and high vacancies mean that frontline functionaries have to produce and maintain most records without any clarity on how and when it will be used, Kapur said.

In its response to our questions, the ministry of health and family welfare has said that it has already put in place a slew of measures to deal with these problems: regulation of fresh funds, the use of the Public Financial Management System which provides a digital platform for fund management in real time, audit of state funds, training and review of state finance staff and the immediate transfer of funds between state health societies and state treasuries.

The central government is also advocating the use of single bank account in state operations so that in order to keep track of unspent funds, according to Jhalani.

(This is the first of a two-part series.)

Next: Up to 38 percent Shortfall In Medical Staff At Health Facilities Across India

(Salve is an analyst with IndiaSpend)

(Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit/FactChecker.in is fact-checking initiative, scrutinising for veracity and context statements made by individuals and organisations in public life)
In a video uploaded on Facebook on 15 August, they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an 'Independence Day gift' to the citizens. The police are verifying the authenticity of the video and trying to trace the IP address from where it was uploaded.

New Delhi: Two men, who had claimed responsibility for the attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid, have been detained, police said on Monday.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal are currently being interrogated, they added. A team of the Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha where the two had said they would surrender on 17 August but they did not turn up.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on 15 August, they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens. The 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 had said in the video message.

They also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of the Sikh revolutionary.

Khalid was attacked on 13 August 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 was registered by the police in the incident.
During interrogation, the duo told police that they had planned to disrupt the event 'Khauff se Azaadi' that was being held on 13 August at Constitution Club, where activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha were present as speakers.

New Delhi: The two men, detained for allegedly attacking Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid, claimed on Monday that they were cow vigilantes who had come to disrupt the event that was underway at Constitution Club in Delhi to draw attention towards protection of cows, police said.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal were detained by police in the early hours on Monday, they said.

During interrogation, the duo told police that they had planned to disrupt the event 'Khauff se Azaadi' (Freedom from Fear) that was being held on 13 August at Constitution Club, where activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha were present as speakers.

When Dalal reached the Constitution Club, he found Khalid outside the venue and attacked him.

The duo told police they wanted to draw attention towards the issue of cow protection and thought that targeting the event would highlight their cause, police said.

A team of Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha, where the two had said they would surrender on 17 August but they did not turn up.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on 15 August, they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to 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 had said in the video message.

They had also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender in Sarabha village.

Khalid was attacked when he was on his way to take part in the event. He escaped unhurt.

On Tuesday, 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 cartridge was found at the spot. A case of attempt to murder was registered by police in connection with the incident.
Tension gripped Gujarat's Surat city as mobs set ablaze a BRTS bus and vandalised a bus stand on Sunday night, apparently in protest against the arrest of Patidar quota agitation leader Alpesh Kathiriya, a close aide of Hardik Patel, by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in an old sedition case.

Surat: Tension gripped Gujarat's Surat city as mobs set ablaze a BRTS bus and vandalised a bus stand on Sunday night, apparently in protest against the arrest of Patidar quota agitation leader Alpesh Kathiriya, a close aide of Hardik Patel, by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in an old sedition case. The bus was set ablaze in the Yogi Chowk area and the bus stand in the Varachha area. The mobs also burnt tyres on roads and indulged in stone pelting.

Kathiriya is a leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), an outfit organising protests demanding reservation for the Patidar community. He was arrested by the crime branch in Ahmedabad when he was on his way to stage a symbolic fast. Surat police commissioner Satish Sharma said the situation was under control and the police were trying to ascertain who were behind the violence. "A BRTS bus was set ablaze and a bus stand damaged by mobs, but we have brought the situation under control. We are trying to ascertain who all were behind the violence. It appears that those behind the violence are PAAS members and those sympathising with the outfit," he said.

Sharma added that patrolling was intensified since evening, anticipating violence, after Kathiriya, who is from Surat, was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in an old sedition case. Kathiriya was detained, along with Patel, who is spearheading the protest demanding reservation for the Patidar community, and seven others by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch this morning when they were on their way to a protest site to observe a symbolic fast. While eight of them were released on bail after being booked under sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the IPC, Kathiriya was shown as arrested in a sedition case dating back to 2015, in which he was an accused, a Crime Branch official said. This had apparently irked the PAAS members and sympathisers, who indulged in violence, Sharma said.

Meanwhile, Patel released a video clip, appealing for peace. "I request the people to maintain peace and not destroy public property. Whatever the police did was not right, but what is being done now is also not right. Protest, but peacefully and constitutionally, not by destroying government property. I appeal for peace," he said in the clip.
A Delhi court on Monday allowed Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to travel to Geneva to express condolences to the family of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and also to seek international aid for Kerala

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday allowed Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to travel to Geneva to express condolences to the family of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and also to seek international aid for Kerala which is reeling under unprecedented floods.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal allowed Tharoor to travel on Monday after his counsel said the politician worked under Annan for ten years and he was his mentor at the United Nations.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Gaurav Gupta, appearing for Tharoor, also told the court that the politician was going to seek international assistance through the United Nations for the victims of Kerala flood.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP is on regular bail in a case relating to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death almost four years ago in a luxury hotel in Delhi. "I am allowing the application. Inform the investigating officer about your schedule," the judge said. The counsel said that Tharoor is scheduled to leave on Monday evening and he will return on Tuesday.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of 17 January, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel, as the official bungalow of Shashi Tharoor was being renovated at that time.
The helpless animals in Kerala perished in landslides and floods, while nearly a million people were shifted to relief camps across the state.

Editor's note: Described as one of the worst since 1924 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the rains in Kerala have left over 350 dead and rendered thousands of people homeless. According to the latest tally, 80,000 have been rescued so far. Over 1,500 relief camps have been set up across the state that currently house at least 2,23,139 people. In a multi-part series, Firstpost will attempt to analyse the short-term and long-term impact of these unprecedented floods on the lives of the people, economy of the state, and the environment.

***

A pet dog saved the life of its owner and his family before their house collapsed in a landslip in Idukki district's Keerithode. The family members, who woke up hearing the groans and yelps of the dog at 3 am on 12 August, came out of their house just minutes before it caved in.

While this family got lucky, thousands of other dogs and animals could neither save their or their masters' lives when the century's worst floods wreaked unprecedented devastation across Kerala. The hapless animals perished in landslides and floods while nearly a million people were shifted to relief camps.

Some who tried to save their pets met a watery death. A nine-member family that tried to shift their relative's pet from a flooded house in Malappuram district was buried alive in a landslide on 17 August.

A woman in Thrissur district was ready to risk her own life for the sake of the 25 dogs she tended to at her house. The woman, Sunitha, who was stranded in her flooded house, had refused to leave with rescuers without her dogs. She had left the house only after the animals were placed in the safe hands of Humane Society International (HSI).

Shaju Ambarayil, a farmer from Madakkunnu in Wayanad district, remained helpless when the over 70 pigs he reared in a farm near his house were swept away by the floodwaters. He could not save the animals, his only means of livelihood, as he had to safeguard the lives of the six members of his family, including his aged parents.

The floodwaters washed away thousands of animals, including livestock, while landslides in the hilly regions of Kerala killed many more. Animal lovers who embarked on a rescue operation since the floodwaters receded on Sunday saw bodies of hundreds of animals strewn all around many places.

Kerala Veterinary and Animal Husband Director Dr N Sasi said they had no figures on the number animals killed in the floods. He said the department would be able to gather the details only after people in the relief camps returned to their homes.

"Our current priority is to rescue the stranded animals and rehabilitate them," Sasi said. "We have opened 20 camps in various parts of the state to shelter the animals. We have pressed teams of officials with meals and medicines across the state to rescue them."

Several animal rights groups have also joined the effort. Thiruvananthapuram-based Save Animals Kerala (SAK) has sent a team to Alappuzha with a boat, animal feed and medicines.

G Karthikeyan, head of the team, said they had rescued about a 100 dogs and 75 other animals stranded in the backwaters in junkers. He said all the animals were sick and needed treatment for at least a week to be on their feet.

"However, we don't have the facility to shelter the animals in Alappuzha. The owners will take the domesticated animals. We are trying to identify them and hand the animals over to them. But there are no takers for the street dogs. We are planning to take them to Cherthala, which is 40 kilometres from Alappuzha," Karthikeyan said.

He added that they were also short of medicines to treat the rescued animals. If the animals are left untreated, they can also cause infections in human beings and trigger several diseases. To prevent this, Karthikeyan said they were in touch with animal husbandry officials to procure the required medicines.

SAK coordinator Sreedevi said the biggest problem was finding a suitable place to accommodate the rescued animals, but a few people had offered their homes to provide temporary shelter to the animals. "We have opened three such centres in Ernakulam, Perumbavoor and Thrissur, but transporting the animals to these places has been tough as the roads are still blocked in many places," Sreedevi said.

She added that a shortage in animal meals and fodder was also a significant problem. "All cattle grazing areas are underwater. We have opened a collection centre in the state capital, where people can drop meals for the animals. We hope many come forward to support them, considering the gravity of the situation," Sreedevi said.

HSI has also deployed a team to the affected areas. A six-member team of experts is now in Malappuram, scouting for stranded animals. So far, it has found several who perished in landslides and floods.

"Kerala is at a standstill right now, with many areas experiencing total devastation. Our team is encountering many animals who perished. However, we are still finding abandoned dogs and were recently able to rescue 13 dogs and a tiny kitten we found trembling as the floods raged around him," HSI said in a statement.

The animal rescue organisation said many animals have perished in the disaster, and that it is working with the Kerala government and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to locate and rescue dogs, cats and other animals left behind after their owners were evacuated to safer places.

NDRF personnel have also been trying to save the animals they marooned in the floods while rescuing people. A team had to struggle for six hours to rescue a pack of dogs stranded in an island in Idukki.

Moreover, the veterinary director said there was urgent need to remove the bodies of the animals as they could cause diarrhoea and leptospirosis. He said a team of doctors has been deployed to disinfect the animals.

Sasi added that the maximum animal casualties was in the districts of Idukki and Wayanad, which witnessed landslides along with floods. He said the department was paying special attention in these districts as they are major dairy farming centres of Kerala. The extensive damage livestock has suffered in the two districts will lead to an acute shortage of milk, he said, adding that extensive efforts were required from the government's side to revive the sector.
The tax department proposes to make changes in Form No 13 and related rules under the Income Tax Act.

The draft notification proposing the amendments is available on the website of the Income Tax Department.

New Delhi: The finance ministry has proposed amendments in the Income Tax rules for obtaining 'no deduction of tax' certificate electronically, a move aimed at minimising human interface and reducing compliance burden.

The tax department proposes to make changes in Form No 13 and related rules under the Income Tax Act.

"In order to rationalise and make the process of issuance of certificate for no deduction of tax or deduction/collection of tax at lower rate electronic, the existing Form No 13 and relevant IT Rules are required to be amended," said the revenue department.

"This is vital for minimising the human interface and reducing the compliance burden on the applicant," the department added while seeking comments from stakeholders by September 4 on the draft notification in this regard.

Naveen Wadhwa, DGM, Taxmann, said getting nil or lower deduction certificate from Income Tax Department is burdensome for taxpayers especially senior citizens who are required to submit Form 13 in hardcopy by visiting jurisdictional Income Tax Office.

"There is no centralised process to apply online for getting such certificate except in a few states like, Karnataka and Goa which allow filing of Form 13 electronically. Extending such benefit to all states will be a commendable step," he said.

The draft notification proposing the amendments is available on the website of the Income Tax Department.
The authorities have not granted police permission, nor have they allocated a ground for his protest despite repeated applications, he said in an open letter to Rupani.

Ahmedabad: Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel on Sunday wrote to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, seeking his intervention for necessary permissions to hold an indefinite fast here from 25 August.

The authorities have not granted police permission, nor have they allocated a ground for his protest despite repeated applications, he said in an open letter to Rupani.

Patel has announced that he will launch an indefinite hunger strike at a ground in Nikol area here to press the demand of reservation for the Patidar (Patel) community from 25 August. But the civic body has converted the ground into a parking area.

Patel said protesting is citizens' "fundamental right under Constitution" and referred to the fast observed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and others over the logjam in Parliament on 12 April this year. "We have given a guarantee to the administration that the protest will not affect law and order and will be Gandhian in nature," he said.

"Not granting permission and a ground for the planned protest indicates government's helplessness," Patel claimed. On Saturday, Patel had said on August 19 he and his supporters will observe a fast sitting in their cars in the parking area in Nikol if an alternative place was not made available for his 25 August gathering.
Todays Google Doodle celebrates Ismat Chughtai, who championed free speech, social liberation, and gender equality through her writing

To gain an insight into the individual who was Ismat Chughtai, one need look no further than the time she was hauled up before a court in Lahore, on an obscenity charge for her story Lihaaf (The Quilt). A tale about a neglected Begum who strikes up a romantic relationship with her masseuse, Lihaaf, published in 1942, caused quite a furore for its depiction of female sexuality and queer desire.

The story goes that when the police came to her home to issue the court's summons, Ismat Chughtai's husband  Shaheed Latif  was beside himself with anxiety. Chughtai, however, merely offered herself up for arrest.

She also withstood pressure from several senior Urdu writers (men, mostly) who advised her to apologise to the judge and have her case dismissed. Chughtai knew she had done no wrong, and said she believed her lawyer would win her case.

She would describe the scene in the Lahore courtroom (in then undivided India) in a light-hearted way in her book of essays Kaghazi Hai Pairahan: She neatly deflected "well-wishers" who insisted that she express her contrition to the judge by saying that her co-defendant, "this madcap Manto"  who was on trial at the same time as her for his work Bu (Odour)  would refuse.

To the judge who later told her that he didn't find anything obscene in Lihaaf, but that Manto's writings were "littered with filth", Chughtai responded: "The world is also littered with filth". "Is it necessary to rake it up, then?" the judge countered. "If it is raked up, it becomes visible and (then) people feel the need to clean it up," she said.

This then, was Ismat Chughtai  fierce, fearless, forthright.

***

There is some confusion over when Ismat Chughtai was born. Some accounts state it as 15 August 1915, still others as 21 August of that same year. However, Google  which has issued a commemorative doodle for Ismat Chughtai's 107th birthday  attributes her family as stating her date of birth as 21 August 1911.

Chughtai was born in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh, the ninth child among 10; her father was a civil servant whose postings took the family to various other places in India. One of Chughtai's older brothers  Mirza Azeem Beg  was a novelist; he and the Progressive Writers' Association (a group that Chughtai encountered while pursuing a BEd at Aligarh Muslim University) influenced her decision to become a writer.

Chughtai had already published several works and made something of a name for herself as a rebel against conventions. But when Lihaaf was published in 1942, the level of scrutiny was at an altogether different level. While her accounts indicate that she wasn't fazed overmuch by the prospect of fighting the obscenity trial, in later years, she did express tremendous dissatisfaction that her oeuvre had been "restricted" to Lihaaf alone by (literary) commenters.

***

Even as her stories (Gainda, Gharwali, Til) and essays broke new ground, Chughtai was also dabbling in the world of film in a big way. She wrote the screenplay for the 1948 Dev Anand film Ziddi (it was based on one of her short stories), and for the 1950 Dilip Kumar-starrer Arzoo. She also directed Faraib (1953) and co-wrote and produced Nutan's Sone Ki Chidiya (1958).

She continued to have a prolific career, right until the 1980s when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Chughtai passed away in October 1991  a rebel to the very end.

"Todays Doodle celebrates Ismat Chughtai, the Indian author who championed free speech, social liberation, and gender equality through her writing," a statement issued by Google read. "The grande dame of Urdu fiction would have been 107 today."

Chughtai was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1976 in recognition of her literary accomplishments. "In 1980s and 1990s, a new generation of Indian writers picked up where Chughtai left off," the Google Doodle statement points out. "Today, she continues to be regarded as a national feminist icon."

***

Here's a playlist of dastango performances of Ismat Chughtai's short stories:

1. Ghoonghat:

2.Amar Bai:

3. Chirri Ki Dukki:
A special branch report of the Jharkhand Police revealed that the shelter with the address, SP Moses Phullanwal, Indira Nagar, Pakhowal Road, Ludhiana, Punjab has not been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Chaibasa: A special team of Chaibasa police has left for Ludhiana in Punjab to recover 34 kids between the ages of five to 13 hailing from Jharkhand. They have allegedly been kept against their wishes at the Paskim Mary Cross child shelter in Ludhiana, according to the special branch, Jharkhand Police.

The kids, majority of them girls, hail from Goilkera and Sonua block of Western Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. The kids, youngest out of the lot being just five, were trafficked to Punjab to work in factories but were rescued by Punjab Police and handed over to the Paskim Mary Cross child shelter where the kids have been ever since.

The matter came to light after ADG, special branch, Jharkhand Police, Anurag Gupta wrote a letter to ADG, CID, Ajay Kumar Singh, on 17 August, 2018, providing a list of children living in the missionary-run shelter.

A special branch report revealed that the shelter with the address, SP Moses Phullanwal, Indira Nagar, Pakhowal Road, Ludhiana, Punjab has not been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act and is being run under contravention of the law. The letter also named Satyendra Prakash Musa of Ludhiana as the ringleader of the illegal shelter.

In due course of an investigation, the special branch came to know about this illegal children shelter being run under contravention of law and this information was passed on to state CID and SP, Chaibasa for further action. A joint team of CID and district police have been dispatched to recover the kids and arrest the accused, said ADG Gupta.

Information about the shelter has also been provided to Child Welfare Committees (CWC) of Haryana and Ludhiana. The letter stated that the kids were being kept under inhumane conditions, are severely malnourished and are without any medical aid. The Jharkhand CID has been investigating private shelter homes across the state after a nun from Nirmal Hriday, a women shelter run by Missionaries of Charity, was caught selling a newborn to a childless couple from Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh this July.

The Jharkhand government has initiated a wide-ranging investigation into the affairs of missionaries after the incident and notices have been sent to more than 88 missionaries asking for documents. Earlier this month, CID had raided premises of more than 30 missionaries and asked them to submit details regarding Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

DSP(HQ) Chaibasa, Prakash Soy, said they have developed an action plan to help curtail the activities of human traffickers in the area.

"Due to our efforts, only two cases have been registered so far this year related to child trafficking in Chaibasa as opposed to five in 2017," he claimed.

The police have also been probing an alleged nexus between missionaries and human traffickers in tribal-dominated districts of Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and Chaibasa, which have become a hotbed for human trafficking activities in the state.

The issue of rampant human trafficking in Jharkhand was also raised in Parliament in April this year when Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir admitted in the Lok Sabha that 109 cases of human trafficking were reported from Jharkhand in 2016.

Superintendent of Police, West Singhbhum Chaibasa, Kranthi Kumar, informed that the Chaibasa child helpline routinely gets around 20-25 calls per month regarding missing children in the district.

The author is a freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.
Over the past 24 hours, Kodagu district received an average of 6.1 centimetres of rainfall, while few regions received a maximum rainfall of up to 10.3 centimetres, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

Kodagu (Karnataka): About 4,320 marooned people have been rescued till Monday morning in flood-hit Kodagu district in Karnataka as the rescue work entered its final stage in search of nearly 50 persons reportedly missing or stranded, an official said.

"The rescue work has entered its final stage. The 4,320 who have been rescued have been shifted to 41 relief camps in the district," a Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority official said.

Teams from the Indian Army and Navy along with state officials were screening the villages and towns to rescue anyone still stranded, he added.

The district administration along with the rescue teams are also on the lookout for about 50 persons reportedly missing in the district.

Cut off by landslides and damaged roads, the coffee-growing district, located in the Western Ghats, has been the worst affected in the state due to southwest monsoon since June first week.

The state's emergency operation centre did not get any distress call on Monday, said the official who did not wish to be named.

The unabated rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed eight lives in the district, according to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's office.

About 50 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 12 naval divers, 62 officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 750 fire service officials and Home Guards with boats and hundreds of volunteers have been carrying out relief work.

The Indian Air Force is using M-17 helicopters to airlift the marooned.

In all, 1,194 specialised rescuers from the state and central agencies are involved in the drive.

With several relief camps sheltering more people than they can accommodate, the district administration on Monday asked volunteers, NGOs in the state to donate relief materials including clothing, raincoats, kitchen utensils and first aid equipment among other things.

The state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corp (KSRTC) has resumed all its intra-state bus services towards Madikeri in Kodagu district and flood-hit Kerala.

The bus services were suspended due to flooding and damaged roads due to landslides.

About 123 kilometres of roads are estimated to be damaged due to the rains, while more than 800 homes have been destroyed. Most of the district's arterial roads have been damaged in landslides.

Over the past 24 hours, Kodagu district received an average of 6.1 centimetres of rainfall, while few regions received a maximum rainfall of up to 10.3 centimetres, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts moderate to heavy rains to continue across coastal districts of Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada till Wednesday.

The heavy rains in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada have claimed one life so far, forcing nearly 800 people to shelter in temporary shelters.

The meteorological department predicted light to moderate rains in south interior districts, including Kodagu, over the next two days.
Thirty-six-year-old Irfan Ahmad Zargar, a resident of Chattatabal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, was deported from the UAE on 14 August and subjected to questioning by various security agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, they said.

Srinagar: A Kashmiri man, suspected to be a sympathiser of the banned Islamic State terror group, was recently deported to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officials said here on Sunday.

Thirty-six-year-old Irfan Ahmad Zargar, a resident of Chattatabal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, was deported from the Gulf country on 14 August and subjected to questioning by various security agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, they said.

He was then handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir police who were carrying out detailed investigations. However, there was no case pending against him in the state. Zargar, an engineer, is alleged to have been "quite active" on social media and had been expressing his liking for the activities of ISIS in Syria, they said.

The NIA, the central probe agency tasked with investigating terror cases, questioned him for over two days before handing him over to the state police. Zargar was picked up by the authorities in Dubai on 28 April this year when he was entering into the Gulf country from Oman, they said.

He was subjected to intensive questioning by Dubai sleuths about his activities on social networking sites, especially his appreciation of Islamic State activities in Syria and Iraq. Working with a telecom company in Dubai, Zargar maintained that he had travelled to Oman for setting up a business of handcrafts.

The Dubai officials had carried out a thorough search of his apartments in Sharjah and later whisked him away to an undisclosed location. He was deported to India on 14 August. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had been approached by one of his kin on her Twitter handle asking for help. The minister had assured them help and the Indian Consulate General in Dubai had initiated a hunt for the man.

However, the Dubai authorities had refused to entertain any plea until they had not completed their own investigation in the case. Zargar is the third Kashmiri to have been deported for allegedly being sympathisers of the terror group. Srinagar-resident Afshan Parvaiz was deported from Turkish capital of Ankara on 25 May. Parvaiz had left home after an argument with his father, who wanted him to join a college while he was interested in religious studies.

He booked himself a seat on a flight to Teheran on 23 March and was later deported after he crossed into Turkey. Another youth from Ganderbal, Azhar ul Islam, was deported from the UAE last year for being an alleged Islamic State sympathiser.
The Keral government will on 29 August honour fishermen who participated in the rescue operations. An all party meeting will be held on Tuesday to take stock of the flood situation.

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: The Centre on Monday declared the devastating floods in Kerala a "calamity of severe nature" as the state braced for the gigantic task of reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and rehabilitation lakhs of people rendered homeless.

The death toll in the current spell of monsoon fury that began on 8 August has risen to 223, officials said.

"Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes," a home ministry official said in New Delhi.

This categorisation will enable the state get greater monetary and other assistance from the Centre. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 223 people have lost their lives since 8 August.

"Over 10.78 lakh displaced people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children below 12 years of age, have been sheltered in 3,200 relief camps. Today (Monday), 602 persons were rescued from various places as the rains receded," he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Vijayan said there has been demands from various quarters to declare the floods as a national calamity.

"Our demand is also the same. But the Centre is pointing out certain technical difficulties to make such an announcement. What we need now is to evaluate the total loss and get an equivalent assistance from the centre. As per preliminary estimates, the state has so far suffered a loss of nearly Rs 20,000 crore. The Union government has so far rendered all help to the state. Kerala received Rs 210 crore towards the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund and a promise of Rs 160 crore," he said.

The government will on 29 August honour fishermen who participated in the rescue operations, he said. An all party meeting will be held on Tuesday to take stock of the flood situation.

With flood water level receding in many places, people have started returning to their homes and begun cleaning operations. The state government has also decided to distribute cleaning kits to them, Vijayan said.

K Santosh, director of India Meteorological Department's Thiruvananthapuram centre said all alerts have been withdrawn and the state experienced only light to moderate rainfall on Monday. Similar precipitation has been forecast for the next five days. The army, navy, and NDRF teams continued their rescue efforts.

Lieutenant General DR Soni, the chief of the Army's Southern Command, told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations were still continuing and drones being used to help reach to people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

He said 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations and people stranded on rooftops and inaccesible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

Efforts were now under way to clear the houses of the debris to make them habitable, officials said, underscoring the need for making available disinfectants like bleaching powder in adequate quantities to prevent outbreak of water-

borne diseases.

Vijayan earlier said in a Facebook post that Kerala is striving together as one to overcome the "catastrophic" floods with "monumental strength".

Referring to some messages being circulated on social media denigrating the relief efforts by the government, he

said that anyone trying to "pull us down will face serious consequences".

Aviation regulator DGCA is, meanwhile, monitoring airfares for flights connecting flood-hit Kerala as this is a unique situation of 'humanitarian crisis', Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said in the national capital.

Amid concerns raised by many, including on social media platforms about steep fluctuations in air ticket prices

to and from Kerala, where the main airport at Kochi has been shut till 26 August, Prabhu said the ministry as such cannot interfere with the fares but it is "doing it" in this time of crisis.

Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board were trying to restore water and power supply in vast areas that are without power and tap water for the last several days.

Commercial flight operations from the naval airport at Kochi commenced on Monday with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving in the morning. Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport.

Relief material, including provisions, water and fuel have started arriving at the Kochi port from different parts of the country, official sources said.

A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala on Monday to help the flood-affected people.
The Southern command chief said that the army would continue to be engaged in the rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala till the situation is stabilised

Thiruvananthapuram: The Army would continue to be engaged in the rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala till the situation is stabilised, Southern Command chief Lieutenant General DR Soni said Monday.

He also said the Army's medical teams would extend the first line of relief in co-ordination with the government.

"There are inaccessible areas and our men will continue to reach out to people who needed to be rescued," he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Noting that it was not possible to provide the exact number of people stranded, he said the rescue operations by the Army had not been called off.

He was replying to a question on the number of people still stranded in the state, ravaged by floods. "At a point of time, the army personnel had to return to the barracks, but we are not in a hurry to do so until things stabilise," he said.

The Army has deployed 1,500 personnel including engineers and divers, for the rescue operation, the Lieutenant General said adding it would provide initial relief to the people hit by floods.

"We do the rescue work and initial relief work. We have got a large number of medical personnel from the Southern Command," he said.

Dwelling on the role of Army personnel in the current operations in the state, ravaged by landslides and floods, Soni said "We have saved people from tough areas".

"They (medical team) are here. I know there are hospitals here, the but the first relief will be given by our people which will be co-ordinated by the government departments," he said.

"As a precautionary measure, the Southern Command was working out a plan to make sure that equipment required to meet flood situations would be stationed in the region," Soni said.

"I want to make sure in the next two-three months, this is centrally located in the region, so that long and large scale movement are not resorted to at a time of calamity. We will be prepared...I promise," Soni said.

He said the Army had brought 25 boats from Jodhpur, 15 from Bhopal and many other relief equipment from Pune and Bengaluru.

The Defence personnel have played a key role in the rescue operations in trying conditions and built temporary bridges among a range of activities to help the flood hit people of the state.
Amid the Kerala floods, a section of people has been calling for donations for Hindus, claiming that Muslims and Christians have enough help. Such messages on social media have been widely decried.

A disturbing tweet by advocate Prashant Patel Umrao underscores an uncomfortable aspect of the massive rescue operations underway in Kerala amid one of the worst floods in the state in a century. That others have echoed it in various forms only makes it more unfortunate. With crores of rupees and tonnes of relief material being distributed, they are both shadowed by the dark and needless abyss of religion.

It is true that people are more sensitive at the moment and are ready to jump the gun. A piece I wrote indicting my own profession for being too Delhi-oriented and failing to react to the flood-ravaged state in time was interpreted by some as an encouragement of a North-South divide. That was not the aim of the exercise, but it was certainly a comment on the media's obsession with things north-oriented, and there is enough evidence in the recent history to back this. It was not a criticism of the people, and the media does get preoccupied with events that occur in parts of North India.

This label of 'divide' that is being used so liberally and loosely is now manifesting itself in more ominous ways, with the communal angle raising its ugly head. The gradual swell of accusations against those tasked with collecting funds or those who volunteered for the job is reaching revolting levels and must be curbed right now.

Advocate Umrao had tweeted: "Donate to @sewabharati & @Sewa_Global only for Kerala #KeralaFloodRelief to save Hindus. Others countries & people are assisting their own communities only, It's the ground reality, keeping emotions aside."

Donate to @sewabharati & @Sewa_Global only for Kerala #KeralaFloodRelief to save Hindus. Others countries & people are assisting to their own communities only, It's ground reality keeping emotions aside. pic.twitter.com/Fsh5HKl90c  Prashant Patel (@ippatel) August 18, 2018

One Alok Bhatt added his observations: "If u wish to donate for Kerala flood victims, then send it to PMNRF or to Hindu charities  dont donate to the likes of Goonj, ActionAid, Oxfam and many more. Donate only to PMNRF. It can give it to RSS."

Legal counsel Smita Dikshit quoted a tweet and said: "This woman finds nothing wrong with Christians calling for aid for Christians in Kerala & conversion attempts. Neither with pro-Dalit handles as they are the fertile fields for future conversions, yet has every issue with Hindu orgs (sic) stepping in for charity. Bigotry personified."

One Sandeep Singh has this advice: "If you are contributing to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund for Kerala flood relief, remember that chances are most of it will be used for Muslims and Christians and to convert Hindus. Donate to Sewa Bharti."

Where did this angle come from, and why is it gathering steam? What does conversion or religion have to do with the rescue of thousands of men, women and children who are marooned, homeless and hungry. Who is thinking of their religion when the rescue teams risk their lives to save their fellow countrymen and women?

Do they ask about your religion before rescuing you?

Do they leave you stranded because they do not endorse your faith?

No, they do not.

And this solicitation of funds to specific organisations regardless of their religious leaning should not be allowed. It is just unedifying and ugly and makes a mockery of a human tragedy.

Even before the waters have receded and the post-flood threats of diseases, hunger and thirst have been dealt with, the narrative is turning personal and sour. The last thing Kerala needs right now is this 'them vs us' mindset and a regrettably easy-to-believe spread of mistrust on communal lines.

The flow of prodigious amounts of money and relief material and not much accountability for either at present invariably leads to accusations and counter-accusations.

To be honest, who would want to be converted with the shadow of death over the streets, fields, homes and townships, when families have been broken, struck with grief and shock?

Along the same lines, the mean-spirited spread of rumours that the devastating floods in Kerala were a result of the wrath of gods and was deserved in some way is absurd. Yet, it gets traction when people have their guard down, their morale is low, and fear is the driving factor.

On both counts, it is a great disservice to the people in distress to try and create doubt and fear as they wrestle with the horrific calamity that has befallen them.

I end with a response from one Ebenezer Jason to these Twitter messages: "Sir, are you out of your mind? People are dying out here and all you can think about is conversion? What use is any religion for a dying man ? I just don't want to stoop to your level!"

Absolutely spot on.
Unni Nair, working at a firm which takes in retired army personnel, has been booked for spreading false information on the ongoing relief work in Kerala.

Thiruvananthapuran: An ex-serviceman has been booked for allegedly spreading false information on flood relief work carried out by the government jointly with defence personnel.

Unni Nair, working at a firm which takes in retired army personnel, has been booked for spreading false information on the ongoing relief work, police said.

The man posted a video message in the social media, which went viral, soon after which the army tweeted, "Imposter wearing army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue and relief efforts. Every effort by all and Indian Army aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy."

Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy.Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579. We are at it #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/ncUR7tCkZW  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 19, 2018

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned of stringent action against those spreading fake information at a time when Kerala was striving together as one to overcome the "catastrophic" floodswith "monumental strength".

"Some people are trying to malign this great effort with misinformation in the form of fake messages on social media. Police have been instructed to take strict measures against such cyber offenders," he said in a Facebook post.

Vijayan said it has come to the government's notice that there are some fraudulent messages and posters with altered CMDRF (Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund) account numbers.

Some of these stated that the disaster relief fund for Cyclone Ockhi victims had not been used efficiently, he said.

The fact was that apart from releasing Rs 20 lakh grant at "record pace" to the next of kin of the deceased and families of those missing,government had also disbursed Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's Calamity relief fund to each fisherman impacted by the cyclone, he said.

The grants were released directly to the bank accounts of victims and their families, he said, adding funds are currently being released to aid in purchase of equipment to fishermen.

"We have been utilizing Ockhi relief fund with utmost care and will continue to do so', he said.
A tweet by Suhel Seth slammed airlines for hiking fares of their flights to and from Thiruvananthapuram during Kerala floods. However, airline sources speaking to Firstpost said, all airlines have capped their fares following the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)s guidelines.

A tweet by Suhel Seth slammed airlines for hiking fares of their flights to and from Thiruvananthapuram during Kerala floods. However, airline sources speaking to Firstpost said, all airlines have capped their fares following the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)s guidelines.

Is the DGCA asleep? Look at these vultures (other than @airvistara) and see how they are making money through the misery of others? Absolute shame! @sureshpprabhu : severe action needs to be taken... @narendramodi @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/eyL1TSjZKK  SUHEL SETH (@suhelseth) August 19, 2018

Airlines have been requested to cap the maximum fare around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and around Rs 8,000 on shorter routes to or from Kerala and nearby airports, an ANI report said.

Raising the issue of Seth's tweet, sources also said that the tweet has to be seen beyond what he has posted on his Twitter handle. There is a misconception because of certain screenshots that are shared by people on WhatsApp, an airline source told Firstpost.

What were the search words for the booking made by the customer? Was it for a direct flight? Sometimes, flights can have two or more stopovers and this will be factored into the fare, the sources said. In reality, if you do a comparison, there wont be a equity of fares at all, they said. It depends on the frequency of flights to the city, what time is the flight (depending on the number of flights and the numbers into a city), etc.

At Firstpost, we did a check on ticket fares on the websites of Jet Airways, Spice Jet and Vistara: all the airlines mentioned by Suhel Seth in his tweet.

SpiceJet tickets for 20 August, 2018 from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi is priced at Rs 18,854; Jet Airways has no tickets till Saturday, 25 August, 2018. There is the premier ticket (business class) available on this day at Rs 51,910.

Jet Airways has no tickets available from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi till Saturday. There are no economy tickets available for Saturday, too but they have a premier ticket (business class) priced at Rs 51,910. Vistara flights to/from Delhi for economy class is priced at Rs 10,458.

Jet Airways, for instance, has 156 seats in its economy class and 12 for business class on its flights. The 156 tickets in the economy class are further divided into 10 classes and ticket prices go up depends on how many are left closer to the date of departure.

Vistara does not fly to Thiruvananthapuram. However, this time it has made special arrangements to fly in and out of Thiruvananthapuram due to the flood conditions in Kerala, a spokesperson for the airline said. It flew its first flight into Thiruvananthapuram from 16 August.

Due to the floods in Kerala which have caused the closure of Cochin International Airport (COK) until 1400 hours of 26 August, 2018, Vistara will be operating all its Kochi fights to and from Thiruvananthapuram. These flights include those to/from Delhi and Chennai with economy class fares capped at Rs 10,000 and Rs 7,500 respectively, the airline said in a statement.

Options for customers who were/are booked on Vistara flights to and from Kochi, between 16 August and 26 August (both dates inclusive) are as below:
IMD withdraws red alert in several districts, rain likely only in some areas.

Thiruvananthapuram: Torrential rain finally let up in flood-hit Kerala on Sunday, giving some respite for thousands of marooned families even as 13 more deaths were reported, taking the toll to 210 in the last 10 days. The authorities now fear an outbreak of disease among the 7.25 lakh people crammed into relief camps.

Around 22,000 people were rescued on Sunday in the operations launched by the defence personnel, national and state disaster response forces, fishermen and local people.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy rainfall in only one or two parts of Kerala on Sunday and withdrew a red alert in several districts.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who reviewed the rescue operations at a high-level meeting, said most of the marooned had been rescued and the focus would now be on their rehabilitation.

He said the total number of people taking refuge at the 5,645 relief camps has risen to 7.25 lakh.

Mr Vijayan also appealed to people not to send misleading messages to the control rooms. There have been instances of people sending such messages which were hampering the operations on the ground.

Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at Keralas health department, said the authorities have isolated three people with chickenpox in one of the relief camps in Aluva town, nearly 250 km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the department was preparing to deal with a possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases in the camps.

The most important task is to make safe drinking water available. The pipelines that got snapped will be fixed and power supply which has been cut in many parts will have to be restored after taking measures to prevent mishaps.

At the moment the priority will be to restore street lights and water pumping stations. Local bodies will conduct a preliminary examination of the houses in each ward to ensure there is no danger, said an official.

The chief minister said in each panchayat six health officers would be deployed to ensure there was no outbreak of any communicable diseases as the flood water recedes.

A sub-committee comprising additional chief secretary, health, and additional chief secretary, local bodies, will monitor all activities including health care, sanitation, cleanliness and waste management. Fire force will be engaged in cleaning up the slush in affected areas.

President Ram Nath Kovind spoke to Kerala governor P. Sathasivam and the chief minister and enquired about the situation.

Assured the people of the state that entire nation was with them, the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday undertook an aerial survey of monsoon ravaged areas and announced an immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore. The state government had sought an immediate assistance of Rs 2,000 crore citing a loss of Rs 19,512 crore.

There was respite from the rains in most parts of the state on Sunday after nearly two weeks of virtually non-stop downpour that has caused the deadliest deluge in the state close to a century has claimed 210 lives since August 8 and nearly 373 since May 29 when the south west monsoon set in over Kerala. More than 80 dams were opened, leading to floods while the rains also triggered landslides. High-range Idukki district, Malappuram and Thrissur are among the worst-hit.

Commercial flight operations from Kochi, hit following the closure of its international airport due to flooding, would resume on Monday from the naval airport to Coimbatore and Bengaluru, bringing some relief to travellers.

The railways cancelled at least 18 trains, partially cancelled nine others and diverted Kanyakumari-Mumbai CST express train via Nagercoil on Sunday.

As per a preliminary estimate, the state has suffered a loss of Rs 4,441 crore due to damage to roads and bridges. At least 220 bridges have been damaged and 59 are still under water, officials said.
The Dam Safety Bill aims to provide proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified dams in the country to ensure their safe functioning.

Unprecedented floods have hit the state of Kerala for the last 12 days, killing over 350 people and causing losses worth nearly Rs 20,000 crore, as all 14 districts of the state have been placed under red alert before it was relaxed once water started receding.

One of the chief reasons for this was the fact that for the first time in history, 35 out of the state's 39 dams were thrown open. As reported by News18, these 35 dams included Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir and Idamalayar, which together wreaked havoc in the downstream areas.

Dam Safety Bill, 2018

Given this precarious situation, how would the Dam Safety Bill have impacted the situation on the ground in Kerala? The Union Cabinet in June this year had cleared the proposal for introduction of the Dam Safety Bill in Parliament. The objective of the bill is to "help develop uniform, countrywide procedures for ensuring the safety of dams".

The draft bill aims to provide proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified dams in the country to ensure their safe functioning.

The bill also proposes the setting up of the following: National Committee on Dam Safety, State Committee on Dam Safety, National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and State Dam Safety Authority (SDSA). Together, the four will ensure dam safety policies, surveillance, inspection, operation, maintenance and safe functioning of all specified dams. Furthermore, it also envisages the NDSA as a body that will implement policies, guidelines and standards for dam safety in the country.

A national-level database of all dams in the country would be maintained by the NDSA, while the SDSA will look into their safety aspects at the state level.

Mullaperiyar Dam and the tussle between Kerala and Tamil Nadu

The formation of the NDSA and the SDSA might have helped resolve at least one of the long-pending contentious issues between Kerala and Tamil Nadu: That over the status of the Mullaperiyar Dam.

The over a century-old dam, is located in Kerala's geographical territory. But as reported by Sify, it's operated by Tamil Nadu under an agreement it signed with the erstwhile British government for purposes of irrigation. The agreement granted full rights to Tamil Nadu, and the dam was built on the Periyar river on Kerala territory to divert water eastwards and feed the arid districts of Tamil Nadu.

Ironically, the late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was opposed to the Dam Safety Bill over concerns that it would dilute Tamil Nadu's power over the Mullaperiyar Dam.

And this is not the only dam in Kerala territory that's controlled by Tamil Nadu. The Indian Express reported that Parambikulam, Thunakadavu and Peruvaripallam are all owned by Tamil Nadu. The tussle between the two states regarding Mullaperiyar reached the Supreme Court in 2014, after Tamil Nadu sought to increase storage of the dam, while Kerala opposed it citing safety threats.

Eventually, a Supreme Court team inspected the dam and confirmed that the dam was safe, the report added.

Once the bill is passed and becomes a law, there will be respective SDSAs in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu to monitor the tussle between the two states regarding the nature of the dams. And they will be overseen by a NDSA that will look into unresolved dam-related issues.
With the toll in Kerala floods rising to 210, and over 3.14 lakh people shifted to relief camps, the state also has to tackle fake news. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information, on Sunday, issued a warning against an imposter wearing Army combat uniform in a video spreading misinformation about rescue and relief efforts underway in the state.

With the toll in Kerala floods rising to 210, and over 3.14 lakh people shifted to relief camps, the state also has to tackle fake news. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information, on Sunday, issued a warning against an imposter wearing Army combat uniform in a video spreading misinformation about rescue and relief efforts underway in the state.

In a tweet, The ADG PI appealed to the public to forward disinformation about the Indian Army to their Whatsapp number. "We are at it," the tweet reads.

Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy.Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579. We are at it #KeralaFloodspic.twitter.com/ncUR7tCkZW  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 19, 2018

In the video, that has gone viral, a man in an army uniform claims that the Kerala government was mistreating the army. "I am addressing the Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Why do you have so much animosity towards the Indian army? Is it because your minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan doesn't want the army to come to your state?" the man says in the video in Malayalam, according to News18. The man said that 'thousands are stranded in Chengannur' and aks the government to let them do their job. "Just let us come and do our work. We will not take over your state. Don't be scared," he said.

The two-minute thirty-second video was shared on Saturday on a Facebook page called the Bharatiya Mahila Morcha Thalaserry Mandalam and was shared close to 28,000 times, according to The Hindu.

Kerala, battling catastrophic floods for the last 12 days, received some good news on Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there is no alert for heavy showers for the next four days in the state, and that the intensity of rainfall had decreased over the last two days. According to the weather agency, "heavy rainfall" is expected only in the districts of Kozhikode, Kannur and Idukki.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said that though one phase of the calamity was over, rehabilitation would be the next big challenge. "The spirit that we showed in rescue work needs to be replicated in rehabilitation efforts also," the chief minister said, adding that rescue operations were in the final stages and that 8,46,680 people were living in 3,734 camps across the state.

With inputs from PTI

Follow LIVE updates on Kerala floods here
Indian Navy has been carrying tonnes of relief materials from all over the country to flood-hit Kerala to aid the victims

Kochi: As the massive floods continue to wreak havoc in the state of Kerala, the Western Naval Command on Sunday sailed Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mysore with relief material to provide assistance to the flood-hit state.

On the night of 19 August, the ship carried about 70 tonnes of relief material which includes bottled water, ready to eat meals, fresh ration, milk, biscuits and other miscellaneous things like medicines, essential toiletries, phenyl, gash bags, bleaching powder, and candles. The relief material also included items received from some NGOs situated in Mumbai.

The ship also carried one Chetak helicopter for augmenting air effort of the Southern Naval Command. A second ship, INS Mumbai is also being prepared with relief material and would depart for Kochi by the morning of 20 August.

The Western Naval Command's Karwar Naval Base has also sent approximately 15 tonnes of fresh rations on Indian Naval Ship Sharda on 19 August.

Earlier on 17 August, INS Deepak had sailed from Mumbai for Kochi with divers, Geminis, raincoats, gumboots, bottled water, fresh rations and ready to eat meals. The ship entered Kochi on Sunday and handed over relief stores. Over the next few days, the ship will stock up more fresh water and relief material from Karwar for a second round of replenishment at Kochi.

On Sunday, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) directed the central ministries to focus on the provision of emergency supplies of food, water, medicines and restoration of essential services in the southern state.

NCMC met for the fourth time on Sunday in last four day to coordinate rescue and relief operations among the Defence Forces, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and other Central Ministries and Kerala Government.

Thousands of personnel of Indian Navy, Air Force, Army, NDRF and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are engaged in the rescue and relief operations, which is in full swing in Kerala.

Till now, 38,000 people have been rescued and evacuated from the flood-affected areas. Medical aid has been provided to more than 23,000 people and around 3,00,000 food packets have been supplied by the Food Processing Ministry.

Kerala has been facing the worst flooding in a century. Kerala Chief Minister confirmed on Saturday that the death toll due to the floods has increased to 357. He added that the state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge.
Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district.

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The deadly monsoon rains that savaged Kerala claimed 13 more lives on Sunday, taking the toll to 210 in the last ten days as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said most of the marooned had been rescued and the focus would now be on their rehabilitation.

The navy has put on hold its routine airmen training to enable commercial operations from its base, said the Kochi Naval Base Commanding Officer. Only flights in the Kochi - Bengaluru sector operations will commence on Monday.

Commercial flights will resume operations from the Kochi naval base from Monday, and all arrangements for logistics for this have been put in place, an official press release from the Centre. Only small commercial flights will begin operations from the naval base.

Alliance Air's first flight from Bengaluru has just landed at the Kochi Naval Air Base. Its a 70-seater small flight. Two services to and fro Bengaluru and one to Coimbatore will resume from the naval base on Monday.

"Certainly all sorts of problems are beginning to surface on the environmental front in the Western Ghats. Goa, of course, does not have Western Ghats which are so high as in Kerala, but I am sure Goa will also experience all sorts of problems," he said, reacting to the worst-ever floods in the southern state. The ecologist said governments have been lax on implementing environmental norms. "The central government is actually bending over backwards to make sure the National Green Tribunal does not function properly."

Noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil has warned Goa may face the same fate as the flood-battered Kerala if it does not take precautions on the environmental front. Like in some other states, Goa, too, is witnessing activities which are driven by greed for unlimited profits, said Gadgil, who headed a committee that authored a widely debated study on the Western Ghats a few years ago.

Ecologist Madhav Gadgil, who predicted Kerala disaster in 2011, says Goa is next

Vijayan was scheduled to leave for Mayo Clinic in the USA on Sunday. According to the chief minister's travel programme, which was confirmed after he returned from the US last month, he along with his wife was to leave on Sunday for the treatment of an undisclosed ailment, and was scheduled to return after 17 days.

In view of the grave situation in Kerala due to floods, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has call off his proposed trip to the US for medical treatment, an official said on Saturday.

The Kerala government has called for an all-party meeting on Tuesday to review the rescue and relief operations and discuss the rehabilitation challenge before the state, reported The Hindu.

Railways restored passenger and express train services in the flood-hit Ernakulam district due to "early completion of restoration works in the division". The rise in water level in Periyar had a major impact on the flood situation with waters marooning many houses and commercial establishments in Aluva, Paravur and Perumbavoor.

Majority of the rescue efforts are ongoing in Kuttanad in Alappuzha, where hundreds are still believed to be stranded. Apart from this, people in few wards inside the Pandanad panchayat are still marooned as rescuers are finding it difficult to cross the Pampa river to reach the stranded people.

The Ernakulam district collector said that all rescue operations in the district have been completed.

All MPs and MLAs of Shiv Sena to contribute their one month salary to Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Passengers arrive at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station as commercial flights service begins at the station due to flooding of Cochin International Airport.

Union tourism minister called for electricians and plumbers to rush to Kerala. "There'll be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes/food. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala," Alphons said.

On Sunday, Indian Navy rescue team joined six ropes across a stream in Thrissur rescuing 109 people who were stranded on the other side after the bridge over it collapsed

Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Mangala Lakshadweep Express, Mangalore-Nagercoil Parasuram Express, JamnagarTirunelveli Express and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus -Thiruvananthapuram Netravathi Express from Shoranur junction to run as per normal schedule, ANI reported.

Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh and decided to donate a months salary for relief measures in the state.

Captain Syed Ashad Ahmed of 8 Engineer Regiment, established a captive ferry to rescue 57 civilians from Chengannur. the army has made 15 bridges, provided relief material to 20 villages, and meals ready to eat to 1,200 civilians.

According to the NDMA , here are contact details of officers handling different aspects of the flood relief efforts:

Union minister JP Nadda said that till now, 3,757 medical camps have been set up across flood-hit Kerala. He said there is a requirement of 90 different medicines and that the first batch has already reached. Nadda also issued an advisory for daily monitoring and surveillance. "Quick response medical teams to start work as soon as water recedes," he added.

Rescue operations in the flood-ravaged Ernakulam district was declared to be on Monday morning over with more than 50,000 people rescued in the last four days, The Hindu quoted district collector Mohammed Y Safirulla as saying. Only those stranded at Kuthiyathodu in North Paravur and Poovathussery in Parakkadavu block in Angamaly remain to be evacuated. We are waiting for the road to those areas to become accessible, Safirulla told The Hindu.

Over 50,000 people rescued in Ernakulam in last four days

"Around 70 teams are present there with boats, life vests and food packets. Places where light and helicopters can't reach my boys have reached," he added.

Asserting that the rescue operations in Kerala have not yet been called off, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lieutenant General DR Soni said they will make up for the shortcomings in the rescue operations. "The rescue operations have not been called off. People are inaccessible, mobile phones are switched. We have 17 satellite phones. We also have some drones which we will deploy in rain-less condition," he said.

'Rescue ops have not been called off yet': Army commander supervising relief ops

According to Kodagu district officials, more than 1,128 houses have completely collapsed, while more than 1,700 houses were partially damaged due to the heavy rains. The district has a total of 296 villages, of which 235 villages have been hit by rains and landslides. Thirteen villages have been completely destroyed or have seen life-threatening landslides. More than 50,000 people incurred losses and are in distress. Nearly 5,000 victims have been provided shelter in 41 relief camps set up three taluks  Madikeri , Virajpet and Somwarpet. The areas in Madikeri taluk suffered maximum damage.

Mysore-based Defence Food Research laboratories (DFRL) and Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) supplied one truck load high-protein biscuits, upma, lemon rice, dal, rice to Kodagu district. The largest self-help group micro-finance organisation of the state, Shri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural development programme (SKDRDP) extended two weeks time to repay weekly installments to its members.

The Madikeri-Mangaluru national highway is damaged from Jodupala (8 kilometres from Madikeri) to Sampaje, owing to huge landslide. Officials say it will take weeks to repair the road. In some places, miscreants have started collecting donations in the name of Kodagu victims. Rescue workers have appealed people to inquire before contributing.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is sending two relief camp teams to Kerala; one by road and the other by air.

As of 12 pm on Monday, 14 districts have been affected due to heavy rains and floods in Kerala. Over 5 lakh people from 775 villages have been affected. A total of 361 people have died in rain-related incidents.

The Indian Air Force shared visuals from a medical camp that was set up at Thiruvalla on Monday.

Ever since the torrential rains started lashing the state causing massive destruction across its length and breadth, the prisoners began preparing large number of chapathis and vegetable curry for relief camp inmates and those stranded in marooned houses.

The inmates of the central prison in Thiruvananthapuram are toiling hard to feed those staying in relief camps across Kerala, where the worst flood of the century has claimed 210 lives since August 8 and displaced over 7 lakh people.

Twenty five judges belonging to the Supreme Court have decided to donate Rs 25,000 each towards the relief fund for Kerala floods.

Kerala health minister KK Shailaja said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had discussed the situation in the state with the ministry officials. "Our priority right now is health and sanitation. We have all the resources required to help the people and we also urge them to come forward if they any issue related to the same," she said.

"So, together there has been an impact on the environment ... The population has increased, there is more demand on resources, which includes land, agriculture and many other activities," he said.

The former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation noted that the state's population had increased in the last century and it "has its own pressures on the environment and resources".

Pressure on Kerala's limited land resources due to the growing population, denudation of the Western Ghats and climate change could be the reasons behind the floods that have ravaged the state, eminent scientist K Kasturirangan has said.

Pressure on land resources could be reason behind rain fury, says ex-ISRO chairman

A house in Kochi has painted a thank you note on the roof of a house to express their gratitude for Naval Commander Vijay Varma who had rescued two women from the area on 17 August.

"We can very well realise the pain perpetrated by the floods to the people of Kerala as the people of Assam face such kind of furry every year," he said.

The Assam government has announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala. In a statement, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the people of his state have expressed profound grief and sorrow at the unprecedented floods that hit Kerala.

"The initial part of rescue has been more or less completed, although a few people may be trapped in different areas. We will be reaching to them and making sure that they are also taken to safe locations," he said.

"As far as the Navy is concerned, we have stepped up our efforts specifically in the last four-five days and today, as you know, the effort is moving more towards providing relief and subsequently towards rehabilitation," Vice Admiral Girish Luthra Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) told reporters in Srinagar.

The situation in Kerala is improving and the rescue operations are almost complete, with efforts now moving towards relief and rehabilitation, a senior Navy officer said on Monday.

Kodagu district administration released a list of relief materials needed on priority. The list includes items like torch lights, mosquito repellants, cooking oil, plastic buckets, warm clothing sanitary napkins, candles and match boxes.

MASSA chairman Prashant Rangnekar said, "In the current situation, MASSA is committed to help the maritime state of Kerala which has contributed immensely to the growth of India's maritime sector. Many MASSA members too have declared to donate huge sum to CMDRF."

The Maritime Association of Ship owners Ship managers and Agents (MASSA), The Maritime Union of India (MUI) and National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) will each donate Rs 10 lakh to CMDRF, the three organisations said in a joint statement.

Leading maritime bodies  MASSA, MUI and NUSI  have pledged to donate Rs 30 lakh to flood-ravaged Kerala for relief operations. Besides, Anglo Eastern Shipping Group (AESG), Hong Kong said it would provide about $50,000 (about Rs 35 lakh) to the state.

Several train services run by the Southern Railway have been partially or fully cancelled due to flooding in Palakkad and Trivandrum.

Making it clear that the Centre does not want to do "politics" with regard to providing rescue and relief to Kerala, Prabhu said it is only facilitating help. "Govt has asked industrialists and business organisations... to help in whatever (way) they feel is appropriate," Prabhu said.

Prabhu, who holds the portfolios of Commerce and Industry as well as Civil Aviation, also said that domestic airlines have been persuaded to carry cargo free of cost to the state.

 The government has asked industrialists and business organisations to provide whatever help they feel is appropriate to flood-affected Kerala, which is facing a "humanitarian crisis", Union minister Suresh Prabhu said.

In Tamil Nadu alone, tsunami killed as many as 7,000 people. However, despite the massive difference in the death toll, the task of rehabilitation that lies ahead of Kerala will be same, if not bigger, than what its neighbouring state had to face.

On the face of it, comparing tsunami to floods may look as preposterous as comparing fracture to a scratch. But there are as many dis-similarities between the two disasters, as there are similarities at least in some aspects of rehabilitation that Tamil Nadu needed then and Kerala needs now. And there are lessons that those grappling with the Kerala disaster can learn from.

The ongoing floods situation in devastated Kerala takes one back to the weeks when parts of Tamil Nadu was battered by the December 2004 tsunami.

Karnataka deputy chief minister G Parameshwara on Monday visited various relief centres in Kushalnagar, Sunticoppa and Madikeri. He will hold an officers' meeting in Madikeri now He also visited rain-hit residential areas in Kushalnagar and Madikeri on Monday.

Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district.

IAS Officers Association of Andhra Pradesh also announced contribution of one day's salary towards flood relief in Kerala.

A delegation of NGO leaders met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati and requested that a proportionate amount be deducted from their salary and pension for August and credited to the Kerala CMDRF.

State government employees, teachers and pensioners will pool the amount and donate it to Kerala Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund, according to Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association president P Ashok Babu.

"We can very well realise the pain perpetrated by the floods to the people of Kerala as the people of Assam face such kind of furry every year," he said.

The Assam government has announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala. In a statement, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the people of his state have expressed profound grief and sorrow at the unprecedented floods that hit Kerala.

"The initial part of rescue has been more or less completed, although a few people may be trapped in different areas. We will be reaching to them and making sure that they are also taken to safe locations," he said.

"As far as the Navy is concerned, we have stepped up our efforts specifically in the last four-five days and today, as you know, the effort is moving more towards providing relief and subsequently towards rehabilitation," Vice Admiral Girish Luthra Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) told reporters in Srinagar.

The situation in Kerala is improving and the rescue operations are almost complete, with efforts now moving towards relief and rehabilitation, a senior Navy officer said on Monday.

Following relief materials are needed on priority for #KodaguFlood , kindly spread the message. Press note of DC Kodagu attached @CMofKarnataka @RV_Deshpande @KarnatakaVarthe @BlrCityPolice @PIBBengaluru @DDChandanaNews pic.twitter.com/RCy8pzAGZ8

Kodagu district administration released a list of relief materials needed on priority. The list includes items like torch lights, mosquito repellants, cooking oil, plastic buckets, warm clothing sanitary napkins, candles and match boxes.

MASSA chairman Prashant Rangnekar said, "In the current situation, MASSA is committed to help the maritime state of Kerala which has contributed immensely to the growth of India's maritime sector. Many MASSA members too have declared to donate huge sum to CMDRF."

The Maritime Association of Ship owners Ship managers and Agents (MASSA), The Maritime Union of India (MUI) and National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) will each donate Rs 10 lakh to CMDRF, the three organisations said in a joint statement.

Leading maritime bodies  MASSA, MUI and NUSI  have pledged to donate Rs 30 lakh to flood-ravaged Kerala for relief operations. Besides, Anglo Eastern Shipping Group (AESG), Hong Kong said it would provide about $50,000 (about Rs 35 lakh) to the state.

Due to heavy rains, land slips, flash floods and closure of Palakkad and Trivandrum area , the following changes are made in the pattern of service: pic.twitter.com/5ADzR4avYY

Several train services run by the Southern Railway have been partially or fully cancelled due to flooding in Palakkad and Trivandrum.

Making it clear that the Centre does not want to do "politics" with regard to providing rescue and relief to Kerala, Prabhu said it is only facilitating help. "Govt has asked industrialists and business organisations... to help in whatever (way) they feel is appropriate," Prabhu said.

Prabhu, who holds the portfolios of Commerce and Industry as well as Civil Aviation, also said that domestic airlines have been persuaded to carry cargo free of cost to the state.

 The government has asked industrialists and business organisations to provide whatever help they feel is appropriate to flood-affected Kerala, which is facing a "humanitarian crisis", Union minister Suresh Prabhu said.

In Tamil Nadu alone, tsunami killed as many as 7,000 people. However, despite the massive difference in the death toll, the task of rehabilitation that lies ahead of Kerala will be same, if not bigger, than what its neighbouring state had to face.

On the face of it, comparing tsunami to floods may look as preposterous as comparing fracture to a scratch. But there are as many dis-similarities between the two disasters, as there are similarities at least in some aspects of rehabilitation that Tamil Nadu needed then and Kerala needs now. And there are lessons that those grappling with the Kerala disaster can learn from.

The ongoing floods situation in devastated Kerala takes one back to the weeks when parts of Tamil Nadu was battered by the December 2004 tsunami.

Karnataka deputy chief minister G Parameshwara on Monday visited various relief centres in Kushalnagar, Sunticoppa and Madikeri. He will hold an officers' meeting in Madikeri now He also visited rain-hit residential areas in Kushalnagar and Madikeri on Monday.

Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district.

IAS Officers Association of Andhra Pradesh also announced contribution of one day's salary towards flood relief in Kerala.

A delegation of NGO leaders met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati and requested that a proportionate amount be deducted from their salary and pension for August and credited to the Kerala CMDRF.

State government employees, teachers and pensioners will pool the amount and donate it to Kerala Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund, according to Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association president P Ashok Babu.

Kerala floods latest updates: Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district. Twenty five judges belonging to the Supreme Court have decided to donate Rs 25,000 each towards the relief fund for Kerala floods.

Meanwhile, a house in Kochi has painted a thank you note on the roof of a house to express their gratitude for Naval Commander Vijay Varma who had rescued two women from the area on 17 August.

As of 12 pm on Monday, 14 districts have been affected due to heavy rains and floods in Kerala. Over 5 lakh people from 775 villages have been affected. A total of 361 people have died in rain-related incidents.

The Madikeri-Mangaluru national highway is damaged from Jodupala (8 kilometres from Madikeri) to Sampaje, owing to huge landslide. Officials say it will take weeks to repair the road.

On Monday, the Indian Army, navy, and coast guard deployed 243 motorised, 24 non-motorised and 21 hired boats to conduct the rescue and relief operations in Kerala, said the defence ministry.

Asserting that the rescue operations in Kerala have not yet been called off, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lieutenant General DR Soni said they will make up for the shortcomings in the rescue operations.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Monday said that all Supreme Court judges will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, PTI reported. Earlier Attorney General KK Venugopal had donated Rs 1cr towards the relief fund.

As flood waters recede in Kerala, residents are greeted with decomposing carcasses of animals killed in the deadly floods that took the lives of 370 people so far. Hundreds of such carcasses have been found floating in water in Alappuzha and Chalakudy.

Union minister JP Nadda said that till now, 3,757 medical camps have been set up across flood-hit Kerala. He said there is a requirement of 90 different medicines and that the first batch has already reached.

Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh and decided to donate a months salary for relief measures in the state.

The first batch of passengers arrived at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station as commercial flights service began at the station due to flooding of Cochin International Airport. The district collector of Ernakulam in Kerala said on Monday that all rescue operations in the district have been completed. However, rescue efforts are going on in Kuttanad in Alappuzha where hundreds are still believed to be stranded.

Rainfall over Kerala during the South West Monsoon (June 1 to Aug 19) has been exceptionally high. Kerala has so far received 2346.6 mm rains against the normal of 1649.5 mm, according to IMD. High-range Idukki recorded the highest excess rainfall (92 percent above normal) followed by Palakkad (72 percent above normal).

Fifty-five doctors from JJ Hospital in Mumbai, and 26 doctors from Pune's Sassoon hospital and paramedical staff will leave for Thiruvananthapuram in two Air India aircraft.

Railways restored passenger and express train services in the flood-hit Ernakulam district in Kerala due to "early completion of restoration works in the division". The rise in water level in Periyar had a major impact on the flood situation with waters marooning many houses and commercial establishments in Aluva, Paravur and Perumbavoor.

With over 7.24 lakh people taking shelter in 5,645 relief camps, the government on Sunday directed the central ministries to focus on providing essential commodities and medicine and restoration of vital services in flood-hit Kerala.

In view of the grave situation in Kerala due to floods, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called off his proposed trip to the US for medical treatment, an official said on Saturday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there is no alert for heavy showers for the next four days in the state, and that the intensity of rainfall had decreased over the past two days.

On Sunday, around 22,000 people were rescued in Kerala in the operations launched by the defence personnel, national and state disaster response forces, fishermen and local people. Meanwhile, Alliance Air's first flight from Bengaluru has just landed at the Kochi Naval Air Base. Its a 70-seater small flight.

Commercial flights will resume operations from the Kochi naval base in Kerala from Monday, and all arrangements for logistics for this have been put in place, an official press release from the Centre. Only small commercial flights will begin operations from the naval base.

The deadly monsoon rains that savaged Kerala claimed 13 more lives on Sunday, taking the toll to 210 in the last ten days as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said most of the marooned had been rescued and the focus would now be on their rehabilitation.

In a big relief, there was respite from the rains in most parts of the state on Sunday after nearly two weeks of virtually non-stop downpour and the red alert has been lifted in several districts.

President Ram Nath Kovind spoke to Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and enquired about the situation and acknowledged the grit and resilience of the people in coming together in this trying hour.

"Assured the people of the state that entire nation was with them," the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

The deadliest deluge in close to a century has claimed 210 lives since 8 August and nearly 400 since 29 May when the south west monsoon set in over Kerala. More than 80 dams were opened, leading to floods while the rains also triggering landslides.

High-range Idukki district, Malappuram and Thrissur are among the worst hit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday undertook an aerial survey of monsoon ravaged areas and announced an immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore.

In good news, the rainfall intensity over Kerala has decreased over the past two days, the meteorology department said on Sunday, adding there is no alert of heavy precipitation for the next four days in the state.

The number of those displaced in the torrential rains was on Sunday put at 7.24 lakh by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said most of the affected had been rescued and the government's focus would now be their rehabilitation.

Thirteen people lost their lives on Sunday and 7,24,649 lakh people were in 5,645 relief camps, he told reporters after a review meeting.

Around 22,000 people were rescued on Sunday in the operations launched by the defence personnel, national and state disaster response forces, fishermen and local people.

He was all praise for the efforts put in by personnel of the army, navy, air force, coast guard, NDRF, fishermen and local people in rescuing people.

The chief minister said in each panchayat six health officers would be deployed to ensure there was no outbreak of any communicable diseases as the flood water recedes.

Vijayan said the state government would distribute 36 lakh textbooks free of cost to school children who had lost their books in the floods.

Commercial flight operations from Kochi, hit following the closure of its international airport due to flooding, would resume on Monday from the naval airport to Coimbatore and Bengaluru, bringing some relief to travellers.

Meanwhile, as flood waters receded in some areas, people in relief camps have slowly started returning to their homes.

The railways cancelled at least 18 trains, partially cancelled nine others and diverted Kanyakumari-Mumbai CST express train via Nagercoil on Sunday.

Skeletal services were run between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and on Alappuzha-Kottayam routes.

The trains were packed with flood affected people moving to the houses of their friends and relatives.

Efforts are on to restore power and water supply in areas where the power systems have been completely destroyed.

The government also decided to pay Rs 3,000 per day each to the fishermen who participated in the rescue operations.

Amid horrors of the torrential rains, the wedding of a woman inmate on Sunday brought cheers to a relief camp in northern Malappuram district.

Twenty four-year-old Anju, the bride, staying with her family members at the camp for the last three days after her house was submerged in flood, entered into wedlock with Shaiju at a nearby temple.

Meanwhile, several people who reached their houses found it difficult to control their tears seeing their dwelling in total disarray.

Muddy homes, utensils strewn all over and furniture turned upside down greeted some of them as they come back.

Many buildings have developed cracks and pillars were seen perched precariously after water receded in some places.

"Our life has been destroyed. My pension book has gone," said an elderly woman near Kochi.

Near the Nedumbassery airport, bodies of at least 20 animals could be seen floating in the waters.

As per a preliminary estimate, there was Rs 4,441 crore loss to the government following the damage to roads and bridges. At least 220 bridges have been damaged and 59 were still under water, officials said.

With inputs from PTI
As the ashes were immersed into the river, an emotional Namita leaned against the shoulder of her husband.

Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayees daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya and son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya immerse his ashes in the Ganga at Har ki Pauri in Hardwar on Sunday. BJP president Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath are also seen. (Photo: PTI)

Lucknow/Hardwar: The ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee were immersed in the Ganga on Sunday at Har ki Pauri in Hardwar by his family members amid the chanting of Vedic hymns with thousands joining in as the urn was carried in a flower-bedecked truck.

Led by senior BJP leaders, including party chief Amit Shah and Union home minister Rajnath Singh, the convoy with the urn moved from the Bhalla College ground to Har ki Pauri through a narrow 2-km stretch. Other top leaders in attendance included Uttar Pradesh c

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat. Several Uttarakhand ministers were also present.

On Tuesday, Vajpayees ashes will be brought to Lucknow for immersion in the Gomti river. The ashes were earlier due to be brought to Lucknow on Sunday evening but this has now been rescheduled.

At Har ki Pauri, the urn was carried by Vajpayees foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya, accompanied by the former PMs adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. A platform was especially erected at Brahmakund below the stairs leading to the river where the rituals were performed under the supervision of teerth purohit Akhilesh Shastri.

As the ashes were immersed into the river, an emotional Namita leaned against the shoulder of her husband.

Earlier, people could be seen on balconies and rooftops to take a glimpse of the urn being carried in the truck. They showered flower petals on the vehicle. It was during Vajpayees prime ministership that Uttarakhand got statehood in 2000. As Prime Minister, Vajpayee also ensured the newly-created hill state got a special status to facilitate its speedy industrialisation and growth.

Cries of Atalji amar rahein, Jab tak suraj chand rahega, Atalji ka naam rahega and Vande Mataram rent the air as the convoy passed through the lanes. The rituals lasted around 20 minutes as a huge crowd waited at ghats on either side of the river. Elaborate security arrangements were made from Jolly Grant Airport to Har ki Pauri in view of the VIP movement along the route, with over 1,000 police and PAC personnel deployed to keep vigil.

Earlier, Vajpayees family members and the BJP brass arrived at the Bhalla College ground with the former PMs ashes and left for the Ganga riverbank. There were reportedly some differences among party leaders over the place from where the kalash yatra (procession of the urn containing ashes) should start. It was decided that the procession would begin from the Bhalla College ground.

In Lucknow, a senior BJP leader said after the ashes are brought to Lucknow, they would be sent to other districts for immersion in holy rivers across the state. UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey said a minister and a senior party functionary will be part of the kalash yatra in different districts. Mr Vajpayee had a long association with Lucknow. It was his emotional karmbhoomi, he added.

The BJP has decided to hold an all-party Shraddhajali Sabha to pay homage to Vajpayee at Jhule Lal Park on the banks of the Gomti river on August 25. The party will be sending invitations to the chiefs of all political parties, including Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress, to attend the sabha. Later, the party will organise prayer meetings in all districts on August 25.
Kerala battling its worst floods in a century, with more than 200 casualties. It has suffered a loss of Rs. 19,512 crore due to the deluge, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Jamshedpur: A Malayali association in Jamshedpur has decided to cancel Onam celebrations this year in view of the devastating floods in Kerala that claimed over 200 lives and rendered more than seven lakh people homeless.

The annual harvest festival commenced on 15 August, and is set to conclude on 27 August. Kerala Samajam, comprising of 3000 members, celebrates Onam in a grand manner every year, but this time no one is in a mood to rejoice, said Sunil Kumar, the general secretary of the association.

The members have launched a week-long campaign in and around the Steel City in Jharkhand's east Singhbhum district to raise money and relief materials for the flood-affected people, he told PTI.

"Onam is a grand affair for the community. We organise various programmes, including 'rangoli' contests, during this period. This year, however, we have decided not to celebrate the annual festival as our brothers and sisters in Kerala are fighting for survival," said Kumar.

The southern state is battling its worst floods in a century, with more than 200 casualties. Kerala has suffered a loss of Rs. 19,512 crore due to the deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.

The general secretary of the association appealed to people to make generous contributions towards the relief effort. "We have launched a week-long campaign and opened two counters on the premises of Samajam office to collect relief materials. The members of the community have connected with the volunteers down south for transporting the materials," he said.

Welcoming the move, Dalbhum Sub-divisional Officer Madhavi Mishra said organisations do not need permission from the district administration to start a relief collection programme. "The administration has asked all police stations to co-operate with such initiatives. The police will also keep a check on people or groups who try to take advantage of such drives to loot people," she added.

Kumar said the members of Kerala Samajam will approach corporate houses in the Steel City as well as individuals keen on making contributions. "The collected cash and supplies will be sent to the Kerala CM's Relief Fund and other rehabilitation camps," he added.
With the internet down and calls not getting through and not knowing where their loved ones are is harrowing.

The million-strong Kerala contingent in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the largest single entity in the region has been galvanised into swift action. The almost 500 associations and groups have come together to create emergency action teams to send tangible relief to their flood-ravaged state. But is it enough and is the aid getting through?

The irony is that there is still a shortage of volunteers at both ends of the spectrum and this is delaying aid reaching the one million marooned citizens of the stricken state, according to Chandraprakash, joint co-ordinator of the Indian Peoples Forum and one of the go to individuals for Indians in hot water. He tells Firstpost that if there is no swift delivery the foodgrains sent from abroad will rot and that is not the aim of the exercise.

Usually, in competition with one another, this time it is largely a collective and impressive effort. In the UAE, while the members of the billionaires club have pledged a total of Rs 150 million to the Kerala government it is the average NRI who is making a tangible contribution. Full page ads in the Gulf papers under the heading Kerala needs you offer officially sanctioned donations starting from Rs 200 onwards right to Rs 10,000 to specific banks.

And people are responding in droves, not just Malayalis but also others including Arabs whose traditional ties to this region are deep and abiding. Speaking to Firstpost Isaac John, chairman of the World Malayali Council said that the movement of relief material has crossed several tonnes but because some associations are working on their own it is tough to quantify exactly how much but five top cargo companies have airlifted over 500 tonnes of foodstuffs, clothes and blankets for free. At least 50 percent of the natives of Kerala working in the Gulf are directly affected. Hotel staffer Ashil Raju, who works in the Sultanate of Muscat, planned to go for his annual leave this week. His family has left their flooded home at Panmamran in Wayanad district and been moved to safer areas. He is still going but is afraid of the destruction he will witness.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre here in the UAE has set up a check system to give as much real-time data on the situation in various parts of Kerala and create an audio-visual bridge. With the internet down and calls not getting through and not knowing where their loved ones are is harrowing. Most affected are those living in Chengannur district. They have no idea where their families are. Jitin George has no knowledge of his loved ones for the past ten days. The best scenario -- they are trapped on the roof of their house.

Individual efforts are indicative of the shock and dismay at the ravaging of the state for the first time in living history. PK Hussain has dispatched Rs 4 crore worth of medicines from Dubai. The well-known supermarket magnate Yusuf Ali has announced a further Rs 1 crore to his initial donation of Rs 4 crore. The Moopen medical corporation is lining up 500 paramedics to send them to India get to those in peril. A video of Pakistani blue collars offering one months salary as an aid contribution has touched many hearts. On the other side of the social scale but no less commendable three little-known residents of Kerala working in the UAE have collected 5,000 kilograms of relief goods to send home to the afflicted. Mujib, Siddiq and Vinu are sensibly calling for biscuits, protein, milk powder sleeping mats, sanitary napkins, torch lights and toiletries. These will be shipped gratis bot the IFX cargo company and leaves today to reach within five sailing days.

Meanwhile, a priority list of things needed has been issued by the Indian Peoples Forum asking folks not to send only clothes but to stick to essentials like sugar, salt, foodstuffs (tinned) and medicines. Also blankets and plastic coverings.

Besides the inability to communicate with home, the other fears are of expats stranded and unable to come to the Gulf after vacations.

Click here for live coverage on Kerala floods
There has been a collective appeal by the Left government in Kerala and the Congress to the Centre for declaring the recent Kerala floods as a national disaster.

There has been a collective appeal by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala and other national parties, including the Congress, to declare the Kerala floods as a national disaster. Social media, too, is inundated with people criticising the BJP-led central government for not taking the calamity in the southern state seriously.

Prime minister Narendra Modi had visited Kerala on Saturday and announced a Rs 500 crore package for relief and rehabilitation of those displaced in the floods, which has been described as "worst since 1924 floods" by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The relief fund will be released from the National Disaster Response Fund. Union home minister Rajnath Singh had earlier announced Rs 100 crore aid for the flood-hit state.

"Dear prime minister, please declare Kerala floods a national disaster without any delay. The lives, livelihood and future of millions of our people is at stake," he tweeted on Friday.

Dear PM, Increasing funds allocated for Kerala relief to Rs.500 Cr is a good step but nowhere near enough. It is critical you declare the floods as a National Disaster. Please do not vacillate as the people of Kerala are suffering. #KeralaFloodRelief https://t.co/AxabEOHftR  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2018

While the clamour to declare the Kerala floods as a national disaster rises, let's see when can you declare a natural calamity a national disaster. As of now, there is no fixed criteria.

As per the Disaster Management Act, 2005, disaster means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man-made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area. A natural disaster includes earthquake, flood, landslide, cyclone, tsunami, urban flood, heatwave; a man-made disaster can be nuclear, biological and chemical. But, there is no provision, legal or otherwise, to declare a natural calamity as a national disaster. In 2001, the National Committee on Disaster Management, under the chairmanship of the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was told to look into the parameters that should define a national calamity. However, the committee did not suggest any fixed criteria.

In reply to a question in the Parliament during the recently-concluded Monsoon Session, Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju said, "The existing guidelines of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), do not contemplate declaring a disaster as a national calamity. And in March 2001, the then MoS (Agriculture) Shripad Naik had told the Parliament that the government had termed the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and the super cyclone in Odisha in 1999 as a calamity of unprecedented severity, The Indian Express reported. In the recent past, there have been demands for declaration of a natural disaster during the Uttarakhand floods in 2013, Cyclone Hudhud in Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and the Assam floods of 2015.

But as the DM Act 2005 guidelines state, there is no such provision for a disaster to be given more importance or urgency in relief only if its is declared as a national disaster. That is, it states that any calamity which is termed to be of "severe nature" or a "rare severity" will get adequate financial support and assistance from rescue forces such as the NDRF. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) identifies 'vulnerable zones' for various natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones etc. and charts guidelines accordingly.

A Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) is also set up in a severe calamity" situation and if CRF resources are deemed inadequate, additional assistance is provided from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF), which is funded completely by the Centre. And thus, following on those norms, the Centre has provided additional relief and released top-up NDRF teams for rescue and relief operations for Kerala floods without it being declared a 'national disaster' as such.

Hence, in the absence of a provision which necessitates for a big calamity to be termed as national disaster, the growing clamour for it be called so, is vague and only drives away from the larger issue of rehabilitation and rebuilding which lies in front of the state, now that the rescue work is nearing completion.

Central government officials have said that declaring Kerala floods as a 'national disaster' on paper is not going to help the state any more than what is already being extended to it in terms of financial aid and deployment of relief and rescue forces on the ground. Depending on the extent of damages and requirement of relief and rehabilitation exercise, the Centre will continue to pump in financial assistance and other relief materials, the officials told The Week . As compared to the US, we have a better system in place since there is no need for a government notification to move central forces like the Army or the NDRF to assist states for disaster relief and rescue work. As soon as the state sends a requisition to the central government, the central forces are dispatched," the officials added.

The demand for declaring a calamity as a national disaster is more of a political demand. It cannot be either a priority or the basis on which central relief is being extended to the state. The Central resources have already been put at the disposal of the state government. Both the home minister and prime minister have ordered release of central funds under the NDRF and central assistance by multiple agencies is already being extended to the state,'' The Week quoted a home ministry official as saying.

Follow latest updates on Kerala floods here
According to data released by the ministry, the fares on short routes range from Rs 3,395-Rs 6,999, while for longer routes it is Rs 6,017-Rs 10,000.

New Delhi: Monitoring of airfares to Kerala by the civil aviation ministry has shown it is within permissible limits. According to data released by the ministry, the fares on short routes range from Rs 3,395-Rs 6,999, while for longer routes it is Rs 6,017-Rs 10,000.

Monitoring of airfare carried out on August 19 has revealed that maximum fares on various domestic non-stop direct routes to/from Kerala and nearby airports are ranging from Rs 3,395 to Rs 6,999 for shorter routes and from Rs 6,017 to Rs 10,000 on longer routes, an update from the ministry said.

It is clarified that high airfares shown on some social media tweets are for hopping and very long duration flights, the update said.

With heavy rains pounding Kerala, aviation regulator DGCA had on Friday observed a worrying spike in airfare on few routes following which scheduled domestic airlines were asked to cap the maximum fare around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and around Rs 8000 on shorter routes to/from Kerala and nearby airports to various destinations.

The DGCA had cracked the whip and had also convened a meeting with higher management of domestic airlines on the matter to ensure that private domestic airlines do not exploit the situation and over-charge passengers. With Cochin airport shut due to the rains, the DGCA had also asked scheduled domestic carriers to mount additional flights to Trivandrum, Calicut, Mangalore and Coimbatore.

All decks have also been cleared for starting of commercial flights to the naval airstrip at Kochi (Cochin). The government update on Sunday also said that based on satisfactory risk management, the Standard Operating Procedure of Alliance Air (subsidiary of national carrier Air India) for operation of ATR 72 aircraft to/from INS Garuda, Cochin has been approved.

The ministry update added, Schedule submitted by Alliance Air for Bengaluru-Cochin-Bengaluru (two flights) and Bengaluru-Coimbatore-Cochin-Coimbatore-Bengaluru (one flight) on daily basis with ATR 72 aircraft has been approved for operation from INS Garuda, Cochin airport with effect from August 20, 2018.
Telangana deputy chief minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali will donate a month's salary of his to the flood victims in Kerala

Hyderabad (Telangana): Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali has decided to donate his one-month salary to flood-hit Kerala state.

As a gesture of support, Telangana Home Minister, Nayani Narshimha Reddy also handed over a cheque of Rs 25 crore to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.

Apart from this, the Telangana administration has also airlifted 50 R.O machines worth Rs 2.5 crore to Kerala from Begumpet to facilitate drinking water.

The aid was announced by the Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday.

Various states across the nation have come forward to help rain-battered Kerala in its hour of need.

While Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered an aid of Rs 15 crore from the Uttar Pradesh Relief Fund, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu have offered a contribution of Rs 10 crore each.

The states of Jharkhand and Odisha also announced a financial help of Rs 5 crore. Patnaik on Sunday announced an additional financial assistance of Rs. 5 crores for the massive flooding in Kerala from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF). Patnaik has also ordered 500 metric ton of polythene sheets worth about Rs. 8 crores for the southern state.

The calamity has also grabbed global attention. Even the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took note of the issue and formed a committee to provide relief to the affected people.

Kerala has been facing the worst flooding in a century. Kerala Chief Minister confirmed on Saturday that the death toll due to the floods has increased to 357. He added that the state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge.
Kerala received only 1.62 percent of the total money allocated by the Centre for the year 2018-19 at the national level

The massive floods in Kerala have killed nearly 400 people and 6,61,887 people are reported to be in relief camps (the total number is yet to be ascertained). Roughly speaking though, Kerala has to manage 25 percent of the total refugees who came to India after Partition; this is absolutely beyond the existing capacity of the state. Apart from that, around Rs 20,000 crore in losses has been estimated so far. And so, so the Government of Kerala is financially and institutionally not going to be able to manage disaster relief, and later, rehabilitation.

Evolution and challenges on disaster risk finance in India

It needs the active financial support of various institutions and sources, and most important among these is assistance from the Central government. In India, there is a history of managing disaster-related finance and rehabilitation expenditure. The Indian Famine Codes of 1883 in fact form the first code of conduct for disaster finance in India. It was meant to ease the colonial administration's involvement in famine relief. After Independence, the Second Finance Commission (1955-60) introduced the margin money scheme for disaster relief ie seed capital to meet the disaster expenses of the state government. If the cost exceeded the margin money, the Central government sanctioned 75 percent of the extra expenditure (of which, 50 percent was a loan and 25 percent was a grant).

The margin money scheme continued till the Eighth Finance Commission (1985-90). The Ninth Finance Commission introduced the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and later, the Tenth Finance Commission decided to ensure additional financial support for rare severity with an extra fund called the National Fund for Calamity Relief. The Eleventh Finance Commission again revised the CRF and introduce the National Calamity Contingency Fund by levying special surcharges on Central taxes. Moreover, an additional Central assistance scheme was also introduced.

Apart from that, the National Disaster Management Act of 2005 ensured the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), State Disaster Response Fund and District Disaster Response Fund. Each of these funds is operated under specific rules and regulations, but not every demand of the state government is fulfilled by it. Additional Central assistance is a highly-politicised source of funding for disaster relief. Every state government submits a detailed project report for Central government assistance after a disaster, however the allocation is driven by both politics and norms. During election time, the Central government sanctions huge sums of money to state governments under special Central assistance and declares such disaster as national calamities. Political preference often works effectively if the state government's demands are accepted.

The Centre-state relationship in disaster management is still operating on an ad hoc basis and the Central government rarely agrees to the demands of the state governments. The problem arises when the capacity of the state government becomes insufficient to meet the demand at the time of crisis. The table below depicts the details of statewise allocation of disaster relief funding. It is evident from the table that states like Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are receiving a higher share because of vulnerability to disasters.

It shows that Kerala received 1.62 percent of the total money allocated for the year 2018-19 at the national level. Central governments prefer to allocate under these norms, which provide a sum that is in no way close to the demand of the Kerala government. The Government of Kerala has asked for Rs 2,000 crore in special assistance and it is needed. The Centre allocated only Rs 100 crore at the start and later, when the floods made a statewide impact, the prime minister made a visit and announced Rs 500 crore in additional assistance. This still falls short of the cost of replacing the losses and the expenditures that will be incurred for relief operations.

This extreme dependency on the Centre on funds for disaster relief is an impediment on the long-term recovery of disaster-affected areas and communities. What the Kerala government is demanding is minimal compared to the demands of other states.

The missing links

The Fourteenth Finance Commission also recommended that the Centre can adjust the contribution made by it to the state's fund, ie the money given by the Central government is treated as a contribution. So, there is no additional support again because whatever offered, it is within the norms of the 2005 Disaster Management Act. What the Kerala government is asking for is not charity, it is the official transfer of money assigned for disaster relief from the Central to the state government. It should not be politicised. Further, the fact that GST has impacted the NDRF in a big way since the money for it used to come from cesses on Central government taxes means the Fourteenth Finance Commission must urge the Central government to look for sources to ensure the continued existence of the NDRF.

The Centre-state relationship with the transfer of disaster response fund should be delinked from political preferences. In this context, Kerala cannot raise money from its own sources which are smaller, so other sources are relevant. Public contribution is a minimum among them; the next option is to go for external aid (nearly 70 percent of the 2004 tsunami rehabilitation came from foreign aid). It is a practice that creates a debt burden on the state government as well. Such burdens further hamper the long-term recovery of disaster-affected areas and communities.
On 30 July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the apex court that its had filed two charge sheets before the competent court in connection with the cases.

New Delhi: The CBI's Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday told the Supreme Court that it had filed another chargesheet in connection with the alleged fake encounters by the Army, Assam Rifles and police in Manipur.

On 30 July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the apex court that it had filed two chargesheets before the competent court in connection with the cases. During the brief hearing today, a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and UU Lalit asked the SIT to file its next status report in the alleged fake encounter cases by 1 September.

The bench said that it would hear the matter on 4 September, along with a separate petition filed by over 300 Army personnel who have challenged the registration of FIRs against members of the armed forces for carrying out operations in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is in force.

At the outset, the bench perused the status report filed by the SIT and observed, "one more chargesheet appears to have been filed". "That's right," Attorney General KK Venugopal told the bench and said that a chargesheet has been filed in the case by the probe agency. To this, the bench said that another case "is coming up for hearing on 4 September. We will take it up on 4 September".

The bench also said that CBI director Alok Kumar Verma, who was present in the court, need not come on the next date of hearing. An advocate, assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, referred to a media report and said that after the last date of hearing on 30 July, the CBI spokesperson had issued a statement in which he had said that the SIT had not received relevant documents related to the cases from the armed forces.

"There is some disconnect in getting the documents. It is not clear as to how many FIRs are there against the armed forces," the amicus said, adding that "cooperation is needed as far as handing over of documents are concerned". The Attorney General told the court that originally there were some issues regarding handing over of documents but now the CBI director has said that all the relevant documents have been received by the SIT.

The court had on 30 July said that the matter involved the issue of "life and death" of people and asked the CBI's SIT to expeditiously complete its investigation into these cases. The CBI had informed the court that 14 persons have been chargesheeted in the first two cases for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The CBI director was earlier summoned by the apex court which was unhappy over the "unduly long time" taken by the SIT in probing the cases of alleged extra-judicial killings and fake encounters in Manipur. The court, which is hearing a PIL seeking a probe into as many as 1,528 cases of alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur, had on 14 July last year constituted the SIT.
The forthcoming 12th biennial 'Aero India 2019', originally scheduled to be held in Bengaluru, has been mired in controversy

The assertive and bold decision by the present Indian political dispensation in 2015 and 2016, to tactically unshackle the army, was unprecedented in recent times. It resulted in the army executing successful surgical strikes on key terrorist infrastructure across the international borders, both against Indian Insurgent Groups in the North East and terrorists supported by the Pakistani State waging a 'proxy war' in Jammu and Kashmir. Thereafter, the visibility accorded to the events were undoubtedly a masterstroke in 'signalling' that India will not hesitate to adopt kinetic options, if its 'red lines' are crossed. The resultant positive emotional surge and favourable national sentiment that it generated in the country, was also beyond expectation. The collateral fallout was 'defence issues' becoming part of political gamesmanship, in the national narrative.

It is in this context that the forthcoming 12th biennial 'Aero India 2019', scheduled to be held in Bengaluru, has been mired in controversy. This was sparked by the request of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to host the event, with the intent of giving a fillip to the proposed 'UP defence corridor'. The placid statements of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other officials have added proverbial fuel to the fire. This would have been a 'no-brainer' if the Ministry of Defence had been timely and not ambivalent in confirming the much awaited dates and venue for the forthcoming air show.

The arguments that are being debated for both the continuation and change of venue, can be logically justified, based on the tenor of the argument. For it to continue in Bengaluru, the reasoning is hinged on the basis of historical precedence. Since its inception in 1996, it has been hosted by Bengaluru, where it has gradually earned international recognition. Also, it conforms to the worldwide practice of retaining the sanctity of the location of international air shows, whether that is the Le Bourget in Paris (France), Farnborough in Hampshire (UK), Dubai, Singapore or the biennial MAKS air show in Zhukovsky, Russia. Another point in favour is the fact that India's premier aircraft manufacturing industry, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, is also located in the city.

Those in support of the change anchor their reasoning on the precedent set by the changing of venues of the 'Defence Exhibition' in the past few years. It was relocated from its traditional location in Delhi to Goa in 2017 and then Chennai earlier this year. The changes generated a lot of debate, but even the naysayers had to grudgingly accept that the DefExpo in Chennai was a success. It also showcased the proposed 'defence corridor' commencing from that city. Undoubtedly the advantage of organising such mega events at a new location, showcases a different region of the country to foreign visitors and companies, while indirectly exposing them to th earmarked 'defence corridor', with its intrinsic strengths and opportunities.

In this case, the proposed change to Lucknow is supposed to do what 'Defence Expo 2018' achieved for Chennai, ie initiating an interest is destination Uttar Pradesh  even though as of now no tangible gains have been accrued on the Chennai defence corridor. In addition, the argument being propounded is that as the air show-cum-exhibition, is organised by the Ministry of Defence, the state government cannot claim a permanent lien on the venue for the conduct of this event.

In light of the two contrarian view points, the question that we need to answer is what are the critical guiding factors for deciding the venue for Aero India? For this, the best inputs are when we look at the rationale for the selection and continuation of three of the largest international air shows-cum-exhibitions at the same venue, year on year. Paris-Le Bourget Airport, continues to host the largest and oldest such event in the world, ie the premier Paris Air Show, since 1949. It is an airport exclusively dedicated to business aviation, located just seven kilometres from Paris and 20 kilmometres from La Defense. It has three runways, two of which can operate independently. It is home to 75 businesses offering airport and aviation services, including the major names in business aviation, and is a top industrial pole of Greater Paris.

The Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire, UK commenced in its present format in 1948, as the town was home to the 'Royal Aircraft Establishment' and had its own exclusive airstrip. MAKS in Russia, is held at Zhukovsky International Airport, southeast of Moscow, since its commencement in the early 1990s. It is home to the 'Gromov Flight Research Institute' and National Research Centre 'Zhukovsky Institute'. The point to highlight is that the selection of the city for hosting these events was largely influenced by the existing aviation institutions at the location. But the greater gain of permanency, for as long as 70 years as in the case of Paris, has been the cumulative addition over time of aviation-related industries/institutions in and around it. The profile of La Defense in its proximity speaks louder than words.

Similarly, Bengaluru is home to Indian aviation and space with both HAL and ISRO being headquartered there since Independence. Over the past seven decades, with India's economic growth, there has been addition of a large number of boutique design and development institutes, with subsidiary manufacturing bases, within/in close proximity of the city. The major aviation setups have incentivised, a large network of MSMEs coming up in the region. Bengaluru has therefore gradually become India's centre of startups and home to the aviation industry. It would be fair to state that the permanency of the event has created an interdependent aviation ecosystem in the extended region around Bengaluru.

Cities in the proximity like Hyderabad and Chennai have also seen a major growth of design-manufacturing hubs. This is substantiated by the fact that the Tatas have set up their aerospace facilities in Hyderabad. A large number of commercial airlines have their training facilities in these areas. Thus, the current venue will promote larger participation of involved parties/organisations. The venue at Bengaluru also has the exclusivity of large open spaces including an airstrip, for the duration of the show.

The argument that the organising agency has the right to select the venue, in this case the Indian defence ministry is theoretically correct. But it has to be understood that the aim of this mega event is not just to showcase specific areas of the country, but to give a fillip to the 'Make in India' initiative. There is a need to facilitate B2B and M2M engagements, formalise meaningful contracts and joint ventures, and ensure infusion of state-of-the-art technology to Indian companies, so as to make them globally competitive and part of the global aviation supply chain.

These events also provide a unique business platform where leaders in government and in the case of India, the public sector and corporate houses are available for business communication. Bengaluru is ideally suited for this. It is a business venture and a trade event where aircraft, avionics and other services are promoted to potential customers, by the large number of MSMEs and boutique designers, co-located, showcasing their capabilities, products and niche technological innovations.

The stability of the venue over the past two-plus decades has seen the state government implementing construction and infrastructure norms that aid the overall conduct of the event. The air space continues to be free of encumbrances. Small business houses continue to mushroom under the umbrella of the major aviation conglomerates. Therefore, continuity in this case will be the answer for achieving the above stated aims. Unlike the DefExpo, the air show is limited to only the aviation sector and with the aviation anchors in Bengaluru; in other words, you will not attract anything major in manufacturing, astride the UP defence corridor.

We need to take a lesson from the automobile industry that has seen the systematic accretion in players generally around Gurgaon and Chennai, ie existing hubs.

The gap between intentions and action has been most glaring in the defence sector that was supposed to be one of the primary sectors for the 'Make in India' initiatives. Changing the venue of the air show will literally be the 'last nail in the coffin'. The permanency of Bengaluru for the event will reestablish Indias seriousness to becoming the manufacturing hub for Asia.

The author is a former army commander of the Indian Army
The prime minister also admired Atal Bihari Vajpayee's zeal to make India a nuclear state.

Attending a prayer meeting held for Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the former prime minister 'was a life for the people of India'.

"Atalji's life was dedicated to the people of India. In his youth itself, he decided that he wanted to serve his fellow Indians. He entered politics when only one party held sway over the political discourse," Modi said. "When Atal ji formed the government for 13 days, no party was willing to support him. The government fell. He did not lose hope and remained committed to serving the people. Atal ji showed the way when it came to coalition politics."

Praising Vajpayee for his long role in the Opposition benches, he said, "Atalji spent several years in Opposition. Not once did he compromise on his ideology. He distinguished himself as a parliamentarian and was proud of our parliamentary traditions."

On his handling of the complex Kashmir issue, Modi said, "When some were cornering India on the Kashmir issue, it was Vajpayeeji who changed the narrative."

The prime minister also admired Vajpayee's zeal to make India a nuclear state.

"Atalji's efforts ensured India became a nuclear power. He attributed the tests of 11 May 1998 to the brilliance of our scientists. Two days later, India tested again and showed what a strong political leadership can do. He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal, after all," Modi said.

Talking about how loved and respected Vajpayee was, Modi even referred to the ongoing Asian Games.

"On Sunday, one of our athletes, Bajrang Punia won the gold (our 1st in 2018 Asian Games). He dedicated the medal to Atal ji. I do not think Bajrang would have had the opportunity to closely interact with Atal ji, but such is Atal ji's respect that every Indian is inspired by him," he said.

The prime minister also reminded the audience how Vajpayee as prime minister "created three states, which are prospering".

"The process of creating these states was peaceful and without bitterness," Modi said. He was referring to the creation of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.

The prime minister also credited Vajpayee for making "terrorism...an important issue at the world stage".

Union Minister Rajnath Singh, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, senior BJP leader LK Advani and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti attended the prayer meeting for Vajpayee in Delhi. The prayer meeting was also attended by yoga guru Ramdev and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah among others.

Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together with a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died last Thursday at the age of 93.

A bachelor, he 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 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 05:05 PM," the AIIMS had said in a statement on Thursday.

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.

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.

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 the prime minister returned to power in 1999 and was voted out in 2004.

A 10-time MP of the Lok Sabha, Vajpayee had 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 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.

With inputs from PTI
Prime minister Narendra Modi in a letter to his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan said that India was committed to peaceful neighbourly ties with Pakistan.

Prime minister Narendra Modi in a letter to his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan said that India was committed to peaceful neighbourly ties with Pakistan. On Monday, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also claimed that Modi had written to Imran Khan indicating the beginning of talks between the two countries.

According to PTI, the letter sent by Modi stated that India was looking for constructive and meaningful engagement with Pakistan, official sources said. He also stressed the need to work for a terror-free South Asia, they said.

However, the letter by Prime Minister Modi did not state anything about a new proposal for dialogue with Pakistan, highly-placed government sources told news agency ANI.

Qureshi in his maiden address stated, My message is for the Government of India. I want to tell the Indian foreign minister that we are not just neighbours; we are also the atomic powers besides we have a lot of common resources between each other, he stated.

He claimed that the issues between the two countries are complicated and in order to resolve them, we must engage. We will have to admit that we are facing problems, we must admit that Kashmir is a reality. The Islamabad declaration is a part of our history, he said.

He further added that the countries coming to the table and talking peace is the only option. "We need to stop the adventurism and come together. We know the issues are tough and will not be solved overnight, but we have to engage," said Qureshi.

In an an-hour-long maiden address to the nation a day after his swearing in as the country's 22nd prime minister, Khan said that the country will enter into talks with all neighbours.

Speaking on Pakistan's foreign policy, 65-year-old Khan said Pakistan will work to have "best relations with all neighbours." "I have talked to all neighbours and Insha Allah, we will improve relations with all neighbours. Without peace (with neighbours) we cannot bring peace in Pakistan," he said.

Earlier, in his address, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks. "If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start," he had said.

Khan's PTI party emerged as the single largest party with seats 116 in the 25 July general elections. On Friday, he was elected as the new prime minister of Pakistan by the lawmakers of the National Assembly, defeating his PML-N rival Shehbaz Sharif.
National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) said it will dispatch relief materials worth Rs 2 crore comprising over 10 lakh packs of ready-to-drink milk, 500 tonnes of cattle feed and veterinary medicines to flood-hit Kerala.

Anand: The Gujarat-based National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on Monday said it will dispatch relief materials worth Rs 2 crore comprising over 10 lakh packs of ready-to-drink milk, 500 tonnes of cattle feed and veterinary medicines to flood-hit Kerala.

A release from the Anand-headquartered dairy cooperative said that its chairman Dilip Rath had informed Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan that an earlier consignment of one lakh packets of sterile milk was unloaded at Thrissur and Kozhikode on Sunday morning.

"During the next few days, NDDB will supply more than a million such packs for distribution among the people in relief camps across the state. These packs are being sourced from the Dakshina Kannada Milk Unions dairy plant in Mangalore," it said.

The NDDB also informed that 10,000 bags of cattle feed, totalling 500 tonnes, would be supplied to flood-hit areas in the southern state.

"The first lot of 46 tonnes, being sourced from the Karnataka Milk Federations cattle feed plant at Hassan, has reached Wayanad district (in Kerala) and is ready for distribution," it said.

The Gujarat dairy major said that its subsidiary, Indian Immunologicals Limited, would be airlifting veterinary medicines worth about Rs 5 lakh to Kerala.

NDDB employees have also decided to donate a part of their salaries to help in relief efforts in Kerala, it said.
Punjab's Congress minister Navjot Singh Sidhu splashed into hot water when he was caught on camera in a full-on hug with Pakistan army chief General Qamer Javed Bajwa. As politicians and the public clambered into the act and decided to rake him over the coals for his insensitivity to the Indian armed forces in doing so, Sidhu put a positive twist on the expression of affection.

In the great cosmic sense the latest episode in 'huglomacy' is of no great consequence. As an optic for most Indians, it sucks big time. Punjab's Congress minister Navjot Singh Sidhu splashed into hot water when he was caught on camera in a full-on hug with Pakistan army chief General Qamer Javed Bajwa. As politicians and the public clambered into the act and decided to rake him over the coals for his insensitivity to the Indian armed forces in doing so, Sidhu put a positive twist on the expression of affection. In one quick move, he turned himself into a white dove and an emissary of peace.

It was a deft interpretation and adding to his denial that he was anything but a pacifist, Sidhu made it look like Bajwa was the instigator and wanted to use him to give India a message of love and positive vibes.

There are not going to be many takers for this scenario and many may even laugh at the fact that the four star actual head of the state would choose to let India know of its good intentions for the future you cannot blame Sidhu for giving it the old college try as demands for his dismissal gather steam.

He will probably survive the attack since no one truly cares that much and even for those who do, Sidhu is not a rising star or a statesman of grand design.

To be fair, having accepted the invitation and being the only Indian to do so, he should have known the occasion would be rife with awkward moments. What do you if a General decides to give you the good ol buddy treatment? You can hardly withdraw or refuse the gesture so you hug back. You are in their territory enjoying their hospitality so expect to be back-slapped for being unconventional and fetching up.

It reminds one of a famous Indian journalist in the Gulf who was introduced to a dons brother and cheerfully and enthusiastically shook his hand only later realising he had been filmed and spent the rest of the evening in grand panic.

The other high profile celebs like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev probably were smart enough to figure out that there was a downside to going to Islamabad after actor Aamir Khan stymied them with a no way.

But Sidhu wanted to go to the inauguration and he did. If anything that is where he erred. There has been no indication from the Pakistan side of any grand change in its policies to India nor has the Ministry of External Affairs received any indication that it is forthcoming. In light of that and the current tension on the border with four deaths last week and no action against the terror camps perhaps the Sidhu decision was indiscreet and unnecessary. More importantly, when the nation itself and the government are playing it lowkey then as an elected representative of a state and its people you are on longer a private individual and you are duty-bound to take into account public opinion and sentiment before traipsing off on your own.

Somewhere, even if it is forgotten, Sidhu shot himself in the foot and no one is laughing.
In Kargil, 1999, Grenadier Chimmoy Bhowmik laid down his life on the battlefield. His nephew Pinak's name has been left out of the NRC.

Editor's Note: Of the 4 million who didn't make it to NRC, 2.48 lakh have been marked as 'D' voters. The Supreme Court has asked Assam government not to take any coercive action on those who are found to be without proper documents as required under recent National Register of Citizens. NRC, a product of Assam Accord, is expected to solve the fear of Bangladeshi immigrants that has been prevalent in the state for quite some time now. The Centre proposed in 1999 an updated NRC in Assam to solve the problem of "illegal immigration" and two pilot projects were conducted in Dhubri and Barpeta districts. But breaking out of a riot in Barpeta grounded the project. In 2005, when All Assam Student Union opposed the prime minister's visit to the state, tripartite talk between AASU, State government, and the Centre resulted in a decision to prepare a model for the NRC process, which was delayed yet again by over 5 years by the state government. It was only when Abhijeet Sharma of Assam Public Works (APW), an NGO, filed a writ petition in 2009 that the SC's direct intervention led to the start of NRC process in 2014. Firstpost will run a series which will feature 30 profiles in 30 days of those residents of Assam who have not been covered under the final draft of NRC which will decide if they continue to live in the state that they call 'home'.

***

Cachar: In Kargil, 1999, Grenadier Chimmoy Bhowmik laid down his life on the battlefield. Every child in the Barak Valley of Assam knows his name. His brothers, Santosh and Sajal, have also served the Indian defence forces. When the National Register of Citizen (NRC) draft was released, it was therefore a surprise that the name of Pinak Bhowmik, 13-year-old son of Sajal, was left out. Both Santosh and Sajals names along with rest of the family members are included in the NRC.

Bhowmik family isn't as worried about the exclusion as they are upset about the remarks made by some of the leaders of the ruling party, terming the excluded individuals as ghuspaithiya or illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Chinmoy Bhowmiks death in the Kargil war created a buzz across the valley. He was one of the two army personnel from this region who died during the war in 1999. His nephew Pinak, is the lone descendant of the Bhowmik family, which continues to reside in Jarail Tala locality under Borkhala constituency in Cachar district.

His parents, Sajal and Piyali Bhowmik, have been staying in Hyderabad for the last couple of months due to medical reasons, while he stays with other family members.

"His name is missing from the first draft of the NRC despite having provided all important documents during verification. There may have been some mistake on my part, but the NRC officials should have provided more assistance for filing the form," says Santosh, 71.

He insisted that their family is not against the NRC, but are unhappy with the process and how it was executed in Assam. "This was designed by the honourable Supreme Court. As a former Army officer, I have the highest respect for this countrys apex court. Though it started with good intentions, it has been executed in an improper manner. They asked for my sons PAN Card, as I dont think there is a provision for showing tax submission card of a 13-year-old boy. We still tried to follow the NRCs instructions, but they finally excluded his name, says Santosh.

But we are not very worried about it, this is my nation, we served for the nation, my brother gave his life in the war, the nation wont deny us. But some prominent netas are claiming that these people are illegal migrants or descendants of illegal migrants. I am shocked and upset at the same time, he adds.

Santosh Bhowmik's job as a doctor in the Indian Army took him to almost every part of the nation. The one thing we have earned through our years of service is self-respect. We never did anything that would pollute our pride and never let others do the same with us. We have earned respect in the society. But excluding my nephews name and calling the left-outs as infiltrators or illegal citizens makes us angry.

The other family members, too, condemned the NRCs system in Assam. "The Honourable Supreme Court gave responsibility of executing the NRC to the Assam Government. Prateek Hajela was appointed as the coordinator of the process, but he failed miserably in his duties, resulting in harassment for common people," says Deepali, the eldest among the Bhowmik siblings who is 80-year-old.

The familys primary argument questions the NRCs faulty results after spending massive time and effort. You are making a draft which took more than three years and spent crores of public money. In two attempts, you come up with this draft that has excluded 40 lakh names out of less than three crore people? And you start claiming that we have excluded all Bangladeshis. What sort of joke is this? Like my nephew, a large number of children and descendants of genuine Indian citizens have been excluded and the leaders are not even aware of it, outrages Gayatri, Santosh Bhowmiks wife.

Deepali adds, We have seen some leaders in Parliament saying NLC or RNC, instead of NRC. They are not able to remember the short form of National Register of Citizens, but claim that they have done a historic job. We strongly condemn these sort of irresponsible statements. They are just weakening the democracy."

Most people across the valleys three districts are aware of Chinmoy Bhowmik. A large number of youth from this part of Assam serve in the armed forces. Working for the forces is considered a matter of pride in this part of the country and many claim that the martyrdom of Chinmoy Bhowmik is one of the reasons behind this. Excluding names of family members of a martyr is an insult to the nation and its armed forces, says former MLA of the Borkhola constituency, Misbahul Islam Laskar. He says that some of the BJPs leaders are less educated and often come up with bogus claims and bizarre speeches.

Here in Cachar, we all know of Chinmoy Bhowmik and his sacrifice. I know them (the Bhowmik family) personally and we are proud of the fact that they reside in our area. We have an MLA from BJP party in our area who is not even aware of the family and he allowed the NRC officials to exclude name of Kargil martyrs family member, Laskar says.

The current MLA from Borkhola, Kishore Nath, anticipates that Pinak's name will appear in the final list. This is a draft and not the final list of the NRC. The final list is likely to come out in the next few months. Not all the people left out are illegal migrants. There were issues regarding verification which led to the exclusion of many names. Martyr Chinmoy Bhowmiks nephew can be a victim of some unintentional irregularity. Our NRC team has tried its best to make a proper list, and they have done it almost a perfect manner. Some groups here are trying to create panic among innocent citizens, which we dont support," says Nath.

Nath also blames the media for twisting the words of BJP's top brass. "(Remarks of) great leaders like Amit Shah and Subramanian Swamy were twisted by some sections of media. Our leaders never said that people left out the NRC are illegal migrants, because this is still under Supreme Court's jurisdiction, the MLA claims.

Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha is a Silchar-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.
Security forces have rescued over 4,000 people from Karnataka's Kodagu but several others are suspected to be stuck in villages cut off by landslides

Kodagu (Karnataka): A total of 4,225 marooned people have been rescued so far in Karnataka's flood-hit Kodagu district even as incessant rains continued to hamper relief work, said an official on Sunday.

"Though the intensity of rainfall has reduced, the rainfall remained unabated. As of 3 pm, 4,225 people in Kodagu district have been rescued and brought to safety through joint operations by state and central agencies," a statement from the state disaster management authority said.

Of the rescued, 3,601 are staying in 36 relief shelters in the district.

The unabated rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed eight lives so far in the region, the statement added.

The authorities, however, did not reveal the number of people stranded across the hilly district as communication lines were snapped due to landslides and damage to networks.

Several hundreds are suspected to be stranded in the district's towns and villages on hilltops, which have been cut off due to landslides and damaged roads.

Located in the Western Ghats mountain ranges, this coffee-growing district, about 270 km from Bengaluru, is the worst-hit due to the south-west monsoon rains since June first week.

About 123 km of roads are estimated to be damaged due to the rains, while more than 800 homes have been destroyed. Most of the district's arterial roads have been damaged due to landslides, delaying the rescue operations, officials said.

The heavy rains in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada have claimed one life, forcing nearly 800 people to live in temporary shelters, the statement added.

Over 60 people have been stranded in Mukkodlu village of Kodagu district, but airlifting them has not been possible due to the bad weather, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had earlier said.

About 50 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 12 expert naval divers, 62 officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 750 fire services officials and Home guards with boats and hundreds of volunteers have been carrying out relief work in the district. In all, 1,194 specialised rescuers from state and central agencies are on job.

"Bread and other dry eatables and rations have been airdropped in the inaccessible villages of the district," the statement said.

The Chief Minister on Sunday toured across the district and visited relief camps and affected villages in the district.

Revenue Minister RV Deshpande, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister HD Revanna and district in-charge minister Sa Ra Mahesh visited the villages and towns severely affected by the flood.

About 300 people were rescued on Saturday, including 30 senior citizens and 50 children.

Hundreds of volunteers from state capital Bengaluru and across the state have been gathering relief material, including dry food, water, milk, clothing, medicines, etc., which are being sent to those in the temporary shelters.

Over the last 24 hours, the district received an average rainfall of 5.4 cm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Few parts of the district received rain upto 11.5 cm.

The rainfall, however was "moderate" from the earlier "very heavy" rains the district received till Friday, the IMD said.

The water being released from Harangi reservoir in the district across Harangi river, one of Cauvery's tributaries, has been adding to the flooding of towns and villages in the region.

The state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Sunday resumed all its intra-state bus services towards Kodagu and Mangaluru and inter-state services towards Kerala.

The bus services were suspended in the past few days to Kodagu, Mangaluru and flood-hit Kerala due to the landslips and damaged roads caused by the rains.

The South Western Railway's (SWR) train services were, however, cancelled or partially suspended and diverted between Yesvantpur in Bengaluru and Kochuveli in Thiruvananthapuram, Mangaluru to Karwar in Uttara Kannada due to landslides and floods.

The SWR on Sunday transported relief material including water, food, milk and clothing for thousands of people living in shelters in neighbouring Kerala via train from Bengaluru.
Assocham says Kerala witnessing worst-ever floods since 1924, phase of natural fury quite prolonged.

New Delhi: Kerala floods could cause damage of upto Rs 20,000 crore, said industry chamber Assocham on Sunday.

In the states Rs 8 lakh crore gross domestic product, tourism and agriculture, mostly rice, pepper, cardamom, cashew, tea, coffee, coconut, contribute about 10 per cent each. Then, the internal and external trade contribute a lot. The external trade not only comprises exports of cash crops and other industrial goods and services from Kerala, but also commercial activities from ports like Kochi and three international ports from the state. At this point of time, all these components of the state GDP are in a state of total chaos and destruction, it said.

Assocham said that Kerala which is among the states receiving maximum of remittances from the non-resident Indians, particularly in the Gulf, would look up to its people abroad to raise their level of remittances to support families, though it may not be enough.

It said, Kerala is not only witnessing the worst-ever floods and devastation since 1924, the phase of natural fury has been quite prolonged.

The prolonged impact not only hampers the relief and rehabilitation, it takes long to re-build even the basic infrastructure like roads, re-erecting of electric poles, broad band cables, clearing the roads in the mountain region of the mud and landslides . Besides re-building of houses would take weeks and months. As far as the economic impact is concerned, while the official agencies would arrive at their own estimates, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the loss could even be Rs 20,000 crore, as things stand today, said Assocham.

According to the official documents like the Economic Survey of the state, in agriculture the cropping pattern is dominated by cash crops constituting 63 per cent of the total cropped area while food crops consisting of rice, tapioca and pulses account for about 10 per cent of the states farm products, it said.

Same is true about tourism as the state had become a sought after destination for international tourists with several beaches and a wide range of geo-ecology.
In his letter to Rahul Gandhi, Anil Ambani said his Reliance Group will not manufacture any component of the 36 Rafale fighter jets in India.

New Delhi: The Reliance Group on Monday said its chairman Anil Ambani has written to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying his party has been "misinformed, misdirected and misled" by "malicious vested interests and corporate rivals" on the issue.

Ambani, who had first written to Rahul on the issue in December, again wrote to him last week, saying that not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by his group for the 36 Rafale jets India is buying from France, the company said in a statement.

Rahul has been attacking the government for allegedly inking the deal with France at a much higher price than the one the previous UPA regime had negotiated. His party has demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into the deal.

"Allegations of Reliance benefitting by thousands of crores is a figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests," Reliance Group said in a statement, quoting from Ambani's letter. "Simply put, no contract exists with the Government of India."

French company Dassault Aviation, which is supplying the fighter jets, has entered into a joint venture with Reliance Group to meet its offset requirement of the contract.

Under the defence offset, a foreign supplier of equipment agrees to manufacture a given percent of his product (in terms of value) in the buying country. Sometimes, this may take place with technology transfer.

While direct offsets are linked to the original defence contact, where companies often agree to transfer relevant technological know-how or use local suppliers to build the equipment they are selling to the government, indirect offsets have nothing to do with the deal and can include the company making up investments in local industries.

In case of the Rafale deal, which will give newcomer Reliance Group a foothold in the defence industry, the companies have not specified what components they will manufacturer in India.

Ambani, in the letter, expressed "deep anguish over continued personal attacks by Rahul Gandhi on him", the statement said. He termed all allegations as "baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate".

Explaining the role of Reliance in offset exports and work share with Dassault, he said: "The Congress has been misinformed, misdirected and misled by malicious vested interests and corporate rivals."

He said Rafale fighter jets are not being manufactured by Reliance in the Dassault-Reliance joint venture. "All 36 planes are to be 100 percent manufactured in France and exported from France to India... There is no contract from the Ministry of Defence to any Reliance Group company related to the 36 Rafale aircraft."

Ambani said his group's "role is limited to offset/export obligations". "More than 100 medium, small and micro enterprises will participate in this, along with public sector undertakings like BEL and the Defence Research and Development Organisation... This role strengthens Indian manufacturing capabilities and is in pursuance of the Offsets Policy introduced by the Congress-led UPA government itself from 2005 onwards."

He said Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defence manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, "months before the intention for the purchase of Rafale aircraft".
How can the Narendra Modi government declare the Kerala floods as a 'national calamity' when there is no legal provision to do so?

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been demanding that the Kerala floods be declared as a national disaster. He posted two tweets seeking this action, both of which were directed at the prime minister

Dear PM, Increasing funds allocated for Kerala relief to Rs.500 Cr is a good step but nowhere near enough. It is critical you declare the floods as a National Disaster. Please do not vacillate as the people of Kerala are suffering. #KeralaFloodRelief https://t.co/AxabEOHftR  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2018

It would have been better if he had cared to read the Disaster Management Act, 2005 before making this demand. The law was enacted by the UPA government, which was led by the Congress. If Rahul had read the legislation, he would have realised that there is no provision which speaks of a 'national disaster.' The term also does not exist in books which are used as guides for disaster management  which includes rescue, relief and rehabilitation.

If there is no legal provision to declare a calamity  whether natural or man-made  as a 'national' one, how can the Narendra Modi government make a declaration to this effect? The government cannot issue an executive order which does not have any sanctity, whether by means of law or convention.

The Congress presidents tweets were posted after Modi landed in Kerala in the intervening night between Friday and Saturday. The prime minister, during his visit to the state, conducted an aerial survey and held meetings with concerned officials, including those from the National Disaster Management Authority. He also announced additional aid of Rs 500 crore to the state for rescue and relief work.

In the past four days, the National Crisis Management Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha worked to coordinate on rescue and relief operations with defence forces, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Coast Guard, home ministry, central paramilitary forces, other central government ministries and the Kerala government. There is a detailed list pertaining to deployment of workforce and material. As per a series of releases from the Press Information Bureau, a massive relief operation which involved all arms of the government was mounted on the instructions of the prime minister.

Thus, Rahuls demand that the Kerala floods be declared as a 'national disaster' was political rhetoric aimed at scoring brownie points against Modi and the BJP  at a time when the state is facing an unprecedented natural calamity.

Consider the existing legal provision. The Disaster Management Act says that a "disaster" means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man-made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area.

The Act outlines the role of the Centre, state and district administration in detail. It does not classify disasters as national or local ones. Responses of authorities may vary as per the severity of the calamity, but the norms according to which they are supposed to function are well laid out.

Further, there is a whole chapter on national disaster management in the 14th Finance Commission Report. Chapter 10 of the report outlines three kinds of funds  National Disaster Response Fund, State Disaster Response Fund and District Disaster Response Fund. The central government contributes 90 percent of the funds, while the states share is 10 percent.

Keralas State Disaster Response Fund for the period between 2015 to 2020 is Rs 1,021 crore. Out of this, the central government's share is Rs 919 crore and that of the state government is Rs 102 crore. The union government also provides money from the National Disaster Response Fund, keeping in mind the requirement of, and demands made, by a particular state. The Centre, in consultation with the state, also takes into account the damage assessment made by the authorities.

Rahul should realise that the 14th Finance Commission was constituted by the UPA government in January 2013.

It is also important to point out that natural calamities like the super cyclone in Odisha, the Gujarat earthquake in 2001, the Kosi floods in Bihar in 2008, the Kedarnath flash floods of 2013, and the floods in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 were not declared national disasters. That is because there is no provision in the rule book through which the Centre can make any such declaration. The Gujarat earthquake and the Odisha cyclone were declared as calamities "of unprecedented severity".
A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala on Monday to help the flood-affected people. The doctors flew to Thiruvananthapuram in two aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

Mumbai: A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala on Monday to help the flood-affected people. The doctors flew to Thiruvananthapuram in two aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

Maharashtra medical education minister Girish Mahajan was on board one of the aircraft to personally monitor relief efforts in the southern state. "A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff has gone to Kerala. Mahajan will discuss with the Kerala government about their requirement and our doctors and paramedics will be deployed accordingly," an official said.

The medical team comprises 55 doctors from Mumbai-based JJ Hospital, including its Dean Dr Mukund Tayde, 26 doctors from the Sassoon hospital in Pune, 14 paramedics and some members of the minister's staff, the official said. The Maharashtra government had earlier pledged to give Rs 20 crore to Kerala, which is reeling under severe floods, the worst in 100 years.

The western state had sent 30 tonne aid consisting of ready-to-eat food packets, milk powder, blankets, bed sheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins to Kerala. The items were selected on the basis of a list issued by the Kerala government, an official release had said. The deadly monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives in Kerala since 8 August and displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.
Pellet guns have brought much more grief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir than the immediate searing pain in the lives of many. The state government has been of barely any help, and its rehab scheme is a sham.

Editor's Note: The latest National Crime Records Bureau statistics show an 83% increase in crimes against women, with as many as 39 cases reported every hour across the country. There are several thousand more instances that go unreported. And yet, such felonious acts represent only a limited view of the manner in which women in this country must face brutality. In this series of reported pieces, Firstpost examines those societal forces that, while beyond the ambit of law, have the same deleterious effect on women as criminal acts.

Read the series here.

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Srinagar: In September 2016, two months after the Hizbul Muzahideen's poster boy, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, was killed by security forces in an encounter in Anantnag's Kokernag village, the entire Valley was in the grip of an unrest as tear gas, PAVA shells and pellets made way into its silent and inconspicuous corners.

On 9 September, 2016, in Baramulla district's Sheeri village, Shakeela Bano was stooped over the kitchen sink washing the dishes when she heard a neighbour yell about the army and police coming to look for some boys who were part of the protests.

"Panicking, I rushed out of the house to look for my then five-year-old son. A policeman, hiding under a tin roof some distance from our house, fired pellets straight into my eyes. I lost sight in my left eye," said Bano, who is in her late thirties. Divorced from her husband, she has been living with her ailing mother and brother's family.

The non-lethal pellets, as the police claim, had shattered the delicate tissues of Bano's left eye and injured other parts of her face, too, leaving her reeling in pain and mental agony. "A disabled woman is a burden on her family. Remarriage is out of question for someone like me," she said.

Wani's killing on 8 July, 2016, provoked mass mourning across the Valley, and simmering tension led to frequent clashes in various parts of the region. Around 90 people were killed and over 12,000  according to medical records of various hospitals in the region  sustained injuries. This was when the use of pellet guns  officially called pump-action guns  in the Valley was at its highest.

Never as good as before

Pellet hits have brought much more grief than the immediate searing pain in the lives of several women. Medical bills run high for painful and prolonged treatment. The recovery, however, is never enough to be as good as before.

After three surgeries at a hospital in Amritsar and one in Srinagar, Bano has only partial vision in her right eye, with a pellet still embedded in it.

"My disability has also ruined my brother's dreams of seeing me back with my husband. He even sold a piece of land for my treatment. The medical bills have run as high as Rs 7 lakh, but the government has not provided any compensation," Bano said.

According to a report submitted by government authorities to the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission, the uprising had left more than 1,724 people partially or fully-blinded. The report also identifies 59 women who were victims of the pellet guns, most of them targeted inside their homes.

"Many of the injured women were not even part of the protests but were still shot at from very close range," said Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, a human rights activist.

Three days after Wani's death, 11-year-old Tammana Ashiq's world also fell apart. While playing near a window in her house, the young girl was hit by pellets that grievously injured her left eye, forehead and neck. She has undergone three surgeries so far at an Amritsar hospital, but doctors have failed to restore vision in her eye.

"We sold our house and most of my jewellery for Tammana's treatment. My husband is a labourer and earns less than Rs 7,000 per month. No government relief has been provided to us," her mother Shameema Ashiq said.

"I still get nightmares and feel that I have become a burden on my family," Tammana said.

Education affected

Medical expenses and prolonged treatment have also forced many girls to discontinue their education. Neighbours Ifrah Shakoor and Shabroza Mir were hit by pellets in 2016. Both lost sight in one of their eyes, which forced them to drop out of college.

Ifrah, 17, whose house is on a main road in Pulwama's Rahmoo village, was shot by pellet guns when she left home to fetch her younger brother on 31 July, 2016. She was taken to the district hospital in Pulwama from where doctors had referred her to the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar. The teenager had already lost her father to cross-border firing in 2007 and has been living with her grandfather, Abdul Aziz.

"She lost complete vision in her left eye and can only partially see from the right," Aziz said. "It has been extremely distressing for her. She underwent three surgeries and could not focus on her studies. I also get depressed when I think about her future."

Shabroza, 17, was similarly hit by pellets on 31 October, 2016, when the rest of her family was out shopping for her elder sister's wedding. A massive protest had erupted in her village, and security personnel had barged into homes "in a bid to contain violence". Sensing trouble, Shabroza had decided to leave the house.

"They (security forces) were beating people and breaking whatever was in their way. There was jewellery and other expensive items at home. I was scared and could not decide what to do," she recalled. "I thought if the army men came inside our house, they might harm me, so I ran outside for safety."

Little did she realise that her run for safety would end up making her life miserable. As she rushed to her neighbour's house, Shabroza was hit by a pump-action gun that sprayed pellets at her. She collapsed midway.

"I don't know what happened after that. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a hospital. There was darkness all around. I lost vision in my left eye and had to stop my studies," she rued.

What doctors say

According to records at the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, at least 1,209 people with pellet injuries in one or both eyes have visited the facility for treatment since July 2016. Of them, 77 were completely blinded and 21 had lost vision in one eye entirely.

Dr Bashir Ahmed, a private eye surgeon based out of Srinagar, said: "Our main worry is the long-term impact of a pellet injury on a person. There is a dire need to counsel and rehabilitate these victims."

Ophthalmologists at the hospital also said that women hit by pellets show higher signs of anxiety and depression than their male counterparts. "We take care of the victims' physical wounds. But the injuries scar their confidence for life," said a senior ophthalmologist at the hospital, who did not wish to be named.

Dr Arshad Hussain, professor of psychiatry at the Government Medical College in Srinagar, said: "The victims who have lost sight and lack both social and economic support are at greater risk of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression."

The Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Srinagar has been conducting a study to understand the mental health of pellet victims.

Few FIRs registered

Insha Mushtaq, 17, is now blind because of pellet injuries. An FIR was subsequently registered against security forces two years ago, but no challan has been produced before court against the accused personnel. A police officer, seeking anonymity, said, "We are about to complete the investigation in this case and shall file the chargesheet soon."

When asked why so few FIRs have been registered in such cases till date, the official said that many pellet victims were involved in protests, and if some of them were hit accidentally or unknowingly by security personnel, they should have approached the concerned police stations to register FIRs.

However, the family members of a few victims asserted that it is the government's responsibility to investigate and punish the guilty. They have hardly had any time to file FIRs, busy running from one hospital to another for treatment, they victims' kin said.

"I have accompanied victims to several police stations in the past few months, but officers have refused to file FIRs," said human rights activist Untoo. "They even threatened to register cases against male victims for taking part in protests. What about all those cases where women were targeted? They were hit inside their homes by security forces. Why doesn't the state government bring to justice the culprits who disabled many young girls and elderly women?"

Shesh Paul Vaid, the Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir, said, "Security personnel do not want to use pellet guns, but the violent protestors compel them to do so."

On 13 September, 2017, Amnesty International India had released a report on the pellet victims of Jammu and Kashmir and demanded a "prompt, independent and impartial civilian criminal investigation" into all incidents where firing pump-action guns led to deaths or serious injuries. However, no such inquiry has been initiated till date.

Rehabilitation policy a sham

Last year, the Jammu and Kashmir government had announced jobs for victims who were grievously injured by pellets. But so far, only 13 of those affected have been given jobs and 22 others offered financial assistance, according to information shared in the state Assembly on 24 January.

Dozens of pellet victims have now banded together under an association called the Pellet Victims Welfare Trust (PVWT). Mohammad Ashraf Wani, head of the PVWT, said, "The government has failed to rehabilitate the victims. It has left them to fend for themselves. We don't trust the authorities anymore."

Mohammad, a resident of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, was injured during the 2016 unrest and lost 50 percent of his eyesight. "Our association has 3,300 members who were either injured by tear gas shells, bullets or pellet guns. More than 1,250 of our members have lost their eyesight," he added.

The author is a Srinagar-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com
An award-winning rural author, mill worker, and now a farmer, Khanderav Parits writings reflect the everyday life of the oppressed.

This story is part of a series on the everyday heroes of rural Maharashtra.

Hamari takat hamari union [Our strength is our union], recalls 64-year-old Khanderav Parit from one of their protests in the late 90s. An award-winning rural author, mill worker, and now a farmer, Khanderavs writings reflect the everyday life of the oppressed.

Traditionally we faced untouchability and now we are oppressed. Where is the freedom? he asks as he shows me his next story on the life of migrant sugarcane cutters in Maharashtra.

Days as a mill worker

Khanderav managed to complete his Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from a college in Ichalkaranji. He is from the Kabnur town in Maharashtras Kolhapur district. Immediately after his graduation (in 1978), he started working as a labourer in a spinning mill because of his financial condition. For the first two months in 1978, I was not paid even a single rupee for eight hours of work daily, he recollects.

In 2000 when the mill shut down completely, his salary had increased to Rs 6,500 monthly. After this catastrophe, four thousand workers lost their jobs in no time. He then started working as a watchman in the 32-acre mills property which once employed thirty-two watchmen and now had come down to three. From Rs 6,500 monthly, my salary now decreased to Rs 1,600, he says. After two years, he started working as a clerk in the town of Kabnur. From 2006, he began farming on his seven gunta land (0.17 acre).

Even today, nothing much has changed for him as he asks, Change is natures law, but what about the lives of the workers? Khanderav has been vocal about the plights of workers. I used to write a lot of articles on the life of workers during my days at the mill, he says proudly. His articles were published in the mills monthly magazine and won awards as well.

In 2008, he gave a powerful speech talking to the workers about their rights in the Ichalkaranji town. On the same day, a worker committed suicide and police arrested Khanderav for the provoking speech. This case went on for six years after which I was found not guilty, he says. The police kept me in jail for two days. They tried to match my handwriting with that of the suicide letter, he adds.

During those days there were two types of workers, the permanent and the temporary ones. The mill owners would divide and rule the workers by increasing a certain percentage of the salary of the permanent ones. Even after six years of service, a lot of workers werent given the permanent status, he explains.

Once a fellow worker had taken the mills plastic bag to protect himself from the rains. He was labeled a thief by the mill management and had to lose the job for a mere 10 paisa plastic bag, he recollects. Instances like this inspired him to write about the lives of workers. No one wants to talk about the horrible lives of workers and I wanted to bring this out with my story titled Vedna [suffering], he says.

In Vedna, he talks about a real-life incident where a worker who was protesting against the mill owners had lost his son to an illness. We werent paid on the days of the strike, and he needed some money for his sons treatment, but there was no work, he says. After two days of the strike, the worker returned to his home to see the dead son. Such is the plight of workers, he adds.

Writing and self-publishing his first book

Annabhau Sathes writings inspired Khanderav to pick up literature and start writing about the oppressed. Over a period of two decades, he had written several stories on the waste pieces of papers. He takes close to three months in writing one story.

Sometimes I would write about my characters (with a chalk) while working on the spinning mill machine, he says smilingly. In 2014, he self-published his first book titled Sharayat [race] which is a collection of 15 real-life stories. In these stories, he talks about alcoholism, patriarchy, the plight of the workers, superstitions, old age, and how poor people are exploited. All the characters in the book are people I know closely. Their stories had moved me, he adds. These stories were set in the latter half of the previous century. Nothing has changed in the society. Earlier the people in power used to kill with swords, now they kill with guns, he says.

Of the 15 stories, Niyati [fate] is the oldest story which he wrote in 1985. My mother was in tears when I read her this story. Those teardrops fell on my [handwritten] original copy of the story. Those tears are my biggest prize, he says proudly. He has given a positive fictional ending to a few stories (retaining the real-life story) as he says, I want to create hope in the minds of readers.

Khanderav credits his mother, the late Shantabai for cultivating the art of writing stories. My mother was a very good storyteller. She used to sing the ovis on casteism, patriarchy, god, and everyday life while working on her grind mill, he says.

He met several people for publishing his book. Kahini dhoka dila, kahini jhoka dila (A few people betrayed me), he says with his wit and charm. He had saved some amount for his older days which he decided to use for self-publishing now. My wife opposed this decision and said you had saved very little money for our old age, he says. Self-publishing the book proved to be a nightmare for Khanderav. I printed 1,000 books and close to 700 remain unsold even after three years, he says. His family members are not very supportive of his love for literature. My daughter-in-law always asks me to burn the remaining copies of the books, he adds.

No amount of money can give me the satisfaction which I get from writing stories. Youve to keep fighting till the end, he says smilingly. His wife, Kamal, 62, who Khanderav calls as the first reader of his stories, says, I like his stories and have seen most of them myself while he was working in the mill.

He has written 150 poems on rain, nature, life, and a few other topics but hasnt turned it into a book yet. Currently, he is working on his next non-fiction book which is based on the everyday lives of poor people. He has won more than 12 awards for his poems and short stories to date.

Poverty and untouchability

He gets a monthly pension of Rs 982. A lot of people have taken my books, but never paid for it, he says. People have been asking him to sell the books for as low as Rs 10 now.

His father, the late Appasso Parit worked as an agricultural labourer and mother would perform the caste-based occupation of washing the clothes of villagers for which was paid a pittance later in her life. Earlier they were just given a sack of food grains on washing the clothes for a year. At the age of 15, he used to carry the washed clothes to the house of upper caste people. We were not allowed to give the washed clothes directly because we were considered the untouchables. I had to throw them on a piece of white cloth after which the upper caste people would sprinkle drops of the sacred holy water before touching them, he recollects. Khanderav was against this practice, and he finally decided to break free from the occupation in the early 1990s.

He narrates, While I was washing the clothes with my mother, an old Harijan woman asked me to move. I didnt move and helped her fill the vessel with the water. Back then the Harijans were also considered untouchables, but I am a man of revolutionary ideas. Immediately, after this incident, the owner of the clothes yelled at me for helping a Harijan and asked me to wash the clothes again because he considered them impure. Left furious by this incident, Khanderav asked his mother to stop practicing this casteist occupation immediately. No one from our caste washed his clothes then, he says proudly.

I looked at the problems of people, but not the arthashastra [Economics], he says talking about the unsold books. These [unsold] books are the plight of so many rural writers, he adds.

He has no plans of retiring anytime soon. His elder son, Sachin passed away in 2010. His younger son, Sandeep, 32, works as a labourer. All the literature in our family might end with him, fears Kamal.
PV Narasimha Raos shabby treatment largely owed to the fact that he refused to let himself be reduced to the status of a Nehru-Gandhi loyalist.

The pictures were beamed across India and beyond. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues, BJP president Amit Shah, chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states, senior BJP leaders and thousands of party workers were on foot, quietly following the flower-decked gun carriage carrying the mortal remains of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Before the final journey began, Vajpayees body, wrapped in the tricolour, was taken to the BJP party office where the prime minister, home minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders were present.



The cortege eventually left the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg and proceeded slowly towards Rashtriya Smriti Sthal. The six-kilometre journey to the citys north precincts was attended by a sea of mourners on both sides of the street. Stifling heat may have added to the solemnity. It emerged from subsequent media reports that the prime ministers sudden decision to accompany the hearse over a six-kilometre trek had thrown the security apparatus into a tizzy.

Never before has any prime minister walked 6 kilometres like this in a public procession. We got very little time to tweak his security plan, although we were equipped to handle VIP security all along the way. We did not have the list of VVIPs who would walk, but we had prepared anyway. However, the prime ministers decision to walk had an element of surprise, an officer who was part of the security paraphernalia was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Vajpayees last rites were performed in full military honours. A seven-day state mourning was announced. The Indian state had pulled out all stops. Gun salutes and sounds of the bugle rent the air as the three service chiefs paid their last respects, so did ministers and foreign dignitaries. The funeral was attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Vajpayees fellow traveler Lal Krishna Advani. Modi and president Ram Nath Kovind sat through the rituals.

The prime minister, who had described Vajpayees death as a "personal loss" and the departure of a father figure, was pictured consoling Namita Bhattacharya and Niharika, Vajpayees daughter and granddaughter. On the day of the cremation, Modi penned a blog in Vajpayees memory, outlining his contribution to nation-building and illustrious leadership.

PM @narendramodi with the family members of former PM Late #AtalBihariVajpayee. pic.twitter.com/qpZME2Iojx  PIB India (@PIB_India) August 17, 2018

The BJP, say media reports, will immerse Vajpayees ashes in 100 rivers across India. This is, of course, little more than symbolism. But symbolisms are sometimes important. At 93, Vajpayee passed away after living a full, storied life. As Sadanand Dhume writes in The Times of India, In 1957, when Vajpayee first entered the Lok Sabha, Jawaharlal Nehru was still prime minister. The last time Vajpayee won a Lok Sabha election, in 2004, was also the year Rahul Gandhi first entered Parliament.

As an orator, poet, politician, an impeccable parliamentarian for over five decades, as an external affairs minister and the first non-Congress prime minister to finish a full term, Vajpayee leaves behind a nation considerably richer from his experience and achievements. If former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao was the author of the 1991 economic reforms, Vajpayee was his true successor. In some respects, Vajpayees contribution was even greater, because unlike Rao, who implemented reforms through stealth, Vajpayee did it through conviction.

Dhume calls him the only prime minister to seriously attempt to roll back the bloated socialist state from the commanding heights of the economy it had occupied under Nehru and his successors. Vajpayee richly deserved the tribute accorded to him in death. States pay tributes, erect memorials, tombs of departed leaders or engage in symbolisms because it is the nations way of encouraging shared memories and retaining (or reviving) common consciousness.

The act of collective commemoration is a formal means of giving recognition to the importance of past events and designating them as worthy of collective remembrance. Symbolic representations of past events are designed to give special recognition to great men and women, writes Arthur G Neal in his book National Trauma and Collective Memory: Major Events in the American Century. Such mass mourning also builds national identity.

Conversely, a state can also sometimes conspire to erase chapters from its history if the power centres consider those chapters to be politically inconvenient. For instance, China has been called The Peoples Republic of Amnesia for its effort in rewriting (or even omitting) chunks of own past. Such doctoring takes place when narrative becomes more important than truth and seeks to replace it.

Lets turn now to another funeral, one that took place nearly 14 years before Vajpayees death. The treatment meted out to Narasimha Rao  a former prime minister, a former chief minister and a former Congress president  by his own party (which was in power at the Centre and in the state where he was eventually cremated) remains one of the most shameful chapters in Indian history.

Rao was a stalwart. He was one of Indias best prime ministers. His death should have occasioned national mourning and a tribute matching one of Indias greatest leaders. Instead, he was denied even basic human dignity and in death, endured the final act of humiliation authored by a vengeful party that was desperate to erase his name and legacy.

In Half Lion, a biography of Rao, author Vinay Sitapati, a Princetonian scholar, narrates the events that unfolded following the death of the former prime minister whose body wasnt allowed to enter the Congress headquarters in Delhi. Sitapati, who had exclusive access to Raos personal documents and papers, writes that his family wanted to perform Raos last rites in Delhi  his karmabhoomi for decades  but were discouraged by Congress leaders.

The home minister, Shivraj Patil, suggested to Raos youngest son, Prabhakara, that the body should be cremated in Hyderabad. But the family preferred Delhi. After all, Rao had last been chief minister of Andhra Pradesh more than thirty years ago, and had since worked as Congress general secretary, Union minister, and finally prime minister  all in Delhi. On hearing this, the usually decorous Shivraj Patil snapped, No one will come.

Kashmiri Congressman Ghulam Nabi Azad, another aide of party president Sonia Gandhi, arrived. He too requested the family to move the body to Hyderabad, writes Sitapati in Half Lion: How PV Narasimha Rao transformed India (Penguin Random House publications, Chapter 1, Half-Burnt Body).

When Raos body reached 24 Akbar Road, the Congress headquarters, the entrance gate looked tightly shut. The Harvard educated Sitapati, who is now a professor in Ashoka University, writes in the biography that though the gate was opened some years earlier for departed Congress leader Madhavrao Scindias mortal remains, no such courtesy was extended to Rao.

A friend of Raos asked a senior Congresswoman to let the body in. The gate does not open, she replied. This was untrue, the friend remembers. When Madhavrao Scindia died [some years earlier] the gate was opened for him. Manmohan Singh now lives in a guarded bungalow a few minutes from Akbar Road. When asked why Raos body wasnt allowed into the Congress headquarters, he replies that he was present, but has no knowledge of this. Another Congressman was more forthcoming. "We were expecting the gate to be opened . . . but no order came. Only one person could give that order," he said.

He added, "She did not give it.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was the finance minister in Raos Cabinet and had ushered in radical reforms that transformed India, was reportedly unhappy with the treatment meted out to Rao in death. He was present at the funeral in Hyderabad on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake. So were his Cabinet colleagues and BJP leader Advani, writes Sitapati. But Sonia Gandhi chose to stay away.

When the dignitaries left a couple of hours later, the body was still burning. That night, (local) television channels showed visuals of the half-burnt body, skull still visible, lying abandoned. Stray dogs were pulling at the funeral pyre. (Half Lion, Location 119).

According to a report filed by news agency IANS on 26 December, 2004: Television pictures of a half-burnt body of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao stirred into action his family and government officials who rushed to the funeral site and revived the funeral pyre around midnight. The shocking pictures of Raos half-burnt bones, skull and other parts of the body were beamed on Telugu television channels around 11 pm Saturday. Quoting eyewitnesses, the TV reports highlighted how the authorities had shown disrespect to a former prime minister by not arranging enough firewood for his funeral.

The state government (run by Congress chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy) was apparently unhappy with the TV channels for beaming pictures that disrespected the great man.

It must be remembered that while Rao despite being a former prime minister was denied a final resting place in Delhi, Sanjay Gandhi, who never held a public office, was laid to rest in Delhi next to Shanti Van, the samadhi of Jawaharlal Nehru.

As MD Nalapat wrote in Rediff in 2004, Given that former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi, Charan Singh and the non-prime minister Sanjay Gandhi were given state funerals and a final resting place in what may be termed the National Capital's 'Zone of the Dead,' the reasons why such a privilege was denied to Narasimha Rao are obscure.

Or perhaps the reasons are not so obscure. Raos shabby treatment largely owed to the fact that he refused to let himself be reduced to the status of a Nehru-Gandhi loyalist  and thus violate the iron law of the Congress.

In the eyes of the Gandhi family, Rao was perhaps a greater threat than even Vajpayee and Advanis BJP. In the wily Brahmin leader, the Gandhi family detected a rival power centre that could diminish their centrality to the party and its fortunes. Raos refusal to serve as a seat-warmer to the next generation of Gandhis was a cardinal sin. On Congresss betrayal of Rao, Sitapati told Economic Times in an interview that Rao realised that he did not have to report to Sonia and from 1993 he stopped visiting her regularly, which she resented.

Equally important, however, is the fact that Rao was not a mass leader with no political constituency of his own. On the contrary, vilification of Rao was necessary to atone Congress of the sins of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. In the partys disgraceful behavior towards Rao and humiliation in death is an unwritten subtext that Congress punished Rao for his failure to safeguard the Babri Masjid and jeopardise the partys long-nurtured Muslim vote bank.

An article published in the February 2005 edition of The Milli Gazette states: A learned man with so many qualities was lost in ignominy because of the demolition of Babri Masjid. His role in Babri Masjids demolition demeaned him in the eyes of secular-minded people of the country. When the Babri Masjid was being demolished, Narasimha Rao with all powers at his disposal, remained a silent spectator. But nature made him a spectacle for the whole world to see the humiliating end of the latter-day Chanakya.

Rao is to India what founding fathers Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson are to the United States; Friedrich List to Germany; Hayato Ikeda to Japan; Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and Albert Winsemius to Singapore; and Deng Xiaoping to China, wrote Sunil Dhavala in Asia Times.

The London-based Economist laments that Rao had committed the sin of being insufficiently deferential to the Gandhi dynasty while in power. He spent his final years as a pariah. His name was scrubbed from the Congress Partys lore, and credit for his achievements was given to Manmohan Singh and Rajiv Gandhi.

The tale of the two funerals gives us great insights into the two national parties approach to power. These lessons will no longer remain forgotten, despite the best efforts of Durbari historians and their media brethren.
Speaking at a condolence meeting attended by leaders of all major parties, Ghulam Nabi Azad said Vajpayee had brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides even in his death which, he added, was something rare.

New Delhi: Paying rich tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said the distance seen between the ruling party and the Opposition today was not there earlier and the late BJP stalwart worked taking everyone along.

Speaking at a condolence meeting attended by leaders of all major parties, Azad said Vajpayee had brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides even in his death which, he added, was something rare.

The senior Opposition leader quoted verses to heap praise on Vajpayee and said he was such an eloquent speaker that even his criticism sounded pleasant whereas, he added, there are some leaders who, even when they say something good, make it sound like abuses.

Azad recalled that as the parliamentary affairs minister during the PV Narasimha Rao-led government, he had to meet Vajpayee, then a key Opposition leader, several times a day during Parliament's sessions and they used to have tea and meals together.

"The distance we see today was not there then," he said, apparently referring to the frosty relations between the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Opposition.

Azad said many people in Vajpayee's party (BJP) might not have seen him as closely as leaders like him had.

He mentioned leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Indira Gandhi and said Vajpayee would be remembered as one of the biggest leaders of his time who always worked for the country and its people.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi was expected to attend the event but could not as it was his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary on Monday as well and sent Azad as his representative, the organisers said.
Alleging that the process of Lokpal appointment was 'vitiated' and accusing the government of 'subjugating' Parliament, Kharge, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he would not be able to attend any meeting of the selection committee until the leader of the single largest Opposition party is conferred the status of a full-fledged member.

New Delhi: The Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Monday decided not to attend the meeting of the Lokpal Selection Committee slated for Tuesday as a special invitee, the fourth time this year.

Alleging that the process of Lokpal appointment was "vitiated" and accusing the government of "subjugating" Parliament, Kharge, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he would not be able to attend any meeting of the selection committee until the leader of the single largest Opposition party is conferred the status of a full-fledged member.

He alleged that the government was refusing to bring an amendment in the Lokpal Act making the leader of the single-largest party in Lok Sabha as a member of the panel, even after a parliamentary panel made the recommendation.

"It is deeply embarrassing to Parliament that even after the select committee of Parliament has approved the amendment to the Lokpal Act that would enable the leader of the single largest party to be a member of the selection committee, the government refuses to bring this amendment before the house. In a parliamentary democracy, to exclude the voice of the Opposition would be to exclude and subjugate Parliament," he said.

"I continue to believe that the process of appointing the Lokpal under such circumstances is vitiated," he said, noting that people of the country are wise enough to see through this insincerity as "special invitee" without rights of participation, recording of opinion or voting is being sent out to the Opposition.

"Under these circumstances, I must once again respectfully inform that I would not be able to attend the meeting of the selection committee until the leader of single largest Opposition party is conferred the status of a full-fledged member as envisioned in the Lokpal Act, 2013," he said in his letter to the prime minister.

He also drew the attention of the prime minister to his three earlier letters, dated 28 February, 10 April and 18 July, which he had sent in response to previous invitations requesting him to attend the meetings of the Selection Committee held on 1 March, 10 April and 19 July respectively, as a "special invitee".
Indo-Asian News Service

An Apple store in Amsterdam has been temporarily closed after an iPad battery exploded and released harmful chemical substances, the media reported.

The store was evacuated as a precautionary measure and three employees who reportedly experienced trouble breathing were treated.

"Due to the chemicals potentially released, the store has been closed as firefighters work to ventilate the space and clear out any harmful vapours," 9to5Mac reported on Sunday.

The staff placed the iPad immediately into a container with sand and called the firefighters. It is unclear if the tablet has burst into the flames.

"Although, not related with this iPad battery explosion, as Apple started its iPhone battery replacement programme we've seen a few more incidents like this over the past months.

"Apple stores in both Switzerland and Spain were evacuated this year after thermal events with iPhone batteries. Like today's incident, fortunately those also didn't see any major injuries, but Apple employees did sustain minor burns," the report added.

Meanwhile, an iPhone 6 exploded and went up in flames in a moving car in China last week, according to EEC Media.

A video was shot by a dash cam installed inside the vehicle, which showed the woman screaming in the video after her phone burst into flames in the moving car.
Reuters

Police in eastern China have busted a 7.8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) online gambling ring and arrested 56 suspects, the official Xinhua news agency reported on 19 August.

The suspects are accused of making illegal profits of 650 million yuan from the Philippines-based platform, which had more than 114,000 users, Xinhua said, citing police in Jiangsu province.

The investigation into the gambling website was launched in January 2016 after a tip-off, the report said, adding that four of the prime suspects were traced through bank card information.

Calls to police in Jiangsu seeking comment went unanswered.

Casino gambling is illegal in mainland China, with budding punters having to travel to the special administrative region of Macau that borders southern Chinas Guangdong province.

Fifty suspects in the online gambling case were arrested in Shanghai, Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong, Xinhua said, while another six returned to China from the Philippines and handed themselves in. They are now being transferred for prosecution.
The task was highly challenging as it required the helicopter to stay rock-steady to ensure that the woman does not suffer any injuries.

Kochi: Indian Armed Forces along with paramilitary agencies are carrying out rescue and relief operation in flood-ravaged Kerala on war-footing. No matter how challenging the tasks are, the defence personnel are going to extreme lengths to save a maximum number of lives.

On Monday, the Navy rescued a pregnant woman, paralysed waist down, from her flooded home in Aluva. The task was highly challenging as it required the helicopter to stay rock-steady to ensure that the woman does not suffer any injuries.

In a video posted by the Navy, the woman was airlifted to a helicopter by a rescue worker harnessed to a safety rope. She was winched up in a very daring hover executed by Captain P Rajkumar.

#OpMadad #KeralaFloodsRelief #KeralaFloods Wheelchair bound(paralysed below the waist) pregnant lady being winched up to safety in a very challenging hover by Captain P Rajkumar Shaurya Chakra. Location is some where in North of Aluva @DefenceMinIndia @nsitharaman @CMOKerala pic.twitter.com/KW0mw36eCu  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 20, 2018

This is not an isolated example of the bravery and exceptional skill of rescue workers. Such videos have been surfacing from across Kerala, which has been devastated by its worst floods in 100 years.

The catastrophic flood in Kerala has claimed over 400 lives and rendered lakhs of people homeless. As rains started to ease down, the state now faces the gigantic task of rehabilitating people and preventing an outbreak of diseases. Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state, officials said.
The Associated Press

Arianna Huffington is calling on Elon Musk to adopt a healthier work-life balance, but the Tesla CEO says thats not an option.

In a tweet early on 19 August after arriving home from a late night at a Tesla factory, Musk told the Huffington Post founder that his electric car company and Ford are the only two American automakers that have avoided bankruptcy.

Ford & Tesla are the only 2 American car companies to avoid bankruptcy. I just got home from the factory. You think this is an option. It is not.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 19, 2018

He then added, in an apparent reference to his long hours at work: You think this is an option. It is not.

Musk was responding to an open letter from Huffington on 17 August in which she called on him to change the way he works so he can ensure hes taking more time to refuel and recharge.

Musk conceded in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times last week that hes overwhelmed by job stress, has been working up to 120 hours a week and sometimes takes Ambien to get to sleep.

Tesla has presented plenty of challenges for Musk. The company routinely loses money and is burning through cash as it ramps up development of its Model 3 sedan, a less-expensive electric car it hopes appeals to the mass market. A large number of investors known as short-sellers have bet against the company.

Musk, who recently said he might take Tesla private, has added to those pressures with lofty projections for profits and production that the automaker often fails to live up to. Plus, the eccentric billionaire is the head of at least two other companies, including the rocket company SpaceX.

In her open letter, which referenced Musks interview with the Times, Huffington urged Musk to ease up on the long hours at work.

Working 120-hour weeks doesnt leverage your unique qualities, it wastes them, she wrote. You cant simply power through  thats just not how our bodies and our brains work.
tech2 News Staff

The southern state of Kerela is currently suffering from what is being described as the worst floods in 100 years. Social media is inundated with images of the plight of God's own country. Hundreds have died, tens of thousands have been displaced and the damage to property and infrastructure is immeasurable.

If you have relatives, family or friends in Kerela, you would know how hard it is to tabs on them. Telephone lines, internet, and electricity have been nearly wiped out in the state. However, Kerala wasn't abandoned to its fate. People and organisations rose up to lend a hand, helping to save the lives of thousands and bringing some measure of sanity to the calamity-stricken state.

(Also read: Airtel, Vodafone, Jio, Idea, BSNL, offer free calling, Data for seven days in flood-hit Kerala)

KeralaRescue

Volunteers from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Kerela's IT Cell, who, as per a report by Livemint, together created a website called keralarescue.in. The purpose of this website is to coordinate the relief effort and get messages to offline rescue operations in the state.

As livemint notes in its report, the website was started without any funding and relied on Slack for handling the messages. The site became so popular that the free version of Slack, being used by the Kerala rescue team, couldn't handle the load. So they contacted Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield who actually responded within 1 minute to give them a free upgrade. The effort was further boosted by the involvement of several tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Uber and more, as per the report by Livemint.

As per the report, 10 million requests were being generated on the Slack channel and nearly 1,585 coders were handling it. That's not all. The CMDRF (Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund) website kept on crashing due to the overwhelming amount of requests, so top IT companies such as Oracle, UST Global and others worked with C-DIT (the organisation who ran the CMDRF website) to resolve the issue. By the evening of 19 August, a mirror site had been set up for handling the load. A WhatsApp group with links to Relief Fund websites was also created.

Google

Search giant Google's never-ending quest to more effectively track its users is a creepy breach of privacy that would normally not be tolerated. In flood-hit Kerala, however, that data can prove very useful.

Google Maps, for example, has made it extremely easy to share your location with anyone else. You can use your Android smartphones or tablets to generate and share a plus code of your exact location, for example.

What is a plus code?

A plus code address looks like a regular address, but with a shortcode where the street name and number would be. These addresses exist for any location, even for places where there are no roads. Essentially, they are Google Maps-readable coordinates.

How do you find a plus code?

Open the Google Maps app and touch and hold a place to drop a pin-> Tap the address or description at the bottom-> Scroll down to find the plus code -> Copy it and send it to concerned authorities to have them come to your position. People who have received this Plus code just need to enter it into the search bar on Google to locate the sender.

Google has also activated a 'Person Finder' tool for Kerala. You can visit the page here to track your family and friends who are trapped in Kerela. At the time of writing, Google is currently tracking the whereabouts of 22,100 people.

Google's SOS Alert page for the disaster is a great resource for acquiring information at a glance. Resources include phone numbers, latest tweets and news stories and more.

Twitter and Facebook

As always, Twitter is the go-to place for any information on #KeralaFloods, #KeralaFloods2018 and any number of other trending hashtags. The information is freely available and is being used to great effect to help coordinate relief efforts.

Facebook's crisis response page is getting updates by the minute and last week, it activated the Safety Check, allowing users to indicate that they were safe.

Qkopy

Kozhikode-based Qkopy (it's a district in Kerala) happens to be a social networking app that just released last month. It is currently playing a crucial role in getting flood relief information to people across its platform. Just save the Kozhikode City Traffic Police phone number, which is +94-97975656, in your phone and let the app access your contacts. The app will provide instant updates as shared by the police, with colour coded warnings to boot. The app is free to download on the Google Play Store.

Amazon

Amazon India has partnered with 3 NGOs and has revealed the 'Amazon Cares: Contribute to Kerala Flood Relief' website for making it easy to donate to the flood-relief efforts. A coordinated effort between the NGOs and Amazon is being conducted to deliver the required items to people in need. You can contribute items by visiting the website here.

Donate via apps

Paytm just announced that its Kerala Relief Fund has secured over Rs 10 crore from all over India. Various other apps and services have popped up these last few days. For more information on how you can help, follow these steps.

Caller ID app for smartphones, Truecaller has also made contributions via the Truecaller Pay payments feature on the app itself. Link your UPI account to Truecaller and contribute to help in the relief efforts.

Zomato is offering an option for donating food and ride-hailing app Ola is donating money for every non-corporate ride that's booked via the app.

Free voice and data

Telecom operators in the state are offering voice and data packages to people in the flood-affected state. Prepaid users on Idea, Vodafone, Airtel and others will be given credit towards talk time, which will have to be paid back later. BSNL is offering users 20 minutes of free talk time and free data for 7 days.

Even in the midst of a tragedy of this magnitude, it's uplifting to see so many people joining hands and pitching in to help save affected people.

The good news is that the met department has predicted that the rains are set to subside and so, relief operations can be accelerated.
tech2 News Staff

Samsung was caught red-handed posting stock photos on Twitter and passing them off as camera samples from the of the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018).

This was first pointed out by a Brazilian Twitter user who goes by the username @felipras. As proof, he showed one image from Samsung's post and one from Getty Images, a site that sells stock photos. The post, from Samsung Brazil, claimed that the images had been taken from the Galaxy A8.

According to an Android Police report, felipras wrote: Who are you trying to fool, Samsung Brazil?, in his replies to the misleading tweets.

The image used by Samsung was originally uploaded to Getty Images in 2015.

In the meantime, Samsung was forced to acknowledge that the images were not shot on the phone and that they were taken from a separate database.

It's surprising that Samsung even tried a stunt like this, especially one that could be so easily proven to be a lie. In 2012, Nokia had been caught red-handed doing something similar. On that occasion, Nokia, as part of its advertising campaign for its PureView camera, attempted to pass off footage shot on a DSLR as having been shot on their phone. They were caught when someone noticed the reflection of the DSLR in one scene.

Samsung's Galaxy A8, which was launched earlier this year, boasts of a 5.6-inch OLED display. It has a front dual camera (16 MP+ 8 MP) setup that includes an f/1.9 aperture on both the lenses. On the rear, of the phone features a 16 MP camera and an f/1.7 aperture.
tech2 News Staff

It would seem that the fabled foldable Galaxy phone, which many had considered to be in the realm of myths and legends, has been finally confirmed by none other than the CEO of Samsung Mobile, DJ Koh. In an interview, the CEO spilled the beans on how Samsung is not only in the process of developing such a device but also how it is racing to deliver it first in the market.

The phone has been earlier rumoured to be called as the Galaxy F, a lineup of smartphones which Samsung had abandoned back in 2014. In the interview with Forbes Koh said that "Samsung is focusing on developing innovations that will be genuinely accepted and liked by consumers".

The fact that Samsung is racing to deliver this foldable device first means that they are not the only ones in the race. Earlier reports have pointed out to the fact that Apple and LG both have patented a foldable display smartphone technology.

For people wondering if the Galaxy F is going to be a one-off concept device, then Koh has some news for you. We wouldn't have started [the project] if it was a going to be a one-time thing." This means that we can expect the Galaxy F to be a lineup of devices that get's update on a yearly basis like the S-series or the Note series.

The next year will be the 10 year anniversary of the Galaxy S-series and although we are sure that the S10 will have some have some new innovative features, it will most likely fall short of the buzz generated by the Galaxy F. We shall update you on the story as it develops.
Reuters

PIF, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund that Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk has said could help him fund a $72 billion deal to take his electric car maker private, is in talks to invest in aspiring Tesla rival Lucid Motors Inc, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

The talks between privately-held Lucid Motors and PIF underscore the latters appetite to invest in electric car makers to diversify the oil-rich Middle Eastern kingdoms investment portfolio.

A deal with Lucid Motors would also be more in line with PIFs limited resources, given that, despite its $250 billion in assets, PIF has already made substantial commitments to other technology companies or investments, including a $45-billion agreement to invest in a giant technology fund led by Japans SoftBank Group Corp.

PIF and Lucid Motors have drawn up a term sheet under which PIF could invest more than $1 billion in Lucid Motors and obtain majority ownership, the sources said. PIFs first investment in Lucid Motors, however, would be for $500 million, and subsequent cash injections would come in two stages that are contingent on Lucid Motors hitting certain production milestones, one of the sources added.

The talks between PIF and Lucid Motors may not result in a deal, the sources cautioned.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. PIF and Lucid Motors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Musk, a 47-year-old investor and engineer, stunned financial markets earlier this month, when he revealed on Twitter he was considering a $420 per share take-private deal for Tesla, an auto manufacturing pioneer that developed the worlds first ever premium all-electric sedan car.

He added that funding was secured, and elaborated last Monday that he believed Saudi Arabias PIF could provide the necessary funding, although sources close to the sovereign wealth fund have played down that prospect. Earlier this year, PIF built a stake of just under 5 percent in Tesla by snapping up shares in the open market, rather than acquiring newly issued shares.

Musk has also said he believes two-thirds of existing Tesla shareholders would roll over their holdings into a private company, rather than cash out, and that he was still talking with major shareholders and advisers before settling on a structure for a deal.

Getting access to cheap capital is a constant challenge for automakers, which can spend $1 billion or more engineering a single new model and bringing it to mass production, only to have the vehicle flop because of a cyclical sales slump or a shift in market tastes.

Based on the edges of Silicon Valley in Newark, California, Lucid Motors was founded in 2007 as Atieva by Bernard Tse, a former Tesla vice president and board member, and Sam Weng, a former exec at Oracle Corp and Redback Networks. It received backing from Chinese investors, including tech entrepreneur Jia Yueting and state-owned automaker BAIC. Other venture capital backers have included Venrock, Mitsui & Co and Tsing Capital.

Lucid Motors is not yet selling any cars. In 2016, it unveiled a prototype of its Lucid Air model, a $100,000 luxury sedan it had hoped to begin building in Arizona in late 2018. It is not clear when this car will become available, though the company is accepting refundable deposits of $2,500 from consumers on its website.

Tesla is much more advanced as an electric car manufacturer, though investors are questioning how long can it go before turning a profit. It has been burning through cash as it has aggressively ramped up Model 3 production, a process Musk has called production hell.

Analysts at UBS last week questioned the profitability of the Model 3, in a report that said Tesla could lose $6,000 on every base model.
tech2 News Staff

Merely two days ahead of the launch, a new variant of Xiaomis premium sub-brand Poco, has shown up online. It now appears that the soon to be launched Poco F1 smartphone may also arrive in an 8 GB RAM variant as it was recently spotted on benchmarking website Geekbench.

The Geekbench listing shows different scores as compared to the 6 GB listing. The multicore score was 8998 and the single core score was 2451 for the 8 GB listing.

For the 6 GB listing, the single score was 2467 and multicore score was 9081.

Meanwhile, the rest of the details about the phone remained as the older 6 GB RAM model. Both the phones run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC that offers a base clock speed of 1.7 GHz.

Xiaomis Poco F1 will feature a 4,000 mAh battery with Qualcomms Quick Charge 3.0 technology. While the phone is said to feature a mammoth battery, it is also expected to feature a 'Liquid cooling system' which should prevent the smartphone from overheating. This property of the phone can prove to be a hit for gamers.

Other rumoured features include an AI-powered dual camera setup at the rear with a 12 MP+ 5 MP sensors and a 20 MP camera at the front.

It is expected to run on Android Oreo and previous leaks have hinted at smartphone running MIUI, so there's no stock Android here like you get on the OnePlus 6.

The Poco F1 phone will launch on 22 August at 12 PM in New Delhi and would be sold exclusively on Flipkart.
Agence France-Presse

Three top executives of the Russian space company Energia, which designs and manufactures the Soyuz and Progress spacecrafts, have been arrested for alleged fraud, investigators said on Sunday.

"Energia's deputy director Alexei Beloborodov and two of his subordinates were arrested and charged with attempted fraud," the Investigative Committee of Russia said in a statement.

The arrests come as part of a probe conducted "with the active assistance" of the main Russian intelligence agency, the FSB, the statement added.

At the end of July, the FSB carried out several searches targeting the Russian space industry as part of an investigation into "high treason", according to Russian media.

The raids were at the Central Research Institute of Machine-Building (TsNIImash), Russia's leading research institute for the space industry, and one of its employees, Viktor Kudriavtsev, was arrested.

According to the Russian daily Kommersant, a dozen Russian space industry employees are suspected of having sent classified information about Russian hypersonic weapon projects to Western security services.

Russian president Vladimir Putin in March boasted at a state-of-the-nation address of new "invincible" weapons under development, including hypersonic missiles.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as an 'outstanding politician' who made significant contribution to development of the Sino-Indian relations

Beijing: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as an "outstanding politician" who made significant contribution to development of the Sino-Indian relations and expressed condolences over his death.

Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders and inspirational orators, died on 16 August at the age of 93 in New Delhi.

"I am saddened to learn the passing away of AB Vajpayee former Prime Minister of Republic of India," Li said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sent on 17 August.

The translated letter of Li was tweeted by the Indian Embassy here Monday.

"On behalf of the Chinese government and its people, I would like to extend my deep condolences and express my sincere sympathy to the bereaved family," he said.

"Vajpayee is an outstanding politician who devoted his life for national and social development and had earned widespread respect among the Indian people," the Chinese premier said.

"During his tenure as prime minister, he paid an official visit to China (2003) and has made outstanding contribution to the development of India-China relations," he said.

According to him, Chinese side attaches great importance to China-India relations, and would like to work together with the Indian side to push forward bilateral ties to greater achievements.

Vajpayee visited China in 2003 during which the two countries have setup the Special Representatives mechanism to resolve the boundary dispute.
The move comes after residents in the border town of Pacaraima clashed violently with Venezuelan migrants, driving them out of makeshift camps. Temer held the meeting on Sunday at his presidential palace in Brasilia with key ministers, including those of defence, public security and foreign affairs, but no further details were being disclosed.

Sao Paulo: Brazil's President Michel Temer called an emergency meeting of key ministers after ordering troops to the border with Venezuela as regional tensions build over the exodus from its crisis-hit neighbour.

The move comes after residents in the border town of Pacaraima clashed violently with Venezuelan migrants, driving them out of makeshift camps. Temer held the meeting on Sunday at his presidential palace in Brasilia with key ministers, including those of defence, public security and foreign affairs, but no further details were being disclosed.

The situation in Pacaraima, on the opposite side of the border to the Venezuelan town of Santa Elena de Uairen, was calm early on Sunday, partly because locals managed to force out Venezuelans living on the streets. "More than 1,200 Venezuelan migrants returned to Venezuela," after Saturday's violence, a spokesman for a Brazilian migration task force told AFP.

"The city looks deserted today, it's very quiet because police reinforcements have arrived and the markets are reopening," said a local in the town of around 12,000, who did not wish to be identified. The public security ministry announced it was sending a contingent of 60 troops to join the teams in the area.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into Brazil over the past three years as they seek to escape the economic, political and social crisis gripping their country. The latest tensions began early on Sunday, hours after a local merchant was robbed and severely beaten in an incident blamed on Venezuelan suspects, in Pacaraima, where an estimated 1,000 immigrants had been living on the street.

Dozens of locals then attacked the immigrants' two makeshift camps and burned their belongings, forcing the Venezuelans back across the border. Shots were fired, stores were shuttered and debris littered the streets. "It was terrible, they burned the tents and everything that was inside," said Carol Marcano, a Venezuelan who works in Boa Vista and was on the border returning from Venezuela."There were shots, they burned rubber tires."

Roraima state Governor Suely Campos made a plea to temporarily close the border and asked Brasilia to send security reinforcements to "face the increase in crime" she links to Venezuelans in the region, particularly in the capital Boa Vista. Meanwhile, Caracas called on Brazil to provide "corresponding guarantees to Venezuelan nationals and take measures to safeguard and secure their families and belongings."

Tensions are rising in Latin America over migration triggered by the crises in Venezuela and in Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega has led a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters. Peru and Ecuador are halting immigrants at the border by requiring them to present passports  which many lack  instead of identity cards.

Last week alone, 20,000 Venezuelans entered Peru, authorities say. On Sunday, 18 undocumented Venezuelans were detained in the capital Lima, according to police. Peru's passport measures go into effect 25 August  and the government has also narrowed the window for Venezuelans to apply for a temporary work permit, which it has granted for the past two years.

Previously, applications were open to Venezuelans who entered Peru by 31 December, and the deadline was 30 June 2019. But now, only Venezuelans who enter Peru by 31 October can apply  and they have until 31 December to do so.

Colombia has said it fears that Ecuador's border controls, which went into effect on Saturday, will leave thousands of Venezuelans stranded in Colombia, from where an estimated 3,000 cross every day.

The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the crisis looking for work and to escape poverty, and Colombia has given temporary residence to more than 800,000. Brazilian federal police estimate about 500 Venezuelans enter Brazil every day.

In the first semester of this year, around 56,740 requested refuge or temporary residence. Meanwhile, Nicaraguan migrants fleeing months of deadly unrest faced similar difficulties. In San Jose, Costa Rica, hundreds of people took part in sometimes violent protests on Saturday using Nazi symbols to repudiate Nicaraguan migrants.
More Cabinet appointments are expected, as Imran Khan eases himself into the prime minister's seat. His choices may be good news for Pakistan as Musharraf had a knack to pick the best in the business.

Pakistan is now ready to enter the field in full regalia. Prime Minister Imran Khan has chosen his first Cabinet members and made his first speech to the nation. Each of his appointments reveal something not only about his own mindset, but also the pressures of a lack of majority in the National Assembly. Many believe that it also reveals the priorities of the establishment, but that, in all fairness, is something all heads of state of Pakistan contend with sooner than later. Critics say that where Imran is concerned, it will probably be sooner.

With this being his first term in office, Imran is something of a mystery to Pakistan's neighbours. His personality traits are becoming clearer by the day, and these will likely guide his interactions with Cabinet members, most of whom  some with considerable experience and baggage  will ultimately influence policy-making. Therefore, a sum of the two  leaving out the military for the moment  may provide some insight into what to expect in the coming months.

Imran has often been described as pompous, stubborn and egotistic, not to mention what seem to be extreme mood swings  liberal one moment and an extreme conservative the next. Consider this: While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief had supported General Pervez Musharraf's military coup, he had staunchly refused an offer to become prime minister. That might have been out of basic good sense or principle, but it certainly shows a certain diversity of opinion.

There is also the tag of "Taliban Khan" and the equally popular "Citizen Khan", which reflect his impatience of protocol and pomp when on the campaign trail. Egotism is apparent in his impromptu speeches, which stress "Imran first and last", sometimes forgetting to even mention his party.

But here is one particular character trait of importance: He is dogged in achieving his ambitions, be it for a cancer hospital, or to become a chief minster or prime minister. What he wants, he gets. That might be a problem for some in his Cabinet, and also in the military, especially if he decides  as most Pakistani prime ministers do  to take up dialogue with India. If he starts the process, he will continue with it till he gets what he wants.

And at the moment, what he wants seems to be trade concessions for a battered Pakistani economy, which may also include a new Indus Waters Treaty.

Musharraf and PML-Q links

In Imran's Cabinet are leaders who have their own, sometimes strong, opinions, and who once marched to a different tune. As the media has already pointed out, nine of 15 ministers and three of five advisers were senior officials in the Musharraf regime. Some of them are still members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), the party Musharraf had set up with the active assistance of intelligence agencies.

An example of a minister still part of the PML-Q is Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema, who was given the portfolio of minister for SAFRON (states and frontier regions). Cheema was once a dangerous name in the student politics of the al-Zulfikar. He had fled to Afghanistan after being released from prison in a trade off. However, he was close to Musharraf through the then secretary of the National Security Council, Tariq Aziz Warraich.

The SAFRON ministry will be at the forefront in implementing the process of merging the tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The legislation signed by the president retains extensive "security" clauses to allow military operations to proceed without hindrance, thus allowing the areas to continue to be used as a jump-off point for the Taliban to operate in Afghanistan. As the ministry will work closely with the provincial government, it would have been more logical to appoint a PTI leader to the position. One can assume that the powers that be have spoken. India need not hold its breath expecting Pakistani operations in Afghanistan to end soon. This is a sign of continuity.

Pakistan's foreign minister

The first point of interface for India will naturally be Shah Mehmood Qureshi, now foreign minister for the second term. An assessment by the US Embassy of him indicates that even the top echelons of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) disliked him and advised former president Asif Ali Zardari against nominating him for the prime ministerial post.

Qureshi has hardly been blessed with luck. He was in Delhi when the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai took place. One can only imagine his plight then. Reports from then indicate that the civilian government in Pakistan had tried to cooperate with Indian authorities, with Zardari even suggesting that the chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) come to Delhi. The foreign minister had also suggested starting a hotline between the two intelligence chiefs.

Highly intelligent and a polished diplomat, Qureshi is also close to the military establishment. Remember that he lost his post as foreign minister after he publicly declared that Raymond Davis, a contractor of the US Central Intelligence Agency who killed two Pakistanis, did not have diplomatic immunity, a stand that put him squarely against the president and Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's former ambassador to the US. That also meant that he was no longer part of a government that was being quickly shown the door by the ISI. The new foreign minister now says that the government wants "uninterrupted" dialogue with its neighbours. When Qureshi says that, it is not just theatrics. Pay attention.

The defence portfolio

In most countries, the defence minister's post would be considered one of consequence, but in Pakistan, most people have trouble remembering his name. India has been trying to engage with the defence minister through talks with the defence secretary, but this remains vetted by Rawalpindi, defeating the purpose of government-to-government contact.

There is no indication that the appointment of Pervez Khattak, formerly the chief minister of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, will change anything much, except that he is Imran's long-time friend and trusted inner-line coterie. This means that Imran will be apprised of the activities of the ministry to some extent.

The Ministry of Defence is powerful, a virtual custodian of the nuclear weapons laboratories, the Air Weapons Complex, apart from the services themselves. The defence secretary is naturally a retired lieutenant general who can keep the minister "apprised" when considered necessary. Incidentally, he is an air defence specialist. One of the first tasks the defence minister may (or may not) be involved in will be the deal with Russia for S-400s air defence equipment.

Meanwhile, there are ongoing charges of corruption against Khattak, which could be used as leverage at any point.

Former Musharraf loyalists

Imran's new Cabinet also has a large group of former Musharraf loyalists. Apart from Cheema, this group includes Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Choudhry; Law and Justice Minister Farogh Naseem, who was also Musharraf's legal counsel; Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan; and among others, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid, who has been an establishment man since the word go and is also part of Imran's inner coterie.

Then there is Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi, also from the Musharraf era but now head of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan) after replacing the near legendary Farooq Sattar. He is a direct result of the "assisted splintering" of the original MQM by the combined efforts of intelligence agencies and the Pakistan Rangers.

Others from the Musharraf era include Dr Israt Hussain (adviser), who was governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and was awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz. Commerce, Textiles and Industry Minister Abdul Razak Dawood was the commerce minister in the Musharraf regime. Three others in Imran's Cabinet also have the same history, making it a Cabinet that may cast long shadows.

Military connections

There is a military side to Minister of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Asad Umer, as well. This is a man used to the grind of business, having successfully steered a corporate house from million to billions in revenue. He has a huge fan following on social media and is seen as an honest broker without a hint of corruption.

Asad Umer is also the son of Lieutenant General Mohammed Umer, who was involved in the 1971 war with India. That cannot be good. However, Asad Umer has to deliver on the economic front, particularly in raising revenue for the state  a key requirement for the International Monetary Fund. If opening trade ties with India, which seems to be on the new prime minister's agenda, will help deliver the end result, he cannot afford to ignore it. His job is essentially fire fighting on a major scale.

Water Resources Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar was also part of Musharraf's PML-Q government and only recently joined Imran's PTI. He comes with a law degree from London, which is why his ministry is likely to be a priority for the new prime minister, given how Imran has, time and again, raised the issue of paucity of legal experts in the ministry, which is what he probably attributes to the "failures" of the Indus Waters Treaty with India.

More appointments of Cabinet ministers and advisers are expected, as the prime minister eases himself into the driver's seat. At the moment, it is evident that while Imran may be an unknown entity in power, large parts of his Cabinet are not. This need not necessarily be a bad thing as Musharraf had an ability to pick the best in the business and give them free rein.

At this point, it is unlikely that Imran will delegate overmuch, in which case the promise of delivering stability will come to nothing. The nature of South Asian democracies, however flawed, has always been influenced by the man at the top. In Pakistan, the problem does not end with the military being the highest power. A new and unprecedented problem may be that the elected head, never having gone to jail or exiled or otherwise harried, has not yet realised reality to its fullest extent.
Wei Fenghes 4-day visit to follow up on Modi-Xi meet.

After the Wuhan summit, both sides revived the long-pending proposal to set up the hotline in order to avoid flareups along the disputed border.

New Delhi: Chinese defence minister and state councillor Wei Fenghe will arrive here on Tuesday on a four-day visit during which the two sides are expected to explore specific measures to build trust between their armies and maintain peace and tranquillity on the border.

Sources were cited by news agencies as saying that the primary objective of Mr Weis visit is to deliberate with the Indian defence establishment on implementation of decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at their informal summit in Wuhan in April this year. At that informal summit, Mr Modi and Mr Xi had resolved to open a new chapter in ties and directed their militaries to boost coordination along the border. A serious military faceoff in decades last year between the two Asian giants and nuclear-armed neighbours in Doklam in Bhutanese territory had triggered military tensions between the two countries. Sources said both sides will discuss the implementation of decisions taken during the Wuhan summit aimed at improving mutual trust and avoiding a repeat of any Doklam-like faceoffs.

Mr Wei, who is a key member in Chinas State Council, the executive organ of Chinas central government, is due to meet Prime Minister Modi and hold restricted as well as delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday. The Chinese defence minister is also likely to visit an Indian military establishment during his trip.

According to news agency reports, during the coming delegation-level talks, both sides are expected to deliberate on the situation along the Doklam plateau, and the Indian side may also raise the presence of a sizeable number of Chinese troops in North Doklam. Doklam is regarded as Bhutanese territory by India and Bhutan, while China regards it as its own and calls it Donglang.

Wei Fenghe

The two sides are likely to deliberate on a mechanism under which troops from both sides will inform each other before carrying out any patrolling on the disputed areas along the nearly 4,000-km border. Sources also said both sides will also attempt to resolve differences in setting up of a hotline between the two armies.

After the Wuhan summit, both sides revived the long-pending proposal to set up the hotline in order to avoid flareups along the disputed border. But the initiative hit roadblocks over differences on issues relating to protocol and technical aspects of the hotline.

According to reports, the Indian Army has maintained that the hotline should be between its director-general of military operations (DGMO) and his equivalent official in the Peoples Liberation Army. However, Beijing proposed the deputy commander of its Chengdu-based Western Theatre Command would engage with the Indian DGMO. The Indian Army is opposed to the Chinese proposal, insisting that an officer equivalent to the Indian DGMO at the PLAs headquarters should be deputed for communications through the hotline. The hotline between India and China was first mooted by the two countries in 2013.

An eight-member Chinese military delegation led by Lt. Gen. Liu Xiaowu, deputy commander of the Western Theatre Command, visited India in June as a followup to the Wuhan summit.
A former Indian American doctor from Texas who was convicted of raping a sedated patient will not face prison time.

Houston: A former Indian American doctor from Texas who was convicted of raping a sedated patient will not face prison time. Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at Baylor College of Medicine, was sentenced to 10 years of probation on Friday and will have to register as a sex offender. Jurors convicted Sheikh of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended last week. The crime is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but the Texas jury sentenced Sheikh to 10 years of probation.

Unlike most states and the federal government, Texas grants juries the power to set criminal punishments.

The jurors had recommended the sentencing, to which visiting senior district judge Terry L Flenniken was required to follow by law, according to a local media report. Sheikh was working the night shift at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital in 2013 when a woman, previously identified as Laura, was admitted for shortness of breath and wheezing.

She was in the hospital overnight and sedated when Sheikh came to her room several times during the night and sexually assaulted her. Laura said she attempted to get help from a nurse, but the call button wouldn't work.

DNA evidence collected from a rape kit matched the DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab. But it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh. Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located. He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night. He sought her out. He chose her to prey on, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing.

You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that. You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did, she added. During the trial, the doctor admitted to the sexual contact with the woman, but insisted it was consensual.

His lawyers also pleaded with the jury to show some compassion to Sheikh, his wife and children, who also suffered consequences due to his actions. The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams, Sheikh's lawyer Stanley Schneider said.

What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him. The Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015 after they found he was a continuing threat to public welfare. Sheikh has since left the hospital.

Laura, now 32, said after the sentencing that she wanted to move on from the incident. She told KHOU11 in 2015 that she believes there are other victims.
Iran told OPEC that no country is allowed to take over the share of other members for production and exports of oil under any circumstance and expressed concern about Saudi Arabias offer to pump more oil in the face of US sanctions on Iranian oil sales.

London: Iran told the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Sunday no member country should be allowed to take over another members share of oil exports, expressing Tehrans concern about Saudi Arabias offer to pump more oil in the face of US sanctions on Iranian oil sales.

In a meeting with OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo, a senior Iranian diplomat urged him to keep the group out of politics.

No country is allowed to take over the share of other members for production and exports of oil under any circumstance, and the OPEC Ministerial Conference has not issued any licence for such actions, Irans oil ministry news agency SHANA quoted Kazem Gharibabadi, the permanent envoy to Vienna-based international organisations, as saying.

In May, US president Donald Trump pulled out of an international nuclear deal with Iran and announced sanctions against the OPEC member. Washington is pushing allies to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero and will impose a new round of sanctions on Iranian oil sales in November.

Trump has called on OPEC to pump more oil to bring down prices. Energy ministers of Saudi Arabia, a US ally, and Russia said in May they were prepared to ease output cuts to calm consumer worries about supply.

Iran believes that OPEC should strongly support its members at this stage and stop the plots of countries trying to politicise this organisation, Gharibabadi said.

Regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran are involved in proxy wars, including in Yemen and Syria.

Iran and other signatories of the nuclear deal, including Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, have been working to find a way to salvage the agreement despite US pressures.

Iran has set a series of conditions for European powers if they want Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal, including steps by European banks to safeguard trade with Tehran and guaranteeing Iranian oil sales.

Irans vice president said on Sunday the government was seeking solutions to sell oil and transfer its revenues despite fresh US sanctions.

In August, Washington imposed sanctions on acquisition of US dollar by Iran, and its trade in gold and precious metals. Washington will reimpose on 4 November sanctions on Irans oil exports, and banking sector.

We are hopeful that the European countries can meet their commitments but even if they cannot, we are seeking solutions to sell our oil and transfer its revenues, Eshaq Jahangiri was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

In similar remarks, Iranian foreign minister praised the European signatories for their efforts to salvage the deal, especially for EUs so-called blocking statute that aims to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions for European businesses.

However, Mohammad Javad Zarif said such measures have not been enough.

The European have so far expressed their stance, but have failed to present an action plan ... We believe the Europe is not ready yet to pay a price, Zarif was quoted as saying by the Young Journalists Club (YJC) website.

Zarif also tweeted on Sunday that the formation of a new Iran Action Group in the US State Department to coordinate Trumps pressure campaign against Iran aimed to overthrow the Islamic Republic, but it would fail.
UAE and Qatar are encouraging its citizens to make donations and provide humanitarian assistance for the state of Kerala which has been seeing large-scale devastation and mounting death-toll, triggered by heavy rainfall and floods.

Gulf countries such as UAE and Qatar are encouraging its citizens to make donations and other relief measures for the state of Kerala which has been seeing a large-scale devastation and mounting death toll, triggered by heavy rainfall and floods.

The ruler of UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted on Sunday urging his people to extend a helping hand to the people of Kerala which has been ravaged by floods and heavy rains. In a series of tweets in Malayalam and English, the ruler of Dubai acknowledged the role of the people of Kerala in his nation's success story and reminded citizens that even as the gulf nations welcome Eid Al Adha, it is the responsibility of citizens in this time to provide humanitarian aid to those affected in Kerala.

UAE and the Indian community will unite to offer relief to those affected. We have formed a committee to start immediately. We urge everyone to contribute generously towards this initiative. pic.twitter.com/7a4bHadWqa  HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) August 17, 2018

UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Ali Nahyan has announced the formation of a national emergency committee called the Emirate Red Crescent (ERC) to provide aid to the state of Kerala. The UAE government has asked the business community to gather funds and donate to Kerala and has encouraged to provide relief assistance through full-page advertisements in leading newspapers and media publications.

Full page advertisement in Gulf News & Khaleej Times by the govt of UAE calling upon all individuals and businesses in UAE to be part of the relief effort for those affected by #KeralaFlood pic.twitter.com/GZrH57IDxI  SamSays (@samjawed65) August 19, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet thanked the UAE ruler for his support for the people of Kerala and added how the concern reflects the special ties between the governments and people of UAE and India.

Indian businesses based in UAE have collected $2.7 million as part of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Kerala flood victims, reported Al Arabiya English.

UAE is not the only country which has called for relief assistance from its citizens. Qatar has announced to donate $5 million as an aid for people of Kerala battling heavy rains and floods in the state. The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted on Sunday announcing its plan to provide the monetary aid.

Qatar Airways on Sunday tweeted a photograph depicting an aeroplane being loaded with donations from the country to be delivered to Kerala in India.

#QatarAirwaysCargo offers relief to flood-hit Kerala by transporting donations from Doha this Eid al-Adha. #Movedbypeople pic.twitter.com/x5u3MAJzKH  Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) August 19, 2018

Kerala has witnessed the worst floods since a hundred years. According to reports, the death toll has crossed 350 since the 8 August and more than 4,000 people have been rescued due to the combined efforts of disaster management authorities and the defence forces.
Nawaz Sharif was brought from the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi amid tight security to the Islamabad-based accountability court for hearing of the corruption cases.

Islamabad: Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday appeared again before an accountability court hearing regarding two graft cases against him and his family.

The 68-year-old Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) leader appeared before the Islamabad-based court for hearing in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Hill Metal Establishment cases. Sharif, along with his daughter Maryam, 44 and his son-in-law Capt (retired) Muhammad Safdar, 54, are already serving jail terms of 10-years, seven years and one year respectively in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, after the accountability court convicted them on 6 July over the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London through illegal means.

Sharif was brought from the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi amid tight security to the Islamabad-based accountability court for hearing of the corruption cases. Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Haris asked the court that the verdict in both cases should be issued simultaneously which was accepted by the court.

The prosecution also presented that last witness in the Al Azizia Steel case, who provided details of several transactions in bank accounts of the Sharifs. Later, the court adjourned hearing till 27 August.

A number of Sharif's supporters were present outside the court to show solidarity for the ousted premier. Police took two supporters in custody when they tried to shower rose petals on Sharif. The pending corruption cases against Sharif and his two sons were transferred by the Islamabad High Court on 7 August on application of Sharif to another accountability court headed by judge Malik.

Three corruption cases were filed against Sharif and family last year following a decision by Supreme Court on 28 July of the same year. The formal trial of the Sharif family started on 14 September and was to be completed in six months but later the deadline was extended at least thrice.

Apart from Sharif, his two sons Hassan and Hussian  are also co-accused on all three corruption cases. The court has already declared the two sons as absconders due to their persistent failure to appear before the court. They have been blacklisted by the authorities, barring them from travelling on their Pakistani passports.
KAMPALA (Reuters) - One person died and five others were injured in Uganda on Sunday, police said, as security personnel used teargas and live bullets to disperse a demonstration against the beating up of arrested lawmakers in response to the stoning of a presidential convoy. Police spokesman, Emilian Kayima told local media outlet NTV Uganda in the process of calming the riot a policeman had fired live bullets at a minibus that was carrying passengers

KAMPALA (Reuters) - One person died and five others were injured in Uganda on Sunday, police said, as security personnel used teargas and live bullets to disperse a demonstration against the beating up of arrested lawmakers in response to the stoning of a presidential convoy.

Police spokesman, Emilian Kayima told local media outlet NTV Uganda in the process of calming the riot a policeman had fired live bullets at a minibus that was carrying passengers.

"One policeman fired bullets in a moving taxi (minibus) with passengers, injuring six people. Unfortunately one of them died," Kayima said.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; editing by David Evans)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Over 2 million Muslims from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world began their annual hajj pilgrimage on Sunday

Mecca (Saudi Arabia): More than 2 million Muslims began the annual hajj pilgrimage at first light on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca that Islams faithful face five times each day during their prayers.

The five-day hajj pilgrimage represents one of the worlds biggest gatherings every year, and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life.

The hajj offers pilgrims an opportunity to feel closer to God amid the Muslim worlds many challenges, including the threat of violence and extremists in West Asia and the plight of Myanmars Muslim Rohingya minority.

We are very blessed by Allah to be in this place, and we pray to Allah to make the Islamic nations from the West to the East in a better situation, said Essam-Eddin Afifi, a pilgrim from Egypt. We pray for the Islamic nations to overcome their enemies.

Muslims believe the hajj retraces the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as those of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail  Abraham and Ishmael in the Bible. Muslims believe God stayed the hand of Ibrahim after commanding him to sacrifice his son, Ismail. In the Christian and Jewish version of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.

The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God.

Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between the two hills traveled by Hagar, Ibrahims wife. Meccas Grand Mosque, the worlds largest, encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.

Before heading to Mecca, many pilgrims visit the city of Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad is buried and where he built his first mosque.

After prayers in Mecca, pilgrims will head to an area called Mount Arafat on Monday, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon. From there, pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, picking up pebbles along the way for a symbolic stoning of the devil and a casting away of sins that takes place in the Mina valley for three days.

At the hajjs end, male pilgrims will shave their hair and women will cut a lock of hair in a sign of renewal for completing the pilgrimage. Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of hajj with a celebration called Eid al-Adha. The holiday, remembering Ibrahims willingness to sacrifice his son, sees Muslims slaughter sheep and cattle, distributing the meat to the poor.

Major General Mansour al-Turki, the spokesman of the Saudi Interior Ministry, told journalists Saturday that over 2 million Muslims from abroad and inside the kingdom would be taking part in this years hajj.

Saudi Arabias ruling Al Saud family stakes its legitimacy in part on its management of the holiest sites in Islam. King Salmans official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, at Mecca and Medina. Other Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all have adopted the honorary title

The kingdom has spent billions of dollars of its vast oil revenues on security and safety measures, particularly in Mina, where some of the hajjs deadliest incidents have occurred.

The worst in recorded history took place only three years ago. On 24 September, 2015, a stampede and crush of pilgrims in Mina killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since only two days afterward. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor has it released any results of an investigation authorities promised to conduct over the disaster.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also faces threats from Al-Qaeda militants and a local faction of the Islamic State group. Days earlier, the Interior Ministry acknowledged arresting a Saudi wearing an explosive vest in the kingdoms central al-Qassim region who shot at security forces.

Meanwhile, a Saudi-led war in Yemen against Shiite rebels drags on without an end in sight. The rebels have fired over 150 ballistic missiles on the kingdom during a conflict that has seen Saudi airstrikes hit markets and hospitals, killing civilians.
Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that the country will enter into talks with all neighbours to normalise ties, as without it peace can't be brought in the country.

Islamabad: Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that the country will enter into talks with all neighbours to normalise ties, as without it peace can't be brought in the country. In his an-hour-long maiden address to the nation a day after his swearing in as the country's 22nd prime minister, Khan identified Pakistan's challenges on economic front, announced sweeping changes to bring austerity and revive stagnant economy. He also lashed out at the previous PML-N government for current debt crisis which has risen to Rs 28 trillion, saying the country had not been as indebted in its entire history as it has been in the last ten years.

"I have talked to all neighbours and InshaAllah, we will improve relations with all neighbours. Without peace (with neighbours) we cannot bring peace in Pakistan," he said. Khan, who made an extempore speech while taking help of notes, promised to start the change from his life.

Outlining his governments approach to resolve the issues, Khan stressed on taking austerity measures, working on tax reforms instead of taking loans, rooting out corruption. He also spoke about revamping the judiciary, educational and health care reforms, civil service reforms, devolution of power, providing jobs opportunity to youths and building dams to end water crisis. "Never in Pakistan's history have we faced such difficult economic circumstances. Our debt burden is Rs 28 trillion. We haven't been as indebted in our entire history as we have been in the last ten years," he said. "The interest that we have to pay on our debt has reached to a level that we have to take more debt to repay our obligations. Our external debt obligations have reached a level that we have to contemplate how we are going to grapple with them," Khan said. "On one hand we are so indebted, and on the other hand our human development index ranking is very poor," he said.

"I will not do any business and live a simple life. Those making illegal money are my enemies. You should help me to identify them and stop them," he said. He said that he will live in a three-bedroom residence within the official PM House, a place that was reserved for the Military Secretary but Khan has decided to live there. He announced to transform the sprawling PM House into a modern university. He said there were 524 workers and officials deputed at the PM House but he will keep only two of them. Out of the 80 vehicles, including 33 bullet proof vehicles, he said he will use only two of them and auction the rest and deposit the money into the national treasury. Khan said PTI formed governments in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and his governors and chief ministers will not live in palatial official houses.

He said the economy was in bad shape due to debt heaped by the past government. He said 10 years ago, the total debt of the country was Rs 6 trillion which has increased to Rs 28 trillion. He spoke about the poor human development index of Pakistan and said more than 23 million children were out of schools and 45 percent children had stunted growth. Khan once again promised to transform Pakistan into the state of Median which was set up by the Prophet in early years of Islam. He said Medina state was set up on the principles of rule of law, protection of rights of minorities, progressive taxation, based on merit, education for all and honest leadership.

Khan promised to reform the tax collection machinery, police, judiciary, education system, health and anti-corruption bodies. He announced to deal with the corrupt elements with iron hand and said all wealth of the country stashed abroad by rich Pakistanis will be brought back. The prime minister asked overseas Pakistanis to park their money in Pakistani banks and invest here assuring them that their investments will be safe in his government. He promised to facilitate the investors. Khan announced setting up a task force to cut down the expenses of the government. He also said that he will meet the Chief Justice of Pakistan to draw up a scheme for speedy justice so that all cases were decided within in year. He also said that civil servants will be rewarded and punished on the basis of their performance. He also announced to make Pakistan a true welfare state. "We want to make Pakistan a welfare state. For this we should create compassion in our hearts."

Khan said that he wished that the PM House be turned into a research university, he will form a committee to figure out how to cut expenses nationwide. "I also want you to understand that the money we lavish on ourselves could have been spent on those who our state has left behind. 'Naya Pakistan' also requires a new 'soch' (thinking). We have to think about those who we have left behind," he said. On tax reforms, he said instead of trying to rebuild the economy by taking external loans, his government will try and fulfil its needs from within. "No country can succeed by taking on debt again and again. Debts are taken for brief periods of time. I will be ashamed to go abroad and ask for money. If the leader of the nation has to go and ask for debt, what will my nation be?" Khan added. He said only 8,00,000 people out of 200 million pay taxes in Pakistan. "We will fix the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and assure the nation that I will be responsible for your taxes. It is your responsibility to pay taxes. If we start paying taxes we will get out of deficit," he said. He termed money laundering as the biggest problem.
The case against Pervez Musharraf is for suspending the Constitution on 3 November, 2007  an offence for which he was indicted by the special court on 31 March, 2014.

Islamabad: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf on Monday sought presidential security to appear before a court in Islamabad in a high treason case citing threats to his life.

During Monday's hearing, Musharraf's attorney, Akhtar Shah, told the Justice Yawar Ali-led two-member bench of the special court that his client would return and "appear before the court if he is given presidential level security by the defence ministry", reports Dawn news.

"Musharraf's life is in danger... There were two attempts on his life, once in the Islamabad court and the other in Quetta during the Akbar Bugti case hearing," Shah added. In response, a bench member said, "There is a non-bailable warrant out against Musharraf, so to provide him security is the government's responsibility."

The case against the former leader is for suspending the Constitution on 3 November, 2007  an offence for which he was indicted by the special court on 31 March, 2014. That same year, the state prosecution laid down all its evidence but the progress in the case still slowed down due to Musharraf who filed multiple petitions against his trial at the appellate forum.

In March 2016, he left the country for Dubai to "seek medical treatment" and has not returned since, Dawn reported.

Regarding the federal government's request to wrap up the case quickly, Justice Yawar observed, "It is necessary to record Musharraf's statement."

Musharraf has failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons. In July, the case had suffered a blow when the head of the prosecution Mohammad Akram Sheikh, whom the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) government had appointed, tendered his resignation citing an "imminent change of government at the Centre".

The court adjourned the case until 27 August.
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari returned to the country on Saturday evening after two weeks of leave in Britain, according to the presidency's official Twitter account, which on Sunday shared pictures of the leader disembarking from his plane.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari returned to the country on Saturday evening after two weeks of leave in Britain, according to the presidency's official Twitter account, which on Sunday shared pictures of the leader disembarking from his plane.

A presidential aide had said on Saturday that the Nigerian leader would return, easing concerns over his health in the run-up to elections in early 2019.

Presidency spokesmen have declined to say whether or not Buhari had any medical appointments during his absence.

After Buhari spent five months in Britain last year being treated for an undisclosed ailment, opposition critics said he was unfit for office and his administration was beset by inertia.

Buhari will be seeking a second term in February's elections. Although the main opposition party has yet to select a candidate, the president's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been beset by a series of high-profile defections.

(Reporting by Paul Carsten; Editing by David Goodman)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure after her high-profile trip to Latin America, including stops in the United States, which drew criticism from China. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has ramped up military and diplomatic pressure in an attempt to assert Chinese sovereignty over the island, even as the U.S.

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure after her high-profile trip to Latin America, including stops in the United States, which drew criticism from China.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has ramped up military and diplomatic pressure in an attempt to assert Chinese sovereignty over the island, even as the U.S. government makes fresh overtures to it.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act -- a non-binding bill encouraging the United States to send senior officials to Taiwan to meet Taiwanese counterparts.

While Tsai was not invited to the United States for an official visit, she met U.S. senators while she was there, attended banquets with overseas Taiwanese and spoke of the need for strong ties with Washington.

The number of countries that now officially recognise Taiwan has been whittled down to 18, following moves by Burkina Faso in West Africa and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean region to formally switch relations to China from Taiwan this year.

"Taiwan would not bow to pressure. Pressure would only make us more determined and united. It would only boost our determination to go abroad," Tsai said at Taiwan's international airport upon arrival late on Monday after the nine-day trip. She did not elaborate.

Tsai said during talks with heads of state during the trip, she had "demonstrated Taiwan's determination for the value of freedom and democracy."

China, which believes Tsai wants to push for Taiwan's formal independence, has already complained to Washington about her U.S. stopovers on the arrival and departure legs of her trip to Paraguay and Belize in the past two weekends.

Democratic Taiwan is one of China's most sensitive territorial issues and Tsai's U.S. stopovers in the United States, a customary practice for Taiwanese presidents, came amid an increasingly bitter trade war between Beijing and Washington.

While the United States has no formal ties with Taiwan, it is its main supplier of arms and military hardware, and its strongest unofficial diplomatic backer.

In a sign of the geo-political tensions, a Taiwan bakery chain with numerous branches in China disappeared from major Chinese food apps amid calls for a boycott after Tsai stopped by for a coffee at one of its stores in Los Angeles

In response, Tsai last week urged people in Taiwan to remain united and she remained defiant in the face of Beijing's pressure.

"My administration will continue strengthening every aspect of #Taiwan-#US relations. Until next time!" Tsai tweeted upon her departure from a U.S. airport earlier on Monday, along with a photo of her holding hands with James F. Moriarty, chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Fabian Hamacher; Editing by James Pomfret and Richard Balmforth)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The BJP hit back at Robert Vadra, saying his comments showed the restlessness in the Gandhi family to claim power.

Robert Vadra, who is on a spiritual quest across the country, visited the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday morning and posted a message along with his photographs on Facebook. (Photo: Facebook | Robert Vadra)

New Delhi: The country needs a change and that change will come, as my family and Rahul Gandhi are working very hard for it, Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra said on Sunday.

He said the people of India have suffered a lot, but did not elaborate what he meant by that.

Vadra, who is on a spiritual quest across the country, visited the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday morning and posted a message along with his photographs on Facebook.

"A change is required and I feel the change will come. I think my family is working very hard, Rahul is working very hard and we are always there to support. Priyanka and myself are always there to support Rahul.

"I think the people want the change and I can see that they have suffered a lot and we all need to be secular, most important for our country. We are here with the people of India and we will all struggle for them and do our best," he told reporters after "darshan" at Tirupati temple.

"I had a very good darshan. I felt the energy and take it back for my family, my children and, for my mother-in-law, for their good health, happiness and for all the people in our country to have happiness, peace and harmony," he said.

Vadra said, "we are all going through a lot of change, but all we should feel is love and affection and I feel that I am blessed. I want to take this energy and spread it around".

"Blessed to visit Tirupati and Tirumala Venketaswara Temple on my spiritual Journey," he said in the Facebook post.

He said one can only understand the devotion of people visiting Tirupati, when that person makes the effort to visit as many historical temples and follows their rituals.

He initially prayed at Shri Padmavati Ammavaru Temple (Lakshmi ji) and then ascended to Tirumala, but waited till 2 am for the darshan called "Suprabhatam".

The BJP hit back at Vadra, saying his comments showed the restlessness in the Gandhi family to claim power.

When asked about the comments, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "So finally, it is from Mr Robert Vadra that the country is to get sermons on governance".

"There is a sense of restlessness within the Gandhi family, because the Gandhi family is used to the seat of power and, it is because of this sense of restlessness, when they are out of power, that we see every member of the Gandhi family coming out and claiming their 'claim to throne'," he said.

Patra said Vadra may get his seat of power, but the country is asking the question to the Gandhi family that this country does not belong to a dynasty, this country does not belong to a family.

"This country belongs to the people of India and this is the reason as to why through democratic means, and not through dynastic means, that the governance agenda would be furthered," he said.
During a Sunday interview with The Associated Press, the former chief strategist to Trump said he believes the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats in the House if the election were held today, thereby ceding their majority to Democrats he's convinced will pursue impeachment.

Steve Bannon has a dire warning for Republicans  rally around President Donald Trump.

During a Sunday interview with The Associated Press, the former chief strategist to Trump said he believes the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats in the House if the election were held today, thereby ceding their majority to Democrats he's convinced will pursue impeachment.

He argued there's still time to turn that around and is launching a group, Citizens of the American Republic, to pitch the election as a vote to protect Trump from that outcome.

"You can't look at this as a midterm and you can't run it out of the traditional Republican playbook. If you do that, you're going to get smoked," said Bannon, arguing that Republicans must redouble efforts against motivated Democrats.

The effort is a test of Bannon's sway in the GOP a year after he was fired from his White House post. His relationship with Trump soured after a tell-all book published in January included searing quotes of Bannon portraying Trump as undisciplined and criticizing son Donald Trump Jr. His stock fell further after he stuck by Alabama Republican Roy Moore's Senate campaign even after decades-old sexual misconduct allegations emerged. A reliably Republican Senate seat turned Democratic.

As he attempts a comeback, Bannon acknowledged the challenges he faces, including an invigorated Democratic base. Less than three months from Election Day, Democrats need a net gain of 24 seats to retake the House, and the party is increasingly bullish about its chances after strong turnout in a series of special elections. Bannon said Republicans can gain ground if they focus on turning out Trump supporters.

"This is not about persuasion. It's too late to persuade anybody. We're 90 days away from this election. This is all about turnout and what I call base-plus," he said.

While Bannon makes his move, many Republicans view holding the House as an uphill battle. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bannon said his new venture will focus on rapid response and polling with the goal of framing the election as an "up or down vote" on Trump and impeachment. He is also releasing a movie about the president, "Trump@War," geared at Trump supporters.

Bannon said he was being backed by private donors, but he did not detail who was funding the effort or how much he had raised. He said his efforts were independent of the Republican National Committee, the White House or a Trump-supporting super PAC.

In keeping with his midterm mission, Bannon defended the president on both policy and style, arguing that the president had an economic record to run on and has been making the right pitch on the campaign trail.

On trade, Bannon backed the president's aggressive tariffs, which have drawn criticism in agricultural states crucial to Trump's victory. He argued they were a key part of Trump's nationalistic economic strategy.

"People in Iowa, once it's explained to them, will fully support the president in this," he said. "We don't have a choice. We either win the economic war with China or we're going to be a secondary, a tertiary power."

He said Trump's culture wars, which have included public attacks on women and minorities, don't present a problem, calling it his "house style" and saying people should "separate out the signal from the noise." He argued that Trump would benefit from shutting down the government over funding for his border wall, saying it would "galvanize the populist right," though he acknowledged it was a minority view.

Bannon also pushed back against the idea that a loss of the House could be a positive development for Trump as it would give him a new foil heading into the 2020 presidential election. He called such notions "dangerously naive."

Looking ahead to 2020, Bannon said attorney Michael Avenatti, who is weighing a bid as a Democratic candidate, could be a contender. The combative attorney has been taking on Trump on behalf of a porn actress who claims a sexual encounter with the president, which Trump denies.

"He's a fighter and people are looking for fighters," Bannon said of Avenatti, though he believes Trump would defeat any opponent. "He's going to be a force in the primary for the simple reason that he comes across as what many of the Democrats don't, which is a fighter."
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised on the country's military to obey the commands of the ruling Communist Party of China headed by him and called for efforts to improve the party conduct and combat corruption in the armed forces.

Beijing: Into his second five-year term and set for a lifelong tenure in power, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised on the country's two-million-strong military to obey the commands of the ruling Communist Party of China headed by him.

Since he took power in 2012, Xi, who has emerged as the most powerful leader after Mao Zedong heading the party, military and the presidency, has been constantly highlighting that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) should function under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party China (CPC).

Xi told the top military officials on Sunday that their primary task is to uphold the absolute CPC leadership over the armed forces, state-run Global Times reported on Monday. The political building of the party should be intensified to make sure that the whole military resolutely upholds the authority of the CPC and its centralised, unified leadership, and resolutely obey the command of the party, it said.

The whole military should comprehensively implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, a new theory enunciated by him and the spirit of the 19th once-in-a-five-year Party National Congress held this year. The party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era must be fully implemented, Xi said.

He carried out the biggest shakeup of the military in the last five years through his anti-corruption drive, in which over 50 top generals of the PLA, including two vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission (CMC), which also enabled him to reinforce his leadership firmly over the military.

Xi heads the CMC and he is the only party leader and the civilian in its ranks.

Besides completely restructuring the PLA from top to bottom, Xi had also downsized its strength by shredding three lakh troops. Six years on into power Xi, who has been re-elected earlier this year for his second tenure by the CPC national congress, has once again called for efforts to comprehensively strengthen the leadership of the party in China's armed forces to ensure a solid political guarantee for building of a strong military, the official media reported on Monday.

The PLA is a rare military in the world which functioned, not under the government, but under the command of the CPC since the days of Mao.

Repeated calls by Xi to the military to follow the party has raised speculation that whether he sees any pockets of resistance to his and party leadership.

After the party congress, China's parliament the National People's Congress (NPC) has amended the Constitution, removing the two-term limit for the president which was followed by Xi's predecessors. This enables him to continue in power for life if he chooses to.

He said, since 2012 when he took over the party, he has been working on building the military and keeping hold of it from a political perspective and referred to a conference on the army's political work held in 2014.

Comprehensive and profound changes regarding the party leadership and party building in the military have taken place, giving a strong political underpinning for the historic achievements and changes in the cause of building a strong military, Xi said, the report said.

Stressing the prominent importance in cultivating cadres and talent, Xi called for efforts in training high-calibre cadres who are loyal to the party, have moral integrity, and demonstrate a keen sense of responsibility, and gathering talent in various areas who are committed to building a strong military and winning combat.

He also called for efforts to improve the party conduct and combat corruption in the armed forces. "The anti-corruption fight must be carried forward with firmness, and there will be no deviation," Xi said.
Walmart Inc. and Flipkart Group today announced that the acquisition transaction has now been completed making Walmart the largest shareholder in the Flipkart Group. Walmart back in May had announced that it is acquiring 77% stake in Flipkart for $16 billion. This partnership to leverage combined synergies, including market insights, retail expertise and local and global supply-chain knowledge.

Furthermore, as Walmart scales in India, the company will continue to partner to create sustained economic growth across agriculture, food, and retail. The investments by Walmart will support national initiatives and will bring sustainable benefits in jobs creation, supporting small businesses, supply chain development and reducing food waste.

Flipkarts existing management team will continue to lead the business. Tencent Holdings Limited and Tiger Global Management LLC will remain represented on the Flipkart board. In addition to independent board members, new members from Walmart will join the board. With the completion of the investment, Walmart now holds approximately 77% of Flipkart. The remainder of the business is held by other shareholders, including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent, Tiger Global and Microsoft Corp.

Flipkart financials will be reported as part of Walmarts International business segment. Both companies will retain their unique brands and operating structures in India.

Judith McKenna, president, and CEO of Walmart International said:

Walmart and Flipkart will achieve more together than each of us could accomplish separately to contribute to the economic growth of India, creating a strong local business powered by Walmart. Our investment will benefit India by providing quality, affordable goods for customers while creating new skilled jobs and opportunities for suppliers. As a company, we are transforming globally to make life even easier for customers, and we are delighted to learn from, contribute to and work with Flipkart to grow in India, one of the fastest-growing and most attractive retail markets in world.

Binny Bansal, Flipkarts co-founder, and group chief executive officer said:

We are poised and ready to deliver the full value of this partnership for India. By combining Walmarts omnichannel retail expertise, supply-chain knowledge and financial strength with Flipkarts talent, technology and local insights, we are confident that together we can drive the next wave of retail in India.

Source
There are drug deals and then there's Constellation Brands' (NYSE:STZ) massive investment in Canopy Growth Corporation (NASDAQ:CGC), the Canadian marijuana grower.

Constellation Brands, best known as the U.S. distributor of Corona and other Modelo Group beers, made headlines last week when it said it would invest $4 billion in Canopy Growth, giving it a 38% total stake in the company. The deal follows an initial investment last October of about $200 million for a 9.9% equity position in the company.

The transaction was the largest ever in the cannabis industry, as Constellation CEO Rob Sands explained:

Through this investment, we are selecting Canopy Growth as our exclusive global cannabis partner. 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.

Investors, however, weren't buying it. The market pooh-poohed the move, sending Constellation shares down 6.1%, as analysts seemed to believe that the diversified alcohol company had overpaid for a stake in the cannabis grower. Canopy stock, meanwhile, rocketed higher, gaining 30% as Constellation said it would pay a 37.9% premium over the five-day volume-weighted average price of the shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Based on the sell-off in Constellation shares, investors think it's a bad move. I disagree, though. Here's why:

1. The opportunity in cannabis is huge and still underappreciated

No one knows how big the global cannabis market will be. That will depend on legalization trends, medical research, and consumer tastes, but there is clearly enormous potential for it.

According to Arcview Market Research, illegal marijuana sales topped $46.4 billion in 2016 in the U.S. That's approximately $150 per American on an illegal substance, and that's at a time when recreational marijuana was already legal in multiple states.

Alcohol sales, by comparison, are about $223 billion a year in the U.S., and cigarette sales in the U.S. totaled $93.4 billion in 2016. Pot sales in Colorado last year reached $1.5 billion. Extrapolating that number for the entire country would mean a national marijuana market could generate about $85 billion annually, a market size comparable to that of tobacco. With some momentum and the legalization of venues like hash bars or marijuana cafes, it could potentially grow to the size of the alcohol market.

However, marijuana stocks are worth much less than those of tobacco or alcohol companies. The chart below compares some of the biggest companies in each sector.

Company Sector Market Cap Anheuser-Busch/InBev Alcohol $202.6 billion Philip Morris International Tobacco $132.2 billion Altria Tobacco $115 billion British American Tobacco Tobacco $117.6 billion Diageo Alcohol $89.6 billon Heineken Alcohol $58.2 billion Constellation Brands Alcohol $39 billion Canopy Growth Cannabis $7.5 billion Aurora Cannabis Cannabis $4.76 billion GW Pharmaceuticals Cannabis $3.84 billion

As you can see, the size of major publicly traded alcohol and tobacco companies dwarfs that of the biggest marijuana stocks. That makes sense, of course, as the pot purveyors have barely any business currently. But if legalization plays out the way many expect, it's reasonable to believe the top three marijuana companies will eventually have a combined market value of more than $350 billion, just like they do in alcohol and tobacco.

2. Marijuana will eventually be legalized in the U.S. -- probably

Again, no one knows when or even if marijuana will become legal in all of the U.S., but the momentum for its eventual legalization has become overwhelming.

Recreational pot is now legal in nine states plus the District of Columbia, and medical marijuana is legal in another 21.

According to the Pew Research Center, 61% of Americans believe the drug should be legalized, and that group has grown phenomenally in recent years, doubling from 31% in 2000. Not surprisingly, among younger Americans, legalization is even more popular. Seventy percent of millennials favor legalizing the drug, and 66% of Gen Xers agree. In other words, support for legalization should naturally grow as the younger population ages. A Gallup poll even found that a majority of Republicans support legalization.

Momentum for legalization is building in other arenas of government as well. New York City, for example, is taking steps toward decriminalizing the drug, in part because of the disproportionate enforcement of the law against African-Americans and Hispanics and the high incarceration rates it leads to. Marijuana arrests outnumber those for all violent crimes nationally, including murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

Even the Drug Enforcement Administration is relaxing its restrictions on the amount of pot that can be grown for research, increasing the total cap from 1,000 pounds this year to 5,400 pounds next year.

Finally, recreational pot is going to become legal in Canada this October. If legalization goes well north of the border, pressure will mount to follow suit domestically, especially as the move will likely boost the marijuana black market in the U.S. as well as draw American pot tourists to Canada.

3. Management has proven its capability

Constellation stock has risen more than 800% over the last decade, an astonishing gain in a low-growth market like alcohol. That surge was largely due to the acquisition of the American distribution rights to the Modelo Group beers (and management's subsequent ability to grow sales and profits of those beers), but the company has also made several other moves to rearrange its portfolio to orient it toward growth.

Investing in marijuana and specifically, a market leader like Canopy Growth looks smart, as the pot grower will benefit from Constellation's marketing and distribution acumen. There's also the promise of a marijuana beverage being developed between the two, as marijuana edibles have boomed since legalization in various states. Plus, with $4 billion to play with just when the Canadian market of 36 million people is opening up, Canopy is getting a huge cash infusion at just the right time. Notably, Canopy signaled in the deal's press release that it was done expanding capacity for the time being, but it can use the money for things like marketing, distribution, research, and new products, as well as future expansion.

Whether Constellation overpaid in the Canopy deal is a fair question, but the Corona distributor also gained warrants that will give it a majority stake in Canopy if it chooses to exercise them. In other words, the company would control a leading cannabis grower as well as popular brands across beer, wine, and liquor -- a powerful combination.

There's huge potential growth in marijuana, and it should gain momentum with Canadian legalization. With this $4 billion deal, Constellation has put itself in the driver's seat in another new growth market.
Choice Hotels Promotes Pete Metzger to the Ascend Hotel Collection Leadership Team

August 20, 2018 // Franchising.com // ROCKVILLE, Md. - Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel franchisors, has promoted Pete Metzger to franchise development regional vice president of the Ascend Hotel Collection brand. In this new role, Metzger will lead the growth of the brand's footprint in North America and the Caribbean.

"Since its launch 10 years ago, the Ascend Hotel Collection brand continues to rapidly expand and solidify its position as the industry's first and largest soft brand," said Mark Shalala, vice president, upscale franchise development, Choice Hotels. "In the past six months alone, we've strengthened our presence in top leisure markets around the world, including Dania Beach, Los Angeles, San Antonio, and the Dominican Republic. Pete played an important role in these projects. His leadership and passion for the industry will help take the brand to the next level."

Metzger has been an integral member of Choice's development team for several years, most recently serving as director for the Ascend Hotel Collection brand. In this position, he was responsible for identifying growth opportunities in the southeast United States and Caribbean, and for building relationships with current and prospective owners and developers.

Earlier in his career, Metzger held various sales and franchise development positions within the industry, including a global sales manager for Choice's other upscale brand, Cambria Hotels. During his tenure, he has been named Salesman of the Year three times. Metzger earned his bachelor's degree from Arizona State University.

For more information on Choice Hotels development teams, and upscale development opportunities, please visit https://choicehotelsdevelopment.com/.

Ascend Hotel Collection: let the destination reach you

The Ascend Hotel Collection brand is a global portfolio of unique, boutique and historic independent hotels and resorts and is part of Choice Hotels International, one of the world's leading hotel companies. Recognized as the hotel industry's first "soft brand" concept, the Ascend Hotel Collection has more than 200 properties open and operating worldwide, including in France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, Australia, Canada, Ecuador and the Caribbean region. Membership with the Ascend Hotel Collection enables distinctive, independent properties to gain a global presence while maintaining their local charm. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com/Ascend.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the world. With more than 6,800 hotels, representing more than 550,000 rooms, in over 40 countries and territories as of June 30, 2018, the Choice family of hotel brands provide business and leisure travelers with a range of high-quality lodging options from limited service to full-service hotels in the upscale, midscale, extended-stay and economy segments. The award-winning Choice Privileges loyalty program, offers members benefits ranging from everyday rewards to exceptional experiences. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

Addendum

This is not an offering. No offer or sale of a franchise will be made except by a Franchise Disclosure Document first filed and registered with applicable state authorities. A copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document can be obtained through contacting Choice Hotels International at 1 Choice Hotels Circle, Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850, development@choicehotels.com.

 2018 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

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New Boutique Macaron Shop, Woops! Provides Indulgent Experience to Ontario, California

August 20, 2018 // Franchising.com // NEW YORK -- Something is baking at the Ontario Mills. Woops!, a bakery dreamed up in New York City, specializing in macarons and other international pastries, has come to town. Firmly anchored as the largest retailer of French macarons in the United States, Woops! is bringing its cultural flair and European indulgence to the Ontario and Inland Empire community.

Located at Ontario Mills, the kiosk is set to open on August 24 and is owned and operated by 24 year old Lauren Ireifej, who plans to further expand Woops! into Los Angeles and Orange County in the near future.

"I always wanted to be an entrepreneur and you could say franchising is in my blood - my family has been in the restaurant business for the past 15 years," said Ireifej. "Baking is my passion and I fell in love with Woops! enticing atmosphere and craveable treats. I'm confident others in the Inland Empire community will love it, too."

Motivated by the entrepreneurial spirit, Ireifej previously worked in public relations and social media, in addition to helping her family run their multiple restaurant businesses. Ireifej takes inspiration from her father, but is looking forward to starting her own journey with Woops!, which she describes as the ideal partner. She says that Woops! leadership is extremely passionate and wants to share the joy of a macaron and the community of a European cafe with others.

The Woops! journey began in 2012 on a whim when four friends opened a macaron pop-up shop at the Holiday Shops in New York City's Bryant Park. In nine short weeks they sold 100,000 macarons and developed a cult-like following due to the macarons and aesthetic. The group then realized that "Woops!", they had a thriving business. Building on the momentum and popularity of Bryant Park, the four friends soon opened boutique mall kiosks in major malls throughout the Northeast.

The close-knit group of friends who founded Woops! are from all over the world: Israel, France, India, and the U.S. Their cultural diversity is integrated not only in the ambiance but in the menu. Today, Woops! serves handmade classic French macarons in over 20 flavors, as well as 30 other international desserts, which are produced in the company's bakery in New York City, or imported from Europe.

"I want to bring an enhanced dessert experience to Southern California. My hope is that through our macarons and delicious treats, people are reminded of a nostalgic time -- a reminder to slow down, appreciate where you are presently and enjoy that moment," said Ireifej."Our Macarons are not French; they are also not "American" per se. They are American in the sense that they are a reflection of the melting pot that makes us who we are. Between the classic French flavors, the American Cookies and Cream and the British London Fog, we provide opportunities for every single customer to experience that present moment."

To help celebrate every moment, whether it's a wedding, baby shower, business meeting, or client gift, Woops! works creatively to produce a dessert that personalizes and enhances each event's theme and styling. For any event or celebration, Woops! offers eye-catching macaron pyramids, beautifully designed gift boxes, elegant party favors and customized macarons with company logos, taglines and more.

"With Woops! we are able to be a part of every celebration, big or small," added Ireifej. "We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate with our customers everything from weddings, birthdays, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, and every holiday in between. We even offer desserts for business meetings to bring celebrating to every aspect of life. We want the community to know that we are here for them through all of life's moments."

Woops! will be open Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, or to place an online order, visit www.bywoops.com/ca/Ontario/Ontario-mills.

About Woops!

Founded in 2012 and franchising since 2015, Woops! is a New York-based bakery chain specializing in macarons and other international pastries. Firmly anchored as the largest retailer of French macarons in the United States, Woops! operates more than 40 kiosk and in-line bakeshop locations throughout 18 states. For more information, visit www.bywoops.com

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The decision has been taken considering the damage caused by rains and floods this monsoon season, especially in last one week, in Kerala.

At least 216 people have lost their lives in the rains, floods and landslides in the state where over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps since August 8. (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: The massive floods in Kerala have been declared a calamity of severe nature, the Home Ministry said on Monday.

"Keeping in view of the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes," a home ministry official said. The decision has been taken considering the damage caused by the rains and floods this monsoon season, especially in last one week, in Kerala.

At least 216 people have lost their lives in the rains, floods and landslides in the state where over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps since August 8.

When a calamity is declared to be of 'rare severity'/'severe nature' support to the state government is provided at the national level. The Centre also considers additional assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). A Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) is set up, with the corpus shared 3:1 between Centre and state. When resources in the CRF are inadequate, additional assistance is considered from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF), funded 100 per cent by the Centre. Relief in repayment of loans or for grant of fresh loans to the persons affected on concessional terms, too, are considered once a calamity is declared "severe".

An inter-ministerial team led by AV Dharma Reddy, Joint secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, had visited Kerala on August 8 to assess the damage caused by the rains and floods.

Another official said that an inter-ministerial team visits a state in view of any natural disaster; it automatically considers is as calamity of severe nature. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had visited the state on August 12 and declared an immediate assistance of Rs 100 crore to Kerala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the state on August 16, had announced an aid of Rs 500 crore.

The central government has also decided to give ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the family of those killed in the floods and Rs 50,000 to the injured. The compensation will be given from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

The Congress and the Left parties have been demanding that the Kerala floods be declared a national calamity. However, the Centre on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that there was no provision in the statutes or manuals to declare a disaster as national calamity. In an affidavit, the Centre said it has treated the Kerala flood situation as a "Disaster of Serious Nature and has categorised the same as 'L3 Level of Disaster,' under the National Disaster Management Guidelines. It is submitted that there is no provision in statutes or manuals to declare a disaster as "National Calamity", howsoever big it may be. It is only an expression used in general parlance, the Centre said.

The affidavit was filed in response to a petition for declaring the flood as a national disaster. In reply to a question in Parliament during the recent monsoon session, Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju had also said that there is no provision, executive or legal, to declare a natural calamity as a national calamity.

"The existing guidelines of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/ National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), do not contemplate declaring a disaster as a National Calamity," he had said. Besides Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala had wanted the Centre to declare the floods a 'national disaster'.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body to handle emergencies, has been regularly monitoring the flood situation in Kerala. On Sunday, the NCMC had directed that focus should now be on provision of emergency supplies of food, water, medicines and restoration of essential services such as power, fuel, telecom and transport links as flood water recedes in Kerala. The Army, Navy, Indian Air Force and the National Disaster Response Force have been continuously engaged in rescue and relief operations in all the 14 flood-hit districts in Kerala.
Rahul apologised, 'I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake.'

A stranded woman gestures towards her house as she asks for more essential supplies from a volunteer in a flooded area in Chengannur in Kerala. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi/ Dubai: A Gulf firm has fired a man from Kerala after he made insensitive comments on a social media post on the plight of the flood-hit victims in the state.

The company, Lulu Group International dismissed Rahul Cheru Palayattu, who worked as a cashier at the company's branch in Oman after he mocked the sanitation requirements of the flood victims in Kerala on Facebook, Dubai-based Khaleej Times reported.

His termination letter by the firm's Human Resource Manager, Nasr Mubarak Salem Al Maawali read, "This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India."

It further added, "You are hereby instructed to handover all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement."

After facing the heat for his remarks, Rahul apologised by posting a video on Facebook on Sunday, "I am really sorry for what I did. I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake."

In a statement, Chief Communications Officer (CCO) of Lulu group V Nandakumar said, "We took immediate steps to terminate his services and send out a very loud and clear message to the society about our stance in such issues. We as an organisation have always stood for humanitarian values and highest ethical practices."

Indian billionaire and owner of Lulu group, MA Yusuff Ali, who also hails from Kerala, also donated 9.23 million UAE dirhams for relief operations in the flood-hit state.

Extending their support to the people affected by flash floods in Kerala, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government on Saturday formed a committee to provide relief to the southern state.

Kerala has been facing its worst flooding in a century, with nearly 400 people being killed. The state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.

As the massive floods, caused due to torrential rains wreaked havoc, besides the Central Government, the Chief Ministers of various states have come forward to support Kerala and offered financial aid to the southern state.
A total of 6,077 applications have been received for the joint secretary posts, the officials said.

There are a maximum of 1,100 applicants against one post, depending on the department concerned. (Photo: Pixabay/Representational)

New Delhi: Over 6,000 candidates have shown interest in 10 posts of joint secretaries in the Central government offered to private sector specialists as part of the Modi governments bid to bring in fresh talent in bureaucracy, officials said on Sunday.

The personnel ministry had recently announced recruiting 10 joint secretaries in select government departments through lateral entry mode, thus allowing private sector talents to join the government on contractual basis.

A total of 6,077 applications have been received for the joint secretary posts, the officials said.

The posts of joint secretaries are in revenue, financial services, economic affairs, agriculture and farmers welfare, road transport and highways, shipping, environment, forest and climate change, new and renewable energy, civil aviation and commerce departments. The deadline to apply for the posts was July 30.

The term lateral entry relates to the appointment of specialists, mainly those from private sector, in government organisations.

There are a maximum of 1,100 applicants against one post, depending on the department concerned. The minimum application for a post is 290.

The Central government has started the process of short-listing the candidates, a senior Personnel Ministry official said.

There are about 5,004 In-dian Administrative Serv-ice (IAS) officers, against the strength of 6,500, wor-king across the country.

Usually, the posts of joint secretaries are manned by the IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS officers recruited through civil services examination conducted by the UPSC.

Citing the names of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was also a bureaucrat, and the then deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who was appointed throu-gh the lateral recruitment route, the government had last month informed Parliament that there has been no adverse effect on the morale of the civil servants due to such appointments.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh said the government had decided to undertake lateral recruitment of 10 joint secretaries on contractual basis in order to achieve the twin objectives of bringing in fresh talent as well as augmenting the availability of manpower.

On whether this practice had been followed earlier also, the minister said there was lateral recruitment of some prominent persons to man specific assignments from time to time.
In the video, class four employee of the hospital was seen giving stitches to a man, despite nurses and a doctor being present at the scene.

The sweeper (right, in white shirt) in question was involved in a similar incident three months ago when he was filmed giving stitches to another patient. (Photo: ANI)

Bharuch: In a case of medical negligence, a sweeper gave stitches to a patient in Gujarat's Bharuch Civil Hospital. The matter came to light after the video of the incident surfaced on social media on Sunday.

Taking note of the matter, the resident medical officer (RMO) of the hospital assured action in the incident. "We are investigating the case and once it is complete, we will inform the higher authorities. Action will be taken accordingly," RMO SR Patel told ANI.

#Gujarat: Video of a sweeper (man in white shirt) assisting in giving stitches to a patient in Bharuch Civil Hospital goes viral on social media. Resident medical officer SR Patel says,'we are investigating the case. Once it is done we will inform the higher authorities'(19.8.18) pic.twitter.com/FHIFwLQ8lu  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

In the video, the class four employee of the hospital was seen giving stitches to a man, despite nurses and a doctor being present at the scene.

The sweeper in question was involved in a similar incident three months ago when he was filmed giving stitches to another patient.
CBI has sent an extradition request to the United Kingdom after authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence.

New Delhi: The United Kingdom has confirmed the presence of fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi is its territory. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved a request to London to extradite the celebrity diamantaire, who is wanted for loan fraud in India.

Nirav Modi along with his kin, including his uncle Mehul Choksi fled India at the beginning of this year, weeks before their involvement in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam came to the fore.

The scam, which reportedly began in 2011, was detected in January 2018, after which PNB officials reported it to the probe agencies.

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are being sought by multiple investigating agencies after reports that the duo have extracted crores in loans from banks abroad on the basis of fake guarantees in the name of PNB, India's second largest state-owned bank.

In July 2018, the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Nirav Modi after the CBI had approached Interpol.

Earlier in August, the government had informed parliament that an extradition request for Nirav Modi had been sent to the Indian mission in UK.

The request has been sent by a Special Diplomatic Bag to the High Commission of India in London, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh had said in parliament.

India had cancelled the passports of both Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi in February.

Nirav Modi is the 29th fugitive India has asked the UK to extradite since 2002. The government in UK has rejected India's request nine times in the last 16 years.

A case for extradition of Vijay Mallya is still being heard by a court in Britain.
Assam BJP MLA Ashok Singhal said that harassment of genuine citizens must be stopped

Pointing out that hundreds of Hindi-speaking people are facing harassment in the ongoing process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), officials of All Assam Bhojpuri Students Union Ajay Singh and Awadhesh Rastogi said there are dozens of cases where people, who have migrated to Assam from Bihar and UP have been declared non-citizens.

Guwahati: In what has raised many eyebrows, a 70-year-old woman, who migrated to Assam from Uttar Pradesh with her husband in 1945, died of grief after their children, born and brought up in Assam, were declared doubtful citizens of India.

The incident came to light only after the death of Chhotki Devi Prajapati whose son Dinesh Prajapati and daughter-in-law Tara Devi are languishing in a detention camp in Upper Assams Tinsukia district.

Office bearers of All Assam Bhojpuri Students Union said that Chhotki Devi had migrated to Assam with her husband Parshuram Prajapati, in 1945 from UPs Balia district, adding that the family was surviving on a small farmland and a house given by the government under the Indira Awas Yojna Scheme.

Parshuram Prajapati who passed away a few years ago had two sons, Dinesh and Rajesh, and three daughters, all of them born and married in Assam.

The mother, who was looking after the five children (mostly below the age of 15) of Dinesh, was languishing in a detention camp, and fell sick after Dinesh and her daughter-in-law were declared as doubtful citizens and asked to face trial in the foreigners tribunal.

Dinesh and his wife, struggling with poverty, could not appear before the tribunal, and about three months ago the police arrested them and sent them to a detention camp.

Chhotki Devi was running from pillar to post to get Dinesh released. Nobody could help her and subsequently she fell sick and died on Friday, said the residents of the area. They added that after the death of the grandmother, villagers are looking after the livelihood of the five children of Dinesh who and his wife, who were categorised as D-voters (doubtful voters).

Expressing anguish over the incident, Assam BJP MLA Ashok Singhal who recently led a delegation of Hindi-speaking people of Assam to meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh told this newspaper that such harassment of genuine Indian citizens must be stopped.

Pointing out that hundreds of Hindi-speaking people are facing harassment in the ongoing process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), officials of All Assam Bhojpuri Students Union Ajay Singh and Awadhesh Rastogi said there are dozens of cases where people, who have migrated to Assam from Bihar and UP have been declared non-citizens.
He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all, he said, adding the former PM never compromised on his ideology.

New Delhi: A person who never buckled under pressure, an exemplary swayamsewak (volunteer), a human being who ruled everyones heart like an emperor and a leader who brought everyone together, cutting across party and ideological divides even in death, the tributes flew thick and fast for BJP patriarch and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who passed away last week after a prolonged illness.

An all-party prayer meeting for Vajpayee saw politicians, cutting across political and ideological lines, paying tribute to the BJP patriarch for his generosity, his simple nature, his oratory skills, an ajatshatru (someone who had no enemy) even while in politics and someone for whom the countrys interests were the only priority.

The event saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat, senior Congress leader Ghulam

Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, PDPs Mehbooba Mufti, Trinamul Congress Derek OBrien and many others fondly remembering the late PM and heaping praise on him.

Describing Vajpayee as a person who neither buckled under pressure nor lost hope despite the odds, Mr Modi said the late leader changed the narrative when some countries were cornering India over the Kashmir issue, and because of him terrorism became an important issue on the world stage. He said no party was willing to back Vajpayee when he formed the government for 13 days, referring to the shortlived NDA government in 1996 which fell quickly.

He did not lose hope and remained committed to serving the people, the Prime Minister said, adding that he showed the way when it came to coalition politics. Referring to the May 1998 nuclear tests, Mr Modi said Vajpayees efforts ensured that India became a nuclear power. He attributed the tests to the brilliance of Indias scientists. Two days later, India tested again and showed what a strong political leadership can do, the PM said.

He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all, he said, adding the former PM never compromised on his ideology.

Calling the late BJP leader a true swayamsewak, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Vajpayee was a glowing example to all swayamsevaks on how to live a simple life with humility even when in such a high post. He said the late PMs death was an irreparable loss for everyone. Mr Bhagwat said Vajpayee was among the few people who had nutured the organisation even during unfavourable conditions and it was due to his dedication that it had come up like a full-grown tree.

BJP president Amit Shah said Vajpayee had a multi-faceted personality, and besides being an ajatshatru, he was a great poet, journalist and politician who never let the party deviate from the path of its ideology.

Remembring how Vajpayee was among the few non-Congress people whose speeches he would go to listen to in Jammu as a younster, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said Vajpayee was such an eloquent speaker that even his criticism sounded pleasant. Recalling his time as parliamentary affairs minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao government, Mr Azad said he had to meet Vajpayee, then a key Opposition leader, several times a day during Parliament sessions, and they used to have tea and meals together. He said the late BJP stalwart worked to take everyone along.

The distance we see today was not there then, he said, apparently referring to the frosty relations between the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Opposition. He said Vajpayee brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides even in his death, which he said was something rare. Congress president Rahul Gandhi was expected to attend the event but could not as it was the birth anniversary of his father and former PM Rajiv Gandhi, and had sent Mr Azad and party colleague Anand Sharma as his representatives.

Calling the late PM a great human, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti said that for the people of J&K Vajpayee was not less than a messiah and the first national leader who trusted the people of the state and who in turn was trusted by the people of J&K.

Akali Dal leader and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said Atalji ruled everyones heart like an emperor. He might have been away from politics for long but he ruled peoples hearts.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 gets a whopping Rs. 12,000 price cut News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu As Galaxy Note9 India launch is nearing, its prequel gets a price cut.

Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy Note9 in India at an event slated to happen on August 22. While we are just days ahead of the launch event, the company has slashed the cost of the previous generation phablet. This time, the Galaxy Note 8 has received a major price cut.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 was launched in India last year for Rs. 67,900. Now, it has received a massive permanent price cut of Rs. 12,000 taking its cost down to Rs. 55,900. The price drop is reflected on Amazon India and the official Samsung e-store. In addition to this, the buyers of the phablet using an HDFC credit card for the purchase can avail a cashback of Rs. 4,000. This will take the effective cost of the device to Rs. 51,900.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 specifications

To refresh on its specifications, the Galaxy Note 8 bestows a 6.3-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display with a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels. The aspect ratio of the screen is 18.5:9 and there is a layer of Gorilla Glass protection as well. Under its hood, the Samsung device makes use of an Exynos 8895 processor paired with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage space, which can be expanded further using a microSD card.

Notably, the Galaxy Note 8 carries the credits for being the first Samsung device to feature a dual-camera setup at its rear. The camera comprises two 12MP sensors with the primary one having a wide-angle lens with f/1.7 aperture and the secondary one having a telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. Both the rear cameras come with an Optical Image Stabilizer. There is a Dual Capture mode that uses both the rear cameras at the same time to take pictures. Up front, there is an 8MP selfie camera for video calling and selfies.

Apart from these aspects, the Galaxy Note 8 comes with a fingerprint sensor, an iris scanner, facial recognition and support for Samsung Pay. It supports all the standard connectivity aspects and gets the power from a 3300mAh battery.

Galaxy Note9 pre-order

Meanwhile, talking about its successor, the Galaxy Note9 is already available for pre-order. The base variant with 128GB storage space is priced at Rs. 67,900 and the high-end variant with 512GB storage space is priced at Rs. 84,900. It is teased to be a Flipkart exclusive and there are some attractive launch offers. We can expect more details to be revealed at the launch event on August 22.

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Accused Russian Agent Seeks To Raise Funds Online For Legal Defense

RFE/RL August 18, 2018

A Russian woman who has been charged in Washington with acting as an unregistered agent for the Russian government has launched an online fundraising campaign to pay for her legal defense.

Maria Butina, 29, opened a website to raise money for her case after being arrested last month, her lawyer and media reported on August 17.

Before her arrest, the gun rights advocate had built up a network of prominent Republican contacts in Washington, including at the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA), while working toward a master's degree in political science at American University.

"I'm Maria and I need your help," the website of Butina's new fundraising foundation says, with pictures of the smiling redhead at different sites around the United States.

A native of Siberia, the website says "she championed peace and positive relations between her homeland and the United States" while she studied and hosted "insider" dinners on Russian themes.

"But after graduating with honors, she was arrested by the U.S. government for crimes she did not commit," it says. The website did not indicate how much money she has raised so far.

While Butina is charged with spying on the United States, her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, has insisted that "this is not a spy case." He told TASS, the Russian news agency, that she expects to attract donations from Russia, the United States, and elsewhere around the world.

"We will be very grateful for donations from friends and supporters. Information about sponsors will be strictly confidential," the website says in both English and Russian.

In court filings, the Justice Department called Butina a "covert Russian agent" who maintained contacts with Russian spies and pursued a mission "to penetrate the U.S. national decision-making apparatus to advance the agenda of the Russian Federation."

She built contacts through the NRA in part by setting up her own gun rights group in Russia, where private firearms are strictly controlled.

Her enthusiasm for gun rights enabled her to meet and mingle with senior U.S. Republican lawmakers and operatives who have championed gun rights in the United States, many of whom she met through her boyfriend, a Republican operative, court documents say.

The documents say that while living with the unnamed operative, she offered sex to someone else to get a job at a U.S. lobbying group.

On July 18, Butina pleaded not guilty to two criminal charges of conspiring to act as a foreign agent without registering and acting as a foreign agent. The first charge brings a maximum five years in prison, while the second carries a maximum 10 years.

Her lawyer told the Russian newspaper Izvestia on August 16 that after appearing as a witness on Capitol Hill, Butina provided the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee documents related to her relationship with Russian Central Bank Deputy Chairman Aleksandr Torshin, with whom Butina once worked, and the NRA.

Torshin is believed to be the person described in court papers as Butina's contact, handler, and financier in Russia.

Butina's next court appearance will be on September 10, Driscoll said.

Meanwhile, Interfax reported on August 17 that the Russian Embassy in Washington plans to lodge a complaint with the U.S. State Department claiming that Butina has been subject to "psychological pressure" and "humiliating treatment" at the Washington jail where she is being held.

The embassy said Butina has not been allowed outdoor walks and guards have been conducting inspections of her jail cell every 15 minutes at nighttime -- a procedure used for inmates who are considered likely to commit suicide -- even though Butina is not considered a suicide risk.

Butina also has been subject to strip searches that require her to fully undress after every meeting with her lawyers, embassy representatives, or other acquaintances, Interfax quoted the embassy as saying.

The embassy also claimed Butina has not received medical attention she needs and has been barred from receiving letters in Russian because U.S. authorities said they might contain "coded messages."

With reporting by AFP, Interfax, Izvestia, and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/accused-russian -agent-butina-seeks-raise-funds-online-legal -defense-driscoll/29440415.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.

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Brennan Threatens to Sue Trump to Stop Revoking Security Clearances

By VOA News August 19, 2018

Former CIA Director John Brennan is threatening to sue President Donald Trump to stop him from stripping security clearances from other officials who criticize him.

"If my clearances -- and my reputation, as I'm being pulled through the mud now -- if that's the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me, it's a small price to pay," Brennan told NBC television's Meet the Press Sunday.

"I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future and if it means going to court, I will do that," he added.

Trump revoked Brennan's security clearance last week because the president said he had to do something about what he calls the "rigged" investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign and Russian election interference.

Trump said he believes Brennan, who served during the administrations of former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, is one of those responsible for the investigation.

Brennan was among a group of intelligence officials who spoke with Trump before his inauguation about evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

The president also said he plans to or is thinking about stripping nine other current and former senior intelligence officials of their clearances.

More than 75 U.S. intelligence officers have spoken out, saying they have the right to criticize and administration without having to pay a penalty.

Brennan, CIA director during President Barack Obama's second term, has been a familiar face on television talk shows as one of Trump's severest critics.

He called Trump's behavior at the joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki "treasonous."

He said on NBC that he is not a Democrat or a Republican, instead calling himself just someone who wants to be heard like any private citizen.

"(Trump) is bringing the country down on the global stage. ... He's fueling and feeding divisiveness within our country. He continually lies to the American people," Brennan said on Meet the Press.

Appearing on the same NBC broadcast, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani called Brennan's charge that Trump committed treason "extraordinary" and said Brennan has no information on whether Trump conspired with Putin.

Giuliani called Brennan a "totally unhinged character who shouldn't have a security clearance."

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Pakistan rejects reports of Ghazni attackers' medical treatment

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Aug 18, IRNA -- Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson has strongly rejected reports alleging that some Taliban fighters involved in Afghanistan's Ghazni attack were offered medical treatment in Pakistani hospitals.

In a statement on Saturday, the spokesperson said Afghanistan has not officially shared any information or evidence with Pakistan in this regard.

He added that in the absence of official communications through regular channels established bilaterally, such reports cannot be given any credence.

The official noted such reports could only be viewed as malicious propaganda to vitiate the existing cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa has rejected allegations that Ghazni attack was supported by elements from Pakistan and asked Kabul to look inwards for the causes.

"COAS reiterates that there is no support to any terrorist activity inside Afghanistan from Pakistan side," army media wing ISPR said in a statement.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had earlier in the day asked General Bajwa to live up to his promise of addressing allegations of cross-border support for Taliban as he added his voice to those alleging role of Pakistani citizens in the Taliban attack on Ghazni city last week.

Rejecting images circulating on social media of allegedly wounded fighters being carried across the border, the ISPR statement noted that "there are scores of Pakistanis working in Afghanistan in connection with various businesses/labour who periodically fall victim to terrorism acts alongside their Afghan brothers inside Afghanistan. Terming such victims as terrorists is unfortunate".

"Moreover, different factions of TTP, hiding in many sanctuaries inside Afghanistan under Afghan identities on becoming injured/dead are transported into Pakistan for medical help. Additionally, Afghan refugees and their relatives also resort to similar practices," it further said.

"COAS stands by his commitment to Afghan President for ensuring all measures which could facilitate peace in Afghanistan. However, COAS re-emphasises that Afghanistan needs to look inward as the problem resides inside Afghanistan. The solution thus remains on making substantive progress on Afghan reconciliation efforts as well as on speedy implementation of Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS)," the statement said.

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Yemeni forces target Saudi base in Najran region with ballistic missile

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 18, 2018 02:38PM

Yemeni army troops, backed by allied fighters from Popular Committees, have fired a domestically-manufactured ballistic missile at a military base in Saudi Arabia's southern border region of Najran in retaliation for the Riyadh regime's devastating military campaign against their impoverished country.

Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, citing an unnamed military official, reported that Mostahadeth base had been targeted with a short-range Badr-1 missile late on Friday, adding that the projectile had hit the designated target with high precision.

The official said the missile strike killed and injured scores of Saudi troopers and Saudi-backed Yemeni militiamen loyal to former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi .

On Saturday, at least two Saudi soldiers were killed when Yemeni forces and their allies fatally shot them at Mashal base in the kingdom's southwestern region of Jizan.

Furthermore, Yemeni soldiers and fighters from Popular Committees fired a salvo of artillery rounds at a position of Saudi mercenaries in the al-Boq region of Najran, leaving a large number of them dead or injured.

Separately, a civilian lost his life and three others sustained injuries when Saudi missiles and artillery rounds rained down on residential buildings in the Shada'a district of Yemen's northwestern province of Sa'ada.

Saudi warplanes also carried out more than 11 airstrikes against a village in the Hamdan district of Yemen's western province of Sana'a. There were no immediate reports about possible casualties or the extent of damage caused.

Morocco urged to pull forces out of Saudi-led coalition against Yemen

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has called on Morocco to withdraw its military forces from the Saudi-led coalition involved in the atrocious military campaign against the impoverished Arab country.

"There is no justification for your participation in the massacre of Yemeni people, and supporting the criminal acts being committed by aggressors  Do not allow fear to stop you from walking out of the Saudi-led alliance," Mohammed Abdul-Salam said.

He also extended his gratitude to those countries that have withdrawn from the Saudi-led coalition against Yemen, including Malaysia, saying, "Any country that pulls out of this alliance will inflict political and military losses on Saudis."

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 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.

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President Duterte says US hampers modernization of Philippines military

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 18, 2018 01:53PM

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has lambasted the close ally United States for trying to hamper the modernization of his country's army and for warning Manila against purchasing Russian submarines.

"Is that the way you treat an ally and you want us to stay with you for all time? Who are you to warn us?" he said at an event in his hometown of Davao on Friday, addressing Washington, adding that if the Philippines purchased a submarine from the US, it would probably "implode, just like the helicopters" that it earlier bought.

Duterte further accused Washington of only supplying used military equipment to Manila, saying the US was providing the Southeast Asian country with NATO's hand-me-down weapons systems.

The Philippine leader's strong criticism came a day after US Assistant Defense Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver warned Manila against buying Russian submarines.

"Why did you not stop the other countries in Asia? Why are you stopping us?" Duterte said, adding, "You want us to remain backwards. Vietnam has 7 submarines, Malaysia has 2, and Indonesia has 8. We alone don't have one. You haven't given us any."

His comments come amid media reports that Moscow has purportedly offered the Philippine government its assistance in buying Russian Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines and that Manila is currently weighing the proposal.

The deal, in particular, stipulates the allocation of a subsidized loan to the Philippines, which would be paid back over several years.

Earlier this month, Philippine Foreign Minister Alan Peter Cayetano said at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Manila would not abandon the idea of purchasing Russian weapons even in the face of possible US sanctions against the country.

Furthermore, Duterte, during an official visit to Russia last year, expressed Manila's interest in advanced Russian weapons, including helicopters, planes, as well as precision-guided weapons to help combat the threat of terrorism.
ABC/Paula LoboIs Pete Wentz working on new music?

The Fall Out Boy bassist apparently linked up with prolific producer John Feldmann, who's worked with Blink-182, Black Veil Brides and Panic! at the Disco, in Hawaii. According to an Instagram post from Feldmann, the two spent some time "making sweet sweet music."

So what was the pair working on? In July, Wentz told ABC Radio that Fall Out Boy was "just about done" with a new EP titled Lake Effect Kid, so maybe he and Feldmann were finishing that up. Or perhaps they were working on a non-Fall Out Boy related project.

Or maybe it was just a jam session between two bros.

Meanwhile, Fall Out Boy will launch a U.S. tour behind their latest album M A N I A August 29 in Uniondale, New York.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  Airport officials said the results of the investigation on the runway incident involving a Xiamen Airlines plane will be released in a week.

Officials of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) said they have to look into several areas in the course of the investigation -- human error and the condition of the plane and airport facilities, among them.

They made it clear that the aircraft's 50-year-old pilot tested negative for drugs, however, the result of his alcohol test has yet to be released.

Airport traffic controllers also clarified they gave prompt weather advice on the rains that Thursday night, and the runway was in good working condition when the incident happened.

Xiamen posts apology

Earlier, Xiamen Airlines posted a message on social media, apologizing to all passengers affected by the incident.

The statement said the staff of Xiamen Airlines were working with the airport to make sure operations restart as soon as possible.

"Xiamen Airlines sincerely apologize to all passengers affected by the incident and will do everything in its power to assist passengers."

In an interview with CNN Philippines, Kevin Yang, Manila station manager of Xiamen Airlines, revealed the pilot and first officer of flight MF8667 have met with officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

However, he did not disclose what was discussed during the meeting.

Sanctions to be determined

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal said Monday they would wait for the results of the investigation to determine the sanctions to be imposed against Xiamen Airlines.

Monreal also took time to address criticisms, adding they have done their best.

'I respect every person's opinion. Hindi po namin mape-perpekto ang sitwasyon, but ang aming konsensya ay naroon na. Sa tingin namin na tama ho ang aming ginawa," he said.

[Translation: I respect every person's opinion. We cannot make the situation perfect, but our conscience is clear and we believe what we did was right.]

Monreal said a lot of things had to be considered during the removal of the aircraft from the runway, first of which was the safety of the recovery team.

"Tatatlumpu lang yan. Kung may sumabog po doon ay nawala ang tatlumpu ko. Paano naman po ang pamilya nila? Ang umaasa sa kanila? Yung mga lost opportunities pwede ho natin balikan yan at eventually pwede i-recover. Pero ang buhay ng tao ng MIAA, kailangan ko yun," he said.

[Translation:There are only 30 of them. If something exploded, those 30 would be lost. What about the families counting on them? We can always come back for and recover those lost opportunities. But the lives of the MIAA people, I need them.]

Monreal said they were more than willing to attend the House and Senate investigations on the incident.

Airport officials also said it was time for lawmakers to revisit the Air Passenger Bill of Rights and even the sanctions against erring airlines.

Officials of the Civil Aeronautics Board also have documented passengers' complaints, and are investigating four airlines for allegedly failing to assist passengers.

Authorities said airlines that will be proven to be remiss would be fined, and could have their license to operate suspended or revoked.

Monreal also revealed around 60 recovery flights were mounted without the consent of airport officials since Friday, which added to runway congestion.

The airlines are now being called for an assessment meeting to evaluate their compliance.
Healthcare has now become a critical leverage point where government action could have the maximum impact.

It is an important development that in independent India also the ecosystem of inclusive health has been identified as a hallmark of the countrys policy architecture.

Inclusive growth is now perhaps the strongest buzzword in development discourse. We have all been talking about growth without understanding that development interventions will not be effectual if they dont benefit all sections of society. The illusion of trickle-down and ripple-effects of growth had kept us on the wrong track for quite long.

Development programmes have delivered good outcomes for some segments of society, but sadly only marginal or zero sum for many others. It is this realisation that has prompted policy makers to draft strategies that can deliver outcomes that benefit everyone. An important new learning is that health or healthcare is a key component of inclusive growth. It is an important piece in the development ecosystem, in independent India too inclusive health was identified as a hallmark of the countrys policy architecture.

As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) puts it: Adults in good health are more productive; children in good health do better at school. This strengthens economic performance, and also makes economic growth more sustainable and inclusive.

Healthcare has now become a critical leverage point where government action could have the maximum impact. The governments development wisdom is now focused on identifying the strategic leverage points where successful action could trigger many supportive reactions rather than fixing everything everywhere.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of an important signpost in the worlds history of healthcare. At a conference on Oct 2526 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Alma Ata Declaration was adopted by the World Hea-lth Organization (WHO) with a pledge to focus on primary healthcare. The vision was to bring healthcare closer to people, by creating a network of rural dispensaries.

Since then, there have been continuous efforts for establishing str-ong primary care systems in local communities in a bid to achieve universal healthcare (UHC). The results have not been uniform on account of several policy deficiencies. The pursuit of vertical programmes (targeting a single disease) has resulted in health services functioning in silos, in an uncoordinated manner and being unable to respond to peoples real health needs, which are complex and can be addressed by only by a range of healthcare channels.

India now seems to have awakened to the glaring realities of its healthcare system. The National Heal-th Policy 2017, the first comprehensive health policy document after the last policy was issued 15 years ago in 2002 is evidence of this intent. As Prime Minis-ter Narendra Modi put it, The National Health Poli-cy marks a historic moment in our endeavour to create a healthy India where everyone has access to quality healthcare.

The NHP reckons four major contextual changes that perhaps motivated the overall policy approach: (i) increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and certain infectious diseases, (ii) robust growth of healthcare indu-stry, (iii) high incidence of catastrophic healthcare spending by households, and (iv) an enhanced grow-th-enabled fiscal capacity of India. The 71st National Sample Survey (NSS) Janu-ary-June 2014 revealed that out of the total hospitalisation cases in rural areas, 58 per cent were in private clinics and 42 per cent were in public hospitals.

The corresponding figures for urban areas were 68 per cent in private and 32 per cent in public. Of a total of 628,708 government beds, only 196,182 are in rural areas. India is regarded as the worlds pharmacy bowl, but ironically a huge proportion of its population sinks into the poverty pit every year due to highly expensive medicines, mostly for cancer, heart ailments and serious injuries that maim most of the victims. All these point to a need for more local community owned and community  designed model of healthcare. India has been home to several internationally acclaimed home-grown models of community healthcare. The earliest innovators were two doctor couples in Maharashtra: Dr Abhay Bang and his wife, Rani in Gadchiroli and doctor Raj and Mabelle Arole in Jamkhed separated by a distance of 664 kms. The Bangs set up the charity SEARCH (Society for Edu-cation, Action and Rese-arch in Community Health) in 1985, whereas the Aroles founded the Comprehen-sive Rural Health Project, (CRHP) in 1970. CRHP is a comprehensive approach to primary health care at the community level, mobilising communities to use simple tools, adapted to the local context, to address priority health needst. In 1972, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognised CRHPs pioneering work in villages, also known in the global health community as the Jamkhed Model. The innovation of this appr-oach lies in involving the communities themselves, especially those who are poor and marginalised, in designing their health and development programmes. Through their Shodh Gram hospital, the Bangs operate their home-based newborn care model. This model does not depend upon doctors, nurses, hospitals or expensive equipment. It empowers women to use simple medical kno-wledge and skills to save their newborns.

Instead of villagers having to walk for miles to get to the nearest hospital, health visitors (called arogyadoots, which means health messengers visit remote locations carrying a small healthkit pack on their back. As more women are trained, they pass on their knowledge to others, and entire communities become empowered.

The insistence that patients must be treated in techno-centric hospitals by western-trained physicians is to the minds of Bangs, ridiculous particularly in rural India, where lack of transport and low income levels make modern healthcare inaccessible.

A relatively recent innovation is the Arogya Sakhi model promoted by Prema Gopalan in western Maha-rashtra who established the acclaimed non-profit Sway-am Shikshan Prayog (SSP). SSP selects and trains women who are landless, but have basic education, are interested in healthcare and community service. These Arogya Sakhis are equipped with health devi-ces such as glucometers, blood pressure machines, etc., along with a mobile tablet, they visit rural women door-to-door to conduct basic medical tests.

The sakhis charge a nominal fee of `150 from each individual, which includes cost of generation of rep-ort, printing charges, doctors fee, conducting tests, and even delivering the reports at door steps. After accounting for all costs, a sakhi is usually able to earn `50 to `70 per beneficiary. These women conduct a series of preventive tests using mobile health devi-ces, capture the data by using a tablet and upload the results on the cloud server developed by our technology partner, says Gopalan. The data is then shared with a doctor, who analyses it and provides a report and prescriptions over the cloud. The Sakhis then guide the patients on the treatment and precautions to be taken. Wherever needed, they are referred to SSPs partner specialist doctors and hospitals for further treatment.

Since many villages have scarce medical facilities, the Sakhis are also trained to provide medical help related to minor burns, cuts, joint pains and other ailments, for which they charge nominal fees. The movement has now reached deep pockets. There are now 150 Arogya Sakhis who have reached out to more than 500 villages.

SSP was awarded the 6th Billionth South Asia Award 2015in M-Health category for this technology enabled-project implemented in partnership with Sofomo Embed-ded Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Any visitor to villages where these community healthcare models are primary drivers of health awa-reness will marvel at the ability of these health wor-kers to connect with and explain things to women.

Their lack of education is not a handicap; it is an advantage. They understand how to reach the people who most need reaching: illiterate, vulnerable and poor village women.

They know how they think and live, because they are one of them. India is now a far better placed to make inclusive health a reality. An enormous social capital has been built up over the years. It can be leveraged to support innovations in healthcare for development of new and affordable drugs, therapies or medical devices.

Public policy needs to actively promote those innovations that can accelerate our journey to universal healthcare: increased access, quality and affordability of health care; incr-eased responsiveness of the system to healthcare needs; greater health equity; auto-nomy in healthcare choices; and above all, improvements in the social determinants of healthcare.

Moin Qazi is a well-known banker, author and Islamic researcher. He can be reached at moinqazi123@gmail.com.
UN chief proposes military force to protect Palestinians under Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 18, 2018 07:54AM

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has put forward options meant to protect Palestinian civilians, among them the deployment of an armed military or police force to the occupied territories.

Guterres outlined four proposals in a 14-page report released on Friday in response to a request in a UN General Assembly resolution.

The resolution, adopted on June 13, condemned "Israel's excessive and disproportionate use of force" against protesters in the blockaded Gaza Strip and asked the UN chief to recommend an "international protection mechanism" for Palestinian civilians.

Guterres' proposed options include creating a civilian observer mission in the occupied lands, sending more UN humanitarian aid to the region and providing a "more robust UN presence on the ground" with rights monitors and political officers to report on the situation.

The fourth proposal is deploying an armed military or police force under a UN mandate to provide physical protection to Palestinian civilians.

"The combination of prolonged military occupation, constant security threats, weak political institutions, and a deadlocked peace process provides for a protection challenge that is highly complex politically, legally and practically," Guterres said.

He further stressed that the UN was already undertaking many protection initiatives but that "these measures fall short" of the concerns raised in the UN General Assembly resolution.

The resolution garnered a strong majority of 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with 8 votes against and 45 abstentions. It was put forward by Algeria, Turkey and Palestine after the United States vetoed a similar resolution in the UN Security Council earlier.

Elsewhere in his report, the UN chief underlined the need for a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding however that "until such a solution is achieved, member-states may further explore all practical and feasible measures that will significantly improve the protection of the Palestinian civilian population."

Three Palestinians killed

On Friday, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians, two in Gaza and another one in Jerusalem al-Quds.

Tensions have been running high near the Gaza fence since March 30, which marked the start of a series of protests demanding the right to return for the Palestinians driven out of their homeland.

The Gaza clashes reached their peak on May 14, marking the 70th anniversary of the Nakba Day (the Day of Catastrophe), which this year coincided with the US embassy relocation from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

At Least 167 Palestinians have been killed and over 18,000 others wounded in the fresh wave of violence, according to the latest figures released by the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Afghan Taliban Repeats Call For Direct Talks With United States

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan August 18, 2018

Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada has repeated his call for direct talks with the United States to end what he said was the foreign "occupation" of Afghanistan.

In a statement on August 18, Akhundzada said the militant group wanted "sincere, transparent, and result-oriented negotiations" with Washington.

He also said any peace settlement negotiated between the two sides must "preserve our Islamic goals, sovereignty of our homeland, and ensure an end to the war."

Akhundzada, believed to be living in hiding in neighboring Pakistan, has previously said the militants would not negotiate with the Afghan government, which he labelled a "corrupt regime" and a "puppet."

His statement came ahead of Eid al-Adha, an Islamic holiday that runs from August 21-25.

The government is expected to announce a temporary truce with the militants coinciding with the three-day holiday.

Akhundzada made no mention of the cease-fire in his statement.

The Kabul government and the Taliban declared a three-day cease-fire in June coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr holiday that ends the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The brief cessation of hostilities was the first ever between Kabul and the Taliban, and although fighting has resumed, the respite increased optimism that the sides could reach some final peace deal.

A Taliban official told RFE/RL that Taliban representatives met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells in Qatar on July 23.

The official said the meeting was "very preliminary and the aim was to prepare for future contacts."

The meeting came amid growing momentum in Washington and Kabul to find a way to end the war.

The Kabul government has struggled to fend off a resurgent Taliban, as well as Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda militants, nearly two decades after a U.S.-led coalition drove the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in 2001.

With reporting by AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-taliban -leader-repeats-call-for-direct-talks- with-united-states/29440594.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.

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'Who Are You to Warn Us?' Duterte Rebukes US Advice Not to Buy Russian Subs

Sputnik News

10:28 18.08.2018(updated 19:46 18.08.2018)

During a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in early August, Philippine Foreign Minister Alan Peter Cayetano pledged that Manila would not turn down the opportunity to purchase Russian military equipment even in the face of possible US sanctions.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has blamed the United States for trying to hamper the modernization of his country's army and supplying used military equipment to Manila, according to local media.

"Is that the way you treat an ally and you want us to stay with you for all time? Who are you to warn us?" he pointed out.

Duterte added that if the Philippines buys a submarine from the US, it will "implode, just like the helicopters" that it earlier purchased.

The criticism came after US Assistant Defense Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver cautioned Manila against purchasing Russian military hardware.

"If they were to proceed with purchasing major Russian equipment, I don't think that's a helpful thing to do [in our] alliance and I think ultimately we can be a better partner than the Russians can be," Schriver said.

He made the remarks amid media reports that Moscow had offered the Philippine government its help in purchasing Russian submarines and that Manila is currently considering the proposal.

The deal, in particular, stipulates the allocation of a subsidized loan to Manila, which would be repaid over several years.

At a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on August 2, Philippine Foreign Minister Alan Peter Cayetano said that Manila would not give up the idea of buying Russian weapons even in the face of possible US sanctions against Manila.

During his visit to Russia in 2017, President Duterte expressed Manila's interest in advanced Russian weapons, including helicopters, planes, as well as precision-guided weapons to help combat the threat of terrorism.

 Sputnik

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Surge in Taliban Attacks Keeps US, Afghan Guessing on Peace Talks

By William Gallo August 18, 2018

Taliban insurgents unleashed a fresh wave of attacks across Afghanistan this week, overrunning at least two Afghan military bases and launching a sustained attack on a key city, in a multifront show of strength that left hundreds dead and threatened to upend recently begun peace talks with Washington.

As recently as last month, it appeared efforts to end the war were gaining traction, amid reports that American and Taliban officials had held a series of initial meetings in Qatar. The talks had followed a three-day cease-fire in June between the Taliban, the U.S. and the Afghan government.

But starting last week, the Taliban mounted a nationwide offensive, beginning with an attack on the strategic city of Ghazni, less than 100 kilometers from the capital, Kabul. After days of fighting, U.S. and Afghan forces appeared to regain control of most parts of the city. But the attack left as many as 500 people dead, destroyed much of Ghazni's infrastructure, and again exposed Kabul's security vulnerabilities.

The Taliban then overran two Afghan military bases in the northern provinces of Faryab and Baghlan, killing or capturing dozens of government forces. Insurgents also conducted major attacks in the provinces of Zabul, Kandahar, Helmand and Uruzgan. Separately, an Islamic State suicide attack on a school killed at least 34 people Wednesday in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul.

'Upping the ante'

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis played down the importance of the Ghazni attack, insisting the Taliban failed to seize any territory in what he called "principally an information operation to grab a lot of press attention."

"This is what we've seen before in insurgencies, when there's going to be a negotiation or a cease-fire, [insurgents] try to up the ante. This enemy does it by murdering innocent people," Mattis said.

It's not clear whether the Taliban offensive will derail talks with Washington, which are still in the very early stages. Several reports suggest the Taliban-U.S. discussions are preparatory in nature, essentially talks about future peace talks. But that still may represent progress, as the U.S. appears to be relaxing its opposition to the Taliban's demand that it negotiates only with the Americans, not the Afghan government.

"[The Taliban] want to gain as much territory as they can and make sure militarily they're in a secure position" in case the talks move to a more advanced stage, said Omar Samad, a former Afghan ambassador to Canada and France.

'They believe they are winning'

But it's far from certain that the Taliban is interested in genuine peace talks, says Seth Jones, a former senior Pentagon official in Afghanistan who is now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"They are willing to talk  that's pretty common in any insurgency. But to seriously sit down and negotiate, I see no evidence of that right now," said Jones, who added he's been in contact with Afghan and U.S. officials involved in the preparatory discussions with the Taliban.

"This is just the prosecution of a war. What we've seen in the last couple years is the Taliban trying to focus on urban areas they consider vulnerable. We saw it in Kunduz two years ago and I think in the case of Ghazni this was an attempt to take districts around the city and then to push in fighters," Jones said.

Although the Taliban often attack key cities, they have been unable to control urban areas for longer than a few days or even hours before being repelled, often with the help of U.S. airstrikes, as in Ghazni.

As of May, the Taliban controlled or influenced 19 percent of Afghan territory, mostly rural areas, according to U.S. military figures, while 22 percent of the country is contested.

U.S. military officials call the war a stalemate. But the Taliban's battlefield successes may be incentive enough to keep fighting, says Thomas Johnson, an Afghanistan specialist who teaches national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

"I don't believe the Taliban are interested in sincere negotiations. They believe they are winning," said Johnson, author of the book Taliban Narratives.

Intel failure

The ongoing violence is a further blow to the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, just months ahead of a parliamentary election. The Ghazni attack was particularly embarrassing, as the government apparently failed to act on months of repeated warnings of Taliban fighters massing in the area.

"This was a major intel, plus security failure," said one Afghan government official in Kabul, who did not wish to be identified because he was not authorized to comment on the matter. "People think that Taliban want leverage for the negotiations. But the fact is, that the country still remains fragile."

The violence comes almost exactly a year after the White House announced its new Afghanistan strategy. Under the new strategy, the U.S. military no longer will impose timelines for withdrawal, an approach that effectively commits the U.S. indefinitely to the conflict.

The plan also involves a massive surge in airstrikes. Through the first half of 2018, the U.S.-led coalition has dropped more bombs on Afghanistan than any other year stretching back to 2004, according to publicly available Pentagon data.

But the biggest problem with the U.S. strategy, according to Jones, is that the Trump administration has not been able to persuade Pakistan to end its support for Afghan militants.

"The U.S. has really done nothing to dislodge the Taliban's sanctuary in Pakistan. They have an entire leadership structure on the other side of the border," he said.

Pakistan's role in the conflict resurfaced again this week, when Afghan officials reported finding Pakistanis and other foreign fighters among the dead insurgents in Ghazni. Islamabad has denied playing any role in the Ghazni attacks.

"We are all outraged," said Wazhma Frogh, a women's rights activist and member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council. She says the Taliban wouldn't be able to carry out such sophisticated attacks without the help of Pakistan. Unless the trajectory of the conflict changes, Frogh says, many are concerned Afghanistan will return to a level of violence not seen since the 1990s civil war.

But with the Taliban seemingly determined to fight on, and the U.S. insisting it is digging in for the long-term, it's not clear things will change anytime soon.

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140 Saudi-led forces killed in Yemen in 48 hours

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 19, IRNA -- According to Yemeni sources, at least 140 forces affiliated with Saudi-led coalition were killed in a conflict with Yemeni army and popular committees during the past 48 hours.

In a conflict between Saudi-led forces and Yemeni army, in Hudaydah Province at least 140 were killed and 236 more were injured, Yemeni TV Channel 'Al-Masirah' reported.

Based on reports, aggressors' attacks on Darihami town were foiled by Yemeni forces' resistance.

The Arab coalition have started operation to occupy Darihami town in Hudaydah Province since Friday.

Saudi Arabia and its regional allies attacked Yemen in March 2015 to bring back to power the deposed president of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. Since then, the invaders have committed horrible war crimes against Yemeni civilians.

9376**1771

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Saudi military base hit by Yemen ballistic missile

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 19, IRNA -- Yemen Army's missile unit fired a Badr 1 ballistic missile at a Saudi military base in south of the country late Saturday.

Yemeni army and popular forces also targeted a newly-established military base in Najran, south of the country, early on Saturday.

Yemen has frequently targeted Saudi sites in response to the Coalition's merciless offensives since Saudi Arabia waged a military war against the impoverished country.

The military attack has not only failed to eliminate the fledgling popular revolution in Yemen, but has also cost heavily for the two active members of the coalition; Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out deadly airstrikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.

Over 14,000 Yemenis, including thousands of women and children, have lost their lives in the deadly military campaign.

8072**1396

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Saudi airstrike off Hudaydah coast leaves 13 Yemeni fishermen dead

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 06:33PM

More than a dozen Yemeni fishermen have lost their lives and several others sustained injuries when Saudi fighter jets targeted their fishing boats off the coast of the western province of Hudayadah as the Riyadh regime continues its atrocious military campaign against its crisis-hit southern neighbor.

Yemeni military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity on Sunday, told Yemen's al-Masirah television network that Saudi warplanes struck two fishing boats in waters off the Seven Brothers Islands, also known as the Sawabi Islands or Seba Islands, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, killing 13 people and injuring four others.

The sources added that another four Yemeni fishermen remained unaccounted four.

Later in the day, scores of Saudi troopers and Saudi-backed Yemeni militiamen loyal to former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, were killed and injured as Yemeni army troops, backed by allied fighters from Popular Committees, made territorial advances in the Hayran district of the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah.

Moreover, Yemeni troopers and their allies shot and killed five Saudi mercenaries at the al-Alab border crossing of the kingdom's southwestern border region of Asir.

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 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.

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Afghan president announces ceasefire with Taliban

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 05:28PM

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has announced a ceasefire agreement with the Taliban militant group to mark Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, an important festival on the Islamic calendar.

Ghani made the announcement on Sunday in a ceremony celebrating 99 years of independence from the British rule.

"The conditional ceasefire will start tomorrow and it will continue as long as the Taliban preserves and respects it," the Afghan president stated.

"We call on the leadership of the Taliban to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long-lasting and real peace."

A senior official in Ghani's office said the "conditional" ceasefire would run for three months. It would only cover the Taliban, the official added, not other groups including the Daesh Takfiri terrorists. Both the Taliban and Daesh are present in Afghanistan.

Reacting to the announcement, Taliban sources said their leaders had also provisionally agreed to a four-day truce during the annual feast of sacrifice. The militant group also said it would free hundreds of prisoners.

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, in a Twitter post welcomed President Ghani's announcement.

It is not the first time Kabul announces a temporary truce with the Taliban. In June, Afghanistan announced a week-long ceasefire with the militant group for Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

The announcement comes in the wake of fighting in the central city of Ghazni, a strategically important region the Taliban have been battling to bring under control. At least 150 Afghan soldiers and 95 civilians were killed in a five-day siege that eased last week, when Afghan troops pushed back the heavily armed militants.

The truce announcement also came a day after a series of violent clashes erupted in the northern province of Faryab. An interior ministry official confirmed that the Taliban had taken control of part of Bulcheragh district.

The Taliban said in a recent statement that they had control over half of Afghanistan. A recent survey found that the group was active in two-thirds of the country and was fully controlling four percent of it.

The United Nations said in a statement on Sunday that blasts, attacks and clashes between militants and Afghan forces killed over 1,600 civilians in the first six months of the year, the highest number in the past decade.

The Taliban were ousted from power in 2001 following a US-led invasion. The group has, however, been involved in widespread militancy, killing thousands of civilians as well as Afghan and US forces.

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Trump says he has 'nothing to hide' from Russia probe

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 03:20PM

US President Donald Trump says he has "nothing to hide" from US Special Counsel Robert Mueller who is investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, Trump also denounced The New York Times for a story saying that the president's top lawyer, White House Counsel Don McGahn, has cooperated extensively with Mueller's investigation.

Citing a dozen current and former White House officials and others briefed on the matter, the Times said Saturday that McGahn had shared detailed accounts about the episodes at the heart of the inquiry into whether Trump obstructed justice.

In at least three voluntary interviews with investigators that totaled 30 hours over the past nine months, McGahn described Trump's furor toward the Russia probe and the ways in which the president urged McGahn to respond to it, according to the Times.

"I allowed him and all others to testify - I didn't have to," Trump said in his tweet.

Trump said the newspaper made it seem like McGahn had turned on the president, as former White House counsel John Dean had in the federal investigation of former President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal.

The newspaper said McGahn was also centrally involved in Trump's attempts to fire Mueller, which investigators might not have discovered without him.

On Saturday evening, McGahn's lawyer confirmed the White House counsel had cooperated with Mueller's team and that McGahn had told investigators he never saw Trump go beyond his legal authorities.

Mueller is leading a federal investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, and any possible cooperation with Trump's presidential campaign.

Trump has repeatedly denied allegations that his campaign colluded with Moscow and has condemned the ongoing US federal investigations over the alleged meddling, drawing accusations from Democratic and Republican Party lawmakers alike that he is ignoring a threat to American democracy.

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US forces to stay in Iraq 'as long as needed': Coalition

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 09:50AM

A spokesman for the US-led coalition purportedly fighting Daesh says American forces will stay in Iraq "as long as needed," amid reports that the terrorist organization is making a comeback in Iraq and neighboring Syria.

"We'll keep troops there as long as we think they're needed ... The main reason, after ISIS is defeated militarily is the stabilization efforts and we still need to be there for that, so that's one of the reasons we'll maintain a presence," Colonel Sean Ryan told a news conference in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

In recent months, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted his administration's success in defeating Daesh and destroying its so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

Trump, who ran for office pledging to end the US military engagements overseas, has dispatched hundreds of additional troops to Iraq and put them closer to the front lines with more freedom to bomb targets.

Coalition officials have talked about how the military campaign dislodged Daesh from about 98 percent of the territory it once held in Syria and Iraq.

However, the Pentagon acknowledged Thursday that the terrorist organization appears to be "well-positioned to rebuild and work on enabling its physical caliphate to re-emerge."

"ISIS probably is still more capable than al-Qaeda in Iraq at its peak in 2006-2007," Pentagon spokesperson Cmdr. Sean Robertson told VOA News in a statement.

In its latest intelligence estimates, the Pentagon put the number of Daesh terrorists operating in Iraq and Syria between 28,000 and 32,000, close to level the terror group boasted at the height of its power.

A separate report from the United Nations painted a similar picture, estimating that around 30,000 Daesh militants are still active in both Arab countries.

Early this year, Defense Secretary James Mattis made a formal request to NATO allies, asking them to deploy more troops to Iraq. NATO responded positively, agreeing to expand the alliance's mission in Iraq with the aim of providing "training" and "advice" to Iraqi armed forces.

The US first deployed forces to Iraq in 2003 under the banner of war on terror two years after invading Afghanistan under the same pretext. The deployment was followed by rampant violence and chaos, which set the stage for the rise of Daesh in 2014.

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Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill asked the Prime Minister to declare the Kerala floods a national calamity.

An aerial view of the flooded locality of Aluva after heavy rains, in Kerala on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he was playing politics on the issue of flood relief and asked him to show large-heartedness in providing more Central assistance to flood-hit Kerala as the Rs 500-crore aid was too little, too late.

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill asked the Prime Minister to declare the Kerala floods a national calamity.

Mr Shergill also said that Mr Modi mistreating Kerala by not extending a helping hand has once again displayed that he does not believe in the spirit of cooperative federalism or the spirit of Team India. He further added, A state which is witnessing a disaster of over Rs 19,000 crore has only got a paltry sum of Rs 500 crore from Prime Minister who has spent Rs 5,000 crore on his self-promotion and publicity, Rs 35 crore on his fitness videos and Rs 1,100 crore on the BJP headquarters.

The Congress had criticised the Central government for releasing only Rs 500 crore for the Kerala floods.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had demanded that the Kerala floods be declared a national disaster. He also said,  Increasing funds allocated for Kerala relief to 500 crores is a good step but nowhere near enough. It is critical you declare the floods as a national disaster. Please do not vacillate as the people of Kerala are suffering. Almost all state governments have already announced relief packages for Kerala with the state of Telangana announcing 25 crores as relief.
Afghan President Calls 'Conditional' Cease-Fire As Taliban Seizes Northern District On Independence Day

RFE/RL August 19, 2018

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has called a "conditional" cease-fire with the Taliban to mark the Eid al-Adha holiday, just hours after insurgents said they had seized a district center in the northern province of Faryab.

The cease-fire will commence on August 20 and run for three months, Ghani said during an Afghan Independence Day ceremony on August 19.

The United States said it welcomed the move, which is conditioned upon Taliban participation.

"We announce a cease-fire that would take effect from tomorrow, the day of Arafa, until the day of the birth of the prophet [November 19], provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ghani said.

He did not say whether Taliban authorities had agreed to the cease-fire, the Kabul government and the Taliban had declared a three-day cease-fire in June coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the last cease-fire revealed the "deep desire" of the Afghan people to end the conflict, "and we hope another cease-fire will move the country closer to sustainable security."

The United States and our international partners support this initiative by the Afghan people and the Afghan government, and we call on the Taliban to participate. It is our hope, and that of the international community, that the Afghan people may celebrate Eid al-Adha this year in peace, free from fear," the statement added.

"The United States supports President Ghani's offer for comprehensive negotiations on a mutually agreed agenda. We remain ready to support, facilitate, and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban. There are no obstacles to talks. It is time for peace."

The announcement comes days after Taliban militants captured a military base in the same region.

Provincial Governor Naqibullah Fayeq said on August 19 that the Balcharagh district fell into the hands of Taliban fighters late on the previous day following several days of heavy clashes because the Afghan soldiers did not receive reinforcements.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Differing Accounts

Two provincial council members said government forces had surrendered but gave differing accounts of how it happened.

Police officers, soldiers, and local government staff surrendered after spending months surrounded by the Taliban and receiving no help from government forces located in Faryab Province's capital, Maymana, according to council member Abdul Ahad Elbek.

Another member of the council, Aaq Mohammad Noori, said that 60 police officers surrendered after mediation by tribal elders following the retreat of an army battalion.

The development comes as Afghanistan is marking on August 19 the 99th anniversary of its independence.

President Ashraf Ghani and other top officials attended a wreath laying ceremony inside the Defense Ministry compound in Kabul.

Earlier this month, Taliban fighters overran an Afghan National Army base elsewhere in Faryab Province.

The Defense Ministry said the Taliban gained control of the operations base in the Ghormach district late on August 13 following a gunbattle in which 17 soldiers were killed and 19 others were wounded.

Some reports said dozens of Afghan soldiers were also captured by the Taliban.

Taliban Calls For Direct Talks With U.S.

The Western-backed government in Kabul has been struggling to fend off the Taliban and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014.

In a statement on August 18, Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada repeated his call for direct talks with the United States to end what he said was the foreign "occupation" of Afghanistan.

Akhundzada said the militant group wanted "sincere, transparent, and result-oriented negotiations" with Washington, adding that any peace settlement negotiated between the two sides must "preserve our Islamic goals, sovereignty of our homeland, and ensure an end to the war."

Akhundzada, believed to be living in hiding in neighboring Pakistan, had previously said the militants would not negotiate with the Afghan government, which he labelled a "puppet."

With reporting by dpa and Khaama Press

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban -seizes-northern-afghan-district-faryab -balcharagh/29441881.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.

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Trump Denounces Probe Into Russian Election Meddling As 'McCarthyism At Its Worst'

August 19, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump has denounced an investigation into ties between Russia and his 2016 election campaign, calling the probe "McCarthyism at its WORST!"

In a series of tweets on August 19, Trump again characterized Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether there was collusion between Russia and his campaign as a "witch hunt" and said he had encouraged White House counsel Don McGahn and other aides to be fully transparent in their testimony to help bring the issue to a quick conclusion.

Trump was responding to a report in The New York Times that said McGahn had cooperated completely with Mueller to protect himself from legal jeopardy after sitting through more than 30 hours of testimony over the past nine months.

"The Failing New York Times wrote a story that made it seem like the White House Councel [sic] had TURNED on the President, when in fact it is just the opposite - & the two Fake reporters knew this. This is why the Fake News Media has become the Enemy of the People. So bad for America!" he said.

"I have nothing to hide...and have demanded transparency so that this Rigged and Disgusting Witch Hunt can come to a close," Trump tweeted.

"So many lives have been ruined over nothing - McCarthyism at its WORST!" he added in reference to a campaign in the 1950s led by Senator Joseph McCarthy against alleged communists in the U.S. government and other institutions. Many of those accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, even though most were innocent and did not belong to the Communist Party..

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been tasked with determining whether Trump's campaign team coordinated with Russia to sway the election in his favor.

Trump has so far denied any collusion with Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied his government interfered in the election, despite the conclusions of U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies and congressional committees that Moscow intervened with its own state-directed campaign of e-mail hacking and public opinion manipulation.

Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, is currently on trial in federal court in Virginia on tax- and bank-fraud charges not thought to be directly related to the alleged Russian meddling in U.S. elections.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump- denounces-probe-russian-election- meddling--mccarthyism-/29442139.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.

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Merkel, Putin Exchange Views On Ukraine, Syria, Iran, Pipeline

RFE/RL August 19, 2018

The Kremlin says German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a ""very serious and detailed" three-hour discussion during their meeting outside of Berlin, including an exchange of views on Ukraine, Syria, Iran, and a crucial pipeline project.

The remarks to reporters early on August 19 by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov were the first comments after the meeting of the two leaders at Meseberg Castle north of Berlin. Few details were revealed.

Officials had said the leaders would not be holding a news conference following their talks, and no other official statements were immediately released.

In his comments, Peskov said Merkel and Putin had a "general exchange of opinions" over the situation in Ukraine and that the leaders expressed regret that implementation of the so-called Minsk accords had stalled.

The Minsk agreements are September 2014 and February 2015 pacts aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Kyiv government forces in a war that has killed more than 10,300 people since 2014.

Peskov also said the two agreed to continue the four-party dialogue involving Russia, Germany, France, and Turkey in efforts to end the civil war in Syria.

Moscow, along with Iran, has given President Bashar al-Assad crucial support throughout the war in Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed since the conflict began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011.

The United States and the West support Syrian rebels in the war, while Turkey also backs antigovernment fighters in the country, although not always the same ones as U.S. forces support.

Prior to the meeting, Merkel said she would discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, as well as Iran and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project with Putin.

Addressing reporters at Meseberg Palace outside of Berlin before their talks, Merkel said she would also raise human rights issues and bilateral relations.

"I am of the opinion that controversial issues can only be addressed in dialogue and through dialogue," she said.

The two leaders took no questions after the premeeting briefing with reporters.

Nord Stream 2

On the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline to carry Russian gas under the Baltic to Germany, Merkel said that "Ukraine must continue to play a role in the transit of gas to Europe once Nord Stream 2 is in place."

She welcomed the start of discussions among the European Union, Ukraine, and Russia on the issue.

Putin told reporters that such a move had to make sense for Moscow from a business perspective.

"I would like to stress that the main thing is that the Ukrainian transit -- which is traditional for us -- meets economic demands," he said. "Nord Stream 2 is exclusively an economic project."

The United States is against the pipeline and claims it will increase Germany's dependence on Russia for energy.

Ukraine fears the pipeline will allow Russia to cut it off from the gas transit business. Germany's eastern European neighbors, nervous of Russian encroachment, have also raised concerns about the project.

But Merkel has maintained that the Nord Stream project is an economic, not political matter for Germany. She is also under pressure from German businesses to maintain ties with Russia on that and other important economic projects.

Peskov confirmed that Nord Stream was brought up during the talks.

"Both Putin and Merkel agreed that it would be absolutely wrong to somehow politicize this project," Peskov said.

The Russian leader also said ahead of the meeting that he would discuss the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran which he labelled an important agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump exited the deal in May.

Merkel warned on August 17 against expecting too much from her discussions with Putin.

The two leaders last met in Sochi in May and struggled to overcome differences.

With reporting by Reuters and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/merkel-putin-germany- russia-berlin-iran-ukraine-talks/29441541.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.

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Merkel, Putin Complete 'Serious and Detailed' Talks After Three Hours, Kremlin Says

RFE/RL August 19, 2018

A Kremlin spokesman says talks between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended after three hours, calling the conversation "very serious and detailed."

The remarks to journalists early on August 19 by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, reported by the Russian state-run TASS news agency, were the first comments after the meeting of the two leaders at Meseberg Castle outside of Berlin.

Officials have said the leaders will not hold a news conference following their talks.

Before the meeting on August 18, Merkel said she would discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, as well as Iran and the Nord Stream 2 gas-pipeline project with Putin.

Addressing reporters outside Meseberg Castle before their talks, Merkel said she would also raise human rights issues and bilateral relations.

"I am of the opinion that controversial issues can only be addressed in dialogue and through dialogue," she said before leaving for talks with the Russian leader. The two leaders took no questions.

On the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline to carry Russian gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany, Merkel said "Ukraine must continue to play a role in the transit of gas to Europe once Nord Stream 2 is in place."

She welcomed the start of discussions between the European Union, Ukraine, and Russia on the issue.

Putin told reporters that such a move had to make sense for Moscow from a business perspective.

"I would like to stress that the main thing is that the Ukrainian transit -- which is traditional for us -- meets economic demands," he said. "Nord Stream 2 is exclusively an economic project."

The United States is against the pipeline and claims it will increase Germany's dependence on Russia for energy. Ukraine fears the pipeline will allow Russia to cut it off from the gas transit business. Germany's eastern European neighbors, nervous of Russian encroachment, have also raised concerns about the project.

But Merkel has maintained that the Nord Stream project is an economic, not political matter for Germany. She is also under pressure from German businesses to maintain ties with Russia on that and other important economic projects.

Putin also called on Europe to intensify humanitarian aid to Syria, where Moscow has backed President Bashar al-Assad's war against opposition rebels and militant groups.

The Russian leader also said he would discuss with Merkel the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, which he labelled an important agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump exited the deal in May.

Putin arrived in Berlin after attending the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl on August 18.

Opposition politicians have accused Kneissl of undermining EU foreign policy by inviting Putin.

Merkel Dampens Expectations

Merkel warned on August 17 against expecting too much from her discussions with Putin.

"We want good relations with Russia," she told reporters in Berlin. "It's a work meeting from which no specific results are expected, but the number of problems we are preoccupied with -- from Ukraine and Syria to the issue of economic cooperation -- is so big that it is justified to be in a permanent dialogue."

"Russia has huge influence on all these issues, and if we want peaceful solutions, we have to try to achieve them through discussions over and over again," she said.

"There will be controversies, and there will be issues where together we will see where we can enhance and improve bilateral and international cooperation," she added.

The two leaders last met in Sochi in May and struggled to overcome differences.

Russia and the West remain locked in dispute over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the conflict between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

On Syria, Germany wants Putin to finalize a lasting cease-fire there in agreement with the United States. Merkel said a four-way meeting on Syria involving Germany, Russia, Turkey, and France is possible.

While Merkel was cautious about the likelihood of making progress on longstanding disputes, others in her new governing coalition seemed more hopeful.

"We can be cautiously optimistic," Juergen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for Merkel's conservative bloc, told the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspapers in an interview published on August 18.

"The Russian president has maneuvered himself into a dead end on Syria and eastern Ukraine, and needs international partners. For that he has to move," he said.

Achim Post, a senior member of the Social Democrats, junior partners in the coalition government, said that he expects both Merkel and Putin to look for pragmatic solutions based on common interests.

"In a world that is increasingly uncertain, we must speak particularly with difficult partners like Russia," he said.

With reporting by Reuters and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-merkel -discuss-conflicts-ukraine-syria- berlin-meeting-/29440413.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.

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Bolton Open to Hiring For-Profit Mercenaries in Washington's 17-Year Afghan War

Sputnik News

23:43 19.08.2018(updated 23:50 19.08.2018)

White House national security adviser John Bolton stated on Sunday that he is interested in a proposal by Erik Prince - founder of private military company Blackwater - to shift the prosecution of the 17-year US war in Afghanistan away from the Pentagon to private mercenaries.

Bolton  an appointee of US President Donald Trump like Blackwater founder Prince's sister US Secretary of Education Betsy Devos  made his remarks earlier during an ABC.com weekly news program.

The top White House advisor's comments follow reports that Trump has allowed for the possibility of placing for-profit mercenary companies in charge of shoring up the increasingly unpopular US-supported Afghan government of former American citizen Ashraf Ghani, instead of using armed Pentagon 'advisors.'

Asked about the likelihood of mercenaries prosecuting America's many wars abroad, Bolton averred, saying only that, "there are always a lot of discussions," cited by The Hill.

"I'm always open to new ideas," the noted warhawk added, however, although he was careful not to second-guess his boss.

"I'm not going to comment on what [Trump's] thinking is. That'll ultimately be the president's decision," he quickly noted.

Trump is said to be interested in Prince's offer to privatize the US war in Afghanistan, according to reports.

The Trump White House would, under Prince's pitch, replace US troops and advisors in Afghanistan with well-armed private military contractors who would purportedly answer to an as-yet-unspecified liaison on Capitol Hill.

Noting the significant ethical and security concerns resulting from the use of for-profit mercenaries acting as heavily-armed representatives for the Trump administration, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council flatly denied the reports, stating to NBC News that "no such proposal from Erik Prince is under consideration," cited by The Hill.

Nonetheless, Prince has asserted to NBC News that he will soon launch a full-scale media blitz to promote his mercenary agenda in Afghanistan, and that Trump and his cabinet will be in his cross hairs.

 Sputnik

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Pompeo Welcomes Ceasefire Announcement Between Afghan Government, Taliban

Sputnik News

23:08 19.08.2018(updated 00:00 20.08.2018)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed a Muslim Eid holiday ceasefire announcement by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, saying that Washington is ready to facilitate direct peace talks between the authorities and the Taliban.

Afghan President declared the latest ceasefire in a televised broadcast on Sunday on the condition that the Taliban reciprocated.

"I once again announce a ceasefire from tomorrow until the prophet's birthday provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ashraf Ghani said in a statement quoted by AFP.

The announcement of the three-month ceasefire followed a week of a violent fighting across the country which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault against the provincial capital Ghazni.

"The last ceasefire in Afghanistan revealed the deep desire of the Afghan people to end the conflict, and we hope another ceasefire will move the country closer to sustainable security," Mike Pompeo said in a statement quoted by AFP. "The United States and our international partners support this initiative by the Afghan people and the Afghan government, and we call on the Taliban to participate," Pompeo said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Taliban reportedly promised to release hundreds of Afghan prisoners, but did not respond to Kabul's unilateral declaration of ceasefire. Particularly, the Taliban militants said that they would release the prisoners so that "they can share the happiness of Eid [Eid-al-Adha, an Islamic holiday, Festival of Sacrifice], with their families and friends," according to the TOLOnews broadcaster.

On June 7, Ghani declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban from June 11 to June 19 to mark Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. On June 17, the Afghan president prolonged the ceasefire for another 10 days. The radical movement ceased hostilities for three days of the Eid truce but rejected the government's request to prolong the ceasefire.

On Sunday, Taliban militants have taken control of Bilchiragh District in Faryab province in the northwest of Afghanistan. The Taliban movement also seized Sainia base, which hosted 76 government troops, a spokesman for Shaheen Camp, Mohammad Hanif Rezaee, told Sputnik earlier this week. According to media reports, at least 18 Afghan troops were killed and 12 were injured during the attack on the base.

Afghanistan's government forces have long been fighting Taliban insurgency, as well as the Daesh terrorist group, with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces conducting joint counterterrorist operations across the country.

 Sputnik

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'French Can't Fight Own Wars': Paris Reportedly Makes UK Defense Chief 'Livid'

Sputnik News

13:22 19.08.2018

Last month, the UK sent three Royal Air Force helicopters and about 100 troops to Mali to help French forces combat jihadists still active in the region.

The Sun has cited a Whitehall source as saying that British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson was outraged after Paris said that London will have to pay 2 million ($2.5 million) so that the UK military can fly spare parts and kits to the Mali mission on French transport aircraft.

"We could not believe it. They begged for help, we give it, and then they want to charge us for keeping the mission running. The French can't fight their own wars  now they won't even help out those who help them. It sent Williamson livid  he threatened to ground the whole fleet," the source stressed.

For its part, the UK Defense Ministry, in a statement on Saturday, pledged to "continue to strengthen our deep defense relationship with France."

The remarks came after three Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook helicopters and almost 100 British troops were sent to Mali last month to add to France's anti-jihadi effort there.

Currently, French servicemen are present in Mali as part of the ongoing anti-insurgent Operation Barkhane, which started in 2014.

In the past few years, Mali has suffered from a surge in violence as jihadist groups continue to exploit rebels from nomadic Tuareg tribes so as to gain control over the northern part of the country, which remains mostly lawless due to separatist activities.

In 2012, a Tuareg insurgency against the government triggered France, Mali's former colonizer, to intervene at the request of the country's authorities.

France's Operation Serval forced most of the rebels out; however, jihadists are still active in the northern territories, which are out of the control of the Malian government or French and UN forces.

The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has about 12,000 peacekeepers and was established by a UN Security Council resolution on April 25, 2013, alongside France's Operation Serval that ended later that year.

The UN mission's aim is to stabilize the country and protect civilians from jihadi activity in the region.

 Sputnik

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Statement On Afghan Government's Ceasefire Announcement

Press Statement

Michael R. Pompeo

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

August 19, 2018

The United States welcomes the announcement by the Afghan government of a ceasefire conditioned on Taliban participation. This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace.

The last ceasefire in Afghanistan revealed the deep desire of the Afghan people to end the conflict, and we hope another ceasefire will move the country closer to sustainable security. The United States and our international partners support this initiative by the Afghan people and the Afghan government, and we call on the Taliban to participate. It is our hope, and that of the international community, that the Afghan people may celebrate Eid al-Adha this year in peace, free from fear.

The United States supports President Ghani's offer for comprehensive negotiations on a mutually agreed agenda. We remain ready to support, facilitate, and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban. There are no obstacles to talks. It is time for peace.



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US Says It Supports Afghan-Taliban Talks as Kabul Declares Conditional Cease-Fire

By Ayaz Gul August 19, 2018

The U.S. is ready to "support, facilitate and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday, the same day Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced details for a new cease-fire.

"The United States welcomes the announcement by the Afghan government of a cease-fire conditioned on Taliban participation. This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace," Pompeo said in a statement.

"The last cease-fire in Afghanistan revealed the deep desire of the Afghan people to end the conflict, and we hope another ceasefire will move the country closer to sustainable security," the statement added, referring to a three-day cease-fire in June. There are "no obstacles to talks. It is time for peace," it added.

Earlier Sunday, Ghani announced a three-month unilateral, conditional cease-fire with the Taliban, hours after authorities confirmed the Islamist insurgency overran a northern district and apparently captured dozens of government soldiers.

Ghani explained Afghan forces will halt their operations from Monday, provided the insurgents reciprocate and respect also his truce.

The cease-fire coincides with the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Adha marking the culmination of the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca and commemorating the sacrifice of Abraham.

There was no immediate reaction from the Taliban to the announcement.

A similar gesture by Ghani had prompted the Taliban in June to observe a temporary cease-fire during the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr festivities that marked the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Sunday's government peace gesture followed fighting in northern Faryab province.

Faryab Governor Naqibullah Fayiq told VOA the embattled Bilchiragh district had been under attack for several days and fell to insurgents Saturday because besieged Afghan security forces there could not receive timely reinforcements.

Fayiq would not discuss the fate of the government forces.Local media reported around 100 Afghan security personnel are missing.

A Taliban spokesman claimed its fighters entered the district without facing resistance from government forces. He added Afghan security forces "welcomed and joined hands" with the insurgency.

It was not possible to verify insurgent claims from independent sources and Afghan military officials were not available to discuss the battlefield details.

Post-fighting Ghazni situation

Elsewhere, the embattled southeastern Ghazni city, with an estimated population of 270,000, began receiving relief supplies Sunday, days after Afghan forces regained full control of the provincial capital from Taliban insurgents following several days of clashes.

The fighting caused massive damage to buildings and other infrastructure in Ghazni, leading to critical food and water shortages.

The U.N. estimated the fighting for the control of the strategically important city killed around 200 civilians while Afghan officials and media said the government and the Taliban collectively lost about 400 combatants.

Violence against aid workers

Meanwhile, a U.N. statement on World Humanitarian Day warned attacks against aid workers in the country this year have increased by 20 percent, with 23 killed, 37 injured and 74 abducted.It said during the first six months of this year, 1,692 civilians were killed by conflict, the highest number in the past decade.

More than 130 schools were attacked and two health facilities were destroyed.

Toby Lanzer, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, renewed his call for all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligation under international humanitarian law and avoid targeting civilians and staff of relief groups in the country.

Last year, armed groups closed more than 140 health facilities, denying two million people access to health care.

"This worrisome trend continues in 2018. In July and August, more than 300,000 people were temporarily deprived of access to health care in Zabul province as a direct result of closure of health facilities," the U.N. agency said.

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Serb Rejection of Report on Srebrenica Massacre Sows Division

By Lisa Schlein August 19, 2018

Senior U.N. Human Rights officials condemn the decision by the Republika Srpska National Assembly in Bosnia and Herzegovina to take back its endorsement of a report acknowledging the massacre of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica.

U.N. Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, warns the decision by the Republika Srpska National Assembly to revoke its endorsement of the 2004 Srebrenica Commission Report is a step backwards for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He says it undermines the rule of law and efforts to achieve justice for victims of crimes committed against people of all ethnicities during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war. The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra-ad al-Hussein agrees.

He says this action will worsen the divisive, nationalistic rhetoric ahead of the general elections in October. His spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, says this decision will disrupt reconciliation efforts among the splintered communities.

"The 2004 Srebrenica Commission Report established that from the 10th to the 19th July 1995, between 7,000 and 8,000 Bosniaks went missing in the area of Srebrenica," she said. "It also found that more than 1,000 Bosniaks were killed during this period. Two international courts have determined that this massacre of Bosnian Muslims constituted genocide."

The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina broke out after the breakup of Yugoslavia, pitting Bosnian Serbs, Croats and Muslims against each other. When it ended in 1995, around 100,000 people had been killed and more than two million displaced, making this the most devastating conflict in Europe since the end of World War II.

High Commissioner Zeid accuses the Srpska Parliament of withdrawing from the agreement for political gain ahead of the October elections. He says he fears it will increase existing tensions, divisions and mistrust in the country.

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Kerala will now get higher monetary help; toll reaches 223.

This categorisation will enable the state get greater monetary and other assistance from the Centre.

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: The Union government on Monday declared the devastating floods in Kerala a calamity of severe nature, paving the way for higher Central monetary help, as the state braced for the gigantic task of reconstruction and rehabilitation of lakhs of people rendered homeless.

The death toll in the current spell of monsoon fury that began on August 8 has risen to 223, officials said. Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a home ministry official said in New Delhi.

This categorisation will enable the state get greater monetary and other assistance from the Centre.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Over 10.78 lakh displaced people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children below 12 years of age, have been sheltered in 3,200 relief camps. Today, 602 persons were rescued from various places as the rains receded.

Mr Vijayan said there has been demands from various quarters to declare the floods as a national calamity.

Our demand is also the same. But the Centre is pointing out certain technical difficulties to make such an announcement. What we need now is to evaluate the total loss and get an equivalent assistance from the Centre, he said.

As per preliminary estimates, the state has so far suffered a loss of nearly Rs 20,000 crore. The Union government has so far rendered all help to the state. Kerala received Rs 210 crore towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund and a promise of Rs 160 crore, he said.

With flood water level receding in many places, people have started returning to their homes and begun cleaning operations. The state government has also decided to distribute cleaning kits to them, Mr Vijayan said.

Commercial flight operations from the naval airport at Kochi commenced on Monday with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning. Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport.

Relief material, including provisions, water and fuel have started arriving at the Kochi port from different parts of the country, official sources said.

On Monday, the Centre dispatched 100 metric tonnes of pulses, 52 metric tonnes emergency medicines to Kerala besides ensuring supply of 2,600 MW power to the state

K. Santosh, director of India Meteorological Departments Thiruvananthapuram centre said all rain alerts have been withdrawn and the state experienced only light to moderate rainfall on Monday. Similar precipitation has been forecast for the next five days.

The Army, Navy, and NDRF teams continued their rescue efforts.Lt. Gen. D R Soni, the chief of the Armys Southern Command, told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations were still continuing and drones being used to help reach to people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

He said 1,500 army personnel were engaged in rescue operations and people stranded on rooftops and inaccesible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

The Navy, meanwhile, has started scaling down Operation Madad after rains have ebbed and floodwaters receded from many areas. As of 4.30 pm on Monday, the 11th day of the operation, the number of diving teams has been reduced to 51, with 41 teams having returned after their rescue mission, a defence statement said.

Aviation regulator DGCA is, meanwhile, monitoring airfares for flights connecting flood-hit Kerala as this is a unique situation of humanitarian crisis, civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu said in the national capital.

A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala on Monday to help the flood- affected people.
Trump Lashes Out at NY Times Story on White House Counsel and Russia Probe

By VOA News August 19, 2018

President Donald Trump is lashing out at The New York Times for Sunday's story reporting that White House lawyer Don McGahn has cooperated extensively with the special investigation into Russian election interference.

According to the Times, McGahn shared detailed accounts on the question of whether Trump tried to obstruct justice, giving investigators information they may never have gotten otherwise.

"The Failing New York Times wrote a story that made it seem like the White House Councel (sic) had TURNED on the President, when in fact it is just the opposite - & the two Fake reporters knew this," Trump tweeted. "This is why the Fake News Media has become the Enemy of the People. So bad for America!"

Trump was also angry that the Times drew a parallel between McGahn and John Dean -- the White House counsel for President Richard Nixon whose testimony of what Nixon knew about Watergate helped lead to his resignation in 1974.

"... because White House Councel (sic) Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel (sic), he must be a John Dean type 'RAT.' But I allowed him and all others to testify - I didn't have to. I have nothing to hide... ," the president tweeted.

Trump's first legal team encouraged full cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller, believing it would help bring a speedy end to the probe of possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

But according to the Times, McGahn and his own lawyer feared Trump was setting him up to take the blame if there was any obstruction of justice. They decided on their own to cooperate with Mueller as much as possible, the newspaper reported.

On NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, accused the special counsel's office of illegally leaking the story to the Times. But Giuliani still sounded confident.

"The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president," he said.

But Giuliani said he will not let Mueller rush the president into testifying because he fears Trump could get trapped into perjury.

"When you tell me that he should testify because he's going to tell the truth and he shouldn't worry, that's so silly because it's somebody's version of the truth," Giuliani said.

When Meet the Press host Chuck Todd reminded him that "truth is truth," Giuliani shot back, "truth isn't truth," briefly taking Todd aback.

Todd told Giuliani that he may have just created a "bad meme (funny image or video shared on social media)."

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Iran to unveil Bavar 373 missile system in spring 2019

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sat / 18 August 2018 / 12:03

Tehran (ISNA)  Iranian deputy Defense Minister for International Affairs announced that Iran will unveil a domestic version of the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile system, dubbed Bavar 373, by the end of the current Iranian year, meaning by March 20, 2019.

Iranian deputy Defense Minister for International Affairs Brigadier Mohammad Ahadi said Iranian experts are reached to a level that produce and design the domestic version of the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile system, dubbed Bavar 373 based on advanced domestic technologies.

Mentioning that Iranian army has abundant aerial, ground and maritime capabilities, he added that military and economic powers are essential for providing national security.

He stated that while the country's investment in the defense sphere was smaller than when compared with neighboring states, it was still providing security in the region.

In June, Brigadier Gen. Ali Balali, an official at the Khatam-al Anbia air defense base, said that Bavar 373, will become operational in the near future, as the project is progressing as scheduled.

End Item

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Iran Defense Chief Vows Continued Missile Efforts, New Fighter Jet

RFE/RL August 18, 2018

Iran's defense minister says the country will continue to focus efforts on developing missile capabilities and will next week unveil a new fighter jet amid U.S. efforts to curb Tehran's weapons programs and regional influence.

"Our top priority has been development of our missile program," Brigadier General Amir Hatami was on August 18 quoted by the semiofficial Fars news agency as saying.

"We are in a good position in this field, but we need to develop it," he added.

Hatami said the new jet will be presented to the public as part of efforts to celebrate National Defense Industry Day on August 22 and that "people will see it fly."

Iran's air force has struggled to build capabilities because of international sanctions and embargoes against the country.

It has been forced to rely on aging U.S. strike aircraft acquired before relations broke with the 1979 Iranian revolution. It also has several Russian jets in its inventory.

Because of the restrictions, Tehran has worked to develop a domestic arms industry, and in 2013, it unveiled the Qaher 313, a domestically built fighter jet. But some experts at the time expressed doubts about its viability.

Meanwhile, the country's navy also announced on August 18 that it has mounted a domestically developed advanced-defensive weapons system onto a warship for the first time.

The semiofficial Tasnim news agency quoted Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi as saying that "coastal and sea testing of the short-range defense Kamand system was concluded successfully, and said this system was mounted...on a warship and will be mounted on a second ship soon."

The announcement comes as the U.S. military has said it has seen increased Iranian naval activity, including in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic artery for oil shipments.

In a move apparently designed to send a message to Washington, Iran on August 2 launched major naval exercises in the Persian Gulf involving more than 100 vessels, U.S. officials told Reuters.

The timing of the drills is unusual, as Iran's navy usually conducts annual exercises later in the autumn, officials said.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated since U.S. President Donald Trump announced in May that he was pulling out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers and reimposing sanctions on Tehran, the first batch of which took effect on August 7.

The United States maintains that Tehran's actions, including the testing of ballistic missiles, violate the spirit of the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The administration also accuses Iran of arming Yemen's Shi'ite Huthi rebels in their war against the country's Saudi-backed government -- a charge Tehran denies.

With reporting by Fars and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran- hatami-missiles-jet-fighter-to- be-unveiled/29441128.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.

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Iran to Unveil New Fighter Jet, Missile Development Stays Top Priority - Report

Sputnik News

22:56 18.08.2018(updated 23:32 18.08.2018)

Tehran will unveil a new fighter jet next week, while the development of the nation's missile capacity will remain Iran's top military priority, Brigadier General Amir Hatami said, cited by Fars news agency on Saturday.

"We will present a plane on National Defence Industry Day, and people will see it fly, and the equipment designed for it," Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Fars news agency, Reuters reported.

The Islamic Republic News Agency reported Friday that Iran would also unveil a domestic version of the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile system, dubbed Bavar 373, by March 20, 2019. Bavar 373 will become operational in the near future, as the project was reportedly progressing as scheduled according to sources.

Iran's deputy defense minister for international affairs, Brigadier Mohammad Ahadi, said earlier that military and economic power was essential for the nation's national security. Mohammad Ahadi stressed that the country's investment in the defense sphere was the lowest compared with neighboring states, but still provided security in the region.

The announcement comes amid the upcoming celebration of Iran's National Defense Industry Day on August 22 and an escalating political and economic standoff with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Reports of Iran's increased military activity appeared in early August after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) held large-scale military drills in the Persian Gulf. The drills were reportedly a part of annual exercises.

IRGC Chief Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari noted earlier the need to increase defense capabilities in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

In June, the US Department of State urged the petrochemical industry to stop buying oil from Iran by November to avoid US sanctions. The reinstatement of US sanctions against Iran follows Washington's announcement of its withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal. In turn, the IRGC said they were prepared to disrupt other countries' oil shipments via the strait if Iran's exports were impeded.

Iran also reportedly conducted an anti-ship ballistic missile test last week for the first time in over a year. The missile test came days before Trump reinstated his first set of sanctions against the Islamic country.

Trump promised to ratchet up sanctions against Iran by November to target oil exports and banking after he pulled out of the JCPOA nuclear pact. Trump has claimed he can force Iran to sign a renegotiated deal that will also ban ballistic missile tests by Tehran.

 Sputnik

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Iranian Naval Destroyer Reportedly Gets 1st Locally-Made Ship-to-Air Missiles

Sputnik News

15:40 18.08.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The destroyer of the Iranian Navy was first equipped with a domestically-made ship-to-air missile system designed to combat anti-ship missiles, Tasnim reported Saturday.

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi said the installed lose-in weapon system (CIWS), dubbed Kamand, was able to hit targets from a distance of two kilometers (1.24 miles) with a firing rate of 4,000 to 7,000 rounds per minute, the Tasnim news agency reported.

Khanzadi noted that the system would now be installed on ships that conduct operations far from the coast.

On Monday, media reported that Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami had presented a new generation of Fateh-type ballistic missiles capable of evading radars and hitting targets with increased accuracy.

 Sputnik

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Zarif: U.S. 'Action Group' Will Fail To Overthrow Iran Regime

RFE/RL August 19, 2018

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that a newly established Iran Action Group in the U.S. State Department aims to overthrow Iran's clerical establishment, but it would fail.

Zarif made the comments on Twitter on August 19, the 65th anniversary of a U.S.-backed coup that overthrew democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

The 1953 coup restored to power Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was later toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"65 years ago today, the US overthrew the popularly elected democratic government of Dr. Mossadegh, restoring the dictatorship & subjugating Iranians for the next 25 years. Now an 'Action Group' dreams of doing the same through pressure, misinformation & demagoguery. Never again," Zarif tweeted.

Accusing Iran of unleashing a "torrent of violence and destabilizing behavior against the United States, our allies, our partners and, indeed, the Iranian people themselves," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on August 16 announced the creation of the Iran Action Group, saying it will drive U.S. policy in Washington and overseas.

"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," Pompeo said.

The group will be led by Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department's director of policy planning.

The move came after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers in May, and early this month reimposed economic sanctions that were lifted under the agreement.

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.

The U.S. administration has consistently said it is not seeking regime change in Iran but a "change in behavior."

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zarif-u-s- action-group-will-fail-to-overthrow -iran-regime/29441797.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.

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Iraqi Supreme Court ratifies parliamentary vote

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 01:21PM

Iraq's Supreme Court has ratified the outcome of the contested May 12 parliamentary elections in the country, giving the victor, Muqtada al-Sadr and his coalition, a constitutional deadline of 90 days to form a government.

"The Supreme Federal Court issued on the afternoon of Aug. 19, 2018, its decision to ratify the names received," Iraqi Supreme Court spokesman Iyas al-Samouk said in a statement.

The parliament ordered a recount of the votes in June after a government report accused the electoral commission of ignoring widespread violations.

Days later, a huge fire destroyed a building that housed ballot boxes from the vote. Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said the fire was an attempt to harm Iraqi democracy.

The recount went ahead as planned and showed little difference from the initial results, giving Sadr a central role in forming the country's next government.

Sadr's coalition, Sa'iroun, held 54 seats in the 329-seat parliament. Abadi, whose coalition, the Victory Alliance, had won only 42 seats to become third, formed an alliance with Sa'iroun in the aftermath of the election.

The Conquest Alliance, led by former transport minister and secretary general of Badr Organization Hadi al-Ameri, took another seat in the recounting process to raise its tally of seats to 48.

The Conquest Alliance is a new alliance that entered the elections for the first time. It consists of 18 political parties, many of which are former factions of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). The PMU, more commonly known by its Arabic name as Hashd al-Sha'abi, was key in defeating Daesh terrorists last year. The main units have handed over their weapons to the state in order to enter the political process.

Daesh unleashed a campaign of death and destruction in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks. Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters then launched operations to eliminate the terrorist group and retake lost territory.

Iraqi lawmakers now have three months to form the new government. To do that, they need to hold their first session and elect a new speaker. From that point, they will have one month to elect a president.

The president will ask the largest bloc in the parliament to elect a prime minister who will form a government.

This is the fourth poll of its kind since the 2003 US invasion, which led to a sharp rise in sectarian tensions and ensuing terror-related violence in Iraq.

The next prime minister will face the huge task of rebuilding a country shattered by the war against Daesh and the US invasion.

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Iraqi Supreme Court Ratifies Parliamentary Election Results - Reports

Sputnik News

16:04 19.08.2018(updated 16:05 19.08.2018)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq has ratified the results of the country's parliamentary election, which took place on May 12, the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported Sunday, citing a court's representative.

The Iraqi authorities began recounting votes in early July. The process was carried out gradually at polling stations in six provinces over reports of multiple violations. Representatives of the United Nations, political blocs and candidates have been involved in observing the recount. The recount was completed in early August.

The parliamentary election was held in Iraq for the first time since the defeat of the Daesh* terrorist group there. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced that the country had been freed from the Daesh terrorist group in December 2017.

According to the results initially published by the Iraqi electoral commission, the Alliance towards Reforms (Sairun) came first, the Fatah Alliance came second, while Abadi's Victory Alliance was third.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia

 Sputnik

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PM: Syria on road to achieving final victory over terrorism

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 18, IRNA -- Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis said Syria is moving with confidence to the final victory over terrorism and the restoration of security all across the country.

Khamis was speaking during his meeting with a delegation from the Mauritanian Socialist Democratic Unionist Party, headed by Secretary General Mahfouz Weld Abdul al-Aziz, SANA reported.

During the meeting, Khamis affirmed that Syria has laid solid groundwork to revitalize economy, modernize laws, legislations and investment structure and to upgrade the financial and banking policy ahead of the rebuilding stage in the country, adding that it is looking forward to improve economic ties with the countries that have supported the Syrian people during war.

For his part, Weld Abdul al-Aziz relayed the support of the Mauritanian people with Syria against the terrorist war, the blockade and the unfair coercive economic measures, stressing the necessity of ratcheting up coordination between the two countries and invigorating mutual cooperation.

1396**1396

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Syrian army destroys Jabhat al-Nusra gatherings in Hama

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 18, IRNA -- Units of the Syrian Arab Army pushed ahead with military operations against the dens and gatherings of Jabhat al-Nusra and associated terrorist groups in the northern countryside of Hama, SANA reported.

Army units monitored the movements of terrorist groups from the so-called "Al-Izza Brigades" while they were carrying out acts of sabotage on the outskirts of the towns of Morek, Abu Ubaida and Maakabeh in the northern countryside, killing many terrorists and wounding others, SANA correspondent in Hama reported.

The correspondent pointed out that the army units launched artillery strikes against Jabhat al-Nusra gatherings in the vicinity of Tel al-Sakhr town and destroyed a number of them, in conjunction with targeting with shells the dens of terrorist groups in the vicinity of the town of Kafr Zeita, resulting in accurate injuries in their ranks.

1396**1396

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The rains left a huge trail of destruction, which has claimed at least 12 lives and rendered over 6,000 people homeless.

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy appealed to the thousands displaced by the Kodagu landslides not to lose heart as his government was committed to their rehabilitation, even as hotel bookings across the hotels and home stays in this scenic hilly distinct were cancelled.

The chief minister said the situation was under control in rain-rava-ged Kodagu as he assured the people battered by floods and landslips of a new life with fair rehabilitation. The rains left a huge trail of destruction, which has claimed at least 12 lives and rendered over 6,000 people homeless.

On Monday afternoon, as the rains subsided, government machinery began focusing on relief and rehabilitation work as almost all those who were stranded have been rescued, the CM claimed. He said action has been initiated to distribute interim relief of `3,800 per family, sheltered in relief centres.

The situation is now totally under control, our officers are doing their best. Without rest, our people are on the job, Mr Kumaraswamy said. Several tourists, stuck in resorts and hotels have been evacuated.

Calling it the biggest disaster that Kodagu has seen in recent times, he said: Protecting your interest is the responsibility of the government, we will try to build a new life for you. Asked about the number of people still to be rescued, the chief minister said almost everyone has beenrescued. If we still get any information or call for rescue, teams arestationed there.

Facts and figures
Syria's military intelligence officer assassinated: Report

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 09:19AM

A Syrian military intelligence officer has reportedly been assassinated in the west-central Hama Province, the second such killing in two weeks blamed on Israel's Mossad spy agency.

Reports said Ahmad Issa Habib, who was in charge of the Syrian army's Palestine department, had been shot in the head in the village of Ba'arin.

There were contradictory reports on whether the unknown assailants had targeted the victim in his car or at his home.

Israel's Army Radio quoted Syrian opposition sources as saying that Habib was "responsible for the struggle against Israel."

Damascus is yet to comment on the assassination reports.

On April 4, Aziz Azbar, the head of the Syrian Scientific Research and Studies Center in the Hama city of Masyaf, was assassinated in a car bombing.

A senior official from a Middle Eastern intelligence agency told The New York Times that Mossad had a hand in the targeted killing.

The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said his agency had been informed of the operation, and that Mossad had been tracking Azbar for a long time.

Some reports said the killing of the scientist was part of Israel's campaign of aggression aimed at preventing Syria from rehabilitating its defense capabilities when the crisis in the Arab country comes to an end.

Israel frequently attacks military targets inside Syria in an attempt to prop up terrorist groups that have been suffering defeats against Syrian government forces.

The regime has also been providing weapons to anti-Damascus militants as well as medical treatment to Takfiri elements wounded in Syria.

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Merkel implicitly rejects Putin's call to help Syria reconstruction

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 08:55AM

German Chancellor Angela Merkel seems to have rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's call to financially contribute to the Syria reconstruction.

Speaking after talks with Putin outside Berlin on Saturday, Merkel said the focus should rather be on averting a Syrian army operation to retake the militant-held province of Idlib.

Her retort came after the Russian leader underlined the need for assistance to rebuild Syria and ensure that refugees could safely return to their homeland.

"We need to strengthen the humanitarian effort in the Syrian conflict," he said. "By that, I mean above all humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, and help the regions where refugees living abroad can return to."

The Russian president also put the number of refugees in Turkey at three million while Jordan and Lebanon each host one million refugees.

The refugees, he noted, are "potentially a huge burden on Europe, so it is better to do everything possible so that they can return home."

Putin emphasized that Syria's basic services such as water supplies and health care should be properly restored.

The German chancellor, however, showed reluctance to financially engage in the Syria reconstruction process and stressed that the priority in Syria was "to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe," particularly in Idlib.

Germany is a member of the US-led coalition which has been bombarding Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate. The aerial assaults have killed many civilians and destroyed Syria's infrastructure.

The Syrian army is preparing for a major military campaign in Idlib Province, the last remaining militant stronghold, after liberating much of the country's south near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the grip of Takfiri terrorists.

Former British foreign secretary Boris Johnson said last September that the US, Britain, and their allies would not support Syria's reconstruction as long as President Bashar al-Assad remained in power.

In April, US State Department's Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield confirmed that Washington had no plans to provide Syria with any support for reconstruction.

"The United States does not believe that any reconstruction assistance should go to any areas under the control of the Assad regime," he said.

On Friday, the US cut its $230 million funding for the so-called Syria stabilization projects which have mostly gone to militants in the past, but vowed to remain active in its anti-Damascus bid in the country.

With more than 85 percent of Syria having returned to the government fold, Merkel said she had discussed with Putin the issue of constitutional reforms in Syria.

During their Saturday meeting, the two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict as well as the issue of Iran and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that no agreements had been reached in Merkel-Putin meeting, but it had simply been intended to "check the watches" after the Sochi event.

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US cuts Syria 'stabilization' fund, vows to continue anti-Damascus bid

Iran Press TV

Sun Aug 19, 2018 02:30AM

The US has reportedly cut its $230 million funding for the so-called Syria stabilization projects, citing increased contributions from the Saudi regime and other coalition allies, but vowed to remain active in its anti-Damascus bid in the terror-ravaged country.

The US State Department said it had notified Congress on Friday that it would not spend the fund set aside for Syria programs by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in February and would instead shift that money to other areas, AP reported, noting that the fund had been on hold and under review since Tillerson was fired in March by President Donald Trump.

According to the report, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert emphasized that the funding cut -- authorized by current Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- would be more than offset by an additional $300 million pledged by the US-led coalition partners, including $100 million contributed by Saudi Arabia  widely suspected as the leading financier of Daesh (ISIL) terrorists worldwide.

"As a result of key partner contributions by coalition members, Secretary Pompeo has authorized the Department of State to redirect approximately $230 million in stabilization funds for Syria which have been under review," Nauert said in a statement.

The funds will be redirected "to support other key foreign policy priorities," added Nauert, who along with other US officials rejected suggestions that the removal of the funds reflected the administration's diminishing interest in Syria.

Nauert, along with acting assistant secretary of state for the Middle East, David Satterfield, and the special envoy for the US-led coalition, Brett McGurk, told reporters on a conference call that the US would remain engaged in Syria until achieving its purported aim of defeating the ISIL terrorist.

She further insisted that "this decision does not represent any lessening of US commitment to our strategic goals in Syria."

However, the move was still viewed by Democratic lawmakers as a sign the administration is heeding Trump's demand to end American involvement in Syria and reduce its commitment there.

Nauert also stated that in a bid to reassure coalition partners and other opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Pompeo appointed veteran diplomatic troubleshooter, James Jeffrey, to be a special envoy for Syria.

Jeffrey, a former US ambassador to Turkey, Iraq and Albania who also served as a deputy national security adviser to former president George W. Bush, will hold the title of "special representative for Syrian engagement."

Yet the funding cut is regarded as the latest US financial retreat from Syria. In May, the State Department announced that it had ended all funding for stabilization programs in Syria's northwest.

The development comes as the US helped to organize the evacuation through Israel of ISIL-linked White Helmet workers last month from Syria's south, where Syrian forces launched a new offensive against the remnants of the terror group.

Nauert further stated that the Friday's decision would not affect "life-saving, needs-based humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Syrians" or US support for the White Helmets or UN-sponsored aid workers.

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Trump Wants Saudis, 'Other Rich Countries' to Pay as US Slashes Aid for Syria

Sputnik News

10:13 19.08.2018

Earlier, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that some 230 million dollars in US stabilization funds for Syria will be redirected "to support other key foreign policy priorities."

In one of his latest tweets, President Donald Trump has announced that the United States has halted the "ridiculous" 230-million-dollar annual payment to Syria.

"Saudi Arabia and other rich countries in the Middle East will start making payments instead of the US," Trump tweeted, signaling his readiness to develop the country's military.

His remarks came a few days after State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that "as a result of key partner contributions by coalition members, Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo has authorized the Department of State to redirect approximately $230 million in stabilization funds for Syria, which have been under review."

According to her, the cut will be more than offset by an additional 300 million dollars pledged by Washington's coalition partners. They include Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which contributed 100 million dollars and 50 million dollars, respectively.

Nauert also pledged that the US "will continue to provide life-saving, needs-based humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Syrians, support for the White Helmets and the UN's International Impartial and Independent Mechanism to hold [Syrian President Bashar] Assad's regime accountable for serious crimes, as well as equipment and other measures to counter the effects of chemical weapons in northwest Syria."

Earlier this year, media reports said that the Trump administration seeks to build up an Arab army to replace US troops in Syria.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House is considering involving Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Earlier in August, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described participation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the evacuation of the White Helmets from Syria as "a big mistake."

She added that the White Helmets NGO collaborates with "terrorist groups" in order to slander anti-terror activities in the country.

Zakharova spoke after up to 800 White Helmets and their family members were evacuated from Syria by Israeli authorities at the request of Canada and several European countries as well as the US last month amid the Syrian Army's offensive against militants in Syria's south part. Damascus slammed the evacuation as a "criminal operation."

The White Helmets has repeatedly claimed that its fundamental aim is to rescue civilians in war zones, however, it has been accused of establishing links to jihadists and helping them to fight the Syrian government.

In April, Russia and Syria stated that the group was responsible for staging the alleged chemical attack in the city of Douma, which triggered airstrikes against Syria, carried out by the US, Britain and France.

The international community has voiced concerns about the use of chemical weapons inside of Syria since the alleged use of sarin gas in Damascus in 2013.

Following the incident, Syria joined the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and agreed to destroy its chemical weapons arsenal. On January 4, 2016, the OPCW issued a statement to confirm that the destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons had been completed.

 Sputnik

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President Tsai thanks U.S. for transit arrangements

ROC Central News Agency

2018/08/18 15:04:13

Belize City, Aug. 17 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (), who is at the final stop of her nine-day overseas trip, said on Friday that she was grateful to the United States for arranging her stopovers in two U.S. cities.

Tsai arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday in one of the two stopovers before she headed to Paraguay and Belize, two of Taiwan's 18 diplomatic allies. On her return trip, Tsai will depart for Houston on Saturday for a 27-hour transit on U.S. soil.

Speaking with the press accompanying her during the trip, Tsai said Washington this time followed its four existing principles to provide to travelers "safety, comfort, convenience and dignity" as it has done in the past.

"I am grateful for the arrangement from the U.S. for the stopovers," Tsai said. "I think the press accompanying me on the trip felt the most about the convenience for reporting provided by the U.S. government," Tsai said.

The Taiwanese media has described Tsai's stopovers in the U.S. during the trip to Paraguay and Belize as a "breakthrough" as Washington gave a so-called high level treatment to the president.

When Tsai stopped over in Los Angeles, she visited the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office's (TECO) Culture Center in Los Angeles, making her the first Taiwanese president to visit one of the country's representative offices based in the U.S.

Tsai also gave a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, her first public address in the U.S. since she took office as president.

Taiwan-based reporters traveling with the president were also allowed to file stories before leaving the U.S., and were not restricted to filing only after departing U.S. territory, as was the case in the past.

Previously, only U.S.-based Taiwanese reporters could report on the president's activities during a stopover, while those traveling with the president could only file their stories after leaving U.S. soil.

"I do not care about how the arrangement by the U.S. has been described by others," Tsai said. "I am just talking about what happened during my stopover in the U.S."

"I have to say stopovers in the U.S. during the trip en route to Central and South America are an important arrangement to us," Tsai said.

Tsai did not answer the question raised by CNA about whether she looked forward to a stopover in Washington D.C. during her future overseas visits.

Tsai said what impressed her the most during the trip was that she had a chance to exchange views with the leaders of other countries during the inauguration ceremony of Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez.

Tsai said she held bilateral meetings with the leaders attending the inauguration ceremony and through such talks, Taiwan was provided with a luxury of flexibility to find a better way to enhance ties with these countries.

The president said Taiwan needs tailor-made plans to strengthen cooperation with different allies for different needs in a bid to reach a goal of mutual benefits in the future.

(By Yeh Su-ping, Joseph Yeh and Frances Huang)

Enditem/cs

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China never renounced use of force against Taiwan: MAC

ROC Central News Agency

2018/08/18 22:05:15

Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) China has never renounced the use of force against Taiwan, which is a "fact" rather than an "assumption," Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Saturday.

Beijing never stopped its deployment of missiles targeting Taiwan, and continues to increase the frequency of military exercises near the Taiwan Strait, actions that have escalated regional tensions and caused anxiety in the international community, MAC said.

It is also a fact, not an assumption, that China has never given up the option of using force against Taiwan, MAC said, in the wake of Beijing's denial Friday that it was probably preparing for an offensive against the United States and U.S. allies.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wu Qian () on Friday rejected a U.S. military report that said Beijing was "likely training for strikes" against the United States and its allies.

In the wake of that statement, MAC said Taiwan has the ability to defend itself and will not give way to coercion or intimidation.

The Taiwan government will continue to seek cooperation with countries such as the U.S. to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the rest of the region, MAC said.

Beijing should not underestimate Taiwan's will and determination to safeguard its democracy and sovereignty, MAC said, adding that Taiwan will never succumb to China's suppression.

It also called on China to respect the will of the 23 million people of Taiwan, their choice of freedom, and way of life.

(By Lin Ke-lun and Ko Lin)

Enditem/pc

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Erdogan Re-Elected as Chairman of Turkey's Ruling Justice and Development Party

Sputnik News

17:40 18.08.2018

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was re-elected as chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) at its congress in Ankara, the results of the vote showed on Saturday.

Erdogan, whose candidacy was the single option, was elected party leader for the sixth time. He received 1,380 votes of delegates at the congress. All 1,380 delegates voted unanimously for Erdogan's candidacy. At the same time, Erdogan was the only candidate nominated for this post.

The AKP was established in 2001 at the initiative of Erdogan and three other supporters. The incumbent president was elected the first chairman of the political movement. From 2014 to 2017, the party was headed by Ahmet Davutoglu and Binali Yildirim, according to previous laws, the president could not be affiliated with any political party.

Thanks to amendments to the Turkish Constitution, which were approved in an April 2017 referendum, this became possible. Erdogan re-entered the ranks of the ruling Justice and Development Party in May 2017.

 Sputnik

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HMS Queen Elizabeth sets off for F-35B fighter jet trials

Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, departs her home port of Portsmouth today, bound for the USA to land fast jets on deck for the very first time.

18 August 2018

Eight years since a British aircraft carrier last flew a fast jet from her decks, the 65,000-tonne carrier will embark two F-35B test aircraft, from the Integrated Test Force (ITF), based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Around 200 supporting staff, including pilots, engineers, maintainers and data analysts will be joined by two 'orange wired' test aircraft, belonging to the ITF, which are expected to conduct 500 take offs and landings during their 11-week period at sea.

The aim of these initial, or 'developmental' trials are to ascertain, through the specially equipped aircraft and sensors around the ship, the operating parameters of the aircraft and ship, in a range of conditions. Similar successful trials were conducted by HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea earlier this year for Rotary Wing aircraft.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

"HMS Queen Elizabeth is a true statement of our national power, and the whole country can be proud to see this magnificent symbol of our engineering prowess and international ambition leaving port to sail onto the world stage."

"Her voyage to America not only shows her global reach, but strengthens our special relationship with the US Forces who we have worked hand-in-hand with on this iconic programme. As she sails along the east coast of the USA, she will signal our determination to keep fighting alongside our allies in all corners of an ever more complex and uncertain world."

Four F 35B Lightning developmental test pilots, who are members of the ITF, will embark to fly the aircraft; three British, one American. The British personnel comprise a Royal Navy Commander, a Squadron Leader from the Royal Air Force and one civilian test pilot. They will be joined by a Major from the US Marine Corps.

The trials follow the recent arrival into the UK of the first joint Royal Navy, Royal Air Force F-35B jets, based at RAF Marham. 'Operational testing', utilising British F-35B aircraft are scheduled to take place on board HMS Queen Elizabeth next year.

The deployment, known as 'WESTLANT 18', will be the first-time HMS Queen Elizabeth will have sailed across the Atlantic. As well as the vital deck trials, it will also involve exercises to prove the ability to operate with other nations' maritime and aviation assets, as well as the landing of Royal Marines and their equipment ashore in the United States, to conduct training with their US counterparts.

HMS Queen Elizabeth Commanding Officer, Capt Jerry Kyd said:

"This deployment to the United States will be another first for my ship. Crossing a major ocean with 1500 sailors, aircrew and Marines embarked and the spectre of the first F-35B Lightning landing on the deck in September is very exciting for us all."

"It has been an incredible journey since we left Rosyth just over a year ago and we are all looking forward to this next, seminal chapter in HMS Queen Elizabeth's life."

As the ship's work-up continues, so too does the regeneration of the UK's Carrier Strike capability. Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (COMUKCSG), Cdre Andrew Betton, will take command of the ship and other units of his task group, embarking in HMS Queen Elizabeth with his Carrier Strike Group headquarters staff.

He said:

"As a critical step towards delivering the UK's new Carrier Strike Group, this deployment demonstrates the astonishing collaborative effort that will enable the new F-35 jets to fly routinely from our Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers."

"At the heart of the Maritime Task Group, the aircraft carrier is well protected and sustained, ready to operate around the world as a potent and exceptionally flexible instrument of our foreign policy. These first F-35B embarked trials in a UK aircraft carrier are not only key to future operational success, but represent an iconic moment for the modern Royal Navy."

The ship will conduct trials in UK waters over the coming days, before departing for the USA later this month. She will be joined by RFA Tiderace and Plymouth-based type-23 frigate HMS Monmouth, as well as Merlin Mk2 helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Culdrose, Mk 4 Merlins from 845 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Yeovilton and a contingent of Royal Marines from 42 Commando, Plymouth.

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Former UN Chief Kofi Annan Dead At 80

RFE/RL August 18, 2018

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has died at the age of 80 of an unspecified illness.

Annan died in the early hours of August 18 in a hospital in Bern, Switzerland.

"It is with immense sadness that the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation announce that Kofi Annanpassed away peacefullyafter a short illness," the foundation said in a statement.

Current UN head Antonio Guterres called Annan "a guiding force for good."

"In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations," he added.

The president of Annan's native Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, called Annan "one of our greatest compatriots" and ordered flags lowered to half-mast for one week.

World leaders paid tribute to Annan, who became the UN's first black African secretary-general in 1997 and served two terms until 2006.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Annan "inspired me and many others with his ideas, his firm convictions and, not least, his charisma."

French President Emmanuel Macron said that "we will never forget his calm and resolute look, nor his strength in battles," while British Prime Minister Theresa May said Annan "made a huge contribution to making the world he has left a better place than the one he was born into."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he "sincerely admired his wisdom and courage as well as his ability to make balanced decisions even under the most dire and critical circumstances."

Former U.S. President Barack Obama said Annan "embodied the mission of the United Nations like few others."

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the former UN chief "spent his life advocating for peace and human dignity during his long career at the United Nations."

"Even after leaving his post as secretary-general, he embodied the mission of the United Nations, by sowing the seeds of peace as Chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders committed to advancing the cause of peace and promoting human rights around the world," Pompeo added.

Annan spent virtually his entire career at the United Nations. As head of UN peacekeeping operations in the 1990s, Annan was harshly criticized for the UN's failure to stop the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and to prevent the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.

He became the organization's first black African secretary-general in 1997 and served two terms until 2006. Although the UN experienced turbulence and scandals during Annan's tenure, his personal style and charisma were seen as key factors enabling the body to weather them.

Annan and the United Nations were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world."

It was widely accepted that Annan left the UN a stronger organization with a clearer agenda for peacekeeping, promoting human rights and development, and combating poverty.

Guterres noted on August 18 that Annan led "the organization into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination."

In an interview in 2013, Annan said his "darkest moment" was his inability to stop the U.S.-led war against Iraq in 2003.

"I worked very hard," he said. "I was working the phone, talking to leaders around the world. The U.S. did not have the support in the Security Council. So they decided to go without the council. But I think the council was right in not sanctioning the war."

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/former-un-chief-kofi- annan-dead-at-age-80/29440923.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.

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UN mourns death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, 'a guiding force for good'

18 August 2018 - The United Nations is mourning the death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away peacefully after a short illness, according to a statement published on his official Twitter account on Saturday. The renowned Ghanaian diplomat was 80 years old.

Mr. Annan was the seventh man to take the helm of the global organization and the first Secretary-General to emerge from the ranks of its staff.

The current UN chief, Antonio Guterres hailed him as "a guiding force for good" and a "proud son of Africa who became a global champion for peace and all humanity."

"Like so many, I was proud to call Kofi Annan a good friend and mentor. I was deeply honoured by his trust in selecting me to serve as UN High Commissioner for Refugees under his leadership. He remained someone I could always turn to for counsel and wisdom  and I know I was not alone," Mr. Guterres said in a statement.

"He provided people everywhere with a space for dialogue, a place for problem-solving and a path to a better world. In these turbulent and trying times, he never stopped working to give life to the values of the United Nations Charter. His legacy will remain a true inspiration for all us."

Kofi Annan was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938.

He served as UN Secretary-General for two consecutive five-year terms, beginning in January 1997.

Mr. Annan joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, rising to hold senior-level posts in areas such as budget and finance, and peacekeeping.

As Mr. Guterres noted: "In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organization into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination."

From his beginnings in Geneva, Mr. Annan held UN posts in places such as Ethiopia, Egypt, the former Yugoslavia and at Headquarters in New York.

Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, he was tasked with facilitating the repatriation of more than 900 international staff as well as the release of Western hostages.

He later led the first UN team negotiating with Iraq on the sale of oil to fund purchases of humanitarian aid.

Immediately prior to his appointment as Secretary-General in January 1997, Mr. Annan headed the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations during a period which saw an unprecedented growth in the Organization's field presence.

His first major initiative as UN chief was a plan for UN reform, presented to Member States in July 1997.

Mr. Annan used his office to advocate for human rights, the rule of law, development and Africa, and he worked to bring the UN closer to people worldwide by forging ties with civil society, the private sector and other partners.

As Secretary-General, he also galvanized global action to fight HIV/AIDS and combat terrorism.

Mr. Annan and the United Nations jointly were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.

In his farewell statement to the UN General Assembly in December 2006, Kofi Annan expressed emotion over leaving what he called "this mountain with its bracing winds and global views."

Although the job had been difficult and challenging, he admitted that it was also "thrillingly rewarding" at times.

"And while I look forward to resting my shoulder from those stubborn rocks in the next phase of my life, I know I shall miss the mountain," he said.

However, Mr. Annan did not rest, taking on the role of UN Special Envoy for Syria in the wake of the conflict which began in March 2011.

He also chaired an Advisory Commission established by Myanmar in 2016 to improve the welfare of all people in Rakhine state, home to the minority Rohingya community.

His homeland, Ghana, established an international peacekeeping training centre that bears his name, which as commissioned in 2004.

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The matter came to light when the woman's sister informed the police at 9.15 pm after she could not get in touch with them.

The bodies of the woman and her son with multiple stab injuries were found inside their house on Sunday. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: A man was arrested for allegedly killing a woman and her son in Seemapuri area of Shahdara when she asked the accused to repay a Rs 25,000 loan taken from her, police said on Monday.

The bodies of the woman and her son with multiple stab injuries were found inside their house on Sunday.

The woman's body was found inside a bed box while her son's body was found in the bathroom, police said.

The accused, a resident of Nandnagri area, and the woman's son were batchmates in a computer course a year ago.

The matter came to light when the woman's sister informed the police at 9.15 pm after she could not get in touch with them.

During interrogation, the accused, reportedly in his 20s, told the police that he killed the duo on August 17, police said.

The police are also probing the role of another person in the double-murder case, police said.
More than 82,000 people in Kerala have been displaced due to the flood that has ravaged the state over the past nine days.

Volunteers segregate flood relief material donated by the public to be sent to Kerala, in Thane on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: In order to help the flood-affected in Kerala, the Maharashtra government has decided to send a team of 60 doctors to the said state. The team will leave on Monday, equipped with stocks of medicines as per the requirement sent by the Kerala government, chocolate bars, protein bars and blankets. Meanwhile, city Samaritans and non-profit organisations have joined the nationwide relief efforts by collecting distilled water, food packets, medicines, clothes and sanitary pads for the victims of the Kerala floods.

More than 82,000 people in Kerala have been displaced due to the flood that has ravaged the state over the past nine days. More than 324 people have died and more than 3,14,000 people have been shifted to 2,094 relief camps.

Girish Mahajan, state medical education minister, said, The state government is in constant touch with the Kerala government, asking the latter what they need. We are extending all medical and moral support to the Kerala government. The first batch of 60 doctors will be leaving on Monday and will stay there for about a week and take stock of the situation after which more medicos will be sent.

Keralites in the city have formed a group called Basin Kerala and collected about 16 tonnes of food. The group has already sent around 8 tonnes of biscuits, rice, water and other nourishment to the state.

A senior-level corporate Danish Shaikh said, Currently, the flood-affected are in need of distilled water, basic food, medicines and sanitary pads and it is our small efforts to collect all these and send to the victims.

Rizwan Merchant, an advocate and Mahim and Haji Ali dargah trustee, said, We have started collecting all the required material such as clothes, uncooked food packets, required medicines, bed spreads, blankets, mosquito repellants, and even candles as there is no electricity.

If anyone wants to contribute, they can give uncooked food packets, clothes, sanitary pads, diapers, medicines and ORS packets to Mahim dargah, he said.
The government on August 13 dismissed Ananthasubramanian from service.

Mumbai: The former managing director and CEO of Allahabad Bank, Usha Ananthasubramanian, was granted bail by a special CBI court in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case on Monday. She was earlier the CEO and managing director of the scam-hit PNB. Last week, the CBI informed the special CBI court that the President of India had given his sanction for her prosecution in the case, and the court had thereafter taken cognisance of it.

The government on August 13 dismissed Ananthasubramanian from service. Three months ago, Ananthasubramanian was divested of all her powers as MD of Allahabad Bank, after being named in a CBI charge sheet in the Rs 14,000 crore PNB fraud case. However, she continued to be an employee of the bank.

The PNB fraud case pertains to the use of certain banking instruments to defraud the bank of thousands of crores of rupees. The instruments in question - Letters of Undertaking or LoUs - are used by customers to raise money from a banks foreign branches.

Early this year, Ananthasubramanian also became the first woman to be elected as the chairman of the Indian Banks Association.

Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of about Rs 14,000 crore through issuance of fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs).

The Mumbai branch of the PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Modi since March 2011.
The government issued directions to the IRB in this regard.

Mumbai: In a bid to provide commuters relief from traffic jams in the Thane district, the state government has stayed toll recovery at Airoli and Mulund toll centres till September 23 for light vehicles. PWD minister Cha-ndrakant Patil and PWD minister (public undertakings) Eknath Shinde, who is a Shiv Sena leader from Thane, announced the decision.

BJP vice-president, MP Vinay Sahastrabuddhe, had submitted a letter about this to Mr Patil and now, both Sena and BJP are trying to take individual credit for providing relief to Thane residents. Traffic jams have become a serious issue in Thane district ever since the Mumbra bypass was clos-ed in May this year for major repairs. Traffic diversions have worsened the situation and since the past couple of days, the Airoli and Mul-und toll plazas have witnessed serpentine queues. Thousands of Thane residents, Mr Sahastrab-uddhe, MLA Jitendra Avhad and others demanded that toll recovery be stayed at least for one month or till the Ganpati festival got over.

A meeting was held in the chamber of PWD minister Eknath Shinde regarding the issue in Mantralaya on Monday by PWD minister Chandrakant Patil and Eknath Shinde, in which secretary C.P. Joshi, MSRDC MD Radheshyam Mopalwar, and toll contractor Virendra Mhaiskar of MEP were present. It was decided that from Tuesday, recovery of toll from light vehicles (cars) would be exempted or stayed till September 23 at all three toll plazas. The government issued directions to the IRB in this regard.

Due to closure of the Mumbra bypass, vehicles plying from Navi Mum-bai towards Nashik and Ahmedabad have to pass through Airoli. Owing to this, there is an overload of Thane and Navi Mum-bai traffic, too, and long queues are being seen for the past several days. Mr Shinde directed the department to complete repairs of the Mumbra bypass till September 10. As an immediate measure however, toll recovery was stayed for light vehicles at the three toll centres. Sources said that the Sena and BJP are now both trying to take credit for the decision.
The programme was launched in April 2017 and the initial target was for a year ending April 2018.

Intel has trained as many as 99,000 developers, students and professors in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India since April 2017. (Representational image)

US chipmaker Intel has trained as many as 99,000 developers, students and professors in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India since April 2017, against a target of 15,000 for the first year of its programme, according to the tech major.

It has also tied up with premier educational institutes like the IITs in Delhi, Mumbai, Kharagpur, Kanpur, Chennai, and IIITs in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, BITS Pilani, ISI Kolkata, IISc Bangalore, CDAC and companies like Shell and TCS

among others for training under its AI developer education.

"Though we had committed to training 15,000 developers, students, and professors in AI initially through training and workshops, we have already exceeded the target over seven-fold at over 99,000 by roping in many of them from 100 organisations," said Prakash Mallya, managing director for sales and marketing, Intel India.

The programme was launched in April 2017 and the initial target was for a year ending April 2018, he said, adding the programme is aimed to democratising AI through collaborations with partners and customers. Intel powers as much as 97 per cent of data centre servers running AI workloads at present in the world.

The company, which organised its first AI developer conference in the country last week in Bengaluru after the initiative in home market US earlier this year, had over 500 developers attending it. It also announced collaborations with Philips India and Mphasis to deploy its AI portfolio in the local ecosystem.
The character played by Goldie Hawn in The First Wives Club described the plight of actresses in Hollywood with an often repeated line  There are only three ages for women in Hollywood: babe, district attorney and Driving Miss Daisy.

Things have only gotten worse since the comedy came out in 1996. With the notable exception of Meryl Streep, there are virtually no women over the age of 50 playing leading roles in Hollywood studio films.

Streeps peers who rose to stardom in the 1980s  Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Debra Winger, Holly Hunter et al  have either shifted to television or semi-retired from movies.

One of the things the audience at our recent Avon Theatre screening of the French film Let the Sunshine In liked most about the romantic comedy-drama is the fact that it is all about the character played by Juliette Binoche, who happens to be 54. The appeal of the movie and its star were also demonstrated by the fact that it drew the biggest crowd weve ever had for one of our French Cinematheque/Hearst Movie & A Martini events  more than 150 people.

Not only does the film have a mid-50s female protagonist, it violates another Hollywood taboo by exploring the sex life of that middle-aged woman. The fanmous single artist Isabelle, played by Binoche, is tired of depending on undependable men for her erotic gratification.

In an early scene, we share the characters revulsion for her banker lover when he tells her he will never leave his extraordinary wife, but that the artist is a more pliant and satisfying sex partner. He also annoys Isabelle with his disdainful treatment of the bartender who is serving them as they talk (the man is angry that the server has no vegan olives).

Isabelle doesnt have much better luck with an actor (Nicolas Duvauchelle), who is younger than her, and who expresses immediate remorse after they have sex. He wishes they could go back to the flirtatious, non-sexual period in their relationship.

Let the Sunshine In is written and directed by a woman  Claire Denis  a common occurence in French cinema but still rare for a major studio film in Hollywood. The explicit but sensitive sex scenes  which physically expose both lovers  have none of the teasing, prurient quality we get in the few U.S. pictures daring enough to risk an NC-17 rating.

Renee Ketcham, the president of the Alliance Francaise of Greenwich, which sponsored the French Cinematheque screening, agreed that both the French film industry and the audience there have no problem with stories centered on middle-aged woman. Indeed, some of the biggest movie stars in France are women who are now well past 60, including Isabelle Huppert, Nathalie Baye and Catherine Deneuve.

Like Binoche, those three performers are as busy as ever, averaging two or three films each year. In many cases, the films they make now are about the emotional and sexual lives of women over 60, a topic you never see in a Hollywood film, and one that is rarely explored in the prestige TV series that have been done by Lange, Spacek and Susan Sarandon.

The audience at Let the Sunshine In was not completely in alignment with Isabelles confusion over the men in her life  some thought the woman didnt recognize her own privilege as a wealthy artist  but they seemed to enjoy being provoked by a movie (something that wont happen to you at a Marvel comic book action film or even the best Pixar animated production from Disney Studios).

One audience member recalled the 18-month period in the late 1970s when a series of films about women were released by 20th Century Fox, including Julia, The Turning Point, An Unmarried Woman and Norma Rae. All of them were critically acclaimed, received strong reviews and won Oscars.

Fox studio chief Alan Ladd Jr. knew audiences loved womens stories in the 1930s and 1940s and there was no good reason those stories wouldnt work in 1977-1979, and he was right. Ladd also approved the sex change of the leading character in the 1979 science-fiction hit Alien with Sigourney Weaver taking on a role originally intended for Paul Newman.

Why cant we have movies like that again?, one woman asked me on her way out of the theater, adding that she found more to identify with in Let the Sunshine In  a movie made in another country in a different language  than any recent Hollywood movie she had seen.

jmeyers@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @joesview
GREENWICH  The town Fire Marshal is continuing an investigation into a fast-moving fire that tore through a house on Locust Road Aug. 10.

Fire Marshal Chris Pratico said an official determination of what caused the fire has not been made yet. The determination could be made next week.

The building at 1415 King Street, which, according to town records, is owned by Eileen Rooney, was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Fire protection in the northwest corner of the town has been the source of community debate. The engine company based in Glenville, closest to the northwest, responded to the house fire in 11 minutes. The response time in many other sections of Greenwich averages about five minutes.

The house was completely engulfed by flames when firefighters arrived.

Residents and leaders in northwest Greenwich have renewed the push for a fire station closer to their homes.

A sense of the meeting resolution urging First Selectman Peter Tesei to include funding for a new fire station in next years budget will be considered by the Representative Town Meeting on Sept. 17.

Tesei, a strong proponent of building a new station in the area, has said he will include money in the budget if it appears the RTM will support it.

In 2016, the RTM cut funding to purchase 4.76 acres on King Street for a new fire and GEMS station, calling instead for a study of town fire services to determine whether the station was needed. Tesei included that in his next budget, but in 2017, the RTM voted to cut the study, stopping the project again.
NVIDIA has launched the long awaited next generation of graphics cards from the company, the GeForce RTX. Based on the company's new Turing architecture, the new graphics card focus on real-time ray tracing application in gaming as well as artificial intelligence.

Turing is NVIDIA's brand new, eight-generation architecture that succeeds Pascal. It brings with it new RT Cores that replace the previous CUDA for ray tracing applications and also includes new Tensor Cores for AI. NVIDIA first debuted this architecture in the workstation grade Quadro RTX 8000, 6000 and 5000 GPU and it is now being brought to consumer grade graphics cards. NVIDIA claims Turing is 6X faster at ray tracing applications than Pascal.

A brief summary on ray tracing; in real world, we see because rays of light bounce off of objects. Ray tracing works similarly, where rays of light hit objects and then bounce off to the camera, sometimes directly, sometimes after hitting other objects in the vicinity, just like in real life. This light is then captured by the camera, which is then used to render the scene. The reflected light carries the information of the object it hit, based on its coded values, which is how the camera knows what it's 'seeing'. To make the process a bit simpler, the light is sent backwards from the camera to the light source, as it reduces some of the computational load.

An upside to this technique is objects can be made to look very realistic as they are lit in a very natural way. Reflections, refractions and shadows also work as they would in real life, which adds to the feeling of realism. It's not exactly photorealistic, but it's a significant improvement over current rendering techniques.

Because you need to calculate a ray of light for each and every pixel on your camera, which is your screen, ray tracing is extremely computationally intensive compared to standard rendering techniques. This is why it was only really used in 3D animation, such as animated movies, which are slowly rendered on a frame by frame basis over a period of several months. It was not at all feasible in 3D games, except it now is (on a somewhat simpler scale) using NVIDIA's new graphics cards.

The products launching today include the RTX 2070, 2080 and 2080 Ti. Along with the new RT Cores and Tensor Cores, these cards also include a new NGX neural graphics framework for AI algorithms, GDDR6 memory with 600GB/s bandwidth, new NVIDIA NVLink with a higher 100 GB/s bandwidth for SLI, hardware support for USB-C and VirtualLink, and other technologies such as Variable Rate Shading, Multi-View Rendering and VRWorks Audio.

NVIDIA has launched Founders Edition versions of each of these three cards. These feature a factory overclock, dual 13-blade axial fans, full-card vapor chamber, diecast aluminum cover, and DisplayPort 1.4a with 8K HDR at 60Hz support over a single connector.



RTX 2070  RTX 2080  RTX 2080 Ti

The RTX 2070, 2080 and 2080 Ti will be starting at $499, $699 and $999, respectively. The Founders Editions will be priced at $599, $799 and $1,199, respectively. Cards will be available starting from NVIDIA as well as the usual partner OEMs starting September 20 for the 2080 and 2080 Ti, with the 2070 coming in October.

NVIDIA is working with developers such as EA, Epic Games, Square Enix on games with ray tracing. Upcoming games with ray tracing include Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Metro Exodus, Control, Assetto Corsa Competizione and more. These games will utilize the new DirectX Raytracing (DXR) API developed by Microsoft on Windows.

GeForce RTX will also support Deep Learning Super-Sampling (DLSS), which will be coming in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy XV, Ark: Survival Evolved, Hitman 2, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Serious Sam 4 and more.

Source 1  Source 2  Source 3
DNA evidence collected from rape kit matched DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab.

Jurors convicted Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at the Baylor College of Medicine, of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended this past week. (Representational Image)

Houston: An Indian-American doctor from Texas, who was convicted of raping a sedated patient in a hospital, will not serve prison time and, instead, will spend 10 years of probation.

Jurors convicted Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at the Baylor College of Medicine, of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended this past week.

The crime is punishable by up 20 years in prison, but the Texas jury sentenced Sheikh to 10 years of probation on Friday.

Sheikh will have to register as a sex offender. Unlike most states and the federal government, Texas grants juries the power to set criminal punishments.

The punishment has surprised defense attorneys, disappointed law enforcement and raised concerns from a victims advocacy group, according to media reports.

The jurors had recommended the sentencing, to which visiting Senior District Judge Terry L Flenniken was required to follow by law, according to local media report.

Sheikh was working in night shift at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital in 2013 when a woman was admitted for shortness of breath and wheezing.

She was in the hospital overnight and sedated when Sheikh came to her room several times during the night and sexually assaulted her.

The woman said she attempted to get help from a nurse, but the call button would not work.

DNA evidence collected from a rape kit matched the DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab. But it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh.

Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located. He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night. "He sought her out. He chose her to prey on," Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing.

"You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that."

"You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this... knowing what he did," she added.

During the trial, the doctor admitted to the sexual contact with the woman, but insisted it was consensual. Lawyers also pleaded with the jury to show some compassion to Sheikh, his wife and children, who also suffered consequences due to his actions.

"The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams," Sheikh's lawyer Stanley Schneider said.

"What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him."

The Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015 after they found he was a "continuing threat to public welfare." Sheikh has since left the hospital.

The woman, now 32, said after the sentencing she wanted to move on from the incident. She told KHOU11 in 2015 that she believed there are other victims.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





Messages : Passing of Kofi Annan

President Jovenel Moise "Kofi Annan, a great UN figure, has passed away. Nobel Peace Prize, his passage at the head of the Institution has left the memory of a craftsman of global stability. I bow to his remains and convey my condolences to the great family of the United Nations."



PM resigning Jack Guy Lafontant "I salute the departure of a world political leader, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who died in Switzerland on 18 August. Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2001, Annan marked his time as head of the institution and his death is a great loss for Africa and for the world."



Michaelle Jean "From friend Kofi Annan, who has seen the world fall into horror, I hold this confession, its dilemma "How can the United Nations defend its raison d'etre if it fails to stand up for human rights first and foremost?" Respect for this tireless peace maker."



Deputy Gary Bodeau "Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former UN Secretary General. Beyond the speech, a whole life dedicated to fight for a better world. The example to follow."



The opposition wants a transitional government

In a note, the organizations of the "democratic and popular" movement which gathers about twenty opposition political parties, which are not involved in the consultations with the appointed Prime Minister, Jean Henry Ceant for the formation of the next Government, reiterates its attachment to the installation of a Transitional Government with a provisional President from the Court of Cassation.



Canada : More than 500 rejected Haitian asylum seekers

More than 500 Haitian asylum seekers in Canada, have already received notifications of Canadian immigration to leave the country after the rejection of their demands. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25196-haiti-flash-already-more-than-500-haitians-entered-illegally-in-canada-expelled-in-haiti.html



Did you know ?

The Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) funded the restoration of the Cap-Haitien Cathedral, built in 1670 during the founding of the city of Cap-Haitien. Work that lasted nearly 2 years



Festival of Gelee

The festivities of the Festival of Gelee in Les Cayes (12th to 15th of August) took place overall in a good atmosphere. The Civil Protection volunteers who were mobilized in Gelee, recorded only one case of stabbing, who received first treatment on the spot before being rushed to the hospital by a team from the National Ambulance Center (CAN).



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2018/08/19 | Source

On the latest episode of the tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine", Kudo Hina (Kim Min-jung) comforted Goo Dong-mae (Yoo Yeon-seok) who had been tortured.

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Goo Dong-mae said, "I don't get it because there's more than one person who is a thorn in my side".

Hina said, "It's okay to say it's because of Lee Wan-ik". Lee Wan-ik (Kim Eui-sung) was her pro-Japanese father.

"It's better for Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun) to move than me. It seems he had a special bond with that missionary. I think he has a culprit in mind".

Goo Dong-mae said, "He's never come to find me. We've never been on good terms".

Hina comforted, "That could mean that he trusts you".

Goo Dong-mae had been framed for murdering the American Missionary Joseph.
After a tremendously successful meeting held in Havre in February to help people learn how to detect if someone is developing Alzheimers disease, a second educational meeting is set this month, the day after a support group meets for the first time.

Jennifer Tilleman of Edward Jones Investments, who is the local ambassador for the Montana Alzheimers Association, said the February meeting filled the conference rooms used at Northern Montana Hospital.

So I am hoping this event turns out just as well, she said.

This months presentation about communicating with someone with Alzheimers or other types of dementia is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Northern Montana Hospital Third Floor Conference Room.

People are asked to RSVP for the meeting by calling the Alzheimers Association 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900 or emailing [email protected]

The night before, Tuesday, Aug. 28, a new Alzheimers support group will meet for the first time from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Havre-Hill County Library. The group will continue to meet the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Tilleman said Edwards Jones has partnered with Alzheimers associations to help increase awareness and provide services, including helping fund the Helpline, research and service, support and informational activities.

Alzheimers and dementia can affect almost anybody and I have experienced it, Tilleman said, adding, And the fact is, theres not much known about it and not a lot of resources.

She said research has greatly increased understanding and treatment of cancers, heart disease and other illnesses, but not much has happened with Alzheimers.

Theres a stigma with Alzheimers, and people dont know much about it, she said.

Even more distressing, she said, is that research estimates that in the aging population of the United States, 1 in 3 people will die while suffering from Alzheimers or other dementia.

The expense also will increase, Tilleman said. The estimate now is that in the last five years of their life, people with Alzheimers will spend an average of $287,000 in dealing with the disease. In 20 years that will increase to $750,000.

She said the more attention, understanding, funding and research that can be raised on Alzheimers, the better.

The success and interest from the previous meeting has helped lead to the efforts this month, she said.

The drive and compassion of community partners and volunteers in Havre has led to the development of an upcoming education program and ongoing support group to help families address communication changes and other caregiving dynamics that can occur with dementia, a press release said.

The release said this months presentation, Effective Communication Strategies, is a no-cost program provided by the Alzheimers Association in partnership with Edward Jones.

The presentation will explore how communication takes place when someone has Alzheimers and other types of dementia, the release said.

By the end of the program, attendees will be able to:

 Explain the communication changes that take place throughout the course of the disease.

 Decode the verbal and behavioral messages delivered by someone with dementia and respond in ways that are helpful to the person.

 Identify strategies to connect and communicate at each stage of the disease.



Alzheimers Association

The Alzheimers Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimers research, care and support.

Its mission is to eliminate Alzheimers disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Its vision is a world without Alzheimers. Visit http://www.alz.org/montana or call 800-272-3900.
Press release

Havre Elks Lodge No. 1201 and the Elks National Foundation have announced that the 2018-2019 Most Valuable Student Scholarship program is now underway.

All high school seniors who are U.S. citizens are welcome to apply. The entire Most Valuable Student application process is handled on-line with applicants being judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

Local Elks Scholarship Chairman Bob Nieuwenhuyse said applicants will be judged at three levels with the opportunity to earn scholarships at the local, state and national level. Six scholarship winners  three young men and three young women  from the local Lodge level will advance to the Montana state judging. The top five students will receive additional scholarships as well as advanc to the national level.

At the national level, two first-place scholarships of $50,000 each, two second-place scholarships of $40,000 and two $30,000 third-place scholarships will be awarded, Nieuwenhuyse said.

The remaining 14 finalists will receive $20,000 and 480 runners-up will receive fifth-place scholarships of $4,000 for a total of $2,440,000 nationwide.

Students who want to apply for the scholarships do not have to have an affiliation with the Order of Elks and the deadline to apply for the Most Valuable Student scholarship is November 15.

On-line applications and additional information are located at http://www.enf.elks.org/mvs/.

For local information or assistance for interested students, families or high schools people can contact Nieuwenhuyse at 265-7622.
The Fort Belknap Indian Community Council has set a series of meetings to talk with members of the Gros Ventre and Assinniboine tribes about water rights, including one set for tonight in Hays.

With a water compact approved by the Montana state government but stalled in Congress, the council has in recent years held meetings to educate people about the compacts and the importance of water rights.

The series started Sunday in Billings with the Billings Indian Community and continues tonight from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hays-Lodge Pole High School in Hays.

Tuesday, a meeting will have two sessions, both at the Fort Belknap Bingo Hall for the Fort Belknap Indian Community and tribal employees. The first session runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and the second from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

A meeting will also run Tuesday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Great Northern Inn in Havre, with a 6 to 8:30 p.m. meeting set Wednesday at the Lodge Pole Senior Center and from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dodson Senior Center.

Topics for discussion at the meetings include:

 Why a water rights settlement is needed

 What rivers and creeks are included in the Fort Belknap tribes water rights

 How much water belongs to the tribes

 What is the economic gain from enforceable water rights

 What happened to land transfers

 What about Grinnell Lands

 Answers to questions from people at the workshops.
Editors note: This version includes the location of the brewfest.

Cold beers, food and live music will be coming to Havre this Saturday for the communitys enjoyment, said Havre Trails organizer Lindsey Brandt-Bennett.

It will be a lot of fun and its a really important fundraiser, she said.

The Second Annual Havre Trails Brewfest is set for Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. at Pepin Park with all proceeds going toward local trail projects, Brandt-Bennett said, adding that the fundraiser last year raised enough money to complete the new 1-mile Rotary Loop Trail at Beaver Creek Park. She said the organization hopes to expand this trail and build others in the future.

Havre Trails is an organization for everyone interested in promoting and improving the walking, running and biking paths in the Havre and Hill County area, its Facebook page says.

The organization not only adds to the recreation infrastructure but wants to show people what is there and what opportunities are available, Brandt-Bennett said. The organization also wants to generate energy and interest and get other projects going. She added that Havre Trails also hosts hikes all throughout the summer months.

She said Havre Trails and the fundraiser are important to the community and this event will help the organization create more recreational activities for Hill County.

I think that Havre has a lot of recreational opportunities and also a lot of potential, Brandt-Bennett said. So what our organization is trying to do is to capitalize on that and celebrate that and also add to it.

She added that projects like the Rotary Loop Trail are something that they would like to do again in the future.

The brewfest will have 10 breweries present akong with other brews on tap. The event will also have four food trucks, live music and one winery.

The event is a year-long planning process, Brandt-Bennett said, with the organization using different methods of contacting companies and musical groups, such as volunteers passing out fliers for the event at the Winter Brewfest earlier this year. She added that Havre Trails has also worked closely with Havre Distributors and Gusto Distributing, which represents many of the Montana microbreweries from across the state.

She said the companies have helped facilitate the process as well as recruiting for and aiding with accommodations for the breweries that are participating in the event.

Brandt-Bennett also thanked all the community supporters and sponsors for the event, Triangle Communications, Havre Tourism Business Improvement District, Triple Dog Brewing Co., Old Station Brewing Co., New Media Broadcasting, Independence Bank, Bergren Transmission, Bear Paw Credit Union, Havre Distributors, Gusto Distributing, Custom Collision Repair, Culligan of Havre, Havre Ford, Finest Boot Repair, Steve and Julie Mariani, and the 30 volunteers Havre Trails has for the event.

Local breweries and others from Montana and neighboring states will be at the brewfest, Brandt-Bennett said, including Triple Dog Brewing Co. and Old Station Brewing Co. of Havre; Busted Knuckle Brewery of Glasgow; Cut Bank Creek Brewery of Cut Bank; Beaver Creek Brewery of Wibaux; Mighty Mo Brewing Co. and Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. of Great Falls; Red Lodge Ales out of Red Lodge; Flathead Lake Brewing Co. of Bigfork, and Roadhouse Brewing Co. of Wyoming.

The winery is Tailing Loop Winery of Kalispell, which is owned by Havre-native Meredith Hanson, Brandt-Bennett said.

The food trucks at the event will be Fat Billy and the Boyz BBQ, the Streatery, Pretty Paint Catering and Parkers BBQ Pit, she added.

She said two live bands, the Fort Benton duo The Lucky Valentines and Havres own Stevie Nixon, will perform at the brewfest.

We hope people join us and bring their friends and let their out-of-town friends come, too, Brandt-Bennett said, because part of this is also bringing people to Havre and showing what Havre has to offer.

For more information, go to Havre Trails Facebook page at https:/www.facebook.com/havretrails/.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  One airplane mishap at the country's main airport has caused chaos for thousands of air passengers all over the country.

Three days after a Xiamen Airlines plane skidded off the international runway of NAIA on August 16, passengers in Manila and regional airports are still suffering the effects on Monday.

Over the course of four days, the flights of thousands of passengers were delayed by long hours or even days. Some of them camped out in the airport, opting to lie down on floors to get a bit of rest during the chaotic time.

The delays and cancellations, of course, led to the disruption of travel plans.

Some passengers also complained of unclear communication from their airlines, saying they were not told the flights were canceled.

An OFW also complained that the airport chaos is an added problem for her working visa.

"Pa-expire na ang visa ko. Ang hirap. Sana paliparin na nila ako bago mag-expire ang visa ko. Yun ang tanging hiling ko," passenger Cherry Tagupa told CNN Philippines on Monday.

The airport chaos is creating a domino effect.

Passenger Kath Alcantara was flown to Hong Kong two days after her scheduled flight to Vancouver. But her problems are adding up.

When she got there via Hong Kong Airlines, she was told that the next available flight out to Vancouver is on August 30.

"Ayaw ng Hong Kong Airlines na malipat kami sa ibang airline. Sinasabi na na-miss namin ang original flight namin kaya sinusubukang ipasok kami sa daily flights as chance passengers," she told CNN Philippines.

She added it has caused her and her father, who was a stroke patient, so much trouble.

"Nagsu-suffer kami ng sobra. Nag-provide sila ng hotel and food noong first night, pero nung second day wala na... Based sa assessment ko, parang niloloko lang kami. Kasi noong simula ang daming kunyaring ginagawang paraan. Ang daming statements na hindi naman pala totoo," she said.

Even government officials were not spared from the chaos.

Senator JV Ejercito shared his "nightmarish" experience at the Davao International Airport on Sunday. He was stuck in the airport overnight and chose to slept in the lounge.

He said NAIA's current intersecting runway should be reconstructed because this does not support two simultaneous landings.

"I would want to push for the massive infrastructure, that includes new airports and the railway system. A single international runway just wouldn't work anymore. By international standards, all international airports have two parallel runways... What would be good for NAIA's problems is to have a twin airport system like in Haneda and Tokyo," he said on Sunday.

Aviation authorities are meeting with Xiamen Airlines officials Monday to discuss the runway incident.

Xiamen Air Flight MF8667 carrying 157 passengers and eight crew slid off NAIA's 6/24 runway while landing amid a downpour on August 16. The plane's nose wheel collapsed while its left engine ripped off as it bounced and veered off the runway.

The incident prompted aviation authorities to close the runway for more than 24 hours. As a result, more than a hundred domestic and international flights were canceled or delayed while some were rerouted to Clark or Cebu airports.

The Senate Committee on Public Service will also look into the incident.
In 1950, Avnery founded an independent weekly magazine, Haolam Hazeh, which he edited for 40 years.

Uri Avnery, Israeli writer and founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement, speaks during a interview with AFP at his home in the coastal city of Tel Aviv on July 26, 2011. (Photo: AFP)

Jerusalem: Israeli journalist and peace activist Uri Avnery, who pushed for the creation of a Palestinian state and stoked controversy by meeting Yasser Arafat, has died aged 94, a hospital spokesman said Monday.

Seen by many as the backbone of Israels peace movement, Avnery never lost hope an agreement could be reached with the Palestinians.

But before becoming a prominent peace activist, he was a soldier and even part of a right-wing militia.

A spokesman for Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv said Avnery died overnight.

He had been admitted to Ichilov more than a week ago after suffering from a stroke, he added.

Born in September 1923 in Beckum, Germany as Helmut Ostermann, Avnery immigrated to British-mandate Palestine with his family at the age of 10, fleeing Nazism.

In 1950, he founded an independent weekly magazine, Haolam Hazeh, which he edited for 40 years.

The anti-establishment journal, the only one at that time not run by a political party, had a considerable influence on the Israeli press.

He founded a political movement in 1965 and was elected to Israels parliament where he served eight years.

In 1979 he was voted in as part of a different movement and spent two more years as a lawmaker before resigning.

Avnery had pushed since the end of the first Arab-Israeli war which began in 1948 for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as a means to bring peace.

In July 1982, he caused a firestorm by becoming one of the first Israelis to meet Palestinian leader Arafat in Beirut, then under siege by the Israeli army.

Arab Israeli politician Ayman Odeh and former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni were among the first to pay tribute to Averny.

Odeh, head of the Joint List, a mainly Arab alliance in Israels parliament, called him a dear man who dedicated his life to peace.

His voice, ideas and worldview will continue to resonate after his departure, he said in a statement.

Opposition head Livni, from the centre-left Zionist Union, called Avnery a courageous journalist and rare, trailblazing man.

She said he maintained his principles despite attacks and planted in the heart of Israelis ideas of peace and moderation, even when they werent in the lexicon.

As a teen Avnery was a member of the Irgun, the right-wing Zionist militia that fought both local Arabs and Palestines British rulers prior to Israels 1948 declaration of statehood.

He had no regrets about belonging to the group.

I fought for the freedom of my people against the British occupiers, he said. For the same reasons, I always thought that the Palestinians were entitled to their independence and freedom.

A prolific writer, he published over 10 books including his 2014 autobiography titled Optimistic.

While prospects for peace seemed to be dwindle in recent years under rightwing Israeli governments, Avnery remained firm in his belief the public could be swayed to support a Palestinian state.

I remain optimistic because I believe in the ability of the (Israeli) people to change course, Avnery told AFP in a 2011 interview.
In 2014, the Fair Work Commission ordered Wallaces company to pay $20,769 compensation to an engineer it found had been unfairly dismissed, and later also ordered the company to pay the employee costs of $8,470.

However, after making multiple requests to pay the compensation and costs to the worker, the FWO took legal action against them for contravening the Fair Work Act by failing to comply with the Commissions orders.

Ombudsman Sandra Parker said that $125,600 in total penalties is a record against an employer for failing to comply with an order to pay unfair dismissal compensation.

The penalties obtained by the Fair Work Ombudsman send a strong message to businesses that there are serious consequences for failing to comply with Fair Work Commission Orders, said Parker.

It is fundamental for the integrity of the workplace relations system that orders are complied with and we will take legal action to ensure employees receive compensation.
Does President Higgins have a cunning plan? Is he adopting the rope-a-dope strategy of Muhammad Ali, hoping to soak up some early pressure before flattening his opponents with a sucker punch?

At this stage of the fight, Michael D's supporters can only hope so; otherwise, his low-key approach could see him counted out of Aras an Uachtarain.

Over the past two weeks, several stories have threatened to hurt the President's saintly image.

Senator Gerard Craughwell, who pulled out of the race last month because he couldn't afford to fund a campaign, has claimed Michael D once stayed in a 3,000-a-night Swiss hotel suite.

To put it mildly, this is not the sort of image usually projected by a man who sometimes went barefoot during his poverty-stricken childhood.

The President's office, however, has refused to comment because it is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, despite receiving more than 30m of taxpayers' money over the past seven years.

There are also persistent calls for Michael D to release his medical records, not least from the candidates lining up against him. None of them wants to look ageist, of course, but they do want to subtly remind us that President Higgins would be 84 at the end of a second term.

Artist Kevin Sharkey is at least being a little more up-front about it, declaring last week: "If I was going for a driving test, they'd check my eyesight. That's a pretty advanced age for someone who's expected to go on 16 or 18-hour flights around the world."

Most significantly of all, Higgins' former and perhaps future challenger Sean Gallagher is stirring the pot again.

Advisers to the Dragons' Den star have leaked details of a private opinion poll that claims 57pc of voters are annoyed by the fact that Michael D is breaking his promise to serve only one term.

The poll also suggests that more than 70pc think he is a "less active" president than Mary McAleese.

In other words, the outline of a strategy to beat Higgins is starting to take shape.

Between now and election day in October, his enemies will paint him as a smoked salmon socialist who has become lazy, complacent and careless with the taxpayers' money.

"We all agree that Michael D has done a good job," will be their basic message, "but at this stage he's simply over the hill and it's time for someone fresh to take over."

Pompously

So what does Higgins have to say in response? The answer up to now has been nothing much.

When asked about his expenses at a press conference in New York last April, he looked angry and pompously dismissed the question as "rather sad".

As for his advanced years, the President insists that he "absolutely" has the energy for a second term, but effectively wants us to take his word for it.

As for his U-turn on seeking re-election, his only excuse so far is that people have begged him not to retire, which has unfortunate echoes of Enda Kenny's famous story about meeting a man with two pints in his hand.

All this gives the impression that Higgins hopes to win seven more years by just standing still and letting everyone else self-destruct. Watching some of the early presidential pitches, you can see his point.

In recent days we have seen a candidate who wants to crown himself king, a black man who thinks Ireland should be kept "predominantly white" and a woman who includes playing the tin whistle on her list of credentials, which suggests that she might be better off entering the Rose of Tralee competition.

Sooner or later, however, these no-hopers are sure to be weeded out and the real contest can begin.

We already know that Higgins will be facing pot-shots from at least one pro-business Dragon on the right and a Sinn Fein contender on the left.

By common consent, our poet President got a relatively easy ride during the 2011 election bloodbath, but this time he's the incumbent with a giant target on his back. As such, he must start getting ready to defend himself.

If there's one thing we all know Michael D can do well, it's talk. A presidential campaign would be exactly the wrong time for him to adopt a stony silence, even if he does think any attack on his record is beneath contempt.

The bottom line remains that this is Higgins' race to lose.

Right now, it looks like he might just be capable of doing exactly that.
Gardai at the scene of the fatal stabbing at a house on Rutland Grove, Crumlin. Photo: Arthur Carron

A 63-year-old man has died after a vicious stabbing at a house in south Dublin.

Gardai have launched a murder investigation into the incident on Rutland Grove, Crumlin, which happened at 8pm last night.

Stolen

The man was stabbed at his home by a lone male, before the suspect fled in a stolen car.

Gardai were alerted to the scene and a manhunt was launched across Dublin 12 and the south-inner city area.

The suspect was later arrested in the Blanchardstown area of west Dublin.

The scene remained sealed-off at Rutland Grove last night pending a technical examination.

The victim was brought to St James's Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The exact motive behind the killing has not yet been established, but it is understood that the victim was known to the chief suspect.

Around a dozen gardai, including detectives, were at the scene last night.

A number of shocked locals were also seen being comforted by friends following the horrific incident.

Rampage

A source last night said that the suspect had been "on a rampage" over the recent days leading up to the killing.

"He was arrested on suspicion of drug driving the day before this stabbing, and was in a very bad state," the source said.

"Unfortunately there was nothing gardai could charge him with that would constitute an offence to oppose bail.

"This is still a live and active investigation.

"The exact circumstances in which this stabbing took place have yet to be fully established."

The incident is under investigation by detectives at Sundrive Road Garda Station.

The office of the State Pathologist has been notified.

Sources said that the victim suffered an arterial bleed after being slashed in the neck.
Former presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher is expected to begin canvassing councillors this week to back him for a second tilt at the Aras.

Mr Gallagher has been carrying out a secret poll to determine his chances of success if he launches a fresh challenge.

Sources said the businessman and former Dragons' Den investor will consider a run for at least another fortnight before making a decision.

Mr Gallagher lost out to Michael D Higgins in 2011 after the infamous Tweetgate episode on RTE.

However, the Cavan man has been fuelling speculation in recent weeks that he will become the second Dragon to seek to contest the election this year.

His Dragons' Den co-star Gavin Duffy and senator Joan Freeman have been presenting to local authorities in recent weeks.

A source confirmed to the Sunday Independent that Mr Gallagher may begin contacting councillors privately in the coming days.

Confident

He secured the backing of four councils in 2011, and supporters are confident he can do the same again.

Mr Gallagher has yet to make a public statement on his intentions, but has written to all local authority chairs urging that they use their constitutional powers to nominate a candidate. He has also written to the Housing Minister to appeal for a change in electoral literature.

Meanwhile, journalist Gemma O'Doherty has become the latest person to flag a potential challenge.

She took to social media to reveal her intentions and asked people to urge their TDs and senators to support her.

A potential candidate may earn a nomination with the support of 20 TDs or senators.

With Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour backing Mr Higgins for a second term, there is a limited pool of TDs and senators available to back an Independent candidate.

Ms O'Doherty is a former journalist at the Irish Independent who was awarded undisclosed damages when she took an unfair dismissal case against the paper.

In a lengthy statement explaining her intentions, she said she believed Ireland is "broken".

She added that her vision of the presidency is of one where the president can hold the Government to account despite the constitutional limits of the office.
The new foreign minister said Pakistan wants to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and create peace in the region.

After the swearing-in ceremony at the President House, Qureshi (right) went to Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs to address the media.

Islamabad: Pakistan's new foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday extended the hand of friendship to India soon after taking oath by offering "uninterrupted" dialogue to resolve all the outstanding issues, saying it is the "only wise course" as the two countries cannot afford any "adventurism".

After the swearing-in ceremony at the President House, Qureshi went to Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs to address the media.

Qureshi was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks took place. He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based LeT terrorists attacked India's financial capital.

The new foreign minister said Pakistan wants to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and create peace in the region.

He said Pakistan wants to resolve all issues with India through talks. "We need a continued uninterrupted dialogue. It is the only wise course for us," he said.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.

The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April last year further deteriorated bilateral ties

Qureshi, the vice-president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on Monday said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sent a letter on Sunday to congratulate Prime Minister Imran Khan and mentioned about talks to resolve issues. "I welcome her letter," he said.

"I want to say to Indian Foreign Minister that we are not only neighbours but also nuclear powers. We have old issues and we both know what these issues are. We need to address these issues," he said.

Qureshi said that the two countries cannot afford any adventurism due to close proximity.

"We cannot afford any adventurism as response time is so short. The only option is to engage with each other. We cannot live in enmity and we have to accept that there are outstanding issues," he said. He also added Kashmir is an issue and both countries know about it.

He said former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lahore and Islamabad and recognised the reality of Pakistan and the issue of Kashmir.

"Whether we wish or not, Kashmir is an issue and both countries have recognised it. In my opinion there is no option other than talks to resolve it," he said.

Prime Minister Khan in his maiden address to the nation on Sunday said Pakistan will hold talks with all its neighbours to normalise ties as without it peace cannot be brought in the country.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

"If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start," he had said.

Talking about Afghanistan, Qureshi said he will make a phone call to the foreign minister of Afghanistan and also visit Kabul with a "solid message" that both countries have same destiny. "There will be no peace in Pakistan without peace in Afghanistan," he said.

"I want to tell people of Afghanistan to understand each other's problems and bilaterally try to resolve all issues," he said.

Talking about relations with the US, he said there is trust deficit between the two countries but Pakistan wants to have good ties based on its interests.

Qureshi said that the foreign policy of the new government will be based on interests of Pakistan and it can be fine-tuned according to the needs of the nation.

He said that priority of Pakistan's foreign policy will be "how we can change lives of common people through economic diplomacy." "We will try to change lives of people through socio-economic development," he said.

He said there are enormous local and regional challenges but "we want to make progress on these issues." "Some forces have been trying to isolate the country but it will not happen now," he said.

He said his government will build national consensus on foreign affairs. "I will follow bipartisan approach on the issues of foreign policy."

He announced that he will invite Opposition leaders for consultations before the next month's UN General Assembly session.
The death toll of the flood victims reached 370 confirmed deaths. More than 724 thousand people are displaced in makeshift camps. The authorities reopen commercial flights at Kochi airport; six health inspectors located in each municipality to prevent the spread of diseases.

Thiruvananthapuram (AsiaNews) - A humanitarian crisis has been declared in Kerala, as the death toll from the worst floods of the last 100 years worsens by the hour, reaching 370 during the weekend. The spread of epidemics is feared among nearly 800 thousand displaced persons. This is why Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Indian Bishops' Conference (CBCI), has launched an urgent appeal to all Catholics, bishops and local communities to unite in solidarity with Caritas India, which operates through relief teams throughout the Indian state.

In the text of the note we read: "In the name of the whole Catholic Church in India, I appeal with fervor to you, brother bishops and all the ecclesiastical hierarchies, to unite in solidarity and encourage the community of faithful, institutions and people of good will to contribute generously to this humanitarian crisis and to express our solidarity at this crucial moment ".

Yesterday during the Sunday Angelus Pope Francis prayed for the victims and survivors of the natural disaster. "May the concrete solidarity and support of the international community not be lacking to these our brothers and sisters ". The pontiff's appeal follows one made last week by the Indian bishops, who also invite people "to adopt urgent solutions to preserve the environment and prevent further ecological damage to our common home, Mother Earth".

The social arm of the Church has opened a fundraising campaign to respond immediately and effectively to the emergency caused by the monsoon rains (for more information on how to donate, click here). Speaking to AsiaNews Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of Caritas India, reports the extent of the devastation: "Over 67 thousand families suffering from flooding and avalanches. There are about 24 thousand hectares of agricultural land lost: this means that most of the affected communities have lost their main source of income, since they are busy working in the fields and are working as day laborers. " "Given that the subsistence [of the population] depends on the daily work in the fields - he continues - there has been a sense of insecurity among the laborers, deriving from the loss of income".

The latest data released by the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reports 724,649 displaced persons who found refuge in 5,645 makeshift camps. Meanwhile, the administration has decided to deploy six health inspectors to each municipality, in order to monitor the medical situation and prevent the spread of diseases related to water unhealthiness. Also today the airport of Kochi has been reopened, but only for the sorting of commercial loads. However, thousands of people are still isolated, especially in rural areas.

Card. Gracias stresses the importance of the Caritas efforts, which "is helping in the 24 dioceses of the state and distributes food, drinking water, clothes and utensils". "There is an urgent need to reach even more blocked and isolated communities in remote areas and unreachable villages. Our timely assistance can meet the needs of those afflicted and reduce the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Kerala. There is an extreme need to rebuild the lives of people and communities, rehabilitating and restoring their livelihoods ".
by Mathias Hariyadi

Seismologists recorded a series of tremors, starting before midday and throughout the day yesterday, the strongest just before midnight. The epicentre was 30 kilometres northeast of East Lombok, at a depth of 10 kilometres. A convent in Mataram serves as a base camp for rescuers and volunteers.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  The toll from the latest quake to hit Lombok Island (West Nusa Tenggara province) is ten people dead and more material damage. This follows a series of quakes that devastated the island in the past few weeks.

Seismologists recorded a series of tremors starting yesterday around midday that continued during the day. The first, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, occurred just before noon, triggering landslides on the slopes of Mount Rinjani. Almost 12 hours later, a 6.9 quake hit with at least five significant aftershocks.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), said that experts placed the epicentre of the earthquake at 30 kilometres northeast of East Lombok, at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The quake was also felt in the provincial capital, Mataram, which is located in the central-northern part of the island.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Sister Claudia Ak, a nun with the Servants of Christ in Mataram, said that the quake caused ongoing power outages but that she was not worried.

Various activities have been suspended again, she explained. Many homes and buildings on the island have crumbled. Our convent has been open to volunteers and rescuers who set up their base camp in our compound.
by Aurelio Porfiri

The five-year plan for the sinicization of sacred art and music is likely to result in non-Catholic cultural artwork. The antagonism between "Chinese" and "Western" is to great. Card. Jose da Costa Nunes, former bishop of Macao maintains that Baroque, Romanesque, Gothic art is universal, not Western. No Pope mentioned in the document. A comment by the composer Aurelio Porfiri.

Macau (AsiaNews) - I read the article by Father Bernardo Cervellera published on AsiaNews August 17 last entitled "A new prison for the Church in China: Sinicization" with great interest. This word has now become a passe-partout. The Brazilian thinker Plinio Correa de Oliveira called words like this, "talisman words": they can mean anything and are used in a vague way for propaganda purposes. It is not always clear what this sinicization must then consist of, if it is antagonistic in an exclusionary way towards other cultures and so on.

In the article cited above, Father Cervellera presents the document that will guide the five-year plan for the sinicization of the Catholic Church (and similar documents will certainly be available for other recognized religions). This five-year plan must be presented by the end of August to the Patriotic Association and the Council of Bishops.

This is an interesting document, on which I cannot dwell in detail, but which I want to comment briefly on with regards to what is said about sacred music and liturgy, this being a subject that touches me very closely.

First and foremost, I must state that no one has a problem with local inflections of sacred music or particular liturgical uses in different countries. The sacred music of an Italian composer will have differences from that of an American or Spanish, and so on. But all these differences are, however, acceptable under a general umbrella, which is the acceptance of some general characteristics that sacred music and liturgy must possess in every country. This is the universality of which Saint Pius X spoke of in his 1903 Motu Proprio, that wherever the music is composed, it must however have a Catholic character, that is universal.

Continuing with the talisman words, the "Second Vatican Council" is mentioned eight times and always to justify the inculturation / syncopation of the liturgy. But in reality the Council, precisely in the Sacrosanctum Concilium, clearly states that the regulation of the liturgy belongs to the Church, not to governmental bodies. No Pope is mentioned in the five-year plan.

There is the demand for paintings and sacred music with Chinese aesthetic elements. Of course, sometimes this has always been done taking into account that the technique and the vocabulary of these arts has been developed over the course of many centuries: you can certainly create new things but without disposing of those Catholic elements (which in the document are called "Western" ) that have forged these disciplines down through the centuries.

Unfortunately, in the document we perceive this "Chinese versus Western", such as when it is said for example that "not everything must be Westernized". Of course: but here we are not talking about importing a certain art or music because it is Western (although historically it was developed in the West), but because it is Catholic. It would be like saying that we must avoid the orientalization of Buddhism. But Buddhism has developed in that part of the world, and many elements of its vocabulary are affected by the culture in which it developed. How can we eradicate them without impoverishing Buddhism itself?

It is said that churches can have a "Chinese-Western, Traditional Chinese or Ethnic" style. But the Chinese, and with great joy, have prayed for centuries in beautiful Western style churches. Why should this no longer be allowed (alongside other possibilities) if they are not yet sinicized?

It is true that Cardinal Celso Costantini called for an artistic style consonant with the genius of every nation, but this was never to the detriment of the great Catholic tradition. Cardinal Jose da Costa Nunes, who was bishop of Macao for many years, was a follower of Cardinal Costantini for aesthetic theories but warned, in some of his writings on the subject, that Baroque, Romanesque, Gothic art and so on is universal, not Western, so it can be used at any latitude.

In a passage of the five-year plan it says: "In reference to the National Seminary of the Catholic Church in China, the" Chinese Catholic Music and Artistic Training Center "will be established, the Patriotic Association and the Council of Bishops will perform the main work for the compilation of a collection of hymns with Chinese Catholic characteristics ". In this and many other passages, the impression is given that the emphasis falls on "sinicization", not "catholicity". The urgency is not to make the Church more Catholic, or even more Chinese, but more sinicized (which is not the same thing).

Sacred music was brought by the missionaries, taught by the missionaries, propagated by the missionaries. They had already tried to include "Chinese characteristics" in some of their compositions, but this to bring the people closer to this music and not to remove the music itself from its deep and unavoidable root in the liturgical, musical and artistic tradition of the Catholic Church.
Hagerstown on ag officials' radar due to pest; what you need to know

local
The annual pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, began yesterday. Maximum security alert, but there are no particular fears of attacks. Riyadh has allocated 30,000 health workers and alerted 25 hospitals to respond to emergencies. Doha accuses: the Saudi government has blocked the participation of the faithful of Qatar.

Riyadh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Heavy rains and thunderstorms are hindering Muslims who are visiting Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the major pilgrimage (Hajj). At least two million are taking part in the traditional annual event that started yesterday with the prayer at the Great Mosque. Today the transfer to Mina, in the area of Mount Arafat, east of the city, where Muhammad would have held his last sermon. Tomorrow the feast of the sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) will start, a three day memorial during which the pilgrims throw stones against the walls to symbolize the renunciation of the devil.

According to the Riyadh authorities there are at least two million faithful coming from all over the world to take part in the pilgrimage, defying bad weather. The Saudi Ministry of Health stresses that there are no epidemics or medical emergencies to report, as happened in the past due to overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions.

The colleagues of the Interior add that, for the moment, there are no particular terrorism warnings for possible attacks; however, the attention of the authorities in terms of safety remains at maximum levels to avoid the danger of accidents. In 2015, a very serious accident devastated the pilgrimage: around 800 people (Saudi sources) were killed in the crowd; in reality the number of corpses repatriated to their countries of origin would have been more than 2 thousand, including 400 Iranians.

To ensure the safety of the faithful there are over 30 thousand health workers operating in the field, plus security personnel. At least 25 hospitals spread throughout the territory ready to intervene, providing free medical care to the faithful, including complex operations such as heart surgery in case of need.

The Hajj (pilgrimage) is considered one of the five pillars of Islam and every good Muslim should do it at least once in their lifetime. Saudi Arabia has often politically used permission to reach Mecca. For years the Syrians have been forbidden to go to the Muslim holy city. The crisis between Riyadh (Sunni) and Tehran (Shiite), still in progress between the two great regional powers, has effectively blocked the journeys of Iranian citizens to the kingdom in 2016.

This year there were tensions with Doha, which accused the Saudi leadership - with whom there has been a diplomatic and commercial dispute for some time - to stop its pilgrims at the borders. "The procedures for registration of pilgrims from Qatar - explains an official - remain closed and citizens cannot receive an entry visa". According to a quota system, at least 1200 Qatari citizens should participate in Hajj, but it is "impossible" to access the Saudi Ministry website to obtain the necessary documentation.

In the past, Riyadh's leadership has been targeted by some imams accusing that the Saudi government uses money from religious tourism to finance Islamic terrorism.
Bag rage impacts Woolworths results





AUSTRALIAS biggest grocer Woolworths Group flagged on Monday it was rapidly losing sales momentum after starting to charge shoppers for plastic bags, sending its shares lower.

The slowdown, combined with signs of a revival at major rival Coles, signals a possible end to years of outsized growth at Woolworths, which has dropped prices heavily to win business.

Underlying profit $1.6 bln vs $1.68 bln analyst expectations

Bag rage hits sales over first 7 weeks of this financial yr

Shares drop to two-month low

It also shows the impact of bag rage, as the remarkable backlash against removing free one-use plastic bags from checkouts has been dubbed, with customers turning elsewhere or cutting purchases they couldnt carry home.

Woolworths shares fell 3.5 per cent at start of trading on Monday to a two-month low, before erasing some of the losses to be down 1.0 per cent at $29.23, while the broader market rose 0.1 per cent.

Its comparable sales growth for the second half of the financial year that ended on June 30 slipped by a quarter to 3.7 per cent, even as the company more than tripled the amount of permanently discounted stock over the year.

And in the first seven weeks of the 2019 financial year  when bag rage hit such a fever pitch that Coles backflipped on its plan to charge for plastic bags  sales growth was just 1.3 per cent. Coles is part of Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd, though it is due to be spun out in November.

Retail giant Woolworths has recorded a 12.5 percent jump in profits, but has warned it's taken a hit due to the removal of single-use plastic bags. @Ross_Greenwood #9News pic.twitter.com/wFmN2lot9h  Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) August 20, 2018

Woolworths removed one-use plastic bags from its stores on June 20 and began charging for reusable ones on July 8.

In the early stages of the adjustment we did see our customers have slightly less items in their basket, Woolworths Chief Executive Officer Brad Banducci said on a conference call, adding it also led to packing problems.

Both of those issues we se falling away, quite frankly, at the moment  we see customers remembering to bring their bags, he said.

Woolworths underlying net profit for the year rose 12.9 per cent to $1.6 billion, behind market expectations for $1.68 billion. Underlying net profit excludes one-offs.

The company declared a final dividend of 50 cents per share, the same as last year. It also declared a 2018 special dividend of 10 cents a share.

Also in Australian Food News
By Penny Van Bergen, Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology, Macquarie University

epicharmus/flickr , CC BY-SA

We experience thousands of events across childhood, and yet as adults we recall only a handful. Some might be firsts (our first ice cream, our first day at school), or significant life events (the birth of a sibling, moving house). Others are surprisingly trivial.

So, what do your earliest childhood memories say about you? Do they reflect your early skill for remembering, your interests, or your individual experiences?

The answer to all three questions is yes  but this is not the whole story. Although we sometimes see memory as a video camera, recording our lives accurately and without bias, this is a myth.

Instead, our childhood memories are intricately shaped by our family and culture.





Read more:

What outcomes parents should expect from early childhood education and care













mikecogh/flickr, CC BY





Our first memories

If you cant remember life as an infant, youre not alone.

As adults looking back to childhood, we cannot typically recall anything before age 3-4 years. This phenomenon is known as infantile amnesia.

Although some individuals report very early memories of being walked in their pram as a baby, or falling asleep in a cot, these memories are likely to be fictional.

One of the most important developments for the onset of memory is language. Research shows that language is needed not just for sharing our experiences, but for encoding them.

For example, young children invited to use a fictional magic shrinking machine could only recall this one year later if they had the appropriate vocabulary at the time of the event.









Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash





We also know that bilingual adults who immigrated as children recall early memories in the language they spoke at the time the memory was formed.

In addition to language, children must also develop a coherent sense of self, or of who I am. This emerging development allows them to pin events to a personal story that is continuous across time. The sense that this happened develops into a deeper understanding that this happened to me.





Read more:

Learning languages early is key to making Australia more multilingual





Family factors

While the development of language and sense of self enable our earliest childhood memories to form, family factors shape their contents.

Within families, parents reminisce with their children multiple times a day  reliving family holidays, for example, or bonding over sibling hijinks, or reflecting on past transgressions to discuss the lessons learned. Interestingly, however, there are strong individual differences in the way they do so.

Some parents use a highly elaborative reminiscing style: asking questions and providing event detail and structure in a way that scaffolds and encourages the childs own contribution. Others are less elaborative.

Some parents also focus particularly on emotional content (She was really sad! Why did she start crying?), while others focus more on factual details.

These individual differences have important implications, with children eventually coming to adopt the personalised style of their parents: first during shared reminiscing conversations, and later in their own independent memories.





Read more:

Parents can promote gender equality and help prevent violence against women. Here's how





What style of parent are you?

Heres an example of a conversation between a highly elaborative mother and her pre-school aged child.

Mother: You and Daddy put the Christmas tree up together, and then you put on decorations! What decorations did you put on?

Child: Um the Christmas balls!

Mother: Thats right! Daddy bought Christmas balls and stars to hang on the tree. What colours were they?

Child: Red and gold.

Mother: Red and gold. Pretty red balls, and gold stars.

Child: And there was the paper circles too.

In contrast, below is a conversation between a less elaborative mother and her preschool aged child.

Mother: Im going to ask you about your preschool Christmas concert. Was that good?

Child: Yeah

Mother: What happened there?

Child: Dad came

Mother: Yes, but what happened?

Child: I dont know.









sneakerdog/flickr, CC BY





Broader family structures and experiences also play a role. In Italy, children growing up in intergenerational households tend to have both earlier childhood memories and more childhood memories than children growing up in traditional nuclear families. This probably occurs due to more opportunities to engage in rich and elaborative reminiscing conversations.

In contrast, parents and children experiencing depression may show a tendency for overgeneral memory  that is, difficulty recalling specific memory details. Poorer quality parent-child reminiscing is related to overgeneral memory among three- to six-year-olds.





Read more:

Essays on health: Australia is failing new parents with conflicting advice  it's urgent we get it right





Cultural factors

Just as our earliest childhood memories reflect our reminiscing conversations with our parents and our overarching family experiences, they also appear to reflect broader cultural practices and norms.

Consistent with the individualist values of Western culture, American college students earliest childhood memories are typically long, specific and self-focused.

Consistent with the collectivist values of Chinese culture, Chinese students earliest childhood memories are typically brief, and more likely to reference social responsibilities.









56218409@N03/flickr, CC BY





American mothers are also more likely than Chinese mothers to focus on their childs own personal emotional experiences when remembering together, and it is likely that these early parent-child conversations serve as a mechanism for imparting cultural norms.





Read more:

How children's picturebooks can disrupt existing language hierarchies





In New Zealand, where Maori culture includes a rich oral tradition in which stories are shared across generations, Maori mothers have been found to reminisce differently to Pakeha (European New Zealand) mothers about important life events. When talking with their children about their own birth stories, for example, Maori mothers include more elaborations, more references to emotion, and more references to relational time.

Interestingly, Maori also have the earliest average age of first memory on record. At 2.5, these earliest memories occur a full year earlier than in some other groups.

So the research is clear: our earliest childhood memories are intricately shaped by our experiences within our own families and cultures.

The process of memory formation is nothing like a video camera.

Penny Van Bergen has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council.

Amy Bird has received funding from the Health Research Council (New Zealand).

Rebecca Andrews does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Originally published in The Conversation.
Last week, the Delhi High Court struck down Delhis anti-beggary law which criminalised the most vulnerable people in society: the destitute. Recognising that destitute persons have equal rights to dignity, the judgment revives the possibility of enacting the Persons in Destitution Model Bill into law. Drafted by the ministry of social justice and empowerment in 2016, the bill defines destitution as a state of poverty or abandonment among the elderly, infirm, homeless and disabled people. It directs states to identify such people and provide them shelter, health, counselling and employment services. The Bill and the High Court judgment reveal the States evolved disposition towards destitute people: from legally rendering their living conditions a crime  once punishable by detention in government remand homes for up to 10 years  to recognising their Constitutional rights to social programmes and rehabilitation.

This change is the result of a decade-long partnership between civil society organisations and state officials, which has led to a drastic reduction in arrests on Delhis streets. According to the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) records obtained by Koshish (a civil society organisation at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences), the average arrests per month from 2014-2015 to the first half of 2016-2017 dropped from 106.2 to about a dozen. This is significant compared to earlier years  according to DSW records analysed by Dyuotimoy Mukherjee in a 2008 paper, 12 people were arrested daily between 1995 and 2000, and, by 2008, only one-third of 7,598 persons arrested between 1998-2001 had been released.

A decade ago, Koshish began providing detainees legal, counselling, employment and repatriation services, which expedited releases and reconnected some people with their families. They communicated the causes of arrests and conditions of poverty to officials through filing social investigation reports. Their reports showed that detainees were seldom provided information on their arrests and abused. Many were the working poor (for example, rickshawallahs arrested eating a free daily meal at temples) and daily wage earners seeking alms only during employment gaps, injury or illness. Most urban homeless people indeed work daily wage jobs: for caterers, in dhabas and on construction sites.

Back in 2009, activists working with homeless people challenged the validity of The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 (extended to Delhi in 1960) before the Delhi High Court. The law, in force in Maharashtra and 19 other states and two Union Territories, criminalises begging (receiving alms in a public place), occupations of nomadic communities (singing, dancing, fortune telling and performing) and street commerce (offering any article of sale). In the decade the petitioners spent in court, the Delhi government did not contest the case. Last week, the Court also agreed with the petitioners, finally. They found most provisions of the Act violated Article 14 (equal protection of law) and Article 21 (the right to dignity) of the Constitution and held that a person who is compelled to beg cannot be faulted for such actions in these circumstances. All provisions of the Act providing for arrest or detention of persons found begging were thus struck down.

This leaves open how to use the infrastructure established under the Act. Delhi has 11 remand homes. Each home has one superintendent and welfare officer, and numbers of caretakers and cooks have varied based on occupancies. The Court quotes a report stating that about 35 lakh ... were being spent on these [rehabilitation] homes every year  compared to [which] the benefit accruing from them to the society is rather negligible. There is an opportunity now to repurpose these institutions: from incarceration to rehabilitation, via social protection and vocational programmes.

Civil society efforts offer a viable re-imagination of these spaces. Through the consent of the courts, civil society organisations have offered counselling, employment, and aftercare servicers which have resulted in declining arrests. Effective coordination between state and civil society and the change in government attitudes to the urban poor can be harnessed by transforming the destitution Bill into law. This would formalise arrangements already proven to be successful and further reduce formidable barriers working homeless people face.

Ashwin Parulkar and Manish are with Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi

The views expressed are personal
The fake voters controversy in Madhya Pradesh has refused to die down.

In a complaint to the state election commission on Monday, the state Congress once again alleged that a large number of fake voters were included in the voters list in connivance with booth-level officers (BLOs) across the state.

Earlier, state Congress president Kamal Nath and state Congress election campaign committee head Jyotiraditya Scindia had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Delhi claiming that there were about 60 lakh fake voters in Madhya Pradesh. The election commission, however, had said it found no merit in the Congresss allegations.

On Monday, a delegation of Congress leaders headed by JP Dhanopia and Manoj Shukla complained to state chief electoral officer (CEO) VL Kantha Rao that the BLOs who were involved in the irregularities were not entertaining complaints regarding fake voters.

Citing examples of fake voters, the delegation told the CEO that names of former minister Yadvendra Singh and his family members were missing from the voters list in Tikamgarh. Similarly, there were several other political workers whose names had been deleted, they said.

In Narela assembly constituency of Bhopal, represented by minister of state for cooperatives Vishwas Sarang, there were at least 11,000 fake voters despite the election commission revising the voters lists, the delegation alleged.

Dhanopia said, We have received complaints from various places in the state that the names of Congress supporters are being dropped from the voters lists. There are several people whose names existed in voters lists in January this year but were deleted during the revision work in August.

Yadvendra Singh could not be reached for his comments.

Chief electoral officer Rao said he was looking into the complaints.

State BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, It is the Congress habit to look for some reasons ahead of elections to justify their defeat in the polls.

Summary revision of voters lists conducted by state chief electoral officer in May and June this year suggested that the number of voters had come down to 4.94 crore from 5.07 crore. This number of 4.94 crore voters includes approximately 11.40 lakh new voters.
A recent security audit conducted by the Delhi Police found glaring loopholes in the security apparatus at all major railway stations in Delhi including the four major stations in the Capital  New Delhi, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar.

The confidential audit report accessed by Hindustan Times states that parcel areas at these stations were particularly vulnerable as goods transported in passenger trains are neither verified nor scanned to ensure passenger security. The report mentions, It (security loopholes) may lead to mass casualty including blasts, if any terrorist organisation plants explosive in any of the parcels.

Senior police officers familiar with the matter said the audit was conducted ahead of Independence Day last week to assess the anti-terror capabilities at railway stations. They said the audit was ordered after a series of threats were conveyed to the police by intelligence agencies stating railway stations as targets.

Parcel areas vulnerable

The audit found that the main parcel area at the New Delhi Railway Station remains open and people can enter the station through this area without any checking or frisking.

Similarly, unauthorised persons can easily sneak into Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station from its parcel area.

The report added that parcel gates at other stations like Sarai Rohilla, Kishan Ganj, Daya Basti and Nangloi remain open and passengers as well as porters enter the stations from there unchecked.

It suggests that Railways need to evolve some mechanism to check a parcel with proper equipment before its transportation.

Retired IPS officer, Ashok Chand, who served in Delhis anti-terror unit for seven years, said such loopholes put hundreds of lives at risk and are a cause for major concern.

I dont think parcels that are transported through trains are scanned at the source stations. This means we do not know what is inside these packages. Keeping in mind the volume of business the Railways does, carrying such parcels in passenger trains is putting hundreds of lives at risk. This can cause a tragedy and it must be a major a concern for authorities, Chand said.

Deputy commissioner of police (railways) Dinesh Gupta said certain shortcomings were found in the audit and the concerned authorities have been intimated.

I cannot share the details of laxity in our security setup, but adequate measures are being taken to strengthen it further, DCP Gupta said.

Unchecked entry and exit points

Apart from the parcel areas, the security audit said a number of unauthorised entry and exit points at several stations remain unmanned.

At Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, the report states that unchecked people can easily enter platforms 7 and 8 from a damaged wall the station shares with the adjacent Indraprastha Park. It adds that the stations parking lot does not have a proper boundary wall which means people walking on the street have access to vehicles parked there.

Meanwhile at the New Delhi Railway Station, the north side gate at Platform One remains unmanned and is commonly used by passengers to enter platforms.

At the Pul Bangash station, the boundary wall has been damaged and the space is being used by people to enter the platforms without any frisking or scanning of luggage.

No CCTVs at many stations

The report mentions that baggage scanners at New Delhi Railway Station are not covered with CCTV cameras, while the X-ray scanners at Old Delhi Railway Station were also not functioning properly.

At stations such as Sabzi Mandi, Azadpur, Adarsh Nagar, Holambi Kalan and Narela, there are no CCTV cameras installed. Exit and entry gates and even the parcel areas at Anand Vihar Railway Station also do not have adequate CCTV cameras installed.

Senior railway officers said stations and trains are open targets for terror attacks. One can board a train from any stations or at any halt point and reach a busy station. It is not easy to prevent such an act, the officer said, requesting anonymity.

Divisional railway manager (DRM) of the Northern Railways Delhi Division, RN Singh said, that manpower and resources remain the biggest challenge. We have the basic security checks in place. There is no laxity when it comes to passenger safety. However, our setup is not of the highest level. You cannot compare it to security at airports. Recently we got the sanction to install face recognition cameras at the major stations and the work is under progress, he said.
Rustam Oraon, a Class 10 visually impaired student, had a narrow escape as a portion of the roof of his hostel room fell just beside him. The incident took place at the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys (Blind) hostel in north Delhis Kingsway Camp on August 8 after heavy rain in the national capital. This incident has occurred after a PIL on the condition of the building and the requirement of teaching staff was filed in the Delhi High Court earlier this month.

Portions of two roofs had fallen on the same day in room numbers 7 and 13. I was saved as it fell besides me and just broke my fingernail. The other boys were at the other end of the room. My parents were glad it did not fall on my head, said Oraon, showing the wound.

After the incident, students received a letter from Delhi social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam saying things will be fixed soon.

The roofs have now been temporarily patched up with cement. The railings to the staircases are rusting while the wall paint has come off at most places.

According to hostel residents, the school building was identified as dangerous by the Public Works Department some years ago, but no precautionary measures were taken.

It was only after a petition was filed that some repair work began,  said SK Rungta, senior advocate who filed the plea and general secretary, National Federation of the Blind.

Around Rs 98 lakh were sanctioned for the repair work of the building in December 2017. Work was to start in May. However, work has started only now after the incident.

However, this is not the only worrisome fact about the place run by the Delhi governments social welfare department. The school and hostel for the blind from Class 1 to 12, housed in a two-storey building, also lacks teaching staff, books and, most importantly, audio devices.

With only 10 teachers for a total of 136 students, the classes are held with students stuffed in a room. Of the 10, only four teachers are regular employees while the rest are guest teachers. The sanctioned strength is 25 teachers. For the last 6-7 years, there has been no recruitment to fill the vacant posts said a school official.

There is only one teacher for primary classes (Class 1-5). There are no teachers for science and maths, which is taught here up to Class 8, said RP Yadav, who teaches senior classes.

Vijay Rahul, a Class 12 student, said, there are no teachers for most subjects. How can a Hindi teacher teach mathematics? said Rahul.

The school has been running without a principal for more than two years. A new principal, a PGT teacher, has been given the and has joined only on August 18.

We had asked engineers to assess the structure and start repair work. Also,I have been writing for a year to the DSSSB for recruitment of teachers. Meanwhile, we have arranged for guest teachers. I will review the progress on Monday, Gautam said.
The government has asked American e-commerce major, Amazon, to set up a server in India in an attempt to prevent the unchecked migration of personal customer data. The last few months have seen an increase in demands for data localisation, with even the Reserve Bank of India calling for local storage of financial data. Although there is no law in India regarding data safety at present, the government is working on evolving a data protection framework. On July 27, after year-long public consultations, a committee of experts headed by former Supreme Court judge, BN Srikrishna, submitted its report on the principles that will guide the framing of Indias data protection statute. The draft bill has been put up for public consultation till September 5, after which it is likely to be sent for parliamentary approval.

According to the recommendations of the Srikrishna report, all personal data of Indian citizens must have at least one copy saved in India. Eight of the 10 most accessed websites in India are owned by US entities, says the report. To begin with, foreign e-commerce companies will be asked to set up servers in India, so that the personal data of customers, generated through e-commerce operations, stays within the country. The votaries of data localisation say it will facilitate easier access for law enforcement agencies for the purposes of investigation and prosecution. Those who criticise data localisation argue that it can hurt the economy and may create a fragmented Internet that goes against the intrinsic character of the Web as a borderless medium.

There have been concerns that the personal data that stays in servers within the country can be misused by the state. But one of the key features of the draft bill is the creation of a regulatory data protection authority that will address user concerns, including privacy and data protection. Also, in line with European Unions General Data Protection Regulation, Indias draft data protection bill places user consent and specificity of purpose paramount for accessing such data. Even as the government appears to have made up its mind to go ahead with stronger data localisation norms, experts say a majority of Indian businesses might not have the technical wherewithal and resources to set up local clouds. Any final stand on stringent data localisation norms may ultimately have to take the middle path and balance the interests of the State, the people and businesses.
Imran Khans first address to the nation after becoming Prime Minister was largely devoted to his vision of crafting a Naya Pakistan, a welfare state based on Islamic ideals and measures to tackle the corruption and poor governance that has affected so many of the nations 200 million people. He struck a chord with many in Pakistan when he displayed, side by side, images of the brains of a child benefiting from nourishing food and another afflicted by malnutrition. But there was a hefty dose of populism too, including his plans to give up the Prime Ministers House with its 524 workers and 80 cars and instead live in a three-bedroom house with two workers after auctioning off all the excess vehicles. There was an appeal to national pride in the form of asking the people to pay more taxes so that Pakistan could be rid of its debt burden, which, by Mr Khans reckoning, is $95 billion. There were also the fanciful schemes that came up during Mr Khans election campaign and even before  like the plan to convert the Prime Ministers House into a research university. It is another matter that Mr Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party couldnt even deliver on its pledge to convert the chief ministers official residence in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa into a library despite ruling that province for the past five years.

Perhaps more troubling was what Mr Khan left unsaid. Though he spoke vaguely of austerity and plans to overcome Pakistans economic woes, there was no sign of a concrete plan to overcome the balance of payments crisis or word on whether another bailout alone will get Pakistan out of the woods.

For Pakistans neighbours, more worrying was Mr Khans silence on his plans to tackle their concerns. At a time when Pakistans relationship with the US has nosedived, Mr Khan could have used his speech to outline plans to improve ties with his neighbours. This would have helped him make new friends in the neighbourhood, at a time when Pakistan needs more friends. Equally worrying was Mr Khans stance on terrorism and extremism  beyond a pledge to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) to ensure peace, there was virtual radio silence on the subject. The NAP, framed after the deadly attack on a school in Peshawar in 2014, clearly hasnt delivered and there is a need to go back to the drawing board. Populism and talk of a Medina-like state will only get Mr Khan so far, the time has come for him to roll up his sleeves and deliver.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  National police chief Oscar Albayalde has awarded the Makati police for its controversial operations in the Times in Manila Bar in Makati City.

The Medalya ng Kagalingan was conferred for the personnel's heroic acts in performance of their duty.

The back-to-back operations in the bar resulted to confiscation of less than a kilo of illegal drugs and arrest of 31 alleged drug suspects, mostly employees and bar-goers.

This comes after the policemen arrested two lawyers on Friday after entering the bar without permission and started taking pictures while police were conducting a search, police reports stated.

The lawyers also prevented police from searching the third floor of the bar, when they were warned that they will be arrested for obstruction of justice.

READ: Police arrest lawyers of 'drug den' Makati bar owner

The arrest was met with criticism from netizens and agencies, including the Commission on Human Rights, who called the incident "alarming."

Albayalde maintained, however, that the police would not have made the arrest without reasonable cause.

"Hindi pa ba mas nakakaalarma ang pakikialam ng mga abogado sa mga pulis namin? In fairness sa aming mga kapulisan hindi nila gagawin 'yun without any compelling reason," he said.

[Translation: Isn't it more alarming that the lawyers were interfering with police operations? In fairness to our police personnel they would not have done that (arrest) without any compelling reason.]

The police chief also assured his personnel they have no reason to be intimidated by the lawyers and said he will provide better counsel to the policemen who made the arrest, in the event of a countercharge.

"If they will really countercharge we will provide them with lawyers also. Kung pinagmamalaki nila na magagaling sila [if they were boasting that they are good lawyers] then we will give them better lawyers," he said in a press briefing Monday.

Albayalde maintained that "no one is above the law" regardless of the person's profession.

"When you violate the law, kahit sino ka pa [whoever you are] we will arrest you. We will implement the law without fear or favor. Hindi natin pwedeng pagbigyan to, 'yan man eh maging abogado o politician, [We cannot let this slide, whoever they are, whether they are lawyers or politicians] " Albayalde said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque echoed Albayalde's sentiments saying the lawyers were committing "obstruction of justice" for meddling in a police investigation.

"Walang immunity ang mga abogado [Lawyers do not have immunity] from obstruction of justice. They have to answer to their acts," Roque said.

Albayalde clarified, however, that the police has no beef with lawyers for as long as they do not interfere with police operations without authority.

"Wala naman tayong problema sa ating mga lawyers. Never naman tayo nagkaproblema usually, and it's their job para depensahan ang kanilang mga clients [We don't have any problem with our lawyers. We never had anytime problems usually and it's their job to defend their clients]. We know that, but it's our job to implement the law," he clarified.

CNN Philippines' Correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
As the divorce battle between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt continues over the custody of their children, the former was spotted going out for a movie with them.

According to TMZ, the actor was spotted in Los Angeles with four of her children- Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox. They were accompanied by a couple of bodyguards.

Last week, Angelina came back to the USA along with her children as ordered by the judge who is overseeing the divorce proceedings of the estranged couple .

Jolie has allowed Pitt to visit their children for four hours on school days, and 12 hours for holidays. Earlier, Angelina had accused Pitt of being a careless father, to which he had said that he filed for a loan of $8 million to help the actress buy a house.

What has been filed by Brads side today is a blatant attempt to obfuscate the truth and distract from the fact that he has not fully met his legal obligations to support the children, attorney Samantha Bley DeJean said in a statement.

Jolie had said in a Tuesday court filing that Pitt had paid no meaningful child support since Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016.

Pitts attorneys said that Jolies claims were a thinly-veiled effort to manipulate media coverage.

Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and enjoyed a 10-year romance that had made the pair one of Hollywoods most glamorous couples. They have six children for whom she is seeking primary custody.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
At least 300 Dalit families, who had been facing social boycott for over a year in Bhatla village of Hisar district, on Monday embraced Buddhism in the presence of religious preachers and Dalit activist and lawyer Rajat Kalsan.

The exact number of converts, however, is yet to be known.

When it all began

A group of Dalits and few upper-caste youths had entered into a scuffle on June 15 last year on the issue of drawing water from a common handpump.

The family members of those Dalits had also started a dharna in front of the deputy commissioners (DCs) office demanding strict action against the accused.

Even the Punjab and Haryana high court had appointed a court commissioner, who visited Bhatla village to assess the ground reality on June 17, 2018.

The Dalit families led by Bhatla Dalit Sangharsh Samiti had told the court commissioner that the local administration and police were not investigating the case properly.

The court commissioner, assistant advocate general Deepak Balyan, had recorded the statements of villagers belonging to Dalit and other communities.

While talking to HT, Kalsan, who is also the coordinator of National Alliance for Dalit Human Rights, said, The BJP government never did anything for the Dalits and on Monday, 300 families of Bhatla converted to Buddhism.

The Dalit families of this village have been facing social boycott since last year, but the government did not take enough measures to resolve the problem.

He further said the converts also took an oath to not to vote for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in future.

Dalit Sangharsh Samiti head Balwan Singh along with converts Ajay Bhatla and Jai Bhagwan Bhatla claimed that they decided to embrace Buddhism after their community was socially boycotted and the police also did not conduct a fair probe.

We had a week ago also met the police officials at Hansi seeking proper security. The police even failed to ensure us that, Balwan added.

When contacted, Hisar deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Meena said, The administration always acts upon every complaint received from the families facing social boycott.

The Punjab and Haryana Hight Court is directly looking into the matter and even had appointed a court commissioner. If we get any further direction from the court, we will comply with the orders, he added.
Rainfall abated in flood-ravaged Kerala on Monday as the focus turned to the 5,645 relief camps that house more than a million people battling hunger, disease, poor hygiene and a trail of destruction left in the wake of the states worst deluge in almost a century.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the week-long operation was winding down but will continue for a few more days, as rescue personnel dove out of helicopters, swam across rivers in spate and deployed thousands of fishing boats to reach marooned people.

The death toll since August 8, when torrential showers forced authorities to open dam gates and sent rivers surging, stood at 223, the chief minister said, with six bodies pulled out of the water on Monday. The toll since monsoon hit the coastal state this year stood at 341, the state revenue department said, with 39 more missing.

The government committed to bring all trapped to safety. Many snake-bite cases have been reported and we are storing adequate medicines to fight it, he said.

At the states biggest city, Kochi, flight operations resumed partially from the naval base though the main airport remained inundated. Many long-distance train services were expected to be restored from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi by night. Rains in the catchment areas of the major dams in the worst-hit Idukki district subsided, reducing the outflow of water from both the Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams. By and large, the sky was clear in many places on Monday.

But the overpowering stench that hung in the air in several major settlements was a reminder that the full toll of the deluge, which Vijayan has estimated to be nearly Rs 19,200 crore, will take more time to emerge.

More than 100,000 people in relief camps were below 15 years of age. The government will provide free plumbing, electric works, the CM said, adding that sanitation work had begun in 10 town and 40 local bodies.

He also announced special honours for the states fishermen, who have been universally lauded for their bravery in rescue operations. The state government said each fishing boat would get 3,000 rupees ($43) for each day of work.

The Centre, which declared the flood calamity of severe nature, said it will rush 50,000 tonnes of more food.

Another 20 MT of medicines will reach Kerala by Monday night. Twenty MT of bleaching powder and one crore Chlorine tablets will be dispatched by Tuesday. Twelve medical teams have also been put on standby. No outbreak of disease has been reported so far, said a statement released after a review of the flood situation by the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC).

A view of the Lake Palace and its adjacent areas submerged under flood waters, at Alappuzha district. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Power supply remained crippled  Vijayan said more than 2.6 million power connections were snapped -- and communication networks disrupted in many parts of the state. In Aluva town on the outskirts of Kochi, for example, sodden furniture, mattresses and bloodied carcasses filled the streets while dirty black water still flowed above knee-level.

It is a big concern. We have given directions to local bodies to take up a cleaning drive on a war-footing. Health officials are out on a mass contact programme, said state health minister P K Shailaja. The Union power ministry said it was providing electricity meters, coils and transformers to restore the network. The department of telecom has made operational 77,000 towers out of total 85000 towers in the state. Out of 1,407 telephone exchanges, except 13 all are made functional, said the NCMC statement.

Residents speculated the stench was from rubbish and dead cats, dogs and rats -- or worse. This smell is of five days without a bath, said Savita Saha, one of the migrants in a nearby relief camp. There are long queues at the camps few toilets and no bathroom to wash in.

Therell be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds and thousands of electricians, plumbers and carpenters to rush to Kerala. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala, tweeted KJ Alphons, the Union minister for tourism.

In Alappuzha districts Chengannur, more than 5,000 people were still feared trapped in the interior areas. Police were given special powers to arrest those refusing to leave their submerged houses amid reports that many had stayed put. We will save all trapped by (Monday) evening. It seems the worst is over, said Chengannur MLA Saji Cherian.

And as concerns rose about rising airfare to Kerala towns, Union civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu said aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation is monitoring airfares for flights connecting to the state but that the move should not be seen by airlines as micro-management.

Airlines have been requested to cap the maximum fare at around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and at around Rs 8,000 on shorter routes.

(With agency inputs)
India will be closely watching Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan on several dimensions: his interplay with Pakistans all-powerful Army; his relations with the countrys all-weather friend China and; the action he is willing and able to take , if at all, on the 36 terrorist training camps in Occupied Kashmir and the countrys hinterland, details of which have been shared by New Delhi with Islamabad.

Islamabad watchers say that a tactically flexible Khan, in his new Islamic conservative avatar, will have to play a captains innings to pull Pakistan out of severe difficulties on both the economic and security fronts . The countrys debt is touching over $20 billion and $12 billion is required to bail out the Islamic Republic from a looming balance of payment crisis.

Pakistans macroeconomic numbers are all wrong at the current moment with current account deficit at 5.8 per cent of GDP and debt to GDP standing at 67 per cent. The countrys coffers are shored up by $19.3 billion of remittances from nine million Pakistani expats and the countrys forex reserve is paltry USD 9.2 billion. With a penchant for playing Russian roulette with its finances, Pakistan is expected to get a bail out but the question is from whom  IMF, China or Saudi Arabia? .

The situation on the security front is equally dire with the so-called Islamic State Khorasan acquiring self-sustaining characteristics on the Durand Line and conducting strikes on both sides of the Khyber and Bolan passes. The massive terror strike in Baluchistan in the run-up to Pakistan General elections by the IS and the involvement of Lashkar-e-Tayebba (LeT) fighters with Taliban in the Ghazni attack this month shows the extent of the malaise. According to a May 2018 report called  Spiders of the Caliphate: Mapping the ISs Global Support Network on Facebook, the IS-Khorasan does not require any foreign fighters to sustain itself in the Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan. The report shows IS activity has increased on Durand Line and Myanmar-Bangladesh border, but adds that Indian Muslims are largely resistant to recruitment from either al Qaeda or IS.

Although PM Khan has offered a dialogue on all issues including Kashmir with India, there is hardly any room for the former pace bowler to manoeuvre in the face of these constraints to deliver on the bilateral relationship. Pakistan, with a recent 20 per cent hike in the Defence Budget, just cannot afford another hike without eating into Khans Islamic welfare state agenda. And given Indias close relationship with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan, Khan will find it difficult to get similar traction with West Asia as in the past.

Caught in a cleft stick between Rawalpindi generals and Islamists belonging to no less than 20 terrorist groups, the possibility of Khan falling into default mode and talking up the Kashmir situation is very high. He should remember that his foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was in India during 26/11 oblivious to the fact that ISI was behind the Mumbai massacre. He was evacuated from Delhi on the Pakistan Army Chiefs personal aircraft after then foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee directed him to leave the country for his own safety.

With India looking towards Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of 26/11, Pathankot and Uri terror strikes to book, PM Khan will have to go against Jaish-e-Mohammed and LeT terror groups to prove his sincerity to India and the world. Its not the kind of pitch made to suit fast bowlers.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee never buckled under pressure, made India a nuclear power and changed the narrative when some countries were cornering India on the issue of Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in New Delhi on Monday.

Due to Vajpayee ji, terrorism became an important issue on the world stage, Modi said at an all party prayer meeting in the memory of the former prime minister who passed away on August 16.

Modi referred to May 1998 nuclear tests in Pokhran and said it was India could become a nuclear power because of Vajpayees efforts.

He attributed the tests to the brilliance of Indias scientists. Two days later, India tested again and showed what a strong political leadership can do, the prime minister said.

Modi also recalled Vajpayees contribution towards the ideology of the party, and said he never buckled under pressure. Vajpayee, Modi said, never lost hope despite odds.

No party was willing to support Vajpayee when he formed the government for 13 days, Modi said, referring to the short-lived NDA government in 1996.

The government fell. He did not lose hope and remained committed to serving the people, he told the gathering and added that Vajpayee showed the way when it came to coalition politics.

When the Vajpayee government created the three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, the process was peaceful and without bitterness, the prime minister said.

Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term before being voted out in 2004.

BJP veteran LK Advani too recalled his long association with Vajpayee and said never never imagined that he would be speaking at such an event. I owe a lot to him, Advani said.

Congress veteran and leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said the distance seen between the ruling party and the Opposition today was not there earlier and the late BJP stalwart worked taking everyone along. Vajpayee had brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides even in his death which, Azad added, was something rare.

Azad recalled that as the parliamentary affairs minister during the PV Narasimha Rao-led government, he had to meet Vajpayee, then a key opposition leader, several times a day during Parliaments sessions and they used to have tea and meals together.

The distance we see today was not there then, he said, apparently referring to the frosty relations between the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the opposition.

He mentioned leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Indira Gandhi and said Vajpayee would be remembered as one of the biggest leaders of his time who always worked for the country and its people.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi was expected to attend but could not as it was his father and former PM Rajiv Gandhis birth anniversary on Monday and sent Azad as his representative, the organisers said.

Satish Mishra (BSP), D Raja (CPI), Farooq Abdullah (National Conference), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Harivansh (JD-U) were among others present.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee saw former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from across the aisle for over five decades, and as senior leaders from the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they often crossed swords in the House. Over the course of their encounters, they developed a warm friendship, built on respect and admiration. Mukerjee spoke to Saubhadra Chatterji and Prashant Jha about Vajpayee  the man, the politician, the leader, and the friend. Edited excerpts:

Atal Bihari Vajpayee and you were friends for more than five decades. How did this friendship evolve?

When I met him first, I used to watch his performance in Parliament but we were not personally known to each other. When I became a minister  first for revenue and expenditure and then revenue and banking  I used to go to Lok Sabha more frequently. But I dont remember the exact occasion when I met him for the first time.

Apart from being friends, Vajpayee and you were next-door neighbours. You once told us how your dog had bitten Vajpayee.

(laughs) Oh that became a big story. We used to go together for morning walks. But that morning, I was not there with him. I met him during a meeting with the Opposition parties in Parliament. He had a bandage in his hand. So, I asked him what happened. He replied, Your dog has done this.

He had a small dog. My wife (late Suvra Mukherjee) told me that my dog possibly attacked his dog, and as he tried to save his pet, he got injured.

He was very fond of food.

Yes. And my wife used to cook food for him. We lived next door and they made an entrance through a side wall so Vajpayee and his family members could come easily to our place. He was very fond of fish. Namita, his foster daughter, used to regularly play at our place. My wife and Mrs Kaul (Namitas mother) had a very deep bonding. When Namitas marriage was decided, my wife helped in preparations because the groom was a Bengali.

What were Vajpayees qualities as a parliamentarian?

He was an excellent parliamentarian and carried people along with him. I think he was one of the top-most parliamentarians I have ever come across.

Although he represented a small party, Jana Sangh, but particularly after the Fourth Lok Sabha, from 1967 onwards, he was seen as the leader of the Opposition. He played the role of a titan in the Opposition space.

He was an excellent orator and very well-studied. Although his speeches were laced more with emotional appeal, he had a mastery over facts as well. What a parliamentarian must do is not to deliver an emotional speech alone but it should be backed by facts.

On several occasions, we debated in Parliament. In those times, a lot of legislative business was handled by the minister of state for finance. For instance, many states were under Presidents Rule and their budgets, their supplementary demands, were handled by the MoS.

I remember that once I piloted the Delhi Sales Tax bill in Parliament. At that time, Vajpayee ji was not a member from the New Delhi constituency (he later represented New Delhi in 1977 and 1980) but in a masterly presentation of facts and figures, he argued that Delhi is suffering by being a centrally administered area; whereas neighbouring states have freedom to impose sales tax, it doesnt have that advantage. Ultimately, the government agreed to that and he supported the bill.

He was never a minister before 1974. But I still remember that the information he possessed was much more than what was there even in my official brief.

In those years, he belonged to Jana Sangh, an outfit with a very different world view. Observers say he was very liberal. It is also said about Vajpayee that he was the right man in the wrong party.

He was very much liberal but I would not say if he was a right man in a wrong party or not -- that is a description of a section of the press.

Vajpayee often mentioned Nehru. He was seen as an admirer of Nehru.

A few times he mentioned Nehru. But he used to recognise the contribution of Nehru in introducing and stabilising parliamentary democracy in India.

How was his relationship with Indira Gandhi?

He was a very bitter critic of Mrs. Gandhi but we must also remember that after the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he had described her as Goddess Durga at a function in the Central Hall of Parliament. How can a person praise someone in such a manner unless he has wide appreciation for her actions?

Vajpayee became Indias foreign minister in 1977. How do you evaluate his tenure in the South Block during that time?

I may not be an objective critic as we, in the Congress, never subscribed to his theory of genuine non-alignment. So, naturally, we said non-alignment is non-alignment and it doesnt need any adjective or qualification. But he told us that our non-alignment is not equidistant from both the US and the USSR. He said it is tilted towards the USSR and we want to disconnect it. Perhaps he saw it from the background of the Indo-Soviet treaty for friendship which was signed during Indira Gandhi and Leonid Brezhnevs time.

But he got good exposure outside as he visited various states. He also became the first person to speak in Hindi at the United Nations.

How do you judge him as a Prime Minister?

He was a good Prime Minister and a good leader. He took people along with him. History will eventually judge him, but as a student of politics, I find that he was very liberal. It was he who made it a system that the Opposition members, too, would be sent to United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The practice was started by Jawaharlal Nehru. Four leaders would go on behalf of India and stay at the UN for a full three months. When he became PM, the number of the delegations didnt increase, but I remember he always took Opposition leaders. He took a Congress MP, former deputy minister KC George from Kerala, in his delegation.

How do you evaluate his foreign policy as the PM?

He seriously tried to make a breakthrough in the Kashmir policy and in our relations with Pakistan. The Agra summit with Pervez Musharraf was a failure. But a very serious effort was made in his bus trip to Lahore. It was a great step. And after the Shimla Agreement, the most important is the Lahore Agreement inked in 1999. He did another thing. At the Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit in 2004, the exact words of that agreement said, Pakistan will not allow any parts of its territory to be used by forces inimical to India. This commitment he got is till today a weapon in the hand of every Prime Minister, every foreign minister and every negotiator to remind Pakistan that you made a commitment.

Why do you think the Vajpayee government lost in 2004?

It was his miscalculation to advance the elections in 2004. He should have seen the trend that the Congress was gaining. Out of the four assembly elections held in the winter of 2003 in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi, they won three. Some of his colleagues felt that since we have won these three assemblies, let us advance the election. They also did an extraordinary thing. They did not adjourn sine die the Winter session of Parliament in 2003 but it was prorogued. So, in the beginning of 2004, the President of India could not give a speech to the joint sitting of two Houses.

He once asked your help to get the Patents bill passed.

Otherwise India would have been expelled from WTO. He saved that.

We could not pass the bill during our tenure due to fierce opposition by the BJPs Murli Manohar Joshi and Communist Party of India (Marxist)s Ashok Mitra. I had tried very hard. They formed a group to oppose the bill. Then our government lost the election. I tried to convince the new agriculture minister Chaturanan Mishra to push the bill, as otherwise it would lead to great problems in our country. He told me, how can I put back toothpaste after it has come out of the tube? Meanwhile, that government collapsed.

The Vajpayee government came to power. He sought help from Dr. Manmohan Singh, as during that period my mother had passed away and I was not in Delhi. Dr Singh and I talked and I told him they have only changed two things from the original bill I had moved - the date and name of the mover of the bill. We had a hearty laugh. I later spoke to Sonia Gandhi and told her that just because her seat has changed in Parliament, our policies should not change and we should support the bill. She agreed and told me that I need to convince our party MPs.

Vajpayee was so gracious, he said he will speak after the debate to specially thank me. I said there is no need. Then he asked me to initiate the debate after the minister Murasoli Maran introduces the bill. That day I spoke as if I am the minister and Jitendra Prasad said, You have spoken enough for them. Now please stop. We will support the bill.

Was Vajpayee a secular politician?

Of course, he was a secular politician.

In your last flight to Kolkata as the President of India, you told us that every day you thought of four ailing leaders: Vajpayee, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, George Fernandes and Jaswant Singh.

Vajpayee was healthy till 2005. Then his health started to slowly deteriorate. I remember I made an exception when I went to his house to give him the Bharat Ratna.

The President of India never goes out of Rashtrapati Bhavan for any civilian awards function in Delhi. Thats why even for posthumous awards, the relatives of the recipients have to come to Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive the awards.

My office, my people, searched all relevant documents and files but could not find any precedence of the President going out of Rashtrapati Bhavan to give these awards. I will not mention the name of a President, but once he had even ruled out the proposal to go outside to give an award after it was suggested to him.

So, the same question came when Vajapyee was to be given the Bharat Ratna. Prime Minister Modi asked me. They were thinking of bringing him in a stretcher. I told the Prime Minister that let me think for a day. I decided to go. So, I wrote on the file that it will not be treated as precedent. This is a one-time exception done by me but I myself must point out that it should not be treated as precedent and all these awards must be given inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Namita told me he understands things and knew that I was coming. That was the first time I went to his house at Krishna Menon Marg and the second and last time was when he passed away on August 16.
The Centre on Monday declared the Kerala floods a calamity of severe nature, amid demands for declaring it a national disaster.

It also told the Kerala High Court that there was no legal provision to declare a disaster as a national calamity, news agency PTI reported.

Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a home ministry official said in New Delhi.

In an affidavit filed before the court in a response to a petition seeking the floods be termed a national disaster, the Centre said it has treated the flood situation in Kerala as a Disaster of Serious Nature and has categorised the same as L3 Level of Disaster under the National Disaster Management Guidelines.

It is submitted that there is no provision in statutes or manuals to declare a disaster as a national calamity, howsoever big it may be.

It is only an expression used in general parlance, it said.

Keralas ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress had wanted the Centre to declare the floods a national disaster.

The floods were triggered by 10 days of an unusually heavy bout of rainfall in the state, taking the death toll to 239. More than 700,000 people were taken to 5,645 relief camps, according to figures released by the state government. Dozens of helicopters have been dropping tonnes of food, medicine and water over areas cut off due to damaged roads and bridges.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has pegged the value of losses at roughly Rs 19,200 crore  nearly a fifth of what the state spent the entire year in 2017-18. According to state disaster management officials, more than 10,000 kilometres of roads and bridges have been damaged.

The Cochin International Airport has been flooded, and officials believe it would take weeks to start functioning again.

On the bright side, help has been pouring in from places across the world. Several state governments have pledged crores in financial assistance, and NGOs have been collecting essential items for use rain-ravaged Kerala. Non-resident Indians and Gulf nations have also stepped forward to offer financial aid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier announced a Rs 500-crore financial package for Kerala, an offer that his detractors claimed was grossly inadequate.

According to officials, staving off disease outbreaks is of paramount interest in the coming days. Anil Vasudevan, a Kerala health department official, was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying that three people with chickenpox have already been quarantined at a relief camp in Aluva.

(With agency inputs)
Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, will boycott the meeting of the Lokpal selection committee, scheduled for Tuesday, according to a letter he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi informing him about his decision.

Kharges fourth refusal to attend the meeting this year is due to the same reason he said he was unable to attend on previous three occasions  the government has called him to the selection panels meeting as a special invitee, which does not give the person the right to participate, record an opinion or vote.

Perhaps, the government intends the outcome in order to create another strawman to attack by suggesting that the opposition is not cooperating in implementing the Lokpal Act, Kharge wrote on August 18.

Holding the process of appointing the anti-corruption ombudsman as vitiated, Kharge wrote, The people... are wise enough to see through this insincerity of the government where instead of genuinely involving the opposition, an invitation as special invitee without rights of participation, recording of opinion or voting is being sent out... He said he wont attend the meeting until such time the leader of the largest Opposition party is conferred the status of a full-fledged member as envisioned in the 2013 Act.
In Rajasthan, it is yatra versus rally. The BJPs Gaurav Yatra was launched to publicise development work of the Vasundhara Raje government and the Congress will start its Sankalp Rally to put up a united front.

The second phase of the Gaurav Yatra will start on August 24, the day the Congress will launch its rally from Chittorgarh in Udaipur division. Gaurav Yatra also began from Udaipur region.

Continuing with its soft Hindutva strategy, Congress leaders will start the rally with a visit to Sanwaliya Seth temple in Chittorgarh. The BJP Yatra was launched by national party chief Amit Shah from Charbujha temple in Rajsamand.

With focus on farmers issues, BJPs misgovernance, and unemployment, the Congress rallies will also convey the message of united we stand. All senior state and central leaders, such as state party chief Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, CP Joshi, Mohan Prakash, Jitendra Singh and AICC general secretary Avinash Pande will be present at the rally.

The central leadership directed the presence of all leaders during the rally, a senior Congress leader said on anonymity. He added that the message of a united front was made clear by party chief Rahul Gandhi, especially through the power hug between Gehlot and Pilot.

While Rajes yatra is covering all the assembly constituencies of a division, the Congress is initially planning to hold a big meeting in each district of a division. With a roadshow and a meeting held by Gandhi in Jaipur on August 11, the state unit has not included the city in the itinerary. The party is still to finalise the venue and date for holding a rally in the CMs home division (Kota).

After the first rally in Chittorgarh on August 24, the Congress will hold the second in Churu on August 28, followed by Barmer (September 5), Karauli (September 10) and Nagaur (September 12).

Also read: Vasundhara Rajes yatra hits Gujjar, Rebari bump

Another similarity in the Gaurav Yatra and Sankalp Rally are the targets given to workers and leaders to pull crowds to make the show a success. The Congress is upbeat with Gandhis recent roadshow and meeting, and also the fact that the BJP is facing anti-incumbency in some pockets.

Political experts say large crowds and rallies cannot be an indicator for positive voter outcome. Even after rallies, such as Gehlots Sandesh Yatra in the run-up to the 2013 assembly elections, the Congress had been reduced to 21. The rounds of public dialogue held by Raje before the last by-elections did not come to her rescue and the ruling party faced defeat in both the Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh assembly seat, experts say.

On the Congress launching its rally after the BJPs yatra, political analyst Narayan Bareth said, The BJP is facing anti-incumbency. The BJP acts and Congress reacts; it should be the other way round. The Congress through this rally is giving the message that they are united and active. It is to be seen to what extent the message penetrates among the masses; the election result would depend this.

He added, The challenge before the Congress is that people havent seen the required unity, which they need to establish.

Sachin Pilot said, Rajes yatra is a counter to our Mera Booth Mera Gaurav programme. Now it is to be seen how they will counter our rallies.

The objective of the rally, Pilot said, is to raise voice over farmers problems, employment to youth and misgovernance of the BJP government. When the yatra started, we raised a question every day starting with why public money is being used in the yatra? The high court issued a notice but despite that, the PWD department is issuing tenders. What the BJP is doing is unethical and illegal, and now the public will teach them lesson, he said.

Pilot said, Our meetings will be bigger with all leaders on board; the BJPs yatra is centralised around Raje.

State BJP media in-charge Vimal Katiyar said, The Congress has done many things inspired by the BJP. They are visiting temples, and now looking at Suraaj Sankalp and Gaurav Yatra, they are starting Sankalp Yatra. Its good they are inspired.
Social networking giant Facebook is donating $250,000 (nearly Rs 1.75 crore) for relief work in Kerala, which has been battered by torrential rains, floods and landslides, leaving over 300 dead amid massive destruction, the company said on Monday.

Facebook will donate the money through the Community Resilience Fund for GOONJ -- a Delhi-based non-profit organisation that is leading the relief and recovery efforts in the impacted localities.

In the last few days, Facebook along with the power of the community, has helped reach out to people through features such as Live, creating Page, joining community and raising funds, a Facebook spokesperson told IANS.

The smallest of all things we have done is that our global community has contributed $250,000 for Goonj fund, she added.

Kerala has seen unabated rains since August 8, causing one of the worst floods in its history that has until now claimed over 300 lives and rendered thousands homeless.

People across Facebook have created Groups, Live Videos and Pages to raise funds to mobilise support and help the worst affected.

The groups created include those facilitating communication and relief to victims, such as coordinating transportation and medical attention; IT professionals gathering information about people who need to be rescued and sharing it with emergency officials and doctors who are offering medical tips to those affected by the floods.

On August 9, the Facebook community activated its feature Safety Check, allowing people to let their friends and family know that they were safe.

The Help and the Crisis Donate Button on the platform has garnered more than 1,300 posts from the affected areas. The posts were asking for help and also for offering things like shelter, food, water, transportation and volunteer work.

So far, nearly 500 people have donated using the Crisis Donate Button.

Importantly, several people who were left stranded used Facebook Live to ask for rescue after being unable to reach authorities.

More than 1,200 people have used Facebooks Community Help to ask for and request help, including food, water, transportation and shelter.

The disaster maps on Facebook have helped National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and relevant NGOs to mobilise rescue and support efforts.

These Maps track peoples movement and demarcate between the affected (flood-hit) and safe zones. This has also helped the government to identify places, where rescue and relief is required.

TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE KERALA GOVERNMENTS RELIEF FUND:

 Account number: 67319948232

 Bank: State Bank of India

 Branch: City branch, Thiruvananthapuram

 IFS Code: SBIN0070028

 PAN: AAAGD0584M

 Name of Donee: CMDRF Kerala helpline numbers

 Kasargode: +91 9446601700

 Kannur: +91 944 6682300

 Kozhikode: +91 944 6538900

 Wayanad: +91 807 8409770

 Malappuram: +91 938 3463212

 Malappuram: +91 938 3464212

 Thrissur: +91 944 7074424

 Thrissur: +91 487 2363424

 Palakkad: +91 8301803282

 Ernakulam: +91 790 2200400

 Ernakulam: +91 790 2200300  Alappuzha: +91 477 2238630

 Alappuzha: +91 949 5003630

 Alappuzha: +91 949 5003640

 Idukki: +91 906 1566111

 Idukki: +91 938 3463036

 Kottayam: +91 944 6562236

 Kottayam: +91 944 6562236

 Pathanamthitta: +91 807 8808915

 Kollam: +91 944 7677800

 Thiruvananthapuram: +91 949 7711281


Heavy rains coupled with overflowing water bodies disrupted normal life in the Krishna, West and East Godavari districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh on Monday.

At least three people were feared drowned after tributaries of the Godavari river brimmed over in East Godavari district. According to district officials, an unidentified farmer reportedly died after a boat he was travelling in capsized in the river along Gurajapu Lanka village in Mummidivaram block. Two other farmers  S Satyanarayana of Polavaram and D Vamsee Prasad of Peddalanka  met a similar fate while they were trying to row across a stream.

The authorities responded instantly, stopping the movement of all boats along Godavari distributaries downstream from the Dowleshwaram project area. As it stands, scores of islands on the Godavari have been cut off from the mainland due to water flowing over causeways and bridges.

National highway no. 16 was breached due to Erravagu, a local stream, overflowing at Eluru in West Godavari district. Flood waters also washed away the Sriparru causeway, paralysing vehicular traffic between Eluru and Kaikaluru in Krishna district.

Officials of the real-time governance wing in the Andhra Pradesh chief ministers office sounded an alert in the Polavaram submergence villages of East Godavari early on Monday, asking people to stay in their houses in view of the overflowing Godavari and Sabari rivers.

Keeping the Kerala tragedy in view, the Andhra Pradesh government ordered that flood gates of the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs on the Krishna river be opened three days ago releasing over two lakh cusecs of water downstream. All the gates of Prakasam barrage in Krishna districts Vijayawada town were also opened to let over one lakh cusecs of water into the sea. This led to the inundation of low-lying areas all along the river bank.

With another rivulet  the Kondaveeti Vagu  reaching dangerous levels, irrigation officials are looking for alternative ways to divert the floodwater. The rains have also affected several chambers in the fourth block of the interim secretariat.

Largescale flooding resulted in snakes entering residential areas at Avanigadda village in Krishna district. At least 20 people who suffered snakebites have been admitted to local hospitals for immediate treatment.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday morning asked district officials to evacuate flood-hit people to safer areas. He also stressed on the need to keep life jackets, boats and anti-snake venom serums ready to deal with any untoward incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a letter to his newly elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, conveying New Delhis commitment to build good neighbourly relations and pursue constructive and meaningful engagement, people familiar with the development said on Monday.

Modi sent the letter to Khan on Saturday, the day the cricketer-turned-politician was sworn in as Pakistans 22nd premier. At his first news conference on Monday, Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi acknowledged the letter was received on Sunday.

Qureshi called for a continued, uninterrupted dialogue and appeared to imply that India had made an offer of dialogue to Khan. He said that Modi has sent a message about starting the path of dialogue, which he described as a very positive thing.

Both sides issued clarifications later in the day that Modis letter was limited to constructive engagement.

Prime Minister Modi expressed Indias commitment to build good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people, an Indian government official said in New Delhi after Qureshis news conference.

Pakistans Foreign Office spokesman said the letter mentioned the way forward was only through constructive engagement.

In the letter, Modi recalled his phone call with Khan in which they spoke of their shared vision to bring peace, security and prosperity on the Indian subcontinent in order to make it free of terror and violence and to focus on development, said the Indian official quoted above.

Qureshi said he will work for better relations and bridging the trust deficit with all neighbours, including India and Afghanistan.

Referring to India, Qureshi said: We need a continued, uninterrupted dialogue, which is the path of wisdom. He said his message to his Indian counterpart would be that we are not just neighbours, but we are atomic powers with many problemsin my opinion, there is no other solution but dialogue.

He added, We cannot afford any accidental adventurism, when the reaction time is so limited. Knowing the difficulties, the complex problems and even if there is no easy or quick solutions, we have to engage.

Referring to Atal Bihari Vajpayees 1999 visit to Islamabad and Lahore, Qureshi said the late prime minister had accepted the reality of Pakistan and said we have problems, of which Kashmir is a part.

Qureshis remarks built on Khans offer to India last month that Pakistan is ready to respond positively to any peace effort. If India takes one step toward us, we will take two, Khan had said.

The neighbours have been struggling to normalise their ties, with India pegging the resumption of dialogue to Pakistan clamping down on terror groups operating from its territory. Afghanistan has also accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban militants fighting the Indian- and Western-backed government in Kabul. Pakistan denies aiding insurgent groups in Kashmir and Afghanistan.

However, Pakistani security policy is largely determined by the military and not the civilian government. The previous government led by Nawaz Sharif sought better ties with India and hopes soared following Modis surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015, the first such trip by an Indian prime minister in more than a decade. But the hopes dashed weeks later when militants attacked Pathankot airbase in Punjab.

Qureshi, who served as foreign minister in the previous Pakistan Peoples Party government during 2008-11, said his ministry will be in charge of foreign policy but will take advice from national security institutions.

Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellany cautioned that all indicators after Pakistans military-engineered election point to a hardline policy toward India.

The military has emerged stronger, with Imrans cabinet packed with figures who served in Gen Pervez Musharrafs military regime. Imran has reduced himself to a puppet of the military, with his cabinet looking like a Musharraf 2 team. In this situation, India needs to be vigilant against potential Pakistani efforts to stage major cross-border and terrorist attacks, Chellany said.
The Indian diaspora in China in association with the Malayalee Association has raised over Rs 14 lakh for the welfare of flood relief victims in Kerala.

In Beijing, the Malayalee Association along with the Indian Community of Beijing (ICB) raised 50,000 yuan (about Rs five lakh) at a get together in Beijing on Sunday.

Suresh Varma, president of the Beijing Malayalee Association, said the money is being routed to the Chief Ministers relief fund in Kerala through the Indian Embassy here.

The funds were collected at a special platform setup at the Indian restaurant Taj Pavilion with a lunch and donated the to Kerala relief fund, said M H Pastakia, ICB member.

In Yiwu, the international consumer trade hub which has a large Indian diaspora, the Indian community raised about 80,000 yuan (Rs eight lakh) to be donated to the relief fund.

In Shanghai, the Indian association has so far raised 20,000 yuan (Rs two lakh) to be sent to the Kerala relief fund, member Amit Waiker said.

The Indian Embassy is helping the diaspora to route the proceeds to the Chief Ministers welfare fund.

SC judges to pitch in

Twenty five Supreme Court judges would contribute in the relief funds for the victims of flood in Kerala, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said on Monday.

A bench of the CJI and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud made this observation during the hearing of a PIL in which it was contemplating imposing a cost of Rs 25 lakh on a litigant for filing an improper application in a PIL on which the verdict has already been reserved.

Attorney General KK Venugopal, who termed the matter a fit case for initiation of contempt proceedings, also advised that the cost, to be imposed, to be given to the Kerala Chief Ministers flood relief fund
Initial estimates peg rain-related damage caused to infrastructure in Karnatakas Kodagu district at Rs 2,000-3,000 crore, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in the state capital, Kumaraswamy said the government was taking steps to provide relief to those affected. Kodagu is witnessing heavy rain after a long time. In the past week alone, seven people have died in the district, Kumaraswamy said. Heavy-intensity rain was witnessed in the district from August 13, and this caused many roads to cave in.

Data provided by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) shows that Kodagu has been the worst affected among Karnatakas 30 districts, recording 237% excess rainfall in the past week and 46% this monsoon. The district received an average of 535 mm rainfall against the normal of 159 mm over this period.

The chief minister said that while a final assessment of losses is yet to be done, it was evident that the state would require approximately Rs 2,000-3,000 crore to rebuild the infrastructure alone. The President and Prime Minister are already in touch with me, and I will meet them once I have a proper estimate of the damage suffered in the district, he added.

Kumaraswamy cited available information to state that 845 houses had been completed destroyed, 743 partially wrecked, 143 km of roads washed away and 57 bridges damaged. As many as 32 relief camps have been set up in Kodagu district, and around 6,000 people are living there, he said. The state government has decided to give Rs 3,800 to every family housed in these camps, so they can buy basic necessities. This is exclusive of the 10 kg of rice, one kg of sugar, one litre of palm oil, one kg of tur dal and five litres of kerosene that we have provided to them.

The chief minister also released details of a bank account opened for online donations, and assured donors that it would be 100% tax exempt.

As many as 1,725 officials of the district administration, police, reserve police, armed forces and civil defence personnel have already been deployed in the district, he said. M17 helicopters from the Air Force are also undertaking rescue operations in the area in a coordinated manner.

Kumaraswamy then asked officials to provide jobs to rain-affected labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Generation Act, so they can help rebuild essential infrastructure and be gainfully employed at the same time.

District in-charge minister Sa Ra Mahesh said there was no more need for food items to be sent as relief material because the administration already had adequate reserves. Perishables are not required at present because we are unable to store them. However, people can still contribute non-perishable items and monetary aid for reconstruction of homes, he added.

KSNDMC scientist Sunil Gavaskar said the intensity of the downpour has already reduced, and heavy rainfall is not expected in the immediate future.
A Kashmiri man, suspected to be a sympathiser of the banned ISIS terror group, was recently deported to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officials said here on Sunday.

Irfan Ahmad Zargar, 36, a resident of Chattatabal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, was allegedly deported from the Gulf country on August 14. He was subjected to questions by various security agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), they said.

The NIA interrogated him for two days before handing him over to the Jammu and Kashmir police, who were carrying out detailed investigations. However, there was no case pending against him in the state.

Zargar, an engineer, had allegedly shown active support to ISIS activities in Syria on social media, the officials said. He was picked up by the authorities in Dubai on April 28 this year when he was entering into the Gulf country from Oman, the officials told PTI. The detectives in Dubai questioned him about his activities on social networking sites, especially his appreciation of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria activities) in Syria and Iraq.

Working with a telecom company in Dubai, Zargar maintained that he had travelled to Oman for setting up a business of handcrafts.The Dubai officials had carried out thorough search of his apartments in Sharjah and later whisked him away to an undisclosed location.

He was deported to India on August 14.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had been approached by one of his kin on her Twitter handle asking for help. The minister had assured them help and the Indian Consulate General in Dubai had initiated a hunt for the man. However, the Dubai authorities had refused to entertain any plea until they had completed their own investigation in the case.

Zargar is the third Kashmiri to have been deported for allegedly being a sympathiser of the terror group. Afshan Parvaiz of Srinagar was deported from Turkish capital of Ankara on May 25. Parvaiz had left home after an argument with his father, who wanted him to join a college while he was interested in religious studies.He booked himself a seat on a flight to Teheran on March 23 and was later deported after he crossed into Turkey. Azhar ul Islam of Ganderbal was deported from the UAE last year for being an alleged ISIS sympathiser.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
Kerala needs electricians, plumbers, and carpenters more than food or clothes to put life back on track, Union minister KJ Alphons said on Monday, as authorities pushed rescue and rehabilitation operations in the state hit by the worst flood in a century.

There will be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We dont need clothes or food. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala, the minister of state for tourism (independent charge) was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Help has poured in from across the country for Kerala, with several state governments pledging crores in financial assistance and non-government organisations collecting items of basic necessities and sending them to the flood-hit state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a financial package of Rs 500 crore to help Kerala, an offer that his rivals and some in the states ruling CPI(M) said was inadequate.

Vice president Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on the situation in Kerala with deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh and other senior officials of the Rajya Sabha and vice president secretariat. Naidu said he will donate a months salary for the relief measures in the state.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Monday his state would give Rs 3 crore in aid to rain-ravaged Kerala. Telangana deputy chief minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali has decided to donate a months salary to the state and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs will also give a months salary to Kerala chief ministers distress relief fund, ANI reported.

Rainfall eased on Monday and flood levels have fallen in many districts after a week of fierce downpours and Indian Army helicopters and boats kept up missions to find trapped survivors and drop food and water in isolated villages.
Necessary help needed, says CM

223 people lost their lives between August 8-20. 6 people died today. Centre said they will make all necessary requirements available to us but in todays situation what is most needed is the necessary help, equivalent to the total damages caused so far, says Kerala chief minister.

Maldives donates $50,000 for flood-hit Kerala

Expressing sympathies to the government and people of India over the death and destruction in Kerala floods, the Maldives has announced a donation of $50,000 as a token contribution in solidarity, the Maldives Embassy said.

This donation is a small gesture to a neighbour and friend who has always stood by Maldives in its hour of need, Maldives Ambassador to India Ahmed Mohamed said.

Centre should declare Kerala floods as national calamity: Andhra CM

Central govt should declare it as a national calamity. It is the responsibility of everyone to restore normalcy in Kerala, says Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.

Andhra has extended assistance of nearly Rs 50 Crore through all means including financial help. As per the request of Kerala CM 2000 MT of rice would be supplied to Kerala at a cost of Rs 6 Crore. The MPs and MLCs are donating one month salary towards Kerala floods, he added.

India stands with Kerala in this hour of need: Piyush Goyal

India stands with Kerala in this hour of need. The central government is exempting basic customs duty and IGST for the consignments of aid and relief materials being dispatched or imported from abroad for the affected people, tweets railway minister Piyush Goyal.

Diageo donates Rs 1 crore to flood-hit Kerala

Leading liquor major Diageo India donated Rs 1 crore to the Kerala Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund, the company said on Monday. Our officials met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and donated the fund for the massive flood relief work underway across the coastal state, said the Indian arm of the British beverage firm.

One million in Kerala relief centres: CM

Over one million people are now sheltered in 3,274 relief camps in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, even as rains that have battered the state for a week finally abate A total of 602 marooned people were rescued on Monday, the Chief Minister added.

Army will stay in Kerala till situation stabilised: Southern chief

The Army will continue to be engaged in the rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala till the situation stabilised, Southern Command chief Lt Gen DR Soni said. He also said the Armys medical teams would extend the first line of relief in co-ordination with the government.

There are inaccessible areas and our men will continue to reach out to people who needed to be rescued, he added.

No provision to declare a disaster as national calamity: Centre

The Centre informed the Kerala High Court there was no legal provision to declare a disaster as a national calamity, amid demands for declaring the floods as a national disaster. In an affidavit, the Centre said it has treated the flood situation in Kerala as a Disaster of Serious Nature and has categorised the same as L3 Level of Disaster under the National Disaster Management Guidelines.

It is submitted that there is no provision in statutes or manuals to declare a disaster as a national calamity, howsoever big it may be. It is only an expression used in general parlance, the Centre said.

Why not declare Kerala floods a national calamity: AAP asks Modi

Delhis ruling AAP on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not declaring Keralas devastating floods a national calamity.

Why the delay in declaring Kerala floods a national calamity? People are suffering and you are being indecisive? the Aam Aadmi Party tweeted on its official Twitter handle.

Delhi officers hand over Rs 1.5 lakh to Kejriwal for flood relief

Rs 1.5 lakh collected by the association of DANICS officers for the flood-affected people of Kerala was handed over to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Officers belonging to Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS) also pledged to donate their one-day salary for the flood victims, the association said.

SC judges to contribute to Kerala flood relief fund: CJI

Twenty five Supreme Court judges would contribute in the relief funds for the victims of flood in Kerala which has seen the large scale devastation of lives and properties, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said.

According to the apex court sources, the judges will contribute Rs 25,000 each to the relief fund.

Dept of Consumer Affairs dispatches 100 Metric tonnes of pulses

Dept of Consumer Affairs has dispatched 100 Metric tonne (MT) of pulses today. Ministry of Health has airlifted 52 MT of emergency medicines. 20 MT of medicines to reach Kerala by tonight. 20MT of bleaching powder & 1 crore Chlorine tablets to be dispatched by tom: Central Govt pic.twitter.com/49YDIQ7Pye  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

Jamia teachers to donate one-day salary

Jamia teachers have decided to donate one-day salary to the flood-affected people of Kerala, says Jamia Teachers Association.

Centre declares Kerala floods calamity of severe nature: MHA

The massive flood in Kerala has been declared a calamity of severe nature, the Home Ministry said.

Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a home ministry official said.

Production at two Apollo Tyres plants affected

Production operations of the companys plants located at Perambra and Kalamassery, Kerala have been disrupted due to the floods, Apollo Tyres said in a BSE filing.

Maharashtra sends medical team to Kerala

A team of 81 doctors from Mumbai and Pune left by an Air India flight on Monday with medical relief supplies to help the flood victims in Kerala.

Meanwhile, through efforts of various organisations coordinated by the state government, another five tonnes of relief supplies including food packs, milk powder, blankets, bedsheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins will be sent to Kerala on Monday.

Kerala floods should be declared national disaster: Antony

Congress Working Committee member AK Antony demanded that the Centre immediately declare the Kerala floods as a national disaster. When floods hit Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre said it was almost like a national disaster and Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned. But when Kerala is facing the worst-ever natural calamity, just Rs 600 crore has been sanctioned, which is nothing in view of the huge damage caused in the state, he said.

Centre asks industrialists, firms to extend help

Centre has asked industrialists, business organisations to extend help to Kerala in dealing with flood situation: Union minister Suresh Prabhu.

Relief items being distributed to flood victims

#KeralaFloods: Relief items including ration, clothing and sanitary items being distributed to flood victims. A medical camp has been set up by #105RAF for people requiring urgent treatment at Challakudi, Thrissur, Kerala. pic.twitter.com/ioJq9QQ4d7  PIB India (@PIB_India) August 20, 2018

Priority right now is health, sanitation: State health minister

The chief minister has spoken to us and we have discussed the situation at hand.Our priority right now is health and sanitation. We have all the resources required to help the people and we also urge them to come forward if they have any issue related to the same, says Kerala health minister KK Shailaja.

SGPC sends flood relief material

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is sending flood relief material for people affected due to Kerala floods. Two relief camp teams are being sent; one by road and the other by air: ANI.

243 motorised, 24 non-motorised, 21 hired boats deployed: Defence ministry

Around 30,000 people have been successfully rescued by Indian Armed Forces in flood -affected areas while 3,500 people have been provided medical aid.

Update #KeralaFloodRelief efforts:



243 motorised, 24 non-motorised and 21 hired boats from @adgpi , @indiannavy & @IndiaCoastGuard have been deployed to enable effective movement of citizens to safer locations and relief camps.#KeralaFloods@nsitharaman pic.twitter.com/rXgG8qlGmZ  Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) August 20, 2018

Operation Madad: Army rescues 1850 people

The Engineer Task Force of 202 Engineer Regiment of the Army rescued total of 1850 personnel including patients, children , ladies and senior citizens. Provided food, water, clothing, medicines.

#Update#Keralafloods2018 Engineer Task Force of 202 Engineer Regiment rescued total of 1850 personnel including patients, children , ladies and senior citizens. Provided food, water, clothing, medicines. We are at it. #OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/1j9jkf8qyP  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 20, 2018

Open call centre for Bengali migrants: WB Congress president urges PM

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open a call centre in Bengali language to assist migrant workers from Bengal who were trapped in flood ravaged Kerala.

Language is a great barrier for Bengali speaking migrants in Kerala and they would not be able to express their condition as well as communicate to their families back home, Chowdhury wrote in a letter to the prime minister.

Telangana IAS officers to donate a days salary

Telangana IAS Officers Association on Monday said it has resolved to contribute at least one day salary of the serving officers to the Kerala chief ministers relief fund.

Ramdev sends relief material

Relief material worth Rs.50 Lakh has been sent to flood affected areas of #Kerala & #Karnataka & we will be sending material worth Rs.1.5 crore more. Nation is proud of the rescue & relief operations conducted by our security forces in the flood affected areas tweeted ANI quoting Yoga Guru Ramdev.

90% rescue operations completed, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that 90% of the rescue is over, and over 10 lakh people have been moved to relief camps.

Volunteers pass boxes of food aid at a relief camp for people displaced by flooding in Aluva on the outskirts of Kochi in the south Indian state of Kerala on August 20, 2018. ( AFP Photo )

NDMA advises caution

NDMA advises caution ( NDMA/Twitter )

Puducherry govt staff to donate one day salary

The government employees in Puducherry have decided to contribute their one day salary to the Kerala flood relief fund, reports PTI.

Relief material arrives at Kochi Naval Base

Relief material from different parts of the country has started arriving at the port here to provide some succour to the people of Kerala devastated by unprecedented floods in about a century, officials said on Monday, reports PTI.

A Cochin Port Trust official said Naval Ship INS Deepak, carrying relief material from Mumbai, arrived with about 800 tonnes of fresh water and nearly 18 tonnes of provisions

70 teams part of rescue efforts, says Army

Around 70 teams are present there with boats, life vests and food packets. Places where light and helicopters cant reach, my boys have reached, ANI quotes General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lt Gen DR Soni as saying.

Authorities bury carcasses of animals to contain epidemic

Authorities are collecting carcasses of animals and burying them in order to contain epidemic.

CJI Dipak Misra, SC judges to contribute to Kerala aid

SC judges will also contribute to Kerala flood relief fund, says chief justice of India Dipak Misra.

Relief camps overstretched

More than 10 lakh people have been moved to relief camps now, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan. As numbers increase, the situation at the camps gets tough given the strain on resources.

Police given powers to arrest people not leaving homes

Police have been given special powers to arrest people unwilling to leave their submerged houses. Many have asked for food and ration but refuse to leave their homes.

Life in Idukki gradually moving back to normalcy

Life in Idukki is gradually moving back to normalcy. ATM services have resumed. Work is in progress to re-establish connectivity and restore communication.

1 million people in relief camps: Tourism minister

As the rescue and relief operations continue in flood-hit Kerala, Union tourism minister KJ Alphons on Monday said that the authorities have housed at least one million people in scores of relief camps set up by the administration across the state, reports ANI.

Malayalis in Jkhand cancel Onam fete, start donation drive

A Malayali association in Jamshedpur has decided to cancel Onam celebrations this year in view of the devastating floods in Kerala that claimed over 200 lives and rendered more than seven lakh people homeless.

3757 medical camps set: Union minster JP Nadda

Till now, 3757 medical camps have been setup in Kerala. There is requirement of 90 different medicines and first installment has reached. Issued advisory for daily monitoring and surveillance. Quick response medical teams to start work as soon as water recedes, tweeted ANI, quoting Union minster JP Nadda.

9-year-old Tamil Nadu girl donates savings

A 9-year-old girl from a town in Tamil Nadu parted with her savings of four years meant for a bicylce, for Kerala flood relief. The girls gesture moved a premier cycle manufacturer, who has now promised her to gift the cycle of her dreams.

Fear of spread of disease, say health authorities

Health authorities prepared defences against the spread of disease in flood-hit Kerala state on Monday as water receded and a huge clean-up gathered pace after the worst floods.

Challenge shifts from rescue to relief

As rescue operations in Kerala on Monday entered its final stages, the biggest challenge before the authorities in the flood aftermath turned into managing the over 5,500 relief camps housing more than 7,00,000 people across the state, reports IANS.

Venkaiah Naidu holds review meeting, donates one month salary

Vice president of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on Kerala floods with deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and vice president secretariat and decided to donate a months salary for relief measures.

Vice president of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on Kerala floods with deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha. ( ANI/Twitter )

Coimbatores CRPF Wifes Welfare Association sends aid

Regional CRPF Wifes Welfare Association in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore flagged off relief materials consisting of dry rations, clothing, medicines, sanitary items in 12 trucks with Rapid Action Force (RAF) team to Keralas Thrissur and Chalakudy, reports ANI.

Regional CRPF Wifes Welfare Association in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore flagged off relief materials to Kerala. ( ANI/Twitter )

Four express trains to run as per normal schedule

Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Mangala Lakshadweep Express, Mangalore-Nagercoil Parasuram Express, JamnagarTirunelveli Express and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus -Thiruvananthapuram Netravathi Express from Shoranur junction to run as per normal schedule, reports ANI.

Chhattisgarh IPS and SPS officers donate one day salary

Extending support to flood-hit people of Kerala, senior police officers of Chhattisgarh will donate one day salary to the victims. The officers include all Indian Police Officers (IPS) and State Police Services (SPS), who are posted in the state.

Navy rescues 109 people in Thrissur

Indian Navy rescue team joined six ropes across a stream in Thrissur on Sunday rescuing 109 people who were stranded on the other side after the bridge over it collapsed, reports ANI.

Shiv Sena MPs, MLAs to contribute one month salary

All MPs and MLAs of Shiv Sena will contribute their one month salary to Kerala chief ministers relief fund, reports ANI.

Dont need clothes/food, need electricians, plumbers, carpenters: KJ Alphons

Therell be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We dont need clothes/food.Ppl with technical capabilities are reqd to put life back into Kerala, tweeted ANI quoting Union minister KJ Alphons.

Biggest heroes are fisherman, says Union minister KJ Alphons

Quoting Union minister KJ Alphons, ANI tweeted, Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators & providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. Biggest heroes are fishermen,they came in 600 boats&are rescuing people:

Bodies found as floods recede

Receding flood waters left troops and rescuers the grim task Monday of hunting for bodies left by the worst monsoon in a century in Kerala, reports AFP.

Indian NGO in America raises USD 10,000 for relief

Sewa International, an Indian non-profit organisation in America, has raised over USD 10,000 for the flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala, reports PTI.

Thanks note painted on roof of Kochi house

A Thanks note painted on the roof of a house in Kochi from where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma had rescued two women on August 17.

Indian Coast Guard continues rescue operations

Indian Coast Guard continues relief and rescue operations across Kerala, reports ANI.

55 doctors from Mumbai, 26 from Pune leave for Thiruvananthapuram

55 doctors from Mumbais JJ Hospital, 26 doctors from Punes Sassoon hospital and paramedical staff leave for Thiruvananthapuram in two Air India aircraft.

Doctors from Mumbai and Pune leave for Thiruvananthapuram. ( ANI/Twitter )

No heavy rainfall for next 5 days: IMD

It is expected that for the next five days there wont be heavy rainfall in Kerala, rainfall will gradually decrease over the state, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, India Meteorological Department.

2 BSF boats from Vizag to reach Thiruvananthapuram

2 BSF boats from Vizag will reach Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, tweeted National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

60T medicines from Hindon, 70 doctors from Mumbai sent to Thiruvananthapuram

60T medicines from Hindon and 70 doctors and 30 personnel with medicines from Mumbai have been sent to Thiruvananthapuram, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

28.5 T relief material from Mumbai, 4T food from Mysore

28.5 T food and relief material is being moved from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram, while 4T packaged food from Mysore is being moved to Thiruvananthapuram, tweeted National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

50 RO plants, 7T* milk powder moved from Hyderabad

50 RO plants and 7T milk powder from Hyderabad, and 33T food packets from Halwara were moved to Thiruvananthapuram, tweeted National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

*1T=1000 kg

First commercial flight lands at Kochi Naval Air Station

First commercial flight lands at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station after Cochin International Airport got affected due to floods, reports ANI.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs to donate one month salary

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs to donate their one month salary to Kerala chief ministers distress relief fund, reports ANI.

Telangana Dy CM to donate one months salary

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali has decided to donate his one-month salary to flood-hit Kerala state.

Assam to give Rs 3 cr to Kerala for flood relief

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday said his state would give Rs 3 crore aid to rain-ravaged Kerala, where 210 have died in the last 10 days.
Residents in relief camps set up after Kerala was hit by a devastating flood, the worst in a century that killed more than 200 people, are struggling to get by.

Most of these camps remain crowded like marketplaces. That is the reason many dreaded going to these camps. The situation was like that, so we cant blame the authorities and government, M Girish, housed in a camp near Chengannur town in one of the worst-hit Alappuzha district, said.

I have seen death from close range. Life is more important so I dont have any complaints, he said.

The floods were triggered by 10 days of an unusually heavy bout of rainsin the state, taking the death toll to 239, and more than 400 since the monsoon started in June. Rainfall in the state during the monsoon has been more than 40% higher than normal, with torrential rain forcing authorities to release water from dozens of dangerously full dams, sending surges into rivers that then overflowed their banks.

Flood victims rest inside a university classroom, which is converted into a temporary relief camp in Kochi in Kerala. (REUTERS)

Like the bulging reservoirs of the state, these camps are also packed to the brim. More than 10 lakh people have been shifted in the 6,000-odd relief camps across the state and many are still being shifted to these overcrowded setups.

They have been queueing up silently with their paper plates in the dotting relief camps. But food is not a worry.

Most of these relief camps have been set up in schools and colleges, which do not have enough toilets to cater to the increasing number of people. Many inmates say they had to wait more than three hours for their morning ablutions.

The worried district administration in Alappuzha has sought the help of non-government organisations and corporate houses to supply them with more make-shift toilets.

Food here is no problem these days. We heard it is pouring in from different parts. What we need are more toilet facilities and clothes. Some are in same clothes they wore when they were rescued days before, K Reshmi, who is camping in Pandalam Girls High School, said.

Huddled together without the basic facilities some say they fear a possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases in the camps. Many patients, evacuated from flooded hospitals, housed in some of these camps are more vulnerable to the unhygienic conditions.

News agency Reuters quoted Anil Vasudevan, a Kerala health department official, as saying that three people with chickenpox had to be isolated in one of the relief camps in Aluva.

And, others said they were being discriminated against after the disaster.

Workers from the northeastern states complained they were shooed away by authorities at some places but later district administrations warned strict action against those who treated them shabbily in the state, which is home to 25 lakh such migrants.

The Odisha government had to request Kerala to provide the minimum assistance to those stranded from the state and not to discriminate against them. Many Odiya workers are engaged in construction work and employed by plywood companies in Kochi and surrounding areas.

We have over one million people housed in relief camps. The Union government is coordinating well with the state to provide the best care to them. We will ensure a better management and I am sure we will come out of the disaster soon, said Union minister of state for tourism K J Alphons.

A flood-affected woman receives food inside a college auditorium, which has been converted into a temporary relief camp, in Kochi in Kerala. (REUTERS)

He accompanied both Union home minister Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Kerala.

Chalakudy in Thrissur and Chengannur in Alappuzha district have been the worst affected by the flood. Rescuers are now searching inundated houses for bodies of those who trapped in fast-rising waters. At least eight bodies were recovered on Monday and authorities fear more in coming days.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the rescue operation has reached its last leg and will be completed by Monday evening and that top priority will be given to restoring normalcy in the affected areas.

It has been the largest rescue operation in the countrys history involving the state administration, personnel of the armed and paramilitary forces and teeming volunteers. Dozens of helicopters have been dropping tonnes of food, medicine and water over areas cut off due to damaged roads and bridges.
Mexico has launched a hunt for children from 80 countries, including eight from India, who participated in a global painting festival as part of the cultural activities for the 1968 Olympics.

The children who joined the World Childrens Painting Festival, with the theme Un Mundo de Amistad (A world of friendship), contributed some 1,800 drawings and murals that were displayed at some of Mexico Citys most iconic spots.

Five decades later, as Mexico prepares to host an exhibition with the theme A world of friendship  50 years later, which will feature the few surviving pieces of the original collection, a hunt is underway around the world for the participants of the painting festival.

To acknowledge the contribution of those children to the painting festival, the embassies of Mexico worldwide are searching for the participants, who would now be adults, the Mexican embassy in New Delhi said in a statement.

The embassy said three Indian students may have travelled with Indian athletes to Mexico to paint murals. (Mexico Embassy, New Delhi)

The embassy wishes to present a copy of the framed painting with a certificate of commendation to the participants. The embassy also released some of the paintings by the Indian participants and a photo from a publication featuring one of them, Leela Sudakaran.

However, there is a snag  very little is known about the Indian participants, and according to the embassy, only their names and ages are available.

It is likely that the Indian children may have participated through the renowned Shankars International Childrens Art Competition, the statement said, referring to the art competition organised by noted cartoonist K Shankar Pillai.

Indian student Leela Sudakaran (second left). (Mexico Embassy, New Delhi)

Shankar was known to select the best paintings from his competition and submit them to international events.

The embassy said three Indian students may have travelled with Indian athletes to Mexico to paint murals which were placed along the Avenue Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, converting the long iconic boulevard into an immense art gallery.

Only one of the eight participants has been traced so far and he died in 1998 after a long illness. Jitendra Navnitlal Parikh from Baroda, who was 15 at the time of the festival, had submitted a painting entitled Market.

The embassy released the names of six other participants: Sujata Sharma (14 at the time) from New Delhi, Ira Sachdeva (12) from New Delhi, Sanat Kundu (13), and Vivek Kuchibhatla (nine years), Ela Ems (eight years) and Leela Sudakaran, who may have travelled to Mexico to paint murals.
The newly-formed Pakistan government on Monday backtracked within hours on its claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an offer of a dialogue in a letter to Imran Khan, who was sworn in as Prime Minister on Saturday.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters in Islamabad that the Indian prime minister has sent a letter in which he congratulated Imran Khan and ... he has sent a message to open talks.

Clarifying Qureshis remarks, the Pakistani foreign ministry said he had not stated that the Indian Prime Minister had made an offer of a dialogue and a controversy was being unnecessarily created by sections of the Indian media on the issue.

In a statement, it said that Qureshi had said that the Indian Prime Minister in his letter to Imran Khan had also mentioned something similar to what the Foreign Minister elucidated earlier i.e. that the way forward was only through constructive engagement, adding that Pakistan looks forward to a mutually beneficial, uninterrupted dialogue with India to resolve all issues.

An Indian foreign ministry official, according to Reuters, confirmed that PM Modi did write to Khan on Sunday and expressed Indias commitment to build good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan.

Imran Khan, after his victory in the July 25 elections, had said that Pakistan was ready to respond positively to any effort on dialogue. If India comes and takes one step toward us, we will take two, Khan had said.

Prime Minister Modi had telephoned Khan to congratulate him on his partys victory and hoped that Pakistan and India will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties.
Political will be crucial in Irans efforts to work with India and other world powers such as China to find solutions before American sanctions on oil imports from Tehran kick in on November 4, senior Iranian diplomats said on Monday.

Iran is among the top three suppliers of energy to India, the worlds fastest growing oil consumer that imports more than 80% of its needs. The US has said it wants India and other buyers of Iranian crude to reduce imports to zero.

Tehran is working with New Delhi and Beijing to cope with the possible impacts of US sanctions and the Iranian diplomats said any rise in crude prices could have knock-on effects for economies such as China and India.

When there is political will, there is a way. We are working together to find a solution, a diplomat said.

However, the diplomats couldnt say for certain that a rupee-rial arrangement  which was resorted to when the previous Obama administration imposed sanctions during 2010-15  will be part of the solution in the current scenario.

There are many factors  the ratio of the rupee and other currencies in such an arrangement, the products that will be covered and the beneficiaries. In the end, we must have a mechanism for payments and the rupee can be a part. The details have to be worked out, said a diplomat.

Indias monthly oil imports from Iran surged by 30% to a record 768,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July. The figure was about 85% higher than that of a year ago. State-run refiners ordered significantly higher volumes for the fiscal year that began in April because of discounts offered by Iran.

The diplomats said Iran has been a reliable energy supplier and offered various flexibilities that benefited India, such as long-term credit and free shipping. They also noted that it would not be possible for buyers to find suppliers that can provide large volumes within a period of about three months.

Despite growing pressure from the Donald Trump administration, Tehran is taking heart from the fact that the sanctions this time around are unilateral and not accompanied by similar measures from the UN and European Union.

Although there is pressure on big companies like Airbus and Total that also have interests in the US or those that have US shareholders, many of the medium and small firms doing business with Iran are not affected by such problems, a diplomat said.

Tehran also believes powers such as China and India can help in efforts to salvage the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the Iran nuclear deal following President Trumps decision to withdraw from the arrangement and impose sanctions.

India, as an emerging power, can play a very important role at a time when the international world is entirely changed. The world order is unraveling because of the actions of the US. Even groupings such as the EU expect India to play a bigger role, a diplomat said.
With rescue operations in their final stages, authorities in Kerala on Monday shifted their focus on tackling the spread of disease and restoring normalcy as waters receded from the worst floods in a century that left more than 200 people dead.

The Central government has declared the situation a calamity of severe nature.

Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a home ministry official said in New Delhi. However, the states ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress have been demanding the floods to be declared a national disaster.

The floods were triggered by 10 days of an unusually heavy bout of rains in the state, taking the death toll to 239, and more than 400 since the monsoon started in June.

More than 10 lakh people have been shifted to relief camps in the largest rescue operation in the countrys history, involving the state administration, personnel of the armed and paramilitary forces and volunteers. Dozens of helicopters have been dropping tonnes of food, medicine and water over areas cut off due to damaged roads and bridges. (Follow live updates here)

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the rescue operation has almost been completed and top priority will be given to restoring normalcy in the crippled areas.

The first commercial flight landed at INS Garuda, the Indian Navy air station in Kochi, on Monday after operations at the Cochin international airport was closed for days and train services were restored in many areas. Many long-distance trains were also to start from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, officials said.

It is the unity and resolve of the people that helped manage such a disaster. All credits go to them, said opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.

Focus on worst-hit areas

Chengannur in Alappuzha district continued to be the focus of the rescue operation on Monday as several areas remained submerged and last-ditch efforts were being made to locate stranded people. Many are still feared trapped in interior areas and a district official said hectic efforts were on to locate and save them.

We will save all the trapped (people) by evening. It seems the worst is over, Chengannur MLA Saji Cherian said.

Police have been given special powers to arrest those who refuse to be still cling on to their half-submerged houses and refuse to be evacuated.

Fear of disease

At least eight bodies were recovered from different areas in the state and health officials have started collecting bloated carcasses of domestic animals, which surfaced after the water receded, in an effort to contain an outbreak of disease.

Health officials fanned out in several areas with strict guidelines to check a possible outbreak since all water bodies were contaminated.

It is a big concern. We have already given directions to local bodies to take up cleaning drive on a war-footing. Health officials are out on a mass contact programme, said state health minister PK Shailaja.

Anil Vasudevan, a Kerala health department official, was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying that three people with chickenpox had to be isolated in one of the relief camps in Aluva.

Union health minister JP Nadda said 3,757 medical camps have been set up in Kerala.

There is a requirement of 90 different medicines and the first instalment has reached. Issued advisory for daily monitoring and surveillance. Quick response medical teams to start work as soon as the water recedes, he added.

Union minister KJ Alphons said on Monday Kerala needs electricians, plumbers, and carpenters more than food or clothes to put life back on track.

There will be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala, the minister of state for tourism (independent charge) was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

We dont need clothes or food. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala, he said.

More aid pours in

Several state governments have pledged crores of rupees in financial assistance and non-government organisations are collecting items of basic necessities and sending them to the flood-hit state.

Vice president Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on the situation in Kerala with deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh and other senior officials of the Rajya Sabha and vice president secretariat. Naidu said he will donate a months salary for the relief measures in the state.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said that judges of the Supreme Court would also contribute to Kerala flood relief fund.

A 9-year-old girl from a town in Tamil Nadu parted with her savings of four years meant for a bicycle for Kerala flood relief. Her gesture moved a premier cycle manufacturer, who has now promised her to gift the cycle of her dreams.

Watch: Boats going door-to-door to rescue flood victims in Kerala

The lack of coordination and adequate manpower at times hit the rescue operations and harried officials admitted that mistakes were bound to happen as the numbers of those affected was large. Winding queues were visible outside relief camps for food.

Chief minister Vijayan said there was no shortage of food in the state as traders had stocked up ahead of Onam, the states biggest festival which falls on August 25. The state has cancelled all official celebrations in connection with the Hindu harvest festival.

Fishermen have sailed inland from Keralas coast to join the search, as volunteers set up soup kitchens and an international appeal was made for financial help. Vijayan praised the fishermen for joining the rescue mission, announcing they would get Rs 3,000 for each day of their work and that authorities would pay for any damage to their boats.

Read | As rains begin to subside, Kerala worries about diseases from contaminated flood water

Vijayan has pegged the value of losses at roughly Rs 19,200 crore, nearly a fifth of what the state had spent for the entire year in 2017-18. According to state disaster management officials, more than 10,000 kilometres of roads and bridges have been damaged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a financial package of Rs 500 crore to help Kerala, an offer that his rivals and some in the states ruling CPI(M) said was inadequate.

Rainfall in the state during the monsoon season has been more than 40% higher than normal, with torrential rain in the last 10 days forcing authorities to release water from dozens of dangerously full dams, sending surges into rivers that then overflowed their banks.
In a dim, airless hall at the Banwasi Seva Ashram in Singrauli, the residents of Indias energy capital assembled to seek legal advice on how to deal with the regions endemic pollution. The fans sat still overhead, power was in short supply.

Singrauli, a region that straddles the UP-MP border north of Chhattisgarh, is one of 43 industrial clusters in the country declared as Critically Polluted Areas (CPA) by the environment ministry in 2009. A decade later, little has changed on the ground.

Dotted with transmission towers, criss-crossed by power lines and overrun by heavy-duty trucks, Singrauli hosts 10 towering coal-fuelled power plants, including Indias largest thermal power station, two major aluminium smelting plants, and several other industries churning out everything from bricks to chemicals. Fly ash, coal dust, fluoride and mercury poison health and shorten lives.

Though the villagers aired many grievances, a legal case requires more than that, Rahul Choudhary, an advocate from Delhi-based NGO Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment, explained. Courts require hard evidence of environmental harm and personal injury.

The pollution is there in the water, in the air, we can see it, what more proof do they want, retorted one elderly villager. There was flickering enthusiasm for punitive legal action against industries, but the abiding concern of citizens at the meeting that day was for the fate of their children.

Sonia Kumari, a slight girl of 15 years, suffered a bout of unconsciousness recently, the latest in a series of fainting spells that began at age five. A clue to her condition came in 2012, when a team from the Centre for Science and Environment tested her blood and hair samples and found extremely high levels of mercury.

Sonia was not alone. Mercury levels in the blood of 19 people who were tested, averaged 34.30 parts per billion (ppb)  many times the acceptable limit of 5.8 ppb.

After it was declared CPA, a moratorium was placed on the expansion of industries and the state pollution control boards of UP and MP were required to submit pollution-management plans. Once the plans were ready, the ban was lifted in 2011.

Nothing has changed on the ground and there is no way to monitor if the plans were implemented, said Jagat Narayan Vishwakarma, a local activist who filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the highest environmental court in the country, in 2014.

One of the NGT-appointed core committees recommendations was that every village be fitted with a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant. Lakshmani Devi, a resident of Rasbhari village -- affected by fluoride contamination -- is still waiting for one.

Our lives are spent. We dont want our children to suffer the same thing, said Devi, who is in her fifties. She is permanently hunched over and suffers constant pain in her limbs.

The source of fluoride in the groundwater in Singrauli is difficult to trace but the pervasive fly ash and coal dust comes from coal mines and power plants that ring Rihand reservoir. Singrauli is the hub of Indias power generation, producing about 15% of the electricity generated, because of the presence of two things: coal and water.

On one side of NH 39 that cuts through the UP-MP border, lies the expansive Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar, Indias largest manmade reservoir created by damming the Rihand river. On the other lie the open cast coal mines of Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL), a subsidiary of the government-owned Coal India.

Ten open mines have been gouged out of the low hills adjacent to the reservoir, revealing stark seams of coal.

Chilika Daad village sits in the shadow of the overburden, a mountain of waste material on the edge of the Khadia coal mine that was excavated to reach the coal seams. We are choking on the dust, but we are not getting the benefits from these industries, said Babul Nandan Bharti, 41, a father of two who runs a kiranastore in Chilika Daad, said. The frequent power cuts were especially galling to Bharti.

The village is usually covered in coal dust from dozens of dumpers that stream in and out of the mine, carrying coal to feed the 10 stand-alone coal power plants. Indias largest thermal power plant, NTPCs Vindhyachal super power plant, with a capacity of 4,760 MW, is five km away. NTPC operates three super thermal power plants, Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam operates two, and private companies run the other five. Reliance Powers mega 3,960 MW plant in Sasan was commissioned in 2013, four years after Singrauli was designated a CPA.

The ministry has taken several initiatives to tackle industrial pollution, environment minister, Harsh Vardhan said in a June interview with HT, adding that in last two years, the emission/effluent standards have been notified/ modified for about 30 sectors including power plants, common effluent treatment plants, distilleries, boilers, brick kilns.

In 2015, the environment ministry issued stricter standards for the release of particulate matter, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen from thermal power plants. The deadline for compliance was December, 2017, but was not met.

After wrangling with the power ministry, the environment ministry agreed to grant power plants extensions. In Singrauli, all but two plants received extensions till 2021-22.

The granting of extensions has been challenged in the Supreme Court. What about the health of people? Is it irrelevant? a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta asked.

Shubha Prem, secretary of the Banwasi Seva Ashram that promotes Gandhian living, was sceptical that the 2021-22 deadlines will be met, saying, We dont want new industries, till the existing pollution is addressed.

At the ashram, the legal team suggested that villagers keep their medical records and not burn the belongings of their dead to preserve evidence. Till now we are worrying about ourselves, we are seeing the effects in our children, very soon the problems will start in the womb,said Prem.

The 13 deaths in protests against Vedantas Sterlite copper smelting plant in Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu in May, and the national outrage that followed, compelled state authorities to shut down the plant. If legal options dont work we might have to resort to other means, Prem added quietly.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will now interrogate Amol Kale, the man arrested for the murder of journalistactivist Gauri Lankesh, in connection with the killing of Narendra Dabholkar.

Kale who has been arrested by the Karnataka special investigation team (SIT) is believed to be one of the key conspirators in the murder of Dabholkar, a senior CBI official, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media, told HT.

Kale, 39, a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune has been earlier interrogated by the CBI in Bengaluru in June, in connection with the Dabholkar murder case.

The Bengaluru SIT, which is probing the Lankesh murder, had recovered a diary with names of 26 individuals who, according to the suspect Kale, were anti-Hindu.

The CBI suspects that Vinod Tawade, already in jail, and Kale are co-conspirators in the killing of Dabholkar. According to agency officials, the CBI team is likely to interrogate Kale soon in order to unearth the entire conspiracy behind the rationalists murder. CBI officials in the remand report have stated that Sachin Andure, arrested on Saturday in Pune, and another person, whom the agency has refused to name, shot Dabholkar upon orders given by Tawade.

CBI sources said that the unidentified person and Sachin Andure started from Aurangabad a day before the murder for Pune and reached the city in the morning.

They were provided with two weapons and keys to a two-wheeler. They reached a mall near Omkareshwar temple where they parked the bike at 7.10 am. They confirmed the identity of Dr Dabholkar from a pedestrian passing by, after which the unidentified person fired two rounds, and Andure one round, at Dabholkar. They drove on the two-wheeler out of the city, parked the bike and fled to Aurangabad, reaching at 5 pm the same day, CBI sources have said.

Bengaluru police first arrested Kale on May 21 and later conducted a search and seizure operation at his residence on May 23. Kale was placed under arrested in Lankesh murder case on May 31.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was one of Indias top-most parliamentarians, a liberal and secular politician, and a Prime Minister who extracted a commitment from Pakistan it would not allow activities against India from its soil, thus giving a weapon in the hands of every subsequent Indian government, former President Pranab Mukherjee has said.

Mukherjee also explained the circumstances in which he made a one-time exception and went to Vajpayees residence to award him the Bharat Ratna in 2015.

A visibly sad Mukherjee spoke exclusively to Hindustan Times about Vajpayee, who died on Thursday.

The former president is shaken, an aide said, for he has lost four friends in the past fortnight  veteran Congress leader and former PM Indira Gandhis aide RK Dhawan, the Communist leader from Bengal and former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, and Vajpayee.

As an old parliamentary debate featuring Vajpayee played on television in the background at his residence on Delhis Rajaji Road, causing Mukherjee to pause and smile at familiar faces, the former president said that his memories of Vajpayee went back five decades.

He recalled how his dog had once bitten Vajpayee, who was a neighbour. We used to go together for morning walks. But one morning, I was not there with him. I met him during a meeting with the Opposition parties in Parliament. He had a bandage in his hand. So, I asked him what happened. He replied, Your dog has done this. He had a small dog. My wife (late Suvra Mukherjee) told me that my dog possibly attacked his dog, and as he tried to save his pet, he got injured.

The two families were close, too, with Mukherjees wife often cooking fish for Vajpayee, known for his fondness of food. The former president also recalled how Vajpayees foster daughter, Namita, used to play in their house.

But Mukherjees relationship with Vajpayee went beyond personal association to respect.

Calling him one of the top-most parliamentarians he had ever have ever come across, Mukherjee said, He was an excellent orator and very well-studied. Although his speeches were laced more with emotional appeal, he had a mastery over facts as well. What a parliamentarian must do is not to deliver an emotional speech alone but it should be backed by facts.

On his foreign policy track record as Prime Minister, Mukherjee highlighted Vajpayees engagement with Pakistan.

He seriously tried to make a breakthrough in the Kashmir policy and in our relations with Pakistan. The Agra summit with Pervez Musharraf was a failure. But a very serious effort was made in his bus trip to Lahore. It was a great step. And after the Shimla Agreement, the most important is the Lahore Agreement inked in 1999. He did another thing. At the Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit in 2004, the exact words of that agreement said, Pakistan will not allow any parts of its territory to be used by forces inimical to India. This commitment he got is till today a weapon in the hand of every Prime Minister, every foreign minister and every negotiator to remind Pakistan that you made a commitment.

Given their old association, it was perhaps only apt that Mukherjee would be the one to award Vajpayee a Bharat Ratna, on the recommendation of the Narendra Modi government. But there was a problem. The President did not go out of Rashtrapati Bhawan to give out awards. And Vajpayee would have to be brought on a stretcher. Mukherjee thought about it for a day, and then decided he would make a one-time exception and go to Vajpayee residence on Krishna Menon Marg.

The next time Mukherjee went to the same house was on August 16, to pay tribute to his old friend, former neighbour, parliamentary rival, and political colleague.
Two infants, including a six-month-old girl rescued by the Ranchi child welfare committee (CWC) from a Missionaries of Charity-run shelter home in wake of an alleged baby selling incident, died at government-aided Sahyog Village shelter home in Jharkhands Khunti district, officials said on Monday.

The Khunti CWC identified the six-month-old as Palo Tuti. The other four-month-old babys identity is yet to be ascertained, as she was reportedly left by an unwed mother at Sahyog village.

Khunti deputy development commissioner (DDC) CK Mandal said: Both the babies were ill and we admitted them to a hospital couple of days back. But, they could not survive and died on Sunday. Hospital authorities said that they died due to prolonged illness.

He said the administration has set up a medical team to investigate into exact cause of the death. We have also set up a three-member magisterial team to probe into incident, Mandal said.

The Sahyog Village management held the CWC responsible for the deaths. We have a licence to keep 10 children, but the CWC dumped 12 more children on us last month. I even requested CWC member Baidyanath Kumar to hand the children over to their parents at the earliest. They identified the parents, but did not hand the babies over, said Sahayog Village founder Dr Manjeet.

Dr Manjeet said one of the infants was admitted to the Malnutrition Treatment Centre four days ago. But she died in government care. How can we be held responsible for that? he asked.

.Palo was among the 22 children rescued from the Sishu Bhawan at Hinoo on July 6 by the Ranchi CWC. Out of them, 12 children belonged to Khunti and they were handed to the district CWC so that they could be reunited with their respective parents.

Khunti CWC member Baidyanath Kumar said that they received the children on July 14 and they had been shifted to Sahyog Village. Five parents have so far come and claimed their respective children. We handed over their children after proper verification, he said.

However, some parents including Palos father Pyaran Tuti, a resident of Rurki village under Saiko police station, claimed they had approached the CWC several times demanding their children be handed over but returned empty handed.

Tuti, a single parent said, Few people came to my house on Sunday night and asked me to go with them to see my daughter. When I reached the shelter home, I found my daughter was dead. He said the officials later dropped him back to his village along with his daughters body.

Social rights activist Mary Tirkey, who has been fighting for the cause of rescued children, said: On July 14, nine parents were given their children by Ranchi CWC along with a letter. The letter says the children are being transferred to Khunti CWC. As per the letter, parents handed over the children to CWC. Instead giving the children, the members asked the parents to go. The CWC members said health check up of the children is required. But, parents were not given their children till date.

Some of the parents have also filed a petition in the high court seeking its intervention to get their children back. Gopinath Ghosh, a human right activist, said We provided legal assistance to the parents to file the petition about 10 days back. We are expecting its first hearing in a week.

Jharkhand state commission for protection of child rights (JSCPCR) chairperson Aarti Kujur, who visited Khunti on Monday, said: I asked CWC officials about the delay in handing over the children to their parents. The committee members said they were handing back the children after home verification and the children, who are ill, are being treated at hospital.
Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday decided to donate his one months salary towards the relief work in flood-hit Kerala.

He took the decision after attending a review meeting on the flood situation in the state.

Called a review meeting on Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Harivansh) and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and Vice President Secretariat and decided to donate a months salary for relief measures, Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Upper House, tweeted.

The vice president gets around Rs 4 lakh per month as salary.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 216 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.24 lakh people from their homes.

The southern state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.

Judges of the Supreme Court have also decided to contribute towards the relief efforts.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain why chief minister Yogi Adityanath should not be prosecuted in a case involving an alleged hate speech he had delivered before the 2007 Gorakhpur riots.

A bench of chief justice of India Dipak Misra, and justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud sent notices to the state government, its home department, and the district magistrate and superintendent of police of Gorakhpur on a petition challenging the Allahabad high courts February 2018 decision to accept the states refusal to sanction the prosecution of Adityanath.

The petition was filed by Parwej Parvaz, on whose plea a magistrates court in Gorakhpur had in 2008 ordered the initiation of a criminal case against Adityanath and four others.

Senior advocate Aman Lekhi, on behalf of the UP government, accepted the notice to which a response will be filed within four weeks. The court will hear the matter in six weeks.

Adityanath, who was the BJPs Gorakhpur MP in 2007, was accused of delivering provocative speeches in the city during the Muharram procession, which allegedly led to communal clashes in which one person was killed and several injured. Adityanath was arrested after the incident, but was released two days later.

In his petition filed against the February 23 high court verdict, Parvaz asked for an impartial investigation into the case.

Refusing to grant a sanction to prosecute the chief minister, the states principal home secretary had on May 3, 2017 said that the draft probe report filed by the polices CB-CID showed there was insufficient evidence to initiate a trial against Adityanath. The government had also noted that the video evidence submitted by the complainant against Adityanath and four others -- sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in October 2014 -- had been tampered with.

Finding no discrepancy in the investigation into the 2007 Gorakhpur riots hate speech case, the Allahabad high court had dismissed Parvazs petition. A plea to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation was also denied.

Parvazs petition to the apex court said that the states home department was under Adityanath, who could not be a judge in his own cause. Parvaz also submitted to the court that he had given a written application to the police procure details of a television show in which the chief minister had reportedly admitted to the incident.

The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier said that the video recording of the alleged hate speech made by Adityanath was tampered with.
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 peoples 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.

The state government has estimated a loss of Rs 20,000 crore, with Idukki, Malappuram, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts being the worst affected in the Kerala floods. Government officials say the states 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.

Tough days are ahead, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Monday when asked about his governments plans to start the reconstruction work. Over a million people are in the relief camps and as of now they are our priority. We are assessing human and material damage, he added.

The government estimates about one lakh buildings, which includes peoples houses, have been damaged,over 10,000km of highways and roads and hundreds of bridges have been washed away, and crops in millions of hectares of land have been lost in the Kerala floods.

The government will start the process to accurately assess the damage after the relief and rescue work is over, an official said.

Experts say that an area under severe flood could take up to a decade to fully recover. A 2015 paper by Prakash Tripathi of Ambedkar University, titled Flood Disaster in India: An Analysis of trend and Preparedness, pointed out that completing relief and rehabilitation work takes about two years on average while the ecological recovery could take up to more than five years.

Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network of Dams, Rivers and People spoke of different aspects of recovery  the human aspect, which involves rehabilitation, and creation of systems, which enables reducing the impact of future floods. We cannot stop floods. But we can minimise their impact. For that, some structural re-engineering to ensure that the rivers can flow freely is needed. This takes time.

Thakkar isnt off the mark. Four years after the devastating floods in Kashmir, which saw its 2.61 lakh homes partially or completely damaged, the recovery work is still not over even though the government has paid compensation to those affected.

The state and central governments differ on their estimates of the damage caused in the Valley.

A bicycle is hung from a tree branch to avoid being washed away in flood waters as a man rows his boat at Kuttanad in Alappuzha, Kerala, on August 20, 2018. (AP)

Chief engineer in the states irrigation and flood control department, MM Shahnawaz said in the first phase, they filled all breaches and strengthened the embankments. From 32,000 cusecs of water, we increased river Jhelums carrying capacity to 41,000 cusecs. We are further planning to increase it to 60,000 cusecs in coming years, he said.

The chief engineer said that in the second phase a Spanish company has been engaged to formulate comprehensive flood mitigation and river management and the project will be completed in five to seven years. As a long term plan, the state government also plans to construct storage dams for the tributaries of the river or constructing a separate flood spill channel.

Similar is the story in Uttarakhand, where upper reaches were ravaged by the devastating June 2013 flash floods in the Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers that impacted around nine million people and left close to 200 people dead. Kedarnath in Rudraprayag districts were worst affected where flash floods washed away the 16 km trek from the shrine till Gaurikund.

Amit Singh Negi, secretary disaster management, said, We received over R 1000 crore from the central government for rescue and relief. The money has been disbursed but the strengthening of roads and other structures is going on.

The state government officials, however, refused to comment on failure to remove encroachments on the river flood plain that was the cause for major loss of human life. This still poses a huge bottleneck to prevent re-run of 2013.

Flood affected areas of Chengannur seen from a Indian Navy helicopter, at Alappuzha district of the Kerala, on Sunday. (PTI)

The northern parts of Bihar were ravaged by the huge breach in the embankment on Kosi river on India-Nepal border in 2008. It affected 3.3 million people and left 527 dead. Around 6.6 million hectares of agriculture land became unfit for cultivation because of excessive siltation.

Ten years on, the Bihar government is still struggling to provide an alternate to farmers. The officials said the state has initiated measures including subsidy to adopt new crops but the results have not been very encouraging.

The relief and rehabilitation work started by the state government, though helped mitigate the problem, is also still not over.

The World Bank-aided Kosi Flood Recovery Project of $220 million, which was initially supposed to be completed by September 2014, was extended to June 2018. The bank is also funding Bihar Kosi Basin Development project of $250 million with completion deadline of March 2023.

Assam, the state which receives floods on annual basis due to river Brahmaputras fury, has taken a large number of steps such as building embankments to minimise the damage but, according to the river board, the impact had been minimal as people continue to live in floodplains.

The board, however, suggested in its 2017 report that building of huge storage dams upstream of the river can control the impact of floods, which the activists say could prove to be disastrous as it has happened in Kerala.

We have to learn from Kerala that just development big storage dams may not help. When it rains heavily, the dam gates have been opened which results in excessive flooding. Instead, we need to work on flood management, which basically means removing encroachments from traditional water flow zones and allowing excess water to flow smoothly into oceans, Thakkar said.

Former Central Water Commission chairperson A B Pandya said creating storage dams helps both in generating electricity and managing floods.

If Tehri Dam would not have been there, the damage because of the Uttarkhand floods would have been much more. We have seen in north-east also that the impact of floods is less because of the dams, he said.

According to CWC data, the floods are responsible for deaths of 84% of people in all natural disasters in India. The recurrence and intensity of floods has amplified over the time (especially after 1970s) which damages life and costs economy dearly, said Prakash Tripathi in his study, which also said there was a need for effective pre-and post-disaster mechanism as the nature cannot be checked but disaster can be reduced.

(With inputs from Nihi Sharma in Dehradun, Mir Ehsan in Srinagar, and Vijay Swaroop in Patna)
I did not know Atal Bihari Vajpayee well. When I heard other journalists of my generation describe, in the aftermath of Vajpayees passing, how he had asked for their advice on how to handle Pakistan, how he outlined, exclusively for them, his plans for the future of the BJP, and so on, I began to feel a little left out.

Vajpayee never once asked me for my opinion on anything. And he never gave me a scoop of any kind.

And yet I did know him. I knew him in different ways. I covered the convention in Bombay that led to the creation of the BJP in 1980 and found much to admire in Vajpayee. By then, he was already a centrist leader, had tried to free himself of the baggage of his RSS background and the new party was meant to be a successor to the collapsing Janata Party (hence the name: Bharatiya Janata Party) and not an updated version of the Jan Sangh.

I wondered then if Vajpayees colleagues would allow a centrist party to be created on the ashes of the old Jan Sangh. And as the convention went on, it became clear that Vajpayees view of the new party was not shared by many of his colleagues.

When he tried to include a reference to Gandhian socialism in a resolution, there was a huge protest led by the Rajmata of Gwalior. I wrote at the time that it was not clear what the former Jan Sanghis were objecting to:Socialism or Gandhian.

And though I continued to cover Vajpayee  writing after he resigned as Prime Minister of his 13-day-government in 1996, that he would be back as a full-fledged Prime Minister  I doubt if he even noticed anything I wrote.

We met properly only after he became Prime Minister in 1998 and that was by accident. I became friends with his foster daughter Namita and her husband Ranjan so I was often at their house. Naturally, I saw a lot of Vajpayee then but it was always in a friendly context. We hardly ever discussed politics. And though I edited a newspaper in those days, he never treated me a journalist.

The good thing about that was that he really didnt care what the paper wrote about him or the BJP. The bad thing was that I would leave 3, Race Course Road, having spent several hours with Vajpayee and the family, just as clueless as I had been when I arrived.

In fact, the only journalist interactions we ever had came when Vajpayee travelled abroad . In those days a press party would travel with the Prime Minister. And at least once during every trip Vajpayee would invite a few journalists to go out to a restaurant with him. The dinners were off-the-record but that did not stop us from trying to extract some information from him. But he was too smart for us. He never let a single indiscreet remark pass his lips.

So no, I cant tell you how Vajpayee viewed Indias relations with Pakistan. Or what his views on economic policy were. I know as much or as little as any other journalist.

But what I think has been missed in many of the (mostly excellent) obituaries and tributes that have appeared over the last few days is a sense of what Vajpayee was like at home.

Most politicians do not have a private life. Their homes are full of courtiers, political managers, favour-seekers and assistants. They have few real friends, just people who are keen on being proximate to power. When the politician does meet up with these friends, he is always the star of the show, he leads the conversations and everyone else defers to him.

Heres the thing about Vajpayee: when he was at home, he was never a politician.

By the time I knew him, he was Indias leading statesman, a man with immerse personal charisma. I have seen my share of powerful people up close but I always felt slightly tongue-tied around Vajpayee.

And yet, when he was at home he never once drew attention to himself. He would slip into a room without anyone noticing, would settle down in a chair and quietly drink a cup of soup.

Several minutes later, when he said something and I realised that he was there, I would suddenly feel awestruck . But because Vajpayee was so normal, that sense of awe finally passed. Eventually, I came to treat him (at least, when he was at home) as just the benevolent dad of a friend, not as the statesman he was, when he assumed his official persona.

Most politicians have no conversation other than politics or, more specifically , their own politics. But the private Vajpayee never seemed to want to talk about politics. Instead the family talked about the things that all families talk about: when were they next going to Manali where they had a holiday home? Vajpayee should really use the treadmill a little more. And so on. Then, every now and then, his beloved grand-daughter Niharika would burst into the room, kiss him on the forehead and run off again.

It was as normal a family set-up as you could imagine. Looking back I find it hard to believe that we were in the Prime Ministers House.

I have always believed that one reason why Vajpayee was able to be his own man when he was Prime Minister, yielding neither to troublesome allies or to the pressure from the sangh, was because he had the advantage of a happy home. When he was off-duty, he was like any other indulgent grand-dad. It did not matter that tensions with Advani were dominating the headlines or that he was struggling to keep the NDA coalition together. At home he shut the politics out and gave himself to his loving family.

Over the years I have seen many PMOs up close. The brightest was Rajiv Gandhis. The least impressive was Manmohan Singhs. But Vajpayees PMO was like no other PMO I have ever seen. At times it seemed like an extension of the family . Vajpayee always had brilliant Private Secretaries. Shakti Sinha, Vikram Doraiswamy, Ajay Bisaria and many others. But none of those officers were treated like assistants or secretaries. They shared a warm relationship with the family, were always fed by Namita if they had to work late, doted on Niharika and became friends with Ranjan. (All the friendships still endure, 14 years after the Vajpayee Prime Ministership ended.)

Perhaps I am over-romanticising it, but there was an air of warmth that ran through the PM House and the PMO . It was something I had never seen before in any ruling establishment and never saw again. And that warmth cut across ranks or designations. A Director-level officer would be treated with the same grace and attention as say, a minister in the government of India.

From the outside, this was hard for some people to understand, LK Advani, for instance, took against Brajesh Mishra who ran the PMO. I think Advani had hoped that once the BJP came to office the second most powerful man in India would be a certain, elderly, bald gentleman with years of experience whose opinion Vajpayee respected.

He was right but he had the wrong man in mind. Brajesh became the second most powerful man in India, not Advani. And the Home Minister never quite got over this.

I always found it interesting that the majority of anti-Vajpayee stories focussed on his home. Had the Bhattacharyas got above themselves? Was Namitas dining table the real power centre in India? Could Ranjan be trusted? Brajesh Mishra was dangerous man, wasnt he? And so on.

Every one of these stories was fed to the media not from the opposition but from the sangh parivar and its pals.

I got to see the political Vajpayee in action when I was part of the press party that covered his foreign tours. It soon became clear to us in the media that this was a government that did extensive homework. In the First Class section of Air India One, the Foreign Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the concerned territorial sectary and others would strategise extensively. Their ideas would be distilled by Brajesh and then presented to Vajpayee. More often than not, he would reject much of what had been suggested and suggest a new approach.

By the time the flight landed and Vajpayee went off to meet the Prime Minister or President of the country we were visiting , he seemed laid back and relaxed . But, in his own mind, he had worked out every possible subject that could come up in the discussion and had already decided what he would say. He just made it look easy.

Years later, when Tony Blair came for the HT Summit in Delhi, we talked about Vajpayee. I really like him, Blair said admiringly. You know all those long pauses work to his advantage because just as you think, well, hes not going to object, he suddenly starts speaking and makes it clear that he is not falling for what you are proposing . He has thought it through.

And of course the trips were fun too. We talk a lot about the journalism of access these days. But the great thing about the Prime Ministers plane was that any member of the press party could walk into the First Class cabin and chat to Brajesh or the Foreign Minister. It could be a wizened old editor or it could be a young special correspondent; they were all welcome.

Namita Kaul, daughter of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with her daughter Niharika Bhattacharya during his cremation with full state honour, at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (PTI)

When I saw Niharika in tears at the funeral and watched Namita perform the last rites (on TV, I wasnt there), I was reminded of happier times. For years the family, stung by the personal attacks on them, had kept a low-profile focussing only on looking after Vajpayee. After he fell ill and was confined to his home, the Bhattacharyas spent all of their time caring for him. They did not take a single family holiday together because one of them had to stay to look after Vajpayee at all times. And over the last few months, after Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS, Ranjan spent every night at the hospital.

It has become fashionable now to believe that our leaders should put politics before family. (If Rahul Gandhi goes to visit his ailing grandmother this is taken as proof that he is not serious about politics). I think that is a dangerous view. Down that road lie megalomania and dictatorship.

The best politicians are those who have a life outside of politics. The most compassionate politicians are those who enjoy the love and affection of a family. A politician who is never hugged and never breaks a smile when his granddaughter runs in to the room is a severely limited human being. Because he has never known warmth in his own life, he does not understand what is to be humane..

They are my friends so perhaps I am biased. But I believe that India was lucky to have Vajpayee as Prime Minister. And Vajpayee was lucky to have the love of a family whose warmth gave him the balance he needed in his life.

From their warmth came Vajpayees compassion.And from that decency and compassion came Vajpayees greatness.
A perceived jinx is scaring ministers from moving into a sprawling, sea-facing bungalow in the upmarket Malabar Hill area of south Mumbai  even two years after its previous occupant, former revenue minister Eknath Khadse, vacated it.

In the corridors of power, the Ramtek bungalow is considered jinxed, with almost every politician who made it home in the past two decades suffering setbacks to their careers. The most recent of them was Khadse, the senior BJP leader who was the states revenue minister till 2016, and considered the number two in chief minister Devendra Fadnavis government. In June that year, he was forced to resign following allegations of impropriety in a land deal. This was just two years after he took over as minister. Khadse resigned from the cabinet and vacated Ramtek in September 2016. No other minister has moved since, even though Ramtek has the most attractive features among all official residences in the area.

I have not received any application for the Ramtek bungalow yet, confirmed Nandkumar, the secretary, state protocol department. The ground-plus-one structure is spread over 8,857 sqft. It has five bedrooms  three on the ground floor, two on the first  a hall, living room, dining hall, office, meeting hall, and space for personal assistants.

Of all ministerial bungalows in Malabar Hill and Nariman Point, Ramtek is the only one with a seafront.

While Khadse admitted that many consider the bungalow to be unlucky, he said he didnt believe in superstitions.

My well-wishers and some officials had advised me against chosing it in 2014, but I dont believe in superstitions,Khadse told HT. Even today, I dont believe that whatever I faced was because of the bungalow. We get whatever is written in our fate,he said.

Before Khadse, the bungalow was home to former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, and former deputy chief ministers Gopinath Munde and Chhagan Bhubjal.

In 1995, Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was a senior minister in the Congress government, suffered a major setback when he lost the Assembly elections from the Latur constituency. He was defeted by Shivajirao Patil Kavhekar, a Janata Dal candidate.

That year, a Shiv Sena-BJP alliance came to power, and after Deshmukh moved out, Ramtek was allotted to then deputy chief minister Munde.

While Munde had made several changes following Vaastu Shastra, he too was caught in a controversy within two years. In 1999, the alliance lost the Assembly elections and Munde moved out.

The next occupant was Bhujbal, who had to resign four years later following the fake stamp paper scam, popularly known as the Telgi scam.

Bhujbal, however, continued to stay at Ramtek. He re-entered the state cabinet a year later, in November 2004, as Public Works Department (PWD) minister, and remained in that position till 2014 when he faced fresh charges of corruption. In March 2016, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly receiving kickbacks in the Maharashtra Sadan case.

No minister is now showing interest in the bungalow, a senior PWD official said. Not that all of them are superstitious, but in the highly unpredictable world of politics, many probably dont want any insecurity in their minds.
A 19-year-old woman beat a 37-year-old man with her shoe and got him arrested after he touched her inappropriately on Saturday evening.

The college student told police that the man had molested her on the pretext of giving her a job at Malad (West).

According to the Malwani police, the accused Umesh Pandey, 37, and the womans father knew each other as they live in the same locality. The complainant works a part time job to support her family.

The accused had told the womans father that he would find a good job for his daughter. After she returned from work in the evening at around 6.30pm the accused asked her to come to his office.

Pandey told her that he would provide her with a good job and then started touching her back. The teen asked him not to touch her but he groped her. She then assaulted him with her chappal.

Her screams alerted local residents who rushed to the spot but Pandey managed to run away.

The woman then informed her father and the two went to Malwani police station where a first information report (FIR) was registered under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Dubey was later traced and arrested. He has been remanded to judicial custody and will have to stay in jail till a court grants him bail.
Police on Sunday arrested the gunner of an additional district magistrate (ADM), who along with his wife, son and four others, was booked for assaulting a 76-year-old army veteran.

The police are yet to act against the ADM or his family members accused in the case. Circle officer 1 Avnish Kumar, the investigating officer in the case, said, All efforts are being made to arrest the accused named in the FIR. We will take action as per procedure.

Virendra Pratap Singh Chauhan, a retired colonel belonging to elite 1 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) of Indian Army, is currently in jail after the ADMs wife had filed a case of molestation and under provisions of the SC/ST Atrocities Act against him.

The gunner, Rahul Nagar, a native of Sadat Nagar in Ghaziabad, was arrested by Sector 20 police on Sunday.

On Saturday, the police had arrested Jitendra Awasthi Bachchan, who works as a household help of the ADM in Noidas Sector 29. Both Nagar and Bachchan are among seven accused named by the Noida Police for allegedly attempting to murder retired Chauhan on the morning of August 14 at Sector 29.

We nabbed Nagar from Shahid Smarak Sthal in Sector 29. Both Nagar and Bachchan have been charged for attempt to murder, intentional insult, criminal intimidation, criminal trespass and rioting for allegedly assaulting the retired colonel, a Noida Police spokesperson said.

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The role of half-a-dozen officials of the horticulture department has come under scanner after irregularities have been found in the import of apple saplings from Italy.

The saplings were brought to Himachal Pradesh under unfavourable climatic conditions that has reportedly resulted in them getting dried up.

The officials allegedly purchased thousands of apple saplings at an unfavourable time that led to these plants drying up before reaching the orchardist.

Himachals horticulture department over the past two years has imported more than seven lakh plants from Italy and most of them were dried up before they reached the farmers.

Sources in the horticulture department have revealed that Italys South Tyrol-based Vitafruit Nurseries that supplied the saplings, has written to the Himachal government that the plants were purchased in an unfavourable season when the temperature soared above 40 degrees Celsius in the subcontinent and there was no possibility of saplings surviving the harsh climate. In the letter, company said the purchase order was delayed by over three months.

The most favourable time of apple plantation in Himachal is between January-end and mid-February. However, the saplings have been sent as per the order which was received three months later, the company has maintained.

The officials responsible for the import include director of horticulture department, managing director of nursery management, additional technical expert, project expert and financial expert besides other low-rung officials.

This year, apple saplings from Italy reached the state in June, while the university of horticulture and forestry received 500 saplings just three days ago for mandatory quarantine to check and these were found to have dried up.

Horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur had two days ago himself inspected the saplings imported from Italy.

What horticulture minister says

Mahender Singh, when contacted, said he was surprised why the officials delayed the import order.

The Italian company has written to the Himachal government about the unfavourable timings of the purchase that should have been made in winters. The saplings dried up as these arrived during the harsh summer weather, he said, adding that the responsibility will be fixed for negligence that also cost heavily on state exchequer.

Not the first such incident

In 2017, imported apple cultivars under the World Bank-funded project had raised serious concern as those were found infected.

The cultivars were planted at different places and some of them were tested positive for virus.

However, the then government authorities had termed the plants mortality as natural but reports of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry suggested to destroy some of disease-infected lots.

Around 2.25 lakh plants were imported from the Italian nursery at 250 per plant.
Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday sought presidential security to appear before a court in Islamabad in a high treason case citing threats to his life.

During Mondays hearing, Musharrafs attorney, Akhtar Shah, told the Justice Yawar Ali-led two-member bench of the special court that his client would return and appear before the court if he is given presidential level security by the Defence Ministry, reports Dawn news.

Musharrafs life is in danger... There were two attempts on his life: once in the Islamabad court and the other in Quetta during the Akbar Bugti case hearing, Shah added

In response, a bench member said: There is a non-bailable warrant out against Musharraf, so to provide him security is the governments responsibility.

The case against the former leader is for suspending the Constitution on November 3, 2007 - an offence for which he was indicted by the special court on March 31, 2014.

That same year, the state prosecution laid down all its evidence but the progress in the case still slowed down due to Musharraf who filed multiple petitions against his trial at the appellate forum.

In March 2016, he left the country for Dubai to seek medical treatment and has not returned since, Dawn reported.

Regarding the federal governments request to wrap up the case quickly, Justice Yawar observed: It is necessary to record Musharrafs statement.

Musharraf has failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons.

In July, the case had suffered a blow when the head of the prosecution Mohammad Akram Sheikh, whom the PML-N government had appointed, tendered his resignation citing an imminent change of government at the Centre.

The court adjourned the case until August 27.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
The outgoing United Nations (UN) human rights chief said the Security Councils five permanent members wield too much power at the United Nations, warning the world body could collapse if that doesnt change.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein decried the sense among some UN member states that the pentarchy of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States is running too much of the business.

Zeid, a Jordanian prince who did not seek a new four-year term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke Monday to journalists before his tenure ends August 31. Former Chilean President Michele Bachelet is set to take up the job.

Zeids comments exemplified his call for reforms at a world body whose shortcomings have been exposed over issues like Syrias devastating 7-1/2-year war and rising nationalism.
Amid a period of tense relations between Ankara and Washington, several gunshots were fired on Monday from a vehicle at the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital, causing no casualties.

The early morning attack coincided with a deepening row between the two countries over the trial of a U.S. pastor in Turkey.

An unidentified assailant or assailants fired six bullets at an embassy security gate from a passing white vehicle around 0530 a.m. local time (0230 GMT), three bullets hitting an iron door and a window, the Ankara governors office said in a statement.

It said the investigation was ongoing.

The damage to a security booth by a shot fired, is seen outside the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. (AP)

The embassy is closed this week for a public holiday to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival.

We can confirm a security incident took place at the U.S. Embassy early this morning. We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details, said David Gainer, the embassy spokesperson.

We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response.

Video footage from broadcaster Haberturk showed police teams inspecting one of the entrances to the embassy and apparent damage caused by a gunshot could be seen in one window. It said empty cartridges were found at the scene.

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have been the targets of attacks by militants and have faced numerous security threats in the past.
An assault on a police station by a knife-wielding man who was shot dead by an officer in northeastern Spain is being treated as a terrorist attack, police said Monday.

We are treating it as a terrorist attack. The officer used his gun to save his own life, Rafel Comes, a commissioner with the Catalan regional police, told a news conference in Cornella de Llobregat where the attack took place.

The man entered a police station in Cornella, near Barcelona, just before 6:00 am (0400 GMT) to attack the officers and was shot down, Catalonia regional police said on Twitter.

Anti-terrorism police sources said the man, a 29-year-old Algerian who lived in the area, had shouted Allahu akbar (God is greatest) as he entered the station.
A British tourist who fell off a cruise ship near Croatia has been rescued and is safe after spending a full night in the Adriatic Sea, officials said Monday.

I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me, the woman, appearing in good health, told Croatias National Television (HRT) after her rescue on Sunday.

I am very lucky to be alive.

The tourist, who said she fell of the back of the Norwegian Star cruise ship, was found by Croatias Coast Guard on Sunday around 1.3 kilometres (0.8 miles) from where she went overboard, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP.

The rescuers used the wind and sea currents to pinpoint her location, he added.

We saved a human life, it is a feeling that cannot compare to anything, the rescue ships captain Lovro Oreskovic said in a statement on the ministrys website.

The British woman is interviewed by local media in front of a Croatian Coast Guard vessel in the port in Pula, Croatia. (AP Photo)

Norwegian Cruise Line declined to comment on how the passenger went overboard.

The guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment, the company said in a statement to AFP.

We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family.

The incident took place while the Norwegian Star was on its way to Venice, the cruise company said.

Tourism accounts for 20% of Croatias gross domestic product, drawing some 18 million visitors each year.
S tudents up and down the country received their A-level results this week, with those who got the grades now busy planning their university lives.

The sky-high cost of tuition fees is well-known but living costs, especially accommodation, also sets students and their parents back thousands, affecting where they choose to study.

Flatshare site SpareRoom researched the average monthly rent of a room in a shared house at the UKs top 30 universities and found that students living near Imperial College London pay nearly 700 a month more than those studying at Durham University.

Over the course of a three-year degree, this totals a massive 24,000.

Dundee is the most affordable university town, with average monthly rents of just 345 for students choosing University of Dundee.

Those studying at the highly-regarded University of St Andrews in Fife also get one of the best-value deals, paying 349 a month, as do students at Durham and Newcastle (370 and 371 respectively).

Unsurprisingly, London students face the most eye-watering rents.

Prices near the aforementioned Imperial College London in South Kensington average at 1,056 a month - the highest of the top-ranked unis - while students at Kings College London and the London School of Economics and Political Science must fork out 1,039 to live on the doorstep of their central London lecture halls.

The student halls with the best views of London 1 /13 The student halls with the best views of London urbanest Westminster Bridge Just a 20-minute stroll from King's College, LSE and London South Bank University, this state-of-the-art accommodation offers fantastic views of the River Thames and the Houses of Parliament. Student.com and urbanest urbanest Westminster Bridge Private rooms in three-bed apartments cost 259 per week, with 1,148 available each year. The best overlook Big Ben, making revising less of a chore than it might be in less salubrious student digs. Student.com and urbanest urbanest Westminster Bridge Students living here benefit from five-star facilities including a cinema, health club with pool and gym, free-to-use Mac computers and bicycles for hire. Student.com and urbanest Scape Shoreditch This 11-storey building in the heart of buzzy Shoreditch provides BBQ equipment for students to enjoy in landscaped roof gardens. Student.com and Scape Scape Shoreditch The 541 studio flats start at 285 per week, with a gym, cinema, games rooms and communal areas all available for student use. City University is just around the corner, with many others a single bus or Tube ride away. Student.com and Scape Chapter South Bank This centrally-located student property boasts a huge roof terrace with indoor and outdoor space offering panoramic views of London whatever the weather. Student.com and Chapter Chapter South Bank Prepare to splash at least 324 on one of the 250 rooms, many of which have en-suites. Spend the rest of your time relaxing in the modern social spaces. Student.com and Chapter Chapter South Bank Huge windows allow students to make the most of the city skyline from all angles while the Zone 1 location put almost any London university within easy reach. Student.com and Chapter Chapter Spitalfields Share with a friend by choosing a private room in a two-bed apartment overlooking either Tower Bridge, the Shard or the Olympic Stadium for 279 weekly. Student.com and Chapter Chapter Spitalfields Gaze out at the Gherkin from your luxurious room with floor to ceiling windows, before hitting the 24-hour gym or hanging out in the games room. Student.com and Chapter Paris Gardens For something a little more affordable (but don't hold your breath), choose a private room with a shared bathroom for 260 weekly in Paris Gardens., also in the South Bank area. Student.com and CRM Students Paris Gardens This urban building mixes industrialist steel framework with natural wooden slats and a living wall and offers sweeping views of the London Eye and St Paul's Cathedral. Student.com and CRM Students Paris Gardens There is an expansive roof terrace decked out with plenty of seating for drinks parties, while elsewhere in the building you will find a gym, a pool table and some cool lighting features. Student.com and CRM Students



Students heading to the University of Surrey in Guildford, 30-minutes from London by train, pay the highest rents outside the capital at 599 a month on average.

Those who survived Oxford and Cambridges rigorous interview process will also need to battle high rents in their university towns - 568 and 576 respectively.

Up the creek: punting may be fun but Oxford students pay high rents (Shutterstock) / Shutterstock / Kit Leong

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, got into the University of Leeds through clearing and had the time of his life, largely thanks to low average rents (currently at 391 a month) leaving him with more cash to spend on having fun.

He said: Choosing where to go to uni is a big decision, a decision that doesnt just affect the quality of your degree but can also have a huge impact on the size of your graduate debt."
Rebranding

20 August 2018

Best Western Hotels & Resorts will introduce its newest brand, BW Signature Collection by Best Western, to Asia for the first time this year, following the signing of an exquisite lakeside resort - Tawaravadee Resort - in Thailand's historic Prachinburi province.

Nestled in Thailand's verdant countryside, approximately 160km from Bangkok, this low-rise resort was inspired by the ancient Dvaravati culture that thrived in the area between the 6th and 11th centuries.

"We are excited to debut BW Signature Collection by Best Western to the Asia market with the Tawaravadee Resort," said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. "Launched in 2017, this soft brand allows upper-midscale hotels and resorts to retain their unique individuality, while also harnessing the world-class hospitality of Best Western. Tawaravadee Resort is perfectly suited for this concept, as its rich character and design, combined with our renowned service, is sure to provide travelers with a one-of-a-kind experience when visiting Thailand's beautiful countryside."

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has identified Thailand as one of its key target markets. At present, the company operates nine hotels and resorts across the Kingdom, covering five of its brands: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, BW Premier Collection by Best Western and SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western.

But this nationwide portfolio is expected to increase, as Best Western has 17 new properties in the pipeline for Thailand. In addition to the launch of BW Signature Collection by Best Western, the company will introduce Vib, its vibrant and modern millennial-focused hotel concept, to Thailand later this year.
Pipeline

20 August 2018

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 city's 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 39,000m2 of premium office space.

The world-class waterfront development is also destined to become Auckland's newest, shopping, dining and social hub, offering a vast range of food and beverage outlets that are perfectly complemented by the hotel's 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 brand's 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% of the hotel's 244 guest rooms will offer water views.
Appointment

20 August 2018

Loews Hotels & Co has announced the promotion of Olivier Gaupin to Corporate Chef. An eight-year veteran of Loews Hotels, Gaupin's new role finds him elevating the company's sustainability and sourcing of products, while also focusing on culinary leadership, developing new standards for recruiting, and creating the culinary direction for new and existing hotels. Gaupin will also oversee menu development and execute new food and beverage directives and initiatives.

Gaupin joined Loews Hotels in 2010 as opening Executive Chef of Loews Atlanta Hotel. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his years with the company, including recognition in the pages of Food Arts, Culinary Trend, St. Louis Magazine and Atlanta Magazine.

Born and raised in Orleans, France, Gaupin graduated from the CFA Charles Peguy School in his hometown. He developed a passion - and a palate - for fine food and wine at an early age and followed in his uncle's footsteps to pursue a career in the culinary field. He visited the United States on what was intended to be a three-week vacation, but has now been sharing his culinary talents in the U.S., France and Switzerland for more than 20 years.

In 2013, Gaupin was inducted into the Maitres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chef of France). He is one of only four chefs in Georgia and the only chef in the Loews Hotels & Co portfolio to have received the honor.

Highlights of Gaupin's career include serving as chef de partie of the Michelin-rated Hotel Negresco in Nice, France; head chef for the French Minister of Defense in Paris; and chef de partie of the famed Hotel Stuva Colani in St. Mortiz, Switzerland. In the U.S., Gaupin has led the kitchen in some of the country's most distinguished restaurants and hotels including Provence Restaurant in Washington, DC; Pfister Hotel Milwaukee; The Ritz-Carlton, Altanta; and The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis; as well as WaterSound Beach and Resort, WaterColor Inn and Resort, and Alys Beach Resort, all in Florida.

Beyond his new role as Corporate Chef, Gaupin will continue to oversee culinary operations of Loews Atlanta Hotel, as well as of Saltwood, the property's small plate-style restaurant featuring a charcuterie-driven menu and craft cocktails.
Appointment

20 August 2018

Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa, a destination in Gateway, Colo., appointed Tim Johnson as GM and Mark Shine as director of sales and marketing for the resort. Johnson and Shine have more than a decade of hospitality experience and have held various prestigious management positions in the hotel industry.

Before joining the team at Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa, Johnson served as the GM for Smith Fork Ranch in Crawford, Colo., for two years. Before his time living in Colorado, Johnson was GM at Sorrel River Ranch Hotel & Spa Resort in Moab, Utah, where he oversaw the luxury resort's operations and leadership team. Johnson also previously directed all operations at The Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Mont., for two years as the property's resort manager.

Shine, who earned a degree in the field from Florida State University, previously was the multiproperty director of sales and marketing for Quorum Hotels' portfolio, which includes Brown Palace Hotel and Spa and the Holiday Inn Express Denver Downtown. During his time with Quorum Hotels, he developed and implemented creative strategies to attract business and leisure travelers, managed a sales and catering team, and directed all marketing, social media and public relations for the hotels, six food & beverage outlets and a spa.
External Article

20 August 2018

The prospect of 40 million foreign tourists coming to Thailand next year is too big a draw to ignore for boutique U.S. hotel company Standard International.

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Better known for its trendy hotels in locations such as Miami Beach and New York, Standard International plans to open hotels in four locations in Thailand by 2021 worth about $150 million, Chief Executive Officer Amar Lalvani said. That's part of a strategy calling for 20 new properties over the next five years, including in London, Paris and Milan.

"Growth is much faster in Asia," Lalvani said in an interview Thursday. "Thailand is our starting point and from here we are looking at opportunities throughout the region."

A surge in Chinese holidaymakers has stoked the expansion in Thailand's tourism sector, which now accounts for roughly a fifth of the economy. The industry suffered a setback in July after more than 40 Chinese tourists died when a tour boat sank off the coast of Phuket, highlighting the challenge of managing the boom. While the tragedy may curb visitor growth temporarily, the nation remains on course for record arrivals next year.

Thai developer Sansiri Pcl in 2017 acquired a 35 percent stake in Standard International for $58 million. Sansiri and other local investors will help fund Standard International's planned hotels in Bangkok, Hua Hin, Phuket and Koh Samui.
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Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith recently linked up with Complex's Joe La Puma for a brand new episode of "Sneaker Shopping" at Stadium Goods in New York City, where the veteran shooter spoke about the sneakers he was wearing on some of his most memorable dunks, his all-time favorite Air Jordans, and what it was like working with Supreme.

Smith, who has one of the best sneaker collections in the league, also talked about wearing LeBron's signature shoes next season, his favorite kicks to hoop in, his new Supreme tattoo and how he used to work in construction with his father growing up.

At the end of his visit to Stadium Goods, Swish walked out with more than $4,600 worth of gear including the "Shattered Backboard" Air Jordan 1s, the Atmos x Nike Air Max 1, and several Supreme items.

Check out the latest episode of "Sneaker Shopping" in the video embedded below.
The young up-and-comer from the Midwest Mathaius Young is back with another trunk rattling single to ride out the rest of the Summer. "Copy!" is just what you would expect from Young, a fun banger that relies on the strength of a hard-hitting beat. Young creeps onto the beat with a slow flow that fits perfectly in the pocket of the instrumental.

"Copy!" finds Young bragging about his lifestyle and his musical prowess. Clocking in at just over two minutes, "Copy!" doesn't try to overachieve, as it functions perfectly as a simplistic single.

Quotable Lyrics

Woke up to some money, told my phone good morning

Ballin' like I'm Kobe, but I'm more like Bronny

She up in my DM's, I don't need you shorty

See me at the venue, ice was so shiny
Night Lovell is one of the best kept secrets in the rap game. If you know, you know. The Ottawa-born rapper was ahead of the curve when it comes to Soundcloud rappers popping off, and he did it with a certain amount of discreetness and style. He's become an underground favourite across the world -- from Russia to Canada, and as fans know, it's been over two years since his last project (!). Thus, when Lovell shared on social media over the weekend that his new album is at least on the way (no proper release date as of yet), it was met with the appropriate amount of excitement-- almost 1,000 comments and 50,000 Likes.

The new album is titled Good Night Lovell, the rapper revealed, and it'll be here as soon as it's ready. That makes sense. On Instagram, he wrote that this project is for the day 1 fans (which is most of his fanbase, one might argue), and that it's going to be a "dark story" (again, we sort of expect that as day 1 fans). He echoed this on twitter, writing, "NEW ALBUM, WHENEVER ITS READY." If you missed out on Lovell's earlier releases, namely, Red Teenage Melody, it's not too late: check out the project here.

Although we haven't received a full-length release from Lovell since 2016, he has given us, sparingly, a few loose cuts, including a collaboration with fellow underground darlings $uicide Boy$, "Joan of Arc."

By a show of hands, who is excited for Night Lovell's imminent return? Get more familiar by watching our On the Come Up episode with Lovell below.
A police officer in New York has been fired amid an ongoing investigation related to the shooting of an unarmed man. As reported by The New York Times, video surveillance shows Sergeant Ritchard Blake patting down the body of Thavone Santana, who was sprawled out after being shot. Blake is then seen placing a knife next to Santana's body. He paced for a while before picking the weapon back up. Details of the circumstances that led up to the shooting are unclear. Their relationship with a woman appears to be the motive of the shootings.



Reports state that Blake was leaving his girlfriend's house when Santana approached him. The video shows Santana walking towards Blake with one hand in the pocket of his shorts. Blake stands with his arms open, apparently trying to de-escalate the situation. The NYPD claims that Santana said he was going to rob Blake, but other sources in the police force say that Blake admitted that robbery was never in the discussion. Blake shot Santana twice, and called himself in to report an off-duty shooting.

Blake was already on a form of probation after being charged with assaulting a woman in 2016. He was suspended for just over a month, and was placed on a probationary agreement that any further trouble would cause him to lose his job with no questions asked. It appears him shooting Santana classifies as a violation of probation.
Craig Hartley/For the Chronicle

Renovations to a Houston linen factory will lead to 120 workers losing their job, at least temporarily, according to a notice sent to the Texas Workforce Commission.

Alasco, based in Salt Lake City, informed the state in a letter dated Aug. 9, that all workers at the Admiral Linen location will lose their jobs, part of a temporary closure related to improvements at the linen processing facility at 8020 Blankenship, in Spring Branch. Company officials said the closure could last up to 90 days.
B&B Butchers & Restaurant owner Benjamin Berg was so taken with photos he saw of an outrageously priced steak sandwich made from one of the world priciest proteins that he vowed to bring it to Houston.

That was about six months ago. Today, that sandwich, called a Wagyu Katsu Sando, is finally available. And it will set you back $120 for three exquisitely composed finger sandwiches.

They're not on the menu yet, but they're available. Berg said he's waiting until Houston Restaurant Weeks is completed to give the sandwich a proper splash. But insiders, already pumped by social media posts about the Instagram-worthy sando (the Japanese abbreviation for sandwich), know they can order it off the menu. Pair it with a bottle of champagne  sommelier Lexey Johnson says champagne is the perfect foil for the luxurious sandwich  and you could easily be talking about a $200 meal.

Now Playing: FOX 26 News segment contributor Cleverley Stone interviews proprietor Ben Berg. Video: Fox 26 Houston

A STAR IS REBORN: Benjamin Berg takes a new swing at Carmelo's

Even so, Berg is offering a wagyu sandwich bargain, he said. The six ounces of wagyu ribeye used to create the sandwich cost him about $75. At $120 the sandwich is more "affordable" than the same sandwich offered by Don Wagyu, the first restaurant in New York devoted solely to wagyu beef where the top-flight sando is $180.

The efforts of Don Wagyu as well as the members-only Tokyo restaurant Wagyumafia (which offers a $180 wagyu cutlet sandwich) have fueled the food buzz over the wagyu katso sandwich. That prompted Berg and executive chef Tommy Elbashary to create their own version with painstaking attention to detail. It might very well be the most expensive sandwich in town.

What makes it so expensive? Let's start with the beef. B&B uses A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade of beef known for its intense marbling and buttery flesh. B&B already stocks the highest grades of beef, including wagyu (a 28-day dry-aged A5 Japanese wagyu ribeye steak, weighing in at 12 ounces, fetches $250 on the menu; an A5 wagyu tenderloin from Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, goes for $120 for a 4-ounce chunk with $30 more for each additional ounce). The wagyu steak is then coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.

The fried cutlet is then sandwiched between a special toasted bread made with whole milk and delicately dressed with a house-made tonkatsu sauce, a sweet and salty Japanese condiment usually served with deep fried pork cutlets. Elbashary wasn't satisfied with the commercial tonkatsu sauces he tasted so he developed his own.

PRICEY STAYS: Go inside Houston's most expensive luxury hotel suites

Berg and his chef spent two weeks of testing before deciding their sando was ready to serve. It is brought to the table on a wheeled cart with a side dish of ribbons of fried zucchini. Since B&B has no burger on its dinner menu, the wagyu katsu sando provides a sandwich option; Berg also suggests that it can be had as a shared appetizer.

"It's not something you're going to eat every day," Berg said. He acknowledges, however, that he's had a customer, already hip to the sando, order it at least half a dozen times already.

"I love to put it out there because there's a certain a cachet to it," he said.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington, 713-862-1814; bbbutchers.com. The wagyu katsu sando is available for lunch and dinner.

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.
B&B Butchers & Restaurant owner Benjamin Berg was so taken with photos he saw of an outrageously priced steak sandwich made from one of the world priciest proteins that he vowed to bring it to Houston.

That was about six months ago. Today, that sandwich, called a Wagyu Katsu Sando, is finally available. And it will set you back $120 for three exquisitely composed finger sandwiches.

They're not on the menu yet, but they're available. Berg said he's waiting to give the sandwich a proper splash. But insiders, already pumped by social media posts about the Instagram-worthy sando (the Japanese abbreviation for sandwich), know they can order it off the menu. Pair it with a bottle of champagne  sommelier Lexey Johnson says champagne is the perfect foil for the luxurious sandwich  and you could easily be talking about a $200 meal.

Now Playing: Whether you're a newcomer or long time San Francisco resident, it's worth checking out these dishes. Video: Kiley Roache, Elizabeth Gerson

MORE: The things you hate yourself for spending money on in SF

Even so, Berg is offering a wagyu sandwich bargain, he said. The six ounces of wagyu ribeye used to create the sandwich cost him about $75. At $120 the sandwich is more "affordable" than the same sandwich offered by Don Wagyu, the first restaurant in New York devoted solely to wagyu beef where the top-flight sando is $180.

The efforts of Don Wagyu as well as the members-only Tokyo restaurant Wagyumafia (which offers a $180 wagyu cutlet sandwich) have fueled the food buzz over the wagyu katso sandwich. That prompted Berg and executive chef Tommy Elbashary to create their own version with painstaking attention to detail. It might very well be the most expensive sandwich in town.

What makes it so expensive? Let's start with the beef. B&B uses A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade of beef known for its intense marbling and buttery flesh. B&B already stocks the highest grades of beef, including wagyu (a 28-day dry-aged A5 Japanese wagyu ribeye steak, weighing in at 12 ounces, fetches $250 on the menu; an A5 wagyu tenderloin from Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, goes for $120 for a 4-ounce chunk with $30 more for each additional ounce). The wagyu steak is then coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.

The fried cutlet is then sandwiched between a special toasted bread made with whole milk and delicately dressed with a house-made tonkatsu sauce, a sweet and salty Japanese condiment usually served with deep fried pork cutlets. Elbashary wasn't satisfied with the commercial tonkatsu sauces he tasted so he developed his own.

ALSO: A $100 food truck item better be covered in gold, right? This San Francisco treat is.

Berg and his chef spent two weeks of testing before deciding their sando was ready to serve. It is brought to the table on a wheeled cart with a side dish of ribbons of fried zucchini. Since B&B has no burger on its dinner menu, the wagyu katsu sando provides a sandwich option; Berg also suggests that it can be had as a shared appetizer.

"It's not something you're going to eat every day," Berg said. He acknowledges, however, that he's had a customer, already hip to the sando, order it at least half a dozen times already.

"I love to put it out there because there's a certain a cachet to it," he said.
Faced with criticisms from President Donald Trump that Twitter is "shadow banning" and silencing conservative voices, chief executive Jack Dorsey admitted that those who work for the social media giant have their own biases - and that they're "more left-leaning."

Dorsey, however, said in his interview with CNN on Saturday that political ideology does not influence how Twitter determines what is and is not appropriate behavior on the platform.

"The real question behind the question is, 'Are we doing something according to political ideology or view points?' And we are not. Period," Dorsey said. "We do not look at content with regards to political viewpoint or ideology. We look at behavior."

"We need to constantly show that we are not adding our own bias, which I fully admit is more left-leaning," he added. "And I think it's important to articulate our own bias and to share it with people so that people understand us. But we need to remove our bias from how we act and our policies and our enforcement."

Dorsey's comments come amid a debate over how tech companies influence public discourse. Apple, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify have taken aggressive steps against right-wing talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for violating their hate speech policies. Spotify, Facebook and YouTube removed Jones from their platforms, and Apple followed suit by removing the majority of podcasts published by Jones' website, Infowars, from iTunes and its podcast apps.

Now Playing: Twitter Hires Researchers to Analyze Its 'Discourse' Twitter has tasked researchers with examining the "health" of conversations on its platform. The company has recently taken an interest in the "health" of its userbase. This includes cracking down on fake accounts, purging suspicious accounts and removing various apps that violate its policy. CEO Jack Dorsey sent out an open call for researchers in March. The company has faced criticism for moderating its content, which some believe infringes upon users' free speech. David Gasca, Twitter's head of product health Video: Wibbitz

Twitter also suspended Jones' account for a week after he urged his supporters to get their "battle rifles" ready against antifascists and the mainstream media. Jones made the comments on his show, which was published on Periscope, Twitter's video-streaming service. Twitter said Jones' comments violated the company's rules about violent threats.

In an interview with The Washington Post last week, Dorsey said he is rethinking core parts of Twitter to curb the spread of hate speech, harassment and false news. He also told The Post that he's experimenting with new features that would allow people to see alternative viewpoints and reduce "echo chambers."

The president has loudly protested what he sees as bias against conservative voices, tweeting Saturday that social media companies are "totally discriminating" against Republicans.

"Too many voices are being destroyed, some good & some bad, and that cannot be allowed to happen," Trump wrote from his private resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, vowing that his administration "won't let that happen."

The president also floated the idea of "weeding out Fake News," naming CNN and MSNBC, but he said he's not asking that their "sick behavior be removed."

Last month, Trump said that Twitter is "SHADOW BANNING" prominent Republicans.

"Not good," the president tweeted. "We will look into this discriminatory and illegal practice at once! Many complaints."

Dorsey described shadow banning as not amplifying certain messages, or hiding a tweet from users.

He also said that people like him should be more open about their personal views and objectives.

"I think people see a faceless corporation . . . They don't assume that humans are in it, or that they're genuine or authentic," he told CNN. "They just assume based on what the output is. And that's on us. That's on me."

Earlier this month, Dorsey called on journalists to "document, validate, and refute" unsubstantiated rumors that spread on Twitter. Some journalists took issue with the tweet and said it's not their job to police false information on Twitter.

"I am not getting paid to clean up your website for you," Los Angeles Times national correspondent Matt Pearce said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Tony Romm, Hamza Shaban, Craig Timber and Isaac Stanley-Becker contributed to this article.
A new sign has been painted at Gregory Lincoln Education Center, replacing a "misogynist" and "victim-blaming" quotation that stirred up controversy at the HISD school late last week.

The original quotation, painted on the wall in the girl's locker room, admonished girls to be "a lady." The new one urges them to change the world.

"Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you," the wall now reads at the Fourth Ward K-8 school. "It's you who can change the world."

The wall's original quotation was removed late Friday after it landed the state's largest district in the middle of controversy before school even began.

The sign, painted above a bank of lockers inside the girls' locker room, said: "The more you act like a lady, the more he'll act like a gentleman."

STACKING CASH: These are the 41 highest-paid high school principals in the Houston area

Twitter user Stephanie Wittels Wachs saw the wall and posted a now-viral photo of the sign on social media, labeling it "victim-blaming" against women, holding them responsible for "sexual violence against them."

FULL TWEET:

"This outrageous victim-blaming message is painted on the wall of a MIDDLE SCHOOL in @HoustonISD, blatantly perpetuating the horrific myth that girls are to blame for sexual violence against them. Absolutely disgusting. Paint over it now," Wachs tweeted.

In a statement to the Houston Chronicle on Friday, district officials wrote, "The quote does not align with HISD values, and it will be taken down."

Later that night, the sign was removed and the wall patched and repainted, according to an HISD release.

The new quote - painted this weekend - is attributed to Malala Yousafzai, the 21-year-old Pakistani activist for girls' education who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

Kids at Gregory Lincoln will be reading her book, "Malala's Magic Pencil," later this year, according to HISD.

Now Playing: "What were you wearing?" It's a question that's often put to the victims of sexual violence. It suggests that the way they were dressed may have had something to do with the attack -- and thereby insinuates that the victim bears some responsibility. Now an exhibition in Brussels is taking on that prejudice by recreating the outfits of 18 rape victims. Delphine Goossens is a project manager at Molenbeek municipality's prevention services: "Contrary to what one might think, it's not about sexual compulsion, it's not a man who sees a women who's just too beautiful and he can't restrain himself. It's a question of power - of overpowering someone else," she says. "We've seen it with the Weinstein case - these other recent stories. It's a question of taking the power, of stealing the humanity of someone over whom they give themselves a right they don't have." But there are still many people who believe that assault can be provoked by the victim's outfit. "I think that if a girl wears racy clothes it means that she wants to take the risk," one young man told euronews' Elena Cavallone. "If she doesn't want to be assaulted or have any trouble, then she has to be careful about what she wears". "Skirts make a difference," agreed a woman Cavallone also spoke to on the streets of Molenbeek. "I realise that when I am wearing a skirt I receive more remarks". According to the European Commission, the number of rapes in Europe increased by 47 percent between 2008 and 2015. Worldwide, one woman in five is a victim of sexual violence. Outfits on display at the exhibition include a pair of pyjamas, a child's school uniform and police attire. Video: Euronews

Fernando Alfonso III covers everything from crime to weird internet trends. Read him on the breaking news site chron.com and the subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | fernando.alfonso@chron.com
A Texas man has left the public with a mugshot to remember after he was arrested for allegedly robbing a thrift store in Odessa.

According to a news release, Shawn Paul Melonakos, 36 was taken into custody after the Odessa Police Department responded to a call at 7:23 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2018, where he had reportedly taken merchandise and left without trying to pay.

NOT SO SMOOTH CRIMINAL: Texas man allegedly tries to rob Whataburger with a pair of tongs

When Melonakos was confronted by a male citizen about the stolen items, he picked up a large rock and allegedly threatened the man with it.

The man feared for his life, so he "brandished a firearm before firing one round." Then he and another citizen chased Melonakos and detained him until officers arrived on the scene, according to the report.

Melonakos initially tried to give the responding a false name and birthday, but officers were eventually able to identify him as the suspect. Upon further investigation, officers learned that Melonakos had a parole violation warrant. He was also allegedly in possession of methamphetamine, according to police.

According to police records, Melonakos was charged with robbery, parole violation, possession of a controlled substance, and failure to identify.

Melonakos was taken to Ector County Law Enforcement Center where he is being held on $34,000 bond. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Take a look through the gallery above to see Melonakos' epic mugshot along with other people who smiled in their booking photos.

Daniela Sternitzky- Di Napoli is a digital producer covering Texas news and pop culture. | Daniela.DiNapoli@chron.com | @Dani_DiNapoli
With sweltering units, remote locations, and low pay, prisons in the Lone Star State have long struggled with high officer turnover and vacancy rates.

But, based on findings from one study in Washington, there could be another factor impacting officer retention in corrections: PTSD.

A study published recently in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found that PTSD is as prevalent among prison guards as it is among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and more prevalent than it is among police officers.

Co-authored by Washington State University assistant professor Lois James and University of Alabama at Birmingham assistant professor Natalie Todak, the research relied on surveys sent to several thousand corrections employees in Washington state. Of the more than 300 who responded, 19 percent met the criteria for PTSD.

READ MORE: Prison turnover leaves units understaffed

Recently, James spoke to Chronicle reporter Keri Blakinger about the study, whether the findings would likely apply in other states, and what's behind the problem.The following are edited exercpts.

Q: So, first of all, what prompted you to look at PTSD in prison guards?

A: The original assessment was actually conducted in 2014 and it was an overall assessment of correction employee health and wellness generally. So originally the focus wasn't specific to PTSD, it was really to get a good snapshot of all of the stressors they face - sleep loss, general health, physical health. But one of the things that interested me so much in PTSD was there's not been a huge amount done on it in corrections.

Q: So you broke the other surveys in the assessment out into separate papers - what did those find?

A: The first was on sleep and then a response article. The sleep one was really quite shocking, the level of sleep restriction that prison workers were facing. We found that they were getting massively insufficient sleep - we also found very high rates of insomnia. And quite high rates of nightmares.

Q: And in the more recent work, the PTSD findings, what did you find?

A: The overall percentage of prison workers that suffer PTSD we found to be 19 percent which is comparable to modern war veterans, veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. A little bit higher than the rates of PTSD in police officers, and they're a population that's known to be at risk for PTSD. So you know it's definitely concerning - and even among those that did not reach the clinical cut-off point for PTSD we were still seeing strong evidence of PTSD-type symptoms.

Q: So how did you measure PTSD - or, rather, what are the signs?

A: We were using the PCL-5, a very well established questionnaire that's used by clinicians to determine the clinical cut-off points for PTSD. It was included in a whole battery of questionnaires in the study - about sleep, exposure to critical incidents - and through combining those questionnaires we were able to dig deeper.

Q: Why do you think it's as high as veterans? It's probably not surprising that prison jobs might be traumatic but it seems that people might be surprised that they generate quite that level of trauma?

A: Although really, really traumatic critical instances can of course trigger PTSD there's more and more knowledge emerging that the "lower level" trauma - the chronic exposure to human suffering and hardship - that can cause PTSD as well. It doesn't have to be one massive thing that happens to you. It can be across the course of several years, and that's typical to prison work. Most of the people in the sample have witnessed pretty severe suffering.

Q: So that severe suffering raises a question - what about PTSD among inmates?

A: I've had several people reach out to me since publishing and ask what about the inmates. I think it's interesting, often people assume that there's this huge barrier between the inmates and the corrections officers. There's this cynicism that the COs wouldn't care about the inmates but it's not actually the case because the witnessing of inmate suffering is really correlated to developing PTSD.

Q: Corrections is an industry that's had a lot of problems with retention; do you think this factors into it?

A: Absolutely - no doubt at all. In fact, one of the things that was predictive of PTSD was job ambiguity, not feeling secure in management, not feeling that you're getting secure supervision. If you feel like you're in a position where mistakes can be made and you're going to be hung out to dry for them if they are made, that's not a comforting place to be. We assume this is a CO problem but actually it's just a consequence of working behind the walls and being in that environment generally.

Q: Within the populations you looked at, were there any demographics more likely to be impacted?

A: Black prison employees and women were at significantly higher risk for PTSD. And we also found that greater time on the job was predictive of greater PTSD. And, interestingly, being assigned to night shift was associated with less PTSD. In policing, night shift work tends to be associated with greater problems.

Q: So you looked at prisons - but is it different in county jails?

A: That's a great question that unfortunately we can't really answer from this. I have little reason to suspect that it would be different. If anything the jail can be even more unpredictable and volatile.

keri.blakinger@chron.com

@keribla
A young girl was hospitalized Monday afternoon after being locked inside her father's vehicle outside a Mexican eatery in Braeburn since morning, police said.

The 3-year-old child was trapped in a car behind the Don Rey Mexican Restaurant in the 8700 block of South Gessner Road around 4:30 p.m. and rushed to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.

She appeared to have suffered from dehydration but is expected to survive, according to police.

The father, wearing a Don Rey employee shirt, called 911 after discovering his child was still in the vehicle as temperatures reached the low 90s. He was being questioned by police outside the Tex-Mex chain.

Now Playing: FOX 26 News at Noon Video: Fox 26 Houston

No charges have been filed against the father, who is 32, at this time, according to the Houston Police Department.

RENEWED WARNINGS: Death of infant in hot car prompts calls for safety measures

The issue of children left in hot vehicles has been highlighted this summer. For example, the parents of Raymond Pryer Jr. last week alleged that staff at a Houston day care facility were "grossly negligent" when they left their 3-year-old boy in a sweltering school van following a field trip last month, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Harris County District Court.

So far in 2018, the National Safety Council has recorded at least 35 incidents of children dying in broiling vehicles. Texas has topped the nation with at least 117 hot car deaths since 1998, according to its records.

Nicole Hensley contributed to this report.
Pablo began experimenting with marijuana when he was 11. By 15, he was smoking crack and shooting up heroin. At 18, he went to prison for drug possession. At 25, he returned to prison for crack cocaine. At 27, he was taking more than 55 pain pills a day.

But at age 31, Pablo said he is done with drugs after being treated at the new Texas Rapid Detox Center at United Memorial Medical Center on Tidwell Road in Acres Homes, the first center of its controversial type in Harris County.

The treatment really, really works, he insists. I havent had any cravings at all.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, called the centers official opening on July 16 a historic day.

This is a breakthrough, Jackson Lee, a member of Congress opioid task force, told the crowd at the ribbon cutting. Its needed here  The problem is enormous.

The scarcity of recovery centers, especially one in low-income communities, is increasingly problematic as more than 11.5 million Americans are misusing opioids, according to 2016 statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Advocates say Houston is in serious need of recovery programs for patients who cant afford spending thousands of dollars for treatment.

Still, many are skeptical that rapid recovery treatment is the answer. Overcoming addiction is not a quick fix, experts said.

Katherine Neill Harris, a drug policy fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, questions claims that rapid recovery can entirely eliminate cravings. Thats simply not true, she said. They might be past physical symptoms of withdrawal, but then theres the psychological component.

Nohemi, Pablos sister, said her family is amazed that this treatment worked when traditional medication-assisted treatment and prison drug classes failed.

Hes a changed man, she said. Nohemi said her brother checked into the facility on June 25 and emerged two days later a different person.

She said they are grateful for Syed Rizwan Mohiuddin, the president of the center, who paid part of the $25,000 to treat her brother.

Mohiuddin said nine of his centers first 14 patients have received pro-bono treatment because the health care team agreed to donate their time to the for-profit company.

We dont want to turn anyone away for financial reasons, Mohiuddin said. United Memorial Medical Center is focused on treating life-threatening issues for those patients who could overdose, he said.

Mohiuddin said he sees no drawbacks to rapid recovery treatment. He emphasizes patients like Pablo prove the treatment works. After undergoing treatment, he said patients are pretty much cleaned up.

Were very excited to see the results so far, he said, pointing out none of the 14 patients treated had relapsed in the first month.

Dr. James R. Langabeer said each patient should be treated on a case-by-case basis. He said a treatment that works for one patient may not work for another, especially when it comes to a treatment like rapid recovery, which has not been researched extensively.

The approach usually involves administering anesthesia and a new drug naltrexone through an IV over a 24-hour period, he said.

The literature is mixed in findings, he said. It (rapid recovery treatment) is not widely viewed as a panacea for opioids.

Kathryn Cunningham, director of Addiction Research UT Texas Medical Branch, said rapid recovery treatment is not the end of the story. But she said it can help patients get through the painful side-effects like cold sweats, nausea and muscle aches.

By rapidly detoxing someone, you can get them through the withdrawal symptoms and come out the other side, she said.

Cunningham noted that a long journey toward recovery follows. Through counseling and peer groups, patients can learn the skills to live without drugs and resist triggers in their environment.

Its returning a person to live a life without the drug, she said.

According to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 21.5 percent of opiate misusers in the U.S. have opiate-use-disorder, a pattern of opioid abuse facilitated by a higher tolerance to opioids and desire to take them. For patients with opiate-use-disorder, Cunningham said substance abuse will not be easily overcome with rapid recovery treatment alone because of the compulsive nature of their addiction.

Langabeer agrees recovery from opioid addiction is a long-term process. He said he is hesitant to believe a persons cravings would entirely disappear after rapid recovery treatment.

I dont believe it takes away most peoples addictions or cravings, he said. You cant rewire the brain. The way opioids attack receptors in the brain, your body thinks you need it.

He said he tends to recommend medication-assisted treatment to his patients. Langabeer said buprenorphine, naltrexone and methadone, three drugs from the opiate family, are prescribed to patients to ease the side-effects of withdrawal over several weeks or months. Over time, patients are weaned off the drug.

Alternatively, he said rapid recovery treatments can be a shock to the body as blood pressure lowers rapidly and can potentially lead to complications in patients with cardiac issues.

I always err on the side of caution, Langabeer said in support of outpatient programs like medication-assisted treatment.
A second robbery suspect is in custody Monday after allegedly running over two victims and trying to steal $75,000 in cash days earlier.

Travonn Johnson, 27, joins Davis Dowell Mitchell, 31, behind bars for their alleged role in the violent heist on Friday.

The would-be thieves struck around 9:30 a.m., when they zeroed in on a woman who had just withdrawn $75,000 in cash from a bank and was pulling into a location in the 23200 block of Northwest Freeway.

Now Playing: Two people were run over during a violent robbery Friday in northwest Harris County. Video: Harris County Constable Precinct 4

As she got out of the car and went in the building, another vehicle pulled up. A man - later identified as Mitchell - jumped out and tackled the woman, pulling her to the ground, pummeling her and yanking at her purse. Her husband spotted the attack and ran outside to help.

Then, another car - a black Chrysler 300 - pulled up. A man later identified as Johnson hopped out and began stomping and beating the woman and her husband, authorities said.

EARLY-MORNING HEIST: Houston man's robbery at gun point caught on camera

As the struggle continued, Johnson allegedly got back in his car and video footage shows the vehicle backing up over the couple before fleeing.

The woman managed to hold onto her purse but was critically injured. She was taken to the hospital for surgery and is expected to live.

Afterward, a Harris County Precinct 4 constable deputy who drove up during the attack arrested Mitchell. He's facing aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon charges and is not cooperating with the investigation, authorities said.

Johnson was arrested sometime Monday, authorities said. There could be other charges filed against additional suspects, police said.

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
Regarding The peoples press editorial (Page A14, Thursday), ironically, making overly broad generalizations blaming all media is an example of the very problem President Trump is complaining about: the abuse of freedom of speech and of the press to spread false and unfair misperceptions of whole groups for political gain. And clearly, this widespread problem of misrepresentation is best corrected through the responsible use of these same freedoms.

Blaming the media is like blaming guns for violence. The problem is not the media or guns themselves, but the abuse of them to violate due process and rights of others affected. With freedom of the press, similar to gun rights, what better way to defend against abuses than to use these tools properly, as the law intends.

Thank you for a well-written editorial.

Emily T. Nghiem, Houston

Simply outrages

Regarding Tex-Mex restaurant roasted after Sessions visit (Page A1, Wednesday), the Laurenzo family has been supporting the Hispanic community for almost 40 years, from the original Ninfas restaurant to El Tiempo. Hundreds, if not thousands of Hispanic immigrant workers have made their living at these fine restaurants, raising their families here in search of a better life.

What kind of radical intolerance would make the hateful protesters demand the boycott and permanent closure of El Tiempo? And what was the horrible sin committed by the owner of this great restaurant? He took a photo with Jeff Sessions, whom the protesters hate.

This is the most outrageous example of out-of-control political correctness yet. God help our country.

Robert Byars, Porter

Political chaos

Regarding Trump punishes ex-CIA director (Page A1, Thursday), President Trump campaigned as a political outsider, but hes a remarkably quick study when it comes to handling the ins and outs of D.C. Witness how rapidly he emulates the typical autocrat in revoking former CIA director Brennans security clearance, also threatening to do the same to other critics. Observe his attacks on the press, one of the first targets in a coup or revolution. See the discord and propaganda he disseminates with his constant tweeting.

Hes getting to be a master of political chaos.

Bob Gayle, Houston

Security pros

Regarding Trump punishes ex-CIA director (Page A1, Thursday), U.S. Intelligence professionals prize above all things their ability to speak truth to power. With President Trumps cancelling of former CIA Director Brennans security clearance, he has taken an authoritarian action that politicizes our national security clearance mechanism in a way never done before.

Loyalty to the president is again prized above all things. National security suffers because all these former security analysts who previously filled the information vacuum for a new administration are now absent.

This is another example of Trump not understanding that many components of the federal government were designed to work in an apolitical way. The worst possible result of this action would be if those security professionals remaining, who currently give briefings to President Trump, now sugarcoat the truth they now deliver to power.

Ron Curtis, Houston
An international search for a Dallas priest accused of molesting three teenage boys is a stark reminder that Texas should be as concerned as other states about the child sexual abuse allegations that have shaken faith in the Catholic Church.

Father Edmundo Paredes, pastor for 27 years of St. Cecilia Catholic Church, was reported missing Sunday and suspected of fleeing to the Philippines, his native country. The Diocese of Dallas reportedly notified police in February that Paredes was suspected of abusing children, but did not let his parishioners know until Saturday.

Such delays have led to widespread condemnation of the Catholic Churchs handling of child sexual abuse allegations. A Pennsylvania grand jury report last week documented abuse by 300 priests of more than 1,000 victims over a period of 70 years in that state. Most of the abusers were allowed to remain in the ministry as priests.

Pope Francis in a letter to Catholics expressed shame over the charges and vowed to punish priests guilty of crimes or covering them up: "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them, Francis wrote.

But while the Vatican noted improvements in child protection since a wave of priest scandals were revealed in 2002, many believe it has not done enough.

The Churchs past failures to defrock priests and turn them over to law enforcement have led to a campaign by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests to get more states to lift their civil and criminal statutes of limitation to prosecute child sexual abuse cases. The research group Bishop Accountability wants the Vatican to release the names of all priests convicted under church law of abusing children.

There is no criminal statute of limitation for child sexual abuse in Texas, but victims are given only five years to file civil suits. With so many traumatized victims only now opening up about the abuse they experienced as children, it makes sense to remove the limit or expand it.

As an alternative, some states are considering opening a temporary window for sex abuse lawsuits to be filed. But the Catholic Church, Jewish and other religious groups, schools, and youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts fear the windows could ruin them financially.

Their fear isnt groundless. The Diocese of St. Cloud, Minn., filed for bankruptcy in February after 70 sex abuse suits were filed against it during a three-year window. But fault for that deluge of lawsuits lies with the diocese, which withheld the names of priests accused of crimes that allegedly occurred decades ago until 2014.

The truth needs to come out in Texas too.
After Hurricane Harvey, a national organization wanted to set up a makeshift shelter at NRG for nearly 800 dogs and cats. They gave owners 90 days to claim their pets. And they waited.

We kept telling them these are street dogs, said Tena Lundquist Faust, president of Houston PetSet told the editorial board. We said nobody is going to come. You could leave them here for 90 years.

Out of nearly 800 dogs, only 36 were claimed  including one she adopted.

Its a stark illustration of a problem that plagues neighborhoods across this city but that officials and business groups dont talk much about.

Violent crime may get more headlines, but residents in some Houston communities say stray animals pose a bigger threat to their daily quality of life. Parents hesitate to let their children play outside, fearing they will fall prey to roaming dogs.

A stray pit bull that wandered onto the grounds of YES Prep Middle School bit five children during recess last year. This was probably the scariest thing that ever happened to me, one child told Fox 26 News. We saw this dog running in the field. At first, it seemed to be friendly. Then it came up behind me and bit me.

Thats too common an occurrence in Houston, where more than 1,000 bites are investigated by animal control officials each year.

Thirty-seven percent of respondents in a University of Texas School of Public Health survey listed stray cats and dogs as the most frequent neighborhood problem, followed by crime, 26 percent; poor drinking water, 19 percent; and air pollution/traffic, 17 percent.

Reducing the stray population should be a higher priority in a city that touts itself as one of countrys most livable metropolises. What good is a beautiful bike trail if a dangerous pack of dogs has the run of the place? Public officials and corporate leaders havent fully grasped the impact of Houstons dubious new distinction: Dog Bite Capital of America. Shedding that reputation is hard but possible.

Start by considering the recommendations in a Houston Animal Welfare Study conducted by Houston PetSet and the Rice University Center for Civic Leadership, which includes a strategic plan addressing spay and neutering, adoption and rescue, community service and education, cruelty prevention, research, and advocacy.

Stray animals threaten Houstons quality of life. Its a crime problem; given how many strays were fight dogs. Its an economic problem; given how many companies want livable neighborhoods for their employees where children dont fear playing outside. Its a problem the whole city needs to work together to solve.
In 1972, Pope Paul VI warned that the smoke of Satan has entered the Church of God. We see that smoke throughout the report from a Pennsylvania grand jury, which alleges that more than 300 priests abused more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses  including 99 priests from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, which was led for 18 years by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, now archbishop of Washington.

How bad was the abuse? The report notes that during the course of this investigation, the Grand Jury uncovered a ring of predatory priests operating within the [Pittsburgh] Diocese who shared intelligence or information regarding victims as well as exchanging the victims amongst themselves. This ring also manufactured child pornography ... [and] used whips, violence and sadism in raping their victims. According to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, one victim, a boy named George, was forced to stand on a bed in a rectory, strip naked and pose as Christ on the cross for the priests. They took photos of their victim, adding them to a collection of child pornography which they produced and shared on church grounds. Abusing a child while mocking the Passion of Christ is truly diabolical.

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 an $11,542.68 lump-sum payment to the disgraced priest after his release from prison.

The grand jury report comes on the heels of the sickening accusations that Wuerls predecessor as Washington archbishop, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, sexually abused seminarians and young priests, and spent nearly 20 years molesting a young boy, the first person he baptized, beginning when the child was 11.

After the McCarrick allegations, Wuerl declared, I dont think this is some massive, massive crisis. Excuse me, Your Eminence?

It is a massive, massive crisis. How was McCarrick allowed to rise through the hierarchy despite the countless warnings to both his fellow bishops and the Vatican that he was a sexual predator? Who knew? Who helped him? The same conspiracy of silence that allowed sexual predators to flourish in Wuerls Pittsburgh diocese for decades also allowed McCarrick to become, until just a few weeks ago, one of the most powerful American cardinals, even in retirement.

This is not just a matter of getting rid of a few bad apples. There is a ring of abusers and their enablers in the Catholic hierarchy that must be rooted out. Every report of abuse that was overlooked or ignored, every abuse that was covered up with a nondisclosure agreement, must be exposed. The bishops and cardinals who ignored or covered up abuses are complicit and must be removed. The church must be cleansed, and the conspiracy of silence ended.

The only way to do this is through an independent investigation. The church has proved itself incapable of self-investigation and self-policing  which is evidenced by the fact we are just learning new details of the horrific extent of abuse from a grand jury 16 years after the scandal first erupted. My American Enterprise Institute colleague Michael Strain has recommended bringing back former Oklahoma governor, federal prosecutor and faithful Catholic Frank Keating to lead the investigation.

In 2003, Keating resigned from a lay-member church-appointed board looking into abuse after he refused to apologize for comparing the coverup by the bishops to the Mafia. That makes him precisely the right man for the job.

The bishops not only failed the victims but have also scandalized the church, undermined its teaching authority and driven countless people away from Christ. How many failed to go to confession, or left the sacraments, because of their actions  or their failure to act? We will never know. But they should heed Marks Gospel, where Jesus warns, Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. This must be a time of repentance. Repentance requires accountability. And accountability requires resignations  starting with Wuerls.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen. (c) 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group.
The Court found in Ms Hs favour, and made useful comments on how stress, anxiety, and bullying are assessed from a health and safety perspective (though under the former Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992). Some key points from the judgment that persons conducting business or undertakings (PCBUs) should be aware of are:

An assessment of workplace stress is assessed on the PCBUs current knowledge of workers and their work environment.

The PCBU does not need to cocoon workers from stress (regardless of the cause), but must act if stress is unreasonable as a result of workplace conditions.

The assessment of whether worker stress is unreasonable must be ongoing. If stress starts out as reasonable but becomes unreasonable, the PCBU should take all practicable steps to minimise or eliminate the stress once it becomes unreasonable.

The Court assesses whether bullying or harassment has occurred against the workplaces relevant policy. It is important to ensure policies match practice when dealing with bullying complaints.

Employee Assistance Programmes and health and safety representatives are helpful resources to assist workers dealing with psychosocial issues.

If a worker tells you they have a medical condition that may impact their work, the PCBU should consider seeking a medical examination to confirm the nature and extent of the condition so that it is accounted for in the workplace.

The validity of otherwise routine processes (including performance management and disciplinary processes, as was the case for Mrs H) will be assessed in light of the PCBUs statutory health and safety obligations and how it is meeting them.

Keeping in mind WorkSafes new focus on this area, now is a good time to assess your policies and practices that address these issues.

Sarah-Lee Stead, Senior Associate, and Richard Monigatti, Solicitor, at Kensington Swan from the specialist Health and Safety team.
Knowing you need to recruit a new director and actually enacting that are two very different things. For Boesch, his search took him longer than anticipated.

We looked for months for a right-fit sales director. But the realization that you can't do everything yourself applies to finding talent as well. When you want to hire the very best there is - you turn to the people who are the best at that.

Jordan turned to The Leadership Agency  tech recruitment specialists with whom they shared common connections.

One of our team members had worked with them in the past. It is a mental shift to turn to outside help for a new hire, but it was time. We were growing fast, and that growth had to be strategic. Especially when it comes to leadership talent.

Drawing upon his own experience, we asked Jordan when its time for founders and CEOs to seek outside help.
Why a new US fisheries bill is being dubbed the Empty Oceans Act

by Ben Goldfarb

August 19,2018 | Source: Mother Jones

What the farm bill is to terrestrial food production in the United States, the fish bill, a.k.a. the Magnuson-Stevens Act, is to the oceanthe law that governs Americas marine fisheries. First passed in 1976 to kick foreign fishing fleets out of American waters, the MSA has evolved into one of the nations most effective conservation laws. A reauthorization in 1996 required managers to place all overfished stocks on strict rebuilding timelines, and another in 2006 mandated hard limits on total catches. Those science-based provisions have recovered 44 once-depleted stocks, from the canary rockfish to the barndoor skate.



But not everyone thinks the fish bill is still fresh. Rep. Don Young, an Alaska Republican, has long argued that its rules against overfishing hurt coastal economies. On July 11, the House passed H.R. 200, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, mostly along party lines. The reauthorization, claimed Young, who sponsored the bill, would strike a proper balance between the biological needs of fish stocks and the economic needs of fishermen.



Environmentalists see it differently. By weakening the very stipulations that have made Magnuson-Stevens so effective, cautioned Ted Morton, oceans director at the Pew Charitable Trusts, the bill could undercut the important role science plays in management decisions and increase overfishing. Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, dubbed Youngs legislation the Empty Oceans Act.



As the fish bill heads to the Senatewhere Dan Sullivan, Youngs fellow Alaska Republican, will likely try to squeeze through companion legislation before midterms rearrange the political landscapewe wanted to unpack H.R. 200s most consequential changes.



The Magnuson-Stevens Act draws its strength from its specificity: The timeline for rebuilding any overfished stock has to be as short as possible and must not exceed 10 years. Those requirements have produced impressive results. Take lingcod, a toothy Pacific bottom-dweller whose population crashed in the 1990s. Regulators implemented a 10-year rebuilding plan that slashed allowable catches, protected small lingcod, and shut down the fishery for half the year. By 2005four years ahead of schedulethe species had bounced back.



H.R. 200 would grant fishery managers what scientists have called get out of jail free cards to continue overfishing. Rather than rebuilding stocks as fast as possible, for instance, the new law would let regional management councils rehabilitate them as fast as practicable, a subtle but important tweak that could lead to looser regulation. The bill also allows managers to slow the pace of rebuilding stocks when undefined unusual eventsthink hurricanes, oil spills, or El Ninosaffect fish populations and threaten to inflict significant economic harm to communities. The upshot: Severely depleted but economically important stocks like Gulf of Maine cod could remain subject to overfishing, further delaying recovery.



Many marine ecosystems are built on forage fishsmall, silvery schoolers like sardines, herring, sand lance, and squid. These so-called baitfish feed the large carnivores, like tuna, that we Americans prefer to eat, and in some cases have significant commercial value themselves. Although scientists increasingly emphasize caution in managing forage fish, H.R. 200 allows regulators to lift all catch limits for short-lived species like market squid, the most valuable fishery in California. The bill also removes limits on ecosystem-component species, baitfish that arent major commercial targets but still have immense ecological value for ocean food webs.



One of the worlds trendiestand most controversialmanagement systems is catch shares, essentially a cap-and-trade program for fish. Managers determine a total catch and allocate portions of that total to fishermen, who are typically free to sell, rent, or trade their slices of the pie. Although catch shares can make a risky industry safer and more profitable, the system sometimes exacerbates inequality. In New England, most notoriously, a mogul known as the Codfather racked up shares, squeezed out small-scale fishermen, and used his vertically integrated empire to commit massive fraud.



In response to such concerns, Youngs bill would make it harder for managers along the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico to implement catch-shares systems, by requiring any new program to be approved by a majority of fishermen.



As the recreational fishing lobbys membership has grown, so has its political might. Groups like the Recreational Fishing Alliance are particularly focused on the Gulf of Mexico, where anglers have sparred with their commercial counterparts over red snapper distribution. Youngs bill contains several nods to this well-heeled lobby, most notably a provision that requires Gulf managers to revisit the fairness and equitability of all current allocationsan assessment, commercial fishermen fear, that will grant the recreational sector a larger cut of the total catch. Other provisions call for new data-collection technologies, like online portals and smartphone apps, to better quantify the impact of Americas weekend warriors.



For three decades, invasive lionfish have swum amok over Floridas reefs, gobbling up native fish and radiating throughout the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and along the Eastern Seaboard. Although scientists have attempted to control the invasion by deploying everything from robotic vacuums to trained sharks, the problem has only gotten worse. The Reef Assassin Act, tacked on to H.R. 200 by Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, would slap a bounty on the invaders. For every 100 lionfish tails a fisherman turns in, he would earn a special tag allowing him to harvest a coveted fish like red snapper, amberjack, or grouper.



While that sounds pretty conservation-friendly, theres a catch. According to Gaetzs addendum, the tags could be applied outside of regular fishing seasons, and they dont count against total catch limitsmaking even this seemingly benign program something of a giveaway to the recreational lobby. Still, if youre looking for a bipartisan consensus on fisheries management, a lionfish control program isnt a bad place to start.

 2018 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress

Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture.
250 environment leaders in the Philippines sign manifesto underscoring biodiversity conservation

by Jonathan L. Mayuga

August 19,2018 | Source: BusinessMirror

Assailing ineffective governance for the alarming rate of environmental destruction, various stakeholders in the Philippines have recently signed a manifesto calling for the consolidation of all efforts in protecting the countrys rich biodiversity.



The manifesto was signed by around 250 leaders and members of nongovernment organizations, grassroots and indigenous peoples movement, youth and womens groups and small farmers and fishermens cooperatives. They attended a recent four-day Small Grants Programme (SGP) National Conference in Tagaytay City.



Together with national government agencies and local government units (LGUs), national and international development agencies, media, academe and the business sector, conference participants pitched the call for a livable, healthy and climate-resilient environment as a human right.



The manifesto, a copy of which was furnished to the BusinessMirror, said biodiversity conservation must be viewed within the framework of inclusive development, social equity, justice and human rights.



The use of natural resources must not only be sustainable but everyone must equitably benefit from the blessings of nature. Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development are for all and by all recognizing that the rights of the people must be accompanied by their responsibilities as citizens of this country and as custodians of the planet for the next generations to come, it said.



The manifesto called for, among others, the effective and full implementation and enforcement of Republic Act (RA) 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018 (E-Nipas), and RA 9147, or the Wildlife Conservation Management Act, by the national government agencies and LGUs.



It said these government offices should guarantee the rights of indigenous and local communities to the management of their conservation areas and to participate in the management of E-Nipas.



The manifesto also cited the importance of Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise (BDFE) as a social enterprise model that promotes the sustainable use of biological wealth.



The manifesto said it must be supported through the provision of free assisted developmental-recognition scheme, which incorporates support on value-chain development, feasibility/valuation study, marketing linkage and policy development.



The manifesto also underscored the importance of governments increasing investments in biodiversity-friendly livelihoods to support communities in biodiversity conservation areas.



A simpler and free certification scheme will boost community-based BDFEs, the manifesto added. In particular, the government should increase investment in research, studies, projects and programs on biodiversity assessment, conservation, ecosystem goods and services, among others.



Presidential Proclamation 489 (2018) declared a portion of the Philippine Rise within the exclusive zone of the Philippine Sea. It said the northeastern coast of Luzon Island, to be known as the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve, is a strict protection zone covering 49,684 hectares.



Meanwhile, an integrated marine biodiversity strategic sustainable development plan should be put in place and implemented immediately.



The four-day biodiversity-focused conference aimed to encourage and sustain interaction among local stakeholders, especially the civil society, and help forge partnerships on technological and information exchanges, skills enhancement and policy development.



The event was co-organized by the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme of the of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).



The document cited both the richness of Philippine biodiversity and the serious extent of its degradation.



The Philippines is a megadiverse country that holds some of the richest terrestrial, coastal and marine environments in the world in its 7,641 islands and 36,000-kilometer coastline, the fifth longest in the world and the second-longest coastline per unit area. It hosts 52,177 described species of which more than half is found nowhere else in the world.



These vast resources provide the services and goods that the Filipinos are enjoying everydayincluding food, water, medicine, irrigation, clean air. The value of benefits from biodiversity is worth at least $24 trillion per year globally and $44 million for the Philippines.



On the other hand, the Philippines is also known as a biodiversity hot spot. Deforestation overexploitation, unsustainable practices, encroachment in forested and coastal areas, pollution, over-fishing, poor land management and natural disasters exacerbated by climate change all contribute to the alarming rate of biodiversity degradation.



The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized in its Red List of Threatened Species 540 animal and 245 plant species in the Philippinesas vulnerable, endangered or critically endangeredas of 2018.



The countrys total forest cover is estimated at over 6.846 million hectares, or 24 percent of the original forest cover in the 1900s. It has only 1 percent of total coral cover remaining in excellent condition as of 2018.



Meanwhile, less than 5 percent of coral reefs remain in excellent condition and 30 percent to 50 percent of Philippine seagrass beds have been lost, according to Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2014-2022.



The countrys national bird, the Philippine eagle, and other iconic flora and faunasuch as the tarsier, dugong, green turtle, Philippine hornbill; and the lauan and mangkono (ironwood) trees, and Rafflesiaare included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.



The manifesto also cited the inequitable distribution of wealth, a profit-driven economy, unemployment and the lack of livelihood opportunities, a consumerist lifestyle, ineffective governance and corruption as exacerbating factors.



It noted that those who belong to the marginalized sectors of society like subsistence farmers and fisherfolks, the urban poor and indigenous peoples who depend most but receive the least benefit from the bounty of the natural resources, bear the most the brunt of disasters resulting from environmental destruction like flooding and landslides, and the impacts of climate change.

 The BusinessMirror

Theme(s): Others.
With no-fishing zones, Mexican fishermen restored the marine ecosystem

by DEEPA FERNANDES

August 17,2018 | Source: KERA News

The idea that the ocean can run out of fish might seem implausible. Yet if you ask Jesus Enrique Leon Lara, thats exactly what has been happening over the last decade in his tiny patch of paradise, a village called Agua Verde in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.



We lived off what we caught, from what the ocean gave us, Leon said. There was so much fish, so many types of fish. But now its not like that. Theres a lot less fish.



Leon comes from a long line of fishermen, stretching back at least to his great-grandparents. So do many of his neighbors. So when he and other fisherfolk in Agua Verde started coming in from a days fishing with very little, sometimes even nothing, worry spread in the community. Their livelihood was on the line.



It's a problem facing small fishing communities worldwide  overfishing and other human impacts have led to days when no one catches anything. The seas off the Mexican coast of Baja California Sur  a big fishing area  have seen the fish population dwindle, according to Hudson Weaver, manager of the sustainable fisheries program at Bajas Sociedad de Historia Natural Niparaja, a conservation nonprofit.



There used to be a lot more fish in the water all over Baja California, Weaver said.



Weaver, who has worked in Agua Verde for 12 years, said there are lots of reasons for that.



[There are] the changes weve seen in a lot of the climate and the water temperatures, Weaver said. Theres natural changes like sardines that go through boom and bust cycles, and then theres changes in the fisheries  so overfishing or fishing past the point of being able to replenish those fish in a yearly fashion.



Fishing boats big and small came here from all over Mexico. And even the local fishermen themselves were just catching too many fish. All these things combined ultimately brought some fishing communities here to the breaking point.



It led Weaver and her colleagues at Niparaja to begin conversations with fishing families in Agua Verde about how to reverse the trend. And the conversations came to focus on one radical idea: Just stop fishing. At least for a while.



In Baja California Sur its known as zonas de refugio, or no-fishing zones. The idea is that if you stop fishing, the marine ecosystem  and the fish  might eventually be able to bounce back.



But it would also mean a big hit to local subsistence fishermen and their families. So could it work?



The experience of another community in the area suggests it can.



Cabo Pulmo, 250 miles south of Agua Verde, is so remote its off the states electricity grid. But it used to be a fishing paradise.



It was full, full of sea bass and grouper, says longtime fisherman Mario Castro, pointing to the sea around his boat, which is moored at a spot where he used to fish every day.



In classic fisherman style, Castro regales me with stories of the huge fish he used to catch. His face is weather-beaten but animated, and hes totally at home on the sloppy ocean that roils the boat.



Some 25 years ago, he says, things began to change. Too often his fishing line would dangle the entire day without hooking a single fish.



So 20 years ago, Castro and his fellow fishermen took the radical step of turning almost the entire area into a no-fishing zone. And the results have been dramatic.



As we traverse the ocean around Cabo Pulmo where no one has fished in 20 years, Castro points out a sea turtle, part of a thriving marine community. Castro said locals are seeing wildlife here that even some of his old uncles dont ever remember seeing.



After two decades of not fishing at all, he says, the ocean here is full of fish.



Octavio Aburto backs up what the local residents are seeing. Hes a marine biologist who has been studying Cabo Pulmo for all those years, and he says this little patch of ocean has become a case study in underwater regeneration.



The corals are growing faster and better. Why? Because they are healthier, Aburto said.



The corals are the feeding ground for the littlest fish. And those now have a chance to grow into food for the big predators likes sharks, which Aburto says are also back. Altogether, he says, the fishing ban has helped restore a thriving ocean ecosystem.



When you have a community that has all the elements for that community  like big predators, herbivores, corals, sea fans, octopuses  when you have everything there, the community is stronger and each of the species with the community they can be more productive, he said.



Aburto was part of a group of scientists at the University of Baja California Sur who worked on setting up the no-fishing zone. They even petitioned the Mexican government to have the area declared a national park.



Mario Castro, the former fisherman, worked with the scientists and ultimately became the local leader in the effort.



It was no easy task. It meant suspending a way of life that was generations old and convincing all the fisherman to put the prospect of long-term stability ahead of short-term economic loss.



But he managed to convince his old uncles and father and brother, all the fishermen in the village, to give it a go.



Before long, Castro says, they watched beautiful fish begin to return. But they resisted temptation and stuck with the no-fishing plan, leaving just one tiny sliver of the ocean open for daily consumption. Instead, to fill the gap, they decided to try to make Cabo Pulmo into a destination for diving and snorkeling. Fishermen would become guides. Castro was one of the first to get certified.



And word slowly spread about the exotic marine life at Cabo Pulmo. Tourists began coming, despite the bumpy, dirt road access to the town and the lack of regular electricity.



At first, it was only a trickle, maybe one tourist a week. It was 10 years of suffering, Castro said.



But 20 years later, Cabo Pulmo is a hot place for divers. Castros family runs two snorkel and dive tour companies and they take out multiple boats a day full of tourists. Showing off their underwater wonders has become such a thriving business that the Castros and other former fisherfolk ultimately decided not to go back to fishing at all. They see their future in dive tourism.



And the towns experiment may be an example to other communities in the region.



Jose Flores lives in La Paz, about 90 miles up the Baja coast from Cabo Pulmo, where he is the head of a fishing cooperative. He grew up fishing for what his family ate every day. But here, too, the fish started to run out.



When Flores heard about no-fishing zones, the idea seemed risky. But he also saw that it seemed to be working in other places. So he joined an effort to help establish one in La Paz. It was a tough sell, as it had been in Cabo Pulmo. But Flores says its working here too.



The whole area has improved and the richness of the ocean life returned, Flores said.



Still, he said it has been challenging to make sure that everyone respects the boundaries, especially people from out of town. Locals have had to work with the government to enforce the restrictions.



Its a set of challenges the conservation group Niparaja has seen up and down the Baja coast. But as in Cabo Pulmo, part of the solution has been diving, although not for recreation and tourism.



On a recent July morning, young people from the remote community of Agua Verde, where Jesus Leon Lara lives and which also established its own small no-fishing zone, were in La Paz for a week-long dive training run by Niparaja. The participants were learning how to patrol their no-fishing zone back home and monitor changes in the abundance of fish to help determine whether their experiment is actually working.



Ultimately, the data could help make the case for expanding the protected zone. Initial results indicate the fish are coming back to Agua Verde.



And Jesus Leon Lara is relieved.



Theres no other way, Leon said. Unlike Cabo Pulmo, his part of Baja is just too remote to attract many tourists. So if his community is going to survive, it really needs the fish to come back.

 2018 KERA News

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
Latest edition of Yemaya, ICSFs newsletter on gender and fisheries, published

August 18,2018 | Source: ICSF | Alert Type(s): Samudra Exclusive

The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) has released the latest edition of Yemaya, its newsletter on gender and fisheries.



Yemaya No. 57, dated July 2018, features articles from Sri Lanka,India, and an analytical article on sex-segregated employment data in the recently released SOFIA 2018( The State of World Fisheries and

Aquaculture, 2018). The editorial comment stresses the lack of recognition disbars women from policies and programmes supporting

livelihood development.



The article on Sri Lanka show that declining levels of womens employment in the fisheries indicate the growing invisibility of womens work in the sector. The Trincomalee women fishers lack the financial and physical support required to improve their livelihood opportunities.



The article on innovative boat clinics, 'Ships of hope', shows how the floating clinics of the Brahmaputra basin in India fulfil the mission to 2.5 mn people inhabiting the islands of the river, who are marginalised, poor and vulnerable. From Sadiya to Dhubri, children, women, and the elderly crowd the boat Clinics with health queries and for general check-ups.



The article, 'Where have all the women gone?' looks at the challenges in improving the data collection and reporting and for the use of more standardised methodologies across data sets in the light of the recently published SOFIA 2018.



Nalini Nayak, in her review article on, 'Womens Participation and Leadership in Fisherfolk Organizations and Collective Action in Fisheries', argues that it is a fine overview of what is written and documented about women in fisheries. This desk study by Enrique Alonso-Poblacion and Susana V. Siar identifies opportunities where women have successfully participated in organizations and how such examples could be scaled up in other situations where constraints are high.



'In Ockhis Wake' (the title of the documentary film being made by ICSF), Shibani Chaudhury describes the challenges women face in the aftermath of Cyclone Ockhi and the multiple dimensions of disaster preparedness that still need attention. The film is

under production and will be made available online soon at the ICSF site.



A profile of Suman Singh narrates the story of how inland fisherwomen in Madhubani, India, under her leadership gain greater control of their lives.



The Milestones column presents the strong gender dimension of the new Costa Rica bill, General Law for the Sustainability of Small-scale, Artisanal Fisheries in the Context of Food Security, Poverty Eradication and Shared Governance. This bill highlights the role of women played in the fisheries sector and the enduring value of local traditional knowledge. The bill recognizes that measures governing the small-scale, artisanal fisheries sector must be in harmony with human rights regarding women and based on the specific womens needs of each community.



The What's New, Webby? column presents the findings of a recent report titled, 'Putting Gender Equality on the Seafood Industrys Agenda: Results of a Global Survey of Women in the Seafood Industry' by WSI. The 18-question survey covers the personal occupation and position of the respondent, his or her perception that women occupy in the seafood industry and specifically in his or her company. The survey pays attention to positive initiatives as well.



The Yemaya Recommends section talks about how the video Animation on Gender Equity and Equality attempts to capture the main issues related to gender equality in small-scale fisheries. The Spanish and French versions of the animation are under preparation and will be released shortly.



The current issue of the journal also carries the ever-popular cartoon strip, Yemaya Mama, 'From dream to reality...'



Yemaya No. 57, July 2018, can be accessed

at:https://www.icsf.net/en/yemaya/article/EN/57.html?limitstart=0



For more, please visit www.icsf.net

 ICSF 2018

Theme(s): Others.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat does not believe Boracay Island can be fully opened by next month.

"I think it should be a soft opening. You cannot rehabilitate an island in six months," Romulo-Puyat told CNN Philippines' The Source. "Everything's on track, but it needs time."

She also said only about 3,000 rooms will be ready by October 26  a mere fifth of the rooms available before the closure. This encompassed quarters from various establishments across the three stations of Boracay.

"[The] total inventory of rooms is 15,000 before closing. We target to open 3,000 DOT-accredited rooms once [they] fully comply with inter-agency requirements from DILG and DENR," she added.

The number is based on information gathered from the government's "One Stop Shop" on the island, where the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and DOT are stationed. Businesses have to get clearance from all three offices before they are allowed to operate. The DILG provides business permits, while the DENR approves environmental compliance certificates, sewage treatment plans, and easement.

However, Romulo-Puyat still deferred to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu regarding the announcement of Boracay's re-opening.

After President Rodrigo Duterte called the beach destination "a cesspool," Boracay was shut down on April 26 for a six-month clean-up and rehabilitation. Locals and businessmen contested its closure, saying the government could not adequately support their livelihood with no tourists.

RELATED: In Boracay, life goes on despite the island's closure

The secretary's remarks come ahead of a Wednesday meeting of the Boracay Inter-agency Task Force, where Cabinet secretaries will discuss the island's carrying capacity.

Romulo-Puyat also believes the number of visitors to Boracay from here on out should be controlled.

"You can't have too many people," she said. "In other countries, they really put a limit to the number of tourists entering the island."

The closure of Boracay factored into lower economic growth than expected for the year.

However, the tourism chief reported that tourist arrivals have actually gone up this year compared to last year. She credited the rise to the private sector, saying flights were successfully diverted to other tourist destinations.

"Actually for this June, tourism arrivals increased by 11.35 percent compared to June of last year," said Romulo-Puyat. "Right away when [the private sector] knew Boracay was closed, they diverted their flights to other tourist destinations like Cebu, Bohol, Siargao, and Palawan."

The clean-up of Boracay involves the clearing of polluted waters in Bulabog Beach, a new sewage system, and the demolition of illegal establishments and structures. It is expected to open on October 26.
Imperial Valley News Center

Border Patrol Agents Help Rescue Families Stranded by Flood Waters

Uvalde, Texas - Border Patrol agents along with personnel from Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO), Texas Department of Public Safety(DPS), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, local law enforcement agencies, as well as several private citizens combined their efforts to save 27 individuals from flash flooding here, Sunday.

Del Rio Sector agents are trained, equipped, and ready to respond in times of natural emergencies, said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Felix Chavez. Joint efforts between our local, state, federal partners enable us to respond quickly to conduct search and rescue operations and save lives.

On the morning of August 12, Uvalde Border Patrol Station received a call for assistance from the Uvalde County Sheriffs Office stating that multiple people and vehicles were swept away by floodwaters near Chalk Bluff River Resort northwest of Uvalde. An AMO helicopter arrived to find people stranded on treetops and vehicles. For over five hours, DPS and AMO helicopters hoisted people from the Nueces River and air-lifted them to safety. Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents responded with a rescue boat and with the assistance from Uvalde Station agents recovered additional people, including a pregnant woman and several small children. At least two privately owned and operated helicopters were on scene assisting with the rescue operation.

Everyone who was pulled from the water was transported to the Uvalde Civic Center where a command center had been set up.

The contributions of all first responders and good samaritans that risked their own safety to help others is commendable, continued Del Rio Sector Chief Felix Chavez. I am immensely proud of the hard work that brought about a successful conclusion to a volatile situation that potentially could have ended in tragedy.

The Del Rio Border Patrol Sector is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity call the Del Rio Sectors toll free number at 1-866-511-8727.
Imperial Valley News Center

Washington State Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Connection with Reveton Ransomware

Seattle, Washington - A former Microsoft employee was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the spread of a particular type of ransomware commonly referred to as Reveton.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Offices Criminal Division made the announcement.

Raymond Odigie Uadiale, 41, of Maple Valley, Washington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas for the Southern District of Florida following his June 4 guilty plea. The indictment charged Uadiale with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of substantive money laundering. As part of the plea agreement, the government dismissed the substantive count. In addition to his prison sentence, Uadiale was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.

According to the factual proffer filed in connection with the plea agreement, Uadiale helped to cash out the payments of victims whose computers were infected with Reveton, a type of ransomware that displayed a splash screen on the victims computer with the logo of a law enforcement organization. The splash screen would include a message falsely telling the victim that the law enforcement organization had found illegal material on the infected computer and required the payment of a fine to regain access to the computer and its data. The ransomware directed the victim to purchase a GreenDot MoneyPak and enter the account number into a form on the splash screen. Using prepaid debit cards, Uadiale transformed the MoneyPak funds into cash, kept a portion for himself, and sent a portion back to Revetons distributor, who resided in the United Kingdom.

By cashing out and then laundering victim payments, Raymond Uadiale played an essential role in an international criminal operation that victimized unsuspecting Americans by infecting their computers with malicious ransomware, said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. This conviction and sentence is another demonstration of the Department of Justices commitment to prosecuting cybercriminals and shutting down the networks they use to launder their criminal proceeds. We are grateful for the outstanding collaboration of our U.S. and international law enforcement partners in this successful investigation.

This was a sophisticated scheme to conceal the proceeds of a particularly insidious type of ransomware, said U.S. Attorney Greenberg. By claiming to originate from law enforcement agencies, Reveton not only victimized computer users, it also exploited the agencies in whose names the ransomware claimed to be acting. Todays sentence demonstrates that those who seek to profit from the spread of such malicious software face serious consequences.

According to court documents, Uadiale used the digital currency platform Liberty Reserve to transfer approximately 70 percent of the ransomware proceeds back to the ransomware distributor. Between October 2012 and March 27, 2013, while he was a graduate student at Florida International University, Uadiale sent approximately $93,640 in Liberty Reserve dollars to his co-conspirator as part of their scheme. Public records show that Uadiale was hired by Microsoft as a network engineer after the conspiracy charged in the indictment ended.

The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the U.K.s National Crime Agency, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared M. Strauss of the Southern District of Florida and Senior Counsel W. Joss Nichols of the Criminal Divisions Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, with assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Western District of Washington.
2020 Census Citizenship Question Is Unconstitutional

Sacramento, California - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra Friday applauded U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborgs decision to deny the Trump Administrations motion to dismiss Californias lawsuit to keep a citizenship question off of the 2020 Census.

"Tonight's ruling grants us discovery to understand the decision-making behind the Administration's effort to disrupt an accurate Census count and most importantly, for our case to fully move forward, said Attorney General Becerra. Our communities in California depend on the Census to determine critical services for our schools, disaster relief, public health and safety and we're encouraged by today's decision."

On March 27, 2018, Attorney General Becerra filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against the Trump Administration over its decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. Census questionnaire. In his lawsuit, Attorney General Becerra alleges that including a citizenship question in the 2020 U.S. Census questionnaire violates Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, which requires the actual Enumeration of all people in each state every ten years, and the Administrative Procedure Acts prohibition against arbitrary and capricious agency action.

Attorney General Becerra has been a vocal opponent of the Trump Administrations attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. Census questionnaire. On February 12, 2018, he co-led a coalition of 19 Attorneys General in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, cautioning that a citizenship question would violate the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes. In March, Attorney General Becerra  along with Secretary of State Alex Padilla  also published an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle highlighting how high the stakes are for California.
Iraqi National Wanted for Murder in Iraq Arrested In California

Washington, DC - Omar Ameen, 45, an Iraqi national, wanted on a murder charge in Iraq, appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Sacramento, California Wednesday in connection with proceedings to extradite him to face trial in Iraq. Ameen settled in Sacramento as a purported refugee and attempted to gain legal status in the United States.

The arrest was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California, Assistant Director Michael McGarrity of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBIs Sacramento Field Office.

An arrest warrant charging Ameen with the 2014 murder of an Iraqi police officer was issued on May 16, by a judge of the Baghdad Federal Al-Karkh Inquiry Court. In accordance with its treaty obligations with Iraq, the United States filed a complaint in Sacramento seeking a warrant for Ameens arrest based on the extradition request. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edmund F. Brennan issued the warrant on Tuesday, and Ameen was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in Sacramento today.

The Iraqi arrest warrant and extradition request allege that after the town of Rawah, Iraq fell to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) on June 21, 2014, Ameen entered the town with a caravan of ISIS vehicles and drove to the house of the victim, who had served as an officer in the Rawah Police Department. On the evening of June 22, 2014, after the caravan arrived at the victims house, Ameen and other members of the convoy allegedly opened fire on the victim. Ameen then allegedly fired his weapon at the victim while the victim was on the ground, killing him.

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 Ameens 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.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations and have not been proven in court.

Todays arrest and efforts to initiate the extradition process are the product of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Department of Justice - in particular the Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs, which played a significant role - the U.S. Department of State, the FBI - in particular the FBI Sacramento Field Office which provided considerable resources to further this investigation and ensure the safety of the American people throughout it - and ICE-Homeland Security Investigations.
Post Acute Medical Agrees to Pay More Than $13 Million to Settle Allegations of Kickbacks and Improper Physician Relationships

Washington, DC - Post Acute Medical, LLC, a Pennsylvania-based operator of longterm care and rehabilitation hospitals across the country, and certain affiliated entities through which the company operates its facilities (collectively, PAM), have agreed to pay the United States, Texas, and Louisiana a total of $13,168,000 to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act, and the Texas and Louisiana false claims statutes, by knowingly submitting claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that resulted from violations of the AntiKickback Statute and the Physician SelfReferral Law, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

The Anti-Kickback Statute, in relevant part, prohibits offering or paying anything of value to encourage the referral, or to encourage recommending or arranging for the referral, of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded programs. The Physician SelfReferral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has an improper financial relationship. Both the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law are intended to ensure that medical decision-making is not compromised by improper financial incentives and is instead based on the best interests of the patient.

Since it was founded in 2006, PAM entered into numerous physician-services contracts on behalf of its hospitals. Although the purpose of these contracts was ostensibly to retain physicians as medical directors or in other administrative or medical roles, the United States alleged that in reality the companys payments under these contracts were intended to induce the physicians to refer patients to PAMs facilities. The company allegedly violated the AKS further by entering into what it called reciprocal referral relationships with unaffiliated healthcare providers such as home health companies. In the course of those arrangements, PAM allegedly referred patients to those other providers with the understanding that those providers would refer other patients to PAMs facilities.

Kickbacks undermine the independence of physician and patient decision-making, and raise healthcare costs, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler, head of the Justice Departments Civil Division. The Department of Justice is committed to preventing illegal financial relationships that undermine the integrity of our public health programs.

Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries depend on their healthcare providers to make decisions based on sound medical judgment, said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed. Our office will take decisive action to address allegations that medical providers are paying or receiving improper financial benefits that could influence medical decision-making.

PAMs alleged kickbacks and improper physician relationships threatened the impartiality of medical decision-making and the financial integrity of Medicare and Medicaid, said Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Our agency will continue to investigate companies who step over the line to maximize their profits at the expense of federal health care programs.

PAMs conduct allegedly resulted in false claims to Medicare as well as certain Medicaid programs. The latter are jointly funded by both the federal and state governments. Under the settlement, PAM will pay $13,031,502 to the United States, $114,016 to Texas, and $22,482 to Louisiana.

The settlement resolves allegations originally brought by Douglas Johnson in a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the federal government and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower will receive $2,345,670 as his share of the federal governments recovery in this case.

In addition to resolving its False Claims Act liability, PAM has entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General which includes, among other compliance obligations, an arrangements review to be conducted by an Independent Review Organization.

This matter was handled on behalf of the government by the Justice Departments Civil Division, the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and Southern District of Texas, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.

The case is captioned United States ex rel. Johnson v. Post Acute Medical, LLC et al., Civil Action No. 17-cv-1269 (M.D. Pa.). The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Border Patrol Arrests Felons

El Centro, California - U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector Border Patrol arrested a previously deported aggravated felon and a man with a felony conviction for attempted murder over the weekend.

The first incident occurred on Friday at approximately 11:00 p.m., when agents arrested a man after he illegally entered the United States, east of Calexico.

During processing, record checks revealed that the man, Juan Carlos Avalos-Padilla, a 50-year-old Mexican citizen, has an extensive criminal history that includes a conviction for attempted murder.

The felony conviction for Attempted Murder Second Degree occurred in Riverside County, in August 2010. Avalos was sentenced to seven years in prison for the conviction.

The second incident occurred at approximately 7:00 p.m., Sunday evening, when agents working the Highway 111 checkpoint stopped a vehicle after it attempted to circumvent the checkpoint to avoid inspection. Through a field interview, agents determined that the vehicle occupants were Mexican citizens without proper documentation allowing them to enter or remain in the United States legally.

Border Patrol agents at the station ran record checks, which revealed that one of the individuals, Ivan Partida-Valdez, a 37-year-old Mexican citizen, is a previously deported aggravated felon.

Partida-Valdez has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1994 that includes numerous convictions for aggravated burglary and three separate jail sentences. Each prison sentence was at least one year long.

Preventing these types of criminals from committing more heinous crimes in our community is part of our duties as agents, and we will continue protecting Americas frontline every day, said El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.

Both men will remain in federal custody pending prosecution for violation of criminal law.
Border Patrol Discovers Meth in Hidden Compartment

Salton City, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a woman suspected of smuggling methamphetamine inside a hidden compartment Sunday morning.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m., when a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), approached the checkpoint in a white Chevy Malibu.

During an immigration inspection, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the windshield area near the front right fender of the vehicle. Agents referred the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.

In secondary, agents discovered 45 packages concealed inside a false compartment of the vehicles firewall.

The packages were examined and tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine.

The combined weight of the packages totaled 47.95 lbs., with an estimated street value of $127,067.

Smuggling narcotics is a serious crime, said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. In addition to answering for this crime, we will pursue revocation of legal immigration status when appropriate.

The details of the subjects arrest was referred to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to determine if revoking her privileged status is warranted.

The 52-year-old woman, a Mexican citizen, was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the vehicle and narcotics for further investigation.

In fiscal year 2018, El Centro Sector agents have seized more than 1,035.35 pounds of methamphetamine, amounting to over $2.4 million.
Border Patrol Arrests Previously Deported Sex Offenders

El Centro, California - U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector Border Patrol arrested two previously deported sex offenders in separate incidents over the weekend.

Isael Sanchez-Labra

The first incident occurred on Saturday at approximately 11 a.m., after agents encountered a man who had illegally entered the United States, east of the Calexico Port of Entry.

Record checks revealed that the man, later identified as Isael Sanchez-Labra, a 39-year-old Mexican national, is a previously convicted sex offender with a lengthy criminal record.

The checks showed that Sanchez-Labra has a conviction from April 2005, in Calif., for Lewd and Lascivious Acts W/Child under 14. He was sentenced to 3-years prison for the conviction. He also received a 2-year prison sentence, from the same arrest, for a Sexual Battery conviction.

In May 2017, Sanchez-Labra served 150 days in jail for a parole violation. A few months later, in September, he received another 16 months in prison for failure to register as a sex offender.

The second incident occurred on Sunday, at approximately 1:45 a.m., when Border Patrol agents arrested a man after observing him enter the country illegally, roughly 11 miles west of the Calexico Port of Entry.

Enrique Hernandez-Estuardo

During processing, record checks revealed that the man, Enrique Hernandez-Estuardo, is a previously convicted sex offender with a 2004 conviction in Calif.

Hernandez-Estuardo, a 41-year-old Guatemalan citizen, was convicted of Rape by Force and Sodomy W/Child under 14. He was consequently sentenced to 16 years prison for the conviction.

These arrests are a testament to the vital role that the men and women of the El Centro Sector play in safeguarding our nations borders, said El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.

Sanchez-Libra and Hernandez-Estuardo are the 31st and 32nd sex offenders arrested by El Centro Sector in fiscal year 2018 and will remain in federal custody pending prosecution for violation of criminal law.
Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Guardian Convicted of Sexual Abuse of A Minor

Elizabeth City, North Carolina - Chief Judge James C. Dever III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina entered an order that revoked the naturalized U.S. citizenship of a child sex offender; restrained and enjoined him from claiming any rights, privileges, or advantages of U.S. citizenship; and ordered him to immediately surrender and deliver his Certificate of Naturalization and any other indicia of U.S. citizenship to federal authorities.

The Justice Department is committed to preserving the integrity of our nations immigration system and the propriety of the governments adjudication of immigration benefits, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Departments Civil Division. We will aggressively pursue the denaturalization of individuals who lie on their naturalization applications or lie during the naturalization interview, especially in a circumstance like this one, which involved an alien who repeatedly sexually abused the minor victim on almost a daily basis.

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, said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon. 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 Departments mission to enforce the nations immigration laws, we will seek denaturalization in cases where individuals are dishonest and where criminal activity demonstrated the lack of moral character necessary for American citizenship.

Prempeh Ernest Agyemang, a native of Ghana, was admitted to the United States in 1989. Agyemang then married a United States citizen who had a young child. When the child was in fourth grade, Agyemang began sexually abusing her starting in late 1999 or early 2000. Notably, after the sexual abuse began, while under oath during his naturalization interview, Agyemang stated that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. Relying on this answer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted his naturalization application and Agyemang became a U.S. citizen later that year. On Nov. 5, 2003, Mr. Agyemang pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his minor stepchild on April 1, 2000. Specifically, Agyemang pleaded guilty to sexual activity by a Substitute Parent or Custodian.

This order sends a clear message to individuals who commit any type of sexual offense, particularly those involving children, during the naturalization process  we will investigate you and seek you out to ensure that justice is done, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Ronald D. Vitiello. ICE will continue to work with our partners at the Justice Departments Office of Immigration Litigation  District Court Section to hold individuals responsible for sexual offenses, especially those involving child victims.

"Mr. Agyemang repeatedly sexually abused a minor child and then lied about the sexual abuse to obtain naturalization," said USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna. "By doing so, he threatened to undermine the hard work our officers do every day to protect the integrity of the immigration system. USCIS is glad to see him held accountable and applauds our partners at the Justice Department for helping bring him to justice.

This case was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations and the Civil Divisions Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section (OIL-DCS). The case was litigated by John Inkeles of OIL-DCS, with support from ICE Assistant Chief Counsel Cori White, Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell, and the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Brisbane-based Citrus wins global business and tier 1 retailers in Australia including Dan Murphys to its online advertising platform.

Citrus co-founders (left-right) CTO Mohammad Alinia, CEO Brad Moran and CMO Nick Paech

Brisbane-based technology company Citrus is winning both global and tier one Australian retailers such as Dan Murphys to its online advertising platform which boosts web sales and keeps revenues in the local economy.

Led by CEO Brad Moran, Citrus provides online retailers and their suppliers a digital advertising tool similar in nature to Amazons advertising network that increases product sales from websites while retaining advertising revenues within the Australian retail ecosystem rather than losing it offshore.

Citrus equips retailers to create a new revenue stream and monetise their digital real estate by allowing suppliers to target customers by bidding in a live auction for prime product positioning and banner advertising on retail websites. The innovative Citrus real-time relevancy engine gives consumers a more personalised shopping experience by letting suppliers more accurately predict and satisfy their preferences through prime ad positions and banner placement at the online point of purchase.

Citrus has signed up some of Australias largest online retailers in grocery, homewares, electronics and pharmaceuticals, such as Dan Murphy's, since launching its platform last December. It is also launching with global retailers based in the US, UK, Europe and Latin America through its offices in those regions. Citrus has completed two rounds of financing - most recently in February this year, based on a valuation of $35 million.

One national retailer has reported that since it started using the Citrus system earlier this year, brands on its website have received an average 1000 per cent return on their ad spend and, in some cases, as much as 19,000 per cent.

Brad Moran, CMO Nick Paech and CTO Mohammad Alinia founded and set up the Citrus head office in Brisbane, which offered a brilliant environment for technology start-ups and a deep talent pool from which they recruited a team of top software engineers.

Citrus got off to a running start with its first round of financing in February 2017, the launch of its US and Latin America offices last September, the platform launch in December and a second financing round in February this year - the same month it opened offices in the UK and Europe.

Citrus also secured a Federal Government-supported $850,000 Accelerating Commercialisation Grant in August 2017, based on its ability to assist Australian retailers combat international conglomerates and remain competitive in the market. The Australian Governments Director of Accelerating Commercialisation Larry Lopez said: Citrus brings a clever and effective weapon to Australian retailers in their battle to win and retain market share in the increasingly competitive landscape.

Brad Moran said Citrus had created a world-leading e-commerce advertising platform from paper to product in just eight months. This year weve launched with some of the worlds leading retailers in Australia and overseas, he said.

Citrus provides retailers with the technology to bring into their business a share of the huge digital advertising and global search dollars largely monopolised by the likes of Amazons Ad Network, Google and Facebook. The platform is delivering well above digital advertising industry return-on-ad-spend averages. One brand generated more than $1 million in retail sales in six weeks after a $30,000 investment in Citrus.

We deliver these results by placing the ads at the point of purchase after running products through our real-time relevancy engine, a unique algorithm that uses individual relevancy factors to score them against customer preferences. It shortlists products based on customer relevance before they reach the bidding engine, a process that uses machine learning to refine its accuracy.

Citrus has created a micro-advertising opportunity for online retailers, similar to what Google and Facebook have done by giving small brands the ability to target customers in real-time at the point of purchase with affordable click prices and small daily budgets, all without a huge up-front cost and risk. Using Citrus, suppliers can bid for digital shelf space, deliver a better customer experience and make their advertising dollars work harder. We also stand out because Citrus brings a share of those advertising revenues back into the local retailing ecosystem rather than losing them to multinationals offshore.

For media assistance, call John Harris on +61 8 8431 4000 or email john@impress.com.au.

About Citrus https://www.citrusad.com/

Citrus is a global digital advertising platform that enables retailers to monetise their online shelf space and suppliers to make more sales by better targeting their customers. Since it was established in January 2017, Citrus has attracted interest from forward-thinking clients in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific to redefine the earnings potential of their online stores.
Carotid Artery Revascularization: All You Need to Know About Heart Surgery That Rajinikanth Underwent
The Trump administration is getting ready to step up its trade war with China.

Starting Monday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, or USTR, will hold six days of public hearings where close to 360 CEOs and American trade and industry representatives are expected to testify, mostly against a new 25 percent tariff on approximately $200 billion in Chinese goods. This would be the third action taken against Chinese imports, following a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods that started on July 6 and another one on $16 billion in products expected to begin August 23.

Unlike the previous two rounds, which focused largely on Chinese industrial machinery and electronic components, this next one would directly impact thousands of consumer products, Reuters reports. The list targets products from furniture and makeup to bicycles and child car seats. The duties on Chinese imports are a response to allegations of intellectual property theft and other unfair trade practices.

China responded by announcing its own set of retaliatory tariffs on $50 billion worth of American goods, targeting soybeans, electric vehicles, and more, starting on the same dates as the U.S. tariffs. In addition to driving prices higher, many U.S. businesses believe a trade war will not effectively address the IP theft problem.

"Tariffs are hidden, regressive taxes that are being paid by U.S. businesses and consumers, paradoxically harming U.S. competitiveness," the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a written testimony ahead of the hearings. "The USTR's proposed tariffs on an additional $200 billion of Chinese imports dramatically expands the harm to American consumers, workers, businesses, and the economy."
It's not your fault--you were just following the trends. But if your office has any of the design elements on the wrong side of this list, it might be time to consider mixing it up. Here's what the experts say is in and what's out in 2018.

Out: Open-office plan

In: Private desks and separate areas for group work

Long rows of open-air desks might have been all the rage half a decade ago. But as Apple learned the hard way, employees don't actually like it. "I think people have realized," says David Galullo, CEO of the design agency Rapt Studio, "that if collaboration is important to the way people work at your business, collaboration will happen. You don't need to sacrifice all sense of privacy and acoustics for it."

Related: As the stigma of being separated from their staff fades, bosses are beginning to take offices again. "The open office," declares R&A Design co-founder Christian Robert, "is dead."

Out: Rectangular meeting rooms

In: Hexagonal meeting rooms

If four sides are good, six sides are better. The problem with rectangles, says Robert, is they're inherently hierarchical; there's always going to be a "front" and a "back." A hexagonal room levels the playing field. As an added benefit, you'll be able to see everyone instead of only those sitting across from you. And materials placed on the walls will be more visible to everyone.

Out: Painted walls and graffiti

In: Textures and mirrors

Can't decide on a color scheme? Skip the color altogether and focus on textures instead. Brick, wood, and even acoustic screens can help mix things up from room to room. Marble can create a retro vibe. And mirrors can keep things fresh when placed in seemingly random locations--even on ceilings. "It's this notion of disorienting your view a little bit and expanding the space," Robert says.

Out: Low-tech conference rooms

In: Tricked-out conference rooms

More and more employees are working remotely. Looping them into a video conference shouldn't take more than a few clicks. If you're building a new meeting room, equip it with cameras, speakers, and microphones that can be booted up without the need of extra equipment. And while you're at it, give your employees the power to book the room with just a few clicks by installing a wall-mounted tablet right outside.

Out: Bright colors everywhere

In: Pops of color

A certain Silicon Valley search giant might have helped launch a primary color streak, but that theme is giving way to something more subtle. "It's all about accents," Robert says. "Little pops of color." The brighter the color, the smaller its area should be. Instead of painting a door, try a neon color for the handle. Furniture can be a neutral shade, but then decorate it with colorful throw pillows. "You can have loud moments," Robert says, "without making it loud overall."

Out: Giving employees everything they need

In: Letting employees have their fun at home
Matt Fiedler was a product manager at a tech startup when he and his roommate, Tyler Barstow, had a very analog idea for a company: vinyl records. In 2013, they launched Vinyl Me, Please, now an e-commerce site that, for $29 a month, sends curated records to subscribers, from the vintage (Black Sabbath's Paranoid) to the obscure (Watch Out! by 1970s Zimbabwean band Wells Fargo). But in 2015, Fiedler made miscalculations that led him to an emotional breakdown--and the near-unraveling of his business. --As told to Yasmin Gagne

My co-founder and I were in our first year out of college when Spotify came out in the U.S., and we used to send each other songs to push each other's tastes. We started Vinyl Me, Please as a way of creating a community around music, and of sharing these diamonds in the rough.

I didn't know much about running a business. We started out doing wholesale, but pivoted to a manufacturing model. We'd find albums and secured rights to them before getting them pressed by our manufacturer. Usually we'd receive the next record a week before shipping, and then we'd ship the albums out ourselves. Right before Thanksgiving 2014, we were waiting for December's record of the month, but it never came. When I emailed the manufacturer, we were told that it was delayed by six weeks. There was no way we could get it to our subscribers on time.

As a record-of-the-month club, if you don't have a record of the month, then you don't really have a business. It was bad, but after a lot of customer outreach, we averted disaster.

After that, I was both overly cautious and overly optimistic. I thought if we committed to things sooner, problems like that wouldn't happen again. We started to commit to inventory quantities for the next year. We were super naive, and I thought we would just keep growing at the same rate we already were. Turns out, my forecasting was all wrong.

We ordered 25,000 units for November and December 2015 and soon realized there was no way we were going to have that many subscribers. In the months leading up to it, I was living in constant anxiety because each time we missed our forecasts, we had unsold inventory, and it was just piling up. I was sure we were going to go under because of my stupid decision. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion--I could see our company folding, and there was nothing I could do about it.

It all came to a head in October. I was abroad in Thailand with my wife and my daughter, who had just been born. When I heard that that month's large shipment of records had arrived in Colorado, I broke down. I thought the company was dead. I'm a pretty stable and positive person. I don't usually have too many peaks and valleys, but it was the lowest I've ever been emotionally. I'd made a boneheaded mistake, and I kept running through "If only I was smarter, if only I could do my job better, if only I was more capable" scenarios in my head. I couldn't sleep, and I was paralyzed by overwhelming anxiety.

My employees were concerned, asking me, "Am I going to have a job next week?" I didn't know what to say. I was 26, had never been a CEO, and didn't have the emotional maturity to deal. The team managed to pull together by themselves; I was not there for them the way I should have been. Someone in the office had to sit me down and say, "Everyone is responding negatively to the emotions you are bringing to the office, and even if you don't think we can get through this, you just have to pretend." So I pretended, and the team dealt with the situation against all odds. We cut back some inventory, deferred some loans, and got everything back on track.

There's no way we would be where we are today without those experiences. I'm stronger, and my company is stronger because we got through it.

Discovering the Beat of a Business

If you were to start another company, what would you do differently? Hire a finance person way sooner.

Number of hours of sleep a night: 8 (I need a lot to function.)

What creative things do you do to retain talent? Wednesdays and Fridays are designated work-from-home days. We let people catch up and do deep work without distractions from the office, and they can schedule doctor's appointments and do laundry.

How do you manage stress? I run every day.

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Asia Argento  a leading #MeToo activist  has reportedly settled an accusation of assault made against her by a former child actor.

According to documents obtained by the New York Times, the actor and director agreed to pay musician Jimmy Bennett a total of $380,000 over the course of a year and a half after allegedly assaulting him in a California hotel room when he was just over the age of 17 years old. The states legal age of consent is 18.

As part of the document, Italian actor Argento  who was 37 at the time  appears in a selfie taken in the hotel room's bed, the authenticity of which has been confirmed by three people familiar to the case.

The documents report that Bennett was initially planning to sue Argento for $3.5m in damages citing emotional distress, lost wages and assault. He claims that his income dropped from $2.7m to $60,000 following the alleged assault which is said to have occurred after he played her son in 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.

Recommended Rose McGowan responds to news Asia Argento settled assault case

Representatives for both Argento and Bennett did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Argento was one of the 13 women to be featured in the first report detailing the alleged sexual harassment and assault history of disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. In May, she condemned him in a powerful speech at the Cannes Film Festival where she declared he will live in disgrace.

Rose McGowan, another leader of the #MeToo movement, has responded to the reports on social media. She wrote: "I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere."

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Argento found herself in the news in June after her boyfriend, chef Anthony Bourdain, died by suicide. The Times piece reports that Bourdain helped Ms Argento navigate the matter, though the extent of his involvement is unclear.
The majority of the British public would like to install solar panels and home energy storage schemes if greater government assistance was available, a new survey has revealed.

In total 62 per cent said they would like to fit solar panels and 60 per cent would install an energy storage device.

An even greater proportion  71 per cent  would be interested in joining a community energy scheme if government support was there.

Home electricity generation and community energy schemes can cut electricity bills for consumers at a time when the big six energy companies have raised their prices. The average household will spend over 1,150 a year, according to consumer watchdog, Which?.

The findings, from a YouGov survey for Client Earth, come as the government has cut subsidies for green energy across the board, capping the total at 100m by 2019.

In 2015, the government announced plans to stop the feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme, from the end of March 2019.

The scheme meant homeowners, small businesses or communities considering building a renewable energy source such as a solar array, wind turbine, or hydro technology, could expect payments for electricity generation from energy companies  helping to offset the cost of building the project.

Client Earth's chief executive James Thornton said: These results make it clear that the British public want action on climate change, and urgently. The government can take the lead on climate quickly by cutting off the hundreds of millions of pounds in annual subsidies to fossil fuel power stations and other schemes that are giving carbon-intensive power generation an unfair advantage over renewables.

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

Earlier this year a report by the Smartest Energy company reported that the cut in subsidies for small scale energy projects has seen numbers of projects going ahead slump to its lowest level in years amid concerns over their financial viability.

A total of 227m was spent during 2017 on independent renewable energy projects.

The figure represented a fall of almost 20 per cent from the 280m spent in 2016, down more than 45 per cent from the peak of 418m invested in 2014  the year before the government announced the end of feed-in tariffs.

Smaller-scale projects owned by developers, farmers, landowners and communities generate a total of 9.25 per cent of the UKs energy mix  a figure which has doubled over the last five years and equates to enough energy to power 8.4 million homes.

Elon Musk's Tesla is among the companies building cutting-edge power storage facilities for storing electricity from small-scale generation.

Client earth energy lawyer Sam Bright said: Our generation is witnessing an energy transformation unseen since the industrial revolution. We are moving from being locked into large-scale fossil fuel plants, powered by coal and gas, to smaller, cleaner and locally owned energy systems. But we need the right policy and regulatory support. We need to end fossil fuel subsidies and allow renewable energy and storage technologies to flourish.

Recommended Growth in renewable energy projects slumps as government support falls

Jeremy Leggett, the founding director of the UK's largest solar company, Solar Century, and author of The Winning of The Carbon War told The Independent: Maybe fears about climate change are growing  justifiably  with the heatwave, but solar has been the single most popular energy technology in government surveys of consumer attitudes for a good few years now.

He added: The key issue here is that government is missing a huge opportunity, as things stand, to build a strong domestic solar industry ready for the day  coming soon  when solar is cheaper than any other form of energy, even in cloudy Britain.

They are backing the wrong horses: nuclear and shale gas, and seem willing actively to suppress solar to make space. They should at least take out a hedged bet on solar, and keep an export tariff for solar generation. As things stand, from next March they intend to allow energy companies to take excess solar electricity generated by solar prosumers for free. That is really a retrograde action, especially when you contrast it with the incentives for solar generation elsewhere in the world.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy told The Independent: Our renewables sector is a British success story, doubling our electricity that comes from low carbon sources since 2010 and our solar industry outstripping installations predictions and generating record levels of power  enough for almost three million homes.

Over the last five years investment in renewables has more than doubled and we are investing more than 2.5 billion on low carbon innovation by 2021.
Overlooked perhaps by the general public, but lauded by those in the know, Hungarian wine has a huge amount to offer, with a large and exciting range of wines.

Most will have heard of its signature dessert Tokaji wines  popular in the UK since the Victorian era  and the exuberant Bulls Blood red wines.

But there are so much more being produced by a new generation of Hungarian winemakers.

Many feature indigenous grapes such as kekfrankos, keknyelu, olaszrizling and kadarka.

Others have taken the countrys most versatile grape, furmint, and turned it into a world-class dry white. Its no wonder that the countrys wines have won bucket loads of prizes at recent blind tastings.

Read more:

Nows the time to get ahead of the curve and enjoy some of the most outstanding wines that eastern Europe can offer.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism acrossThe Independent.

Archabbey Pannonhalma sauvignon blanc 2018 13.5%, 75cl Just to prove its not only local grapes which provide the best that Hungary can offer, heres a stunning sauvignon blanc from Pannonhalma, where theyve been making wine for a millennium. The grapes were grown in two distinct vineyards on slopes out of the sun, which lets strong flavours and aromas develop slowly. Cold maceration is followed by chilled fermentation, partly on the lees, resulting in an aromatic sauvignon blanc that has intense but crisp flavours of passion fruit and pineapple. Buy now  16.95 , Fieldandfawcett.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Heumann rose cuvee villany 2020 13.5%, 75cl What links Provence and Villany, Hungarys southernmost wine region? Well, they both make excellent roses, and this example, mainly made from the indigenous kekfrankos grape (70 per cent) with more than a little helping of syrah (30 per cent) is bursting full of fresh, bright strawberry and red fruit flavours. Produced from low-yielding vines in limestone-rich soils and aged for six weeks in stainless steel, its the perfect wine with which to welcome a longed-for summer. Buy now  9.50 , Thewinesociety.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Sabar keknyelu komagas 2019 13.5%, 75cl From a small winery at Lake Balaton in the volcanic-rich Badacsony wine region comes a young, fresh white thats brimful of zesty lemon and citrus flavours. Its another example of how local grapes are transforming Hungarian winemaking with the hand-picked keknyelu grape variety, making its mark in a wine thats pressed and fermented in stainless steel tanks before being partly matured in oak. Enjoy it by itself or with a light salad, white fish, or goats cheese. Buy now  12.99 , Novelwines.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Zsirai Nagy-somloi olaszrizling 2018 13%, 75cl Sisters Kata Zsirai young winemaker of the year in Hungary in 2018  and Petra Zsirai have been running this winery in Tokaj since the unexpected death of their father in 2011. They believe the secret of a good wine is a great terroir, a careful selection of grape varieties and hands-on care. The result is this crisp and moreish white wine made from Hungarys own olaszrizling grape. Despite the name, its not connected to German riesling, although equally attractive, with fleshy, soft fruit and orchard flavours complemented by a pleasing minerality. Buy now  13.78 , Jascots.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Oreg Kiraly Dulo sweet szamorodni furmint barta 2013 11.5%, 50cl Hungary has been the home of sweet wines since the 16th century, with tsars, popes and even Queen Victoria all devotees of this gloriously rich and mellow dessert wine from the Tokaji region. Szamorodni, literally as it was grown, means that the local furmint grapes were left on the vines until well after the normal harvest date to concentrate the sugars inside. In addition, many of the grapes would also be affected by botrytis, the noble rot that adds another layer of full-on sweetness and texture. Aged in oak barrels, the end result is a pale golden wine where the sweetness  think candied fruits, sun-dried apricots and succulent oranges  is offset by a dash of acidity. A fruit harvest in a glass. Buy now  25.95 , Corneyandbarrow.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Toth Ferenc egri kadarka superior 2018 14%, 75cl Kadarka is another indigenous Hungarian grape variety from the south-facing vineyards of the historic Eger region in the north-east of the country. Its a variety that crops up in the famous Bulls Blood wines, but here its slightly more restrained, in a silver-medal winning red wine thats overflowing with raspberry and red fruit flavours allied to smooth tannins and a welcome minerality. A wine that will keep but can also be enjoyed now with rich meaty dishes or a hearty vegetable casserole. Buy now  22.49 , Bestofhungary.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Chateau Megyer tokaji dry furmint 2019 12%, 75cl If, as it appears, Hungarian wine is playing an ever-increasing part in the European wine revolution, then its furmint which is leading the charge. Already known for marvelous dessert wines, furmint is a versatile grape that is also capable of producing wonderfully dry, bright and intense white wines such as this. The 2019 vintage includes a dash of harslevelu that brings an added zest. Hugely rich lemon and orange citrus flavours are offset by a crisp acidity, making this an ideal summertime wine. Enjoy it with fish or roasted vegetables. Buy now  13.95 , Fieldandfawcett.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Bonsai oregtokek kadarka peter vida, Szekszard 2017 13%, 75cl Peter Vida, a former Hungarian winemaker of the year, is doing wonders with wines that reflect the terroir of the Szekszard wine region in southern Hungary. This kadarka from 100-year-old vines (thats the oregtokek in the name) is rich in flavour, with layered notes of raspberry and red berries complemented by undertones of spices and herbs. Its light red in colour but more complex than you may think. Often compared with a pinot noir, kadarka works well with spiced dishes and even curries. Buy now  21.99 , Oxfordwine.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Esterhazy Etyeki Kuria zweigelt etyek 2017 14.5% 75cl The name may not trip off the tongue that easily, but as a relative newcomer to the Hungarian wine scene  the Etyeki Kuria winery was founded in 1996 and a partnership was established with the Esterhazy winery of Trausdorf, Austria, in 2006  this is a company thats already making a big name for itself. This wine utilises the Austrian zweigelt grape, creating a relatively strong (14.5 per cent) and opulently rich red wine, with intense dark fruit and dark berry flavours with hints of spice and liquorice. We wouldnt go quite as far as the winery, which calls it a real fruit bomb, but you are getting a lot of bold, in-your-face (or should we say mouth?) flavour for your money. It may not bite back, but treat it with caution. Buy now  22.40 , Thirsty.selz.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Chateau Megyer tokaji cuvee F late harvest furmint 2018 11.5%, 50cl A drink so rich and golden that you feel there must be a touch of alchemy in how this delicious dessert wine is produced. Its made from clusters of the furmint grape left on the vine until the sweetness is intense and concentrated. However, those grapes which have developed botrytis or noble rot are avoided, making it lighter-bodied than other Tokaji wines. Instead, the distinctive honey-like tones are slightly softened by notes of citrus peel and soft fruits. Fresh but never cloying, its the perfect wine with which to end a meal. Buy now  19 , Vagabondwines.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}}

The verdict: Hungarian wines Heres a great chance to explore some grape varieties which may be new to you, from the kekfrankos in the rose cuvee villany Heumann to the kadarka in the Bonsai Oregtokek and the zweigelt in the Esterhazy Etyeki Kuria. The furmint, known for its use in sweet wines such as Oreg Kiraly Dulo sweet szamorodni, also impresses in the crisp Chateau Megyer tokaji dry furmint. But its the elegant, light and beautifully aromatic Archabbey Pannonhalma sauvignon blanc which takes the honours. Its rare to find a sauvignon blanc which is as refreshing, flavoursome and exhilarating as this. Transport yourself to southern Europe with our selection of the best Spanish wines

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.
Whether you think their creation heralded the decline of civilisation as we know it, or consider them to be the most innovative shoes to grace the earth, Crocs are big business.

Established in 2002, the Croc was originally developed as a boating shoe but, somewhere along the line, it became the go-to for hospital workers, doting dads and fashion editors alike.

In fact, the spray-clean rubber clogs have become so popular that investing in the company could now earn you some serious cash.

Sure, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin might be all the rage but, according to recent statistics, you might actually be better off putting your pennies into fashions most derided shoe.

Last week, New York Times reporter Jack Nicas shared a graph on his Twitter showing the price change of bitcoin and Crocs stock over the last year.

The graph showed that, while bitcoin peaks higher than Crocs over the course of the year  adding more than 300 per cent to its original price  in terms of long-term investment, Crocs are more valuable.

In a follow up tweet, Nicas added: Let's give it up for the plastic cobbler who could: Crocs stock has doubled over the past 12 months!

The news might come as a shock to the uninitiated but, those of us who follow the rise and fall, and rise again, of fashions latest trends will have seen this coming.

Its true that bitcoin has enjoyed a gravity-defying surge in price  it traded close to $20,000 (15,695) as recently as December  but the notoriously volatile cryptocurrency continues to behave unpredictably. Crocs meanwhile, is only going from strength-to-strength.

Christopher Kane sent Crocs down the runway of his spring/summer 2017 collection

The company undeniably owes much of its stock market success to the string of high-end fashion endorsements it has received in the last couple of years.

In 2016, the divisive shoe made an appearance on the runway of Scottish designer Christopher Kane, while earlier this year Balenciagas platform versions  which cost an eye-watering $850 (667)  proved so popular that they completely sold out within a matter of hours.

Its not just the fashion elite that are jumping on the trend though. A recent report conducted by eBay discovered that there were 25,000 searches for Crocs on the shopping site in April, with almost 15,000 pairs sold in that same month - that's approximately 20 pairs every hour.

So, even if youre not willing to sport a pair upon your person, the companys growth prospects should be enough to convince you to ditch the wavering world of cryptocurrency in favour of failsafe foamy clogs.
The Jamaica-born chef who once taught Jamie Oliver how to cook jerk chicken has weighed in on the controversy surrounding his new jerk rice product.

Oliver is facing accusations of cultural appropriation after launching the new range, with Labour MP Dawn Butler describing the branding as not OK in a tweet which has been widely-shared.

Now, Levi Roots, creator of the hugely successful Reggae Reggae jerk sauce, has addressed the criticisms surrounding the British chef, describing the product as a mistake.

"I do think it was a mistake by his team, he said on Good Morning Britain.

Roots, who famously won a 50,000 investment on Dragons Den for his unique Caribbean sauce in 2007, was joined on the segment by TV chef Rustie Lee, who took issue with jerk flavouring being used for rice, when it is traditionally used on meats and/or vegetables.

At the end of the day, Ive tasted it and it tastes like Caribbean rice and beans with flavours in it, she said of Oliver's product.

 Levi Roots teaches Jamie Oliver how to make jerk chicken

The jerk part of it is barbecue and you cant barbecue rice.

Lee added that Jamaicans would be offended by the product, describing it as getting onto a bandwagon by branding his rice as Caribbean, particularly when it excludes key ingredients such as allspice.

However, Levi disagreed and suggested that Olivers mistake was purely down to a matter of missing the ingredients, rather than likening it to an example of cultural appropriation.

I dont think its that serious," he said, "I really dont. Caribbean food for it to get to where we want it to get to we need to change things.

"Youve got to know what jerk is. Jerk is either a method of cooking or its the marinade itself.

If it doesnt have these four things in it then you cant refer it to jerk. You cannot call it jerk if it doesnt have allspice.
A picture taken by an Arizona photographer has captured the emotional and physical struggle that many couples go through when they try to conceive.

In the photo, taken by Samantha Packer of Packer Family Photography, two-week-old baby London lies in the middle of two hearts created from the hundreds of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) needles the couple used to conceive their daughter.

Packer, who shared the moving picture on Facebook, captioned it with the couples heartbreaking words.

Recommended Chrissy Teigen praised for having frank discussion about IVF with fans

Four years, seven attempts, three miscarriages, and 1,616 shots, Patricia and Kimberley ONeill had told Packer when they asked her to photograph their newborn.

The couple, who married in 2017 and had been trying to conceive for 2014, thought it would be easy to have a baby, according to CNN.

But after seeing a fertility doctor for intrauterine insemination and having two failed attempts, the ONeills turned to IVF.

After four miscarriages and the diagnosis of Factor V Leiden, a blood-clotting condition, the couple wasnt sure if they could keep trying - but they did, finally working with a doctor who specialises in Factor V Leiden and welcoming a healthy baby on August 3.

The emotional photograph has since gone viral on Facebook, where it has received more than 61,000 shares and resonated with thousands of people who understand the difficult journey.

Mothers meeting their newborn babies Show all 9 1 /9 Mothers meeting their newborn babies Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Fermont Fotographie Mothers meeting their newborn babies Mothers meeting their newborn babies

This photo shows so much beauty and strength. Those lovenox injections are no joke. I take eight shots a day and we plan on doing something with all my saved up shots too. Tell the momma congrats because this is such a photo of strength from one mum who has a similar story, one woman wrote.
An advocacy group is protesting male circumcision on the streets of New York City in the hopes that the common procedure will no longer be carried out on infants.

Intaction - a play on the words intact and action - aims to convince American men, women, and doctors that neonatal circumcision is a violation of human rights.

The non-profit organisation was first started in 2010 and their mission statement, according to the Inaction website, is that every individual has the inalienable right to an intact body. Only an adult of majority age, with fully informed consent, can agree to needless and permanent body modification.

Circumcision, or the removing of the foreskin from the penis, is one of the most common surgeries in America, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which estimates the rate is somewhere between 76 and 92 per cent of men.

In America, there are various explanations cited in favour for the procedure, including health and hygiene reasons and as part of cultural and religious traditions.

According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), circumcised males are less likely to contract HIV, herpes, and human papillomavirus (HPV) from sex. Circumcision has also been linked to lower risks of certain cancers.

However, Intaction views the abhorrent practice as comparable to female genital mutilation (FGM), which is illegal in the United States and exists for the sole purpose of controlling female sexuality.

The group aims to stop circumcision (Intaction)

Spearheaded by founder Anthony Losquadro, after he questioned: What did the doctor do to my body? when he compared his own penis to those of male Renaissance sculptures in Florence, Italy, Losquadro decided to fight on behalf of the foreskin, the most sensitive and important feature of the penis.

Intaction uses a mobile education unit to educate the public about the powers of foreskin

Through disruptive protests, demonstrations, parental education,and the use of a mobile education unit which reads: Foreskin a girl can hope, Intactions goal is to raise awareness about the value of intact genitals so that we may reach a point in America where male genital cutting rates are as low as European countries, according to information sent to The Independent.

The groups educating of the general public includes descriptions of the four powers to the foreskin - pleasure, protection, lubrication, and connection, as outlined in a YouTube video and on the streets of New York.

According to Losquadro, Intactions greatest accomplishment to date has been the personal thanks and gratitude of hundreds of men, women, parents, and expecting parents - for fighting for foreskin, and by supplying the information out that has personally bettered their lives.

Anthony Losquadro questioned why he was circumcised (Intaction/Anthony Losquadro)

Whether like-minded protests from groups such as Intaction are the reason, or because the practice is simply declining in America, the country reported a decrease in the number of circumcision procedures on infant boys since the 1980s.

The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids Show all 4 1 /4 The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids 92916.bin OLIVIA COLES The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids 92917.bin OLIVIA COLES The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids 92918.bin OLIVIA COLES The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids 92919.bin OLIVIA COLES

Despite the frequency and commonality of circumcision in America, Losquadro told us that he only asks that people: Don't assume the issues are linear or that the status quo in America is something to be defended.
The accounting watchdog has fined KPMG 3m after the professional services firm admitted to misconduct in its audits of high street fashion chain Ted Baker in 2013 and 2014.

The latest fine comes just two months after the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said it had singled KPMG out for greater scrutiny due to an unacceptable decline in the quality of its audit work.

KPMG has received criticism for its handling of Carillions accounts ahead of the construction firms collapse, and in June was fined 4.5m by the FRC for its audit of Quindell in 2013.

Recommended KPMG singled out for increased scrutiny by accounting watchdog

The 3m penalty was reduced to 2.1m because KPMG settled. However, the firm will also have to pay 112,000 in costs on behalf of the FRCs executive counsel.

KPMG partner Michael Barradell was also fined 80,000 for his admission of misconduct, although his fine was also reduced for settlement and due to mitigating factors.

The FRC said the misconduct rose from KPMG providing expert witness services to Ted Baker in a commercial court claim, which was in breach of ethical standards and meant KPMG was no longer independent in respect of the audits.

There was a risk, which occurred, that the audit team would review the work of the expert when auditing Ted Bakers treatment of the claim in its accounts and this posed an unacceptable self-review threat, the FRC said.

In addition, there was a self-interest threat arising from the fact that the fees for the expert engagement significantly exceeded the audit fees in the relevant years, which KPMG and Mr Barradell also failed properly to consider.

The FRC said the executive counsel did not allege that KPMG or Mr Barradell lacked objectivity or integrity.

Claudia Mortimore, interim executive counsel at the FRC, said: Ethical standards are critical in supporting the confidence that third party users can reasonably have in financial statements in circumstances where, of necessity, they only have incomplete information to judge whether the auditor is in fact objective.

Where those standards are breached such that the auditors independence is lost, user confidence is likely to be undermined; the FRC makes clear by these sanctions the seriousness with which such breaches and their consequences are viewed.

A KPMG spokesperson said: We are committed to upholding the highest standards of independence and regret that in this instance our processes fell short of the standards that we expect of our firm.

We welcome the FRC making clear that they do not allege a lack of integrity or objectivity on KPMGs part and we note that our audit opinions on Ted Bakers financial statements have not been called into question.

This case is one of a number which have been under investigation by the FRC for some time and which relate to work undertaken several years ago. We have been cooperating fully with our regulator to resolve these older matters and are hopeful that several will be concluded in the near future. Where there are lessons to be learned, we will learn them.

KPMG said it had made the decision last year not to undertake expert witness work for any company audited by KPMG UK, going beyond the requirements of the FRCs ethical standard.

The FRCs Audit Quality Review teams most recent public report on KPMG identified the firms monitoring and approval of non-audit services as an area of good practice, the financial services group said.
UK households have fallen behind on essential bills such as council tax and electricity by as much as 18.9bn, according to Citizens Advice, which says it helps someone with bailiff-related problems every three minutes.

The total outstanding debt includes almost 7.5bn in tax credit overpayments, 2.84bn owed in council tax and 2.2bn owed to water companies.

Household debt has now overtaken consumer credit as the main money problem people contact Citizens Advice about, and the charity said that falling behind on household bills has more severe consequences than missing consumer credit repayments, such as overdrafts and personal loans.

People can face having their essential services cut off, be kicked out of their home due to rent arrears or even face prison if they get behind on their council tax, Citizens Advice warned.

The charity said it had seen a 24 per cent increase in bailiff problems since the government introduced reforms in 2014 that were meant to protect people from unfair bailiff practices.

Under the reforms, bailiffs are no longer allowed to make late-night visits to collect debts, and are prevented from using force against people who owe money, amongst other rules.

However, Citizens Advice said it had been contacted by one retired couple who fell behind on their essential bills for the first time in their life and ended up owing 700 in council tax.

Bailiffs who came to collect the debt were aggressive and demanded the full amount immediately, threatening to call the police if they did not receive the payment, with the result that the couple are now afraid to open their front door.

Citizens Advice said it is concerned that aggressive tactics such as this can have serious knock-on effects, leading to further debt and mental health problems.

Its data shows that people with household bill debt are 37 per cent more likely to be out of full-time employment and almost one in three have a mental health problem.

Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: One person every three minutes come to us for help with bailiff issues. Families are living in fear of a visit from the bailiffs, and small missed bills can skyrocket through excessive enforcement fees.

Our evidence shows aggressive tactics by bailiffs cause huge distress and can even push people further into debt. Families are going without essentials like food or electricity to meet their payments.

Ms Guy added: The Ministry of Justice has already announced a call for evidence into aggressive collection practices by bailiffs. They must use this to take strong action and introduce an independent bailiff regulator to fix this broken system.
The new GCSE grading system  which includes an additional top grade that is harder to achieve  has "ratcheted up the pressure" on teenagers, headteachers have warned ahead of results day.

Schools have given students extensive support to help ease their stress and anxiety in the wake of tough new GCSEs in England where A* to G grades have been replaced with a 9 to 1 scale.

As few as 200 students could achieve a clean sweep of 9s - the new highest grade - in the reformed GCSE exams this year, a study has suggested, leaving many students disappointed with grade 8s.

Tens of thousands of pupils will receive their exam results on Thursday  and students in England will receive new numerical grades in 20 reformed GCSEs  including science, history and the languages.

Last year, students were graded using the new numerical nine-point scale for English literature, English language and maths  the first GCSE subjects to be made more rigorous.

School leaders are worried about the impact that the reforms  which include more demanding content, less coursework, and exams at the end of two years  have had on students mental health.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "We are concerned that the new grading system for GCSEs ratchets up the pressure on young people another notch.

"It was already very hard to achieve the top grade of A* under the old system, and it is even harder to achieve the top grade of a 9 under the new system.

"Young people striving for those top grades may therefore feel disappointed if they do not achieve them, even though they have done exceptionally well in the grades they do achieve."

Under the new grading system, there is more differentiation between results - with three top grades - 7, 8 and 9 - compared to two A* and A under the alphabetical eight-point scale.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, has predicted that a higher percentage of students will gain the two new top grades - 8s and 9s - than the proportion of A*s awarded under the old system.

But he said: "Parents, pupils and schools have increasingly tended to see straight top grades as the acme of success in GCSE.

It looks as if many are going to be disappointed this year in spite of the actual improvement at the top. It will not, however, feel like it because a grade 8, does not seem as grand as the old A*

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), warned: "We know that students who could have expected to receive an A* in 'legacy' GCSEs will be disappointed if they receive an 8 rather than the top grade of 9.

"This sense of under achievement could lead to them deciding that they aren't good enough in those subjects to continue them to A-level."

A survey of teachers earlier this month, from the NEU, found that nearly nine in 10 (89 per cent) believe changes to the GCSEs have made students more anxious and stressed.

Meanwhile, charity Childline held 1,298 counselling sessions with children and teenagers worried about their exam results and what to do next in 2017/18 - a 15 per cent rise compared to the previous year.

Just under a quarter of counselling sessions were delivered last August - the month when exam results for the first of the reformed A-levels and GCSE subjects were published.

Mr Barton added: "The new grading structure is another aspect of a very significant set of reforms to GCSEs which has put young people under a great deal of additional pressure.

"We are worried about the impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people caused by these reforms and it is our view that such a substantial set of changes as this should have been introduced in a more managed and considered manner.

"It is to the credit of schools that they have responded to this situation by providing their students with extensive pastoral support in order to alleviate stress and anxiety despite severe funding pressures, he added.

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

The reforms to GCSEs in England come as part of a government drive to ensure young people have the knowledge and skills needed to go on to work and further study.

The new grades  including the grade 9  were introduced to help employers and universities to better differentiate between students of different abilities.

A Department for Education spokesman said: "Our new gold-standard GCSEs don't just raise academic standards but the new grade 9 provides stretch at the top end of the ability range to recognise and reward truly exceptional performance."

Ahead of GCSE results day, Professor Smithers has also predicted that boys will close the gap with girls at the top grades  as less coursework and more exams is supposed to favour boys.

Last week, boys outperformed girls at the top grades in A-level for the second year running. Overall, 26.6 per cent of entries for boys were awarded A* or A grades, compared to 26.2 per cent for girls.

With additional reporting by PA
As many as 20 jails are suffering similar problems with drugs and violence that forced the government to take control of crisis hit HMP Birmingham, the prisons minister has said.

Rory Stewart admitted he was partly responsible for the shocking situation after facing a barrage of criticism, including accusations from the prisons watchdog that the government had been asleep at the wheel in letting conditions deteriorate so dramatically.

Speaking after the Ministry of Justice announced it was taking control of HMP Birmingham from private contractor G4S, Mr Stewart conceded it was not an isolated case.

While Birmingham was the worst prison in the country, as many as 20 others were facing comparable problems, he said in an interview with LBC radio.

Mr Stewarts comments followed a scathing critique of the jail by Peter Clarke, chief inspector of prisons, who said Birmingham had slipped into crisis following a dramatic deterioration in the past 18 months.

Asked whether the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) had failed, Mr Clarke said: I think thats the only reasonable conclusion you can come to.

The MoJ has now assumed control of the establishment for at least six months.

G4S said it welcomed the move, saying the prison, which it has managed since 2011, faces exceptional challenges.

The government has not ruled out awarding contracts to private firms in the future, saying those run by companies such as G4S are among the best performing prisons across the estate and that the latest problems were acute and particular at Birmingham and  not reflective of other private sector prisons.

 Prisons minister Rory Stewart admits government shouldn't have cut officer numbers

Ministers last week pledged 10m worth of investment for 10 jails, with Mr Stewart promising to resign if the programme fails to deliver improvements.

But Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said the problems in the prison system go much wider than the 10 prisons.

What is most alarming is that Birmingham is not an isolated case, he told The Independent.

Recommended Government takes over Birmingham prison from G4S over raft of failures

In recent years conditions in our prisons have plummeted, particularly in our overstretched and overcrowded local prisons. The priority now must be to restore stability.

The intervention comes a month after a report by Mr Clarke found prisoners in England and Wales were enduring the most disturbing conditions ever seen  conditions which have no place in an advanced nation in the 21st century.

Among the worst performing jails are Liverpool, Wormwood Scrubs and Nottingham  all of which are managed by the MoJ.

At HMP Liverpool, inspectors found squalid living conditions, with dirt, litter, rats, cockroaches and piles of rubbish that had not been cleared by prisoners employed as cleaning orderlies because it presented a health and safety risk.

In, Birmingham, Mr Clarkes report said staff were found asleep or locked in offices during an inspection that uncovered appalling squalor and violence.

Some inmates were so frightened they reported feeling unsafe behind locked cell doors  while violent prisoners could act with near impunity.

Experts yesterday also called for urgent government action to strip G4S from managing a failing childrens detention centre.

UK prison conditions: in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 UK prison conditions: in pictures UK prison conditions: in pictures A cell covered in graffiti at HMP Liverpool. PA UK prison conditions: in pictures HMP Liverpool has some of the worst conditions inspectors have seen. HM Inspectorate of Prisons/PA UK prison conditions: in pictures A broken window in a cell at HMP Liverpool HM Inspectorate of Prisons/PA Wire UK prison conditions: in pictures A shower unit with protruding electric cable at HMP Liverpool HM Inspectorate of Prisons/PA UK prison conditions: in pictures Litter at HMP Liverpool HM Inspectorate of Prisons/PA Wire UK prison conditions: in pictures A wall damaged by damp at HMP Liverpool HM Inspectorate of Prisons/PA UK prison conditions: in pictures A pool table at HMP Liverpool HM Inspectorate of Prisons/PA UK prison conditions: in pictures A sign for HMP Liverpool, where drones are seized at a rate of more than one a week. The prisons watchdog flagged up the impact of the remote-controlled flying devices at HMP Liverpool. PA

Prison reform charity the Howard League for Penal Reform warned the conditions at privately-run Oakhill Secure Training Centre, near Milton Keynes, were disgraceful with levels of violence that remained stubbornly high.

At Oakhill, which houses boys as young as 12, an Ofsted inspection in June found evidence of bullying, worn and heavily stained showers and toilets and prolonged restraints [of children] including inverting childrens wrists and holding their heads.

Commenting on the centre, Frances Crook, the charitys chief executive, said: G4S is still running a child prison that is failing badly  I would like that to be taken over urgently.

It is disgraceful that children are not being cared for properly.

The centre was judged as inadequate or requiring improvement in almost every area in its latest audit, which found that violence and restraint remain everyday features.

Ms Crook said the dire state of Oakhill and Birmingham had been compounded by successive changes in leadership at the Ministry of Justice.

The government could have acted sooner to bring Birmingham, which saw rioting in 2016 and an arson attack as recently as last month, back under state control if the department had not seen six justice secretaries in phe last seven years, she said.

The governments forced intervention at HMP Birmingham has reignited a debate over the role of private contractors in the prison system.

 Prison conditions most disturbing ever seen with staff now inured to jails not fit for 21st century, watchdog says in damning report

Of the 123 prison establishments across England and Wales, 17 are managed by private firms, split between G4S, Serco and Sodexo.

G4S has faced past scrutiny of its operations: in 2016 the company was forced to transfer Medway Secure Training Centre to the government and a year later guards were filmed allegedly choking, mocking and abusing detainees at Brook House immigration centre.

Criticism has also been levelled at the privatisation of the probation service, with MPs on the justice committee warning in June that the government must overhaul the botched programme that is failing against every measure and may threaten public safety.

Recommended Prisons minister vows to quit if he violence and drug use do not fall

The damning report said that some private Community Rehabilitation Companies are monitoring offenders on the telephone, with overstretched staff handling up to 150 cases each.

Meanwhile, convicts are being made to carry out meaningless unpaid work like moving mud from one pile to another in graveyards, or turning up to placements and finding no one there.

Prison campaigners said private firms often fail to run ageing inner city jails and only cope when they are in charge of modern, purpose built buildings.

Birmingham was the first big inner city prison that private companies took over, Ms Crook told The Independent. They wanted to show that they could do things differently in one of these challenging prisons. What they have proved is that they cant.

The company has the public purse over a barrel. They make a lot of money out of these contracts The government has never really got to grips with it, hence Carillion. It is a bureaucratic burden on the state to ensure the private company does what it is meant to do.

Responding to criticism of Oakhill, G4S said the most recent Ofsted report highlighted progress made in a range of areas and said there was particular praise for the range of health services available to children in the centre.

The MoJ said it had taken urgent action to address the concerns raised by Ofsted.
EU migrants living in Britain will be given the right to remain in the country in the event of a no-deal Brexit, according to leaked cabinet office papers.

Downing Street refused to comment on the documents on Monday but reports said ministers were planning to take the moral high ground by unilaterally granting the 3.8 million EU nationals living in the UK the right to stay.

However the move was also said to reflect concerns of potential labour shortages in key sectors of the economy once Britain is outside the EU.

The disclosure comes as the UK government prepares to set out a number of its 80 technical notes on Thursday, detailing its preparations for a no-deal Brexit across a wide range of sectors.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the issue of EU citizens will be addressed in one of the notes and is expected to outline how EU citizens in the UK would be able to continue accessing the NHS and the benefits system, regardless of whether British nationals in the EU are granted reciprocal rights.

It comes as The Independent's campaign for a Final Say referendum on Brexit deal gathered pace, with more than 660,000 people having signed our petition.

The leaked paper states: The Home Office plans to make an offer to existing EU residents that they can remain in the UK in a no-deal scenario, in effect unilaterally implementing the [immigration element of the] citizens rights agreement agreed with the EU in December 2017.

The proposal is to make the offer irrespective of whether the EU reciprocates. Any package would need resolution for the reciprocal elements of the December 2017 deal.

Making an offer is not only important to provide certainty publicly, but will enable the UK government to take the moral high ground.

A number of other plans are also dependent on the governments position on this issue, relying heavily on the availability of existing labour in a no deal scenario.

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

The paper, which was said to have been given to ministers last month, describes the issue as one of the most important aspects of the governments no deal planning.

The move was welcomed by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the influential pro-Brexit European Research Group of Tory MPs.

EU migrants came here legally, and the UK is not the sort of country that applies retrospective legislation. They should have broadly the same rights as British citizens  no better or worse, he told the Telegraph.

However, former Brexit minister David Jones told the paper: Its got to be reciprocal. We have a large number of Britons in the EU and their interests have got to be reflected. We have got to look after our own people.

While a government spokeswoman said we do not comment on leaks, she added: One of the priorities for us right from the get go in the talks was securing the rights of EU citizens living here.

Thats why we moved swiftly to agree something with the EU early. But I would also point to what Dominic Raab said a few weeks ago about EU citizens living here.

He said there is no deal until we have a deal, but the idea we would not move swiftly to secure the legal position of EU citizens here is far-fetched and wouldnt happen, so we have been clear that they are a priority for us regardless.
A 27-year-old woman was critically injured after she jumped onto train tracks in Atlanta to save her mum who was pushed moments prior, officials have said.

According to MARTA Police, the police department associated with Atlantas public transportation system, a 58-year-old woman was pushed wayside by a suspect in the citys midtown location on Sunday.

The victims daughter jumped on the tracks in an effort to assist her mum and was struck by a train. She underwent surgery and is still reported to be in critical condition, MARTA Police said in a statement. Her mum was treated and later released from a local hospital. The department noted in a statement hours after the incident that it was unknown at that time whether the mother had also been struck by the train.

Recommended Atlanta police officers pull man from burning car in bodycam video

The Independent has reached out to MARTA Police. The department has not yet released the names of the victims as family members are still being notified.

The Atlanta police department has since arrested 28-year-old suspect Christopher Patrick Brooklin in connection with the incident. He has been charged with aggravated assault and battery in a public transit station. A spokeswoman at the Fulton County Sheriff's Office told The Independent that Mr Brooklin has since been held in Atlanta's Fulton County Jail. He waived his first appearance hearing; his next court date is scheduled for early September.

A witness told CBS that the man who allegedly pushed the 58-year-old was going crazy.

48 Hours In: Atlanta Show all 3 1 /3 48 Hours In: Atlanta 48 Hours In: Atlanta 302862.bin Getty Images 48 Hours In: Atlanta 302398.bin EPA 48 Hours In: Atlanta 302399.bin AFP/Getty Images

We were downstairs, and a man just started punching people like just going crazy, Aiesha Bowden said.

She added: Everybody was trying to pull them up, but it was too late because the train was coming. The train was already coming, and in the process of everybody trying to pull them out, it was just too late. The train was going too fast.
A Belarusian model and escort who previously claimed she had vital information about Russian meddling in the election of Donald Trump in 2016 says she no longer has the evidence.

Anastasia Vashukevich, who appeared at a Thai court hearing on Monday, revealed that she has handed over the audio recordings in question to a Russian oligarch.

The escort told an AP reporter present at the court that she had given tapes to Oleg Deripaska, whose conversations about alleged election interference she claims to have recorded.

Ms Vashukevich said she promised Mr Deripaska she would no longer talk about the tapes, and alleged he promised her something in return for not making the evidence public.

He promised me a little something already, Ms Vashukevich said.

If he do that then there will be no problem, but if he dont she added, before shrugging.

When asked what the material revealed, she replied: Youd have to ask Deripaska.

Anastasia Vashukevich, leaves the Pattaya Provincial Court in Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. (AP)

The model was in court in the Thai resort city of Pattaya, pleading not guilty to charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit. She was arrested along with self-styled sex guru Alexander Kirillov and six others arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February.

Ms Vashukevich  who also uses the name Nastya Rybka  caused a sensation back in February when she claimed she had a sexual relationship with Mr Deripaska and had tapes of his conversations which provided evidence of Russian interference in the election of Donald Trump.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

She then appealed to the US for political asylum, before appearing to switch allegiances in April when she said it was the Americans, rather the Russians, who were putting pressure on her.

Mr Deripaska, who has financial ties to former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, won a Russian lawsuit against Ms Vashukevich after she posted video and photos that appeared to show them together. A Russian court awarded damages in his favour.

A judge at the Pattaya Provincial Court said on Monday that if the seminar attended by Ms Vashukevich and her co-defendants included arranging for people to have sex, it would be considered illegal under Thai law.

Pattaya is known to be a popular destination for international sex tourists.

Kirillov, the Russian citizen who led the hotel seminar at a Pattaya hotel, told the judge the gathering was designed only to teach students how to impress girls and how to get girls numbers.

The prosecutor showed the defendants a photo that he said showed some of the students having sex as part of the course.

Kirillov claimed the photos were taken in private after the seminar.
Acclaimed author JK Rowling has mocked Donald Trump for his Twitter posts, likening the president's way of writing to the speech of a school yard bully.

Responding to a tweet from the president accusing the New York Times of being fake news, the Harry Potter author said Mr Trump's message to that of a boastful child with a poor grasp of the English language, and very few friends.

I dont care what Kids at School call me because they are all Disgusting Fake Losers and my Real Friends go to a different Scool you havent heard of and they think Im the Coolest and Smartest and we go to parties and I dont have to tell you there Names for this to be True, Rowling wrote in the tweet, purposefully imitating the presidents tendency to capitalise words inappropriately, and his frequent grammatical and spelling errors.

Recommended Trump and JK Rowling may have more in common than they think

Mr Trump had tweeted to attack a report the New York Times had written that suggested White House counsel Donald McGahn has been cooperating extensively with special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump campaign officials.

In a series of tweets, Mr Trump confirmed that he had authorised Mr McGahns cooperation with the investigation  saying he had "nothing to hide  but suggesting that the article had falsely implied that Mr McGahn had turned on him.

In response to the allegations of fake news coming from Mr Trump, the New York Times released a statement saying that the paper stands behind the story, and the two reporters who wrote it.

Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Show all 16 1 /16 Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Reuters Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests An advert from Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat is on display in Helsinki Reuters Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump in a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Mantyniemi, the official residence of the Finnish President EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests US, Finnish and Russian flags fly in front of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Vladimir Putin gifts a football to President Trump at the press conference that followed their meeting AP Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Trump supporters hold banners during a demonstration in Helsinki AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests People protest for women's reproductive rights in Helsinki's Senate Square Reuters Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A crowd watches the motorcade transporting President Trump through Helsinki AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests Russian President Putin drives through Helsinki on his way to meet with President Trump EPA Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A man in the audience of the joint press conference holds up a sign sign that reads "NUCLEAR WEAPON BAN TREATY". REUTERS Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests A man is removed from the joint press conference in Helsinki. Security removed the man after he pulled out a sign that read "NUCLEAR WEAPON BAN TREATY". REUTERS Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump and Russia's President Putin sit for a working lunch in Finland's Presidential Palace AFP/Getty Trump in Helsinki: Putin meeting and protests President Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Reuters

Mr Trump has regularly criticised the special counsels investigation, saying that the whole affair is a witch hunt targeting him and his campaign.

The investigation has not at this point implicated Mr Trump personally, but has resulted in more than a dozen indictments related to meddling in the 2016 election. At least five individuals charged by the special counsels team have pleaded guilty to charges.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, is awaiting a verdict in his trial over allegations of bank fraud, an investigation which stemmed from mr Mueller's probe. Mr Manafort denies all the charges against him.
 Close Donald Trump refuses to say if he'll pardon Paul Manafort

The jury in the financial fraud trial of Donald Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has finished its third day of deliberations without a verdict.

Judge TS Ellis said the jury would reconvene on Tuesday morning.

The case is the first to go to trial stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 US presidential election, although the charges largely predate Mr Manafort's five months working on President Trump's successful campaign.

Mr Manafort faces five counts of filing false tax returns, four counts of failing to disclose offshore bank accounts, and nine counts of bank fraud. If convicted on all the charges, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Mr Manafort denies all the charges against him.

A conviction would undermine efforts by Trump and some Republican llegislators to paint Mr Mueller's Russia inquiry as a political witch hunt, while an acquittal would be a setback for the special counsel.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

As the jury deliberated, Mr Trump accused Mr Mueller's team of enjoying ruining people's lives and trying to influence the elections in November when Republicans will try to hold on to control of Congress.

Mueller's Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace! Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

Mr Trump's tweets were in reference to a New York Times report that White House Counsel Don McGahn had cooperated extensively with Mr Mueller.

Reuters
Donald Trump has once again lashed out at Robert Mueller, accusing the special counsel of attempting to influence the 2018 midterm elections.

The president attacked the head of the federal probe into Russian election meddling and possible collusion in a strongly worded  and misspelled  tweet storm on Monday morning.

Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel [sic], only with my approval, for purposes of transparency, he wrote, acknowledging recent reports that White House lawyer Don McGahn has cooperated with investigators across a series of interviews. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone....

Over the weekend, Mr Trump insisted his general counsel isnt a RAT and accused Mr Muellers team of looking for trouble. He contrasted McGahn with John Dean, the White House counsel for Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Mr Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel [sic], he must be a John Dean type RAT, Mr Trump wrote on Sunday.

But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide......, the president wrote.

Mr Dean, a frequent critic of Mr Trump, tweeted in response that he doubts the president has ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didnt think I would tell them the truth!

On Monday Mr Trump went as far as calling Mr Mueller and his team a national disgrace.

They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side  the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mr Trump wrote. Muellers Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!

Mr Trump was echoing allegations made in recent weeks by his personal lawyer, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Mr Giuliani has called for the special counsel to end its investigation ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November, demanding a deadline of 7 September to submit its report to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Mr Trumps lawyer has also accused Mr Mueller of having flouted a DOJ policy reportedly stating to refrain from investigatory activity in 60 day period before election, though experts have noted no such guideline is in place affecting Mr Muellers probe.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

This long-standing policy is clear on its face, Jamie Gorelick, former deputy attorney general during Bill Clintons administration, told CNN. Of course it does not require an investigation to be terminated. Indeed, there are many examples of investigations that continued during and through elections.

Mr Giuliani, speaking to NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, said that Mr Trump did not raise the issue of executive privilege or attorney-client privilege about interviews such as those undertaken by Mr McGahn because his team believed  he says now, wrongly  that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president, Mr Giuliani said of Mr McGahn.

The Russia investigation appeared to be at the top of the presidents mind throughout the weekend, as Mr Trump repeatedly tweeted his claims of No Collusion and No Obstruction.

By Monday morning, those claims appeared to become a rhetorical question.

Wheres the Collusion? the president wrote in a tweet an hour after attacking Mr Mueller. They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!

The investigation has been a cloud over the entirety of Mr Trumps presidency, as he reportedly has grappled with a decision to sit down for an interview with the special counsel. Mr Giuliani has advised him against meeting with Mr Mueller over the threat that questions may lead to him being trapped into a lie, telling Chuck Todd on Meet the Press: Im not going to be rushed into having him testify so he gets trapped into perjury.

During that interview Mr Giuliani made the bizarre claim that truth isnt truth when it comes to the Mueller probe.

When you tell me that, you know, he should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth, Mr Giuliani said. When told by Mr Todd that truth is truth, Mr Giuliani added: No, it isnt truth... Truth isnt truth.
President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan visited Houston over the weekend, her second brief stop in the United States in one week, a sign of efforts to deepen relations between Washington and Taipei despite vehement opposition from China.

Ms Tsai stopped in Los Angeles last Monday, on her way to Paraguay and Belize, and then in Houston on Saturday on her way back home. During the earlier stop, she met with three California lawmakers, including one, Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat, who called on the United States to formally invite her to Washington, which would break with decades of American practice.

The United States has not officially recognised Taiwan since 1979, when it shifted to recognising Chinas communist government. China hopes to absorb the self-governed, democratic island, which it has never controlled, and has campaigned to erase any recognition by other countries or corporations of Taiwans sovereignty.

The visits to Houston and Los Angeles are considered transit stops rather than official visits, part of a long-standing restriction imposed by the United States to maintain better relations with China. But Beijing has objected even to such brief stop-overs, and the most recent ones came after President Donald Trump demonstrated willingness to provoke Chinas anger.

Mr Trump has imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese goods, touching off a trade war, and in March he signed the Taiwan Travel Act, which encourages the kind of high-level, official visits the United States and Taiwan have not had in many years. Ms Tsais most recent transit stops were her first since Mr Trump signed the act into law.

While there were no expectations that Mr Trump would meet his Taiwanese counterpart, there were small indications that the United States was willing to be more welcoming to Taiwanese presidents.

In a first, Taiwanese journalists were permitted to follow Ms Tsai and report from the sites of events she attended. She visited Taiwans de facto consulate in Los Angeles  another first  and she addressed American media at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library near Los Angeles.

There were pictures of her meeting crowds of local Taiwanese, accompanied by police escort, and giving a speech at the Reagan library, said Julian Ku, professor at Hofstra Law School. All of that significantly raised her public profile and made her seem more like a normal leader making a normal visit to a foreign country.

She met with Republican and Democratic members of Congress, underscoring the strong bipartisan support for Taiwan.

 Donald Trump breaks US policy stance with Taiwan call

In China, however, Ms Tsai elicits hateful commentary on a level that perhaps only the Dalai Lama can match. Shortly after she visited a Los Angeles location of the Taiwanese coffee chain 85C, the Chinese internet erupted with anger, calling for a boycott of the chains several hundred locations in China, its largest market.

That day, 85Cs parent company, Gourmet Master, whose stock trades on Taiwans exchange, lost $120 million in share value. The company promptly apologised and expressed support for peaceful unification.

Many Taiwanese were upset by the company caving in to Chinese pressure, with some also calling for a boycott of the chain. Polls consistently show that the overwhelming majority of people in Taiwan, a multiparty democracy, oppose being absorbed into Chinas one-party, authoritarian rule.

The episode is the latest example of the Chinese government using its grip on the countrys enormous market to pressure corporations into serving its political agenda. In recent months, companies including international airlines, hotels and other brands have begun referring to Taiwan as a province of China in response to threats from Beijing. The White House called Chinas tactics Orwellian nonsense, but did little else to back up American corporations.

If China fines US companies or restricts their access to Chinese markets for refusing to call Taiwan a province, then the Trump administration should retaliate in kind against Chinese companies, said William Stanton, a former director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the unofficial US diplomatic presence there.

Chinas trying to make both Taiwan and the government of Tsai Ing-wen persona non grata throughout the world, he said. Theres just no end to it.

Bonnie Glaser, senior Asia adviser at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said the Trump administrations approval for Ms Tsais visits to the Reagan library and the Johnson Space Centre in Houston showed that they trusted she would not say or do anything that would increase cross-strait tensions.

Congress, which has been a staunch supporter of Taiwan since the United States broke formal ties almost four decades ago, has become increasingly open to taking a new approach toward Taiwan.

I think at some point were going to have to recognise the independence of Taiwan, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said in a July speech at the American Enterprise Institute.

Earlier this year, Mr Ku of Hofstra Law School was one of several experts who testified at a House hearing on strengthening relations with Taiwan.

I think there is an appetite in Congress to do more for Taiwan, and that the opposition to China in Congress is allowing pro-Taiwan congressmen to think bigger about how to help Taiwan, he said.

Congress has limited direct powers over US foreign policy, but inviting foreign leaders to address it is one authority it has exercised, with or without presidential approval.

Mr Ku said he thought that if Congress were to invite Ms Tsai to address a joint session, it would be something they would work up to.

Congress is eager to do things to help Taiwan, he said, so nothing, not even a Tsai address to Congress, can be ruled out in the current environment.

The New York Times
Italy has threatened to send nearly 180 migrants stranded on an Italian coastguard vessel back to Libya if Europe does not help, in a dramatic escalation of a crisis in the Mediterranean.

Some 177 people have been sitting off the coast of Lampedusa since Thursday after the coastguards Diciotti ship fished them out of the Mediterranean from smuggling dinghies bound for Europe.

Italy has been battling with Malta over who should take them in, deepening a bitter spat between the two countries.

Matteo Salvini, Italys far-right deputy prime minister, has now vowed to send them back to Libya, a country in the grips of a four year civil conflict, if the European Union does not step in to help.

Either Europe decides to seriously offer Italy some concrete help, beginning with for example the 180 immigrants on board the Diciotti ship, or we will be forced to do what will definitively end the human traffickers business, Mr Salvini said in a statement.

That means taking the people saved in the sea back to Libya.

 Rescue ship Aquarius waits for port of safety for 141 migrants saved in the Mediterranean

Migrants in Libya face kidnapping, extortion, torture and slavery at the hands of heavily armed traffickers who have exploited a total breakdown in security to expand their trafficking networks. The migrants, who are often fleeing war or poverty back home, also regularly face abuse in the countrys detention centres, which are overflowing and poorly funded.

Since 2014, Libya has been roughly split in two between east and west as rival brigades of ex-rebels have fought each other for territory.

Amid the chaos, hundreds of thousands of migrants, desperate to seek a better life in Europe, have attempted the treacherous sea crossing from Libya.

Italy has borne the brunt of the crisis: since 2014 more than 650,000 migrants have landed on its shores. But after the election of a populist government in June it has started turning away rescue boats, arguing that other European countries should take their share of the load.

This year just over 19,000 migrants, hailing mostly from Tunisia, Eritrea and Sudan, have sailed to Italy, which is a record low. In contrast more than 26,000 have landed in Spain, three times the number that landed in the same period last year, as migrants have looked to other routes.

The Diciotti has been moored off Lampedusa since Thursday while the Italian authorities demanded that Malta take in the passengers.

Last week Malta allowed 141 migrants aboard French rescue boat the Aquarius to dock after an agreement to distribute them to a number of European countries.

However, Joseph Muscat, Maltas prime minister, argued that this boat was not in distress and that the migrants had refused help.

Maltese interior minister Michael Farrugia meanwhile said the Diciotti picked up the migrants inside the Maltese search and rescue area without any coordination from the competent RCC (Rescue Coordination Centre), just to stop them arriving in Italian waters.

An interception of a boat that exercises its right to free navigation in the high seas is not considered a rescue operation, Mr Farrugia wrote on Twitter.

Migrants stranded on Greek island Show all 11 1 /11 Migrants stranded on Greek island Migrants stranded on Greek island Afghan Abdul Samad travelled to Greece on a dinghy Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island A refugee carries his lunch provided by the Greek authorities Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island A Syrian family sits around a bonfire at a makeshift camp Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island The Moria camp for refugees and migrants on the island of Lesbos Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island Iraqi refugee Shahed Naji, 22, who arrived in Moria five months ago Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island Tombstones for refugees and migrants near the village of Kato Tritos Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island Arebi, a Syrian refugee, at the makeshift camp next to the Moria camp Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island A migrant makes his way to the makeshift camp next to Moria Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island A girl walks next to a self-made shower Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island Refugees and migrants line up to receive their lunch provided by the Greek authorities Reuters Migrants stranded on Greek island Syrian refugee Muhammad, 42, fishes in the city of Mytilene Reuters

He added that the only solution therefore was that the new boat, carrying 177, be taken to Lampedusa or an Italian port.

The refusal has infuriated the Italian government, which was already angry the rescue operation was carried out by the Italian coastguard because they had not secured the approval of Rome first.

Maltas behaviour is once again unqualifiable and deserves sanction, Italian minister of transport Danilo Toninelli said on Sunday.

The EU needs to step forward and open its ports to solidarity, otherwise it has no reason to exist, he added.

This weeks spat between Italy and Malta is the second in just over a month. It follows a furious battle only days ago over 450 people who were rescued from a fishing ship and taken aboard two EU border agency vessels. They were eventually allowed to disembark in Italy after five European countries agreed to take 50 people each.

In June, Malta was forced to allow German charity boat Lifeline to dock with over 234 migrants. It came just days after a standoff with Italy forced the Aquarius to take some 630 people to Spain.
Pope Francis has condemned the atrocities of child sex abuse and cover-ups by the clergy in an open letter to the worlds 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

Addressing a US Grand Jury report revealing decades of alleged sexual abuse inside the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania, the Pontiff described allegations against the Church as crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness in victims, their families and the religious community.

The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced, he wrote. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity.

The report detailed at least 1,000 cases of alleged sexual abuse committed by 300 predator priests in Pennsylvania  and what was a systematic cover-up by Church officials.

The majority of cases included in the report occurred before 2002, when the US Catholic Bishops adopted strict guidelines towards sexual abuse reports, including immediately contacting local police and immediately removing accused clergy.

In its report, the US Grand Jury wrote that the actual number of sexual abuse victims across several dioceses in Pennsylvania was probably in the thousands thanks to underreporting of potential crimes.

 Willow Creek Community Church founder Bill Hybels resigns amid sexual harassment allegations

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 report said.

Pope Francis decried the alleged abuses in the open letter published on Monday, writing: It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable.

We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them, he continued. The extent and the gravity of all that has happened requires coming to grips with this reality in a comprehensive and communal way. While it is important and necessary on every journey of conversion to acknowledge the truth of what has happened, in itself this is not enough.

Vatican was warned about paedophile priests in 1963 Show all 2 1 /2 Vatican was warned about paedophile priests in 1963 Vatican was warned about paedophile priests in 1963 345450.bin REUTERS Vatican was warned about paedophile priests in 1963 345432.bin GETTY IMAGES/ REUTERS/ AP

Despite vowing reform and paying billions of dollars to victims of abuse, the Church continues to suffer from allegations of sexual misconduct.

I am conscious of the effort and work being carried out in various parts of the world to come up with the necessary means to ensure the safety and protection of the integrity of children and of vulnerable adults, as well as implementing zero tolerance and ways of making all those who perpetrate or cover up these crimes accountable, Pope Francis wrote. We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary, yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future.
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.
Imagine the most cliched caricature of a millennial you can think of. Theyre eating smashed avocado on toast, right? And probably Instagramming the foam art on their coffee. Theyre definitely drinking a 12 aperol spritz while whining about the fact they wont be able to afford a one-bed flat until their parents die.

If you had this image in mind while thinking about the broad demographic the label millennial applies to  roughly speaking anyone born from the early 1980s to the late 1990s  I can see how you might come up with Cooks Club, Thomas Cooks new attempt to entice trendy young types back to the package holiday.

Trouble is, the stereotype doesnt really add up. At 31, Im pretty much smack bang in the middle of the millennial age range and conform to many of the designated tropes. I drink flat whites; I like an overpriced cocktail in an attractive setting; and no, I cant afford a house. On paper, Im the perfect target for a Cooks Club holiday  yet everything about it is deeply unappealing.

For a start, theres that name. Cooks Club  it sounds like the place youd dump your kids on holiday, where theyd be forced to endure enforced fun in the rec room and at noisy beach games, with a grumpy, overheating rep dressed as a giant lobster, dolphin or similar. I suppose its better than some try hard, so-vague-its-meant-to-be-cool moniker  vertical, say, or heist  but still. Its hard to imagine the brainstorming session where someone shouted: Hey, guys  what about Cooks Club? Everyone turns in wide eyed admiration. Someone initiates a slow hand clap, which picks up pace as it travels round the room until it becomes tumultuous applause. Cooks Club. By God, hes done it. HES DONE IT!

Next up are the holidays themselves. And I get it. Its hard being a tour operator nowadays  the younger generation have changed beyond recognition. They dont want an 18-30 holiday  Thomas Cook announced in May it was exploring options for this area of the business. They dont want to get pissed on 5 fishbowls in Magaluf. They want culture, tasting menus, cool bars, budget-chic boutique hotels. The rise of cheap flights and Airbnb means its never been easier to arrange a trip yourself, be it a city break or a week on the beach. Its a tough crowd to sell package holidays to and Thomas Cook are giving it a good shot.

Despite the good intentions, however, its a little embarrassing how much the concept misses the mark. You might assume the locations would be more on the hip side  up-and-coming European cities perhaps, or photogenic beach destinations beloved by social media influencers. You would be wrong: the holidays are being debuted in Crete and Gambia. Theres nothing inherently wrong with these places; theyre just slightly surprising choices for a supposedly forward-looking, next generation style of holiday.

While I, admittedly, havent tried a Cooks Club holiday, the activities offered seem cringe inducing and include, for example, a private disco for up to 10 people that costs 1 per minute; three virtual reality zones where you can play VR games costing 10 for 30 minutes; and, strangest of all, a Rage Room. This is a place where you can go to let off steam for between 20 to 40 minutes by smashing items such as bottles and vases with a wide range of tools. Because thats what millennials like to do when theyre on a relaxing beach holiday. Smash s**t up with a hammer.

There are more traditional attempts to attract the Instagram generation, such as vegan options, and cocktails created by a Berlin based mixologist at the Captain Cook bar. My gut tells me the holidaymakers to whom the latter would appeal are more likely to plump for an independently booked break to the German capital.

The marketing grates, too. Its all photos of irritatingly trendy, hot young things, snapped and put through a bleached-out Instagram filter. Escape the ordinary, runs the nonsensical blurb, seemingly a tick list of millennial friendly marketing speak jargon. Here, youll find a melting pot of cultures, textures and flavours that creates a casually cool paradise where everyone is welcome.

The worst part is feeling like, once again, people who are clearly not millennials have decided what millennials are into, without seeming to know or care that theyve utterly misunderstood us. We are not one homogenous group for a start, all of us wannabe hipsters for whom the words mixologist and escape room are like catnip. Nor do we need to be constantly entertained like children, destroying things for fun or pretending to be in a virtual world when theres a real-life beach outside the window.

Only time will tell if Thomas Cook can make this new concept fly. But until companies start listening, really listening, to the young clientele they want to attract, I suspect their efforts will not be rewarded with actual sales.
To get a real understanding of the implications of a no-deal Brexit for the majority of the UK, I spoke over the weekend to the chairman of one of the countrys biggest and best-known supermarket chains. Supermarkets are the great levellers: we may not all own a car, or care about bankers having passporting rights, or visit other European countries for our holidays, but we certainly all step inside one supermarket or another in our day-to-day lives. It seemed like a good place to start, even if what I found out was distinctly unsettling.

The supermarket chairman  who I will keep anonymous  started the conversation by reminding me that the EU provides 30 per cent of what his supermarket sells in food and groceries. If we were to leave the European Union and trade on WTO rules, his supermarket is working on the basis that tariffs will be levied on goods being imported to the UK from the EU. So, for example, cheese will attract a 44 per cent tariff, beef a 40 per cent tariff, lamb a 40 per cent tariff, chicken a 22 per cent tariff, apples a 15 per cent tariff and grapes a 20 per cent tariff, and so on.

Not all of the costs of the increased tariffs would be passed directly onto the consumer but, he said, we will roughly see a 10 per cent rise in food prices and the impact on fresh food will be particularly disastrous because it is more expensive to bring it in from the rest of the world than from the EU.

Those who he expects to suffer most are customers on low incomes: The British consumer will have a big cut to their standard of living, particularly for people at the bottom of the income scale, for whom food is a bigger proportion of their spending, he told me. But isnt this all more Project Fear? His response: Very quickly people will see it is not Project Fear but Project Reality  this is complete madness.

Jacob Rees-Mogg and other Brexiteers have suggested the UK could simply apply 0 per cent tariffs to goods coming from the EU  but there is no guarantee that, if there is no deal, we will get 0 per cent tariffs in the opposite direction on the goods our firms are selling into the EU. This supermarket executive  who is one of the most respected people in UK business so knows a thing or two about dealmaking  told me on that point that if you simply unilaterally say you are going to have low tariffs, you have no leverage when it comes to making an agreement.

 Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive ABTA 'with a hard Brexit or a no-deal exit looking more likely, then I think ABTAs members will start to make plans for a different world after next March'

Other Brexiteers make the point that if we were to walk away without a deal and refuse to pay the divorce bill  as Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has suggested  this would give us leverage. This supermarket chairman took a very dim view of that suggestion as a strategy: if the UK did this, he said, nobody would trust that we would keep our obligations as we go around the rest of the world seeking new trade agreements. The point he makes is that if we renege on our financial obligations to the EU, no one will have faith that we will meet our obligations to them under any trade future agreement.

So this is the practical reality for households of a no-deal Brexit. The fact that we are no closer now to any proposition on Brexit commanding a majority in the House of Commons makes that no-deal scenario more likely. Remember, the Brexiteers asserted there would be a deal throughout the Vote Leave campaign  so whatever the government has a mandate for, it is not this.

There is good reason to believe that members of the British public realise this and want their democratic say on whats going to happen to their country next. In the most recent You Gov Poll commissioned by the Peoples Vote campaign (of which I am a part), 45 per cent of people now think there should be a vote on the final Brexit deal against 34 per cent who do not. This is a reversal of the view last December when just 33 per cent wanted a final vote, with 42 per cent opposed.

The poll also showed that, if they were given a peoples vote, 53 per cent of people now back staying in the EU with 47 per cent choosing to leave.

In-depth, constituency-level analysis carried out by Hope Not Hate and Best For Britain shows that more than 100 Westminster parliamentary constituencies that voted to leave in 2016 have now switched their support to Remain, including those of Boris Johnson (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) and Michael Gove (Surrey Heath), who co-led the Vote Leave campaign.

And, at the time of writing, more than 680,000 people have signed The Independents Final Say petition to give people a vote on the Brexit deal. The shift is undeniable and the momentum behind the campaign increases every week.

Of late there have been two attempts to undermine the efforts of the Peoples Vote campaign. First, the usual nonsense that the campaign is London-centric, metropolitan and elite. This is simply not an argument that can be made with any credibility. The Peoples Vote campaign has groups in every single part of the UK  the same cannot be said of the other side of the argument.

At the beginning of August, hundreds attended a packed rally in Bristol; this weekend just past more than 1,000 people took part in the rally in Edinburgh; and this coming weekend there is a big rally planned in Newcastle. Further events are taking place across the whole of the UK.

Second, there is the false claim  principally made by a minority on the left of UK politics  that the Peoples Vote campaign is the forerunner to the creation of a new centrist party. This is ludicrous nonsense. The Peoples Vote campaign involves activists and politicians from the three main parties, the Green Party, the SNP, Plaid Cymru and those of no particular party affiliation. The idea that Caroline Lucass Green Party, politicians from nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales and figures such as myself from the main parties in England are about to come together and create a new, big-tent party is patently absurd.

This is also an idea being promoted by Brexiteers who dislike the effective cross-party working there has been in and outside of parliament to thwart efforts to pursue the most extreme of Brexits  surely those on the left of British politics do not want to be parroting lines from the Brexiteer hard right?

Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines The Sun, March 9 2016 This wholly false headline merited the first ruling by IPSO (the press regulator) under clause 1 of the revised Editor's Code of Practice. Clause 1 makes specific reference to newspapers printing "headlines not supported by the text" Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Daily Mail, November 4 2016 In perhaps the most notorious front page of the past few years, the Mail derides the High Court judges who ruled that parliament must have a vote on whether to trigger article 50 and start the Brexit process Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Daily Express, November 4 2016 In the Express' take on the same story, they manage to incorporate the Union Jack, allude to First World War propaganda, invoke memories of Churchill and, of course, state "Brexit means Brexit" Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines The Sun, March 29 2017 The Sun marked the day on which Mrs May triggered article 50 by projecting a huge and terrible pun on to the Cliffs of Dover Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines The Sun, April 4 2017 Referencing their notorious eurosceptic headline from 1990 (See: Up Yours Delors), the Sun stokes the flames of the brief Gibraltar dispute, a dispute in which Spain, the supposed aggressors, only joined to note that there was "no need for it" Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Daily Mail, April 19 2017 This headline followed Mrs May's snap election announcement, which gave the Mail hope that dissenting opinions on Brexit would disappear Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Daily Mail, December 14 2017 In recent months, the Mail has often forgone catchy headlines in favour of rambling rants, this is an early example aimed at Tory Brexit rebels Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Daily Mail, January 31 2018 This headline (?) takes aim at the Lords over their repeated amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines The Sun, June 12 2018 On the day that the EU Withdrawal Bill is to be debated in the Commons, the Sun offers two choices to MPs, desperately including all conceivable imagery that might make Brits feel patriotic, which apparently includes the Loch Ness Monster Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines Daily Express, June 12 2018 On the same day, the Express lets MPs know what the consequences of the vote may be

Its clear what the Brexiteers game plan is. The prime ministers Chequers proposals, as I have said before in this column, pleased no one. Unless the hardest of Brexits is adopted by the government  which I do not believe could command a majority in the House of Commons  those Brexiteers will whip up xenophobia and campaign in the ugliest possible way in an effort to build support for a no-deal Brexit, which they continue to insist will not cause the catastrophic damage to jobs and livelihoods as many predict.

Research shows that the British public trusts economists most concerning Brexit predictions, then business leaders, followed by public service professionals such as teachers, doctors and nurses.

The British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives are all backing the Peoples Vote campaign, not least because they believe a no-deal Brexit will be deeply damaging to the NHS.

The government didnt want us to see the analysis its own economists have provided to ministers on the economic impact of Brexit, but following the leaking of such details in January we know that their judgement is that the UK will be worse off in every single scenario, particularly if we left with no deal  in that scenario, trading with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms, it is estimated economic growth would be reduced by a whopping 8 per cent over 15 years.

The bosses of large companies such as Airbus and Jaguar Land Rover  which employ hundreds of thousands of people directly, and which indirectly provide hundreds of thousands of jobs in their supply chains  have also said that leaving the EU without a deal would be immensely damaging. JLRs CEO, Dr Ralf Speth recently said: If the UK automotive industry is to remain globally competitive and protect 300,000 jobs in Jaguar Land Rover and our supply chain, it must retain tariff and customs free access to trade and talent with no change to current EU regulations. You cant get much clearer than that.

All of this simply reinforces the necessity for the British people to be the final arbiters of what happens on Brexit  that is why so many people have been rallying behind the Peoples Vote movement and Final Say campaign this summer. Long may it continue, for the good of us all.

Combatting Twitter fatigue

I trialled switching off and not checking Twitter for most of the day while on holiday towards the start of the parliamentary recess, and it has been a revelation. My fantastic team has helped to keep a roving eye and checked there is nothing (for example, an emergency in my constituency) that would require my immediate attention, so I could take time some proper time out from it.

Taking a proper break makes you realise just how loud, shouty and so damn negative Twitter can be as a forum. I hold my hands up  I am no innocent bystander in this and can vent like anyone else on the platform, though Ive never resorted to abuse and try to maintain some moderation (even when riled up by the likes of Nigel Farage). It also reminds you that the Twittersphere can distort your perspective and sense of proportion too. So Id recommend, every now and then, doing what I did  Ive found its good for the soul. Give it a go.

Chuka Umunna is Labour MP for Streatham
Jamaicas catchphrase is Wi likkle but we tallawah, loosely translated as: We are small but we are strong and fearless. The global allure of Jamaican culture far outweighs its stature, and the rewards for influencing the world in everything from music to fashion, dance and food, are tiny in comparison.

British chef Jamie Oliver has been inspired by Jamaican culture without having any respect for its history or giving credit where due. His woeful attempt at one of the islands signature dishes resulted in new product Punchy Jerk Rice which has become the cause of much controversy and hilarity.

Firstly, his dish includes none of the key ingredients needed to make a jerk marinade: allspice, brown sugar and Scotch bonnet. Apart from this massive faux pas, traditional jerk is not just the marinade used on meats such as chicken or pork, it also describes the smoky taste cultivated via cooking on a steel pan or mimicking the ancestors by making a pit in the ground. This is usually where most novices go wrong, and what makes the dish unique and hard to duplicate. In short, you cannot jerk rice. The idea is absurd; Olivers product is, at best, Caribbean-influenced seasoned rice, and at worst, false advertising.

 Levi Roots teaches Jamie Oliver how to make jerk chicken

Cultural appropriation is a very real and disrespectful practice which has been commonplace in modern society for some time and tends to be called out more via social media activism. At its core, it chastises those who steal from a culture they dont belong to and try to pass whatever theyve taken off as their own invention, usually for profit. Thats exactly what Jamie has done here. In fact, it could be the literal dictionary definition. Jamaican jerk is a much-loved recipe which has been cooked to perfection for centuries, and should not be watered down, or added to the title of a product to fool customers who think they are getting something authentic.

In the midst of the controversy, chef Levi Roots revealed that he taught Jamie the fundamental principles of jerk seasoning and how to cook the dish correctly. The segment was filmed and broadcast on Olivers YouTube channel. Levi is the only Caribbean chef to penetrate the mainstream and be fully respected for his expertise. Oliver's choice to ignore the teachings of Levi Roots and opt for his own inferior invention can be encapsulated with one word; arrogance.

There is an underlying arrogance from Brits towards Caribbean culture, wherein it is often suggested  often nonverbally, as with Olivers minute rice  that it stands to benefit from the superior knowledge of white Brits.

This attitude is undoubtedly what led Chef Marco Pierre White to show everyone how simple traditional Caribbean rice and peas could be in five minutes, rather than the hours its supposed to take. The dish is also cooked using soaked kidney beans or gungo peas. Instead, Pierre White used common green peas. Even a quick Google search would have righted these horrendous mistakes, but Pierre White is, of course, the expert. Unsurprisingly, the result was a hilarious monstrosity, resulting in several months of online dragging, and the shameful realisation that a top chef lacked the knowledge to reproduce what is a basic dish in most Caribbean homes.

UK restaurant Turtle Bay can be found in many cities across the country. The English owners claim to represent the Caribbean with an array of Jamaican dishes complimented with a shabby chic, rum-shack decor. But they also caused controversy when they launched a promotion mimicking Rastafarianism, and encouraging blackface, in 2015. The Rastafy Me campaign encouraged customers to don a dreadlocks wig and take a picture, with a filter that darkened their skin. Nevermind the fact that in Jamaica, Rastafarianism is a religion, a sacred and spiritual journey. Anyone with an understanding of the culture would have known this campaign would immediately cause widespread offence.

This arrogance is a subtle form of racism, a superiority complex born out of the belief that African and Caribbean traditions are primitive, and in need of refining. We have been seen as unwanted step-children in the UK, and as part of that, as with the ongoing Windrush scandal, our cultures are still not shown any respect. Every major attempt at teaching us about ourselves, or altering our culture without permission, has failed miserably, so it may be time to show some humility and actually learn from the masters themselves: Caribbean chefs.

Can Caribbean recipes can be adapted and modernised? Of course. But you cannot claim a historic traditional term and apply it to your product for profit. Oliver has yet to comment, but I feel he should take the L, apologise, and if he has any humility, the product should be withdrawn and renamed.

Lastly, a message to chefs who wish to indulge in Caribbean cuisine: learn about the culinary traditions of the culture. Respect how they were created  using locally grown herbs and spices, and old fashioned techniques to liven up the scraps slave masters allowed our ancestors to eat. Ask Caribbean chefs for assistance, and stop being greedy. Instead of appropriating, collaborate with those who know best.
Lana Del Reys decision to perform at Israels Meteor Festival has once again given rise to the debate about whether you can separate a countrys politics from its cultural landscape.

The controversy surrounding Del Rey follows a number of prominent artists, such as Radiohead, facing significant pressure from activists who believe that the most effective way to end Israels military occupation of the west bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza is through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Del Rey herself cancelled a concern in 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a military operation launched by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

As a regular reader of the Jewish and Israel press, and as a Jew myself, I am acutely aware of the place that BDS has in contemporary discussions about Israel and the occupation. Indeed, to see that Israel holds conferences on how to combat BDS and its recent decision to ban members of the BDS movement from entering Israel highlights how this Israeli government takes the threat of this non-violent movement incredibly seriously.

Del Rey has justified her decision to play in Tel Aviv by arguing that it is not political and that music is universal and should be used to bring us together. Such saccharine comments seem to only draw out more starkly the fact that many Palestinians arent allowed to leave the west bank, let alone travel to Tel Aviv to hear multiple Summertime Sadness remixes. The reality is that everything in Israel-Palestine is political. At a time where the violence, segregation and tensions appear to be on an ever increasing incline, even music festivals will present opportunities for pop stars, politicians and everyday Israelis to decide which side of the occupation debate they fall on.

Ultimately cultural boycotts speak to the heart of what feels so contradictory about Israel in the first place: having famous musicians perform in Tel Aviv secures it as a western cultural centre, fitting of the only democracy in the Middle East. Yet the increasing success of Israeli and Palestinian activists set on exposing the darker reality of what Israel looks like today pokes clear holes in this narrative. Similar tactics were used to great effect during the Tel Aviv Pride Parade this past June, where Israeli and Palestinian activists blocked the parade route, protesting pinkwashing, the use of progressive LGBT policies in Israel to downplay other potential human rights violations towards Palestinians or minority groups living in Israel.

I grew up after the Oslo Accords - an agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. My first memory of the news was when I was five, hearing that former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin had been assassinated. Consequently, my relationship with Israel has developed against a backdrop of the separation barrier, settlements and the open air prison that is Gaza. What has become abundantly clear is that Benjamin Netanyahu and his cronies have no interest in all people in this land living with equality and dignity.

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator uses a racket to return a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian demonstrators run for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator shouts Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Tear gas canisters are fired by Israeli forces at Palestinian demonstrators Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A wounded Palestinian is evacuated Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator uses a sling to hurl stones at Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A female demonstrator uses a slingshot to hurl stones at Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator with a slingshot looks on Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Female Palestinian demonstrators react to tear gas fired by Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Israeli forces fire teargas canisters toward Palestinian demonstrators AFP Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Female demonstrators run for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded protester AP Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator moves a burning tire Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator uses a racket to return a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian demonstrators during clashes with Israeli forces AFP/Getty

I have spent the last seven years in Britain campaigning to end Jewish communal support for the occupation, and supporting Palestinian communities in the west bank and east Jerusalem. Cultural boycotts remain a controversial method through which to resist and challenge the violence and oppressive tactics of the Israeli government, but at least it grabs their attention.

Whilst it is easy to ignore millions of Palestinians who dont have the power to vote you out, or dismiss Jewish Israeli activists as leftist traitors, high-profile campaigns against performers like Del Rey serve to propel the issues of occupation and the rise of ultra-nationalism in Israel into the spotlight.

Perhaps the intensified criticism and scrutiny will eventually force the hand of the Israeli government to consider a meaningful end to a 51-year occupation of another people.

Controversial? Certainly. Effective? It may be our only hope.
Theres a video thats been released by the Seoul government of an old South Korean woman, Lee Keun-seom, talking about meeting her long-lost son during the Korean families reunion this week. She hasnt seen her boy Sang-chul for 67 years, living as he has been in the north, one of many thousands of families torn apart by the war and its aftermath. He is now 71, and neither will be able to recognise the other. She says that for the first year after their separation I went out to the river and cried every day. She wants to give him a hug.

So quite the tear-jerker, as every one of the all-too infrequent family reunion exercises always are. These are, to use the old newspapermans cliche, the human stories behind the bluster and the geopolitics, and they are a timely reminder of another reason why the current Trump-Kim peace efforts are so crucial. A poignant one, at that, as so many of the participants in these exercises are so old. They have spent, literally, lifetimes apart.

What will the future bring for them?

Well, it could be relatively bright for the two Koreas. And, yes, there will still be two Koreas some time into the future, for that is the premise, unspoken but obvious, of the evolving US-North Korea deal. Whatever else, Kim Jong-un will be virtually guaranteed that the Americans will not pursue regime change, and that, necessarily, implies that full political union between the democratic south and the dictatorship in the North will not happen.

Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border Show all 15 1 /15 Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border North and South Korean relatives, many of whom have been separated since the Korean War of 1950-53, met today at the Mount Kumgang resort near the Demilitarised Zone AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Lee Keum-Seom (92) meets with her North Korean son Ri Sung Chol (71) Reuters Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Kim Choon-Sik (80) meets his North Korean sister Kim Choon-Sil (77) AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border North Korean Cho Soon-Do (89) meets with her South Korean sister Cho Hae-Do (86) and brother Cho Do-Jae (75) Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Hwang Woo-Seok (89) meets his North Korean daughter Hwang Young-Sook (71) AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Lee Moon-Hyuk (95) meets his North Korean nephew Ri Kwan Hyuk (80) AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Lee Keum-Yeon (87) meets her North Korean relative AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Han Shin-Ja (99) weeps with her North Korean daughter Kim Kyong Sil (72) AP Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border North and South Korean family members look through photo albums as they meet during a reunion Reuters Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Yoon Heung-Gyu (92) talks with his North Korean relatives AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Jo Hye-Do (86) hugs her North Korean sister Jo Soon-Do (89) AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Kim Jong-Tae (81) meets his North Korean nephew Kim Hak Soo (56) AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Ham Sung-Chan (93) hugs his North Korean brother Ham Dong Chan (79) Reuters Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Lee Keum-Seom (92) meets with her North Korean son Ri Sung Chol (71) AFP/Getty Korean relatives separated by the war are reunited near the border South Korean Kim Kwang-Ho (80) meets his North Korean brother Kim Kwang Il (78) Reuters

But that does not mean things need stay as they are. The key to a closer future for the peninsular lies in following two models for change  and avoiding a couple of others.

First North Korea will come under increasing pressure from the Americans and the Chinese (their only nominal allies in the world) to follow the Chinese model of economic development  a very gradual move towards a managed form of capitalism, but with the ruling communist party still enjoying a monopoly of political power, along with restrictions on human rights, media freedoms and censorship. That way prosperity lies, and that way Kim and his family can still retain control of their country.

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea could keep all of its bombastic monuments and martial parades, as the Chinese do, but would become a more open and fluid society, trading more freely with the rest of the world, and permitting foreign investment. Hyundais, Fords and Mercedes could circulate around those gigantic statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

The second economic model the North and South Koreans could follow is, strange to say, the European Union. Imagine North and South Korea as members of a Korean union, gradually moving towards more free movement of labour, of capital, or goods and services across the DMZ (which would remain in place, a reminder of the dangers of a return to the past and a lucrative tourist attraction).

Of course, to prevent the north suffering huge outflow of its population, their transitional period would need to be long, but families could visit one another, and they could trade more freely too, once the north Korean currency goes convertible. Again, as a longer run aim, the two currencies could eventually merge into a single Korean currency. All the way along, though, the two could retain sovereignty, retain their own foreign and defence postures and of course flags and other symbols of national identity.

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Its important to remember, after all, that whereas the EU is attempting to bring ancient nation states together, with all the obvious strains we see, a Korean Union would be about bringing together a country that was once a nation, indeed a mighty empire, in its own right, with a common language and culture, until, that is, the cruel era of Japanese colonisation and the war and cold war divisions that followed.

What the Koreans should not do is copy what befell another nation divided by the Cold War and later re-united  east and west Germany. Only the economic and financial strength of the west Germans prevented that from turning into disaster, but even as it was the rush to freedom and unity after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 meant much pain and dislocation in the east.

The Ossis and their funny Trabants were in turn resented and ridiculed by the richer federal republic of the west. The generous exchange rate of one East German ostmark to one German mark was extremely costly for western German taxpayers. It was probably inevitable that Germany would undergo a rapid reunification, but it did create its own problems. As with Ireland and some other places  probably including Korea  some on both sides had little enthusiasm for national unity in any case.

In the case of Korea, the economic disparity between North and South would be even greater than it was between East and West Germany and the economic dislocation still more expensive and very possibly unmanageable. China fears a flood of North Korean refugees, and so should South Korea, now the worlds 11th largest economy. Far better to go down a gradual path to managed capitalism and national economic union. Koreans should also reflect  as the Chinese so obviously have  on the danger that was done when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, problems which reverberate down to the present day.

The Korean union, then, would allow families to travel more freely and very gradually, with a huge multinational investment programme, bring the living standards of the two Koreas more closely into line. It is hard to believe that, before the Cold War, it was the north that was the more prosperous, industrialised region. Then again, the south had a per capita income in the 1950s somewhere around Ghanas; today it ranks alongside New Zealand and Spain.

A Korean union  seperate states but a single market like the EU  that enjoyed the same productivity as the south today would number some 75 million [people and have an economy almost as large as Britains]. It would be wonderful thing to see. It would certainly rank as Donald Trump and Kim Jong-uns greatest achievement. It would make a lot of families happy, too.
It was somehow fitting that first news of Uri Avnerys plight should reach me from one of Israels staunchest enemies, the Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. One legend sending sad news of another, you see, a socialist preparing to mourn a fellow socialist, sending his sympathy for the 94-year-old Israeli political philosopher. That same philosopher was once a German Jewish schoolboy, originally called Helmut Ostermann, who refused to give the Hitler salute at school, but who was, when I received Jumblatts message  still, just  an indispensable mind to understand the history of fascism, a major destructive element of the 20th century. Jumblatts words. Avnery, he added, also understood the history of Zionism, another despicable apartheid theory that is an offshoot of fascism.

Uri Avnery suffered a massive heart attack at the weekend and died on Monday morning, but he was himself a Zionist, or at least a believer in a left-wing, courageous but humble light among the nations Israel; the kind many of us, in our heart of hearts, would like to believe in. He was the sort of Israeli that we bleeding heart liberals go and see when we arrive in Israel because they say what we want to hear.

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator uses a racket to return a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian demonstrators run for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator shouts Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Tear gas canisters are fired by Israeli forces at Palestinian demonstrators Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A wounded Palestinian is evacuated Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator uses a sling to hurl stones at Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A female demonstrator uses a slingshot to hurl stones at Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator with a slingshot looks on Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Female Palestinian demonstrators react to tear gas fired by Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Israeli forces fire teargas canisters toward Palestinian demonstrators AFP Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Female demonstrators run for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli forces Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded protester AP Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator moves a burning tire Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures A demonstrator uses a racket to return a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops Reuters Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops: in pictures Palestinian demonstrators during clashes with Israeli forces AFP/Getty

Tell Jumblatt that he must break up his sentences into paragraphs, Avnery told me when I left his Tel Aviv apartment six years ago. He says everything in one long text and I can hardly breathe. Lesson duly passed on to Jumblatt from a man who often wrote single sentence paragraphs, an annoying habit of tabloid journalism which does occasionally get a message across rather well.

I must admit that Uri Avnery was one of my Middle East heroes  there arent many  and his story is worthy of a movie, though there will be no Spielbergs to direct it: writer, journalist, leftist, veteran of the Israeli army in the countrys War of Independence  and, as he never forgot, the same war which drove 750,000 Palestinians from their home and lands. He played chess with Arafat during the 1982 siege of Beirut  be sure, this will be in the first two paragraphs of the obituaries today  and his angry but gently cynical newsletters would arrive on Friday afternoons, condemning Netanyahu for his hypocrisy and racism, Sharon for his hatred of Palestinians, missives from a book-crammed home in Tel Aviv, close to the sea but in a modest, quiet street where Avnery could ruminate and roar.

He was a wee bit deaf when I met him again  and for the last time  six years ago, but he spoke so quickly, and in perfect sentences, that my pen skidded over the pages of my notebook until it ran out of ink and I had to steal his own biro. I still have the book, and the ink changes from my black to his pale blue at a point when he is talking at high speed about Hamas, with whom he often met, furious that Gaza had turned into a storyline about rocket attacks and retaliation.

Whenever either of the two sides want to start shooting again, they will, he said. The ink had just changed its colour on the page. In Gush Shalom [which Avnery founded], we put out a sticker five years ago, which said: Talk to Hamas.

This is not an obituary of Uri Avnery, even though the institution has the great journalistic merit of a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Because Avnerys warnings and prescience were so contemporary  so absolutely on-the-ball for todays news from the Middle East  that they can be repeated now, today, as if the great old leftist warrior is still alive. And there he is in my six-year old notebook, very much alive, still demanding peace with the Palestinians, peace with Hamas, and generosity and a Palestinian state on the old 1967 borders  give or take a few square miles  and he believes Israel could have peace tomorrow, next week. If Netanyahu wanted it. The misfortune of being an incorrigible optimist, is how he described his predicament to me. Or perhaps an illusionist?

His family fled Nazi Germany for Palestine and I went to see him again  he who had played chess with Arafat  after the 1982 massacre of up to 1,700 Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatila refugee camps in Beirut, a war crime committed by Israels Christian Phalangist allies while Israeli soldiers watched but did not intervene. I had walked across the bodies in the camp. How could the survivors of the Jewish Holocaust and their children let this happen to the Palestinians, I asked Avnery? Avnery was only 63 years old at the time. His reply is worth printing, in full:

I will tell you something about the Holocaust. It would be nice to believe that people who have undergone suffering have been purified by suffering. But its the opposite, it makes them worse. It corrupts. There is something in suffering that creates a kind of egoism. Herzog [the Israeli president at the time] was speaking at the site of the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen but he spoke only about the Jews. How could he not mention that others  many others  had suffered there? Sick people, when they are in pain, cannot speak about anyone but themselves. And when such monstrous things have happened to your people, you feel nothing can be compared to it. You get a moral power of attorney, a permit to do anything you want  because nothing can compare to what has happened to us. This is a moral immunity which is very clearly felt in Israel. Everyone is convinced that the IDF is more humane than any other army. Purity of arms was the slogan of the Haganah army in 48. But it never was true at all.

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And Avnery was a member of that army, badly wounded in the 1948 war; he even became a member of the Knesset, but was threatened by the Israeli cabinet after he met Yasser Arafat in Beirut. He should be tried for treason, Israeli ministers said. I think Avnery was rather proud of that. His curmudgeonly, irritating, courageous personality could embrace the occasional political martyrdom, something which modern socialists are almost all too frightened to contemplate.

Netanyahu  six years ago when I last saw Avnery and until the days before his death  enraged the old Israeli soldier of 1948. What was the Gaza war meant to achieve, I asked him in 2012  for there always has just been a Gaza war in recent Israeli history, and the latest, in November of that year, had killed 107 civilians in Gaza and four civilians on the Israeli side of the line. And what was Netanyahu and his government  then and, I suppose, today  doing, I asked him?

Avnerys eyes sparkled and he spat out his reply. You are presuming you know what they [Netanyahus government] want and you presume they want peace  and therefore that their policy is stupid or insane. But if you assume they dont give a damn for peace but want a Jewish state from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River, then what they are doing makes sense up to a point. The trouble is that what they do want is leading into a cul de sac If they annex the West Bank as they have annexed east Jerusalem, it doesnt make much of a difference. The trouble is that in this territory which is now dominated by Israel, there are about 49 per cent Jews and 51 per cent Arabs  and this balance will become larger every year because the natural increase on the Arab side is far greater than the natural increase on our side. So the real question is: if this policy goes on, what kind of state will it be? As it is today, it is an apartheid state, a full apartheid in the occupied territories and a growing apartheid in Israel  and if this goes on, it will be full apartheid throughout the country, incontestably.

The Avnery argument went bleakly on. If the Arab inhabitants are granted civil rights, there will be an Arab majority in the Knesset and the first thing they will do is change the name Israel and name the state Palestine, and the whole [Zionist] exercise of the past 130 years has come to naught. Mass ethnic cleansing would be impossible in the 21st century, Avnery assured me. I wonder.

He often pondered the demise of the Israeli Left  they were hibernating, he said after Ehud Barack, the (Israeli) Labour leader, had come back from the Camp David talks in 2000 as self-proclaimed leader of the peace camp, and told us we have no partner for peace. This was a death blow. It was not Netanyahu who said this, but the leader of the Labour Party. This was the end of Peace Now.

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Perhaps his next words should be written on Avnerys grave. When I met Arafat in 1982  he was to meet him again many times  the terms were all there. The Palestinian minimum and maximum terms are the same: a Palestinian state next to Israel, comprising the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem as a capital, small exchanges of land and a symbolic solution to the refugee problem. But this lies on the table like a wilted flower

Avnery remained convinced that Hamas would accept the same. He lectured to them in Gaza in 1993, standing there, facing 500 black-bearded sheikhs, speaking to them in Hebrew  I was applauded and invited to lunch. For them, Avnery, explained, Palestine is a waqf and cannot be handed over, but a truce can be sanctified by God. If they offered a truce for 50 years, that is personally enough for me. Sure, he said, the Hamas manifesto wants to destroy Israel. But abolishing a manifesto is a very difficult thing to do  did the Russians ever abandon the communist manifesto? The PLO did theirs.

Back then, in 2012, I ended my report on the 89-year old Avnery with the observation that there are more than a few liberals in Israel who hope that Uri Avnery lives for another 89 years. Now there are even fewer liberals left, and Avnery lived for less than another six years. There was to have been a 95th birthday party for him in Tel Aviv next month. If they still hold it, however, Avnerys friends  and enemies  should proclaim that Avnery is dead. But then add: And long live Avnery.
Each year, at about this time, there is a lot of speculation about the 9pc tourism VAT rate and whether it will be retained in October's Budget to be delivered by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.

Each year, at about this time, there is a lot of speculation about the 9pc tourism VAT rate and whether it will be retained in October's Budget to be delivered by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.

So will the 9pc rate be kept this year? Or will it return to the rate of 13.5pc, which was last in effect in 2011? The truth is that no one knows for sure and in reality it will probably be a late decision made by Cabinet running up to Budget day.

Referring to the 9pc rate as a "preferential" rate or a VAT "subsidy", as some commentators do, is an inaccurate analysis. Often this is followed by a spurious reference to the "cost" of the measure whereas in fact the tourism VAT rate has been massively beneficial to the Exchequer. According to the Revenue's own figures, in the first full year of the 9pc VAT rate (2012) income to the Exchequer was 630m; in 2018 the income is anticipated to be 1.04bn as a result of the increased activity in the sector. So rather than being a cost, the 9pc tourism VAT rate is extraordinarily good for the national coffers.

The fact is that Ireland's tourism VAT rate is finally in line with the rest of Europe - 16 of 19 eurozone countries have tourism VAT rates of 10pc or less so Ireland, in this rare case, is fully competitive with other destinations. To increase the rate would make us less competitive at a period of uncertainty with Brexit around the corner. It would add cost to the system at the very time when we need to keep a close eye on our value for money ratings.

The latest wheeze being considered, supposedly in response to Dublin hotel rates which have risen as tourist demand outstrips the supply of new hotels, is some sort of a two-tier VAT where bigger hotels pay a higher rate than smaller ones.

How this might work, or even how many bedrooms defines a "bigger" hotel, is difficult to see and crucially there is a real danger that an increased VAT rate will have damaging knock-on consequences for the pipeline of new hotels that are finally being delivered; 5,000 new bedrooms in Dublin alone over the next three years according to CBRE. These hotels are vital in order to add capacity and accommodate growth and crucially will mean demand and supply are in sync, moderating any future consumer price increases.

Any further increase in costs is likely to depress demand and damage Ireland's largest indigenous sector. The tourism industry - hotels, attractions, restaurants, B&Bs, caravan and camping sites, activity providers and many others - can rightly point to the fact that, since its introduction seven years ago, the 9pc VAT rate has helped tourism and hospitality businesses create thousands of jobs. Recent analysis by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) shows a remarkable 79,100 jobs have been created in the tourism and hospitality sector since 2011.

The good news is 68pc of those new jobs are outside of Dublin and in the regions. No other industry can come close to this sort of performance and if tourism is the great regional jobs producer then surely it should be supported and nurtured with appropriate taxation and investment policies.

Earlier this year, ITIC produced an eight-year roadmap for the sector entitled 'Tourism: An Industry Strategy for Growth to 2025', within which tourism is set ambitious goals to grow overseas earnings by 65pc. However, that is only possible with a number of enabling factors in place and one of those is the retention of the competitive 9pc VAT rate. Now is not the time to meddle with a successful formula that has worked so well and has so much more to offer.

And back to Brexit, that great external shock that risks knocking Ireland's wider economy off kilter. ITIC's analysis identifies that a hard Brexit will cost Irish tourism 260m in its immediate aftermath. That is some knock, and tourism is uniquely exposed to Brexit with 40pc of all international visitors coming from Britain.

Soft, hard or medium-boiled, Brexit won't be good for Irish tourism and Mr Donohoe must be mindful of this when he delivers the Budget. The 9pc VAT policy has been unambiguously positive on a variety of fronts - jobs, regional balance, Exchequer receipts, industry growth. Leave well enough alone, minister.

Eoghan O'Mara Walsh is CEO of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation
It wasn't quite a shot in the arm for the solar power industry, but recent moves by the Government to encourage homeowners to look at the sun as an alternative to traditional electricity generation have been welcomed by providers. At least Ciaran Marron, chief executive of Monaghan-based Activ8 Solar Energies, believes it's a step in the right direction.

Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten has just announced new grants towards for the installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels and storage batteries meaning that householders can get 700 per 1kWp panel, up to a total of 3,800 while batteries will be subsidised to the tune of 1,000 per unit.

The idea is that this will help cut our greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonise our electricity supply at the same time.

Not to be confused with solar thermal panel technology which helps generate hot water, the excess electricity generated by the PV panels can feed into the national grid.

"Solar PV allows both domestic and commercial users to save money on their energy bills. Although it is the same technology, systems for domestic customers will differ to that of commercial users given the vast difference in energy requirements," Marron told the Sunday Independent.

He added that customer bills will drop as a result of the grants but the Government should expand the scheme to include the business community.

"On the domestic side, the Solar PV grant announced recently also included a 1,000 grant for battery storage technology. Although domestic customers can save up to 60pc on their bills without battery storage, incorporating such will allow customers to use more of the energy they produce.

"Commercial customers will generally have much bigger systems and battery storage isn't as important considering that in most cases, energy production is at its highest when the demand for it is there to match during daylight hours. Whether domestic or commercial, I think everyone is going to see many more rooftops covered in solar PV panels. It is a move in the right direction but there is scope for the commercial sector too - I think we will see PV panels on the roofs of businesses too in the future."

However, he conceded that the recently announced incentives will be too late for our targets to cut carbon emissions by 2020.

"Here in Ireland we were hesitant and the fear of getting it wrong crippled us into inaction. Although we may have been slow adaptors, it afforded the powers to be the opportunity to learn from other EU countries' mistakes and use their schemes as a case study.

"One other reason is that it's not the case that all renewables have been ignored. We see it across the Irish landscape, with large focus on wind energy production. Luckily, the Government and others now know that solar PV excellently complements our existing wind infrastructure. So I think there has been a multitude of reasons for our slow approach towards solar, but as of right now, it's an exciting industry to in. Although we are well behind the rest of Europe," he said.

Indeed we are.

Ireland is completely off course to achieve its 2020 and 2030 climate change targets, according to the recently published Climate Change Advisory Council's Annual Review 2018.

Following last year's annual review, Ireland is now in an even worse position. Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions increased again in 2016, with the projections of emissions to 2035 showing that we are well behind when it comes to addressing the challenge of climate change.

It should be no surprise then that Ireland is ranked as the second-worst performing EU member state in tackling climate change, according to Climate Action Network (CAN) which is the biggest NGO coalition in Europe working on energy issues and climate.

While the 2018 Off Target report concluded that all EU member states are falling short of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change efforts to limit global temperature gains to 1.5 degrees, most of CAN's criticism was reserved for this country and those in eastern and central Europe and it warned that we face "annual non-compliance costs of around 500m".

It also highlighted that emissions from the agriculture and transport sectors are increasing significantly.

The farming and business sectors, for example, is a huge growth opportunity for the company said Marron and should be targeted as part of the Government's renewable energy programme.

"The UK has previously incentivised rooftop solar with a feed-in tariff. I believe a very similar model for Irish commercial and agricultural customers would be a perfect fit. This approach incentivises self-consumption and the position we find ourselves in regarding our lower carbon targets points towards a self-consumption model.

"Getting the balance between creating a meaningful commercial incentive that encourages self-consumption is something that would go a long way in helping businesses adopt and buy into renewable energy," he added.

"It's the same as any industry, lessons were learned in the UK and we were lucky to be a part of that. We set up a business in Newry in 2012 and we learned a lot through that and the high standards of installation and service that we have now brought to solar PV installation in Ireland," he said.

The structure of Activ8 changed earlier this year when SSE Airtricity came in as an investor.

SSE acquired 40pc of Activ8 earlier this year and has an option to take an additional stake over the next couple of years.

This investment (the amount has not been disclosed) brings big growth opportunities for the firm which is expecting to generate profits of about 450,000 on turnover of about 4.8m for 2017, according to Marron.

And while the majority of the company's business remains solar thermal installations and stands at 70pc currently, Marron expects thermal and solar PV to hit parity at some stage in the next 12 months.

"Being the market leader in solar technology for the past eight years and now partnering with Ireland's largest provider of wind energy, Activ8 and SSE Airtricity will bring unique offerings to our domestic and commercial customer base including SSE Airtricity's 750,000 energy supply customers across the island of Ireland.

"It has allowed us to grow faster than we thought possible and while SSE Airtricity are able to lean on us for our knowledge of the Irish solar industry it has also given us the opportunity to learn from them and tackle the challenges we face together," he said.

"We believe following our partnership with SSE Airtricity and the recent grant announcement for solar PV, Activ8 will increase our turnover by 50pc year on year for the next three years. We're still in the early stages of our partnership with SSE Airtricity, so as time passes, our goals will change and together we'll be pushing the ceiling of the Irish solar industry higher and higher," Marron added.

The company employs 45 staff and another 20 indirectly including agents, engineers and electricians - it has installed over 7,000 solar energy systems across the island of Ireland.

Its biggest project, to date, in partnership with SSE, was the installation of a 1,448-panel rooftop cover for the 2,300 sq m SSE Arena in Belfast which generates 420kWp of solar energy.

The company started out in 2006, at the peak of the boom, as Ciaran Marron Electrical, specialising in total electrical and mechanical solutions which then became Activ8 Energies Ltd.

It had grown to employ eight skilled professionals by 2008 but at that stage was being hit by the recession and left unpaid by some contractors.

Marron said it was either follow their fate or diversify - the company chose the latter route.

It focused its capabilities on the solar thermal retrofit market and targeting and servicing the increasing number of homeowners keen to take control of their increasing energy bills and, by 2009, Activ8 had completed all legacy contracts and focused solely on this market.

Following an analysis of the solar thermal markets in the UK and Austria, we developed a new business plan, added Marron.

"Through experience of training in Austria for solar thermal installations on new builds and having seen the success of retrofitting solar thermal all across Europe, we decided to focus on this as a business. With that, the attitudes of people had started to change also and with the recession at hand, people wanted to focus on reducing costs and improving their current home rather than looking to build or move.

"Within 12 months of this decision, we became the largest solar installer in Ireland and we continue to be. Hand in hand with that came the opportunity to enter the solar PV market in Northern Ireland with the subsidies that were introduced," he said.

The business plan certainly seems to have worked.

"In fact, one of our main challenges now is finding skilled workers," he said.

Brexit is the next big challenge, as is the case for all Irish businesses.

However, Marron said that despite its location on the Border, because the company's main market is the Republic of Ireland it is somewhat buffered.

"Obviously the big thing about Brexit is the uncertainty and we do import some of our products from the UK. But we haven't had to worry about Brexit as much as some other Irish companies given that our target market is in the Republic of Ireland. Our partnerships with suppliers reach all around the world and we're in the lucky position of being able to work with suppliers outside of the UK who we already have a relationship with," he said.
Farmer Jack Hewitt keeps a pig away from his small flock of sheep as he feeds them in a drought-effected property located north of the town of Gunnedah in north-western New South Wales in Australia, June 8, 2018. Picture taken June 8, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray

Kangaroos can be seen standing near parked trucks loaded with hay on the outskirts of the western New South Wales town of White Cliffs, in Australia, August 18, 2018. Picture taken August 18, 2018. AAP/David Mariuz/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE. AUSTRALIA OUT. NEW ZEALAND OUT.

COONABARABRAN , NEW SOUTH WALES - JUNE 19: An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought. The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer 'it barely touches the sides'. Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

COONABARABRAN , NEW SOUTH WALES - JUNE 19: An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought. The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer 'it barely touches the sides'. Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

COONABARABRAN , NEW SOUTH WALES - JUNE 19: An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought. The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer 'it barely touches the sides'. Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

COONABARABRAN , NEW SOUTH WALES - JUNE 19: An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought. The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer 'it barely touches the sides'. Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

COONABARABRAN, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 19: In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. In Warrumbungle Shire, where sharp peaks fall away to once fertile farmland the small town of Coonabarabran is running out of water. The town dam is down to just 23% capacity, forcing residents to live with level six water restrictions. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer "it barely touches the sides". Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia.(Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

COONABARABRAN , NEW SOUTH WALES - JUNE 19: An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought. The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer 'it barely touches the sides'. Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

COONABARABRAN , NEW SOUTH WALES - JUNE 19: An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought. The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see. The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of A$600m, of which at least A$250m is allocated for low interest loans to assist eligible farm businesses to recover. The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer 'it barely touches the sides'. Now with the real prospect of a dry El-Nino weather pattern hitting the state in Spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire. June 19, 2018 in Coonabarabran, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

An aerial view of the cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Both the couples children, Brett and Emily have returned home to work on the farm during the drought.

The name of the property translates to 'rows of standing stones', which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the can see.

Australia's federal government announced on Sunday a A$1.8-billion ($1.32-billion) increase in funding for drought-afflicted farmers, with parts of the country's east coast suffering the driest conditions in living memory.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pledged the support, in addition to the A$576 previously announced, during a visit to Forbes, a town in New South Wales, where farmers are facing drought conditions.

"I want to say to our farmers, we have your back," Turnbull said. "We are constantly working to ensure that you get every support you can, and of course, let's all pray for rain."

The government said new funding would be made available for infrastructure projects, while tax breaks and low-interest loans of up to A$2 million for farmers were also part of the package.

Money would also be directed to the Bureau of Meteorology to develop more localised weather guides to help farmers plan.

The announcement comes two weeks after the federal government announced its last relief package and the state of New South Wales has also provided more than A$1 billion in assistance for farmers.

The drought sweeping through large tracts of Australia is set to intensify over the next three months and is fuelling unseasonal winter bushfires, the leading meteorological agency and a fire official said on Thursday.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast of more warm, dry weather suggests hopes for a reprieve from what farmers describe as the worst drought they have ever seen are unlikely to be realised before the Australian summer.

An unusually warm winter followed by what is expected to be a warmer-than-average spring "would mean intensification of the existing drought conditions across parts of eastern Australia", the bureau's outlook report said.

The report forecast below-average rainfall for large parts of Australia until November, the early part of the southern hemisphere summer.

Record-low rainfall in some regions and successive seasons of above-average temperatures have blighted vast tracts of Australia's grazing and crop land.

All of New South Wales, the country's most populous state that accounts for a quarter of Australia's agricultural output by value, is officially in drought.

Firefighters there were battling 81 grass and bushfires on Thursday, 38 of which remained uncontained, authorities said. While none of the fires posed threats to people or property, it was still an unusual event for the Australian winter.

Almost 650 firefighters were working on the blazes, helped by more than 40 aircraft.

New South Wales Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said the drought had had a "significant effect" on the bushfires and was set to continue.

"There is no real positive outlook at the moment, especially when you do look at the three-month temperature and rainfall outlook," Shepherd told Reuters.

"We need a significant amount of rain across New South Wales, not from just the drought aspect but also from the fire aspect," he said.

Australia sent about 100 firefighters to California on Aug. 3 to help American authorities battle deadly wildfires sweeping the northwest of the United States, suggesting that authorities did not expect bushfires at home in the southern winter.

Shepherd said the size and number of fires in Australia were typical of late summer.

"We're seeing fires on the far south coast (of New South Wales) that we wouldn't typically see until sometimes as late as January or February, so what we're seeing is very unusual," he said.

Australia recorded its fifth-driest July on record last month. It was the driest January-to-July period in New South Wales since 1965 and marked seven consecutive months of below-average rainfall for the state.
It will be another busy week for half-year results, with CRH and Kingspan among the Irish PLCs due to update the markets.

CRH is due out on Thursday and investors will be looking for the company to bounce back from a sluggish first quarter, where performance was weighed down by the weather.

Kingspan will report on Friday. It also had a choppy first quarter because of the weather and a tough trading environment in the UK. A further update on Britain will be watched closely.

Today, Kenmare Resources is releasing its results.

It has been a remarkable few years for the company, which nearly went bust but is now performing well, with good production from its ilmenite mine in Mozambique.

Figures on the numbers of new dwellings being built here are due to be released tomorrow. Elsewhere, new US tariffs are due to come into effect on Chinese goods, with China promising to retaliate.

Greece is due to exit the last of its recent bailout packages today and tomorrow, Michel Barnier and UK Brexit secretary Dominic Raab are to hold talks, while foreign companies announcing earnings include Qantas.
Jane Howard has been confirmed as the new chief executive of Ulster Bank.

Ms Howards appointment to the role was first revealed in the Irish Independent in April.

She joins the bank from its UK parent, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), where she served as a senior executive.

Ms Howard replaces Gerry Mallon, who has joined Tesco Bank as its CEO.

"We are delighted that Jane will join us as chief executive of Ulster Bank in the Republic of Ireland," Des OShea, chairman of Ulster Bank, said.

"Jane brings a track record of strong leadership, intense customer focus, drive and enthusiasm. Her deep banking experience gained across a variety of senior leadership roles will bring considerable value to Ulster Bank. The board and I look forward to working with Jane to ensure the success of the next stage of the banks development."

Meanwhile Paul Stanley, chief financial officer of Ulster Bank - who was serving as interim CEO - will be appointed deputy CEO from September, and will continue in the role of CFO.

Ms Howard has worked in financial services for 37 years, and at executive level for 14 years across customer-facing and risk management roles.
A CRACKDOWN on fraudsters is paying dividends for motorists.

The body that pays out when motorists are involved in accidents with drivers who either have no insurance or leave the scene has said it is now receiving fewer false claims.

The Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) credits its fightback against fraudsters for the reduction.

It reported that in the first seven months of the year there was an 8pc fall in claims.

Between January and last month, the MIBI received a total of 1,572 claims - a drop of 144 when compared to the same period in 2017. In the first seven months of the year, it received fewer claims from 18 of the State's 26 counties.

Last year, it put a plan in place to make it difficult for fraudulent claims to succeed.

The MIBI committed to allocating more internal resources to probing suspicious claims and now links up more often with gardai to investigate questionable claims.

It is also legally contesting dodgy claims and bringing them to trial to be scrutinised by the full power of the courts.

The MIBI's chief executive, David Fitzgerald, said it was positive for motorists to see that the number of claims was now starting to fall.

"Admittedly, these figures represent only a snapshot in time," he said.

"However, considering that these statistics cover over half a year's worth of data, they are a useful barometer of the general MIBI claims environment and this shows a noteworthy drop in claims."
Oscar Wilde's inestimable character Lady Bracknell would have a word to say about what's currently happening at the giant German corporation ThyssenKrupp (TK). Inside a 10-day period this summer the company has not just lost its CEO, but the chairman too. Lady Bracknell would almost certainly have bristled and described this as "carelessness".

Oscar Wilde's inestimable character Lady Bracknell would have a word to say about what's currently happening at the giant German corporation ThyssenKrupp (TK). Inside a 10-day period this summer the company has not just lost its CEO, but the chairman too. Lady Bracknell would almost certainly have bristled and described this as "carelessness".

The Good Lady would have had a point, because ThyssenKrupp is one of the better-known global conglomerates, producer of steel, machine tools, submarines, car components, and regarded as a 'national champion' in the German republic.

The corporate chaos arose when the group's chairman, professor Ulrich Lehner, resigned only 10 days after the CEO, Heinrich Hiesing, had departed.

The professor maintained his resignation sought to highlight the behaviour of activist shareholders and the possibility of the loss of many jobs by their actions. The resignations quickly followed the spinning off of the company's steelmaking division which got the activists riled up.

In the past year, the management has come under fire from these shareholder critics, especially Cevian Capital, which holds an 18pc stake.

Cevian was joined earlier this year by the US corporate raider Elliott, which had bought a 3pc stake in the enterprise. Both saw ThyssenKrupp as being too focused on its steel merger and consequently missing targets in its other businesses. Cevian took a constructive approach by trying to convince management that a new strategy is required. According to Prof Lehner, Elliott has been more aggressive, obstructionist and undermining the confidence of management.

The resigning chairman also said the critics had engaged in psycho-terror. He claimed they were dropping falsehoods, harassing families to force resignations and forcing senior executives into psychiatric counselling. Elliott denied this and threatened legal action.

Both the CEO and chairman were in favour of keeping the group's many activities under one roof, which put them at odds with Cevian and Elliott who favoured dismantling the structures organised around component technology, elevators, industrial solutions, material solutions and, up to recently, steel, and replace it with a new one. They want a more focused, efficient and nimble operation. To date, both investor groups have stopped short of looking for a breakup of the group.

The company's very public spat happened only days after the group exited the steel industry. This was a hugely important decision for the group given that steel is the very embodiment of the company. Krupps has been making steel in Essen since Napoleon's time.

After years of negotiations, the group agreed to a joint venture of its European business with those of the Indian steel group Tata. Given the state of the steel industry in Europe, with its volatility and overcapacity, the tie-up makes industrial sense. However, Elliott objected to the deal and accused the management of selling the operation too cheap.

Given the difference between investors and senior management, the share price not surprisingly has been falling.

Today the stock trades below 20 a share, which is a long way from its 45 a share a decade ago. Sales last year were 41bn, two-thirds in the EU, with Germany as its major outlet.

Unfortunately the group incurred a loss of 650m, clearly unacceptable to its investors. In the recent quarter, the group posted a net loss, due to problems in its industrial solutions business. The group's market value has now declined to 12.5bn. Contrast this with its competitor in the elevator business the Finnish concern Kone, which has a market value double that of ThyssenKrupp, a profit margin of 10pc and net profits of almost 1bn.

So while not everybody's cup of tea, the activist shareholders may have a point. A possible recovery stock, but it will take time.

Nothing in this section should be taken as a recommendation, either explicit or implicit to buy any of the shares mentioned.
Italian actress Asia Argento, one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times has reported.

Argento, 42, settled the notice of intent to sue filed by the actor, who is now 22, for 380,000 US dollars shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her, the Times reported.

Argento and the actor have previously worked together and the complainant said in the notice that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013.

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The age of consent in California is 18.

He claims the encounter traumatised him and hurt his career, the Times reported.

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and the actor in bed.

Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic, the Times reported.

Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21.

Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.

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Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but not including Argento.

Representatives for Argento could not be immediately reached.

The complainant declined to comment to the Times.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said it is aware of the reports, adding: To date, the LASD has not located any police report alleging criminal activity within our jurisdiction in relation to this incident.

After becoming aware of the allegations, the LASDs Special Victims Bureau is attempting to reach out to the reported victim and/or his representatives in an effort to appropriately document any potential criminal allegations.
A list of all Irish clergy convicted of child sexual abuse is to be published for the first time as pressure mounts on the Vatican to release all documents relating to clerical abuse.

International organisation BishopAccountability.org - which has published similar lists of those accused of abuse in the US and South America - will publish the database today.

It includes names of priests and brothers who have been convicted or named in State enquiries and will contain more than 70 names, according to the group.

The organisation is calling on Pope Francis to release the names of all priests - including Irish ones - who have been disciplined by the Church for child sexual abuse.

The Pontiff will visit Ireland this weekend amid a deepening international scandal around its handling of child sexual abuse by clergy members.

The group will ask Ireland's Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, to endorse this idea to Pope Francis.

"An institution with a long and troubled history of concealing child sex abuse has two moral imperatives: to protect children and to help survivors heal," said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of the group.

"Disclosing the names of the credibly accused is a powerful way for the Catholic Church to achieve both these goals."

Irish survivor Mark Vincent Healy will also publish a body of work that he has derived from audits published by the National Board of Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church of Ireland (NBSCCCI).

It points to a low conviction rate for clergy members accused of abuse - in a number of dioceses no convictions were secured against those who were accused of sexual abuse.

Mr Healy said he believed with the focus on the papal visit it was a prime time for Ireland to take a fresh look at the scale of abuse carried out here by clergy members.

He fears people have become "desensitised to what has been the most appalling attack on the youth of Ireland who have had to live with this trauma".

He said he would like to see Pope Francis, whom he met previously, hand over the Vatican's files on child sexual abuse to an "independent truth and conciliatory body" which could examine them on a global scale.

He said the 'name and shame' approach advocated by BishopAccountability would need to include strict controls to ensure there is zero room for false allegations. Meanwhile, the mandatory reporting approach advocated in Ireland falls short as there is no provision for mandatory care for those who come forward, he said.

Separately, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has backed calls for the release of Church files to State bodies. Speaking to a Sunday newspaper, when asked if he believed the Church should hand over relevant files, he said: "What we need, I believe, is truth, justice and healing for the victims. And, yes, that does involve making available any information that the State authorities ask for."

The Fine Gael leader has said he believes the Pope should address the issue of child sexual abuse when he visits, but said ultimately it was a decision for him to make.

The Archdiocese of Dublin and the Vatican did not respond to requests for comment last night.
The Kinahan cartel has been dealt a significant blow after a 10m cocaine shipment being imported by the international crime gang was seized in Costa Rica.

The 133kg haul was discovered aboard a cargo ship named Polar Chile in Port Moin, Limon, last Tuesday. It was due to dock in Cork later this week.

The massive seizure was made after Costa Rican drug officials received an anonymous phone tip-off and carried out a search of the vessel.

Cocaine worth about 10m was later discovered in pineapples on board the cargo ship.

No arrests had been made yesterday and investigations are ongoing.

Detectives from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) are liaising with a number of international police agencies as part of the investigation into the haul.

A source last night told the Irish Independent that a main line of inquiry is whether the drugs were being imported by the Kinahan cartel to the south-east coast.

"Cocaine and cannabis importation into Ireland mainly have cartel involvement in some way. Whether the drugs were destined for the Irish market, the UK or Europe has not been established at this point and investigations are ongoing," the source said.

Detectives are also attempting to determine if the drug haul was being controlled by a UK associate of the cartel, and if the cocaine was to be transported to England after arriving in Cork or would have been distributed in Ireland.

Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll yesterday confirmed that gardai are investigating the role Irish criminals played in the transatlantic operation.

The senior garda, who is in charge of special crime operations, also stated that international co-operation involving law-enforcement organisations on a global basis is essential in targeting criminal activity engaged in by organised crime groups that have an international dimension.

In a separate operation against a UK gang, a number of Irish citizens were arrested after drugs worth 18m were seized in Marbella.

Irish nationals were among 11 people arrested after the huge cannabis seizure on Spain's Costa Del Sol.

In another local operation targeting the Kinahan cartel's street-level dealers in the capital, gardai seized cash and drugs worth almost 100,000 over the weekend.

On Saturday, members of the Crumlin drug unit searched a house in the Drimnagh area and arrested a 25-year-old man.

During the search, cocaine worth about 64,000 and around 14,000 worth of cannabis were recovered.

A further 7,500 in cash was seized on suspicion of being the proceeds of crime.
Dylan Paul was granted bail when he appeared in Dublin District Court on drugs charges. Stock image

A young man has been charged following the seizure of an alleged 79,000 worth of drugs at his home in Dublin at the weekend.

Dylan Paul (25) is accused of having cocaine valued at around 65,000, and another 14,000 worth of cannabis at his address in Drimnagh.

Judge Mary Dorgan granted him bail when he appeared in Dublin District Court on drugs charges today.

Mr Paul is charged with possession of both drugs with intent to sell or supply at his home at Cooley Road, Drimnagh on August 18, 2018.

He is also charged with two related counts of simple possession of the drugs.

Garda Bevin Meaney of Sundrive Road Garda Station's drugs unit said she arrested the accused for the purpose of charge at the station at 6.29pm on August 19.

He was charged in her presence at 6.37pm and made no reply to any of the counts after caution. Mr Paul was handed copies of the charge sheets.

The garda had no objection to bail being granted subject to conditions.

Judge Dorgan granted bail in the accuseds own bond of 5,000, with no cash lodgment required. Conditions are that Mr Paul continues to live at his home address, surrenders his passport to the gardai and does not apply for a new one. The judge noted that the gardai already had Mr Pauls passport.

He is also to provide a mobile phone number to the gardai within 24 hours and be contactable at all times. The phone is to stay charged and in credit, the judge said.

Mr Paul was agreeable to these conditions, his solicitor Damien Coffey said.

The judge required an independent surety of 2,500 for bail and approved the accuseds mother, who agreed to have her account frozen in that amount.

Mr Pauls mother confirmed to the court that she understood the nature to the charges and the consequences if her son breached bail.

Judge Dorgan asked if Ms Paul had funds and Mr Coffey said this documentation had been give to the gardai. There was in excess of the amount to be frozen, he said.

Judge Dorgan asked Gda Meaney what the alleged values of the drugs involved were.

She replied that the cocaine was worth approximately 65,000 and the cannabis around 14,000.

The judge said she was granting bail in circumstances where there were no garda objections.

She remanded the defendant on bail to appear in court again on October 29, for the directions of the DPP to be made available and possible further charges.

Judge Dorgan also granted free legal aid following an application by Mr Coffey.

The accused, wearing a blue and navy tracksuit and white runners, was not required to address the court during the hearing.

He has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges.
Aoife Ni Raithilligh (left), from Inchicore in Dublin, gets help from Saili Ni Dhroighneain at a class for aspiring teachers at Maynooth University, which is introducing a new course for disadvantaged students to help them get into teaching. Photo: Damien Eagers

The points race has slowed for the second year in a row, but the chase for careers in the growing economy kept a sharp edge on competition for CAO courses leading to 'boom-time' jobs.

Engineering, science, architecture/construction, law and primary teaching are among the areas with some notable rises in points as the CAO makes its round one offers today.

In some cases there were significant points rises. However, there were also widespread drops, and for many courses there was little change, either up or down, on last year.

This is the second year of radical reform to the Leaving Cert grading system and CAO points scale, a combined initiative designed to take some of the heat out of the points race, and the early indications are positive.

Overall, at honours degree (Level 8) level, the minimum points needed rose for more than 300 courses and dropped for more than 400, while the many other either stayed roughly the same.

Apart from medicine, for which marks from an aptitude test are added to Leaving Cert points, UCD's economics and finance and Trinity's dental science share the highest cut-off points, at 590.

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More than 50,700 applicants, mainly school-leavers, are receiving offers today, overwhelmingly for one of their top-three choices.

Some 52pc of those who applied for an honours degree programme have been offered their first preference, up from 51pc last year, while 80pc were offered their first, second or third choice.

At Levels 7 and 6, which lead to ordinary degrees and higher certificates, the success rate was higher again, with 88pc receiving their first choice and 98pc getting one of their top three.

The number of offers is down on last year, reflecting a drop in CAO applications, including from Northern Ireland and Britain.

This is being linked to Brexit and almost certainly contributed to points falls for some courses.

The fall in CAO applications is partly due to a decline in the numbers taking the Leaving Certificate in 2018, but that is only temporary and an increase already evident in the Junior Cert will start showing up from next year.

As is usually the way, disciplines showing some strong points trends mirror areas where there was a clear increase in demand for courses.

Against a 3pc decline in overall applications for honours degree programmes, areas that bucked that trend included biological and related sciences (up 14pc), engineering (up 3pc) architecture and construction (plus 3pc), law (up 3pc) and teaching (plus 7-8pc).

In some examples of how the points followed those trends, UCD's engineering programme rose 11 to 510, from round one last year, while biomedical science at NUI Galway jumped 10 to 531.

While there was a general fall-off in demand for information and communications technology (ICT) programmes, and a consequent decline in points for many courses, data science at DCU soared 22 points to 476.

The well-publicised teacher shortage trigged a big increase in application for teacher training.

There were ups and down here, with extra places for second-level programmes soaking up some of the extra demand.

DCU president Professor Brian MacCraith noted high points for degrees with an international dimension such as their global business suite, and said it "provides clear evidence that students are thinking globally".

While Brexit may have had an impact on applications, and points, for some of its courses, TCD's vice-provost Prof Chris Morash noted a "marked increase" in demand for its European studies programme.
A food bank for students at a college of further education (FE) has been a big success and the principal believes the idea should be copied by universities, institutes of technology and all other FE colleges.

The 'Take It Or Leave It' project started last January in Kerry College of Further Education, Tralee when management and staff recognised how difficult it was for some students to balance their budgets.

It involves placing an open shelf in a central location and inviting the college community to donate perishable food items.

Principal Mary Lucey says: "Students can take a food item on a day when they are in need and leave it back again on a day when they might have extra.

"It is a very simple concept recognising the reality of student life. It could be mature students trying to support families while they return to education, Leaving Cert students trying to live on a tight budget and perhaps their first time away from home, single parents paying for childcare etc."

Once the initiative started, local support from charity organisations quickly followed and St Vincent De Paul and Kerry Food Share regularly contribute batches of perishable foods to the college. Initially, it was suggested the Take It Or Leave It shelf should be placed in a discreet location in the college but Ms Lucey believes that students needing a bit of additional support now and then should not be made to feel ashamed about availing of this support.

"All of us in college were at times short of money and from a parent's view I think it is very reassuring to know students of Kerry College of Further Education may be short of money at times but will never be short of food!" she adds.
For many students, going to college also involves a move away from home and finding suitable accommodation is an important part of the process.

The best advice for anyone looking for accommodation is to check with the college for which they have an offer, and/or the students union in that college, both of which are more than happy to point people in the right direction and to discuss the pros and cons of different options, and give practical tips on matters such as deposits.

This year, as has been the case in recent years, finding accommodation could prove very difficult for out-of-town students, particularly in areas like Dublin, Cork, Maynooth and Galway.

High demand for rental properties has pushed rent prices up to levels that many students cannot afford.

However, first years are generally recommended not to enter the private rented market.

The seven universities and some other colleges offer on-campus accommodation, which has the benefit of being modern and fully-serviced. They also reserve a certain number of places for first-year students.

However, in many cases, campus accommodation is fully booked, although applicants on waiting lists may get a place if one becomes available. The best advice is to check with the college for which the student has received an offer.

A lot more campus accommodation is under construction, but it's not ready for this year.

Many colleges also have privately-run, purpose-built student accommodation nearby, although in Dublin, at least, the rental prices for these have risen significantly.

In recent years, there has been a return in popularity of "digs", where students live with a family, either with meals included, or on a self-catering basis. This can be on either a five or seven days a week basis for the academic year.

Not only are digs more readily available, they can work out much cheaper than campus or house rentals as many overhead costs such as heating, electricity and other household charges are included in the weekly rates, cutting down on costs but also making it much easier for students and parents to budget their finances.

The "digs" option is being heavily pushed by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) in its Homes For Study initiative. It is running a promotional campaign urging homeowners to rent out a spare room to students.

Home-owners in areas such as Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Waterford may have received a leaflet in the post outlining the steps they can take to register their spare room.

It works well for students who get accessible and affordable accommodation, while homeowners can earn up to 14,000 a year, tax-free for renting a room out.

"Digs are becoming a real affordable and viable alternative accommodation because of the rising cost of living in the private rental sector, and on campuses," says USI President Siona Cahill.

"We want to match students with a home to study in, and house as many students as possible as a quick and short-term solution to the student accommodation crisis. We are urging anyone with a spare room to sign up for digs at homes.usi.ie. Using homes.usi.ie is a win-win for homeowners, especially for parents whose children have flown the nest, or who are attending college the other side of the country," she adds.

Dr Brian Gormley of Dublin Institute of Technology's Campus Life Office monitors the accommodation situation in Dublin very closely.

He says that surveys have shown that students who live in home-stay arrangements are more satisfied with their living arrangements than students who live in student accommodation or in private rented accommodation.

Dr Gormley has also noticed a trend of more out-of-town students in Dublin commuting from home. "Students are telling us that it is more cost-effective to commute, even long distances, than pay high rent prices.

He pointed to a survey showing that between 2013 and 2016 the percentage of students staying at home with parents or relatives went from 40pc to 44pc. DIT surveys have also shown the number of students living at home with their parents has increased by 6pc in the past three years.
Students who decide that repeating is the best option for them must now consider where to do it. Stock Image

After the publication of CAO Round 1 today, some students will be disappointed with the offer they received (or lack of an offer) and will be considering their options, including the possibility of repeating. They may be short of points for a favoured course, or have missed out on a minimum grade required for entry.

Whatever may motivate a young person to reconsider returning to Leaving Cert, it is essential to take some time to consider all options, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.

As every Leaving Cert parent and student will agree, sixth year is one of the most challenging years of any young person's life and this is not likely to change the second time around.

For many young people, the goal of Leaving Cert is simply to achieve the requirements necessary to gain access to their chosen course, and this should be kept at the forefront of their mind when making decisions about their options now.

If a student has already achieved a place on a course that will get them to their career goal, even if it is not their dream course, moving forward to third level may be the better choice.

If this is not the case, it is worth considering a further education course, which may allow progression to a higher education course relevant to a career goal, next year.

There are also apprenticeships and traineeships opening up.

It is often more beneficial for students to move forward in education than to return to a school environment at 18 or 19 years of age, which can be a huge challenge.

Additionally, there are options such as CAO 'available places' and UCAS 'clearing'.

When considering whether or not to repeat, it is helpful for students to ask themselves the following questions. What prevented me from gaining the result I wanted last year? Were these circumstances within my control? Will this be different next year or am I likely to fall back into the same habits?

A candidate can do much better second time around but it is also possible to slide into old habits and to achieve results that are only slightly better, or even lower, than at the first sitting.

Students should also consider their subjects - some will have different coursework. For example, in English, the skills students are required to develop remain fixed, but the texts may change. Other subjects affected by such changes include music and history.

Remember, Leaving Cert points must come from one sitting of the exams, but it is possible to repeat single subjects. Grades achieved in these subjects can be used to meet entry requirements.

Students who decide that repeating is the best option for them must now consider where to do it.

They may wish to return to their own school, which is normally at the discretion of the school principal. It may have the benefit of being familiar and close to home, but if your school does not have a dedicated repeat class (which most do not), then students may find they have outgrown that environment.

A small number of second-level schools offer a dedicated 'repeat' year, including O'Connell's CBS, Dublin, and Colaiste Mhuire CBS, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

It is worth checking with local education and training boards (ETBs) as many further education colleges offer a 'repeat' year. This allows students to move to a college environment but study a Leaving Cert course.

Students may also consider 'grind' schools, although these are the most expensive option.

This is a difficult decision and should not be entered into lightly.

Students should consider contacting a guidance counsellor or the NPCpp Leaving Cert Helpline (1800 265 165) to discuss their options.
If progression to higher or further education is not on the agenda for a school-leaver this year they should keep that thought alive, because pursuing a field of study in which you are interested is a pathway to a fulfilling career and life. Stock Image

Congratulations to the 50,746 CAO applicants who received college offers today.

Most should be happy because at least four in five have received one of their top three choices.

A total of 42,301 offers were made for honours degree (Level 8) courses and over half of those, 22,095, were for courses that school-leavers had placed at the top of their list. Overall, 80pc got their first, second or third preference.

The success rate was even higher at levels 7 and 6, where 31,351 offers were made. Here, some 88pc of applicants received their top preference and 98pc got one of their top three.

Inevitably, some are disappointed: those who either got no offer or one that was way down their list.

There are others who did the Leaving Cert in June but never applied to the CAO and are still wondering what to do next.

There will be those who received an offer for a high choice course, and who may already have decided that they don't want it.

The good news is that there are plenty of options available, and this supplement highlights various routes.

Among the inspiring stories on these pages are those of students on honours degree programmes in universities without having achieved the minimum CAO points, because of alternative pathways available.

We are seeing the roll-out of more apprenticeships and traineeships, which suit students who favour a more-hands on approach to gaining a qualification, while being paid at the same time. Apprenticeships can be a path to qualifications up to master's level, and have moved beyond the traditional trades, such as in construction and engineering, to white-collar jobs including insurance, accounting and, new this year, auctioneering.

Research tells us that the education system and the Leaving Cert do not suit everyone's style of learning, so it is essential for anyone disappointed today not to measure themselves by the number of points they accumulated in the exams and to put their energy into deciding what they would like to do, and find out how to go about it.

If progression to higher or further education is not on the agenda for a school-leaver this year they should keep that thought alive, because pursuing a field of study in which you are interested is a pathway to a fulfilling career and life.

There is lots of support out there for anyone who needs guidance, including the National Parents Council Helpline, which is open today, tomorrow and Wednesday.

Throughout these pages, Aoife Walsh, guidance counsellor at Malahide Community School, Co Dublin, and regular Irish Independent columnist, shares advice and information to guide both those holding a CAO offer and those who do not.

There is a host of other features to assist students to navigate the transition from school to college, and we also have some tips for parents on how to loosen the strings gently. The kids are moving on, but they will still need family support and, most of all, love, while they are in college.

Good luck!

Key dates for your diary

Monday, August 20

6am: CAO Round 1 offers released online. Applicants who have not received an offer will receive a Statement of Application Record.

Noon: State Examinations Commission online Appeals Application Service opens.

Tuesday, August 21

Deadline for return of applications - to the candidate's school - to view Leaving Cert scripts.

Noon: CAO Available Places open.

Friday, August 24

5.15pm: Deadline for acceptance of Round 1 offers.

Wednesday, August 29

10am: CAO Round 2 offers released online.

Friday, August 31

5.15pm. Deadline for acceptance of Round 2 offers.

Friday, August 31/ Saturday September 1

Viewing of exam scripts in schools.

Monday, September 3

4pm: Deadline for receipt by schools of applications for rechecks. Schools forward them to the SEC.

Early October

Results of Leaving Cert rechecks released.

Wednesday, October 17
Kate Lait: I am hoping to help other students to start their business

When Kate Lait decided on computer science as her top CAO choice, a teacher cautioned that she "could end up sitting in front of a computer all day".

Initially, she had stumbled into computing while at school, but once she discovered it, she developed her interest to the point of even teaching herself some programming language.

As the passion grew, her initial thoughts of pursuing a career in hotel management fell by the wayside and, by the time she was in sixth year, she had her mind firmly made up.

The 20 year-old, from Co Louth, is now entering third year BSc Computer Science in Trinity College Dublin, and loves it.

"It is both challenging and interesting at the same time. You get exposed to such a great variety of subjects," she says.

But Kate is far from being glued to a screen all day. In her early days in Trinity, the former pupil of Wesley College, Dundrum tapped into her entrepreneurial side, and is now combining her computing expertise with a business head.

It all came about when she joined Trinity Entpreneurial Society (TES) even though she admits, "I wasn't sure what it was". A friend had encouraged her to come along to the AGM and even put herself forward for a committee position.

It was in TES that she met Paul Allen and David Ola and they, and others from a range of different disciplines, developed a business idea that was selected for Trinity's LaunchBox programme.

LaunchBox is a platform for students to develop a business and to receive mentorship, funding, and access to alumni and investors.

Since its start in 2013, LaunchBox has helped 50 student ventures. The businesses have created 122 jobs and raised 6.3million in investment and funding.

Paul came up with an idea for a product called BOP (Biological Optical Prevention), and Kate and David are working with him.

BOP aims to identify, prevent and treat healthcare-associated infections and they believe it has enormous potential.

The product is a solution that, upon making contact with a surface, changes colour depending on the pathogens present and eliminates them before disinfecting the area.

Through LaunchBox students work on their business idea with mentors over the summer, which is what the BOP team has been doing.

Among the challenges facing computer science students is to create their own app and, according to Kate, overall the course "is great for encouraging you to work in teams", so it laid great foundations for a business.

Her well-honed flair for business sees Kate taking on the role of president of the TES in the incoming year, a challenge she relishes. "I am hoping to be more involved in this world and, through TES, help other students to start their business."
Although Jason McKillen didn't start out studying Economics, Politics and International Relations at UCD, he seemed destined to follow that path.

At only 15, he was chosen to travel to the US to take part in the Ulster Project, an organisation that has been working with teenagers in Northern Ireland and the United States since the 1970s, to educate them and develop them as leaders to effect change in their communities. Social sciences were always where his interest lay.

Fast-forward to a day trip to Dublin where Jason, from Co Antrim, tagged along with a friend who was going to the UCD Open Day, and where he was struck, in particular, by a lecture on politics.

While politics was a passion of his, Jason veered towards the information and computing field, where he felt there were would be better job prospects.

He started studying Economics, Information and Social Computing with Italian, but in first year realised that Information and Social Computing was not what he had expected.

He also started hearing more about the variety of job opportunities available to Politics graduates.

He completed first year, but also met with the undergraduate programme administrator in UCD's School of Politics and International Relations and discussed the possibility of transferring to study Politics and International Relations along with his original choice of Economics. They advised him to attend some of the Politics lectures before making any final decisions.

He did, and it confirmed for Jason that he definitely wanted to transfer. He says that they made the transition seamless.

Jason (20) had to catch up on the Politics and International Relations modules during his first semester of second year and, by the second semester, he was on track and attending the same lectures as the rest of the second year students.

He lived on campus in first year and says that the friends he made on the second day in residence are still some of his closest. He found Orientation Week to be a great way of meeting more friends, through his peer mentor group and by joining societies and clubs.

Jason never thought that being a member of a society would help with coursework but, funnily enough, he found that to be the case when UCD Law Society brought Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, to campus this year. He says not only did Mr Tusk give a fascinating lecture, he also provided great content for Jason's essays and assignments.

What the future holds for Jason is not what he originally thought. He now plans on doing a master's, possibly a PhD, and may even stay on in academia and lecture.

"I'd like to be the one to make a perceived 'difficult subject' interesting, as I've experienced lecturers at UCD who have done that for me."

His advice to incoming first years is not to worry, pointing out that he picked the 'wrong' subjects for him at the start but is now studying subjects he enjoys so much that it doesn't feel like work.
Ever since taking up drawing in second-level school, Fiona McLernon had her eye on architecture as a career.

"I was always interested in art, but I never saw myself going to art college," says the 23-yar-old from Ennis, Co Clare.

Fiona also liked science and maths, so architecture was a way of playing to all these strengths.

"I felt it was a good combination of all three," she says.

Luckily for the former Rice College, Ennis pupil, the nearby University of Limerick has a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree programme in its portfolio, so she didn't have to travel far to follow her passion.

A visit to the UL campus had also impressed her: "Architecture students have their own desk and their own space!"

Her years in UL have been a great journey for Fiona and, in fourth year, she took the option of a placement abroad and spent seven months in The Netherlands.

Fiona is graduating this year, and has capped her academic achievements with the School of Architecture UL (SAUL) Best Thesis Prize 2018.

The project was among those featured in the annual Design@UL exhibition that showcases top designs from final year architecture and product design students.

A big interest of Fiona's is how people live in cities and that was the theme of her prize-winning project.

"I am interested in how people experience city living and how cities can be more centred towards people rather than cars, making them a happier environment in which to live."

She has been busy since finishing college. Having applied for a research working bursary, she got a position as a research assistant in the UL School of Architecture.

Two previous graduates of the UL course, Maeve Curley and Sean Murphy, were short-listed this year for the Jury of the Young Talent Architecture Award (YTAA).

They were among 40 on the short-list, selected from 334 projects submitted by 451 students from more 118 schools and 99 cities. The projects are exhibited in Venice, alongside the 16th International Architecture Exhibition, the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2018.
A Brexit-linked drop in demand among students from Northern Ireland and Britain is likely a factor in some significant falls in the CAO points needed for entry to Trinity College Dublin.

The country's oldest university, created by royal charter in 1592, has a proud tradition of attracting significant numbers of UK applicants, particularly from the North.

But this year there was a big dent in demand, with a 20pc decline in applications from across the Border - down from 958 to 763 - while there was an 11pc fall-off in figures for Britain, from 624 to 552.

While there is no official explanation for the trend, Trinity acknowledged in a statement that Brexit has had an impact on course choices and applications.

Read More

Overall demand for its two-subject arts course was down 16pc, and it is likely UK students contributed to that.

The uncertainty created by Brexit in the UK and the less favourable sterling-euro exchange rate are likely to be weighing on the minds of students and their parents.

Traditionally law has been a popular choice for Northern Irish students coming to Trinity. While total CAO applications for law were up this year, at least two Trinity courses have seen a big points drop, with law from 542 to 533 while law and business went from 589 to 577.
Planning permission has been approved for a new 6.5 million train station in Dublin.

Twenty years after it was first proposed, work is due to begin next year on the new station in Pelletstown, which is on the Maynooth commuter line.

The site is on the Royal Canal and sits between Ashtown and Broombridge stations, it was flagged as an 'immediate priority' in Irish Rails greater Dublin area integrated rail network plan and planning permission was approved in October 2014 but due to the funding issues within the transport giant, it never became a reality.

Construction is expected to take up to two years to complete, meaning the the station could be open by 2021.

Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny said that the station is needed to keep up with the suburb's growing population.

He told Independent.ie: "It's an area that is experiencing a significant growth in housing and it's crucial that as the population grows that public infrastructure and housing meet demands, so this new station is being built on that basis."
Investigative journalist Gemma O'Doherty has become the latest hopeful who wants to challenge incumbent Michael D Higgins for the presidency.

Ms O'Doherty, who took to social media to reveal her intentions, will seek a nomination via members of the Oireachtas.

A potential candidate may earn a nomination with the support of 20 TDs or senators.

With Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour backing Mr Higgins for a second term, there is a limited pool of TDs and senators available to back an independent candidate.

Ms O'Doherty is a former journalist at the Irish Independent who was awarded undisclosed damages when she took an unfair dismissal case against the paper.

In a lengthy statement explaining her intentions, Ms O'Doherty said she believes Ireland is broken.

"As an Irishwoman who loves her country to its core but hardly recognises it any more, I am deeply concerned about the unimaginable suffering and chaos so many of our people are subjected to daily.

"I despair for Ireland and what it has become," Ms O'Doherty said.

"Like many of you, I am frustrated that we keep allowing the same mistakes to happen over and over again.

"In my work as an investigative journalist, I have witnessed first-hand the despicable treatment of citizens who have stood up and tried to fight for their basic rights," she said.

Ms O'Doherty referenced a number of areas where she believes the State is failing, including housing and health.

Despite the limited powers of the president - who is constitutionally barred from interfering in political affairs - Ms O'Doherty said that is "only because some incumbents have chosen to interpret the position in that way".

"That is not my vision for it. The Head of State can and must protect the Constitution and the rights of citizens enshrined in it, especially in times of national crisis," she said.

Ms O'Doherty urged people to contact their TDs and senators asking them to support her presidency bid.

She also ruled out running for the Dail herself, saying she believes the parliament is not fit for purpose.

Her announcement comes as former presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher is expected to begin canvassing councillors in the coming days to back him for a second tilt at the Aras.

Mr Gallagher has been carrying out secret polling to determine his chances if he is to launch a fresh challenge and sources say he will consider the matter for at least another fortnight before making a final decision.

The businessman and former 'Dragons' Den' investor lost out to Mr Higgins in 2011 - following the now infamous 'Tweetgate' episode on RTE which many credit with his losing the election after polling well throughout the campaign.

However, the Cavan man has been fuelling speculation in recent weeks that he will become the second Dragon to seek to contest the election this year.

His 'Dragons' Den' co-star Gavin Duffy and Senator Joan Freeman have been presenting to local authorities in recent weeks.

A source confirmed to the 'Sunday Independent' that Mr Gallagher may begin contacting councillors privately in the coming days.

He easily secured the backing of four councils in 2011 and supporters are confident he can do the same again.

Mr Gallagher has yet to make a public statement on his intentions.

But he has made some oblique interventions, including writing to all local authority chairs urging that they use their constitutional powers to nominate a candidate, and writing to the Housing Minister to appeal for a change in electoral literature.
Holy Water bottles on sale and, left, Pope Francis souvenir cigarette lighters on sale in the town. Photos: Niall Carson

As the countdown continues to Pope Franciss visit to Knock, Co Mayo, next Sunday, business owner John Prendergast holds a statue of the Pope. Photos: Niall Carson

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin hopes Pope Francis will challenge the Irish Catholic hierarchy to become a less "authoritarian, harsh, autocratic and self-protecting Church".

Dr Martin said: "We need a Church of light, a light that exposes darkness for what it is... such that the mechanisms of cover-up and self-justification cannot extinguish or tone down."

The Archbishop of Dublin delivered the homily at St Mary's Pro Cathedral in Dublin, a week ahead of Pope Francis's Mass in the Phoenix Park.

Reminding the congregation that in just a week they would be "well into the short but intense visit" of the Pope, he said he anticipated widespread expectation, joy and enthusiasm.

But he said the visit would also be marked by "many anxieties" about the Catholic Church in Ireland and further afield and about its future.

"The Pope has to speak frankly about our past but also about our future," he said. "It is not enough just to say sorry.

"Structures that permit or facilitate abuse must be broken down and broken down forever everywhere."

He questioned what in Irish Catholicism had led to the level of harshness in its institutions and resulted in an "immense" number of victims.

"When you add up all the categories of victims, you can see that the number was immense. We still only know the identity of some," he added.

The scandals of abuse in the Church had produced "a deep-seated resentment" among believers, he said. "It is not just anger over the horror of abuse, but an anger at the role of Church leadership in compounding the suffering of so many in institutions for children, for unmarried mothers and for vulnerable women," he said.

The archbishop, who is president of the World Meeting of Families, said the abuse was "not something that belongs to the past, but a hurt that survivors and those close to them carry in their hearts every day of their lives".

He was speaking in the wake of the announcement by two senior US prelates, who were due to host events in the World Meeting of Families in the RDS, that they would not be travelling to Dublin.

On Saturday, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington announced he was pulling out. He was due to give a keynote address on 'The Welfare of the Family is Decisive for the Future of the World' on Wednesday.

The cardinal was heavily criticised in the Pennsylvania grand jury report over his handling of child sexual abuse allegations, while he was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006.

Last Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Boston announced that Cardinal Sean O'Malley would not travel to Ireland due to "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".

Cardinal O'Malley heads up the Vatican's Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Children.

He was due to moderate the first ever World Meeting of Families seminar on safeguarding children on Friday with clerical abuse survivor Marie Collins.
Animals in Dublin Zoo are to get a three-day break from pesky kids and snap-happy parents on the back of the papal visit.

The zoo is to shut its gates to the public on Friday evening and will not reopen until Tuesday, August 28.

The move comes after a request from the Office of Public Works (OPW), which oversees the upkeep of the Phoenix Park.

Chief park superintendent Margaret Gormley told the Irish Independent that the park needs to close to allow the final touches to be put to the plan for the papal Mass on Sunday.

Zookeepers will be allowed inside the cordon to ensure all the animals are fed and looked after.

"Really it's to do with security," Ms Gormley said. "There's going to be crews working here 24/7 from Friday evening. There's a lot of infrastructure that has to be got in at the last minute.

"For public safety, we have managed to keep the park open for as long as we could."

Deer

Ms Gormley noted that the Phoenix Park's natural residents - wild fallow deer - are being carefully monitored in advance of the arrival of 500,000 people to see the Pope. The herd regularly grazes in the area around the Papal Cross, which has been transformed into a massive building site ahead of the visit.

"This is their natural grazing area. They are very used to events in the park. We have more than 300 events every year. They move to the quieter areas," Ms Gormley said.

However, she noted that they have been showing interest in the construction of the stage and public viewing areas.

Workers have been careful to leave passageways open to allow the deer to roam freely.

"At night they actually come back up and have a wander around. They actually do move around the park in the evening," Ms Gormley added.

Meanwhile, Dublin City Council has published details of more than 150 temporary road closures that will hit the capital on Saturday and Sunday. Pilgrims are being urged to use public transport, which will be free of charge within the confines of the city. Parking restrictions will also be in place in some areas.
THE childcare crisis is laid bare in new figures showing how many families are paying an "extra mortgage" to cover the monthly costs.

A Newstalk survey reveals the national average monthly fee for a two-year-old in full-time care is 745 - a 5.5pc increase in the past five years.

But there are major disparities, and in Dublin and Wicklow the cost is above 1,000.

Childcare has already become a burning political issue with Minister Shane Ross, sparking furious debate after his proposal to offer grandparents 1,000 for childcare.

Children's Minister Katherine Zappone, by contrast, wants all creches exempt from costly commercial rates.

There is set to be a major Budget battle for childcare cash but Fianna Fail cautioned that not all savings will be passed on to parents, with many families bracing themselves for even steeper costs in September.

The latest survey from Newstalk, which compared 135 childcare providers countrywide, found Dublin had the highest costs, which climbed to 1,047 a month on average.

That is an eye-watering increase of almost 9pc compared with 2013. At the other end, Longford has the lowest average childcare costs per month at 650, still an 8pc increase compared with 2013. The difference between the two counties is a significant 61pc.

Commuter-belt counties around Dublin also featured high on the list with Wicklow coming in second at 1,006.63 on average a month. Kildare, Meath and Louth were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Meath and Clare were the only counties to register a fall in childcare costs when compared with 2013 figures.

Other urban areas, including Cork and Limerick, showed a monthly average increase of 3pc and 5pc respectively compared with 2013, while in Galway, those living in the city are paying 15pc more than those living in the county.

Frances Byrne, director of policy and advocacy at Early Childhood Ireland, said: "Given how expensive it is, only about a quarter of all two-year-olds in Ireland are actually in centre-based care and you can understand why.

"Some of that is down to parental choice. For example, it wouldn't be unusual for mothers to stay at home or work part-time... The economics of all this are affecting parental choice.

"About half of private providers are barely breaking even because what we have in Ireland is historical under-investment in this area.

"So parents will say; 'I feel like I'm paying a second mortgage', or indeed three if they've two children."

She warned that providers also complained that their "backs were to the wall" absorbing rates and dealing with a hefty administrative burden.

"The third thing is that staff are notoriously underpaid," said Ms Burne.

The survey was conducted by Newstalk researchers for the 'On The Record' programme.

Fianna Fail Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee said that despite everything, childcare providers were still hiking costs. "I have been contacted this month by many parents who have recently been informed by their childcare provider that their fees will increase for the forthcoming school year," she said.

A spokesman for Ms Zappone said the results of a full independent report on the cost of childcare are expected in the coming weeks. He said the minister was working to "correct decades of neglect by successive governments" in this area.
When Sascha Roos set out to publish her first book, she discovered that writing the text was only the very first step. She also needed to consider the spacing, the font style and size. That's because her aim was to deliver valuable insights into what it means to see the world differently - as people with dyslexia often do. But her target market was also important. "Given that dyslexia is genetic in origin, my book is intended for the parent of the dyslexic child, who may also have dyslexia," she says. "So it has to be visually appealing, with plenty of spacing, bullet points and illustrations."

So what is dyslexia? "People with dyslexia have difficulty learning to read, write and spell," says Sascha. "However, these difficulties are not consistent with their overall intelligence, which tends to be average or above-average. They may also find it difficult to process certain information, while learning by rote may be affected by short-term memory difficulties."

Given that one in 10 of us has dyslexia, it makes sense to learn about the topic so we can help those who live with dyslexia achieve their full potential. And potential is there in abundance. Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie, Albert Einstein, WB Yeats, Richard Branson, and Whoopi Goldberg all lived, or live, with dyslexia.

Another notable is Steven Spielberg, who, in a 2012 online interview, said he had only learned he was living with dyslexia five years previously. "Finding out [I had it] was the last puzzle part in a tremendous mystery," he says. "At school, I was two years behind the rest of the class [in reading]. And that led to teasing. I dealt with it by making movies," he says.

According to Sascha, no one should underestimate the abilities of people with dyslexia. "It's no accident that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were so successful. Having dyslexia usually means seeing things differently and being a great problem solver. These entrepreneurs are successful because they have dyslexia - not in spite of it. People with dyslexia are coming out - it's now cool to have dyslexia.

She adds, "Luke, a former student of mine, said, 'Because of my dyslexia, I think differently to others'. He's now a successful engineer in Tokyo. Katie, another of my students, who achieved a first-class Masters in economics and enterprise development, said, 'Dyslexia has given me skills. I like my dyslexia'."

So breaking down stereotypical assumptions and providing guidance for those affected by dyslexia is a driving force in Sascha's motivation in writing At Home with Dyslexia. Yet, when she first arrived in Cork from her native Cambridge, some 20 years ago, becoming a specialist in learning techniques did not feature on her radar. She had, in fact, come here to teach English in a language school.

But a short while later, she decided to study guidance counselling at University College Cork, and that's when a friend suggested she become a dyslexia tutor. So she did a training course with the Dyslexia Association of Ireland, set up her own private practice, and hasn't looked back in two decades.

She says the best indicator that something out of the ordinary is going on with a child is a parent's own gut instinct. If they believe their child has a lot of potential but is struggling with routine and classroom tasks, then they should seek professional help.

"Even though most people with dyslexia have above-average IQs, they often work four times harder than anyone else, just to keep up. They need more time to process information, to read, and to get things down on paper," she explains.

She says indications that dyslexia might be a factor include difficulties recognising different sounds in words. Another telling factor is the child who is verbally articulate, but who is unable to transfer that ability to their written work. People with dyslexia often have trouble remembering things, because their short-term memories are often affected. They may experience difficulty following routines, organising their daily lives, obeying instructions and repeating messages. They may also struggle with rote-learning tasks, such as maths tables, spellings and the alphabet.

Sascha says supportive interventions are key. "The skill of reading can be a huge challenge, which can affect the person with dyslexia throughout his or her life. However, early recognition and intervention can make an enormous difference," she says. In her private practice, Sascha takes a holistic approach. "I deal with the whole person - their self-esteem, as well as approaches to learning," she says.

That usually includes giving people tools to help them imprint on their brains (which appear to be wired slightly differently to most) information that is essential in their day-to-day lives. For example, a child has an exam coming up, and is struggling to remember key components. Sascha will help that child put Post-it notes with key words on them all over the walls. The child is then free to move around, examining the Post-its, singing or drumming the words; doing whatever works for them.

Movement is often important. "People with dyslexia fidget a lot; they like to move around and they talk a lot," explains Sascha. "They can be seen as disruptive in the classroom, but what they really need is understanding and support. One of my students learned her spellings as if she were chanting like a cheerleader. Others find it helps to do origami while studying.

She adds: "Unfortunately, schools often focus on auditory approaches to learning, rather than visual and kinaesthetic approaches, which are often more suited to students with dyslexia. They desperately need other ways of being, so they can absorb information that is vital to them, if they are to achieve their full potential - which, in many cases, could be quite considerable."

She says many of these challenges can be overcome. "The teen with dyslexia can access the written word via ever-advancing technologies such as laptops, spelling and grammar apps, speech-to-text software and hand-held spellcheckers. These all help them display their actual abilities and potential. Encouraging their own multi-sensory learning style and tapping into their inherent creativity will help them on a smooth progression through school and beyond."

However, Sascha says people with dyslexia must be supported so they can gain the confidence they need to do well. "Parents must be advocates for their children," she says. "They need to ask what supports their child can get at school. They need to constantly remind teachers that their child has dyslexia, and they need to educate themselves so they can educate the teachers about dyslexia."

Probably the very best place to go if you need accessible, user-friendly information, and a whole plethora of sound, practical guidance about how to help a child with dyslexia, is Sascha's fascinating and insightful book.

'At Home with Dyslexia' by Sascha Roos is published by Robinson, and costs approximately 15. For more information, see Sascha's website, dyslexiasupport.ie
Many a house-hunter with a penchant for ecclesiastical architecture has bought a redundant church to make it the subject of a heavenly home conversion only to encounter problems with the internal layout.

The difficulty comes with subdividing what was designed as one big open communal area into smaller rooms, splitting huge windows awkwardly and too often turning what is intended to be a glorious home into something that looks rather haphazard and gauche inside.

An exception has been the conversion of The Old Church in Caherconlish in east Co Limerick. When the current owners, a professional couple working in Limerick City, hired an architect to design a two-storey extension for the rear of the 152-year-old church - one that would link its interior with its half-acre of grounds - they drew divine inspiration from the existing structure.

"The extension to the back of the home was to be a reflection of the three-sided front of the church, so that the entire building would look symmetrical inside," explains one of the owners.

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On the ground floor, the new addition to the old gable end is a semi-circular sunroom with a bank of three large windows and two glass doors that open onto a patio. The old rear stone wall of the church now forms an internal wall, albeit with a new entrance through to the kitchen/diner.

The former Church of Ireland building was originally designed in a Gothic Revival style by Edward Henry Carson, the architect behind the Victorian-era development of a chunk of Dublin 4. His brothers, William and James, became Church of Ireland clergymen, while one of his sons, later known as Lord Edward Carson, was the totemic leader of Ulster Unionism and instrumental in opposing a United Ireland.

Construction of the church began in 1866 and was funded by the Gabbetts, then a prominent Anglican land-owning family. Their remains lie at Caherconlish's other Church of Ireland chapel, built in 1771.

The Old Church vendors were initially attracted to it as "it has a lot of original features, original windows and we liked the scale of it and the high ceilings, which are 12ft to 14ft".

Other original features include a hipped and pitched slate roof, buttresses, limestone walls and surrounds, and exposed roof beams and timber floors throughout.

By the time the couple bought the church in 2005, they had a ready-made religious conversion on their hands. The property, a protected structure recorded as being of regional rather than national interest, had been deconsecrated in the mid-1990s. A previous owner had subdivided the church into a home and restored it in the late 1990s.

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The current owners added the extension, bringing the size of the home to 3,200 sq ft, and they redecorated throughout, as well as installing a new high-gloss kitchen in 2016 and a new bathroom last year.

The Old Church may be BER exempt due to its protected status, but the vendors fitted a new boiler for hot water and heating, as well as a heat-recovery and mechanical ventilation system. The windows are double glazed, with secondary external glazing to the 12 elegantly colourful stained-glass windows.

The home is approached via a gravelled driveway that, at its start, has wrought-iron gates flanked on each side by a pair of limestone piers, finished with chamfered corners and inset panels featuring cross motifs.

A short flight of limestone steps leads to the gable-fronted side porch where the main entrance door has a pointed arch and two marble columns either side. The teak double-leaf doors open onto a porch with a stained-glass window. Another teak door leads to the main hallway where part of the pulpit has been cleverly adapted to form the base of a turning staircase.

The hallway is also home to a walk-in cloakroom, a plaque marking the 1871 consecration of the church, and another plaque under a stained-glass window that was erected by Daniel Fitzgerald Gabbett in memory of his late father. Gabbett, who owned 1,193 acres in Co Limerick, was a Home Rule League MP for Limerick City in the House of Commons and a follower of Charles Stewart Parnell.

A set of double doors off The Old Church's hallway leads to a living room with three tall stained-glass windows and a black Nestor Martin stove nestled in an open fireplace. Also on the ground floor is a playroom and a bathroom with a bath that sits under a stained-glass window depicting a biblical scene.

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The open-plan kitchen/dining room has a centre island, a tiled floor, three stained-glass windows and steps leading down to the new conservatory with tiled floor. Oak double doors under a pointed archway lead to the utility room underneath the belfry.

Upstairs, there are skylights to all five bedrooms and the bathroom, which has a cast-iron bath on a raised timber floor.

But the star attraction of the first floor is the semi-circular master bedroom that was created during the extension. The new steel structure incorporates the stone wall of the original gable end of the church, creating an internal window comprised of a stained-glass centre rose surrounded by eight smaller ones. On the other side of this wall is a sunken library lined with bookshelves, that serves as the sitting room for the master suite.

The Old Church is asking 530,000 through de Courcy Estate Agents, (061) 415188.

The Old Church

Caherconlish Village, Co. Limerick

Asking price: 530,000

Agent: de Courcy Estate Agents, (061) 415188
Ciara O'Malley from Manulla, Castlebar, Co Mayo with her dog, "Hope" who lived up to her name. Photo: Michael Mc Laughlin

For the countless dog owners across the country, pooches provide love, loyalty and companionship that's a daily joy in their lives. For a select group, however, their dog is far more than just a best friend - it gives them confidence to face the world every day, provides comfort in times of grief, or is even a literal lifesaver.

Psychologist Peadar Maxwell says dogs make great companions as they are loving and devoted, but owners should not take this for granted. "Anyone thinking of having a dog should remember that they are living, feeling creatures who deserve a good life which includes the expense of veterinary care, exercise and loving attention," he says.

"Once that has been agreed, the benefits far outweigh the responsibility and investment involved. In fact, studies indicate that dogs help us with mood regulation, recovery from trauma or illness, and even with developing tolerance to allergens. There are other more obvious benefits too, such as company and increased rates of social interaction, as well as opportunities to exercise more. And when we spend time with or care for our dogs, we produce oxytocin, a feel-good chemical which is linked to lower blood pressure - but above all, dogs are our friends and companions, and that's good for us all, whether we live alone or with others."

Here, we meet three people who have had their lives transformed by a special dog

Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Ciara O'Malley with her dog Hope. Pic: Michael Mc Laughlin Bekki Millar from Lisburn with her two dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terrier Mia and Honey. Press Eye/Darren Kidd Bekki Millar wit Mia and Honey - she credits Mia with saving her life. Press Eye/Darren Kidd / Facebook

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Ciara & Hope

Expand Close Ciara O'Malley from Manulla, Castlebar, Co Mayo with her dog, "Hope" who lived up to her name. Photo: Michael Mc Laughlin / Facebook

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While Ciara O'Malley wasn't saved physically by her dog, she was definitely rescued in the emotional sense. The Mayo woman suffered a horrendous blow in June of last year when her boyfriend, David Gavin, went missing in Canada after getting into difficulty whilst swimming in a lake.

The search was stood down for a number of months due to snow and adverse weather conditions, and when it resumed in April of this year, David's body was recovered and brought back to Ireland.

While his girlfriend of 10 years will never get over his death, the gift of a puppy in the midst of her grief helped her to get through the worst period of her life.

"After David went missing, it was so utterly shocking," says the 28-year-old. "I couldn't work and moved in with my parents, as I was totally distraught. I went over to Canada with his family twice to help with the search, and it was heart-breaking to have to come home without him - or any news of him - both times.

"When I got back to Knock airport after the second attempt to try and find him, my friend met me and presented me with a little labradoodle puppy. At first I wasn't sure what to do, as I didn't think I'd be able to look after her, but I named her Hope - and as soon as she looked at me, I knew she would be good for me."

Ciara says that Hope lived up to her name, and she doesn't think she would have been able to cope so well if it hadn't been for the love and "intuition" of her dog.

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"When you are grieving, you often don't want to see anyone and can't put into words how you are feeling, but dogs instinctively know that you are sad and will do what they can to comfort you," Ciara says. "Hope has been amazing right from the start - she gave me hope that we would find David, and we did. It was a terribly difficult situation and so sad bringing him home, but knowing Hope was waiting for me made it a bit easier.

"Over the past year, there were days when I felt like I couldn't move for sadness. Hope would just look at me and silently urge me to take her out for a walk, and that always made me feel better. It also helped that people would focus on her when we were out rather than me, as sometimes I couldn't cope with the attention, so it took the spotlight off me.

"Obviously I am still grieving for David, but Hope has definitely helped me to deal with it all. To be honest, I don't know if I would have been able to without her."

Jamie & Coco

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Jamie McMahon has had his life transformed by the arrival of a canine companion. The 11-year-old from Laois had difficulty making friends and fitting in at school, and was often lonely and frustrated with life. But at the beginning of the year, he became the proud owner of a pug called Coco and found a new best friend.

Jamie has autism and ADHD, and has spent a lot of time on his own. One of his favourite pastimes was playing the computer game Minecraft. Through this game, in which you can choose a range of people and creatures as your avatar, he developed a love of pugs and pleaded with his parents to get him one of his own.

Already keen dog lovers, mum Ciara and dad Mark (pictured with Jamie) - who are also parents to 12-year-old Claire, seven-year-old twins Chloe and Rachel, and five-year-old Ross - didn't need much persuading.

"Jamie has no friends in school, as the other children don't know how to take him, so he always spent lots of time on his own," says Ciara. "He always liked playing Minecraft and became obsessed with pugs, saying he wanted to get a black one for himself. We have loads of dogs at home anyway but Jamie wanted his own pet, so we did some research and found a lady in Clare who said she had just the puppy we were looking for, so we went down to meet her.

"As soon as Jamie and Coco laid eyes on each other, they clicked immediately. It was so lovely to see and, from the first moment they met, Coco follows Jamie everywhere - he has a very loyal best friend."

Not only has Coco offered Jamie the friendship he needed, but she has also helped him to come out of himself more. "Since Coco arrived in our house, she has transformed Jamie's life - she has inspired so much self-confidence in him and also helps him to feel calm," says Ciara. "She seems to know when he is frustrated or agitated, and just goes and sits beside him so he can stroke her. This has an amazing calming effect on him. He has learned empathy, as he sees how she responds to kindness, so he is always doing his best to be gentle.

"She has also taught him social skills, as he now talks to people about her. Mark taught Jamie how to train Coco, so he has spent hours teaching her how to sit and stay and give the paw. Now, when Jamie meets anyone, he is thrilled to be able to show them the tricks she can do.

"Last year, he entered her into the Petmania Puppy of the Year competition, and the whole community got behind him to support him. Coming second in the national finals of the competition was a really huge thing - it has done no end of good for his confidence.

"I can't say enough about how this little dog has improved my son's life for the better - she's been wonderful."

Bekki & Mia

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Bekki Millar from Lisburn, Co Down, credits her Staffordshire terrier, Mia, with saving her life after a surge in her blood sugar levels left her on the verge of a diabetic coma that could have proved fatal.

"I was diagnosed with Type One diabetes when I was nine years old and things became very unstable about 10 years ago," says Bekki (31). "Then one day about three years ago, my blood sugars went dangerously high. I took a lot of insulin in an attempt to bring them down. I couldn't stomach oral fluids - I felt incredibly sick and was roasting hot. Knowing that rest helps insulin get into the body a little quicker, I went to get into bed. Unusally, Miss Mia was already there - despite the fact that she and Honey (a rescued Jack Russell) have a fabulous bed of their own.

"I struggled massively to get to sleep and was dreadfully restless. My blood sugars kept rising, which indicated that my body had shut down and was resisting the insulin. Mia started to kick me. She obviously smelt my breath - when blood sugar levels rise, there is an acidic smell to your breath."

Despite the charity worker feeling too weak to move, her little dog was persistent and put all four paws into Bekki's back and kept pushing her over. She had to sit up in order to get the dog off her, and this alerted her to the danger.

"When I sat up, I almost collapsed onto the floor," says Bekki. "And when I checked my blood sugars again, they had gone so high, the machine wasn't reading them. I called my mum, who had to rush me to A&E, where I was admitted straight away. The staff couldn't understand how I was still conscious. I was kept for three days before being discharged.

"There is absolutely no doubt that had Mia not pushed me the way she did, the outcome would have been very different. Both my 'girls' are my world - I have a really strong bond with them that would be impossible to break. But I've always got that extra sensitivity around Mia because when I'm not feeling well, she picks it up quicker."
You might hate Monday, but you'll love our weekly pick of Ireland's top travel offers...

199pp: A family break for Halloween

The Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells, Co. Meath has a two-night midweek break for a family of four from just 199pp during the Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival (Oct. 6 to Nov. 4). It's one of several Halloween specials available from members of Original Irish Hotels. 01 295-8900; originalirishhotels.com.

269pp: See FC Barcelona

Fancy seeing Messi & Co. on their home turf? Barcelona play Sevilla on October 20, and ITAA member Dawson Travel has two nights hotel accommodation and match tickets from 269pp. Flights are not included. See itaa.ie/offers, call 021 427-4397 or email stephanie@dawsontravel.ie.

465pp: November in New York

Cassidy Travel has three nights in the Big Apple from 465pp. The deal includes flights and accommodation in the 4-star Four Points by Sheraton in lower Manhattan, departing November 23 based on four sharing. 01 4629100; cassidytravel.ie.

399pp: Let's talk Turkey

Sunway has a week's holiday in the 3-star Esat Hotel in Kusadasi (including flights) from 399pp departing September 1. Turkey's recent currency issues means the euro goes much further on the ground, too. 01 231-1800; sunway.ie.

999pp: Fly to Sydney with Singapore

Trailfinders has a host of airline sales this week, including Singapore Airlines return to Australia (Perth from 985; Sydney from 999), and Cathay Pacific to Beijing from 625 or Tokyo from 729. 01 677-7888; trailfinders.ie.

PS. Exclusive holiday discounts

Have you seen Independent Discounts? The site has a host of special offers and discount codes, with travel brands ranging from Aer Lingus to ClickAndGo.com, Irish Ferries and Expedia.ie. This week, offers include 40pc off secret hotel deals at lastminute.com. See discountcode.independent.ie/travel-accommodation.

NB: All travel deals subject to availability/change.
The former leader of the Labour Party Brendan Corish once said that he used to lie awake at night worrying about people who were unemployed. That concern about people who were out of decent work should be the motivating force that defines leadership of parties of the left, not only here in Ireland but across the European Union.

Across Europe, traditional parties of the left have seen a decline in their electoral fortunes in recent years but nowhere has this been as pronounced as in Ireland. Almost two-and-a-half years on from the last general election, in poll after poll the public has shown that it hasn't regained faith in Labour. In 63 out of 64 published opinion polls since the last general election, Labour has polled below its 2014 local election vote. Far from increasing our representation, any objective analysis of these polls would indicate that we are facing a very difficult task in the next local and general elections.

Too many in Labour are concerned with a quick return to government, a hope that a future potential administration will fall short of a majority and need the support of Labour in taking power. Frankly, the last thing on anyone's mind in Labour should be an immediate return to government in such circumstances.

It is time to realise that it is not the function of Labour to provide voting fodder in the Dail lobby for parties of the economic right. Yes, Labour should aspire to government but only from a position of strength. I despise the rise of populism in Irish politics and I believe in being in government - but not until the public is willing to put its trust again in Labour in large numbers.

And how do we regain that trust? Labour needs to rebuild and renew its traditional mandate. Labour needs to reconnect with communities across Ireland. Historically, Labour had a tradition of representing communities across the country. The Labour tradition of a strong grass roots membership, not just in Dublin but in counties such as Cork and Kerry, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wicklow has been in decline. We need to reconnect with these communities, but two-and-a-half years on from leaving government, Labour is stuck in neutral.

The public perceives an absence of visible leadership from Labour in challenging economic inequality within the State. Labour needs to regain the trust from and re-establish itself as the voice of those who are running to stand still. There is significant wealth in sections of the country yet the vast majority of people are just about getting by. For many, the weekly wage or monthly salary barely meets the cost of a mortgage or rent, childcare and living expenses. Any extra cost, an unexpected medical bill, back to school expenses, extra fuel costs, brings worry and concern to people.

When people are working all week but barely getting by, then we must realise that as a country we are failing our citizens. Working families should be able to afford a modest holiday, a pizza at weekends and to be able to change the car every five years. Work must pay. Labour must by our very name represent this and take on our political opponents uncompromisingly. We must ensure that people who work or want to work are not struggling to get by and see Labour as their political home.

How can people aspire to owning a home when house prices are rising by 12pc a year? And how can people have any real disposable income with rents now at an all-time high?

What does it say about our public health service when private health insurance is now deemed a basic necessity by so many?

This week and next, parents all over this country will juggle their finances to pay for uniforms and books, to pay "voluntary contributions" to effectively subvent the provision of education to their children despite having already paid for "free education" through their taxes.

Tomorrow, Leaving Cert students will receive offers for university and college places across the country but the sense of joy and achievement will be tempered by the costs of college fees, astronomical student rental charges and a grants system that is not keeping pace with the increased cost of student living.

As a Labour Party we need to be unequivocal in our demand that there are no charges for going to school and that access to third level should be based on academic merit rather than on an ability to pay. Most importantly, we need to hold up our hands and admit that Labour was wrong to break its promise on third level fees and that Labour was wrong to increase the costs of going to college.

Labour needs to hold its hand up for lots of things and we are not doing this. When we allow a two-tier pay structure to exist in the public service we are exacerbating income inequality. How can people trust us on equality when we allowed a system be maintained where two people are paid differently for doing the same job in the same place?

Labour faces a huge hurdle in regaining the trust of the Irish people. We need to draw a line under the last government, admit our mistakes and let others judge our many achievements. Then by being true to our historic values and always targeting economic inequality we can begin the task of reconnecting with communities and regaining that trust.

But it requires leadership. It requires people who will do what is right for the country long-term rather than for themselves. My formative years in politics were greatly influenced by the late Jim Kemmy. His vote against the 1982 Budget remains a defining moment in political history. He voted against the Budget knowing that it would cause a general election and endanger his own seat, but he did so because he knew that the imposition of VAT on children's clothing and footwear was wrong despite the attempts of many, including Labour, to rationalise it. Kemmy understood the needs of his community and voted accordingly. That's real leadership.

Some people say that politics shouldn't be about personalities. That's nice in theory but simply wrong in practice. Leadership in politics has always been and forever will be about strong personalities that represent political values and generate support for them from the public. Yes, that involves teamwork within a party but that party has to be led with passion, energy and conviction.

Labour needs to regain its position as the voice of working people. Those of us who are elected to represent Labour in the Oireachtas and across local authorities need to ask ourselves what leadership of the Labour movement entails.

As the historian Diarmaid Ferriter once observed of Brendan Corish: "He took risks in how he positioned the party, did not let his ego dominate, and at least he worried about things Labour ministers should worry about."

Labour can no longer be part of a cosy consensus within Ireland. We must return to our roots with vigour and concern ourselves above all else with the problems of economic inequality. That must be our political crusade. Only then can we begin to regain the trust of those that the party exists to represent.

Alan Kelly is the Labour TD for Tipperary and the party's spokesperson on health. He is vice-chair of the Public Accounts Committee
Great food and wine go hand in hand with a great travel experience, and nowhere offers a better combination of both than the South African Winelands.

Spending some down time in these stunning valleys and vineyards means you will get to enjoy some of the worlds finest wines and indulge in delicious food, all while being showered in sunshine and surrounded by the magnificent South African backdrop.

Here are some of the top places to visit on your trip to the Winelands.

Stellenbosch

Located just 50 kilometres from Cape Town, is the town of Stellenbosch. It is fondly known as the Village of Oaks, for the large number of oak trees that line the streets. The town sits at the foot of the Stellenbosch Mountain and is a popular destination for wine lovers and foodies.

Start your visit by taking a walking tour of the area and learn about this old European settlement. The pretty white houses throughout the town, with their traditional thatch roofs and gables, are especially nice to see. Walking tours are a great way to get to know a new area. Not only do you get to see the historical, cultural and architectural sites up close, but you also have the freedom to stop and enjoy some local bites and treats as you go.

Stellenbosch is home to some of the largest and most sought-after wineries in South Africa. The Spier Wine Estate is one of the oldest wine farms in the region and has been family run for over three centuries. With three restaurants, a pub, wine cellar and spa, this eco-conscious farm and hotel is the perfect place to base yourself while visiting Stellenbosch.

For wine tasting with a twist, try their chocolate and wine afternoon. The in-house chocolatier has carefully crafted chocolates that complement each individual glass of wine and make for a delicious experience. Or, for some outdoor fun, why not take a tour of the grounds by Segway and enjoy the beautiful landscape that surrounds you?

Spier isnt the only wine farm that goes back a long way in Stellenbosch, which is partly why the Old Vine Project (OVP) was established in the area. Wines produced from vineyards which are 35-years-old or older can now be certified to show that they have come from an older vine. Sampling some of these exciting wines during your visit is a must.

For an enjoyable day out, away from the vineyards, check out the Blaauwklippen Family Market. The market takes place every Sunday on the outskirts of the town and has something for the whole family to enjoy. With rides and amusements for the kiddies, lots of antiques and charms for sale and plenty of delicious food vendors around, be sure to plan a trip to the market while visiting Stellenbosch.

Franschhoek

Close by, is the beautiful town of Franschhoek. Whether you are looking for fine dining or to enjoy some local company and food, Franschhoek is the place to be. The town, which boasts some of the top restaurants in South Africa, is foodie heaven.

La Petite Colombe, offers its visitors a five-star dining experience. With an optional wine pairing menu, each dish is expertly planned and prepared to give you a world class meal. For a mouth-watering South African meal, try their Cape Wagyu beef with a glass of Domaine de Dieux Chardonnay.

Alternately, for a bistro style lunch visit Lust Bistro & Bakery. Found within the Vrede en Lust wine estate, this picturesque spot offers delicious breads and baked goods as well as a hearty lunch menu. Sit back and take in the views while enjoying a selection of wine from the estates vineyard.

With so many wonderful vineyards to visit, a tour with the Franschhoek Wine Tram is a must. A unique and leisurely experience, passengers are taken into the heart of the valley on an open-air tram-bus. The tram stops at some of the regions most famed wine estates where lots of activities await. With wine tastings, cellar tours, scrumptious lunches and blissful strolls through the vineyards, you wont want the day to come to an end.

Wine routes

If you enjoy being on the move and taking in more than one spot while you travel, then be sure to give one of South Africas wine routes a go. All within driving distance of Cape Town, these areas are perfect for anyone looking for a rich food and wine experience.

The Paarl Wine Route offers great diversity with lots of local wine farmers as well as international wine companies being based here. Up to 50 grape producers and winemakers gather around the historic town of Paarl, leaving you spoilt for choice on arrival.

The Constantia Wine Route which sits in the valley behind Table Mountain, is famous for its sweet wines. The route has a small number of wineries compared to its neighbours and is the perfect place to take a relaxing break from city life, when visiting Cape Town.

Lastly, with 15 renowned wine farms and its close proximity to the sea, the Hermanus Wine Route is a real winner. Visitors can enjoy specialised canapes and delicious desserts along the way, as well as stunning views. If possible, plan your trip around whale watching season and take in one of natures most spectacular shows while you are there.

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Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan sitting behind an office desk dressed in a suit and tie, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns)

Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan wearing a cap and glasses, sitting on a scooter, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns)

Pierce Brosnan was a born star.

This week, we poured through the archives way back to 1978, where we meet a young Pierce Brosnan modelling in London.

Then just 24 years old, the Meath native was living in the UK and focused on making it in showbiz.

And make it he did - with an impressive turn as James Bond from 1995 to 2002, contributing to his $80 million net worth and cementing his permanent A-list status.

But back then, he was just like any other aspiring actor, doing whatever the photographed asked in order to show his range.

In these newly unearthed photos, we see his early comedy skills...

Expand Close Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan wearing a cap and glasses, sitting on a scooter, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan wearing a cap and glasses, sitting on a scooter, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns)

His old school Hollywood hunk abilities...

Expand Close Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns) / Facebook

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His early affinity for suits as he poses as a very serious businessman...

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Expand Close Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan sitting behind an office desk dressed in a suit and tie, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan sitting behind an office desk dressed in a suit and tie, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns)

But here is where we see the beginning of the Pierce Brosnan we've come to know and love.

Expand Close Portrait of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978. (Photo by Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns) / Facebook

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Never change.
Amanda Byram with Des Bishop and Giulia Dotta as they await the judges verdicts. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

TV show: Des Bishop with his Dancing With The Stars partner Giulia Dotta

Des Bishop has split with his long-term girlfriend after nearly two years together.

The Irish/American comedian (41), who is currently waltzing his way to further fame on Dancing With The Stars Ireland, had been seeing Chinese actress Xuan Xuan whom he met in 2014 when he moved to Beijing to start a new chapter in his life.

According to the Sunday World, he is back on the singles market as he and Xuan split before Christmas due to the long distance and she was experiencing problems with acquiring a visa.

"It was always a long distance relationship from when I left China," Des told the Sunday World.

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"It was impossible to continue, so what you going to do - that's life. It's a pity.

"We got on great, but even when we were together, we'd have a major visa drama and her visa was rejected once to go to the States. It was just a major hassle in every way.

"I still keep in touch with her, there's just nothing we could do."

"I'm free and single at the moment," he added.

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Des is winning rave reviews for his turn on DWTS Ireland and is paired with professional Italian dancer Giulia Dotta.

Bishop, who moved back to Ireland in 2015, said he's "always been a broody guy" and said he still hopes to settle down and have a family one day.

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"I wanted to have children from my early 20s, it just didn't happen," he told the Irish Independent in 2015.

"I get tired even thinking about starting. That's the one thing, when you're older, you don't have the same energy."

"But yeah, I guess I'll have kids. Because I've had to nurture two parents through illness, there's also a part of me that thinks, you don't want to be on your own when you're old, you want to have people around.

"So it's a selfish reason. It's innate, part of who we are. But if it didn't happen I wouldn't feel like my life is worthless."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex outside St Mary the Virgin Church in Frensham, Surrey, after attending the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks

The Duchess of Sussex arrives to attend the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks at St Mary the Virgin Church in Frensham, Surrey. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday August 4, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Sussex. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Your Commonwealth Youth Challenge reception at Marlborough House on July 05, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The Duchess of Sussex (centre) talks to fellow guests as they arrive to attend the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks at St Mary the Virgin Church in Frensham, Surrey

Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex make a courtesy call at the Presidential mansion on the second day of their visit in Dublin on July 11, 2018. (Photo by MAXWELLS / various sources / AFP)

Meghan Markle has flown to Toronto without her husband Prince Harry for some downtime.

Britain's Duchess of Sussex (37) is said to have planned the trip a number of months ago and was hoping to keep her time out of the UK under lock and key, but news leaked of her intended visit last week. In keeping with her 'normal girl in the Palace' image, she flew commercial via Air Canada and Kensington Palace officials reportedly issued instructions to the airline to ensure that "no one takes Meghans picture or approaches her on the flight."

It is her first solo trip abroad since her May wedding and while her best friend Jessica Mulroney had been discreetly toing and froing between her Canada and London, it will mark their first reunion in Meghan's former home since last year. Details of her itinerary are scarce because it's a private trip and likely an opportunity for her to catch her breath with old friends and lean on them for support during the neverending drama with her father Thomas Markle.

The 74-year-old, who can't resist an opportunity to talk to a tabloid for the right price, most recently gave an interview to The Sun, one day after claiming a sit-down with The Mail on Sunday would be his last. In it, he hit back at claims that he also missed her first wedding to Trevor Engelson, a beachside ceremony in Jamaica in 2011. There are a number of pictures of her mother Doria Ragland in attendance, but none of her father.

Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Sussex outside St Mary the Virgin Church in Frensham, Surrey, after attending the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks / Facebook

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"Of course I have photographs of Meghan and me at her first wedding but I choose not to share them because I think that would be in poor taste and offensive to Prince Harry," he said.

Meanwhile, sources in Meghan's camp have been coming forward in her defence, claiming that the former lighting director has always been a source of stress for her.

"His behaviour is something she has had to deal with for most of her adult life," an insider told the paper. "There has been a long history of dad disappointment with her life being splattered with upset because of her relationship with him. She isnt shocked or surprised by his behavior and dealt with it all with a lot of grace."

Queen Elizabeth, on the other hand, is said to be none too pleased with the ongoing drama and is "rolling her eyes" at the situation, while Prince Charles will be very sympathetic towards Meghan".
Whether its being passive-aggressive on the train, or getting a sunburn at the smallest hint of nice weather, there are plenty of markers of British culture.

Reddit user Rumplemoveskins asked people on the website for the dead giveaways that a person is British, from tea drinking to queuing.

Here are 11 little things that just scream: Im British.

1. Awkward social cues.

2. A love of the annual two weeks of summer.

3. Excessive apologising.

4. Yep.

5. Chocolate prices always being on the rise.

6. Never using sun-cream.

7. This greeting.

8. Enjoying the worlds best meal.

9. Never being able to escape from these adverts.

10. If someone only leaves one kiss, it means bad news.

11. Lastly, the peak of lad culture.
A woman cries as she holds her son after they were evacuated. REUTERS

A deluge in India's flood-stricken south-western state of Kerala finally let up yesterday, giving some respite for thousands of marooned families, while authorities feared an outbreak of disease among over 200,000 people crammed into relief camps.

Incessant rains since August 8 have caused the state's worst floods in a century, and at least 186 people have perished, many of them killed by landslides.

The beaches and backwaters of Kerala are top destinations for domestic and international tourists, but far fewer visit during the monsoon season.

The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall only at one or two places of Kerala yesterday and withdrew a red alert in several districts.

Flood waters too began to recede from several places.

Using boats and helicopters, India's military has led rescue efforts to reach people in communities cut off for days by the floods, with many trapped on roof tops and the upper floors of their homes, and in desperate need of food and potable water.

Expand Close An Indian policeman, left, and a volunteer carry supplies for stranded people in a flooded area in Chengannur in the southern state of Kerala. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) / Facebook

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Rescue teams were focused on the town of Chengannur on the banks of the Pamba River, where some 5,000 people are feared to be trapped, officials said.

More than 200,000 families have taken refuge at relief camps set up across the state, an official at the Kerala State Disaster Management office said. Kerala's chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, had earlier said over 200,000 people had taken shelter in camps since the monsoon rains began three months ago.

Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at the Kerala health department, said authorities had isolated three people with chickenpox in one of the relief camps in Aluva town, nearly 250km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the department was preparing to deal with a possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases in the camps, where an estimated two million people have taken shelter since the monsoon rains began three months ago.

Kerala, which usually receives high rainfall, has seen over 250pc more rain than normal between August 8 and August 15, causing the state authorities to release water from 35 dangerously full dams, sending a surge into its main river.

As the rain abated yesterday morning, one resident in Cheranelloor, a suburb of Kochi situated on the banks of the Periyar river, visited his home to see when he and his family could return.

"The entire house is covered with mud. It will take days to clean to make it liveable. All our household articles, including the TV and fridge have been destroyed," 60-year-old T P Johnny told Reuters.

Kochi's airport is closed due to waterlogging, and Jet Airways has arranged additional flights from Thiruvananthapuram for passengers holding confirmed tickets from Kochi.

India's national carrier, Air India, will operate ATR flights from the naval airport in Kochi to Bangalore and Coimbatore, starting today.

Late on Saturday, the chief minister had said that there was no shortage of food in the state as traders had stocked up before a local festival.

"The only problem is transporting it," he told reporters. "The central government and public have co-operated well in this effort to fight this disaster."

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates, where many Keralites work, has also offered assistance to the state.

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani has also announced $5m (4.36m) in aid.
Australias prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has changed policy on legislation on emissions (Mick Tsikas/AP)

Australias prime minister has abandoned plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions to head off a revolt by conservative politicians.

Malcolm Turnbull on Monday conceded that he could not get legislation through the House of Representatives where his conservative coalition holds only a single-seat majority.

He said, although most government politicians supported the target of reducing Australias greenhouse gas emissions by 26% below 2005 levels, that support was not enough.

He (Peter Dutton) has given me his absolute supportMalcolm Turnbull

Even with strong support in the party room, if a small number of people are not prepared to vote with the government on a measure, then it wont get passed, Mr Turnbull told reporters.

Some politicians including former prime minister Tony Abbott argue the government should be focusing on cutting electricity prices instead of cutting emissions.

Mr Abbott deposed Mr Turnbull as leader of the conservative Liberal Party in 2009 over differences in energy policy.

But Mr Turnbull ousted Mr Abbott as prime minister in 2015 in a leadership ballot of government politicians concerned by the governments poor opinion polling.

In relation to media stories today, just to make very clear, the Prime Minister has my support and I support the policies of the Government. My position hasnt changed from my comments last Thursday.  Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) August 17, 2018

Some government politicians want Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, a close ally of Mr Abbott, to challenge Mr Turnbulls leadership.

Mr Turnbull said Mr Dutton had told him he would not challenge for the party leadership.

He has given me his absolute support, Mr Turnbull said of Mr Dutton.

Mr Dutton also watered down speculation of a challenge.

In relation to media stories today, just to make very clear, the Prime Minister has my support and I support the policies of the Government, Mr Dutton tweeted.

The government has trailed the centre-left opposition Labour Party in most opinion polls since the last election in 2016.

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Australians are due to hold a general election early next year.

A Fairfax-Ipsos poll published on Monday showed 55% of voters surveyed supported Labour and only 45% supported the government.

Emissions targets that made sense three years ago when all countries were supposed to be in Paris and we didnt need policy change and wouldnt face economic dislocation do not make sense now. @TurnbullMalcolm take note.  Tony Abbott (@HonTonyAbbott) August 19, 2018

The phone poll of 1,200 voters was taken last week from Wednesday to Saturday and has a 2.9% margin of error.

Australia has gone through an extraordinary period of political instability since prime minister John Howard lost power in 2007 after more than 11 years in office.

Mr Turnbull would next month become Australias longest serving prime minister since Mr Howard, having held the office for three years and four days.
Disabled sailor Hilary Lister is welcomed on her arrival in Wicklow in 2009

Members of the Wicklow Lions Club with disabled sailor Hilary Lister at a presentation in Arklow Sailing Club in 2009.

The first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain has died at the age of 46.

Hilary Lister, who was paralysed from the neck down, became famous after she used the "sip-and-puff" system for steering and controlling a yacht's sails.

She became the first quadriplegic to sail across the English Channel in 2005 and then the first female quadriplegic to sail around the Isle of Wight in 2007.

Ms Lister went on to sail solo around Britain in 2009.

Expand Close Disabled sailor Hilary Lister is welcomed on her arrival in Wicklow in 2009 / Facebook

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The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) judged that the feat put her in the top four sailors in the world.

Announcing her death, a post on her website says: "It is with deep regret that Hilary's Dream Trust announces the passing of its founder - Hilary Lister - an inspiration to many, a recipient of many accolades and a record holder of many sailing achievements."

Alex Lister paid tribute to his stepmother, telling the BBC: "She turned the suffering she was experiencing into an opportunity."

Ms Lister, from Canterbury, Kent, was born able-bodied but suffered from the degenerative condition reflex sympathetic dystrophy, which meant she used a wheelchair from the age of 15.

She went on to study biochemistry at Jesus College, Oxford, but during her studies her condition worsened and she became paralysed from the neck down at the age of 27.

Ms Lister started sailing with Westbere Sailing Opportunities in Canterbury in 2003, and said: "Within 30 seconds of being in a boat I was in love."

She was named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year 2007 and won other accolades, including a Cosmopolitan Superhero Award and the Royal Cruising Club's Seamanship Award 2005.

Her charity, Hilary's Dream Trust, supports disabled and disadvantaged people in taking up sailing.
Jamie Oliver has been accused of "cultural appropriation" by a Labour front-bencher and ally of Jeremy Corbyn after he launched a new range of "punchy jerk rice".

The television chef was criticised for incorrectly using the label "jerk", which originates in Jamaica and usually applies to a spicy marinade for meat.

Dawn Butler, the shadow equalities minister, said that Mr Oliver's use of the term was not "appropriate".

She said that he should ask Levi Roots, the creator of jerk barbecue sauce Reggae Reggae, to teach him about it.

Masterclass

She said on Twitter: "I'm just wondering do you know what Jamaican jerk actually is? It's not just a word you put before stuff to sell products. Levi Roots should do a masterclass. Your jerk rice is not OK. This appropriation of Jamaica needs to stop."

The row began when Marti Burgess, the associate director of law firm Gregg Latchams, tweeted a picture of the "jerk rice" in her local supermarket.

Ms Burgess wrote: "OMG - this has sent me over the edge - jerk is a marinade and a method of cooking meat @jamieoliver why have you done this? You just can't have jerk rice."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  The Department of Tourism (DOT) has banned its officials from withdrawing goods from Duty Free Philippines, Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced Monday.

She said she ordered for the removal of gate passes, which allow officials to go to Duty Free and withdraw or claim goods.

"The Board and I approved the removal of the gate passes completely," Romulo-Puyat told CNN Philippines' The Source. "Nobody can have that anymore."

This comes after former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo was called out by the Commission on Audit (COA) for the withdrawal of about 2.5 million in luxury items.

Teo maintained that the goods were taken in place of cash remittance. Duty Free is required to remit 50 percent of its annual net profit to the Tourism Department.

The DOT is now working on guidelines on how to use Duty Free profits, Romulo-Puyat added.

DOT to bid out media buying agencies for ads

The Tourism Department also faces another issue, as Teo is under hot water for a multi-million advertisement deal with state network PTV-4. The money for the commercials went to the block-timer show Kilos Pronto, hosted by her brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo.

Romulo-Puyat said that the DOT will now tap a media buying agency so she can keep her hands off operations.

"We will be bidding out media buying agency so that media buying agency will be the ones to decide on where to put the commercials," she said. "They will know what are the topraters, what's bagay [a good fit] for the DOT... and therefore I have no more discretion."

She also said that the department was working with the COA to strengthen their internal auditing system.

Romulo-Puyat, who attended the Senate hearing on the ad deals, vowed to cooperate with the COA and the Ombudsman in getting to the bottom of the issue.
The number of pigs slaughtered in Spain each year outnumbers the country's population, new figures show, as the government pledges to crack down on the growing environmental threat from the meat industry.

According to a 2017 government report, the number of pigs killed in Spain topped 50 million for the first time, with the Spanish population currently numbering 46.5 million.

A boom in pork exports, particularly to meet China's insatiable appetite for the meat, has led to a massive increase in factory-farmed pigs in Spain, with around 30 million animals being fattened at any one time in a sector worth 6bn in 2017.

Total production of pork meat has grown by 20pc in the past five years to reach 4.3 million metric tons.

The boom in livestock farming means agriculture is now the fourth-largest producer of carbon emissions, with 10pc of the national total, exceeded only by transport, electricity generation and industry.

Environmentalists warn of serious damage if factory farming is allowed to grow further.

One pig will consume 15 litres of water a day, meaning the industry uses more water than the cities of Seville, Alicante and Zaragoza combined.

Nitrates from animal waste are also beginning to contaminate groundwater.
Catalan regional police (Mossos d'Esquadra) forces stand guard outside the apartment building of a man who tried to attack a police station in Cornella near Barcelona (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)

Barcelona police are treating a knife attack on officers at a city police station as a terrorist incident.

Commissioner Rafel Comes said officers shot the man dead after he entered the station in Cornella district and pulled out a knife.

Mr Comes said the man shouted "Allah" and other words that officers did not understand.

Police have found no evidence linking the incident to last year's terror attacks in Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people.

Intelligence services are helping with the investigation.

Officers opened a locked police station security door to the man, who lived in a nearby apartment.

The suspect repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in at around 5.45am and spoke with officers inside over an intercom.

After they decided to let him in, he pulled out "a large knife" and lunged at officers, according to Mr Comes.

The man had ID documents, and police are checking whether they are authentic.

Mr Comes said authorities have found no criminal record for the man identified in the documents, although international police databases are being searched for matches with his fingerprints.

A search of the man's apartment has been planned.
The Indian military opened an air base to commercial flights in the flood-savaged southern state of Kerala to help speed up relief efforts and fly out residents.

The first flight landed at the Indian naval air station in the city of Kochi (also known as Cochin), where the commercial airport has been closed for nearly a week.

Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with 70+ passengers. pic.twitter.com/QlhYPc2i2Z  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 20, 2018

The Air India flight came from the city of Bangalore in the nearby state of Karnataka, Suresh Prabhu, the minister of civil aviation, said on Twitter.

Other air bases in the region should open to commercial traffic soon, he said.

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Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since August 8.

Floods and landslides have killed at least 250 people in Kerala since then, with about 800,000 people taking shelter in some 4,000 relief camps.

Thousands of people are taking shelter in small camps in this coastal town.

Many are set up in schools, but at least one is on the grounds of a mosque, where Christians, Hindus and Muslims have all found food and a place to sleep.

The town itself, which is on slightly higher ground, has escaped the worst of the flooding, but the situation is far more grim just a couple of miles away.

The water came almost up to my head, said Ullas, a 48-year-old man who uses only one name, and who fled his village for the safety of the town.

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He has no idea when hell be able to come back.

We dont know, he said, as he helped distribute food in one relief centre.

It could take a month.

With rains decreasing, the water has started receding in parts of Kerala but thousands of people remain cut off and in need of help.

Officials have called it the worst flooding in Kerala in a century, with rainfall in some areas well over double that of a typical monsoon season.

Officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly three billion US dollars.
Residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima burn tyres and belongings of Venezuelan immigrants after attacking their two main makeshift camps, leading them to cross the border back into their home country. Photo: Isac Dantes/AFP/Getty

Brazil will send troops to its border with Venezuela today after residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima drove out Venezuelan immigrants from their improvised camps, amid growing regional tensions.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into Brazil over the past three years as they seek to escape the economic, political and social crisis gripping their country.

The latest show of tensions began early on Saturday, hours after a local merchant was robbed and severely beaten in an incident blamed on Venezuelan suspects, in Pacaraima, where an estimated 1,000 immigrants are living on the streets.

Dozens of locals then attacked the two main immigrant makeshift camps and burned their belongings, leading Venezuelans to cross the border back into their home country.

Shots were fired, stores were shuttered and debris littered the streets.

"It was terrible, they burned the tents and everything that was inside," said Carol Marcano, a Venezuelan who works in Boa Vista and was on the border returning from Venezuela.

"There were shots, they burned rubber tires."

Destroying

Ms Marcano said that some Venezuelans reacted to the attack by destroying a car with Brazilian licence plates. She and her companions were among many who took refuge at checkpoints on the Venezuelan side of the border.

Three Brazilians were hurt in the clashes, a spokesman for the military police said. No information was immediately available on the state of the Venezuelans involved.

The merchant who was attacked "is known, he is a neighbour, and there was indignation when it was learned that he had been robbed," a local told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"People began to expel Venezuelans who were in the centre of the city, forcing them to return to their country."

Roraima state governor Suely Campos made a plea to temporarily close the border and asked Brazilia to send security reinforcements to "face the increase in crime" she links to Venezuelans in the region.

In turn, the public security ministry vowed to send a contingent of 60 troops today to join teams in the area.
Thousands of people in flood-ravaged southern India have begun the immense task of cleaning their homes and businesses.

Rains have been diminishing in parts of Kerala state, where floods and landslides have killed more than 200 people in less than two weeks and about 800,000 more have been forced into thousands of relief camps.

Torrential rains began on August 8 in Kerala in the midst of the annual monsoon season, eventually leaving much of the state partially submerged.

Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with 70+ passengers. pic.twitter.com/QlhYPc2i2Z  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 20, 2018

The Indian military also opened an air base on Monday to commercial flights to help bring in relief goods and fly out residents.

The first flight landed on Monday morning at the naval air station in the city of Kochi, where the commercial airport has been closed for nearly a week.

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The Air India flight came from Bangalore in the nearby state of Karnataka, Suresh Prabhu, the minister of civil aviation, said on Twitter.

Other air bases in the region should open to commercial traffic soon, he said.

Thousands of people are taking shelter in small camps in the coastal town of Alappuzha. Many are in schools, but at least one is on the grounds of a mosque where Christians, Hindus and Muslims have all found food and a place to sleep.

With rains decreasing, the water has started receding in parts of Kerala but thousands of people remain cut off and in need of help.

Thousands of people have been saved by the states fishermen, many of whom headed into the floodwaters to help.

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On Monday, the states top official, Pinarayi Vijayan, announced the government would pay those fishermen about 40 for each day they helped and also pay for repairs for boats damaged during rescues.

Officials said it is the worst flooding in Kerala in a century, with rainfall in some areas well over double that of a typical monsoon season.

Relief supplies and donations have poured into Kerala from across India.

Officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly 2.35 billion.
US first lady Melania Trump is encouraging technology and social media companies to provide more opportunities for children to share ideas on how to be good citizens online.

Opening a US federal conference on cyber bullying, Mrs Trump said most children are more aware than some adults of the benefits and pitfalls of social media.

Even so, she said adults still must do all we can to provide them with information and tools for safe online habits.

Its #Backtoschool for many youth this month. As you begin a new year, how will you be the best you? #BeBest  Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) August 6, 2018

Mrs Trump appeared at the gathering in Rockville, Maryland, as part of her campaign to help children, entitled: Be Best.

The campaign includes a focus on combating cyber bullying.

The first lady has drawn attention for taking on the issue in light of her husbands aggressive use of Twitter to berate his foes.
Melania Trump is planning her first big solo international trip with a visit to several African countries in October.

The first lady said she is looking forward to learning about the issues facing children on the continent, as well as appreciating Africas history and culture.

She recently launched a US-based effort focused on the well-being of children.

Mrs Trump plans to travel without President Donald Trump, who was roundly criticised earlier this year after his private comment about shithole countries in Africa was leaked to journalists.

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Exact dates for the trip and which countries she will visit remain to be announced.

This will be my first time travelling to Africa and I am excited to educate myself on the issues facing children throughout the continent, while also learning about its rich culture and history, the first lady said in a statement.

We are a global society and I believe it is through open dialogue and the exchanging of ideas that we have a real opportunity to learn from one another.

She added that she looks forward to highlighting successful humanitarian work and development programmes under way in Africa.

Her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said the first lady chose Africa as the destination for her first big solo international trip after she learned about development programmes in many of its countries.

They include investments by the US in childrens health and education, Ms Grisham said.

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The tour of Africa will be the farthest Mrs Trump has travelled on her own since becoming first lady in January 2017.

Her only other solo international trip came last September, when she flew to Toronto for a day and joined Prince Harry for The Invictus Games competition he established for wounded service members and veterans.

Mrs Trump has accompanied the president to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, Belgium, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and Finland, for his recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Due to medical restrictions placed on her travel following kidney surgery in May, she did not accompany him to Singapore for his one-on-one meeting in June with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Pope Francis has issued a letter to Catholics around the world condemning the crime of sexual abuse by priests and subsequent cover-ups.

Francis demanded accountability in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church.

The Pope begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and cover-ups.

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He attacked the self-referential clerical culture that has been blamed for the abuse crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

Francis wrote: We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.

The Vatican issued the letter on Monday, ahead of Francis trip this weekend to Ireland which is expected to be dominated by the abuse crisis.

In the three-page letter, Francis wrote: With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realising the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives.

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The churchs credibility has been damaged in Ireland by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered up for them.

Sex abuse within the church was always expected to dominate the trip, but the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the US that one of Francis trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

In addition, a US grand jury report in Pennsylvania last week reported that at least 1,000 children were victims of some 300 priests over the past 70 years, and that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

In the letter, which was issued in seven languages and addressed to the People of God, Francis referenced the Pennsylvania report, acknowledged that no effort to beg forgiveness of the victims will be sufficient, and vowed: Never again.

He said, looking to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.

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Francis did not, however, provide any indication of what concrete measures he is prepared to take to sanction those bishops  in the US and beyond  who covered up for sexually abusive priests.

Francis several years ago scrapped a proposed Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops, and he has refused to act on credible reports from around the world of bishops who have failed to report abusers to police or otherwise botched handling cases, and yet remain in office.

In Chile, where a church sex abuse scandal exploded earlier this year, Francis strong-armed the 31 active bishops to offer to resign en masse over their handling of abuse. So far he has accepted five of their resignations.

Unlike the US bishops conference, which has referred only to sins and omissions in their handling of abuse, Francis labelled the misconduct crimes.

The Pope wrote: Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others.

An awareness of sin helps us to acknowledge the errors, the crimes and the wounds caused in the past and allows us, in the present, to be more open and committed along a journey of renewed conversion.
Students Develop Electric Shock Self-Defense Coat

Puebla, Mexico - Four students in Mexico have developed a jacket they say could protect those wearing it from attacks. Once armed, the sleeves of the coat can emit an electric shock making anyone holding on to them recoil.

The students say they came up with the idea in light of the high number of sex attacks in their city. They say the electric shock is low enough for the coat not to be classed as a weapon but strong enough to startle any potential attacker.

The prototype, called 'Woman Wearable,' was developed by mechatronics engineering students Anaid Parra Quiroz and Esthela Gomez, robotics student Giwan Park and law student Guadalupe Martinez.

The four study at the Puebla campus of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education and came up with the idea as part of a class in entrepreneurship.

"We'd heard from lots of female friends and acquaintances who had suffered some sort of aggression. After doing some research into gender violence we came up with the idea and then took it from there," Anaid Parra Quiroz told news agency Conacyt.

How does it work?





The students bought a cotton track suit jacket and inserted into its lining a 9V battery, a transformer, cables which they wrapped so the wearer of the jacket would not be exposed to any current, an on-off button and an LED light.

Robotics student Giwan Park designed the circuit. He explains that the system is activated by the button with the LED light coming on to show it is ready.

Once the system is armed, if someone touches the electrodes on the coat's sleeves, the circuit is closed and an electric shock is delivered to the person touching the electrodes. The idea is to stun the aggressor, giving the wearer of the jacket time to run away or raise the alarm.

Is it legal?

Law student Guadalupe Martinez joined Woman Wearable to make sure it would not fall foul of the law. "It's a self-defense tool," the student said.

She says that the electric shock administered by the coat is low enough not to pose a threat to life and therefore the jacket does not qualify as a weapon.

What would it cost?

The prototype took the team three months to develop and make. The students say that they would like to further develop it to include sensors and to put the electrodes on more than just the sleeves.

The students say they would sell their jacket at around $50 USD, and that eventually the design could be adapted for other garments such as blouses, skirts and trousers.
US president Donald Trumps personal lawyer has explained that was not trying to make an existential point about the meaning of veracity when he declared truth isnt truth.

Rudy Giulianis puzzling statement on NBCs Meet the Press, following a similar comment by another adviser to Mr Trump last year about alternative facts, suggested that people in Mr Trumps orbit might be denying the existence of reality.

Mr Giuliani said his intent was more mundane: to make the case that having Mr Trump sit down for an interview with special counsel Robert Muellers team on alleged Russian collision would not accomplish much because of the conflicting nature of witnesses recollections.

My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said,she said puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.  Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) August 20, 2018

Mr Giuliani tweeted: My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology, but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said, she said puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.

Mr Giuliani had told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd that Mr Trump might get trapped into perjury if he were interviewed by the special counsels Russia investigation.

The former mayor of New York City said: You tell me that, you know, he should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well, thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth.

When Mr Todd replied: Truth is truth, Mr Giuliani responded: No, it isnt truth. Truth isnt truth.
US president Donald Trump has railed against special counsel Robert Mueller in a second day of angry tweets that drew comparisons to Watergate.

Mr Trump insisted his general counsel, Don McGahn, is not a RAT, and accused Mr Muellers team of looking for trouble in its probe into alleged Russian collusion.

The president tweeted: If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!

Mr Trumps latest rant follows a New York Times report that the White House general counsel, Don McGahn, has been co-operating extensively with the special counsel team investigating Russian election meddling and potential collusion with Mr Trumps Republican campaign.

In a tweet, the president contrasted Mr McGahn with John Dean, the White House counsel for Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal.

Mr Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

Mr Trump wrote on Sunday: The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type RAT'.

He added: But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide 

On Monday he called Mr Mueller disgraced and discredited.

He wrote: Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble.

They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side  the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more!

Mr Dean, ex-president Richard Nixons White House counsel and a frequent critic of Mr Trump, tweeted on Sunday that he doubts the president has ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didnt think I would tell them the truth!

Mr Trumps original legal team had encouraged Mr McGahn and other White House officials to cooperate with Mr Mueller, and Mr McGahn spent hours in interviews.

Mr Trumps personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said in an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press that Mr Trump did not raise executive privilege or attorney-client privilege during those interviews because his team believed  he says now, wrongly  that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

Mr Giuliani said: The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president.

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Mr McGahns attorney William Burck added in a statement: President Trump, through counsel, declined to assert any privilege over Mr McGahns testimony, so Mr McGahn answered the Special Counsel teams questions fulsomely and honestly, as any person interviewed by federal investigators must.

Mr Trump also assailed the Mueller investigation.

So many lives have been ruined over nothing  McCarthyism at its WORST! Mr Trump tweeted, referring to the indiscriminate and damaging allegations made by senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to expose communists.

Mr Trump said later: Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt!

Mr Giuliani, in his interview, also acknowledged that the reason for the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer, arranged by Trumps son Donald Trump Jr, was that they had been promised dirt on Mr Trumps 2016 Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about Clinton, he said, adding that the Trump team did not know that Natalia Veselnitskaya was Russian  even though emails later released by Trump Jr show that she had been described as a Russian government attorney.

Mr Giuliani also tried to make the case that having Mr Trump sit down for an interview with Mr Muellers team would not accomplish much because of the he-said/she-said nature of witnesses recollections.

Its somebodys version of the truth, not the truth, he said, telling NBC: Truth isnt truth.
Red Fawn in Texas lockup

Return of frontier justice?By Talli NaumanNative Sun News TodayHealth & Environment Editor

BISMARCK, North Dakota  The criminal prosecution of Red Fawn Fallis for her role in the mass opposition to Dakota Access Pipeline construction reveals a return to a reign of frontier justice in the heartland -- at least from a legal defense viewpoint.

The basis for her treatment was consistent with the attitudes of hundreds of years of history, said Water Protector Legal Collective member Bruce Ellison.

Ever since before the beginning of August, Red Fawns captors have been keeping her locked up in the Carswell Federal Medical Center at Ft. Worth, Texas. There she is doing time on a 57-month prison sentence as a result of her bargain to plead guilty to federal charges of civil disorder and arms possession.

The pleas stem from an October 27, 2016 officer-involved weaponry discharge during the arrest of 142 pipeline resisters in one of the largest crackdowns of a seven-month joint law enforcement and private security operation to assure construction of the oil delivery system.

Red Fawn Fallis is seen behind a screen before her sentencing at the federal courthouse in Bismarck, North Dakota, on July 11, 2018. "My clothing was made with colors of protection, and the sunflowers represented our mother and her love to be with us in spirit through everything," she said on the website of the Red Fawn Support Committee. Her clothes were made and owned by family members, she said. Photo courtesy Red Fawn Support Committee

The operation targeted the self-proclaimed water protectors supporting the Standing Rock, Cheyenne River and Yankton Sioux tribes lawsuits against the private infrastructure investment, which threatens to pollute the Missouri River upstream from more than 17 million users.

The longest river in the United States, the Missouri runs through the jurisdiction of Lakota Territory, an area covering parts of five states that the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires of the Great Sioux Nation) legally claim under the 1851 Ft. Laramie Treaty and the U.S. Constitution.

The date involved was particularly violent in terms of police force, according to one young Oglala witness who was on the frontline then. Dennis Martinez, who was a peacekeeper, or akicita for water protectors, testified that Red Fawn was doing nothing different than the rest of the water protectors. She was not even on private property.

Martinez testified he was facing toward fellow dissidents as they stood up to a militarized police line. He suddenly was shot with rubber bullets and bean-bag rounds. He also was struck and burned by a pepper canister, Ellison told the Native Sun News Today.

The first of five officers who singled out Red Fawn for arrest testified he received orders to use his baton to push her back, Ellison said of the scuffle that led to three handgun shots firing from a weapon belonging to a paid FBI informant who allegedly planted it on her.

She was picked out that day to deflect attention from the weapons discharges of police and security forces. Just prior to the incident, a helicopter had buzzed a horseback rider off his mount, rubber bullets hurt another riders horse so bad it had to be put down, and water protectors caught a corporate security guard red-handed with a loaded assault rifle in camp.

The camp rules prohibited guns. In addition, Instructions to police, private security, state troopers, and homeland security, including South Dakotas West Dakota team, were to look for people with guns to target them, Ellison noted.

Pictures from October 27 show at least three armed security guards dressed as water protectors , and they were not targeted, so the enforcement team members must have known about this illegal dupe, he surmised.

In addition, he said, Peaceful demonstrators were attacked in any number of ways, including using snipers to confront non-violent resisters, escalation of hardware and violence.

The basis for this treatment of the Native Americans was consistent with the attitudes of hundreds of years of history, he said, recalling one eyewitness testimony of law enforcement threatening the use of rape as a tactic of warfare.

Were gonna close the camp today and well look forward to a bunch of half-breeds being born, the witness paraphrased the cop.

The scene was so appalling that there were over a half-dozen law enforcement officers who had tears in their eyes, Ellison said, and it wasnt from the tear gas.

Contact Talli Nauman at talli.nauman@gmail.com

Copyright permission Native Sun News Today

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No dream is too big or small to achieve if you have confidence in your own skills. On Sunday night, Adil Hussain became the first Indian to win Best Actor at the Norwegian national awards in Haugesund. His victory is a testament to the fact that art indeed transcends all boundaries. It was just three weeks ago that Adil Hussain got to know that he was nominated for a top acting honor in Norway.

Twitter/Adil

He fetched himself a nomination in the Best Actor category for the Amanda Award or the Norwegian National Awards  the Scandinavian countrys top national film honor, instituted in 1985. He was thrilled to receive the nomination. After the nomination, he had said,

Twitter

National award? Norway? But I have nothing to do with Norway He was clueless but thrilled after his nomination.

And just two days ago, on Saturday, he won the award in a ceremony at Haugesund in Norway. Talking to Indian Express, he said, Can you believe it?

What is 'What Will People Say'-

Screengrab

In this 2017 film, Hussain had played the lead role. He played the role of a strict Pakistani father and the film was directed by second-generation Norwegian national, Iram Haq.

Set in Pakistan and Norway, the film revolves around the lives of a Pakistani immigrant family and how the father reacts to his teenage daughters affair with a local boy in Norway.

Twitter

Not many know that the film has already won three awards including Best Film, Director, and Script.

After winning the award, he wrote,

Grateful to have Received the #AmandaAwards /#Norwegia National #Awards for #BestActor in a Leading Role for #WhatWillPeopleSay, Brilliantly Directed by @iramhaq. This award is for #Goalpara #Assam #India for all those who believe that Art Can Break All Boundaries of All Kinds pic.twitter.com/0TJ0B1tfmK  Adil hussain (@_AdilHussain) August 19, 2018

"Grateful to have Received the Amanda Awards Norwegia National Awards for Best Actor in a leading role for, brilliantly directed by Iram Haq. This award is for Goalpara, Assam, India for all those who believe that art can break all boundaries of all kinds."
The whole of India has united to come to the rescue of flood-stricken Kerala. The floods still have 1,000 people trapped In Chengannur. While the government is trying to provide the best possible aid to make things better for Kerala, Indian actors too are making their contribution.

After celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, Dulquer Salmaan, Prabhas, Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi and many others have chipped in monetary help, this list is just getting bigger each day.

The latest ones to join this list is Chiyaan Vikram, who has donated Rs 35 lakhs to the victims fund and Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan.

#ChiyaanVikram donates 35 lakhs to Kerala Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund. A generous gesture. #KeralaFloodRelief pic.twitter.com/wN6fFVQoKs  Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) August 19, 2018

Hrithik has not just extended monetary help for Kerala but he also sent his team to keep a check. A DNA report has quoted a source as saying,

Agencies

"When Hrithik got to know about the disaster, he quietly sent across a few people from his team to get an understanding of all the help the victims and the state required. Though he was shooting for the last schedule of his film Super 30 in Mumbai, he kept in touch with them over the phone to take updates and act accordingly. He will continue to do so till the state recuperates.

Even you can extend help too - Flood-Ravaged Kerala Needs Your Support, This Is How You Can Extend Your Help)
Jawaharlal Nehru University Student, Umar Khalid was attacked outside the Constitution Club of India on August 13 in New Delhi. Some unidentified men allegedly opened fire at the student. As soon as the alleged attack took place, the news spread like wildfire.

A CCTV footage was also captured where a man can be seen holding a gun. However, the particular sequence of events have led to a lot of ambiguity. Khalids account claims that he was standing at a tea stall with some other people when a man came and pointed a pistol at him.

Photo: Renuka Puri/Indian Express.Pistol recovered from the accident site

However, alternative accounts have also suggested that the man carrying a gun was a robber who wasnt present at the spot to intentionally attack Khalid. Joint Commissioner of Police, Ajay Chaudhary had told Indian Express, A preliminary investigation has revealed that it was a loaded gun, but a bullet is stuck. The crime scene is being searched for the bullet cap as Khalid in his statement has said shots were fired.

A friend of Khalid said that the man pounced on Khalid who then resisted. When the assailant saw one of their friends running after him, he tried to flee, fired gunshots in the air before dropping his gun on the ground.

Photo: Renuka Puri/Indian Express. Khalid at a press conference after the alleged attack

Now, two men have been detained by the Delhi police who boasted of having attacked Khalid. Darvesh Shahpur and Naveen Dala from Haryana had released a video on social media claiming to have attacked Khalid. In the video they said that they had carried it out to teach anti-national elements like Khalid a lesson.

The men were caught by the police in wee hours of Sunday. The police is in the process of verifying their claims and are conducting interrogation. Reportedly, the alleged shooters said that the attack was an Independence Day gift to the nation and appealed to the police not to harass others for the attack.

On Friday, at least 30 policemen from Delhi, including a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, were in Ludhiana to nab the duo. But they did not surrender. Last week, the police tried to match the photo of the two men with the one seen in the CCTV footage. They had also recorded the statement of Khalid and other eyewitnesses. Khalid had come to Constitution Club of India on August 13 to attend an event called Khauf se Azadi: Towards Freedom Without Fear, organised by an NGO, United Against Hate.
Starting late July 2018, a massive flood ravaged the state of Kerala due to unusual high rainfall during the monsoon season. Since then, 400 people have been killed in the disaster which is being called a man-made calamity by ecologists.

Indian Navy, Indian Space Research organization, Military, Pilots, IAS officers, common public and the government have left no stone unturned to provide relief material to the victims. E-wallet apps, digital ride hailing firms have also introduced options where public can make donations for the cause.

Photo: Reuters

Here is a list of eight relief operations undertaken by the Indian Navy, Air base and other associations.

1) INS Mysore contributes 70 Tonnes Of Relief Material For the Flood-Victims

Indian Naval Ship Mysore is all ready to provide aid to the flood stricken state. On August 19, the ship carried 70 tonnes of relief material which includes bottled water, ready to eat meals, fresh ration, milk, biscuits and other miscellaneous things like medicines, essential toiletries, phenyl, gash bags, bleaching powder, and candles.

A second ship, INS Mumbai is also being prepared with relief material and would depart for Kochi by the morning of August 20.

Photo: Reuters

2) Puducherry Chief Minister Asks MPs And MLAs To Contribute One Months Salary

On August 19, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy urged the territorys MPs and MLAs to contribute one months salary to the Kerala Flood Relief Fund. The government has already announced an assistance of Rs one crore on its part, reported PTI.

The contributions can be made to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and it would be forwarded to the Kerala Chief Minister's distress relief fund.

3) Air India Pilots Offer To Help Kerala In A Letter To PM Modi

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing its willingness to operate relief flights on a voluntary basis to help the people of Kerala."We are willing to fly the planes without payment on voluntary basis to the cause of these operations. We consider this a unique privilege that we can use to assist in such operations," the letter read.

4) Indian-Origin Tycoons Pledge Rs 12.5 Crore For Kerala Flood Victims

Kerala born businessman Yusuff Ali MA, chairman and managing director of Lulu group has announced to donate Rs 50 million to help his people back in his state, Khaleej Times reported. Read his full contribution Read More.

5) 9-Year-Old Girl Donates Rs 9,000 Saved For Over 4 Years For A Cycle To Kerala Victims

Anupriya from Villupuram in the state has decided to give away about Rs 9000 of her savings, done over the last four years, after coming across TV visuals of the deluge in Kerala.

This has moved a premier cycle manufacturer, who has now promised her to gift the cycle of her dreams. Read More

AFP

6) How IAS Officers & Army Men Are Rescuing Those Stranded In Deadly Kerala Floods

Wing Commander Prashanth slid down a rope to the terrace of the two-storey house which seemed from above like a toy floating on the yellowish murky waters.

TV visuals showed the officer airlifting the two-year-old boy with care, pressing him to his body and bringing him to safety. Commander Vijay Varma, who saved a pregnant woman in labour by winching her up in a helicopter from a stranded building, was later happy to hear that she had successfully delivered a baby boy. Read more

AFP

7) Railways Will Not Charge Transportation Cost To Send Relief Material To Flood-Ravaged Kerala

As donations pour in to help Kerala flood victims, Indian Railways have announced that it will send the relief material to Kerala at zero transportation costs. The railways have issued a set of guidelines allowing all government organisations as well as private bodies to transport relief material to flood-ravaged Kerala for free. Read More.

8) Maharashtra Donates Rs 20 crore To The State

Devendra Fadnavis government announced a financial aid of Rs 20 crore towards the ongoing relief operations in the state, The Hindu reported. State Ministers too are donating their salaries towards the calamity.

Minister and BJP leader Ravindra Chavan said he has donated his one months salary towards the relief operations in Kerala. Even Shiv Senas Lok Sabha members Rahul Shewale and Shrikant Shinde have donated a months pay to the Kerala Chief Ministers disaster relief fund.

Reuters

Hundreds of other NGOs, relief fund and disaster management organizations are working to normalize the situation. Though, the red alert warning has been lifted from the state, hundreds are still stranded and many are even missing. Apart from killing around 400 people, the floods have even displaced 7.14 lakh people from their homes.
Charros - An Important Part of Mexican Culture

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The history of the Charro is an important part of Mexican culture, especially in our state of Jalisco where the tradition of the Charreria is still alive and well today.

The most direct translation of the word "charro" to English would be "cowboy," but Mexican charros are much different than the idea of the American cowboy, with a culture, etiquette, mannerism, clothing style and social status that is quite unique.





The history of the Charro dates back to the Spanish Conquest, when ranch owners would outfit their cowboys with distinctive clothing and saddles to denote status and wealth. During the Mexican War of Independence, they played an important role on both sides of the war, riding in private militias.

Around the 1930s, Charreria became a national event, popularized by the charros of Jalisco and the state of Mexico, and grew to become Mexico's national sport. Charreria is best described as a mix of rodeo skills and dressage, with riders showing traditional competitive roping and ranch skills, but also exquisite costumes, custom tack and horse grooming, and horsemanship skills like "dancing horses, similar to Vienna's famed Lipizzaner stallions.

Charros are a beautiful, revered and special part of Mexican culture and from August 20 to September 2, Guadalajara will host the 25th International Mariachi and Charro Festival. Just a 4-hour drive or less than an hour by air, this is a great little overnight trip from Puerto Vallarta to experience some incredible Mexican tradition.

For more information, and the full schedule of 25th International Mariachi and Charro Festival activities and events, visit mariachi-jalisco.com.

Click HERE for more Puerto Vallarta real estate and lifestyle tips from Tropicasa Realty.
Indigenously developed helicopter launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) 'Helina' was successfully tested by the Indian Army on Sunday in Pokhran.

The weapon system has been tested for its full range. The 'Helina' weapon system, released smoothly from the launch platform, tracked the target through its course and hit the target with high precision, according to a press release of the ministry of defence. All the parameters have been monitored by the telemetry stations, tracking systems and the helicopters.

Twitter

The missile is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. Senior officials from DRDO and Army were present during the mission. An army official told TOI, "This is path-breaking. Today, we were able to hit the target which was 5km away. We are next going to try 7km. This is the first time that it has been done in the country. It's extremely efficient in combat situations."

Wikipedia

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the DRDO and the Army on the successful test and further strengthening the defence capabilities of the country.
As Kerala battles the worst floods in nearly a century, unprecedented rains have brought the state to a standstill. Hundreds of lives have been lost and the economic and infrastructural damage is beyond any calculation as of now. Read more

Here's more top news of the day:





1) Nirav Modi In United Kingdom, Confirm UK Officials; CBI Moves Extradition Request

On August 9, Intelligence agencies reported that diamond merchant, Nirav Modi accused of a Rs 6,500 crores fraud was last seen in Dubai. The agency lost track of him and expected that he might have fled to Egypt from Dubai. Read more

2) Delhi Police Arrest Two Men From Haryana Who Were Boasting To Have Attacked Umar Khalid

Jawaharlal Nehru University Student, Umar Khalid was attacked outside the Constitution Club of India on August 13 in New Delhi. Some unidentified men allegedly opened fire at the student. As soon as the alleged attack took place, the news spread like wildfire. Read more

3) UP Government Directs Jail Inmates To Recite Atal Bihari Vajpayees Poems For Inspiration

Indias tenth Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last on August 16 in AIIMS hospital at 93 years of age. A philosopher, a loved poet and a pragmatic politician, Vajpayee was known to captivate his audience, even opposition parties with his words. Read more

4) Pope Francis Calls For Solidarity And Support From People For Helping Kerala Flood Victims

During Sunday prayers, Pope Francis called for solidarity and seeked help from the international community for people affected by floods in Kerala that has caused large-scale devastation and left thousands homeless. Read more

5) Sexual Abuse Of Boys & Girls Rampant In Almost All Shelter Homes Across Bihar, Says TISS Report

Representational Image





A shelter home in Muzaffarpur in Bihar was caught in the eye of the storm after sexual abuse of girls came to the light. The prime accused in the sex abuse case, Brajesh Thakur, is in police custody. Read more
On August 9, Intelligence agencies reported that diamond merchant, Nirav Modi accused of a Rs 6,500 crores fraud was last seen in Dubai. The agency lost track of him and expected that he might have fled to Egypt from Dubai.

Based on Modis location, an extradition request was sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to United Kingdom as well as Dubai. However, since an extradition request involves a long legal process which can be opted only once the whereabouts of the particular person are confirmed through authentic information.

Now United Kingdom authorities have confirmed that Nirav Modi is in the UK and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved a request for extradition, reported ANI in one of its tweets.

United Kingdom authorities have confirmed that Nirav Modi is in the U.K and CBI has moved an extradition request through proper channels: CBI pic.twitter.com/dZrXkqERhk  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

Reportedly, the officials have submitted the request through proper channels to the Home Ministry which will send it to the UK. The CBI has also requested the UK authorities to detain him.

Diamantaire and his uncle, Mehul Choksi have been charge sheeted for cheating Punjab National Bank through fraudulent issuance of Letter of Undertakings (LoUs) and Foreign Letters Of Credit (FLCs). Billionaire, Vijay Mallya who is also accused of defrauding Indian banks to the tune of Rs 9,000 crores is also on bail in London.
Badhaaye aati hain aayein, Ghire pralay ki ghor ghataayein

Paaon ke neeche angaarein,Sar par barsein yadi jwaalaayein,

Nij haathon mein haste-haste,Aag lagakar jalna hoga,

Kadam milakar chalna hoga.

Indias tenth Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last on August 16 in AIIMS hospital at 93 years of age. A philosopher, a loved poet and a pragmatic politician, Vajpayee was known to captivate his audience, even opposition parties with his words.

His poems struck a chord with all generations, even the vibrant youth. The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to motivate and inspire the masses through his poems. The state government said that the poems written by the former BJP stalwart will be recited by jail inmates in all prisons, across the state.

Photo: PTI/Atal Bihari Vajpayee's ashes being immersed in Ganga river in Haridwar

According to India Today, Uttar Pradesh prison minister, Jai Kumar Jaiki said that Vajpayees poems are a great source of inspiration, especially for prisoners who are living a depressed life. The decision came after UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath decided to immerse Vajpayees ashes in 163 holy rivers in 75 districts of the state.

Jaiki further expressed his interest in constructing a memorial of BJPs first national president in one of the jails. However, according to the jail manual, a memorial can be made only at a place where the person was jailed at least once. Unfortunately, Vajpayee was lodged in a jail in Uttarakhand during a farmers movement against Congress in 1973.

According to records, more than 1 lakh inmates are lodged in 75 jails in Uttar Pradesh. They have all been directed to recite Vajpayees poems for motivation. The saffron party is also planning to construct a souvenir of the leader in his ancestral village of Bateshwar in Agra district as well as in Lucknow, Kanpur and Balrampur.
The devastation caused by floods in Kerala has invoked humanity and people across the world are contributing to the flood relief campaigns initiated by various organisations. Three business tycoons based in UAE have announced to help their home state in distress with a total sum of Rs 125 million.

Kerala born businessman Yusuff Ali MA, chairman and managing director of Lulu group has announced to donate Rs 50 million to help his people back in his state, Khaleej Times reported.

afp

KP Hussain, chairman of Fathima Healthcare Group, has donated Rs 50 million. He said that Rs 10 million out of Rs 50 million will directly go to the Kerala Chief Minister's relief fund, while the rest will be allocated for medical relief aid, the Gulf paper added.

Yousuf Ali

Hussain said that his group has coordinated with the state's health secretary to send volunteers from its medical faculty. This includes doctors and paramedics being sent to relief camps.

"As per our geological studies and today's condition in Kerala, the stagnant water will be drained much later than expected. Hence, there is a high possibility of more deaths in the event of spread of various diseases like fever, dysentery, gastric issues, skin disorders etc," he was quoted by the paper.

"This situation needs to be handled very seriously and emergency treatment has to be provided with immediate effect. As recommended by the public health secretary, we have received the list of medicines which will be supplied to the relief camps."

Other UAE-based businessmen had pledged amounts to help in flood relief operations.

Dr, KP Hussain, drkphussain.com

India-born billionaire BR Shetty, chairman of Unimoni and UAE Exchange, had pledged Rs 20 million.

Azad Moopen, Indian physician and philanthropist, and founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, pledged Rs 5 million. The group also announced that it had mobilised a disaster support team of over 300 volunteers.

Yesterday, the United Arab Emirates prime minister and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum came out in support for deluge-hit Kerala and ordered the formation of an emergency committee to provide relief to the victims hit by devastating rains and floods in the state.

The Indian community in the UAE, numbering 2.6 million, constitutes 30 per cent of the total population. It is the largest expatriate community in the country.
The disaster that has unfolded in a state on India's tropical Malabar Coast in Kerala is one of the most frightful calamities of our times. A couple of years from now, there will be books, articles, pictures and art in form of movies, songs, literature to tell the tales of those we lost, those we saved and those who saved us.

Kerala flooding which has led to the declaration of SOS for the entire state is not just any other natural catastrophe, but something that killed over 400 people. Amid this chaos, people from all over the world are trying to help. While some have made hefty donations, others have stayed back or travelled to Kerala to save lives.

See how difficult it to cross the water stream.

A person is trying to setup cable so that people who are stranded will receive food and other necessities.#KeralaFloods

Source: Ullas Kunjikrishnan, Facebook pic.twitter.com/PnrYAZav3k  Jishnu (@jishnu7) August 18, 2018

Here's a video of a man who jumped in the heavy water stream to set up a cable so that food and help can reach those who are stranded on the other side. Initially shared by Ullas Kunjikrishnan on Facebook, the video is now getting a lot of shares and love for this person who risked his life for others.

1.

These guys needs a special appreciation for their valour and dedication at such a time...  Y GOKUL (@ygsense) August 19, 2018

2.

God bless him  ~Do for Kerala~ Shajin (@shajinummer) August 18, 2018

3.

Remarkable display of courage.  Harisankar Kurup (@HSKurup) August 19, 2018

Kudos to his spirit. There are more than just one way in which people have shown gratitude to those who came forward to help. Just today we reported that a house where Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma recently rescued two women painted a big thank you note for the world to see. In times like this, it is the human spirit that helps us survive.
The grim situation of Kerala is known to everyone. Even after safely rescuing 38,000 people, the death toll has risen to 400+ and thousands are still stuck in chest-deep waters. With no food, electricity and drinking water, many people cannot see a way out of the situation yet.

Read more: Kerala's Political Party Blames Women For Causing Floods After They Entered Sabarimala

#Kerala: A 'Thanks' note painted on the roof of a house in Kochi from where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma had rescued two women on August 17. pic.twitter.com/lwxHkQwzXc  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

Many areas in Kerala continue to receive heavy downpour, hampering rescue work, an amid all of this, here's what happened. A house where Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma recently rescued two women painted a big thank you note for the world to see.

#OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #KeralaFloods2018 A Thank You note painted on the roof of a house where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma rescued two women. Bravo... pic.twitter.com/xsaD1RfeIk  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 20, 2018

The tiny note of gratitude is now doing rounds on social media and has filled everyone's heart with extreme delight. Not that anyone would complain about not getting acknowledged in such a situation, but a thank you note goes a long way in telling the forces, rescue teams and everyone else participating in the drive that they saved a life.

Read more: Kerala Woman Refuses To Leave Flood-Stricken Area Without Her 25 Dogs, Saves Their Lives
Celeste Ayala was on duty at the Sor Maria Ludovica children's hospital in Argentina. It was a normal day for the officer until a child came in, crying desperately.

Celeste, a police officer as well as a mother, figured that the baby was not just suffering from discomfort but was also hungry. She said, "I noticed that he was hungry, as he was putting his hand into his mouth, so I asked to hug him and breastfeed him. It was a sad moment, it broke my soul seeing him like this, society should be sensitive to the issues affecting children, it cannot keep happening."

Marcos Heredia/FB

She could see that the hospital staff was too busy and asked them for permission to hold and breastfeed the crying child.

Marcos Heredia, a fellow police officer, said that the hospital called the baby 'dirty' but that didn't affect Celeste at all who took the baby in her lap. Immediately after being comforted and fed, the baby stopped crying. Marcos took a photo of Celeste breastfeeding the baby and put it online.

Cele Ayala/FB

Marcos said, "I want to make public this great gesture of love you made today for this little baby who you did not know, but for who you did not hesitate to act like a mother. You did not care if he was dirty, which is what the hospital staff called him. Good job mate."

The heartwarming photo already has received a lot of love online with 110K people sharing the post over and over again to send the message of humanity across the world.

It turned out, the baby belonged to a family of six siblings raised by a single mother who was in a tough situation.
We've all been in a situation where our partner was so pissed at something we did and they wouldn't just let it go and even a million texts are not enough to mend things. How far can you really go in order to apologize to your partner? This guy from Pune is giving us all the ideas.

Meet the smartest of the lot, Nilesh Khedekar who decorated Pune with hoardings in order to apologize his girlfriend.

Twitter

With a heart and the message 'Shivde, I am sorry', hoardings - 300 to be precise - were put up all over the place where his girlfriend lives. This may leave you with an 'aww' reaction, but the police were not pleased.

The 25-year-old spent around 72,000 on the hoardings. Well, we hope Shivde forgave him after this.

The other side of the story might disappoint all you hopeless romantic people.

Twitter

The Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation and the Pune police immediately caught hold of Khedekar and registered a case against him regarding the illegal hoardings in the city.

The police visited a number of flex printing firms and fetched the details of Khedkar and his friend Vilas Shinde who apparently helped him execute this elaborate plan.

Twitter is having a blast on the same. Here are some reactions:

I saw these posters.. 

"Boyfriend puts up 300 banners & hoardings on road to apologise to his girlfriend".. 

https://t.co/SRoXszLO8A  Rohan K (@RoflMarathi_) August 19, 2018

Modi + all BJP VIPs are doing the same.

At least isne pyar ke liye Kiya hai





Entire World :- Kiki, Do you love me ?

Pune :- Shivde, i am Sorry <3





Well, guys, we can come up with better plans which won't backfire.
As I discussed in my review of Google Cloud Bigtable in 2016, Googles 2006 Bigtable paper inspired several large-scale distributed open source NoSQL databases, including Apache HBase and Apache Cassandra. I went on to explain that Cassandra was born at Facebook using ideas from Bigtable and the key-value store Amazon Dynamo, and that while Cassandra is a bit more popular than HBase, has a SQL-like query language (CQL), and is easier to get up and running than HBase, it is still complicated and has a significant learning curve.

Google Cloud Bigtable is one good managed alternative to running your own Cassandra clusters. Others include DataStax Enterprise (DSE) and DataStax Managed Cloud.

Why DataStax? Essentially, DataStax is the supported enterprise version of Cassandra, with improved performance and security, vastly improved management, advanced replication, in-memory OLTP, a bulk loader, tiered storage, search, analytics, and a developer studio. Not coincidentally, DataStax employees have contributed roughly 85 percent of the code in the Apache Cassandra project.

Like Bigtable and Cassandra, DataStax is best suited for large databasesterabytes to petabytesand is best used with a denormalized schema that has many columns per row. DataStax and Cassandra users tend to use it for very large-scale applications. For example, eBay uses DataStax Enterprise to store 250 TB of auction data with 6 billion writes and 5 billion reads daily. Apple has (or had) more than 75,000 Cassandra nodes storing more than 10 PB of data.

What is Cassandra?
Applying for Residency in Mexico is Relatively Simple

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Ever considered retiring in Mexico or living here part time? If so, you're not alone. Many tourists who come to Puerto Vallarta fall in love with its tropical climate, white-sand beaches, rich culture, sensational restaurants, and, most of all, its wonderfully friendly people, on their very first visit.

These "snow birds," begin flying south regularly to seek warmth in the winter. While soaking up Mexico's history and traditions, they check Vallarta out from stem to stern so when the question of retirement starts to loom in their lives, PV looks as if it might be more than just a temporary escape from the weather.

The journey to obtain either a temporary or permanent resident card begins at a Mexican embassy or consulate in your home country.

Meeting the immigration requirements is relatively easy. There is paperwork to be done, but getting a residency visa in Mexico is a straightforward process, and while there are lawyers that can help, many expats are able to easily manage the document process on their own.

The first step is to make an appointment at the nearest Mexican Consulate in your country of origin. When the time comes for your appointment, you will need to be prepared with:

 Your valid passport and photocopy of the photo and personal data pages

 Completed visa application form

 A 3.9 cm by 3.1 cm color photograph, taken to standard (no glasses or jewelry)

 Financial records showing income of $1,700 USD or more monthly, i.e., bank statements

 Yearly social security statement with photocopy

 If applicable, original documents proving US property/business ownership and a copy

 Mexican property ownership documents & a photocopy, or a copy of the lease, if renting

 A clear criminal record from the police department in your city

 $36 USD for the processing fee (subject to change)

When the Mexican embassy or consulate approves your application to obtain a temporary or permanent resident card, they will place a visa inside your passport that gives you 180 days to get to Mexico to begin the second part of the process.

The second part of the Mexican residency procedure is completed at the Immigration office in Puerto Vallarta, where you will need to provide:

 A current utility bill proving your address in Mexico

 A second set of photos

 Passport

 The tourist visa issued as you entered the country (FMM)

 Any other letters or documents required based on your application.

It takes INM approximately 5 weeks to process your paperwork, but it important to know that during that time, you are required to stay in the country. If you absolutely need to leave Mexico during that time, you can get permission and an exit permit from INM, which costs approximately $150 USD.

For more information, contact your nearest Mexican Consulate to take the first step towards becoming a legal resident of Mexico, and living the dream in Puerto Vallarta.
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An Australian-owned insurance and financial services broker will be joined by an industry professional with more than 16 years of experience with global and risk-managed clients.

Honan Insurance Group has appointed Travis Wendt as new head of broking and carrier management, to take charge of managing the groups property and casualty placements as well as its cluster and broader insurance supplier relationships. He will be based in Honans Melbourne office.
In his new role, White will manage Chubbs global services team, global client executives, claims client relationship managers, and risk engineers. He will report to Jason Keen, Chubbs regional head of property and casualty for Asia Pacific.

Chubb also appointed Patrick Wong, presently Chubbs head of property and casualty for Hong Kong, to the newly created role of global client executive for North Asia. In this role, Wong will serve as the senior relationship manager and single point of contact for Chubbs large global clients in the region. He will report to White.

We are focused on providing our large, global clients with unrivaled service to meet their evolving risk management needs, Keen said. With Doug and Patrick, both of whom are experienced leaders with strong relationship management skills, our clients and business partners are in excellent hands as we continue to invest in this division to grow with our clients.

The appointments will take effect on Oct. 1.
An Ohio man has avoided prison but will have to pay nearly $95,000 in restitution to an insurance company for a scam in which he submitted phony insurance claims for cell phones.

The accused is Jody Foster, of Ravenna, Ohio. Foster pleaded guilty to mail fraud in the case and was sentenced to three years of probation, starting with four months of home detention, according to a report by The Record-Courier. He will also have to pay a total of $94,825 in restitution to Asurion Insurance Services.
The insurance industry is extremely dynamic, and slowing down is not an option, noted Downey in the release. A smooth handoff of leadership is critical, and I will be fully engaged in executing our strategy and serving AAA members until our board names my successor.

During her career, Downey was also named Humanitarian CEO of the Year by the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and an Elite Women in Insurance by Insurance Business magazine, besides being recognized as one of the Bay Areas Most Influential Women in Business by the San Francisco Business Times and one of the regions Most Admired CEOs.

CSAA, meanwhile, has another C-suite office to fill after already naming a new VP of corporate innovation, a new VP of service, and a new EVP of insurance operations in recent months.
The revolution in the workforce means that there are even more opportunities for women in insurance, which has historically been a male-dominated business, to forge their own way and shatter the glass ceiling. Howard herself served as FEMAs federal insurance administrator and was responsible for managing more than $520 billion of flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program before setting out on her own to found H20 Partners, a firm that consults in flood insurance, disaster protection and recovery, alongside other issues.

When you look at learning opportunities, find gaps that you or your business can serve and then acquire the credentials to bid and be in a competitive situation to compete for those jobs, recommended Howard, adding that she has tried to live by the Tony Gaskins quote, If you dont build your own dreams, someone will hire you to build theirs.

While obstacles to success havent disappeared completely, women are attaining more senior roles at insurance companies, and in turn promote flexible work schedules that align with the next tide of insurance professionals needs.

Women leaders are more often now mentoring young women, and accepting and encouraging flexible work arrangements, explained Howard. I think particularly female CEOs are more amendable and recognize that theres a lot of talent out there. Its a matter of what skills you need and working out the arrangement so that the projects theyre working on can be done and on time, but with some flexibility.

To stand out in this evolving insurance landscape, women should focus on building a recognizable brand and becoming a noticeable force in their companies.

When we talk about branding, its when you develop your own brand of what your values are and what your strengths are. I think that people recognize right away someone whos exaggerating or not listening to them, said Howard, though, by the same token, women shouldnt be afraid to speak up and contribute to the conversation.

Too often, women have this good student attitude that they had in elementary school  be quiet, get your work done, get 100% on your papers, said Howard. Thats good  you have to be accomplished  but you want to keep visibility.

Jo Ann Howard will be contributing to a panel on leadership for women in the industry at Women in Insurance Houston on October 03. For more details and to register, click here.
Launching in January 2019, the Anthem-Walmart program is set to advance both companies mutual goals of reducing healthcare costs. Felicia Norwood, executive vice president and president, government business division, Anthem, said the insurer is pleased to tie-up with Walmart, given its unwavering commitment to saving people money and developing a seamless shopping experience.

Creating a better healthcare future requires us to think differently about how we can develop innovative and meaningful healthcare solutions for consumers, Norwood added. We believe that programs like this can make a tremendous difference for healthcare consumers who often live on a fixed income or are managing chronic medical conditions.

More than 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store and even more people have access to the retail giants online shopping experience. Walmart.coms free two-day shipping offer for orders of $35 or more will be available via the Anthem-Walmart program  something both firms say will help shoppers gain value for money, while giving them a more convenient shopping experience.

Walmart is committed to making healthcare more affordable and accessible, and we are in constant pursuit of new ways to deliver on this commitment, said Sean Slovenski, senior vice president, Health and Wellness, Walmart US. Were thrilled to be working with Anthem to provide its Medicare Advantage members with convenient access to our broad assortment of high-quality over-the counter products  all available at everyday low prices.
In her senior year, it was her professor that introduced her to the actuarial field. Believing she could pull it off, she took the actuarial exam only to fail miserably. Appenzeller, however, never took her eyes off the prize and took the exam again. This time, she prevailed.

Appenzeller was hired by EMC as an entry-level actuary. She climbed the ranks, pursued continuing education, and earned her FCAS and CPCU designations. Today, she serves EMC Insurance Companies as vice president for actuarial pricing & product development and oversees the corporate office actuarial department in Des Moines, Iowa.

In this exclusive Insurance Business interview, she talks about how several disruptors are affecting the insurance space. She also shares her involvement with the Casualty Actuarial Society and American Academy of Actuaries.

Tell us briefly about your company and its role in the insurance industry. What makes it different from other companies in the same space?

EMC Insurance Companies (EMC) is among the top 60 insurance organizations in the country based on net written premiums, with more than 2,500 team members. We provide property and casualty insurance products and services throughout the United States and write reinsurance contracts worldwide.

Every insurance company has insurance. What sets EMC apart is our ability to provide policyholders with the expert technical resources and innovative tools they need to reduce losses and save money. Our companys longevity also makes us unique. Weve been serving our customers for more than 107 years.

We know our policyholders, agency partners, team members and communities are what matter most. Thats why we consistently look for ways to deliver positive experiences and the protection they need to feel secure.

What is the most fulfilling aspect of your work in the insurance space?

Theres not one single aspect but many that are fulfilling about my work at EMC. Every day, I get to lead talented individuals who provide varied services to many different customers, including our 16 branch offices, personal lines operations and EMC Reinsurance. Working with such a variety of functional areas presents continuous opportunities to expand my expertise and skillset.

At the end of the day, I can feel good about contributing to an industry that provides assistance when its needed most. Not everyone can say that their business helps rebuild homes and businesses after a storm, helps deliver medical attention after someone is injured on the job, or helps auto owners get back on their feet following an accident.

What do you think are the most challenging issues facing the insurance industry today?

Challenges in the insurance industry continue to include top issues such as cybersecurity, changing weather patterns, and data management. In addition, disrupters such as driverless vehicles, the Internet of Things, and blockchain are certainly issues facing insurance companies of all sizes. We are challenged to consistently develop and invest in innovative products and services in a fast-paced environment that helps us deliver greater value to both agents and policyholders.

What are your hopes for the insurance industry moving forward?

With the data explosion and insurtech innovations, the environment is changing quickly. And as the presence of data and technology grows in our industry, it is even more important to maintain the human aspect of our business.

At EMC, our focus is on helping people and businesses get the insurance products and services they need, and, if a claim occurs, helping them put their lives and businesses back together. We address the specific needs of individual marketplaces through our partnership with independent agents and the local branch offices we have throughout the country. EMC knows that people and relationships matter most, and my hope is that the industry as a whole remains people centric.

Please tell us about your involvement in the Casualty Actuarial Society and American Academy of Actuaries. How do these help you in your field?

The CAS and the AAA are key organizations for actuaries. Through both, I can keep up on continuing education opportunities and professionalism standards. Plus, the organizations host multiple webinars throughout the year that educate on a variety of topics. I try to take advantage of those as much as possible to keep up with current trends in the actuarial field.

Is there something about yourself that you are working on improving?

Enhancing my leadership skills is consistently on my to-do list. I am fortunate to lead a team of talented individuals with great potential. By continuously improving my leadership abilities, I can help them grow and pursue professional development opportunities as well.

When you have 30 minutes of free time, what do you do to pass that time?

Outside of work, if I happen to have 30 minutes to myself, I enjoy walking my dog, doing some leisure reading, listening to a podcast or cooking.
A Massachusetts dessert company that accused its ice cream supplier of destroying its business by secretly altering the recipe has been awarded $720,000.

The jury verdict came Friday in the legal battle between Massachusetts-based dessert company 600 lb Gorillas Inc. and New Jersey-based ice cream supplier Mister Cookie Face LLC. The jury also awarded Mister Cookie Face $270,000 for products 600 lb Gorillas never paid for.

600 lb Gorillas accused Mister Cookie Face and its parent company of watering down the ice cream for its sandwiches. Mister Cookie Face denies its ice cream was subpar.

600 lb Gorillas attorney Andrew Lorin says his client is thrilled even though the payout is less than the $3.9 million it sought.

Mister Cookie Face lawyer Blake Hannafan also applauds the verdict and says 600 lb Gorillas overreached.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Massachusetts
Days after touring areas of eastern Pennsylvania that were hard-hit by flooding, Governor Tom Wolf has signed a disaster emergency proclamation for the area.

Fridays move allows the state to ask for a federal disaster declaration and seek funding for damages and needed supplies for clean-up.

On Thursday, Wolf heard stories of heroism around suburban Philadelphia, from civilian and municipal workers who rescued a police officer to people who joined officers and formed a chain to rescue a grandmother from the floodwaters.

The governor praised citizens and first responders for stepping up to help each other.

The rains triggered flash flooding in parts of central and eastern Pennsylvania last week, closing down a heavily traveled interstate and sending water into homes in the mountainous coal regions.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood Pennsylvania
Chubb announced the establishment of a Major Accounts Division in the Asia Pacific region, a dedicated premium service that encompasses underwriting, risk engineering and claims for the regions large, global and multi-national clients and business partners.

The new Major Accounts Division will be headed by Doug White, currently country president of Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau. As the head of the Major Accounts Division for Asia Pacific, White will be responsible for delivering tailor-made, holistic solutions and services to clients and business partners through management of the Chubb Global Services team, Global Client Executives, Claims Client Relationship Managers and Risk Engineers.

In his new role, White will report to Jason Keen, Chubbs Regional Head of Property & Casualty, Asia Pacific. His appointment is effective on Oct. 1, 2018.

White has been in the insurance industry for more than 25 years. He joined Chubb in 2014 as country president for Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau, a post he has held for four years. Prior to joining Chubb, he was a managing director at Jardine Lloyd Thompson (November 2010-March 2014), according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, he was CEO, Asia Pacific, for HSBC Insurance Brokers (January 2006-April 2010) where he also had the role of chief operating officer and managing director, Hong Kong (January 2003-December 2005), his LinkedIn profile said.

In a separate appointment, Patrick Wong has been appointed to the newly created position of Global Client Executive, North Asia, effective Oct. 1. Reporting to White in his new role, Wong will serve as the senior relationship manager and single point of contact for Chubbs large global clients in North Asia.

Wong is presently Chubbs Head of Property & Casualty for Hong Kong. He is a well-known figure in the local insurance industry with a long and accomplished career. He joined Chubbs predecessor company in 1991 and since then, has been an integral member of the Property & Casualty team, eventually taking on its leadership in 2005.

Source: Chubb

Topics Property Casualty Chubb
With Brexit talks back from the summer holidays, its worth considering one way in which failure to reach a deal before the U.K.s departure in March would also be bad for the European Union.

Such an outcome would unsettle the City of London, the motor of the British economy. But the danger for the EU is that Britain responds by emulating the U.S. in cutting taxes and deregulating. A low-regulation nirvana would go against the EUs desire for a level playing field after Brexit, while also threatening financial stability in the other 27 member states  just as the bloc is being sucked into a trade war with Donald Trump.

The harder Brussels makes it for London firms to do business with EU firms under EU rules, the more likely it becomes that London remains the EUs financial center and the place where EU firms have to go to raise capital and manage risk, whilst remaining entirely outside the EUs regulatory ambit, said Simon Gleeson, a regulatory partner at Clifford Chance LLP in London.

Absent a deal, Brexit means Britain will become a third country, with its insurers, banks and fund managers on a par with their peers from the U.S., or Japan, or indeed Kazakhstan.

Thats a problem given how closely intertwined the U.K.s financial services industry is to the EU, even though British regulators have said theyre more likely to strengthen, not weaken, rules after Brexit.

Revenue generated by the U.K.s financial services is about 200 billion pounds ($255 billion) a year, of which about half comes from domestic clients. The rest is split between EU-related business and international, non-EU business.

That explains why Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is likely to argue to the EU that a closer relationship on financial services is in everyones interests  even if British banks have to forgo so-called passporting rights that allow them to sell products and services throughout the EU single market.

Equivalence

The U.K. is proposing some form of enhanced equivalence, an expanded version of a system that exists between the EU and some non-members.

An equivalent country is one whose rules the European Commission deems at least as tough as its own, allowing its firms to use provisions in some EU laws to do business in the bloc. The U.S., for example, has equivalence under the EUs financial infrastructure regulations.

What is equivalence exactly, and what does that mean for banks?

But the system is under review, with critics pointing out that the European Commission can remove recognition at 30 days notice. The U.K., among other things, wants to ensure that equivalence is assessed transparently and could only be withdrawn at the end of an agreed process.

Its a significant dilemma for the EU, which wants to avoid a financial hub just off its shores that is outside of its direct jurisdiction and control.

That means theres scope for a deal.

The EU is already talking about how it needs to amend equivalence rules, said Brian Polk, a director at PwC in London. It is hard to understand why they would not engage with the U.K.s suggestions. It feels like there is plenty of room to cut a deal.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Legislation Europe London Uk Brexit
ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co. Ltd., the first internet-only insurer in China, announced its subsidiary ZhongAn International will receive a strategic investment from SoftBank Vision Fund, which will support the growth of ZhongAns technology solutions businesses outside China.

The amount of the investment was not disclosed.

The partnership will help ZhongAn expand and further commercialize its insurtech, fintech and other technology solutions businesses in overseas markets with an initial focus on Asia, ZhongAn said in a statement.

As part of this agreement, ZhongAn International will establish a new operating entity to partner with SoftBank Vision Fund, which will participate as a strategic investor. This investment is subject to certain closing conditions including regulatory approvals.

ZhongAn International was founded in December 2017 to explore international business development, collaboration and investment opportunities in fintech and insurtech.

We are excited to collaborate with ZhongAn to build their capabilities in new and dynamic markets, said Kentaro Matsui, managing director for SoftBank Investment Advisers. I am confident that utilizing ZhongAns existing technology and know-how alongside SoftBanks international networks will ensure it is well positioned to capitalize on the tremendous growth potential in both fintech and insurtech across Asia.

We are pleased to announce this partnership which will allow us to explore new and innovative ways to serve more companies and customers outside of China, commented Jeffrey Chen, chief executive officer of ZhongAn Online. SoftBank is an important business partner, and we believe this collaboration will significantly boost our technology solutions businesses.

Wayne Xu, vice general manager of ZhongAn Online, in charge of International Business, said, Since inception, ZhongAn International has focused on building technology capacity and fostering platform cooperation to support overseas business development. Going forward, we hope the Asian markets will act as a bridgehead in expanding our business globally and SoftBank is the ideal partner.

About ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance

ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co. Ltd., which started operations in October 2013, primarily offers products and solutions in five major ecosystems: lifestyle consumption, consumer finance, health, auto and travel. ZA Online was the largest insurer in China as measured by the number of insurance policies sold and policyholders and the insured served since its inception in October 2013 to Dec. 31, 2016, the company said.

Source: ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co. Ltd.

Topics Carriers InsurTech Tech Property Casualty China
Enrollment in courses eligible for the Kansas Insurance Certificate Program at several Kansas higher learning institutions is rising, according to the state insurance department.

The department says around 500 students have enrolled in the certificate program for the 2018 fall semester.

The certificate program gives students at the participating schools the opportunity to gain understanding in core insurance concepts while showing prospective employers a work-ready knowledge obtained by prospective employees, according to Kansas Commissioner of Insurance Ken Selzer.

The participating schools in the third-year certificate program are Fort Hays State University, Emporia State University, Pittsburg State University and Washburn University.

The 12 credit-hour certificate program is designed to advance career opportunities for the students in the financial services industry, including the insurance field. Students have the opportunity to enroll in classes offered through the participating institutions. Once the courses are successfully completed, the student will receive the certificate, which can become part of the students resume packet when seeking employment following graduation.

The certificate program allows students to take focus-area courses online or through traditional classroom instruction, said Commissioner Selzer. Students can take the courses they are most interested in, even if the courses originate at another school associated with the program. And, for many of the courses, students are eligible for scholarship money.

The certificate program is a collaboration between the insurance department and the Kansas Insurance Education Foundation, with monetary support from private businesses.

Source: Kansas Insurance Department

Topics Education Universities Kansas
A federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Trump administration to immediately implement an Obama-era chemical safety rule introduced in response to a 2013 explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas that killed 15 people.

The D.C. Circuit Court ruling was the latest to counter efforts under President Donald Trump, a Republican, to delay environmental regulations introduced by former President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

The court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to implement the Chemical Disaster Rule, saying the agency did not have authority to delay the rule for 20 months.

The EPA cannot delay the rule by invoking general rulemaking authority under a different statutory provision, of federal clean air law, the court said in the ruling. EPAs action was arbitrary and capricious in any event, the ruling by two judges on the court said.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court, was a member of the panel but did not partake in the ruling.

In February, a federal court ruled that the EPA could not delay a regulation limiting methane emissions from oil and gas installations and this week a federal judge reinstated the Waters of the United States rule, which the Trump administration had delayed.

A week before Trump took office, the EPA issued the chemical safety rule, which required industries to take steps to prevent disasters. Those included more analysis of safety technology, third-party audits, incident investigation analyzes and stricter emergency preparedness.

Former EPA head Scott Pruitt, who resigned last month under ethics allegations, had argued the rule posed unnecessary burdens. He introduced a proposal to rescind the rule, saying it would save Americans $88 million a year and better address potential security risks.

Supporters of delaying the rule had argued that because the 2013 explosion at the West Fertilizer Company was caused by arson that stricter measures would not have done much to prevent that kind of disaster, and postponing it would not harm safety. But the court said emergency-response measures and information sharing measures in the rule were pertinent.

Given that twelve of the fifteen fatalities in the West, Texas disaster were local volunteer firefighters and other first responders, this would be a fairly weak explanation for delaying provisions that EPA previously determined would help keep first responders safe and informed about emergency-response planning, the court said.

An EPA spokesman said the agency was reviewing the ruling.

The Union of Concerned Scientists, an advocacy group that was part of a coalition that brought the case, cheered the decision. This is a victory first and foremost for the neighborhoods most susceptible to dangerous and toxic chemical releases, said Andrew Rosenberg, director of the Center for Science and Democracy at UCS.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner Editing by Tom Brown)

Topics Texas Legislation Pollution Politics Chemicals
The epidemic of physician burnout may be the source of even more medical errors than unsafe medical workplace conditions, a new study led by Stanford researchers has found.

Physician burnout is at least equally responsible for medical errors as unsafe medical workplace conditions, if not more so, according to a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

If we are trying to maximize the safety and quality of medical care, we must address the factors in the work environment that lead to burnout among our health care providers, said Tait Shanafelt, MD, director of the Stanford WellMD Center and associate dean of the School of Medicine. Many system-level changes have been implemented to improve safety for patients in our medical workplaces. What we find in this study is that physician burnout levels appear to be equally, if not more, important than the work unit safety score to the risk of medical errors occurring.

The study was published online July 9 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Shanafelt, who is also a professor of hematology and the Jeanie and Stew Ritchie Professor, is the senior author. Daniel Tawfik, MD, an instructor in pediatric critical care medicine at Stanford, is the lead author.

National Epidemic

Medical errors are common in the United States. Previous studies estimate these errors are responsible for 100,000 to 200,000 deaths each year. Limited research, though, has focused on how physician burnout contributes to these errors, according to the new study.

The researchers sent surveys to physicians in active practice across the United States. Of the 6,695 who responded, 3,574  55 percent  reported symptoms of burnout. Ten percent also reported that they had made at least one major medical error during the prior three months, a figure consistent with previous published research, the study said. The physicians were also asked to rank safety levels in the hospitals or clinics where they worked using a standardized questionnaire to assess work unit safety.

We found that physicians with burnout had more than twice the odds of self-reported medical error, after adjusting for specialty, work hours, fatigue and work unit safety rating, Tawfik said. We also found that low safety grades in work units were associated with three to four times the odds of medical error.

Shanafelt said, This indicates both the burnout level as well as work unit safety characteristics are independently related to the risk of errors.

Physician burnout has become a national epidemic, with multiple studies indicating that about half of all doctors experience symptoms of exhaustion, cynicism and feelings of reduced effectiveness, according to the authors. The new study notes that physician burnout also influences quality of care, patient safety, turnover rates and patient satisfaction.

Today, most organizations invest substantial resources and have a system-level approach to improve safety on every work unit. Very few devote equal attention to address the system-level factors that drive burnout in the physicians and nurses working in that unit, Shanafelt said. We need a holistic and systems-based approach to address the epidemic of burnout among health care providers if we are truly going to create the high-quality health care system we aspire to.

The study also showed that rates of medical errors actually tripled in medical work units, even those ranked as extremely safe, if physicians working on that unit had high levels of burnout. This indicates that burnout may be an even a bigger cause of medical error than a poor safety environment, Tawfik said.

Up until just recently, the prevailing thought was that if medical errors are occurring, you need to fix the workplace safety with things like checklists and better teamwork, Tawfik said. This study shows that that is probably insufficient. We need a two-pronged approach to reduce medical errors that also addresses physician burnout.

Impact on Physicians

In addition to their effect on patients, both errors and burnout can also have serious personal consequences for physicians. We also know from our previous work that both burnout and medical errors independently double the risk of suicidal thoughts among physicians, Shanafelt said. This contributes to the higher risk of death by suicide among physicians relative to other professionals.

Jochen Profit, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford, and researchers at the Mayo Clinic also contributed to the study.

The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Jackson Vaughan Critical Care Research Fund, the Mayo Clinic Program on Physician Well-Being and the American Medical Association and the Mayo Clinic Program on Physician Well-Being.

Stanfords Department of Medicine also supported the work.

Topics Medical Professional Liability
A Texas jury awarded damages of $242 million to a Dallas family after finding that defects in the familys Lexus sedan caused injuries to their two children during a rear-end collision, the law firm representing the plaintiffs said on Friday.

The verdict by the jury in Dallas County District Court includes more than $143.6 million in punitive damages after jurors agreed that the actions of Lexus-maker Toyota Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Sales amounted to gross negligence, the Law Offices of Frank L. Branson said in a statement.

The collision involving the familys 2002 Lexus ES 300 sedan occurred in September 2016. The 3-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter of Benjamin and Kristi Reavis were in the cars back seat, in child safety seats, the statement said.

According to trial testimony, the rear impact caused the front seats to fail and collapse back into the childrens seats and the two children suffered traumatic brain injuries that will require lifelong care.

The jury found that the sedans front seats were unreasonably dangerous and the defendants failed to warn about those dangers, the statement said.

The automaker made a conscious decision to protect front-seat occupants from crash injuries like whiplash at the expense of rear-seat passengers, attorney Frank Branson said in the statement.

Toyota said it would consider its options going forward.

While we respect the jurys decision, we remain confident that the injuries sustained were the result of factors specific to this very severe collision, not a defect in the design or manufacturing of the 2002 Lexus ES300, a Toyota spokesman said in an emailed statement.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru Editing by Leslie Adler)

Insurance Journal Editors Note:

In response to reader inquiries, here is more information of the jury award. The $242 million award included:

$92M in compensatory damages for the two children for past and future medical care, loss of earning capacity, physical impairment, pain & anguish.

$6 million for parents Ben and Kristi Reavis for past and future mental anguish.

The apportionment of the above damages was:

Toyota Motor Corp. 90 percent

Toyota Motor Sales 5 percent

Honda Pilot driver who caused the rear-end collision 5 percent

The $143,600,400 in punitive damages for gross negligence was apportioned as follows:

Toyota Motor Corp.: $129,600,000

Toyota Motor Sales: $14,000,400

Topics Texas
So-called tort reform has been an easy sell in states controlled by Republicans, and backers of a lawsuit-limiting proposal on the ballot in Arkansas this fall expected little trouble winning passage until they ran into a surprising obstacle from a reliable conservative ally.

A Christian group has begun rallying churches and abortion opponents against the measure, saying that limiting damage awards in lawsuits sets an arbitrary value on human life, contrary to anti-abortion beliefs, and conflicts with biblical principles of justice and helping the poor.

Proponents of the measure are stunned by the opposition and worried that it could stir dissension among conservatives who must work together on numerous issues.

The biggest problem is not the damage to the tort reform proposal, said Republican Rep. Bob Ballinger, a sponsor of that measure. The biggest hurdle is the damage to the pro-life cause.

The religious argument also could offer tort reform opponents in other states a new weapon for fighting limits. The legal restrictions have been making headway in recent years as the GOP has won control of roughly two-thirds of state legislatures.

Arkansas measure is an effort by an array of pro-business groups, including the state Chamber of Commerce, to reinstate legal caps that have been chipped away over the years by court rulings.

The amendment would cap damages for noneconomic losses, such as pain and psychological distress, to $500,000 and punitive damages to $500,000 or three times the amount of compensatory damages awarded, whichever is higher. It also would cap attorneys contingency fees at one third of the net amount recovered.

The proposal doesnt cap economic damages, which go toward verifiable losses such as medical expenses as well as past and future wages. But the conservative Family Council Action Committee argues that putting a cap on other damages devalues the lives of those with no income, such as the elderly and stay-at-home parents, who would receive little compensation for pain and suffering.

The Family Council, which championed Arkansas ban on gay marriages, is organizing meetings with church leaders to call for the measures rejection.

The Bible is full of references to justice, and (the proposal) creates an environment where the powerful can tip the scales of justice against everybody else, but especially the poor, Jerry Cox, the Family Councils head, said at a recent breakfast meeting with pastors.

Pastors were handed informational booklets emblazoned with the words Dont Put A Price Tag On Human Life. Flyers left on each table offered attendees inserts for their church bulletins.

Rose Mimms, the head of Arkansas Right to Life, also spoke out against the measure, writing in a column on the conservative website townhall.com that it erodes our own pro-life efforts in the state. The organization has not taken an official position on the measure.

Industry groups backing the tort reform amendment questioned whether the Family Councils actions were motivated by $150,000 in donations the group received from a Little Rock law firm. Trial lawyers are the leading opponents of the tort reform movement.

They have sold their brand to trial lawyers to be able to promote this issue, said Carl Vogelpohl, the campaign manager for Arkansans for Jobs and Justice, which is backing the tort reform proposal. Cox said the donation wasnt a factor and that his group announced its position before receiving the money.

Using church meetings to rally opposition especially angered the measures supporters.

When you go to church and you hear somebody speak up against something, generally, youre thinking, `Well, Im getting a 100 percent clear picture, said Republican Rep. Marcus Richmond, the House majority leader.

The nearly hourlong presentation to pastors by Cox and two other officials from his group alternated between a seminar and sermon, as they described the types of claims that could be constrained by the measure.

Can I get an `amen? Cox asked at one point.

Amen, the audience repeated back in approval.

Stephen Harrison, a pastor who attended the breakfast, said later he wanted to research the proposal before taking a stance.

However, Harrison, who pastors the nondenominational Family Church in Pine Bluff, said, I dont want to vote for something that will devalue human life or put a price tag on what a life is worth.

Vogelpohl said an equally compelling argument could be made to anti-abortion groups and other Christian conservatives that limiting damages could improve medical care in the state and help attract more doctors.

The spending on the effort to rally churches pales in comparison to the more than $3 million both sides of the issue have raised. The measure still faces a lawsuit from a former judge who argues it should be disqualified from the ballot.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The parents of a Louisiana State University freshman who died of alcohol intoxication last year after an alleged fraternity hazing filed a federal lawsuit against the university board, the fraternity and several of the fraternitys members.

Stephen and Rae Ann Gruvers lawsuit on behalf of their son, Maxwell Gruver, of Roswell, Georgia, was filed in U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge. Defendants include Phi Delta Theta fraternity and four students already facing criminal charges in the 18-year-old Gruvers death last September.

The lawsuit, which seeks $25 million, alleges that LSU responds with deliberate indifference to allegations of hazing at fraternities. It also says Phi Delta has a long history of dangerous misconduct at universities across the country.

Thursdays suit recounts details of events leading up to Gruvers death, many of which have also been made public in a police report. It said Gruver was singled out during a hazing ritual on the night of Sept. 13  likely targeted for arriving late to other activities or for complaining about an earlier hazing incident. The suit says he was made to drink more than other pledges. It says he took at least 10 to 12 pulls from a bottle of 190-proof liquor.

By 11:30 p.m., Max was incapacitated and in visible need of emergency medical or other responsible care. Yet, fraternity members left Max, unconscious, on a couch, the lawsuit says. Gruver was still unconscious the next morning but, rather than seek emergency assistance, the suit says, pledges were told to take Gruver to the hospital and to lie and tell hospital staff they had found Max in his dorm room.

Gruver died at the hospital on Sept. 14. The coroner in Baton Rouge said he died of acute alcohol intoxication and from inhaling vomit and other fluids into his lungs. His blood-alcohol level was 0.495 percent, the coroner said. The legal blood-alcohol limit for driving in Louisiana is 0.08 percent.

Gruvers death led the Louisiana Legislature this year to toughen anti-hazing laws. His parents testified at a legislative committee. LSU announced in March that it rescinded the fraternitys registration at the college, barring it from sponsoring events or soliciting new members until the end of 2032. Shortly after Gruvers death, Phi Delta Theta said it was suspending operations at LSU.

Four people, all defendants in the suit, have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in connection with Gruvers death. Other fraternity members, including 10 identified only as John Doe, also are defendants.

LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard said in an email that the university had not yet been served with the lawsuit and declined immediate comment. LSU President F. King Alexander said last year the university is taking necessary steps to change the culture on campus related to hazing.

Phi Delta Theta official Sean Wagner declined comment on specifics of the lawsuit but noted a statement on the fraternitys website saying a thorough review of the fraternitys health and safety polices was initiated immediately after the incident and has led to new policies and programs.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Louisiana Education Universities
It has become increasingly popular in Christian circles to apply politically correct sentiments to language for God. Some have even changed the trinity language of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with feminine formulations, such as Mother, Child, and Womb.

This raises an important question: does God have a gender? Does the Bible say whether God is male or female? Can we know for certain from the Word of God? Can we tell from the style of the literature or the original authors or have translations over the years changed it?

Here is what the Bible has to say about Gods identity.

Gender is Biological

Gender is biological and God doesnt have biology. God is spirit (John 4:24). He doesnt have a bodyHe doesnt have chromosomes, genitals or any of the physical markers of gender. Physical attributes like that can be found in the demigods of paganism, but are far from the images of God that are found in Scripture.

In addition, the Bible tells us God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27). As God created both male and female in His image, He does not participate in one or the other gender, but rather transcends gender. It is not something that is biologically a part of Him.

The Bible Refers to God in Masculine Terms

God is never described with biological features in scripture, but He does consistently describe Himself with masculine pronouns, which can be confusing for many. Why the Bible refers to God in masculine terms really only has one answer, and thats because its how God chose to reveal Himself to us.

While God contains all the qualities of both male and female genders, He has chosen to present Himself with an emphasis on masculine qualities of fatherhood, protection, direction, strength, etc. Metaphors used to describe Him in the Bible include: King, Father, Judge, Husband, Master, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

However, what most dont realize is that the Bible also employs feminine images for God, such as mother (Isaiah 49:1415; 66:13) and midwife (Isaiah 66:9). Likewise, His judgment of Israel is likened to that of a mother bear robbed of her cubs (Hosea 13:8). Whether masculine or feminine, this choice of language is to show a personification of God that reveals Him to us in ways we can understand.

There are those who would like to blur this emphasis in some of the newer Bible translations, but it is very dangerous to tamper with the way God has chosen to reveal Himself. He most certainly does not intend to minimize women, since men and women are revealed as being made in His image and are of equal value to Him.

One famous Christian scholar, C. S. Lewis, has suggested that gender is far deeper than our human distinctions reveal. He suggests that God is so masculine that we all are feminine in relation to Him. If this is true, it might explain why the church is referred to as the bride of Christ, though it is composed of both men and women.

God Uses the Bibles Language to Teach Us

God is not a man or like men.

But we are made in His image, and there is one man who finally teaches us what it is to be human, and male, and female, and children of God. Other aspects of human nature are prepared such that they help us understand Gods relationship to us. Gender falls into this category.

The coming of Christ illuminates and transforms our understanding of both these gender categories. In Jesus relationship to God, we finally see what Father and Son and love (and many other things) really mean. In Jesus relationship to His people we find out man and woman and marriage are all about, because we become married to Him in our hearts.

God chose to be revealed in this form in order for man to more easily grasp who He is. While God makes allowances in order to help us understand Him, it is important to not try to force God into a box, so to speak, by placing limitations on Him that are not appropriate to His nature.
Cabrillo Coastal General Insurance Agency, headquartered in Gainesville, Fla., is now offering a flood endorsement for new or existing homeowners policies for their admitted programs in Florida.

Cabrillos flood product was built from a different rating structure than the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and is designed to make flood insurance more available and affordable to customers.

According to the agency, the new flood endorsement is broader than the NFIPs coverage and comes with additional features and fewer restrictions common in most private flood insurance offerings.

Key benefits include dwelling coverage up to the full value of policy limits, losses using only a single deductible, no wait period, and binding in Coastal Barrier Resource areas. The coverage is available through Cabrillo Coastals Florida-based carriers  Safe Harbor Insurance Co. and US Coastal P&C Insurance Co.  and losses are reinsured by Swiss Re, which also helped design the product.

Minimum premiums start at $100 with limits available up to the underlying limits of the policy. The company said coverage will eventually be expanded into a few other states where Cabrillo Coastal does business, including South Carolina and New Jersey.

Cabrillo Coastal has been selling property insurance since 2006, including homeowners, mobile home, condominium, dwelling fire, and mobile home dwelling products.

Topics Florida Flood New Markets Homeowners
California utilities wont get a break from lawmakers who were weighing changes to state liability laws that expose the companies to billions in potential damages from last years wildfires.

Lawmakers dont have enough time to study and pass a bill shielding the utilities from financial liabilities from the fires before the states legislative session ends Aug. 31, said Paul Payne, a spokesman for state Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa.

PG&E Corp., the states biggest utility owner, has been lobbying lawmakers to change a rule known as inverse condemnation, which says property owners can collect compensation from utilities linked to fires even if the companies werent negligent. Governor Jerry Brown has been sympathetic, proposing a bill that would require the courts to consider whether a utility acted reasonably when deciding whether to impose damages. PG&E could face as much as $17 billion in liabilities for the 2017 fires, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Lawmakers this week shifted their focus from utility liability to wildfire prevention, according to a statement from Dodds office. The Associated Press earlier reported that lawmakers had abandoned the proposal.

Dodd was co-chair of a legislative committee that was weighing Browns proposal as part of an effort to produce legislation addressing the growing threat of wildfires, which officials say are getting worse due to climate change.

To address the financial threat to PG&E, the committee was considering letting the utility issue bonds backed by customer bills to cover damages from wildfires last year that destroyed thousands of homes in Northern California wine country. Such a proposal was expected to be received positively by investors, according to Julien Dumoulin-Smith, an analyst for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics California Legislation Wildfire
Republican Rep. Matt Manweller is suing Central Washington University and the investigator it hired to look into allegations of inappropriate conduct.

Manweller, a political professor at the college since 2003, was fired from the school last week, and immediately filed a wrongful termination lawsuit naming both CWU and Trish Murphy of Northwest Workplace Law as defendants.

He is seeking more than $2 million in damages. CWU officials said Friday they could not comment on pending litigation. Murphy did not respond to an email seeking comment.

University officials have said the investigative report written by Murphy wont be made available publicly until later this month. Before his firing, Manweller had been on paid leave from the school since December. That same month he was removed by House Republican leadership from his ranking member position on a House committee, and resigned his position as assistant floor leader. Manweller has denied wrongdoing and issued a video earlier this month accusing the university of manufacturing allegations. He says the investigation was politically motivated.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Legislation Washington Education Universities
What Is Optimum Currency Area (OCA) Theory?

Optimum currency area theory (OCA) states that specific areas not bounded by national borders would benefit from a common currency. In other words, geographic regions may be better off using the same currency instead of each country within that geographic region using its own currency.

Key Takeaways Optimum currency area (OCA) theory states that regions that are not bounded by national borders and share certain traits should share a common currency.

OCA theory was developed in 1961 by Canadian economist Robert Mundell based on earlier work by Abba Lerner.

OCA theory posits that implementing currencies by geographic and geopolitical region, instead of by country, leads to greater economic efficiency.

An OCA must meet four criteria to qualify, and some economists suggest a fifth.

Understanding Optimum Currency Area (OCA) Theory

Sharing a currency can benefit a geographic region by significantly increasing trade. However, this trade must outweigh the costs of each country giving up a national currency as an instrument to adjust monetary policy. Areas using OCA theory can still maintain a flexible exchange rate system with the rest of the world.

OCA theory was developed in 1961 by Canadian economist Robert Mundell based on earlier work by Abba Lerner. It speculates that there is an optimum geopolitical area that should share a currency, but this geopolitical area doesnt necessarily correspond with national borders. An optimum currency area could be several nations, parts of several nations, or regions inside a single nation.

According to the theory, a common currency can maximize economic efficiency, provided that the participants meet the following four criteria:

A large, available, and integrated labor market that allows workers to move freely throughout the area and smooth out unemployment in any single zone. The flexibility of pricing and wages, along with the mobility of capital, to eliminate regional trade imbalances. A centralized budget or control to redistribute wealth to parts of the area which suffer due to labor and capital mobility. This is a politically difficult one, as wealthy parts of the region may not wish to distribute their surpluses to those that are lacking. The participating regions have similar business cycles and timing for economic data to avoid a shock in any one area.

Princeton professor and international economist Peter Kenen suggested the adding of a fifth criterion of production diversification within the geopolitical area.

Special Considerations

Some economists argue that the United States should be divided into several smaller currency areas, as the country as a whole does not fit the criteria listed in Mundells original OCA theory. Economists have calculated that the Southeast and Southwest regions of the United States do not necessarily fit with the rest of the country as an OCA.

Optimum Currency Area Theory Example

Many point to the euro as proof of OCA theory in action. However, some argue that the area did not meet the four criteria as laid out by Mundells theory at the time of the euro's creation in 1999. This lack of meeting the requirements, they say, is the reason the eurozone has struggled since its inception.

Indeed, the OCA theory was put to the test in 2010 as sovereign debt issues faced by many heavily indebted nations in Europe threatened the viability of the European Union (EU), placing severe strains upon the euro.

According to Global Financial Integrity, a non-profit located in Washington, D.C., peripheral EU countries such as Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain (PIIGS) experienced slowing growth, lacked international competitiveness, and possessed a labor force that was unproductive.

As these economies slowed, private capital fled, some to stronger eurozone economies, and some to other countries. Also, due to language, culture, and distance difficulties, the labor force in the eurozone is not fluid or mobile. Wages are not uniform across the geopolitical area, either.
By Aodhan O'Faolain

The High Court has confirmed the appointment of an examiner to the Bradley Pharmacy Group, which has debts of approximately 24m.

Mr Ken Tyrell of PWC was confirmed as examiner to the various companies in the group, which employs 139 people and operates several pharmacies in counties Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Dublin, Wicklow and Kerry, by Mr Justice Denis McDonald on Monday.

The Judge said there were no objections by any creditors to Mr Tyrell's confirmation, who now has 100 days to come up with an arrangement to ensure the group's survival, and that there had been several expressions of interest in the group by potential investors.

However, the Judge said there was a failure to disclose relevant matters and a lack of candour shown by Mr Brian Pagni, who is a director of the companies within the group, to the court when the group applied for Mr Tyrell's appointment as the examiner.

Lawyers for Bank of Ireland, the group's former supplier United Drug, Revenue and a landlord of one of the group's pharmacies had expressed their serious concerns about how the group had been run particularly in the period before it sought the protection of the court.

In particular, the Judge said there was a failure to disclose the full amount of money paid out of the group to Mr Pagni as repayments on a loan he had advanced to the business.

The Judge said group management accounts furnished to Bank Of Ireland, the group's biggest creditor, in July stated there had been 2.9m outstanding on the director's loan.

However, an independent Expert's report furnished to the court as part of the application to have an examiner appointed recorded the amount outstanding on the director's loans as being 2m.

The Judge said these monies had been paid to Mr Pagni at a time when the businesses within the group were experiencing difficulties.

The Judge also said there had been a failure to disclose all matters to the court concerning United Drug and the landlord of one of the pharmacies in the group Leonard & Woods Development Limited.

The Judge said he was not satisfied with Mr Pagni's explanations of what was alleged and said there is a duty on persons to fully disclose all relevant matters when seeking orders including the protection of the courts from their creditors.

However, given the expressions of interest and the number of jobs involved the Judge said he was prepared to allow the examinership proceed.

The Judge said the examiner, when putting together a scheme of arrangement with the creditor's, will have to consider what future role Mr Pagni will play in the management of the group.

The Judge welcomed that Mr Tyrell would investigate the matters of concern raised by the creditors at Monday's hearing.

Earlier this month Mr Tyrell of PW was appointed as the interim examiner to a group of related companies which form the Bradley Pharmacy Group.

The court heard that the companies in the group are insolvent and unable to pay their debts.

However, an Independent Expert's Report furnished to the court stated the group has a reasonable prospect of survival if certain steps are taken.

The steps include restructuring the groups banking debts, securing fresh investment and the examiner securing approval for a scheme of arrangement with the group's creditors.

The group sought the protection of the courts due to factors including a historical debt owed to Bank of Ireland.
A start-up is targeting growth with a device which improves haulage firm security, writes Trish Dromey.

An educational technology company in the North is aiming to bring classrooms around the world into the digital age.

Despite the rapid pace of global digital innovation 44% of Europeans lack basic digital skills.

About 90% of future jobs will require digital skills, according to a 2017 European Commission report.

MakeMatic, a video-based learning platform to help teachers update their skills in the areas of technology, design, and creativity, wants to fill that gap.

The idea for the company came from the experiences of Mark Nagurski and Catherine Ross.

Mr Nagurski had organised CultureTech, a week-long digital media festival in Derry, and Ms Ross, a former BBC series producer, had thought about the gaps in formal education which sometimes struggles to help students learn to be creative and develop the technical skills to go with that creativity.

We both felt that these were increasingly fundamental skills and had a keen sense of responsibility to try and make creative and digital learning experiences accessible to all young people, Mr Nagurski said.

The company partners with an established educational brand to develop bite-sized, two-to-three-minute video resources that break down big topics into easily digestible chunks.

Technology, problem-solving, design and creativity all feature heavily in what MakeMatic does, Mr Nagurski said. The courses focus on helping teachers develop their skills and confidence first, and then provide them with project resources and content to use in the classroom, Mr Nagurski said.

MakeMatic also licences content to educational publishers and government bodies which then incorporate that content into their own products and initiatives. Licencees pay a recurring annual fee, which starts at around 5,000 for each hour of content. This represents a typical saving of up to 90% when compared to developing the content themselves.

The content is usually free for the end user, which is the teacher or school.

For example, a city council in the UK might licence our course on Coding in the Classroom to support a digital-skills initiative theyre developing. In most cases, the teacher or school can access the resource for free.

The resources can be used in primary and post-primary settings. The pace of change in technology makes it particularly difficult for teachers to keep up, as they need to continuously learn new skills to teach those skills to their students.

MakeMatics resources help to support teachers professional learning in an accessible format, that is more flexible and less time-consuming than traditional training methods, the founders say. The model is video learning. Mr Nagurski said that the medium fixes the problem of scalability.

There are tens of millions of teachers in the world and an estimated 68 million more will need to be recruited, and trained, in the next decade to meet the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. Providing face-to-face training for all of them isnt really an option.

Courses include 3D Design & Printing and Twitter for teachers. MakeMatic sees skill gaps as universal in schools around the world.

We dont tailor resources for any one market, but of course the context changes, so we spend a lot of time thinking about how to make resources that are useful across age levels, geographies and socio-economic settings.

Starting in 2015, MakeMatic has increased its team to 20, based in Derry and Belfast and worked with global brands, including new collaborations with Crayola and The Partnership for 21st Century Learning.

MakeMatic will be testing a new product in the coming months aimed at parents who want to help their children develop creative and digital skills outside school. Most of the companys revenue comes from the US market.

MakeMatic is focused on developing its market in the UK and Ireland, while preparing for its next big target market, the Asia-Pacific region.

The company has had support from Invest NI to support export growth and invest in R&D, and is raising a seed round to finance some really aggressive growth plans.
By Geoff Percival

Any breakdown in current peace talks between the US and the EU, concerning tariffs on the trade of goods, could substantially impact upon future Irish growth, Ibec has warned.

In its latest quarterly economic outlook, the employers respresentative body said Ireland has a lot to lose from any escalation of trade wars between the two regions, noting  in particular  Irelands position as having the highest dependency on US steel (driven by multinationals in areas such as medical device manufacturing) in the EU.

The US is Irelands largest export market, accounting for 27% of goods exports. In this context, it is welcome that the European Commission and the US Government have agreed to impose no-new tariffs, while holding talks on existing ones... However, if there is a breakdown in the talks and the trade war escalates again, it has the potential to substantially impact upon Irish growth, it said.

Overall, Ibec is extremely bullish on prospects for the Irish economy; even holding out some hope of progress for the current housing supply crisis.

In its outlook it said the economy is in a strong position, with households clearly benefitting from rising incomes, and has firmly moved into a post-recovery stage, with both employment and consumption comfortably passing their pre-crisis peaks.

The economy is growing, trade remains robust despite Brexit and households are clearly benefitting through incomes which are increasing at the fastest rate in Europe, said Ibecs head of tax and fiscal policy, Gerard Brady.

Last year, 19% of Irelands workforce either changed job or started working. This is up from 13.4% in 2010 and is a sign of the health of the labour market. As a result, the first quarter of 2018 saw the fastest wage growth in the economy since the crisis, with average wage growth reaching 2.5% year-on-year. Our view that the economy is now firmly in a post-recovery phase is supported by all these factors, he said.

Ibec expects GDP growth of 5.7% this year - far ahead of the 4.7% growth predicted by both the Central Bank and economic think-tank the ESRI earlier in the summer. Ibec also holds out hope for the housing crisis.

Despite only 14,446 new houses being built last year, it said the Governments estimate of 20,000 new builds this year seems ambitious but may still be achievable, given the poor seasonal conditions during the first quarter.

While it doesnt talk of overheating risks to the economy, Ibec does warn that so-called full-employment  an unemployment rate of below 5%, which is likely next year  is a worry, with the sourcing of workers to fill vacancies set to be a big challenge. A number of member companies, it said, are finding it difficult to attract and retain talent.

Ibec wants the October Budget to address funding for the higher and further education sectors to help upskill existing staff.

It also warned of complacency around Irelands competitiveness.

The next downturn is likely to be different than the last. It is crucial we put ourselves in a strong competitive position while we still benefit from global tailwinds, said Mr Brady.

US tax reform, the prospect of a retreat of global trade, and Brexit will pose challenges for our economy over the coming years. At the same time, business costs are rising and undermining our competitiveness.

Budget 2019 should tackle these issues by adopting a renewed focus on competitiveness and indigenous business, he said.
The Carlow Rose touched many viewers with her openness about becoming pregnant at 21 and her parents' struggle with their heroin addiction.

Ten years after the Rose of Tralee was opened up to single mothers, Shauna Ray Lacey's three-year-old daughter Emmy was in the Dome to cheer on her mammy.

The Rose said the news of her pregnancy led to her own mother giving up heroin, an addiction which had already claimed her father's life. Both of her parents struggled with addiction when she was growing up.

"The moment I told her I was pregnant with Emmy she said I wasnt in your life but I will be in Emmys life," Shauna said.

Shauna sang Aslan's 'Crazy World', which she dedicated to her late dad.

"My dad sang it to me when I was a little girl and I suppose because [although] he's not here today, he did give me my musical abilities so I'm going to be singing that for ye tonight. It's very special to me."

Shauna also chatted about her charity work, where she helps recovering addicts.

"A lot of people in Ireland follow the same paths as their parents but Im here," she told host Daithi O'Se.

Viewers described Shauna as an inspiration.

Seeing Shauna up there talking about being a young mother and having her life touched by addiction, she is an absolute credit to have as the Carlow Rose. This is modern Ireland and I think she is the kind of rose needed in this competition to modernise it! #Roseoftralee  Ciara Byrne (@CiaraByrne7) August 20, 2018

"Every second home in Ireland is suffering from an addiction", that's a stark stat from the #Carlow Rose! What a seriously, honest & courageous girl talking about her family's struggle with addiction. #RoseOfTralee @RoseofTralee_  L. NiHeineachain (@LaobhaoiseNihE) August 20, 2018

Carlow Rose breaking all the rules of the old Order. Cracking young woman. Would be a worthy winner #Carlow #RoseofTralee  neo (@YewtreeGirl) August 20, 2018

This years Carlow Rose is just one of the most fantastic representations of women in Ireland today. #RoseofTralee  Aoife Kearns (@kearns_aoife) August 20, 2018

The Carlow rose is honestly amazing, what an inspiration #RoseofTralee  Shoe-n (@siun_b) August 20, 2018

Carlow Rose is a breath of fresh air and such a wonderful representation of modern Irish women. A hard-working mom who spoke in such a measured way about her familys addictions...#firstmammyrose for the win! #RoseofTralee  Julie Jay Z (@juliejaycomedy) August 20, 2018

The Carlow rose is the one I want to most have a pint with which really should be the criteria for winning roses. #RoseofTralee  Brianna Parkins (@parkinsbrea) August 20, 2018
When someone accuses another person of being a heretic, the image that most people conjure today is a rather amusing one. Fervent declarations of heresy! tend to be viewed on the same level as semi-joking statements that hating chocolate is blasphemy. When stated fiercely, the single word heresy becomes an accusation that seems so outdated to many people today that rather than causing horror or shame, it makes people snicker and think of mocking portrayals of Disneys Judge Claude Frollo shrieking witchcraft! On the other hand, the word heresy does still carry a great deal of weight to some people. As such, claims that a person is a heretic can cause others to shy away from them or, should they be accused themselves of heresy, to feel an automatic, visceral need to defend themselves.

Though it is sometimes used mockingly, heresy is meant to be a loaded word in organized religion. Islam, Judaism and Christianity are the religions most likely to use the term heresy, but Neo-Confucianism has described various forms of heresy and Zoroastrianism has historically persecuted Zuvansits and Mazdakists as heretical sects.Although the word could technically be applied to a member of any organized religion who speaks English, heresy is most heavily associated with Christianity. It was fears of and ideas about heresy that gave rise to one of Christianitys greatest shames, the Inquisition. Although the existence of the Inquisition, especially the Spanish Inquisition, is common knowledge today, many people are unaware of why the Inquisition was formed or what purpose the Inquisition was meant to serve. People are aware of its bloody history and knack for using brutal torture to extract, often false, confessions. The majority of people, however, seem to forget that the Inquisition was formed neither in order to become a sort of twisted boogeyman for people in later centuries nor to kill people for no reason. The original purpose of the Inquisition was actually to search out and suppress heretical ideas that were becoming of increasing concern to authorities within the Catholic Church. Naturally, the matter rapidly spiraled out of control. People used accusations of heresy to get revenge on those they did not like, and King Ferdinand of Spain, not the Pope, was the one who initiated and controlled the infamous Spanish Inquisition.The Middle Ages and the Inquisition are still seen, in some ways, as the heyday of heresy. Heretical teachings were a matter of concern for every church authority and, given the consequences of falling prey to heresy, for the average lay person as well. At that time, Christianity was structured in a way that made heresy easy to identify. There were really only two denominations of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church that effectively controlled Western Europe and the Orthodox Church which held most of Eastern Europe and parts of the modern day Middle East. Both denominations had detailed and explicit doctrines and clear structures of authority. The Catholic Church had the Pope, various cardinals, bishops and priests. The Orthodox Church was composed of patriarchs, bishops, presbyters and deacons.After the Protestant Reformation, the word heresy lost a great deal of its weight. There were suddenly many different forms of Christianity once again, returning the religion to how it looked in the early days of its existence. There was no one doctrine, or even two doctrines, to check heresy against. Each of the ever multiplying denominations regarded all other denominations as heretical. The last execution of a heretic took place in July of 1826, but from a spiritual standpoint, the word had lost much of its power.The word heresy comes from the Greek hairetos, meaning able to choose. The term originally applied to the process by which a young Greek would examine various philosophies and choose which would dictate the rest of their life. Heresy was once an accepted part of life and even celebrated. When applied to monotheistic religion and clear doctrine, however, heresy came to have a very different definition. A heretic was not just someone who made a choice, but someone who chose to believe or follow an idea that went against accepted church doctrine. Although the word itself technically continued to mean to choose, heresy meant that a person had chosen wrong.Over the years, the term heresy slipped into everyday speech and began to be used in non-religious contexts. Scientists who put forward theories that ran contrary to accepted paradigms were considered heretics by their peers, and politicians who embrace views that do not fit their partys platform may be seen as committing a political heresy. Outside religion, heresy is generally used in a tongue in cheek manner, but there is still an inevitable subtext present in the term of making a mistake and even betraying ones beliefs present in the term.Today, use of the word heresy in a serious manner can startle the devout simply because the word has fallen so far out of disuse. That said, modern Christianity is technically filled with more heresy than ever before. As heresy simply refers to embracing a set of beliefs that run counter to established doctrine, everyone outside of ones own denomination is, by definition, a heretic to that denomination. Presbyterians, Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans and Episcopalians are heretics to Baptists. Orthodox Christians, Seventh-day Adventists, Pentecostals and Nondenominational Christians are all heretics to Methodists. Every Christian today is regarded as a heretic by someone because they follow different doctrines from different denominations. They have chosen different creeds. Heresy is everywhere today, but this has returned the word to its original meaning. Heretics are once again simply those who chose which doctrine they will follow.
By Sarah Slater

A woman diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer just wants to be given the chance to have a family of her own.

So selfless is Alice Taylor, 25, who is battling against Stage 3B terminal cancer which has spread to her heart, lungs, and liver since a PET scan last May, that all she can do is worry about her boyfriend David ODea and family and what they are going through in a bid to cope with her diagnoses.

Doctors told her three months ago that palliative care was the option facing her.

Never on to give up without a fight, Alice needs to raise 150,000 to enable her to receive the specialised treatment, via doctors in New York, advising which immunotherapy drugs, would best suit her.

Ms Taylor, from Ballycallan, Co Kilkenny, is more use to caring for others, through her job at SOS Kilkenny, which provides day and residential services for adults with intellectual disability.

Its hard to explain how you feel when given a terminal diagnosis, says Alice. I feel many different emotions. I am angry to think I may not be able to do and see a lot of things that I would like to do.

Im sad that I may not be around to have our baby brought into the world. Im worried about my family, Dave [her boyfriend] and friends and how they are coping with this situation.

But at the same time, I am optimistic and feel very lucky to have had such a fantastic upbringing and a wonderful life up to now with such a huge amount.

Her cancer treatment began following her diagnosis last November after she attended her GP with irregular bleeding the month before. She was referred to St Lukes Hospital, Kilkenny for further investigations and scans including a biopsy.

On November 2, Ms Taylors biopsy confirmed a 7cm tumour and Stage 2B Cervical Cancer.

Although shaken by the diagnosis, both Alice and David approached it like they do with everything  strong and positive with good humour.

All Ms Taylors care was transferred immediately to the Mater and St Lukes Hospitals, in Dublin.

The couple first met at Waterford Institute of Technology in 2012 when Ms Taylor was studying for a degree in Social Care, and have been together ever since.

During my first appointment in Dublin, I received the news that I would never conceive or carry my own child, says Alice.

At 25 years of age, gone was my lifelong dream of having beautiful little babies and becoming a mother.

This news was as bad, if not worse than the diagnosis itself.

Ms Taylor is hoping to take part in further genetic testing available in New York at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, which will determine the most appropriate drugs and treatment for her condition.

The drugs needed to fight this disease are not being made available through the HSE nor is any type of funding. Life-saving immunotherapy drugs will cost hundreds of thousands of euros.

All funds raised will go directly towards medical life-saving treatment. Funds not used will be donated in turn to other charities and the Irish Cancer Society.

A gofundme.com campaign has been set-up in a bid to raise 150,000 to help Alice pay for her treatment.
Freelance journalist Gemma ODoherty is the latest potential candidate to throw her name into the presidential ring.

Speculation also mounted over the weekend that beaten 2011 presidential candidate, Sean Gallagher will enter the race for the Aras.

The former Dragons Den star is now actively considering making a second bid to become President of Ireland.

He would join fellow Dragon Gavin Duffy who is already canvassing local councils to get a nomination, along with Senator Joan Freeman and artist Kevin Sharkey.

Galway senator Padraig O Ceidigh is also giving consideration to putting his name forward to run against President Michael D Higgins, who wants to remain on for a second term.

Announcing her intention to run last night, Ms ODoherty said: As an Irish woman who loves her country to its core but hardly recognises it any more, I am deeply concerned about the unimaginable suffering and chaos so many of our people are subjected to daily.

I despair for Ireland and what it has become.

In a statement posted on Facebook, she said it is now time for Irish people to come together to demand change and to put an end to what she described as the corruption that has infested Irish public life and the disgraceful squandering of our taxes and resources.

We owe it to ourselves, to our children, to our countrys reputation, and to our forebearers who had a very different vision for this beautiful island that is our home. The time has come to demand a new Ireland.

It is for these reasons I have decided to put myself forward for nomination to the presidency. It is not a decision I have come to lightly but I believe the country and the people are ready for change, the statement read.

My presidency would hold a special place for our longest and youngest missing person Mary Boyle, Fr Niall Molloy, Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Jo Jo Dullard and all of our murdered dead who have been denied justice by the gardai. They will never be forgotten by me.

Ms ODoherty said she had been contacted by members of the public who had urged her to run for the Dail in the next general election. However, she said she had ruled this option out as she does not believe parliament in its current form is able to work for the good of the people.

I understand those who say the Irish president is tethered, gagged, unable to speak out on matters of national interest and public concern or hold Government to account.

But that is only because some incumbents have chosen to interpret the position in that way. That is not my vision for it, she said.

It is understood that Ms ODoherty has already written to members of the Oireachtas in the hope of securing a nomination and her statement encouraged members of the public to lobby their local representatives.
A TD has called for a 'dramatic narrowing' of the pay gap between bosses and workers and has proposed a number of measures to fight the growing inequality in Irish society.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry's call came after research by the Irish Times revealed that the bosses of Irelands top 20 companies (ISEQ 20) are paid on average 33 times more than their staff.

The research into the Republics top 20 listed companies revealed that pay for the top 20 bosses in Ireland increased 5.25% to 35.8m in the most recent accounts while the salaries of employees rose 2.5%.

It found that the pay of chief executives rose from 34.09m to 35.88m while remuneration of employees in those companies increased from 13.35bn to 13.69bn.

This means the average pay for an ISEQ 20 CEO now stands at 1.88m per annum compared to an average pay rate for ISEQ 20 employees of 55,595, a differential of 33 to 1.

Responding to the figures Deputy Barry said capitalism was creating a society of extreme inequality in Ireland and internationally.

"The pay gap between bosses and workers is a good example of that inequality. Despite being responsible for actually creating the nations wealth, working people receive only a fraction of it back in the form of wages. If you want to challenge the rampant inequality in Irish society you need to look at measures which will dramatically narrow this pay gap.

Deputy Barry said that measures that need to be considered include a sharp increase in the minimum wage, the introduction of a maximum wage and the introduction of a millionaires tax.

Average pay of a CEO in one of Irelands top 20 companies 1.88m last year. Time for a debate on a maximum wage?  Mick Barry TD (@MickBarryTD) August 20, 2018

- Digital Desk
The steady separation of Church and State is good for both, the Agriculture Minister has said ahead of the Popes visit to Ireland.

Speaking at the annual Beal na Blath commemoration, Michael Creed said the dark chapter of abuse within the Church has seen a deep rift emerge.

Mr Creed praised former president Mary McAleese for taking on the Vatican over its attitude towards women and the LGBT community.

Minister Michael Creed T.D. speaking in Beal Na Blath @FineGael @yfg pic.twitter.com/LzrG1YQAYE  Colm Burke TD (@ColmBurkeTD) August 19, 2018

Ms McAleese is a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage and marched with her son in this years Dublin Pride festival. She revealed that she made a canonical complaint to Pope Francis about Cardinal Kevin Farrells decision to ban her from speaking at an International Womens Day conference in the Vatican last March.

Having received neither an acknowledgement nor a reply to date, I can only presume the Pope is his immediate superior, that this was done with his approval.

They claim there is a process for dealing with such complaints. Im six months down the road of that complaint and I havent had the letter back that says weve received your complaint, Ms McAleese told RTE radio.

Mr Creed said many churchgoers, including himself, are closer to the back door than the front door and are encouraged to find ourselves in such exalted company on matters of faith.

Delivering the keynote speech at the Michael Collins commemoration yesterday, Mr Creed also referred to the controversy which erupted when Minister Josepha Madigan questioned the role of women in the Church after she led prayers in her own parish when the priest failed to show up.

As a practising Catholic who is deeply uncomfortable with the official Church and its response to various scandals, its attitude towards women and the LGBT community, I take great hope from reportings of a woman leading prayers in a Dublin church.

Mr Creed added that the way religion is practised in Ireland today would be unrecognisable to Michael Collins, but the full churches and unquestioned authority of the clergy of that era had left a devastating legacy.

The appalling experience of vulnerable children in industrial schools and the women of the Magdalene laundries, serves to illustrate how the Church assumed control of social policy with the aid of an acquiescent government and a cowed people.

This dark chapter of abuse and cover-up has seen a deep rift emerge between many of the faithful and the official Church. Though Ireland is not unique in this regard, the fall-out for society as a whole has few international comparisons.

The steady separation of Church and State in recent times is good for both.

Constitutional reform, including divorce, the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, and marriage equality are evidence of an endeavour to have a Constitution that is fit for purpose in a modern democracy, he said.

But the Cork North-West TD said we should still welcome the Pope this weekend.

It is in the context of this discomfort that I believe that we should extend a cead mile failte to Pope Francis; a Pope named after Saint Francis  who himself often took the road less travelled and gave Church authorities a difficult time.

Mr Creed also used his speech to highlight the threat of Brexit to agriculture and the wider economy.

On the domestic front he said Fine Gael do not want a general election as it is not what the country needs.
An overhaul of the tax system to assist the countrys 130,000 farmers during tough financial years could be on the cards as part of the upcoming budget.

Farmers who face yet another winter of severe fodder shortages are calling for significant changes in the tax system to allow them to deposit funds in profitable years which could then be accessed in tougher years.

Both the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) have put forward a farm management deposits model to ease income volatility.

In Budget 2018, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe ordered officials from his department and the Department of Agriculture to meet to assess progress on implementation of the Agri-Taxation Review and especially to consider the issue of potential taxation measures to assist income stabilisation.

A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Michael Creed confirmed that this review is ongoing in advance of this years budget, with various options being considered.

The ICSMA scheme would allow farmers to deposit part of their income into an account when profits are made. This would not be deemed as tax-assessable income in that income year and instead would be assessed in a future year when the farmer opts to utilise the deposit for income or investment purposes.

The new approach would complement other risk management strategies available to farmers, such as income averaging.

The ICMSA proposal would place limits on the total amount that could be deposited in a given year and the aggregate amount at any time, and suggest a maximum deposit per annum of 30% of farm profit or a maximum of 10,000. Funds could remain in the farm management deposit account for a maximum of five years.

The IFA, which is due to publish its pre-budget submission this week, is putting forward a model that would allow all farmers to put aside 5% of their gross receipts, whether into their co-op or a specially assigned bank account.

This money would be available for drawdown within five years, and the tax due would be paid on the year of withdrawal.

The IFA also believes the current income averaging system should be broadened to allow for a step out more than once in the five-year period. This would provide greater flexibility to the scheme, while providing a strong incentive to farmers for early repayment of the deferred amount.

ICMSA president Pat McCormack said his organisation is quietly optimistic that the pressing need for a farm management deposit scheme has been made clear to Government.

The countrys farming and agri-food sector can only move forward sustainably on the basis of policies that deal with the kind of ruinous price and income volatility that has proved so destructive in recent years, he said.
The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland has claimed its new Fighting Fraud strategy has contributed to an 8% fall in motor insurance claims.

From January to July this year, MIBI received 1,572 claims, a drop of 144 when compared to the same period in 2017. Last year, it introduced, what it described as, a comprehensive plan to make it as difficult as possible for fraudulent claims to succeed.

This included measures to put the full weight of the MIBIs internal and external resources behind investigating suspicious claims, working hand in hand with the gardai to look into these cases as well as legally contesting such claims and bringing them to trial to be scrutinised by the full power of the courts, it said.

In the first seven months of 2018, the MIBI has received fewer claims from 18 of the 26 counties.

It said the largest drop came from Louth with 34 fewer claims received by the end of July. That was followed by Dublin (down 33) and Kildare (down).

Of the eight counties which recorded an increase in claims, the largest was in Laois, which recorded eight additional claims in comparison with 2017.

David Fitzgerald, chief executive of the MIBI, said it was positive to see the number of claims starting to reduce.

Admittedly these figures represent only a snapshot in time and some of the county by county numbers are too small to draw any significant conclusions from, said Mr Fitzgerald.

However, considering these statistics cover over half a years worth of data, they are a useful barometer of the general MIBI claims environment and this shows a noteworthy drop in the total number of claims.

Mr Fitzgerald said a more detailed look at the claims received had led MIBI to believe a significant portion of the decrease was because of the increased scrutiny it was placing on fraudulent claims.

According to our handlers, since we adopted our Fighting Fraud strategy, which involves a zero-tolerance approach, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of claims where the evidence does not back up the case being made, he said.

Fraudsters are starting to get the message that if they want to make a fictional claim to the MIBI then they will have to be prepared to have that claim put through microscopic examination.

They will be thoroughly investigated by the MIBI working in co-operation with the gardai and if the evidence still doesnt add up, they will be brought before the courts.

The days of easy settlements for nonsense claims are definitely over.

Mr Fitzgerald said MIBI wanted to make it clear to the public that those who have a real claim have nothing to worry about.

The MIBI has always been a pro-victims organisation and when the claim is real and justified we support the claimant, he said.

However, protecting victims also means reducing fraud as much as possible.

We want to ensure that malicious individuals who make the roads more dangerous by staging fake accidents find it harder and harder to succeed.

That is in the interests of everyone using Irish roads and it is a strategy we are committed to pressing in the months and years to come.
The Independent Alliance have failed to arrange a national conference despite at least six attempts to gather their supporters.

While the main political parties will all hold their traditional think-ins next month in advance of the new Dail term, the alliance, which currently has four elected TDs, do not have a meeting scheduled.

It is understood that disorganisation and a lack of agreement on dates and locations have scuppered numerous attempts to hold a national conference of TDs, councillors and supporters.

Around 100 people, including around 65 councillors attended a meeting before the 2016 general election and the Independent Alliance put forward 20 candidates across the country.

However, there are now concerns around the number of people who may turn up if a think-in is arranged. Because the alliance is not like a regular particular party and does not have signed up members, those involved are fearful that many councillors who voiced support before the last general election may now have strayed away from the group.

Its about trying to smooth out the bumps. Because we are not a political party there is no discipline, there is no hierarchy, there is no structure, everything is democratic in our group but it can be like herding sheep, there is always someone who it doesnt suit, one Independent Alliance member said when asked about organising a meeting.

The alliance cancelled its annual conference, which had been due to take place in the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone in April, as the internal-row, which led to the resignation of Galway-East TD Sean Canney, was raging.

Prior to that, the possibility of holding an event in Tuam, Co Galway, had been looked at.

Consideration was even given to holding an event in the constituency of Dublin North Central TD Finian McGrath, however, it was deemed too awkward for many of their rural supporters. Likewise organising an event in Shane Ross constituency was ruled out.

Independent Alliance TD Finian McGrath said: We have nothing planned at the moment.

However, he added alliance members hope to hold an event in the near future.
By Lynne Kelleher

Mary McAleese says her family feel unwelcome in the church in the run-up to the Popes visit.

In a TV documentary, the former president tells of her hurt at the airbrushing of same-sex couples from promotional family material for the papal visit.

It has emerged that references to same-sex relationships in original family booklets were removed from newly edited editions printed for the arrival of Pope Francis to the World Meeting of Families.

The former president charts the changes in Irish families since Pope John Paul IIs visit for her new RTE documentary, Mary McAleeses Modern Ireland.

While traditional family patterns still dominate in todays Ireland, new and more diverse family types are on the rise and are increasingly accepted without prejudice. However, Mary McAleese, whose son Justin is a prominent gay rights campaigner, spoke of her distress at the omission of same-sex couples from the family summit being held for the first papal visit in the 21st century.

She said: As a family, we were devastated, we realised just we were not welcome. That has been really upsetting. Worse than that it cements a view of church as being unwelcoming, possibly a view of our pope as being unwelcoming and thats not what I wanted ever to give to my children.

While Ireland is almost unrecognisable from the country visited by Pope John Paul II, religion still plays a strong role.

According to the 2016 census, 78% still identified as Catholic and the speed with which tickets to see the Pope were snapped up suggests that Ireland remains a far from secular place.

However, the documentary also delves into how more than 100,000 people have legally divorced and enthusiastic majorities voted in favour of same-sex marriage and abortion.

Mary McAleeses Modern Family will be shown on RTE One on Wednesday at 9.35pm
Families of Omagh bomb victims will consider taking a judicial review in the Republic over the States refusal to agree to a cross-border public inquiry into the atrocity, once similar proceedings in the North are finished.

The judicial review in the North is being taken on the basis that, under Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights, there is an obligation on the State to protect lives and fully investigate loss of life.

The Omagh Support Group claims Northern police and intelligence agencies did not do enough to prevent the blast and bring those responsible to justice.

The case is being taken by group spokesman Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden, aged 21, was one of 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, killed in the August 1998 attack.

We are dealing with Northern Ireland at the moment and we will then look where we go from there, Mr Gallagher told the Irish Examiner.

Asked would that involve judicial review here, he said: Absolutely, we will consider it. Once we have the results in Northern Ireland then we go looking South.

He said the bombing was a cross-border crime.

The people responsible for this crime, in the main, are living in the Republic, said Mr Gallagher, adding that there were at least four or five people in the Republic involved in the bombing, but who were not named. They are well known to gardai and the PSNI and MI5.

These are separate to those previously before the criminal and civil courts.

Mr Gallagher called on the new commissioner, and former deputy chief constable, Drew Harris, to support the families.

He said the PSNI havent been very helpful in the disclosure relating to the review and had only received four pieces of paper.

Drew Harris was a senior member of the PSNI, said Mr Gallagher.

He was part of an organisation that has frustrated families to get information. We are trying to get to the truth and Drew Harris can either support that or resist it.

Last week, at the 20th anniversary of the Real IRA attack, former Northern ombudsman Nuala OLoan said she was now of the very firm view the bombing could have been prevented.

Mr Gallagher said they were promised a follow-up meeting by then taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2015 and that they are still waiting for such a meeting with his successor, Leo Varadkar, and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.

Asked for a response, the Department of the Taoiseach referred to the Department of Justice.

A Department of Justice statement said Mr Flanagan had written to Mr Gallagher in response to submissions by the Omagh group seeking a public inquiry.

It said a comprehensive and detailed review was conducted on the submissions and on other information available to the minister.

The conclusion reached is that there is not new and credible evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the State or its agencies being put forward that would warrant the establishment of a public inquiry, said the statement.

It said gardai would pursue any new or credible evidence to bring charges.

The minister set out the background to this decision in detail in his letter to Mr Gallagher, it said.

The minister also stated in his letter to Mr Gallagher his willingness to meet with the group should they so wish and he remains willing to arrange such a meeting.
With less than a week to go to the papal visit, one of the leaders of the Catholic Church in Ireland has defended the Popes record of dealing with clerical child abuse, saying Francis is up against the might of the Vatican.

However, Diarmuid Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, said he expects Pope Francis will speak quite strongly in relation to clerical sex abuse when he arrives in Ireland next Saturday for the World Meeting of Families.

Saying sorry was not enough, he said in a homily delivered at St Marys Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, adding that the structures that permit or facilitate abuse must be broken down and broken down forever.

Asked by reporters afterwards if he was disappointed that the Pope had not done enough to root out clerical sex abuse, Dr Martin said he needs a stronger team of people around him to carry out this business.

He said the Vatican Commission for the Protection of Minors, set up by the Pope in 2014, was too small and maybe not getting its teeth into where it should be.

He said the Vatican was a complex machine, but that the Pope has to be strong in saying what he wants and seeing it is implemented.

Dr Martin said the scandals of abuse in the Church had produced a deep-seated resentment among believers particularly over children, unmarried mothers, and vulnerable women.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed also referred to the Churchs poor treatment of the vulnerable in his oration at Beal na Blath for the annual Michael Collins commemoration.

While he was deeply uncomfortable with the Official Church and its response to various scandals, he was taking his lead from women such as former president Mary McAleese for her tackling head on of the Vatican.

It is in the context of this discomfort that I believe that we should extend a cead mile failte to Pope Francis, he said.

The Catholic Churchs efforts to use the papal visit as a rehabilitation exercise following years of damning revelations over clerical sex abuse and cover-ups has hit a series of snags, not least the cancellation of an appearance at the event by keynote speaker cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington.

Cardinal Wuerl was criticised in a grand jury report published last week over his handling of abuse allegations in Pennsylvania.

His withdrawal came three days after Bostons Cardinal Sean OMalley announced he was pulling out due to problems at his own seminary.

Ending Clergy Abuse, a global organisation of survivors and human rights activists, wrote to Dr Martin calling for three cardinals to be removed from prominent speaking roles at the World Meeting of Families, claiming they faced serious questions about protecting bishops who had committed sex abuse. Cardinal Wuerl was one of them.

The other two are cardinal Oscar Maradiaga of Honduras and Dublin-born cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican official responsible for co-ordinating efforts around the World Meeting of Families.

Cardinal Farrell was vicar general to archbishop of Washington Theodore E McCarrick who is caught up in an abuse scandal.

Dr Martin said the Pope had tried to find a way to sanction bishops but it doesnt seem to have worked and now we have to find another way.

Meanwhile, a research group behind the website BishopAccountability.org, will today launch the first online database of Irish clergy who have been convicted of sexually abusing children or whose wrongdoing has been documented by State inquiries.

The database gives summaries and sources about allegations against more than 70 Irish priests and religious brothers.

BishopAccountability.org co-director Anne Barrett Doyle said more than 1,300 accused Irish clergy known to the Church remain unconvicted, according to audit figures.

Meanwhile, National Womens Council director Orla OConnor has said she was invited to attend the States official event with the Pope in Dublin Castle, but did not accept the offer.

She said there were many reasons, including the misogyny of the Catholic Church, their obstruction of womens rights in Ireland, their denial of womens reproductive health around the world, their teachings on the family, which relegate lone parent and LGBT families to second class, the historic abuse of women in Magdalene laundries, in Mother and Baby Homes, the ongoing cover up and the present-day refusal to hand over much-desired records to the women.
The colleges may administer the Central Applications Office system but students themselves once again have ultimately decided where and how places on courses are offered.

Their responses to career trends and skills shortages are evident in both the demand for certain courses, but also in how colleges have distributed places on those higher education programmes.

It is already evident from statistics published last week by CAO that the average-performing Leaving Certificate student this year got just under 350 points, around two or three more than last year.

Despite the 54,440 doing the exam being 1,330 fewer than last year, the 20,231 with at least 400 points out of a maximum 625 was 42 more than a year ago.

As a proportion of each years school leavers, this score was achieved by 37.2%, or 1% more than in 2017.

Although 617 fewer students got over 300 points, those 33,773 people make up 62% of the Leaving Certificate class of 2018, slightly higher than a comparable 61.7% last year.

While such trends might point to a widespread increase in CAO points, supply and demand of places under different course categories also play a strong role in such matters.

For example, 100 extra places have been offered this year on courses leading to a second-level teaching qualification, with an increase to 861 offers being made by the universities this year.

This is partly in response to calls for more concurrent teacher education degrees that mean students receive a teaching qualification at the end of a four-year primary degree, instead of having to do a two-year postgraduate course after their first college programme.

Some colleges have already begun extending their offerings in this area, and further expansions of these programmes are likely in the coming years in response to shortages of second-level teachers, particularly in the sciences.

The addition of extra places on Maynooth Universitys science-teaching degree contributes to a slight fall in CAO points from 441 to 434. There are also lower points for entry on science education programmes at Dublin City University and University of Limerick, evidence again that demand is not the only factor influencing entry thresholds in the CAO system as increased supply is clearly behind these drops.

Despite the extra places, CAO points for many second-level teaching courses are higher than this time last year.

Astute Leaving Certificate students appear to be following likely career paths, as physical education becomes a Leaving Certificate subject from this year.

Three of the four university degrees qualifying graduates to teach PE have seen points rise by between 10 and 24 points, with the minimum requirement across the board being around a dozen points either side of 500.

Last years fall in points for most primary teaching courses have been reversed, and are up by between two points (to 464) at Dublin City University and 14 at Maynooth University, where entry requires at least 499 points this year.

This reflects increases in demand for these courses while places remain practically unchanged.

Although nearly 800 more people listed one of the 10 primary teaching degrees on their CAO application, including an 8% rise to 2,893 listing one as their top choice, the colleges only increased offers on those courses by four to 1,129.

Undergraduate medicine degrees are at the same cut-off as a year ago or just below, except in the case of Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, where the CAO threshold is a single point higher than a year ago.

If colleges have cut back anywhere in particular, there is a clear drop in numbers of places offered on arts level 8 degrees. The 6,188 places being offered on such programmes are nearly 1,400 fewer than the 7,574 offered this time last year, a drop of 18%.

The resultant impact on CAO points requirements is not too significant, however, as there were 1,300 fewer students placing one of those 231 arts degrees top of their level 8 CAO application lists. In fact, entry to arts is possible with just 300 points at NUI Galway and at University College Cork, where the threshold is 46 points lower than this time last year.

While the 381 cut-off for arts at University College Dublin appears to be 55 points higher than this time last year, the countrys largest college has split its intake in 2018. The course named Arts covers the retained option for a three-year degree and has obviously proven more popular than the optioned added this year to do a four-year degree with the option of an internship or study abroad.

Students with as low as 301 points have been offered places on this entry route under the humanities title, with around 570 students likely to be registered through these two routes.

Even with around 500 students coming in under a new social science degree heading, overall intake corresponding with that under the arts CAO code at UCD a year ago is likely to be down around 100.

With demand down by one third across more than 30 level 8 physical sciences degrees, points for more than half are down on Round 1 in 2017, including drops of between 33 and 67 points for some physics and geoscience degrees at Trinity College Dublin.

Points fell for a good number of the 36 degrees in biological and related sciences, despite 14% more students than last year listing one of them as their top choice. However, among those with higher Round 1 points this year are several related to nutrition, including a 52-point rise to 455 for public health nutrition at Dublin Institute of Technology and University College Corks nutritional sciences degree up 23 points to 507.

The 2018 and 2017 CAO Round 1 points for all courses are listed in the 12-page Choices for College supplement in todays print edition of the Irish Examiner.
Update 9.25am: A woman in her 20s remains in a critical condition in hospital following a crash in Donegal which claimed the lives of two others.

Six people were involved in the single-car collision in Bundoran early yesterday morning.

A man and a woman in their twenties were killed and postmortems are due to be carried out on their bodies today.

The victims have been named locally as Shiva Devine and Conall McAleer, according to media reports.

The two victims are said to have been from Fermanagh.

Ms Devine was the mother of a three-year-old boy.

Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster that the deaths were "the worst news any parent can get when their child or young adult goes out on a night out."

Mr McAleer's former GAA club, Ederney, paid tribute to their former player on social media last night.

"The club are very saddened to hear of the death of Conall McAleer, a former youth player with our club," they wrote on Twitter.

"Our thoughts and prayers are extended to his family and friends at this tragic time.

"We also wish all those injured in the accident a speedy and full recovery."

The club are very saddened to hear of the death of Conall McAleer, a former youth player with our club. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to his family and friends at this tragic time. We also wish all those injured in the accident a speedy and full recovery.  sad  Ederney GAC (@ederneygaa) August 19, 2018

A woman in her twenties has been transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin - while two men - also in their twenties - are being treated at Sligo University Hospital.

A man in his 20s arrested by Gardai investigating the crash has been released without charge - and a file being prepared for the DPP.

- Digital Desk

Earlier: Post-mortems due on bodies of man and woman who died in Donegal collision

Post-mortems will be carried out today on the bodies of a man and a woman in their 20s, who died in a tragic single-car collision in Bundoran early yesterday morning.

Two men in their 20s who were seriously injured in the crash are continuing to receive treatment at Sligo University Hospital, while a woman in her 20s remains critically ill and has been transferred to Dublin's Beaumont Hospital.

A man in his 20s arrested by Gardai investigating the crash has been

Read More:

Gardai are liaising with the PSNI as part of their enquiries and are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information on the collision has been asked to contact Gardai in Ballyshannon Garda Station on 071 - 9858530, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

- Digital Desk
A senior Government minister says Pope Francis needs to acknowledge the horrific abuse of children by members of the Catholic church in Ireland.

The Pontiff arrives in Ireland on Saturday for a two-day trip - which is expected to include a private meeting with victims of clerical abuse.
From stand-up comedy to the set of Mad Men and back again, Allan Havey has shared stages with the biggest names in showbusiness, says Richard Fitzpatrick.

How times have changed. The American comedian and actor Allan Havey, whos familiar to television audiences for his memorable run in the TV series Mad Men, did a stand-up routine while guesting on the Late Show with David Letterman a few years ago about the way kids nowadays are mollycoddled compared to his day growing up in Miami in the 1960s.

My sisters worried about her kids self-esteem, he says.

Theyre kids  three and four years old. She goes into their room late at night, turns the lights down low, and reads them self-esteem books:

The Bunny That Wouldnt Quit; The Bear That Could Do It. My dad would come into my room with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, holding a highball and scare the hell out of us.

Hed read us Hansel and Gretel. Do you remember those freaks? Hansel and Gretel lived at home with their dad and their stepmom. The stepmom said, Hey, we dont have enough food. Take these kids out in the woods. Lose em. The kids drop breadcrumbs; find their way home. The stepmom says: No. Deeper. Further. Lose the kids.

The kids are lost. Theyre crying. Theyre hungry. They come across a house made of candy. Yum, yum. Lick, lick. No, no. Witch lives inside. Grabs the kids, sticks them in a cage. Shes gonna eat em. This is two minutes into the story. The kids get out of the cage.

Shove the old witch into an oven. Burn her to death, and run home, he says, concluding by triumphantly blowing smoke from an imaginary cigarette, guzzling from his scotch-and-soda drink, and adding: Sleep tight!

Havey has been a staple of New York scene since landing in the city out of theatre school 40 years ago, just as the dawn was setting on the days of disco.

During the early 1980s there was a comedy boom, those first years of Saturday Night Live. It was just starting to take off. Club managers were closing down discos and opening up comedy clubs. Many a time, youd be on stage and youd look up and youd see a disco ball.

Over the next couple of decades Havey shared a back stage with the great comedians of the age, including Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, and for three years from 1989 to 1992 he hosted a cult classic, three-hour late night TV chat show on HBOs The Comedy Channel called Night After Night.

Louis CK  who had Havey on his award winning show Louie many years later playing himself  also emerged from that New York comedy circuit in the 1990s, but is in limbo at present following accusations of sexual misconduct.

I remember Louis when he was a young comic coming up, says Havey.

He was always very fond of his comedy, and a good guy. It was just a gas to be on the show with him. Hes very smart. He knows what he wants, and he loves to work with comedians. Hopefully hell be back very soon.

Havey  who has a long film and television acting CV, including appearances on Steven Soderbergs The Informant!; the Coen Brothers Hail, Caesar!; and Judd Apatows Love series on Netflix  was in his element pottering around the set of Mad Men, as he got to soak up the perfectionism of the shows creator Matthew Weiner, who was famous for his attention to detail in re-creating the social life of middle class Americans in the 1960s.

When I first walked on the set, I had a flashback, and of course from watching the show, he says.

There was one time between shooting and I would wander and sit in different offices and just of look at the books on the shelves and the artefacts on the desks. There was nothing that didnt belong there or that I couldnt remember as a kid growing up.

At one point I went to a desk and I pulled out a stack of paper. I pulled out a piece in the middle, and it was a typewritten memo. It wasnt just there as a prop. I didnt find anything on that set that was out of place or phoney.

Weiner and his team of writers were ingenious, too, for their ability to capture forgotten social norms like, say, the way a neighbour had licence to hit a misbehaving child or the scene where Don and his first wife Betty finish up a family picnic in the park by shaking the debris off their rug onto the grass and heading back to their car.

I remember the picnic scene, and, you know, thats what people did back then, he says.

Several times I was slapped by a friend of my fathers if I got out of line. He didnt think twice about it. The scene where little Sally had the plastic bag on her head  she was playing spaceman with her friends and she put a plastic bag over her head.

Her mother scolded her: My dress is on the floor! She didnt care about the health of her child. She was worried she was going to wrinkle her dress.

Havey played the role of Lou Avery; a deeply uncool middle manager that gets hired as creative director at Don Drapers advertising agency midway through the series after Don is suspended.

Hes the guy with the cardigans and the thwarted dreams of being a cartoonist, a humourless, hard-ass middle manager type.

The fact that hes a good family man  unlike Don, of course  and from a different, by-the-book generation gets lost a bit as audiences rush to hate him.

Lou was not cool at all, says Havey.

He was voted somewhere the most hated man on television. Its so nice when people are passionate so I know I was doing my job. If you think about it, though, Lou was just an old-fashioned professional. He didnt smoke.

He didnt get drunk. He didnt play around on his wife. He was just interested in the job, and probably one of the old-fashioned guys on the way out when he got that job.

If youre watching the show and you like Don Draper even though hes an anti-hero, and this guy comes along and just upsets everybody  I think thats where the hate came from.

"Especially from me  I watched the show and I didnt like him. Lou probably came up, went through the Depression, fought in the war, and now hes around with all these spoiled, rotten kids with beards and long hair and theyre protesting Vietnam, and hes just not buying any of that.

Allan Havey performs on Friday, August 31, and Saturday, September 1, at City Limits Comedy Club, Cork.
There is no practical way of prosecuting somebody for insurance fraud in this country, say experts as they urge the creation of a dedicated Garda unit There is an oddly polite language used in court around the issue of personal injury fraud.

Accidents are contrived, essential details are omitted, evidence is misleading.

Outside the courtroom, those same actions tend to be described in rather more robust terms, such as theft, lies, conspiracy, perjury, and  in the case of the victim set up for a claim  threats and intimidation.

How else could you describe a scenario where an innocent party is deliberately targeted in an intimidating manner in order to steal money from them via their insurers for a fake accident conjured up by lying witnesses for an outcome that could threaten that partys entire livelihood?

Polite language suggests it is an inconvenience and an annoyance. Plain language proclaims it a crime. So which is it?

The law, the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, under sections 14 and 25, makes it a criminal offence to invent accidents, feign injuries, or exaggerate elements of either.

Section 25 applies to anyone giving false or misleading evidence in a personal injuries action with the intention of misleading the court, while section 14 requires the plaintiff specifically to swear an affidavit as to the truth of all assertions, allegations, and information provided to the defendant and to provide that affidavit within 21 days of lodging a claim.

Fines of up to 100,000 and/or imprisonment of up to ten years can be imposed on those convicted of breaches of either section.

Yet when the Government-appointed Cost of Insurance Working Group examined the use of the legislation for its second report published early this year, it found no instance of a prosecution or conviction pursuant to section 14. None, in the 14 years the Act has been in existence.

In relation to section 25, it found the number of recorded prosecutions and convictions for this offence is very low.

There was one involving a man who claimed he was crippled with a back injury  but then videos appeared of him cage-fighting, says Peter Boland, spokesman for the Alliance for Insurance Reform.

The reason he remembers it so vividly is because of its rarity. It was in 2013 and, at the time, it was declared to be the first instance the 2004 Act had been invoked.

Even then, the mixed martial arts fighter, whod already received an award for the injury he had suffered when rear-ended and had put the defendant through four years of legal proceedings, received only a suspended sentence.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring handed it down with a warning that anyone who made false claims for financial reward would face criminal prosecution. An example had to be set, she said.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring

Did it have the desired effect? It did not, says Boland.

The reasons are mixed. Personal-injury cases are heard in the civil courts with no automatic link to the criminal courts. Unless a garda was called to the scene of an alleged accident and made their notes available to the court, there will likely be no involvement of the force at all.

Cases can be referred to the gardai for investigation but Boland says that can be a fruitless exercise.

An Garda Siochana is not resourced, whether from a human or a financial point of view, to deal with insurance fraud, he says.

We have umpteen examples of members who have taken files to the gardai, including CCTV and documentary evidence, and the gardai have not been able to pursue the case because of the resources issue.

So while the law is there, there is no practical way of prosecuting somebody for insurance fraud in this country. Traditionally, insurers focused on getting rid of a claim in the most cost-effective way possible; sometimes that meant settling quickly, even where the claim appeared somewhat dodgy.

Other times they were just delighted to have a claim dismissed and be spared a major payout. Going the next step and seeing the claimant prosecuted would be even more satisfying but it was not the priority.

However, compo culture is firmly embedded in the nations psyche and frustration at the knock-on effects on insurance costs is rising. The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland, which deals with claims involving uninsured or unidentified vehicles, deals with around 350 bogus claims a year.

Insurance Ireland, the industry body for insurance companies, estimates those cases, plus the fraudulent claims against insured drivers, adds about 50 to the cost of every drivers motor insurance policy each year.

The full extent of fraud across all personal injury cases is hard to pin down. Insurance Confidential, the initiative set up by Insurance Ireland to encourage members of the public to report fake and exaggerated claims, says it investigates around 650 suspected fraudulent claims a year.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, a national organisation of insurers, businesses, and consumer groups in the US, says fraud accounts for 10% of all personal injury and property-related insurance losses there (excluding motor cases) and that same figure has also been mentioned as an estimate here.

So its clear that the vast majority of cases are legitimate. They may result in awards that critics argue are often too high compared to the rest of Europe but thats another issue.

The courts last year received 22,417 new personal injuries cases. Thats 86 new cases every working day of the year. If just one in eight or one in 10 were fraudulent, that would amount to 2,241 to 2,802 cases a year, so its a significant number.

And there is something about the brazen manner in which insurance fraudsters go about their business that makes the average policyholder fume.

The cage fighter mentioned earlier just happened to be disqualified from driving at the time he was involved in the crash because of a previous incident which resulted in a dangerous driving conviction. Yet he deemed it perfectly acceptable to try to claim off someone else for an injury which, if it existed at all, was minor compared to how he presented it in court.

Hes not alone in having brass-neck syndrome. Its symptoms are on display every day in the courts. The performance by one couple in Dublins Circuit Court last month would have been funny if it had not been so outrageous.

The woman claimed she suffered back, shoulder, and arm pain after the taxi she was travelling in as a passenger was involved in a collision with another car. The x-rays she said she underwent never existed and it emerged that this accident was at least the fourth shed claimed for in five years.

She didnt remember the others, she said, so counsel for the defendant filled in the details. One involved a collision with a woman who happened to be a friend and a man who was a relative.

Her co-plaintiff was a woman who had lost a claim against a supermarket for slipping on broken eggs  eggs that CCTV footage showed were deliberately dropped by another person seconds earlier.

Two other motoring accident claims were put to her but she insisted she couldnt recall them. Counsel said there were other types of claims as well but the judge had had enough and dismissed the case.

Her husband, who managed to drive a 171 Mercedes despite being unemployed, then thought the better of proceeding with his claim arising out of the same accident, instructing his legal team to withdraw it.

Bizarrely, counsel for the defence said there was garda evidence that the woman wasnt even in the taxi during the collision at the centre of this claim.

If ever there was a case that cried out for a criminal investigation, this would seem to be it.

So why is it not the default position that cases of this type would be referred to the gardai?

The Alliance for Insurance Reform wants it specifically stated in law that cases dismissed in this way be automatically sent on for Garda investigation.

However, its not simply a matter of sending a bunch of files to the nearest Garda station  the widespread view is that the force is not sufficiently resourced to take on such cases.

The Cost of Insurance Working Group recommended in January 2017 that consideration be given to setting up a dedicated Garda unit to tackle insurance fraud through co-operation with the insurance industry which would also help fund the initiative.

Garda management considered the idea for the best part of last year and came up with a proposed structure and a costing. Insurance Ireland considered those proposals for a further eight months before last month deciding it wanted to support the initiative  to the tune of around 1m a year.

It informed Michael DArcy, the junior finance minister who has responsibility for insurance, of its decision in early July, but it is Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan who will have the final say.

His decision will be informed by the Garda commissioner who has yet to make a final recommendation on Insurance Irelands offer  and there is a new commissioner taking over the post in September  but the indications are that management in the force are eager to give it a go.

Why wouldnt they be? A similar unit was set up in the UK in 2012 with the same kind of tie-in with industry. The general view is that it is working out well.

Flanagan, however, was cautious in his reply to a Dail question a few weeks ago.

There are a number of serious issues which will require further consideration before any decision whether or not to proceed in this manner is taken, he said.

Its a policy decision now, says John Byrne, spokesman for Insurance Ireland.

The operational element of it has been worked out by the gardai, the funding element has been sorted by industry, so its up to the Government now.

The Alliance for Insurance Reform says now cant come soon enough.

We all run our own businesses and charities and festivals and its very time-consuming so we could do without campaigning but there has been intense frustration and theres a need for real change, says Boland.

This is a critical piece of reform and the reason we are pushing so hard on this is because it could have an influence immediately.

Insurance premiums are at crisis right now so we need something that will work straight away  not in five or ten years time.

The fact that the minister has not immediately sanctioned this ready-made initiative is largely down to discomfort over the principle of private business funding aspects of policing. Sinn Fein is strongly opposed to the idea, describing it as a dangerous precedent.

TD Pearse Doherty said of the plan: It is not appropriate for private business to fund bespoke sections of an Garda Siochana. The independence of An Garda Siochana is sacrosanct and a direct funding relationship with private interests undermines that independence.

The partys concerns are only heightened by the fact that the insurance industry is currently under investigation by the competition authorities here and at EU level over alleged anti-competitive practices. Such practices can be a criminal matter.

That point, and the wider principle, was also raised by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), which argues it amounts to allowing commercial bodies to direct or influence policing priorities and potentially to have their interests trump the public interest.

In the first instance initiatives of this type can shape what crimes are considered important in society and, equally, which crimes are not, by reference to the perspectives or values of corporate interests, says the ICCL.

For example, this can lead to a disproportionate focus on areas such as welfare or insurance fraud over issues such as crimes linked to corruption, tax evasion, or corporate crime. The public need to be confident that an independent police service sets its priorities purely in the public interest.

It is also problematic because those same corporate interests are subject to the law themselves. For example, we know that the Irish insurance industry and sections of that industry have been the subject of investigations by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and the European Competition Directorate with regard to the possible commission of offences under competition law.

There are obvious potential conflicts of interest in a private body which should be subject to the law having a funding relationship with the police who may have to enforce the law against them.

Insurance Ireland has acknowledged the concerns, stating in its letter to Michael DArcy, the minister: It would not be appropriate or desirable for insurers to have any role in the operational decisions made by any Garda Insurance Fraud Investigation Group. These are policing matters and should rest with An Garda Siochana.

Boland backs that view: We would share those concerns if we thought there would be any undue influence from the insurance industry but spending the money would be at the discretion of the gardai.

Its up to the minister to work on a way to channel the funding that everyone can accept. Its surely not beyond him to do that.

Safeguarding the independence of the unit is not the only loose end that needs typing up, however.

Insurance Ireland represents the majority of insurers in the country but it wants all operators in the market here to contribute to the funding, not just its members, and that has yet to be agreed in principle, never mind in application.

It has to be worked out, says Byrne.

There have not been discussions about it yet. But we would say that all insurers who would benefit from it [the Garda unit] should contribute to it.

It would be comparable to a general good requirement. If you participate in the motor insurance market here, you are obliged to fund the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland. The same idea would apply to this.

Then theres the question of whether the cost of the contribution, levy or however else it might be termed, will be passed on to the customer in the form of an addition to premiums.

We havent done any assessment on that yet and as a trade body, we would not be able to say how members would allocate their costs, he says.

How long the industry would be willing to fund a Garda unit, or whether funding would be subject to review after a set number of years has also to be decided, he adds.

Despite the need to finalise details, he says the industry believes the initiative could, and should, be operational by the end of the year.

We commissioned an opinion poll in 2016 and just 17% of respondents said there were enough legal deterrents for insurance fraud, says Byrne.

There is a heightened focus on insurance fraud at the moment and people now recognise that the cost is ultimately be born by themselves, the customers, so theres a strong public interest in tackling it, says Boland in agreement.

We had a public meeting in Cork in February and one of the people at it stood up and said: If I had to choose between robbing a bank and staging a claim, I would stage the claim every time because there are no consequences.

In most cases, the case is dismissed, the judge makes a few critical comments, and thats it. If you submit five or six claims a year and three or four of them are thrown out, thats still handy money youre making. That has to end and the sooner the better.

Coincidences happen but some push the explanation of coincidence off the cliff

The past year has seen a number of audacious personal injury actions thrown out of Irish courts with some strong words from judges  but no follow-up criminal investigation.

One case revolved around 17 claimants and four rear-endings all admitted by the one driver, who was the girlfriend of one of the claimants and a personal friend of many of the others, a group of whom had holidayed together and some of whom had earlier claims from different accidents.

One would want to be blind not to see that there was a hand orchestrating a number of accidents in which four people had claimed a joint purse of 240,000 damages against an insurance company, the judge said.

These accidents were plannedand all four plaintiffs were willing participants in them and party to a fraud, said Circuit Court president Mr Justice Raymond Groarke when throwing out all the claims.

In one of four 60,000 damages claims, Peter Slattery, of Charlemont, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9, had sued his girlfriend, Belinda McLoughlin, and Zurich for damages for neck and back injuries arising from a rear-ending crash.

Peter Slattery

Ms McLoughlin, of Holywell Crescent North, Swords, Co Dublin, was a joint defendant with Zurich in all of the four claims involving separate accidents. She had admitted liability in all but took no part in any of the cases.

Belinda McLoughlin

Samantha Sammy Byrne, aged 28, of Suncroft Drive, Tallaght (neck injuries), and her sister Jessica Byrne, aged 25, of Bawnlea Avenue, Jobstown, Tallaght, (back injuries) also sued Ms McLoughlin and Zurich for 60,000 each for damages arising out of a rear-ending of their car by Ms McLoughlin at Fortunestown Rd on February 12, 2015.

Samantha Sammy Byrne

Coincidences happen in life but the evidence in this case, which discloses coincidences of a most astonishing nature, really push the explanation of coincidence off the cliff, the judge said.

Another case was thrown out after it emerged that the claimants uncle carried out the inspection on a car that crashed into him.

The claimant, Leonard Naughton Madden, said he was a passenger in the car when it was crashed into and did not know the drivers of either car before that day. However, the court was told that the man driving him had arranged for the other driver to buy the car that crashed into them and that car was subsequently taken to his uncle for damage assessment. The judge ruled the crash was contrived and the claim fraudulent.

A Chippendale-style male stripper had a claim for 60,000 thrown out after the judge ruled he had given entirely misleading evidence to the court.

The court heard that Nauris Zeps, of Phibblestown House, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, had danced his way through more than three years of back pain arising out of what he claimed was a rear-ending collision.

Nauris Zeps

Mr Zeps gave evidence that he had been unable to find work for the three and a half years and had been unable to lift his baby or do anything strenuous around the house.

In the meantime, he had continued his strip-dancing career as revealed in photographs and a video presented to the court.

Judge Mary OMalley Costello said the 29-year-old student had misled the court in that he had claimed his injuries were a lot worse that it would appear they were. She struck out his claim and awarded costs against him.

One case that the judge specifically asked to be referred to the gardai involved a woman who slammed on her brakes at a roundabout in Dublin for no reason so that the driver behind ran into her.

Two days later the woman, who had an address in England, was involved in another accident in Monaghan which gardai attended, even though she insisted it was not her as she was in England at the time.

It also emerged she had claimed against Tesco in Ireland for a slip in one of their stores here when she had actually slipped the day before in a Tesco store in England.

She tried to argue that she had slipped in both stores on consecutive days, but her credibility was fast wearing thin and the case was dismissed.

In another example, three claims of 60,000 each were lodged by three passengers against a woman involved in a collision with a car that only contained the driver.

Shortly after the accident, the driver sent the woman a text message thanking her for asking how his children were. She hadnt sent any text and hadnt inquired about any children as the driver had no passengers.

She reported the matter to the gardai immediately because she suspected she was being set up but she still ended up in court facing claims from the drivers partner and two children.

The judge was swayed by the womans decision to go to the gardai, when she had already admitted responsibility for the collision and could have been subjecting herself to a careless driving prosecution by reporting it. All three claims were dismissed.

In another case, a 39-year-old jobless man withdrew a 60,000 damages claim arising from a road traffic accident after a judge told him to stop ducking and diving when questioned about previous accidents.

Paul Gorman, of Owensilla, Ballymun, Dublin, told the Circuit Civil Court that accident is my middle name, adding that, despite having suffered breakages to every bone in his body, he had not always made claims or taken claims to court.

Paul Gorman

Judge Terence OSullivan struck out the case, stating: Your client has stated in the witness box that his middle name was accident and that has been borne out in the evidence. It is important for a plaintiff in any case to make full disclosure of accidents they were involved in.

In another example, the court heard a man took part in a 67km triathlon five weeks after allegedly suffering incapacitating injuries in a bicycle incident involving a hit and run driver.

Graham Dunne

A 60,000 damages claim by Graham Dunne, aged 41, of Castlecurragh Park, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin, was thrown out on the basis he had given misleading information regarding his previous medical history.
There is a widespread perception that mathematics is inaccessible, and ultimately boring., writes Sue Johnston-Wilder and Davide Penazzi.

Just mentioning it can cause a negative reaction in people, as many mathematicians witness at any social event when the dreaded question arrives: what is your job?

For many people, school maths lessons are the time when any interest in the subject turns into disaffection. And eventually maths becomes a topic many people dont want to engage with for the rest of their lives.

A percentage of the population, at least 17%  possibly much higher depending on the metrics applied  develops maths anxiety.

This is a debilitating fear of performing any numerical task, which results in chronic underachievement in subjects involving mathematics.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, professional mathematicians see mathematics as fun, engaging, challenging and creative.

And as maths fans, we are trying to address this chasm in perception of mathematics, to allow everybody to access its beauty and power. So here are our six ways you can help children fall back in love with mathematics.

1. Focus on the whys

The Australian teacher Eddie Woo has become an internet sensation for his engaging way of presenting mathematics. He starts from the ideas and, using pictures and graphs, develops the theory.

He does not ask his students to do repetitive exercises, but to work with him in developing intuition. And he asks the most powerful question a learner of mathematics can ask: Why?.

It is possible to hear throughout his classes the oohs and ahhs of students in the background, when a novel concept is understood.

2. Make it relevant

Traditionally (and in particular in the UK) mathematics is taught in a systematic way, based on rote learning and individual study.

Some students thrive in such a system, others, typically more empathetic students  often female  find such an approach to mathematics isolating and disconnected from their values and their reality.

Connecting mathematical concepts with applications in reality can bring meaning to lessons and lectures, and motivate students to put in the necessary effort to understand.

For example, derivatives  ways of calculating rates of change  can be introduced as a way to measure slopes, and slopes are experienced in everyday life  think about the skatepark or the big hill you cycle up.

Make maths about real life to capture kids imaginations. Pexels.

3. Recognise the challenge

There is an effort component in learning mathematics. It can be challenging, and understanding it sometimes involves stress, frustration, and struggle over time.

This can be an emotionally complex environment for children. But it is one where persistence and perseverance are rewarded when a new concept is understood.

With each success, students gain confidence that they can progress in learning more mathematics. In this way, learning mathematics can be compared to climbing a mountain: plenty of effort, but also some truly blissful moments.

4. Be a maths role model

Some people like to climb mountains solo, while others prefer good company to share the effort. Similarly, some people are happy to study mathematics on their own, but others need more help navigating this challenging subject.

Research shows that students who are failing in maths tend to be more empathetic than systematising. These are also the students more affected by reactions of people surrounding them: parents, teachers and the media.

5. Make maths matter

So given that maths anxiety can spread from one generation to another, parents clearly have a role to play in making sure their children dont clam up at the very thought of numbers.

This is important, because a parent who learns how to avoid passing on mathematical anxiety gives their child a chance to learn a beautiful subject and to access some of the best paid, most interesting, jobs around.

Dont scared of maths, it could rub off on your child. Shutterstock.

6. Join the dots

When it comes to maths, both inside and outside the classroom, the emphasis should shift from solely the numerical aspect to include connected aspects, such as concepts and links with other subjects and everyday applications.

This will allow children to see mathematics as a social practice  where discussing mathematical challenges with classmates, teachers and parents becomes the norm.

This article was written by Sue Johnston-Wilder of University of Warwick and Davide Penazzi of University of Central Lancashirewas originally published on The Conversation.

Read the original article here.
One of the consequences of disruptive leadership is that it gives permission to others to follow suit. If they can do it, why not us, is the often unanswerable question.

That principle stands, even if the smash-the-mould permission offered is far-less-than-exemplary. This process can become even more questionable if that permission is exercised for reasons of political self-preservation.
Asia Trade War Puts New Strains on America Incs Factories in China

Workers manufacture medical supplies at a factory in Guangzhou, China, April 17, 2018, in this still image taken from Reuters TV footage. / Reuters

SHENZHEN, China/SHANGHAI  Larry Sloven arrived in southern China three decades ago, just as the region was taking off as the low-cost manufacturing center of the world. Since then, he has exported millions of dollars of goods, ranging from power tools to LED lights, to some of Americas biggest retailers.

That era may now be coming to an end.

For years, Sloven has seen profits whittled away by rising costs, tighter regulations and Chinese government policies aimed at building a more sustainable and services-oriented economy that have squeezed lower-end manufacturers.

But the final straw may be the prospect of tariffs stemming from a trade war between the United States and China, and a world of more protectionism.

Its been step, by step, by step. And its been getting more and more expensive to produce products in China, said Sloven, president of Capstone International HK Ltd, a division of Capstone Companies, from Deerfield Beach, Florida, a maker of consumer electronics goods.

Manufacturers have been feeling the squeeze as China shifts its priorities from lower-end manufacturing to high technology industries as part of a broader bid to upgrade its economy.

But with tariffs looming, everybody finally woke up to the extent that maybe I should face reality, he said. Manufacturers were increasingly worried that the next group of tariffs would be the killer.

Sloven is now stepping up efforts to trim his exposure to China, diversifying into growing manufacturing centers like Thailand.

Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia are countries that have potential opportunities, he said. However, its not going to be as easy as many may think. And you dont know whats coming next in China.

Interviews with over a dozen manufacturers from medical device makers to agricultural equipment firms illustrate how companies exporting to the United States are now rethinking their calculations about making goods in China.

Before the tariffs came on board, we were looking to move about 30 percent of our production from China to the United States, said Charles M. Hubbs, European director at Premier Guard, a medical products manufacturer, citing reasons such as rising wages, a shrinking workforce and soaring costs.

With the latest tariff development, assuming those tariffs will go into effect, well probably be moving about 60 percent of our manufacturing out of China to the United States.

Other companies are closely reviewing their options.

In the current tariff environment, its only natural for companies like ours and others to be internally reassessing the impact and taking steps to mitigate that, said a senior China-based executive with a major US manufacturer.

Moves could include limiting additional sourcing from China, shifting sourcing to other countries, or bringing work back to the United States.

Supply Chain Threat

The escalating tit-for-tat trade war between the United States and China, with President Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs on Chinese-made goods, could have huge implications for heavily integrated and globalized supply chains.

For some, the impact has been obvious and direct.

Georgia-based AGCO Corp told the United States Trade Representative that tariffs would make the farm equipment it makes in Changzhou, a city in Chinas Jiangsu province, price uncompetitive in the United States.

Maroon Group, a chemical maker from North America said it would be priced out of the market, a concern echoed by Goodman Global, which assembles air conditioners in Houston from Chinese-made parts.

Some firms have already made their moves. The furniture makers At Home Group Inc and RH have said they will cut back production in China.

Others are trying to adjust supply chains. DSM China Ltd, part of the Dutch nutrition firm Royal DSM, is looking to replace US soybeans with new ingredients such as pea powder it can source locally to avoid Beijings retaliatory import duties.

Rising risk from the trade tensions gave us good impetus to check out how we look at the whole business, said Bernard Cheung, director of global strategic marketing at DSM China.

For some, the response has been dictated by where they sit in the supply chain.

US-based GMM Nonstick Coatings has moved some production to India after a 30-40 percent drop-off in China orders for advanced chemicals used to coat American household kitchenware brands such as George Foreman and Bakers Secret as those clients move some production out of China.

This tariff thing is adding extra friction to being in China and its making the decision to shift production quite easy for US sourcing departments, said Ravin Gandhi, GMMs chief executive.

$2 Trillion Question

There are still plenty of manufacturers staying in China for now, especially those targeting the huge domestic or regional market, Gandhi said.

China still has the best infrastructure, supply chain networks and engineering talent, a major hurdle for potential rivals seeking to lure firms away with lower costs, according executives interviewed by Reuters.

In terms of scale, China cannot be easily replaced: it has a manufacturing output of around $2 trillion, according to a Brookings Institution report in July, the worlds largest.

Bird, a Santa Monica, California-based scooter start-up, wrote in a submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative in June that it was unaware of any US producer of electric scooters that can manufacture to Birds scale and needs.

Keith Siilats, the head of Bytelogics, another US-based scooter start-up that manufactures in China, said it was hard to shift production from China. Instead, he expects to absorb the higher costs for the moment and plans to develop European operations less vulnerable to tariff pressure.

Chinas manufacturing sector will not vanish overnight, but a shift is inevitable, said Dan Krassenstein, Shanghai-based director of Asia operations at ProconPacific, which makes around 3 million specialized industrial shipment bags.

He said manufacturing was moving to South Asia and Southeast Asia in search of cheaper labor costs and as Beijing discourages polluting, lower-margin sectors.

The tariff escalation is just going to accelerate it, he said.

Five years ago his company made all its products in China. Now, a quarter are made in India and 5-10 percent in Vietnam.

Doing the Sums

In Southern Chinas Pearl River Delta, the cost of renting industrial and commercial space has surged around 80 percent in the past eight years, while companies have complained of soaring labor costs.

Production costs are cheaper in the US than in China, said Yuan Juyou, deputy head of marketing at Wonderful Group, a ceramics maker. Even though labor costs are more expensive, we have automated a lot of processes. Plus electricity, land, these kinds of costs are cheaper than China.

Wonderful, a unit of the Chinese manufacturer Marco Polo, began shipping products from its new factory in Tennessee in June.

Regional rivals are also starting to sense an opportunity to step up and into Chinas competitive space.

Thailand is actively promoting itself as a regional manufacturing hub, offering incentives such as an exemption of up to eight years on corporate income tax for certain industries and exemptions on import duties for some raw materials.

The countrys corporate income tax rate of 20 percent also ranks it as the second-lowest among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to Thailands Board of Investment.

Thailand is already a major center for some electronics and components, and the government plans a series of industrial zones to push development of target industries.

A China-ASEAN free trade deal also helps mitigate the trade-war risk for companies trading with both the United States and China.

The Thai government is making it very easy now to move down there, said Sloven.

The Chinese government embraced manufacturing back in the day. But now, theyre not looking for growth in the product business. Theyre looking for high-tech, he said.

Its a bit like when a wife comes to a husband and says, I dont love you anymore.
Burma 5 Inmates Receive Pardons for Release After Acing Matriculation Exam

A ceremony to honor inmates of Mandalay Central Prison who the passed matriculation examination on June 18 in Mandalay. / Myat Pyae Phyo / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  The prison department released five inmates who passed the matriculation exam with flying colors and reduced the prison terms of 28 others on Saturday, after they were granted presidential pardons.

Two inmates from Yangons Insein prison and three inmates from Mandalays Obo prison who passed the exam with three distinctions were released on Saturday and will be able to attend university with the help of the Ministry of Education and the department of social welfare, which is under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

U Min Tun Soe, the deputy director of the prison department in Naypyitaw, said the department of social welfare would help the students receive further education and stay out of trouble in the future.

Ko Nay Myo Aung and Ko Nyan Lin Aung from Insein prison, and Ma Lu Pan, Ko Zin Min Tun and Ko Tun Ko Ko from Obo prison, were released on Saturday.

It is compulsory to contact the department social welfare. If the released students do not want to go to university, the department will give them professional training to help them find employment, the deputy director said.

Eight other students from both Insein and Obo prisons who passed the matriculation exam with 2 distinctions received pardons reducing their remaining prison terms by half.

Another 20 inmates who passed the exam with one distinction or no distinctions received pardons reducing their remaining prisons terms by one quarter.

The prison department said the inmates remaining in prison would still have an opportunity to receive a university education while serving their time through the Ministry of Educations distance learning program.

There will be classes and exam centers inside the prison so inmates can continue their studies. If they are released before graduating, they can continue these studies at university, the deputy director said.

U Min Tun Soe added that the pardons were not solely based on distinctions but on crimes committed and time served as well.

In the 2017-18 academic year, 19 inmates out of 34 who took the matriculation exam passed it, along with 27 out of 55 inmates from Obo prison  21 of them with honors.

According to the prison department, 13 inmates who passed the exam were already being released in June and July after their prison terms were fully served.
Burma Lawsuit Opened Against Chairman of Gold Mining Company

National Prosperity Gold Company Moehti Moemi Front Gate. / National Prosperity Gold Production Group Ltd / Facebook

NAYPYITAW  The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation said on Friday that it is planning to arrest the chairman of a gold mining company and that a lawsuit has been opened against him for abusing a mining law.

The ministry has opened the lawsuit against U Soe Tun Shein, chairman of National Prosperity gold mining company, at Yamethin police station and police are preparing to arrest him as the offense deems him not eligible for bail.

The police went to Yangon to arrest him but he was not there. If he does not show up, the police will issue an arrest warrant in accordance with the law, U Than Dain, the ministrys director general, told journalists at an event in Naypyitaw on Friday.

The ministrys No. 2 Mining Enterprise issued a notice in a state-run newspaper on Aug. 13 stating that the mining company needs to return the mining license to the enterprise, as the company has failed to pay a required total of 2,032 kilograms of gold.

The ministry said that the gold mining company National Prosperity is still mining in the Moehti Moemi area of Yamethin Township, thus the lawsuit was opened.

In addition, the director general said the ministry has submitted the case to the Office of the Attorney General, in order to get the gold which is still owed by the company, in accordance with the law.

However, the company refused accusations from the ministry, saying the company is not mining but doing maintenance work on the machinery.

We are not mining as they accused. We did only the maintenance of the machines. This is nothing related to our chairman either, and weve already explained this to the ministry, said U Tun Aung Soe, director general of National Prosperity gold mining company.

Additionally, the company said that only 163 kilograms of gold remains to be paid and they have submitted an appeal to the ministry and the enterprise for permission to mine after the remaining gold has been paid.

The license was submitted together with the appeal to the Union high court. Since the case still remains at the high court, we cannot give back the license. We also sent an appeal to the ministry on Aug. 17 to understand the situation and we will hand back the license once the high court makes a decision, he explained.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach the chairman of the gold mining company, U Soe Tun Shein. When asked, company staff said that he was traveling but did not disclose further details about him.

The National Prosperity gold mining company was granted permission to mine for gold in Moehti Moemi in Mandalay Region in 2011, with the agreement to pay about 5.57 tons of gold to the state over an initial five-year term.

In 2013 the company received a three-year extension to the payment period and was given permission to continue mining in the area for another 17 years under a production-sharing contract once it paid the full 5.57 tons.

According to the No. 2 Mining Enterprise, the company has failed to pay the monthly installments totaling 2,032 kilograms of gold since 2013. As a result, the ministry ordered the company to suspend operations at the end of 2017.

As the company has continued mining in spite of the order, the ministry revoked its mining license in February and terminated the agreements with the company in May this year.

In March, the ministry filed a case against the companys chairman, U Soe Tun Shein, at the Yamethin Township police station under the Mines Law for continuing to operate after being ordered to stop and for failing to hand back the mining license.

Punishment for these offenses is up to seven years imprisonment, a 50,000 kyats ($33) fine, or both and the company will never get permission to mine any minerals in the future.

Additional reporting and translation from Burmese by Zarni Mann.
Burma NSCN-K Replaces Chairman After 1 Year

The ousted NSCN-K chairman Khango Konyak and Naga soldiers were seen together. / Naga Connect / Facebook.

YANGON  The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khapland (NSCN-K) removed retired Lt-Gen Khango Konyak from his role as chairman and replaced him with Yung Aung, the deputy minister of the NSCN-K defense department, as interim chairman last Friday.

The replacement was made after three days of meetings from Aug. 15-17 in Taga village, Nanyun town, at the headquarters of the NSCN-K, said U Kyaw Wan Sein, a central committee member.

The chairman was ousted from his role as chairman and as a member of the NSCN-K, as all of our cabinet ministers agreed on the decision, said U Kyaw Wan Sein.

The deputy minister of defense of the NSCN-K is the nephew of the late SS Khaplang. He studied in Manipur and is known to be skilled at martial arts and polo.

He will act as both chairman and president of the NSCN-K government.

U Kyaw Wan Sein added that Khango Konyak was removed from the position because he was unable to lead the NSCN-K in his capacity as chairman even though he had held the role for more than a year. Other reasons included that he acted without consultation, did not appoint a vice chair, did not engage with the public, and was unable to guide cabinet ministers.

Khango Konyak, who is western Naga, or an Indian national, was appointed as chairman on June 20, 2017, after the death of the founder SS Khaplang.

Of his role as chairman for 14 months, U Kyaw Wan Sein said: He [Khango] could not do anything that would develop our organization. We were disordered and our work suffered setbacks. There was no guidance to the ministries and no engagement with the public.

The ousted Khango Konyak was also restricted from traveling outside the ethnic armed groups headquarters in Myanmars Hukwang valley, Sagaing Region, by the Tatmadaws Northwestern Command last month.

Under his leadership, the NSCN-K also lost an outpost in Lahe Township, Sagaing Region, to Myanmars military.

The loss was regarded by some as a coup against Indian Naga by Myanmar Naga within the NSCN-K.

It is believed that Khango Konyak and some of his followers have returned to India.

In regards to the leadership change and its effect on peace process negotiations, U Kyaw Wan Sein said negotiations are ongoing, adding that more discussion is needed among NSCN-K members regarding whether to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

We have to discuss signing the NCA so that we can move forward. When we do, we will focus on principles that benefit the Naga region, said U Kyaw Wan Sein. Then we will discuss our decision with the government.

The NSCN-K had a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the Sagaing regional government in 2012 and was invited to sign the NCA, which was drafted in 2015. However, as the NSCN-K focuses on having a united Nagaland for the Naga people in both Myanmar and India, its chance of signing the NCA is hindered.

Translated from Burmese by Nyein Nyein.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  An official of Xiamen Airlines confirmed Monday that the pilot and first officer of the plane that caused the runway mishap at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have met with officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

Kevin Yang, station manager of Xiamen Airlines in Manila, told CNN Philippines both the pilot and the first officer are still in the country and that they "are in the investigation" with the CAAP, but he was unable to give any information about when the meeting happened.

"They are in the investigation with the CAAP, but I cannot tell other things about the investigation, including the time and date," he said.

He did confirm, however, that recovery flights were mounted Sunday for passengers who were stranded in the country, and these were approved by the CAAP. He did not say how many flights there were.

Yang, likewise, said Xiamen Airlines has spoken to the pilot, but did not elaborate on what happened during the conversation.

"For myself, I do not know any information about this. I don't know what did the pilots tell anybody," he told CNN Philippines.

Yang was also unable to give any information about whether the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder of Xiamen Airlines Flight MF8667 were with the CAAP.

"No comments for this. I cannot tell if it's with CAAP or not...about this question, you can interview the CAAP about this," he said.

When asked whether the airline was prepared to accept sanctions regarding the incident, Yang could only say he did not understand what "sanctions" meant, and finally said "no comment, sorry."

Monday, August 20, marked the fourth day since flight MF8667 slid off NAIA's 6/24 runway while landing amid a downpour. Onboard were 157 passengers and eight crew members.

The plane's nose wheel collapsed while its left engine ripped off, as it bounced and veered off the runway.

The incident prompted aviation authorities to close the runway for more than 24 hours. As a result, more than a hundred domestic and international flights were canceled or delayed while some were rerouted to Clark or Cebu airports.

The runway was re-opened on Saturday morning, but the chaos following the mishap has affected thousands of passengers, with some waiting at the airport for three days.

Senator Grace Poe said she would call for an investigation into the incident.

CNN Philippines Pia Garcia, Robert Vergara, and Rex Remitio contributed to this report.
Nigerian 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.

Nigerian journalist Samuel Ogundipe, who was detained August 14 by Nigerian police. Credit: Premium Times.

Illegal

Source

Ogundipe, a reporter with the privately owned Premium Times online newspaper, was arraigned yesterday in a magistrate's court in the Kubwa suburb of Abuja, Nigeria's 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 journalist's lawyers, who said the arraignment was illegal.Police from Nigeria's 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, CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa representative, said from Nairobi, Kenya. "Nigeria's 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. "It's 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.Ogundipe's 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 recognise. When it started to ring, it was revealed to be Ogundipe's 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 general's 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 service's 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 police's 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 Ogundipe's 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. Ogundipe's bank account was frozen on the same day he was detained, according to Premium Times CPJ's repeated calls to Abayomi Shogunle, assistant commissioner of police and head of the public complaint rapid response unit for the Nigerian police, went unanswered. CPJ's 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 Ogundipe's arrest, social media uses have used the hashtag #FreeSamuelOgundipe to call for the journalist's release and today protesters gathered in Abuja to additionally demand his release, according to Premium Times
On Sunday, she was accompanied by Union Minister for the Office of the Union Government and National Security Adviser Thaung Tun, Union Minister for International Cooperation Kyaw Tin and Deputy Minister for the Office of the President, Min Thu. The last time she visited the country was in 2016.

Apart from the work-related meetings, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will also host a talk titled Myanmars Democratic Transition: Challenges and Way Forward on Tuesday.

Singapores Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Myanmar State Counselor will call on President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as well as Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

During her third visit to the country, the Nobel laureate will have meetings with Singapores Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and receive a briefing there.

She will be in the city state for four days.

YANGON  Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Singapore on Sunday for a working goodwill visit, at the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister Mr. Lee Hsien Loong.

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News President Takes Sagaing Officials to Task Over Duplicated Drug Figures

President U Win Myint attends a meeting with Sagaing Region administrative, legislative and judicial officials in Sagaing Region on Saturday. / Presidents Office Facebook

YANGONLocal authorities in Sagaing Region have drawn the ire of President U Win Myint by submitting fabricated monthly drug-seizure statistics, including identical information for two consecutive months.

At a meeting on Saturday with Sagaing Region administrative, legislative and judicial officials aimed at finding ways of speeding up regional government reforms, the president questioned whether the regional government was trying to cover up the reality of the situation. Comparing the two monthly government reports containing the drug information, he said, It doesnt make sense.

He pointed out that the identities of the people tried for drug offenses, the number of seizures, the total number of kilograms of heroin seized and the total value of the drugs were the same in both reports. He brought the reports with him to show the error to the officials attending the meeting.

You think I dont read the reports? I read them carefully. Im very disappointed, U Win Myint said.

Dont hide anything from me, the president said. I dont want lies.

Over the years, it has become part of the bureaucratic culture in Myanmar to cover up unpleasant facts by submitting false data to placate visiting high-ranking officials and paint a rosy picture of reality.

U Win Myint asked the Sagaing chief minister whether he had checked the data before submitting it to the Presidents Office. According to procedure, state government departments need to submit reports to the chief ministers office within a certain deadline. After the chief minister checks and signs them, reports are submitted to the Presidents Office.

The president said he understood that there are strengths and weaknesses, and good and bad, in every situation. He said he didnt want to be fed only reports claiming that everything is fine on the ground.

Sagaing Regional Government Office Secretary U Khin Maung Swe told The Irrawaddy that the duplicated information was submitted due to a typing error.

It involved the April and May reports. We have already amended it, he said.

Since July, President U Win Myint has been meeting with regional administrative officials across the country to discuss their monthly reports to his office. Sagaing is the third region he has visited. In July, he met officials from Yangon and Bago regions and warned them not to drag out high-profile legal cases or verbally commit to any projects the Union government had yet to approve.

Sharing borders with Chin State and India, Sagaing is an important area affected by drug trafficking, land disputes, and illegal logging and gold mining. U Win Myint instructed regional administrative, legislative and judicial officials to work together to tackle the regions problems, including corruption.

According to Myanmars Anti-Corruption Commission, 16 officials from across the country, including two from the regional branch of the General Administration Department, are currently fugitives.

Under the 2008 Constitution, the military controls three ministries  Defense, Border Affairs and Home Affairs. The Defense Ministry controls the Border Affairs Ministry, which has responsibility for issues relating to the ethnic states. Home Affairs oversees the countrys police forces and the General Administration Office, which manages all local administrative offices from the village to the township level.

Before I came here, I read all the reports carefully. I want to emphasize that regional administrative, legislative, judicial and other departments must work together to speed up reform. Each of you is responsible for implementing reform. Dont work solely for your own benefit, or for that of your department, the president said.

Some may be hesitant to change. Some may see it as a burden. Truthfully, you dont need to worry about changes. Reform is not your enemy. Reform is your good friend, he added.
News US Imposes More Sanctions on Tatmadaw over Rohingya Crackdown

The US imposes more sanctions on the Myanmar Army over the Rohingya crackdown in Rakhine State. / Reuters

WASHINGTON  The US on Friday imposed sanctions on four Myanmar military and police commanders and two army units, accusing them of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims and widespread human rights abuses.

The sanctions by the Treasury Department marked the toughest US action so far in response to the crackdown by the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) on the Rohingya minority, which started last year and has driven more than 700,000 people into neighboring Bangladesh and left thousands of dead behind.

The sanctions were imposed on military commanders Aung Kyaw Zaw, Khin Maung Soe and Khin Hlaing, and border police commander Thura San Lwin, in addition to the 33rd and 99th Light Infantry Divisions. The measures call for freezes of any US assets the individuals hold, a prohibition on Americans doing business with them, and bans on travel to the US.

A Reuters special report in June gave a comprehensive account of the roles played by the two infantry divisions in the offensive against the Rohingya.

Fridays sanctions were the second round imposed by the US since December last year, when the Treasury Department slapped penalties on General Maung Maung Soe for overseeing the crackdown against the Rohingya Muslims in 2017. The US also scaled back already-limited bilateral military ties.

The Trump administration again stopped short of targeting the highest levels of Myanmars military and of calling the anti-Rohingya campaign crimes against humanity or genocide, which has been the subject of debate within the US government.

According to US officials, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is preparing to issue the findings of an intensive US investigation of alleged atrocities by Myanmar authorities against the Rohingya in Rakhine State.

The release of the report, compiled from interviews at refugee camps in Bangladesh, is expected on or around the Aug. 25 one-year anniversary of the bloody crackdown.

Burmese security forces have engaged in violent campaigns against ethnic minority communities across Burma, including ethnic cleansing, massacres, sexual assault, extrajudicial killings, and other serious human rights abuses, said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker.

Treasury is sanctioning units and leaders overseeing this horrific behavior as part of a broader US government strategy to hold accountable those responsible for such wide-scale human suffering, Mandelker said.

The military has denied accusations of ethnic cleansing and says its actions were part of a fight against terrorism.

Myanmars embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Long Overdue Step

Critics have accused President Donald Trump of being slow in his response to the Rohingya crisis. Human rights groups noted that while Fridays sanctions list included generals, the Tatmadaws powerful chief, Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, was spared.

Rich Weir, Myanmar researcher at Human Rights Watch, called the sanctions an important but long overdue step.

The avoidance of the top military leaders is striking, he added. The likelihood that they did not know what was happening is close to infinitesimal.

In the Treasury statement, Mandelker said: The US government is committed to ensuring that Burmese military units and leaders reckon with and put a stop to these brutal acts.

In November, following the lead of the United Nations and the European Union, then-US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared that the Rohingya crisis constituted ethnic cleansing, a designation that increased pressure on State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Pompeo has yet to decide whether, once he releases the State Departments Rohingya atrocities report, to ratchet up characterization of the violence as crimes against humanity or genocide or to avoid any such label, the officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Such terms could commit the US to stronger punitive measures or help set the stage for charges at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Some within the administration worry that this could complicate Daw Aung San Suu Kyis relationship with the powerful military and push Myanmar closer to China, Washingtons regional rival.

On Friday, US Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, called on social media companies to better protect vulnerable communities by regulating hate speech on their platforms, citing a Reuters report that found more than 1,000 examples of content published on Facebook that attacked the Rohingya and other Muslims in Myanmar.

Facebook and other technology companies must find the means to address these problems head on and invest in solutions, said Cantwell in a statement.

Two Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, are on trial in Myanmar on charges of violating a state secrets law after being arrested in December while reporting on the massacre of 10 Rohingya men. Both have pleaded not guilty and have told the court how they were trapped by police officials who planted documents on them.

This month Pompeo called for the immediate release of the two reporters.
Guest Column Public-Private Partnerships: Headlong vs. Strategic

A section of road between Sagaing and Monywa cities in Sagaing Region is seen under construction as part of a BOT project. / Ministry of Construction

Not long after the National League for Democracy came to power in 2016, public-private partnerships (PPPs) became a buzzword among government ministers and public officials.

It is understandable, given Myanmars immense infrastructure needs. In a 2013 country report, the McKinsey Global Institute estimated Myanmars infrastructure needs at $320 billion by 2030. The G-20 Initiative Global Infrastructure Hub estimated in 2017 that Myanmar needed $224 billion by 2040.

Investment shortfalls against these estimates will have a huge impact on Myanmars economic development and nation-building. There are also many studies, by the World Bank and others, pointing to a strong correlation between infrastructure investment and GDP growth. If Myanmar continues at its current level of infrastructure investment, the countrys sustainable development goals will not be met.

One way to fill the huge infrastructure gap left behind by successive authoritarian governments is PPP. Numerous studies by multilateral and bilateral institutions such as the Asian Development Bank have recommend this approach for Myanmar and other countries in the region. Therefore, it is not surprising that the government adopted PPP as the main approach to fulfilling the countrys infrastructure needs.

However, PPPs are not a magic wand. It is a very complex investment model involving multiple stakeholders and long-term regulatory oversight. Although it is called a public-private partnership, it is privatization by another name since public assets are transferred to private entities on long-term concession contracts, in some cases for 70 years.

PPPs have been in existence in Myanmar for many years and are commonly known as build-operate-transfers (BOTs). The track record of privatization and BOTs in Myanmar is not good and most people consider them to be asset stripping by cronies. A number of country analyses by bilateral and multilateral institutions on the current PPP situation also point out that Myanmar lacks a legal and regulatory framework and is weak on the institutional capacity needed to manage PPPs effectively and efficiently.

In my opinion, by observing the calls for expressions of interest and requests for proposals from various ministries for different types of PPPs  from community centers to airport rehabilitations, elevated expressways to power projects  it seems the government is going all-out on PPPs.

A draft PPP policy document prepared for the government by two UN consultants reinforces this belief. It states that participation in PPPs may take place in both productive and socio-economic service sectors. The list includes every public sector, from health care to education, social welfare, energy, transportation, tourism and information and computer technology.

This all-out approach to PPPs can be problematic, as it can be tantamount to wholesale privatization or a massive transfer of public assets without benefiting the public to the extent that past practices have. Public utilities and state real estate assets, for example, could fall into private hands via PPPs given the current level of institutional capacity and human resources in the ministries and regional governments.

There are many examples in which even the governments of developed countries could not manage PPPs properly and wasted hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers money. Metronet, in the U.K., is a case in point. Moreover, if all the ministries and regional governments in Myanmar were involved in complex PPP projects, they might end up spending much of their time on them and not be able to fulfill their core functions effectively. Therefore, the central government should take a more strategic approach to PPPs by identifying priority infrastructure projects and setting criteria for different types of financing.

The government understandably needs to tap private capital for infrastructure development in Myanmar and naturally adopted the PPP model as a main pillar of its infrastructure program. However, taking the example of the Philippines, the successful implementation of a sustainable and inclusive PPP program necessitates strong political support, clear and transparent policies, enhanced capacity of implementing agencies, a sufficiently resourced PPP knowledge center able to provide essential technical, financial and legal advisory support to ministries, and a pipeline of viable PPP projects.

There is no shortcut to a sustainable and inclusive PPP program. If the government goes headlong, it could face political backlash.

Khine Win is director of the Yangon-based Sandhi Governance Institute.
Travel 24 Hours In Mandalay

A view from the top of Mandalay Hill. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar and the countrys last royal capital. It is also known as the motorbike city. It has historic buildings, traditional food, beautiful landscapes, and many temples and monasteries. On a recent visit to Mandalay, I had only one day to explore the city owing to a tight schedule. There are many things to see and do here for those with a few days to spare. But if you have only one, like me, heres a suggested to-do list.

Local cuisine for breakfast

It takes about a 10-hour bus ride from Yangon to reach Mandalay. I arrived at the Chan Mya Shwe Pyi Highway bus gate at 6 a.m. and headed straight for my hotel to drop off my luggage and relax a bit before heading out.

I have some friends from Mandalay and they always speak proudly of the local food. So I decided to try some of their most popular dishes for breakfast.

Grab thonebane (three-wheel taxis) are a new and popular way to get around Mandalay. I had been to Mandalay twice before and had trouble with transportation each time because I cant drive a motorcycle. And the city doesnt have many taxis, so the car rental fees are very high. Luckily, the city has a variety of transportation service providers including Grab, Oway and Get. I used Grab to catch a ride to the Shwe Pyi Moe tea shop.

Mandalay is famous for specialties such as moat ti or nang gyi thoke (thick rice noodle salad), mhee shay (another kind of rice noodle salad), man myo daw pauk si (bread dumplings) and htoe moat (glutinous rice cake topped with cashews, raisins and creamy butter). Moat ti and mhee shay are the best choices for breakfast.

Shwe Pyi Moe also serves up mohinga, dim sum, dumplings, kyarsan hingar (vermicelli soup) and Shan noodles. But for the best moat ti in town, head to Daw Taw or Soe Soe.

Moat ti can be ordered with differed sizes of rice noodle, including nann lat (medium) and nann gyi (large). The dish also includes chicken, fish balls, onion and a few other ingredients. But the main ingredient is roasted bean powder; add too little or too much and the dish is ruined.

The moat ti (1,800 kyats) at Shwe Pyi Moe wasnt bad, but it wasnt great, either. Unfortunately, Daw Taw was too far from my hotel and I missed a chance to have the best moat ti in Mandalay.

It was now 10 a.m. and time to explore the city.

Popular pagodas

Maharmuni Pagoda

I started with Maharmuni Pagoda, also known as Mahar Myatmuni Pagoda or Phayar Gyi, in southwest Mandalay, home to the most revered and ancient Buddha image in the city. The 4-meter-tall statue is cast in bronze and weighs 6.5 tons. It was created in Rakhine State and moved to Mandalay during the reign of King Sanda Thuriya.

The place was beautiful, peaceful and nice for a short rest. Maharmuni is always packed with visitors, both local and foreign. I recommend visiting in the early morning to avoid the biggest crowds.

Kuthodaw Pagoda

Kuthodaw Pagoda is also known as the worlds largest book because of the stone inscriptions inside the 729 smaller pagodas that surround it. The text comes from the Buddhist holy book known as the Tipitaka. The smaller pagodas are white and make for a beautiful sight. Its a relaxing spot with a few big Kha Yay (star flower) trees on the grounds. It also makes for great photos.

Sandamuni Pagoda

Sandamuni Pagoda is close to Kuthodaw and only takes 5 minutes on foot to reach. It also has many small, slender white pagodas on the grounds and is best known for the Iron Buddha cast by King Bodawpaya of the Konbaung Dynasty in 1802. The pagoda is stunning and should also delight shutterbugs.

With the morning expired, I headed to the center of town for lunch.

Shwe Mi Lotus Leaf Restaurant

Whats special about this restaurant is that is serves the rice and curry on a big lotus leaf, like a Burmese buffet. It includes five main meat dishes and eight sides such as salads and soup for only 3,000 kyats per person. The restaurant is on 67th Street, between 32nd and 33rd streets.

Most of the restaurants in Mandalay are excellent with reasonable prices and include Thai, Chinese, Indian and Korean, so its easy to try something new.

After lunch it was about 1 p.m. and getting hot. I decided to spend my afternoon at Mandalay Palace.

Mandalay Palace

The Mandalay Royal Palace, or Mya Nan San Kyaw, was the last royal palace in Myanmar and the first palace to be built in Mandalay. It was the home of King Mindon, who moved his capital to Mandalay from Amarapura. The entire palace was destroyed during World War II but later restored.

The palace has a total of 12 gates, the main one sitting along the eastern wall. These days only a few gates are open; I entered from the west. At the entrance, visitors must show an ID card or passport. Foreigners also have to pay 10,000 kyats for a look inside.

Some of the buildings are old and some have been restored. Most are empty inside and offer very little information about what you are seeing. Visitors can climb a tower for a birds eye view of all of Mandalay; it might just be the best part of the palace.

The palace compound itself is very large and best to explore by car or motorcycle.

After a couple relaxing hours at Mandalay Palace, I headed to Mandalay Hill to catch the sunset.

Sunset from Mandalay Hill

From the palace, it was 15 minutes to Mandalay Hill, a must for the first-time visitor to the city. There is no better way to end a long day in Mandalay than trekking up the hill for the sunset. You might get tired, but the view is worth it. From the top, you can see the many ancient temples and pagodas sprinkled all around you.

If you still have the energy, another worthwhile site is the U Pein bridge, nor far from the hill.

Dinner in China Town

Mandalay also has a China Town packed with street-food vendors and stalls and bars, but its not so clean. The variety isnt great either, giving visitors a choice between Shan noodles, Shan-style dumplings and some Chinese dishes. But its good for a beer with some local snacks and a chance to watch the locals go about their daily lives.

Travel tips

The weather in Mandalay is very hot, even in the rainy season. Even the wind is hot. So you should bring your sunglasses whenever you go and take along some sunscreen. Bring some long-sleeved shirts and a hat, too.

Mandalay has a lot of pagodas and monasteries, and all forbid footwear inside. So ditch the shoes and opt for a comfortable pair of slippers to slip on and off.

And as I mentioned before, Mandalay is full of beautiful sights, so dont forget to pack your camera and take plenty of pictures.
Monday, August 20th, 2018 (11:08 am) - Score 1,911

The Governments 1.6bn+ Broadband Delivery UK project has today published its latest take-up data to the end of March 2018 (Q1) for the state aid supported roll-out of superfast broadband (24Mbps+) ISP networks across the United Kingdom, which continues to see strong levels of adoption.

The figures inside this article reflect the percentage of customers (homes and businesses) that have chosen to sign-up with a superfast broadband network (delivered via FTTC, FTTP or Fixed Wireless), albeit only those in areas which have been upgraded through the publicly funded BDUK programme (i.e. % subscribed of premises passed).

At present this data reflects the first two phases of the programme and not any of the most recent follow-on contracts (theres no data for those yet).

BDUK Phases 1 (Completed Spring 2016) Supported by 530m of public money via the Government (mostly extracted from a small slice of the BBC TV Licence fee), as well as significant match funding from local authorities and the EU. The public funding is then roughly matched by BTs private investment. Overall it helped to extend superfast broadband (24Mbps+) services to cover 90% of homes and businesses in the United Kingdom. BDUK Phase 2 (Technically on-going) Supported by 250m of public money via the Government, as well as match funding from local authorities, Local Growth Deals and private investment from suppliers (e.g. BT, Gigaclear, Airband, Call Flow etc.). This phase extended superfast broadband services to 95% of premises in time for the end of 2017, although some contracts are on-going until 2020 and will reach beyond 95%.

Phase One was broadly dominated by Openreach (BT) linked contracts, while the on-going Phase Two contracts have attracted a mix of extension deals with BT and several alternative network providers (ISP), as well as some limited use of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology.

Crucially the BDUK contracts include a clawback (gainshare) clause, which requires the suppliers (e.g. BT) to return part of the public investment as customer adoption of the new service passes beyond the 20% mark in related areas. The funding can then be reinvested to further improve coverage and speeds via future contracts. Efficiency savings from earlier phases can also be reinvested.

So far it looks as if a total of around 750 million could be returned via both clawback and efficiency savings, which may rise again in 2018 (details here and here). BDUK has estimated that the reinvestment could be enough to boost the UK coverage of fixed line superfast broadband networks from 95% today to around 98% by the end of 2020.

BDUK Phase One Take-up (Average %)



The following table breaks the take-up data down by each BDUK local authority (project area), although for the proper context these percentages should ideally be considered alongside the most recent premises passed (network coverage) data, which can be seen at the bottom of this article. Overall 47% of premises have adopted the new service (up from 44.4% at the end of 2017).

NOTE: Some of the counties have divided their deployments into separate contracts. For example, Phase One in Shropshire doesnt include the Telford and Wrekin area because that is part of a separate Phase Two contract inside the same county. On top of that the contracts were all signed at different times and so are at different stages of development.

Project Area (Phase 1) Uptake % (Sep 2017) Uptake % (Dec 2017) Uptake % (Mar 2018) Berkshire Councils 50.1 51.9 54.3 Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire 50.8 53.3 56 Cambridgeshire, Peterborough 47.9 49.4 51.8 Central Beds, Bedford Borough, Milton Keynes 50.3 52.1 54.9 Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Warrington, Halton 48 50.1 52.9 Devon & Somerset (including, Plymouth, Torbay, North Somerset, Bath & NE Somerset) 41.2 43.7 46.6 Coventry, Solihull, Warwickshire 48.9 50.9 53.6 Cumbria 43.3 45.2 47.7 Derbyshire 40.1 42.5 45.1 Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole 41.6 43.7 46.7 Durham, Gateshead, Tees Valley and Sunderland 40.2 42.3 45.1 East Riding of Yorkshire 45.4 46.4 49 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 47.4 49.7 52.3 Essex, Southend-On-Sea, Thurrock 46.9 48.8 51.6 Greater Manchester 34.3 36.5 39 Hampshire 45 47.2 49.8 Herefordshire and Gloucestershire 42.1 44.2 47.2 Isle of Wight 38.8 41.2 43.8 Kent and Medway 45.9 48 50.5 Lancashire, Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen 39.4 41.3 44 Leicestershire 46.6 48.6 51.4 Lincolnshire 45.9 47.4 49.8 Merseyside 34 36.2 39 Newcastle upon Tyne 36.4 39.4 41.8 Norfolk 45 47 49.7 North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire 44.1 45.9 48.4 North Yorkshire 49.1 49.4 51.5 Northamptonshire 50.1 52 54.4 Northumberland 46.9 48.1 51.1 Nottinghamshire 45.8 48.4 50.9 Oxfordshire 49.6 51.8 54.1 Rutland 58.2 58 60 Shropshire 42.5 44.8 47.6 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 42.2 44.4 47.2 Suffolk 46.7 48.8 51.6 Surrey 51.1 53.2 55.5 West Sussex 48.9 50.6 53.4 West Yorkshire 39.4 41.6 44.1 Wiltshire 48 50.2 52.6 South Gloucestershire 50.9 53.9 56.4 Worcestershire 46.6 48.6 51.2 Devolved Administrations Highlands and Islands 39.5 42.1 45.3 Northern Ireland 43.4 51.1 48.2 Rest of Scotland 35.4 37 40 Wales 39 40.2 42.5

BDUK Phase Two Take-up (Average %)

So far in Phase 2 an overall total of 30.56% (up from 27% at the end of 2017) of premises have adopted the new service and some projects have yet to report. We note that a number of Phase 2 schemes also consist of more than one contract type and so you may see several figures being reported for certain areas in order to reflect each of those deals.

Project Area (Phase 2) Uptake % (Sep 2017) Uptake % (Dec 2017) Uptake % (Mar 2018) Berkshire no data 8.2 , 2.5 20.8, 3.1 Black Country 17.8 21.8 25.3 Bucks & Herts 20.9 17.2 26.8 Bedford & Milton Keynes 20.9 23.9 29.7 Cambridgeshire no data no data no data Cheshire 34.8 36.2 36.5 Cornwall 21.9 21.9 26.7 Cumbria 18 20 24.5 Derbyshire 23.6 24.4 27.7 Devon & Somerset 5.7 6.6 9.8 Dorset 13.8 21 28.5 Durham 21.4 22.1 23.7 East Riding (Yorkshire) 27.2 33.5 39.2 East Sussex 31.9 39.6 45.5 Essex 28.2 30.3 , 15.4 32.9 , 26.8 Greater Manchester no data no data no data Hampshire 19.3 24.1 27.5 Herefordshire & Gloucestershire no data 25.2 30.9 Kent 23.9 30.7 35 Lancashire 21.2 24.8 28.4 Leicestershire 24.1 24.4 26.6 Lincolnshire 24.1 26 31.1 Norfolk 33.7 35.2 38.3 North Lincolnshire 25.5 28.3 30.9 North Yorkshire 49 47.4 46.3 Northamptonshire 26.1 30.7 34.7 Northumberland 32.8 37.6 36.3 Nottinghamshire 30.1 31.9 35.5 Oxfordshire no data no data no data Rutland no data no data no data Shropshire 9.7 13.7 17.4 South Gloucestershire 19.4 23.9 27.7 South Yorkshire 24.5 23.6 27.4 Staffordshire 20.7 30.6 33 Suffolk 32.3 35.3 38.4 Swindon no data 3.6 4.6 Telford & Wrekin 30.2 32.6 36.4 Warwickshire 37.8 37 41.2 West Oxfordshire no data no data no data West Sussex 26.8 32.7 35.6 West Yorkshire 20.7 24.4 28.5 Wiltshire 25.4 29 32.3 Worcestershire 33.1 36.1 42 Devolved Administrations Highlands and Islands no data no data no data Northern Ireland 20.3 20.8 22.9 Rest of Scotland no data no data no data Wales no data no data no data

IMPORTANT: Take-up is a dynamically scaled measurement, which means that at certain stages of the scheme it may go up or even down depending upon the pace of deployment (i.e. premises passed in any given time-scale), although over time the take-up should only rise.

Explained another way, earlier phases of the roll-out were easier and faster to deploy, so you could expect to see a bit of a yo-yo movement with the take-up % sometimes falling if lots of new areas were suddenly covered. Some contracts are also younger than others and will thus take time to catch-up. However BDUKs roll-out pace is slowing as it reaches tricky rural areas (Phase 2), which will give take-up a chance to climb.

A number of other factors can also impact take-up, such as the higher prices for related fibre services, as well as customers being locked into long contracts with their existing ISP (they cant upgrade immediately) and a lack of general awareness (locals dont always know that the faster service exists) or interest in the new connectivity (if you have a decent ADSL2+ speed and only basic needs then you might feel less inclined to upgrade).

The fear of switching to a different ISP may also obstruct some services. In other cases the new service may run out of capacity (i.e. demand is higher than expected), which means that people who want to upgrade are prevented from doing so until Openreach resolves the problem, although the scale of this issue is fairly small.

Now, for some context, heres the latest progress report on related contracts for the same period.

Funding and Premises Passed Progress (BDUK Phase 1 + 2)

Total BDUK Funding Total Local Body Funding (Councils etc.) Total Contracted Premises Delivered to Date (Mar 2018) Bedford & Milton Keynes 8,130,000 9,443,694 56,269 45,308 Berkshire 5,153,017 4,603,250 43,723 26,837 Black Country 3,780,000 3,780,000 40,011 36,416 Bucks & Herts 10,837,000 11,415,000 94,428 75,467 Cambridgeshire 8,250,000 17,750,000 105,850 100,103 Cheshire 6,461,000 16,091,055 82,468 77,394 Cornwall 5,960,000 12,529,786 15,288 8,347 Cumbria 19,959,519 18,798,000 120,065 116,776 Derbyshire 9,579,550 9,580,000 103,755 90,880 Devon & Somerset 57,510,245 39,187,538 344,835 285,073 Dorset 13,741,841 12,349,470 79,874 74,872 Durham 12,786,267 11,763,000 112,898 107,972 East Riding (Yorkshire) 10,507,459 5,193,079 49,510 47,864 East Sussex 13,640,000 17,000,000 70,040 60,961 Essex 14,254,755 14,254,755 155,871 104,412 Greater Manchester 3,440,000 5,923,000 41,363 39,860 Hampshire 15,262,307 14,180,000 106,434 81,019 Herefordshire & Gloucestershire 31,090,658 27,246,760 152,367 118,177 Highlands & Islands 50,830,000 75,600,000 149,730 140,491 Isle of Wight 2,490,000 2,490,000 17,617 17,649 Kent 17,063,509 14,998,391 137,881 134,878 Lancashire 14,670,000 22,540,000 147,334 142,171 Leicestershire 7,968,895 10,884,647 74,479 68,997 Lincolnshire 16,110,000 17,910,000 137,949 125,683 Merseyside 5,460,000 4,374,000 43,905 42,946 Newcastle 970,000 945,131 6,760 6,697 Norfolk 24,650,000 24,210,000 202,367 182,438 North Lincolnshire 4,181,242 1,880,963 29,442 28,244 North Yorkshire 28,160,000 14,654,726 175,283 165,581 Northamptonshire 9,856,669 11,009,000 79,349 70,934 Northern Ireland 11,454,000 21,954,000 66,907 64,510 Northumberland 10,687,867 11,986,750 49,620 45,970 Nottinghamshire 7,850,000 9,288,644 69,401 62,774 Oxfordshire 8,184,500 13,924,500 78,007 74,936 Rest of Scotland 50,000,000 107,575,000 572,563 555,736 Rutland 1,000,000 1,670,000 10,004 9,364 Shropshire 19,317,466 12,722,000 69,711 54,004 South Gloucestershire 3,370,000 3,521,123 21,616 17,194 South Yorkshire 9,845,000 10,155,000 95,664 80,589 Staffordshire 9,620,000 7,440,000 80,937 74,831 Suffolk 26,940,000 26,677,050 123,434 108,874 Surrey 1,310,000 19,020,081 76,981 71,414 Swindon 950,000 950,000 20,138 16,381 Telford & Wrekin 2,157,000 1,843,000 8,822 8,103 Wales 66,967,000 156,407,000 728,737 700,364 Warwickshire 15,007,144 15,007,144 74,301 50,797 West Oxfordshire 1,600,000 1,556,675 4,788 0 West Sussex 8,011,243 7,510,000 54,443 49,839 West Yorkshire 11,019,827 11,175,487 103,485 83,269 Wiltshire 9,270,000 16,496,000 83,543 71,620 Worcestershire 8,387,032 11,390,000 66,561 55,636 715,702,012 920,854,699 5,436,808 4,880,652

The above figures only include 24Mbps+ capable premises in BDUK intervention areas.
A fierce contest between Intel and NVIDIA for control over artificial intelligence (AI) workloads is now under way in earnest.

Intel at a Data Centric Innovation Summit this week laid out its plans to usurp graphical processor units (GPUs) that over the last few years have been widely employed to build and train AI models. In fact, adoption of GPUs by cloud service providers to run AI workloads is enabling NVIDIA to mount one of the most serious challenges to Intel dominance of core processors in recent memory.

AI models today are based largely on machine learning and deep learning algorithms, also known as neural networks. Intel still dominates when it comes to applications incorporating machine learning algorithms. But more complex deep learning algorithms are more cost-effective today to run on GPUs.

To address that issue, the Intel approach to AI will span multiple classes of processors. This week, Intel revealed it is extending instruction sets in next-generation Xeon processors, code-named Copper Lake and Ice Lake, to enable AI models to run both machine and deep learning algorithms as much as 11 times faster. Navin Shenoy, executive vice president and general manager of the Data Center Group at Intel, says Copper Lake is due out the end of 2019, while Ice Lake processors will become available in 2020.

Were reinventing Xeon, says Shenoy.

Shenoy says Intel is already generating $1 billion in Xeon revenues specifically from AI applications, a number it expects to substantially increase as the total addressable market for AI processors is to reach $10 billion by 2022, a 25 percent compound annual growth rate. Intel clearly expects Xeon class processors to account for the biggest segment of that market. But Intel is also making major AI related investments in other processors, including Intel Nervana processors optimized for deep learning algorithms and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on technology Intel gained when it acquired Altera. Intel is betting that a mix of processors will be able to better address the requirement of AI applications that require access to training, inference and, soon, learning engines. FPGAs, for example, deployed alongside Intel Xeon processors will be able to overcome some of the memory and I/O limitations developers of AI models currently encounter when relying on GPUs.

In fact, those limitations are one of the primary reasons Google developed its own ASIC, known as Tesla processor units (TPUs) to process deep learning algorithms. Google, like most cloud service providers, is making available a range of Intel, GPUs and ASIC processor types and classes that can be used to train and deploy AI engines. In fact, Google recently announced it plans to make TPUs available both in the cloud and at the network edge.

Intel, in the meantime, is betting that an open source nGraph compiler project will make it simple to deploy multiple types of AI engines on top of multiple classes of processors. Other critical ongoing investment areas identified by Intel this week include natural language processing in the form of an NLP Architect and an application programming interface (API) project dubbed Onyx.

Shenoy made it clear that Intel views machine and deep learning algorithms as core functionality that every application to one degree or another will require. To drive awareness of that fundamental shift, Intel is also pouring resources into an AI Academy that promises to teach traditional enterprise developers how to build and employ AI models.

The one technology Intel at this moment appears to have no interest in when it comes to AI is GPUs. Intel is developing GPU processors for use on desktops, expected sometime in 2020. But as far as the data center is concerned, GPUs are not on the Intel roadmap.

NVIDIA, as the leading provider of GPUs, however, continues to gain ground as usage of various cloud services for building AI applications continues to expand. In fact, NVIDIA is now starting to concentrate on making it simpler to employ AI software technologies by packaging them in containers. Chris Kawalek, a senior product marketing manager of NVIDIA, says the goal now is to make it simpler for data scientists to access and deploy AI technologies that come prepackaged in Docker containers.

Were increasing the size of the ecosystem, says Kawalek.

NVIDIA is also expanding technology alliances with storage vendors such as NetApp to address I/O issues. NetApp and NVIDIA recently announced NetApp ONTAP AI, which integrates NetApp all-Flash storage systems with NVIDIA DGX supercomputers. Octavian Tanase, senior vice president for ONTAP at NetApp, says that combined effort will make it simpler for organizations to set up IT infrastructure optimized for AI workloads.

It eliminates the guesswork, says Tanase. Data scientists dont want to have to worry about storage.

Dell EMC, meanwhile, countered that move with a series of Dell EMC Ready Solutions for AI that are based on both Intel Xeon and NVIDIA GPUs. Jon Siegal, vice president of product marketing for Dell Technologies, says these systems are also designed to free data scientists that are expensive to hire from spending too much time on IT operations.

Data scientists are spending too much time on non-data science tasks, says Siegal.

In the future, Siegal also notes that FPGAs will be an important AI option, which is why the PowerEdge c4140 allows customers to use GPUs today while providing an option to install FPGAs at a future date.

Steve Conner, vice president of solutions engineering at Vantage Data Centers, a provider of hosting services, credits NVIDIA for filling a clear AI gap. But it remains to be seen whether in the long term GPUs will be needed to process AI workloads, says Conner. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are both working toward redesigning motherboards to optimally run AI workloads in ways that generate less heat and are less costly to employ, says Conner.

GPUs are a great short-term solution, says Conner.

But continued reliance on using GPUs at scale to run massive AI workloads will create significant cooling challenges that may require increased reliance on either water in the data center or more esoteric approaches such as liquid Teflon that are just starting to emerge, says Conner.

Regardless of the path chosen, the one thing that is clear is that AI represents the most significant opportunity to move IT forward in recent memory, says Charles King, principal analyst for Pund-IT. The challenge is reducing the cost of running those AI workloads to a point where it becomes cost-effective to pervasively apply them, says King.

Time is still money, says King.
Digital communications provider Avaya has secured a five-year deal to supply contact centre technology and provide services to the Australian Department of Defence.

A statement from the company said under the deal, Defence would migrate and consolidate its 14 contact centres  made up of more than 650 personnel and servicing 40 lines of business  to the Avaya omnichannel platform.

It is claimed the new solution would enable Defences contact centres to be unified with all communications channels and associated applications.

The solution will allow Defence to expand its automation and analytics capabilities and provide a more efficient and personalised experience for those who interact with contact centres.

Once the project is completed, contact centre agents in each operational arm of Defence will have visibility into combined data sets. This will allow them to deliver anything from simple tickets for desktop support to more sophisticated issues related to Defence business lines.

Operators will also be able to resolve issues at their first point of contact, something that is not possible at the moment.

Avaya is also increasing accessibility for all personnel who engage with the contact centres. For example, the new capability will cater for callers who may have hearing impairments, giving them a specialised service that optimises their experiences.

Peter Chidiac, managing director Australia and New Zealand, Avaya, said, The migration to a centralised environment for each of its contact centres creates the opportunity for Defence to get closer to its customers  whether they are employees across its various departments or external parties  than ever before.

"Once the transition is complete, Defence will be able to combine automation and analytics to provide personalised experiences to all stakeholders.
Snacking and beverage giant PepsiCo has agreed to acquire countertop carbonated water machine maker SodaStream International Ltd for $3.2 billion. The transaction is in line with PepsiCo's Performance with Purpose journey, which promotes health and wellness through environmentally friendly, cost-effective and fun-to-use beverage solutions.

Chris Gardiner via 123RF

Accelerating growth and innovation

Israel-based Sodastream makes a machine and refillable cylinders allowing users to make their own carbonated drinks. The health-conscious soda maker is the top sparkling water brand in volume in the world and the leading manufacturer and distributor of sparkling water makers."SodaStream is highly complementary and incremental to our business, adding to our growing water portfolio, while catalysing our ability to offer personalised in-home beverage solutions around the world," says Ramon Laguarta, CEO-Elect and president, PepsiCo.Under the terms of the agreement, PepsiCo is to acquire all of the outstanding shares of SodaStream for $144.00 per share. The transaction will be funded with PepsiCo's cash on hand.According to the PepsiCo press release, its strong distribution capabilities, global reach, R&D, design and marketing expertise, combined with SodaStream's differentiated and unique product range will position SodaStream for further expansion and breakthrough innovation.Daniel Birnbaum, SodaStream CEO and director, says, "Today marks an important milestone in the SodaStream journey. It is validation of our mission to bring healthy, convenient and environmentally friendly beverage solutions to consumers around the world. We are honoured to be chosen as PepsiCo's beachhead for at home preparation to empower consumers around the world with additional choices. I am excited our team will have access to PepsiCo's vast capabilities and resources to take us to the next level. This is great news for our consumers, employees and retail partners worldwide.""PepsiCo and SodaStream are an inspired match," says PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi. "Daniel and his leadership team have built an extraordinary company that is offering consumers the ability to make great-tasting beverages while reducing the amount of waste generated. That focus is well-aligned with Performance with Purpose, our philosophy of making more nutritious products while limiting our environmental footprint."The acquisition has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies. The transaction is subject to a SodaStream shareholder vote, certain regulatory approvals and other customary conditions, and closing is expected by January 2019.
A former employee of Indian IT outsourcing company HCL has filed a suit, claiming that the firm discriminates against non-Indian workers and games the American H-1B visa system.

A report in the California website Mercury News said that Reese Voll, a white male computer systems architect, had worked at HCL for about two years and was sacked in August 2016.

His suit, which he wants to expand to class-action status, alleges that HCL prefers South Asians in employment decisions and its policies serve to enforce this bias. It said the South Asian workforce was "primarily Indian".

HCL, which has its headquarters in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was set up in 1976 and has three divisions  HCL Infosystems, HCL Technologies and HCL Healthcare. It has annual revenues of more than US$8.5 billion and employs over 125,000 workers from 140 nationalities with operations in 41 countries and 500 points of presence in India.

Voll said that among HCL's practices was hiring Indians on H-1B visas for its American job openings.

Since Donald Trump was elected in 2016, the US has been clamping down on H-1B visas which are used to bring in about 85,000 people a year to work in the US. Many of them are Indians who work in the technology industry.

HCL submits visa petitions for more positions than actually exist in the US in order to maximise its chances of securing the highest number of available H-1B visas from the lottery process, the suit alleges.

In this way, HCL has been able to secure visas for far more individuals than it actually has a present need for.

Non-South Asian individuals are often displaced from their current positions in favour of South Asian and visa-ready individuals. Jobs are given to visa-holding South Asians from India.

The suit was filed in the US District Court in San Jose, California, which is a federal court, as it alleges that the employment practices at HCL violate US civil rights law.

Voll alleges that he witnessed the company's preference for Indians first-hand during the two years he worked for HCL in Texas.

He claimed he was not able to work well with his colleagues. South Asian colleagues routinely spoke in Hindi and other non-English languages both socially and while discussing client-related work, precluding (Voll) from fully participating in these conversations, his suit claimed.

Voll wants his suit expanded to cover "all individuals who are not of South Asian race who applied for positions with (or within) HCL in the US and were not hired, who were employed by HCL in the US and sought a promotion but were not promoted, and/or who were employed by HCL in the US and were involuntarily terminated".

He wants unspecified damages and compensation, plus a court order that makes it mandatory for HCL to have a non-discriminatory method for hiring, promotion, termination, and other employment decisions".

iTWire contacted HCL's Melbourne office for comment on the case, but the phone appears to be unattended and there is no other way of contact provided. Mercury News said HCL had not responded to its request for comment.
Companies involved in 14 major recent data breaches in Australia and the rest of the world  including human resources outfit PageUp People  did not even achieve a passing grade for the way in which they handled post-breach communications, the authors of a new book on breaches say.

Co-authors Peter Coroneos and Michael Parker said in a statement that the fallout from the poor management of the breaches included senior executive resignations, parliamentary inquiries, loss of customers, significant share price, revenue and business valuation reductions, litigation, damages and compensation orders and general lingering brand damage from an increasingly distrustful public.

Coroneos is a former leader of the Internet Industry Association and is now regional head of the non-government organisation, Cyber Security Advisers Network. Parker is a brand management and communications professional and is managing director of Praxis Communication.

Their book, Cyber Breach Communication Playbook, analyses the 14 breaches and finds that they scored as follows: C (1 case); C-minus (3 cases); D (3 cases); D-minus (3 cases); and Fail (4 cases).

The PageUp response, to what is the first major breach after Australian data breach laws came into force, has been criticised by both technical and legal professionals.

the scale of the breach;

the sensitivity of the information compromised;

the time taken to report the breach;

any evidence of a cover-up;

the time taken for management acceptance of responsibility;

how predictable and preventable the breach was;

the degree of public backlash; and

where appropriate, notice and redress for affected individuals.

Coroneos and Parker used 10 "grade criteria" to assess the 14 breaches which occurred from 2015 to July 2018. These included:

The breaches the pair studied were:

Australian Bureau of Statistics  2016 online census;

Australian Electoral Commission  2016 election electronic voting security flaws;

Geoscience Australia July 2018  national audit office report;

PageUp People  2018 job applicants data breached;

Uber 2017  57 million records including 1 million Australian passengers and drivers;

Republican National Convention 2017  198 million voter records exposed by cloud error;

Equifax 2017  143 million personal records stolen;

JP Morgan and Chase  7 million customer records exposed;

TalkTalk 2015  UK telco 150,000 customer records breached;

Ticketmaster  2018 breach exposing financial details;

Target  supply chain breach of its point of sale systems;

Verizon 2017  14 million customer records exposed;

14 million customer records exposed; Yahoo!  largest ever reported data breach; and

Ashley Madison  the infamous 2015 dating site hack.

Systemic failures are adding to fears that information is not longer safe even in the hands of major brands or government databases, said Coroneos

It borders on inexcusable that organisations should run for cover after a breach. Even if youre not the direct cause, finger pointing and blame shifting are not winning strategies.

Our sense is that a culture of denial still persists, particularly where a major breach hasnt yet occurred. Every new poorly-handled breach inflames end user demands for greater accountability and more laws.

"But we shouldnt have to have to wait for laws to dictate our trust processes. Businesses who rely on the Internet have a collective interest in moving to best practice. Trust is fragile and ephemeral  it shouldnt be taken for granted."
Retail service provder Aussie Broadband is calling on the Federal Government to fund changes to parts of the fixed wireless portion of the NBN

Aussie Broadband managing director Phillip Britt believes a significant part of the NBN fixed wireless network is badly congested, and that could be addressed by moving townships onto fixed line technology.

"We estimate from analysing our own data that at least 18% of the fixed wireless network is currently experiencing what we define as severe congestion. Our analysis of NBN data leads us to believe that 12% of the network is experiencing what NBN defines as unacceptable congestion," said Britt.

"It's obvious to us that fixed wireless has, to some degree, been a victim of its own success. It was rolled out early in the NBN schedule and demand for services since then  what is often called 'the Netflix effect'  have escalated."

Britt thinks at least part of the problem could be addressed by switching denser rural townships or parts thereof from fixed wireless to lower-cost FttN or FttC services.

Given the ill-feeling generated in metro areas by FttN services that fail to deliver the expected speeds  NBN Co recently announced that more than 45% of end users are now on 50Mbps or faster plans  FttC would seem to a safer bet in terms of staying onside with voters as well as the longer term reliability and upgradability of the network.

"Ideally, no-one on a quarter acre township block should be serviced down the track by fixed wireless. It should really be used to service customers on larger blocks around the outskirts of towns, and rural properties where appropriate," said Britt.

"Removing denser parts of townships from the network would help free up capacity for surrounding customers on fixed wireless."

Britt cited Toongabbie and Glengarry in regional Gippsland and Port Wakefield in South Australia as examples of whole towns that could be switched from fixed wireless to fixed line services.

And, he said, places such as Blayney in NSW and Kalbar in Queensland have adjacent neighbourhoods with a "digital divide" between fixed line and congested fixed wireless services.

"It would not be hard to go back into these towns and retrofit those areas to fixed line services," said Britt. "It's a natural progression for the NBN and probably one they already have planned - we would just like to see it funded earlier.

"It also has the potential to increase NBN's average revenue per user in those areas, by shifting customers to higher capacity technologies."

NBN Co's ARPU is currently $44, with a long-term target of $52.

Britt also called for the adoption of a common definition of congestion.

"There are a range of definitions of congestion in the telco universe. For example, we define severe congestion as averaging less than 50% of a speed plan for 12 hours or more per day. NBN [Co] uses a slightly different definition, as does the ACCC. We think it would be helpful  especially for customers  if there was an agreed definition to base conversations around."
Australias Centre of Perinatal Excellence is deploying Optus IT services and devices to help extend the reach of its digital screening solution, iCOPE.

The deal will see the not-for-profit COPEs stored data hosted on Optus Managed Cloud (OMC) in the Optus Data Centre in Melbourne.

Under the two-year agreement, Optus Business will provide COPE with fixed and mobile network services, empowering practitioners to access iCOPE, which was created by Convenience Advertising, on mobile devices.

Optus will also supply iPads to COPEs network of practitioners and Optus says expected uptake will greatly assist the growth of the iCOPE platform in Australia.

Until now, screening by COPE has been conducted via paper formats, which the organisation says limits reach, accuracy, and the early detection of debilitating conditions, and the assessment of a pregnant womans risk of developing mental health problems.

COPE says that in line with the recommendations of the Australian 2017 National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline, every pregnant woman and new mother should be routinely screened to assess her risk of developing mental health problems at this time of life.

The perinatal period is the time in a womans life when she is most likely to experience a mental health condition and is at increased risk of other social factors  including substance misuse and family violence, said Dr Nicole Highet, founder and executive director of COPE.

iCOPE is an interactive digital screening platform developed in response to glaring gaps in perinatal services. Health professionals can now access the latest recommended screening and assessment tools on tablet devices, allowing the process to be completed in a matter of minutes.

At the centre of this initiative is an investment into the improved support of pregnant women, new mothers and their families. The support from Optus Business reflects this, and the capabilities of the network services equip COPE with the ability to scale our operations to meet the growing demand we are experiencing. This enables us to support health professionals in the delivery of best practice and ensuring emotional and mental health of pregnant women and new mothers remains a national priority."

Optus Business is proud to assist Cope in tackling the emotional and mental health problems linked to the perinatal period. The Optus network services and devices empower COPE to rapidly and simply meet the growing demand for the iCOPE solution, so that more families can benefit from this innovative use of technology, said John Paitaridis, managing director, Optus Business.

Technology is changing the way we work and live and the iCOPE solution is a great example of how we can harness the power of technology and connectivity to deliver improved accuracy and real time reporting for such an important health care initiative.

Paitaridis said the innovative approach simplifies the overall screening process, reduces the pressures placed on professionals, generates instant clinical and patient reports with 100% accuracy, and collects data in real time to inform screening rates and outcomes within and across settings.

The iCOPE Platform also facilitates screening in thirteen languages, empowering patients with access to screening and personal reporting in their own language.

Paitaridis said the sensitive nature of the information captured in the process means cyber-protection was a top priority for both COPE and Optus  and for a tablet to access the application, it must connect from the client site using an APN (secure private connection) using an Optus 4G SIM.

Paitaridis said the Optus-managed firewall would manage workflows for the secure movement of information, with the platform internationally accredited.
SAP is working with more than two dozen produce, pharmaceutical, tech and shipping companies on an automated blockchain-based supply chain tracking system that it believes will bolster visibility and ensure the authenticity of goods such as food and drugs.

The software giant is piloting its SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain with 16 farm-to-consumer produce suppliers such as Maple Leaf Foods, Johnsonville, Naturipe Farms, Tate & Lyle and Natura. SAPs blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) provides an abstraction layer that supports open standards, offers built-in integration with SAP applications.

SAP customers who use its Cloud Platform can opt in to pilot the blockchain ledger that runs on it, according to Hala Zeine, president of SAP's Supply Chain and Manufacturing group. From there, customers will soon be able to use APIs to connect the blockchain network to other applications, such as SAP HANA, an in-memory relational database managment system, according to the company.

"SAP's customers first connect to its [cloud-based] applications and then connect those applications to its blockchain platform as an option they can turn on," Zeine said.

The company recently created a partner consortium consisting of seven companies, including Intel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (HPE), UPS and A3 by Airbus SE, to help it develop a global supply chain platform.

SAP surveyed cloud customers using its blockchain ledger and found 92% saw it as a potential business opportunity and, more specifically, 63% saw it as a supply chain  with IoT as the most promising application for it, Zeine said.

SAP

A lot of companies are interested in blockchain for creating more efficient workflows, but supply chain management is one of the "big, killer apps," according to Vipul Goyal, an associate professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

While SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain has been in production for several months, the applications that will enable data from various specific industries to be entered remains in development. Next month, SAP will meet with consortium members to hammer out a road map for developing those applications with its partners.

In all, about 65 companies are participating in SAP's co-innovation blockchain initiative. The goal: to help customers use manufacturing and supply-chain products  augmented by blockchain  to enhance transparency, safety and collaboration in industries such as transportation, food, and pharmaceuticals.

SAP is not alone in developing such a supply chain tracking system. In January, Maersk and IBM announced a joint venture to deploy a blockchain-based electronic shipping system that will digitize supply chains and track international cargo in real time. This month, the companies announced 94 partners have signed on to pilot the system.

SAP customer Modum, a start-up vendor of IoT sensors and tracking software, has been working with SAP Innovation Center Network to bring together sensor data with SAP's cloud blockchain service.

Modum's sensors can monitor the condition of packages in transit for temperature, humidity, vibration and light exposure to help customers comply with safety regulations or quality requirements. The sensors in a package can be syncronized via NFC or Bluetooth with a app on a mobile device and data can be uploaded to a blockchain ledger where smart contract technology automatically sets the parameters on the IoT device required for safe shipment.

SAP/Modum Modum/SAP's IoT application that has executed a smart contract, uploading the parameters required for shipping a sensitive package.

For example, a drug being shipped may need to be maintained within a 20 degree temperature range. Once a package is delivered, the sensor data can then be again uploaded to the immutable blockchain ledger for authorized parties to read.

"All the tempature data is read out and uploaded to the cloud and evaluated in a smart contract in the blockchain...[by] the sender, the receiver and the logictics company," said Marc Degen, the co-founder of Modum.

SAP Marc Degen, co-founder of Modum, holds an IoT sensor that can record the temperature, vibration, humidity and light exposure to a package being shipped and transmit that data to a blockchain ledger.

Modum had already been using Ethereum blockchain technology, but through SAP it is now also able to offer a Hyperledger-based blockchain.

Modum is also beta testing SAP's HANA relational database service in conjunction with its blockchain ledger, enabling data to be transmitted between to two.

"We work a lot with the start-up community in an incubator. So, we started the SAP IoT Accelerator, a co-innovation program for B2B startups for supply chains," Zeine said.

The total number of connected IoT sensors and devices is expected to leap from 21 billion this year to 50 billion by 2022, according to recent data from Juniper Research.

Through its smart contract business automation software, blockchain offers a way to automatically connect and transmit data from those IoT devices onto an electronic ledger via a peer-to-peer network that eliminates the need for a central server.

The killer app

Paul Brody, Ernst & Young's (EY) Global Innovation Leader for Blockchain Technology, said in an earlier interview the blockchain market over the past 18 months has been moving through an "explain this to me" phase (PowerPoint) into the "prove it to me" phase (working conference room pilots).

"Now we're in the 'Okay, build it for me' phase," Brody said via email. "We see this in our business: clients are moving projects towards production and...we have similar conversations with others in the industry."

Deloitte CTO Bill Briggs agreed: "You can go industry by industry and you're seeing concepts proven, pilots now moving into production. Things like supply chain validation, food safety verification, consumer products companies and potentially industrial and even life sciences companies are starting to circle it."

Recently, Walmart announced it completed a blockchain proof-of-concept with IBM called FoodTrust to track the origins of its produce from farmer to store. The Food Trust pilot group also included Dole Food Co., Driscoll's Inc., Golden State Foods, Kroger Co., McCormick and Co., McLane Co., Tyson Foods Inc. and Unilever NV, according to IBM.

The state of Arkansas, where Walmart is headquarted, also just held a " Blockchain for Arkansas " summit launching a statewide initiative to use blockchain for food safety by tracking it in real time.

Additionally, the world's major jewelry and gem businesses are deploying blockchain electronic ledgers that will verify the origins of their products, all the way from the mines to the retail cases.

Ensuring drug authenticity and safety

SAP's "Advance Track and Trace" application is already piloting the blockchain technology with pharmaceutical companies, including Merck & Co., Amgen Merck KGaA (Merck Group), GSK (Glaxo Smith Klein), McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

"Many of the top pharmaceutical companies use our systems as I described  all the way from when the ingredients was produced to moving it...and then ultimately getting combined with each other," Zeine said. "So, the form of material is changing as it's manufactured and finally gets transported. There is a need to ensure it's transported and warehoused in the appropriate way.

SAP

"The collaboration [with modum.io] is just starting, but that's ultimately where we'll be going with them," she added, referring to the use of IoT devices to automatically track not only final product shipments but the ingredients that go into the drugs.

Because the IoT sensor tracking portion of the blockchain network is not yet fully implemented, packages must have their bar codes scanned into the SAP blockchain tracker. "We can't move the human completely out of the supply chain but we can at least ensure the integrity of the data  and the ability to track it across multiple collaboration partners as you move upstream all the way to the patient is definitely something that eases friction," Zeine said.

The pharma industry, in particular, has been under scrutiny to ensure it can trace from origin to consumer the drugs it makes and sells.

Last month, Chinese pharmaceutical firm Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Ltd. came under investigation for allegedly falsifying records related to the production and shipment of a rabies vaccine. Changsheng admitted its guilt and agreed to co-operate with state drug regulators on an internal investigation, according to a report.

The Changchun controversy prompted China's blockchain enthusiasts to use the blogsphere to call for the entire pharmaceutical industry to adopt blockchain tamper-proof ledgers to track the manufacture and shipment of drugs. Others countered by writing that blockchain cannot prevent fraudulent behavior, i.e., if erroneous data is entered, then it matters little how accurately it's tracked along the supply chain.

There's also the problem of drug knock-off companies, which mass produce generic drugs and flood the market with products that may not yet be approved by regulators, Zeine said. Having a product certified as having been tracked from manufacturing to store shelf would ensure authenticity.

Additionally, certain drugs must be transported and warehoused at specific temperatures. IoT sensors would enable that to be tracked, as well as checking the amount of vibration incurred during the shipping process, which could alert managers as to whether damage may have occurred.

"I think blockchain in and of itself is a technology that is there. That part is not in development," Zeine said. "The part that's really in development is exploring how to take such a technology...[and use it to] remove friction from business processes and create greater transparency and authenticity and collaboration between different network providers.

"The magic is getting [that] process defined and making [it] as frictionless as possible. You need to track along the way some of the mandatory audits, and you have to define what are the different materials involved in the process," Zeine said.
This Week in Review

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This company article has been removed.
Magda Wierzycka, CEO: Sygnia

Passion

Innovate, dont imitate

On starting your own business

A clever idea is not a business

It is important to recognise that whatever you do in South Africa right now has political consequences, she told the University of Cape Towns Graduate School of Business Women in Business conference.Zuma made corruption an institutional way of doing business  in both the public and private sector. It is very naive to suppose that Cyril [Ramaphosa] can just come and sweep away corruption with a paintbrush  Itll be like taking one step forward and two steps back.As a result, there has been a big wave of emigration and loss of talent, not dissimilar to what happened in the run up to 1994. My message is: Dont. The reality is that the grass is not greener on the other side. We need people to stay here, to contribute, to work, to grow the economy to create jobs.Wierzycka believes because you only have one life, you must be passionate about what you do.When she realised she didnt want to be an actuary in a big company for the rest of her life, and moved over to a start up  she did have to make financial sacrifice. If you find that your purpose to work is just to get a paycheck at the end of the month, and if you are deadly bored, then you need to change your situation, even if it means you have to get a salary cut, she said.However, not everyone is cut out to take the plunge. Running your own business does not necessarily mean you got to set up your own corner shop or your own company. You can think of running your own business within a large corporate. If you consider the work you are doing currently as running a business and taking responsibility on that level and change your mindset, you will start to achieve even greater things, said Wierzycka.The multi-faceted nature of a large corporates offers limitless opportunities to move between different department and finding one that speaks to your passion.When she set up Sygnia, Wierzycka had two objectives: To educate the consumer and to lower the cost of saving for all South Africans. Everytime you make a decision, make it through the lens of those objectives."Its so much easier to innovate than to imitate. If you choose the latter option, at best youll be second in line. Dont be scared to put crazy ideas on the table, even in boardrooms. At Sygnia, we have lots of lines in the water, but you only need one big fish, she said.Learn how to run a business, if you want to start your own. Running a business is generic, its only the product that differs, Wierzycka said.She acknowledged that as a women you do have to work harder, but said don't whinge about it. She added that it is easier to start a business with other women, because they have the ability to multi task, which is a much-needed skill in a start up.You really need to recognise where technology can help you. It can lower the cost of getting your product to market. Social media is free, use that power to build up a brand.She advised associating your business with a social cause, however this doesnt mean you mustnt make money.In addition, hire like-minded people that fit with your culture. You want people who share your vision.Absolutely nobody gives money to a clever idea without proof of concept, Wierzycka said.Life is about risk and reward. There are very few people who will give you money, so you must be prepared to take a risk. If you want to start your own business, start saving early.She ended her talk by saying South Africans need to be positive about their country. Shes tired of people only sharing the horror stories and wants us to focus on a more upbeat narrative.
Along with other beyond-the-box practices, Brazilian company Semco lets its employees determine their salary and encourages them to spend Wednesdays at the beach. This radically reengineered organisational structure is thanks to the company's former CEO Ricardo Semler.

Not about cosmetic gimmicks

Reduced staff turnover

Speaking at the 2018 Allan Gray Investment Summit, held recently in Cape Town and Johannesburg, keynote speaker Semler challenged delegates to find new solutions to problems: We have become box people who live, work and travel in box-like structures. Why?He explained how it is possible to structure a company in a drastically different way to the traditional, hierarchical structure, and also to be profitable. Semler achieved a 40% return on capital every year for 25 years.The current model of capitalism, with its short-term focus on quarterly profits and never ending growth, is not realistic, said Semler. In addition, the feel good mantra of telling people they can be anything they want is just not true. Its very hard to break out of your circumstances, your family background and the contacts you have.He dismissed the notion that reorganising the workplace should be about superficial or cosmetic gimmicks like office pool tables, free snacks or funky carpets. His system of radical organisational re-engineering is not about free hand outs or easy money. Its about making companies the locus for employees to exercise their talents and giving them a stake in the fortunes of a company, whether positive or negative.So while you may be able to determine your salary, your co-workers are also able to vote on whether they think that salary is justified. He advocates absolute transparency within the organisation so that everyone knows how much the company is making (or losing). In addition, all employees salaries are open to scrutiny.If you want to pay yourself three times your current salary, thats fine. But if your fellow employees decide that your salary is not justified relative to your contribution, then you will have to answer for that, he says. We negotiate for a given result.Semlers brand of corporate democracy even extends to making space for employees at board level. In board meetings at Semco, two seats with voting rights are left open to the first two employees who arrive for the meeting. This creates conversations in which complex decision have to be explained  and justified  to all employees.We have very important corporate people who now have to explain things to the janitor in a way he or she could understand, he said.The benefits of Semlers model make Semco a highly desirable place to work. The company has managed to reduce staff turnover to just 2%. This is also partly due to a novel and intuitive approach to recruitment in which current employees are invited to scrutinise CVs and decide on which candidates should be invited for an interview. Once candidates have been selected, they are then invited to spend three days at the company to decide whether its the right environment for them.In this model, existing employees are encouraged to take time off, or as Semler puts it, retire a little.Sell us your work and buy back your Wednesday, he said. If you meet your weekly sales target in two days, then well tell you to go to the beach on Wednesday. We have passed the point where a Saturday, Sunday or Monday is relevant. People will make their own decision on when to take their Saturday.For corporate South Africa, his message is rather simple and encourages innovation in its purest form.Look at how you are doing things and ask yourself: Is there a better way? Work is a place to exercise your skill and talent, but not at the expense of quality of life.
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This is part of a series done by Omid Memarian for Global Voices called How globalization, identity and culture intersect in art.

( GlobalVoices.org)  Maryam Palizgir is an Iranian-born artist and designer who currently lives and works in the U.S. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature, combining two and three dimensional drawing, sculptural painting and installations focusing on the interaction of geometric abstract forms, color, reflective objects and the layering of grid-like materials.

Palizgir, who currently teaches art at the Ernest Welch school of Art at Georgia State University, has exhibited in Iran, several European countries, the U.S. and Russia, and has been the recipient of numerous international and Iranian awards.

Her current work, Folded Mystery, explores how knowledge is exchanged, how perception widens perspective, and how observation deepens the understanding of reality. I seek works of art that activate once the viewer is involved, says Palizgir. Folded Mystery is about challenging viewers perceptions.

In this interview Palizgir talks about her work, her experience as an Iranian artist, and the constraints this has presented due to both state censorship of artistic expression in Iran and Western stereotypes of Iranians in the U.S.

Excerpts from the interview follows:

Omid Memarian (OM): How was your experience of attending art school in the United States different from Iran?

Maryam Palizgir (MP): The graduate program here in the U.S. is designed for artists who want to incorporate media into their artistic practice and want to expand into areas such as performance, installation, interactive and relational art forms. In my MFA studies, my professors encouraged me to find my own style through three years of course work, art history seminars, interdisciplinary seminars and studio practice. The curriculum for the MFA program in the US is based on developing critical thinking, studio practice and critiques, which are essential for a contemporary artist to develop their fine art vocabulary.

These program elements are not present in Iran. There is no Master of Fine Arts program in Iran that focuses on an interdisciplinary art practice. In a Master of Arts program in Iran, one focuses on only one discipline, for example, painting or sculpture or photography.



Palizgir in her studio. Photo by Mohammad Jahangirl. Used with permission.

OM: Was there a difference in terms of the freedom to experiment with different subjects?

MP: In the U.S., there is no limitation on subjects or their treatment. As an artist here I can work freely on any social or political subject.

In Iran, I am not free to make a statement that might be against [the governments] political or social views, and censorship has a significant effect on artistic expression. For instance, part of my practice is making installation and performance art about environmental issues but I could not address such issues in the same way in Iran.

For my Earth Vessel project I addressed Irans Lake Urmia crisis, and after working with scientists, discovered the same phenomenon is happening in the U.S.s Salt Lake in Utah. I wanted to make a series visualizing these two lakes together as scientists call them twins. Due to censorship constraints in Iran, I showed only the Lake Urmia component of this project but I had wanted to present both together, creating a bridge between the two cultures with what is happening to the two lakes.

Working on environmental issues, like water scarcity, is a red line for artists (and also activists) in Iran. Drought is considered a national security issue in the country, and it is a sensitive issue as experts blame the authorities for mismanagement of the countrys water resources.

OM: The art communitygalleries, collectors and art schoolsin the West, especially the U.S., often views artists from the Middle East (including Iran) through a stereotypical lens. Have you experienced this?



MP: In the U.S. art community, especially among curators and gallery owners, I am seen as an artist born and raised in a particular geography and culture and I am expected to create art that conforms to their stereotypes in subject and form. I am often asked to add elements of calligraphy, Islamic motifs, or political issues to my art practice. I dont want this Western projection of meor censorship from the Iranian side. I want to be seen as a visual artist and to express my art through any subject and in any form and to blur these boundaries. We need other non-Western artists to make art on universal subjects to break through these barriers.

I am seen as an artist born and raised in a particular geography and culture and I am expected to create art that conforms to their stereotypes in subject and form. I am often asked to add elements of calligraphy, Islamic motifs, or political issues to my art practice. I dont want this Western projection of meor censorship from the Iranian side.  Image from Mohammad Jahangir. Used with permission.

OM: In your latest collection, Folded Mystery, none of these cultural elements are present. Its abstract, interpretive, and enigmatic. But are these characteristics still connected to a perception of the art that comes from the East?

MP: Well, there is no doubt that my sociocultural context shaped my visual memory and affected my art practice. In the Folded Mystery project, I have tried to go beyond the Eastern art cliches, using a dynamic combination of materials, methods, concepts and subjects that challenge traditional boundaries and defy easy definition.

Folded Mystery embodies the complexity of simplicity and points out that perception can widen our perspective through displacement. Moreover, through cross-fertilization of drawing, sculpture and photography, Folded Mystery stimulates a questioning of vision and perception. I believe that critical thinking is deeply rooted in Eastern art and culture.

OM: How is the issue of identity reflected in your work?

MP: Before moving to the U.S., I made a piece titled Identity while doing a residency in south France. In 2015, I criticized the idea of national identity versus universal identity through this 3-dimensional installation. I am committed to the idea of being global citizenship, having rights and civic responsibilities that come with being a member of the world, with a whole-world philosophy and sensibilities, rather than as a citizen of a particular nation or place.

After moving to the U.S., intercultural experiences affected my art practice subtly. I experienced interdisciplinary art, the study-based process, postmodern architecture, minimalism and deconstructivism from Western cultureplus abstract geometric forms, repetitions, space cognition and light value exploration from Eastern culture.



Earth-vessels, a piece from the new Folded Mystery collection. Image provided by Palizgir.

OM: Can you describe for us the current art scene in Iran?

MP: The Iran art scene has grown in the past decade. Many professional art galleries have opened in Tehran, with emerging and established artists getting involved with monographic or experimental shows, artist talks and art events every month. Also, artist residency programs are being established, as well as art and cultural exchange programs to help young artists experiment outside the country. For me, it was a turning point in my art when I attended the Cornelius Arts Foundation residency program in France in 2014. Iran is not accurately portrayed in the media, and there is a lot happening that doesnt get seen outside the country.

To improve the art scene in Iran, we need infrastructure, more critical writing and art funding. Recent political and economic developments, especially those emanating from the U.S., have had an effect on Iranian artists and the art scene in Iran. I hope the expanded art community in Iran can open new horizons for Iranian artists.

Creative Commons License

Via GlobalVoices.org

Featured Photo: Maryam Palizgir is a visual artist. Photo by Mohammad Jahangir and used with permission.
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The Saudi and United Arab Emirates war on little Yemen, which was launched by Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman in March of 2015, has flown under the radar among the US public until recently.

Then on August 9, the Saudi-led air coalition struck Saadeh, the stronghold of the Helpers of God (Houthi) movement in north Yemen, killing over 51 people, including 40 children. They sent an enormous bomb down on a schoolbus setting out on a class field trip.

There are only a few possibilities for explaining this atrocity. One is that the Saudis and the Emiratis hate the Helpers of God movement so much and despise its homeland Saadeh so much, that they are targeting civilians there as part of a determination to wipe it out or cow it into submission. If so, the strike was a war crime, and resembles the current Israeli sniping policy against unarmed civilian protesters in Gaza.

Another possibility is that the strategic planners for the Saudi and UAE air forces are not very good at their jobs, or are deliberately disregarding the guidance of international law on avoiding civilians when targeting the enemy. In that case, they are pursuing the sort of policy in north Yemen that the Israeli air force pursues in its major Gaza actions a simple disregard for the high possibility of killing civilians.

Id like to stand against any attempt to blame all this on religious culture. The UAE leadership is secular-minded but technically Maliki Sunni. The Saudi royal family is Wahhabi, but probably only 40% of the Saudi population is, and Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman has moved to put the Wahhabi clerics and morals police in their place. Theyve hosted Shiite leaders like Muqatada al-Sadr of Iraq. They hate the Zaydi Shiite Helpers of God not primarily because they are Shiite but because they are populists who despise the Saudi royal family and have vowed to overthrow it in favor of a republic.

The forty dead children have turned out to be highly inconvenient for the Saudis and the Emiratis. They did their best to copy Israeli propaganda by charging that the Helpers of God are using children as human shields or even had conscripted the children as child soldiers (it was a civilian school field trip).

Elizabeth Warren and others in Congress brought sharply into question the US militarys aid to the Saadeh strike. The Pentagon has sold billions of high-powered weapons to the Saudis and the UAE, and Trump has sold them things that Obama would not. The Pentagon advises the Saudis on strategic targeting, sharing US satellite and other intelligence. The Pentagon refuels Saudi and Emirati planes in mid-flight.

The US Department of Defense is, in short, an unindicted co-conspirator in Saudi and UAE war crimes.

Then CNN looked into the matter, and not only was the bomb that hit the school bus supplied by the United States, but so too were the weapons deployed in other careless or vicious attacks by the Saudi coalition that left civilians dead.

Duh.

And the Associated Press reported earlier this month that the Saudi-led coalition has made deals with al-Qaeda in Yemen, since both of them are fighting the Zaydi Shiite Helpers of God movement. AP stands by the reporting, based on loads of local interviews, despite denials by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Since the US is backing the coalition, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has been dragged by his allies into a de facto pact with al-Qaeda.

Yemens al-Qaeda is the most vicious and dangerous of the franchise. Whereas the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria is heavily focused on Syria, Yemens al-Qaeda targeted the former Saudi minister of intelligence in Riyadh, and is responsible for the Christmas airplane bombing attempt over Detroit in 2009. Strengthening them in any way is a direct threat to Americans.

So what is going on in Yemen?

It is a diverse country of 27 million people. About a third of them, 9 million, are Zaydi Shiites and they predominate in the northwest of the country where the capital, Sanaa, is. Zaydis are not like Iranian Shiites they are known to be somewhere between Sunnism and Shiism and tended to get along with Sunni neighbors.

Other Yemenis are tolerant Sufi Sunnis. Some, in the south, are secessionists (South Yemen was a Communist country 1967-1990, and many southerners want that back, minus the Communism).

But then there are harder line Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi types, Sunni fundamentalists.

In the 1990s, the Saudis made a big push to convert the Zaydis in Saadeh and elsewhere to Sunnism, using their oil billions. A section of the Zaydi leadership rebelled against the Yemeni government for allowing this missionary work (no doubt as a result of bribes). Saudi ambition pushed some mild Zaydis into militancy. After the president for life was overthrown in 2012, the Helpers of God initially were part of the constitutional crisis seeking to establish a new and more democratic government.

But the deposed president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, convinced them to help him come back to power by taking Sanaa in September of 2014. Army units loyal to Saleh joined the coup, and they gave the Helpers of God access to weapons depots full of US armaments. The Helpers of God became over-ambitious and tried to take over the whole country, marching down to the port of Aden, in part to stop it from being taken by the Saudis. They were nevertheless pushed out of Aden by summer of 2015, and since then have been bottled up in the countrys northwest (where, however, much of the population of the country lives).

The Saudis and the UAE have mostly pursued an air war against a guerrilla group, which helps explain why the the poor, weak Zaydis are still standing up to them.

Saudi propaganda paints the Zaydis as puppets of Iran. Iran has given them some help, but it is difficult to see how it could have given them very much, since the Houthis are surrounded by the Saudis. Most of their weapons are American, from Salehs depots (Saleh broke with them and they killed him).

The Helpers of God would exist as a movement if there were no Iran. It is an indigenous Zaydi movement (they dont have ayatollahs e.g.) Iran is not in a position to direct them, though perhaps a few secret agents or Lebanese Hizbullah proxies have given them some advice. The Iran role is tiny compared to the American role in backing the Saudis and Emiratis.

The Zaydis appear to have rallied around the Helpers of God, since theyre able to get out big supportive crowds, and who could blame them if the alternative is the al-Qaeda extremist Salafism of the south with which the invaders have surreptitiously allied?

The Helpers of God made a huge error with their 2014 coup and alliance with Saleh. They have also been erratic and highly authoritarian, suppressing journalists and putting out conspiracy theories and crazily talking about going on to Riyadh. But the Saudis almost made a huge error with their 2015 decision to go to war. The Saudi-Emirates air war has turned Yemen, once known as Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia), into the worlds worst basket case, with a million cholera cases, hundreds of thousands displaced, ten thousand killed, 30,000 wounded, and millions in genuine danger of starvation.

I think a negotiated settlement is there to be had. The Zaydis are weak, and know it. The Saudi-led Coalition must surely be bleeding money and tired of the hard slogging and the damage to reputation.

If only there were a major superpower in the region that could negotiate between the two sides as an honest broker, as Jimmy Carter did between Egypt and Israel in 1978-79.

Instead, the US has been reduced to a butler for Mohamed Bin Salman, lapping up Saudi propaganda about an Iranian under every bed and politely suggesting where he might bomb (he often ignores the advice and hits hospitals, schools, bridges, etc.)

With Bolton as National Security Adviser, Pompeo at State, and Mattis at Defense all of them certifiably insane when it comes to Iranophobia there is however no prospect of the US backing away from its sinister role in the Arabian peninsula.

Prepare for more doleful headlines about dead Yemeni children, over the next two years.

-

Bonus Video:

CNN: EXCLUSIVE: Bomb that killed 40 kids in Yemen made in US 
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Interview with Ahed Tamimi, Teenaged Palestinian Activist Jailed for Slapping Soldier

Obviously I do not feel sorry. My reaction was just logic, reasonable then, and I think I would do it again, said the Palestinian teenager.

Im very happy obviously, but not completely satisfied because my brother remains in jail, along with my siblings, said in an exclusive interview with teleSUR Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi, who was held in an Israeli prison for slapping a fully armed Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank town of Nabi Saleh.

I am just like any other girl, but I happen to be filmed by this camera, and what I have done converted me in a symbol, which is a great responsibility, added Tamimi, who wish to finish university and become a lawyer. I usually am a quiet person, I do not hang out with people much.

It all started on a Monday, she recalled, when Trump declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel: there were a lot of tensions, not just in Nabi Saleh but all across Palestine.

Soldiers broke into my village and started shooting at homes, then they went to the mountain and shot a small kid, 15 years old, who was on the verge of death, he was my cousin. The soldier who shot him came back and stopped at my houses door. He started shooting the small kids, the homes, the youth, so obviously when I saw that, I told him to go away but he wouldnt so I slapped him.

Tamimi explained how she was arrested five days later and how she stayed in prison for eight months. First they accused me of attacking a military officer, but then when they presented the charges, there were 12 of them.

Tamimi was arrested on December 19, 2017, days after being filmed  with her cousin Nour Tamimi  slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers who had invaded the Tamimi home, near Ramallah.

The 17-year-old  who celebrated a birthday while behind bars  garnered international attention and major support from high-profile artists, actors, academics and athletes across the globe.

Via TeleSur



Bonus Video added by Informed Comment:
Drill hole 18GSE545 returns 11.58 g/t over 39.50 meters confirming significant new discovery at the Nuvuyak Target

Drill Intercept located approximately 1 kilometer to the west of the Goose Main Deposit

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sabina Gold & Silver Corp (SBB.T) (Sabina or the Company) is pleased to announce first results from the 2018 summer exploration diamond drilling program at its 100% owned Back River gold project (Back River or the Project) in Nunavut, Canada.

A significant new high-grade gold discovery, the Nuvuyak gold zone, occurring approximately One kilometer to the west of the Goose Main Deposit, has been identified. Drill hole 18GSE545 targeted the high priority Nuvuyak target and intersected 11.58 g/t Au over 39.50 m with abundant visible gold. The mineralization at Nuvuyak is hosted in a strongly quartz veined, altered and mineralized iron formation sequence, and has a number of strong similarities to the high-grade Umwelt Vault zone. Successful drilling at Nuvuyak demonstrates the potential for further discoveries on this highly prospective district.

Table 1. Highlighted results from Nuvuyak drill hole 18GSE545

Hole Id Area Azimuth Dip Easting

UTM Northing UTM Depth From

(m) To

(m) Length

(m) Au (g/t) Lithology 18GSE545* NUV 57 -65 432909 7269346 974.30 797.90 837.40 39.50 11.58 Iron Formation incl. 815.75 818.90 3.15 48.73 Iron Formation and 827.65 830.10 2.45 52.12 Iron Formation incl. 827.65 828.35 0.70 104.24 Iron Formation *Intersection widths are drilled thicknesses and true widths are unknown

Continued high-grade gold discoveries are an essential element in defining world class mineral districts. stated Bruce McLeod, President and CEO. We believe we can continue to grow our gold resources by aggressively exploring along both our better-known gold trends and the newly emerging gold trends that have been targeted for priority drilling. Nuvuyak may be the most significant discovery on the Property since the discovery of the Umwelt deposit. The discovery continues to highlight the strength of the gold system at Back River and the long-term value of the asset. Nuvuyak is an exceptional new discovery made by our in-house team that will continue to grow with the future of our company to the benefit of the shareholders.

New Discovery

The Nuvuyak gold zone discovery intercept is located approximately 850 meters along strike to the west of the Goose Main deposit (Proven open pit Reserve of 3,266,000 tonnes grading 5.01 g/t totalling 526,000 ounces and an additional Probable open pit Reserve of 1,185,000 tonnes grading 4.98 g/t totalling 190,000 ounces) and approximately 1,000 meters down plunge. The mineralization is hosted within a polyphase folded sequence of the Back River lower iron formation stratigraphy and coincident gold structures that are interpreted as being a significant component of the major mineralizing horizon(s) at the Goose Property. Mineralization consists of arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite and greater than 50 occurrences of visible gold over broad intercepts that are associated with quartz veining and moderate to strong amphibole and chlorite alteration.

The mineralization horizon is also characterized as having many similarities with current Back River resources hosted at the Umwelt Vault zone greater than two kilometers along trend. Early interpretations recognize the potential for a large-scale mineral trend extending from Goose Main to Umwelt Vault that may transect large portions of the central Goose property, much of which is largely underexplored. The Nuvuyak gold zone remains open in all directions and will continue to be advanced by our exploration teams as programs allow.

Drilling is progressing very well with the objective of testing high impact targets at the Goose Property where summer drilling exploration has now been increased from 10,000 to 12,000 meters, which will include additional drilling on the Nuvuyak trend. Additional drill results will be released by the company as they are received and compiled.

Table 2. Significant results from Nuvuyak drill hole 18GSE545

Hole Id Area Azimuth Dip Easting

UTM Northing UTM Depth From

(m) To

(m) Length

(m) Au (g/t) Lithology 18GSE545* NUV 57 -65 432909 7269346 974.30 Results Pending 758.15 759.40 1.25 2.89 Iron Formation 777.60 780.10 2.50 3.41 Iron Formation 782.55 783.55 1.00 1.30 Iron Formation 797.90 837.40 39.50 11.58 Iron Formation incl. 815.75 818.90 3.15 48.73 Iron Formation and 827.65 830.10 2.45 52.12 Iron Formation incl. 827.65 828.35 0.70 104.24 Iron Formation Results Pending *Intersection widths are drilled thicknesses and true widths are unknown

Qualified Persons

The Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 as pertains to the Back River Project, is James Maxwell, P.Geo, Exploration Manager, for the Company. All drill core samples selected within the exploration program are subject to a company standard of internal quality control and quality assurance programs which include the insertion of certified reference materials, blank materials and duplicates analysis. All samples are sent to SGS Canada Inc. located in Burnaby, British Columbia where they are processed for gold analysis by 50 gram fire assay with finish by a combination of atomic absorption and gravimetric methods. Additionally, analysis by screen metallic processes is performed on select samples. SGS quality systems conform to requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17025 guidelines and meets assay requirements outlined for NI 43-101.

Sabina Gold & Silver Corp.

Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. is well-financed with approximately C$62.4 million in cash and equivalents (Q2, 2018) and is an emerging precious metals company with district scale, advanced, high grade gold assets in one of the worlds newest, politically stable mining jurisdictions: Nunavut, Canada.

Sabina released a Feasibility Study on its 100% owned Back River Gold Project which presents a project that has been designed on a fit-for purpose basis, with the potential to produce ~200,000 ounces a year for ~11 years with a rapid payback of 2.9 years (see Technical Report for the Initial Project Feasibility Study on the Back River Gold Property, Nunavut, Canada dated October 28, 2015) (the Study). At a US$1,150 gold price and a 0.80 (US$:C$) exchange rate, the Study delivers a potential after tax internal rate of return of approximately 24.2% with an initial CAPEX of $415 million.

The Project received its final Project Certificate on December 19, 2017. The Project is now in the final regulatory and licensing phase.

In addition to Back River, Sabina also owns a significant silver royalty on Glencores Hackett River Project. The silver royalty on Hackett Rivers silver production is comprised of 22.5% of the first 190 million ounces produced and 12.5% of all silver produced thereafter.

For further information please contact:

Nicole Hoeller, Vice-President, Communications: 1 888 648-4218 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (the forward-looking statements), including our belief as to the extent, results and timing of exploration results and outcomes. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, commodity prices, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government and regulatory authorities and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking statements. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with exploration and project development; the need for additional financing; the calculation of mineral resources and reserves; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; government regulation; obtaining and renewing necessary licenses and permits; environmental liability and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers or directors; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; labour disputes; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; future sales of shares by existing shareholders; and other risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Back River Project and general risks associated with the mineral exploration and development industry described in our Annual Information Form, financial statements and MD&A for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2017 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. This news release has been authorized by the undersigned on behalf of Sabina Gold & Silver Corp.

Bruce McLeod, President & CEO

Suite 1800  Two Bentall Centre

555 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V7X 1M7

Tel 604 998-4175 Fax 604 998-1051

http://www.sabinagoldsilver.com

Figure 1  Lower Iron Formation Interpretation

Figure 2. Goose Property Drill Plan Map with Interpreted Mineralization Trends

Figure 3. Nuvuyak Discovery Drill Plan Map with Interpreted Mineralization Trends
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Mining Gold Corp. (TSX:FF) (OTCQX:FFMGF) (FRANKFURT:FMG) (First Mining or the Company) is pleased to announce initial fire assay results from a regional exploration drilling program, currently underway at the Companys wholly-owned Goldlund Gold Property (Goldlund) in northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Drilling Highlights:

Hole MI-18-001 intersected 107.6 metres (m) of 0.33 grams per tonne gold (g/t Au) including 11.0 m of 1.17 g/t Au



Hole MI-18-002 intersected 142.1 m of 1.90 g/t Au including 108.0 m of 2.44 g/t Au, and 31.0 m of 4.44 g/t Au and including 7.0 m of 14.67 g/t Au



Hole MI-18-003 intersected 48.0 m of 1.07 g/t Au including 15.0 m of 1.41 g/t Au



Hole MI-18-004 intersected 23.8 m of 0.54 g/t Au including 5.80 m of 1.40 g/t Au



Hole MI-18-005 intersected 10.0 m of 0.43 g/t Au and 1.0 m of 4.18 g/t Au



Hole MI-18-006 intersected 22.0 m of 0.69 g/t Au including 6.40 m of 2.09 g/t Au and 0.38 m of 21.66 g/t Au



Note: Assaying for the Miller and Eaglelund drill programs are being done by SGS Canada Inc. (SGS) at their laboratories in Red Lake and Cochrane, ON. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut.

Jeff Swinoga, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Mining, stated, This discovery of significant gold mineralization over such lengths and depths at the Miller prospect is a striking success on its own. However, of much greater significance to the bigger picture at Goldlund, is that todays results confirm the presence of Goldlund-style mineralization approximately 10 kilometres from the current resource area along strike of this 50 kilometre long property and indicate the near-term exploration potential to expand the Goldlund resource. Of the eight drill holes, seven had occurrences of visible gold.

This is the Companys first drill program to test the regional potential of the Goldlund property to host significant gold mineralization similar to that demonstrated within the Goldlund resource area. Todays results are from the first six drill holes of a planned thirteen hole diamond drill program at the Miller and Eaglelund prospect areas (See Figure 1 below).

Figure 1: Location Map Showing Miller and Eaglelund Exploration Areas

(1) Based on a technical report titled Technical Report and Resource Estimation Update on the Goldlund Project dated February 7, 2017, which was prepared by WSP Canada Inc. in accordance with NI 43-101 and which is available under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and on the Companys website at www.firstmininggold.com.

The two targeted areas lie approximately 10 kilometres northeast of the Goldlund resource area, along strike of the lithologic fabric of granodiorite sills/dykes intruded into regional mafic meta-volcanic greenstone which extends over 30 kilometres within the Goldlund property boundary. This elongate pattern of brittle granodiorite in ductile mafic meta-volcanic rocks is a key mechanism in focusing gold mineralization, as demonstrated in the area of the current Goldlund resource. The pattern of granodiorite sills/dykes hosted in mafic meta-volcanic can be observed in the geophysical map presented below in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Geophysics Map (calculated with vertical gradient magnetics northeast of the Goldlund resource area)

A total of eight drill holes were planned and completed at Miller while five drill holes are planned at Eaglelund and the first drill hole is currently underway (Figure 3 below).

Figure 3: Drill Plan Map Showing Miller and Eaglelund Prospects (projections to surface)

Figure 4: Cross Section (looking Northeast at Miller Prospect)

The drilling results at Miller confirmed the same mineralogical associations of gold present in quartz-carbonate-sulphide stockwork veining in granodiorite which is very similar to that observed at the Goldlund resource area.

While it is too early yet to draw strong conclusions, some differences with the Goldlund resource area have been observed at Miller:

At Miller, the four drill holes which crosscut the granodiorite from hangingwall to footwall indicate that the entire width of the dyke appears receptive to gold mineralization , while at the Goldlund resource area, gold mineralization tends to occupy only 25% - 40% of the total dyke width, generally favouring the footwall side.

, while at the Goldlund resource area, gold mineralization tends to occupy only 25% - 40% of the total dyke width, generally favouring the footwall side. In addition, while visible gold (VG) and gold tellurides were common in First Minings 2017-2018 infill drilling program at the Goldlund resource area, the frequency of occurrence of VG at Miller was much greater, with VG occurring in seven out of the total eight holes.

The occurrence of VG in the Miller drill holes is summarized in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Occurrences of Visible Gold (VG) at Miller Prospect

Drillhole Logged From To Au g/t ID Observation (m) (m) Sample ID (Fire Assay) MI-18-001 (VG observed) 18 18.3 C00054021 8.588 MI-18-001 (VG observed) 27.3 27.6 C00054034 8.670 MI-18-002 (VG observed) 5.5 6 C00054174 1.903 MI-18-002 (VG observed) 6 6.5 C00054175 11.880 MI-18-002 (VG observed) 122 122.5 C00054316 2.320 MI-18-002 (VG observed) 133 133.5 C00054330 0.585 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 69 69.5 C00054423 2.362 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 71 71.5 C00054426 2.964 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 90 90.5 C00054450 17.230 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 94.5 95 C00054457 1.344 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 97 97.5 C00054461 3.862 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 109.5 110 C00054479 0.007 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 124.5 125 C00054499 0.315 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 125 125.5 C00054500 10.550 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 125.5 126 C00054501 0.842 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 129.5 130 C00054507 4.391 MI-18-003 (VG observed) 137.7 138 C00054517 9.865 MI-18-004 (No VG) MI-18-005 (VG observed) 71 72 C00054657 0.768 MI-18-006 (VG observed) 103.62 104 C00054751 21.660 MI-18-006 (VG observed) 109 109.4 C00054759 4.690 MI-18-007 (VG observed) 94 94.5 C00054891 Assays Pending MI-18-007 (VG observed) 94.5 95 C00054892 Assays Pending MI-18-007 (VG observed) 101 101.5 C00054901 Assays Pending MI-18-007 (VG observed) 107 107.5 C00054911 Assays Pending MI-18-007 (VG observed) 107.5 108 C00054912 Assays Pending MI-18-007 (VG observed) 114 114.5 C00054925 Assays Pending MI-18-007 (VG observed) 132.5 133 C00054949 Assays Pending MI-18-008 (VG observed) 136 136.5 C00055084 Assays Pending MI-18-008 (VG observed) 137.5 138 C00055087 Assays Pending

Figure 5 below presents a mosaic of nine photomicrograph images taken of some of the occurrences listed above. Drill hole ID, magnification and depth are noted in each image.

Figure 5: Photomicrograph Mosaic of VG Observed in Miller Prospect Core

Sawn core samples were submitted to SGS (Red Lake, Ontario) for initial 50 gram fire assay with AAS finish. Au detection over-limits (>10 g/t) are automatically re-assayed with gravimetric finish.

Given the frequent occurrence of visible gold in the Miller drill holes, First Mining is following up their standard fire assays with a more definitive assay protocol of metallic screen fire assay using a 1,000 gram sample size to minimize the high nugget effect characteristic of Goldlund mineralization. Metallic screen fire assays will be completed at the SGS Red Lake and Cochrane laboratories on all sample intervals where VG has been observed, as well as selected sample intervals immediately adjacent to VG.

The 2018 regional exploration drilling campaign at Goldlund is designed to test the presence and character of potential gold mineralization distal from the current resource area.

Table 2. Drill Hole Assay Results from the Miller Prospect

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t MI-18-001 MI-18-001 7.0 114.6 107.6 0.33 inc 15.0 88.6 73.6 0.41 inc 16.0 18.3 2.3 1.93 and inc 18.0 18.3 0.3 8.59 and inc 23.3 29.6 6.3 0.91 and inc 27.3 27.6 0.3 8.67 and inc 77.6 88.6 11.0 1.17 and inc 87.6 88.6 1.0 6.27 MI-18-002 MI-18-002 0.4 142.5 142.1 1.90 inc 1.5 109.5 108.0 2.44 and inc 57.5 88.5 31.0 4.44 and inc 75.5 82.5 7.0 14.67 and inc 81.5 82.5 1.0 88.80 and inc 102.5 109.5 7.0 9.60 and inc 108.5 109.5 1.0 54.47 MI-18-003 MI-18-003 69.0 72.0 3.0 1.12 and 90.0 138.0 48.0 1.07 inc 90.00 90.5 0.50 17.23 and inc 94.00 97.5 3.50 2.28 and inc 105.0 106.0 1.00 3.90 and inc 115.0 130.0 15.0 1.41 and inc 125.00 125.5 0.50 10.55 and inc 137.70 138.0 0.30 9.87 MI-18-004 MI-18-004 34.0 57.8 23.8 0.54 inc 34.0 35.0 1.00 2.56 and inc 52.0 57.8 5.80 1.40 and inc 55.0 56.0 1.00 6.12 MI-18-005 MI-18-005 46.0 47.0 1.00 4.18 and 68.0 78.0 10.00 0.43 and inc 72.0 74.0 2.00 1.25 and 109.0 110.0 1.00 1.00 MI-18-006 MI-18-006 76.0 77.0 1.0 1.38 and 102.0 124.0 22.00 0.69 inc 103.0 109.4 6.40 2.09 and inc 103.6 104.0 0.38 21.66 and inc 109.0 109.4 0.40 4.69 and 145.0 147.0 2.00 1.48 and 169.0 170.0 1.00 3.01

Assaying for the 2018 Regional Goldlund drill programs are being done by SGS at their laboratories in Red Lake, Ontario. Prepared samples are analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) finish, with metallic screen fire assays being run on selected samples. Multi-element analysis on the mineralized zones is also being undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES.

Table 3. Drill Hole Locations for the Miller Prospect

Hole ID Azimuth  Dip  Length (m) UTM East UTM North Section MI-18-001 140 -80 140.5 554524 5533531 NW-50 MI-18-002 140 -85 200.0 554538 5533558 NW-100 MI-18-003 140 -55 170.0 554523 5533608 NW-100 MI-18-004 140 -55 101.0 554457 5533534 NW-00 MI-18-005 320 -65 110.0 554486 5533462 NW-00 MI-18-006 320 -65 170.0 554534 5533482 NW-50 MI-18-007 320 -60 182.0 554619 5533527 NW-150 MI-18-008 315 -60 172.8 554630 5533563 NW-150

QA/QC Procedures

The QA/QC program for the 2018 regional drilling programs at Miller and Eaglelund consists of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals. These are inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in the 2018 regional program consist of 5 different gold grades ranging from 1 to 9 g/t Au, and are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material.

Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as coarse or pulp duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, are also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. Additional selected duplicates are being submitted to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertake their own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration.

Dr. Chris Osterman, P.Geo., COO of First Mining, is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and he has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

ABOUT THE GOLDLUND PROJECT

The Goldlund deposit is situated within a land package of approximately 280 square kilometres (28,000 hectares) referred to as the Goldlund Gold Project. The Property has a strike-length of over 50 kilometres in the Wabigoon Subprovince. Goldlund is an Archean lode-gold project located in northwestern Ontario, approximately 60 kilometres from the township of Dryden. The claims that make up the land package cover the historic Goldlund and Windward mines.

On January 9, 2017, the Company announced an initial mineral resource estimate for Goldlund that was prepared by WSP Canada Inc. in accordance with NI 43101. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Indicated Resources of 9.3 million tonnes at 1.87 g/t Au, or 560,000 ounces of gold. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Inferred Resources of 40.9 million tonnes at 1.33 g/t Au, or 1,750,000 ounces of gold. The technical report for this resource estimate, which is titled Technical Report and Resource Estimation Update on the Goldlund Project and is dated February 7, 2017, is available under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and is also available on the Companys website at www.firstmininggold.com.

ABOUT FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

First Mining Gold Corp. is an emerging development company with a diversified portfolio of gold projects in North America. Having assembled a large resource base of 7 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and 5 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category in mining friendly jurisdictions of eastern Canada, First Mining is now focused on advancing its assets towards production. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 24 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

For further information, please contact Jeff Swinoga, President and CEO at 416-816-0424, or Derek Iwanaka, Vice President of Investor Relations at 604-639-8824, or visit our website at www.firstmininggold.com.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

Keith Neumeyer

Keith Neumeyer

Chairman

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information and "forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects, "anticipates, "believes, plans, projects, "intends, "estimates, envisages, "potential, "possible, strategy, goals, objectives, or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the near-term potential to expand the existing Goldlund resource; (ii) the completion of metallic screen fire assays; (iii) the completion of five drill holes at the Eaglelund prospect and the results of such drilling; (iv) the estimated amount and grade of Mineral Resources at Goldlund; and (v) the potential for exploration upside at Goldlund. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but generally these assumptions include: (i) the presence of and continuity of metals at Goldlund at estimated grades; (ii) the capacities and durability of various machinery and equipment; and (iii) success in realizing proposed regional drilling programs. Although the Companys management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but specifically include, without limitation: (i) risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the material identified as Mineral Resources from that predicted; (ii) general risks related to exploration drilling programs; (iii) developments in world metals markets; (iv) risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; (v) managements discretion to refocus the Companys exploration efforts and/or alter the Companys short and long term business plans; and (vi) the additional risks described in First Mining's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in First Minings Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR.

First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors

This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC), and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource does not equate to the term "reserves. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources, "indicated mineral resources or "inferred mineral resources or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2018) - Roscan Minerals Corporation ("Roscan" or the "Company") (TSXV: ROS) ) is pleased to announce that it has completed the second and final tranche of its previously announced private placement by issuing 2,036,700 units ("Units") at a price of $0.06 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $122,202 (the "Offering").

Each Unit is comprised of one common share ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.12 for 24 months from the closing of the Offering. The Company reserves the right to accelerate the expiration of the Warrants, if at any time which is more than four months and one day following the closing date of the Offering, the trading price of the Common Shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange is $0.24 or more for at least 20 consecutive trading days, in which case the Company may provide notice to Warrant holders to exercise their Warrants within 10 days following the date of such notice.

The Common Shares and Warrants issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance and the resale rules of applicable securities legislation.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for exploration and development of the Company's mineral properties and for general corporate and working capital purposes.

Eligible persons (the "Finders") were paid a cash commission of $6,874.14 from the gross proceeds raised from subscribers introduced to the Company by such Finders.

ABOUT ROSCAN

RosCan Minerals Corporation is a Canadian gold exploration company focussed on West Africa. The Company has assembled a land position of 100%-owned permits in an area of large gold deposits for its Kandiole Project in west Mali.

For further information, please contact:

Greg Isenor

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (902) 832-5555 or (416) 293-8437

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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 IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
MONTREAL, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEMAFO Inc. (TSX, OMX: SMF) announces an update on its security measures in Burkina Faso following two armed incidents last week. The Mana and Boungou Mines continue to operate without interruption.

Boungou Mine

The transport of personnel and supplies has resumed between the Boungou Mine and Ouagadougou under our adjusted security protocol. All expatriate employees are now being transported by helicopter between the two locations. In addition, a ground military force has been deployed on the route between the mine and the capital city. These measures, combined with a heightened escort presence, will ensure transportation of national employees to and from the mine to their villages.

Mana Mine

Further investigation into Fridays incident revealed that our employee bus had the misfortune of driving into an ongoing hold-up by bandits on the main Bobo road. This led to an exchange of gunfire, as previously reported. As part of our new security measures, all expatriate employees will also travel by helicopter between the mine and Ouagadougou. Furthermore, we have reinforced escorts for transportation of national employees to and from the Mana Mine.

Senior management, including the CEO, are in the country to ensure that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of all SEMAFO personnel.

The Corporation acknowledges the support from employees, communities and the government as it continues normal operations at both mines.

About SEMAFO

SEMAFO is a Canadian-based mining company with gold production and exploration activities in West Africa. The Corporation operates the Mana Mine in Burkina Faso, which includes the high-grade satellite deposit of Siou, and is targeting commercial production at the Boungou Mine in the third quarter of 2018. SEMAFOs strategic focus is to maximize shareholder value by effectively managing its existing assets as well as pursuing organic and strategic growth opportunities.

For more information, contact

John Jentz

Vice-President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.



Ruth Hanna

Analyst, Investor Relations

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.



Tel. local & overseas: +1 (514) 744 4408

North America Toll-Free: 1 (888) 744 4408

Website: www.semafo.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balmoral Resources Ltd. (Balmoral or the Company) (TSX: BAR; OTCQX: BALMF) announces that the summer-fall 2018 drill program on its Detour Gold Trend project in Quebec has commenced. The minimum 7,500 metre program will include:

GRASSET

Drilling on the Grasset Ultramafic Complex will be the largest component of the upcoming program and is slated to commence in mid-September. The goal of the drilling program is threefold: to continue to expand the Grasset nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposit, to follow-up drill numerous nearby nickel sulphide discoveries in the host Grasset Ultramafic Complex, and to complete first-pass drilling of new nickel targets within the Grasset Ultramafic Complex. All of these activities were suspended in late 2015 due to low metal prices, which have now recovered to - or above - 2015/16 levels.

The first-priority target for expansion drilling at the Grasset deposit is the high-grade, massive to semi-massive, 7.5 metre wide intercept of nickel sulphide breccia zone grading 10.5% nickel discovered in the deposits footwall in one of the last and deepest holes drilled into the deposit in late 2015 (see NR 15-17, Nov. 16, 2015). This new discovery and the Grasset nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposit remain open for expansion (see Figure 1).

Balmoral published an initial Indicated Resource Estimate for the high-grade core of the Grasset deposit of 3.45 million tonnes grading 1.56% nickel, 0.17% copper, 0.03% cobalt, 0.34 g/t platinum and 0.84 g/t palladium in March 2016 (see NR16-04, Mar 7, 2016). This high grade core lies within a much larger nickel sulphide body totaling over 15 million tonnes.

OTHER TARGETS

Drill testing on the Martiniere Property is currently underway. Drilling will target the LAM gold zone, located 4 kilometres NW of the Bug gold deposit where geological mapping has outlined a gold mineralized system flanking the margins of a NNW-trending quartz porphyry dyke, or series of dykes - a geological setting strongly analogous to the Bug gold deposit (see Figure 2).

Drill testing at Martiniere will also include the first ever drill testing of the Niquet ultramafic intrusion for nickel-copper-cobalt PGE mineralization. Results from the recently completed I.P. survey over the Niquet intrusion indicate the presence of a greater than 2 kilometre-long chargeability anomaly associated with the marginal and central phases of the intrusion, suggesting the potential for sulphide mineralization along the entire length of the intrusion. The Niquet intrusion also shows geochemical affinities to the Grasset Ultramafic Complex.

Drill testing of exploration targets on the Detour East and Harri Properties is also planned during the summer-fall 2018 drill program.

Quality Control

Mr. Darin Wagner (P.Geo.), President and CEO of the Company, is the non-independent qualified person for the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Mr. Wagner has supervised the work programs on the Companys properties since inception, visited the properties on multiple occasions, examined the drill core from the holes summarized in this release, discussed, reviewed the results with senior on-site geological staff and reviewed the available analytical and quality control results.

About Balmoral Resources Ltd.  www.balmoralresources.com

Balmoral is a well-funded, multi-award winning Canadian-focused exploration company actively exploring a portfolio of gold and base metal properties located within the prolific Abitibi greenstone belt. The Companys flagship, 1,000 km2 Detour Gold Trend Project hosts the resource stage Bug and Martiniere West gold deposits and the Grasset nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposit. Employing an aggressive, drill focused exploration style in one of the worlds preeminent mining jurisdictions, Balmoral is following an established formula with a goal of maximizing shareholder value through the discovery and definition of high-grade, Canadian gold and base metal assets.

On behalf of the board of directors of

BALMORAL RESOURCES LTD.

Darin Wagner

President and CEO

For further information contact: John Foulkes, Vice-President, Corporate Development

Tel: +1 (604) 638-5815 / Toll Free: +1 (877) 838-3664

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, forward looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, duration and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the timing of the receipt of assay results, the visual continuity of certain mineralized intervals and business and financing plans and trends, the potentially open nature of the mineralized zones/deposits on the property and the potential for future discoveries of additional mineralization on the property are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believes, expects, anticipates, intends, estimate, postulate and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, 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. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the Companys expectations include those related to weather, equipment and staff availability; performance of third parties; timing of receipt of assay results from third party analytical facilities; risks related to the exploration stage of the Companys projects; market fluctuations in prices for securities of exploration stage companies and in commodity prices; and uncertainties about the availability of additional financing; risks related to the Companys ability to identify one or more economic deposits on the properties, and variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located on the properties; risks related to the Companys ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities on the properties; and risks related to the Companys ability to produce minerals from the properties successfully or profitably. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Companys public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the latest technical reports filed with respect to the Companys mineral properties.

This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.
In Cote dIvoire, the main transitional justice focus remained an amnesty granted on August 6 by President Ouattara to 700 people convicted or charged in relation to the post-election crisis of 2010-2011.

In an August 17 declaration on its website, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cote dIvoire said it welcomes this historic amnesty by the President of the Republic, which is a strong contribution to forgiveness and reconciliation, both conducive to stability, development and peoples wellbeing. The declaration hails what it calls a decision that carries hope, whilst also urging the head of State to continue act ions that help bring together all the children of our common home, Cote dIvoire. The episcopal conference calls on the Ivorian political class to offer words of peace and truly work for reconciliation, in line with the new dynamic the head of State has launched for the future of the nation. Finally it invites those granted amnesty, who should be received in brotherhood, to cultivate a patriotic spirit that promotes forgiveness, peaceful hearts and a healthy socio-political climate.

The amnesty decision by President Ouattara two years before the end of his second mandate is nevertheless considered by human rights organizations as a blow to victims.

Distrust of the ICC

There is also disappointment among Central African victims of crimes perpetrated in 2002 and 2003 by forces of Congolese ex-rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, who was acquitted on June 8 by the appeals chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Lawyer Marie-Edith Douzima, who represented more than 5,000 victims in this case, told JusticeInfo in an interview in Bangui that there is deep distrust of the Court and of international justice in general. The situation is very tense, she said. The acquittal was a heavy blow. Nobody among the victims or the population had imagined it possible. When I arrived in Bangui, people were threatening to trash the local office of the ICC. The volunteers who help contacts between my team and the victims were being targeted with accusations. I would say that I arrived at the right moment and it was necessary to explain. I held several meetings in Bangui, I called many victims personally, I invited others to come to the capital and I also contacted almost all the radio stations to make interactive programmes where listeners could ask questions.

US sanctions Myanmar military

Outside the African continent, the United States announced on August 17 that it has imposed sanctions on four Burmese military commanders for ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims. The four include Aung Kyaw Zaw, who Washington says controlled military police and border guard operations in the south and southwest of Myanmar from 2015 to the beginning of 2018. These sanctions allow US authorities to seize or freeze assets of the people in question. American citizens are also banned from doing any transactions with them.
#FairnessFirst: Celebrating the Future Females entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and side-hustlers

It's a Catch22 - you tend to either have an idea to start a business, the motivation to do something different, or the skills to multitask, but it's rare that those magical elements are all singing loudly from within at the same time. That's where Future Females comes in. Here's a taste of the feminine driving force behind its founders.

In South Africa specifically, we need to learn how to ask but also how to fund ourselves, to build lifestyle businesses, and be open to stepping out if the comfort zones of our traditional societies, and possibly have global impact.

Yes! How do you decide on speakers and topics to be covered in Future Females individual events? Yes! How do you decide on speakers and topics to be covered in Future Females individual events?

The Future Females Cape Town team.

We have both male and female speakers because we are here to close the gender gap, not make the gap bigger. As men have been leading and learning for centuries, we can learn from them, take short-cuts, share opinions, and have conversations.

Love that. Whats response been like so far from attendees? Love that. Whats response been like so far from attendees?

Which has been your favourite session personally, and why? Which has been your favourite session personally, and why?

Scene from a Future Females event.

GRL PWR #futurefemaleslondonlaunch #bigideasbigactions A post shared by Philippa Dods (@philippadods) on Jun 7, 2018 at 1:54am PDT

As do I! Looking ahead to the future, whats next on the Future Females agenda? As do I! Looking ahead to the future, whats next on the Future Females agenda?

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

: A big motivator for us was unequal wealth distribution - only 1% of the global wealth is owned by women - and the fact that the needle can be changed by helping more women start and succeed at their own businesses.There is so much potential. So many problems to solve and have an impact  both on others and yourself.In general, worldwide, women need to learn courage, to be brave enough to jump, take that risk, try something and be okay if it fails  just learn from it and try the next thing!Women need to be comfortable with having difficult conversations, whether thats to pitch for funding or to negotiate a salary.: Its so important because South African women have been disempowered for so long, because theres not enough female representation in politics, media, sport and business and because its about time we all became aware of how much more capable and powerful we are than we think.: In December 2017, we put up polls and had our community vote on the themes they want to talk and learn about in 2018, so its really what our community wants to learn.The responses were a beautiful mix of business and personal development skills, and our speakers are a mix of influencers, successful women and men. Some are well-known internationally, some are only well-known in their community, but we learn from everyone.Theyre from different sectors  from corporates to entrepreneurs, from big to small businesses, our own role-models and those we aspire to be.: We have had an amazing response. We sit in awe, with massive gratitude that we can create a space where women feel themselves and grow with us, as well as the successful people who support us by being mentors and offering guidance.We offer different interactions, where people can share and engage, and we have had feedback on a few occasions about how new business collaborations were formed, new clients were met, and women resonated and felt more courageous.: Its been amazing.Our attendees inspire me! My favourite bits of feedback are from women who say theyve been wanting to start a business for ages and attending one of our events was inspirational enough for them to finally go and do it; as well as the women who have made friends and business partners in the Future Females community network.That's why we exist  so women have a space to connect, to empower and be empowered, to fail and to win.: The Cape Town chapter is my baby, so I cannot choose a child. There is so much energy and thought that goes into each event and speaker I choose!: My favourite event was "Mastering your money". Women are so scared to talk about money, we don't grow up really managing it, and we leave big stuff like budgeting and investments to our fathers of husbands, there was quite a big learning here. Also, we feel scared to say we want to be rich!: My personal favourites were defining and building your personal brand in Johannesburg in March  the sense of empowerment in that room was palpable  as well as the London launch in June, and technology trends and sextech in Cape Town in December.Like Dallas, I probably learned the most from the mastering your money event in Cape Town in May. I have a feeling our upcoming birthday event will be added to my list of favourites!: Future Females is a person, and it is a person with values and a way of living that we wish for every person on this planet. We hope to reach as many and as far as we can, thus organic and targeted chapter growth is a big strategic goal for us.We are also working on two online offerings, one of which will be launched in late 2018 and the other in 2019. We have merchandise launching as we are speaking, and will hopefully step into the crowdfunding space.
by Kristina Knight

New data out with Return Path's 2018 Deliverability Benchmark has inbox placement rates at 85%, a full 5% increase over 2017 placement numbers; this marks the first time in three years that placement numbers have shown a significant increase. Still, though, about one in six email messages aren't being seen by consumers because of spam and junk filters.

Breaking down the findings by region, both the Mexico and Europe saw inbox placement rates of 88%; in the US, inbox placement rates average 83%, just under the global benchmark for the year.

The lowest inbox placements were found in Latin American countries, where inbox placement averages 78%, just under the global benchmark of 85%.

"Marketers around the world rely on email. It's no surprise, given that email generages an average of 38 dollars in revenue for every dollar spent," said Tom Sather, senior director of research at Return Path. "We're thrilled to see inbox placement rates on the rise, but marketers need to realize that even 15 percent of email missing the inbox is too much. With every email that fails to reach its intended recipient, brands lose the opportunity to connect with customers and ultimately make a sale."

The highest inbox placement rates were found in Greece, Norway, and Portugal with each holding a 93% placement average. One of the lowest inbox placement rates fell to China with a 57% average.

As to categories, banking/finance and distribution/manufacturing emails saw the highest inbox placements at 96% followed by travel with a 94% average inbox placement rate.

The full Return Path findings can be accessed here.

Tags: email content, email marketing, email marketing trends, inbox placement trends, Return Path
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Writing in Annals of Family Medicine a few years ago, Chicago obstetrician Benjamin P. Brown vividly described his mentors interaction with a patient who had just emigrated from Mexico and had no family support. When he asked earnestly how she was doing, her hard-won defenses seemed to crumple, and all of a sudden she was sitting on the exam table, sobbing, Brown wrote. I watched, rapt, as Dr. Gonzales  or Wilfredo, as he insisted I call him  reached out a steady hand to squeeze her shoulder and offered a tissue.

Did a tissue and a squeeze on the shoulder ensure a better outcome for that woman? Perhaps not, but it surely helped her form a bond with her doctor that encouraged her to share her concerns and trust his counsel. According to a study in the journal BMJ Open, patients whose doctors listen to and respect them are more likely to disclose important information, stick with treatment regimens and get important health screenings. As the authors noted, the weight of evidence across different areas of health care indicates that patient experience is clinically important.

To determine just how important, researchers in the United States and Switzerland recently reviewed 13 randomized controlled trials; their goal was to quantify the impact of emotional care (showing trust, empathy and respect) and cognitive care (gathering and sharing information and managing patient expectations). The results showed a small but significant effect on measurable outcomes like blood pressure and pain scores. In fact, the average effect was larger than the impact of taking aspirin to prevent heart attack over five years and the impact of smoking on male mortality over eight years.

In an era of specialization and sub-specialization, some doctors can be tempted to look at a patient as little more than a collection of symptoms and body systems. But the best doctors heed these famous words from Sir William Osler, the founder of modern medicine: The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.

But great physicians do more than treat patients; they also create trust, hope and a sense of being known. To discover how they do that, a set of researchers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio interviewed a large number of physicians and patients about a decade ago. What they found was perhaps self-evident: exemplary doctors create nonjudgmental emotional bonds with their patients, they use their clinical power in ways that most benefit those patients, and they show a commitment to their patients over the long haul. One physician talked about being there when they need you to be there, pushing other things away in order to be there in a way thats more substantial. One patient compared the doctor-patient relationship to a marriage.

Like a marriage, the relationship only works if both parties are fully invested. As Leana Wen, MD, writes in When Doctors Dont Listen, Being a good patient is not being quiet and obedient. You know yourself, your body and your symptoms best. We want you to help us and need you to help us. Individuals and families are better off in many ways when they develop long-term relationships with doctors who deliver 360 care.

Physicians today have more tools in their fingertips than ever before, from the latest high-tech scanners to the most advanced targeted drugs. But the doctor-patient relationship remains as important as ever, perhaps even more so.

Bartley Bryt is chief medical officer, Create Health Plans and Brighton Health Plan Solutions.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
New Delhi, Aug 20: After little confusion, it has been confirmed that Bakra Eid 2018 or Bakrid or Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on August 22 and not on August 23 across India. Bakrd Eid 2018 date in India has been confirmed by several Islamic body. Due to the confusion, central government had declared Bakra Eid holiday on August 23. However, it has now changed it to August 22. (ALSO READ: Bakra Eid 2018: Holiday Date in India on Eid al-Adha & Islamic Rules of Animal Slaughtering)

The confusion over Bakra Eid 2018 date in India surfaced after the moon for Dhul Hijjah month was sighted in several parts of the country on Sunday, August 12, while it was not spotted in the national capital. (Bakra Eid falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah month)Therefore, some clerics in Delhi announced that Bakra Eid will be celebrated on August 23. Since, the moon was spotted in several other parts, August 22 was fixed as the date for Bakra Eid in rest of India. (ALSO READ: Bakra Eid 2018: Significance And Religious History of Eid-ul-Adha)

The Centre changed the date of Bakra Eid holiday again to Wednesday (August 22) from Thursday (August 23) for its offices in Delhi. "On the basis of the report of Ruiyat Hilal (moon deciding Committee) headed by Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid, Delhi, Syed Ahmed Bukhari intimating that witnesses of sighting of moon have been received from different cities of India, it has been decided that all Central Government Administrative Offices located at Delhi/New Delhi shall remain closed on 22.08.2018 instead of 23.08.2018 on account of Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)," a statement issued today by the Personnel Ministry said.

The central government had last week announced the holiday for Bakra Eid on August 23, saying that central government offices located in the national capital will remain closed on August 23 in place of August 22. However, the confusion now been cleared.

On August 15, a meeting was held in the national capital where clerics decided that Bakra Eid will be celebrated on August 22 across the country including Delhi. But, the damage is done.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2018 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Dubai, Aug 20: A man from Kerala lost his job in Oman after he mocked Kerala flood victims on Facebook. The man, Rahul Cheru Palayattu, was sacked from the Lulu Group International after he made insensitive comments on a social media post on the plight of the flood-hit victims in Kerala. He worked as a cashier at the company's branch in Oman.

According to Dubai-based Khaleej Times, Rahul mocked the sanitation requirements of the flood victims in Kerala on Facebook. "This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India," read the termination letter.

It further added, "You are hereby instructed to handover all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement." Chief Communications Officer (CCO) of Lulu group V Nandakumar said Rahul was sacked to give strong message to hatemongers.

"We took immediate steps to terminate his services and send out a very loud and clear message to the society about our stance in such issues. We as an organization have always stood for humanitarian values and highest ethical practices," Nandakumar said in a statement. After losing his job, Rahul posted another video on Facebook and apologised for his comments.

"I am really sorry for what I did. I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake," he wrote. Here it may be noted that Indian billionaire and owner of Lulu group, MA Yusuff Ali, who also hails from Kerala, donated 9.23 million UAE dirhams for relief operations in the flood-hit state.

Kerala has been facing its worst flooding in a century, with nearly 400 people being killed. The state has suffered a loss of Rs. 19,512 crore due to the deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday. (With ANI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2018 10:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The Brazil government has had to resort to army deployment to pacify the unrest near its border with Venezuela. Residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima rioted and drove out Venezuelan immigrants from their improvised camps, amid growing regional tensions.

The latest spate of tensions began over the weekend, hours after a local merchant was robbed and severely beaten in Pacaraima, an incident which is being blamed on Venezuelan refugees.

Dozens of locals then attacked the two main immigrant makeshift camps, where an estimated 1,000 immigrants are living. Villagers burned their belongings leading Venezuelans to cross the border back into their home country. Shots were fired, stores were shuttered and debris littered the streets of Pacaraima.

Some Venezuelans reportedly reacted to the attack by vandalising a car with Brazilian license plates.

Three Brazilians were hurt in the clashes, a spokesman for military police said. No information was immediately available on the state of the Venezuelans involved.

The public security ministry then swung into action and sent a contingent of 60 troops which arrive in the area on Monday. The clashes in Brazil took place amid an increase in robberies and violent incidents in the city of 12,000 people that locals blame on immigrants, while the government points to a lack of resources to address the situation and calls for the closure of the border.

Brazilian federal police, in charge of immigration, estimates that about 500 Venezuelans cross over to Brazil every day.

Tensions are rising in Latin America over migration triggered by the crisis in Venezuela.

Peru and Ecuador are halting immigrants at the border by requiring would be border-crossers to show their passports  which many lack  instead of simple identity cards. These border control measures go into place this week.

Colombia is facing the worst of the refugee pressure as it is now hosting almost one million Venezuelans. Colombia and Venezuela share a porous 1,380-mile border that is laced with dozens, if not hundreds, of illegal crossing points. The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the crisis in their country looking for work and to escape poverty.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2018 05:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Warsaw, August 20: In a shocking incident of child abuse, a two-year-old toddler was shut inside a washing machine by a babysitter. The accused not only shut Kacper inside the washing machine but also filmed the video of the incident and posted it online. The police took notice of the incident after the video went viral on social media and started investigating the case. In the clip, it could be seen that the boy was crying while the man who locked him in the machine was laughing.

The police said that they had also found a photograph on social media of the boy being forced to smoke a cigarette. According to reports published in the British media, Kacper's mother, 21-year-old Zaneta D, had left the little boy with a friend while she took her boyfriend and father of the toddler Tomasz K to work in Radom in central Poland.

However, Zaneta claimed that she had left her mobile at home and she did not know who posted the photograph. The police arrested 19-year-old Mateusz S. He was later released without any charge. According to the reports, 18-year-old Adam B who was looking after the child at the time was also arrested. The prosecutors claimed that Adam B and the 22-year-old Tomasz K could face child abuse charges. If they found guilty, then they will face 10 years of imprisonment.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2018 10:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
In what will be the Trump Administrations first contact with the newly elected government in Pakistan, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be in Islamabad in the first week of September. Pompeos stopover in Islamabad has been added to his pre-scheduled itinerary of his India visit.

Pompeo, who is expected in Islamabad on September 5, would be the first foreign dignitary to meet Prime Minister Khan, Dawn reported, quoting diplomatic and official sources.

Pompeo will be accompanied by U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis. The due is scheduled to be in New Delhi on September 6-7 for the 2+2 dialogue with Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman.

Pompeos visit will be the most high profile outreach by the Trump Administration to Pakistan after it has slashed defence aid and diplomatic outreach due to Islamabads support to radical Islamic outfits  in Afghanistan, and against India.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called out Pakistans establishment on its support to the Taliban in Afghanistan which have repeatedly attacked U.S. and NATO troops stationed in the country. In January this year, he said, "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as foolsThey give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018

Ahead of Pakistan's recent election where Imran Khan appeared to be the pre-determined winner, the U.S. the State Department had expressed concerns about flaws in the pre-voting electoral process" highlighting the constraints placed on freedom of expression and association during the election campaign.

Pompeo and Mattis visit seems to be an effort to feel out the newly-elected Pakistani prime minister and his attitude towards Pakistans defence establishments covert support to terrorist outfits. The U.S. state department said, it welcomed the swearing-in of Khan as new Prime Minister and that it was looking forward to working with Pakistan's new civilian government to promote peace and prosperity in the country and in the region.

Keeping Islamabads track record in mind, one wonders if this effort is not a futile one indeed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2018 06:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Aug 19, 2018, 5:05pm ET

SSC Tuatara's 1,700-horsepower engine revealed

The company says the car will finally be revealed at Pebble Beach.

SSC has unveiled its twin-turbo, 6.9-liter V8 engine, said to produce 1,700 horsepower when dropped into its upcoming Tuatara supercar.

The Washington state-based company restarted operations to promote its jet-inspired car in January 2018, after many years of radio silence. Though a concept was shown in and 10 orders were placed at a Dubai motor show in 2011, the a production car has failed to materialize.

Back then, it was claimed to have 1,350 horsepower and cost $1.3 million. Now the company promises to unveil the Tuatara at Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week. As a prelude to the showing, it has released images of the engine, now claimed to make an additional 350 horsepower and a total of 1,280 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options will consist of either a manual or sequential of seven speeds.

The company, formerly known as Shelby Super Cars, bears no relation to Carroll Shelby, and is named after founder Jarod Shelby. Its previous car, the SSC Ultimate Aero, broke a Guinness World Record for top speed in a production car in 2007 with an average 255.83 mph run. SCC believes the Tuatara will reclaim that title, which is currently held by a Koenigsegg Agera RS with 278 mph.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21)  President Rodrigo Duterte says the country needs more citizens like Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., as the nation marks the former senator's 35th death anniversary.

"In this time of real and lasting change, we need more citizens like him so we can steer our country towards the direction where a brighter and better future awaits us all," Duterte said in his message Tuesday.

The President also said change can only be achieved if Filipinos work together to implement reforms to remedy what he calls "many social ills."

"Let us take this opportunity to reflect on his sacrifice as we honor the courage and patriotism that Ninoy demonstrated during his struggle," he said.

Aquino, father of former President Benigno Aquino III, was the top opposition figure when strongman President Ferdinand Marcos governed the country for more than two decades under Martial Law.

Marcos' presidency was marred by human rights controversies and reported accumulation of ill-gotten wealth, which Aquino fought against.

Aquino then became a political prisoner during the Marcos regime, but was allowed to seek treatment in the U.S. in 1980 after he suffered a heart attack.

The senator returned to the country on August 21, 1983, but he was assassinated at the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport.

The assassination sparked outrage among Filipinos, with Aquino's wife Cory leading the opposition which called for Marcos' ouster. Marcos then left the Presidency on February 25, 1986 due to the mass movement known as People Power I.

Duterte is a known ally of the Marcoses. His move to allow Marcos' burial at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani in August 2016 was met with heavy criticism, but Duterte claimed he was merely enforcing the law.

READ: Duterte defends hero's burial for Marcos: A matter of enforcing the law

Meanwhile, Duterte's relationship with Aquino's son, former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has also been strained amid the latter's criticism of Duterte's drug war, and their back-to-back tirades on the West Philippine Sea dispute.

READ: Ex-Pres. Aquino belies Duterte's remarks on his alleged inaction on sea row

Read the President's full message below:
Aug 20, 2018, 2:56pm ET

Toyota Tacoma ad campaign celebrates Chuck Norris

Viewers may forget that Walker drove a GMC Sierra and a Dodge Ram back in the '90s.

Toyota has launched a new ad campaign featuring Chuck Norris and the Tacoma.

In the multi-format 'Tough as Chuck' ads, the legendary actor helps portray the pickup as rugged and heroic. Naturally, Norris' unique character history helps add a bit of humor.

Some members of the target audience -- families, outdoor enthusiasts, and youth -- may associate Norris with the Ram and GMC pickups prominently featured in the '90s series Walker, Texas Ranger.
Two people are jailed after police raided a Hellertown home, seizing methamphetamine, cash and various drug paraphernalia.

Charged are Edward H. Klotz, 48, of the 100 block of Kichline Avenue in the borough and Kimberly A. Florey, 56, of the 2000 block of Fifth Street in Bethlehem.

Hellertown police just before a 1:30 a.m. traffic stop this past Wednesday observed two male occupants in a vehicle make a brief stop and enter the side of Klotz's home. The males later were found to be in possession of methamphetamine, according to court records.

One of the males provided investigators with a written statement he bought the drugs from Klotz by retrieving the bag of methamphetamine from a kitchen table after leaving cash behind.

Hellertown police and Lower Saucon Township police, as well as officers with the Northampton County Drug Task Force this past Friday then raided Klotz' home with a search warrant.

Seized were four grams of methamphetamine from an upstairs bedroom belonging to Klotz and another 8 grams of methamphetamine in a bedroom Florey was sleeping in, as well as a digital scale, packaging materials, $2,632 in cash and another $1,064 in cash, a cellphone and several glass pipes, court records said.

Klotz is charged with two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver drugs and a single count of misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Florey is charged with one felony count possession with intent to deliver drugs and a single count of misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both Klotz and Florey were arraigned before District Judge Alan R. Mege, who set bail at $65,000 and $50,000, respectively. In lieu of bail, both were taken to Northampton County Prison.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Route 33 South reopened Monday morning nearly 12 hours after it was shut Sunday night by a tractor-trailer fire, according to a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation camera.

No injuries were reported in the blaze, but a Nancy Run firefighter was treated for a medical issue, authorities said.

The fire was reported at 9:15 p.m. and traffic was flowing again by 8:47 a.m.

A truck burned about 9:15 p.m. Aug. 19, 2018, on Route 33 South near the Route 22 interchange in Bethlehem Township. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

The Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company and the Nancy Run Fire Company responded at 9:19 p.m. to mile marker 4.2 for a blaze that started as a brake fire and spread through the front of the trailer, township Assistant Chief C.J. Kuronya said.

Additional assistance was immediately requested from the Hecktown Fire Company, the Upper Nazareth Fire Department and the Plainfield Township Fire Company to supplement the water supply, Kuronya said.

The Palmer Township Municipal Fire Department was called for additional manpower, Kuronya said.

Once the fire was out, crews remained for hours and the highway was kept closed, Kuronya said. Easton Auto Body assisted and removed much of the cargo from the tractor-trailer and eventually towed the vehicle, Kuronya said.

North East Environmental Response assisted with a spill and other cleanup efforts, Kuronya said. The assistant chief didn't have details on what spilled.

The truck was hauling two-stroke motor oil, water-based paints and other items, Kuronya said.

Northampton County Emergency Management responded as well.

The truck said Roadrunner on the cab and Xtra Lease on the trailer.

Traffic was taken off the highway at Route 22 West and it was slow between the Route 33 and Route 191 interchanges as vehicles sought to turn around at the next exit and resume south on Route 33 beyond the crash scene.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
DeSales University is considering removing from two of its buildings the names of bishops identified in a grand jury report detailing sexual abuse and coverups in Pennsylvania's Catholic churches.

After the nearly 900-page grand report was released last week, a statement from the private Catholic university in Lehigh County said school officials were reviewing it.

Changes to Bishop Thomas J. Welsh Hall and Bishop Joseph McShea Student Center are among the changes to be considered at the trustees' September meeting, according to a report Saturday from 6ABC and confirmed Monday by lehighvalleylive.com. A university spokesman said the entire report will be discussed at the meeting.

Bishops Welsh and McShea are both named in the grand jury report for allegedly aiding in coverups of sexual abuse. McShea was bishop of the Allentown Diocese from 1961 to 1983. Welsh followed as bishop from 1983 to 1997.

The grand jury says that McShea and Welsh were among church officials who permitted priests to remain in active ministry even after allegations of sexual assault arose. The bishops are not themselves accused of abuse.

There were 35 local priests identified among the 301 across six Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania accused of abuse beginning in the mid-1950s. They were assigned over their careers to churches and schools across the diocese's five-county area.

To report abuse: The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has a clergy abuse hotline at 888-538-8541.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday banned bear hunts on state land.

The governor, who said during his gubernatorial campaign he would end the hunts that were in place under former Gov. Chris Christie, signed an executive order that has been hailed by supporters as a good first step in ending bear hunts in New Jersey.

"Today, I am fulfilling my commitment to stop the bear hunt to the greatest extent of my authority by ordering the Department of Environmental Protection to prevent bear hunting on all public lands under the DEP's jurisdiction during the 2018 season," Murphy said in a statement.

"I am also calling on the Legislature to take action on this critical issue," he said. "My first concern has always been public safety and before we authorize another hunt, we should review all non-lethal options."

The order bans hunting on all state forests, state parks and recreation areas, and state Wildlife Management Areas - about 700,000 acres.

That leaves 1 million acres privately owned or owned by counties where hunting is still permitted.

Murphy has been criticized by some environmental groups for not ending bear hunts in the state.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, called the executive order the "first real step we've had in a long time to limit the unnecessary bear hunt."

"We believe that today's action by the governor is an important step in the right direction and will reduce the number of bear mortalities," Tittel said in a statement. "We still need a full moratorium on the bear hunt this year and in future years."

According to a report released just before Murphy took office, ending the bear hunt could cause the state's bear population to double by 2022.

"The removal of hunting as a management tool will quickly allow the population to rebound to unacceptable levels," concluded the 12-page report from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics around the world Monday condemning the crime of priestly sexual abuse and its cover-up and demanding accountability, seeking to respond to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church.

The letter comes almost a week after the release of a nearly 900-page grand jury report into priest sex abuse in Pennsylvania. The report looked at the Diocese of Allentown and five other dioceses in the state. It accused more than 300 priests of abuse, including nearly three dozen priests in the Allentown diocese.

Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in the effort to root out abuse and cover-up. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives," Francis wrote.

"We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

The Vatican issued the three-page letter ahead of Francis' trip this weekend to Ireland, a once staunchly Roman Catholic country where the church's credibility has been devastated by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered up for them.

But for Irish survivors, the letter was little more than strong words and recycled rhetoric that failed to acknowledge the Vatican's own role in turning a blind eye to predatory priests and fomenting the culture of secrecy and cover-up that allowed the crimes to go unpunished.

"That culture was overseen by #Vatican & codified into its laws," tweeted Colm O'Gorman, a prominent Irish survivor who is organizing a solidarity demonstration of survivors in Dublin during Francis' visit. "He needs to name & own that."

Priestly sex abuse was always expected to dominate the pope's Irish trip, but the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the U.S. that one of Francis' trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

This is in addition to the Pennsylvania grand jury report that looked into 70 years of priest abuse, and concluded that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

And it comes on the heels of Francis' efforts to address a spiraling sex abuse scandal in Chile, which erupted during his problematic January visit. Francis has recently accepted the resignations of five of the 31 bishops who offered to step down over their disastrous handling of abuse cases.

In the letter, which was issued in seven languages, Francis referred to the Pennsylvania report but the Vatican stressed that its message was intended for a much broader, global audience. In it, Francis acknowledged that no effort to beg forgiveness of the victims will be sufficient but vowed "never again."

Looking to the future, he said: "no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated."

Francis didn't, however, provide any indication of what concrete measures he is prepared to take to sanction those bishops who covered up for rapists in their priestly ranks. Francis several years ago scrapped a proposed Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops, and he has refused to act on credible reports from around the world of bishops who have failed to report abusers to police or otherwise botched handling cases, and yet remain in office.

Francis also has kept on his nine-member cabinet a Chilean cardinal long accused of covering up for pedophiles, an Australian cardinal currently on trial for historic sex abuse charges and a Honduran cardinal recently implicated in a gay priest sex scandal involving his trusted deputy.

As a result, advocates for victims found his letter wanting.

"Mere words at this point deepen the insult and the pain," said Anne Barrett Doyle of the research group Bishop Accountability, which on Monday released a database of credibly accused or convicted Irish clergy.

What Francis should do to protect children, she said, is to order the Vatican to release the names of all priests who have been convicted under canon law of abusing minors.

Unlike the U.S. bishops' conference, which has referred only to "sins and omissions" in their response to the Pennsylvania report, Francis labeled the misconduct "crimes."

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said it was "significant" that Francis had used the term "crimes" and had called for accountability, "which in many cases means bishops."

"This is a wake-up call for everyone," he told The Associated Press, citing those in positions of responsibility for the church as well as Catholic laity.

It was the second Vatican response in recent days to the Pennsylvania grand jury report, which has sparked a crisis in confidence in the U.S. Catholic leadership and led to calls for ordinary faithful to withhold donations.

Last week, Burke issued a statement calling the abuses described in the report "criminal and morally reprehensible" and said there must be accountability for those who raped children "and those who permitted abuse to occur."

Subsequently, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said it would ask Francis to authorize a Vatican investigation into the McCarrick scandal, since it was apparently an open secret in some Catholic circles that the cardinal regularly invited seminarians to his New Jersey beach house, and into his bed.

The Vatican hasn't said if Francis would approve such an investigation. The question is delicate, given there is evidence that Vatican officials knew as early as 2000 of McCarrick's penchant for seminarians, yet still appointed him as Washington archbishop and a cardinal.

The Vatican has long been loath to investigate its own, and any investigation into McCarrick that goes to the top would likely implicate St. John Paul II and his closest advisers. They have already been implicated in the decades-long cover-up of one of the 20th century's most notorious priestly pedophiles, the late founder of the Legion of Christ, the Rev. Marcial Maciel, but have never been held to account.
Philly Pretzel Factory customers have come to know the aroma of endless batches of hand-twisted pretzels baking in the oven the second they walk through the door.

It's near impossible not to try one, having it that fresh from the oven to waiting hands. But on Monday, patrons won't have to open their wallets for the tasty treat.

It's all in celebration of the chain's 20th anniversary.

Its twisting time! Be sure to come in tomorrow for a free pretzel and celebrate our 20 delicious years! Posted by Philly Pretzel Factory on Sunday, August 19, 2018

Participating stores nationally are handing out one hot, soft pretzel for free to each customer, no purchase required.

In the Lehigh Valley and Warren County, there are locations at 665 S. 25th St., Palmer Township; 809 W. Hamilton St. in Allentown; 2411 Macarthur Road in Whitehall Township; 5924 Tilghman St. in West Allentown; and 150 Mountain Ave. in Hackettstown.

While enjoying the freebie, patrons also can enter a contest to win one free pretzel per day for a year, according to the company's Facebook page.

The company began in 1998 when Dan DiZio and his college roommate Len Lehman opened the doors to the first Philly Pretzel Factory in the Mayfair section of northeast Philadelphia.

In 2004, DiZio started Soft Pretzel Franchise Systems, Inc., franchising the Philly Pretzel Factory brand across the Philadelphia region, and now expanding outward from Philadelphia into 12 states.

Currently, there are more than 100 national franchised locations and growing, according to the company's website.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
I'm responding to Audrey Cowell's letter of Aug. 19, "Foreigners from socialist nations are overstaying their visits to U.S."

First, there are different varieties of socialism. Some countries become socialist via violent overthrow or military junta, such as Venezuela and China. Other countries become socialist by democratic means, voted in by the citizens. Denmark is among these.



Cowell describes France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom as countries "that might be more advantageous to (one's) socialist/progressive ideals." These countries have capitalist economies. Many have socialized medicine, but their economies operate on free market principles.



She does not address why people are emigrating from those countries. They are not running away from government-sponsored medical care, but are leaving for jobs (Italy has 24 percent unemployment) or better business opportunities. Many are coming here to reunite family.



Sweden and Norway, not included in the list, are far more socialist. New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Costa Rica all offer socialized medicine, yet there are Americans moving to those countries.



Democratic socialism is achieved through voting, with citizens electing to sponsor some services. In true socialism, the government owns the means of production, meaning industry and companies. Only in Venezuela and China is that true in the list above.



In a democracy, citizens should be free to decide if it's in their best interests to socialize health care. In short, socialized medicine does not make a socialist economy. We should revisit the founding fathers' principles. If the people want socialized medicine it's the government's duty to put it in place.



Kevin D. Coomer

Bethlehem Township, Pa
By Alfred A. Schlert

People are angry. The abuse of children by some members of the clergy, and the past failures to address this deviant behavior appropriately, are outlined in terrible and heart-wrenching detail in the statewide grand jury report.

People are feeling betrayed and heartbroken, and have told me so, in conversations, calls, emails and on social media. I don't blame them. They have a right to expect that the church, of all places, should have done better.

I share the anger. I am horrified and ashamed. The perverse manner in which the priesthood was used to gain access to youth and to steal their innocence, by the very men who were called to preserve it, is crushing.

Although the grand jury acknowledged the progress the church has made in the past 15 years in eliminating abuse and protecting children, clergy sexual abuse still casts a long and chilling shadow over our diocese and our church.

Since becoming the bishop of the Diocese of Allentown on Aug. 31, 2017, I have come to understand that every bishop inherits the history of his diocese. It falls to me at this point in history to shoulder any failings from the past, to apologize and ask forgiveness, and to do what I can to prevent recurrence.

I apologize for the times when offenders were not dealt with in the ways we do now. I also apologize to the victims and survivors for the burden they have carried for years, mostly in silence and hidden pain. I make this apology personally, and also on behalf of the Diocese of Allentown.

Please know this: I have never treated a victim with anything but full respect. I have never transferred a predator rather than holding him accountable. I also have never been involved in doing so, nor am I responsible for anyone else doing so.

I ask the forgiveness of the vast majority of priests who had no involvement in this abhorrent behavior. Our devoted clergy and religious have remained steadfast in their faith in the midst of human corruption and error. They have been heroic, even when shepherds-turned-wolves infested some parishes and schools.

And so my message to everyone affected by this horrendous part of our past is this: Please offer us another opportunity to regain your trust. Please be open to understanding that while our church at one time was a model of what not to do, today we are an example of how to deal effectively with this terrible societal problem.

In the Diocese of Allentown, victims and survivors are heard and cared for, perpetrators are held accountable, and children are protected.

You have my personal assurance that victims and survivors will continue to receive counseling at no cost to them, that thorough background checks and strict requirements and training on preventing abuse will continue, and that we will continue our enhanced screening for new candidates for the priesthood. I assure you that any new allegations will continue to result in immediate reporting to law enforcement and immediate removal from active ministry. Our first goal is to keep our children safe.

As bishop, I pledge my entire being to shepherding our local church through these hurt-filled times. I also pledge that I will continue to do absolutely everything I can to protect the flock of Christ entrusted to my care, to the best of my ability.

Together with God's help, we can begin to heal and move forward, working together to ensure that the sinful actions of the past have no place in the present, and that they will not define us in the future. To those who will hear these words as hollow, or as too little, too late, I ask your forgiveness nonetheless. I can only assure you that they come from the depth of a pastor's heart.

May God, who alone can heal the deep wounds that each person uniquely feels, bring us to a renewed commitment to the protection of our precious youth.

Alfred A. Schlert is the bishop of the Allentown Diocese.
In the wake of a grand jury report on the incidence of Catholic priests abusing children in Pennsylvania, state lawmakers are revisiting proposals make it easier for victims to seek justice.

The grand jury findings revealed an extensive history of Catholic priests sexually abusing children and teens. It said church authorities sealed the results of their investigations and often failed to take appropriate legal action against pedophile priests, transferring them to other parishes or recommending them for other jobs. Focusing on six dioceses, including Allentown, the grand jury said it found credible claims that more than 300 priests sexually abused more than 1,000 children since 1947.

Some state legislators are looking at eliminating the criminal statute of limitations for those accused of sexually abusing minors, as the grand jury recommended. Another proposal is extending the length of time for victims to file civil lawsuits against their alleged assailants.

Under current state law, criminal charges may be brought until victims reach the age of 50. Victims are prohibited from filing civil lawsuits once they reach the age of 30. A House bill would extend the ceiling for civil suits to 50. Another bill would create a temporary window in which victims who already missed their eligibility would be allowed to sue.

What do you think? Should Pennsylvania end the statute of limitations in these cases and make it easier to file civil suits? Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to join the conversation in the comments section.
Sewage fungus from human waste was found growing in a Laois river during the drought, forcing the trucking of waste to the Portlaoise treatment plant.

The fungus was in the Gloreen river into which waste is pumped from Ballyroan wastewater treatment plant.

It flows into the River Nore, a Special Area of conservation.

During the drought, the low river water level combined with poor performance of the treatment plant. This caused the fungus to grow.

Laois Council Councils water services reported the incident and the action taken, at the July council meeting.

A sewage fungus has established over a distance of 40 m downstream of the outfall. Tankering of the influent began on July 13 while temporary skip/tanks were being setup to receive the treated effluent from the treatment plant. These tanks are now in place and treated effluent (90m3/day) is being tankered to Portlaoise, it said.

In some major Laois rivers during the drought, the flow dropped below 5 percent, affecting the capacity to dilute treated effluent from wastewater plants.

The potential environmental effects resulted in emergency measures to cease effluent discharges in some schemes. Ballyroan was first to be affected because of the low water levels and the poor performance of the plant and it being slightly overloaded.

CEO John Mulholland said that Ballyroan was one of the first victims.

We have moved this year from floods to minimum flow of under 5 percent, he said.

Group Water Schemes were said to be coping well with drought conditions.

Meanwhile, Portlaoise is to get a boost in water supply, in a move fast tracked to protect the rapidly growing town from water shortages, after a request by Laois County Council to Irish Water.

Irish Water will connect three more unused wells to the Portlaoise water supply.

The boreholes are in the Coolbanagher Wellfield, near Emo. They will provide enough water to serve half again of the town's current demands, 4,800m3 per day.

Early in the drought, Portlaoise was identified as a at risk town by Irish Water, while a national hosepipe ban is still in place.

It escaped water restrictions, partly because leaking pipes were replaced by Irish Water in recent years.

Over the past two years through a combination of leakage detection and active management, water demand in the broader Portlaoise Supply was reduced by 1400 cubic metres per day; equivalent to the water demand of over 2500 houses.

Average daily consumption in normal conditions in Portlaoise is 8,600 m3 per day. The water conservation and leak repair work provided additional headroom and obviated the need for restrictions. Recent decreases in demand from the hosepipe ban gave further savings, the council said.
A new Director of Nursing with 20 years' experience has been appointed at Portlaoise Hospital.

Ms Sandra McCarthy has taken on the role at The Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. She has previously held the positions of Clinical Placement Co-Ordinator, Education Co-Ordinator and Head of Learning and Development in Tallaght hospital.

A native of Nurney in Co Kildare, Sandra is a Registered General Nurse and a Registered Nurse Tutor with extensive clinical, educational and managerial experience.

She completed her Nurse Training in The Meath Hospital, Dublin and transferred to Tallaght University Hospital upon its opening in 1998.

In recent years, Sandra was a member of the Senior Nursing Executive team and Senior Human Resources Management team in Tallaght University Hospital.

Her professional portfolio includes an Honours Degree in Nursing from Trinity College Dublin, an MSc in Nursing and a postgraduate qualification in Health Care Education from UCD.

Sandra is an experienced health care provider with in-depth knowledge of operations, administrative and financial management.

She has 20 years experience of effectively delivering in the health arena, including direct and indirect patient care, graduate and postgraduate education.

Sandra project led a number of innovative educational initiatives both locally & nationally. Sandra is a curriculum development advisor for a variety of local and national educational programmes.

She was chairperson of the Registration committee with The Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland and recently project led the renaming of Tallaght University Hospital (TUH).

Sandras areas of interest are improving the delivery of safe, effective, quality care to patients and the professional development of health care staff.

She is a keen advocate of developing Nursing Leadership and advancing Nursing roles in the development of holistic and integrated care.

Ms Eileen Whelan is the Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifey at the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

On behalf of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, we are delighted to welcome Sandra to Portlaoise Hospital.

"Sandra brings a wealth of experience in nurse education and development and has a proven track record developing nursing leadership in the advancement of the nursing role.

"The Group is committed to supporting and developing nursing and midwifery care and looks forward to working with Sandra and all the team in Portlaoise Hospital to continue the delivery of safe, effective and high quality care to our patients," she said.

Mr Michael Knowles is Hospital Manager at Portlaoise Hospital.

We are delighted to welcome Sandra McCarthy to Portlaoise Hospital. It is important that the hospital attracts and retains the highest quality clinical and nursing professionals and Sandra is a welcomed addition to our management team," he said.

Sandra said she intends on building on the excellent work in the hospital.

I am delighted to commence as Director of Nursing in the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. I will continue to develop the professional Nursing services in Portlaoise Hospital and build on the excellent work which has occurred over the previous years.

"Developing and strengthening Nursing and Nursing standards will ensure that quality, safe and effective care is delivered to all patients. I look forward to working with and getting to know both the staff and the community in Portlaoise and the surrounding region," she said.

Portlaoise hospital downgrade mooted in 'hub-and-spoke' care model.
Newbridge-based businesswoman Noelle OConnor of TanOrganic turned down a cash injection for her company on the hit UK show Dragons Den last night.

In a bid to help expand her multimillion euro business further, Noelle and her partner Aaron Lubrani were looking for a 150,000 investment from the UK Dragons. Despite an emotional and often heated exchange with the Dragons, Deborah Meaden, Tei Lavani, Jenny Campbell and Touker Suleyman all offered Noelle the cash she was looking for.

Despite misgivings, Noelle turned them all down.

They are a tough group of business people to deal with. Before we went into the Den we had decided we would give them 5% of the company, however they were pushing for 15%. I know the power of Dragons Den, when I appeared on RTEs Dragons Den in Ireland, TanOrganic sales were catapulted to an astonishing 1 million within three months. So part of me was kicking myself for not taking investment, she said.

Noelle previously appeared on the Irish version of Dragons Den in 2010, and secured a 50,000 investment from Gavin Duffy in return for 45% of the business. She has since bought out Duffy.

Noelle said in a press statement today, Monday, that she has had three calls with three firm offers of investment since the programme aired on Sunday.

TanOrganic is the worlds first and only eco-certified organic self-tanning brand, and is now sold internationally.

See a clip from the show here.
Concern Worldwide is today extending its best wishes to Rose of Tralee contestant and former All-Ireland Concern Debates champion Grainne Carr.

The international aid agency is proud to have the Kildare Rose as a volunteer adjudicator for Concern Debates  a nationwide school debating contest that gives teenagers a platform to discuss global development issues.

Grainne captained the winning Concern Debates team for Newbridge College in 2013 and, as part of their prize, traveled to see some of Concerns life-changing development work in Ethiopia.

SEE ALSO: Kildare Rose Grainne Carr makes it through to televised Rose of Tralee final in Kerry Dome

Concerns Head of Active Citizenship, Michael Doorly, said: Concern would like to wish Grainne Carr, the Kildare Rose and former All-Ireland Concern Debates champion, the very best of luck in this years Rose of Tralee competition.

Grainne has been an exceptional ambassador and advocate for Concerns work with some of worlds poorest people.

Concern  which is marking its 50th anniversary this year  created Concern Debates in 1984 to challenge students to debate global development issues.

Any school interested in taking part in this years Concern Debates or any individual who would like to judge the debates in their local schools  just like Grainne Carr  can email debates@concern.net.
Harry was a kind, generous and civilised man, with wide ranging interests, his friend, Robert Guinness, told the gathering at his funeral service in Christ Church, Celbridge on July 16.

Richard Henry McDowell, best known as Harry, was a Christian. He lived in an age when you were brought up to look after others before oneself, he said.

Harry was a well-respected genealogist of considerable standing among his peers, and had a memory as good as Methuselah.

He had a gift of remembering the best in us, and recounting it in an amusing and conversational manner.

He expected charity in the broadest sense, from his friends, and enjoyed humour even in the gravest of situations.

He loved being with his two daughters, Emily and Marie Louise, and enjoyed the company of his grandson, Freddie. He was always full of fun, with them and with his many friends.

Harry and Joan, his wife, were happily married for over fifty years. They started their lives together whilst living in England.

Harry was of Irish stock, his father had lived and farmed at Heynestown, his property near Dundalk, so a decision was reached to look for a home in Ireland.

Racing was an interest and Harry seldom missed Punchestown Races, he was largely responsible for keeping open the Kildare Street and University Club Hunt, still enjoyed by many members.

But collecting was his real interest and he came to Ireland at the time when so many great paintings, furniture and chattels were on the market.

From friends gathered in London, and by attending Country House auctions, which were sadly prevalent in those days, but much enjoyed nonetheless.

Harry built up a modest but interesting collection of Irish and English art.

This interest led to an obvious question, from where had this variety of wonderful objects come from.

So the five, quarter inch to the mile scale maps of Ireland surveyed by Bartholomew were laid out and many lost demesnes could be seen.

It was not long before picnics were arranged and the enjoyment began of searching and finding these long lost estates marked on the map.

The enjoyment was increased due to the beauty seen in these great houses, now ruinous.

It was interesting to imagine a visitor arriving at such places in an earlier era, and their astonishment at such splendour in the Irish countryside.

A simple and good life, he made his luck, and visited family heritage conferences here and abroad.

With these contacts he advised others on their family records with knowledge absorbed from his extensive genealogical library.

He also contributed to the written word when instigating works from the printing press he had inherited from his uncle, including a fine re-edited edition of 1814 Directory of the Gentlemens Seats in Ireland by Ambrose Leet, and not least a colour print folio on Henry ONeill the artist, written by Peter Harbison RIA.

For many years Harry sat on the board, and was elected chairman, of the Irish Clergy Daughters Charity.

He always made meetings enjoyable and that enjoyment was present during his time as a member and then, as President of the Kildare Archaeological Society, he made opportunities to encourage, with his remarkable knowledge, the younger members.

Harry was a great supporter of the Country House, not least Castletown, but that is another story.

His contribution to the continued safety of the Monument to Speaker Conolly in Tea Lane should not be forgotten.

His love and support for many families, who were now living in a different environment, helped them realise their worth, and he too saw the beauty in the country house that had been created by Irishmen of a bygone age.

He supported this reflection, and encouraged those families to seek a new way forward.

He will be missed by many souls, especially his loving family, concluded Robert.

At the service, celebrant, Rector Stephen Neill, said he had got to know Harry only relatively recently.

He said he had arrived in Celbridge three years ago and was made very welcome by Harry.

- Ar dheis De go raibh a anam
A woman in her 20s remains in a critical condition in hospital following a crash in Bundoran, Donegal on Sunday morning which claimed the lives of two others.

Six people were involved in the single-car collision at Eastend, Bundoran early yesterday morning, Sunday, August 19.

A man and a woman in their twenties were killed.

A woman in her twenties has been transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, while two men also in their twenties are being treated at Sligo University Hospital.

A man in his 20s arrested by Gardai investigating a fatal traffic collision in Bundoran in the early hours of this morning has been released without charge, a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The local Coroner has been notified and post-mortems will be carried out on the two deceased at the mortuary in Sligo University Hospital tomorrow.

An incident room has been established at Ballyshannon Garda Station and investigating Gardai are liaising with the PSNI as part of their enquiries. The road at the crash site has been reopened to traffic.

Gardai are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ballyshannon Garda Station on 071-9858530, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Also read: Kinlough player wins 250,000 in Lotto Plus 2
Our Leitrim Rose Imelda Scally will appear live from The Dome in the Rose of Tralee on RTE One tonight.

Imelda is the only rose to be chosen from the North West, only 31 out of 57 roses will be interviewed by Daithi O Se.

Imelda who is originally from Loughglynn, Co Roscommon but lives and works in Carrick-on-Shannon told the paper she is very excited about tonight. She was shocked to be chosen but now can't wait to get on stage and thank all her supporters and sponsors.

Leitrim Rose Imelda Scally is hot on the heels of the three favourites having been gambled into 9/1 from 20/1 in advance of the finals. The Leitrim Rose was barely mentioned in the betting fair last week, but having being announced as one of the TV contestants, she is now just behind Toronto Rose Carly McGrath, London Rose Grainne Hawkes and Melbourne Rose Suzie Jackson.

More than a million viewers are set to tune in to RTE One over the next two nights to watch the Rose of Tralee with part one of the selection coming live from the Dome in Tralee tonight at 8pm.

The winner will be announced tomorrow night, Tuesday August 21.
The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) believes the strategy they introduced for fighting fraud is impacting on the market, after recording a 38 percent drop in claims involving uninsured or untraced vehicles in Leitrim during the first seven months of 2018.

Over the January to July period, the MIBI received a total of five claims from Leitrim, a drop of three from the eight Leitrim claims they had received by the end of July 2017.

The MIBI is a non-profit organisation established to provide compensation to victims of accidents involving uninsured or untraced vehicles.

Last year the MIBI introduced a comprehensive plan to make it as difficult as possible for fraudulent claims to succeed. This included measures to put the full weight of the MIBIs internal and external resources behind investigating suspicious claims, working hand in hand with the Gardai to look into these cases as well as legally contesting such claims and bringing them to trial to be scrutinised by the full power of the courts.

The MIBI also recorded a national drop in figures during the first seven months of the year, with the number of claims throughout the country decreasing by 144, marking an 8% decline in claims when compared to the previous year.

In the first seven months of the year, the MIBI has received fewer claims from 18 of the 26 counties. The largest drop in number of claims came from Louth with 34 fewer received by the end of July, followed by Dublin (drop of 33) and Kildare (drop of 17). The largest percentage drop was in Roscommon which had a 41% reduction, followed by Louth (-40%), Leitrim (-38%) and Cavan (-34%).

Of the eight counties which recorded an increase in claims, the largest was in Laois, which recorded 8 additional claims in comparison with 2017.

Speaking about the figures, Chief Executive of the MIBI, David Fitzgerald said, It is positive to see that the number of claims from Leitrim is starting to reduce. Admittedly these figures represent only a snapshot in time and some of the county by county numbers, including the Leitrim figures, are too small to draw any significant conclusions from. However, considering these statistics cover over half a years worth of data, they are a useful barometer of the general MIBI claims environment and this shows a noteworthy drop in the total number of claims.

Taking a more detailed look at the claims received, we do believe a significant portion of this decrease is because of the increased scrutiny we are placing on fraudulent claims. According to our handlers, since we adopted our Fighting Fraud strategy, which involves a zero tolerance approach to fraud, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of claims where the evidence does not back up the case being made.

Fraudsters are starting to get the message that if they want to make a fictional claim to the MIBI then they will have to be prepared to have that claim put through microscopic examination. Any such claims from Leitrim or any other part of the country will be thoroughly investigated by the MIBI working in co-operation with the Gardai. If the evidence still doesnt add up, they will be brought before the courts. The days of easy settlements for nonsense claims are definitely over.

The MIBI would like to make it clear that those who have a real claim have nothing to worry about. The MIBI has always been a pro-victims organisation and when the claim is real and justified we support the claimant. However, protecting victims also means reducing fraud as much as possible.

We want to ensure that malicious individuals who make the roads more dangerous by staging fake accidents find it harder and harder to succeed. That is in the interests of everyone using the roads in Leitrim or anywhere in Ireland and it is a strategy we are committed to pressing in the months and years to come, Mr. Fitzgerald concluded.

Read Also:

182 registrations in Leitrim down on July 2017
A LIMERICK man charged with murdering another man at a pub in the city earlier this summer has been remanded in continuing custody.

Directions are still awaited in the case of Mark Crawford, aged 41, of Distillery View, Thomondgate who is accused of fatally stabbing Patrick OConnor in July.

The 24-year-old was attacked while socialising at his local pub, Fitzgeralds Bar, on Sexton Street North shortly before midnight on July 7, last.

Mr OConnor, who was from Kileely, died at University Hospital Limerick a short time after the incident.

A murder investigation was subsequently launched after gardai received the results of a post-mortem examination which was carried out by the state pathologist.

During a vacation sitting of Limerick District Court, Sergeant John Moloney said a file has been prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who has directed trial on indictment.

During the brief hearing, he requested additional time to facilitate the preparation of a book of evidence.

Judge Marie Keane was told there were no objections to the matter being adjourned for a month.

The defendant was remanded in continuing custody until September 11, next.
A SPECIALLY composed song has been launched to commemorate Paddy Flanagan, one of the farm labourers who discovered the Ardagh Chalice 150 years ago.

And the seven-minute video accompanying the song The Dreams of Paddy Flanagan was launched to a capacity crowd at Nearys Bar, Ardagh.

The song will also feature next month in an open-air drama The Last Druid telling the story of the Ardagh Chalice across 1000 years.

The song was written by Paul Moriarty and was inspired by his reaction to discovering that Paddy Flanagan died in the Newcastle West workhouse and was buried in a paupers grave in the nearby Famine Graveyard.

When I read that in the story of the finding of the Ardagh Chalice, I was shocked, he explained. And he felt very strongly that it was an injustice that the man who had helped restore one of Irelands leading national treasures was buried in an unmarked grave.

I think it was an injustice, he said. I felt if I didnt know, then many others didnt know either.

That feeling intensified following a visit to the National Museum where the name of Paddy Flanagan was not even mentioned in the information about the Ardagh Chalice. Paddy Flanagan and another man Joe Quinn were working digging potatoes on the Widow Quinns land in September 1868 when they dug up the hoard, which included the chalice, a second chalice and a number of brooches.

Paul was particularly taken by Paddy Flanagans story and determined to do something about it. So he wrote a song.

He would have had the typical dreams of any young man of the time and he thought all his dreams were going to come true when they found the hoard. Unfortunately, life had something else in store for him and he ended up in a paupers grave in Newcastle West,

The song and video trace Paddys dream of a hearth and home of his own to the dying of the dream after the finding of the hoard for which he received a pittance from the Widow Quinn. For finders are not keepers, as the song goes. The Widow though got 50 when she sold the hoard to the Bishop of Limerick, whose holy nest was feathered when he in turn sold it on for 500.

The idea of the video is to generate interest in the open-air drama, The Last Druid which will take place on September 29 and 30.
THERE was something very prophetic about one wish before the All-Ireland Final.

Mixing with fellow Limerick fans in the Croke Park Hotel, ahead of throw-in, Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan said if the Treatymen won by just a point, hed be happy.

And so it came to pass, as Limerick edged out Galway by 3-16 to 2-18, ending 45 years of pain.

Fans were in the capital from bright and early, giving Dublin a real Shannonside feel.

There is rivalry between clubs, but we are all Limerick today, flying the green and white flag, former mayor Cllr Kieran OHanlon, one of 40,000 fans who travelled said.

Cllr OHanlon said: I'm thrilled to be here. I was here in 1996 as mayor when we were just pipped by Wexford. We have a great squad. Its great for Limerick, and Im so happy for that. Limerick is the sporting capital of Ireland.

Jack Finucane, of the Fr Russell Road, whose uncles were the late Freemen of Limerick, Frs Aengus and Jack Finucane, travelled with wife Vanessa and son Alex, 9, who hurls with Mungret St Pauls.

This is mighty. There is a great crowd around. There is a wonderful buzz around. A huge crowd from Galway, but a huge crowd from Limerick too. It's buzzing.

Alex says his favourite player is Kilmallocks Graeme Mulcahy, since his family came from the town.

Vanessa said: Were loving it. Theyre a wonderful panel of lads, a young crowd. The future is bright.

There is immense pride within the ranks of Ahane, with the club supplying the Morrissey brothers, Tom and Dan, to the panel. Conor Morrissey (no relation) hurls under-age for the club.

He said: We are very proud. For them to get this far is a phenomenal achievement. We have leaders who can lead the team and be inspirational to the younger fellas coming up.

Jack Hatton from Mulgrave Street, added: Its huge for Limerick. Its my first All-Ireland final, and Im just so happy to have been able to get a ticket for Croke Park.

Marita Clifford, from Ballyneety said: Its the best feeling ever. Last time they won was the year I was born. Ive been waiting my whole life to see Limerick win!

Fears of near misses in years past were evoked, as Galway staged a mighty fightback  but Limerick hung on.
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FOLLOWING AN historic victory at Croke Park, the people of Limerick will mark another momentous day in the city's history when thousands welcome home Liam MacCarthy at the Gaelic Grounds for the first time in 45 years.

The boys in green will arrive at the Ennis Road grounds this Monday evening, followed by the biggest bash of the year. For those you who will be lucky enough to attend the festivities, the Limerick Leader is offering a few tips to help you prepare for the madness.

When and where is this taking place?

The homecoming party will start at 4pm and end at 9pm, at the Gaelic Grounds on the Ennis Road.

When should people be arriving?

The gates open at 4pm, so the sooner, the better. It's important to soak up as much of the atmosphere as possible. The gates will close at 6.30pm, in the interest of public health and safety.

Is it a free event?

It sure is, and how can you turn down a free party? Regrettably, if you're reading this now and you haven't scooped your tickets, then it's too late. Unless, of course, someone has a few spares going.

Tomorrow's free homecoming event @gaelic_grounds will be a ticket only event. Tickets available on Eventbrite from 6pm today https://t.co/BarSRMXnXr #LuimneachAbu pic.twitter.com/Em6mI6qngf  Limerick Council (@LimerickCouncil) August 19, 2018

How many people are we expecting at the party?

We could be seeing around 40,000 people at the Gaelic Grounds, easily.

So, if there's that many people, will there traffic restrictions?

There is going to be widespread traffic restrictions in order to facilitate the homecoming. The whole stretch on the Ennis Road, from Sarsfield Bridge to Ivan's Cross, will be closed to traffic and parking from 3.30pm to 9pm this Monday. Local diversions will be in place.

The council website states: "Residential access to Mayorstone, Coolrane Estate and Merval Park will be subject to road closures from 1.00pm with residential access only permitted. Motorists are advised that Limerick city centre will be subject to significant traffic diversions from 5.30pm until 7.30pm and traffic delays are expected."

A homecoming celebration takes place in Limerick City today 20th August 2018 to celebrate the All-Ireland Hurling Champions returning to the city.



For the full traffic management plan please see: https://t.co/m85ay8q3dg pic.twitter.com/XLj23TqHMP  An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) August 20, 2018

How should I travel to the Gaelic Grounds?

If you are to drive directly to the event, you could face significant delays and disruptions along the way, and may not get a desirable parking spot. However, Limerick City and County Council is urging the attendants to avail of public transport, or park in the city and stroll to the venue.

What kind of public transport will be available?

Bus Eireann is providing additional frequency in the city centre to cater for the expected large crowds.

What about parking at the grounds?

Nope.

What time are the new champions arriving at the Gaelic Grounds?

Our boys in green will be arriving at the stadium at 7pm to show off the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Before that, they will arrive at Colbert Station via train at 5.40pm, before taking to the steps to be welcomed by Mayor of Limerick City and County, Cllr James Collins. They will then jump aboard the open-top bus en route to the Gaelic Grounds.

The bus will travel down Mallow Street, OConnell Street, Sarsfield Street, over Sarsfield Bridge and out the Ennis Road to the Gaelic Grounds. There will be rolling road closures in the city centre from 5.30pm until 7.30pm as the team makes its way to the home of Limerick GAA.

Thanks to everyone for the lovely messages over the last number of hours... a real dream come true, cant wait to see ye all back in Limerick #LuimneachAbu pic.twitter.com/6we5TzZ1JE  Declan Hannon (@DecHannon) August 20, 2018

Will there be music at this party?

You can't have a party without music, and there will be plenty of it. Irish group Beoga, fronted by Limerick woman Niamh Dunne, will kick it off before The Blizzards take the stage. Then "Maniac 2000" man, DJ Mark McCabe, will continue the buzz.

Hold on... DJ Mark McCabe?! This is going to be UNREAL!! Yurt https://t.co/V8Ezw7T8l2  Beoga (@beogamusic) August 19, 2018

What about the weather, should we bring the brolly?

According to Met Eireann, Limerick city won't be getting rainfall this evening. It's meant to be milling at around 2pm, but all overcast thereafter. However, just in case, it would be wise to come prepared. But rain or no rain, nothing will dampen this party.

Temperatures will range between 16 and 19 degrees, and it expected to be a rather humid spell.

What about children attending?

The kids can party, too! The council states that this a fun, free, family-friendly event.

Is it just Limerick people who are allowed to attend?

Not at all. If you have a ticket, you're welcome to attend. It's a great way to see what it's like to win an All-Ireland hurling championship. So, Galwegians are more than welcome to pop by.
THE LIMERICK Rose Centre is extremely proud of the Limerick Rose 2018, who did not make it through to the televised RTE Dome this Monday evening.

Limerick Rose Hazel Ni Chathasaigh, a graduate of UL and Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh, will not feature on RTE this Monday or Tuesday evening as she did not make it through to the final TV selections with Daithi O Se in the Dome.

However, the TV selection is not the be all and end all of the festival, according to Tom Cranley of the Limerick Rose Centre.

Getting on TV is a highlight of the festival but its not the be all and end all of being the Limerick Rose, Mr Cranley said.

Youre the Limerick Rose for the whole year and Hazel has had an absolute ball down in Tralee.

Were extremely proud of everything shes done so far. The people of Limerick have been great to her in terms of their support.

The International Rose Tour stopped off in Limerick enroute to the festival, he added.

It was the only stop outside Kildare and Dublin where they were based. The Limerick Rose Centre are delighted to have that and it's a massive thank you to the George Hotel who have not only been absolutely brilliant to the Limerick Rose but also to the International Festival as well.

Theres a lot to be proud of this year in terms of those achievements. Hazel will be going to loads of events throughout the year, shes got trips away with the rest of the Rose family and her Rose sisters so were not in anyway down about it.
Aug 20, 2018, 5 AM

By Linn's Staff

Milwaukee Philatelic Society will host Wisconsins largest stamp show, Milcopex, Sept. 14-16 at the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport, 6401 S. 13th St., Milwaukee.

The show theme celebrates the 100th anniversary of United States airmail, and the United States Stamp Society is convening at the show.

New collectors, noncollectors and experienced philatelists are welcome. Parking and admission are free.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Milcopex features 18 dealers from across the United States. There is also a youth booth that will operate throughout the shows duration.

Events begin Sept. 13 with an American Philatelic Society On-the-Road course, EFOs and You: How You Can Benefit from Postal Blunders presented by Wayne Youngblood. Attendees must register by Aug. 31 through the APS. Visit www.stamps.org/on-the-road-courses for more information.

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Steven J. Rod, former Linns contributor, will display the exhibit Collecting George Linn during the show. Rods article on that subject was published in the Aug. 20 issue of Linns. He will also have a talk on the subject Friday at 1 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m.

Also on Friday and Saturday, a number of U.S. Stamp Society members will give presentations on a range of topics., and there will be a book signing of the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting by Rod Juell and Lynn Batdorf on each day.

On Sunday, Milcopex attendees may participate in a family fun event or attend one of two talks. Jim Meverden will speak on Milwaukee advertising covers, and Karen Weigt will present a program called What George Am I?

Milcopex also includes an exhibiting competition for single- and multi-frame exhibits. An open forum on exhibiting and the judges critique will take place on Saturday. Awards will be presented on Saturday night at the awards banquet.

Milcopex is an American Philatelic Society World Series of Philately Show. The multiframe grand award winner will qualify to compete in the Champion of Champions competition at APS Stampshow 2019 Aug. 1-4 in Omaha, Neb. The single-frame grand award winner may compete at APS Ameristamp Expo 2019 Feb. 15-17 in Mesa, Ariz.

In honor of the theme, the show committee is offering show cachets. Ordering information and more details about the show overall are available online.
Aug 20, 2018, 10 AM

Great Britains Royal Mail is issuing eight stamps Aug. 30 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Old Vic Theater in London. The stamps, in four se-tenant pairs, capture outstanding performances at the Old Vic. The stars pictured on the stamps are Laurence Olivier, Glenda Jackson, Albert Finney, Maggie Smith, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Sharon Benson, Judi Dench, John Stride and Richard Burton. Each se-tenant pair was printed in a sheet of 60, sold as panes of 30 at post offices.

The 1.55 stamp in Great Britains Old Vic set shows Richard Burton starring in Henry V. Actress Kate Burton poses with a publicity poster of the stamp featuring her father in the Old Vic theater. Photograph courtesy of Royal Mail.

By Molly Goad

Royal Mail marks the 200th anniversary of one of the most famous venues in British theater with eight stamps issued Aug. 30.

Originally called the Royal Coburg, the Old Vic opened May 11, 1818, built on reclaimed marshland, 300 yards south of the newly built Waterloo Bridge, in Lambeth, London.

The new theater seated 3,800 and offered melodramas, Shakespeare revivals and more. In 1833, the theater was renamed the Royal Victoria, and 38 years later the auditorium was remodeled and renamed the Old Vic.

Today, the not-for-profit theater seats 1,000, and performances are just 10 a ticket. The Old Vics website describes the auditorium as mercurial.

 It can transform into a theatre in the round, a space for music and comedy, has played host to opera, dance, cinema, music hall, classical dramas, variety, clowns, big spectacles and novelty acts. It was the original home of the English National Opera, the Sadlers Wells dance company and the National Theatre. Its also been a tavern, a college, a coffee house, a lecture hall and a meeting place, the website said.

The eight Old Vic stamps were issued in four se-tenant (side-by-side) pairs, featuring 10 actors and actresses that have helped shape modern British theater as they performed on its stage.

So many of our finest actors have trodden its boards and it has been instrumental in shaping UK theatre, Royal Mails Philip Parker said. Our striking new stamps celebrate this with great actors in unforgettable roles at The Old Vic.

Each stamp includes the inscription The Old Vic in either the left or right bottom corner, images of the actors and actresses in character, and the name of the show and year.

The nondenominated first-class stamp pair features Laurence Olivier starring in The Dance of Death, 1967, and Glenda Jackson in King Lear, 2016. The first-class rate is 67p.

The 1.25 stamp pair shows Albert Finney in a 1975 production of Hamlet, and Maggie Smith in Hedda Gabler in 1970. These stamps pay the rate for letters to Europe weighing up to 20 grams and to other countries weighing up to 10 grams.

Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud in No Mans Land, 1975, are featured on the first of the two 1.45 stamps. Sharon Benson in the Oscar Hammerstein II musical Carmen Jones, 1991, is on the second. The 1.45 stamps are for use on international letters weighing up to 20 grams or for international economy letters up to 100 grams.

Benson, who played Carmen Jones, was thrilled with her stamp. When I first saw a picture of it last year, I thought wow!, she said.  Theyve picked the best image to depict my favorite memory of the performance. Its such a strong scene. Everyones in silver and Carmen walks in wearing this red outfit  Im getting chills just thinking about it!

The two 1.55 stamps each feature a Shakespeare play. Judi Dench and John Stride star in a 1960 production of Romeo and Juliet on one stamp, and Richard Burton plays the lead role in a 1955 production of Henry V on the other. The 1.55 stamps fulfill the rate for letters to Europe up to 100 grams.

Burton (1925-1984) had great success at the Old Vic, establishing himself as a Shakespearean actor in Henry V, Othello, Hamlet, King John and more.

Kate Burton, Greys Anatomy and Scandal actress and Richard Burtons daughter, told Royal Mail her father would have been thrilled with the new stamp issue.

Its an important tribute, she said. Its a fitting tribute. Im so happy that dad is being recognized for his brilliant work on stage because, god knows, he had such a wonderful colourful life, never a dull moment, but he was an unbelievably gifted actor.

Royal Mail reported that it worked with former Times theater critic Benedict Nightingale on the stamp issue. Hat-trick design created the stamp designs, using photographs of the actors.

Each stamp measures 35 millimeters by 37mm and is perforated gauge 14.5 by 14.

They were printed by International Security Printers by lithography in sheets of 60, sold in panes of 30 at most postal outlets. The stamps are moisture-activated with PVA gum.

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Other products for this set include first-day covers, eight postcards reproducing the designs of the stamps, and a presentation pack that includes the history of the Old Vic.

The FDC with a Tallents House, Edinburgh postmark includes the eight stamps canceled with Glenda Jacksons quote about the theater: Theres nowhere else like it.

An alternative first-day postmark from London features the stamps canceled with an original illustration of the Old Vics exterior.

Ordering information is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland, or visit Royal Mails internet shop.

Royal Mails agency in the United States is Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557.
Wild Space Weapons Ideas

(Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

While space has been an excellent forum for peaceful exploration, it is also an excellent high ground from which to gain a military advantage. Spy satellites have been in use for decades. And in one form or another, as long as the Space Age has been around, various agencies have envisioned using space as a platform for missile launches or other activities. In this slide show, check out the top 10 space weapon concepts from over the years. (This slideshow was updated on Dec. 21, 2016).

FIRST STOP: Missiles

Here's a look at 10 nasty ways warfare may reach space.

Missiles

(Image credit: NASA)

Missiles have actually been used for about 1,000 years, although Encyclopedia Britannica points out that there is no authoritative history of the first rockets. China is usually cited as the location where rockets first appeared, followed by Europe. Metal-cylinder rockets were first used in India in the 18th century, which sparked an English version from Sir William Congreve. Rockets were also used in a limited way in the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War and the First World War.

Vast improvements in rocketry, however, began to show up in the military field in the Second World War. Both the Axis Powers and the Allies used missiles, but it was the German V-2 rocket that attracted the most attention, due to the more than 1,000 missiles that were fired at Britain. When Germany lost the war, several of the nation's rocket scientists were picked up by the Soviet Union and the United States. This helped improve rocket technology in both countries and spurred the space race between the superpowers. Missiles are, of course, still in use today, especially as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs, see future slides for more information).

DARPA's MAHEM

(Image credit: DARPA)

Enemies facing down a device that blasts streams of molten metal probably won't stand much of a chance. This idea, popularized in science fiction novels such as Arthur C. Clarke's "Earthlight" (1955), may become real someday thanks to the funding of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition (MAHEM) was announced in 2008. While no updates have occurred for quite some time, the page for MAHEM is still active on DARPA's website. The program promises "the potential for higher efficiency, greater control, and the ability to generate and accurately time multiple jets and fragments from a single charge," with what DARPA officials wrote is "lethality precision." MAHEM could possibly be deployed on rockets, the officials added.

Project THEL

(Image credit: Northrop Grumman)

The Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) program ran between 1996 and 2005, according to Northrop Grumman. THEL was created as a joint project between the United States and Israel. During that decade of development, the ground-based system destroyed 46 mortar rounds, rockets and artillery  all of which were airborne.

While the program is no longer active, Northrop Grumman says the technology is now being reconstructed for the U.S. Army's Solid State Laser Testbed Experiment that, like THEL, will take place at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Weaponized Satellites

With so many satellites orbiting the Earth, how hard would it be to outfit one with a weapon ready to fire at the Earth, or other satellites, as needs dictated? While such a concept would go against agreements such as the Outer Space Treaty, which bans weapons of mass destruction in orbit, a few military organizations have discussed it in recent years by.

One famous U.S. project from the 1950s was Project Thor, which never got past the conceptual stage. Various concepts for space weapons over the years included "Rods from God," which would drop kinetic-energy weapons from orbit, as well as small satellites that would have onboard targeting systems allowing them to aim at other satellites or at the ground below.

Soviet Union's Almaz Space Station

(Image credit: NASA)

The Almaz space station was conceived in the 1960s, designed to make it easier for the Soviet Union to search for sea-based targets, according to Russian space expert Anatoly Zak, who runs the website Russian Space Web. It was believed that having humans in orbit would provide a powerful platform for orbital reconnaissance and allow the rapid changing of targets as battles evolved.

The Soviet Union focused on the race to the moon in the 1960s, delaying the first deployment of Almaz until 1973. It was announced to the world as Salyut-2, the second Salyut space station, so as not to make others aware the Soviets had two space station projects, let alone a military one, Zak wrote.

A failure in Salyut-2 prevented a crew from visiting, but the subsequent Almaz space stations Salyut-3 and Salyut-5 did have crews on board. (Salyut-4 never was sent to orbit.) The cosmonauts are reported to have performed surveillance on at least one mission, and to have fired a cannon in 1975, but technical problems with the stations prevented most missions from running for their scheduled lengths.

U.S. Manned Orbiting Laboratory

(Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

The Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) was a U.S. Air Force project that, despite never launching an astronaut, had an eventful life from 1963 to 1969 (the program's years of activity). Some of the milestones the project saw included selecting 17 astronauts, creating a launch site at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base and modifying the NASA Gemini spacecraft to accommodate the new program.

One of the program's main objectives was reconnaissance, under a code name of Project Dorian. The camera system was intended to get photographs of the Soviet Union, among other hotspots, with a resolution better than any satellite of its time could have achieved. MOL also could have carried missiles (not nuclear, but something to cause a scare) and nets to nab enemy spacecraft. Many new details were unveiled in late 2015 with the release of more than 20,000 pages of MOL documents.

The program was cancelled after estimated costs ballooned. (MOL was expected to cost more than $3 billion in dollars of the day, with $1.3 billion already spent, at the time of cancellation.) Some of the would-be MOL astronauts, such as Bob Crippen and Richard Truly, transferred to NASA for the first space shuttle flights.

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

(Image credit: U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ian Dudley)

ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) are land-based missiles that can fly more than 3,500 miles (5,600 kilometers), according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The Soviet Union sent aloft the first ICBM in 1958, and the U.S. first fired one in 1959, followed by a few other nations. Israel, India and China have recently developing ICBMs, and North Korea may be doing so as well.

ICBMs can be navigated by computer or satellite and pinpointed to land on a particular city or, if sophisticated enough, a target within a city. While they are most famous for being able to carry nuclear weapons, they could also deliver chemical or biological weapons  although as far as people know, that potential has never been realized. The Soviet Union and United States agreed to reduce their ICBM stockpiles in 1991 as part of the Start I treaty, but Russia and the U.S. still have and test ICBMs today.

X-37B orbital test vehicle

(Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

After four missions in space, it's still not fully clear what the X-37B space plane is doing up there in orbit  but some people have speculated that the vehicle could be some sort of Air Force weapon.

The reusable plane looks like a smaller version of NASA's space shuttle, but it is operated robotically and can stay in orbit for more than a year at a time. For its fourth (ongoing) mission, in 2015, the U.S. military confirmed a couple of the payloads  a NASA advanced materials investigation and an Air Force experimental propulsion system, for example  but most details about X-37B missions remain classified.

An Air Force Tech Report video in 2015 had many ideas about what the plane could be doing up there, such as bombing from space, interfering with enemy satellites, performing reconnaissance or perhaps doing all of the above at the same time. But Air Force officials have always denied that the X-37B is a weapon, stressing that the spacecraft is testing out technologies for future spacecraft and carrying experiments to and from space.

Anti-satellite Systems

(Image credit: Air Force photo illustration)

In 1985, an F-15A jet fired an anti-satellite missile at Solwind P78-1, a satellite that discovered several sun-grazing comets but was scheduled for decommissioning due to its instruments beginning to fail. Solwind P78-1 was destroyed with the Air-Launched Miniature Vehicle (ALMV) fired from the plane, but the test generated more than 250 pieces of space debris big enough to show up in tracking systems. Congress forbade further tests by the end of year, and the Air Force stopped the program in 1987.

The successful test was part of a larger U.S. push at the time to find a way to destroy satellites without breaking the rules of treaties that banned nuclear weapons on spacecraft. Examples listed by the Union of Concerned Scientists included the Strategic Defense System (sometimes called "Star Wars") and the Air Force/Navy Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser that was designed to be fired from the ground. A test in 1997 appeared to overwhelm or damage the satellite sensor that was targeted. Later efforts included the kinetic-energy ASAT (which was cancelled) and the Counter Communications System, which used radio-jamming capabilities.

Anti-satellite systems have also been investigated by the Soviet Union, China and India, among others. For example, a famous 2007 anti-satellite test by China generated a huge cloud of space junk. In 2013, a shard of the destroyed satellite hit a Russian satellite and destroyed that, too.

Manipulating an Asteroid

(Image credit: Don Davis/NASA)

Scientists know that asteroids are the ultimate killers. After all, a 6-mile-wide (10 km) space rock is believed to have wiped out the dinosaurs roughly 66 million years ago. Audiences have seen the potential human impacts in movies such as "Meteor"(1979), "Deep Impact"(1998) and "Armageddon"(1998). And even relatively small asteroids can have a big impact, thanks to the tremendous speeds at which space objects travel. For example, scientists think the object that exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in February 2013, generating a shock wave that shattered thousands of windows and wounded 1,200 people (as a result of the flying glass shards), was just 66 feet (20 meters) wide.

But manipulating an asteroid is in the realm of science fiction, for now. NASA does have a proposed asteroid mission on the books; initially, the agency proposed moving a small asteroid close to Earth for scientific investigation, but elected to pluck a boulder off an asteroid instead. This Asteroid Redirect Mission is currently scheduled to launch in the early 2020s.

Even though some experts say asteroids are "lousy weapons," because they're only useable once every few hundred years, science fiction has you covered there as well. Aliens wipe out Buenos Aires with an asteroid in the 1997 film "Starship Troopers," for example. Space rocks have even wiped out Martians in books such as "Protector" (1973), by Larry Niven.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
The deadliest anthrax outbreak in the past two decades is sweeping through the French countryside, leaving dozens of dead cows, sheep and horses in its wake, according to news reports.

Anthrax is a serious infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, and 28 farms in the Hautes-Alps region in the southeastern part of France have been affected since the outbreak was first detected two months ago, the Agence France-Press (AFP) reported today (Aug. 20).

The first known case was identified on June 28 in the village of Montgardin, where it eventually killed six cows, the AFP reported. Since then, 50 animals have died, but no cases in humans have yet emerged, Dr. Christine Ortmans, a health official at the Agency Regional Health Authority (ARS), told the AFP. [Tiny & Nasty: Images of Things That Make Us Sick]

While anthrax can affect all mammals  including people  the disease isn't contagious between individuals. Instead, people become infected when the bacteria's spores enter the body, either through inhalation or ingestion, or through a cut or an abrasion in the skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

People can also be infected with anthrax by handling infected animals or by eating their raw or undercooked meat, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. The bacteria produce toxins that harm the heart and the liver, and can be fatal in humans about 60 percent of the time if ingested, and about 70 percent of the time if inhaled. All types of anthrax are treated with antibiotics, according to the CDC.

In cattle, horses and sheep, anthrax strikes quickly, and usually kills within hours of infection  anthrax is typically considered the most likely cause of sudden, unexpected deaths in livestock, according to Agriculture Victoria, the federal department regulating agricultural industries in Australia.

Although vaccinations can protect vulnerable livestock, the drugs in Hautes-Alpes are in short supply, as the laboratory in Spain that provides the region's veterinarians with vaccines is closed during the month of August, according to the news website The Local: France.

Government representatives are investigating whether vaccines might be available from other countries that have stockpiled doses, a senior regional official told The Local.

Lying in wait

Anthrax-causing bacteria live in soil, where the spores can remain inactive for decades at a stretch, and outbreaks are most common in agricultural areas, according to the CDC.

However, the disease can also surface in unexpected places. In October 2017, an anthrax outbreak in a national park in Namibia was thought to be responsible for the deaths of at least 100 hippos. And in 2016, melting permafrost in Siberia released anthrax spores that had been dormant for 75 years, killing over 2,000 reindeer and sickening 13 people, Live Science previously reported.

Once an animal is infected, it sheds bacterial spores in its feces that insects can help spread to other animals, widening the reach of an outbreak, the WHO explained.

The last major anthrax outbreak in France  with 23 locations affected  dates to 2008, but anthrax hasn't been seen in the Haute-Alpes region since 1992, according to the AFP.

Original article on Live Science.
This image shows an unhooded snake. Snakes were common images in ancient Egypt, and were sometimes associated with the goddess Isis.

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 9:10 a.m. E.D.T. on Aug. 22, 2018

Three drawings, incised on three sheets of gold, have been discovered in a massive black granite sarcophagus in Alexandria, Egypt.

One expert, not involved with the research, told Live Science that one of the drawings may depict the seed pod of an opium poppy within a shrine. The significance of this enigmatic drawing is still not clear, the expert said. [Photos: Mummies and Figurines Discovered in Luxor]

This may show the seed of an opium poppy within a shrine, an expert told Live Science. Opium was popular in Egypt around 2,000 years ago. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities)

Black sarcophagus revealed

The black granite sarcophagus, which is 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 6 feet tall (2.7 by 1.5 by 1.8 meters), became a media sensation after its discovery in Alexandria in early July. When the container was opened, three skeletons and a bunch of sewage were discovered inside the sarcophagus. The age of the sarcophagus is uncertain, but archaeologists believe that it could date back to sometime between 304 B.C. and 30 B.C., a time when the descendants of one of Alexander the Great's generals ruled Egypt.

Over the past month, archaeologists and conservators have been going through the stinky remains, and yesterday (Aug. 19), the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced in a statement that the three small sheets, with incised drawings, had been discovered within the sarcophagus. Archaeologists with the ministry did not comment in the statement on what the images show or mean.

Researchers also learned more information about the three skeletons. One came from a woman who was between 20 and 25 years old when she died, while the other two came from men who were in their 30s or 40s at time of their deaths.

One of the skeletons had a 0.7 inch (1.7 centimeters) hole in the skull, which could mean that the man underwent the surgical intervention called "trepanation," meaning the hole was deliberately drilled, Nadia Kheider, head of the Central Department of Antiquities of Lower Egypt, said in the ministry statement. The procedure was often used in the ancient world, believed to help alleviate a variety of medical problems.

The skull of one of the men has a hole that is about 1.7 cm (0.7 inches) in diameter. This person may have undergone "trepanation," a medical procedure often used in ancient times. It was believed that it could treat a variety of medical problems. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities)

"This surgery is the oldest surgical intervention ever known since prehistory but was rare in Egypt," Zeinab Hashish, a skeletal expert who works for the ministry, said in the statement.

Mysterious drawings

Live Science reached out to several experts not affiliated with the research to ask what the drawings found incised on the gold sheets might show and mean.

Few of the researchers were able to respond at time of publication, but one scholar who did was Jack Ogden, the president of the Society of Jewellery Historians. He has conducted an extensive amount of research (including his doctoral thesis) on Egyptian gold jewelry from the period around 2,000 years ago.

One of the drawings is a snake that doesn't have a hood, Ogden said, noting that this is commonly seen in Egyptian jewelry. Unhooded snakes "had connotations of rebirth  they shed their skin  and thus [are] perfect in a funerary connection," said Ogden. Unhooded snakes "were seemingly connected with the goddess Isis."

"As a rule of thumb, it would seem that snake jewellery was primarily a female thing, but I am not sure whether one could suggest that the presence of a snake here suggests it was connected with the female occupant of the sarcophagus" Ogden said.

Another drawing shows a palm branch or ear of corn, both of which are common motifs "related to fertility and rebirth," Ogden said.

An image of a corn ear or palm branch incised onto a sheet of gold. It was found inside the massive black granite sarcophagus. Palm branches and ears of corn were symbols of fertility and rebirth in ancient Egypt, an expert told Live Science. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities)

The most enigmatic drawings show what may be the seed pod of an opium poppy within a shrine, although Ogden emphasized that he cannot be certain what the drawing shows.

"Opium seems to have been quite widely used in Greco-Roman Egypt for medicinal purposes, but there may be some connection  in the ancient mind at least  between its sleep- and dream-inducing qualities and death and rebirth," Ogden said. "It is intriguing."

Additionally, a small gold artifact, whose purpose is unclear, was found in the sarcophagus. Researchers with the ministry did not say in the statement if there are any drawings or inscriptions on it.

Editor's Note: This story was updated to correct the size of the hole in one of the skulls found in the sarcophagus. It was 0.7 inches (1.7 cm) in diameter, not 6.7 inches (17 cm) in diameter.

Original article on Live Science.
Condolences poured in Sunday following the death of a Laredo firefighter in a motorcycle crash on Interstate 35.

Rolando "Roli" Solis was a 16-year member of the Fire Department and president of the Laredo Fire Fighters Local 872.

"We are deeply saddened," said Laredo Fire Department Chief Steve Landin. "We stand together in our thoughts and prayers for the Solis family. Our deepest condolences. May he rest in peace in the arms of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Laredo Police Department said its thoughts and prayers are with their fellow first responders at the Fire Department.

"We stand in mourning with you," LPD said. "May this brave firefighter rest in peace and prayers for strength for his family and the (Laredo Fire Department) family."

The Texas State Association of Fire Fighters said Solis was often at the state capitol in Austin.

"He was a strong advocate for Texas firefighters," the association said. "Please keep Roli's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

Sandy McGhee, International Association of Fire Fighters District 11 vice president, said Solis was a "true leader" both on the job and within the international association.

"I am grateful for the times we spent together, the conversations we had, and for all his many hours of service to his local," McGhee said. "My thoughts are with his family, both at home and at the fire station. Brother you will be missed, but never forgotten."
Three Encinal family members have been ordered to prison for participating in a drug-related conspiracy.

Miguel Angel Reyes, his mother Priscilla Nelda Reyes and aunt Maria Sanchez-Soto were recently sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo.

Miguel Reyes was convicted for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. He received a 144-month sentence, followed by an 8-year term of supervised release.

Priscilla Reyes and Sanchez-Soto were sentenced to serve 18 months in prison. They had each pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. This crime consists of a person having knowledge that a felony has been committed and conceals it or does not inform the authorities about it.

READ ALSO: Photos: Men allegedly stole 16 handguns from pawn shop in north Laredo

Both women were allowed to remain out on bond and self-surrender.

When given the opportunity to speak before the judge, they gave conflicting statements as to their involvement in the case. Reyes said she was helping move all of her son's belongings out of his trailer home. Sanchez-Soto said she was helping her sister and did not find out about the drugs until they actually got to the home.

Marmolejo pushed back on the claims, saying that the women seemed to be having a hard time being truthful and taking responsibility for their actions.

"I don't think you're being honest with me," the judge said.

After asking them to take a short break to speak to their attorneys and "get their stories straight," the sisters returned and apologized for downplaying their roles. They both said they knew about the drugs from the very beginning and went to Reyes' house to retrieve them.

Sanchez-Soto said she helped her sister because she had surgery the week before and could not carry heavy items.

Initially arrested on human smuggling charges, Miguel Reyes implicated his family after making calls from jail asking them to help him remove and sell drugs hidden in his home, court records indicate.

RELATED: Local family of three sentenced in illegal gambling operation

Reyes was arrested Sept. 17, 2017, when Border Patrol agents allegedly found him driving a F-250 pickup truck with eight undocumented immigrants, his plea agreement states. It adds that although the immigrants were apprehended in the brush near his truck, an agent had previously observed the vehicle was loaded with multiple people and was able to identify the passenger driving in the front next to Reyes.

Although Reyes denied transporting the undocumented immigrants to authorities, he later admitted to it in a jail call to a man he referred to as "Chuck," according to court documents.

"I didn't have anything with me, but they found the group," Reyes told Chuck during the call.

In another call to his mother, Reyes instructs her to remove the "ice" and "soda," or meth and cocaine, from his house. His mother and aunt took the drugs from his home and hid them at his grandmother's house, records state.

Authorities seized over 400 grams of meth and 22.2 grams of cocaine.
During the six-minute opening montage of Aneesh Chagantys inventive new film Searching (opening Aug. 24)  a hyper-contemporary thriller that takes place entirely on computer and smartphone screens  we see 15 years of highs and lows in the lives of a San Jose family unfurl in very 21st century fashion.

Through the portal of an initially blank Windows desktop screen, proud father David Kim, played by John Cho (Harold & Kumar, Star Trek), types, searches and scrolls his way through YouTube videos, email threads and calendar reminders on the family PC. Its the contemporary analog of flipping through a well-thumbed scrapbook. In just minutes, his teenage daughter Margot (Michelle La) grows up  from first piano recital to first day of high school  and his wife, Pam (Sara Sohn), is diagnosed with and succumbs to lymphoma. The entire Kim familys backstory comes rapidly to poignant life through nothing more than keystrokes and a hesitantly human flashing cursor.

What I love is that theres no part of that opening sequence thats forced or unfamiliar to people, said director and co-writer Chaganty, 27, over coffee at an Embarcadero hotel the morning after the films SFFilm screening at the Castro. Its a nostalgic trip back to the beginning of when we all first started living our lives on screens, and it was key to unlocking how we were going to tell this high-concept story without it feeling like a gimmick. We wanted audiences to become emotionally invested in these characters, and the goal was always that by the end you dont feel like youre watching a movie on a computer screen.

Once the films central mystery starts to unfold  16-year-old Margot goes missing, leaving texts and FaceTime calls from her father unanswered  David uses every digital tool at his fingertips to retrace her virtual footprints and find her. He hires a local police detective (played by Debra Messing) and digs deeper into Margots online connections, asking himself the question every parent of a screen-immersed adolescent must at some point: Do I really know her?

Chaganty calls his debut feature, which won the Audience Award at Sundance and was co-written with his University of Southern California film school friend Sev Ohanian (who co-produced Ryan Cooglers Fruitvale Station), a classic thriller told in an unconventional way. Its classic because a dad is looking for his daughter. Unconventional? He does most of his searching on her laptop.

Chagantys ability to successfully, and efficiently, tell a digital story that still tugs on peoples heartstrings wont surprise anyone who remembers his 2014 viral sensation Seeds.

The sentimental, career-launching 2-minute short was shot for $2,000 entirely on Google Glass (at a moment when the search giant was trying to prove Glass was a filmmaking tool, says Chaganty). Told through fast-cutting visuals, without dialogue, Seeds followed Chaganty on a multi-continent journey with a mysterious manila envelope to deliver life-changing news to his mother in Hyderabad, India (where his parents met before emigrating in the 1980s to San Jose, where Chaganty grew up).

"Searching" (PG-13) opens on Aug. 24 in Bay Area theaters. See More Collapse

Seeds went online May 11, 2014  the weekend my life changed, said Chaganty.

The short had more than 2 million views in its first two days online. I was in Time and interviewed by Bloomberg. I was getting Facebook messages all day, and I just sat there hitting refresh on my phone, Chaganty said. He recalled the strange sensation of having your own thing go viral, which you always hear about.

And then Google reached out about a really cool program, Chaganty said. He was asked to join the prestigious Google Five, a select group of talented young people who spend two years at the Google Creative Lab in New York developing, writing and directing Google commercials.

I learned so much at Google that helped me as a filmmaker, said Chaganty, who now lives in Los Angeles. I had two bosses there, Jesse Juriga and Josh Rosen, who made two of my favorite commercials of all time. Parisian Love, which ran during the 2010 Super Bowl, was the first ad told through Google searches.

They taught me what love can look like with the click of a button, how something as simple as a blinking bar or cursor can pack emotion.

The Russian producer of Searching, Timur Bekmambetov, describes this vocabulary of screen life as filmmakings essential and inevitable next wave. How can filmmakers not tell the stories of our virtual lives when that is how were living so much of the time, and how were rewriting the rules of family, friendship, love, even death?

Prior to Searching, Bekmambetovs production company Bazelevs had already released six films that play out entirely on screens, including Profile and the supernatural horror movie Unfriended, which takes place on Skype.

Chaganty sees Searching as taking the screen-shooting trend in a more cinematic and expressive direction. He set the film in Silicon Valley. All the interfaces were dealing with that become plot lines, the apps and social networks, they all originated within a 20-mile radius of where this story is set, Chaganty said. Its where he first fell in love with both technology and moviemaking. (His parents are serial entrepreneurs whose current company, AppEnsure, has a logo cameo in Searching as Chos employer.)

Interviewed the same week Mark Zuckerberg testified to Congress about Facebooks privacy safeguards, Chaganty said he knows Searching will make people think about the downside of our dependence on Big Tech and screens driving families apart.

But they shouldnt assume this is another anti-technology rant. I feel like technology is almost always represented in a negative light. Whether on Black Mirror or on a Facebook PSA, its always doomsday news about how addicted we are to our phones and to social media. Thats valid. Technology does have the ability to alienate us and make us less emotional, but it also has the potential to help us fall in love, connect and communicate with each other. I wanted to show that, too.

Jessica Zack is a Bay Area freelance writer.
Congressman John Moolenaar invites students in Michigan's 4th Congressional District to enter the 2018 Congressional App Challenge.

The contest is open to all K-12 students who can compete individually or in teams of up to four people. The winning individual or team from the 4th District will have their app displayed in the U.S. Capitol. They will also have the option to attend an event in Washington D.C. where they will showcase their app alongside other winning students from across the United States.

Entries must be submitted on the Congressional App Challenge website at www.congressionalappchallenge.us.

The deadline for entry is noon on Oct. 15.

In 2016, the App Challenge was won by Joshua Jackson of Cadillac, and in 2017, it was won by a team comprised of Gerard Bringard, Emma Jamrog, Preston Millward and Gwynne Ozkan, all of Midland.

Additional questions about the App Challenge can be directed to Moolenaar's Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-3561.

The 4th Congressional District is made up of 15 counties: Clare, Clinton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon, Shiawassee, and Wexford counties, as well as parts of Montcalm and Saginaw counties.
For more than three decades, David McReynolds was among the most outspoken socialists and pacifists in America, a leftist organizer who combined a belief in wealth redistribution with a fierce opposition to the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons.

As a leader of the War Resisters League, he spurred a wave of antiwar demonstrations in 1965, when he joined four other men in lighting their draft cards on fire, defying a federal law that could have sent him to prison for five years and earned him a $10,000 fine.

He went on to become one of the first openly gay candidates to run for Congress and president, and although he never came close to winning office, he helped "define modern pacifism in the United States," said his friend Bruce Cronin, chair of the political science department at the City College of New York.

McReynolds, who died Aug. 17 at 88, at a hospital in Manhattan, drew the attention of the FBI and landed in jail several times as a result of his activism. His political career was all the more remarkable given his upbringing in Los Angeles, where he was raised by a family of conservative Baptists and joined the Prohibition Party in his youth.

Though he came to don tie-dye shirts, beads and patchouli cologne with other Vietnam-era peaceniks, he honed his public speaking skills with a group called the Traveling Temperance Talking Team, in which sharply dressed teenagers competed to see who could best denounce the evils of alcohol.

Indeed, McReynolds was described as more professorial than proletarian, with interests that ranged far beyond political rallies and campaigns. He was a prolific photographer, taking more than 50,000 pictures of New York City streetscapes and activists such as the gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin (whom McReynolds described as a mentor) and the pacifist A.J. Muste (for whom he worked as a top lieutenant).

He was also a member of the Bromeliad Society, an international botanical group, and filled his East Village apartment with tropical plants and hundreds of bottles of perfume, which he created himself and arranged on floor-to-ceiling shelves. McReynolds was found unconscious in the apartment Wednesday, several weeks after suffering a fall, said his younger brother Martin McReynolds.

Active in the anti-Korean War and civil rights movements, McReynolds joined the War Resisters League in 1960 and was soon named field secretary. Alongside Norma Becker and Sidney Peck, he became a behind-the-scenes architect of the anti-Vietnam War movement, Cronin said, known for maintaining unity in a coalition that included members of the political left and right.

"If you can bring together labor, teachers, students, folks from all walks of life, then you can turn the country. That's painstaking work," said Cronin, who met McReynolds while preparing for a 1982 nuclear disarmament rally that, by some estimates, drew 1 million people to Central Park. "It took somebody like David to bring people together and say, 'Look, let's keep the focus on what we want and not break up over trifles.' "

Among the league's most controversial actions was the burning of draft cards. McReynolds made national headlines when he appeared on a wooden platform in Manhattan's Union Square to burn his card on Nov. 6, 1965, amid counterprotests from a group chanting "Drop dead, red."

The burning was interrupted, The New York Times reported, when a man sprayed McReynolds and his fellow demonstrators with a fire extinguisher: "The pacifists managed to dry the cards over the flame of a cigarette lighter, however, and the cards burned crisply."

At 36, McReynolds was the oldest member of the group, which included Tom Cornell, Marc Paul Edelman, Roy Lisker and James Wilson. While the others were indicted on charges of defacing their cards (three were sentenced to six months in prison), McReynolds was left alone, reportedly because he was too old to be drafted.

He went on to coordinate antiwar rallies across the country and twice met with dissident groups in Vietnam. According to "A Saving Remnant," a biography of McReynolds by Martin Duberman, he was visiting Czechoslovakia when the Soviets invaded in 1968 to quash the Prague Spring.

McReynolds, who said he was a socialist, not a communist, was able to return to the United States in time to run for a U.S. House seat that fall, on Eldridge Cleaver's Peace and Freedom ticket. As in 1958, during his first bid for Congress, he was crushed, receiving 5 percent of the vote.

Undaunted, he went on to run for president with the Socialist Party USA in 1980, on a platform that called for nuclear disarmament, the breakup of large corporations and sharp reductions in military spending.

"We have no illusions that we will win the presidential election," he said after a rally with his running mate Diane Drufenbrock, a nun. "Our purpose is to make possible a discussion of socialism and to raise issues on foreign policy and unemployment."

McReynolds received fewer than 7,000 votes. He ran once more, in 2000, and four years later mounted a Green Party campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Charles Schumer.

In part, he said, his electoral defeats could be chalked up to an imaging problem in a country where "socialism" has long been a dirty word. "One of the tragedies is that the things a Socialist candidate will say are things that really could be said by a compassionate and moderately insightful Republican," he told the Progressive magazine in 2000. "If I say we should have much greater mass transit in the major cities, that we should be able to rebuild the railroad system so that Amtrak actually connects all the small towns, that's a reasonable thing. It's not a radical proposal."

David Ernest McReynolds was born in Los Angeles on Oct. 25, 1929, one day after the Black Thursday stock market crash signaled the beginning of the Depression.

He later described his leftward political turn as "probably a Freudian rebellion against my father," a journalist and advertising salesman for McGraw-Hill who served in the Air Force Reserve.

At UCLA, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1953, he entered what he called a "cabal of radicalism," joining a group of young socialists who danced the hora, listened to Edith Piaf records and published a leftist newspaper on campus. He said he also had a "liberating" sexual encounter around that same time, with choreographer Alvin Ailey.

In 1969 McReynolds wrote an article for WIN, the War Resisters League magazine, that marked his "coming out" in professional life. But he said that he never identified as a gay rights advocate, and when running for president in 1980 decided that his identity as a socialist pacifist was "complex enough." He chose not to campaign as a "queer candidate," he told the Manhattan newspaper the Villager, but remained open about his sexuality.

McReynolds moved to New York in 1956 and worked for the left-leaning magazine Liberation before joining the War Resisters League. He later served as chairman of War Resisters' International, and formally retired from the league in 1999.

In 2015 he resigned from the Socialist Party, after being censured for Facebook comments that the party deemed "potentially racist" and Islamophobic. (McReynolds said his remarks about the "thuggish" behavior of Michael Brown, whose shooting sparked riots in Ferguson, Missouri, had been misunderstood, and said he was "absolutely opposed to efforts to demonize Muslims.")

In addition to his brother of Santa Rosa, California, survivors include a sister, Elizabeth Gralewski of Santa Barbara, California.

In 2000, 25 years after the end of the Vietnam War, McReynolds told the Times he feared that the war and its accompanying protests had "sunk into a memory hole," and recalled that the period was a harrowing time for him as well as the country. He had turned from teetotalling to alcoholism, he said, but stopped drinking around the time the war ended.

"From one point of view," he added, "it was a wonderful time - to feel that you were doing something, or that you shortened the war by one day, or saved one life on either side. To some extent, we did that."
Jacksonvilles Early Years program has received a third grant this month, increasing its budget to nearly double the past five years.

The educational program is for children in their preschool years.

The District 117 Early Years program received an increase in state funding for its 0-3 program and its 3 and up program after five years of funding just under $1 million.

Early Years Principal Sarah English said this is the third grant theyve received for funding for the next five years.

We are very pleased and excited for the next five years and the opportunities well be able to provide with the additional funding, English said.

The program received an additional $360,000 from the PreK Expansion Grant, a new grant this year.

The prekindergarten portion of the program will be increased by an additional 40 students, totaling about 240 students that will be able to attend the program for the next five years.

English said about 220 students will be housed at the new facility at 516 Jordan St.

In addition, English said they were able to increase the number of full-day students they are able to accept.

We are very much looking forward to the benefits well be able to have and finding ways to benefit our students and families, English said.

Earlier this year, the program received an increase in funding from $970,000 to about $1.6 million. With the additional grant, the program will have roughly $2 million for the next five years.

The program will also be able to hire a coordinator for both the Early Years and 0-3 programs, as well as a part-time nurse.

Other grants were used to help renovate the add to the playground at the new Early Years facility to expand activities for the students, during the major renovation of the former Central Office.

The district spent the summer renovating the old Central Office building to add child bathrooms into each room, as well as transform it into a child-friendly atmosphere.

Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha.
For half a century, Italy's Benetton family has preached compassion through eye-popping ads for its eponymous clothing line that have included photos of a dying Aids patient, a black woman breastfeeding a white baby and, most recently, African immigrants being rescued at sea.

Now the Benettons themselves are the focus of public outrage after at least 43 people died Tuesday when Genoa's Morandi Bridge collapsed, threatening part of the family's other, much more profitable business running airports, turnpikes and roadside diners from Santiago to Rome.

Leading members of Italy's new populist coalition government have begun the process of revoking the lucrative toll license held by Atlantia SpA, the family-controlled company that operated the bridge, and want its chief dismissed. The threats triggered a selloff that's wiped about $6.7 billion (5.9 billion euros) off Atlantia's market value in the less than a week, and fueled a backlash on social media, where scores of posts accuse the Benettons of pursuing profit over safety.

The Benettons didn't comment until Thursday, when they issued a statement via holding company Edizione Srl. expressing "deep sympathy" for the victims of the disaster and vowing to work with authorities to determine the cause, while emphasizing that Atlantia and its Autostrade subsidiary have invested more than 10 billion euros in Italy's roads over the past decade.

Atlantia Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Castellucci followed up Saturday with a pledge to rebuild the bridge within eight months and provide an initial 500 million euros to alleviate the suffering of victims, not including possible direct compensation payments. That's about half of what the company returned to the Benettons and other shareholders last year.

For Enrico Valdani, a professor of marketing at Bocconi University in Milan, the actions may not be enough to ease tensions with the government or win back the trust of the populace, much like United Colors of Benetton initially balked at taking responsibility for a cave-in at a Bangladeshi garment factory, where it sourced shirts, that killed more than 1,100 in 2013.

"They made a mistake by not promptly clarifying their alleged role in the fatal bridge collapse," Valdani said by phone. "What the family now urgently needs is a straight plan of communication and crisis management. They need to demonstrate the company acted in good faith or admit any possible fault."

A statement from the Benettons on Saturday, a day of mourning, said their thoughts were with the loved ones of the deceased. At the same time, Chairman Fabio Cerchiai said he personally hoped Castellucci, 59, will remain in the job, adding that the CEO has the support of the board and investors.

Representatives met with executives and lawyers on Friday to prepare the initial funding package, and there'll be meetings in Rome this week to discuss the causes of the tragedy, according to people familiar with the situation.

Long-celebrated in their native Treviso, a northeastern city of 85,000, for their rags-to-riches story, the Benettons last month suffered the loss of the youngest of four siblings who founded the apparel company in 1965, Carlo, who died of cancer at 74. He's survived by Luciano, 83, Giuliana, 81, and Gilberto, 77, all of whom remain active stewards of the family's various investments.

Luciano founded the company by selling sweaters out of small store in Treviso that were knitted by his sister Giuliana. Within two decades the offspring of a bicycle shop owner had become a global force in fashion, both for their vibrant clothing and provocative ads that occasionally riled the Catholic Church. The Vatican once took legal action to halt a campaign that featured a doctored photo of the pope kissing a Muslim leader.

Gilberto, who runs the clan's finances, started to diversify in the 1990s, making purchases in a wave of privatizations that produced the bulk of its current fortune. The family now holds about 12 billion euros of assets, including a 30 percent stake in Atlantia, which became the world biggest toll-road operator this year with the acquisition of Spanish rival Abertis.

The strategy proved prudent. Their clothing chain has struggled to compete with upstarts like Inditex SA's Zara brand and lost 180 million euros last year. In 2015, the family sold its stake in another major retailer, World Duty Free SpA, to Basel, Switzerland-based Dufry AG.

Last year, the siblings hired former Telecom Italia Chief Executive Officer Marco Patuano to revamp their investments, reduce their dependence on Italy's sluggish economy and pursue a more global strategy.

About 45 percent of the group's revenue came from abroad last year and that share is even greater now with Atlantia's purchase of Abertis, which operates in South America and France as well as Spain. The Benettons also became the biggest owner of Spanish mobile-phone tower operator Cellnex.

Separately, Atlantia bought a billion-euro stake in Eurotunnel -- now Getlink SE -- the operator of the underwater link between the U.K. and France, and won the right to manage Nice's main airport. The company is also considering spinning off Autogrill's North American division, which accounted for more than half of the international restaurant chain's 4.6 billion euros of sales last year.

The Benettons have done well pivoting away from their flagging brand and will likely weather the current storm over the Morandi Bridge disaster, according to Ugo Arrigo, a professor of public finance at Bicocca University. He said he doubts the government will make good on threats by some officials to pull the toll-road license held by Atlantia, which operates half of Italy's motorways.

"The government has been very generous in granting the family lucrative motorway tariffs over the past two decades," Arrigo said from Milan.

Atlantia shares renewed their decline after the government on Friday sent the company a letter formally beginning the process of withdrawing the concession. The stock was down 8.1 percent to 17.77 euros as of 9:38 a.m. in Milan on Monday, after a delayed opening.

Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio reiterated the plan on Saturday after Autostrade offered an initial 500 million euros in funding to help victims and said it would rebuild the bridge in eight months. The government is moving to re-nationalize the highway system, and is studying passing a fast-track law in parliament, La Repubblica reported.

La Repubblica had reported on Friday that Atlantia was in informal talks with Italy that could result in fines and other commitments, but would stop short of the seizure of the toll-road concession held by Autostrade.

The tragedy could accelerate the family's plan to have more financial investments and fewer industrial businesses to manage. Gilberto Benetton has indicated that in the future the holding company should operate more in the manner of a sovereign wealth fund.
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LEWISVILLE, Texas (AP)  Police in Texas say a man fatally stabbed his 16-month-old son and was shot in the leg by a neighbor who tried to stop the attack.

The stabbing was reported Sunday afternoon in the courtyard of an apartment complex in Lewisville, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Dallas. Lewisville Police Capt. Jesse Hunter says the toddler was rushed to a hospital but later died from his wounds.
WASHINGTON - In an administration skilled in myth making, science suffers.

Consider findings from the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit advocacy organization that surveyed thousands of scientific experts in the federal government. The first line of its new report paints a dismal picture of the place science holds under President Donald Trump:

"A year and a half into the Trump administration, its record on science policy in several agencies and departments is abysmal."

There are a couple of bright spots in the administration, however, so all is not lost. But responses from 4,200 scientists in 16 agencies present an alarming record of "studies cancelled, public-facing information altered or removed from websites, and scientists coming under political pressure." Self-censorship, staffing cuts, low morale and management issues make the problem worse.

"At several federal agencies and departments, scientists reported that political and capacity pressures are compromising their ability to protect public health and the environment," said Jacob Carter, a co-author of the report and a research scientist with the Union's Center for Science and Democracy. "In many of the critical science agencies - especially the agencies that handle environmental regulation - scientists reported that they are having trouble doing their jobs because of political interference, staff reductions and a lack of qualified leadership."

This isn't a new problem under this president, but it is now more extensively documented. Six months after he took office, the organization issued a report on "sidelining science" by the administration.

Problems are particularly severe at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department. The Food and Drug Administration and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration fare better. Despite the generally gloomy findings, there were other bright spots, including 64 percent agreed their agencies follow scientific integrity policies.

"The general adherence to scientific integrity policies at federal agencies is a positive note," the report says, "yet overall the survey results suggest that inappropriate influences loom over federal science." Half of those surveyed said "political interests hindered the ability of their agencies to make science-based decisions." That portion rose to about 80 percent at EPA and Interior's National Park Service. The influence of political appointees and the White House, according to the report, "presents one of the greatest barriers to protecting public health and responding to environmental threats."

Elizabeth "Betsy" Southerland, a retired EPA official, has experience with that and with retaliation. The agency tried to discredit her last year after this column quoted her saying "the administration is seriously weakening EPA's mission."

Asked about the study, done with Iowa State University's Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology, Southerland said "my colleagues in the Office of Water experienced political interference with scientific work while I was there. One example occurred last year when the new political team was writing a rule that proposed repealing the 2015 Clean Water Rule which designated which waters in the U.S. are covered by federal water quality protections under the Clean Water Act. When my office prepared the cost-benefit analyses for that 2015 rule, we derived a substantial monetary benefit for the rule's protection of wetlands. . .The wetlands monetary benefit was so great that it exceeded the costs imposed by the rule.

Yet, "without any new data or study or public comment that demonstrated the wetlands monetary benefit was unscientific, the political team directed us to delete that benefit and classify it as unquantifiable," she continued. "Then they published a rule that proposed repealing the 2015 rule, stating that the costs of the 2015 rule far exceeded the benefits."

She also complained that before Trump "career scientists were regularly included in decision-making meetings so they could have input to the decisions." After he took office, "all decisions were made with politicals only without any career scientists in the room."

EPA did not respond to Southerland specifically, but an agency statement said it has "one of the strongest Scientific Integrity policies and one of the most robust Scientific Integrity training programs in the federal government" that applies to all employees, including political appointees.

While 18 percent of respondents at climate change agencies said they had been asked not to use the term "climate change" in their work, that segment was more than one-third at EPA and almost half at the National Park Service, according to the survey. Censorship isn't always directed by political appointees. Sometimes it is self-imposed.

"Across agencies, scientists reported omitting work on issues related to climate change even without explicit orders to do so - in other words, they self-censored their work. . ." the Union reported. "The possibility that hundreds of government scientists may be choosing to censor their scientific work and its communication is a strong danger sign about the state of science in the federal government."

Joel Clement, a former Interior policy office director, said several former colleagues told him they "have chosen to remove the term climate change from grant proposals, press releases, and reports." - and "being targeted for harassment by political appointees who seem to be dead-set against evidence-based policy-making - to the detriment of public health and safety and the national interest." He was transferred before leaving Interior last year and "there is no question in my mind that my reassignment was related to my work on climate change impacts in the Arctic."

An Interior spokesperson insisted "scientific integrity remains intact at the Department of the Interior. Any assumption otherwise is categorically false."

Despite denials from the agencies, "hundreds of scientists reported that they've had the work they do or the words they use censored," Carter said. "Hundreds also reported self-censorship to avoid becoming a political target. In some agencies, political appointees are pressuring scientists to avoid controversial topics or silencing scientists' work if it runs contrary to the administration's political goals.

"You just can't do good science in that kind of environment."
COLONIE - A Texas man who allegedly tried to check in a handgun at the Albany International Airport on Sunday was arrested, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said.

At about 3:05 p.m., Scott Garvey of Austin was going through the ticket counter of Southwest Airlines and declared a Smith & Wesson SD9 VE handgun, Apple said. However, Garvey does not possess a state pistol permit, Apple said.
In 2011, Michigan Republicans had a clear mission: to ensure GOP majorities by drawing partisan election maps. Emails recently discovered in a lawsuit alleging the maps Republicans drew were unconstitutional, brought in part by a group of Democratic voters, revealed startling details of their attempts to minimize Democratic power in the purple state.

One GOP staffer boasted about cramming "Dem garbage" into four of the five congressional districts that Democrats control today. Another email compared the shape of one district to an obscene gesture. "Perfect. It's giving the finger to Sandy Levin," the author wrote, referring to the longtime Democratic congressman. "I love it."

The gambit appears to have worked: Republicans today maintain a tight grasp on virtually all levers of power in the state. Though President Donald Trump carried the Wolverine State by only 0.2 percent in 2016, Michigan Republicans enjoy a 9-to-5 advantage in Congress and a 63-to-47 advantage in the state House.

Throughout American history, both parties have routinely used reapportionment to consolidate their power. Republicans made major gains in the tea party wave of 2010 because of backlash to Barack Obama's first two years as president, which put them in the driver's seat to draw the maps for the rest of the decade across several swing states. That helped the GOP to maintain a solid House majority and control two-thirds of the nation's state legislative chambers.

Last November, Virginia Republicans managed narrowly to retain their majority in the House of Delegates despite Democrats beating their GOP opponents by a 10-point margin across all 100 House districts. Some Democratic lawmakers and strategists blamed the gap on an allegedly gerrymandered map.

If Democrats pick up governorships and state legislatures in 2018 and 2020, they will be well positioned to use that newfound power to solidify their gains for the next decade.That's why the party out of power is aggressively pursuing an array of efforts this year to overhaul the redistricting process - from ballot initiatives to legal challenges and down-ballot elections - that make the midterms even more consequential.

Key Democrats, such as Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder, have waded deeper into the fight than they did previously. Early last year, Holder launched the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Obama has endorsed the work of the NDRC and appeared at a fundraiser for the group, which has bankrolled a number of redistricting-related efforts, including legal challenges to allegedly partisan maps.

The NDRC celebrated after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court tossed out the legislative lines drawn by the state's GOP in 2011, ruling that the map "clearly, plainly and palpably" violated the state constitution. The Keystone State will hold elections this November using a map widely considered much more favorable to Democrats after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the map's implementation.

Republicans also plan to take redistricting battles to court. The National Republican Redistricting Trust formed last September to promote the GOP's redistricting priorities. The group has already suggested it will launch legal battles after 2020 in states like Illinois and Maryland, where Democrats have traditionally drawn the maps.

But the Supreme Court - which heard redistricting challenges this year from Maryland (where Democrats drew the legislative lines in 2011) and Wisconsin - has never thrown out a map over partisan gerrymandering.

That inaction raises the stakes for ballot initiatives meant to overhaul redistricting practices at the state level. In Michigan, activists gathered signatures for a ballot measure to create an independent redistricting commission similar to those in California and Arizona. Voters in Colorado, Utah and Missouri will also vote on ballot initiatives aimed at overhauling how legislative lines are drawn. Ohioans earlier this year approved a constitutional amendment crafted to force both parties to compromise on the map.

The NDRC has included the ballot measures in its list of 2018 targets, which also includes a number of fall statewide and down-ballot elections. According to the group, half of the people who will draw maps in 2021 will be elected this year. This means the winners in 2018, as much as 2020, could fundamentally reshape U.S. politics for the next decade.

Holder, who has called gerrymandering the "biggest rigged system in America," has planned an active travel schedule through November to promote candidates who could play key roles in 2021 redistricting. He recently visited Ohio to campaign for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray and will soon travel to Nevada, Texas and Kansas to promote down-ballot candidates and keynote a fundraising gala.

Holder has received assistance from his former boss. When Obama announced his first round of midterm endorsements earlier this month, his aides noted that one of his priorities for the fall is to provide support in the NDRC's target races.

"If we don't elect leaders who support fairer elections, then we could see a repeat of what happened ten years ago," Obama said in an ad for the group last month. "Of course that's good for special interests who want to protect tax breaks for the most powerful or the gun lobby or environmental polluters, but it's not good for our children."

Historically, fights over reapportionment don't activate the grass roots. But there's evidence that progressive activists recognize the high stakes more than they did a decade ago. In Michigan, the group "Voters not Politicians" gathered nearly 400,000 signatures for its ballot initiative to change the state's redistricting process. If approved, the measure would allow for the creation of an independent, citizen-led redistricting commission composed of four Democrats, four Republicans and five independent members. The commission would draw legislative lines every 10 years after the decennial census is complete - a power that now lies with whichever party controls the Michigan legislature.

Patrick Rodenbush, an NDRC spokesman, said average Americans are starting to see the impact of this "admittedly wonky subject." He said in an interview, "I think there's actually a growing awareness among people in the states that this matters, that this affects their day-to-day lives."

While the Democratic-aligned NDRC has endorsed the ballot initiative, Republican-aligned groups have organized a coordinated campaign against it. A group bankrolled by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce launched a lawsuit to keep the initiative off the November ballot, but the state Supreme Court ruled late last month in favor of allowing a vote on the measure.

Executives from the chamber were also heavily involved in deliberations over drawing the lines back in 2011. They insist the maps do not represent an unconstitutional gerrymander and that they followed the law in drawing legislative boundaries.

"Would I say that we participated in a gerrymandering effort? No. Have we been involved in discussions every 10 years about redistricting? Yes," Rich Studley, the chamber's president and CEO, said last month. Executive Vice President Jim Holcomb said the chamber is transparent about its preference for "a business-friendly majority in the U.S. Congress."

Elizabeth Battiste, a consultant for "Voters not Politicians" and former Democratic staffer in the Michigan state Senate, argues that the ballot initiative backed by her group is aimed at taking "special interests" out of the redistricting equation.

"This is an important first step to fixing our state so that we can have elected officials who are accountable to the voters," she said.

- Grave is the Daily 202 researcher. With The Post's Breanne Deppisch. James Hohmann is on vacation. He will return Aug. 21.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Monday offered robust praise of federal immigration officers, touting them as "heroes" at a White House event aimed at drawing a sharp contrast with Democrats over the enforcement of border control laws.

In a speech, Trump called a crowd of 150 officers and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection "great patriots" who have sought to protect the nation against crimes by undocumented immigrants.

The president also denounced Democrats who have called for the abolition of ICE over concerns that the agency has acted recklessly and cruelly in its efforts to round up and deport those living here illegally.

"For you having to be demeaned by people who have no idea what strength is is really very sad," Trump said. "They have no courage; they have no guts. They just have big, loud mouths. We don't want to put up with that. I just want to know you are loved and respected."

The "Salute to the Heroes" event was the latest sign that the president is eager to elevate ICE as a campaign issue ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has sought to use calls from a small number of high-profile Democrats to abolish the agency to paint his political rivals as weak on enforcement, which the White House believes will be a potent political message in the fall.

Trump has also blamed Democrats for opposing funding for his border wall as well as proposals to enact deep cuts in legal immigration levels.

"Obviously, the president views immigration as a wedge issue that plays to his advantage," said John Sandweg, who served as acting ICE director in the Obama administration.

Sandweg acknowledged that Trump's event could help boost spirits at ICE, which traditionally has reported low morale among rank-and-file agents. But he cautioned that thrusting an agency with 20,000 employees into the political spotlight could make it harder for ICE to be effective, noting that a growing number of cities have limited cooperation with federal immigration operations.

"There are lots of folks at ICE and CBP that deserve praise, but this is all designed to be political," Sandweg said. "In the long run, it hurts because it further politicizes the issue and the agency itself."

Congressional Democrats predicted that immigration will be a losing issue for Trump, who faced international backlash over his administration's short-lived policy to separate immigrant families at the border this year.

"That's bad for Republicans," Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said. On the question of ICE, Menendez said the focus of Democrats is on "getting the policy of the president changed because that's always going to be the irritant, the problem here."

The crowd at the White House greeted Trump, Vice President Pence and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen with standing ovations. Ahead of the president's remarks, a group of state and local officials who share hard-line immigration views, including Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and the attorney general of Alabama, Steve Marshall, participated in a panel discussion.

Perdue said calls to abolish the ICE are "downright unpatriotic and treasonous."

"Can I just say 'amen' to what the senator said?" Marshall added.

ICE is a relatively new federal agency. It was formed as part of a bureaucratic reshuffling when Congress created the Department of Homeland Security in 2002 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

ICE, and to a lesser extent CBP, have been the targets of fierce criticism for years from immigrant rights groups.

The complaints have intensified under the Trump administration after the president signed an executive action in his first week to broaden the scope of ICE's enforcement efforts, after President Barack Obama had focused operations on criminals and terrorists.

Arrests of immigrants without criminal records has spiked under Trump, although deportations are still lagging behind the peak rates of Obama's tenure.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old who upset Rep. Joseph Crowley of New York, in a primary election in June, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio are among the Democrats who have proposed abolishing the agency.

Other Democrats have resisted that message, calling it simplistic and extreme and suggesting that reforms to the agency would be more prudent.

As he has done consistently, Trump used his remarks Monday to cast undocumented immigrants as dangerous, even though studies have shown that they commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans.

The president hailed Operation Matador, a federal initiative targeting the transnational MS-13 gang on Long Island and in other New York jurisdictions, and he honored the families of four border officers killed on duty between 2008 and 2017.

"What you hear in newspapers and on the news is nothing compared to what it really is," Trump said.

In late June, a senior Trump administration official said the Democrats were on "a political suicide march" over ICE and vowed the president would aggressively engage in the debate.

Trump has embraced ICE in ways past presidents have not.

Thomas Homan, who served as acting ICE director until resigning in the spring, flew with the president on Air Force One last year to join him at an event on Long Island focused on gang violence. Homan also attended the White House event on Monday.

The agency has continued to make headlines over sensational cases that have been highlighted by immigrant rights groups as examples of abuses of power.

Last week, the agency arrested a Los Angeles man who was driving with his wife to the hospital to deliver a baby boy, leading him away in handcuffs.

The case drew national attention after the wife described her ordeal over the weekend. An ICE spokesperson said Saturday that the man, Joel Arrona-Lara is a Mexican national wanted in that country under a warrant issued for homicide charges. The agency said the man is in custody pending removal proceedings.

Sandweg said current and former ICE officials are generally appreciative of Trump's support.

"They rolled out the red carpet for ICE, and there is something to be said for morale," he said. "But you're doing it in a way that politicizes it. It's going to take years of work to reform ICE's reputation. They could be tarnished forever as a tool of the far right."
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Monday urged the Republican-led Senate to pass legislation intended to crack down on shipments of illicit fentanyl through the international postal system, writing on Twitter: "No more delay!"

Leaders from both chambers announced a bipartisan agreement in June on the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act, which the House passed shortly thereafter. The Senate has yet to act on the bill, as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has focused on confirming federal judges and passing appropriations bills.

"It is outrageous that Poisonous Synthetic Heroin Fentanyl comes pouring into the U.S. Postal System from China," Trump wrote on Twitter. "We can, and must, END THIS NOW! The Senate should pass the STOP ACT - and firmly STOP this poison from killing our children and destroying our country. No more delay!"

The president's tweet did not mention McConnell or explicitly place blame for what he considers to be a delay.

Some health care industry insiders have accused McConnell of delaying a vote on legislation tackling the opioid crisis because passage would give vulnerable red-state Democrats an accomplishment to campaign on back home. His office has denied this and predicted quick action.

David Popp, a spokesman for McConnell, said that Senate Republicans are working on reaching an agreement on the timing of the legislation.

He also pointed to remarks made by McConnell on the Senate floor Monday afternoon in which the majority leader addressed the Senate's ongoing work on appropriations bills, which are separate from the STOP Act.

"These bills will bring billions of dollars in resources and relief to the families and communities that are fighting every day against the crisis of drug abuse and addiction that has inflicted so much pain on our nation," McConnell said.

At least one prominent Senate Republican praised Trump on Monday for calling for swift action on the measure.

In a statement, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, commended Trump "for leading the charge to combat the opioid epidemic and calling for the Senate to pass the bipartisan STOP Act."

"This bipartisan legislation passed the House overwhelmingly in June, and it's long past time for the Senate to pass this bill so it can become law and begin making a difference," Portman said.

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, also hailed Trump's remarks on the subject.

"Fentanyl was responsible for nearly 30,000 deaths in the US last year. Many Americans don't know it can be an instant killer when laced into pills, marijuana," Conway tweeted. "Thank you @realDonaldTrump for showing courage & resolve to keep the poison out of our communities & out of our kids."

Among other provisions, the STOP Act would require the Postal Service to install the same tracking system used by private shippers such as FedEx to attempt to curb shipments of fentanyl.

A congressional report released earlier this year found that online sellers of fentanyl prefer to ship it through the Postal Service rather than private shippers because they see less of a risk that packages will be seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported preliminary estimates that more than 72,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States last year, an increase of 9.5 percent from the year before. One reason for the increase was illicit and deadly fentanyl, which has increasingly been cut into heroin and cocaine.

At a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump accused China of "sending that garbage and killing our people," adding, "It's almost a form of warfare."

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Video: Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is quickly becoming a major contributor to the U.S. addiction crisis. Here are the top things to know about the drug.(Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post)

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Plainview police were called out to East Bernard St. on Aug. 7 in response to an assault involving a child. Officers responded to the call at 5:45 p.m.

Police responded to 13th St. and Columbia on Aug. 7 around 8:20 p.m. in response to a call about criminal mischief. Officers discovered damaged property at the scene.

Police responded to a call about a vehicle blocking an alley on Aug. 7 at the 1400 block of Dallas St. just after 9 a.m.

Check forgery was reported to Plainview Police on Aug. 7 just before 11 a.m. at the 200 block of S. Navasota St.

One person was arrested on Aug. 7 around 12:20 p.m. at the 100 block of W. Ninth St. A 36-year-old woman was charged with theft.

Officers arrested Louis Fred Gonzales, 36, on Aug. 7 at the 500 block of Quincy St. Gonzales was charged with forgery of a financial instrument and evading arrest or detention.

Plainview police responded to a minor traffic accident that resulted in vehicle damage on Aug. 7 around 7 a.m. at 16th St. and Galveston.

A juvenile was charged with simple assault on Aug. 6. Officers responded to the call at 700 Beech St. around 11:30 p.m.

A report of a sexual assault was reported to the Plainview Police Department on Aug. 6 just before 11 a.m. at the 2200 block of Joliet St.

Police responded to a report of burglary of a vehicle on Aug. 6 around 5 p.m. at the 1900 block of W. Fifth St.

Officers responded to a minor traffic accident at the 700 block of Ash St. around 4 p.m. on Aug. 6.

Officers responded to a call about obstruction of a court order on Aug. 6 at the 2200 block of W. 19th St. Police responded around 4:50 p.m.

An individual was arrested at the 1700 block of N. Columbia on Aug. 6. Police arrested a 27-year-old woman around 8 a.m. for an active misdemeanor warrant.

Officers responded to a report of a theft at the 1900 block of W. Fifth St. on Aug. 6 around 3:15 p.m.

Police arrested a 35-year-old man on Aug. 6 just after 10 p.m. for public intoxication at the 700 block of W. 11th St.

Police responded to the 1000 block of W. 24th St. on Aug. 6 around 11:30 a.m. in response to fraud.

Police responded to a report of a runaway on Aug. 6 at the 1300 block of Wayland.

A burglary was reported on Aug. 6 around 10:30 a.m. at the 1400 block of S. Broadway.

Officers responded to a threat at the 700 block of N. Interstate 27 on Aug. 6 around 4:20 p.m. The offense was listed on the incident report as a terroristic threat, which is defined as a threat to "commit any offense involving violence to any person or property with intent to place any person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury."

Police responded to the 600 block of E. Fourth St. on Aug. 6 in response to a burglary. Officers arrived at the scene at 4:25 p.m.

Officers responded to the 700 block of Beech St. on Aug. 6 around 6:20 p.m. in reference to a theft from yard/land.

Plainview Police arrested a 46-year-old man on Aug. 3 at the 300 block of Beech St. for driving with license invalid with previous conviction/suspension without final resolution and evading arrest or detention with a vehicle.
Alex Martinezs passion is bugs  all types, but especially scorpions and spiders. His ultimate career goal is to work for the Smithsonian Institute, where the entomology collection is the largest in the world. He wants to research proteins of venomous insects in order to find a solution to combat diseases of the human nervous system.

In order to accomplish his career goal, Martinez, 23, is currently pursuing a baccalaureate degree in biology at Sul Ross State University. Through a cooperative agreement between Midland College and SRSU, Martinez is able to complete all of his coursework, including intensive laboratory classes, on the main MC campus. After graduating this month, he plans to immediately begin taking graduate courses leading to a masters degree in biology.

I couldnt have done this without the opportunity to stay in Midland, Martinez said. I have a family and a full-time job, so the option of taking classes in Midland instead of the Sul Ross main campus in Alpine was very appealing. The program is excellent. The lecture component of my courses is taught via interactive video, and the labs are taught by Midland College professors in state-of-the-art facilities on the MC campus.

Martinez has lived in West Texas his entire life. He has claimed Midland as home for the past nine years. He was born in Odessa and lived in Lubbock for five years as a child while his father was pursuing a chemical engineering degree at Texas Tech. Martinez graduated early from Midland High School in 2012 because his girlfriend was pregnant, and he felt a sense of responsibility to obtain a full-time job in order to support his son, Gabriel.

Education has always been important to the Martinez family. His father pursued his degree while he was in his 30s. So, Alex knew that having a child and job was no excuse for not going to college. Realizing that in order to advance his career, he needed to obtain a college degree. He enrolled at Midland College in fall of 2012.

I had taken some dual-credit classes from Midland College when I was in high school; I knew what to expect from college courses, Martinez said. I was doing well for a few months, but then my girlfriend left me. I was heartbroken. I dropped out of MC, simply because I was having a hard time coping with life.

Martinez left for a semester, but in January 2013, he decided it was time to once again return to college, so he re-enrolled. He said that was when his life began to change. He not only discovered that he had a passion for science, but he also fell in love.

I met Allison for the first time in a Midland College math class, he said. It truly was love at first sight for me  but not for her. I asked her out on a date three times before she finally accepted. Our first date was lunch at JumBurrito on Wadley. I guess she decided I wasnt so bad, because a few months later when I asked her to marry me, she said yes.

Alex continued taking classes at Midland College and working at various locations including PetSmart and Wells Fargo. However, in spring 2016, he was in a motorcycle wreck and physically wasnt able to attend classes. After recuperating for several months, Martinez returned to Midland College in January 2017. In December of that year, he graduated with honors and received an associate of science degree. While completing his associate degree, he also began taking courses toward his bachelors in biology.

He is the night manager for the Holiday Inn Express in Midland, and his wife works evenings performing office work at Midland Memorial Hospital. Martinez said his parents help with child care in the evenings when he and Allison are working. The Martinezes have two daughters Sophia, 2, and Genevieve, 5 months.

As soon as I graduate from Sul Ross, Ill start taking graduate classes toward a masters degree in biology, he said. After I complete my masters degree, it will be Allisons turn to attend school. Her ultimate career goal is to be a neuropsychologist.

Even though Martinez is passionate about bugs, he also has other interests. One might consider him to be a bit of a Renaissance man. In 2000, after watching the Olympics, he became interested in fencing. He now teaches private fencing classes. He also has an affinity for finance. He dabbles in the stock market, and is extremely proud of his credit score, which is 748. According to Experian, a score of 720+ is thought to be excellent, especially for someone in their 20s who is attending college and has a family.

It just takes being organized and determined to make life work, Martinez said. Life threw me some curve balls while I was in my late teens and early 20s, but Ive always had a goal. Ive learned that even though things can get difficult, its important to get right back out there and keep striving for that goal.

Rebecca C. Bell is executive director of Institutional Advancement at Midland College and the Midland College Foundation.
A young girl was hospitalized Monday afternoon after being locked inside her father's vehicle outside a Mexican eatery in Braeburn since morning, police said.

The 3-year-old child was trapped in a car behind the Don Rey Mexican Restaurant in the 8700 block of South Gessner Road around 4:30 p.m. and rushed to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.

She appeared to have suffered from dehydration but is expected to survive, according to police.

The father, wearing a Don Rey employee shirt, called 911 after discovering his child was still in the vehicle as temperatures reached the low 90s. He was being questioned by police outside the Tex-Mex chain.

No charges have been filed against the father, who is 32, at this time, according to the Houston Police Department.

RENEWED WARNINGS: Death of infant in hot car prompts calls for safety measures

The issue of children left in hot vehicles has been highlighted this summer. For example, the parents of Raymond Pryer Jr. last week alleged that staff at a Houston day care facility were "grossly negligent" when they left their 3-year-old boy in a sweltering school van following a field trip last month, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Harris County District Court.

So far in 2018, the National Safety Council has recorded at least 35 incidents of children dying in broiling vehicles. Texas has topped the nation with at least 117 hot car deaths since 1998, according to its records.

Nicole Hensley contributed to this report.
When a former Houston doctor was sentenced to probation Friday for raping an incapacitated patient at a county hospital, the punishment surprised defense attorneys, disappointed law enforcement, elicited concern from a rape victims advocacy group and sparked outrage on social media.

The doctor, who has been stripped of his license, admitted during the trial that he had sexual contact with the woman during the night shift at Ben Taub Hospital in 2013, but told jurors it was consensual. Although he was not assigned to her case, he slipped into her room anyway after he noticed her breast implants.

Veteran defense lawyers with no connection to the case called the outcome unusual and a big victory for the defense, explaining there was a very high likelihood a person who did not turn himself in to law enforcement and misrepresented the assault would face prison time.

When youre a doctor, Id expect youd get prison time, said attorney Casey Kiernan, who has defended sexual assault cases for nearly four decades. We hold doctors to a higher standard.

The jury five women and seven men sentenced Dr. Shafeeq Sheikh, a former Baylor College of Medicine resident, to 10 years on probation for raping the patient while she was tethered to machines and receiving treatment for an acute asthma attack.

The jurors found Sheikh guilty Thursday after deliberating for 14 hours over two days. The conviction means Sheikh, 46, must be a registered for the rest of his life as a sex offender. Jurors recommended the 10-year probated sentence for the doctor and suspension of a $10,000 fine after deliberations on Friday, recommendations that visiting Senior District Judge Terry L. Flenniken was required by law to follow.

GUILTY: Verdict reached in case of ex-Baylor doctor accused of raping patient

During argument for the sentencing phase of the trial Friday, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder asked jurors to keep in mind that Sheikh exploited his access to harm a vulnerable person.

He sought her out. He chose her to prey on, Reeder said, noting that Sheikh checked the womans chart and knew exactly what medicines she had been prescribed. You know hes the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that.

The prosecutor said she hoped the jury would also consider the fact that after the assault, Sheikh went on to get another job and practiced medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital until the time police arrested him.

You know hes the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did, the prosecutor said.

Sheikhs defense lawyer, Stanley Schneider, asked the jury to have mercy on a man whose wife and children had suffered greatly from his actions and who had been punishing himself for five years for this one shameful, erratic act. He said he hoped they would sentence Sheikh, who has no prior felonies, to probation.

The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams, Schneider said. What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him.

After the sentencing, the victim said through a former attorney that she had no comment on the punishment and wanted to put it all behind her and move on.

Sheikh, who has been free on bond, also declined comment. After the judge adjourned, Sheikh sat with some family members outside the courthouse having lunch at a picnic table.

Prosecutors respect the process that rendered the result, said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for District Attorney Kim Ogg.

After being presented all the evidence, the jury convicted this man of rape and decided that he should be sentenced to 10 years of probation, Schiller said. The jury voted on behalf of the community to determine his sentence, and although prosecutors sought prison time, we respect this process, and the jurys decision, which carries with it a lifetime of registering as a sex offender.

It took investigators two years to charge Sheikh in the 2013 assault. He was only then, in 2015, that the Texas Medical Board revoked his license, finding that he posed a continuing threat to public welfare.

Stefanie Asin, a representative of Houston Methodist Hospital, said Sheikh worked briefly for the hospital system following his time at Baylor, but (he) was immediately suspended and then terminated when we learned of the allegations and the suspension of his license.

She noted that at the time Sheikh worked for Methodist none of the allegations had surfaced, adding, There were no reports of misconduct or any incidents involving this doctor while he was at Houston Methodist.

Both the victim, who is now 32, and the former doctor took the stand during the eight-day trial, providing contradictory accounts of what happened the night of Nov. 2, 2013. The victim said a doctor came to her bedside in the dark and began touching her breasts during a chest exam. She said she was weak, sore and confused, and tried to summon a nurse with the call button. The man returned two more times, and raped her without using a condom.

TRIAL: Former Ben Taub doctor accused of raping patient testifies sex was consensual

Sheikh said the patient took his hand and placed it on her breasts. He was intrigued by her breast implants and returned to her room again. At this point, he testified, she began touching his genitals and demonstrated with her body language that she wanted to have sex with him. He said he knew it was a breach of his marriage vows and the Hippocratic oath, but he succumbed to his impulse. He told jurors he understood that it was consensual sex.

The Houston Chronicle does not identify victims of sexual assault.

The woman, who was identified previously in a series of Houston Chronicle columns by Lisa Falkenberg as Laura, reported an assault by an unknown doctor the same day. Sheikh told jurors he checked her chart several times that day after he heard she had told officials it was a rape. He said he told his wife about his infidelity right away but he didnt come forward to hospital officials because he panicked about the consequences.

BACKGROUND: Patient says she became doctor's prey at Ben Taub

Police eventually got a list of every man on the premises that night and began collecting cheek swabs of willing subjects. Sheikh only provided one when he was subpoenaed, according to a law enforcement source. DNA evidence from the womans rape kit implicated Sheikh as a likely suspect. Sheikh had been working a night shift as an internal medicine resident. He was seen on surveillance video on the woman's floor and his badge was used to swipe onto her floor that night at least 12 times.

One factor that could have impacted what some saw as a lenient sentence was the testimony from his wife, brother and family friends, who spoke about his vital role as the father of four children.

Attorney Paul Schiffer, a former prosecutor who has devoted more than four decades to defending people charged with sex offenses, said he thought Sheikh was fortunate.

Defendants who take the stand and deny theyre guilty statistically are in a worse position to get probation, Schiffer said. But various factors, including their history while on bond and the impact incarceration could have on their own children can be a significant factor.

He and Kiernan, who also defends people accused of rape, said it also may have been the case that jurors had residual doubt about his culpability.

Kiernan suggested there was another important factor jurors may have mulled over.

The real question is whether the best interest of the defendant and society are served by sentencing him to the penitentiary, he said.

Sonia Corrales, chief program officer at the Houston Area Womens Center, was unfamiliar with the case but said there should be equity in sentencing violent offenders.

Oftentimes, perpetrators will attempt to minimize the severity of their actions by claiming it wasnt sexual assault, but was consensual sex, she said. Sexual violence is a willful choice a perpetrator makes to harm another human being and should be addressed by the criminal justice system with the same severity as any other violent crime.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com

twitter.com/gabmobanks
A Dallas priest accused of molesting three teenage boys is believed to have fled the country.

The Catholic Diocese of Dallas revealed on Sunday they were investigating sexual abuse allegations made against 69-year-old Rev. Edmundo Paredes, the Dallas Morning News reported.
Dozens of health professionals, community leaders and law enforcement officials gathered Monday for the formal launch of mental health collaborative that aims to help individuals in the midst of a psychiatric crisis.

The Southwest Texas Crisis Collaborative has been in the works for nearly two and a half years, after a group of health professionals and law enforcement officials recognized the need for an integrated system of mental health care.

This is a pivotal and transformative moment for our health care system, said Marc Raney, interim CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries, which is helping fund the initiative. This will have a tremendous benefit for our community.

RELATED: Records reveal severity of murder suspect's mental illness before death of 10-year-old girl

Initially, the collaborative is funding five different initiatives before it plans to expand. Some of the programs have been in existence for nearly a year. Others are still developing. They include:

A technology platform that allows all participating organizations to develop and access a community treatment plan. This helps combine social, financial and local community resources for patients who frequent crisis services.

A computer system that allows law enforcement officers to see in real-time which facilities have open beds for patients experiencing a mental health crisis.

The addition of a paramedic to the San Antonio Fire Departments Mobile Integrated Health Team. The paramedic will be stationed at Haven for Hope, San Antonios largest homeless shelter, from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., when health care resources at the campus are limited. The city of San Antonio receives more 911 calls from Haven for Hope than any other address in the city, the fire department said.

RELATED: Editorial: Wait list for state mental hospital beds troubling

The launch of a transitional housing program for individuals with mental health diagnoses transitioning out of jail.

The new collaborative is run by the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, the agency designated by the Department of State Health Services to maintain the regional trauma and emergency healthcare system for 22 counties in Southwest Texas, including Bexar County.

I think this is an incredible opportunity for our community, said Rose Rodriguez, who oversees the behavioral health program at Nix Health.

Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton
Interest continues to build in Kinder Ranch, an expansive Denton Communities development near US 281 and Borgfeld Road that features five different gated neighborhoods. The newest, Sunday Creek, has just opened with four exquisite model homes now available for touring and two more under construction. In addition to incredible views, one of the most distinctive features of Sunday Creek is the future amenities center to be built around a historically preserved two-story stone home, the Obst homestead, giving the new development a tangible connection to the areas past.

Choose from six preferred builders in Sunday Creek

The six builders Denton Communities selected to build in Sunday Creek invite visitors to visit the model homes and take advantage of the opportunity to experience first-hand the features and conveniences being incorporated into their new home designs. Sunday Creek home prices start in the $280s.

Ashton Woods

Featuring high quality and high performance homes with a variety of unique award-winning home designs, Ashton Woods effectively balances healthy-house features with energy efficiency for a comfortable living design. Location, Design, Quality and Service are the foundations of Ashton Woods homes. Ashton Woods builds on 65 lots and home prices range from $340s to $400s in Sunday Creek.

 Current Ashton Woods model home: 28902 Throssel Lane

 Contact: Barbara Van Norman at

830-980-3702

David Weekley Homes

David Weekley Homes builds homes that combine timeless appeal with modern functionality. As one of San Antonios leading home builders, David Weekley builds in locations that provide easy access to amenities and are in settings of natural beauty, such as stunning Sunday Creek. Weekley builds on 55 lots and prices start from the $280s in Sunday Creek.

 Current Weekley model home: 28913 Windlesham Way

 Contact: Kim Hingley at 210-579-4315

Imagine Homes

Imagine Homes has a rich history building new homes in San Antonio and is proud to be a preferred builder in Sunday Creek at Kinder Ranch. From the sales team to your personal builder, Imagine Homes strives to make you a raving fan through the home building process and beyond. Imagine Homes national award winning energy saving, green features will help buyers save money each month on their home ownership costs. Imagine Homes currently builds on 55 lots in Sunday Creek and homes prices start in the $300s.

 Imagine model home: 28917 Windlesham Way

 Contact Sergio : 210-807-3570

Monticello Homes

For the last 25 years, Monticello Homes has been building luxury homes in the greater San Antonio area. Monticello Homes offers award winning designs, luxury features, quality craftsmanship, and a seamless homebuilding process for our homeowners. Monticello Homes will be introducing a new affordable and energy efficient luxury series on 50 lots in Sunday Creek. Their model home is being constructed at 28410 Shailene Drive. For information, call 830-980-7800.

Perry Homes

In 1967, Bob Perry recognized a need for quality homes at reasonable prices. More than 50 years later, Perry Homes has a trusted reputation for exceptional value, quality and customer service. The builder is constructing new homes on 50 lots in Sunday Creek with a new model coming soon. * Family owned and operated, Perry Homes is one of the largest and most affordable home builders in Texas.

 Contact: 800-247-3779

Sitterle Homes

Since 1964, Sitterle Homes has been known for quality craftsmanship and attentive customer service. The company has built more than 4,000 homes in the greater San Antonio area, winning countless awards for excellence in home building. Sitter Homes currently builds on 65 lots in Sunday Creek with prices from the $360s to $420s.

 Current Sitterle model

under construction at 28832 Throssel Lane

 Contact: Patty Jones at

210-835-4424

Sunday Creek residents will enjoy a unique, historical amenities center

Being able to incorporate the Obst homestead into the Sunday Creek amenities center will give Sunday Creek residents not only a great recreational facility, but also a great appreciation for what the first settlers accomplished, said Denton Communities Brenda Armstrong, Director of Marketing. In the Obst Homestead Interpretive Complex, they will be able to see the craftsmanship and materials used when the home was built in 1865, during a time when everything was built by hand. Because of the quality of the materials and the construction methods they used, the house is still standing today, more than 150 years later. Plans for the amenities center include a swimming pool, event space and multipurpose pavilion.

Visit Kinder Ranch and tour the model homes.

To reach Kinder Ranch from Highway 281 in north San Antonio, turn west on E. Borgfeld Drive and go north on Bulverde Road. Turn left onto Kinder Parkway. For a map and more information, visit KinderRanchCommunity.com

* Perry Homes is located in a unit of Sunday Creek that is not yet accessible from the main entrance to Kinder Ranch. To get there, enter Sunday Creek from Borgfeld Road, just past Pieper Middle School and follow the signs to Perry Homes.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Kinder Ranch. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
Herterich Artisan Butchers are celebrating this week after it successfully won a place on the Grow with Aldi supplier development programme.

This means that its lamb sausage, turkey sausage, stuffed roast pork slices, and sliced chicken breast will be available on Aldis shelves.

Aldi announced on Monday that Herterich's, one of Co Longfords most innovative food suppliers, will be listed in its 132 stores nationwide as part of an Aldi Specialbuys Irish Food promotion kicking off on Thursday, August 23.

Herterich Artisan Butchers was established on Ballymahon Street in Longford Town by Louis Herterich Sr. and his wife Teresa in September 1956.

The Herterich family are originally from southern Germany and brought with them traditional German butchering skills.

The business is now headed by Louis Herterich Jr., who apprenticed himself to his father for over a dozen years before, and his wife Caroline.

Welcoming the Aldi listing, Louis Herterich Jr. of Herterich Artisan Butchers in Longford said, The support and mentoring offered by Grow with Aldi has already benefitted our business immensely, and we are excited to see our products made available to Aldi shoppers across the country.

He added, We believe we offer something truly unique and are thankful to Aldi for giving us the opportunity to share it.

Developed in partnership with Bord Bia, Grow with Aldi has been designed to help small to medium Irish food and drink businesses secure a retail listing with a national retailer.

Participants receive tailored mentoring and access to bespoke workshops with Aldi buyers and Bord Bia technical experts, teaching them the skills to help grow and develop their products and business. Aldi is investing 500,000 in the programme this year.

A total of 71 new Irish products, produced by 38 Irish suppliers from across the country have been selected by Aldi. Five of the successful products will now be given the opportunity to become core line Aldi listed products, winning a contract to be sold in Aldis Irish stores year-round.
At Minnesota Public Radio late last week, John Enger reported in Chronic wasting disease could spread faster than expected:

Back in March, field biologists caught and collared 109 deer. They've been tracking them ever since, trying to get a sense of where and how quickly chronic wasting disease could spread.

The findings are still preliminary at this point, but so far, head researcher Christopher Jennelle said slowing the spread of the disease might be more complicated than biologists thought.

"One of our female animals has traveled approximately 80 miles," he said. "That really blew our minds."

Since the fall of 2016, 17 cases of chronic wasting disease have been found in the wild deer population of southeastern Minnesota. There's no cure and no vaccine, although teams of scientists are working on it. Right now, CWD is 100 percent fatal.

The disease has spread rapidly in other states. In parts of Wisconsin, an estimated 40 to 50 percent of deer are infected. And that happened in a very short time. In 1999, the first year the Wisconsin DNR began monitoring the disease, just 3 animals tested positive. By 2017, that number had climbed to 600.

If the same thing happens in Minnesota's deer herds, the effects could be dramatic. . . .

"What does that mean for CWD?" he said. "Well, it doesn't bode well. I'll put it that way."

Another surprise, Jennelle said, is which deer are traveling. Up until this point, efforts to slow the disease tended to focus on mature bucks, which are the most likely carriers of CWD.

"We totally expected our juvenile males to be our movers and shakers here," he said.

But in this study, does on average traveled twice as far as bucks. So if one is infected, it could spread the disease over a much larger range.
Tomorrow, all of Irelands 26 dioceses will open the 9th World Meeting of Families simultaneously with a special liturgical ceremony and with the ringing of bells in each of the 26 diocesan cathedrals across the island. Family-friendly festivals are also taking place.

The WMOF Pastoral Congress will take place in the Royal Dublin Society over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week while the Festival of Families will be celebrated in Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. The Holy Father Pope Francis will join the WMOF celebrations when he visits Ireland on Saturday 25 August. WMOF will culminate with the closing Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on Sunday next, 26 August.

Tuesdays opening liturgy in each cathedral will be a full celebration of Evening Prayer. Entitled Le cheile le Criost (Together with Christ), it will gather the Church as the family of families as we set out on the path of celebration for the entire World Meeting of Families. Representatives from each parish will attend their respective cathedral along with international pilgrims. These liturgical celebrations will remind us that we walk in the footsteps of the saints and those who have handed on the faith to us. The ceremonies will involve singing and praying hymns, psalms and canticles, burning incense and praying for the entire human family before our God and Father. All are welcome!
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 20 2018

Two subjects dragged the victim from his auto and threw him to the ground, officials say.

West Hempstead, NY - August 20, 2018 - The Fifth Squad is investigating a Robbery that occurred on Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 12:05 P.M. in The Fifth Squad is investigating a Robbery that occurred on Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 12:05 P.M. in West Hempstead

According to detectives, the 33 year old male victim, employed by China Wok as a delivery person was delivering Chinese food to an address on Laurel Drive. As the victim approached his destination, he was approached by 2 male subjects. The subjects dragged the victim from his auto and threw him to the ground. Both subjects then got into the vehicle, a gray Toyota Highlander and drove off.

The victim was treated at the scene by Nassau County Police Medic for abrasions to his arms and legs. Subjects are described as both being male blacks between the ages of 17-25. No further description of subjects is available at this time.
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 20 2018

Patrick Myrthil, 31, shot his wife, Tertue Gregoire, 30, before shooting himself, police say.

Elmont, NY - August 20, 2018 - The Homicide Squad reports the details of a Homicide that occurred on Saturday, August 18, 2018 at 11:39 a.m. in The Homicide Squad reports the details of a Homicide that occurred on Saturday, August 18, 2018 at 11:39 a.m. in Elmont

According to detectives, police responded to a 911 call for shots fired on Wellington Rd. Upon arrival, police discovered a male and a female with apparent gunshot wounds. Both individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene by a Nassau County Police Medic.

Further investigation discovered that Patrick Myrthil, 31, shot his wife, Tertue Gregoire, 30, multiple times before shooting himself following an argument.
Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Arts & Culture, Press Releases

By Tom Needham Published: August 20 2018

Queen of Versailles director, Lauren Greenfield, is Tom Needhams guest this Thursday on WUSBs The Sounds of Film.

Stony Brook, NY - August 20, 2018 - Popular documentary filmmaker, Lauren Greenfield, is Tom Needhams featured guest this Thursday at 6 pm on Popular documentary filmmaker, Lauren Greenfield, is Tom Needhams featured guest this Thursday at 6 pm on WUSBs the Sounds of Film.

Generation Wealth is Lauren Greenfelds multi platform project including a museum exhibition, a photographic monograph, and a documentary film. The film features Lauren traveling across America and beyond, as she documents how we export the values of materialism, celebrity culture, and social status to every corner of the globe. In the film, we hear stories of people overwhelmed by crushing debt, yet determined to purchase luxury items and houses. The movie also showcases the celebrities who are the social influencers that shape our consumer desires. With sharp social commentary from Empire of Illusion author, Chris Hedges, Generation Wealth shines a light on the worlds desire to be rich at any cost.

Lauren Greenfield is an Emmy-winning documentary photographer/director. She is considered the premier chronicler of youth culture, gender and consumerism. Her last film, The Queen of Versailles, won her the Best Director Award in the U.S. Documentary Competition.

About the Sounds of Film
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 20 2018

NCPD were able to de-escalate the scene; male was then taken into custody and removed to an area hospital, officials say.

Baldwin, NY - August 20, 2018 - The Nassau County Police Public Information Office reports the details of an unusual incident that occurred on August 19, 2018 in The Nassau County Police Public Information Office reports the details of an unusual incident that occurred on August 19, 2018 in Baldwin

Freeport Police were dispatched to Milburn Boat Ramp, Atlantic Avenue, by a Freeport Police dispatcher. The dispatcher, while assigning the officers, was able to stay on the line with the suicidal male with a long gun.

Upon arrival, officers observed a 46 year old male with an AR style rifle. Nassau County Police were requested and responded. Freeport Police, along with Nassau County police officers and officers from the Bureau of Special Operations, Marine Bureau, Emergency Service units and the Hostage Negotiation Team were able to deescalate the scene.

The male eventually complied with officers commands and placed the weapon down. The male was then taken into custody and removed to an area hospital in a Nassau Police Ambulance. There were no injuries reported.

The First Squad reports that the defendant, Thomas Belajonas, 47, Freeport , was arrested for the above crime. He is charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th Degree, Menacing a Police Officer or Peace Officer and Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree. He will be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead when medically practical.
A judge said a restaurant operator will be disfigured for the rest of his life before he affirmed the assault charge against a woman accused of partially biting off the mans ear during a dispute at the eatery.

Jade Anderson, 24, of Mount Clemens, was bound over to Macomb County Circuit Court on Monday on a charge of assault with intent to maim and assault and battery following a preliminary examination in 41B District Court in Clinton Township. The maim charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Anderson allegedly bit off part of Liang Wus right ear during a confrontation that started over a food order the night of June 28 at China 1 restaurant on Cass Avenue in Mount Clemens.

She took off a good portion of his ear, Judge Sebastian Lucido said. Hes going to be disfigured for the rest of his life.

This was an animalistic act, grotesque. It doesnt happen by mistake, Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Brian Kolodziej said before the judges ruling.

Police said that at about 9:40 p.m. Anderson became angry about an order and threw food on the floor. Wu, the eaterys operator, testified he told his wife in the lobby to give her a refund. Wu said he went to the kitchen but returned to the lobby a couple of minutes later and found his wife and Anderson tangled together in the parking lot in front of the store. He said he saw Anderson punch his wife in the chest.

Wu said he separated the women, and Anderson returned inside the store. He said he blocked the door for 10 minutes to prevent her from leaving and instructed his minor son, who was outside with his wife, to call 911.

I blocked the door because I am afraid she will harm my wife, he said through an interpreter, Natalie Yung.

She attacked me, Wu said.

Yung added that Wu said that Anderson used her elbow to punch his body.  When she failed to exit the door, she bit his ear.

He said he held her until police arrived.

Wu was taken to a hospital and Anderson was treated for a bump on her forehead, police said.

During arguments, Andersons attorney, Marissa Kulcsar, said Wu shouldnt have restrained Anderson because the threat is over. Wu had broken up the fight between the women. Anderson managed to make it partially through the door with Wu on top of her when police arrived, according to Wu.

He blocked the door requiring her to stay in China 1 for 10 minutes, Kulcsar argued. Miss Anderson was using (an) amount of force to exit. Its the polices job to take care of it, not Mr. Wu.

Kolodziej retorted: Mr Wu was acting as a brave, honorable husband, as the law allows him to do, because he was in fear for the safety of his wife. He cant trust the threat is over.

Wus wife and son accompanied him to court but were not allowed to observe proceedings.

Anderson, who is free after posting a $20,000 bond, nodded her head in the negative upon learning the case was bound over.

A circuit court arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 4.
(CNN)  Russian President Vladimir Putin was a guest at the Austrian foreign minister's wedding on Saturday, in a move that opposition politicians say undermines the European Union's position on Moscow.

Putin dropped in on Karin Kneissl's wedding in a remote area of southern Austria, on his way to a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel in neighboring Germany later that day.

The Russian president was pictured dancing with Kneissl, who was dressed in a traditional "dirndl" dress, in a vineyard in Styria province.

Putin arrived with a bouquet of flowers and even brought a Cossack choir with him to entertain the bride and her groom, the entrepreneur Wolfgang Meilinger, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS.

Invitation 'symbolic and harmful'

But the invitation came under fire from some Austrian opposition politicians, who said it undermined the EU's foreign policy on Russia. The EU rolled out a raft of sanctions against Russia in 2014, in response to its occupation, and then annexation, of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.

Added to this, was the expulsion of Russian diplomats from many EU countries earlier this year. That move was a response to British allegations of Kremlin involvement in the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury in March.

Austria, which is led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), was one of the few EU countries not to follow suit and expel Russian diplomats. Kurz was also photographed at Saturday's wedding. The FPO has a cooperation agreement with Putin's United Russia party, according to Reuters.

Joerg Leichtfried, from the opposition Social Democrats party, criticized the foreign minister for inviting Putin, particularly given Austria's current presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Leichtfried said in a statement on Twitter it was "all the more symbolic and harmful to court the Russian president in this manner." Leichtfried added that he and other members of parliament had a list of inquiries for the foreign minister over this "working visit."

Foreign Minister Kneissl is not known to have a particularly close friendship with Putin, reported Reuters.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Putin makes flying visit to Austrian foreign minister's wedding."
multi-million Pula lawsuit and counter-claim between embattled Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) and Mamataz Enterprise (Pty) Ltd owned by Ernest Molome is yet to be allocated a judge following the departure of Justice Leatile Dambe.



Justice Dambe is headed to the Court of Appeal and is currently only handling partly heard matters. The new judge who will be allocated the case is expected to set new dates for the case. The case was initially scheduled to be heard this week on Tuesday by Justice Dambe. The union, which is currently dogged by leadership crisis, will through its commercial wing, Babereki Investments (Pty) Ltd face off with Molome and his company Mamataz Enterprises (Pty) Ltd as Babereki wants to recover over P11.6 million from the latter.

The union argues that the P11.6 million was erroneously paid to Molomes company as commission between September and November 2016. BOPEU  represented by its then Executive Chairman Andrew Motsamai, had in September 2016 entered into an agreement with Mamataz to raise capital for the unions commercial wing.

The funds raised were to be used for growing the micro lending and asset management businesses of BOPEU, held under the Babereki conglomerate. In the contract signed by Motsamai and Molome the parties agreed that a three (3) per cent facilitation fee of the capital raised shall be paid to Mamataz by Babereki Investments. BOPEU argues that from the targeted P1.2 billion only P50 million was secured but strangely Mamataz was paid about P13 million.

The union maintains that it was robbed P11.604 million because the signed contract stipulated clearly that the 3 percent was to be paid on capital raised. According to the union from the secured P50 million Mamataz was entitled to P1.5 million. According to court papers the P50 million was secured from Botswana Life. According to Babereki the payment of the amount was not based on the contract; was not for any service rendered; was done fraudulently or a result of a conspiracy to defraud Babereki and was made without any entitlement whatsoever by Molome and Mamataz to such funds.



The payment of P11.6 million was unlawful, alternatively illegal, alternatively fraudulent payment made to Molome and Mamataz with interest at the rate of 10 percent from the date of disbursement to the date of payment and the costs of suit, argues Babereki. Molome has however denied owing Babereki Investment and has in turn slapped the union with a counterclaim. He argues that the union owes him a balance of about P25 million.

He pointed out that Babereki, instead of paying the entire 3 per cent of the P1.2 billion raised by them (Molome and Mamataz) of which only P50 million was drawn down, which is about P36 million, only paid P11. 604 million leaving a balance of P25 million which is due and owed.
CHICOPEE - The Annual 9/11 Memorial Mass, sponsored by the Catholic parishes of Chicopee and Ludlow, will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 94 Springfield St.

The liturgy, first celebrated in 2007 at St. Stanislaus Basilica, honors those who died in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania in 2001.

Their families as well as first responders and veterans are invited to attend along with members of the public.

It is organized annually by the 9/11 Memorial Mass Committee of the Hampden Central Deanery, and rotates among the deanery parishes of Chicopee and Ludlow.

Organizers include Joseph Remillard and Robert Salois, who suggested the memorial liturgy in 2006, as well as J. Bruce Broyles.

Broyles has said several hundred attended the liturgy each year and that it gives organizers "great satisfaction" to provide "the opportunity to gather each year as one family in one church to remember and pray for the victims who perished on that day and also for the families and friends whom they have left behind."

A light reception in the parish hall follows the Mass that is concelebrated by clergy from participating parishes.

The liturgy also includes a choir of members from the parishes.

A free-will donation will be accepted for Lorraine's Soup Kitchen & Pantry.

For more information, call (413) 594-8700.

Last year the liturgy was held at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Ludlow.

It is one of a number annual events remembering those who died in the attacks, their families and first responders.

The attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, by 19 members of al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group, killed nearly 3,000 people from 93 nations, including members of area families. The terrorists hijacked four commercial airlines.

Some 2,753 people were killed in the attacks on the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York; 84 people at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and 40 people on Flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania, not far from Washington, D.C.
Boston police identified the victim of last week's triple shooting in Mattapan as 29-year-old Yashua Amado.

Amado, of Mattapan, was one of three men shot in broad daylight Aug. 14. Two other men, who are not being identified, were taken to a local hospital and are expected to survive.

Police were called to Deering Road, which connects to Blue Hill Avenue. They found three men, all believed to be in their 20s, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Boston Police Commissioner William Gross spoke to reporters at the scene that morning. He said he the shooting did not appear to be random. He called on community members to come forward with any information.

No one has been arrested, police said.
The ACLU Massachusetts is asking a federal court judge to halt the deportation, detention and arrest of people seeking green cards by verifying their marriages to people born in the United States.

In the latest hearing in the ACLU's case against the Department of Homeland Security, Judge Mark Wolfe considered whether to extend this protection to any similarly situated couple living in the jurisdiction of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Boston field office.

The lawsuit was born out of the case of Lilian Calderon, a 30-year-old mother of two who came to the United States from Guatemala when she was 3 years old.

Calderon was detained by ICE in January following an interview she completed at the Rhode Island United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. She and her husband were confirming their marriage with an interview, a required step on the way to seeking an I-130 petition, a process that allows immigrants to seek residency through a spouse or relative.

Lucimar de Souza, who was also completing a CIS interview as she pursued a green card, was arrested in January and detained for more than three months. She had been held at the Suffolk County House of Corrections in Boston - separated from her husband and 10-year-old son.

In April, the ACLU of Massachusetts along with law firm WilmerHale filed a class action suit on behalf of Calderon and four other immigrants and their U.S.-citizen spouses affected by the Trump administration's actions.

The case has offered a behind the scenes look at how the two separate, but related, federal immigration agencies work together to "trap" people trying to follow the rules, lawyers for the ACLU said.

Court documents show how CIS employees arranged interviews around the schedules of ICE officers, who would wait and arrest people outside.

"One of the things we've been hearing from the government today confirms what we've been saying all along in this lawsuit," Matthew Siegal, a lawyer for the ACLU said outside of court Monday. "Which is that this administration is determined to go after people who are trying to get right with the law."

Calderon and de Souza both attended Monday's hearing and spoke with reporters.

"What happened to us was an injustice," Calderon said. "And it was a traumatic experience that our families had to go through. We are here so what happened to us doesn't happen to anyone else in our situation."

Mary Larakers, a lawyer for the justice department, argued for the case to be dismissed altogether, saying the court didn't have jurisdiction over the matter. She argued the ACLU has no argument as the petitioners are no longer detained by ICE.

Wolfe has not yet ruled on any of the petitions before the court.

The case will continue on Tuesday, including possible testimony from Boston ICE Interim Field Office Director Rebecca Adducci.
PITTSFIELD - A man struck and killed by a train Friday night has been identified as a 43-year-old city man.

Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams told WWLP the victim was Raheem Johnson.

Abrams told WWLP Johnson was wearing headphones and was trespassing on the tracks when he was hit.

Pittsfield police told the Berkshire Eagle the victim was struck by the Lake Shore Limited train from Chicago near Center Street, shortly after 6 p.m.
WILBRAHAM -- The sales manager for a family-owned business that employs 13 people said Monday that steel and aluminum tariffs announced by President Donald J. Trump's administration in March -- designed to bolster the domestic steel industry -- have, ironically, made it harder to buy steel from U.S. companies.

"I used to be able to get domestic material," said Luke Pincince of Norpin Manufacturing Company. Now, he said, "it is just the opposite."



"I am actually ordering all my material from foreign [producers] right now," Pincince said.

Pincince, 40, has worked for Norpin since he was 13. His father, Kenneth Pincince and uncle, Mark Pincince, are the owners of the 2342 Boston Road company that opened its doors in 1956.

Norpin buys aluminum for its most important item: metal enclosures used for transformer housings in vacuum tube amplifiers. Those enclosures represent 30 percent of Norpin's sales.

In early March, Trump announced a plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum. The tariffs went into effect March 23.

The tariffs "sent shock waves through" the industry, with domestic steel and aluminum producers steeply raising prices, Luke Pincince said.

He said Norpin has reached out to a company in Greece to provide materials for their enclosures -- at a 100 percent mark-up from what the company had been paying prior to the tariffs.

Pincince said that while domestic prices for the materials only spiked by 40 percent, Norpin cannot find any U.S.-based suppliers.

"Domestic mills are not producing for me," he said, explaining that many mills are back-ordered and are not accepting new work.

He said it has been frustrating trying to get answers from domestic suppliers, who have not been able to provide Norpin any information.

"They literally can't tell you anything," Pincince said, making it impossible "to plan a manufacturing strategy" using U.S. metal manufacturers.

Pincince described the tariffs' impact as "some bumps in the road," and said Norpin has not had to lay off any employees. "It is the last thing we would do," he said.

Asked if the company would survive, Pincince said, "I think we will."

The company has enough material to produce the enclosures until the beginning of 2019, when Norpin will start buying from the Greek company.

Pincince said they hope to "make do" until January.

Senator Eric P. Lesser, D-Longmeadow, visited Norpin Monday morning.

In a written statement, Lesser said he visited as a "show of support and solidarity," and he called on the Trump administration to end its trade war.

The Department of Commerce released a report in June that called the U.S. the "world's largest steel importer," said the country imports 79 percent of its steel.

A statement issued by the White House last month said forcing the country's manufacturers to purchase steel at home would create jobs and ultimately improve the nation's economic base.

"On the same day the steel tariff was announced, U.S. Steel's Chief Executive Officer Dave Burritt promised to immediately restart one of two blast furnaces along with its steel-making facilities," said the July 26 statement from the White House. "Just last month, Burritt announced the reopening of the second blast furnace by October, promising more great jobs at great wages in a community that had been decimated by the plant's idling."
Two people have died and several others rescued after getting caught in dangerous rip tides at Seabrook Beach in New Hampshire, reports say.

NBC Boston reports a husband and wife from Methuen died after getting trapped in the waves on Sunday. The two were transported to local hospitals before succumbing to their injuries: the 49-year-old man reportedly died Sunday, and the 47-year-old woman died sometime later, according to NBC.

Seabrook Police said they responded to the beach at 12:25 p.m. after getting a report that multiple swimmers were struggling in rip tide currents.

Authorities from the fire departments in Seabrook and Hampton and lifeguards at Hampton Beach went to rescue the swimmers. They used rescue boats, jet skis and surfboards to scan the water.

A total of six people were pulled out of the water, according to police, including one person who went in to try to aid the distressed swimmers.

Seabrook authorities issued CodeRed alerts to advise the public to avoid swimming at the beach and beware of dangerous rip tides.

This article has been updated and will continue to be updated with the latest information.
Two Massachusetts politicians who have spent time in Democratic and independent party circles are launching a new national effort to flip Congress into Democratic hands in 2018.

Evan Falchuk and Scott Harshbarger launched a new website FlipCongress.org.

The site uses publicly available polling data to select the 39 districts with the best chances of flipping from Republican to Democrat. Interested voters can then click directly to the donation pages for each of those candidates. The FlipCongress site does not collect any money.

The idea, Falchuk said, is to create "an easy way for people to know where to direct their giving."

The site selected four U.S. Senate candidates to support: Democrats Jackey Rosen in Nevada, Phil Bredesen in Tennessee, Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona and Beto O'Rourke in Texas. The rest of the selected districts are in the House.

Falchuk ran for Massachusetts governor as an independent in 2014, then joined the Democratic Party in 2017. He has worked for health policy organizations and is now president and CEO of Village Plan, which helps people caring for aging family members.

Harshbarger was a Democrat who served as Massachusetts Attorney General from 1991 to 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1998. He joined Falchuk's United Independent Party in 2016, but has since rejoined the Democratic Party. He is a former president and CEO of Common Cause and now works as a private attorney.

Falchuk said he and Harshbarger were worried that Republicans in Congress are doing nothing to "rein in" Republican President Donald Trump. "We've got an urgent need to make Congress Democratic given the crisis of the Trump administration," Falchuk said.

Falchuk said given the dozens of races, it becomes hard for potential donors to know how to pick which races are the most likely to flip a seat from Republican to Democrat. For example, a Massachusetts donor will generally have no idea if a Democrat running against an incumbent Republican for a U.S. House seat from Virginia is a long-shot candidate or one who has a real chance of winning.

The recommendations on the FlipCongress website were compiled using information from Real Clear Politics and the Cook Political Report.

"What we did was compile a list of the races most likely to flip a seat in Congress from red to blue and put them up on a website so people could have a place to go and make their donations," Falchuk said. "Even in a state like Massachusetts, where we don't have those types of races, voters here can still make a difference in different parts of the country, and I feel like we have an obligation to do."

Since the site launched quietly last week, it has been getting 50 to 100 hits a day, Falchuk said.
Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) will defend its decision to allow the candidacy of Moemedi Dijeng against the aggrieved incumbent Member of Parliament for Serowe West, Tshekedi Khama, who has since dragged the party to court.

Khama, who is also Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, has taken his party to court to challenge the candidature of one of his challengers in the constituency, Moemedi Dijeng. The case is likely to compromise the holding of Bulela-Ditswe in the constituency next week Saturday. The case was scheduled to be heard at Lobatse High Court on Monday this week but was postponed to yesterday (Thursday).

Khama proceeded to court after BDP Central Committee refused to heed his demands. Khama would be defending his seat to represent the BDP in Serowe West in the 2019 general election against Dijeng and former Member of Parliament for Gaborone North and cabinet member Keletso Rakhudu. Khama had put forward demands under timeframes for Dijeng to be disqualified.

In a letter dated July 20th 2018, Khama gave BDP Central Committee three days to disqualify Dijeng. Failure by the party to act on the matter Khama said he would be left with no choice but to demand for the holding of extra-ordinary meeting of the National Council within Seven (7) days of receipt of the letter. Should this fail Khama posited that he would move an urgent application with the High Court to review Dijengs approval and interdict holding of primaries in the constituency. BDP Secretary General Mpho Balopi said BDP as an entity would be taking the matter head on and is hopeful of victory.

He said it would be up to Khama as he is the one who alleges to prove his case. As an entity we are ready to respond to the allegations. We are however not fighting the applicant. We would abide by any decision that the court would have handed down. We are a law abiding democratic party, said Balopi at a press briefing in Palapye. Balopi expressed hope that the matter would be resolved before the 25th of this month, also stating that it would not be for the first time that the party faced a similar matter.

He cited the case which was brought by Whyte Marobela against the party and resulted with the party being barred from fielding a candidate at a by-election in Francistown West Constituency in 2013. The BDP would later win the case on appeal. According to Balopi, as the BDP they have followed the right procedure when dealing with Khamas matter. Khama in a letter addressed to the party chairman Slumber Tsogwane states that, it is the impropriety of the manner in which the approval of prospective candidates recommended by the Branch Committee in Serowe West Constituency was carried out by yourselves that has precipitated the delivery of this communication.

Khama argues that Dijeng was once found to have contravened the BDP Code of Conduct. He stated through his lawyers in the letter that Dijeng candidacy has been approved, despite the fact that the Disciplinary Committee of the very same Central Committee had on the 12th of June 2018, found the said Dijeng guilty of contravening Clause 16 of the partys Code of Conduct for candidates in primary election stemming from a complaint raised by the Central Region Committee; and despite the fact that the central committee knew or ought to have known of this ruling not only because, in terms of the partys procedures, all findings of the disciplinary committee are forwarded to it but also that our client made the Central Committee aware of such findings prior to the vetting process by handing copies of said Disciplinary Committee findings to both the party Secretary General and Chairperson.



According to the minister, the Central Committee cannot exercise its powers or and functions beyond that which is prescribed by the governing law of the party. In doing so, Khama said it would be acting without legal authority and any decision taken that lack legal authority is illegal and is of no force and effect.
A member of Massachusetts' congressional delegation called on White House officials Monday to confirm whether National Security Advisory John Bolton had disclosed his alleged work with a Russian citizen, who has been accused of spying against the United States.

U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston, and Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly seeking clarification and information on what Bolton revealed to federal officials about his reported ties to Maria Butina.

The letter, which requested a series of documents related to Bolton's security clearance applications and contacts with foreign nationals by Sept. 4, came amid reports that the national security adviser worked directly with Butina in his former role at the National Rifle Association.

Arguing that the reported revelations are "alarming and unprecedented," the Democrats asked that Kelly "produce documents relating to whether Mr. Bolton reported his previous work with this alleged Russian spy on his security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials prior to President (Donald) Trump appointing him to his current position."

The Democrats, who both sit on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, further raised concerns about the White House's handling of security clearances, noting that the panel "has previously investigated widespread failures by the Trump White House to adequately vet top national security officials for their Russian contacts."

The congressmen pointed to a recent New York Times report alleging that Bolton participated by video in a roundtable forum on gun rights, which Butina -- an alleged agent of Alexander Torshin, an NRA member and ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin -- organized in 2013.

In the video, they contended, Bolton offered support for amending the Russian constitution to include broader gun rights.

The congressmen, in requesting Bolton's documents, noted that failure to disclose such information on security clearance forms, or "knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact is a felony, which may result in fines and/or up to five years imprisonment."

Butina, who was arrested in July, has been charged with conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of the Russian government. She is accused of attempting to arrange introductions with Americans, including the gun rights organization, as part of an effort to the Russian Federation's agenda's to influence U.S. politics, according to reports.
SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Ward 6 Democratic Committee is hosting a candidates' forum on Thursday at Forest Park Middle School for candidates vying for state and federal office affecting that ward.

Democratic candidates for Congress, State Senate, State Representative and Register of Deeds are invited to the forum, being held in advance of the Sept. 4 Democratic Primary.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the forum is scheduled to occur from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The middle school is at 46 Oakland St.

Candidates will be able to meet with residents before speaking about their platforms and, time permitting, taking audience questions.

Representatives of State Ballot questions are also invited to speak. Statewide candidates and local candidate who do not face a contested race until November are welcome to attend and interact with voters one-on-one, the committee said.

"It's a great opportunity for the community to meet all the candidates for these important local races before the primary." Victor Davila, a Committee member and one the event's organizers said. "Springfield is amid a renaissance and we need to make sure our leaders are up to the task this new chapter in our city's history presents."

The races this event covers include Massachusetts 1st Congressional district, Hampden Senate, 10th Hampden House District, and Hampden Register of Deeds.



Ward 6 covers the Forest Park neighborhood and part of the East Forest Park neighborhood along the East Longmeadow border.
Automated Hospital Beds Market  Overview

The global automated hospital beds market is growing at a steady pace and is expected to reach USD 2,553.4 million by 2023 from USD 1,590.1 million in 2016 at a CAGR of 5.97% during the assessment period 2018-2023. Rising number of various acute and chronic illness, rising geriatric population, increasing obese population, developing design and technology of the hospital beds for the betterment and comfort of the patients, and increasing healthcare expenditure drive the growth of the market.

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in some cases, patients experience difficulty getting in and out of beds where automated hospital beds play major role in solving this problem. Automated hospital beds allow patients to sit and get out of the bed in a position with comfort. Additionally, they are extremely beneficial for the doctors and nurses while performing critical procedures and treatment to the patients. On the other hand, high cost of automated hospital beds may hamper the growth of the market over the forecast period.

Top Players:

ArjoHuntleigh

Gendron

Hill-Rom

Invacare Corporation

Linet spol. s r.o.

Medline Industries

Paramount Bed Holdings Co.

Ltd., and Stryker.

Regional Analysis:

The global automated hospital beds market consists of four regions: Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.

The Europe dominates the global market owing to the presence of huge patient population, increasing technological development, and huge healthcare expenditure. Additionally, continuous technological development and the growing presence of the global market leaders contribute to the market growth.

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The Americas accounts for the second largest market due to strong economic conditions and rising investment in research and development. Moreover, increasing investments in reputed research centers and government institutions is expected to fuel the growth of this market. Additionally, significant investments by hospitals to upgrade their equipment including beds is likely to increase the growth of the market. According to WHO, the North American population is projected to grow by 42% from 2000 to 2050, which is likely to increase the demand for the healthcare product.

Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market due increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, growing government encouragement in healthcare sector, and increasing working population in healthcare industry will boost the market growth over the review period. Furthermore, increasing population, increasing number of life-threatening diseases, rising number of elderly people, and increasing healthcare expenditure resulting in growing number of hospitals likely to boost the demand for the automated hospital beds.

However, due to limited access to the healthcare resources, lack of technological development in healthcare facilities, and insufficient government encouragement in healthcare sector, the Middle East & Africa will hold less market share.

Market Segmentation:

The global automated hospital beds market is segmented on the basis of type, which include semi-automatic hospital beds and fully automatic hospital beds.

On the basis of technology, it is segmented into basic-automated hospital beds and smart automated hospital beds.

On the basis of type of treatment, it is segmented into critical care, acute care, and long term care.

On the basis of usage, it is segmented into general purpose, intensive care, delivery/birthing, pediatric, bariatric, pressure relief, psychiatric care, and others.

On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, reproductive care centers, dentistry, and home users, and others

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Laser Therapy Market  Scenario:

The Global Laser Therapy Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 9.2% During The Forecast Period. Laser therapy is a non-invasive medical treatment that uses light of a specific wavelength to treat multiple diseases. Laser therapy is most commonly used to remove tumors or precancerous growths, remove kidney stones, repair a detached retina, treat hair loss, and various cancers. Laser treatment is also used to seal nerve endings after surgery, lymph vessels to reduce swelling, and blood vessels to help prevent blood loss. Lasers have become an essential part of the ophthalmology.

In laser-based ophthalmology, a beam of light reshapes the cornea, thereby improves the corneal focusing. It can also be used to create a channel to relieve the intraocular pressure of glaucoma or cauterize tiny hemorrhages. Commonly used lasers in ophthalmology are Nd: YAG LASER, excimer LASER, femtosecond LASER, and others. Increasing prevalence of the diseases like cataract and arthritis is the major driver for the market growth. According to the National Eye Institute, the number of people in the U.S. with cataract is expected to double from 24.4 million in 2010 to 50 million by 2050. Moreover, in 2015, National Eye Institute stated that more than half of the Americans suffer from a cataract related problems in their life span. Moreover, growing demand for aesthetics and rising geriatric population followed by increasing demand for non-invasive procedures will boost the market growth. However, high procedural cost will restrain the market growth during the forecast period.

Top Players:

Angiodynamics

Biolase

Valeant

IRIDEX

Cutera and others.

Regional Analysis:

The Americas dominate the global laser therapy market owing to a large patient population, strong government support for research & development, high healthcare spending, and growing geriatric population. In 2015, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. the total healthcare expenditure accounted for 17.8% of the total gross domestic product (GDP), which accounted for USD 3.2 trillion.

Europe is the second leading region in the global laser therapy market, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for laser therapy. According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People in 2016, the number of people living with sight loss are expected to reach 2.7 million by 2030 due to possible cases of refractive error, cataract, glaucoma, and others.

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The presence of a huge patient population and continuously developing economies like India and China boosts the market growth within the region. Moreover, growing geriatric population within the region fuels the market growth. According to a study conducted by International Journal of Advanced Medical and Health Research in 2015, in India, the prevalence of blindness was 1.1%, the principal cause being cataract, affecting over 9 million people accounting for 62.6%.

The Middle East and Africa contribute the least to the growth of the global laser therapy market. The Middle East dominates the market in this region due to the presence of developed economies like Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and others within the region. Whereas, Africa holds the least share of the global market due to the limited availability of medical facilities, poor economic condition and stringent government policies.

Laser Therapy Market  Segments:

The global laser therapy market is segmented on the basis of type and application.

On the basis of type, the market is segmented into diode lasers, solid state lasers, gas lasers, dye lasers, and others.

On the basis of application, the market is segmented into dermatology and aesthetics, surgery, dental, and others. The surgery segment is further segmented into urology, ophthalmology, and others.

Major TOC of Laser Therapy Market Research Report  Global Forecast till 2023:

1 Report Prologue

2 Market Introduction

3 Research Methodology

4 Market Dynamics

5 Market Factor Analysis

6 Global Laser Therapy Market, By Type

7 Global Laser Therapy Market, By Application8 Global Laser Therapy Market, by Region

9 Competitive Landscape

10 Company Profiles

11 Appendix

12 Conclusion

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he Office of the President (OP) will no longer move its domicile address to Orapa House subsequent to the completion of renovations, which were initially meant to transform the building for use by the top office address in the country.

BG News can reveal that although the tender will be awarded in two weeks, the Directorate of Intelligence Security Services (DISS) vetted the short listed companies and will supervise the renovations of the building as it is a high risk security area.

In 2014 Parliament agreed to release an amount of P292, 598 million following a proposal from the Office of the President.

BG News has it on good authority that the top two in the presidency, including the office of the Vice president and their immediate staff will remain housed at the current building, whilst all other ministries and departments which fall under the presidency will relocate.

This however will take time as Gaborones iconic building is still undergoing make up.

Speaking to BG News and confirming the above, the newly appointed Government Spokesperson, John- Thomas Dipowe said the tenders for the refurbishment will be awarded in a fortnights time and the project will be under the supervision of the DISS because of its security features.

The presidency could have long moved to Orapa House if government had its way. Twice the proposal was brought before Parliament and rejected on both occasions. It remains a mystery how Parliament which was initially reluctant to commit on the deal approved the P293 million deal in 2014.

BG News has been reliably informed that De Beers had previously offered Orapa House to government at a negotiated cost of P79 million, which escalated slightly to a little over P88 million as a result of inclusion of VAT.

But legislators were reluctant to approve the acquisition on two occasions arguing that the deal was not justifiable considering a tighter squeeze on the budget during the National Development Plan 10.

Legislators also argued strongly that Gaborone has an oversupply of office accommodation and that there was no urgency in acquiring the building as it ccould be budgeted for in the following financial year.

An initial snap evaluation placed the value of Orapa House at P76 million but a comprehensive valuation undertaken in late October 2012 estimated its market value at P74 million.
The factors that drive this market include an emphasis on prevention of diseases, growing government funding for vaccination programs, increasing awareness about vaccination, improving healthcare infrastructure and increasing prevalence of infectious diseases. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that not only lungs but various parts of the body. Therefore, the vaccination to prevent TB is as crucial as its treatment. The vaccines can trigger a potent immune response against TB. Currently, the only effective tuberculosis vaccine is Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG).

The Global Tuberculosis Vaccine Treatment Industry has been segmented on the basis of end-users, type of TB test, type of TB vaccine and lastly, region. Highlighting the end-users, the market has been segmented into hospitals, private clinics, research institutions and others. By the type of TB tests, the market has been segmented into Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs), TB blood tests, tuberculin skin test (TST) and others. Based on the type of Tb vaccines, it is segmented into booster vaccines, immunotherapeutic vaccines and others.

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The regional segmentation of the global tuberculosis vaccine treatment market has been segmented on the basis of The Americas (North America & South America), Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The Americas hold the highest share of the global market. Due to the availability of most advanced medical facilities and highest technological development, North America is a greater market than South America. Major market players are also based in North America. In the North America market, a major chunk of revenue comes from the United States of America (USA) and Canada.

Europe is the second biggest market for the TB vaccines not only due to government funds for research but also because of the increase in research and development activities by research institutions & pharmaceutical companies. Due to reasons same as the Americas, Western Europe market is bigger than the Eastern Europe market. In this region, the most important country based markets include France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (UK), followed by the rest of Western Europe.

The Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as the fastest growing market during the forecast period with China and India taking the lead in this region due to medical facilities improving in this region with growing urbanization and steady technological advancement that is giving rise to medical tourism in the Asia Pacific region. The other important markets in this region are Australia, Japan and South Korea, followed by the rest of the Asia Pacific region.

The MEA region holds least market share due to ignorance of diseases, lack of education, less infrastructure development, limited growth in the healthcare sector, limited screening, political instability and poor access to treatment. The most important country based markets in this region are Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), followed by the rest of the MEA region.

Key Players

The key players in the global tuberculosis vaccine treatment market include Bavarian Nordic(USA), GlaxoSmithKline plc (UK), GreenSignal BioPharma Limited (India), IDT Biologics GmbH (Germany), Informa plc.(USA), Merck & Co., Inc.(the USA), Sanofi Pasteur SA (France), Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (India), Solvay(USA) and Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited (India).

Latest Industry News

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indias apex body for biomedical research has sent proposals for clinical trials of two new TB vaccines namely VPM1002 and M Indicus Pranii (MIP), to various civic health officials. VPM1002 is the joint effort between the Germanys Max Planck Institute and Serum Institute of India. MIP is a collaboration between the Indian department of biotechnology and Cadilla Pharmaceuticals. 25 MAR 2018

The World Health Organization (WHO), has invited pharmaceutical companies around the world to submit proposals to manufacture affordable versions of newer medicines for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. 9 MAR 2018

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PepsiCo is buying SodaStream, the Tel Aviv-based maker of kits that allow users to make sparkling flavored water at home using CO2 cylinders, for $3.2 billion in an all-cash deal announced this morning.

The deal gives PepsiCo a new line through which it can reach customers in their homes, rather than through stores. It comes as U.S. grocers are in a state of transformation, with 70% of shoppers expected to buy groceries online by 2025, according to Food Marketing Institute and Nielsen. Meantime, retailers are squeezing brands on price and giving increasing shelf-space to upstart and private label brands, write CNBCs Sara Eisen and Lauren Hirsch.

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SodaStream manufactures a device that can carbonate drinks, including water, at home. The company also sells a number of flavors and syrups. Its emphasis has been to promote healthier drinks, which  can be controlled for sugar and other additives, Himanshu Goenka explains for International Business Times.

Under outgoing chief executive Indra Nooyi, Pepsi has expanded far beyond its cola roots, into hummus, kombucha and other healthier products, although results have been mixed. The company has set a target for sales growth of nutritious products to outpace the rest of the portfolio by 2025, writes Sa abira Chaudhuri for the Wall Street Journal. Pepsi sells the Aquafina water brand in the U.S. and earlier this year launched a new brand of sparkling water called Bubly.

The $144 per share offer is a 32% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average share price of SodaStream, which earlier this month reported what it said was its most successful quarter ever and its ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth, Beth Kowitt writes for Fortune.

The deal is expected to close by January 2019, pending approval by regulators and SodaStream shareholders. SodaStream will be run as an independent division, and its current management team will remain intact -- a setup both parties said was essential in order for the Israeli company to maintain its entrepreneurial culture, Kowitt adds.

SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaums career in business starts with an MBA from Harvard and a BA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. These qualifications, along with savvy style and intense networking skill, helped him get a job with Pillsbury. In 1995, he established Pillsbury Israel and became its CEO, Julie Bell writes for Soda Sherpa.

In 1999 he moved on to Nike Israel. He helped Nike establish its brand in Israel and become one of the most popular sporting goods brands there. He truly loved the company, but a great opportunity presented itself and in 2007 he decided to take on the challenge of resurrecting SodaStreams popularity, accepting a position as CEO of SodaStream, Bell continues.

Daniel and his leadership team have built an extraordinary company that is offering consumers the ability to make great-tasting beverages while reducing the amount of waste generated. That focus is well-aligned with Performance with Purpose, our philosophy of making more nutritious products while limiting our environmental footprint, PepsiCos Nooyi states in the release announcing the deal.

Although SodaStream has gathered much momentum under Birnbaums leadership -- even as sales of sugary bottled-and-canned sodas continue to fizzle -- it has a long history as a lesser player in the soda wars.

Sodastream was originally founded in the U.K. in 1903 and went through various changes of ownership until it became a subsidiary of Cadbury Schweppes in 1985. In 1998, it was bought by Israeli firm Soda-Club, with its U.K. manufacturing plant in Peterborough closing in 2003, the BBC reports.

In early years it was marketed to Britains upper class, and was reportedly a favorite of the royal household. But home carbonation of tap water eventually took off and the companys heyday came in the 1970s and 1980s, reaching 10 million U.K. homes, alongside a marketing catch phrase Get Busy With the Fizzy, the WSJs Chaudhuri writes.

Indeed, this :30 spot from the 80s suggests that the product had moved considerably down-market.

It has weathered some controversy in Israel in recent years.

SodaStream had formerly been based in the West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim, and found itself a major target of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, writes Eran Azran for Haaretz.

In 2016, bowing to the political pressure, the company moved its headquarters to Tel Aviv and its manufacturing operations to an industrial park by the Bedouin town of Rahat in southern Israel. It had to part ways with hundreds of Palestinian employees who lived in the West Bank and could not obtain permits to work in Israel, but wound up hiring hundreds of new employees, including from Rahat itself.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 20, 2018

Siding with Twitter, an appellate court has halted white nationalist Jared Taylor's lawsuit alleging he was wrongly banned from the service.

In a decision issued Friday, California's First Appellate District said the Communications Decency Act protects Twitter from liability for decisions about what content to allow on the service.

The appellate court stayed Taylor's lawsuit and sent the matter back to Judge Harold Kahn in San Francisco with instructions to either dismiss Taylor's complaint, or to defend a decision allowing the case to proceed. But the appellate judges made clear that they believe the case should be dismissed outright, writing that Kahn appears to have "erred" in refusing to throw out the case.

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The ruling marks the latest turn in a lawsuit filed by Taylor, who alleges he was wrongly discriminated against by Twitter, based on his political views.

Last December, soon after Twitter announced a crackdown on "violent extremist groups," the company permanently suspended Taylor and his publication, American Renaissance. Two months later, Taylor sued Twitter over the bans. He claimed that the account suspensions violated several California laws, including one dealing with unfair business practices.

Twitter asked Kahn to dismiss the case at an early stage under California's anti-SLAPP (strategic litigation against public participation) law, which aims to protect free speech about matters of public importance. Twitter argued that its First Amendment right to decide what content to allow on its platform was threatened by the lawsuit  and that the company has the right to suspend accounts at any time.

During a hearing in June, hearing, Kahn questioned Twitter's lawyer about whether that position was consistent with prior statements by executives who had previously called the company the "free speech wing of the free speech party."

Twitter's position that it can suspend accounts at will may be "unconscionable," or too unfair to be enforceable, added Kahn.

Kahn said during the hearing that he planned to reject Twitter's bid to dismiss the matter. He later issued a formal order allowing the matter to proceed.

Two weeks ago, Twitter asked an appellate court to review Kahn's decision and to stay all proceedings pending appeal. On Friday, the appellate court took the unusual step of granting Twitter's request without first hearing from Taylor.

Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman, who first reported on the appellate court's ruling, calls the decision a "powerful win" for Twitter.

He adds the lawsuit, like others brought by people who say they were wrongly shut out of social media platforms -- has "high stakes" for social media platforms and their users.

"The plaintiffs seek to eliminate Twitters discretion to shut down purveyors of anti-social content, and other trolls, on its site," he writes. "If Twitter and other social-media providers are defenseless against the trolls, their services will become unusable overnight. So this lawsuit and related suits are existential battles for the social-media defendants and all of us who currently enjoy those services."

Earlier this year, a different judge -- Kimberly Gaab in Fresno County -- threw out a lawsuit against Twitter by right-wing activist Charles Johnson, who was banned from the service in 2015. Gaab said in a "tentative ruling" that Twitter has the right to decide what speech to allow on its platform.
by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, August 20, 2018

Sitting in the darkened theater, even before the first images appeared on the screen, I was thinking about Spike Lee.

Hes spent a career making films that try to bridge worlds. He is, on one hand perhaps the best-known black director in American cinema. But at the same time, his films work hard to speak to a wider audience.

So going to see BlacKkKlansman, I was feeling a bit defensive. Given the rising tide of racism and violence in America today, I steeled myself for a film that would be angry. Would Lee place blame? Would he blame me?

But as the film unspooled, I was surprised, again and again, as the now-61-year-old director took me on a journey.

Based on the true story of the black detective who infiltrated the KKK, Lee's BlackKklansman is a comedy -- until its not. Its a history lesson. It is a sharply focused character criticism, and its prophetic warning. It is in turns honest, engaging, and gently but profoundly disturbing.

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Its the mature work of a director whose filmography, from Joes Bed-Stuy Barbershop in 1983 to Shes Gotta Have it in86, to Do The Right Thing in 89, is an extraordinary chronicle of Americas black experience.

The theater was dark, and the audience was mostly white, but Lee loomed large both on-screen and off.

Then the lights came up, and Lee walked to the front. He had been in the theater, which I didnt know but had somehow felt. The Producers Guild-sponsored screening had promised Lees attendance on the invite, but somehow I hadnt remembered hed be there.

I tensed slightly, expecting a Q&A session that would explode in anger about Trump, and the status of Afro-Americans in the United States.

But Lee was a surprise -- thoughtful and focused. He had plenty of issues with Trump to be sure, but in many ways, the film was about David Duke, the KKKs issues with Jews, and with Americas deep racism, now brought to the surface.

A lot has changed since 1989, the year of Do The Right Thing. But as audiences will certainly understand, a lot has not changed. Radio Raheem is updated as Ron Stallworth, a black police officer who sets out to change things from the inside, rather than being an outside protester.

And Lee had mellowed somewhat. He told The Atlantic, You cant let anger rule your life. Its just not productive.

And yet, BlacKkKlansman comes at a time when the issues he's been addressing his entire career are now front-page news.

Lee draws direct lines from David Duke to Trump. You may not know it, but Dukes followers were chanting America First! as a KKK slogan long before Donald Trump began to use the phrase.

BlackKklansmans origin as a real story blurs the line between fiction and nonfiction in ways that make conclusions hard to ignore. In one powerful scene, Harry Belafonte tells the real-life story of Jesse Washington, a mentally impaired black farmhand who in 1916 was mutilated, burned, and lynched after being convicted of raping and murdering a white woman in Waco, Texas.

Belafontes account is painful. As Lee explained, that scene was shot on the very last day of filming, giving Belafonte time to see if he was up to the effort.

Lee likes taking things head-on. "Yeah, we dont try to be that subtle! he told The Guardian. Why pussyfoot around? Lets get to the point!

And the point that Lee is trying to make is hard to disagree with: America is a country divided, even as David Duke sides with Donald Trump and Trump tiptoes around the growing rage that he's fostering.

Can a film motivate social action? Clearly, Spike Lee hopes it can.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 20, 2018

Google employees protested Project Maven, a Pentagon project that required Google to help improve drone strikes, which prompted the company to rethink the government contract.

The anonymous community platform Blind wanted to explore whether, if so many employees objected to a project that raised concerns regarding human rights and ethics, they would also object to collaboration with China.

Blind aims to help people find relevant information and advice from verified colleagues in their field, anonymously. Users are grouped by company and industry in an effort to provide honest feedback from users.

Recently The New York Times ran an article about Google employees signing a letter that demanded greater transparency to understand the consequences of their work. So Blind reached out to tech workers on its platform to understand how they feel about the speculation around Google, China, and Dragonfly.

Participants in the survey were asked to answer either yes or no. The survey ran from August 7, through August 15, 2018, and about 7,369 Blind users responded.

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Those in tech who participated included 42,000 Microsoft employees, and there were 27,000 from Amazon, 10,000 from Google, 7,500 from Uber, and 7,000 from Facebook, among others.

Of the 7,369 respondents, 64.27% do not think Google should provide a censored search engine, but 35.73% said that Google should do so.

The results were flipped when looking at the responses of only Google employees. Of the 472 Google employees who responded, 65.25% were in favor of a censored search engine, whereas 34.75% were against it.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 20, 2018

Google was hit with a new privacy lawsuit over a report that the company tracks smartphone users' locations -- even if they tell the company not to do so.

"Google expressly represented to users of its operating system and apps that the activation of certain settings will prevent the tracking of users geolocations. This representation was false," San Diego resident Napoleon Patacsil alleges in a class-action complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. "Despite users attempts to protect their location privacy, Google collects and stores users location data, thereby invading users reasonable expectations of privacy, counter to Googles own representations about how users can configure Googles products to prevent such egregious privacy violations."

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Patacsil's complaint, which accuses Google of violating California privacy laws, comes several days after The Associated Press reported that the company stores location data gleaned from some services -- including search and maps -- even when people turn off the "Location History" setting. People who want to prevent Google from storing any location data must turn off a separate setting -- "Web and App Activity."

Late last week, Google revised a help page to inform people that turning off Location History doesn't affect other location services, and that some location data may still be saved. But until Thursday the page read: "With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.

"Google represented to users of both its apps and its devices that it would not access -- and would prevent other third-parties from accessing -- an individuals location history if users took certain steps in managing their privacy settings," Patacsil alleges.

He adds that even the newly revised help page does not tell people how to stop all location tracking.

"The new language remains vague, ambiguous, and deceptive," he alleges. "It does not specify what, if anything, is accomplished by turning off Location History; and it does not specify when Google continues to store location history despite the setting being turned off."

Patacsil's lawsuit isn't the only fallout for Google. The advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center contends that the company has violated a 2011 consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission. That order prohibits the company from misrepresenting its privacy practices.

"A user who turned off the 'Location History' setting believed that Google would no longer store their location information," EPIC writes in a letter sent to the FTC Friday. "And Googles subsequent changes to its policy, after it has already obtained location data on Internet users, fails to comply with the 2011 order. The company cannot retroactively 'change the terms of the bargain.'"
Mixing acetaminophen and alcohol is not always safe. But what are the risks, and when is it dangerous? Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol or Tylenol, is a drug that people use to treat mild-to-moderate pain and fever. In combination with alcohol, acetaminophen can cause side effects or severely damage the liver. This can also be the case when people who drink alcohol regularly take too much of this medication. In this article, we outline the side effects and risks of taking acetaminophen and alcohol together and give tips on how to stay safe.

Is it safe to drink alcohol while taking acetaminophen? Share on Pinterest Mixing high doses of acetaminophen and alcohol together can lead to liver damage. The liver is responsible for breaking down acetaminophen and alcohol, and studies have linked both of these substances to liver damage. For this reason, many people believe that drinking alcohol while taking acetaminophen is dangerous. According to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, it is usually safe to drink a small amount of alcohol while taking this pain reliever. However, when people take acetaminophen at high doses or together with alcohol, it can cause side effects ranging from minor to severe, with the possibility of fatal liver damage. This risk may be higher for people with alcohol use disorder (AUD), which was previously known as alcoholism. Possible side effects of taking acetaminophen and alcohol together include : stomach upset

bleeding and ulcers

liver damage

a rapid heartbeat According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, taking acetaminophen can be dangerous for people who regularly drink alcohol. Manufacturers currently recommend that people who have more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day should ask their doctor before taking acetaminophen.

Why is it dangerous? Acetaminophen by itself can cause toxic damage to the liver, which is called acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. This toxicity is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. Around 30,000 patients are hospitalized each year in the U.S. to undergo treatment for this condition. The liver damage results from the way in which the body breaks down acetaminophen. When a person takes acetaminophen, liver enzymes break down most of the drug. The body then excretes it either in the urine, via the kidneys, or the bile. The digestion process turns around 510 percent of the acetaminophen into a toxin called NAPQI. The liver produces an antioxidant called glutathione, which it holds in limited supply, to remove this toxin. When the body receives more than the recommended dose of acetaminophen, the liver is overwhelmed with more NAPQI toxin than it can break down, which is why an overdose of acetaminophen is dangerous. Alcohol also includes toxins that the liver must break down, so people combining it with acetaminophen have an increased risk of liver damage.

AUD and acetaminophen overdose A 2016 review highlights that the risk of acetaminophen-induced liver damage is higher for individuals who have AUD and also overdose on acetaminophen. However, there is no scientific evidence that people with AUD who take the recommended dose of acetaminophen increase their risk of liver damage.

Reducing the risk of liver damage Share on Pinterest When taking other medications, a person should check to see if they contain acetaminophen. Damage to the liver can impair its ability to carry out vital functions. Not only does this organ filter out toxins from the blood, but it assists with blood clotting and plays an essential role in food digestion. Around half of all acetaminophen overdoses are unintentional. They mainly occur when people take acetaminophen alongside certain opioid drugs in an attempt to relieve pain. People can reduce their risk of liver damage by taking the following precautions: taking no more than the maximum daily dose of 3,000 mg of acetaminophen for adults

checking other medications to see if they contain acetaminophen

taking only one acetaminophen-containing product at a time

taking acetaminophen for no more than 10 consecutive days for pain, or 3 days in succession for fever

drinking no more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day while taking acetaminophen

Symptoms of liver damage Around 17 percent of people who unintentionally overdose on acetaminophen each year will get liver damage. The symptoms of liver damage include: jaundice, which causes yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes

pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, or below the ribcage

swelling of the abdomen

nausea and vomiting

excessive sweating

appetite loss

tiredness

confusion

unusual bruising or bleeding of the skin

Alternatives to acetaminophen Share on Pinterest NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, are a suitable alternative to acetaminophen. Popular alternatives to acetaminophen include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and aspirin. People can safely take acetaminophen and NSAIDs at the same time. NSAIDs work slightly differently to acetaminophen as they not only relieve pain but also have anti-inflammatory effects. Taking NSAIDs along with alcohol is usually fine, although side effects can include an upset stomach. Aspirin and alcohol may cause bleeding. A 2013 review found that proper use of acetaminophen carries less risk of liver and kidney diseases than the NSAIDs ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.
Researchers have used maple leaf extract to create a skincare product that may soon prevent wrinkles in the same way that Botox does  but without injections.

Share on Pinterest Maple leaves may hold the key to anti-aging skincare products.

New research that was presented at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society suggested that maple leaf extract could be used to prevent wrinkles.

Prof. Navindra P. Seeram, of the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, is the senior investigator of the study.

Prof. Seeram and colleagues decided to study the therapeutic properties of maple leaves. Native Americans used leaves from red maple trees in their traditional system of medicine, he explains, so why should we ignore the leaves?

Rigorous scientific studies have backed the health benefits of products derived from maple trees. Three years ago at the 253rd annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, one symposium called Chemistry and Biological Effects of Maple Food Products rounded up the latest research on maples effect on chronic inflammation.

Maple food products, researchers suggested, could relieve conditions such as metabolic syndrome and liver disease, as well as benefit brain health and help maintain a healthy gut. Also, maple tree products were found to contain as many as 65 beneficial antioxidants.

Now, the research carried out by Prof. Seeram and colleagues  presented this year by Hang Ma, a research associate in Prof. Seerams laboratory  delves into the dermatological benefits of maple leaf extract.
The devastation left in the wake of the deadly Kerala floods is unprecedented, but people across the nation and the world are coming together, proving that humanity has the power to overcome calamities.

From relentless rescue missions to donations in cash and kind, aid is pouring in and our nation has joined hands in this battle of saving lives and providing relief to crores of people.

Now, the Gulf nations have also extended their help and are doing their bit by announcing their contribution for the flood-hit state.

The Ruler of Dubai and the Vice President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted and urged people in the UAE to contribute towards the relief.

UAE and the Indian community will unite to offer relief to those affected. We have formed a committee to start immediately. We urge everyone to contribute generously towards this initiative. pic.twitter.com/7a4bHadWqa  HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) August 17, 2018

UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Ali Nahyan announced a committee that was formed to consolidate funds for the cause.

Full page advertisement in Gulf News & Khaleej Times by the govt of UAE calling upon all individuals and businesses in UAE to be part of the relief effort for those affected by #KeralaFlood pic.twitter.com/GZrH57IDxI  SamSays (@samjawed65) August 19, 2018

Three Indian-origin businessmen in UAE came together and made a contribution of approximately 12 crore rupees towards the relief fund. Yusuff Ali MA, who is the chairman and managing director of the Lulu Group, announced a  50 million donation. K.P. Hussain, who is the chairman of Fathima Healthcare Group, has donated  50 million as well.

After this wonderful initiative, Qatar came forward as well to extend its support for India and declared a donation of $ 5 million.

A lot of relief material was transported from Qatar to India using their national carrier.

#QatarAirwaysCargo offers relief to flood-hit Kerala by transporting donations from Doha this Eid al-Adha. #Movedbypeople pic.twitter.com/x5u3MAJzKH  Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) August 19, 2018

The floods may have receded at the moment, but the real challenge begins now, as many survivors are facing the hearculean ordeal of having to rebuild their lives from scratch and they need all the help they can get.
The power of social media is insane, as it is capable of doing everything and anything beyond your imagination. You can find your life partner on a dating site and some people even marry on Skype.

So, when 25-year-old Nilesh Khedekar decided to apologise to his girlfriend Shivde, he thought of going old school and tried being unique. The man posted around 300 banners across Pune city saying 'I'm Sorry' hoping for forgiveness.

However, instead of being forgiven, the poor guy got arrested and is now liable to pay a fine of 72,000 Rupees.

 Twitter

People on Twitter are obviously finding this hilarious.

Entire World :- Kiki, Do you love me ?



Pune :- Shivde, i am Sorry <3  adida_in (@adida_in) August 18, 2018

Some are even offended!

THERE IS NO DEARTH OF MORONS IN INDIA,

   .

This bloody loser Lover put "I am sorry Banner" for her girlfriend in Pune at every 300 meter distance.NOTHING WRONG IN IT BUT HE DID IT WITHOUT ANY PERMISSION AND WITHOUT PAYING ANY SINGLE DIMEhttps://t.co/SCZzpzP47b  The Lieberand (@Thelullz) August 19, 2018

His intentions might be good behind this gesture, but seems like Shivde is in no mood to forgive!
With the death toll on a constant rise, thousands of houses destroyed, lakhs of people left homeless and seeking shelter in relief camps and scores missing; the situation in the wake of the deadly Kerala floods is only turning nightmarish with each passing day.

Reuters

Amid this crisis, we can't stop ourselves from saluting the Indian Navy, the NDRF and the local police for tirelessly working day and night to rescue the people stuck in deep waters.

Thanks to the regular updates by the Indian Navy, we can witness the bravery and the courage with which their personnel are carrying out the rescue missions, and the risks they are taking to ensure people's safety.

A few days ago, we saw how Naval rescue chopper pilot Cdr Vijay Varma and his men rescued a pregnant woman (whose water bag broke) from the rooftop of her house near Aluva. In another daring mission an 80-year-old woman was airlifted from a narrow rooftop.

A pregnant lady with water bag leaking has been airlifted and evacuated to Sanjivani. Doctor was lowered to assess the lady. Operation successful #OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #KeralaFloods2018 pic.twitter.com/bycGXEBV8q  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 17, 2018

The young lady and her new born son both are doing fine. God Bless them pic.twitter.com/ysrh1DVUx6  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 17, 2018

While the social media is filled with thank you messages for the Indian Navy, there's one gesture, in particular, that has caught people's attention and it is probably one of the most heartwarming gestures we have seen so far.

To express their gratitude to the Indian Navy, someone painted a giant 'Thanks' on the rooftop, from where Cdr Varma rescued two women on August 17. The official Twitter account of Indian Navy posted these pictures.

#OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #KeralaFloods2018 A Thank You note painted on the roof of a house where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma rescued two women. Bravo... pic.twitter.com/xsaD1RfeIk  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 20, 2018

According to some reports, it's the same rooftop from where the pregnant woman was rescued and airlifted to a hospital.

Meanwhile, people from across the country are coming together to help the flood victims in every possible way, be it by setting up relief camps, donating money and by providing necessary relief materials like ration, biscuits, medicines, milk, water and other necessary toiletries.
Yes, Netflix has confirmed that it is testing showing ads for its original content. It is currently experimenting with making users watch advertisements in between episodes of certain shows.

The company confirmed to tech-website ARS Technica on Friday that it is testing promos for its original shows and movies in between TV episodes while users are binge-watching.

A number of Netflix subscribers were quick to complain on social media, with many taking to the Netflix Reddit community to find out if others were experiencing the same thing.

 Reuters

"We are testing whether surfacing recommendations between episodes helps members discover stories they will enjoy faster," Netflix (NFLX) explained in a statement.

The company has reiterated that videos are not ads or commercials, but personalized recommendations for other shows and movies that appear on Netflix. Even so, having to manually skip the promos is not sitting well for some users.

 MensXP

One particular thing that people love about Netflix is the ad-free experience. When compared to television, not only can the user stream content on demand, but also don't have to waste an average of 20 minutes of watching commercials in an hour-long episode.

The platform also gives you the option to skip credits or intro of any show with just a click.

Netflix hasn't confirmed how long this testing period would last, or whether these ads will be becoming a permanent thing. The ads would be exclusively for Netflix original content and not shows or movies licensed from other networks, a Netflix spokesperson said.

 MensXP

That being said, 'Better Call Saul' originally aired on AMC and is not a Netflix original, so it appears that Netflix is still sorting out this new system.

Many users aren't happy with this change and a Reddit thread about the same has been trending. Many users are also threatening to cancel their subscriptions if the change is actually brought permanently.

Keep in mind, this is just a test Netflix is conducting to see whether users relate with the given suggestions and can the company make the user see more of its shows.

If users click on the ads or start consuming content based on them, then it is likely that Netflix will see the test as a success and roll it out to more users.

Source: ARSTechnica
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Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's party may be wracked by defections and his battles against corruption and an Islamist rebellion under fire, but he has one crucial advantage in securing re-election: incumbency.

The 75-year-old leader is going to need all the tools available to repeat his 2015 victory -- the first time an opposition party won power at the ballot box in Africa's biggest oil producer. At his disposal, analysts say, is a record with some policy successes, as well as the state power to reward or punish.

Buhari "seems prepared to deploy the institutions of state to his advantage," said Clement Nwankwo, executive director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre in the capital, Abuja. "It's kind of a plan to beat people into line."

Buhari -- who was briefly Nigeria's military ruler in the 1980s -- will be fighting against perceptions the country hasn't gotten any safer nor less corrupt during his tenure. A promise to shatter Boko Haram's northern Islamist insurgency may have been partly fulfilled, but inter-communal violence has replaced it as Nigeria's deadliest threat. Nigeria's corruption perception ranking soared this year despite a much-touted war on graft.

Ahead of elections in February, Buhari is benefiting from a recovering economy with rising crude prices after a 2016 recession triggered by the sharp fall in the price of the commodity that is the country's main export. Foreign-exchange reforms by the government have helped to stabilize the naira.

"Oil output has been fairly steady and prices are better than anticipated," said Antony Goldman, West Africa analyst at London-based PM Consulting. "Economic fundamentals are better than when Buhari was elected."

When the head of the Senate, Bukola Saraki -- Nigeria's third-most powerful politician -- joined more than 50 APC members in leaving for the opposition People's Democratic Party over the past month, the reaction was swift. First his home was blockaded; days later security officers barred entry to the legislature itself. It's an exodus that Buhari needs stemmed if he's to keep afloat a party with a campaign machine spanning Africa's most populous nation of almost 200 million people.

The PDP said the move was an attempt to smuggle in Buhari loyalists and remove Saraki, who'd adjourned sittings until late September. Amid public outrage, the government and APC condemned the deployment as unconstitutional and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who's acting head of state while Buhari's overseas, dismissed the state security chief.

"It was a crucial act of damage control by the acting president," said Nwankwo.

Saraki said he's considering challenging for Buhari's job in the coming vote as the candidate of the PDP because the country needs a business-friendly leadership that is currently lacking.

Buhari's war on corruption gives him a way to coerce his opponents, according to Cheta Nwanze, an analyst at Lagos-based business advisory, SBM Intelligence.

Buhari signed an executive order in July empowering him to freeze the bank accounts of those implicated in graft investigations. The opposition says that it will be used to punish defectors, undermines Nigeria's courts and violates the principle of presumption of innocence.

Critics point to the case of Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom. Shortly after he left the ruling party for the PDP, the Buhari-controlled financial crimes agency moved in to freeze Benue state's bank accounts, citing a corruption investigation. Ortom's office has asked why the probe only happened once the governor had left the APC.

Buhari has other elements in his favor. Amaka Anku, an Africa analyst at Washington D.C.-based risk advisers Eurasia Group, pointed to national railway lines and a metro system in the capital completed during his first term.

"Buhari will have concrete achievements to point to on the campaign trail," she said.

The president may also get a boost from the opposition's disunity. Still to name a presidential candidate, the PDP has at least a dozen would-be contenders.

While former President Olusegun Obasanjo -- a powerful voice -- is campaigning against Buhari's re-election, he's also, due to long-standing differences, opposed to the candidacy of his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar. A northerner, like Buhari, who may be able to win support on the incumbent's home turf, Abubakar is widely seen as the only challenger proposing coherent policies.

"Compared to 2015, the president has lost some support, but the challenge for the opposition will be to win that support," Goldman said. "The PDP is still in search of a personality to unite the party."
A San Antonio mother who gave birth at a Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant last month had known her labor and delivery would be out of the ordinary.

Both mom and baby were considered high risk due to health complications. Doctors planned for a packed labor room with all kinds of specialists. Falon Maggie Griffins baby would then be whisked to neonatal intensive care.

But no one could foresee how unusual the procedure would be  in a bathroom stall, the baby delivered by her husband, Robert Griffin, 47, while Chick-fil-A employee Brenda Enriquez served as a go-between with a 911 operator.

This is the best team, Maggie Griffin said Friday at a reunion at the restaurant one month after Gracelyn Mae arrived. I couldnt have had a baby in a better location. I knew what could have gone wrong and it didnt.

Griffin, 36, had two children and didnt plan another pregnancy after being diagnosed with epilepsy years ago. Gracelyn was a surprise. Doctors warned she would be born with Down syndrome and it would be critical to take her into intensive care to measure her lung capacity and check her heart for holes or murmurs. Griffin was at risk for having a seizure during labor.

Her doctor at University Hospital, at a July 17 checkup, estimated the baby wouldnt arrive for another three to seven days. Griffin got a pedicure before going home. That evening she experienced contractions, sometimes 20 minutes apart, other times five minutes. By 9:30 p.m. the couple decided to leave their Spring Branch home and head to the hospital. But first, theyd drop their two older girls off at a friends house.

On the drive from suburban Comal County, Griffin really had to go to the bathroom. Stop anywhere, she told her husband. They called the friend, who met them at the Chick-fil-A off U.S. 281, north of Loop 1604.

It was already closed but employees were inside who let them in when Robert Griffin banged on the door. Maggie Griffin ran for the bathroom.

Two minutes later, Robert Griffin cradled Gracelyn in his shirt. The stall measured less than 2.5 by 5 feet. He had crawled behind her to help as his wife gave birth standing up. Enriquez had called 911.

Maggie Griffin said couldnt hear her baby in Roberts arms behind her.

I didnt know if I had delivered a stillborn, she said but prayed aloud, thanking God when Gracelyn eventually cried. She had to keep standing until medics arrived. The umbilical cord was twice wrapped around Gracelyns neck. Waiting was the worst, because Maggie Griffin could have had a seizure at any minute, her husband said.

Employees raced to get warm towels from the office. As it happened, the office air conditioner was broken and the towels were naturally warm.

There was a quiet moment while the Griffins waited. Robert Griffin told his wife, We just had a baby in a Chick-fil-A, and they laughed. In that moment, he knew theyd be all right.

On Friday, Enriquez, 23, played the security camera footage over and over again for everyone at the reunion. With their healthy Little Nugget in tow, the couple, Roberts parents and their two older daughters  Dakota, 9, and Makayla, 6  celebrated the miracle at Chick-fil-A.

Gracelyns birth certificate, on display at the front entrance, showed nurses had crossed out the hospital where she was born and wrote Chick-fil-A. They also crossed out physician and delivery nurse and replaced both with Dad.

Maggie and Robert Griffin asked Enriquez to be Gracelyns godmother. She tearfully accepted.

And Maggie Griffin refused to go in the bathroom again.

Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva
Britain's 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 trans-Atlantic 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 Navy's 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 America's 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.

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 Elizabeth's 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.

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.

What Will the American-Designed Fighters Provide?

The world's 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.

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 world's 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.

The 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.

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.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth can reach speeds of 25 knots with a range of about 10,000 miles -- but speed and range are 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.

Another American company's 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.

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.

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 Elizabeth's 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.
One U.S. service member was killed and several others injured in the Sunday night crash of what reportedly was a special operations MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while returning from an anti-ISIS mission along the Iraq-Syria border, the Pentagon said Monday.

"There are no indications the crash was caused by hostile fire," said Army Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman.

He said an investigation was underway on the circumstances of the incident.

The name of the deceased service member was withheld until next of kin could be notified.

Several others were injured in the crash and at least three were medically evacuated for further treatment, Manning said. Recovery operations were also underway at the crash site to retrieve the helicopter.

The aircraft had earlier joined "in a partnered counter-terror mission against ISIS in support of Operation Inherent Resolve," Manning said.

He declined to give a location, but U.S. counter-terror teams have been conducting raids along the Iraq-Syria border in and in the Middle Euphrates Valley against remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

"This most recent event is a solemn reminder of the inherent danger of our business and the risks that our personnel are put in daily around the world -- from the battlefield to the ships at sea," Manning said.

A statement issued later by U.S. Central Command said that "All personnel were recovered by coalition forces immediately following the incident, and three were evacuated for further treatment."

"We are conducting recovery operations and are in close communication and coordination with our Iraqi partners. There are no indications the crash was caused by hostile fire. The incident is under investigation," CENTCOM said.

Newsweek reported that the aircraft was an MH-60 Black Hawk with 10 U.S. personnel aboard from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the "Night Stalkers" for their ability to operate at night at high speed and at low altitude.

In March, seven U.S. service members were killed in the crash of an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, another modified version of the Black Hawk , near the border town of Qaim in Iraq's western Anbar province.

The crash reportedly occurred shortly after takeoff, when the HH-60 hit power lines in the area. The incident also was ruled by U.S. officials as an accident, and not the result of hostile fire.

For months, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve has been focusing on efforts to achieve a final and lasting defeat of ISIS following the terror group's ouster from major population centers.

However, ISIS has remained active in the desert areas of the Iraq-Syria border region despite continuing pressure from the Iraqi Security forces and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

Currently, there are about 5,200 U.S. troops in Iraq and about 2,000 in Syria, Manning said.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Still undetermined is whether the impact caused the October leak, or if the line was hit by something else at a later date.
The second-in-command of the Navy's guided-missile destroyer Decatur was fired last week following a loss of confidence in his ability to lead.

Cmdr. Blandino Alvin Villanueva was relieved of his duties as executive officer Aug. 15 by Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3, according to a Navy statement. Villanueva had been executive officer of the Decatur since February.

"The relief is not tied to one specific event," Lt. Andrew DeGarmo, a spokesman for Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, told Military.com.

No additional details about Wettlaufer's decision were immediately available. News of Villanueva's relief was first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Lt. Cmdr. Molly Lawton, a department head serving aboard the Decatur, has assumed temporary duties as executive officer. Villanueva has been temporarily reassigned to the commander's staff at Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Villanueva was commissioned in 1998 after graduating from San Diego State University. He has served as executive officer of the guided-missile destroyer Gridley and in the aviation department for the commander of Naval Surface Forces Pacific.

He has deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, according to his official bio.

Lawton, the Decatur's acting XO, earned her commission in 2003. She previously served as the weapons officer, combat systems officer and senior watch officer aboard the Decatur.

--Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins.
President Donald Trump put the kibosh on a military parade and fly-bys down Pennsylvania Avenue on Veterans Day before he got an official cost estimate from the military, the Pentagon said Monday.

Early estimates for the planned parade put the expected cost at around $12 million, but the Associated Press reported last week that new calculations put the total at $92 million, more than six times the original figure. Within a day, Trump announced the event was off, citing "ridiculously high" prices demanded by local Washington, D.C. politicians to hold the parade Nov. 10 or 11.

However, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters Monday that the Defense Department had never supplied Trump with an official estimate of total parade costs.

"Any figure that was cited was predecisional," Army Col. Rob Manning said. "The planning committee for the parade had not reached a point where they had briefed the senior leadership in the department."

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who scoffed at reports of a $92 million price tag when asked about the matter during a trip to Colombia, was among those who had not been briefed, Manning said.

In addition, he said, "the president was not briefed by any member of the Department of Defense on any costs associated with the parade."

In the case of a "national special security event," such as a military parade in Washington, D.C., the planning would be done by the Joint Force Headquarters for the Capital Region, which reports to U.S. Northern Command, Manning said.

The Joint Force Headquarters had not yet arrived at a cost estimate, and "I cannot tell you why" the president canceled the parade, Manning said. "For anything else beyond that, as far as the president's thought process, I have to refer you to the White House."

On Aug. 17, Trump said in a series of tweets that he was canceling the parade intended as a tribute to the military because of the ballooning costs fueled by the demands of Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser to be reimbursed for providing fire and police protection, as well as traffic and crowd control.

Bowser had earlier complained that tanks in the parade would tear up the streets, and the Pentagon had agreed that only wheeled vehicles would participate.

"The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it," Trump said in a tweet.

Instead of watching a parade on Pennsylvania Avenue on Nov. 11, Trump said he would go to Paris to see the parade down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees to mark the centennial of the end of World War I.

Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said Sunday that other factors were at play in canceling the parade besides the costs, and suggested that Bowser was one of the factors.

"If the parade had been canceled purely for fiscal reasons, I imagine I would have been in the room when that decision was made, and I wasn't," Mulvaney said on "Fox News Sunday."

"I mean, I like the mayor. She seems like a nice lady," Mulvaney said. "But face it, this is a city that voted probably, I don't know, 70, 80 percent against the president."

For her part, Bowser said she was glad to see the cancellation of a parade that had little support in the District and also may not have generated much enthusiasm within the military itself.

"Yup, I'm Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, the local politician who finally got thru to the reality star in the White House with the realities [$21.6M] of parades/events/demonstrations in Trump America (sad)," she said in a defiant tweet.

In his tweets canceling the parade, Trump also said he was planning to go to an event at an unspecified later date honoring the military at Joint Base Andrews, just outside the District in Maryland.

Pentagon officials said the only upcoming event they knew of at Andrews was an air show scheduled for May 10-12 next year.

Manning said the Pentagon was also looking at "opportunities" to hold a parade sometime next year.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- It is not every day where a Reserve airman is re-enlisted by her parent. It's especially rare when that parent was once a prisoner of war.

Master Sgt. Kari Eubanks, 302nd Force Support Squadron, received the oath of enlistment from her father, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier, during her re-enlistment ceremony, Aug. 5.

Mechenbier, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, served 40 years as active-duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Ohio National Guard. He began his Air Force journey as an F-4C Phantom II pilot. In June of 1967 during his 80th mission, he was shot down over North Vietnam, captured and was a prisoner of war for approximately six years.

"I love it. This is the third time now. I say this is my last time but we will see. If not I'll have to ask 'Dad, one more time!" said Eubanks.

Eubanks came to the 302nd Force Support Squadron within the last year. With this enlistment, she hopes to not only share her experiences, but to learn from the airmen as well.

Her father, has not only re-enlisted his daughter over the years, but also several others in his family.

"It's fantastic. It is father pride from ear lobe to ear lobe," said Mechenbier.

After the ceremony, Mechenbier spoke with the attending reservists about his Air Force experiences and left them with a message about unity through selfless motivation.

"There are so many things in this world that seem to be disruptive, 'me first' and inward focused. This is about 'we' and 'us.'"
Two U.S. Air Force generals are being considered to become the military's next top general with the anticipated retirement of Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford next year, according to a new Wall Street Journal report.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen David Goldfein and U.S. Strategic Command's Air Force Gen. John Hyten are among those being considered by the White House to be next chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Journal reported Sunday.

Goldfein, Hyten and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley are also under consideration to become the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Journal said, citing U.S. officials. The position is currently held by Air Force Gen. Paul Selva.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment to Military.com about the reported moves on Monday. A Defense Department spokesman declined to confirm the moves, but noted that the military routinely makes senior command changes.

The reported proposal to elevate Hyten comes at a time when the Defense Department is focused heavily on expanding its space and nuclear enterprise. As the STRATCOM chief, Hyten has emphasized the need for nuclear modernization as well as the growing demand for bulked-up defenses in space as adversaries like Russia and China continue to exhibit hostile behavior in the domain.

Related content:

While Hyten in recent months has not publicly commented on President Donald Trump's proposed Space Force, the general has made clear that space is becoming a more contested arena.

"We have to treat space like a warfighting domain," Hyten recently told audiences at the 2018 Space & Missile Defense Symposium, reiterating previous comments he has made. "It's about speed, about dealing with the adversary," he said, as reported by Space News.

Goldfein has also made efforts to make his service more competitive and collaborative. As Air Force Chief of Staff, Goldfein has stressed the importance of partnerships with allies and joint services, as well as the imperative to develop a more streamlined approach to carry out the military's global operations.

For example, with the Air Force's 'Light Attack' experiment, Goldfein has said the importance of procuring new planes isn't solely about adding new aircraft, but also about developing ways to work with more coalition members to counter extremism in the Middle East.

"Is this a way to get more coalition partners into a network to counter violence?" he told Military.com in an interview last year. "[This] isn't an incentive for us not to lead," he said. "It's the incentive for us to grow ... to have more partners in this fight."

Trump is looking to nominate new leaders across various combatant commands as rotations for current leaders come to an end, Wall Street Journal reported.

Among the reported moves:

Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, Jr., director of the Joint Staff, to command U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East. McKenzie, who was often seen briefing alongside Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White, would replace Army Gen. Joseph Votel.

Army Lt. Gen. Richard Clarke to lead U.S. Special Operations Command. Clarke is currently the director for Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He would replace Army Gen. Tony Thomas in the job, which oversees all special operations in the U.S. Armed Forces. Thomas is anticipated to retire next year.

Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, current U.S. Air Forces Europe-Africa commander, to become the commander of U.S. European Command and NATO supreme allied commander-Europe. Wolters would replace Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, who has overseen the steady buildup of forces on the European continent following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214.
AAFES Warns About Exchange Scams

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is warning military shoppers about scammers offering to broker the sale of used cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and boat engines through the Department of Defense retailer using the name "Exchange Inc.", using the Exchange's trademarked logo and name without permission. The Exchange operates solely on military installations and via ShopMyExchange.com. The Exchange does not act as a broker in private transactions and does not advertise in classified advertisement or resale websites. To verify any suspicious payment method requests, military shoppers can call Exchange Customer Service at 800-527-2345. Shoppers who believe that they may have been taken advantage of can file a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

For more discounts for military members and families, visit the Military.com Discount Center.
Regions containing this locality

Rocky Mountains, North America Mountain Range - 2,037 mineral species & varietal names listed

Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Strunz Dana Chemical Elements

Detailed Mineral List:  'Bitumen' Reference: UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah  'Uintahite' Reference: UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc.  'Bitumen' -  'Uintahite' -

List of minerals arranged by Dana 8th Edition classification Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc.  'Bitumen' -  'Uintahite' -

List of minerals for each chemical element

Regional Geology

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This geological map and associated information on rock units at or nearby to the coordinates given for this locality is based on relatively small scale geological maps provided by various national Geological Surveys. This does not necessarily represent the complete geology at this locality but it gives a background for the region in which it is found.

Click on geological units on the map for more information. Click here to view full-screen map on Macrostrat.org

Duchesne River Formation, undivided Age: Paleogene (23.03 - 66 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Duchesne River Formation Description: Moderate-red, grayish-red and gray sandstone, moderate-red siltstone, pale-red to moderate-red pebble to boulder conglomerate and, in the northeastern exposures of the unit, gray siltstone and claystone. Interfin- gers with upper member of Uinta Formation north of Duchesne and with members of the Duchesne River Formation in the Rock Creek area. Contact with alluvial facies rocks (Ta) at west margin of Uinta Basin near Wadsworth Peak is arbitrary. In Diamond Fork area, includes some beds of marginal lacustrine facies rocks that were included in Green River and Uinta Formations by Baker (1976). Comments: Duchesne River Formation; origin uncertain Lithology: Sandstone, siltstone, flagstone, pebble to boulder conglomerate Reference: Bryant, B. Geologic map of the east half of the Salt Lake City quadrangle. U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1997. [15] Duchesne River, Uinta and Bridger Formations Age: Paleogene (28.1 - 47.8 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Duchesne River Formation; Uinta Formation; Bridger Formation Description: Duchesne River Fm, Uinta Formation (south of Uinta Mtns.) and Bridger Formation (north of Uinta Mtns.). Comments: lacustrine and fluvial Lithology: Major:{sandstone mudstone}, Minor:{conglomerate,volcanic}, Incidental:{felsic volcanic} Reference: Horton, J.D., C.A. San Juan, and D.B. Stoeser. The State Geologic Map Compilation (SGMC) geodatabase of the conterminous United States. doi: 10.3133/ds1052. U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 1052. [133] Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Age: Jurassic (145 - 201.3 Ma) Lithology: Sedimentary rocks Reference: Chorlton, L.B. Generalized geology of the world: bedrock domains and major faults in GIS format: a small-scale world geology map with an extended geological attribute database. doi: 10.4095/223767. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 5529. [154]

Data and map coding provided by Macrostrat.org, used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
BAY CITY, MI -- There could soon be more than two dozen licensed medical marijuana dispensaries within Bay City city limits.

City officials have reviewed 25 applications for dispensaries, also known as provisioning centers, and all but three have been licensed, according to City Manager Dana Muscott.

The provisional license allows them to sell marijuana only, not grow it, and none are operational yet, as they still need state licenses, Muscott said. Growing it would require a separate license and location.

The three that are not yet licensed, located at 3976 Wilder Road, 510 Third St. and 816 Washington Ave., are expected to appear on Bay City Commission agendas for consideration over the next couple months, Muscott said.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Michigan since 2008. In December 2017, Bay City commissioners approved an ordinance to allow medical marijuana facilities to operate within the city limits. Bangor, Hampton, Pinconning, Gibson and Kawkawlin townships have approved similar ordinances.

In November, 10 years after approving medical marijuana, Michigan voters will decide whether or not to allow under state law the personal possession and use of marijuana by people 21 years of age or older. This is one of the statewide ballot proposals voters will be asked to consider during the Tuesday, Nov. 6, general election.

If Michigan voters approve recreational marijuana, adults 21 and older could have up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrate on their person. It would also be legal to have up to 12 plants and up to 10 ounces of marijuana at home, but any more than 2.5 ounces would have to be stored in a secured location.

It would still be illegal to consume or smoke marijuana in a public place or to drive under the influence. Employers could refuse to hire someone or discipline or fire an employee for smoking marijuana, and landlords could prohibit tenants from smoking it on their property.

It's unclear what all of this would mean for Bay City's planned medical marijuana dispensaries. Muscott said the city has not received direction from the state as to what would happen if the proposal passes.

Meanwhile, the city's medical marijuana ordinance limits the number of dispensaries to 25, so a waiting list of more than a dozen has developed.

"If, say, they go out of business, they don't open and forfeit their license...if they're closed for some reason, then we would go to the next person on the waiting list," Muscott previously explained to MLive/The Bay City Times.

In addition, one grow facility license has been accepted so far. All applicants still need to get approval from the state and pass an inspection by the city before opening for business.
Born in Baghdad, Iraq, fallen Detroit Police Officer Fadi M. Shukur's family moved to the U.S. when he was a child.

Shukur, 30, became an American citizen in 2010 and served in the U.S. Navy for six years before joining the Detroit Police Department in February 2018.

He married his wife Nadeen in June, and the life Shukur sought, one of family and service, seemed within reach.

But the cold reality of the risk Shukur and his fellow officers face every day when they walk out of their precincts and drive off to patrol one of the nation's most dangerous cities changed all that.

Shukur was struck by a hit-and-run driver about 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 4 while dispersing a large crowd after a party at a banquet hall on McNichols Road in Detroit.

After being placed on life support, Shukur succumbed to his injuries on Aug. 15.

Shukur's U.S. flag-draped casket lay at the foot of the altar inside St. George Chaldean Catholic Church in Shelby Township on Monday, Aug. 20. It was sprinkled with Holy Water.

Family, friends and hundreds of officers in dress uniforms filled the pews as they paid respect during the officer's funeral.

"I just want you to know that today, the people of Detroit share your grief in the loss of this remarkable young man," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said to Shukur's widow, father Anthony Banks, mother Anita Zia Shilmoun Banks and brother Hani Mukhlis Shukur during the service.

Duggan spoke of Shukur's "contagious" smile that could "light up a room," and his devotion to the Detroit Police Department, where he happily worked double shifts when necessary. He refused, however, to work overtime while on scheduled leave.

"Those were his days with Nadeen," Duggan said.

Partners could clearly see the love Shukur had for his wife. He'd often Facetime her on breaks. And he always insisted on returning to the Eighth Precinct for lunch.

"Because every day, Nadeen made him lunch and he put that lunch in the refrigerator of the precinct," Duggan said.

When his partner recommended they stop for lunch while out on patrol, the mayor said, Shukur would respond "Oh, no. We're going back and I'm going to have the lunch that Nadeen made for me."

"When one of his partners said, 'You really do love Nadeen,' he said 'I'm a lucky man. I got to marry my best friend."

The mayor told a story of Shukur being involved in a serious car crash while he was driving to work one day earlier this year.

Fellow officers were amazed when Shukur "promptly walked into the precinct and reported," Duggan said, and then proceeded to work a double shift.

The mayor spoke about the night Shukur suffered his fatal injuries.

Shukur and up to a dozen other officers were dispersing a large and "unruly" crowd, issuing a handful of citations for disorderly conduct.

"Just when they believed the risk was over ... somebody blew through two police cars with lights flashing at a high rate of speed and they took Fadi Shukur from us," Duggan said. "It's a reminder for all the men and women and all the police departments that are here, all of the different ways that, as you protect us, you're at risk."

Police identified 19-year-old Jonathan David Cole of Belleville as the driver who struck Shukur, fled the scene and later turned himself over to authorities.

Cole is charged with second-degree murder, punishable by up to life in prison, and failure to stop at the scene of a crash causing serious impairment or death, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Video from funeral (Mayor Mike Duggan speaks at 1:21; Detroit Police Chief James Craig, 1:31):

Shukur is the third Detroit police officer to die in the line of duty this year.

Officer Glenn Doss Jr. died on Jan. 28 after being shot in the head while responding to a domestic dispute four days prior.

Officer Darren M. Weathers, who was assigned to the Integrity Unit, tasked with investigating police misconduct, died in a crash that occurred after he ran a stop light during a training exercise on Feb. 20.

Shukur was also the second area law enforcement officer to die last week as a result of a hit-and-run crash.

Wayne County Sheriff's Sgt. Lee Smith was struck and killed while jogging in Westland on Aug. 14, a day before Shukur's death. Smith's funeral is scheduled for Thursday, 11 a.m. at Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile in Detroit.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Shukur was known for his "sweet and compassionate" nature, "a true gem."

"His outstanding service, both to our country and out great city, and unyielding optimism set him apart and positioned him among the greats," Craig said. "Yes, Fadi was one of Detroit's finest, and yes, he was also an American hero."

Hundreds of officers from Metro Detroit and beyond, some from as far as Chicago, attended the funeral. A stream of over 100 patrol vehicles with flashing emergency lights passed slowly beneath a U.S. flag hung from a Detroit Fire Department ladder truck as they followed the hearse to White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy.

Supporters lined the street outside the church to watch the procession pass.

Duggan shared another story about Shukur, who, with his partner, responded to a possible missing person call and found a distraught grandmother crying with a baby in her arms.

The mother dropped the child off and disappeared, having left no clothes or diapers for the child.

"Fadi Shukur and his partner ... got in their patrol car and they went up to Meijer, and in uniform, they went down the aisle and Fadi, with his own money, bought two new baby outfits. (His partner) bought some diapers," Duggan said. "And can you imagine the look on the face of that grandmother when a patrol car pulled back up in her driveway and two police officers got out with diapers and baby clothes in their arms?

"And as that grandmother clung to Fadi and said 'I was at the end of my rope, I didn't know what I was going to do,' He gave her that big smile and said, 'I love to help.'"
Detroit Police Officer Fadi M. Shukur will never answer another radio call from dispatch.

In an emotional moment at Shukur's funeral on Monday, Aug. 20, his final ceremonial dispatch, known as the "end of watch," was called over the radio by a police dispatcher.

All units stand by unless you have a priority.

Radio calling badge 556. Radio calling badge 556.

No response from badge 556.

Let it be know that Detroit Police Officer Fadi Shukur, badge 556, serviced his community and his country with compassion, pride and a loyal dedication to duty.

He departed this Earth on Aug. 15, 2018.

Officer Shukur, we thank you for your esteemed service.

You will never be forgotten for your devotion to your family, friends and law enforcement community.

We salute and honor your sacrifice.

All units stand by for a moment of radio silence.

Office Shukur, you are cleared to enter on to your final destination. Rest easy. Your brothers and sisters behind the badge will take it from here.

God bless you.

Radio clear.

Shukur, 30, became an active Detroit police officer in February. He was struck by a hit-and-run driver while dispersing a crowd outside a banquet hall party about 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 4 and died of his injuries on Aug. 15.

"Each and every time you hear that final radio call, it jerks you hard," Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. " ... It's very emotional. This is something I borrowed from the Los Angeles Police Department and it's touching."

Read more about Shukur and coverage from his funeral
FLINT, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder is sticking by his man in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services despite a pending trial on charges of criminal wrongdoing related to the Flint water crisis.

Snyder issued a statement Monday, Aug. 20, after DHHS Director Nick Lyon was bound over to face involuntary manslaughter and other charges, saying Lyon has his "full faith and confidence, and will remain on duty at DHHS unless convicted of a crime after a full trial by a jury of his peers."

The trial moved closer to reality Monday when Genesee District Judge David Goggins ordered Lyon to stand trial in Genesee Circuit Court on two counts of involuntary manslaughter, misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.

Goggins, reading from his notes from the preliminary examination of Lyon, said the director was "lawfully obligated" to warn the public of two outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease that coincided with the city's use of the Flint River for drinking water.

Prosecutors claim Lyon is responsible for the deaths of two Genesee County men during the water crisis.

In a statement released by his press secretary, Snyder said Lyon deserves the presumption of innocence.

"Nick Lyon has a long and tenured career in public health and has been a strong leader at the Department of Health and Human Services," the governor's statement says. "Even during an unprecedented, nearly yearlong preliminary exam, Director Lyon has remained focused on his job and Flint's full recovery.

"Like every other person who is charged with a crime, he should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

Unlike other state government employees facing criminal charges related to the water crisis, Lyon and state Chief Medical Executive Dr. Eden Wells have remained on the job while others have been on paid leave.

State Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, who has previously called for Lyon's resignation, issued a statement following Goggins' decision Monday.

"Judge Goggins made the right decision, and this is one step forward on the very long road to justice for the people of Flint," Ananich's statement says. "I have said from the beginning that anyone who played a role in harming my city -- no matter who -- needs to be held accountable for their actions."
FLINT, MI -- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon will stand trial on charges he caused the deaths of two Genesee County men during the Flint water crisis.

Genesee District Judge David Goggins bound Lyon's case over to Genesee Circuit Court for trial on two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of Robert Skidmore and John Snyder, who prosecutors say died as a result of Legionnaires' disease, and one count of misconduct in office.

He also faces one misdemeanor count of willful neglect of duty.

Lyon sat quietly, his wife watching in the courtroom, as Goggins read his decision, which comes 14 months after his arraignment.

The decision means the judge found there is probable cause to believe involuntary manslaughter was committed against Skidmore and Snyder and that Lyon, 49, committed the crimes.

Monday's ruling marks the first time a judge has weighed in on the evidence against a city or state worker charged with criminal wrongdoing related to the water crisis.

It also involves the highest-ranking of 15 current and former city and state government officials charged with criminal wrongdoing in Flint.

Lyon, a member of Gov. Rick Snyder's cabinet, has remained on the job while facing the charges against him.

One other case was bound over to Genesee Circuit Court after former Flint emergency manager Gerald Ambrose waived his preliminary examination. That case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing in eight days.

Four of 15 defendants have already reached plea agreements with prosecutors. Nine other cases are still pending in District Court.

In the Lyon case, special prosecutor Todd Flood alleged the director failed to protect the public when he could have mandated a change in the city's water source because of the threat to the public's health.

Two university studies have pointed to Flint's water as the likely trigger of outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease during the time the city used the Flint River as its water source. DHHS has maintained that exposure to McLaren-Flint hospital -- not Flint water -- is the only explanation for the surge in cases here.

Prosecutors also claimed Lyon tried to cover up the source of the outbreaks by repeatedly attempting to prevent researchers from looking into its cause.

Attorneys for the DHHS director told Goggins there was "zero proof that there was anything Director Lyon did or did not do" that actually caused the deaths of Skidmore and Snyder.

Expert witnesses for Lyon also testified that the two men likely died of other causes and unsuccessfully tried to strike the testimony of a cardiologist who tied the deaths to Legionnaires'.

Designed to save money, the 2014 decision to change the city's water source was approved and carried out by emergency managers appointed by Snyder.

Lyon has said he learned of an initial surge in Legionnaires' cases in Genesee County a full year before sharing information about outbreaks of the disease directly with the governor in January 2016.

Public records have shown other DHHS officials were aware of a rapid rise in Legionnaires' cases, at least 12 of which proved fatal, even earlier than the director as well as suspicions that the spread was tied to the change of Flint's water source.

In addition to doctors, witnesses at Lyon's preliminary exam included current and former DHHS employees and Legionnaires' researchers from Wayne State University.

One WSU professor -- Paul Kilgore -- testified in November that Lyon told him during a 2016 meeting about Flint water, "We can't save everyone, everyone has to die of something' ... or something similar to that."
BURTON, MI -- Police in Burton are warning residents of a new scam using the website Craigslist to try and bilk potential renters of cash.

Burton police posted a message Saturday, Aug. 18 on the department's Facebook page describing the scam that begins with a person posting a photo of a home on Craiglist pulled for a realtor site.

"The poster wants a security deposit sent Western Union," reads the police department's message, adding "Please beware of anything from Craigslist. Research before you send any money."

There is another scam going around where a residence is posted on Craigslist for rent. The poster wants a security... Posted by Burton Police Department, Burton MI on Saturday, August 18, 2018

The warning comes a little more than a week after police cautioned residents of a phone scam involving residents getting phone calls from someone allegedly from Consumers Energy.

The call taker owes money and they must pay within one hour or their power will be shut off.

Anyone with questions or concerns about either scam may reach out to the Burton Police Department by calling 810-742-2542.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Across Kent County, schools and community partners are delivering a consistent message to students and their parents about school attendance: Strive for Less Than 5!

The countywide attendance campaign is for students to miss less than five days of school this year to ensure that fewer students fall behind academically because of chronic absenteeism.

Teachers and administrators will be emphasizing the importance of being in school. Six of the 20 school districts in the Kent ISD will begin delivering that message today, Aug. 20, when students return to class.

Chronic absenteeism is defined by all Kent County districts as missing 10 percent or more of school days. Ten percent translates into 18 days - 2 days per month - in a 180-day school year.

Superintendents say being out of the classroom for that many days is enough to jeopardize a students' future, impacting academic proficiency, state test scores, and their chances of earning a high school diploma.

"Our school districts have high average daily attendance rates, in the 90s, but focusing on that rate you can miss all the students that are risk of failure due to chronic absenteeism,'' said Kent ISD Assistant Superintendent Ron Koehler.

"The academic expectations are totally different now, and if you lose the foundation that you build early on, you just don't get there and dropping out is slow disengagement. When you are missing class and not mastering concepts, disengagement starts early.''

In Kent County, 12.1 percent, or 13,301 students, from kindergarten to 12th grade were chronically absent in 2016-17, down from 13.9 percent the year prior, according to state data.

Kent districts were given tool kits to help them implement, promote and communicate the Strive campaign to students and families, including on social media and websites. There's also a public service announcement featuring kids.

Godfrey-Lee Superintendent Kevin Polston said parents care deeply about their kids but often have no idea of the negative effects being absent a day or two month can have on their child's education.

He said the around 2,100-student district has a 93 percent attendance rate but that doesn't reflect the 433 students chronically absent.

"Letting our parents know that just two days a month constitutes a 10 percent absence rate and explaining how that could put their child at risk of not graduating raises awareness,'' he said, about the attendance campaign.

"Often times attendance is a symptom of some other problem. Every superintendent in the Kent ISD is committed to providing support and services to our families so students can get to school every day.''

When students are in class, school leaders say it's their job to make sure the curriculum is challeging and interesting.

In 2013, Grand Rapids Public Schools was the first to ask families to Strive for Less Than 5. The district's Challenge 5 success at reducing absenteeism prompted the ISD-wide adoption by the 19 other superintendents.

Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal said having all 20 districts embrace the challenge sends one strong, consistent message to parents. She said GRPS proved the campaign works when implemented effectively.

The 2012-13 school year, GRPS had a 36.4 percent rate of chronic absenteeism but it steadily dropped and in 2017-18 was down to 13.7 percent.

Since 2013, GRPS has seen a 51 percent reduction with black students, and 66 percent absenteeism decline with Hispanics, two vulnerable subgroups.

Neal said the district is still working with their parents and letters are going out to families who had children miss more than five days of school last year reminding them that students need to be in class on time, ready to learn.

Last school year, the 17th Circuit Court launched the Kent County Truancy Court pilot program this school year to help reduce absenteeism. The pilot was focused initially on Wyoming and Godwin Heights school district.

Godwin Heights Superintendent Bill Fetterhoff said while the majority of school struggle with students who are chronically absent, the problem is especially concentrated in high-poverty school districts.

"There are more stress factors on our urban families,'' he said.

"Families and schools have to work together as a team to make sure students are in school from bell to bell. Students not coming to school, showing up late, or leaving early impacts achievement because there is so much content now.''

Godwin has a 93 percent attendance rate but 1,609 chronically absent students in 2016-17.

Fetterhoff said districts must have consistent policies in place and provide the kind of services that will keep students in school, as families grapple with challenges. He also said schools must talk with parents after the first absence.

He said districts also must work closely with their community partners such as the Kent School Services Network, to offer those wrap around services families need to remove barriers to learning.

Starting the 2019-20 school year, Michigan students who are at least a year behind grade level in reading skills will have to repeat third grade.

The campaign highlights several points include these five:

Missing more than 5 days of kindergarten makes learning to read harder.

Missing more than five days any year hurts learning and lowers test scores.

Students who miss more than 10 percent of school are more likely to drop out.

Being late to school or leaving early leads to poor attendance.

Absences affect everyone when teachers have to help students catch up.

This school year, state law requires that 40 percent of half of teacher and administrator evaluations be based on "student growth and assessment data", with half of the growth component of evaluations comprised of state assessment data for tested grades and subjects.

Kentwood Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff said chronic absenteeism is affecting urban, suburban and rural schools at different levels. He said building school culture and working and communicating with parents has always been a priority.

"This campaign can help get everyone in the region focused on the problem and elevate the discussion,'' he said, about his 9,100-student district.

In 2016-17, Kentwood had a 94.8 percent attendance rate and 1,384 chronically absent students.

Kentwood, Grand Rapids, Godwin-Heights, Godfrey-Lee, Grandville, and East Grand Rapids schools started the new school year Monday.

The Kent ISD is the only ISD and county in the state to define for chronic absenteeism and truancy, so it was consistent across all school systems, according to Koehler.

Mark Larson, Kent ISD truancy officer, said the top three reasons statistically that students miss time in school in Michigan are:

Medical and dental appointments in which the decision is made to keep the child out the entire school-day.

Parent self-diagnosed illness.

Valuing something more than school. For example, pulling kids out of school a few days early for a family vacation.

Some other contributing factors to chronic absenteeism schools have also cited include: family issues such as homelessness, anxiety due to mental health issues, lack of interest in school, bullying, chronic illness, and babysitting younger sibling.

This year, parents are able to look at attendance an array of other school data in an online parent dashboard the Michigan Department of Education launched.

To understand the impact of absenteeism on academic outcomes, Kent ISD studied the relationship between attendance and passing the state standardized test (M-STEP) among students in its districts.

The analysis confirms the national research that chronically absent students are much less likely to reach grade-level reading and math expectations than their peers.

For example, chronically absent third graders, missing 10 percent of school, have only a 40 percent probability of reaching English Language Arts or reading proficiency. The more school missed the lower the probability for demonstrating competency.

The analysis of subgroups also found low-income students are over twice as likely not to reach reading proficiency targets than their higher income peers, and black and Hispanic students are much less likely to meet proficiency than their white peers in reading.

The attendance campaign will be ongoing; keeping the conversation going with an open dialogue about attendance.

Districts are encouraging families to "Make every day count:"
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -Students at the new Public Museum High School learned Monday, Aug. 20, pirates weren't just on the high seas stealing cargo but on the Grand River snagging logs.

Monday was the first day of school for Grand Rapids Public Schools. Seventy-eight ninth-graders are at the museum high school, located at 54 Jefferson Ave. SE, in the old Public Museum, where there are over 250,000 artifacts.

That's where Ben Kruid, artifact lab teacher, pulled a log slice to show students during an English language arts class the bark marks, brand slashed along the sides. Log owners used during the lumbering heyday between 1870 and 1920.

Kruid demonstrated how pirates would just chop off about six inches and rebrand the lucrative logs headed to mills across the country. He reminded students that Michigan was the furniture-making capital of the world.

Freshman Jourdin Merrill and other students attempted to guess what the artifact was he marched around class before the big reveal. She has been a student at the Museum School since middle school program launched in 2015.

"I know this school and I like it because it is such a unique learning experience,'' said Merrill, who was among three students who spoke to a crowd of 300, attending the Aug. 17, Grand Rapids Public Schools ribbon cutting.

Last week, Merrill said she had three goals: keep up her grades all year, taking on new challenges that come her way, and getting stronger in math.

Vered Hagidenfeld is new to the Museum School. She said the traditional school setting can be "pretty boring'' and she wanted to be in a new, more innovative environment.

"I feel like I will be more engaged and learn more things,'' she said.

The school is still accepting new students. It is not a test-in program, rather lottery system. The plan is to add a grade each year.

Principal Christopher Hanks said school leaders hope the experience will bring meaning to everything they are learning in class through community connections, connections to the history through artifacts, and connections to their own creative and capacity to design and create.

In 2016, the Museum High School was one of 10 schools to receive $10 million from XQ: The Super School Project, which called on educators, students, parents and community leaders to rethink high school in America.

"I've never been one for traditional education and 100 of the staff that has bought into the idea that high school needs to change, and a large population of students have come here because they recognize they need something different,'' said math teacher Ben Garlets.

"Having those two ingredients collide is one of thing that makes me feel like I can try new things in the classroom.''

There were nearly 700 applicants for the Super School contest sponsored by Lauren Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

The museum school engages in progressive teaching which utilizes design thinking techniques, an immersive environment, and real-life experiences.

"We talk about the technology and the innovative space but the core of education - the relationship with teaching and learning - doesn't get talked about enough,'' Hanks said.

"The best thing this beautiful building can do is create the right environment where teachers and students can build that connection around meaningful learning."

The district spent $10 million renovating the two-story historic museum, built in 1940. There are four traditional rooms, plus seven non-traditional or multipurpose classroom spaces, and the grand hall.

There was a lot of energy in the STEAM classrooms. STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

There are art classes as well, including music. The school will use the gym at Westminster Presbyterian Church, located across the street.

Only $5.75 million of the contest money was used for the renovations, the other $4.25 million came from a district fundraiser.
Metro Health has selected Dr. Peter Hahn as its next president and CEO.

Hahn, who in 2016 was hired as Metro's chief medical officer, will start his new position on Oct. 1. He replaces Michael Faas, who has led the health care organization since 1994.

"I think we will become the premier health care organization in West Michigan," said Hahn, an Okemos native and noted pulmonologist who previously served as a Mayo Clinic physician. "We don't need to be the biggest, but we need to be the best."

Metro, a subsidiary of the University of Michigan Health System, is based in Wyoming and employs 3,000 people, including more than 500 staff physicians. It serves more than 250,000 patients annually.

"Dr. Hahn is the ideal selection to carry forward the transformational, visionary leadership of Mike Faas," Carlos Sanchez, Co-Chair of the Metro Health Hospital Board, said in a statement. "The unanimous decision by our board members confirms Peter is the right choice at the right time to build on Metro Health's legacy of patient-focused clinical excellence for West Michigan."

Hahn received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a medical degree at Michigan State University, and an MBA from the University of Tennessee. Prior to coming to Metro in 2016, he served as the vice chief of staff and medical staff president-elect at Tuality Healthcare in Hillsboro, Oregon.

He played a key role in Metro 2016 merger with the University of Michigan Health System, an accomplishment that made him well positioned to lead Metro into the future, Sanchez said. Under the merger, Metro became a subsidiary of UM.

Looking forward, Hahn said Metro is positioned to capitalize on its affiliation with UM by adding and expanding services, including treatment of head and neck cancer, and lung cancer, Hahn said.

"I think the biggest challenge will be living up to expectations," Hahn said, noting the high standard set during Faas' tenure leading Metro.

Hahn beat out two other finalists selected during a national search led by the Chicago-based firm, Witt/Kieffer. Sanchez declined to disclose the names of the other finalists, but said they were external candidates.

"I am thankful for the hard work by everyone involved in the hiring process," Hahn said in a statement. "As I take on this responsibility, I am fortunate to be surrounded by an unmatched collection of talent and passion for healthcare. Together, we will ensure our culture of community engagement and patient-focused care will continue to define the experience people have at Metro Health -- University of Michigan Health."

Metro Health is the smallest of three major health care systems in Grand Rapids, behind Spectrum Health and Mercy Health.

Sanchez declined to say what Hahn's annual compensation will total. According to Metro's most recent public IRS filing, Faas received $1.4 million in total compensation for the period of July 1, 2015 to June
LANSING, MI - The Ingham County Circuit Court in an order issued Monday declined to convene a one-judge grand jury to investigate possible violations of the law by Attorney General Bill Schuette, who is running for governor.

It was Former Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano who initiated the request for a grand jury.

The complaint he filed cited Schuette's use of state employees to complete real estate transactions selling off land he'd inherited in the Virgin Islands as well as stacking his state office with "political loyalists and cronies." There is probable cause to believe Schuette violated the law, Ficano's complaint claimed.

But judges on the court did not agree. The process, Chief Judge Richard Garcia told MLive last month when Ficano initiated it, was that the circuit court judges vote on whether to grant or deny the request.

The judges unanimously declined to take the case up in an order issued by Garcia Monday.

Ficano said he had followed the process as outlined in the law and did not plan to take it any further.

"It's completely within their discretion and I respect what the court does," he said.

His was the second request for a grand jury. The first was sent to Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon, who forwarded it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It's not clear whether that agency has opened an investigation.

Andrea Bitely, a spokesperson for the Attorney General, praised the decision.

"From the beginning this was a politically-motivated attack on the Attorney General with no merit, and the Ingham County judges saw through the charade. The rule of law matters, and political games are a waste of resources for the Ingham County courts," Bitely said.

Note: This story has been updated with comment from the Attorney General's office.
LANSING, MI -- As Gretchen Whitmer campaigns for governor she will be joined on the ticket by Garlin Gilchrist II, her choice for lieutenant governor.

Gilchrist made a splash in the political scene last year, when he mounted an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey.

Before that he worked as the city's director of innovation & emerging technology under Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who is supporting Whitmer's run for governor.

Gilchrist, a University of Michigan graduate, studied computer science and worked as a software engineer at Microsoft. But his resume soon reflected an interest in politics -- he served as social media manager for former President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign and from 2011-2014 served as national campaign director at MoveOn.org, an online platform mobilizing people around progressive issues.

Currently he's back at the University of Michigan, serving as director of the university's new Center for Social Media Responsibility. He said he plans to take a leave of absence from that position to focus on the campaign.

"I'm so excited to be getting to work to help mobilize and tell people all across the state of Michigan and especially in my hometown of Detroit how important this choice is. So we're going to roll up our sleeves, we're going to add to the strength of the Whitmer campaign that's been making phone calls and knocking on doors for more than a year," Gilchrist said.

"And we're going to add energy to that, using technology and the ways that people communicate, text messaging, social media, the things that I've learned to be able to mobilize people and I'm excited about it."

Whitmer said she was confident in her selection of Gilchrist.

"I wanted someone who's got my back, who's going to work just as hard as I do, that has integrity, that knows how to get things done. And Garlin Gilchrist fits all those requirements to the max. I couldn't be more thrilled about this partnership," Whitmer said.

The Republican candidate for governor, Bill Schuette, last week announced his running mate would be former state representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons.

The general election takes place on Nov. 6.
Larry Nassar, the former Michigan State University doctor accused of molesting hundreds of patients, has been transferred to a federal prison in Oklahoma City that serves as a transfer center for federal inmates.

Nassar, 54, is serving a 60-year sentence on federal child pornography and also faces a life sentence in Michigan for multiple counts of first-degree sexual conduct.

Nassar had been housed in high-security federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, that specializes in treating sex-offenders, according to the federal prison database.

His lawyers recently filed a court motion that alleges Nassar was physically attacked by inmates in late May within hours of being placed in general population.

The Oklahoma City facility is designed to "holdover inmates in-transit to other facilities," according to the federal prison website. There is no word on where Nassar is headed.

This past winter, Nassar pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing and sharing child pornography, and he pleaded guilty in Ingham and Eaton county courts to a total of 10 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
WAYNE COUNTY, MI - A Rochester Hills man was convicted of sexually abusing a sleeping female passenger aboard an airplane.

The assault occurred on Jan. 3, when the passenger awoke to find her pants unbuttoned and unzipped during an overnight flight from Las Vegas to Detroit, federal officials said. She sought help from the airline attendants.

U.S. District Judge Terrence Berg oversaw the five-day trial for Prabhu Ramamoorthy, 35.

The jury deliberated a little more than three hours before returning the guilty verdict, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.

Federal officials said because Ramamoorthy is in the U.S. on a work visa, he will be deported once he has served his sentence.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Wayne County Metropolitan Airport Authority.

"Everyone has the right to be secure and safe when they travel on airplanes," Schneider said. "We will not tolerate the behavior of anyone who takes advantage of victims who are in a vulnerable position, and we are glad the jury agreed. We appreciate the victim in this case for her courage to speak out."



"The safety and security of all aircraft passengers is a priority for the FBI, our local and federal law enforcement partners, and airline carrier personnel," said Timothy R. Slater, special agent in charge at the Detroit Division of the FBI. "The federal conviction of Prabhu Ramamoorthy demonstrates the FBI's commitment to hold individuals accountable for their actions on an aircraft, especially those who commit such a heinous crime.

"If you, or someone you know, is the victim of a crime during air travel, immediately notify a flight crew member, airport security police, and the FBI. We remain committed to working with our federal, local, and private industry partners to ensure that anyone traveling by air is afforded a safe environment."

Ramamoorthy's sentencing is set for Dec. 12. He faces up to life in prison.
NORWAY, MI - A veteran drag racer who spent decades entertaining crowds died in a crash Friday at the Norway Speedway track in the Upper Peninsula.

Doug Rose, 80, of Ring Town, Pa., died when his Green Mamba jet-powered exhibition dragster crashed into a guardrail and flipped over at the first turn during a pre-race run, according to the Iron Mountain Daily News.

The race car - which could reach speeds of more than 300 mph - was described as being powered by a J46 Westinghouse jet engine from a 1950s-era U.S. Navy fighter plane.

Races at Norway were halted after Friday night's crash. They resumed Saturday.

"Norway Speedway would like to offer our deepest condolences to Doug's family," said Norway Speedway's John Ostermann in a statement posted on social media. "We also want to commend the Norway Fire Department, Beacon Ambulance Service and the Michigan State Police and the track safety crews for dealing with this extremely difficult situation. With the trauma and delay of the situation and all things concerned we had no choice but to suspend the program."

A 1966 crash in Virginia had left Rose a double amputee, taking off both legs below the knee, according to an obituary in Autoweek.

In 2006, the racing community led the effort to help Rose after his Green Mamba was stolen in Florida - and later found in pieces. By 2007, he was back on the drag strip circuit.
HANOVER TWP., MI - A 29-year-old Brooklyn woman's status has been upgraded since she was critically hurt Aug. 8 in a crash involving a pig hauler on Moscow Road in Hanover Township.

The woman was in serious condition as of Monday morning, a spokeswoman at Henry Ford Allegiance Health reported in an email.

She was badly hurt when police said she failed to yield while heading west before 3 p.m. on Hanover Road to a semitrailer going south on Moscow Road.

The semitrailer struck the small SUV she was driving, causing it to land on its side on the west edge of Moscow Road, according to the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office. The semitrailer also came to rest on its side, across both lanes of traffic.

Some of the about 100 pigs the truck was taking to Bob Evans Farms in Hillsdale escaped, into the nearby yards, fields and road. Others died. Some were trapped.

Area farmers and business owners arrived with tools and equipment to help first-responders clear the area of pigs. The survivors were taken to a nearby farm.

For five or more days after the crash, the woman remained in critical condition.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Part of the back-to-school preparation for Kalamazoo teachers includes training on how to survive an active shooter situation.

The new training includes an online portion and hands-on practice, Nkenge Bergan, director of student services for Kalamazoo Public Schools, said.

In previous years, teachers and staff were taught to immediately go into a lock down, shutting off the lights and hiding. This year's training is more of an "enhanced lock down," Bergan said.

"It allows us not to be just a victim," she said. "It's making sure kids and teachers know how to keep themselves and others safe."

The ALICE Training program teaches staff to be Alert, attempt to go into Lockdown, Inform and communicate, Counter the attack and Evacuate the area.

The video training is the foundation to the hands-on experience, Campus Safety Chief Don Webster said.

The plan is for between 80 and 90 percent of all district staff to go through the video training before the start of school, Sept. 4.

Throughout the school year, teachers will spend portions of their professional development days going through active shooter drills, Webster said.

The threat of mass shootings throughout the country and the threats to schools in the region weigh heavy on the minds of KPS administrators, Bergan said.

"We are talking about it a lot more," she said. "Parents are concerned. Staff are more concerned."

Less than a decade ago, shootings were a small worry for most districts, but now staff is on higher alert and paying better attention, Webster said.

Before, teachers saw less of a police presence on campus. Today, the district employs 35 campus safety officers and works closely with local law enforcement to patrol the schools.

In previous years, teachers were told to just "hunker down," Bergan said. "But there are more and more instances where people say, 'I'm not going down without a fight.'"

Teaching both the adults and students ways to proactively respond heightens their chance of survival, Webster said.

"Teach them how to properly lock a door," he said. "What things you can use if you do have to counter (an attack)."

Both teachers and students are taught how to be more aware ahead of time and how to think critically in the moment, he said.

"If I had to barricade this door, how could I do that?" Webster said. "What other ways could I evacuate this building?"

For students, keeping the training appropriate to their age is important, Bergan said. The district will give teachers the tools to shape the training to best fit their students, whether kindergartners or seniors in high school.

"It will be realistic but sensitive, she said. "The goal is to give them tools not freak them out."

Training for teachers will help them going into the school year, said Amanda Miller, president of the Kalamazoo Education Association, the union representing teachers.

"Any training we have is going to make us feel more comfortable that we could do what we need to do," Miller said. "We just have a natural instinct to protect the children."

Prevention is another important aspect of the district's response to gun violence nationwide. Campus safety officers work to build relationships with students, mentoring and supporting them through school, Webster said.

These relationships with the students and their families are a good avenue for information and tips to get to the district before something tragic were to happen, Webster said.

Students are quick to share what they are seeing or hearing that might make them nervous, Bergan said. "Our children in this district do not want violence in our schools," she said. "Our kids want to be safe."

The district opened an anonymous tip line that allows students, parents and the community to report anything they feel is suspicious. The tip line can be reached at (269) 488-1019.

Taking proactive measures before tragedy is important, Miller said. Teaching the school staff how to identify and help students who may be at risk is the first step in preventing a school shooting, she said.

Restorative practices illustrate to teachers how to respond to negative behavior and gives students the tools to dissolve conflict peacefully.

"How can we prevent bullying?" Miller said. "How can we get kids to feel connected to their schools?"

School officials took a strong stance against the idea of arming teachers for students' protection, Superintendent Michael Rice said during a Board of Education meeting Thursday, Aug. 9.

"Guns have no business in schools," Rice said at the meeting. "They do not belong around school children. Ever."

Bergan echoed his sentiment, saying that staff throughout the district agree with the board's decision to ban weapons on school property.

"Children and parents know that guns don't belong in schools," Bergan said. "Period."

Rice spoke during the board meeting on the Michigan Supreme Court's decision to allow schools to ban guns on their property, calling it a "good decision."

The Supreme Court ruled July 27 on two related cases involving gun rights group against the Ann Arbor Public Schools and the Clio School District. Four of the seven justices voted to uphold the Michigan Court of Appeals decisions that said both schools had the right to enforce weapons bans.

Solving the issue of school shootings must go beyond increasing mental health resources, Rice said.

"It is only a portion of the problem," he said. "We have a responsibility to do something in response to gun control.

"It is very pathetic we have to do this training," Rice said.

The district recently voted to add nine more staff members to help students with mental health issues and social skills. When the budget was passed by the board June 28, three additional social workers and six new mental health therapists were added to the school district.

Another big difference between five years ago and problems school officials face today is the presence of social media, Bergan said. Misinformation spreads quickly when schools go into a lock down, she said.

Confusion and fear are the biggest factors in the moments after an active shooter, and with the tech-savvy world of cell phones and instant communication, it is easy for parents and the community to get misinformation, district spokesperson Alex Lee said.

"Parents should know that we are doing everything we can," Lee said. "The first minutes (after a threat is found) are focused on student safety."
Juan Rene Muniz and Mary Hernandez Muniz, of Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Juan and Mary Muniz should be living the American dream after a life of hard work, their son, Juan Muniz said Monday.

Instead, the couple is gone; their plans unfinished. Family members left behind have anger and sorrow, he said.

"Thomas Vyverman shattered this family," Muniz said. "Death is inevitable but they shouldn't have had to go like this."

Muniz spoke Monday, Aug. 20, at the sentencing for Vyverman, 56, in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court for the March 20 crash that killed the husband and wife.

Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Paul J. Bridenstine sentenced Vyverman to a total of 15 years in prison on two consecutive sentences for operating while impaired causing death and first-degree fleeing and eluding.

"It was a violent, horrific, lethal collision that you caused," Bridenstine told Vyverman.

Vyverman pleaded guilty July 20 to operating while intoxicated causing death and first-degree fleeing and eluding in the crash. In exchange for his plea, a second count of operating while impaired causing death, a second count of first-degree fleeing and eluding and a count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer were dismissed.

Officers responded to the area of Washington and Division streets in the Edison neighborhood shortly before 11:30 p.m. March 20 on reports of a man driving in a pickup truck with a gun.

A Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officer tried to stop the vehicle, but turned off his lights and told dispatchers he would not actively pursue the truck as it picked up speed, fleeing north on Portage Street, according to police reports. A public safety officer going south on Portage Street also turned around in front of West's patrol car to follow the truck, and another patrol car pulled ahead from a side street.

Vyverman's truck later crashed a half mile away, at the corner of Portage Street and Crosstown Avenue. The truck struck a car driven by Mary Muniz, which was turning left from southbound Portage Street onto eastbound Crosstown Parkway.

Vyverman ran from the scene but was tackled and arrested by an officer after a short chase. Officers searched Vyverman's car and found several bottles of Fireball whiskey on the floorboard. Some of the bottles were empty and some were half to three-quarters full.

A Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety lab specialist used surveillance video from a Portage Street business to determine Vyverman's vehicle was going 61-68 mph just before the impact. The video showed Vyverman's brake lights were triggered before the impact. According to the video footage, Muniz's Chevrolet Malibu had the right-of-way at the light.

Mary Muniz had just picked up her husband from his job at Bronson Methodist Hospital and they were returning home when their car was hit. The couple, who had four children, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild were prolific volunteers in the community.

The couple ran youth groups, mentored pregnant teens, hosted exchange students, volunteered for Hispanic organizations and raised money for the dance studio where some of their grandchildren danced, their son said.

"They had a love for life, Muniz said. "There was always so much laughter. Laughter that Thomas Vyverman took from us all."

In court Monday, Vyverman read a letter he wrote to the Muniz family. He said he had recently gotten divorced and also got mixed up with the wrong group of people. Vyverman said he would change places with Juan and Mary Muniz if he could. He asked that the family forgive him.

"I'm living this nightmare every day," Vyverman said. "I just wish I could turn back time and make it all different for all of us, but I can't. I have trust in God that he will get me through this. You can hate me, I understand that, but this is not what I wanted either. It is like the worse thing to ever happen to anyone in the world."
MUSKEGON, MI - Mark Schneider knows a thing or two about growing Christmas trees, but growing medical marijuana will be a new venture for the Lansing-area farmer.

Schneider, owner of MTC Enterprises and Michigan Tree and Produce, recently purchased 6.5 acres of land off Seaway Drive from the city of Muskegon, where he plans to grow and sell medical marijuana.

The investment could mean 22 new jobs at the provisioning center and 70 new jobs at the growing facility, according to city planning documents.

The city designated the area known as the Seaway Industrial Park as its medical marijuana overlay district in May. The district is the area between Seaway Drive and Park Street on the west and east, and Hackley Avenue and Young Avenue on the south and north.

Schneider of Dewitt said he soon will file applications with the state's medical marijuana licensing board to become a certified grower and the operator of a provisioning center, or dispensary.

The $300,000 sale of both lots is contingent on Schneider securing licenses from the state board, according to city planning documents. Additional time needed for state approvals will be granted only if Schneider pays the city a non-refundable $3,000 a month toward the purchase price at closing.

Schneider said he's excited to start growing a different shade of green.

"I have quite a bit of experience growing things," Schneider said. "Obviously the Christmas tree industry went to hell. The fake trees have kind of taken us out. (With medical marijuana), I think there's more profit in it.

"I think my chances are pretty strong, but you never know."

If approved, Schneider expects to first build a 2,500-square-foot medical marijuana provisioning center estimated to open in late summer 2019.

Next, Schneider said he'll start planning for a 60,000-square-foot grow operation that can help produce medicine to be sold at the provisioning center.

Construction on the growing facility could start as early as late 2019.

Until then, Schneider said he would have to find medicinal marijuana from another source to sell at his provisioning center, but that could prove difficult. He said there are too few growers providing too few products to new dispensaries.

"They've only approved a few places that can grow at this time," Schneider said. "I don't know how everyone's going to get their product ... A few places have had to shut down because they can't get product."

Schneider said he also scouted for property in Egelston Township, which has allowed for two provisioning centers and eight growing facilities, before purchasing property in Muskegon.
MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI - Muskegon Heights Superintendent Rane Garcia acknowledged that she spent $25,000 on gift cards for employees, a move state officials say could be a violation of state law.

The Michigan Department of Education is aware of the situation and is "considering next steps," said Martin Ackley, director of the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs in the education department.

The Muskegon Heights Public Schools Academy System superintendent admitted in a letter to purchasing gift cards for employees around the holidays and at the end of the school year.

"If we've done something in error, we're going to make it right," Garcia said during a phone interview with MLive.

The gift cards are part of a strategy to reduce staff turnover, she said.

The academy has "a goal to attract, develop and retain the most caring and committed team possible to serve the students in our care," Garcia said in the letter. "We have a multi-faceted strategy that we are using to achieve this goal, reduce our turnover rate and create greater stability for our students and the community we serve."

Her letter was sent to the Receivership Transition Advisory Board (RTAB), which is appointed by the Michigan Department of Treasury to oversee Muskegon Heights Public Schools that was under emergency management from 2012-2016. Muskegon Heights Public Schools is the authorizer of the charter academy.

"The RTAB called asking questions," Garcia said, adding that all of the purchases documented. "We're not going to be distracted. We're going to keep pushing forward."

Garcia's letter describes the gift cards as a strategy to express "gratitude and appreciation to those working in the MHPSAS."

The intention of the letter, Garcia wrote, was to "dispel any allegations that the system is not acting properly or serving as a good steward of the taxpayers' money."

"The actions described in her letter could be a violation of the School Code (state law), which the Michigan Department of Education enforces," said Ron Leix, deputy public information officer for the treasury department, in an email to MLive. "Due to this circumstance, the RTAB referred the situation to the state education department."

Under the Michigan School Code, purchasing gifts with taxpayer money could carry a potential punishment of up to 93 days in jail, along with the possibility of fines and restitution.

The majority of MHPSAS team members are contracted workers. All team members received a holiday card ahead of the winter school break. According to Garcia's letter, a tiered system was determined for gift cards and gifts:

AccessPoint employees (teaching staff and others) each received a $200 Visa gift card.

Commercial Sanitation Management (CSM) Services employees each received a $30 Visa gift card.

Dean Transportation (busing) and Chartwell (food service) employees each received a $20 Visa gift card.

Volunteers from the Foster Grandparent Program each received a $5 gift card to a local business.

Administrators each received a Muskegon Heights Tigers windbreaker ($45 value).

At the end of the school year, all team members were invited to a luncheon at which those present were given a $100 gift card, according to the letter. However, some teaching staff who went "above and beyond" when the district could not find enough substitute teachers received a $200 gift card.

Those who did not attend the luncheon and did not inquire about the receiving a gift card did not get one, according to the letter.

During the 2017-18 school year - the same year that the gifts were purchased - the charter academy recorded a $954,000 deficit, according to unaudited reports. Total revenue for 2017-18 was $8,180,810, while total expenditures came to $9,135,209. That resulted in a deficit of $954,399. The deficit was covered by drawing from the fund balance, which now has $270,848.

Garcia is a first-time superintendent. She was promoted to the job on July 1, 2017, after serving as assistant superintendent for the academy system. In 2016-17, her salary was $115,000, according to transparency reporting.
SAGINAW, MI -- A Saginaw man is charged with causing the death of a person who overdosed in 2016 on heroin.

Detectives with the West Branch-based Strike Team Investigative Narcotics Group (or STING) had been investigating the death of a man that occurred in Roscommon County on Dec. 29, 2016. It was eventually determined the man died from heroin in his system having been laced with fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than heroin and can be lethal to humans at the 2-milligram range. Authorities have said it has been responsible for many fatal overdoses in the nation's ongoing opioid crisis.

During their 20-month investigation, detectives interviewed multiple witnessed and developed Adrian L. Williams as a suspect. The Michigan Attorney General's Office on Aug. 16 issued a warrant for Williams and he was subsequently arraigned in Saginaw County District Court on one count of delivery of heroin causing death.

The charge is punishable by up to life imprisonment. Williams was charged as a habitual offender with a fourth offense sentencing enhancement.

This is the second time in recent months Williams has been charged with drug offenses in Saginaw County.

On June 6, a coalition comprising the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (or BAYANET), the FBI, the ATF, the Michigan State Police, and the Saginaw Police Department executed search warrants on several homes in the 1500, 1600, and 2500 blocks of Bismarck Street, an area neighbors refer to as "drug alley."

BAYANET had begun investigating in April after police received numerous complaints of gun violence and drug sales in the North Side neighborhood. In the 12 months preceding the raids, the aforementioned blocks had 116 calls for police service, 26 of which involved weapons.

In their raids, police seized $1,150 in cash, six stolen handguns, 32 grams of crack cocaine, 1 gram of powder cocaine, a half-pound of marijuana, and Suboxone, which is used to treat opiate addiction.

Williams was one of eight adults arrested at the time. As a result, he was charged with one count of delivery of a narcotic or cocaine less than 50 grams, a 20-year felony. His case has since been bound over to Saginaw County Circuit Court with a trial date pending.

Williams is to appear for a preliminary examination on his latest charge at 9 a.m. on Aug. 30.

Williams has at least four drug-related convictions on his record and has spent time in prison.

Nationally, opiate-related deaths are now considered the number one killer among Americans younger than 50. Michigan experienced a 19.6 percent increase in the number of opiate-related fatal overdoses from 2015 to 2016, with 2,347 in the latter year, according to the CDC.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that since 1999, the number of opiate-related overdose deaths has quadrupled. In 2015, 33,091 people died from opiate-related overdoses nationally, more than any other year on record. That record was broken in 2016, with 42,249 people dying from opiate-related overdoses, about two-thirds of the total number of fatal drug overdoses of 63,632.

"From 2000 to 2016, more than 600,000 people died from drug overdoses," the CDC states, adding that 115 Americans die each day from an opiate overdose.
Rank 3 | Amazon | E-commerce company (Image: Amazon)

Amazon is getting ready to acquire Aditya Birla Groups food and grocery supermarket chain, More at an enterprise value of Rs 4,500-5,000 crore, reports The Economic Times.

If the deal goes through then this will be the e-commerce giants second direct investment in Indias brick-and-mortar retail space. It had picked a 5 percent stake in September last year in Indias largest listed department store chain, Shoppers Stop for Rs 180 crore.

For this acquisition, Amazon is teaming up with Goldman Sachs and homegrown private equity fund Samara Capital.

Amazon plans to pick up a 49 percent stake as the strategic partner, and the trio plan to float a separate company or special purpose vehicle. The final structuring exercise is in the works ahead of a likely formal announcement at the end of this month or early next month.

How will this acquisition help Amazon?

While Amazon could not succeed with its own plan of starting a fully-owned food retailing venture in India due to policy ambiguities, taking over More will strengthen the Seattle-based companys food and grocery business presence.

The news comes at a time when rival Walmart Inc. bought out online retailer Flipkart for $16 billion.

Some facts on More

More is Indias fourth largest food and grocery chain. It has 493 branded supermarkets and 20 hypermarkets covering more than 2 million sq ft of retail space.
Philips India- the local unit of a Dutch healthcare technology company, has tied up with a Seattle-based nonprofit health organisation, PATH to set up five Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres (CLMC) across India with an intent to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity.

The first of these centres was launched at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital or Sion Hospital in Mumbai. Philips and PATH will fund and upgrade the Sion Hospital CLMC to become the benchmark in terms of best practices.

The CLMC centres also known as human milk banks - collect, screen, process, and dispense by prescription, human milk donated by nursing mothers who are not biologically related to the recipient infant.

In cases when a mothers own milk is not available to babies admitted in the hospital, the WHO recommends feeding donor human milk provided by a human milk bank. The overall objective is to feed human milk to all babies and avoid the use of formula or cows milk.

A Lancet study reports in resource-limited settings, such as in India, the risk of death in a non-breastfed child is six times more than a breastfed child.

Our collaboration with PATH will go a long way towards ensuring high quality donor milk access to lakhs of deprived babies, giving them the best chance to grow up to be healthy adults, said ADA Ratnam, President- Personal Health, Philips Indian subcontinent.

Ratnam said Philips will deploy end-to-end product solutions it developed to increase the capacity of CLMC centres.
Moneycontrol News

A cryptocurrency mining company Kryptovault, based in Norway has received a bomb threat on Saturday due to its increasing levels of noise.

As per a report by Coindesk, Kryptovault started receiving bomb threats after a local newspaper reported the increasing level of noise pollution that was sabotaging the peace.

If you are expanding crypto mining and filling the country with noise, then you will be sabotaging the peace. I am threatening to send you some explosives, the bomb threat stated.

The local authorities were immediately informed by the companys Managing Director Gjermund Hagesaeter who stated that they are 'taking the whole issue very seriously indeed'.

First reported in June, the local newspaper Vakdalposten reported the recurring noise complaints, from the local residents, that arose because of the mining operations being carried out.

To solve the problem, the company is slated to hold a meeting with the locals of the neighbouring city of Dale.

New measures are being sought by the company to ensure the safety of its employees as well as its facilities. The company has many facilities in a number of cities in Norway. Three are said to be based in Dale.

Hagesaeter stated that the companys facility in 'Dale if far more accessible' to trespassers. Employees working there have been asked to 'be on their toes' in cases of suspicious activities.

With the increase in demand for bitcoins, the mining industry business has seen a boom lately.
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Domino's Pizza, run by Jubilant FoodWorks, could terminate its 20-year exclusive partnership with Coca-Cola in India and join hands with Pepsi instead, The Economic Times reported.

Domino's is reportedly in active negotiations with other beverage makers, which includes Pepsi Co. The move is aimed at reducing costs, industry watchers told the paper.

Such deals help beverage makers by providing opportunities for sampling and consumer connect. Domino's has over a 1,000 outlets in India.

The news daily received a confirmation on the negotiations from a Jubilant FoodWorks spokesperson. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

"We have enjoyed a strong partnership with Coca-Cola India over the last 20 years. As we look to build our business for the next phase of growth, we have initiated a process to look at various options and identify the right beverage partner who can help strengthen our beverage portfolio and drive growth," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Pepsico Co was reportedly called last week to present its contract terms to Jubilant FoodWorks, two Pepsi Co officials told the paper.

Coca-Cola has been the beverage partner for Domino's in most countries. Out of the 85 countries where Domino's Pizza has a presence, it has not partnered with Coke in only a few countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.

"The quick restaurant space is unprofitable for beverage companies, but deals with restaurant chains help them in sampling and consumer connect," one of the officials was quoted as saying.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JULY 26, 2017: China's Yutong electric bus (L) and Russia's LiAZ-6274 electric bus being tested on the Fili-Kitai Gorod route. Sergei Fadeichev/TASS (Photo by Sergei FadeichevTASS via Getty Images)

Only electric buses may be eligible for subsidies and incentives in the second phase of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) scheme.

According to sources, the department of heavy industries (DHI) held another round of deliberations and has finalised the policy to incentivise only buses. It was earlier decided to incentivise commercial passenger fleet (cabs/taxis) as well.

The policy is almost final Only buses will get the incentives under FAME-II, said a source.

DHI launched FAME-I in 2015 to provide subsidies on purchase of electric vehicles. Under the scheme, the government provided subsidy, for two years, up to Rs 22,000 on two-wheelers, Rs 61,000 on three-wheelers and Rs 1,87,000 on four-wheelers.

Also read: Exclusive | India moves closer to electric-powered public transport; Fin Min approves Rs 3.5K cr for 10 cities

The first phase of the scheme was due to expire on March 31st 2017 but was extended by a year. Later, the scheme was given another extension of six months, to be applied till September 2018.

It has been learnt that heavy industries ministry decided to incentivise purchase of electric buses due to meagre fund allocation by finance ministry.

According to an earlier proposal, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog had proposed to have fully electric public transport in 10 cities. But the proposal required Rs 45,000 crore per city, said another source. This was not accepted by the finance ministry.

Moneycontrol had earlier reported that union ministry of finance has finalised Rs 3,500 crore as the allocation under the second phase of FAME scheme.

As an allocation of Rs 45,000 crore was a little too much, smaller amount was allotted But this is too little to support electric infrastructure, a source said.

While further discussions are being done, this has been finalised for now, sources said. DHI is expected prepare the policy for cabinet approval in two to three weeks time.

FAME-II scheme has been dragging its feet in the policy corridors due to lack of consensus among stakeholders. While NITI Aayog wanted to have electric infrastructure in select cities, DHI wanted a pan-India implementation.

It had sought about Rs 12,256 crore for the second phase of scheme, which too wasnt approved.

Also read: Govt mulling non-fiscal measures under FAME-II to promote electric vehicles

The previous policy note formulated by DHI had set aside Rs 450 crore for high speed two-wheelers, Rs 300 crore for low speed two-wheelers, Rs 100 crore for light commercial vehicles and Rs 2,500 crore for buses. An incentive of Rs 20,000 per kWh will be provided to buses under the second phase of the scheme.

Centre has shifted its focus to non-fiscal incentives to nudge the adoption of electric fleet in the country. These included tightening of fuel efficiency norms, green number plates for electric cars, standardisation of charging standards and shoving cab aggregators to include a certain percent of electric cars in their fleet.

Government has also decided to set up close to 30,000 slow and 15,000 fast charging stations over the next three to five years.

New Delhi intends to increase the penetration of electric vehicles from current one percent to at least 40 percent by 2030; specifically under the new models segment being sold after 2030. This target translates to 4 million electric cars considering India becomes 10 million cars a year market by 2030.

Of the one percent EVs in India, 95 percent are low-speed scooters. Furthermore, against three million fuel based cars in India, there were merely 2,000 electric cars in 2016-17. The number stands at 23,000 for e-scooters against more than 16 million fuel based two-wheelers.
Most Japanese companies support loosening the country's tight immigration system to cope with a severe labour shortage, but they favour skilled workers who can fit into the workplace, not an influx of unskilled labourers, a Reuters poll shows.

The labour market in fast-ageing Japan is its tightest in nearly half a century and the government has cracked open the door to allow foreigners to work in such areas as farming, at car factories and in convenience stores.

But in a society that has long prized its homogeneity, the government insists these steps do not amount to open immigration. The Reuters Corporate Survey found that Japanese firms make a distinction between foreigners allowed to work because they pass suitability tests and unskilled immigrants.

The government in June unveiled plans to allow five-year work permits for foreigners in certain categories. Authorities are also considering allowing foreign workers who pass certain tests to stay indefinitely and bring their families - major changes for Japan.

The monthly Reuters poll found 57 percent of big and midsized Japanese firms employ foreigners and 60 percent favour a more open immigration system. But just 38 percent favoured allowing unskilled workers into the country to ease labour shortages.

"Overall, Japanese firms remain cautious about accepting foreign workers," said Yoshiyuki Suimon, senior economist at Nomura Securities, who reviewed the survey results.

"They are aware of the need to accept immigrants in the long run, but for now they are trying to cope with labour shortages through investment in automation and labour-saving technology. Restaurants and retailers are also making active use of foreign students" who are permitted to work 28 hours a week, he said.

The poll, conducted for Reuters by Nikkei Research between Aug 1 and Aug 14, canvassed 483 businesses with capital of at least 1 billion yen ($9 million). The managers responded anonymously.

While some companies saw unskilled foreign workers as a source of cheap labour, others fretted about the cost to their businesses of educating and managing them, citing cultural and language barriers.

The number of foreigners in Japan has more than doubled in the past decade to 1.3 million, but that remains below 2 percent of the total labour force, compared to 10 percent in Britain, 38 percent in Singapore and 2 percent in South Korea.

Some respondents expressed concerns that opening the doors to foreign workers would be a threat to public safety and social stability, some citing Europe where attitudes towards immigration have hardened, and would increase welfare costs.

"Foreign employees at our company are engineers who graduated from Japanese universities," a manager at an electrical-machinery company, who responded to the survey, said.

"These employees are white-collar workers who speak Japanese and have studied the theory of technology at university," said the manager. "We will consider accepting such white-collar workers. There's no room for unskilled foreigners at our company."

The survey result suggested companies are slightly more receptive to foreigners than in a March 2017 Reuters poll, with those employing foreigners rising by 5 percentage points to 57 percent and those willing to hire unskilled foreigners increasing 4 percentage points to 38 percent.
Electricity, gas, water supply growth demonstrate an encouraging recovery by 4.4 percent.

Sembcorp Energy India (SEIL) today said it has won a bid to supply 250 MW electricity to Bangladesh for 15 years. Sembcorp Gayatri Power, a subsidiary of SEIL, bid the lowest among half a dozen power utilities which submitted offers to Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for the supply.

"SGPL has received letters of intent from BPDB confirming its success in both the short term and long term bids, and supply of power is expected to commence soon upon completion of procedural requirements and relevant government approvals," the company said in a statement.

It, however, did not reveal the price at which it will supply power to Bangladesh.

BPDB had in February invited bids for buying 250 MW power from Indian firms for short duration (August 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019) and long-term (January 1, 2020, and July 31, 2033).

Other bidders included Adani Power Mundra Ltd, Hindustan Power, Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd, Meenakshi Energy Pvt Ltd and Odisha Power Generation Corp Ltd.

SEIL MD Vipul Tuli said, "We are pleased to have emerged the successful bidder, and look forward to commencing supply of power at a tariff that is attractive for Bangladesh and sustainable for SEIL, in keeping with growing Indo-Bangladesh economic ties. This bid fits into SEIL's strategy of providing cost-competitive and reliable power, while prudently contracting our balance open capacity at viable tariffs."

SEIL is part of the Singapore-based energy, water and marine group, Sembcorp Industries. Sembcorp Gayatri operates a 2,640 MW coal-fired power plant in Andhra Pradesh.

"SEIL owns and operates a balanced portfolio of both thermal and renewable energy assets totalling 4.37 gigawatts' capacity in operation and under construction," the statement said.

India exports approximately 900 MW of electricity to Bangladesh.

In February, state-run power giant NTPC had won a bid to supply 300 MW power to Bangladesh for 15 years at an estimated tariff of Rs 3.42 per unit. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, had won that bid over Sembcorp by a few paise, sources said.

That contract gave NTPC Rs 900 crore of annual revenue.

For that tender, BPDB had invited bids for supply of 500 MW power from India for short-term (June 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019) and long-term (January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2033). NVVN, Adani Group, PTC and Sembcorp submitted bids by the scheduled date of January 11.

As on June 5, Bangladesh had about 15,553 MW of installed capacity and 2,800 MW of captive power capacity. This is, however, way short of demand and the country had to import electricity.
1. USA | The largest economy in the world has the most gold, nearly double of Germany, at 8,133.5 tonnes.

Anand Rathi Commodities

For Indian traders, last week was a holiday-shortened one, but commodities suffered a considerable loss due to steep appreciation in the US dollar.

London Mercantile Exchange (LME) zinc fell by more than 6 percent as demand concerns overwhelmed the market. China posted weak macro-economic data as industrial production and fixed-asset investments grew slower than forecast.

The ongoing trade war also intensified with the US imposing tariffs on Turkish aluminium and steel.

LME copper skidded nearly 4.2 percent as the Chilean government and BHP Billiton managements managed to avoid a strike at the world's largest copper mine, in Escondida, after fresh offer satisfied the Union. As Japan also posted weak industrial production for July, metals lost momentum.

The "melting" of metals spread from industrial metals to precious ones as the greenback rose to a many-year high. Amid all these trade tiffs, investors in search of a safe haven rushed to the US dollar.

The yellow metal lost its shine; as a result, continuous liquidation was seen in exchange-traded funds. Last week Comex silver fell more than 3 percent on bearish momentum in both precious and industrial metals.

This week will again be a holiday-shortened one for Indian traders, who will focus on a couple of items. Watch out for commentary about economic outlook and trade-war risks from leading central bankers at their annual meet in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The minutes of the Fed's monetary-policy-meeting will also drive the market.

Chinese Vice-Minister for Commerce Wang Shouwen heads to Washington to meet key US officials in an effort to ease tensions between the two countries, with a new round of tariffs from both sides scheduled to kick in next week.

Metals have taken a pounding, bearing copper to the bears amid mounting concerns that the trade war could derail global growth, eroding demand for raw materials. Hence, industrial meals will be as volatile as before.

For the year till now, silver has fallen 13 percent, gold 9 percent, LME zinc 28 percent, and LME lead and copper 20 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Hence, we do not rule out the possibility of technical bounce back. Since gold has touched a crucial support on the Comex, it may consolidate here.

However, any further spark in the trade war between the US and China or the US and any European country might hurt sentiment again.

The author is Head - Commodity Research & Advisory at Anand Rathi Commodities. Views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol are the experts own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Moneycontrol News

The government has decided to turn down the Reserve Bank of India's request to remove the central bank's nominees from the boards of public sector banks (PSBs), Business Standard reported.

The government feels that the nominees of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should be on boards of banks at a time when banks are dealing with bad loans and cases of fraud, a senior official told the paper.

"A communication was sent by the finance ministry to the RBI last month conveying the governments decision, which had the approval of Finance Minister Piyush Goyal," the government official said.

The finance ministry reportedly did not cite any specific reason for its decision in its official communication to the RBI.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the news.

RBI Governor Urjit Patel had said in June that the central bank's nominees should not be present on the boards of PSBs to avoid "conflict of interest".

It is mandatory for the central bank to have nominees on the boards of all public sector banks.

The RBI had removed its nominees from private banks a long time ago since there is no statutory requirement to do so.

Some government officials feel the timing is not right time for the RBI to withdraw its nominees from the boards of PSBs.

"On the one hand, the RBI is demanding greater control over PSBs, on the other, it wants to remove its representatives from the boards of these banks," a government official told Business Standard.

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had made a similar request in August 2016.
The government is eyeing the power sector to buy out its stake in companies and meet its divestment target, The Times of India reports.

The government has a disinvestment target of Rs 80,000 crore for the current financial year, which it has been struggling to meet after divestment in companies such as Air India, Hindustan Copper and Mecon have been shelved.

The government is in a rush to meet its divestment target, given that it has gathered only little over Rs 9,000 crore.

The government wants power companies to replicate the ONGC-HPCL model. Last year, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) acquired the central governments majority stake in Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL).

Discussions have begun and the list is yet to be finalized. Satluj Jal Vikas Nigam (SJVN) is a possible candidate, a source told The Times of India.

NHPC acquiring the governments 63.8 percent in SJVNL is an option, the report said. SJVN is a joint venture between the Centre and the Himachal Pradesh government.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the news.

Not everyone thinks NHPC will be a good fit for SJVN as the HPCL management is considered laidback, The Times of India reports.

NTPC is considered a better choice due its focus on hydel energy, the report adds. The Himanchal Pradesh governments holding in SJVN doesnt make it an automatic choice for sell-off.
Restrictions for the railways sector under the goods and services tax (GST) regime could leave global locomotive manufacturers running out of steam in delivering pledged projects in a timely manner.

The Make in India programme of the railways drew investments from multinational engineering firms such as General Electric (GE), Canada's Bombardier, and French company Alstom.

The aggrieved companies, faced with rising input costs, have lobbied with the finance ministry to reduce tax on raw materials, according to a report by The Economic Times.

Input tax credit has piled up for these companies because most feeder products are taxed at either 18 percent or 28 percent under the GST, while railway locomotives fall under the 5 percent tax bracket.

This disparity in the tax structure has truncated the locomotive manufacturers' profit margins. Agreements signed by many multinationals under the Make in India scheme predate the rollout of GST.

The finance ministry grants a refund on input GST if manufacturers are taxed under an inverted tax structure. However, there are only few precedents of refunds being issued to companies in the railways sector.

Locomotive manufacturers are hoping that a similar relaxation granted to the fabric industry will be extended to railways as well. The companies involved did not furnish an estimate on the surplus tax amount levied.

Companies that have concerns outside the railroad business could possibly circumvent excess taxes by diverting some finished goods to other sectors. Since most foreign firms have been contracted to build locomotives, it will not be possible for them to offset the tax burden.

These multinationals are seeking a speedy resolution to their grievances as they have already made significant investments to set up manufacturing units in India. High input taxes have eroded the viability of their operations in the country.

In their communication with the finance ministry, multinational firms say that the present tax regime will actually encourage imports as only integrated GST is applicable on finished goods from abroad.

Integrated GST is the same as the tax on goods manufactured in India. The same level of taxation would prompt foreign manufacturers to export to India, rather than invest in building infrastructure in India.

Nalin Jain, President, Asia-Pacific, GE Transportation, told the news daily that the inverted duty structure is increasing the costs of rolling stock and locomotives, making imports cheaper than manufacturing domestically.

With the government reluctant to reimburse manufacturers for the unutilised input tax credit under the inverted duty structure, foreign firms will be thinking twice before investing in assets under the Make in India programme.
Moneycontrol News

Life has come to a standstill in Kerala with flood and landslides leading to unforeseen miseries and chaos. The natural calamity is likely to impact companies which are based in the state or have some business exposure there, suggest experts.

Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have resulted in the death of over 300 people in the state during this monsoon season. Over 1.67 lakh people are rehabilitated in 1,165 relief camps are functioning in the state, Emkay Global said in a report.

And the numbers have been on the rise.

This is a catastrophic event has impacted lives, homes, businesses and even agriculture activities within the state. The rub-off effect of the same is expected to be felt on some banks and NBFCs that have a sizeable exposure in the state, it said.

The main impact could be in the form of accretion in fresh slippages and the rise in credit costs (especially for SME/MSME/retail) along with weakening credit growth profile.

Emkay Global lists out five such stocks which are likely to get impacted the most from Kerala floods:

Federal Bank:

Federal Bank remains at the major risk due to this unforeseen event with 34 percent of lending and 64 percent of deposits directly linked to the state.

62 percent of Kerala-based deposits are contributed by the banks NRI customer base. Out of total Kerala-based lending book, 51 percent is to corporate, 28 percent towards SME/MSME and 21 percent to the retail segment.

Emkay expects that rising risk of default in all these segments could see a potential delay in recoveries along with a spike in credit costs.

South Indian Bank:

South Indian Bank is yet another Kerala-based bank with total lending exposure of 41 percent to the state. Of this Kerala-based lending, 42 percent of exposure is towards SME/MSME which remains at higher risk.

Muthoot Finance:

For Muthoot Finance, specific exposure to the state is undisclosed. However, 15 percent of branch network for Muthoot Finance is in Kerala with 50 percent of the lending book contributed by Southern states.

Manappuram Finance:

For Manappuram Finance, 15 percent of the Gold Loan branches and 7 percent of MFI branches are located in Kerala. Also, on a blended basis, 52 percent of the total lending book is contributed by Southern states.

State Bank of India:

Among large banks, State Bank of India (SBI) would have considerable exposure given that one of the merged associate banks, State Bank of Travancore (SBT), originated from the state with significant exposure to direct agriculture and related sectors.

Among private banks, we would remain relatively concerned towards HDFC Bank, considering their healthy Agri exposure

The views and investment tips expressed by Emkay Global on Moneycontrol are its own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
The S&P BSE Sensex reclaimed 38,000 again on Monday to hit a fresh record high of 38,266.95, while Nifty50 climbed mount 11,500 for the first time to hit a life high of 11,545.30 in morning trade.

Strong global cues and positive momentum in Asian markets led the rally. Index heavyweights such as L&T, ONGC, Tata Motors also fulled the rally in Nifty.

We have collated a list of top 5 factors which could be aiding rally on Indian markets:

Trade war fears ease:

Markets across the globe took a sigh of relief after reports suggested that China and the United States will hold lower-level trade talks this month, offering hope that they might resolve an escalating tariff war.

Reports suggested the talks in Washington would take place on August 21 and 22, just before USD 16-billion in new US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect.

Rupee recovers against the USD:

After closing above Rs 70/USD on Friday, the rupee recovered on Monday. It has opened strong at 69.83 per dollar, a gain of 32 paise versus previous close 70.15.

USD/INR managed to give a breakout of last seven consolidation range 68.40-69.40 and formed a bullish gap area on the weekly chart.

Chart pattern indicates that USD/INR is likely to extend its upward move towards 71-71.80 in the near/short term, Rajesh Palviya, Head - Technical & Derivatives Analyst, Axis Securities told Moneycontrol.

On the lower side 70-69.50 are likely to act as support for minor corrective action. Our preferred strategy would be to buy on dips till USD/INR is trading above 69.30 levels, he said.

FPIs make a comeback:

Foreign investors have pumped in over Rs 7,500 crore into the Indian capital markets so far in August on better corporate earnings coupled with improvement in crude oil prices.

The latest inflow comes following a net infusion of over Rs 2,300 crore in the capital markets, both equity and debt, last month. Prior to that, overseas investors had pulled out over Rs 61,000 crore during April-June, said a PTI report.

According to the latest depository data, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pumped in Rs 2,409 crore into equities and Rs 5,168 crore into the debt market during August 1-17, taking the total to Rs 7,577 crore.

June quarter earnings remain strong:

India Inc. has ended the last leg of its earnings season for the quarter ended June 2018. Although some interesting trends were observed during the course of the earning-report season, but the underlying narrative stays the same - a healthy performance from the Consumption- and Commodity-oriented sectors marred by higher provisioning costs at Corporate Banks.

Aggregate sales and EBITDA growth was healthy and in-line, profits missed our estimates. The miss at the PAT level for both the MOSL and Nifty Universe can be entirely ascribed to Corporate Banks, which were impacted by elevated provisions. Strong inventory gains in OMCs boosted the aggregate profits, Motilal Oswal said in a report.

As many as 90 companies saw earnings cut of 3 percent+ (78 in Q4FY18), while 39 companies saw earnings upgrades of 3 percent+ (53 in Q4FY18).

The brokerage firms FY19/20 Nifty EPS estimates have been cut by 5.6 percent/1 percent to Rs 547/688 against Rs 580/694 earlier. Nearly 80 percent of the FY19 Nifty earnings cut is driven by ICICI, SBI and Tata Motors. We are building in 19/26 percent EPS growth for Nifty for FY19/20, said the report.

Technical Factors:

The Nifty50 climbed 11,495 to hit a fresh record high above 11,500 for the first time. The index hit a record high of 11,545.30 and now the next resistance level is placed at 11,600 levels.

Chart patterns suggest that if Nifty crosses and sustains above 11,500 levels, it would witness buying which would lead the index towards 11,600-11,650 levels.

The Nifty50 is trading above 20, 50 and 100-day SMA's which is an important short-term moving average, indicating positive bias in the short term.

The Nifty continues to remain in an uptrend in the medium-term, so buying on dips continues to be our preferred strategy. For the week, we expect Nifty to trade in the range of 11,600-11,300 with a positive bias, said Palviya of Axis Securities.

The weekly strength indicator RSI continues to remain flat above its reference line indicating a positive bias. However, momentum oscillator Stochastic has turned negative from the overbought zone indicating a possible consolidation or a down move in the near term, he said.
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Coal India share price climbed 3 percent intraday Monday after reports indicated that the government is planning to sell some minority stake in the company.

Government official said the government aims to raise Rs 10,000-12,000 crore in FY19 via minority share sale in the country's largest coal mining company, reports CNBC-TV18 quoting NewsRise.

The Centre is mulling stake sale via block deal and the roadshow for the same will take place this week, the report said.

The report further said the government expects IOC, NTPC, ONGC & Oil India to buy back shares from it this financial year and plans to seek fresh bids for Air India in the next financial year.

Coal India had raised Rs 15,200 crore, the highest ever amount raised by Indian entity, through IPO in October 2010 and the government diluted 10 percent stake for this issue.

The dilution of stake by the government may be to comply with minimum public shareholding norm, which required the public shareholding should be at least 25 percent.

The Government of India held 78.32 percent equity stake in the company as of June 2018 while the public shareholding was 21.68 percent.

At 11:40 hours IST, the stock price was quoting at Rs 283.00, up Rs 1.80, or 0.64 percent on the BSE.
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Larsen & Toubro share price rallied more than 6 percent in morning on Monday ahead of its board meeting to consider share buyback proposal later this week.

The company on Saturday said the board of directors will be meeting on August 23, to consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares.

Global brokerage firm Macquarie said L&T is in a position to launch a buyback of up to $1 billion. "Buyback decision definitely drives short-term price action and also gives confidence in the outlook."

The research house has maintained its Outperform rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 1,825 per share as cash flow situation will remain comfortable in FY19. "We expect working capital to remain at 19-20 percent of sales, flat YoY."

As per the company's internal code for prevention of insider trading, the trading window for dealing in the securities of the company will be closed for the company's directors/officers and designated employees of the company from August 20, 2018, the company said in a filing to exchanges.

The company was in the news recently after it won orders worth Rs 3,028 crore. "Buildings and factories business of L&T Construction has bagged an EPC order worth Rs 3,028 crore from GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL)," the company said in a BSE filing.

The stock has risen more than 16 percent in the past one year. At 10:32 hours IST, the stock price was quoting at Rs 1,314.00, up Rs 73.70, or 5.94 percent on the BSE.
A Jet Airways passenger plane takes off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad

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Fresh trouble is around the corner for Naresh Goyal-owned Jet Airways, currently undergoing acute financial stress, as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has opened a preliminary enquiry (PE) into the carrier on suspicion it siphoned off funds.

A senior official confirmed to Moneycontrol that the Mumbai Registrar of Companies (RoC) will inspect Jets books of accounts.

Jet Airways has been dogged by financial stress, and recently wrote to employees seeking a cut in salaries. The company put the blame of its distress on rising costs due to high crude oil prices among others.

Barring FY16 and FY17, Jet Airways has not posted a profit for the past 11 years.

That stress also came with associated bad news on the regulatory front: the company recently held off from announcing its quarterly result after its audit committee did not sign off on the numbers. Both BSE and NSE have sought an explanation from the company on this.

A source close to the development told Moneycontrol that the RoC is also coordinating with market regulator SEBI over its inquiry of Jet's books.

An email to Jet Airways seeking comment did not elicit a response at the time of publishing. NSE later sought clarification on this article, to which the airline replied saying it had not received any communication from the MCA.

Further, the RoC may also look into the role of auditors. Arvind Gupta, who recently became famous as the whistleblower in the ICICI Bank-Videocon case, recently wrote to the Finance Ministry, SEBI, RBI and the Chief Vigilance Commission, complaining of irregularities.

Gupta questioned the audit committee's inability to "prevent the promoters of Jet Airways from siphoning off Rs 5,125 crore from the companies".

According to Gupta, the company, under its Jet Airways and Jet Lite brands, undertook transactions "under the guise of selling and distribution expenses and other means" with companies privately owned by the promoter.

However, the MCAs probe is independent of Guptas complaint.

(Note: Updates with NSE seeking clarification from Jet Airways on the above article, and the airline's subsequent reply to the exchange)
As many as seven entities have settled a probe by markets regulator Sebi into alleged delay in making shareholding disclosure after paying over Rs 5 lakh towards settlement fee. These entities are Moderate Leasing & Capital Services, A to Z Holdings, Longwell Investments, SBEC Systems (India) Ltd, Umesh Kumar Modi, Kumkum Modi and Jayesh Modi.

Sebi agreed to settle proposed adjudication proceedings in the case, for alleged delay in compliance of of SAST (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) as well as PIT (Prohibition of Insider Trading) regulations after it was approached by these seven entities with a plea under the settlement regulations.

"The proposed adjudication proceedings for the alleged default and the proceedings that could have been initiated for the defaults are settled," the regulator said in a settlement order dated August 16, adding that it would not initiate any enforcement action against the entities for the defaults.

Under the settlement, an entity is allowed to settle charges by paying a penalty without admission or denial of guilt.

According to the regulator, the entities had proposed to settle, through a settlement order, the proposed adjudication proceedings for the delayed compliance of SAST as well as PIT regulations.

The entities sought to settle the proceedings for "delay in making disclosure of change in shareholding of Moderate Leasing & Capital Services along with PACs (persons acting in concert) and A to Z Holding".

Pending adjudication proceedings, the entities approached Sebi to settle the case on payment of settlement charges.

Thereafter, Sebi's high powered advisory committee recommended the case for settlement on the payment of fee. This was also approved by the regulator's panel of whole-time members, following which they remitted Rs 5.17 lakh.

Accordingly, the Securities and Exchange Board of India has disposed of the adjudication proceedings initiated against the entities.
We had initiated coverage on Lumax Industries (Lumax) and Fiem Industries (Fiem) on October 17, 2017 and January 18. The companies provide lighting solutions to automobile manufacturers and caters to all major segments. The duo posted impressive set of Q1 FY19 earnings on strong industry opportunities and wider adoption of LED lights.

Market leadership, marquee clients, focus on developing technologically advanced products and adoption of LED-based products provide improved earnings visibility for the companies and therefore merits investor attention.

Quarter in a snapshot

In the quarter gone by, net revenue from operations grew 45.8 percent year-on-year (YoY) on the back of 35 percent volume growth. The remaining value growth was driven by higher adoption of LED products. On the profitability front, the company posted 97 basis points expansion in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin and 65.2 percent growth in EBITDA.Margin expansion was driven by operating leverage, led by favourable product mix tilted towards LEDs. Profit after tax (PAT) grew 32.2 percent, with PAT margin contracting 43 bps due to sharp drop in the profit from associated companies.Riding on growth accruing from the two-wheeler segment, Fiem posted a strong 24 percent rise in sales, led by a 22 percent growth in the automotive segment. This was driven by 12 percent and 16 percent volume growth registered by its key clients Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India and TVS Motor Company, respectively. The LED luminaries business clocked Rs 2.1 crore in revenue as compared to negative sales of Rs 3.12 crore (due to sales return in Q1 FY18).The company posted a 55 bps YoY contraction in EBITDA margin due to a significant rise in raw material prices. This was partially offset by operating leverage and cost reduction efforts undertaken by the company. PAT grew 22.1 percent to Rs 12.6 crore.

What we like about these companies

Lumax boasts of strong clientele. As a percentage of total revenue, Maruti Suzuki is its largest client with 32 percent share, followed by HMSI and Honda Motors (HML) with 17 percent and 9 percent share, respectively. The top five customers generate around 71 percent of total revenue.

Fiem also boasts of having marquee clients in its kitty and services almost 90 percent of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India. It has TVS and HMSI as its top customers, which generate around 70 percent of total revenue.

Lumax has a strong financial and technical collaboration with Stanley Electric Company (Stanley), Japan, which is a world leader in lighting and illumination products for automobiles. The company receives strong cutting-edge technology from its foreign partner, which keeps it ahead of competition. Apart from that, it has in-house R&D facilities and a design studio that helps it in working on innovative products.

Fiem has a strong in-house R&D centre and has become Indias first National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories for testing of automotive lamps. Given its strong focus on R&D, the company was the first to supply LED-based lamps for a 2W model. Unlike other players in the industry, who have sourced technology from outside and pay royalty, Fiem does not have that obligation, which positively impacts its financial performance.

Lumax and Fiem are dominant players in the four-wheeler and 2W lighting industries, respectively. With the auto sector returning back to normalcy after various regulatory challenges witnessed in FY17/18, both 4W and 2W segments are posting strong volume numbers. These are expected to augur well for both these companies.

In percentage terms, HMSI is Fiems automotive segment largest client followed by TVS. These two customers are the strongest players in the fast-growing scooter segment within the 2W space. The company is therefore in a vantage position to ride the upcoming wave of growth in the scooter segment.

Both these companies are unaffected by electric vehicle disruption, going forward, as its products are immune to EV adoption.

The management of both companies continue to be remain positive on the adoption of LED lamps and indicated that adoption is faster than what they had expected. They indicated that LEDs are high margin products and wider adoption of LEDs would unlock huge potential in terms of sales growth and margin expansion.

Moreover, the governments decision to make automatic headlamp on' (AHO) mandatory in 2W from 2017 is providing an additional growth kicker. Bharat Stage-VI norms, to be implemented by 2020, would require vehicles to be more energy efficient, which would lead to faster adoption of LEDs.

The recent correction in share prices, amid overall weakness in midcap stocks, provides a great investment opportunity. Lumax and Fiem are currently trading at 17.2 and 11.5 times FY20 projected earnings, respectively. We advise investors to buy these businesses for the long term.

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Rajnish Kumar, chairman, State Bank of India (SBI)

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State Bank chairman Rajnish Kumar today called for scaling down thrust on consortium lending, saying over-dependence on this has only led to bad loan pile- up as it has been inordinately delaying loan appraisals.

He also said NPAs rose because bankers don't approach a borrower with the mind of a CBI/ED sleuth, but with trust.

Apportioning the blame for bad loans, which has almost touched 12 per cent of the system, on the government, the judiciary, banks and slimy borrowers, he said, "instead of lessening credit risk, consortium lending has mostly increased the pain as inordinate delay in loan appraisal, has most of the time, killed projects."

Listing out problems around the consortium lending or multiple banking systems, he said, "up to the mid-90s, it used to be consortium banking and later on, because there were complaints saying it was delaying the process, we went into multiple banking, but that has not resulted in faster decision-making. Instead, it has led to more NPAs."

As a way out, he suggested limiting the size of the consortium as it does not make sense to have too many banks for small loans.

"SBI will definitely reorganise many consortia. Up to Rs 500 crore, I don't do consortium lending anyway. I can take over some loans or I can exit from other consortia," Kumar, the chairman of the largest lender, told reporters on the sidelines of the national banking summit organised by the industry lobbies Ficci and IBA here today.

He further said the finance ministry wants the loan appraisal to be quicker so credit flow to the industry can be faster, and lending out of a consortium can achieve this.

Explaining that banking has always been based on trust, Rajnish said "banks do not have mindset of the Central Bureau of Investigation or the Enforcement Directorate but lend the money on trust, apart from paperwork. But that trust has been breached in many instances, as the NPAs show."

"Now we will trust, but we will verify; probably that verification factor was missing in the past," Kumar said.

Kumar also raised doubts about whether genuine equity was available in the businesses by borrowers, which have gone bust. "Wherever I have seen that equity was available, those enterprises have been able to manage the assets; in case of anyone who was just playing on the bank's money and therefore how much interest and stake they had in the business is again a subject matter of debate," Kumar added.

Admitting that mounting NPAs came into existence due to the delayed response from banks, the chairman said bankers, government, corporates and even the judiciary played a role in the stressed asset issues.

"I would say everybody is responsible, be it the bankers, industry, borrowers, government, and without inviting contempt of court, even the judiciary, has played a role in this situation," the chairman said, adding the delayed response by bankers has also contributed towards the aggravated NPA situation.

Referring to the 2014 Supreme Court cancellation of the allocation of 214 coal mines awarded between 1993 and 2010, he said if somebody who invested in a business in 1996 based on assurance of coal availability by the government, could not have predicted that 20 years later, coal blocks would get cancelled, leaving the entire investment in jeopardy.

Talking about IBC, he said it has been a good step in instilling fear in promoters of losing the company but he said just for a few hundred crores of rupees more, if the bidding process is delayed, the entire purpose of the law will be defeated.

"What is sacrosanct is that we stick to the (IBC) time line. If that is not met, then the delay can lead to the asset getting junked," he warned.

"Due to the IBC, there is awareness among borrowers that they need to change the way the business is done. A promoter cannot siphon off the money and run the company down and still continue to be the owner."

"From the bankers' side, they need to move from balance sheet-based lending to cash flow-based lending," he added.

On the power sector NPAs, where the Allahabad High Court is hearing a petition challenging the February 2012 RBI circular, he said the sector is stressed, and there is a need to fix it for the continued growth of the economy.

On MSME lending, he said it is becoming easier because of availability of information and the move from balance sheet to cash flow.

"What you have to realise is that balance sheet is a one day affair that is information on a particular day whereas in the cash flow-based lending, banks or any lender, they have access to availability of cash or how the enterprise is performing," he said.
If you are looking to buy an insurance policy, do note that most errors happen at the time of filling the proposal form. In 2014, Suresh Rathore (name changed) from New Delhi trusted his insurance advisor to fill the proposal form. The advisor filled incorrect/incomplete information in the form and submitted the same to the insurance company. Rathore had purchased a Rs 1 crore term insurance policy to meet his family expenses in case of his sudden demise.

In January last year, Rathores health condition deteriorated and he passed away. His spouse Deepti (name changed) applied to the life insurance provider for claim against the term insurance policy purchased. But the claim was rejected by the insurance company, citing incorrect information of his pre-existing disease in the proposal form.

Mahavir Chopra, Director - Health, Life & Strategic Initiatives, Coverfox.com said, The probability of claims getting rejected is higher if incorrect or incomplete or concealed information gets submitted to the insurance company in the proposal form. One must remember that a term or life insurance plan is going to be issued on the information provided in the proposal form and it will form part of the contract.

Santosh Agarwal, Associate Director and Cluster Head- Life Insurance, Policybazaar.com, cautioned, Filling up wrong information intentionally or unintentionally can be a cause for claim rejection. We recommend a thorough review of the proposal form while buying an insurance policy.

Source: IRDAI Report

Lets discuss the 4 common reasons for rejection of life insurance claims:

Pay special attention to sections related to lifestyle, medical and family history. Chopra advised, Do not miss or hide information related to your health and lifestyle, especially smoking and alcohol-related questions. In case you consume cigarettes occasionally, you cannot declare yourself as a non-smoker in the proposal form.

Agarwal added, Hiding wrong deeds like smoking or alcohol consumption just to pay a low premium will definitely lead to a claim rejection. Hiding any medical history with the fear of the policy getting rejected can be a cause for claim rejection. Its important to inform the insurer in case of any lifestyle or medical changes like if you start smoking.

This information plays a significant role when a customer wishes to attach some health-related riders/add-ons, like critical illness rider, with the basic term or life insurance plan. Being a health-related cover, it is very important to disclose any pre-existing condition, said Chopra. Currently, new term insurance plans come with inbuilt critical illness benefits.

Chopra cautioned that delay in filing the claim beyond a stipulated period could raise unnecessary suspicion. "The insurer can call for prolonged investigations. Such activities can take an additional time and can be a cause for claim rejection.

The first criteria for getting your claim approved is that the policy should be in-force. Chopra said, You must always pay your premiums on time to keep your policy in force. An insurer will reject your claim if your policy has lapsed due to non-payment of premiums. If due to any unavoidable circumstances you miss the due date of your premium payment, you should pay for the same during the grace period. If a claim is made even a day after the policy lapses, the insurance company will reject the claim.
Alok Agrawal & Deepika Mathur

Neel boarded the long haul flight from Mumbai to London with a spring in his step. A newly-qualified computer engineer, his employer had deputed him to London on a client assignment for three months. Neel was keen to work overseas  he assumed that the entire 'per diem' or daily allowance which was paid to him for local expenses during his onsite period would be tax free. Little did he know that the Indian revenue authorities were going to tax all the amounts he saved from this allowance, which remained as a credit balance in the forex card that he had got from his employer.

As per the provisions of the Income Tax Act, per diem allowance received by an employee is not taxable, provided the following conditions are satisfied:i) The allowance is a special allowance, specifically granted to meet expenses wholly, necessarily and exclusively in the performance of dutiesii) The allowance is provided while on tour and away from his normal place of duty

iii) The employee has actually incurred the expenses

Based on the above provision, tax exemption is available only to the extent the per diem has been actually spent by the employee. Accordingly, any unspent amount of per diem allowance is taxable in the hands of employee and tax deduction is required to be done by the employer.

A recent ruling of the Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that boarding and lodging allowances paid to employees deputed abroad for meeting personal expenses is taxable as a perquisite and the employer is liable to deduct tax. The company had its branch office in UK and deputed employees to its branch office. The employees continued to receive salary in India and, in addition, boarding and lodging allowances were paid in the UK. Relying on the provisions of the Income Tax Act these allowances were considered as exempt from tax in India and hence the employer did not deduct any tax on the same.

The HC held that 'lump sum' payments made to employees resulted in an additional advantage to meet the higher cost of accommodation and other personal expenses and cannot be considered as having been incurred in performance of duties. It agreed with the ruling of the Tribunal that there was no evidence to prove that the expenditure was incurred by the employee as the employer did not collect any bills or vouchers against the lump sum payments.

In such an event, the employer would be held responsible for failure to withhold tax and would be liable to deposit the outstanding tax (on the income which is considered as not exempt) along with interest. The revenue authorities may also levy penalties on the employer.

In India, there have been few HC judgements in the context of granting exemption for per diem/daily overseas allowance to Indian employees sent on international assignments. This HC ruling contradicts the principles laid down in another ruling of the Karnataka High Court and other tribunal rulings, which held that verification of actual expenditure incurred by the employee is not required provided the allowance paid is reasonable and the employer is satisfied that the conditions provided under the Income Tax Act for claiming exemption are met.

In the AP HC ruling, 'lump sum' allowances were paid to the employee towards boarding and lodging and the court held that such expenditure could not be treated as having been incurred in connection with discharge of duties. No breakup of the amounts paid to the employees was available and no evidence such as log book and vouchers was available to prove that the expenditure was incurred by the employees.

In few cases, the employer paid the outstanding 'lump sum' allowances after employees return to India without obtaining any details of the expenditure incurred. In the Karnataka HC ruling a daily per diem was paid to cover actual expenses of meals, travel, laundry and other miscellaneous expenses. In the said ruling, relying on the circulars issued in the context of government employees and other favourable tribunal rulings, the HC held that the per diem paid was reasonable and the employer was not required to maintain supporting.

While, the AP HC ruling places onus on the employer, the court observed that the employees could claim the tax exemption by producing necessary evidence before the tax officer. It must be noted that even if the employer has considered such allowance as exempt for tax withholding purposes, it is prudent for the employees to maintain appropriate documentation to be able to support their claim of tax exemption before the tax authorities during scrutiny of the tax return. In situations where taxes have been paid on per diem allowance in the overseas country, a foreign tax credit of the same can also be claimed in India on the doubly taxed per diem, subject to appropriate documentation.

This ruling is relevant for all employers paying tax-exempt per diem allowances or daily living allowances to overseas workers. While the above HC rulings were relating to employees going on international assignments, the principles will also be relevant to employees who visit overseas countries on business trips and are in receipt of per diem/daily allowances as the provisions of the Income Tax Act with the conditions for tax exemption are common for all.

Finally, Neel also had to come to terms on the tax implications for his allowances abroad.
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ICICI Direct's research report on Dredging Corporation

Revenues de-grew 11% YoY to Rs 140 crore (I-direct estimate: Rs 150 crore). Revenue growth appears to have contracted after growing 17% YoY in Q4FY18, due to lower utilisation of fleet EBITDA margin declined 33 bps to 23.3% (I-direct estimate: 22%), mainly due to higher other expenses to sales ratio (58.7% in Q1FY19 vs 58.5% in Q1FY18). Absolute EBITDA de-grew 13% to Rs 33 crore (I-direct estimate: Rs 33 crore) Subsequently, PAT de-grew 28% to Rs 3 crore and was higher than I-direct estimate of Rs 2 crore.

Outlook

The Government of India is keen on stake sale (~73%) of Dredging Corp to three major ports (Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Paradip Port Trust and New Mangalore Port Trust) with the help of surplus funds parked with the ports. Such a stake sale may provide the required trigger to capture the huge growth opportunity presented by the above-mentioned projects and also inherit the ongoing dredging projects in the mentioned ports. It could also lead to deftness in decision making and upgrading/investing in modernisation of existing fleet and acquisition of new fleet/equipment to cater to requirement of various projects. At the current market price, DCI is trading at ~21x FY20E EPS of Rs 23 and 0.8x FY20E P/BV (book value). The stock has corrected ~ 50-60% in the last six months. Near term concerns related to execution of ongoing projects have led us to revise our target price to Rs 450 (20x FY20E EPS) with a HOLD rating on the stock.

For all recommendations report, click here

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

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Have a long-term outlook | Timing investment is logically impossible because the best entry and exit opportunities are known only in hindsight. No one can predict market movements with certainty. Therefore, it is important to allow your investments to compound over a long term.

French cement giant Vicat Group today said it has invested Rs 300 crore this year to expand cement capacities to meet growing demand in south and eastern parts of the country and launched its Vicat brand in India.

"To meet the overall 5 percent growth in cement industry, we have major expansion plans in India. We have chalked out Rs 1,700 crore investment plans by 2021 to increase our cement manufacturing capacity to 13 million tonnes (mt), Vicat India CEO Anoop Kumar Saxena told reporters here.

"We have already invested Rs 300 crore this year. Our expansion plan includes setting up of 1.2 mt of bulk cement terminal at Kalamboli in Mumbai and second line of 2.75 mtpa capacity in existing Kalburgi cement plant and establish a grinding unit of 1.7 mtpa capacity at Vizag in Andhra Pradesh to expand our footprint, Saxena said.

The company has an integrated cement plant consisting 2 lines in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The total capacity of group in India is 7.75 mtpa.

The company has a market share of 10 per cent in Mumbai, 18 percent in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 5 per cent in Tamil Nadu, 14 per cent in Karnataka and 3 percent in Kerala regions.

In the last 8 years, the company has expanded its markets and now it has operations in 8 states namely Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. It has strong network of 3,300 dealers.

The company has also launched brand "Vicat" in India, first outside France. This is flagship brand from France for last several decades in cement. It has launched Vicat Optimate and Vicat Duramate brands in the Mumbai market to meet the demand in construction and infrastructure industry, Saxena said.

During the launch of terminal, Guy Sidos, Vicat Group Chairman said, "India is very important country for our business and investment of Rs 70 crore in this terminal is in line with our commitment to supply best quality of cement. This terminal is having 1.2 mtpa capacity and it can store upto 12,000 tonnes cement at any point of time."

Vicat entered in India in 2008 through a joint venture with an Indian partner with proposal to establish an integrated plant. In 2014, Vicat bought 100 percent stake of joint venture and renamed it as Kalburgi Cement. During 2010, it took another operating company Bharathi Cement with Indian partner having 5.5 mtpa capacity.
The Haryana Police special task force (STF) has arrested two Nigerian nationals after 1 kg of heroin was allegedly recovered from them in Gurgaon. Acting on a tip-off that two foreigners were roaming near IFFCO Chowk to supply heroin, an STF team nabbed the two accused and recovered nearly 1 kg of heroin yesterday, a police official said today.

The duo, Yao and Okelie, have revealed that they used to smuggle heroin from South Africa, Mexico and Peru and supply across Delhi, Gurgaon, Punjab and Haryana. They are presently residing in Hastsal Vihar area of Delhi's Uttam Nagar, the officer said.

A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the two, he said, adding that they were being interrogated to unearth other such possible cases.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a person who neither buckled under pressure nor lost hope despite the odds. Addressing a prayer meeting in memory of the former prime minister, who died here last week, Modi said it was Vajpayee who changed the narrative when some countries were cornering India on the Kashmir issue.

"Due to Vajpayee ji, terrorism became an important issue on the world stage," he said. No party was willing to support Vajpayee when he formed the government for 13 days, Modi said, referring to the short-lived NDA government in 1996.

"The government fell. He did not lose hope and remained committed to serving the people," he told the gathering and added that Vajpayee showed the way when it came to coalition politics.

When the Vajpayee government created the three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, the process was peaceful and without bitterness, the prime minister said. Referring to the May 1998 nuclear tests, Modi said Vajpayee's efforts ensured that India became a nuclear power.

He attributed the tests to the brilliance of India's scientists. Two days later, India tested again and showed what a strong political leadership can do, the prime minister said.

"He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all," he said, adding that the former prime minister never compromised on his ideology.

He distinguished himself as a parliamentarian and was proud of parliamentary traditions, Modi said.

Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term before being voted out in 2004.
Foreign exchange earnings totaled USD 24 billion in January-October 2019, with a growth (year-on-year) of two percent.

News Corp backed Elara Technologies, which owns realty portals Housing.com, PropTiger.com and Makaan.com, has raised $35 million (around Rs 245 crore) as debt from Citi Singapore to invest in new products, technology and expansion for next phase of growth, a top company official said.

Singapore based Elara Technologies would hire 150 employees to strengthen its sales team, taking the total headcount to 1,500, said Dhruv Agarwala, who is group CEO of all the three portals Housing, PropTiger and Makaan.

News Corp and its Australia-based group firm REA as well as SAIF Partners, Softbank and Accel Partners are major shareholders in Elara Technologies, a digital real estate marketing and transactions services firm.

"We have raised $35 million fund from Citi Singapore as debt. This amount will be used for investing in technology, product, branding, strengthening of sales team and geographical expansion of all the three platforms," Agarwala said.

Elara Technologies has raised $105 million so far from investors as equity and this is the first time that the company is raising debt, he added.

"We currently have offices in 10 major cities of the country and now we want to further expand our business in domestic as well as international markets. We will hire 150 people by December in our sales team," Agarwala said.

Stating that technology is key to its business, he said the company will invest in bringing new features for personalisation, improving conversion rate, and natural language processing based search.

Elara Technologies is currently growing at a rate of more than 50 per cent year-on-year, he said, and expected that this funding would catalyse the next phase of growth and build its leadership in the rapidly expanding digital real estate space in India.

"India's real estate sector is growing at a healthy pace on the back of strong overall market demand. This transaction demonstrates our confidence in Elara Technologies' growth potential and the opportunity that we see in India's digital real estate market over the next few years," said Wong Sin Ping, Global Subsidiaries Group Head of Citi Singapore.

Elara Technologies first founded PropTiger.com in 2011 and then acquired Makaan.com in May 2015. In a major consolidation in the Indian online real estate business, Elara had acquired Housing.com in January 2017, a start-up founded in 2012 by around dozen IIT graduates.

Following the acquisition of Housing.com, the company completed a restructuring exercise to ensure optimal utilisation of resources.

While, PropTiger helps developers in selling flats available in primary market, Makaan.com largely deals in buy sell of resale properties. Housing.com is a classified platform for developers, brokers and home-owners.

On the operation front, Elara said that the revenues of Housing.com more than doubled in fiscal year 2018, helping it become one of the top three players in the digital real estate classified business.

PropTiger's revenue grew by 40 per cent during the first half of 2018, it said and expected this platform to become profitable this fiscal year. Since inception, PropTiger has facilitated the sales of close to 20,000 homes worth nearly $2 billion.

Makaan.com, which has a total of 9 lakh properties listed on its platform, has witnessed a 300 percent growth in revenue in H1 2018 over the same period last year. Elara said the acquisition of Housing.com helped the company in offering a comprehensive range of real estate services.
Along with floods which led to the death of nearly 200 people, Kerala also battled with a spate of fake news.

Multiple outlets and individuals peddled false news and theories. A man dressed in army attire claimed that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan was not allowing the Army to conduct relief work.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan do you think the army will take over the administration? Arent there any sensible people in your cabinet? Is Kodiyeri Balakrishnan the only minister? He must have had a bad experience with the army in the past. Today, I realized how senseless you are! the man said in the video.



Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy.Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579. We are at it #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/ncUR7tCkZW

 ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 19, 2018

The Additional Directorate General of Public Information, Indian Army, tweeted that the man was an impostor and spreading fake news. However, the video was watched over 4,37,000 times and shared nearly 28,000 times.

In another instance, Suresh Kochattil, whose audio clip did the rounds of Whatsapp groups, claimed that most people affected by the floods were from well-to-do families, so they do not need any handouts. He went on to say that people should consider donating to Seva Bharathi rather than the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund.

I wanted the fund collection business by NGOs and other organizations to CMs relief fund and other not-so well-known organizations. No one will know where the money will end up. Instead, give it to the organizations that will do good work. You are free to donate to anyone you want, including CMs Relief Fund, he said in a Facebook post, after facing backlash.

Kochattil was the head of the Hyderabad chapter of Modis social media campaign for 2014 general elections.

The official page of RSS shared a picture from 2012, claiming that the RSS was helping people in Kerala but have since edited the caption to This reporter covered the relief activity in 2012 (photo ). He covered the flood relief in 2018 also. Hopefully, more media personnel cover this."

As the disaster unfolded, CM Vijayan had requested the public to not believe in any information shared by people other than government officials amid rumours like dams bursting and Kerala State Electric Board shutting down operations.
Representative image

Indian health authorities prepared defences against the spread of disease in flood hit Kerala state on Monday as water receded and a huge clean-up gathered pace after the worst floods in a century killed more than 200 people.

Incessant rain since August 8 in the southern state has swelled rivers and triggered landslides. Dozens of people are missing and nearly a million are sheltering in thousands of relief camps, state officials said.

"The biggest challenges immediately ahead are cleaning of the flood-hit houses, rehabilitation, and prevention of water-borne diseases," said Mahesh P., a village level officer from Rayamangalam, some 45 km (28 miles) from Kerala's financial capital of Kochi.

Light to moderate rain was expected across Kerala on Monday, bringing some respite to rescue workers, who have been battling rising waters and mudslides to reach tens of thousands of stranded villagers.

Rainfall in the state during the June-September monsoon season has been more than 40 percent higher than normal, with torrential rain in the last 10 days forcing authorities to release water from dozens of dangerously full dams, sending surges into rivers that then overflowed their banks.

Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at Kerala's health department, said the state was preparing to battle any outbreak of diseases in the relief camps and preventive medicines were being distributed.

Mahesh said villagers had all pulled together to rescue people and prevent an even bigger disaster. "The bulk of the credit for the rescue goes to the ordinary citizens. The army, the navy, the local authorities assisted them," Mahesh said.

"The flood has bonded the people like never before, with people sharing whatever they had." Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no shortage of food in the state as traders had stocked up ahead of Onam, the state's biggest festival which falls on August 25.

The state has cancelled all official celebrations in connection with the Hindu harvest festival.
The government has asked industrialists and business organisations to provide whatever help they feel is appropriate to flood affected Kerala, which is facing a "humanitarian crisis", Union minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

Prabhu, who holds the portfolios of Commerce and Industry as well as Civil Aviation, also said that domestic airlines have been persuaded to carry cargo free of cost to the state. More than 200 people have died and over 7.24 lakh have been displaced following floods and landslips in Kerala, which has been ravaged by heavy rains in the last one week.

Making it clear that the Centre does not want to do "politics" with regard to providing rescue and relief to Kerala, Prabhu said it is only facilitating help.

"Govt has asked industrialists and business organisations to help in whatever (way) they feel is appropriate," Prabhu said in an interview here.

On steps being taken to help Kerala, the minister said he has directed the DIPP Secretary to talk to all industrialists, business organisations like CII and FICCI, and all philanthropists on what they can give to the state.

"We are not collecting anything, we are only facilitating. What is the purpose of collecting and putting our stamp? We don't want to do any politics over it," he said. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) comes under the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

Prabhu said efforts being made are purely for humanitarian help. "It is a humanitarian crisis (which is) very sad and unfortunate," he added. Airlines have been persuaded to carry free cargo (to Kerala) but there should be a counter-party to receive it there, he added.

According to him, the Civil Aviation Ministry devised a strategy wherein key airlines were contacted in terms of helping Kerala deal with the flood situation.

To help the state, commercial flight operations started today from the naval airport in Kochi as the city's main aerodrome is shut till August 26 due to floods.

"We are willing to do anything and everything possible to make Kerala come back on its own fleet," Prabhu said. The minister said he will be appealing to the NRI community as well whenever he travels abroad.

On August 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an immediate financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to the rain-battered Kerala, after reviewing the flood situation in the state.

Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Midnapore, West Bengal  July 16

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to his newly elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, conveying New Delhi's commitment to pursue "meaningful" and "constructive" engagement with Islamabad and emphasising the need to work for a terror free South Asia, official sources said today.

In a letter to Khan on August 18, the day he was sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd prime minister, Modi also expressed India's commitment to building good neighbourly relations between the two countries while congratulating him, the sources said.

In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi offered "uninterrupted" dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, saying it is the "only wise course" as the two countries cannot afford any "adventurism".

On July 30, Modi had telephoned Khan to congratulate him on his party's victory in the general elections and expressed hope that both countries will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Days before Modi's phone call, Khan said he wanted to improve ties with India and resolve all the issues through talks. "If India takes one step towards us, we will take two."

In the letter, Modi recalled his telephonic conversation with Khan, in which they spoke of their shared vision to bring peace, security and prosperity in the Indian subcontinent to make it free of terror and violence, the sources said, quoting from the letter.

In his letter, the prime minister also expressed the belief that the smooth transition of government in Pakistan will strengthen and cement people's belief in democracy.

"PM expressed India's commitment to build good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region," a source said.

Ties between India and Pakistan nosedived following a spate of terror attacks on Indian military bases by Pakistan based terror groups since January 2016. Following the strikes, India announced it will not engage in talks with Pakistan, saying terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.

Asked whether Modi's letter revived hopes for resumption of talks between the two neighbours, former diplomat Vivek Katju said he has reiterated India's position and it is for Pakistan to create an environment for engagement by coming down hard on terror groups.

"India has always been ready for talks with Pakistan provided Pakistan creates a terror-free environment," said Katju.

Modi had made an unannounced visit to Lahore in December 2015 the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in more than 10 years. He made the surprise visit on his way back from a trip to Russia and Afghanistan.

The visit had raised hope for a thaw in ties but a series of cross border terror attacks in next few months on Indian establishment as well as India's retaliatory 'surgical strikes' put the bilateral ties under further strain.

In the last one year, Pakistani forces have been resorting to frequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir which have been retaliated "forcefully" by Indian Army.
Representative image

Kerala has been ravaged by the worst floods in decades, with over 300 dead and lakhs displaced. While rescue and relief operations are underway, a scientist who authored a paper on the conservation of Western Ghats is of the opinion that the state government and local authorities are partly to blame for the disaster.

Madhav Gadgil, who headed the expert panel on Western Ghats Ecology formed by Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2010, said the scale of the disaster would have been much smaller if environmental laws had been followed. He said at least part of the problem was man-made.

Gadgil told The Indian Express, Yes, there is an intense rainfall event which has caused this. But I am quite convinced that the last several years development in the state has materially compromised its ability to deal with events like this and greatly increased the magnitude of suffering.

In 2011, the Gadgil panel had suggested measures to preserve the ecologically frail Western Ghats area. According to the report, Western Ghats should have been declared ecologically sensitive. It had also assigned three levels of sensitivity to regions within the Ghats.

One of the recommendations included banning of some industrial and mining activities in the area, as well as regulation of many developmental work in the area after consultation with local communities.

All six states opposed the report and its recommendations. Therefore, another panel was appointed by the Environment Ministry headed by K Kasturirangan to examine the Gadgil committee report. The new panel made the recommendations much more simplified when it submitted its report in 2013, suggesting that only a third of the Western Ghats be identified as ecologically sensitive.

Just last year, the ministry notified over 57,000 sq km of the Western Ghats as sensitive, resulting in a ban on all mining activities, large constructions, thermal power plants and highly polluting industries.

Gadgil said, It is not a question of the report not being accepted or the recommendations being ignored. If the governments had just followed the law, if there was good governance, a disaster of this proportion could have been avoided.

He added that the state governments are in collusion with vested interests and resist environmental laws. Gadgil believes that any law-abiding society that believes in good governance would have accepted his report.

He pointed to increasing stone quarrying activity in Kerala. In 2013, after we had submitted our report, there were many demonstrations against stone quarrying in Kerala. But it has only become more and more rampant, and in the last few years, it has exceeded all limits. Activities like these certainly contribute to the magnitude of the damage that has been caused by the floods, he said.

He also said there had been an unregulated growth of illegal constructions and creation of real estate all over the state. Gadgil calls such activities unjustified human interventions rather than natural events.
370 people have died and around 20,000 houses damaged in floods in Kerala that have wrecked havoc in the state since August 8. Pictured: An aerial view shows partially submerged houses and church in a flooded area in Kerala. (Image: Reuters)

Flood water has begun receding and efforts are now on relief and recovery. Pictured: A volunteer cleaning a house following floods on the outskirts of Kochi. (Image: Reuters)

The UAE has offered Rs 700 crore fot the flood-hit state. But the Centre is unlikely to accept any foreign financial assistance. Pictured: People assessing damage caused by floods on the outskirts of Kochi. (Image: AP)

Flood victims carry relief material as they walk through a damaged area after floods, at Nelliyampathy Village. (Image: Reuters)

According to a Financial Times report, the damage caused by the floods is around Rs 18,840 crore. During early days of flooding, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that overall loss caused by the floods was Rs 8,316 crore. Pictured: An aerial view of partially submerged roads in the state. (Image: Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a grant of Rs 500 crore, besides the Rs 100 crore declared by Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier. CM Vijayan is personally donating Rs 1 lakh to the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund. Various states, corporate companies, businessmen and celebrities have also made donations in cash and kind. Pictured: Volunteers work at an aid distribution centre inside a stadium in Kochi. (Image: Reuters)

The situation in Kerala is expected to take months to normalise and years before parts of the state are reconstructed. Pictured: Flood-affected women wait in a queue to receive relief material at a camp in Chengannur. (Image: Reuters)

Waterlogging has resulted in suspension of operations at Kochi International Airport. The airport is the seventh busiest airport in the country. Commercial flight operations have commenced from a naval airport in Kochi. The naval airport is expected to be used until operations at Kochis commercial airport can resume. Pictured: A man walks inside the flooded Cochin international airport. (Image: Reuters)

Total of 58 National Disaster Response Force teams have been working in Kerala, making it the largest deployment of the force in a single state since its inception. Pictured: Rescue workers search for bodies of missing persons after a landslide, triggered by heavy rains and floods. (Image: PTI)

CM Vijayan has said that Kerala has enough food to feed the affected people. However, transportation of food material has proved to be a bigger challenge as multiple key highways remain submerged. Pictured: Flood victims wait for food inside a college auditorium, which has been converted into a temporary relief camp, in Kochi. (Image: Reuters)

On August 17, Indian Navy personnel evacuated a 25-year old pregnant woman from the terrace of her marooned house in Aluva town. The challenge for Commodore Vijay Verma, who was piloting the Chetak helicopter, was to keep it steady enough for such an attempt. Pictured: The woman with her new-born baby. (Image: PTI)

CM Vijayan has thanked fishermen who are participating in rescue operations. The chief minister said that all boats will be awarded Rs 3,000 for each day they participate in rescue operations. The Kerala government will be bearing repair costs of all boats damaged during such work. Pictured: People engage in flood rescue work after Kakkayam dam was opened following incessant rains in Kozhikode. (Image: PTI)

A total of 5,645 relief camps have been set up along with 3,700 medical camps across Kerala for flood victims. INS Deepak has reached Kochi with 800 tonnes of freshwater and 18 tonnes of relief material, including medicines. Pictured: People wait for aid on the roof of their house at a flooded area. (Image: Reuters)

A person carries a grain sack as his house gets flooded after the Kakkayam dam was opened following heavy rains in Kozhikode. (Image: PTI)

People help an elderly woman disembark from an Indian Navy helicopter at a relief camp after being rescued from a flooded area in Kerala. (Image: Reuters)
RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy, who was recently appointed to the board of the Reserve Bank of India, has hinted that the Supreme Court should weigh its decision on allowing women into the Sabarimala temple against the Kerala floods, which have killed over 200 people so far.

Gurumurthy was responding to a tweet by a Twitter user, which said, "No law is above God... If you permit everyone, he denies everyone".

To this, Gurumurthy urged the Supreme Court to see "if there is any connection" between the Sabarimala case and Kerala floods. "Even if there is one in a million chance of a link, people would not like the case decided against Ayyappan.

Gurumurthy, who has often been accused of peddling fake news, often taking parody websites to be real and tweeting it to his followers. In one instance, the CA-turned-journalist cited an article from The Onion titled Historians admit to inventing ancient Greeks.

The Sabarimala case is about allowing entry of women aged 10-50 in the temple which was restricted due to multiple reasons -- one of them linked to the belief that menstruation is considered 'impure.



Sir, don't you feel ashamed to talk at this moment about this? People are dying, rendered homeless & u talk like bharathiraja movie villager

 SudhirSrinath (@SudhirSrinath) August 18, 2018

Twitter users responded with criticism, especially in light of Gurumurthys appointment to the RBI board.



So the recent drop in rupee is God's warth on @sgurumurthy ' elevation to RBI board?  Vijay (@vj_buddha) August 18, 2018



However, Gurumurthy refused to apologise and doubled down on his earlier statement.

What I said is this: If there is even one in a million chance of a link between the case and the rains, people -- repeat people -- would not like the case decided against Ayappan. It is about people's belief. For the info of all I am not an Ayyappa devotee, going to Sabarimala, he tweeted.



Amazed at the hypocrisy of Indian intellectuals who trash people's faith. 99% Indians believe in God. 100%, including liberals, seculars, intellectuals, believe in astrology. Atheist Karunanidhi's followers prayed for him. I am among those who look to God but not astrology!! https://t.co/UJsr9Ip0eP

 S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) August 18, 2018

The editor of Thuglak magazine went on to criticize 'Indian intellectuals' for their 'hypocrisy'.
What's next? PM Imran Khan reportedly held an emergency meeting at 11 am (PST). Pakistan's top brass will assemble at the Foreign Office in Islamabad to discuss the emerging situation in the wake of Indian Air Force's (IAF) violation of the Line of Control

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a letter to Pakistan PM Imran Khan that indicated a commencement of talks between the two countries.

At his first press conference as foreign minister, Qureshi, who is also Vice Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, asserted that there is a need for "continued and uninterrupted dialogue" with India.

He was quoted as saying by a Pakistan TV News channel that both nations are faced with long-standing issues and there is no other option but to engage in talks.

Qureshi also said that the Islamabad declaration is a part of our history and Kashmir is a reality.

"India and Pakistan have to move forward keeping realities before them," he said, adding that Modi wrote a letter to his Pakistani counterpart, in which he indicated the beginning of a dialogue between the two nations.

However, these claims have been refuted by sources in the Ministry of External Affairs, CNN-News18 reported.

The letter was congratulatory in its intent and not an offer for dialogue, and was sent as a part of standard procedure, the sources told the news channel.

The letter mentioned India's intent to maintain peaceful relations with its neighbour as well as a terror-free region. "India looks forward to a constructive and meaningful engagement on that count," the letter read.

Imran Khan was sworn in as Pakistan's PM on August 18, while the 21 members of his cabinet took their oaths of office on Monday.
Pakistan's new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi today extended the hand of friendship to India by offering "uninterrupted" dialogue to resolve all the outstanding issues, saying it is the "only wise course" as the two countries cannot afford any "adventurism".

Ties between India and Pakistan nosedived following a spate of terror attacks on Indian military bases by Pakistan-based terror groups since January 2016. India has made it clear that it will not hold dialogue with Pakistan as terrorism and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.

Qureshi, who was sworn-in as Pakistan's Foreign Minister by President Mamnoon Hussain today, addressed the media soon.

Qureshi was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks took place. He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists attacked India's financial capital.

The new foreign minister said Pakistan wants to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and create peace in the region. He said Pakistan wants to resolve all issues with India through talks.

"We need a continued uninterrupted dialogue. It is the only wise course for us," he said. Qureshi, the vice-president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sent a letter yesterday to congratulate Prime Minister Imran Khan and mentioned about talks to resolve issues. "I welcome her letter," he said.

"I want to say to Indian Foreign Minister that we are not only neighbours but also nuclear powers. We have old issues and we both know what these issues are. We need to address these issues," he said.

Qureshi said that the two countries cannot afford any adventurism due to close proximity. "We cannot afford any adventurism as response time is so short. The only option is to engage with each other. We cannot live in enmity and we have to accept that there are outstanding issues," he said.

He said Kashmir is an issue and both countries know about it. He said former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lahore and Islamabad and recognised the reality of Pakistan and the issue of Kashmir.

"Whether we wish or not, Kashmir is an issue and both countries have recognised it. In my opinion there is no option other than talks to resolve it," he said. Prime Minister Khan in his maiden address to the nation yesterday said Pakistan will hold talks with all its neighbours to normalise ties as without it peace cannot be brought in the country.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

"If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start," he had said. Talking about Afghanistan, Qureshi said he will make a phone call to the foreign minister of Afghanistan and also visit Kabul with a "solid message" that both countries have same destiny.

"There will be no peace in Pakistan without peace in Afghanistan," he said. "I want to tell people of Afghanistan to understand each other's problems and bilaterally try to resolve all issues," he said.

On Pakistan's uneasy ties with the US, he said there is trust deficit between the two countries but Islamabad wants to have good ties with Washington based on its interests.

Qureshi said that the foreign policy of the new government will be based on interests of Pakistan and it can be fine-tuned according to the needs of the nation. He said that priority of Pakistan's foreign policy will be "how we can change lives of common people through economic diplomacy."

"Some forces have been trying to isolate the country but it will not happen now," he said. He said the new government will build national consensus on foreign affairs. "I will follow bipartisan approach on the issues of foreign policy," Qureshi said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today welcomed the deepening of the special strategic and global partnership between India and Tokyo and said he was looking forward to visiting Japan later this year. He also said defence cooperation was a key pillar of the relationship between India and Japan.

A PMO statement said Modi made these remarks when Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera called on him here.

He recalled his long association with Japan, since before assuming office as prime minister. Modi welcomed the strengthening of various defence dialogue mechanisms between the two countries, and the enhanced linkages between the armed forces of India and Japan.

The prime minister also appreciated the progress in defence technology cooperation between the two countries.

Modi warmly recalled the successful visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India last year, and said he was looking forward to visiting Japan later this year.
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The results of the State Bank of India (SBI) Probationary Officers (PO) Mains examinations will be declared on Monday, August 20.

While the timing has not yet been notified, it is likely that the results will be declared by 15:00 IST.

The results will be available on SBI's official website, sbi.co.in, as well as on its careers page, bank.sbi/careers.

Those shortlisted from the Main examination that was held on August 8 will be eligible for interviews for which call letters will available for download from September 1.

The bank has 2,000 regular vacancies and 118 vacancies for differently-abled people.

Here is how you can check your results:

> Go to SBI careers page

> Click on the SBI PO 2018 Prelims Result

> Enter Admit Card number and click on Submit

> Download the result for future reference

The bank will also hold group discussions as well as a personal interviews for shortlisted candidates. These will be held between September 24 and October 12.

The final results will be announced on November 1, 2018. The total compensation per annum will be a minimum of Rs 8.20 lakh and a maximum of Rs 13.08 lakh, depending on the place of posting and other factors.

To be eligible for the examination, a candidate cannot be above 30 years as on April 1, 2018, and they must have been born not later than April 1, 1997.

This year, around 1 million candidates applied for the 2000 vacancies at SBI.
The Supreme Court today sought the Uttar Pradesh government's response on a petition challenging the dropping of the 2007 Gorakhpur riots case involving Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notice and sought a reply from the state government in four weeks.

"Issue notice. Let a copy of the petition be served on the caveator. Counter affidavit be filed within four weeks hence. Rejoinder, if any, be filed within two weeks therefrom. List after six weeks," the bench said.

An FIR was lodged at Kotwali police station in Gorakhpur against Yogi Adityanath, then a Member of Parliament, and several others on January 27, 2007 on charges of promoting enmity between two groups. It was alleged that several incidents of violence were reported in Gorakhpur on that day after an alleged hate speech by Adityanath.

The FIR had also claimed that Adityanath's alleged hate speech had led to the riots, in which ten people were reported killed. Adityanath was arrested and sent to police custody for 11 days.

On February 1, the Allahabad High Court had upheld the quashing of a magistrate's order that had taken cognisance of a charge sheet against Adityanath in connection with the riot case.

The high court had dismissed the petition against the Sessions Court verdict filed by Parvez Parwaz, at whose instance the FIR was registered against Adityanath and others.

Parwaz had challenged the sessions court's January 28, 2017 decision quashing the Magistrate's order on the grounds that he was not heard by the court. He had argued before the high court that being the informant in the case, he was a necessary party, but the sessions judge had set aside the order without impleading him.

The CID had completed its probe in 2015 and sought sanction for prosecution that year. The then Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party government in the state had not granted sanction to prosecute Adityanath.

A charge sheet was filed by the probe agency against Adityanath and others. Later, the magistrate took cognisance of the charge sheet and had summoned him.

The state government had told the high court that while passing the order of cognisance, the magistrate was required to obtain prior approval of state government, which was not done.

It said the Sessions Court was right in setting aside the order and had remanded the matter back to the magistrate for fresh consideration.
Ahmedabad: Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel detained by Ahmedabad Crime Branch, as he left his house to sit on a one-day hunger strike over the issue of reservations for Patidars, in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Aug 19, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI8_19_2018_000172B)

Tension gripped this Gujarat city with mobs setting ablaze a BRTS bus and vandalising a bus stand tonight, apparently in protest against the arrest of Patidar quota agitation leader Alpesh Kathiriya, a close aide of Hardik Patel, by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in an old sedition case. The bus was set ablaze in the Yogi Chowk area and the bus stand in the Varachha area.

The mobs also burnt tyres on roads and indulged in stone pelting.

Kathiriya is a leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), an outfit organising protests demanding reservation for the Patidar community. He was arrested by the Crime Branch in Ahmedabad when he was on his way to stage a symbolic fast.

Surat Police Commissioner Satish Sharma said the situation was under control and the police were trying to ascertain who were behind the violence.

"A BRTS bus was set ablaze and a bus stand damaged by mobs, but we have brought the situation under control. We are trying to ascertain who all were behind the violence. It appears that those behind the violence are PAAS members and those sympathising with the outfit," he said.

Sharma added that patrolling was intensified since evening, anticipating violence, after Kathiriya, who is from Surat, was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in an old sedition case.

Kathiriya was detained, along with Patel, who is spearheading the protest demanding reservation for the Patidar community, and seven others by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch this morning when they were on their way to a protest site to observe a symbolic fast.

While eight of them were released on bail after being booked under sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the IPC, Kathiriya was shown as arrested in a sedition case dating back to 2015, in which he was an accused, a Crime Branch official said.

This had apparently irked the PAAS members and sympathisers, who indulged in violence, Sharma said.

Meanwhile, Patel released a video clip, appealing for peace.

"I request the people to maintain peace and not destroy public property. Whatever the police did was not right, but what is being done now is also not right. Protest, but peacefully and constitutionally, not by destroying government property. I appeal for peace," he said in the clip.
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The Indian Institute of Technology has decided to consider putting an end to certain unpopular courses due to lack of interest shown by students, and growing number of vacant seats in the last few years. Courses like agricultural engineering, biochemical engineering and pharma engineering, have not seen many takers.

A report in The New Indian Express said that a decision in this regard will be taken at the IIT Council meeting on Tuesday.

As per a report in The New Indian Express, a senior official from the HRD Ministry was quoted saying, Branches such as agricultural engineering, biochemical engineering and pharma engineering are not getting enough admission, probably due to not so good career prospects and other institutes offering better course structure.

He further added that they will discuss this issue in the IIT Council on Tuesday, to check on the course generating less interest among students that can be dropped from the next academic session.

Presided by the HRD Minister, the IIT Council is held annually, and attended by the IIT directors, to discuss issues and formulate plans for IITs.

Total 118 seats are vacant for B.Tech courses as compared to 121 seats vacant last year. This is an issue of major concern for us as we do not want even a single seat of the premier engineering institutes to go vacant, an HRD official said about the current situation.

The recently concluded Parliament session saw HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar stating that 11,961 BTech seats were filled in 2018 in the 23 IITs, leaving just 118 seats vacant.We have increased the seats by (over) 1,000. And, out of the 12,079 seats (available), I am very happy to announce, 11,961 seats have been filled," said Javadekar.

Around supernumerary 800 seats were created for women this year and the enrollment increased to 15 percent as compared 9 percent last year. IIT Delhi, in fact, conducted special programmes in an attempt to encourage girl students to choose programmes which are usually not on their priority list.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal announced on Sunday that their party will be contesting all 10 Lok Sabha and 90 assembly seats in Haryana in the 2019 elections, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

In an attempt to make inroads into the state, Sukhbir made an appeal to the Sikhs and Punjabis of Haryana to unite and get an adequate political share.

Despite having a big strength, the Sikhs havent got their share in Haryana politics, because they are not united and politicians took advantage of this. The same has happened with Muslims, Sukhbir said at his first political rally in Haryana at Pipli grain market.

Condemning the attack on a Sikh family in Hisar by some local youths, Sukhbir asserted that such atrocities can be stopped only if the SAD wrests political power in the state. No one can stop you from acquiring power in Haryana if you get united under the flag of SAD, he added.

In his 30-minute speech in Punjabi, the former deputy chief minister of Punjab targeted the Congress for being anti-Sikh, citing instances such as Operation Bluestar and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He said the Congress and the Gandhi family have always targeted the Sikhs and termed it the SADs biggest political enemy.

However, Sukhbir did not say anything against the BJP government in Haryana as the saffron party is an ally of SAD in Punjab.

Sukhbir announced that if SAD comes to power in Haryana, he will provide free electricity to the agriculture sector, 400 units of free power per month to Dalits and free piped irrigation water to all fields. However, he did not speak on the issues of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and the demand for a separate Sikh body to manage gurudwaras in Haryana.
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.

A huge crowd converged at Har Ki Pauri here today to bid a final farewell to their beloved leader and former prime minister Vajpayee as his ashes were immersed in the Ganga river by family members and BJP leaders.

Top party leaders including BJP president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat, his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya and other family members of Vajpayee were present as the urn carrying his ashes was emptied into the river amid chanting of Vedic hymns.

A platform had been specially raised at Brahmakund below the stairs leading into the river where the rituals were performed.

Earlier a sea of humanity followed the flower-bedecked truck that carried Vajpayee's urn through the narrow 2 km stretch in reverence to the departed leader.

The convoy started from Bhalla college ground and went to Har Ki Pauri with a host of party leaders and family members in attendance.

People were also seen standing on the balconies and rooftops to witness the slow passage of the convoy carrying the urn through overcrowded streets.

Vajpayee's son in law Ranjan Bhattacharya carried the urn through the surging crowds to Brahmakund (Har Ki Pauri) where it was later immersed in the Ganga amid elaborate rituals performed by "Teerth purohits" (priests) and the cries of "Atal Ji Amar Rahein" rent the air.

The rituals lasted around 20 minutes as a huge crowd waited at the ghats on either side of the river to witness the process in total reverence.

It was during Vajpayee's tenure as Prime Minister that Uttarakhand was granted statehood in 2000.

As the Prime Minister, he had also ensured that the newly created hill state got a special status to facilitate its speedy industrialisation and growth.

Elaborate security arrangements were made from Jollygrant airport to Har Ki Pauri in view of the VIP movement along the route.

Over one thousand police and PAC personnel were deployed to maintain vigil and law and order during the immersion of ashes.
rahul gandhi

Opposition parties have planned a meeting of the 'federal front' on August 30 in the national capital, according to a report by The Times of India.

The meeting will be attended by at least 17 parties. Congress President Rahul Gandhi will also participate in the meeting to discuss the strategy to take on the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will also be attending the meeting and is expected to be in the national capital by August 28 as the parties are planning to take a joint delegation to the Election Commission around that time.

All the parties are thinking of sending a memorandum to the poll body insisting on returning to ballot papers for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections instead of using EVMs (Electronic Voter Machines), which have been in use for parliamentary elections since 2004.

The draft of this memorandum has been prepared and will be vetted by senior leaders of the Congress and all parties that sign it, after which it will be taken to the EC, the newspaper reported.

With the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh assembly elections scheduled to take place later this year, roping in regional players will be crucial for the Grand Old Party in the seemingly bipolar tussle between the Congress and the BJP in these states.

For instance, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is also trying to make inroads in Madhya Pradesh, could be a small yet significant player which makes securing their support pertinent.

Apart from the issue of EVM's being allegedly tampered with by the ruling BJP, the opposition parties will also discuss subjects like the Rafale deal and the NRC in Assam.

Mamata Banerjee was seen as the champion of the movement against the NRC draft released by the Union Home Ministry. While she was in New Delhi for the Monsoon Session, Banerjee spoke to other parties demanding that the cause be taken up as it is turning out to be a divisive policy across states.

The Congress reluctantly joined the campaign against the exercise, which has already resulted in around 40 lakh people living in the fear of being displaced.

On the issue of the Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi has briefed party leaders to hold nations-wide protests through rallies, street-corner meetings, local processions, etc. between August 25 and September 14 in all states, to apprise people of the issue.
Japanese automotive brand Mitsubishi on Monday launched the new-generation Outlander with automatic transmission at Rs 31.95 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai.

The Outlander competes with Toyota's Fortuner, Volkswagen's Tiguan and Honda's CR-V. It is powered by a 2.4 litre petrol engine that churns out a peak power of 167 PS.

This is the fourth generation Outlander. The Outlander was first launched in 2001 by Mitsubishi and has been on sale ever since.

Even the fourth generation variant has been on sale since 2015 in other markets, but has come to India only now. The automaker could consider a diesel engine for the SUV for future variants.

The Outlander gets an advanced CVT automatic transmission with paddle shifter. It also gets new auto light control LED headlight, dual zone AC air filters, electric parking break, power tilt and sliding sunroof, rain sensing wipers, and a keyless operation system.

In terms of creature comforts, the new generation SUV gets a 7 inch 2 Din system, 710W 8-channel high power amplifier with 6 speaker and woofer with shark fin antenna, and a rear camera.

Globally, Mitsubishi is now part of the Renault-Nissan alliance. The three companies are joining forces in areas of product and technology development.

"The new engine provides the superior performance, capability and refinement customers in this premium SUV segment expect," said Uttam Bose, Managing Director, Hindustan Motors Finance Corporation.
Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea's largest automaker, has partnered with self-drive car sharing company Revv to develop an innovative car sharing service and conduct creative marketing activities in India.

This is the first instance of investment by an automotive company in Revv, which only had angel investors earlier. Neither company disclosed the size of the investment in monetary terms or the size of stake transacted.

"The strategic investment and partnership will enable both Hyundai Motor and Revv to build competency and the technology necessary for leading the future mobility market in India," said the Korean company in a statement.

The market for self-drive services is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by the end of 2018 from $900 million in 2016, and is projected to expand to $2 billion by 2020.

India currently has 15,000 car-sharing vehicles and this number is seen more than tripling by 2020 and growing tenfold to 150,000 by 2022.

Also, millennials, who are heavy users of car-sharing services, comprise 35 percent of India's total population. The potential for growth for mobility services is stronger than that for any other global market, Hyundai said.

"We are just about to step forward and expand our business into the future mobility with Revv. Hyundai Motor India will build prominent system with both 'Open Innovation' strategy and Indias fastest growing self-drive car sharing company, Revv," said Young Key Koo, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India.

Hyundai Motor will explore ways to support Revv's car-sharing service, including supplying car-sharing products, developing new mobility service platforms, and marketing.
Moneycontrol News

College students across campuses in Tamil Nadu will not be able to carry cellphones following a ban. A circular has been issued by the Directorate of Collegiate Education, which directs all regional joint directors to forward this order to all government aided and self-financing colleges.

Centre-run institutions such as IIT Madras have been excluded from this rule.

A report by The Hindu cites an official saying that in co-education colleges, complaints of boys taking videos and pictures of girl students were being received. Further, phones were being occasionally used for malpractices during exams.

The use of mobile phones on campus had been banned in the school. But due to connectivity issues, the use of phones in the cafeteria and outside the campus were allowed. At other times, phones could be kept in the bags.

Students view it as a regressive move and maintain that this is against the concept of Digital India. A journalism student, suggests that there can be a restriction of mobile phones during classes, but not a complete ban.

Further, most students are against a complete ban as most of the work these days is done on phones and the authorities can't dictate the use of mobile phones.

Prof M Andrew Sesuraj, Department of Social Work, Loyola College said in a report by NDTV, that this is an intrusion into powers of colleges.

He noted that he allows students to use Google during classes and trains them to use camera mobiles for documenting short films, go live with department programs and lectures through Facebook adding that this order will be a hurdle for creativity.
netflix

Are you guilty of indulging in long binge-watching sessions, and can't wait to watch what happens next on your favourite shows? If you are a Netflix user, then you might soon have to start putting up with ads of other shows/movies as the streaming service could soon ditch its ad-free model.

As pointed out by Reddit users, Netflix has started testing video adverts in between episodes of a few popular series. Multiple Netflix subscribers across the UK started seeing unskippable ads in between episodes of shows like The Package and Better Call Saul.

"So I'm just sitting winding down after work watching some Rick and Morty and the episode finished," one Reddit user wrote.

"Rather than give me the option to skip to the next episode it came up with a full screen 'up next' for Rick and Morty and 'but first...' and proceeded to play a full-screen trailer for it and I couldn't go to the next episode of R&M. It had what YouTube ads have, a timed skip button meaning I'm forced to watch ads," the user said.

This isn't the first time Netflix has tested adverts (or pre-roll "trailers" as they call it) in between episodes. It had earlier introduced video previews saying, "that it significantly cut the time members spend browsing and helped them find something they would enjoy watching even faster."

Netflix has since issued a statement to Cord Cutters, asserting that the adverts can be skipped "at any time."

According to the statement, the popular streaming service tests multiple features throughout the year to improve its subscribers' experience. So it is important to note that the ad initiative may never get a global rollout.
Malcolm Turnbull's arms plan: Weapons Australia could export News.com.au Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is set to unveil a new plan to help Australia become one of the world's top arms exporters. A $3.8 billion fund will be ...

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday stripped requirements for reducing greenhouse emissions from his centrepiece energy policy in the face of political opposition, although the country remains a signatory to the Paris Agreement.

While stopping short of following the lead of US President Donald Trump and withdrawing from the global climate accord, Australia removed requirements from its National Energy Guarantee plan that would have mandated that greenhouse emissions from its power industry decrease by 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

As Australia's east coast suffers through its worst drought in 60 years, Turnbull said he would seek to legislate emission reductions in the future.

He added that his government would move legislation to reduce emissions when it had sufficient support from its own party. Despite the impasse, Turnbull said the government was committed to its Paris accord commitments.

"The legislation to move forward with the emissions component of the National Energy Guarantee will not be able to pass the House of Representatives," Turnbull told reporters in Canberra.

Turnbull has a parliamentary majority of just one. With several rank-and-file lawmakers vowing they would not support any legislated emission reductions, such mandates are likely to remain elusive until at least a year.

The decision drew immediate scorn from critics who dismissed suggestions that a reduction could be achieved without mandated legislation.

"The announcement is a setback for global action to reduce carbon emissions," said Will Steffen, a climate scientist at the Australian National University.

"Australia is a global lagger in meeting its emission targets," he added. "Independent research shows emissions are creeping up over the last three years; I'm very sceptical that without immediate action, Australia can meet it commitments."

Australia - one of the largest carbon emitters per capita because of its reliance on coal-fired power plants is among nearly 200 countries committed to the Paris Agreement.

The United States in 2017 became the only signatory to withdraw from the accord.

CONSERVATIVE UPRISING

Australia's National Energy Guarantee was supposed to end a decade of infighting about how Australia could boost power reliability while reducing carbon emissions.

But by requiring Australia's electricity sector to reduce emissions by 26 percent, old wounds were reopened which split the government along ideological grounds.

Conservatives, led by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who committed Australia to the Paris accord when he led the country, argue reducing emissions puts Australia at an economic disadvantage after the United States withdrew from the Paris accord in 2017.

The message resonates with rural voters, a key electorate for Turnbull, a social liberal who throughout his political career has voiced support for addressing climate change.

"It's a complete capitulation to the right-wing members of the Liberal Party of Australia, who want to perpetuate Australia's coal economy," said Robyn Eckersley, Professor and Head of Political Science at University of Melbourne.

Turnbull's move may relieve immediate pressure, though internal peace is seen as fragile as the government's re-election prospects look dim. The change also drew criticism from Australia's energy sector.

"The stakes are too high for partisan and personal politics to spoil this opportunity to move energy policy into the 21st century," said Andrew Richards, chief executive officer at the Energy Users Association of Australia.

With Turnbull struggling to unite the party, local media reported Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton was considering a leadership challenge. Australia has seen five different leaders since 2009.

Turnbull, however, moved to quell the reports.

"Peter Dutton was at our leadership group meeting this morning and he was at the Cabinet last night. He's a member of our team. He's given me his absolute support," Turnbull said.

A widely watched poll on Monday shows support for Turnbull has crashed to its lowest level since December.

The Ipsos poll published in Fairfax newspapers shows that although Turnbull is still personally more popular than opposition Labor leader, Bill Shorten, support for his Liberal-National coalition fell four points to 45 percent, 10 points behind Labor and enough for a crushing electoral defeat.
Britain's vote to leave the European Union could "in theory" be reversed although there is a still a strong probability it will go ahead, said the European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici on Monday.

Moscovici was replying on French radio to a question related to a move by the co-founder of fashion brand Superdry to donate a million pounds ($1.28 million) to the campaign for a referendum on the final Brexit agreement.

Asked whether the Brexit vote could be reversed, Moscovici told France Inter radio: "It is, in theory it is up to the British themselves who have made the decision to leave, to decide ultimately if they will or not, and how they will do it."

"The probability of Brexit is nevertheless very strong because there has been a vote of the people, a referendum" added Moscovici.

Asked if there would definitely be a deal between Britain and the European Union regarding the terms of Brexit, Moscovici also replied: "Not necessarily."
What's next? PM Imran Khan reportedly held an emergency meeting at 11 am (PST). Pakistan's top brass will assemble at the Foreign Office in Islamabad to discuss the emerging situation in the wake of Indian Air Force's (IAF) violation of the Line of Control

Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan today moved into a modest three-bed room house of his military secretary along with two servants, a day after announcing that he would not be staying in the sprawling PM House which has a staff of 524, keeping his pledge to cut down the expenditure of the cash-strapped government.

Khan, announcing a series of austerity measures to cut down the expenditure during his maiden address to the nation as the prime minister late last night, said that he wanted to live in his own house in Banigala "but was told by security agencies that my life was under threat which is why I am living here".

Khan today moved to the official residence of the military secretary which he has announced to use as the PM House, Geo News reported.

Before Khan was sworn in, his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had reported that the Chief Minister's annex in Punjab House will be utilised as the prime minister's residence. But it was later decided by Khan to move to the military secretary's residence following security concerns.

The residence where Khan will now stay in is situated in the PM House Colony and according to media reports, he will spend Sundays at Banigala. Yesterday, Khan said that the PM House has 524 servants and a fleet of 80 cars. Khan said he would just retain two servants.

"The prime minister, which is me, also has 33 bulletproof cars. We have helicopters and aeroplanes to fly us. We have massive governor houses and every conceivable luxury.

"On one hand we don't have money to spend on our people; on the other hand, we have a section of our people living like our colonial masters used to live," he said.

"Look at how we live. Look at how much money is spent by prime ministers on foreign tours? Where do these people spend Rs 650 million? Where does the speaker spend the Rs 160 million budget allotted to him? Are they going abroad to conquer land?" Khan asked.

Detailing plans on how he will cut down his own as well the country's expenditure, he said "I will keep two people with me out of the 524. I will be staying in a three-bedroom house. I will have to keep two of the cars because my intelligence agencies tell me my life is under threat. I wish I did not have to move out of Banigala, but I have been forced to do so."

Khan said his government would auction off all the other bullet proof cars and invited businesses to buy them during auction. "We will put the proceeds of that auction in the state treasury," he added. Khan said that he wished that the PM House be turned into a research university.

"I am forming a committee under Dr Ishrat Husain (a top Pakistani banker and economist) to figure out how to cut expenses nationwide. I also want you to understand that the money we lavish on ourselves could have been spent on those who our state has left behind.

He said his slogan of a new Pakistan also requires a new thinking. "We have to think about those who we have left behind," he said.
A villager stands in front of a damaged classroom after an earthquake hit Lombok island in Pamenang, Indonesia. (Photo: Reuters)

At least 10 people are dead after a string of powerful quakes rocked the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, authorities said today, in a fresh blow just weeks after earlier tremors left hundreds dead and thousands more homeless.

The latest quakes struck yesterday, with the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday. It triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover as parts of Lombok suffered blackouts. It was followed nearly 12 hours later by a 6.9-magnitude quake and a string of powerful aftershocks.

The picturesque island next to holiday hotspot Bali was already reeling from two deadly quakes on July 29 and August 5 that killed nearly 500 people.

Ten people were killed in the strong quake Sunday evening, mostly by falling debris, including six people on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa, according to the national disaster agency.

Some two dozen people were injured in Lombok and more than 150 homes and places of worship damaged, the agency said. Tens of thousands of homes, mosques and businesses across Lombok had already been destroyed by the quake earlier this month.

Most people caught in the latest tremor had been outside their homes or at shelters when it struck which kept casualties low, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"The trauma because of the earlier quake on Sunday (morning) made people prefer to stay outside," he added. Aid agencies vowed to boost humanitarian assistance on the island as devastated residents struggle in makeshift displacement camps.

Indonesia's disaster agency said it was accelerating efforts to rebuild destroyed homes, hospitals and schools, while Save the Children pledged to escalate its humanitarian response.

"We are gravely concerned about the repeated distress caused to children by the multiple shocks," the relief agency said. Video images from an evacuation camp in Lombok showed children and adults taking cover inside makeshift tents.

"I'm too scared to stay at my house because it's damaged," said resident Saruniwati, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "I've been here since the quake (earlier this month). I went home two days ago and now I'm back here again."

Local Agus Salim said the powerful tremor jolted him awake yesterday evening. "The earthquake was incredibly strong. Everything was shaking," he told AFP. "Everyone ran into the street screaming and crying."

There were landslides in a national park on Mount Rinjani where hundreds of hikers had been briefly trapped after the quake in late July. The park has been closed since then.

Sunday's tremors were also felt on Bali but there were no reports of damage there. The latest tremor follows the a shallow 6.9-magnitude quake on August 5 that killed at least 481 people and left thousands more injured. The hardest-hit region was in the north of the island, which has suffered hundreds of aftershocks.

A week before that quake, a tremor surged through the island and killed 17. The disasters have raised fears that Lombok's key tourism industry would take a beating, but the international airport was operating normally Monday with no exodus of frightened tourists.

Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and many of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

The Australian and Eurasian plates, which sit under the archipelago, have been colliding and putting stress on key area fault lines, according to a geologist. "Clearly there are different parts of the fault that are moving at the moment releasing those stressors," said Chris Elders, an expert in plate tectonics and structural geology at Curtin University in West Australia.

In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.
Maryam Nawaz

Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam will be placed on the Exit Control List, the first meeting of the new Cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan decided today, a move that will prevent them from fleeing the country.

Prime Minister Khan chaired the Cabinet meeting, which also discussed economic challenges and austerity measures, among other matters, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said.

He said the Cabinet decided to place Sharif and Maryam on the Exit Control List as part of the government's anti-corruption drive.

The Cabinet also directed the law and interior ministries to implement red warrants against Sharif's sons, Hassan and Hussain, and former finance minister Ishaq Dar and bring them back to Pakistan as they were "absconding criminals of the state".

All three of them are named in corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau and have been declared as absconders by an accountability court.

The law ministry has been directed to contact the British government over the Avenfield properties in London owned by the Sharif family, the minister said. The Sharif family bought the four posh flats through money laundering, a Pakistani anti-corruption court had found.

"Avenfield properties belong to Pakistan," Chaudhry said, referring to one of the corruption cases against the Sharif family in which the 68-year-old former prime minister was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison while his daughter Maryam, 44, was given eight years' sentence by an accountability court earlier in July.

The father-daughter duo are currently serving their term at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, along with Maryam's husband Captain (retd) Safdar who was sentenced to a year in prison.

Sharif's wife, Kulsoom, is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital in London for throat cancer.

"Eliminating corruption is an important part of our [government's] policy," Chaudhry continued, adding that there will be no political appointments in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's government.

The cabinet did not discuss anything regarding former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, he said. Musharraf is staying in Dubai since last year and has been summoned by Pakistani courts in a number of cases.

The Cabinet meeting also focused on implementation of the policy measures announced by Prime Minister Khan in his address to the nation yesterday, the information minister said.

The Cabinet also decided that Prime Minister Khan will not go on on any foreign tours for the next three month "unless there is a pressing matter that needs to be addressed". Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will represent Pakistan on international platforms.
PIF, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund that Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk has said could help him fund a $72 billion deal to take his electric car maker private, is in talks to invest in aspiring Tesla rival Lucid Motors Inc, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

The talks between privately held Lucid Motors and PIF underscore the latter's appetite to invest in electric car makers to diversify the oil rich Middle Eastern kingdom's investment portfolio.

A deal with Lucid Motors would also be more in line with PIF's limited resources, given that, despite its $250 billion in assets, PIF has already made substantial commitments to other technology companies or investments, including a $45-billion agreement to invest in a giant technology fund led by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp.

PIF and Lucid Motors have drawn up a term sheet under which PIF could invest more than $1 billion in Lucid Motors and obtain majority ownership, the sources said. PIF's first investment in Lucid Motors, however, would be for $500 million, and subsequent cash injections would come in two stages that are contingent on Lucid Motors hitting certain production milestones, one of the sources added.

The talks between PIF and Lucid Motors may not result in a deal, the sources cautioned. The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. PIF and Lucid Motors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Musk, a 47 year old investor and engineer, stunned financial markets earlier this month, when he revealed on Twitter he was considering a $420 per share take-private deal for Tesla, an auto manufacturing pioneer that developed the world first ever premium all-electric sedan car.

He added that funding was "secured," and elaborated last Monday that he believed Saudi Arabia's PIF could provide the necessary funding, although sources close to the sovereign wealth fund have played down that prospect. Earlier this year, PIF built a stake of just under 5 percent in Tesla by snapping up shares in the open market, rather than acquiring newly issued shares.

Musk has also said he believes two-thirds of existing Tesla shareholders would roll over their holdings into a private company, rather than cash out, and that he was still talking with major shareholders and advisers before settling on a structure for a deal.

Getting access to cheap capital is a constant challenge for automakers, which can spend $1 billion or more engineering a single new model and bringing it to mass production, only to have the vehicle flop because of a cyclical sales slump or a shift in market tastes.

Based on the edges of Silicon Valley in Newark, California, Lucid Motors was founded in 2007 as Atieva by Bernard Tse, a former Tesla vice president and board member, and Sam Weng, a former exec at Oracle Corp and Redback Networks. It received backing from Chinese investors, including tech entrepreneur Jia Yueting and state owned automaker BAIC. Other venture capital backers have included Venrock, Mitsui & Co and Tsing Capital.

Lucid Motors is not yet selling any cars. In 2016, it unveiled a prototype of its Lucid Air model, a $100,000 luxury sedan it had hoped to begin building in Arizona in late 2018. It is not clear when this car will become available, though the company is accepting refundable deposits of $2,500 from consumers on its website.

Tesla is much more advanced as an electric car manufacturer, though investors are questioning how long can it go before turning a profit. It has been burning through cash as it has aggressively ramped up Model 3 production, a process Musk has called reproduction hell.

Analysts at UBS last week questioned the profitability of the Model 3, in a report that said Tesla could lose $6,000 on every base model.
Answer: Donald Trump.

Fishermen off the Alaskan coast. A Florida maker of boat trailers. A building materials distributor in Tennessee. Those and hundreds of other American businesses are delivering the same plea to President Donald Trump as he considers imposing tariffs on nearly 40 percent of imported Chinese goods: Don't do it.

The Trump administration will hold six days of hearings starting Monday in Washington on the next barrage in an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies: Trump's proposed tariffs of 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese goods that could kick in as early as next month.

Once in effect, the tariffs would immediately inflate the prices that American companies would have to pay for Chinese components they need to build their products.

Those companies would have to decide whether to pass those costs on to their customers or absorb the higher prices themselves. The first shots have already been fired: In July, Trump slapped 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese imports. Taxes on an additional $16 billion are set to kick in this week. China is counterpunching with tariffs of its own.

But the $200 billion in additional Chinese goods that the Trump administration is considering taxing would mark a significant escalation in its trade fight with Beijing.

Washington and Beijing are clashing over US allegations that China uses predatory tactics to try to overtake American technological dominance: Those tactics, the administration argues, include cyber-theft and pressure for US companies to hand over trade secrets in return for access to the Chinese market.

So far, the US tariffs have targeted imported Chinese industrial products not the electronics, toys and food that ordinary Americans might buy at a mall or order online.

But adding $200 billion to the target list would expose to hefty taxes many more of the $506 billion in goods that China shipped to the United States last year, including many consumer products.

The list includes 6,031 Chinese imports  an eclectic compilation that ranges from buttons to burglar alarms to motorboats. JO-ANN Stores, which sells fabric and crafting supplies, says it imports about 500 items on the tariff list, including fleece, yarn and cotton fabric.

Ed Weinstein, JO-ANN's vice president of tax and public affairs, said he doesn't understand how supplies for knitters and crafters became caught up in a trade dispute over high-tech policy. "Our products are very simple," Weinstein told The Associated Press. "I would never have expected to see fabric and craft components on the tariff list."

In their filings to the Trump administration, companies that import from China complain that the tariffs will force them to raise prices, pay higher costs, try to find alternative suppliers or lose business to foreign rivals that don't have to pay a penalty on components and machinery they import from China.

"If you look at the filings, a lot of them are mom-and-pop businesses saying, 'Please don't do this to us,' " said Bryan Riley, director of the Free Trade Initiative at the conservative National Taxpayers Union. Consider Seattle's Groundfish Forum, a trade group for the operators of 19 fishing trawlers off Alaska.

It warns that the tariffs will hit flatfish caught off the US coast that are sent to China for processing before being shipped back to the United States. Trump's proposed 10 percent tariff on those fish would leave the "sustainably harvested fish caught by US fishermen at a competitive disadvantage," the group says in a filing with the administration's Office of the US Trade Representative. Magic Tilt Trailers, a company in Clearwater, Florida, that makes boat trailers.

It says it has to buy Chinese tires and parts on Trump's target list; there are few alternatives. "The tariffs will have little to no impact on the sourcing options of members in the trailer manufacturing community," the company wrote.

"We will just be getting a 10 percent tax, payable to the general treasury." Building Plastics Inc., a Memphis based building materials distributor. It buys 400 to 800 pound slabs of Chinese quartz and sells them to fabricators that turn them into countertops and other items for homes and offices.

The company says it's tried and failed to find alternative sources of the mineral. "We did not want to go to China, but we were forced to go to China," said Mike Perkowski, a product manager for the company. Perkowski said the tariffs could prove "catastrophic." "There's a possibility we could be priced out of the market," he said in an interview. "We're definitely going to have to pass along the tariffs.

We've been educating our customer base that tariffs are coming. There will definitely be a price increase." Can the US and China avoid a $200 billion tariff collision? Hopes rose last week on news that China will send an envoy to Washington this month to discuss a way out of the standoff. But many trade analysts aren't very optimistic.

A solution would likely require China to widen its market to foreign companies, reduce subsidies to domestic industries and rethink industrial policies that are considered vital to helping Chinese companies become leaders in such advanced fields as electric cars and robotics and thereby strengthening China's economy.

"China is not going to become a functioning market economy as we would like to see it in the next two months or even in the next two years," said Bradford Ward, a former US trade official and now at the law firm King & Spalding.

"People need to prepare for and plan for the long haul. This is not going to be resolved quickly." The tit-for-tat tariffs between the US and China, Riley said, "could be become the new normal."
At the beginning of 2018, all 17 offices of the insurance ombudsman were headless; even today, nine posts remain vacant. The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has over 400 cases pending because the government has not bothered to make appointments; left with only one out of three members and no presiding officer, SAT can only issue temporary orders that too on urgent matters. Many public sector banks (PSBs) continue be headless. Although we have two finance ministers, of whom one is busy with blog posts and tweets, the finance ministry hasnt found time to make these crucial appointments.

Now, contrast this with two statutory bodies created in 1992 in the wake of the Harshad Mehta scam. They were supposed to be wound up after taking charge of the assets of all scam-accused and distributing the proceeds after the expeditious hearing of cases was complete. But our judicial system is so broken that both, the special court and the custodian, have almost become permanent establishments funded by the Central government. They have been around for a quarter century and may survive another 25 years, going by the pace at which the cases are being tried with over 120 civil cases still pending.

After the Rs5,000-crore securities scam of 1992 engulfed the entire financial system, the government first passed the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transaction in Securities) Ordinance in 1992 for speedy trial of cases. It was amended in 1994 to include civil cases. A special court was set up in Mumbai to ensure faster trial of cases, with an appeal only to the Supreme Court. Importantly, these cases were limited to securities transactions in a small periodfrom 1 April 1991 to 6 June 1992. The office of a custodian was set up under the Act, to take charge of scam-related assets and to notify the scam-accused. It seized all assets of the notified persons without any distinction between income from legitimate business or income of the persons notified and the scam.

Every year, the Union Budget allocates Rs13 crore for running this office; it is strangely located in Delhi and not Mumbai which is the scene of action. It also has an office in Bengaluru, probably because Canara Bank, one of the two biggest litigants, is located there. Over 26 years, the government has spent Rs338 crore on the custodians existence. The way scam cases have dragged would have been a national embarrassment, but for the fact that most people have long forgotten it and/or are uninterested.

On 14 May 2017, the Times of India reported that the custodian had disbursed more than Rs6,000 crore to banks and the income-tax (I-T) department by selling assets of the Harshad Mehtas family alone and identified another Rs200 crore to be auctioned. The Harshad Mehta groups involvement in the scam was probably under Rs2,000 crore; but assets of over Rs6,000 crore have reportedly been recovered from them. The main assets with the custodian belong to stockbrokers whose businesses were shut down and tiny amounts from some individuals. There is, obviously, little to be recovered from other equally complicit institutions such as State Bank of India, Canara Bank and its associates, UCO Bank, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Citi Bank, HSBC, Fairgrowth Financial Services, ANZ Grindlays, Andhra Bank as well as several private and public sector companies.

The case for winding up the 1992 scam investigation becomes even more compelling when you compare it with the spate of recent scams and the loot of PSBs by large industrial houses. Nirav Modi (Rs11,400 crore plus), Mehul Choksi (Gitanjali Gems over Rs6,000 crore) and Jatin Mehta (Winsome Diamonds over Rs7,000 crore) had fled the country after dumping huge losses on banks. Vikram Kothari of Rotomac could defraud banks of Rs3,700 crore in a ballpoint pen company. And the humungous bad debtsof Essar, Videocon, Bhushan Steel, Electrosteel and many othersare going to inflict damages running into several lakh crore of rupees, mainly on PSBs even if bankruptcy proceedings lead to a change in ownership.

Isnt there a clear case for a pragmatic decision to wind up and settle cases against some of the 1992 scam and stop it clogging up our courts? But who has the political courage to do it?

Let us look at why the securities scam investigation had been so messed up. The 1992 scam was sensibly handled initially through a multi-disciplinary committee headed by R Janakiraman (former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India). The committee included the central bureau of investigation (CBI) and the I-T department, which ought to have ensured that they worked as a team to recover the money and punish the guilty as well.

The committee published six detailed reports that laid bare what had gone wrong and who was accountable. It also formed the basis of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report, although that, by its very composition, ensured that it had a political spin. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court decided that the Janakiraman report and the JPC report had no evidentiary value and could not be used in Court.

That, in itself, was not such a setback; because the basic work of joining the dots and understanding banking and financial issues and violations was already done. Heres why things didn't work out that way. Nobody put CBI on the clock or ensured that with the basic groundwork already done, it would have to show some speed as well. CBI took three years to file charge-sheets, some even later.

As many as 45 cases criminal cases were filed including some in cases where banks were unwilling to complain and said they had not lost any money. The cases continue to drag on and one, involving Fairgrowth Financial Services, was decided last week.

The Special Courts Act gave the first preference to I-T dues which set the stage for a huge problem. The I-T department came up with demands totalling over Rs30,000 crore (including interest and penalty) which was a ridiculously large multiple of the scam itself. Unless the tax authorities put a stop to such exaggerated claims, no dispute or recovery will ever be complete or closed in India.

The custodians office acts as a sort of recovery agent for the tax department and is managed by government employees on deputation from other departments. It has neither the mandate nor the capability of managing assets that it has seized after notifying scam accused, although ensuring this was imperative. It took decades for the custodian to get shares held by various scam-accused transferred in its own name and ensure that benefits such as dividends, bonuses, etc, were correctly received. As recently as last year, it was harassing ordinary, innocent investors unconnected with the scam. It sent out demand notices, asking investors to submit dividends and bonuses earned with interest, going back to 1992 on the grounds that they belonged to Harshad Mehta.

This mis-management is especially unfair because the liability of the scam-accused is constantly increasing, since they are held responsible for interest payments. And, yet, their assets are seized; their stock portfolio is not properly managed. Many of the shares held by the Mehta group have seen a dramatic increase in value over the years. Some others with the custodian would have fetched a good return if sold at the right time. Similarly, the value of properties and physical assets has also gone up considerably; but the tax demands with interest compounded will continue to run ahead of this valuation creating an impossible situation.

The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government has been quick to adopt Americanisms such as grandfathering and sunset clauses for tax laws. Wouldnt it be in line with its promise of maximum governance and minimum government to set up a credible structure to wind up the special court after winding down the cases, de-notify the accused and get the tax department to come with a sane assessment which will actually bring some revenue to the exchequer? Instead, what we have is a meandering litigation that is a drain on PSBs resources, pain for those who have got dragged into it and enriches only the legal community.
Moments after RS Sharma, Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), shared his Aadhaar number on Twitter with a challenge to 'harm him' on Sunday, several people revealed his personal information, like permanent account number (PAN), his date of birth, mobile numbers, and residential address. Some even claimed to have created a profile on e-shopping sites using these credentials.

The TRAI Chairman neither accepted nor rejected whether the information revealed on Twitter belonged to him or no.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, a French security expert, who goes by the nickname Elliot Alderson and uses twitter handle @fs0c131y, caused ripples on the social media, leaking "personal address, DoB, your alternate phone number" and explaining to Mr Sharma, the TRAI chairman, how risky it was to make the Aadhaar number public.

"People managed to get your personal address, DoB and your alternate phone number. I stop here, I hope you will understand why make your Aadhaar number public is not a good idea," Alderson wrote.

If you disagree with this tweet, you probably dont know what #privacy is...and this ok. Please, try to learn more about privacy and after that I will happy to debate with you to know if #Aadhaar is a privacy nightmare or not https://t.co/7E4nqZ5yfY  Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) July 28, 2018

Mr Sharma, former Director General (DG) and Mission Director of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has been maintaining that Aadhaar does not violate privacy and the government reserved a right to create such a database of residents since it gives subsidies on state-run welfare schemes. He and all other supporters of Aadhaar, however, keep quite on why Aadhaar is enforced upon citizens who does not receive any subsidy from the government.

It is illegal for even Mr Sharma to publish his Aadhaar number, under the Aadhaar Act. Section 29 of the Aadhaar (Targeted delivery of financial and other subsidies, benefits and services) Act, 2016 prohibits public sharing Aadhaar number. Sub-section 4 of Section 29 of the Act says, No Aadhaar number or core biometric information collected or created under this Act in respect of an Aadhaar number holder shall be published, displayed or posted publicly, except for the purposes as may be specified by regulations.

In this situation, it would be interesting to see if UIDAI takes any action against Mr Sharma, its former chief for publishing own Aadhaar number on a public platform.

Amid a debate on privacy concerns, which has also reached the Supreme Court, activists and people in general fear that the 12-digit biometric number is harmful to citizen's privacy.

"My Aadhaar number is 7*** **** ***0. Now I give this challenge to you: Show me one concrete example where you can do any harm to me," tweeted Mr Sharma, whose tenure as chief of TRAI ends on 9 August 2018. He is holding the position since August 2015.

Earlier, a Twitter user had asked Mr Sharma to "walk your talk" after the TRAI chief tweeted his interview with an online portal in which he strongly defended Aadhaar and rejected apprehensions that one billion Aadhaar accounts were vulnerable.

He had said there had not been a single instance of data being breached and had there been one, the entire Aadhaar database would have been vulnerable.

Within hours of tweeting his Aadhaar number, Anderson replied to Sharma: "The phone number linked to this #Aadhaar number is 9********7. According to an official @nicmeity circular, this phone number is the number of your secretary," Anderson wrote and posted a link to a circular issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

One question here is how Mr Sharma linked his secretary's mobile number with his own Aadhaar number? Also, in that case, which number is used by Mr Sharma's secretary to link to own Aadhaar?

The security researcher also posted a picture of Mr Sharma with a portion of it blackened. "I supposed this is your wife or daughter next to you."

Anderson, who is known to have revealed security loopholes in the Aadhaar data system, also posted screenshots of Mr Sharma's leaked details with key areas blackened and hidden.

One of the screenshots even carried his PAN details. But that was also hidden.

While personal information of Mr Sharma was being spread on the social media, his previous employer, UIDAI came out with its standard denial. Dismissing claims made by certain elements on Twitter and a section of media, UIDAI said, they have fetched personal details of Ram Sewak Sharma, who is a public servant using his Aadhaar number. Any information published on Twitter about RS Sharma was not fetched from Aadhaar database or UIDAIs servers. In fact, this socalled hacked information was already available in public domain as he being a public servant for decades and was easily available on Google and other sites.

Alderson, however says, If your phone numbers, address, date of birth, bank accounts and others personal details are easily found on the Internet you have no #privacy. End of the story.
The civil aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has asked domestic airlines to mount additional flights to and from Kerala with a cap on the maximum fare.

The advisory came as the state reeled under torrential rain and the worst floods in the recent past.

The grim situation has left the state with only two operational civil airports at Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut, as operations at Cochin airport have been suspended till August 26 on account of rising water levels in the operational area.

"Scheduled domestic airlines have also been advised to ensure that air fares for flights to or from Trivandrum and Calicut airports in Kerala and nearby airports i.e. Mangalore and Coimbatore are kept at optimal level proportionate to sector distance so that travelling public is not inconvenienced," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement issued on Friday.

Accordingly, airlines have been requested to cap the maximum fare to around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and around Rs 8,000 on shorter routes to and from Kerala and nearby airports.

"In addition, DGCA is constantly monitoring air fares on 32 direct routes operating to or from Trivandrum, Calicut, Coimbatore and Mangalore," the statement said.

"Spike in airfare on few routes have been observed. Concerned airlines have been advised to cap the airfare on these flights."

On Thursday, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu tweeted:

"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."

A day ago, Minister of Statistics & Programme Implementation D.V. Sadananda Gowda had 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."

The monsoon fury has hit different parts of Western Ghats including districts of Kerala and adjoining areas in Karnataka.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
The thermal power sector accounts for $40-60 billion of potentially stranded assets that are continuing to trouble the Indian banking sector. Fifteen GW out of the stressed 40 GW has not yet been commissioned, as identified in the report of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Energy earlier this year.

Some 16.2 GW of coastal power plants designed to operate on up to 100 per cent imported coal are severely affected by the doubling of prices since 2016. Another 6 GW of gas-fired projects are stranded as India's limited domestic gas production is not able to cater to the plants to operate at the required viable utilisation rates.

Just like coal, imported LNG is an extremely expensive option best reserved for peaking power generation.

Delays in project implementation due to challenges such as land acquisition, approval of required permits and environmental clearances have all resulted in cost overruns. Another key underlying issue that is common across these stranded assets is the unavailability of coal linkages or affordable domestic gas.

About 80 per cent of India's coal production comes from a concentrated region of central-eastern India. Given that coal transportation often forms a prohibitive part of the delivered price, finding a suitable linkage for the power plants remains a huge challenge.

For example, the coal-fired fleet in Karnataka (with no in-state coal mining capacity) operated at an extremely unviable utilisation rate of 35 per cent in 2017-18.

The absence of long-term PPAs has restricted many of these projects from moving ahead. Projects that had signed higher-cost PPAs a few years back have now been stalled as state discoms have either requested cancellation of PPAs or downward tariff renegotiation. On the other hand, there are projects that have entered PPAs with aggressively low tariffs insufficient to allow financial viability.

To make the stranded asset risk worse, many of these projects in the coal-fired sector are based on poor quality imported and out-dated subcritical technology. Water availability is another major constraint to financial viability of a number of proposals.

In the past 15 months, solar and wind power tariffs have landed between Rs 2.5-3.0/kWh with zero indexation through reverse bidding auctions. Coal-fired power is increasingly losing market share as states are rightfully opting for the cheaper renewable energy option. As per India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA) estimations, the tariff for a new emission controls compliant pit-head supercritical coal-fired power plant should be Rs 4.39/kWh.

Increased prices of domestic and international coal in recent years have intensified stranded asset risks. Combined with rising railway freight charges for coal transportation over the distance of more than 500 km, this has inflated the variable generation cost for many coal-fired power plants. All non-pithead coal power plants should be seriously re-evaluated, if high rail costs make the plant unviable, non-coal states should invest in renewables and if need be, import electricity by wire instead.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in February, set August 27, 2018, as the deadline for settling proceedings for defaulting power plants to avoid being referred to an insolvency court. This deadline is almost on us.

The Power Ministry had urged the RBI to extend the deadline by six months to give the concerned lenders more time to switch over management to new and better capitalised promoters. RBI has denied the deadline extension request.

Two of the largest stranded assets are the ultra-mega power plants in Mundra, owned by Adani Power (4.6 GW), and Tata Power (4.0 GW). After both were offered for sale for a token Rs 1 each in May 2017, neither have yet found a solution 15 months later. Adani Power has reported a net loss of Rs 825 crore ($120m) in the first quarter of 2018-19, a near doubling relative to the previous period, highlighting the magnitude of the equity writedown required. In the meanwhile, the unplanned idling of Adani Mundra has significantly cost the state of Gujarat as it had to rely on power from the more expensive open market.

In the view of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), merely switching promoters for these stressed assets is not a panacea for the problem that is caused by the structural inefficiencies in the Indian coal-fired sector.

There is no easy fix to the power sector-specific problems, but these stressed assets should not be allowed to remain unresolved. To move forward, India needs to avoid crony capitalism and giving in to taxpayer funded bailouts; promoters must be forced to take up to 100 per cent write-offs on their equity and in the worst cases permits revoked and land returned so as to force the abandonment of projects now worthless as surplus to current needs.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
We wrote about the strong growth outlook of KEI Industries (KEI) in September 2017. The stock price has since then moved up but is consolidating now. We mentioned how the company was growing on the back of industry-wide tailwinds but high interest cost has kept margins under pressure. Today, the situation is no different. Though the stock has given good returns over the past few years, it...
The death toll due to rains and floods in Kerala has gone up to 357 this monsoon season, as 22 more deaths were reported on Saturday and red alert continued in 11 districts following prediction of more rains.

The death toll due to torrential rains since August 9 -- the third spell during this year's monsoon in the southern state -- reached 194 with the casualties reported on Saturday in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Chengannur districts.

The India Meteorological Department forecast on Saturday afternoon that widespread rains, with heavy rains at isolated places, is likely to continue over Kerala following low pressure area very likely to develop over northwest Bay of Bengal and the neighbourhood during the next 24 hours.

Barring Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kasargode, the remaining 11 districts of Kerala continued to be on red alert following prediction of more rains.

The worst affected places include Aluva, Chalakudy, Chengannur, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta, where massive rescue operations were on as scores of persons were rescued.

Media houses continued to be flooded with requests from friends and relatives of those stranded in affected areas.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kochi. In a memorandum submitted to the Centre, Vijayan said that the death toll in rain-related incidents since May 29 had climbed to 357. Over 3.53 lakh affected persons had been lodged in over 2,000 relief camps, he said.

Modi sanctioned Rs 500 crore to the flood-battered state, apart from Rs 100 crore announced earlier by the Centre on August 12, before returning to Delhi after an aerial survey of the affected areas.

Vijayan told the media here that the situation is "very serious and grave".

"The death toll would have been higher, but for the work we did. Things are under control," said Vijayan, whose government was flayed by Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala for failing to take up rescue and relief work effectively.

Food Minister P. Thilothaman, camping at Chengannur, told the media: "The need of the hour is to provide food packets and drinking water to the people. About 15 small boats of the Navy are expected to join rescue and relief work. But, after dusk, no rescues are possible. Helicopters are also needed for faster evacuation."

Meanwhile, anger mounted across Kerala as coordination of rescue work went haywire due to the magnitude of calamity.

Flaying the state for "failing in the endeavour", Leader of Opposition Chennithala said: "I have been flooded with calls from the affected persons. Even now, thousands of people are stranded. The Chief Minister dismissed with contempt when I said this week that rescue and relief should be handed over to the Army. I do not want to blame anyone but it has been proved beyond doubt that the state government has failed."

More fishing boats from various places reached the affected areas during the day.

Alappuzha Superintendent of Police A.P. Surendran said: "Things are moving fast on Saturday. Helicopters and more boats have been pressed into service. We are confident we will be able to rescue more stranded people."

The situation in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad and Wayanad inched towards comparative normalcy as rains slowed and water level receded, with many living in crowded relief camps awaiting return to their homes.

At several places in waterlogged areas, banks could not function normally since staff faied to report for duty due to the flooding.

Railway services between Ernakulam and Thrissur remained suspended on Saturday, with long-distance trains diverted via the Nagercoil route.

Certain blockades on the Thrissur-Palakkad highway though were cleared for traffic. Army personnel worked hard to clear the roads to Munnar.

Kerala is facing the heaviest rains and consequent widespread floods and destruction since 1924, which the state estimates has caused a loss of over Rs 19,500 crore.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began his aerial survey of the massive loss and destruction triggered by the torrential rains in Kerala, after it was initially called off due to bad weather.

The Prime Minister's first attempt was cancelled due to rains prevailing at the Kochi Naval airbase.

Following the cancellation, Modi chaired a meeting with Governor P. Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other officials and witnessed a video presentation of the widespread destruction across the state.

Modi, who arrived in the state capital on Friday night, flew in to Kochi earlier in the morning. He will return to Delhi later on Saturday.

Overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have resulted in the death of 180 people as of Saturday morning, with over 3 lakh others forced to move to some 2,000 relief camps.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
The major indices of the Indian stock market rallied and ended Monday with gains over last Fridays close. On the NSE, there were 956 advances, 782 declines and 346 unchanged. The trends of the major indices in the course of Mondays trading are given in the table below:

The key Indian equity indices of the S&P BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty50 touched fresh record levels Monday, supported by firm global cues and a recovery in the domestic currency. Both the BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange touched new all-time highs of 38,281.70 points and 11,551.85 points, respectively, surpassing their previous benchmarks of 38,076.23 and 11,495.20 points. Buying activity was witnessed in capital goods, auto and oil and gas stocks.

State Bank of India (SBI) has donated Rs2 crore for the Kerala flood victims and initiated several other ground-level measures in the deluged state, an official said on Saturday. The SBI has encouraged all its 270,000 staffers to contribute to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), and the bank would contribute an equivalent amount. It also announced a waiver of fees and charges on services like loans for flood relief, duplicate passbooks, ATM cards, cheque books and EMI delays, besides making attempts to restore the working of branches and ATMs in the flood affected regions of the state. Besides, the SBI has decided to waive all charges on remittance to the CMDRF, penalty on non-maintenance of minimum account balance from proceeds of relief fund provided by the government and agencies and if already recovered, such charges would be refunded for customers in the state. State Bank of India shares closed at Rs307.60, up 1.82% on the NSE.

Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland received an order for 300 double decker buses from Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC). According to the Company, the order delivery will take place within eight months from now and the procurement has been made against a tender under "Indian Line of Credit". "Exports have been a strong focus for us to de-risk from cyclicality in Indian market and to globalize our product portfolio," Vinod K Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, was quoted as saying in a company statement. "This is a significant win for us and builds on the strong export growth we had last year." Ashok Leyland shares closed at Rs128.20, down 0.12% on the NSE.

Mining major Vedanta welcomed the Supreme Court's decision not to entertain Tamil Nadu government's plea against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order allowing the company access to the administrative unit inside its subsidiary Sterlite Copper's closed plant at Tuticorin. Directing the NGT earlier on Friday to take a final decision on the matter, the apex court also did not grant a stay on the proceedings of the case at the NGT challenging the smelter plant closure, as was sought by the Tamil Nadu government. Vedanta shares closed at Rs221.65, up 3.00% on the NSE.

Tanla Solutions has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Karix Mobile Pvt Ltd for a cash consideration of Rs340 crore. Karix is a leading Business Cloud Communications provider in India operating from four locations and serves over 1,500 enterprise clients. Tanla Solutions shares closed at Rs42.15, up 4.98% on the NSE.

Rupee movement and crude oil price movements along with inflow and outflow by the foreign and domestic players will dictate the trend of the market going ahead. The Indian rupee is expected to range from 69.50 to 70.50 against the US dollar in the coming week. In recent days, geo-political tensions between the US and Turkey, wider trade deficit, along with outflow of foreign funds have pulled the Indian rupee to fresh record intra-day and closing lows.

The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below:

The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below:
The Indian government has, early this month, suddenly decided to stop non-resident Indians (NRIs) from filing online applications under Right to Information (RTI) through the e-IPO way, which they fought for so hard for in 2013. With a whopping 176 Indian Missions abroad showing favourable responses to RTI applications from Indians abroad, the latter is upset at this knee-jerk decision.

This decision was revealed not through an announcement but in the Lok Sabha on 8 August 2018, when Jugal Kishore, member of Parliament (MP) asked, Whether non-resident-Indians (NRIs) are also eligible to file online RTI applications and if so the procedure aid down in this regard. ( http://164.100.47.190/loksabhaquestions/annex/15/AU3535.pdf)

Dr Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions and who is also the minister of state in the prime ministers office (PMO), stated, Only citizens have the right to seek information under the provisions of RTI Act, 2005. Non-residents are not eligible to file RTI applications.

The minister blundered in saying only citizens have the right to file applications under RTI and NRIs cannot. This is because NRIs are Indian citizens. What the minister probably meant was all Indians abroad.

This is in total contrast of the office memorandum issued on 22 March 2013 by the department of personnel & training (DoPT) under the ministry of personnel, public grievances & pensions.

This circular states that a special service called e-IPO (electronic Indian Postal Order) has been launched for Indians living abroad to facilitate them to seek information from the central public information officers (CPIOs) under the RTI Act. Debit and credit cards were allowed to be used to purchase e-IPO.

Also, the government then in its circular had stated under Right of NRIs: under the current provisions of the RTI Act, NRIs can file RTI applications seeking information from either from a particular Mission or Post abroad or from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) itself. Accordingly, a fee of Rs10 per application equivalent in local currency is accepted by Missions and Posts abroad.

Thereafter, the campaign focused on e-IPO where you could buy the Indian postal online and the citizens triumphed.

Electronic postal order was a big achievement for Indian citizens abroad, who had been pressing the government for the five years to facilitate them in nation building by exercising their right to know. Their victory finally came in 2012 after several Indians living in different countries sent a petition to the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Expressing shock over the development to bar NRIs from using RTI, Commodore Lokesh Batra, a noted Delhi-based RTI activist, who had been at the helm of this campaign to facilitate e-IPO so that Indians abroad can use RTI, states, the Centres response in the Lok Sabha is misleading. NRIs are shocked and are raising questions over the government statement denying their right to file RTI when they have been doing so since the last five years. What has changed they ask. They also find this ridiculous that they are allowed to vote from their countries of karma but have been thrown out from the arena of transparency.

Commodore Batra had filed more than 150 RTI applications in various relevant departments since 2008 and consistently pressured the government to provide online payment facilities for RTI fees.

He questions the sluggish attitude of the central information commission (CIC) in fighting this out with the government. He also slams the government for lack of public knowledge and consultations regarding this vital issue.

The efforts That went into empower NRIs in filing RTI applications:

4 February 2011: Department of Posts wrote to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stating, The Department of Posts has developed a portal called e-portal office. We have received a reference from the Secretary, DoPT requesting to include a provision for the purchase of Indian postal orders by Indian citizens living abroad to enable them to seek information under the RTI Act, 2005. The challenge faced by the Indian citizens is in remitting the prescribed fee for seeking information as per the specified mode of the Act. The post office can provide a solution to this challenge, since the Indian postal order is one of the most prescribed modes of payment under the RTI Act. To put a system in place to facilitate this, we would require clearance to accept credit card/debit card for online payment from abroad through e-portal.

15 June 2011: RBIs reply to Commodore Batras RTI query on the status of letters from the Department of Posts stated: The RBI has not taken a final decision on the request of the Department of Posts. As such this information cannot be given as per Section 8 of the RTI Act.

3 February 2012: RBI (which had earlier denied Commodore Batra information under Section 8 of the RTI Act) it had sent its no-objection to the government. Anita Kumari, manager of the RBI, in a letter to the Ministry of Communications & IT, Department of Posts, on 3 February 2012 had stated, the payment gateway provider will be Axis Bank and online payments from abroad should be made only through debit and credit cards issued by the bank having affiliations with one of the card payment networks authorised under the PSS Act 2007.

12 December 2012: Department of Posts sets a deadline of 15 January 2013.

Some of the milestones in this citizen campaign include:

2008: Commodore Batra steered the campaign for Indians abroad, when he had a personal experience in 2008 when he was in the US. The date for his appeal before the Information Commission in Delhi was fixed while he was abroad, and then chief information commissioner, Dr Wajahat Habibullah, allowed the hearing through audio-conferencing. However, when he began to ask about regular RTI applications filed from the US, he found that Indians there faced many hurdles.

The Indian embassy in Washington threw its hands up, saying that it could only accept RTI applications pertaining to queries related to its office, or at the most those related to the ministry of external affairs. Indians tried to impress upon the embassy that under Section 6(3) it is the duty of the PIO to forward applications not relevant to him, to the concerned departments. But the embassy refused to take responsibility. This triggered off his campaign.

2009: Commodore Batra filed a complaint with the CIC in April 2009 against the ministries for not providing him the required information. Information Commissioner Annapurna Dixit gave an order on 16 April 2010 asking the DoPT to formulate a system to facilitate accessibility of the Act by Indians abroad.

2010: Commodore Batra was joined by activists abroad. The campaign abroad was steered by RTI activist Vishal Kudchadkar, member of Association for Indias Development (AID), living in California. In 2010, a delegation of US-based Indian activists submitted their petition to the then prime minister Singh, carrying signatures from 316 Indians residing in Australia, Burundi, Canada, Dubai, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Holland, Japan, Kuwait, Maldives, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, UAE, the UK and the US. However, the PMO was silent on this issue (not surprising).

What the petition to the PM stated:

The petition said: Our suggestion is that just as the government has facilitated APIOs by the postal department in India for all public authorities, along similar lines, the government should facilitate an APIO in each Indian Mission/Post in local embassies and charge fees equivalent to rupees.

Alternatively, we suggest that arrangements may be made by the MEA, the administrative ministry for Indians abroad, for missions to accept RTI fees in foreign currency from applicants filing RTI to central public authorities, using the same procedure as they are hitherto doing for RTI applications concerning their own ministry. The missions role would be to accept the fee along with a copy of the passport to verify the citizenship and issue a receipt/E-receipt to the applicant for the fee. Thereafter, either the mission or the RTI applicant can forward the application to the concerned central public authority (PA) online Any additional costs for providing the information can be remitted to the mission in the same way and the receipt/E-receipt given by the mission can serve as proof of payment.

Our earlier stories:
A German restaurant has sparked debate worldwide after banning children under the age of 14 from dining after 5pm.

The restaurant owner said that previously children had damaged the decor, ruined table cloths and he even claimed one child caused physical harm to another patron.

"We have been thinking about this for a very long time," the owner said

"We have somehow reached that point where you say: This just can't go on like this,"

He added that the ban was more driven by parents who let their kids get away with the bad behaviour, rather than the kids themselves. He said they seem to "acknowledge it with a smile, keep on eating, and don't care at all."

He hoped that his new ban would make his restaurant an "oasis of peace" for his customers.

But the ban has caused heated discussions online, with many calling the owner 'heartless'.

"What about families who have brought up kids to be quiet in public? Why not just turf out noisy customers of any age?" one person questioned.

But others loved the restaurant owners approach.

"Excellent idea. why do other guests have to put up with noisy kids?" added another.

What do you make of his decision, would you like to see this happen more in NZ or not?

Source: Independent
Diamondback Energys (FANG) shares plunged after the announcement that the oil and gas producer will acquire Energen (EGN) in all-stock deal valued at $9 billion, a 16% premium to the latter companys previous closing price. We think this creates an attractive buying opportunity for investors, as Diamondback was already trading at a substantial discount to our fair value estimate and the price paid for Energen appears to be fair.

The combined entity will be one of the largest oil and gas producers in the Permian Basin, with about 390,000 net acres of unconventional leasehold and current volumes of 215 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (of which Energen is contributing 179,000 net acres and 90 mboe/d). This footprint is split fairly evenly between the Midland and Delaware basins and encompasses most of the counties in the play. The Tier 1 component by itself could support 15 years of further drilling at the current run rate. Much of the remainder is likely to be sold to bring the value forward, generating cash that can be used to accelerate the development of the core portion--all of which is in accordance with the companys grow and prune strategy. As a bonus, the assets include substantial mineral interests that are ideal for dropping into Diamondbacks Viper Energy Partners (VNOM) subsidiary.
Wide-moat Pepsi (PEP) has announced that it will buy SodaStream, the leading manufacturer of home beverage carbonation systems, for $3.2 billion in cash, or $144 per share (roughly 31 times 2017 adjusted EBITDA). From our vantage point, the deal, which is expected to close in January 2019, aligns with Pepsi's recent efforts to build out its water portfolio, including the launch of its Bubly brand sparkling water earlier this year. Further, it reflects the company's ongoing focus on more natural and nutritious offerings. As of 2017, 43% of Pepsi's beverage portfolio volume had 100 calories or fewer from added sugars per 12-ounce serving; it aims to have this fare account for two thirds of beverage volume by 2025. Our view of Pepsi's prudent capital allocation also remains intact, as it had nearly $14 billion of cash on its balance sheet as of June. That said, we don't expect the acquisition to have a material impact on our outlook for Pepsi, given that SodaStream posted just $543 million in sales in 2017, or less than 1% of Pepsi's revenue, and plan for little change to our $123 fair value estimate, which factors in our expectation for 3% top-line growth and high-teens operating margin on average over our 10-year forecast.

While Pepsi's beverage business has posted tepid organic volumes as of late (down 2% in North America and flat globally in the first half of 2018), we've attributed this to the firm underallocating resources to its core beverage brands, including trademark Pepsi and Gatorade, relative to smaller brands rather than a deterioration in the underlying equity of these brands. As evidence, organic volumes in the North American beverage declined 2% in the second quarter, an improvement from the roughly 3% declines over the trailing 12 months, on a 1% improvement in price/mix. We continue to expect improving performance in the back half of the year, as the firm's new product innovations and reinforced brand investments take hold.
Banks are in better shape than two years ago, Jason Mercer, a senior analyst at Moodys, was quoted as saying in the Vancouver Sun. Our stress results indicate banks would experience higher lossesbecause house prices have continued to increase and mortgage loans have grown. However, the banks have increased their capital buffers during that time and are now in a stronger financial position to weather such losses.

The Moodys stress test determined that aggregate losses would reach $14.3bln for Canadas seven largest mortgage lendersup from $12.1bln in 2016. A contributing factor is growth of uninsured mortgages, which have higher losses in default.

Losses would have accounted for 60 basis points of the banks CET1 capitalwhich is a protective buffer closely monitored by regulatorsin 2016, however, according to the latest stress test, potential losses have climbed to 70 basis points. But because the CET1 starting point is significantly higher, increased losses would be offset.

Moodys also noted that CIBC would have the lowest post-stress capital, with its CET1 ratio of 10% being the result of its large domestic franchise.

As housing prices have climbed throughout the country, A-lenders have been lending homebuyers more money. Between 2014 and 2017, the average house price in the country surged nearly 10% annually, and residential mortgage debt increased at a compound annual growth of 6%. Moreover, roughly half of domestic banking assets are residential mortgages.
Personal finance technology company Credit Karma has acquired digital mortgage platform Approved as part of its efforts to build a consumer-facing digital mortgage experience, Approved founder and CEO Andy Taylor announced in a blog post.

With more than 80 million members in the US and Canada, Credit Karmas products allow members to monitor and improve credit health and prepare and file taxes. The company also provides identity monitoring and vehicle monitoring.

The company has facilitated more than $40 billion in credit lines across financial products like credit cards, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, automotive financing, and student loan refinancing.
Federal authorities are undertaking one of the largest mortgage-fraud investigations since the financial crisis. The probe focuses on whether income from commercial properties was falsified in order to get larger mortgages, and has already led to indictments against four New York real estate executives.

Loans that the executives were involved in totaled about $170 million, according to a Wall Street Journal report. In one case, owners of an apartment complex who wanted to take out a mortgage allegedly made vacant units look occupied by turning on radios or placing shows and mats outside doors. In one instance, the owners had a woman tell inspectors that her boyfriend was sleeping inside, according to WSJ. The owners got a loan of $45.8 million.

Investigators have sought mortgage data on dozens of apartment buildings, WSJ reported. Many of the mortgages being investigated were sold and bundled into mortgage-backed securities. In fact, about $1.5 billion on securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are backed by mortgages from just one of the developers under investigation.
A priest at the former Our Lady of San Juan Catholic Church was identified by a Pennsylvanias Attorney Generals Office report as being accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with at least five victims and being named in a lawsuit that paid one victim $34,500.

The 884-page report, titled Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, states the Rev. Thomas C. Kelley was one of 41 offenders from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, identified by the grand jury. Kelley served in the Diocese of Erie from 1968-1994, according to an assignment history in the grand jurys report.

It was after Kelley was accused of these offenses and required to seek treatment that he asked to be assigned in Texas, according to the report that came out last week. With the permission of then- Bishop Michael Pfeifer of the Diocese of San Angelo, Kelley served as a pastor of St. Agnes in Fort Stockton from 1994-1996. He served at Our Lady of San Juan  now called San Miguel Arcangel  during a period when he was assigned to the diocese and then incarnated into the diocese between 1996 and 2001.

The summary in the grand jury report indicated Kelleys victims of choice were 18- to 25-year-old males in high school or in seminary.

It also states that a complaint prompted the diocese in northwestern Pennsylvania to send him to psychotherapy at an in-patient treatment center in Ontario, Canada, in September 1995.

Kelley was sent there for a week-long assessment period, according to the summary, Per this assessment, it was determined that Kelley should have restricted ministry that kept him away from young parishioners.

Kelley, according to the summary, asked Bishop Donald W. Trautman to send him to a second facility for a second opinion. A second physician from Pennsylvania saw Kelley in 1996 and agreed with the courts of action previously recommended. In April through September 1996, Kelley was sent to Canada for treatment.

After his release, Kelley traveled to Odessa, Texas, to take some time off and meet with an old friend with whom he attended seminary, the summary states. He reported to Trautman that he had reflected on his conduct while in Odessa and decided that he was not ready to quit serving God. According to the documents, Kelley became interested in staying in active ministry in the West Texas area during this time period.

The summary also states that it was found that Trautman had told Kelley that if he returned to the Erie Diocese, he would need to be assigned a severely restricted ministry.

Faced with this harsh restriction, Kelley asked to be assigned full time in Texas by permission of Trautman and Bishop Michael Pfeifer of the Diocese of San Angelo, the summary states. Both Bishops agreed to Kelleys request. In their correspondence, Trautman and Pfeifer often referenced telephone conversations they had about Kelley and his troubled past.

Kelleys assignment history shows he was pastor at St. Agnes in Fort Stockton from Sept. 6, 1994 through Dec. 31, 1996. He was assigned to the Diocese of San Angelo on March 31, 1996 and incarnated into the diocese on Nov. 25, 1996.

Lastly, the summary states that during his visits to Erie during this period, Kelley also had some interaction with a licensed social worker and therapist in the Erie area. She conferred with Trautman, Kelley and Pfeifer on Kelleys treatment plan.

She questioned Kelleys suitability to be a priest and, in an e-mail message to Trautman, she wrote, If Tom Kelley has in fact been a predator, I think it is time he is removed from the priesthood, the summary states. In another e-mail she advised Trautman that, I

think it is time to ensure that Tom Kelley (although in Texas) no longer abuses children.

The summary also states her written criticism of Pfeifer: it appears to me that he did not take responsibility to ensure the safety of those under his care.

Kelley died in February 2005. A hall at San Miguel Arcangel was named in his honor, but Fr. Kelley's name was removed from the hall at San Miguel Church last Thursday after publication of the Pennsylvania grand jury report, the dioceses communications director, Brian Bodiford, told the Reporter-Telegram in an email.

A letter from Michael Sis, the current bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo, concerning Kelley, was sent to every parish in the diocese to be read during Mass, Bodiford said in his email. This will be our only statement at this time.

According to an Associated Press story, in the report released Aug. 14, 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's the classiest, most passive-aggressive move Barack Obama could make: He posted a list of books he's been reading on Facebook.

That's it.

"This summer I've been absorbed by new novels," the former president wrote Sunday, "revisited an old classic, and reaffirmed my faith in our ability to move forward together when we seek the truth."

Obama didn't rage against his enemies or attack the pillars of our democracy. He didn't call anybody a "dog." He didn't brag about his own bestsellers - or the size of his book-reading hands.

Instead, he just presented a small window into the mind of a man who appreciates how books can alter the pace of our lives and illuminate the world.

"One of my favorite parts of summer is deciding what to read when things slow down just a bit," Obama wrote, "whether it's on a vacation with family or just a quiet afternoon."

For a nation showered by the sputtering rage of his replacement, Obama's implicit reminder of how incurious and aliterate the Oval Office has become is almost cruel.

As usual, the former president's summer reading list is a model of diverse voices and concerns, without a whiff of that synthetic intellectuality that frequently hovers around politicians' alleged bedside reading. (Let's be honest, nobody is really enjoying Thucydides's "History of the Peloponnesian War" and Thomas Piketty's "Capital" this summer.) Obama's choices are books that one can easily find at most bookstores or libraries:

1. "Educated," by Tara Westover (Random House).

Obama describes this as "a remarkable memoir of a young woman raised in a survivalist family in Idaho who strives for education while still showing great understanding and love for the world she leaves behind." Westover's story is even more dramatic than that summary suggests: Her parents home-schooled their seven children largely on matters of faith, but she managed to get into Brigham Young University and eventually attended Harvard and earned a doctorate in history from Cambridge. "Educated" has been on The Washington Post bestseller list since it was published in February.

2. "Warlight," by Michael Ondaatje (Knopf).

The latest from the Booker Prize-winning author of "The English Patient," this novel takes place in London just after World War II. Obama notes that it is "a meditation on the lingering effects of war on family." It tells the story of two British children left by their parents in the care of a stranger. Reviewing the novel for The Post, Anna Mundow wrote, "All is illuminated, at first dimly then starkly, but always brilliantly."

3. "A House for Mr. Biswas," by V.S. Naipaul (Vintage).

Obama wrote, "With the recent passing of V.S. Naipaul, I reread . . . the Nobel Prize winner's first great novel about growing up in Trinidad and the challenge of post-colonial identity." This is a particularly timely choice - the writer died on Aug. 11 - and it also demonstrates the former president's willingness to ignore the winds of political correctness. Later in life, Naipaul was accused of Islamophobia and misogyny, but that needn't blot out the artistry of his greatest books.

4. "An American Marriage," by Tayari Jones (Algonquin).

Obama isn't the only big name to give this novel a boost this year. Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club in February, and she plans to make a movie adaptation. The story is a perfect blend of thoughtful drama and social issues. When a husband is sent to prison for a sexual assault he didn't commit, he must deal with the horrors of incarceration, and his wife must deal with the challenges of living without him. Obama described it as "a moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple."

5. "Factfulness," by Hans Rosling (Flatiron).

The subtitle of this nonfiction book is "Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think," which is a message we all could use now. Obama calls Rosling, a Swedish physician, "an outstanding international public health expert," and notes that "Factfulness" is "a hopeful book about the potential for human progress when we work off facts rather than our inherent biases." Given the huge cloud of distortion enveloping the country, this is just what the doctor ordered.
Jacksonvilles police canine, Bo, will soon be off the force to enjoy his remaining years in the comfort of home with his handler, Patrolman Scott Cleveland, and the Citizens Police Academy is helping to raise money for Bos replacement.

Police Chief Adam Mefford said that the intention was to get Bo re-certified for another year of service. Unfortunately, the 8-year-old Belgian malinois is showing his years and has experienced a few health problems, so at the discretion of Bos veterinarian, he will retire in November.

As long as Bo seems healthy and seems like he wants to go to work, he could continue to work, Mefford said. We noticed this Summer, though, that hes slowing down and hes gaining a little weight. We just want to ensure that hes going to get a good quality of life out of his retirement.

When a police canine is retired in Jacksonville, the handler is given the opportunity to retain the dog and take over all of the caring responsibilities that come with ownership.

Cleveland, who has been with the department for six years and a canine officer for three, was happy to take on the responsibility.

Hes been a great co-worker, done a lot of good work, made a lot of arrests over the years and hate to see him go, Cleveland said. But we dont want to work him to death and itll be a good time to retire.

For 10 weeks, Bo and Cleveland trained together at the Illinois State Police Training Academy, working on everything from obedience training to agility training to narcotics detection. Cleveland said he was excited to get into the program because he enjoys doing narcotics work, and Bo has been invaluable when it comes to keeping drugs off the streets in Jacksonville.

However, Bo has also been a good friend to Cleveland over the years.

Its one of those things where through training they tell you that the dog is a tool, Cleveland said. In essence, he is, but you still cant help but care for him. Its like having another child.

While Bo has worked hard through his tenure with the police department, hes also had the chance to meet members of the community and inspire kids to get into police work. This summer, for instance, Bo and Cleveland visited the Western Illinois Youth Camp so the kids at the camp could see him in action.

When hes off duty, Bo enjoys resting in his kennel, playing some catch or doing some obedience or agility training so he stays sharp. Typically, Bo undergoes 16 hours of training each month, known as maintenance training.

Cleveland will be giving another officer at the department to get into the K-9 unit after Bo retires, returning to regular patrols. The transition will allow him to spend some more time with his kids, who are very active with their school sports.

A new canine vehicle has already been purchased and the Citizens Police Academy is doing its best to raise funds for the purchase of a new dog. The academy is selling racks of ribs for $25 as part of the fundraising efforts.

We had been talking about this for months, Citizens Police Academy President Tom Cisne said. One of our members, Roger Davis, who owns the Luau Grill and is also a pastor at Faith Tabernacle (Church), he had this idea to sell ribs.

Additionally, proceeds from the upcoming Policemans Ball by the Citizens Police Academy will go toward the purchase of the dog. Individual donations are also welcome and can be made to Cisne or directly to the police department.

In the meantime, Mefford had nothing but commendations for Bo and his work with the force and said that he will be missed around the department.

Hes been outstanding, I dont even know how many calls he has been on during his career, Mefford said. Hes not only been an asset to the department, but also to the community, to combat drugs and illegal substances in the city as well as community policing. The community and the kids love to see him put on demonstrations. Hes really kind of a mascot.

Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper.
Police are reminding motorist to observe school zones and take precautions as school begins this week for many west-central Illinois districts.

According to Illinois State Police, the amount of traffic around schools increases, causing some delays and potential for accidents  including children walking in between cars, slowing or stopped buses, and parents dropping off children.
BAYLIS  Pike County authorities are looking for a man they said was able to evade arrest on drug-related charges last week.

About 7:15 p.m. Aug. 13, deputies made a routine traffic stop on County Highway 2 near Baylis. A search of the vehicle revealed methamphetamine, a prescription controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, according to the report.
Illinois brewing is as old as the state itself. Were good at it. Three key ingredients  a major population center, access to gobs of fresh water, and world-class agricultural aptitude  position the Land of Lincoln as a potential powerhouse in the industry.

That potential is bearing fruit from little Ava, where in the shadow of Shawnee National Forest, Scratch Brewing Co. is making some of the most interesting beer in the country with prairie plants foraged on their property, to Chicagos Band of Bohemia, the worlds first Michelin-starred brewpub.

But our laws, sadly, dont reflect that ingenuity.

Too many rules governing how to make a living in Illinois beer hearken back to Prohibition panic.

The good news: Those laws are getting better. The chaser: Theres much more to be done. Illinois can be a true craft beer beacon if the state got smarter about this still-booming industry thats starting to mature.

Two reforms signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner this summer are examples of being smart. Or stopping stupidity, at least.

The first reform fixed a byzantine process often necessary to serve booze. If you wanted an exemption from the Prohibition-era state law banning businesses within 100 feet of a school, church or hospital from obtaining a liquor license, you needed approval from the entire General Assembly in Springfield. Rauner rightly railed against this and stopped signing bills granting those exemptions. Now the process is driven by local governments rather than the state.

The second reform ended a backward ban on what taprooms could sell. Most brewpubs were not allowed to serve beers or ciders from other breweries, even if they collaborated with them to make the product. Now they can. The new law also allows for breweries to more easily store some of their product off-site.

These are simple, necessary changes. But theyre not enough.

What still needs fixing lies within the politically clouted world of beer distributors, a protected industry made much too powerful entirely through state law, at the expense of brewers and consumers.

Imagine if Illinois passed a law tomorrow saying you couldnt buy a winter coat directly from your favorite brand. Instead, the law created a new class of coat distributors that got a cut of the business. The coat company would be forced to contract with an exclusive distributor, and the distributor would drop off the coat at their favored stores.

Sound silly? Thats how most of the beer business has functioned since the 1930s. Illinois is no different. And the 100 or so licensed beer distributors in the state have a major stake in making sure that remains the case. This set-up is called the three-tier system. The producer is the first tier, the distributor is the second tier, and the final point of sale is the third tier. There are a bundle of special laws ensuring the tiers shall not cross.

Its no surprise that the most important change allowing craft beer to sprout up at all in Illinois came through subverting this archaic model. A self-distribution law lawmakers passed in 2011 meant little brewers didnt have to hire a middleman to deliver their goods.

It really allowed smaller brewers to interact directly with consumers and retail, said Illinois Craft Brewers Guild Executive Director Danielle DAlessandro. That has led to tremendous growth.

Illinois had about 40 craft breweries in 2010 and is now home to more than 200, according to the guild. But out of the top 50 craft breweries in the U.S. in terms of sales, just one calls Illinois home, according to the Brewers Association: Revolution Brewing in Chicago.

Imagine what entrepreneurs could do if Illinois gave every brewery complete control over their own distribution.

Beyond the whole three-tier system being a drag, Illinois has other provisions making things worse for brewers to the benefit of distributors, who have spent millions of dollars on state politics over the years.

Due to provisions in Illinois franchise law, for example, a distributor can drop a brewer as a customer or sell the rights to distribute their product at any time. But once a brewery sells its beer to that distributor, it can be extremely difficult for the producer to break off the contract. Its not a level playing field.

A 1999 law extending this franchise-style privilege to wine and spirits distributors was a case study in how powerful political interests can hold small businesses over a barrel. A blitz of money from liquor lobbyists led to the passage of the Wine and Spirits Fair Dealing Act, also known as the Wirtz law, (named for late Illinois distributor William Wirtz). It was later struck down by a federal district court for violating the commerce clause.

But the franchise law remains for beer brewers.

In fact, a dispute arising from the franchise law led one of the Midwests most beloved breweries, New Glarus Brewing in Wisconsin, to pull out of Illinois altogether in 2002, never to return.

State lawmakers should seize the momentum in Illinois.

Let your people brew. And transport. And sell.

Austin Berg is a writer for the Illinois Policy Institute. He wrote this column for the Illinois News Network. Berg can be reached at aberg@illinoispolicy.org.
We are not at loggerheads with ...
President Donald Trump View Photos

President Trump was KVMLs Newsmaker of the Day. At last weeks Cabinet Meeting he discussed Californias wildfires. Here are portions of his comments:

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I want to begin today by expressing my condolences to the family of a person I knew well  she worked for me on numerous occasions; she was terrific  Aretha Franklin, on her passing. Shes brought joy to millions of lives, and her extraordinary legacy will thrive and inspire many generations to come.

She was given a great gift from God: her voice. And she used it well. People loved Aretha. She was a special woman. So I just want to pass on my warmest, best wishes and sympathies to her family.

We meet at a time of great opportunity for our nation. Our economy is doing better than it ever has before. It was going in the wrong direction when we came onboard, and now its going better than ever before.

Weve created nearly 4 million new jobs since the election, which is an unthinkable number. Nobody would have said that was possible. Its going to go up very substantially from there.

The African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American unemployment rates have all reached their lowest levels in recorded history. And were creating manufacturing jobs at the fastest pace in memory. Nobody has any numbers where its anywhere close to what were doing.

And if you remember, during the campaign, everybody said that it was impossible to create manufacturing jobs.

The past administration  and I wont say who, but I think you know  made the statement that were not going to have any manufacturing jobs. And were doing them by the hundreds of thousands.

Companies are moving back into the United States. That means jobs; it means production; it means taxes. And, really, things are great.

Id like to ask Ryan Zinke, Secretary, who actually I watched this morning. He was giving a rundown on the horrible fires that are taking place mostly in California. And I thought what he said was so true and, actually, rather incredible  people dont hear it  they dont hear it like it is. There are things you can do about those fires before they start, and you wouldnt have nearly the damage and the problems.

Were spending a fortune in California because of poor maintenance and because, frankly, theyre sending a lot of water out to the Pacific to protect the smelt. And, by the way, its not working. The smelt is not doing well. But were sending millions and millions of gallons, right out into the Pacific Ocean, of beautiful, clean water coming up from the north  or coming down from the north.

And I thought Ryan was great this morning. So I would ask you to give maybe a little recap of what you said this morning on television.

SECRETARY ZINKE: Well, thank you, Mr. President. And first, our firefighters  which there are 30,000 of them  are doing spectacular things. Weve had six deaths related. And we forget that firefighters, while theyre in the frontline, their homes and families are in jeopardy, and our hearts and prayers need to be with our frontline firefighters that are out there every day.

It is a matter of gross mismanagement; there is no question. The fuel loads are up. The density of our forests is historical. We have dead and dying timber. And if you dont believe me, believe your own eyes: Go out and take a look at our forests. Take a drive out there and look at the dead and dying timber. Its been a gross mismanagement for decades. But were burning our forests, were destroying our habitats, and were destroying our communities and neighborhoods by these catastrophic fires of two-, three-hundred-thousand acres.

Thus far, theres 5.7 million acres of our public lands that have been destroyed at a cost of about $3 billion this fiscal year. Americans deserve to go out and recreate rather than evacuate. So we went out  Secretary Perdue and I went out to California. We are committed to reestablishing sound science, best practices for the greatest good for all of us.

But sound active management, Mr. President, is the path that you have laid. And its clear: This is unacceptable that year after year were watching our forests burn, our habitat destroyed, and our communities devastated. And it is absolutely preventable. And public lands are for everybody to enjoy and not just held hostage by these special interest groups.

Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: And, Ryan, youre saying its not a global warming thing, its a management situation. And one of the elements that he talked about was the fact we have fallen trees. And instead of removing those fallen trees  which get to be extremely combustible  instead of removing them  gently removing them, beautifully removing them  we leave them to burn and, actually, in many cases, catch fire much easier than a healthy tree, a healthy-growing tree.

Could you just discuss that for a second?

SECRETARY ZINKE: Well, Mr. President, we import lumber in this country, and yet there are billions of board feet that are on the forest floor rotting. Rotting. And whether youre a global warmist advocate or denier, it doesnt make a difference when you have rotting timber, when housing prices are going up, when a lot of Americans are right at that border of affording a house, and yet we are wasting billions of board feet for not being able to bring them to a local lumber mill. It is unconscionable that we would do that to our citizens.

And so, Mr. President, we are actively engaged. We have signed secretarial orders. Secretary Perdue and I went out to California. We are joined at the hip to make sure we actively manage our forest, remove the dead and dying timber, replant diversity of species. And on the salvage operations  5.7 million acres  a lot of that can be salvaged if we get to it in the first year. And were going to do it, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: And just to add, just to conclude, especially when Canada is charging us a lot of money to bring their timber down into our country. Its so ridiculous. Here we have it. Were not even talking about cutting down trees, which in certain areas we can do. Were talking about lying on the floor, creating a tremendous hazard and a tremendous fire hazard and death trap.

So I thought they were great points. Thank you very much, Ryan. Appreciate it.
It's been about 10 years since plans were set in motion to bring a wind farm to Hale County.

Construction on the Hale Wind Farm project began in June and officials with the companies involved in establishing it officially broke ground on the project on Tuesday.

Now the landowners who rallied together to bring the wind farm are excited to be watching the progress unfold.

"When we first were told that it was going to happen, I was still in disbelief," said Ronnie Hopper, a landowner. "I really am just now coming to realize that it's actually going to happen."

Lots of personal investment from Hopper and about 349 other landowners and 120 investors went in to bringing the Hale Wind Farm to fruition. It took so long that there were times when Hopper and a handful of other landowners and investors who spoke with the Herald started losing hope of ever seeing a wind turbine go up on their land.

"It was a long drawn out process," said Bill Hayes, another landowner and community investor.

It all started around 2008.

Rocky Buckner, another landowner who played one of the key roles in bringing the Hale Wind Farm to fruition, said it began with a phone call.

"We had a call from a group of folks that were getting older," Buckner, also a wind farm manager and community investor, said during a recent visit to the Herald. "They had CRP (conservation reserve program). Their CRP was going to run out and they had no income. They called us and said, 'would you check into a wind farm?'"

Not knowing where to start, Buckner and a small team began making phone calls, meeting with lawyers and checking out other wind energy projects to see what it would take to get one in the south plains.

Wind energy resources are examined by class, said Wes Reeves, media relations specialist for Xcel Energy.

There are five different classes, he said. The higher the number, the better the wind speed.

"The vast majority of our region, especially in our area, is a class 4 wind resource," he said. "We're sitting in a great area. This has been known for some time."

Landowners realized it long ago, Reeves said.

"We fight this wind all the time as far as our crops and blowing sand," said Tom Gregory, a landowner, investor and a community manager for one of the wind farms. "If we can harvest some of that wind and get a little revenue off of it, it looks like a win-win situation for me."

According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, an office of the United States Department of Energy, wind energy is the fastest-growing energy source in the world. It's cost-effective, a clean fuel source and it's sustainable, according to the Wind Energy Technologies Office's website.

Following a lawyer's advice, landowners began speaking with people around the area to form a co-op of landowners and investors to fund the surveys necessary to start the project.

There had to be bird studies and environmental studies, to name a couple, Buckner said. They partnered with a company called Tri Global Energy to develop the project before selling it to NextEra Energy, which sold it to Xcel Energy earlier this year.

It almost seemed like a gamble. Potential landowners and investors were asked to invest money and acreage to a project that had a chance of not coming through. If it didn't, many people stood to lose money. And some remained skeptical.

"It was a venture," said Ronnie Aston, a community investor in the wind farms. "It was a high-risk venture."

Aston was one of the individuals who chose to take a chance.

"It was a longshot," Aston said.

Buckner recalled one skeptic changing his mind and calling him back after initially turning down a land lease. Asked why, he replied: "I'm afraid you're fixing to go off and make a lot of money."

But as time went on and more people invested, excitement started to build drawing even more investors to pitch in.

Buckner said about 350 landowners and 120 investors came on board. The land was split into four separate wind farms  Cottonwind, Lakeview, Hale County and East Mound  with each headed by its own team leaders.

There's a total of 122,000 acres leased out for wind energy projects, but XCEL doesn't own them all, Buckner said. The Hale Wind Project, which is expected to include 239 turbines and to generate 478 megawatts of power, sits on about a fourth of the land that was leased  the plot landowners designated as Cotton Wind Farm.

Between land and wind energy royalties, the Hale Wind Farm should bring some money for landowners and generate more for the county tax base. The Hale Wind Farm, which is northwest of Petersburg, is also set in the Petersburg Independent School District. It's projected to bring lots of revenue to the district, which recently unveiled plans to rebuild its school.

As the Hale Wind Farm moves along, producers will still have an opportunity to maintain their crops, too. Buckner said Xcel Energy and Waznek Construction have taken great care to disturb as little as possible.

Reeves said Xcel Energy aims to leave the smallest carbon footprint it possibly can.

According to the company's website, part of Xcel plan to grow its wind portfolio by 55 percent within the next three years includes creating 12 new wind farms  including the one in Hale County. Together, each project will add 3,700 megawatts to its wind energy system.

The Hale Wind Farm project is unique for the company, Reeves said.

"Xcel Energy traditionally has not been in the business of developing wind energy," he said. "We buy it."

Plans for this project had already been laid in place before Xcel bought the project from NextEra Energy Resources, which had been working with landowners to develop it. Xcel closed on the purchase in early July, according to Plainview Herald archives.

"It's really a big deal for us as a company," Reeves said. "We've never done something like this before."

The company hopes to complete the project by June 2019.

While there's still lots of work to be done and lots of land to be developed, landowners and investors of the Hale Wind Farm say they're happy to see construction activity on the wind farm and they're optimistic for the future.

"Well we feel pretty good about it right now," said Bill Hayes, landowner and community investor.
Wayne Swart, from Sudan, was named the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) Volunteer of the Month.

Wayne was born in Littlefield on a farm where his parents, Luke and Ruth Swart, farmed. He was the eldest of three children born into the Swart family.

Wayne graduated from Littlefield High School and went to work on the family farm with his father. He met the girl he would later marry on a blind date. As the story goes, she was employed along with her roommate, Jackie, a friend of the family, at the hospital kitchen in Amherst.

It turns out that Wayne had a friend who was on furlough from service in the United States Air Force. Back in that time, the fun thing to do was drag down main street of Amherst, Sudan, and Littlefield. Wayne had an idea and asked his friend to call Jackie, a mutual friend, to join in their ride and to bring her roommate, Wanda, along. Wanda was reluctant to go on this blind date that ironically turned into a relationship. The couple married one year later. Wayne and Wanda celebrated their 64th Anniversary this year.

Wayne and Wanda have three children, two boys and one girl.

"We have seven grandchildren and all but one is a boy," Wayne Swart said.

They also have eight great grandchildren, "half and half," as he put it.

"Since 1945, family members have attended school in Sudan for all but three years," Wanda Swart added.

Wayne farmed South West of Sudan till his retirement in 2000. He also sold crop insurance and life insurance for a few years. He serves as a board member of the 5 Area Telephone Co-op for 20 years.

They live in what was the parsonage home (preachers' house) to a community church which closed its doors in 1962 and was moved into Sudan. He has since added on to the original home.

Wayne enjoys collecting a little bit of everything. He works and assists a lady doing estate sales and mainly helps clean out barns and garages. During a recent visit, he shared pictures and showed how he filled every room inside and outside of his home. He enjoys his collection of Antique Tractors and shares them by entering in area parades. He shared excitement of an antique tractor show hosted by the Bayer Museum of Agriculture in Lubbock the third weekend in October where there will be 100 or more tractors on display. They also have a restored 1969 Red Ford Mustang Wanda gets to enjoy and drive in parades as well.

Wayne joined RSVP shortly after Wanda did in 2003. They both help the RSVP program by collecting and submitting hours each month from volunteers who serve at the Sudan Senior Citizen Center. Wayne has served as president of the Senior Center for eight to nine years. He also makes all the repairs at the center. He spent seven hours the day before a recent visit repairing a water line in the ceiling that was leaking.

The second Saturday of each month, they travel to Lubbock where he volunteers at the Bayer Museum of Agriculture. He enjoys being a tour guide and meeting folks from all over the country. He once met a couple with their 14-year-old son from Australia and spent several hours visiting with them.

On Tuesdays, Wayne travels to the Amherst nursing center, Harmonee House. (Harmonee House got its name from a lady, Ms. Harmon, who owned the house. She had a sister who sang). His mother was a resident there for four years. She died nine years ago and he still goes there for visitations. The RSVP group is thankful to Wayne for caring and serving others in his own wonderful way.

For the past 45 years RSVP has been linking volunteers age 55 and over from Floyd, Hale and Lamb counties with community volunteer needs. RSVP is located at 825 Austin in Plainview. Call (806) 291-1223 for more information about joining one of the largest senior volunteer organizations in the nation.
Oil exports exceeded imports along Texas' Gulf Coast in April for the first time on record.

In April oil exports in the Houston-Galveston port district exceeded imports by 15,000 barrels a day, and in May that difference grew to 470,000 barrels a day, according to data from the Department of Energy. The Houston-Galveston port district includes the ports of Houston, Texas City, Galveston, Freeport, Port Lavaca, and Corpus Christi.
Adapted from a recent online discussion.

Dear Carolyn:

My boyfriend and I hosted a party, our first joint hosting stint since moving in together a few months ago. The party was his idea, and most of our guests were his close friends.

Yet he did almost nothing to help me get ready for the party. We split up the tasks beforehand, but he "ran out of time" to do his and I ended up having to rush through them at the end. Then halfway through the night he got tired and disappeared to the bedroom to play on his phone while I made sure everyone was still having a good time.

I'm really upset about all of this, as I feel that a few short months in, he's already taking me for granted as a housemate and assuming I'm going to do the "women's work" of hosting. If he were to ask me to redo that party next year, I would definitely say no -- there was nothing in it for me, just work and expenses.

I'm still too angry to talk to him about it, but whenever I do, what's the right message to send here?

-- Hangover

"Are you going to do your half, or am I going to pack my half? Because this never happens again."

Yes, that's an ultimatum, which I always advise never to resort to, along with never using "never" or "always."

Why here? Because it's so clear cut: If he gets it, truly gets it, then this will have been the most useful crappy party of your life. If he doesn't get it -- truly get it -- then do indeed pack up.

No one is worth a sacrifice that you find demoralizing and offensive.

By the way, you've already subtly consented to this sacrifice by referring to "next year." There is no next week unless and until you're confident there's no "next": No next dumping of all the work on you, no next assuming you'll just do it, no next reduction of you to a role. Internalize this. Beyond parties and into everything.

There is of course the possibility your boyfriend just got himself out of his depth. Maybe he lacks both the practical time-budgeting skills necessary to accomplish his half of a to-do list on a deadline, and the social skills to stay "on" as a host for hours on end.

These shortfalls (and shortcomings) warrant sympathy for sure. But true maturity would have been to make sure these stayed his problem; instead he made them yours when he opted to run and hide instead of admitting he'd overreached.

To make them your problem -- without any awareness, apparently, that he was dumping extra work on you or taking you for granted -- was to betray his comfort with letting you carry the load.

Had he gotten up the next day and apologized for not following through with his own big idea, and admitted that he got in over his head, then I expect we wouldn't be having this little chat. He didn't, so we are, so you need to. Good luck.
Justin Papp / Hearst Connecticut Media

Kent is one of 20 localities that received state money to help improve affordable housing.

The state Department of Housing and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority awarded more than $61.5 million in grants and loans to help create, rehabilitate, or expand 24 housing developments across the state. The investments will create or rehabilitate 978 homes.
More voters showed up to cast a ballot in last weeks primary than have in any primary since 2006  a sign the momentum picked up by both parties after the 2016 election wont slow anytime soon.

The turnout was higher than average for a summer primary, around 30 percent overall, secretary of the state Denise Merrill said in a statement Friday. This is consistent with the increase in voter registration since the 2016 election which has also been unusually high.

About 32 percent of registered Republicans and 29 percent of registered Democrats voted in the primary, according to the latest but unofficial results from the Secretary of the States office. Both parties saw in increase in the number of voters that cast ballots.

Turnout varied widely by town. Communities with contentious local primaries saw higher turnout than those where statewide candidates were the only ones on the ballot, and on both sides of the aisle many of the small towns in the 5th Congressional District saw some of the highest voter turnout by percentage in the entire state.

In Milford, for example, where Republican Pam Staneski defeated the party-endorsed candidate, more than 2,700 Republicans (about 30 percent) showed up at the polls to cast their ballot.

Democrats in Bridgeport and Hartford comprised a good portion of overall statewide turn out, but by percentage, only about one in five Bridgeport and Hartford Democrats cast a ballot.

Democratic turnout by town Towns with highest turnout by number New Haven: 9,867 Bridgeport: 9,231 West Hartford: 7,566 Hartford: 7,563 Stamford: 7,084 Towns with highest turnout by percentage Cornwall: 65.49% Roxbury: 48.96% Canaan: 48.2% Kent: 47.92% Hampton: 46.67% Towns with lowest turnout by number Union: 51 Scotland: 88 Colebrook: 92 Franklin: 100 Hartland: 106 Towns with lowest turnout by percentage New London: 17.85% Plymouth: 18.78% East Windsor: 19.03% Hartford: 19.63% Bridgeport: 19.72% Source: unofficial results from the Secretary of the State's office See More Collapse

"Democrats are energized, and that's been reflected in every election in the state since 2016. Voters understand what's at stake this election, said Christina Polizzi, spokesman for the state Democratic party.

Polizzi said the partys post-2016 momentum isnt only limited to the polls, which could be the reason for the increased voter turnout in the middle of a hot summer month. She said the party has also seen a surge in first-time volunteers as well as people participating in voter-contact training.

J.R. Romano, chairman of the state Republican party, attributed the surge in Republican voters and Republican registrations to the unpopularity of outgoing Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

I would argue that Dan Malloy has certainly motivated Republicans, Romano said. Its a sign that theres growing interest in taking back this state. Theres a lot of excitement for the Republican party.

Even so, the surge in voter registration and turnout ahead of the primary might not be the best indicator of whats to come in November, said Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut.

Quickmire also noted that while overall voter turnout in the primary was up compared to previous years, its still abysmally low considering the number of people who were actually eligible to vote.

We live in a country that purports to be the strongest Democracy and yet we have these low voter turnouts in every race for years now, and its incredibly disappointing, Quickmire said. I think we need to do a much better job of getting voters out.

The biggest question, she said, is whether unaffiliated voters will turn out at higher rates in November. Those who vote in the primary tend to be the party-faithful, and unaffiliated voters  the states largest voting block  were barred from voting last week, but will undoubtedly sway the November election. If they show up to the polls, that is.

When we get to the general election, its unclear to me how the parties are going to mobilize beyond their base, Quickmire said. Whats being done to mobilize those folks? They couldnt make a decision when they were registering to support one or the other party, they are independent minded folks who dont want to be associated with one of the major parties. How is it the candidates are going to motivate them to come out and vote?

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
GREENWICH  Stores on Greenwich Avenue are seeing an influx of last-minute back-to-school shoppers, with Connecticuts Annual Sales Tax Free Week running until Saturday and school 10 days away.

Christiane Lesesne, 11, left Swedish outdoor outfitter Fjallraven, the avenues newest addition, clutching a brown bag with her new royal blue Kanken backpack nestled inside Monday.

Almost everyone I know has one, she said.

National back-to-school spending for K-12 and college is projected to reach $82.8 billion, nearly as high as last years $83.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, the largest retail association in the U.S. According to the groups annual survey, shoppers plan to spend on average more than $200 on clothing and above $100 on supplies, with electronics spending in steady decline.

During Connecticuts week of promotions, most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from sales and use tax. Connecticut shoppers are expected to benefit from approximately $4.8 million in tax breaks, according to the Department of Revenue Services.

Sunday, Christiane and her mother, Briana, shopped for school from 10:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., she said. Christiane rattled off stores she and her mom visited, proudly mentioning ZARA as she no longer has to wear a school uniform  unlike Eric, her 10-year-old brother.

Briana Lesesne estimated the promotional event saved them $30.

Children have a strong influence on their parents spending decisions during back-to-school shopping, Prosper Insights Executive Vice President Phil Rist said in a statement. Prosper analyzes consumer behavior in the U.S. and China to predict market trends.

More for you Where to shop locally this tax-free week

This shouldnt come as a surprise when social media tools such as Pinterest and Instagram have allowed Gen Zers to be more selective in the items they want, he said.

Like the Kanken.

Its a thing, Christiane said.

Backpacks account for most of the stores sales, assistant manager Romona Thomas said.

Her manager, Sean Woebse, hypothesized the bags simplicity and straightforward design could contribute to its popularity.

But when something catches fire, it just catches fire, he said.

Three high-school-aged girls entered and headed straight for the rainbow row of backpacks as Thomas explained the bags popularity Monday. The day before, two girls stood in front of the backpacks for almost an hour choosing the perfect color, she said.

Up the avenue, outside Vineyard Vines, a chalkboard sign advertising back-to-school sales and the sales-tax-free week attracts customers who otherwise do not know about the statewide promotion, said store manager Millie Harris.

The preppy clothing store offers a 15 percent discount to students with a school ID, Harris said.

College shoppers are prioritizing and increasing their spending budgets in essential categories including clothing, furnishings and shoes, National Retail Federation Vice President Mark Mathews said in a statement. The NRF survey found college students plan to spend $153.32 on clothes.

Harris anticipates more traffic later in the week.

A lot of customers from Greenwich are still away on vacation, she said. A lot of customers also finished their back-to-school shopping before going on vacation.

While some are returning to town from overseas, the Lesesnes are wrapping up their summer in Greenwich before flying on Monday back to London, where the family lives for most of the year and father Cap Lesesne has a branch of his plastic surgery pratice. Christiane is in her seventh year at St. Pauls Girls School and Eric is in his sixth at Westminster Cathedral Choir School.

Its the last of the pool, biking and the beach, Briana Lesesne said, adding that her kids are nearly finished with their summer homework.

The Lesesnes still have a long to-do list before school starts, however.

Next is the orthodontist, dentist and pediatrician appointments.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com
Heeding the advice of the U.S. Coast Guard, Emma Brinsden and her family evacuated their Kingwood home as floodwater from Hurricane Harvey threatened to cross their front doors threshold last fall.

The next day, Brinsdens family began receiving texts from friends and neighbors.

The texts contained pictures of the Brinsden family home, which now held more than 3 feet of water. Then her friends sent her drone footage of a flooded Kingwood High School, where she was a junior at the time. Finally, she learned that even her employer took on several feet of water.

In that first week after Harvey, Brinsden said the uncertainty was hardest.

I work at Pretty Little Things Boutique down the street (in Kings Harbor), which also flooded, and we didnt know when that would open back up, Brinsden said. We didnt know when school was starting up again and there was talk about splitting us up with every grade level going to a different school.

Many students at Kingwood High School were going through experiences similar to Brinsdens.

To avoid separating Kingwood High students while repairing the campus, Humble ISD officials decided to bus Kingwood students to Summer Creek High School, with whom they would share a campus for the next six months.

Settling at Summer Creek

The commute to Summer Creek High School from Kingwood was sometimes a challenge for teachers and students.

Brinsden, for example, had just turned 16 years old and the only time shed driven on a highway was with an instructor in the car.

She even popped her first tire on the way to volleyball practice.

The news that Summer Creek High School would be hosting Kingwood High School students while their flood-damaged school was repaired came as a shock at first to Kaylie Lyle, who is entering her senior year at Summer Creek.

It was a lot to take in at one moment, Lyle said. But, I realized it was necessary for them to come and Im glad we could help them.

In order to share the campus, the schools had to operate on altered schedules.

Summer Creek attended school from 7 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Monday through Friday, following a college-like block schedule. Kingwood High started their school day at 12:11 p.m. and were released at 4:30 p.m., following the same block schedule format at Summer Creek. When Kingwood High returned home, both schools remained on a slightly altered non-traditional schedule. Teachers and administrators at Summer Creek noticed students exhibiting higher end-of-course scores, better attendance rates and less disciplinary issues.

There was less drama and less people getting referrals from teachers because youre in class for such a short amount of time, and I think people understood that we dont really have a lot of extra time to play or linger in the halls, said Kendall Dutton, Summer Creek incoming senior.

Summer Creek High School was given the go-ahead from TEA commissioner, Mike Morath, to remain on an alternative schedule this coming school year. Although permission has only been given verbally at this point, Humble ISD is expecting an official approval in writing to be provided by the TEA soon.

I think its a great idea and we get to model what maybe future schools will get to do, Lyle said.

The non-traditional schedule is being done as a pilot program. The first bell will be at 7:15 a.m. Class starts at 7:20 a.m. and the final bell is at 1:55 p.m. Under this pilot schedule there is no late arrival schedule Thursdays.

The pilot schedule includes a 30-minute lunch every day, paired with a 1-hour enrichment period Wednesdays and Thursdays for students to allocate to whatever instructional activities they need. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, students will have access to tutoring after school until 2:55 p.m.

Tuesdays through Thursdays, buses will be available for students at 2:55 p.m. in addition to the regular bus running time of 1:55 p.m.

The schedule provides time for you to decide what you want to study and you get a lot of extra one-on-one time with teachers, whereas the regular schedule that we were doing before, youd have more in-class time, but less one-on-one help, or time to study on your own, Dutton said.

Kingwood High School will return to their regular schedule for the 2018-2019 school year, however Brinsden preferred the college-like schedule.

I think its not going to be as easy waking up early, Brinsden said. Even when we went back to Kingwood last year we didnt start until around 9-ish and we still had that block schedule, which I actually enjoyed. Teachers didnt give as much busy work. Since we had limited class time, they really used that to hit the main points and key things you need to know. The rest you had to work on yourself, so it was more independent. I think its going to be different because a lot of kids adapted to different study habits and now we have to go back.

Lasting impacts

Dutton explained that in addition to bringing her own school closer together, the experiences resulting from Harvey also forged a closeness between Summer Creek and Kingwood students.

Summer Creek High Schools physical distance from Kingwood High made fraternization between the two schools less common than with high schools in their proximity.

Usually if people from Summer Creek knew people it was from Atascocita, or something, Dutton said.

While sharing a campus, Kingwood students would show their appreciation through various gestures like providing breakfast to Summer Creek students and students at Summer Creek would find ways to display their hospitality as well.

Our varsity volleyball team and Summer Creeks varsity volleyball team had to share a locker room, Brinsden said. So, all these Summer Creek girls made care packages for all of us to share and it had shampoo, conditioner, hair ties and all the things we needed. They left notes saying, Enjoy our space; let us know if you need anything. When we left Summer Creek we tried to return the favor by making them goody bags with candy and wrote notes to all of them saying, Thank you for being so kind.

Contagious kindness

The effect of bringing together communities extended well beyond the boundaries of Humble ISD.

Jen Sitton with the Humble ISD Education Foundation announced at the August school board meeting that the Education Foundation collected a record $1.65 million last school year to benefit Humble ISD and over $500,000 was donated in just Harvey relief donations alone.

The Humble ISD Strong fundraiser drew donations from communities near and far. Humble ISD Harvey relief efforts also caught the attention of multiple celebrities like KISS, Barry Manilow and Emeril Lagasse, who all contributed to the cause.

The record amount of funds raised last school year allowed the Education Foundation to continue their innovative education grant program, as well as provide financial assistance to Harvey-affected employees and replace equipment students lost, among other relief initiatives.

The outpouring of support from across the county like little schools in Montana, or Maryland, and the funding and donations  it was just unbelievable, said Carrie Brinsden, Emmas mother who is also involved in the Education Foundation. For me, its what this country should be about and how we help one another.

mfeuk@hcnonline.com
A man died Sunday after crashing his car into a pole in the Energy Corridor.

The man, 52, was driving a red Ford Expedition northbound in the 1100 block of north Texas 6 around 1:30 a.m.

He was in the left-hand turn lane and instead continued driving north, hitting a curb and then a light pole, police said. The man was taken to the hospital, where he died.

No one else was involved in the crash.
GAITHERSBURG, Md. - The free citizenship class usually runs about 12 weeks, but Yeslis Martinez has come back every Tuesday for more than a year.

A permanent resident from El Salvador, Martinez filled out an application for naturalization last September. She got her fingerprints taken a few weeks later. Every day, she would study test questions and go online to check the status of her paperwork.

Now, she keeps waiting - and returning to the class at a suburban Maryland library - to practice for an interview she thought she would have had by last December.

"I felt so excited. I would think, 'Yeslis, you're going to become a citizen," she said. "But it kept taking longer, and my spirit started to fall. . . . That feeling of hope just kind of stopped."

Since President Donald Trump announced his candidacy by denouncing illegal immigration and vowing to close off the southern border, there's been a sharp spike in the number of permanent U.S. residents applying for naturalization.

But application forms doubled in length during the Obama years, with dozens of new questions about "good moral character," and the Trump administration has been scrutinizing those documents more closely, advocates say.

The result is a growing backlog of citizenship applications at a time when Trump's immigration crackdown has made even permanent residents feel like they may be at risk.

In 2014, the average application took about five months to go through the naturalization process. Now it takes almost twice that. In the past four years, the number of pending applications has more than doubled - it was 753,352 as of March 31, the most recent date for which data is available.

The backlog is especially pronounced in immigrant-heavy jurisdictions, where wait times can reach 16 or 17 months.

The Washington Post

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Michael Bars said his agency is "committed to adjudicating all petitions, applications and requests fairly, efficiently and effectively," adding that the office is on track to approve more applications in 2018 than in any of the past five years.

Bars said that since applications surged - a trend that began under President Barack Obama - the agency has opened two offices and expanded 10 others.

But Joshua Hoyt, director of the National Partnership for New Americans, an association of immigrant advocacy groups, said USCIS has not done enough to keep up with demand, calling the longer wait times a "second wall."

"People are waiting in good faith for something that's their right," he said. "Backlog numbers have increased dramatically, and it appears that nothing has been done to reduce them."

Citizenship applications tend to peak around presidential election years, and this past cycle was no different. But 17 months after Trump's inauguration, numbers were still high compared with historical trends.

Sookyung Oh, area director of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium in the District of Columbia, said Trump's immigration crackdown has fueled greater interest in the naturalization clinics her organization runs for Asian immigrants in Northern Virginia.

"For the most part, people are doing it now because they're afraid," Oh said. "It's not that they want to vote in 2020. It's that they want to protect themselves and their families, and the best way they can do that is through naturalization."

Although Martinez has been eligible to apply for citizenship since 2016, she did not fill out an application until after the government announced it would terminate temporary protected status for Salvadorans. Her mother has TPS, and Martinez said she hoped that if she became a citizen, she could sponsor her mother.

One of her classmates, Leonida Alvarez, has had a green card since moving to the United States from Nicaragua in 1984. But she only recently decided to apply for citizenship, at the urging of her children. Experts say many other long-eligible permanent residents are doing the same.

"It's very hard now. There's a kind of racism where they don't want Hispanics," Alvarez said. "You wonder if certain things might happen to you."

It's not just more applications, though. Experts and advocates say that more stringent policies and forms - instituted by both the Trump and Obama administrations - have prevented USCIS from meeting the growing demand.

In 2014, the office expanded its citizenship application form from 10 to 21 pages, including an expanded section on "good moral character."

Applicants now must say, for instance, if they've ever been a member of an insurgent group, or if they've ever been involved with - or targeted by - genocide.

The Washington Post

Yana Cascioffe, who coordinates the citizenship class, said these longer forms also have an effect on processing times: Because every question on the written application form must also be asked in person by a USCIS officer during the citizenship interview, sessions that used to take 30 minutes are now typically twice that long.

"USCIS is generally trying to be more vigilant and generally trying to pay more attention to every application and every detail," Cascioffe said. "They're definitely looking into people's pasts more than they have before."

In June, USCIS said it was investigating thousands of old records to rescind the citizenship of immigrants who may have committed fraud.

In addition, the office recently announced it will allow its officers to outright reject applications with missing pieces, rather than alerting applicants about the mistakes so they can address it.

Almost 50 mayors nationwide signed a letter last month to USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna, calling on the office to redirect its efforts toward reducing the backlog.

But Bars, the USCIS spokesman, said in a statement that his agency "has not changed the manner in which applications for naturalization have been adjudicated."

"We reject the false and inaccurate claims of those fundamentally opposed to this effort," he said.

Martinez, meanwhile, keeps dreaming of the moment she can call herself a U.S. citizen. "God willing, I think it will be exciting," she said. "I imagine getting goose bumps if they tell me I pass."

For now, she comes back to the library every Tuesday, where her instructor goes through the test questions she knows by heart.
A Colorado man told police that he killed his pregnant wife in a "rage" after she strangled their two daughters, according to an affidavit released by police on Monday after prosecutors formally charged Christopher Lee Watts with the murder of his entire family.

The bodies of Watts' wife and children were found last week on the property of the oil and gas company he worked for near Denver.

According to the new documents released by Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke, Watts, 33, told detectives that he and his wife, Shanann, 34, discussed ending their marriage on Aug. 13. Watts, who was having an affair with a co-worker, claimed that by the end of the conversation, both were "upset and crying." He told investigators that he went downstairs, then returned to speak with Shanann. He looked at the baby monitor in their bedroom and what he saw threw him "into a rage": His older daughter, Bella, 4, was "sprawled out on her bed," and Shannon Watts was strangling their younger daughter Celeste, 3, he said.

After a multiday investigation, Christopher Watts confessed to killing his wife, loading the bodies into his truck and driving to an oil work site, where he left them.

Watts has been held without bail since his arrest Wednesday. He is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning, when he will be informed of the charges against him.

He faces five counts of first-degree murder, one count of unlawful termination of pregnancy and two counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

The first three charges of murder in the first degree accuse Watts of killing his wife, who was 15 weeks pregnant, and his daughters "after deliberation." Under Colorado law, "after deliberation" means that Watts not only intended to kill his family, but opted to commit the homicides after he took time to reflect on his decision to do so. "An act committed after deliberation is never one which has been committed in a hasty or impulsive manner," according to the state statute.

The district attorney's office also filed two additional counts of first-degree murder for Bella and Celeste. To convict Watts on these counts, prosecutors must prove that the children were younger than 12 at the time, and that Watts was "in a position of trust." As their father, Watts fits Colorado's definition of the latter.

A motion that Watts' attorneys filed Friday suggested that the two children may have been strangled and stated that their bodies had been submerged in crude oil for four days. The attorneys had asked to obtain DNA samples from the children's necks, as well as from their mother's hands and nails, arguing that DNA would still be present on the bodies. A Weld County judge, however, denied the request.

Authorities have not said how the victims died. James Mason, a deputy state public defender in rural Weld County, did not respond to a request for comment.

Although the couple led what appeared to be an idyllic life, in 2015, two years after buying their big two-story house, the Wattses filed for bankruptcy, The Washington Post previously reported. They were under pressure from a $400,000 mortgage and more than $50,000 in credit card debt, bankruptcy court documents show.
"Truth isn't truth," Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on Sunday in discussing why having the president be interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller for the probe into election interference isn't a good idea.

When two people, like Trump and former FBI Director James Comey, tell different versions of the same story, "it's somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth," the former New York mayor said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

That essentially gives a new twist to old rhetorical saws like "there are two sides to every story" and "he said/she said." It also echoed the phrase "alternative facts" coined by White House counselor Kellyanne Conway in 2017, to explain why Sean Spicer, then the press secretary, made false claims about the size of the crowd at Trump's inauguration.

Challenged by NBC correspondent Chuck Todd that "truth is truth," Giuliani responded, "No, it isn't truth. Truth isn't truth."

"Donald Trump says I didn't talk about Flynn with Comey; Comey says you did talk about it," he continued, referring to Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. "So tell me what the truth is."

Giuliani said Mueller is "desperate"' to find something to charge Trump with, and that "I'm not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury." The president's legal team has spent months weighing whether to allow Trump to be interviewed by the special counsel.

If Mueller tries to issue a subpoena to Trump before the midterm elections in November, the president's team will accuse him of trying to interfere because he could have acted sooner, Giuliani said.

"Time for Mueller investigation to file report," Giuliani said Saturday on Twitter. "We will release ours. Don't interfere with election."

Giuliani, 74, also said that the 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York, involving the then-candidate's oldest son and a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin, was arranged to seek information on Trump's rival, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton -- but that the participants didn't know the lawyer was Russian.

"The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about, about Clinton," he said on NBC. "It turned out to be a meeting about another subject, and it was not pursued at all."

The comment was consistent with a tweet by Trump on Aug. 5 that the gathering had been arranged to "get information on an opponent," contradicting the previous reason given for the meeting. He didn't mention Clinton by name.

Like Trump, who characterized the meeting as "totally legal and done all the time," Giuliani suggested that the action had been routine. "If someone said, I have information about your opponent, you would take that meeting."

"If this is their case for collusion, good luck Mueller," Giuliani said of Mueller, who's leading a probe into Russian interference in the U.S. election and involvement by the Trump campaign. It's illegal for a U.S. political campaign to accept help from a foreign individual or government.

The rationale used by Trump and now by Giuliani contradicts a statement the president helped craft in 2017, which said the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya had been arranged to discuss U.S. policies for adopting Russian children.

Giuliani joined Trump's legal team in April. The mid-2016 meeting was attended by Paul Manafort, then chairman of Trump's presidential campaign; Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and several Russians, including Veselnitskaya, and their representatives, as well as Donald Trump Jr.

The Trump team didn't know Veselnitskaya was Russian before the meeting, and didn't think she represented the Russian government, Giuliani said -- despite the purported focus on Russian adoption policy.

Giuliani also said on NBC and in a separate appearance on Fox's "Sunday Morning Futures" that Trump has nothing to fear about what White House counsel Donald McGahn told Mueller. The New York Times reported this weekend that McGahn gave voluntary interviews totaling some 30 hours over nine months.

"We are confident that he said nothing wrong about the president," Giuliani said on Fox, suggesting that McGahn would have resigned if he had. Giuliani also said on NBC that former Trump lawyer John Dowd has said McGahn was a strong witness for the president.
Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish lasted just one inning in his rehab start with Class A South Bend on Sunday, casting doubt on his availability for the rest of the year.

Darvish, who has been sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, shook his arm as he left the field after striking out Great Lakes Romer Cuadrado with a 95-mph fastball for the last out of the first.

I felt real good, Darvish said through an interpreter. I didnt feel any abnormalities in that sense.

When Darvish warmed up for the second, he threw six pitches and winced on each one. Miguel Amaya, who caught Darvishs rehab start for South Bend on June 25, walked to the mound and summoned manager Jimmy Gonzalez and a trainer. After a discussion, Darvish walked to the dugout.

During warm-ups the next inning, I felt something in there, he said.

Darvish wasnt sure whether he would miss the rest of the year. I cant really tell right now, he said. It depends how I feel tomorrow. I really want to come back this season. I am going to work hard and do my best to try and come back.

Darvish, 32, signed a $126 million, six-year contract with Chicago in February. He has made just eight starts in his first year with the Cubs, going 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA.

Top prospect called up: Pitching prospect Michael Kopech will make his major-league debut with the White Sox on Tuesday night at home against Minnesota.

The move was announced Sunday.

Kopech, 22, is one of the top arms in Chicagos loaded minor-league system. The 6-foot-3 right-hander was acquired in the December 2016 trade that sent left-hander Chris Sale to the Red Sox.

Kopech is 7-7 with a 3.70 ERA in 24 starts with Triple-A Charlotte this season. He has 170 strikeouts in 1261/3 innings.

Kopechs fastball is consistently clocked in the upper 90s. He is rated No. 13 among MLB.coms top 100 prospects.

Briefly: The Twins put right-hander Ervin Santana on the 10-day disabled list and reinstated outfielder Robbie Grossman from the DL. The Twins also recalled right-hander Alan Busenitz from Triple-A Rochester. Outfielder Johnny Field was sent down. Left-handed pitching prospect Stephen Gonsalves was called up to start Monday against the White Sox. Righty Tyler Duffey was optioned to Rochester. ... Toronto right-hander Marcus Stroman (right middle finger blister) was put on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday. ... Washington manager Dave Martinez said right-hander Stephen Strasburg (cervical nerve impingement) will start Wednesday against the Phillies.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The jury weighing the fate of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort ended its third day of deliberations Monday.

The six-woman, six-man jury in Alexandria, Virginia, did ask to stay slightly longer than usual - until 6:15 p.m. - before going home for the night Monday. They are scheduled to renew their work Tuesday morning.

Outside the courthouse, defense attorney Kevin Downing said, "Mr. Manafort's very happy to hear that" the jury would continue deliberating Tuesday. "He thinks it was a very good day."

The panel heard two weeks of testimony before beginning deliberations last week. Prosecutors charge that from 2010 to 2014, Manafort hid more than $15 million from the IRS - money he made as a political consultant in Ukraine.

When that income ended in 2014, authorities charge Manafort lied to banks to get millions of dollars more in loans to support his seven-figure lifestyle.

On Thursday, the jury asked U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis to clarify some legal elements in the case that had been raised by the defense team. They deliberated again Friday without asking for further guidance from the judge.

Manafort, 69, could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted of the most serious charges in the case.

The trial is the first to emerge from the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The president has repeatedly spoken out publicly in support of Manafort, both at the outset of the trial and during jury deliberations.

On Monday morning, Trump tweeted that Mueller's investigators "are enjoying ruining people's lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side - the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mueller's Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!"
RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, D, is calling the General Assembly into special session on Aug. 30 to redraw legislative districts that a federal court decided had been racially gerrymandered.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled on June 26 that the lines for 11 House of Delegates districts had been drawn with the purpose of concentrating black voters.

The 2-to-1 ruling was a victory for Democrats, who hope that new district boundaries will help them retake control of the House for the first time in nearly two decades. Last year's elections wiped out a 2-to-1 GOP advantage in the 100-seat House, leaving Republicans with a narrow 51-to-49 majority.

The court ordered that new boundaries be drawn by Oct. 30 for use in next year's state elections.

"It is in the public interest for the General Assembly to finalize constitutional maps as soon as possible - Virginians deserve that clarity," Northam wrote in the proclamation he signed Monday to call the legislature back to Richmond. "I am calling a special session so we can focus our collective attention on doing what's right: working together to draw lines that represent Virginians fairly."

But Republicans who control the General Assembly have appealed the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, and they have asked the District Court to suspend the deadline, arguing that the lower court erred in finding the districts to be discriminatory against African Americans.

"We fully intend to continue to pursue both our request for a stay from the Eastern District Court and our appeal to the United States Supreme Court," House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said in an emailed response to Northam's action.

The 11 districts are in Hampton Roads and greater Richmond. But changes to those districts could have a cascading effect, altering the demographics of some of the 22 adjacent districts.

The boundaries were drawn after the 2010 Census, when Republicans controlled the House and Democrats controlled the Senate. With new boundaries, Republicans took control of the Senate and extended their majority in the House - until last year's wave of Democratic victories in reaction to an unpopular President Donald Trump.

Cox said the legislature would convene as mandated by the governor but noted that Republicans will file a response this week to a request for more information by the court as it considers postponing the deadline.

"Drawing a map that can withstand legal scrutiny is neither a quick nor simple process," Cox said, adding that it will require holding committee meetings and seeking input around the state.

The August special session, Cox said, gives Northam and Democratic House leaders a chance to "demonstrate a willingness to engage in a good-faith effort. We look forward to reviewing their proposal."

Republican leaders were peeved by Northam's insistence on a special session while the case is on appeal. It's the second issue in as many weeks to create partisan friction, after Northam earlier proposed using a windfall from federal tax cuts to provide tax relief to low-income Virginians.

Cox and other GOP lawmakers accused the governor of neglecting middle-class taxpayers. On Monday in a Twitter post, Cox's spokesman drew a connection between the tax proposal and the announcement of a special session for redistricting: "Given how @GovernorVA's tax plan has been received, I would want to change the subject too," Parker Slaybaugh wrote.

Northam campaigned for governor on a pledge to seek nonpartisan redistricting maps, but he is not advocating for an outside body to draw the lines this time. Instead, he is calling on the General Assembly to work across the aisle to approve a plan.

There is no time frame on the special session called by Northam, but it would be working under the Oct. 30 deadline unless Republicans succeed in getting that date suspended.

"The governor's hope is always that we can do this the Virginia way and sit down at the table and do this right," spokeswoman Ofirah Yheskel said. "And the right thing to do is to come up with constitutional districts."

Virginia legislators do not have a good recent record on the topic. When federal courts found three congressional districts to be unconstitutional in 2015, lawmakers in the General Assembly were unable to establish new lines. A panel of judges wound up imposing its own redistricting plan.
Donald Trump promised to save American manufacturing.

"It's time to rebuild Michigan, and we are not letting them take your jobs out of Michigan any longer," Trump told thousands of supporters at a suburban Detroit shopping mall during the 2016 presidential campaign, pledging to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement signed into law by his opponent's husband. "Hillary Clinton ... will never protect the freedom and jobs of the American people. . . . We will bring back your auto manufacturing business like you have never ever seen it before. . . . My plan includes a pledge to restore manufacturing in America."

During that campaign, Trump also delivered a "jobs plan" speech in Monessen, Pennsylvania, a small town outside Pittsburgh that over the past 50 years has lost its steel mills - and more than half its population. He promised to restore the faded industrial town to its smokestack glory. To make Monessen great again.

"The legacy of Pennsylvania steelworkers lives in the bridges, railways and skyscrapers that make up our great American landscape," Trump said. "But our workers' loyalty was repaid with betrayal. Our politicians have aggressively pursued a policy of globalization - moving our jobs, our wealth and our factories to Mexico and overseas. Skilled craftsmen and tradespeople and factory workers have seen the jobs they loved shipped thousands of miles away. Many Pennsylvania towns once thriving and humming are now in a state of despair. This wave of globalization has wiped out our middle class. It doesn't have to be this way. We can turn it all around - and we can turn it around fast."

Michigan and Pennsylvania believed him. Both states voted Republican for the first time since 1988. But now Trump is threatening to slap a 25 percent tariff on automobiles and auto parts entering the United States, a move that the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., says would increase the average car price by $4,400 and result in the loss of 715,000 jobs. At a Commerce Department hearing, 44 out of 45 witnesses, including Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, testified against the tariffs. Only the United Auto Workers offered support for "targeted measures to boost domestic manufacturing."

Why is Trump so determined to impose tariffs that could hurt, rather than save, manufacturing jobs? Because in his nostalgia for the heartland of yore, he mistakenly thinks he can take the nation back to the days before foreign cars.

Trump wants to bring back the 1960s remembered at events such as the Oldsmobile Homecoming in my automaking hometown of Lansing, Michigan, which gathers together the remnants of a nameplate that was hard-core American iron 50 years ago (the 1966 Toronado was Motor Trend Car of the Year), but is now as obsolete as the Packard. At one recent Homecoming, I met a retired autoworker who had started at Oldsmobile in 1965, three months out of high school, on GM's biggest hiring day since World War II. Thanks to good union wages and benefits, he had gotten married at age 20, built a house on three acres at age 27 and retired on a handsome pension at 55.

"We had a good wage, we had good health care, we had a good pension," he told me. "Everything was there. I was there for the best years of Oldsmobile, as far as I'm concerned. I know many people that are production, salaried, engineers that I graduated with, they all say the same thing. We all saw the best Oldsmobile had to offer. I don't think it'll ever go back to the way it was."

The heyday of American manufacturing, which lasted roughly from the end of World War II to the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, is the focus of Trump voters' nostalgia for American greatness. In the mid-1960s, 90 percent of the vehicles sold in the United States were built by General Motors, Ford or Chrysler - double their current share. Bullitt drove a Ford Mustang and Steve McGarrett fought crime in Honolulu out of a Mercury Park Lane Brougham. That was when any guy with a high school education - the sweet spot of Trump's demographic - could walk straight from the graduation line to the assembly line, earning enough money to support a stay-at-home wife and a family. Back then, there were few immigrants to contend with for jobs, either: In 1970, the United States' foreign-born population hit an all-time low of 4.7 percent. It was an era when Americans didn't have to compete with foreigners, either at home or abroad. We were winning. All the time. At a recent "Made in America" event at the White House, which showcased domestically manufactured products, Trump criticized previous administrations for letting "our people lose their jobs to workers in foreign lands" and declared "the era of economic surrender for America is over. America is fighting back and we're winning again." When Trump promises to "bring jobs back," his listeners hear a promise to restore that golden age.

"People - especially when you go to Trump voters - they have this view of manufacturing that's really emotionally packed," Jeremy Rosner, executive vice president at the polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, told NPR earlier this year. "There's definitely a huge, nostalgic '50s, '60s, heyday-of-America, Rosie-the-Riveter-laden kind of thing around manufacturing. So people in those communities who hear Trump or whoever it is talking about protecting those jobs, there's a lot of emotional overtones."

Although it may have an emotional appeal to his supporters, Trump's tariff plan ignores the modern global economy, in which cars assembled in the United States use foreign-made parts. According to the cars.com American-made index, even the most American car, the Jeep Cherokee, contains 28 percent foreign parts - which could be subject to tariffs under Trump's plan, and thus increase the cost of the vehicle. No federal policy can bring back the nation's post-World War II industrial dominance, because so much of it was a function of the fact that the United States was the only country to emerge from the war with any industrial capacity, but Trump imagines that economic isolationism can re-create the conditions in which the United States was the world's sole industrial superpower.

Regardless of that economic and historical reality, Trump's appeal to the Rust Belt's nostalgia for the days when a factory job was a "precious birthright," to quote autoworker/author Ben Hamper's shop memoir "Rivethead," may have been decisive in his 2016 victory. The Rust Belt is the bellwether of American politics because its problems are too deeply rooted for any politician to solve, so it keeps throwing out politicians who are unable to solve them. President Barack Obama won the Rust Belt because he bailed out the bankrupt auto industry; Trump won it because he promised to bring back the jobs on the assembly line. At least Trump has a plan to force companies to move their operations back to the United States, no matter how counterfactual it may be - and it taps into anger about outsourcing that has transferred well-paying American blue-collar jobs to the Third World, devastating small manufacturing hubs, from Flint, Mich., to Galesburg, Ill.

"My own opinion on the tariffs and the things he's doing are it's all part of a master plan to get the jobs to come home," Frank Pitcher, 51, a Ford worker outside Detroit who voted twice for Obama and then for Trump, told The Post last month. "In my 25 years, I've seen us start off with 145,000 workers and go down to 45,000."

Don't expect Trump to dial back on the economic nationalism that has proven so appealing to manufacturing workers, even if it doesn't end up helping them. Because they're concentrated in the swing states of the Midwest, they're the most important faction in his electoral coalition. These workers view free trade and immigration as threats to their livelihood. Trump is their champion. As Noah Smith wrote in Bloomberg Opinion, "Make America Great Again" "has come to represent the idea that a strong leader, by force of will, can return the U.S. to the industrial economy and international dominance of the 1950s."

So if you end up paying a lot more money for a Jeep Cherokee, or a Chevy Impala, or a Ford F150, blame Trump, blame the electoral college - and blame the Rust Belt's nostalgia for its most prosperous era.
A 23-year-old man was arrested Sunday after he allegedly choked and stabbed his friend to death during a drunken fight after a family baby shower, police said.

Juan Jose Ortega now faces a first-degree felony charge of murder in the death of Guy Santos LaRue, 25. Ortega remains in the Bexar County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

RELATED: Police: Man stabbed in the neck by friend after S.A. baby shower

Police said the fight between Ortega and LaRue began around 5 a.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of Patton Boulevard when Ortega wanted to drive home after a night of drinking at the baby shower. LaRue told Ortega he wouldn't let him drive home in such a state.

"The argument turned into a physical fight and ended when the suspect stabbed the victim," according to a preliminary police report.

Though Ortega is accused of stabbing LaRue, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday listed LaRue's cause of death as a "probable choking."

After the attack, Ortega ran to the house where the baby shower had been held and "began pounding on the door, yelling for the family to call EMS," according to the preliminary police report.

RELATED: 53-year-old woman on the run from murder charge arrested in Uvalde

Officers and paramedics came to the home and found LaRue lying in the street. He was taken to University Hospital, where authorities pronounced him dead around 6:15 a.m.

If convicted of the charge against him, Ortega could face up to 99 years in prison.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
In 1972, Pope Paul VI warned that the smoke of Satan has entered the Church of God. We see that smoke throughout the report from a Pennsylvania grand jury, which alleges that more than 300 priests abused more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses  including 99 priests from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, led for 18 years by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, now archbishop of Washington.

How bad was the abuse? The report notes that during the course of this investigation, the Grand Jury uncovered a ring of predatory priests operating within the (Pittsburgh) Diocese who shared intelligence or information regarding victims as well as exchanging the victims amongst themselves. This ring also manufactured child pornography  (and) used whips, violence and sadism in raping their victims. According to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, one victim, a boy named George, was forced to stand on a bed in a rectory, strip naked and pose as Christ on the cross for the priests. They took photos of their victim, adding them to a collection of child pornography which they produced and shared on church grounds. Abusing a child while mocking the Passion of Christ is truly diabolical.

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 cover-up. 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.

The grand jury report comes on the heels of the sickening accusations that Wuerls predecessor as Washington archbishop, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, sexually abused seminarians and young priests, and spent nearly 20 years molesting a young boy, the first person he baptized, beginning when the child was 11.

After the McCarrick allegations, Wuerl declared, I dont think this is some massive, massive crisis. Excuse me?

It is a massive, massive crisis. How was McCarrick allowed to rise through the hierarchy despite the countless warnings to both his fellow bishops and the Vatican that he was a sexual predator? The same conspiracy of silence that allowed sexual predators to flourish in Wuerls Pittsburgh diocese for decades also allowed McCarrick to become, until just a few weeks ago, one of the most powerful American cardinals, even in retirement.

This is not just a matter of getting rid of a few bad apples. There is a ring of abusers and their enablers in the Catholic hierarchy that must be rooted out. Every report of abuse that was overlooked or ignored, every abuse that was covered up with a nondisclosure agreement, must be exposed. The bishops and cardinals who ignored or covered up abuses are complicit and must be removed. The church must be cleansed, and the conspiracy of silence ended.

The only way to do this is through an independent investigation. The church has proved itself incapable of self-investigation and self-policing  which is evidenced by the fact we are just learning new details of the horrific extent of abuse from a grand jury 16 years after the scandal first erupted.

The bishops not only failed the victims but have also scandalized the church, undermined its teaching authority and driven countless people away from Christ. How many failed to go to confession, or left the sacraments, because of their actions  or their failure to act? We will never know. But they should heed Marks Gospel, where Jesus warns, Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. This must be a time of repentance. Repentance requires accountability. And accountability requires resignations  starting with Wuerls.
Staff file photo

Tom Frost Jr. contributed in many ways to San Antonio over his long life, and his contributions to the McNay Art Museum need greater recognition, as they were essential to the museums success during my 25 years as director.

Tom was not, by his own admission, an art person, but he believed in the importance of the McNay as an educational force in the community and applauded the growth of our education program.
RankinRod Stewart made headlines earlier this year when he said that anyone who announces a "retirement" or "final" tour -- like his old pal Elton John -- is doing so just for a cash grab. Now, Rod says he feels badly about his comments.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rod says, "I was a bit unfair to Elton on a drunk night on television in New York, when I spitefully said, 'I think it's bang out of order that you announce a farewell tour every time, and it stinks of grabbing money.'"

He adds, "I wish I hadn't said it. I think [Elton's] very upset with me. [My wife] Penny keeps saying, 'Send him an apology.' So I should, really."

Speaking of his wife Penny, she and Rod have two children, 12-year-old Alastair and seven-year-old Aiden. Rod says of Aiden, "He's been dressing up as a lady and I wanted to buy him a nice outfit for Christmas, but Pen said, 'Don't encourage him.' I've seen lots of kids dress up as girls when they're little, it doesn't mean anything. And anyway, if he's gay, so what? We need gay men in the world."

And the interview ends with this little tidbit: The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer evidently regrets passing up the chance on an investment that would have made him a fortune.

"I was asked to invest in Starbucks about 20 years ago and I turned it down," he claims. "I was saying, 'Who is going to want to drink coffee all day? It'll never happen.' I was a cup of tea man. Now they're on every street corner. I must have lost millions."

Still, he admits, "I've got more money than I can spend. I'm not complaining at all."

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The under-fire Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has cut President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwas win by a marginal 0,1 percent, but insists the error was purely clerical.

A fortnight ago, Zec declared Mnangagwa as the winner of a congested presidential race in which 23 candidates took part, including Nelson Chamisa of the main MDC Alliance.

At the time, Zec said the Zanu PF presidential candidate had garnered 50,8 percent of the vote, with Chamisa trailing him at 44,3 percent.

In a new twist to developments around the poll dispute between Zec and Chamisa, Priscilla Chigumba, who chairs the commission, has now reduced Mnangagwas win to 50,6 percent.

In her response to Chamisa, who is challenging Mnangagwas win at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court), Chigumba said the corrections alter the MDC Alliance leaders result to 44,39.

She said even if the corrections were made, the opposition leader cannot overtake Mnangagwa.

After the correction of the observed errors, the results that Nelson Chamisa gained 4 483 voters representing a change of 0,1 percent of the announced results, whilst Emmerson Mnangagwas votes reduced by 4 453 votes representing a change of 0,08 percent of the announced results, Chigumba said in court papers.

Overall, the final computations do not alter significantly the announced 2018 presidential results, she added.

Chigumba said any mathematical errors that may have occurred in the process were neither gross nor sufficient to overturn the outcome of the presidential election and thus cannot ground the vacation of the declaration she made in terms of a section the Electoral Act.

She concedes, however, that some polling stations were counted twice.

The development has left Zec with egg on the face and its credibility in question.

In his petition, Chamisa claims that he won the polls by 60 percent.

He cites several mathematical inconsistencies he says if corrected would reduce Mnangagwas vote to below 50 percent.

To overturn Mnangagwas victory and trigger a presidential election run-off, Chamisa would need to knock off at least six percent of the vote that the Zanu PF leader currently has.

Chamisa has put together a team of lawyers to argue his case in the Con-Court next week on Wednesday, when it would be heard.

Top South African lawyers Dali Mpofu and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi have since arrived in Zimbabwe to add to Chamisas legal team.

In his affidavit filed at the Con-Court, Chamisa said although he was not the one on trial, his tally of votes was 2 674 032, against 2 008 639 for Mnangagwa.

That is in terms of what is on the Zec server, he said.

I will, by separate process, subpoena those results. I point out that these are the entries made in real time by Zec before it connived to change the results, Chamisa said in his petition.

The MDC Alliance is seeking that the Apex Court considers mathematical violations because all the constitutional and statutory violations and counting discrepancies were meant to and did unduly favour the first respondent (Mnangagwa).

It said 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.

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, the alliance argues.

The legal team is seeking an order declaring Chamisa to have won the poll.

Alternatively, it says the court should order a fresh poll because the data that Zec has is just too compromised to be made the basis of anything.

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A top South African advocate has been drafted into MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisas legal team to fight the opposition partys Constitutional Court (Con-Court) challenge to be heard on Wednesday.

Advocate Jeremy Gauntlett, who was the lawyer for South Africas first black president, Nelson Mandela, joins Chamisas backroom strategists, with his lead advocate Thabani Mpofu heading into the Con-Court on Wednesday.

The Con-Court challenge came after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declared President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa winner of the just-ended July 30 elections with 50, 8 percent of the vote ahead ofChamisa who managed 44,3 percent.

Chamisas legal team of local attorneys, being led by Mpofualready has two top legal minds from the neighbouring country who include advocates Tembeka Ngcukaitobi and Dali Mpofu.

The addition of Gauntlett significantly reinforces the team.

Gauntlett, co-author of Bar, Bench & Bullshifters: Cape Tales 1950-1990, was Mandelas legal advisor, and worked for luminaries suchas Desmond Tutu and Chief Albert Luthuli, as well as the Biko family.

He also helped pen South Africas first democratic constitution.

Gautlett also helped South Africas former president Jacob Zuma get off the hook and stitched a deal to have him repay state money spent on non-security upgrades to his private residence in Nkandla, after ascandal over lavish improvements including a swimming pool and amphitheatre.

Former Higher Education minister David Coltart yesterday boasted that over and above the top team of local, regional and international lawyers who are leading its court challenge, Chamisas team will be joined by Gauntlett ahead of the Wednesday hearing.

What a great team which will also be joined by Advocate Jeremy Gauntlett next Wednesday, Coltart tweeted yesterday.

When he was pressed by exiled businessman Mutumwa Mawere to confirm his tweet, Coltart, a lawyer himself, obliged.

Yes  Advocate Jeremy Gauntlett SC QC has been advising on the case since its inception and continues to do so.

Gauntlett whose full title in legal circles is Advocate, Senior Council, and Queens Counsel was admitted as a South African advocate on October, 9, 1974 is a member of Cape Town, Johannesburg and London Bars.

He is also a bencher of the Middle Temple and has served as chairman of Cape Bar Council for two terms as well as the General Council of the Bar of South Africa.

Gauntlett is a founding vice-president of the Bar for the International Criminal Court and past council member of the IBA.

The respected attorney also served from 1996-2006 as a member of SALaw Reform Commission and Judge of Appeal of Kingdom of Lesotho from 1996-2010.

He was appointed to the Financial Markets Tribunal of Dubai and to the Shanghai International Arbitration Court in 2014.

He is currently practising at Brick Court Chambers, London and from chambers in both Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Born and educated in Zimbabwe, Gauntlett is an Alfred Beit and Rhodes Scholar at University of Stellenbosch and University of Oxford respectively.

He was awarded Harvard Graduate Fellowship, elected to Visiting Fellowship, New College, Oxford, to honorary professorship at University of Stellenbosch and as a Distinguished Fellow of the Bingham Centre, London, among several other honours.

Mpofu on the other hand was acting judge at Labour Court of South Africa at one point and is an advocate at National Anti-Corruption Task Team.

His counterpart Advocate Ngcukaitobi is a member of the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC).

Ngcukaitobi has authored the book The Land Is Ours: South Africas First Black Lawyers and the birth of Constitution

He was part of the Julius Malema led opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) legal team that argued for the state capture case in the North Gauteng High Court.

Both Ngcukaitobi and Mpofu, who have acted in high-profile cases for opposition parties taking on the government in South Africa before, arrived in Harare for the case on Friday.

They are expected to argue that the 30 July poll was rigged in a number of ways and that that it wasnt free and fair because, among others factors, the state media was biased.

They claim to have figures showing that Chamisa was the winner of the poll, and should be declared as such, or alternatively they want a run-off election between the two candidates.

The cast of international barristers is set to lock horns in a fierce legal battle with the ruling Zanu PFs Dream Team of 12 led by Advocate Lewis Uriri, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa and Paul Mangwana.

Both teams have expressed confidence they will emerge triumphant arguing that each of them have the most compelling evidence.

Commenting after Chamisas legal teams completed preparing their answering affidavits to the response by Mnangagwa also filed at the Con-Court last week, Coltart described the MDC Alliances legal teams work as outstanding.

I have just finished reading the very powerful Heads of Argument filed by Advocate Mpofu in the Con-Court. Outstanding work done by our legal team. Makorokoto. Amhlophe #Zimbabwe, Coltart said on Twitter.

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OPPOSITION MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday ordered his political nemesis President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa to do the most gracious and revolutionary thing by conceding defeat and start negotiating his retirement package before Wednesday to avoid humiliation at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

Chamisa told NewsDay that it was clear from responses by Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) that their defence was weak, adding that he was confident the ConCourt would rule in his favour when the matter goes for hearing on Wednesday.

In fact, the people have spoken and it is only counter revolutionary to disregard the will of the people, Chamisa said.

He knows he lost and he should do the honourable thing; concede defeat. He and (Vice-President Constantino) Chiwenga should start negotiating their retirement packages and allow the people to move on.

But Justice minister and Mnangagwas chief election agent, Ziyambi Ziyambi, challenged the youthful opposition eader to keep his confidence for Wednesday.

The matter is going to court. Do you need comment from outside the court? Chamisa should keep his confidence for Wednesday, he said.

Chamisa is challenging Mnangagwas slim 50,8% win in the July 30 polls, where he garnered 44,3% of the vote in initial results declared by Zec before slashing the Zanu PF leaders margin to 58,6% following the opposition partys petition.

The ConCourt will on Wednesday hear the matter in which Chamisa is seeking to overturn Mnangagwas electoral victory in the watershed July 30 polls.

The case will, for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, be televised live.

In his heads of argument filed on Saturday, Chamisa said Zec had failed to explain Mnangagwas vote tally, claiming the Zanu PF leader was a beneficiary of 70 000 illegal votes engineered by Zec to avoid a run-off election.

He claimed the number of votes cast in the presidential election did not square up with the voter turnout claimed by the Zec.

He said the number of votes cast for the presidential election exceeded the number of votes cast for each parliamentary election, according to Zecs figures and the discrepancy was not explained.

Chamisa, whose legal team is led by Advocate Thabani Mpofu and also includes South Africas advocates Dali Mpofu and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, also claimed some polling stations had more votes recorded than the registered voters, while at others, the voters exceeded the threshold of 1 000 and again there was no explanation by Zec.

Mnangagwa is due to file his heads of argument today.

The Zanu PF leader has insisted he won in a free and fair poll and accused his rival of political grandstanding.

Mnangagwa claims Chamisas court case is flimsy.

Advocate Lewis Uriri leads Mnangagwas defence team made up of a dozen lawyers, who include Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa and party legal secretary Paul Mangwana.

Chamisa said he had noted the caution and circumspect position taken by Sadc in its communique of the just-ended Summit when it congratulated Angolan President Joao Lourenco on his victory in the August 23, 2017 elections, but withheld congratulations on Mnangagwa.

Sadc congratulated Angolas President and withheld congratulating Zanu PF and Mnangagwa because they know very well that he did not win, he said.

They knew he was defeated and that is why they encouraged Zimbabwe to complete the court process.

Chamisa said it was also a fallacy that Zanu PF garnered a two-thirds parliamentary majority because most seats were being challenged, especially in rural areas where alleged electoral malpractices, including voter intimidation and fictitious assisted voters, were rampant.

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- The Nigerian Youth Parliament has hailed the Federal Government's proposed decentralization of the Nigeria Police Force

- The plan was announced by Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) recently

- The youth parliament however, rejected the appointment of the Inspector General of Police as chairman of the decentralization committee

The Nigerian Youth Parliament has hailed the Federal Government's proposed decentralization of the Nigeria Police Force.

The parliament made its stance known on the proposal via its Speaker, Honourable Ayo Obe, on Saturday, August 18, on its occasion of the 2018 International Youth Day celebration, with the theme; 'Safe Spaces for Youth.'

Nigerian Youth Parliament Speaker, Honourable Ayo Obe (left) and other dignitaries at the event. Photo credit: NYP

The youth parliament however, rejected the appointment of the Inspector General of Police as chairman of the decentralization committee.

READ ALSO: PDP wins Taraba Assembly bye-election

The plan was announced by Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) recently and the decentralization committee was to be headed by the IGP.

The appointment of the IGP to serve as the chairman of the committee calls for skepticism as one cannot be a judge in his own case, Obe said.

Speaking to Legit.ng on the issue, Obe said: It is a commendable one from the presidency through the acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to have made the announcement of the intention of the federal government to decentralize the police system.

But, as good as it is, we think that it is still ambiguous, because we have not known yet, the details of it, and we don't know if its is tailored towards the former agitations of well-meaning Nigerians for state policing, so we want more youths and more stakeholders to be involved in the committee.

And this is involving the police, and the sitting IG is the chairman of the committee, so definitely in that committee that does not really conform to what the Nigeria Police Force wants now, ill definitely be expunged or swept under the carpet, so what we need to do is to find a non-partisan arbiter to preside over this committee that will report back to the president.

Earlier in his speech at the event, Obe said, these times represent a challenging time of our national life as we are aware that this is as a result of the attendant consequences of lack of articulate and implementable plans for the youth.

These bulging population and creative energies that were not properly harnessed and channeled into productive ventures have constituted majorly the crux of vices and crimes.

He stated that the Nigerian youth constituency had lost faith and succour in government and loyalty have been significantly reduced.

He, therefore, warned that any society or nation that fails to place youth development issues as a paramount priority always live to fight endless internal battles.

As a representative of the Nigerian youth, we renew our clamour for a proper, concise and unambiguous economic plan by the federal government of Nigeria capable of reawakening the moribund industries in our dear nation and creating an enabling environment for the establishment of more industries which will constructively engage the rising population of unemployed youths making the nation self-sustaining.

Government should also be honest in harnessing the benefits of an effective partnership between state and non-state actors in improving every facets of our national life, Obe said.

He admonished Nigerian youths that the task to take over the country and re-position it remains daunting, but surmountable.

He encouraged the youths not to take the back sit in this challenging clarion call, but to creatively engage the system and get more active in governance and democratic processes, adding that power is taken through consistent planning and concerted efforts with an unwavering dedication, fuelled by the passion of selfless service.

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Meanwhile, Chief Musa Muhammed Maikaya, a leading governorship aspirant in Nasarawa under the APC has revealed his plans to provide access a minimum of N1 billion every year for entrepreneurial ventures across the state, specifically for unemployed youths.

Maikaya made the disclosure recently during an interaction with select journalists over his ambition to lead the state in 2019.

Dishing out his plans of fighting unemployment in the state, Maikaya said he would establish the Nasarawa State Employment Trust Fund to cater for the unemployed youths in the state, and the fund would provide access a minimum of N1 billion every year.

Nigerias agricultural revolution kick-starts in Nasarawa state on Legit.ng TV

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- The deputy speaker of the House of Reps, Yusuf Lasun, says though there was a conspiracy against him, he wont leave the APC

- He says he would do his best to support the party during the September 22 governorship election in Osun state, despite losing the primary

- Lasun further insists that he does not know what offence he has committed against the party

Yusuf Lasun, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, says he will not leave the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite losing the partys governorship primary in Osun.

Addressing a news conference on Sunday, August 19, in Osogbo, Lasun alleged that though there was a conspiracy against him in the primary, he would not leave the party, NAN reports.

READ ALSO: Adamawa governor allegedly gets set to dump APC, join PDP

Legit.ng notes that the deputy speaker was among the 17 aspirants that contested the APC governorship primary in the state on July 20.

Lasun came second with 21,000 votes, while Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the chief of staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, won the primary with 127,017 votes.

He said: Although I was conspired against during the governorship primary, but I will not leave the party. I am still attending all the partys functions to that effect.

My supporters and I are still members of the APC and we are not intending to leave the party in the nearest future.

We will do our best to support the party during the September 22 (governorship) election. I know in every contest, there will be a winner; whether it is free or not.

Lasun, who also alleged that the party did not reach out to him after the primary, said maybe the party felt I dont have anything to contribute.

The deputy speaker also claimed that many politicians in the state had been alienated from the party, due to the agitation over the primary.

We hope the party members will be able to put behind them all that happened during the primary he said.

Asked whether he had reached out to the winner of the governorship primary by congratulating him, Lasun said he had not.

I did not congratulate the winner of the primary because when I became the deputy speaker in 2015, the party did not congratulate me.

And till today, nobody told me what my offence was except that some people were saying that I went against the partys position.

But for me, what they were referring to as party position was actually the position of few leaders of the party, Lasun said.

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Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola emerged as the flag bearer for the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the September 22 governorship election in Osun.

Oyetola emerged winner of the partys first ever direct primary by polling 127, 017 votes to beat Yusuf Lasun, who recorded 21, 975 votes.

Najeem Salaam, the speaker of the Osun state House of Assembly, occupied third place with 17, 958 votes.

Senators, lawmakers defect from APC - on Legit.ng TV:

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Two hundred and fifty-two aides appointed under Governor Aminu Tambuwals administration have resigned their positions.

The aides comprising of special advisers and special assistants said their resignations were prompted by the recent decision of the Sokoto state governor to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party which they owe their loyalty, The Punch reports.

The former appointees said they will be unable to function in their respective positions under Tambuwals administration because of their determination to remain members of APC.

READ ALSO: Wike accuses police of conspiring with APC to rig Rivers by-election

Spokesperson for the group, Dasuki Haske, told journalist on Sunday, August 19, that they were not ready to join Tambuwal in his new party.

We deem it fit to state categorically that we are not ready to join Governor Tambuwal in his new party. That was what informed our decision. We will remain in APC and there is no going back," Haske said.

We are members of APC before taken up our appointments as SAs and it was based on our membership values that we are given such positions. Now, we have resigned because the governor has not performance well since inception to justify our supports for him.

We want to assure that we will work for the success of APC in the state comes 2019 general election. We will work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and our state party leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko."

Another speaker, Alhaji Abdullahi Ahmad Sokoto, insisted that the APC remained the undisputed party to beat in any election. He said all the aides who resigned had resolved to work for the party.

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A former special assistant, Hajia Rabi Tudunwada, accused Governor Tambuwal of compelling his aides to swear with Holy Quran in assurance that they will defect from APC before they could be paid their August monthly salary.

She said some of them refused to be part of the oath which informed their decision to resign from their respective positions.

The APC chairman in the state, Isah Achida, thanked the affected aides for their loyalty to the party. He also promised them rewards for their steadfast and commitment to the party.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, August 19, declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Garba Ajiya, as the winner of Saturday, August 18s bye-election into Takum 1 state constituency.

The PDP candidate polled 10,725 to defeat his closest opponent and the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon Atem Ansho who polled 3,268 votes.

The returning officer for the election and senior lecturer with the Federal University Wukari, Ayuba Daniel, announced the result at the collation centre in Takum, The Punch reports.

Flanked by the national commissioner in charge of Borno Adamawa and Taraba, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani, Taraba state resident electoral commissioner, Alhaji Baba Abba Yusuf and his Yobe state counterpart, Alhaji Ahmad Makama, the returning officer said 73,183 voters registered in the constituency, but only 16,671 voters accredited and voted in the election.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | Legit.ng TV

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- Governor Rochas Okorocha accuses former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, of trying to run down his government

- The Imo state government urges Atiku to leave Imo and the governor alone and face his own challenges

- 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has boasted that he will defeat former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, in any election, even in Adamawa state.

Okorocha made the statement on Sunday, August 19, in reaction to Atikus comment that he would lead struggle for the PDP to take over Imo and Nigeria at large.

Speaking through his chief press secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor accused Atiku of trying to run down his government.

READ ALSO: Breaking: 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

He said: The Former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was in Owerri for a meeting with the stakeholders of the PDP in the State over his presidential ambition.

While meeting with the PDP Stakeholders in the State, he was reported to have told them that he would lead the struggle for the PDP to take over Imo and Nigeria in 2019.

He also tried to run down the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his government.

The Imo state government urged Atiku to leave Imo and Governor Rochas Okorocha alone and face his own challenges.

The statement read in part: "What we do not take from anybody is blackmail against the government of Rochas Okorocha. We would do our best to set the record straight. The former Vice-President would have done his meeting without scratching the governor and the government he heads in the State. And that is where we come in.

The former Vice-President therefore leave Imo and Governor Rochas Okorocha alone and face his worrisome challenges. And if he does not know, Governor Rochas Okorocha will defeat him in any part of the Country including his Adamawa State in any election involving two of them.

He does not therefore have what it takes to lead any struggle that will return the PDP to power in the State or the Country in 2019. That promise was a false one.

To say the least, that promise of returning Imo to PDP was very deceitful knowing full well that in 2011 Rochas ran on the ticket of APGA that had no structure on ground and defeated an incumbent PDP governor with a very wide margin.

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In 2015, he took the soul of APGA to merge with other parties to form APC and defeated two powerful Candidates of PDP and APGA, even with the PDP Candidate having the Federal might behind him. Interestingly Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was not in exile when all these happened.

Imo PDP is dead. The monumental achievements of Governor Okorocha in less than eight years have destroyed the Imo PDP because the Party has no claim again to make before Imo people.

And that is the reason all those who made the Party thick in the State have all left to join either APGA or APC. Today, all the former guber aspirants in the PDP are doing so in APGA including Chief Ikedi Ohakim. They have left the PDP for two people.

In another report, two hundred and fifty-two aides appointed under Governor Aminu Tambuwals administration have resigned their positions.

The aides comprising of special advisers and special assistants, said their resignations were prompted by the recent decision of the Sokoto state governor to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party which they owe their loyalty, The Punch reports.

The former appointees said they will be unable to function in their respective positions under Tambuwals administration because of their determination to remain members of APC.

Nigeria Election 2019: Kenneth Okonkwo Interview - Buhari will win | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has challenged Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to launch his presidential campaign in Kano state

- The governor said his predecessor had been rejected by the people of the state

- According to Ganduje, the people of Kano will use all democratically accepted ways to say no to Kwankwaso, when he comes to launch his campaign

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano has challenged his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, to launch his presidential campaign for 2019, in the state.

Ganduje, speaking at the second phase of the Kano governments empowerment programme for 6,600 women, gave the assurance that Kwankwaso will never be welcomed by the people of the state, Daily Trust reports.

Legit.ng gathers that the governor further recalled that his successor had not come to the state to sympathise with the victims of fire outbreaks in some popular markets; neither did he make any donation to them. He said that it was those who cared about Kano that made contributions.

READ ALSO: Senator Adamu demands probe of National Assemblys budget under Saraki

He said: "The people of Kano have every right to reject him. In fact, we have already rejected him. We never considered him as potential presidential candidate.

We shall continue to maintain our position about him. We know nobody but President Muhammadu Buhari.

"Kwankwaso is aware that the people of Kano will use democratic way to show him an exit from political participation.

"We are waiting for Kwankwaso to come to Kano and launch his campaign. We will use all democratically accepted ways and say no to him."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso vowed to retire Governor Abdullahi Ganduje from active politics during the 2019 general elections, and anybody who tries to help him.

In an audio voice message aired on a private radio station in Kano, Kwankwaso declared that no amount of persuasion would make him change his mind over the stance to change Ganduje.

How workaholic Governor Ganduje is transforming Kano state - on Legit.ng TV:

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- Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said APC will be better off with the exit of defectors

- The APC party national leader said the defectors went to a party that promised them what truly democracy couldn't

- He added that he is sure Nigerians would vote APC in 2019

The All Progressives Congress national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, August 19, said that defectors who left the party wanted automatic tickets and sharing of the national wealth which the governing APC could not guarantee.

Tinubu said this in a statement he entitled They Go Away Because We Go the Right Way, released by his media officer, Tunde Rahman, in Lagos.

He said that Senate president Bukola Saraki and Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal, among others left the APC because the party could not offer them what they wanted.

The defectors, he said, "left the party to return to a motley agglomeration that would promise them what true democracy could not: automatic tickets, sharing of the national wealth and other offices and privileges."

According to him, APC refused to make such bargains as they were part of the ancient regime.

He said: "These bargains are not of our democratic new way. There is nothing wrong with ambition. Without a degree of ambition, we would never strive to improve and develop ourselves. But ambition, restrained by nothing but itself, is a dangerous commodity.

READ ALSO: Breaking: 252 aides resign from Sokoto state government

Unwedded to social conscience, it leads to ruthlessness; it is the father of the deception that leaders are meant to lord over instead of to serve the populace, he said.

Tinubu said the party would be better off with the exit of the defectors.

We can now focus more wholly on democratic governance inside and outside the party. Inside the party, we have adopted direct primaries to discourage corruption of the democratic process.

Regarding public policy, we can now better articulate our progressive stance without having naysayers among complaining that we are going too far or that the good we seek for the people ought not to be done.

We can more decisively push for the jobs program, expansion of social security for the poor, affordable housing programs and a viable mortgage system, national infrastructural program that will provide adequate power and potable water, basic health care for all, and educational reform.

Each of these is important in itself. In combination, these objectives shall reshape the very landscape of our political economy. They shall bring fairness and prosperity where none has been. They will give the average person a government that serves them and the land that they deserve.

Tinubu said he believed Nigerians would make the right decisions at the 2019 general elections.

Come the general election, the people will face a stark choice. If they want to relive the certain failure and inequality of the system the PDP had erected against their very interests, the people will walk the way of the defectors.

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If the people want to give themselves a better chance at an excellent nation they will adhere to the path elected in 2015 when they voted for reform and the APC.

I believe in the collective wisdom of the people. They will choose the right way for they are Nigerians which means they shall do what is right and just, he said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a federal lawmaker, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, called for a probe into the budgetary allocations to the National Assembly.

He said an audit had become necessary in view of the president of the Senate, Bukola Sarakis refusal to vacate his seat after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Senators, lawmakers defect from APC - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit
- Femi Falana says he doesnt believe Lagos state is the third most dangerous city in the world to reside in

- The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) had ranked Lagos as 138th out of the 140 countries, in its 2018 report

- The legal luminary advised the state government to quickly respond to the report and let people know that the state is safe

Femi Falana (SAN) has said that he does not believe in the report that Lagos state was the third most dangerous city to live in the world.

Falana debunked the report on Sunday evening, August 19, during the investiture of Kayode Opeifa, the former commissioner for transport in Lagos state, as the president of Rotary Club, NAN reports.

READ ALSO: 2019: Ganduje dares Kwankwaso to launch presidential campaign in Kano

Legit.ng gathers that Falana was reacting to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), that ranked Lagos state as the third worst city to live in among 140 cities worldwide. Lagos was ranked 138th out of the 140 countries in the EIU 2018 report.

Part of the EIU report stated: With a relatively low score of 38.5 percent, the city was just a little above Syrias war-torn capital, Damascus, and Bangladeshs Dhaka.

Falana said: I dont believe Lagos is the third dangerous city to leave in because there many cities in other countries that are more dangerous than Lagos.

The Lagos state government should quickly respond to this report and let people know that the state is safe for people.

The only challenge we are facing is that the quality of our representation in government is low; at the state, local government and federal levels.

Lagos alone has 24 members at the Federal House of Representatives. Let us be sincere to ourselves, how many of them do we hear about? We have 40 legislators in the state House of Assembly; what is the quality of the debate there? Who are the people representing us at the various local government levels?"

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Falana, therefore, advised the residents of the state to always challenge their representatives at both the national and state assemblies on proactive legislation.

He said that legislators from Lagos and the southwest should stand out for the good of their states and not go to the assemblies to dance.

The lawyer also appealed to the Rotary Club members to do what they could to make the society a better place for all.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Femi Falana, while reacting to the recent defections of lawmakers from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the defections were illegal.

Falana said the lawmakers defection was contrary to both the provisions of the 1999 constitution as well as previous court judgments regarding the issue.

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- Supporters of Bukola Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari met at Ilorin airport

- Each group was reportedly cheering its principal and trying to sing louder than the opposition

There was a bit of drama as supporters of the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, and President Muhammadu Buhari met at the Ilorin International Airport, Kwara state on Sunday, August 19.

The supporters of Saraki were reportedly at the airport to welcome the Senate president, while supporters of Buhari were there to welcome Kwara state governorship aspirant, Moddibo Kawu, and a Labour Party governorship aspirant in the state, Issa Aremu.

READ ALSO: 2019 INEC budget: Saraki hits executive, accuses it of delaying submission

Punch reports that trouble reportedly started when Saraki's loyalists who were mostly women started singing the Senate president's praises and not to be outdone, the APC members, who were mostly young men started shouting "Sai Buhari" ontop of their voices.

The atmosphere became charged prompting security officials and elders from both parties to maintain orderliness.

Kawu and Aremu, whose aircraft had landed waited for some time at the arrival hall for supporters to stop the noise before leaving the airport while Saraki's suporters waited behind for the Senate president.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buharis 2019 reelection bid has been endorsed by the Etsu Patigi, Patigi local government area of Kwara state, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta-Umar.

While receiving youths from Lade, Kpada and Patigi districts in his palace, the monarch said the people of the area will vote for the president in 2019.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- The Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria says over 700 Nigerians died in the Mediterranean Sea while migrating illegally in the last six months

- The group pointed out that Nigeria has the highest number of illegal migrants from Africa

- It said it is on a mission to raise awareness on the risks and dangers of irregular migration

Over 700 Nigerians died in the Mediterranean Sea while migrating illegally in the last six months, the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) has disclosed.

The group made the disclosure via its president, Femi Awoniyi, while addressing newsmen in Abuja, the nations capital, Vanguard reports.

Legit.ng gathers that Awoniyi, however, pointed out that compared to those who died while trying to cross the Sahara Desert, the figure is low.

He lamented that Nigerians have the highest rate of rejection among sub-Sahara asylum applicants in the European Union; as he pointed out that the country has the highest number of illegal migrants from Africa.

READ ALSO: My spiritual embargo made INEC shift 2015 elections - Bakare

He said: This year alone, more than 1,500 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, many of them Nigerians.

This is not even counting those who have died travelling through the Sahara Desert, or in the transit countries.

Everybody knows that more than half of Saharan migrants in Africa are Nigerians. We cannot count the number of people who die in the Sahara Desert. Experts say more people die in the Sahara Desert than the Mediterranean.

For those who are lucky to reach Europe, a difficult struggle to obtain legal residency begins.

More than 30,000 Nigerians are currently awaiting deportation in Germany alone. Their asylum claims have been rejected since Nigeria is not considered by the European Union as a country where there is political persecution."

Awoniyi said the MEPN was on a mission to dispel the notion that they are better job opportunities outside the shores of Nigeria, and also raise awareness on the risks and dangers of irregular migration.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) disclosed that hundreds of migrants from Nigerian and other countries that were crossing to Italy and Spain, were feared dead in the Mediterranean Sea.

IOMs public information officer in Libya, Christine Petre, reported that the boats carrying the migrants departed from the coastal towns of Azzawiyah and Al Khums in Libya.

Mass deportation: Tales of woes from Libya - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit Nigeria
- Wife and three children of a Ghanaian pastor were killed in a ghastly fire outbreak

- The pastor was absent at the time of the incident

- Mother-in-law to the deceased wife was also caught up in the flames

A domestic fire breakout has recently claimed several lives in what can be termed a tragic incident. The fire which broke out in the Dansoman, a place in Accra, Ghana had everything to do with the house of Ato Kessie, a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) pastor.

The flames that engulfed his house at about the hours of 5am and 6am took the lives of his wife and his three children. Not only that, his niece and mother-in-law who were also around at the time the event occurred were also charred and rendered dead by the fire.

Ato who is the head pastor of the Dansoman District of SDA was coincidentally not in the house when his wife, children and other family members were engulfed by the raging fire.

Fire kills pastor's wife, 3 children and mother-in-law Photo source: Ghpage.com

READ ALSO: Young man drives out a burning SUV from Lagos fire outbreak

According to reports gathered, he had gone for a camp meeting related to his ministerial duties. All the family members he left during the course of the journey were all burnt in a fire that also took down the whole building and left it scarred for life.

The deceased wife of Ato was a teacher by profession. Before her life was claimed, she worked at the basic school of a tertiary institution called Valley View University (VVU).

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Fire kills pastor's wife, 3 children and mother-in-law Photo source: Ghpage.com

Up until now, the cause of the fire that brought down the house and the lives within is not yet known.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported the news of the recent demolition of the music house of popular Gospel musician Yinka Ayefele by the Oyo state government. Yinka who also owns a radio station premised within the demolished building expressed his grief about the partial destruction of the commercial structure.

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To the family of Ato Kessie, Legit.ng offers a warm condolence.

Lets Not Blame God For Our Problems - Deyemi Okanlawon Speaks on Otedola Bridge Fire | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- A 33-year-old IDP in Zamfara state has given birth to a set of quadruplets

- The woman had previously had seven deliveries, including a set of twins

- She was assisted by traditional birth attendants at the IDP; but was subsequently moved to a specialist hospital

Zainab Salisu, a 33-year-old internally displaced person (IDP) in Maradun camp, Zamfara, has been delivered of a set of quadruplets: two males and two females.

A statment sent to Legit.ng by Zayyanu Mukhtar Jibril explained that Mrs Salisu, who hails from Gidan Dan-Guntu village in Maradun district, was delivered of the babies on Sunday, August 19, without complications.

READ ALSO: 700 Nigerians drowned in Mediterranean in last 6 months - Group

The father of the quadruplets, Malam Salisu Muhammad, told journalists before the delivery, that his wife attended antenatal care only once at the Maradun General Hospital.

Mrs Salisu, who hails from Gidan Dan-Guntu village in Maradun district, was delivered of the babies on Sunday, August 19. Credit: Zayyanu Mukhtar Jibril

He said: Even then, her condition seemed normal but she could not get back to the hospital due to fear of attacks by bandits; and so we managed her at home since this was not her first pregnancy.

We, however, noticed that this particular pregnancy was too big but since she has had seven deliveries including a set of twins, we paid less attention.

A photo of the quadruplets. Credit: Zayyanu Mukhtar

Muhammad said the woman went into a brief labour in the early hours of Sunday and she was assisted by traditional birth attendants at the IDP. He said that that when he reported the development to the camp officials, they moved the mother and her quadruplets to Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, the state capital.

A medical personnel from Maradun local government who pleaded for anonymity, disclosed that they decided to bring them to the hospital because we believe they will receive better care.

Zainab and her husband were among the more than 12,000 people displaced from nearly 20 communities in five local government areas of Maru, Maradun, Zurmi, Shinkafi and Anka, following nefarious activities of bandits in the last three months.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a woman in Ibadan, Oyo state, welcomed beautiful and healthy quadruplet babies, but stated that she needed help to take care of them.

The woman identified as Morufat Jimoh welcomed her quadruplet babies at Akungbile Moniya Hospital in Ibadan. She was already a mother to a boy before birthing her four little girls.

My husband ran away when he heard I had quadruplets - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- INEC has disagreed with Governor Wike over who to blame for the violence during Rivers by-election

- The commission praised the Nigeria Police for efforts to stop the violence while the governor blamed the police for initiating it

- The commission also described the election violence in Rivers state as a 'shameful' act

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disagreed with Governor Nyesom Wike's allegation that the police should be blamed for the violence that marred the Saturday, August 18, by-election in Rivers state.

While the INEC chief praised the police for wading in and preventing total break down of law and order during the election, Governor Wike blamed the police for causing the violence that marred the election.

The Nation reports that three INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), Obo Effanga (Rivers), Mike Igini (Akwa Ibom) and Cyril Omoregbe (Bayelsa), who conducted the election, gave the account of what transpired at a news conference in Port Harcourt on Sunday, August 19.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Effanga said: The Commission in full readiness for the said election deployed personnel and materials to the 142 polling units involved. However, midway, miscreants and hoodlums accompanied by heavily armed security personnel in uniform stormed the various polling units and registration areas, disrupting voting activities, destroying and carting away election materials, including smart card readers and ballot boxes. In addition, many electoral officials were manhandled, injured and held hostage."

Igini said: What happened yesterday (Saturday) was a tragedy. It was shameful. It represents a higher level of electoral discredit and falls below the minimum expected standards. Election must be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere which will allow voters to vote and leave the centre without grumbling.

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While election was going on, there was violence in significant areas of the polling centres. Some journalists, INEC staff, including NYSC members were attacked and held hostage during the election. An official of the the Commission was stabbed, others beaten up. Also, a Corps members leg was broken, individuals beaten and injured.

Thanks to the security personnel who worked with us, they were not part of those who disrupted the election as they were not armed according to the law.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Wike accused the police of sabotaging the Rivers state electoral process and declaring war the state.

The governor made the accusation on Sunday, August 19, in reaction to the reported violence that marred the Rivers state by-election.

Speaking in a state broadcast, Wike accused the police of colluding with the APC to disrupt the election.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Some members of House of Reps have told President Muhammadu Buhari to order arrest of APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole

- Lawmakers described Oshiomhole as a threat to Nigeria's democracy

- They said that he employed primitive ways to denigrate the institution of the National Assembly just to achieve a wishful thought

A group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives under the auspices of Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG) has welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari from his vacation with an appeal on him to order the arrest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, saying he is a threat to the countrys democracy.

Leadership reports that the group in a statement signed by its spokesman, Timothy Golu, said that since Oshiomhole assumed the chairman of the APC, he has employed primitive ways to denigrate the institution of the National Assembly just to achieve a wishful thought that is alien to democracy.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Legit.ng gathered that the group frowns at the party leaders action which according to it, is bringing disgrace to Nigeria as a continental giant of democracy.

The PDG said: Oshiomhole has refused to sleep because he wants Senator Bukola Saraki removed as duly elected Senate president.

"It also accused the APC national chairman of working tirelessly to scuttle the current democracy through his utterances and activities.

He is distracting our nations democracy and ridiculing us before the global democratic community. His style is too primitive for democracy.

Let him come through the door with 2/3 of the Senators to legally achieve his selfish objective. What his ignorance would not allow him know is that even some APC Senators are not part of the charade. Access to democracy is not brigandage but respect to the rule of law and due process.

Oshiomholes anti democratic utterances is making us a laughing stock. We advise him not to kill himself on Saraki as there is nothing he can do to subvert the law of democracy just to achieve an anti democratic goal.

We call on President Buhari to immediately call him to order or direct the IGP Ibrahim Idris to arrest him so that peace can flow.

He is destabilising the National Assembly with threats and the use of security agencies to haunt our leaders.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that 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.

It was gathered 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.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng News
- A Nigerian man was killed by his girlfriends former partner

- The incident happened in the USA where the victims involved are based

- Suspect who is a father of two is presently in police custody

Taofeek Oluwanishola Anifata, a Nigerian man living in the USA, was allegedly killed by his girlfriends ex in a brutal way. As it appeared, the young man was stabbed to death by the suspect.

The tragic incident which took place in Fort Bend County, Katy in the state of Texas was reportedly occasioned by a fellow Nigerian Godson Akran. Godson who had broken up with his ex-girlfriend for a space of two years got into a nasty fight with her. Their ugly disagreement extended to Taofeek, the new boyfriend, and ended in his death on Thursday, August 16.

Even worse, the victim was killed right in front of the suspects two children age 4 and 12, and the 2-year-old kid the girlfriend had for the victim.

READ ALSO: Nigerian man allegedly stabbed to death by his girlfriend at a nightclub (photos)

As gathered by Legit.ng, the 38-year-old Akran had earlier been reported by his former girlfriend when he came to her house located in the 3700 block of Daintree Park Court, off Tamarron Parkway to start a fight. Upon leaving her house after the argument, she called 911.

This did not deter the suspect from returning again and picking up a fresh quarrel with Taofeek who was in his girlfriends house at the moment. After they dragged it out for a while, Akran took to the knife and used it on the new boyfriend in the presence of their collectively owned children.

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Upon sighting the consequence of his fitful anger, the former Nigerian boyfriend took to his heels and fled the environment with an unknown person in a silver person. The police, however, were able to catch up with him on FM 1463 and they detained him.

The deceased Taofeek has not gone unremembered as friends and family members have taken to social media to pay tributes to him. Adebimpe, his sister in a touching post mourned his death but also lauded the memory of the person she loved to call small daddy.

Photos of Nigerian man killed in the USA by girlfriends ex emerge online Photo Source: Facebook user Adebimpe Akorede Ayoade

See her post below:

"God our Father,

Your power brings us to birth,

Your providence guides our lives,

and by Your command we return to dust.

Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,

their lives change but do not end.

I pray in hope for my brother,

In company with Christ,

Who died and now lives,

may he rejoice in Your kingdom,

where all our tears are wiped away.

Unite us together again in one family,

to sing Your praise forever and ever. TAOFEEK OLUWANISHOLA ANIFATA R.I.P"

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Other people who knew him both physically and otherwise shared in the loss and tragedy by responding to her post.

A particular person identified as Mary David on Facebook praised the memory of the dead with a Yoruba panegyric that spoke of his root. It is evident that the deceased will be missed by the people he left behind in no small measure.

Street GIST: Biggest Cause of Misundestending in Relationship | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper
- A Lagos-based lawyer, Femi Falana, has revealed why President Muhammadu Buhari should sign new Electoral Bill

- He said the bill should be signed now to avoid altering the arrangements for 2019 elections

- The National Assembly had on July 24 passed the Bill and transmitted it to Buhari for his assent

A Lagos-based lawyer and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sign the new Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

Vanguard reports that he said the bill should be signed now to avoid altering the arrangements for 2019 elections, in accordance with the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance act.

READ ALSO: Order immediate arrest of Oshiomhole now, he is a threat to Nigeria's democracy - Reps tell Buhari

Legit.ng gathered that the National Assembly had first amended the Electoral Act but it was rejected by President Buhari due to what he described as provisions inconsistent with the 1999 constitution.

The lawmakers then expunged the said provisions and passed a new bill, which had been transmitted to the President for assent.

Falana said the new bill should be promptly signed into law, in view of the fact that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the 2019 elections would commence in February 2019.

He said: In making this, call the attention of the President ought to be drawn to article 2 (1) of the Economic Community of West African States Protocol A/SP1/12/01 on Democracy and Good Governance, which provides that: No substantial modification shall be made to the electoral laws in the last six (6) months before the elections, except with the consent of majority of political actors.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the presidency denied reports that the Electoral Act amendment bill passed by the National Assembly was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The senior special adviser to the president on National Assembly matters, Ita Enang, said the bill which was passed by the lawmakers on on July 24 and transmitted to President Buhari on August 3, is still awaiting the presidents assent.

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It was reported that Enang said that media reports that the president rejected the bill were not true.

Stating that the president declined assent to a bill transmitted to him on June 27, Enang said the one the lawmakers passed hours before they proceeded on their annual recess was still with the president.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper
- Senator Akpabio reportedly compared his defection and the forthcoming 2019 elections with the 1940 invasion of Poland by Adolf Hitler

- He allegedly said the election shall be a war which its victory shall be in his side and his party, APC

- The former Senate minority leader said his defection the APC was uncommon and watched in 59 countries

Former Senate minority leader, Obong Godswill Akpabio, has allegedly compared his defection to the APC and Nigerias forthcoming 2019 general elections with the historic 1940 invasion of Poland by Adolf Hitlers Germany.

Senator Akpabio who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the election shall be a war which its victory shall be in his side and his new political party, Vanguard reports.

Conducting what he said was his first official function since he formally defected to the APC in a rally at Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state, Akpabio said he chose an uncommon method for his defection because he was an uncommon transformer.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Legit.ng gathered that the former governor of Akwa Ibom spoke over the weekend at the funeral mass of his grandmother-in-law, late Madam Mercy Uduoku Neife Igwenagu, at Christ the King Parish Aguobu-Owa, Ezeagu local government area of Enugu state.

Akpabio said: Recently, I had an occasion in Akwa Ibom state and this is what happened: I went just to make a floor declaration; others do it in the social media, others just sit in their offices, some do it by text messages that they have changed platform, what we call party. But in my own, I just decided to do it in an uncommon way because they call me uncommon transformer. It was watched in 59 countries and somebody asked what happened there, and I said just how it happened in Poland. When they asked Hitlers minister for information how was the war in Poland? He said Warsaw saw war and war saw Warsaw.

I will say that in the Ikot-Ekpene arena, when I stepped out, this is my first function after that, Warsaw saw war and war saw Warsaw. We cant talk politics in the church but in 2019 Warsaw shall see war and war shall see Warsaw. The return will be victory. May God grant us all victory.

By the time I joined the (Igwenagu) family, we produced a local government chairman, we produced a commissioner for Urban Development in Enugu state, special adviser, we produced a commissioner in the government of Anambra state, we produced a businessman from the family whose name is everywhere and the daughters are doing well in their different fields. We dont want to be very rich because when you are very rich and you want to die, you start crying because of your money in the bank.

All of us have resolved that God should just give us the basic need like Mama was. We just want to be comfortable the way we are and now she is transiting to haven and she will be there as a saint to pray for the rest of the world, may God accept her in Jesus name. Amen!

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that former governor of Jigawa state and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, alleged that Senator Akpabio was blackmailed into joining the APC.

Lamido, who made the statement while addressing propose delegates to the national convention of the party, said APC government showed Senator Akpabio some files and he became afraid and dumped PDP for APC.

Nigeria Election 2019: What are Bukola Sarakis chances against President Buhari | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Muhammadu Modibbo, has revealed why the federal government must ban unemployed Nigerians from travelling to the Kingdom

- It was gathered that some unemployed Nigerians are traveling to Saudi Arabia in search of greener pasture

- Modibbo said that the embassy was also concerned about the increasing cases of women working as maids in Saudi Arabia

The Nigerias ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Muhammadu Modibbo, has urged the federal government to ban unemployed Nigerians from traveling to the Kingdom in search of jobs, to save Nigerias image.

Premium Times reports that Modibbo made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

I have sent a letter through the foreign affairs ministry for government to ban such people from coming here (Saudi) because they are suffering.

READ ALSO: Why Buhari must urgently sign new Electoral Bill - Falana

I am also appealing to Nigerians to try as much as possible to get something doing in Nigeria instead of coming here because it is not easy. Thousands of people from various countries have left here, the envoy said.

Legit.ng gathered that he said that the embassy was also concerned about the increasing cases of women working as maids that are being abused and some unscrupulous Nigerians involved in drug trafficking.

According to him, the embassy has been intervening in cases of drug pushing by some Nigerians, adding, there are many Nigerians on death row for the offence.

There are many cases before I assumed office eight months ago; I always intervene but there is not much I can do even though we have some little successes.

On the prevalence of Nigerians illegally residing in the Holy land, known as Tukaris, widely believed to be involved in shady businesses, the envoy said most of them refused to return home after the expiration of their entry permits.

He said: Many of them have been here for many years working and will not return home but if they are arrested, they are deported instantly.

He blamed some agents for the woes of many Nigerians working in Saudi companies and other organisations.

The agents manage to get passports and Visa for their clients and when they have problems, they come to the embassy daily.

Some countries have banned their citizens from coming to work here because of problems being faced in Saudi Arabia. So why are Nigerians coming to face these hardships.

He, however, commended the cordial relationship between Saudi Government and Nigeria, adding that Nigeria recently got a $10 milliondonation from the Kingdom to assist Boko Haram victims. (NAN).

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that no fewer than two million pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Monday, August 20, to mark the climax of the 2018 pilgrimage.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that at least 55,000 Nigerians are part of the gathering.

Eid-el-Kabir: Why the ram killed must not exceed three days in your house - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper
- Senator Shehu Sani has urged INEC to resolve conflicts arising from their request for the 2019 general elections

- He said the money requested by the presidency for the election is different from the one INEC claimed it needed

- According to him, FG requested for N143 billion while INEC requested for N189 billion for the same election

The senator representing Kaduna central at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has urged the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to resolve conflicts arising from their request for the 2019 general elections with the presidency.

According to Sani, the money requested by the presidency for the election is different from the one INEC claimed it needed.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Going further, he urged INEC to reach out to the presidency and reconcile the figures. He added that if there is no adjustments to the figures, the president's request should be approved.

"The president request for INEC to the NASS is N143Billion and the INEC request is N189 billion. There should be no conflict or partisanship here. INEC should sort it out with the presidency if theres the need for adjustment.Otherwise,the president request should be approved."

Legit.ng had reported that Senate president Bukola Saraki, on Sunday, August 19, lambasted the executive arm of the government for allegedly submitting the Independent National Electoral Commissions budget for 2019 general elections late.

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Saraki, who accused the executive of lack of foresight, made the statement through his special adviser on new media, Olu Onemola, while reacting to the allegation by Muhammadu Buhari Media Organisation that the Senate intentionally delayed the approval of the INEC budget.

Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit
Vice president Yemi Osinbajo is probably the most active and cherished VP Nigeria has had since the countrys return to democracy in 1999.

At present, Osinbajo is the favourite of many Nigerians. He has been praised for his administrative style which is usually noticeable when situations demand that he act as the acting president - When President Muhammadu Buhari is out of the country on vacation.

Recently, Osinbajo was commended for the decisive actions he took while standing in for President Buhari during the president's just concluded 10-day vacation.

Vice president Yemi Osinbajo is probably the most active and cherished VP Nigeria has had since the countrys return to democracy in 1999. Credit: Facebook/Professor Yemi Osinbajo

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Within the short period, Osinbajo acted on some of the critical issues bordering the nation: impunity demonstrated by some top government officials and police brutality.

He sacked the former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, for his alleged role in the recent invasion of the National Assembly complex and also ordered the overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Also, in 2017 when President Buhari went on medical leave, Osinbajo took some far-reaching economic measures to prop up the country's currency, the naira.

There was a scarcity of US dollars at the time, which is needed by importers. So he asked the Central Bank to inject millions of dollars into the market to help stabilise the naira on the foreign-exchange market.

Osinbajo, however, never tries to hog the limelight as he always maintains that he does not take any decision without first consulting President Buhari and getting his approval.

Nevertheless, his style of leadership and governance is winning him fans as he seems to feel the pulse of public opinion, with many asking him to take a shot at the presidency.

Though Osinbajo has never spoken of having presidential ambitions, BBC News in an opinion article states three reasons why the vice president cannot become Nigerias president yet.

1. President Buharis 2019 re-election bid

President Buhari has already indicated his ambition to seek re-election in February 2019 and has chosen Osinbajo once more as his running mate. Thus, it is highly unlikely, if not impossible, that the loyal vice president will consider challenging his boss at the poll.

2. Nigeria's informal policy of rotating the presidency

Nigeria has an informal policy of rotating the presidency, after two terms, between the northern part of the country and the southern part.

President Buhari, a northerner, is just completing his first term. Going by this consideration, Osinbajo, a southerner who was born in Lagos, would, therefore, be an unlikely presidential choice for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

3. The possibility of an opposition victory

With the recent gale of defections and alliances being formed against the ruling APC, there is the possibility of the opposition party returning to power, a development that would further remove the vice president from the corridors of power and reduce his chance of becoming the countrys president any time soon.

All the obstacles notwithstanding, Osinbajo is active enough to bide his time until the next election in 2023, when it might be the turn of a southerner to lead the country.

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Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Osinbajo, before Buhari's return from vacation, signed into law three bills transmitted by the National Assembly, which are now Acts of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria Latest News: Osinbajo Orders Overhaul Of The Dreaded SARS | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Dickson Akoh, the national commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria said two million voters have been mandated to secure their PVCs

- Akoh said members of the Corps who do not comply with the instruction would not be issued identity card during the 2019 membership re-validation exercise

- He also said that President Muhammadu Buhari is at liberty to consider the rejected Peace Corps Bill

The national commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dickson Akoh, has charged members of the Corps to take advantage of the extension of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise and get registered.

Akoh warned that any officer or volunteer of the PCN who does not comply with the instruction would not be issued identity card during the 2019 membership re-validation exercise.

He said the Peace Corps currently boasts of 157,000 regular officers and about two million volunteers across the country.

Speaking to journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday, August 19, while leading a five-man delegation of PCN to UN 67th DPI/NGO Conference in New York, Akoh said, time has come for the organisation to make a statement in Nigeria's democracy, using its numerical strength.

READ ALSO: Drama as Buhari, Saraki supporters meet at airport

Akoh said: "All Peace Corps officers in Nigeria, numbering over 157 thousand and our volunteers close to two million have been told that, this is a time to make statement in democracy and then I have ordered them to renew their identity card next year, so they must have PVC. Without PVC to vote, nobody would issue identity card to any of our members nationwide."

He also expressed optimism that the Peace Corps Bill would come to light, adding that, the President has the liberty constitutionally to recall the Bill after six months and assent to it.

"We have been appealing, we would continue to appeal. We dont blame the President for whatever action he might be taking but the agency that tends to criminalize, label the good and noble intention of the youths or citizen before the authority because we dont have access to the government, are the same people that scrutinize documents and representation we always send.

Whether Mr. President has seen such documents, we dont know. We would continue to appeal to Mr. President to revisit that bill," Akoh said.

Addressing the issue of lack of fund cited by President Buhari, the Peace Corps boss said, if the government wanted, it would have been absorbing the youths in phases, with the pilot phase not more than 20,000 members.

"The issue of recession is gone. You will recall when we held press conference, we prayed earnestly as Peace Corps of Nigeria for the country to get out of recession. We are out of recession. So if financial constraint is cited, I dont think we are into that kind of recession.

READ ALSO: Messi absent as Ronaldo, Modric and 1 other star nominated for top award

"And again, if you look at what happened when the National Security and Civil Defence Corps Bill was passed, it was a gradual integration of the members into the mainstream. If we say we have 157 thousand officers and two million volunteers, it is not compulsory that everyone is carried along immediately, even if it is 20,000.

"If government can sign this Bill now, gradually, those who have been trained and other youths can be integrated, it would speak more for the government effort to create job opportunities and improve the security architecture of this country," Akoh said.

He added that the activities of the Corps are committed towards nation building and Peace Corps would not be part of anything that would ridicule Nigeria before the international community.

"Whatever is happening to Peace Corps now has its time and when the time comes, the Police will see the need to obey court orders. You are aware that just two days ago, they still invaded our office in Kano and arrested 28 excutives and clammed them into detention claiming they belong to unlawful association.

"This is a case that two federal high courts have declared illegal. It is no longer our fight as Peace Corps but an attempt to ridicule the rule of law. We are going out to project Nigeria in the highest light without saying anything that will ridicule the effort of us to move on," he said.

Since the UN granted a Special Consultative Status to the PCN in 2013, the organisation has been playing leading roles and contributing to UN policies on peace-building and youth development, by attending international functions including the UN General Assembly.

The DPI/NGO Conference of the UN is held annually across the advanced society to sample the views of Non-Governmental Organisations on how to meet the targets of the United Nations vision 2030.

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The 67th Conference of the gathering of NGOs is organized by Department of Public Information DPI and is to be chaired by Ms. Winnie Byanyima of Oxfam International.

About 2000 delegates from all over the world drawn from 300 NGOs in 80 countries are expected to conference in New York City for the program which shall hold from Wednesday, August 22 to Thursday, 23.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a human rights lawyer based in Abuja, Ahmed Jimoh, had petitioned the acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, on the continued seal-off of the headquarters of the Peace Corps.

The lawyer in his petition urged the acting president to mandate the inspector general of the police and the Nigeria Police Force in general to unseal the corporate office of the Peace Corps.

Jimoh also called the presidency to direct police authorities to respect the rule of law and obey court orders directing them to vacate the office located at 57, Iya Abubakar Crescent, Abuja.

If any police officer misbehaves with you, call any of these numbers - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- A 23-year-old girl has been rescued by some personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) from the grip of human traffickers in Katsina

- Ajisafe Olusola, the NIS boss in the state, revealed that the victim was deceived by the traffickers who promised her a better life abroad

- Olusola said that the victim would be handed over to the service headquarters for further necessary action

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued a 23-year-old girl from human traffickers in Katsina state, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: Many defections are based on selfish interests - Wale Ogunade

The comptroller of NIS in the state, Ajisafe Olusola, disclosed this to journalists on Monday, August 20, in Katsina. Olusola said that the victim was arrested by NIS operatives at Kongolam, a border town with Niger Republic.

The comptroller said that the traffickers deceived the victims parents on the pretense of securing a job for her abroad.

The parents of the innocent girl were lured by one Mr Seun, now residing in Niger Republic who is suspected to be the kingpin of the syndicate. The suspected kingpin promised to secure job of house-help for the victim in Niger.

"The victims parents sourced the sum of N50,000 which was paid into the account of one Afolabi Sakirat as traveling expenses of their daughter, he said.

According to him, the victim possessed an ECOWAS travel certificate and a temporary voters card.

They changed the name of the victim from Adeoye Oluwaseyi of Akure, Ondo State to Hadiza Bello, Dala of Kano State, to deceive security agents while on her way to Niger Republic.

"I want to draw the attention of parents to the dangers associated with the ugly trend of human trafficking. I also want to assure you of the determination of the Nigeria Immigration Service to rid our country of the menace of human trafficking and irregular migration, he said.

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The comptroller said that the victim would be handed over to the service headquarters for further necessary action.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) declared that no fewer than 41 people had been convicted for various forms of human trafficking across the country in 2017.

The director-general of the agency, Julie Okah-Donli, disclosed this while speaking with the newsmen after a road walk to sensitise people against human trafficking in Abuja.

Suspected cannabis traffickers reject Police accusations | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- A South Korean mother and her North Korean son reunited after being separated for 68 years

- The two became separated during the Korean War when the son was just 4

- There was a lot of catching up between the 92-year-old mother and her 71-year-old son

It was a eventful day for dozens of elderly South Koreans as they crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea to meet temporarily with their relatives. However, the story of Lee Keum-seom is rather emotional.

It was a tearful moment for the 92-year-old South Korean woman as she finally reunited with her 71-year-old son, Sang Chol. The two had been separated during the Korean War and became trapped either side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) which now splits Korea.

Sang Chol was only four when he was separated from his mum, leaving him in the care of his father in North Korea, who has since passed. According to reports, the elated mother screamed his name as they hugged and burst into uncontrollable sobs.

READ ALSO: 5 girls and a boy speak on their initiation into witchcraft in Ondo state

A happy Lee and her son, Sang Source: CNN

On Monday, August 20, Sang Chol sat waiting for Lee's arrival with his daughter-in-law. Lee was joined by her two daughters, who grew up in South Korea.

READ ALSO: Yinka Ayefele reacts to demolition of his N800m Music House by Oyo government

They were one among the 89 lucky families selected from the more than 57,000 who had applied for the reunions, under the Panmunjom Declaration signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during an historic summit earlier this year.

Some of the families waiting to be reunited with their families Source: CNN

Sang Chol, after the reunion, showed his mother a photo of her husband, who had been with their son when the couple became separated but has since died. Lee was all too happy to finally meet her son after 68 long years.

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Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid

Osun Osogbo Festival 2018: I Asked Yeye Osun For a Wife and She Gave Me This Woman | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Nigeria
- President Muhammadu Buhari has signed Instrument of Accession to the International Cocoa Agreement

- The agreement is expected to benefit Nigerian farmers

- It will also help the countrys export and importn arrangement with other countries

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja signed the Instrument of Accession to the International Cocoa Agreement, 2010.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who confirmed this in a statement in Abuja, said the signing of the Agreement followed its approval by the Federal Executive Council.

READ ALSO: Just in: Tinubu has presidential ambition, working ahead of 2023- Saraki spills

According to him, with the execution of the instrument of accession, Nigeria undertakes faithfully to abide by all the stipulations therein contained in the Agreement.

Shehu listed other benefits of the Agreement to include strengthening cooperation between exporting and importing member countries.

He said that the agreement was expected to improve their cocoa economies through active and better focused project development and strategies for capacity-building.

He said: The 2010 Agreement is also expected to build on the successes of the 2001 Agreement by implementing measures leading to an increase in the income of cocoa farmers and by supporting cocoa producers in improving the functioning of their cocoa economies.

It will also deliver cocoa of better quality, take effective account of food-safety issues and help establish social, economic and environmental sustainability, so that farmers are rewarded for producing cocoa that meets ethical and environmental considerations.

It will be recalled that Yemi Kale, the statistician-general of the federation, said that Nigerias economy has not recovered from the 2016 recession.

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Being a chief executive officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Kale said that the rampant clashes between farmers and herdsmen had dragged down the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2018.

EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians - On Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Nigeria
- Three suspects have been arrested by a special security force coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA)

- The suspects including a soldier and policeman were arrested over criminal activities, including fueling recent herdsmen/farmers clashes

- Two of the suspects were apprehended after being caught with various firearms and ammunition in Jos by the special force

A special security force coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has arrested three suspects, including a soldier and a policeman over criminal activities, including fueling recent herdsmen/farmers clashes in parts of the Middle Belt.

Two of the suspects, Ahmed Sani, and one Corporal Ibrahim Idris, were apprehended in Jos by the special force which included military personnel, after being caught with various firearms and ammunition.

Sani, reputed in security circles to be a notorious armed robber, kidnapper and assassin, was arrested in an operation in conjunction with the Special Task Force (STF) on July 21, 2018; while Idris, a soldier residing in Maxwell Khobe Barracks, Rukuba, Jos, Plateau State, was arrested on June 27, 2018.

READ ALSO: Tears in Ekiti as man stabs monarch to death with a knife

Security sources told NAN that Sani, also notoriously known as Sani Gunrunner, trades in various calibre of firearms and ammunition almost on a daily basis.

Sani is one of the brains behind the feud between the Fulanis and other ethnic group in the Middle Belt. This is owing to the constant supply of arms and ammunition he receives owing to his close relationship with Idris, a security source said.

The source further revealed that information obtained during Sanis interrogation led to the arrest of a police officer, one Sergeant Zakaria, attached to the Police Counter Terrorism Unit in Maiduguri, Borno state.

The NPF personnel was arrested in a sting operation while in the process of supplying 400 rounds of ammunition to Sani who was already in custody.

Sanis confession also helped identify one Suleiman who is a detainee in Jos Prison. On interrogation, Suleiman confessed that he was a gunrunner before his remand in prison custody.

He also confessed to facilitating the sale of arms and ammunition while still in prison.

Sani and Suleiman are currently assisting security forces with information that can lead to the arrest of other syndicate members, the source said.

In the same vein, one Ahmadu, a Fulani militia commander was arrested on July 16, 2018, at Barkin Ladi, Jos.

According to sources, the interrogation of Ahmadu led to the arrest of three other Fulani militiamen.

The army is conducting further interrogation of all the suspects.

The Office of the NSA declined to comment on these arrests, but NAN learnt that the presidency has been briefed.

Laolu Akande, senior special assistant to the Vice President confirmed on Wednesday that such briefing had indeed been made.

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Legit.ng previously reported that the police in Benue state has arrested three suspected firearms fabricators including a father and son.

The suspects, Thomas Ode alias Tommy, Kingsley Abi and his father, Odah Abi, were apprehended by the police at Oju in Oju local government area, The Nation reports.

According to report, a G3 rifle, four G3 empty shells of ammunition, two expended cartridges, two cut-to-size iron barrels for construction of locally fabricated guns and three wooden gun b*tts were recovered from the suspects.

Catholic Protest the Killings of Two Priests and 17 Worshipers in a Church in Benue on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Patient readers, heres a skeletal Water Cooler to get you going. My plan is to finish up my post on Elizabeth Warrens co-determination proposal, and then circle back with more, later. Tomorrow, same. Lambert UPDATE 6:02PM All done. Late even for California, I know!

Trade

How Tariff-Proof Is Your Supply Chain Strategy? [Industry Week].  An escalation in trade conflicts could also lead to more processed and therefore value-add products included in the retaliations and escalations. And as manufacturers pass the cost increases to customers, they risk losing market share. Take a textbook example of the duopoly between Boeing and Airbus. If Boeing increases customer pricing given an increase in raw material costs, then it will certainly lose business to its European competitor. Boeing, in this scenario, can use alternate materials like composites and carbon fibers, which is the case in the latest aircraft, along with cost rationalization through productivity improvements. The result: optimizing logical costs and earning somewhat lower marginsand eventually earning more through maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) contracts, which run for 10-15 years.

This late August week will be full of trade action, starting with todays kickoff of a marathon-like series of hearings on the China trade front. The hearings will feature testimony on products that should or should not be included in a list of $200 billion in Chinese imports that the Trump administration intends to tax in its next round of tariffs against Beijing [Politico]. As the hearings unfold, a Chinese delegation will visit Washington at midweek in an attempt to rekindle talks geared toward heading off the brewing trade war. On Thursday, U.S. tariffs on another $16 billion in Chinese goods will take effect, with Chinese duties set to be imposed in response. European trade officials will be in Washington today to continue laying the groundwork for bilateral trade talks, and more NAFTA meetings with Mexico are also on the docket.  Lots of golf in the offing, no doubt.

Politics

2020

Chelsea Clinton says she has not ruled out running for office [ Guardian ]. For me its a definite no now but its a definite maybe in the future because who knows what the future is going to bring?

2018

VT-01: Interview with Levi Sanders: On Running for Congress and More [ Progressive Army ]. [SANDERS:] Every day I work with low-income working class folks who are getting cheated and left behind by the system. It is time to fight back. The problem is, the people I talk to, they dont always understand how it affects them at a profound level. The real issue is to show people how it affects their lives on a daily basis, and how we can make things better in a tangible way.

TX Senate: Beto ORourke Could Be The Democrat Texas Has Been Waiting For [ Buzzfeed News ]. The lead: Beto ORourke is a prolific, prodigious sweater. Were talking shirt-soaking, chin-dripping sweat, most visible as he takes questions from the audiences that have gathered to see him across Texas. When I first saw pictures of ORourke, the El Paso congressman currently vying for Ted Cruzs Senate seat, soaking through his blue dress shirt at the Houston Juneteenth Parade, I thought: This is the most Texas thing Ive ever seen.  I wouldnt care if Betod had his sweat glands surgically removed if he supported #MedicareForAll. But he doesnt .

A Poll of Polls: What Do Americans Trust? [ Morning Consult ]. Democrats were more likely to trust the accuracy of the polls than Republicans, 49 percent to 43 percent.  So if the polls say Republicans are in trouble, Republicans wont listen?

Could soccer moms swing the House? Democrats hope so. [ Yahoo News ]. Remember the soccer moms? That 1990s term for politically moderate suburban women has fallen out of usage lately, but theyre still around, and a key voting bloc in the upcoming midterms. Frustrated with Washington and turned off by President Trump, they could deliver Congress to the Democrats in November. Or not. Republicans would have to lose more than just suburban seats to surrender control of the House, and Democrats have deployed candidates to urban/rural districts and rural districts that voted heavily for Trump. FiveThirtyEight, an analytic data site, said Democrats have a 75 percent chance of winning the House .

Why Even a Blue Wave Could Have Limited Gains [David Wasserman, New York Times ]. Of the 64 most competitive House races, only 14 are in states with highly competitive Senate races. These are two truly different universes: The median competitive Senate seat gave Mr. Trump 56 percent in 2016, has a population density of 88 people per square mile and falls below the national average in educational attainment and income. But the median competitive House district gave Mr. Trump 49 percent of the vote, has a population density of 407 people per square mile and ranks above the national average in college graduates and income.  If only there were a candidate whose platform and persona appealed in both rural and urban areas.

Obama Legacy

Judge asked to block Obama Center-related construction in Jackson Park [ Chicago Sun-Times (ChiGal)]. A federal judge is being asked to temporarily block construction related to the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park by park preservationists going to court in the wake of a Chicago Sun-Times report revealing that trees were cut down at the park despite a lack of final government approvals.

New Cold War

riddle me this: @nytimes is holding a conference in NOLA titled "cities for tomorrow" in order to "assess key challenges facing cities today and define the winning formulas" aaaaaand thought Michael Hayden, former CIA and NSA director, would be a fitting candidate to speak

This speaks volumes. A broad array of former officers, some recently retired, some gone for years, from all around the Agency, still speaking truth to power. https://t.co/HHSCWejdsQ

Manafort Jury Wrestling With Tough Choices Before a Verdict [ Bloomberg ]. Ellis instructed jurors to ignore any argument about the Department of Justices motives or lack thereof in bringing this prosecution.'  Doesnt mean they will, though.

Manafort trial Day 15: Jury meets for third day as Trump-fueled political cacophony grows [ Politico ]. Legal experts said it was far from shocking that the jury, which heard testimony from 27 witnesses and has been handed nearly 400 exhibits, is still mulling its verdicts after two days. Importantly: One of the jurors questions Thursday afternoon could signal that the deliberations could be a long haul. One or more jurors sought an index of all the exhibits in the case, cross-referenced to all the criminal counts. No such document is known to exist. Preparing one would be a daunting task and involve many subjective judgments, so Ellis turned the request down. If members of the jury want to make such an index themselves, it could take days.  So, while generally a long deliberation is good for the defense, that may not be true in this case; the jury could be slogging through the documents. On the other hand, IIRC, the prosecution didnt give the jury a painstaking road-map to the documents, so there are plenty of opportunties for things to go, from their perspective, wrong. I wonder if the jury will request sticky notes and highlighter?

Manafort conviction will add little firepower to Mueller investigation [Jonathan Turley, The Hill ]. The defense was a hung jury strategy combined with a rather obvious pardon strategy. Manaforts best hope is that a few jurors will harbor doubts. All he needs is one holdout when the government must secure a unanimous verdict. That would mean he could be tried again, but a none decision can be the best decision when you are not seriously attacking the evidence. Of course, the problem is that it is easy for a defendant to hang by his own hung jury strategy. A jury can deadlock on some but not all counts, leaving Manafort bearing a decade of potential imprisonment.

The Conservatives Have Lost Their Minds

Realignment and Legitimacy

Pope on sex abuse: We showed no care for the little ones [Associated Press]. Cf. We tortured some folks. More: [Pope Francis] demanded accountability but offered no indication of how he plans to sanction complicit bishops or end the Vaticans long-standing culture of secrecy.  Pope Francis is treating the bishops like President Obama treated the bankers.

data for dunking #1: Elizabeth Warren =/= Stalin [Data For Progress]. As it happens, conservative think tank Heritage Foundation includes an index of economic freedom (its kinda silly, but its their index), which can be used to test this claim. Their index, available here, ranks countries by ease of starting a business and other measures. When we compare the codetermination index to the economic freedom index, the trend is completely flat.  Hilarity ensues. On all sides!

Just so were clear:

Thanks for the shout-out, @HillaryClinton!  Join the movementfind an indivisible group near you: https://t.co/ID9vh0sl8C https://t.co/fL7Js8aV90  Indivisible Guide (@IndivisibleTeam) August 18, 2018

But on the other hand

Resources for Strategic Thinking: Mapping the Resistance and The U.S. Six-Party System [Organizing Upgrade]. Motivating the effort is [Carl] Davidsons argument that the traditional two-party system frame obscures more than it reveals about the actual political and economic forces shaping current battles and events. He writes that U.S. major parties, in general, are not ideological parties in the European sense, but constantly changing coalitions of [factional or interest-group] clusters with no firm commitment to program or discipline. Uncovering the nature, interests and relative strength of these groupings (whether called clusters, parties, factions or some other term)  and drawing out the strategic implications for the left  is the purpose of influence.  Cluster does seem like the right word

Stats Watch

There are no stats of interest today.

Retail: Amazon Isnt Paying Its Electric Bills. You Might Be [Bloomberg]. Amazon Web Services, the companys cloud computing business, is its fastest-growing and most [only?] profitable division, but it comes with a lot of upfront infrastructure costs and ongoing expenses, the biggest of which is electricity In at least two states, its also negotiated with utilities and politicians to stick other people with the bills, piling untold millions of dollars on top of the estimated $1.2 billion in state and municipal tax incentives the company has received over the past decade. Other companies, including Google and Tesla Inc., have taken advantage of the power industrys hunger for growth and the relative secrecy that followed its 1990s deregulation in dozens of states. But Amazon stands out for its success in offloading its power costs and also because it dominates Americas cloud business, which has gone from nonexistent to using 2 percent of U.S. electricity in about a decade.  I think we need to stuff Jeff Bezos into a rocket ship and fire him off to Mars as fast as we possibly can.

Shipping: The top five trucking markets represent 18% of all U.S. domestic volume [Freight Waves]. Top five trucking freight markets currently represent 18% of the entire load volume of U.S. domestic freight. This according to a new SONAR market-share index released on Friday. The entire U.S. domestic freight volume is divided up among 135 total markets. The top five markets currently are: Atlanta: 4.48%; Ontario, CA (just outside of Los Angeles): 4.12%; Joliet, IL (just outside of Chicago): 3.46%; Harrisburg, PA: 3.10%; Dallas, TX: 2.83%.

The Bezzle: Some Tesla Suppliers Fret About Getting Paid [Wall Street Journal]. Several suppliers in interviews said Tesla has tried to stretch out payments or asked for significant cash back. And in some cases, public records show, small suppliers over the past several months have claimed they failed to get paid for services supplied to Tesla. Were not behind because we cant pay them, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said in an interview Friday. It is just because were arguing whether the parts are right.'  And Im supposed to be reassured by this?

The Bezzle: The Musk meltdown [The Week]. It is beyond obvious that Musk has been so coddled for so long that he simply cannot conceive of the idea that the rules might apply to him  a characteristic he shares with most of his fellow billionaire CEOs. Perhaps throwing the book at him  as happened to Martha Stewart for a far, far smaller crime  might make an instructive example for the capitalist class.

The Bezzle: Wish, an Internet Dollar Store, Struggles to Keep Customers [The Information]. Private investors have put a lot of faith in Wish becoming the online version of dollar stores, betting on huge growth for the ecommerce site and rewarding it with a valuation of about $8.5 billion. On average, only 8% of people in the U.S. who bought something from Wish for the first time between August 2016 and the end of July 2017 were still shopping on the site a year after their earlier purchases. And the figure continues to decline after that, previously unreported data from the credit card transaction tracker Second Measure show.  I guffawed, because whoever heard of an Internet Dollar Store?! Turns out there is one, and it looks a lot like the legendary Mardens of Maine, which is what a dollar store should look like. The Wish experience, by contrast, looks horrid: Youve got to log in before you can browse! Who thought that was a good idea?

The Bezzle:Ubers Vision of Self-Driving Cars Begins to Blur [New York Times]. The issue of whether to retain or sell [the Advanced Technology Group] is complicated by Ubers stated intention to go public by the end of 2019. The company, valued at $62 billion, has racked up billions of dollars in losses since it was founded in 2009 and needs to persuade investors that it can eventually create a sustainably profitable business. The self-driving efforts, which have been losing $100 million to $200 million a quarter, do little to help that case. And Mr. Khosrowshahi has been shedding money-losing businesses since he joined Uber.  Well, except for the core business. Hard to shed that.

Infrastructure: Pennsylvania to spend $64 billion in 12-year transport improvement plan [DC Velocity]. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will spend nearly $64 billion over the next 12 years to improve its transportation infrastructure, under an updated plan disclosed yesterday by the State Transportation Commission. The updated program, which takes effect October 1, anticipates $11.53 billion being available for highway and bridge projects in the first four years, $228 million for freight rail projects, and $319 million for multimodal projects, among other spending. From 2023 through 2026, the plan calls for $348 million for multimodal and $229 million for freight rail. From 2027 to 2030, $391 million would be earmarked for multimodal and $229 million for freight rail. The projects depend on the availability of funding, which the commonwealths transportation officials anticipate would come from a combination of federal, state and local dollars.

Tech: Gatwick flight information screens fail [BBC]. Staff at Gatwick Airport had to write flight information on whiteboards for most of the day due to a technical problem with its digital screens. Apologising to customers, [a Gatwick spokesman] added that the airports manual contingency plan, which included having extra staff on hand to help direct passengers, had worked well.  Makes you wonder how many other manual contingency plans there are. My guess would be: Not enough.

Tech: Smallest transistor switches current with a single atom in solid electrolyte [Science Daily (KW)]. Works at room temperature. Science is popping!

Rapture Index: Closes down 1 on Gog. Russia has been generally quiet on the world stage [Rapture Ready]. Record High, October 10, 2016: 189. Current: 180.

Our Famously Free Press

SEO Is Back. Thank God. [New York Magazine]. For better or worse, SEO forced publishers to focus on providing their readers with relevant information. Social optimization for platforms like Facebook forced publishers to make their content evocative, incendiary, and interactive. Social content wasnt about transmitting information as much as it was about helping people perform their identities online. It put a premium on heavy-handedness and polarization. It didnt just need to say something, it needed to help the sharer say something too. And it was difficult for any publisher  major publication or one-man blog  to resist, given how much traffic the Facebook system brought to others. Now, by Facebooks own account, the valve to the firehose has been closed. Great. Use it to build brand awareness or whatever, but otherwise, its time to recalibrate and leave the reliance on Facebook as a traffic source behind.  If your business depends on a platform

Water

Beer, Drinking Water And Fish: Tiny Plastic Is Everywhere [NPR]. Since modern plastic was first mass-produced, 8 billion tons have been manufactured. And when its thrown away, it doesnt just disappear. Much of it crumbles into small pieces. Scientists call the tiny pieces microplastics and define them as objects smaller than 5 millimeters  about the size of one of the letters on a computer keyboard. Researchers started to pay serious attention to microplastics in the environment about 15 years ago. Theyre in oceans, rivers and lakes. Theyre also in soil. Recent research in Germany found that fertilizer made from composted household waste contains microplastics. And, even more concerning, microplastics are in drinking water. In beer. In sea salt. In fish and shellfish.  Presumably, at some point something will evolve to eat the plastic. We might not like that, though

Neoliberal Epidemics

A Record Number of Americans Died Last Year from Drug Overdoses [GritPost]. Overdose-related deaths went up in all but ten states last year, including Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. In some cases, it increased by as much as 20 percent or more in states like Indiana, Maine, New Jersey (which saw 27 percent more overdose-related deaths last year compared to 2016), and West Virginia.

Class Warfare

Its Not Technology Thats Disrupting Our Jobs [Louis Hyman, New York Times]. The history of labor shows that technology does not usually drive social change. On the contrary, social change is typically driven by decisions we make about how to organize our world. Only later does technology swoop in, accelerating and consolidating those changes. But for the vast majority of workers, the freedom of the gig economy is just the freedom to be afraid. It is the severing of obligations between businesses and employees. It is the collapse of the protections that the people of the United States, in our laws and our customs, once fought hard to enshrine. We cant turn back the clock, but neither is job insecurity inevitable. Just as the postwar period managed to make industrialization benefit industrial workers, we need to create new norms, institutions and policies that make digitization benefit todays workers. 

Employees Likely to Leave Job if They See Compliance Violations [Industry Week]. Employees do not like to see compliance violations. In fact, if they witness two of these occurrences they are likely to start looking for a new job. Fifty-nine percent of the sampled employees who observed a compliance violation were actively looking for a new job, compared with 29% who did not witness bad behavior.

News of The Wired

Female mice are protected from space radiation-induced maladaptive responses [Science Direct].  Sure, a mouse study. But if it holds up for humans, Elons not gonna like that. Or Jeff.

1968 Created The Ultimate Anti-Sport Sport [NPR]. A history of Ultimate Frisbee. This is amazing: But in some ways, Ultimate is not like other team sports. The game has a kind of honor system called the spirit of the game. And you can trace that the way back to the counterculture of 1968, when the players started out officiating the game themselves .  One might wonder if the principal can be extended, and, if so, how far.

Americas Invisible Pot Addicts [The Atlantic]. But cannabis is not benign, even if it is relatively benign, compared with alcohol, opiates, and cigarettes, among other substances. Thousands of Americans are finding their own use problematic in a climate where pot products are getting more potent, more socially acceptable to use, and yet easier to come by, not that it was particularly hard before.  I wonder of outlawing cannabis had the paradoxical effect of increasing potency?

Apple Inc. will release a new low-cost laptop and a professional-focused upgrade to the Mac mini desktop later this year, ending a drought of Mac computers that has limited sales of the companys longest-running line of devices, according to people familiar with the plans. [Bloomberg]. They hate me. They really hate me. Wheres the upgrade to the Pro laptop? Next year. Meanwhile, macOS Mojave will add the ability to run iPad apps like Apple News. No.

Dumb phone sales up as users seek to escape smartphone addiction [The Drum (KW)]. Ha. Yves and I are so retro, were futuristic!

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (Nippersmom):

Nippersmom writes: The swallowtails have discovered the Joe Pye weed and do they ever love it!

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By Rachel Lurie , an Analyst at the Princeton University Investment Company and Ashoka Mody, a visiting professor in international economic policy at Princeton University and previously, a deputy director at the International Monetary Funds research and European departments. Originally published at openDemocracy

On June 23, 2016, the British public voted by a 52-48 percent margin for the United Kingdom to leave its membership of the European Union. A popular view is that British citizens favored Brexit because they were swayed by misplaced nationalism and base xenophobia. Most academicstudies, however, find that the Brexit vote reflected economic grievances: economically distressed regions had higher Leave shares; and people under financial stress were more likely to vote for Brexit. Recent research shows that people who are economically marginalized and see their social standing slipping away are likely to identify themselves with nationalistic and xenophobic ideas and seek solutions for their grievances outside of the political mainstream.

Intergenerational Economic Mobility

In this article, we pinpoint the source of voter economic anxiety during Brexit: the shrinking opportunity for upward intergenerational economic mobility. Many parents who voted to leave had good reason to fear that their adverse economic conditions would also severely handicap their children. Many children were also influenced by their lack of economic opportunities. They did not vote to leave, but rather, did not vote at all, a decision that turned out to be an important cause of the Brexit outcome.

Many observers have noted that young British voters chose Remain more heavily than older citizens. The inference such observers draw is that if more young people had voted instead of staying home, Remain would have prevailed. We find that the decision by the young to abstain, just as much as the decision by older citizens to Leave, was an expression of political alienation driven by economic pessimism.

Our findings emphasize that lack of upward mobility is more powerful than mere inequality in inducing deep economic grievances. Wealth and status are inevitably distributed unevenly across a population. But parents and children are doubly aggrieved if economic deprivation is handed down from one generation to another. We find that income redistribution is inadequate to overcome the pessimism caused by inadequate opportunities for improving earnings prospects.

A Rust-Belt Trap on Parents, and an Urban Trap on Children

Childrens prospects for upward mobility are determined by the educational and labor market experiences bequeathed to them by their parents. Or, as Stanford Universitys Raj Chetty, the preeminent scholar of intergenerational mobility, puts it, childrens success depends on the opportunity to which they are exposed. Several studies, including one of ours, confirm that children who have higher-income and higher-professional-status parents start life with superior education and work experience (Lurie 2018).[1]Such children, unsurprisingly, succeed in climbing up the income ladder. Those who are brought up in better neighborhoods gain a further advantage.

Following Lurie, we analyze the value to children of parental and neighborhood advantages. We obtained data on individual characteristics from longitudinal survey data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the Understanding Society UK Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS) spanning the years 1991 to 2015 (Figure I). To study neighborhood effects, we consider several regional characteristics from the 2001 British census data. Since regional characteristics are highly correlated, we use principal components analysis to identify two distinct groupings. One of these groupings, the rust-belt, features low college achievement, significant geographical isolation (commuting distances of individuals in the region are relatively short), and a large share of employment in manufacturing. Rust-belt areas do not have especially high unemployment rates; rather, the high reliance on manufacturing indicates a prevalence of low-paying and insecure jobs. These are areas, in former prime minister Gordon Browns words, where British manufacturing, unable to face Asian competition, has collapsed, and industrial towns have hollowed out, leaving semiskilled workers on the wrong side of globalisation. A second grouping suffers from urban dysfunctions such as high secondary school dropout rates, high unemployment, extreme geographical isolation, and broken families. Such areas have limited manufacturing activity.

Parents incomes not only are constrained by low professional status, but also are held down if they live in dominantly rust-belt areas. And children of low-income parents tend to be inadequately educated and scarred by youth unemployment, which limits their ability to move up the income ladder. Moreover, children earn less if they live in areas of high urban dysfunctions. Thus, the most disadvantaged children are those who, having been born to rust-belt parents, have moved to live and seek work in run-down urban areas.

We find that the regional features that restrict upward mobility were influential in the vote for Brexit and in the decision to abstain.

The Vote to Leave: Rust-Belt Traps Spawn Political Protest

Rust-belt features and urban dysfunctions persisted from 2001 through 2011. Thus, on the reasonable assumption that these features persisted into 2016, peoples experiences of regional income traps had endured well over a decade by the time of the Brexit vote.

As shown in Figure II, regions with greater rust-belt features had distinctly higher shares of people voting Leave. Those who voted Leave suffered not only from their own economic anxiety but also from the fear that their children would face poor economic prospects. They attributed these woes to a hyper-globalization amplified by the European Union.

In heavily rust-belt areas such as the West Midlands and the North East, voters suffered from a deep senseof economic frustrationand regretover the loss of industrial jobs. As others have noted, the Leave campaign encouraged voters to blame their hardships on the European Union and on the London-based political establishment.

One theme of our findings is that while lack of upward mobility emphatically influenced the Brexit outcome, inequality played a more limited role in voters decisions. If anything, Leave shares were smaller in areas of high regional inequality: this is true for market-generated inequality and even more so for inequality after fiscal redistribution (Figure III). Thus, voters appear to have been moved not by their own relative deprivation, but rather, by the sense that even after receiving fiscal support to ease their daily lives, they could not give their children a chance of moving up in life.

Urban Traps Spawn Political Withdrawal

The choice not to vote was just as important in determining the Brexit outcome as the choice to vote Leave. Regions with higher urban dysfunctions had lower voter turnout rates (Figure IV). Thus, while rust-belt traps manifested in a desire to change the system, urban traps manifested in a withdrawal from the system.

Voterturnout data showsthat low-income youth drove low turnout rates: the lowest turnout rates nationally were among those aged 18-34, and among young people, those who were low-income voted the least. Such non-voters lived in dysfunctional urban areas, dealing with spells of unemployment and bleak prospects of making progress. For example, in Greater London, voter turnout was 79 percent in the affluent Kingston upon Thames borough, but only 65 percent in Hackney, where large pocketsof deep poverty and alienation persist. If Greater Londons turnout rate had been materially higher and its Leave share had stayed unchanged, the referendum result would almost certainly have been to Remain.

Many have portrayed the Brexit vote as reflectinga generational divide: the young voted to Remain while older citizens voted to Leave. But this misses the crucial significance of the non-vote. The young living and working in the financial districts of London have little in common with those living in the depressed parts of Hackney. The divide was not across generations but across those who have reason to be optimistic about their futures and those who do not. The non-vote of the young living in the grim areas of Greater London and other similar urban neighborhoods was as much a sign of hopelessness as the exit vote of older rust-belt citizens. Their decision not to vote is a warning that such political detachment could morph into more active protest in the future.

Can Fiscal Redistribution Help After All?

It is the case that areas of high urban dysfunctions also have high market-generated inequality (Figure V). As the London example shows, pockets of extreme poverty and social fracture continue alongside areas of extraordinary wealth. The policy question is whether more aggressive fiscal redistribution to economically depressed urban areas, although too late for the Brexit vote, can help reduce the sense of despair and political alienation in the future.

The evidence from the Brexit non-vote is not encouraging. We find that government redistribution was ineffective at alleviating the underlying sources of voter frustration. As shown in Figure VI, while higher market inequality was associated with lower regional voter turnout rates, inequality in disposable income after taxes and transfers bore no relationship to turnout rates. Accordingly, regions with lower inequality in disposable income did not have higher voter turnout. While fiscal redistribution across regions did mitigate market inequality, it did not materially alleviate voters sense of frustration in economically and socially left-behind areas, where presumably the governments safety nets were not enough to significantly raise optimism about the future. Recent studies for the United States describe how as regions fall behind, catching up becomes ever harder. Those who can afford to move from the lagging regions do so. Those who stay behind are left with fewer communal resources and often lower-quality schools, a crucial factor that can limit upward mobility.

Put differently, while redistribution eases the burden of life, it does not, ipso facto, improve opportunities to increase earning potential and move up on the income ladder. Miles Corakreferences a fitting quotation from Brunori, Ferreira, and Peragine:

[I]nequality of opportunity is the missing link between the concepts of income inequality and social mobility; if higher inequality makes intergenerational mobility more difficult, it is likely because opportunities for economic advancement are more unequally distributed among children.

Policymakers need to aim for forms of redistribution that improve peoples life chances.

The Urgency of Creating Opportunities

Our findings suggest that improving the prospects of upward mobility must be a multi-pronged policy effort. Regenerating declining manufacturing areas will raise the incomes of those stuck in a low-income status in those communities. Parents in those regions will be able to provide more opportunities to their children. In addition, directly improving childrens prospects of upward mobility will require revitalizing poor urban areas to enhance childrens opportunities upon entering the labor market; such policy initiatives will mitigate the scarring effects of youth unemployment. Crucial also to upward mobility is the availability of quality education. Particularly, low-income families need greater access to education that prepares themfor the future.

Many have criticized the Brexit referendum as undemocratic. Accounting for those who did not vote, less than half of British citizens favored Brexit. Even those who voted for Brexit may have been manipulated by unprincipled politicians and media. Such grumbling misses the point. The referendum gave British citizens an opportunity to pointedly express their pessimism about the future in a way that is not possible in general elections, in which multiple issues and parties compete for votes. In the Brexit referendum, UK citizens were pleading through their vote  and non-vote  for a fair shot at the future. They were calling on British leaders to revitalize decaying industrial areas and bring hope to the failing urban communities in which they were trapped. That plea has unfortunately been lost amid the frenzied debateon Brexit parameters between the UK and European authorities.

The real Brexit message was only peripherally related to Britains relationship with the European Union. Rather, the Brexit vote signals the urgency of a task that policymakers have too long neglected: creating more opportunity and instilling a sense of fairness. Prime Minister Theresa May seemed to get it when, at her speech to the Conservative Party in October 2016, she promised a country that works for all. But Mays government continued the senseless fiscal austerity of previous Conservative governments. As is well-understood, austerity inflicts the greatest hurt on the most vulnerable. The task ahead is as clear as it is difficult: targeted policy solutions to raise upward mobility are crucial if Great Britain is to begin healing its economic and social divides.

[1]Lurie, Rachel. Intergenerational Economic Mobility in Great Britain: Traps and Opportunities. Princeton University, 2018.
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Independent Tipperary TD Seamus Healy has called for the immediate recall of the Dail to declare a National Housing Emergency to deal with the crisis in Housing and Homelessness.

He said the Dail should be recalled immediately to legislate for a housing emergency, to declare a moratorium on all evictions until the emergency is over, and to give the government powers to instruct NAMA not to sell land and property it owns to private developers and to make such properties available for social housing. The government must also be instructed to actually issue such an instruction to NAMA immediately

Deputy Healy welcomed the statement by the St. Vincent de Paul Society calling on the government to declare a National Housing Emergency on Housing and Homelessness.

Its President, Clonmel man Kieran Stafford, correctly identified the, root cause of the crisis- an overreliance on the private sector to meet housing need. Childrens well-being can no longer be collateral damage to a dysfunctional housing system.

Deputy Healy said -The statutory declaration of such an emergency is necessary to put the rights of families to a home above the rights of private property. Under the Constitution, such a declaration enables the public good to be placed above the private property rights of vultures, banks and commercial landlords.

I have made three attempts, two under the previous government and one under the current government, to have the statutory declaration put into law without success.

In December 2016, the FG-Lab Government defeated my amendment to their housing bill: 29. Dail Eireann formally declares that a housing emergency exists in the State and while this emergency continues the right of any person to remain in the dwelling in which the person currently resides will take precedence over any property right of any other person.

When I made a similar proposal through a private members motion under the current government, it was defeated by FG and the Independent Alliance while Fianna Fail abstained.

The government has the advice of the Attorney General. It knows that such a declaration is required to place the common good in housing above the rights of vulture capitalists.

Instead, the current government is leaving a shameful anti-human housing measure enacted by the previous government on the statute book. Under the measure a vulture fund selling a dwelling can evict tenants if it can get a price which is 20% higher with vacant possession than with continuing tenants. Then Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney, had told the Oireachtas Housing Committee that this was the maximum interference with private property allowable under the constitution!

The Dail should be recalled immediately to legislate for a housing emergency, to declare a moratorium on all evictions until the emergency is over, and to give the government powers to instruct NAMA not to sell land and property it owns to private developers and to make such properties available for social housing. The government must also be instructed to actually issue such an instruction to NAMA immediately
(Natural News) The future of self-driving cars is looking very bright. After all, dozens of companies are now racing to become the leader in the auto industry, and both the public and the private sector are working hard to deliver innovations that would benefit the general public through these autos. However, this bright future may be in jeopardy. Experts are now starting to issue warnings about future uses of self-driving cars, which could involve crimes such as transporting drugs or weapons. Even worse, they say that autonomous vehicles could one day be used by terrorists by turning them into lethal weapons.

Plenty of hype and glory has been thrown around in relation to self-driving cars and their many benefits to society as a whole as well as to individuals. They are going to create many opportunities that will certainly benefit many people. But on the flip side, they could also cause massive damage if they end up in the wrong hands. In particular, hackers could tamper with the onboard electronics and make them break away from their original programming.

According to Patrick Lin, director of the Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group at the California Polytechnic University, typical crimes committed by unscrupulous individuals with the use of cars may evolve thank to the advent of self-driving mechanisms. In a statement to the Miami Herald, he says: Self-driving cars may enable new crimes that we cant even imagine today. There could, in fact, be entirely new ways to cause mayhem as soon as self-driving cars hit the mainstream, so its important that something gets done about it as early as now.

According to Dr. Mary Cummings, an ex-Navy fighter pilot who now serves as the lead of the Humans and Autonomy Laboratory at the Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, the thought that self-driving vehicles could fall into the hands of hackers is a particularly scary one. Most people dont understand how easy it is to hack into a driverless car, and then basically steer it off course, she said. Theres no way Id put my kid in a driverless car right now.

In her view, hackers pose an even greater threat to the future of self-driving cars than actual criminals or even terrorists. And shes not alone: A 2014 unclassified report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that was obtained by the U.K.s The Guardian showed that self-driving cars could prove to be game changing for many criminals, terrorists, and hackers. It is said that they could turn the vehicles into more potentially lethal weapons than they are today.

Lin says that the FBI is already worried about robo-getaway drivers, which frees up a suspect to shoot back. Criminals might be able to make a better escape, if a road full of self-driving cars will always move out of the way when you threaten a collision, he also added. If you think the prospect of a car bomb thats driven by a human terrorist is scary, then the idea of the car being an autonomous one, which is able to run on its own without the need for a human driver, is the stuff of nightmares.

There are ways to prevent these future problems, such as installing tamper-proof electronics in the vehicles themselves. But as most of those methods are rooted in hardware, they could be circumvented with just a little time and plenty of brute force from attackers. In any case, the market, as well as the public, will have plenty of time to prepare for this unwelcome future. But it will be difficult to tell whether or not the measures will be effective until the first attempted attacks finally happen.

Read more about the dangers of automated machinery at Robots.news.

Sources include:

MiamiHerald.com

TheGuardian.com
(Natural News) The next time your skin feels itchy, you might want to take a bath first: Researchers from Yonsei University in South Korea suggest bathing in spring water is a safe way to treat symptoms of atopic dermatitis. The study, which appeared in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, evaluated the benefits of balneotherapy in high-concentration mineral spring water on redox balance and immune modulation using an atopic dermatitis mouse model induced with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB).

Balneotherapy, for the uninitiated, is the practice of bathing in spring water for therapeutic effects. In some countries in Europe, the practice is prescribed to treat skin conditions such as acne, AD, and psoriasis. The water used for balneotherapy comes from different natural spring sources and is classified depending on its mineral content. Earlier studies have shown that mineral water high in minerals such as sulfur, manganese, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and strontium has a beneficial effect on skin diseases, as demonstrated by DNCB-treated animal models. A separate study from Japan also concluded that balneotherapy can improve the immune system and its antioxidant mechanism. However, the effects of bathing in mineral-rich spring water are poorly studied, prompting researchers to understand how balneotherapy using spring water with complex minerals can impact symptoms of skin inflammation.

For this study, the researchers applied DNCB on the dorsal skin of hairless mice to mimic the effects of atopic dermatitis. The mice were then treated with either pure high mineral spring water or a diluted solution of high mineral spring water and distilled water. The treatments ran once daily for four weeks. During this time, researchers evaluated the severity of skin lesions for each group, as well as their scratching behavior. Pro-inflammation biomarkers for atopic dermatitis, as well as immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, were also measured. In addition, oxidative stress-related biomarkers and antioxidant activity were also assessed.

The findings revealed that balneotherapy, whether using pure or diluted high mineral spring water, was able to reduce the scratching behavior in mice, which indicated its ability to reduce persistent itchiness  a hallmark symptom of atopic dermatitis. Mice treated with pure spring water recovered faster at two weeks, while those treated with diluted spring water took four weeks before their symptoms improved.

Similar trends were seen in other tests, as both treatments reduced all inflammation-related biomarkers. Mice in the diluted water group exhibited a significant decrease in IgE levels, an indication that bathing can have an immunomodulating effect. Meanwhile, those treated with pure spring water showed lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which meant that the water has a more potent antioxidant activity.

Collectively, our study indicates that bathing with HMW ameliorates DNCB-induced skin inflammation by inhibiting the allergic response (such as serum IgE level and scratching behavior), inflammatory response (such as inflammatory cytokines; IL-1?, TNF-?, and IL-13) in female skh-1 hairless mice, the researchers concluded in their study. Taken together, results importantly imply that bathing with HMW might be a safe alternative, a non-medicinal remedy against [atopic dermatitis]. (Related: Forest Bathing: A New Way to Reduce Stress and Lower Blood Pressure by as much as 13%.)

Other health benefits from balneotherapy

Balneotherapy isnt a new trend: Its been practiced in many medical systems for thousands of years. These days, the procedure is often offered in spas, wellness centers, and natural hot springs. The latter, of course, is linked to better immune health as well as the prevention of certain diseases. Here are some conditions where balneotherapy could help with.

Arthritis  Multiple studies have found evidence that balneotherapy could be used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis.

 Multiple studies have found evidence that balneotherapy could be used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis. Fibromyalgia  One study has shown that regular 20-minute bathing sessions greatly improved some symptoms of fibromyalgia. This included depression, which is a major symptom.

 One study has shown that regular 20-minute bathing sessions greatly improved some symptoms of fibromyalgia. This included depression, which is a major symptom. Lower back pain  Bathing in sulfur-rich mineral water can help with back pain, according to a study from Research in Complementary and Natural Classical Medicine. For the study, patients reported improvements in muscle spasms, tenderness, and flexibility.

Find more natural ways to relieve atopic dermatitis by following NaturalCures.news today.

Sources include:

Science.news

BMCComplementAlternMed.BioMedCentral.com

VeryWellHealth.com
(Natural News) Keeping air pollution at bay is an expensive affair. Many entities in the United States business community opposed the passing of the Clean Air Act of 1970. The need for upgrades and updates in both equipment and policies, as well as the limits imposed by the law, cost time, money, and opportunities for growth, they said. A growing number of economists and health experts, however, say this isnt necessarily true. In fact, cleaner air pays back in terms of improvements in productivity, among other benefits.

A number of studies indicate that air pollution can have a bigger effect than previously thought, even when it fell well within regulatory standards. Joshua Graff Zivin, professor of economics at the University of California, San Diego, and Matthew Neidell, associate professor of health policy and management at Columbia University, reported in 2012 the impact of air pollution on the productivity of grape and blueberry pickers in California. The workers productivity increased by 5.5 percent when ozone exposure decreased by 10 parts per billion to a level lower than mandated by the federal air quality standard.

In 2014, they again found that the presence of particulate matter, a common air pollutant, affected the earnings of people who picked pears in Northern California, who were paid depending on the number of pears they picked. The researchers observed lower earnings by US$1.88 per hour when the level of fine particulate matter exceeded 25 micrograms per cubic meter (mcg/m3). Interestingly, this is still way below the accepted standard, which is at 35 mcg/m3.

That the state of air pollution will have an effect on workers who are exposed to the outside environment is not surprising, of course. The outcome of their study on Chinese call center agents was.

In 2016, they looked into the performance of employees from two call centers in China, all of whom worked in a fully enclosed office. They found that at times when the outdoor air quality was what the EPA would rate as good, the workers were five percent more productive. This was compared to days when the outside air quality was rated unhealthy.

Despite the 2016 test being done in China, Graff Zivin insists the results could be universal. Theres nothing special about call center work in China. We worked on China because thats where we could get the data. If it matters there, it should matter everywhere, he said.

And he has a point. Over the last few years, air pollution in China has been recognized among the worst in the world. For almost all of 2017, the average air quality index (AQI) in Beijing, the capital, fluctuated more or less within the unhealthy range. The country also had 1.1 million air pollution-related deaths in 2015, a statistic it shares with India.

Air pollution and education

Some studies have gone further and looked into the effects of air pollution on education. One such research linked air pollution to higher school absences, while another connected pollution with slower cognitive learning.

There are three ways air pollution can have an impact on education:

Air pollution means the brain, where much of the bodys oxygen supply goes, is not supplied with enough oxygen.

Air pollutants appear to have an effect on the development of the brain in children.

Pollutants in the air may cause symptoms, such as eye irritation or asthma, that prevent children from functioning at their best in school.

Alberto Salvo, an economist at the National University of Singapore and his colleague Haoming Liu examined three international schools in China where the children of expats usually go. They found that during spikes in air pollution, students were slightly more likely to be absent.

Salvo explained that the problem with air pollution could have two implications. In terms of economics, it could prevent people from considering working overseas as air pollution may pose a risk to their family members health.

Then, it could imply an issue with equity. International school students often come from high-income families who are well aware of the dangers of air pollution. They also have actual means to keep their children safe from air pollutants. Lower-income families do not have this ability.

Learn more about the other impacts of air pollution at Pollution.news.

Sources include:

Ensia.com

ChinaPower.CSIS.org
(Natural News) As POTUS Donald Trump and the Republican congressional majority continue to Make America Great Again with pro-growth policies and re-strengthening of constitutional freedoms and protections, the Left continues to double down on authoritarianism because its the only way they can empower themselves.

This was demonstrated once again on Friday during Bill Mahers Real Time program on HBO.

For all intents and purposes, Maher is a liberal bomb-thrower who regularly shocks and offends conservatives and supporters of the president. But at least he appreciates where his own bread and butter come from: The ability for him to make a living speaking his mind and offering up his viewpoints without fear of government or private-sector censorship via social media.

Its too bad the speech Nazis who watch him dont have the same appreciation for the First Amendment (which they were able to enjoy while being critical of Maher during his most recent program).

The HBO host dared to commit the most heinous of politically incorrect speech: He spoke out against the social media and e-commerce deplatforming of Infowars Alex Jones and in support of Jones right to be able to speak just as freely as Maher and anyone else on the Left, The Gateway Pundit reported.

And for that, his audience howled in disapproval  after first cheering on the news that Jones had been banned from Facebook, Spotify, Google-YouTube, Apple, and other platforms.

If youre a liberal, youre supposed to be for free speech. Thats free speech for the speech you hate. Thats what free speech means, Maher said.

Were losing the thread of the concepts that are important to this country. If you care about the real American sh*t or you dont. And if you do, it goes for every side. I dont like Alex Jones, but Alex Jones gets to speak. Everybody gets to speak. (Related: Mike Adams issues statement on Trumps censorship warning to social media tech giants.)

Boo! Hiss!

Who are the REAL speech Nazis?

Mahers Leftist guests universally agreed with the deplatforming of Jones, using the tired, old excuse of but his Sandy Hook conspiracy!  again, and again, and again. Never mind that other conspiracy theorists like former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura and the goofballs who put out all of the wild stuff about UFOs (not legitimately documented material) not only get to keep their social media platforms but are hailed and feted by other members of the regular media.

Just listen to some of the things Ventura claimed during this April 2011 Good Morning, America episode:

Whether or not you believe him isnt the point. He may be right about some of the things hes asserting and he may be so far afield in his allegations as to make you question his sanity  such as, officials in the Bush administration actually knew in advance that terrorists were going to fly airliners into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center and just let 3,000 Americans be slaughtered.

But he still gets a platform. Alex Jones (and so many other conservatives) dont. Thats the important distinction that Maher was making, and for once hes exactly right.

Everybody should get to speak. Period. And then everyone else gets to decide, on their own, what they believe, what they dont believe, who they want to listen to and who they want to ignore.

We all make these choices every single day. Of the millions who watch Maher weekly, there are tens of millions who dont. Many of them hate how he frames certain issues. But theyre not calling for him to be thrown off the air or off social media.

Of the tens of millions of news consumers in America, not all of them read Infowars. But those who want to should be allowed to, and yet theyre not when Alex gets deplatformed and his site is starved for revenue.

Thats what Maher was saying Friday night. Its too bad most of his audience and all of his guests would rather side with countries like Cuba, Russia, and China on this issue than America.

Read more about the Lefts war against conservatives at Conservatives.news.

Sources include:

TheNationalSentinel.com

TheGatewayPundit.com
(Natural News) The Aloha State could be the countrys leader in renewable energy as it moves toward getting 100 percent of its power needs from both solar and wind sources by 2045.

As of this year, Hawaii gets around 33 percent of its power needs from rooftop solar, although there are days when the percentage goes up to 60 percent. The move is so significant that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has touted Hawaii to be the preview that other states can do to adopt renewable energy sources.

If this can be done in Hawaii, it can be replicated anywhere else, Martha Symko-Davies, program manager for NRELs Energy Systems Integration Facility said.

The enthusiasm for renewable energy is providing the state with more than just clean power. Hawaii used to get most of its power from fossil fuels, a feat for a state located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Solar and wind energy, being among the cheapest sources of power, are giving the state plenty of opportunities to save money.

But how does Hawaii deal with the issue of overloading, a common problem cited by naysayers of solar energy?

An article published in The Australian blamed the rapid installation of solar panels for overloading the existing power grid, potentially causing damage to devices, machines, and appliances hooked up to electric power. This has been used as one of several arguments against the move toward solar.

Hawaiis solution to the problem is rather simple  smart inverters. These switches are designed to automatically respond to power surges, providing support for the grid and helping it handle any fluctuations.

Hawaii, however, is not alone in its bid to reduce its dependence on non-renewable energy. California, for instance, sources about 50 percent of its power needs from solar in certain days. In fact, wind and solar power now account for more than 10 percent of electricity in the U.S. This is the first time such a percentage was reached since 1984.

Furthermore, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts that, for the first time in history, wind power may supplant hydroelectric power as the top source of electricity in the country this year.

Why turn to renewable energy?

Solar and wind energy are popular these days, but they are more than just mere fads. They have real and sustainable benefits that make them excellent, long-term solutions to the worlds power needs. Here are some of their other benefits:

Less pollution  Coal and natural gas power plants are notorious for the toxins they release into the environment. Numerous studies have linked these harmful substances to various health problems, ranging from difficulties with breathing to cancer. Solar, hydroelectric, and wind power plants do not release harmful substances into the air. Geothermal and biomass plants do, but their concentrations are notably lower than what plants using fossil fuels release.

 Coal and natural gas power plants are notorious for the toxins they release into the environment. Numerous studies have linked these harmful substances to various health problems, ranging from difficulties with breathing to cancer. Solar, hydroelectric, and wind power plants do not release harmful substances into the air. Geothermal and biomass plants do, but their concentrations are notably lower than what plants using fossil fuels release. Sustainable energy  Fossil fuel supplies are not unlimited. While estimates indicate that reserves may last for a couple of hundred years more, experts believe stepping up production could deplete coal deposits by 2088. Renewable energy relies on natures mainstays like the sun, the movement of water, strong winds, and the heat of the earth. As long as the hardware is maintained, there is very little doubt that renewable power sources will keep on giving for a long, long time.

 Fossil fuel supplies are not unlimited. While estimates indicate that reserves may last for a couple of hundred years more, experts believe stepping up production could deplete coal deposits by 2088. Renewable energy relies on natures mainstays like the sun, the movement of water, strong winds, and the heat of the earth. As long as the hardware is maintained, there is very little doubt that renewable power sources will keep on giving for a long, long time. Economics  Fossil fuel power plants are typically mechanized, unlike plants that use renewable energy which needs people to install, repair, and maintain them on a regular basis. This means that there is more job in renewable power. There are studies noting the harmful effects of air pollution on productivity, so switching to cleaner and safer power sources will help maximize labor investments.

 Fossil fuel power plants are typically mechanized, unlike plants that use renewable energy which needs people to install, repair, and maintain them on a regular basis. This means that there is more job in renewable power. There are studies noting the harmful effects of air pollution on productivity, so switching to cleaner and safer power sources will help maximize labor investments. Stable prices  Its true that renewable energy requires massive investments, especially in terms of hardware. However, the cost of operating them is very low, thanks to their fuel being essentially free. A look at trends over the past decades indicates that the price of solar power has dropped by 70 percent between 2010 and 2017, while that of wind power decreased by 66 percent between 2009 and 2016.

Learn more about power sources and how they affect society at Power.news.

Sources include:

ScientificAmerican.com

UCSUSA.org

QZ.com
(Natural News) If youve ever dined out with children, youre probably aware that kids menus in restaurants leave a lot to be desired. In fact, the choices usually go something like this: burgers made with questionable meat and fillers, deep-fried chicken nuggets, or perhaps pizza served with a side of French fries and your choice of soft drink. There is a lot wrong with this all-too-common scenario, and while it seems unlikely to change any time soon, now California lawmakers are taking aim at the beverage part of the equation.

A new state bill, Senate Bill 1192, would give children two default options when they order meals at restaurants: unflavored milk or water. Of course, parents are already free to order whatever drinks they want for their kids, but many choose the default option that is included with meals either out of convenience or because its typically more economical. With so many kids meals automatically coming with soda, its no surprise that so many American kids are overweight or obese.

This bill is aimed at reducing obesity and limiting childrens access to sugary drinks. Stephanie Winn of the American Cancer Society welcomes the move, saying Cancer is fought in the halls of government, not just in the halls of the hospital. She believes the kids meals should not automatically come with foods that set them up for diseases now and later in life.

She told CBS affiliate KVOR: Some of these kids are drinking up to three sodas a day. This is setting them up for tremendous cancer risks down the road. Because now we know that 20 percent of all cancers are tied to being overweight.

Childhood obesity rising, sugary drinks play a big role

Childhood obesity is a huge problem in our nation. A recent study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that nearly two thirds of children aged 2 to 19 consume one or more sugar-sweetened drinks per day. Not only is the frequent consumption of such beverages associated with weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, but also a slew of other conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease, cavities, tooth decay, and nonalcoholic liver disease.

In July, Baltimore banned restaurants from advertising sugary drinks on childrens menus, making milk, water, and 100 percent fruit juice the default beverage choices. Similar rules have been enacted in other cities in California and elsewhere in the United States. Even McDonalds, which is hardly a pioneer of healthy eating, stopped marketing sodas as Happy Meal drink options five years ago, although theyre still available on request.

To demonstrate the amount of sugar found in a small soda, Sacramento Assemblyman Kevin McCarty carried a cup with nine packets of sugar. He said: Kids meals shouldnt come with a side order of diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease.

The fact that restaurants automatically serve soda with childrens meals is pretty shocking in todays increasingly health-conscious world, as is the fact that some parents dont think twice about giving their children these unhealthy drinks. Thats certainly their right, but part of the problem is a lack of awareness of the health dangers of such beverages, and the debate about this bill could help rectify that.

Nevertheless, parents who dont care about the risks of diabetes and cancer will still be free to order soda for their kids. This isnt really a case of the government dictating consumer choice as people can still order whatever they want; the bill does not specify that restaurants would even have to charge extra to make that change. However, the extra step could help improve the health of children who eat out in restaurants frequently. Of course, if theyre regularly ordering chicken nuggets and French fries, they are still going to have health problems, but at least they wont be washing these foods down with excessively sugary beverages on top of it.

Sources for this article include:

Sacramento.CBSLocal.com

SacBee.com
(Natural News) Alex Jones of InfoWars.com understands human behavior all too well. He understands history and knows how people abuse positions of power. When Jones began talking about the rise of online censorship, very few took him seriously. Jones was viewed as paranoid for understanding that there are people in power who want to seize the opportunity to silence voices in the independent media.

Now that Facebook, Google (YouTube), Spotify, Apple, MailChimp, Shopify and other technocrat organizations have de-platformed, demonetized, shadow banned, and refused their services to Alex Jones, it is apparent that ideological censorship is real. Alex Jones is one of several who have been censored by Silicon Valleys tech elite.

Technology elite cut off online services of those they oppose, discriminating against people based on the color of their ideas

The evil of online censorship is here: A select few companies think they have the power to dictate the type of speech and the kind of ideas that can be espoused. Where are the apologies for Alex Jones being right all along? Now that this censorship is out in the open, it is not something to negotiate with, not something to reason with using some cowardly no-force-is-necessary approach. Americans must fight back by speaking out ten times stronger than before. Americans must defend their right to speak freely on social media.

Big Tech monopolies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter should be regulated as public utilities, so they can no longer shut down or shadow ban users based on the content and ideas of users speech. We are up against a powerful, elite group of people who are gatekeepers of information, information sharing, and monetization on the web. This elite group does not have a right to discriminate against people based on the color of their ideas.

The silencing of voices on social media platforms does not stop with Alex Jones. A global network of digital forensic analysts is working with Facebook to subvert pages that they deem divisive or provoking. The Digital Forensic Research Lab has been working with Facebook to shut down pages that contain speech that violates community guidelines. Facebook recently shut down Telesurenglish, a page accused of inauthentic behavior surrounding politics in the United States. From InfoWars to Telesurenglish, no one is free to think.

Speech police = thought police

Speech alone should not be blamed for inciting division or provoking emotions. Those emotions and divisions occur within the mind of the receiver of a message; these emotions should not be blamed on the speech itself. Why does Facebook fear that people could be emotionally influenced by speech and why does Facebook use this as a reason to censor that speech from their social media platform? The freedom to speak on controversial topics should remain, no matter how people react in divisive or provocative ways. Facebook cannot protect people from their own reactions to information on the internet. No one should ever want to live in a world where an elite group of technocrats try to protect the public from offensive speech or information that makes people think a different way. When Facebook tries to rid their platform of controversial thought, they are only censoring the right of anyone to speak freely on the platform. This controlling, micromanagement of speech, assisted with AI and algorithms, will only force people to speak about certain topics or events in approved ways. This speech control is deliberate and planned  a disgusting attempt to make people think a certain way.

All this speech control is a plan to limit the growing independent media, so that Americans are forced to accept the official story put out by networks like CNN, WashPo, and the Associated Press. Any other perspective, any deviations of thought, or any new facts are to be buried, silenced, and censored.

For more, visit Censorship.News.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

FoxNews.com

Medium.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The latest rallying cry for the increasingly far-Left Democratic Party is the abolishment of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, as well as open borders and opposition to POTUS Donald Trumps proposed wall.

In fact, as former Secret Service agent, noted conservative pundit, and NRA-TV host Dan Bongino pointed out this week, at recent counter-demonstrations to a tiny white nationalist rally in Washington, D.C., committed Leftists were seen chanting, No Border, No Wall, No USA at All.

A new report reveals why these positions are not simply extreme, theyre harmful to our national security.

In the waning months of the Obama administration, then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson sent a three-page memo to the 10 most senior federal law enforcement officials responsible for border security, according to the report by Todd Bensman, the senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies.

"'No Border, No Wall, No USA at All'this is not a fringe position anymore within the Democrat party. This is a position that is embraced by a large swath of Democrat voters. This is frightening. @dbongino pic.twitter.com/WSM5aMqp42  NRATV (@NRATV) August 13, 2018

In the subject line, Johnson made a reference to a terrorist threat at U.S. land borders that had rarely been referenced beforehand by President Obama and most everyone else on his senior national security team during the previous seven-odd years in office. And thus far, Bensman writes, the threat hasnt been fully enunciated by the Trump administration.

Johnsons memo contained orders  unusual in the sense that they demanded the immediate attention of the nations most senior immigration and border security leaders to counter such an obscure terrorism threat. (Relate: Illegal alien enters the U.S. with pretend daughter, then rapes her.)

In other words, Johnson thought it serious enough, no matter how obscure, to ensure it was dealt with as quickly as possible, ordering the 10 chiefs to form a special action group and tasking it with the formulation of a consolidated action plan to address the threat.

Order did not occur in a vacuum

Bensman noted further:

The unpublicized copy of the memo, obtained by CIS, outlined plan objectives. Intelligence collection and analysis, Secretary Johnson wrote, would drive efforts to counter the threats posed by the smuggling of SIAs [Special Interest Aliens]. Coordinated investigations would bring down organizations involved in the smuggling of SIAs into and within the United States. Border and port of entry operations capacities would help us identify and interdict SIAs of national security concern who attempt to enter the United States and evaluate our border and port of entry security posture to ensure our resources are appropriately aligned to address trends in the migration of SIAs.

The report noted that recent research turned up a number of SIA smuggling routes into the U.S. from Muslim majority countries originating in the Middle East, North and East Africa, and South Asia all of which invariably landed migrants in South America, Central America, or Mexico to stage treks to the U.S. southern border.

It also said that Johnsons order, with its urgency, did not occur in a vacuum and that the former DHS chief and other top border security officials were aware that in 2015 and 2016, as millions of migrants streamed into the countries of European allies that ISIS operatives and sympathizers were increasingly launching attacks (one occurred again this week in front of the U.K. Parliament building in London).

The report notes that while there are obvious differences in terms of distance from smuggling points of origin to Europe and the United States, the threat remains.

It also concludes that few other national security researchers are aware of the SIA smuggling threat, but one of them  Small Wars Journal has been critical of the lack of a more dedicated whole-of-government approach to countering the terrorist threat that is inherent in this type of migrant activity.

In recent years ISIS leaders have said they would use mass migration to infiltrate European nations, and that appears to have happened given the frequency of terrorist attacks on the continent. The group  in conjunction with Mexican cartels may also be using the same tactic to smuggle terrorists into the U.S. as well.

Read more about the smuggling of terrorists into the U.S. at Terrorism.news.

Sources include:

CIS.org

UPI.com

TheNationalSentinel.com
Atlantis is a story that sprung from Aegean shores, likely originating from a catastrophic event that has yet to be dated.

The date of the ancient volcanic eruption in the island Thera, now known as Santorini in Greece, could have great repercussions in the study of many ancient civilizations. However, a great debate rages over pinpointing the time frame of the event.

An Earth-Shattering Volcano Gives Birth To Atlantis

For years, storytellers and philosophers spoke of an ancient advanced civilization living on an island that sunk into the ocean many millennia ago. Plato, in particular, described the idyllic Atlantis lengthily in his dialogues.

Now, the myth is widely believed to have been inspired by a destructive volcanic eruption 3,000 years ago. This eruption is believed to have been so violent that it also reportedly caused the collapse of the Minoan civilization and a volcanic winter in distant China, as well as triggered the 12 plagues of Exodus, according to The Atlantic.

The biggest debate, however, lies in dating the ancient, mysterious eruption.

The Debate Over Dating The Eruption

The new study, published in the journal Scientific Advances, uses tree rings in an attempt to finally settle the argument between two groups who place the eruption about a century apart.

Archaeologists first put the volcanic eruption between 1570 and 1500 BC after analyzing human artifacts including pottery and written records. Another group of scientists employed radiocarbon dating in bits of trees, grains, and legumes buried under the volcanic ash. The latter placed the eruption at about 1600 BC, several decades earlier than the former's estimate.

Charlotte Pearson, lead author of the study, and her team used radiocarbon dating methods on 285 tree samples to bridge the gap between the two groups claiming different dates.

"Every tree ring is a time capsule of the radiocarbon at the year in which it grew, so we can say here's a tree ring from 1600 BC and here's how much radiocarbon is in it," Pearson explained in a statement.

The findings from the tree ring analysis revealed that the eruption occurred sometime between 1600 and 1525 BC, which features an overlap between the archaeologists and original radiocarbon researchers.

The Importance Of The Volcanic Eruption

As Pearson, an assistant professor of dendrochronology at the UA Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, points out, the eruption of a volcano represents a single moment in time.

"If you can date precisely when that moment is, then whenever you find evidence of that moment at any archeological site, you suddenly have a very precise marker point in time  and that's really powerful for examining human/environmental interactions around that time period," she continued.

The Thera eruption is significant in piecing together a timeline of ancient civilizations in Egypt, Greece, Turkey and other parts of the Mediterranean.
What to Know The Trump administration is proposing 10 percent to 25 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods

Businesses throughout the United States plan to ask the administration to not move forward with the tariffs as hearings on the tariffs begin

Companies that import from China complain that the tariffs will force them to raise prices and pay higher costs, among other things

Fishermen off the Alaskan coast. A Florida maker of boat trailers. A building materials distributor in Tennessee.

Those and hundreds of other American businesses are delivering the same plea to President Donald Trump as he considers imposing tariffs on nearly 40 percent of imported Chinese goods:

Don't do it.

The Trump administration will hold six days of hearings starting Monday in Washington on the next barrage in an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies: Trump's proposed tariffs of 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese goods that could kick in as early as next month.

Once in effect, the tariffs would immediately inflate the prices that American companies would have to pay for Chinese components they need to build their products. Those companies would have to decide whether to pass those costs on to their customers or absorb the higher prices themselves.

The first shots have already been fired: In July, Trump slapped 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese imports. Taxes on an additional $16 billion are set to kick in this week. China is counterpunching with tariffs of its own.

But the $200 billion in additional Chinese goods that the Trump administration is considering taxing would mark a significant escalation in its trade fight with Beijing.

Washington and Beijing are clashing over U.S. allegations that China uses predatory tactics to try to overtake American technological dominance: Those tactics, the administration argues, include cyber-theft and pressure for U.S. companies to hand over trade secrets in return for access to the Chinese market.

So far, the U.S. tariffs have targeted imported Chinese industrial products  not the electronics, toys and food that ordinary Americans might buy at a mall or order online. But adding $200 billion to the target list would expose to hefty taxes many more of the $506 billion in goods that China shipped to the United States last year, including many consumer products. The list includes 6,031 Chinese imports  an eclectic compilation that ranges from buttons to burglar alarms to motorboats.

JO-ANN Stores, which sells fabric and crafting supplies, says it imports about 500 items on the tariff list, including fleece, yarn and cotton fabric. Ed Weinstein, JO-ANN's vice president of tax and public affairs, said he doesn't understand how supplies for knitters and crafters became caught up in a trade dispute over high-tech policy.

"Our products are very simple," Weinstein told The Associated Press. "I would never have expected to see fabric and craft components on the tariff list."

In their filings to the Trump administration, companies that import from China complain that the tariffs will force them to raise prices, pay higher costs, try to find alternative suppliers or lose business to foreign rivals that don't have to pay a penalty on components and machinery they import from China.

"If you look at the filings, a lot of them are mom-and-pop businesses saying, 'Please don't do this to us,' " said Bryan Riley, director of the Free Trade Initiative at the conservative National Taxpayers Union.

CONSIDER:



Seattle's Groundfish Forum, a trade group for the operators of 19 fishing trawlers off Alaska. It warns that the tariffs will hit flatfish caught off the U.S. coast that are sent to China for processing before being shipped back to the United States. Trump's proposed 10 percent tariff on those fish would leave the "sustainably harvested fish caught by U.S. fishermen at a competitive disadvantage," the group says in a filing with the administration's Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Magic Tilt Trailers, a company in Clearwater, Florida, that makes boat trailers. It says it has to buy Chinese tires and parts on Trump's target list; there are few alternatives. "The tariffs will have little to no impact on the sourcing options of members in the trailer manufacturing community," the company wrote. "We will just be getting a 10 percent tax, payable to the general treasury."

Building Plastics Inc., a Memphis-based building materials distributor. It buys 400- to 800-pound slabs of Chinese quartz and sells them to fabricators that turn them into countertops and other items for homes and offices. The company says it's tried and failed to find alternative sources of the mineral. "We did not want to go to China, but we were forced to go to China," said Mike Perkowski, a product manager for the company.

Perkowski said the tariffs could prove "catastrophic."

"There's a possibility we could be priced out of the market," he said in an interview. "We're definitely going to have to pass along the tariffs ... We've been educating our customer base that tariffs are coming. There will definitely be a price increase."

Can the U.S. and China avoid a $200 billion tariff collision? Hopes rose last week on news that China will send an envoy to Washington this month to discuss a way out of the standoff.

But many trade analysts aren't very optimistic. A solution would likely require China to widen its market to foreign companies, reduce subsidies to domestic industries and rethink industrial policies that are considered vital to helping Chinese companies become leaders in such advanced fields as electric cars and robotics and thereby strengthening China's economy.

"China is not going to become a functioning market economy as we would like to see it in the next two months or even in the next two years," said Bradford Ward, a former U.S. trade official and now at the law firm King & Spalding. "People need to prepare for and plan for the long haul. This is not going to be resolved quickly."

The tit-for-tat tariffs between the U.S. and China, Riley said, "could be become the new normal."
Alameda Unified School District is among many school districts nationwide adjusting its dress code policies so female students don't feel targeted by old policies, aren't shamed for wearing clothing that might be too revealing and aren't made to feel responsible for distracting other students.

Among other permissible clothing items, students are allowed to wear tube tops, halter tops, fitted pants such as leggings and yoga pants, ripped jeans, skirts, and midriff-baring shirts, according to the district.

Students are not allowed to wear clothing that features images or language depicting violence, drugs, alcohol, hate speech, profanity and pornography.

Alameda Unified School District told the SF Gate that the board agreed to change its dress code policies after some of the female students complained, arguing that old policies made them feel like their bodies mattered more than their education.

"It was kind of embarrassing to get sent down because you're just getting singled out," student Gwendolyn Katz said.

The new dress code is based on suggestions from the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for Women and is being implemented on a trial basis.

The district said it will collect feedback from parents, students and teacher and revisit the policy in June.
Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run homer during Cincinnati's seven-run third inning, and the Reds swept the San Francisco Giants with an 11-4 win on Sunday.

Jose Peraza also hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati, which outscored San Francisco 18-5 in the last two games of the weekend set. Billy Hamilton tripled twice and drove in three runs.

The Reds also swept the Giants in Cincy last season. Nine different Reds scored at least one run, helping Cincinnati bounce back after it was swept by Cleveland.

San Francisco dropped its fourth consecutive game. Andrew Suarez (4-9) was tagged for seven runs, five earned, and seven hits in a season-low 2 2/3 innings.

Giants infielder Chase d'Arnaud worked a scoreless eighth in his first career pitching appearance.

Suarez's 27th homer made it 6-1 in the third. Scooter Gennett hit a two-run triple before Suarez's drive to center.

Curt Casali also had two hits and drove in two runs in Cincinnati's big inning.

Reds right-hander Luis Castillo (7-10) struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings. He was charged with three runs, one earned, and six hits.

Castillo retired 13 straight batters before Stephen Duggar's two-out single in the seventh.

Peraza finished with three hits as Cincinnati closed out a 5-4 homestand. Phillip Ervin had two hits and scored a run.

TRAINER'S ROOM:

Reds: OF Scott Schebler (strained AC joint in his right shoulder) is set for a rehab assignment with Double-A Pensacola. The Reds hope he will be ready to join them in Chicago during their weekend series with the Cubs.

UP NEXT:

Giants: LHP Derek Holland (6-8) makes just his second career start against the Mets in Monday's series opener in New York.

Reds: Homer Bailey (1-10) is scheduled to start Monday in Milwaukee. The Reds are 1-15 in Bailey's starts this season.
Dozens marched from Alameda County's Santa Rita Jail to the Dublin BART station Sunday evening in memory of a Berkeley woman who died of an apparent overdose just hours after she was released from the jail.



Jessica St. Louis, 26, was released from Santa Rita at 1:12 a.m. on July 28 and given a BART ticket. The closest BART station to the jail is the Dublin-Pleasanton stop, more than a mile away. Trains do not begin running until 5 a.m.

St. Louis' body was found four hours later near the passenger pick-up/drop-off area at the station. She is believed to have died from a drug overdose. The medical examiner concluded there was no foul play involved, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

Regardless of the cause of death, state Sen. Nancy Skinner, activists with the Young Women's Freedom Center and St. Louis's family believe the woman would not have died had she been released during the day and provided access to support services upon leaving the facility.

St. Louis walked the nearly two miles to the BART station. Her family says she had no cellphone and no way to contact them.

"Not knowing how theyre going to get to their destination or have someone pick them up and not even seeming to care," St. Louis's mother said about the jail officials. "Its an unfair practice, and were personally livid."

Skinner is working on a bill that would curtail the late night jail releases and provide inmates more assistance to get home safely.

"Releasing a woman in the dead of the night under these circumstances is a recipe for tragedy," Skinner said in a statement earlier this month. "People need to be released at a reasonable hour and be given basic support to ensure they can enter our community safely and successfully."

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly has said St. Louis' death was "an unfortunate situation" but it appeared St. Louis had obtained drugs after leaving the jail. He said the jail releases up to 100 people a day around the clock and can't legally keep people in custody after their court-designated release times.

St. Louis had been at Santa Rita for 11 days on arrest warrants for a previous case, officials said.

Bay City News contributed to this report.
Arianna Huffington is calling on Elon Musk to adopt a healthier work-life balance, but the Tesla CEO says that's not an option.

In a tweet early Sunday after arriving home from a late night at a Tesla factory, Musk told the Huffington Post founder that his electric car company and Ford are the only two American automakers that have avoided bankruptcy.

He then added, in an apparent reference to his long hours at work: "You think this is an option. It is not."

Musk was responding to an open letter from Huffington on Friday in which she called on him to change the way he works so he can ensure he's taking more time to "refuel and recharge."

Musk conceded in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times last week that he's overwhelmed by job stress, has been working up to 120 hours a week and sometimes takes Ambien to get to sleep.

Tesla has presented plenty of challenges for Musk. The company routinely loses money and is burning through cash as it ramps up development of its Model 3 sedan, a less-expensive electric car it hopes appeals to the mass market. A large number of investors known as short-sellers have bet against the company.

Musk, who recently said he might take Tesla private, has added to those pressures with lofty projections for profits and production that the automaker often fails live up to. Plus, the eccentric billionaire is the head of at least two other companies, including the rocket company SpaceX.

In her open letter, which referenced Musk's interview with the Times, Huffington urged Musk to ease up on the long hours at work.

"Working 120-hour weeks doesn't leverage your unique qualities, it wastes them," she wrote. "You can't simply power through that's just not how our bodies and our brains work."
A San Jose native who was last seen near Yosemite National Park in late July has been found dead, according to a family member.

Scott Tenczar's body was found on Saturday, according to his brother Matt Tenczar. A Yosemite spokesperson reportedly told KSEE that Scott Tenczar's body was found in the northeast section of the park.

Specific details regarding Scott Tenczar's death were not immediately available. An investigation is ongoing.



National park Service

Tenczar, 48, was an Afghanistan veteran who recently came back from Korea where he was teaching English, according to his brother. He was originally from San Jose and was last seen at the Bridgeport Ranger Station located to the northeast of the heart of Yosemite.



He planned to backpack from Robinson Creek to Crown Lake, Matterhorn Canyon, Smedberg Lake, Seavey Pass and Peeler Lake.

Matt Tenczar said that when his brother did not return on the day he was supposed to, they contacted the sheriffs department and authorities began their investigation.
It has been a month since Mollie Tibbetts, an Iowa woman who grew up in Oakland, went missing without a trace.

Tibbetts, 20, hasn't been seen or heard from since July 18, when she went for her usual evening run in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa, about 70 miles east of Des Moines.

That night, she left a house where she had been dogsitting to go jogging, and she hasn't been seen or heard from since. She was reported missing the next morning when she didn't show up at work, officials said.

A reward fund for Tibbetts' safe return had reached $385,700 as of Sunday evening. The fund is being compiled by Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa.

Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have been involved in the search for Tibbetts and have received hundreds of tips, according to Crime Stoppers.

Tibbetts' father, Rob, who had been actively involved in the search, returned to the Bay Area over the weekend for "a break" at the behest of investigators, according to local media.

Mollie Tibbetts attended Corpus Christi Catholic School in Oakland for kindergarten and first grade.
Its back to school Monday for San Francisco Unified School District students, and the district is warning students and staff using Muni that they could be late due to an operator shortage.

Thousands of students may be affected by the delays as they head back to class. Muni says it has made changes to try to address the shortage and get students where they need to be on time, but it also says delays are possible.

The Flannigan family picked up back to school supplies Sunday and discussed with their children the possibility they could be delayed while riding back home on Muni this week.

"As long as theyre together is what we were concerned about," John Flannigan said.

A message about the potential Muni delays is posted on the school district website, saying students and staff could be delayed getting to and from school.

At Visitacion Valley Middle School, Principal Joe Truss was notified some may not be on time.

"That gives us a little bit of a heads up, that in case a couple kids show up late that were not giving them a hard time," Truss said. "We also know the first day of school families are still figuring out their day."

According to SFMTA, the reason for the possible delays is a shortage of operators, compounded by the Twin Peaks Tunnel construction that now requires operators to drive shuttle buses around the construction.

Agency spokesman Paul Rose said theyve made new adjustments.

"We know that school is starting this week," Rose said. "We have additional operators to provide additional service. Just Friday, we transferred 72 part-time operators to full time, and that allows us to put more than 700 more daily service hours on the street. That will have an immediate and significant impact on service this week."

The Flannigans say their kids plan to ride but also have a Plan B.

"We talked about it this morning after the news," John Flannigan said. "We also talked about walking instead."
A New Hampshire man has been arrested in connection with the deaths of his wife and father at a condominium complex in Dover.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said Jeramie Colella, 44, was arrested Monday and charged with knowing second-degree murder for causing the death of his wife, 43-year-old Joanna Colella, and for causing the death of his father, 69-year-old Francis Colella.

Authorities said the bodies were discovered at 18 Tideview Dr. earlier in the day. The cause and manner of their deaths will be determined pending autopsies which are scheduled for Wednesday.

When neighbors at Tideview Estates woke up Monday morning, they saw crime tape and police cruisers at one of the multi-unit buildings.

Its very sad and very disappointing this can happen in a quiet neighborhood, said longtime resident Sandra Melino.

Unbelievable, I never would have expected it, said another resident who didnt want to be identified.

Neighbors had told NBC10 Boston a man and woman lived at the townhouse with their son.

Ive waved to them and Ive seen them outside, said Debby Boyle. He usually sits outside his garage with his Pitbull.

Boyle was babysitting her grandson and says she was initially concerned for their safety until police calmed her fears.

I stopped and asked the police officer, Boyle said. He told me it wasnt a community issue, its a bad scene, not good, but thats all they could tell me.

Dover police confirmed there is no information in the ongoing investigation that suggests there is a threat to the public.

Jeramie Colella is scheduled to be arraigned on the murder charges in the Strafford County Superior Court on Tuesday. It's unclear if he has an attorney.
An Emerson College professor and filmmaker, who was reported missing on this week, has died, according to his family quoted in published reports.

Robert Todd, 54, a professor at Emerson College in downtown Boston, was last seen entering the Jamaica Plain park on Tuesday. His body was found Saturday.

Todd was described as an "extraordinary filmmaker" who has been a faculty member of the School of the Arts and part of the college for more than 18 years. According to his biography on the college website, Todd was professor and associate chair at the Department of Visual & Media.

Details on funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
The United States military has identified a Marine lost at sea off the coast of the Philippines as a New Hampshire native.

Officials say Cpl. Jonathan Currier went missing on Aug. 9 from the USS Essex in the Mindanao Sea. He was part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit based out of Miramar, California.

Currier's body was not found following a five-day search of 13,000 square miles. The military declared him dead Friday.

Officials say Currier enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 2015 and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Paris Island, that November. Currier's awards include the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
A series of festivals, parades and other events will mark the 200th anniversary of Illinois adopting its state constitution.

Among the celebrations planned for Aug. 26 is the dedication of a new Bicentennial Plaza next to the Illinois Governor's Mansion in Springfield.

Constitution Day festivities also are planned in Galena and Dixon, and East St. Louis hosts a Heritage Festival. Gov. Bruce Rauner is holding a Route 66 Motorcycle Ride that will travel from Shorewood to Springfield.

Illinois ratified its constitution on Aug. 26, 1818 and became the 21st state in the union a few months later, on Dec. 3.

Stuart Layne is executive director of the Governor's Office of the Bicentennial. He says the statewide activities were designed so people may travel a short distance to participate.

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Officers busted an outdoor marijuana grow Sunday morning in south suburban Pembroke Township, seizing more than 700 pot plants.

About 7:40 a.m., officers eradicated 751 outdoor marijuana plants in the 5200 block of South 15000 East County Road, according to a statement from the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, which carried out the raid with assistance from Illinois State Police and the Kankakee County Sheriffs Office.

During the search, officers also seized four guns and equipment used for marijuana production, the statement said. No arrests were reported.

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An investigation is ongoing.
A nurse is suing a Michigan hospital for allegedly honoring a patient's request to not be cared for by a black woman.

Teoka Williams filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn, alleging that the health system violated federal and state civil rights laws by barring her from caring for a patient because of her race.

Williams, who has worked as a registered nurse at Beaumont for 10 years, said she overheard a patient in October 2017 request to not have a black woman as a caregiver. Williams said she reported the comment to her clinical manager, who then restricted her from caring for the patient.

Williams' suit contends that she complained to the hospital's human resources department about the issue. Williams alleges she was told that "patient requests are honored all the time and the next time it happens she would simply be taken off the assignment altogether."

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Beaumont Hospital declined to comment on pending litigation. But the health system issued a statement saying that its "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."

Williams' attorney Julie Gafkay said health care institutions shouldn't accommodate patients' requests at the expense of employees' civil rights.

Gafkay said the lawsuit "is about being denied the opportunity to do your job duties based on your race, and being segregated from your job duties based on your race." She said the health system "accommodated racism and allowed a patient to discriminate against a very good and valuable employee."

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as court costs and attorney fees.
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, could be charged before the end of the month with bank fraud in his dealings with the taxi industry and with committing other financial crimes, two people familiar with the federal probe said Monday.

The people confirmed reports that federal prosecutors in Manhattan were considering charging Cohen after months of speculation over a case that has been a distraction for the White House with the midterm elections approaching.

The New York Times reported Sunday, based on anonymous sources, that prosecutors have been focusing on more than $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses that Cohen and his family own.

As part of the investigation, prosecutors have subpoenaed records from Sterling National Bank, one of the institutions that loaned Cohen money with his ownership in taxi cabs as collateral, one of the people said. The material was sought because it's suspected Cohen falsified some of the paperwork, the person said.

The people, who weren't authorized to discuss the case and spoke on Monday on condition of anonymity, refused to answer questions about speculation that Cohen still might strike a plea deal with prosecutors requiring his cooperation.

Absent a quick resolution, it's believed that prosecutors would put off a decision on how to go forward with the case until after the election in compliance with an informal Justice Department policy of avoiding bringing prosecutions that could be seen as political and influence voters.

The U.S. attorney's office declined to comment Monday. A spokesman for Sterling National Bank declined to comment.

Prosecutors in New York have several options as to how to proceed, multiple people familiar with the ongoing federal criminal investigation told NBC News. They may seek to indict Cohen before September or, if they feel their case isn't ready, they may wait until after Election Day on Nov. 6.



Cohen had gained notoriety as Trump's loyal "fixer" before FBI agents raided his officies and a hotel where he was staying while renovations were being done on his apartment in a Trump-developed building.

Prosecutors were initially silent about why Cohen was under investigation. Some details became public after lawyers for Cohen and Trump asked a judge to temporarily prevent investigators from viewing some of the seized material, on the grounds that it was protected by attorney-client privilege.

The search of Cohen's files sought bank records, communications with the Trump campaign and information on hush money payments made in 2016 to two women: former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who received $150,000, and the porn actress Stormy Daniels, who got $130,000.

At the time, Trump branded the raid "a witch hunt," an assault on attorney-client privilege and a politically motivated attack by enemies in the FBI.

The president's initial support for Cohen degenerated over the summer into a public feud, prompting speculation that, to save himself, Cohen might be willing to tell prosecutors some of the secrets he'd help Trump keep.

Davis, Cohen's lawyer, has been sending signals of his own.

First, he went on CNN with a tape of Trump talking about the McDougal payment. Then, over the weekend, he revealed that he's been having conversations with John Dean, the White House lawyer who helped bring down President Richard Nixon.

Davis said Monday that he sees major parallels between Cohen and Dean and that he wanted to hear what he'd learned from Watergate and his perspective on what Cohen is going through. Cohen hasn't spoken to Dean, Davis said.

Associated Press writers Michael Sisak and Larry Neumeister contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump on Monday railed against special counsel Robert Mueller in a second day of angry tweets that drew comparisons to Watergate, insisted his general counsel isn't a "RAT" like President Richard Nixon's and accused Mueller's team of "looking for trouble."

"If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!" he tweeted.

Also Monday, Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani took to Twitter to clarify his viral comments on "Meet the Press" from a day earlier when he said that "truth isn't truth." He said he was referring to "a situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements." Critics had jumped on the comments as the the latest "alternative facts" explanation in the Trump era to justify falsehoods.



Trump's latest rant follows a New York Times report that the White House general counsel, Don McGahn, has been cooperating extensively with the special counsel team investigating Russian election meddling and potential collusion with Trump's Republican campaign.

In a tweet Sunday, he contrasted McGahn with John Dean, the White House counsel for Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

"The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type 'RAT,'" Trump wrote Sunday, misspelling "counsel."

"But I allowed him and all others to testify - I didn't have to. I have nothing to hide ..." he wrote.

On Monday he called Mueller "disgraced and discredited."

"Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble," he wrote. "They are enjoying ruining people's lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side - the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more!"

Dean, Nixon's White House counsel and a frequent critic of Trump, tweeted Sunday that he doubts the president has "ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didn't think I would tell them the truth!"

Trump's original legal team had encouraged McGahn and other White House officials to cooperate with Mueller, and McGahn spent hours in interviews.

Trump attorney Giuliani said in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Trump didn't raise executive privilege or attorney-client privilege during those interviews because his team believed  he says now, wrongly  that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

"The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president," Giuliani said.

McGahn's attorney William Burck added in a statement: "President Trump, through counsel, declined to assert any privilege over Mr. McGahn's testimony, so Mr. McGahn answered the Special Counsel team's questions fulsomely and honestly, as any person interviewed by federal investigators must."

Trump also assailed the Mueller investigation Sunday.

"So many lives have been ruined over nothing - McCarthyism at its WORST!" Trump tweeted, referring to the indiscriminate and damaging allegations made by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to expose communists.

"Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt!" Trump later wrote.

Giuliani, in his interview, also acknowledged that the reason for the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer, arranged by Trump's son Donald Trump Jr., was that they had been promised dirt on Trump's 2016 Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

"The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about Clinton," he said, adding that the Trump team didn't know that Natalia Veselnitskaya was Russian  even though emails later released by Trump Jr. show that she had been described as a "Russian government attorney."

Giuliani also tried to make the case that having Trump sit down for an interview with Mueller's team wouldn't accomplish much because of the he-said-she-said nature of witnesses' recollections.

"It's somebody's version of the truth, not the truth," he said, telling NBC: "Truth isn't truth."

Among those who seized on that comment was fired FBI Director James Comey, who tweeted that "truth exists and truth matters."

"Truth has always been the touchstone of our countrys justice system and political life," he wrote. "People who lie are held accountable. If we are untethered to truth, our justice system cannot function and a society based on the rule of law dissolves."

Giuliani slammed Comey on Twitter Monday as "the last person who should pontificate on truth."

But Giuliani still issued a clarification on Monday for his "truth isn't truth" comment, tweeting: "My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic 'he said, she said' puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt."
A woman who grew up in Farmington was shot and killed outside a bar in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday.

Jaime Sarrantonio, 30, was one of four people attacked while standing outside the Cobra, a bar in the eastern part of the city. Two men attempted to rob the group and then opened fire on them, according to police.

Sarrantonio and 33-year-old Bartley Teal both died of their injuries.

The Cobra posted condolences on its Facebook page.

"No words can convey our sadness and shock at this time," the post said.

Sarrantonio was a 2005 graduate of Farmington High School. Her family described her as a happy, adventurous person who didn't deserve to die in such a way.

"She was very outstanding, she was very compassionate, she championed a lot of causes for the underdog. She was such a hard-working person and demanded perfection of herself and did whatever necessary to achieve that," said Jaime's mother Robin Fisher.



"It's indescribable. You read this on the news and you don't think it can happen to you, especially someone taking someone else's life that's so close to you. She didn't want that. she wanted to live and keep traveling and do all these different things," Jolie Sarrantonio, Jaime's younger sister, said.

Fisher said her daughter loved life and did more in 30 years than many do in a lifetime, including visiting 40 counties.

"All we can do is hope for signs that she still is with us because she wouldn't want us to be so sad. Or you know she was just optimistic and so happy," Fisher said.

The family is going to Nashville for a memorial service Tuesday. The funeral will be in Connecticut on Saturday.

Nashville police believe the shootings may be connected to other similar crimes in the city in recent days. Two men wanted in connection with the case, 20-year-old Demontrey Logsdon and 24-year-old Lacory Lytle, are in custody.
The Trump administration has approved a major disaster declaration in connection with the May 15 tornadoes that caused extensive damage in several towns.

The declaration includes New Haven and Fairfield counties and means that state agencies and towns in those counties will receive financial assistance from the federal government to help pay for costs associated with the storms.

A request by Gov. Dannel Malloy for assistance for individual residents remains under review, according to a news release.

On May 15, tornadoes touched down in Winsted, Barkhamsted, Oxford, and from Beacon Falls to Bethany and into Hamden.

Several other towns sustained heavy damage from a macroburst.

This declaration will provide much needed financial assistance to our municipalities and the state, Governor Malloy said. These storms had a devastating impact, causing significant damage that is still being cleaned up and repaired months later. I thank the federal government for continuing to be a partner in these efforts.

While the aid is a huge relief for municipalities, homeowners are still unsure if they'll see any help for their out-of-pocket costs of cleanup. Help for homeowners is still being considered, including potential loans or direct assistance.

Every morning I wake up and it looks very, very different. Im shocked every day, said Betty Kelley of Bethany.

Kelley and her husband Joe still cant believe how their backyard in Bethany was transformed in a moment.

Ive never seen anything like it. It was kind of eerie, said Joe Kelley.

Tree crews are still cleaning up dozens of downed trees at the Kelleys.

There are those without insurance and even some who do, including the Kelleys, are discovering their damage is not covered since the trees did not hit their house.

This is out-of-pocket. So you have to do what you have to do, said Betty Kelley.


A home in Colchester is destroyed after an overnight fire on Sunday.

Just before midnight, firefighters were called to a reported structure fire on School Road. The fire was described as a "large glow in the sky" according to firefighters.

When crews arrived, they said they found a fully involved structure that was collapsing on itself with an actively venting propane tank.

Firefighters from Colchester, Yantic, Marlborough, Gardner Lake, Hebron, Bozrah and East Hampton helped fight the flames.

Investigators are working to determine what may have started the fire.
If you have back to school shopping to do, this week may be the time to do it.

Connecticut's tax-free holiday is now underway and people are already taking advantage of some savings.

"I think yesterday tax free week started, so I am here just shopping to take advantage of the deals. I am a college student so wherever I can save a little bit of money, I try to," said Ashley Duarte while shopping in West Hartford.

For students like Duarte, the savings of Connecticut's annual tax-free holiday are huge. That is because clothing and shoes under $100 are exempt from the state's 6.35-percent sales tax.

The week is also good for Connecticut businesses, which welcome the increase in customers.

"Folks will say, yeah we know we get busier this week and busy is good for business in the state of Connecticut," said Brian Flaherty, the Senior Vice President of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.

Flaherty said another benefit is that more people head to brick and mortar stores rather than only shopping online.

"We have Connecticut residents that get up every morning and go to work in those stores. Whether it's the mom-and-pop retailers, a Target or a Walmart, so there are Connecticut jobs that are supported by every resident that walks in those doors and conducts commerce right here in our state," Flaherty said.

The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services estimates shoppers will save close to $5 million in taxes, which means they will be spending about $75 million this week alone.

For customers like Duarte, the savings mean more money for more books.

"It seems small but once it adds up, that can buy me like a textbook for a class so it's really nice," Duarte said.

Connecticut's tax-free week runs through Saturday.

You can see a full list of tax-free items here.
When the blades of its 800-kilowatt wind turbine start turning, the small Greek island of Tilos will become the first in the Mediterranean to run exclusively on wind and solar power.

The sea horse-shaped Greek island between Rhodes and Kos has a winter population of 400. But that swells to as many as 3,000 people in the summer, putting an impossible strain on its dilapidated power supply.

This summer, technicians are conducting the final tests on a renewable replacement system that will be fully rolled out later this year. It will allow Tilos to run exclusively on high-tech batteries recharged by a wind turbine and a solar park.

The European Commission says Tilos will be the first autonomous renewable green island in the Mediterranean. It plans to use the project as a blueprint for other small islands across the European Union that have limited grid connection to the mainland. The EU has largely funded the project, providing 11 million euros ($12.5 million) of the total 13.7 million-euro ($15.7 million) cost.

"The innovation of this program and its funding lies in the batteries  the energy storage  that's what's innovative," project manager Spyros Aliferis said. "The energy produced by the wind turbines and the photovoltaics will be stored in batteries, so that this energy can be used for the grid when there is demand."

The batteries store power during sunny and windy conditions, releasing it during periods of heavy demand and lower production  such as at nighttime and the peak tourist season  to keep the grid powered up.

Named TILOS  Technology Innovation for the Local Scale Optimum Integration of Battery Energy Storage  the project uses a prototype battery system that improves storage of the excess energy generated until it's needed.

To work, it required an overhauled grid with smart meters installed in homes and businesses to calculate times of peak demand.

Currently, Tilos gets its energy from an underwater cable that runs from Kos to the island of Nisiros and on to Tilos. That creates an erratic, outage-prone service that routinely breaks appliances and has forced many businesses to rely on diesel generators.

While lacking the dazzle of other Greek islands like Mykonos and Santorini, Tilos  a 14-hour ferry ride from the mainland  is a quiet vacation spot that sees an average of 13,000 visitors a year. It's known as a green island, popular with hikers and bird watchers, and most of it is now a protected nature reserve.

Mayor Maria Kammas saw a green energy system as the island's natural next step.

"For many years now, Tilos has plotted a course that is dedicated to protecting the environment," she said. "We are seeking visitors  tourists actually  people who will visit our island who love the environment and want to protect it and nature as it was given to us."

Tourism is the main source of revenue for the island. But businesses have been plagued by lengthy blackouts, leaving hotels without air conditioning and restaurants without light or power, forcing them to discard food from warm refrigerators.

Hotel owner Sevasti Delaporta has closely followed the project since its inception over two years ago. There were initial doubts about the idea among Tilos residents, but tests have run smoothly, even during peak times this summer. The grid is expected to be fully operational in a few months.

"I'm very optimistic about this project because there are few negative consequences as a business, and for the guests of the hotel that I run," says Delaporta. "People are pleased with the service because they have no problem with their fridges and they have no problem with their air conditioning. They are happy."

With long sunny days and average temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer, tourists spend their mornings at the beach and afternoons napping. The island comes alive in the evening, when businesses open and residents and tourists alike flock to bars and cafes.

Eva Lemaire has visited the island every year for more than two decades. Coming from the Netherlands, which has one of the world's highest environmental standards, she says Tilos' green policies stand out in Greece.

"I'm also a little bit proud of Tilos about what they are doing now, with the renewable energy," she said. "I think it's good for the island not to be dependent on other islands."
What to Know A woman walking her dog in Hilton Head was apparently attacked and killed by an alligator

The woman was attacked Monday morning; authorities believe an alligator about 8 feet long pulled her under the water

Beaufort County Coroner Edward Allen identified the woman as Cassandra Cline, 45, of Hilton Head Island; the dog was not hurt

An alligator attacked a woman who was walking her dog, pulling her underwater in a lagoon and killing her, authorities in South Carolina said.

The attack happened around 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Sea Pines resort on Hilton Head Island, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Witnesses say the woman was pulled under the surface of the water by an alligator thought to be about 8 feet (2.5 meters) long.

Beaufort County Coroner Edward Allen identified the woman as Cassandra Cline, 45, of Hilton Head Island. Allen scheduled an autopsy at the Medical University of South Carolina.

The woman's dog did not appear to have been hurt, the sheriff's department said.

The alligator believed to have been responsible for the attack was located later Monday, the sheriff's office said without specifying exactly what happened after it was found.

In a statement Monday, the resort said it is working with authorities "to ensure necessary access to the site while the investigation is underway."

"We are extremely saddened by this news and will share information with the community as it is made available," Sea Pines said in the statement.
Conserving oil is no longer an economic imperative for the U.S., the Trump administration declares in a major new policy statement that threatens to undermine decades of government campaigns for gas-thrifty cars and other conservation programs.

The position was outlined in a memo released last month in support of the administration's proposal to relax fuel mileage standards. The government released the memo online this month without fanfare.

Growth of natural gas and other alternatives to petroleum has reduced the need for imported oil, which "in turn affects the need of the nation to conserve energy," the Energy Department said. It also cites the now decade-old fracking revolution that has unlocked U.S. shale oil reserves, giving "the United States more flexibility than in the past to use our oil resources with less concern."

With the memo, the administration is formally challenging old justifications for conservation  even congressionally prescribed ones, as with the mileage standards. The memo made no mention of climate change. Transportation is the single largest source of climate-changing emissions.

President Donald Trump has questioned the existence of climate change, embraced the notion of "energy dominance" as a national goal, and called for easing what he calls burdensome regulation of oil, gas and coal, including repealing the Obama Clean Power Plan.

Despite the increased oil supplies, the administration continues to believe in the need to "use energy wisely," the Energy Department said, without elaboration. Department spokesmen did not respond Friday to questions about that statement.

Reaction was quick.

"It's like saying, 'I'm a big old fat guy, and food prices have dropped  it's time to start eating again,'" said Tom Kloza, longtime oil analyst with the Maryland-based Oil Price Information Service.

"If you look at it from the other end, if you do believe that fossil fuels do some sort of damage to the atmosphere ... you come up with a different viewpoint," Kloza said. "There's a downside to living large."

Climate change is a "clear and present and increasing danger," said Sean Donahue, a lawyer for the Environmental Defense Fund.

In a big way, the Energy Department statement just acknowledges the world's vastly changed reality when it comes to oil.

Just 10 years ago, in summer 2008, oil prices were peaking at $147 a barrel and pummeling the global economy. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was enjoying a massive transfer of wealth, from countries dependent on imported oil. Prices now are about $65.

Today, the U.S. is vying with Russia for the title of top world oil producer. U.S. oil production hit an all-time high this summer, aided by the technological leaps of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

How much the U.S. economy is hooked up to the gas pump, and vice versa, plays into any number of policy considerations, not just economic or environmental ones, but military and geopolitical ones, said John Graham, a former official in the George W. Bush administration, now dean of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.

"Our ability to play that role as a leader in the world is stronger when we are the strongest producer of oil and gas," Graham said. "But there are still reasons to want to reduce the amount we consume."

Current administration proposals include one that would freeze mileage standards for cars and light trucks after 2020, instead of continuing to make them tougher.

The proposal eventually would increase U.S. oil consumption by 500,000 barrels a day, the administration says. While Trump officials say the freeze would improve highway safety, documents released this month showed senior Environmental Protection Agency staffers calculate the administration's move would actually increase highway deaths.

"American businesses, consumers and our environment are all the losers under his plan," said Sen. Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat. "The only clear winner is the oil industry. It's not hard to see whose side President Trump is on."

Administration support has been tepid to null on some other long-running government programs for alternatives to gas-powered cars.

Bill Wehrum, assistant administration of the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, spoke dismissively of electric cars  a young industry supported financially by the federal government and many states  this month in a call with reporters announcing the mileage freeze proposal.

"People just don't want to buy them," the EPA official said.

Oil and gas interests are campaigning for changes in government conservation efforts on mileage standards, biofuels and electric cars.

In June, for instance, the American Petroleum Institute and other industries wrote eight governors, promoting the dominance of the internal-combustion engine and questioning their states' incentives to consumers for electric cars.

Surging U.S. and gas production has brought on "energy security and abundance," Frank Macchiarola, a group director of the American Petroleum Institute trade association, told reporters this week, in a telephone call dedicated to urging scrapping or overhauling of one U.S. program for biofuels.

Fears of oil scarcity used to be a driver of U.S. energy policy, Macchiarola said.

Thanks partly to increased production, "that pillar has really been rendered essentially moot," he said.
Two people have died and one other person was injured following an early morning shooting at a distribution center in Missouri City, near Houston, police said. The suspected shooter and one male victim are among the dead, police said.



Police encountered the suspected shooter in the parking lot of a Ben E. Keith Distribution Center about 2:20 a.m. Monday, police said at a news conference. All three people in the incident, the suspected female shooter and two male victims, were employees there, police said.

The injured male victim was shot in the leg and was hospitalized, police said.



Police don't yet know whether the suspected shooter was shot by an officer or died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police haven't released names or details about the victims, but said a responding police officer opened fire on the woman. Police are continuing to investigate.

There were workers at the location at the time of the shooting and police were searching the premises, police said.

No other information was available.
Miss Clear the Shelters Saturday? There's one more chance to adopt a pet without paying the fee in Fort Worth.

Fort Worth extended the offer through Monday because its shelters are still full.

While yesterday's Clear the Shelters campaign helped 200 cats and dogs find their furever homes, Fort Worth's shelters were beyond capacity before the event.

"It's more stressful on the pets, it's more stressful on staff and the most important thing is after getting 200 animals out yesterday, you think, 'Well, all the good ones are gone,'" said Dr. Tim Morton with Fort Worth Animal Care & Control. "But the fact is we've got great dogs here today."

The animal shelters in Fort Worth are located at 4900 Martin Street, 4800 Southwest Loop 820 and 2901 Texas Sage Trail.

Adoption fees will be waived through the end of the day Monday.

Find more info at fortworthtexas.gov/animals.
Monday marks a big day for Dallas Independent School District, the largest district in North Texas with more than 150,000 students and 10,000 teachers. It's one of the first tests for the district after it had to take over busing for Dallas County Schools and fill hundreds of bus driver positions over the summer break.

Last month, Dallas ISD had 150 positions that still needed to be filled, but now all bus routes should be on schedule, according to a district spokesperson.

We are operating our own transportation system this year, said Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa. We know parents will be watching us to make sure we get it right. We are still a couple of drivers short, but all of the buses should arrive at their bus routes on schedule. As an administration, we will be monitoring how the week will turn out.



There are 30 to 40 teachers who have applied and have been processed to drive buses this school year.

This morning, students and teachers at L. O. Donald Elementary School will receive a special visitor. Hinojosa visited Donald Elementary School at 7 a.m. to congratulate the students for a job well done last year. The expectations for both the students and teachers are high after last years results showed that every 5th grader passed the STAAR exam.

If parents have questions about the bus system, they can call 972-925-KIDS.
The back to school blitz goes into overdrive Monday morning as more than two dozen North Texas school districts welcome students back to the classroom.

With the new school year comes a number of changes for Fort Worth ISD, one of the largest districts in North Texas. Students will need to get used to changes to some of the basic building blocks of the school day  start and end times.

New times:

High Schools: 8:35 a.m.  3:40 p.m.

Middle Schools: 9:15 a.m.  4:30 p.m.

Elementary Schools: 7:50 a.m.  3 p.m.

This change will mean 10 to 15 minutes more class time and could mean some extra instruction for students needing more assistance.

"It will be a great benefit for students. Allow for more flexibility in scheduling and again the most important thing we are doing in our classrooms is teaching and learning and we want to have as much time on task as possible," Superintendent Kent Scribner said.

Under the old system, Fort Worth ISD had two weather make-up days; Good Friday and the day after school was scheduled to end. The extra time in the classroom now means students will have accumulated enough minutes to meet state classroom requirements without adding extra days.

Some students in the district will now see the addition of an eighth class period. Its a change Scribner said serves to help students.

"Eight class periods offer an opportunity to be more efficient with scheduling and also allows some students to take higher level advanced classes as well as coordination between our high schools and middle schools, Scribner said. We will want to make sure there is a pipeline for success through Fort Worth ISD."

All secondary schools in the district will have the same schedule of eight class periods.

This will give high school students the chance to gain up to 32 credits; giving additional support to those needing credits to graduate. The change will also give middle school students a chance to take high school courses.
A Texas man who fatally stabbed his 16-month-old son outside a suburban Dallas apartment building was shot in the leg by a neighbor who tried to stop the attack Sunday, police said.



Witnesses told Lewisville police they saw a man "beating and stabbing a small child" in the courtyard of the Oak Forest Apartments complex on Business Highway 121 at about 12:40 p.m., according to Capt. Jesse Hunter with the Lewisville Police Department.

Hunter said witnesses told police the man yelled "Jesus is coming" before the attack.

According to Hunter, a neighbor heard screaming and shot the man in the leg, ending the attack. Police said the neighbor will not face any charges because he was defending another person's life.

The boy's father was placed under arrest and hospitalized Sunday where he underwent surgery.

Capt. Mike Lane, with the Lewisville Police Department, said the man suffered a gunshot wound as well as injuries from the knife used in the attack.

Lane said police are withholding the man's name until they can move him to a more secure environment; when he can be moved will be at the discretion of his doctors.

Lane said detectives have not yet interviewed the man, but speculated they may not learn much about why the attack took place.



"I don't think anyone is going to be able to come up with a rational reason why a father would do that to his own son," Lane said. "I don't suspect interviewing him is going to give us a rational reason either."

Lane said though detectives have not interviewed the child's father, they have spoken with the child's mother and numerous witnesses to the attack.

"Our main concern now is the emotional welfare of, not only of our folks that were involved, police, fire, EMS, our dispatchers, but also there were children present," Lane said. "This all occured on a Sunday afternoon. A bright, sunny day. We have some children that were there, they're going to get some resources on mental health care. We understand there are quite a few adults there that may also be in need."

Ciera Mills, 26, told The Dallas Morning News that from her balcony she would sometimes see the man on his, that they would occasionally greet one another and that he seemed "pretty normal."

"For this to happen is unbelievable," Mills told the paper.

Police said there was no history of calls to the family's apartment by either their department or Child Protective Services.

Lane said the man, once he is medically cleared, is expected to face a capital murder charge. In Texas a conviction of capital murder automatically comes with either a life sentence without parole or death.


Two men have been arrested after a woman was attacked after withdrawing $75,000 from a Houston-area bank.

Video surveillance captured the violent episode Friday as the woman parked at a gas station after making the withdrawal. A man ran up to the woman, believed to be an owner of the station, and tried to grab the purse containing the money.

She held onto the purse as she fell to the ground and a man ran from the station to fight off the assailant.

A car driven by an accomplice then backs into the woman, injuring her. The attackers made off with some of the money.

Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman says one suspect was caught later Friday and a second man, the suspected driver, was captured Monday.
Afghan forces launched a lightning operation in northern Kunduz province on Monday, rescuing 149 people, including women and children, abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier, officials said.

By mid-afternoon, fighting was still underway in the area to free 21 remaining hostages, officials added.

The operation was a boost for Afghan forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban on battlefields across the country.

On Monday morning, the Taliban ambushed a convoy of three buses travelling on a road in the Khan Abad district, and forced everyone to come with them, according to Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Rahimi said that after Afghan security forces freed 149, the insurgents were still holding 21 hostages from the buses. He added at least seven Taliban fighters have been killed in the fighting so far.

The ambush came despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's announcement of a conditional cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week.

The Taliban have stepped up their assaults in recent months, seizing entire districts across Afghanistan and regularly carrying out large-scale bombings and attacks that have killed scores of people.

Esmatullah Muradi, spokesman for the provincial governor in Kunduz, also confirmed the rescue of the hostages. According to Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, the Taliban were likely looking for government employees or members of the security forces who usually go home for the holidays.

All the passengers on the buses were from Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were traveling to the capital, Kabul, said Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief in neighboring Takhar province.

Ghani's call for the truce, made during celebrations Sunday of the 99th anniversary of Afghanistan's independence, said "the cease-fire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depend on the Taliban's stand."

On Saturday, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzadah, said that there will be no peace in the country as long as the "foreign occupation" continues. He reiterated the group's standing position that the country's 17-year war can only be brought to an end through direct talks with the United States.

In a message released on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, and without mentioning any cease-fire, Akhunzadah said the insurgents remain committed to "Islamic goals," the sovereignty of Afghanistan and ending the war.

For his part, Ghani said he hoped extensions could also be agreed upon to make the cease-fire last until Nov. 20, which will mark the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad.

The government had previously announced a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June. The Taliban accepted that three-day truce but later rejected a call by the president to extend it.

Earlier this month, the Taliban launched a major assault on the eastern city of Ghazni, just 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kabul and the capital of a province with the same name. Afghan security forces battled the militants inside the city for five days, with the U.S. carrying out airstrikes and sending advisers to help the Afghan ground forces, until the Taliban were routed from Ghazni.

The battle for the city killed at least 100 members of the Afghan security forces and 35 civilians, according to Afghan officials. The heavy casualties underscore the challenges the government in Kabul faces since the U.S. and NATO officially ended their combat mission at the end of 2014. Since then, American forces, now in a training and advising role, have repeatedly come to the aid of Afghan forces.

Associated Press writer Rahim Faiez contributed to this report.
A British woman survived nearly half a day in the Mediterranean Sea after falling off a cruise ship this weekend, NBC News reported.

The unidentified woman was sitting at the back of a Norwegian Cruise Line ship's deck when she fell, she told broadcaster HRT in Croatia, where she was taken after being rescued. She fell 60 miles from shore, according to The Associated Press.



"I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me," she said, adding, "I am very lucky to be alive."

A port authority captain in Pula, where she was hospitalized, said the Adriatic Sea's temperature is "very warm," and that gave her good chances for surviving.
Shots were fired from a moving car at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey before dawn Monday, an attack that came during heightened tensions between the two NATO allies. Officials said two people with criminal records were detained.

There were no casualties in the fleeting attack, in which three of the six bullets fired hit the embassy gate and a reinforced window in the building in Ankara.

The Ankara governor's office named the suspects as Ahmet Celikten, 39, and Osman Gundas, 38, saying they had confessed. Authorities seized a 9-millimeter gun and a vehicle with Ankara license plates.

Celikten had escaped prison and Gundas had several crimes under his belt, including car theft, drugs and threats, the governor's office said.

The U.S. Embassy thanked Turkish authorities, tweeting that it appreciated their "fast and professional action" in arresting the two suspects.

Turkish officials are locked in a trade and diplomatic dispute with the United States but they fully condemned the shooting. Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tweeted that it was "an attempt to create chaos."

A top official in Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party said the attack was a "clear provocation" and that foreign diplomats are guests of the country.

"The utmost sensitivity will be shown to ensure their security," said the party spokesman, Omer Celik.

The governor's office said authorities are investigating the suspects' links.

The U.S. Embassy was planning to close at midday Monday anyway until the end of the week for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey are high, partly because of the case of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who is being prosecuted in Turkey for alleged espionage and terrorism-related offenses. He denies any wrongdoing and U.S. President Donald Trump has called for his immediate release.

Turkey has long criticized the United States for not agreeing to hand over Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric accused by Turkish authorities of engineering an attempted coup in 2016. Gulen denies those allegations. Washington has told Turkey it must present convincing evidence for any extradition proceeding to go forward.

The Turkish lira has lost 39 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since the beginning of the year and was hurt further by recent U.S. tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum. Turkey's economy is already vulnerable because of heavy foreign currency borrowing that fueled high growth for years.

Also Monday, Turkey filed a complaint about the U.S. tariffs at the World Trade Organization, the WTO said. The two sides can now try to resolve the dispute without litigation  if talks fail after 60 days, a WTO panel can be asked to judge the matter, it said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government imposed its own tit-for-tat tariffs on some American goods, alluded to the dispute with the U.S. in a pre-recorded holiday message.

"There is no difference between the direct attacks on our call to prayer and our flag and the attack on our economy," said Erdogan. "Those who think they can make Turkey give in with the foreign exchange rate will soon see they are wrong."

U.S. diplomatic offices have been targeted in the past in Turkey.

At least one suspect was wounded in a shooting outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in 2015. In 2013, a suicide bomber killed a Turkish guard and himself outside the embassy in Ankara. In 2008, three assailants and three Turkish police officers died in a shootout outside the Istanbul consulate.

___

Christopher Torchia in Istanbul contributed to this report.
Authorities said Monday that they are looking into sexual assault allegations by a young actor against Italian actress Asia Argento  one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Capt. Darren Harris said investigators from his department will seek to talk to Jimmy Bennett or his representatives about the alleged incident at a Southern California hotel in 2013, when Bennett was 17.

The move comes in response to a New York Times story saying Argento, 42, settled a legal notice of intent to sue filed by Bennett, who is now 22, for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her.

Argento and Bennett co-starred in a 2004 film called "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things" in which Argento played Bennett's prostitute mother.

Bennett says in the notice that he had sex with Argento in the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, California, in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18.

The notice says the encounter traumatized Bennett and hurt his career, the Times reported.

Investigators have learned no police report was filed at the time, Harris said.

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and Bennett in bed. Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic, the Times reported.

In a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, a lawyer for Bennett said the actor "does not wish to comment on the documents or the events" at this time.

The statement asked for privacy and noted that Bennett would take "the next 24 hours, or longer, to prepare his response."

Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21. Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.

Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but not including Argento.

Representatives for Argento did not respond to a request from The Associated Press for comment.

This story has been clarified to say that Jimmy Bennett filed a notice of intent to sue.
A San Diego man described by federal officials as a prolific Bitcoin dealer is in custody, on suspicion of sending cash payments overseas to buy Bitcoin and circumvent laws against money laundering.

Jacob Burrell Campos, 21, was arrested August 13 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Burrell is being held without bond on a 31-count indictment alleging he ran an illegal money transmitting business. If convicted of the charges, Burrell could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Burrell would accept cash either in person or via MoneyGram then deposit the cash into an account in the name of Bitfinex, a crypto-currency exchange in Hong Kong, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

At a bond hearing on Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Ciaffa said Burrell sold approximately $750,000 worth of Bitcoin to more than 900 buyers. In exchange, Burrell charged a 5-percent fee.

In order to operate legally as a Bitcoin exchanger, Burrell should have registered with the Department of Treasury and followed the anti-money laundering protocol, Ciaffa said. This includes reporting any suspicious cash transactions to the government.

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency in which assets exist only in a digital form and are unregulated. Funds are moved between people instead of through financial institutions. An investor may hold bitcoin in a digital wallet which is vulnerable to hackers.

Federal prosecutors allege Burrell brought close to $1 million in unregulated cash into the U.S. banking system.

He faces 28 counts of international money laundering. Each carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Burrell most recently lived in of Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico but had bank accounts in the United States.

Hes charged with conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, failing to maintain an anti-money laundering program, International money laundering and conspiracy to structure international instrument transactions.

This is not the first indictment filed in San Diego against a Bitcoin dealer. In February, Morgan Rockcoons, 30, of Las Vegas was accused of accepting $14,500 from an undercover officer in exchange for $9,200 worth of bitcoin in a bid to conceal profits from the illegal sale of hash oil.
A boat was stolen from a Southwest Miami-Dade home and the entire incident was caught on camera.

Surveillance cameras were rolling as two men stole the boat from the side of a home near 44th Avenue and 13th Street, while the owner was sleeping inside. The incident happened at around 1:30 a.m. on Friday.

The thieves were in no rush and came prepared, as it took them about an hour to steal the 32-foot sailfish vessel.

Sergio Valiente owns the boat and posted the videos on the South Florida Marina and Boat Watch Facebook group.

Last month, NBC6 Investigator Willard Shepard interviewed one of the founders of the group who explained its a community effort to deter this type of crime.

We figured what a better way to get pictures up on the site. Rather than hearing it third hand, somebody got a boat stolen or motor stolen, lets invite everybody to join this group and start posting pictures, said Bruce Marx, the groups administrator.

More than 6,000 vessel owners have jumped on board and share information on how they were victimized and who to be on the lookout for.

The boat bandits managed to push the owners pickup truck out of the way. The truck was purposely parked in front of the boat to avoid theft.

According to the owner, police recovered the vessel nearby within hours. However, the crooks stole both motors, the power steering system, the GPS and the radar. The owner estimates he lost about $100,000 worth of items.

Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. A tip leading to an arrest could result in a $3,000 reward.
The top priorities for the 2018-2019 school year for Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is safety and security.

As 1,000 school buses rolled out to pick up students and police officers stood guard at all 389 Miami-Dade County public schools on Monday, Carvalho said no effort was spared.

While he handed out breakfast and coffee to school bus drivers during a back-to-school event, Carvalho told NBC 6 that the county is "ready to go."

Carvalho said transportation safety is a top priority. Over the summer, drivers received additional training and buses have been outfitted with GPS. There are about 1,000 bus drivers in the district.

As congestion is likely, Carvalho urges parents to remain patient on the roadways.

About 20,000 teachers will be ready to warmly greet students, Carvalho said, adding that he will make sure to repeat last year's success by assuring the district receives an A-Rating for the 2018-2019 school year.

At least one law enforcement officer has been assigned to all 389 of Miami-Dade County public schools.

As parents and children of Miami-Dade Public Schools gear up to begin a new school year, school administrators say campuses are ready and equipped to ensure safety on campus for their 350,000 students.

Over the summer, we installed close to 15,000 high definition security cameras, guaranteeing 100 percent coverage throughout Miami-Dade, centrally linked to a command center where we have eyes on schools 24 hours a day; with a detective team that investigates any threatening message or anything that requires police action, said Carvalho.

And as Miami-Dade Public Schools undergo renovation, as did Rockway Elementary recently, additional safety features will be installed.

Impact glass windows, impact glass doors, they offer additional safety and security. You cannot see through them, but natural light actually penetrates into the classroom, said Carvalho.

Last week, the Miami-Dade Superintendent came to an agreement with the police forces and Mayors of the remaining municipalities in the county to guarantee one police officer in every school, rather than an armed guard, which is the minimum a recently passed Florida law requires.

Several police departments within the county conducted active shooter drills over the summer, as well.

We are as ready as we possibly could be. However, the best tool of prevention actually rests with the community. Information is the best thing we can have at our disposal. So Im asking parents, if you see something, say something. Know something, speak to us. Let us know. Call 305-995-COPS, said Carvalho.

Placing one police officer at each of the schools will cost $20 million.
An Instagram video tipped off Florida police looking for an assault rifle that had been stolen from a sheriff's deputy's unmarked car.

An arrest affidavit says a 17-year-old teen is accused of taking the weapon and tactical gear on Aug. 14. Boynton Beach police arrested him Saturday night after he was seen on an Instagram video holding the AR-15 in the air as he danced to rap music. Investigators say the social media video gave them grounds for a search warrant. The rifle was found under the teen's mattress.

The deputy told police the items, including two loaded magazine, a Taser and a ballistic helmet, were taken from his car while it was parked outside a shopping center.

The teen is charged with grand theft and burglary.
An attorney who has bedeviled President Donald Trump during the past year over his personal relationships and immigration policies made a presidential pitch of his own to Democratic voters in New Hampshire on Sunday.

Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her case against Trump, told the Hillsborough County Democrats that he was considering matching Trump's confrontational style with his own pugilistic brand in a 2020 presidential run.

"When they go low, we hit harder," Avenatti said, modifying a former first lady Michelle Obama slogan.

Avenatti acknowledged that some of the roughly 200 voters at the outdoor barbecue might be thinking, "What is some porn lawyer doing here today?" But, he added, "As you all know, these are anything but usual times."

Democrats today, he said, are fighting for "nothing short of the survival of our republic."

Tracing his background, Avenatti said he had grown up in Missouri without a "golden toilet"  an allusion to the Trump family's wealth  and was the first in his family to graduate from college.

As a trial lawyer, he said, he represented "Davids" against "Goliaths"  and still does now, he said, with his advocacy for Daniels, who says she was coerced into staying silent about her alleged relationship with Trump, and for immigrant families separated by the White House's crackdown on asylum seekers at the border.

Avenatti has put a toe in the 2020 race, posting a platform on Twitter and recently visiting Iowa, another key primary state that he will soon visit again. On Sunday, he said he was still seriously considering whether to run.

But "what I fear most . is that (Democrats) have a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gunfight," said. Avenatti, who has gained notoriety for assailing Trump using the president's favored medium, Twitter. Speaking to reporters later, Avenatti addressed some Democrats' concerns about adopting Trump's tactics, arguing that a successful challenger must be able to counter the president's provocations. He praised Hillary Clinton's resume and character, but noted that she lost the 2016 election despite being the most qualified candidate "in U.S. history."

Avenatti was not the only politician at Sunday's gathering to use Trump as a motivator for voters. Democratic candidates from county commissioner up to governor sought to tie local Republicans to the president.

Steve Marchand, a former mayor of Portsmouth running for governor, said the Republican incumbent, Chris Sununu, was linked to Trump "by complicity" with his policies on immigration, voter rights and education. Molly Kelly, a former state senator also competing in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, tied Sununu to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos through their support for an educational voucher system, which Kelly said "weakens public education and . will raise property taxes."

Voters on hand appeared cautiously taken with Avenatti, who received a celebrity reception after arriving Sunday afternoon, stopping every few feet for a selfie photo as he slowly made his way through an energized crowd.

Kathy Boyer, a former law firm clerk from Amherst, said she liked Avenatti's message and hoped he would prove a viable candidate, despite never having held political office.

"People said the same thing about Donald Trump," she said. "Look what happened."
What to Know A teacher was fired from her Bronx charter school for reporting three students for sexual harassment, a new lawsuit alleges

The teacher worked at Bronx Lighthouse Charter School from August 2015 to March of this year, according to the suit

She was fired 'to punish her for... complaining about the condonation of the sexual harassment she endured,' the suit claims

A teacher was fired from her Bronx charter school for reporting three students for sexual harassment, a new lawsuit charges.

Marcia White started working at Bronx Lighthouse Charter School as a middle school social studies teacher in August 2015, according to a lawsuit filed in Bronx Supreme Court earlier this month.

In December 2016, White emailed the principal of the school about three seventh-grade boys who had been making inappropriate remarks to her, including that they wanted to run a train on [her], which was a reference to a sexual act, the lawsuit says.

...[O]ne of the students in particular repeatedly told White that he wanted to take her out on a date and perform sexual acts on her, the suit claims.

But instead of addressing the 31-year-old teacher's concerns, the principal emailed her back and asked her to be mindful of what she included in emails, as the charter school network would be able to read them.

We have to protect our students, he wrote, adding that White should take to the assistant principal about the situation, according to the lawsuit.

After White talked to the assistant principal, the boys apologized, but one of them kept making inappropriate comments, the suit says.

Ms. White you look mad good, let me take you out, the student would say to her, according to the suit.

The student would also circle the teacher in the hallway while looking [her] up and down and saying how good she looked in her clothes and tell her "that he could not wait until her birthday to buy her fashion nova jeans so he could sit in class and stare at [her] walk around, the lawsuit claims.

The teacher kept complaining to the school about the students behavior, but the school didnt do anything, according to the suit.

White found success at the school as a teacher  she was named Teacher of the Year in June 2017  but the students continued harassment had a devastating impact on [her], as she felt degraded and demeaned in the workplace, the lawsuit says.

In an email this past February, White once again complained about the students behavior, and claimed Lighthouse was excusing sexual harassment, according to the suit. In March of this year, she was fired, the suit says.

The teacher wasnt told why she was fired, but it was clearly to punish her for asserting her human rights by complaining about the condonation of the sexual harassment she endured in her workplace, the lawsuit claims.

The suit seeks a total of $15 million in damages, in addition to costs of suit and attorneys' fees.

News 4 New York reached out to the school about the allegations, but the school declined to comment.
What to Know A Delaware man was charged with his fifth DUI after crashing into two teen girls in Dover, police said.

Smith was charged with his fifth DUI as well as leaving the scene of a collision resulting in injury and other related offenses.

Two teen girls who were struck in the crash suffered non-life threatening injuries.

A Delaware man was charged with his fifth DUI after crashing into two teen girls in Dover, police said.

William S. Smith, 51, of Dover, was driving a 2013 Nissan Altima on North Dupont Highway and West Denneys Road Saturday when he lost control of his vehicle, traveled off the roadway and struck two 17-year-old girls, according to investigators.

Police arrived at the scene around 7:15 p.m. and found the vehicle empty at the entrance of the Delaware Technical Community College after Smith allegedly fled the scene. Smith was later found in the parking lot of the college, police said.

Police smelled alcohol on Smith and conducted a DUI investigation, according to officials. A computer check revealed Smith had four previous DUI convictions.

Smith was charged with his fifth DUI as well as vehicular assault, reckless endangering, leaving the scene of a collision resulting in injury, driving while suspended or revoked and other traffic-related offenses.

The two teen girls were taken to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Two passengers, a 47-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman, were not injured during the crash.

Smith was arraigned and committed to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $16,675.00 cash only bond.


What to Know The bodies of a father and son missing since they were swept down a river in Orange County on Saturday have been recovered

The 46-year-old man and his 9-year-old son were swept downstream near the Oakland Valley Campground after their raft flipped over

State Police Aviation, along with Forest Rangers, found the victims -- Marcos Avila and his father Marco -- near Shore Drive on Monday

The bodies of the 9-year-old boy and his father who were swept away while rafting in a New York river over the weekend have been recovered, New York State Police said Monday afternoon.



State Police and other agencies had been searching Orange County's Neversink River for 9-year-old Marcos Avila and 46-year-old Marco Avila, of East Elmhurst, Queens, since Saturday morning, when they were swept away following a rafting accident.

Authorities say two kids had initially been in the raft around 10:30 a.m. that day and the father saw one of them, Marcos Avila, fall out as they headed back toward shore. He dove in to rescue him and managed to get him back into the raft, but it flipped over -- and authorities say they never resurfaced.



The father and son were found Monday, on day three of the search near the Oakland Valley Campground, in the water in the area of Shore Drove.



The other young person who had initially been in the boat wasn't named; it wasn't clear if that person was another family member.



No other details have been released.

Friends and family gathered to remember the two at a vigil at Gorman Playground in East Elmhurst Monday night, where father and son often played soccer.


What to Know An off-duty FDNY EMT was killed late Sunday in a motorcycle crash in Queens, police sources said

Police said the 25-year-old man lost control of his Harley on Utopia Parkway and crashed into a house

He was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead; the investigation is ongoing

An off-duty FDNY EMT was killed late Sunday in a mangled motorcycle crash in Queens, police sources familiar with the investigation tell NBC 4 New York.

Eric Maleh, 25, was riding his Harley Davidson along Utopia Parkway around 10:30 p.m. when he swerved around a vehicle making a U-turn near 80th Drive and lost control, police said. The NYPD said he crashed into the front of a house in Fresh Meadows.

He was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The investigation is ongoing.
What to Know A firefighter was arrested for starting five fires on Long Island, including one sparked by a Molotov cocktail, police said

Bethpage Fire Department member Christopher Cordeiro, 20, of Bethpage, set the fires between last June and Sunday, August 19 of this year

He faces charges including third-degree arson, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree arson and fifth-degree arson

A firefighter was arrested for starting five fires on Long Island, including one sparked by a Molotov cocktail, authorities said.

Bethpage Fire Department member Christopher Cordeiro, 20, of Bethpage, used a Molotov cocktail to set the first fire in a pit across from 25 Arthur Ave. in Bethpage last June, Nassau County police said.

On March 1 of this year, Cordeiro set another fire, in a dumpster at 67 West Millpage Drive, police said.

On Aug. 5, Cordeiro started a fire inside an abandoned house at 285 Stewart Ave., and on Aug. 10, he started a blaze in a wooded area next to 96 Broadway, according to police.

And on Sunday, he set a fire inside a shed at 121 North Hermann Ave., police said. He was arrested at the Bethpage Fire House on Union Avenue on Sunday.

Cordeiro faces charges including third-degree arson, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree arson and fifth-degree arson, and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

News 4 New York has reached out to the Bethpage Fire Department for comment.
What to Know The MTA says two goats were spotted roaming on the above-ground N tracks near Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn Monday

It's not clear how they got there or where they came from; the MTA had to reroute southbound N trains so cops could safely corral them

It's the third recent incident in a nationwide goat-on-the-lam trend following the 100+ goats on the loose in Idaho and an escape in NJ

Goats have to commute, too.



Two goats were spotted roaming on the above-ground N tracks near Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn Monday morning, and after about an hour, the MTA said it had to reroute trains on the line so cops could safely catch them.



The MTA says it called NYPD and Animal Control about the goats, who were on the tracks between the Fort Hamilton and New Utrecht stations, before 11 a.m. By 12:30 p.m., the goats were still on the tracks. They were surrounded.



Transit officials tweeted a picture of the black and white goats, captioning it, "Two very baaaaaad boys." N trains were running on the D line in both directions from 36 Street to Coney Island as crews worked to corral them.



[NATL-NY]118 Mystery Goats Run Loose Eating Everything in Sight in Boise, Idaho

They were tranquilized a short time later and have been taken to the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York, with the help of comedian Jon Stewart, who has a history of bringing rescued animals to that farm.

Comedian Jon Stewart picked up the two goats found roaming along subway tracks in Brooklyn Monday morning from the Animal Care & Control of Brooklyn, and transported them to the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

It's not clear how the goats got on the tracks, nor where they came from, but it is the third recent incident in a nationwide goat-on-the-lam trend.

First, more than 100 goats ran amok in an Idaho neighborhood, eating everything in sight.

75 Goats and Sheep Escape New Jersey Livestock Auction, Continuing Nationwide Goat-on-the-Lam Trend

Less than two weeks ago, 75 goats (and sheep) escaped a New Jersey livestock auction and went wandering around Hackettstown. In that case, it appeared someone may have left a gate unsecured.

[NATL-DC] These Images of the Abandoned Owings Mills Mall Will Give You Chills
What to Know A NY man is facing charges in connection to an alleged rent scam targeting the immigrant community in Northern Westchester, officials say

Jeffrey Pena, of Thornwood, was arraigned Thursday on eight counts of scheme to defraud, the Office of the District Attorney of Westchester

Pena allegedly asked for up to $3,600 upfront for an apartment rental, but once he received money he wouldn't give victims the apartment

A New York man is facing charges in connection to an alleged rent scam targeting the immigrant community and others in Northern Westchester, officials announced.

Jeffrey Pena, of Thornwood, was arraigned Thursday on eight counts of scheme to defraud, the Office of the District Attorney of Westchester said.

According to prosecutors, Pena allegedly posted hand-written flyers in local businesses or told people he had an apartment available to rent. He would then allegedly ask for money up front and take between $1,700 and $3,600 from his victims, but never ended up renting the apartments to them.

Prosecutors say the earliest incident for which he is facing charges allegedly took place in May 2017, while the most recent took place last month.

Pena surrendered to Mount Pleasant Police Thursday and was later arraigned. He was released on bail and ordered to surrender his passport.

His next town court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 27.

Attorney information for Pena was not immediately available.

Because immigrants are often exploited for their vulnerability, we believe they should know their rights and seek help without fear of reprisal. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. said. Most importantly, we want to make sure immigrants know they can reach out to our office whether they are victims of a crime or witnesses to a crime.

Prosecutors urge immigrants that are victims of any crime  or think they might be victims  to come forward, even if they do not speak English or fully know the laws, by calling the Office of Immigrant Affairs Hotline at (914) 995-1616. Translators are available.

The office can also be reached by sending an e-mail to oia@westchesterda.net.
What to Know A grand jury report revealed that hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania molested more than 1,000 children in six dioceses since the 1940s.

Across the U.S., Catholics are searching for ways to respond to the constant sex-abuse scandals that have tarnished the institution.

The report sparked a mixed reaction from parishioners.

For decades, Michael Drweiga has opened his wallet whenever the donation basket comes around at church, but the latest revelations of priests sexually abusing children brought him to the conclusion that he can no longer justify giving.

Brice Sokolowski helps small Catholic nonprofits and churches raise money, but he too supports the recent calls to withhold donations.

And Georgene Sorensen has felt enough anger and "just total sadness" over the past few weeks that she's reconsidering her weekly offering at her parish.

Across the U.S., Catholics once faithful with their financial support to their churches are searching for ways to respond to the constant sex-abuse scandals that have tarnished the institution in which they believe, with back-to-back scandals in the past two months.

The most recent came Tuesday when a grand jury report revealed that hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania molested more than 1,000 children in six dioceses since the 1940s  crimes that church leaders are accused of covering up. The report came two months after Pope Francis ordered disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick removed from public ministry amid allegations the 88-year-old retired archbishop sexually abused a teenage altar boy and engaged in sexual misconduct with adult seminarians decades ago. Last month, Francis accepted McCarrick's resignation as cardinal and ordered him to a "life of prayer and penance."

The most recent "whopper of a report" from Pennsylvania, Drweiga said, was enough to make him wonder where his money was going and whether it was being used to cover up abuses.

"In an organization that spans the whole world like the Catholic Church, you don't know where your money is going. And when you read about these priest-abuse scandals it just raises that question to the highest power. What is this money going for?" said Drweiga, 63, who lives in Wilmette, Illinois.

Sokolowski, an Austin, Texas, resident who founded Catholicfundraiser.net to provide advice to Catholic nonprofits and churches, said he's heard from many who are "really sick and tired" of hearing about priests abusing children.

"So the big thing that people are saying is, 'We just need to stop funding their crap,'" said Sokolowski, 36. He said he encourages people to stop giving money to their diocese, which oversees the network of churches in an area, but to keep supporting their local parish and tell their priest and bishop what they're doing.

Calls to financially boycott the Catholic Church are not new. Five years ago, after sex-abuse scandals rocked the archdiocese in St. Paul, Minnesota, parishioners talked about withholding their donations in protest.

But Catholics face a delicate balance because some of the money dioceses raise are shared with parishes, cautioned Dr. Edward Peters, the Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

"I'm just saying, be careful about punishing the Spouse of Christ and her dependent children because some priests and even bishops, men presumably wedded to her as Jesus was wedded to her, abandoned her so shamelessly," Peters wrote in a blogpost Thursday, referring to the Catholic Church.

Sorensen, who lives near Tucson, Arizona, said after the McCarrick story broke, her prayer group sent a letter to her bishop voicing their concerns.

"Then came the Pennsylvania scandal and we thought, 'Oh my God, this isn't over. We thought it was over,'" the 72-yearold Sorensen said. "We thought we were building the new church again."

Sorensen said she doesn't plan to withhold money that she has pledged, including her diocese's Annual Catholic Appeal, but she has spoken with others about the possibility of not giving a regular weekly contribution or only offering money to specific projects.

As for future major giving, she said, "we are definitely waiting to see where all the chips are going to fall."

"It comes down to one thing: It's the message, not the messenger," she said. "I'm a faithful Catholic. ... I will never leave the church. I will fight to save it."

For Eddie Shih, however, the scandal has shaken his faith  one to which he converted about a decade ago and has intensely studied through three years of night school to earn a master's degree in theology.

"I am struggling with it  it's not easy for me," said Shih, a Taiwanese immigrant who lives in New York City and attends several Catholic churches. "I don't think I'll leave the church but I can imagine a lot of people ... will just drop out of the church."

Tim Lennon, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said his organization has fielded calls from Catholics who have pledged to stop giving to their church.

"It's an action as opposed to just sitting here doing nothing," he said, but added that it's a symbolic gesture.

"That in itself will not protect children. That in itself will not support survivors. That in itself will not compel ... an attorney general to take action," he said. "It's just a message to the church that it's not just survivors knocking at their door as we have been for the last 30 years."

Ilene Kennedy, a San Antonio resident who attended Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City on Sunday, said she doesn't know "what the fix would be" aside from "holding the higher-ups accountable." Still, she doesn't think withholding her money from the collection basket is the answer.

"I don't think that we should punish all churches just for that," she said. "I don't think that's right."

Associated Press video producer Robert Bumsted contributed to this report.
If anyone knows what Michael Cohen is up against, his lawyer figures it's John Dean, the former White House counsel who turned on President Richard Nixon and helped run him out of office.

Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis, told The Associated Press on Monday that he's been talking with Dean over the last few months "to hear his wisdom, the lessons that he learned and his reflections on what he saw Michael Cohen going through."

Davis' revelation was widely seen as the latest sign that Cohen, who worked as a New York lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, could be seeking a deal to cooperate against Trump in the Russia probe. It also comes as federal prosecutors appear close to charging Cohen with financial crimes.

Two people familiar with the federal investigation into Cohen told the AP on Monday that Cohen could be charged by the end of the month with crimes including bank fraud in his dealings with the taxi industry. Davis has declined to talk about potential charges or a plea deal.

Davis, a special counsel to President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s, said he's been close with Dean since appearing regularly with him on MSNBC during Clinton's impeachment.

"I gained a lot of wisdom from Mr. Dean, especially how he coped and attempted to defend himself from the vicious campaign to discredit him, orchestrated by the Nixon White House," Davis said.

Through their conversations, Davis said, he and Dean noticed strong parallels between Dean's experience as the Watergate scandal came to a head in 1974 and Cohen's pivot from having unfailing loyalty to Trump  once boasting he would "take a bullet" for him  to looking out for himself.

Dean faced a federal investigation, too, and spent four months in jail after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. Dean, Nixon's White House counsel, and Cohen, Trump's personal lawyer, were questioned by Congress and were skewered by people who remained loyal to the presidents they had abandoned.

Trump on Sunday tweeted that a New York Times story about White House counsel Don McGahn giving hours of testimony to special counsel Robert Mueller's team implied that "he must be a John Dean type 'RAT.'"

Dean, a vocal Trump critic, responded, "I doubt you have ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didn't think I would tell them the truth!"

Davis said he was seeking factual information, not legal advice, from Dean in their conversations and did not share with him information that would be covered by attorney-client privilege. David noted that Dean has not talked to Cohen directly.

Dean, on CNN on Monday, said Davis was seeking to learn more about how Watergate unfolded so he could better "understand that history."

Davis said he did "not in any way compare the depth of knowledge and the detail, insider information" that Dean had about Nixon's crimes to what Cohen "may or may not know."

"If anything," he said, "I'm doing my best to reduce expectations on that comparison, on the level of knowledge."

Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.
What to Know Two Archdiocese of Philadelphia priests were found unsuitable for ministry after sex abuse charges for one, and drug charges for another

A Board recommended that both Reverend Andrew D. McCormick, 62, and Monsignor Gregory J. Parlante, 61, were not suitable for ministry.

Father McCormick will either be laicized or enter into a supervised life of prayer and penance," a spokesperson wrote.

A priest who faced child sex abuse charges and another priest who faced drug and theft charges were both found unsuitable for ministry, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Thursday.

The Archdiocesan Professional Responsibilities Review Board (APRRB), which serves as the confidential advisory body to Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, recommended that both Rev. Andrew D. McCormick, 62, and Monsignor Gregory J. Parlante, 61, were not suitable for ministry.

McCormick, 62, had served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Swedesburg, Pennsylvania. In July 2012, he was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing an 11-year-old altar boy five years earlier.

That arrest stemmed from a report made directly to law enforcement and had been previously unknown to the Archdiocese, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia wrote.

McCormick was placed on administrative leave following the arrest. He stood for a criminal trial in March 2014 and another in March 2015. Both resulted in mistrials, however, and the criminal charges against him were formally withdrawn in April 2015.

A civil case was filed against McCormick after the trials and resolved earlier this year.

In June, the archdiocese launched an investigation into McCormick, who has not been in active ministry since his arrest. The investigation led to the boards recommendation that was accepted by Archbishop Chaput.

Father McCormick will either be laicized or enter into a supervised life of prayer and penance, a Philadelphia archdiocese spokesperson wrote.

Parlante, 61, was also found to be unsuitable for ministry. In the spring of 2017, Parlante requested a leave of absence from Saint Cornelius Parish in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, where he served as pastor. In May 2017, after his departure, staff members opened a package that was delivered to the life center with Parlantes name on it. They found what they believed to be illegal drugs inside the package and reported it to police.

In January, Parlante was arrested and charged with knowing or intentional possession of a controlled substance, use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and theft by unlawful taking or disposition.

Parlante was ordered to perform community service, make restitution to his former parish community for the theft of $5,500 and complete one year of probation. The archdiocese also launched their own investigation leading to the decision that he was unsuitable for ministry.

The two announcements come after a landmark grand jury report alleging that priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses molested more than 1,000 children since the 1940s  crimes that church leaders are accused of covering up. However, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia was not named in the report.


A new generation of Catholics is stepping outside the church's tainted shadow and creating a modern community that, they say, better reflects the world today.

This new generation of believers worship outside the confines of an antiquated and draconian institution that is out to protect itself, they say. This has been a daily practice for many long before a Pennsylvania grand jury report exposed decades of sexual abuse by hundreds of clergy members throughout the state.

Weve always had an antagonistic or non-relationship with the bishops, Michael Rocks, president of Dignity Philadelphia, said. We dont trust them to police themselves.

Founded in 1973, Dignity is a community of LGBT Catholics who worship in the basement of St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Center City. Their services are frequently led by Kathleen Gibbons Schuck, a woman who was ordained as a priest in 2015.

Schuck is one of more than 200 Roman Catholic Women Priests around the world. Their unique sisterhood dates back to 2002 when a group of radical male bishops took it upon themselves to ordain seven women on the Danube River. While the Vatican does not recognize these ministers, Schuck and her sisters remained undeterred.

We live below the radar, she said. Its all about community. I believe at the deepest level thats what Jesus calls us all to.

Despite their rejection of the traditional Catholic Church, both Rocks and Schuck consider themselves faithful. Rocks is a gay man, and Schuck is married to a man and has a college-aged daughter.

Both church leaders are drawn to Catholicisms sense of community.

I have found that at times of real trauma, grief, the support of a community has made a difference and helped me get through challenging situations, Schuck said.

But her 21-year-old daughter remains cautious, if not cynical, regarding the church her mother embraces. When the grand jury report came out last week, Schucks daughter told her that the news merely exposed a scam for what it really is.

Schucks daughter is not alone in her mistrust of organized religion. More than 30 percent of millennials consider themselves to be religiously unaffiliated, according to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center. Even older Americans are increasingly calling themselves atheist or agnostic - almost a quarter of the U.S. population now considers itself unaffiliated compared to just 16 percent in 2007.

Whereas it is life-giving and energizing for me, it is not for [my daughter], Schuck said.

The Pennsylvania grand jury report forced many Catholics to confront painful realities about the church, but it has not necessarily shaken their faith.

Pope Francis issued a letter to believers around the world Monday condemning the crime of priestly sexual abuse and demanding accountability. He begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and cover-up.

His words resonated throughout the world, even drawing the praise of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who spearheaded the grand jury investigation.

The popes words also helped to galvanize a new generation of Catholics who want to see the church modernize.

I have known and have met priests that are genuinely good, a 23-year-old La Salle University student told NBC10. You cant judge one person by what another person has done.

The Philadelphia native asked that her name not be used because her family is active within the local church community. She admits that of her friends, she is the only one who openly practices Catholicism. The others have fallen off, she said. They are too busy with school and work to attend mass, and they dont necessarily understand supporting an organization accused of so much wrongdoing.

I was taught church is the people, not the building, she said.


Pope Francis vowed Monday that "no effort must be spared" to root out priestly sex abuse and cover-up from the Catholic Church, but gave no indication that he would take action to sanction complicit bishops or end the Vatican culture of secrecy that has allowed the crisis to fester.

In a letter to Catholics worldwide following damning new revelations of misconduct in the U.S., Francis sought to project a get-tough response to the perpetrators and a compassionate shoulder for victims ahead of a fraught trip to Ireland this weekend.

Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be included in the effort to root out abuse and cover-up. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned about their own reputations than the safety of children.

"We showed no care for the little ones," Francis wrote. "We abandoned them."

But Francis alone can sanction bishops and he offered no hint that he would change the Vatican's longstanding practice of giving religious superiors a pass when they botch abuse cases or are negligent in protecting their flocks.

He said he was aware of the "effort and work being carried out in various parts of the world" to ensure children are protected and hold accountable those who commit abuse and cover it up.

But he made no reference to what the Vatican plans to do, saying only: "We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary, yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future."

The letter was viewed by abuse survivors as little more than recycled rhetoric that fails to acknowledge the Vatican's own role in turning a blind eye to predatory priests and fomenting a culture of secrecy that has allowed crimes to go unpunished for decades.

"That culture was overseen by #Vatican & codified into its laws," tweeted Colm O'Gorman, a prominent Irish abuse victim who is organizing a solidarity demonstration of survivors in Dublin during Francis' visit. "He needs to name & own that."

Marie Collins, another prominent Irish survivor who resigned in frustration from the pope's sex-abuse advisory commission, said statements about how terrible abuse is and how bishops must be held accountable are meaningless.

"Tell us instead what you are doing to hold them accountable," she tweeted. "That is what we want to hear. 'Working on it' is not an acceptable explanation for decades of 'delay.'"

Priestly sex abuse was always expected to dominate the pope's trip to Ireland, a once staunchly Roman Catholic country where the church's credibility has been devastated by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered it up.

But the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the U.S. that one of Francis' trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

In addition, a grand jury report in Pennsylvania last week revealed that at least 1,000 children were abused by some 300 priests over the past 70 years, and that generations of bishops failed to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

"Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all," the grand jury report said.

The letter from Latin America's first pope also comes on the heels of a spiraling sex-abuse scandal in Chile, where law enforcement has staged multiple raids on church archives to try to determine what was known and kept hidden about pedophile priests.

The three-page letter, issued in seven languages, referred to the Pennsylvania report but stressed that its message was to a much broader global audience. In it, Francis acknowledged that no effort to beg forgiveness of the victims would be sufficient but vowed "never again."

Looking to the future, he said: "No effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated."

He demanded an end to "clericalism"  the culture that places priests on a pedestal. He said lay Catholics must help end that culture, since rank-and-file Catholics are often the ones who most fervently hold up their priests as beyond reproach.

That emphasis  on both the role of the laity and clericalism  is new for a pope in addressing the abuse scandal and seems a direct response to the Pennsylvania findings, said Kathleen Sprows Cummings, associate professor of American studies and history at the University of Notre Dame.

"That's what people are feeling. That's the rage," she said, adding that she had acquaintances who were withholding donations to their parishes, refusing to address priests as "Father" and demanding at Sunday Mass that their pastors address the crisis.

"I think this is a crisis and I don't think many church leaders appreciate that," she said.

Francis appears to hear that call, but it's unclear if it will be enough.

Several years ago, he scrapped a proposed Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops, relying instead on current Vatican procedures. While he has taken some bishops to task, he has refused to act on credible reports of bishops failing to report abusers to police or otherwise botching the handling of cases.

Francis also has kept on his nine-member cabinet a Chilean cardinal long accused of covering up for pedophiles, an Australian cardinal currently on trial on sex-abuse charges and a Honduran cardinal implicated in a gay priest sex scandal involving his trusted deputy.

As a result, advocates for victims found his letter wanting.

"Mere words at this point deepen the insult and the pain," said Anne Barrett Doyle of the research group Bishop Accountability, which released a database Monday of credibly accused or convicted Irish clergy.

What Francis should do to protect children, she said, is to order the Vatican to release the names of all priests who have been convicted under canon law of abusing minors.

Unlike the U.S. bishops' conference, which has referred only to "sins and omissions" in their response to the Pennsylvania report, Francis labeled the misconduct "crimes."

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said it was "significant" that Francis used that term and called for accountability, "which in many cases means bishops."

"This is a wake-up call for everyone," Burke told The Associated Press.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro praised the pope's letter and urged local church officials to "cease their denials and deflections" and accept the grand jury recommendations, which include allowing victims to sue the church for abuse that otherwise would fall outside the statute of limitations.

The Catholic Church has long resisted such litigation windows, fearing for its bottom line. In the U.S., the sex-abuse scandal and related litigation has cost the church some $3 billion and led to the sell-off of church properties and bankruptcy protection for several dioceses.

It was the second Vatican response in recent days to the Pennsylvania grand jury report, which has sparked a crisis of confidence in the U.S. Catholic leadership and led to calls for mass ouster of American bishops.

Last week, Burke issued a statement calling the abuse "criminal and morally reprehensible" and said there must be accountability for those who raped children "and those who permitted abuse to occur."

Subsequently, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked Francis to authorize a Vatican investigation into McCarrick, whose penchant for inviting seminarians to his New Jersey beach house and into his bed was apparently an open secret.

The Vatican hasn't said if Francis would approve such an investigation. The question is delicate, given that there is evidence that Vatican officials knew as early as 2000 of McCarrick's activities, yet still appointed him Washington archbishop and a cardinal.

On Monday, the archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, said he didn't see a letter sent to his office in 2015 concerning McCarrick's activities.

O'Malley said a pastor sent him the letter because he was president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. He said his priest secretary told the pastor a recommendation to review cases fell outside the commission's mandate.

O'Malley apologized to the pastor and to anyone whose concerns were reflected in the letter.

Read the full letter below:

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.

1. If one member suffers

In recent days, a report was made public which detailed the experiences of at least a thousand survivors, victims of sexual abuse, the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests over a period of approximately seventy years. Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of many of the victims. We have realized that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death; these wounds never go away. The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity. The Lord heard that cry and once again showed us on which side he stands. Marys song is not mistaken and continues quietly to echo throughout history. For the Lord remembers the promise he made to our fathers: he has scattered the proud in their conceit; he has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty (Lk 1:51-53). We feel shame when we realize that our style of life has denied, and continues to deny, the words we recite.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them. I make my own the words of the then Cardinal Ratzinger when, during the Way of the Cross composed for Good Friday 2005, he identified with the cry of pain of so many victims and exclaimed: How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to [Christ]! How much pride, how much self-complacency! Christs betrayal by his disciples, their unworthy reception of his body and blood, is certainly the greatest suffering endured by the Redeemer; it pierces his heart. We can only call to him from the depths of our hearts: Kyrie eleison  Lord, save us! (cf. Mt 8:25) (Ninth Station).

2.  all suffer together with it

The extent and the gravity of all that has happened requires coming to grips with this reality in a comprehensive and communal way. While it is important and necessary on every journey of conversion to acknowledge the truth of what has happened, in itself this is not enough. Today we are challenged as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit. If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history. And this in an environment where conflicts, tensions and above all the victims of every type of abuse can encounter an outstretched hand to protect them and rescue them from their pain (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 228). Such solidarity demands that we in turn condemn whatever endangers the integrity of any person. A solidarity that summons us to fight all forms of corruption, especially spiritual corruption. The latter is a comfortable and self-satisfied form of blindness. Everything then appears acceptable: deception, slander, egotism and other subtle forms of self-centeredness, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) (Gaudete et Exsultate, 165). Saint Pauls exhortation to suffer with those who suffer is the best antidote against all our attempts to repeat the words of Cain: Am I my brother's keeper? (Gen 4:9).

I am conscious of the effort and work being carried out in various parts of the world to come up with the necessary means to ensure the safety and protection of the integrity of children and of vulnerable adults, as well as implementing zero tolerance and ways of making all those who perpetrate or cover up these crimes accountable. We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary, yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future.

Together with those efforts, every one of the baptized should feel involved in the ecclesial and social change that we so greatly need. This change calls for a personal and communal conversion that makes us see things as the Lord does. For as Saint John Paul II liked to say: If we have truly started out anew from the contemplation of Christ, we must learn to see him especially in the faces of those with whom he wished to be identified (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 49). To see things as the Lord does, to be where the Lord wants us to be, to experience a conversion of heart in his presence. To do so, prayer and penance will help. I invite the entire holy faithful People of God to a penitential exercise of prayer and fasting, following the Lords command.[1] This can awaken our conscience and arouse our solidarity and commitment to a culture of care that says never again to every form of abuse.

It is impossible to think of a conversion of our activity as a Church that does not include the active participation of all the members of Gods People. Indeed, whenever we have tried to replace, or silence, or ignore, or reduce the People of God to small elites, we end up creating communities, projects, theological approaches, spiritualities and structures without roots, without memory, without faces, without bodies and ultimately, without lives.[2] This is clearly seen in a peculiar way of understanding the Churchs authority, one common in many communities where sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience have occurred. Such is the case with clericalism, an approach that not only nullifies the character of Christians, but also tends to diminish and undervalue the baptismal grace that the Holy Spirit has placed in the heart of our people.[3] Clericalism, whether fostered by priests themselves or by lay persons, leads to an excision in the ecclesial body that supports and helps to perpetuate many of the evils that we are condemning today. To say no to abuse is to say an emphatic no to all forms of clericalism.

It is always helpful to remember that in salvation history, the Lord saved one people. We are never completely ourselves unless we belong to a people. That is why no one is saved alone, as an isolated individual. Rather, God draws us to himself, taking into account the complex fabric of interpersonal relationships present in the human community. God wanted to enter into the life and history of a people (Gaudete et Exsultate, 6). Consequently, the only way that we have to respond to this evil that has darkened so many lives is to experience it as a task regarding all of us as the People of God. This awareness of being part of a people and a shared history will enable us to acknowledge our past sins and mistakes with a penitential openness that can allow us to be renewed from within. Without the active participation of all the Churchs members, everything being done to uproot the culture of abuse in our communities will not be successful in generating the necessary dynamics for sound and realistic change. The penitential dimension of fasting and prayer will help us as Gods People to come before the Lord and our wounded brothers and sisters as sinners imploring forgiveness and the grace of shame and conversion. In this way, we will come up with actions that can generate resources attuned to the Gospel. For whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for todays world (Evangelii Gaudium, 11).

It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable. Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others. An awareness of sin helps us to acknowledge the errors, the crimes and the wounds caused in the past and allows us, in the present, to be more open and committed along a journey of renewed conversion.

Likewise, penance and prayer will help us to open our eyes and our hearts to other peoples sufferings and to overcome the thirst for power and possessions that are so often the root of those evils. May fasting and prayer open our ears to the hushed pain felt by children, young people and the disabled. A fasting that can make us hunger and thirst for justice and impel us to walk in the truth, supporting all the judicial measures that may be necessary. A fasting that shakes us up and leads us to be committed in truth and charity with all men and women of good will, and with society in general, to combatting all forms of the abuse of power, sexual abuse and the abuse of conscience.

In this way, we can show clearly our calling to be a sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race (Lumen Gentium, 1).

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it, said Saint Paul. By an attitude of prayer and penance, we will become attuned as individuals and as a community to this exhortation, so that we may grow in the gift of compassion, in justice, prevention and reparation. Mary chose to stand at the foot of her Sons cross. She did so unhesitatingly, standing firmly by Jesus side. In this way, she reveals the way she lived her entire life. When we experience the desolation caused by these ecclesial wounds, we will do well, with Mary, to insist more upon prayer, seeking to grow all the more in love and fidelity to the Church (SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, Spiritual Exercises, 319). She, the first of the disciples, teaches all of us as disciples how we are to halt before the sufferings of the innocent, without excuses or cowardice. To look to Mary is to discover the model of a true follower of Christ.

May the Holy Spirit grant us the grace of conversion and the interior anointing needed to express before these crimes of abuse our compunction and our resolve courageously to combat them.
A junkyard fire near train tracks in Northeast Philadelphia caused significant delays for Amtrak, SEPTA and New Jersey Transit.



The fire began at a junkyard at Torresdale and Adams avenues shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday. Crews responded to the scene and were able to bring it under control. No injuries were reported.



Late Sunday, all Amtrak service traveling through Philadelphia was suspended due to the fire, causing significant delays. At least six trains at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, four trains at Penn Station in New York City and two trains at Trenton Transit Center in Trenton, New Jersey, were held due to the suspended service.

Two of Amtrak's four tracks reopened though delays remained, Amtrak tweeted shortly after midnight. Around 6 a.m. Monday, Amtrak reported its Northeast Corridor Line was back on track with the exception of one train.



SEPTA also suspended its Trenton Regional Rail Line while NJ Transit suspended its Atlantic City Line between Philadelphia's 30th Street and Cherry Hill stations. Substitute bus service was provided.

Both SEPTA and NJ Transit resumed normal service around 6 a.m. Monday.
Funeral services will be held Monday for the Utah firefighter killed while battling the largest recorded wildfire in California history.

The services for Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of the Draper Fire Department will be held at 11 a.m. at the Maverik Center in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley City, and a private interment will follow at Eastlawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo.

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 numerous out-of-state firefighters who joined the front lines of the massive wildfire.
Demonstrators arrested in July at a Free Our Future protest in downtown San Diego are still facing criminal charges, the City Attorneys office confirmed Monday.

We are reviewing the cases, said City Attorney spokesman Gerry Braun.

San Diego police arrested 10 demonstrators on July 2, mainly for draping a banner from the side of the Westin hotel. The banner read Free Our Families Now.

The protesters were speaking out against President Donald Trump and his administrations zero-tolerance immigration policies.

Other demonstrators also temporarily locked arms and blocked the entrance of the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building on Broadway. The demonstrators who locked arms in front of the federal building eventually moved before they were arrested.

These are places where we have seen the criminalization of our community, said Mara Mora, about why the group chose the federal building to protest.

The group began at Chicano Park where hundreds gathered before marching downtown calling for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fully respects the rights of all people to voice their opinion peacefully without interference, a spokeswoman for ICE responded.

Once the crowd reached downtown, several protesters hung the sign from the Westin building while the crowd cheered. Some were arrested on suspicion of felony trespassing, conspiracy and misdemeanor obstruction, according to San Diego police.

Police later learned the group rented rooms in the Westin and rappelled down from the windows to display the sign. Another group held hotel doors shut preventing police from gaining access to the group until the sign was displayed.

Mijente, one of the organizers of the event, called the charges against the protesters extreme and retaliatory. Their director Marisa Franco released the following statement in response to the charges, which they say include felony burglary.

The attacks our communities are facing from the Trump administration require that we fight back in every way, sometimes putting our bodies on the line for what we believe is right.

Franco continued: The charges against them are extreme and cannot be read as anything other than an attempt to discourage protest. We call for the charges to be dropped against all the protestors, who were exercising their right to speak out against the atrocities committed by the Trump administration and Jeff Sessions.

The spokesman for the City Attorney did not respond to further questions.

Mijente organized a legal fund to help with the defense of those arrested, which can be found here:

NBC 7 obtained the names of the defendants: Ethan Buckner, Katherine Wines, Brianna Gibson, Avery Sinclair, Brittany Baker, Kevin Pang, Jaque Fragua, Nora Leccese, Roberta Capobianco and Nora Rasman.
When the heat waves, droughts, wildfires and deluges come  as they seem to with increasing regularity these days  the question inevitably arises: Did climate change play a role?

The answer scientists gave for years was that greenhouse gases created by humans likely contributed to extreme weather, but it was hard to definitively tie the warming atmosphere to any single episode. But that cautious approach is changing, NBC News reported. Now, scientists say that they will increasingly be able to link extreme weather events to human-caused global warming.

So when a heat wave beset Northern Europe early this summer, bringing temperatures in Scandinavia into the 90s, researchers operating under the name World Weather Attribution whipped together a series of computer simulations. Within three days, the scientists issued a finding that the hot spell had been made at least twice as likely because of human-driven climate change.

In less frequent instances, scientists taking more time have reached even bolder conclusions  finding that some extreme events would not have happened at all in a pre-industrial era, when Earth's atmosphere had not been pumped full of carbon dioxide.

The trend promises to become even more pronounced in the coming years, because national weather agencies in countries like Germany and Australia, and the weather service for the European Union, expect to begin issuing regular findings on whether unusual weather events grew out of climate change.
Nearly a dozen children and adults were left without a place to stay after a large fire at a Northwest Washington apartment building.

The fire started Monday morning in the 1300 block of North Capital Street NW. When firefighters arrived, flames could be seen shooting from the building's rooftop.

No injuries were reported, but six adults and five children were displaced. The Red Cross is assisting those families.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The first day back at school is always an exciting one, but it's especially exciting when the school you're returning to has undergone a major renovation.

Some students in D.C. will get a fresh start in updated classrooms as they kick off their first day of school Monday.

The city has invested $68 million in Bancroft Elementary School in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood in Northwest Washington.

Classrooms at the school have been given a modern update, smart boards have been installed and other improvements have been made to help enhance "social-emotional learning" at the school.

"Clearly, this is a classroom that if I was a child would be fun to be in," Bancroft Principal Arthur Mola said of the classroom filled with bright green accents.

Interim Chancellor Dr. Amanda Alexander says she hopes parents and students will appreciate the work that was done to improve the school because it will also help improve learning.

"We always had outstanding teachers and administrators, but our facilities didn't always match what we were able to deliver. It's great to be able to have great facilities for our students to learn and thrive in," Alexander said.

More than 40,000 students in D.C. will head back to the District's 115 schools Monday. Thirteen schools were already back in session because of their extended-year programs.
A huge pack of dirt bike and ATV riders buzzed through streets in D.C. and Northern Virginia on Sunday, doing tricks and shutting down traffic.

The dirt bike and ATV riders were spotted in Georgetown, Logan Circle, Southwest D.C, Brentwood and Rosslyn.

On Rhode Island Avenue NE, one rider crashed into a pole. Police impounded the bike.

Anthony Nguyen, a visitor to D.C., was stunned by what he saw near Logan Circle.

"We heard a bunch of commotion and looked over at the corner and saw literally over a hundred bikers, ATVs, motorcyclists just joyriding, basically, and speeding through town and popping wheelies and doing all kinds of crazy stuff," he said.

It's illegal to ride dirt bikes and ATVs on city streets. But it's Metropolitan Police Department policy not to chase the bikes.

D.C. police said in an update Monday that they made three arrests and seized several of the bikes.

In Arlington, police were reviewing surveillance cameras, trying to identify suspects.

In Montgomery County, police chase them only if they appear intoxicated or are wanted for a serious crime. In Prince George's County, police chase them only if they're wanted for carjacking or homicide. And in Arlington, it's up to the officer in most cases.
A Virginia man's U.S. citizenship is in jeopardy, with authorities saying he failed to disclose his role in human rights abuses in Ethiopia.

Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, of Alexandria was arrested Friday on charges he obtained U.S. citizenship by lying on his application, falsely stating that he had never persecuted anyone based on political opinion. He was admitted to the United States as a refugee.

According to the indictment, Negussie is accused of serving as a civilian interrogator at a prison during Ethiopia's Red Terror period. The military regime in Ethiopia was targeting dissidents and abused the rights of tens of thousands of people at the time.

Negussie is accused of brutalizing people imprisoned because of their political opinions.

Negussie allegedly concealed his role in persecuting Ethiopian prisoners for their political opinions during that countrys so-called Red Terror period when he applied for, and ultimately obtained, U.S. citizenship, assistant attorney general Brian Benczkowski said in a statement.

If convicted, Negussie would have his citizenship stripped and could be deported. He also could face up to 10 years in prison.
A man pleaded to be let into a locked police station in Barcelona before dawn Monday, then lunged with a knife at officers inside. Police shot him dead and the attack is being investigated for any links to terror, authorities said.

Commissioner Rafel Comes, the second-in-command of the Catalan regional police, told reporters that police are treating it as a terrorist attack "for the moment" because the incident was "extremely serious," involving a "premeditated" attack that intended to kill police.

The man shouted "Allah" and other words that police officers did not understand, Comes said, adding that Spanish intelligence services are helping with the investigation.

But he added that police have found no evidence linking the incident to terror attacks last August in Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people.

Officers opened a locked police station security door to the man, who lived in a nearby apartment, Comes said. The police station is located in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the city.

He said the suspect repeatedly pressed the buzzer to be let in at around 5:45 a.m. and spoke with officers inside over an intercom. After they decided to let him in, he pulled out "a large knife" and lunged at officers, according to Comes.

The man had ID documents on him and police are checking whether they are authentic.

Comes said authorities have found no criminal record for the man identified in the documents, although international police databases are being searched for matches with his fingerprints.

Police were planning to search the man's apartment.
New Hampshire State Police are investigating a suspected drowning after a 31-year-old man was found unconscious in the Ammonoosuc River.

Police received a call around 12:40 p.m. Sunday for a report of a possible drowning.

An initial investigation reveals a family member found the man unconscious in the river, recovered him and then began performing CPR.

The man, who has not been identified, was ultimately pronounced dead.

An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.

Foul play does not appear to be a factor in this incident but it remains under investigation.

Anyone who has information or may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact Marine Patrol Lieutenant Crystal McLain at 603-227-2113.

New Hampshire State Police - Marine Patrol and the Bethlehem police and fire departments all responded to the scene.
A suspect was killed Monday in a shootout with police in Rochester, New Hampshire, according to officials.

Attorney General Gordon MacDonald announced Monday night that 38-year-old Douglas Heath was killed in an "exchange of gunfire" with police after crashing at the intersection of Oak Street and Route 125.

"Mr. Heath was struck by gunfire and died at the scene," MacDonald said in a press conference. "A gun was found near his body."

The violent scene happened right in front of Austin McKenzie, who noticed there was trouble when a driver went past him.

"A car flew past me going 50-60 miles an hour," he said. "A police SUV was coming up from behind with their lights on."

After the crash, MacDonald grabbed his phone and recorded the gunfight that ensued.

"The guy rolled out of the car wielding a handgun and started firing off a couple of shots," McKenzie said. "He was endangering the lives of police officers."

"It's definitely not something you want to see so close to home," another resident, who did not want to provide his name, told NBC10 Boston.

Two Rochester Police officers and two New Hampshire State Police troopers were involved in the incident. None were injured, and MacDonald said they will all be placed on administrative leave.

McKenzie says Heath fired first and police fired multiple times in response.

"He 100 percent had it coming," McKenzie said. "I don't know what happened beforehand or anything like that, but coming out of the car like that ... you can't do something like that and expect it to be a good outcome."

Heath had warrants for trafficking narcotics and fleeing from Maine State Police, according to MacDonald.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call 603-271-3636.
What to Know A 49-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman, both from Methuen, Mass., were unconscious after being rescued; the man died at the hospital.

The woman who suffered life-threatening injuries died Monday; A Dracut church identified the couple as Michael and Laura Cote.

Choppy water conditions caused by rip currents are said to have been a factor.

A Massachusetts husband and wife have been identified as two swimmers who died following a struggle in strong rip currents in Seabrook, New Hampshire on Sunday.



Forty-seven-year-old Laura Cote, of Methuen, Massachusetts, died Monday after being hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Her husband, 49-year-old Michael Cote, died Sunday.

Father Sean Maher of Saint Francis Church in Dracut, Massachusetts, identified the victims as members of their community.

"We are deeply saddened to have learned last night and today that Michael and Laura Cote, both truly devoted followers of Christ, have passed away following the swimming incident at Seabrook, New Hampshire," read a statement from Maher on Facebook. "They did so much to come to know Jesus and His and our Father in this life that they are truly going to meet a Friend."

Father Maher told NBC10 Boston the couple was deeply involved in the church.

"They were involved in parish activities, feeding the homeless," said Maher.

The Cote's neighbor, Jerry August, told NBC10 Boston he saw them packing for their weekend getaway. He said the couple was generous and always available to help.

"You couldnt ask for better people and better neighbors," August said.

Neighbor Jairo Naranjo said the Cote's did not have children of their own but would always have plenty of treats on Halloween for the neighborhood kids.

"We have three kids and we usually go trick or treating," Naranjo said. "They're going to be missed."

State police dispatch had received calls regarding multiple swimmers in distress in the waters off of Seabrook Beach at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Good Samaritan Matthew Tomaszewski is one of a few who helped the swimmers. Acting quickly, Tomaszewski raced into the waters with his paddle board and fought against the powerful waves.



"It looked like there were some people caught up in a really bad undertow and riptide," Tomaszewski told NBC10 Boston.

Tomaszewski managed to help two people grab his board. Emergency crews eventually responded with a boat and found Michael Cote in the water, who later was taken to Anna Jaques Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Cote's wife, Laura, who was also found unconscious, was also taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital with life-threatening injuries. She died on Monday.

"I'm glad I was able to help any way I could," Tomaszewski said Sunday evening. "My heart and prayers go out to those families affected."

Choppy waters caused by rip currents are believed to have caused the incident. Officials say the surf on Monday is expected to be calmer, but warn swimmers to always take precautions, including swimming near lifeguards.

Meanwhile, yellow flags are up at Hampton Beach, where lifeguards are warning the surf is still a bit rough.

"The presence of the lifeguard definitely makes things more comforting when you're here," Derry resident Paula Roddy said.

Cassandra Burns was also visiting Hampton Beach on Monday.

"I can't imagine how those people felt, it must have been terrifying," she said.

Rip currents usually form in low spots on a beach, near breaks in a sandbar or around piers and jetties. Click here to learn more about rip currents and what to do if someone is caught in one.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Father Maher said while the Cote's spent hours praying for others, he says the time is for the community to pray for them. "Their family obviously needs a lot of support," Maher said.


Trish Haldin

Public schools in the Greater New Milford area are gearing up for opening day for the 2018-19 academic year. In this 2010 photo, student care worker Sherri Norwood is on hand to greet excited third-grader Joeanna Farias-Rivera after the then-8-year-old had gotten off her bus at Hill and Plain School for the first day of classes. In 2010, more than 4,800 students from pre-school to grade 12 returned to school in New Milford.
An estimated 2.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe TBI contributes to 30 percent of all injury-related deaths, and many who survive are left permanently disabled.

"Of the nearly 300,000 hospital admissions annually for TBI, about 40 percent are classified as severe," says William Barsan, M.D., a professor of emergency medicine at Michigan Medicine.

"Unfortunately, less than 20 percent of patients with a severe TBI make a good recovery -; and many are left with lifelong disabilities and medical needs."

Barsan is one of the principal investigators of an ongoing emergency department clinical trial, Brain Oxygen Optimization in Severe TBI, Phase 3 (BOOST-3), which aims to improve outcomes for severe TBI patients.

In addition to Barsan, primary investigators for the BOOST-3 trial are Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinical Research Center in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Lori Shutter, M.D., professor of critical care medicine, neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh and medical director of neurointensive care units at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Sharon Yeatts, Ph.D., associate professor of biostatistics at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Severe TBI patients in the intensive care unit have been managed by monitoring intracranial pressure and treating the elevated pressure to prevent secondary injury, Barsan notes.

But recent clinical trial data have shown that this approach may not be enough.

"New trials are showing that monitoring the partial pressure of oxygen in brain tissue allows for more timely interventions," Barsan says. "Because of this, many physicians have started measuring brain oxygen in these patients as part of standard practice. It is unknown if this strategy, which requires an additional procedure, is better, worse or the same as the traditional approach."

That's why Barsan, Diaz-Arrastia, Shutter and Yeatts designed the BOOST-3 trial.

This $32 million trial will be conducted in the National Institutes of Health-funded Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN). Michigan Medicine is the clinical coordinating center for the network.

Building on prior research

Diaz-Arrastia and Shutter conducted the trial's second phase, BOOST-2, which was published in 2017. That trial hypothesized that treating patients based on measurements of both intracranial pressure and brain oxygen levels would reduce the duration and severity of periods in which brain tissue oxygen levels were low in patients with TBI compared with treatment of intracranial pressure alone.

The team explained that low levels of brain tissue oxygen can cause further loss of brain cells or prevent their recovery. Knowing about both pressure and oxygen in the brain may provide critical care doctors the clues they need to precisely adjust medications and breathing machine settings for patients.

"We found that brain hypoxia burden was reduced by 74 percent in the patients monitored and treated based on partial pressure of oxygen in brain tissue and intracranial pressure monitoring compared to intracranial pressure monitoring alone," Shutter says. "We're now building upon the data we collected in the BOOST-2 trial and moving onto this third phase, where we will expand our hypothesis."

That new hypothesis: Treating TBI based on partial pressure of oxygen in the brain tissue and intracranial pressure monitoring will improve neurological outcomes six months after the injury compared with treatment based on intracranial pressure monitoring alone.

"It's important to consider the long-term survival and health of patients with TBI," Shutter says. "This phase of the trial will show whether we can improve long-term outcome with this treatment strategy."

A coordinated effort

BOOST-3 will begin in 2018 at 45 SIREN clinical sites across the United States and will continue for five years.

It plans to enroll 1,094 participants with severe TBI. Subjects will be randomized within six hours of arriving at an enrolling hospital, but no longer than 12 hours from injury.

All patients will have brain tissue oxygen monitors and intracranial pressure monitors placed within six hours of arrival at the hospital. Patients will then be randomized to treatment based on intracranial pressure alone or treatment based on both intracranial pressure and brain tissue oxygen levels for the first five days after admission, with all other care being standard.

Subjects will be followed for six months, and investigators will compare the functional outcomes and neurological function of the two groups.

SIREN seeks to improve the outcomes of patients with neurologic, cardiac, respiratory, hematologic and trauma emergencies by identifying effective treatments administered in the earliest stages of critical care and is supported by the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Beyond Michigan Medicine, the network includes a data coordinating center at the Medical University of South Carolina and 11 award hubs with primary investigators at each.

"Improving the recovery of patients with severe brain injury is an important priority at the NIH," says Jeremy Brown, M.D., the NINDS medical officer who works with the SIREN team. "The results of this trial will provide important information which doctors and nurses around the country will then use to benefit the patients in their care."

Excitement for the collaborative approach on the study is shared across institutions.

"The SIREN data coordinating center at the Medical University of South Carolina could not be more excited about helping to lead this effort to improve the care of severe TBI patients," Yeatts says. "My team at MUSC has been collaborating with TBI experts across the country on various trials, and we now have the opportunity to help to inform health care providers of best treatment approaches so patients all over the country will have better outcomes.

"Regardless of the results, this study will have a dramatic impact, and we are proud to be a part of it."

Barsan, Diaz-Arrastia, Shutter and Yeatts hope this phase of the trial will build upon the findings from BOOST-2.

"We truly hope this clinical trial will provide emergency, neurosurgery and critical care physicians with improved treatment protocols for severe TBI going forward," Barsan says. "Our main goal is to improve long-term outcome and improved quality of life after severe TBI through the results of the BOOST-3 trial."

Source: https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/industry-dx/boost-3-trial-seeks-to-improve-outcomes-after-severe-traumatic-brain-injury
Jesse Mez, MD, MS, assistant professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), has received a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the United States Department of Defense to study the impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and military service on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

Mez, who also serves as Associate Director of the BU Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center Clinical Core, will study Framingham Heart Study participants to test the hypothesis that TBI and military service are independently and jointly associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions (such as Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy Bodies). The study will examine this relationship by looking at clinical, radiologic, and neuropathologic markers of Alzheimer's and other related conditions in participants followed over decades as part of the Framingham Heart Study. In addition, the study aims to determine whether some individuals may be at even greater risk based on additional factors such as genetic factors and lifestyle choices.

Mez, also a neurologist at Boston Medical Center, is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Society of Human Genetics, the International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, and the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology. He is a past recipient of a K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award from the National Institute on Aging, a New Investigator Research Grant from the Alzheimer's Association and a BU Alzheimer's Disease Center Pilot Grant.

Mez completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University and earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He performed his residency training in neurology at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's Hospitals. He completed a clinical fellowship in Aging and Dementia and a research fellowship in neuroepidemiology at Columbia University.

Source: http://www.bmc.org/
Harbour BioMed today announced it has entered into an exclusive strategic partnership with Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Kelun-Biotech) to develop and commercialize A167, an anti-PD-L1 antibody in Phase 2 clinical development, worldwide outside of the Greater China region. The companies will also collaborate in developing combination therapies of A167 with other agents for commercialization in their respective territories. The potential value of the partnership exceeds $350 million in addition to royalties.

"Anti-PD-L1 therapy has been validated in many clinical trials in the Immuno-Oncology area. A167 has significant potential as a single agent and as the foundation for combination therapy with other innovative drugs. We are delighted to advance A167 globally and work closely with Kelun-Biotech to achieve its therapeutic potential," said Dr. Jingsong Wang, Harbour BioMed's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We plan to conduct A167-based combination trials globally by ourselves, including with innovative compounds we are developing, or in collaboration with our partners, to find better therapeutic options against a wide range of tumor types." Dr. Wang noted that the partnership with Kelun-Biotech, Harbour's first global development alliance, is an important step that accelerates our plan to build a highly innovative, clinical-stage portfolio for worldwide markets.

"A167 is one of the important compounds in our portfolio," said Dr. Tongtong Xue, Chief Executive Officer of Kelun-Biotech. "We are glad to enter this collaboration with Harbour BioMed which is based on trust in our partner's capabilities and expertise. The Harbour team brings extensive global clinical development experience that will accelerate clinical trials with A167, especially in the area of combinational therapies." Dr. Xue noted that the collaboration is the second alliance Kelun-Biotech entered with Harbour this year. "We entered a strategic partnership with Harbour to co-discover, co-develop and commercialize antibodies against innovative targets, based on Harbour's leading fully human antibody discovery platforms. We have made significant progress in our joint discovery programs against multiple targets in oncology and immunological diseases."

A167 is an immune-oncology investigational antibody developed by Kelun-Biotech. It binds to immune checkpoint protein PD-L1 and reactivate T cells in the body against cancer cells. The antibody has potential usage in a broad range of solid tumor and hematological malignancies in monotherapy and in combination with other agents. A167 is currently in multiple Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials in China targeting lymphoma and solid tumors.

Under the agreement, Kelun-Biotech will receive upfront, development and regulatory milestones, and commercial milestones based on preset goals, with a potential value of more than $350 million, in addition to royalties based on annual net sales. Harbour will have exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize A167 in regions outside of Greater China. Both companies will share data generated from their own research and clinical trials to support mono and combination therapies of A167 with other agents for both parties' development and registration.
WHILE the rich get thinner, the poorest pile on the pounds. What accounts for this "social gradient", which results in obesity being most prevalent among the least well-off? The pleasure - tinged with guilt and anxiety - that they take in overeating is an explanation explored by a University of Huddersfield professor and his colleagues.

The term "discordant pleasure" has been coined by the team. For less affluent people, "food pleasure is affordable, accessible, immediate and reliable in a way that other pleasures are not," states an article in the journal Social Science and Medicine that is one of the outputs of the ongoing research. But, at the same time, overeating is "accompanied by feelings of frustration, sadness and shame as they struggled to lose weight".

Now Professor Paul Bissell, who has headed the research project, alongside Dr Christine Smith, Dr Joanna Blackburn and Dr Marian Peacock, is calling for health professionals to lessen the stigma that has grown around obesity.

"You need to get over the shame and humiliation before you can do anything about it," he says.

Professor Bissell and his colleagues carried out a series of in-depth interviews with 45 people in South Yorkshire, who were both obese and materially-deprived and spoke frankly about the dilemmas they faced.

The project originated, said Professor Bissell - who is Dean of the University of Huddersfield's School of Human and Health Sciences - when he and his collaborators wanted to find reasons for the "social gradient" that has seen a shift from the richest to the poorest being the most obese members of society.

The interviews led to deeper insights into some of the anxieties, sadnesses and shaming experiences of participants, added Professor Bissell, who recently delivered a keynote lecture, titled The missing discourse of pleasure in obesity science research: sociological reflections, at the latest conference organised by the University of Copenhagen's Lifestyle, Obesity and Metabolic Research Group.

"Twenty or 30 years ago, we would be more forgiving about people who are obese. Now, there is a discourse that health is entirely your own responsibility and we also view obesity in that light," said Professor Bissell.

"There is now much more fat shaming, stigma and hatred around obesity. If you ally that with social class, then it is people who are poor and obese who can be publically laughed at. Many of our participants experience extremely high levels of shame and humiliation because they are obese. And one of the things they do to manage their unhappiness is to eat more.

"So they are stuck in a cycle, and it is tougher for poorer people to cope with the stigma of obesity and indeed cope with losing weight, because of their material circumstances and the fact that they have got less cultural capital," continued Professor Bissell.

The researchers have also linked the issue of obesity to neo-liberal economic policies, alleging that these have led to greater inequality and to welfare cuts.

"If we did something about the social gradient in income and wealth, we would also be able to do something meaningful about the social gradient in obesity," said Professor Bissell.
Scientists have developed an ultrathin artificial retina that could provide a superior alternative to the visual implants currently available to the blind.

Image Credit: Africa Studio / Shutterstock

It is hoped that the device, which will be described today at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), could one day enable the millions of people with retinal disease to regain their sight. Furthermore, the implant could be used to monitor activity in the brain and heart.

Researcher Nanshu Lu from the University of Texas at Austin says this is the first demonstration showing that 2D materials such as graphene and molybdenum disulphide can be used to create an artificial retina.

Although this research is still in its infancy, it is a very exciting starting point for the use of these materials to restore vision. Nanshu Lu, University of Texas at Austin

In the retina, photoreceptors called rods and cones convert light into nerve impulses that reach the brain via the optic nerve and are translated into visual images.

Retinal diseases such as macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa can damage this retinal tissue, which can lead to vision loss.

Many retinal diseases cannot be cured, but silicon-based retinal implants have enabled some people to partly regain their vision.

However, these devices are rigid and fragile, meaning they do not properly mimic the retinas natural curvature and they often produce blurred or distorted images. They can also strain and damage surrounding tissue in the eye.

Now, Lu and her colleague Dae-Hyeong Kim from Seoul National University have used graphene, molybdenum disulphide and thin layers of gold, alumina and silicon nitrate to produce a more flexible and thinner device that better replicates the shape, size and function of the retina, without causing any mechanical disruption.

Upon testing the device in laboratory experiments and animal models, Lu and Kim found that photodetectors on the device absorbed light and passed it through an external circuit board that digitally processed the light, stimulated the retina and obtained impulses from the visual cortex.

The tests showed that the artificial retina successfully replicated the features of the human eye and was biocompatible.

Next, Lu plans to investigate how the technology can be incorporated into electronic tattoos on the surface of the skin to collect health data in real time.

She says that by adding transistors to the tattoos, they can amplify signals from the brain or heart to make them easier to monitor and treat. The implants could also be placed on the heart surface to aid the detection of arrythmias.

They even have the potential to be programmed to behave like pacemakers and generate electrical impulses to correct the arrythmia.
Researchers centered at the University of Tsukuba and Kansai Medical University in Japan reveal matricellular protein Thrombospondin-1 (Thbs1) contributes to the development of aortic aneurysm in mice and humans.

The thoracic aorta is constantly exposed to mechanical forces generated by heart contraction and blood flow. Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are life-threatening diseases defined as a permanent abnormal dilatation of the thoracic aorta. Current therapy is largely comprised of surgical and endovascular procedures and medical management with anti-hypertensives. It has been suggested that the disruption of the connection between smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and elastic fibers in the aortic wall impacts SMC's ability to sense and respond to mechanical forces, which may cause TAAs. However, the initiation signal and the signaling pathway necessary for sustaining the aneurysmal expansion in each TAA subtype are not fully understood.

The aim of the current study is to identify the crucial mediator(s) involved in abnormal mechanosensing and propagation of biochemical signals during the aneurysm formation and to establish a basis for a novel therapeutic strategy.

This group uses an established mouse model of TAA and shows that Thbs1 is highly increased in endothelial cells and SMCs of the aneurysmal lesions as well as in human TAAs. Thbs1 expression is induced by mechanical stretch and Ang II in SMCs in vitro, for which Egr1 is required. Deletion of Thbs1 in the TAA mice prevents aneurysm formation in approximately 80% of animals and restores the organization of elastic fibers and actin filaments in SMCs. Furthermore, mechanical testing shows that biomechanical properties of these aortas are markedly improved.

This study reveals that Thbs1 is not only a critical component of mechanotransduction, but also a modulator of elastic fiber organization and actin cytoskeletal remodeling. Thbs1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating TAAs.
Marvel's new Iron Fist probably is a Chinese hero that's been waiting in the wings for years

Marvel may have revealed the new Iron Fist the moment it announced Danny Rand's retirement
Kabul : Afghanistan on Sunday marked the 99th anniversary of its independence from British occupation amid deteriorating security situation.

President Ashraf Ghani laid a wreath at the Independence Minaret during an official celebration held inside the Defence Ministry compound after inspecting guards of honour here, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ghani paid tribute to security forces who have sacrificed their lives for stabilising peace as the country, especially Kabul, has witnessed waves of terror attacks by the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit and Taliban insurgents over the past few months.

Official ceremonies will take place in various parts of the country and thousands of families and friends will spend the day together to mark the event.

In addition, a new flag, the biggest in the country, was hoisted on Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul on Sunday morning.

Although Afghanistan was never part of the British empire, it gained its independence after the signing of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty in 1919 - a treaty that granted complete neutral relations between Afghanistan and Britain.
New Delhi : With some key operational lessons learnt, an Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent has returned home on a high note after participation in the biennial multi-national military drill 'Exercise Pitch Black at Darwin in Australia, an official communique said on Sunday.

This was the first time that the IAF actively participated in the large force employment warfare exercise, which was hosted by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) between July 24 and August 18.

With participation of 16 nations and more than 140 aircraft, the current edition was the largest Pitch Black ever conducted by Australia.

"The IAF contingent interacted with various countries, gained first-hand experience of training patterns, employment and operating philosophies of their combat assets. The operational lessons learnt by IAF during the exercise will help it add more teeth to its overall operational capabilities," the IAF said in a release.

The IAF undertook simulated air combat exercises in "near realistic environment" and exchanged best practices "towards enhancing our operational capability", it said.

The IAF contingent, led by Group Captain C.U.V. Rao, consisted of 145 air warriors including commandos, Garuds, four Su-30 MKi, one C-130 and one C-17 aircraft for logistic support.



"The objectives for the exercise were to foster closer relationship between the participating friendly forces and to promote interoperability through exchange of knowledge and experience," it said.

In a variety of day and night time operations undertaken by the IAF during the drill, for the first time SU-30 MKi carried out air-to-air refueling with KC-30A of RAAF. The KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport is a modified Airbus A330 airliner used by RAAF to conduct air-to-air refueling and provide strategic airlift.

Some highlights of the exercise included exchange sorties flown by IAF pilots flying in Rafale and RAAF F/A-18 (Hornets) and RAAF crew and French crew flying in SU-30MKI.

The C-130J also carried out assault landing at Dalmare, assault operations of dropping specialist vehicles in operation area and participation in Large Force Engagement missions, both in day and night time.

"Certain maiden operations undertaken by the IAF during the exercise included IAF commandos, Garuds and para jump instructors jumping from C-27J Spartan in a foreign country, Container Delivery System drop by C-130 J, Engine Running Ops for dropping Ops Specialist Vehicles in combat zone," it said.

Over the last decade, the IAF has been actively participating in operational exercises hosted by various countries.
Srinagar/New Delhi : A militant was killed in a gunfight with the Indian Army after an infiltration bid by a group of gunmen was foiled in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday - a day after the new Imran Khan-led government took over in Pakistan and three days after its Army promised to stop any cross-border incursion along the Line of Control (LoC).

According to a Defence Ministry spokesperson, the border gunfight in north Kashmir's Uri sector erupted after three to four militants were spotted infiltrating across the de facto border in Baramulla.

"The militant was killed in Kasturi Naar area in Uri sector," said the spokesperson, Colonel Rajesh Kalia. The operation continued hours after the militant's killing.

The gunfight came a day after three militants were killed on Saturday on the LoC in after a group of infiltrating militants was challenged by the Army in Tanghdar Sector in Kupwara district, also in north Kashmir.

Significantly, on Thursday, senior commanders of the India and Pakistan armies spoke after the two countries celebrated their independence days.

The Director General Military Operations (DGMO) level talks were held at the behest of Pakistan's Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza.

The Pakistani commander promised the his Army "would take prompt action against (any) move of inimical elements in proximity to the LoC and respond to information shared by the Indian side, thereby facilitating conduct of anti-terrorist operations", an Indian Army statement said on August 16.

The assurance came after the Indian DGMO Lt Gen Anil Chauhan "emphatically stated that infiltration attempts by terrorists were a major cause of concern and informed the Pakistan (counterpart) that 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 the LoC," the Army statement said.

But on Sunday, an Army source told IANS in Delhi that nothing had changed even as the Indian side would continue to strive for peace on the borders with Pakistan.

"The issue of infiltration attempts was highlighted (in the DGMO level talks). Tanghdar yesterday and Uri today. In talks, we are emphasising infiltration. The issue was and remains... We are foiling infiltration bid every day. Nothing has changed," the source said.

The Pakistan commander was said to have expressed satisfaction on the measures being taken along the LoC by troops to maintain border peace and tranquility.
Islamabad : Pakistan on Sunday welcomed the Afghan government's declaration of a three-month conditional ceasefire with the Taliban from Monday.



"Pakistan fully supports all such efforts that contribute to achieving durable stability and lasting peace in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan deserve it. Coinciding with the Independence Day of Afghanistan, the announcement (by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani) has an even greater significance," a Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

"As we approach Eid-ul-Azha... we announce a ceasefire that would take effect from Monday, the day of Arafa, till the day of the birth of the Prophet (PBUH), Milad-un-Nabi, provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ghani said.



"We also call upon all parties that in defence to the holy tradition of sacrifice during Eid-ul-Azha to implement a ceasefire in hostilities -- preferably for a more extended period of time," the Pakistani spokesman said, adding the ceasefire would allow the people of Afghanistan to celebrate the festival in comfort and peace.



The spokesman said that Pakistan expects such steps will create an environment of enduring peace and stability.
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A new cover-up? Court orders New Mexico authorities to DESTROY jihadi compound

Just like the case of the horrific Las Vegas shootings nearly a year ago was recently closed without authorities announcing a motive, a court has ordered authorities in New Mexico to quickly begin dismantling a suspected jihadist compound before all the questions surrounding it and those who built and inhabited it have been answered.

The compound, which had been under surveillance for some time by FBI and New Mexico authorities, was also the site where the son of a famous New York-based imam with ties to the 2012 Democratic National Convention ritualistically killed his kidnapped three-year-old son and began training at least a half-dozen of 11 children how to commit school shootings.

And now its been dismantled along with, no doubt, quite a bit of evidence.

The compound was built and led by Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, who  along with three of four others who are also alleged Islamic extremists  were ordered released from custody by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Backus earlier this week on a $20,000 signature bond, which means none of them had to actually pay anything.

That said, all five adults arrested at the compound remain in custody; one has been handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Meanwhile, authorities have now identified the remains of a three-year-old found at the compound site as his son, Abdul-ghani Wahhaj  which makes the entire site a crime scene.

Other reports noted that police have impounded an RV from the compound that once housed the five adults and 11 children, all of whom lived in filth and squalor. Ammunition and a bulletproof vest were also discovered at the site after it was demolished.

When Backus ordered the adults freed, she drew major criticism from prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who noted that she strongly disagreed with releasing them only on a signature bond. Unfortunately, it highlights how extreme the New Mexico Supreme Court has been in dictating pretrial release for all kinds of dangerous criminals, she said. (Related: Manafort faces 300 yrs prison time for being Trumps campaign manager  While jihadis at child terrorist training camp released on signature bond.)

We dont yet have all the answers

Whats noteworthy as well is that Backus, who managed to survive a petition drive in 2016 to have her replaced with a Qualified judge, specifically referenced the suspects Muslim faith as having an impact on her unbelievable decision. She wrote that the State of New Mexico, apparently expected the court to take the individuals faith into account when making the determination as to whether they and their Islamic jihadist training camp posed a danger to the community, The Daily Caller reported.

But faith or Islamophobia has nothing to do with anything  and should not have had any bearing whatsoever on Backus ruling. Had she judged on facts alone  a missing (and now allegedly murdered) child, terrorist training, guns and ammo at the scene in the hands of children, as Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe testified  no sane judge would have ever released the suspects scot-free, essentially.

With so much that is known, reasonable people wonder how much has yet to be discovered about what was really going on at the remote New Mexico camp. And now we will likely never have all of the answers because its been disassembled, by court order. Why?

What is it about Islamic extremist suspects that has federal law enforcement hamstrung? Backus actions arent the only ones on a federal level that are questionable.

The National Sentinel reported that the FBIs stalling led New Mexico authorities to take matters into their own hands and move on the compound. Citing a report from The Clarion Project, the site reported that the FBIs reluctance to act was mostly due to the fact that during the Obama years no one in federal law enforcement was either permitted to call Islamic extremism by that name or recognize it as a true threat to Americans.

Is there some federal link to the now-destroyed jihadi camp?

Read more about terrorism on American soil at Terrorism.news.

Sources include:

TheNationalSentinel.com

DailyCaller.com

NPR.org

NewsTarget.com
Contributed / Contributed

Those who donate blood and platelets through the American Red Cross can get a little reward for their efforts  one with real bite.

Thats thanks to a partnership between the Red Cross and Deep River Snacks, headquartered in the state. Deep River Snacks is donating $150,000 worth of potato chips and salty snacks to be provided at all fixed blood drive locations across the United States.
Cathy Zuraw / Cathy Zuraw

DANBURY  A woman who allegedly used a racial slur in online messages sent to a University of Connecticut student is not, as her account claimed, a student at Western Connecticut State University, school officials said Monday.

In a tweet on Friday, a person identifying himself as a UConn student shared a screenshot of vulgar messages  including a racial slur  he received on Instagram from a woman whose account listed her as a WCSU student.
Its time for hemps breakaway moment.

For almost five decades, hemp in America has been tied to its controversial cousin marijuana. Despite being defined by the federal government as being low in psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- less than 0.3 percent -- industrial hemp is lumped in with all other forms of Cannabis sativa L., which have been classified since 1970 as a Schedule I controlled substance, along with heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

Legislative attempts to remove hemp -- or deschedule it -- from the Controlled Substances Act have picked up steam in the last five years, but they still haven't made it out of committee status. As a result, the U.S. hemp market, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, consists of thousands of products mainly made with imported hemp.

Related: Hemp Is the Multibillion-Dollar Cannabis Opportunity Few Have Heard About

But in 2018, political, market and environmental forces are uniting in a perfect storm to change hemps domestic destiny, and we believe that now is the perfect time to go all-in with hemp investments. We are pressing the issue at my cannabis lifestyle company, Chiefton Supply Co., making our hemp apparel available nationally, and preparing to bring our production stateside as soon as possible -- which we see as much closer of a possibility than ever before. Here are three reasons why.

1. Rising Political Tide

The political will to change hemp's current legal status crosses party lines.

Since 2015, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has introduced bills to exclude hemp from the CSA. In April of this year, he once again took up the charge, with the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which has picked up nearly 30 co-sponsors as of early August. The bill would help farmers in other ways, too, such as making USDA funding and water rights available to them and allowing them to insure their crops.

On the other side of the aisle, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has said: "Its past time that we move beyond these outdated and frustrating restrictions on hemp farming in the United States. If were selling hemp products in the United States, we should be growing hemp in the United Statesits good for jobs, good for our communities, and its just common sense."

While hemp awaits legalization on a federal level, there is a patchwork of state-by-state regulations around growing and researching. Currently, it is illegal to grow hemp in the United States without being issued a special permit from your state or from the DEA.

This is a far cry from hemps heyday during World War II when the American government promoted a Hemp for Victory program, and farmers grew about 150,000 acres of hemp. As far back as the 18th century, hemp was an important crop, used to produce rope and textiles.

Related: America's History with Cannabis? It's Complicated.

But progress is being made. The 2014 Farm Bill began to turn things around for hemp farmers, legalizing the cultivation of industrial hemp for research purposes in states where such growth and cultivation is legal under State law, notwithstanding existing Federal statutes that would otherwise criminalize such conduct. To date at least 35 states have taken advantage of this legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 2017, nearly 25,000 acres of industrial hemp were cultivated in 19 states, reports the advocacy group Vote Hemp.

Chieftons home state of Colorado leads the nation in hemp production and was the first in the nation to certify domestic hemp seeds.

2. Massive Market

The numbers prove that the market is hungry for hemp. Despite its legal challenges, American consumers purchased more hemp than any other nation -- an estimated $688 million worth of products -- in 2016.

Personal care products made up almost a quarter of those sales (about $163 million), while food and CBD products each were 19 percent and other industrial applications were 18 percent. Textiles were 14 percent of the market, close to $100 million.

Sales have been increasing for the past several years, tripling from 2012 to 2016, and are projected to hit $1.8 billion by 2020.

Hemp has a seemingly infinite set of uses, stretching far beyond food and health. Car manufacturers like BMW are including it in their panels, the construction industry is using it for insulation, and researchers are looking at hemp biofuel for vehicles. At Chiefton Supply Co., weve consciously moved over to using hemp in our apparel.

I can say from firsthand experience that consumer response has been overwhelmingly positive. A common question asked at our booth during cannabis festivals is: Are your cannabis leaf-print shirts and shorts made of hemp? After more than a year of sourcing and innovating, I'm glad I can finally answer, Yes!

3. It's Sustainable

The last reason hemp is a great investment right now? It's an environmentally-friendly crop.

Hemp requires 50 percent less water and land than cotton to grow. Its a drought-resistant, resilient crop that can grow well in poor soil, yet causes less soil nutrient depletion than many other major crops.

Hemp is considered the worlds most durable textile. Since its four times more durable than cotton, hemp helps fulfill the reduce / reuse aspect of environmental sustainability.

One of the other advantages of a friendlier political climate is that it makes it easier for agronomists and other scientists to do more research on making hemp crops even more sustainable and profitable in the United States.

Right now, given the limited number of acres on which to grow in any given state, producing domestic hemp costs more than cotton for example. But consumers have shown they are willing to pay more for a higher-quality product that is more responsible when it comes to environmental impact.

On a common-sense level, using the most sustainable textile is simply the right thing to do. States like Colorado are positioned well to lead in domestic hemp production, creating good jobs in a supportive market. What comes next is reviving and rebuilding processing infrastructure for hemp, which will be a prime opportunity for investment.

Were looking forward to the day hemp returns to its rightful place as a central crop in Americas economy. And we eagerly encourage federal lawmakers to keep propelling this important issue to the top of their priorities list.

Related: For the Perfect Social-Impact Investment, Look No Further Than Cannabis

Related:



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BRIDGEPORT  If Democrat Ned Lamont wants to be governor, he needs votes in Bridgeport, Connecticuts largest city.

And that means Lamont needs the strong support of its mayor, Joe Ganim.

And since Lamont needs Ganim, he also needs backing from hizzoners close friend, Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa.

So on Wednesday, hours after defeating Ganim in their partys gubernatorial primary, Lamont and some allies headed to Testas restaurant, Testos, to make peace with the local party chairman and with the mayor.

Democrats have scheduled a so-called post-primary unity rally Saturday morning in Hartford. But the important work to ensure that unity is not just superficial started at that Bridgeport gathering.

Joining Lamont, Ganim and Testa were, sources said, Marc Bradley, Lamonts campaign manager, outgoing Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and retiring Attorney General George Jepsen.

My understanding is the feelings genuine on both sides, said one source familiar with the gathering who wished to remain anonymous. The Lamont camp really does want to reach out to everybody who supported Joe and they need all hands on deck to win this election. And I think the feeling from Joe and the Joe camp is, We had a tough primary, its over, and Bridgeport is going to play an important part in putting together that coalition to put Ned over the top. Joes all in.

Ganim could not be reached for comment Friday, and it was unclear if he would attend the rally in Hartford Saturday. He has had a low key public schedule the rest of this week, attending a back-to-school event and an awards ceremony for the fire chief.

Jepsen, an early supporter of Lamonts, confirmed the Wednesday meeting was positive: There wasnt an ounce of tension.

Thick skins

Some might find that a little hard to believe given what transpired during the primary. Ganim, the underdog because of the corruption conviction that ended his first administration in 2003, continually attacked Lamont as an inexperienced, out-of-touch Greenwich millionaire who cannot woo the urban voters Democrats need to win statewide races.

And while Lamont for the most part tried to ignore his primary opponent, during their final debate Aug. 7 he jabbed at the culture of corruption in City Hall during Ganims first tenure as mayor  Ganim was re-elected in 2015. And Lamont at that same face-off when asked if he would endorse Bridgeports mayor were Ganim to win the primary, answered probably not.

Ganim is used to attacks on his criminal record. But Lamonts refusal to support him seemed to sting. The mayor responded at that time: If he loses, Ned Lamont would rather go back to his mansion with eight bathrooms in Greenwich and allow a (President Donald) Trump Republican to become governor than support a Democrat for governor. Democratic voters now know Ned Lamont supports just himself, not Democratic values or principles.

Testa still seemed to be smarting from Lamonts comment in a brief interview with Hearst Connecticut Media late Tuesday night after Ganim had conceded. Asked about supporting Lamont, Testa emphasized, Im a very loyal Democrat.

But, according to Jepsen, nearly 24 hours later on Wednesday, Joe and Mario very graciously from the onset of the conversation offered their full support any way they can be helpful. They didnt ask for anything.

While Ganim and Testa enjoy leverage as leaders of Bridgeports Democrats, that leverage only goes so far considering Tuesdays primary results. Lamont received 81.19 percent of the statewide vote to Ganims 18.81 percent.

Still Jepsen maintained that Ganim is a needed ally, and not just to get a strong general election turnout in Bridgeport.

I think also Joes second chance message resonated in some urban areas especially, Jepsen said, referring to the mayors efforts to turn his conviction into a positive personal story to win support from inner-city voters in particular.

A new beginning?

Although Jepsen maintained neither Ganim nor Testa asked for something in exchange for their backing, Testa on Tuesday night complained, Everybody needs Bridgeport but Bridgeport never gets anything in return.

But Bridgeport has also had a rocky relationship with the retiring governor, Democrat Dannel P. Malloy.

Malloy during his eight years has invested in Connecticuts largest city. But there are constant grumblings from local officials that state government pays more attention to the capital, Hartford, and to Stamford, where Malloy served as mayor.

Bridgeports relationship with Malloy was off to a rocky start when city Democrats, including then-Mayor Bill Finch, backed Lamont over Malloy in the pairs 2010 gubernatorial primary.

Malloy won the primary and general election and he and Finch eventually were able to work together. And then Bridgeport voters in the 2015 mayoral primary decided they preferred Ganim and his corruption conviction over Finch.

The governor, in a television interview ahead of that years general election, said were he a Bridgeport resident he probably would not vote for Ganim. Ganim won anyway, and he and Malloy had to learn to work together.

So, given that history, were Lamont elected with strong support from Bridgeport, Ganim and Testa, it could be a fresh start.

Jepsen said Lamont recognizes Connecticut cities need help and recognizes Bridgeport is the largest city in the state and is gonna need a helping hand.

Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves, who enthusiastically backed Ganim in the primary, said there is an opportunity for a new relationship between the city and the governors office were Lamont to win. But, she emphasized, Lamont and his campaign cannot take blue Bridgeports support for granted and need to lay out a specific plan for growing the local economy.

We are looking for somebody whos going to look out for Bridgeport, Nieves said. Our (legislative) delegation is strong, but we need the governors office to really support Bridgeport projects. I will support Ned Lamont if hes willing to commit to that.
An Upstate New York angler unofficially broke a state freshwater record this past weekend thanks to a longnose gar that he landed while fishing on South Bay on Lake Champlain.

Mike Gatus, 42, of Hoosick Falls, in Rensselaer County, was fishing with George Mentiply, also of Hoosick Falls, for catfish in the bay late Saturday evening when the gar hit a piece of chunk bait (white perch). He set the hook on the 52 1/4 inch, 14.85-pound fish at about 10:30 p.m.

At first, Gatus thought he was reeling in a big catfish.

"When I saw it was a gar, I was ready to let it go. My brother-in-law pointed out, though, that it was a monster," he said.

Gatus said it's not usual to catch gar this time of year in the lake's South Bay. In fact, his brother-in-law's boat has a homemade wooden box on the side where they can put the long-nosed, toothy fish in, sticking the beak through a cut out area to make it easy to remove a hook or lure.

"The box is 48 inches long and this fish was bigger than that," he said. "We ended up getting it into the boat and putting black tape around its beak so it wouldn't bite us."

After removing the hook, Gatus then strung a rope stringer through its gills. Gatus used his smart phone to Google the current state record. The record on the DEC website is held by Kenneth Cassant, who caught a 13- pound, 3-ounce gar in 1999, also on Lake Champlain, on a sucker.

"I knew we beat that," Gatus said.

But since it was late Saturday evening, the angler decided to wait until Sunday morning to contact anyone. When the two finished fishing, Gatus keep the fish in his brother-in-law's boat covered with a wet blanket so it wouldn't dry out.

Sunday morning, he contacted Brian Canzeri, a local state Environmental Conservation Officer, who recommended the fish be weighed on an official scale. He said that a scale at any local grocery store would do.

Gatus met the officer at the Tops Market in Hoosick Falls, where the official measurement and weight was taken and documented.

Gatus has since filled out all the required paperwork for a state record and got it notarized today. He plans to send the forms along with pictures of the fish to the state Department of Environmental Conservation to make it an official record. DEC records for fish are done by weight, not length and need to be confirmed by a regional DEC fishery biologist.

Gatus said he and his brother-in-law stayed out fishing until 4 a.m. Sunday morning. He also landed a 28-pound catfish - his personal best.

"It was a hog. We kept that one for eating," he said.

As for the gar?

"I have it my freezer right now. I'm taking it to the taxidermist. I'm going to have it mounted on a piece of driftwood or something."
One person died in a crash in Mount Laurel early Sunday morning, according to township police.

Two vehicles were driving northbound on Route 73 between Church Road and Atrium Way just after midnight when they collided, causing one of the vehicles to crash into a utility pole, authorities said.

The person in the vehicle which hit the pole and reportedly overturned several times, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Route 73 was shut down several hours for the accident investigation.

What caused the crash remains under investigation and police have released no further details.

Gianluca D'Elia may be reached at gdelia@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @gianluca_delia. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Authorities say a firefighter became trapped inside a southern New Jersey home while battling a blaze and had to be rescued by his colleagues.

The fire in Mount Ephraim broke out around 5:30 a.m. Monday.

Authorities say the firefighter was briefly trapped inside the home before he was brought to safety. He didn't appear to be seriously injured but was being evaluated as a precaution.

The firefighter's name hasn't been disclosed. No other injuries were reported in the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
With just two weeks left until the start of the Miss America competition in Atlantic City, the saga of Miss America 1989 vs. Miss America 2018 is the main event.

Gretchen Carlson, the '80s victor and chairwoman of the Miss America Board of Directors, has publicly responded to claims from the reigning Miss America, Cara Mund, that Carlson and pageant leaders bullied and silenced Mund over the past few months.

"I so wished Cara had picked up the phone and discussed her concerns with me directly, before going to the media with allegations of bullying," Carlson said in a statement that she tweeted on Sunday night (see tweet below). She claimed that the Miss America Organization lost a potential $75,000 increase in scholarship money because of Mund's complaints.

Mund, 24, wrote a scathing, detailed letter to a group of former Miss Americas on Thursday. In the letter, which was sent to the media and posted on a public pageant forum, Mund alleged that Carlson made little room for her to be the public face of the pageant. That was a role Carlson preferred to occupy herself during major interviews, Mund said, like when she announced the dissolution of the swimsuit competition in June.

"Right away, the new leadership delivered an important message," Mund wrote. "There will be only one Miss America at a time, and she isn't me."

Mund claims she has been pushed aside after Carlson and pageant CEO Regina Hopper took over in the wake of a messy email scandal that ousted the former CEO.

At first, Carlson, 52, praised Mund.

"As a Brown graduate, you aspire to go to law school and one day run for Governor in your home state of North Dakota," she said. "You embody the mission of Miss America."

But Carlson, who said Mund will now only communicate with her by email, directly countered the allegations from Miss America.

Please see my statement in full below pic.twitter.com/rvmee4es7g -- Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) August 20, 2018

"I also want to be clear that I have never bullied or silenced you," Carlson said. "In fact, I have acknowledged to you and your parents many times that the organization understands the frustrations of serving during such a change-filled and stressful year."

Mund had been Miss America for three months in December 2017 when leaked emails from Sam Haskell, the former pageant CEO, came to light, revealing he had approved of misogynistic comments about former Miss Americas and had himself disparaged a former titleholder.

In the last few days, the number of former Miss Americas seeking Carlson, Hopper and the Miss America board's ouster before the pageant broadcast on Sept. 9 has grown from 11 to 17. As of Sunday night, 17,909 people had signed their Change.org petition.

A similar petition from state pageant leaders has swelled from 22 states to at least 25. Contestants will represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia in the 2019 pageant at Boardwalk Hall.

Carlson noted that "a majority of former Miss Americas" nominated her to become chairwoman of the board, "an unpaid, volunteer, full-time position."

"I accepted the challenge with some trepidation," she said. "The program (Miss America) had given me so much, but I knew that re-positioning the organization would require real strength and commitment."

State directors and former Miss Americas claim Carlson and Hopper, the CEO, misled the Miss America faithful about why the swimsuits had to go away. They said they were told the competition wouldn't be broadcast on ABC if the swimsuit portion remained. Carlson and Hopper denied this and said production partners had instead pushed to cut the swimsuits.

Carlson also referenced #MeToo in her reply to Mund. The former Fox News host emerged as a prominent voice in the movement after she sued former Fox CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment in 2016 (and reportedly settled for $20 million). She has fended off criticism that she tried to link the swimsuit decision to the watershed cultural moment for women and victims of sexual harassment and assault.

"You are at the epicenter of a very historic moment for women," Carlson told Mund. "Over the past two years, our country has undergone a seismic shift in how professional women are depicted and treated. Cara, you have the opportunity to be at the forefront of real, positive change for young women across this country. I am so hopeful you'll be a part of that."

Oh Gretchen. There are no words for what you have done here. Shocking and outrageous. This is not how leaders act. -- Jennifer Vaden Barth (@jvadenbarth) August 20, 2018

"She already IS apart of the change," argued Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap, on Twitter. "She has a hashtag dontcha know! #StandWithCara"

But Carlson also chastised Mund for redirecting focus from the incoming contestants to herself, though recent headlines have -- until Mund's letter -- largely been focused on the rift between Carlson and pageant stakeholders.

"We should be celebrating them," Carlson said of the current contestants. "Cara, please join us in doing so."

Miss New Jersey, Woolwich Township's Jaime Gialloreto, is among those who have expressed support for Mund. On social media, more former titleholders criticized Carlson.

"@GretchenCarlson just because DT (Donald Trump) tweets grievances on Twitter doesn't mean you can blast a 24-year-old who wrote a letter to her sisters," tweeted Lauren Percy, Miss New Hampshire 2017.

"Oh Gretchen. There are no words for what you have done here," tweeted Jennifer Vaden Barth, a former Miss North Carolina who says Carlson pushed her off the pageant board this summer. "Shocking and outrageous. This is not how leaders act."

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
Two former Miss Americas appeared on TV Monday morning to speak out against Gretchen Carlson, amplifying efforts to dethrone her from the pageant leadership.

Suzette Charles, a former Miss New Jersey who became Miss America for a short time after Vanessa Williams resigned in 1984, and Heather Whitestone McCallum, Miss America 1995, criticized Carlson and pageant leaders on NBC's "Megyn Kelly Today."

Last week, Charles, Whitestone McCallum and nine other former Miss Americas signed a petition that called for resignation of Carlson -- the chairwoman of the Miss American board, who was Miss America 1989 -- as well as pageant CEO Regina Hopper (a former Miss Arkansas) and the Miss America board of trustees.

On Friday, the reigning Miss America, Cara Mund, went public with allegations she had been bullied and silenced by Carlson and the pageant's CEO, Regina Hopper. Carlson issued a statement on Sunday denying Mund's claims and has now come under fire for blaming the 24-year-old former Miss Dakota for the loss of what would've been a $75,000 increase in scholarship money at the pageant.

Charles, who hails from Mays Landing, rejected the notion that Mund, who is a graduate of Brown University, should be blamed for the loss of the $75,000.

"I've had some background on Gretchen," Charles said. "Gretchen has been bullying a long time."

"Gretchen is a mother," she continued. "What would she do if her own daughter were being bullied like that?"

After Carlson assumed leadership of the pageant in January following an email scandal that ousted the former CEO, she appointed Charles to be Miss America's liaison to Atlantic City. At the time, the pageant, tainted by scandal, was in danger of losing its funding from the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, but Miss America was able to secure $4.3 million for the coming pageant. Now, efforts to oust Carlson have been billed as a way to "save Miss America."

Charles told Kelly that five people have resigned from the Atlantic City office of the pageant during the conflict with executives. Departing board members this summer have included Kate Shindle, Miss America 1998, who grew up in Brigantine and Moorestown and signed the petition calling for the leadership to resign. As of Monday, the petition has drawn the support of 19 former Miss Americas and claimed 18,781 signatures.

One of Mund's main complaints, expressed in a five-page letter to former Miss Americas, is that Carlson did not include her in major interviews, like the one she gave ABC in June to announce the end of the swimsuit competition. Charles, who claims that Carlson "paid $10,000" on media training for Mund (which she said she didn't need), doesn't understand why Carlson wouldn't want Mund to be the public face of the pageant.

"She hasn't given her any chance to speak," she said.

"I was really angry when I read about that," said Whitestone McCallum, who became the first deaf Miss America in 1994. "It was not right."

Mund claims that pageant executives gave her three talking points: To stress the relevancy of Miss America, to emphasize that Carlson attended Stanford University and hammer home the notion that "the #MeToo movement started with a Miss America, Gretchen Carlson." (#MeToo, which picked up speed after the Harvey Weinstein allegations surfaced in 2017, was actually founded by Tarana Burke in 2007.)

The pageant queen said she got the message: "There will be only one Miss America at a time, and she isn't me."

In 2017, Carlson emerged as a strong #MeToo voice, having sued former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment the year before and having written "Be Fierce," a book about harassment and workplace equality. After Carlson filed her lawsuit, Megyn Kelly, then still at Fox News, claimed that Ailes had also harassed her and encouraged others at Fox to come forward and talk about their experiences with the network boss.

"You are at the epicenter of a very historic moment for women," Carlson told Mund, replying to her letter. "Over the past two years, our country has undergone a seismic shift in how professional women are depicted and treated. Cara, you have the opportunity to be at the forefront of real, positive change for young women across this country. I am so hopeful you'll be a part of that."

Critics of the move to drop the swimsuit competition have claimed that Carlson was trying to use the momentum of #MeToo to force the change. But Carlson and Hopper say the whole board voted on the issue. Still, critics claim board members were led to believe the pageant would not air unless swimsuits were banished.

"The #MeToo movement had nothing to do with the Miss America Organization," said Whitestone McCallum. (In December, the former pageant CEO's emails were shown to contain misogynistic comments about former Miss Americas.)

It's a disgrace what has happened to #StandWithCara harrassment is not acceptable -- Suzette Charles (@SuzetteVCharles) August 20, 2018

Among the latest titleholders to call for Carlson and Hopper's resignation is Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015.

"It's been a tumultuous eight months and it must change starting now," Kazantsev, 27, said in a statement on Monday. She said Hopper and Carlson had allowed the situation to "fester and get perilously close to the point of no return."

Shortly after her crowning in 2014, Kazantsev faced allegations that she had hazed students while in college. At the time, she denied this while admitting she participated in a broader culture of hazing at Hofstra University. But she cautioned fellow titleholders in their criticism of Carlson and Hopper:

"On the subject of bullying, while many of you out there are condemning Gretchen and Regina, you have also done the exact same thing you accuse them of by referring to them as expletives, posting mean spirited and nasty comments, awful photos, and even death threats."

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
Perched on the corner of Shepard Avenue and Osbourne Terrace in Newark, Yesi Supermarket appears to be a typical corner store in Newark's Weequahic neighborhood.

Customers come in, whether it be for a lottery ticket or a bag of potato chips, and walk in like they're stepping into their own home, greeting employees by name.

"You come in here upset and you leave with a smile. Jose (Rivas) was a big part of that," said Frayni Nunez, Rivas' cousin who works at the store.

Jose Rivas

Four years ago, Rivas, the beloved 26-year-old owner and manager of the supermarket, was abducted and shot near his store, and died on the way to the hospital. His family will remember him this week with a vigil outside the store.

For Nunez, and the rest of Rivas' family who continue to work in the store, the anniversary of his death is especially painful because no one has been charged with his death. According to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, no suspects have been identified.

A $5,000 reward, the standard for such cases, is still being offered by the Newark Police Department for anyone with information about Rivas' death.

"We haven't a rumor, nothing," Rivas' cousin, Margarita Rivas said. "He was killed in the community he loved, that he gave back to."

On Aug. 22, 2014, the day of his murder, Jose Rivas arrived at his store around 7 a.m. to open it, as he did every morning, his family said. As he got out of his yellow Hummer across from the building, a silver truck pulled up and a few men got out and grabbed Rivas, a witness told police.

Police say Jose Rivas was shot, and then dumped onto the street about two blocks from the store.

A good Samaritan found him and called police, but Jose Rivas died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital police said.

"He wasn't a street dude. Didn't cause trouble or anything. He had no enemies," Nunez said. "If you were short and needed food for your family he would say 'OK, pay what you can' or 'come back later.' Why would you do something to a person like that?"

Cameras at the bodega didn't capture images of Jose Rivas' abductors or the vehicle involved in the crime, which marked Newark's 58th killing at the time.

At the crime scene, police found a blood-stained shirt, a shoe and a set of keys in the middle of the street. That may not be enough to solve the crime. Despite advances in forensic analysis, and the growing use of video security cameras, more than four in 10 murders in New Jersey go unsolved, according to an NJ Advance Media examination of a decade's worth of statewide crime reports.

As of Aug. 16, Newark has reached its 44th homicide. One of the most recent killings occurred just a mile from Yesi Supermarket.

Bodega Owner Jose Rivas Remembered Four Years After His Murder in Newark 7 Gallery: Bodega Owner Jose Rivas Remembered Four Years After His Murder in Newark

Jose Rivas immigrated to Newark from the Dominican Republic with his family when he was 8. The family established roots in the city and bought and managed a number of supermarkets and liquor stores there.

After Jose Rivas graduated from Barringer High School, he saved enough money to buy his own supermarket and get into the family business, his cousins said.

Though he's gone, his family has vowed to never forget their beloved "Flaco" -- Spanish for skinny. In addition to regularly bringing flowers to his grave and send a prayer up every night they hold a vigil every year.

The vigil is held every year on the day of vigil every year outside the supermarket.

This year it'll be on Wednesday.

But a store banner with Jose's face and name placed above the door so that you can't miss it every time you leave Yesi Supermarket is everyone's daily reminder of who Jose R. "Flaco" Rivas was and that he will never be forgotten.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

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BAYONNE -- Joe DeMarco, the city's business administrator who twice served as Mayor Jimmy Davis' campaign manager, is stepping down from his position to work for a private law firm.

But he may still be a presence in City Hall.

DeMarco, 51, will leave his position in mid-September and begin working for Chasan Lamparello Mallon & Cappuzzo, PC -- a Secaucus-based law firm currently under contract with the city as tax attorneys.

If the City Council approves a bid submitted by Chasan, DeMarco will serve as a special redevelopment counsel for the city. The City Council during last week's meeting approved an ordinance to seek bids for "Special Redevelopment/Land Use Counsel."

"On a personal level it's just time for me to go explore different horizons, but still maintain a presence in the city and still be part of the transformation," he said. "It's just the right time."

After serving as West New York's business administrator, he first entered Bayonne's political scene in 2014 as campaign manager for then-candidate Davis.

He helped Davis secure an upset victory over former-Mayor Mark Smith and later served on his transition team before being appointed business administrator.

Four years later, he took a brief hiatus from the role to manage Davis' re-election campaign. Davis and the council won a clean sweep, defeating mayoral candidates Jason O'Donnell and Mitchell Brown

He served on the Bernardsville Council from 2009 to 2012 prior to his time in Hudson County.

"I'm happy to have been a small part of the ongoing transformation of the city," he said. "I really enjoyed being part of a larger team that was committed to recapturing empty, abandoned sites, upgrading parks and facilities... I think if you look back over four years this city has been able to accomplish a lot."

DeMarco, a Bernardsville resident, has been instrumental in the city's efforts to redevelop and revitalize the city's economy. But he has been a controversial and polarizing figure -- often drawing ire from residents at council meetings.

City Business Administrator Joe DeMarco reads some fan mail during a ground breaking ceremony held in September.

Last year, he was targeted in a lawsuit by the city's former business administrator, Peter Cresci, which asserted he was in violation of an ordinance that required city workers not protected by state statute to maintain residency in the city.

DeMarco told The Jersey Journal that the issue did not play a role in his decision to step down.

"You don't have to be from Bayonne to love Bayonne," he said. "That's my comment."

It is unclear at this time who his replacement will be. Davis will have to appoint someone to the position, who will then need the City Council's approval.

The city earlier this month hired Gene Perry as the assistant business administrator.

The city did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A new trial date was set Monday for a Jersey City man accused of shooting a man in the head in the basement of a bodega in 2015.

DeAndre Thomas is charged with killing Davonte Carswell, 23, on a staircase leading to the basement of Los Yoleros Mini Market Deli on Ocean Avenue on Nov. 15, 2015, and then shooting him in the face after he had fallen.

Thomas stood trial for Carswell's murder, but the case ended in a hung jury in April.

Thomas, who has remained in custody, appeared before Hudson County Superior Court Judge John Young at about 10 a.m. Monday. At the hearing, Young set Oct. 16 for the new trial. Thomas faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murder.

The mistrial was declared on April 21 after the jury passed a note to Young saying they could not reach a unanimous verdict and told the judge that additional deliberation would be futile.

During the first trial, the state's case relied heavily on security video footage from inside the bodega and in the basement, where people were seen congregating at a Plexiglas-covered window. The prosecution said they were placing bets. Telephone records were also introduced as evidence.

In his closing argument, defense attorney Keith Hirschorn noted that investigators had no DNA or fingerprint evidence was recovered, and no gun was ever found. He said the man in the video was wearing a dark hat and although a dark hat was photographed in an alley near the building, it was not analyzed for evidence.

Hirschorn called the investigation sloppy and also noted that the medical examiner's report erroneously stated that Carswell was shot three times.

The trial will be in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Rinaldi is handling the case.

Hirschorn will again represent Thomas at the retrial.
VAV, the South Korean boy band, opened its U.S. tour in Jersey City Friday night with a stop at White Eagle Hall.

Judging from their Instagram page, they spent time in New York City and further up the Jersey side of the Hudson for a photo shoot with the Empire State Building centering the city skyline in the background.

In Jersey City, meanwhile, fans started lining up outside White Eagle Hall early in the day for the band whose work is a mix of English and Korean.

The wait was well worth it, according to White Eagle Hall's Facebook page.

"Those were some smooth moves last night by the @vav_official boys!,'' the hall posted. "After staying on line from the wee hours of the morning, the dedicated fans of VAV finally got in to meet and greet with the band. The crowd went wild song after song, the excitement was infectious! So great to have @vav_official on our stage, last night was really something special!"

Freelance photographer Joseph Remmert got some great shots at the show.

According to VAV's tour poster, after Jersey City, they're playing Atlanta tonight, then Dallas on Tuesday and finishing up in Chicago on Thursday.

Here's one of their official videos:
A Jersey City man is facing as many as 70 years in prison after pleading guilty to a multi-million dollar olive oil scam.

Antonio Fasolino, 62, recently pleaded guilty to claims that he conned two investors into spending $3.4 million on his business by falsely claiming that he'd secured contracts to sell olive oil to major retailers.

According to an FBI investigation, in 2012 Fasolino convinced a business in Kansas City and an individual in Florida to give him $3.4 million to purchase a large order of olive oil. He claimed to have two contracts to distribute the oil, but no such contracts existed.

The investigation also claimed that he supplied the investors with altered bank statements and spent the money on himself, including car and mortgage payments, apartment rentals, a wedding, college tuition and credit card payments.

The plea agreement comes more than two years after he was charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of transacting with criminal proceeds.

Fasolino pleaded guilty to all four charges on Thursday and could be sentenced to 70 years in prison. Each count of wire fraud comes with a maximum sentence of 20 years and the transacting charge comes with a maximum of 10 years.

Vasquez determined not to accept Fasolino's plea until sentencing, which is scheduled for Jan. 11 next year.

Fasolino has been convicted three times previously, twice on bank fraud charges and once on mail fraud.
A Middlesex County dentist was arrested Monday on charges accusing him of improperly touching three of his female employees, including one who was a minor teen at the time, authorities said.

Richard Goldberg, of Marlboro's Morganville neighborhood, was charged with three counts of criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of the child, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey announced.

Dr. Richard Goldberg, police photo

An investigation by the Monroe Police Department - where he practices - found the 47-year-old dentist improperly touched three female employees, including one who was 17 at the time, at his office on Spotswood Englishtown Road, the prosecutor's office said.

The sexual misconduct allegedly occurred at his office from July 2016 through this month, officials said.

NJ Advance Media was unable to reach Goldberg at his office Monday evening.

According to his practice's website, Goldberg, who offers a full range of dentistry, from pediatrics to implant work and oral surgery, attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

He did his residency at at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, and was an associate dentist in Brick, South Amboy and Howell before opening his own practice.

He's scheduled to have his first court appearance in Superior Court in New Brunswick on Sept. 13.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities ask anyone with information to contact Monroe Detective Brian Dziomba at 732-721-0222 ext. 147 or prosecutor's Detective Edmund Morris at 732-745-4194.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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More than two dozen unlicensed New Jersey moving companies were fined after being caught in an undercover sting operation this spring, state officials announced Monday.

Termed "Operation Mother's Attic," the 29 moving companies were nabbed over the course of four days in April, the state attorney general's office said.

Investigators from the Division of Consumer Affairs' Office of Consumer Protection posed as customers hiring a company to move them out of a luxury home in Montville.

When the movers arrived they were greeted by investigators and each handed a notice of violation and a $2,500 fine.

"An unlicensed moving company can be a homeowner's worst nightmare," state Attorney General Grewal said in a statement. "They've been known to hold truckloads of property hostage until the customer pays an extortionate fee. And these unlicensed movers often don't carry adequate insurance, creating the risk that homeowners will be left high and dry if their property is seriously damaged during the move. That's why we regulate the industry - and why we crack down on rogue operators."

Each of the companies was contacted after advertising online.

Licenses movers are required to have cargo liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance as well as bodily injury and property damage insurance. There are about 320 licensed movers in New Jersey.

The moving companies issued notices of violations and fined are:

1/2 Price Movers (Staten Island, New York)

Alpha Moving Services (Highland Lakes)

Affordable & Assertive Moving & Storage (Pompton Lakes)

Avelar Trucking (Landing)

Bin It NJ (North Bergen)

Centurion Movers (Willow Grove, Pennsylvania)

Consider It Done (Toms River)

Cruz Movers (Cinnaminson)

Enterprise Vane Lines (Congers, New York)

GDK Logistics (Fairfield)

H&D Transportation (Clifton)

Helping Hands Moving (Newark)

I.D. Noble Movers (Hackensack)

Imperial Moving & Storage, also know as Lions Den Enterprises and Insignia Moving (Manhattan, New York)

J&L Moving (Hillside)

Lite Moving (Franklin Square, New York)

Moving Good (Little Ferry)

Moving Hero (Rahway)

Old Country Van Lines (East Newark)

Princeton Movers/Great Eastern Movers (Brooklyn, New York)

Rent a Helping Hand (Pennington)

Mundanzas (Dover)

Roadway Moving (Elizabeth)

Round City Moving (Garfield)

Rosie's Master Movers (Cherry Hill)

TB Moving (Brooklyn, New York)

We Move You (Maywood)

Police also handed out 29 motor vehicle violations and made three arrests over the four-days (two for outstanding warrants, one for marijuana possession).

The companies cited can get their penalties reduced by half if they apply for a license within 30 days of getting the notice of violation, authorities said.

State Police, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Morris County Sheriff's Office and Montville police assisted.

Similar stings have been carried out in 2016, 2014 and 2012.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
If you've ever spent a few hours in a municipal court emptying your wallet for a trivial violation - maybe a $60 fine for not having a yard sale permit, or $120 for not renewing Fido's license, or $180 for failing to keep your lawn cut, topped off by a $120 fee that nobody can describe or justify - you know it's time to butcher this cash cow.

If that sounded like hyperbole, be assured that our highest court and our Legislature say otherwise: The municipal court system, which is the last place anyone ever seems to find any justice, is overdue for a makeover.

It will come in the form of sweeping legislation that will be introduced later this month, most of it fashioned after a meticulous report from a state Supreme Court panel formed by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner that depicts local courts as the civic ATM, which cops and judges use to plug municipal budgets and plunder the poor.

The committee was asked to reform a broken and corrupt system, and among its 50-plus suggestions were six tasks for the Legislature. One of the bill's authors believes he can check each box, with emphasis on eliminating the profit motive that often perverts the administration of justice.

"If we want to begin to restore people's justifiably shaken faith in their elected officials," said Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, R-Monmouth, "it's time we act to prevent government from victimizing the people we're all here to serve."

Cities and towns have always used the courts to generate revenue. New Jersey's 524 municipal courts handle roughly six million cases a year - most of them traffic ordinance violations, small claims cases, and domestic cases - and take in more than $400 million. They keep more than one half, and share the rest with the county and the state.

That means there is an unquenchable profit motive, and it often borders on cruelty. The system disproportionately punishes the poor with an endless cycle of surcharges, which the local judge is often happy to impose, because he is beholden to the town officials who appointed him. For example, as the report pointed out, the $130 fine for failing to inspect a car can mushroom to $1,500 before long.

So O'Scanlon's bill will mandate that towns use an "independent" process to assess qualifications for the appointment of municipal judges, rather than leaving it up to town officials. The current system leads to hires such as former Monmouth County judge Richard B. Thompson, who converted 5,000 motor vehicle fines to contempt of court fines without any legal basis.

That ticket-fixing scheme pleased his overseers: Towns split the revenue from motor vehicle fines with the county, but fines from ordinance violations (such as contempt of court) go exclusively to the municipality, so revenue spiked by $500,000 in the nine towns that occupied Thompson's fiefdom.

So part of O'Scanlon's bill is to take the money away from municipalities and "collectivize" all fines at the county level, then redistribute them to the towns. "That not only removes the profit incentive from cops and judges, it promotes court consolidation," he said, citing another panel priority.

He also seeks to extend judicial terms to five years, find alternatives to license suspensions, and cap fines.

A potential snag is that such a bill could make his colleagues cranky: The Asbury Park Press counted nine members of the Legislature who earn wages through the municipal court system, and some are ranking members of the judiciary committees. More pushback will come from the League of Municipalities, which believes local officials should retain the right to make judicial appointments.

But the need for reform is irrefutable. As Rabner put it last month, the municipal court is the face of the Judiciary, and it "must adhere to the Judiciary's high standards of integrity." That cannot happen as long as cops and judges consider fundraising a greater priority than the administration of justice.

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I'm a reader, not a tv watcher. I can be patient in airline terminals, doctors' waiting rooms, even government offices lobbies as long as I have a newspaper, book or Kindle. I love news, political gossip, and mysteries. Especially mysteries.

Several websites offer daily helpings of free or almost-free books, featuring really good authors whose old editions haven't been promoted in a while and surprisingly good authors almost no one has heard of. Of course, I get a dud now and then, but it's more likely I'll find a book new to me, love it, and want to read the whole series.

The older mysteries can be amusing and at the same time frustrating to those of us who think we know how crime detection works today. Amateur and professional sleuths didn't have cell phones, GPS or other electronic tracking devices, social media or the internet. Without technology, they got into so many scrapes relying only on their wits.

Now we not only have criminals stupid enough to boast about their accomplishments on social media, often including videotapes of them doing dumb, illegal things; but cops today can also learn where just about anyone was at any given time, what they were doing, how fast they were driving, and who they were hanging out with.

Such technological crime-fighting techniques are approved and applauded by those who rank law and order at the top of their civic priorities but terrifying to privacy advocates. And privacy concerns really irritate the folks who simply say, "If you don't want anyone to know you did it, don't do it."

But, of course, it's not only crime some don't want others to see. How many people have stumbled ungracefully off a curb, picked a nose at a traffic light, hitched up sagging pants, walked hand-in-hand with someone else's spouse, or ignored poop a pet left on a neighbor's sidewalk? Not everyone is perfect but we like to pretend we are.

The latest thing that has privacy advocates upset is facial recognition. Sixteen states, including New Jersey, have agreed to make drivers' license photos available to the FBI to aid in finding suspects and missing persons. Amazon has developed technology it calls Rekognition that can identify individual faces even in mob scenes, and two dozen civil rights organizations are suing to prevent Amazon from sharing it with law enforcement.

The FBI data base already has more than 400 million images, according to the General Accounting Office. That must include most of us. It could be used as a kind of government surveillance no one signed up for, and there's no doubt mistakes can be made.

You'll remember when the man who killed several people in an Annapolis newsroom refused to identify himself. He'd even filed down his fingertips so his prints wouldn't be usable. But it took cops only a few hours to figure out who he was through a facial recognition program. It works.

American military and intelligence agencies have used facial recognition for years to identify potential terrorists, and few citizens objected. Perhaps they felt maintaining homeland security is more vital than privacy rights or maybe they simply didn't know about it.

When DNA technology was first used for criminal apprehension purposes, privacy advocates objected also. But over time government and individuals agreed to laws and regulations that prevented egregious invasions of privacy and yet permitted DNA to be used to identify persons involved in crimes. I am counting on something similar happening with facial recognition.

I only hope detection doesn't become so routine and so easy that there'll be no more mysteries to enjoy.

A former Assemblywoman from Jersey City, Joan Quigley is the president and CEO of North Hudson Community Action Corp.

Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com
Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday halted New Jersey's annual bear hunt on all state land this year.

The governor, who said during his gubernatorial campaign he would end the hunts that were in place under former Gov. Chris Christie, signed an executive order that has been hailed by supporters as a good first step in ending black bear hunts in New Jersey.

"Today, I am fulfilling my commitment to stop the bear hunt to the greatest extent of my authority by ordering the Department of Environmental Protection to prevent bear hunting on all public lands under the DEP's jurisdiction during the 2018 season," Murphy said in a statement.

"I am also calling on the Legislature to take action on this critical issue," he said. "My first concern has always been public safety and before we authorize another hunt, we should review all non-lethal options."

The order bans hunting on all state forests, state parks and recreation areas, and state Wildlife Management Areas -- about 700,000 acres, according to the New Jersey Sierra Club.

That leaves 1 million acres privately owned or owned by counties where hunting is still permitted.

Murphy has been criticized by some environmental groups for not ending bear hunts in the state.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, called the executive order the "first real step we've had in a long time to limit the unnecessary bear hunt."

"We believe that today's action by the governor is an important step in the right direction and will reduce the number of bear mortalities," Tittel said in a statement. "We still need a full moratorium on the bear hunt this year and in future years."

According to a report released just before Murphy took office, ending the bear hunt could cause the state's bear population to double by 2022.

"The removal of hunting as a management tool will quickly allow the population to rebound to unacceptable levels," concluded the 12-page report from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

The governor's executive order was met with anger from New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, which favors the hunt.

"We are shocked and distressed that the governor would take such an action," Cody McLaughlin, a spokesman for the group, said in a statement.

"Those who have read the countless science on this and other issues of hunting know, it is the best tool in the toolbox for wildlife management of any species - including bears - and this ban flies in the face of a mountain of research urging the contrary," he said.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
NEW YORK -- For Giancarlo Stanton, it'll be about more than getting back at his ex.

It'll be about a personal milestone, too.

Stanton has a chance not only at showing up the Marlins, his former team, when the Yankees arrive in Miami for a two-game set starting Tuesday.

He could also hit his 300th home run at Marlins Park.

"Yeah, it would be cool," he told reporters following the Yankees' 10-2 beatdown of the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. "That would be really cool if I did that."

Still, he said, it'll be odd going back to South Beach, where he played eight years before the Marlins and their new owner, Derek Jeter, traded him to the Bronx before this season.

"It's going to be weird for sure," Stanton said.

Stanton said he's never gone to his old home stadium and walked straight to the visitors' clubhouse.

Simply staying on the field could prove tough, however, for Stanton. He's been nursing a left hamstring strain since late July. It's kept him at DH for nearly every game since then.

But, Stanton said, it's progressed to the point where he believes he'll be able to play right field. The National League doesn't have a DH.

And the Yankees need him in their lineup badly.

On Sunday, shortstop Didi Gregorius suffered a heel bruise that could land him on the disabled list, manager Aaron Boone said.

Aaron Judge (fractured wrist), Gary Sanchez (groin strain) and Clint Frazier (post-concussion symptoms) are also on the DL.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
NEW YORK -- Yankees slugger Aaron Judge still feels pain in his fractured right wrist, he told reporters following Sunday's 10-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.

"Oh, yeah, it's still healing. It's still fractured," he said. "So, it's still a little bit of pain in there. That's what we're just trying to get past right now. I think it usually takes four to six weeks for stuff like that to heal, so [we're] waiting for those six weeks."

The Yankees set a three-week timetable for Judge's return after a fastball hit his hand, forcing him to the disabled list July 27. That timetable was contingent on Judge being able to play through the pain in the wrist.

While Judge was able to run the bases and perform defensive drills on Sunday, he still hasn't been able to swing a bat without pain.

Manager Aaron Boone has described the pain that Judge was trying to get past as at the end of the range of motion of the wrist.

"Today was a low-key day for him," Boone said Sunday.

The Yankees are off Monday. They start a two-game series in Miami on Tuesday.

"We'll just see where (Judge) is (Tuesday)," Boone said.

The Yankees could use Judge back as soon as possible. Not only are they missing catcher Gary Sanchez, who's on the disabled list with a right groin strain, but they could lose Didi Gregorius for a while. The shortstop suffered a "pretty bad" heel bruise in Sunday's victory during a collision at first base, Boone said.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
A powerful political action committee working to elect Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives has launched an online ad designed to portray past and present Republican leadership as scandal-plagued hypocrites.

The targets include two Louisiana members: Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, the current third-ranking Republican in the House, and Bob Livingston, R-Metairie, who represented Louisiana's 1st Congressional District from 1977 to 1999.

As is the norm in political attack ads, the accusations are based on actual events and then made to sound as sinister as possible.

Scalise is labeled in the video as "linked to KKK leader David Duke," a reference to reports that then-state Rep. Scalise spoke to a group affiliated with Duke back in 2002. The event became news again in 2014 after Scalise was elected House majority whip.

Scalise has said he was invited to speak to a group in his state House district that turned out to be part of Duke's European-American Unity and Rights Organization convention. He said he did not know of the "racist nature of the group" and apologized for speaking to them.

"It was a mistake I regret, and I emphatically oppose the divisive racial and religious views groups like these hold," Scalise said.

With no further evidence of Scalise's connection to Duke or to groups with similar agendas, the controversy has died down, although it almost certainly will be revisited if Scalise gets closer to becoming speaker of the House.

That's essentially what happened to Livingston, who was set to succeed Newt Gingrich as speaker when he dramatically resigned at the height of the House impeachment vote in 1998.

The ad says Livingston "resigned in shame," but that is not how I see it.

During the House impeachment debate Dec. 19, 1998, Livingston took to the floor to demand that President Bill Clinton resign over his affair with a young White House intern and the lies he told about it to the public and to a grand jury.

Democrats responded with, "No, you resign. You resign."

Livingston, who had been forced to reveal his own extramarital affairs just days before, then announced that he would, in fact, be stepping down, ending his political career with one of the most powerful positions in America within his grasp.

"I believe I had it in me to do a fine job," Livingston said. "But I cannot do that job or be the kind of leader that I would like to be under current circumstances."

Whether you believe Scalise's explanation and apology or not, it's almost impossible to deny that Livingston acted with principle and integrity when confronted with his own failings.

The rest of the targets in the ad -- Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert, Scalise, Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan -- seem like fair game. But the House Majority PAC misses the mark on Livingston, who clearly did the honorable thing.

Here is the script:

ANNOUNCER: They've shut down the government" [Video of Newt Gingrich flashes]

"Resigned in shame" [Video of Bob Livingston, with the headline "Speaker-elect Admits Illicit Sexual Affairs"]

"Paid hush money" [Video of Denny Hastert in a wheelchair, with a headline "Hastert Paid Sex-Abuse Accuser $1.7 Million to Stay Quiet"]

"And tried to end Medicare and Social Security" [Video of Paul Ryan]

"Here's who Republicans might have to answer for next" [Photos of Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise and Kevin McCarthy, with the headline "Republicans Brace for a Brutal House Leadership Race"]

"Jim Jordan, remind you of Joe Paterno?" [Video of Jordan, with the headline "Rep. Jim Jordan is Named in New OSU Sexual Abuse Lawsuit"]

"Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan's protege with a lot of baggage" [Video of Ryan and McCarthy, with the headline "2015: 'Kevin McCarthy Quits Speaker Race Amid Allegations of Affair'"]

"And Steve Scalise, linked to KKK leader David Duke" [Video of Scalise, with the headline "Steve Scalise Once Defended Himself Against Links to David Duke"]

"No wonder they aren't looking out for you" [With photos of Jordan, Scalise and McCarthy]

House Majority PAC spokesman Jeb Fain told NPR that, "Past is prologue when it comes to House Republican leadership -- a series of toxic politicians pushing toxic policies. "It's just more of the same with the Republicans jockeying to replace Paul Ryan. Our country can't afford the House GOP's continuing circus of chaos and corruption, and we're going to make sure voters from coast to coast know it."

Jesse Hunt, press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, dismissed the ad as an attempt by Democrats to distract from their own leadership fight.

"House Democrats are in revolt against Nancy Pelosi," Hunt said in a statement. "Now her super PAC has decided to launch a slanderous, race-baiting attack to soothe their beleaguered boss's shattered ego."

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
The body of a 61-year-old Metairie man who went missing while hiking last week was found in a wooded area in the Bonnet Carre Spillway on Sunday (Aug. 19), according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's office.

The search for Clarence Schlamp started Tuesday after his truck was found near a campsite in the area, with a note stating he was going for a hike and would return to the site. Schlamp's girlfriend reported he was missing Saturday and said she spoke to him on the phone the day before, but was then unable to reach him, according to the Sheriff's office.

As of Sunday evening, investigators believe Schlamp's death was a suicide, but the results of his autopsy are pending, according to the Sheriff's office.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne called the conditions of the weeklong search "brutally miserable," and thanked all who were involved, including volunteers from Florida with the Patriot Emergency Response Team.

If you or you're concerned a loved one is having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK. You can also text "START" to 741741, the Crisis Text Line. If you suspect someone of needing immediate help, call 911.

Gay, lesbian and transgender youth can also call the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386 anytime. They can also text 202-304-1200 or chat online with the Trevor Project between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. CT.
Erin McDowell, Matthew Owings and Sarah Wilson were representatives from North Augusta High School who competed at the FBLA national conference and competition.
Settlement reached in Villa Capri senior care center evacuation during Santa Rosa firestorm

A lawsuit alleging residents of a Santa Rosa senior care home were abandoned shortly before the Tubbs fire burned the facility to the ground will be settled, attorneys said Friday, averting what would have been the first trial stemming from the October wildfires.

The tentative agreement was announced at a Sonoma County Superior Court hearing by an attorney for 17 elderly residents and family members of people who lived at Villa Capri, the destroyed Fountaingrove care home owned by Windsor-based Oakmont Senior Living.

Attorneys were scheduled to begin pretrial motions Friday, with jury selection likely starting next week, said Kathryn Stebner, whose San Francisco law firm is representing Villa Capri residents and their families.

Terms of the settlement, including financial payouts, are confidential, Stebner said.

Oakmont Senior Living has tentatively agreed to implement additional measures which will benefit the residents in all Northern California Oakmont communities, Stebner said in a statement. She declined to elaborate on those measures, but said they are of great importance to my clients.

Attorneys resolved the case Thursday night and were still working out the details, Stebner said Friday during a hearing before Superior Court Judge Patrick Broderick.

Oakmont Senior Living attorneys Sean Cowdrey and Alexander Giovanniello also told Broderick they have agreed to settle and are still finalizing the terms. Outside the courtroom, Giovanniello and Cowdrey declined to comment on the case.

It is confidential, Giovanniello said. A spokeswoman for Oakmont Senior Living didnt respond to requests for comment Friday.

Broderick ordered the attorneys to return to court Sept. 11 with a draft settlement agreement signed by all parties involved in the case.

Attorneys on both sides had planned to call 154 witnesses during the trial, including former residents, family members, staff, police and industry experts. Court proceedings were expected to last six to eight weeks, Stebner said.

In an interview Friday morning, Penngrove resident Tim Callen said hes glad his 93-year-old mother Ruth, one of the plaintiffs, will avoid having to endure a lengthy jury trial.

It would have been really tough on her, Callen said. Im just glad its over for mom.

Taking it to court

In court filings and interviews, plaintiffs and their lawyer had argued staff at the 72-bed seniors home werent prepared to get all residents to safety as the wind-whipped firestorm raced into Santa Rosa late Oct. 8 and early Oct. 9.

At least two dozen seniors were left behind, the lawsuit contended. While all survived that night, the lawsuit alleged the lack of adequate planning hastened the deaths of three Villa Capri residents because of to the trauma they endured during the evacuation.

The facility had no backup generator, leaving residents, some with dementia, to evacuate in the dark when power was cut to the lights and elevator, the lawsuit said. Elderly residents in wheelchairs and others who couldnt walk unaided had to be led down the staircase by the family members or navigate the descent on their own during the harrowing evacuation, the suit said.

Oakmont Senior Living and its legal team steadfastly denied all allegations of wrongdoing raised by the suit. The company said it did everything the law required it to do, and had both training and staffing that complied or exceeded regulatory standards. Its staff made valiant attempts to evacuate residents during the chaotic early hours of an unprecedented disaster, the company said on a website created to provide its account of the evacuations.

Our heroic employees kept our residents out of harms way, the company stated. Many of our Oakmont residents and families, alongside first responders, worked hard to alert their neighbors and ensure they were also brought to safety.

Oakmont officials would not make themselves available for interviews to discuss the case earlier this week.

Crystal Robinson, a spokeswoman for Oakmonts management company, responded to interview requests from The Press Democrat this week with a statement that referred back to the company website, oakmontseniorlivingstory.com.

The website was created to offer a detailed account of the initial and ongoing actions the company took to proactively support its residents and ensure their safety in the days and weeks following the fire, the statement said.

Villa Capri was managed by Oakmont Management Group and developed by Oakmont Senior Living, founded in 1997 by Santa Rosa developer Bill Gallaher. The lawsuit named Villa Capri and the two companies.
Although its taken her something like three decades to discern her mothers true intentions, Camille has been instinctively resisting Adoras efforts to dope her up on hand-mixed medicine since childhood. This probably explains why Adora could never love her oldest child. The problem isnt that Camille is cold, or even that she was the product of a bad relationship; its that Camille didnt let Adora express her love in one particular, potentially lethal way.

As Willis questions Marians former nurse, Beverly, and digs through both of Camilles sisters medical charts, it becomes clear that neither girl was ever actually sick. While she wont say it outright, Beverly strongly suggests that some mothers who need to be worshiped, like Adora, have Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, a rare mental illness in which a caregiver invents or induces medical conditions for their dependent. Beverly, who was fired from the local hospital after asking too many questions about Marian, also reveals that the girl saw an unfamiliar doctor shortly before her death.

Amma is cannier than Marian, or even Camille, was at her age. She lets Adora spoon-feed her the blue because, she tells her sister, Adora wants her to be incapacitated. Suddenly, Ammas speech about boys at the end of last weeks episode takes on a new meaning. When you let them do it to you, youre really doing it to them, she said. You have the control. The same clearly goes for her mother: As long as Amma allows Adora to care for her  to play with her like a doll  Adora will pretend her baby isnt breaking curfew to skate around town looking for boys and drugs. Amma has gotten so invested in this game that she has begun to do Adoras job for her, manufacturing nasty hangovers for her mom to cure.

Adora may have met her match in Amma, but its a different girl with an A name who most resembles the Crellin matriarch. Ashley is another self-styled caretaker who, in her thirst for attention, only causes harm. When Vickery appears at her house in search of John, she worries that betraying him would make her look bad. It only takes a minute for the chief to convince her that helping him catch the killer would surely get her face on TV. Something about the women down here, Vickery muses to Willis. Theyll climb over anybody to get their name in print. God forbid you should be ordinary.

Last weeks episode made it clear that, if the women of Wind Gap are desperate, calculating creatures, then its the predatory and aloof men of Wind Gap who are to blame. Its just a shame the chief is too infatuated with Adora to see how she fits into this narrative. She and Vickery are obviously in cahoots; its breathtaking how quickly he admits to Willis that he falsified the Mexican farmworkers identification of John in order to get a search warrant. But the way he repeats the word to himself after Ammas friends tell him shes sick, near the end of the episode, suggests that the reasons behind Adoras interest in the murders are just dawning on him.
Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.

Where was Laura? The commenters on The New York Timess crossword column, Wordplay, wanted to know.

Laura Engle, a 76-year-old retired editor from Manhattan, regularly comments on Wordplay under the username Deadline. When she didnt appear for two days, other regulars grew concerned.

Im a little worried, wrote Rich in Atlanta. Its unlike her not to show up.

Deb Amlen, who writes and edits Wordplay, sent Ms. Engle an email to see if she was O.K.

They were right to be nervous. When Ms. Engle reappeared, she explained she had been bedridden with a twisted knee and ankle, unable to gain access to her computer. Another user offered to come by her apartment to help.
Some Catholic priests offered fiery homilies, telling parishioners their anger at the sex abuse detailed in last weeks grand jury report was justified, even necessary. Others asked the faithful to pray for the abusers. And some said nothing about the scandal on the first Sunday since the release of the report that detailed 70 years of child sex abuse by hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania.

Regular worshipers at Sacred Heart Church in Lyndhurst, N.J., and visitors from around the globe at St. Patricks Cathedral on Fifth Avenue packed the pews and listened intently to what church leaders had to say about the sex abuse revelations that continue to pain Catholics and haunt the church.

Church leaders found themselves in a difficult but sadly familiar position, as they faced their congregations. Except this time they grappled with the unique breadth and horrific details outlined in a grand jury report that ran for nearly 900 pages. The report accused 300 priests of abusing more than 1,000 victims and cataloged ghastly assaults, like that of a priest who raped a young girl in a hospital after she had her tonsils removed.

At a crowded Mass celebrated at St. Patricks Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Msgr. Robert Ritchie, the rector of the church, acknowledged the terrible, terrible stories of church leaders that covered up things that should have seen the light of day.
Twenty years ago last Friday, President Bill Clinton testified before the independent counsel, Kenneth Starr, and a grand jury about his sexual relationship with the White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

That night, Clinton addressed the nation, in which he confessed:

I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible. But I told the grand jury today and I say to you now that at no time did I ask anyone to lie, to hide or destroy evidence or to take any other unlawful action. I know that my public comments and my silence about this matter gave a false impression. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that.

It was a clear admission, even if offered under duress and after the option to lie had vanished, and even if still splitting some hairs.

Months earlier, Clinton had bluntly said, I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time. Never. These allegations are false, and I need to go back to work for the American people.

Days after Clinton made his admission, Donald Trump gave an interview to Chris Matthews in which he said of Clinton:

I think his little speech after it was a disaster. It wasnt the right tone, and Im not sure he should have done it. And, Im not even sure that he shouldnt have just gone in and taken the Fifth Amendment, and said: Look, I dont get along with this man, Starr. Hes after me. Hes a Republican. Hes this, hes that, and you know, just taken the Fifth Amendment. Its a terrible thing for a president to take the Fifth Amendment, but he probably should have done it.

Donald Trump made clear then his approach to dealing with these sorts of problems: Admit nothing, confess nothing, deny everything, attack the person pursuing you.
If theres an explosion or fire somewhere, Steve is probably nearby with some matches, one of Steve Bannons former Breitbart News employees once said (admiringly). So it shouldnt be surprising that Mr. Bannon, who was Donald Trumps chief strategist, has arrived in Europe.

In late July, Mr. Bannon, the American political operative, announced his plan to establish The Movement, a foundation that he hopes will unite Europes far-right parties ahead of the May 2019 European parliamentary elections. Will he have the impact that he wants?

As Joshua Green writes in his book on Mr. Bannon, Devils Bargain, Mr. Bannon sincerely believed that right-wing Tea Party-style populism was a global phenomenon. Whats more, as he said at a conference in Budapest in May, Brexit was a foreshadow of the 2016 Trump victory, and the populist nationalist revolt is about a year ahead in Europe than in the United States.

But why Mr. Bannon has decided to pivot to Europe is less consequential than who his major ally on the Continent is: Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary. If youve been closely following Mr. Bannons speeches in recent months (as I have), its easy to conclude that it is the far-right Hungarian leader whom the American populist provocateur not only admires but also seeks to help. Mr. Bannon has called Mr. Orban Trump before Trump. Mr. Orban, for his part, is looking to be as transformative and disruptive as the American president, and he hopes that the 2019 European election will help him build a majority in the European Parliament to, as he puts it, wave goodbye not only to liberal democracy and the liberal nondemocratic system that has been built on its foundations, but also to the entire elite of 68.
Truth isnt truth.

RUDOLPH W. GIULIANI, President Trumps lawyer, explaining on Meet the Press why he feared an interview with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, might be a perjury trap for Mr. Trump.
The fallout from a sexual battery was so traumatic that it hindered Mr. Bennetts work and income and threatened his mental health, according to a notice of intent to sue that his lawyer sent in November to Richard Hofstetter, Mr. Bourdains longtime lawyer, who was also representing Ms. Argento at the time.

Ms. Argento, who lives in Rome, subsequently turned to Ms. Goldberg  a prominent lawyer for victims of online attacks  to handle the case. (Mr. Hofstetter is now handling the estate of Mr. Bourdain, who killed himself in June. Although Mr. Bourdain helped Ms. Argento navigate the matter, neither Mr. Hofstetter nor Kimberly Witherspoon, Mr. Bourdains longtime agent and now a spokeswoman for his wife, Ottavia Busia, from whom he was separated, would comment for this article.)

Mr. Bennetts notice of intent asked for $3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery. Mr. Bennett made more than $2.7 million in the five years before the 2013 meeting with Ms. Argento, but his income has since dropped to an average of $60,000 a year, which he attributes to the trauma that followed the sexual encounter with Ms. Argento, his lawyer wrote.

In October, a month before Mr. Bennett sent his demand for money, The New Yorker published an article by Ronan Farrow that included Ms. Argento among 13 women who accused Mr. Weinstein of harassment and rape.

Ms. Argento, whose father, Dario Argento, is a noted director of Italian horror films, began her acting career as a child. She went on to win two David di Donatello Awards, the Italian equivalent of Oscars, and has directed films, written a novel and recorded music.

After she spoke out about Mr. Weinstein, Ms. Argento quickly emerged as a powerful voice for women who have been mistreated by men. In May, she gave a riveting speech at the Cannes Film Festival in which she called the festival Mr. Weinsteins hunting ground. She said he had raped her there in 1997, when she was 21.

The relationship with Mr. Weinstein continued for years afterward and sometimes included sex, The New Yorker reported. Ms. Argento, who had acted in a movie Mr. Weinstein produced, told the magazine that she feared angering him. It was a complicated situation in which she said she felt powerless. After the rape, he won, she told Mr. Farrow.
Both of us are Jewish from the wrong side, said Ms. Vilenchik, 25, meaning their fathers are Jewish but not their mothers.

The couple rewrote their seven blessings to be more secular, without God, God, God all the time, Ms. Vilenchik said. Some secular brides also break a glass, a ritual traditionally performed by the groom. Ms. Vilenchik chose not to because she was in heels.

Pola Barkan, 28, director of the Cultural Brigade, a group that promotes Russian culture in Israel, married Mark Barkan, 29, in an Orthodox Rabbinate ceremony. After his family had fought to remain Jewish in the Soviet Union, Mr. Barkan said he would not give up on it so easily. Still, Ms. Barkan insisted on adding an eighth blessing, praying for all her friends to be able to marry without exception or exclusion.

Rabbi David Stav, the chairman of Tzohar, an Orthodox organization that helps couples navigate the Rabbinate bureaucracy, said, Every monopoly needs competition. I think the competition will be good for the Rabbinate and improve it.

Batya Kahana-Dror, the director of Mavoi Satum, a group that helps women who have been refused a Jewish divorce by their husbands, also facilitates private, unregistered Orthodox weddings.

Its a civil revolution, Ms. Kahana-Dror said. The young religious public is very critical of the Rabbinate. Today there are options. People are voting with their feet.
I never had a childhood, the writer James Baldwin once said. I was born dead.

Baldwin delivered this bleak assessment of his youth when he was around 50, and in the middle of writing Little Man, Little Man, his only childrens book.

The story unfolds from the perspective of a curious, irrepressible 4-year-old boy named TJ, who loves music and playing ball, and navigates a neighborhood where gun violence, police brutality, alcoholism and drug addiction are looming threats  an outside world that even his warm home life with loving parents cant shield him from.

Image A 1978 photo of Baldwin and his nephew, Tejan, who was the inspiration for TJ in Little Man, Little Man. Credit... Baldwin Family Photo

When Little Man, Little Man was first published in 1976, critics didnt know what to make of an experimental, enigmatic picture book that straddled the line between childrens and adult literature. It received lukewarm reviews and quickly went out of print.
In their search, the authorities didnt pay enough attention to Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian laborer who created the protective glass around Leonardo da Vincis masterpiece. He was questioned twice, and let go.

Two years passed.

Mr. Peruggia then tried to sell the painting to Giovanni Poggi, the director of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Mr. Poggi immediately called the police.

The painting is now protected by bulletproof glass, and an alarm goes off if anyone tries to even touch the frame.

Kathleen Massara wrote todays Back Story.

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In rural China, where about 41 percent of the population lives, only about one-fifth of cancer patients survive five years past their diagnosis. In urban areas, about 40 percent survive, according to Chinas National Cancer Prevention and Research Center. In the United States, by comparison, more than two-thirds survive through that period.

Tang Gongweis disappearance was widely reported in the Chinese media, with some outlets mistakenly saying that he was a doctor. The fact that he was a medical professional fueled the discussion about him online, and many internet users said they would also have left because they didnt want to burden their own parents.

Like many other Chinese children, Tang Gongwei grew up without siblings. Local officials enforced family planning rules zealously, tearing down houses of couples who had more than one child, according to his mother, Liao Mandong.

At least if you gave birth to a girl, you were allowed to have another one, she said. Chinas one-child policy allowed rural residents to have a second child if the first one was a girl, unlike their counterparts living in urban areas.
Good Monday morning. (Want this in your inbox each morning? Sign up here.) The bull market could become the longest ever on Wednesday.

Losing sleep over Tesla

After the Tesla founder emotionally opened up to the NYT last week  about his sleepless weeks at the carmakers factory, about his efforts to take the company private  investors and friends are increasingly concerned about his health and stewardship. Shares in the company plunged 9 percent, wiping out billions in market value. (Short-sellers were happy.)

Arianna Huffington publicly urged Mr. Musk to use his human energy more efficiently, starting by getting some sleep. His response on Twitter: You think this is an option. It is not. (He did find time to talk tech with the vlogger Marques Brownlee last week.)

Tesla still has a lot of debt, and spending cuts in search of profitability risk starving crucial new products. Meanwhile, Mr. Musks putative ally in a Tesla take-private, Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund, is reportedly talking to a rival, Lucid Motors.
PepsiCo announced on Monday that it planned to buy SodaStream, the popular maker of home-carbonation machines, for $3.2 billion, as the beverage giant extends its bet on products that are not sugary sodas.

The deal is a late effort by Indra K. Nooyi, PepsiCos departing chief executive, to firmly steer the beverage company toward healthier snack and drink offerings. Under Ms. Nooyi, it has shifted more and more attention to products like premium bottled water, baked food and veggie chips.

That strategy has drawn intense criticism at times, including from activist shareholders. But Ms. Nooyi has persisted, noting that sales at the company have grown 81 percent under her tenure.

The transaction announced on Monday, PepsiCos biggest in years, also gives the company another potential source of revenue: refills of flavored syrups and carbon-dioxide gas, in what is often known as the razor-and-blades model. Yet in doing so, the company will try to make work what its big rival, Coca-Cola, could not do four years ago.
NEW DELHI  Nirav Modi, the jeweler whose designs adorned Hollywood stars but who fled India this year amid accusations that he defrauded banks of $2 billion, has been found in Britain and is the subject of an extradition request, officials said on Monday.

Mr. Modi had been on the run since January as the nature of the bank fraud  the largest in Indias history  became public. Indian officials have accused Mr. Modi of working with tellers at a branch of a government-owned lender, Punjab National Bank, to obtain $1.8 billion from branches of other banks by issuing fraudulent letters of credit.

The accusations struck a nerve in India, where taxpayers have bailed out government-run banks numerous times and where farmers often commit suicide because of their inability to pay back loans worth just a few hundred dollars. The perception in much of the country, home to a third of the worlds poorest people, is that government lenders bankroll the lavish lifestyles of the elite.

Officials here have been at pains to paint a different picture, and on Monday they confirmed Indian authorities had requested that Britain send Mr. Modi back to India.
The New York attorney general is investigating allegations of sexual harassment and workplace discrimination at the Spotted Pig, the West Village restaurant where employees last year complained of a highly sexualized and coercive atmosphere.

On Monday, the office of Barbara D. Underwood, the state attorney general, issued a subpoena to the Spotted Pigs holding company and its majority owner, the restaurateur Ken Friedman, according to a person with direct knowledge of the subpoena who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was not yet public.

The subpoena, part of a civil rights investigation that the person said the office had been conducting for months, seeks records related both to Mr. Friedman and the celebrity chef Mario Batali, who was an investor and frequent visitor at the restaurant.

The subpoena seeks, among other things, any records of sexually suggestive communications between Mr. Friedman and any employees, including nude photos or descriptions of the attractiveness or sexual availability of employees and job applicants. It also seeks video footage of Mr. Batali with female employees in the restaurants third-floor party room, as well as records of complaints related to sex harassment or discrimination based on employees gender or pregnancy.
In Persian cooking, herbs are measured in epic terms  by the quart, not the tablespoon.

Parsley, dill, cilantro, fenugreek and mint: Used in profusion, alone or in combination, they play the role of the vegetable rather than a garnish, adding their woodsy fragrance at every opportunity. Such was fate of the feathery greens that on a recent afternoon sat in front of Nasim Alikhani, the owner of Sofreh restaurant in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

Ms. Alikhani was cooking spicy fish in tamarind sauce from the south of Iran, which she learned from her best friend, Minoo Falsafi.

Im from Isfahan, which is a desert city, traditionally theres no fish, she said as she used both hands to scoop the herbs into a hot skillet.

When Minoo first made this dish for me, I thought, Wow, this is so delicious, she said. It really opened my eyes. So what Im doing now is her recipe. The herbs sputtered and hissed.
Conducting deeply personal interviews with her subjects also changed her image making. Sitting down with someone and asking them to share their life story is really vulnerable but also empowering and very significant, she said. I was continually struck by how personal people were willing to be with us. In other projects, like Every Breath We Drew, she took out all extraneous information. But in To Survive on This Shore, she let details of her subjects lives creep in, even including photos of objects.

Ms. Dugan and Ms. Fabbre envisioned their project as equal parts activism and art. The images and quotes will form an exhibition and book, and the work has also been acquired by the Kinsey Institute, the Sexual Minorities Archive and the Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria. Ms. Fabbre plans to use the interviews in her scholarly research, and they have begun sharing their work with nonprofits for training and activism. They hope that the broader theme of aging can resonate with people beyond the transgender community.

Just as crucially, they want the work to serve as a visual record of the joys, traumas, fears and hopes of older transgender people that the younger transgender community  which often has no role models  can use to learn what the future might hold.

Many of the people in the project have been out and have been working on progress for the trans community since as early as the 1970s, Ms. Dugan said. We were looking back at 45 years of advocacy and education and life experience, and I really wanted to capture that because I think sometimes our collective history is lost. We wanted to create a more broad and complex portrait of what it looks like to be an older transgender person.
But in nearly 350 pages of emails obtained by The New York Times as part of a Freedom of Information request, it was clear that Mr. Howe had entree to the top levels of Mr. Cuomos administration  a period that included the years and months leading up to the news of the federal investigation.

The Cuomo administration had fought against releasing the emails for two years, spending more than $200,000 to hire outside counsel  Greenberg Traurig, a loyal Cuomo campaign donor  after The Times went to court seeking the documents. A state judge last year ruled against the administration, and ordered that the documents be released; the state appealed the ruling, but subsequently agreed to a settlement that allowed for the emails release.

The emails showed how Mr. Howe used his access to gain help for clients.

In December 2014, for instance, Mr. Howe sent an urgent email to Mr. Malatras and Andrew Kennedy, his deputy, pleading with the two officials to look into millions of dollars of payments owed to two upstate development companies  COR Development and LPCiminelli  both upstate developers that ended up at the center of the federal corruption cases.

Both need some payment as a sign of good faith before the close of business tomorrow, Mr. Howe wrote. Less than an hour later, an official with Empire State Development, Mr. Cuomos leading economic development agency, confirmed that the agency was approving the Ciminelli payment.
The political action committee co-founded by Gabrielle Giffords, the former Democratic congresswoman from Arizona who was shot and seriously wounded in 2011, has made 144 state and federal endorsements in the 2018 election cycle, backing candidates it believes will push for more gun control.

Three of those endorsements went to Republican candidates, two of whom are from New Jersey.

On Friday, the group, Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, endorsed Representatives Leonard Lance and Chris Smith, a move that surprised Democrats and gave a boost to Mr. Lance, who is locked in a tight battle for his seat despite being from a district that has not elected a Democrat since 1978. (The third Republican endorsed by the group is Representative Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania.)

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated Mr. Lances seat as a tossup. Mr. Smiths seat is the only Republican seat in New Jersey considered safe, according to the Cook Political Report.

How did the Giffords group decide on the endorsements?

The group began talking to Mr. Lance and Mr. Smith about endorsements in February, based on bills the congressmen had introduced and votes they made breaking from their Republican colleagues on gun control, particularly their no votes on the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. The group listed six bills that Mr. Lance co-sponsored advancing gun control, including banning bump stocks. None of those bills became law, however.
Leonard L. Boswell, a farmer and a decorated retired Army officer who served 16 years in Congress as a Democrat from Iowa, died on Friday in Des Moines. He was 84.

His former chief of staff, Grant Woodard, said the death, at a hospital, was caused by complications of a rare form of cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei, which typically attacks the abdomen and pelvis. Mr. Boswell lived in rural Decatur County, in southern Iowa.

Courtly and plain-spoken, Mr. Boswell gained national attention in his first race for Congress, in 1996, when he and his Republican opponent, Michael Mahaffey, stuck to their pledge not to attack each other personally, though national party leaders tried to talk them out of it.

Both men were vying for an open seat  Mr. Boswell after serving 12 years in the Iowa Senate  and Mr. Boswell won the race narrowly.
If you strolled by the playgrounds of Flushing, Queens, this summer, you would have seen throngs of Chinese immigrant women tending to their American-born grandchildren.

The moms and dads were at work, all through these long summer days. For those who cannot afford expensive day care and camps, in a country that does almost nothing to help working families care for their kids, grandparents are a lifeline. And increasingly, these grandparents are immigrants.

One of us, Xuemei, recently spent time with a Flushing family who moved here from rural China years ago. Each day the mother, father and grandfather board buses arranged by their employers to take them to work at Chinese restaurants. They leave their home around 10 each morning and return around 10 each night. In their absence, the grandmother performs all of the housework and cares for the couples two American-born children.

The Trump administration is now threatening those care-taking arrangements.

President Trump has been pushing for a law that would end family-based immigration  what he calls horrible chain migration. He even used the migrant children separated from their parents on the border as bargaining chips to try to get Democrats to agree to such a proposal, before a judge ordered them returned to their families.
In the summer of 2004, I traveled to Sudan with Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations. Mr. Annan, who died Saturday at age 80, was hoping to put an end to the genocidal violence that the Sudanese president, Omar Bashir, had launched against the people of Darfur. I watched Mr. Annan sit quietly in a blazing hot shed while a local government official blamed the violence on the Darfuris themselves, handing the secretary general a list of alleged rebel atrocities and complaining bitterly about the role of the United Nations in taking their side. Only when he had finished did Mr. Annan gently ask, What about the Janjaweed?  the camel-borne thugs whom he pointed out the government had unleashed on peaceful villagers. That, another official explained, was rebel propaganda. Then the verbal assault resumed.

At the end of the trip, flying back to New York, Mr. Annan told me he felt he had moved the needle by telling President Bashir that he could regain the worlds good graces by ending the violence. I asked him if he really thought that Mr. Bashir gave a damn about the worlds good graces. What else can I do? he asked. I dont have any troops. He didnt only mean that the United Nations has no army to enforce its mandate, but that, because the Security Council was divided on this as on almost every other morally urgent issue in the world, he had no mandate.

That was Kofi Annan, in all that he could and could not be. He was a moral witness with a unique capacity to force the worlds attention on the unspeakable, in part by going to places like Darfur in the company of reporters like me. The pull of Mr. Annans moral charisma ensured a large and global journalistic entourage. At the same time, Mr. Annan was a consummate diplomat and unfailing gentleman who perpetually disappointed the wish for melodramatic confrontation with evil; he smoked cigars with Saddam Hussein after reaching a deal with him to restore nuclear inspectors in 1998  not because he felt comfortable in the mans presence, but because Mr. Hussein wanted to smoke cigars. And, finally, Mr. Annan was a shuttlecock batted back and forth by the great powers, too widely admired to be disposed of and too dangerous to be allowed to operate with impunity.

The American diplomat Richard Holbrooke used to say that, for all the myriad things the United Nations does, it will be judged in the worlds capitals by the great issues of war and peace debated in the Security Council. It is right, therefore, that its failure to act effectively in the face of genocidal violence in Rwanda and Bosnia will be laid in part at Mr. Annans doorstep, for at the time he served as head of peacekeeping, the job he held before becoming secretary general. Mr. Annan had so fully internalized the United Nations precepts, both its respect for the sovereignty of each member and the obligation to remain neutral between contending parties, that he could not break free of them when a supreme crisis demanded he do so.
To the Editor:

Re Kofi Annan, Former U.N. Secretary General, Dies at 80 (front page, Aug. 19 ):

Mr. Annan was a global leader for peace who embodied the values of the United Nations. He was also very kind and caring, and he treated all equally, whether they were kings or refugees.

I will always remember his 2006 visit to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia , where I served. The day he visited happened to be the 12th birthday of my daughter, Juliet . I told him I was pleased to serve in the mission but sorry to miss my childs celebration. He immediately told me to get her on the phone. He and his wife, Nane, then gave the most heartfelt and loving birthday greetings to a child whose dad was far away. No staff member prompting him. Just the reaction of a caring person.

His actions that day, like those throughout his life, remind us of the qualities of true leaders for peace.

Jordan Ryan

Decatur, Ga.

The writer is the vice president for peace programs at the Carter Center.
To the Editor:

Re Trump Team in Dark Over What McGahn Said in Mueller Interviews (news article, Aug. 20):

Having learned that Donald McGahn, the White House counsel, was interviewed extensively by Robert Mueller, President Trump was  rattled , you say, because he didnt know exactly what Mr. McGahn had divulged. In frustration, Mr. Trump lashed out  on Twitter.

Why should the president be rattled and  jolted  by all the plot twists and turns? Hes the star and chief scriptwriter of this reality show.

John A. Kern

Charlotte, Vt.

To the Editor:

Re Top Trump Aide Gives Mueller Coveted Details (front page, Aug. 19):

President Trumps willingness to allow his White House counsel, Donald McGahn, to be extensively interviewed in connection with the special counsels investigation  something he could have easily avoided by the mere assertion of privilege  strongly suggests his belief that there is nothing to the obstruction of justice allegations. On this, if nothing else, Mr. Trump seems to be right.

Recall the genesis of the obstruction charges: the presidents supposed direction to the then F.B.I. director, James Comey, to go easy on his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. But even if President Trump had done so, that would have been entirely proper. Mr. Flynn was alleged to have lied to the F.B.I. about whether he had discussed the Obama administrations sanctions with Russias ambassador. Mr. Trump could reasonably have decided that such a lie did not warrant prosecution of Mr. Flynn, a military man who had devoted his entire career to serving the United States.
The proper way to view the 2018 midterms might not be as one event, but as two very different elections playing out at once. Its almost Mars vs. Venus: The Senate hinges on red, rural states where Democrats are on defense. But the House will be decided by swing, suburban seats where Republicans are highly vulnerable.

These radically different maps could produce dramatically divergent results  and make Congress even more toxic and adversarial in 2019.

It's hard to believe, but true: If every states and districts election results on Nov. 6 were a uniform eight-point swing in the Democrats direction from the 2016 presidential result, Democrats would gain 44 House seats  almost twice the 23 they need to control the chamber. But with that same eight-point swing, the party would lose four Senate seats, leaving them six seats short of a majority.

A bifurcation that extreme is highly unlikely, because a handful of incumbents are personally popular enough to defy their constituents normal partisan preferences. For example, Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, and Representative John Katko, Republican of New Yorks 24th District, an upstate area around Syracuse, have cultivated strong, independent brands: In Mr. Testers case, as a farmer who butchers his own meat; in Mr. Katkos case, as a tough-on-gangs prosecutor. The Cook Political Report rates both of them as favorites for re-election.
As pope, he has saved his harshest rhetoric for his fellow clerics, especially the cardinals and bishops, criticizing them as careerists and airport bishops who spend more time flying around the world than tending their flock.

Clericalism is a perversion of the church, Pope Francis told 70,000 young Italian Catholics at a rally this month. The church without testimony is only smoke.

Pope Francis vision of the church is clearly more radical than the defensive posture of John Paul or the nostalgic traditionalism of Benedict. But is he willing and able to implement it?

The pope has had spotty record on disciplining bishops and on the sex abuse issues as a whole, but a promising trajectory. For example, in 2015 he investigated and dismissed two American prelates, Bishop Robert Finn and Archbishop John Nienstedt, who had been accused of covering up for abusive priests. (Both men were favorites of conservative Catholics and found sanctuary elsewhere.) In 2014, Francis removed a conservative Paraguayan bishop who had sheltered an Argentine priest who had left the diocese of Scranton  yes, a diocese cited in last weeks grand jury report  under suspicion of sexual abuse.

Yet earlier this year, Pope Francis faced what had been the greatest crisis of his papacy when he firmly defended a Chilean bishop accused of covering for a notorious and influential priest who led a scandalous double life. Then in April, faced with evidence that the bishop, Juan Barros, and many other in that countrys hierarchy had in fact been complicit in the scandal, the pope suddenly reversed course, issuing a profound mea culpa for his error and blasting the bishops, who almost to a man submitted their resignations.

When Archbishop McCarrick was found to have molested minors as well as young men, the pope not only ordered the retired 88-year-old churchman confined to virtual house arrest but also accepted his resignation as a cardinal.

These are encouraging steps, but much more is needed: not only the kind of spiritual renewal that Pope Francis demands but also the kind of systematic change that can safeguard children and vulnerable adults, restore some credibility to the institutional church and begin to dismantle the culture of clericalism  the spiritual elitism of holier-than-thou cliques who cover for one another as they try to run the church.
Representative Ed Royce, Republican of California, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said recently that Chinas financing is undermining democratic governance and has left countries mired in debt. With this new agency, Mr. Royce said, the United States can offer a competitive alternative to the state-directed approach of Beijing and Moscow.

The new agency has a powerful champion in OPICs chief executive, Ray Washburne, who has close ties to the White House. A Texas-based restaurant and real estate investor, he was vice chairman of the Trump Victory Committee and head of the transitions commerce team. He meets regularly with the White House, and he asked for and received an enclosed area to process classified information, something no previous OPIC chief executive has had.

In its first budget proposal, the Trump administration suggested eliminating OPIC. But Mr. Washburne made it clear that he wanted to build it. I had a lot of relationships up on the Hill, I had a lot of relationships within the White House from my experience working on the campaign, he told me in an interview in June. And so I was able to go in and really sell to the administration what OPIC is and should be and can be.

Mr. Washburne and OPICs allies in Congress plan to roughly double its total spending cap to $60 billion, and want to give the new agency the ability to make equity investments and lend in local currency, allowing it to work with a wider range of funding partners and companies.

Still, there are significant concerns among development experts about the future of the agency. They notice that Mr. Washburne talks about OPIC as a foreign policy tool, but he rarely talks about how the new agency will improve health, livelihoods or infrastructure. They worry that investment deals will not get the scrutiny they need, and that those close to the administration might get preferential treatment. The legislation proposed for the new OPIC also initially lacked specific language about the future of OPICs environmental and social policies that protect local communities. (Those protections were added to the bill in committee.)

Increasingly, poor countries want investment, not aid, from the United States. But with more money and more tools, the new OPIC must resist the temptation to focus on investment returns alone. If the agency veers away from its core mission, then the United States, and the world, would lose a potentially powerful tool for improving the lives of millions.
General elections in Bangladesh are expected between October and December. It is the obligation of artists and intellectuals to be constructively critical of their country of citizenship. Ms. Hasinas government must be deeply afraid of a credible, respected person like Mr. Alam, whose criticisms are taken seriously, both nationally and globally. His arrest and imprisonment is an attempt to silence critical voices.

Ms. Hasinas government is not stopping with his arrest. It is trying to find ways of defaming him and tarnishing his reputation. Mr. Alams partner, Rahnuma Ahmed, an anthropologist, visited him in prison and was startled to realize their meeting was being secretly videotaped by the prison authorities.

Friends in the electronic media tell me they have been instructed by the agencies to produce dirty stories on Shahidul, there is even talk of constructing him as a pedophile  pathetic given his love for children known to everyone, Ms. Ahmed said in an email.

This is not surprising, given the bleak drift toward authoritarianism in Bangladesh in the past few years. As reported by Human Rights Watch and numerous journalists, hundreds of Bangladeshis have been picked up by law enforcement agencies and have disappeared for weeks or months at a time. The whereabouts of many of them remains unknown. In the name of a war on drugs, hundreds have been killed by extrajudicial means.

Two days after Mr. Alams arrest, he was produced in a Dhaka court and charged under Section 57 of Bangladeshs infamous Information and Communication Technology Act, for online speech that hurts the image of the nation. He was barefoot and limping when he was dragged into court. Witnesses said Mr. Alam showed clear signs of mental and physical abuse. He shouted: I have been assaulted. My bloodstained shirt was washed and put back on me. I was threatened that if I didnt testify as they directed, I would be further   Then his voice trailed off and the rest of what he said was unclear.

The court allowed the police to keep Mr. Alam in custody for a week and also allowed brief visits to a hospital for medical treatment. On Aug. 12, Mr. Alam was produced in court again and sent to jail until the investigations into charges against him are completed. If convicted, he faces up to 14 years in prison .
My office is a little different from most peoples. It is under a tent on a street corner in Chicago, a street that straddles Englewood and Auburn Gresham  neighborhoods notorious for violence and poverty. Every day in the summer, volunteers in my organization, Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings, come from all over the city to help feed and play with the neighborhood children.

For the past four summers, no one has been killed here. I havent seen any senseless acts of violence on my corner. I have never been afraid and neither have any of the volunteers. We enjoy a level of comfort and a feeling of safety that many people outside of this neighborhood cant fathom.

But for some reason, law enforcement officials are ignoring the work that my organization does to stop gun violence. Instead the police are focused on spreading blame and increasing the number of the police on our streets. That wont end the violence, which is happening because peoples basic needs  food, jobs  arent being met.

Since Friday evening, nearly 60 people have been shot in Chicago. One weekend in early August, around 74 people were shot and 12 died. Some shootings were on the other side of town, some less than a mile away. Some people speculated that the violence was a result of the heat wave sweeping the region, but its hot here every summer. Others pointed to gang-related activity without explaining why it was any different from that of previous weeks. All agreed that action was needed.
Having never given it much thought, however, she didnt know what styles she liked. All she knew was that she wanted to preserve the airy, light, breezy character of the apartment.

Eventually she decided that a midcentury-modern aesthetic  furniture on legs, clean lines  would work best for her purposes. To keep the space from feeling too cold or sterile, she sought out mixed materials and varied textures in neutral tones, which adds a lot of depth without adding weight, she said.

Using those guiding principles, Ms. Lauretti gradually acquired furniture and housewares, mixing new, vintage and custom pieces. Some were inexpensive  Ikea mirrors, a glass lamp from Target, a yoga blanket she ordered on Amazon and dip-dyed in indigo to hang over the back of the sofa  and some quite costly, like the table she hired a friend to make. A few were concessions, like the pair of white Crate & Barrel mugs she bought so she could drink coffee while hunting for better ones.

Over time, design became a hobby (she would comb through Etsy for prints and art while watching movies), and as her work life became more hectic, she was glad of the relaxation it provided. A friend brought her on at his creative content studio after it was acquired by a subsidiary of Verizon, and soon she was traveling frequently for work.

Souvenirs from her travels  books, art, Scandinavian blankets from a trip to Iceland  started to fill her home, along with paintings and prints made by friends.

A few years ago, when her last roommate left, she realized that she could afford the rent, which had never gone up, on her own. She turned the second bedroom into an office and felt grateful to have such a peaceful home base for a life that was once again feeling somewhat frenetic.

After four and a half years, Ms. Lauretti now considers her home project nearly finished, save for a few odds and ends. The apartment feels like it really represents me. Its like a canon; its complete, she said.
Roughly 5,300 years ago, a group of ancient sheep herders in East Africa began an extraordinary effort to care for their dead.

It was a time of great upheaval in their homeland. Global climate changes had weakened the African monsoon system, causing a significant drop in rainfall. Pastoralism spread south from the Sahara . What is now known as Lake Turkana in northern Kenya shrank by half over the succeeding centuries.

These early herders dug through about 1,000 square feet of beach sands down to bedrock and gouged out burial pits. They interred their dead there: the bodies of men, women and children of all ages, many with personal items and ornamentation.

When the crevices they had dug into the bedrock filled up, the herders piled bodies on top of the pits, carefully placing large rocks over the heads and torso of each corpse. They did this for about 700 years, burying at least 580 people and perhaps 1,000 in all, according to a study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In June, Amir Pleasants, a 21-year-old resident of Montclair, N.J., matched with someone new on T inder. But after he and the woman, Natasha Aponte, sent a few messages back and forth, she abruptly cut off the exchange.

She told him that a work project was going to be taking up a lot of her time and that she would get back to him in a couple of weeks. He didnt expect to hear from her again.

Then, last week, she contacted him, and told him to meet her for a first date in Union Square in Manhattan on Sunday. A friend of hers was D.J.-ing a set, and she wanted to get drinks in the area afterward. He was thrilled, texting her Im so excited, this seems too good to be true lol. You are absolutely stunning. He punctuated the message with the heart eyes emoji.

The following evening, he drove into the city, arriving around 6:15 p.m.

I get there and theres probably 150 to 200 guys outside, he said in an interview Monday. All kind of looking at each other trying to figure out the situation. Thats when we know we kind of got set up.
Theres Bitcoin. Theres Litecoin. Theres Ethereum. So just what is cryptocurrency, and how does it work? Essentially, its digital money thats bought and sold online. Theres no bills or coins. Its not based on another asset like gold. And it doesnt go through traditional financial institutions like banks. Instead, these currencies operate in a completely decentralized system that uses so-called blockchain technology to track transactions. To see how this works, lets look at how youd buy something with cryptocurrency. Say that Alice wants to buy a bike from Dan using Bitcoin, her cryptocurrency of choice. Alice begins by logging into her Bitcoin wallet with a private key, a unique combination of letters and numbers. With a traditional financial transaction, the exchanges get sent to banks on each side who record the money being subtracted from one account and added to another. But remember, in this scenario, there are no banks or middlemen. Instead, Alices transaction is shared with everyone in the Bitcoin network. These networked computers add Alices transaction to a shared list of recent transactions, known as a block. Every 10 minutes, the newest block of transactions is added on, or chained, to all the previous blocks. Thats how you get a blockchain. To ensure that each block of transactions on the chain is verified, a subset of Bitcoins network joins a race to solve a difficult math puzzle. And if they solve it first, their record of the block of transactions becomes the official record. Theyre rewarded with Bitcoins of their own, and the network gets a new block on the chain. This entire process is known as mining. But instead of chipping away at rock, youre solving complex puzzles. The fact that many computers are competing to verify a block ensures that no single computer can monopolize the Bitcoin market. To ensure the competition stays fair and evenly timed, the puzzle becomes harder when more computers join in. The Bitcoin protocol says mining will continue until there are 21 million Bitcoins in existence. Thats set to happen around 2140  if Bitcoin lasts that long.
Connor McCarthy, a senior account manager at Nina Hale, was the latest employee there to seek permission to work from home with a new pet.

In May, Mr. McCarthy was finalizing the adoption of a goldendoodle puppy named Bentley. Mr. McCarthy, 26, said he had read a lot about the pitfalls of helping a dog adjust to a new environment.

It can be a stressful situation going from its original home to a new home, Mr. McCarthy said.

Worried about Bentley, then just 2 months old, being home alone, Mr. McCarthy sent a request to his boss and Ms. McMenimen: Could he work from home the first week to help Bentley get used to his new surroundings, including a kennel, and learn to go to the bathroom outside?

He received a response almost immediately. Absolutely, they said.

That first week, Mr. McCarthy worked from his apartment in Richfield, a Minneapolis suburb, with Bentley by his side. Bentley also spent some hours of the day in a kennel, getting used to a closed environment. About every hour, he took a trip outside to go to the bathroom.
What does it mean for #MeToo that Asia Argento, a very public face of the movement, reportedly made a deal with her own accuser?

It means that #MeToo is working as it should, Tarana Burke, the founder of the movement, said on Twitter.

People will use these recent news stories to try and discredit this movement  dont let that happen, she tweeted on Monday. This is what Movement is about. Its not a spectator sport. It is people generated.

Ms. Argento quietly arranged to pay off the actor Jimmy Bennett after he said she sexually assaulted him in 2013  when he was 17 and she was 37  according to documents that were sent to The New York Times through encrypted email by an unidentified party.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, said Sergios family could not sue Mr. Mesa.

This is not a close case, Judge Edith Jones wrote for the majority in March. Congress could pass a law allowing suits against federal officials by aliens injured abroad, she said. But without such a law, she wrote, federal courts should not interfere with the political branches oversight of national security and foreign affairs.

The Supreme Court will soon consider whether to hear the Texas case, Hernandez v. Mesa, which has been before the justices once before. In the Arizona case, Rodriguez v. Swartz, a lawyer for Mr. Swartz filed papers last week indicating that he would seek Supreme Court review.

Image Judge Andrew J. Kleinfeld of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2007. He wrote that Jose Antonios mother should not need congressional permission to sue. Credit... Al Grillo/Associated Press

If the Supreme Court agrees to hear one or both of the cases, the families of the boys may face an uphill fight. And there is little reason to think that Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, would be sympathetic to their arguments.

In 2015, Judge Kavanaugh, who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, joined a decision dismissing a lawsuit filed by an American citizen who said he had suffered months of abuse at the hands of American law enforcement officials in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. In a concurring opinion, Judge Kavanaugh said the plaintiff, Amir Meshal, could not sue the officials for violating his constitutional rights because no statute authorized such suits.

In 1971, in Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents, the Supreme Court ruled that such congressional authorization was not always needed for people to sue federal officials for violating their constitutional rights. But the court has grown increasingly uneasy about the decision, which concerned the unconstitutional search of a home in Brooklyn, and it has cautioned that the decision should not lightly be extended to new contexts. The Supreme Court itself has extended the Bivens decision only twice, most recently 38 years ago.
White House experience really helps refine what one might call ones b.s. detector for determining when the executive branch might be exaggerating or misstating how things actually work, or the problems that would supposedly ensue from a particular legal interpretation. It gives you great respect for the presidency. But that doesnt translate into undue deference. When Justice Kennedy says something, I listen  me and 320 million other Americans. If confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, I would follow Roe v. Wade faithfully and fully, that would be binding precedent of the court. Its been decided by the Supreme Court  I asked you your own opinion  And Im saying, if I were confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, Senator, I would follow it. Its been reaffirmed many times, including in Planned Parenthood versus  I understand. But what is your opinion? Youre not on the bench yet. Youve talked about these issues in the past to other people, Im sure  The Supreme Court has held repeatedly, Senator, and I dont think it would be  O.K.  appropriate for me to give a personal view on that case  Not going to answer the question. Hes been one of the most consequential jurists in American history. No doubt about it. And his basic idea was: Pay attention to the words of the Constitution and pay attention to the words of the statutes that Congress passes. A very simple and easily conveyed idea. But it shows how far the Supreme Court had strayed from those ideas before Justice Scalia came on the scene. The Constitution is largely a document of majestic specificity and those specific words have meaning, which absent constitutional amendment, continue to bind us as judges, legislators and executive officials. The federal judiciary is really, as I said, many times  its one of the crown jewels, if not the crown jewel of our constitutional democracy and it ultimately depends on getting good people willing to become judges in our system.
A pivotal figure in the Watergate investigation, John W. Dean, was dragged back into the limelight on Sunday with President Trumps defense of the current White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II.

On Saturday, The New York Times published an article online about Mr. McGahns extensive cooperation with the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. The Times also reported that Mr. McGahn told people he was determined to avoid the fate of Mr. Dean, former White House counsel for President Richard Nixon.

Mr. Trump took issue with the story on Twitter, saying on Sunday morning that Mr. McGahn cooperated with his blessing. Further, he attacked The Times over the article, saying the news organization had falsely implied Mr. McGahn was a John Dean type RAT. (The Times publicly stated it stood behind the reporting.)

On Sunday, The Times reported that Mr. Trump, who is said to be obsessed with the role Mr. Dean played as an informant during Watergate, was jolted by the idea that he did not know what Mr. McGahn had shared with the special counsels investigators.
A conservative super PAC launched an ad campaign on Monday that uses domestic abuse allegations against Representative Keith Ellison, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in Minnesota, to attack other members of his party running for office in the state.

The ad, titled Ashamed, has been tailored to target several Democrats running for the House of Representatives and chastises them for not calling on Mr. Ellison, who is also the deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, to drop out of the race.

Joe Radinovich is standing by Keith Ellison, says one version of the ad, edited to focus on Mr. Radinovich, a former state representative running in Minnesotas Eighth Congressional District. Backing Ellison instead of believing his victim? Joe Radinovich should be ashamed.
ROCKVILLE, Md.  Under the banner of her Be Best campaign, Melania Trump, the first lady, told a group of cyberbullying prevention experts on Monday that social media can be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly.

Just after she spoke, President Trump unleashed a barrage of tweets in which he called the former director of the C.I.A. a hack and mocked the effectiveness of the Justice Department, among other digital insults. Later on Monday, Mrs. Trump added to a day of dissonant messaging from the Trump White House when her office announced a solo trip for the first lady this fall to Africa  a continent whose countries and citizens her husband has disparaged with coarse language.

Mrs. Trump, whose policy director left the White House a few weeks ago, has kept a light public schedule in promoting her child-focused campaign since she launched it in May. Her visit to the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention session, held at the Health Resources and Services Administration in a Washington suburb, was one of the more visible efforts that Mrs. Trump has made on behalf of the campaign.

In todays global society, social media is an inevitable part of our childrens daily lives, Mrs. Trump said, reading from prepared remarks. It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly.
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.
Fantastic job  what a good job he did, Mr. Trump said, adding wryly, Tomorrow he will be announcing that hes running for office.

The episode was the latest example of the president making a racially tinged remark in public, this time during an event devised to spotlight his tough immigration agenda. It came only days after a former aide, Omarosa Manigault Newman, claimed in a tell-all book that Mr. Trump had been caught on tape using a racial slur to refer to African-Americans, a charge that he has denied but that his press secretary did not flatly rule out.

Mr. Trump kicked off his presidential campaign by denouncing Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists, and, as he did at Mondays gathering, he routinely raises the specter of the brutal transnational gang MS-13, whose members he calls animals, when speaking about the need for tighter immigration laws.

Hector Garza, a colleague of Mr. Anzalduas who is also the vice president of the National Border Patrol Council, which endorsed Mr. Trump during the 2016 election, said he was proud of his friend and did not see anything wrong with the presidents remark about his language skills. Mr. Garza said Mr. Anzaldua had a stellar record  including the Top Dog award for narcotics apprehensions.

I didnt think anything of it, said Mr. Garza, who said he had met with Mr. Trump numerous times and who, like Mr. Anzaldua, is Hispanic. What ends up happening is that President Trump feels very comfortable with our agents, and our agents support President Trump, and I think this was him speaking comfortably with one of our agents. I didnt see anything wrong with it.
And the policy statement goes into detail on recent research showing that play can affect the developing brain, both in its basic structure and in function, with changes that can be traced to play showing up at the molecular and cellular level, as well as at the level of behavior and executive function.

I think theres a real pediatric role in pointing out the real profound importance of play on many levels, Dr. Yogman said. Parents are looking to us for what do I do with my child, how many activities do I get them in, he said. Im really thrilled the academy was willing to endorse the idea of a prescription for play.

Its not about fancy toys, he said. Its about common household items that kids can discover and explore, like putting spoons and plastic containers on the floor and bang them and see what the child does with them. Parents often tell him, Gee, I always believed in that. Nice to have it validated, he said.

The goal is not to make parents feel guilty or to lord it over them as an expert, Dr. Yogman said, but rather to look for moments during an office visit that a parent might build on, and to talk about what is coming up developmentally for the child  which is a basic imperative of primary care in pediatrics.

And there are ways to work play into the medical visit, like blowing bubbles to help fearful children, or using hand puppets to demonstrate whats going to happen in an exam. It may help to take the family out to the waiting room and see what the child does with the toys there.

The statement is advocating for a balanced curriculum in prekindergarten that does not ignore playful learning and doesnt regard time spent in the block corner as somehow beside the point, Dr. Yogman said. Playful learning means supporting young childrens intrinsic motivation to learn and discover, instead of imposing extrinsic motivations like test scores.

What parents need to do, Dr. Dreyer said, is be there to help their children with scaffolding. That means you dont control the play for your child, but when you see theyre ready to go to the next step, support that.
SEOUL, South Korea  When North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, visited a hydroelectric dam under construction last month, he reportedly flew into a rage after learning why the dam was still unfinished after 17 years of work.

The dam, central to Mr. Kims efforts to alleviate his countrys chronic power shortages, suffered from a lack of workers, equipment and materials, Mr. Kim is said to have found, and he learned that officials overseeing the project hadnt even visited the construction site.

What makes me angrier is that these officials will never fail to miss the opportunity to show their shameless faces and take credit when a ceremony is held to mark the completion of a power plant, Mr. Kim was quoted by the Norths Korean Central News Agency as saying. I am speechless.

The reports in the North Korean state news media about Mr. Kims anger were a jarring contrast to their typical portrayals of such visits, which show Mr. Kim being mobbed by his adoring subjects.
HONG KONG  The Indonesian island of Lombok was reeling on Monday from two earthquakes that killed at least 14 people a day earlier, just two weeks after a separate earthquake devastated the island and killed at least 460 people.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesias National Disaster Management Agency, said in a statement that 12 people died on Lombok and neighboring Sumbawa Island when a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Lombok on Sunday night.

He said two other people also died on Sunday afternoon when a separate, 6.5-magnitude quake hit Lombok.

The new earthquakes came as the region was still recovering from the earthquake that struck Lombok and the three nearby Gili Islands on Aug. 5, wiping out entire villages and killing hundreds. The United States Geological Survey put the magnitude of that quake at 6.9.
WASHINGTON  American negotiators have confronted North Korean officials over suspected secret nuclear facilities, according to a North Korean state news media commentary, which called the Trump administration accusations fiction and said they had led to derailing dialogue between the two nations.

The piece, published over the weekend by Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea, marks the first indication that American officials have pointed out specific nuclear sites to North Korean negotiators and, presumably, asked Pyongyang to shut them down.

Despite laudatory statements by President Trump, North Korea has not agreed to any concrete steps to end its nuclear weapons program. American officials have concluded that North Korea is still producing fissile material and, according to news reports, continuing to make long-range missiles at a site north of Pyongyang, the capital.

The commentary also beseeched Mr. Trump to hold onto his dream of improving relations  what it described as an epoch-making cause  and push aside people in his administration who are trying to throw that mission off track.
SEOUL, South Korea  For two hours on Monday, a 92-year-old woman held her sons hand and looked him in the eyes for the first time in more than 65 years, as family members from North and South Korea were permitted a rare chance to see one another after war divided their country and separated relatives.

The son, Ri Sang-chol, a 71-year-old North Korean, looked older than his mother, Lee Geum-seom, who has spent more than six decades in the South, since fighting in the Korean War ended in 1953.

Separated in the chaos of the war, the pair had not seen each other  or communicated in any way  until Monday, when Ms. Lee and 88 other elderly South Koreans were allowed to cross the heavily armed border between the Koreas for a three-day reunion with family members in the North.

Mother, this is father, Mr. Ri said, showing Ms. Lee a photograph of her deceased husband, who had also stayed in the North.
Mere words at this point deepen the insult and the pain, she wrote in a statement to the news media.

When Francis assumed the papacy from Benedict in 2013 he was a charismatic leader whose very utterances were seen as action. But the frequency of abuse cases and the churchs inability to offer a comprehensive reckoning have tried the patience of even his supporters and have begun to overwhelm the popes popularity and moral authority.

The scale of the problem, especially after the new round of revelations, also seems to dwarf the popes recent strengthening of his policy of addressing sex abuse in specific countries.

Some advocates for abuse victims have called for a worldwide zero tolerance policy, which would take away bishops leeway in how to deal with convicted and plausibly accused priests. Activists also want a standardized system for punishing bishops and other religious superiors who allowed child sex abuse to continue under their watch. They want the church to open its archives willingly, without the threat of subpoena.

Prosecutors in various countries are taking matters into their own hands and putting clerics on trial, Ms. Doyle said. If the pope doesnt get his house in order, the civil authorities will do it for him, she said.

In 2010, Benedict wrote a letter to Irelands Catholics when the abuse scandal came to the fore there. And earlier this year, after the missteps in his handling of the Chilean scandal  including defending a bishop from the calumny of victims  Francis wrote to Catholics in Chile.

But Mondays letter was different, the Vatican said. This is about Ireland, this is about the United States, and this is about Chile. But not only, Greg Burke, the director of the Holy See Press Office said in an audio statement. Pope Francis has written to the people of God and that means everyone.
BERLIN  A Turkish court has ruled that a German journalist facing trial on terrorism-related charges is free to leave the country, a move that could help improve relations between two countries with deep ties.

The journalist, Mesale Tolu, a German of Turkish ancestry who was working in Istanbul, was arrested in April 2017 on charges of spreading propaganda for terrorist organizations. She was held in pretrial detention until December, when she was released but ordered to remain in the country.

Ms. Tolu said on Twitter on Monday that her lawyer had won her permission to travel. The reports about the lifting of my travel ban are true, she said, thanking those who had worked for her release.

Germanys foreign minister, Heiko Maas, welcomed the decision, calling it a step toward improving our relations with Turkey. But he insisted that further steps must follow, pointing to at least seven other German citizens who are jailed in Turkey for what Berlin considers political reasons.
Police in Mityana used live bullets, tear gas to disperse angry protestors who took to the streets to demonstrate against the alleged torture of their area MP Francis Zaake.



Zaake was arrested on Monday, alongside other 34 individuals, among them, MPs Robert Kyagulanyi, Gerald Karuhanga, Paul Mwiru, MP-elect Kassiano Wadri and former Makindye East MP Mike Mabikke following the alleged stoning of the president's convoy in Arua.



It is alleged that a group of supporters under the People Power pressure group, led by Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, obstructed the president's motorcade and smashed the hind windscreen of one of the vehicles in the convoy. More than 30 people were arrested in the aftermath and subsequently charged with treason.



But Zaake never appeared in court. Instead, grisly pictures of him were circulating on social media, showing a swollen face and smashed fingers reportedly resulting from torture while under police custody.

The residents burnt tyres in the road to show their dissatisfaction

His whereabouts remained unknown until when he resurfaced on Friday when he was checked into Lubaga hospital by a group of people, which, according to his lawyers, comprised of military personnel. He has since been on life support.



The Uganda Human Rights Commission released a report on Friday indicating that Zaake had sustained multiple injuries on the head, arms and legs and that he was great pain.



Today, Sunday residents of Mityana municipality took to the streets, in a demonstration that paralyzed business in the area. They burnt car tyres and blocked access to all major roads, including the Kampala-Mityana-Mubende highway paralysing traffic flow. Scores of youth were arrested in the ensuing running battles with police.



The charged residents are demanding that the government provides the best medical care to the legislator or free him to seek advanced medication abroad. They are also demanding for the unconditional release of Kyagulanyi.



Last year, Zaake was admitted at Mercy hospital in Minnesota, USA, after sustaining injuries on the skull, during a fracas in parliament when opposition MPs engaged in a fight with presidential guards during the debate to lift the presidential age limit.
A soldier points a gun at a suspected protestor One person has been shot dead in Katwe during protests over the continued detention of Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.



The deceased whose identity is yet-to-be confirmed was shot dead as police officers and military personnel fired bullets and tear gas to disperse the angry crowds who were demanding for the freedom of the now jailed legislator. One person has been shot dead in Katwe during protests over the continued detention of Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.The deceased whose identity is yet-to-be confirmed was shot dead as police officers and military personnel fired bullets and tear gas to disperse the angry crowds who were demanding for the freedom of the now jailed legislator. The protesters who'd marched from Katwe market were intercepted at USAFI market, by the police and army, who fired live bullets, killing the protestor. Emilian Kayima, the police spokesperson confirmed the shooting of the unidentified man.



"Details are still scanty and we have not identified the victim," Kayima said.



The shooting comes a day after Sam Ssekiziyivu, a resident of Mityana was yesterday shot dead by police officers. Police has since arrested two of its own officers who allegedly fired bullets at the moving taxi. The two police officers are currently detained at Mityana police station.

Protests demanding for Bobi Wine's freedom have become a daily occurrence allover the country since the MP was arrested last week on Tuesday. Today, the demonstrators, most of them youths, began walking from Kisekka market and Kampala road heading to Constitutional Square from where they would move to Makindye military barracks. The protests soon spread to Kampala road, Nasser road, Ndeeba, Nateete and Old Kampala.



But the demonstrators were intercepted by anti-riot police personnel who used tear gas and bullets to disperse the crowds. The police officers were shortly backed up by military police personnel.



The prolonged heavy sound of gunfire and tear gas forced traders to close their shops. Susan Akite, one of the shop attendants at Mabiriizi complex, says that she was told by her boss to close their shop the moment the live bullets and tear gas were fired.



More than 30 protestors were also arrested and are currently detained at Kampala central police station. Kyagulanyi was charged in the Army court with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. He was remanded to Makindye military barracks until August 23. Other jailed MPs include Paul Mwiru, Gerald Karuhanga and MP-elect Kassiano Wadri, former MP Mike Mabikke and 30 others.

JOURNALISTS ATTACKED

In yet another targeted attack on journalists, our own photographer Alfred Ochwo was assaulted by soldiers while on his way back to office.

"They were targeting anyone with a camera. They were asking 'why are you taking pictures of journalists?'. They arrested me and pushed under the car seats of the police truck. It was a police truck but driven by soldiers." said Ochwo.

Ochwo was arrested together with NTV's Juma Kirya and Ronald Galiwango.

Ochwo was hit on the head by soldiers

"They were using magalo (pliers) to twinge us allover the body. I have bruises allover the body and feeling a lot of pain. We were unlucky that we were the first people they arrested. They put us on that police truck and thereafter they piled three more other people they had arrested on top of each of us.

Our main worry was that they were going to drive us to Makindye barracks because if they had beaten us like that in the open, what would happen inside the closed walls of a barracks? But when they drove us to the central police station, it was a sigh of relief." he added.

Jimmy Akena a photojournalist with Reuters was also beaten up while covering the protest in Kisekka market. Military personnel descended upon Akena when he was taking photographs of them firing bullets and arresting demonstrators.

He was bundled unto a police patrol vehicle and taken to CPS Kampala for detention. According to a source at CPS Kampala, Akena was ordered to hand over his laptop and phone together with wallet and his ring that could not be removed because his hand was bleeding profusely. His camera is reported to be shattered.



Akena has since been taken to the police sickbay for treatment.


Ronn Torossian

No matter how out front your brand is in the mind of the public, brands are always made up of people, and people will always care about more than the brands they represent in the marketplace. In some cases, these priorities can clash, setting up an uncomfortable decision-making process. In other cases, though, people who care can find a profitable synergy between causes they support and brands they promote.

In the best-case scenario, these compatibilities benefit both the cause and the brand in question, elevating each in the eyes of the public. Here are a few examples of social campaigns that offered definite PR benefits for the brand supporting that cause.

Whirlpool cares

The appliance brand Whirlpool wanted to help increase school attendance, so the company debuted its Care Counts campaign. The campaign was simple: Whirlpool identified public schools that fit specific criteria and installed new washers and dryers in these schools. This action was in response to a statistic that students are significantly more likely to skip class when they have no clean clothes.

The effort did not go unnoticed. Whirlpool earned hundreds of millions of media impressions in addition to 12 million video views on social media. According to AdWeek, these positive impressions led to a 220 percent increase in social sentiment as well as a noticeable increase in consumer intent to purchase a Whirlpool product.

Shazaam cant name that tune

The mobile app Shazaam is wildly popular with users who know a tune but cant think of the name of that song. Play a few bars or hum a few bars, and the app can identify the song. That is, until it couldnt. For a time, users in the UK discovered Shazaam to be more forgetful than normal. Instead of naming that tune, the app offered messages like This one rings a bell  before, eventually, naming the song before posting a banner encouraging Alzheimers research.

The point of the temporary change was to raise awareness of Alzheimers research help the apps users understand what it might feel like to struggle with the neurodegenerative disease. Millions connected with that message, and thousands of people clicked through to the Alzheimers Research UK site to donate.

H-E-B shows up strong

Texas grocery chain H-E-B showed up huge for victims of Hurricane Harvey. The company arrived in Houston, set up mobile kitchens and delivered water to devastated hurricane victims. While the primary intent of the action was to assist their neighbors in the aftermath of a horrific natural disaster, the companys brand was visible all over the place, burning it into the memory of grateful Texans. The lesson? Sometimes the best advertisement is to just show up when people need you.

***

Ronn Torossian is CEO of NYC based 5WPR.


Eliot Hoff

APCO Worldwide has appointed Eliot Hoff to lead the agencys crisis and litigation communication practice.

Hoff joined the D.C.-based firm in 2005 as senior director of the agencys New York office, where he led crisis communications efforts for clients. He most recently held the title of executive director.

He was previously stationed at Ruder Finn, where he was a senior VP in that independent agencys corporate reputation practice, and also held a managerial role in Hill & Knowltons corporate practice. An attorney, Hoff began his career as associate director at the Anti-Defamation League.

As crisis practice leader, Hoff will lead a global team of crisis and litigation communication experts. He also joins the agencys global leadership team, which guides strategy and global decisions.
Olmstead Williams Communications has celebrated its 10-year anniversary by adding financial services companies CrowdOut Capital LLC and Lido Advisors to its roster. OWC, which is agency of record for both companies, will work with them to establish messaging, draft content, handle media relations and build thought leadership campaigns. Austin, TX-based CrowdOut is a tech-enabled online marketplace for qualified investors to fund corporate loans for middle market companies. Lido Advisors is a boutique investment advisory firm that has positioned itself as an alternative to larger brokerage houses and bank-owned firms.

Powerhouse Communications has been hired by Retail Food Group  USA to lead franchise, and consumer awareness efforts for its subsidiaries Gloria Jeans Coffees and Its a Grind Coffee House. Powerhouse is responsible for planning and executing creative communications campaigns designed to engage consumers as well as prospective franchise partners. Both brands source their coffees directly from locations around the globe and roast all their beans at the companys Southern California headquarters. Powerhouse was hands down our top choice due to their creative approach to PR and their specialized experience in helping to reinvigorate established foodservice brands, said Retail Food Group  USA president Sam Ferreira.

Diamond Public Relations has added the Caribe Hilton San Juan to its roster of travel and tourism clients. Miami-headquartered Diamond will oversee brand awareness in North America for the resort. It will support the opening of the property this winter, as well as maintain ongoing PR initiatives and encouraging travel to Puerto Rico. Situated on 17 acres near the Old San Juan historic district, the Caribe Hilton has 652 guest rooms and suites, 26 meeting rooms, four ballrooms, and eight restaurant and bar experiences. It is also recognized as the birthplace of the Pina Colada.
Sonoran Policy Group has inked a $400,000 pact to represent the government of Somalia on Capitol Hill, to engage members of the investor and international communities and to provide counsel on a litany of branding, defense, counterterrorism, security and debt matters.

The D.C.-based lobbying and government affairs firm will arrange meetings on the terror-torn countrys behalf with U.S. policymakers and administration officials for the purpose of advocating a reversal of Somalias inclusion among the seven countries from which U.S. travel is prohibited, according to documents filed with the Justice Department in August.

SPG will also advocate a reversal of the U.S. governments decision to suspend aid to the Somali National Army, will facilitate an upcoming U.S. visit by Somalias Head of State and will also work to arrange possible Congressional Staff Delegations trips to Somalia where officials can learn more about the country.

SPG will also advise the Horn of Africa nation on U.S. policies and legislation matters impacting the country and will work to enhance the publics perception of Somalia through a PR and brand awareness campaign.

Finally, SPG will engage with the private sector as well as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other international organizations for the purpose of soliciting humanitarian assistance and foreign economic investment in Somalia as well as managing its debt load, with the possibility of receiving potential debt forgiveness.

The pact began in August and terminates in December. Somalia will pay Sonoran $400,000 for the work in four monthly installments of $100,000. It was signed by Abukar Dahir Osman, Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations.

SPG has signed recent pacts with Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, the Czech Republic, The Kingdom of Bahrain and Nepals Washington, D.C. embassy.
With the crown currently residing in Offaly with 2017 Rose of Tralee winner Jennifer Byrne, we are hoping for back to back titles of sorts with 2018 Dubai Rose Rebecca Egan.

The county was disappointed to learn over the weekend that 2018 Offaly Rose Katie Kehoe has missed out on a place in the Top 32 at the 2018 Rose of Tralee Festival and therefore a place on the TV portion of the show.

However, Ferbane woman Rebecca Egan keeps the Faithful flag flying. She was selected as the Dubai Rose for the 2018 International Rose of Tralee festival back in May, winning out after a glittering selection night, attended by reigning Rose of Tralee and fellow Offaly woman, Jennifer Byrne on Friday, May 4.

Rebecca, who is currently teaching in an American Curriculum school, saw off stellar competition which included two other Offaly women, Maria Judge from Clonbullogue and Boore native Sinead Kenny.

Rebecca Egan, who trained to become a teacher in Ireland, speaking to the Offaly Express said, "living abroad has been the best education, and I believe the best stories and most resonating lessons are between the pages of your passport."

"The work environment is so much more demanding and diverse than Ireland that whenever I return, I believe I will have gained a wealth of experience to deliver in Irish classrooms."

PICTURED: Reigning Rose of Tralee, Jennifer Byrne, pictured with the 2018 Dubai Rose contestants

From the fields around Ferbane, Rebecca says she has "tumbled" her way through the years, "starting out in Clononeybeg along the beautiful waterways Ireland walkway of The Canal Line by Shannon Harbour."

"As I grew, I tumbled through the years at La Sainte Union, then Banagher College, Colaiste na Sionna and with St. Rynagh's camogie team. I use the word tumbled, because it is quite literally fitting," she joked.

Rebecca was shocked and honoured to become a Rose, and told us that she always enjoyed the Rose of Tralee festival, believing it is a "truly unique and special family and community event."

"Growing up my parents would always say to my sister Sarah and I that some day that could be either of us. Needless to say, little Rebecca was a bit more realistic and didn't think she would be so blessed, even if she did secretly dream of it," she commented.

"Yet here she is all grown up, as the Dubai Rose, standing amongst wonderful fellow expat Irish women," she said.

Having now been crowned the Dubai Rose, Rebecca will travel to Tralee in August to try and emulate Jennifer Byrne who became the first Offaly woman ever to win the long-running contest.

"It has been a delightful experience to date, one that I am very thankful for and proud to be a part of," Rebecca said.
Hollywood star and comedian Russell Brand has given a huge seal of approval to a children's book written by an Edenderry music teacher.

Emilia Paliulyte, who runs the Eden School of Music in the North Offaly town, is due to launch 'Pooky Plays Piano' in the coming weeks, but the colourful book, which aims to teach young children how to master the piano, already has one very famous fan.

While at a show in the Helix in Dublin, former St. Mary's Secondary School Edenderry student Emilia was introduced to Brand through friends, and the pair got talking about her latest venture.

"I just had a copy in my bag," Emilia explained to the Offaly Express. "I asked for a photo with the book, but he actually started looking through it and asking questions."

"He loved one song called, 'The Gratitude Song,' which teaches children to be grateful for what they have," the Edenderry teacher added.

Much to Emilia's suprise, the Get Him to The Greek star, said, "Emilia, do you mind if I take this copy? Id love to give it to my daughter, Ive been looking for a book to teach her piano."

"I was so taken aback and of course, I gave him the book," Emila said. There are a lot of videos on the Eden School of Music Facebook page giving a sneak peak into the book that impressed Russell Brand so much, and 'Pooky Plays Piano' will be on sale on Amazon this Friday.

Emilia had the idea for the book last year after the school's exciting adventure as part of Ken Wardrops award-winning documentary, 'Making the Grade.'

"I had been looking for a book that would look colourful, fun and interesting to children while also giving them a chance to learn, be creative and have fun," Emilia remarked.



She then created 'Pooky Plays Piano,' a book bursting with vivid colour and fun activities, offering, "a creative and

imaginative invitation to take the firsts steps into the magical world of piano."

With the help of Pooky, the pink musical unicorn, students will be encouraged to spend some time to get to know their keys and will then seamlessly transition into reading music.

The majority of compositions offered are duets to encourage the positive bond between the pupil and the teacher. Most of the compositions in the book are centered around the middle C while practicing at home and require moving an octave higher for the duet, which will make it much easier to develop an understanding of the topography of the piano.

Each lesson will start with learning a new note or a new concept with written and clapping exercises included. As students progress, they will have a chance to create their own songs, which will encourage creativity within the learning progress.

Many of the songs in the book will have lyrics to assist the ear development of the student. Overall, with the guidance from Pooky, students will learn the basics of piano in more fun and creative ways.

In his foreword for the book, acclamied pianist and teacher Tim Treacy says, Pooky Plays Piano is a delightful, fun, and modern introduction to playing piano which includes composition, sight reading, duets, musical games, and writing exercises."

"Creativity shines through in this delightful and colourful book and composition is promoted from the very beginning, something sadly often overlooked by many other method books," he continues.

Eden School of Music on JKL Street offers individual lessons in piano, voice, guitar, violin, drums, musical theatre and

ukulele. The school's students are excelling in RIAM exams, receiving honours and distinctions.

They also perform at Christmas and Summer concerts, where they can show their family and friends what theyve learned in a year.

"We see students grow their confidence so much through these concerts. We also now offer grinds in Junior and LC music. Our students have gotten H1 and H2s this year, we look forward to helping more students achieve their musical goals," Emilia explained.

In another piece of big news this year, the school announced that it was starting language lessons. "My students have shared with me that they have to travel far for Irish/French grinds. So I found excellent tutors and we now offer Irish/French/German lessons, not only for exam students, but also for younger children so they would be ready for classes in secondary school," Emilia explained.

"We also offer French classes for adults whod like to improve their skills or learn a new language as a hobby."

To celebrate five years in business and to launch 'Pooky Plays Piano,' Eden School of Music is hosting a concert on September 2. There will be music, cake and a raffle on the day and all our welcome.

You can find out more about the books, the concert or any of the classes on offer over at the Eden School of Music Facebook page. You can visit that page by clicking here.
The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) recorded an increase in claims involving uninsured or untraced vehicles in Offaly during the first 7 months of the year.

In total 17 claims were recorded between the start of January and the end of July 2018, 2 up on the same period in 2017. This represented an increase of 13% year on year.

The MIBI is a non-profit organisation established to provide compensation to victims of accidents involving uninsured or untraced vehicles.

Despite the increase for Offaly, nationally the MIBI has recorded an 8 percent decline in claims, with 144 fewer claims being made by the end of July this year when compared to the same period in 2017.

The impact of the MIBIs anti-fraud strategy has been credited with helping to reduce the number of claims throughout the country. This follows the 2017 introduction of a comprehensive plan by the MIBI to make it as difficult as possible for fraudulent claims to succeed.

The strategy included measures to put the full weight of the MIBIs internal and external resources behind investigating suspicious claims, working hand in hand with the Gardai to look into these cases as well as legally contesting such claims and bringing them to trial to be scrutinised by the full power of the courts.

In the first 7 months of the year, the MIBI has received fewer claims from 18 of the 26 counties. The largest drop in number of claims came from Louth with 34 fewer received by the end of July, followed by Dublin (drop of 33) and Kildare (drop of 17). The largest percentage drop was in Roscommon which had a 41% reduction, followed by Louth (-40%), Leitrim (-38%) and Cavan (-34%).

Of the eight counties which recorded an increase in claims, the largest was in Laois, which recorded 8 additional claims in comparison with 2017.

Speaking about the figures, Chief Executive of the MIBI, David Fitzgerald said, It is positive to see that the number of claims from around the country is starting to reduce. Admittedly these figures represent only a snapshot in time and some of the county by county numbers are too small to draw any significant conclusions from."

"Some counties, such as Offaly, recorded an increase. However, considering these statistics cover over half a years worth of data, they are a useful barometer of the general MIBI claims environment and this shows a noteworthy drop in the total number of claims around the country," he added.

Taking a more detailed look at the claims received, we do believe a significant portion of this decrease is because of the increased scrutiny we are placing on fraudulent claims. According to our handlers, since we adopted our Fighting Fraud strategy, which involves a zero tolerance approach to fraud, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of claims where the evidence does not back up the case being made."

Fraudsters are starting to get the message that if they want to make a fictional claim to the MIBI then they will have to be prepared to have that claim put through microscopic examination. Any such claims from Offaly or any other part of the country will be thoroughly investigated by the MIBI working in co-operation with the Gardai. If the evidence still doesnt add up, they will be brought before the courts. The days of easy settlements for nonsense claims are definitely over," David continued.

The MIBI would like to make it clear that those who have a real claim have nothing to worry about. The MIBI has always been a pro-victims organisation and when the claim is real and justified we support the claimant. However, protecting victims also means reducing fraud as much as possible."

We want to ensure that malicious individuals who make the roads more dangerous by staging fake accidents find it harder and harder to succeed. That is in the interests of everyone using the roads in Offaly or anywhere in Ireland and it is a strategy we are committed to pressing in the months and years to come, Mr. Fitzgerald concluded.
NEW DELHI (PTI): Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit with an aim to further strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the maritime sphere in the wake of China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean.



He will hold talks with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday covering a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interests, official sources said.



Interestingly, his visit comes two days ahead of Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe's four-day trip here. Wei is scheduled to arrive here on Tuesday.



Sources said Sitharaman and Onodera are also expected to review the situation in the Korean peninsula and explore ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in the Indian Ocean where China has been ramping up its presence.



They are likely to deliberate on the proposed joint exercise, between Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force and the Indian Army, later this year.



Sitharaman and her Japanese counterpart are also likely to exchange views on India's long-pending proposal to procure the US-2 ShinMaywa amphibious aircraft from Japan for its Navy.


Puneeth Rajkumars last rites to take place tomorrow: Many yet to pay last respects says CM Bommai

12 hours before death, Puneeth Rajkumar had great time with celebs at Gurukirans birthday party [Viral video]

Last rites of actor Puneeth Rajkumar held with full state honours at Kanteerava studio in Bengaluru

Final goodbye to 'Appu': Family bid tearful farewell; Puneeth Rajkumar laid to rest beside his father's grave

Gone too soon: From Puneeth Rajkumar to Sidharth Shukla, untimely deaths leave family and fans stunned

K'taka floods: Minister HD Revanna throws relief material at flood victims

Bengaluru

oi-Madhuri

Hassan, Aug 20: While people in parts of Karnataka are battling the flood situation, Karnataka Public Works Minister HD Revanna was caught on camera, throwing the relief material at the flood victims in the name of distribution in a relief camp.

However, JD(S) MLA Bandeppa Kashempur justified PWD Minister's act, and said that the minister was in a hurry to leave for Madikeri.

He also said Revanna did not mean to disrespect the victims. PWD minister HD Revanna had thrown biscuit packets at flood victims in Hassan.

Also Read | Kodagu floods: Drones deployed to locate stranded people

Out of the total rescued people, 3,601 have been shifted to 36 relief shelters in the district. Attempts are being made to rescue those stranded on hilltops.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given an assurance to Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy as far as assistance in the rescue and relief operation in the flood-hit Kodagu district was concerned.

Also Read | Kodagu floods: Check here for helpline numbers

HD Kumaraswamy had on Saturday visited Kodagu district. Despite continuous rains, approximately 4,225 marooned people were rescued till last evening from the district.

For More Bengaluru News, Click Here

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 15:16 [IST]
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...
Class 10 student throws acid from beaker at three girls outside science lab in Himachal Pradesh

44 Boxa Tribe girls enrolled in school, but where are the books?

2 girls called friend for help, he sent 11 men to rape them

India

oi-Madhuri

Lohardaga, Aug 20: Eleven people were arrested for allegedly raping two minor girls in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district.

They were nabbed after a police team conducted raids in the Hirhi Harra Toli locality, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashish Kumar Mahli told a press conference here on Sunday.

The accused, all aged between 18 and 28 years, had raped the girls on August 16 when they were going to the Hirhi Harra Toli area along with their neighbour, he said.They were travelling on a motorcycle which developed snag near the Hirhi Railway bridge, the DSP said.

Strict no to 'two-finger-test', states MHA in guidelines for doctors dealing with rape victims

One of the girls called her friend over phone for help but he sent his 11 friends to the spot instead.They took the girls to an isolated place, beat up their neighbour and drove him away. The men then took turns to rape the girls, Mahli said.The accused also snatched away mobile phones of the victims, he added.

A case was registered at Sadar police station on the basis of the statement of the girls.

Delhi: Minor girl alleges sexual harassment by teacher

The task force was formed on the directions of Superintendent of Police Priyadarshi Alok to investigate the incident. It was headed by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Arvind Kumar Verma and Mahli.

The team also recovered the mobile phones from the house of one of the accused, the DSP said.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 12:03 [IST]
UP government slammed by Muslim outfit for granting land for Mosque away from Ayodhya

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2007 'hate speech' case: 'Why Adityanath should not be prosecuted,' asks SC

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government in connection with an alleged hate speech delivered by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2007.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra has given the Uttar Pradesh government four weeks to respond to the summons.

In the notice, the apex court asked the state government to reply as to why he should not be prosecuted for allegedly giving a hate speech in 2007.

In 2008, two persons - Asad Hyat and Pervez - had filed a petition in Allahabad High Court seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It was alleged that the riots in Gorakhpur in 2007 were triggered by the speech of Yogi Adityanath.

The petition had sought an investigation against Adityanath under sections 302, 307, 153A, 395 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code. The case was then transferred to the CB-CID, which found in the course of investigation that the BJP leader's voice in an audio recording was authentic.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 13:46 [IST]
Afghan mans plea to direct wife, kids to return with him declined

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Delhi High Court has declined the plea of an Afghan national to direct his wife and their two children, who have obtained refugee status in India, to return with him, after the three expressed their unwillingness to live with him.

The court also denied him visitation rights to meet his children whenever he comes to India noting that the two, aged nine and four years, have expressed their reluctance to meet him.

A bench of justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel noted that the man's wife has obtained refugee status for herself and the two children under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and their refugee ID cards are valid till April 12 next year.

The court said there was nothing on record to indicate any threat to the safety and security of the children or that they were in inconvenience or their overall development harmed during their stay in India.

"Consequently, the court has no hesitation as far as the present petition is concerned in declining the relief sought for by the petitioner," the bench said while dismissing the man's plea.

His counsel also sought an order regarding visitation rights to the father whenever he visits India.

However, as the children were not inclined to meet him, the bench said it was not possible at this stage to issue any omnibus order regarding his visitation rights and that he may seek the relief in other appropriate proceedings available to him under the law.

In pursuance to the court's earlier order, the children had met their father at the high court's mediation centre.

The court noted that the children were reluctant to meet their father and even his wife was unwilling to return with him.

According to the plea of the Afghan national, he married the woman in 2008 in Kabul and two sons were born to them in 2009 and 2014.

All of them had come to India on a tourist visa on February 18, 2017 and were staying in Kalkaji in south Delhi at a close friend's residence, the petition said.

It also said that the wife had gone to a park with the kids on March 8, 2017, but did not return home.

The petitioner had then approached the police, but it lodged a complaint only on March 14 last year, the plea alleged.

OCI card holders appear to enjoy freedom of speech like other Indians; HC

The police, thereafter, traced the woman and both she and her husband (the petitioner) were called to the Kalkaji police station on March 24 last year.

At the police station, the woman said she does not want to live with him and it was then that he came to know that she and the kids have obtained temporary refugee status, the petition has claimed.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 10:36 [IST]
As Kerala stares at a loss of Rs 19,512 crore, here is who donated how much

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: The estimated loss caused by Kerala floods stands at around Rs 19,512 crore. Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan has urged for generous contributions, as the state fights a long battle to restore the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited the state announced a Rs 500 crore grant. This is apart from the Rs 100 crore announced by Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh.

With killer rains subsiding, Kerala focuses on emergency supplies and essential services

The relief work has begun, with nearly 200 persons losing their lives. There have been some generous contributions to Kerala from various states and let us take a look at who has given what.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 500 crore grant.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced a Rs 100 crore grant.

Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal announced Rs 10 crore as grant and the one month salaries of all AAP MLAs and MPs will be given to Kerala.

Congress MLAs and MPs too have pledged their one month's salaries.

Bihar Chief Minster, Nitish Kumar announced a Rs 10 crore grant.

Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik announced an additional grant of Rs 5 crore to the earlier sanctioned Rs 5 crore.

Tamil Nadu- Rs 10 crore

Andhra Pradesh- Rs 10 crore

Puducherry- Rs 1 crore

Jharkhand- Rs 5 crore

Maharashtra- Rs 20 crore

Gujarat- Rs 10 crore

Punjab- Rs 10 crore

Telangana- Rs 25 crore

Himachal Pradesh- Rs 5 crore

Uttarakhand- Rs 5 crore

Chattisgarh- Rs 3 crore

Madhya Pradesh- Rs 10 crore

Karnataka- Rs 10 crore

West Bengal- Rs 10 crore

Manipur- Rs 2 crore

Also Read | Goa next, be careful says ecologist who predicted Kerala floods

The others:

In addition to this several NGOs too have come forward and contributed. The Qatar government allocated Rs 35 crore towards the relief fund of Kerala. The UAE too formed a committee to provide relief.

Star India donated Rs 2 crore, while Sun TV made a donation of Rs 1 crore. Asianet employees have pledged Rs 25 lakh. State Bank of India has donated Rs 2 crore, while TVS & Sons CEO Raghavan handed over Rs 1 crore.

Malayalam actors, Mammooty and Dulquer Salman contributed Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively. Mohanlal has contributed Rs 25 lakh. Kamal Hassan has donated Rs 25 lakh, while Dhanush contributed Rs 15 lakh. Vishal and Sivakarthikeyan gave Rs 10 lakh each.

Also Read | How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

Telugu actor Vijay donated Rs 5 lakh, while Anupama Parameswaran donated Rs 1 lakh.

Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi donated Rs 25 lakh and actress Rohini donated Rs 2 lakh to the relief fund.

21-year-old student from Kerala who was trolled for selling fish, Hanan also donated Rs 1.5 lakh. DMK donated Rs 1 crore, as well. BJP MP Varun Gandhi has also donated Rs 2 lakh.

Attorney General K K Venugopal has donated Rs 1 crore.
Chinese defence minister to visit India: Doklam, Ladakh issues to be resolved

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: The four day visit by Chinese defence minister and state councillor, Wei Fenghe will be an important affair. During the four day visit starting August 21, India and China will discuss a host of issues which includes building trust between the armies.

Further the two sides would also discuss ways to maintain peace along the Indo-China border in the wake of the Doklam issue and recent transgressions in Ladakh.

The primary objective of the visit would be to implement the decisions taken by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the informal summit that was held at Wuhan earlier this year.

Vajpayee made path-breaking contributions to Sino-India ties: China

Modi and Xi had agreed to open a new chapter in ties between India and China. Further it was also decided that the two armies would coordinate better to maintain peace along the border. The visit by Wei would discuss these aspects and find ways to ensure that the relations between the two countries are better, sources tell OneIndia.

The situation at Doklam would also be discussed and the two sides discuss ways of finding a permanent solution to the problem. During Wei's visit, he would meet with both Modi and Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman.

Is China printing India currency? Rubbish says government

Sources said that India would urge Wei to direct the military to scale down at the Doklam area. We are positive about this visit and a host of pending and contentious issues are likely to be resolved the source further added.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 6:20 [IST]
Hopeful IT panel will take up Pegasus; officials may have been instructed to skip last meet: Tharoor

Tharoor gets court nod to visit former UN chief Kofi Annans family abroad

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: Delhi's Patiala House Court on Monday allowed Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's application seeking to visit family of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (who passed away recently) abroad. Annan's death was earlier confirmed by his family and foundation on his official Twitter handle.

The Court also granted him permission to visit United Nations Headquarters to seek aid for Kerala Floods.

Tharoor has been charged in a case related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death in a luxury hotel under sections 498A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but has not been arrested in the case. The court had earlier barred him from foreign travel without prior permission.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel, as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time.
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Dabholkar murder case: Key suspect sent to police custody till Aug 28

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Pune, Aug 20: The key suspect in Narendra Dabholkar murder case Shrikant Pangarkar was on Monday sent to police custody till Aug 28.

Former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday in connection with the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from different parts of the state between August 9 and 11, an ATS official said.

Pangarkar was arrested under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he added.

Three persons -- Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar -- were arrested from Palghar and Pune districts on August 10 in connection with the seizure of bombs and weapons.

Dabholkar murder case: CBI arrest man from Auranganbad, allegedly one of the shooters

All three are in ATS custody till August 28.

Pangarkar, a former member of the Jalna Municipal Corporation, was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the killing of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar.

CBI sources had said Pangarkar's name had cropped up during the interrogation of Sachin Prakasrao Andure, the alleged main shooter in the Dabholkar murder case.

Andure, who was arrested by the CBI from Pune last evening, was produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class A S Mujumdar at Shivajinagar today and remanded to the agency's custody till August 26.

The CBI told the court that Andure was one of the two assailants who had shot at Dabholkar at the Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune on August 20, 2013.

Pangarkar, aged around 40, was detained after Andure told the CBI that he was with him when Dabholkar was killed, the sources said.

The former corporator was allegedly riding pillion on the motorcycle driven by Andure, they added.

Dabholkar (67) was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants on August 20, 2013, when he was on a morning walk near his home in Pune.

Andure was arrested on a tip-off from the Maharashtra ATS, which had arrested Raut, Kalaskar and Gondhalekar for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to carry out blasts in the state.

One of the arrested accused gave the input about Andure's involvement in Dabholkar's murder, which the ATS shared with the CBI.

Dabholkar's murder case was transferred to the CBI from the Pune Police in 2014.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 14:05 [IST]
Delhi Police implicates Kejriwal in CS Anshu Prakash assault case

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Delhi Police's chargesheet implicated Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash. The document names Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

According to CNN-News18 report, Delhi police chargesheet alleged assault on Delhi Chief Secy was deliberate. 'It was the first midnight meeting held by CM in three years. CCTV wires were also disconnected," CNN-News18 quoted Delhi police as saying.

[Read more: Delhi: AAP seeks court's direction to stop cops from sharing chargesheet contents with media]

The Delhi Police had on May 18 questioned Kejriwal for over three hours in connection with the alleged assault on Prakash.

Prakash was allegedly assaulted during a meeting at Kejriwal's official residence on February 19. The police said the chief minister was present when the alleged assault took place.

[Read more: AAP will not join opposition alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha polls: Kejriwal]

Police have already questioned 11 AAP MLAs present at the chief minister's residence for the meeting. Two of the party MLAs -- Amantullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal --were arrested in the case.

(With PTI inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 18:48 [IST]
Diplomatic win as UAE deports another ISIS sympathiser to India

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: The United Arab Emirates has deported Irfan Ahmed, a resident of Kashmir on the charge that he was a sympathiser of the Islamic State. This is the second person from Kashmir that the UAE has deported on India's request on the same charge.

Last year, the UAE had deported Afshan Parvaiz a resident of Ganderbal in Kashmir after he was found to be sympathetic towards the ISIS. It may be recalled that another Kashmir resident, Afshan Parvaiz was deported in May this year from Turkey on similar charges.

Ahmed, an engineer was picked up by the Dubai police on April 28 this year on the suspicion that he had ISIS links. His family then requested the Indian agencies to track him, following which a request was made to the UAE.

Al-Qaeda has the intent to hit, but remains a non-starter in India

Ahmed had entered Dubai from Oman, when he was detained by the police. After questioning him intensely, it was found that he was sympathetic towards the ISIS and also very active on the social media. Working with a telecom company in Dubai, Zargar maintained that he had travelled to Oman for setting up a business of handcrafts. The Dubai officials had carried out thorough search of his apartments in Sharjah and later whisked him away to an undisclosed location.

The UAE at first was reluctant to deport him, but India persuaded the authorities for five months before the authorities finally gave in. On being brought back to India, he was subject to intense questioning by various agencies including the Intelligence Bureau and the National Investigation Agency. He has now been handed over to the Kashmir police.

ISIS: NIA raids at Hyderabad

NIA sources tell OneIndia that during the interrogation, nothing concrete emerged. He was active on the social media and we have collected those details. Meanwhile the Jammu and Kashmir police will continue to question him to find out more about his activities.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 5:59 [IST]
The don is depressed, brother in charge and not all is well in Dawood paradise

Ds dirty cash and why the arrest of Jabir Moti will help break Dawoods financial syndicate

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: Very often, it has been said that the best way to beat Dawood Ibrahim is to cripple him financially. His financial worth is what makes him a darling of the ISI, which uses his ill-gotten wealth to fund terror especially against India.

In the backdrop of this, the London police achieved a major breakthrough by arresting one of Dawood's key financial managers, Jabir Moti, a Pakistan national from the Hilton Hotel.

3 Palatial bunglows in Karachi, UK confirms Dawood aka Mucchad lives in Pakistan

Indian agencies tracking the D-files tell OneIndia that Moti is a key link and has for several years been managing the finances of the D-syndicate. He was the go to man to move money in the international markets, which were used to purchase drugs, arms among other things.

India, which has been maintaining a fat file on Moti had made two requests to the UK to arrest him. Once the evidence was established, the London police went ahead and arrested him. A team of officials from India would now go to UK to question Moti.

His extradition to India may be a tough affair, considering he is a Pakistan national. However for the Indian agencies questioning him would be crucial to further the case against Dawood's financial network, an officer with the intelligence told OneINdia.

Financial empire:

Officials say that Dawood thrives on the money and assets he holds. In 2015, Forbes had said that Dawood Ibrahim's net assets were estimated at around 6.7 billion US dollars. The only drug smuggler ranked higher than Dawood was Pablo Escobar, whose net worth in 1989 stood at 9 billion US dollars.

Big breakthrough: Dawood's top financial manager arrested

In this context the arrest of Jabir Moti becomes extremely important. He has played a key role in trying to make the D dirty cash as legit. He moved money around and invested in property. Dawood has also ensured that his key financial managers operate out of London since his investments in the UK are the highest, followed by UAE and Spain. Dawood even recently picked up a mansion worth 5 million US dollars in Sydney.

Officials say that while his net worth stood at 6 billion US dollars in 2015, currently it could be estimated at anything between 10 to 15 billion US dollars. The questioning of Moti will not only help unearth Dawood's financial assets in the UK, but also in other parts of the world.

Investigations had also revealed that he also moved around money for Dawood's wife, Mehajabeen, his son Moeen, daughters, Mahrookh, Mehree and sons in law, Junaid and Aurangzeb.

Further investigations have also revealed that he had moved around money in Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. It is a massive financial empire and the arrest of Moti is bound to cripple it to a large extent. Further Indian agencies would also try and find out about the other financial managers, especially in India. The finances of Dawood are managed in various ways in India. They include financing films, property deals etc.

Moti according to the agencies was also instrumental in moving dirty money of the syndicate and the agencies suspect that the same was used to fund a series of nefarious activities, including terrorism.

India had on the basis of its investigations made two requests to the UK to arrest Moti, who has been on the radar for long.

The arrest was made in the nick of time as Moti was planning to move out of the UK. He holds a ten year visa in the UK and was planning on moving to Antigua as the heat on him had risen.

Dawood's global empire:

An official with the Enforcement Directorate informed OneIndia that they are conducting extensive probe in the United Kingdom. We have asked for details to be shared and even written to officials in the United Kingdom regarding the assets of Dawood Ibrahim.

Another Dawood property auctioned off, this time for Rs 3.51 crore

In the UK, it was Iqbal Mirchi (died in 2013) along with Moti who had laundered away the wealth of the D Gang. There is almost Rs 3,000 crore worth of assets world wide which the D gang owns and attempts are being made to attach the same with the help of the UK authorities, the ED official pointed out.

In all the D gang owns 50 properties in ten different countries. All the properties have been purchased in benami names. So far the most concrete link that has been established between the D gang and the properties is through Iqbal Mirchi and Moti.

The investments made by Mirchi and Moti is the highest in Mumbai and the United Kingdom. They had laundered away all the D gang's money in properties in the UK and Mumbai. The ED has managed to establish that Mirchi and his aides had invested in at least 6 properties in Mumbai.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 15:42 [IST]
Fake news: Soldier who said Kerala CM not letting Army do its work is an imposter

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: A 'soldier' who claimed in a viral video that the Kerala CM is not letting the Army help in the flood ravaged state is fake. The Indian Army clarified that there is an imposter wearing an Army combat uniform and is spreading disinformation.

A video in which a man in an Army uniform claiming that the Kerala government was mistreating the Indian Army had gone viral. He said, "I am addressing the Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Why do you have so much animosity towards the Indian army? Is it because your minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan doesn't want the army to come to your state?"

How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

He also went on to say that thousands are stranded in Chengannur and the government is not letting the Army do its job. Just let us do our job, we won't take over the state, he also says in the video.

Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy.Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579. We are at it #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/ncUR7tCkZW  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 19, 2018

The ADG PI-Indian Army was quick to react and bust the news as fake. "Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts.

Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy.Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579. We are at it #KeralaFloods," the Army said on Twitter.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:57 [IST]
Government focuses on rural empowerment with its seven schemes under Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

India

oi-Vinod

By Vinod

New Delhi, Aug 20: With the Lok Sabha elections 2019 in mind, the government is trying every bit to reach out to people with different schemes. Due to more participation of poor and rural people in the elections exercise, the government's focus is maximum on rural areas with its claim of 100 per cent success of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan. The campaign was started on April 14 on the occasion of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar's birth anniversary for which NITI Ayog selected 48,929 villages of 114 districts.

There are seven schemes under the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan that included Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Yojna (PMSBY), Unnat Jyoti Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Vima Yojna (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna (PMSBY) and Mission Indradhanush.

Modi govt's schemes benefitted 22 crore poor families: Amit Shah

As per the Union rural development ministry the second leg of the campaign has been a big success which was started from July 1 to August 15, 2018 while the first campaign was started from April 14 to May 05, 2018 in which seven schemes of the government were taken to people and except the one it has been able to achieve 100 per cent success.

Professor H K Solanki of Rashtriya Gramya Sansthan said that if a comparison of both the campaign is made, it has been observed that enough time has been given to implement them that has helped to awaken people about it and get it implemented. As per the latest data provided by the ministry under Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana 39 lakh and five thousand households were targeted to be given gas cylinder but 38.94 people have been given which is 99 per cent of the target, Prime Minister Sahaj Bijli Yojna touched the 75 per cent target under which 36.67 households were to be given electricity but 21.19 lakh households have been provided with the electricity.

But the target of immunisation under the Mission Indradhanush Yojana has crossed the 100 per cent mark. Under this scheme 4.5 lakh children were to be immunised but it exceeded to 4.60. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna achieved 110 per cent of the target as under the scheme 53 lakh people were to be provides with its benefit but 58.26 lakh people have been benefited under this scheme.

Puducherry CM accuses Lt Guv of blocking schemes; Bedi rejects charge

The term insurance policy of the government has the success rate of 107 per cent under which 31.42 lakh people of 49 thousand villages were targeted to be benefited but beneficiaries are 33.69 lakh people. Under this scheme family member of the insured people will get Rs 2 lakh on death of the insured person. The scheme was launched by the government on May 9, 2015.

The most successful story has been the Jan Dhan Yojna with the target of opening of 46.20 lakh accounts in 49 thousand villages which has succeeded in opening 52.70 lakh accounts up to August 19, 2018. There were 31.89 crore Jan Dhan accounts up to June 2018. Under Unnat Jyoti Yojna 39.14 lakh LED bulbs to be distributed in 49,929 villages but as per the latest data it has crossed over to 42.69 lakh in 47720 villages.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:19 [IST]
When is Hajj?

The date of Hajj is determined by the Islamic calendar. It takes place in Dhul-Hijjah, which is the 12th month of this calendar between the eighth and 13th days of the month. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar year, which is shorter than the Gregorian year. Hajj began on Sunday, August 19 and will end in the evening of Friday, August 24.

Importance:

The pilgrimage is mandatory for all Muslims to complete at least once in their life if they can afford to go and are able-bodied. The Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and all believers are required to perform it at least once in their lives, as long as their health allows it. The holy event takes place in several locations around the city of Mecca, and lasts for five days of intense worship. The purpose of the pilgrimage is to get closer to Allah and Muslims from all over the world have the opportunity to interact with each other.

Also Read |Over 1.28 lakh Indian pilgrims reach Saudi for Hajj

What do you do at Hajj?

During the pilgrimage, pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. Muslims on Hajj are forbidden from having sex, proposing marriage, cutting their hair or nails and killing animals. Muslims walk around the Kaaba seven times as part of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Also Read |2 million plus people begin Hajj pilgrimage

How many people will travel for Hajj?

This year, it has been estimated that more than two million people will make the journey. 2017 saw almost 2.5 million attendees, with 2012 holding the record with more than three million flocking to the holy city.

Image Courtesy: PTI Photos
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How India Inc is contributing to Kerala flood victims

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: With heavy rains continuing to wreak havoc in Kerala, India Inc has extended relief measures to the victims by offering donations.

Meanwhile, industry body CII has set up a task force chaired by its former president Kris Gopalakrishnan to work on relief measures for victims in flood devastated Kerala in coordination with the state government and the district administrations.

How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

While JSW Group said it has initiated a group-wide initiative wherein its employees voluntarily contribute in cash as well as in kind, TVS Motor Company has contributed Rs one crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).

"The flood situation in Kerala and the destruction, it has left behind, is distressing. As a responsible corporate citizen, JSW has initiated a Group-wide initiative wherein our employees voluntarily contribute in cash as well as in kind. The contribution made by our employees will be matched by JSW Group equally and will be pledged towards Kerala's flood relief measures," JSW Group official spokesperson said in a statement.

The company said that it is committed towards helping people affected by floods in Kerala.

Kerala man who posted insensitive comments on flood victims fired from Gulf job

"TVS Motor Company contributed Rs 1 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), in lieu of the distressing flood situation in Kerala. The cheque was handed over to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by Swaran Singh, CEO, Srinivasan Services Trust (SST)- the social arm of TVS Motor Company in Thiruvananthapuram," the firm said.

As far as Nissan India is concerned, the company has stepped forward to extend service support to flood affected victims in the state.

"Special emergency repair teams have been set up and additional trained manpower will be deployed from dealerships in neighbouring states to expedite turnaround time for the repairs. Free towing service is being offered and repairs will be carried out under the guidance of Nissan technical experts," it said in a statement.

Nissan India has also issued an essential safety advisory through customer care and has set up a round the clock special desk for faster insurance claims and settlement for flood-affected vehicles.

CII said it is in touch with various government agencies and local authorities to assess the situation and initiate most urgent relief operations in the affected areas.

"Emergency Response Centres are being set up in the CII offices in Kochi, Trivandrum and Chennai to coordinate and facilitate all efforts, the chamber said.

As Kerala stares at a loss of Rs 19,512 crore, here is who donated how much

Hundreds of people have died in flood-related incidents in Kerala.

Several people are stranded in buildings in various districts. Many of them, including children, were rescued from various waterlogged areas.

Assocham said Kerala would have suffered massive economic losses to the tune of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 crore with a staggered impact of a few months on tourism, cash crops and trade including international trade from Kochi and other ports.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:47 [IST]
India witnessing 'disturbing trends' of intolerance, communal polarisation: Manmohan Singh

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 20: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday (August 20) called upon the people to reflect on how to work together and contribute in arresting "disturbing trends" of intolerance, communal polarisation and incidents of violent crimes propelled by hate groups and mobs being witnessed in the country.

Addressing the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award function, he said such "unsavoury" trends can only harm national interests and are an anathema to the promotion of peace and communal harmony. The award was presented to former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

Singh, along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former union minister Karan Singh, who is the chairman of the advisory board of Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana award trust, were among those present.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi did not attend the function. Talking about the present climate in the country, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi called for a collective resolve to fight forces of "divisiveness, hate and bigotry" in the country, as she asserted that former prime minister and her husband Rajiv Gandhi's 'Sadbhavana' has a great relevance and resonance in the current times.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi said all those opposed to 'zabardasti' (coercion), bigotry, cult of fear and hate, the centralisation of power, the nexus of big power and big money, need to work together.

"That means shedding personal institutional egos, The larger entity, be it the bigger leader, the bigger party or the larger community is expected to make the larger gesture....I envision the democratic parties and movements of India in the wisdom of their dynamism harmonising their strengths to meet the challenge of harmonies opposite - suspicion, bigotry and violence," he said.

The award, given every year on the former prime minister's birth anniversary, was instituted to commemorate his contributions to promote peace, communal harmony and fight against violence. Manmohan Singh said the leadership and ideals of Rajiv Gandhi will always "act as a beacon for all of us, particularly in moments of great difficulty and confusion".

"Another cause for solemn reflection today is some disturbing trends that our country has been witnessing over the past few years. Those unsavoury trends of growing intolerance, communal polarization, growing incidence of violent crimes propelled by hatred of certain groups and of mobs taking the law in their own hands can only harm the national interests of our country," he said.

The former prime minister said they are also an anathema for promotion of peace, national integration and communal harmony, which are the cherished objectives enshrined in the Constitution.

Another cause for reflection is disturbing trends India is witnessing over past few yrs.Growing intolerance,communal polarisation,incidence of violent crimes propelled by hatred of certain groups&mobs taking law in their hand can only harm India's national interest:Manmohan Singh pic.twitter.com/Oz2AHHP0Xp  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

"All of us need to pause and reflect on how we can work together and contribute to arresting these trends," he said.

Singh lauded Gopalkrishna Gandhi for speaking with courage and conviction on these trends, "holding up a mirror to our people at large". He said he has pointed out that the "popularly held position need not be blindly accepted, but should be probed deeper to find out whether it is justified in wider national interest".

Sonia Gandhi said Gopalkrishna Gandhi is an uncompromising champion of values enshrined in the Constitution which are now under "determined and systematic assault".

"Rajiv Gandhi was an unwavering believer that India's unity was actually derived from and strengthened by her incredible diversity. That is what Sadbhavna meant to him -- not just acceptance of, not just respect for, but most fundamentally a celebration of our society's many diversities," the Congress leader said.

She said Rajiv Gandhi's 'Sadbhavana' has great relevance and resonance in the current times, which was "not just a passive acquiescence and tolerance of different points of view, but active engagement - so that every citizen of India is enabled to lead a life of dignity, security and self-respect."

His(Rajiv Gandhi)political life was short but in the brief period he gave new direction to our economy,laid foundation for India's entry in 21st century focusing on IT,Telecommunications&computers. He was responsible for single-handedly changing our political structure: S Gandhi pic.twitter.com/94FQPGnXyi  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

She said that growing prosperity and social liberalism were two sides of the same coin for the former prime minister.

"Both had to go hand in hand. Technological capabilities would have little value in the climate of growing scientific obscurantism and social prejudice.We have seen that the opening of the economy and the closing of the mind is a dangerous and destructive mix," she noted.

[Rajiv Gandhi's 74th Birth Anniversary: 10 facts you must know]

She said there is pain and anguish in Gopalkrishna Gandhi's writings and "every right thinking and right acting Indian shares not only his analysis in what is going wrong, but also his profoundly sensitive articulation of what needs to be done".

"In conferring this award to Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, we collectively express our resolve to oppose the ideologies that reject the composite essence of our nationhood and to fight the forces of divisiveness, hate and bigotry," she said.

[Rahul, Sonia pay tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary]

Sonia Gandhi also recalled the achievements of Rajiv Gandhi as prime minister, particularly in Constitutional empowerment of panchayats and 'Nagar Palikas' through reservation for women. She said he brought peace to troubled regions of the country, even if it meant sacrificing elected Congress state governments in the process.

Former recipients of this award include Mother Teresa, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Mohammed Yunus, Lata Mangeshkar, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Kapila Vatsyayan, Teesta Setalvad, Swami Agnivesh, K R Narayanan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Muzaffar Ali and Shubha Mudgal.

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Kerala floods: Need electricians, plumbers, carpenters not food, says minister

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Kochi, Aug 20: Union minister KJ Alphons on Monday said that Kerala doesn't need clothes and food, it needs electricians, plumbers, and carpenters to put life back into the state.

"There'll be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes/food.Ppl with technical capabilities are reqd to put life back into Kerala," tweeted ANI quoting Union minister KJ Alphons.

Quoting Union minister KJ Alphons, ANI tweeted, "Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators & providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. Biggest heroes are fishermen,they came in 600 boats&are rescuing people:"

How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

Earlier in the day, railways restored passenger and express train services in the flood-hit Ernakulam district after "early completion of work in the division".

It is expected that for the next five days there won't be heavy rainfall in Kerala, rainfall will gradually decrease over the state, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, India Meteorological Department.
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Kerala Floods: Naidu to donate one month's salary

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 20: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday decided to donate his one month's salary towards the relief work in flood-hit Kerala.

He took the decision after attending a review meeting on the flood situation in the state.

"Called a review meeting on Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Harivansh) and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and Vice President Secretariat and decided to donate a month's salary for relief measures," Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Upper House, tweeted.

The vice president gets around Rs 4 lakh per month as salary.

The deadly monsoon rains in Kerala have claimed 216 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.24 lakh people from their homes.

How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

The southern state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.

Judges of the Supreme Court have also decided to contribute towards the relief efforts.

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Kerala Floods: Supreme Court judges will contribute to relief fund, says CJI

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 20: The judges of the Supreme Court will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, Chief Justice Dipak Misra saidon Monday.

A bench comprising CJI and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud made the observation during the hearing of a PIL that had sought barring of lawmakers from practising in courts across the country.

"We are also making some contribution. Judges of this court are also making contribution for the flood relief fund," the bench said.

The observation came after Attorney General K K Venugopal referred to the "grave tragedy" that has struck Kerala rendering 10 million people homeless.

How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

The AG had earlier donated Rs one crore to the flood relief fund.

Many other senior lawyers have also contributed significant amounts towards the relief fund.

The south Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.

With killer rains subsiding, Kerala focuses on emergency supplies and essential services

As per official records, 7,24,649 lakh people were housed in 5,645 relief camps across the state.

The deadly monsoon rains have so far claimed 210 lives since August 8.

PTI
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".
Kerala man who posted insensitive comments on flood victims fired from Gulf job

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

New Delhi, Aug 20: A Keralite based in Oman was fired from his job after he made insensitive comments on a social media post on the plight of the flood-hit victims in the state.

Rahul Cheru Palayattu worked as a cashier at the Oman branch of Lulu Group International. He was dismissed after he made fun of the sanitation requirements of flood victims on Facebook, news agency ANI reported quoting Khaleej Times.

"This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India," read his termination letter signed by Lulu's HR manager in Oman.

The termination letter further said, "You are hereby instructed to hand over all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement."

How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

The company has reportedly donated 9.23 million UAE dirhams for relief operations in flood-hit Kerala.

After facing the heat for his remarks, Rahul apologised by posting a video on Facebook on Sunday, "I am really sorry for what I did. I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake."

With killer rains subsiding, Kerala focuses on emergency supplies and essential services

Extending their support to the people affected by flash floods in Kerala, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government on Saturday formed a committee to provide relief to the southern state.

The southern state is facing its worst flood situation in a century with 80 dams shutters opened and all rivers in spate.
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Multiple attacks on security personnel in Chechnya, IS claims responsibility

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Moscow, Aug 20: The Islamic State (IS) have claimed responsibility for attacks at three different locations in Chechnya on Monday, said reports.

The attacks were aimed at the security forces and several policeman are said to be injured.

Officials in Russia confirmed several policemen were wounded in the cities Grozny and Shali, reported Al-Jazeera.

The responsibility for the attacks was claimed by a website called Amaq which is said to be affiliated to the Islamic State.

Amaq said its militants had attacked police officers in the areas of Shalinsky, Mesker-Yurt, and Grozny, but did not provide further details, said a Reuters report.
Cruise drugs party organisers took nod from Centre, not Maha govt, says Nawab Malik

Mumbai: Several NGOs come to the aid of Kerala flood victims

India

oi-Madhuri

Mumbai, Aug 20: A number of NGOs based in the financial capital of the country have come forward to extend the helping hand to flood-ravaged Kerala and launched a campaign to collect food and other items.

The deadliest deluge in Kerala in close to a century has claimed 197 lives since August 8. More than six lakh people are in relief camps while thousands are still stranded in their homes without food.

The NGOs are extending help in the form of money and medical support.

Also Read | Railways will transport for free relief material being sent to Kerala

Prime Educaton Health Learning Services (PEHL) has said that it would send a team of 20 people consisting of general physicians and paramedical staff to Idukki district.

As per official estimates, 43 people have lost their lives so far in Idukki district.

"Our team will leave on Thursday from Mumbai and will start working with our local staff in Kerala as well as government authorities in Idukki district. Our focus will be only on providing medical service, as it is highly essential in the next coming days," Tasmeen Shaikh, of PEHL said today.

Shaikh said the NGO carries its own medicines.

Also Read | Centre to dispatch relief material including food grains, medicines to Kerala

"We have appealed to the people to donate for our work in various ways. We do not accept any non-medical donation, as other NGOs and state authorities are working on it. Extending medical service in itself is a major task for our team," she said.

Shaikh said that more people will be sent to Kerala depending on the requirement at the ground.

"This is our fourth such medical camp, where we are extending medical support to flood affected people," Shaikh claimed.

Sayed Furqan, a senior official of the 'Sahas Foundation', said they would supply notebooks and other educational stationery to at least 10,000 students in the flood-ravaged state.

"We have also issued a statement with the bank account details of Kerala chief minister's relief fund and appealed to the people to donate the amount there itself," he said.

Furquan said the state machinery is better equipped with handling and spending money as per requirement at hand.

Nishant Bangera, founder of NGO Muse, said they have formed 12 collection centres across Mumbai where citizens can donate food, clothes and other items that would be sent to the flood-affected people.

"We have collaborated with 'anbodu kochi', a Bengaluru-based organisation that is sending relief material to Kerala," Bangera said.

He said the NGO has collected two truckloads of material which include ready-to-eat food items, toiletries, medicines and clothes.

In the deadliest deluge so far in the last 100 years in Kerala, more than six lakh people are in relief camps while thousands are still stranded in their homes without food.

The Kochi international airport has been closed till August 26 after flood waters entered the runway and other airport areas.

The Centre had sanctioned Rs 500 crore as immediate assistance to the southern state.

Also Read | How to help flood-hit people of Kerala

The Maharashtra government had announced a financial help of Rs 20 crore for Kerala.

The government tonight announced that 30 medical teams would leave for Kerala tomorrow (August 20) morning.

Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan will accompany these teams to personally monitor relief efforts, the government said in a release tonight.

Earlier in the day, the government stated that it had sent 30 tonne aid consisting of ready-to-eat food packets, milk powder, blankets, bed sheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins to Kerala.

The items are selected on the basis of a list issued by the Kerala government, stated an official release issued by the Maharashtra government.

The (30-tonne) aid was flown by an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane, while another five tonne material will be sent tomorrow morning, it stated.

The aid consists of 15,000 food packets, which are packed in water-proof material so that it can be easily distributed in the flood-hit regions.

The government had sent 6.5 tonne of aid yesterday, it stated.

The Central Railway had yesterday sent over 14 lakh litres of drinking water to the southern state by a special train from Pune.
Some people are trying to make the very word 'Hindu untouchable', intolerable: Vice Prez

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Muslim man becomes Hindu to marry lady love, but parents take her away

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: A 33-year-old Muslim man, who converted to Hinduism to marry a 23-year-old Hindu girl in Chhattisgarh, has approached the Supreme Court seeking direction for her parents to let her stay with him.

Mohd Ibrahim Sidiqui, who had converted to Hinduism and became Aryan Arya, challenged the Chhattisgarh High Court order, saying it had erroneously declined to direct his wife's family to allow her to stay with him.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice DY Chandrachud sought response from Chhattisgarh government and asked for a copy of the petition to be served to the state government counsel.

Man seeks divorce on grounds that wife has 'manly voice', court junks plea

The man said there was a threat to his and his wife's life and she was being deprived of her liberty against her wishes by her family.

Arya said he was being threatened by his wife's family and some others.

He said his wife had told the high court that she was 23-year-old and willingly got married to him. But the high court gave her choice to either live with her parents or stay in a hostel.

According to the petitioner, both of them were in a relationship for 2-3 years.

In February 23, 2018, he converted to Hinduism and took the name Aryan Arya to marry the woman. They got married at the Arya Samaj Temple in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on February 25, 2018, as per Hindu traditions.

In his petition, he said his wife Anjali Jain returned to her parents' home at Dhamtari, but did not immediately inform her parents about the marriage.

Her parents got to know about their marriage and the couple then planned that she will move out of her parents' home without informing them.

She left her home on June 30, but the police found her before she could meet her husband and took her to a Sakhi Centre shelter home for women.

Arya alleged that police recorded a wrong statement that the woman wanted to stay with her parents and handed over her custody to her father.

Kerala High Court allows couple to live together, says live-in relationship has become rampant

Arya then approached the high court, which directed Anjali Jain and her father to be produced in the court on July 30.

The high court, after interacting with Anjali Jain, held that she had denied of any illegal detention by her parents' and it recorded that her parents' had serious reservations with regard to the relationship, or their marriage.

The petition said the court had ruled that "certain breathing space and time is required to be given in a free atmosphere to Anjali to make up her own independent mind".

The case is similar to Hadiya case where a Hindu girl from Kerala converted to Islam to marry a Muslim man and the top court on April 9, set aside the Kerala High Court verdict and restored the inter-faith marriage of Hadiya and Shafin Jahan, saying the former had "absolute autonomy over her person".

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 12:38 [IST]
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Muzaffarpur Shelter Home case: Ex-minister Manju Verma, husband booked under Arms Act

India

oi-Madhuri

Patna, Aug 20: An FIR hs been registered against former Bihar Minister Manju Verma and her husband under Arms Act in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal. The CBI had conducted a raid at 12 locations including her Patna residence on 17 August and had seized 50 cartridges.

The FIR was registered on Saturday against Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar for recovery of 50 live cartridges from her in-law's house at Arjun Tola village during a raid, Cheria Bariarpur police station SHO Ranjit Kumar Rajak said.

The CBI has questioned former Bihar social welfare minister Damodar Rawat who was connected to Brajesh Thakur (accused in the case).

Verma had resigned as social welfare minister last week following a disclosure that her husband Chandrashekhar had spoken to the prime accused in the scandal, Brajesh Thakur, 17 times between January and June this year.

The scandal came to light two months ago when an FIR was lodged by the social welfare department following a social audit report submitted by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences which mentioned sexual abuse of girls lodged at the Muzaffarpur shelter home.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 9:08 [IST]
No, L K Advani did not says he regretted handing over country to Modi-Shah

Never thought I will be addressing a meeting where Atalji wont be there: LK Advani

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 20: In a moving tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani on Monday recalled several moments from his close to seven decades of friendship with the late former prime minister and said that he had never thought he would be addressing a meeting "where Atal ji would not be there". Vajpayee passed away at Delhi's AIIMS hospital on August 16.

The Atal Bihari Vajpayee-Lal Krishna Advani relationship is seen as one of the most remarkable partnerships in Indian political history. Both owed their loyalty to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and its worldview of uniting Hindu society. They both had interests in literature, journalism and cinema.

Vajpayee ji changed narrative on Kashmir, says PM Modi

"I consider myself fortunate that my friendship with Atal ji lasted for 65 years during which I watched him closely. Working together, we shared our experiences, watched films together and read books together," LK Advani said today (August 20) at a prayer meeting held in memory of the former prime minister.

"I have addressed several public meetings but I had never thought that I will once have to address a meeting like this, a meeting where Atal ji would not be there," he added.

Vajpayee was senior and took over the Jana Sangh after Deen Dayal Upadhyay's death in 1968. Advani, with Vajpayee's backing, followed soon after. Both spent time in prison during the Emergency.

The 'foodie' side of Vajpayee, from Gwalior's Gajjak to Kanpur's 'Thaggu ke Laddu'

Senior political leaders, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Jammu and Kashmir CMs Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, as well as Yoga guru Ramdev were also in attendance for today's prayer meet.

"He did not become popular because he was the PM. I think he would have been as popular as he was after being the PM, had he worked in any social or political sector," Rajnath Singh at the meeting.

"Atal ji's words and his life...be it someone who watched him closely or saw him from far away, everyone found him to be the same and believed in him," said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Here is what Atal Bihari Vajpayee called Pandit Jasraj

"Even after his death, he has brought us together in one room, which is great. When I was a minister and he was leader of opposition, we used to have lunch & tea in each others office. It was not that difficult in those days," said senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, said that it was Vajpayee's efforts ensured that India became a nuclear power.

"Atal Ji's efforts ensured Indian became a nuclear power. He attributed the tests of 11th May 1998 to the brilliance of our scientists. Two days later, India tested again & showed what a strong political leadership can do. He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all," he said.

When the Vajpayee government created the three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, the process was peaceful and without bitterness, the prime minister said.

Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following a prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term before being voted out in 2004.
No dialogue offer made to Pakistan says sources on Modis letter to Imran Khan

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, offering his congratulations, but there was no offer for dialogue. Pakistan's foreign affairs minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi had claimed that Modi had written to Khan expressing interest in resuming the peace process.

Sources however confirmed to OneIndia that the letter was only to offer congratulations, but there was no offer for dialogue. In the letter, Modi had written, " India was committed to peaceful neighbourly relations and a terror free region. India is willing to constructively engage with Pakistan on that count."

However Qureshi had interpreted the letter wrong. He interpreted the engagement on terror as a comprehensive dialogue. India has always maintained that terror and talks cannot go together.

Also Read | 'PM Modi invited Imran Khan for talks', says Pakistan Foreign Minister

Qureshi had told the media that, "The Indian Prime Minister issued a letter yesterday in which he has congratulated Imran Khan and has sent a message of dialogue."

External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj had made it clear that terror and talks cannot go together, but talks on terror can take place. She made this statement while referring to the engagement between the two National Security Advisers of India and Pakistan.
PM making others answer for him', says Congress on Anil Ambani's letter to Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 20: Taking a strong exception to Anil Ambani's letter to Rahul Gandhi over the Rafale deal, Congress leader Kumari Selja on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unable to answer the questions posed to him over the fighter aircraft deal, so he is making others answer for him.

Reliance Group earlier on Monday said its Chairman Anil Ambani has written to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale fighter jet deal saying his party has been "misinformed, misdirected and misled" by "malicious vested interests and corporate rivals" on the issue.

[Rafale deal: Allegations are "baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate", says Anil Ambani]

"Rahul ji did not say anything to defame him (Anil Ambani). He posed a question to PM who is unable to answer and is making others answer for him. Rahul ji had levelled allegations against the government, PM and they should answer," news agency ANI quoted Kumari Selja as saying.

[What is the Rafale deal? An explainer and the controversy around it]

Rahul Gandhi had on July 23 alleged there was certainly a "scam" in the controversial Rafale jet deal with France and accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of doing a "flip-flop" on the secrecy clause.

Rahul has been attacking the government for inking the deal at a much higher price than the one the previous UPA regime had negotiated.

[Certainly a scam, Rahul Gandhi reiterates on Rafale deal]

Ambani, who had first written to Gandhi on the issue in December, last week again wrote to him saying not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by his group for the 36 Rafale jets India is buying from France.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 23:55 [IST]
PNB, UCO Bank and two others fine for violation of KYC norms

PNB scam: Ex-Managing Director, named in CBI chargesheet, gets bail

India

oi-PTI

Mumbai, Aug 20: A special CBI court in Mumbai granted bail on Monday to Usha Ananthasubramanian, former managing director and CEO of Allahabad bank, in connection with the Rs 140-billion fraud at the Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Earlier this month, the court had taken cognisance of the sanction granted by the President to prosecute Ananthasubramanian in the case.

As per the procedure, when a court takes cognisance of the sanction, summons are issued to the accused to appear before the court.

[Also Read: PNB refuses to disclose details on over Rs 13,000 cr scam]

Thereafter, the accused can move a bail application.

Accordingly, Ananthasubramanian appeared before special judge J C Jagdale and applied for bail, which was granted by the court.

The government had dismissed Ananathasubramanian on August 14.Three months ago, she was divested of her powers as MD and CEO of the Allahabad Bank following the country's biggest bank fraud allegedly carried out by diamond jeweller Nirav Modi and associates at the PNB.

CBI files extradition request to bring back Nirav Modi after UK confirms presence]

Ananathasubramanian, who was the MD and CEO of the Punjab National Bank before moving to the Allahabad Bank, was named in the CBI charge sheet in connection with the Rs 140-billion fraud through fake LoUs in connivance with some PNB employees.

It was alleged that she failed to exercise proper control over the functioning of the PNB while serving as the bank's managing director.

It enabled the fraud in the bank through misuse of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications), an international payment gateway for large transactions, at PNB's Brady House branch.

Ananthasubramanian had enjoyed leadership roles in the PNB in two stints. She headed the bank between August 2015 and May 2017, before moving to the Allahabad Bank. She was executive director at the bank from July 2011 to November 2013.Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of about Rs 140 billion through issuance of fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs).

The Mumbai branch of the PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Modi since March 2011.

The total number of LoUs issued to the companies of Nirav Modi, his relatives and the Nirav Modi Group were 1,213, and to Mehul Choksi, his relatives and the Gitanjali Group were 377.

Besides Anathasubramanian, the CBI court had also taken cognisance of sanction for prosecution against former PNB executive director Sanjiv Sharan. He, too, was granted bail on Monday on similar ground.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 17:34 [IST]
Rajiv Gandhi was a kind, gentle and affectionate man whose untimely death left a deep void in my life.



I remember the times we had together and the many birthdays we were lucky to celebrate with him when he was alive.



He is greatly missed, but his memory lives on. pic.twitter.com/IGwTDJprRd  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 20, 2018

Remember the many birthdays we celebrated: Rahul on father

Rahul Gandhi tweeted that his father was "a kind, gentle and affectionate man whose untimely death left a deep void in my life".

Tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary. We remember his efforts towards the nation.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 20, 2018

Rajiv Gandhi's efforts for nation will be remembered, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in tribute of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on the latter's birth anniversary.

Congress top leaders pay tribute

Former president Pranab Mukherjee, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders, including Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, paid floral tributes to him at Veer Bhumi here.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra, former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar also paid homage to the former prime minister.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot tweeted in Hindi: "Popular leader with a visionary personality, tribute to former prime minister late Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Wishes to all people of the country on Sadbhavna Diwas." He also posted a picture of Rajiv Gandhi, whose birth anniversary is celebrate as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'.

Mamata pays tribute to the yougest Indian PM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also posted her tribute: "Fondly remembering our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhiji on his birth anniversary". An earlier tweet that had wrongly referred to Rajiv Gandhi's "death anniversary" was deleted from her Twitter page.

The Congress has meanwhile planned a string of programmes on Monday to celebrate former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary that it celebrates as Sadbhavna divas or Harmony Day.

Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi served as the seventh prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at the age of 46.

Rajiv Gandhi took to office after the 1984 assassination of his mother and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to become the youngest prime minister of India at 40 years of age.

Photo credit: @INCIndia
Rajiv Gandhi's 74th Birth Anniversary: 10 facts you must know

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

New Delhi, Aug 20: Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, born on August 20, 1944 was the youngest prime minister of India taking office at the age of 40 years.

Hailing from a highly political family, his inclination to politics was touted by many as reluctant. Gandhi, however, had to take charge after his mother Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.

Here are the 10 facts you must know

Rajiv Gandhi's full name was Rajiv Ratna Gandhi

He was christened as 'Rajiv' after his maternal grandmother Kamala Nehru's name. Since 'Kamala' refers to goddess Lakshmi and 'Rajiv to lotus, his name is in reference to the flower that is used to worship the goddess.

Rajiv Gandhi offered flowers at Mahatma Gandhi's feet. To which, he was advised that such offerings are made only when someone is dead. Much to everyone's surprise, Mahatma was killed just a day after on August 2 1st.

Rahul, Sonia pay tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary

Rajiv fell in love with Sonia when he met her for the first time at a Greek restaurant. He wrote a poetry for her on a paper napkin and gave it to the manager to give it to her, along with a bottle of most expensive champaigne. Rajiv married Sonia Maino in 1968. He considered Sonia as the most beautiful woman in the world and was very expressive about his feelings towards her.

After returning to India, he joined the Flying Club and got trained as a pilot. He chose to pursue a career in the Indian Airlines as a pilot. He remained a pilot until he entered politics.

He stayed out of politics until the death of his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi but after he died in a plane crash, Indira Gandhi urged him to join the Indian politics and be her adviser

He loved computers and gadgets. As a minister, he stressed on the advancement of digitisation within the country

Till date, he is still the youngest Prime Minister the country has ever had. He took the position at the young age of 40

It was under his leadership that the Congress won its largest majority in the Lok Sabha, with a record 411 seats of the 542.

On May 21, 1991 Rajiv Gandhi, the seventh prime minister of India was assassinated by LTTE cadres in a suicide bombing at an election rally in Sriperumbudur, around 40 km off the Tamil Nadu capital Chennai.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 10:41 [IST]
The Grafton Group is raising millions of pounds through an alternative form of financing.

The parent company of Selco, Buildbase, Plumbase and Leyland SDM is raising 144 million in the US to pay off its euro-denominated bank debt.

It will do this next month through issuing unsecured bonds in the US, with ten and 12-year maturities, which is when the debt must be repaid to the investor and interest payments stop. The bonds have an annual interest payment of 2.5%.

In 2017, Grafton had a net debt of 56.3 million, down from 86.2 million the year before.

Its revenues reached 2.4 billion, which was a 9% increase on the previous year.

the move is not expected to affect merchants.
Show large-heart in providing aid to Kerala: Congress to PM

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Congress on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he was playing politics on the issue of flood relief, and asked him to show large-heartedness in providing more central assistance to flood-hit Kerala as the Rs 500-crore aid was "too little, too late".

Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill asked the prime minister to declare the Kerala floods as a national calamity.

"The large-heartedness Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows in self promotion, advertisement and propaganda, he should show the same large-heartedness towards Kerala in giving the relief fund and providing the assistance that it requires.

"...(the aid announced by the prime minister) is a classic case of too little, too late. A state which is witnessing a disaster of over Rs 19,000 crore has only got a paltry sum of Rs 500 crore from Narendra Modi who has spent Rs 5,000 crore on his self-promotion and publicity, Rs 35 crore on his fitness videos, Rs 1,100 crore on BJP headquarters," he said.

Shergill said everybody in the nation has risen to the occasion to help Kerala except Narendra Modi, "who is busy playing petty politics in such a disaster".

He said the prime minister by "mistreating" Kerala by not extending a helping hand has once again displayed that "he does not believe in the spirit of cooperative federalism or the spirit of 'Team India'.

PTI
World No Tobacco Day 2021: What are the dangers caused by passive smoking?

Smoking has side-effects, but this man was killed for asking for directions to a cigarette shop

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: Smoking has several side effects, but the one you are about to read about it truly lethal.

A 29-year-old non-teaching staff of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was allegedly stabbed to death while his cousin was injured, following a scuffle over asking directions to a cigarette shop, police said on Monday.

Smoking elephant: Why did the jumbo decide to take a puff

The police were informed in the early hours today about the incident which happened in the Vijay Vihar area of Rohini.

The duo was rushed to a hospital, where Rahul was declared brought dead while his cousin Naveen was stated to be critical, the police said. Rahul worked on an ad-hoc basis with the varsity while his cousin is a lab assistant in the university.

On Sunday, Rahul had come to Naveen's house in Rohini and the latter came to see him off when he was leaving.

When Naveen asked the man directions to a cigarette shop, the man, who was in an inebriated condition, got into an argument with the cousins. Later, he also called his accomplices who attacked Rahul and Naveen, the police said.

Singapore: Indian-origin man jailed for smoking, assaulting officials

The police have arrested three men and apprehended a juvenile in this regard.

Brawls over trivial issues -- such as not sharing a cigarette -- led to a spate of killings in the national capital in the first four months of the year, according to the Delhi Police.

Till April 30 this year, 27 of the 167 reported killings took place because of a sudden provocation or a trivial issue, the second most common reason for bloodshed after personal enmity.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 10:40 [IST]
Hyderabad rape case: The rapist will be caught and killed in encounter, Telangana minister

Telangana assembly to be dissolved next month?

India

oi-Madhuri

Hyderabad, Aug 20: Telangana Congress Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy has alleged that the names of several party workers in the state were being deleted from electoral rolls and claimed that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao might dissolve the Assembly next month and seek fresh elections.

Addressing party workers in a live interaction on a social media network, TPCC President Reddy claimed that Chandrasekhar Rao might dissolve the Assembly next month and seek fresh elections along with four other states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Chattisgarh.

According to the Congress leader, KCR has already spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice on holding early polls for Telangana Assembly.

Also Read | Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao bats for third front to counter BJP, Congress

And hence, the Congress party needs to prepare itself for early polls on war footing by strengthening the organisation, a party release quoted Reddy as saying.

Reddy alleged that KCR has cheated the people through 'fake and tall' promises and all sections of the society were disappointed with the performance of TRS Government.

"Fearing that he could be questioned by the people on streets for the failure of his government to deliver on promises, KCR is preparing for early polls although his party was given a mandate for five years," Reddy claimed, according to the release.

He directed the party workers to check their names in the electoral rolls and also asked them to cross check whether or not the names of their family members, relatives and neighbours exist in the voters' list.

He further asked them to visit the municipal office, MROs or check online from tomorrow onwards to identify what he claimed the missing names and take required measures for their re-inclusion.

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee President also directed the party workers to intensify enrollment for Shakti programme.

Reddy said the 'Praja Chaitanya' Bus Yatra could not be continued due to heavy rainfall in various parts of the state.

However, he said the party was planning to complete the bus yatra in the next 15 days.
Tripura CM writes a book on the last King of the state; release delayed due to demise of former PM

India

oi-Vinod

By Vinod

New Delhi, Aug 20: Bharatiya Janata Party chief minister of Tripura, who has the credit of ousting the Communist government from the state Biplab Kumar Deb, has come out with a book on the last king of the state. The book was supposed to get released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Party chief Amit Shah at the National executive of the party in New Delhi on August 19 but it got postponed.

The launch of the book has been postponed for around a month. Actually August 19, 2018 was the 110th birth anniversary of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman Manikya Bahadur of Tripura who is known to be the architect of modern Tripura who is a much respected figure in the state. He died at a very young age of 39 but his achievement for the state is big.

Sources in the Tripura government told One India that the book is about the working of the King and how he had led the state to the modernity. The book also talks about good governance, democracy and his relations with British rulers of the time.

Also Read | Biplab Kumar Deb stirs controversy, says 'Tagore returned Noble prize to protest British atrocities

The book tells about the King being face of the northeaste, his foreign tours and his vision about the region. The book has been first printed in the English and Hindi version but its Bangla version is getting translated. The Union cabinet under the prime minister Narendra Modi recently decided airport of Tripura in Agartala to be named after him. He was the last King of the state who had died in May 1947.

Tripura was a sovereign state in itself under Veer Vikram Manikya and his predecessors that is all mentioned in the book before it merged into Indian in 1949. A gold coin was also issued by the CM on his 110 birthday. He is considered to be the father of the modern Tripura, who is credited with the entire planning of the present-day Tripura that was initiated during his regime. A pioneers of land reforms who he reserved land for Tripura tribals in 1939, which was later instrumental in the creation of the Tripura autonomous district council. He also built the first airport in Tripura, which is today the second busiest airport in the entire northeast.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 8:45 [IST]
Two detained for questioning in Umar Khalid attack case

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Aug 20: Two persons have been detained for questioning in connection for the alleged attack on JNU student, Umar Khalid. On August 13, an unidentified gunman had opened fire at Khalid outside the Constitution Club in New Delhi. He however escaped unhurt.

Meanwhile two men had claimed responsibility for the attack. A team of Delhi Police's Special Cell visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha where the duo, Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal, had said they would surrender.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on August 15, the duo claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens.

"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," Darwesh Shahpur had said in the video message.

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 Umar Khalid.

A case of attempt to murder has been registered by police in the incident.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 9:20 [IST]
UP Deputy CM Maurya pitches for Bill in Parliament to build Ram Mandir at Ayodhya

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Lucknow, Aug 20: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday dropped a big hint on the constriction of Ram Mandir and said the government could opt for the legislative route in Parliament for the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

"People have faith that Supreme Court's judgement will come soon and obstacles in the constructions of Ram Mandir will be removed. Either the judgement will come soon or we'll find a solution through dialogue.

Third option of passing a law in the Parliament is also open, " the deputy chief minister admitted that Modi led NDA government at the centre may opt for the legislative route in Parliament for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

VHP fixes deadline for the government for building Ram Temple

We do not have the required strength in the Parliament at present - our strength in Rajya Sabha is less - so it stands to be defeated even if we introduce it. Every devotee of Lord Ram knows this. The Court will soon give its judgement, he added.

If a grand Ram temple is built in Ayodhya it will be a tribute to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal, Mahant Sri Ramchandra Das Paramhans and Kar Sewaks who sacrificed their lives, Maurya said.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had said that the politically sensitive Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case was purely a "land dispute" and will be dealt with in the normal course. It further said those who have tried to wade into the matter before it as parties will have to wait as the case before it was a "pure land dispute".

Demonetisation happened instantly, why not Ram Mandir: Thackeray asks BJP

In 2010, Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority verdict, had ordered that the disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 15:13 [IST]
Vajpayee never buckled under pressure, he was Atal after all: PM Modi at prayer meet

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

New Delhi, Aug 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spent several years in the opposition but never compromised his ideology.

Crediting the former Prime Minister for India's nuclear capabilities, Modi said that Vajpayee never buckled under international pressure following the nuclear tests.

"Atal Ji's life was for the people of India. In his youth itself, he had decided that he wanted to serve his fellow Indians. He entered politics when only one party dominated the political discourse," Modi said while addressing the prayer meeting for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"He spent several years in opposition, but never compromised his ideology. His efforts ensured that India became a nuclear power&attributed the tests to the brilliance of our scientists.He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all," he said.

"Atal Ji as PM created three states, which are prospering. The process of creating these states was peaceful and without bitterness," he added.

"When Atal Ji formed the Government for 13 days, no party was willing to support him. The Government fell. He did not lose hope and remained committed to serving the people. Atal Ji showed the way when it came to coalition politics," he further said.

"When some were cornering India on the Kashmir issue, it was Vajpayee Ji who changed the narrative. Due to Vajpayee ji, terrorism became an important issue at the world stage," he said.

Senior political leaders, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former J&K CMs Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, as well as Yoga guru Ramdev were also in attendance for the prayer meet.

Vajpayee's daughter Namita Bhattacharya and granddaughter Niharika were also there for the prayer meeting.
Vajpayee ji was no less than a messiah' for people of J&K: Mehbooba Mufti

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

New Delhi, Aug 10: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, at a prayer meeting held to pay tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said the late BJP stalwart and the former prime minister was a "not less than a Messiah" to the people of her state.

Leaders cutting across fondly remembered Vajpayee and heaped praise at the brand of politics practiced by him. In a moving tribute to Vajpayee, veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani said that he had never thought he would be addressing a meeting "where Atal ji would not be there".

"He was a great human being but for the people of Jammu and Kashmir he was not less than a Messiah. He was the first Indian leader who trusted the people of Jammu and Kashmir and whom the people trusted," said Mehbooba Mufti on Monday (August 20).

"This was Vajpayee ji who went to Pakistan and made Musharraf sahab say that they will not use the land of Jammu and Kashmir for militancy," she added.

BJP president Amit Shah BJP president Amit Shah said that Vajpayee never let the saffron party deviate from its core ideology. "Atal ji had a multifaceted personality. Besides being an 'ajatshatru' he was a great poet, journalist & politician who never let the party deviate from the path of its ideology," Shah said. TMC's Derek O'Brien Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien said Vajpayee was truly secular. He coined a new acronym for RIP and said that for Vajpayee it would be 'Really Incredible Person'. "If you look for definition of certain words, you have to look in the dictionary. But there's one word you don't need to look in dictionary...if you look at his face you will get the meaning of the word 'secular'..There are many communities around the world, when someone passes away they always write RIP which means 'Rest in Peace' but maybe after 16th Aug 2018 RIP for this great man will mean 'Really Incredible Person'," he said. Neta mein jo sabse bada hota hai wo dil hota hai, dil bada hota hai to dal bhi bada ho jata hai. Rashtra hit sabse upar,party hit uske baad,vyakti hit sabse neeche. He always made nation's interest his topmost priority: Union Min RV Paswan at #AtalBihariVajpayee's prayer meeting pic.twitter.com/qVvZWBxXuP  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018 Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that Vajpayee had a big heart, adding that nation's interest was always a top priority' for the late former prime minister. AIADMK's M. Thambi Durai "We mourn the loss of a great nationalist, a poet, a statesman, a veteran parliamentarian for decades and above all , a gentleman to the core, the former Prime Minister of India, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee..I was in Lok Sabha 1984 onwards,he was a Rajya Sabha member. I developed friendship with him gradually. He told me once, 'There is always difference in opinion. But for nation's development, what cabinet decides, we implement that'," Thambidurai said. PM Modi interacting with AB vajpayee's family Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with the foster daughter of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Namita Bhattacharya, and his granddaughter Niharika at the prayer meeting for the former PM.

(Images credit - ANI/Twitter)

Senior political leaders, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Jammu and Kashmir CMs Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, as well as Yoga guru Ramdev were also in attendance for today's prayer meet.

[Fortunate that i had friend like Atal ji for 65 years: LK Advani at prayer meet]

"He did not become popular because he was the PM. I think he would have been as popular as he was after being the PM, had he worked in any social or political sector," Rajnath Singh at the meeting.

"Atal ji's words and his life...be it someone who watched him closely or saw him from far away, everyone found him to be the same and believed in him," said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

[Vajpayee never buckled under pressure, he was 'Atal' after all: PM Modi at prayer meet]

He led an absolutely unblemished life. He had a unique style. He never worried about food, lifestyle or any other thing. I pay my tributes to such a man full of love and humanity: Sharad Yadav at #AtalBihariVajpayee's prayer meeting in Delhi pic.twitter.com/Ow4qCPoJuw  ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, said that it was Vajpayee's efforts ensured that India became a nuclear power.

"Atal Ji's efforts ensured Indian became a nuclear power. He attributed the tests of 11th May 1998 to the brilliance of our scientists. Two days later, India tested again & showed what a strong political leadership can do. He never buckled under pressure. He was Atal after all," he said.

When the Vajpayee government created the three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, the process was peaceful and without bitterness, the prime minister said.

[The 'foodie' side of Vajpayee, from Gwalior's Gajjak to Kanpur's 'Thaggu ke Laddu']

Vajpayee died on August 16 at the age of 93 following a prolonged illness. He first became prime minister in 1996 for 13 days, then in 1998 for 13 months when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power and finally in 1999. He served as prime minister for a full term before being voted out in 2004.
Weather forecast for Aug 21: Heavy rains likely in Hyderabad in next 24 hours

India

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: Here is the weather forecast for Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai for August 21.

Bengaluru:

The capital city of Karnataka, Bengaluru has been witnessing cloudy weather. As per Skymet weather, Light rains are likely over Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Coastal Karnataka and Konkan & Goa. However, the humidity will be around 82 percent.

Also Read | Kerala floods updates: Fishermen turn 'biggest heroes' in rescue ops

Delhi:

Delhiites today braved humid weather conditions despite rains in later half of the day with the maximum temperature settling at 33 degrees Celsius, a notch below the normal. Delhi rains have been occurring over the national capital in terms of patchy showers on some occasions. However, light to moderate rains will continue over some parts of the national capital. The maximum temperature will be recorded around 34 degree Celsius and humidity will be around 73 percent.

Hyderabad:

As per the weathermen, Telangana and Coastal Andhra Pradesh would see an increase in rain surplus, Rayalaseema would continue to battle rainfall deficiency. Meanwhile, the maximum temperature would be recorded around 27 degree Celsius and humidity around 83 percent.

Also Read | Goa next, be careful says ecologist who predicted Kerala floods

Mumbai:

The intensity of rains was much more over Vidarbha and Marathwada wherein most pockets recorded rains in three-digit. As per predicted by Skymet Weather, Konkan and adjoining Madhya Maharashtra region may also receive some moderate rains for the next 48 hours. The maximum temperature will be recorded around 27 degree Celsius and humidity around 88 per cent.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 16:19 [IST]
Hajj pilgrimage 2017: What is the Kaaba? All you need to know

2 million plus people begin Hajj pilgrimage

International

oi-Madhuri

Mecca, Aug 20: More than 2 million Muslims from around the world, including India, today began the annual hajj pilgrimage at first light in Saudi Arabia, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca that Islam's faithful face five times each day during their prayers.

The five-day hajj pilgrimage represents one of the world's biggest gatherings every year, and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life.

The hajj offers pilgrims an opportunity to feel closer to God amid the Muslim world's many challenges, including the threat of violence and extremists in the Mideast and the plight of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority.

"We are very blessed by Allah to be in this place, and we pray to Allah to make the Islamic nations from the West to the East in a better situation," said Essam-Eddin Afifi, a pilgrim from Egypt.

"We pray for the Islamic nations to overcome their enemies."

Over 1.28 lakh Indian pilgrims reach Saudi for Hajj

Muslims believe the hajj retraces the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as those of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail Abraham and Ishmael in the Bible.

Muslims believe God stayed the hand of Ibrahim after commanding him to sacrifice his son, Ismail. In the Christian and Jewish version of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.

The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God.

Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between the two hills traveled by Hagar, Ibrahim's wife. Mecca's Grand Mosque, the world's largest, encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.

Before heading to Mecca, many pilgrims visit the city of Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad is buried and where he built his first mosque.

After prayers in Mecca, pilgrims will head to an area called Mount Arafat tomorrow, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon. From there, pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, picking up pebbles along the way for a symbolic stoning of the devil and a casting away of sins that takes place in the Mina valley for three days.

At the hajj's end, male pilgrims will shave their hair and women will cut a lock of hair in a sign of renewal for completing the pilgrimage. Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of hajj with a celebration called Eid al-Adha.

The holiday, remembering Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, sees Muslims slaughter sheep and cattle, distributing the meat to the poor.

Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, the spokesman of the Saudi Interior Ministry, told journalists yesterday that over 2 million Muslims from abroad and inside the kingdom would be taking part in this year's hajj.

Saudi Arabia's ruling Al Saud family stakes its legitimacy in part on its management of the holiest sites in Islam. King Salman's official title is the "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques," at Mecca and Medina.

Other Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all have adopted the honorary title The kingdom has spent billions of dollars of its vast oil revenues on security and safety measures, particularly in Mina, where some of the hajj's deadliest incidents have occurred.

The worst in recorded history took place only three years ago. On September 24, 2015, a stampede and crush of pilgrims in Mina killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since only two days afterward. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor has it released any results of an investigation authorities promised to conduct over the disaster.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also faces threats from Al-Qaeda militants and a local faction of the Islamic State group. Days earlier, the Interior Ministry acknowledged arresting a Saudi wearing an explosive vest in the kingdom's central al-Qassim region who shot at security forces.

Meanwhile, a Saudi-led war in Yemen against Shiite rebels drags on without an end in sight. The rebels have fired over 150 ballistic missiles on the kingdom during a conflict that has seen Saudi airstrikes hit markets and hospitals, killing civilians.
Bathroom manufacturers want to develop a universal standard to indicate the water efficiency of fittings and appliances.

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association, the trade association for bathroom manufacturers in the UK, has welcomed the idea of a new universal banding system to show how water efficient products are, to encourage merchants to choose products that save water.

The BMAs Technical Director, Andy McLean, attended a recent meeting in Australia where representatives from the UK, China, Japan, the US, Switzerland, Australia and Singapore met to discuss how this could be achieved.

The Water Label scheme would be applied to taps, sanitaryware and household appliances by measuring how much water they use and waste. It would also include a test method for people to check the water efficiency of products.

McLean said: The aim of this work is to develop universally recognised bandings for water use, and easily implemented methods to measure water that can be used across a wide scope of products.

We recognise that this will be challenging due to regional and current scheme differences, but there is a will to work towards global water efficiencies as we all face the impact of climate change and global warming.
Dawoods Khed Taluka property in Ratnagiri to come under hammer

Dawoods 7 properties at Mumbake; Late to go under hammer today

3 Palatial bunglows in Karachi, UK confirms Dawood aka Mucchad lives in Pakistan

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

London, Aug 20: The newly updated list of financial sanctions released by the UK government lists three known addresses of fugitive underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim. All the three properties listed are in Karachi, Pakistan.

House No 37, 30th Street - defence, Housing Authority, Karachi; Palatial bungalow in the hilly area in Noorabad, Karachi; and White House, Near Saudi Mosque, Clifton, Karachi.

Dawood, the mastermind of the Mumbai serial bomb blasts in 1993, remains the only "Indian national" on the UK Treasury department's 'Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets in the UK' updated on Thursday.

Also Read | Big breakthrough: Dawood's top financial manager arrested

The fugitive don's place of birth is recorded as Kher, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, and his nationality is listed as "Indian" with a recorded Indian passport, which was subsequently revoked by the government of India and then goes on to list a string of Indian and Pakistani passports acquired by him and misused.

"Father's name is Sheikh Ibrahim Ali Kaskar, Mother's name is Amina Bi, Wife's name is Mehjabeen Shaikh. Also referred to as Hizrat and Mucchad," the listing on Dawood.

Meanwhile, a key aide of Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted terrorist, was arrested by British police at London's Hilton Hotel on Friday.

Jabir Siddiq, aka Jabir Moti, is believed to be the right-hand man of Dawood, managing his investments in the UK, UAE and around the world.

Also Read | Another Dawood property auctioned off, this time for Rs 3.51 crore

The Pakistani national, reportedly in the UK on a 10-year visa, is likely to have been held on drugs related charges.

"We are unable to release any details at this stage," a spokesperson for London's Metropolitan Police said.

Jabir Moti, 51, is believed to be close to both Dawood and his wife, Mehjabeen, as their finance manager. Jabir's arrest on Friday is likely to have been a result of intelligence sharing between India and the UK.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 10:22 [IST]
Indian reps to come face-to-face with Taliban leadership at Moscow today

US pulled out of Afghanistan as it was losing to Taliban: Former Afghan envoy

A disunited Taliban will only strengthen Islamic State further: The worry for India

Pakistan quietly allows Taliban-appointed diplomats to take charge of Afghan missions

Afghanistan: Taliban take at least 100 people hostage

International

oi-Madhuri

Kabul, Aug 20: The Taliban have taken more than 100 people, including women and children, hostage in an ambush in north, as reported by AP quoting Afghan officials.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday announced a monthlong ceasefire of action against the Taliban, which said it will release hundreds of prisoners to mark the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha.

Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief in neighboring Takhar province, says the passengers were fram Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were traveling to the capital, Kabul.

There was no comment from the Taliban but the area of the incident is under Taliban control.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:20 [IST]
AUKUS neither relevant to Quad nor will impact on its functioning: India's first reaction

As drought bites, Australia ramps up aid to farmers

International

oi-Madhuri

Sydney, Aug 20: Financial aid for drought-stricken Australian farmers will be increased to Aus 1.8 billion (US 1.3 billion) as they endure the driest conditions in half a century, the prime minister said.

Farmers in eastern states are struggling with extreme aridity that has turned green pastures into dust, with the economies of local towns also suffering.

"I want to say to our farmers, we have your back. There is no set-and-forget," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in the New South Wales town of Forbes.

Graziers in Forbes, some 390 kilometres (240 miles) west of Sydney, are among those battling the lack of rain.

"We are constantly working to ensure that you get every support you can, and of course let's all pray for rain," Turnbull added.

While droughts are not uncommon in Australia, the length and severity of the dry conditions have depleted farmers' food stocks.

With grass unable to grow, some graziers have had to hand-feed their cattle and sheep, sell off stock to keep going, or even shoot their animals as they do not want them to suffer or cannot afford to feed them.

Canberra has already offered Aus 576 million in assistance in recent weeks, with Sunday's announcement taking the total to Aus 1.8 billion.

The extra funds will include doubling the number of low-interest concessional loans for farmers, who will not have to make any principal repayments for the first five years.

Councils in the drought-affected states of NSW, Queensland and parts of Victoria will be given money to boost local facilities, with further funding set aside for water infrastructure.

Also Read | Farmers on 'zameen samadhi' against land acquisition in Rajasthan

Recently retired senior military officer Major General Stephen Day was appointed national drought coordinator to help farmers and other organisations determine where support is most needed.

There has been an outpouring of support from other parts of the vast continent.

On Friday, a convoy of 23 trucks carrying 2,300 bales of hay for over 200 farmers arrived in NSW from Western Australia state more than 3,500 kilometres away.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:37 [IST]
Are Imran Khan and Gen Bajwa at war over appointment of new ISI chief?

'PM Modi invited Imran Khan for talks', says Pakistan Foreign Minister

International

oi-Madhuri

Islamabad, Aug 20: Newly appointed Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a written letter had invited Imran Khan for talks between the two nations. He said that India and Pakistan have to move forward keeping realities before them.

However, New Delhi confirmed that The congratulatory letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan did not propose for dialogue between two countries. India confirmed 'Letter only sent to congratulate on being the Prime Minister'.

As per Geo News,"India and Pakistan have to move forward keeping realities before them,"Pakistan Foreign Minister SM Qureshi asserted, adding that Indian PM Narendra Modi has written a letter to PM Imran Khan in which he indicated the beginning of talks between the two countries

It further reported,''These issues are complicated and we may face hurdles in resolving them, but we must engage. We will have to admit that we are facing problems, we must admit that Kashmir is a reality. The Islamabad declaration is a part of our history,'' said Pak Foreign Minister SM Qureshi.

Also Read | Sidhu returns from Pakistan, says it was not his decision to sit beside PoK President

Qureshi was speaking at the Pakistan Foreign Office after taking oath as the Cabinet minister. Imran Khan was sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd prime minister on Saturday and announced his Cabinet.

It can be recalled that Imran Khan had earlier said in his first address to the nation after his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party last month emerged as the single largest party that he was ready to take two steps forward if India took one.
Man arrested for killing woman and her son

New Delhi

oi-Madhuri

New Delhi, Aug 20: A man was arrested for allegedly killing a woman and her son in Seemapuri area of Shahdara when she asked the accused to repay a Rs 25,000 loan taken from her, police said.

The bodies of the woman and her son with multiple stab injuries were found inside their house yesterday.

The woman's body was found inside a bed box while her son's body was found in the bathroom, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Meghna Yadav said.

Also Read | Man posing as AIIMS doctor arrested

The accused, a resident of Nandnagri area here, and the woman's son were batchmates in a computer course a year ago.

The matter came to light when the woman's sister informed the police at 9.15 pm after she could not get in touch with them.

Also Read | Gurgaon: 2 arrested as NRI bizman dies of cardiac arrest after assault

During interrogation, the accused, reportedly in his 20s, told the police that he killed the duo on August 17, the DCP said.

The police are also probing the role of another person in the double-murder case, Yadav said.

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Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:08 [IST]
Callum Megarry has been crowned Apprentice of the Year 2018.

To enter, apprentices must submit videos of themselves completing monthly online challenges set by Worcester Bosch.

Megarry, from WPJ Heating, impressed judges with tasks such as stripping down a boiler, sharing photos of his installations, and demonstrating his ability to bend, join and clip copper.

Worcester praised the 21-year-olds vast skillset, creativity and obvious passion for the plumbing and heating industry.

The prize for the award was a new iPad, a half-day racing experience at Honda, Worcester Bosch branded workwear, and a set of professional power tools.

Megarry said: Im really glad WPJ Heating encouraged and supported me to enter, because it feels great to have won this years competition and have my name recognised by Worcester Bosch.

It has helped boost my confidence no end and will be a great achievement to put on my CV!

Martyn Bridges, Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester Bosch, said: Callum really stood out as a candidate in this years competition. He was consistent, creative and had meticulous attention to detail in all of the challenges he took part in.

Not only did he show great skill, but his videos were extremely engaging and fun to watch. Callum is the epitome of what we want to see from the next generation of installers in the HVAC industry.
Students who have recently received their A-level results are being encouraged to consider a job in merchanting.

Last week, A-level students were awarded the high proportion of A and A* grades since 2012, despite changes being made to toughen exams.

And for those unsure about what is next, Brian Blanchard, Master of the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants (pictured), urges young people to consider the many different training and career opportunities within the builders merchant industry.

Blanchard said that there are many options in the industry for learning and development, such as apprenticeships, further education and training. There is also financial support available to those who need assistance with funding.

Blanchard called builders merchanting an extremely fun, well-paid and rewarding industry with roles varying from finance, marketing and IT through to store management, commercial, and sales.

He said: Compared with other industries, the range of jobs is enormous and the opportunities for learning new skills are excellent.

Many in our industry have worked their way up, acquiring skills, qualifications and experience on the way to run some of the largest companies in the UK.

Julia Evans, Chief Executive of the Building Services Research and Information Association, has also welcomed students considering further study in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, which she says form the building blocks of a career in construction or engineering.

She said: BSRIA wholeheartedly acknowledges the hard work and achievement of those receiving A-level and AS level results and congratulates all students for their grades. All of which is good news for science subjects and the star engineers of the future.

Engineering and construction present a vast range of careers and roles at all levels  from graduates, engineers, architects, surveyors and established chartered memberships  to technical tradesmen and the full spectrum in between.
| BY Ricki Green |

Following another successful year, Brother & Co. has bolstered its strategy department with the hire of senior strategist, Tharina Haas.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Haas brings with her a wealth of international experience across the FMCG, telcos and banking sectors.

Says Kurt Viertel, co-founder, Brother & Co: Tharina is uniquely qualified and experienced and were thrilled that someone with her international credentials has joined at this pivotal growth period for the agency.

Haas said she was excited to be joining such an accomplished team and looked forward to being part of the rapidly growing independent agency.
New electorates are expected to be added to the 89 current ones when the general election is held in 2022, according to a Papua New Guinea minister.William Samb, the Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Bougainville Affairs and Constitutional Matters, said it was part of the new electoral reforms. The new electorates, the result of the splitting into two of some of the current big electorates around the country, will be announced soon.The process of electoral reform in PNG must be completed prior to the conduct of the 2022 national election.The electoral reform is crucial in ensuring that the electoral process is fair and transparent, and the management of elections is seen to be efficient and effective, Samb said.Samb on Friday launched the Electoral Commission Corporate Plan 2018-2022 in Port Moresby.I am confident that the launching of the corporate plan will give the Electoral Commission a completely new direction in administering democratic elections by ensuring that the conduct of elections meet national and international best practices and standards, he said.Two of the biggest electorates in the country are Kairuku-Hiri in Central and Talasea in West New Britain.Samb said the plan was to help the commission improve its performances by drawing on the experiences of the 2017 national election and past electoral events.This plan represents a sensible and realistic way forward to resolve on-going election issues such as voter registration and identification, polling and counting, legal reforms, electoral malpractice, fiscal management and other areas to improve electoral performances and accountability, Samb said.The commission is also drawing on the recommendations of local and international observer groups following the 2017 general election.In his report on the 2017 general election, Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said despite the challenges faced, 95 per cent of electorates were declared and their writs returned on time for the start of the 10th Parliament.Gamato says a new Corporate Plan (2018 to 2022) will ensure that the next general election in 2022 is prepared and conducted in a better manner than past elections.This plan is an innovative and comprehensive approach to recognise the importance of a long-term cycle in strategic planning of elections in Papua New Guinea, he said.It also establishes new initiatives to improve on the Electoral Commissions work in planning, preparing and delivering a democratic election in the country.Gamato said the plan presented a clear, precise roadmap for the commission in its management, learning from mistakes of the 2017 event and on the recommendations of domestic and international observers.Gamato said during the launching of the plan in Port Moresby on Friday that it included a review of electoral boundaries, legislative changes on the electoral framework, the conduct of the 2019 local level government elections, conduct of the 2022 general election, organisational restructuring of the Electoral Commission, and the use of appropriate technology to help the commission in delivering successful elections.But he warned that for the plan to be successful, financial assistance was needed from the Government, provinces and international partners.He said a well-resourced and trained commission would implement the plan with a highly skilled workforce.SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS/ONEPNG
| BY Ricki Green |

OMD has today announced the appointment of Kyle Le Geyt to head of digital, OMD Melbourne. Le Geyt will lead the digital offering across all OMD Melbourne clients.

This news follows the announcement of Sian Whitnalls promotion to chief dugital officer for OMD Australia, bolstering the digital leadership of the agency nationally.

Le Geyt brings extensive digital planning and integration experience to the agency. He joins OMD from Carat London, where he drove digital transformation across a number of blue chip clients. Le Geyt was responsible for developing and introducing a new inter-agency planning optimisation platform, focused on real-time data and transparency. He was also part of the team examining the impact of data and privacy on future planning approaches.

Le Geyts career has taken him from his home town of Auckland across to the UK, with a breadth of experience across both the media and sales side  having held roles with Met Service, Yahoo New Zealand, Forward 3D and Carat.

Says Dianne Richardson, managing director, OMD Melbourne: After a local and international search, we have found a head of digital who possesses not only extraordinary digital capabilities, but is also a perfect cultural fit for OMD Melbourne. Kyles experience will further strengthen the capability of our Melbourne team and will continue to drive growth for our clients.

Says Le Geyt: Its exciting to join a team who have clearly defined themselves by creating genuine and transparent partnerships with clients. I see a unique opportunity in Melbourne for technology and sound measurement to be the catalyst for continued client growth.
Monday, August 20, 2018 at 12:52PM

In the current business climate, it is getting harder and harder for companies to stand out from their competitors. No matter which industry your business is in, there record highs of businesses being created every day. Some will make the impact they desire, while others wont scratch the surface. Sometimes, it can be easy to forget to perfect the basics when you are trying to think outside the box. Ultimately, having an effective website is only one of the essentials your business needs to have. If you are struggling to understand why a great website can only result in good things for your company, its important to take note of and be inspired by some key points.

Convenience

Traditionally, when a consumer needed to find out about a business, they would check the phone book and make a call. In todays world, having a website means that customers can find you in a much more convenient way. If you dont have one, making an impact outside your local area can be almost impossible. Having killer content on your site is a great start, as you can use this to inform your consumer market about your ethos and your products, all in one place. However, you should focus on SEO optimizing every page on your website, so that the Google search rankings make sure you are at the top of your consumers search. This promises them even easier access to your business, but it also makes customer service a smoother process for both your company and your customers.

Good marketing tool

Websites are not just essential for your current consumer base. In fact, they can be used as an integral part of your marketing strategy. Using Google SEO best practices can help with this, but you can go further by making your website look professional. Once your target market has found your site, they will be impressed by it if your information is simple to read, and if there are no gaudy patterns distracting them from your products or services. Many businesses use the latest technology to help them create such a website, but this can make it harder for them if they dont have an expert to help. Having services to assist with web development using an iMac can truly make better visuals, and will ensure your website endorses your brand in the best way possible.

Increases sales

Flawless website design can do more than just attract more people to your site. With the right design, you can showcase your products in a way that makes your target market more likely to buy. For example, using high-quality images of your products means your prospective customers will trust what they see on the page. It can also elicit a more emotional response, which will push them to buy. Your conversion rates will also be higher if your checkout process is smoother and quicker. There is also the fact that people from all over the world can access your website if you promote it on social media, giving your business unlimited chances to grow internationally.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market Overview ,Product Portfolio Estimate USD value 1.28 billion by 2023 | Allergan, Bayer, Novartis, Pfizer, Mylan, AbbVie Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market

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A Research Study about Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market By Product, Type And Active Ingredient Type - Global Industry Analysis And Forecast To 2023 published By Crystal Market Research.Competitive InsightsThe leading players in the market are Allergan, Bayer, Novartis, Pfizer, Mylan, AbbVie Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company. The major players in the market are profiled in detail in view of qualities, for example, company portfolio, business strategies, financial overview, recent developments, and share of the overall industry.Research Report Description with Detailed TOC of Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market @:Industry Outlook and Trend AnalysisThe global Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market was worth USD 1.89 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach approximately USD 1.28 billion by 2023, while registering itself at a negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -4.24% during the forecast period. An extensive variety of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) products containing diverse active ingredients have been made accessible by countless local and global producers. With different investigations assessing the quantity of men influenced by hypogonadism (testosterone insufficiency) at 30% around the world, the interest for TRT is foreseen to increase slowly in the years ahead. The condition basically influences men who are between the age of 40 and 79 years, making this statistic a key target portion for market players.Product Outlook and Trend AnalysisThe testosterone replacement therapy has been sectioned based on product type into injections, gums/buccal adhesives, creams/gels, patches, oral drug and implants. Of these, the creams/gels portion drove the worldwide market, as general deals were for the most part incited by leading market players.Active Ingredient Outlook and Trend AnalysisBased on active ingredients, the TRT market is sectioned into testosterone undecanoate, testosterone, testosterone enanthate, methyl testosterone and testosterone cypionate. Of these, testosterone as an active ingredient ruled the worldwide TRT market in 2015. In any case, other active ingredients are foreseen to make much progress through the gauge time frame. The interest for ester types of testosterone, for example, testosterone cypionate and testosterone undecanoate is anticipated to demonstrate a considerable ascent. Testosterone undecanoate is anticipated to witness the quickest development through the estimate time frame.Request to access sample report here:Market Segmentation- Testosterone Replacement Therapy MarketTestosterone Replacement Therapy Market, By Product Type, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million)Creams/GelsPatchesInjectionsGums/Buccal AdhesivesImplantsOralTestosterone Replacement Therapy Market, By Active Ingredient Type, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million)TestosteroneMethyl TestosteroneTestosterone UndecanoateTestosterone EnanthateTestosterone CypionateTestosterone Replacement Therapy Market, By Region, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million)North AmericaU.SCanadaMexicoEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRest of EuropeAsia-PacificJapanChinaAustraliaIndiaSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldBrazilSouth AfricaSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesOthersRegional Outlook and Trend AnalysisNorth America, fuelled by solid demand for cutting edge TRT items in the United States, rules the worldwide testosterone replacement market by representing nearly 84.0% share in it. In 2015 The United States possessed around 95.0% of the North America market. Europe trails North America versus share of the overall industry. Other critical markets are Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Asia Pacific is foreseen to exhibit rapid development in view of altogether higher human services speculations. China and India hold out a strong potential for the TRT market.What Our Report Offer:1) An extensive research study on the Global Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market, and its entire ecosystem, describes the market trends, drivers, restraints and opportunities of the Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market2) We provide you the longest possible market segmentation based on type of products, procedures and geography and describe the market share region wise.3) The report gives a bird eyes view on the competitive landscape which includes mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, market strategies, and new product launches.For discuss about enquiry Please click On the Link @Major Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Introduction1.1. Report Description1.2. Research Methodology1.2.1. Secondary Research1.2.2. Primary ResearchChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Key HighlightsChapter 3. Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Market Definition3.1.2. Market Segmentation3.2. Market Dynamics3.2.1. Drivers3.2.1.1. Continued Growth in Automobile Production3.2.1.2. Transition Towards Energy-Efficient Motors3.2.2. Restraints3.2.2.1. Requirement of Control System and High Price3.2.2.2. Grey Market Providing Low-Quality and Inexpensive Products3.2.3. Opportunities3.2.3.1. Emerging Countries to Offer Lucrative Growth Opportunities....CONTINUED FOR TOCReason 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 Testosterone Replacement Therapy 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.Buy Now-About Crystal Market Research:Crystal Offers One Stop Solution For Market Research, Business Intelligence, And Consulting Services To Help Clients Make More Informed Decisions. It Provides Both Syndicated As Well As Customized Research Studies For Its Customers Spread Across The Globe. The Company Offers Market Intelligence Reports Across A Broad Range Of Industries Including Healthcare, Chemicals & Materials, Technology, Automotive, And Energy.Contact Us:Judy S,304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: Sales@Crystalmarketresearch.Com
Automotive Piston System Market Research and Technology Growth 2015-2025

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The increasing demand for automobile, especially in emerging economies, is expected to drive the global Automotive Piston Systems Market in the coming decade. As a piston is an essential part of an internal combustion engine, the demand for pistons is directly coupled with the automobile production. Owing to the continuous developments, the automobile sector is witnessing increased demand for lightweight pistons, which is expected to result in push for the global automotive piston system market.A piston is a key component of automobile internal combustion engine, which reciprocates within the cylinder, delivering energy to the crankshaft after each power stroke during an engine cycle.Request to Sample of Report @Automotive Piston System Market: Drivers & ConstraintsThe global automotive piston system market is expected to grow on account of increasing sales of automobiles across various segments such as two wheelers, four wheeler, and other automobile segments. With increasing demand for automobiles, especially two wheeler segment in emerging economies such as India, demand for pistons is expected to increase further thereby positively impacting the global automotive piston system market.Furthermore, the two wheelers is increasingly moving towards double cylinder engines as opposed to conventional single cylinder engines, particularly in the high end bikes segment. A double engine cylinder requires two pistons as compared to a single cylinder, wherein only one piston is used, hence with increasing production of high end bikes, the global automotive piston system market is expected to grow as well. Demand for passenger car, light & heavy commercial vehicle is also expected to contribute towards the growth in global automotive piston system market in coming years.Additionally, due to burgeoning fuel costs across the globe, the automobile industry is in continuous phase of research & development in order to increase fuel efficiency. The global automotive piston system market is hence witnessing an increased demand for light weight pistons across the globe.One of the key constraints for the global automotive piston market can be attributed to the increasing penetration of electric vehicles, which do not use pistons. Yet another constraint in the global automotive piston system market is the downsizing of engines in order to reduce weight and fuel increase efficiency. Using technologies such as turbocharger, automobile manufacturers have been able to downsize engines by reducing number of cylinders, without compromising on power of the engine.Automotive Piston System Market: SegmentationThe automotive piston system market has been segmented on the basis of types of vehicle such as two wheelers, passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. On the basis of piston material, the market has been segment as aluminium & steel piston. Increasing demand for lightweight aluminium piston is expected to have a positive impact on the global automotive piston system market in coming years.In terms of geography, the global automotive piston system has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. Within these regions, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) and Japan can be attributed as the largest contributing regions towards the global automotive piston system market, in terms of volume. The North American region is follows the aforementioned regions in the global automotive piston system market.Request Report for TOC @Automotive Piston System Market: Key PlayersThe global automotive piston system witnesses key players such as Rheinmetall AG, Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Mahle GmbH, Federal-Mogul Corporation, and Hitachi Ltd.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Aroma Chemicals Market by Manufacturers,Types,Regions and Applications Research Report Forecast to 2021

Aroma Chemicals Market

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Aroma Chemicals Market by Manufacturers,Types,Regions and Applications Research Report Forecast to 2021.Description:-The analysts forecast the global aroma chemicals market to grow at a CAGR of 5.42% during the period 2017-2021.Aroma chemicals, also called odorants or fragrances, are natural or synthetic compounds that are characterized by their pleasant smell. These compounds are usually obtained from essential oils and the aromatic compounds. They have a molecular weight less than 300 Da and are extremely volatile and tend to vaporize. Aroma chemicals are used in the products to provide a specific fragrance or to mask the smell of the other product ingredients.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 aroma chemicals market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the sales of different types of aroma chemicals used in soaps and detergents, cosmetics and toiletries, fine fragrances, household products, food and beverages, and other application segments in key regions.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAThe report, Global Aroma Chemicals Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors S H Kelkar And Company Givaudan Kao Corporation Symrise Takasago International CorporationOther prominent vendors Agilex Flavors & Fragrances AromaTech International BASF Bell Flavors & Fragrances China Flavors & Fragrances CPL Aromas Eternis Firmenich Hindustan Mint and Agro Products ICC Industries International Flavors & Fragrances Kalpsutra Chemicals Robertet Silverline Chemicals Solvay T. Hasegawa V. MANE FILS SA Veera Fragrances Wangxiang InternationalMarket driver Change in consumer preferences For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge High R&D cost For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Surge in demand for natural aroma chemicals For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? 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 summaryPART 02: Scope of the report Market overview Top-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodology Research methodology Economic indicatorsPART 04: Introduction Key market highlights Overview Aroma chemicals by type of raw materialPART 05: Market landscape Global aroma chemicals market Global customer base concentration Five forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by chemical type Global aroma chemicals market by chemical type Global aroma chemicals market by terpenes Global aroma chemicals market by benzenoids Global aroma chemicals market by musk chemicals Global market for other aroma chemicalsPART 07: Market segmentation by application Global aroma chemicals market by application Global aroma chemicals market in soaps and detergents segment Global aroma chemicals market in cosmetics and toiletries segment Global aroma chemicals market in fine fragrances segment Global aroma chemicals in other applications segmentPART 08: Geographic segmentation Global aroma chemicals market by geography Aroma chemicals market in APAC Aroma chemicals market in Americas Aroma chemicals market in EMEAPART 09: Market drivers Change in consumer preferences Growth in end-user markets Rise in demand from APAC and South AmericaPART 10: Impact of driversPART 11: Market challenges High R&D cost Compliance with quality and regulatory standards Intense competitionContinuedFor 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.
Submarine-launched Missile 2018 Market Segmentation,Application,Technology & Market Analysis Research Report to 2021

Submarine-launched Missile Market

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Submarine-launched Missile 2018 Market Segmentation,Application,Technology & Market Analysis Research Report to 2021.Description:-The analysts forecast the global submarine launched missile market to grow at a CAGR of 4.74% during the period 2017-2021.Submarine-launched missiles are classified into two categories: ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and cruise missiles (SLCMs). While SLBMs are launched vertically, SLCMs are launched in a low-altitude trajectory. Submarines equipped with these missiles enhance undersea operations and are capable of countering enemy attacks.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global submarine launched missile market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report discusses the major drivers influencing the market's growth and the challenges faced by the vendors and the market at large.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAGet a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThe report, Global Submarine Launched Missile Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors Airbus Defense and Space Boeing Defense Space & Security BrahMos Aerospace Lockheed Martin RaytheonOther prominent vendors BAE Systems General Dynamics MBDA Moscow Institute of Thermal TechnologyMarket driver Increasing investments in the development of submarine-launched missiles. For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Development of missile detection technologies. For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Development of UGM-133 Trident II (D5) SLBM. 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 summaryPART 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 type Global submarine-launched missile market by type Global submarine-launched missile market by type Global SLBM market Global SLCM marketPART 07: Geographical segmentation Global submarine-launched missile market by geography Global submarine-launched missile market by geography Submarine-launched missile market in the Americas Submarine-launched missile market in APAC Submarine-launched missile market in EMEAPART 08: Market drivers Advanced undersea warfare capabilities Rapid procurement of Tomahawk SLCMs Increasing investments in the development of submarine-launched missilesPART 09: Impact of driversPART 10: Market challenges Budget constraints Development of missile detection technologies Thermal issues associated with missilesPART 11: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 12: Market trends Development of UGM-133 Trident II (D5) SLBM 3D printed submarine-launched missiles SLBMs used in second-strike capabilitiesContinuedFor 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.
Know about Point-Of-Use Travel Insurance Market (2018-2025) with Growth Factors, Trends, Forecasts and Key Players - Allianz, Munich RE, Generali, AXA, Hanse Merkur, Groupama, Mapfre Asistencia, AIG, CSA Travel Protection, etc.

Travel Insurance Market, Travel Insurance Market Report

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Travel Insurance MarketSummary:The rising technology and developments taking place in the Travel Insurance Market is also depicted in this research report. Factors that are boosting the growth of the market, and giving a positive push to thrive in the global market is explained in detail. There are a number of players operating in the market and this research report gives readers overview of the various factors that govern their performance.GET SAMPLE REPORT @This study report on global Travel Insurance market throws light on the crucial trends and dynamics impacting the development of the market, including the restraints, drivers, and opportunities. A number of analysis tools such as Porters five forces analysis and SWOT analysis have been employed to provide an accurate understanding of this market.An exhaustive study has been carried out on the key players operating in the Global Travel Insurance Market. The report covers the revenue share, cost, product offering, recent developments, gross profit, business overview, and mergers & acquisitions, which helps the customers to understand the key players in a more profound manner. Furthermore, the report covers the different strategies adopted by the key players operating in the market. An in-depth analysis of the market dynamics, including the drivers, restraints, challenges, threats, and the potential growth opportunities have been provided.More detailed information, please feel free to contact :Topmost Leading Manufacturer Covered in this report:Allianz, Munich RE, Generali, AXA, Hanse Merkur, Groupama, Mapfre Asistencia, AIG, CSA Travel Protection, USI Affinity, Seven Corners, MH Ross, Tokio Marine, Sompo Japan, Pingan Baoxian, STARRGlobal Travel Insurance Market: Product Segment Analysis:Medical expense, Trip Cancellation, Trip Delay, Property Damage, OthersGlobal Travel Insurance Market: Application Segment AnalysisDomestic Tourism, Oversea TourismGeographically it is divided Travel Insurance market into seven prime regions which are on the basis of sales, revenue, and market share and growth rate.USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East AsiaThe Global Travel Insurance Market is defined by means of the presence of some of the main competition working inside the market, consisting of the well-installed players and new entrants, and the suppliers, providers, and distributors. The key gamers are continuously that specialize in increasing their geographic reach and broadening their customer base, so that it will amplify their product portfolio and give you new improvements. The record additionally analyzes the development proposals and the feasibility of latest investments. This document has been collated with the intention to offer guidance and route to the organizations and people interested by shopping for this research report.Key questions answered in this report:What will be the market size by the end of the forecast period?What are the factors driving the growth of the market?What are the trends and developments that are likely to drive the growth of the market?Who are the key players operating in the market?What are the challenges, threats, and opportunities faced by the leading players?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key players of the market?About Us:We at Garner Insights.com provide a comprehensive analysis by providing in-depth reports of the various market verticals. Our Mission is to provide a detailed analysis of the vast markets Globalwide backed by ricsh data. Decision makers can now rely on our well-defined data gathering methods to get the correct and accurate market forecasting along with detailed analysis.Contact Us:Mr. Kevin ThomasDirect:+1 513 549 5911 (US)+44 203 318 2846 (UK)Email: sales@garnerinsights.com
Sterilization Technologies Market Report - Growing Technology Trends and Business Opportunities by 2022

Sterilization Technologies Market

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Penetration of disposable products in medical and pharmaceutical industry is a threat to market growth, as it eliminates the need for sterilization technologies. However, all instruments and devices cannot be converted into one-time-use equipment, and thus sterilization technologies are expected to continue to flourish.Sterilization Technologies Market report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $8,578 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% during the period 2016 - 2022. The chemical & gas sterilization segment dominated the market in 2015, with more than half share, in terms of revenue.Sterilization technologies are procedures used to eliminate transmissible agents, such as bacteria, virus, fungi, and prions, by using chemical and physical agents known as sterilants. Increase in number of surgeries, rise in number of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), and growth in demand for sterilization technologies in various end user industries, including food & beverage, are major factors that drive the market growth globally. Ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and propylene oxide are active agents employed in sterilization technologies.Get Sample PDF Brochure:Enhancement in low-temperature sterilization systems through continuous innovation has led to reduced processing time and capacity expansion for instrument reprocessing. Regulatory authorities present in this market include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). High cost of sterilization equipment & devices and stringent regulations associated with harmful gases hinder the growth of sterilization technologies; however, technological advancements and rise in use of sterilization technologies in emerging economies provide numerous opportunities for market expansion.Chemical & gas sterilization accounted for more than half market share, in terms of revenue, in 2015, owing to the ability of gases to penetrate multiple packaging layers. This sterilization technology is used for catheters, equipment with integrated electronics, assembled complex devices, stents, custom procedure packs, multi-lumen tubing products, and wound care dressings.Medical devices segment held the largest share by end user in 2015, in terms of revenue, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period. Sterilization technologies are used in the medical industry to sterilize tissues, medical products, and cleanroom consumables. Penetration and dose uniformity ratio, shorter processing time, enhanced polymer reaction, and flexibility have made X-ray processing as the preferred sterilization procedure for medical device products.The key market players profiled in this report are Advanced Sterilization Products Services Inc. (U.S.) Atec Pharmatechnik GmbH (Germany) Belimed AG (U.S.) Getinge Group (Sweden) Nordion (Canada) Inc. (Canada) Noxilizer, Inc. (U.S.) Sterile Technologies Inc. (U.S.) Steris Plc (U.S.) The 3M Company (U.S.) TSO3 Inc. (Canada)Key Findings of Sterilization Technologies Market North America is expected to continue to lead the global sterilization technologies market, followed by Asia-Pacific. Cosmetic sterilization technologies market revenue is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period. Ethylene oxide is the expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 5.6% in chemical & gas sterilization technologies market. Turkey accounted for 32.5% share in LAMEA sterilization technologies market in 2015. India is projected to grow at the higher CAGR of 6.9% in Asia-Pacific sterilization technologies market. Belgium accounted for 12.9% share in the Europe market in 2015.North America and Asia-Pacific collectively contributed more than half of the revenue share in 2015. In the same year, North America dominated the market, owing to growth in geriatric population and increase in healthcare expenditure.Do Purchase Enquiry:Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.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:
Co2 Indicator Labels Market by Growth, Trends, Sales Forecast 2025

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In keeping with the high standard of packaging, dedicated efforts have been put in the field of packaging, across the world in the last couple of decades. This led to the rise of active, smart, and intelligent packaging technologies. Growing consumer awareness regarding food packaging hygiene initiated a chain reaction, which led to an increase in demand for packaging technologies that could extend the shelf life of the food products. One of the intelligent packaging technologies in use today is  Co2 sensing. It is known that one of the strongest indicators of food spoilage is the increase in the level of Co2 gas. This effect is observed especially in Modified Atmosphere Packaging formats. This fuels demand for products such as Co2 indicator levels that efficiently monitor the levels of Co2 in the packaged food, and keep track of the levels throughout the supply chain, until the food reaches the customer. As a result of high efficiency in monitoring the Co2 content in the package, the global Co2 indicator labels market is anticipated to witness steady growth during the forecast period. As many countries begin to feel more confident toward investing in advanced packaging technologies, the global Co2 indicator labels market will enjoy a largely positive outlook, over the next decade.The global packaging industry has undergone significant transformation in the last decade, with companies employing new technologies to ensure the safety of the product. The global Co2 indicator labels market growth is expected to grow on the backdrop of global intelligent packaging industry growth, which is currently projected to register around 7%-8%. In many regions, such as North America and Western Europe, the need for packaging solutions that extend shelf life of the product has dictated the momentum of packaging innovation. As increase in the level of Co2 is one of the most efficient ways to determine the extent of food spoilage, the demand for Co2 indicator labels is expected to go up, during 2017-2027.Get PDF Sample of This Report @Ongoing research and development by manufacturers and research institutions has led to many breakthroughs in the industry. Various intelligent packaging technologies have been developed in recent years, which manufacturers and brand owners have been quick to incorporate into their products. Apart from that, growth in online food retail has paved way for growth in demand for Co2 indicator labels. Despite their efficiency, the global Co2 indicator labels market growth may be hampered by the fact that many countries do not find advanced packaging technologies a viable option. Acceptance of a packaging technology by the local market significantly depends on the average consumers prejudice. Therefore, it is anticipated that the global Co2 indicator labels market has significant opportunities for growth, given proper marketing strategies followed by brand owners.Global Co2 Indicator Labels Market: SegmentationThe global Co2 indicator labels market has been segmented as follows On the basis of applications, the global Co2 indicator labels market is segmented as Sliced and cooked meatCheeseBreadAirline mealsCatering PackOthersGlobal Co2 Indicator Labels Market: Geographical OutlookThe global Co2 indicator labels market is broadly divided into seven regions North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific excluding JapanMiddle East & AfricaJapanView Our Report @The North America region is anticipated to lead the global Co2 indicator labels market, owing to a higher degree of consumer acceptance for advanced packaging technologies. The Western Europe Co2 indicator labels market is expected to follow closely, in terms of market value and volume. This is attributed to an increase in the number of people preferring case-ready meals. The U.K., for instance, consumes more than 50% of the case-ready meals in entire Europe. Growth in penetration of online food retail has enabled more consumer preference for food ordered online. This could lead to significant opportunities for growth of the global Co2 indicator labels market, especially in emerging economies such as India and China. Countries in Africa are also anticipated to significantly contribute to the growth of the Co2 indicator labels market during the forecast period.Two of the key players operating in the global Co2 indicator labels market are  Insignia Technologies Ltd., and PreSens Precision Sensing GmbH.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:
We have recently published this report and it is available for immediate purchase. For inquiry Email us on: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.com ********* This market study includes data about consumer perspective, comprehensive analysis, statistics, market share, company performances (Stocks), historical analysis 2012 to 2017, market forecast 2018 to 2025 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2018 to 2025, etc. The report also provides 
By BETSY HAMMOND and BETHANY BARNES

The Oregonian | OregonLive

A controversial former Lincoln High teacher and Portland teachers union president has had his right to teach permanently revoked after he was convicted of indecent exposure for masturbating naked on a public street in Astoria, records show.

This photo shows Jeff Miller during the time period he taught at Lincoln High.

Jeff Miller taught social studies at Lincoln High for several years before he retired after getting in trouble for worrisome conduct around students. Before joining the faculty at Lincoln, he taught at Cleveland High for 20 years and also taught at Wilson and Benson high schools. He was an elected leader of the Portland Association of Teachers for 11 years, culminating in serving as its president from 2006 to 2008.

The behavior that caused him to lose his license happened in summer 2016. A couple saw him lying naked on a towel in public and masturbating in Astoria, where he and his wife own a vacation home a short walk from Astoria High School. He was 60 years old at the time. According to the state teacher licensing committee, the pair captured photographic evidence of the crime.

Jeffrey Scott Miller pleaded no contest to indecent exposure in March 2017 and was sentenced to 10 days in jail plus 18 months probation. He is still on probation, with conditions that include a ban on using or possessing marijuana and a requirement that he submit to random searches of his Lake Oswego and Astoria homes.

In August 2017, Oregon's Teachers Standards and Practices Commission notified Miller it planned to ban him from ever regaining a teaching license because of his conviction for public masturbation. He did not respond to or contest the commission's action. Miller also did not immediately reply to a message left Monday at the office of the lawyer who represented him in the indecency matter.

Miller retired from Lincoln under a cloud several years ago, having been put on leave by the district and publicly reprimanded by Oregon's teacher licensing agency for a host of unprofessional acts deemed by the licensing board as constituting "gross neglect of duty."

According to that finding, Miller used the N word in class, threatened two students, failed to present balanced views of politics during class, used swear words while teaching and displayed posters "including skateboards with animated models in sexually suggestive positions and containing captions including 'school sucks' and 'I hate school.'"

Students videotaped some of his conduct and posted it on YouTube. One video showed him as he led a rowdy protest and, for several seconds, pressed his body against that of a female student. She later said she was not upset by his conduct.

Lincoln Principal Peyton Chapman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In March, Chapman gave an in-depth interview to the school's student newspaper, The Cardinal Times, about how she handles problem teachers.

Miller retired during the 2013-14 school year and is paid $44,000 a year in public employee retirement benefits.

John Larson, president of the Oregon Education Association, said Monday in a statement that the state teachers union strongly supports getting bad actors banned from teaching.

"There is no place in the education system for anyone who has exhibited the types of behaviors that Jeff Miller has been convicted of. That behavior is unacceptable. Period. I support the actions taken by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to keep him out of our schools. Districts and administrators need to act swiftly to address this type of behavior as soon as it is reported."

-- Bethany Barnes

-- Betsy Hammond
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality settled a lawsuit with environmental groups Monday that advocates say fixes a broken system that allows industrial pollution into waterways already rife with toxins.

The settlement aims to reduce the amount of pollutants that enter Oregon waterways by way of rainwater runoff. Every time a storm rolls through, rainwater collects heavy metals and carcinogenic chemicals from industrial sites as it frains. That water then makes its way to creeks, rivers and streams, some of which are already home to a mix of toxins.

In a statement, Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper, called the settlement "a huge win for people who jump in the Columbia on a hot day or feed their kids fish."

Under the settlement, the state agreed to add protections for bodies of water already too polluted to support salmon and recreation. The settlement also strengthens regulations on companies, which will now have to report the amount and type of pollution they discharge four times per year. Under the old permits, companies were only required to report once per year.

Finally, the settlement calls for the creation of a expert committee to determine if the state can put limits on the discharge of the some toxic chemicals found in stormwater.

"This settlement puts Oregon back on course towards becoming a national leader in confronting stormwater pollution," Jamie Saul, attorney with Lewis & Clark Law School's Earthrise Law Center, said in a statement. "Under this agreement, (the state) will use the best available science to develop enforceable, numeric limits for the toxic pollutants copper, lead, and zinc found in industrial stormwater."

State representatives said the Department of Environmental Quality would continue to work with advocates to make sure stormwater runoff is safe.

"DEQ is committed to ensuring settlement agreements are met to achieve Oregon's water quality standards," a spokeswoman for the agency said by email.

-- Kale Williams

kwilliams@oregonian.com

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I am one step closer to throwing in the towel on this Catholic Church specifically after reading excerpts from the Pennsylvania grand jury report regarding the sexual abuse of 1,000 children by more than 300 Catholic priests and its cover-up by Church leadership.

Today, I asked Cardinal DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, for the resignation of all U.S. bishops, archbishops and cardinals as the only solution to fixing the Church and its sinfulness manifested by our clerical leadership. The sex abuse and cover up needs to stop. The clericalism and paternalism needs to stop. The subversive maneuvers against the Pope needs to stop. The Chilean Church leadership has given us a beautiful example of moral courage and what it will take to end the crisis in the U.S.

Unfortunately, Cardinal DiNardo announced a different plan. Consequently, I would like to solicit the help of my state legislators, Gov. Kate Brown and my U.S. Congressional representatives to enact legislation removing the nonprofit status from any organization involved in the sexual abuse of minors. The societal harm of child sexual abuse warrants the removal so that this abuse never occurs again while freeing up funds for victim support services.

Thank you for allowing me to share my anger and outrage with you. Without the resignation of clerical leaders, the crisis will continue. Government regulation is required to deter not only the abuse of minors in the Catholic Church, but other nonprofit organizations as well.

-- Margaret Rogers, Northwest Portland

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This post has been updated with a statement from Fred Meyer.

Four Oregon customers sued Fred Meyer's parent company Kroger in a class action suit, claiming the grocery store chain has charged thousands of people 10-cent bottle deposits on containers that aren't eligible for refunds.

Thousands who've paid the extra deposit charge on exempt containers since January 1 could be eligible for up to $200 in damages, according to the complaint filed Aug. 13 in federal court.

"Fred Meyer understands that Oregon law does not permit it to collect bottle deposit charges on exempt beverages but continues to overcharge its customers anyway," the lawsuit says.

The plaintiffs' attorney, Michael Fuller, said his private investigator found the company has been adding the surcharge to ineligible containers in stores up and down the Willamette Valley.

"Their tills must be flush with cash with the extra money that they're bringing in," Fuller said in an interview.

Read the complaint against Kroger here.

Fred Meyer spokesman Jeffery Temple said the company doesn't comment on ongoing lawsuits. In a written statement, Temple said the company takes immediate steps to correct any errors they find.

"Fred Meyer has always been committed to our customers' shopping experience. If we ever discover we have made an error we take immediate corrective action. We will continue to be the trusted community partner that Oregon residents have come to rely upon for the past 96 years."

Under Oregon's bottle bill, stores can charge customers an extra 10 cents for glass, metal or plastic bottles and cans that can be returned for a refund. Per the lawsuit, Fred Meyer has been adding that charge to some beverages in paper cartons, which can't be returned.

On Jan. 1 Oregon expanded the list of drinks that can be returned, to include tea drinks, juice, energy drinks, coffee, kombucha, and others. The expanded list did not include paper cartons.

This is Fuller's second suit this year claiming improper charges for drinks in paper cartons. In the first suit, a Salem woman claimed Walgreens charged extra for juice boxes. The case is ongoing.

Read the Walgreens complaint here.

Fuller said he's looked for inappropriate surcharges in grocery stores across Portland but found them to be rare, overall.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin
WASHINGTON The Trump administration is moving forward this week with plans to impose tariffs on a wider array of Chinese imports even as it explores the possibility of a negotiated resolution of its deepening trade conflict with China.

The U.S. Trade Representative's office Monday began an extraordinary six days of public hearings on President Donald Trump's plans to tax an additional $200 billion in Chinese products. The latest tariff proposals, along with earlier levies on $50 billion in Chinese imports, would mean that by next month roughly half of everything that American businesses import from China would confront special taxes.

Trump says the tariffs are a response to unfair Chinese trade practices, including forcing American companies to surrender their trade secrets to obtain access to the Chinese market and cybertheft of U.S. technology. Members of both parties and many industry groups agree that China is guilty of such violations. But as the economic impact of the confrontation with China mounts, opponents are becoming more vocal in their opposition to the president's chosen tariff remedy.

The planned escalation "dramatically expands the harm to American consumers, workers, businesses, and the economy," the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in its prepared testimony.

At the USTR hearings, sporting goods manufacturers, candle makers, footwear companies, semiconductor producers and others will plead to be excluded from the next tariffs. More than 1,300 comments already have been filed in response to the president's proposed action, most opposing the plan.

A paint brush maker in Newark, warned that the tariffs could make the hog bristles it buys from China too expensive, forcing it to cancel more than two dozen government contracts.

"If this tariff is enacted, the impact on my small company and its 20 employees will be devastating," wrote Arthur Edelsen, president of Spectrum Paint Applicator Corp. "I would be put out of business immediately without question.

On Wednesday, U.S. and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet for the first time in two months to discuss potential solutions to the commercial standoff. The U.S. delegation is led by David Malpass, undersecretary of the treasury for international affairs, while China's team is headed by Wang Shouwen, vice minister of commerce.

There is little expectation that the meetings will produce a breakthrough. Neither official has full authority to make a deal and earlier rounds of talks led by more senior officials made little progress.

In March, Malpass was forced to backpedal after telling a conference of bankers in Buenos Aires that he had "discontinued" an official economic dialogue with Beijing. After the Treasury Department publicly contradicted him, he said that he had "misspoke."

While some Chinese officials have expressed concern about their slowing economy and many Republicans in Congress are worried that the trade war could cost them votes in November, neither country appears prepared to back down.

So far, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese products; levies on a further $16 billion in products are scheduled to take effect on Thursday. China has retaliated against an equivalent amount of U.S. goods.

"In both countries, the leadership's political imperative of talking and acting tough on trade seems to supersede any short-term domestic economic costs from tit-for-tat tariffs," said Eswar Prasad, former head of the International Monetary Fund's China division. "The internal political dynamics in each country could make it difficult to contain or find an exit path from escalating trade hostilities."

Ambiguity over the president's goals also is clouding prospects for a negotiated solution. During an early round of talks in May, U.S. officials presented the Chinese with an eight-point wish list that included a dramatic reduction in the deficit that the U.S. runs in trade with China, a halt to subsidies for new technology industries, immediate elimination of various tariff and other trade barriers and agreement not to retaliate against future U.S. measures.

"The long, vague list that, in effect, asks China to boil the ocean is not actionable," said Jeff Moon, a U.S. trade negotiator in the Obama administration. "A failure to remedy that problem and develop a manageable set of issues would set us up for an indefinite trade conflict with no off-ramp."

The administration also remains split between hard-liners such as Peter Navarro, a top White House adviser who wants to force U.S. companies to end their dependence upon Chinese factories, and officials such as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin who favor traditional trade policies.

"We still do not know what Trump ultimately wants in a deal," said Claire Reade, a former U.S. trade negotiator now with Arnold & Porter.

Genuine bargaining may await the personal involvement of Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders are scheduled to meet twice in November, at an Asian summit in Papua New Guinea and at the G-20 in Buenos Aires.

"The chances of a deal soon are still quite small," said Scott Kennedy, director of the project on Chinese business and the economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Meanwhile, disruptions from tariffs continue to spread. Purolite, which produces a resin that municipalities use to purify their water supplies, is in the crosshairs for the 25 percent tariffs that take effect on Thursday.

The Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, company imports about $50 million worth of chemicals from its wholly owned Chinese subsidiary near Hangzhou and - amid a worldwide shortage of the resin - says that it cannot find an alternative supply.

"This is a health hazard. If they can't get this product, it can cause another Flint, Michigan," Steve Brodie said, a reference to the city that has suffered with unhealthy water for several years.

The Washington Post
Warning: This story contains graphic content

Paul Welch came to the downtown protest Aug. 4 to let his political leanings be known.

With pride he clutched his U.S. flag as he moved among the crowd of like-thinking demonstrators.

Soon a group of black-clad anti-fascist protesters, also known as antifa, demanded he lose the flag, calling it a fascist symbol. Welch refused, and a tug-of-war ensued.

It ended with Welch taking a club to the back of the head, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Only Welch was not a Proud Boy, a Patriot Prayer supporter or among the other conservative activists who descended into the area that day, many from out of town.

He was one of hundreds of progressive Portlanders who had turned out to oppose the right-wing rally held at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Paul Welch suffered a concussion after an antifascist activist hit him over the head with a club during a demonstration against Patriot Prayer in Portland Aug. 4.

"I didn't come as a part of any one group," Welch said in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive. "I was just protesting outsiders coming here for their tacitly fascist event."

Anger following the demonstration has largely been directed at Portland police, whose use of "less-lethal" riot-control weapons on counter-protesters hospitalized at least three people and injured several others.

But others, like Welch, became targets of violence at the hands of protest participants, even as police kept rival political factions apart. A video taken of his attack has been viewed more than 800,000 times online.

Many have assumed the tussle over a U.S. flag placed Welch squarely in the right-wing camp.

Not so.

"I had felt like showing that a liberal, free Portland  or any major city, really  is much more American and much more numerous and strong than any of these interloping groups," he said.

A "slightly progressive leftist" by his telling, Welch is a registered Democrat in Oregon, voting records show. He cast his ballot for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary and Hillary Clinton in the general election, he said.

The 38-year-old line cook is also no stranger to street protests in Portland. He said he attended the Women's March held during the weekend of Donald Trump's inauguration.

This summer, Welch, who works six days a week at a catering company, stopped by the Occupy ICE encampment on his days off to bring protesters water, toilet paper and sunblock, he said.

He's no fan of Trump or the president's policies. Nor of Patriot Prayer, whose repeated rallies in Portland, Welch believes, have little purpose other than to inflame the city's liberal residents.

"They're just offensive," he said.

That is why Welch said he decided to show up to the counter-protest with an American flag, an emblem more common among the conservative activists than those who have demonstrated against them.

"The right and certainly a lot of smaller groups like Patriot Prayer might rush to things like the flag and try to take it up as, 'This is our symbol exclusively,'" he said. "Part of my thinking was to take it back."

Aside from a few odd looks, Welch did not encounter any problems when he joined hundreds of other counter-protesters who gathered at City Hall late that morning.

In fact, Welch said, he saw several other people with American flags sprinkled among the group of progressives, union members and social justice activists.

The trouble started as the throng began to march east along Southwest Salmon Street toward Naito Parkway about 12:30 p.m.

As he carried his flag, two people dressed in black and covering their faces approached Welch and demanded he turn it over to them, calling it "a fascist symbol," he said.

Welch refused, and the counter-protesters ripped it out of his hands, he said.

Welch wouldn't relinquish the flag.

Video captured by Mike Bivins, a freelance journalist, shows what happened next.

As Welch and the counter-protesters wrangle over the flag, another masked counter-protester begins to strike Welch's body from behind using a weapon concealed in black fabric.

That person then uses the weapon to club Welch on the back of the head, causing him to collapse instantly. The demonstrator with the weapon wanders off.

"My bones turned to Jell-O and I just went down," said Welch, who believes he was struck with a metal object affixed to the end of the weapon.

The video shows a crowd of onlookers watching as Welch lay on the ground in a fetal position. Another counter-protester, holding a shield, appears to stand above the injured man and jabs him with a makeshift weapon.

"I remember thinking there was a very good chance that I could be beaten to death," Welch said.

Paul Welch

As blood began to pool around Welch's head, a group of volunteer street medics rushed to his aid, he said. Another medic eventually got Welch into a car and drove to an urgent care clinic on North Interstate Avenue.

It took four staples to close the 3-inch gash in the back of his head, Welch said. He spent the next two days recovering from a concussion, though he was able to return to work.

That week, Welch filed a police report. Sgt. Chris Burley, a Portland police spokesman, confirmed the bureau opened an investigation into the incident.

Effie Baum, a spokesperson with Popular Mobilization, a group that helped organize the counter-protest at City Hall, declined to comment for this story.

In the days since the attack, Welch has felt conflicted and a bit disappointed, he said.

"It strikes me as the worst sort of political theater," he said of what happened to him. "It's kind of like you're playing into your opponents' hands when you do that sort of thing. That's not what I was there for."

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaugh
The Portland City Council will soon consider an ordinance to cap what landlords can charge for security deposits and limit how they may use renters' credit and criminal conviction history to deny them tenancy.

"Screening criteria and security deposit reform" will be the subject of an upcoming council agenda item, Commissioner Chloe Eudaly wrote in an August 14 post to her Facebook page. The ordinance is scheduled for a hearing September 20, said Eudaly spokeswoman Margaux Weeke.

It is exactly the kind of move that Oregon landlords feared when they banded together to try to raise $2 million to fight those and other restrictions they say will undermine their businesses.

Policymakers in other cities have also explored regulating security deposits, citing mounting pressures on renters who struggle to save up cash for move-in fees. New York City's comptroller in July introduced a deposit-limiting measure. The Seattle City Council adopted a similar ordinance in December 2016, and landlords filed a lawsuit to challenge it.

In Portland, landlords may currently charge what they like as a security deposit, and there are few regulations over how deposits must be returned after a tenant vacates. That would change under Eudaly's ordinance. In the Facebook post, Eudaly described one an effect of the ordinance as "limit security deposit requirements."

The ordinance would also change how landlords may use information about potential tenants. Property owners typically perform criminal records and credit history checks on rental applicants. Some renter advocates have described the background checks as offering landlords a pretense for discriminating against those with criminal pasts or poor credit.

Yesterday staff shared a post on Facebook asking for photographs which we then deemed insensitive and decided to remove.... Posted by Chloe Eudaly Portland City Commissioner on Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Eudaly said in her Facebook post that changing how landlords may use information about rental applicants to deny them tenancy is in part intended to "reduce barriers to housing" and "prevent discrimination."

According to a draft of the ordinance provided by Eudaly's office, she has considered establishing a system that requires landlords to approve tenants on a first-come, first-served basis, though a minimum credit score would still be allowed.

To deny applicants, landlords would be required to rank applicants on their credit history, criminal convictions and housing record and give them a chance to provide favorable information.

The draft ordinance includes a list of crimes that are not to be judged by landlords as meaning a tenant convicted of them would likely harm the property or cause the premises to be unsafe, if the applicant was sentenced at least three years prior or released from prison one year prior. The list includes felony assault and battery, felony burglary or breaking-and-entering, stalking and misdemeanor domestic violence, dealing or manufacturing illegal drugs, and non-forcible sex offenses, among others.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

Have a tip about Portland City Hall? Contact Gordon: GFriedman@Oregonian.com; 503-221-8209
President Trump on Monday tore into Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, saying Wheeler "shamefully" instructed city police officers not to assist federal officers patrolling a protest at the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office.

Wheeler's decision left federal officers "to face an angry mob of violent people," Trump said during a White House speech commending immigration and border patrol officials. Though protesters participated in acts of civil disobedience and some were unruly, there were no documented incidents of violence by protesters at the ICE facility.

Though he did not call out Wheeler by name, the president's comment Monday is perhaps his most direct rebuke of Wheeler, who had previously been an indirect target for Trump's ire because of Portland's status as a sanctuary city.

Wheeler was not available for comment Monday. Michael Cox, his chief of staff, shot back at Trump on Twitter. "I'll simply say that @tedwheeler has a highly skilled staff who make sure the mayor is well-briefed on things like 'facts' and 'the law' before he makes sweeping public statements," Cox said.

Protesters demonstrated at the ICE field office in Portland for five weeks before Wheeler and Police Chief Danielle Outlaw agreed the demonstrators' camp must be removed. Until that point, Wheeler had maintained that federal police officers could adequately protect their building and said city police officers would not get involved at the camp unless immediate threats to health and safety arose.

-- Gordon R. Friedman
Police arrested a 22-year-old man suspected of striking a spectator with his car Sunday night at an illegal street racing event in Northeast Portland then driving away.

A man was reportedly treated for serious but not life-threatening injuries at a Vancouver hospital Sunday night. Police learned the man, whom they have not identified, was injured at a street racing gathering near Northeast 142nd Avenue and Airport Way about 9:30 p.m. He was standing in a parking lot watching the street racers, police said.

Vladyslav Momotok was arrested and suspected of striking a spectator at an illegal street racing event.

Officers tracked Vladyslav Momotok, the suspected hit-and-run driver of a 2007 black Infiniti G35, to a home on the 12800 block of Southeast Foster Road. The car, police said, had damage "consistent with striking a pedestrian."

Momotok was arrested and is in the Multnomah County jail on charges of reckless driving and failure to perform the duties of a driver.

The incident occurred the same day as a front-page story in The Oregonian/OregonLive highlighting the increasingly brazen street racing scene in the Portland area. The report featured video from the scene of a parking lot at Northeast 122nd Avenue and Marine Drive, where spectators stood within feet of cars performing donuts and other dangerous maneuvers.

An Oregonian reporter and photographer witnessed spectators riding on the hood of cars as engines roars and drivers turned tight circles in the parking lot, creating a cascade of smoke.

Sunday night street-racing events regularly draw up to 1,000 spectators across the city, and participants recently shut down the Fremont Bridge for one illegal gathering.

Four people have died in street racing-related incidents in Portland in the past three years.

Momotok wasn't the only suspected street racer to encounter Portland police Sunday night.

According to a statement, police issued eight citations and six warnings to people who were believed to be involved or in attendance at the illegal gatherings.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen


President Donald Trump on Monday will offer public praise of federal immigration officers and tout them as "heroes" at a White House event aimed at drawing a sharp contrast with Democrats over the enforcement of border control laws.

An estimated 150 officers and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection are expected to participate in the "Salute to the Heroes" program, which will feature a panel discussion among lawmakers and state representatives with hard-line immigration views. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga.; Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, and the attorney general of Alabama, Steve Marshall, are among them.

In a letter to state and local officials, Trump hailed the officers and agents as "courageous public servants" and said they have been "subjected to a nationwide campaign of smears, insults, and attacks by politicians shamelessly catering to the extreme elements in our society that desire lawlessness and anarchy."

The event is the latest sign that the president is eager to elevate ICE as a campaign issue ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has sought to use calls from a small number of high-profile Democrats to abolish the agency to paint his political rivals as weak on enforcement, which the White House believes will be a potent political message in the fall.

Trump has also blamed Democrats for opposing funding for his border wall and proposals to enact deep cuts in legal immigration levels.

"Obviously, the president views immigration as a wedge issue that plays to his advantage," said John Sandweg, who served as acting ICE director in the Obama administration.

Sandweg acknowledged that Trump's event could help boost spirits at ICE, which traditionally has reported low morale among rank-and-file agents. But he cautioned that thrusting an agency with 20,000 employees into the political spotlight could make it harder for ICE to be effective, noting that a growing number of cities have limited cooperation with federal immigration operations.

"There are lots of folks at ICE and CBP that deserve praise, but this is all designed to be political," Sandweg said. "In the long run, it hurts because it further politicizes the issue and the agency itself."

ICE, and to a lesser extent CBP, have been the targets of fierce criticism for years from immigrant rights groups, accused of acting recklessly, cruelly and, in some cases, unlawfully to round up and deport undocumented immigrants.

The complaints have intensified under the Trump administration after the president signed an executive action in his first week to broaden the scope of ICE's enforcement efforts, after President Barack Obama had focused operations on criminals and terrorists. Arrests of immigrants without criminal records has spiked under Trump, although deportations are still lagging behind the peak rates of Obama's tenure.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old who upset Rep. Joseph Crowley of New York, in a primary election in June, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio are among the Democrats who have proposed abolishing the agency.

Other Democrats have resisted that message, calling it simplistic and extreme and suggesting that reforms to the agency would be more prudent.

In late June, a senior Trump administration official said the Democrats were on "a political suicide march" over ICE and vowed the president would aggressively engage in the debate.

"We're protecting American workers, supporting American law enforcement - including ICE," Trump said at a rally in Lewis Center, Ohio, this month. "We love ICE."

The president's remarks prompted the crowd to chant, "ICE! ICE! ICE!," followed by "Build the wall!"

Trump has embraced ICE in ways past presidents have not.

Thomas Homan, who served as acting ICE director until resigning in the spring, flew with the president on Air Force One last year to join him at an event on Long Island focused on combating gang violence, including MS-13, a transnational organization with roots in Central America.

Homan also is expected to attend the White House event on Monday.

But the agency has continued to make headlines over sensational cases that have been highlighted by immigrant rights groups as examples of abuses of power.

Last week, the agency arrested a Los Angeles man who was driving with his wife to the hospital to deliver a baby boy, leading him away in handcuffs.

The case drew national attention after the wife described her ordeal over the weekend. An ICE spokesperson said Saturday that the man, Joel Arrona-Lara is a Mexican national wanted in that country under a warrant issued for homicide charges. The agency said the man is in custody pending removal proceedings.

Sandweg said current and former ICE officials are generally appreciative of Trump's support.

"They rolled out the red carpet for ICE, and there is something to be said for morale," he said. "But you're doing it in a way that politicizes it. It's going to take years of work to reform ICE's reputation. They could be tarnished forever as a tool of the far right."

-- The Washington Post
Lana Del Rey defended her decision to perform at the upcoming Meteor Festival via Twitter on Sunday evening. Her decision to play at the festival, held in the upper Galilee region of Israel in early September, has been criticized due to the nations policies regarding Palestinians.

Groups such as the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) have called for Del Rey to reconsider the performance, comparing it to playing a show in South Africa during Apartheid. This group is part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement calling for the cultural boycott of Israel in retaliation against the nations policies against Palestiniansand PACBI isnt the only group from which Del Rey is receiving backlash.

In defending the performance, Del Rey argued for the unifying power of music and for her duties as a touring artistthat being, actually performing despite political tensions.

I believe music is universal and should be used to bring us together  Performing in Tel Aviv is not a political statement or a commitment to the politics there just like singing here in California doesnt mean my views are in alignment [with] my current governments opinions or sometimes inhuman actions, said Del Rey in her tweeted defense. The artist noted that she plans to perform with a loving energy with a thematic emphasis on peace.

Del Rey isnt the first to come under fire for performing in Israel. In December 2017, Lorde canceled a show planned in the region due to an open letter from fans in which it was argued that the performance would equate to support for Israels occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, both of which are lands that Palestine claims. Radiohead also encountered similar backlash in July 2017, though the show went on after Thom Yorke tweeted out that playing in the area didnt equate to endorsing its government. The Tel Aviv-based concert promotion company that is responsible for bringing Radiohead to Israel, Naranjah, is also the group responsible for organizing Meteor Festival, as Variety points out.

As far as the festivals lineup, Del Rey isnt the only American performer making the hike to Israel for the showASAP Ferg, Kamasi Washington and Of Montreal are just a few of the other artists also slotted to perform. This is in addition to the many local artists gracing the 50-plus-act lineup, such as Geva Alon, Balkan Beat Box and Bemet.

See Del Reys tweets below.
This is your regular seasonal reminder that the United States of America is helping kill people in Yemen.

Its a brief message, since shorter is easier to read.

Yemen is being bombed by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Millions of civilians are involved in this war. When I say are involved, I mean bombed and trapped in a humanitarian crisis.

When I say Saudi Arabia, I mean the absolute monarchy of Saudi Arabia.

When I say coalition, I mean the coalition that the United States allows to exist, since the Saudis would not exhale without our say-so.

On August 9, the coalition hit a school bus with bystanders inside. When I say hit, I am using a polite verb. What I mean is that they bombed it from on high.

When I say bystanders, I mean children, and when I use the plural children, I mean forty children. They killed forty children.

How did the coalition do it? With our support. What does support mean? It means Saudi Arabia acted with our blessing, using bombs we made. With intelligence we provided. And with us fueling them in mid-air. We did that, too.

Words mean things, but what they mean change, depending on who is speaking. Strange, isnt it? How language can bend. Like holding a long piece of hanging rope in your hand. In the blink of an eye, a phrase like I murdered that man with my gun can become A man was shot and killed today with a firearm with ties back to me.

We hide behind distance. We hide behind words.

The Aug. 9 bus bombing also killed eleven adults. Also, seventy-nine people were wounded. Of those seventy-nine, fifty-six were children.

I mean, it makes sense. The bomb was a direct strike in the middle of a busy market, and when you bomb in a public place, bodies get thrown around, scattered everywhere, as CNN tells us. The network also tells us there was a severed head in a bomb crater. Of course, identification became impossible with all of the mutilation from our weapons. They found a backpack and a couple of schoolbooks afterward.

The weapon was a 500-pound MK 82 bomb, called a Paveway. When I say the weapon, I mean our weapon. We sold the Saudis thousands and thousands of these bombs.

This particular child-killing device was made by Lockheed Martin. Theyre a top-level American defense contractor. You might have heard of their earlier work. In October 2016, their weapon killed 155 people in a Yemeni funeral hall. Or perhaps you read about the spring attack seven months earlier. In March, an MK 84 bomb hit a Yemeni market, casually removing 97 people from the Earth.

So you see, its not just the Saudis bombing Yemen.

We are bombing Yemen. We helped bombed that school bus. There isthere wasa kid named Osama Zeid Al Homran, who took cell phone footage from inside of the bus. He did it before the Saudis dropped the American bomb on the bus. Then the Saudis and the Americans killed him.

The Trump Administration doesnt care about civilian casualties. Neither do the Saudis or the coalition. The Coalition would start caring, if America asked them to. We wont. Last May, the President of the United States signed a defense deal worth $110 billion with the House of Saud.

Washington could cut off the funding for the Yemen War. They wont. Trump could order the Secretary of Defense to insure that the Coalition meets standards of international law. He wont. We could ask our good friends the British and the Australians and the Canadians and the Brazilians and the Finns to stop selling weapons. We havent. Why get in the way of business?

Did you know the coalition is cutting deals with Al-Qaeda in Yemen? Well, its not the first time weve worked with them. Did you know the worlds worst humanitarian crisis is happening right now, in Yemen? There are twenty-two million people who need our help. They deserve our help because we did this to them.

This is your regular seasonal reminder that the United States of America is helping kill people in Yemen. Weve been doing so since 2015.

Id like you to think about something. Think of what America looks like to a child on a Yemeni school bus. Well, what does the field mouse feel when it sees the pitchfork coming down?

We call ourselves a great Republic. We convince ourselves we are the envy of the world  but we know nothing, absolutely nothing. We havent changed a bit since Iraq. The youngest child on that bus knows more about justice than the greatest general in the Pentagon.

This is not an ethical country. Had this been an ethical country, we would care about children dying in a foreign land. We would nail this picture to the door of every government office until they stopped the bombs.

This is your regular seasonal reminder that the United States of America is helping kill people in Yemen.
The wait is over, friends. After a week of rampant rumors and outright teasing by Nvidia itself, CEO Jensen Huang proudly revealed the long-awaited GeForce RTX 2080 and GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, powered by the companys radical next-gen Turing GPU, at an event on Monday, August 20 ahead of Gamescom in Cologne, Germany.

These graphics cards look like beasts, infused with dedicated tensor and RT cores to accelerate real-time ray tracing, the Holy Grail of gaming graphics, and enough visual firepower to feed 4K G-Sync HDR displays, the Holy Grail of gaming monitors. Theyre equipped with a cutting-edge VirtualLink VR connection, too, and a speedier SLI connection called NVLink.

The $999 GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition blows past the GTX 1080 Ti, and the $699 GeForce RTX 2080 far outpaces the previous-gen flagship in real-time ray tracing operations. That makes them among the first consumer GPUs capable of keeping up with Nvidias beastly new $2,000 4K G-Sync HDR monitors, the Acer Predator X27Remove non-product link and Asus ROG Swift PG27UQRemove non-product link, without begging for mercyalbeit at a hefty price. Previously, only the GTX 1080 Ti and swanky Titan-class hardware could feed the ravenous displays. Nvidia also announced a $499 GeForce RTX 2070.

These boundary-pushing graphics cards are built for the future of gaming, todaybut with expensive prices thatll keep you saving your pennies for a while, too. Lets dig in!

This article originally published on August 20, 2018, but has been updated to include links to additional information revealed after the announcement event, including a list of custom RTX graphics cards available to preorder and the initial games supporting Nvidias new technology. Full disclosure: Because Nvidia would provide GeForce information only via an in-person briefing in Cologne, Germany, with no alternative venue in the United States or by virtual means, we accepted the companys offer to pay for my flight and hotel in order to get the story.

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080 specs, price, and release date

Heres a quick list of specs for the tl;dr crowd:

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti:

CUDA cores: 4,352

4,352 Clock speed: 1350MHz base, 1545MHz boost, 1635MHz boost (OC Founders Edition)

Memory capacity: 11GB GDDR6

11GB GDDR6 Memory path: 352 bits

352 bits Memory bandwidth: 616GBps

616GBps Ports: VirtualLink/USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b

VirtualLink/USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b Power: 2 x 8-pin, 250W TDP stock, 265W TDP OC Founders Edition

Release date: September 20, 2018

September 20, 2018 Price: $999 stock, $1,199 Founders Edition

GeForce RTX 2080:

CUDA cores: 2,944

2,944 Clock speed: 1515MHz base, 1710MHz boost, 1800MHz OC Founders Edition

Memory capacity: 8GB GDDR6

8GB GDDR6 Memory path: 256 bits

256 bits Memory bandwidth: 448GBps

448GBps Ports: VirtualLink/USB-C , DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b

VirtualLink/USB-C DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b Power: One 6-pin, one 8-pin

Release date: September 20, 2018

September 20, 2018 Price: $699 stock, $799 OC Founders Edition

By comparison, the older GTX 1080 Ti features 3,584 CUDA cores with up to a 1,600MHz boost clock.

The GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080 are built on TSMCs 12nm manufacturing process, an optimization of the previous generations 16nm, and should see some performance benefits as a result. That GeForce RTX 2080 Ti looks like a performance monsterand it should at that price!

Nvidia

Its interesting that the GeForce RTX 2080 bears significantly fewer CUDA cores than the GTX 1080 Ti, and only 400 or so more than the older GTX 1080. Even with the benefits of 12nm and a restructured streaming multiprocessor architecture, the RTX 2080 might not outpunch the GTX 1080 Ti by much in games using the traditional rasterization rendering technology alone. Update: Nvidia says the GeForce RTX 2080 will be 50 percent faster than the GTX 1080 in traditional games.

That covers, er, pretty much all games right now, though Nvidia said Battlefield V, Metro Exodus and Shadow of the Tomb Raider will be among the first games to bake in support for ray tracing. If ray tracing gets popular, the dedicated RT hardware inside newer RTX 2080 cards would give them a big leg up over the GTX 1080 Tis performance.

Either way, this Battlefield V ray tracing trailer looks stunning.

The last-gen GTX 1080 Ti also featured 11GB of RAM, but of the older GDDR5X variety, hitting a total memory bandwidth of 484GBps. The fact that the RTX 2080 Ti hits 616GBps with a similarly-sized memory bus shows the speed advantage of GDDR6 RAM. These are the first consumer graphics cards equipped with it.

Nvidia designed a new cooling system to tame all the coresthe first dual fan, non-blower-style cooler in its history, and one that Nvidia says is engineered for maximum overclocks. Fully cranked, CEO Jensen Huang says the card puts out one-fifth of the audio output of the GTX 1080. To that end, Nvidia is selling its premium Founders Edition cards with overclocks out of the box this time around, rather than stock speedsanother first.

The price surely grew, however, and Nvidias own Founders Edition cards sell for a higher premium than ever as a result. While the GTX 1080 cost $600 at launch, or $700 for a Founders Edition version from Nvidia, the RTX 2080 Founders Edition costs a staggering $699, or $799 for a Founders Edition. And the RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition rockets past the $1,000 barrier all the way to $1,199, with prices for non-Founders cards staring at $999. The GTX 1080 Ti cost $700 by comparison. Sweet holy moly. Both the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and GeForce RTX 2080 are available to preorder on Nvidias website now, with an estimated ship date of September 20.

Nvidia

Nvidia also revealed the GeForce RTX 2070, though at $499 reference price or $599 for a Founders Edition, it costs as much as a last-gen GTX 1080 despite having 256 fewer CUDA cores. Nvidias CEO claims it should be faster than a GTX 1080 Ti, though that claim is tied to games running ray tracing operationsits likely not nearly as fast as the GTX 1080 Ti in traditional rasterized games. Here are the specs, though Nvidia hasnt revealed a release date.

CUDA cores: 2,304

2,304 Clock speed: 1,410MHz base, 1,620MHz boost, 1,710MHz OC Founders Edition

Memory capacity: 8GB GDDR6

8GB GDDR6 Memory path: 256 bits

256 bits Memory bandwidth: 448GBps

448GBps Ports: VirtualLink/USB-C , DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b

VirtualLink/USB-C DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b Power: One 8-pin, 175W stock, 185W OC Founders Edition

Release date: Unknown

Unknown Price: $499 stock, $599 Founders Edition

Over a dozen custom GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti cards are available to preorder, and we saw several of them in the flesh at Gamescom 2018.

Now lets talk about whats deep inside these graphics cards.

Meet GeForce RTX and RT cores

Nvidia Nvidias Turing GPU, as shown during the Quadro RTX announcement.

Beneath the mere top-level specs lie more interesting changes. Nvidia tweaked the design of the Turing GPUs underlying streaming multiprocessor architecture compared to the Pascal GPUs inside the GTX 10-series, working in changes that debuted in the machine learning-centric Volta GPUs. Heres what Nvidia said when Turing was revealed:

Turing-based GPUs feature a new streaming multiprocessor (SM) architecture that adds an integer execution unit executing in parallel with the floating point datapath, and a new unified cache architecture with double the bandwidth of the previous generation. Combined with new graphics technologies such as variable rate shading, the Turing SM achieves unprecedented levels of performance per core.

But the real secret sauce is what gives the GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti their names. The gaming industrys finally pushing towards the graphics Holy Grail, real-time ray tracing. These Turing GPUs include dedicated RT cores, augmented by AI-boosting tensor cores that let can help identify potential errors or missing information during the ray tracing process. That lets the GeForce RTX 2080 pair process ray tracing far, far faster than their predecessors could.

Nvidia claimed that a single Turing GPU could render the Star Wars demo below more than 8X faster than a GTX 1080 Ti. Thats a substantial and necessary improvement, considering that ray tracing demos Nvidia showed earlier this year required multiple high-end Titan V cards to run, and not very smoothly at that.

So whats the big deal with ray tracing? When Microsoft revealed the DirectX Raytracing API for Windows 10 this past spring, we delved into the differences between real-time ray tracing and the rasterization technique currently used in games:

Ray tracing mimics how lighting works in the real world. Objects are illuminated by 3D light sources, with rays bouncing around before reaching your eyes (or the camera, in games). Light might be reflected by other objects, or look different after passing through water, or be blocked by another object completely and create a shadow. The objects the rays bounce off even affect the final color you see, just like in real life. Ray tracing can deliver very high-quality images. Just look at the Avengers movies! But theres a reason the technique is largely limited to Hollywood films alone: Ray tracing is very computationally expensive Rasterization essentially converts a games 3D models into pixels on your 2D screen, then applies the color information after. Each of the pixels are then colored in independently, applying textures and shading with techniques like shadow mapping and screen-space reflection. Rasterization is much faster than ray tracinghence its use in real-time games. But rasterization has its drawbacks.

The redesigned Turing GPU lays the foundation for a future when gaming graphics look as gloriously lifelike as movie CGI, and the dedicated RT cores are a big part of it. Nvidias clearly throwing its chips behind real-time ray tracingso much so that these new flagships ditch the longtime GTX branding in favor of RTX.

Nvidia

Dont consider ray tracing alone a reason to upgrade to a fresh graphics card yet, though. Getting developers to embrace new graphics technologies can take time (just ask DirectX 12). But again, Nvidia revealed that Metro Exodus and Shadow of the Tomb Raider will include ray tracing, as well as Hitman 2, Asseto Corsa, and many other games. Heres a list of every game that will support Nvidias RTX technology.

VirtualLink and NVLink: Cutting-edge connections

The GeForce RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti also blaze a path for several connection technologies. First up: VirtualLink, a new USB-C alternate-mode standard that contains all the video, audio, and data connections necessary to power a virtual reality headset. Its backed by a consortium of PC heavy-hitters, including Oculus, Valve, AMD, Microsoft, and of course, Nvidia.

Brad Chacos/IDG That tiny USB-C connection on the far end is the VirtualLink port.

VirtualLink is important because it helps to consolidate three connections for a VR headset into one, says Anshel Sag, analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. You wont need break-out boxes anymore. It simplifies the user experience and also helps to standardize everyone behind one connector for all headsets, and one connector for all graphics cards. Although this does theoretically increase the amount of power the GPU may consume since it will deliver power to the headset through the VirtualLink (USB Type-C) connector.

The new graphics cards also include HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4, the latest versions of the ubiquitous connection technologiesand the ones you want powering one of those face-melting G-Sync HDR monitors. Previous-gen GTX 10-series cards shipped DisplayPort 1.4-ready, but those required a firmware update to activate the capabilities.

Brad Chacos/IDG The new NVLink bridge.

Finally, the GeForce RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti bring Nvidias high-speed NVLink interface to consumer graphics cards. NVLink appeared only in high-performance data center GPUs previously. It delivers far, far more bandwidth than standard SLI, and its inclusion is likely a necessity at this point in GeForces evolution. Running multiple GeForce RTX 2080 Ti cards in SLI will require moving a whole lot of information very quickly. Expect SLI support to remain limited to two graphics cards in games, though, even with the faster NVLink connection. The adapter costs $79.

GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti: Why double the fun?

This is the first time that Nvidia has launched the Ti and non-Ti versions of xx80-series flagships simultaneously. Previous iterations of the xx80 Ti launched a full two or three quarters after the non-Ti xx80 card. Thats interesting for a few reasons. Last generation, the lower-tier GTX 1070 managed to out-perform the previous 980 Ti flagship. On paper, the RTX 2080 barely seems to surpass the GTX 1080 Ti this time around. Is the coordinated launch necessary to get the hulking GeForce RTX 2080 Ti out there ASAP to satisfy deep-pocketed enthusiasts with a need for speed? Well know more about the actual capabilities of these cards when we get our hands on review units.

Brad Chacos/IDG

It could also mean well see a refresh of these cards far quicker than we did with the 2.5-year gap between the GTX 10- and 20-series. Nvidia rival AMD is already sampling 7nm Radeon Vega GPUs to customers in data center form, ahead of a launch later this year. We could very well see new consumer graphics cards built on AMDs next-gen Navi GPU architecture at 7nm next year. Given how competitive Nvidia is, I doubt the company would let AMD claim the process lead for long. Maybe we got the 12nm GeForce RTX 2080 Ti early to clear the decks for a response to AMD sometime in 2019.

These are GPUs like youve never seen before, and the $1,179 GeForce RTX 2080 Ti looks outright ferociousthe perfect match for the new wave of drop-dead gorgeous G-Sync HDR monitors that push 4K panels roaring past 60Hz all the way to 144Hz. Those prices though! You have to wonder if gamers will balk at paying so much.
Sometimes, even Abraham Lincoln needs a GoFundMe campaign.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, which supports Lincoln's museum in Springfield, Ill., has found itself $9.7 million in debt on a loan it took out 11 years ago to purchase a collection of rare artifacts from a private collector. Now, hundreds of Lincoln's personal possessions, including a beaver fur stovepipe hat that Lincoln purportedly wore, as well as letters and other artifacts, are at risk of ending up on the auction block if the foundation can't pay off the hulking debt through state funding or private donations. Or even a GoFundMe campaign titled, "Save Lincoln Artifacts. Donate NOW!"

On Wednesday, the foundation and its board members agreed to begin hunting for prospective auction houses. The move is a necessary precaution in the event the foundation cannot make the payment deadline in October 2019, the foundation said.

FILE - In this June 14, 2007 file photo, FILE - In this June 14, 2007 file photo, Abraham Lincoln's bloodstained gloves he carried on the night of his death are photographed at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill. The hunt for auctioneers to sell off valuable Lincoln artifacts to pay a $9.7 million debt began Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 but the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Foundation cautioned a sale isn't imminent. The foundation voted in a private meeting to begin seeking an auction house to dispose parts of the Taper collection of 1,400 items related to Lincoln. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman File)

As of early Friday morning, the Lincoln Museum's GoFundMe page to help save the collection from auction has raised $10,239, still well short of the $9.7 million goal. "It's certainly not a day any of us wanted to see come to pass," Carla Knorowski, the foundation's CEO, told The Washington Post about Wednesday's decision. "Having said that, it's something that we internally have been preparing for just in case. But every day that I wake up, that my colleagues wake up and our board wakes up, we are working to figure out how we can raise money towards this, and how we can successfully bring this campaign to a conclusion." Perhaps the most recognizable item at stake is a beaver fur stovepipe hat that Lincoln purportedly wore as a state lawmaker in Springfield. The famous top hat is just one of three of its kind preserved over time, Knorowski said, although some have questioned its authenticity . The collection offers rare items, such as bloodstained white gloves the president had in his pocket the night he was assassinated, as well as his billfold, eyeglasses and presidential seal, still checkered with red chips of wax wedged into the cracks. Knorowski said there's also a page from his 1824 "sum book," in which Lincoln scribbled long division and wrote a poem in the top corner, bearing the earliest known example of his handwriting. "Abraham Lincoln is my name," 14-year-old Lincoln wrote, "and with my pen I wrote the same. I wrote in both haste and speed, and left it here for fools to read."

The artifacts are all part of the Louise and Barry Taper Collection, one of the most comprehensive collections of Lincoln's personal belongings. In 2007, the foundation acquired more than 1,000 artifacts valued at $25 million from the Taper collection. The money came in the form of a $2 million donation and a $23 million loan, which the foundation expected to pay back in private donations.

At the time of the purchase, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum was still relatively new, having opened its doors in 2005. The library offered tourists a chance to see rare copies of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th Amendment and the Gettysburg Address. But what it lacked, Knorowski said, were Lincoln's everyday belongings or prized possessions that would make the museum come to life.

That's why the Taper collection was so important, she said, as it brought so many of Lincoln's possessions out of private hands and into the public realm.

"Abraham Lincoln is our nation's greatest export," she said. "People might say it's corn or the U.S. dollar or whatever. But it's Abraham Lincoln."

Since the foundation acquired the collection, private philanthropists have donated more than $13 million to pay off the loan, Knorowski said. But donor fatigue in the 11 years since the purchase of the collection has left the foundation and its supporters wondering what's next.

Once the loan is paid off in full, the state of Illinois, with license plates that proudly say, "Land of Lincoln," is expected to become the owner of the collection once the loan is paid off in full, according to the foundation. This move would come despite the state not providing funding to the foundation.

"Many of the donors or prospective donors have come to us and said, well, what is the state doing to help?" Knorowski said.

The foundation met with Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's office in May to talk through their options, but the governor's office "made no financial commitments," the foundation said at the time . A spokeswoman from the governor's office told the State Journal-Register that it would continue to work with the foundation and is "listening to their business plan," but wouldn't elaborate on any help the state might offer.

The foundation is hoping for a $5 million grant from a state tourism fund, believing it could then challenge private donors to match the rest. However, state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who represents the same area that Lincoln once did, told the Associated Press that state funding would be a last resort and questioned whether shopping for auction houses at this point was necessary.

"This is a really bad sign that they've started these proceedings," he told the AP. "I realize they've got to do some planning, but I would hope that the foundation wouldn't move to that step until the absolutely last minute."

The foundation has already sold some items from the collection at auction - specifically, items that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe. She ended up in the Taper collection because of her fascination with the president, Knorowski said. Taper's collection included a dress that belonged to the star that sold for $50,000 at auction and a bust of Carl Sandburg, who Monroe befriended after reading his biography of Lincoln.

Knorowski said the Las Vegas-based auction featuring the Monroe items took more than 10 months to arrange.

"He is the standard-bearer for our nation, and it's important that we honor him, and it's our job at the foundation to honor his legacy every day," Knorowski said. "That's why we bought this collection and that's why we're committed to retaining it."
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Authorities in South Carolina say a woman has been attacked and killed by an alligator as she walked her dog near a lagoon.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said in a news release the attack occurred around 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Sea Pines resort on Hilton Head Island.

The sheriff's office says the woman was attacked and pulled under the surface of the water by an alligator thought to be about 8 feet (2.5 meters) long.

Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen didn't have details about the attack. The woman's name wasn't immediately released.

The sheriff's department said her dog was not hurt.

The sheriff's department, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and resort security personnel are looking for the alligator.
A former bank employee accused of plotting to embezzle nearly $890,000 has a tentative agreement to plead guilty to federal charges that he stole from a customer's estate.

That deal between the U.S. Attorney's Office and Raymond P. Snyder, 35, of York, won't be final unless it is sanctioned by U.S. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane.

It contains no guarantee that Snyder, who worked for the First National Bank, won't be subject to a prison sentence of up to 30 years and a $1 million fine.

U.S. Attorney David Freed said Monday that Snyder is accused of committing the crime on Aug. 17, 2015. He is charged with embezzlement by a bank employee. The case was investigated by the FBI.
A divided state appeals court panel refused Monday to revive lawsuits by a group of Pennsylvania firefighters who blame a siren maker for their hearing loss.

The majority opinion by Superior Court Judge Mary Jane Bowes marks a legal victory for Illinois-based Federal Signal Corp.

Bowes and fellow state Judge Paula Francisco Ott upheld Allegheny County Judge's R. Stanton Wettick Jr.'s finding that six firefighters failed to make a basic product liability case against Federal that could proceed to a jury trial.

Judge Anne E. Lazarus disagreed. In a dissenting opinion, Lazarus argued for revival of the suits. She contended the firefighters had made a sufficient basic case that Federal's Q-siren design was defective. Therefore, their suits should not have been dismissed at the early summary judgment stage, Lazarus wrote.

A major issue in the dispute is whether a shroud should have been attached to the Federal sirens to protect the hearing of firefighters riding on the engines. The shroud proposed by the firefighters would have directed the siren's wail away from them. The unshrouded Q-siren blasts its noise in all directions.

There was disagreement, however, regarding whether a shrouded siren would sufficiently warn motorist and pedestrians, particularly those to the sides and rear of a racing fire engine.

Bowes and Ott agreed with Wettick's decision to dismiss the cases on grounds that the firefighters failed to provide a sufficient expert opinion to show a shrouded siren would alert civilians as effectively as the omnidirectional Q-siren. The Superior Court addressed the dispute after two City of Pittsburgh firefighters, Roger Maher and Carl Roell, appealed Wettick's ruling.

The suit against Federal is one of an array of hearing loss complaints thousands of firefighters from across the nation have lodged against various siren manufacturers.
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Gallery: First day of school in Harrisburg School District
An attorney representing Harrisburg School District claimed Monday the district has no plan to force up to 70 teachers to dig into personal accounts and repay apparent salary over-payments from the last two years.

Jeffrey Sultanik also said the district is open to alternative proposals to settle a Harrisburg Education Association grievance over the salary errors as part of a general contract offer it made public last week.

Under one such concept that Sultanik said was discussed Friday, the city schools could settle the grievance by freezing the pay of the affected teachers at their current levels, and let their underpaid counterparts catch up to them over time.

The precise mechanism for that adjustment, Sultanik said, would need to be worked out in forthcoming contract talks.

But he rejected the notion - advanced at a Harrisburg Education Association press conference last week - that the district wants to extract repayments from some 70 newer teachers.

"We could ask the individual members for a reduction in their pay, but we choose not to do that," said Sultanik, a lawyer with Philadelphia's Fox Rothschild firm who is also a former president of the Pennsylvania School Solicitors Association.

"We choose to bargain."

The pay-inequity issue arose here because of financial troubles that have beset Harrisburg schools for much of the last decade.

Because of the district's dire straits, many veteran teachers have worked several years without moving up the district's seniority-based salary schedule.

That's created a situation over time, HEA President Jody Barksdale said last week, in which teachers with 12 years of experience are being paid on the fifth step of the salary schedule.

The issue became grievance-worthy because, through the last two years, the district has hired approximately 70 teachers at salary steps reflecting their experience - i.e. on step 12, instead of five.

The union says that violates contract language prohibiting new hires from earning more than existing teachers with the same experience.

HEA filed a grievance pointing up the situation, including a compromise settlement that called for closing a part of the gap for the 79 lowest-paid of the incumbent teachers.

From there, HEA's proposed grievance settlement is already similar to what the district said it is willing to consider now: freezing the newer hires' pay until all of the underpaid veterans have caught up.

It was hard to tell how much progress Sultanik's public modulation of the district's position Monday represents in the give-and-take of these multi-layered negotiations.

HEA President Jody Barksdale said Monday the union has not received any specific proposals from the district to resolve the salary-schedule grievance through pay freezes.

The last formal document they've received on that issue, Barksdale said, actually showed on an individual basis how much money each of the affected new hires would be expected to pay back.

Prior to Sultanik's clarification on Monday, labor and education lawyers reached by PennLive in recent days called that clawback proposal, as described by HEA, as unusual, if not unprecedented in Pennsylvania.

"I think that's a very extreme position," said Alaine Williams, a union-side labor and employment lawyer from Philadelphia, adding she hadn't seen anything like it in her 37 years' of practice.

Other attorneys predicted said Harrisburg would likely be swapping one grievance for a whole batch of new ones.

Sultanik, however, made clear the district has no desire to claw funds back from anyone: It simply wants to make the point that the approximately $500,000 cost of the over-payments can't be factored out of the larger salary negotiations.

"They [the grievance and the larger contract] are inextricably connected," Sultanik said, because there is only pool of funds for teacher salaries.

On that point, Barksdale disagreed Monday. She noted HEA filed its grievance over the salary-step discrepancies during the 2017-18 fiscal year, and had hoped to see it settled within that fiscal year's funds.

Harrisburg teachers' last contract expired in June, and teachers are currently beginning the 2018-19 school year under its terms while negotiations on the next pact continue.

District officials put out a news release late Friday saying they are offering teachers raises of nearly $1,000 per year for each of the next three years - that average is presumably before any special terms for the new hires.

It would also be the "maximum annual increase allowed" because of financial constraints under Harrisburg's state-issued recovery plan, the district said Friday.

The average Harrisburg teacher earned a salary of $58,258 in 2017-18, according to state Department of Education figures, and had been teaching in the district for nine years.
Lamarcus Drayton insisted that, despite a Dauphin County jury's verdict to the contrary, he is not guilty of molesting a pre-teen Harrisburg boy.

"I did not do this crime," Drayton said as President Judge Richard A. Lewis prepared to sentence him Monday morning. "I would never in my life do anything like that."

His argument, and defense attorney Jonathan Crisp's plea for leniency, did him no good.

Lewis slapped Drayton, 23, with a 10- to 20-year state prison sentence for his May convictions on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors.

The judge picked that penalty after the victim, who is now a teen, told Drayton he forgives him for the abuse he inflicted for years. "Deep down inside you know what you've done," the teen said. "I don't hate you. I don't like you...I want you to know this (molestation) will never leave my mind."

Drayton was accused of sexually abusing the boy starting when the victim was 8 and ending when he was 13 and the boy and his grandmother came forward.

The grandmother was much less forgiving than the victim. "What you did was very disrespectful," she told Drayton. "I pray that you'll acknowledge your wrong...But you're an ignorant person and it won't happen."

Chief Deputy District Attorney Sean McCormack urged Lewis to hit Drayton hard for the abuse he had inflicted on "an incredible young man"

McCormack cited Drayton's "total lack of remorse." He noted Drayton had been disrespectful in the courtroom during his trial. Also, a district judge had to pause Drayton's earlier preliminary hearing when Drayton acted up while the boy was testifying, the prosecutor said.

Lewis said he was swayed by the victim's "very compelling" testimony at trial. "What strikes me," the judge said, turning to Drayton, "is (the victim) was at a vulnerable age...You took advantage of that vulnerability."

Drayton's punishment will be perpetual. Even after completing his prison term he will have to register with state police as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Amid a silent church and tucked into the final minute of the Mass, the Rev. Keith Carroll removed his chasuble, an outer garment the priest wears during Mass, and walked to the lectern.

The Rev. Keith Carroll, right, during a groundbreaking ceremony outside his church in York on July 22.

His message to his parishioners, the same one he gave Saturday afternoon and at three Masses on Sunday, lasted a couple seconds shy of six minutes. It was, as he would say later Sunday afternoon, one that was as much "from the heart" as fulfilling the talking points that priests around the Diocese of Harrisburg were asked to address.

What was contained in the report released two years after a grand jury was empaneled by the office of state Attorney General Joshua Shapiro, he said, was "sickening and also sobering. Like many Catholics, I myself am utterly appalled by what I read."

He continued: "While hard to get through, I feel it is important for me as a priest to read the report so that the survivors of the abuse and their families know that they have been heard. A few weeks ago I publicly expressed my admiration and respect to all survivors of abuse for their courage and persistence in coming forward, bringing not just sins but, let's call them what they truly are, crimes. Despicable crimes. Abuse of minors and any coverup by leaders of the church are crimes that should always be investigated and if and when necessary, prosecuted."

Carroll said that he wrote his message Saturday, ahead of the first weekend Mass at 4:30. While he acknowledged that the diocese did offer its guidance, how the message was delivered and what it said was up to each priest. On this first Sunday after the release of the grand jury report around the Diocese of Harrisburg, there were only a couple of references to its findings during the homily, or sermon, and the prayers that follow it.

"Once again we beg for forgiveness for the survivors and their families for our many failures of the past and even our failures for the present," he continued. "As pastor I am truly sorry for the continued hurt and pain [that] survivors and their families continue to suffer. I am sorry to everyone who attends faithfully whose faith is shaken and sorry to those who are not present who have left the church . . . scandalized by our failures. Right now I am personally struggling myself with a variety of emotions, ranging from anger at our leadership for their failure, utter and complete embarrassment, and sadness. As I stuffed the bulletins this week with the inserts from the diocese, tears were flowing in my eyes."

READ MORE: Clergy abuse of children in Pa: Recap of grand jury report presentation

That sheet from the diocese included a statement previously released by Bishop Ronald Gainer, which included two steps to take for anyone who suspects abuse of a minor by a church official, employee or volunteer.

Gainer's message, and the one undoubtedly delivered this weekend in church around the dioceses named in the grand jury report, focused on prayer and support.

"While many people have mentioned how important is it to pray for your priest," Carroll said, "please, while we as clergy appreciate those prayers, what is important right now is that we pray for two things: first, for the survivors and their families. That must be our number-one concern right now. Second is this, that these crimes and great sins committed by those in authority within the church may be addressed and purged.

"For those who gather here, we gather here today in faith," he continued. "I thank you for your presence this weekend, your presence for coming here to church to worship in faith. As Catholics we do not place our faith in man, but we place our faith in God. Our faith is centered and rooted in the real presence of Jesus Christ. What has occurred and what perhaps occurs is pure and total evil."

Turnout for the 10:45 a.m. Mass looked normal for mid-August. Maybe half full, especially by 11 o'clock.

READ MORE: Pittsburgh bishop: Church today 'not the church' of grand jury report

Carroll would have one more Mass to read his message, at 5:30 p.m. It's been a tumultuous month for the church in Pennsylvania and nationally. There was the court challenge that would delay the report several weeks, the very public spectacle Tuesday and the fallout since, including a forgiveness Mass on Friday at the Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg.

It is, as the priest referenced, a "dark period of our church's history." Carroll, 37, is a York native and Diocese of Harrisburg seminarian who studied philosophy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in suburban Philadelphia and theology at Mount Saint Mary's seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Ordained in 2009, he became pastor at St. Patrick in May 2014. Since then, he has been pushing for upgrades to the church and its grounds. As part of a Capital Improvement Campaign, Carroll participated in a groundbreaking outside the church July 22.

"It is important more than ever now to run towards God, not away from Him," he told those in attendance, concluding with the passage that God "has promised that we will live forever, but we also endure every challenge and trial that comes our way."
A state appeals court panel has refused to void a $100 fine slapped on a midstate mother accused of refusing an order to get off a school bus.

The Superior Court decision, contained in an opinion by Judge Mary Jane Bowes, comes eight months after Alexis Rivera pleaded no contest to that third-degree misdemeanor in Franklin County Court.

As Bowes noted, it is illegal in Pennsylvania to refuse a driver's order to leave a school bus. Chambersburg Area School District investigators said that's what Rivera, a 33-year-old Fayetteville-area resident, did on Nov. 16, 2017.

Rivera's case took at least one detour. She appeared before county Judge Jeremiah D. Zook in January with a deal to plead guilty to avoid imprisonment.

However, Rivera told Zook she had boarded the bus to talk to the driver about her daughter being bullied. Rivera claimed the driver agreed to let her board and told her not to cross a certain line. She said she left after the driver told her to "shoo" four times, Bowes wrote.

Zook refused to accept her guilty plea because Rivera didn't admit she wasn't authorized to enter the bus. Rivera then changed her plea to no contest, apologized and said "she would have instead discussed her concerns with the principal had she known embarking on the bus was criminal," the state judge noted.

Bowes concluded Rivera had missed a deadline for filing her appeal due to "her own lack of attentiveness and care" because she waited until the last minute to tell her lawyer she wanted to challenge her conviction.

Even if she had filed a timely appeal, it was clear that, despite her claims otherwise, Rivera's no contest plea was entered knowingly and voluntarily and so is valid, Bowes found.
A family lost their home, two pet pigs died and numerous people were treated for smoke inhalation as the result of a fire that broke out around 7 a.m. Monday in North Middleton Township.

"It's totaled. I lost everything. There's probably nothing I can save in there," said Bill Malloy Sr., who said he's the owner of the mobile home in the first block of Hidden Noll Road.

Malloy said he was awakened by a smoke alarm. Also in the home were his wife, son-in-law and a grandson, he said.

Nathan Harig of Cumberland Goodwill Emergency Medical Services said two adults and a child who were inside the home were taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Also taken to the hospital as a precaution were two people who saw the smoke and fire and began banging on doors and windows to alert the occupants. Harig said everyone who was taken to the hospital was in "good condition."

Harig didn't know if the people who tried to help were responsible for waking anyone. However, he said they were able to provide an exact address which helped firefighters, who had been dispatched to the general area, locate the home.

The fire drew eight or more fire trucks and left the home with a jumbled, blackened and nearly gutted interior and smashed out windows

After the main fire was out, a pair of firefighters remained on the metal roof, cutting it with a power saw, prying sections open and then spraying foam within.

Firefighters on Monday morning were investigating the cause.

Malloy, whose home was decorated with multiple American flags, said two young pot-bellied pigs he kept as pets perished in the fire.

As he contemplated the damage, a firefighter, at his request, retrieved the keys to Malloy's white minivan parked in the driveway. But the battery-powered keys were scorched, partially-melted and useless.

Harig said the Red Cross had been contacted and he expected them to arrive shortly to help the family.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro praised Pope Francis for a "powerful" letter on the grand jury report on clergy sex abuse.

Citing the pope's letter Monday, Shapiro said Monday that he hopes church leaders will support the grand jury's recommendations for reforms to protect children.

Pope Francis condemned the abuses as "crimes," adding, "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

The pope's letter came almost a week after the grand jury report detailed decades of child sexual abuse across six of Pennsylvania's eight Catholic dioceses.

"It is my hope that, following the Holy Father's words and teachings, Church leaders in Pennsylvania will cease their denials and deflections and now fully support the Grand Jury's recommendations so that survivors have the opportunity to obtain justice and ensure this type of widespread abuse and cover up never happens again," Shapiro said in a statement Monday morning.

The grand jury report, which was released last week, found that 301 predator priests sexually abused more than 1,000 victims over a period of several decades. Church leaders, including bishops, covered up the abuse and prevented victims from getting justice.

The grand jury also urged state lawmakers to change Pennsylvania law to eliminate the statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes. The grand jury also called for a window for victims to pursue claims in civil court.

Shapiro also appreciated the pope's acknowledgment that the church has "delayed" reforms that are necessary to protect children.

"Pope Francis' powerful letter acknowledges the painful truth that had been hiding in the shadows in Churches throughout Pennsylvania and appropriately focuses on the survivors who have suffered for too long," Shapiro said in the statement.

"The Pope has long been a fighter for the defenseless. As he notes in his letter, actions and sanctions to protect children and hold abusers and those who cover up abuse accountable have been 'delayed,'" Shapiro said.

Shapiro has criticized some leaders, including Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, for their responses to the grand jury report. The grand jury report found that Wuerl, the former bishop of Pittsburgh, covered up the assaults of abusive priests. Wuerl has defended his actions and said he did all he could.

In a statement to CNN Sunday, Shapiro said, "Cardinal Wuerl is not telling the truth." Shapiro said the grand jury report contradicts Wuerl's claims.

Most of the cases identified in the grand jury report are too old to be prosecuted. Shapiro and advocates for victims say reforms to the statutes of limitation are necessary because many people who were sexually abused as children can't come forward for decades.

The grand jury report detailed child sex abuse in these Catholic dioceses: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Scranton and Greensburg.
VATICAN CITY -- The archbishop of Dublin said Sunday he hopes Pope Francis will speak frankly about the "darkness" of priestly sex abuse during his upcoming visit to Ireland, which has been clouded by new revelations of misconduct in the U.S. Catholic Church.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is co-organizing this week's World Meeting of Families, a once-every-three-year Catholic rally meant to energize and encourage Catholic families around the globe. Francis will close out the final two days with a quick, 36-hour visit next weekend.

Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl, meanwhile, cancelled his keynote speech on "The Welfare of the Family is Decisive for the Future of the World," which was to have highlighted the first day of the family congress Wednesday.

And Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the pope's top sex abuse adviser, canceled his participation in a panel discussion on child protection, citing a new investigation at home that he has launched into his diocesan seminary after reports of sexual misconduct went public.

The Washington archdiocese declined to say why Wuerl had pulled out, but he has come under fire for his comments about the Theodore McCarrick scandal and revelations in the Pennsylvania grand jury report about his actions while bishop of Pittsburgh.

The pope's visit has been marred by events across the Atlantic: Accusations that one of the most prominent U.S. cardinals, Theodore McCarrick, molested minors and seminarians, and revelations in a sweeping grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania that detailed the abuse of at least 1,000 children at the hands of around 300 priests since the 1940s.

The two developments, which both suggest complicity of the U.S. church leadership in covering up sex crimes and misconduct, have prompted two U.S. cardinals to withdraw from their planned speeches at the Dublin family congress.

Martin, who has spent years trying to recover the Irish church's credibility following decades of abuse and cover-up, dedicated his Sunday homily to Francis' Aug. 25-26 trip. He said it comes at a time of heightened anxiety over the future of the church in Ireland and beyond.

Martin acknowledged that sex scandals had produced "deep-seated resentment" at both the abusers and the church leaders who facilitated their crimes and sought to protect themselves. In addition to clerical abuse, Martin cited Ireland's mother and baby homes, where unwed mothers were often sent to avoid scandal and where they experienced "extraordinary harshness" by the church.

"It's not enough to just say sorry," Martin said. "Structures that permit or facilitate abuse must be broken down, and broken down forever."

He said the pope won't be able to answer all the questions that might be asked of him, but he said he hoped Francis would speak kindly and frankly.

"The recent history of the church in Ireland had its moments of real darkness," Martin said in the Dublin cathedral. "We need a church of light, a light that exposes darkness for what it is, and a light that is such that the mechanisms of cover-up and self-justification cannot extinguish or tone down."
Two priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been deemed to be unsuitable for ministry.

The Archdiocesan Professional Responsibilities Review Board made this recommendation for Rev. Andrew D. McCormick, 62, and Monsignor Gregory J. Parlante on Thursday, NBC 10 of Philadelphia is reporting.

McCormick, 62, had served at the Sacred Heart Parish in Swedesburg and was arrested in 2012 after he was accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old altar boy in 1997, according to reports.

And Parlante, 61, was arrested and charged in January with intentional possession of a controlled substance and theft after staff members opened a package delivered to him while he was on a leave of absence from the St. Cornelius Parish in Chadds Ford and found what was believed to be illegal drugs, reports indicate.

These determinations came days after the release of a grand jury report into clergy sex abuse in six dioceses across Pennsylvania. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia was not included in this report, which states 300 priests molested more than 1,000 children since the 1940s.

But the report today inspired a blunt letter from Pope Francis stating, "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

In the letter, Francis condemned priestly sex abuse and its cover-up, adding,"no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated."

In the Philadelphia cases, McCormick had been placed on administrative leave after his 2012 arrest, which was followed by two mistrials, according to NBC 10. The criminal charges were formally withdrawn in 2015. Though McCormick has not been active in the priesthood since his arrest, with the new recommendation, an archdiocese spokeperson wrote, "Father McCormick will either be laicized or enter into a supervised life of prayer and penance," according to reports.

And Parlatne had been ordered to a year of probation, to perform community service, and pay back $5,500 for a theft from the parish, resulting in the archdiocese finding him unsuitable for ministry, reports indicate.
By Joseph Cesario

One of the most important social issues of the last five years is fatal police shootings of black Americans.

The concern that police fatally shoot blacks at higher rates than whites has given rise to a strong push for department-wide interventions for police officers. Such interventions, usually in the form of "implicit bias" training, rely on changing the beliefs that officers have about minorities as a means of reducing this racial disparity.

Joseph Cesario (The Conversation, photo)

But are the assumptions underlying these interventions reasonable? Is there strong evidence that faulty officer decision-making is responsible for the racial disparity in fatal police shootings?

There is clear evidence of racial differences in fatal police shootings in terms of population proportions. Black Americans are only about 13 percent of the population, but make up over 30 percent of people fatally shot by police.

It is from this evidence that many news outlets and activists conclude that police officers are racially-biased in their decisions to shoot. If this is true, then it makes good sense to target officer bias.

But is comparing the percentages of blacks and whites shot to the percentages of blacks and whites in the population really the right comparison? Does it tell us what we need to know about how to reduce fatal police shootings?

My colleagues and I have expertise in decision-making and police use of force. We tested whether these population-level comparisons provide us with the information we need to reduce police shootings. Our recent work, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, reveals a different view of police bias.

Importance of benchmarks

Using population-level comparisons as a benchmark for evidence of officer racial bias relies on the assumption that people of all races are equally involved in situations where officers are likely to use deadly force. We argue that this assumption has led to a misdiagnosis of the problem, and by extension, solutions that won't work.

Consider the following example: Imagine that you want to know if there is racial disparity in who receives cancer treatment. You find that among those receiving treatment, blacks make up 13 percent. Comparing this to the overall population of 13 percent, you would conclude that no racial disparity existed.

Yet suppose you learn that blacks make up 75 percent of people with cancer. Surely you would conclude that there is racial disparity in receiving treatment. That's because the relevant pool is those who need treatment, not the general population.

More likely to be shot, compared to what?

As with the cancer example above, it is crucial to choose the correct benchmark or pool of individuals to compare an outcome with.

In the case of police shootings, the evidence is clear that fatal shootings are strongly tied to situations in which violent crime is being committed or suspected of being committed. A typical fatal police shooting occurs when there is the potential for imminent death to an officer or other citizen. Almost 85 percent of police fatal shootings involve armed citizens.

Given this, we can ask, "Are blacks shot more than whites given their presence in situations in which police shootings are likely to occur?"

To answer the question, my colleagues and I analyzed the largest database of fatal police shootings to date, The Guardian's database of police shootings, The Counted. It covers all known shootings from 2015 to 2016. We calculated the odds of being shot for blacks and whites given violent crime rates for each group, which we established by using 16 different measures of crime across four databases. We used these different crime rates as a means of estimating presence in deadly force situations.

One might ask, "Isn't using arrest data to assess crime rates wrong, given that police are more likely to police black communities and arrest black citizens?"

If police are more likely to arrest black citizens than white citizens - without any actual racial differences in criminal behavior - this would inflate crime estimates for blacks and would skew our findings.

To deal with this, we also looked at a different set of data to measure crime - death by assault records from the Centers for Disease Control. These data are derived from death certificates. Whether police are more likely to arrest one race or another for, say, homicide would have no impact on the CDC's counts for how often members of each race die from assault. Thus, the data provide a way to estimate rates of violent crime that is not biased from police arrest decisions (although it is possible that this data could be subject to other kinds of errors).

When we considered the rates at which people from different groups are likely to be present in these contexts, a different picture emerged.

The differences in involvement in criminal situations between black and white citizens fully explains the population-level disparity in fatal police shootings.

This suggests that officer bias - in terms of officers making different shooting decisions for black and white citizens - is not necessarily the cause of black citizens being shot at higher rates. Even if officers were making the same decisions about whether to use deadly force for black and white citizens, population-level disparities would still emerge given these crime rate differences.

What about shootings of unarmed citizens? The results were too uncertain to draw firm conclusions one way or another. This is because the number of fatal shootings in which a citizen is unarmed and not assaulting an officer is small - about 6 percent of all fatal shootings, or 45 people every year.

To be clear, there is a population-level racial disparity in fatal police shootings. But our work suggests this disparity is explained by differences in rates of exposure to the police, rather than racial bias by officers making deadly force decisions.

Now what?

These results may help explain why department-wide implicit bias training has not been - and will not be - effective. It is not addressing the root of the problem. The notion that all officers across the profession are biased in this important decision is not supported by the data.

Instead, our research suggests two paths for reducing fatal police shootings and reducing the population-level gap in these shootings.

First, the most effective means of reducing police shootings would be to reduce violent crime, particularly crimes involving firearms. While this may seem obvious, the point has been lost in most public discussions. The decision to shoot usually happens in certain contexts - reducing the frequency of those events will directly reduce police shootings.

At the same time, it would also reduce police shootings of innocent unarmed citizens who live in neighborhoods with high rates of violent crime. One recent example is the case of Akai Gurley, an unarmed black man who was killed by police patrolling a public housing building in New York City with high rates of violent crime. Reducing violent crime rates would reduce the expectation that officers have of encountering armed individuals in such locations, likely reducing such mistakes.

Second, researchers need to develop tools that accurately identify those few officers who do show robust evidence of racial bias and identify which psychological processes are responsible for such bias. Officers might treat black and white citizens differently due to implicit bias, explicit racism, or even something much more basic such as low skill at visually distinguishing harmless objects from guns.

Targeted interventions, based on a scientific understanding of bias, are needed - not blanket, untested interventions based on faulty assumptions. Our lab has recently been awarded a National Science Foundation grant to develop such interventions.

All research has limitations, and ours is no exception. Our analyses look at national data and cannot speak to any individual case or police officer. Moreover, there is robust evidence of racial bias in other use-of-force behaviors, such as Taser use - just not the use of deadly force. Anti-bias training might be effective in stemming these racially-biased policing behaviors.

The Conversation

Finally, the question of why crime rates are different across racial groups in the U.S. is a complicated question beyond the scope of this research, and thus we do not speak to this issue. Nonetheless, we believe that any research that can suggest new and innovative interventions to address this important problem should be encouraged.

Joseph Cesario is an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University. He wrote this piece for The Conversation, where it first appeared.
By Karen Tumulty

Why am I still a Catholic?

As I sat in the second pew Sunday morning at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Washington, D.C., I knew I was not the only one there who was wondering that.

Karen Tumulty (Washington Post photo)

My parish church - which I have attended for more than 20 years, and where my sons were baptized, received First Communion and were confirmed - seemed fuller than normal for an August morning.

The week had brought revelations of horrors inflicted by some in the Catholic clergy, and of the church hierarchy's complicity in covering up their actions.

For Catholics in Washington, our anguish has been further deepened by the criticism aimed at our own cardinal, Donald W. Wuerl, in a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing decades of alleged predation by more than 300 priests on what may have been thousands of children. In his earlier position as bishop of Pittsburgh, Wuerl was inconsistent in dealing with pedophile priests - in some cases, rooting out and getting rid of them; in others, allowing them to remain in the ministry.

The parish bulletin offered no reassurance. In fact, a tone-deaf letter by our pastor did the opposite. "Some have suggested withholding all financial contributions to their parish so as to send a message to the bishops," he wrote. "Let me assure you that this action serves only to limit what the parish does to serve you; it will not in any significant way affect the Archdiocese." That only reinforced my decision to turn in my own offering envelope empty.

But then, our young parochial vicar, Father Alec Scott, stepped up to give the sermon.

Father Alec, who was ordained only three years ago, began by telling us about a silver compass his brother had given him as a high school graduation present, along with a note that said: "Alec, never be afraid to go your own direction."

He kept the compass close, as a metaphor for his decision to go into the priesthood. But he felt occasional pangs, as he watched friends get married and celebrated the birth of his nieces and nephews. Father Alec would think: "I've chosen my way. What have I given up or lost?"

The past week stirred a new, darker set of doubts, he said: "What am I doing with my life? What am I doing as a priest in this church?"

And then he pointed us to the morning's Gospel, from the book of John, in which Jesus made the most fundamental of his promises, the one that Catholics accept every time they receive the Eucharist: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever."

It was the compass again, this time pointing the way home, Father Alec said. "I say to myself, I don't know where else I will find this."

"For all the problems that we experience," he added, "there is still the presence of God in this place."

He implored us not to be "repulsed by our brokenness," because "your prayers are essential. Your presence in this reform is essential."

When he finished, the congregation erupted in applause.

The Catholic Church does not belong to the bishops. Jesus gave it to us. And we must take it back.

What happened in Pennsylvania, and probably many other states, was a crime - not just on the part of the priests who committed these hideous acts, but also on the bishops who conspired and colluded to conceal what they had done. I want justice, not just in the eyes of God, but in those of the law. The statute of limitations should be lifted, and the higher-ups in the church should also be held to account.

I also believe the Catholic Church should reconsider its position on celibacy, which contributes to an environment of secrecy, and its patriarchal culture, which denies women a meaningful role in its leadership. Those are things that have to be accomplished from the inside.

Let's hope the bishops reset their own compasses. They have lost their way, and their moral authority.

There was another passage in the scripture readings this morning, from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians: "Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil.

"Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord."

Karen Tumulty writes about national politics for The Washington Post, where this piece first appeared.
Petoskey library kicks off NASA@My Library program on Nov. 4

Shoot for the stars with the Petoskey District Librarys new NASA@My Library program, which will be launching on Nov. 4.
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A former aide to Donald Trumps presidential campaign just destroyed one of the presidents favorite talking points about Robert Muellers Russia investigation.

In an interview with CNN, ex-aide Michael Caputo said that Mueller is still really focused on possible collusion between Russia and team Trump.

Its clear they are still really focused on Russia collusion, Caputo told the news organization. They know more about the Trump campaign than anyone who ever worked there.

Caputo would know, too. As CNN noted, the ex-Trump aide made the remarks just after being interviewed by the Special Counsel on Wednesday.

He also pointed out that Robert Mueller knows exactly what hes looking for, and his team is deadly accurate.

The Senate and the House are net fishing, he told CNN about the ongoing congressional investigations compared to Muellers inquiry. The special counsel is spearfishing. They know what they are aiming at and are deadly accurate.

Caputo totally demolished the Trump narrative

Like a pull toy, Trump has repeatedly shouted no collusion! whenever given the opportunity.

Just after Robert Muellers questions were leaked on Monday, Trump repeated the claim in an unhinged tweet, saying falsely that there were no questions on Collusion.

So disgraceful that the questions concerning the Russian Witch Hunt were leaked to the media. No questions on Collusion. Oh, I seeyou have a made up, phony crime, Collusion, that never existed, and an investigation begun with illegally leaked classified information. Nice!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2018

But as ThinkProgress pointed out shortly after the president lied on Twitter, Theres just one problem  the list actually contains 13 questions directly pertaining to campaign coordination with Russia, as the Times puts it.

ThinkProgress added: Trumps casual lie about the nature of Muellers questions illustrates why his legal advisers think its risky for the president to sit down for an interview with the special counsel.

Once again, Trump isnt just spewing something that is flatly and provably false. Hes also demonstrating just how detached he is from the fact-based world.

At this point, the only people who believe Russian collusion isnt a major piece of the Mueller investigation are living or working at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
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Trumps lawyers realized that they have no idea what White House Counsel Don McGahn told Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The New York Times reported:



President Trumps lawyers do not know just how much the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, told the special counsels investigators during months of interviews, a lapse that has contributed to a growing recognition that an early strategy of full cooperation with the inquiry was a potentially damaging mistake.

The presidents lawyers said on Sunday that they were confident that Mr. McGahn had said nothing injurious to the president during the 30 hours of interviews. But Mr. McGahns lawyer has offered only a limited accounting of what Mr. McGahn told the investigators, according to two people close to the president. That has prompted concern among Mr. Trumps advisers that Mr. McGahns statements could help serve as a key component for a damning report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, which the Justice Department could send to Congress, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

The speculation is that McGahn gave some information to Mueller that was bad for Trump and other information that was good for Trump. McGahn is the White House attorney. He is not Trumps personal lawyer. His duty is to protect the presidency, not Donald Trump. It was a major mistake for Trumps lawyers not to know what the White House attorney talked to Mueller about.

The panic among Trumps defenders is why Rudy Giuliani was on Meet The Press trying to spin McGahn as a fabulous witness for Trump. Giuliani was lying. He doesnt know if McGahn was a good witness for Trump or not. It was all spin, but has become clear is that Trump and his lawyers have bungled his defense and may have handed Mueller an eyewitness to potential crimes.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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Michael Avenatti appears to be serious about running for president. He was in New Hampshire over the weekend talking to Democrats, helping them raise money, and laying groundwork for a 2020 campaign in the state which holds the nations first primary.

The lawyer who became famous fighting Donald Trump over the Stormy Daniels affair put Trump in his crosshairs and called on Democrats to fight fire with fire.

He was the main speaker at a Democratic Party event Sunday and roused the crowd in much the same way that he did in Iowa last week.

He also clarified that this is not a lark, telling reporters that Im absolutely being serious as he mulls a run for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

Pushing back against charges that his political testing of the waters is a publicity stunt, Avenatti said,

Im not going to go out and do this and give speeches like this and talk to people on some lark. Im going to seriously consider this because the 2020 election is a critical election, I would venture to say the most critical in modern times.

Asked how he would take the fight to the president, a confident Avenatti claimed, Donald Trump doesnt want to debate me on a national stage. Thats for sure. Theres no question about that.

I think hes a bully and I think he doesnt like people who punch back and I think Id be incredibly effective against him, Avenatti added. I dont think hes very quick on his feet. I dont think hes that intelligent and I think hed be completely outclassed.

He also had a message to other potential Democratic White House hopefuls. He said:

The 2020 election is going to be a brutal, knockdown, street fight, and if someones not up for that type of campaign, they need to stay home and not seek the nomination.

As a top trial attorney who has won many large lawsuits, Avenatti believes he is the person the Democratic Party needs to represent them in a street fight with Trump and the GOP.

During his speech Avenatti repeatedly took aim at Trump, getting huge applause in response to remarks such as:

Donald Trump does not have the knowledge, wisdom, compassion or fortitude to serve as president of the United States.

I dont think President Trump is very quick on his feet. I dont think hes that intelligent and I think hed be completely outclassed.

This president, no matter how corrupt or cruel he is, he knows how to fight. And Democrats have a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gunfight.

I believe that our party, the Democratic Party, must be a party that fights fire with fire. I believe we cannot be the party of turning the other cheek.

He also repeated a phrase which has become his tag line, saying:

When they (Republicans) go low, we hit harder.

In the ending to his speech he fired up the crowd by saying:

We will make America gracious again. We will make America fair again. We will make America dynamic again. We will make America respected. And above all else, we will make America America again.

Avenatti also said that as president, he would support Medicare for All, ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, and sensible gun control in America. He also said, We should never have another school shooting on U.S. soil.

Clearly Michael Avenatti sees himself as a traditional liberal who has what it takes to beat Donald Trump while promoting the Democratic Party agenda. His early campaign stops have generated a large amount of interest and enthusiasm on the part of Democratic voters. Democrats are afraid of what Donald Trump is doing to the country, while also being desperate for change. Democrats are looking for a winner, and according to Michael Avenatti, he is that person.

In some ways its hard to believe that the 2020 presidential race has already begun when the 2018 midterm elections have not even happened yet. Most 2020 contenders will wait until after November before making their moves. Avenatti has gotten the jump on the others, and it remains to be seen whether or not it will pay off for him in the end.
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Steve Bannon has issued a warning for Republicans, and he hopes they will listen to him. In an interview with the Associated Press (AP) Bannon said he believes the GOP would lose 35 to 40 seats in the House if the election were held today.

AP Interview: Heres how Steve Bannon wants to rally GOP voters to help save Republican House majority.

AP Interview: Here's how Steve Bannon wants to rally GOP voters to help save Republican House majority. https://t.co/yPG5w2ovvY  The Associated Press (@AP) August 20, 2018

During a Sunday interview the former chief strategist for Donald Trump said he thinks the Republican Party needs to make major changes between now and election day in the way they are campaigning. If they dont, he said, the party will be handing over their majority in Congress to Democrats who he believes will pursue impeachment proceedings against the president.

Bannon said he believes that there is still time to turn the election around, however. And of course he has the proposed solution, in the form of his new group, called Citizens of the American Republic.

His main strategy is to paint this years contests a vote to protect Trump from impeachment, and by doing that, motivate a higher turnout among Trump supporters.

You cant look at this as a midterm and you cant run it out of the traditional Republican playbook. If you do that, youre going to get smoked, he said.

Bannon clearly is trying to increase his influence within the Republican Party as well as within the White House, where he has fallen out of favor. He was fired from a White House position last year after Michael Wolffs book included many negative quotes from Bannon talking about the president and his family.

After that, his relationship with Trump went down hill even though many credit Bannons strategy with putting Trump in the White House in the first place.

Bannon said he knows there are big challenges this year, such as an energized Democratic electorate. With just 78 days until election day 2018, Democrats are gathering steam and need a net gain of just 24 seats to take back control of the House of Representatives. Turnout and voter enthusiasm has been very high in special elections held this year and Democrats are very optimistic about their chances in November.

Bannon, however, said Republicans can gain ground if they focus on turning out Trump supporters.

This is not about persuasion. Its too late to persuade anybody. Were 90 days away from this election. This is all about turnout and what I call base-plus, he said.

Bannon said his new venture will focus on rapid response and polling with the goal of framing the election as an up or down vote on Trump and impeachment.

Concerning trade, Bannon supports tariffs, which have drawn criticism in agricultural states. He says they are a key part of Trumps nationalistic economic strategy.

People in Iowa, once its explained to them, will fully support the president in this, he said. We dont have a choice. We either win the economic war with China or were going to be a secondary, a tertiary power.

Bannon said he believes Trumps culture wars, such as attacks on women and minorities, dont present a problem.

He also believes that Trump would benefit from shutting down the government over funding for his border wall, saying it would galvanize the populist right.

Bannon, however, does not agree with those who think it would be positive for Trump if Democrats take back House control. He called such notions dangerously naive.

Looking ahead to the 2020 presidential race, Bannon said he thinks attorney Michael Avenatti could be a real contender.

Hes a fighter and people are looking for fighters, Bannon said of Avenatti, though he believes Trump would defeat any opponent. Hes going to be a force in the primary for the simple reason that he comes across as what many of the Democrats dont, which is a fighter.

In this interview Bannon once again made clear that he is the architect of many of Donald Trumps misguided policies and tactics. If Republicans listen to him, and continue to follow these failing approaches, they are sure to see happen the exact thing he is trying to prevent: a sweeping Democratic victory that gives them back control of Congress.
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Former White House Special Counsel Kathy Ruemmeler explained that Trump and Giuliani are wrong. There is no attorney/client privilege between the president and the White House lawyer. Trump is freaked out because Don McGahn had to answer Muellers questions.

Video:

Reummler said on MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell Reports, I think Rudy is wrong. I understand why the president is wanting to take credit for the fact that his White House counsel has apparently provided a lot of information to the special counsel, but it really wasnt a choice. Wasnt a matter of strategy. Don McGahn is the White House counsel was a fact witness in a criminal investigation, and he has an obligation to answer questions that are put to him. Its as simple as that. The D.C. Circuit court of appeals in 1998 decided this question pretty definitively and said if you are a government lawyer working on behalf of the American people, and you are advising the president or other government officials, there is not a traditional attorney/client privilege in the way we think about if you would go out and hire a lawyer as a private citizen and you are able to talk to your lawyer with an expectation of confidentiality. So that ship has sailed. And, you know, did the idea that somehow President Trump allowed his White House counsel to provide information, I think is, frankly, silly. There wasnt a choice here.

Trump and Giuliani dont know what McGahn told Mueller

Trump and Giuliani and trying to spin McGahn talking to Mueller for 30 hours because they have no idea what the White House counsel told the Mueller investigation. Trump didnt allow McGahn to testify. He had to testify under the law. Don McGahn is not Trumps lawyer, so what he saw or heard, he had to tell the Special Counsel.

Trump and Guliani are freaking out and trying to spin McGahns legal obligation into investigative cooperation. They dont know what McGahn told Mueller, and that fact is causing a great deal of fear in the president and his lawyers.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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President Donald Trump lashed out against special counsel Robert Mueller on Monday in a second day of unhinged tweets that will lead to further speculation about his mental stability.

In his early morning tweet storm he compared his situation to Watergate, insisted once again his general counsel Don McGahn isnt a RAT and accused Muellers team of looking for trouble. He also said collusion is a phony crime.

Surprisingly, after this many tweets, he still has not learned how to spell the word counsel, as he tweeted:

Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone.

.looking for trouble. They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side  the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Muellers Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!

Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

.looking for trouble. They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side  the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Muellers Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

Trump also seemed to imply in his third tweet this morning that obstruction of justice is no big deal, and should not be a crime because he is just fighting back against phony charges.

Wheres the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!

Wheres the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

Trumps latest rant follows the blockbuster New York Times article on Saturday which said that the White House general counsel McGahn has been cooperating with Mueller. It said that McGahn has talked for over 30 hours with the special counsel team that is investigating Russian election meddling in the 2016 elections. They are also looking at the issue of collusion between the Russian government and Trumps presidential campaign.

In Sundays tweet storm, he contrasted McGahn with John Dean, the White House counsel for Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type RAT, Trump wrote Sunday.

But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide  he wrote.

Dean, a frequent critic of Trump, tweeted Sunday that he doubts the president has ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didnt think I would tell them the truth!

Trumps lawyers at the time had encouraged McGahn and other White House officials to cooperate with Mueller. His current attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said on NBCs Meet the Press that Trump didnt seek executive privilege because they believed that working with the special counsel would be the fastest way to end the Russia probe.

The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president, Giuliani said.

McGahns attorney William Burck added in a statement on Sunday: President Trump, through counsel, declined to assert any privilege over Mr. McGahns testimony, so Mr. McGahn answered the Special Counsel teams questions fulsomely and honestly, as any person interviewed by federal investigators must.

Clearly the president is upset at the latest turn of events and is lashing out at anyone and everyone he can think of. Of course in the end it will be to no avail. Donald Trumps words and actions, as Bob Mueller closes in, are full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
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Any campaign strategist will say that the last thing they want to do is feed their supporters complacency with false claims of impending victory, but that is exactly what Trump is doing ahead of the midterms.

Trump continues to insist that a red wave is coming with zero data or election results to back up his claims:

Great Republican election results last night. So far we have the team we want. 8 for 9 in Special Elections. Red Wave!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2018

A top House Republican operative told Axios, Its worrisome. The Presidents tweeting red wave, and they watch Fox News. These [Trump voters] will say, The same Fake News, Deep State people told me Hillary was going to win and Hillary lost. Weve won all these elections.'

A second Republican operative said, They watch Hannity and hear that a red wave is coming to save the House. They really believe its going to be 2016 all over again.

Republican voters have been lulled into complacency by Trump and Fox News

One does not have to look at polling data to believe that there is a blue wave coming. Democrats have flipped 47 state-level races since Trump took office. Republicans have flipped 8 Democratic seats, according to a Daily Kos elections analysis. The evidence of blue wave can be found in the election results. Democrats are more motivated to vote. They are showing up and making elections that Republicans should easily win close calls, like the recent House special election in Ohio.

Trumps red wave culture of denial is hurting Republicans

Speaker of the House, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has been warning incumbent House Republicans for months that they need to start campaigning and raising money because a blue wave is coming. The incumbents havent been listening. They too have been lulled into a false sense of security by Fox News and Trumps talk of a red wave. There is no data suggest that Republicans are motivated to vote in November. Trumps red wave talk isnt motivating Republicans. It is making them think that they dont have to show up on Election Day.

There is no red wave

There is no red wave. In previous Republican wave elections. The voter motivation was seen months before the midterm. There is not enough Republican dark money to replicate the spending that the GOP has had to do to survive the special elections in the midterm. Republicans are in big trouble, and Trumps talk of a red wave is only going to help Democrats in November.
Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Hannah Alani is a reporter at The Post and Courier covering race, immigration and rural life across the Palmetto State. Before graduating from Indiana University and moving to Charleston in 2017, her byline appeared in The New York Times.
The federal court victory in South Carolina last week over protecting drinking water has been challenged by industry groups. Conservationists say they will continue the fight. File/ Wade Spees/Staff
Michael Majchrowicz is a reporter covering crime and public safety. He previously wrote about courts for the Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, Massachusetts. A Hoosier native, he graduated from Indiana University with a degree in journalism.
In this Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, photo, North Korean soldiers salute as others bow before the giant bronze statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il during the anniversary of the end of World War II and liberation from Japanese colonial rule in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication.
Obviously, I knew downtown Rochester retail icon, O&B Shoes, was closing up shop. I wrote about it o n Aug. 6 .

And yet, I was still kind of surprised to see it empty today as I strolled by the storefront at 19 First Ave. SW clutching my Victoria's Express salad.

What was just recently a bright and busy place is now locked up with only random boxed of odds and ends stitting here and there.

O&B Shoes owner Don Hadley, colorfully known as The Sole Man, finally retired at age 80.

O&B, which was founded by Leo Olson and Herbert Bergerson in 1933, had been in that location for almost three years.

It moved there after experiencing lease issues at its longtime Peace Plaza spot on the corner of 100 First Ave. SW, where it operated for almost 40 years. While in that high-profile spot  now occupied by Primp, a clothing boutique  Jeannine Hadley earned a reputation of creating elaborate and entertaining window displays.

From 2008 until just recently, O&B had a second store in southwest Rochester. The owners decided to close that store to bring more inventory to the downtown location, Hadley said.

It does bring things into focus as one stands by all the construction barricades with cranes swinging over head.

Changes to Rochester and downtown are not just about Destination Medical Center-inspired developments like Discover Square One or new hotels.

It is also an end to an era with many of the long-time businesses that gave Rochester its welcoming Midwest vibe for decades closing their doors for good.

O&B, Michael's, Mac's, Barnes & Nobles and others are gone leaving empty storefronts behind as sad reminders of what once was.

Cities always change. Progress always marches forward.

However, it's worth noting that when you see a new downtown rising up, it stands on the foundations of what was built and enjoyed by previous generations.
Van Tassels mother, Annette Sackett, died from the disease on May 29.

Sackett, a Stewartville resident, was a volunteer, quilter, avid antiquer, and loving mother and grandmother.

Alzheimers took those things away one by one, Van Tassel said.

"My mom was very fortunate to have had a pretty peaceful Alzheimers experience for seven, eight years," Van Tassel said. "But the last year, we really saw all of the changes and all of the horrible things you hear about  when you feel like you lose her twice. Youre caring for someone who looks like your mom, but isnt your mom."

The changes and tantrums made Van Tassel realize how "naive" her family had been about the reality of Alzheimers.

"It was hell. And its still very fresh and raw," she said. "Just to think about what she went through, it was a horrible way to go."

Days later, the Alzheimers Association reached out to the family and, having seen Annettes story, asked them to be the honorary family for the 2018 Rochester Walk to End Alzheimers.

That request turned the tide of grief into a force for good.

"It was very important to us, seeing how this disease had torn her down," Van Tassel said. "You want to get together with anybody and everybody to fight this. If something positive comes out of this, my family wants to be part of it."

Now Annettes teamhas 60 family members, friends, and coworkers (some all the way from Maine), and has raised nearly $8,500 of the $10,000 goal. Van Tassel likes to think her mother would be proud of all of them.

There are people on the team she doesnt know  but they knew her mother, and thats whats important.

And the donations have rolled in, she said. Many have been very generous, but the smaller contributions had an effect as well. A child of one of her mothers friends dropped off two dollars in change from her piggy bank shortly after they began raising money for the walk.

"It makes you smile," Van Tassel said. "I wonder if we would have been as okay as we are if we didnt have this walk.  I think its helped us move past it a little easier, just having such a good thing to work on."
Photo: Contributed

Nobody really likes to nag or be annoying, but some days it seems to be the only way I can get people to face issues theyd prefer to ignore:

money

insurance

death.

The No. 1 item Im constantly reminding (nagging?) people about is to get their will, power of attorney and health representative agreements set up and in place.

While most of us realize how truly important these three documents are, many keep putting this task off.

Why do people put this off for so long?

Is it not wanting to think about death?

Are they assuming that nothing will happen to them prematurely?

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who first said, The only two things guaranteed in life are death and taxes."

In order to make the decisions necessary to complete these important documents, you have to face this reality and discuss what will need to be done.

If you dont make these decisions and ensure that they will be known, the court system will make them for you.

Another common objection that I hear from my clients is that they dont want (or cant afford) to spend the money to have these done properly.

Many turn to online will kits and assume that this should be adequate. Creating these documents can be quite complex and a trained professionals insight can be worth their weight in gold here.

For example, a do-it-yourself kit will not discuss the Wills Variation Act of BC that allows spouses and children to contest your wishes that you have laid out.

Careful planning is also needed for those who have been divorced or remarried  without properly designed documents, an ex-spouse could potentially inherit your entire estate.

Some clients also claim they are procrastinating because they can't decide the answer to some of the questions that are being asked.

If you truly cant decide who to name as the guardian for your children or the best executor for your estate, go forward and get the documents drawn up anyway.

It is fairly easy to make adjustments down the road without having to redo the whole thing.

If after reading all of this, you still feel that you dont want to bother with a will, power of attorney and a health representative agreement, you at least owe it to yourself and your family to find out what happens if you dont have these documents.

A quick Google search will show thousands of articles on dying without a will in British Columbia." Similar information is also available on what happens if youre no longer able to make medical or financial decisions.

Your quick search will show that having these documents in place is likely not going to help you personally, but they will provide significant protection and peace of mind for your loved ones.

Youre not setting this part of your financial plan up for yourself but instead you do it for those you care about most.

The time to stop procrastinating has come.

Speak to your lawyer today and set up an appointment to create or review your plans.

If youre not sure who to talk to, send me an email and we can point you in the right direction.
Those of us who get our news from sources beyond the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN are likely to have a different view of the Mueller Switch Project than, say Chuck Todd. Todds reverence for the ability of Mueller to divine the truth, evident in his interview yesterday with Trump spokesman Rudy Giuliani, can be understood as ill-informed by anyone who has troubled to read Andrew McCarthys NR column Of Course There Is Such a Thing as a Perjury Trap.

There is a difference between Todd and McCarthy. Todd is a political hack and McCarthy is a former federal prosecutor who knows what he is talking about. When Todd mocked the notion that truth isnt truth  that its not that simple  he was, to put it charitably, not seeking to refine and enlarge the public view. Thats the point I made in The Todd trap. In the matter of truth is not truth, understood as intended, Giuliani is right and Todd is wrong.

Giuliani also appeared on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo yesterday. Bartiromo is one who gets the news from sources that extend beyond the New York Times. She quizzed Giuliani on several of the mysteries that have occupied us on Power Line. Bartiromo asked Giuliani, for example, whether Mueller is investigating matters related to the Clinton campaign. Giuliani does not answer directly. This is an interesting interview.

Quotable quote: What I didnt realize until all of this evidence began to come in is this [was] all being orchestrated by John Brennan.
The New York Times reports that White House Counsel Don McGahn was interviewed for something like 30 hours total by Robert Muellers team. According to the Times, President Trump agreed to have McGahn questioned by Team Mueller without conditions or limitations.

I have several observations about the Times article. First, the decision not to object to the interview of McGahn, or at least try to negotiate ground rules and limitiations, strikes me as a monumental blunder.

The Times says Trump consented because his first team of criminal lawyers wanted to collaborate fully with Mueller. They believed their client had nothing to hide and that they could bring the investigation to an end quickly.

This was a serious miscalculation. It doesnt matter for these purposes whether you believe your client has nothing to hide. What matters is whether the prosecutors believe this. Prosecutors, by their nature, seldom have that belief. In this case, moreover, it should have been obvious that Mueller and his partisan team never believed Trump has nothing to hide.

Nor was having McGahn talk for hours and hours reasonably calculated to bring Muellers investigation to a quick end. On the contrary, it was always likely to provide the prosecutors with new pieces of information to check out and new angles to pursue. You dont curtail an investigation by feeding it.

Its not clear that Trump and his lawyers could have prevented Mueller from interviewing McGahn. The White House lawyer is not Trumps lawyer  whatever Trump might think  so the attorney client privilege doesnt apply. However, executive privilege might. Trumps lawyers should have asserted it, and anything else they could assert with a straight face. If nothing else, doing so probably would have limited the scope of Muellers inquiry.

The Times claims that McGahn, stunned by Trumps willingness to have the interview take place, suspected that Trump consented in order to make McGahn the fall guy. I dont whether this is true. But McGahn must have wondered why intelligent lawyers and an intelligent president were acceding to a carte blanche interview.

Second, I have no doubt that McGahn answered Team Muellers questions fully and honestly. Im confident he wouldnt sacrifice his reputation, not to mention risk criminal jeopardy, in order to cover up for Donald Trump.

Theres a good chance McGahn didnt think his answers would place Trump in jeopardy (see below). But either way, McGahn was going to answer honestly and let the chips fall where they may.

Third, it seems unlikely that McGahns answers can form a valid basis for alleging criminality by Trump. The Times reports:

Mr. McGahn gave to Mr. Muellers investigators, the people said, a sense of the presidents mind-set in the days leading to the firing of Mr. Comey; how the White House handled the firing of the former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn; and how Mr. Trump repeatedly berated Mr. Sessions, tried to get him to assert control over the investigation and threatened to fire him.

In the absence of truly extraordinary circumstances, asking the Attorney General to assert control over a crucial investigation, and threatening to fire him (but not doing so), is surely not obstruction of justice. Neither is firing Michael Flynn, regardless of how it was handled.

Apparently, Team Mueller sees possible obstruction of justice in the firing of Muellers former comrade-in-arms, James Comey. I dont know how this exercise of presidential authority could be obstruction, given that (1) Comey told Trump he had found no evidence of unlawful conduct by the president and (2) the firing of Comey did not shut down the Russia investigation and was never likely to.

The Times says Team Mueller asked McGahn about his discussions with Trump regarding firing Mueller himself. No doubt. But Trump hasnt fired Mueller. Thus, while the conversations about this subject must have been interesting, they are not the stuff of justice obstruction.

McGahn himself reportedly doesnt see criminality in the presidents exercise of his authority to take such action as firing Comey and pressuring Jeff Sessions to engage in the Russia investigation. According to the Times:

Mr. McGahn cautioned to investigators that he never saw Mr. Trump go beyond his legal authorities, though the limits of executive power are murky.

Im not sure whether that last clause is what McGahn told investigators or the Times editorializing. But theres nothing particularly murky about the presidents authority to fire his FBI director and his national security adviser, or to pressure his attorney general to lead a key investigation.

Fourth, although its unlikely that McGahns answers can form the basis for valid allegations of criminality by Trump, Team Mueller may well have obtained information it will use to allege criminality. Its likely that, during all of those hours spent questioning McGahn, Muellers team obtained nuggets with which, creatively, to spin out claims that Trump violated this or that law. Im pretty sure that, at a minimum, they obtained politically embarrassing nuggets to include in their report.

This brings me back to my first point. Trump and his lawyers should never have consented to McGahns interview with Muellers team.
According to Goldstein Research, global bio-fertilizers market estimated at USD 0.52 billion in 2016, which is estimated to reach USD 3.4 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 13.18% over the forecast period 2016-2024.

Bio-fertilizers Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-20 08:45:28

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99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527



Steve Blade

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6465687747

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# 499 Words

99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747

According to Goldstein Research, global bio-fertilizers market estimated at USD 0.52 billion in 2016, which is estimated to reach USD 3.4 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 13.18% over the forecast period 2016-2024. Bio-fertilizers strong resistance against the developing crop diseases is the key factor driving market demand. The demand of fertilizers is witnessed to continue to increase from the developing countries owing to rising awareness towards the harmful impact of chemical fertilizers and growing inclinationtowards organic food. Further geographically, global bio-fertilizers industry is dominated by Asia Pacific region with a market share of 32.0% valued at USD 1.1 billion in 2016. APAC is followed by Europe, due to the government agricultural policies towards sustainable agriculture practices & increased production. Thus, Europe bio-fertilizers market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.2% during the forecast period.Browse Full Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/report/global-bio-fertilizer-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 Market SegmentationGlobal Bio-fertilizersMarket can be segmented as follows:Based on Bio-fertilizer Type Nitrogen- Fixing Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Potash-Mobilizing Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Phosphate-Solubilizing Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Plant Growth Promoting Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024Based on Crop Type Fruits and Vegetables Cereals and Grains Oilseeds and Pulses Other Crops ( Cash Crops, Fiber Crops, Forage Crops)Based on Application Soil Treatment Seed TreatmentBy Region North America Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Europe Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Middle East And Africa Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Latin America Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Asia Pacific Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Rest Of The World Bio-fertilizers Market Analysis, 2016-2024Global Bio-fertilizers Market Outlook 2024 contains detailed overview of the global bio-fertilizers market. On the basis of our in-depth analysis, market can be segmented in terms of market segmentation by bio-fertilizers type, crop type, application and geography.Download Exclusive Sample Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/request-sample/global-bio-fertilizer-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 The Global Bio-fertilizers Market Report highlights the competitive outlook of major global players that includes the business strategies, product portfolio, revenue distribution, financial analysis, R&D activities andinvestments. The in-depth analysis of bio-fertilizers market report will help the clients to assess their business strategies as per the competitive environment in the market space.Get More Information About Bio-Fertilizers MarketMajor players of the global bio-fertilizers marketdiscussedin the report are: Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd., National Fertilizers Ltd., Novozymes, Lallemand Inc., Madras Fertilizers Limited (India), Camson Bio Technologies Private Limited, Nachurs Alpine Solutions, International Panaacea Limited, Krishak Bharti Co-operative Ltd (KRIBHCO), AZOMURES, Rizobacter Argentina S.A., International Panaacea Limited, EuroChem Agro GmbH, Bio Power Lanka, Ajay Bio-Tech (India) Ltd, Agri Life, Antibiotice S.A., Biomax,etc.Further, Global Bio-fertilizers Market Report encompasses the major trends & growth opportunities, market dynamics and other growth factors. The Bio-fertilizers Market outlook also comprises of key challenges for the market players, risk analysis, SWOT Analysis, BPS analysis and Market Attractiveness. Report also includes the expert analysis which provides complete overview of the market post analysis of the economic, political, environmental & social factors of each region and country.Browse Similar Report:
IOT in Agriculture Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-20 10:20:34

Press Information

Goldstein Research

99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527



Steve blade

Global Sales Manager

6465687747

email

https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/





# 552 Words

99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747

According to Goldstein Research, global IoT in agriculture market estimated at USD 4.40 billion in 2015, which is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 28.30% over the forecast period 2016-2024. The penetration of modern agricultural equipment which are embedded with advance technologies such as IoT to enhance the monitoring activities in agriculture. The rising food demand across the world due to increasing population has led the farmers & government automate the agricultural practices, which is thus driving the market. Further geographically, global IoT in agriculture industry is dominated by North America region, acquiring nearly 75.0% market share, owing to the presence of tech giants in the region. North America is followed by Europe, anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.50% during the forecast period. The European countries such as Greece, Spain, Poland, France and Scotland are witnessed to have implemented the IoT based solutions in agriculture.Browse Full Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/report/global-iot-in-agriculture-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 Market SegmentationGlobal IoT in Agriculture Market can be segmented as follows:Based on Components Hardware Components Market Analysis, 2016-20241. Drones Market Analysis, 2016-20242. SensorsMarket Analysis, 2016-20243. RFID TagsMarket Analysis, 2016-20244. Others(Transmitters, Sprinklers)Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Software Components Market Analysis, 2016-20241. Data Management Software Market Analysis, 2016-20242. Network Management Software Market Analysis, 2016-20243. Security Software Market Analysis, 2016-20244. Remote Monitoring Software Market Analysis, 2016-20245. Real Time Streaming Analysis Software Market Analysis, 2016-2024 PlatformComponents Market Analysis, 2016-20241. Connectivity/M2M PlatformsMarket Analysis, 2016-20242. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) Backend PlatformsMarket Analysis, 2016-20243. Hardware specific software Platforms Market Analysis, 2016-20244. Consumer/Enterprise Software Extension Platforms Market Analysis, 2016-2024By Region North America IoT In Agriculture Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Europe Iot In Agriculture Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Middle East And Africa Iot In Agriculture Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Latin America Iot In Agriculture Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Asia Pacific Iot In Agriculture Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Rest Of The World Iot In Agriculture Market Analysis, 2016-2024Global IoT in Agriculture Market Outlook 2024 contains detailed overview of the global IoT in agriculture market. On the basis of our in-depth analysis, market can be segmented in terms of market segmentation by components and geography.Download Exclusive Sample Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/request-sample/global-iot-in-agriculture-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 The Global IoT in Agriculture Market Report encompases the competitive outlook of major players across the globe that includes the R&D activities, investments,revenue distribution, financial analysis, business strategies and product portfolio. The in-depth analysis of IoT in agriculture market report will help the clients to assess their business strategies as per the competitive environment in the market space.Major players of the global IoT in agriculture marketdiscussedin the report are: IBM Corporation, ThingWorx, John Deere & Company, Qualcomm Flight Platform, Agribiotix, Deepfield Robotics (Bosch), Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc., Raven Industries, Inc., SemiosBio Technologies Inc., AGCO Corporation, CNH Industrial, Lindsay Corporation, Trimble Navigation Ltd., Cisco Systems, Leica Geosystems, Trackit, Euravka, FluxFarm Inc., Climate Corporation,etc.Further, Global IoT in Agriculture Market Report encompasses the major trends & growth opportunities, market dynamics and other growth factors. The IoT in Agriculture Market outlookalsocomprises of key challenges for the market players, risk analysis, SWOT Analysis, BPS analysis and Market Attractiveness. Report also includes the expert analysis which provides complete overview of the market post analysis of the economic, political, environmental & social factors of each region and country.Browse similar Report:
PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-20 12:02:01

Murata Invests in MEMS Sensor Manufacturing in Finland

For more information, please contact:

Murata Electronics

Tomy Runne, +358 40 664 6194

EVP, Planning and Administration

or

Murata Electronics

Satu Lehtosalo, +358 50 520 4953

Communications Manager

satu.lehtosalo@murata.com

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:6981) (ISIN:JP3914400001) expands its MEMS sensor manufacturing by building a new factory in Vantaa, Finland to increase the sensor production capacity. Total value of the investment is five billion yen. With the expansion, the company estimates to create 150200 new jobs in 20182019. The MEMS sensors manufactured by Murata in Finland are used in applications such as car safety systems and pacemakers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005

New factory of Murata Electronics Oy (Graphic: Business Wire)

Murata, a world leading manufacturer of electronic components, is significantly increasing global production capacity, including most recently its factory located in Finland. After having recently purchased the previously leased buildings, the company will construct a new building of approximately 16,000 square meters. The new facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.

The total value of the investment is five billion yen and is underpinned by the growing worldwide demand for MEMS sensors used in the automotive industry and various health and industrial applications.

"The market for advanced driver-assistance systems, self-directed cars, healthcare, and other emerging technologies are expected to be significant growth drivers. MEMS sensors are critical solutions for these applications and deliver proven measurement accuracy and stability in a variety of conditions," said Yuichiro Hayata, Managing Director for Murata Electronics Oy.

With the construction of this new production building, we will significantly increase our MEMS sensors production capacity. Moreover, by responding to the strong demand of gyro sensors, accelerometers, and combo sensors in the automotive, industry and healthcare fields, this will strengthen our business base in the automotive market, industrial equipment and medical devices market, while contributing to the economy and employment of Finland, stated Makoto Kawashima, Director of Sensor Product Division in Murata Manufacturing.

Developing operations with long-term perspective

With the factory expansion in Finland, Murata will strengthen both R&D and manufacturing operations with a long-term perspective for increasing utilization of this facility. The company currently employs 1,000 people in Finland and estimates to create 150200 new jobs in 20182019.

Murata acquired the Finnish company VTI Technologies  today known as Murata Electronics Oy  in 2012. It is the only factory of Murata which manufactures MEMS sensors outside of Japan, and has experienced tremendous growth over the last 10 years. This site in Finland also hosts R&D space and one of the biggest clean room facilities in the country.

Murata Electronics Oy

Murata Electronics Oy is part of the Japanese Murata Group. The company is located in Vantaa and specializes in the development and manufacture of 3D MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems) sensors mainly for safety critical applications in automotive, as well as in healthcare and industrial applications. The company employs 1000 people in Finland.

Murata in Brief

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of ceramic-based passive electronic components & solutions, communication modules and power supply modules. Murata is committed to the development of advanced electronic materials and leading edge, multi-functional, high-density modules. The company has employees and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. For more information, visit Murata's website at www.murata.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005
Photo: Pixabay

A 72-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of waving a gun at a high school dance in Arizona because he didn't like the loud music.

Police in the small southeastern Arizona town of Thatcher say Robert Layton drove to the high school parking lot around 11:45 p.m. Friday and complained about the loud music.

Witnesses say Layton pulled a 9mm handgun out of his pocket and waved it around before pulling wires to disable the music.

A DJ at the event wrestled Layton to the ground and disarmed him.

Authorities later said there were no bullets in the handgun.

Layton was undergoing an evaluation at a hospital before being booked into jail. It was unclear Sunday if he has a lawyer yet who could speak on his behalf.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-20 10:03:03

Push Doctor Announces Management Changes

Instinctif Partners

James Staunton / Alex Shaw

+44 20 7457 2020

PushDoctor@instinctif.com

Push Doctor, the UKs leading digital health provider, has confirmed Eren Ozagir, CEO of Push Doctor, decided to step down from the board and the Company earlier in the summer. In the interim Wais Shaifta, COO, assumed the role of acting CEO in July, and the search for his permanent replacement is underway.

Wais Shaifta brings a wealth of experience to the interim CEO role, having joined Push Doctor from online wellness service Treatwell where he was Director of Global Operations. Prior to that he spent six years with online food delivery giant Just Eat, latterly as International Operations Director.

In 2017, Push Doctor treated over 1,000 different condition types including a wide range of infections, gastric, respiratory and mental health conditions. 9 out of 10 people got the help they needed first time.

The brand continues to evolve to encompass a broader range of medical conditions, health, wellness and lifestyle products / services as it treats the nation, with the core goal of enabling its customers to live happier, longer lives.

As with any start-up, Push Doctor constantly seeks to align its resources with its strategy and currently is in the process of right-sizing its business to ensure continued success. At this point no conclusions have been drawn.

Susanne Given, Chairman of Push Doctor, said:

Eren can be proud of the role he has played in pioneering digital health and establishing Push Doctor as a recognised consumer brand in digital primary care. He leaves with the best wishes of the board and colleagues.

Wais Shaifta, as CEO of Push Doctor, said:

Having stepped into the CEO role in July I have been able to work with the senior team to assess our position as we regularly do. Our strategy is clear. We will continue to focus on our upcoming NHS proposition, drive further innovation in our best in class digital health service, and of course continue to use the benefits of digital to deliver a safe, effective and class leading experience.

We retain our senior leadership team including our chief technology officer and co-founder Matt Elcock, our chairman Susanne Given, and Dan Bunstone, our new chief medical officer. We also continue to seek to appoint both a CFO and CPO as was previously the case.

About Push Doctor

Push Doctor was the UK's first platform to offer video consultations with patients online and via smartphone.

For more information visit www.PushDoctor.co.uk | Twitter @PushDoctor

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005
PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-20 08:00:21

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for SolGold plc--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Bishopsgate, London (FSCWire) - SolGold plc (TSX:SOLG). has issued a press release with the following headline:SolGold PLC Announces Cascabel Exploration UpdateTo 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 SolGold plc, 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/SolGold plcSource: SolGold plc (TSX: SOLG, LSE: SOLG, OTC Pink: SLGGF, ISIN: GB00B0WD0R35)Date: August 20, 2018Time: 2:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of SolGold plc 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: 2018-08-20 09:03:01

ASPO PLC

STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE AUGUST 20, 2018 at 10 a.m.



World's most eco-friendly bulk carrier delivered to Aspo's ESL Shipping



The next-generation bulk carrier Haaga has today been delivered to ESL Shipping from Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing, China. ESL Shipping is part of the Aspo Group. The 160-meter, 25,600 dwt, LNG-fueled vessel generates less than 50% of the carbon dioxide emissions of the previous generation of vessels. The vessel can also be fueled by completely carbon-free biogas, once the availability of carbon-free biogas improves over time.



The vessel incorporates several innovative solutions to reduce its environmental footprint by minimizing its energy consumption and emissions. The shipping company and MacGregor, which is part of Cargotec, have developed the world's first autonomous cargo processing solution for the vessel to further improve safety and efficiency.



The vessel will have raw material cargo while arriving from Japan to the Baltic Sea, where the vessel is currently scheduled to arrive in mid-September.



"Our new vessels have met with an excellent reception among our customers. Every employee of our shipping company should be genuinely proud of what we have achieved during our new construction project," says Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director of ESL Shipping.



The completion of the new vessels will have a positive effect on the shipping company's profitability and competitiveness.



"This investment of around EUR 60 million is significant for a company of Aspo's size. It's also an excellent example of our responsible ownership, as environmental responsibility involves considering future generations, too. The design and construction of the new vessels were completed as planned. The vessels will considerably increase ESL Shipping's capacity, in addition to improving its profitability," says Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo Plc and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ESL Shipping.



This new construction project is part of the Bothnia Bulk project, partly funded by the EU. Its goal is to modernize the sea route between Lulea, Oxelosund and Raahe to be more eco-friendly. In addition, environmental emissions will decrease at port with the improved availability of shore-side electricity. The vessels have been designed by Deltamarin in Finland, and European equipment suppliers have provided roughly 60 percent of all vessel systems.



Read more about the new vessels on ESL Shipping's special site at https://www.eslshipping.com/newbuildings.



For more information, please contact:

Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo Plc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ESL Shipping,

tel. +358 400 106 592, aki.ojanen@aspo.com



Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director, ESL Shipping Oy,

tel. +358 50 351 7791, mikki.koskinen@eslshipping.com .





ESL Shipping is the leading dry bulk sea transport company operating in the Baltic Sea region. ESL Shipping secures raw material transportation for industry and energy production around the year, even under difficult weather conditions. The shipping company also offers special services related to loading and unloading large oceangoing vessels at sea. The shipping company's fleet consists of 19 vessels, of which it owns 14 in full. One vessel is time-chartered.



Aspo is a conglomerate that owns and develops businesses in Northern Europe and growth markets, focusing on demanding B2B customers. Our strong business 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 their development. Together they generate Aspo's goodwill. The Aspo Group's structure and business operations are developed continuously without any predefined schedule.

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


By 2020, about 4 billion of the worlds 7.6 billion population will be connected leveraging on advancement in Internet of Things (IoT), according to EcoStruxure, a platform of Schneider Electric.

Viviane Mike-Eze, the companys Marketing Communication Manager, said 30 billion things including businesses and organisations will also be connected, and that the whole essence was to enhance safety, reliability, efficiency and sustainability.

She disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of an IDC Data Centre Roadshow in Lagos.

She said the data centre industry was undergoing profound transformation to support the enormous data volumes and processing demands being generated by IoT.

This is a strong opportunity for growth in the industry as we need to provide solutions that are able to address this challenge.

It is specifically relevant for us here in Nigeria now with data residency regulations about to be enforced, she said.

EcoStruxure, she said, would leverage advancements in IoT mobility, sensing, cloud, analytics and cyber security to ensure innovations and connectivity in organisations.

NAN reports that the Internet of Things is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators and connectivity.

It enables these items connect and exchange data, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, resulting in efficiency improvements, economic benefits and reduced human exertions.

According to Mrs Mike-Eze, to succeed in the industry, businesses have to accelerate their time to market in the design, build phases and reach operational excellence for customer satisfaction.

They will expand their businesses and keep up with fast growing market; all while reducing energy cost and improving sustainability.

EcoStruxure architecture has a strong role to play in assisting organisations to address these challenges by leveraging connected products, edge control and analytics to optimise asset performance and drive profitability, Mrs Mike-Eze added.

She disclosed that Google was leveraging its 21st Century Technologies empowerment scheme to establish Google Station and City WiFi in Nigeria.

21st Century Technologies is a very strong player coming up in the market, the first Nigerian company to set up a Tier 4 design data centre, and it is set to be the biggest on the African continent.

All the equipment in 21st Century Technologies, from the data management facility to the building management system; their alternative power solutions  all of these are Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Solutions, said Mrs Mike-Eze.

EcoStruxure technology is creating the path for the digital transformation of industries in Nigeria.

(NAN)
A measure of a man is not determined

By his show of outward strength,

Or the volume of his voice,

Or the thunder of his actions

Or of his intellect or academic abilities

It is seen rather in the measure of the love he has

For his family and for everyone.

The strength of his commitments

And the genuiness of his friendships,

Sincerity of his purpose

The quite courage of his convictions.Grady Poulard

At the John F. Kennedy School of Government, one of the Professors who taught a subject called Reading History gave us an assignment. The strongest part of the course was the need for students to prepare themselves for problem-solving roles which come with leadership in public life. The idea was to let students know that as leaders, the problems of yesterday could repeat themselves. The idea was to use the experiences of leaders to teach.

One day the Professor came to class with a small basket. Towards the end of the class, he asked that the small basket be passed around the whole class. It contained pieces of paper which he said we were just to pick one piece of paper but not to open it.

A few minutes later, he asked everyone to open the little paper he or she had. We all did. The pieces of papers were names of prominent leaders around the world. I opened my own piece of paper and there before me was the name, Hanna Ashrawi. The Professor said we were all to research on the names we had chosen. The following weeks, we would each have ten minutes to address the class impersonating the person we had chosen.

I thought it would take away the essence of the programme if I complained that I had chosen a woman. I admired the brilliance and spunky patriotism of Dr. Ashrawi and I knew little bit about the Palestinian question, so fitting into her shoes was going to be great fun, I thought. Then, as the class ended, one of my female classmates walked up to me and said: Father Matthew (as I insisted they call me), I picked Kofi Annan and I do not see how I, a white female can mimic Annan without making a fool of myself. I think you would make a good Kofi Annan (I was the only black person in the class!) Who did you pick, she asked me? I told her I picked Dr. Hanna Ashrawi. She said she hadnt heard of her but it would make sense so, she pleaded with me to take Annan and give her Ashrawi. I told her we needed to clear with the Professor. He graciously agreed. Although it spoilt my fun, being Kofi Annan had great appeal.

I set about researching on Kofi Annan. When my turn came, I wore a suit and told the class about my rural but aristocratic background and the good education I had received.

I was a prince from Kumasi and now, Secretary General of the United Nations. In my fake speech before the class, I spoke about coming from Africa, studying in MIT just down the road from the Kennedy School. In the course of my research I had decided to go to MIT and look up the place so I spoke with some little of authority. I spoke of the challenges of

being the number one peacekeeper in the world. Pretending to be Annan was quite some fun and in the end, the class agreed that I had really faked it well.

My chance of meeting the legend in real life came in January 2014 after the Conference of Political Parties that had been convened by Chief Ben Obi of the Office for Interparty Affairs then. Chief Emeka Anyaoku chaired the Conference and I had accepted the invitation and planned to attend, but in the end, I could not make it. Late that evening, I got a call from Chief Anyaoku. I was convinced he had called to ask why I had not made it to the Conference. Rather, he was gracious but then went straight to the point. Have you met Kofi Annan? he asked in his gentle, authority-laden but firm voice. I told him I had not had the honour and then he proceeded: If you are free, Mr. Annan and I are at the Transcorp Hilton and he will like to meet you, but he has a flight to catch tonight. I dropped everything else I was doing and rushed to the 10th floor of the hotel where I met the two great men waiting for me.

Chief Anyaoku made the introductions and as I shook his hand, I told him how very pleased I was to finally meet him. Time did not allow me to tell him I had successfully faked him. I congratulated him for having held the candle for Africa at the United Nations and the great work he was still doing for peace in the world.

Chief Anyaoku had already requested me to convene the National Peace Committee and therefore introduced me to Mr. Annan in that regard. We discussed briefly the prospects and he informed me of his willingness to assist the NPC in any way we wanted. We must all ensure that Nigeria succeeds he said firmly, as we bade goodbye. I thanked and bade him goodbye.

Our paths would later cross again and I got to know the man a bit better. His serenity was always an inspiration and I later had the opportunity of actually sitting and listening to him in Geneva and at the prestigious Oslo Forum where he was always an inspiring special guest, sharing the hazards and challenges in his wide experiences in peace keeping around the world. It was humbling to be in the company of so great a man who had no airs, who, despite the high pedestal on which he stood, was extremely polite in speech and conduct.

At the Oslo Forum in June last year, I took the opportunity to sit down to lunch with him. I had the rare privilege of chatting with him for some time before a few others joined us. We spoke about the efforts of the Peace Committee in Nigeria, the deep concerns and frustrations about the elusive quest for peace in Africa and the challenges of democracy on the continent. I listened to him repeat the famous story of someone running after him and asking for an autograph from him thinking he was Morgan Freeman. On closer look, you really see that he was a Morgan Freeman without the diamond earpiece.

The last time I saw Mr. Annan was on April 12 this year at an event titled Retreat to Peace, where the Swiss government had brought together prominent political actors from different countries that were dealing with issues of elections between now and next year.

Our delegation, led by General Abubakar Abdusalami was made up of Professor Okey Ibeanu of INEC, Clement Nwankwo of the Situation Room and my humble self. With us was Pascal Holliger of the Swiss Embassy, an effective Nigerian hand, who was our facilitator.

Mr. Annan had graciously accepted to sit down to discuss the possibility of his involvement with the NPC ahead of the 2019 elections in Nigeria. He had already committed himself to making at least two trips to Nigeria before our elections to support and encourage our country.

His commitment to Nigeria for very obvious family reasons is already well known. In the last month or so, the NPC had already established contact with him through his Foundation and were already working on his participation in a future meeting of the NPC and the political actors in Nigeria ahead of the 2019 elections.

What tribute can people like us on the periphery make to so great a man? With Mandela gone and now Mr. Annan, it is hard to think of any other overarching leader with enough moral authority to summon our erring leaders to the paths of rectitude, honour and service to our people.

Increasingly, far too many African leaders, while pretentiously wearing the toga of democracy, continue to retain the corrosive tendencies to tyranny and autocracy, determined to criminally hold on to power at all cost and at the expense of the future of their people. Now he is in a higher place and his prayers will help our dear continent.

For now, the new generations of Africa, the youth, will have to grow up and get used to facing the turbulent oceans that lie ahead with no moral navigational aids. His death marks the end of an era for Africa and Africans.

Mr. Kukah is the Catholic archbishop of Sokoto diocese.
South Sudans President Salva Kiir on Monday ordered the release of 21 political prisoners, after a peace deal was signed earlier this month with rebel leader Riek Machar.

The political detainees were released as a sign of peace in the country, Deputy Information Minister Lilian Albino Akol told dpa. She declined to reveal their exact identities.

South Sudans government, rebel groups, and opposition parties signed a final peace agreement earlier this month, after weeks of negotiations and years of violence in the worlds youngest nation.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after Mr Kiir accused Mr Machar, then his vice president of plotting a coup.

The new deal will see the creation of a transitional government, with Mr Machar reinstated as vice president.

Numerous previous agreements have collapsed after warring parties failed to respect the ceasefire.

Years of civil war have left tens of thousands of people dead, and about four million South Sudanese have fled the fighting.

(dpa/NAN)
A Professor of Pharmacognosy at Obafemi Awolowo University, Joseph Aladesanmi, who invented a yet to be clinically tested anti-cancer drug, has decried poor funding of research in Nigeria.

About five months ago, Mr Aladesanmi received a patent for acuminatoside, a new drug believed to work against prostate, breast, cervical, and pancreatic cancers.

The patent was provided by the federal ministry of science and technology through the Obafemi Awolowo University branch of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO).

The drug is yet to undergo clinical trials. It will undergo the trials and, if successful, processed into tablets before it is presented to the National Agency Foe Drugs And Foods Administration (NAFDAC) for approval, the don said.

In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the professor narrated how he has funded his researches with his own money since he started his career as a scientist.

For so many of my Master students, Im the one funding their researches and experiments, he said. Ive been dedicated to academics since 1982.

He said when the patent on his invention was issued, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Eyitope Ogunbodede, in his congratulatory message, promised reimbursement of his expenses on the invention.

When the patent was issued, I was summoned by the university, they promised to publicise and do the presentation in the presence of the principal officers of the university. The VC promised that I should be reimbursed. After all, I will use the funds to buy materials for other researches.

Three months ago, I was contacted to do the financial implications and send to the Centre for Research, which I did on the 10th of July but I have not gotten any response, he said.

Mr Aladesanmi officially retired on May 23 but has not been paid for the contract service he has since rendered at the school.

The Vice-Chancellor told me that I could not leave because of my contributions. I was given a peanut in May when I retired. I was given N53,000 as the salary for the month. Up till now, Ive not been paid any dime since then. How will I eat and survive?

On how he raised the money spent to fund his invention, Mr. Aladesanmi said during vacations, he travelled abroad to conduct analysis based on the samples of his experiments in Nigeria and he got paid for the analysis afterwards

Its when I go overseas to analyse some of the samples that I make money to survive, he said.

The professor also commented on poor attention given to education in Nigeria and the slow and unyielding response to several applications for funding of his researches.

 I was told to apply for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) but was later informed that my research can only be sponsored if the government runs adverts. That adverts come only once in a year if the government has not siphoned the funds meant for it.

As contained in a document made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the cost of his proposal for a research on an anti-malaria compound, is N2 million; but this has not been approved by government.

Nigeria is the US of Africa but the ways smaller countries like Botswana fund research are better than Nigeria. If I take this idea abroad, it will be stolen, he said.

While speaking on the professors efforts, the Director of IPTTO at the university, Mathew Ilori, said Mr Aladesanmi should not be made to spend own money on such research.

He used his money to patent his intention which ought not to be so, Mr Ilori said through his spokesperson, Gbenga Adewinle.

He said financial constraints is, however, not the only limitation to quality research in Nigeria.

He said isolating the financial constraints is like plucking a leaf from the tree.

If we are talking about funding alone, what happens to ownership, commercialization, promotion?

He said the first thing to do is ensure that portfolios are robust and that existing laws on intellectual property (IP) are well implemented.

As it stands, we do not have IP policies as a nation. There are IP laws but they lack implementation. The IP talks about the owner of the patent. Is it the governments, inventors, the universitys or is it shared?

The director said there should be a unit monitoring allocation of funds disbursed by government for research, describing the funding issue as a nationwide challenge and not only in the universities.

So many countries have gone far in this aspect whereas we are yet to start in Nigeria. If our government can be so conscious of IP it will be better.

The federal government established the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices in 38 tertiary and research institutions across Nigeria.
Defectors who dumped the All Progressives Congress left because the party could not offer them what they wanted, All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Bola Tinubu, has said.

Mr Tinubus public reaction comes few weeks after the gale of defections from the ruling party began.

In the past month, at least 12 senators, 36 members of the House of Representatives and two state governors have dumped the ruling party.

Prominent among the defectors are Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State Governor. Aminu Tambuwal.

The defectors gave varying reasons for leaving the party, mainly due to problems in various state chapters of the party. Mr Saraki, however, blamed some unnamed leaders of the party for essentially forcing him out. Many believe Mr Tinubu was one of such leaders Mr Saraki was referring to.

Mr Tinubu was however of a contrary opinion.

In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, the APC leader said the defectors wanted automatic tickets and sharing of the national wealth which the governing APC could not guarantee.

According to him, the defectors left the party to return to a motley agglomeration that would promise them what true democracy could not: automatic tickets, sharing of the national wealth and other offices and privileges.

Nigeria is undergoing a historic transition. Sometimes awkwardly, tentatively, yet inexorably, we nurture political and governance reform. We steadily close the door on the old malpractices that have caused a rich nation to reside in the tenement of the global poor.

Bukola Saraki, Senate President

Mr Tinubu attributed Mr Tambuwals defection to his presidential ambition which he would not be able to actualise in APC.

Governor Tambuwals exit can be distilled to one cause. He covets the presidency. However, he had not the stomach to challenge President Buhari in a primary. Tambuwal felt further insulted that he would be compelled to face a direct primary just to retain the governorship nomination.

But for the promise made by PDP headliners like Rivers State Governor Wike that he would have the PDP presidential nomination, Tambuwal would not have left. His exit had nothing to do with governance of the nation. It was about forging a personal ambition predicated on the defeat of progressive reform not the advancement of it.

Mr Tambuwal last week said he was under pressure from some leaders in and outside Nigeria to run for the presidency.

Mr Tinubu advanced a similar argument for the defection of Mr Saraki.

Much the same for Senate President Saraki. Returning to the PDP, he harbors dreams of the presidency but Tambuwals ambition will dwarf Sarakis when the two collide. If Saraki had remained in the APC, he would be unable to reclaim his Senate seat let alone the Senate Presidency. He thus bolted because he lusts for the presidency but was promised by the PDP, at least, a return to his position in the Senate.

For Saraki to talk about lack of governance is for him to deny who he is and the position he holds. This man stands as Nigerias Number 3 citizen. Clothed is he in ample power and influence. If he saw areas where government and the nation needed help, he could have easily applied his energies to these areas. He could have drafted legislation and easily got laws passed.

However, no progressive enactment bears his name for he cared not for progress. He has been more focused on changing the rules of the Senate to favour himself and changing the order of elections so as to coincide with his selfish designs.

He maintained that other defectors were given assurances on their ambitions, a step the APC refused to take. Mr Tinubu said the party is better off with the exit of the defectors.

The rest of the defectors were given similar assurances by the PDP as to their offices. The APC refused to make such bargains as they are part of the ancient regime; these bargains are not of our democratic new way.

There is nothing wrong with ambition. Without a degree of ambition, we would never strive to improve and develop ourselves. But ambition, restrained by nothing but itself, is a dangerous commodity. Unwedded to social conscience, it leads to ruthlessness; it is the father of the deception that leaders are meant to lord over instead of to serve the populace.

In the final analysis, the reason for the defections is as clear to see as it is crooked in its motives. The APC seeks to reform governance and politics. However, many powerful people believe the established system assures their maximum benefit. Progressive reform would defeat them. They must fight reform and never be allied to it. Thus, they had to leave the APC.

In a fundamental way, the APC may be better for their exit. It would be untrue to say their departures did not generate concern. As the air clears and we can better assess what is lost and gained by their exit, I can truthfully say the APC will be better off because they are gone.

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal

He added that the party will now focus more on delivering on electioneering campaigns.

Mr Tinubu was, however, silent on the recent debate on the morality of Mr Saraki occupying the Senate Presidents seat.

Since his defection to the PDP last month, Mr Saraki has been under intense pressure from APC leaders and lawmakers insisting he vacate the seat since his party is now a minority in the senate.

Mr Saraki has vowed to keep his position.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has listed the many sins of the President Muhammadu Buharis administration and leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) which he said culminated in his defection.

Mr Saraki, who dumped the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last month, was reacting to a statement by the APC leader Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tinubu had in a statement on Sunday said the Senate President left because of his presidential ambition.

Much the same for Senate President Saraki. Returning to the PDP, he harbors dreams of the presidency but Tambuwals ambition will dwarf Sarakis when the two collide. If Saraki had remained in the APC, he would be unable to reclaim his Senate seat let alone the Senate Presidency. He thus bolted because he lusts for the presidency but was promised by the PDP, at least, a return to his position in the Senate.

For Saraki to talk about lack of governance is for him to deny who he is and the position he holds. This man stands as Nigerias Number 3 citizen. Clothed is he in ample power and influence. If he saw areas where government and the nation needed help, he could have easily applied his energies to these areas. He could have drafted legislation and easily got laws passed.

However, no progressive enactment bears his name for he cared not for progress. He has been more focused on changing the rules of the Senate to favour himself and changing the order of elections so as to coincide with his selfish designs, Mr Tinubu said.

Mr Saraki in a statement on Monday said the reasons advanced by Mr Tinubu were false and mischievous.

He listed as reasons for his exit contempt for the National Assembly by the Buhari administration.

I have always restrained from joining issues in the media with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this is based on my respect for him. However, I will not allow him to create a wrong, false and mischievous impression about the reasons for my decision to exit the All Progressives Congress (APC) and present his prejudice as facts for public consumption.

I have been consistent in my complaints to all leaders of the APC, including Tinubu, that a situation where the National Assembly is not constructively engaged or carried along in key policy decisions, particularly those that will eventually require legislative approval, is not in the best interest of the nation.

No genuine leader of the legislature will be comfortable that the Presidency will simply write a terse letter to the National Assembly on key issues which the federal legislature is expected to later deliberate upon and give its approval. The Buhari administration consistently treats the legislature with contempt and acts as if the lawmaking body should be an appendage of the Executive. To me, this is unacceptable.

In the same way, I find it very objectionable that many stakeholders who worked strenuously to get the administration into office have now been excluded in the government and not consulted on key decisions as necessary and expected. In fact, some of them are treated as pariahs. A party that ignores justice, equity and inclusion as basic pre-conditions for peace, unity and stability cannot sustain its membership and leadership.

Mr Saraki flashed back to his statement announcing his exit from the APC. He emphasised that the decision to leave was imposed on him by certain elements and forces within the APC who have ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist.

He added that the elements had made sure that party principles required for a healthy functioning were deliberately violated.

The Senate President accused Mr Tinubu of siding with President Buhari in his reconciliatory move rather than addressing his grievances.

The statement reads further, Tinubu himself will recall that during the various meetings he had with me at the time he was pursuing reconciliation within the APC, I raised all the above issues. I can also vividly recall that he himself always expressed his displeasure with the style of the government and also mentioned that he had equally suffered disrespect from the same government which we all worked to put in office. I also made the point that whatever travails I have gone through in the last three years belong to the past and will not shape my decisions now and in the future.

However, during those meetings, the point of disagreement between Tinubu and I is that while I expressed my worries that there is nothing on ground to assure me that the administrative style and attitude would change in the next four years in a manner that will enable us to deliver the positive changes we promised to our people, he (Tinubu) expressed a strong opinion that he would rather support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher to get a second term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west. This viewpoint of Tinubus was not only expressed to me but to several of my colleagues. So much for acting in national interest.

It is clear that while my own decision is based on protecting the collective national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies of the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency  particularly when one reviews his antecedents over the years.

Flashing back their differences to build up to the 2015 general elections, Mr Saraki accused Mr Tinubu of peddling falsehood on his defection.

Again, let me reiterate my position that my uncertain and complex relationship with Tinubu has been continually defined by the event of 2014 when myself and other leaders of the APC opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket arrangement about to be foisted on the APC for the 2015 polls. It should be noted that he has not forgotten the fact that I took the bull by the horns and told him that in the interest of the country, he should accept the need for the party to present a balanced ticket for the 2015 General Elections in terms of religion and geo-political zones. Since that time he has been very active; plotting at every point to undermine me, both within and outside the National Assembly.

It is a surprise to me that Asiwaju Tinubu is still peddling the falsehood about the fact that my defection is about automatic ticket and sharing of resources. Members of the public will recall that when the issue of my decision to quit APC came to the fore and many APC leaders were holding meetings with me, a newspaper owned by the same Tinubu published a false report about the promise of automatic tickets, oil blocks and other benefits. I immediately rebutted their claims and categorically stated that I never discussed any such personal and pecuniary benefits with anybody. My challenge that anybody who has contrary facts should come forward with them still remains open.

It should be known that Democracy is a system that allows people to freely make their choices. It is my choice that I have decided to join others to present a viable alternative platform for Nigerians in the coming elections. Tinubu and leaders of the APC had better respect this decision or lawfully deal with it. As for me, Allah gives power to whom He wishes. Human beings can only aspire and strive to fulfill their aspirations.

Since his defection to the PDP last month, Mr Saraki has been under intense pressure from APC leaders and lawmakers insisting he vacate the seat since his party is now a minority in the senate.

Mr Saraki has vowed to keep his position.
The security report coming from North-eastern Nigeria is worrisome, the federal government has said.

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, stated this when he briefed journalists at the end of a meeting of security chiefs with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Dan-Ali said the meeting was a routine security briefing with Mr Buhari, and an update of the August 2 meeting held before the presidents departure to London for vacation.

Mr Buhari returned from London on Saturday.

At the meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari directed security chiefs in the country to step up their game, an official said after the almost three hours meeting.

The meeting started at about 11.30 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m. in the State House, Abuja. It is one of Mr Buharis first major assignments since returning from London on Saturday.

The decision that has been taken is that we have seen that there is a lot of improvement in the security situation in the country more especially in Zamfara and Benue state and in the Niger Delta, Mr Dan-Ali said.

In the North-east, we are having worrisome report, we have looked into it critically and we have taken absolute decision, he said without elaborating on the absolute decisions taken.

The North-east is the part of Nigeria most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. The terror groups activities have been largely limited to the three North-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe by security forces.

Despite the efforts of the soldiers, however, the terror group is still able to carry out attacks on soldiers and civilians.

A latest attack was reported by Reuters on Sunday. The attack left at least 19 people killed in the early hours of Sunday.

The attack was said to have occurred in Mailari village in the Guzamala region of Borno State.

An aid worker at a camp who received some survivors, and who declined to be identified, put the death toll at 63, Reuters reports

At the end of Mondays meeting with Mr Buhari, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, said the president asked security agencies to up their game to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their daily activities without fear.

We just had two and half hours meeting with the President and Commander in Chief. We reviewed the security situation across the country in all the geopolitical zones and of course we made all our comments, especially the new operations in Benue, Zamfara, Taraba Operation Whirl Stroke and Operation Saradaji.

We gave the extent of successes in these operations and we are to continue in this line of action in these operations.

All the operations were reviewed and all the issues concerning the operations were dealt with. And he directed that we should continue to step up our game to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their daily activities in a very safe manner.

The meeting was attended by the acting head of the State Security Service, Matthew Seiyefa. Mr Seiyefa was appointed while Mr Buhari was in London following the sack of Lawal Daura by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr Daura, a kinsman of Mr Buhari, was axed for authorizing a siege on the National Assembly, which the presidency said it did not approve of.

Others in attendance at Mondays meeting were Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser; Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar Sadique.

Ahmed Abubakar, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency; and Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police, were also present at the meeting.
Photo: The Canadian Press

In the wake of deadly flooding in the Indian state of Kerala, Canadians with ties to the region fear for friends and relatives left stranded by the disaster that's been called the worst in the country's history.

More than 300 people have died this week in the wake of the flooding, officials said, and more than 800,000 have been displaced by the floods and landslides that are a result of heavy rains that began on Aug. 8.

"No one was prepared for this," said Prasad Nair, president of the Mississauga Kerala Association, located west of Toronto. "Most people have lost everything that they have."

Nair, who came to Canada from Kerala in 2003, said one of his relatives saw his house fully submerged in water and had to stay on the roof for two days before being rescued.

"The house that I lived in during my childhood has been fully submerged in water for five days," said Nair, 47.

The international community needs to understand what's happening in Kerala because the state will need help, he said.

"Most of us here are Canadians and we will always be a part of Canada, but a part of us belongs there too."

Nair said the association will continue to fundraise for the disaster, but urged the Canadian government to pledge to donate, especially to rebuild, as officials estimate over 10,000 kilometres of roads have been damaged.

"We are working really hard to get an appointment with the PMs office," he said. "But we have not heard anything back from him yet."

"Canada has the technology, ability and experience in these kinds of disaster operations," he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter Saturday that he sends his deepest condolences to those affected, and a spokesperson for Global Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Joe Thottungal, 46, came to Canada 20 years ago from Kerala and in 2004 opened a restaurant in Ottawa that serves Keralan cuisine.

He said it's devastating to see the state he grew up in face such destruction.

He regularly returns to the region, and has for the past three years brought Canadians along with him to explore the state's food scene.

Its tea plantations, backwaters and abundance of spices like cardamom are some of the reasons tourists are so keen to visit, he said.

Nelson Abraham, who also owns a restaurant in Ottawa, said some of his Canadian friends who travelled to the province are stuck because the airport is closed.

"Everyone that we know is safe, but a lot of people are suffering for the food and the drinkable water," Abraham said, adding that he will return to India later this year to take care of his family.

"My mother is alone there, so I must go," he said. "I think everything will be all right in the next month ... at least I hope so." Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that its thoughts and sympathies are with the families and friends of those killed in the flood.

It said 3,748 Canadians in India have officially registered with the department's emergency notification system, but this is not necessarily a complete picture of how many Canadians are in the country.
The Oyo State Government on Monday took two contrasting positions on the demolition of popular gospel musician Yinka Ayefeles Music House in Ibadan, the state capital.

While the government at a press conference insisted due process was followed in the partial demolition of the building, its counsel told an Ibadan high court the government knew nothing about the demolition.

At a press conference held at the Film Theatre, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism on Monday, the government said that no court order restrained it from carrying out its statutory role in public interest, adding that the Music House, which housed Fresh Fm radio contravened the planning laws of the state.

According to the Special Adviser to Governor Ajimobi on Physical Planning and Development Control, who heads the Physical Planning Unit of the government, Waheed Gbadamosi, the government gave ample opportunity for owners of Music House to regularise its null and void building plan; but it did not deem it fit to obey the laws of the land.

Lawful Demolition

Mr. Gbadamosi, who was at the conference with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Seun Abimbola, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, and the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to Governor Ajimobi, Bolaji Tunji, explained that during the joint inspection visit to the organisation by state government officials and Music House officials, it was discovered that the building size measured 29.7m by 21.6m on ground as against the 11.925m by 10.20m in the survey plan/building plan submitted.

He said this means a gross overshooting of the allocated size approved with serious legitimacy implications.

Mr Gbadamosi argued that the action of the government in demolishing the building was not politically-motivated, neither was it an act of vendetta or against the radio station, as it continues transmission despite the partial demolition.

He said it was established during the visit that the building encroached into the sight distance of the Y junction along Lagelu Estate, stressing that a canteen, toilets, store and power house which were not in the plan submitted were attached to the wall fence.

The Special Adviser noted that the mast erected and staircase on site were not included in the plan submitted, noting that the basement of the plan which was meant for car park was also converted.

Mr Gbadamosi said that a letter was sent to Music House on June 29 to submit a fresh building plan application that will reflect the existing structures on site and regularise the anomalies, noting that the owners deliberately ignored the letter as there was no response untill demolition notices were sent on August 13.

He reiterated that the governments action was not based on sentiments or witch-hunting, saying that contravention notices were served to different organisations in the state since June 14, 2017, including all radio stations.

Yinka Ayefele

He then displayed to journalists the responses received from some radio stations.

On May 19, 2017, letters demanding for planning approval were sent to various institutions including University College Hospital, Kola Daisi University, University of Ibadan and other institutions and organisatons, he said.

On June 14, 2017, request for approval was sent to Music House and 22 other radio stations in Oyo State.

On August 18, 2017 reminder Letter was sent to Music House and the letter was received by Adebisi Akinkunmi. On August 25, 2017 we went a step further to send a letter to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) titled Operation of Radio Stations without Physical Planning permit/Approval in Oyo State.

Few months later, precisely November 27, 2017, another letter was sent to NBC complaining about Physical Planning Law and Regulations by the Radio station owners, developers and operators.

We got a response from NBC on December 4, 2017 and NBC said that the issue is outside its mandate. This is to show that the action of the state government is not to witch-hunt anyone as we even reported the radio stations to NBC. We also wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on some banks contravening the Oyo State Physical Planning and Development Control laws, sections 30, 31 and 32 of the Oyo State Physical Planning and Urban Development Law of 2012.

Music House submitted a building plan on June 14, 2018 which necessitated the joint inspection visit we carried out on June 25, 2018. It was discovered that it was meant to be an office complex and not a radio station among some other infractions including a building size measured 29.7 metres by 21.6 metres on ground as against the 11.925metres by 10.20metres in the survey plan/building plan submitted by Music House.

Contrasting Position In Court

In a radical contrast to the explanation at the media conference, the state government denied demolishing the Music House at the law court.

The state government, through its counsel , Yomi Alliyu , made the denial before Justice Iyabo Yerima of the State High Court , Ring Road , Ibadan , on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Alliyu appeared for both Abiola Ajimobi and Bola Abimbola, the governor and attorney-general of Oyo State, respectively.

Messrs Ajimobi and Abimbola are the first and second defendants in a case instituted by Mr Ayefele against the defendants.

The counsel said his clients were shocked to read about the reported demolition on Sunday morning .

According to him , the state government is planning to set up a panel of enquiry to find out those responsible for the demolition.

My clients are men of honour that respect rule of law and constituted authority and will have no reason to demolish the said property , he told the court.

NAN reports that Mr Alliyu , who had earlier denied that his clients were served with court processes , quickly reversed himself when the judge showed him evidence of actual service on the first and second respondents.

The defence counsel, however, urged the court to adjourn the case pending the time the claimant would be able to file and serve his clients with notice of the ex- parte motion since the court was on vacation.

He said that filing of motion on notice and letter of urgency alone by the claimant was not enough.

But Mr Ayefele s counsel, Olayinka Bolanle, informed the court that the respondents had gone ahead to demolish the structure in spite of a court restraining order.

Former Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi [Photo: Today.ng]

He said, Even after the defendants had become aware of this proceedings , it is sad and unbelievable my Lord that the defendants in the wee hours of Sunday, August 19 , went to the property in dispute and demolished it.

The claimant s counsel urged the court to reiterate its earlier order restraining the defendants from further demolition of the rest of the structure pending the determination of the suit.

Mr Yerima adjourned the case until September 12 for hearing of applications and urged parties to file necessary processes before the adjourned date.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Music House building of Mr Ayefele was demolished on Sunday.

The building houses Mr Ayefeles Fresh FM.

The demolition was condemned by the Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists and many other Nigerians.

The Oyo State Government and Mr Ayefele have been locked in a war of words over the location of the building in recent weeks.
Nigerias contingent of 55,000 pilgrims to this years Hajj have moved to Mount Arafat on Sunday midnight to begin the Hajj proper in the Holy Land.

The movement began with pilgrims from Adamawa and Oyo states who had hitherto been camped along with their counterparts from the 36 states and FCT in Muna, few kilometres away from the Holy city of Makkah.

The Arafat movement, supervised by top officials of NAHCON and its Chief Executive, Abdullahi Muhktar, was in batches after the commission formed committees to monitor the exercise.

Mr Muhktar said at the inaugural exercise that the strategy of early evacuation of pilgrims was to reduce the harsh weather effect and allow pilgrims settle down for prayers and other rites.

He advised both officials and pilgrims to drink enough water and eat very well in view of the enormity of the exercise.

The Movement Team Leader, Aliyu Tanki, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Arafat was the most important pillar of Hajj which every pilgrim must perform.

Arafah is the Hajj and pilgrim that missed it has not fulfilled the fundamental pillar of the pilgrimage.

Mr Mukhtar had earlier confirmed to NAN that the figure of pilgrims for the Hajj was updated after the arrival of all including the 18,000 allocated to tour operators.

The states had transported about 38,000 through the NAHCON.

(NAN)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of compromising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in a bid to work against it (PDP).

The opposition party said the open directive by the APC to the security agencies to quickly conclude the investigation and prosecution of key opposition leaders before the 2019 elections, has further confirmed that the anti-graft agencies are being tele-guided by the ruling party.

Earlier, the APC urged the EFCC not to relent in its efforts to unravel the truth about the corruption allegations against public officials, especially that of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

The party also asked the ICPC and other anti-graft bodies to intensify efforts at investigating and recovering public funds and assets that have been stolen by public officials.

The ruling party also said the anti-graft agencies should ensure that it digs up all corruption cases involving politicians, so that only those that passed the integrity test can offer themselves to contest the 2019 general election.

However in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP called the attention of Nigerians and the international community to APCs statement, alleging it was a direct directive to the EFCC to drag Mr Ekweremadu to court on trumped up charges, stampede his prosecution and put him out of circulation before the 2019 elections.

The PDP described as not a mere coincidence, the invitation by EFCC to Mr Ekweremadu which was dated July 24, 2018, the same morning his residence and that of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, were simultaneously besieged by EFCC operatives and policemen, in a failed attempt to illegally impeach them.

The series of interference by the APC in the work of the anti-graft agencies, coupled with the August 7, 2018 siege to the National Assembly by the Department of State Security, confirms a sinister plot by the APC led administration not only to arrest and detain Saraki and Ekweremadu to illegally remove them, but also to besmear and destroy the opposition ahead of 2019 general elections.

Being unable to find Ekweremadu wanting in its many probes, the APC now relies on procured cooked up allegations in a bid to get at him at all cost, part of the statement read.

The party also said it is not ironical that the APC-led government, that was quick to explain that a serving military officer bought his Dubai property from his savings, does not think that (Ekweremadu) a former Local Government Chairman, former Chief of Staff to Governor, former Secretary to Enugu State Government, Senator since 2003, Deputy Senate President since 2007, former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, and owner of a thriving law firm has earned enough legitimate incomes to invest in real estate.

It, thereafter, rejected the illegal use of the EFCC and ICPC as political tools by the APC to harass, intimidate and drag down opposition members, in their failed bid to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2019 general elections

It called on Nigerians to hold the APC and Buhari Presidency responsible, if harm befalls any PDP leader as the 2019 elections appoaches.

Mr Ekweremadu has come under intense public scrutiny as multiple allegations of illicit purchase of posh properties, largely outside Nigerian shores by him feature regularly in the media.

Earlier this year, he was accused of owning properties in the United States, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, although he regularly denies the allegation.

The Presidential Panel on Recovery of Public Properties said it traced 13 assets to Mr Ekweremadu in those three countries. Efforts aimed at seizing the properties were still on, reports said.

In 2016, he was arraigned before a federal judge in Abuja on allegations that he forged parliament standing rules at the resumption of the current session in June 2015. He also denied these allegations.

Anti-graft detectives appeared to be tightening the noose on Mr Ekweremadus activities, in recent weeks.

On July 24, the EFCC sent operatives to surround Mr Ekweremadus house in a bid to arrest him. The move was largely deemed controversial, coming simultaneously as Mr Saraki was allegedly being prevented from leaving his residence.

Mr Saraki further accused the Buhari administration of taking desperate and undemocratic measures to thwart his planned defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The operatives were later ordered to stand down, after hours of siege which was met with widespread condemnation.

An EFCC letter later emerged on the same day asking Mr Ekweremadu to turn himself in for questioning over alleged conspiracy, money laundering and other illicit dealings.

Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu quickly saw the development as a desperate attempt by the Buhari administration to prevent a planned mass defection of lawmakers. This claim was later corroborated by PREMIUM TIMES independent findings.

The presidency, however, fiercely rejected claims that President Muhammadu Buhari sanctioned the questionable tactics deployed by his top aides, warning politicians against meddling in the operations of law enforcement authorities.

Mr Ekweremadus most recent encounter with the EFCC was on July 31 when he turned himself in at the EFCC office following days of tension between him and operatives working on leads they said suggested a pattern of questionable acquisition of properties within and outside Nigeria.

The politician has denied wrongdoing, accusing the EFCC of being on a witch-hunt to weaken his political stature.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has said the late submission of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INECs 2019 election budget by the presidency was due to a lack of foresight.

He said this while reacting to allegations by Buharis Media Organisation (BMO) that the senate president was slowing down the approval of the budget request for the 2019 elections.

The group had on Friday cautioned the senate president to stop holding the country to a ransom, urging him to reconvene the Senate to attend to urgent national issues.

The group said Mr Saraki has continued to postpone the resumption of the Senate, despite the ongoing issue in the country, such as INEC budget and approval for foreign loans tied to several critical infrastructure.

It also concluded that the senate president is the one laying siege on the whole country by using his position to undermine the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement signed by his special assistant on new media, Olu Onemola, Mr Saraki described the Buhari Media Organizations attack on the Senate president as a clear example of conscientious ignorance on full display.

He said despite the unforced errors on the part of the executive, which failed to submit the general elections budget on time, the relevant committees of the National Assembly are still working assiduously to ensure that due process is followed in approving the presidents request.

By now, the Nigerian people are aware that the Executive branch could have submitted INECs 2019 Election budget at the time it submitted the 2018 appropriations proposal last year. Furthermore, the Executive had from January till June this year to submit the budget request.

However, due to a perceived lack of foresight, display of usual tardiness or an attempt to ensure that due process would not be followed, this request was submitted only a few days before the statutory National Assembly annual recess, he said.

He further stated that groups like the BMO that have worked assiduously  with conscientious ignorance as their guide  to attempt to scapegoat the Senate President for the failure of the Executive to submit INECs 2019 election budget on time, know that the National Assembly is and has been working on this budget request through its Committees.

The Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly to help legalize the various innovations that needed for free and fair elections is still absent because President Muhammadu Buhari chose to withhold his assent the first time it was transmitted.

The question the Buhari Media Organisation should ask their principal is: What is he afraid of in the very progressive proposals contained in the Electoral Bill?, Why does he want to frustrate the 2019 election by denying the nation from the much-needed enabling law?

For the record, it is necessary to state that the Buhari Media Organization, in its failed attempt to mislead the public, has been crying more than the bereaved. During this process, INEC, that will utilize the funds and conduct the proposed elections, has stated that it is confident and comfortable with the thorough and transparent response exhibited by the National Assembly, part of the statement read.

The presidency had earlier on Sunday said Mr Buhari was not to blame for the seemingly late presentation of the budget of the electoral commission, INEC, for the 2019 election.

A statement by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said Mr Saraki was to blame.

Mr Shehus statement is the latest in the accusations and counter-accusations between it and Mr Saraki since the latter defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The INEC budget for 2019 elections was submitted last month by Mr Buhari to the National Assembly. The budget is yet to be passed by the lawmakers amidst allegations INEC had submitted the budget to the presidency since February.

Mr Shehu said it was not true that INEC submitted the budget to the presidency in February. He, however, refused to disclose what month the electoral commission submitted its budget to the presidency.

It is not true that INEC submitted their draft budget to the presidency in February. No, it came much later but even then, this is not the real issue, he said.
A retired judge in Osun State, Olamide Oloyede, has begun the mobilisation of funds to rebuild Yinka Ayefeles Fresh FM radio that was demolished by the Oyo State Government on Sunday.()

Mrs Oloyede, now deputy governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, urged Nigerians to assist Mr Ayefele to build a better structure than the one pulled down.

Gentlemen and ladies, it has come to my attention that the building housing Fresh FM, the business of our music maestro, Yinka Ayefele, has just been demolished.

May I respectfully request that we all come to his aide by providing the wherewithal to put up a new structure of his desire as a legacy to Nigerians right to freedom of expression?

Nothing is too little, lets jointly ensure that the glory of the latter house is greater than that which was demolished, she said in a statement.

Mrs Oloyede was forcefully retired after she publicly criticised Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for his alleged failure in managing the affairs of the state.

On Sunday, the demolition began around at about 6 a.m., according to residents of the area.

The Music House is said to be valued at N800 million.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) organised a special prayer on the plains of Arafat on Monday for a peaceful conduct of next years general election in the country.

The prayer was attended by many Nigerians who are in Saudi Arabia for this years Hajj exercise.

Nigerias ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Dodo, and NAHCON chairman, Abdullahi Mohammed, who both spoke briefly before the commencement of the prayers, called on pilgrims to take time and pray for themselves, leaders and the country.

Arafat is the highlight of Hajj operations where pilgrims spend the whole day in supplication.

Mr Dodo said the 2018 Arafat is the last one before elections billed for 2019.

By the time the next Arafat day holds, elections would have been held in our dear country, may I therefore, call on you all to pray for the successful conduct of the elections.

Also, NAHCON chairman, Mr Mohammed called on the pilgrims to take advantage of the special day to pray for the continued well-being of the country.

He also urged pilgrims to pray for the countrys leadership especially President Muhammadu Buhari.

Prayers were said in Arabic and other major languages:Hausa, Ijaw, Yoruba, Fulfulde and Igbo.
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to rise above personal, group, sectarian and other interests, and promote harmony and tolerance in dealing with one another at all times.

In his Sallah message, President Buhari urged all Muslims to use the occasion for sober reflection and self-examination, and strive to be good ambassadors of their religion by upholding high moral values

He reminded Muslims that this felicitous occasion of Eid-ul-Adha is a remembrance of the submission of Prophet Ibrahim Allaihis-Salam to Allah, his Creator, by which he taught the world the value of sacrifice in relating with one another, and when it comes to nation-building.

We must sacrifice for others and remember always those who are less fortunate than ourselves, the president declared.

Mr Buhari explained that religion is a major factor in influencing human behaviour towards good conduct and actions.

He, however, regretted that selfishness, greed and corruption have overwhelmed human souls to the extent that people abandon their religious beliefs in pursuit of their greed.

The president stressed that fighting corruption is a task that must be done in order to protect the larger interests of the ordinary Nigerians who are the worst victims of diseases, poverty, malnutrition and other afflictions.

He said surrendering to corruption is not an option because it destroys society and progress of nations.

According to President Buhari, Even if some people hate you for fighting corruption, you should not chicken out from the task as a leader because doing so is a betrayal of public trust.

On the current economic challenges facing Nigerians, the president reassured that such are temporary because the welfare of the people is the main thrust of the change agenda of the administration.

To buttress this point, Mr Buhari cited the many initiatives unfolded by the administration under the Social Investment Programme (SIP) among which was the recent decision to distribute recovered stolen funds to the poor against the past practices of re-looting such funds by some people in authority.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has declared August 30, a national day of protest against what it described as impunity against the Nigerian journalist.

Shuaibu Leman, the NUJ National Secretary, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, directed all the state and FCT Councils of the union to mobilise the members for the protest.

Mr Leman directed the councils to stage protests within their respective press centres.

He said the protest could also be organised in selected media organisations, urging the state councils to also ensure full media coverage of the event.

We appeal that you all make adequate mobilisation to ensure that members attend and participate fully.

Speeches should be made by stakeholders and where applicable, mention instances of such attacks and breeches.

The secretary said the councils should intimate the state governments of the planned protest, pointing out that the unions national secretariat had sent a letter to Presidency regarding the plan.

(NAN)
The Rivers State Government has described as unfair the comment by the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Bola Tinubu, that the state governor, Nyesom Wike, lured Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the promise of getting him the PDP presidential ticket.

In a statement he issued in Port Harcourt on Monday and made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the State Commissioner of Information and Communications, Emma Okah, said Mr Wike has a culture of respecting elders, including Mr Tinubu but accused the leader of not reciprocating the gesture.

According to Mr Okah Governor Wike has not discussed the political ambition of Governor Tambuwal with Senator Tinubu any day and so Senator Tinubu cannot rely on mere rumour to speak unfairly about the governor in the way he did.

Mr Okah said Mr Tambuwal is a matured adult who has the capacity to take critical political decisions for himself without prompting from Gov Wike.

When as Speaker of House of Representatives, Governor Tambuwal defected from the ruling PDP to the APC, why did Senator Tinubu not say that Governor Wike had a hand in it at that time or is it because it favoured Senator Tinubus APC?

The commissioner urged elders to exercise restraint at times like this.

Mr Tinubu had in a statement on Monday said Mr Tambuwal and Senate President Bukola Saraki defected from the APC last month because of their presidential ambitions.

Messrs Tambuwal and Saraki earlier on Monday in separate statements pushed back the claim.
The advocacy groups, Access to Justice (A2Justice) and Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), have said that the new measures outlined to reform the Special Anti-Robbery Squad would not achieve the required results.

In a joint statement issued in Lagos, the groups said they were convinced the measures came too short and did not go far enough of what was needed to reform SARS. They called for a total reform of the police.

The measures, first of all, appear like a knee-jerk reaction to the presidential directive, having been announced just on the heels of the directive, read the statement signed by Joseph Otteh and Okechukwu Nwanguma, director of Access to Justice and national coordinator of NOPRIN respectively.

Such speed does not provide evidence of thoughtful reflection, sober deliberation, wide and strategic consultation on an issue of such huge public importance. The IGP over-sped on the response in a way that questioned his genuineness of purpose.

Yemi Osinbajo, Nigerias vice president, last week ordered Inspector General Ibrahim Idris to immediately review the operations of SARS.

The directive came following frequent complaints and reports about the notorious activities of SARS.

SARS, a unit in the police, was established in 1992 with the mandate of combating armed robbery and other related crimes.

But it quickly garnered notoriety for brutal violations of human rights  arbitrary arrests and detention, sexual harassment, barefaced extortions, torture and extrajudicial killings.

Since last year, many Nigerians on social media had begun trending a Twitter hashtag #EndSARS calling for the disbandment of the unit.

Last December, Mr Idris was forced to order a re-organisation of the unit as public outcry reached a crescendo, directing an immediate investigation into the units activities with the aim of prosecuting cases of human rights abuses.

In their statement, A2Justice and NOPRIN maintained that the IGPs proposed new policies lacked measures of accountability for unlawful actions by the SARS officers.

The IGP offers the public, communication channels for reporting grievances against FSARS, but did not commit the police force to ensuring that every complaint made against FSARS operatives will be promptly and fairly investigated, and where substantiated, result in a definite outcome.

It is important to note in this context, that the police force has always had communication lines for reporting unlawful or unprofessional behaviour of its officers. The problem is that, oftentimes, complaints, after they are made, draw a blank and those complained against do not get questioned or punished at the end of the day.

Sometimes too, complainants are transposed into crime suspects to punish them for daring to complain. The proposition, therefore, to re-use this old template this time around without more, as a response to the presidential directive is clearly a no-brainer. The internal police complaint procedure is abjectly unreliable and uninspiring.

The groups also stated that Mr Idris new review measures failed to offer concrete proposals for ensuring that safeguards against abuse are effective.

A2Justice and NOPRIN, therefore, call on the IGP to go back to the drawing board, and fashion a new, more embracing and inspiring set of reforms for SARS.

A set of measures more credible, purposeful and efficacious than the ones he has just released. In addition to this, A2Justice and NOPRIN urge the IGP to undertake similar but far-reaching measures to reform the police force as a whole, and not focus on SARS alone.

The police force has been systematically degraded over the course of several decades, and is too broken, at this time, to offer services that meet the professional policing needs of Nigerians. Undertaking a holistic reform is needed to ensure that reforms of any unit within the police force stand a chance of succeeding.

If the police force remains the way it is, the overhaul of the SARS Unit will largely be unfruitful and unsustainable over time.

The groups further urged the presidency to order the rejuvenation of the Police Service Commission, the body constitutionally mandated to appoint and discipline members of the Police Force.

Since 1999, that body has stayed inert, and neglected to perform its more important constitutional role in ensuring the police force is accountable; delegating, instead, its disciplinary functions to the same people it ought to oversee.

This is a major anomaly that has contributed to the sustained culture of impunity within the police force and must be addressed simultaneously with efforts to reform the police force.
Photo: Pixabay

The sole survivor of the 1992 McDonald's massacre in Sydney River, Nova Scotia, has died. Joan "Arleen" MacNeil died Wednesday at a hospital in Halifax at the age of 46.

MacNeil was 20 years old when a botched robbery at a Sydney River McDonald's restaurant left three of her co-workers dead.

She survived the attack but was shot in the head, leaving her with a permanent disability.

In an obituary submitted to the Cape Breton Post, MacNeil's family describes her as a "survivor" who brought "joy and inspiration to those who knew and loved her."

Her funeral will be held in Cape Breton on Tuesday.

"Arleen loved to listen to country music, playing games on the computer, going for long walks in the wheelchair and was the 'queen of crazy eights,'" the obituary states.

Following the shooting, Darren Richard Muise, Freeman MacNeil and Derek Wood were charged.

Muise, who was 18 at the time of the killings, received full parole in 2012. MacNeil and Wood are serving life sentences.
A Catholic priest, Michael Akawu, was shot dead by suspected armed robbers on Saturday in Gwagwalada, a suburb of Nigerias capital, Abuja.

The robbers killed Mr Akawu at a supermarket where he had gone to get some provisions for the parish rectory, the director of Catholic Communication, Patrick Alumuku, has said.

Mr Akawu, who was the first indigenous priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja was ordained in February 2017.

Information about his death was first announced by another Catholic priest, Omokwugbo Ojaifo, on his Facebook page on Sunday.

Citing a quote comprising eight words from a portrait painted by an artist, Salvator Rosa in the 16th Century, Mr Ojeifo said the death of Mr Akawu symbolises the frailty of the human existence.

Those eight words always remind me of the futility of human life. As the Psalmist says, Human life is a mere puff of wind, days as fleeting as a shadow (Ps 144:3-4). Placed on the scales, we are lighter than air (cf. Ps 62:9). We are like grass which springs up and blossoms in the morning but by evening already withers and fades (cf. Ps 90:9).

This is our human story; this is the story of one of our young Abuja priest, Fr. Michael Akawu, the first indigene of Abuja to be ordained for our Archdiocese. He was shot dead yesterday evening by armed robbers at a supermarket in Gwagwalada where he went to buy some provisions for the parish rectory. Fr. Michael was ordained in 2017, Mr Ojeifo said on his Facebook wall on Sunday.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Alumuku for confirmation of the information, he described the incident as unfortunate. He called on the Nigerian security forces to be proactive in preventing crime.

Yes it is true. Father Akawu was killed when he went to get some things for his parish at a supermarket in Gwagwalada. He was the first indigenous priest of this diocese, Mr Alumuku said.

Mr Alumuku however said he is not sure of the age of the priest, before he was killed.
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Instrument of Accession to the International Cocoa Agreement, 2010.

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, this was sequel to approval of the Federal Executive Council for Nigeria to accede to the Agreement.

He said the president signed the document on Monday at the State House, Abuja.

Following the execution of the instrument of accession, Nigeria undertakes faithfully to abide by all the stipulations therein contained in the Agreement.

Among other benefits, the Agreement is expected to strengthen cooperation between exporting and importing member countries; improve their cocoa economies through active and better focused project development and strategies for capacity-building.

The 2010 Agreement is also expected to build on the successes of the 2001 Agreement by implementing measures leading to an increase in the income of cocoa farmers and by supporting cocoa producers in improving the functioning of their cocoa economies.

It will also deliver cocoa of better quality, take effective account of food-safety issues and help establish social, economic and environmental sustainability, so that farmers are rewarded for producing cocoa that meets ethical and environmental considerations, Mr Shehu stated.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria is to close operations in its Abuja and Lagos offices on Tuesday and Wednesday in observance of the Eid-el-Kabir.

The embassy announced the closure in its twitter handle @USEmbassyAbuja accessed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

The embassy urged its citizens to exercise caution during the period.

It also advised Americans in Nigeria to be aware of their surroundings during the holiday, noting that security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups.

The Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on August 21 and August 22 in observance of Eid-el-Kabir. We will reopen on Thursday, August 23.

Exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings during the holiday, the embassy said.

The embassy advised Americans in Nigeria to carry proper identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Nigerian visa.

Expect additional police and military checkpoints and possible road blocks throughout the country, exercise caution when walking or driving at night. Review travel routes and times to reduce time and place predictability.

Avoid crowds and demonstrations. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep a low profile. Stay alert in public places, including schools, hospitals, and government facilities, places of worship, tourist locations and transportation hubs.

Review your personal security plans. Monitor local media for updates, it added.

The embassy on August 15 temporarily suspended its consular services in Abuja due to reasons it said were beyond its control.

The embassy, however, maintained that its Consulate Office in Lagos was not affected by the development.

While expressing regret on the inconvenience the development might cause applicants, the embassy expressed the hope to resume operations after the Eid-el-Kabir

The embassy advised applicants to please monitor the Facebook and Webpage of the U.S. Embassy for updates on consular operations.

(NAN)
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has listed what it described as corruption allegations against Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The list is coming some days after Mr Saraki hinted on his intention to run for president in 2019.

In an interview with Bloomberg, the Senate President said he is actively considering running against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena on Monday, the APC raised alarm against the use of stolen public funds to finance elections in Nigeria.

Against the backdrop of the litany of corruption allegations trailing the Senate President, Sarakis declaration, brings to the fore our earlier call to anti-graft agencies to check the use of stolen public funds to finance elections in this country. We reiterate our position that the Nigerian electorate must have the opportunity to choose from candidates that can pass the integrity and anti-corruption test.

The party then went on to list corruption cases against Mr Saraki.

Let us refresh our memory on some of Sarakis corruption allegations:

Allegations of fraud which led to the collapse of the Saraki family-owned Societe Generale Bank (Saraki who was Director of the defunct bank was indicted over N1 billion alleged to have been looted from the banks treasury).

Misappropriation of Kwara State funds, disregard of government due process and conversion of State government assets into his and cronies when he served as two-term governor of Kwara State.

History of betrayals, treachery and sabotage  family, political party (PDP, APC), Senate, government.vSaraki was questioned by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit over a N11 billion financial scandal at the defunct Intercontinental Bank.

Gluttonous property acquisitions and hidden multi-billion dollar assets spread across the world as disclosed by the Panama Papers revelations. The multi-million dollar white elephant Shonga Agricultural Project in Kwara State when Saraki served as two-term governor.

Falsification of Senate standing order. Sarakis link to the N298m armoured Range Rover SUV seized by the Nigeria Customs Service. Sarakis link to $19.5 billion Paris Club Loan refund scandal. Oversaw budget padding in the National Assembly among other numerous corruption scandals.

The APC accused Mr Saraki of being selfish in his political ambition and leadership of the National Assembly.

Nigerians should be wary of a man whose personal ambition will always supersede the interest of the majority and national interest as currently displayed in the National Assembly. While Saraki refuses to reconvene the National Assembly, the 2019 election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dangerously delayed, an action deliberately taken to sabotage INECs ability to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2019.

While Saraki refuses to step down as Senate President as rightly and severally demanded by the APC-dominated Senate, he is bent on foisting a PDP-minority rule (Senate President and Deputy Senate President) in the Upper Legislative House.

The only politics that Bukola Saraki plays is self, himself only and only himself. The interest and welfare of the people of Nigeria do not mean anything to him. Now it is the Presidency Saraki wants. And we ask with what antecedents is he doing this? Conspiracy, blackmail, treachery and vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other, as rightly captured by William Shakespeare. Bukola Saraki will rather rule in hell than serve in paradise.

Ahead of 2019 elections, Nigerians must ensure that we never again entrust the leadership of this great country to thieves whose sole aim is treasury looting and returning us to the dark ages where impunity and institutionalised corruption was the order of the day.

Since announcing his defection to the PDP, the APC has insisted Mr Saraki must resign since his party does not enjoy a majority in the Senate.

The chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, had attacked Mr Saraki, insisting he (Saraki) relinquish his position.

Mr Saraki has vowed he will not bow to pressure.
The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has felicitated with Nigerians on the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

Mr Saraki, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Monday, also charged pilgrims performing this years hajj to use the significance of the Arafat Day to pray for unity in the country.

Today our country is passing through a difficult phase of nation-building occasioned by economic challenges, rising insecurity and threats to our corporate existence as a nation by the uncertain political atmosphere by actions of selfish politicians, Mr Saraki said.

A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has also advised Muslims across the country to promote and spread love among fellow Nigerians in order to consolidate the nations unity.

Mr Abubakar, in a message to mark the Eid-el-Kabir celebration issued by his media office on Monday in Abuja, said religion should be used as a means to advance love among the people.

He explained that diversity was not the cause of Nigerias problems but the attitude of citizens toward one another.

The common interests that unite Nigerians are by far stronger than those petty factors that divide us, Mr Abubakar said, adding that diversity could be used to advantage.

He said that intolerance, extremism and bigotry, if unchecked, could threaten peace and unity in any country while peace and unity are the greatest assets that should not be taken for granted by Nigerians.

In his message the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also congratulated Nigerians.

During this festival of the feast, we should ensure that we truly imbibe the virtues of Prophet Ibrahim, who, in obedience to Gods directive, sacrificed his only son.

Beyond the sacrifice, we should also not relent in praying for peace, unity and religious tolerance, which are essential to sustaining the glory of our dear nation, the governor said.

The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, in his goodwill message, said Muslims should practice the virtue of Islam as professed by Prophet Mohammad (SAW).

In a statement, Mr Lalong however enjoined all the Muslims faithful in Nigeria to sustain their prayers for peace, unity and stability.

I wish the Muslim Ummah a happy Eid-El Kabir celebration and assure citizens that all that is necessary to guarantee a peaceful celebration has been put in place for a hitch-free celebration. I all urge you all to be law-abiding during and after the celebration, Mr Lalong said.

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, also congratulated Muslims.

Mr Ahmed in a statement urged Muslims to imbibe the lessons of total submission and obedience to the will of Almighty Allah.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, urged Nigerians to imbibe the lessons of love, sacrifice and peaceful coexistence.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) felicitates with Muslim faithful and indeed all Nigerians on the joyous celebration of Eid-El-Kabir, the holy Islamic festival to commemorate the obedience and willingness of Ibrahim to follow Almighty Allahs (SWT) command to sacrifice his son, the party said.

Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urged Nigerians to use the occasion of years Eid el-Kabir to support one another in the spirit of love, unity, sacrifice and dedication to the Almighty Allah.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan Monday, it said Nigerians should join hands to pray for the development of the country.

The PDP holds that Nigerians, across board, deserve to be happy and adequately provided for, with the suitable environment to aspire and thrive in all sectors of life; the main reason all citizens must join hands to pray that the nation gets the right leadership, Mr Ologbondiyan said.

The party also called on the citizens to remember and assist the hurting, particularly, the sick, aged and victims of unfortunate violent attacks and natural disasters that have ravaged our nation in recent time.

Also, the President of the National Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, said Nigerians should not allow selfish individuals who seek power at all costs not for the benefit of all Nigerians but for themselves.

Eid-el- Kabir symbolises sacrifice, discipline, faith, the spirit of give and take, love of God and love for our neighbour, obedience to and total submission to God our creator.

In light of this, we use this opportunity to appeal to all Nigerians, not only Muslims to imbibe the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir, Mr Wabba said.

In his message, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State urged Muslims to continue to uphold and promote the core values of Islam for the sustenance of peace, unity and progress of the country.

Mr Ugwuanyi, who felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari and other Muslim faithful, also wished them the guidance and blessings of Allah, calling on all Nigerians to continue to supplicate for the progress of the country, through good deeds, sacrifice and abiding faith in God.

The governor noted that the ultimate goal remains our collective ability to live in peace and harmony, to cherish one another irrespective of religious, ethnic and political differences, for sustainable development of the nation.

He therefore, wished all Nigerians a peaceful and pleasant celebration.

The Eid-el-Kabir celebration holds Tuesday and Wednesday, which were earlier declared as public holidays.
Governor Kashim Shettima has dispelled speculations on Saturday that a lake in Alau town, a distance of about five km from Maiduguri, had been bombed by Boko Haram insurgents.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that following over-flow of water from the dam, locals of the town had circulated misleading information to the effect that insurgents had destroyed the dam.

Mr Shettima, who dispelled the rumor on Sunday after a tour of the facility with Bulama Biu, Acting GOC 7 Div. Maiduguri, said the damage was caused by lack of maintenance.

Mr Shettima said that it was one of the embarkment that was slightly washed away by water.

Our findings reveal that one of the embankments got washed away, embankments that require regular maintenance.

The GOC (7 Div) was there early this morning; he assessed it and has pictures of what happened to that particular embankment, he said.

The governor said he and some management staff of Chad Basin Development Authority were also at the scene and assured that measures would be taken to remedy the situation.

Mr Shettima said that some days ago, some of the dikes were opened to decongest the dam, saying that the measure might have been responsible for the washing away of the portion of the embankment.

I wished to assure Borno Citizen that all is well; there was no any terrorist attack on the dam, he said.

Also clarifying the issue, Bashir Garga, NEMA Northeast Zonal Cordinator, said that one of the dikes close to a deserted community, got destroyed.

Mr Garga said an emergency response team comprising NEMA and SEMA officials undertook an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the situation.

Though the team could not gain access to where the incident occured, but based on the information gathered on the field, it was one of the dikes close to one of the deserted communities, Bale kayamla, that was washed away, he said.

Also speaking on the incident, Babagana Yuroma, Executive Director Engineering Chad Basin Development Authority, said three of the five dikes had washed away.

Mr Yuroma said the activities of insurgents around Alau village had made it impossible for maintenance to be carried out on the dikes, hence the sudden lapses.

(NAN)
Governor Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa State on Monday said he would remain in the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the rest of his political career.

Mr Bindow made the clarification at an extraordinary State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held in Yola, the state capital.

He said his support for the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari would make him not to leave APC to another party.

I believe in the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari administration so much that I will remain in the APC for the rest of my political career, he said.

Mr Bindow called on all APC members in the state to remain loyal to him and to support the administration for its transformation.

The governor said that Mr Buhari meant well for the country, adding that his administration had given optimism to the North east and the state in particular.

There were rumours from some sections of the media that Mr Bindow was about to defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The extraordinary SEC meeting was attended by commissioners, permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, special advisers and chairmen of local government areas, among critical stakeholders in the state.

(NAN)
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Sulyman Abdulkareem, has disclosed that there is a large deposit of tin ore on the universitys land.

Mr. Abdulkareem, a professor, noted further that the university would generate huge revenue from the resources.

He disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the Strategic Plan Retreat for University Council Members at the Epe Resort & Spa, Epe, Lagos State.

Mr Abdulkareem also hinted that the university management is already firming up an arrangement for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to utilise the expansive land of the university for large-scale farming of soya beans and maize.

Unilorin Bulletin, the universitys weekly publication, reports on Monday that the vice-chancellor also added that the university, which was on the ninth rung in the web ranking in the last two years, has now moved up to number six.

He therefore expressed appreciation to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Governing Council, Abdullah Oyekan, and other council members for their support for the university since their appointment.

In his opening remarks, the Council Chairman, Mr. Oyekan, said even though it is coming late after 15 months of the inauguration of the council, the retreat was worth it.

He pointed out that at the end, the retreat would come up with an action plan which can be accelerated for actualisation by the end of the councils tenure.

The retreat was attended by top management staff of the university.
The Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, has said that it is only one senator  Bassey Albert  that was speaking for the whole of Akwa Ibom state for now at the nations Senate.

Mr Emmanuel said this on Monday while addressing a large crowd of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters who turned out at the Onna township stadium for a rally organised by the people of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District to show solidary with the governor.

The only man standing! The only man standing! The only man standing! Governor Emmanuel repeatedly shouted to the crowd as he acknowledged the senators presence at the rally.

The crowd responded with the shout of Oba! Oba! Oba! which is the acronym for Obong Bassey Albert.

He is the only senator speaking for the whole of Akwa Ibom state in the Senate, the governor told the crowd.

The governor shouted, One with God.

And the ecstatic crowd responded, .is with the majority!

One with God.

.is with the majority!

Mr Albert, the only senator still remaining in the PDP in the state, has vowed not to leave the party and has also pledged political support for Mr Emmanuel.

Governor Emmanuels remarks appear to be a veiled attack on the other two Akwa Ibom senators, Godswill Akpabio and Nelson Effiong, who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Effiong represents Akwa Ibom South, which is the governors own senatorial district, while Mr Akpabio represents Akwa North West.

Since Mr Akpabios defection on August 8, PDP has been holding series of rallies and solidarity visits to Mr Emmanuel as a strategy to calm down its impact against the governors re-election bid.

Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, is generally regarded as one of the most influential politicians in the state and Nigerias South-South region.

With the current political development, Akwa Ibom is most likely going to be a battleground state for both the PDP and the APC in the 2019 general elections.

And with Mr Akpabios exit from the PDP, Governor Emmanuel would be counting on the likes of Mr Albert and the youthful speaker of the state House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, to help deliver the state for the PDP.

Mr Albert is one lucky beneficiary of the current political development in the state.

The apparent media campaign against him, which may have had the backing of the state government, suddenly ceased when the government and the PDP began mobilising for the political battle ahead, after the defection of Mr Akpabio.

Besides having now earned the governors thumbs up, PDP leaders in Akwa Ibom North-East recently made a case for Mr Bassey to be given automatic ticket by the party for the 2019 election.

I appeal to those aspiring to go to the Senate to hold on for now and to support Bassey Albert Akpan for a second term, a former senator, Effiong Bob, said on August 11 in Uyo during a meeting of leaders from the senatorial district.

With the unfolding development in the State, we will need a high ranking member in the Senate in 2019 for the collective interest of Uyo Senatorial District.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said no fewer than 52 motorists were arrested for 92 traffic offences on the first day of its Mobile Court Operation.

Sunday Ajayi, Sector Commander of FRSC in Anambra, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital on Monday.

Mr Ajayi said 48 of the accused were found guilty of the offences against them, while five were acquitted.

According to him, tyre violations topped the offenses, while driving without seatbelt, failure to install Speed Limiter and non-possession of drivers licence were also recorded.

He said the Mobile Court was part of the activities of the special Sallah patrol which commenced on August 17.

We had mobile court along Onitsha Owerri corridor where 53 persons were tried for 92 offences, 48 were found guilty and five were acquitted of any wrong doing.

From the statistics, the dominant offence was tyre violation with 22, drivers license violation 11 and failure to install speed limiter nine among others.

Our effort is to sanitise our roads of all infractions and ensure every driver observed the rules of traffic and imbibe the spirit of safe road use, he told NAN.

Mr Ajayi said the consequences of poorly maintained vehicles and lawless driving were crash, injuries and possibly death, urging motorists to be more safety conscious.

He said there had been increased vehicular movement in the command since the weekend and we also want to use the medium to raise awareness on safety.

Apart from enforcement, our men have been adequately deployed within the command to ensure that there is free-flow of traffic.

Anybody who cannot maintain his vehicle should rest. It is better to use commuter vehicles and stay alive than use your poorly-maintained vehicle and kill yourself.

We appeal to motorists to use the roads in accordance with the law, he said.

(NAN)
Photo: CTV

A memorial was held Sunday for a man gunned down in East Vancouver last week in what police are calling a road rage incident.

Willis Hunt was shot and killed Aug. 10 underneath the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge near Bridgeway Street. The 33-year-old's death was a huge shock to the Commercial Drive community in which he lived.

"He was so full of respect for everyone. He just loved life. He loved life and he was a kind person and a generous person. If you needed something and he could give it, he would give it," Hunt's mother, Sunni Hunt, told CTV News earlier this week.

Friends and family gathered Sunday to commemorate Hunt's life. He was a passenger in a Toyota Matrix that police say was involved in a traffic dispute with a white sedan just moments before Hunt was shot, attempting to protect the woman driving the car.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call VPD at 604-717-2500 or give an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-84777.

-With files from CTV Vancouver
Local government workers in Ekiti are planning to embark on an indefinite strike beginning from Thursday this week, following the non-payment of their salary arrears.

The council workers complained that the outgoing governor was not committed to paying the backlogs as his tenure ends in October.

The workers under the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees(NULGE), reached the decision to embark on the strike at an emergency NULGE State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held on Friday at the union secretariat along Iyin Road, Ado Ekiti.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, NULGE condemned Mr Fayoses intention to employ 2,000 new workers when those who are already in the system were owed arrears of salaries.

The NULGE, Ekiti State Branch, at its meeting held on Friday, 17th August, 2018, wish to remind the government that out of the four demands of the union, in its communique issued on 25th July, 2018, only one of them was partially attended to; which is less than five per cent of our total demands, the communique stated.

The union wishes to reiterate that in spite of our agitation, the government only paid up to December 2017 salary leaving seven (7) months yet unpaid.

It is evident now that the government is insensitive to the workers plight because the union has it on good authority that the government is planning to add to the burden of the local governments by recruiting more hands to the teaching sector.

In view of the above, the State Executive Council (SEC) in session therefore directs all members of the union to stay at home indefinitely from Thursday, 23rd August, 2018 until further directives by the union.

The Ekiti State Government confirmed that it received the notice of the strike late on Saturday.

Lere Olayinka, the media adviser to the state governor, told PREMIUM TIMES that the government would look into the matter on Monday when work resumes.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ekiti State, has said the attempt by Mr Fayose to increase the workforce by well over 2,000, is not only an afterthought, but an act of wickedness and insensitivity to the plights of Ekiti people.

In a statement in Ado-Ekiti, the partys Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the party could not fathom the rationality to hire additional hands.

It said this was inexplicable especially when the governor had always complained of not having money to pay workers who were owed salaries arrears of between six and 10 months while pensioners had not been paid for 11 months.

He warned that the incoming administration would not accept Mr Fayoses plot to destroy Ekiti State and her people.

It is on record that Fayose has run Ekiti aground having subjected the state to N117 billion debts with nothing to show for them except enriching himself and immediate family, it said.

How can one explain or justify fresh recruitment when workers are being owed between six months and ten months of unpaid wages while pensioners have not received one kobo for close to a year?

Given the fiscal challenges, huge wage burden and backlog of unpaid salaries faced by EKiti State under Fayoses administration, any staff recruitment at this stage should be considered an act of sabotage to destabilise the new government and keep the state in perpetual financial imbalance and we warn here that we understand this Fayoses act of sabotage, which shall never, ever stand.

If Fayose truly loves Ekiti people, he should make as a priority the payment of outstanding salaries, pensions and wages and not any fresh recruitment of workers with no hope of salary payment in a civil service state that runs her economy through payment of salary.

Mr Fayose had justified the new recruitment, saying there was a gap for new teachers and that the process of employing new workers was already ongoing.

He had argued that as long as he remained governor, he would continue to carry out his responsibilities, including hiring workers when necessary.

Mr Fayose had also accused Mr Fayemi of employing workers a few weeks before leaving office in 2014 when he (Fayemi) was governor.
The Lagos State Police Command has deployed an additional 1,000 police officers across the state for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration.

Chike Oti, the police spokesperson, said the move was to ensure a hitch-free Sallah celebration through effective coverage of the prayer grounds, holiday spots, and the neighbourhoods.

In addition, specialised units like the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD), the Canine section (Police dogs), the Air support unit, Marine police and the Mounted troops (Horsemen ), have been activated and sufficiently mobilised to guarantee security during the holidays, said Mr Oti, quoting the state police commissioner, Imohimi Edgal.

The CP assures Lagosians that the command is committed to their security before, during and after the holiday.

He wishes Muslim faithfuls happy Eid El Kabir celebration and admonishes the city dwellers to be security conscious and enjoy moderately during the holiday.

The federal government had declared August 21 and 22 as public holidays to celebrate this years Eid-el-Kabir.
The police in Lagos have arrested a 29-year-old suspect, Taiwo Akinola, for allegedly attempting to murder his mother at their home in Ayobo, a Lagos suburb, on Sunday.

The police said they received a distress call from neighbours who saw the battered head of the victim, Alice Akinola.

According to the police, the suspect lives with his mother and her grandchild, a 14-year-old boy named Faruk.

On this fateful day, Taiwo went to the victims provision store in front of their apartment and told his mother to meet him inside the house for an important discussion and at the same time sent his nephew, Faruk, to go buy him a white handkerchief and a stick of cigarette, the police said in a statement.

As soon as the victim, Alice Akinola entered the house, the suspect attacked her, smashing her head with a plank, pressing iron and a UPS charger to ensure she didnt survive the ferocious attack.

However, the cat was let loose (out of) the bag when Faruk came back looking for his uncle to deliver the message he was sent. He went to his grandmothers store but she wasnt there, which made him go straight to the house where he met his grandmother in a pool of blood.

The boy who was in shock raised an alarm and this attracted neighbours to the scene.

The police said while interrogating the suspect he confessed to being a staunch member of the notorious Aiye confraternity and that he wanted to kill his mother to advance his cyber fraud business to the bloody yahoo plus or ritual level.

The suspect disclosed that he was asked to kill his mother in order to have more money.

When his room was searched, two calabashes with one containing human skull and the other, a mixture of dark concoction, a plank perforated with nails and stained with blood, a pressing iron stained with blood, a white handkerchief with which he wanted to scoop the victims blood, a bottle containing oil and labelled Back To Sender were found in his room.

The suspects mother had been taken to an undisclosed hospital where doctors are battling to save her life, the police said.

While the suspect is in police detention, the crime scene has been secured for further investigation by the police forensic experts attached to the Homicide section SCIID Panti, Yaba.
Photo: The Canadian Press Russian Alexander Kirillov, arrives at the Pattaya Provincial Court Chonburi province, Thailand, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018.

A model and escort from Belarus who caused a sensation by claiming to have information linking Russian interference to the election of President Donald Trump said Monday that she no longer has the evidence and will not talk about it.

Anastasia Vashukevich, who also uses the name Nastya Rybka, pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting and conspiracy to solicit in a court appearance in the Thai resort city of Pattaya to prepare for her trial along with seven co-defendants. Lawyers will submit legal submissions at another hearing next week at which the court is expected to set a date for testimony to begin.

Vashukevich, Russian self-styled sex guru Alexander Kirillov and six other people were arrested at a sex training seminar in Pattaya in February and have been in custody ever since. All the defendants, who could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, pleaded not guilty.

Vashukevich told The Associated Press that she had turned over audio recordings to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, whose conversations about election interference she claimed to have taped.

She has said she provided "escort" services to Deripaska, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and who has links to Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager now being tried in the United States on money laundering and other charges.

Speaking to an AP reporter in the courtroom in Pattaya, Vashukevich said she had promised Deripaska she would no longer speak on the matter, and that he had already promised her something in return for not making that evidence public.

"He promised me a little something already," Vashukevich said. "If he do that then there will be no problem, but if he don't ..." she said with a shrug and a smile.

She also shrugged and smiled when asked if she had kept her own copies of the information she recorded, which she said comprised "some audio, some video."

Asked what the material showed, she said, "You'd have to ask Deripaska."

Vashukevich created world headlines when she was first detained because she claimed to have audio recordings of Deripaska that provided evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

She appealed to America for help and for asylum, through a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, but provided no proof of her claims. At a hearing in April, she seemed to switch allegiances, making a public apology to Deripaska and saying it was the Americans, not the Russians, who were persecuting her.

A judge at the Pattaya Provincial Court declared Monday that if the seminar included people having sexual intercourse or arranged for people to have sex, it would be considered illegal by Thai law even if there was mutual consent.

Pattaya is internationally notorious as a destination for sex tourists.
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.




Photo: Alex

Wildfires and smoke still causing issues and delays on B.C. highway.

Highway 3, 20 km west of Creston has been reduced to single lane alternating traffic in both directions due to wildfire suppression activities.

Travellers should be prepared for unscheduled delays.

Closer to the Alberta border, there is a travel advisory in effect for Highway 93 from Castle Junction to Radium Hot Springs. Smoke from the wildfire is affecting visibility for drivers. Travel is recommended between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The highway may be closed anytime without advanced notice to ensure safety for motorists. Drivers should anticipate reduced speed and possible delays. Drivers may take Highway 1 and 95 through Golden B.C. as an alternate route.
ALBANY, New York, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The global animal parasiticides market was valued at US$ 5,606.8 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% from 2018 to 2026 according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled "Animal Parasiticides Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2018-2026". The report suggests that increase in number of livestock farms and rise in demand for meat and animal byproducts are expected to boost the animal parasiticides market between 2018 and 2026. North America and Europe are projected to dominate the global market owing to the rise in adoption rate of companion animals and increase in demand for meat. Moreover, high adoption rate of animal parasiticides for instant treatment planning by veterinary doctors as well as researchers is also likely to fuel the market in North America and Europe during the forecast period. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a significant growth rate during the forecast period. Expansion of the market in Asia Pacific is attributed to the large cultivation base of food producing animals in the countries in Southeast Asia, rising number of pig population, and investment by major players for developing production units in the region. The market for animal parasiticides in Latin America is likely to expand at a moderate growth rate during the forecast period.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )



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Zoonotic infection and adoption rate of companion & food-producing animals is expected to fuel global market

The global animal parasiticides market is projected to be potentially driven by the increase in adoption rate of companion animals and production of food-producing animals in farms. Animal parasiticides provide diverse benefits for treatment of zoonotic diseases, which can be used by veterinary physicians and hospital staff. Key players offering animal parasiticides are developing value added features such as effective spray, dips, collars, etc. The new features or technological developments in parasiticides applications reduce the overall application cost and thus, improves the overall effectiveness and efficiency of food-producing animal production practices. Companies are focusing on the development of parasiticides chemical constituents for major diseases such as malaria in animals and Lyme disease. Other value-added features responsible for the expansion of the animal parasiticides market include expansion of biotechnology industries for research and development on zoonotic diseases, rise in expenses for R&D development, and rising government initiatives in funding societies for development in agriculture field, which improves the development of animal parasiticides globally.

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Ectoparasiticides is projected to be highly lucrative deployment mode

Based on product, the ectoparasiticides segment is anticipated to have a prominent share of the market, in terms of value, by 2026. The segment is projected to expand due to rise in infestation of fleas, ticks, and other ectoparasites to companion animals and livestock, which increases the chances of bacterial, viral, and parasitic disease transmission to humans. Therefore, the usage of ectoparasiticides is inevitable and important for pets and cattle. These factors are expected to drive the segment during the forecast period. The ectoparasiticides segment is estimated to hold a major market share by the end of 2018 due to the increase in broader cross-protective immunity. The ectoparasiticides segment is expected to expand by 2026 due to increase in company's focus on R&D expenditures and recent allocations of resources, which is also estimated to increase the operating cash ?ow to fund future growth investments. For instance, in 2017, Zoetis Inc. invested US$ 382 Mn to shape new innovation in the animal health industry. These are a few factors that are likely to fuel the ectoparasiticides segment during the forecast period.

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Companion animals' species dominates the market and the segment is estimated to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period

In terms of species, the companion animals segment accounted for a leading share of the global animal parasiticides market. The segment is estimated to gain market share by the end of 2026 and expand at a CAGR more than 6% during the forecast period. Expansion of specialized R&D production units by key players in major countries worldwide and increasing adoption rate of pets as companion, beast of burden, etc., have led to the prominent share held by the companion animals segment of the global animal parasiticides market. Increase in gastrointestinal parasitism and zoonotic diseases among pets is likely to drive the animal parasiticides market during the forecast period. High prevalence and incidence rates of zoonotic diseases in pets has led to an increase in pet owners' visits to veterinary hospitals. These factors are expected to fuel the companion animals segment between 2018 and 2026.

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Asia Pacific represents potential business development opportunity

North America and Europe accounted for a key share of the global animal parasiticides market in 2017. They are likely to gain market share by the end of 2026. High consumption of meat and production of livestock or food-producing animals have contributed to the leading share held by these region in the global animal parasiticides market. Asia Pacific is projected to be a highly attractive market for animal parasiticides, and is likely to exhibit a significant attractiveness index. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a high CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period due to increasing trading policy of meat in emerging economies such as India and China. Rise in adoption of companion animals, increase in number of production units of food-producing animals such as swine and poultry, and high consumption of meat in countries such as Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan are likely to fuel the animal parasiticides market in Asia Pacific during the forecast period. The market in Latin America is anticipated to expand at a moderate growth rate during the forecast period due to increasing production of pigs in Argentina and investment of government funding for research and development of parasiticides in Brazil.

Browse Press Release: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/animal-parasiticides-market.htm

Key trend of research and development & acquisition among leading players to increase geographic presence has been observed in last few years

The report also provides profiles of leading players operating in global animal parasiticides market. Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Ceva Sante Animale, Elanco (Eli Lilly and Company), Merck & Co., Inc., and Zoetis, Inc. are major players operating in the global animal parasiticides market, accounting for significant market share. Companies operating in the animal parasiticides industry are aiming to increase their geographic presence by means of strategic acquisition and collaboration with leading players in respective domains and geography. In January 2015, Elanco (Eli Lilly) completed the acquisition of Novartis Animal Health (Novartis AH) in an all-cash transaction for US$ 5.28 Bn. The acquisition has provided Elanco with a greater commercial presence in the companion animal and swine markets. Other prominent players operating in the global animal parasiticides include Bimeda Animal Health, Virbac, Sunmitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. The Chanelle Group, Vetoquinol, and Bayer AG.

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Veterinary Vaccines Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/veterinary-vaccines-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/veterinary-vaccines-market.html Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/veterinary-molecular-diagnostics-market.html

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TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
HOUSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Sprig Pediatrics, Inc. ("BlueSprig") and Houston All-Star 3rd baseman, Alex Bregman, have partnered to provide technology and services for children with autism.

BlueSprig has pledged to donate $500 to Bregman's charitable organization, AB for Autism, for each home run he hits during the 2018 regular season.

"We are excited to partner with Alex to bring much needed technology, support, and services to children on the spectrum," said Keith Jones, President and CEO of BlueSprig. "In the state of Texas alone, more than twenty thousand children with Autism do not receive therapeutic services because their parents cannot afford the necessary health insurance. Part of our commitment to community is to be loud advocates for all children with autism and we are proud to support Alex in his mission to raise awareness and provide technology and services for children with Autism everywhere."

BlueSprig's mission is to CHANGE THE WORLD FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM by; providing the very best Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services, investing in research to continuously improve those services and advocating for the resources and vital funding that children on the spectrum so greatly need.

Bregman, who has a godson diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), wants to help as many children with autism as he possibly can. "I couldn't be happier to partner with BlueSprig," said Bregman. "Their generosity and help have been second to none in their support of my foundation and helping me achieve my goals."

Together Alex Bregman and BlueSprig are striving to CHANGE THE WORLD FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.

About BlueSprig Pediatrics, Inc.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, BlueSprig is a rapidly growing provider of high-quality ABA services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). BlueSprig is committed to providing compassionate, individualized, and evidence-based behavior analysis services. For additional information about BlueSprig or to receive updates, please visit www.bluesprigautism.com.

About AB for Autism

Founded by Alex Bregman, AB for Autism's mission is to provide support for children with autism and down syndrome by providing the latest in technology and educational resources.

BlueSprig Contact: AB for Autism Contact: Laurie Marino, Director of Marketing and PR Meghan McKinsey Whelan [email protected] | 832-240-5708 [email protected] | 650-235-5632

SOURCE Blue Sprig Pediatrics, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bluesprigautism.com


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilshire Law Firm is proud to announce that Founding President and Managing Attorney Bobby Saadian has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 25th edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Mr. Saadian achieved this prestigious designation for his outstanding work in the field of Personal Injury Litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based on a uniquely exhaustive peer review process. For the 2019 edition, 7.8 million votes were analyzed across 145 practice areas. Attorneys selected must then undergo an authentication process that ensures they are currently practicing and in good standing with their state bar association.

This transparent and painstakingly thorough process makes Best Lawyers the definitive standard of legal excellence. It's important to note that in addition to his exceptional legal expertise, Mr. Saadian's listing also acknowledges his professionalism and ethics.

Best Lawyers notes that they are the "only purely peer-review guide to the legal profession." Since being founded in 1981, Best Lawyers' main objective has been to assist the public in finding the highest quality of legal services available nationally and around the world.

About Wilshire Law Firm

Having started Wilshire Law Firm over 10 years ago, Mr. Saadian has grown the firm into one of the premiere personal injury firms in California with over $250,000,000 recovered for his clients. In addition, he has received many awards and distinctions from both consumers as well as his fellow legal professionals for his tireless work to improve the lives of his clients and their families.

Mr. Saadian is also actively involved in several community and charitable organizations. One of his principal causes is nurturing the next generation of legal talent, regardless of their economic background. To this end, Wilshire Law Firm offers scholarships to deserving students interested in a career in the legal profession.

For more information about Wilshire Law Firm's services, visit our website: www.wilshirelawfirm.com or call us at 1(888) 539-4117. We're available 24/7, 365 days a year.

SOURCE Wilshire Law Firm

Related Links

http://wilshirelawfirm.com


SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America, in partnership with Sony Electronics, announced today the national winners of Boys & Girls Clubs of America ImageMakers National Photography competition during a celebration event at Sony's headquarters in San Diego. Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle earned the top honor of Best in Show with a portrait titled "Zamira".

The ImageMakers National Photography Program and Contest enables Club youth to engage in visual storytelling and develop skills to take impactful photographs. This year-round program encourages Club members to learn and practice black-and-white, color, digital and alternative process photography. With a rich, 50-year history, the Photography Contest is one of the member competitions from Boys & Girls Clubs of America's arts initiative, which invites youth ages 6 to 18 to capture photographs and express their creativity in five categories: culture & tradition, portraits, fashion, surroundings and photo with essay or poem.

"Sony's longstanding partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides an opportunity to connect youth with the tools, digital imaging technology and the creative outlet to express themselves through photography," said Michael Fasulo, president and chief operating officer, Sony Electronics. "We're invested in cultivating the next generation of creators, and providing youth with the necessary skills to help achieve a successful future."

Studies have shown that participation in the arts is linked to higher academic performance, increased standardized test scores, and lower dropout rates. Thanks to program sponsors like Sony Electronics, Boys & Girls Clubs are offering quality, affordable arts programming during out-of-school time.

ImageMakers provides innovative and high-quality arts programming that stimulates learning and academic success; inspires creativity; explores future careers; and encourages self-expression, critical thinking and problem solving. As a global leader in image sensors, the heart of photographic technology used in cameras and mobile phones around the world, Sony's national support of ImageMakers enables Club youth to learn the art and science of photography and provides access to the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony. Arts programming helps build design thinking and in turn supports youth's STEM interest, which supports Sony and Boys & Girls Clubs of America's commitment to expanding youth exposure to future technology and possible career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

All ImageMakers winners will receive a Sony Camera package that includes a Sony camera and case. To learn more about the ImageMakers National Photography program, and to view artwork from this year's winners, visit bgca.org/imagemakers.

2018 ImageMakers Winners

Best In Show

Category: Portraits

Title: Zamira

Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle

Judges Choice

Category: Editing & Filter

Title: The Reckless Skeleton

Boys & Girls Clubs of Arlington (TX)

Category: Fashion & Style

Title: Blue Flower

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County (FL)

Category: Portraits

Title: Reflection of My Sister

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor

Category Winners

Fashion & Style

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County (FL)

Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle

Madison Square Boys & Girls Club

Nature and Surroundings

Boys & Girls Club of Huntington Valley

Madison Square Boys & Girls Club

JB San Antonio-Lackland Youth Program

Portrait

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth

Sigonella Naval Air Station  Sicily, Armed Forces Europe/Mid East

Culture and Traditions

USAG Grafenwoehr CYS Services  Vilseck, Armed Forces Europe/Mid East

Whidbey Island Naval Air Station  Oak Harbor, Washington

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands

Editing & Filter

F.E. Warren AFB Youth Program  F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming

Sarah Heinz House

Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,300 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter.

About Sony Electronics Inc.

Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and an affiliate of Sony Corporation (Japan), one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions from 4K professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading 4K Ultra HD TVs. Visit http://www.sony.com/news for more information.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Related Links

http://www.bgca.org


AUGUSTA, N.J., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Save Ellis Island, Inc. the National Park Service fundraising partner for the restoration and reuse of 29 historic buildings on Ellis Island, has today named Catherine A. Burke as Chairperson of the Foundation.

Ms. Burke, a lifelong resident of Atlantic City and co-founder of the Irish Pub in Atlantic City and PA, has been involved with the nonprofit since 1999. Burke had previously been selected by Governor Whitman as a member of her Advisory Committee on the Preservation and Use of the unrestored 29 historic buildings on Ellis Island.

"I am honored and humbled by my appointment as Chair of the Save Ellis Island Board. Since working with the dedicated individuals committed to restoring this national treasure, I have felt a personal affinity towards seeing this come to fruition," she said.

Burke, the recipient of numerous awards, including being recognized and recorded in the U.S. Congressional Record by U.S. Senator Bill Bradley as "Woman of the Year" for her community, church and charitable works.

"Cathy's passion, dedication and leadership are unsurpassed. It has been my pleasure to work with Cathy as a trustee of Save Ellis Island and I look forward to working with her in her new role as Chairperson," said Janis Calella, President of Save Ellis Island.

Ms. Burke is replacing Mrs. Joanne Del Rio, who served as Board Chair for almost seven years.

When Ellis Island opened in 1892, the first immigrant to step ashore was a 15-year-old girl from Ireland's County Cork named Annie Moore. Almost 300,000 of Annie's Irish countrymen and women would follow before the last man would be processed through Ellis Island on Nov. 12, 1954. During the 62 years in between, an incredible 12 million newcomers came to Ellis Island looking for America. It was the largest migration in human history.

Save Ellis Island, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the National Park Service designated partner to raise the funds necessary to rehabilitate and beneficially re-use the remaining unrestored 29 historic buildings on Ellis Island's south side. In 2014 Save Ellis Island opened a portion of the hospital for tours and on-site education programs. For more information regarding this restoration project, visit our website at www.saveellisisland.org or call us at 973 383 1080.

Contact: Janis Calella

[email protected]

SOURCE Save Ellis Island, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.saveellisisland.org


DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Adults in DuPage County can now apply to Creating IT Futures' free IT-Ready career program. IT-Ready trains, certifies and places unemployed and under-employed adults in their first jobs in the information technology (IT) field, which has a shortage of qualified workers. More than 30,000 tech jobs are open in the greater Chicago area. For the first time, IT-Ready will host a 14-week class in Naperville starting October 1. Applications will be accepted through September 12 at www.ITReady.com.

In the IT-Ready CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist (CSIS) class, students initially work toward CompTIA A+ certification as in Creating IT Futures' IT-Ready Technical Support class, but then receive additional training to complete their CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certification.

The full-time classroom-based course is underwritten by grants and financial donations, so that students can attend classes for free. Prospective students must live in or have last worked in DuPage County, Illinois; they can find out if they are eligible for free training through the workNet DuPage Career Center. The workNet DuPage Career Center of DuPage County is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Creating IT Futures is an approved training provider and IT-Ready CSIS is an approved training program of the workNet DuPage Career Center.

"Beyond the training and certifications, our employer relationship manager will work with the students to connect them to local employers," said Charles Eaton, CEO of Creating IT Futures. "About 86% of our graduates across all our IT-Ready programs find full-time employment in the tech industry."

What Do IT-Ready Students Learn?

In the IT-Ready program, students use group activities, classroom discussion, interactive labs, role playing and hands-on training to prepare for all three certification exams. Students receive instruction in the following technical areas:

Computer hardware, laptops and mobile devices,

Operating system software including, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008,

Application software MS Office 2010,

Computer assembly, troubleshooting strategies and repair methods,

Internet and networking,

Network implementation, support, media, topologies, protocols and standards, and

Network security, compliance and operational security, threats and vulnerabilities, application/data/host security and identity management.

IT-Ready students also receive targeted professional development in key business "soft" skills such as professional communication and presentation, teamwork and collaboration, and critical thinking and problem solving. IT-Ready graduates are grounded in these key skills and prepared to apply them on day one of their new jobs. After completing their training, the students sit for the CompTIA A+ certification exam which covers desktop and help-desk technical support duties and skills.

IT-Ready students receive free tuition, books and learning materials, more than 240 hours of classroom and hands-on tech and soft skills training, and certification vouchers.

The class in DuPage County will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every weekday until January 11 with holidays on November 22-23 and December 24-January 1. To demonstrate their commitment to the training and pursuing an IT career, IT-Ready students are allowed only one absence and two late days during the program. The class will be held at Illinois BIS, 1100 E Warrenville Road, Suite #150, Naperville, IL 60563.

Beyond recruiting for participants for IT-Ready training, Creating IT Futures is looking for Chicago businesses to consider the resumes of certified IT-Ready graduates and interview qualified candidates for entry-level IT positions. Interested employers should contact Anderson Lee at [email protected].

Potential employers, mentors, students and community partners can learn more at www.ITReady.com.

About Creating IT Futures

Founded in 1998 by CompTIA, Creating IT Futures is a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission of helping populations under-represented in the information technology industry and individuals who are lacking in opportunity to prepare for, secure, and be successful in IT careers. Learn more at www.creatingITfutures.org.

Media Contact:

Lisa Fasold

Creating IT Futures

630-678-8558

[email protected]

SOURCE Creating IT Futures

Related Links

http://www.creatingitfutures.org


Photo: The Canadian Press Muslim pilgrims walk towards Namirah mosque on Arafat Mountain, during the annual hajj pilgrimage on Sunday.

Some two million Muslim pilgrims gathered on Monday in the valley of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for a day of prayer that marks the pinnacle of the annual hajj.

Pilgrims stood shoulder to shoulder for an emotional day of repentance and supplication at the site Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite. According to the hadiths, traditional collections of the prophet's sayings and anecdotes about his life, Muhammad also reminded his followers of women's rights and that every Muslim life and property is sacred.

Muslims believe prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometres east of the holy city of Mecca, is their best chance to erase past sins and start anew.

"Today is the most important part of the hajj, and we are all feeling great, and we pray for all Muslims in the world," said Abdel-Munem Ali, a Libyan pilgrim.

Syrian pilgrim Mohammad Nezar said he was praying "to Allah to restore peace for people everywhere."

Mohammad Neem, a Pakistani pilgrim, said he couldn't find the words to describe his feelings. "This is the day to pray, and this is the right time to do that," he added.

Around sunset, pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, nine kilometres west of Arafat. Many walk, while others use buses. They spend the night there and pick up pebbles along the way that will be used in a symbolic stoning of the devil back in the city of Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk Ibrahim out of submitting to God's will.

The kingdom has spent billions of dollars of its vast oil revenues on security and safety measures, particularly in Mina, where some of the hajj's deadliest incidents have occurred.

The worst in recorded history took place only three years ago. On Sept. 24, 2015, a stampede and crush of pilgrims in Mina killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count.

The five-day hajj pilgrimage represents one of the world's biggest gatherings every year, and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life.
Hundreds of FIAT owners and Abarth performance-car aficionados from throughout North America gathered in Orlando this past week as FIAT Club America celebrated its 35th annual "FIAT FreakOut" (FFO) national convention.

"The passion and loyalty of FIAT fans were on full display at this year's FreakOut," said Steve Beahm, Head of Passenger Car Brands  Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA  North America. "With a full range of fun-to-drive vehicles spanning multiple decades, this is the perfect annual event for owners to celebrate FIAT's iconic Italian heritage and design."

Held at Walt Disney World and nearby attractions, organizers tabbed this year's event as "The Most Magical FreakOut on Earth." The event registered as one of the most highly attended national conventions in FIAT Club America's history. A husband and wife even drove their 2017 Fiat 124 Spider cross-country from Tacoma, Washington, to attend this year's festivities.

Created and executed by FIAT enthusiasts, the FFO event is a fun-filled, annual four-day event that rotates throughout the country. This year's event included driving tours throughout Disney properties and a scenic trip through orange groves and Florida's backwoods to the Lakeridge Winery. Members were also treated to festive-themed meals, including a private dessert party at the Italy showcase in Epcot. The main event was the Concorso Di Eleganza vintage car display, which was followed by a banquet and award ceremony.

The oldest vehicle that appeared in this year's Concorso Di Eleganza was a 1952 Fiat 500c Topolino. Other vehicles on hand included a 1977 Lancia Scorpion, 1984 Pininfarina Spider Volumex, 1986 Bertone X 1/9 Dallarlra, a highly modified 2008 Fiat 500 Abarth Meifestofile and an original factory-raced Fiat Abarth 131 rally car from the collection of John Campion.

A highlight of the gathering included the attendance of Anneliese Abarth, the wife and partner of the late Carlo Abarth, who served as the keynote speaker during the members annual banquet. As the widow of the legendary automotive designer, she carries on his legacy, actively representing Abarth at classic car events and international club meetings throughout the world.

"Each year, we strive for the FIAT FreakOut to be the best ever," said Doug Von Koenig, president of FIAT Club America. "And this year we achieved that goal by providing our members with a thrilling experience at Disney and having Anneliese Abarth on hand as our keynote speaker."

At the conclusion of the members banquet, the club announced that the 2019 Fiat FreakOut will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 10 -14.

About FIAT Club America

FIAT Club America was founded in 1983 and has been loyally dedicated to the enjoyment of FIAT brand vehicles and other Italian cars since. The club has local chapters holding regional shows and events. The annual national convention called "FIAT FreakOut" was held August 16-19 in Orlando, Florida. This event draws hundreds of FIAT and other Italian automobiles and even more attendees. FIAT Club America maintains a website www.FiatClubAmerica.com and publishes "Ricambi," its official, full-color bi-monthly magazine, which includes member-written articles, adventure stories, technical tips and classified ads.

About FIAT Brand

The FIAT brand stands for discovery through passionate self-expression. That philosophy is embodied by the iconic Fiat 500 or Cinquecento  a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the 500 is sold in more than 100 countries and is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function, technology and a pride of ownership that is genuine.

In North America, the Fiat 500 was introduced in March 2011 and was soon followed by the Fiat 500c (Cabrio), the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth and Abarth Cabrio, the fully electric Fiat 500e, the five-passenger Fiat 500L and the all-wheel-drive 500X crossover. The FIAT brand continues to expand with the introduction of the Fiat 124 Spider, a revival of the iconic roadster that combines Italian style, performance and engaging driving dynamics.

Follow Fiat brand and FCA US news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com

FIAT brand: www.fiatusa.com

FIAT blog: blog.fiatusa.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fiatusa or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fiatusa or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter: www.twitter.com/fiatusa or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/fiatusa or www.youtube.com/fcanorthamerica

SOURCE FCA US LLC

Related Links

http://www.fcanorthamerica.com


LONDON, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Syringe, Insulin, Volumetric, Ambulatory, Patient Controlled Analgesia, Implantable, Enteral, Gastroenterology, Diabetes, Analgesia & Pain Management, Chemotherapy, Paediatrics & Neonatology, Hospital, Home Healthcare, Ambulatory Surgical Centres

The global infusion devices market was valued at $2.1bn in 2017 and is estimated to reach $3.9bn by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2018-2028. In 2017, the volumetric infusion pumps submarket was the largest contributor to the global infusion devices market by product type.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523989/Visiongain_Logo.jpg )



How this report will benefit you

Read on to discover how you can exploit the future business opportunities emerging in this sector.

In this brand new 176-page report you will receive 88 tables and 46 figures- all unavailable elsewhere.

The 176-page report provides clear detailed insight into the global infusion devices market. Discover the key drivers and challenges affecting the market.

By ordering and reading our brand new report today you stay better informed and ready to act.

Report Scope

 Global Infusion Devices market forecasts from 2018-2028

 This report also breaks down the revenue forecast for global infusion devices market by product type:

 Syringe Infusion Pumps

 Insulin Infusion Pumps

 Volumetric Infusion Pumps

 Ambulatory Infusion Pumps

 Patient Controlled Analgesia Pumps

 Implantable Infusion Pumps

 Enteral Infusion Pumps

 This report also breaks down the revenue forecast for global infusion devices market by application:

 Gastroenterology

 Diabetes

 Analgesia & Pain Management

 Chemotherapy

 Paediatrics & Neonatology

 Other Applications

 This report also breaks down the revenue forecast for global infusion devices market by end-user:

 Hospital

 Home Healthcare

 Ambulatory Surgical Centres

 Other End-User

 This report also breaks down the revenue forecast for global infusion devices market by regional and national market:

 North America: US, Mexico, Canada

 Europe: Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe

 Asia-Pacific: Japan, China, Australia, India, South Korea, Rest of Asia-Pacific

 LAMEA: Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Republic of South Africa, Rest of LAMEA

Each regional market is further segmented by product type, application, end-user and country

 This report discusses 10 leading companies involved in the infusion devices market. It contains overviews of the companies' activities, strategies and recent financial results:

 Baxter International Inc.

 B. Braun Melsungen AG

 Becton, Dickinson and Company

 CME Medical UK Ltd.

 Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA

 ICU Medical, Inc.

 Johnson & Johnson

 Moog Inc.

 Smiths Group plc

 Terumo Medical Corporation

 This report provides Porter's Five Forces Analysis of the global infusion devices market. This report also discusses factors that drive and restrain the market as well as opportunities in the market. Moreover, this report provides an analysis on patent and top winning strategies.

Visiongain's study is for everybody needing commercial analyses for the Infusion Devices market and leading companies. You will find data, trends and predictions. Please order our report now.

Buy our report today Global Infusion Devices Market Forecast 2018-2028: Syringe, Insulin, Volumetric, Ambulatory, Patient Controlled Analgesia, Implantable, Enteral, Gastroenterology, Diabetes, Analgesia & Pain Management, Chemotherapy, Paediatrics & Neonatology, Hospital, Home Healthcare, Ambulatory Surgical Centres

To request a report overview of this report please contact Sara Peerun at [email protected] or refer to our website : https://www.visiongain.com/report/global-infusion-devices-market-forecast-2018-2028/

Abbott Nutrition

Akas Medical

Alcor Scientific

Alkermes

Allied Medical

Altea Therapeutics

Amerinet

Amsino International

Animas Corporation

Aradigm

Arcomed AG

Asante

B. Braun Melsungen AG

Baxter

Bayer Healthcare

Becton & Dickson & Co

Bio-Med

BMS

Boston Scientific Corporation

Caesarea Medical Electronics (CME)

Calibra Medical

Cardinal Health

CareFusion

Celgene

Cellnovo

Celsus Laboratories

CeQur

CME Medical

Codman and Shurtleff

Conmed Corporation

Cook Medical

Covidien

D. Medical Industries

Danone Nutricia

Debiotech

DePuy

Disetronic Medical Systems

DreaMed Diabetes

Eli Lilly

Emco

Emisphere

Fresenius Kabi

GE Medical

Generex Biotechnology Corporation

Glycologic

Hanraj Nayyar Medical India

Hospira

IBM

ICU Medical

I-Flow

Insulet Corporation

Intercell

Johnson and Johnson

Kimberly Clark Corporation

Medingo

Medsolve Technologies

Medtronic

Micrel Medical Devices

Mindray

Moog

NeoDevices

NeoMed

Nestle Healthcare

NiliMEDIX

Novartis

Noven Pharmaceuticals

NovoNordisk

Pacira Pharmaceuticals

Philips Medical

pSivida Corporation

Q Core Medical

Roche

Sanofi

Schiller

Smiths Group plc

Smiths Medical

SOOIL

Symbios Medical Products

Takeda

Tandem Diabetics Care

Tandem Diagnostics

Terumo Medical Corporation

Trivitron

Valeritas

Vectura

Vishal Surgical

WalkMed Inc

Zevex

To see a report overview please e-mail Sara Peerun on [email protected]

SOURCE Visiongain
DUBLIN, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Machine Condition Monitoring Market - Segmented by Type (Vibration Monitoring, Ultrasound Emission, Thermography, and Lubricating Oil Analysis), Monitoring Process, Application, and Region - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global machine condition monitoring market was valued at USD 1872.2 million in 2017 and is expected to reach a market value of USD 2529.7 million by 2023, registering a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period (2018-2023).

Machine condition monitoring has recently gained increased significance as companies are focusing more on asset utilization and increasing productivity. Increasing equipment performance and productivity through predictive maintenance, enhancement in equipment reliability by the effective projection of their failures, and inclination of growth towards HVAC market are the factors that are boosting the growth of the machine condition monitoring market.

Operational equipment is responsive to many types of errors and faults. Hence, the importance of monitoring minor or major changes in equipment with parameters like vibration, temperature, voltage, current, pressure, flow, and several others parameters has pushed various industries to take an extra effort in protecting their machines.

The benefit of fault identification using machine condition monitoring is quite advantageous as it allows maintenance personnel to take remedial action to avoid or reduce repair costs and it increases the safety of machinery and people. The process enables to foresee problems that can be corrected at early stages before they result in major damage or even total failure of the equipment.

Increasing Equipment Performance and Productivity through Predictive Maintenance is the Major Driver for the Market



Maintenance productivity deals with the measurement of overall maintenance. It aims at minimizing the maintenance cost and results in maximized performance. Predictive maintenance techniques are designed for various industries to determine the condition of equipment in order to predict when and where maintenance should be performed. This technique promises cost savings or time-based maintenance when tasks are performed.

Vibration monitoring is the most effective and efficient technique for checking high-speed rotating equipment. Recent advances in vibration monitoring technology have assisted engineers in minimizing age-old engineering problems. Implementing vibration monitoring across manufacturing operations has further strengthened performance, which can provide assistance in reducing energy consumption.

For manufacturing companies, OSHA metrics, that are recorded in a particular time frame for monitoring machine continuously, help engineers by providing real-time process information and unlocks changes in operating conditions. New advances in technology have opened new and refined methods for tracking conditions of machinery, which has undoubtedly created an impact on the safety of people and machines.

There are countries, like the US, where government spending has changed with 4% in the defense sector and is focused on providing effective techniques for ensuring safety.

Increased Adoption of Vibration Sensors in Industries Increasing Demand for Preventive and Predictive Maintenance



Vibration monitoring involves the sensing and analysis of the overall vibrations of machinery/components over time to observe deviations that may indicate defects. Measuring vibrations are the most common method of assessing the mechanical status of machinery and equipment for condition monitoring. The large market share of vibration monitoring can be attributed to the successful prediction of equipment errors through the method. It is one of the most reliable techniques for machine condition monitoring, especially with respect to rotating equipment.

A recent study estimates that an approximately 225,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery that shifts from time-based to condition-based maintenance can reduce maintenance expenses by 15%. That 15% may translate to over USD 8 million per year in maintenance savings or more. For example, refineries employ complex and diverse critical support equipment like centrifugal compressors, pumps, turbines, cooling towers, and generators.

Fans and blades used in cooling towers of a refinery often go unmonitored, which may cause serious damage to the plant. In such a scenario, oil and vibration analysis can be implemented for early detection of fan-blade fatigue. In oil-lubricated mechanisms, it becomes easy to detect potential errors by analyzing oil characteristics. Turbo expanders used in refineries contain hot gases through which power is recovered from process pressure. The expander may burn due to a fault in the process and this may prove to be expensive, hence, it is a condition that needs to be monitored consistently.

With the increase in adoption of online monitoring, the market for vibration monitoring is also expanding as heavy machinery can be consistently monitored with negligible human contact and without the persistent requirement of skilled technicians at the site of installation.

Online Machine Monitoring Expected to Grow with the Fastest CAGR



Manual collection of data can be performed only a limited number of times, however, online monitoring makes it possible to collect large amounts of data at numerous points in addition to avoiding chances of human error in data collection. Typically, a power generation utility takes over 60,000 measurements per month. Manual observations are often time-consuming and need skilled workers for efficient execution, however, online condition monitoring reduces this dependency on workers.

The cost of implementing an online machine monitoring system by small business units is high, which acts as an impediment to widespread adoption and restricts its growth. However, as the concept of predictive maintenance is catching up businesses are moving to reliable online machine condition monitoring, which warns them of potential risks well in advance to plan the maintenance processes, and therefore, enables them in avoiding hazardous situations with accurate and reliable analyses of data.

North America Expected to Dominate the Market





Tremendous growth in the energy sector and rapid technological advancement has spurred the demand for components and monitoring types in North America.

The rising need for a mechanism to speculate equipment failure by achieving depletion in frequency and intensity of disruption and maximizing component life, along with an effective scheduling of maintenance with equipment performance are the factors that are boosting the North American machine condition monitoring market. One of the factors hampering the growth of the North American market is that the nature of maintenance schedules is creating a stir in this region.

In an increasingly competitive market, organizations are challenged to run their plants more profitably and with greater efficiency. Companies, like Emerson, have developed reliable solutions for monitoring machine condition with growing demands in domains like defense, energy & power, and others.

The US has one of the world's biggest coal mines with a significant quantity of reserves, and the amount used by the power industry corresponds to approximately 37% of electricity production in this region. The US is a major contributor to the growth of the North American market, with production & supply of energy estimated as the most preferred segment in terms of performance. The US companies have developed techniques for maintaining a strong machine performance with significant evolutions in oil & gas.

Developments in the Market



October 2017 : Emerson announced agreement to acquire UK-based Permasense Limited, provider of non-intrusive corrosion monitoring technologies for the offshore and onshore oil production, refining, chemical, power, pipelines, metals & mining, and other industries. The Permasense monitoring systems use sensor technology, wireless data delivery, and advanced analytics to continuously monitor for metal loss from corrosion or erosion in pipes, pipelines or vessels, and reliably deliver data from harsh environments. This acquisition is aimed towards broadening the portfolio, and long term growth strategy.

Key Topics Covered



1. Introduction

1.1 Key Deliverables of the Study

1.2 Study Assumptions

1.3 Market Definition

1.4 Key Findings of the Study



2. Research Approach and Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Factors driving the market

4.2.1 Increasing Equipment Performance and Productivity through Predective Maintainance

4.3 Factors Restraining the Market

4.3.1 Recurring Costs to Monitor

4.4 Industry Value Chain Analysis

4.5 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.5.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.5.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

4.5.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.5.4 Threat of Substitute Products or Services

4.5.5 Competitive Rivalry among Existing Competitors



5. Global Machine Condition Monitoring Market Segmentation

5.1 Type

5.1.1 Vibration Monitoring

5.1.2 Thermography Monitoring

5.1.3 Lubricating Oil Analysis

5.1.4 Others

5.2 Monitoring Process

5.2.1 Online Machine Monitoring

5.2.2 Portable Machine Monitoring

5.3 End-User Vertical

5.3.1 Oil & Gas

5.3.2 Power Generation

5.3.3 Aerospace & Defense

5.3.4 Automotive

5.3.5 Other End-User Verticals

5.4 By Geography

5.4.1 North America

5.4.1.1 United States

5.4.1.2 Canada

5.4.2 Europe

5.4.2.1 United Kingdom

5.4.2.2 Germany

5.4.2.3 France

5.4.2.4 Russia

5.4.2.5 Rest of the Europe

5.4.3 Asia-Pacific

5.4.3.1 China

5.4.3.2 India

5.4.3.3 Japan

5.4.3.4 Rest of the Asia-Pacific

5.4.4 Latin America

5.4.4.1 Brazil

5.4.4.2 Mexico

5.4.4.3 Argentina

5.4.4.4 Rest of the Latin America

5.4.5 Middle East & Africa

5.4.5.1 United Arab Emirates

5.4.5.2 Saudi Arabia

5.4.5.3 Iran

5.4.5.4 Rest of the Middle East & Africa



6. Vendor Market Share



7. Competitive Intelligence - Company Profiles

7.1 Emerson Electric Co.

7.2 General Electric Co.

7.3 SKF Group

7.4 National Instruments Corporation

7.5 Bruel & Kjaer Vibro GmbH

7.6 SPM Instruments AB

7.7 Rockwell Automation Inc.

7.8 Meggit Sensing Systems

7.9 Azima DLI Corporation



8. Investment Analysis



9. Future Outlook of Machine Condition Monitoring Market



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hstfj2/global_machine?w=5

Media Contact:

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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NEW YORK, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This report features the 'Global Wireless fetal monitoring systems Market' for the period 20182026 The report objective is to offer updates on the ongoing market trends and information regarding market opportunities in the global wireless fetal monitoring systems market.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05484247



Report Description

This report examines the wireless fetal monitoring systems market for the period 20182026. The primary objective of the report is to offer insights into developments in the wireless fetal monitoring systems market that are significantly transforming global businesses and enterprises.



Growth of the global wireless fetal monitoring system is primarily driven by increasing awareness among the pregnant women.Manufacturers are increasing their Market Share by Offering Products at Low Cost, Awareness Program for High BMI Pregnant women, Growing Demand for Real Time Monitoring, Technological Advancement and others.



However, high cost of wireless fetal monitoring systems, substandard quality of products and others some factors expected to hamper the growth of the global wireless fetal monitoring system over the forecast period.



The Wireless Fetal Monitoring Systems market segmented as follows:

Wireless Fetal Monitoring Systems, By Product Type

Wireless Fetal Monitoring Systems, By Application

Wireless Fetal Monitoring Systems, By End User

Wireless Fetal monitoring Systems, By Region

This report uncovers the global wireless fetal monitoring systems market performance concerning revenue contribution from various segments.This section also comprises of PMR analysis of key trends, drivers, challenges, and opportunities, which are influencing the growth of the global wireless fetal monitoring systems market.



Impact analysis of the key growth drivers and restraints are included in this report to better provide clients with decision-making insights.



The wireless fetal monitoring systems market report provides an overview of the market.This section also underlines factors influencing the growth of wireless fetal monitoring systems market along with detailing of the key trends, drivers, challenges, and opportunities.



Impact analysis of the trends is included in the report to better clients with information and insights.Distinguishing features of the report includes a list of major vendors manufacturing workstations, drivers, and restraints regional impact analysis, and competitive dashboard.



Furthermore, PMR provides a competitive landscape to the companies and their strategic developments.



The next section of the research report analyzes the market based on product type and presents the forecast in terms of value for the next eight years. Product type covered in the report include:



Instruments

Accessories and Consumables

Instruments segment dominates the overall market for wireless fetal monitoring systems market and is expected grow in high rate. The economically developing country such as Asia-Pacific are expected to create opportunity for the wireless fetal monitoring systems market in the forecast period.



The next section of the research report analyzes the market based on application and presents the forecast in terms of value for the next eight years. Application covered in the report include:



Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring

Intrauterine Pressure Monitoring

The next section of the research report analyzes the market based on end user and presents the forecast in terms of value for the next eight years. End user covered in the report include:



Hospitals

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinics

Homecare

The report focuses on the growth trends of the wireless fetal monitoring systems market by regions namely, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa.It provides an outlook for 20182026 & sets the forecast for wireless fetal monitoring systems market.



The market research report discusses regional trends contributing to the growth of the wireless fetal monitoring systems market worldwide, as well as analyses the extent to which drivers are influencing this market in each region. North America region is expected to emerge dominant and most attractive over the forecast period.



Regions covered in the report include:



North America

U.S.

Canada

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Europe

U.K

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia & New Zealand

ASEAN

Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

GCC Countries

South Africa

North Africa

Rest of the Middle East and Africa



Also, we have considered the year-on-year growth to understand the predictability of the market and to identify the right growth opportunities in the global wireless fetal monitoring systems market.An analysis of absolute dollar opportunity and incremental opportunity is conducted for primary segments of this report.



Absolute dollar opportunity is usually overlooked while forecasting the market. However, it is the most critical factor for analysing the level of opportunities that a manufacturer can look to achieve, as well as to identify potential resources from a sales and delivery perspective.



In the final section of the wireless fetal monitoring systems market report, 'Competitive Landscape' section is included to provide a detailed analysis with a dashboard view, to access the key differentiators among the competitor firms.Detailed profiles of major manufacturing companies is included with company-specific long-term and short-term strategies, company profiles are equipped with their product offerings and recent developments in the Wireless fetal monitoring systems market.



Key companies covered in the report are General Electric Company, Koninklijke Philips N.V., OBMedical Company, Huntleigh Healthcare Limited (ARJO Family), Sunray Medical Apparatus Co., Ltd., Dixion Vertrieb der Medizingerate GmbH, Shenzhen Unicare Electronic Co., Ltd.,Shenzhen Jumper Medical Equipment Co.,Ltd., Shenzhen Aeon Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Lai Kang Ning Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Mediana Co., Ltd.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05484247



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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SOURCE Reportlinker

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HOUSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodrich Petroleum Corporation (NYSE American: GDP) today announced completion results on its Wurtsbaugh 35 No. 1 (71% WI) well which came online in July and achieved a 24-hour peak rate of approximately 22,500 Mcf per day and the Demmon 34 No. 1 (89% WI) well, which came online in August, and also achieved a 24-hour peak rate of approximately 22,500 Mcf per day. Both wells are 4,600 foot laterals in the Bethany-Longstreet field in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana.

Upon completion of the Demmon well, Company-wide production hit 90,000 Mcfe per day and is projected to meaningfully increase again with the addition of the Harris 14&23H-1 (98.5% WI) well which is scheduled to commence fracking operations in the next 10 days.

OTHER INFORMATION

Certain statements in this news release regarding future expectations and plans for future activities may be regarded as "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. They are subject to various risks, such as financial market conditions, changes in commodities prices and costs of drilling and completion, operating hazards, drilling risks, and the inherent uncertainties in interpreting engineering data relating to underground accumulations of oil and gas, as well as other risks discussed in detail in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Goodrich Petroleum is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company listed on the NYSE American under the symbol "GDP".

SOURCE Goodrich Petroleum Corporation

Related Links

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"We've been fortunate along the way to partner with advisors who have deep experience with finance, commercial real estate, retail, and consumer brands and we are honored to solidify those partnerships through their ongoing participation on our board," said Vlad Edelman, Chief Executive Officer of HEROFi.

As advocates and ambassadors of HEROFi, the advisory board supports the executive management team through strategic analysis, consultation, and product innovation. The advisory board includes:

Elie Finegold - Entrepreneur in Residence, MetaProp NYC

Elie Finegold has been an entrepreneur and leader at the intersection of commercial real estate and technology for nearly 20 years. He is currently the Entrepreneur in Residence at MetaProp, a leading early stage VC and accelerator, and also serves as advisor to numerous startup and growth-stage companies. He previously led Global Innovation for CBRE, the world's largest real estate services firm. Prior to that he co-founded and was President of IGY Marinas, a company he grew to $1.5 billion assets under management (AUM), and was the Chief Innovation Officer of Insignia Financial Group.

Michael Bush - Managing Member, BIV Investments

Michael Bush has held numerous senior executive positions in retail and consumer-oriented companies including 3 Day Blinds, Bally North America, and Movado Group Inc. He joined Movado from Ross Stores where he served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Business Development and Marketing. He began his professional career at Bain & Company with retail and consumer-oriented clients. Bush currently sits on the Board of Directors at TechnoServe and Ross Stores.

Timothy P. Flaherty

Timothy P. Flaherty was a managing member of Silver Creek Capital Management, a market leading hedge fund of funds he co-founded in 1994. He has been active in the investments management business since 1982, including stints at Drexel Burnham Lambert and Salomon Smith Barney Inc. He is currently an active investor and sits on other advisory committees and boards for private companies.



"This is an exciting time for HEROFi, as their unique ability to activate physical spaces with digital tech and make retail environments more responsive will be highly attractive to anyone in commercial real estate, hospitality, retail, restaurants and other industries adapting to significant changes in consumer behaviors," said Finegold. "HEROFi helps deliver customized experiences that delight consumers, while enabling retailers to dynamically improve profits and customer satisfaction."

About HEROFI

HEROFi puts physical retail on equal footing with digital commerce, maximizing ROI by infusing physical places with the same speed, convenience and relevance customers now expect from the digital world. HEROFi's Guest Experience Platform (GXP) produces more relevant digital messaging and better consumer engagement, through the use of real time data to drive consumer communication through digital signage, mobile apps, tablets, e-mail and loyalty programs. HEROFi has generated results by focusing on the things that matter most: sales, visit frequency, check lift, profitability and conversion. HEROFi's patented GXP ingests and processes external and internal data from myriad sources in real-time to enable immediate responses to business realities applying intelligent rules, machine learning, and AI. The platform scales to thousands of client locations instantly and is built specifically for the retail environment. HEROFi's award-winning solutions have delivered proven, material results at scale for Buffalo Wild Wings, and its current clients include Pechanga and Westfield Malls. HEROFi's headquarters are in San Diego, California. For more information or to request a demo, visit HEROFi.com

SOURCE HEROFi

Related Links

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PITTSBURGH, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While many people enjoy the work they do for a living, they welcome anything that would make their jobs easier. That's exactly why an inventor from Tucson, Ariz., who is also a window cleaner and tinter, pursued an idea he had to improve the work environment for those in his line of business.

He developed a prototype for PRO-ONE to ease the work and improve productivity for window tinters and cleaners. As such, it keeps tools organized and readily accessible and hands free to go in and out of cars, and when climbing ladders. At the same time, it redistributes the weight of the tools to reduce the risk of back strain. Designed for safety, comfort, durability and ease of use, it also saves time and effort. In addition, it is convenient, effective and affordably priced.

The inventor's professional experience inspired the idea. "On my job as a window tinter and cleaner, I work often from a ladder," he said. "When climbing in and out, or up and down to get the tools I needed often caused body aches and wasted time. This idea eliminates those problems."

The original design was submitted to the Phoenix office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 17-TST-354, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

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http://www.inventhelp.com


WEST CHESTER, Pa., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jane Leslie Dalton is recognized by Continental Who's Who for her High Standards of Ethics in the field of Law in recognition of her role as Of Counsel of Duane Morris LLP. With over 800 attorneys in offices stationed across the nation, Duane Morris LLP was established in 1904 as Duane, Morris, Heckscher & Roberts. Devoted to offering their clients quality legal services, the firm is adept in handling matters with regards to aviation, banking, education, health law, intellectual property, wealth planning, private equity, private investments and more.



With over forty years of experience in the field of Law, Jane Leslie Dalton is revered for her outstanding contributions to the industry. Having established herself as a well-regarded professional within the field, throughout her career, Dalton has attained extensive experience within the areas of ethics and public speaking and in defending highly controversial and highly publicized legal battles.



Early in her career, Dalton attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she received her Juris Doctor degree in 1971. In her previous years, Dalton attended Smith College where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree.



In an effort to further enhance her professional development, Dalton is an elite member of several

prominent organizations including serving as Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Insurance and Trust Fund. She also served as Co-Chair, of the PBA's Commission on Women in the Profession and as President of the Metropolitan Bar Caucus of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. And, Dalton is a former Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.



An illustrious scholar, Dalton has contributed to several published works including "Speak up: Finding Your Authentic Voice," in the Philadelphia Bar Association Women in the Profession Newsletter, July 1, 2011; "If I Knew Then What I Know Now," Women's Advocate Newsletter, Fall 2009, and she is the co-author of "When 'Will' Won't Do In Employment Agreements," Law 360.



In recognition of her professional accolades, Dalton was the recipient of the 2012 Sandra Day O'Connor Award given by the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Replansky Award in 2011, and was given the AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Recognized by Philadelphia Magazine as one of Pennsylvania's Super Lawyers for ten years, Dalton was one of the 2005 recipients of the Women of Distinction Award-NAWBO.



Dalton dedicates this recognition to her husband, Tom Holly, "Thank you for your love and support," and her mentors Henry Reath and David Sykes.

For more information, please visit https://www.duanemorris.com/

Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

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NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will host a conference call for investors at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Thursday, September 13th, to review its Pharmaceutical Business. Joaquin Duato, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee; Jennifer Taubert, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals; Mathai Mammen, Global Head, Janssen Research & Development and Lesley Fishman, Senior Director Investor Relations will host the call.

Investors and other interested parties can access the webcast/conference call in the following ways:

The webcast and presentation material are accessible at Johnson & Johnson's website www.investor.jnj.com. A replay of the webcast will be available approximately three hours after the conference call concludes.

By telephone: for both "listen-only" participants and those financial analysts who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is 877-869-3847. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is 201-689-8261.

A replay of the conference call will be available until approximately 12:00 a.m. on September 21, 2018 . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13681049.

About Johnson & Johnson

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That's why for more than 130 years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. Today, as the world's largest and most broadly-based health care company, we are committed to using our reach and size for good. We strive to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of everyone, everywhere. We are blending our heart, science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity.

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson

Related Links

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Photo: The Canadian Press A Greek man searches for food in a garbage can in Athens.

There'll be no dancing in the moonlit streets of Athens.

For all the official pronouncements that Greece's eight-year crisis will be over as its third and last bailout program ends Monday, few Greeks see cause for celebration.

Undeniably, the economy is once again growing modestly, state finances are improving, exports are up and unemployment is down from a ghastly 28 per cent high.

But one in five Greeks are still unemployed, with few receiving state benefits, and underpaid drudgery is the norm in new jobs. The average income has dropped by more than a third, and taxes have rocketed. Clinical depression is rife, suicides are up, and hundreds of thousands of skilled workers have flitted abroad.

After the end of the bailout Monday, Greece will get no new loans and will not be asked for new reforms. But the government has agreed to a timetable of savings so strict as to plague a future generation and a half: For every year over the next four decades, governments must make more than they spend while ensuring that the economy  that shrank by a quarter since 2009  also expands at a smart rate.

"Personally, I can see no hope for me in the coming years," says Paraskevi Kolliabi, 62, who lives on a widow's pension and helps out in her son's central Athens silver workshop. "Everything looks black to me."

Pensioners face pre-agreed new income cuts next year, while a further expansion of the tax base is due in 2020. But tax collection remains scrappy in a country where compliance was never strong, and the taxman's increasingly extravagant demands, coupled with often slapdash policing, only strengthened the sense of injustice.

"My pension has been cut about thirty per cent since the start of the crisis," Kolliabi said. "I have never in my life gone through such (financial) hardship as during the past two years. There were entire days when not a single customer would enter" the shop in the Monastiraki district.

Greece's once cheerfully spendthrift middle class, whose rapid growth before the state finances imploded drove a consumption-fuelled economy, has been squeezed hard by intense taxation, mortgages from the bygone days of easy credit, and job losses.

"What I see is that the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer," Kolliabi said. "We used to cater to the middle class, and the middle class is dead, they can't make ends meet."
CHICAGO, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kem Krest, a supply chain and program management firm specializing in the distribution of original equipment manufacturer parts and chemicals, has partnered with Sikich to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations across its organization. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations offers a comprehensive set of capabilities, including applications for finance and operations, sales, customer service, field service and more.

"Kem Krest is seeking to enhance its company wide technology platform to support its growth," said Dave Gurizzian, chief financial officer of Kem Krest. "Working with Sikich to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations will allow us to maximize performance and optimize customer service, while scaling our organization."

Kem Krest offers supply chain, fulfillment and aftersales solutions to organizations in the automotive, agriculture/industrial, powersports and defense industries. It has more than 1.2 million square feet of distribution space in 11 locations throughout North America.

"The Sikich consulting services team worked collaboratively with the team from Kem Krest throughout the assessment," said Kevin Johnson, a partner in Sikich's technology practice. "A key differentiator Kem Krest saw in Sikich was our ability to deploy creative solutions, project planning, and highly skilled Dynamics 365 resources for the project. Our team looks forward to working with Kem Krest as they leverage the capabilities of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations to address their current and future business requirements."

Sikich is a national technology consultancy that helps companies across industries  including discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing, distribution, horticulture, life sciences and professional services  improve productivity and performance with innovative digital strategies and technology solutions. Sikich is a leader in cloud and emerging technologies and has one of the deepest, most diverse solution portfolios in the middle market. Sikich's solutions include business applications and workplace productivity, security and compliance, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, and blockchain.

"As a distributor that works with major organizations across industries, Kem Krest needs its technology to keep pace with its dynamic business," said Jim Drumm, partner-in-charge of Sikich's technology practice. "Our innovative team helps organizations improve operations and performance with advanced technology solutions. We look forward to working with Kem Krest to help them realize the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations."

About Sikich LLP

Sikich LLP, a leading professional services firm specializing in accounting, technology, investment banking* and advisory services**, has more than 750 employees throughout the country. Founded in 1982, Sikich now ranks as the country's 28th largest Certified Public Accounting firm and is among the top 1 percent of all enterprise resource planning solution partners in the world. From corporations and not-for-profits to state and local governments, Sikich clients can use a broad spectrum of services and products that help them reach long-term, strategic goals.

*Securities offered through Sikich Corporate Finance LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

**Investment advisory services offered through Sikich Financial, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.

Media Contact:

Kyle Adams / Mackenzie Gorham

Sikich

(312) 690-8732 / (312) 690-8734

[email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE Sikich LLP

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This summer in London, the BBC Proms have featured eight major Bernstein works, including two of his symphonies and a concert performance of West Side Story. The Proms' celebration will culminate on Bernstein's birthday with the London Symphony Orchestra's concert performance of his first Broadway hit, On the Town.

Also on the birthdate, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform Bernstein works at the Edinburgh International Festival, while the Graffenegg Music Festival in Austria will present the Tonkunstler Orchestra in an all-Bernstein gala concert.

Bernstein's daughter Jamie said, "My brother Alexander, sister Nina, and I have been traveling our heads off for nearly a year now, attempting to attend, or participate in, as many of the centennial-related events around the world as we can manage. But there are over 3,500 of them! No matter how much we 'trifurcate,' we'll never catch them all, and no matter how many events we attend, we're always missing something else fantastic. This is a truly wonderful problem to be having. We're so touched by the worldwide outpouring of celebrations of our father's life."

In addition to celebratory performances, Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story is in pre-production, and two biographical films are in preparation: one with Bradley Cooper starring and directing, and one starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

The GRAMMY Museum's exhibition "Leonard Bernstein at 100", currently on view at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, will travel to Boston's New England Conservatory this fall will continue on to Boston, Tulsa, Portland, and Chicago. Additionally, the Philadelphia-based National Museum of American Jewish History's exhibition "Leonard Bernstein: The Power of Music" will tour to Brandeis University in Waltham, MA and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood, OH. This fall, the Jewish Museum in Vienna will mount an exhibit: "Bernstein: A New Yorker in Vienna," while concurrently the Haus der Musik (Vienna) will feature an exhibition about Bernstein.

Sony, Deutsche Grammophon, and Warner Classics will be releasing new recordings surrounding the birthday, and Apple Music will be featuring Bernstein's recordings on their Classical Radio through the end of the year. Additionally, Classical.org, the official digital partner of the Centennial, will continue their exploration of the "Leonard Bernstein Experience" with new exclusive content through the end of the year, including a focus on Bernstein's poetry.

Leonard Bernstein At 100 is a two-year global celebration of the life and career of the 20th century cultural icon, featuring over 3,500 events on six continents. The festivities were kicked off last September at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and will continue worldwide through August 2019.

For more information and a complete list of events surrounding the centennial birthday, visit leonardbernstein.com/news/calendar.

SOURCE Leonard Bernstein At 100
Under the contract, Loc Performance Products, based in Plymouth, Mich., will provide a newly constructed armored cab, upgrading the entire cab design in order to better protect crew members.

The contract is described as a "build to print" effort that uses a Government-provided Technical Data Package.

Lou Burr, CEO of Loc Performance Products, said the company has, since 2014, has received more than $1.1 billion in prime contracts to the Government.

"We have continued to bring a cost competitive mindset to large Government prime contract opportunities," said Burr. "This has served to drive down cost in the industry without sacrificing delivery or performance."

Burr also credits the company's expertise and experience as a premier full-service manufacturer of large CNC machined components, fabricated structures, and assemblies for military and industrial applications for playing a role in the awarding of this contract.

Much of what the Government included in this contract's performance criteria lines up with Loc's capabilities, which includes its robust welding certification program and supply chain management integration.

Loc will be holding a job fair on September 12, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. in order to recruit new employees in support of the new contract. The company intends on hiring 200 employees in support of it growing operations. The job fair will be held at Loc's Lansing manufacturing facility, located at 1600 N. Larch St., Lansing, MI 48906. At the job fair, Loc will be answering questions and accepting resumes from those interested in employment for a range of positions.

Loc Performance Products is Michigan's premier full-service manufacturer of large CNC machined components, fabricated structures, and assemblies for military and industrial applications. With proven capabilities in product design and development through production, Loc offers comprehensive solutions and exceptional customer service to produce the highest quality products at competitive pricing. Learn more at www.locperformance.com.

Media Contact: Brent Williams, [email protected], 248-497-2340

SOURCE Loc Performance Products, Inc.

Related Links

https://locperformance.com


MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OneTrust, the global leader in privacy management and marketing compliance today announced its expansion in Australia and New Zealand. OneTrust is the most widely-used privacy management and marketing compliance software with 1,500 customers, including 200 of the Global 2,000, 500 employees and six global offices across Atlanta, London, Munich, Bangalore, Hong Kong and Melbourne.

OneTrust's commitment to the Australia and New Zealand markets (ANZ) includes:

A new local office in Melbourne to serve as a HQ for the region, led by technology veteran Robinson Roe as managing director

to serve as a HQ for the region, led by technology veteran as managing director Integration of Australia and New Zealand privacy laws into the OneTrust platform to support privacy compliance operations beyond the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

and privacy laws into the OneTrust platform to support privacy compliance operations beyond the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Two new local data centres in the region to support data residency preferences

Expansion of PrivacyConnect, OneTrust's widely attended privacy workshop event series, in Australia

Local presence at Gartner Security and Risk Sydney and IAPP ANZ events

OneTrust is already working with dozens of well-known organisations across Australia and New Zealand to operationalise their privacy programmes. Sydney-based Cochlear Limited, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, uses OneTrust technologies for privacy compliance in ANZ and across the globe.

"As a global company with customers and employees in over 100 countries, keeping up with various privacy regulations is an ongoing and essential process," said Stephen Bolinger, Chief Privacy Officer at Cochlear. "Having used OneTrust from the outset of developing our privacy compliance programme, we are excited to see their investment in the ANZ region and their integration of the region's specific data protection requirements into the software. OneTrust is an essential element of our privacy compliance efforts locally and globally."

Meet with OneTrust in Sydney:

20-21 August : Visit OneTrust at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit Sydney stand #PR2 and hear OneTrust and Cochlear discuss "How to Tackle the GDPR: A Typical Privacy and Security Roadmap" at the Hilton Sydney on Tuesday, 21 August at 11:30 AEST

: Visit OneTrust at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit Sydney stand #PR2 and hear OneTrust and Cochlear discuss "How to Tackle the GDPR: A Typical Privacy and Security Roadmap" at the Hilton Sydney on Tuesday, 21 August at 11:30 AEST 22 August: Register for PrivacyConnect Sydney, a Free, In-Person ANZ, GDPR and International Privacy Law Workshop at the Hilton Sydney

Supporting Privacy Reform in Australia and New Zealand

Jurisdictions around the world, including Australia and New Zealand, have amended or created privacy legislation with the goal of adapting to the continuing technological advancements and reinforcing rights of individuals. Australia just named a new privacy commissioner, and recently amended the Australian Privacy Act introducing mandatory notification procedures for data breaches. According to the latest Notifiable Data Breaches Quarterly Statistics Report there were 242 notifications during the last quarter with the health and finance sectors reporting the highest number of data breaches. In March, New Zealand's government introduced a Privacy Bill to replace its Privacy Act from 1993. The Bill's explanatory notes the changes will align New Zealand's privacy law with international developments, such as the GDPR. The Bill gives individuals the right to access and correct their personal information, imposes strict requirements for privacy breach notifications and data transfer limitations.

Read the report: OneTrust is the largest and most widely used dedicated software provider in privacy management, and according to Ovum Research, is positioned as a strategic leader in global privacy beyond the GDPR

These recent legislative changes, as well as consumer's increased awareness and expectations around privacy, attest to the significant need for privacy management tools to enable companies in the ANZ's region to automate their processes. OneTrust is committed to supporting these new and updated ANZ privacy regulations. OneTrust will integrate these specific privacy guidelines into the award-winning privacy technology and marketing compliance platform. Customers will be supported by OneTrust's new Melbourne office led by Robinson Roe, privacy solutions experts with deep knowledge about local and global privacy laws and two new local data centres in Australia and New Zealand.

"The GDPR, and more broadly, consumer awareness of privacy risks, are sparking businesses across sectors and jurisdictions to continuously reassess their privacy compliance across a growing matrix of regulatory requirements," said Robinson Roe, Managing Director of ANZ, OneTrust. "I am thrilled to lead OneTrust's new Melbourne offices and expanded ANZ support to further empower customers to meet both local and global privacy regulations. As the privacy landscape continues to mature, we remain committed to incorporating new data protection regulations and the most up-to-date guidance as it becomes available."

"Our expansion in Australia and New Zealand shows our commitment to innovating and developing our technology, research, services and user community to serve the changing global privacy market," said Kabir Barday, OneTrust CEO and Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP). "With the most comprehensive solution supported by the largest team in the privacy industry, our customers can rely on OneTrust to serve them both locally in their regions and with regulations across the globe. OneTrust is the comprehensive privacy management and marketing compliance solution that customers can grow into, and not out of, as the global privacy market continues to evolve."

Resources:

Register for PrivacyConnect Sydney on 22 August, a Free, In-Person ANZ, GDPR and International Privacy Law Workshop at the Hilton Sydney

Visit OneTrust at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit Sydney stand #PR2 and hear OneTrust and Cochlear discuss "How to Tackle the GDPR: A Typical Privacy and Security Roadmap" at the Hilton Sydney on Tuesday, 21 August at 11:30 AEST.

Register for OneTrust PrivacyTECH on 8-10 October in London , the OneTrust's annual global user conference, where 500+ industry leaders breakdown the latest technology innovations driving global privacy compliance

, the OneTrust's annual global user conference, where 500+ industry leaders breakdown the latest technology innovations driving global privacy compliance Connect with OneTrust on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+

For additional information, or to request a live OneTrust Privacy Management Software demo, visit OneTrust.com or email [email protected].

About OneTrust

OneTrust is the global leader in privacy management and marketing compliance software. More than 1,500 customers, including 200 of the Global 2,000, use OneTrust to comply with data privacy regulations across sectors and jurisdictions, including the EU GDPR, ePrivacy (Cookie Law) and California Consumer Privacy Act. An additional 10,000 organisations use OneTrust's technology through a partnership with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), the world's largest global information privacy community.

The software, available in 50+ languages, is backed by over 20 awarded patents and can be deployed in an EU cloud or on-premise. The comprehensive platform is based on a combination of intelligent scanning, regulator guidance-based questionnaires, automated workflows and developer plugins used together to automatically generate the record keeping required for an organisation to demonstrate compliance to regulators and auditors. The platform is enriched with content from hundreds of templates based on the world-class privacy research conducted by our 100+ in-house certified privacy professionals.

OneTrust helps organisations implement GDPR, California CCPA, and global privacy requirements, including Data Protection by Design (PbD), Data Protection Impact Assessments (PIA/DPIA), Vendor Risk Management, Incident and Breach Management, Records of Processing (Data Mapping), Universal Consent and Preference Management, ePrivacy Cookie Consent, Data Subject Access Rights, Portability and Right to Be Forgotten.

PrivacyConnect, OneTrust's global user community, hosts in-person workshops in 85 international cities, and is attended by thousands of privacy professionals to share best practices.

OneTrust is co-headquartered in Atlanta, GA and in London, UK, with additional offices in Munich, Bangalore, Hong Kong and Melbourne. The fast-growing team of privacy and technology experts surpasses 500 employees worldwide. To learn more, visit OneTrust.com.

Media Contact:

Gabrielle Ferree

Public Relations

+1 770-294-4668

[email protected]

SOURCE OneTrust

Related Links

http://www.onetrust.com


Colli, chief medical officer at Keystone Health and lead pediatrician at Keystone Pediatrics in Chambersburg, speaks from experience. In 2016, he and other local physicians dealt with a mini outbreak of pertussis  more commonly known as whooping cough  that impacted 29 students in the Chambersburg area.

A 2017 change in Pennsylvania regulations governing immunizations for school-age children could decrease the likelihood of future outbreaks, Colli said. He spoke with the Pennsylvania Medical Society's Healthy Communities project to educate Pennsylvania students and their parents on the importance of vaccines.

Introducing 'Herd Immunity'

This marks the second school year in which children are required to have all their immunizations within five days of the new school year. Prior to 2017, students had eight months (nearly the entire school year).

By requiring students to get their immunizations sooner, the goal is to create an effect called "herd immunity." If most students in a school are protected from a disease, the theory goes, it will not spread as quickly from person to person, reducing the entire school's likelihood of getting sick.

"We believe that initiatives like this to get our children vaccinated sooner will make it less likely for pertussis outbreaks to occur in the future," Dr. Colli said.

Nate Wardle, press secretary from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, says data will be available this fall to measure the impact that the updated requirements had on the 2017-18 school year.

"Vaccinations are a safe and effective way to prevent getting a number of serious diseases," said Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. "We believe that by changing the length of time for students to be provisionally enrolled from eight months to five days, it will help ensure that students are receiving their essential vaccinations. Vaccinations can not only protect those who are vaccinated, but also those who may have a medical condition where they cannot be vaccinated."

How Vaccines Work

Colli described vaccines as a "smart and sophisticated way to give ourselves immunity, without putting patients at any danger or risk of getting sick."

The vaccine takes a small portion of the virus, and injects it into your body. This essentially tricks your immune system into thinking that the full virus is present when, in reality, it isn't, Colli said.

"It's not enough to get you sick with the disease, but enough to trigger the immune response," Colli said. "The idea is if you get enough booster doses of vaccines, you can get lifelong immunity for that particular disease."

You may experience a low-grade fever for about 24 hours after receiving the vaccine.

"If they do get a low-grade fever, that's a good sign," Colli said. "That means that the body's immune system is kicking in. It's recognizing that there's something foreign in your body. It's not really getting you sick from it, but your immune system is getting revved up."

Required Immunizations in Pennsylvania

Colli said your pediatrician or family physician will have the list of required immunizations, which vary depending on your child's age. The Pennsylvania Department of Health also has a list at www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/immunizations/Pages/School.aspx.

The Pennsylvania regulations still allow for students to opt-out of their immunizations through religious and philosophical exemptions.

Some of the vaccines require multiple doses that are spread out over several months or years. Even if your child is behind on their vaccines, Colli said it's not too late.

"If the family makes a good faith effort to begin the series, the schools will not exclude the child from education," he said.

If you do not have health insurance or if it's not covered on your insurance plan, you may be eligible for federal funding at public sites, including a Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Clinic. For more information, call the Vaccines for Children program at (888) 646-6864.

Learn more on the Pennsylvania Medical Society's website at www.pamedsoc.org/Vaccines.

This news release is part of the Pennsylvania Medical Society's Building Healthy Communities public health project. The Pennsylvania Medical Society helps its 20,000 physician and medical student members return to the art of medicine through advocacy and education. To learn more, visit www.pamedsoc.org or follow us on Twitter at @PAMEDSociety.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Medical Society

Related Links

http://www.pamedsoc.org


ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Orlando Sentinel has recognized PlanSource, a leading provider of cloud-based benefits administration and HR technology, as a Top 100 Company for the sixth consecutive year. The Top 100 Companies program was created by the Orlando Sentinel, in partnership with Best Companies Group, to recognize and honor the best places of employment in central Florida, benefiting the area's economy, workforce and businesses.

"It's an honor once again to be given this recognition, and I'm proud of all we have done to make PlanSource one of the top companies in Florida," said Jagdish Chugani, Vice President of Human Resources at PlanSource. "Our employees are essential to our customers' and partners' continued success, and we take great pride in cultivating an environment and culture for employees to thrive."

Organizations from across Central Florida entered the two-part survey to determine the Orlando Sentinel's Top 100 Companies. The first part of the survey assessed each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The second part measured the employee experience through a questionnaire. The combined scores determined the top organizations and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration, survey and analysis process and determined the final rankings.

Earlier this year, PlanSource was recognized as one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces for 2018, the publication's annual ranking in the fast-growing private company sector. PlanSource offers a variety of family-friendly benefits, and a particularly generous paid time-off program. New employees receive three weeks of vacation in their first year of employment, which increases to four weeks in their second year. The company also hosts family gatherings and teambuilding events, wellness challenges and company-sponsored community 5k run/walks, and frequent social responsibility events. PlanSource makes a point of helping employees pursue internal career growth and provides opportunities for them to cultivate their careers.

More information about working at PlanSource and a list of open positions can be found on www.plansource.com/careers.

About PlanSource

PlanSource is a technology company driven to create a better benefits and HR experience for employers and their employees. Nearly 3.5 million consumers receive their benefits through the PlanSource platform, which provides flexible and intuitive software and services for benefits administration and human capital management. By combining industry-leading software and a full suite of professional services, PlanSource provides companies of all sizes with a complete solution for benefits shopping, enrollment, billing, compliance and administration. Learn more at www.plansource.com.

PlanSource is a registered trademark of PlanSource, Inc., and PlanSource owns other registered and unregistered trademarks. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE PlanSource

Related Links

https://plansource.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network  it's easy and free. Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform

EXPERT ALERTS

2 Must-Know Metrics for Any Business

4 Must-Haves for Scaling Your Business

The Average American Now Takes Less Vacation Time Than a Medieval Peasant

One in Three Parents Expect Kids to Save $10K for College -- But Haven't Told Them Yet

MEDIA JOBS

Reporter  Buyouts Insider ( New York )

) Magazine Editor  The Real Deal ( New York )

) Senior Editor  Stigler Center, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business ( Chicago )

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Fashion Week & Beyond: Stay In-The-Know With These 8 Fashion News Sites

Save Time and Money: 6 Tips to Maximize Your Video Production Budget

Blog Profiles: Candy Blogs

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERT ALERTS

2 Must-Know Metrics for Any Business

Dave Woodward

Chief Revenue and Business Development Officer

ClickFunnels

"There are two metrics you must to know to create and scale any offer: CAC and ACV. CAC is your cost to acquire a customer. What is it actually costing you to get someone to be a buying customer? Spend less here than your ACV and you've got a homerun. ACV is your average cart value  the average amount customers spend when they purchase from you. To get this number, take your gross sales and divide by the number of customers. If this number is more than your CAC, then every marketing dollar you spend is making you money. Your customers are paying you to market to them."

Woodward is the Chief Revenue and Business Development Officer of ClickFunnels and host of the weekly ClickFunnels Podcast, Funnel Hacker Radio.

Online Press Kit: http://clickfunnels.onlinepresskit247.com

Website: www.ClickFunnels.com

Contact: Michelle Tennant, [email protected]

4 Must-Haves for Scaling Your Business

Allison Maslan

CEO, Founder

Pinnacle Global Network

"Scaling a high-growth company is an exciting adventure, but it can feel like drinking from a fire hose. Failure to make the right moves can result in lost customers, missed revenue opportunities, and the possibility of the business imploding altogether. Here are four pieces that must be in place to make your scaling venture a success: 1) Hire Forward: You must continually be attracting and retaining A players to lead your team, keep up with your customers' demands, and manage cash flow. 2) Systematize Everything: Scaling a company's operations requires all hands on deck and a tight ship when it comes to systems and processes. 3) Support Your Peeps: Create a passionate culture to keep everyone motivated and committed. When your employees are happy, they want to keep your customers happy. 4)Maintain the Customer Experience: It is one thing to be able to make customers feel great because you can wrap your arms around everything when your business is smaller. Keeping that same level of service as you grow is crucial to maintaining happy customers that want to come back again and again."

Maslan is the CEO and founder of Pinnacle Global Network, offering business mentorship and mastermind programs to established business owners who want to accelerate their growth, capitalize on their success, and balance it all with a meaningful life. She is also the author of two books: Amazon #1 bestseller "Blast Off!: The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams into Reality", and her newest book "Scale or Fail: How to Build Your Dream Team, Explode Your Growth, and Let Your Business Soar" (October 2018, Wiley), which hit #1 on Amazon even before its release. For further high-impact support, watch Allison's free video series for business owners, "The Scale Blueprint" for Established Companies That Want to Multiply Their Growth.

Online Press Kit: http://allisonmaslan.onlinepresskit247.com

Website: www.AllisonMaslan.com

Contact: Michelle Tennant, [email protected]

The Average American Now Takes Less Vacation Time Than a Medieval Peasant

Dr. John Huber

Chairman

Mainstream Mental Health

The average American takes less vacation time than a medieval peasant, with many American workers working through vacation, Business Insider reports. During periods of high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants worked no more than 150 days a year. Overworking can lead to depression, deteriorating health, and reduced productivity. Dr. Huber is available to share the mental health benefits of vacation: "1) Traveling relieves stress: While packing your bags or coordinating flights can be a bit of a hassle, traveling has been scientifically proven to dramatically lower stress levels in all other aspects. 2) It helps improve your mental clarity: Visiting somewhere where you feel excited and nervous at the same time can help you sharpen up mentally and emotionally. 3) Traveling lowers risk of depression: Millions of people struggle with depression on a regular basis, and it's not uncommon for doctors to overprescribe medication for depression. 4) It can positively change your personality: As mentioned earlier, traveling to unknown territory can often push you out of your comfort zone. Travel forces you to be more open, to ask questions, and to socialize with others."

Dr. Huber is the chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. A mental health professional for more than 20 years, Dr. Huber is a clinical forensic psychologist and a practitioner with privileges at two long-term acute-care hospitals. He has appeared on more than 300 top-tier radio shows and 30 national television programs, is Law Newz's go-to clinical psychologist and appears regularly on "America Trends" national television show. He is also the host of "Mainstream Mental Health Radio," which is heard nationwide and features interviews with today's top mental health professionals.

Website: www.mainstreammentalhealth.org

Contact: Ryan McCormick, [email protected]

One in Three Parents Expect Kids to Save $10K for College -- But Haven't Told Them Yet

Melissa Ridolfi

Vice President of Retirement and College Products

Fidelity

"As the cost of admission rises for college-bound kids, it becomes even more important for families to get in sync to meet their college savings goals. To cope with this, some parents are asking their kids to chip in -- to the tune of $10K -- but they aren't telling them until their sophomore year in high school. Without adequate time to save, kids may struggle to meet their parents' expectations. By setting goals and having conversations earlier, parents can help their kids become better equipped to pick up some of the tab when the tuition bill arrives."

Ridolfi and other Fidelity executives are available to discuss Fidelity Investments' 2018 College Savings Indicator Study (to be released Thursday, Aug. 23), which analyzed the financial preparedness for college of 1,899 families nationwide with college-bound children. They can also discuss how parents can set their kids up for success by setting early expectations of how much their child should be saving for college.

Contact: Brendan Beaver, [email protected]

****************

MEDIA JOBS

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

Reporter  Buyouts Insider ( New York )

) Magazine Editor  The Real Deal ( New York )

) Senior Editor  Stigler Center, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business ( Chicago )

*****************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

FASHION WEEK & BEYOND: STAY IN-THE-KNOW WITH THESE 8 FASHION NEWS SITES. Each month we highlight a select number of news sites under a timely category. Here are some of our favorites for fashion (and beyond): https://prn.to/fashionsites

SAVE TIME AND MONEY: 6 TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR VIDEO PRODUCTION BUDGET. Make your message shine with these simple video guidelines: https://prn.to/2vLvsZo

BLOG PROFILES: CANDY BLOGS. Each week, we select a topic and handful of blogs that do a great job contributing to the conversation. This week, we look at candy blogs: https://prn.to/candyblogs

****************

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1

SOURCE ProfNet

Related Links

http://www.profnet.com


BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC, announced it has provided a $12,000,000 revolving line of credit to A'GACI, LLC, a young women's lifestyle brand and fast fashion retailer. Proceeds from the credit facility will be used as exit financing, enabling A'GACI's emergence from bankruptcy.

"We're proud to partner with A'GACI and help the company meet their growth objectives," said Chris O'Connor, President of Second Avenue Capital Partners. "The relationship we've formed with the team at A'GACI has enabled us to support their needs at this critical time."

A'GACI has been an innovator in the fast fashion apparel industry for a number of years. Founded in 1971, San Antonio-based A'GACI developed a loyal customer base by offering affordable, trendy styles that reflect the feminine, confident style of today's young women.

A'GACI will be led by managing partner David Won, who co-founded the Company with his brother John. Mr. Won is credited with putting together a sustainable plan that allowed for the survival of the Company, and the preservation of 1,500 jobs. A'GACI's exit from bankruptcy is seen as a rare success in today's uncertain retail sector.

When discussing SACP, Mr. Won is enthusiastic. "Second Avenue Capital Partners was there when we needed them. They have a very different way of looking at things. It's their entrepreneurial approach and their merchant perspective that sets them apart from other lenders. Their retail connection was important to us. SACP could see our vision for the future, and they valued it."

"All retailers today face a challenging environment," said Mark Gallivan, Managing Director of Second Avenue Capital Partners. "With A'GACI, we saw an organization that took positive steps to position itself for success. We wanted to be a part of A'GACI's next chapter, and we're very pleased they chose us to support their new efforts."

About Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC

Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC (SACP), a Schottenstein Affiliate, is a finance company specializing in asset-based loans for the broader retail and consumer products industry. Focused on serving middle-market companies, we leverage the experience of retail operators, product merchants, and lenders to provide an array of customized, capital solutions for businesses. Our merchant perspective allows us to recognize and unlock value in assets other capital providers often overlook or don't understand. SACP's ability to tailor financing solutions is a vital resource for clients as they seek the capital necessary to effectuate strategy and achieve financial objectives. Headquartered in Boston, Second Avenue Capital Partners also has offices in New York, Columbus, and Los Angeles. Visit www.secondavecp.com for more information.

About A'Gaci

Founded in San Antonio, Texas 47 years ago, A'GACI is a lifestyle brand catering to young fashion lovers who are sexy, feminine and elegant in their style. A'GACI owns and operates 55 high-energy stores in the U.S. A'GACI also represents a large online presence known within the fashion community as the place for value-priced, fashionable merchandise. To find out more about A'GACI, please visit www.agacistore.com.

SOURCE Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC

Related Links

http://www.secondavecp.com


Inspired by Sichuan Airlines' theme color, "Sichuan red," the ladies' new uniform is composed of a red one-piece, a black blazer, a red blazer, a black winter wool coat and a black hat. The gentleman's uniform features a white shirt with red stripe design and a splash of red on the blazer pocket to echo the ladies' dress.

"Our new 7th edition uniforms are inspired by the idea of 'Movements, Sichuan' with the color red representing the hospitality and passion of Sichuanese people as well as the spicy flavour of Sichuan cuisine. We want to bring the first impression of Chinese elements and Sichuan flavors to the travelers through the new design alongside the flight attendants' professional and heartwarming services," said Shi Zuyi, General Manager of Sichuan Airlines.

Sichuan Airlines refreshes its uniforms every five to ten years, and each design has been an expression of the airline's image throughout different stages of its development. The company puts lots of thought into uniforms, from the polka dot shirts with white dresses in early years to the 6th edition red-rose and sapphire design with bowknot on the waist.

The airline now owns the largest Airbus fleet in China, and its 270 "Panda Routes" connect Asia, Europe, Oceania and North America. With the release of its new cabin crew uniforms and the upcoming introduction of new A350 passenger planes, Sichuan Airlines continues to fly on towards its networked, international, all-service goal.

About Sichuan Airlines

Established in 1986, Sichuan Airlines, one of the most distinctive airlines in China, is headquartered in Chengdu and operates a fleet of 134 aircraft on more than 270 domestic, regional and international routes, covering Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. The company is committed to providing service that is infused with "Chinese Elements and Sichuan Charm" to its more than 29 million passengers each year. Its service quality and on-time performance rank among the top of all the Chinese-mainland carriers, and the company has been named the "Best Airline In China" by CAPSE for four consecutive years.

More information about Sichuan Airlines, please visit: http://global.sichuanair.com/US-EN

SOURCE Sichuan Airlines

Related Links

http://global.sichuanair.com/US-EN


The Silverstrom Group, as supporters and advocates of the American Cancer Society, was inspired to donate their medical expertise to the nonprofit organization. Dr. David Silverstrom and Dr. Gary Silverstrom brought their philanthropic vision to life when they partnered with the ACS and established the Smiles for Life Award in 2014.

During cancer treatments, radiation therapy and chemotherapy can completely destroy the teeth and mouth. Dry mouth, rampant decay, and tooth loss are common symptoms of cancer patients, which create functional and aesthetic issues. The Smiles for Life Award rehabilitates mouth functionality, and helps restore the survivor's confidence and self-esteem through repairing and restoring their smile. Each year, the cancer survivor that receives a Smiles for Life award is given a cosmetic dental makeover worth $25,000 and the highly anticipated "smile reveal" takes place at the American Cancer Society's Diamond Ball.

This year, for the first time in its five year history, the Smiles for Life Award was given to not one, but two recipients that will reveal their beautiful smiles at the Diamond Ball this November. The brave recipients share a miraculous story. Barbara cared for her sister Josephine through two different cancer diagnoses over the course of several years, first in 2012 and again when she was diagnosed in 2016. After Josephine was cured, Barbara then became the patient as her loving sisterand cancer survivorstepped in to care for her this time. Doctors David and Gary Silverstrom were so touched by this heartfelt story of bravery and dedication between these sisters that they chose to give both of the sisters complete smile makeovers.

"The most important work we are ever able to do is give back to our community," states co-founder Dr. Gary Silverstrom. "We are proud to partner with the American Cancer Society with the Smiles for Life Award. It is truly our honor to help restore the smiles of these brave survivors."

The Silverstrom Group is well known for its charitable efforts. In 2017 it received the Great Oak Award, naming it the most philanthropic small business in the state of New Jersey. The Smiles for Life Awardand other work such as yearly mission trips to Guatemalaled the judges to choose the Silverstrom Group as winner of this honorable nomination.

For more information on supporting Smiles for Life or attending the Diamond Ball in November in support of its mission, people are encouraged to reach out to The Silverstrom Group (www.readytosmile.com).

The Silverstrom Group is a cosmetic dental practice in Livingston, NJ, voted Best Dentist of Essex County for six years in a row.

PRESS INQUIRIES: Gary Silverstrom

[email protected] | (973) 992-3990

SOURCE The Silverstrom Group

Related Links

http://www.readytosmile.com


Photo: Contributed

Striking casino workers in the Okanagan have raised the stakes in their ongoing battle with the employer, Gateway Casinos.

The BCGEU members from the four Thompson-Okanagan casinos are calling for an investigation into whether or not the casinos are operating safely during the strike.

"Weve got questions about how Gateway Casinos have been operating their Thompson-Okanagan casinos," stated BCGEU President Stephanie Smith. "Based on what our members have witnessed and reports weve heard, it sounds like Gateway hasnt been living up to their obligations under BCLC and provincial gaming laws and regulations during this strike.



In the letter of intent, delivered this morning, the union claims the alleged incidents range in seriousness from failing to comply with regulations around IDing patrons to a failure to identify what would normally be flagged as suspicious behaviour possibly related to money-laundering.



"At a time when the entire casino industry is supposed to be under increased scrutiny, we believe the BCLC should shut down Gateways casinos until the company can demonstrate that they are willing and able to operate responsibly," stated Smith.



Gateway workers and their union are asking BCLC to investigate specifically whether the casinos are maintaining the security of casino assets at all times, properly safeguarding against corruption and money-laundering, complying with BCs liquor policies, and adequately ensuring the safety of staff and patrons.



Almost 700 BCGEU members working at four Gateway Casinos in the Thompson-Okanagan walked off the job on Friday, June 29 after mediation broke down with their employer. Workers are fighting for living wages, better working conditions and respect on the job.

Striking BCGEU members will gather at BC Lottery Corporation's (BCLC) head office in Kamloops on Monday, August 20 at 12 p.m.
ALBANY, New York, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled, "Stretcher Chairs Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2018-2026". According to the report, the global stretcher chairs market was valued at US$ 215.30 Mn in 2016 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2018 to 2026. Surge in incidence of chronic disorders and trauma cases is anticipated to boost demand for stretcher chairs during the forecast period. North America and Europe are projected to dominate the global stretcher chairs market owing to higher adoption and awareness regarding safe patient handling and mobility (SPHM). Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa are potential markets for stretcher chairs. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2018 to 2026.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )



Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=48534

Surge in Incidence of Trauma Cases to Drive Global Market

Increase in trauma and accident cases across the globe drives the stretcher chairs market. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), road accidents account for around 1.25 million deaths across the globe each year. Additionally, the number of patients with chronic diseases is rising rapidly across the world. This is likely to increase the number of surgical procedures, consequently propelling the global stretcher chairs market.

Powered Stretcher Chairs to be Most Lucrative Segment

Powered stretcher chairs is an emerging segment of the stretcher chairs market. The segment is driven by key factors such as increase in demand for technologically advanced stretcher chairs in multispecialty and super-specialty hospitals, and rise in bariatric population whose transport via non-motorized stretchers might be a challenge. Surge in the number of small scale hospitals especially in developing countries, cost effectiveness, and ease of operation are the major factors likely to boost the growth of the manual stretcher chairs segment during the forecast period. Moreover, low cost of manual stretcher chairs make these a preferred choice in developing and cost-sensitive markets. Hence, the segment is expected to continue to dominate the stretcher chairs market during the forecast period.

Request a Custom Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=48534

Hospitals & Clinics to be Most Promising Segment

In terms of end-user, the global stretcher chairs market has been segmented into hospitals & clinics, ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), and others. The hospitals & clinics segment held major share of the global market in 2017. Growth of the segment can be attributed to availability of multiple service options and devices, and tie-ups with health care companies to enhance health care service offerings. Moreover, hospitals are the preferred choice due to availability of advanced technology and better health care services. The others segment includes home care settings, research & development centers, and academic institutes. Rise in demand for stretcher chairs in home care settings for geriatric patients is projected to drive the segment.

Request a Sample of Stretcher Chairs Market:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=48534

North America to Dominate Global Market

Geographically, the global stretcher chairs market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominated the global stretcher chairs market in 2017. The market in the region was valued at US$ 123.80 Mn in 2017 owing to a highly developed health care sector, increase in awareness among health care providers about safe patient handling and mobility, and continuous evolution of patient handling technology. Stretcher chairs offer immense growth potential in the region. The stretcher chairs market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period due to increase in awareness about safe patient handling and mobility and growth of the health care sector in countries such as China, Japan, and India. Moreover, technological advancements and increase in adoption of stretcher chairs are expected to propel the market in the region during the forecast period.

Browse Press Release: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/stretcher-chairs-market-2018-2026.htm

Stryker Corporation, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., and Winco Mfg., LLC to Lead Global Market

The global stretcher chairs market is highly fragmented in terms of number of players providing different products. Key players in the global stretcher chairs market include GF Health Products, Inc., medifa GmbH & Co. KG, Winco Mfg., LLC, Stryker Corporation, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Wy'East Medical Corporation, IBIOM Instruments Ltee, AMTAI Medical Equipment, Inc., Productos Metalicos del Bages, S.L. (Promeba), NovyMed International BV, and UFSK-International OSYS GmbH. Expansion of product portfolio through mergers and acquisitions is a key strategy followed by several global players. In September 2016, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. acquired all the outstanding shares of Tridien, a company that develops, manufactures, and markets support surfaces and patient positioning devices.

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Durable Medical Equipment Market:

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/durable-medical-equipment-market.html

Personal Mobility Devices Market:

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/personal-mobility-devices-market.html

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
NORWALK, Conn., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The makers of SMIRNOFF, the original vodka for everyone, know the best things in life do not have to be  and in fact, should not be -- expensive or exclusive. That's why the world's most awarded vodka has partnered with some of the most fun personalities around: actor and producer Ted Danson, actress and author Jenna Fischer, LGBTQ television personality Jonathan Van Ness, LGBTQ advocate and actress Laverne Cox and comedian and actress Nicole Byer. This diverse group anchors a new creative campaign entitled "Welcome to the Fun%" that celebrates good times with a quality product everyone can afford.

Laverne Cox Challenges Ted Danson to a Game of Who Wore It Best on the Set of SMIRNOFFs New Fun% Campaign Shoot Jonathan Van Ness Joins Ted Danson To Show You Dont Need A Lot To Have Good Time on the Set of SMIRNOFFs New Fun% Campaign Shoot Ted Danson and Nicole Byer Talk Trophies on the Set of SMIRNOFFs New Fun% Campaign Shoot SMIRNOFF Vodka Partners with Alyssa Edwards, Amanda Freitag, Toddy Smith & Gabi Gregg for Welcome to the Fun% Campaign The Makers Of SMIRNOFF Vodka Partner With Ted Danson, Jenna Fischer, Jonathan Van Ness, Nicole Byer And Laverne Cox To Show That You Dont Need A Lot To Have A Good Time Laverne Cox on Set of the New SMIRNOFF Vodka Welcome to the Fun% Campaign Jonathan Van Ness Joins Ted Danson To Show You Dont Need A Lot To Have Good Time on the Set of SMIRNOFFs New Fun% Campaign Shoot Ted Danson Celebrates on Set of the New SMIRNOFF Vodka Welcome to the Fun% Campaign Ted Danson and Nicole Byer Talk Trophies on the Set of SMIRNOFFs New Fun% Campaign Shoot SMIRNOFF Vodka Partners with Gabi Fresh for Welcome to the Fun% Campaign SMIRNOFF Vodka Partners with Toddy Smith for Welcome to the Fun% Campaign SMIRNOFF Vodka Partners with Alyssa Edwards for Welcome to the Fun% Campaign

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8382551-smirnoff-welcome-to-the-fun-percent/

So, what is the Fun%? The Fun% is anyone and everyone who wants to have accessible, unpretentious fun. It is the dreamers, doers and shakers who want it all, but do not want to pay too much and they shouldn't! In a world where we are all more money conscious and the power of FOMO* is reinforced by social media, the Fun% is redefining what it looks like to have a good time with their own personal brand of scrappy, resourceful creativity. The new SMIRNOFF campaign showcases this with a range of diverse cast members, in age, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, and background, and all of whom embody the Fun% in their own, unique way.

"We are living in a time when cultural and financial inequality is at its highest. We want to show people that you don't need to spend a lot of money to come together and have a good time," said Jay Sethi, Vice President, SMIRNOFF, Diageo North America. "SMIRNOFF is a top quality vodka sold at an affordable price, so that no matter who you are, where you are, or who you are with, you can always responsibly enjoy quality vodka."

The TV spots each depict different scenarios in which longtime SMIRNOFF partner Danson teams up with a fellow cast member to tout the brand's award-winning credentials, "Made in America" heritage, and encouragement of fun yet responsible drinking, all ending with the tagline "Welcome to the Fun%." The spots all share a humorous, playful attitude and give a nod to SMIRNOFF's inclusive qualities.

"It's always fun partnering with SMIRNOFF because it truly is a quality brand that is made for everyone," said Ted Danson when discussing the new campaign. "What I love most about this new series is the different personalities that SMIRNOFF brought to the table and how that came through in the spots. Never would I have thought I would be playing a game of "who wore it better" with Laverne Cox for example  definitely me by the way - but it just goes to show that with SMIRNOFF, you have the perfect vodka, at the perfect price, to pair with a good time for everyone."

"I really love what SMIRNOFF is doing with their Fun% campaign and what it stands for," said Jonathan Van Ness on the set of the SMIRNOFF Fun% shoot. "It's all about being unapologetically yourself and having fun the way you see it  and I am living for it! These days I think too many of us get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of life, work and social media that we forget to make time for having good, old-fashioned fun that doesn't break the bank."

In addition to the films, starting at the end of August, SMIRNOFF is rolling out a series of out-of-home advertisements in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as content on the brand's social media platforms. These pieces feature Chopped judge Chef Amanda Freitag, Instagram Star and YouTuber Toddy Smith (@todderic_), plus-size fashion designer Gabi Gregg, and celebrity Drag Queen & reality TV phenomenon Alyssa Edwards in different fun and colorful settings, and all enjoying SMIRNOFF in their own ways.

This is not the first time the SMIRNOFF brand and Danson have partnered for a creative campaign. In 2017, the duo teamed up for the SMIRNOFF No. 21 Vodka "Only the Best for Everyone" campaign, which paid homage to the product's "Made in America" heritage. The Fun% campaign is an evolution of this, as SMIRNOFF stays true to its brand value of providing great quality vodka at an affordable price.

While SMIRNOFF loves to celebrate the Fun%, make sure to not have too much fun. Please always drink responsibly.

About SMIRNOFF

The SMIRNOFF brand that boasts the world's number-one selling premium spirit and the top-selling line of flavors in North America, traces its heritage back to 19th century Russia. As the most awarded vodka brand in the world in the last 10 years, SMIRNOFF has always been known for quality and is enjoyed responsibly in 130 countries around the world. For more information, log on to www.smirnoff.com.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, SMIRNOFF, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

*According to UrbanDictionary.com "FOMO" is defined as "fear of missing out." For example, the fear that if you missed a party or event you will miss out on something great.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Jim Sias

Diageo

[email protected]

646-223-2305

Alex Stathis

Taylor

[email protected]

212-714-572

SOURCE SMIRNOFF

Related Links

http://www.smirnoff.com


MOBILE, Ala., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, Aug. 9, employees at Coca-Cola United in Mobile walked off the job to protest the company's behavior during contract negotiations.

The 275 drivers, salespersons, merchandisers, clerks and mechanics are members of Teamsters Local 991. The workers suspended their picketing and went back to work at 5 a.m. today.

"We wanted to send a wake-up call that we will not stand for Coca-Cola treating workers this way," said Antoine Lott, an equipment services technician at Coca-Cola United. "We work hard to provide for our families, and everyone at this company should be able to earn family-supporting wages."

In negotiations, Coca-Cola United is demanding to pay new hires $6 to $8 less per hour than what it is currently paying.

"The wealth inequality in America is staggering, and Coca-Cola United is a prime example of how the 1 percent hoovers up money from the rest of us," said Jim Gookins, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 991. "This company makes billions thanks to the hard work of its frontline employees, but it doesn't want to share the wealth. For a rich corporation to demand cuts to workers' wages is a slap in the face to workers, their families, and our communities."

Gookins continued, "Meanwhile, Coca-Cola United's executives have no problem paying themselves high salaries  the CEO alone belongs to 3 different country clubs: Greystone, Shoal, and Augusta. Coca-Cola's employees deserve respect and a fair return on their work. It's outrageous."

"When Coca-Cola United insisted on cutting wages and wouldn't listen to us at the bargaining table, we felt we had no choice but to go on strike as a wake-up call," said Bobby Kovacevich, a delivery driver at Coca-Cola United. "We have good relationships with our customers and don't want to hurt them, which is why we went back to work. We care about the community, but Coca-Cola United doesn't seem to. We are asking the company to change its behavior so that we can negotiate a fair contract and avoid any more disruptions to our customers."

Coca-Cola United is the largest privately-held Coca-Cola bottler in North America, with an estimated $2.2 billion in annual sales. It has nine production facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee, and over 45 sales and distribution centers in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Its customers include Walmart, Winn-Dixie, and the University of Alabama.

Contact:

Jim Gookins, (251) 433-1521

SOURCE Teamsters Local 991
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WOW air has announced that it will offer $129 one-way fares to 11 European destinations from all 13 airports the airline services in the United States. Travelers across the country will be able to visit Brussels (BRU), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Dusseldorf (DUS), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), London (LGW/STN), Stockholm (ARN), Milan (MXP), Lyon (LYS) and Barcelona (BCN) at an amazingly affordable price.

The reduced fares are available for select flights between September and December when booking a round-trip ticket at www.wowair.us.

Fall is beautiful time to experience the history and beauty of Europe after the rush of the heavy Summer travel season subsides. As the temperatures across Europe begin to cool down, the activities are just heating up. History buffs can step into Dusseldorf's medieval past at Kaiserwerth. Foodies should visit Barcelona to tour the city's 39 food markets. Fashionistas can get a taste of high fashion during Fashion Week in Milan. Art enthusiasts can tour the street art lining Dublin's streets.

Those travelers seeking a more nature-focused experience can visit beautiful parks across the continent that will feature stunning foliage that is selfie-worthy. Don't miss this great opportunity to book your dream vacation to Europe.

These fares are now available for purchase online at www.wowair.us.

* From Boston (BOS), Washington D.C. (BWI), New York (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Detroit (DTW), Los Angeles (LAX), St Louis (STL), San Francisco (SFO) and Pittsburgh (PIT) to Brussels (BRU), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Dusseldorf (DUS), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), London (LGW/STN), Stockholm (ARN), Milan (MXP), Lyon (LYS), Barcelona (BCN). Based on lowest one-way WOW basic fare when booking round trip flights online. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Available for travel September  5 December, 2018.

* From New York (JFK), Cleveland (CLE), Cincinnati (CVG), Dallas  Fort Worth (DFW) to Brussels (BRU), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Dusseldorf (DUS), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), London (LGW/STN), Stockholm (ARN), Milan (MXP), Lyon (LYS), Barcelona (BCN). Based on lowest one-way WOW basic fare when booking round trip flights online. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Available for travel September  27 October, 2018.

The offer applies for 5000 seats on selected flights, during the travel period and is subject to availability. Restrictions and baggage fees apply. Lowest advertised fare is exclusive to MyWOW members.

About WOW air

WOW air offers the lowest fares, a modern fleet with the lowest emissions and the biggest smile; this is the WOW air promise to its valuable customers. As of spring 2018, the airline services 39 destinations across Europe and North America including Dublin, London, Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen.

Established in November 2011 by Icelandic entrepreneur Skuli Mogensen, the purple airline flies with Airbus A320, Airbus A321 and Airbus A330 models. WOW air boasts one of the world's youngest fleet, with an average aircraft age of just 2 years.

WOW air was ranked as the 7th best low-cost airline in Europe at the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Skytrax World Airline Awards and was the youngest airline in the top ten.

For additional information and bookings please visit https://wowair.us/.

Contact:

Phill Yerby

[email protected]

443 692 9117

WOW air corporate

Svana Fridriksdottir

VP, Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE WOW air

Related Links

https://wowair.us


NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD) ("Brookdale" or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Brookdale Battery Park independent living community for approximately $194 million to Ventas, Inc. ("Ventas"). The price represents a cap rate of approximately 5%.

Ventas has selected Brookdale to manage the community under a separate management agreement following the closing of the sale. This prime real estate, located in downtown Manhattan, is a well-established senior housing community with strong community leadership and high occupancy.

"I am pleased with this continued progress in delivering on our real estate strategy, which we introduced earlier this year," said Lucinda ("Cindy") Baier, Brookdale's President and Chief Executive Officer. "I am thrilled that we will continue to operate Battery Park after closing, as we have since the community opened in 2000, and thank Debra Cafaro and the Ventas team for their continued partnership and another mutually-beneficial transaction."

The Company expects the proceeds from the sale of this community to be approximately $140 million, net of associated debt and transaction costs and that the transaction will close by year-end 2018. However, the sale remains subject to customary closing conditions and there can be no assurance whether or when the closing will occur. The sale of Brookdale Battery Park is a significant component of the Company's previously-announced plan to market in 2018 and sell 28 owned communities, which the Company expects will generate aggregate proceeds in excess of $250 million, net of associated debt and transaction costs. Brookdale Battery Park was included in the Company's assets held for sale as of June 30, 2018.

Brookdale was represented by HFF as broker in the sale of this community.

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. is the leading operator of senior living communities throughout the United States. The Company is committed to providing senior living solutions primarily within properties that are designed, purpose-built and operated to provide the highest-quality service, care and living accommodations for residents. Brookdale operates independent living, assisted living, and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers, with approximately 988 communities in 46 states and the ability to serve approximately 95,000 residents as of June 30, 2018. Through its ancillary services program, the Company also offers a range of home health, hospice and outpatient therapy services. Brookdale's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BKD.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and include all statements that are not historical statements of fact and those regarding the Company's expectations with respect to the transactions with Ventas described herein and the Company's real estate strategy (including the expected timing of such transactions). Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to complete disposition transactions (including the sale transaction with Ventas described herein) on agreed upon terms or at all, including in respect of the satisfaction of closing conditions, the risk that regulatory approvals are not obtained or are subject to unanticipated conditions, and uncertainties as to the timing of closing, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's views as of the date of this press release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any of these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

SOURCE Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooklyn Music School (BMS) announces a Reunify  A Benefit Concert for Displaced Children on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 6pm. Tickets are $15 - $25 and are available at https://reunify.eventbrite.com.

Maya Beiser Dan Zanes and Claudia Eliaza

Brooklyn Music School Presents: Reunify! A Benefit Concert to raise money to support efforts to reunite immigrant families that have been separated. An evening of music to benefit children who have been displaced. The Brooklyn Music School is partnering with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), and all proceeds will go to support music therapy and legal support for children who have been separated from, their parents so as to help them on the journey to healing and being reunified with their families. Please join us for this event to show our community's support for the most vulnerable of those living among us and celebrate the healing and unifying power of music.

Featuring Performances by: Maya Beiser, Will Calhoun, Claudia Eliaza, DJ Logic, Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II, Elliott Sharp, Dan Zanes and more!

New York City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo will be introducing the event.

"From our founding in the early 20th Century, Brooklyn Music School has been animated by the idea that music and performing arts can be a powerful force to bring immigrants from around the world to share and rejoice in their cultures and renew a common language of democracy. At a time when many children and families in our community feel under siege, we are thrilled at the talented artists who have come together to make a strong statement of support and raise money for a very timely and important cause," said Crocker Coulson, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Brooklyn Music School.

"One of New York City and Brooklyn's greatest strengths is the infusion of talent and energy of immigrants from around the world. I am pleased to be part of this important event and I will continue to fight to create a welcoming city for all and to protect the rights of children and families to pursue the American Dream," said NYC Council Majority Leader, Laurie A. Cumbo."Music has the power to overcome divisiveness and create bonds of connection and understanding like few other arts forms."

Avant-garde cellist and multifaceted artist Maya Beiser defies categories. She has captivated audiences worldwide with her "consummate virtuosity" (The New York Times) and relentless quest to redefine her instrument's boundaries. The Boston Globe describes her as, "a force of nature," while Rolling Stone calls her a "cello rock star." https://www.mayabeiser.com

The theorem of turntablist as musician has been long proven in the capable hands of DJ LOGIC, whom with jazz as his foundation has become a wax innovator by crossing genres and mixing his sound across the map. http://www.djlogic.com

Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II is an American musician and composer from New York City. This world-class drummer and highly skilled beat-smith has been called a "powerhouse" and a "mast or deep-pocket hip hop, funk, jazz and rock." http://www.dsamii.com/

Elliott Sharp is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and performer. A central figure in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City for over 30 years, Elliott Sharp has released over eighty-five recordings ranging from orchestral music to blues, jazz, noise, no wave rock, and techno music.

Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes occupies a unique place in American music  where sea shanties, English Music hall, play party songs, the spirit of early rock-n-roll, soul, North American and West Indian folk music collide.

The Brooklyn Music School views music and performance as the birthright of all people, an essential way that human beings connect with others and explore their creativity. The study of music has been demonstrated to enhance academic learning and help develop discipline and confidence that will serve children well throughout their lives.

For more information, visit www.brooklynmusicschool.org.

Contact: Michelle Tabnick, (646) 765-4773, [email protected]

SOURCE Brooklyn Music School
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading plus size apparel brand Lane Bryant is excited to announce the Grand Opening of the brand's newest Lane Bryant Outlet store at Millcreek Mall.

To celebrate, Lane Bryant invites you to check out the beautiful new store from August 24-26! Those who visit the Millcreek Mall location throughout the weekend will enjoy 50% off savings on clothing and accessories and the chance to win one of (25) $25 Lane Bryant Gift Cards each day.

PLUS  those who make a purchase of $75 or more will receive an exclusive cosmetic case, while supplies last.

Where: Millcreek Mall

670 Millcreek Mall

Erie, PA 16565



When: August 24-26, 2018

About Lane Bryant: Lane Bryant is the nation's leading women's specialty size apparel brand, providing stylish and high-quality fashion in sizes 14-28. The Lane Bryant collection includes a wide selection of career to fashion conscious apparel as well as accessories, footwear, hosiery and Cacique intimate apparel. Lane Bryant fashions are available nationwide at its 757 Lane Bryant stores, and online. Please visit lanebryant.com and cacique.com for store locations and the latest fashion trend information.

SOURCE Lane Bryant

Related Links

https://www.lanebryant.com


On 25 May, the Trump administration launched a Section 232 investigation to determine whether imports of vehicles and car parts are a threat to US national security. The president is proposing a tariff of 25% on those imports in the future and whilst this is a significant hike from the current 2.5% tariff on imports, it is similar to the existing 25% import tariff that the US has levied on pick-up trucks since 1964.

This investigation into the vehicle sector truly strikes at the heart of EU and Asian exports to the US. Although the impact of tariffs on the US economy will take time to be fully realised, the impact on exporting partners would be more immediate because America's demand for vehicles will be difficult to replace in the near term. In 2017, the US imported $225 bn of vehicles and parts from 161 different countries. Of this, there are seven major countries whose combined exports to the US account for 90% of all imports in these categories. They are, in order: Mexico, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, China and the UK. Earlier this year, a similar 232 investigation into imports of steel and aluminium resulted in the introduction of a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminium. With the exception of China, the potential tariff on US imports of vehicles and parts would hit these countries harder than the Section 232 on aluminium and steel.

US vehicle tariffs are a Demolition Derby with no winners

The US relies heavily on imports to meet vehicle demand and imports far exceed exports. In 2017, imports amounted to nearly $294 bn versus just $130 bn exported. Autos account for over 15% of overall US imports, making this the largest category of products brought to US shores. This is much greater than steel and aluminium imports, which were deemed a national threat, as they account for just over 1% of total US imports.

Read the full story: https://www.crugroup.com/knowledge-and-insights/insights/2018/trump-s-vehicle-tariffs-target-the-heart-of-the-metals-sector/

Read more about CRU: http://bit.ly/About_CRU

About CRU

CRU offers unrivalled business intelligence on the global metals, mining and fertilizer industries through market analysis, price assessments, consultancy and events.

Since our foundation by Robert Perlman in 1969, we have consistently invested in primary research and robust methodologies, and developed expert teams in key locations worldwide, including in hard-to-reach markets such as China.

CRU employs over 260 experts and has more than 10 offices around the world, in Europe, the Americas, China, Asia and Australia  our office in Beijing opened in 2004.

When facing critical business decisions, you can rely on our first-hand knowledge to give you a complete view of a commodity market. And you can engage with our experts directly, for the full picture and a personalised response.

CRU  big enough to deliver a high-quality service, small enough to care about all of our customers.

SOURCE CRU
Photo: Contributed Mussel-infested beach on Lake Winnebago, in Wisconsin.

The Okanagan Basin Water Board is calling for more help to keep invasive mussels out of B.C. waters.

We are gravely concerned about the impact zebra and quagga mussels would have on the Okanagan and Western Canada, says board chair Tracy Gray.

The board has written to Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson, reiterating a call for federal funding made in April.

We need the federal government to take stronger action and help reinforce our defences and contain these mussels where they are at, and work with Western provinces, states, and the U.S. government to protect our waters. We do not want to be in a situation, like weve heard from officials in Manitoba and elsewhere, where we are infested with zebra or quagga mussels and regret not doing more to prevent it, Gray added.

An OBWB study found the cost of an infestation to the Okanagan would be $42 million a year.

While the board welcomed the recent federal announcement of $133,000 annually over three years for public outreach and education, and $25,000 annually over four years for research, it wants support for increased lake monitoring and boat inspection totalling $2,055,000 a year. That would match provincial funding.

The U.S. spent $32 million last year in Pacific Northwest states on mussel prevention.

Looking at last years B.C. inspection stats, we have more infested watercraft trying to enter B.C. from Eastern Canada than the U.S. We must increase our efforts on this side of the border.

In 2017, B.C. inspection stations intercepted 14 mussel-fouled watercraft from Ontario, two from Quebec, and nine from various U.S. locations.



It seems appropriate that this be included in the annual federal budget since it is a national issue with huge implications for infrastructure, the environment  including fisheries, and more, Gray added.
STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tronox Limited (NYSE: TROX) ("Tronox" or the "Company"), a global mining and inorganic chemicals company, today announced that it has received final approval from the European Commission to close its proposed acquisition of the titanium dioxide ("TiO 2 ") business of The National Titanium Dioxide Company Limited ("Cristal"), a privately held global chemical and mining company headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The final approval was issued following the European Commission's conclusion that Venator Materials PLC (NYSE: VNTR) ("Venator") is a suitable purchaser of Tronox's 8120 paper-laminate product grade currently supplied to European customers from Tronox's Botlek facility in the Netherlands. Divesture of this product grade was the condition set forth in the conditional approval granted to Tronox by the European Commission on July 4, 2018. Consummation of the divestiture of the 8120 paper-laminate product grade will occur following approval of the overall Cristal acquisition transaction by the U.S. regulatory authorities, which Tronox is vigorously pursuing in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia.

"We are pleased to receive the European Commission's final approval and look forward to consummating this highly synergistic combination designed to increase asset utilization, lower our cost position, unlock incremental product volumes to serve growing global markets, and create significant long-term value for our customers and shareholders," said Jeffry N. Quinn, president and chief executive officer of Tronox. "With the post-trial briefing in the administrative proceeding before the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the preliminary injunction hearing in U.S. District Court recently completed, we are focused on securing approval to complete the acquisition and transforming Tronox into the industry's premier TiO 2 company."

In addition to receiving final approval from the European Commission, Australia, China, New Zealand, Turkey, South Korea, Colombia and Saudi Arabia have also approved the proposed acquisition. The United States Federal Trade Commission remains the final regulatory authority reviewing the transaction.

About Tronox

Tronox Limited is a vertically integrated mining and inorganic chemical business. The company mines and processes titanium ore, zircon and other minerals, and manufactures titanium dioxide pigments that add brightness and durability to paints, plastics, paper and other everyday products. For more information, visit tronox.com.

About Cristal

Cristal (also known as The National Titanium Dioxide Company Limited) operates eight manufacturing plants in seven countries on five continents and employs approximately 4,100 people worldwide. Cristal is owned 79 percent by Tasnee (a listed Saudi joint-stock company) and 20 percent by Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), a company equally owned by the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), headquartered in Kuwait. One percent of the company is owned by Dr. Talal A. Al-Shair, who also serves as vice chairman, Tasnee and chairman of Cristal.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us, may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These and other risk factors are discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including those under the heading entitled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for our management to predict all risks and uncertainties, nor can management assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Although we believe the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Unless otherwise required by applicable laws, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information or future developments.

Media Contact: Melissa Zona

+1 636.751.4057

Investor Contact: Brennen Arndt

+1 203.705.3730

SOURCE Tronox Limited

Related Links

http://www.tronox.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Evoke Group (www.evokegroup.com), a leading marketing, media and communications agency designed exclusively for the health and wellness industry, today announces the creation of a new singular global agency brand  Evoke  comprised of the complementary agencies and services within the group. The collective talent, expertise and legacy of industry-leading work of Evoke Health, Firsthand, Fabric, Traverse HealthStrategy, Nitrogen Health, Tonic Life Communications and AboveNation Media will form the new Evoke  a fully integrated global agency brand purpose-built to navigate the complexities of today's health and wellness landscape. In launching the new global brand, today Evoke unveils a new identity, logo and website.

Evoke Unveils New Identity and Vision: Convergence and connectivity are a common thread in our history and our future and the same is true of our new identity. At its core, our visual identity is inspired by how we connect health and the human experiencemaking health more human. The Evoke symbol captures this unique intersectioncombining the humanity of the circle with the engineering of a square. These ideas are underpinned by a system of visual elements that were designed with meaning and intention. For more information, visit evokegroup.com. (PRNewsfoto/Evoke Group)

"Evoke Group has always been about building and evolving  it's just who we are," said Reid Connolly, CEO and Founder of Evoke. "That's how you go from being a start up to unseating many of the largest and entrenched agencies in the world. Now, as one team, we deliver effectively and efficiently across all customer channels, audiences and geographies. Few agencies in the market are as well suited with the scale of resources, breadth and expertise, and geographic reach that Evoke has today."

The Evoke team, bound by the common purpose to make Health More Human, will leverage collective talent and expertise in six core focus areas: Professional Marketing, Consumer and Patient Marketing, Market Access, PR & Influence, Media and Consulting. This holistic marketing approach enables greater strategic connectivity across audiences, increased agility and efficiency across the agency, providing clients with a single solution faster with the partners they know and trust.

"When our various specialists work closely together  like discovering a market access insight that drives breakthrough creative for a patient campaign  that's where we find real exponential benefits for our clients," said Connolly. "We've always been an entrepreneurial group and even now, at nearly 600 employees strong, that entrepreneurial spirit is still very much in our blood and the new brand is a great example of bringing that passion and our vision to life."

Business leadership across Evoke remains unchanged and has been organized to support the new structure, comprised of specialty-area and geographical-area leads, including:

Reid Connolly , CEO and Founder

, CEO and Founder Heather Torak , COO

, COO Tom Donnelly , President, North America

, President, Jon Clark , President, Europe

, President, Maryellen Royle , President, PR & Influence

, President, PR & Influence Steve Minichini , President, Media

, President, Media Eric Daly , Executive Director, HCP & Payer

, Executive Director, HCP & Payer Bryan Russiano , Managing Director, Consulting

Evoke recently announced its acquisition of San Francisco-based Giant Creative Strategy, adding a new level of growth to the company. Giant will join the new Evoke brand, now called Evoke Giant, and will be fully integrated with Evoke. Joining the Evoke leadership team for Evoke Giant are:

Steven Gold , CEO

, CEO Adam Gelling , President

Evoke (www.evokegroup.com) is a leading marketing, media and communications agency bound by a common purpose: Health More Human. With offices in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, Singapore and Dubai, the group of 550+ employees is working with 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Evoke is part of Huntsworth plc (HNT: LSE) (www.huntsworth.com), an international healthcare and communications group. The Group's principal areas of focus are marketing, medical and immersive communications services to healthcare clients, which are primarily large and mid-size pharmaceutical and biotech companies. It also has a smaller Communications group, which provides a wide range of communications and advisory services including strategic communications, public affairs, investor relations and consumer marketing.

Media Contact:

Theresa Dolge

Chief Media Relations Officer

Office: + 1 215-928-2748

[email protected]

SOURCE Evoke Group

Related Links

http://evokegroup.com


DUBLIN, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Bakery Ingredients Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global bakery ingredients market was estimated at USD 10.2 billion in 2016 and is expected to register a CAGR of 5.8%, during the forecast period, 2018-2023.

Evolving retail landscape of retail bakery products has been one of the crucial factors for the expansion of the market over the last few years. The market witnessed a high consumption rate in the categories of cakes, pastries, pies, scones, bread, biscuits, and cereals in the developed markets of North America and Western Europe.

Growing popularity for artisan bakeries coupled with high per capita consumption of bakery products is likely to fuel the expansion of bakery ingredients market during the forecast period.

Market Dynamics



There is a growing consumer demand for nutritional content in baked foods with low sugar, whole grain, and zero Trans-fat per serving. Increasing obesity rates and aging population have put the usage of healthy ingredients in the U.S. on a national front. The growing demand for ready-to-eat food is expected to boost the bakery ingredients market.

The shift in the conventional home cooked food to convenience foods has also increased the demand of these bakery ingredients in the emerging markets. Adoption of westernized lifestyle, double income families, emphasis on healthier lifestyles, greater nutrition awareness, and increase in disposable income are the major factors that are responsible for the growth in baked foods industry, which, in turn, will drive the demand for the bakery ingredients manufacturers.

The focus would be on innovation in sweeteners, dry ingredients, starches and derivatives, oil and shortenings ingredients to meet the consumer demand for low trans fats and gluten free products, without modifying the quality, texture, and taste of these products. The growing substitution of the baked goods with the cereals and corn flakes categories is difficult to sustain unless there are healthier and innovative products in the bakery ingredients in compliance with GMP.

The future scope for the bakery ingredient manufacturers would lie in the advancements of food ingredients systems and thereby, providing a common platform for food makers, food service providers, and retailers to meet the companies strategies in meeting with the consumer consumption trends and preferences.

Market Segmentation



Bakery ingredients are broadly categorized in different product segments, which are fats and shortenings, emulsifiers, bases and mixes, functional blends, colors and flavors, leavening agents, and others. The bases and mixes segment accounts for the largest share followed by fats and shortenings.

Enzymes are used to replace chemical additives and also help the companies reduce their processing time while saving energy costs. Emulsifiers are the ingredients that are used to obtain soft crumb-like and tenderness in the texture of some bakery products.

Leavening agents, such as baking powder and yeast extracts, held the largest share in the global bakery ingredients market, as they are widely used for fermentation in baked products. In 2016, the global market for baking powder was valued at USD 4.1 billion.

Regional Analysis



The U.S. and Europe with their long-standing culture of consuming bakery and baked foods are the matured markets of this industry.

Although Germany in the European region is dominating the bakery ingredients market, the European crisis has affected the consumer spending on baked goods.

China and India, with their growing population and increasing disposable incomes, are the major markets for the baked goods, and bakery ingredients. Consumers are willing to pay more for a healthier profile in the bakery products, which drives the growth of this market.

Competitive Landscape



The leading market players have been using strategies, such as expansions and new product launches, to increase their global presence and their productivity. Innovations in food ingredients by consumer preferences also meet the company objectives of reducing costs. Several companies find it important to meet the local regulatory requirements, apart from meeting their standard safety and quality criteria.

Key Developments

June 2017 - DSM N.V. introduced new range of baking enzymes that enable bakeries to deliver a better experience for gluten free bread and other kind of wheat free applications. The enzymes are developed to improve the moistness and softness of the bakery products

- DSM N.V. introduced new range of baking enzymes that enable bakeries to deliver a better experience for gluten free bread and other kind of wheat free applications. The enzymes are developed to improve the moistness and softness of the bakery products December 2016 - Cargill Incorporated opened two research and development facilities in China and Minnesota , which are constructed in order to meet up with the requirements of the consumers changing expectations. The development centers will work on issues, such as improving food safety and developing new and innovative ingredients

Key Topics Covered



1. Introduction

1.1 Key Deliverables of the Study

1.2 Study Assumptions

1.3 Market Definitions



2. Market Insights

2.1 Market Overview

2.2 Market Trends

2.3 Industry Attractiveness - Porters Five Forces Analysis

2.3.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

2.3.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

2.3.3 Threat of New Entrants

2.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products and Services

2.3.5 Degree of Competition



3. Market Dynamics

3.1 Drivers

3.2 Restraints

3.3 Opportunities



4. Market Segmentation

4.1 By Ingredients Type

4.1.1 Emulsifiers

4.1.2 Enzymes

4.1.3 Starch

4.1.4 Fibre

4.1.5 Baking Powders and Mixers

4.1.6 Oils and shortenings

4.1.7 Colours and Flavours

4.1.8 Leavening Agents

4.1.9 Sweeteners

4.1.10 Preservatives

4.1.11 Others

4.2 By Application

4.2.1 Breads and Morning goods

4.2.2 Cookies and Biscuits

4.2.3 Cakes and Pastries

4.2.4 Rolls and Pies

4.2.5 Others



5. Regional Market Analysis

5.1 North America

5.1.1 US

5.1.2 Canada

5.1.3 Mexico

5.1.4 Rest of North America

5.2 Europe

5.2.1 Spain

5.2.2 UK

5.2.3 France

5.2.4 Germany

5.2.5 Russia

5.2.6 Italy

5.2.7 Rest of Europe

5.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.1 China

5.3.2 India

5.3.3 Japan

5.3.4 Australia

5.3.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific

5.4 South America

5.4.1 Brazil

5.4.2 Argentina

5.4.3 Rest of South America

5.5 Africa

5.5.1 South Africa

5.5.2 Rest of Africa



6. Competitive Landscape

6.1 Most Active Companies

6.2 Most Adopted Strategies

6.3 Market Share Analysis



7. Company Profiles

7.1 Cargill

7.2 Associated British Foods PLC

7.3 Koninklijke DSM N.V.

7.4 Kerry Group PLC

7.5 AAK AB

7.6 Tate & Lyle

7.7 Lallemand, Inc.

7.8 Lesaffre

7.9 Archer Daniels Midland Company

7.10 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company

7.11 Taura Natural Ingredients Limited

7.12 Dawn Food Products, Inc.

7.13 Muntons PLC

7.14 Corbion

7.15 British Bakels



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dpbg7t/global_bakery?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:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

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"Ms. Brazile has spent decades at the table of the political discourse in our nation," says Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick . "She can now draw on all her experience and wisdom to bring a bipartisan discussion to these critical issues."

Brazile is the first African American woman to direct a major presidential campaign, serving as Al Gore's campaign manager in the 2000 election. She is the former Interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the author of the New York Times bestseller, Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-Ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House. And, she is a co-author of the forthcoming book entitled, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics.

During the year-long position, Brazile will focus on the theme, "The Future Is Now," exploring several public policy areas. Brazile says she is excited to make Howard University her first chair position, an historically black college and university (HBCU), in such an important political year.

"2018 is an election season like none other," Brazile says.

"Having a conversation, not only about public policy, but also citizen political activism just ten years following the historic election of President Barack Obama, is a great and timely opportunity."

The King Chair provides students access to experienced, senior public service executives who have developed and advanced public policy initiatives. Since 2008, six prominent public leaders have engaged students on issues related to the public interest, including an examination of the intricacies of policy making.

"We are delighted that such a renowned political strategist as Donna Brazile will hold the King Chair in Public Policy this academic year," Gwen and Colby King said in a joint statement. "Donna Brazile will bring unparalleled breadth and depth of experience and knowledge to Howard students across several academic disciplines. Her presence on HU's campus will spark a higher level of understanding and pique interest in the political process  having them eager to engage with her."

The first event, scheduled September 4, is titled, "Finding Your Seat At The Table." Her goal is to demystify the political process and how public policy is made.

Brazile is the recipient of over ten honorary doctorate degrees from major colleges and universities, including her alma mater, Louisiana State University. She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, serving since 2002, and a recent fellow of the Joan Shorenstein Fellowship in Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard's Kennedy School.

Brazile is the founder and director of Brazile & Associates LLC, a general consulting, grassroots advocacy, and training firm based in Washington, DC.

Contact: Alonda Thomas, [email protected]

SOURCE Howard University

Related Links

http://www.howard.edu


BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IFM Therapeutics, LLC (IFM), a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies that modulate novel targets in the innate immune system, today announced data from IFM-conducted preclinical studies on NLRP3-inhibitor compounds, which help to validate the role of NLRP3 inhibition in disease treatment. These results were presented by William Roush, Ph.D., IFM's Executive Vice President of Chemistry, at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on August 19, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts.

IFM's recently launched subsidiary, IFM Tre, is developing a suite of different NLRP3 antagonists that can potentially block the inflammatory responses underlying a variety of serious diseases. Previous research has shown that NLRP3 inflammasome activity is increased in disease tissue from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specifically Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC).

"We are excited to present data that demonstrate how NLRP3 inhibitors can reduce disease severity in a number of well-validated preclinical models of IBD," said Dr. Roush. "To date, our team has made important advances in understanding the role of NLRP3 in diseases that affect millions of people worldwide, and we look forward to expanding our robust knowledge of NLRP3 function and pharmacology as we advance our suite of small molecules toward the clinic."

In addition to use as a single-agent therapy for IBD, NLRP3 inhibitors could have ideal compatibility as a combination agent with systemic immunosuppressive drug regimens to enhance efficacy without impacting patient safety.

Current therapeutic interventions include anti-TNF treatments; however, up to 50 percent of patients do not respond. It is hypothesized that NLRP3 plays a mechanistic role in anti-TNF resistance in CD. Therefore, it is expected that NLRP3 inhibition could have a synergistic effect with anti-TNF therapy for patients who are otherwise unresponsive to anti-TNF treatments.

"The findings presented at ACS further highlight the recent advances in targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome with small-molecule inhibitors," said Gary D. Glick, CEO and co-founder of IFM Therapeutics. "Thanks to the work of Bill and our team of experts, including Dr. Eicke Latz, and Dr. Luigi Franchi, we are preparing to advance drug candidates into the clinic that will remain within the GI tract with a low degree of systemic penetration. We hypothesize that this gut-directed approach will result in safer, more efficacious treatments for those living with IBD. We are also committed to advancing our broader suite of development-stage NLRP3 antagonists, which have the potential to improve the lives of patients with other inflammatory diseases."

About IFM Therapeutics, LLC

IFM Therapeutics, LLC (IFM) is a privately held biopharmaceutical company based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded by an international group of preeminent scientists and physicians who have spent decades understanding innate immunity and the role it plays in regulating the immune system. IFM's team has discovered and developed small molecules that modulate novel targets in the innate immune system as next-generation therapies for cancer, auto-immunity, and inflammatory disorders. IFM owns and operates IFM Tre, a subsidiary company launched in July of 2018 that is developing a suite of small-molecule antagonists targeting inappropriate inflammatory responses of the innate immune system via the NLRP3 pathway. For more information, please visit www.ifmthera.com.

SOURCE IFM Therapeutics, LLC

Related Links

http://www.spectrumscience.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Keller Lenkner LLC ("Keller Lenkner") today updates investors on its previously announced securities fraud class action filed against Tesla, Inc. ("Tesla") and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk ("Musk"), and announces the launch of a new dedicated website, www.teslatweets.com.

Keller Lenkner was the first law firm to file suit against Tesla and Musk for their false and misleading statements regarding taking the Company private. The website contains more information about the lawsuit and provides investors an easy way to contact Keller Lenkner to discuss their rights.

The complaint filed by Keller Lenkner charges that Musk and Tesla violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by issuing false and misleading statements regarding taking Tesla private. In particular, at 12:48 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August 7, 2018, Musk issued a statement via Twitter that "funding" for the deal had been "secured." But Musk was not telling the truth. Rather, he had Tweeted to decimate the Company's short-sellers, who were forced to cover their positions over the succeeding days at artificially inflated prices.

News reports that have emerged since Keller Lenkner filed its complaint lend further support to the allegations that Musk and Tesla violated federal securities laws:

Today, J.P. Morgan stated that its "interpretation of subsequent events" after Musk and Tesla's statements "leads us to believe that funding was not secured for a going private transaction, nor was there any formal proposal ." J.P. Morgan reduced its December price target for Tesla securities by 37%. Tae Kim , JP Morgan is back to predicting a Tesla stock plunge because funding was 'not secured' , CNBC.com, at https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/20/jp-morgan-is-back-to-predicting-a-tesla-stock-plunge-because-funding-was-not-secured.html ( Aug. 20, 2018 ).

." J.P. Morgan reduced its December price target for Tesla securities by 37%. , , CNBC.com, at https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/20/jp-morgan-is-back-to-predicting-a-tesla-stock-plunge-because-funding-was-not-secured.html ( ). After interviewing Musk, the New York Times reported that the supposed "funding" was "far from secure." David Gelles et al., Elon Musk Details 'Excruciating' Personal Toll of Tesla Turmoil , New York Times , at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/business/elon-musk-interview-tesla.html ( Aug. 16, 2018 ).

reported that et al., , , at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/business/elon-musk-interview-tesla.html ( ). The Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly investigating whether Musk and Tesla's statements were made to drive up Tesla's stock price and harm investors who had taken short positions (as alleged in the complaint filed by Keller Lenkner). Dave Michaels et al., SEC Probes Tesla Over Model 3 Production Disclosures, Wall Street Journal, at https://www.wsj.com/articles/sec-pressing-tesla-directors-for-details-on-communications-with-elon-musk-1534450010 ( Aug. 16, 2018 ).

On August 7, 2018, in reaction to Musk's Tweet, the price of Tesla's stock soared to an intra-day high of $387.46, $45.47 above the previous day's closing price, closing at $379.57 per share. The action filed by Keller Lenkner is in the Northern District of California and is captioned Kalman Isaacs v. Elon Musk, et al., No. 3:18-cv-04865.

The plaintiff is represented by Keller Lenkner. For more information about this action, or to discuss your rights or interests as someone harmed by the false and misleading statements, please visit www.teslatweets.com.

About Keller Lenkner LLC : Keller Lenkner LLC pursues high-stakes litigation for plaintiffs across a variety of claims and practice areas. Its lawyers are uniquely situated at the intersection of law and finance, with experience that includes litigating in courts throughout the country as well as co-founding the world's largest private litigation finance firm. www.kellerlenkner.com

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Keller Lenkner LLC, 150 N. Riverside Plaza, Chicago, Illinois 60610, (312) 741-5220. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Keller Lenkner LLC

Related Links

http://www.kellerlenkner.com


LEHI, Utah, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Utah Business Magazine recently named LGCY Power (LGCY) https://www.lgcypower.com/, a Sunrun Certified Partner, one of Utah's fastest growing companies, specifically in the Emerging Eight category for companies that are young in age but are already showing astounding growth.

The Emerging Eight features Utah businesses that are under five years old but are aggressive in their growth. This is the second consecutive year that LGCY was named to the Emerging Eight list of fastest growing companies in Utah.

Members of the LGCY Power team, led by CEO Doug Robinson (middle) attending the Fast 50 awards banquet at the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. This is the second year in a row that LGCY Power has been named one of the fastest growing companies in Utah.

"We're honored to be named one of the fastest growing companies in Utah," said Doug Robinson, CEO of LGCY. "I know that our growth is the result of the tremendous team we've built at LGCY Power and their commitment to doing things the right way to ensure the company and industry is more viable and stable long-term."

In 2018, LGCY achieved a number of significant milestones to lead to this growth, including:

Increased operations and expanded to more than 17 states and growing.

Added Greg Butterfield to the team. Butterfield joined LGCY because he believed in the way Robinson was building the business and the company's potential.

to the team. Butterfield joined LGCY because he believed in the way Robinson was building the business and the company's potential. Contributed to the vision and strategy that has helped position the industry to enable consumers to invest in solar and save money while working towards bettering the environment.

The Emerging Eight awards were given at a banquet at the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information about LGCY visit, https://www.lgcypower.com/.

ABOUT LGCY POWER

LGCY Power was named one of the Emerging Eight companies in Utah, A Best Place to Work by Glassdoor.com and Utah Business, and is focused on providing an extraordinary solar experience for customers in the United States. By offering a cleaner, cheaper alternative to traditional electricity, LGCY assists residential homeowners by providing solar power at little to no upfront cost. A Sunrun Certified Partner, LGCY has grown to offices in 17 states with headquarters in Lehi, Utah. For more information visit https://www.lgcypower.com/.

Press Contact:

Jeremy Kartchner, PR Manager

(801) 703-4092

[email protected]

SOURCE LGCY Power
A wish experience is frequently a source of inspiration for children undergoing difficult medical treatments and a positive force that helps them overcome their obstacles. A wish can be the catalyst that rekindles a child's belief in themselves and the promise of their futuretravel wishes are #TripsThatTransform.

By the numbers:

77  the percent of wishes which require travel annually

159 million  the number of airline miles/points donated each year by Make-A-Wish airline partners and their customers

3 billion  the number of airline miles/points needed each year to grant all travel-related wishes

Airlines have made it easier for customers to help make wishes through the donation of airline miles and points. If travelers have points they cannot use or are expiring soon, they can donate the points to Make-A-Wish by visiting www.wish.org/ways-to-help/giving/airline-miles and click the link for the appropriate carrier. Once donated to Make-A-Wish, the miles and points will not expire and will go directly to flying wish children and their families on #TripsThatTransform. By supporting Travel Month, along with the travel partners, Make-A-Wish will be able to grant even more wishes nationwide.

"A wish trip is more than a vacation. A wish is an importantand often necessary  part of a child's medical and treatment journey," said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "We believe that every eligible child deserves a wish. And our travel partners  American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Air, JetBlue, Avis and Airbnb are critical in helping make these life-changing wishes come true every, single day."

Follow Make-A-Wish on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see more stories of #TripsThatTransform and to learn how to help make more wishes come true.

SOURCE Make-A-Wish America
Jack Ma expressed his appreciation and warmly welcomed the Malaysia Prime Minister. He said that Prime Minister Mahathir's ' Multimedia Super Corridor' , known as the MSC in Malaysia, inspired his entrepreneurial confidence and Alibaba. In the 44 years since the China - Malaysia diplomatic relations establishment, Mahathir has served as prime minister for 22 years. Malaysia has become an important economic and trade partner for China. The two countries should join hands to enter the digital economy era now. This is also a huge opportunity for enterprises in China and Malaysia.

In his speech, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir emphasized that, both the past Maritime Silk Road and the current bilateral economic and trade relations, brought new development opportunities to the enterprises in Malaysia and China, and also brought more job opportunities and quality goods to the people. He hopes that more Chinese entrepreneurs can invest in Malaysia. Malaysia will continue to maintain friendly relations with China and to extend businesses in the Chinese market.

A 40-minute Q&A session was held following Prime Minister Mahathir's speech. The 92-year-old Mahathir engaged in lively communication with Chinese entrepreneurs on investment opportunities, market development, cultural exchanges, the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as socially and economically sustainable development.

China maintains close economic and trade ties with Malaysia. Statistics show that China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for nine consecutive years. It has also been Malaysia's largest manufacturing investor for two consecutive years, and its largest source of tourism for six consecutive years. Through this forum, Chinese entrepreneurs and political and business leaders in Malaysia have deepened their understanding and enhanced mutual recognition of business and cultural values.

About CEC China Entrepreneur Club (CEC)

The China Entrepreneur Club (CEC) is the premier business leader platform in China. Founded in 2006 by an elite group of Chinese entrepreneurial entrepreneurs. CEC has a mission to promote business integrity and entrepreneurial socialization, and to implement a guide to promoting economic and social sustainability.

The 60 CEC members represent the first generation of modern Chinese entrepreneurs. Members and member companies are proud to signify commercial success while abiding by the rules and regulations of the market economy, while continue to set examples for sustainable competitiveness through better business practices, actively engaging in public welfare initiatives and endorsing corporate social responsibility. CEC members companies are economic powerhouses, with a total income of approximately 4 trillion (RMB) and a platform commodity transaction of 6.5 trillion (RMB) in 2017, collectively employ 1.94 million persons and indirectly create 38 million employee posts, constituting a critical part of national economy.

The CEC mission and vision represent a set of core values for club members, employees and affiliates to live by. These values are the backbone of club activity, from International Visits and Member Company Visits, to the Daonong Gala celebration and regular tailored events throughout the year. Furthermore, the CEC's Green Companies Alliance and annual China Green Companies Summit exhibit a relentless pursuit of building sustainable, transparent green companies in China.

Further Information:

Kay Zhang Huijun

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.daonong.com

SOURCE China Entrepreneur Club (CEC)

Related Links

http://www.daonong.com


ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- National Industries for the Blind (NIB) today announced a new strategic alliance with the William L. Hudson BVI Workforce Innovation Center to deliver world-class training and professional development for people who are blind.

Envision logo LC Industries logo

The William L. Hudson BVI Workforce Innovation Center, located in Wichita, Kansas, provides an unparalleled focus on training people with vision loss, placing them into jobs, and providing accessibility inclusion expertise to businesses. This joint initiative of Envision and LC Industries, two of NIB's associated nonprofit agencies, challenges employers and communities to look beyond the horizon and transform the landscape of employment and independence for people who are blind or visually impaired.

"As technology evolves, and the demand for new workplace skills grows, organizations serving people who are blind must adapt and evolve as well. NIB, Envision, and LC Industries have been leaders in this change, and are now uniquely positioned to transform the employment landscape for people who are blind through the delivery of advanced training and professional development that will build the workforce of the future," said NIB President and CEO Kevin Lynch.

NIB is the nation's largest employment resource for people who are blind. For 80 years, NIB and its associated nonprofit agencies have created and sustained thousands of U.S.-based jobs for people who are blind in nearly every sector of the economy  from manufacturing to professional services. People who are blind working in NIB's nationwide network earn competitive pay and benefits in quality, integrated workplaces, and have access to advanced training and development programs to help them succeed in any career they choose.

"We are pleased to be collaborating with National Industries for the Blind to create opportunities in professional, skilled positions for individuals who are blind or visually impaired," said Mike May, executive director of the William L. Hudson BVI Workforce Innovation Center. "Our unified goal is to significantly reduce a 70 percent unemployment rate among that segment of the population that has remained too high for far too long."

The NIB and BVI Workforce Innovation Center alliance will significantly expand opportunities for training and professional development of people who are blind, with the goal of creating 500 new jobs for people who are blind or visually impaired by 2022.

NIB's announcement precedes the fall 2018 opening of its new headquarters building in Alexandria, Virginia. NIB'S new headquarters will feature a 10,000-square-foot event and training center, which incorporates best-in-class accessible technology to enable people who are blind to access its award-winning training and professional development programs.

NIB has been an industry leader in providing training and professional development to people who are blind. NIB's training programs have opened a world of opportunity for people who are blind to pursue careers in high-demand professional services positions, including contract management, Section 508 compliance, contact center operations, information assurance, and more.

NIB's premier training program, the Business Leaders Program, was launched in 2003 to prepare individuals who are blind for successful careers in business. The Business Leaders Program offers six professional development tracks, including Business Management Training, a 15-month program in partnership with George Mason University that focuses on developing critical business, management, and leadership skills.

NIB provides other innovative employment training programs to help people who are blind succeed in a variety of professional services fields. Training programs include:

Professional Mastery of Office Technology for Employment (ProMOTE): provides advanced workplace technology training to people who are blind.

provides advanced workplace technology training to people who are blind. Information Assurance : prepares people who are blind with the knowledge and experience needed to earn information security certifications from the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

: prepares people who are blind with the knowledge and experience needed to earn information security certifications from the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). Contract Management Support: provides people who are blind with the technical skills needed for high-growth career opportunities in contract administration.

NIB's alliance with the BVI Workforce Innovation Center will expand these training programs, and allow for new, innovative programs to be developed. Ultimately, the strategic alliance will expand employment opportunities for people who are blind, within and outside NIB's network of associated nonprofit agencies.

A key tenant of the strategic alliance is open engagement with colleges, universities, government and industry in developing training programs. NIB and the BVI Workforce Innovation Center will leverage best-in-class training and education providers to deliver the best possible training programs for people who are blind to meet stakeholders' ever-evolving needs.

NIB and the BVI Workforce Innovation Center plan to expand programs in several key areas, including training for veterans who are blind transitioning to civilian life, and an entrepreneurship program for people who are blind to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to run private businesses.

For more information about NIB's training and development programs, visit http://NIB.org/training. To learn more about the William L. Hudson BVI Workforce Innovation Center, visit http://www.workforceforall.com

About National Industries for the Blind

Since 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on enhancing the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and its network of associated nonprofit agencies are the nation's largest employer of people who are blind through the manufacture and provision of SKILCRAFT and other products and services of the AbilityOne Program. For more information about NIB, visit NIB.org.

About Envision

Envision promotes advocacy and independence for those who are blind or low vision. Founded in 1933, Envision is one of the largest employers of individuals with vision loss in the nation. Headquartered in Wichita, Kan., Envision's mission is to improve the quality of life and provide inspiration and opportunity for people who are blind or visually impaired through employment, outreach, rehabilitation, education and research. For more information, visit www.envisionus.com.

About LC Industries

Founded in 1936, LCI (www.lc-ind.com) is the largest employer of people who are blind or visually impaired in the United States. Its mission is to provide meaningful employment for people who are blind. Since its founding, the company has grown to manufacture more than 2,500 different products and supply more than 4,500 products to military bases from its 36 Base Supply Stores and two distribution centers in Durham, N.C., and Las Vegas, Nev.

SOURCE National Industries for the Blind

Related Links

http://NIB.org


Photo: Contributed

The death of an Edmonton man on a houseboat on Shuswap Lake over the weekend is not considered suspicious.

RCMP say it was called to the houseboat near Marble Point to assist BC Ambulance or a reported 25-year-old man who was unresponsive.

"BC Ambulance were transported to the houseboat's location with the assistance of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue vessel," stated Sgt. Murray McNeil. "The man was pronounced dead at the scene."

The death was deemed to be non-suspicious in nature. The investigation has been turned over to the BC Coroner service.
JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) today announced that Fortune has ranked the company No. 21 among the top 57 companies globally that "Change the World." The annual list recognizes companies that have had a positive social impact through activities that are part of their core business strategy. NextEra Energy is the only energy company from the Americas named to the 2018 list and one of only two electric companies in the world to be included.

"We're extremely pleased to be recognized by Fortune as a company that is changing our world for the better, particularly for our significant investments in solar and wind energy," said Jim Robo, chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy. "At NextEra Energy, we firmly believe that we have an unprecedented opportunity to shape how energy is produced and delivered. By investing in smart infrastructure and innovative clean energy solutions, we're helping build a sustainable energy future that is affordable, efficient and clean, while at the same time creating tens of thousands of jobs and generating economic benefits for the communities we serve. Our employees are deeply committed to doing well by doing good, and that means focusing on continuous improvement and innovation, respecting our environment, providing value for our customers, sustaining our communities, investing in our team and growing shareholder value."

This is the first year NextEra Energy has been recognized on Fortune's "Change the World" list. Fortune evaluates and ranks companies on measurable social impact, business results, degree of innovation and corporate integration. NextEra Energy, whose principal subsidiaries are Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and NextEra Energy Resources, was recognized by Fortune for being an industry leader in renewable energy.

Already one of the cleanest electric utilities in the nation, FPL is in the midst of one of the largest solar expansions in the world. Today, FPL operates 14 major solar energy centers and more than 200 smaller solar installations totaling more than 935 megawatts (MW), while it continues to keep its customer bills among the lowest in America. The company recently announced the start of construction on its four newest solar energy centers, representing nearly 300 additional MW of solar capacity that will be operational by early 2019. FPL is on track to have approximately 10 million solar panels in operation by 2022. In addition, earlier this year, FPL completed the largest solar-plus-storage system built in the U.S. to date  augmenting the 74.5-MW FPL Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center with a 10-MW/40-MWh battery.

NextEra Energy Resources is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. The company was a pioneer in the field, making its first investment in renewable energy nearly 30 years ago. Today, NextEra Energy Resources owns and operates more than 14,000 MW of wind energy with more than 120 facilities across North America. NextEra Energy Resources also operates approximately 30 universal solar projects in the U.S. In addition, NextEra Energy Resources is uniquely positioned for the next phase of renewables deployment that pairs low-cost wind and solar energy with a low-cost battery storage solution that can be dispatched with enough certainty to meet customer need for firm generation.

In addition to its leadership in renewable energy, Fortune praised NextEra Energy for recently striking the largest solar panel supply deal in history with JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE: JKS). Under the agreement, JinkoSolar will supply NextEra Energy with up to 2,750 MW of high-efficiency solar modules  roughly 7 million solar panels  over approximately four years.

NextEra Energy also has a strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. Over the past decade, FPL has invested more than $3 billion to build one of the world's strongest and smartest energy grids, including having installed approximately 5 million smart meters and more than 90,000 other intelligent devices to help monitor and manage the electric system. FPL, which provides power to more than half the state of Florida, also is a leader in using high-tech drones and is experimenting with augmented and virtual reality to search for damage and speed restoration after severe weather strikes.

The "Change the World" honor is the latest recognition for the company. Earlier this year, NextEra Energy was named No. 1 in its sector on Fortune's list of "Most Admired Companies" for the 11th time in 12 years and also ranked among the top 20 companies worldwide for innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility and long-term investment value. NextEra Energy was also recognized by Ethisphere Institute as one of its 2018 World's Most Ethical Companies, becoming one of only 20 companies in the world to have achieved this honor 11 or more times. NextEra Energy was also recognized by Forbes as one of America's Best Employers and one of America's Best Employers for Diversity, as well as recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve with the Above and Beyond Award.

View the complete results for Fortune's 2018 list of companies that "Change the World."

NextEra Energy, Inc.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company with consolidated revenues of approximately $17.2 billion, operates approximately 46,790 megawatts of net generating capacity and employs approximately 14,000 people in 33 states and Canada as of year-end 2017. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy's principal subsidiaries are Florida Power & Light Company, which serves approximately 5 million customer accounts in Florida and is one of the largest rate-regulated electric utilities in the United States, and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from eight commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company and included in the S&P 100 index, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune's 2018 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nexteraenergy.com


OXFORD, England, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

PharmaVentures Ltd. ("PharmaVentures") is pleased to announce that it acted as an independent adviser to SalvaRx Group plc (SALV: LSE) ("SalvaRx") and Portage Biotech, Inc ("Portage"), on the acquisition of its subsidiary SalvaRx Ltd by Portage. Subject to regulatory and shareholder consent, Portage will acquire 100% of SalvaRx Limited for an aggregate consideration of US$71.7 Million.

As SalvaRx is a related party of Portage, the transaction is subject to the requirements of Alberta Securities Commission's Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Shareholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As a consequence, the Transaction requires minority shareholder approval.

Although the transaction is exempt from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to Section 5.5(a) PharmaVentures was commissioned by SalvaRx and Portage to perform an independent valuation (the "Valuation") of SalvaRx Limited. The Valuation, dated July 23, 2018, provided the parties with, amongst other things, a discussion of various methodologies to value SalvaRx Limited as well as a range of possible values.

For more information see the Portage Biotech press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/portage-to-acquire-salvarx-limited-300696910.html.

Adrian Dawkes, Managing Director, PharmaVentures, commented; "We have worked previously with SalvaRx and were pleased to provide our extensive valuation capabilities and market knowledge to assist in this transaction."

Fintan Walton, Founder and Chief Executive of PharmaVentures said, "PharmaVentures is trusted by long established pharmaceutical companies, governments as well as innovative biotechs like SalvaRx to provide high quality, robust and comprehensively researched valuations to support their key strategic transactions. We are pleased to have assisted SalvaRx in their endeavors."

About Pharmaventures:

With over 26 years of successful dealmaking and advisory work, PharmaVentures assists companies to achieve the best deals. We have a proven track record of advising businesses across the healthcare sector from top-tier pharmaceutical and biotech companies, diagnostics, medtech and life science research organisations.



Our extensive network of key contacts, industry experience and market knowledge enables us to provide the best advice to our clients in over 38 countries. To date we have successfully completed over 700 mandates covering:

We currently have several clients seeking to in-license or acquire assets as well as multiple out-licensing and asset divestment opportunities.

Contact:

[email protected]



SOURCE PharmaVentures Limited
HOUSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE: PWR) announced today that it was selected by NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd., a TransCanada company, for spread three of the North Montney Mainline Project. Quanta's scope of work will be executed utilizing one mainline spread and includes the construction and installation of approximately 39 miles (62 kilometers) of new 42-inch diameter natural gas mainline pipe in Fort St. John, British Columbia. Quanta's construction on the project is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2018 and is anticipated to achieve substantial completion in the first half of 2019. This project will be reflected in Quanta's third quarter 2018 backlog.

About Quanta Services

Quanta Services is a leading specialized contracting services company, delivering infrastructure solutions for the electric power, oil and gas and communications industries. Quanta's comprehensive services include designing, installing, repairing and maintaining energy and communications infrastructure. With operations throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia and select other international markets, Quanta has the manpower, resources and expertise to safely complete projects that are local, regional, national or international in scope. For more information, visit www.quantaservices.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release (and any oral statements regarding the subject matter of this press release) contains forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the "safe harbor" from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, any expected value of the contract or project; the scope, services, terms and results of the project awarded under the contract; the expected economic impact of the project; the anticipated commencement and completion dates for the project; and the safety, efficiency or success of the project; as well as statements reflecting expectations, intentions, assumptions or beliefs about future events and other statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Although Quanta's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions and by a variety of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict or beyond our control, including, among others, the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the control of Quanta; successful performance and completion of the contract and the project awarded thereunder; failure to realize the anticipated value of the contract or the project; delays, reductions in scope or cancellations of the contract or the project awarded thereunder, including as a result of weather, regulatory or environmental issues, project performance issues, claimed force majeure events, protests or other political activity associated with the project, legal challenges to the project, or customer capital constraints; the potential for claims associated with schedule delays, performance shortfalls or Quanta's inability or failure to comply with the terms of the contract for the project, which may result in additional costs, unexcused delays, warranty claims, failure to meet performance guarantees, damages or contract termination; the inability or refusal of the customer to pay for Quanta's services; failure of the customer to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, which could result in delay or cancellation of the project; fluctuations in the prices of certain materials used for the project; the failure of suppliers, subcontractors or other third party contractors to perform their obligations, including warranty obligations, under their subcontracts; adverse changes in economic conditions and trends in relevant markets; cancellation and termination provisions present in the contract; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Quanta's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017, Quanta's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended Mar. 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018 and any other documents that Quanta files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For a discussion of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors are urged to refer to Quanta's documents filed with the SEC that are available through the company's website at www.quantaservices.com or through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. Quanta does not undertake and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Quanta further expressly disclaims any written or oral statements made by any third party regarding the subject matter of this press release.

Investors - Kip Rupp, CFA Media  Lynn Hancock (713) 341-7260 (713) 869-0707

SOURCE Quanta Services, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.quantaservices.com


"Console games continue to set new standards for gameplay, but controller designs have been slow to evolve in step with those advancements," said Min-Liang Tan, Razer Co-Founder and CEO. "The power of PS4 offers an incredibly immersive experience with controllers that can unlock the platform's potential and headsets that exploit the richness of Sony audio. Our new Razer Raiju Ultimate and Tournament edition, and Razer Thresher, answer the call for next-level PS4 hardware."

Razer Raiju Ultimate

The Razer Raiju Ultimate is crafted as the most modular PS4 controller everto challenge the limits of customizability. Sporting wireless and wired connectivity, upgraded ergonomics and a wealth of customization options, the Razer Raiju Ultimate is the controller that adapts to every gamer.

A new dedicated mobile app enables gamers to make advanced customizations easily. Multi-function buttons can be mapped to create more than 500 customized profiles to fit different playstyles for different gaming genres. Users may adjust the sensitivity of thumbstick movements to achieve greater headshot aiming precision or speedy response. Advanced lighting effects are powered by Razer Chroma for immersive gamingRGB LED lighting up in sync with controller vibrations and other button actions.

The controller also comes with a set of interchangeable thumbsticks and D-pad, providing more ways to personalize experiences. RazerTM Mecha-Tactile Action Buttons combine the soft-cushioned touch of a membrane rubber dome with crisp tactile clicks of a mechanical switch. The distinct feel of the controller makes it a unique choice for gamers.

To ensure a user-friendly experience, the controller offers three connectivity modes via a built-in switch located on the back for easy transitions between PS4, Bluetooth, USB and PC Bluetooth modes. A quick control panel provides instant access to functions like profile switching and on-the-fly mapping, while a secure button lock prohibits unintended key presses.

Razer Raiju Tournament Edition

The Raiju Tournament Edition focuses on essential features that gamers seek. With wireless and wired connectivity, an ergonomic design and seamless accessibility, it is strategically positioned to provide a competitive edge.



Razer Raiju Ultimate Razer Raiju Tournament Edition MSRP $199.99/199.99 $149.99/149.99 Connectivity Bluetooth & Wired Connection Bluetooth & Wired Connection Action Buttons Razer Mecha-Tactile Buttons Razer Mecha-Tactile Buttons D-pad Interchangeable Individual Buttons, Concave Plane Analog Sticks Interchangeable Concave, Crosshair Texture Multi-Function Buttons 4 extra Multi-Function Buttons 4 extra Multi-Function Buttons Lighting Effect Chroma Lighting NO Trigger Stops YES YES Configuration Mobile app & Quick Control Panel Mobile app Profiles 4 Onboard + 500+ Cloud profiles 1 Onboard + 500+ Cloud profiles Sensitivity Clutch Level Adjustment Adjustable through mobile app Adjustable through mobile app 3.5 mm Headphone Jack YES YES

Razer Thresher for PS4

The Razer Thresher for PS4 provides comfort and control over a gamer's listening experience. Users can choose a wireless 2.4 GHz connection or a wired 3.5 mm connection, adding cross-platform functionality. The Razer Thresher can last up to 16 hours in wireless mode from a single charge without concerns of disconnecting.

With a wireless range of up to 40 feet, the Razer Thresher for PS4 is designed to be the most reliable headset in the world for gamers.

Master and mic volume controls are conveniently placed on the headset. A retractable unidirectional boom microphone and mic-monitoring allow you to hear yourself in-game. This mix of seamless control and audio fidelity provides a winning advantage when ambient sounds and clear communication matter.

The headset comes with large leatherette ear cushions made of memory foam that conform to any gamer's head. The memory foam provides extraordinary comfort, better sound quality, and noise isolation, even for those wearing glasses thanks to the indented eyewear channels in the ear cups.

Within each ear cup is a 50 mm driver that provides loud and clear audio into each cup with a wide frequency response range of 12 Hz to 28,000 Hz.

The Razer Thresher for PS4 is also compatible with the PC, Nintendo Switch, and other devices equipped with a 3.5 mm audio port.

Raiju Ultimate

Product features:

Wired and wireless connectivity

4 Multi-function buttons

Mecha-Tactile Triangle, Circle, X, Square action buttons

Powered by Razer Chroma TM

Trigger stops for quick-firing action

3.5 mm audio port for stereo audio output and microphone input (wired mode)

Quick Control Panel

Interchangeable Thumbstick and D-pad modules

Carrying Case

Detachable 3 m / 10 ft. lightweight braided fiber cable with Micro-USB connector

/ 10 ft. lightweight braided fiber cable with Micro-USB connector Approximate size: 106 mm / 4.17 in. (Length) x 155 mm / 6.09 in. (Width) x 66 mm / 2.60 in. (Height)

Approximate weight (without cable): 352 g / 0.77 lbs.

Product images:

https://resource.razer.com/galleries/efcad621-a5e1-431e-82b4-2596e3c668a9_ff44f166-9b42-4c55-be29-8de64d5894a6-ExternalUser

Raiju Tournament Edition

Product features:

Wired and wireless connectivity

4 Multi-function buttons

Mecha-Tactile Triangle, Circle, X, Square action buttons

Trigger stops for quick-firing action

3.5 mm audio port for stereo audio output and microphone input (wired mode)

Detachable 2 m / 6.5 ft. lightweight braided fiber cable with Micro-USB connector

/ 6.5 ft. lightweight braided fiber cable with Micro-USB connector Approximate size: 104 mm / 4.1 in. (Length) x 159.4 mm / 6.28 in. (Width) x 65.6 mm / 2.6 in. (Height)

Approximate weight (without cable): 322 g / 0.71 lbs.

Product images:

https://resource.razer.com/galleries/efcad621-a5e1-431e-82b4-2596e3c668a9_7c516479-2300-4ff9-9ad2-98ad06f3adf8-ExternalUser

Thresher for PS4

Product features:

Compatible Devices: PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, devices with a 3.5 mm audio port

Frequency Response: 12 Hz - 28,000 Hz

Drivers: 50 mm, with Neodymium Magnets

Impedance: 32 at 1 kHz

Wired Connection: Analog 3.5 mm

Wireless Connection: RF 2.4 GHz, up to 40 ft. / 12 m

Master Volume Controls on headset

Mic Monitoring Controls on headset

Retractable Uni-directional Boom Microphone

Mic Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 10,000 Hz

Mic Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): -38  3 dB

Mic Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >55 dB

Up to 16 hours on one single charge

Includes USB Dongle for wireless transmission

Approximate size: 214 mm (Width) * 104.8 mm (Height) * 196 mm (Length)

Approximate weight: 402 g / 0.89 lbs.

Product images:

https://resource.razer.com/galleries/efcad621-a5e1-431e-82b4-2596e3c668a9_3cd9f190-1768-4460-be65-19402ae13f6d-ExternalUser

For more information, visit:

Raiju Ultimate https://www.razer.com/raiju-ultimate

Raiju Tournament Edition https://www.razer.com/raiju-tournament-edition

Thresher for PS4 https://www.razerzone.com/thresher-for-ps4

Price:

Raiju Ultimate $199.99/199.99 Raiju Tournament Edition $149.99/149.99 Thresher for PS4 $129.99/129.99

Availability:

Raiju Ultimate/ Raiju Tournament Edition

Razer.com  August 20, 2018

Worldwide  Fall 2018

Americas - TBC

Thresher for PS4

Razer.com  August 20, 2018

Worldwide  Fall 2018

About Razer

Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers.

The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world's largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

Razer's award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals, Blade gaming laptops and the acclaimed Razer Phone.

Razer's software platform, with over 50 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher).

Razer services include Razer zGold, one of the world's largest virtual credit services for gamers, which allows gamers to purchase virtual goods and items from over 2,500 different games.

Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer has nine offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).

Press Contacts:

Global

Alain Mazer

[email protected]

Americas

Kevin Allen

[email protected]

Europe/Africa

Jan Horak

[email protected]

Asia Pacific

Raymond Lau

[email protected]



China

Evita Zhang

[email protected]

Razer  For Gamers. By Gamers.

SOURCE Razer

Related Links

http://www.razer.com


However, Mr. Hinman's comments also suggest that the vast majority of coins and tokens will be considered securities and will therefore be subject to SEC regulation. But does this need to be bad news for the crypto world? Not necessarily, if Congress and the SEC are open to new ideas.

After discussing the various interests of the stakeholders involved, this article proposes elements that could be included within a U.S.-based cryptocurrency regulatory framework that balances these interests.

Some in the crypto community would be in favor of all coins and tokens being completely unregulated, embracing a true renegade spirit above all else. Although the Howey test, the SEC and others may have a different opinion on the matter, this aspect of the crypto movement should be acknowledged when crafting an appropriate regulatory response.

Regulation makes sense only when its real-world impact makes sense, and while great strides have been made during this decade in the form of new fundraising options that help democratize offerings and leverage modern technology such as Regulation Crowdfunding and Regulation A+, any exemption from the securities laws must be responsive to user demand in order to be effective, and many question whether the current securities laws provide a suitable solution for crypto-based offerings.

Historical Background

The catalyst for the development of the federal securities laws was the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed, remedying a situation that was clearly in need of reform. When contemplating cryptocurrency regulation, it is important to remember that Bitcoin was famously borne out of the 2008 financial crisis as a potential alternative to the massive global banking network  also seeking to remedy a situation that demanded reform.

Current State of the Cryptocurrency Industry

Many crypto projects openly seek to disrupt current industry, displace entrenched middlemen and shift power from the few to the many. Although most individuals do not want to see governments topple and fiat currencies fall to zero, there is a general sentiment ingrained in the crypto movement that tells the status quo, "We can do this better, and we do not need you," where "you" refers to a wide variety of long-standing entities, groups and institutions.

The SEC's mission statement is "to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation." Even the strongest advocates for laissez-faire crypto regulation would agree that rampant fraud and manipulation have plagued the industry since nearly day one. And this hurts everyone. In the absence of regulation, the prevalence of scams and illicit activity would surely continue. Perhaps more notably, according to some, it is the lack of regulatory clarity that is causing many would-be investors to remain on the sidelines, without the requisite confidence or mandate to make crypto investments.

While there are those who may view regulation as an unnecessary and detrimental burden, Howey will likely continue to rule the day for the foreseeable future, rendering most if not all "centralized" cryptocurrencies to be classified as securities. However, regulation could be welcomed and embraced by all, as long as it is aligned with both the SEC's mission statement and the mission statement of the crypto community  not that crypto officially has one, but it would read something like this: "We aspire to bring positive change to the parts of the world that are due for change, no matter how big or small, and to do so in the most creative, innovative and impactful ways technologically and humanly possible."

U.S. Global Leadership

So, taking the SEC's mission statement at its word, if a crypto regulatory framework consisted of investor protections, efficient markets and capital facilitation on one hand, and had the real-world impact of actually attracting projects and investors on the other, the United States could become the true global leader of this extraordinarily promising industry.

When walking around at the major crypto conferences, I cannot help but think that the next Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos could very likely be somewhere in the building. Cryptocurrencies made major inroads into mainstream culture in 2017, and while 2018 has not yet seen the same growth in values and market caps, the incredible innovation continuing to occur in the space is nearly mindboggling.

Certain commentators have hypothesized that the vast majority of coins and tokens will not even exist in just a few years. While they may be correct, the important corollary point is that at least some coins or tokens will continue to exist, and these survivors are likely to achieve profound results. But right now, much of this innovation and investment opportunity is being driven away to crypto-friendly foreign jurisdictions. In many cases, it is clear that projects are completely avoiding the U.S., and that we may be chasing away unfathomable opportunity.

If the status quo remains and the square pegs of cryptocurrencies need to fit into the round holes of the current regulatory regime, the practical effect will be more of the same. In the event that cryptocurrency is even a fraction of what its advocates believe it can be, the U.S. will not want to be last in line, nor somewhere in the middle, but rather at the forefront as nurturing pioneers.

The Future of Cryptocurrency

The crypto community often talks about how it feels like we are back at the beginning of the .com days, collectively building something of great magnitude and importance that we may not even yet be able to fully understand nor articulate.

The most successful crypto projects will bring tremendous job growth to the areas and jurisdictions in which they operate, in addition to potentially providing astute investors with exponential returns. Silicon Valley was not always Silicon Valley, and just imagine if our country had missed out on hosting core technology giants such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft.

Congress and the SEC are fundamentally mandated to act in the best interests of the public, and the open question is how much protection and regulation is truly in our best interests when the opportunity cost may be early involvement with the greatest technological projects, companies and innovations that the world has ever seen.

Regulation Crypto

With the help of Congress, our securities laws ought to continually adapt over time to both new technology and public demand in order to satisfy the "facilitate capital formation" prong of the SEC's mission statement, and ever since the recent proliferation of initial coin offerings (ICOs), there has been growing pressure for guidance and clarity regarding whether and how cryptocurrencies will be regulated. With cryptocurrency proving to be categorically different in many respects than anything to come before it, perhaps Congress and the SEC would best serve the general public by adopting a new approach for this new industry in the form of a new exemption.

Under the federal securities laws, offers and sales of securities must either be registered with the SEC or fall within an exemption from the registration requirements. The variables that make up a given exemption consist primarily of (i) the aggregate amount raised, (ii) the number of investors permitted, (iii) the types of investors permitted and (iv) whether general advertising and solicitation is allowed.

So, what might a crypto-specific exemption look like? If Congress and the SEC were to consider the creation of a "Regulation Crypto" in order to truly harness the energy of the movement and facilitate its growth, its elements could include the following:

Central Platform and "Light" Registration



While crypto renegades may have a hardened stance against any regulation, most in the industry would agree that we can greatly benefit from protection against fraud and, somewhat ironically, a certain degree of centralization and oversight. Currently, information in the crypto world is highly asymmetrical, difficult to organize and, especially if one reads social media content, unverified at best and blatantly false at worst. For these reasons, and to counteract the proposed substantial freedoms for issuers that follow, the proposed framework would be premised on the initial requirement that a coin or token issuer must "register" their offering with the SEC in advance of any solicitation and sales.



Similar to a funding portal under Regulation Crowdfunding, the SEC could create and maintain a central website platform upon which all ICOs are listed and conducted, providing the SEC with direct oversight capabilities and transparency for all transactions and parties involved.



The registration process for an issuer would be simpler, less burdensome and at a lower cost, focusing on the information normally provided in white papers and details about the offering. This "light" registration would constitute an exemption from the requirements of the typical arduous registration process while still retaining the benefits derived from mandatory issuer disclosures, representations and warranties, as well as from SEC involvement at the outset.



Potential investors would be subject to standard know-your-customer and anti-money laundering requirements after which they could log in and be presented with all available offerings, with the result being that investor access to crypto investment opportunities would be fully democratized. Offering nuances common in the industry such as discounts, bounties and airdrops could be supported, all on a blockchain and under the watchful eye of the SEC.



In concert with the SEC's mission statement, a central, trusted hub would provide sound investor protection and go a long way in facilitating capital formation. As the crypto industry is often referred to as the "Wild West," this would bring us to the doorsteps of our industrial revolution.



While crypto renegades may have a hardened stance against any regulation, most in the industry would agree that we can greatly benefit from protection against fraud and, somewhat ironically, a certain degree of centralization and oversight. Currently, information in the crypto world is highly asymmetrical, difficult to organize and, especially if one reads social media content, unverified at best and blatantly false at worst. For these reasons, and to counteract the proposed substantial freedoms for issuers that follow, the proposed framework would be premised on the initial requirement that a coin or token issuer must "register" their offering with the SEC in advance of any solicitation and sales. Similar to a funding portal under Regulation Crowdfunding, the SEC could create and maintain a central website platform upon which all ICOs are listed and conducted, providing the SEC with direct oversight capabilities and transparency for all transactions and parties involved. The registration process for an issuer would be simpler, less burdensome and at a lower cost, focusing on the information normally provided in white papers and details about the offering. This "light" registration would constitute an exemption from the requirements of the typical arduous registration process while still retaining the benefits derived from mandatory issuer disclosures, representations and warranties, as well as from SEC involvement at the outset. Potential investors would be subject to standard know-your-customer and anti-money laundering requirements after which they could log in and be presented with all available offerings, with the result being that investor access to crypto investment opportunities would be fully democratized. Offering nuances common in the industry such as discounts, bounties and airdrops could be supported, all on a blockchain and under the watchful eye of the SEC. In concert with the SEC's mission statement, a central, trusted hub would provide sound investor protection and go a long way in facilitating capital formation. As the crypto industry is often referred to as the "Wild West," this would bring us to the doorsteps of our industrial revolution. Aggregate Amount Raised



Unlimited. We should ideally want every dollar invested in crypto to have a touchpoint in the United States.



We are very much in the midst of a worldwide competition to attract crypto-based activity, and our regulatory approach ought to acknowledge the reality that even a relatively high dollar limitation on fundraising is a non-starter for many projects. A large war chest of working capital for an ambitious project should not be viewed negatively, as there is nothing inherently evil about raising a large sum of money and then using it to build a big idea as outlined to investors.



In fact, for crypto projects, sizable initial offerings may not just be warranted, but necessary. It is important to remember that the crypto funding model is different than that of a traditional startup company. Crypto projects generally do not contemplate multiple financing rounds and instead prefer to have a finite initial raise, which is distinctly different from startups that typically employ a piecemeal approach over time at often increasing valuations. While the crypto model could be criticized for excessive funding and overblown valuations in certain cases, it generally enables investors to come in at an equal valuation to one another and acts as a safeguard against future dilution.



Further, with every aspect of business and society being re-examined for inefficiencies that can be solved with blockchain technology, disruptive projects using unique business models are challenging entire established industries and brilliant minds are uncovering new use cases for blockchain-based assets that may wind up being among the great innovations of our time. As such, even valuations that appear high initially may be dramatically undervalued in the long run, and projects may justifiably need significantly more fundraising flexibility than available through existing exemptions.



In the aggregate, ICOs raised over $3 billion in 2017, and through the first half of 2018, despite the high degree of regulatory uncertainty, the industry is on pace to raise over $20 billion this year. With money continuing to pour into promising projects and target funding amounts often exceeding the limitations provided by available exemptions, it is clear that we need a more fitting solution to facilitate crypto investment from the masses. While a correlation admittedly exists between higher dollar volumes and the temptation for corruption, the market is already wising up to over-funded projects and greedy founder teams, and natural market forces will dictate optimal and appropriate funding levels for crypto projects over time.



However, while a target funding amount would be "unlimited," this freedom would be tempered by certain requirements. Every offering would need to have a clearly defined hard cap to provide context for investor expectations, and individual investors would still be subject to certain limitations regarding their personal investment amounts. Offerings would be naturally limited by the ability of issuers to justify the target funding amount, and restrictive mechanisms powered by smart contracts could be employed to ensure the corresponding use of funds once they are raised. Time- or milestone-based fund disbursements from escrow accounts could also be self-imposed or mandated to guard against outright theft and to incentivize proper behavior.



The SEC's continual oversight would act to discourage bad actors, as all fundraising activity would be seen, monitored and scrutinized. With the proper mechanics in place as determined by Congress and the SEC, the money legitimately needed for the big ideas of tomorrow could be attracted and protected.



Unlimited. We should ideally want every dollar invested in crypto to have a touchpoint in the United States. We are very much in the midst of a worldwide competition to attract crypto-based activity, and our regulatory approach ought to acknowledge the reality that even a relatively high dollar limitation on fundraising is a non-starter for many projects. A large war chest of working capital for an ambitious project should not be viewed negatively, as there is nothing inherently evil about raising a large sum of money and then using it to build a big idea as outlined to investors. In fact, for crypto projects, sizable initial offerings may not just be warranted, but necessary. It is important to remember that the crypto funding model is different than that of a traditional startup company. Crypto projects generally do not contemplate multiple financing rounds and instead prefer to have a finite initial raise, which is distinctly different from startups that typically employ a piecemeal approach over time at often increasing valuations. While the crypto model could be criticized for excessive funding and overblown valuations in certain cases, it generally enables investors to come in at an equal valuation to one another and acts as a safeguard against future dilution. Further, with every aspect of business and society being re-examined for inefficiencies that can be solved with blockchain technology, disruptive projects using unique business models are challenging entire established industries and brilliant minds are uncovering new use cases for blockchain-based assets that may wind up being among the great innovations of our time. As such, even valuations that appear high initially may be dramatically undervalued in the long run, and projects may justifiably need significantly more fundraising flexibility than available through existing exemptions. In the aggregate, ICOs raised over in 2017, and through the first half of 2018, despite the high degree of regulatory uncertainty, the industry is on pace to raise over this year. With money continuing to pour into promising projects and target funding amounts often exceeding the limitations provided by available exemptions, it is clear that we need a more fitting solution to facilitate crypto investment from the masses. While a correlation admittedly exists between higher dollar volumes and the temptation for corruption, the market is already wising up to over-funded projects and greedy founder teams, and natural market forces will dictate optimal and appropriate funding levels for crypto projects over time. However, while a target funding amount would be "unlimited," this freedom would be tempered by certain requirements. Every offering would need to have a clearly defined hard cap to provide context for investor expectations, and individual investors would still be subject to certain limitations regarding their personal investment amounts. Offerings would be naturally limited by the ability of issuers to justify the target funding amount, and restrictive mechanisms powered by smart contracts could be employed to ensure the corresponding use of funds once they are raised. Time- or milestone-based fund disbursements from escrow accounts could also be self-imposed or mandated to guard against outright theft and to incentivize proper behavior. The SEC's continual oversight would act to discourage bad actors, as all fundraising activity would be seen, monitored and scrutinized. With the proper mechanics in place as determined by Congress and the SEC, the money legitimately needed for the big ideas of tomorrow could be attracted and protected. Types of Investors



Anyone  including both accredited and non-accredited investors. Anyone with hard-earned cash and the desire to deploy it.



Under certain existing exemptions, securities may be sold only to "accredited investors," meaning investors that clear certain high income or asset thresholds. Current rules require an individual to either (i) have a net worth of at least $1 million , excluding the value of one's primary residence, or (ii) make over $200,000 in each of the last two years; the idea being that such people are "sophisticated" enough to make wise decisions and have money they can afford to lose.



However, while its origins may have been innocent and its motives noble, the accredited investor definition is fraught with inconsistency and illogic, and the concept on the whole is now arguably more detrimental than beneficial to the common good. The roots of the modern accredited investor classification date back to the early 1980s, when information was more prone to being reserved for the privileged and people did not have access to the collective knowledge of the world on smartphones in their pockets. While income and wealth may have been better indicators of intelligence, experience and judgment in the past, the Internet has undeniably democratized access to knowledge and information to a degree that warrants corresponding change.



It is also not very difficult to poke holes in the logic of the accredited investor definition. We can all think of examples of people who might have a million dollars in the bank but probably think that a "prospectus" refers to a promising relief pitcher in Triple A, as well as the inverse, such as a college business professor who could write a book about capital markets but in many cases is prohibited from investing even a dollar into a private company. The college student who diligently studies crypto projects after his or her homework and saves up enough cash on the side to potentially benefit from that knowledge should not be prevented, nor discouraged, from doing so. And what about the accredited investor making over $200,000 who decides to leave for a new job below the threshold  if they are now making $190,000 , does their "sophistication" suddenly float away like a soul leaving the body?



If you are wondering about the current percentage of households that do not qualify as accredited investors, the answer may surprise you: approximately 90%. Yes, 90%. Although it may be true that "it takes money to make money," we should stop and ask ourselves whether this really should be effectively codified. And demographically, accredited investors are a relatively homogenous group consisting primarily of older, affluent white men, who through their investment decisions ultimately determine the products and services we have in our society.



I would ask Congress and the SEC, shouldn't "investor protection" include protecting the decisions and dreams of all those would-be investors who are essentially banned from investing? While government should undoubtedly play the role of referee, no one likes it when the referee determines the outcome of a game.



In addition, although the crypto funding timeline is often criticized for fundraising first and building second, this temporal change in the fundraising process is uniquely tailored to achieving the full democratization of an investment opportunity. Instead of cronies, insiders and repeat players being permitted to dominate the crypto investment scene with the exclusive inroads and earliest access they have historically enjoyed, the crypto approach provides the possibility of a level playing field among investors  and in order to truly realize this possibility, all investors ought to be included.



At minimum, amending the definition in order to allow anyone to invest at least a limited percentage of their income or net worth would be a major step in the right direction. Ideally, however, the existence of the accredited investor distinction in modern times would be reconsidered on grounds of patronization and unfairness.



Anyone  including both accredited and non-accredited investors. Anyone with hard-earned cash and the desire to deploy it. Under certain existing exemptions, securities may be sold only to "accredited investors," meaning investors that clear certain high income or asset thresholds. Current rules require an individual to either (i) have a net worth of at least , excluding the value of one's primary residence, or (ii) make over in each of the last two years; the idea being that such people are "sophisticated" enough to make wise decisions and have money they can afford to lose. However, while its origins may have been innocent and its motives noble, the accredited investor definition is fraught with inconsistency and illogic, and the concept on the whole is now arguably more detrimental than beneficial to the common good. The roots of the modern accredited investor classification date back to the early 1980s, when information was more prone to being reserved for the privileged and people did not have access to the collective knowledge of the world on smartphones in their pockets. While income and wealth may have been better indicators of intelligence, experience and judgment in the past, the Internet has undeniably democratized access to knowledge and information to a degree that warrants corresponding change. It is also not very difficult to poke holes in the logic of the accredited investor definition. We can all think of examples of people who might have a million dollars in the bank but probably think that a "prospectus" refers to a promising relief pitcher in Triple A, as well as the inverse, such as a college business professor who could write a book about capital markets but in many cases is prohibited from investing even a dollar into a private company. The college student who diligently studies crypto projects after his or her homework and saves up enough cash on the side to potentially benefit from that knowledge should not be prevented, nor discouraged, from doing so. And what about the accredited investor making over who decides to leave for a new job below the threshold  if they are now making , does their "sophistication" suddenly float away like a soul leaving the body? If you are wondering about the current percentage of households that do not qualify as accredited investors, the answer may surprise you: approximately 90%. Yes, 90%. Although it may be true that "it takes money to make money," we should stop and ask ourselves whether this really should be effectively codified. And demographically, accredited investors are a relatively homogenous group consisting primarily of older, affluent white men, who through their investment decisions ultimately determine the products and services we have in our society. I would ask Congress and the SEC, shouldn't "investor protection" include protecting the decisions and dreams of all those would-be investors who are essentially banned from investing? While government should undoubtedly play the role of referee, no one likes it when the referee determines the outcome of a game. In addition, although the crypto funding timeline is often criticized for fundraising first and building second, this temporal change in the fundraising process is uniquely tailored to achieving the full democratization of an investment opportunity. Instead of cronies, insiders and repeat players being permitted to dominate the crypto investment scene with the exclusive inroads and earliest access they have historically enjoyed, the crypto approach provides the possibility of a level playing field among investors  and in order to truly realize this possibility, investors ought to be included. At minimum, amending the definition in order to allow anyone to invest at least a limited percentage of their income or net worth would be a major step in the right direction. Ideally, however, the existence of the accredited investor distinction in modern times would be reconsidered on grounds of patronization and unfairness. General Advertising and Solicitation



General advertising and solicitation permitted, with a few caveats.



First, before any advertising or solicitation can occur, the offering must be registered and approved for inclusion on the SEC platform, and second, all advertisements and solicitations must include the issuer's web page URL from the platform, after being populated by issuers as part of the light registration process. While white papers come in all shapes and sizes, a new, standardized format to present details about a project and its offering would be mandated, providing clear and complete disclosure information.



The uniformity of this data would enable investors to be sufficiently informed and to optimally navigate the decision-making process; its availability would help to ensure that all investors are on equal footing without informational asymmetries; and its centralization would enhance the SEC's ability to hold issuers accountable if necessary. Further, by requiring the presence of a direct link to the platform web page in all advertisements and solicitations, all the strings of an issuer's communications web would lead back to this centralized informational safety net.



It is also worth noting that, while private solicitation is, of course, private, "general" solicitation often ends up having an exclusionary effect as well because only certain investors are presented with and/or are aware of any given opportunity. This framework would provide for real general solicitation  a central home where investors ranging from the casual to the institutional would know to come in order to evaluate all available crypto offerings  which would not only benefit issuers by providing access to a broader investor pool but would also give investors true equality of opportunity.



General advertising and solicitation permitted, with a few caveats. First, before any advertising or solicitation can occur, the offering must be registered and approved for inclusion on the SEC platform, and second, all advertisements and solicitations must include the issuer's web page URL from the platform, after being populated by issuers as part of the light registration process. While white papers come in all shapes and sizes, a new, standardized format to present details about a project and its offering would be mandated, providing clear and complete disclosure information. The uniformity of this data would enable investors to be sufficiently informed and to optimally navigate the decision-making process; its availability would help to ensure that all investors are on equal footing without informational asymmetries; and its centralization would enhance the SEC's ability to hold issuers accountable if necessary. Further, by requiring the presence of a direct link to the platform web page in all advertisements and solicitations, all the strings of an issuer's communications web would lead back to this centralized informational safety net. It is also worth noting that, while private solicitation is, of course, private, "general" solicitation often ends up having an exclusionary effect as well because only certain investors are presented with and/or are aware of any given opportunity. This framework would provide for general solicitation  a central home where investors ranging from the casual to the institutional would know to come in order to evaluate all available crypto offerings  which would not only benefit issuers by providing access to a broader investor pool but would also give investors true equality of opportunity. Number of Investors



Here is where things get really interesting.



Certain existing exemptions allow for an unlimited number of investors to participate, and under the proposed new framework, the number of investors would also be unlimited; however, the additional requirement would be that there must be a minimum number of investors participating in an offering, calculated pursuant to a set dollars-to-investors ratio.



In addition, no individual holder (including founders, management and promoters) would be permitted to hold more than a low set percentage of a coin or token's total supply. The permissible ratio and the single-investor percentage limit could be established by the SEC, with the conceptual target being sufficient "decentralization" of the holder base, while the registration and reporting requirements otherwise triggered by the shareholder limits of Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act would be relaxed.



And finally, if investor interest in a specific project caused its target hard cap to be reached and the offering to be theoretically oversubscribed, instead of allowing for fundraising in excess of the cap or shutting certain investors out, every investor's permissible subscription amount would be proportionally decreased, such that the cap would be maintained and the investor base would be even further decentralized.



Using Mr. Hinman's same and sound logic that the sufficient decentralization of a project's management and promotional efforts can aid in alleviating concerns regarding fraud and abuse, sometimes to the point that a coin or token would not be a considered a security altogether, that concept would be applied here to the project's overall coin or token supply.



Although there may be an entity structure or at least a high degree of organization at the top of a crypto project, coin and token holders tend to become bona fide evangelists of their favorite project(s) in far higher proportion than stockholders of traditional companies, often fulfilling informal functions and serving in volunteer roles for a project's benefit. Aided by the never-ending chatter on Telegram, Discord and other digital crypto meeting grounds, a distinctly different culture exists in the crypto industry, where even an average holder is likely a super-fan of the coin or token and thriving digital communities develop around projects. This culture ought to be both taken into account and leveraged for good.



In addition, the long-term success of a crypto project is especially dependent on achieving mass adoption of the newly-created network, so a required minimum number of initial investor-evangelists provides a strength-in-numbers benefit and, to some degree, an incremental investor protection. It has also been well documented that tapping into the "wisdom of crowds" often produces statistical outcomes superior to decisions made by the few, so mandating that there be a sufficient "crowd" before any money exchanges hands could serve to increase the odds of a successful investment.



While there may still be organization and direction from the top down, founders and core actors would be prevented from excessive initial ownership, and the aggregate promotion and "efforts" expended in relation to a crypto project with a quantifiably broad investor-evangelist base would be sufficiently decentralized  perhaps not enough to warrant full "utility" status, but enough to be a meaningful requirement within a crypto exemption framework.

National Crypto Exchange

In addition to supporting and facilitating ICOs, the centralized platform could potentially also serve as an exchange for coin and token sales in the secondary market. Existing cryptocurrency exchanges are often outside the scope of U.S. jurisdiction, charge exorbitant listing fees and are infamously prone to major hacking events. A national crypto exchange could employ world-class security measures and would be subject to direct federal oversight, thereby enhancing investor safety and confidence.

Arguments in favor of allowing immediate aftermarket liquidity would be strengthened and, aided further by the cap on initial investor holdings, a mandatory lock-up requirement could be avoided under the exemption. Restricting all holders from selling their coins or tokens for a certain period of time would significantly suppress investor interest, and with the incredible speed at which the crypto industry moves, a blanket ban would go against both crypto culture and practical necessity.

Instead, a more balanced approach could be implemented where only the "centralized" holders of a project are subject to a relatively short lock-up, with such holders identified using the same test, criteria and/or standards that the SEC eventually employs in determining "centralization" as part of the initial security vs. utility classification of a coin or token. This way, those entrepreneurs, managers and promoters (and anyone else) that, in the SEC's determination, contribute to a coin or token being "centralized" (and therefore, a security) would be restricted for a material amount of time within the accelerated crypto environment, while the fundamental liquid nature of cryptocurrency would be maintained to some degree.

Additionally, while a government-run exchange would not engage in the same profit-maximizing behavior of existing exchanges, it could potentially be a significant source of federal revenue.

While it may also work to allow multiple private exchanges to satisfy secondary-market demand similar to registered funding portals under Regulation Crowdfunding, a national exchange would firmly entrench the United States as the global leader of the cryptocurrency world and would align well with the SEC's stated mission to "maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets."

Conclusion

Overall, the outlined approach seeks to take the best of both the freedom and aspirational characteristics of the cryptocurrency movement and the SEC's protective and organizational capabilities. An industry built almost entirely on the premise that things should be different deserves a regulatory approach that is a significant departure from what has been mostly the same for nearly a century.

This offering framework would provide investors with information, equal access and confidence; it would provide projects with the freedom to raise unlimited capital within a highly structured procedure; and it would provide the SEC with full oversight over the entire process.

Although this framework could be viewed as unworkable for a variety of reasons and certain details would still need to be determined, even if it serves as more of a wish list than future law, Congress and the SEC would be serving their constituencies well by incorporating its principles into their eventual treatment of cryptocurrencies.

These truly are special times, and if cryptocurrency ever does achieve mass adoption on a global scale and becomes a major part of our collective future, being forced to rely on the existing securities laws may cause the U.S. more aggregate harm than good. The mandate to facilitate capital formation is a mandate to support new technologies and accommodate the wishes of the citizenry, with just the necessary amount of protection.

And while this proposed framework may question some of long-standing fundamental pillars of U.S. securities laws and render other exemptions less attractive, with every aspect of business and society being re-examined for inefficiencies and the crypto movement bringing positive change to the parts of the world that are due for change, perhaps the existing securities laws and these other exemptions could be worth re-examining in light of the aforementioned principles.

The cryptocurrency revolution is still in its early stages and may or may not ever fully deliver on its promise, but if it does, the ultimate question will be whether the United States is strategically positioned at its epicenter or is on the outside looking in.

___________________

Brian Novell is VP Legal & Business Development at BX3 Capital and is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. He can be reached by email at [email protected]

About BX3 Capital

We are passionate professionals with decades of combined experience in banking, marketing, accounting, finance, tax, and law, and use our expertise to provide the necessary tools and framework to turn ideas into successful businesses in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. We believe that the disruption that blockchain technology enables will inevitably lead to increased pushback from regulatory bodies as they see bad actors and noncompliant parties continue to take advantage of the decentralized, pseudonymous nature of the industry. We exclusively work with clients and partners who reflect our core principles of collaboration, ethics, and transparency. BX3 is headquartered in New York, New York. More at bx3.io.

SOURCE BX3 Capital

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SODERTALJE, Sweden, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Swedish material tech start-up Corebon AB has developed a revolutionary method for producing carbon fibre components. Scania's corporate venture capital fund is investing in the patented innovation.

Based in southern Sweden, the start-up has developed a ground-breaking method for producing components of carbon fibre reinforced plastics which is applicable to a wide range of products in industries such as automotive, telecommunication, aerospace and robotics.

The patented process is based on induction heating and enables Corebon to produce carbon fibre components at significantly higher speed than through existing established methods. The quality of the produced carbon fibre component is also improved, and energy consumption in production is considerably lower.

Corebon is already a supplier to a leading player within the telecom sector and is in different stages of implementation projects with several other key companies within different industries.

"We are in an acceleration phase and are growing both our production capacity and our organisation. With Scania Growth Capital as lead investor in our SEK 45 million capital raising rounds and Scania's ecosystem and knowledge will certainly help us accelerate growth," says Tobias Bjornhov, Founder and CEO of Corebon AB.

"Corebon has developed a truly disruptive method for production of carbon fibre components. The technology has the potential to fundamentally change the reach of carbon fibre in industrial applications, which traditionally has been limited due to long lead-time and high cost," says Christian Zeuchner, Partner at the management company of Scania Growth Capital.

This marks the fourth investment by Scania's corporate venture capital fund. For each investment, the approach has been to contribute with industry knowledge, in addition to the invested capital. In this case, Per-Arne Eriksson Head of Customised Truck Development at Scania, will join the board of directors of Corebon. Eriksson says: "The strategy has been to invest in companies that have strategic relevance to the ecosystem in which we operate and Corebon fits very well. In the rapidly changing automotive industry, we see many opportunities to expand the use of carbon fibre composites to more applications as an enabler in product development, including in vehicle electrification."

For further information, please contact:

Karin Hallstan

Public Relations Manager

phone: +46(0)76-842-81-04

e-mail: [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/scania/r/scania-growth-capital-invests-sek-35-million-in-carbon-fibre-start-up,c2596101

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SOURCE Scania
The partnership is based on Haomai's recognition of the innovative nature of HNB's blockchain economic model. HNB is identified as the next generation of decentralized economic model, which provides a decentralized platform for people to work and exchange their products or services, thereby establishing and developing a thriving and diverse real economy.

Haomai is a comprehensive and dynamic E-commerce platform built on blockchain technology, and it aims to provide its users with unique and good value shopping experiences. Haomai leverages numerous well-known global platforms such as Taobao, Tmall, JD, Pinduoduo, ele.me and Meituan in order to provide its users with multi-brands offerings and world-class services. One of the main advantages of shopping on Haomai's platform is that it offers a spending threshold as low as RMB 99 thanks to its use of blockchain technology.

The new strategic partnership between HNB and Haomai is a significant step for both companies. Haomai is targeting 100,000 active users on its platform by the end of 2018, and it will help HNB to build the HNB ecosystem by adopting HNB's stable token for user transactions. For its part, HNB will support the Haomai E-commerce platform with its blockchain technology, including smart contracts and DOA infrastructure. The overall aim is to marry traditional offline retailers with the virtual economy based on blockchain technology, effectively elevating the collaborative development of both the virtual and real economies.

Representatives from other organizations were also among the attendees, including dignitaries from Minghu Group; (Beidahuang organic foods) Xiangsen Rise Corp, which has an annual revenue of RMB 2 billion; Aixin Pharmaceutical Inc; Wufu Corp; various franchisees of the Uncle Niu brand, as well as numerous government figures.

About HNB

HNB is aiming to design a Blockchain based decentralized economic operation mechanism for a closed-loop economic entity. HNB believes that transparent and properly implemented economic incentives will motivate participants to be both active and behavioral in the economic entity. When participants can earn incentives throughout different ways to contribute to this automated entity, it will strengthen the participation and creativity of participants. In return, the entity will be more dynamic and reach a certain scale. A global self-development HNB economic entity is supported by the open and vigorous governance mechanism, mixed with business partners, large number of customers, and the latest technologies. Based on the next generation of Blockchain technology, HNB team is confident and committed to growing its business entity into one of the largest decentralized economic communities in the world.

Follow HNB on

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HNB_ECO

Telegram: https://t.me/HNB_ECO

Medium: https://medium.com/@hnb.eco

SOURCE HNB
NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Bayer Aktiengesellschaft ("Bayer" or the "Company") (OTCMKTS: BAYRY). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Bayer 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 15, 2018, the California Supreme Court denied a request by Bayer's subsidiary Monsanto Company ("Monsanto") for a review of a lower-court ruling that upheld California's authority to add glyphosate, the principal ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide product, to a list of known carcinogens published by the state pursuant to Proposition 65. Inclusion of a chemical on California's Proposition 65 list 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 product. On this news, Bayer's American depositary receipt price fell $1.01, or 4.4%, to close at $21.86 on August 16, 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

[email protected]

888-476-6529 ext. 9980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Related Links

http://pomerantzlawfirm.com


"With our available fleet assets and ability to provide turnkey housing solutions, we offer a unique service to the oil field industry," commented Billy Hall, Chief Operating Officer at VESTA Modular. "The convenience of our ready-to-deploy modular units has proven to save companies like Atlas a lot of time and money."

According to Hall, the modular housing units are designed to provide the same comforts one would enjoy at home; including full kitchens, large living areas, comfortable sleeping arrangements, regular electrical and water hookup and more. Though the units provided for Atlas are meant to be a long-term solution, the benefit of these units being mobile means that they can be easily moved if the project was relocated or used as a permanent solution as necessary.

"Collaborating with a fellow SGH company to invest in our team and optimize our growing market in the Permian Basin provided a unique opportunity to streamline our operations," said Tim Speed, Atlas' Director of Operations Support. "The Odessa market is competitive, and I know our guys are looking forward to having a nice place to call home as part of the Atlas family."

Construction at the Odessa site officially kicked off on July 9th and is expected to be completed by September 15th, 2018.

"This collaboration between two of our operating companies is a great example of collaborative innovation between SGH team members and what I call 1 + 1 = 11," said Sam Simon, Founder and Chairman of Simon Group Holdings. "Many synergies exist within SGH, especially between Atlas and VESTA; which we've seen previously when the two companies collaborated to provide temporary housing during the 2017 hurricane season. We believe our ability to connect the dots between our team members and companies gives us a leading advantage in the marketplace."

To learn more about temporary housing solutions offered by VESTA, visit their website at www.vestamodular.com. For more information on Atlas' oil field services, visit their oil field webpage.

About VESTA Modular:

VESTA Modular (VESTA) is a portfolio company of Simon Group Holdings' private equity growth fund Soaring Pine Capital, LLC, and offers turnkey permanent and temporary modular construction solutions for sale or lease across North America. Developed by a strong management team, VESTA brings a professional approach and unique perspective to its projects utilizing a greener, faster, and smarter way of building. "THINKING BEYOND THE BOX" is the company motto, emphasizing that the modular box is just a part of the overall project success. The company provides modular solutions, for sale or lease, to the educational, hospitality, multi-family, assisted living, institutional, Government, healthcare, workforce housing, office, disaster recovery and storage industries with an emphasis on quality, comfort, and safety. www.vestamodular.com

About Atlas Oil Company

Headquartered in Taylor, Mich., Atlas Oil is the inaugural Simon Group Holdings company. Since our founding in 1985, Atlas has grown through technological and operational innovation, all while maintaining our unwavering commitment to customer success. Atlas offers single-source solutions for fuel, transportation, and logistics and is one of the largest fuel distributors in the country, delivering over 1 billion gallons of fuel annually to customers in 47 states. We have an active real estate division and are engaged in transportation logistics and fueling including bulk, fleet, event, onsite, emergency response, and oilfield services. www.atlasoil.com

About Simon Group Holdings

Simon Group Holdings (SGH) was established in 1985 with the founding of Atlas Oil Company by Sam Simon. SGH has over 120 companies and direct investments, 3,000 customers and 1,000 employees. Its growth is fueled through digital disruption and by investing in operationally experienced entrepreneurs who have a vision and hunger to reinvent their respective industries. SGH has interests in comprehensive energy solutions; fuel supply; oil field services; logistics and transportation; real estate; private equity; technology services; aerospace and defense; and turnkey modular solutions. www.simongroupholdings.com

SOURCE Simon Group Holdings

Related Links

http://www.atlasoil.com


SINGAPORE, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ontology's high-performance public multi-chain project and a distributed trust collaboration platform and SPOKKZ - a new one-stop content dApp, have agreed to work together with the main agenda on blockchain content streaming. The companies will team up to improve their technologies and communities, with the broad objective of establishing and facilitating decentralized app growth and speeding up strong approval for blockchain technology on the Ontology MainNet.

SPOKKZ

Blockchain apps are not yet fully developed. The platforms of enabling these decentralized applications are still immature, and real case studies are not convincing to the public yet. Ontology and SPOKKZ will team up on these challenges by attracting developers and providing the best conditions for high-quality content creation.

SPOKKZ is a decentralized platform of an existing streaming platform Spuul, which gives 60 million Global Users the ability to stream, download, and watch over thousands of hours of movies and live linear TV content. The SPOKKZ team aims to further the tokenization of the content industry, the ability of its community to watch content, the ability of content creators to get funding and stream content, and to reward the community and fight piracy.

Ontology's core strategy is to be used for real-world business scenarios, which is reflected in its core modules which include a complete smart contract system, distributed ledger system, distributed identity framework, distributed data exchange, and more. SPOKKZ will bring their dApp to the Ontology MainNet, and the two companies will share marketing and community-relation resources. Additionally, SPOKKZ will adopt Ontology's distributed identity framework  ONT ID  for users on their platform.

The collaboration between Ontology and SPOKKZ will majorly emphasize the following areas:

Community Cooperation. Ontology and SPOKKZ will create conducive environments with their individual developer communities, and both are now dedicated to teaming up to further enhance active blockchain growth.

Technical Cooperation. The Ontology will enable smooth docking of dApps created by SPOKKZ. This suggests that dApps created by SPOKKZ workforce can be available on the Ontology MainNet. Our collaboration anticipates hastening the advent of a killer blockchain-based content industry by facilitating the creation and deployment of such dApps.

Generation of more profits. As a functional measure, the strategic partnership between Ontology and SPOKKZ will evidently speed up the commercialization of the blockchain, increase the blockchain user set-ups and bring more profits.

With more than 60 million users, SPOKKZ presents the chance, which will empower other dApps on Ontology with the power to purchase and auction on various platforms.

On the other hand, Ontology has strong technical abilities with more developers and multi-chain capabilities. This means that both will broaden their market size through this partnership.

Just as the blockchain technology has transformed the business sector, the content streaming industry is starting to acknowledge the benefits that can be tapped from embracing it. The partnership between Ontology and SPOKKZ bring community cooperation, technical cooperation, the creation of an ecosystem and generation of more profits to both companies.

Speaking on the partnership, Subin Subaiah, Founder of SPOKKZ, said:

"Working with Ontology is a huge opportunity for us. Not only do they bring a well- thought-out infrastructure but, the combination of SPOKKZ's large user base and Ontology's stellar technology will be a game changer for the entire token economy. Ontology's Trust system and SPOKKZ's decentralized content creation and content viewing is truly a marriage of two significant players who are committed to the decentralized economy and who have the technology and proven track record to ensure a successful collaboration."

LI Jun, Founder of Ontology, added:

"The core modules Ontology has built and are continuing to enrich are all linked to real business scenarios, so we are pleased to work with Spuul who will take an existing user base with millions of users and design a new project. SPOKKZ will use decentralized technology to make a product which gives individuals a voice in an industry that is traditionally centralized."

About SPOKKZ

SPOKKZ is being issued by Spuul, a pioneering and established OTT player with over 60million users in 180 countries generating revenues of close to USD15mm. Spuul has decided to migrate some of its solutions to the blockchain and to tokenize its business with SPOKKZ. Spuul is recognized to be an innovative, full stack, pure-play tech company that has built its enterprise in collaboration with premium providers like AWS (for whom they are a case study).

A live platform, an experienced tech and business team, deep connections into the media industry and an influential advisory board puts SPOKKZ way ahead of the competition. SPOKKZ is dedicated to Mr. Spock of the Starship Enterprise and hopes to represent all that he stood for  clarity of thought, cold/hard logic and the courage "to boldly go where no one has gone before."

SPOKKZ will transform the media consumption business from being a purely transactional play to a community driven economy.

Media Contact:

Mohan S

Email: [email protected]

Spokkz website: www.SPOKKZ.com

Telegram: t.me/SPOKKZOfficial

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SPOKKZOfficial

Facebook: www.facebook.com/spuul

Blog: www.medium.com/SPOKKZ

Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/SPOKKZ

Ontology website: https://ont.io

ONTO website: https://onto.app

GitHub: https://github.com/ontio

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OntologyNetwork

Telegram: https://t.me/OntologyNetwork

Discord: https://discord.gg/4TQujHj

Reddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/OntologyNetwork

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ONTnetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/Ontology-Network-Official

Related Links

Spokkz ICO Rating

How Spokkz works

SOURCE SPOKKZ

Related Links

http://www.spokkz.com


Does Conservative hopeful Renee Wasylyk know what is going on, or does she prefer to ignore facts?

I read with interest her comment "there is no representation for Kelowna-Lake Country in Ottawa."

I find this ignorant and outrageous. Among other things, MP Stephen Fuhr has raised some $90 million in federal grants to benefit a wide range of local organizations.

To name but a few achievements:

A $26.5 million federal grant to Kelowna's integrated water project.

$1.3 million funding for the Okanagan Rail Trail.

$86,000 for the New Horizons for Seniors program.

$794,000 for youth employment under the YMCA Jumpstart Employment Essentials program.

Reopening of the Veteran's Office.

Federal investment of up to $8.4 million in the Canadian Grapevine Certification Project.

All this in just over a couple of years.

Ms. Wasylyk, have you looked at Fuhrs website to see what he has done? If this is not representing the interests of Kelowna-Lake Country, what is?

As far as I can see, neither Fuhrs Conservative predecessor nor his neighbouring MP, Conservative Dan Albas, has achieved anything like this in such a time frame.

We have seen the problems that sweeping statements and inaccurate information cause south of the border. In Canada, we need political debate focused on key issues, facts and reliable information.

Sadly, given the tone from the top of the Conservative Party, I am not at all optimistic we will see this.

John Bailey, Kelowna
Cutting-edge system sterilizes duodenoscopes with low-temperature device

LOVELAND, CO, MYRTLE BEACH, SC, and QUEBEC CITY, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - TSO 3 Inc. (TSX: TOS) ("TSO 3 " or the "Company"), an innovator in sterilization technology for medical devices in healthcare settings, joins with UCHealth, a nationally recognized, nonprofit network of 10 acute care hospitals and more than 150 clinics throughout Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska, in announcing the first patient procedure in Colorado performed with a duodenoscope sterilized using the STERIZONE technology.

"Providing our patients with the highest level of safety is central to every decision we make," said Darla Woodman, sterile processing nurse manager at UCHealth's Medical Center of the Rockies and Poudre Valley Hospital. "It is critical that our guidelines for reprocessing duodenoscopes ensure that each device is sterilized for every patient and every procedure."

Duodenoscopes are flexible endoscopes used during Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is a procedure that enables a physician to examine and take images of a patient's gallbladder, common bile duct, pancreas and liver.

"Reducing infection rates isn't dependent on technology alone, but through a team approach," added Brenda Lynch, gastrointestinal lab nurse manager at UCHealth's Greeley Surgery Center, Medical Center of the Rockies, and Poudre Valley Hospital. "Proper hand washing, wearing proper personal protective equipment and following hospital protocols all help lower the spread of bacteria and other infections. This sterilization system supplements our infection prevention tools that allow us to deliver a greater level of quality patient care."

In May 2018, U.S. regulators cleared TSO 3 's most recent 510(k) submission for the terminal sterilization of multi-channeled flexible endoscopes using the Company's STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer. The clearance for the STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer allows a hospital system like UCHealth to terminally sterilize gastrointestinal endoscopes that have dimensions within the cleared intended use.

"The recent and highly publicized infection outbreaks in the United States associated with the use of flexible endoscopes have highlighted the need for innovative approaches to reprocessing these complex devices," said R.M. (Ric) Rumble, TSO 3 's president and CEO. "We are pleased to be a part of the solution to this serious health problem, which can be eliminated only through the collaborative efforts of healthcare providers like UCHealth, in combination with medical device manufacturers, reprocessing device manufacturers, regulatory agencies, and professional societies."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ("CDC"), at least two million Americans are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, and more than 23,000 of them die. By 2025, the CDC predicts more people will be diagnosed with an antibiotic-resistant infection than cancer. One type of antibiotic-resistant infection that was traced to contaminated endoscopes was caused by Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriace (CRE), a bacteria the CDC has designated as a "superbug." This superbug has a high mortality rate in infected patients. In 2015, the CDC reports 287 cases of CRE across the state of Colorado.

Carla Warner of North Carolina knows the devastating power of a "superbug." "Something I can't even pronounce destroyed my husband," said Warner, the widow of Bill Warner who contracted CRE following an ERCP procedure in North Carolina. Since that time, she has been a strong advocate for sterile devices. "The threat of antibiotic-resistant infections is absolutely not just hype, it is a very real issue affecting everyone. I'm hopeful we'll get to the point where everything that is used on a patient is safe." Click here to hear more of Warner's story.

About the STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer

The STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer is a low-temperature sterilization system that utilizes the dual sterilants of vaporized hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ) to achieve terminal sterilization of heat and moisture-sensitive medical devices. Its single pre-programmed cycle can sterilize a large number and wide range of compatible devices, creating a cost-effective sterilization process with error-free cycle selection. The device's unique Dynamic Sterilant Delivery System automatically adjusts the quantity of injected sterilant based on the load composition, weight and temperature. This capability removes the guesswork and potential for human error, as there is no need to sort instruments and choose the appropriate cycles as with other machines.

The STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer is the only terminal sterilization method that is FDA cleared to sterilize multi-channeled flexible endoscopes (with a maximum of four channels) of up to 3.5 meters in length, such as video colonoscopes, duodenoscopes and gastroscopes - an industry first for any medical device sterilization process.

The STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer is also the only cleared low temperature sterilizer that can process a mixed load consisting of general instruments, single channel flexible endoscopes, and single or double channel rigid endoscopes in the same cycle with load weights of up to 75 lb. The ability to run mixed loads significantly reduces labor costs by minimizing the amount of instrument sorting required, while maximizing the device turns (more productivity from increased throughput capacity).

More information about the STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer is available through TSO 3 's website, under the Products section.

About UCHealth

UCHealth is an innovative, nonprofit health system that delivers one of the highest quality medical care with an excellent patient experience. UCHealth combines Longs Peak Hospital, Yampa Valley Medical Center, Memorial Hospital, Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, UCHealth Medical Group, Broomfield Hospital, Grandview Hospital and University of Colorado Hospital into an organization dedicated to health and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. With more than 150 clinic locations, UCHealth pushes the boundaries of medicine, providing advanced treatments and clinical trials and improving health through innovation.

About TSO 3

Founded in 1998, TSO 3 's activities encompass the sale, production, maintenance, research, development and licensing of sterilization processes, related consumable supplies and accessories for heat-sensitive medical devices. The Company designs products for sterile processing areas in the hospital environment that offer an advantageous replacement solution to other low temperature sterilization processes currently used in hospitals. TSO 3 also offers services related to the maintenance of sterilization equipment and compatibility testing of medical devices with such processes.

For more information about TSO 3 , visit the Company's website at www.tso3.com.

The statements in this release and oral statements made by representatives of TSO 3 relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks, uncertainties and hypotheses, including, but not limited to, the limited history of sales or distribution of the Company, the ability of the Company to obtain the required regulatory clearances to market its products, general business and economic conditions, the condition of the financial markets, the ability of TSO 3 to obtain financing on favourable terms and other risks and uncertainties. Although TSO 3 believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. The complete versions of the cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements as well as a description of the relevant assumptions and risk factors likely to affect TSO 3 's actual or projected results are included in the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2017, which is available on the Company's website. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and TSO 3 does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless expressly required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE TSO3 Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tso3.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Author Sean Parnell will discuss his debut novel Man of War with CNN anchor Jake Tapper and National Press Club President Andrea Edney at a NPC Headliners Book Rap on Thursday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Club's conference rooms.

As a U.S. Army Ranger, Parnell commanded an elite infantry platoon known as the Outlaws, tasked with rooting out insurgents from a valley along Afghanistan's eastern frontier. His nonfiction account, entitled Outlaw Platoon, became a best-seller and "required reading" for young cadets across the country. Now Parnell brings his real-world experience and storytelling skills to fiction with Man of War. The novel introduces Parnell's character Eric Steele, an elite clandestine operative assigned to a U.S. intelligence unit known simply as "The Program."

This event will feature a discussion with the author, an audience question-and-answer session, and a book signing. Tickets are $5 for National Press Club members and $10 for the general public. When purchasing tickets for this event online, buyers will also have the option of purchasing copies of the book at check-out. To purchase tickets and copies of the book, please click here.

Books will also be available for purchase at the event. Proceeds from book sales will benefit the non-profit affiliate of the Club, the National Press Club Journalism Institute, so we kindly ask that you leave all outside books and memorabilia at home.

About the Author

Sean Parnell is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer and ranger who served in the 10th Mountain Division for six years. He retired from service as a highly decorated Captain, receiving 2 Bronze Stars (one for valor), and the Purple Heart. His memoir, "Outlaw Platoon: Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan," became a New York Times Bestseller. Parnell is the CEO of Branding Freedom, a marketing company, and co-founder of a charity called The American Warrior Initiative.

PRESS CONTACT:

Lindsay Underwood,

The National Press Club

[email protected]

(202) 662-7561

SOURCE National Press Club

Related Links

https://www.press.org


"Lighthouse Academies welcomes this prestigious recognition as a milestone in our relentless pursuit of excellence and as affirmation that our approach of incorporating the arts into the student experience, along with rigorous, standards-aligned instruction prepares students for life beyond high school and college graduation," said Sarah Gallagher, Chief Academic Officer.

With a total enrollment of just under 1,500 students in grades K  12, Gary Lighthouse Charter School boasts a graduation rate of 99 percent and a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. The student body is 88 percent Black and eight percent Hispanic, with the remaining four percent identifying as Asian, American Indian, Native Alaskan, or white.

At Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter, the slightly more than 900 students enjoy a 98 percent graduation rate and a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. The student body is 69 percent Black, 15 percent white, and 10 percent Hispanic, with the remaining six percent identifying as American Indian, Alaskan or Hawaiian Native, or Pacific Islander.

Of schools earning Bronze medals, only 15 percent have a student poverty rate of greater than 75 percent and just 11 percent have a minority enrollment rate of greater than 75 percent. Nearly all students at Gary Lighthouse Charter School and Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter School are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Minority enrollment is 85 percent at Indianapolis and 99 percent at Gary.

How National Rankings are Determined

The 2018 Best High School rankings were determined by the global nonprofit social science research firm RTI International and are based on two ideals:

That a great high school must serve all of its students well, not just those who are college bound.

That it must be able to produce measurable academic outcomes to show it is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance indicators.

A four-step process was used to determine that ranked schools serve all student well, as measured by student performance on the math and reading portions of their state proficiency tests and by their graduation rates. Schools that met those benchmarks were then assessed the degree to which they prepare students for college-level work. Basic data on enrollment, student ethnicity, and other profile information were obtained from the U.S. Department of Education. The data used in the 2018 rankings are for the 2015-2016 school year.

About Lighthouse Academies

Lighthouse Academies is a national network of public charter schools in locations with the greatest need, representing the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity for transformation. With an arts-rich approach, Lighthouse teachers engage scholars in a more impactful way and encourage creativity of thought in academic pursuits. Through both academic development and broader personal development Lighthouse prepares scholars to adapt and thrive in college and in their broader communities.

For more information visit our website at www.lighthouse-academies.org

SOURCE Lighthouse Academies

Related Links

http://www.lighthouse-academies.org


The Venture Capital Forum 2018 (LVCF) will host angel investors, venture capitalists, high-impact businesspeople, government authorities, consultants and stakeholders in the Risk Capital industry in the Americas as they share best practices and methodologies for investing and raising capital in rapid-growth technology companies (an enormous area of interest in the digital age); where to invest in the next Facebook, Google, Spotify or Uber could mean returns of 1000x or more, compared to traditional investments.

Global experts will meet in several discussion panels and specialized conferences, some of whom will be in Latin America for the first time, such as Jeff Wallace (Silicon Valley, USA), Advisor to UC Berkeley's start-up incubator, Co-Founder of Cognizant, and President of Global Kinetics, who will talk about methodologies for structuring a plan to raise capital for each stage of your company. Also visiting us will be Jackie Magno (Silicon Valley), Managing Director of Golden Seed Firm, which has more than US$ 100 million invested in 150 high-impact companies, who will explain how to perform successful #DueDiligence to investors, venture capitalists and businesspeople.

Investment opportunities in high-impact technology companies that are looking for first, second or third rounds of investment within the range of US$ 30,000 to US$ 50 million will be presented. Companies are selected by an investment committee from among more than 500 applicant companies from 22 countries, allowing investors to expand their ability to identify investment opportunities and for businesspeople to present to hundreds of investors on one day and in one location. Register your company here: https://congreso.america-digital.com/

"In the United States, the risk capital/venture capital industry took 80 years to develop. In Latin America it is still an incipient industry, and capital is one of the greatest needs facing Chile and Latin American countries so that they can drive their economies and create jobs. The Venture Capital Forum of the 4th Latin American Digital Congress of Business and Technology 2018 will allow the developing industry of angel investors and venture capitalists to accelerate, strengthening ties with major Silicon Valley investors as it seeks to encourage investments in rapid-growth technology companies. We know that the next Unicorn will come out of Latin America," said Lesley Robles Sedan, Director of the 4th America Digital Congress of Business and Technology 2018.

We would like to invite you to participate with your company's representatives in the 4th edition of the Latin American Digital Congress of Business and Technology 2018 , the epicenter of technology and business in the region.

Reserve your tickets at https://congreso.america-digital.com/comprar-entradas/

Felipe Gamboa

Communications and Press

Magnere 1540, of 1102, Providencia, Chile

T:+ 56 222 042034 M: +56 9 49795137

[email protected]

http://congreso.america-digital.com

https://congreso.america-digital.com/kit-de-prensa

SOURCE Congreso America Digital

Related Links

http://congreso.america-digital.com


Jerusalem, Aug 20 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss issue of Iran.

According to statement from Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu discussed with Bolton "Iran's aggression in the region and to make sure that they never have nuclear weapons," Xinhua reported.

Bolton echoed Israel's accusation, saying that "Iran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are right at the top of the list."

The hawkish adviser has called for the cancellation of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, from which the US backed out earlier this year.

Bolton will also visit Ukraine and Geneva, where he will meet Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.
Tripoli, Aug 20 : UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya Maria Ribiero said on Sunday that 130 civilians in Libya have been killed as a result of hostilities since the beginning of this year.

"According to the UN, in 2018, hostilities in Libya have already resulted in at least 130 civilian deaths and many injuries, including children," Ribiero said in a statement on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day.

Libyans struggle to meet their basic daily needs, amid difficult educational and medical situations, Ribiero said, Xinhua reported.

The UN official called for a safe work environment for all humanitarian staff "so that life-saving assistance can reach people in need without delay in every part of Libya."

She also called on all parties in Libya to do everything in their capability to protect those most vulnerable, especially people caught up in conflict, and to ensure access for humanitarian assistance.

Sunday marks the World Humanitarian Day, which pays tribute to humanitarian workers and those lost their lives in doing humanitarian work.

Libya has been suffering escalating violence, chaos and political division ever since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime.
Seoul, Aug 20 : A group of South Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War from relatives living in the North left on Monday for Mount Kumgang for rare reunions with their long-lost relatives.

Over half of South Koreans on the waiting list for reunions are in their 80s or older. The eldest South Korean participant for the first session is a 101-year-old Baek Sung-gyu who will meet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter from North Korea.

Their meetings, arranged after decades of separation, will be painfully short lasting only 11 hours. They will meet in groups and private gatherings during the three-day reunions.

It could be the only chance for the separated families to meet face-to-face, Xinhua news agency reported.

The families from South Korean gathered on Sunday at Sokcho to register for the reunion, and get their health checked among other preparations.

The first session of reunions will last from Monday to Wednesday, and will be attended by 89 South Koreans who have never seen their relatives from the North since the Korean War ended with armistice. A total of 108 others are accompanying the family members.

The second session of three-day reunions, involving 83 North Korean family members will begin later this week at the same venue.

The two Koreas agreed in June to hold the reunions as part of efforts to implement the Panmunjom Declaration.

The declaration was signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after their first summit on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom to defuse military tensions and increase exchanges between the sides.

It will be the first reunion of the war-separated families in nearly three years. The last one was held in October 2015.

A combined 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions have been arranged since the first-ever inter-Korean summit was held in 2000, but the reunions have been limited to about 200 separated families from each side.
Washington, Aug 20 : The US declared it is ready to support, facilitate and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, on the occasion of the Afghan government's announcement on Sunday of a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban.

"This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace," the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

"The United States and our international partners support this initiative by the Afghan people and the Afghan government, and we call on the Taliban to participate," he added, saying that his country also supports Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's offer "for comprehensive negotiations on a mutually agreed agenda."

"It is our hope, and that of the international community, that the Afghan people may celebrate Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) this year in peace, free from fear," he said.

Pompeo recalled that the last ceasefire in the Asian country revealed "the deep desire" of the Afghan people to end the conflict and said the US hopes that "another ceasefire will move the country closer to sustainable security," Efe reported.

President Ghani on Sunday, the day Afghanistan was celebrating the 99th anniversary of its independence from British rule, announced a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban, beginning on Monday ahead of Eid al-Adha, provided the insurgents reciprocate.

After the Taliban's surprise three-day ceasefire in mid-June on the occasion of the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice, Gani has now proclaimed a ceasefire that would be the longest since the US invasion in 2001.
Washington, Aug 20 : US National Security Advisor John Bolton announced that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will leave for North Korea soon, his fourth visit to Pyongyang since he assumed office.

In an interview with ABC News, Bolton said: "I think Secretary Pompeo will be returning to Pyongyang soon for his fourth visit," reports Xinhua news agency.

"I think the timing will be announced at an appropriate point by the State Department," he said, adding that the US sides expects Pompeo to meet Kim Jong-un.

"To move on with the process of denuclearization remains our highest priority," said Bolton, adding that "it's important that they (North Korea) demonstrate seriousness" in this regard.

He noted that Pyongyang has one year to follow through from making "the strategic decision to denuclearize", However, he did not give more details on the timeline.

"We're counting on North Korea following through on the commitments," he added.

Bolton said earlier last month that Washington has had a plan to dismantle majority of North Korea's nuke and ballistic missile programmes and Pompeo will be discussing it with Pyongyang while visiting the country.

Pompeo previously visited North Korea in April, May and July.
Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi is in the UK, the officials there have confirmed to India. Following which, CBI has moved a request to London to extradite the celebrity jeweller, who is wanted for PNB loan fraud.

Billionaire Nirav Modi, along with his uncle Mehul Choksi, is reportedly accused in the Rs. 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case. Earlier this month, the Centre had told parliament that an extradition request for Nirav Modi had been sent to the Indian mission in the UK.

The request for his extradition has been sent by a Special Diplomatic Bag to the High Commission of India in London, VK Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, had said in parliament.

Earlier, the diamond merchant and Punjab National Bank fraudster Nirav Modi's Chartered Accountant, office situated in a nondescript office block in UK's Harrow, that audited the finances for diamond jeweller's state business, was named in the Panama Papers.

Well, earlier it was reported that absconding diamond merchant and PNB bank scam fraudster Nirav Modi has been allegedly using multiple Indian Passports.

Investigative agencies probing the alleged $2 billion Punjab National Bank scam reports that Nirav Modi possessed at least half-a-dozen Indian passports. Nirav Modi was traced to Belgium by Indian intelligence agencies and his frequent travels, despite the revocation of his passport.

Also read:Muslim man converts turns Hindu to marry; approaches SC after in-laws take away his wife and threaten him
Santo Domingo, Aug 20 : Peruvian actor Richard Torres has "married" a tree in the Dominican Republic capital to draw attention to the indiscriminate felling of forests.

In the curious ceremony on Sunday in the Ciudad Colonial neighbourhood here Torres placed a ring on the tree and told a person who acted as a judge that he accepted the marriage.

"We have come to Santo Domingo to perform our wedding number 17 and we will not stop until we establish a new Guinness record, with 100 ceremonies like this," the actor told EFE.

The small ritual attracted dozens of people in the Columbus Park, a few meters away from the Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

Torres was assisted by a couple of Dominican actors, who served as best man and bridesmaid of the wedding.

Although admitting that the project is very expensive, the actor said he will continue with his plan to make at least five weddings a year in different countries and cities.

Before Santo Domingo, Torres wedded to a tree in his native Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Cuba and Bolivia, among other countries.
Tehran, Aug 20 : The US is addicted to applying sanctions on Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN in an exclusive interview.

"I believe there is a disease in the US and that is the addiction to sanctions," he told CNN on Sunday from Tehran.

"Even during the (former President Barack) Obama administration, the US put more emphasis on keeping the sanctions it had not lifted rather than implementing its obligation on the sanctions it lifted."

The interview is the first Zarif, the key architect of the complex nuclear deal between Iran and the West, gave to Western media since some of the US sanctions against Tehran were renewed last week.

The US-educated minister gave the interview in English on the 65th anniversary of a Washington-backed coup that overthrew democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

Zarif retained a clear belief during the hour-long interview that the nuclear deal could be revived regardless of President Donald Trump's administration's denunciation of it.

In May, Trump withdrew from the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and intended to limit Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief, calling it a "horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made".

The first wave of sanctions that were to "snap back" under the administration's move hit the import of car parts and precious metals on August 6.

Zarif expressed his dismay that the US has not learned that sanctions were ineffective in changing the political climate in Iran.

"We felt that the US had learned that at least as far as Iran is concerned, sanctions do produce economic hardship but do not produce the political outcomes that they intended them to produce, and I thought that the Americans had learned that lesson. Unfortunately I was wrong," the Minister told CNN.

He said that the same '50s thinking embodied the current US approach.

"I think the US administration still believes that it is working with the government it installed in Iran after the 1953 coup," he said, adding "As they say, they have to wake up and smell the coffee."

For much of the interview, Zarif appeared to dismiss the possibility of future talks with the Trump administration and maintain the hope the deal can be revived.

"We do not want to revisit that nuclear deal... We want the US to implement that nuclear deal. Today the closest US allies are resisting those sanctions. The US basically arm-twisting -- its attempt to put pressure. I don't want to use the term bullying ... (but) that's what it amounts to."

Additional sanctions are due to hit Tehran in November against the Iranian oil industry, which accounts for a fifth of the country's GDP.
Washington, Aug 20 : The White House rejected Turkey's offer to release an American pastor in exchange for forgiveness of billions of dollars in US fines on a Turkish bank, a senior administration official told The Wall Street Journal.

The rejection could lead to the US imposing additional sanctions against Turkey sometime this week, the Journal reported on Sunday.

Last week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the US was willing to do so if the pastor Andrew Brunson was not released.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the senior White House official told the Journal. Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Brunson's incarceration in a Turkish prison has soured the two countries' relationship, sparking a crisis that has contributed to a sharp decline in Turkey's currency, reports CNN.

On Friday, a Turkish high criminal court rejected Brunson's appeal to be released from house arrest and allowed to travel abroad after his appeal was rejected by a lower court.

The North Carolina pastor has been held in Turkey since 2016 after being accused of helping plot a coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Los Angeles, Aug 20 : Leading #MeToo advocate Asia Argento settled an accusation of sexual assault from former child actor and musician Jimmy Bennett for the sum of $380,000 to be paid over the course of a year and a half, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.

The claim and resulting discussions of payment are included in documents between the lawyers for Argento and Bennett, reports variety.com.

The claim states Bennett was a little over 17-years-old at the time of the alleged assault, which took place in a California hotel room in 2013 when Argento was 37.

The legal age of consent in California is 18.

As part of the agreement, Bennett, who is now 22, gave a selfie of him and Argento in bed and its copyright to Argento, now 42. Three people familiar with the case told the New York Times that the documents were authentic.

The lawyer for Argento who handled the settlement, Carrie Goldberg, in the documents described the money as "helping Mr. Bennett".

"We hope nothing like this ever happens to you again.You are a powerful and inspiring creator and it is a miserable condition of life that you live among s--y individuals who've preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses," Goldberg wrote.

According to the documents, Bennett's initial notice of intent to sue was for $3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.

Argento was one of the 13 women included in the first October 2017 New Yorker report about disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment and assault that dated back decades.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Delhi Police has detained two youth from Haryana for their murderous attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid, days after their self-confession video went viral, an officer said on Monday.

"Special Cell teams detained Darvesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal from Haryana on Sunday following a tip-off of their location," the senior police officer told IANS.

In the video that went viral on August 16, Shahpur and Dalal said that they will surrender to police at a gurdwara near the house of freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha the next day.

"We are responsible for the attack on Khalid (outside Constitution Club) that was meant to be a gift to our country men before the Independence Day. We appeal to police to not punish any innocent youngster for our crime," they claimed in the video.

Khalid was attacked by an unknown assailant carrying a revolver on August 13 at a tea stall outside the Constitution Club. Accused of raising anti-national slogans in 2016. The student leader survived the attack.

"We are presently interrogating them to establish the reality behind their claims or whether they created the video clip to only create sensation on social media. We are investigating," the officer added.
Nirva Modi during the inauguration of Nirav Modi Jewellry shop in Mumbai on March 14, 2015. Image Source: IANS

Billionaire diamond trader Nirav Modi (R) shakes hands with TRH Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. (Image Source: IANS) Image Source: IANS

New Delhi, Aug 20 : With the Interpol confirming the presence of fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, wanted in the Rs 13,500-crore PNB fraud, in the United Kingdom, the CBI on Monday moved to seek his detention and extradition to India, an official said on Monday.

According to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, UK authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence in the country on Sunday through a mail after a diffusion notice was issued against him by the agency to the Interpol.

A diffusion notice is an international alert for the arrest of a specific person.

The official said that the CBI sent an extradition request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday for approaching the UK authorities.

The CBI official said that the agency had requested the Interpol to detain Nirav Modi on the basis of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him. Nirav Modi's location was not traced until then.

The Interpol revealed two months ago that Modi had travelled to six countries on a passport that was revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs.

On July 2, the Interpol had issued a RCN against Nirav Modi on the basis of money laundering charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

On August 2, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh informed Parliament that the government had sent a request to the UK for extraditing Nirav Modi.

Nirav Modi along with his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali Group is under probe in the Punjab National Bank fraud case by both the CBI and the ED.

The ED had, on May 24 and 26, filed prosecution complaints or chargesheets against Choksi and Modi.

The court has taken cognisance of the chargesheets and issued non-bailable warrants against both.

Nirav Modi left India along with his family in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the CBI. His wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and Choksi on January 4.

Choksi was last traced to Antigua, where he has been granted citizenship.
Kodagu (Karnataka), Aug 20 : Even as hundreds remained stranded on hilltops in towns and villages in flood-hit Kodagu in Karnataka, an official said 4,320 marooned people have been rescued till Monday.

"The rescue work has entered its final stage. The 4,320 who have been rescued have been shifted to 41 relief camps in the district," a Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority official told IANS.

Teams from the Indian Army and Navy along with state officials were screening the villages and towns to rescue anyone still stranded, he added.

Cut off by landslides and damaged roads, the coffee-growing district, located in the Western Ghats, has been the worst affected in the state due to southwest monsoon since June first week.

The state's emergency operation centre, which was receiving many distress calls from those stranded, did not get any since early Monday, said the official who did not wish to be named.

"Several phone lines have been cut off due to the rains," he added.

The unabated rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed eight lives so far in the district, according to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's office.

About 50 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 12 naval divers, 62 officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 750 fire service officials and Home Guards with boats and hundreds of volunteers have been carrying out relief work.

The Air Force is using M-17 helicopters to airlift the marooned.

In all, 1,194 specialised rescuers from the state and central agencies are involved in the drive.

With several relief camps sheltering more people than they can accommodate, the district administration on Monday asked volunteers, NGOs in the state to donate relief materials including clothing, raincoats, kitchen utensils and first aid equipment among other things.

The state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corp (KSRTC) has resumed all its intra-state bus services towards Madikeri in Kodagu district and flood-hit Kerala.

The bus services were suspended due to flooding and damaged roads due to landslides.

About 123 km of roads are estimated to be damaged due to the rains, while more than 800 homes have been destroyed. Most of the district's arterial roads have been damaged in landslides.

Over the past 24 hours, Kodagu district received an average of 6.1 cm of rainfall, while few regions received a maximum rainfall of up to 10.3 cm, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts moderate to heavy rains to continue across coastal districts of Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada till Wednesday.

The heavy rains in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada have claimed one life so far, forcing nearly 800 people to shelter in temporary shelters.

The Met office predicts light to moderate rains in south interior districts, including Kodagu, over the next two days.
Lucknow, Aug 20 : Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday appealed to the people of Uttar Pradesh and his party workers and leaders to extend all possible help to flood-hit Kerala.

The appeal comes after repeated tweets from the former Chief Minister seeking financial and other forms of help to the people of Kerala who are faced with the worst ever flooding in a century.

He said he and his wife Dimple Yadav, a Lok Sabha member, were making personal donations to help the flood victims.

The Samajwadi Party cadres have also been told to go to Kerala with medicines and food.

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police O.P. Singh has urged the police personnel to donate a day's salary to the flood victims.
Kolkata, Aug 20 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that the state government is drawing up major schemes for promoting renewable energy including solar.

"Today is National Renewable Energy Day. Our state government is drawing up major schemes for the promotion of solar power and other sources of renewable energy like tidal power in Bangla," Mamata tweeted.

Mentioning about a solar based scheme, she wrote, "One such scheme is 'Aaloshree' under which roofs of all government offices & schools are being fitted with solar panels."

State power minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee had earlier said that the Bengal government is expecting to add over 2,000 megawatt (mw) of power in the next five years including 300 mw of solar power.

He said the state has already made significant progress in adding capacity in solar power under the present regime.

National Renewable Energy Day is also known as Akshay Urja Diwas. This is an awareness campaign about the developments of renewable energy in India, celebrated on August 20, every year since 2004.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from Uttar Pradesh government on a plea challenging an order of Allahabad high Court order which had dismissed a petition seeking prosecution of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a hate speech case of 2007.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice to the state government and the District Magistrate of Gorakhpur and posted the matter after four weeks for hearing.

Petitioner Rasheed Khan has challenged the high court order which had upheld the Uttar Pradesh government's refusal to grant sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Earlier this year, the Allahabad High Court had upheld a sessions court order which had quashed a magistrate's order taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the police in 2009.

The High Court had said that sessions court was right in holding that there was no prosecution sanction to initiate trial against the Chief Minister and others in the case.

In January 2017, the sessions court in Gorakhpur had quashed the magistrate court's cognisance order. The sessions court had said that there was no sanction to prosecute the accused, including Adityanath and others.

The Uttar Pradesh government had in May 2017 refused to grant the mandatory sanction for the prosecution of the Chief Minister.

Several incidents of violence were reported in Gorakhpur on January 27, 2007, after the alleged hate speech of Adityanath.

IANS

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Kabul, Aug 20 : Taliban militants on Monday kidnapped 170 passengers after they launched an ambush on three buses on the highway connecting Kunduz province to Takhar, police said.

The Security Director of Kunduz Security Commandment, Safiullah Mahzon confirmed the incident and said the passengers were abducted from Khanabad district, reports Khaama News.

Mahzon said the passengers were on their way to Kabul.

No further details were immediately available.

The incident comes after a day President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban a conditional ceasefire.
Lucknow, Aug 20 : The Uttar Pradesh police is planning an app for the people of the state to lodge first information reports (FIRs), even against unnamed persons, soon, an official said on Monday.

The app named 'UPCOP' will reduce the people-police stations interface.

Several facilities like lodging reports on lost and found, seeking permission for protests and demonstration, rallies, holding events, applying for character certificates, filing complaints for unclaimed bodies, getting post-mortem reports and information on wanted criminals will be available on it.

A total of 22 services will be made available through this police app, Director General of Police O.P. Singh said.

"Once a complaint is lodged, the complainant would also get a certified acknowledgement," he added.

There would also be a special feature dedicated to senior citizens and those physically challenged.

The app will also create awareness among people on cyber crimes like debit card-, credit card- and ATM card-frauds.
Hyderabad, Aug 20 : Cloud communications company Tanla Solutions on Monday announced to acquire mobile engagement platform Karix Mobile and its wholly-owned subsidiary Unicel from GSO Capital Partners for Rs 340 crore.

With the acquisition of Mumbai-based Karix Mobile -- formerly known as mGage India -- Hyderabad-based Tanla Solutions will become India's leading enterprise Cloud communications company, it said in a statement.

A Blackstone company, GSO will receive a cash payment of Rs 112 crore to be funded from Tanla's internal accruals.

GSO will be issued Rs 125 crore worth of Tanla stock at a price of Rs 56.79 per equity share. Tanla will take over a debt of Rs 103 crore.

"Karix is an ideal strategic fit, furthering our stated objective of adding diverse and high value customer base and business, capable technocrats and incremental financial scale," said Uday Reddy, Tanla Solution's Chairman and Managing Director.

"Our combined entity will unarguably be a Cloud Communications behemoth with innovation led offerings in the Digital space for our partners and clients alike," he added.

Karix Mobile has offices in four Indian cities with over 1,500 enterprise clients globally, with registering revenue of Rs 540.24 Crore in financial year 2018.

With combined revenues of Rs 1,170 Crore in the financial year 2018, Tanla will provide formidable digital transformation strategies to its enterprise clients.

The acquisition is expected to close by October.

"The combined strength of Karix and Tanla will afford our enterprise customers a single source for a comprehensive suite of communications services, and an assurance that their future emerging requirements will be met timely," said Jay Sheth, CEO of Karix.
Kochi, Aug 20 : Health officials on Monday began disposing of carcasses after numerous animals became victims of the worst ever floods to hit Kerala.

On Monday morning, official teams went around areas in and around Ernakulam city, especially near the Cochin airport where a good number of dead cows, buffaloes and dogs were seen floating in the flood waters.

"It has been decided that the carcasses will be disposed of in two ways. Depending on the human habitation, they would be burned or buried in large pits and covered with plenty of lime and bleach powder," said an official overseeing the campaign.
Bengaluru, Aug 20 : Indian ride-sharing major Ola on Monday forayed into the UK market by launching its services in South Wales, the company said in a statement.

"Ola will offer the customers in South Wales, including in Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan, the option of hailing private hire vehicles and taxis on one platform," the city-based online cab aggregator said in a statement here.

With a plan to expand across the UK by the end of this year, Ola said it has already obtained the licences to operate in Greater Manchester, in northwest England, where it will begin its operations soon.

Over the past few weeks, the company has received positive feedback from the drivers in South Wales, said Ola UK Managing Director Ben Legg.

"We will work with the local authorities in helping the people with their mobility," Legg said in the statement.

As part of launching its services in UK, the company is offering limited discount rides to its customers.

Ola's UK entry comes about seven months after it announced driving into Australia on January 30 to foray into the international market to rival US-based Uber.

The Bengaluru-based firm is currently operating in seven cities across Australia including Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Canberra.

Founded in 2011, Ola has been competing against Uber in the ride-hailing market.

The seven-year-old Ola claims to have 125 million users in 110 cities.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 20 : Congress Working Committee (CWC) member A.K. Antony on Monday demanded that the Centre immediately declare the Kerala floods as a national disaster.

Speaking at a function to mark the 74th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi at the state party headquarters here, Antony said if Kerala floods is declared a national calamity, not just funds from the country would come easily but it would also facilitate international help.

"When floods hit Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre said it was almost like a national disaster and Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned. But when Kerala is facing the worst-ever natural calamity, just Rs 600 crore has been sanctioned, which is nothing in view of the huge damage caused in the state," he said.

Antony said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi has directed all party lawmakers to contribute one month's salary towards Kerala's relief operations and reminded that authorities should take lessons from the way Rajiv Gandhi handled flood-relief operations in his time.
Mumbai, Aug 20 : A team of 81 doctors from Mumbai and Pune left by an Air India flight on Monday with medical relief supplies to help the flood victims in Kerala, an official said here.

The team comprises 55 doctors from Sir J.J. Hospital, Mumbai and 26 from Sassoon Hospital (Pune), said Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan.

They will join other medical teams from across the state who are serving the people of Kerala amidst apprehensions of outbreak of diseases as the flood waters start receding.

Meanwhile, through efforts of various organisations coordinated by the state government, another five tonnes of relief supplies including food packs, milk powder, blankets, bedsheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins will be sent to Kerala on Monday.

This is in addition to over 30 tonne already sent during the past two days besides a cash donation of Rs 20 crore from the state government.

Navi Mumbai's Kerala Bhavan has collected 200 tonnes of materials of which 150 tonne has been dispatched through Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and RoRo vessels.

A group of 20 persons from Saudi Arabia landed in Mumbai as the Kochi Airport is still closed and they have been given shelter in Kerala Bhavan.

A group of Mumbai-born Kerala youths in Powai have launched coordination efforts between various relief agencies, organizing transport and other logistics, identifying the required materials to be sent to Kerala and related issues to streamline the aid pouring in from various sources, said one of the coordinators Pradeep Menon.

A charity show with top Keralite artistes and others in Bollywood is being planned soon after monsoon to raise funds specifically for the poor and displaced flood victims to be handed over to Kerala CM's Distress Relief Fund, Menon said.

Several hundred of members of Azad Hawkers Union, Mira Road (Thane) led by the president Dayashankar Singh, have donated voluntarily over one tonne of relief materials which will be dispatched to Kerala through the Ayappa Swami Temple Trust here.

A large number of Mumbaikars are also contributing to various pick-up points started in Mumbai, suburbs and adjacent districts for relief materials for onward dispatch to Kerala.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Monday called for an all India traders strike against the Walmart-Flipkart deal on September 28.

"We are organising a 'Bharat Trade Bandh' (All India Traders Strike) on September 28 against the Walmart-Flipkart deal. We want the government to nullify the deal as it is against the sector," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal told IANS.

"We have also planned a host of other activities like a mega traders protest march to gain public support against the deal."

Accordingly, the confederation has called for a 'Bharat Trade Bandh' on September 28 and a massive nationwide 'Rath Yatra' to begin on September 15 and a mega traders rally on December 16 at New Delhi.

On Saturday, Walmart Inc. acquired approximately 77 per cent stake in e-commerce major Flipkart.

Accordingly, Walmart now holds approximately 77 per cent of Flipkart, while the remainder of the business is held by other shareholders, including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent, Tiger Global and Microsoft Corp.

Walmart's investment includes $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business and both companies will retain their unique brands and operating structures in India.
Srinagar, Aug 20 : Indian and Pakistan troops traded fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector on Monday.

Police said the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire on the LoC, leading to retaliation by the Indian Army.

"The Pakistanis used small arms, automatics and mortars to target Indian positions in Kamalkote area," an officer said. "The Indian Army took retaliatory action."

The officer said the guns fell silent after a while. No casualty was reported from the Indian side, the officer said.
Mumbai, Aug 20 : Continuing its investigations into the August 9 arms seizures in Palghar, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) nabbed former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar from Jalna, official sources said on Monday.

A businessman, Pangarkar - alleged to be the main financier of the Palghar operations - was brought to Mumbai and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act and more.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Padalkar remanded him in police custody till August 28.

Seeking his custody, the ATS urged the court that investigators needed to probe his links in the sensational arms seizure case of Palghar, his other associates, analyse hard disks, pen drives and other incriminating materials seized from his home in Jalna.

Besides, the prosecution said that Pangarkar was allegedly providing funds to the other three accused and investigators needed to probe his banking details.

A businessman dealing in grains and kerosene, Pangarkar is a former two-term Shiv Sena corporator from Jalna, but quit the party in 2011 to become a full-time Hindutva activist and later shifted to Aurangabad.

He was associated with several right-wing organisations including the Hindu Janjagran Samiti over the past few years.

Pangarkar's arrest comes 10 days after three others - Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanva Gondhalekar - were nabbed from Nala Sopara in Palghar and Pune following the discovery of a large cache of arms and explosives.

Early on August 10, the ATS created a sensation by claiming to have unearthed a terror plot targeting Mumbai, Pune, Satara and Solapur ahead of the Independence Day celebrations and the upcoming Bakri Eid festival.

Besides nabbing the three right-wing activists, it unearthed a mini arms production unit, recovered 20 crude bombs, explosive material to manufacture another two-to-four dozen bombs, five country-made pistols, three incomplete pistols, 39 cartridges, springs, triggers and other materials.

The ATS is also probing the links of these activists with the ongoing probe into the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, Gauri Lankesh and others.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Chief Justice of India and judges of the Supreme Court are contributing Rs 25,000 each towards Kerala flood relief fund. The money will be deposited in the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

The Chief Justice Dipak Misra had earlier in the course of a hearing said that judges of the top court too are individually contributing towards Kerala flood relief fund.

The Chief Justice's statement came during a hearing of a contempt case against an organisation which alleged "conflict of interest" linking Chief Justice Misra with his "cousin" who is a lawyer and Member of Parliament.

The issue involved was a plea seeking to debark the lawyers-turned-lawmakers from practising law during their tenure as lawmakers. The judgment on the issue has been reserved.

Initially, the lawyer who also happens to be the General Secretary of the organisation offered a unconditional apology "from the core of his heart and with folded hands."

However, senior counsel Shekhar Naphade, appearing for one of the petitioners, said it was too serious a matter and that apology should be accompanied with a monetary penalty.

As CJI Misra was inquiring about the quantum of monetary penalty, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said whatever may be the amount, it should go to Kerala flood relief fund.

As Attorney General said that lawyers were mobilising money to contribute towards the flood relief fund, CJI Misra said, "We are also making some contributions towards the relief effort."

It was suggested that the organisation facing contempt contribute Rs 5 lakh along with an apology.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its order on a plea by the West Bengal State Election Commission challenging the Calcutta High Court order allowing e-nominations for the panchayat elections in the state, as the apex court once again declined to lift its stay on the notification of results of candidates elected unopposed to rural local bodies.

The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud declined to lift its order barring the notification of the candidates elected unopposed, even as senior counsel Vikas Singh appearing for the state said that it was hampering the release of funds to rural local bodies.

Not accepting the plea of the state government, the Chief Justice Misra said that they would pronounce the order with a week or so.

The top court had ordered the State Election Commission (SEC) on May 10 not to notify the results of candidates declared elected unopposed.

Pointing to over 20,000 uncontested seats going to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), senior counsel P.S. Patwalia told the court that such a large under of seats went uncontested because of obstruction by the ruling party members.

Appearing for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior counsel Patwalia pointed to large-scale violence and irregularities in the conduct of the election.

In his rejoinder arguments, senior counsel Vikas Singh said that the allegation being made by the BJP and others are general and not specific. He sought to draw distinction between violence and seats going uncontested.

Referring to the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana which have much large uncontested victors -- more than 50 per cent -- in rural local bodies elections, Vikas Singh said "if merely a seat goes uncontested", it does not become wrong.

The court is hearing an SEC plea against the Calcutta High Court's May 8 order permitting e-nominations and reading the provision of the Information Technology Act into the Representation of the People Act, 1954.

On July 3, the apex court had said that it would examine whether the high court, in exercise of its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, could do so.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre to respond to Bhushan Steel's erstwhile promoter Neeraj Singhal's plea against his arrest by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

A bench of Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel asked the government to file its response and listed the matter for August 21.

Singhal, a former Managing Director of Bhushan Steel Limited, was arrested on August 8. The SFIO alleged that he was involved in a serious corporate fraud punishable under the Companies Act, 2013.

A probe allegedly found that the erstwhile promoters of the company used a multitude of complex and fraudulent manoeuvres to divert thousands of crores raised from public sector banks using several associate companies.

After insolvency resolution, the ownership and control of BSL was transferred to the Tata Group.
Mumbai, Aug 20 : A team of 110 doctors from Mumbai and Pune left by an Air India flight on Monday with medical relief supplies to help the flood victims in Kerala, an official said.

The team comprises 55 doctors from J.J. Hospital, Mumbai, 26 from Sassoon Hospital (Pune) besides other hospitals, said Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan who has accompanied them on the humanitarian mission.

They will join other medical teams from across the state who are serving the people of Kerala amid apprehensions of outbreak of diseases as the flood waters start receding, Mahajan said.

Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao on Monday appealed to all the 20 universities in the state to extend monetary and material support to Kerala by organizing fund-raising drives.

The governor has also asked the universities, with a total strength of around 2.30 million students, to contribute to the PM's Relief Fund for the floodhit Kerala.

Meanwhile, through efforts of various organisations coordinated by the state government, another five tonnes of relief supplies including food packs, milk powder, blankets, bedsheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins will be sent to Kerala on Monday.

This is in addition to over 30-tonne relief already sent during the past two days besides a cash donation of Rs 20 crore from the state government.

Navi Mumbai's Kerala Bhavan has collected 200 tonnes of material of which 150 tonne has been dispatched through the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard.

A group of 20 persons from Saudi Arabia landed in Mumbai as the Kochi Airport is still closed and they have been given shelter in Kerala Bhavan.

A group of Mumbai-born Kerala youths in Powai have launched coordination efforts between various relief agencies, organizing transport and other logistics, identifying the required materials to be sent to Kerala and streamline the aid pouring in from various sources, said one of the coordinators Pradeep Menon.

A charity show with top Keralite artistes and others in Bollywood is being planned soon after monsoon to raise funds specifically for the poor and displaced flood victims to be handed over to Kerala CM's Distress Relief Fund, Menon said.

Several hundred members of the Azad Hawkers Union, Mira Road (Thane) led by president Dayashankar Singh have donated voluntarily over one tonne of relief material which will be dispatched to Kerala through the Ayappa Swami Temple Trust.

Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas and an NGO, Papers N Parcels will also send a consignment of medical kits and food material to Kerala on Tuesday, said Subhash Talekar and Tilak Mehta of the two organisations respectively.

A large number of Mumbaikars are also contributing to various pick-up points started in Mumbai, suburbs and adjacent districts for relief materials for onward dispatch to Kerala.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The DANICS Officers Association on Monday announced a donation of Rs 1.5 lakh and contribution of one-day salaries by its members for the Kerala flood survivors.

Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officers handed over a cheque for Rs 1.5 lakh to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here and also assured Kerala of all help possible in relief efforts, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tweeted.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to the public for generous donations. The Delhi government has already announced Rs 10 crore to help flood survivors.

All Delhi Ministers, party MLAs and MPs will also donate a month's salary each.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : As Kerala continues to battle the worst flood disaster, it faces yet another fear: epidemics.

Health experts say as the flood water recedes, the state may have to cope with waterborne and vectorborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, hepatitis and other fevers.

"Most houses are submerged and the people are living in relief camps where it is very difficult to maintain hygiene. So, there are chances of getting infected by typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis A and E," said Ashok Grover, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali.

According to the directorate of health services (DHS), Kerala, the state has already recorded 846 cases of dengue fever, 191,945 cases of acute diarrhea disease (ADD), 518 cases of malaria, 34 cases of chikungunya and 225 cases of leptospirosis (infection from animals).

"Stagnant water is the source of mosquitoes and other insects. Diseases like malaria and dengue don't take much time to spread in relief camps," said Amitabh Parti, Additional Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute.

The health experts also warn that not just waterborne and vectorborne diseases, other diseases such as skin allergies, ENT problems and conjunctivitis may emerge, too.

Fever, chills, abdominal pains, vomiting, diarrhea, severe dehydration and fatigue are some of the early symptoms for both waterborne and vectorborne diseases.

"Such illnesses can be controlled before turning into major epidemics by maintaining hygiene in the relief camps. No raw fruit or food should be consumed. It is better to eat only well-cooked food. However, maintaining hygienic conditions in such an atmosphere is difficult," Parti said.

"Washing hands is a must. Also consuming more fluids is recommended to resist falling prey to the epidemic-prone diseases. One must take ORS and other liquids such as fresh lime and coconut water," Grover said.

The doctors recommend medicines only after medical tests.

As a preventive step, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is also taking measures to combat communicable disease.

According to the ministry, it has already set up 3,757 medical camps in Kerala and shared health advisories on infectious diseases.

"While no outbreak of any communicable disease has been reported, health experts warn that once floodwater recedes, the environment will become conducive to epidemic diseases," said the ministry on Sunday.

The Health Ministry said it has also sent the first batch of 90 types of medicines as requested by the state.

(Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in)
New Delhi, Aug 20 : A life convict in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case told the Supreme Court on Monday that no decision has been taken by the Tamil Nadu Governor on his mercy petition pending before him for over two years.

A bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice K.M. Joseph asked advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for A.G. Perarivalan, who is among the seven convicts in the case, to file the documents on record in two weeks.

Perarivalan, who had filed the mercy petition seeking remission or pardon from the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution, contended through his advocate that he wanted to file the documents to bring it on record of the court as no decision has yet been taken on the mercy petition.

The court posted the matter for September 6 for further hearing.

On December 30, 2015, Perarivalan had filed the mercy petition before the Governor, saying he has suffered more than 24 years of solitary/ single confinement.

The now-vanquished Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka were blamed for the Congress leader's killing by a suicide bomber at an election rally near Chennai in 1991.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 20 : Over one million people are now sheltered in 3,274 relief camps in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, even as rains that have battered the state for a week finally abated.

A total of 602 marooned people were rescued on Monday, the Chief Minister told the media.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 20 : With the rains that battered Kerala for a week finally abating on Monday, water levels dropped in the swollen rivers even as the number of people who have taken shelter in relief camps crossed the one million mark.

A total of 10,28,000 people were now housed in 3,274 camps in the flood-hit districts, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media while tonnes of emergency aid poured in from all over the country.

Officials have so far admitted to some 370 deaths, most of them occurring after the monsoon rains turned into a fury on August 9, forcing authorities to open the sluice gates of numerous dams across the state.

Monday did see some people return to their homes from camps in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram and parts of Pathanamthitta after volunteers working selflessly helped to clean up their muddy homes.

Fifty cases of snake bites were reported in these areas as snakes from overflowing ponds had entered homes, the officials and volunteers said.

Rains in the catchment areas of the major dams in Idukki district subsided. The outflow of water from both the Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams has been reduced.

As a result, the water intake into the Periyar and its tributaries that flow through Ernakulam and Thrissur has come down considerably.

By and large the sky was clear on Monday.

On Monday, helicopters were engaged in rescue operations in places where people were still marooned -- in parts of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. Small boats helped to ferry people from interior Chengannur and Pandalam areas.

Other helicopters transported food and relief materials from here to affected areas.

Finance Minister Thomas Issac, who is overseeing the rescue operations in Kuttanadu area in Alappuzha district, said 1.25 lakh people had been moved to relief camps in the district.

Neliyamapathy in Palakkad remained cut off from the main district headquarters as the roads have been badly damaged. Essential items are being airdropped.

An Army officer said the roads would be made motorable, at least for jeeps, on Tuesday.

Waters in the Cochin airport, which was shut on August 15 after flood waters entered the operational area, receded on Monday. Small aircraft started operating from the Cochin Naval airbase.

On Monday, following a request from the Kerala government, the State Level Bankers Committee decided to provide a moratorium on agricultural loans for a year.

Thiruvanathapuram Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor meanwhile flew to Geneva to meet international humanitarian agencies.

While seeking help was the prerogative of the Indian government, "I am here in close consultation with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to explore what help could be possible", he tweeted.

The central government flew 100 tonnes of pulses and 52 tonnes of emergency medicines to Kerala, which is receiving donations in cash and kind from all over the country. Volunteers have also poured in from many states.

State Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran said that all those who suffered property losses would be compensated.

The railways started operations in the Kottayam and Shornur routes.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corp too began services from many depots and it was expected to be fully functional in a day or two.

Kerala has faced the heaviest rains and floods since 1924, leading to unprecedented destruction.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : Ahead of the Bimstec Summit in Nepal this month-end, envoys of the seven-nation regional bloc on Monday called for early conclusion of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among member-nations, which is hanging fire for 13 years.

Speaking at a panel discussion here on the "Fourth Bimstec Summit: Expectations, Challenges and Opportunities", organised by industry body Ficci, the envoys of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand were of the view that the time is ripe to give unequivocal directives to facilitate the conclusion of the FTA.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.

It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people, or 21 per cent of the world's population, and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.

The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.

With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, largely due to non-cooperation on part of Pakistan on issues like connectivity and counterterrorism, India has been giving more importance to Bimstec in recent times.

India is the lead country for cooperation in four priority areas: Counterterrorism and transnational crime, transport and communication, tourism and environment, and disaster management.

This year's Bimstec Summit, only the fourth since the bloc's inception, will be held in Kathmandu on August 30-31.

In his address at Monday's panel discussion, Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali called for expediting the Bimstec FTA to boost trade as "poverty is a common enemy for development of the region".

Pointing out that Bimstec nations should work together for connectivity, energy and counter-terrorism, Ali said: "Comprehensive connectivity will be a game changer."

He said that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken a zero tolerance approach towards terrorism/extremism and will not allow the country's soil to be used against other countries.

"Institutional mechanism of Bimstec has to be strengthened," Ali said.

"Our government puts priority in taking forward the Bimstec process."

The Bangladesh High Commissioner was also of the view that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has adopted a more pragmatic and accommodative approach to Bimstec.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara said that Bimstec should work to create its visibility in international fora.

"The Bimstec Summit should work for outreach programmes with international organisations and agencies," Wagiswara said.

Calling for people-to-people contact between member-states, she called for promoting Buddhist tourism trails in the region.

Thailand Ambassador Chutintorn Gongsakdi said that his country would like to see some "transformative changes" in Bimstec.

"We should look at how Bimstec can be a building block for the Indo-Pacific region," Chutintorn said.

Stressing that Bimstec is a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, he called for increased cooperation between the bloc's seven nations in terms of connectivity, trade and investment, people-to-people contacts, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Myanmar Ambassador Moe Kyaw Aung said that cooperation with Bimstec is a priority for his country but lamented the fact that there is still lack of a strategic cohesion in regional economic cooperation.

Former Indian Ambassador to Myanamar Rajiv Bhatia said it is time to recognise the seven countries of Bimstec as a powerful geopolitical construct.

"No matter what happens to Saarc, we should be committed to Bimstec," Bhatia said.

"Bimstec should concentrate on governance, the business community, and the people of the region at large."

The unanimous view of the Bimstec envoys was that out of the 14 identified priority sectors of cooperation, there was a need to focus on select areas such as connectivity, energy, trade, investment, climate change, and counter-terrorism measures.

This, they said, would give visibility to the regional grouping and make it a meaningful platform for prosperity in the region.

The heads of Bimstec missions called for people-oriented decisions based on regional connectivity and economic integration.

Piyush Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Bimstec and Saarc) in India's External Affairs Ministry, expressed the hope that the Nepal summit would give further impetus to the expectations of the region's people to better their lives.

On the occasion, a knowledge paper prepared by Ficci's core group of experts was released, which makes several policy recommendations for a thorough renewal and rejuvenation of Bimstec as a premier regional grouping, committed to securing greater cooperation and integration in the next decade.
Chennai, Aug 20 : The DMK on Monday said a meeting of its General Council will be held on August 28 to elect a party President following the death of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

DMK General Secretary K. Anbazhagan said in a statement that the General Council would meet at the party headquarters and also elect a new Treasurer.

Presently, the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly, M.K. Stalin, holds the posts of Working President and Treasurer.

The party's Executive Committee has already urged Stalin to take over as party President.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Australian High Commission on Monday warned Indians of a visa scam in Delhi wherein over 50 people had been duped of lakhs of rupees.

"The public is warned of a new visa scam allegedly perpetrated by an employment agency operating in southwest Delhi," the High Commission said in a statement here.

"In recent weeks, more than 50 people have approached the High Commission after paying lakhs for work visas, only to be told that they have become victims of yet another visa scam."

Emphasising that the High Commission is concerned about the growing number of victims of such fraud and advising potential visa applicants to exercise due caution when agencies offer job visas, a commission spokesperson said: "Australia does not have a work visa programme of the sort promoted by scammers -- our Temporary Skills Shortage work visa is run only with approved sponsors, and only for applicants with specific skills in demand in Australia.

"Some of the recent victims have said they paid up to Rs 50,000 just for a non-existent airfare and a medical check with an unauthorised clinic, in addition to all the other fees they have been charged."

In addition to being charged for job placement -- sometimes with bogus job offers using the names of genuine, well-known companies in Australia -- and "visa lodgement" fees, the victims have also had to pay to undergo medical examination in a medical facility located in South Delhi, that is not associated with Australia's approved panel of physicians, according to the statement.

The southwest Delhi agency has also provided its victims with a fake visa grant notice, which links to a non-genuine visa checking service on a fake website.

"We have seen clones of our website before but the newest versions link to a fake visa checking site that only contains the visa details concocted by the agent," the High Commission spokesperson said.

"This may look convincing to someone who is wanting proof that the agent is not duping them -- but actually, it is still all fake."

Calling upon those who fell for this and other scams to promptly report this illegal activity to local authorities, the High Commission statement said: "All potential visa applicants should refer directly to information published on our official Home Affairs website: www.homeaffairs.gov.au.

"A list of approved physicians can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about/contact/offices-locations/india.

"The Australian High Commission website also has a page listing recent scams: http://india.highcommission.gov.au/ndli/Visas_and_Migration.html."
Panaji, Aug 20 : In a disobedience petition filed before the Mhadei Inter-state Water Disputes Tribunal in the national capital, the Goa government has sought the arrest of officials of the Karnataka government for violation of the adjudicating body's orders.

The petition comes a week after the Tribunal in its award allotted 13.42 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) water to Karnataka, resolving a decades-old dispute primarily between Goa and Karnataka, as well as Maharashtra government's claim over sharing of water from the Mhadei river, also known as the Mahadayi in Karnataka.

"In our prayer, we have prayed for the arrest of the officials of Karnataka who are involved in these violations and attachment of properties of the State of Karnataka," state's Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande told reporters in Panaji.

He also said that the disobedience petition was filed under Rule 2A of the Civil Procedure Code before the Tribunal.

The Goa government has maintained that despite an injunction ordered by the Tribunal against actual diversion of the Mhadei water -- before the award was delivered -- Karnataka had already started diversion of the water using canals at Kalsa village, located on the Goa-Karnataka border.

The Goa government now wants the officials responsible for "illegally" diverting the water arrested and the canals built by them attached by the Tribunal.

Last week, the Tribunal which was hearing a dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra over sharing of water from the Mhadei river had allotted 13.42 tmcft (including 7.56 tmcft for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) from the Mhadei river basin to Karnataka, as against 36.55 tmcft demanded by the southern state, while also allotting 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra.

Mhadei river is known as a lifeline in the northern parts of the state. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra.

While 78 per cent of the basin of the Mhadei river lies in Goa, 42.79 per cent of the basin is located in Karnataka and a small portion comes under Maharashtra.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : As the Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday, Modi told the visiting dignitary that he looks forward to visiting Japan later this year, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Onodera was on a two-day bilateral visit to India on August 19-20 at the invitation of Defence Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman.

Recalling his long association with Japan since before assuming office as Prime Minister, Modi welcomed the broadening and deepening of the special strategic and global partnership between India and Japan in the recent years.

Modi warmly recalled the successful visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India last year, and said that "he is looking forward to visiting Japan later this year".

The Prime Minister said that defence cooperation is a key pillar of the relationship between the two countries.

"The Prime Minister welcomed the strengthening of various defence dialogue mechanisms between India and Japan, and the enhanced linkages between the armed forces of the two countries. He also appreciated the progress in defence technology cooperation between the two countries," said a PMO statement.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 20 : Over one million people are now sheltered in 3,274 relief camps in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, even as rains that have battered the state for a week finally abated.

The nature's fury has claimed some 370 lives since the monsoon rains began on May 29. Vijayan said 223 of the deaths had been reported since August 8.

"The ongoing rescue operations will continue as we wish to come to the help of anyone who is left to be rescued," Vijayan told the media.

A total of 602 marooned people were rescued on Monday.

He said the total contributions received to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund so far was Rs 210 crore while another Rs 160 crore had been pledged.

"It has come to our notice that certain instances of collections are going on the sly. Such things will not be allowed," said Vijayan.

He said the annual outlay for Kerala in the present fiscal was Rs 37,248 crore and the damages caused by the floods could be as high as the total outlay in a five year plan period.

"So we require large amounts for reconstruction of our state. Hence any amount of funds is not small enough.

"Help has been pouring in... of various kinds. The CII has informed us that they are ready to engage in repairs of 1,000 homes that have been damaged," added Vijayan.

He pointed out that no display of symbols would be allowed on relief materials supplied to the relief camps.

"All those who wish to provide relief would have to contact the respective camp officer and hand it over to them. No direct supply to the camp would be allowed. Once people leave the camp, the state government would give a kit to everyone," said Vijayan.

He said the Reserve Bank of India had agreed to exchange all soiled notes.

"On August 29, a reception would be held here to felicitate all the fishermen who took part in the rescue operations. Likewise, the services rendered by the youths in the relief camps is appreciated," said the Chief Minister.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : India and Japan on Monday reaffirmed their commitment for greater bilateral defence cooperation and ensuring a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region at the annual defence ministerial meeting here.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held talks with her Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera who is on a two-day visit to India at the invitation of the Indian Defence Minister, and reaffirmed the commitment to further strengthen defence and security cooperation under the "Japan-lndia Special Strategic and Global Partnership".

Sitharaman will be visiting Japan next year for the next edition of the meeting.

"The Ministers recognised that the peace and stability of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are crucial for ensuring the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, and had a frank exchange of views on the current security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including developments in the Korean Peninsula," an official communique said at the conclusion of the meeting.

It said the Ministers agreed that both sides will seek to realise the 7th Defence Vice Minister/ Secretary-level Defence Policy Dialogue and the 6th Vice Minister/ Secretary-level "2+2" dialogue in Tokyo in 2019.

The Ministers also welcomed the progress made in preparing for the first-ever bilateral joint exercise in counter-terrorism between the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) and the Indian Army to be held later this year.

The Ministers expressed satisfaction at the success of Japan-India-US trilateral maritime exercise "Malabar 2018" in June this year as well as the start of the constructive, trilateral discussion toward the next round of the exercise.

The two Defence Ministers underlined the need to continue bilateral joint exercises, including those in areas of anti-submarine warfare and mine-countermeasures.

Following the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) helicopter crews' visit to India's Sarsawa Air Force Station in December last year, the two sides affirmed JASDF's participation as observers in the next round of Exercise Cope India "to add further momentum to air-to-air exchanges".

The Ministers welcomed the regular exchange of students between the defence educational and research institutions of the two countries, including the National Defence College of India, and the National Institute of Defence Studies of Japan, and reaffirmed that they would be continued.

It said the constructive engagement between the Acquisition, Technology and Logistical Agency (ATLA) of Japan and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has resulted in the signing of a project arrangement between the two countries on cooperative research in the field of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/ robotics, marking the start of the first bilateral cooperative project.

Sitharaman briefed Onodera on the setting up of two Defence Industry Corridors in India and invited participation of Japanese enterprises.
Hyderabad, Aug 20 : Responding to a request from Kerala, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked officials to send 500 tonnes of rice to the flood-hit state.

Rao spoke to Finance Minister Eatala Rajender, Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, Civil Supplies Corporation Commissioner Akun Sabarwal and instructed them to send 500 tonnes of rice worth Rs 1 crore to Kerala.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to his Telangana counterpart expressing his gratitude for extending Rs 25 crore financial assistance for relief work.

Telangana has also sent to Kerala RO machines for purification of drinking water and nutritious food for children in the flood-affected areas.
Bengaluru, Aug 20 : The Karnataka government on Monday announced Rs 2.2 crore interim relief for 5,800 people rescued from flood-hit Kodagu district.

"The government has initiated steps to pay interim relief of Rs 3,800 per family to 5,800 distressed people in the relief camps," Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

The heavy rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed 12 lives in the district while 4,320 have been rescued, he said.

As the intensity of rains reduced on Monday, the rescue operations reached the last phase, officials said.

"About 50,000 affected people will also be given groceries and essential commodities through mobile units," Kumaraswamy added.

A total of 5,618 people have been sheltered at 41 relief camps in Kodagu and 340 in three camps in Dakshina Kannada district, which has also received heavy rains.

Cut off by landslides and damaged roads, the coffee-growing Kodagu district, located in the Western Ghats, has been the worst affected in the state due to southwest monsoon since June first week.

As per government's estimates, 845 houses, 123 km of roads, 58 bridges, 278 state-owned buildings and 3,800 electric poles have been destroyed.

The district administration has been directed to distribute new uniform and text books to the students.

Schools have been asked to complete the syllabus through special classes to compensate for the loss of 20 days in the last three months due to rains.

Around 1,725 personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Indian Air Force (IAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), state police, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Home Guards and district officials were involved in the relief operations.

On a request from the state government, the IAF training command in Bengaluru rushed on August 17 one Mi-17 helicopter for rescue and relief operations.

"The chopper carried five sorties each on August 18, 19 to rescue the stranded people despite bad weather. After two attempts on August 18, the chopper reached the landslide affected area Mukkodlu and dropped relief material for the stranded people," the Air Force said.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar rushed from Bengaluru a truck-load of generic medicines (Jan Aushadi) for diabetes care, blood pressure control, cardiac and kidney ailments to the affected people in the district, about 270 km from the state capital.

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara also rushed four trucks of essential commodities and food items to the people in relief camps in Kodagu.

The Bengaluru civic corporation (BBMP) has donated Rs 2 crore to the flood victims in Kodagu and Rs 1 crore to people in Kerala, Parameshwara told reporters.

He said the entire police force would donate a day's salary to the flood victims in Kodagu and Kerala.

"We are also arranging to rush pre-fabricated housing panels for the homeless in Kodagu district to shelter them," Parameshwara said.

In addition, the state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corp (KSRTC) has donated Rs 11.8 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : Three persons have been arrested for running a fake government job recruitment racket and duping four applicants in Delhi-NCR of Rs 24 lakh, police said on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajiv Ranjan said the three accused admitted to have duped a large number of youths in Delhi, Bihar and other states in similar fashion.

The accused -- Shashi Bhushan, 26, Sandeep Sidhana, 36, Sheetal Kumar, 30 -- were arrested after a complaint was received from one Keshav, who alleged that Bhushan and his associates had cheated him and others of Rs 24 lakh on the pretext of providing government jobs in Railways, FCI, Military Engineering, Department of Post and Union Bank of India, among others.

The police arrested Bhushan on August 5 from Patna, Bihar.

"He was brought to Delhi. At his instance, Sidhana was arrested from Saket and Kumar from Sarai Kale Khan."

Fake appointment letters, academic documents of victims, fake ID cards, fake official stamps, laptops, etc., were recovered from their possession.

The complainant used to run a small business in Gurgaon. He met Bhushan through a common friend in March 2016.

He managed to convince him that he would arrange for a ticket checker's job for Keshav's cousin in the Indian Railways.

In April 2016, Keshav gave him Rs 6 lakh to get him the job. Through Keshav, Bhushan and his gang duped three others.

"Efforts are being made to identify other victims and to apprehend the remaining associates in this case."
New Delhi, Aug 20 : A Personal Assistant of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar committed suicide early Monday at his residence in south Delhi, police said.

The official, Kundan Singh, aged 30, was staying with his family in Laxmibai Nagar near Sarojini Nagar.

"His family informed police around 2 a.m. that he had hanged himself from a ceiling fan in his room," Station House Officer Ritu Raj said.

"A native of Bihar, Kundan had returned from office on Sunday and went to sleep in his room after dinner. When she went to check later, she found him hanging," the officer said.

"No suicide note was found. We are trying to ascertain the cause and questioning his family," he added. The body was handed over to the family after post-mortem.
The Baltic Horizon fund has completed the acquisition of the LNK Centre office building located in Riga, Latvia. The total purchase price for the property under the agreement is approx. 17 million, which corresponds to an entry yield of approx. 6,5%. The asset is fully leased to five tenants, of

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Scandic Hotels has signed a long-term lease agreement with Bane NOR Eiendom and Utstillingsplassen Eiendom to operate a new hotel in the Nyhavna area of Trondheim. The hotel will be the citys largest conference hotel with 425 rooms and conference facilities covering close to 4,000 m. The hotel is expected

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Singapore-based Roxy Pacific and Sydney-based developer Phillip George have acquired a 8,450 square metre Revesby warehouse site.

The Bowermans Furniture site at 34-36 Mavis Street was bought from BN Revesby PT Pty Ltd for $9 million.

Roxy Pacific and George plan to develop the site as a combination of light industrial warehouses and self-storage units.

They will likely range in size from 25 square metres to 200 square metres, to accommodate a range of businesses under a strata scheme.

"The Revesby site is well located within close proximity to the M5 and we will be developing the property in a bespoke way to accommodate a wide range of businesses with versatile and dynamic spaces," said George.

Having sold Mrs Crockets in 2004, George turned his attention to being a property owner and developer with a wide range of residential, industrial and commercial projects worth more than $750 million across Australia.
The sighting of Deborra-lee Furness at a recent Dover Heights open for inspection quickly triggered a wave of suggestions she and her showman husband Hugh Jackman could be on the lookout for a permanent Sydney abode.

The actor was a no-show at the weekend's final inspection of the tightly held Wentworth St clifftop offering (above and below).

With private ocean views, it is a knockdown that goes to auction tonight with $4.5 million hopes through Bradfield Cleary agent Georgia Cleary. The home, bought in the 1940s for 340 pounds, last traded internally among relatives at $200,000 in 1982.

The couple own a triplex apartment in New York overlooking The Hudson River which cost $US21 million in 2008, but hitherto have always rented homes in Sydneys east.

The word from the Jackman camp is that Furness was merely assisting a family friend with their Dover Heights property search.

Australias highest-paid entertainer certainly loves coastal Bondi  always heading to the beach just hours after touching down whenever hes here from New York.

It was 2016 when the Wolverine star secured a bolthole for his trips Down Under  a luxury low-rise penthouse just metres from the surf.

Intrigue over the ownership of the $5.9 million Coast, North Bondi, penthouse remains.

Paperwork for the cash buyer still has its ownership company co-directed by Melbourne-based impresario Paul Dainty, promoter of Jackmans Broadway to Oz tour of Australia. Daintys phone directory records certainly show his links to the apartment when hes not at Toorak or Portsea.

The company is also co-directed by the much-trusted Beverly Hills money manager for movie stars Howard Altman, whose client list through the years has included Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Garner, Ethan Hawke, Jessica Alba and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Jackman has also been with Altman for at least 17 years.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.
GUEST OBSERVATION

Australians should be able to see who donates to political parties, but our political donations laws fall far short of this ideal. Recent reforms in New South Wales and Victoria mean that voters will have much better information about who is donating. But when it comes to donations at the federal level, voters remain largely in the dark.

Money in politics is regulated to reduce the risk of interest groups buying influence. Explicit quid pro quo is probably rare: as the saying goes, you never bribe someone when you need them. But the risk is in more subtle influence: that donors get more access to policymakers, or their views are given more weight.

Publishing information about larger donors creates a public check on this behaviour. Voters are able to see who political parties rely on for funding, and MPs are more accountable for their subsequent decisions.

States are improving transparency

The trend in the states is promising. Victoria and NSW both increased the transparency of political donations last month.

In Victoria, donations of $1,000 or more will have to be disclosed to the Victorian Electoral Commission within 21 days. Anonymous donations of $1,000 or more are banned. Victoria even capped donations at $4,000 and increased public funding for election campaigns, which might help reduce the reliance of parties on larger contributions (but also comes with other risks).

NSWs already extensive donations regime was tightened from July 1 this year. NSW political parties are now required to disclose donations of $1,000 or more within 21 days during election campaigns (as in Victoria), and within six months otherwise.

When it comes to transparency, Queensland does one better: the 2017 state election was Australias first with real time disclosure. Donations of $1,000 or more are lodged through an online portal and are made public within seven working days. The Queensland Electoral Commission even provides interactive maps of donations by electorate.

Most other states also have decent disclosure requirements. In South Australia, parties are required to disclose donations of $5,310 or more every seven days during an election period (and every six months otherwise). The disclosure threshold in Western Australia is $2,300.

Tasmania is the only state with disclosure laws as weak as the Commonwealths.

These laws mean voters can know, before they go to the ballot box, who is funding parties election campaigns.

The Commonwealth has a long way to go

The states are taking political donations reform seriously  and thats a good thing. But state reforms are limited by state boundaries. Until the Commonwealth catches up, we wont be able to follow the money across all jurisdictions.

Under Commonwealth regulations, it can take up to 19 months for donations to be made public. Thats why Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls $1.75 million donation to the Liberal Party in the lead-up to the 2016 election was not officially made public until the start of this year.

Only donations of more than $13,800 are required to be disclosed. And there is no requirement to aggregate donations, which means an individual donor can make a series of donations below $13,800 without disclosure.

The result is a huge amount of money in the federal system that we know nothing about. Parties received more than $100 million from undisclosed sources in the two financial years spanning the 2016 federal election. Without this information, it is difficult for public scrutiny to provide a check on the possibility of donor influence.

Some of this money no doubt came from mum and dad donors contributing $100 to their preferred party. But some is probably the result of donations splitting, where people or organisations make multiple donations below the threshold. Some might also be income from fundraising dinners and business forums, for which attendees pay thousands for an opportunity to bend the ear of elected representatives.

Donations can also be filtered through associated entities of the parties. This makes money (and influence) even more difficult to track. These entities  unions, investment funds, or fundraising organisations  occasionally frustrate donations restrictions by taking money on behalf of their party.

In a particularly egregious case, investigations uncovered that hundreds of thousands of dollars in unlawful donations had filtered into NSW Liberal Party accounts through a federal associated entity.

Let the sun shine in

Growing public cynicism about special interest influence is partly born of secrecy. Simple changes could vastly improve what we know about money flowing to Commonwealth political parties.

The disclosure threshold should be lowered as the states have done. The current threshold of $13,800 is well above the amount that a regular voter could afford to contribute to a political cause. A lower threshold of around $5,000 would still protect the privacy of small donors while improving transparency and accountability.

Disclosure of donations should be much quicker. Queensland and South Australia now have real time disclosure during elections; the Commonwealth can clearly do better than a 19-month turn-around. Disclosure within three weeks  as in NSW and Victoria  would be far superior to the current system.

The states political donations laws arent perfect, but they are heading in the right direction. Its time for Canberra to catch up.

Carmela Chivers, Associate, Grattan Institute

Danielle Wood, Program Director, Budget Policy and Institutions, Grattan Institute

Kate Griffiths, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
McGraths most difficult days are behind it, according to the listed McGrath estate agency boss Geoff Lucas.

But the board will not pay a final FY18 dividend saying McGraths dividends will be reinstated as soon as it is deemed prudent.

With the new board and senior leadership team settled in, the last quarter of FY18 saw the beginning of a period of stabilisation, and we are in the midst of a business turnaround.

"We are already seeing good progress in culture and agent recruitment, and critically we are seeing some strong sales results within our key markets, Lucas maintained.

However weak real estate industrywide conditions impacted sales volumes.

And their revenue was impacted by many internal factors including lower agent numbers and a decline in offices, particularly within the franchise network. Agent numbers were down 99 to 558 with 8,065 sales from franchises during FY18 compared to 8,337 sales during FY17. The number of company-owned offices declined to 26 from 28 over FY18. The number of franchisee offices decreased to 69 from 74 in the prior year. There was a slowdown in the project marketing business with tightening regulatory conditions impacting investment demand. There was also lower numbers of properties under management in the company owned network. Managed properties declined to 7,215, driven by challenging conditions across the East Coast residential market. The number of Oxygen Loans settled were at four year lows. At the end of FY18 there were 31 mortgage brokers supporting the network, a decline of five. Even its industrywide AREC conference didn't exceed past record attendance levels.

The update to shareholders unveiled snippets of the strategy to turn the business around pinpointing a desire for agency growth in Victoria, Queensland and Western Sydney.

"Due to the difficult market conditions, lower sales volumes, and the departure of some of McGraths sales agents over FY17 and FY18, group revenue was down 23 percent to $99.2 million (compared to FY17)."

The lower revenue reduced underlying EBITDA to $5 million (before $4 million of one-off costs and $59.4 million of goodwill impairments), achieving market guidance.

"The ability of the business to generate positive earnings even after a $30.2 million reduction in revenue is testament to the robustness of the McGrath brand and position in the real estate industry," Lucas said, after a tumultuous year.

"The current property market conditions are challenging," he said. The revenue of company owned agents was down 32 percent.

"We will be concentrating our growth in predominantly franchised offices along the eastern seaboard, with particular focus on Victoria and Queensland.

"We will also be strengthening our presence in our existing company owned offices with an additional focus on the growth precincts around Western Sydney, he added.

''We do believe the most difficult days are behind us, notwithstanding the current challenging residential market,'' Mr Lucas said.

The press release advised the new board and management team had put in place an operational plan that is "stabilising" the business, with early signs of positive momentum repositioning the business for a return to growth.

The shares were trading at 38 cents, edging up to 40 cents during morning trade having been floated in late 2015 at $2.10.

The FY18 (vs FY17) results overview:

 Revenue down 23% to $99.2 million

 Reported results reflect the impact of one-off restructuring costs ($4 million) and impairment charges ($59.4 million)  EBITDA of $1.0 million, and loss after tax of $63.1 million

 Underlying EBITDA of $5 million; achieved guidance

 Balance sheet with no debt and $10.9 million cash

 After the departure of some of McGraths sale agents, market share based on value was constant at 3.1% (source: CoreLogic, 30th June 2018). Over $12 billion of properties were sold by McGrath in FY18 with property sales volumes decreasing 14% to 11,067, impacted by the reduction in the number of agents.
EIG Developments has moved to affirm the security of deposits paid by buyers in the Elpis project at Truganina, in Melbournes west.

The company advised it had secured five buyers through informal referrals by Ausin Australia.

"The funds obtained from these buyers are well-protected and safely held in Australia, in EIGs solicitors trust fund," a spokesperson advised.

EIG Developments Australia categorically stated that the land packages purchased by these five buyers will proceed to settlement, without any disruption.

The suggestion of deposit tumult in projects across the east coast arose in a newspaper report by the Australian Financial Review.

As an Australian developer, EIG Developments Australias focus is on sales for the domestic market, EIG told Property Observer.

EIG was responding to news that the residential project marketer Ausin China has collapsed leaving a trail of 100s of failed property settlements in Australia.

"Any informal connection with Ausin Australia has been discontinued," EIG added.

Ausin China sold off-the-plan apartments and houses to buyers in China, with an investigation now underway into the whereabouts of the deposits along with settlement monies.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
We are pleased to have Adzooma on board as a Google Partner" - Adrian Blockus, head of channel sales for Google UK & Ireland

The UK-based Adzooma are disrupting the digital agency landscape by making it straightforward for SMBs to advertise on Google Ads through tailor-made landing pages, simplified ad campaign creation and ongoing performance optimisation.

The newly formed partnership with Google will see both companies make further strides in attempting to help small to medium businesses advertise online.

We are pleased to have Adzooma on board as a Google Partner, said Adrian Blockus, the head of channel sales for Google in the UK and Ireland.

Adzooma has demonstrated the product knowledge, technical expertise and drive to help their customers build online success through Google Ads.

Adzoomas business model stands it apart from the traditional digital agency crowd with an entry price point that makes online advertising more accessible to SMBs.

Describing this innovative approach, Adzooma co-founder and CEO Robert Wass said: Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy; driving growth, encouraging competition, opening up new markets and creating jobs.

Despite this, SMBs have been the hardest hit by an online advertising market that has become more expensive and increasingly more difficult to succeed in. With Adzooma, we are leveraging the latest in technology and automation to deliver on our commitment of making it easy and cost effective for small businesses to grow online.

ABOUT ADZOOMA

Adzooma is an online advertising platform whose mission is to level the digital advertising playing field, making it easy and cost effective for small and medium businesses to grow online.

https://www.adzooma.com

Adzooma is a subsidiary of ClickTech Solutions Ltd. (t/a Adzooma), incorporated in England & Wales number 09899629 with offices at 7 Castle Quay, Castle Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 1FW

For press enquiries please contact: Thomas Hampson, 0115 8507471

ABOUT GOOGLE

Google's mission is to organise the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.
Firefighter Saves Dog From Smoke Inhalation With Project Breathe Pet Oxygen Mask For the past 45 years, Invisible Fence Brand has helped make three million safer, happier pets and has saved countless lives, including almost 200 pet lives saved through the Project Breathe Program, the companys pet oxygen mask donation effort.

In 1973, a traveling salesman in Pennsylvania began noticing an alarming number of dogs roaming the streets, and soon after developed and patented the first veterinarian-backed electronic pet containment system, Invisible Fence. Fast forward 45 years and today there are three million safer, happier pets and countless lives improved, including the almost 200 pet lives saved through the Project Breathe Program, the companys pet oxygen mask donation effort. Since Project Breathes inception in 2006, 24,000 masks have been donated to first responders and now the company is giving more. To commemorate its 45th Anniversary, Invisible Fence will equip 45 additional fire departments across the U.S. and Canada with these life-saving devices and embark on a nationwide service campaign to assist pet-related charities.

45 Days of Service

In addition to the Project Breathe donations, Invisible Fence employees across the U.S. and Canada are combining efforts for 45 Days of Service in celebration of the 45th Anniversary. Team members are volunteering at animal-related charity events, non-profits, rescue and shelter operations and more. In total, the team has pledged to put in 315 (thats 45 in dog years) volunteer hours in 45 days (Aug. 21 - Oct. 5, 2018). This includes supporting groups such as Blount County Animal Shelter and Heidis Legacy Dog Rescue, and hosting pet adoption events across the country.

Nominate Your Fire Dept.

Invisible Fence is giving people the chance to nominate their local fire department to receive one of the 45 oxygen mask kits being donated through this new Project Breathe initiative. Those interested should visit the brands Facebook page here, now through Aug. 31, 2018. Each year, its estimated more than 40,000 pets die in fires, most succumbing to smoke inhalation. The reality in most cases is that first responders lack the equipment to resuscitate and save these animals. These donations will give more pets a fighting chance and reduce the number of pet fatalities.

The devices will be used for rescues like the recent one in Centerville, Tenn., where Centerville Volunteer Fire Department firefighters responded to a structure fire, describing the events, Homeowners stated that their dog was still inside the home. Firefighters searched for and found the family pet unconscious. Crews removed the dog and successfully resuscitated it using our new pet oxygen masks that were donated by the Invisible Fence company. The dog was reunited with its owners. Red Cross arrived to assist the family.

For 45 years, weve been protecting family pets, including what takes place inside homes, said Ed Hoyt, director of Invisible Fence Brand. Weve seen how these masks save lives. Our ultimate goal is to equip every fire department across America with these life-saving devices. We are excited to give communities the chance to be a part of these donations for our 45th Anniversary and proud of all of our team members who are giving personal time to help various animal organizations and causes across the country.

About Invisible Fence Brand

Invisible Fence pioneered the pet containment industry in 1973, making it their mission to keep pets happy and safe. Owned by Radio Systems Corporation in Knoxville, Tenn., Invisible Fence predominantly sells containment, avoidance and access solutions in the U.S. and Canada. For the past 45 years, Authorized Dealers have provided professional installation, Perfect Start Plus Training and integrated solutions to safely protect more than three million pets. In addition to Shields indoor and outdoor solutions, Invisible Fence also founded the Project Breathe Program, donating more than 24,000 pet oxygen masks to fire departments and first responders. For more information on Invisible Fence or to find a local dealer, visit InvisibleFence.com or follow the company on Facebook.
Love Force Breakthroughs Event

Ready to live your greatest life possible? Want to personally meet the #1 Best Selling International Phenomenon and New York Times Best Selling Author of The Celestine Prophecy, James Redfield? And at the same time have the opportunity to be up close and personal with local sensation, Spiritual Medium and Mentor, Stacey Lynn Cripps? Then you need to attend the upcoming Love Force Breakthroughs, Live Your Greatest Life event, which takes place in Naperville, Illinois at Pfeiffer Hall  North Central College this September 21, 2018.

What exactly is Love Force Breakthroughs? Redfield and Cripps share how LOVE connects us all to live our greatest life and how LOVE Force Breakthroughs are possible for everyone. Connect with Spirit, find your own Love Force Breakthrough, and so much more.

During the event, Redfield, who is officially re-releasing The Celestine Prophecy and using this event as one of his first kick-off events, will also be speaking on embracing the New Spiritual Awareness now empowered by three generations.

This event is for those who:



Want more Synchronistic flow in their life.

Want to be more energized and intuitive

Want to gain clarity about who they are and what they are here to do

Based on the wisdom of the Human Potential Movement, Redfield will discuss the following:

Emerging abilities now open to those searching for a greater wisdom and how you too can have a profound expansion of Intentional Prayer-Power.

A Spiritual Connected Love Force" that tames our egos and delivers a deep emotion of authentic love.

Our growing awareness of the afterlife, and the authentic intuition that our departed loved ones are close to us, and are continuing to help.

As Redfield states, All these new abilities are now at our disposal, ready to integrate, and bring into our lives the ultimate clarity about the special truth each of us is here to share with the world.

Cripps will be discussing the following:

Love can and will build bridges for Spiritual Connection

Love is an activator to heal and receive from Spirit - learn the process of Healing Heart-felt Spirit Communication

We are all channels, mediums, and vessels for the Gift of Spirit. What is the Gift of Spirit and what does it mean?

Gain an understanding of real tangible signs from Spirit and learn how to receive these signs and establish a deeper, stronger connection within to receive from your departed loved ones in Heaven

Discover how to awaken to renew your Spirit and experience Love and Healing.

It is our birthright to open to our Spirit, take back ourselves, know who we are and what we are meant to do for all humanity.

Stacey will also deliver Spiritual Readings and bring evidential loving messages from departed loved ones in Heaven to her audience. Here is a link to her YouTube channel - https://tinyurl.com/yaq5l5fp

Redfield and Cripps will take the stage from 7-9 PM and a Vendor Hall will take place from 6-7 PM and 9 PM. Redfield and Cripps will be available at 9 PM for book signings and sharing additional information on upcoming events.

For additional information, stop by their site at https://touching1mhearts.com/loveforcebreakthroughs. For media interviews, contact Publicist, Diana Ennen at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or (954) 971-4025.
Nurse taking a digital footprint of a newborn baby with the Certascan system "This new technology for a foot scanning system is a tremendous advancement in the critical need to make a speedy positive identification of newborns in abduction cases. Hospitals and law enforcement agencies alike should be excited by this new development. - John Raburn, NCMEC,

Accutech, a leading provider of healthcare security solutions, announced today that it has partnered with CertaScan to provide digital footprinting for newborns. Infant security is a paramount concern for maternity wards, and baby identification is a critical part of keeping newborns safe. Footprints from birth are a recognized and viable way to uniquely identify each baby.

Digital footprinting offers many benefits over the traditional ink and paper method that over 65% of hospitals use today. The process is quicker, easier and less messy for nurses capturing the footprint. It can also be stored digitally, for added security within the hospital and quick identification throughout a childs life, as the footprint is a unique identifier at any age.

CertaScan by Accutech will offer an extra layer of security unmatched in the industry when paired with Accutechs infant protection system, Cuddles. The majority of infant abductions happen in hospitals and it takes only seconds, said Chris Konicek, Accutech Sales and Marketing Director. Offering digital footprinting was a logical next step for our organization, so we can provide the absolute best infant security available for hospitals.

Another enormous benefit of CertaScan is the ability to use the digitally stored footprints to help law enforcement. In the tragic event of an abducted or missing child, law enforcement can access the database to identify unknown missing children who are found. Currently there isnt an easy to way identify missing or abandoned children, as CertaScan is the first and only national database for child footprints.

Providing superior infant protection solutions is a top priority for Accutech, but Im also extremely proud of our partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), shared Josh Williams, President of Accutech. With CertaScan, we have the largest database of infant footprints in the world and can help identify and protect missing and abandoned children for generations to come."
In the dairy industry, and across farming in general, theres a big move towards automation. This makes things more efficient, but it also means farmers are consuming more energy at a time when electricity and natural gas prices are on the rise.

Lely, a premium German manufacturer known in the US for its high-quality farm equipment, is making its Lely Aircon wind turbines available to North American markets for the first time.

Acterra Group, headquartered in Marion, Iowa, will begin selling, installing and servicing Aircons three turbine models, including the Lely Aircon 30, which has earned praised in Europe for its low noise, ease of maintenance and high energy yields.

Lely has an outstanding reputation among farmers, and the Aircon delivers the same quality youd expect from this company, said Acterra President, Tad Cooper. Were proud to be the first and only retailer in the US to offer this product.

Acterra, located in the heart of Americas corn belt, is banking on farmers to be the first to adopt Lelys technology, which makes wind turbines quieter, more compact and more affordable.

In the dairy industry, and across farming in general, theres a big move towards automation, said Cooper. This makes things more efficient, but it also means farmers are consuming more energy at a time when electricity and natural gas prices are on the rise. Wind turbines can cut costs and help farmers become more energy independentand in some cases, actually supplement their income.

According to Acterra, Lely Aircons unique brand of turbines also makes wind-powered energy a more feasible option for industries outside of farming.

Lely Aircon has made wind turbines a lot more accessible to everyoneeven potentially residential developments. Because theyre more compact and quieter than tradition wind turbines, in the future, well see a variety of industries embracing wind energy, said Cooper.

Lely are looking forward to working with Acterra as their distributor for wind turbines in the US, said Lely Aircon General Manager, Andreas Aschoff. Initially starting in Iowa and then introducing them across the whole of the US, Acterra will offer not only famers the opportunity to become more self-sufficient and control some of their energy costs, but businesses with a high energy use as well.

Since 1958, Acterra Group, Inc. has provided equipment, manufacturing, consulting and specialized construction services to the fuel, chemical, renewable energy, healthcare, manufacturing and fleet industries. With more than 60 years in the industry, Acterra has evolved from a gas station equipment and service enterprise to a multi-faceted organization with exceptional sales, service and installation capabilities. Learn more at http://www.acterragroup.com.
The Self-Directed IRA is a powerful tool for diversifying a retirement portfolio. Many people use them to invest in real estate, generating rental income that then goes into the account. But when investors use out-of-state properties as part of this strategy, it can introduce complications that make them more difficult to manage. Recently, American IRA in North Carolina released a post explaining what investors can do in these situations.

The Self-Directed IRA itself comes with a number of advantages, but as the article noted, holding out-of-state property can result in a number of disadvantages as well. These include not knowing the area, the state laws, the inability to walk into a property and see it, and the lack of contacts held in the state. However, the article noted that while these disadvantages do exist, they are not necessarily prohibitive in making an out-of-state real estate asset work as an investment.

A Self-Directed IRA is probably the best way to get out of the stock market when it comes to diversification, said Jim Hitt, American IRAs CEO. People can diversify their investments beyond the market, and when they do so, it is great to use a tax-protected account that can help build for retirement. When it comes to out-of-state holdings, there are plenty of challengesbut that should not necessarily mean that any one of these challenges means an investor should only invest in their own state.

Instead, Jim Hitt said, it is important for investors to get a sense of what works with a Self-Directed IRA, including what it means to hold a property like a rental home. The article recommended getting a sense of variables including tax rates, property values, demographics, local employment, local crime rates, and the local laws and restrictions that can pop up throughout the process.

Being detail-oriented, argues Jim Hitt, is the key. This is a significant asset, and if you handle it right, it can be in an investors portfolio for quite some time, said Jim Hitt. That is why no investor should just leap into a new investment. They should take their time to asks questions, do their homework, and understand the lay of the land. That is as true for out-of-state assets as it is for in-state assets.

For more information on Self-Directed IRAs, visit http://www.AmericanIRA.com to read the post or call 866-7500-IRA.

"About:

American IRA, LLC was established in 2004 by Jim Hitt, CEO in Asheville, NC.

The mission of American IRA is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry. Jim Hitt and his team have grown the company to over $400 million in assets under administration by educating the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more.

As a Self-Directed IRA administrator, they are a neutral third party. They do not make any recommendations to any person or entity associated with investments of any type (including financial representatives, investment promoters or companies, or employees, agents or representatives associated with these firms). They are not responsible for and are not bound by any statements, representations, warranties or agreements made by any such person or entity and do not provide any recommendation on the quality profitability or reputability of any investment, individual or company. The term "they" refers to American IRA, located in Asheville and Charlotte, NC."
Arkansas Surgical Hospital We were honored to have two of our highly skilled surgeons share their knowledge at the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association Convention.

Two Arkansas Surgical Hospital surgeons addressed attendees of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association Convention held August 8-12, 2018 at Chateau on the Lake in Branson, Missouri.

The AOMA Convention, now in its 33rd year, is a prestigious medical conference designed to promote the osteopathic profession and provide practitioners with continuing medical education.

Samuel A. Moore, D.O, an orthopedic surgeon, discussed "Treatment of Osteoarthritis -Traditional and Emerging Technology." As an osteopathic physician, Dr. Moore is specially trained in Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) and focuses on treating each patient as a whole person.

Phillip M. Porcelli, D.O., FACOS, a neurosurgeon, discussed "Surgical and Non-Surgical Options for the Degenerative Spine." Believing in a conservative approach to spine problems, Dr. Porcelli utilizes numerous surgical and non-surgical therapies in his practice. He does not believe in a one size fits all approach to spine conditions.

"We were honored to have two of our highly skilled surgeons share their knowledge at the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association Convention," said Carrie Helm, CEO for Arkansas Surgical Hospital. "Our doctors, nurses and staff understand the importance of learning new and innovative methods of treatment for our patients."

To learn more about Arkansas Surgical Hospital, visit http://www.arksurgicalhospital.com.

ABOUT ARKANSAS SURGICAL HOSPITAL

Arkansas Surgical Hospital was founded in 2005. As a physician-owned facility, the decisions made at all levels are patient-focused and made by practicing physicians.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArkansasSurgicalHospital

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arksurgicalhospital/
The Auction of Washington Wines(AWW) celebrated its 31st annual charitable wine events at Chateau Ste. Michelle winery in Woodinville, Wash. this weekend, August 16  18, 2018, and raised nearly $4.1 million. AWW surpassed their goal to raise $3.6 million this year. Proceeds from the events benefits Seattle Childrens Hospital and Washington State Universitys (WSU) Viticulture & Enology Program.

Highlights of Washingtons premier charitable weekend of wine events included:



Private Barrel Auction (Thursday, Aug. 16): For the fourth year, the Private Barrel Auction provided a unique opportunity for retailers and restauranteurs to bid on one-of-a-kind wines specifically produced for this exclusive occasion and raised $251,500 for Washington State Universitys Viticulture & Enology Research program. This is a record and an increase of 83% over last year. Record attendance included more than a dozen high-level national trade buyers who were hosted for the entire weekend.

Winemaker Picnic & Barrel Auction (Thursday, Aug. 16): The annual picnic brought together more than 1,400 attendees for picnic games, international street food-inspired fare prepared by Tulalip Resort Casino and wine tastings from more than 80 Washington winemakers. Guests bid on one-of-a-kind wines and experiences during the wine barrel and silent auctions.

Winemaker Dinners (Friday Aug. 17): Winemaker dinners took place at private estates around the greater Seattle area on Friday evening. Some of the winemakers included: Quilceda Creek, Abeja, and Leonetti Cellar, alongside notable chefs such as John Howie of John Howie Steak, Jason Wilson of Lakehouse, and Jason Stoneburner of Stoneburner.

Columbia Winery Charity Walk & Run (Saturday, Aug. 18): The annual run, complete with delicious bites, wine tasting and live music raised funds for autism, cancer clinical trials and uncompensated care at Seattle Childrens Hospital, raised $100,000. Now in its 12th year, the run has donated over $1 million dollars in total to SCH since its beginning.

Gala (Saturday, Aug. 18): The Gala culminated the weekend of events and featured live and silent auction lots. Notable moments included:

o A trip to Bordeaux courtesy of DeLille Cellars received the highest bid of $160,000 for the evening and was won by Tom Sweeney and Rod and Kim Stohler.

o A bid of $115,000 was received from Paul and Connie Kapioski for a lovingly restored 1935 Antique Ford Roadster and this lot received a $100K matching cash contribution from The Ellison Foundation.

o Local Washington winemakers provided pairings for guests during a social hour featuring oysters from Renee Erickson, Sea Creatures; as well as bites from chef Thomas Griese of RN74 before enjoying a four-course plated meal including dishes from chefs Kurt Dammeier of The Butchers Table and Perry Mascitti from Tulalip Resort Casino.

o A highlight of the evening was the song, This Is Me, by 15-year-old Cassidy Huff a Seattle Childrens patient.

o Throughout the evening, guests heard moving speeches delivered by honorary chair, Ray Isle, executive wine editor of Food & Wine; honorary vintner Charlie Hoppes of Fidelitas Wines; community co-chairs, Yahn Bernier and Beth McCaw; and honorary grower, Marshall Edwards.

o The event was well attended by prominent Seattle attendees, including: Jon and Gretchen Jones (Brighton Jones), Doyle and Alane Simons (Weyerhaeuser), Jeff and Amie Sperring (Seattle Childrens CEO), John and Deanna Oppenheimer (Columbia Hospitality), Stein and Linda Kruse (Holland America Group), Charles Smith (Charles Smith Wines) WSU President Kirk Schulz and wife Noel, Jim and Jan Senegal and Sherry and Larry Benaroya.

About the Auction of Washington Wines

Since its inception in 1988, AWW has raised more than $45 million, benefitting Seattle Childrens Hospital and Washington State University Wine Science Research. Events hosted by AWW give wine lovers the chance to support the Washington wine industry and families in our communities around the region. The 2019 Auction of Washington Wines will take place August 15-17, 2019. Major sponsors include Wells Fargo, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Ferrari of Seattle, The John L. Scott Foundation, The Seattle Times, King 5 TV and Wine Spectator Magazine. For more information, go to http://www.AuctionofWaWines.org

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Madalyn Chau

The Fearey Group for Auction of Washington Wines

mchau(at)feareygroup.com

206.838.9227

Photo credit: Auction of Washington Wines

For more information, please visit http://www.auctionofwawines.org.
Edward Buckingham, MD is proud to announce that his practice, Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, has been awarded Allergans Diamond Status for 2018. This prestigious honor is reserved for the countrys most distinguished providers in cosmetic surgery. Only 4% of the nations cosmetic surgery practices demonstrate the expertise and excellence necessary to become a Diamond Status provider.

Every year, Allergan takes a moment to recognize its top providers from across the country. A world leader in aesthetic treatments and services, Allergan is the maker of trusted products such as Botox Cosmetic, the Juvederm family of fillers, Latisse, SkinMedica skincare and Latisse. Based out of Dublin, Ireland, Allergan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to providing innovative products and ideas for better patient care.

Through the international Allergan Partner Privileges Program, the drug maker compiles a list of the most outstanding providers in the United States. The experienced aesthetic professionals are not only the most prolific, they consistently bring patients exceptional results in a safe, trusted environment. Allergans Diamond members are widely considered to be among the most elite cosmetic and plastic surgery practices in the country.

This marks first year that Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery has achieved Allergans Diamond Status. The recognition exemplifies the high level of specialized care Dr. Buckingham and his staff consistently provide. Here at Buckingham Center, we are facial specialists. We focus only on the cosmetic and reconstructive specialty related to our areas. Dr. Buckingham continues, We feel that this particular region has enough specialty procedures that it doesnt make sense to branch out to anything else this really adds depth to our practice, as far as being able to help with (our patients) functional and aesthetic concerns.

About Buckingham Facial Plastic Surgery

Dr. Buckingham is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon, bringing his patients over two decades of plastic and reconstructive surgery experience. Among the many accolades Dr. Buckingham has received in the recent years, he has been named among Americas Best Physicians and a RealSelf Top Doctor, as well as winning the Patients Choice Award. Dr. Buckingham routinely presents at plastic surgery conferences around the country. Dedicated to education, Dr. Buckingham is one of only a handful of surgeons, chosen by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, to serve as a mentor in their highly-competitive Fellowship program.

To learn more about what it takes to be awarded Diamond Status, visit the Allergan website. If you are interested in scheduling a consultation with Dr. Buckingham, reach out to Austins Buckingham Facial Plastic Surgery at 512.401.2500, or fill out our online Contact Us form.
Sense announced today that an analysis of digital video recorders (DVRs) from cable and telco providers shows that they consume nearly as much energy while idle as when your TV is on, and their energy saving modes are not effective. For instance, Comcasts XFinity X1 DVR uses 26 watts when active and 24.5 watts in energy saving mode. With more than 84 million US households using set top boxes from communications providers, consumers are spending an extra $1.84B on their annual utility bills collectively due to the inefficient design of DVRs.

The energy consumed by cable DVRs across the country adds up to approximately 21 TWh in 2016, translating into 21 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. Sense estimates that implementing true power saving mode with some small changes in cable DVRs could save more than 14 TWh annually and cut U.S. residential energy consumption by 1%, equivalent to eliminating almost 5 coal-fired power plants running around the clock. And, if the cable industry adopted energy saving techniques developed for mobile phones, at least a 10X savings would be possible and could save US consumers almost $3B annually.

Sense analyzed the Comcast Xfinity X1 DVR and discovered that its energy saving mode only reduces power consumption by 1-2 watts, a miniscule amount. Said Sense CEO Mike Phillips, Consumers are being misled by Comcasts claim that they provide an energy saving mode. Only 1-2 watts has negligible impact on both consumers utility bills and the environment. The other top pay TV providersVerizon, DirecTV and Time Warnertake a similar approach to their set-top box energy usage.

To provide context:



Cable DVRs typically consume 20-27 watts while in use or idle. By comparison, the PlayStation4 uses only 8.5 watts in energy saving mode. The iPhone consumes less than 1 watt while on and only 0.05 watts in sleep mode.

It would cost less than $2 to implement a power saving mode that could cut energy consumption for each DVR by 2/3rds. See detailed analysis on Senses blog.

The pay TV industry could eliminate 14 TWh in energy consumption across its 84.7 million U.S. households by implementing a true power saving modeavoiding 14 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.

If cable providers took a page from mobile phone designers playbooks and architected their systems with energy usage in mind, power consumption could be reduced by 90%. This change could reduce overall U.S. residential energy consumption by 1.3%, saving $2.5B annually. Just this one change to a common consumer electronics device is an example of the steps that manufacturers can take to get to the 24-26% CO2 reduction goals set at the 2015 Paris Climate Accords.

In a 2015 report, the Natural Resources Defense Council analyzed home idle load and recommended that device manufacturers design their devices to use less than 0.5 watts in low power mode. They also recommended that devices automatically switch to low power mode after extended periods of user inactivity, when appropriate. The pay TV providers have reached neither goal in their design of DVRs.

In 2012, the Set-top Box Voluntary Agreement set goals for increased energy efficiency in STPs. The industry has reported annually on their energy savings, but the goals can be updated to reflect greater efficiencies that are possible with mobile hardware components.

On The Interchange podcast, Green Tech Media interviewed a lawyer for the cable industry, Pierre Delforge from NRDC, Sense CEO Michael Phillips and Sense Hardware Lead Joe Bamberg. https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/why-your-dvr-is-always-running#gs.VpnqmS4

Consumers have little control over their choice of cable DVR, and most people assume that turning off the TV will lower their energy costs. Meanwhile, cable DVRs are always on, using far more energy than necessary. To add insult to injury, cable providers have been crowing about their energy efficiencies, which lag the rest of the high tech industry by a huge margin. The cable industry needs to step up and implement mobile-tested hardware to significantly lower the energy costs of their DVRs, said Mike Phillips, CEO of Sense, an innovative company for smart, green homes.

For further details and technical analysis, see: https://blog.sense.com/dvr-power-saving-mode/

For the most recent report on energy savings from the cable industry, see: https://www.energy-efficiency.us/library/pdf/STB2017AnnualReport.pdf

What Can Consumers Do?

Consumers can take steps to reduce their own cable DVRs energy usage:

Check that their cable or pay TV provider has swapped out their old DVR for an ENERGYSTAR certified model.

Support efforts by consumer advocacy groups that advocate for greater energy savings by the pay TV and set-top box industry, as well as other makers of consumer electronics.

Stream content on their mobile devices, which deliver higher energy efficiencies.

About Sense

Sense's mission is to make all homes intelligent by keeping people informed about what's happening in their homes, and helping to make them safer, more efficient, and more reliable. Founded in 2013 by pioneers in speech recognition, the Sense home energy monitor uses machine learning technology to provide real-time insights on device behavior, even for those devices that are not "smart." Customers rely on Sense for a wide range of uses including checking what time their kids get home, monitoring their home appliances, determining whether they left appliances running or doors open and identifying how to reduce their energy costs. Sense is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. To make sense of your energy, visit: https://sense.com
Have you ever tried to vacuum with your neck?

Carpet One Floor & Home was honored to participate in a recent home makeover for Laurel, an inspiring woman born with no arms. Laurel was featured on an episode of Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show The Doctors that aired on October 19. Her highlight video shared how she has overcome many of lifes obstacles and remained positive. You dont know what youre able to do until you try it, she stated matter-of-factly during an exclusive interview with The Doctors hosts.

Its safe to say Laurel has tried many things and quite often, she succeeds. Laurel is a single mom and student. She has learned how to do practically everything with her feet. She types, writes, cooks, cleans, and even drives a car. She takes care of her children and maintains her household without assistance.

When asked by the hosts if there was anything she couldnt do, she shared that there are some things that are extremely challenging. Have you ever tried to vacuum with your neck?

It was this challenge that Carpet One Floor & Home was able to help with. To eliminate the challenge of vacuuming carpeting, the flooring retailer replaced all Laurels floors with Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) flooring. Also referred to as Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP), LVT is a type of vinyl flooring that looks like tile or hardwood. It is durable and easy to clean. Laurel will have a much easier time maintaining her floors with her feet. The maintenance free and easy cleaning is very helpful, Laurel commented after receiving her new floors.

The flooring was donated by Carpet One Floor & Home and installed by independently owned Wall-to-Wall Carpet One Floor & Home. The donated floors also included Carpet One Floor & Homes exclusive Healthier Living Installation. This installation system delivers antimicrobial protection for your flooring while minimizing dust, and inhibiting allergens, mold growth and odors. I feel like Im living a healthier life after the healthier living installation, Laurel said of the Healthier Living Installation process.

Its been a very eye-opening experience, said Chad Johnson of Wall to Wall Carpet One. No one deserves it more than Laurel.

In addition to new flooring, The Doctors also surprised Laurel with an Aspen ski trip for some much-needed relaxation as well as heated windshield wipers to make her winters easier. To learn more about Laurel, visit The Doctors website to see her story and watch her interview with The Doctors hosts.

About Carpet One Floor & Home

Carpet One Floor & Home is North Americas leading floor covering retailer, with 1,000 independently owned and operated locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Carpet One Floor & Home stores are known for a broad selection of carpet, wood, laminate, ceramic, vinyl, and area rugs, including exclusive brands like Lees and Bigelow Stainmaster. They offer a unique customer experience with the exclusive SelectAFloor merchandising system that simplifies the shopping experience and The Beautiful Guarantee, which guarantees that the customer will be 100% happy with their floor. Carpet One Floor & Home is also the home of the exclusive Healthier Living Installation system.

About The Doctors

Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show The Doctors has offered the most timely, topical and practical health, wellness and lifestyle information on daytime television for 10 seasons and counting. Hosted by ER physician and best-selling author Dr. Travis Stork along with co-hosts plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon, OB/GYN Dr. Nita Landry and dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra, The Doctors delves into real life stories and celebrity exclusives and provides sought after answers, interventions and care. The Doctors is produced by Stage 29 Productions and distributed by CBS Television Distribution. Jay McGraw, Carla Pennington, Patricia Ciano and Dr. Phil McGraw are executive producers.
Conversicas rich dataset, conversational AI capabilities, market traction and business longevity make it the undisputed leader in the field of conversational AI for business

Conversica, the leader in conversational AI for business, today announced that Chief Scientist Dr. Sid J. Reddy has been again invited to speak at this years VentureBeat Transform conference August 21-22 in Mill Valley, California, and at the Global Big Data Conference August 28-30 in Santa Clara.

Dr. Reddy, a recognized expert in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and computational linguistics, will use his appearance at Transform to unveil a new set of capabilities that are unique in conversational AI for business, including:

 The AI Explainer, a clear box dashboard for end users that explains how Conversica's AI makes decisions and that allows companies using Conversica to fine-tune the behavior of their AI assistant

 The AI Conversation Creator, an advanced conversational AI feature that allows users to directly teach their assistant new ways of conversing with prospects

These and other new AI capabilities developed by Dr. Reddys team will enable Conversicas customers to achieve new levels of insight and deploy more sophisticated conversations for their AI assistants across more than a dozen industry verticals, including technology, financial services, education, automotive, and hospitality.

In his follow-up presentation at the Global Big Data Conference, Dr. Reddy will provide an overview of Conversicas approach to creating and continuously improving AI that engages each of an organizations sales prospects in genuinely human conversations at scale. He will also share insights on why Conversicas AI is successful in increasing sales, improving marketing and gathering critical intelligence, freeing humans to focus on higher-value activities and enabling companies to employ more people.

Conversicas rich dataset, conversational AI capabilities, market traction and business longevity make it the undisputed leader in the field of conversational AI for business, said Dr. Reddy. Todays business leaders recognize that these technologies are poised to fundamentally change the way business is done. I look forward to introducing tomorrows technology today so they see how easy it is to get started now.

About VentureBeat Transform

Transform (formerly known as MobileBeat) is an intimate gathering bringing together director-and-above execs from the most innovative brands. Attendees will hear inspiring yet practical stories about implementing AI tech and strategies.

About the Global Big Data Conference

The Global Big Data Conference is the leading vendor-agnostic conference for the Big Data community. Acclaimed for its highly interactive sessions, the 6th Annual Global Big Data Conference will feature Big Data thought leaders over the course of three days. Speakers will showcase successful industry vertical use cases and share development and administration tips.

About Conversica

Conversica is the leader in conversational AI for business and the only provider of AI-driven lead engagement software for marketing and sales organizations. The flagship Conversica AI Sales Assistant helps companies find and secure customers more quickly and efficiently by automatically contacting, engaging, qualifying and following up with leads via natural, two-way conversations. Used by more than 1,000 companies worldwide, Conversicas sales assistants are built on a proven and patented AI platform integrating natural language processing (NLP), natural language generation (NLG), and machine learning (ML) capabilities and engage prospects over multiple communication channels and in multiple languages. Recognized by Gartner as a Cool Vendor, Conversica is a portfolio company of Providence Equity, Kennet Partners and Toba Capital and is headquartered in Foster City, Calif.

To learn more, visit conversica.com and follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
The research posters of several members of the research laboratory of CSUN Prof. Luciana Lagana were presented at the 126th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA), which was held August 9-12, 2018, in San Francisco, California. The posters covered timely gerontology topics such as assessment strategies to determine the risk of a fall by older adults and the multiple psychosocial challenges often faced by LGBTQ older individuals.

The year 2018 marks the 18th year Dr. Lagana has engaged in research work in her CSUN research lab, the CSUN Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) for almost 2 decades. Some of the 2018 APA posters presenters who were research assistants in her laboratory have gone on to become Ph.D. students at prestigious Universities such as UC San Diego and Indiana University-Purdue University this year.

One of the presenters was Abigail Pajulas, an NIH MARC scholar and a graduate of the CSUN Kinesiology Department with an emphasis in Exercise Science. Her research in Prof. Laganas lab focused on fall risk assessment strategies and on the development of intervention protocols to improve attitudes towards individuals with physical disabilities. Abigails work in Laganas laboratory as her previous lab coordinator and research assistant played a significant part in her success in applying to Ph.D. programs for Fall 2018. In August, Abigail began her Ph.D. program at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis.

Another presenter, Marina Z. Nakhla, is an NIH RISE scholar and a Sally Casanova (CSU Pre-Doctoral Program) scholar. She graduated from CSUN in May 2018 with her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and has been working in Dr. Jill Razanis Neuropsychology and Multicultural Research Laboratory. With a strong passion to advocate for under-represented individuals, Marina has also worked in Dr. Laganas lab both as an undergraduate as well as a graduate student, focusing her research on the challenges experienced and interventions conducted to help the older adult, LGBTQ, and physically disabled communities. Being a bilateral above knee amputee herself, Marina has a strong interest in integrating her personal experiences and academic/research training to make a difference within higher education and STEM. For instance, she is the major character in the physical disability film that Dr. Lagana` has directed and produced. This anti-bias feature documentary  currently in post-production - will be used in randomized controlled research to investigate its effectiveness in increasing empathy and reducing negative stigma toward this population. Marina will be starting her work as a doctoral student at the University of California San Diego  San Diego State University (UCSD-SDSU) Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Neuropsychology, this Fall.

Dillion Toscano, one of the undergraduate presenters, shared the following: I am a first-generation student majoring in psychology and I am interested in substance abuse disorders research. I work as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Laganas lab through the NIH BUILD PODER program. I want to thank my mentor Dr. Lagana for guiding me through my research experience and strengthening my overall confidence in presenting research. I also want to thank BUILD PODER for funding my research, as well as Drs. Chavira, Saetermoe, Berzenski, and Ruvalcaba for all the research courses, time and lectures. Learning from my professors and mentors, Ive realized that although I may make some mistakes doing research, research itself is never a mistake.

Ovsanna Balian was also a poster presenter at the conference. She is starting her second year in the CSUN Clinical Psychology Masters Program and is the research coordinator for the CSUN Behavioral Medicine Laboratory. Her research focuses on whether sexual activity and romantic relationship adjustment are related to factors such as physical pain, perceived stress, and depressive symptomatology. Moreover, Ovsanna is a research assistant in Prof. Scott Plunketts Adult and Adolescent Adjustment Lab, which focuses on how parental conflict affects romantic relationship quality and sexual activity levels in emerging adults. Her experience as a lab coordinator for Dr. Lagana and research assistant for Dr. Plunkett helped shape her passion for pursuing graduate studies in psychology. She will begin applying for Ph.D. programs this coming Winter.

Prof. Lagana is excited to have excellent research assistants such as these wonderful junior researchers in her lab. These students are very dedicated to pursuing a career in research, and they did an excellent job presenting our posters, she concluded.

Written by Stefanie Friesen

Dr. Luciana Lagana is a caring clinical and experimental psychologist. She is also an established professor of psychology, gerontology, sexuality, and womens health at CSUN, where she teaches classes and mentors many undergraduate and graduate students from several departments. Additionally, she conducts government-funded research on ethnically diverse, mainly low-income older womens physical, psychological, social, and sexual health. Concerning her artistic pursuits, since 2006 she has been studying acting and hosting in Los Angeles (in her teens, she was part of a touring theatrical company in Italy). Moreover, after studying film production under the mentorship of Prof. Nate Thomas, Director of the CSUN Film Production option in the Department of Cinema and Television Arts, she has been producing several social impact films and series. She is an actor/screenwriter/director/producer with over 30 film festivals' wins listed on IMDb and more than 50 IMDb film, TV, and web series credits. For instance, she created, hosted, and directed the award-winning educational project Dr. Luciana Show  Aging and Falling and won the 2017 CSUN Exceptional Creative Accomplishments Award for her anti-bias feature films and shows. At CSUN, Prof. Lagana also won the 2011 Preeminent Scholarly Publications Award and the 2008 Visionary Community Service Learning Award.
In fewer than two hours, employees at the corporate headquarters of C&S Wholesale Grocers assembled more than 100,000 meals for neighbors in need. The initiative celebrated the companys 100th anniversary year and was a demonstration of C&Ss values as an engaged corporate citizen.

Organized in partnership with The Pack Shack, a national nonprofit organization, several hundred employees volunteered during two high-energy, fun, and fast-paced sessions, nicknamed Feed the Funnel parties. Working in teams, they assembled and boxed the meals. Sporting hairnets, gloves, and commemorative T-shirts, employees broke out in spontaneous dancing while they created the meals.

The 100,000+ meals were given to the New Hampshire Food Bank and to the Vermont Foodbank for distribution to local food assistance agencies, including community kitchens and pantries and school pantries. Each meal is easily and quickly prepared by cooking in boiling water for 20 minutes and can be enhanced with the addition of fresh vegetables, meat, or fish.

After participating in one of the meal packing sessions, Mike Duffy, the Chief Executive Officer of C&S, said, This was a great example of how we come together as one team. It was inspirational to see how much our employees value making a difference in the community. We all worked quickly to get this done, and we had fun while doing it.

The Pack Shack has now led meal packing events in 36 states, and its first in the state of New Hampshire through the initiative with C&S.

About The Pack Shack

The Pack Shack is a nonprofit organization that supplies provisions and opportunities for neighbors in need. Since its beginning in 2013, The Pack Shack has engaged more than 120,000 people in 36 states to pack over 22 million meals for local nonprofits through its signature Feed the Funnel parties. Learn more about The Pack Shack and Feed the Funnel parties at http://www.thepackshack.org.

About C&S Wholesale Grocers

C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., based in Keene, NH, is the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S. and the industry leader in supply chain innovation. Founded in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores, C&S now services customers of all sizes, supplying more than 14,000 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases, and institutions with over 140,000 different products. We are an engaged corporate citizen supporting causes that positively impact our communities. To learn more, please visit http://cswg.com.

C&S community involvement programs support initiatives to fight hunger and to promote the health and enrichment of communities that are homes to the company's employees and workplaces. To learn more, visit http://community.cswg.com.
Overachieving Immune System This shirt provides a way for the community to support our work and show some allergy pride, said Emily Brown, Chief Executive Officer of FEI.

Kansas City, MO.  Food Equality Initiative (FEI) and RAYGUN Kansas City are pleased to announce a partnership to unveil a special shirt, Overachieving Immune System to support FEIs Allergy Friendly and Gluten Free Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides healthy free-from foods to patients diagnosed with food allergies and celiac disease in KC.

You can support the cause by purchasing an Overachieving Immune System tee at the formal release party, from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27th at RAYGUN Kansas City, 1803 Baltimore Ave. Guest will enjoy food, drinks and door prizes. RSVP and pre-orders are highly encouraged on the Facebook event page.

This shirt provides a way for the community to support our work and show some allergy pride, said Emily Brown, Chief Executive Officer of FEI. Most Kansas Citians dont know that our area is leading the country in providing free-from foods to those who need it the most. We established the nations first allergy-friendly and gluten-free food pantry in the nation, right here in Kansas City. We are so excited to announce this RAYGUN partnership that will enable us to feed more people.

Were so happy to support the Food Equality Initiative through this event and shirt collaboration, said Jen Leatherby with RAYGUN. FEIs efforts to fight hunger are near and dear to us and were honored to be able to help in those efforts.

Cant make the event but still want to represent for yourself or a loved one with food allergies? You can snag a shirt online here: https://foodequalityinitiative.org/product/overachieving-immune-system-shirt/.

About Food Equality Initiative

Food Equality Initiative is a Kansas City-based nonprofit with a mission to improve health

and end hunger in low income patients diagnosed with food allergies and celiac disease.

In 2015, FEI established the nations first allergy friendly and gluten free food pantry. Today

FEI continues to lead a movement to create access to free-from foods in both the emergency food system and retail markets. Learn more at https://www.raygunsite.com Foodequalityinitiative.org.

About RAYGUN

RAYGUN is the self-proclaimed Greatest Store In The Universe. They are a clothing and design company committed to promoting local and ethical production of goods, fair labor, and giving back to their communities and causes that they care the most about. RAYGUN opened in Des Moines, IA in 2005 and has since grown to open stores in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and Kansas City. Learn more at Raygunsite.com.
The legal team at Gross & Kenny, LLP is proud to announce that the firm has been honored for 2019 by US News Best Law Firms in the category of Workers Compensation.

The firm represents injured workers in the Philadelphia area. The legal team of Gross & Kenny focus exclusively on Workers Compensation litigation, including matters of subrogation, full and partial disability claims, lump-sum settlements, occupational diseases, workplace fatalities, and more.

Mr. Grosss long record of success is a reflection of his fierce dedication to the best interests of his clients. He has also been recognized as a Super Lawyer for fifteen consecutive years, among other prestigious honors. Moreover, Mr. Kenny is certified as a specialist in the practice of Workers Compensation Law by the Pennsylvania Bar Associations Section on Workers Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

If you have been injured at work, the legal team at Gross & Kenny will protect your rights and work fiercely to obtain the financial compensation you need and deserve. Call the Philadelphia Workers Compensation lawyers at Gross & Kenny, LLP at 215-512-1500 or 267-589-0090. You can also visit their website at https://www.philaworkerscomp.com for a free consultation. The firms offices are centrally located in Philadelphia.

"Like" us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrossandKenny/
GSI believes the best way for customers to realize the greatest value from their enterprise systems is through education.

GSI, Inc. is pleased to announce they will host the Super Session during the JD Edwards INFOCUS 18 Conference, on August 20-22 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colorado. During the Super Session, Federal Signal: Moving JD Edwards EnterpriseOne to Oracle Public Cloud (IaaS & PaaS), Federal Signal and GSI will discuss how Federal Signal, a large multi-national manufacturing company, moved their on-prem JD Edwards EnterpriseOne system to the Oracle Public Cloud. The Super Session will be held on Monday, August 20 at 4:30pm in Plaza Ballroom A. The Super Session will also be livestreamed.

In addition to the Super Session, GSI will host 4 educational sessions as well as exhibiting in Booth 301. The sessions will include:



Your Roadmap for Using JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Orchestrator

Foss Floors: Migrating JD Edwards to a Private Cloud During an Acquisition & Divestiture

What's New in JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2.x Tools Release

Insider's Guide: Fixing the Top 6 Issues with JD Edwards Inventory Reconciliation

On August 21st, GSI will be hosting a reception at the Yard House from 7-9 p.m. For more information and to register, please visit GSI Reception.

A complete list of GSIs sessions, times and locations can be found at GSI INFOCUS 18 Schedule or stop by the GSI Booth #301.

GSI believes the best way for customers to realize the greatest value from their enterprise systems is through education," said Kevin R. Herrig, President and CEO of GSI, Inc. "In addition to our five (5) strategic sessions, GSI hosts a series of free weekly webcasts on implementing, integrating, and managing JD Edwards, NetSuite, Oracle Cloud, ServiceNow, and Salesforce.

About GSI, Inc.

As a certified Oracle Platinum Partner and a recognized industry leader, GSI, Inc. specializes in providing a broad spectrum of business, functional, and technical consulting services for Oracle JD Edwards, Oracle NetSuite, Oracle Cloud, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and other enterprise applications. The client-centric consultancy offers a comprehensive suite of solutions including AppCare, a 24/7 managed service; GENIUS, an advanced monitoring application; GENISYS, a solution for optimizing system performance; gShield, a comprehensive security solution; RapidReconciler, its inventory reconciliation software; as well as JDE Cloud9, a complete cloud-based hosted service. GSI consulting services are backed by its signature 100 percent guarantee. Founded in 2004, the rapidly growing company is headquartered in Atlanta with locations nationwide. GSI, Inc. has been named to Inc. Magazines Inc.5000 list of fastest growing companies for two consecutive years.
Healthcare Background Screening Firm PreCheck Makes Inc. 5000 for Sixth Consecutive Year We are proud to make the Inc. 5000 list for the sixth consecutive year, but even more proud that we are growing our company in a sustainable way to provide better resources, more advanced technologies and deeper expertise for our healthcare clients.

PreCheck, Inc., a background screening and credentialing firm specializing in the healthcare industry, made the 2018 Inc. 5000 with a three-year sales growth of 60 percent. The Inc. 5000 is an exclusive ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies and comprises the most comprehensive look at Americas independent entrepreneurs. This represents PreChecks sixth consecutive entry on the exclusive list, which places the firm as a six-time Inc. 5000 honoree, a distinction only six percent of companies achieve.

This year marks PreChecks 25th anniversary exclusively serving the healthcare industrys background screening and employment qualification needs. The companys full suite of screening solutions is tailored to support healthcare human resources, medical staff services, and healthcare compliance job functions.

We are proud to make the Inc. 5000 list for the sixth consecutive year, said Zach Daigle, PreChecks President and COO, but even more proud that we are growing our company in a sustainable way to provide better resources, more advanced technologies and deeper expertise for our healthcare clients. We know that when we focus on building strong partnerships with our clients and delivering high quality solutions, our company will continue to thrive and grow.

PreCheck made its debut on the Inc. 5000 in 2013 and re-entered the list each subsequent year. The 2018 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to the percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 to 2017. To qualify, companies must be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2017.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About PreCheck

Founded in 1983, PreCheck has focused exclusively on serving the healthcare industrys background screening and employment qualification needs since 1993. PreCheck serves over 4,000 hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, educational institutions, and other ancillary healthcare organizations, across the U.S. PreCheck has evolved over time from a background screening provider into a turnkey outsourcing solutions provider, offering a full suite of background screening, compliance, and credentialing solutions all designed to help its clients adhere to the extensive regulations governing the healthcare industry. Based in Houston, PreCheck has been recognized as an Inc. 5000 company from 2013-2017 and has achieved Background Screening Credentialing Council Accreditation by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. http://www.precheck.com
Inc. 5000 the response from self-directed investors and traders to our technology plus education model has been fantastic

Inc. magazine today revealed that Trade Ideas is No. 3,012 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment--its 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.

2018 is the second year Trade Ideas makes the Inc. 5000 list. In 2017, Trade Ideas debuted on the list at no. 4,129 with 64% three-year sales growth and moves up dramatically in 2018 to no. 3,012 with 134% three-year sales growth this time.

"We are honored to be included on the 37th annual Inc. 5000 List again in 2018. Its a testament to our incredible subscriber growth, and an affirmation that our technology is leading the way in the financial technology sector. This honor underscores our team's commitment to delivering actionable intelligence that vastly improve investment decisions in today's difficult capital markets," said Dan Mirkin CEO Trade Ideas.

Over the last three years, Trade Ideas organic, number of paying subscribers has grown by 302% and sales revenue by 134%. Weve been a technology leader and data partner in the FinTech space for over a decade, its only in the last five when we seriously focused on selling subscriptions directly to consumers, explains Scott Olson, director of Marketing at Trade Ideas, and the response from self-directed investors and traders to our technology plus education model has been fantastic. We bookend all subscriptions with online classes, continuing trader education, and robust support.

Companies on the 2018 Inc. 500 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2014 to 2017. The minimum revenue required for 2014 is $100,000; the minimum for 2017 is $2 million.

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. The 37th Annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala will be held in San Antonio on October 17-19, 2018 at the beautiful JW Marriott Resort & Spa.

About Trade Ideas

Trade Ideas creates actionable market intelligence for institutions, advisors, and self-directed investors to make consistently informed decisions mitigating risk and capturing alpha. As a SaaS Fintech innovator for over 13 years, Trade Ideas leverages algorithms derived from recursive, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence to develop trade plans and ideas and produce statistically tested, optimized performance results. Trade Ideas' inputs include Big Data sets from U.S. and Canadian market feeds, technical, fundamental, and non-structured data sets such as news and social media. Trade Ideas' client base is from around the world totaling more than 8,000 with operations in the U.S., Canada, China, and Europe.

CONTACT:

Marissa Goodbody, Director Media & Public Relations,

Trade Ideas LLC, (619) 821-8198, info(at)trade-ideas.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

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 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
Author Shirley R. Jennings shares personal experiences and how God showed himself throughout each of them in her new memoir Encounters with A Holy God. By realizing His presence, Jennings strengthened her level of intimacy with God.

As humans, we tend to learn more from our failures than from our successes. God uses both our failures and successes to help us grow, and oftentimes it is only in hindsight which we realize his involvement in various parts of our lives. Jennings wrote this autobiography to show how present He truly was through good times and bad.

God personally knows every detail of our lives, and that it is through encounters with him brought on by life's experiences that we gain intimate knowledge of how much he really cares about us, the author said.

This memoir aims to deepen the level of intimacy between readers and God, allowing it to grow richer than they realized ever possible.

Encounters with A Holy God

By Shirley R. Jennings

ISBN: 9781973619345 (softcover); 9781973619352 (hardcover); 9781973619338 (electronic)

Available at the WestBow Press Online Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author

Shirley R. Jennings is the daughter of two Assemblies of God ministers. She is retired and the proud mother of two daughters as well as the grandmother of two boys and two girls. She holds degrees from San Jose State University (BA) and the University of Missouri, Columbia (MA). Throughout her working life she has held a variety of positions in many different types of educational institutions. She has been a public-school teacher, a program director of a large private boarding school for people with developmental disabilities, a collegiate instructor and lecturer, and a technician supporting scientific researchers at the University of California.

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Review Copies & Interview Requests:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Kiersten Woglom

480-998-2600 x 586

kwoglom(at)lavidge(dot)com
Agency Growth Secrets - Founded By Joshua Harris The ability to get started quickly is a big draw for those considering online marketing. Experience is unnecessary and you have the opportunity to leverage the experience of others while making sales based on relationships.

Joshua Harris, Founder of Agency Growth Secrets, yesterday announced that online marketing agencies are very attractive businesses to start with limited experience and resources. He revealed exactly what someone needs to start an online agency and how new business owners can find clients quickly. Joshua Harris shared, One of the most attractive business models is starting an online advertising agency. This is because of the amount of people you can quickly work with and help. There are an endless number of businesses that exist in the world. In America, 11,000 businesses are created every hour.

Continuing, the founder of Agency Growth Secrets reviews starting legitimate businesses and upfront expenditures, Starting a legitimate business has become increasingly feasible. By legitimate, I mean you own the assets and the brand youve created. Youre not an affiliate marketer or selling someone elses product. When you start a business theres substantial investment in both time and capital expenditure, before you make a single dollar. These businesses have high front-end capital. After all those expenditures, theres no guarantee they will find customers, bring in revenue, and grow.

Josh Harris added, When you operate your own marketing agency, that is your specialty. Think of your job as a doctor; the ailment you treat is no-customer-itis. This is the problem you solve for other businesses. The patient is the business, and this disease kills 100% of the afflicted hosts. The business must risk the investment to beat the disease through growth. The marketing world is ideal because theres little investment up front. You can start your business with nothing more than a little training, a computer, and a cell phone, and soon be competing with the biggest, billion-dollar agencies. There arent many industries where this is an option.

Sharing his thoughts on making this type of new business work, Agency Growth Secrets founder then revealed, The market has been leveled by the crossroad of accessibility of technology and client growth. The industry is rapidly changing, and this causes many people to tread water. They have little advantage over someone who is brand new. As long as you have training and current knowledge of disruptive technology, you can shake up a clients base of customers. The ability to get started quickly is a big draw for those considering online marketing. Experience is unnecessary and you have the opportunity to leverage the experience of others while making sales based on relationships. You can develop a relationship with someone and make an agreement that you will work hard to grow their business, but theres also responsibility on their end.

Josh Harris went on the review how to generate customers to quickly produce profit, People can solve problems in the real world by bringing all their best skills to the table and collaborating. Effectively, this creates your business. Youve put yourself in the position, by contracting others, to help people grow their companies. This is one of the few industries where you can gain a customer on the first day. Anyone you know is a potential client and can instantly be a source of revenue. You can also connect with people in your second degree, by reaching out to contacts who know other business owners. As long as youre following good business practices, and taking advantage of mentors, you can have a paying client in the first month. And just one paying client provides profit right from the start. At this point, most businesses have already invested heavily, and are still waiting to turn a profit. Thats why marketing is a unique business model.

In conclusion, Harris added, Theres such a wealth of information and a variety of ways you can help companies. And because the industry is constantly changing, there are always new opportunities for fledgling entrepreneurs to impact the market. This creates an inspiring and dynamic landscape for new marketers willing to educate themselves, adapt and work hard. Companies of all sizes, from mom and pop stores to Amazon, need this service. Amazon spends a fortune on consultants to create their marketing materials. You can find a potential client in any business. I would estimate that Amazon marketing consultants make significantly more than those for a local, privately-owned restaurant. Amazon requires a marketer with a much higher level of skill than a small restaurant needs. If you're providing a solution to a challenging problem, difficult to obtain customers, and high return on investment, the fees are more expensive and there's a larger potential profit margin. This creates a game you can participate in, by working to level yourself or your company up to help the billion-dollar businesses.

Harris grew up in Illinois. He is married with 2 young daughters. The Harris family has lived in Florida for the past two years. Josh Harris founded Agency Growth Secrets in 2008. He is a member of the Oraclesa group of highly successful entrepreneursand has been featured in both Forbes and Entrepreneur. He is passionate about helping entrepreneurs realize their goals and attain them.

About Agency Growth Secrets:

Agency Growth Secrets (AGS) is a cutting-edge digital marketing company. Founded by Joshua Harris, Agency Growth Secrets delivers highly qualified leads to clients by leveraging advanced technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. These advanced methods have allowed Agency Growth Secrets to decrease customer acquisition costs and optimize marketing campaigns for their clients. Agency Growth Secrets is based out of Largo, Florida.
Koble Homepage Were beyond excited to partner with Axiata Business Services to bring our B2B social network to hundreds of millions of their enterprise customers.

Today, Koble, a leading global business-to-business matchmaking platform, signed an Asia-wide exclusive licensing agreement with Axiata Business Services Sdn. Bhd., operating under the brand Xpand, to offer millions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) a digital business matchmaking service to meet clients and suppliers that are a perfect match for commercial opportunities. Xpand is the enterprise solutions and Internet of Things (IoT) business and wholly owned subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad (Axiata), one of Asias largest telecommunications groups with more than 350 million customers and a presence in 11 countries.

The Koble platform enables business professionals to discover, connect and facilitate business deals with clients and suppliers around the world. Recognizing a need to improve upon current business-to-business (B2B) networks that are designed solely for building personal brands, the Koble platform combines the power of social networking with the intelligence of anonymous and AI-powered matchmaking to improve relationship management for both qualified buyers and sellers looking to grow their businesses.

Together, the companies will bring localized versions of Koble to millions of business within the Axiata markets and around Asia. Working through Axiatas market-leading mobile operators, amongst them Celcom Axiata in Malaysia and XL Axiata in Indonesia, Xpand will distribute Koble to businesses in the region. Axiata operators will bundle the Koble platform at an attractive price exclusively for its enterprise customers and will be the first to roll out the service in the region.

Xpands exclusive partnership of the Koble platform further extends to Qorus Mobile Alliance markets such as Singapore, India, Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines, where it will work with the consortium of market-leading operators to roll out the services.

Were beyond excited to partner with Axiata Business Services to bring our B2B social network to hundreds of millions of their enterprise customers, said Fabrice Saporito, Koble Founder and CEO. Its hard to overstate how much of a landmark day this is for Koble as we instantly gain distribution to one of the largest professional user bases across Asia. Nearly one out of every four business professionals globally calls this region of the world home today, and they are increasingly demanding a professional network for growing their businesses rather than just their careers.

Asri Hasan, Chief Executive Officer of Xpand, said, With the mission to meet the complex and sophisticated requirements of businesses, Xpand is focused on bringing new and cutting-edge enterprise communications solutions to Asia. This exclusive Asia-wide licensing partnership with Koble is one step forward in fulfilling our role in providing access to businesses in this region to a global market and helping them expand their business reach.

In connecting our network of enterprise customers with the Koble platform, we will enable them to engage with each other online for business opportunities, while also opening the door for them to a trillion dollar opportunity of supplier contracts with Fortune 500 companies already on the borderless platform anywhere in the world.

Koble customer research indicates that nearly one-third of Internet-savvy small enterprises in Malaysia say finding new customers is their companys biggest challenge and networking online is their top tactic for discovering leads, noted Saporito. We strongly believe that Koble will quickly become their go-to professional social network for not only discovering new customers, but closing deals with them.

Kobles buyer-friendly community sparks genuine conversations between buyers and sellers that express their needs and markets their products and services digitally. The response rate from sellers reaching out to buyers on the Koble platform is the highest in the industry with an average of over 33% during the last 12 months.

Within our trusted community of professionals looking to buy and sell, message response rates are twice as high as the response rates on LinkedIn, and Kobles click-through rate on interactions is more than five times the average seen on the worlds current largest professional network, added Saporito.

Celcom Axiata will be first to market Koble in Asia in September 2018. The Koble platform, accessible on the web at Koble.com, and through the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store, is currently used by companies such as GE, Oracle, Harley Davidson, AXA, Sprint, Carlsberg and thousands of SMEs seeking to do business globally.

About Koble

Founded in 2016, Koble is a B2B matchmaking service that is reimagining the way larger companies and smaller businesses connect. A buyer-friendly community where content sparks meaningful conversations, Koble promotes authenticity, privacy and relevance to help professionals uncover genuine business relationships. On the app, a match is created after a user has shown interest in the content posted by another user or by viewing its profile. From here the user can start a chat with their match and convince them to reveal their identity. When successful, users are free to connect, meet and freely communicate.

By encouraging our users to ask for help or share original content from their company with the community they join, weve seen new relationships being formed in over 1 out of 3 matches!

Koble is headquartered in Boston. To learn how Koble can help you make more valuable business connections, visit http://www.koble.com.

About Axiata Business Services

Axiata Business Services, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad (Axiata), one of Asias largest telecommunications groups with over 350 million customers across 11 countries in ASEAN and South Asia. Operating under the brand Xpand, the company is focused on providing new and cutting-edge enterprise communications solutions to the multi-billion dollar addressable market of Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C) companies across multiple industries within the Axiata footprint. Please visit https://www.xpand.asia/ for more information.
DRB Financial Solutions, LLC is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, USClaims (http://www.usclaims.com), has again been voted a top service provider by the readers of The Legal Intelligencer in the publications Best of 2018 survey. The firm earned the gold title of Top Case Funding Provider, making it the ninth consecutive year that USClaims has placed in the top tier. The firm also won first place in the Best Consumer Litigation Funding category. They were also honored with a position in the Hall Of Fame for 2018, a recognition for placing in the top two for at least the past three consecutive years.

The Legal Intelligencers Best of survey asks readers to vote for the best providers of products and services to Pennsylvanias legal community in more than 40 categories. The results were published in the Best of 2018 issue on August 7th, 2018. The Legal Intelligencer is the oldest and most respected daily legal journal in the country.

This incredible honor would not be possible without the hard work that our team puts in to offer the best legal funding solutions to our clients. said Donna Lee Jones, Executive Director and Vice President of USClaims. To also maintain our position in the Hall of Fame reflects the consistent commitment that our firm has to plaintiffs. We are extremely proud of this recognition.

Founded in 1996, USClaims is the longest continuously operating pre-settlement funding firm in the United States. The firm operates by purchasing a portion of the anticipated proceeds of a legal claim and is paid only if the plaintiff wins its case or receives a settlement. In 2014, the firm was acquired by Florida-based specialty finance company DRB Financial Solutions, LLC, a move that has enabled USClaims to assist more customers than ever before.

About USClaims: USClaims (http://www.USClaims.com) provides litigation funding for plaintiffs, attorneys and surgeries. Its flagship offering is providing non-recourse financial support to personal injury victims, some of whom may have suffered catastrophic injuries from defective products, unsafe premises, motor vehicle accidents, and other types of accidents; this financial support provides the injured plaintiff the means to pay bills and endure the often long and arduous litigation process.

About DRB Financial Solutions, LLC, (DRB) provides liquidity solutions to individuals and small/medium sized businesses holding high quality but illiquid assets. Having raised over $1 billion in capital and developed a robust origination platform, DRB is a market leader in five major lines of business: USClaims, CRG Financial, (http://www.CRGFinancial.com), Echelon Medical Capital (http://www.EchelonMedicalCapital.com), DRB Capital (http://www.DRBCapital.com) and Producer Advance (http://www.ProducerAdvance.com).
Legaler, an Australian company building the blockchain infrastructure for the future of legal services, has raised $1.5m in a round led by MasterNode Ventures, joined by Pacific Blue Capital and a number of prominent legal industry figures.

While 2 billion of the world's population remain unbanked, and 3.5 billion live without access to the internet, Legaler is targeting the even greater figure of 4 billion people who live without access to justice around the world.

Legaler CEO and Co-founder, Stevie Ghiassi, says its one of the greatest challenges facing society. In developed countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and even Australia, 80% of people encountering a legal issue are unable to get help due to the prohibitive costs and arcane complexity of the system. There needs to be a fundamental shift and blockchain technology will provide just that.

Legaler previously launched an online meeting tool in 2017 to help lawyers and clients collaborate easily and securely, which has been adopted in over 1000 firms across 80 countries, giving the company a distinct advantage over most blockchain projects by having an existing team and global user base.

Likened to Apple's revolutionary App Store and developer SDKs, Legaler is an infrastructural layer consisting of a proprietary blockchain and developer tools for legal services to easily build their own secure and scalable decentralised applications (dApps). The goal is to bring the $1 trillion global legal industry online, eradicating the need for expensive intermediaries. The company hopes to further reduce the barriers to legal services by funding dApps that leverage Legalers blockchain and developer tools to provide greater access to justice.

Existing public blockchains have several limitations which limit privacy and transaction throughput which have prompted us to explore new consensus algorithms and sidechains for speed and cost savings, as well as zero knowledge proof technology to meet the confidentiality requirements of the legal industry, says Ghiassi.

Proving the power of the technology is one of the first dApps developed for the ecosystem: Legaler Aid. Developed in-house, the first-of-its-kind dApp that will match disadvantaged clients with pro bono legal advice, powered by a tokenised incentive system, along with a platform for crowdfunding social justice cases through transparent, tax-deductible donations.

Legalers soon to be announced advisory team boasts a whos who of the legal and blockchain world including members from CanYa, Stanford, Ripple and developers working directly with Ethereums Vitalik Buterin. The company has also enlisted one of Australias most experienced blockchain and cryptocurrency lawyers, Michael Bacina from Piper Alderman, to ensure they meets all regulatory requirements.

In keeping with their mission of providing greater accessibility, the upcoming token sale will be structured in a unique way to enable anyone from the public to participate from day one. Ghiassi says, although token sales were initially a democratic process, recent times have seen access to early stages of sales reserved for the elite few. We want to change that by getting back to what decentralisation is all about.

The recent injection of funds will help Legaler mature its technology and team ahead of the public sale. Its an exciting time to be in the legal industry says Ghiassi, also President of the Australian Legal Technology Association, the convergence of AI, blockchain and automation will bring radical change to a profession that has traditionally lagged behind other service industries.

Legaler

Legaler is an Australian legal technology company building the blockchain infrastructure for the future of legal services. The Legaler blockchain and platform allow businesses and developers to easily build secure and scalable decentralised applications for legal services without the need for intermediaries.

Company Website: https://www.legaler.com/

Contact: support(at)legaler(dot)com
Lido Advisors today announced that three members of its leadership team were included in the Los Angeles Business Journals list of The Most Influential Wealth Managers in Los Angeles. Lido Advisors has seen significant growth of approximately $1 billion in the past year to reach $2.7 billion in assets under management (AUM).

The financial market is evolving rapidly, and we are changing with it, said Gregory Kushner, Senior Managing Director and Chairman of Lido Advisors. This recognition of our success is evidence of our commitment to innovation, excellence and our clients. We have seen incredible growth this year and we will push for that to continue.

The Los Angeles Business Journal spotlighted 40 of The Most Influential Wealth Managers in Los Angeles, examining how these trailblazing professionals contribute to the local economy and the financial stability of the individuals and families that live in Los Angeles. The following leaders from Lido Advisors made the list:



Gregory Kushner founded Lido Advisors in 1999, leads the firm and oversees client relationships, including all aspects of managing their wealth. He has been named a Five Star Wealth Manager Award recipient for eight consecutive years.

Jason Ozur, President and Senior Managing Director, joined Lido Advisors in 2009 and has seen it grow from approximately $280 million AUM to now $2.7 billion. He has been the driving force behind expanding Lido Advisors development of cutting-edge software and technology, with the goal of delivering superior risk-adjusted returns for client portfolios.

Alyssa Weinberger, Senior Managing Director, became the sole female partner of the fast-growing firm in 2004. She is skilled at networking and is passionate about curating relationships. In 2005, she created the Annual Family Office Investment Symposium, which brings together like-minded ultra-high net worth families to share best practices.

About Lido Advisors

Lido Advisors utilizes experience, creativity and independence to grow, maximize and protect our clients assets. Meeting and exceeding wealth management and legacy planning goals is our passion and focus. At Lido, we consider the economic and market cycles, the unknown and tax reform to be potential opportunities. Given our knowledge in various disciplines and an extensive network of industry professionals, we have the power to analyze complex situations and develop practical solutions personalized for each client.

For more information about Lido Advisors, please visit its website at http://www.lidoadvisors.com.

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LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL MOST INFLUENTIAL WEALTH MANAGERS IN LOS ANGELES: Recipients are selected by the Los Angeles Business Journal using their own proprietary selection process. Recipients do not pay a fee to become eligible for the award. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Most Influential Wealth Managers in Los Angeles list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Working with a wealth manager who has made the list, or any wealth manager, is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be selected again in the future. The Los Angeles Business Journal is not an advisory firm, and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information, please visit http://www.labusinessjournal.com.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER: Five Star Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria including by not limited to: one-year client retention rate, five-year client retention rate, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served and education and professional designations. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm, and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to http://www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Lido Advisors, LLC is an investment advisor registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission. SEC registration does not denote competence, ability, or expertise. As an SEC-registered advisor, we are required to publicly file certain information with the SEC as well as furnish or provide you with the opportunity to obtain information about our principals, employees, products, services, and fee schedules. Please review our Form ADV, which provides this information, at adviserinfo.sec.gov, call us at (310) 278-8232, or mail us at 1875 Century Park East, Suite 950, Los Angeles, CA 90067 for a copy of our Form ADV.

The future is uncertain and cannot be predicted. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. These materials are provided for informational and illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as the basis of an investment decision. You should not construe this as investment advice or an offer to buy or sell securities. All content herein has been obtained from sources deemed to be reliable, but is subject to unintentional errors, omissions and changes without notice, and is not warranted as to its accuracy or completeness. You should not rely on the information contained herein, and should rely solely on, and carefully read, the appropriate offering and related subscription materials relating to any specific investment before making a decision to invest.

Not all investments are suitable for all clients. Investing carries a risk of loss, including the complete loss of principal. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that any specific investment will be profitable or suitable for your financial situation or risk tolerance. Any references to projected or future expected returns or risk are not guarantees, promises, or assurances that these outcomes will be achieved. Before investing, you should seek financial advice regarding the appropriateness and suitability of the contemplated investment as not all investments are suitable for all investors.

We do not provide legal or tax advice. Any investment has tax and legal consequences. You should consult with a licensed professional prior to making any investment.

LIDO SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY ARISING FROM THE INFORMATION OR ILLUSTRATIONS PRESENTED IN THESE MATERIALS AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY DECISIONS OR ACTIONS TAKEN AS A RESULT. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR ADVISOR BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT DECISION.
Collabtic Rapidly growing platform enabling organizations enhance their service process

Collabtic is helping businesses reduce call backs, minimize unnecessary parts replacement and lower mean time for repairs by taking advantage of a data-driven collaboration platform.

Retaining quality technicians is critical, and finding skilled technicians is getting increasingly difficult for a business. Collabtic provides a unified communication and collaboration platform for technicians to efficiently work together, as well as with the rest of the service organization. Collabtic provides a strong infrastructure for existing technicians, helps retain enterprise knowledge and enables new technicians to become informed faster.

Ron Norby, Regional Copier Service Manager at Marco stated, Marco technicians have significantly benefitted from the efficiencies offered by the Collabtic platform. Our service organization is improving with this change. We look forward to utilizing the platform company-wide.

Mohan Sethi, Founder of Collabtic, appreciates the partnership with Marco: It has been our privilege to work with the team at Marco, who believed in the platform and have taken full advantage of its features and functions over the past 18 months. We are looking forward to further strengthening our relationship with Marco.

Collabtic has 2,000 technicians using the platform across its customer base in the Printing/Imaging and Automotive industries. Collabtic offers a wide range of solutions, such as Collaboration, Document Management, Tech Support Module, Blog-Style Information Sharing and System Analytics. Collabtic is accessed from both web and mobile apps.

About Collabtic

Collabtic is a brand of Fieldpulse LLC, based out of Rochester Hills, Michigan. Fieldpulse is a developer of enterprise software products and custom software. It currently operates in the Printing/Imaging and Automotive industries.

Collabtic.com

About Marco

Marco is one of the largest technology providers in the country with 53 offices throughout the Midwest and 32,000 customers nationwide. Marco specializes in business IT services, copier/printer solutions and managed and cloud services. Today, they have 1,100 employees across nine states.

Marconet.com
Merit Logistics, a national third-party services provider, announced today that CEO Michael Bletko will be retiring from his current position as of September 1, 2018. Bletko will remain in a valuable advisory role as a member of the Board of Directors.

On behalf of the company, I want to personally thank Michael for his contributions to Merit over the past 5 years, says Chairman Cesar Scolari. Together, Michael and our executive leadership team have turned Merit into one of the premier service providers in the industry. Scolari, who will assume CEO responsibilities, is excited about the future for this rapidly growing organization. With our company-wide focus on operational excellence, I am confident Merit is going to epitomize the next level of success in 3pl services.

Merit Logistics was launched in Southern California in 2013. From the beginning, Merit built its reputation as a leader in efficiencies and productivity. From investing in live, inbound tracking technologies and advanced reporting analytics to the companys unique flat, cost-per-unit pricing model, Merit continues to raise the bar on industry standards.

Our goal is to provide next level service and results to our clients, says Senior Vice President Jason Giuliany. This starts with our commitment to exploring new technologies such as robotics and inbound scheduling applications in order to be the most dependable, most reliable and most efficient link in the supply chain for our customers.

Merit Logistics is an independently owned and operated third party services provider based in Southern California. Since its inception, Merit has proudly helped many of the nations largest retailers achieve peak performance and higher profitability through its superior logistics services. For more information on Merit or its innovative services, technology and programs, please contact Bob Shade, Director of Marketing at 949-481-0685 ext. 611.
Smiles for Everyone!

Monarch Dental has partnered with the Smiles for Everyone Foundation to open its Lewisville, TX office on West Main Street to provide free dental services for low-income, underinsured individuals on September 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dental services provided include fillings, extractions, cleanings, and various other procedures. A limited number of appointmens are available. Please visit the Monarch Dental website for more information.

About Monarch Dental

Monarch Dental provides general dentistry, childrens dentistry and specialty care services such as orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics and endodontics at 89 locations throughout Texas, Arkansas and Utah. Monarch Dental affiliated practices make it easy and affordable for individuals and families to get the dental care they need with convenient locations, extended hours and same-day appointments. The Monarch Dental mission is to create healthier smiles by making dental visits easy and enjoyable. Learn more at http://www.monarchdental.com.

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About the Smiles For Everyone Foundation

The Smiles for Everyone Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of delivering smiles for everyone by providing free dental care for those in need, both at home in the U.S. and around the world. Since 2011, the Smiles for Everyone Foundation has delivered over 16,000 smiles and $12.5 million in donated dentistry. The foundation currently supports programs which provide free dental care to those in need in Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Thailand and the United States. For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.smilesforeveryone.org.

Contacts:

Monarch Dental

Jody Martin

PR(at)smilebrands(dot)com

714.427.1299

Smiles for Everyone Foundation

Crystal Strait

crystal.strait(at)smilesforeveryone(dot)org

714.824.5037
In order to better help our community, NJ Lenders is offering a $2,000 credit towards closing costs for any local resident in need of a renovation loan

Recently NJ Lenders neighbors in Little Falls, New Jersey have been severely impacted by storms and flash flooding in the area. As a local member of the business community since 1991, were here to help our friends in Little Falls rebuild their homes. As an expert in renovation financing, we can assist those affected by navigating the process of rehabilitating your home quickly.

In order to better help our community, NJ Lenders is offering a $2,000 credit towards closing costs for any local resident in need of a renovation loan.

They also have an opportunity to take advantage of our FHA 203K renovation loan program. This program provides funds for the renovation of a damaged home packaged into a mortgage loan. It can also help provide a homeowner with the financing of buying a home in need of repair, as well as obtaining funds for the refinancing of a property.

Rehabilitation of properties damaged by the storms can include the following improvements:



Repairing structural damage to include major renovation or remodeling

Adding or replacing floors and/or floor treatments

Major landscape work and site improvements

Enhancing accessibility for a disabled person

Replacing and repairing decks, patios and porches

Remodeling basement to include finishes and waterproofing

Upgrading plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems

Weatherization including storm windows and doors, insulation, and weather stripping

Window and door replacements and exterior wall re-siding

Purchase and installation of appliances, including free standing ranges, refrigerators, washers/dryers, and dishwashers

Painting of interior and exterior

Benefits of 203K financing to include:

Up to six months of mortgage payments to be included in financing

Home does not need to be habitable to be eligible

Financing can be based upon 110% of the after-improved value

Flexibility in selecting your own contractor

Most if not all costs associated with the renovation can be financed resulting in minimal out of pocket expenses

FHA 203K mortgage loans have been available for a very long time. As one of the largest privately held mortgage banking firms in the state of New Jersey, NJ Lenders has access to the resources and information needed to help your family re-build and re-store your home. We take pride in the fact that we offer numerous options for borrowers, but if we cant help you, well find out who can.

About NJ Lenders Corp.

Founded in 1991, NJ Lenders is a leading NJ-based residential mortgage banker that is privately owned and licensed. The company currently originates first mortgage loans in NJ, NY, CT, PA, VA, MD, and FL. With 11 offices and over $25 billion in closed mortgage loans, many of their Mortgage Loan Originators are recognized nationally as the best in their field. The company has competitive rates and fees with a wide variety of mortgage programs to select from.
At OPENonline we believe that social media background checks need to have full FCRA compliance, which requires reasonable procedures for maximum possible accuracy

OPENonline, an industry leading provider of background checks and investigative services, announces a partnership with Social Intelligence to add an FCRA-compliant social media background check to their suite of services.

According to a recent research report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 76% of companies said that they do use or are planning to use social media sites for recruiting. More than half of the employers responding said that social networking sites are an efficient way to recruit candidates.

The challenge is knowing what information you can use to make hiring (and firing) decisions without running the risk of discrimination claims. Broadly screening social media can be problematic because information found online can carry legal risk and may not even be true. "At OPENonline we believe that social media background checks need to have full FCRA compliance, which requires reasonable procedures for maximum possible accuracy," Browning added.

OPENonline is excited to partner with Social Intelligence to offer a fully compliant Social Media Screening solution. We believe this FCRA compliant solution is another opportunity for OPENonline to provide our customers good information to make informed hiring decisions. Social Intelligence's commitment to deliver unique data, legally and with consumer privacy in mind, they adhere to the guidelines of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and are compliant with Federal and State law. With FCRA Certified Analysts, Social Intelligence is the only social media background checking company to be reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission.

About OPENonline

OPENonline is accredited by the NAPBS Background Screening Credentialing Council and is the leading provider of background screening and investigative solutions, serving clients around the world, with offices throughout the United States. OPENonline offers a broad range of employment and drug screening, and employment eligibility verification services, including SelectHire(R), a one stop solution for employment screening. The company is dedicated to helping customers save time and money by providing background information that is current, accurate, and compliant with exceptional customer service. For more information, visit http://www.OPENonline.com or call 1-888-381-5656.

About Social Intelligence

Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, the core team hails from the software and investigative industries. The founders have been innovating the data analytics industry for the last fifteen years. Social Intelligence strives to protect the workplace from harassment, prejudice, and violence by those publicly discriminating against federally protected classes on social media.
quip, an oral health company that makes oral care more simple and accessible, today announced the availability of their special edition (RED) electric toothbrush to help get back to your routine at the end of the summer and give back. For every (quip)RED electric toothbrush purchased, 15% of the proceeds will be donated to the AIDS fight.

The proceeds from each purchase will support Global Fund programs that deliver HIV testing, treatment, prevention, counseling and care services, with 100% of the money raised going directly to programs on the ground.

At quip, weve designed an electric toothbrush that makes better brushing an intuitive part of your everyday routine. With (quip)RED, we want to make donating to the fight against AIDS just as simple as brushing your teeth, says Simon Enever, CEO of quip. These small actions add up to make a real difference and were proud to be able to partner with (RED) and have quip join the line-up of stylish, design-led products that raise money to fight this disease.

(quip)RED is the latest from quips line of American Dental Association approved electric toothbrushes which encourage better brushing habits. The brushes guide users through a thorough two minute clean using sensitive vibrating bristles that pulse every 30-seconds to cover the entirety of the mouth. quip also offers a subscription service on a dentist recommended basis for brush heads and toothpaste, and provides incentives for timely dental check ups.

We are extremely honored that quip has brought their innovative and exquisite design to the AIDS fight. As we brush for two minutes, it is important to know that every two minutes a teen becomes infected with HIV. This means there is still plenty of work to be done and together we can win this fight, said Deborah Dugan, CEO, (RED).

The (quip)RED toothbrush will cost $40 and will be available to purchase at getquip.com/red

About quip

quip is an oral health company that provides thoughtfully designed products and professional dental services to make oral care more simple, accessible, and enjoyable. The current offerings include a wide selection of one of the first American Dental Association approved (ADA seal) electric toothbrushes, a subscription service on a dentist recommended basis for brush heads and optional toothpaste, and incentives for timely dental check ups. quips toothbrush enables better brushing habits by guiding people through a thorough two minute clean using sensitive vibrating bristles that pulse every 30-seconds to cover the entirety of the mouth. Co-founded by Simon Enever and Bill May, quip's investors include Sherpa Capital, Blue Scorpion VC, and Demi Lovato.

About (RED)

(RED) was founded in 2006 to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. (RED) partners with the worlds most iconic brands that contribute proceeds from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, The Coca-Cola Company, MCM, Salesforce, SAP, Starbucks and Telcel. (RED) Special Edition partners include: aden+anais, Alessi, ALEX AND ANI, Andaz, Baxter of California, Bombas, Fatboy USA, Girl Skateboards, Mophie, Swell, Wanderlust and Vespa.

To date, (RED) has generated more than $500 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground  no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 110 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.
Patcraft associates joined the team at American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region to present their check in support of ongoing Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Houston, Texas.

Patcraft, a leader in high-performance commercial flooring, has donated more than $67,000 to the American Red Cross, Texas Gulf Coast Region, through a giving program to benefit Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Since September 2017, Patcraft collected 2% of every sale of product shipped to Texas to donate directly to the humanitarian organization. With customers and team members located throughout the Houston area, Patcrafts giving program aims to contribute to rebuilding communities after the Hurricane Harvey devastation.

We care greatly about our Houston community, our customer partners and our team members, and we will continue to provide support as the city recovers over the coming years, said Jeff West, vice president of marketing for Patcraft.

Patcraft visited with its Red Cross partners to deliver the check. The donation will benefit rebuilding efforts, including funding financial assistance for households that need extra help, and grants to important non-profit partners in the region.

The Texas Gulf Coast Region of the Red Cross is so thankful and fortunate to have donors like Patcraft whose generosity allows us to do what we do, and that is help those in need. The region is in the midst of recovery efforts and the community looks to us in its time of need and we would not be able to help without donations, said Henry Van de Putte III, Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region.

While we are so thankful that our team members were safe, we realize that their communities have a long redevelopment path ahead, said West. We extend a thank you to organizations like the Red Cross and dedicated residents who are serving the area as they continue to provide shelter, food and support to people and families in need.

During and following Hurricane Harvey, the Red Cross and its partners provided more than 435,000 overnight shelter stays, served more than 4.5 million meals and snacks, distributed more than 1.6 million relief items, and provided health services and emotional support to tens of thousands of hurricane survivors. Patcraft is honored to join them in rebuilding communities across Houston.

About Patcraft

Part of Shaw Industries, Patcraft is a leader in high-performance commercial flooring, delivering performance carpet tile, broadloom and resilient with innovative design and superior service to meet the needs of every market sector.
We created the National Demonstration Site Award program to recognize recreation spaces that follow design best practices, utilize community input, and have a commitment to measuring outcomes in the space," said Anne-Marie Spencer, PlayCores Corporate VP of Marketing.

PlayCore awards Fitness National Demonstration Site Award to Earls Island Fitness Trail for excellence in providing a well-rounded workout.

PlayCore, the leading company in play and recreation research, programming, and products, recently awarded its Fitness National Demonstration Site Award to a brand new outdoor fitness park in Minster, Ohio. Earls Island Fitness Trail celebrates their grand opening at Lake Loramie State Park on August 21.

Lake Loramie Improvement Association funded the Outdoor Adult Fitness Park in Earls Island Fitness Trail. The site features five fitness stations with a paved interpretive walking path. The site offers equipment designed to promote the four elements of a well-rounded workout: cardio, muscle, core, and balance/flexibility, and includes adaptive equipment for people who use mobility devices.

We created the National Demonstration Site Award program to recognize recreation spaces that follow design best practices, utilize community input, and have a commitment to measuring outcomes in the space," said Anne-Marie Spencer, PlayCores Corporate VP of Marketing. Best practices are outlined in the guidebook "Outdoor Adult Fitness Parks: Best Practices for Promoting Community Health by Increasing Physical Activity." The resource was created with an advisory board of scholars and experts in fitness to help communities understand not just design, but also benefits of outdoor exercise, marketing tactics to promote their Outdoor Fitness Parks, and outcome tracking.

Earls Island Fitness Trail will be listed on the National Demonstration Site Map at https://www.playcore.com/nds/map. To receive a copy of Outdoor Fitness Parks: Best Practices for Promoting Community Health by Increasing Physical Activity, send a request to info@playcore.com.

About PlayCore:

PlayCore is a purpose driven Company committed to building stronger communities around the world by advancing play and recreation. The company infuses scholarly learning, through its Center for Outreach, Research, and Education, into its comprehensive family of brands. PlayCore combines best-in-class educational programming with the most comprehensive portfolio of play and recreation products and services to create tailored solutions that match the unique needs of each community served. Learn more at http://www.playcore.com.
Sven T. Berg, MD I look forward to collaborating with AHQAs members to shine a light on the tremendous work they are performing in every community across the country.

Quality Insights Chief Executive Officer Sven T. Berg, MD is the new president-elect of the American Health Quality Association (AHQA), a non-profit national membership association dedicated to promoting and facilitating fundamental change that improves the quality of health care in America.

Berg was elected to the post during the organizations recent annual membership meeting. He will become AHQA president for the 2019-2020 term, succeeding Russell Kohl, MD, Chief Medical Officer for TMF Health Quality Institute, who has assumed the presidency for the 2018-2019 term.

I look forward to collaborating with AHQAs members to shine a light on the tremendous work they are performing in every community across the country and am honored to be selected at a time when it is poised to play a transformative role in improving the nations health care quality, Berg said.

Berg brings substantial experience to the position, having served as Quality Insights Chief Medical Officer for five years before becoming CEO in 2017. Prior to joining Quality Insights, he was a career Air Force physician and executive. He earned his MD from Cornell University Medical College, completed a residency program at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center and held a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Berg is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Certified Physician Executive and a member of the West Virginia State Medical Association.

AHQA, an educational, not-for-profit national membership association, has represented Quality Improvement Organizations and other professionals working to improve health care quality and patient safety since its founding in 1984.

About Quality Insights

Based in Charleston, West Virginia with offices throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Quality Insights specializes in developing and maintaining measures of health care quality, collecting and analyzing performance data, and providing both collaborative learning opportunities and individualized technical assistance to health care providers in all settings. Its 300+ employees and consultants support quality initiatives from federal and state government agencies, private payers and more. Learn about how Quality Insights is bringing people and information together to improve health at http://www.qualityinsights.org.
We are on the right side of history by committing to win this important environmental battle, while assuring that San Francisco will retain or improve the reliability of its water system.

Restore Hetch Hetchy has formally requested that the California Supreme Court review the ruling, by Californias 5th District Court of Appeal, that its petition alleging Hetch Hetchy Reservoir violates California law is preempted by the federal Raker Act. (Case No. F074107  https://bit.ly/2wcWubP )

Restore Hetch Hetchy has asked the California Supreme Court to review the ruling, quite simply, because we believe our case raises extremely important issues and the appellate court got it wrong. It failed to consider the Raker Acts plain language that Congress never wanted San Franciscos water system to be above the laws of California, said Restore Hetch Hetchy Executive Director Spreck Rosekrans. We think the Supreme Court will want to take a very close look at the lower courts ruling and what it would mean for the sovereignty of State water law.

On July 9, the Court of Appeal ruled against Restore Hetch Hetchy, affirming the trial courts conclusion in 2016. The Court of Appeal stated Congress intended to permanently flood the valley through its right-of-way grant. That intent cannot be overcome by the Acts general savings clause, one that preserves California law but only in matters not in direct conflict with the requirements of the Act itself.

Restore Hetch Hetchys case alleges that the reservoir that has drowned the Hetch Hetchy Valley under 300 feet of water violates the water diversion mandates in the California Constitution. Restore Hetch Hetchy seeks a hearing in the California courts which would weigh the significant value of restoration against the cost of water system improvements necessary for San Francisco to retain its existing Tuolumne River supplies without Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

San Francisco argues that the reservoir is subject only to federal law and that it need not comply with the mandate of the California Constitution that all methods of diversion be reasonable.

Our case recognizes that the federal government has no direct stake in San Franciscos water system  it is simply acting as landlord. Congress specifically required that all elements of the Citys water system comply with State water law, just as all other California cities are required to do, said Michael Lozeau, chief counsel for Restore Hetch Hetchy.

The OShaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir have flooded a valley that conservationist John Muir called one of natures rarest and most precious mountain temples. In 1913, the unprecedented debate over building a dam in a national park drew opposition from more than 200 newspapers across the United States. Less than three years later, Congress passed the National Park Service Act, ensuring that no such destruction would ever again be allowed.

We are on the right side of history by committing to win this important environmental battle, while assuring that San Francisco will retain or improve the reliability of its water system, continued Rosekrans. No one would consider damming an iconic glacier carved valley in Yosemite National Park today. There is no reason we need to live with this 100-year-old mistake.

Citizens who are interested in joining the 100-year old mission to restore Yosemites Hetch Hetchy Valley can find out more at http://www.hetchhetchy.org.

Restore Hetch Hetchys mission is to return the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park National Park to its natural splendor while continuing to meet the water and power needs of all communities that depend on the Tuolumne River.

Media Relations

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com
One of the sessions we are really excited to introduce this year is an interactive crypto economy marketplace where The Honorable Angela Williams will lead participants through the process of creating their own wallets, using ATMs to load them, and real-time purchases from merchants and bars.

SALT Blockchain Financial Technology (SALT), the international blockchain company that offers financial services to investors, businesses and consumers, will play host to the most exciting Denver Startup Week kickoff day to date: SALTs Blockchain HUB. New to Denver Startup Week in 2018, Blockchain HUB is a forum for blockchain professionals, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs to come together in the River North (RiNo) area of Denver to learn, share knowledge and celebrate Colorados thriving blockchain community.

Taking place from noon until 7 p.m. on Monday, September 24, 2018, SALTs Blockchain HUB, will feature a series of sessions that will engage people of all knowledge levels and showcase Denver as a leading city and critical epicenter for blockchain companies and innovators. The day includes the best that Denver Startup Week has to offer: interactive and informative sessions, expertise shared by the community, opportunities to connect with a diverse array of professionals and industry leaders, and a unique keynote event.

One of the sessions we are really excited to introduce this year is an interactive crypto economy marketplace where The Honorable Angela Williams will lead participants through the process of creating their own wallets, using Vault Logic and Bitcoin Depot ATMs to load them, and real-time purchases from merchants and bars, said Bill Sinclair, President and CEO for SALT. Whether you are new to cryptocurrency or an expert in the industry more intrigued by our other prime educational sessions, there will truly be something for everyone during this exciting day.

SALTs Blockchain HUB will be an inclusive, educational and entertaining series of events to set the perfect tone for this years Denver Startup Week, said Colorado State Senator Angela Williams. As one of the sponsors for Senate Bill 86, regarding the use of cyber coding cryptology for state records that passed in to law in the last legislative session, I am a huge believer that blockchain is the future of information privacy, security and transparency. Companies like SALT are leading the charge in informing the public and expanding support for vital blockchain technology.

Unlike many traditional keynotes that feature a single prominent industry speaker, SALTs Blockchain HUB, will be host to a dynamic keynote featuring two of the most respected global and local experts in technology: Stephanie Copeland, current executive director for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade and former president at the Zayo Group; and Erik Voorhees, CEO at ShapeShift and one of Bitcoins most influential entrepreneurs.

During Denver Startup Week, the community comes together to learn, share ideas, celebrate and push each other forward, said Tami Door, president and CEO for the Downtown Denver Partnership and co-founder and co-chair of Denver Startup Week. Events like SALTs Blockchain HUB showcase the ethos of sharing and learning together that makes Denver Startup Week unique. There is no better place than Denver to share your passion for technology and be on the forefront of whats next.

All Blockchain HUB events will take place in and near BOOZ Hall RiNo, a venue for an eclectic mix of Colorado tasting rooms, local art and retail shopping in one location at 2845 Walnut St. in Denver. In the heart of the RiNo Arts District, Booz Hall is home to Red Wolf Collective, Rising Sun Distillery, Jack Rabbit Hill Farm, 300 Days of Shine, State 38 Distilling, Woods High Mountain Distillery, and Something Vinyl Club. These cutting-edge companies will participate in training and be prepared to accept cryptocurrency payment as part of the crypto economy marketplace pilot, developed in partnership with WOVEN, a new cryptocurrency platform that can be plugged into any event or community to assist merchants adopting cryptocurrency.

In addition to the interactive marketplace and executive perspective keynote, highlights of the day at SALTs Blockchain HUB include:



Denver Startup Week is the largest free event of its kind in the world. Nearly 20,000 attendees are expected to celebrate Denvers thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and build the citys culture of innovation. The annual event returns September 24  28, 2018. Register and learn more at http://www.denverstartupweek.org.

ABOUT SALT BLOCKCHAIN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY

SALT Blockchain Financial Technology is the smart way to leverage and invest in blockchain assetsingeniously linking cryptocurrency with traditional finance. Through membership-based borrowing platform, SALT allows cryptocurrency holders to secure cash loans by collateralizing their blockchain assets, and provides investment services simultaneously provide opportunities for indirect involvement in this new asset class. The company is committed to advancing blockchains thriving ecosystem in Colorado and around the world. SALT has a user base of 70,000 and currently operates in 5 countries. Founded in 2016, SALT Blockchain Financial Technology is headquartered in Denver, Colorado
Atlanta Estate Planning and Probate Attorney Sarah Siedentopf "It is truly exciting to have my hard work acknowledged and to be included in this group of talented and respected Atlanta attorneys."

Sarah Siedentopf, founding attorney of the estate planning and probate firm Siedentopf Law, has been recognized by Atlanta Attorney at Law Magazine as an Attorney to Watch for the second year in a row.

Sarah says she is honored by the recognition: "It is truly exciting to have my hard work acknowledged and to be included in this group of talented and respected Atlanta attorneys."

Each spring, Atlanta Attorney at Law Magazine invites all Georgia lawyers to submit nominations for attorneys who are successful, excel in their practices, and who serve as leaders within the legal community. The magazine narrowed down this years extensive list of nominations to just 30 attorneys in the Atlanta area. Bill McGill, publisher of Atlanta Attorney at Law Magazine, wrote in his Letter from the Publisher that this years selections demonstrate that 2018 is going to be a great year for the Atlanta legal community. With a cross section of practice areas and backgrounds, I feel these attorneys represent some of our brightest legal stars.

Atlanta Attorney at Law Magazine spotlights Atlanta-area attorneys, law firms, business leaders, and other legal professionals. The magazine, with content ranging from informative features to editorial columns, is produced both in hard copy and digital format. For more, visit atlantaattorneymagazine.com.

About Siedentopf Law: Siedentopf Law is an estate planning and probate firm located in the Brookhaven area of Atlanta, Georgia and serving clients throughout Metro Atlanta. The firm is focused on helping individuals and families navigate complicated, emotional issues and making the estate planning process as easy and stress-free as possible. Siedentopf Law specializes in analyzing estate issues and making the best recommendations for clients unique situations.
I chose to join the Shipware team for a list of reasons; the greatest being the uncompromising commitment to excellence that I witnessed while getting to know the owners, consultants, and sales team

Shipware, leading parcel and LTL spend management solution provider, today announced the hiring of Nathan Hughes as the companys Director of Sales. Having over 20 years of experience, Hughes will propel Shipware to even greater heights as he leads the growth and development of the sales team.

I chose to join the Shipware team for a list of reasons; the greatest being the uncompromising commitment to excellence that I witnessed while getting to know the owners, consultants, and sales team, said Hughes. Client centricity, always searching to get better for the benefit of partners, a companywide pride in good, dedicated work results, and a willingness to take problems and find solutions instead of excuses; those are the main reasons I decided to join this team.

Hughes joins the Shipware team having already built high performing revenue generating teams in multiple industries, including the: restaurant, information and technology, software, and managed services market segments. He proudly served in the USMC and ranked #1 throughout multiple training classes. He also holds a BA in business and economics and a masters degree in accounting from Hendrix College.

Nathan Hughes is clearly a proven and consummate sales leader, says Trevor Outman, president and co-founder of Shipware. With his entrepreneurial spirit and a history of helping those around him succeed, Nathan understands what truly drives results and we are confident he will do so for Shipware.

Shipware is one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. The company currently has 25 full-time employees and is hiring for various roles. To learn more about available positions, visit: https://www.shipware.com/job-application/

About Shipware

Shipware provides expertise and advanced technology to help businesses reduce parcel/LTL shipping costs 10-30% with no disruption to current operations and no required change in carriers. Our team of industry experts leverage over 200 collective years of carrier pricing experience to help shippers negotiate superior shipping contract terms & pricing. Shipwares proprietary technology audits weekly carrier invoices to recover refunds on all billing errors, ensuring proactive compliance of contract rates and terms, as well as on-time service performance. Shipwares cloud-based reporting platform delivers powerful analytics for greater spend management visibility empowering clients to make intelligent cost-saving transportation decisions. To learn more, visit: https://www.shipware.com/
The legal team at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. is honored to announce that the firm has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in their list of Best Law Firms for 2019. The firm has worked steadfastly for employee rights for more than 40 years and is always on the forefront of positive change in the workplace.

As the principal shareholder of Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C., Mr. Gold has led a legal team that focuses exclusively on the representation of both employers and employees in all aspects of employment litigation, including claims under federal and state anti-discrimination laws, and federal civil rights laws. The firm has won landmark victories for their clients, including employees and employers. The firm is headquartered in Philadelphia and serves clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The core mission of the U.S. News Best Law Firms recognition is to highlight the top legal talent in America. In addition to this prestigious honor, Mr. Gold has also been honored as a Super Lawyer for 15 consecutive years, among other noteworthy honors.

If you need guidance on an employment law matter, please call the Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. at 215-569-1999, or visit their website at https://www.discrimlaw.net/ for a free, confidential consultation.
Jumpstart Capital's investment approach and hands-on guidance make the firm the ideal partner for our next stage of growth.

SimplifyASC, developer of EHR and practice management solutions specialized for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market has announced a Series A investment from Jumpstart Capital. Dave Vreeland, Managing Director of Jumpstart Capital, will join the Board of Directors.

The financing will fuel SimplifyASCs growth and accelerate its market penetration. 30% of US healthcare spend is allocated to surgery and ASCs significantly outperform hospitals on a cost basis. Roughly 75% of ASCs still chart patient / case data on paper. ASCs currently demonstrate significant demand for easy-to-implement digital patient charting and practice management solutions that minimize the need to learn new systems, save time, accelerate reimbursement, and improve accuracy.

The SimplifyASC enterprise platform represents a quantum leap in operational efficiency and data management. Its cloud-based, fully-integrated clinical and business applications combined with advanced reporting and analysis tools help all levels of the ASC organization to make better, more timely decisions.

"We are thrilled to make a substantial investment in SimplifyASC. I've gotten to know CEO David Howerton and his team over the past year and believe strongly in the people, the vision, and the remarkable opportunity in the ASC marketplace, says Dave Vreeland, Managing Director of Jumpstart Capital.

According to CEO Howerton, Jumpstart Capital's investment approach and hands-on guidance make the firm the ideal partner for our next stage of growth. The timing couldnt be better to have Dave join our board; his broad based provider IT experience will be invaluable to SimplifyASC as we look to increase ASC customer base significantly in the coming months."

About SimplifyASC

SimplifyASC is a nimble, forward-thinking software development company intent on changing the way ASCs manage their business. We believe that compliant, scalable systems can and should be developed to be simple for the end-user to learn and use without sacrificing sophistication and modern functionality.

About Jumpstart Capital

Based in Nashville, Jumpstart Capital is a unique healthcare growth capital platform focused on identifying, funding, and supporting high growth, innovative healthcare companies across the United States. Leading companies funded by Jumpstart Capital include: Healthy Bytes, Pillsy, Reemo Health, Menud, Higi, and Life Detection Technologies. For more information, visit http://www.jscap.co
Slot Machine Mario Toy Just because you cannot easily see a hazard, does not mean it doesnt exist. Had the Super Mario Happy Meal toy highlighted a bottle of beer or bloodshot eyes, or had the fantasy character smoking a cigarette, government and others would be up in arms.

Today, Jennifer Kruse, Executive Director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG), joined the National Council on Problem Gambling by calling upon the toy manufacturer giant, Nintendo of America, and the fast food industry leader, McDonalds, to stop marketing their Slot Machine Super Mario toy from McDonalds Happy Meals.

We were shocked when we noted the slot machine toy in a Happy Meal here in Florida. Nintendo and McDonalds need to be attentive to the messages their products are promoting among children, said Kruse. Youngsters are very impressionable and despite the restrictions to gamble among minors, research reveals that adolescents are involved in gambling activities and are at higher risk for developing gambling problems than their adult counterparts.

So, why advertise a child playing with a Slot Machine Super Mario toy when state laws require persons partaking in such electronic games to be a minimum age of 18 or 21? The mere presence of this toy in the marketplace confirms there is a perception that gambling is viewed as less of a threat than alcohol, drugs and tobacco. This viewpoint is ill guided when research confirms that children are already suffering from serious gambling related difficulties.

Just because you cannot easily see a hazard, does not mean it doesnt exist. Had the Super Mario Happy Meal toy highlighted a bottle of beer or bloodshot eyes, or had the fantasy character smoking a cigarette, government and others would be up in arms. Unfortunately, we can no longer afford a double standard when research confirms that problem gambling is a growing public health issue, in general, and especially among adolescents, that demands attention now, concluded Kruse.

The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling is under contract with Florida State government and operates the 24-hour Problem Gambling HelpLine (888-ADMIT-IT), advocates on behalf of the public on issues relating to problem gambling, provides programs and resources to individuals in need of help for a gambling problem, including free treatment for gamblers and loved ones by certified professionals. The FCCG is an affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
best time for people to use their coupons is in conjunction with sales promotions in the store

There are a lot of people who are trying to save as much as they can with their food budget that is why National Debt Relief shares some tips for efficient couponing. The article titled  3 Important Questions To Get Started On Couponing released August 15, 2018, aims to help people get started and manage their couponing better.

The article starts off by explaining that there are a lot of consumers who seem to have a good handle on their couponing skills. There are a lot of retailers as well who uses coupons to drive consumer behavior and increase sales and their bottom line. For some consumers, it seems time-consuming but there can be significant savings when done correctly.

The article starts off by explaining where consumers could start looking for coupons. A number of smart shoppers get their coupons from various places. One of the most common would be from newspapers especially every Sunday. There are even a few people who would go out and purchase multiple papers on a Sunday just for the coupons.

The article also shares that there are magazines that offer coupons though they might be for high-dollar items compared to the ones in newspapers. This is a good source of coupons if you are going to buy expensive items. In this day and age, there are also a lot of coupons to get from online sources. Consumers can look at sites of specific brands they frequently buy or even sites dedicated to providing coupons to people.

The article shares that the best time for people to use their coupons is in conjunction with sales promotions in the store. They get to combine it with the low price getting further discount on the items they need. It is also usually easy to time it with sales promos especially when they are connected to holidays.

To read the full article, click https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/get-started-couponing/
Cumberland Island National Seashore Quarter

WHAT:

Join the United States Mint and the National Park Service for the official launch of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program coin honoring Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia on 10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The ceremony will take place at the Camden County High School Auditorium in Kingsland.

Event highlights include performances by Camden County High School band ensemble and premier choral group, Volume One, a ceremonial coin pour, and an exchange of $10 rolls of newly minted Cumberland Island National Seashore quarters after the ceremony. Donna Weaver, designer of the quarter, will attend.

WHO:



United States Mint Acting Deputy Director David Croft

Andrew Blascovich, Senior Field Representative for U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson

Emmitt Nolan, Caseworker, Field Representative for U.S Congressman Buddy Carter

Cumberland Island National Seashore Superintendent Gary Ingram

United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Donna Weaver

Camden County High School Students Jalen Johnson and Nicole Thompson, Masters of Ceremonies

WHEN:

10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 (EDT)

WHERE:

Camden County High School Auditorium

6300 Laurel Island Parkway

Kingsland, GA 31548

COIN FORUM

The United States Mint will host a coin forum the evening before the launch ceremonyWednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, 67 p.m. EDTat the Howard Gilman Waterfront Park Amphitheater Stage, 120 St. Marys Street, St. Marys, GA 31558. The coin forum is an opportunity for the public to learn about upcoming United States Mint coin programs and initiatives, and express their views about future coinage.

The Cumberland Island National Seashore quarter is the 44th release in the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program, a 12-year initiative that honors 56 national parks and other national sites authorized by Public Law 110-456. Each year, the public will see five new national sites depicted on the reverses (tails sides) of the America the Beautiful Quarters. The United States Mint is issuing these quarters in the order in which the national sites were officially established.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:



Cumberland Island National Seashore Contact Information:

Jill Hamilton-Anderson

Chief of Interpretation, Education and Visitor Services

Phone: 912-882-4336 ext. 257

Email: jill_hamilton-anderson(at)nps(dot)gov

# # #

United States Mint  Connecting America through Coins
William E. Cole, Brigadier General (U.S. Army, Retired) Bill is a proven leader with strong program management skills, strategic vision and the ability to bring people together.

VT MAK (MAK), a company of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today announced that William E. Cole, Brigadier General (U.S. Army, Retired) has been appointed the companys new President and Chief Executive Officer.

William Bill Cole comes to MAK after completing a distinguished career in the Army, including deployments to Iraq during Operation Desert Storm and to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He held a variety of Program Management positions during his Army career and served in the Pentagon on both the Army Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense staff. Cole was the Commanding General of Natick Labs in Natick, Massachusetts, from December, 2013 to November, 2015. He most recently served as the Armys Program Executive Officer for Simulation (PEO-STRI), Training and Instrumentation in Orlando, Florida.

Bill Coles experience as an Army program manager and as the leader of PEO STRI makes him uniquely positioned to lead MAK to a new period of growth, said General (R) John Coburn, Chairman and CEO of VT Systems. Bill is a proven leader with strong program management skills, strategic vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision for how MAK can better serve integrators and end users alike is exactly what MAK needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.

Im excited to be joining the MAK team. VT MAK has a terrific suite of simulation products, but more importantly, it has a world-class workforce, Cole said. I am especially impressed with their ability to offer both comprehensive simulation solutions and to integrate MAK technology into customers existing simulation systems. Those capabilities will serve us well as we continue to support our current customers and seize new opportunities to grow.

MAK is a company with a long history of making great commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products, but central to its longevity is a strong commitment to growing its industry-leading suite of products and supporting its customers in being successful with modeling, simulation & training, said Dan Schimmel, outgoing CEO of MAK. It has been my distinct privilege to have contributed to this great company and to have worked with some of the most talented employees and senior leadership team in the industry, and I know their passion and hunger for greatness will only grow stronger under Bills leadership.

VT MAK develops software for live, virtual, and constructive simulation. Built upon a strong foundation of COTS products, MAK delivers simulation, gaming, and networking technology in a flexible platform to meet the requirements of training system integrators, experimentation labs, and end users. Our primary users are in the aerospace and defense industries, yet our products and services can help customers anywhere modeling and simulation is needed to train, plan, analyze, experiment, prototype, and demonstrate. MAK is dedicated to serving our customers by building capable products, offering superior technical support, and innovating new ways to build, populate and view interoperable 3D simulated worlds. MAK continues to take advantage of new technologies that further the state of simulation. Our products help users link, simulate and visualize their world. VT MAK is a company of VT Systems. Please visit http://www.mak.com for more information.

VT Systems is an engineering company providing integrated solutions to the commercial and government markets in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. VT Systems innovative solutions, products and services include aircraft maintenance, repair and modification; software solutions in training and simulation; satellite-based IP communications technology; network solutions that integrate data, voice and video; rugged computers and computer peripheral equipment; specialized truck bodies and trailers; weapons and munitions systems; road construction equipment; and ship design and shipbuilding. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., VT Systems operates globally and is a wholly owned subsidiary of ST Engineering. Please visit http://www.vt-systems.com.
A new anthology offers a rousing call for children and parents to stand up for their beliefs

For many childrens booksellers, their first introduction to We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices (Crown, Sept. 4), an anthology that offers positive ways for children to respond to the hateful words and actions surrounding race, gender, immigration, and disability, was at Childrens Institute in June. There the editors, the husband-and-wife team of Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, who founded the multicultural press Just Us Books, appeared on stage with their editor, Phoebe Yeh, v-p and publisher at Crown, and with friend and contributor Kwame Alexander at a special session about the making of the bookand how the countrys largest childrens publisher came to partner with a small press to make this project happen.

Wade opened and closed the session by using the books title as a literal call for action and urged everyone in the audience to stand and to repeat the words We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices with him. That in and of itself was particularly moving given the news that was just then breaking about immigrants being separated from their children at the U.S. border, children being forced into detention camps, and the launch of the Kid Lit Says No Kids in Cages campaign just days earlier.

But as Wade and Cheryl explained, the impetus for the book dates back to the ugliness surrounding the 2016 presidential campaign. When their niece posted a comment online about how distraught her seven-year-old daughter was when she learned that Donald Trump had won, the Hudsons knew that they wanted to do something to reassure her, and millions of young children like her: Weve come through different challenges in the past, and we will get through this.

For the Hudsons, that meant creating a book and they reached out to friends, both authors and illustrators, to contribute to an anthology that they were originally calling, What Shall We Tell Them? It was also the name of the opening poem that Wade wrote and then renamed to be more directed at the kids themselves, What Shall We Tell You? The question is part of a refrain throughout the poem, beginning with the very first line: What shall we tell you when our world sometimes seems dark and uninviting?

By the time of BookExpo in 2017, the Hudsons had art and/or writing from nearly half of the contributors who they needed for the anthology. Originally they planned to publish through Just Us Books in time for the presss 30th anniversary in 2018.

But that changed when Wade ran into Yeh at the show, who asked him what he was working on. After telling her about the book, Yeh, who is a first-generation Chinese-American with a biracial son, told him that shed be interested in taking a look.

I loved the idea and the Own Voices aspect of the writing and the art, Yeh told PW. I thought we could magnify everything. The next week they were in the office. A couple weeks after that, I was in a cab with Barbara Marcus [president and publisher of Random House Childrens Books] getting her up to speed. She said, Buy it. So I did.

Although many of the books 50 contributors had worked with the Hudsons over the years and eagerly signed on, Yeh helped bring some of her own authors, like Alexander and Ellen Oh. And she worked closely with Cheryl to match authors and illustrators. Everything was very deliberate, said Yeh, who points to the intergenerational pairing of Carol Boston Weatherfords poem The Golden Rule with an illustration by her son, and to the story-quilt Get on Board that Cheryl created for the book, as well as Lesa Cline-Ransomes poem Next, illustrated by her husband, James E. Ransome. Yeh, Cheryl, and Wade were also deliberate in choosing a 7.8 x 9.8 trim size for the unjacketed hardcover that would be small enough that an 11-year-old not be embarrassed to put in their backpack. The intended age for We Rise is 812 years old, although Yeh would like to reach parents and envisions them reading it with younger children.

We love what this book can do, said Yeh, adding that its personal. Yeh and Crown have made good on magnifying what the Hudsons could have done on their own, not just in putting together the book, which has an announced first printing of 75,000 copies, but in publicity and promotion. In addition to their appearance at Childrens Institute, the Hudsons were also at BookExpo, BookCon, and ALA. Crown created sneak peek booklets, pre-publication ARCs, and promotional pins. The book launch will take place next month at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City, and there will be select national appearances throughout the fall. In addition, Crown is planning on consumer advertising and targeted advertising for teachers and an educators guide. The anthology will be promoted on Random House Childrens Bookss social platforms and educator social media channels, as well as cross-promoted with authors and contributors.

Random Houses Listening Library is publishing an audiobook edition of We Rise. Click below to hear an excerpt.

It includes a track of Paul Robeson singing and music and lyrics for What Songs Will Our Children Sing?, which was written by Wades brother, Curtis Hudson, whose credits include Madonnas first hit, Holiday.

What we really want to bring to kids is the message that you can lift your voice, that you can change the world, said Cheryl at Childrens Institute.
Record monsoon rains have brought the coastal southern state to a standstill since late May, triggering landslides and flooding that engulfed whole villages.

Thousands are feared still trapped by floodwaters following non-stop rainfall earlier this month.

On Sunday, rescuers worked quickly as heavy rains finally eased.

India's air force and Navy dropped food supplies and necessary aid to people still stranded.

People stranded on rooftops were airlifted or steered to shelter by boat.

India's Meteorological Department lowered the weather alert warning from red to orange in all districts.

But some zones are still submerged under water.

Hundreds of government boats and rescuers have been deployed.

Some local fishermen offered their boats to assist in the rescue.

Fishing is a major industry in coastal cities in India, and India exported an all time high of $5.78 billion in seafood between 2016 and 2017.

Nearly 200 people have died since August 8.

At least 33 deaths were reported on Saturday.

Officials are preparing for an outbreak of water-borne diseases.

"Weve deployed adequate doctors and staff and provided all essential medicines in the relief camps,"

Damage to infrastructure is said to be at almost $3 billion.

There are calls for an official declaration that the floods are a natural disaster.

And many have called the floods the worst the state has seen in a century.

Hundreds of thousands of families have been taken to relief camps.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi surveyed the damage from the air on Saturday.
Aldi  short for Albrecht Discount  was first opened in Essen, Germany, by Anna Albrecht in 1913, before being taken over and expanded by her sons Theo and Karl in 1948. The brothers then divided the chain into Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud, two distinct chains that operate under the same no-frills principles, which have each expanded on a global scale.

Aldi is currently spending $1.9 billion to remodel existing stores and another $3.4 billion to build 800 new ones over the next four years, Business Insider's Hayley Petersonreported last week. The company announced last week that it's rolling out a massive store overhaul that will emphasize fresh, organic, vegetarian, and vegan items in its US stores. By the time it completes the refresh in early 2019, about 20% of Aldi's grocery items will be new, the company said.

Aldi is known for its low prices and no-frills store design. One reason its prices are so low is that a majority of the groceries it carries are private-label. It also limits store sizes and hours, enforces a cart-rental system, and focuses on efficiency to lower labor costs.

Here are some other things you may not know about the chain.

Aldi has been around for over 100 years. It was founded as a corner store in Germany by a woman named Anna Albrecht in 1913.

Aldi is short for "Albrecht Discount," the original store name.

Albrecht's sons, Theo and Karl, took over the company in 1948.

In the mid-1960s, the Albrecht brothers had a disagreement over whether or not the company should sell cigarettes. To settle the dispute, they divided the company.

Because of the divide, there are actually two different Aldi chains: Aldi Nord, which was controlled by Theo Albrecht in northern Germany, and Aldi Sud, which was controlled by Karl Albrecht and operated in southern Germany.

The divide that separates the Aldi Nord region and Aldi Sud region is known locally as the "Aldi Equator."

The two stores still operate separately. Aldi Nord has a simpler, white-and-blue logo, and Aldi Sud has the blue-and-orange logo we recognize in the US.

Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud are both expanding overseas, but Aldi Sud is the branch expanding in the US.

Aldi Nord doesn't exist in the US  Trader Joe's does instead. Theo Albrecht purchased the Trader Joe's chain in 1979, expanding the Aldi brand's influence in the US. Aldi Nord still operates Trader Joe's in the US.

Before his success with Aldi Nord and Trader Joe's, Theo Albrecht was kidnapped and held for ransom for 17 days in 1971. He was released, but as of 2017, there are still millions of dollars missing from the kidnapping. He died in 2010.

Source:

Aldi is known for being inexpensive for a few reasons. It mainly sells private-label products, much like its sister company Trader Joe's. It also limits store size and hours.

Having shoppers rent shopping carts also keeps costs low because it eliminates the time and labor needed to retrieve abandoned shopping carts.

Currently, Aldi has over 1,600 stores across 35 states  nearly double what the chain had a decade ago. By the end of 2022, Aldi plans to have nearly 2,500 stores open in the US. It's on track to become the third-largest grocery in the US by store count, behind Walmart and Kroger.
Since then, Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, has also found herself involved in some of Tesla's narrative.

That narrative has gotten increasingly complicated in the weeks since Musk tweeted out his interest in taking the electric car company private, and wrote the two words that have resulted in hundreds of headlines and even an SEC investigation: "Funding secured."

In the wake of the now-famous tweet, rapper Azealia Banks reportedly spent a weekend at Musk's house while waiting to work on a collaboration with Grimes, which is where things get even more complicated, but more on that later.

Now, the Tesla CEO's relationship with Grimes could be on the rocks, as the two appear to have unfollowed each other on Instagram, and Musk has unfollowed Grimes on Twitter.

Here's a look at how their relationship has progressed from the beginning:

Claire Boucher, better known by her stage name Grimes, is also a producer and outspoken advocate for female artists and their treatment by the press and music industry. She's released multiple albums to critical acclaim, and her breakout album, "Visions," won the Juno Award for Electronic Album of the Year.

She first met Elon Musk over Twitter. Musk was planning to make a joke about artificial intelligence  specifically, about the Rococo Basilisk character in her "Flesh Without Blood" video  and discovered she had beaten him to the punch.

In May, shortly before the Met Gala, Page Six reported that the pair had been "quietly dating" for a few weeks.

The report announced that the couple planned to attend the Met Gala together, and that they had been tweeting at each other for a few months.

The report proved accurate, and Grimes did end up attending the Met Gala with Musk, which was their first official appearance as a couple.

News of their relationship spurred plenty of memes as many were caught be surprise.

There was no shortage of jokes the week their relationship was announced.

Someone even made a Google Chrome extension that replaces all instances of "Elon Musk" on a webpage with "Grimes' Boyfriend."

Related content

Learn more about the extension here.

Grimes has taken to Twitter several times to defend Musk and Tesla. In since-deleted tweets, Grimes said Musk has never tried to stop Tesla workers from unionizing and claims she encouraged a union vote among Tesla employees.

Grimes has also attended official events with Musk  like the Hyperloop Pod Competition in July.

Related content

She and Musk, along with his five sons, made an unscheduled appearance at the event.

In July, after it was revealed that Musk has made donations to Republican political committees, Grimes defended his choice.

he added that "

A few weeks ago, rapper Azealia Banks claimed to be at Elon Musk's house in Los Angeles during the weekend while he was "scrounging for investors" following his tweet about possibly taking Tesla private.

Banks posted on Instagram about the ordeal, saying

Musk denied he had ever met or communicated with Banks.

With increased scrutiny of Tesla's financial future coming from both the press and the SEC, Musk and Tesla have been busy detailing more information about the possible plan to take the company private. Musk recently gave a brutally honest interview with The New York Times, where he revealed that the "excruciating" last year of work had begun to impact his personal health.

Speaking with the Times, an emotional Musk "choked up" at points during the interview as he recounted what he called "the most difficult and painful year of my career." He also said he's been having trouble falling asleep, which has caused him to use Ambien as a sleep aid.

But even more recently, Musk and Grimes have unfollowed each other on Instagram, and Musk unfollowed Grimes on Twitter, which has caused some to speculate that their relationship may be rocky at the moment.

The couple unfollowed each other on Instagram over the weekend, but Grimes still follows Musk on Twitter as of press time Monday, and neither has made any public statements about the status of their relationship.
According to Yabaleftonline.ng, Facebook user who lives in Asaba, Delta state posted the photos on the social media platform and it has since gone viral.

The Facebook user posted the photos with a caption: The day people would start minding their business in this world, the better for them.So a Father was having sex with his son and busybodies wouldnt allow them do it in peace.

Whats wrong with incest? Is it not peoples choice and what two adults have agreed to do with their bodies?If it were homosexuals now, everyone would start speaking out in support of the harassed party, but because this is incest, no one is saying anything.

Incest should be legalized in the country. Everyone has a right to choose who they want to have sex with. Its a matter of choice and sexual preferences.

The controversial view expressed by the Facebook user has sparked negative reactions, with some condemning the culprits.
According to Mirror.co.uk, the woman from the town of Zundert in the southern Netherlands, identified by her first name Halima, was sentenced after she was found guilty of assault.

The court also ordered Halima to carry out 120 hours of community service, visit a psychologist and pay the victim 7,000 (6,240) in damages, reports say.

Pronouncing the sentence, the presiding judge condemned Halimas act, saying it was not only "frightening and insulting", but also "absurd in Dutch society".

READ MORE: Side chick dressed in wedding gown disrupts marriage ceremony

Reports say the convict had learnt about her husbands illicit affair with her friend, so she devised a means of getting her into her home where with the support of another a neighbour, she overpowered the victim and tied her up.

As if that was not enough, she smeared 'sambal', a hot Indonesian sauce or paste typically made from a variety of chilli peppers in the victim's vagina, according to the mirror.

Halima is quoted as saying she has forgiven her husband "as my mother suggested I should do", adding that she had "wanted a divorce, but I became pregnant unexpectedly. 

She however stressed that: "I have forgiven him, but I have not forgotten."
In a document sighted by Accra-based Citi FM, Omni Bank said they welcome the no objection letter from the BoG.

Following the no objection from the regulator, the two banks are working together to go through a process to meet all conditions in order to receive final approval from the Bank of Ghana.

Meanwhile, OmniBank has called on its staff to continue providing great customer service to make it a stronger partner to Sahel Sahara.

When successfully consummated, the deal could create a larger bank with almost 1,000 employees on its payroll and 46 branches, servicing customers in seven regions nationwide.

The total assets of the new bank are also expected to be in excess of GH1.3 billion, while the stated capital would be around GH213 million.

READ ALSO: KPMG denies auditing UniBank

However, the amount would still be way below the Bank of Ghanas new minimum capital of GH400 million.

Meanwhile, a retired Deputy Governor of the BoG, Emmanuel Asiedu-Mante, believes it is not right to approve the merger of the two banks when they cannot meet the minimum capital.

Sahel Sahara bank earlier entered into a merger deal with the GN and Premium banks. But that was truncated following an accusation by CEO of Group Nduom that one party leaked information about the merger.
In a statement issued by the shareholders, they said that efforts to get a copy of the report from the Bank of Ghana have proved futile. This is despite suggestions that the report has been seen by some people.

The Bank of Ghana recently appointed KPMG as official administrator after unibank faced liquidity challenges and was also insolvent.

In August 2018, the central bank again consolidated uniBank with four other local banks to form the Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited.

Below is the full statement of uniBank shareholders

The Shareholders of uniBank observe with great concern that a report purporting to be the KPMG Report on the Financial Condition and Future Prospects of uniBank Ghana is being disseminated in the media, even though on the 13th of August 2018, the Shareholders received a letter from the Secretary of the Bank of Ghana, stating that the Bank is unable, at this time, to make available to you a copy of the Official Administrators Report on the bank.

No reason was assigned for the refusal to provide the report which the Shareholders had requested in a letter dated the 3rd of August 2018.

It is unacceptable for the Bank of Ghana and KPMG to deny Shareholders access to the report, even as material in the report is being widely disseminated to discredit uniBank and instigate public contempt and opprobrium against uniBank. No opportunity has been provided to the Shareholders of uniBank to respond to any purported findings of KPMG and yet they are being tried by the court of public opinion without the full facts of the case.

We note that in the purported Report it is stated that the said Report should not be made available or communicated to any party without the prior written consent of KPMG. There is a further statement by KPMG that we have not sought to verify information contained hereinaccordingly, we are unable to determine the extent to which information and explanations provided to us are complete and accurate and the report should be read in that context.

The recent appointment of KPMG as the Receiver in respect of some assets of uniBank and four other banks shows KPMG seeking to benefit from the report that it provided to the Bank of Ghana through a further paid engagement, a clear conflict of interest situation which does not put KPMG in a good light.
Announcing the week of national mourning, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo described Annan as "one of our greatest compatriots".

Officials from across the UN system have been paying tribute to the man who led the global body for a decade, starting in January 1997.

He was Secretary-General during what has been described as one of the darkest days in the UN history: the Aug. 19, 2003 bombing of the UN premises in Baghdad, Iraq.

For Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Annan is simply "irreplaceable".

"Kofi was humanitys best example, the epitome, of human decency and grace.

"In a world now filled with leaders who are anything but that, our loss, the worlds loss becomes even more painful," Zeid said in a statement.

Annan was the seventh of nine men appointed Secretary-General since the UN was established in 1945.

He was the first to emerge from the ranks of UN staff and the second to come from the African continent, after his predecessor, Egyptian diplomat Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali.

Before taking the reins of the UN, he held various senior level positions at the headquarters and in the field, and at one point he was Zeids immediate boss.

The UN rights chief recalled a man who was ever courageous and though direct in speech, never discourteous.

Zeid added: "Later, when I was an ambassador at the UN he inspired us, by being a dynamic and charismatic leader in his capacity as Secretary-General.

"And most of all, he was a friend and counsel  to me and to so many others. Whenever  as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, I felt isolated and alone politically (which, in the last four years, was often) I would go for long walks with him around Geneva  and listen."
In what was his first public speech following the controversy surrounding his involvement in the collapse of the Capital Bank, the preacher urged his congregation to focus on God, rather than individuals in the church.

You dont come to church because of your pastor, he preached on Sunday at Christ Temple at Abossey Okai in Accra.

You come to church to worship God and so I want you to keep your eyes on Him and to worship Him and to focus on Him.

Pastor Otabil has come under criticism from a section of Ghanaians over his role in the collapse of Capital Bank, owing to his position as the then Board Chairman.

A detailed investigative report indicates that a GHc 610 million liquidity support offered by the Central bank to help stabilize Capital bank was diverted into other businesses.

Pastor Otabil, together with then CEO of the bank, Ato Essien, have been in the spotlight in recent weeks over their role in the diversion of the funds, as well as the subsequent collapse of the Capital bank.

In an earlier statement from the preacher, he explained that his role at the bank was "non-executive" and that he was not involved in the day to day running of the bank.

However, speaking further on the subject, Dr. Otabil told his church members if anyone has a question regarding his role in the collapse of Capital Bank, "just tell them God is good".

"This morning I came to make a response. There are three statements I want to give which I expect you to carry along to explain what has happened," he said.

"My first statement is that God is good. My second statement is that God is good and my third statement is that God is good," he said, as the congregation responded "Amen!
I barely had any knowledge about national affairs, let alone world affairs. But the voice I heard piqued my interest. I sat. I listened. I was attentive. I left with an impression.

That was Kofi Annan, now of blessed memory, speaking.

I had never paid attention to this mans works, but I knew immediately that that voice was not ordinary. There was something striking about the man behind the voice  a uniqueness Ive since come to realise.

So last Saturday, August 18, 2018, when news broke that Kofi Annan has passed on, I quickly reflected on his parting words on that fateful day, 12-years-ago.

Dear friends and colleagues, saying goodbye is never easy, Kofi Annan emotionally started.

I have spent most of my life working with the United Nations, I feel it is my home. I can think of no other job in the world that would have been so rewarding. I have met many wonderful people around the way and I have made many friends. It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as Secretary-General in these last 10 years.

I believe we can all feel proud if what we have achieved together in that time to address some of the worlds most pressing challenges.

But even if the introduction to that speech was emotional, it was nothing compared to his philosophical, calculated conclusion.

Kofi Annan ended his parting speech with the sentence: As we begin the next face of our lives, I will still be with you in spirit. I have often said that you can take the man out of the UN, but you cant take the UN out of the man.

Right over there is the man Im talking about. His passion and professionalism to duty were simply unmatched and, for 80 years, he made sure that his life was always on the line for others.

Having stepped down from his post as UN Secretary General in 2006 (he held this position from 1996), Kofi Annan continued to work towards uniting the world and bring equity to less-developed countries.

This is a man who grew up in a wealthy family  his grandfathers were traditional leaders, while his father became a provincial governor during the British regime  yet he refused to sit home and relax on his laurels.

By the age of 24, Kofi Annan was already working with the UN, and continued to do so until his final days on earth.

Now, thats 56 years of his life spent fixing what he did not break. He sacrificed the better part of his life resolving conflicts he did not create; healing wounds he did not inflict; showering blessings upon people he did not curse; and shinning lights upon nations he did not darken.

There is a lot to say about Kofi Annan which have not been documented or even trumpeted enough. Back in Ghana, he may not have seemed to be involved that much in local politics, but those who knew him very well know the underlining roles he always played to ensure sustainable peace in the country.

Kofi Annan was so selfless that his goodwill earned him enemies in the West. For kicking against the USs invasion of Iraq in 2003, there was a reported scheme to tarnish his image after the "oil for food scandal".

Yet, he remained resolute and fought for universal liberation. In the face of criticism and pressure whiles serving as UN Secretary-General, Annan always had his philosophical head up.

In one of his memorable interviews with the BBC, he was asked how he deals with the pressure that comes his way. Kofi looked the presenter in the face and gave a reply that typified his resilience and fortitude.

"I used to say the letters SG do not stand for secretary-general, they stand for scapegoat," he said.

This is the grandfather, father, uncle, friend and brother that we mourn today. The tributes from far and near indicate the impact that Kofi Annan had on the world.

As we begin the next face of our lives, I will still be with you in spirit  these were Kofi Annans last words to us when he was departing as UN General Secretary.

On our part, we say thank you sir, for putting Ghana on the map.

We say thank you for fighting for an equitable universe.

We say thank you for standing up for freedom, justice and elevation.

We say thank you for being the perfect role model for this generation.
The Special Prosecutor is a lawyer appointed to investigate, and potentially prosecute, a particular case of suspected wrongdoing for which a conflict of interest exists for the usual prosecuting authority. Other jurisdictions have similar systems.

For example, the investigation of an allegation against a sitting president or attorney-general might be handled by a special prosecutor rather than by an ordinary prosecutor who would otherwise be in the position of investigating their own superior.

In some countries, the decision to appoint a special prosecutor rests with the attorney general or with the president.

In the case of Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured that his government will surely create the office of the Special Prosecutor which he has created despite stiff opposition.

The New Patriotic Party in its 2016 manifesto promised to set up such controversial office to fight corruption in the country.

The "Office of the Special Prosecutor, who will be independent of the Executive, to investigate and prosecute certain categories of cases and allegations of corruption and other criminal wrongdoing, including those involving alleged violations of the Public Procurement Act and cases implicating political officeholders and politicians," the NPP said its manifesto on page 39.

The issues of constitutionality that arise are:

Will the Act of Parliament be an Act to amend the constitution or an ordinary Act of Parliament?

Can an ordinary Act of Parliament confer the power to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption?

Nana Addo appointed Martin Amidu as the Special Prosecutor of Ghana. He was vetted and approved by Parliament and sworn-in by the president.

In July, a nine (9) member Governing Board of the Office of the Special Prosecutor was sworn into office pursuant to section five of the special prosecutor act 2017 Act 959.

Section five (5) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017, (Act 959) provides that the Governing Body of the Office is a Board consisting of the Special Prosecutor, Deputy Special Prosecutor, one Representative of the Audit Service not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Auditor General, one Representative of the Police Service not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police nominated by the Inspector General of Police, one Representative of the Economic and Organized Crime Office not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Executive Director, one Representative of the Financial Intelligence Centre not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Intelligence Centre, one Representative of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Commissioner of Human Rights and Administrative Justice.

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.
Finally, the residents of the citys old Saint Jacques district had endured enough. Well over 50 dwellings in their neighborhood had been reduced to rubble since 2015.

Late last month, they gathered in the districts ancient square high on a hill, as a city excavator was making another mess of bricks and jagged wall fragments nearby.

Dozens marched from there down to the prefecture, the central governments representative, demanding to be heard. City Hall backed down. The excavator was withdrawn, the demolitions left at a standstill.

What made the events exceptional was not just that this was a stand by one of the poorest neighborhoods in France. It was also a protest by a unique population, one the French media and academics universally refer to as les gitans, or Gypsies.

The Gypsies of Perpignan, who speak Catalan, appear to be distinct culturally from the broader population of Roma, sometimes also referred to as Gypsies, but they are in many ways no less maligned and marginalized in France.

With some 3,000 to 5,000 inhabitants, Saint Jacques is urban Frances largest Gypsy neighborhood, a festering sore of poverty and unemployment, a place normally drawing few allies.

Yet in its fight against the destruction of its neighborhood, the community found help from local preservationists and allied itself with North African neighbors  a group it has clashed with in the past. The community also mobilized its youth, 90 percent of whom are jobless and many of whom hang out in the streets after the sun has set.

If you kick an angry dog, hell bite you and he wont let go, said Alain Gimenez, a community leader, as others who had gathered in the raffish Place du Puig, or Hill Square in the local Catalan, nodded their assent.

So, what are we here, nothing? They say were dirty, said Gimenez, who calls himself Nounourse, or teddy bear, mocking his own portliness. The problem is, they dont talk to us, they just say we are dirty.

The truce achieved with the city over the demolitions is only temporary, said Jean-Bernard Mathon, head of the local preservation society. At least 37 more buildings in Saint Jacques were slated to come down, he said.

What we want is the rehabilitation of the old core, Mathon said. What they want to do is demolish. But they have rebuilt nothing. Its hideous.

Saint Jacques, dilapidated, crumbling and now threatened, even drew the backing of President Emmanuel Macrons special emissary on historical preservation, the French television personality Stephane Bern.

Bern wrote on social media that he was scandalized and shocked by the images of destruction in the center of Perpignan, and he promised his support and solidarity.

The preservationists point to the delicate balcony railings, the incised roof moldings, the occasional centuries-old doorway and the intricate medieval street grid, and urge renovation rather than demolition.

Yet in a country with more historical districts than it knows what to do with or has the money to pay for, Saint Jacques is something of an ugly duckling.

The district, a frontier within a frontier  Spain is only 20 miles away  is vulnerable, and the Catalan Gypsies, historically victims of discrimination, feel threatened, too.

The Gypsies of Perpignan have been speaking Catalan since the 16th century, but have been present as seminomads in this area since the 14th or 15th century, said Mathon, the preservationist.

They acquired fixed domiciles only from the late 1930s, when Jews were chased from this district during World War II.

Mathon said Gypsies of Perpignan dont appear to be related ethnically to the Roma populations of Eastern Europe. Others agree.

Roma or Gypsies of Romania and Bulgaria did not come to Perpignan; said the leading sociologist of Perpignan, Alain Tarrius, an emeritus professor at the University of Toulouse.

The moment you climb up to Saint Jacques from Perpignans prosperous city center, you enter another land. Saint Jacques was built in the Middle Ages with a narrow grid of houses huddled protectively against one another.

Today, big chunks of plaster and paint are missing from the facades. Shutters are closed. Tall, narrow dwellings crowd together on steep streets plunging down toward the horizon, with the Pyrenees looming in the distance.

The Mediterranean sun cannot penetrate the deep shade. Laundry hangs from windows, and steel girders bridge the alleylike streets, propping up the buildings. Perpignans street cleaners dont appear to make it up to Saint Jacques.

Late at night, while the city below sleeps beneath its orange tile roofs, the streets of Saint Jacques are alive with children, grandmothers dressed in black sitting on plastic chairs and men stripped to the waist in the summer heat.

The locals warn you not to bother them before 6 p.m. because most will be sleeping.

The demolitions have pockmarked the district with useless squares  Mathons word  but its social fabric is intact.

Look, there was a school there, said Josiana Caragol, pointing to a now-vacant square. Theyre cutting down all the houses. Is that right? If there is more demolition, they are going to kick us all out.

The citys argument for the demolitions is simple, and revolves around numbers. Sixty percent of the districts population lives below the poverty line. Forty percent of the dwellings are vacant. Overall unemployment is 70 percent. Many children skip school. It is cheaper to rebuild than to renovate.

You cant just let people live in insalubrious conditions, just because its picturesque, said Olivier Amiel, the official in charge of the Saint Jacques reconstruction, for which he said 100 million euros (about $113 million)had been set aside. Given the urgency of the conditions there, we cant wait for these aesthetic debates to take place, he said.

This program is a last chance for the community, said Amiel, who added that more than 50 meetings had taken place with community representatives. You can have preservation without freezing things, he said, pointing to the dangerous collapse of several buildings.

Amiel said 588 dwellings are to demolished, restructured or rehabilitated, and 312 new dwellings built. But Mathon says there has been no new construction where the houses have been demolished.

They think we want to chase them from the district, but that has never been our intention, said Pierre Parrat, the deputy mayor, in his office at City Hall, an elegant 14th-century building below Saint Jacques.

They dont live like us, Parrat continued. They have a different notion of the public space, he said, blaming the introduction of Frances guaranteed minimum income, for the neighborhoods problems. They said, Right, were not going to work. And that has turned against them.

The neighborhoods residents, he said, are an appealing lot, but they tend to get excited over nothing.

The fear is real, though. The Gypsies of Perpignan feel the expanding university below pressing up against them.

Officials want to take down the neighborhood, said Valerie Cargol, outside her immaculately kept house on a steep street in Saint Jacques. But they must not.

Officials question the Romas hygiene, but Cargols kitchen was sparkling.

Its been here for 150 years. So why break it all up? she asked. Break it, for what reason?

Paul Orell, 34 and unemployed, said he was eager to participate in the rebuilding of the neighborhood. These house were lived in by our grandparents, he said. Weve been abandoned.

With new ruins of the Place du Puig behind him  Beirut, as some call it  Nick Gimenez, one of the communitys elders, said: We were born here. If they kick us out, we are dead.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Had it not been for timely intervention by Kenyan authorities a staggering one million bags of toxic rice would have made its way into the Kenyan market and with it harm millions of Kenyans.

A team of detectives working on a report compiled by Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and Government agencies, including National Intelligence Service (NIS) have impounded one million bags of toxic rice in Mombasa County.

And that is not all, the detective have also confiscated more than 400 containers of cooking oil which, they say, do not meet required standards.

Yes, its true we have impounded about one million bags of rice stored in some warehouses in Mombasa. We believe some of the toxic rice may have been sneaked into the market, Said Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti yesterday,

Mr Kinoti said rogue importers working in collusion with customs officials were printing new bags that were transported to the high seas and used to repackage the contaminated rice, before releasing them into the market.

They print new bags with fresh expiry dates then repackage the rice ready for entry through the port. Some of the rice had been condemned about three years ago as unfit for human consumption, he added.

The goods were seized last month by the authorities.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the rice, originally from Pakistan, had been condemned as unfit for human consumption and was past the expiry date by three years but somehow found its way into the country.

In addition, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) refused to clear more than 400 containers of 20kg jerricans of cooking oil from Malaysia.

This new development comes just weeks before the toxic sugar scandal which broke out last month has even settled down.

Sugar destined for sale in retail chains were seized and upon tasting were found to be laced with dangerous insoluble metals such as copper and mercury.
Even before the Kenyas first oil barrel has been exported out of the country, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and a Canadian firm are already fighting over Turkana oil millions.

Kenyas taxman is locked in a Sh5.2 billion ($52million) dispute with Africa Oil, the Canadian firm involved in exploration of Turkana oil fields in a joint venture with British firm Tullow.

KRA is demanding the amount in the form of corporate income tax and value added tax that it says Africa Oil should have paid on acquisition transactions completed in the five-year period between 2012 and 2017.

The companys Kenyan branch, of its wholly owned subsidiary, Africa Oil Kenya B.V., has been assessed corporate income tax and value added tax by the Kenya Revenue Authority relating to farm-out transactions completed during the period 2012 to 2017. The KRA-assessed tax is $51.5 million, says Africa Oil in its latest regulatory filing.

It is not clear whether the transaction refers to the Global conglomerate Maersk Oils acquisition of a 25 per cent stake of the Turkana exploration licences since the firm did not provide details of the KRAs tax demand.

Africa Oil received $427 million or Sh44 billion from Maersk.

Also read: Tullow invite bids for drilling 300 oil wells in Turkana as it mulls over its operations in Kenya

The firm claims its objection to the claim was based on facts and the Kenyan tax law.

The company has objected to the assessment and is prepared to appeal any further claims made by the KRA in regard to this matter. Management has determined that based on the facts and Kenya tax law that the probability of paying the assessed tax is low, the company says.

The current dispute with the KRA could be a pointer of things to come once the Turkana oil starts flowing to the international markets.

The Kenyan government has expressed concerns over the accounting for exploration costs, which the multinational firms currently engaged in the Turkana fields will be seeking to recover.

The Ministry of Energy in 2016 sought a consultant to audit Tullows expenses, which by the time had hit more than Sh100 billion.

The auditor was expected to come up with details on costs that the company and its partner, Africa Oil had incurred in finding the Turkana oil deposits.

However, the Kenyan government found it difficult to get a specialist in auditing oil exploration-related costs even as it remained sceptical of the financial reports that they continued to receive from the oil companies.
ImpactRays is a social enterprise start-up, which develops sustainable precision farming solutions targeting the bottom of the pyramid farmers, through flexible and affordable financial arrangements.

Team ImpactRays consists of Abdulazeez Uba Muhammad, Faisal Sani Bala and Badamasi Imam Yau, students of the International Islamic University Malaysia.

The team won the regional level of Hult Prize competition in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, and will be participating at the final round in New York later this year.

Faisal Sani, Chief Operating Officer at ImpactRays, told Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa, that the team chances are high for the prize despite lack of finance or support from the government.

Our chances are high because we have made it this far upon all odds. The challenge is pretty clear when you compete with teams given support financially and otherwise by their respective governments and business community in their countries.

It is a bit of an asymmetric battle.

Bala, a graduate assistant lecturer at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, said the team is currently facing finance challenge as other teams were being financed by their governments.

On funding and support, Sani said the team is looking forward to sponsors.

In a chat with journalists last week, he explained that the Malaysian Government almost took up sponsoring them in the competition but later withdrew owing to the thought that the beneficiaries of the technology will be Nigerians and not Malaysians.

I and one of the team members were yet to obtain their United Kingdom visas to attend the final six shortlist programme coming up in about two weeks time.

Some of us have engaged in dry season farming as students, and have been faced with the challenge of manual flooding irrigation, the high cost of fuel, cost of labour involved in watering, fertilizer wash-off and water shortage.

"These problems motivated me and Aliyu Dala Bukar to design, implement and patent a smart solar-powered irrigation system to ease irrigation farming through cutting the cost of labour and eliminating the use of petrol, he had said.
Earlier this year, the OAP turned religious activist unveiled the official name and logo for his ministry - 'Free Nation In Christ Online Church.'

Today, he revealed why his church will be receiving donations from willing members in an Instagram post followed by a Youtube video.

In the clip, he explains that he came to this conclusion after a poll from people who showed their willingness to give to the ministry.

He quickly adds that giving does not necessarily translate to blessings saying, "there is no blessing if you give me a gift. I will appreciate it, it is a gift of love but there is no blessing."

Freeze backs his decision to receive donations with Phil 4:10 which says, "How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me."

He moves on to verses 1518: "As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once.

"I don't say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need - and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God."

As the video goes on, he further explains that the donations would be used for tours and whatever the church wants to do.

Watch the rest of the video above to see why the FreeNation In Christ has decided to receive donations.

Everything you need to know about Daddy Freeze's church

On March 11, 2018, he revealed the official logo for his online church named 'Free Nation In Christ Online Church aka Free The Sheeple movement.'

As the name implies, his services and everything pertaining to the ministry is done on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Despite the term-church, Freeze has maintained on several occasions that there will be no physical church. In an exclusive interview with he explains: "We gather online, on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, on the radio. That gathering is a church. But you see the traditional idea of a church as a building is what we are here to do away with."

As you would expect from someone who has made a name for himself with his anti-tithing protest, the convenor insists that his church WILL NOT accept 10% from anyone.

In his words, "We absolutely do not collect TITHES, FIRST FRUIT, OFFERING AND WE NEVER SOW SEEDS!"

On August 17, 2018, he shared the first official pictures of his ministry's T-shirt on Instagram.

In a later post, he also unveiled the website for the #FreeNation store where proceeds will go to charity.
The good news was actually announced by her friend Oma Nnadi via her Instagram page on Monday, August 20, 2018. A seemingly excited Oma couldn't hide her joy as she announced the arrival of the baby with a series of photos of the actress while she was pregnant.

"My friend I am super happy. i.cannot keep calmoooo. Thank you, lord. .welcome to the world my Besties daughter @queennwokoye and hubby Oliiii. Enough to thank God for this year oooo," she captioned the photo.

Even though Queen Nwokoye is yet to announce the birth of her baby, from all of us at PULSE, we say a big congratulations to her and her husband. A number of celebrities in the last few months have welcomed babies with their spouses. From Akpororo to Chuddy K, and Ivie Okujaiye the list is endless.

ALSO READ:Check out 5 celebrities who have welcomed twins

Ivie Okujaye welcomes baby girl

Back in March 2018, Ivie Okujaye gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. The beautiful actress announced the big news via her Instagram page on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, where she posted a photo of the baby with a sweet story to tell about the birth as the caption

"And suddenly, it was nine full months. Pregnancy is beautiful and magical but Kai, it is NINE MONTHS!! Some days were energetically amazing, other days were filled with feeling sick, swollen feet, puffy lips, body changes, hurting ribs, backaches, sleepless nights, nerve pains and so much more.

''But with every emotional and physical struggle, I got closer & closer to meeting my baby ... That little person that is and will always be a part of me, my flesh and blood, my heartbeat, my new meaning of life... Thank you, Lord, for our perfect little BabyGirl.... ivie is a mummy of Two?!! #Avizzle #DaddyZe #BabyGirl," she wrote.

Ivie Okujaye got married to her husband, Ezie Egbo in 2015. The couple had a very glamorous wedding ceremony which was held in Lagos. Ivie Okujaye rose to prominence in 2015 from her lead role in the Africa Magic T.V. series, 'Hotel Majestic.' Ivie is blessed with a daughter.

Akpororo welcomes twins with wife

Earlier in the year, Akpororo joined the list of celebrities who have welcomed twins as his wife gave birth to the beautiful babies in the United States of America.
The late actor, whose acting career spanned decades, featured in unforgettable comedy films such as "Aki na Ukwa," "Ukwa," "Atinga," "Alice My First Lady," Tom and Jerry," "Everyday People," "Magic Cap," "A Fool at 40," "Slow Motion" among others.

During an interview with Pulse Nigeria, his son, Omoruyi Efe, talked about what he misses the most about his late father and legendary comedy actor.

He also shared the one thing people probably don't know about the late actor, the greatest advice he ever received from him, and receiving royalties for his works after his death.

Read full interview below:

On what he misses the most about Sam Loco

I miss the way we used to play, because we played a lot. Before he died, I hadn't seen him for seven months because he was on location [and] I was in Law School.

In fact, he died a day before I started my bar exams. I was in Victoria Island here in Lagos and I think I heard [about his death] the next day.

Someone who didn't know that I hadn't heard just said, "sorry about your dad,' and I was like, "what happened?' So I think he got to know that I didn't know, and he was like, "sorry, I was just playing."

It was a Sunday and my bar finals started that Monday. It was tough, but I really missed having my dad because I could just call him then and gist. He was a friend, so I miss the friendship.

On family receiving royalties after actor's death

No, this is Naija. [There's] no such thing. But what we still get is people always remembering him and that's enough for us - to know that people actually still appreciate him, even several years after his death.

One thing people don't know about the late actor

My dad didn't name me Omoruyi, he actually named me Buhari, after [the then] General Muhammadu Buhari. But I am not Buhari, before you people start chasing me on the streets.

My dad was also a historian and he also lectured in the University of Ibadan in the early 80s.

On the impact of following his dad to movie sets

I was with him for "Police Recruits," "Atinga" and any other movie that was shot in Enugu at that time. After my WASSCE, my dad actually registered me with Actors Guild of Nigeria. So I had a brief hint until I got admission into the Ambrose Ali university. I think that was the end of it.

When I started there, it was getting very addictive because anytime you're not around there [on set], it's as if 'mehn, movies are being shot and you're not there.' But my dad would always say 'no, you have to go to school first, after that you can decide.'

But after studying law, I felt like there was no time for that [acting]. It would feel like starting a new career, so I just embraced Law and it has been good since then.

The support from Nollywood after father's death

At the beginning, yes [there was the support]. But of course, you know when time passes everybody moves on. It's just a basic fact of life [and] you get to understand it.

People move on with their own lives and all.

Sam Loco's closest friends in the industry

His closest friends that I met personally, I would say Lasa Amoro. There's also Uchenna Amuta - Natty - from the "New Masquerade" series.

Also, Tom Njemanze from "Died Wretched." My dad used to call him Died Wretched. To an extent, I still keep in touch with some of them, the ones that are still there. Once in a while, we call.

Coping after Sam Loco's death

Sometimes we miss him, but what I am happy about is that he brought forth strong children. Over time, we began to cope and it has been good without him.

It would have been nicer for him to be here, but even without him, we move on.

Greatest lesson and advice received from the late actor

The greatest lesson I learnt from my dad is to go after what I want, even when people are not helping.

He wasn't one to help you with anything. For instance, if you're looking for a job and the Managing Director is his friend, he wasn't one to call him for help.

He believed that if you merit it, you get it. So from that, I learnt a lot and it has helped me in life.

My dad wouldn't sit you down to advise you, but overtime, with what he says, you would learn. The greatest advice I would say he gave me was to actually make sure that every decision you make, you're ready to live with the consequences.

For example, there was a time in Enugu. Popsy and I were staying in the same hotel. A friend of mine - a lady - came to see me. I didn't even know he was downstairs by the swimming pool and when I was escorting her, I saw him.

When I got back, he was like 'if you give girl belly, na you know. I no go pay any pikin school fees.' Basically, he taught us to stay with the consequences of our actions.

What Omoruyi Efe's has been up to

I have been facing my career. Right now, I am a partner in a law firm - Graceville Chambers in Ikeja - with some of my friends from school.

On ever going into filmmaking

If I ever went back to Nollywood, it would be to produce because I have a knack for quality and not a lot of Nollywood movies that I watch...
She was killed during an attack carried out on Monday, August 13, 2018. The assailants also waged war against Tiv farmers in Awe, a local government located in the state.

According to a report by Punch News, the deceased was hit by a stray bullet fired to scare away the residents in the community.

Last week Monday night, some Fulani herders suspected to be from Wurgan-Dogo stormed Tse Shiga aka Gidan Soja in their numbers, shooting sporadically as we scampered for our dear lives. One person was killed and many others injured," Obasanjo Akaahan who survived the attack tells Punch.

ALSO READ: Fulani herdsmen kill SARS officers who tried to settle fight

According to reports, two suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack.
Undeterred, they stood their ground, stating that they won't leave until Samuel was released unconditionally.

The force's PRO, Jimoh Moshood, came out to address them and apologized for the acts of his colleagues. He said their message would be relayed to the Inspector General and he will ensure it reaches a logical end.

This isn't the first time Sowore will be leading protests and defending the defenseless and voiceless. He has a track record of championing fearless struggles for the common good.

His activism days started at the University of Lagos, where he was a student, at the young age of eighteen. He has led several protests and was a key part of the Abiola/Abacha struggles of the 90s.

Samuel Ogundipe has finally been released. All thanks to Omoyele Sowore, the #TakeItBack movement, and all Nigerians of good faith who joined and supported the movement from different parts of the globe.
On Sunday, August 19, 2018, the suspect attacks the victim, Mrs Alice IyaboAkinola at her residence in Ayobo.

He reportedly employed the use of a plank and other harmful objects in a bid to kill her for ritual purposes. The incident has been confirmed by police spokesperson CSP Chike Oti according to a Punch News report.

The incident took place on the aforementioned date, at about 0830hrs, at No.2 Raji Ajanaku street, Alaja Road, Ayobo, Lagos, inside the flat the suspect, Taiwo Akinola, age 29 years lives with his mother, Mrs Alice Iyabo Akinola and her grandchild Master Faruk, age 14 years.

In a carefully thought out plans to kill his mother, Taiwo, said to be staunch member of the notorious Aiye confraternity, went to the victims provision store in front of their apartment and told his mother to meet him inside the house for an important discussion and at same time sent his nephew, Faruk to go buy him a white handkerchief and a stick of cigarette.

As soon as the victim entered the house, the suspect attacked her, smashing her head with a plank, pressing iron and a UPS charger to ensure she didnt survive the ferocious attack.

When Faruk returned from the errand, he didnt see his grandmother in the shop so he went into the house only to see the poor woman lying in a pool of her blood. Shocked by what he saw, the small boy raised the alarm which attracted neighbours to the scene.

They called the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ayobo Division who arrived the scene with his team and promptly arrested the suspect and secured the scene for further investigation by the police forensic experts attached to the Homicide section SCIID Panti, Yaba.

The victim was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment and was found to be hanging onto life. Right now, the doctors are battling to revive Mrs. Alice Akinola, reads a police statement.

The police also shared a tweet a day following the incident. It contains an image of the culprit and the poor mother as she receives treatment at a hospital.

ALSO READ: 5 devilish things Internet fraudsters do to get money

Items recovered from the suspect include "two calabashes with one containing human skull and the other, a mixture of dark concoction, a plank perforated with nails and stained with blood, a pressing iron with blood stains, a white handkerchief with which he allegedly wanted to use in scooping the victims blood, a bottle containing oil labelled Back To Sender".
The Nigerian Judicial Problem

Our legal system is infamously slow and fraught with corrupt practitioners.

Sometimes, some cases get booted over technicalities, other times, some cases never see the light of day while the perpetrator rots in a prison somewhere, till he is freed by a Governors prerogative of mercy without being tried for his crime.

While wrongful accusations are as much of a phenomenon as legit rape accusations, the legit accusations have received too little attention from our judicial system.

The sheer neglect has somewhat promoted the horror for rape and victims of domestic violence because sometimes, justice offers closure and a sense of rightness.

With cases open, it leaves the impression that a wrongdoer is walking free while a victim lives in a horror hole of shame, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and for some, even worse consequences.

Sometimes, simple cases of enforcement of judgement takes weeks and even months to finalize.

It is then not impossible that serious cases like rape can run into years, prolonging the pain of victims and sometimes, the laxity leads to victims abandoning those cases after being worn out by constant clogs and technicalities.

The Legal Problem

The worst part is that our legislators have not been as proactive on sensitive matters.

There is no reason why a system similar to the multi-door courthouse style and fast-track, that works to expedite certain less-sensitive disputes like land matters and defamation suits should not been introduced for issues like rape.

If our laws could make special provisions for sensitive matters or even find a way to overhaul our entire judicial system to ensure cases are dealt with expediently, then it will be fantastic, but it is a long shot.

We live in a country where national budgets take months to pass and people in high places get away with forgery and other heinous crimes.

There is a stark disillusionment with the entire issue of rape and its aftermath with the trivial handling it gets from influential offices and people.

Even worse, some legal people help perpetrators of rape get away with their crimes, not as regards their legal duty to defend victims, but through illegal means like filibuster to slow down processes.

The case of victims

As stated earlier, most of the victims have to live with PTSD, inadequate medical attention, lack of funds, shaming, fake attention from would-be sympathizers who only bring back bad memories, being stuck and so forth, all while seeing their abusers flourish and live freely.

It is not unpopular that victims of domestic violence and violent crimes never really get over the trauma or heal completely from these wrongdoings.

Some of them even get completely lost in the madness and spiral out of control in some extreme ways like substance abuse and promiscuity, to numb the pain.

Some even take to self-mutilation due to self-loathing while they blame themselves for something they could not have in reality, controlled.

Others also become psych ward patients over the trauma. The point is, rape is a life/course/path altering event.

There should be a way to work against these people.

What then is the solution?

This scribbler once heard a senior Nigerian Lawyer, Mrs. Olayinka Odukoya talk about a program called;

Relocation For Victims of Domestic Violence and Violent Crimesor simply, Victim Relocation Program.

What is Victim Relocation Program?

Victim relocation program is simply a processes that overhauls the entire lives of victims of domestic violence and violent crimes, considering their trauma and how it affects their lives.

Most victims never remain the same again. Those that even show signs of healing take a fair bit of time while others only learn to live with themselves due to months and even years of consistent therapy.

Some victims even run away to get over the familiarity of the environment that failed them.

This program aims to afford these victims the opportunity of total change and a fresh start, alongside other factors that could help them heal and thrive in new surroundings.

While nothing is guaranteed, even with the advantage of change, some of these factors included in relocation programs are steady finances, therapy, schooling/job opportunities, new environment, a fresh start, [sometimes] a new identity and other factors that come with change.

For Nigeria, the relocation will definitely be to a chill place outside Africa, where life can get easier and ease can aid healing. Again, it is not guaranteed, but we have to at least give victims a fighting chance.

In most ways, getting a victim away from the scene of their abuse and from the compassionate, familiar faces of people who know their story; people who also sometimes unknowingly engage in victim shaming can help.

Arguments have been canvassed on how this program could be risky as some victims only heal within the comfort and safety that familiar faces and family offer and they are valid, but sometimes, people know what they need till they have them.

Asides that, some of these programs also seeks to relocate entire families to afford victims the warmth of familiarity, while soaking in the advantage of new environments.

This program is also done in clandestine manner, with secrecy as a fundamental ingredient for success. Sometimes, even those funding them are not privy to the new environments of these victims.

In some extreme circumstances, the victims families are also not privy to the victims new location, at least for the first few years of the process.

The idea is to aid victims to heal without the constraint and horror of familiar environments, while aiding affording the mostly promising prospects of new, better environments.

Who funds this program?

The major problem with this program is consistent funding.

We live in a country where civil servants are owed arrears on salaries that run into months; where retired civil servants in Ekiti State have not been paid their gratuity and retirement benefits since retiring in 2015, with no pension, while they their salaries have been stopped.

The same public servants also somehow have funds for elaborate election campaigns and terrible PR stunts, and energy for political propaganda.

We definitely cannot place the onus on the government to fund this program. The same government cannot even sustain its scholarship programs to students it sent abroad to Russia and Ukraine. A lot of those students have taken to prostitution and other extreme measures to survive and go through school.

The idea behind scholarships and victim relocation are somewhat similar, only that victim relocation is more expensive. If a government cannot sustain scholarships, how then can it sustain victim relocation program of a people that it constantly shames and pays no attention?

It is even more than a far cry. What will end a governmental aid for this purpose will be corruption and embezzlement while these victims are led worse than they were, filled with regrets and facing extreme choices.

Not-for-profit organizationsand International Aid

Sadly, while a few Nigerian not-for-profit organizations can adequately fund this program, most of these organizations cannot fund even one relocation program. These programs can be pretty expensive.

Where Nigerian not-for-profit organizations might be broke, the answer might be international aid organizations like the United States Agency for International Development [USAID] that has a yearly budget of $27.2 billion.

The USAID also pumps millions of dollars into various Nigerian causes, majorly in healthcare.

Another organization is the United Kingdom Agency for International Aid [UKAID].

These bodies definitely have the means and power to aid and absorb victims of domestic violence through their healing phases. Another factor that could aid is international bilateral agreements between countries to aid these individuals.

Wealthy Individuals

The alternative is to look towards wealthy individuals, but that isnt certain, except they create self-sustaining non-governmental funds like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation or The Clinton Foundation aid altruistic cusses across Africa.

Sadly, that is also a far cry. We seldom hear our super rich people do anything altruistic than throw lavish parties and try to buy Arsenal. While they might be interested, it will be unreasonable to place hope on them. They might start it, but sustenance is another issue entirely.

What might be reasonable will be to create a pool of funds from a number of wealthy individuals, operated by an independent fund manager to ensure independent administration of funds and limit the prospects of the fund being used for illegal purposes like money laundering.

Wealthy Perpetrators

On that day in 2015, Mrs. Yinka Odukoya opined that since rapists never really change, it might be nice that some of the wealthy perpetrators of domestic violence fund the relocation program and sustain them.

When one thinks about it, it does seem reasonable these perpetrators bear the brunt of resettling their victims. Although, what might be reasonable will be to take a lump sum off these perpetrators to be managed by an independent fund administrator.

If the perpetrators are left to perennially submitting these funds, they might claim bankruptcy or something later to get off these commitments. Processes to confirm these problems might also be arduous and unproductive in the long run.

Funding this program will however not absolve them of punishments like imprisonment.

The problem with this though is that, what happens to victims of poor perpetrators?

Thats a million dollar question. The simple answer is that sometimes, it might be good to take enough funds off the rich perpetrators to fund more than one victim when possible.

Other times, it will be good to have more than one means to fund this program.

It is also noteworthy that not all victims require relocation. Some are better off in the comfort and warmth familiarly guarantees.

While rape might be a global issue, we cannot downplay the place of change and how could aid healing for victims of domestic violence.

Nonetheless, there are risks to this relocation program.

Risks

Plea Bargaining

Plea bargaining is simply the process of expediting criminal cases by leveraging the testimony of an individual with factual knowledge, also usually and ordinarily complicit in the case he is to benefit from.

These individuals also usually submit the guilty plea for lesser sentences since they cooperated with the law to expedite these cases with their knowledge. Some of them also go into witness protection and identity changes after these processes.

While we dont have plea bargaining yet in Nigeria, fears are that it is an inevitable reality in our judicial system as clamours continue to intensify, especially in the face of aggressive corruption.

This same corruption is the reason why some fear influential perpetrators might use plea bargaining and the advent of cooperation with the law to absolve themselves of prison sentences, mild sentences and public trials.

While relocation will aid victims, the perpetrators are not aiding the case in anyway. It is also a fundamental principle of law that you cannot benefit from your own wrongdoing.'

Nonetheless, one has to acknowledge the constant possibility of exploitation by connected individuals who perpetrate the horrors of domestic violence and violent abuses.

Someone might be cheap enough to aid them. Everything is for sale in Nigeria.

False accusations from desperate people who want to travel

We do not need to rehash the details of fake accusations but one must note the possibility of false accusations.

Desperation can birth elaborate schemes. We have seen instances of people who fake their own deaths to claim certain entitlements or commit arson to claim insurance compensations.

False accusations against wealthy people by desperate individuals to see America is always a possibility.

Will it be done for all victims?

There is a tendency for bias if funding is limited to only a particular stream, like wealthy individuals. Victims of less fortunate individuals could feel even more violated.

The way to balance this possibility is to create a stream of funds from international aid to wealthy individuals and to wealthy perpetrators.

While nothing is guaranteed, victims of domestic abuse and violent crimes might just stand a better chance with victim relocation program.
The move was met with celebration and endorsement across the media. For the first time in a while, citizen activism in Nigerian actually became something worthwhile and yielded positive fruits, but the gender wars across the world will not let slide.

It's a male thing

On Saturday, August 18, 2018, a Nigerian feminist and YouTuber Hafsah Mohammed, (@hafymo)expressed some concerns that #EndSARS succeeded because victims of SARSwere mostly men. Her point stems from how continued neglect and nonchalance trails the serial abuse and mistreatment of women from Uberdrivers, issues of pedophilia and sexual abuse get less media coverage.

At 8:21pm on Saturday, August 18, 2018, the Human Resource graduate of the University of Lagos, tweeted that, I just want to note quickly that one of the reasons the #ENDSARS movement had an impact was because 90% of the victim are men. Good night

She goes ahead to validate her point with how issues peculiar to women enjoy less impact and do little to no media rounds and are not canvassed as they should on her Instagram story post here;

She completes her advocacy for male support of feminine causes through her late tweet, when she highlighted her metrics that, Right that is why I said, one of. We dont keep this same energy when it comes to getting this justice for women though. When are always beside men fighting their battles, but when it comes to our issues, we have to convince men to believe us first.

Her entire clamour is about male participation in female advocacy a charge, not necessarily a tirade. She has since locked her Twitter account.

Double standard

While there has been a huge clamour by Nigerians for the government to curtail the excessive and illegal activities of SARS, there has been little or no organized effort to reduce sexual allegation, harassment, molestation and rape in the country.

This also includes pedophilia which if the frequency of reports on social media is anything to go by is on the rise. Despite the frequency of violence towards women, it seems the Nigerian society could care less about what happens to women.

With rape convictions in Nigeria still ridiculously low, it seems no one is speaking up for women. The illegal activities of SARS were centered around the wrongful profiling on young, male Nigerians as Internet fraudsters.

While men have been predominantly the victims of SARS operatives, women have been harassed by the police special unit though not as much as men.
For Apple users, you can listen to this episode of the Loose Talk podcast

A special guest is back by popular demand and we are not revealing her name. You will have to play this week's episode to know who made it to Loose Talk this week.

PVC

Steve Dede in his sharp Delta ways narrated how he used his journalist status to get his PVC. The story is pure hilarious and delivered in the only way that Steve tells his crazy stories.

What do Nigerian men offer in relationships?

Osagie asks AOT2, Steve and our special guest what do Nigerian men offer in relationships apart from safety and status. The discussion further highlights why Nigerian men are afraid of dating above their station.

The Glow Up

Apparently, our special guesthas a glow up, as she talks about her new job at the BBC, and other ventures like her book club and other issues while Osagz chips in with why he thinks we need a new exciting challenge every few years.

The chatter also leads to discussing the importance of collaborating to foster the reading culture and why people should read book before delving into some relationship chatter and why investment bankers wont work for her.

Loose Talk Review

The Loose Talk Giants review the latest albums released within the last week. Osagie breaks down Nicki Minaj's 'Queen' album and speaks about its flaws.

The discussion moves to the 'Crown' by AQ and Loose Kaynon and why why Chocolate City should get credit for pushing out rap albums.
While her speech was flawless and conveyed her vision and perception of African feminism, the birth of Nigerian affinity with the global lecture has since grown.

Since then, you can see Nigerians quoting Akala, Nehisi-Coates or Yvonne Orji TED Talks, in part aided by the vertical accessibility to Internet, promoting exposure and structural literacy.

What is a TED Talk?

A Ted Talk is a zonal event organized by Sapling Foundation to help promote relatability or perspectives on diverse topics, as regards relevance and by a variety of intellectuals, professionals and people across all walks of life.

In essence though, as much as social media keeps simplifying the angle of global communication, it is also a ground for pettiness, humour, sarcasm and promoting circumstantial lifestyles.

A few people choose Twitter as grounds to vaunt themselves as intellectuals, while intentionally derogating upon other people. In essence, they are called intellectual/big grammar Twitter or ITK  short for In The Know or the more Nigerian I Too Know.

Origin

Thank You For Coming To My TED Talk is basically what TED Talk anchors say after delivering their speeches. Its pop culture connotation and humorous angle has a bit of a skewed origin, but it is not Nigerian.

One can say it rose to popular around first quarter 2018, while certain people had been using it sparingly since last quarter 2017.

Usage

The idea behind it, is simply a laidback activism against the backdrop of these 'ITK' and their tendency to lecture people on social media  especially Twitter.

It was created as a play on their tendencies to tweet out threads of knowledge mirroring TED Talks, or made in the serious and intellectual tone of a typical TED Talk.

Its usage has however increased since June 2018.

Since it took its earliest steps into a pop culture trend, it has been used in 3 ways; straight humour, sarcasm and activism.

The beauty of this trend is that however intentionally, humorously senseless the Tweet is, whoever is behind it constructs it in a way to mirror a typical ITKs Tweet.

Typically, most of the Tweets are humorous, but since they are usually to mirror ITK character, we can say it is fundamentally sarcasm.

The activism part usually comes when corrections are being made with subtle abuses inherent in those tweets.

In the end, this is one of the better movements on Twitter NG.
I.rasa clothing, Nigerias biggest Ankara ready-to-wear brand, is staying true to the mantra of the brand  Fun and Vivacious. It presented its new collection at a store launch party over the weekend in Lagos to mark the end of summer tagged, because what is summer without an end-of-summer sales party?

The new collection, tagged HUE: A Medley of Colours, is pumped with energetic bright colours in African print mixed with unusual fabric details to strike a simple balance of Art meets Fashion.

The pieces, each parading their own individuality, showcase the signature Ankara designs in effervescent colours. With rich deep tones of red to vibrant gushes of energetic orange, royal handshakes of purple and sun kissed yellow of resplendent fun, the collection caters to everyone, from the high-profile corporate woman to the trendy fun seeker. The wardrobe staples range from easy tees to shirt dresses, dresses, skirts etc  a piece for everyone.

Credits

Model: @stacy_khanu

Hairstylist: @abmhairmaking

Make up: @cdo_beautyhouse

Creative Direction & Styling: @styledby_glory
As a Muslim, you know this festival will cost you some money and you've got to prepare for that too. If you can afford it, it is a must for you to slaughter a ram for the celebration.

If you can't, it is advisable you celebrate it in a manner .

However, while you prepare to go shopping for the celebration, here are tips you need to make your preparation easier.

1. Have a list

Having a list of what you want to buy before going to market will help and guide your shopping. It is important you come up with this list before you even step out of your house.

2. Budget

Expenses wise, nothing should be done outside your budget even if you are going to spend big this Sallah season.

It is pretty easy to overspend during this festive period. But having a budget will surely guide your spending.

3. Avoid impulse buying

While you go shopping to buy everything you need for the Sallah, make sure you don't let your impulse dictates what you buy.

4. Buy with cash
For female millennials, being with younger men is a matter of age as much as it is a matter of anything else. For instance, women in their early twenties will rarely date younger guys because women typically grow at a faster mental rate than guys. So a 24-year old babe may not really favour the idea of being with a guy two years younger, or worse, more.

When the age is increased though, say from 28 upwards, the idea doesnt sound so repulsive anymore, provided the age gap is not significant, and that guy in question can meet the emotional needs and other needs of the woman.

A case for younger guys

Dating a younger man, say one between the ages of 23-28 has been said to be a lot more fun than dating an older man. Younger guys are fun and could be less controlling.

Theyre more spontaneous and have a greater appetite for fun and adventure, even though they can hardly afford many of the things they want yet. The sex with younger men is also lit, with all the boundless energy they have and the willingness to try out new things in bed.

While most of the advantages of dating this kind of men are usually linked to their effervescence and the boisterousness of youth, theres one more reason why its a great idea to be with a guy in the age range above, and this has to do with societys attempt [and success] at redefining the ideas and ideals of masculinity.

According to Cosmo PH, younger guys have been pre-softened by a society that has evolved a lot in the past 30 years. Women's rights, gay rights the younger a guy is, the more evolved he is. You want to work? Cool. Want him to do the laundry? No problem. My husband washes bottles and does nighttime feedings without acting like he's a hero. That's not just a younger guy you're dating; it's utopian values, in human form. Enjoy it.

While the social structure here and in Philippines may be different, theres still some truth to be found in those words. A man in his early thirties or younger is more likely to be feminist in his outlook to life than an older man in his forties and above.

Disadvantages of being with these guys, however include, less levels of long-term commitment, financial insecurity, may be lacking in emotional maturity and intelligence, etc.

A case for older men

When asked for the purpose of this piece, what makes older men more appealing to millennial women than younger ones, Sarah Babs, a content creator and part-time model in Lagos says the maturity that older men bring into relationships is what makes them more appealing to women than younger ones. I think older men are just more mature and handle situations less [rashly], she says.

Damilola is a 21 year old student and she also agrees that mental and emotional maturity is one of the major things women look for in men, and of course, older men have this in abundance more than younger men, according to her.

Aside the emotional maturity that many older men are known to possess over younger men, the financial security they bring to the table also helps to tip the scale in their favour. Theres more likelihood that a guy in his mid-thirties will be financially stable than one in his mid-twenties. And then there is the commitment quotient. The older a guy is, the more increased his chances of wanting a committed relationship as opposed to younger men who may still be dipping their feet in many waters, testing for the coolest one.

One of the things held against older men, however, is that they are less likely to be adventurous in their approach to life, sex and the relationship or marriage in general because they are usually more experienced with these things and would rather plump for whats safe, tested and trusted than whats exciting. They could also be more controlling and more rigid in their disposition to gender roles in the relationships or marriages.

Do whats best for you

Regardless of the pros and cons, who does what and who doesnt, for the millennial, modern woman in 2018, the bottom line when deciding who to be with should be the protection of your happiness and the guarding of your souls peace.

If hes intentional about making you happy and adding value to your life, if he brings balance and helps in all spheres of your wellbeing, be it mental, physical, sexual, financial and all others, it really should not matter that hes younger or older.

Theres too much negativity, too much trash out here for you to let go of something as magical, almost mythical, as the true love of a man who fits the picture painted in the paragraph above.
According to Vanguard, the ruling party said that the Senate President will not pass the integrity and anti-corruption test.

This was made known to newsmen by the APC spokesman, Yekini Nabena, in a statement which he issued on Monday, August 20, 2018, according to Daily Post.

Saraki, in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, August 15, 2018, said that he's considering the possibility of running for the office of president against President Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

See the 7 corruption allegations reproduced below:

1. N1b allegedly looted from Societe Generale Bank

In a recent interview with the international news organization, Bloomberg, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki unsurprisingly declared his intention to contest the 2019 Presidency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Against the backdrop of the litany of corruption allegations trailing the Senate President, Sarakis declaration, brings to the fore our earlier call to anti-graft agencies to check the use of stolen public funds to finance elections in this country. We reiterate our position that the Nigerian electorate must have the opportunity to choose from candidates that can pass the integrity and anti-corruption test.

Let us refresh our memory on some of Sarakis corruption allegations: Allegations of fraud which led to the collapse of the Saraki family-owned Societe Generale Bank (Bukola Saraki who was Director of the defunct bank was indicted over N1bn alleged to have been looted from the banks treasury).

2. Mis-appropriation of Kwara State funds

Misappropriation of Kwara State funds, disregard of government due process and conversion of State government assets into his and cronies when he served as two-term governor of Kwara State.

History of betrayals, treachery and sabotage  Family, political party (PDP, APC), Senate, government.

3. N11b financial scandal at the defunct Intercontinental Bank

The APC spokesman said Saraki was questioned by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit over an N11 billion financial scandal at the defunct Intercontinental Bank.

4. Hidden Panama funds.

According to Nabena, the Senate President's desire to acquire for property is 'Gluttonous '.

Gluttonous property acquisitions and hidden multi-billion dollar assets spread across the world as disclosed by the Panama Papers revelations.

5. Shonga Agricultural Project.

Nabena also mentioned a multi-million dollar white elephant Shonga Agricultural Project in Kwara State when Saraki served as two-term governor.

6. Falsification of Senate Order

The APC spokesman accused Saraki of Falsification of Senate standing order"

"Sarakis link to the N298m armoured Range Rover SUV seized by the Nigeria Customs Service.

7. $19.5b Paris Club Loan refund scandal

Saraki is link to $19.5b Paris Club Loan refund scandal, he oversaw budget padding in the National Assembly among other numerous corruption scandals, Nabena added.

APC warns Nigerians

The party also warned Nigerians to be wary of Saraki, who it says will always put himself over National interest.

Nigerians should be wary of a man whose personal ambition will always supersede the interest of the majority and national interest as currently displayed in the National Assembly.

While Saraki refuses to reconvene the National Assembly, the 2019 election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dangerously delayed, an action deliberately taken to sabotage INECs ability to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2019.

While Saraki refuses to step down as Senate President as rightly and severally demanded by the APC-dominated Senate, he is bent on foisting a PDP-minority rule (Senate President and Deputy Senate President) in the Upper Legislative House, the statement added.

Saraki's way

Nabena, in the statement, also said Saraki only knows how to play politics that will benefit him alone.

He said The only politics that Bukola Saraki plays is self, himself only and only himself. The interest and welfare of the people of Nigeria do not mean anything to him. Now it is the Presidency Saraki wants.

And we ask with what antecedents is he doing this? Conspiracy, blackmail, treachery and vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other, as rightly captured by William Shakespeare. Bukola Saraki will rather rule in hell than serve in paradise.

Ahead of 2019 elections, Nigerians must ensure that we never again entrust the leadership of this great country to thieves whose sole aim is treasury looting and returning us to the dark ages where impunity and institutionalized corruption was the order of the day.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Tinubu hassaid that Saraki and the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal left the APC because the party could not offer them what they wanted.
This was made known to newsmen by the Rivers APC chairman, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree on Monday, August 20, 2018.

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)suspended the by-election for Port-Harcourt Constituency 3, citing wide-spread violence during the exercise.

Flag-Amachree also alleged that Wike offered him N20m to betray his party during the polls.

He also said that the Rivers state Governor ordered his security aide to disrupt the election when he noticed that the APC candidate was winning, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

In the process, several shots were fired to intimidate both voters and election officials but most of the voters in the constituency stood their ground and resisted the state of shootings and intimidation.

Having failed to substantially cow the voters especially APC members, Wike reached me and pleaded to have my cooperation and in return get N200m bribe, which I declined and reported same to the APC leadership.

In failed mission to bribe me and intimidate voters, Gov. Wike and his CSO became more determined to scuttle the bye-election, decide to undertake smear campaign against me as demonstrated in his broadcast," he added.

Wike pays INEC officers

Flag-Amachree told newsmen that Governor Wike pays money to INEC officers in the state monthly.

He said Wike has been paying a monthly sum between N1m to N3m to various officers depending on rank, and he has penciled down key security agents to compromise elections in the state.

We are not also surprised that INEC and Gov. Wike are working hand-in-gloves to rig elections in Rivers."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Presidential jet conveying Buhari and some of his aides touched down at the airport at about 5.51p.m.

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina state, Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika and other government officials were among those at the airport to welcome the President.

NAN reports that the President was later conveyed to Daura by a presidential chopper.

Buhari, who returned to Abuja from London on Aug. 18 after his 10-working-day vacation, had earlier met behind closed doors with security chiefs at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj.-Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, who spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said the president was updated on the security situations across the country.

He said that the meeting focused mainly on the situation in Benue, Zamfara and Taraba States.

He said: We just had two and a half hour meeting with the President and Commander-in-Chief.

We reviewed the security situation across the country- in all the geopolitical zones  and of course, we made all our comments; especially the new operations in Benue, Taraba and Operation Sharan Daji in Zamfara.

We gave the extent of successes in these operations and we are to continue in this line of action in these operations.

All the operations were reviewed and all the issues concerning the operations were dealt with.

He directed that we should continue to step up our game to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their daily activities in a very safe manner.
The embassy urged its citizens to exercise caution during the period.

It also advised Americans in Nigeria to be aware of their surroundings during the holiday, noting that security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups.

The Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22 in observance of Eid-el-Kabir. We will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 23.

Exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings during the holiday, the embassy said.

The embassy advised Americans in Nigeria to carry proper identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Nigerian visa.

Expect additional police and military checkpoints and possible road blocks throughout the country, exercise caution when walking or driving at night. Review travel routes and times to reduce time and place predictability.

Avoid crowds and demonstrations. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep a low profile. Stay alert in public places, including schools, hospitals, and government facilities, places of worship, tourist locations and transportation hubs.

Review your personal security plans. Monitor local media for updates, it added.

NAN reports that the embassy on Aug. 15 temporarily suspended its consular services in Abuja due to reasons it said were beyond its control.

The embassy, however, maintained that its Consulate Office in Lagos was not affected by the development.

While expressing regret on the inconvenience the development might cause applicants, the embassy expressed the hope to resume operations after the Eid-el-Kabir.
The musician also said that the Governor gave his wife $1,000 as an assurance that he will not pull down the Music House, after she pleaded with him for four hours on her knees.

Ayefele said this during a press conference which he held in Ibadan, Oyo state capital on Monday, August 20, 2018.

The Music House, which housed Fresh FM radio station was demolished by the Oyo state government on Sunday, August 19, 2018.

According to Tribune, the musician countered statements by the Oyo state government that the demolished building was not approved to host a radio station.

Ayefele said that the building plan, which was approved by the state government on June 6, 2008, contained information of the two studios.

The statement reads: My wife was with the governor till around 3:00 a.m on Saturday. She was able to meet the governor and he assured her that the building will not be demolished and as an assurance, when she was leaving, the governor gave her $1, 000.

I would have gone with her but I had been hospitalised a day after the three days demolition notice was given to us by the government. There is no defence for this vindictive and politically motivated destruction of a thriving business in a city that needs economic and job opportunities for its citizens.

In the approved plan of the music house, we requested an approval for a business complex with proposed two studios and the plan was approved. The building is more than 10 years. Are they now saying that a radio license which costs several million to obtain is not a business venture?

They did not only demolish the building, our recently acquired broadcast equipment worth N28 million was equally damaged. We are still putting the cost (of the damage) together.

The demolition notice they brought was three days. There is a confirmation that the state government is responsible for the demolition as against what their counsel said in court.

We have relocated our studio and Fresh F.M is fully back on the air. It is only the NBC that can stop us from broadcasting Fresh FM is a small business that should be encouraged and not destroyed.

Oyo govt explains

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Oyo State Government saidthat due process was followed in the demolition of Ayefeles Music House.

This was made known to newsmen by Mr Waheed Gbadamosi, the Special Adviser to Gov Ajimobi on Physical Planning and Development Control at a press conference in Ibadan on Monday.

NAN reports that Gbadamosi said it was established during a visit to the building that it encroached into the sight distance of the Y junction along Lagelu Estate, adding that a canteen, toilets, store and powerhouse, which were not in the original plan, were attached to the fence.

The Govs aide said that some other inclusions like a mast and staircase were made.

He also noted that the part of the building which was originally designated in the plan as a car park had also been converted.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the demolition of Ayefeles Music House.
During his appearance on "On The Couch" anchored by entertainer, Folarin Falana, aka Falz, and journalist, Laila Johnson-Salami, Okeowo made certain remarks that didn't go down well with a lot of Nigerians who took to Twitter to air their unflattering opinions about the aspirant.

Okeowo fluffed his lines when he was asked about his history in politics; his views on feminism and the marginalisation of women; international relations; and drug abuse in the country.

Many Nigerians were also unhappy that the aspirant, who's contesting on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), described the country as a "people of wastage" incapable of producing anything.

Read some of the reactions to his interview below:

Watch the full interview below:
The governor made the call in his Sallah message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu on Monday in Asaba.

Okowa said that Eid-el-Kabir was a season of love, peace, togetherness and sacrifice.

He urged the Muslims to emulate the Holy Prophet Mohammed by imbibing the ideals of sacrifice as exemplified by him.

I enjoin you to use the period to uphold the spiritual benefit of the celebration by extending a hand of friendship and solidarity across all divides.

I urge you to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice and obedience to the higher authority as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and upheld by Prophet Muhammed.

This is an opportunity for us to reflect and pray for our nation and for all those in leadership positions.

It is necessary so that God in his infinite mercy will continue to guide them as they steer the affairs of the country, he said.

Okowa assured Delta residents that the State Government would collaborate with security agencies to ensure peaceful and harmonious Sallah celebration in the state.

He thanked the Muslim community in the state for the consistent support given to his administration,
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday in Abuja, the party described the demolishing of the building, said to be worth N800 million as horrifying, wicked and speaks volume of the insensitivity of the perpetrators.

The building which also houses Aiyefeles Flash FM station and recording studio, was said to have been brought down in spite of a court order.

The PDP notes that Aiyefeles building was demolished for allegedly singing songs considered to be against the interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC), even when our Constitution allows all citizens right to free speech, freedom of opinion and association within the ambit of the law.

The PDP alerts Nigerians of a dangerous trend whereby the current clampdown on the media is now being extended to other public opinion moulders, including musicians and perhaps actors.

Ologbondiyan urged all public spirited groups and individuals to condemn what he described as emerging assault on free citizens for no just cause.
The group of lawmakers, named Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG), said the former Edo State governor is ridiculing Nigeria in the global community by launching relentless attacks against the office of current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the entire legislative arm of government.

In the statement signed by the group's spokesperson, Hon. Timothy Golu (Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam, Plateau - PDP), they said Oshiomhole is destabilising the National Assembly with threats.

The statement read, "Oshiomhole has refused to sleep because he wants Senator Bukola Saraki removed as duly elected Senate President.

"He is distracting our nation's democracy and ridiculing us before the global democratic community. His style is too primitive for democracy.

"Let him come through the door with 2/3 of the Senators to legally achieve his selfish objective. What his ignorance would not allow him know is that even some APC Senators are not part of the charade. Access to democracy is not brigandage but respect to the rule of law and due process.

"Oshiomhole's anti democratic utterances is making us a laughing stock. We advise him not to kill himself on Saraki as there is nothing he can do to subvert the law of democracy just to achieve an anti democratic goal.

"We call on President Buhari to immediately call him to order or direct the IGP Ibrahim Idris to arrest him so that peace can flow.

"He is destabilising the National Assembly with threats and the use of security agencies to haunt our leaders."

Saraki vs Oshiomhole

Ever since Saraki dumped the APC for the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) in July, Oshiomhole has led the charge for him to be impeached as leader of the Senate several times.

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.

The ruling party recently alleged that Saraki and the PDP were plotting to employ thugs to attack APC Senators over the ongoing plot to remove him as Senate President. The party said APC lawmakers will be lured to a meeting by PDP and then harmed with hired thugs to prevent them from attending legislative sittings that could lead to Saraki's impeachment.

The ruling party further alleged that the plot is a follow-up to Saraki's previous attempt to buy over APC Senators with N100 million each to upset the party's majority in the Senate.
The attack occurred in the village of Mailari in the Guzamala region of Borno state at around 2 a.m of Sunday, August 19, 2018.

It is unclear if the attackers were Boko Haram or Islamic State of West Africa fighters.

Reuters quoted a survivor, Umar, as saying he had counted 19 dead people, including his younger brother.

An aid worker at a camp who received some survivors, and who declined to be identified, put the death toll at 63, the story says.

'No action was taken'

Umar tells Reuters that the terrorists had been spotted around the village three days before the attack. Locals had warned Nigerian troops stationed in the nearby town of Gudumbali, but no action was taken, he said.

A spokesperson for the Nigerian army wasn't immediately available for comments.

The aid worker said hundreds of people from villages in the area had fled to the camp for displaced people where he worked, in Monguno.

The attack is coming barely a week after soldiers downed tools and protested their deployment to a restive community in Borno.

Boko Haram has been waging a deadly insurgency against Nigeria since 2009. The terrorist sect has killed more than 50,000 people and displaced millions in that time.
In a press statement he titled, They Go Away Because We Go the Right Way, Tinubu said Tambuwal and Saraki defected because they could no longer achieve their selfish political ambitions on the platform of the APC.

The statement is a bit of a lengthy one, but like we often do at Pulse, weve taken the time to hand you an abridged version in an easily digestible format.

So, here goes:

1. Tinubu says Sarakis excuse for leaving the APC is a big, fat lie

When Saraki left the APC, he said he was making the switch because the governing party hasnt delivered on its promise of good governance to the people.

Tinubu has a problem with Sarakis excuse for defecting.

For Saraki to talk about lack of governance is for him to deny who he is and the position he holds. This man stands as Nigerias Number 3 citizen. Clothed is he in ample power and influence. If he saw areas where government and the nation needed help, he could have easily applied his energies to these areas. He could have drafted legislation and easily got laws passed", Tinubu said.

2. According to Tinubu, Saraki used the senate for his personal ambitions

Saraki was not the APC choice for the position of senate president. On the morning Saraki was being elected senate president inside the red chamber, Tinubu was locked in a meeting with APC caucus senators at the International Conference Center (ICC) in Abuja; with Senator Ahmed Lawan as their consensus pick.

In this statement, Tinubu called Saraki selfish.

However, no progressive enactment bears his name for he cared not for progress. He has been more focused on changing the rules of the Senate to favour himself and changing the order of elections so as to coincide with his selfish designs, Tinubu wrote.

3. Tinubu says Tambuwal left the APC because he wants to be president

Asiwaju wrote that: Governor Tambuwals exit can be distilled to one cause. He covets the presidency. However, he had not the stomach to challenge President Buhari in a primary. Tambuwal felt further insulted that he would be compelled to face a direct primary just to retain the governorship nomination.

But for the promise made by PDP headliners like Rivers State that he would have the PDP presidential nomination, Tambuwal would not have left. His exit had nothing to do with governance of the nation. It was about forging a personal ambition predicated on the defeat of progressive reform not the advancement of it.

4. Tinubu says Saraki and Tambuwals presidential ambitions will collide within the PDP

Much the same for Senate President Saraki. Returning to the PDP, he harbors dreams of the presidency but Tambuwals ambition will dwarf Sarakis when the two collide, the Southwest godfather wrote.

5. If Saraki had remained in the APC, he wouldnt have been handed a ticket to return to the senate

Tinubu wrote that: If Saraki had remained in the APC, he would be unable to reclaim his Senate seat let alone the Senate Presidency. He thus bolted because he lusts for the presidency but was promised by the PDP, at least, a return to his position in the Senate.

6. APC will be better off with the defections, according to Tinubu

Tinubus words were: In a fundamental way, the APC may be better for their exit. It would be untrue to say their departures did not generate concern. As the air clears and we can better assess what is lost and gained by their exit, I can truthfully say the APC will be better off because they are gone.

7. Tinubu says all the big name politicians who left, did so because they were denied automatic tickets in the APC ahead of next year's elections

The by the PDP as to their offices. The APC refused to make such bargains as they are part of the ancient regime; these bargains are not of our democratic new way.

We can now focus more wholly on democratic governance inside and outside the party. Inside the party, we have adopted direct primaries to discourage corruption of the democratic process.

Even more so, they detested the APC drive toward greater internal democracy. They bristled when we demanded that congresses and conventions be held; they had demanded giving themselves automatic extension in their positions.

They privately erupted as the APC decided that direct primaries where all party members vote on the partys nominations should be the way of the future. The injection of greater democracy meant a decrease in their ability to manipulate end results.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said on the contrary, the Saraki-led senate should be solely held responsible for the delay.

According to him, the Senate President to look into the mirror and what he will see is his own face.

He is solely to be held responsible for deliberately driving the nation to this cliff edge as far as the preparations for next elections are concerned.

It is not true that INEC submitted their draft budget to the Presidency in February. No, it came much later but even then, this is not the real issue.

The fact that their proposals came well after the President had laid his budget for the year 2018 before the National Assembly meant that their own will be sent as supplementary budget.

This was clearly stated to them by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, he maintained.

The presidential aide explained that a supplementary budget could not be submitted until the main budget was passed, and so the delay in passing the main budget was the reason for the delay.

The National Assembly passed the 2018 budget seven months after the document was submitted to the National Assembly by President Buhari.

He said: Unless someone has forgotten, the budget was submitted to the National Assembly and it took the Saraki-led National Assembly seven months to release it.

He said there was no way President Buhari could have submitted a supplementary budget while the main one was still pending, adding that it is never done.

Because Saraki did not return the main budget, we could not have submitted the supplementary one.

Shehu noted that after the long delays, the President was pained to sign the much distorted, butchered and debauched document.

While signing the budget, President Buhari said that he was compelled to sign it so as not to keep the economy continuously on a standstill.

In his words: When I submitted the 2018 Budget proposals to the National Assembly on November 7, 2017, I had hoped that the usual legislative review process would be quick, so as to move Nigeria towards a predictable January-December financial year.

The presidential aide further said that, it is also worthy of note that this is the first time in Nigerias history that a government would bring together the cost of an election in one budget, with each agency involved invited to defend their portion of the budget before the National Assembly.

It is all part of the transparency that this government is known for.
In a statement personally signed by him, Saraki said Tinubu's statement questioning his decision to leave the APC was unfair because the same Tinubu also expressed his frustration with how the Muhammadu Buhari led federal government was treating him.

Saraki writes that "Tinubu himself will recall that during the various meetings he had with me at the time he was pursuing reconciliation within the APC, I raised all the above issues. I can also vividly recall that he himself always expressed his displeasure with the style of the government and also mentioned that he had equally suffered disrespect from the same government which we all worked to put in office. I also made the point that whatever travails I have gone through in the last three years belong to the past and will not shape my decisions now and in the future".

Saraki said it is hypocritical of Tinubu to say he left the APC because of his presidential ambition, when he is also interested in becoming Nigeria's president in 2023.

"However, during those meetings, the point of disagreement between Tinubu and I is that while I expressed my worries that there is nothing on ground to assure me that the administrative style and attitude would change in the next four years in a manner that will enable us to deliver the positive changes we promised to our people, he (Tinubu) expressed a strong opinion that he would rather 'support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher' to get a second term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west. This viewpoint of Tinubus was not only expressed to me but to several of my colleagues. So much for acting in national interest.

"It is clear that while my own decision is based on protecting the collective national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies of the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency  particularly when one reviews his antecedents over the years".

Saraki said Tinubu fell out with him after he resisted the APC godfather's plans to become Buhari's running mate before the 2015 presidential election.

Saraki added that his position at the time was that the nation wouldn't be favorably disposed to a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Prof Yemi Osinbajo, a Christian Pastor, emerged as Buhari's running mate instead.

Saraki also said his choice to leave the APC should be respected.

"Tinubu and leaders of the APC had better respect this decision or lawfully deal with it. As for me, Allah gives power to whom He wishes. Human beings can only aspire and strive to fulfill their aspirations", Saraki said.

Saraki's statement is reproduced in full below:

I have always restrained from joining issues in the media with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this is based on my respect for him. However, I will not allow him to create a wrong, false and mischievous impression about the reasons for my decision to exit the All Progressives Congress (APC) and present his prejudice as facts for public consumption.

I have been consistent in my complaints to all leaders of the APC, including Tinubu, that a situation where the National Assembly is not constructively engaged or carried along in key policy decisions, particularly those that will eventually require legislative approval, is not in the best interest of the nation. No genuine leader of the legislature will be comfortable that the presidency will simply write a terse letter to the National Assembly on key issues which the federal legislature is expected to later deliberate upon and give its approval. The Buhari administration consistently treats the legislature with contempt and acts as if the lawmaking body should be an appendage of the Executive. To me, this is unacceptable.

In the same way, I find it very objectionable that many stakeholders who worked strenuously to get the administration into office have now been excluded in the government and not consulted on key decisions as necessary and expected. In fact, some of them are treated as pariahs. A party that ignores justice, equity and inclusion as basic pre-conditions for peace, unity and stability cannot sustain its membership and leadership.

Let me redirect the attention of the former Governor of Lagos State to the aspect of my July 31, 2018, statement announcing my exit from APC in which I emphasized that the decision"has been inescapably imposed on me by certain elements and forces within the APC who have ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist".

In that statement, I further noted that those APC elements "have done everything to ensure that the basic rules of party administration, which should promote harmonious relations among the various elements within the party were blatantly disregarded.

"All governance principles which were required for a healthy functioning of the party and the government were deliberately violated or undermined. And all entreaties for justice, equity and fairness as basic precondition for peace and unity, not only within the party, but also the country at large, were simply ignored, or employed as additional pretext for further exclusion.

"The experience of my people and associates in the past three years is that they have suffered alienation and have been treated as outsiders in their own party. Thus, many have become disaffected and disenchanted. At the same time, opportunities to seek redress and correct these anomalies were deliberately blocked as a government-within-a-government had formed an impregnable wall and left in the cold, everyone else who was not recognized as one of us. This is why my people, like all self-respecting people would do, decided to seek accommodation elsewhere".

Tinubu himself will recall that during the various meetings he had with me at the time he was pursuing reconciliation within the APC, I raised all the above issues. I can also vividly recall that he himself always expressed his displeasure with the style of the government and also mentioned that he had equally suffered disrespect from the same government which we all worked to put in office. I also made the point that whatever travails I have gone through in the last three years belong to the past and will not shape my decisions now and in the future.

However, during those meetings, the point of disagreement between Tinubu and I is that while I expressed my worries that there is nothing on ground to assure me that the administrative style and attitude would change in the next four years in a manner that will enable us to deliver the positive changes we promised to our people, he (Tinubu) expressed a strong opinion that he would rather 'support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher' to get a second term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west. This viewpoint of Tinubus was not only expressed to me but to several of my colleagues. So much for acting in national interest.

It is clear that while my own decision is based on protecting the collective national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies of the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency  particularly when one reviews his antecedents over the years.

Again, let me reiterate my position that my uncertain and complex relationship with Tinubu has been continually defined by the event of 2014 when myself and other leaders of the APC opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket arrangement about to be foisted on the APC for the 2015 polls.

It should be noted that he has not forgotten the fact that I took the bull by the horns and told him that in the interest of the country, he should accept the need for the party to present a balanced ticket for the 2015 General Elections in terms of religion and geo-political zones. Since that time he has been very active; plotting at every point to undermine me, both within and outside the National Assembly.

It is a surprise to me that Asiwaju Tinubu is still peddling the falsehood about the fact that my defection is about automatic ticket and sharing of resources. Members of the public will recall that when the issue of my decision to quit APC came to the fore and many APC leaders were holding meetings with me, a newspaper owned by the same Tinubu published a false report about the promise of automatic tickets, oil blocks and other benefits.

I immediately rebutted their claims and categorically stated that I never discussed any such personal and pecuniary benefits with anybody. My challenge that anybody who has contrary facts should come forward with them still remains open.

It should be known that Democracy is a system that allows people to freely make their choices. It is my choice that I have decided to join others to present a viable alternative platform for Nigerians in the coming elections. Tinubu and leaders of the APC had better respect this decision or lawfully deal with it. As for me, Allah gives power to whom He wishes. Human beings can only aspire and strive to fulfill their aspirations.

Signed:

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON
In a statement signed by the APC's national leader on Sunday, August 19, 2018, he alleged that Tambuwal covets the presidency but could not challenge Buhari in a fair contest.

In response to Tinubu's allegations, Tambuwal has fired back that he could have challenged the president while with the APC if he wanted because only voters can decide his fate.

In quotes posted on the official Twitter account of the Sokoto State government early on Monday, August 20, Tambuwal said he has all it takes to take on the president.

He further accused Tinubu of exposing the APC's refusal to maintain a level-playing field for all its members with his statement.

He was quoted to have said, "If I wanted to and if the Presidency is what Ahmed Tinubu thinks I defected, I could contest with President Buhari under the APC. I have what it takes to have contested with Mr. President.

"Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied Buharis vice Presidency. He thinks every other person could behave his way.

"If I wanted to contest under the APC as president, I could have done so and only the votes could have produced a winner.

"In any case, Tinubu is confessing that there is no level-playing ground for all members of the APC; that there is no internal democracy in it and that some people were denied their right to internal democracy."

In his statement, Tinubu also alleged that Tambuwal's reason for leaving the APC was also due to the party's refusal to promise him an automatic ticket for re-election as Sokoto governor. However, the governor denied that automatic ticket had any impact on his decision.

"I adduced reasons of my defection to the PDP. The reasons are still on record. Automatic ticket by the APC is certainly not part of that," he said.

Tambuwal's defection

Tambuwal officially dumped the APC for the People's Democratic Party (PDP) on August 1, as he made an announcement of the defection to hundreds of supporters at the Sokoto Government House.

He said that the APC has reached historically unprecedented heights of impunity in all manner of vices and brazenly turned itself into a sanctuary for the corrupt and a machine for rigging and for the rape of democracy.

He further complained that Sokoto State was not being meaningfully carried along in political appointments and in other matters of national importance.

He said his decision was based on his refusal to be part of the "frightful conspiracy against the cohesion of the Nigerian State".

Tambuwal under pressure to run for president in 2019

Tambuwal recently disclosed that he's under pressure to run against President Buhari in the 2019 presidential election and promised to 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.
"Cypriot authorities yesterday handed over to the Egyptian authorities, Egyptian detainee Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa," a statement from Cyprus's justice ministry said.

Officials at Cairo airport confirmed his arrival amid tight security late Saturday.

Egypt's attorney general said that Mostafa was being handed over to prosecutors in the country for further investigations.

Mostafa fought his extradition on the grounds he will not receive a fair trial in Egypt, but the Cypriot supreme court dismissed Mostafa's appeal against being sent home last year.

Mostafa's request for asylum was refused as Cypriot authorities deemed him a "perpetrator of serious crimes".

During hearings, Mostafa described himself as a liberal who wanted democracy for an Egyptian people subjected to "abductions, disappearance, illegal detention and extrajudicial killings".

Mostafa said his motive for hijacking the domestic Egyptian flight was to seek asylum in Italy and tell the world about the "repressive" Egyptian government.

The justice ministry in Cyprus said Mostafa eventually "expressed the wish to go back to his own country" and withdrew an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights that stayed the extradition.

"Egyptian authorities have given assurances that Mostafa will face legal procedures that comply with international standards," the ministry said.

According to Cypriot police, Mostafa gave a voluntary statement admitting to the hijacking, which ended peacefully with his arrest.
Kenya National Qualification Framework Authority chairman Bonventure Kere, said during stakeholders workshop to sensitise universities and technical and vocational education training institutions on new qualification framework policy that the decision was informed by the long duration students take in institutions of higher learning.

A diploma takes three years then higher diploma two years. That means that someone is in school for five years and when he joins university for a degree programme, he or she starts in third year or second year, that is unfair to a student, Mr Kere said.

ALSO READ: Why there will be no public transport in Nairobi as the city grinds to a halt on Wednesday

The agency also revealed that there will be no credit transfer for courses, a move Education CS Amb Amina Mohamed sided with, adding that a credit whose transfer is likely to give an advantage to a student in grade and score at the receiving institution, will not be approved.

Globally, National Qualification Frameworks are systems that record the credits assigned to each level of learning to ensure that skills, knowledge and prior-learning are uniformly recognised and accredited throughout their jurisdictions of application, CS Amina added.
The DP used the trip to grow his political networks and at the same time used it to foster diplomacy between Kenya and Uganda.

Two photos, however, captured the themes of the trip and drew numerous reactions on social media.

In one photo, Rutos son, Kim, appeared in a group photo capturing the DPs delegation of senior government officials, together with the host, President Yoweri Museveni.

Kim appeared not to understand the seriousness of the meeting as he was dressed in a faded jeans trouser, a sweat shirt, and sneakers.

In the closed session, Ruto sat on Musevenis right while his son sat on the Ugandan Presidents left side.

Other officials including three county governors, several MPs and one CS, sat further at a separate bench.

The photo drew numerous comments from social media users, some commenting on the younger Rutos dress code, while other speculated that he was being groomed for a political career in the future.

The other photo that attracted publicity was that of Ruto driving in the same limo as President Museveni.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says the time has come to abolish the Maori seats.

Speaking to RadioLIVEs Mark Sainsbury, Mr Peters reinforced his long held belief that the Maori seats have had their day and that New Zealanders need to decide their future - not politicians.

Perhaps they've already voted with their feet.

If you were to ask, the overwhelming view, on the part of New Zealanders, to have one franchise, and a country that salutes one flag, one system of laws and one culture called the emerging New Zealand culture, if you were to program that properly and postulate that correctly out to the public, I think theres an overwhelming majority for that, he said.

Winston Peters says the numbers of Maori on the Maori roll is falling.



The majority [of Maori are] on the General Roll, perhaps theyve already voted with their feet.



[Maori seats] did have their purpose, when that was started in 1867, they had a purpose, under people like Ngata, Pomare and Buck and others.

"There was a dramatic need for them, but as the Electoral Commission pointed out so long ago, that MMP, a changed electoral system would guarantee far greater representation in Parliament to Maori, Mr Peters told RadioLIVE.



Listen to the full interviews with Winston Peters above.



Morning Talk with Mark Sainsbury, 9am - 12pm Weekdays and streaming live on 'rova' channel 9 - available on Android and iPhone.

RadioLIVE.
THE first ex-British Rail High Speed Train has arrived in Scotland after major refurbishment.

The eventual fleet of 26 cascaded sets will consist of 17x5-car and 9x4-car formations, and they will be used to provide intercity services within Scotland, connecting a total of seven cities.

The first route to see the 125s in service will be Edinburgh-Aberdeen, although this cannot happen until crew training has been carried out. ScotRail has not announced a start date, saying only that it will be within weeks.

The first train arrived in Scotland on Friday night (18 August), having travelled from Wabtec in Doncaster. It crossed the border from England just before 20.00, ScotRail said.

The upgrade of the Mk3 trailers has included the installation of single-leaf automatic doors and controlled emission toilets. The original trains, built between 1975 and 1982, were the last intercity rolling stock designed by BR to have slam doors and discharge toilets.

Other improvements include a new cafe area on board.

ScotRails High-Speed Trains project manager Chris Tait said: Im delighted that the first of our iconic trains has arrived in Scotland. They will transform rail travel in Scotland by providing more seats and a much-improved on-board environment.
CSX Corp has announced a new eastern and western management structure intended to decentralise operational and support functions. This is a proven model that pushes decision making closer to the day-to-day field operations and eliminates bureaucracy and long-standing silos within our business, said President & CEO James M Foote. We ...
The 21st Century Fox-owned network is also encouraging public support with an #AllForKerala campaign over 50 channels in eight languages, along with digital platform Hotstar. Featuring artists such as Mohanlala, Kamal Haasan, Nani and a host of celebrities from Star shows urging viewers to help Kerala.More than 350 have died and thousands remain marooned following severe monsoon rains. More than 300,000 people are being housed in relief camps across the ravaged Indian State.Asianet employees have pledged INR2.5 million and all Star India employees are being encouraged to donate at least one days salary. Star India will then match the total contribution of its employees.The donations will be directed to the Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund to expedite post-emergency recovery and rehabilitation work in the flood affected areas of the Indian state.The broadcaster is also partnering with NGO Goonj to aid with the supply of material contributions to the flood victims.The rains have wreaked havoc in Kerala, which is facing its worst floods in a century. We believe we must do everything in our power to help. In an endeavour to support the on-going relief and rehabilitation efforts in Kerala, we are mobilising funds and creating public awareness through the reach of our network. We hope these efforts act as a catalyst of proactive action in this hour of need, said Uday Shankar, president of 21st Century Fox Asia, and chairman & CEO of Star India K Madhavan, managing director, Star South India business, added: The floods in Kerala are a tragedy of truly epic proportions. At this time we must do everything possible to help the State administration in undertaking the difficult task of flood relief and rehabilitating lives.
Do Massachusetts Voters Know What Sen. Warren Wants to Do To Their Savings?

On August 15, Elizabeth Warren, the senior Senator from Massachusetts, introduced a bill she calls The Accountable Capitalism Act. Since her bill has zero chance of being passed by the 115th Congress, the only reason for Warren to introduce this bill at this time is to improve her chances of defeating her Republican opponent, Geoff Diehl, in November.

Elizabeth Warren is a progressive, and her Accountable Capitalism Act reflects the essence of progressivism. Warrens bill would give an unelected bureaucrat, the Director of a newly-created Office of United States Corporations within the Commerce Department the power of life and death over all large private U.S. companies.

What could go wrong?

Well, what could (and would) go wrong is what always goes wrong when property rights are infringed by governments in the name of progressive goals: the costs and risks of economic activity would go up. Higher costs and risks inevitably equate to lower economic growth, less job creation, lower real wages, and slower accumulation of wealth.

Of course, progressives have always been big on the notion that centralizing power in the hands of experts in Washington can deliver big benefits at no cost. Here is how progressive apologist Matthew Yglesias put it in his August 15, 2018 piece in Vox:

Elizabeth Warren has a big idea that challenges how the Democratic Party thinks about solving the problem of inequality.

Instead of advocating for expensive new social programs like free college or health care, shes introducing a bill Wednesday, the Accountable Capitalism Act, that would redistribute trillions of dollars from rich executives and shareholders to the middle class  without costing a dime.

Right. Senator Warrens plan wouldnt cost a dime. It would cost $13.5 trillion. It would also bankrupt every insurance company and pension plan in the U.S. And, while Warrens reform would not completely wipe out your 401k, it would reduce the value of the common stocks in your account by 45%. If you are over 50, this could easily dash your hopes for a comfortable retirement.

I estimate that the Warren plan would reduce the value of large U.S. companies by $13.5 trillion (45% of their current market cap of about $30 trillion). Ironically enough, my calculations are based upon the work of that darling of the progressives, Thomas Piketty.

In his 2013 book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Piketty plotted the Tobin Q ratios for various nations from 1970 to 2010. The Tobin Q Ratio was developed by Nobel-Prize-winning economist James Tobin, and is simply the ratio between the market value of a company and the book value of its invested capital.

Put simply, a Tobin Q ratio higher than 100% means that a company is creating economic value, and a Tobin Q below 100% means that a company is destroying value. The most fundamental social responsibility of a company is to add value to the capital it employs, so the most fundamental job responsibility of a corporate CEO is to keep the Tobin Q ratio of the company he or she leads above 100%.

Writing for The New Republic, progressive David Dayen argues:

Theres proven evidence that this model of corporate governance can work. Co- determination, the term for worker representation on corporate boards, has created a form of capitalism in Germany where workers are far more equitably compensated and decisions are made with an eye toward long-term goals.

The problem with this argument is that Pikettys data shows that, since 1995, Americas Tobin Q ratio has averaged more than 100%, while Germanys Tobin Q ratio has averaged about 55%. In other words, Americas evil, rapacious corporations are creating economic value, while Germanys enlightened companies are doing the equivalent of burning 45% of the euros entrusted to them.

If I wanted to use Federal Reserve numbers, I could make a case that the Warren plan would cut the value of American corporations by 67% ($20 trillion), rather than by merely 45%. This is because the total value of U.S equities averaged 143% of GDP in 2017, three time higher than Germanys 47%.

Progressives might also want to look at the economic growth data before using Germany (or any of the European social welfare states) as an example of what American capitalism should be.

Many progressives would date American capitalisms turn to the Dark Side with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. Well, from 1981 through 2017 U.S. real GDP (RGDP) growth averaged 2.69%, vs. 1.74% for Germany. If America had grown at the same rate as Germany during those 37 years, 2017 U.S. GDP would have been only $13.8 trillion, which is $5.7 trillion (29.1%) below what we actually produced.

Progressives should consider this: the European welfare states that progressives want America to emulate are militarily helpless. Would the U.S. still be able to afford to defend Europe from aggression if federal revenues were $973 billion lower? That number is more than Americas entire defense budget.

Even more to the point, do progressives really believe that it is possible for government to redistribute enough money from from rich executives and shareholders to the middle class to make up for the impoverishing impact of a sclerotic, slow-growth economy?

Actually I doubt that progressives really do believe that that degree of wealth transfer is possible. Although they talk incessantly about benefiting the middle class, progressives have had the same agenda for more than 100 years: to progressively transfer all power to unelected, unaccountable experts in Washington D.C.

Progressivism is simply the time-release form of communism. And, socialism is a faster-acting version of progressivism. Both progressivism and socialism inevitably lead to totalitarianism. This is because if people retain any freedom at all, they will use it to frustrate the designs of the progressive experts seeking to control everything.

We cant have that, so all money and power must be progressively relocated from We the People to progressive instrumentalities like the IRS, the Federal Reserve, and Senator Warrens Office of United States Corporations.

Senator Warren proudly calls herself a progressive. She had better hope that the voters of Massachusetts dont find out before November 6 what progressive really means, and what her Accountable Capitalism Act would really do to their jobs and savings.
The White House counsel has figured out how to appear transparent without giving Mueller the information he needs.
WASHINGTON -- What Donald Trump did Wednesday isn't supposed to happen in a democracy. A president who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution just carried out a personal political vendetta against a career intelligence officer.

In revoking the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, Trump took another step toward the abyss. He cited the "risk posed by [Brennan's] erratic conduct and behavior," a ludicrous charge coming from our unguided missile of a chief executive.

Brennan's real crime is that he has been in Trump's face nearly every day, trading insults on Twitter and cable television. Brennan has taken to using words like "high crimes and misdemeanors" and "nothing short of treasonous" to describe Trump's behavior and likened him to convicted fraudster Bernie Madoff. Stripping Brennan's clearances was presidential payback, dressed up in national-security language.

I wrote back in January that I wished Brennan and other former intelligence chiefs would resist slugging it out with Trump -- not because their criticisms are wrong, but because they risked tarnishing the credibility and professionalism of their agencies. As I argued, Trump supporters would "fume that the spy chiefs are ganging up on the populist president. Conspiracy theories about an imaginary 'deep state' will gain more traction, and the cycle of national mistrust will get worse."

But let's be honest: Brennan isn't a guy who was going to back down in a bar fight, any more than Trump. He's a tough, stubborn Irish-American with a chip on his shoulder. He's a guy who, if you write five positive things about him and one negative, only remembers the negative. Once Trump insulted Brennan's integrity, as he did after he won the presidency, these two were going to end up in a cockfight.

The prevailing media explanation of the Brennan move was that Trump was trying to distract public attention from Omarosa Manigault Newman, a disaffected former staffer who just published a tell-all book about the president called "Unhinged." But I wonder if that was the real Brennan trigger.

Trump himself offered a clearer (and more damning) explanation in an interview Wednesday with The Wall Street Journal, suggesting that he punished Brennan because he was one of the original instigators of the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. "I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham. And these people led it! So I think it's something that had to be done."

With Trump, you always have to question what's rubbing him so raw, and driving him toward possibly illegal and unconstitutional actions. As prosecutors like to say: "We may not know what he's done wrong, but he does." Does a warped protective impulse drive Trump into these furies of defensive action?

With James Comey, ground zero may have been the briefing given by the then-FBI director to the president-elect in January, detailing the salacious sexual allegations contained in a now-famous (but unconfirmed) dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and funded partly by lawyers representing the Hillary Clinton campaign. Trump brought up this sleazy evidence repeatedly afterward and pressed Comey for a pledge of personal loyalty. When Trump didn't get it, he fired his FBI director and, in a television interview, blamed it on Comey's pursuit of the Russia investigation.

Brennan poses a similar challenge for Trump. It's not that Brennan embodies the "deep state." In truth, he disliked a CIA operations culture that he felt had rejected him as a young officer; while his modernization efforts at the CIA had supporters, I'd bet that many at the agency were relieved to see him go.

What was so threatening about the former CIA chief? Beyond Brennan's sheer cussedness, I'd guess that Trump was frightened -- and remains so to this day -- about just how much Brennan knows about his secrets. And by that, I don't just mean his dealings with Russian oligarchs and presidents, but the way he moved through a world of fixers, flatterers and money launderers.

Brennan, like Comey, was there at the beginning of this investigation. Trump must have asked himself: What does Brennan know? What did he learn from the CIA's deep assets in Moscow, and from liaison partners such as Britain, Israel, Germany and the Netherlands? Does Trump think Brennan will be a less credible witness without a security clearance?

The Brennan episode is just one more warning of what may be ahead. Trump appears ready to take our country over the waterfall to save himself. Before it's too late, Trump should realize: Even in his rage, he can't fire everybody.

(c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group
Part 3 in a series

The upcoming midterm races have captured national attention as both parties look to prove that voters are coming out to support their agenda and send a message to President Trumpin Democrats case, a stern one. Not surprisingly, then, both parties say that the president is an asset in their efforts to hold and gain seats, and that a visit from him to their states will drive their respective voters to the polls.

In Senate races, Republicans hope the strong economy and other policy achievements since the president took office will enable them to flip a handful of the 26 Democratic seats up for election this cycle and boost their narrow majority. Democrats hope Trumps net-negative approval rating, combined with the history of challenging races in the midterms for the party in power, will help them not only hold their seats but also flip enough of the nine Republican-held ones up this cycle to gain control of the chamber.

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said last week that the presidents main focus in the midterms will be on the Senate side and he emphasized that the presidents influence will be key for GOP candidates. I think what you're going to find is that support for Donald Trump is not just going to carry you in the primary but is going to carry over to the general election in those Senate races, and I think the Senate is going to become more Republican as a result, Lewandowski told reporters at a breakfast event in Washington hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

In deep-red states such as North Dakota and Indiana  where Democratic incumbents are up for re-election  Republicans are hoping this is the case. In the Hoosier State, even Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly is playing to Trumps agenda. He appeared in a television ad last week driving an RV and touting his support for the presidents controversial immigration agenda. I voted for and supported President Trumps immigration bill, including the funding for the border wall, Donnelly says in the ad.

In a state that went for Trump by 19 percentage points in 2016, both parties candidates are appealing to fans of the presidents agenda and style of politicking. Republican nominee Mike Braun (pictured) has tried to push his connection to the president after a bruising primary fight with Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer -- who also pitched themselves as Trump candidates. Republicans in the state say its essential that the president talk to his voters on Brauns behalf.

I think that certainly one thing thats out there is that Mike Braun will be a strong supporter of President Trump and his agenda. Its primarily and critically important for those Trump voters to hear that from Trump, said Kyle Hupfer, chairman of the Indiana Republican Party.

In May, the president and Vice President Mike Pence campaigned for Braun at a rally that drew an estimated 8,000 people. Trump slammed Donnelly at the event, calling him Sleepin Joe and chastised him for voting against Obamacare repeal and the tax cuts.

RealClearPolitics currently categorizes the race as a tossup. Limited polling shows the incumbent up by 12 points in one survey; the other has the challenger ahead by a single point.

In Florida, Republicans say that Trumps support is critical to turning out his voters. The state supported him by just over one point in 2016, but GOP operatives believe popular Republican Gov. Rick Scott can unseat longtime Sen. Bill Nelson. RCPs polling average shows the race is extremely close, with Scott holding a slim one-point advantage.

One of the things the Republican Party of Florida has been concentrating on as an organization is keeping these Trump voters engaged. Its one of the mistakes we made after the Tea Party years.  We did not ask some of those people  activists  to get involved in the party and we learned from that mistake, said Blaise Ingoglia, chairman of the state GOP. He added that early absentee ballot returns reflect a Republican advantage and added that the president has a higher approval rating in the state than he does nationally.

Democrats, however, say the presidents agenda since taking office has wiped out much of his support in Florida  especially among female and independent voters  and his presence in the state will energize those former supporters to vote against him. I think that having the president campaign is good for the Republican base, but I think that for the swing voters and independents, I think its a net-negative, said Ashley Walker, a Democratic strategist in the state. What people thought was going to be part of a Trump administrationhas been devastating for these folks. She pointed to the repeal of the Obamacare individual mandate as a major issue that has touched voters in Florida  which has a large retiree population  and one that people will be voting on.

As Republicans look to make gains, they also have a few states they need to worry about defending. In Nevada and Arizona there are concerns that a campaign stop from Trump will further turn off independent voters unhappy with the president. In the Grand Canyon State, a three-way GOP primary race is playing out for the open seat vacated by retiring Sen. Jeff Flake. While Trump has not made an endorsement, Rep. Martha McSally is the favored candidate since conservative firebrand Kelli Ward and scandal-ridden former Sheriff Joe Arpaio draw from the same group of supporters. Arpaio was notably pardoned by Trump last year after being convicted of criminal contempt for avoiding a court order regarding racial profiling.

Trump "motivates the Republican base to some degree, especially in Republican primaries, but I think he motivates Democrats to higher level. Chad Campbell, Arizona Democratic strategist

Democrats have zeroed in on the race as a prime pickup opportunity and say theyll use the presidents image against the GOP nominee. He motivates the Republican base to some degree, especially in Republican primaries, but I think he motivates Democrats to higher level, said Chad Campbell, a Democratic strategist in the state, adding, Independents are swinging away from Republicans due to Trump. He said the problem McSally will likely face  assuming she wins the Aug. 28 primary  is that shes swung too far to the right to appeal to independent voters in a general election matchup with Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.

The initial appeal of McSally among Republicans was that she was similar to current Arizona Sens. John McCain and Flake, who are more moderate members of their party. The hope was that she could win over independents  as she did in 2014 to win a House seat held by Democrats  but as the race has progressed it became clear she could lose to a more conservative candidate, which forced her to pivot rightward.

Constantin Querard, a conservative strategist in the state, cited a recent poll that only 20 percent of Republican voters approve of McCain, compared to 60 percent of Democrats, indicating that McSally will need the president to drive up Republican support if shes seen in a similar light.

The RNC said it is ready and willing to step in and help coordinate a campaign visit once Trump decides where he wants to go. Using its extensive voter database, the RNC can determine the exact county or region of any state where Trump should be able to boost support for a candidate. The committee does not get involved in primary races, but has helped coordinate efforts in special election races, including the one in Ohios 12th Congressional District earlier this month.

The presidents re-election campaign expects both Trump and Pence to travel across the country in the 78 days until Election Day. Through November 6, our entire focus will be on protecting and expanding the GOP majorities in the House and Senate. President Trump and Vice President Pence will both travel extensively throughout the country to support GOP candidates, fulfill the Trump agenda, and maintain the extraordinary momentum of our booming economy, said a Trump campaign official.

Sally Persons is RealClearPolitics' White House correspondent.
More than 40 Democratic nominees for House seats, and another 11 Democratic incumbents, have publicly said they dont want Rep. Nancy Pelosi to regain the speakers gavel if their party wins control of the chamber.

But they cant give a good reason why.

Both the New York Times and NBC News recently cataloged the comments of Pelosis intra-party critics. Almost no one has a complaint about a policy position, strategic decision or style of management. Its time for new leadership is the most common refrain, sometimes linked to a lament that Washington is broken.

Still, no one can articulate what Pelosi did to break it. Pelosi is generally regarded by both supporters and critics as an effective legislator and a steely negotiator, not a source of Beltway dysfunction.

Whatever the failings of the current 115th Congress, none of them rest on Pelosis shoulders. All she has done is keep her own caucus unified, putting pressure on the Republican majority to deliver on its own promises.

Yet she is not an inflexible partisan. When Republican divides made Democratic votes necessary to keep the government open and avert a debt default this year and last, Pelosi delivered them. In her first run as speaker, she engineered the last increase in the federal minimum wage America has had, part of a bipartisan deal that also secured additional funding for the Iraq War. And in 2015, when a handful of right-wing members were making noise about ousting Speaker John Boehner in a House floor vote, Boehner asked Pelosi if she would, if necessary, have her members vote present and deny the coup plotters a majority. She agreed, in the interest of the institution. As she explained later, You cant have 30 people in your caucus decide theyre going to vacate the chair.

To a few Pelosi critics on the left, her propensity for deals is the problem. Nancys a corporate centrist, sneered the leftist populist James Thompson, running in Kansas 4th Congressional District. And self-described democratic socialist Rashida Tlaib, who will almost certainly be representing Michigans deep blue 13th Congressional District next year, derided Pelosi as a supporter of big bankspresumably referring to her role in rounding up votes for the bank bailout after the 2008 market crash, which many credit for helping prevent a deeper recession, or even a depression.

But most of the swing district Democratic candidates who are keeping their distance from the minority leader are nodding toward right-leaning voters. These people dont see Pelosi as a corporate tool but as a San Francisco liberal, thanks to years of caricature by Republican admakers. In other words, the problem isnt her substantive performance; its her superficial image.

Pelosi herself understands that if candidates deem it politically necessary to distance themselves, they should. Let them do whatever they want, she told the New York Times. We have to win the election. Shes putting her money where her mouth is. The Democratic Partys official House campaign arm, which is chaired by a Pelosi ally, isnt cutting off funds to her critics.

However, Pelosi also knows that rhetorical distancing during a campaign does not require actually throwing her under the proverbial bus. Keep in mind, the vote for speaker is a two-step process. First, each party holds a caucus to determine its leader, by secret ballot. Then, the full House votes for speaker  traditionally with each party nominating its own leader  in a public, recorded vote.

Therefore, a Democratic candidate can say, I wont be supporting Pelosi, but only mean it for the party leadership vote. To go as far as opposing Pelosi on the House floor would risk giving the speakers gavel to the Republicans, even if Democrats held the majority. Most Democratic candidates opposing Pelosi havent been pressed hard to clarify what exactly they mean, giving them wiggle room. (An exception: Danny OConnor, who fell short in the Ohio 12th District special election this month, was awkwardly forced to concede under persistent questioning he wouldnt oppose Pelosi in the final speakers vote if she won the party leadership vote.) And the bigger the margin of a Democratic majority, the easier it will be for a master head-counter like Pelosi to let a few new members in reddish districts cast a protest vote against her, without actually giving up the gavel.

Still, the possibility exists that enough Democrats will declare they would abandon Pelosi on the floor to preclude her from the speakership and prompt the party caucus to go in a different direction. So if Democrats do win the majority, it will be gut-check time. Do they really want an inexperienced speaker in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election? The presidential primary is likely going to be a complicated affair, with probably more than 10 candidates navigating a host of ideological, generational, gender and racial divides. A Democratic leader who cant corral his or her caucus will further exacerbate party divisions.

The counterargumentthat getting rid of Pelosi provides better optics for the Democratic Partywas unwittingly undermined by one its chief advocates.

Rep. Seth Moulton is a leader in the fight to oust Pelosi, having opposed her re-election as minority leader back in 2016. In a recent podcast interview with Politicos Edward-Isaac Dovere, the 39-year old Massachusetts Marine veteran gave the typical line, Its time for a new generation of leadership in the party. Yet he had nothing but praise for Pelosis performance to date: Leader Pelosi has done extraordinary things. Shes a master legislator, in her own words. We wouldnt have Obamacare without her.

Most notably, when Moulton was asked why doesnt he run for speaker himself, he responded, I dont have any interest in being the speaker  because I think to be an effective speaker you have be very good at the, sort of, transactional, inside politics, and understanding favors.  [Pelosi is] great at that!

As Moulton essentially acknowledges, transactional, inside politics is exactly how leaders make Congress rise above petty grandstanding to get things done. Being great at it also makes one more closely identified with the hated Washington. But its not like Republicans cant find others to caricature if Pelosi is out of the picture. And swapping invaluable earned experience for untested leadership is not much of a solution. In ostensibly trying to fix Washington, you may inadvertently cause more dysfunction. (In fact, if Pelosi stepped aside, the caucus vote may well expose divisions between entrenched incumbents, red district moderates, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortezs socialists and a possible influx of less ideological military veterans backed by Moulton.)

Obviously, at some point the torch must be passed, and it makes sense to groom rising leaders in advance to ensure a smooth transition. But unless the person at the top is doing a bad job, whats the rush?

In his Politico interview, after being asked about his own critics who accuse him of opportunism, Moulton observed, l learned in the Marines  that when you stick your head up as a leader, people like to shoot you down.

Its true about Congress too.
Good morning. Its Monday, August 20, 2018. On this date in 1804, a U.S. Army sergeant in his early 20s named Charles Floyd died and was buried on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River in present-day Sioux City, Iowa.

The first U.S. military man to give his life in service to his country west of the Mississippi, Floyd was laid to rest with as much solemnity as his 31-man detachment of soldiers and volunteers could muster. Hes being similarly honored to this day, as well see in a moment.

First, Id direct you to our front page, which aggregates, as it does each day, an array of columns and stories spanning the political spectrum. We also offer a complement of original material from our own reporters and contributors this morning, including the following:

* * *

For Both Parties, Trump Seen as Key in Senate Races. Sally Person continues our Stump of Approval series with a look at the presidents campaign role.

The Case for Nancy Pelosi. Bill Scher explains why the minority leader should again become speaker if Democrats retake the House.

The Brothers Koch and Cuomo, Flipping the Scripts. In a column, I consider the criticism the conservative donors have received from the president, and some ill-considered recent comments made by the liberal New York governor and his CNN anchor brother.

A Tight Minnesota Senate Race? Kathryn Hinderaker examines the matchup between Democrat Janet Smith and Republican Karin Housley.

Headwinds Facing GOP Might Not Be So Strong. Adele Malpass cites countervailing trends that could help the party maintain control of Congress.

An Open Letter to the Colluding Press. Sean Spicer and Tommy Hicks respond to last weeks coordinated editorials denouncing President Trumps attacks on news outlets.

Book of the Week: Can Democracy Survive Global Capitalism? In RealClearBooks, Alexander Stern spotlights Robert Kuttners critique of globalization.

* * *

In the summer of 1804, Thomas Jefferson wasnt overly involved with his presidential campaign -- he would win re-election in a landslide, and probably knew it -- but the president was obsessed by the Corps of Discovery, better known today as the Lewis & Clark expedition. Jefferson didnt find out about the loss of Charles Floyd for some time, but he would have been aggrieved by it. The young soldier was one of the original Nine Young Men From Kentucky who formed the core group that volunteered to explore the vast lands Jefferson had purchased from Napoleon -- as well as the western lands that lay beyond them to the sea.

Today, the very idea of the Louisiana Purchase seems a little absurd, even racist. Although Jefferson was wise to buy all the land for the United States, under what goofy notion did France have title to 828,000 square miles of land in America, most of which no Frenchman had ever seen? Land already inhabited by hundreds of thousands of native people.

Whatever the morality of this acquisition, Capt. Meriwether Lewis and Capt. William Clark set out from St. Louis in May 1804. Three months later, Charles Floyd took ill. An able woodsman and a popular soldier, his death on this date cast a pall on the Corps of Discovery. In just a few days, another man, Moses Reed, had been cashiered, and a third, Pvt. George Shannon, was temporarily missing.

A glum Meriwether Lewis delivered Floyds funeral homily on a bluff where the young man was buried with military honors, a red cedar post with his name on it placed over his grave. Capt. Clark had stayed up with Floyd all night as his health declined and he slipped away. In his diary, Clark lauded Floyd as a a man of much merit[who] at all times gave us proofs of his firmness and determined resolution to do service to his country and honor to himself.

The captains described his death as stemming from bilious colic, and they lamented being far from civilization and quality medical care. Medical historians today attribute Floyds condition to a burst appendix, however, meaning that even had the young sergeant been in Philadelphia in the care of Capt. Lewiss friend -- and Declaration of Independence signer -- Dr. Benjamin Rush, nothing could have been done to save him.

The discovery of antibiotics that can fight peritonitis was more than a century in the future. But the Corps of Discovery, despite two years of privations and travails in uncharted territory occupied by grizzly bears, raging rivers, and native people of uncertain intentions, lost no more men. On their return route, with all intact, they stopped and spruced up the young soldiers grave and its cedar marker.

Interest was rekindled in this young man of promise upon the publication of Floyds journal 90 years after he died. The cedar grave marker had long since slid into the river, but a new one was erected, of stone, along with a 100-foot obelisk that now commands a 23-acre national park. As recently as this weekend, historical reenactors re-created the young mans stoic death and the respectful way his comrades said goodbye.

Carl M. Cannon

Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics

@CarlCannon (Twitter)

ccannon@realclearpolitics.com
In 2012, Mexico's future looked promising. The election of a dashing young president, Enrique Pena Nieto, imbued the country with a new sense of energy and purpose. Back in power after a 12-year hiatus, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, had promised to reinvent itself and shun the corrupt authoritarianism it had practiced during the seven decades it ruled Mexico. As the country seemed to reach a consensus on long-delayed structural reforms, the international press heralded the Mexican moment. According to the cover of Timemagazine, Pena Nieto was saving Mexico by opening up the energy sector to foreign investment, combating monopolies, changing archaic labor laws, and leaving nationalism and crony capitalism in the past.

Just six years later, however, a historic election swept the PRI from power and delivered a landslide victory to its nemesis, the antiestablishment leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and his party, the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA). The election was a sharp rebuke to Pena Nieto, his agenda, and the political and economic system that has been in place since the country transitioned to democracy in 2000. Despite the early promise of Pena Nieto's modernizing reforms, by 2018, eight in ten voters disapproved of the PRI. The election catalyzed popular anger over frustrated economic expectations, rampant corruption, and a homicide rate that has made Mexico one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/20/2018



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

: Before the 90 Days featured three couples meeting for the first time, and Jesse Meester being introduced to Darcey Silva 's children during Sunday night's episode on TLC.: Before the 90 Days features six Americans and their partners overseas trying to make a romance work. In order to pursue a fairy-tale ending, these couples must overcome immense odds and obstacles, including flying halfway across the world just to meet or spend time together.Each couple hopes a marriage proposal will take place within 90 days, or else one's Tourist Visa will expire.The two returning pairs on : Before the 90 Days are Darcey Silva , a 42-year-old who works in the fashion industry from Middletown, CT, and her boyfriend Jesse Meester , a 24-year-old from Amsterdam, Netherlands, as well as Paul Staehle , a 34-year-old who works in IT from Louisville, KY, and his girlfriend Karine Martins , a 21-year-old from Brazil.The four new couples starring on the series are Angela Deem, a 52-year-old nursing assistant for Hospice from Hazlehurst, GA, and her boyfriend Michael Ilesanmi, a 30-year-old from Nigeria; Rachel Bear, a 33-year-old from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and her boyfriend Jon Walters, a 34-year-old from England; Ricky Reyes, a 33-year-old photographer and videographer from Columbus, OH, and his love interest Melissa, a 28-year-old from Colombia; and Tarik Myers , a 43-year-old realtor and single father from Virginia Beach, VA, and his love interest Hazel Cagalitan from the Philippines.Below is the latest on each American and international pairing, according to the latest episode:Rachel just arrived in London, England after a 12-hour flight from New Mexico. She was so happy to be there and found his home city romantic. Rachel also noted Jon's accent was "killer."Jon admitted Rachel looked "a little bit different" from girlfriends he's had in the past, but he really cared about her. Rachel felt insecure considering Jon was so rugged and handsome, but he told her that she's beautiful, and the couple definitely had chemistry.Rachel wanted Jon to become a father to Lucy but he had no idea what he was doing, and Rachel acknowledged he "might be in for a rude awakening.""I want him to be that father figure, but I hope I haven't built up an unrealistic expectation of Jon," Rachel told the cameras.Jon then brought Rachel home to meet his mother since they lived together. Jacqui worried Rachel might be a bad person, as she never expected this romance to unfold the way it had. Jacqui found the relationship a bit "strange" and admitted her son had been "quite fickle" with women in the past.Rachel soon discovered Jon had set up a nursery for Lucy in his home, and it blew her away, but he still had a lot to learn.Jon fed Lucy her bottle for the first time, but he was a little overwhelmed and stressed out, especially by her constant crying. Regardless, Jon tried his best.Jon was terrified and knew a lot was at stake with Rachel and the baby spending their first night in his place. He wasn't sure whether he was cut out to be a dad.Rachel worried a crying baby might ruin her first night with Jon alone and their sexual chemistry.Rachel was nervous because the last time she had sex, she got pregnant, and she was insecure about her body and hoped Jon hadn't developed unrealistic expectations. Given Jon's mother was right downstairs, Jon acknowledged the night was either going to be "amazing or a disaster."Angela was preparing to meet Michael for the first time. Angela's loved ones feared he was scamming her, but she knew he was The One and said she had put so much time, money, effort and heart into this visit.On his way to pick Angela up, Michael was nervous. He said he'd be "disappointed" if she looked older or was less attractive than he had thought.When they first saw each other, Angela dropped her bags and ran to Michael. She was ecstatic and couldn't stop hugging him. She was also very pleased he wasn't short.But Michael confessed, "Her stature is kind of bigger than I expected and she looks older than the pictures, but I'm happy. I'm overwhelmed."Angela felt Michael appreciated her, but she was different from what he was expecting. He said she was "loud" and could be "too dramatic."This trip marked Angela's first time out of the United States, so she didn't know the rules on whether she could be herself in public. She spent all the money she had to visit Michael. Since Michael lived with his mother, the pair stayed in a hotel.Michael found Angela fun and loving, but it was a little overwhelming. Once inside the hotel, Angela gifted her boyfriend with President Donald Trump -related clothes -- including a hat, T-shirt and bobblehead.Angela was very flirtatious with Michael and seemed ready to make love to him, but he was resistant and hesitant with cameras around.The next morning, Angela gushed about how her first night with Michael was "awesome" and they did it two or three times. Michael said Angela had so much energy and was muscular and agile.Michael and Angela then traveled to his mother so they could meet -- a gathering that made Angela feel nervous and anxious given their age and cultural differences. She was the first white woman to enter his neighborhood, nevermind meet his family.Ricky was deeply in love with Melissa and wanted her to be his wife, but he waited at a restaurant for two hours for her to show up, and she was nowhere to be seen.Melissa was supposed to meet Ricky at the restaurant at 7:30PM, and her tardiness showed a lack of respect in Ricky's eyes given he had traveled all the way from Ohio to Colombia just to see her.Just as viewers were probably starting to believe Melissa was a catfish and was never going to come, she sent him a picture of the inside of her taxi, showing she on her way after all.Following two and a half hours of Ricky sitting by himself and enduring an excruciating wait, Melissa arrived and proved she's a real person."Holy crap. Melissa looks just like the pictures... she is absolutely stunning. She's beautiful, she's real and she keeps smiling," Ricky said.It surprised Ricky to discover Melissa had braces, which he didn't know before, but he thought she was perfect either way. Melissa was quiet and reserved on the date, admitting to Ricky and producers she was late because she was very "busy" and had "a lot of plans" that day.Melissa felt satisfied in meeting Ricky, who gushed to the girl, "I love you," within minutes.Melissa then suggested going dancing or horseback riding for their next date, but Ricky laughed about how he can't dance and was fat so he'd feel bad for the horse.Melissa wasn't sure what she wanted with Ricky because things were complicated, but he was madly in love with her and was willing to prove he's a respectful gentleman.Tarik was shown flying from Virginia to the Philippines to meet his "soul mate for the first time ever." He had five connecting flights, and it was going to take him two days to get there, but Tarik said Hazel was definitely "worth all the trouble."Tarik had never felt this way about a woman before. The trip was costing him a pretty penny and it was the farthest he had ever traveled from home.But before Tarik left the United States, he said Hazel was "acting a little weird" and rejecting his calls. Tarik's brother assumed Hazel was a con-artist, and he hoped he wasn't "one of many suckers" she had been talking to.While Tarik was traveling, Hazel opened up to cameras about how she was looking for an American man because she's a poor girl who works 10 hours a day for very little pay. She wanted a better life for herself and thought Tarik was handsome. He also said he had a big house and a good job.Hazel has a six-year-old son who lives with his father because she has no money. Hazel wanted her son back and hoped a romance with Tarik would work out.When Hazel learned the airline had lost Tarik's ticket, she began to worry whether he was telling the truth. Hazel feared Tarik wanted to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend in Bangkok because it would ruin her chances of coming to the United States.Once Tarik landed in Manila, he was thrilled to see Hazel, and they gave each other a brief hug. Tarik thought Hazel was even more stunning in person, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, in fact. But Hazel confessed to cameras she thought Tarik looked different in person and as "chubby."However, Hazel was glad to see her boyfriend, even though she didn't trust him yet.Tarik promised Hazel there was nothing going on with his ex-girlfriend, but he had to prove to Hazel she was the only one for him.Hazel lived in a small place in Manila, so Tarik rented them a condo that she called "paradise." However, there was only one bed.Hazel felt uncomfortable and put a barrier up in the bed. She didn't want Tarik to touch her, and it was a test to see if she could trust him. Hazel did, however, give Tarik a little kiss goodnight. She admitted she just wanted to get married before having sex.Karine was annoyed Paul asked her to take a pregnancy test, but he feared she may be pregnant with another man's baby given a similar situation had unfolded with his ex-girlfriend.Karine couldn't believe Paul was suggesting she had sex with other men. She didn't appreciate how Paul didn't trust her, but Paul said this gesture would settle all of his doubts and concerns for the last time."When Paul acts this way, it shows he has a pathetic attitude. He is an insecure man," Karine vented to the cameras.However, Karine decided to take the test to show Paul he's "a big idiot." When she confirmed she's not pregnant, Paul apologized for not trusting her. Paul admitted he had been scarred from previous relationships and women who had cheated on him.Paul and Karine got over this hurdle, but there were still other obstacles to come on this trip given he had to win the approval of his girlfriend's protective father.Paul and Karine later sat down with her parents as well as a translator, and Karine's father learned Paul had been accused of committing arson and insurance fraud. There were also charges involving a restraining order by one of his ex-girlfriends.Paul was ready to answer any and all questions, especially from Karine's father, who is a police officer. Paul said the arson charge was in 2008 and it was over and done with. He admitted he had regret and got wrapped up with the wrong people.Paul admitted he sent an ex text messages trying to make amends and got arrested for that but he had never hurt a woman, even in self defense. Paul also said his messages weren't even threatening.It was tough for Paul to relive his past mistakes, but he promised Karine's parents he would keep her safe and treat her well.Karine's father said no one is perfect and he just hopes the criminal activity remains in Paul's past. Karine and Paul were give permission to go ahead with their wedding in Brazil, and they were both thrilled.Jesse and Darcey explored New York City, and they were 24 hours away from Jesse meeting her two daughters, which was going to be a huge moment in Darcey's life.Despite all of their fighting, Darcey believed she had a connection with Jesse that was "unbreakable."Jesse was nervous about meeting Darcey's kids because he doubted their relationship at time due to his girlfriend's insecurities. Since they didn't have a fully-functioning romance, Jesse was cautious about meeting her children.Since he was only 24 years old, Jesse didn't want Darcey to have so many expectations. He didn't seem ready to become a father and noted he doesn't know what the future will hold.The next day, Darcey and Jesse woke up together on her birthday, and he had written her a love letter, complimenting her natural beauty. Darcey was emotional about the fact Jesse was going to meet her 11 and 12-year-old daughters, because she envisioned him becoming a stepfather."I don't think it's the best timing now, so I need to approach it very delicately -- very step by step," Jesse said of meeting the girls.Jesse was a little overwhelmed by entering this stage in his life with an older woman, and Darcey's girls hoped she'd take this relationship slowly.Jesse thought Darcey's daughters were amazing, but he didn't want them to latch onto him because it was an "illusion" he'd become a father at this point in his relationship with Darcey.
By Reality TV World staff, 08/20/2018



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Jacqueline Trumbull is expected to resume her search for love on 's fifth season.Jacqueline is a 27-year-old research coordinator from West Virginia, who currently resides in New York, NY. Prior to appearing on The Bachelor, she worked as a clinical research coordinator at Mount Sinai in New York City while planning to continue her schooling.Jacqueline made it pretty far on Arie Luyendyk Jr. 's season of The Bachelor, as he found her beautiful and also inteligent. In fact, he was a little intimidated by her intellect and worldly experience.The couple broke up because they were headed in two different directions in life, but Jacqueline will hopefully find the man of her dreams on 's fifth season. According to Reality Steve spoiler blogger, Steve Carbone, Jacqueline will soon arrive at the Mexican resort with a date card in hand.Until viewers find out what happens to Jacqueline in Paradise, let's learn more about this brainy beauty.Below is a list of 6 facts Reality TV World has compiled about Jacqueline Trumbull - Jacqueline graduated from the University of Virginia in 2013 with a B.A. in Philosophy.- Career is very important to Jacqueline. She is working towards obtaining a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.- If she won the lottery, Jacqueline would buy a penthouse in Soho, have a pet cheetah, and build a wild animal conservation in Africa and/or India.- While the 5'5" bachelorette loves dogs, Jacqueline totally considers herself a cat person.- If she could have lunch with three people -- alive or dead -- Jacqueline would choose David Foster Wallace, Julius Caesar (with a translator) and Thomas Jefferson She'd want to chat with them over antipasto and cocktails.- Jacqueline lived in Slovakia for one year with wonderful host families. She has also traveled to the Dominican Republic, Brazil, France, Hawaii, Peru, and more.Click thelink below to see a photo gallery of additional photos of Jacqueline!Interested in more news? Join our Bachelor in Paradise Facebook Group

BEGIN GALLERY >>

Steven Rogers is a senior entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and been covering the reality TV genre for two decades.
A lot goes on around Athens and UGA campus and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. From Pa
Students tend to concentrate in the main study hubs of campus such as MLC, Tate Student Center or the Main Library. Diversify your study spots to lessen traffic in these locations and to find your own unique place to study on campus.
As students of the University of Georgia, wed all like to think our university is the best university. To add a few more bragging points, acc
TORRINGTON  The latest new business to open in downtown Torrington were welcomed by a large crowd of well-wishers during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 17. Many downtown businesses were represented as well as friends and family, as owners Jose Nunez and Elwin Martinez shared the ribbon cutting with Mayor Elinor Carbone.

A year of planning along with extensive and complete renovation of the space at 73 and 75 Main St., transformed the space into the 829 Restaurant and Lounge. Named in honor of the Dominican Republic, the culinary experience includes tastes of the Caribbean as well as an ample selection of traditional American fare.
Trucks transporting liquefied natural gas are seen at Sinopec's Beihai LNG terminal in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 24, 2018.

China has sown confusion in international energy markets after reconsidering plans to slap tariffs on U.S. crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The conflicting signals on China's energy imports reflect Beijing's uncertainty about the risks of retaliatory measures as it tries to match tariffs imposed by the United States in the escalating trade war.

The reversal also highlights China's concern about its growing dependence on foreign oil and gas with imports of crude now nearing 70 percent of the country's supplies.

But the U-turn on LNG tariffs may be particularly telling as China weighs the effect on its push to replace high-polluting coal with cleaner-burning gas.

The threatened tariff on LNG is likely to be a topic when a Chinese delegation visits Washington for trade talks later this month.

Although the United States supplied only about 6 percent of China's LNG imports last year, the volumes have been poised to climb with new development and terminal projects driven in part by China's growing demand.

U.S. volumes of the super-cooled fuel shipped to China through May more than tripled from low levels a year before, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

LNG has been high on the agendas of both countries since the first meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping last year, in spite of trade frictions.

"The United States welcomes China, as well as any of our trading partners, to receive imports of LNG from the United States," said a statement from the U.S.-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in May 2017.

In February, Texas-based Cheniere Energy signed two long-term contracts for supplying LNG to state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) over the next 25 years.

As recently as July, Chinese analysts predicted that the government would keep the LNG trade from becoming a casualty of the tit-for-tat trade war.

"If we impose tariffs on U.S. LNG, we pay a much higher opportunity cost," said Mei Xinyu, a researcher at a think tank affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), according to Reuters.

"Duties on soybeans hurt the U.S. more, but duties on energy products would hurt both sides," Mei said.

A chill through the industry

But on Aug. 3, the ministry said it would include LNG on a U.S. $60-billion (412-billion yuan) tariff list in response to reports that Washington had considered plans to more than double tariffs on U.S. $200 billion (1.3 trillion yuan) of Chinese products from 10 percent to 25 percent.

The retaliation sent a chill through the U.S. LNG industry, which had assumed China would continue to exempt the investments in shale gas development and export terminals that it had previously encouraged.

Claudio Steuer, a senior visiting research fellow at The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, said the tariff "will definitely price U.S.A. LNG completely out of the Chinese market," Bloomberg News reported.

Shares of U.S. LNG developers dropped on the news.

There were also reasons, however, to question whether China's move to punish LNG investors might work against its own interests.

The arguments against erecting tariff barriers to any LNG imports appear to have won out, at least for now.

On Aug. 8, the MOC issued a revised list of U.S. goods subject to tariffs, leaving off crude oil and LNG, although maintaining penalties on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other fuels, the online pricing service Natural Gas Intelligence reported.

In light of the waffling back and forth, it is unclear whether the exception for LNG is permanent or how long it will last.

"LNG exports remain exempted from retaliatory measures, but that could change if the U.S. proceeds with a potential third tranche of tariffs in late September or early October," Argus Media said on Aug. 8.

China relied on imports for nearly 40 percent of its gas consumption last year, with inflows of 94 billion cubic meters (3.3 trillion cubic feet) divided evenly between pipeline gas and LNG delivered by ship from abroad.

LNG imports saw especially strong growth of 50 percent from a year earlier as China pursued plans to cut coal use and smog in Beijing and the surrounding region last winter.

Pipeline supply problems in Central Asia helped to push China into the high-priced spot market for LNG.

In the first half of this year, China's LNG imports outpaced pipeline deliveries by 30 percent, based on customs figures reported by oilprice.com.

Asian LNG traffic and spot market prices tend to peak in October and June with supplies for winter heating and summer cooling, tapering off in the "shoulder months" of lower demand.

This year, off-peak demand has been boosted by a record heat wave in Japan, the world's leading LNG importer. Faced with power shortages, Japanese utilities have reluctantly resorted to burning oil for its generation needs, Reuters said in a separate report.

The heat wave had a similar impact on South Korea, now the third-largest LNG importer after it was surpassed last year by China.

The liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Stena Blue Sky is seen at a new LNG terminal owned by Chinese energy company ENN Group, in Zhoushan, eastern China's Zhejiang province, Aug. 7, 2018. Credit: Reuters Not the best time

The conditions suggest that this may not have been the best time for China to impose a 25-percent tariff on U.S. LNG.

The potential downside for China is that it could find itself in competition for Asian LNG cargoes if supply and demand problems multiply as they did last winter.

China has been scrambling to open more LNG receiving terminals to add to the 20 now in operation. But the country's lack of adequate storage capacity may limit the amount of pre-buying it can do to prepare for winter.

The immediate reaction to China's first announcement on Aug. 3 was a relatively mild increase of U.S. 25 cents (1.70 yuan) in Asian LNG benchmark prices to U.S. $10 (68.70 yuan) per million British thermal units (MMBtu), a rise of about 2.5 percent. Asian spot market prices are the highest in the world.

Analysts say the effects of the tariffs were more likely to be felt over time.

"In the short term, the tariff would likely raise LNG prices," said Giles Farrer, research director of global gas and LNG supply at the international consulting firm Wood Mackenzie in a note cited by S&P Global Platts news service.

"Long-term market consequences are likely to be felt on new supply developments as it would restrict the target market for developers of new US LNG projects trying to find new long-term contracts," Farrer said.

Edward Chow, senior fellow for energy and national security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said the short-term effects would be limited by the flexible nature of the LNG trade.

"Once an LNG cargo is on the water, it is essentially fungible," Chow said. "A U.S. cargo that doesn't go to China will go elsewhere, while cargoes previously destined for elsewhere will go to China instead."

With tariffs, China may have had to pay "a slight premium," said Chow.

The greater significance of tariffs is that they would keep Chinese buyers from making long-term purchase commitments to new U.S. LNG capacity, which the projects need to obtain financing, he said.

Without contracts, China would have to rely more on the uncertain prices of the spot market if it gets into a bind.

"As a rapidly growing LNG market, it is in China's interest to see new projects go forward," Chow said.

On Aug. 12, Bloomberg reported that CNPC's PetroChina may temporarily stop purchases of U.S. LNG spot cargoes through the winter, apparently reflecting concerns that tariffs could be assessed at any time.

The company would boost spot buying from other countries or swap U.S. shipments with other nations to avoid paying tariffs, the report said, citing sources "with knowledge of the strategy."

Reshuffling LNG supplies

Mikkal Herberg, energy security research director for the Seattle-based National Bureau of Asian Research, agreed that the effect of imposing tariffs on a single LNG producer would likely be limited, given new production in other countries including Papua New Guinea, Russia and Australia.

"This could raise spot prices in the region but likely only for a short period as LNG supplies reshuffle and the market settles out," he said.

Herberg noted that the sharp rise in China's LNG prices last winter was due in part to gas shortages that were intensified by pipeline problems. These are unlikely to be repeated, since Central Asian suppliers are planning to increase deliveries this year, he said.

But China's reluctance to impose tariffs on U.S. LNG imports suggests the government is unwilling to take the risk of contributing to potential shortages.

With or without tariffs, China has shown that it is willing to pay high prices if necessary to meet demand and pursue its anti-smog policies.

"They have paid really high prices last year when necessary," Herberg said.

LNG prices for China reached a high of U.S. $11.70 (80.40 yuan) per MMBtu last winter, S&P Global Platts said.
Cambodias King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday granted royal pardons to prominent land rights activist Tep Vanny and three others convicted for their roles in a protest over a land grab in the capital Phnom Penhs Boeung Kak Lake community.



Tep Vanny, 38, was arrested on Aug. 15, 2016 after participating in a demonstration, handed six days in prison for insulting a public official and, instead of being released when the sentence was served, charged with aggravated intentional violence for a protest she held more than three years earlier in front of the home of Prime Minister Hun Sen.



On Feb. 23, 2017, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted Tep Vanny of assaulting two security officers during the 2013 protest at Hun Sens home, sentencing her to 30 months in prison and making her pay 9 million riels (U.S. $2,250) in compensation to the officers.



Three other female activistsHeng Mom, Bo Chhorvy, and Kong Chanthawere also convicted for obstructing public officials during the protest, but released on bail.



On Monday, King Sihamoni issued a royal decree at the behest of Hun Sen, overturning the convictions of all four activists without providing any reason for the decision.



Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service, Tep Vanny said she was surprised by the order to free her and had been expecting to attend a new court hearing for her case on Aug. 24.



I was given no prior notice that I would be released, she said.



The prison guards came to inform me just before 8:30 p.m. that I would be freed soon and said I should get my things ready. I told them they had come to tell the wrong person.



But while she welcomed her release, she lamented having languished in prison for more than two years on a conviction she maintained was unjust.



Although I am happy tonight for the freedom to meet with my family, relatives, and community members, my pain remains with me, as I have spent over two years in jail, she said.



The pain I feel is not only with me, but also with my family and children, so my freedom today is a mixture of happiness and bitterness.



Tep Vanny was awarded the 2013 Vital Voices Global Leadership Award for her work campaigning on behalf of the community evicted from Boeung Kak Lake, which was later filled with sand to make way for a development project with ties to Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP).



On Monday, she appealed to Hun Sen to release all of the countrys remaining political prisoners, including former RFA reporters Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin, who have spent nine months behind bars on espionage charges.



She said that because her release came so suddenly, she would need to take some time to formulate a plan for future activities.



International condemnation



King Sihamonis decree came days after Cambodias National Election Committee (NEC) announced the official results of the countrys July 29 election, confirming that the CPP had swept the ballot and won all 125 parliamentary seats in play.



The election had been widely dismissed as unfree and unfair following the dissolution in November of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and the arrest of its president Kem Sokha two months earlier, amid allegations of a plot to topple the government.



Hun Sen, who added another five-year term to his 33 years in office with the election win, has made a practice of heavy-handed crackdowns on his critics, followed by a relaxation of restrictions after facing international condemnation.



Last week, the U.S. announced an expansion of visa bans on individuals seen as limiting democracy in the country, as 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.



The European Union, which was the second biggest trade partner of Cambodia in 2017, also withdrew support ahead of the ballot and is currently reviewing a preferential trade scheme for Cambodian exports based on the countrys election environment.



Various rights groups had demanded Tep Vannys release in the lead up to the Aug. 15 anniversary marking her two years in prison, with New York-based Human Rights Watchs deputy Asia director Phil Robertson calling her conviction just one of many outrageous cases in which the authorities have misused Cambodias justice system to harass and imprison peaceful land rights activists.



On Monday, London-based Amnesty Internationals senior director of global operations Minar Pimple welcomed Tep Vannys release in a statement, but called it long overdue.



Tep Vanny has endured a catalogue of injusticefrom baseless, politically-motivated charges to unfair trialsand should never have been imprisoned in the first place, Pimple said, adding that Cambodias government should allow her to resume her activism, quash all convictions against her, and halt any investigations into any other pending charges.



Additionally, the many other human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience still languishing behind bars in the country must also be immediately and unconditionally released, he said.



Release rejected



Also on Monday, Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan dismissed calls by former CNRP President Sam Rainsy, who is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a slew of convictions seen as politically motivated, for the government to free Kem Sokha, ahead of a bail hearing for the current CNRP chief scheduled for Aug. 22.



In the aftermath of what he termed Cambodias sham election, Sam Rainsy had called on Hun Sen to release Kem Sokha to avoid international condemnation of his government and its mandate.



Phay Siphan rejected Sam Rainsys demand as crazy, adding that as a sovereign nation, Cambodia has no need for external approval of its internal affairs.



Cambodias government doesnt need legitimacy from anyone or anything, besides the election and the electoral institution, he said.



The demand to release Kem Sokha is  politically motivated. Kem Sokhas case is being handled by the courts, which have both the facts and legal precedents, and its not politically motivated.



Political analyst Bong Deth told RFA that Hun Sen has much to lose by keeping Kem Sokha in jail following the election, but acknowledged that he was unlikely to order the opposition chief freed until attending to the formation of a new government early next month.



He suggested that Hun Sen might consider releasing all of the nations political prisoners once the new government is in place, as part of a bid to placate the international community.



In June, Cambodias Appeal Court refused Kem Sokhas fourth appeal for bail from pre-trial detention on charges of treason, because an investigation into his case is ongoing, court spokesman Touch Tharith told reporters after the hour-long closed-door hearing, which the defendant was prevented from attending.



Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Vanrith Chrea. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Many natural products and drugs feature a so-called dicarbonyl motif  in certain cases however their preparation poses a challange to organic chemists. In their most recent work, Nuno Maulide and his coworkers from the University of Vienna present a new route for these molecules. They use oxidized sulfur compounds even though sulfur is not included in the final product.

To live up to mankinds 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 doesnt 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.
A prominent Muslim poet has been visited and threatened by police after tweeting about the mass incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China's political "re-education camps."



Cui Haoxin, a member of the Hui Muslim ethnic group known by his pen-name An Ran, received a visit from the local state security police after he sent and retweeted posts from his Twitter account about the detentions.



"Chinese police raided my home and warned me not to use my social media account, such as Twitter and Facebook," Cui wrote in a blog post about the Aug. 16 visit. "Five policemen went into my home and talked with me for two hours. The threat is real!"



"Recently a meeting of the U.N. discussed re-education camps that hold several million Muslims in China," he wrote. The U.N. has estimated the numbers detained at around one million. " this discussion happens between Chinese police and me."



"They still denied it and warned me not to be made use of [by enemies in the] West," he said. "The Chinese authorities are unwilling to hear the different views and confuse dissent with disloyalty."



"The government doesnt resolve the question but they resolve the questioner. A lot of Chinese Muslims were resolved. Some of them are my friends. Some of them disappeared. Some are in prison like Professor Ilham Tohti," Cui wrote.



In a later interview with RFA, Cui said the authorities had taken issue with three tweets in particular.



"In the first, I retweeted a tweet that mentioned the issue of 'concentration camps'," he said. "They asked me if I believed that, and I said I did, because there are a lot of witnesses and a lot of evidence, and video. Why wouldn't I believe it?"



"They told me I shouldn't allow myself to be used by hostile forces in the West," he said. "They said that [reports of] events in Xinjiang had been concocted by the foreign media to smear China, and they wanted me to stop commenting on overseas websites."



Facing brutality

Cui said he had previously kept a low profile following threats to his family in 2013 by state security police.



But the mass detention of Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other minorities in "re-education centers" had changed his outlook, he said, citing his recent viewing of the movie "Schindler's List."



"I think that what's happening in Xinjiang will eventually spread to the rest of China, and we will meet with the same fate," he said. "That gave me courage to face up to this brutality."



"I don't want to drift and dodge through life; I want to live and die in dignity," Cui said.



Sulaiman Gu, a rights activist currently studying in the United States, said Cui had also been a vocal opponent on social media of plans to demolish a huge mosque in the northern region of Ningxia, which were put on hold after thousands of people protested outside.



"An Ran, who spoke out courageously at a crucial moment on the Weizhou Mosque, is now being threatened because of the Uyghur issue," Gu said.



"China is sending Uyghurs to [concentration camps] and taking mosques away from Hui Muslims because they want to crush us into the mud, so we'll keep quiet," he said.



"That's why they have to gag anyone who speaks the truth," he said. "This ethnic cleansing that is going on right now shows us that China isn't our country; much in the same way that Nazi Germany wasn't the country of the Jews."



UN panel 'deeply concerned'

Earlier this month, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) expressed concerns over Chinas mass internment of ethnic Uyghurs and restrictions on their religious freedom.



The panel said it was "deeply concerned" by reports that China has turned the [Xinjiang] Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) into something that resembles a massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy in the name of eradicating religious extremism and maintaining social stability.



Beginning in , Uyghurs accused of harboring strong religious views and politically incorrect ideas have been jailed or detained in political re-education camps throughout the region.



A recent editorial in the ruling party-affilated Global Times dismissed international coverage of the Xinjiang re-education camps, which it labeled training institutes, saying western media outlets were incorrectly labeling them as detention sites and baselessly criticizing Chinas human rights.



Aside from the brief mention in the article, China's central government authorities have not publicly acknowledged the existence of political re-education camps in Xinjiang, and the number of inmates kept in each facility remains a closely guarded secret.



But in interviews with RFA, local officials in many parts of the region have described sending significant numbers of Uyghurs to the camps and even described overcrowding in some facilities.



Meanwhile, the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress (WUC) exile group told the panel that basic legal rights for Uyghurs in China, including the right to legal representation, a fair and prompt trial and due process, are virtually non-existent."



Reported by Ng Yik-tung and Sing Man for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Wu Jing for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.


Authorities on the democratic island of Taiwan have warned that moves by Beijing to offer its citizens full residency in China will subject them to total surveillance and a controversial social credit system under a "totalitarian" regime.



The ruling Chinese Communist Party announced last week that residents of former colonies Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Taiwan, which has never been ruled by Beijing, will now be eligible for permanent residency and an ID card like those issued to citizens of mainland China.



But Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) warned that the offer is part of China's "united front" strategy to neutralize potential threats to Communist Party rule, and will expose its residents to comprehensive surveillance and monitoring.



"This council considers it to be the first among a series of measures known as 'united front through equal treatment'," the MAC said in a statement on its website, adding that the scheme is part of a deliberate strategy "to pull people in."



"The mainland government has set up the Skynet project in recent years, using a network of surveillance cameras in major cities, so as to track and monitor the movements of people and vehicles," it said. "Through the surveillance system, mainland Chinese officials have collected around one billion facial recognition records."



"Automated facial recognition technology is combined with the social credit system to comprehensively monitor the public," it said, warning that the residence permits will be technologically similar to the ID cards currently needed by mainland citizens for most transactions, including buying train or plane tickets and booking a hotel room.



This may pose risks for Taiwan residents who are interested in going to mainland China for work or education, the MAC warned, adding that fingerprinting will be an inevitable part of the application process.



"Mainland China is a totalitarian regime which lacks freedom, democracy, human rights, or any respect for privacy," MAC spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng told RFA. "It also uses the latest electronic technology to carry out total surveillance of its citizens."



"Any of our citizens staying there for work, study or business, even for a short period, will face limits to their freedom of expression, as well as risks regarding their personal safety," Chiu said.



Easier integration

Under the new scheme, holders of the new smart-card residence permit will gain access to compulsory state education for their children and basic public services. They will also be able to apply for driving licenses, car registrations, or register births.



Vice minister for public security Shi Jun told a news conference last week that the aim of the scheme is to make it easier for residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan to "integrate" into mainland Chinese society.



"This isn't about convenience; the purpose is to enable residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents to enjoy the same public services ... as residents of mainland China," Shi said.



The new scheme was welcomed by Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, who said that 500,000 Hong Kong residents already live in neighboring Guangdong province, while 1.2 million people from the city attend educational institutions in mainland China.



But Ma Yue, associate professor of politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that the move is likely aiming for assimilation of populations who have long been used to more democratic political systems and values.



"It's made to seem very convenient, [but Beijing thinks] it can break down the differences between mainland China and Hong Kong," Ma told RFA. "I think this is a policy aimed at assimilating Hong Kong into China."



"But Hong Kong still has a lot of values and institutions that are quite different [from China], such as freedom, and so we won't necessarily see an increase in the number of people moving to live or work there, just because it's convenient," he said.



According to Lee Cheng-hsiu, a senior assistant research fellow in the national security division of Taiwan's National Policy Foundation, Beijing has offered residency to people from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau partly to pave the way for an eventual takeover of its democratic neighbor.



"A key purpose is to pave the way for future cross-strait reunification," Lee said. "That's why they have disregarded Taiwan's views or any [potential] backlash, and offered this unilaterally."



"Such measures will indeed attract more Taiwanese to work or attend school in the mainland," he said.



Dual nationality forbidden

However, the MAC said holders of Taiwan's Republic of China passport may not hold dual nationality with mainland China. It warned that any of its residents who hold a passport or a household registration in the People's Republic will have their Taiwan passport revoked.



China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is gradually preparing for a possible invasion of the neighboring democratic island of Taiwan, according to a military analysis published by the Pentagon in Washington last week.



Armed forces under the ruling Chinese Communist Party "continued to develop and deploy increasingly advanced military capabilities intended to coerce Taiwan, signal Chinese resolve, and gradually improve capabilities for an invasion," the U.S. Department of Defense said in an annual report on China's military capabilities.



Taiwan was ruled as a Japanese colony in the 50 years prior to the end of World War II, but was handed back to the Republic of China under the nationalist KMT government as part of Tokyo's post-war reparation deal.



When the KMT regime fled to Taiwan in 1947 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communist troops, the Republic of China ceased to control most of China, but continues to be the official name of the Taiwan government.



Taiwan began a transition to democracy following the death of Chiang's son, President Chiang Ching-kuo, in , starting with direct elections to the legislature in the early 1990s and culminating in the first direct election of a president, Lee Teng-hui, in 1996.



Recent opinion polls indicate that there is broad political support for self-rule in Taiwan, where the majority of voters identify as Taiwanese rather than Chinese.



But Beijing regards the island as part of China, and has threatened to invade if Taiwan seeks formal independence. Beijing has succeeded in isolating Taiwan diplomatically by insisting that its diplomatic partners break off ties with Taipei, under the "One China" policy.



Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Hsia Hsiao-hwa for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Rohingya Muslims, who previously lived in the Nidin IDP camp, are seen outside their new homes in Nidin village in Kyauktaw township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Aug. 19, 2018.

UPDATED at 10:59 A.M. EDT on 2018-08-22

Authorities in western Myanmars Rakhine state have closed a camp that housed about 600 Rohingya Muslims displaced by communal violence six years ago and have resettled them in new homes, a Myanmar government official said Monday.

More than 580 Rohingya comprising 85 households had been living in the Nidin internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Mrauk-U districts Kyauktaw township since 2012, said Aung Thurein, director of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

Myanmar is closing down IDP camps Rakhines Sittwe district and in Kyauktaw and Myebon townships, where mostly Rohingya were housed following waves of clashes in the ethnically and religiously divided state in 2012 that left more than 200 people dead and displaced about 140,000 Muslims. Eighteen IDP camps still remain open.

Myanmar, which views the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, denies the members of the minority group citizenship and prevents them from freedom of movement and access to education, health care, and jobs.

After a discussion with the IDPs, authorities decided to place them in new homes in Nidin village instead of sending them back to their former places of residence, though the Rohingya have indicated that they want to return to those locations, Aung Thurein said.

The government will provide help for them for their long-term survival, said Aung Thurein, who is also director of the Rakhine State Advisory Commissions Recommendations Implementation Committee.

After shutting down the camp, we cant just build houses for the refugees; we have to create jobs for them and provide other things, such as education and health care, he said.

The committee that Aung Thurein heads was created in September 2017 to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, a group led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan that proposed ways to solve sectarian tensions between Muslims and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in the state, although it did not evaluate possible human rights violations.

The commissions report called for the closure of IDP camps, for reviews of Myanmars 1982 Citizenship Law, which prevents the Rohingya from becoming citizens, and for an end to restrictions on the group to prevent further violence in the region.

Some of the Rohingya who have left the Nidin camp also said they need jobs and that they have asked authorities to build a school for their children and a market where they can do business.

If we have to live here, we need some things like a market where we can work for our survival, said Ba Maung, a Rohingya former IDP at Nidin camp. When we lived in Kyauktaw, we had to depend on the Myoma Market for our survival.

Other Rohingya said they must be able to safely travel by means of transportation other than boats to visit villages.

Although we have bicycles, we cant even think about going to other Muslim villages on foot or by bike, said Rohingya former IDP Kyaw Aye. We can only travel by boat. Traveling by boat is less dangerous than traveling by land.

Other camp closures

In addition to the Nidin camp, all IDP camps in Rakhines Kyaukphyu and Sittwe townships, one Kaman Muslim camp in Ramree township, and a Rohingya camp in Pauktaw township have been shut down, Aung Thurein said.

The Taungpaw IDP camp in Myebon township and the Thetkepyin and Khaung Doke Khar 1 and 2 refugee camps in Sittwe will be shut down soon, he said.

A Myanmar government official who spoke to RFAs Myanmar Service on condition of anonymity said efforts to close the remaining camps have been stepped up to reduce international pressure over the Rohingya crisis ahead of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

More than 1 million other Rohingya are living in sprawling refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, some of whom are waiting to return to Myanmar under a repatriation agreement the country signed with Bangladesh in November 2017.

Some of the 800,000 Rohingya refugees who fled northern Rakhine state after two brutal crackdowns by security forces in October 2016 and August 2017, which included indiscriminate killings, rape, and arson, may be eligible for return if they can prove prior residency in Myanmar. The remainder of those in the Bangladesh camps escaped from previous bouts of violence in Rakhine.

The Myanmar government has denied that its military forces committed widespread atrocities against the Rohingya, despite credible evidence complied by rights groups.

The U.N., U.S., and human rights groups have said that the atrocities amounted to a campaign of ethnic cleansing, if not genocide, and some organizations have issued calls for officials responsible to stand trial at the International Criminal Court.

In June, the European Union and Canada imposed sanctions on seven senior military officials from Myanmar deemed responsible for human rights violations against the Rohingya during the brutal campaign that began in August 2017, which forced more than 700,000 to flee to Bangladesh.

The EU froze the assets of the seven Myanmar army, border guard, and police officials, including Major General Maung Maung Soe, the former head of Western Command in Rakhine, who was sanctioned by the U.S. in December, and Lieutenant General Kyaw Zoe, former commander of the Bureau of Special Operations No. 3. They were also banned from traveling to the bloc.

After the EU and Canada announced the sanctions, the Myanmar military commander-in-chief's office announced that Maung Maung Soe had been fired, and that Kyaw Zoe, also seen as responsible for part of the violence, had been transferred to another post, though instead the army honored his request to resign.

New homes built for Rohingya IDPs are seen in Nidin village in Kyauktaw township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, July 15, 2018. Credit: Photo courtesy of Aung Thurein/Facebook New U.S. sanctions

On Aug. 17, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on military and police commanders and two army units for their involvement in ethnic cleansing in Rakhine and other widespread human rights abuses in Myanmars Kachin and Shan states, where it said the military had committed extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and torture against civilians from ethnic minority communities amid prolonged civil wars with ethnic armed groups.

A statement issued by the U.S. Treasury Department named Myanmar military commanders Aung Kyaw Zaw, Khin Maung Soe, and Khin Hlaing, and Border Guard Police BGP commander Thura San Lwin, along with the 33rd and 99th light infantry divisions.

The sanctions, brought under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, subjects those named to a U.S. asset freeze and, where applicable, to a U.S. travel ban.

Burmese security forces have engaged in violent campaigns against ethnic minority communities across Burma, including ethnic cleansing, massacres, sexual assault, extrajudicial killings, and other serious human rights abuses, Sigal Mandelker, under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Treasury Department, said in a statement, using another name for Myanmar.

Treasury is sanctioning units and leaders overseeing this horrific behavior as part of a broader U.S. government strategy to hold accountable those responsible for such wide-scale human suffering, she said.

The measures came a week before the one-year anniversary of the start of the Aug. 25, 2017, crackdown, around which time the U.S. State Department plans to issue the findings of a probe into alleged atrocities against the Rohingya in Rakhine state.

Damage to reputation, dignity

Political analysts in Myanmar downplayed the impact that the latest U.S. sanctions will have on the country's economy and politics, but said they will hurt the country's dignity.

I dont think these sanctions will hurt Myanmars economy because the U.S. did it only from a human rights perspective, Maung Maung Ohn, a former general who served as chief minister of Rakhine state from 2014 to 2016.

Political analyst Yan Myo Thein said the fresh sanctions would not harm Myanmars economy or politics because the military and the home affairs ministry have already taken action against the generals named by the U.S.

But the Myanmar military and parliament should pay attention to it, he said.

The four members of a new independent commission established by Myanmar's government on July 30 to investigate human rights violations in Rakhine state should think about U.S. sanctions while they are conducting their investigation, he said.

It is also important that they work together with the U.S. by getting the documents that American organizations have, as they work on the Rakhine investigation, he said.

The commission was created in response to growing international condemnation over the campaign of violence by Myanmar forces targeting the Rohingya in Rakhine following deadly attacks on security outposts by a militant Muslim group.

Likewise, Aung Myo Min, executive director of Equality Myanmar, an NGO that focuses on human rights education and advocacy programs, said Myanmar will not be hurt economically by sanctions, but its reputation and dignity will suffer.

It means that the U.S. is not pleased with Myanmars human rights situation, because it has imposed these sanctions while the international community has been paying attention to Myanmars human rights situation, he said.

Prominent attorney Robert San Aung said that the sanctions will damage the militarys dignity.

Although only four generals have had sanctions imposed on them, this has reverberated throughout the entire military and has disappointed the Myanmar government, he said. But I dont think it will hurt the countrys economy and politics.

Reported by Min Thein Aung and Khin Khin Ei for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Eight young Tibetans who fled authoritarian rule in China in pursuit of a religious and cultural education without restrictions have arrived at a refugee center in India after being held for nearly a month by authorities in Nepal, according to members of the group.



The Tibetans, who come from the eastern region of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and include Buddhist monks, a Buddhist nun, and a 13-year-old girl, arrived at the Tibetan Refugee Center in Dharamsala, Indiathe seat of the Tibetan government-in-exileon Aug. 13, they told RFAs Tibetan Service, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions to their families back home.



None of the eight had official travel documents, and each paid about 15,000 yuan (U.S. $2,190) to a guide, who secreted them across the border to Nepal, where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has an informal Gentlemans Agreement in place that provides for Tibetans to transit through the country and seek refuge in India.



One of the members of the group said that after arriving in Nepal, local authorities prevented them from leaving after the Nepalese media reported on July 26 of their planned travel on to India.



On the way from Nepal, we were stopped at the Nepal-India border for document checks and verification, which took some time, the Tibetan refugee said, adding that other than that, we didnt face any problems.



All of the Tibetans in the group said that they decided to leave China because they were prevented from studying the religious and cultural traditions of their ethnic group, due to official restrictions.



A 21-year-old monk, who traveled for nearly a month to get to Nepal, said his parents had supported his decision to leave home for India.



The entire purpose of traveling to India was to study, as we believe the opportunities in exile are greater and the environment is more conducive for students to flourish, he said.



A 19-year-old monk, who also required a month of travel along with two companions to reach Nepal, said he had lived in a monastery in Tibet for 15 years.



But the monastery had few monks, and lacked decent facilities and opportunities to study well, he said.



Since we were under [government] control, there was no way to study what we wanted. Now, we will have a chance to do so, but only far away from our homes.



A 16-year-old monk, who took two months to reach Nepal, said that while there was a monastery in his home town in the TAR, the facilities were poor, adding that he hopes to enter a monastery in India to pursue his monastic studies.



I stayed for one year in a monastery in Tibet, but there was a lack of good educational opportunities, he said.



In exile there are many more options for those who wish to learn.



The 13-year-old girl in the group said that she simply wanted to learn her own language, which had been sidelined in public schooling in the TAR in favor of Mandarin Chinese.



The opportunity to study the Tibetan language is increasingly unavailable there, and I was asked to go into exile to study it, she said.



Here, we have a good established community with many Tibetans who can help us.



Tibets Dharamsala-based exile government the Central Tibetan Administration is arranging a private audience for the group with exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and will provide them with refugee identity cards, sources told RFA.



After undergoing a health screening, the refugees will be permitted to join the Tibetan monastery or school of their choice to pursue their studies.



Monastery restrictions



Last month, sources told RFA that Chinese authorities in the Tibetan-populated Dzachuka region of Sichuan are removing monks under the age of 18 from their monasteries so that they can return to government-run schools and learn to serve society.



Authorities said that the monks should not be allowed to join the monasteries because they are too young and immature, and cant think for themselves yet, the sources said.



Many had enrolled in the monasterys courses in Buddhist logic and philosophy, and some were top students in their class.



Chinese authorities have long sought to restrict the size and influence of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, traditionally a focus of Tibetan cultural and national identity, sources in the region say.



Authorities have strictly limited the numbers of monks and nuns enrolled there and forced those allowed to remain to take part in classes promoting loyalty to China and the ruling Chinese Communist Party, sources say.



Reported by Urgen Tenzin for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Jailed Vietnamese human rights defender Tran Thi Nga has received beatings and death threats from a cellmate assigned to her by authorities, her husband told RFAs Vietnamese Service on Monday after writing a petition to law enforcement officials.

Noted in Vietnam for her online activism, Nga, 40, was sentenced in July 2017 to nine years in prison for spreading "propaganda against the state" under Article 88 of Vietnams penal code, a provision frequently used to silence dissident bloggers and other activists. Her appeal was rejected in December.

On August 17, Nga called me and told me that she has been beaten and threatened to be killed. I decided to write a petition to authorities, Ngas husband, Phan Van Phong, told RFA.

Phong sent his petition to Gia Trung prison, the ministry of police, the supreme peoples procurator, Gia Lai province judicial authorities, and international organizations, he said.

Nga, who is allowed to talk to her family by telephone five minutes a month from Gia Trung prison in Gia Lai Province, had called home on July 26 and told her husband that she was placed in a cell with another prisoner, whose surname is Hai and is nicknamed Hai Ho.

Former prisoner of conscience Bui Thi Minh Hang, who served time at Gia Trung prison, told RFA that she knows Hai after sharing a cell with her.

She is famous for being very aggressive and violent. They made me stay with her (and) she had threatened to kill me, Hang told RFA.

When I was there they (prison authorities) let other prisoners threaten me and attack me. I had to go on hunger strike for two months to protest, she said.

They (authorities) know everything and give other prisoners a signal to do such things because they are in charge of arranging our cellmates, added Hang.

Amnesty International urged the Vietnamese community to call and write to the Gia Trung prison urging them to ensure Tran Thi Ngas safety.

Meanwhile, in Nghe An province, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, 52, started a hunger strike on Aug. 14 to protest police pressure on him to plead guilty in exchange for amnesty.

He was jailed in 2010 for 16 years for writing online articles criticizing the government under Article 79 of Vietnams penal code and is serving at Prison No. 6 in Nghe An province.

(We) visited him at prison and was told that he has been on hunger strike for five days and he would continue until august 23. He said he would continue his hunger strike after that if his demands are not addressed, Tran Huynh Duy Tan, Thucs brother, told RFA that he and Thucs wife visited Thuc in prison on August 18.

Thuc told his family that hed rather stay in prison than plead guilty, he said.

Hed rather stay in there until the end of his sentence. He said he is innocent, said Tan.

Tan also told RFA that about two months ago the prison brought in a new manager, who created more difficulties for Thuc. He is now not allowed to write as many letters to his family as before, and his petitions to authorities have been limited in frequency.

They had failed in pressuring Thuc to plead guilty, so they are resorting to their usual trick, which is to create more difficulties for him in prison, activist Le Cong Dinh wrote on social media.

Tan said the family is worried about Thucs health because he looked very tired.

He said that he would conduct a 10-day hunger strike, but his health got worse. We are very worried about his decision. We want him to stop the hunger strike soon to protect his health and his life, the brother added.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Meeting in Jerusalem, White House national-security adviser John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have called on European countries to increase pressure on Iran.

Bolton told Netanyahu on August 20 that the United States saw the "highest importance" in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and that's why President Donald Trump withdrew from the "wretched" nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

"It's why we've worked with our friends in Europe to convince them of the need to take stronger steps against the Iranian nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile program," Trump's national-security adviser added.

Trump and Netanyahu have been closely aligned on their approach to Iran since the U.S. president took office in January 2017.

Trump has consistently looked to increase pressure on Tehran to bring about what his administration has called a "change in behavior" regarding its weapons programs and its "destabilizing" activities in the region, accusations Iran denies.

In May, Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with six world powers and has reimposed sanctions that had been eased as terms of the accord.

Calling the agreement "disastrous," Netanyahu said that "all countries who care about peace and security in the Middle East should follow America's lead and ratchet up the pressure on Iran," in what was considered a veiled refence to European countries.

"The greater the pressure on Iran, the greater the chance that the regime will roll back its aggression," he added. "And everybody should join this effort."

European countries are seeking to save the nuclear deal and have vowed to keep providing Iran with the economic benefits it received from the accord, arguing that the agreement is working in keeping Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Bolton, who is considered one of the leading hard-liners in the Trump administration in dealing with Tehran's nuclear program, arrived in Israel on August 19 for three days of talks expected to focus mainly on Iran and its presence in Syria.

Both the United States and Israel are vehemently opposed to Tehran activities in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country's civil war. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed since the conflict began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011.

Bolton is also scheduled to travel to Ukraine and Geneva. In the Swiss city, he is due to meet with his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, on August 23 -- the first official follow-up to the July summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.

Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said on August 20 that Bolton and Patrushev, the secretary of Putin's Security Council, will "first and foremost" discuss bilateral relations and "exchange opinions on the well-known pressing global affairs."

Ties between Washington and Moscow have been badly frayed by tensions over issues including Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, its role in the wars in eastern Ukraine and Syria, and its alleged public-opinion-manipulation campaign in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

After the annexation of Crimea, Patrushev was placed on the European Union's sanctions list. The United States imposed sanctions on Patrushev in April 2018.

Following their July 16 summit in Helsinki, Trump and Putin said they had taken the "first steps" toward mending badly strained ties between the United States and Russia.

But the U.S. president drew widespread criticism after the summit, in part because he never disclosed what was discussed or decided during his two-hour-long, one-on-one meeting with Putin.

With reporting by AFP, AP, TASS, and Interfax
A perceived death threat against President Hassan Rohani within the seminary of the holy Shi'ite city of Qom has led to controversy in Iran, with some calling it a disaster for the seminary -- home to thousands of influential clerics and theology students -- and others demanding an investigation.

The implicit warning came in a placard held by a group of clerics who staged a protest on August 16 to register their unhappiness with economic problems that they blame on Rohani.

A commander of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was reported to have been among the speakers at the event, which was held amid a sharp fall of the Iranian currency and rising prices on food and other basic goods.

The sign suggested that those who are in favor of negotiations with the United States could meet the same fate as former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a onetime Rohani ally whose 2017 death was blamed on a heart attack but has been described by some, including family members, as suspicious.

"You whose slogan is negotiation, expect [to end up] in Farah's swimming pool," the sign, widely shared on social media, said in a presumed reference to Farah Pahlavi, the widow of the late shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Rafsanjani was reportedly found dead by his bodyguards in a swimming pool in the Iranian capital where he used to swim regularly. He was 82.

Seemingly unsubstantiated claims followed suggesting that he had been drowned or poisoned. There were also allegations by some hard-liners that Rafsanjani had died in a swimming pool that once belonged to the Pahlavi regime, which was brought down by Iran's 1979 revolution.

Death Threat?

The sign at the Qom seminary protest was quickly interpreted as a death threat against second-term President Rohani, who has been criticized by conservatives in particular over his outreach efforts toward the West, most notably through negotiations with the previous U.S. administration that resulted in the 2015 nuclear deal that President Donald Trump recently abandoned.

Protesters at the August 16 gathering expressed support for comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who earlier in the week had banned talks with the United States while also suggesting he had made a mistake by allowing Rohani's government to negotiate with Washington.

Khamenei, who as supreme leader holds the final word on religious and political matters in Iran, also said that mismanagement hurts the Iranian economy more than U.S. sanctions that were reimposed earlier this month following Trump's announcement in May to withdraw from the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), whose signatories include all five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with Germany and the European Union, in addition to Iran.

"In fact, this slogan means, 'Mr. President, we will get rid of you, as we did with Hashemi Rafsanjani," deputy parliament speaker Ali Motahari, who urged the Intelligence Ministry to investigate the incident, said.

He added that an investigation could offer clues into the death of Rafsanjani, which, he said remained a mystery.

Motahari said signs and slogans at the August 16 protest demonstrated that a segment of those attending the Qom seminary are facing "social and political degeneration."

Qom is a global hub of Shi'ite scholarship and a key player in the battles for influence and power in Iran, whose population is thought to be over 90 percent Shi'ite.

Other comments, including from the conservative daily Jomhuri Eslami, suggested that stickers on the protest banners that said "return after the event" were proof that a "certain" political group organized the gathering.

'Certain' Groups

Senior Qom-based hard-line cleric Nasser Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said the incident was a "total disaster" for the Qom seminary, where he noted that many Iranian leaders, including revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, received their training.

Makarem said those in charge of the seminary should explain who permitted the "damaging event," adding that IRGC commanders should also explain whether they authorized their members to attend the gathering.

"Who ordered that the honor of Shi'a should be brought into question and the enemy made...happy?" Makarem asked in an August 20 statement posted by semiofficial ISNA news agency.

Pro-reform cleric Ahmad Montazeri, the son of the late dissident Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Iran's military and security apparatus was involved in the incident, although he did not offer specific evidence.

"There are certain groups that believe they own the country, they feel they represent Islam, they are in military bodies as well security bodies, they can do whatever they want. They can even go as far as giving signs to theology students and threatening the country's elected president with murder," Montazeri said in a telephone interview from Qom.

Amid the controversy, former lawmaker Hamid Rasaei, a critic of Rohani and the nuclear negotiations, said that the sign in question, which he said was in poor taste, did not constitute a threat against the Iranian president.

"It means that whoever is optimistic about talks with the Great Satan will die in abjection," Rasaei was quoted as saying by Iranian media. "Pro-government media are trying to magnify the issue and distract the public opinion from other problems, such as skyrocketing prices and economic pressure."

Noushin Seyed Hosseini of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey's currency crisis is the result of an "attack" on his country's economy.

Erdogan made the remarks in an August 20 speech ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday as a dispute worsens with Washington over Turkey's continued detention of an American pastor and its pledge to buy Russian S-400 missile systems.

In a prerecorded address to the Turkish people ahead of the start of the four-day holiday, Erdogan said the aim of those he blamed for Turkey's currency crisis was to bring "Turkey and its people to their knees."

But he said Turkey had the power and ability to overcome the crisis.

Washington has imposed sanctions against its NATO ally over the imprisoned pastor and has increased tariffs in a move that sent the Turkish lira tumbling last week.

Evangelical pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, currently under house arrest after more than 1 1/2 years in prison, faces up to 35 years in a Turkish prison if convicted of espionage and terrorism-related charges.

Turkish prosecutors claim Brunson had ties with the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has accused of orchestrating Turkey's failed 2016 military coup.

Turkish authorities are holding more than a dozen other U.S. citizens, including a Turkish-American NASA scientist and a visiting chemistry professor from Pennsylvania, as well as three local staff members of the U.S. Consulate.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Brunson's immediate release and threatened more sanctions.

Last week, Trump signed a defense-spending bill that includes delaying the delivery of F-35 fighter jets pending a Pentagon report. U.S. lawmakers have been working to block their delivery in response to Brunson's arrest and Turkey's pledge to buy Russian S-400 missile systems.

Amid the heightened tensions, shots were fired at a security booth outside of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara early on August 20.

Bullets were fired at a security gate from a passing vehicle, according to the Ankara governor's office. It also said that two suspects were detained and a vehicle and pistol seized.

Both suspects, who confessed to the shooting, had criminal records and their links were being investigated, it added.

U.S. officials say nobody was hurt in that incident, which happened while the embassy was closed for the Eid al-Adha holiday.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
On the night of August 20-21, 1968, about 250,000 troops and other personnel from the U.S.S.R., Poland, Hungary, East Germany, and Bulgaria crossed into Czechoslovakia from the north, east, and south. With this operation the Soviet Union stopped the process of democratic reforms, known as the Prague Spring, which had spread throughout Czechoslovakia.

As the invasion came as a surprise, many people spontaneously began hanging up anti-Soviet posters and Czechoslovak flags, or spoke to the troops to try and persuade them that there was no reason for a military operation.

When the Soviet-led troops arrived at the Czechoslovak Radio headquarters in Prague to stop the broadcasts and take over the station, the situation escalated as locals built barricades, determined to defend not only the building, but an important symbol of Czechoslovakia's statehood.

The invasion of Czechoslovakia was followed by a process of "normalization" that saw the restoration of the authoritarian Communist rule that existed before the Prague Spring reforms.

In the end, 137 Czechoslovaks died and more than 500 were seriously wounded during the invasion by the Warsaw Pact troops.

Here are the stories of four women who didn't hesitate to act bravely during these tumultuous days of August 1968.
Tehran has urged the European Union, Russia, and China to accelerate their efforts to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers after the accord was abandoned by U.S. President Donald Trump on grounds that it was "deeply flawed."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on August 20 that "Europeans and other signatories of the deal (China and Russia) have been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow" and needs to accelerate.

"Iran relies mainly on its own capabilities to overcome America's new sanctions," Qasemi said in a news conference broadcast live on state television.

Britain, France, and Germany -- the three European signatories of the landmark accord -- have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to continue meeting its obligations under the deal, despite the U.S. withdrawal.

The agreement requires Iran to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for international sanctions relief.

The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran in August, targeting Irans trade in gold and other precious metals, its car industry, and purchases of U.S. currency.

Washington also says it will reimpose sanctions on Iran's oil exports and banking sector on November 4.

Iranian President Hassan Rohani's government is facing growing discontent in Iran over the country's weakening currency, which has lost half of its value since April.

Several mass protests also have broken out in Iran since the beginning of the year over high prices and alleged corruption.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP
The iridescent colours of the morpho butterfly, among many others in nature, are the result of structural coloration. Structural coloration has certain advantages over coloring with pigments, but until recently, the limits of technology meant fabricating such nanostructures required highly specialized methods.

Most of the objects we see are colored by pigments, but using pigments has disadvantages: such colors can fade, industrial pigments are often toxic, and certain color effects are impossible to achieve. The natural world, however, also exhibits structural coloration, where the microstructure of an object causes various colors to appear. Peacock feathers, for instance, are pigmented brown, butbecause of long hollows within the feathersreflect the gorgeous, iridescent blues and greens we see and admire. Recent advances in technology have made it practical to fabricate the kind of nanostructures that result in structural coloration, and computer scientists from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have now created a computational tool that automatically creates 3D-print templates for nanostructures that correspond to user-defined colors. Their work demonstrates the great potential for structural coloring in industry, and opens up possibilities for non-experts to create their own designs.

The changing colors of a chameleon and the iridescent blues and greens of the morpho butterfly, among many others in nature, are the result of structural coloration, where nanostructures cause interference effects in light, resulting in a variety of colors when viewed macroscopically. Structural coloration has certain advantages over coloring with pigments (where particular wavelengths are absorbed), but until recently, the limits of technology meant fabricating such nanostructures required highly specialized methods. New direct laser writing set-ups, however, cost about as much as a high-quality industrial 3D printer, and allow for printing at the scale of hundreds of nanometers (hundred to thousand time thinner than a human hair), opening up possibilities for scientists to experiment with structural coloration.

So far, scientists have primarily experimented with nanostructures that they had observed in nature, or with simple, regular nanostructural designs (e.g. row after row of pillars). Thomas Auzinger and Bernd Bickel of IST Austria, together with Wolfgang Heidrich of KAUST, however, took an innovative new approach that differs in several key ways. First, they solve the inverse design task: the user enters the color they want to replicate, and then the computer creates a nanostructure pattern that gives that color, rather than attempting to reproduce structures found in nature. Moreover, our design tool is completely automatic, says Thomas Auzinger. No extra effort is required on the part of the user.

Second, the nanostructures in the template do not follow a particular pattern or have a regular structure; they appear to be randomly composeda radical break from previous methods, but one with many advantages. When looking at the template produced by the computer I cannot tell by the structure alone, if I see a pattern for blue or red or green, explains Auzinger. But that means the computer is finding solutions that we, as humans, could not. This free-form structure is extremely powerful: it allows for greater flexibility and opens up possibilities for additional coloring effects. For instance, their design tool can be used to print a square that appears red from one angle, and blue from another (known as directional coloring).

Finally, previous efforts have also stumbled when it came to actual fabrication: the designs were often impossible to print. The new design tool, however, guarantees that the user will end up with a printable template, which makes it extremely useful for the future development of structural coloration in industry. The design tool can be used to prototype new colors and other tools, as well as to find interesting structures that could be produced industrially, adds Auzinger. Initial tests of the design tool have already yielded successful results. Its amazing to see something composed entirely of clear materials appear colored, simply because of structures invisible to the human eye, says Bernd Bickel, professor at IST Austria, were eager to experiment with additional materials, to expand the range of effects we can achieve.

Its particularly exciting to witness the growing role of computational tools in fabrication, concludes Auzinger, and even more exciting to see the expansion of computer graphics to encompass physical as well as virtual images.
MOSCOW -- The jailed leader of Russia's opposition Levy Front (Left Front) movement, Sergei Udaltsov, is continuing a hunger strike after being rushed to a hospital on August 19 after being diagnosed with dehydration, his wife says.



Anastasia Udaltsova said on August 20 that her husband was continuing his "dry" hunger strike, refusing food and water, adding that "necessary substances are being added to his body intravenously."



Udaltsov began "a dry hunger strike, protesting against raising the retirement age" on August 14 right after a Moscow court found him guilty of repeatedly violating public gathering regulations, and sentenced him to 30 days in jail.



Tens of thousands of Russians rallied across the country on July 28 against the government's proposal to raise the retirement age from 60 to 65 for men by 2028 and from 55 to 63 for women by 2034.



Udaltsov was one of the organizers of rallies in Moscow, where thousands protested against the proposed reforms.



Russian officials have warned for years that the pension age needs to be raised to take into account the country's demographics, labor force, and projected budgets.



President Vladimir Putin's public approval ratings have slipped noticeably since the plan was announced in June, sparking outrage across Russia.



Udaltsov, a prominent Russian opposition activist, was released from prison in August 2017 after serving a 4 1/ 2 -year prison sentence he received over a May 2012 protest against Putin and the Russian government.



In that case, Udaltsov was convicted of organizing "mass disorder" after the 2012 protest broke into violence. Demonstrators and police blame each other for the clashes.

With reporting by Interfax
Russian investigators say they have launched investigations into three separate attacks that wounded several police officers in the North Caucasus region of Chechnya.

The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the August 20 assaults in an announcement by its Amaq news agency, without providing details or evidence to back up its statement.

The Kremlin-backed head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, rejected the IS claim, alleging that the militant group had "no support, no social basis" in the North Caucasus republic.

At most, the IS group might have influenced young people on social media, Kadyrov said in a post on Telegram.

Chechen Information Minister Dzhambulat Umarov told the TASS news agency that the youngest attacker was 11 and the oldest 17.

Russia's Investigative Committee said that in one of the August 20 attacks, two attackers entered the district police department in the town of Shali and wounded two officers with knives.

The two assailants were shot dead, according to Chechnya's Interior Ministry.

In the village of Mesker-Yurt, north of Shali, a young person carrying a rucksack blew himself up at a police post, investigators said, adding that "officers and civilians were not harmed by the blast."

Reports earlier said the attacker had survived.

And in the regional capital, Grozny, police opened fire on a vehicle that had hit two policemen. Investigators said the driver was killed.

Authorities reportedly identified the driver as 17-year-old Ali Akhmatkhanov -- a younger brother of Khizir Akhmatkhanov, who was sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his involvement in a terrorist attack in the Chechen city of Gudermes in 2001.

The other person in the car was 11 years old, Umarov told TASS.

Kadyrov, who was visiting Saudi Arabia, claimed that the assaults' main purpose was to "create an illusion that there are some forces capable of organizing armed actions and terrorist attacks" within Chechnya.

The Chechen leader also dismissed the attacks as an attempt to disrupt the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, saying, "The task was to darken this holiday, to cause a broad public response, and to prevent residents of Chechnya from celebrating Eid al-Adha."

Islamic militants in the region have mounted frequent attacks on police, moderate Muslims, and officials, and some have sworn allegiance to IS.

Russia estimates some 2,000 citizens, mostly from the North Caucasus, have fought alongside IS in Syria.

Organized crime, business turf wars, political disputes, and clan rivalry also contribute to the bloodshed in the region.

Critics say Russian authorities and Kadyrov's government sometimes use allegations of militancy as a pretext to crack down on opponents.

With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, SITE, AnnaNews, TASS, and AFP
ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A gay rights and women's rights activist in Kazakhstan has been fined for taking part in a provocative photoshoot that she says was aimed at raising awareness about a taboo subject in Kazakhstan -- menstruation.

A court in Almaty ruled on August 20 that activist Zhanar Sekerbaeva was guilty on hooliganism charges in connection with the controversial photo shoot. She was ordered her to pay a fine of 12,000 Kazakh tenges, or about $35.

Sekerbaeva, a member of the Kazakhstan-based gay rights and women's rights group Feminita, took part in the August 9 photo shoot on the streets of Almaty -- holding up a drawing of a woman menstruating over a group of traditional nomadic houses known as yurts.

Amnesty International had urged Kazakh authorities on August 16 to "immediately end proceedings" against Sekerbaeva.

Heather McGill, an Amnesty International researcher on Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said the case against Sekerbaeva was "a perfect illustration" of Kazakh authorities "intolerance of any views which they do not endorse."

Sekerbaeva was detained on August 15, shortly before she was due to make a presentation in Almaty about her research on HIV and health issues that impact lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender women in Kazakhstan.
9 At least 15 people died outside Czechoslovak Radio headquarters that day, five of them when an unmanned truck plowed into the crowd for reasons that are still unclear.



Hajsky was standing just a few meters away from the incident and took this picture. Years later, he found out that the man in the center dressed in red was called Vaclav Sadilek.



When Hajsky attended a public showing of his photos more than two decades later, after the Velvet Revolution, a young man came up and introduced himself, saying he recognized his father in one of the pictures. "He said that for 21 years they had no idea what had happened to him or how it happened," says Hajsky. "He had recognized him there [in the picture]. It was quite an emotional moment."
Supporters of jailed Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov have marked the 100th day of his hunger strike with renewed calls on Russia to release him.

A vocal opponent of Russia's 2014 takeover of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted by a Russian court in 2015 of conspiring to commit terrorist acts.

The 42-year-old has been on a hunger strike at a penal colony in Labytnangi in Russia's northern region of Yamalo-Nenets since May. He is demanding that Russia release 64 Ukrainian citizens that he considers political prisoners.

Russian authorities are reluctant to free Sentsov, despite reports of a dramatic decline in his health and pressure from Western governments and human rights groups, which have backed the film director's contention that the charges against him were politically motivated.

On August 21, several dozen people demonstrated in front of the Russian Embassy in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in support of the filmmaker.

Some of the participants carried signs reading, "Free Sentsov" and "Stop [Russian President Vladimir] Putin."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maryana Betsa tweeted that Kyiv demands Sentsov's immediate release.

"It is the 100th day of O. Sentsov's hunger strike. It is a scary number. Human life is the highest value. We demand that the Russian Federation immediately release Oleh," Betsa wrote.

Betsa also called on Ukraine's "partners and international organizations to increase pressure" on Moscow to release Sentsov and other Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia.

In Russia, 10 protesters were arrested by Russian police in an unsanctioned demonstration near Moscow's Griboyedov monument, according to OVD-Info, a human rights organization that monitors detentions.

The participants in the rally, who numbered more than 20, were holding Sentsov's portraits and posters calling for his release.

Elsewhere in Russia, activists from the Open Russia civic movement unfolded a big banner in the capital of the Tatarstan region, Kazan, saying, "Freedom for Sentsov, 100 days."

The banner was placed under the walls of the city's ancient fortress, known as the Kazan Kremlin.

In London, a group of demonstrators gathered outside Russia's Embassy, shouting, "Free Sentsov."

The PEN International association of writers, which organized the rally, planned to deliver "messages of support from all over the world" to the embassy and urge the Russian authorities to ensure that Sentsov is allowed to receive them in the penal colony where he is being incarcerated.

And in the Czech Republic, filmmakers said they were launching a rotating hunger strike in solidarity with their Ukrainian colleague, with seven of them participating in the first rotation.

"We'll be on hunger strike for five days, from this morning until August 25," Vit Janecek, a member of the Czech Association of Directors, Writers and Playwrights, told the AFP news agency.

"We're launching this initiative in the hope that other people will join during the next five-day cycles until the Sentsov case is resolved," he added.

And the French newspaper Le Monde carried a plea signed by dozens of figures from the world of culture also calling for Sentsovs release, saying he "could die any minute."

Sentsov's cousin, Moscow-based journalist Natalya Kaplan, told the Associated Press news agency on August 21 that he was in intensive care in critical condition, adding that the family didn't have full information about his health.

After meeting with Sentsov at the penal colony on August 14, Zoya Svetova, a member of Russia's Presidential Advisory Council On Human Rights, told RFE/RL that the filmmaker was in "bad" health as a result of his hunger strike.

Russian human rights ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova said that the prison sent in a group of doctors to examine Sentsov on August 20 and they reportedly concluded that his condition was "satisfactory."

"He moves, gets up, and gets a special diet," Moskalkova added.

Russia's prison authorities had previously rejected claims about the filmmaker's worsening condition, saying that he's been given nutritional supplements.

Several governments, prominent figures, and Sentsov's family have called on Putin to pardon Sentsov, but the Kremlin said he would have to formally request a pardon himself before it could be considered.

Sentsov has said that he will not ask for a pardon because he believes he has not committed a crime.

He has also indicated that he is prepared to die of starvation to press his cause, vowing to continue the protest "to the end."

With reporting by AFP, AP, RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service, and RFE/RL's Russian Service
Reports from Ankara say shots were fired at a security booth outside of the U.S. Embassy early on August 20, but U.S. officials say nobody was hurt.

Turkish news agencies say a handgun was fired four or five times from a moving white car as it sped past one of the embassy's gates.

Police in Ankara said on August 20 that they were searching for the car involved in the incident.

The U.S. Embassy is closed this week as Turkey celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and BBC


Dozens of transgender people have staged a protest in the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar to demand more protection after a transgender woman was shot dead and dismembered.

The protesters gathered on August 20 outside the Peshawar Press Club, chanting: "We want protection. We want respect and rights."

On August 16, a transgender woman named as Nazo was shot dead during a wedding ceremony in Peshawar and her body mutilated.

One of two suspects arrested in the case was apprehended early on August 17 carrying a bag of the victim's dismembered body parts that he reportedly was trying to dispose of.

According to census data released a year ago, Pakistan's total population of transgender people -- locally known as Khusra or Heejra -- stood at more than 10,400.

In 2009, Pakistan became one of the first countries in the world to legally recognize a third gender, allowing transgender people to obtain identity cards and vote. Several members of the community have also run in elections.

Despite this progress, many of them continue to face rampant discrimination, are reduced to begging or prostitution, and subjected to extortion and violence.

Farzana Jan, president of the Transgender Association, said 62 transgender people had been killed since 2015 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, of which Peshawar is the capital.

She said 478 violent attacks had been reported against transgender people in the province so far in 2018.

TransAction Pakistan, an activist group supporting the rights of transgender persons, says at least 1,133 cases of violence were committed against members of the transgender community in the province from 2015 to 2017.

Transgender people in Pakistan claim to be cultural heirs of the eunuchs who served as senior courtiers to the Indian subcontinent's Mughal rulers in the 17th and 18th centuries, before being banned under British rule.

With reporting by AP, Dawn, The Daily Times, Geo TV, and Pakistan Today
Transgender activists staged a passionate protest in the Pakistani city of Peshawar to condemn the murder and mutilation of a transgender woman. The August 20 demonstration came four days after a woman identified in local media as Nazo was reportedly shot dead at a wedding. Police said her body was later hacked to pieces. Two arrests have been made in the case. TransAction Pakistan, an activist group supporting the rights of transgender persons, said it was the 62nd killing of a transgender person in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since 2015.
An Istanbul court has lifted a travel ban on German journalist Mesale Tolu, who has been held in Turkey on terrorism-related charges, her supporters said early on August 20.

Her support group, called Freiheit fuer Mesale Tolu (Freedom for Mesale Tolu), said, however, that they have been told her husband, Suat Corlu, who is facing similar charges, must remain in Turkey.

A trial for the 33-year-old Tolu, journalist and translator for leftist news agency ETHA, will still be conducted as scheduled on October 16, the group said.

The move reverses a decision in April by an Istanbul court, which had ordered that the travel ban be kept in place until her trial.

She faces charges of terrorist propaganda and membership in the extreme-left MLKP party, which has been designated a terror organization by Turkish authorities. She has claimed "harassment" by the Turkish judicial system.

She was charged in April 2017 along with 17 Turkish defendants.

Tolu, who was born to Turkish parents in Germany, was released from custody on December 18 but had been prohibited from leaving the country. It was not immediately known if she has already left Turkey or was still in the country.

Turkey has made several moves recently to improve relations with Europe, especially Germany, as its ties with the United States have deteriorated.

Washington has imposed sanctions on Turkey and threatened more unless Ankara allowed U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson to leave the country.

Brunson is being tried on espionage and terrorism-related charges that he rejects. He was detained in October 2016 and was moved from detention to house arrest in July.

He faces up to 35 years in prison.

Based on reporting by dpa and DW
A gunman and a police officer have been killed in a shootout in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv near the city council building.

According to an August 20 statement from Ukraine's National Police, the unidentified gunman opened fire overnight on a group of police officers near the Kharkiv City Council.

Authorities say police returned fire and killed the gunman, who wounded a police officer and a security guard at the city council building.

The wounded police officer died later on August 20 at a hospital while the security guard was hospitalized in stable condition.

An investigation was launched into the attack, but authorities said they had no immediate information about why the man had opened fire.
Scientists have found that sunscreen from bathers releases significant quantities of polluting TiO 2 (titanium dioxide) into the sea. This has the potential to harm marine life. This work, which comes from research on beaches in the South of France, was presented at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Boston (see below).

TiO 2 is one of the main ingredients of sunscreen, where it acts as a protective against harmful UV rays: most major regulatory bodies consider it generally safe for human use at the concentrations used in sunscreens, however, concentrated TiO 2 or long term exposure could be toxic to a variety of fish and other aquatic organisms.

In many sunscreens, TiO 2 is present as tiny nanoparticles, which are coated with protective chemicals. Because the particle size is so small, nano-titanium dioxide does not reflect visible light, but does absorb UV light, enabling a transparent barrier that protects the skin from the sun's harmful rays.

The researchers have found that in water, the nanoparticles tend to lose their protective coating under the influence of UV light or seawater composition, which exposes the more toxic TiO 2 to the aquatic environment.

They measured TiO 2 concentrations in 3 beaches near Marseille in France, as well as surveying bathers about how much they used sunscreen, and how often they used the water. The team found daily concentrations of 15 to 45 g/L of TiO 2 , which corresponds to several kg of nanoparticles per summer season per beach.

Lead Researcher, Dr Jerome Labille (Labex Serenade / Aix-Marseille Universite / CNRS, Aix en Provence, France) said:

"For example, with one small beach which held around 3000 people daily, we calculate that around 68kg of cream could be deposited per day, or 2.2 tons over the height of summer. If we consider reasonably that half of the creams used contain 5% of titanium dioxide, this gives 1.7 kg of titanium dioxide released per day: That comes to around 54kg in the two months of high summer, which is a significant amount. Of course, the sea is more or less continually in motion, so some of the titanium dioxide pollution will be dispersed. Nevertheless, we anticipate an accumulation of titanium dioxide in the seashore littoral, which could affect the wildlife there. In recreation areas with stagnant water, such as in lakes or seawater swimming pools, then there will be no such dispersion and the accumulation would be expected to be even more pronounced.

It is important to keep this in perspective; titanium dioxide is a pollutant, and we need to take measures to try to reduce the quantities of TiO 2 which are concentrated in the aquatic environment, where it can be harmful to fish and other organisms. Nevertheless, it is extremely important that sunbathers continue to use sunscreen for skin protection, the titanium dioxide pollution needs to be dealt with by the manufacturers and possibly legislation, and we've had good feedback from the manufacturers we are working with".

The researchers note that in early July of this year, Hawaii banned certain sunscreens which were found to be harming coral reefs (this was not due to titanium dioxide)-

Dr Labille continued, "The good news is that we are working on nanoparticle UV filters and sunscreen formulations which will reduce the potential damage from titanium dioxide. We're looking at developing sunscreens which are "safe by design" in which the release and toxicity of nanoparticles will be minimized, so we anticipate that a solution to this problem isn't too far away".
Senior officials in Uzbekistan's Interior Ministry have told RFE/RL that Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov has been hospitalized with "minor injuries" following a traffic accident.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed media reports saying Aripov's car collided with another vehicle on the Bekabad-Tashkent highway at about 9 a.m. on August 20.

According to the officials, Aripov was rushed to a hospital in the Bekabad district near Tashkent. They said his injuries were not life-threatening.

The authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.
Ambiguity over the president's goals also is clouding prospects for a negotiated solution. During an early round of talks in May, U.S. officials presented the Chinese with an eight-point wish list that included a dramatic reduction in the deficit that the U.S. runs in trade with China, a halt to subsidies for new technology industries, immediate elimination of various tariff and other trade barriers and agreement not to retaliate against future U.S. measures.
Nearly 26 million kids head back to school across Mexico

Mexico  Nearly 26 million students return to classes Monday with what the ministry of education says, will be the beginning of the new educational reform.

The Ministry of Public Education reported that Monday, the first phase of the New Educational Model, a main part of the educational reform, will start as nearly 26 million kids head back to school.

In a statement, the ministry said that the implementation of the plan and study programs of the New Educational Model will include the three grades of pre-school, first and second of primary and first of secondary.

The 2018-2019 school year for both public and private schools will incorporate the new National Educational System. They explain that the new curriculum is organized around three components. Academic training, which consists of national observance subjects. Personal and social development, including social-emotional skills and curricular autonomy, which gives school communities the opportunity to define a part of the curriculum according to their interests and needs.

The ministry says that over the summer, nearly 1.2 million teachers have been trained within the framework of the Continuing Education Strategy. The training also included the National School Supervision Workshop with more than 1,000 supervisors from all 32 states attending.

The Ministry of Public Education says the new education model was implemented to ensure better schools, better teachers and better content so students have a quality education for the 21st century.
Two sea turtle nests found looted at Mahahual

Mahahual, Q.R.  An environmental group has requested the intervention of authorities after noticing the eggs from two turtle nests were looted.

The two empty nests were found along the beaches of Mahahual by citizens who forwarded the complaint to Proyecto AAk Mahahual AC. The environmental group says that during a tour Saturday morning in a turtle nesting area, they noticed that two turtle nests were looted.

Photo: Proyecto AAk Mahahual AC

They say the looted eggs are due to a lack of awareness of local citizens, adding that stealing turtle eggs is a federal crime. They point out that according to Mexico law, it is illegal to capture, damage or deprive of life any specimen of turtle or marine mammal, or collect or store in any way its products or by-products.

Hopefully more people will become aware and leave these practices for the common good of all, especially in such an important area of tourism where many depend on their natural resources and their species as a tourist attraction.

A call has been made to authorities to take action on the protection of the nests and the sea turtles who are still laying eggs on the beaches.
Rehak said the move is a response, in part, to the Trump administrations zero tolerance immigration policy, which took effect in May and resulted in the separation of more than 2,000 children from their parents at the Mexican border. President Donald Trump rescinded the family separation policy through an executive order following a widespread public backlash.
That means a Craftsman cordless power drill or red metal toolbox could have come from either Sears or Stanley, depending on where its purchased. Consumers will continue to see Sears version of Craftsman in the Hoffman Estates-based retailers Sears and Kmart stores, as well as Sears Hometown and Outlet. Elsewhere, they will begin to see New Britain, Conn.-based Stanleys take on the brand.
China National Drug Administration grants rapid approval of Roches Alecensa (alectinib) as a treatment for ALK-positive lung cancer

Basel, 20 August 2018

Approval follows priority review of Alecensa in China, just eight and nine months after EMA and FDA approvals, respectively

Supporting data showed Alecensa significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by more than half compared to crizotinib

Lung cancer incidence rates in China have continued to rise, with NSCLC the most common form of the disease

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that the China National Drug Administration (CNDA) has granted marketing authorisation for Alecensa (alectinib) as a monotherapy treatment for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive, advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The approval follows priority review of Alecensa in China and has been granted just eight and nine months after European Medicines Agency (EMA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals, respectively.



Todays approval marks a new era for ALK-positive lung cancer patients in China, who now have a treatment option that offers a meaningful, sustained benefit compared with the previous standard of care, said Sandra Horning, MD, Roches Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. It also represents a significant regulatory shift, with the approval received under unprecedented timelines. We are proud to be at the forefront of healthcare innovation in China by helping to bring Alecensa to patients as quickly as possible.



The approval is based on primary analyses from the pivotal global phase III ALEX study, assessing Alecensa versus crizotinib in the first-line treatment of people with ALK-positive metastatic (advanced) NSCLC, the pharmacokinetics results in Asian patients from the phase III ALESIA study, also investigating Alecensa compared to crizotinib in the first-line setting, and two phase II studies assessing Alecensa in patients who have progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib.



In updated analyses of the phase III ALEX study presented at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the primary endpoint of investigator assessed progression-free survival (PFS) was more than tripled in people who received Alecensa compared to those who received crizotinib (34.8 months [95% CI: 17.7 months-NE) versus 10.9 months [95% CI 9.1-12.9 months]) as assessed by the investigator.1



Further supporting the use of Alecensa in this setting, the phase III ALESIA study, which met its primary endpoint and showed that Alecensa as an initial (first-line) treatment significantly reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (PFS) compared to crizotinib in Asian patients with ALK-positive NSCLC, will be submitted to the CNDA to complete a post-approval agreement.2 This is the third phase III study to show that Alecensa was superior as an initial treatment compared to crizotinib in this type of lung cancer.2 Full results from the ALESIA study will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.

Unlike in western countries, lung cancer incidence rates have continued to rise in China, and the disease is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths.3NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer, with ALK-positive NSCLC, a distinct form, commonly affecting younger people (median age 52), and those with a light or non-smoking history.3,4 Approximately 5% of NSCLC cancer cases are ALK-positive, with around 75,000 people diagnosed with ALK-positive NSCLC every year.5-7



Alecensa is now approved in over 57 countries around the world as an initial (first-line) treatment for ALK-positive advanced NSCLC, including the US, Europe and Japan. It was approved by the FDA and the EMA in November and December 2017, respectively.

About the ALEX study8

ALEX (NCT02075840/B028984) is a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Alecensa versus crizotinib in treatment-naive people with ALK-positive NSCLC whose tumours were characterised as ALK-positive by the VENTANA ALK (D5F3) CDx Assay, a companion immunohistochemistry (IHC) test developed by Roche Tissue Diagnostics. People were randomised (1:1) to receive either Alecensa or crizotinib. The primary endpoint of the ALEX study was PFS as assessed by the investigator, and secondary endpoints included: Independent Review Committee (IRC)-assessed PFS, time to CNS progression, objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR) and overall survival (OS). The multicentre study was conducted in 303 people across 161 sites in 31 countries. OS data are currently considered immature with only about a third of events being reported.



Primary data from the ALEX study were presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting, and were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, with key results showing: 9,10

Alecensa reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (PFS) by 53% compared to crizotinib (HR=0.47, 95% CI: 0.340.65, p<0.0001).

Investigator-reported median PFS (the primary endpoint) was not yet reached in the Alecensa arm (95% CI: 17.7not reached) versus 11.1 months (95% CI: 9.113.1 months) in the crizotinib arm.

IRC-reported median PFS (a secondary endpoint) was 25.7 months (95% CI: 19.9not reached) in the Alecensa arm versus 10.4 months (95% CI: 7.714.6 months) in the crizotinib arm (HR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.360.70; p<0.0001).

Alecensa reduced the risk of progression in the CNS by 84% (HR=0.16, 95% CI: 0.100.28; p<0.0001).

The 12-month cumulative rate of CNS progression for people with or without existing CNS metastases at baseline was 9.4% (95% CI: 5.414.7%) for people treated with Alecensa and 41.4% (95% CI: 33.249.4%) for people treated with crizotinib.

Overall survival (OS) data were considered immature with only about a quarter of events being reported.

Grade 35 adverse events (AEs) were less frequent in the Alecensa arm (41%) compared to the crizotinib arm (50%). In the Alecensa arm, the most common Grade 35 AEs (5%) were increased liver enzymes (alanine transferase and aspartate transferase; 5%) and decreased red blood cells (anaemia; 5%). AEs leading to discontinuation (11% vs. 13%), dose reduction (16% vs. 21%) and dose interruption (19% vs. 25%) were all lower in the Alecensa arm compared to the crizotinib arm.

Follow-up results from the ALEX study analysis were presented at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting, and showed:1

After a further 10 months of follow-up, Alecensa reduced the risk of disease progression or death (PFS) by 57% compared to crizotinib (HR=0.43, 95% CI: 0.320.58). Median follow-up was 27.8 months versus 22.8 months for Alecensa-treated patients and crizotinib-treated patients, respectively.

Investigator-reported median PFS (the primary endpoint) was 34.8 months in the Alecensa arm (95% CI: 17.7NE) versus 10.9 months (95% CI: 9.112.9 months) in the crizotinib arm.

ORR for people treated with Alecensa was 82.9% (95% CI: 75.95-88.51) compared to 75.5% (95% CI: 67.8482.12) for people treated with crizotinib, as assessed by the investigator.

Alecensa demonstrated superior efficacy compared to crizotinib regardless of the presence or absence of CNS metastases at baseline. Investigator-assessed median PFS for people without CNS metastases at baseline was 34.8 months with Alecensa (95% CI: 22.4NE) versus 14.7 months (95% CI: 10.820.3) with crizotinib (HR=0.47, 95% CI: 0.320.71). Investigator-reported median PFS for people with CNS metastases at baseline was 27.7 months in the Alecensa arm (95% CI: 9.2NE) versus 7.4 months (95% CI: 6.69.6) in the crizotinib arm (HR=0.35, 95% CI: 0.220.56).

Improvements were observed in the time between first response to treatment and disease worsening (DOR): 33.3 months with Alecensa versus 11.1 months with crizotinib.

Grade 3-5 AEs were less frequent in the Alecensa arm (44.7%) compared to the crizotinib arm (51.0%). The most common Grade 3-4 AEs were increased liver enzymes (aspartate transaminase; 5.5%, and alanine transaminase; 4.6%) and increased muscle enzymes (creatine phosphokinase; 3.3%). Serious adverse reactions reported in  2% of people treated with Alecensa were acute kidney injury (2.6%) and decreased red blood cells (anaemia; 2.0%).

AEs leading to dose reduction (16.4% vs. 20.5%) and dose interruption (22.4% vs. 25.2%) were lower in the Alecensa arm compared with the crizotinib arm. AEs leading to discontinuation were equal in both arms (13.2%).

About the ALESIA study11

ALESIA (NCT02838420) is a randomised, multicentre, open-label phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Alecensa versus crizotinib, and the pharmacokinetics of Alecensa in Asian patients with treatment-naive ALK-positive advanced NSCLC. Patients were randomised (2:1) to receive either Alecensa or crizotinib. The primary endpoint of the ALESIA study is PFS as assessed by the investigator using the RECIST v1.1 criteria. Secondary endpoints include: IRC-assessed PFS, ORR, DOR, time to CNS progression, OS, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and safety. The multicentre study was conducted in 187 patients across 27 sites in three countries.

About Alecensa

Alecensa (RG7853/AF-802/RO5424802/CH5424802) is a highly selective, CNS active, oral medicine created at Chugai Kamakura Research Laboratories and is being developed for people with NSCLC whose tumours are identified as ALK-positive. ALK-positive NSCLC is often found in younger people who have a light or non-smoking history.4 It is almost always found in people with a specific type of NSCLC called adenocarcinoma.4 Alecensa is now approved in over 57 countries as an initial (first-line) treatment for ALK-positive, metastatic NSCLC, including in the United States, Europe, Japan, China, Turkey, Cuba, Peru, Thailand, Australia, the Dominican Republic, India, Israel, Paraguay, Switzerland, Bolivia, Serbia, South Korea, Singapore and Argentina. In addition, Alecensa is approved in the US, Europe, Japan, Kuwait, Israel, Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, Switzerland, India, Bolivia, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Liechtenstein, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Peru, New Zealand, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Qatar, Oman, Serbia, Paraguay, Turkey and China for the treatment of people with advanced (metastatic) ALK-positive NSCLC whose disease has worsened after, or who could not tolerate treatment with, crizotinib.

About Roche in lung cancer

Lung cancer is a major area of focus and investment for Roche, and we are committed to developing new approaches, medicines and tests that can help people with this deadly disease. Our goal is to provide an effective treatment option for every person diagnosed with lung cancer. We currently have four approved medicines to treat certain kinds of lung cancer and more than ten medicines being developed to target the most common genetic drivers of lung cancer or to boost the immune system to combat the disease.

About Roche

Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve peoples lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare  a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.

Roche is the worlds largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.

Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. Thirty medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Roche has been recognised as the Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry nine years in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2017 employed about 94,000 people worldwide. In 2017, Roche invested CHF 10.4 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 53.3 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit www.roche.com.
Image credit: GJEPC

Addressing the Press on the concluding day of IIJS 2018, Chairman Pramod Agrawal and Vice Chairman Colin Shah revealed that The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has begun multiple initiatives and is interacting with various industry stakeholders to build a global consensus on the industry response and decide on an action plan related to the FTC guidelines concerning marketing of diamonds in the USA.Colin Shah, Vice Chairman said,The FTC guides make it amply clear that lab-grown diamonds cannot be marketed without clear disclosure regarding their origin.Sabyasachi Ray-GJEPC ED added, GJEPC was not opposed to synthetic or lab-grown diamonds per se. We have always maintained that it can be developed as a separate vertical that is not confused with the natural diamond pipeline.On the proposed Domestic Council for the Indian jewellery industry as well as the Cluster Mapping exercise that has been undertaken, Agrawal explained that the export and domestic industries are closely intertwined. He pointed out that the more domestic industry modernises and upgrades, more and more players will be in a position to export.Regarding the setting up of an Ad Hoc committee proposed by the Ministry of Commerce, Agrawal said that the GJEPC would accept whatever role we are asked to play and shoulder any responsibility that government may give us.
Gemfields Kagem mine accused of tax evasion

20 august 2018 News

Gemfields said the Zambian Revenue Authority (ZRA) is investigating its 75 percent-owned Kagem emerald mine for alleged tax evasion.

It said ZRA recently made an unannounced visit to the mine armed with two search warrants on Kagem and Limpopo Polygraphs, a South African company conducting periodic polygraph testing at Kagem.

The search warrants authorised ZRA to take wide-ranging documents and files including those allegedly used by Kagem and Limpopo Polygraphs to evade the payment of Value Added Tax, income tax, with-holding tax and other taxes.

Gemfields said the aggregate value of all work conducted to date by Limpopo Polygraphs for Kagem was less than $7,500.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Rough&Polished




Symptoms of measles may include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. It can cause pneumonia, hepatitis, swelling in the brain, blindness. In some cases, complications can be life-threatening.The health agency said more than 41,000 children and adults were infected with the highly contagious disease between January and June. We are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks, Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe, said in a statement. France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine all recorded more than 1,000 measles cases in the first half of 2018. Ukraine was hardest-hit, with 23,000 infections. The most fatalities were reported in Serbia, where 14 people died.

Measles was virtually eliminated in the U.S. after the vaccine became widely available in the 1960s, but outbreaks have flared in recent years. The illness is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among people who didnt get the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The WHO called for better surveillance and increased immunization rates to prevent the disease from becoming endemic. While European childhood vaccination rates increased slightly to 90 percent in 2017, large disparities remain at the local level, according to the WHO.
The human brain, with its 100 billion neurons that control every thought, word, and action, is the most complex and delicate organ in the body. Because it needs extra protection from toxins and other harmful substances, the blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen and nutrients are highly selective about which molecules can cross from the blood into the brain and vice versa. These blood vessels and their unique network of supporting pericyte and astrocyte cells comprise the blood-brain barrier (BBB). When the BBB is disrupted, as happens with exposure to methamphetamine ("meth") and other drugs, the brain's sensitive neurons become susceptible to harmful damage.

Beyond forming a physical barrier, the BBB is thought to directly interact with the brain and help regulate its function, but figuring out exactly how the cells of the BBB and the brain influence each other has been a challenge, as in vitro models (i.e., cells in a dish) are too simplified and in vivo models (i.e., natural human brain tissue) too complex. Now, researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have created a "just right" model of the BBB-brain interface using microfluidically linked Organ Chips that reacts to meth like the human brain and allows an unprecedented look into how the brain's vasculature influences and regulates its metabolic function. The research is reported in Nature Biotechnology.

"Most of today's research on Organ Chips is focused on trying to increase the complexity of cell types on each chip, but we realized that the brain is already so complex that we couldn't analyze it on one chip, so we did the opposite and divided one organ onto multiple chips," said first author Ben Maoz, Ph.D., a former Technology Development Fellow at the Wyss Institute who is currently an Assistant Professor at Tel Aviv University, Israel. "The beauty of this work is that Organ Chips were able to open up another dimension for neurological research that no other method could; decoupling a very dense organ to unveil new interactions between the different structures within the brain."

The BBB-Brain Chip system consists of three chips: one "influx" BBB Chip, a Brain Chip, and a second "efflux" BBB Chip, physically distinct from each other but all connected with microfluidic channels to allow the exchange of chemicals and other substances between them, much like how the supplying blood vessels, neuronal compartment, and draining blood vessels are linked in the brain. The BBB Chip has one channel lined with endothelial cells through which flows culture medium that mimics blood, separated by a porous membrane from a parallel channel containing pericytes and astrocytes that is perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). The Brain Chip has a similar aCSF flow channel that is separated by another semipermeable membrane from a compartment containing human brain neurons and their supporting astrocytes to mimic brain tissue. The three chips' aCSF channels are connected together in series, creating a fully linked system in which substances can diffuse from the vascular channel across the first BBB into the aCSF, enter the brain neuronal cell compartment, flow back into the aCSF, and ultimately diffuse out across the second BBB into another vascular channel, as happens in vivo.

The team cultured human cells in the linked BBB-Brain Chips and exposed them to meth, which is known to disrupt the junctions between the cells of the BBB in vivo and cause it to "leak." When meth was flowed through the blood vessel channel of the BBB Chip, it compromised the junctions of the BBB's vascular endothelial cells and allowed the passage of molecules that normally wouldn't be able to cross the BBB into the Brain Chip. This experiment confirmed that the model worked, and established that it could be used in research to better understand drugs' effects on the human brain and develop treatments.

In addition to the meth-exposed chips, something in the chips that were not exposed to meth also caught the scientists' attention. They realized that the proteins expressed by the cells on BBB and Brain Chips that were fluidically linked were different from those expressed by cells on unlinked chips. For example, cells in all of the linked chips expressed higher levels of metabolism-associated proteins and lower levels of proteins involved in proliferation and migration than cells in unlinked chips, suggesting that the different cell types do in fact help each other maintain proper function.

"Blood vessels are frequently thought to just be a barrier or a transporter of chemicals. But when we looked at the linked BBB-Brain Chips, we noticed that there seemed to be some crosstalk between the endothelial cells and the neurons," explained co-author Anna Herland, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute who is now an Associate Professor at the Royal Institute of Technology and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. "We also know from studies of long-term meth abusers that this drug affects the brain's metabolism, so we started to dig deeper to see if we could characterize the metabolic link between the BBB and the brain."

The modular nature of the BBB-Brain Chip system allowed the researchers to analyze all of the molecules secreted by the individual cell populations alone, and then connect the chips to trace where those substances traveled. The chemicals secreted by the cells on the uncoupled BBB Chip were largely related to neuron maintenance and protection, demonstrating that the molecules produced by the BBB provide chemical cues to neurons.

To determine the influence of the endothelium on metabolites in the brain, the scientists administered radioactive carbon-labeled glucose, pyruvate, or lactate as an energy supply to Brain Chips that had been decoupled from the BBB chips, and found that the production of both glutamine and the neurotransmitter GABA was lower in unlinked Brain Chips than in Brain Chips linked to the BBB. Intriguingly, this finding demonstrated that products of vascular endothelial cell metabolism become substrates for the production of neurotransmitters that mediate neuronal cell information processing in the brain, suggesting that the health of our blood vessels could have a direct impact on mind function.

"The big breakthrough here is that we have teased out communication networks between cells in a way that never could have been done with traditional brain research techniques. In vivo studies simply do not offer the granularity to determine how complex these metabolic networks function in heterogeneous cell populations within living tissues," said corresponding author Kit Parker, Ph.D., a Core Faculty member of the Wyss Institute and the Tarr Family Professor of Bioengineering and Applied Physics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). "We are seeing here an unanticipated level of complexity that raises the bar in terms of what it will mean to successfully map the brain's connectome."

"What's really incredible is that we were able to do a highly multiplexed, massively parallel metabolomic analysis of many different chemicals produced by different cell types, all on these tiny chips," said co-corresponding author and Wyss Founding Director Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., who is also the Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at HMS and the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children's Hospital, as well as Professor of Bioengineering at SEAS. "We're excited to push the limits of how complicated and sophisticated Organ Chips can be, and potentially use this decoupling approach to analyze how vascular endothelial cells contribute to the specialized functions of other organs as well."
What's going on? Multiple factors are at work. The recovery from the recession and housing bust has been underway since at least 2012. But every major up cycle in home prices eventually runs out of fuel because buyers' incomes can't keep pace with price increases. Once buyers begin balking, sales start to soften  note that June saw existing home sales nationwide on the decline for the third straight month  and inventories of available properties slowly begin to accumulate. Inventories of listings at the entry-level price range generally remain low and continue to sell fast, sometimes with multiple offers. But upper-bracket listings tend to be relatively more available and sell more slowly. Sometimes it takes six to 12 months to sell them, according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors.
Deforestation is suspected to have contributed to the mysterious collapse of Mayan civilization more than 1,000 years ago. A new study shows that the forest-clearing also decimated carbon reservoirs in the tropical soils of the Yucatan peninsula region long after ancient cities were abandoned and the forests grew back.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, underscore how important soils and our treatment of them could be in determining future levels of greenhouse gases in the planet's atmosphere.

The Maya began farming around 4,000 years ago, and the spread of agriculture and building of cities eventually led to widespread deforestation and soil erosion, previous research has shown. What's most surprising in the new study is that the soils in the region haven't fully recovered as carbon sinks in over a millennium of reforestation, says McGill University geochemist Peter Douglas, lead author of the new paper.

Ecosystem 'fundamentally changed'

"When you go to this area today, much of it looks like dense, old-growth rainforest," says Douglas, an Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill. "But when you look at soil carbon storage, it seems the ecosystem was fundamentally changed and never returned to its original state."

Soil is one of the largest storehouses of carbon on Earth, containing at least twice as much carbon as today's atmosphere. Yet scientists have very little understanding of how soil carbon reservoirs change on timescales longer than a decade or so. The new study, along with other recently published research, suggests that these reservoirs can change dramatically on timescales spanning centuries or even millennia.

To investigate these long-term effects, Douglas and his co-authors examined sediment cores extracted from the bottom of three lakes in the Maya Lowlands of southern Mexico and Guatemala. The researchers used measurements of radiocarbon, an isotope that decays with time, to determine the age of molecules called plant waxes, which are usually stored in soils for a long time because they become attached to minerals. They then compared the age of wax molecules with that of plant fossils deposited with the sediments.

The team -- which included scientists from Yale University, ETH Zurich, the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin-Superior -- found that once the ancient Maya began deforesting the landscape, the age difference between the fossils and the plant waxes went from being very large to very small. This implies that carbon was being stored in soils for much shorter periods of time.

The project stemmed from research that Douglas had done several years ago as a PhD student at Yale, using plant-wax molecules to trace past climate change affecting the ancient Maya. At the same time, work by other researchers was indicating that these molecules were a good tracer for changes in soil-carbon reservoirs. "Putting these things together, we realized there was an important data-set here relating ancient deforestation to changes in soil carbon reservoirs," Douglas explains.

Protecting old-growth tropical forests

"This offers another reason -- adding to a long list -- to protect the remaining areas of old-growth tropical forests in the world," Douglas says. "It could also have implications for how we design things like carbon offsets, which often involve reforestation but don't fully account for the long-term storage of carbon." (Carbon offsets enable companies or individuals to offset their greenhouse-gas emissions by purchasing credits from environmental projects, such as tree-planting.)

The technique used by the researchers has been developed only recently. In the years ahead, "it would be great to analyze tropical forests in other regions of the world to see if the same patterns emerge -- and to see if past human deforestation and agriculture had an impact on soil carbon reservoirs globally," Douglas says. "I'm also very interested in applying this technique to permafrost regions in Canada to see what happened to carbon stored in permafrost during previous periods of climate change."
Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women across the world. In Germany, the prevalence of this chronic disease among people aged 50 years and older is around 15%. In recent decades, several authors have analyzed the impact of osteoporosis on the risk of cognitive decline, but, most of these studies have been conducted outside Europe. The goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of osteoporosis on the risk of developing dementia in almost 60,000 patients followed for up to 20 years in more than 1,200 general practices in Germany.

"There is big interest in the relationship between osteoporosis and dementia," explained lead investigator Prof. Karel Kostev, Dr MS, from the Epidemiology Team of IQVIA, Frankfurt, Germany. "This study is the first to address this question in a very large database enabling the case-control-comparison between patients with and without osteoporosis."

This retrospective cohort study used data from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA), which compiles information on drug prescriptions, diagnoses, and demographic data obtained directly and in anonymous format from computer systems used by general practitioners and specialists. This database has already been used in several studies focusing on osteoporosis and dementia in recent years. The study included patients diagnosed with osteoporosis between January 1993 and December 2012 (index date) and were followed for up to 20 years. After applying similar inclusion criteria, controls were matched (1:1) to osteoporosis patients using propensity scores based on age, gender, index year, several comorbidities, and co-therapies. The main outcome of the study was to determine the proportion of patients with all-cause-dementia diagnoses within 20 years of the index date.

The present study included 29,983 patients with osteoporosis and 29,983 controls without osteoporosis. After 20 years of follow-up, 20.5% of women with osteoporosis and 16.4% of controls had been diagnosed with dementia (p-value<0.001). At the end of the follow-up period, dementia was found in 22.0% of men previously diagnosed with osteoporosis and 14.9% of men without this chronic condition (p-value<0.001). Osteoporosis was associated with a 1.2-fold increase in the risk of being diagnosed with dementia in women and a 1.3-fold increase in the risk of being diagnosed with dementia in men.

"The major hypothesis to explain the association between osteoporosis and dementia is that these two conditions have similar risk factors noted co-author Louis Jacob, MD, from the university clinic of Paris 5, "These factors include APOE4 allele of the apolipoprotein E, a major cholesterol carrier, lower vitamin K levels, vitamin D deficiency, but also androgens and estrogens.."

The main limitations of the study are missing data on bone mineral density and on lifestyle-related risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol, and physical activity). The strengths of this work are the number of patients available for analysis, the duration of follow-up, and the use of real-world data pertaining to diagnoses in primary care practices where diagnoses are continuously documented, allowing for unbiased exposure assessment (no recall bias).
Its kind of our last hurrah as summer comes to an end. Its back to school, so people are shopping for college dorm rooms, he said. Vintage Day is free, and we want people to come out and enjoy the history of our town.
We could never pull off an event like this and make it as wonderful as it is without our volunteers, so were very grateful, Cohen-DeMarco said.
For a cheese to be labeled as a true Gorgonzola, Leonardi said, it must be produced in one of 15 provinces in two regions: Lombardy or Piedmont. If its made outside of this area, it is not a true Gorgonzola. In addition, it must be made with milk coming from a farm in this area, and half of the feed given to the cows must have been grown within these regions.
On August 15, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed an emergency action against Jerome H. Cohen and Shaun D. Cohen and their companies, Equitybuild, Inc. and Equitybuild Finance, LLC, charging them with operating a $135 million offering fraud involving real estate located primarily on Chicago's South Side.

The SEC's complaint alleges that since 2010, the defendants have sold promissory notes to at least 900 investors throughout the country. The defendants raised these funds by falsely promising safe investments fully secured by income-producing real estate. According to the SEC's complaint, the defendants took 15-30% of investors' funds as undisclosed fees, hiding the fees by reporting inflated acquisition costs. The complaint also alleges that, contrary to defendants' representations, the real estate did not earn enough to pay the double-digit returns promised to investors. As a result, the defendants could only pay earlier investors by raising funds from unwitting new investors.

According to the SEC's complaint, the defendants recently admitted in a video recording to earlier investors that the companies are in financial distress, can no longer afford to make payments to investors, and are cutting staff to a "skeleton crew." Despite these disclosures, the defendants have continued to solicit new investors for various real estate funds, again offering double-digit returns but failing to disclose the companies' dire financial condition.

The SEC's complaint charges Jerome H. Cohen, Shaun D. Cohen, Equitybuild, Inc., and Equitybuild Finance, LLC with violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and the registration provisions of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act. The SEC's complaint also seeks injunctions against future securities laws violations, disgorgement of the defendants' ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties.

On August 17, 2018, the SEC obtained a temporary restraining order which, among other things, enjoins the defendants from raising any additional funds from investors. The SEC also obtained an order appointing a receiver to secure the real estate and other assets obtained with investor proceeds for the benefit of the defrauded investors.

The SEC's investigation, which is continuing, was conducted by Timothy Stockwell, Ariella Guardi, and Ann Tushaus and supervised by C.J. Kerstetter. The SEC's litigation will be led by Benjamin Hanauer.
Jacom Stephens / Getty Images

One man is dead and another was rushed to a hospital for surgery after an early morning shooting Sunday in Antioch.

Police learned of the incident when one of the victims called 911 at 3:28 a.m. to report that he had been shot, according to a statement released by the Antioch Police Department. When officers arrived at the scene, an apartment complex on the 2200 block of San Jose Drive, they found the caller hiding in the parking lot and another shooting victim nearby, a man who died at the scene.
BART is looking at a new solution to the widespread fare evasion problem that siphons off up to $25 million a year: replacing the orange, pie-wedge gates that have defined the system for decades.

Its not an easy fix. Swapping 600 consoles for sturdier versions would cost an estimated $150 million to $200 million, officials said, and may change the open, roomy feel of the stations.

But it shows just how far the transit agency might have to go to solve an epidemic that its general manager links to crime and panhandling  and that some have blamed for a recent string of violent attacks.

We have fare gates that are fairly easy to push open, so its on us to get a different set of fare gates, BART General Manager Grace Crunican said during a recent meeting with The Chronicles editorial board.

She described the gate overhaul that BART is studying as part of a long-term strategy to change station environments and restore riders trust. Separately, BART is upping its police presence and trying to block the other hatches that people use to sneak on board.

Asked if the Bay Area transit system will soon adopt the prison-like aesthetic of a New York subway to keep thousands of people a month from hopping, wiggling or gliding into the system without paying, Crunican flinched.

I dont know yet, she said.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

What is clear is that there are significant challenges ahead. The 600 stiles are electronically tied to BARTs Clipper system, and the contractor, Cubic Transportation Systems, has proprietary ownership over the software. BART isnt allowed to modify the gates without paying a hefty fee.

So the agency will probably buy a new batch of gates with open software that BART engineers can upgrade themselves. Officials are also seeking ways to cordon the outside elevators that deliver customers into the paid area and shut the swinging side service doors popular with fare cheats.

Were trying to knock them out one by one, BARTs assistant general manager for operations, Paul Oversier, said of the systems vulnerabilities.

Not every solution has worked. Two years ago the agency tried to bolt some side doors shut, but San Francisco fire inspectors intervened, citing fire code violations.

In the short term, BART has hired inspectors to roam the trains and stand at elevators or stairwells, issuing citations to those who havent paid. Those inspection workers cost BART about $740,000 a year, and only a small percentage of people cited pay their fines.

What we can do in the short term is have officers at the gates, Crunican said, adding that the goal is to promote the ethic of paying up.

BART officials have yet to determine whether the fare enforcement teams that began in March are inhibiting people from cheating the system. Theyre collecting that data from citations and from surveillance cameras that count people creeping through the side gates. Agency staff will present the results to the Board of Directors in September.

Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle

Officials hope that by chipping away at fare evasion they can also fend off other problems, such as robberies, assaults, aggressive panhandling, open-air drug use and homeless people sleeping on the trains.

Theyre tied together, Crunican said.

BART recently came under a microscope after a string of violent incidents, including the July 22 slaying of 18-year-old Nia Wilson. But complaints about other quality-of-life issues are also ticking up, as the regional homelessness and opioid crises seep into the Bay Areas transit systems.

Over the past two years, BART has struggled to shield its passengers from societal despair. The agency is trying various solutions: glass-and-metal canopies to keep people from throwing garbage on BART escalators in downtown San Francisco; extra cleanings and beefed-up police patrols to curb injection drug use at Civic Center; increased police staffing throughout the system trust after Wilsons killing.

This was not the world that transportation planners envisioned when they designed BART in the 1960s, said board director Joel Keller, who represents eastern Contra Costa County.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

They wanted cloth seats, carpets on the floor, a single seat for everyone, Keller said. They thought you could just put elevators outside the gates and people would come back and pay. They werent worried about people skipping fares.

Likening the transit systems design to a candy store with no protections, Keller urged BART to expand the walls and railings around stations and enact policies to keep intruders out. He supports a ban on panhandling that Crunican proposed this month. Its elicited a spirited debate at the board.

So far BART has allocated $4.1 million to build structural barriers intended to thwart fare beaters. It moved swinging service gates at Embarcadero closer to station agent booths, put up glass panes at Downtown Berkeley, raised a metal fence at Civic Center and extended the paid area at South Hayward to encompass the elevator.

Although these walls and railings create a partial cocoon around the station platforms, they havent stopped people from slipping through. On Thursday morning, four people jumped over or ducked under the stiles at Civic Centers Market and Seventh Street entrance between 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Several others streamed through the emergency gates.

That fence doesnt work a hundred percent, said 63-year-old Mission District resident Adrian Taylor, pointing over his shoulder at the tall steel bars at Civic Center. Taylor said he sees a lot of people avoid paying for tickets by pushing through the fare gates, or squeezing behind another rider before they close.

But Thia Calloway said she likes BARTs moderate and incremental station-hardening.

It goes with the decor, said Calloway, 63, who grew up in the Excelsior but now lives in New York, where the subway turnstiles are thick blocks of steel, and the bars on the revolving-door exits come together like interlocking teeth.

BART may evaluate the New York subways design, and that of other metro transit systems, during the fare gate study.

There isnt any specific transit system that were considering as a model, said spokeswoman Alicia Trost, adding that BART will take aesthetics into consideration.

BART staff will present their findings to the board next spring.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
UC Berkeley has suspended a renowned architecture professor for three years without pay for sexually harassing a graduate student and abusing his power for personal gain, The Chronicle has learned.

Professor Nezar AlSayyad engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment that created a hostile environment, Vice Provost Benjamin Hermalin wrote last week to Eva Hagberg Fisher, a UC Berkeley graduate student and doctoral candidate.

AlSayyad, who was one of Hagberg Fishers advisers, also attempted to isolate her from other faculty members and establish himself as her most important supporter, thereby using his power for personal gain, Hermalin wrote, noting that campus Chancellor Carol Christ reviewed voluminous evidence and concluded the violations were serious.

Through his attorney, AlSayyad denied engaging in any misconduct.

The discipline comes nearly two years after a campus investigation found that AlSayyad had spent months ingratiating himself with Hagberg Fisher before placing his hand on her upper thigh, proposing they become close friends and suggesting they go to Las Vegas. The investigator concluded AlSayyads behavior became increasingly personal from 2012 to 2014, as he sought to position himself as Hagberg Fishers protector and make her beholden to him while he served on her all-important exam committee that would determine if she was qualified to write a doctoral dissertation.

His ongoing manipulation, according to the investigation, intimidated and isolated Hagberg Fisher. He told her that other faculty members were skeptical of her ability as a scholar and that he would protect her from two vultures in the architecture department who had targeted her, the investigation found. Hagberg Fisher said AlSayyads comments and behavior caused her to change departments and the course of her career.

AlSayyad is an internationally recognized scholar and speaker who has taught at UC Berkeley since 1985. He was barred from teaching courses in 2016, when The Chronicle broke the story of the harassment findings. Within days, students demanded his removal.

But AlSayyad, 62, continued collecting his $211,000-a-year salary, serving on academic committees and advising students. In November, he faced a hearing in the faculty senate, which deliberated four months before recommending that Christ suspend him for one year because of the sexual harassment.

The chancellor tripled the suspension after determining that the tenured professor also abused his faculty powers.

Effective immediately, AlSayyad is barred from nonpublic areas of the campus and may no longer supervise new graduate students, participate in faculty governance or engage in other specific activities.

Chancellor Christ determined that Professor AlSayyads pattern of unwelcome, manipulative, and divisive behavior was harmful to students, including you specifically, and to his faculty colleagues, Hermalin wrote to Hagberg Fisher on Aug. 13.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle 2016

Hagberg Fisher said Friday that her goal wasnt to get AlSayyad fired, which, as a tenured professor, is almost impossible, she said. Nevertheless, in the world of academia, suspension for three years without pay is substantial.

Hermalin thanked her for extraordinary patience. But Hagberg Fisher, 36, said she hasnt been patient at all. She called it unconscionable that it took UC Berkeley two years to hold AlSayyad accountable for his behavior.

She said the university should have disciplined AlSayyad years ago.

The Chronicles 2016 investigation into Hagberg Fishers case found that complaints about AlSayyads behavior spanned decades. In the early 1990s, a student tearfully reported that the professor slept with me, Cassandra Adams, then an assistant professor of architecture, told The Chronicle.

Jean-Pierre Protzen, the former chairman of the architecture department, recalled that colleagues decided at the time that we should really tell (AlSayyad) to stop, and removed him from the students thesis committee for the good of the student.

AlSayyad has denied that he had sex with the student, and previously said he didnt know she had made that claim against him.

In 2008, another former professor complained about AlSayyads conduct, including that he consistently bullied students and junior colleagues and threatened to ruin the careers of doctoral students who complained about his behavior.

In response, AlSayyad hired lawyer Dan Siegel, who wrote the professor a letter calling the allegations libelous and defamatory. Fearing a lawsuit, the professor spoke up no more.

Siegel still represents AlSayyad. On Friday, he said the faculty senate had found no pattern of abusive behavior by AlSayyad.

Were very actively considering a legal challenge to the (discipline) decision, Siegel said, adding that AlSayyad believes the chancellor was wrong to reject the faculty senates recommendation of a one-year suspension.

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She did not attend the hearing or hear the witnesses, or have the ability to make any judgment about their credibility, Siegel said, noting that roughly 40 of (AlSayyads) female mentees, in person or in writing, spoke powerfully about him as a mentor and never saw him engage in anything remotely smacking of misconduct or sexual harassment.

Such faculty senate hearings are confidential. Without addressing the particulars of this case, Christs spokeswoman, Janet Gilmore, said the chancellor reviews all evidence and that by policy, she is the final decision maker.

In the five months between receiving the faculty senate verdict and now, AlSayyad and the university discussed a settlement in which he might have retired. But those talks collapsed, Siegel said.

AlSayyads case comes during increased scrutiny of sexual harassment across the country, and underscores the difficulties of addressing the problem in academia. While the rich and powerful in other spheres have quickly been felled by the #MeToo movement, universities have a more deliberative process guided by tenure. Tenure safeguards professors from being disciplined for exercising academic freedom  being provocative or political  but it also slows down the punishment process for wrongdoing.

As Hagberg Fisher learned, that process can take years.

I was extremely distressed by how long (the AlSayyad case) took, she said. Every delay measurably impacted my ability to focus on my work.

More than a year passed before the disciplinary process reached the faculty senate. As the deliberations continued, a group of 75 UC Berkeley architecture students, alumni and supporters in February protested AlSayyads continued role as a committee member and an adviser on campus, arguing that it had put their academic careers in limbo.

Students have been in the dark about AlSayyads status, perpetuating a culture of ambiguity and professional uncertainty, said the petition, which criticized the secrecy of the universitys disciplinary process.

Brooke Staton, a graduate student in 2016 who protested back then, said she was glad there has been some accountability. But she said the decision not to fire AlSayyad shows that the university is still more concerned with protecting its reputation than doing what needs to be done.

Hagberg Fisher agreed in December not to sue UC in exchange for an $80,000 settlement. She said the discipline decision will help her move forward with her degree and that she hopes others will see that her complaint was taken seriously.

My hope is that other students who were in similar positions  will feel less hopeless and demoralized about speaking up, Hagberg Fisher said.

Cynthia Dizikes and Nanette Asimov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: cdizikes@sfchronicle.com, nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CDizikes, @NanetteAsimov
BARTs once-rocketing ridership has taken a 6.3-percent tumble in the past three years  an 8 million-ride drop compared with the systems peak ridership year of 2016.

This at a time when BART expanded south to Warm Springs and east to Antioch, extensions that should have caused ridership on the 121-mile-system to go up.

The problem isnt transbay ridership during the commute hours, BART Board President Robert Raburn said.

Those trains are maxed out, he said. Its the off-hours  nights and weekends  where we are seeing the biggest drop.

D. Ross Cameron / Special to The Chronicle 2017

BART hit a ridership peak in fiscal 2015-16, clocking in 128.5 million trips. In fiscal 2017-18, the total turnstile exit count dropped to 120.5 million trips.

According to the latest count, weekend trips have dropped 12 percent over the past two years  thats 25,000 fewer rides on Saturday and 17,000 fewer rides on Sunday.

The estimated ticket revenue lost over that time is a whopping $42 million.

The ridership drop is being chalked up to two recent trends: the rise in ride services such as Lyft and Uber and the growing concern among customers about their personal safety.

In recent years BART, like much of the rest of the Bay Area, has been hit with a wave of property crimes, including cell phone snatchings. There has also been a rise in the number of homeless people using the stations and trains as makeshift shelters.

There has also been a string of high-profile crimes, such as in 2017 when 40 to 60 teens took over a train car at the Coliseum Station and forced passengers to hand over bags and cell phones.

More recently, there was the fatal slashing of 18-year-old Nia Wilson as she was about to get on a train at MacArthur Station in Oakland, though officials say they havent seen any additional significant drop in ridership since the stabbing.

After Wilson was killed, BART police beefed up patrols throughout the 48-station system, but overall it continues to have one officer on patrol for every two or three stations.

We need to implement better security as quickly as possible if we are going to regain the confidence of riders or attract new riders, said BART Director Joel Keller, whose district includes the Contra Costa County suburbs.

And while safety is in the news these days, Raburn and others say BART trains running only once every 20 minutes on nights and weekends is also a problem.

Thats not convenient for a lot of people, Raburn said. Especially if the rider needs to change trains.

If you miss your connection, you can be waiting another 20 minutes, he said.

Cutting down on those wait times for trains, however, could be difficult.

BART performs maintenance on the cars during evenings and weekends, so running more trains on the off-hours could mean fewer trains for the already-packed peak hours.

Raburn said the answer is more cars  which should be arriving in the next year.

Keller agreed that more cars are essential, but he said more police are needed as well.

Otherwise, he said, the trend is going to continue.

Riding the wave: The race is on for ride-service companies to deliver self-driving cars to the already congested streets of San Francisco, possibly as early as next year.

The result has been a hiring binge as the companies snap up former City Hall staffers and consulting firms to help navigate any regulatory roadblocks  particularly on safety issues.

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Uber, for instance, has brought on David Noyola, a former aide to Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who only recently cut a tax deal with the ride companies that could net the city millions of dollars for traffic improvements.

Lyft has signed up onetime Gavin Newsom mayoral adviser Alex Tourks Ground Floor Public Affairs.

Jess Montejano, a former senior adviser and confidant to former Mayor Mark Farrell, signed on as vice president at Riff City Strategies, a local public affairs firm thats helping General Motors Cruise Automation.

Riffs CEO, Brian Purchia, helped develop Newsoms electric vehicle policies when he was mayor.

Cruise Automation already is testing self-driving Chevy Bolts and is angling to become the only company in eco-friendly San Francisco with an entire fleet of electric cars.

Its actually the state Public Utilities Commission that will issue the permits for companies to operate here, but the city will have a say in how they operate and is considering safety and curb-use regulations.

Safety is the first, second and third most-important issue, said Montejano, saying that self-driving vehicles will actually make the roads safer for everyone by reducing the 94 percent of car crashes each year that result from human error.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email matierandross@ sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
The California Legislature has passed a bill banning the sale of short-term health insurance plans  a type of insurance the Trump administration is seeking to expand.

The bill, SB910, authored by State Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), was approved by the Senate on Monday and the Assembly last week. It will need the signature of Gov. Jerry Brown to become law.

Short-term plans are generally cheaper but do not need to cover all the benefits required under the Affordable Care Act, such as preventive care, essential health benefits and protections for people with pre-existing conditions. An estimated 10,000 people in California are currently enrolled in such plans.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this month finalized a rule extending the amount of time consumers can be on short-term plans from three months to almost 12 months, after which they can be renewed for up to three years. However, the HHS rule allows states to regulate the sale of such plans on their own terms.

California had long capped the amount of time consumers could be on short-term plans to six months; the Obama administration limited it even further, to three months. Hernandezs bill eliminates the sale of such plans altogether, for any amount of time.

More for you State law counters Trump plan to loosen rules on short-term...

If Brown signs the bill, California would join a handful of states, including New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York, that have severely restricted or banned short-term plans, according to the California Health Care Foundation.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

If the bill becomes law, it would take effect in January 2019. Californians would still be able to buy short-term coverage  if they are in between jobs, for instance  through the state insurance exchange Covered California, or directly from health insurers like Blue Shield or Kaiser. These plans do comply with Affordable Care Act consumer protections like essential health benefits. Consumers would be able to do this at any time during the year, not just during annual enrollment, because losing job-based coverage counts as a qualifying life event.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Cat_Ho
Evan Sernoffsky

A 25-year-old man remains in critical condition after gunfire from a passing car erupted Saturday afternoon in a crowded west Berkeley park where hundreds of people were enjoying weekend barbecues and childrens activities, police said.

The victim was hit multiple times in the midsection, Berkeley police Officer Byron White said. The man had been standing with several young men, some of whom returned fire as the car sped off.
Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21. Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway had seemed to set the tone, if not the standard, in the initial days of the Trump administration when explaining why a falsehood is not a falsehood. Instead, she insisted, the official claim that President Trumps inaugural drew the largest crowd in history  it clearly did not  merely represented alternative facts.

Almost instantly, that much-mocked phrase came to define the Trump White Houses liberties with reality. The Washington Post, which has become the scorekeeper of record on such things, has counted more than 4,200 Trump claims that could be generously labeled alternative facts.

Leave it to Rudy Giuliani, the heretofore Americas mayor who has become the out-of-court jester in defending Trump against the Mueller investigation, to outdo Conway in the political theater of the absurd.

On Sundays Meet the Press, NBCs Chuck Todd challenged Giuliani on his oft-cited concern about Trump being lured into a perjury trap if he were to submit to an interview by the special counsel in the Russia probe. Todd raised the sensible question of why Trump should be concerned about perjury if he simply told the truth.

Giuliani demurred that its not so simple.

Truth is truth, Todd said, true enough.

No, it isnt truth, Giuliani replied. Truth isnt truth.

Giulianis concern is that Special Counsel Robert Mueller might believe a conflicting account from his erstwhile fellow in law enforcement, fired FBI Director James Comey, over the account of the president of the United States. As Todd noted, in a follow-up question Giuliani avoided, that perhaps the special counsel would take into account the history of veracity of the 45th president.

Its becoming abundantly clear that, absent a subpoena and prolonged court fight, Trump is not going to sit down for an interview with the Mueller team. Its equally apparent that the presidents obsession with the probe is only escalating. On Sunday he tweeted that it was McCarthyism at its WORST!

He also took issue with a New York Times report that White House counsel Donald McGahn has been speaking extensively with Muellers investigators. Trump said the story implied that McGahns cooperation suggested he must be a John Dean type RAT.

Process that one, fellow Americans: A public servant who spoke truth under oath is called a rat by the president of the United States. In a word: sad.

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.
My wife and I recently moved into an assisted living community  she for the help, me to keep her company  and Ive quickly learned that life is a little different on the inside. But beyond the cliches and the stereotypes  yes, people do line up for dinner at 4 p.m. and, yes, there is bingo three times a week  there are some surprisingly sweet and thoughtful things going on that the rest of us, living on the outside, ought to consider.

One is the casual friendliness and interaction of the staff and the residents. I know that the staff is paid to be outgoing and caring; I know that they go out of their way to engage the residents as much as they can. But its nice to be greeted every time I run into someone in the elevator, and to be asked about where Im going or where Ive been when I sign in and out of the building.

As an official resident myself  Im not just here on the down low; Im here legit, in the system and everything  I am required to sign out whenever I leave the premises and sign in when I return. I have full rights to come and go whenever I please (I dont have to be signed out by a relative because Im, um, 50 years old and still have a job), but for safety reasons, the management would like me to sign in and out.

So, wed like you to sign in and out, the director of the facility told me, kind of sheepishly. Its so we have an accurate headcount in case we have to evacuate the building.

Its no problem at all, I said. I get it.

I get to say hello and goodbye to the concierge who sits at the front desk as I come and go. The system is electronic, a touch screen with a very large font and easy-to-use interface. And the concierges are invariably nice, wishing me a good day and asking me how it was when I return.

Last night  OK, it was late afternoon, but dinner service had already started, so I get my times messed up  I signed myself out to go to a late meeting. The concierge asked me if I was going to work.

Um, yeah, I said. Ive been already, but I gotta go back.

I didnt want her to think I work swing shift  too blue collar  and I didnt want her to think I only went to work in the late afternoon and stayed maybe two hours  too lazy. Thats why I explained.

Oh, just going out, she said, trying to make me feel a little less awkward.

Yeah, just going out, I said.

Thats the phrase I was looking for. Pleasant but vague. Just enough to fill the silence in the elevator back at my condo, but not one bit more. Because my neighbors dont care where Im going. And many of them prefer silence in the elevator as we ride down to the garage: It gives them more time to look at their phone before they have to drive.

I went out for two hours and had a very pleasant meeting with my colleagues. I returned to the assisted living community a little after 7 p.m.

Im back, I said as I signed in.

Welcome back, the concierge said with a big smile. Did you have a good time?

Yes, I did. Thank you.

Have a good night.

You, too. Have a good night.

I was happy to be back. Happy to be seen and acknowledged. And as I walked upstairs, I thought Id try being a bit friendlier next time Im back at the condo. Even if it breaks our homeowners associations unspoken rule about silence in the elevator. Even if I dont get paid to do so.

Tom Moriarty teaches writing and rhetoric at San Jose State University.
Burke and I met recently at 43rd and Halsted streets, where the Amphitheatre once stood. Since 1969, he has been the alderman of the citys 14th Ward and as such is the longest serving alderman in the citys history. I was in the convention hall and I noticed a girl I knew, he said of that time. Not quite sure how she got in there but I was trying to watch out for her and what did she do? She spit at me and called me a pig. I thought she was a friend. We used to party together.
Ralph Winingham /San Antonio Express-News

Mass shootings get all the headlines. But its only quietly reported that there has been, on average, one school shooting every single week in 2018. How do children get guns? The Wall Street Journal reports that in 75 percent of school shootings, the gun was from home.

This made me think about another fact we never read about. Eight children and teens are unintentionally injured or killed by guns every single day, or 2,747 kids a year. Since the devastating Sandy Hook mass shooting, nearly 14,000 kids have been killed or injured because of unlocked and unsupervised guns in their homes. In that same time period, the New York Times reports that 400 people have been killed in school shootings.
Would you hire someone who had violated firearms laws to run a gun show?

Even asking the question seems absurd. Yet two officers of Crossroads of the West Gun Shows  the company that produces gun shows at the Cow Palace and other state-owned venues  have federal firearms convictions. Crossroads President/CEO Bob Templeton pleaded guilty in 1981 to a federal firearms law violation arising from sales of guns to Mormons in South Africa, and his son Jeff Templeton has been convicted of at least three violations of federal firearms and drug laws, beginning in 2003 when he was the Crossroads vice president.

It is hard to imagine that the Cow Palace Board of Directors would have knowingly approved this fox-guarding-the-henhouse scenario. Indeed, it appears that Crossroads never disclosed the Templetons convictions, perhaps because Bob Templeton had to resign from a Utah gun control task force when his conviction previously came to light in 1984.

Over the past few months, gun show opponents discovered not only the Templetons firearms convictions but also other serious concerns, including that a Crossroads vendor apparently sold a large quantity of illegally manufactured armor-piercing/incendiary bullets to the Las Vegas music festival mass shooter.

According to a federal criminal complaint, the vendor and the Las Vegas shooter connected at gun shows in Las Vegas and Phoenix. Because the vendor did not have the requested quantity of ammunition on hand at the Phoenix gun show, the unlawful sale was completed at the vendors home  where the shooter put on gloves before handling the box containing the armor-piercing bullets, which was found at the shooting site. The gun shows in Las Vegas and Phoenix described in the complaint match the dates and locations of Crossroads gun shows.

The vendor apparently was approved for Crossroads gun shows in Las Vegas and Phoenix even though his website, called Specialized Military Ammunition, advertised High Explosive Armor Piercing Incendiary ammunition as well as other forms of armor piercing ammunition. Its possible that vendor lists (which I have tried unsuccessfully to obtain), would show that the same vendor has sold ammunition at Cow Palace gun shows.

Dont think something similar cant  or hasnt already  happened here. The San Francisco city attorney said in a 2013 lawsuit that Crossroads flagrantly facilitates illegal conduct by allowing its California gun show vendors to evade the states ban on sales of large-capacity magazines. The complaint alleged that Crossroads allowed vendors to sell disassembled large-capacity magazines under the guise of repair kits, which were readily reassembled into new, fully functional large-capacity magazines, in violation of California law.

And the author of a recent Open Forum, Garen Wintemute, recounts that he listened as a customer at a Crossroads gun show near San Diego sought to buy multiple, illegal assault-type weapons. Although the seller declined, (he) said that he would make the sale a few weeks later at a Crossroads show in Phoenix.

These serious concerns about Crossroads provide yet more reasons why community members and local legislators are committed to ending gun shows at the Cow Palace. Even gun show supporters should want Cow Palace gun shows to be run by a trustworthy business partner that complies with firearms laws, discloses relevant information (including its officers firearms convictions), and scrupulously vets gun show vendors.

A coalition of organizations, led by the SF Brady Campaign, recently asked the California Department of Justice to investigate these and other serious concerns about Crossroads. Please join me in asking Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the Cow Palace Board of Directors to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted, and if the investigation reveals grounds to do so, that the current Crossroads contract is terminated.

Ruth Borenstein is a member of the SF Brady Campaign leadership team and an increasingly active activist.
BRIDGEWATER, N.J.  President Trump insisted Sunday that White House lawyer Don McGahn isnt a John Dean type RAT, making reference to the Watergate-era White House attorney who turned on Richard Nixon.

Trump, in a series of angry tweets, blasted a New York Times story reporting that McGahn has been cooperating extensively with the special counsel team investigating Russian election meddling and potential collusion with Trumps Republican campaign.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type RAT, Trump wrote, misspelling counsel, as he often does. But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide.

The New York Times said in a tweet that it stands by the story.

Trumps original legal team had encouraged McGahn and other White House officials to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and McGahn spent hours in interviews.

Trumps personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said in an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press that Trump didnt raise executive privilege or attorney-client privilege during those interviews because his team believed  he says now, wrongly  that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president, Giuliani said.

McGahns attorney William Burck added in a statement: President Trump, through counsel, declined to assert any privilege over Mr. McGahns testimony, so Mr. McGahn answered the Special Counsel teams questions.

Dean was White House counsel for Nixon, a Republican, during the Watergate scandal. He ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

Dean, a frequent critic of the president, tweeted Saturday night in response to the Times story that, Trump, a total incompetent, is bungling and botching his handling of Russiagate. Fate is never kind to bunglers and/or botchers! Unlike Nixon, however, Trump wont leave willingly or graciously.

He added Sunday in response to Trumps tweets that he doubts the president has ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller.

Critics of the president have recently compared his decision to target the security clearances of critics and those involved in the Russia investigation to the enemies list created by the Nixon White House to keep track of political opponents they intended to target with punitive measures.

Jill Colvin is an Associated Press writer.
MOSCOW  Russia lashed out at Western countries Monday, accusing them of blocking U.N. aid for Syrias reconstruction and trying to prevent the return of refugees.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Gibran Bassil, that the U.S. refusal to provide assistance for rebuilding Syria after more than seven years of fighting would deter Syrians from returning to their homes.

Russia has been the chief backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, helping his forces to regain control over most of the country. Now Moscow is calling on Western countries, which backed the opposition, to help fund reconstruction efforts, saying it would reduce the flow of refugees and migrants to Western Europe.

Speaking after the talks with Bassil, Lavrov bristled at the U.S. and its Western allies for making assistance to Syria contingent on a political transition process. He also accused the West of pressuring the United Nations to stay away from reconstruction efforts in Syria.

Lavrov said Moscow is looking into why the U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, is dragging its feet on the reconstruction of world-famous archaeological sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra. He said the U.N. Secretariats political department has explicitly banned any involvement in reconstruction in Syria pending a political settlement.

Lavrov added that he voiced a strong protest against the move in a phone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Its inadmissible when a group of countries manipulates secretariats of international organizations, which are supposed to be unbiased and independent, Lavrov said. The U.N. was created on the basis of ... equality of all countries. I strongly urge our Western partners to return to that principle.

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.

He also criticized recent comments by Filippo Grandi, the head of the U.N. refugee agency, who said last week that it was too soon to talk about the mass repatriation of the more than 5 million Syrian refugees. Lavrov said the UNHCR should not be a subsidiary of a group of Western countries.

The U.S. State Department said it had notified Congress on Friday that it would not spend some $230 million that had been planned for Syria programs. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the cut, which does not include humanitarian aid funds, will be more than offset by an additional $300 million pledged by coalition partners.

Vladimir Isachenkov is an Associated Press writer.
Overnight fire activity in the north and northeastern portions of the Mendocino Complex pushed more people out of their homes Sunday evening and early Monday morning as the Glenn County Sheriffs Office announced mandatory evacuations.

The order includes all areas north of the Glenn-Colusa County Line, east of the Mendocino National Forest boundary, south of County Road 308 and west of County Road 306, according to the sheriffs alert.
"With the Thai cave story, I felt enraptured by the story like everyone else," said Chu. "But when I saw other people getting in on that story from the outside, who I'm sure have good intentions, I just wanted to put out more of a warning to anybody thinking of making this  that we're watching, and they need to do their due diligence when telling this story. And I knew I was in a position to make that public, and to make sure everybody understood that."
Suburb or city? It's a question many parents grapple with upon starting a family, and it's even more prescient in a pricy place like the San Francisco.

When Deepak Gupta moved to San Francisco in his twenties, he remembers being "enamored with it." In the city, he made his career, met his wife and eventually became a father.

But soon after the birth of his first child, Gupta quickly found renting a two-bedroom condo in Hayes Valley unlivable.

"I was bursting at the seams," he said. "We just needed more space."

The family moved across the Bay, to Oakland, where the kids could grow up with a backyard and space to roam.

In a city like San Francisco, where childcare can cost more than a minimum-wage worker's annual salary, the economics don't balance the benefits for many parents. And godspeed finding an affordable house with enough space for a swing set.

Paul Gallagher and his wife lived in San Francisco for more than 20 years before deciding to move to Nashville with their 8-year-old son.

"We had great careers, made money, but at some point we looked at each other and said, we've had all this success, why are we killing ourselves to hold it together in San Francisco?"

Putting 10 hours in at the office only to come home for an hour-and-half with his child before having to sign on again "wasn't worth it anymore," said Gallagher, a senior strategic project manager at a regional bank. In March, he moved to Nashville, chosen partially due to its warm climate. His wife and son followed in the summer.

Leaving wasn't easy. If the Bay Area is financially viable for a family, raising children here can be incredibly rewarding. Suburban sprawl, shopping malls and Chipotles hardly compare to days at the De Young, evenings at the Orpheum and afternoons in Golden Gate Park.

Faced with the choice to stay or go, however, it seems many choose the latter. Less than 14 percent of the city's population is under 18, compared to 21 percent in New York and 23 percent in Chicago.

Those who decide to start a family, often do so later than their peers nationwide. Women in San Francisco become first-time mothers later than anywhere else in the country, according to a recent New York Times study. Manhattan mothers trailed closely behind in the ranking, as did those in Marin County.

The Times study claimed education was the biggest factor influencing the age one enters motherhood, but in San Francisco, the high cost of real estate and child care are often insurmountable to those just beginning their careers. Behind housing, child care is often the most significant expense for families, according to the Children's Council San Francisco. The organization estimates it costs up to $29,508 for the care of children up to age two, and $22,560 for those between age two and five.

It's not just San Francisco, with its public-school lottery and dearth of housing, that poses a challenge to child-rearing. Many parents find the Bay Area at-large not worth the cost.

"I was pretty much a single mom," Toni Eckert said of raising children in San Jose and later Fremont. Her husband, a journeyman carpenter, "had to work six to seven days a week just to keep up with costs."

More Information Did you recently leave the Bay Area? Tell us where you went and why you left by emailing SFGATE reporter Michelle Robertson at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse

And there was the matter of safety. Eckert says she longed for the San Jose of her youth, when children could freely traipse about the neighborhood and "block parents" collectively watched out for each other's offspring.

"By the time I was raising kids, I wouldn't take my eyes off them for a second," Eckert said.

She and her family moved to Chester, a tiny town in the shadow of Mount Lassen, about five hours north of San Jose. Eckert's three kids could "go fishing, ride their bikes around town, take themselves to Little League"  without constant adult supervision. The neighbors, she said, watched out for one another, just as it was when she was a kid.

The Dobrinskis also left the Bay Area in pursuit of a more neighborly vibe, which they say they found in Sacramento.

"When you spend more time in your yard, and live in an area with larger sidewalks and quieter streets, you see more of your neighbors. People stop and talk," said Kele Dobrinski. It was a refreshing change after living in a series of San Francisco apartments where they "rarely knew another person on our block."

"There are parts of the city we will always love," Dobrinski said, "but so much changes once you have kids."

Some families leave California altogether. Jim Pape and his wife lived in the state for nearly 20 years before Pape "took a chance" on a job opportunity at a startup in Tulsa. The family lasted three years in Oklahoma. They moved back to the Bay Area earlier in the summer.

"It's not about Tulsa being broken; it's actually a very normal place," Pape insisted. The Bay Area, however, "is just a really unique place."

Leaving, he says, opened his eyes to the exceptional quality of life in the Bay Area, a lifestyle he realized his kids deserved to grow up in.

The Bay Area, he said, has a built-in "context of achievement."

"There's this attitude here that anything is possible, that expects a high level of professional achievement," he said. "That's a better context for my kids to grow up in."

In Oklahoma, he said he had to pay for that "high-achievement expectation" by enrolling his children in private schools.

"Here, it's just in the water, and you pay for that."

Upon his family's return to the Bay Area, Pape said he looked at the expensive region with his eyes open, his expectations realistic.

"I recently went to register my car, knowing it would be ridiculously expensive," he said. It was.

"The guy next to me in line was outraged by the cost," he said. "I just smiled."

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

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Back to School, 1970s

1. Take the kids downtown to go shopping at Sears for back to school clothes the last week of August. Get everyone a new pair of corduroys and a striped tee shirt. Buy the boys a pair of dungarees and the girls a pair of culottes. No, Jennifer, you cant have that orange and red poncho. Promise you will crochet her a better one with much more fringe. Get the girls a package of that rainbow, fuzzy yarn they like in their hair. You are done. You have spent a total of $43.00. Now take everyone to the Woolworths lunch counter for grilled cheeses and chocolate milk.

2. On the night before the first day of school (that would be the Sunday night after Labor Day, of course, you know, mid-September) throw the kids in the way back of the station wagon and drag them downtown to Eckerds, K-Mart, Ames, Dollar General, Drug Fair or the like and hurry them over to the back-to-school area to pick out a lunchbox. Make sure you tell them to get a move on because you dont have all night for them to make a damn decision. They need to get in bed by eight and yes, theyre going to miss the Wonderful World of Disney if they cant decide between The Fonz and Dukes of Hazzard.

RELATED VIDEO: Back-to-School Shopping Cost: This is How Much Parents Should Expect to Spend

Good Lord, why is it so hard for them to pick? Tell Kimberly if she cant make up her mind between Holly Hobbie and The Bionic Woman then youre going to pick Pigs in Space and you dont want to hear another word about it until June. Grab a composition book for each of them and a pack of pencils too. Thats all they need. Remember to save some grocery bags so they can cover their textbooks with them after the first day of school.

3. Buy yourself a pack of Virginia Slims on the way out and smoke three of them on the way home.

4. Get up in the morning and make yourself a cup of Sanka with Sweet n Low. Line up all the lunchboxes on the Formica counter top in your kitchen. Open up a bag of Wonder Bread and do this assembly line style.

5. Spread yellow mustard on bread. Slap bologna on bread. Unwrap American cheese slices and put on top of bologna. Put top on the sandwich and wrap sandwich in tin foil or wax paper. Put it in the lunchbox. Every kid gets the same exact lunch. Period.

6. Alternate sandwich choices could include: Peanut butter and grape jelly, peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, the end of last nights leftover roast beef or the ever popular with children tuna fish with large chunks of onions and celery and Miracle Whip.

7. Put some Planters Cheese Balls into a baggie and close with a twist tie.

8. Take Twinkies out of the box. Put one in each childs lunch box

9. Fill thermoses with either Kool-Aid or whole milk.

10. Include a red delicious apple even though you know that damned apple is just going to come home uneaten again, which is fine because you can keep adding the same one until it practically rots.

11. Close the lunchboxes. Youre done. Theyll grab them, along with a frosted, dutch apple Pop-Tart on the way out the door as they walk a half mile down the road to get to the bus stop. Go put some Barry Manilow on the record player and celebrate that your kids are out of the house until dinner time.

Back to School, Today

1. Take five deep breaths and say a positive affirmation. There are still a couple weeks left before they go back to school. Dont worry, you still have time to order BPA-free bento boxes and authentic Indian tiffins made with special stainless steel that did not involve any child-labor, sweat shops or animal cruelty. Remember, you have Amazon Prime. You can get the free two day shipping and you will have plenty of time to read reviews and make this very important decision because your kids are in summer camp which is actually just another word for school in the summer because OH MY GOD you were so tired that day you had to have them home all day with you and you couldnt go to your restorative flow class at yoga. And that was also the day something went terribly wrong with the homemade glitter cloud dough recipe that was supposed to go in their sensory bin and the very same day that they were out of soy milk at Starbucks and you had to immediately email corporate to let them know that duh, they should actually be selling almond milk and/ or coconut milk. Get with it Starbucks. Soy is so 90s. Ugh, but you digress. The tiffin. The bento boxes

2. One Week Later: The bento boxes and tiffins have arrived. So has your childrens schools annual list of school supplies that you must purchase and deliver. It is three and a half pages long. It includes a ten pound bag of flour and several cleaning products and also requests a Costco-sized package of toilet paper.

3. Begin frantic online search for backpacks and school bags made from all natural materials yet still cool. Have them monogrammed.

4. Take kids shopping at the mall for new school clothes. Buy them each a completely new wardrobe from Gymboree and Crew Cuts. Spend $2,387.07 on your credit card.

5. Take children to the child psychologist to prepare them mentally for the difficult transition to a new grade, new teacher and new classroom.

6. Intently study the allergy list the school has sent you which lists all the items that other children in your childrens classes are allergic to and thus cannot be sent in your childs lunch either. This is extremely stressful because the last thing you (or anyone) wants to be responsible for is sending a second grader into anaphylactic shock. Make notes on your phone so you can remember what not to buy when you go to Whole Foods.

7. Purchase school supplies for your children. Not to be confused with the 3 1/2 page list of classroom supplies you are also responsible for. They will need paper, pens, folders, notebooks, a calligraphy set, fifteen new apps for their tablets, a graphing calculator, a scalpel, an electron microscope and a centrifuge.

8. Go to Whole Foods to shop for school lunch items. This will take 4 hours and 15 minutes because you have to read every single label to make sure you are purchasing organic, locally sourced, non-GMO, gluten-free, allergy friendly products. You come home with tahini, bananas and a package of brown rice cakes. You somehow spent $76.19.

9. The night before the first day back to school, prepare the Bento boxes. Fill containers with organic, local strawberries intricately cut into the shapes of sea creatures. Include homemade, nut-free granola made with certified gluten-free oats. Make a sandwich on vegan hemp bread out of tahini, kale and jicama. Form it into the shape of your childs favorite Disney character. Make flowers out of non-dairy cheese slices, olives and seaweed. Photograph the finished Bento Box and post it to Instagram.

MORE FROM VICTORIA:

 If 970s Moms Had Blogs

 Kids Birthday Parties Then and Now

10. Write your child an encouraging note which includes an inspirational quote.

11. Include a sheet of stickers for good measure.

12. Fill a Siig bottle with filtered water and also include a box of chilled coconut water in the Bento Box because children can never be too hydrated. Ever.

13. Blog about this experience. Pray it goes viral.

14. Get up at 4AM on the first day of school. Make first day of school signs for each child to hold as you photograph them on the front step. Make a bunting to hang above the front door. Blow up balloons. Actually, go ahead and make a full on back to school photo booth.

15. Make pancakes in the shape of the letters of the alphabet.

16. Dress kids in coordinated outfits and spend 35 minutes posing and photographing them (with your phone).

17. Load everyone into the car to drive them to school.

18. When they are safely in their new classrooms, return to your car to cry for the next 20 minutes. But its okay, really. Youll be back in six hours to pick them up and drive them to Synchronized Swimming, Cello and Urdu classes this afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Scarymommy.com

Victoria Fedden, the author of the memoir This Is Not My Beautiful Life, is a mom, and a college writing teacher who lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Read more at www.victoriafedden.com

Facebook: facebook.com/victoriacfedden

Instagram: @victoriafedden

Twitter: @widelawns


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A Tom Waits cameo wouldn't be the oddest sight at a concert in San Francisco. The music icon, who in the past has been known to catch a show at Bottom of the Hill or to share the stage with Mavis Staples in Petaluma, visited the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Thursday night to see another act: rocker Jack White.

White was in the Bay Area for the western leg of his 2018 tour (wherein he played two shows: one for the public in San Francisco, and another for Tesla employees in Fremont).
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  A new project is documenting a once-hidden history of LGBTQ people in the Deep South, with donors providing troves of information and items on gay life, systemic oppression and activism.

Historian and archivist Joshua Burford said the goal of the Invisible Histories Project is to create a uniquely Southern collection that will give Southern history back to queer Southerners.

If the model is always the West Village or Boys Town or Fire Island, then the South can never be the same as that. So we have to stop pretending like we want to be, said Burford, engagement director of the group. What we are is very queer and very Southern, and those two things are always overlapping.

Established in late 2016, the Birmingham nonprofit already has gathered boxes full of information about gay life in Alabama, including decades-old directories of gay-friendly businesses dating to the late 1960s, activist T-shirts and records from gay-rights groups.

Bob Burns, who is gay, both lived through some of the toughest times for LGBTQ Southerners and documented them through years of activism. Now 66, he compiled a trove of information from years that included the AIDS epidemic and the oppression of gay people in the Deep South. Burns heard about the project through a friend, and hes donated items including the results of lengthy surveys he helped compile in 1989 and again in 1999 documenting what he called almost continual rights violations directed at LGBTQ people in Alabama.

That all had been sitting in a trunk here because there was no one to give it to, said Burns, who has lived in Birmingham nearly 40 years.

The Invisible Histories project will expand its work to Mississippi and Georgia later this year, and organizers hope to cover the entire Southeast within a few years.

The Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has thousands of books and artifacts documenting LGBT cultural and social history across the nation, and the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco tells the story of the Bay Area community. The History Project does the same in Boston for New England gays.

Items in the collection include documents on plans to hold the Southeastern Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual College Conference at the University of Alabama in 1996. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Alabamas attorney general at the time, unsuccessfully argued that holding the event at a public university conflicted with a state law then in effect, prohibiting homosexual acts.

The meeting went ahead as planned without incident, and Alabama voters elected Sessions to the U.S. Senate later that year.

Jay Reeves is an Associated Press writer.
FLINT, Mich.  A judge on Monday ordered Michigans state health director to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in two deaths linked to Legionnaires disease in the Flint area, the highest ranking official to stand trial as a result of the tainted water scandal.

Nick Lyon is accused of failing to issue a timely alert to the public about the outbreak. Judge David Goggins said deaths likely could have been prevented if the outbreak had been publicly known.

Some experts have blamed Legionnaires on the scandal over Flints water, which wasnt properly treated when it was drawn from the Flint River in 2014 and 2015.

Goggins found theres probable cause for a trial. The legal standard isnt as high as beyond a reasonable doubt.

The state says at least 90 cases of Legionnaires occurred in Genesee County, including 12 deaths. Lyon denies wrongdoing. His lawyers say sending the case to trial will dangerously chill public employees.

The Legionnaires investigation is part of a larger probe into how Flints water system became poisoned when the city used Flint River water for 18 months. The water wasnt treated to reduce corrosion. As a result, lead leached from old pipes.

Lyon, director of the Health and Human Services Department, is the highest-ranking Michigan official charged in an investigation led by the attorney generals office.

An additional 14 current or former state and local officials have been charged with crimes, either related to Legionnaires or lead in the water. Four agreed to misdemeanor plea deals; the other cases are moving slowly.

Legionella bacteria can emerge through misting and cooling systems, triggering a severe form of pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems. The state says there were 90 cases reported to Genesee County Health Department in 2014-15, including 12 deaths. More than half of the people had a common thread: They spent time at McLaren Hospital, which was on the Flint water system.

Ed White is an Associated Press writer.
Bernstein found a vehicle for his extravagant emotional expression in Mahlers symphonies, and though the First (Titan) may seem relatively constrained compared with those that followed, Alsop did not shy from the grand gesture or the heroic climax. If her interpretation of the second movement was too deliberate in tempo and articulation, she recovered with lyric tenderness in the third, which always has seemed to me a kind of funeral march for the 19th century and its ways of life. In the last movement, Alsop reveled in the corporate virtuosity of the CSO but took pains to crisply bring forth the multiple motifs that Mahler unfurls all at once in the final pages.
In his book Attempting Normal Maron describes his personal brand as slightly damaged, emotionally complicated, inconsistent and hes certainly not wrong. Over the course of the night, he broke down his level of celebrity (mid-level, for the record), spent time dissecting his jokes and pointing out the current flaws and how he was trying to improve them (Just letting you in on the process, he explained), took a deep dive into the Trump administration (unsurprising for a comic who once worked for the short-lived liberal radio station Air America) and berated Marvel movie fans (If youre a grown-up and you get real excited about the new Marvel movie  he started).
The renewal comes nearly two months after the series' second season premiered. Season one of "Glow" has been nominated for eight Primetime Emmy Awards, including outstanding comedy series. Speaking at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour last month, Netflix original-programming head Cindy Holland was mum on whether the show would be extended for a third season. "I love the show. We'd be really thrilled to make more, but I don't have anything to share with you just yet."
Obama isn't the only big name to give this novel a boost this year. Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club in February, and she plans to make a movie adaptation. The story is a perfect blend of thoughtful drama and social issues. When a husband is sent to prison for a sexual assault he didn't commit, he must deal with the horrors of incarceration, and his wife must deal with the challenges of living without him. Obama described it as "a moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple."
The roster here is a greatest hits of American writers, not all of whom are regular travelers in the religious or spiritual domain. And that, perhaps, is what makes this a notch above the usual such gathering. To read Jack Kerouac: Practice kindness all day to everybody/ and you will realize youre already/ in heaven now. Or George Saunders implore, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A 16-year-old boy was injured in a shooting in San Francisco's Mission District early Sunday morning, according to police.



The shooting was reported at 1:04 a.m. in the 300 block of Capp Street near 18th Street.



Three suspects approached the teen victim and one said something to him, then shot him, police said.



The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries, which are not considered life-threatening, according to police.



The suspects were last seen fleeing north on Capp Street and remain at large this morning, police said.





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At least one person has been injured following a shooting near the Fruitvale BART Station in Oakland on Sunday night, according to Oakland police.



An officer at the Oakland police patrol desk didn't offer any additional details on the shooting early this morning, but confirmed officers in the area of the Fruitvale BART station were investigating a shooting.



A BART service announcement at 11:44 p.m. Sunday advised that Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District buses wouldn't be stopping at the AC Transit Bus Zone at the Fruitvale station and instead would be picking up and dropping off passengers south of the station at 35th Avenue due to a street closure.



A BART police watch commander couldn't confirm if the street closure was still in effect as of 1 a.m.



No further information on the shooting was immediately available.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A man suffered life-threatening injuries in a hit-and-run in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood early Saturday morning, police said today.



The collision was reported at 3:13 a.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Jones Street.



The victim, a man in his 50s, was struck by a vehicle traveling south on Jones Street, according to police.



The driver fled in the vehicle and remains at large today. Police did not immediately release any description of the driver or vehicle.



Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is encouraged to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444.





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A San Francisco Municipal Railway spokesman said bus service is operating on schedule today on the first day of the new school year after the city's school district warned that bus driver shortages could cause delays.



A message on the San Francisco Unified School District website said, "An operator shortage has resulted in Muni delays across San Francisco, which Muni is working on addressing. Students and staff who ride Muni may experience delays getting to and from school."



Muni spokesman Paul Rose said this morning that bus service has been "operating as normal" today, the first day of the 2018-19 school year.



On Friday, Muni officials learned that 72 operators are going to make the transfer from working part-time to full-time, allowing the agency to add more than 700 additional service hours daily, Rose said.



Although the school district partners with school bus service First Student Inc. to provide yellow-bus service to and from each school, about half of the school district's 57,000 students use public buses or light-rail to get to and from school each day.







Vallejo police are investigating the death of a pedestrian who was found dead under a woman's truck early this morning.



The 28-year-old driver of the truck called police when she noticed a man's body under her Chevrolet truck when she arrived home around 2 a.m., police Lt. Michael Nichelini said.



Police believe the man, whose name has not been released, became lodged under the truck when he was struck somewhere on Borges Lane near Agnes Court in north Vallejo. The woman drove about three-quarters of a mile before she stopped at her home, Nichelini said.



The woman said she saw what looked like clothing in the roadway but was unaware she struck someone. There was no damage to the front of her truck and the man might have been hit earlier by another vehicle, Nichelini said this morning.



The woman is cooperating with the investigation and it does not appear drugs or alcohol are factors in the case, Nichelini said.



The woman, who was not arrested, has a suspended driver's license and an outstanding warrant for theft, according to Nichelini.







A 42-year-old man died in a homicide in San Francisco on Sunday night, according to police.



The homicide was reported at 10:26 p.m. in the 900 block of Geary Street between Polk and Larkin streets.



Police said an "edged weapon" was involved in the attack and that the victim died after being taken to a hospital. His name has not yet been released by the city's medical examiner.



No arrest has been made in the case as of this morning and police have not released any suspect information.







The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has identified a man who died after he was run over by a van in a parking lot Saturday afternoon as Alan Tree, 77, of Santa Rosa.



Tree was a passenger in a minivan that was parked in a private parking lot in the 3600 block of Industrial Drive in Santa Rosa, police said.



The minivan driver, identified as Darlene Ferris, 71, was backing up around 3:30 p.m. when the van accelerated and struck a concrete curb and a tree.



Tree was ejected to the ground and was run over by the van. He was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries, police said.



Police arrested Ferris on suspicion of DUI causing injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. She was booked into Sonoma County Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court.







A man who was hit and killed by a vehicle on U.S. Highway 101 in Millbrae last week was identified today as Anthony Monje, a 57-year-old transient, according to the San Mateo County coroner's office.



Monje was struck by a BMW at about 4 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 101 just south of Millbrae Avenue, California Highway Patrol officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.



The BMW driver stayed at the scene and called 911. CHP investigators have not determined why Monje was on the highway.







A 16-year-old boy was injured in a shooting in San Francisco's Mission District early Sunday morning, according to police.



The shooting was reported at 1:04 a.m. in the 300 block of Capp Street near 18th Street.



Three suspects approached the teen victim and one said something to him, then shot him, police said.



The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries, which are not considered life-threatening, according to police.



The suspects were last seen fleeing north on Capp Street and remain at large this morning, police said.







A man suffered life-threatening injuries in a hit-and-run in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood early Saturday morning, police said today.



The collision was reported at 3:13 a.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Jones Street.



The victim, a man in his 50s, was struck by a vehicle traveling south on Jones Street, according to police.



The driver fled in the vehicle and remains at large today. Police did not immediately release any description of the driver or vehicle.







A Petaluma man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after he agreed to give his intoxicated brother a ride home Sunday evening, Petaluma police said.



Police received a call about a white Dodge truck driving on the wrong side of the road around 6:40 p.m., Sgt. Lance Novello said. The caller said the Dodge struck a curb and parked facing oncoming traffic in the 1000 block of Daniel Drive.



Officers responded and found Anthony Brundage, 34, behind the wheel and determined his blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit, Novello said. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI.



His brother, William Brundage, 30, a passenger in the vehicle, appeared intoxicated, and his blood-alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit, according to Novello.



William Brundage was on probation for DUI and was prohibited from drinking alcohol. He was arrested for violating probation. Police later learned William called his brother Anthony for a ride home because he knew he was too intoxicated to drive, Novello said.







The Rio Vista Bridge, which connects Solano and Sacramento counties on state Highway 12, has reopened early this morning after an extended closure, according to Caltrans.



The bridge was closed due to an ongoing problem with the mechanism that raises and lowers the drawbridge to allow for ship traffic to pass beneath it.



The mechanism was damaged earlier this month, according to Caltrans. The damaged motor gearbox has been sent to a manufacturer to expedite repairs.



California Highway Patrol officials said there are no more planned closures for the bridge as of this morning.





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One 19-year-old man was killed and a second one seriously wounded early Sunday morning in a double shooting at an apartment complex in central Antioch, police said.



Police got a call at 3:28 a.m. Sunday from a man who said he had been shot at the apartment complex in the 2200 block of San Jose Drive, police said. Officers found the two injured men in the complex's parking lot.



One of the men was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other was taken to a local hospital and underwent surgery. No other victims had surfaced by late Sunday, police said.



It appears the two men, whose names were not released, were together when they were shot by a third, unknown person. The incident remained under investigation late Sunday.







The Rio Vista Bridge, which carries state Highway 12 over the Sacramento River connecting Solano and Sacramento counties, was set to reopen for cars and trucks at 3 a.m. today.



Because of an ongoing problem with the mechanism that raises and lowers the bridge, the drawbridge remaining temporarily raised over the weekend to allow for large ships to sail under the bridge.



The mechanism was damaged earlier this month, according to a Caltrans news release. The damaged motor gearbox has been sent to a manufacturer for repairs. As an interim measure, Caltrans contractors are using equipment to manually raise the bridge, and the agency is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to coordinate a schedule to lift the span for maritime traffic.



Separately, Highway 12 from Interstate 5 is also closed to westbound motorists until 5 a.m. today because of construction. Bay Area motorists can check 511.org for more information on traffic alerts and detours. More information is available on the Cal Trans Delta Ferries website at www.dot.ca.gov/d4/deltaferries.







A driver was arrested for allegedly taking part in a sideshow that blocked traffic on the Bay Bridge Sunday morning, the California Highway Patrol said.



Before the incident, the CHP received multiple calls of cars engaged in sideshow activity in the Oakland area. Vehicles were then seen stopping traffic on the bridge west of Treasure Island heading into San Francisco, according to a video shot by a passerby around 10:45 a.m. that was posted on social media.



Multiple CHP units responded and took the driver of a white Mustang into custody on suspicion of reckless driving and exhibition of speed. His vehicle will be impounded for 30 days, the CHP said.



Officers cited drivers of other cars that were stopped for mechanical violations, and one vehicle was impounded because the driver was determined to be unlicensed.







The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality advisory for the region through Tuesday, as winds are expected to continue blowing smoke from wildfires into the Bay Area.



"If you see or smell smoke, take steps to protect your health," the air district said on Twitter.



If it looks smoky outside, the air district advises residents to avoid physical outside activities and refrain from letting children play outdoors. Further tips can be found at http://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/incidents-and-advisories/wildfire-safety



For real-time air quality readings, go to https://go.usa.gov/xUwyz







A 71-year-old woman was arrested Saturday on suspicion of DUI after the minivan she was driving struck a tree and a curb in Santa Rosa, leading to the death of her passenger, police said.



The woman, identified as Darlene Ferris, a transient living in the Santa Rosa area, was in her minivan at about 3:30 p.m. in a parking lot in the 3600 block of Industrial Drive, said police Sgt. Dan Marincik. She was backing up in the lot, and hit both a curb and a tree at a high enough speed for her passenger -- a 77-year-old man - to fall out of the minivan. The man was then run over by the minivan, Marincik said.



The man, whose name wasn't released Sunday pending notification of family, died at a nearby hospital a short time later, Marincik said.



Ferris was booked into the Sonoma County Jail Saturday night on suspicion of DUI causing injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.







At least two people, one of them a child, were taken to hospitals and another person was arrested Saturday night following a multiple-vehicle collision on eastbound state Highway 4 in Antioch that closed the freeway for an hour, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The collision was first reported between the 1997 Ford pickup truck and a 2002 Dodge van at 10:35 p.m. Saturday just west of the Lone Tree Way/A Street off-ramp.



An adult with major injuries was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek and the child was taken to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland with unknown injuries.



The CHP didn't provide information on why the person taken into custody was arrested.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A San Francisco Municipal Railway spokesman said bus service is operating on schedule today on the first day of the new school year after the city's school district warned that bus driver shortages could cause delays.



A message on the San Francisco Unified School District website said, "An operator shortage has resulted in Muni delays across San Francisco, which Muni is working on addressing. Students and staff who ride Muni may experience delays getting to and from school."



Muni spokesman Paul Rose said this morning that bus service has been "operating as normal" today, the first day of the 2018-19 school year.



On Friday, Muni officials learned that 72 operators are going to make the transfer from working part-time to full-time, allowing the agency to add more than 700 additional service hours daily, Rose said.



Although the school district partners with school bus service First Student Inc. to provide yellow-bus service to and from each school, many district students ride Muni buses.



Muni officials estimate that half of the school district's 57,000 students use public buses or light-rail to get to and from school each day.





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PETALUMA (BCN)



A 52-year-old San Francisco man was arrested in Petaluma on suspicion of striking two vehicles in separate hit-and-run collisions and driving under the influence after crashing into a parked box truck, according to police.



Petaluma police said the suspect, Jacky Shiuman Chow, allegedly was involved in a hit-and-run collision with a vehicle near the intersection of Old Redwood Highway and North McDowell Boulevard around 3:45 p.m. Saturday. The victim in that collision flagged down an officer.



Moments later, police said the victim of the second collision called police to report he had been involved in a hit-and-run collision, allegedly with a vehicle that matched the description of Chow's.



Police said Chow then drove his vehicle past the Petaluma police station, where officers spotted him and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. At that point, according to police, Chow allegedly accelerated away before a traffic stop was initiated.



According to police, Chow then crashed his car into the parked truck near the intersection of Petaluma Boulevard North and Prospect Street, and was taken into custody without incident, police said.



His blood-alcohol level was 0.16 percent, more than two times the legal limit, according to police.





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Every day on GoFundMe, we see the challenges Americans face with the rising costs of a broken health care system, the company told the Tribune. However, while GoFundMe can provide timely, critical help to people facing health care crises, we do not aim to be a substitute social safety net. A crowdfunding platform cannot and should not be a solution to complex, systemic problems that must be solved with meaningful public policy. We believe that affordable access to comprehensive health care is a right, and action must be taken at the local, state and federal levels of government to make this a reality for all Americans.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Vincent Matthews will be making two school visits this morning as students return to the classroom from summer break today.



Matthews will first visit Hillcrest Elementary School, which sits between the Excelsior and Portola districts at 810 Silver Avenue in San Francisco, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.



He will then travel to Francisco Middle School in North Beach, located at 2190 Powell Street in San Francisco, to visit with students from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.



District officials said Matthews will visit a third-grade classroom at Hillcrest and a sixth- and eighth-grade classroom at Francisco.





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BERKELEY (BCN)



After a year on the job, University of California at Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ said today that the university is making progress in balancing its budget and providing more housing for its students.



In a back-to-school briefing before fall classes begin on Wednesday, Christ said the university is also making progress in meeting other major goals: building community, increasing diversity, supporting research and improving the student experience.



Christ, who succeeded Nicholas Dirks on July 1, 2017, after serving as a UC Berkeley faculty member and administrator for 32 years and as president of Smith College in Massachusetts, said the university's structural budget deficit stood at $150 million just two years ago but she hopes to balance the budget by next summer.



Referring to the budget problem, Christ said, "We cannot cut our way out of this crisis" and the key to resolve it is by increasing revenues, which she said the university has been able to accomplish in part by a fundraising campaign that brought in $569 million in the past year, more than $90 million higher than the previous record.



Joining Christ at the news conference, chief financial officer and vice chancellor for finance Rosemarie Rae said the university also has been able to cut its expenses through attrition and "sustainable efficiencies."



However, Christ said she's trying to ensure that those efficiencies won't detract from students' educational experiences.



She said she's committed to doubling the number of beds available to undergraduate and graduate students in the next 10 years and the university already added 836 beds this summer by opening Blackwell Hall near the campus.



"To meet our goal, we will need to build on all the available university-owned land close to the campus," Christ said.



Vice chancellor of equity and inclusion Oscar Dubon Jr. said the university is seeking to become a Hispanic-serving institution in which at least 25 percent of its students are Hispanic.



Dubon said promoting activism is a key goal for the university, saying, "We are an engine of social change."



Christ said free speech has been an important issue at UC Berkeley in recent years, as large and sometimes violent crowds of protesters have greeted conservative speakers who've come to the campus.



"It was challenging to uphold our unwavering commitment to the bedrock value of free expression, as well as related legal obligations, while at the same time fostering the values of diversity and inclusivity that are also core to the campus," she said.



Christ said she formed a commission on free speech to study that conflict and she will soon announce how the university will implement the recommendations the commission made for how it might better be reconciled.



Christ said another priority is reducing sexual harassment on the campus.



She said, "I have no tolerance for sexual harassment and we're seeing real improvement there."



Later today, Christ will give the convocation address at the Haas Pavilion on campus.



The event, which is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., is the official welcome for new students and includes student and faculty arts performances as well as formal addresses by Christ and other campus leaders.





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From testimony thus far, there appears to be little question that Ward and Williams have not been model citizens all their lives. The judge pointed out to jurors several times, however, that membership in a gang or even leadership of a gang cannot be used to determine Wards or Williams guilt or innocence. It can only be used to establish motive.
According to the new report by the toxic substances registry, more than 27 percent of West Calumet children ages 5 and younger who were tested between 2005 and 2015 had lead levels at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood, the CDCs current threshold for medical intervention and home inspections. Roughly the same percentage of kids were poisoned in the residential neighborhood immediately east of the former housing complex.
All three victims told police they saw the man pull the trigger and heard the weapon click but that it didnt fire, according to Hannahs arrest report. As the gunman ran from the dog and all three men  one armed with a two-by-four  he threw the small revolver away, the report stated. The men held the gunman and injured him while trying to restrain him until police arrived, authorities said. None of the victims were hurt.
During the melee, one of the four victims, a 42-year-old man, drove toward the crowd to disperse them but was allegedly dragged out of the vehicle by Decatur, who then climbed into the drivers seat and claimed possession of the car, Williams said. The second male victim, 24, got out of the backseat of the vehicle, and both male victims were beaten by the crowd, authorities said.
Vincents death came as a shock to those who knew him as a larger-than-life personality. He always seemed to beat the odds, friends and family said, like when he came back to play college football after a moped accident in his first year of high school crushed his leg.
While Rauner wrote he had the utmost respect for paramedics, he said the legislation granting them firefighter status widens the already bloated union population in the public sector  increasing the unions entrenchment and wealth  and puts a significant financial and administrative burden on local governments.
And so the question really comes down to, if youre somebody in the state who thinks that 40 years in politics is long enough  that it might be time to try something new, he said. Thats why were encouraging people to ask your local state representative candidate who theyre going to vote for for speaker. This is not something that a typical Illinoisan will see on their ballot. (Rick Pearson)
KABUL  Afghan forces launched a lightning operation in northern Kunduz province early Monday, rescuing 149 people, including women and children, abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier, officials said.

Fighting was still under way later Monday in the area to free 21 remaining hostages, officials added.

The operation was a boost for Afghan forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban on battlefields across the country.

On Monday morning, the Taliban ambushed a convoy of three buses traveling on a road in the Khan Abad district, and took everyone hostage, according to Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry. Rahimi added at least seven Taliban fighters were killed in the fighting.

The ambush came despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis announcement of a conditional cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week.

The Taliban have stepped up their assaults in recent months, seizing entire districts across Afghanistan and regularly carrying out large-scale bombings and attacks that have killed scores of people.

Esmatullah Muradi, spokesman for the provincial governor in Kunduz, also confirmed the rescue of the hostages. According to Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, the Taliban were likely looking for government employees or members of the security forces who usually travel home for the holidays.

Ghanis call for the truce, made during celebrations Sunday of the 99th anniversary of Afghanistans independence, said the cease-fire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depend on the Talibans stand.

On Saturday, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzadah, said that there will be no peace in the country as long as the foreign occupation continues. He reiterated the groups standing position that the countrys 17-year war can only be brought to an end through direct talks with the United States.

The government had previously announced a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June. The Taliban accepted that three-day truce but later rejected a call by the president to extend it.

Amir Shah is an Associated Press writer.
VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics around the world Monday condemning the crime of priest sexual abuse and its cover-up. He demanded accountability but offered no indication of how he plans to sanction complicit bishops or end the Vaticans long-standing culture of secrecy.

Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in the effort to root out abuse and cover-up. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives, Francis wrote. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.

The Vatican issued the three-page letter ahead of Francis trip this weekend to Ireland, a once staunchly Roman Catholic country where the churchs credibility has been devastated by years of revelations that priests raped and molested children with impunity and their superiors covered up for them.

As a result, the letter was clearly an effort by Francis to respond to outrage in the U.S. and pressure from Ireland to take a tough stand on the global abuse scandal. That pressure has mounted steadily after Francis own reputation was tarnished during his disastrous trip to Chile in January, where he dismissed victims accusations of cover-up as calumny.

For Irish survivors, the letter was little more than strong words and recycled rhetoric that failed to acknowledge the Vaticans own role in turning a blind eye to predatory priests and fomenting the culture of secrecy and cover-up that allowed the crimes to go unpunished.

That culture was overseen by #Vatican & codified into its laws, tweeted Colm OGorman, a prominent Irish survivor who is organizing a solidarity demonstration of survivors in Dublin during Francis visit. He needs to name & own that.

Priestly sex abuse was always expected to dominate the popes Irish trip, but the issue has taken on new gravity following revelations in the U.S. that one of Francis trusted cardinals, the retired archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused and harassed minors as well as adult seminarians.

In addition, a grand jury report in Pennsylvania last week reported that at least 1,000 children were victims of some 300 priests over the past 70 years, and that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.

Nicole Winfield is an Associated Press writer.
Page Content

The Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) challenge of the paid-sick-leave law in Austin, Texas, resulted in the ordinance being put on hold on Aug. 17 while the Texas state appeals court reviews the arguments against it.



"Austin, and now San Antonio, are pursuing ordinances mandating paid sick leave within their city limits. Creating different rules in different locations makes it very difficult for employers who may have employees in multiple locations," said Nancy Hammer, SHRM's vice president of regulatory affairs and judicial counsel. "This is the reason SHRM supports H.R. 4219, Workflex in the 21st Century Act, which allows employers to implement a nationwide standard rather than complying with a patchwork of state and local laws. The Austin ordinance was set to go into effect for most employers on Oct. 1. This stay is important because it will allow the courts to determine the legality of the ordinance before employers incur the cost of changing their existing leave systems."

SHRM Supports Challenge

The ordinance would require an employer to provide paid-sick-leave benefits to employees who work 80 or more hours in Austin in a calendar year for that employer. Employees would accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked in the city.

The Texas Association of Business is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit against Austin and is joined by several other business groups, including SHRM. The groups contend that the city's ordinance violates the Texas Minimum Wage Act, which bars municipalities from regulating private-sector employees' wages.

(SHRM Online)

Review of Ordinance Starts Next Month

Judicial review of Austin's ordinance will begin in September but Austin's HR department already has taken steps since the law was passed in February. These steps include developing a marketing and community education plan, holding a series of community meetings to develop an outreach strategy, and publicizing the administrative rules for the policy.

The city maintains that sick leave is separate from minimum wage. But on Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that Austin and other cities creating similar ordinances were violating state law.

(Austin Monitor)

[SHRM members-only state coverage: Texas Employment Law]

San Antonio Has Passed Similar Ordinance

San Antonio passed a paid-sick-leave ordinance Aug. 16 but it may be subject to legal challenges as well. Under the San Antonio ordinance, workers in the city may accrue up to 64 hours of paid sick leave each year. Business opposition to Austin's ordinance is likely to extend to San Antonio's law. Paxton's office warned San Antonio leaders last month that "no matter the council's decision or the result of any ballot initiative, Texas law pre-empts a municipal paid sick leave ordinance."

(Texas Tribune)

Ordinances Passed Across the Nation

The enactment of paid-sick-leave ordinances is a national issue that SHRM is seeking to address through the Workflex in the 21st Century Act, proposed last year in the House of Representatives. The bill would give employees more options and flexibility when taking time off to meet their individual and family needs while providing predictability for employers who now face a hodgepodge of overlapping state and local requirements.

The act would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to create a qualified flexible work arrangement plan. To qualify as an ERISA-covered plan, the plan would have to include two components: a federal paid leave standard and flexible work arrangements for all employees. Employer participation would be voluntary.

(SHRM Online)

House Hears Testimony in Favor of SHRM-Supported Legislation

Inconsistent paid-sick-leave rules across states and localities make it difficult for employers to manage their businesses, noted Johnny C. Taylor Jr., SHRM-SCP, president and chief executive officer of SHRM, testifying in support of the bill before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions on July 24. More workers are requesting flexible work arrangements to help them meet life's demands.

"But outdated workplace rules and government-mandated leave requirements make it hard for employers to offer the arrangements that employees want," he said. The bill would provide employees with leave and flexibility, help businesses attract and retain the talent they need, and allow businesses to grow and thrive, Taylor said.

(SHRM Online)


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After years of planning and months of anticipation, Staten Island's newly redesigned MTA express bus network was officially put in place Sunday morning.

Although traveling was light on Sunday -- the majority of express bus riders use the service during the week to get to and from work -- the MTA was out in force to talk with commuters and distribute information about the new system.

MTA customer ambassadors were stationed at key locations, such as the Eltingville Transit Center, where a handful of riders could be seen traveling to the theater district, Grand Central Station and other Manhattan locations.

MTA New York City Transit president Andy Byford and chief customer officer Sarah Meyer arrived at the Eltingville Transit Center around 3 p.m. to meet with senior vice president of buses Darryl Irick.

"Today is a big day, for both Staten Island and for New York City Transit," said Byford.

"This has truly been a customer-led initiative. We've essentially gone to a blank piece of paper to make sure we design a network that's fit for the 21st century and that gets Staten Islanders where they want to go in Manhattan as quickly as possible," Byford continued.

Representatives from the transit workers' union, ATU Local 726, were also in attendance for the first day of the new network.

"The express bus service I think needed to be changed, it was a long time coming, and I think the customers are going to enjoy it," said ATU Local 726 president Daniel Cassella.

While Cassella is confident that the end-to-end run times for the routes will be reduced under the new system, he believes more must be done to truly speed up the commutes.

"Hopefully they'll work on the HOV lane and the traffic because without fixing those things, we're basically a limited bus service," said Cassella.

The true test of the redesigned network will come on Monday, during the first weekday commute under the new system.

Riders may want to leave earlier and allow for extra time during Monday's commute, especially those traveling to a different express bus stop than the one they used under the previous configuration.

"The limited stops might be an issue at the beginning. People are used to coming out of their house and being at their usual bus stop. Now they're going to have to walk a little further," said Cassella.

Advance reporters will be stationed throughout Staten Island during Monday's morning commute to gather feedback from riders and assess how smoothly the first weekday commute runs.

Live coverage on SILive.com will begin at 6:30 a.m. Monday.

Riders can plan their commutes on the new express bus network up to 30 days in advance using the new MTA website or the myMTA mobile app.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Monday marked the first weekday of the newly redesigned Staten Island express bus network.

According to the MTA, the redesign improves end-to-end run times by reducing time spent on congested Manhattan streets, reducing the number of turns at intersections and increasing the miles spent running non-stop on highways.

Here's what you need to know for Tuesday's morning commute.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS

Before you take an express bus, figure out which route and bus will work the best for your daily commute.

At the Eltingville Transit Center, a wall contains pamphlets for every express bus route. There is also a full map of the redesigned network, which allows residents to figure out what new SIM bus will best fit their commute.

Commuters can also refer to a recent Advance report to find their new SIM routes.

PREPARE TO WALK

Some commuters will have to walk an extra five to 10 minutes, after some stops were removed on Staten Island, and others were relocated in Manhattan.

According to the MTA, nearly 70 percent of riders will continue to use the same bus stop they previously used, while the remainder will have to walk a short distance that will ultimately reduce their total travel time.

Only 1 percent of riders will have to walk more than five minutes from their former stop, according to the MTA.

INCORRECT SIGNAGE

Commuters who travel on the SIM2 were met with confusion on Monday morning.

An incorrect sign for the SIM2 is located on the corner of Woodrow Road and Arden Avenue, when it should be placed across the street at the same intersection.

The SIM23 stop is in the correct location.

GET TO TRANSIT CENTER EARLY

The Park-and-Ride at the Eltingville Transit Center was full at about 7:30 a.m. on Monday. Commuters were forced to park alongside the grass, creating their own spots.

One Facebook commenter, Anastasia Malishka, said she barely got a parking spot at the transit center around 7:20 a.m.

If you're planning on taking a bus out of the transit center, be sure to get there early to ensure you have a parking spot.

LAST STOPS

Two commuters claimed the last stop before the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, at Narrows and Fingerboard Road, was more crowded than usual on Monday morning.

Some SIM10 buses were already filled to capacity by the time they made it to the last stop before the bridge.

The MTA New York City Transit Twitter account posted Monday afternoon that it will add extra SIM10 buses.

"We're adding some extra early morning trips for SIM10 customers to help ease the crowding we saw this morning from 4-6 AM. We are continuing to monitor and will provide further updates this week," according to the MTA New York City Transit Twitter account.

Were adding some extra early morning trips for SIM10 customers to help ease the crowding we saw this morning from 4-6 AM. We are continuing to monitor and will provide further updates this week.  NYCT Buses (@NYCTBus) August 20, 2018

Allow additional travel time if your express bus stop is the last stop before it leaves Staten Island.

New MTA express bus service on Staten Island begins 38 Gallery: New MTA express bus service on Staten Island begins

FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
"Our signatures below do not necessarily mean that we concur with the opinions expressed by former CIA Director Brennan or the way in which he expressed them," the latest statement says. "What they do represent, however, is our firm belief that the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Calling all commuters: We want to hear from you!

With the first weekday commute under the newly redesigned Staten Island express bus network upon us, we're looking to our readers to provide feedback on how the new system is performing early on.

Having trouble locating your new bus stop Monday morning? Are crowded buses passing you by? Are drivers stopping at the appropriate stops? Is your daily commute any longer or shorter than it was under the previous network?

Please email responses to Staten Island Advance transportation reporter Erik Bascome at tbascome@siadvance.com or leave them in the comments section below. Feel free to share video clips and photos with us as well.

Reporters will be stationed across Staten Island during the Monday morning rush hour, beginning at 6:30 a.m., feeding into a live blog post on SILive.com to keep you updated on how the first weekday commute unfolds.

The new network, officially implemented on Sunday, features 21 new express bus routes designed to increase the speed and reliability of your daily commute.

The network offers riders more direct routes and less frequent stopping. However, to make room for those efficiencies, some riders have to catch the bus at a new stop that's farther away than their previous one.

The redesigned network improves end-to-end run times by reducing time spent on congested Manhattan streets, reducing the number of turns at intersections and increasing the miles spent running non-stop on highways.

However, in the weeks leading up to the new system, riders have voiced various concerns regarding the changes to their daily commutes.

South Shore residents have complained that the late night weekday service in their area has been cut, with residents only being able to travel as far south as the Eltingville Transit Center after 8:15 p.m.

Out-of-borough commuters traveling to the College of Staten Island have expressed concerns that reductions in early morning and late night service could impede their ability to get to school and/or work on time.

Riders have also noted large gaps in service during transitions from peak to off-peaks hours, and vice versa.

The MTA announced during last week's live Twitter chat with New York City Transit President Andy Byford that they will make temporary changes as needed to the new express bus schedules, with a "major schedule revision" slated for January 1.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Commuters experienced the first weekday morning commute of the newly redesigned Staten Island MTA express bus network Monday morning, and parking spots at the Eltingville Transit Center's Park and Ride were scarce by as early as 7:30 a.m.

"The parking will be a problem when school starts. If you come late it's a problem and there's not enough parking," said Teressa from Pleasant Plains.

Commuters were forced to park alongside the grass, creating their own spots, on Monday morning.

One Facebook commenter, Anastasia Malishka, said she barely got a parking spot at the transit center on Monday.

She posted the following: "What a joke!!! this is the first day of the change drove to Eltingville transit center. Barely got a parking spot. The SIM 22 was 10 min late and by the Woodrow stop it was full! MTA New York City Transit thanks for making an already frustrating Monday commute even worse !!!"

Ten express bus routes now run to Manhattan from the Eltingville Transit Center: SIM1, SIM4, SIM5, SIM6, SIM7, SIM8, SIM10, SIM15, SIM22 and SIM31. As a result of several bus stops being removed from the South Shore as part of the new network -- many residents must now travel to transportation hubs, like the Eltingville Transit Center, to catch their bus.

On Monday morning, this resulted in more cars at the Park and Ride, and not enough space to accommodate them.

MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford was at the Eltingville Transit Center speaking to commuters Monday.

"We understand that this is a big change for Staten Island," he said. "My staff and myself are committed to helping you through that process. Use the MY MTA app and hopefully you can reap the benefits of all the changes."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD is asking for the public's help finding a New Brighton woman, who has been missing since Friday.

Kimberly Flagg, 48, was last seen leaving her apartment at the Richmond Terrace housing project around 5 p.m. Friday, according to a media release from the NYPD.

A spokesman for the department said Flagg suffers from mental health issues, and has run away in the past.

Cops described her a black female approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, and 140 pounds. She was last seen wearing a gray shirt and green pants.

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.
The Staten Island Yankees fell, 6-3, to host Vermont Lake Monsters Sunday.

Canaan Smith hit an RBI double and Jesus Bastidas singled to drive in Smith and put the Baby Bombers ahead 2-0 in the second inning.

A four-run fifth inning pushed Vermont to victory. Marcos Brito singled and Jonah Bride supplied a two-run double.

Vermont added a run apiece in the fifth and sixth innings to seal the win.

Sauer pitched in the loss.

The Yanks (28-27) will face Lowell Monday at 7 p.m.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Soon after Dana Magee earned his college degrees, he was hired as a consultant at a firm that dealt with many not-for-profits.

It didn't take long before he was offered a position at what is now known as Community Resources -- it would be the beginning of a lifetime career from which he never deviated.

His commitment to the population that attended his agency, and their need for residences, led him to Community Board 2 and, eventually, to his role as chairman.

When you were young what did you want to be?

When I was young, I showed significant talent in art. I was accepted into the High School for Art & Design [in Manhattan] with plans to go into commercial art. [Instead] I served for four years in the military as a petty officer in the U.S. Navy onboard a ship in Vietnam and the Mediterranean. I consider that a valuable part of my education.

What did you do when you left the Navy?

I used the GI Bill to attend Staten Island Community College, where I earned an associate's degree, and Richmond College, where I obtained a bachelor's degree in economics, and minored in fine art. Though I was going to college full-time, I also worked full-time for the weekly Staten Island Register [newspaper], with the intention of going into advertising.

What happened when you finished college?

I was recruited by a Manhattan-based consulting/financial development firm, specializing in hospitals, colleges, museums, etc., whose clients included the Intrepid Museum, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Brooklyn Catholic Charities and the Visiting Nurse Association. I was totally hooked by the not-for-profit administration from my early days as a consultant.

Where did that move take you?

I was invited to serve on several non-profit boards. Among them was the fledgling agency Staten Island Aid for Retarded Children, which was later renamed Community Resources. The then-Executive Director Joan Hodum, one of the finest women I have ever known, asked me to join the staff. I joined in 1983. I served as development director and later as associate executive director. I was appointed CEO in 1997.

Tell us about the agency and what has happened since you became the CEO.

We have grown steadily in our mission of providing people of all ages and abilities with the opportunities and experiences which will enable them to reach their potential, achieve the highest level of independence and lead rewarding lives as fully participating and contributing members of the community. We have also grown as an agency from a small "mom and pop" to one of the metropolitan area's largest and most experienced voluntary service providers with a staff of 350 and serving 2,000 individuals annually.

What caused you to become a member of Community Board 2?

In developing community residences for people with developmental disabilities, I was the face of, and presenter for, Community Resources at the Community Board's public hearings...not always a pleasant process in the 1980s. This confirmed my decision to join the Community Board and try to effect change. I was appointed to the board by then-Borough President Ralph Lamberti in 1989, and I am very proud to say I still serve at the pleasure of our elected officials.

How did you rise to become chairman of the board?

During my tenure, I served as chairman of the youth committee, first vice chairman, and, since 2004, as chairman of the board, which I believe makes me the longest serving chair on Staten Island. I am very proud of CB2, and the fine men and women who give their time to make a difference. We are the little guys who make a big difference.

How do you manage to handle two such important and time-consuming responsibilities?

I think I manage time well. I'm a list-maker and pride myself on organization, but am blessed with a dedicated, incredible staff at Community Resources and a president and district manager who runs the office and daily operation of the Community Board and is second to none in her knowledge and ability.

Who do you admire?

Joan P. Hodum, who was the long-serving executive director of Community Resources, who had the heart and intelligence to build an organization that could improve the lives of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

What would you change if you were able?

If I could change something it would be the way society views people with special needs. Under the surface, we are all the same.

GET TO KNOW DANA MAGEE

Who inspires him: "My wife and children are a constant inspiration to me. My mother and father instilled a work ethic in me that still keeps me going. Most of all, I am inspired by the people we serve who face challengers every day and meet them with a positive outlook and a willingness to live their lives to the fullest."

His family: "Aug. 7 was the anniversary of the 47th year of marriage to my best friend and soul mate, Patricia, who I met on a blind date while in the Navy. [We have two kids]. Victoria, who works at Community Resources and is married to Michael Arvanities; [and] my son, Dana Jr., [who] lives in Florida and has two children."

What he likes to do: He loves to travel, and has been to Europe, the Caribbean and various places in the U.S. Trips to Italy are always a favorite. In his spare time, he and his wife enjoy reading, kayaking, working at their Pocono lake house and "zipping around" in his vintage Vespa. He is happiest out to dinner with his wife and family or just hanging out in their lake house.

How he'd describe himself: "I often find it hard to relax in the traditional way, but I am a regular guy who loves his family, his hometown, his job and the special people he serves."
By |

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

NEW YORK -- Yankees slugger Aaron Judge still feels pain in his fractured right wrist, he told reporters following Sunday's 10-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.

"Oh, yeah, it's still healing. It's still fractured," he said. "So, it's still a little bit of pain in there. That's what we're just trying to get past right now. I think it usually takes four to six weeks for stuff like that to heal, so [we're] waiting for those six weeks."

The Yankees set a three-week timetable for Judge's return after a fastball hit his hand, forcing him to the disabled list July 27. That timetable was contingent on Judge being able to play through the pain in the wrist.

While Judge was able to run the bases and perform defensive drills on Sunday, he still hasn't been able to swing a bat without pain.

Manager Aaron Boone has described the pain that Judge was trying to get past as at the end of the range of motion of the wrist.

"Today was a low-key day for him," Boone said Sunday.

The Yankees are off Monday. They start a two-game series in Miami on Tuesday.

"We'll just see where (Judge) is (Tuesday)," Boone said.

The Yankees could use Judge back as soon as possible. Not only are they missing catcher Gary Sanchez, who's on the disabled list with a right groin strain, but they could lose Didi Gregorius for a while. The shortstop suffered a "pretty bad" heel bruise in Sunday's victory during a collision at first base, Boone said.
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"Fentanyl was responsible for nearly 30,000 deaths in the US last year. Many Americans don't know it can be an instant killer when laced into pills, marijuana," Conway tweeted. "Thank you @realDonaldTrump for showing courage & resolve to keep the poison out of our communities & out of our kids."
The $3.1 billion takeover of the listed Investa Office Fund is on a knife-edge as the unlisted Investa Commercial Property Fund says it will not approve the Blackstone proposal. IOF shares closed down 2.1 per cent to $4.99. The unlisted ICPF, which owns a share of 126 Phillip Street in Sydney, holds a crucial 19.9 per cent direct stake in IOF and said that the Blackstone deal ''does not adequately reflect the value of the IOF portfolio''. According to analysts at CLSA, this could force Blackstone to sweeten its current all cash offer of $5.15 per IOF share. The Investa Commercial Property Fund has signalled its intention to vote down the Blackstone deal.

''As this is likely a price which Blackstone could match or beat, this suggests ICPF has no intention to accept even an increased Blackstone bid,'' CLSA analysts said. ''This announcement substantially increases the risk of no deal for IOF and hence a significant price fall. It's worth remembering that the bid is currently at a 3.9 per cent 2019 distribution yield and that IOF's 2019 guidance is for a 4.6 per cent decline in funds from operations.'' A meeting of IOF shareholders is being held in Sydney on Tuesday, August 29, and the deal is in danger of collapsing with the ICPF decision. KPMG as independent expert has said the Blackstone offer is not fair, but reasonable and in the best interests of IOF shareholders. Another IOF shareholder, APN Property with 1.47 per cent, has also said it will vote against the Blackstone offer, saying there is more value in IOF, ''something Blackstone well understands''. In a twist, ICPF has also struck an agreement to sell down 9.99 per cent of its stake in IOF to Canadian-based pension fund Oxford Property Group. That sale is predicated on the Blackstone deal not proceeding.
Elon Musk sees no option but to keep working in his own personal Ludicrous mode, no matter the deepening concerns of board members and investors about his health and stability as he propels Tesla Inc. toward a possible rebirth as a private company.

Only a few hours before sunrise in California on Sunday, Musk said he'd just gotten home from the electric-car factory where he has toiled -- and often slept -- for months to ramp up Model 3 sedan production. The chief executive officer rebutted a post from digital-media mogul Arianna Huffington, who had urged him to take time off lest he fall short of his ambitions to change the world. Sorry, said Musk: "It is not an option."

The exchange underscores Musk's determination to lead Tesla through the turmoil that accelerated after his August 7 tweet suggesting he'd secured funding to take the firm private at $US420 a share. Rather than soaring toward that value, the stock has since plummeted 20 per cent as parts of Musk's story unravel and pressure mounts on Tesla's board for its handling of the iconic CEO. Nothing will get easier this week as he and Tesla's board align with their separate sets of legal and financial advisers, all amid inquiries from US securities regulators.

On Sunday, the picture became even murkier. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund -- the very investor that Musk described as a linchpin of his plan to take Tesla private -- was reported by Reuters to consider buying a stake in another US electric-car company. The Saudis' Public Investment Fund, which recently bought an almost 5 per cent stake in Tesla, was reported to be in talks for a separate $US1 billion ($1.4 billion) investment in Lucid Motors that would give the fund control of that fledgling automaker.
Oji Udezue is looking for businesses which can become the mother lode of opportunity, if done right.

The angel investor, startup mentor and head of communications products at Atlassian is in Australia for the first time to work with Melbourne edutech startup Quitch, a platform which uses a games format for uni students by delivering course information via a mobile app.

Angel investor and Atlassian head of communications products, Oji Udezue.

Quitch is one operation where Udezue sees big opportunities.

The entrepreneur joined the company's board after first meeting the team through serendipity last year, when he headed up a pitch competition at the South by Southwest festival last year.
Sometimes you see the English language evolving in real time, in front of you, on social media or TV or even in older, less accelerated forms such as books.

From Norman Mailer we received the word factoid. From Dr Seuss, nerd. And from Richard Dawkins, meme. About a fortnight ago, however, I was lucky enough to see Australian English undergo a forced evolution, which is still not complete, on the sixth floor of 295 Ann Street, Brisbane, a nondescript office building housing the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

It's not without precedent: Eggslut at Los Angeles Grand Central Market. Credit:Jakob Layman

There, in a strikingly grey and featureless hearing room, a former soldier, Peter Coster, was forcing the Tribunal to ponder the nature of the word slut, and specifically whether it was drained of its offensive nature when appended to the word egg.

As in Eggslut.
Australian Industrial Energy has secured the country's first floating LNG import ship which could help lift pressure on the forecast gas shortage in 2020.

Norwegian firm Hoegh LNG  one of the largest global suppliers of floating regasification units  has signed an agreement with AIE to bring a floating import terminal to Port Kembla in NSW. This new agreement puts AIE on the path to have new gas pumping into NSW and Victoria in 2020.

The floating terminal will take imported LNG, re-gasify it, and inject it into pipelines that will transport it to the east coast gas network 10 kilometres away.

The proposed LNG import terminal would be berthed in Port Kembla's inner harbour. Credit:AIE

This [ship] is the heart and soul of the import terminal project, AIE chief executive James Baulderstone told Fairfax Media.
But for Bennett, who as a child actor charmed Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis and earned the nickname Jimmy Two-Takes because he rarely flubbed his lines, the 2013 hotel-room encounter was a betrayal that precipitated a spiral of emotional problems, according to the documents. The fallout from "a sexual battery" was so traumatic that it hindered Bennett's work and income and threatened his mental health, according to a notice of intent to sue that his lawyer sent in November to Richard Hofstetter, Bourdain's longtime lawyer, who was also representing Argento at the time. Argento, who lives in Rome, subsequently turned to Goldberg  a prominent lawyer for victims of online attacks  to handle the case. (Hofstetter is now handling the estate of Bourdain, who killed himself in June. Although Bourdain helped Argento navigate the matter, neither Hofstetter nor Kimberly Witherspoon, Bourdain's longtime agent and now a spokeswoman for his wife, Ottavia Busia, from whom he was separated, would comment for this article.) Bennett's notice of intent asked for $US3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery. Bennett made more than $US2.7 million in the five years before the 2013 meeting with Argento, but his income has since dropped to an average of $US60,000 a year, which he attributes to the trauma that followed the sexual encounter with Argento, his lawyer wrote. In October, a month before Bennett sent his demand for money, The New Yorker published an article by Ronan Farrow that included Argento among 13 women who accused Weinstein of harassment and rape.

Argento, whose father, Dario Argento, is a noted director of Italian horror films, began her acting career as a child. She went on to win two David di Donatello Awards, the Italian equivalent of Oscars, and has directed films, written a novel and recorded music. After she spoke out about Weinstein, Argento quickly emerged as a powerful voice for women who have been mistreated by men. In May, she gave a riveting speech at the Cannes Film Festival in which she called the festival Weinstein's "hunting ground." She said he had raped her there in 1997, when she was 21. The relationship with Weinstein continued for years afterward and sometimes included sex, The New Yorker reported. Argento, who had acted in a movie Weinstein produced, told the magazine that she feared angering him. It was a complicated situation in which she said she felt powerless. "After the rape, he won," she told Farrow. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to six felony counts in New York, including first-degree rape; none are related to Argento. His lawyers have said their relationship was consensual. Argento speaks about being raped by Harvey Weinstein, with jury member Ava Duvernay, during the closing ceremony of Cannes in May. Credit:Invision

Bourdain, long a fan of her father's work, met Argento when he was shooting an episode of his CNN show Parts Unknown in Rome in late 2016. The two became a couple, and Bourdain became her champion as she emerged as a leading figure in the battle against sexual assault and harassment, speaking at conferences and at Harvard. For Bennett, seeing Argento present herself as a victim of sexual assault was too much to bear, his lawyer wrote, and called up memories of their hotel reunion. "His feelings about that day were brought to the forefront recently when Ms. Argento took the spotlight as one of the many victims of Harvey Weinstein," Sattro wrote in the notice of intent to sue. Argento, who is divorced and has two children, was both a mentor and a mother figure to Bennett, the document says, and the two were intermittently in contact as he grew up. "Jimmy's impression of this situation was that a mother-son relationship had blossomed from their experience on set together," Sattro wrote. Bennett began acting at age 6, when he was cast in a commercial for a Dodge Caravan. He went on to appear in dozens of other commercials, and secured roles in several television shows. His prolific movie career started in 2003 with Daddy Day Care, which starred Eddie Murphy. Bennett was 7 when he was cast in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, a 2004 film Argento directed, starred in and helped write.

The script, based on a book by pseudonymous writer JT LeRoy, depicts the grim relationship between a drug-addicted prostitute played by Argento and her son, played by Bennett and two other young actors. Argento's character dresses her son as a girl to lure men, and the boy is ultimately raped. In interviews and subsequent social media posts between the two over the years, they referred to each other as mother and son. On May 9, 2013, the day they met for a reunion in her room at a Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California, she posted on Instagram: "Waiting for my long lost son my love @jimmymbennett in trepidation #marinadelrey smoking cigarettes like there was no next week." Bennett responded, "I'm almost there!:)" Bennett, who has an eye condition that prevents him from driving, arrived at Argento's hotel room that morning with a family member, according to his notice of intent.

The document lays out Bennett's account: Argento asked the family member to leave so she could be alone with the actor. She gave him alcohol to drink and showed him a series of notes she had written to him on hotel stationery. Then she kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, removed his pants and performed oral sex. She climbed on top of him and the two had intercourse, the document says. She then asked him to take a number of photos. Later that day she posted a close-up of their faces on Instagram with the caption, "Happiest day of my life reunion with @jimmymbennett xox," and added that "jimmy is going to be in my next movie and that is a fact, dig that jack." That post and others were included with the notice of intent, along with three photos apparently taken by Bennett that depict him and Argento in bed, their unclothed torsos exposed. (Only one of the photos taken in bed shows both their faces.) The two had lunch, and Bennett headed home to Orange County, where he lived with his parents. As he was driven home, according to his claim, he began to feel "extremely confused, mortified, and disgusted." But a month later, on June 8, he sent Argento a Twitter message, "Miss you momma!!!!" that included a photograph of an engraved bracelet she had given him to commemorate the movie. (His Twitter account has recently been shut down.) That same month, he confronted his mother and stepfather over the state of a trust into which some of his earnings as an actor had been deposited, according to a lawsuit he filed in Orange County Superior Court in October 2014.

Bennett claimed his parents had barred him from the family's house and kept his possessions, and over the years had cheated him out of at least $US1.5 million in earnings. He said he was broke and two months behind on his rent. The case was settled in December 2014, but the terms were not disclosed. In the agreement between Argento and Bennett, she agreed to pay him $US380,000 over the course of a year and a half, starting with an initial payment of $US200,000 that was made in April, according to a letter to Argento in which her lawyer, Goldberg, outlined the terms of the deal. The agreement does not prevent either party from discussing it. In the letter, Goldberg explained that California law does not allow nondisclosure agreements in civil contracts involving the types of allegations made by Bennett. One alternative, Goldberg wrote, would be to work around the California law by using New York lawyers and arguing that the laws of New York govern the agreement. "Ultimately, you decided against the non-disclosure language because you felt it was inconsistent with the public messages you've conveyed about the societal perils of non-disclosure agreements," she wrote to Argento.
An elderly man has been taken to Canberra Hospital after a crash between a car and a garbage truck.

Emergency services were called to Namatjira Drive in Fisher just after 10am on Monday following the collision.

An Emergency Services Agency spokeswoman said paramedics took a man in his 80s to hospital in a stable condition.
The 28-year-old was on his motorcycle when he was struck by a car, suffering spinal damage, a slipped disc and shoulder and knee injuries. Even though Mr Cimen was not at fault, it took months and months until he was given the green light by GIO to undergo surgery. They just werent playing ball with me, he said. The major blow came when Mr Cimen was told that his psychological injuries were only minor  and he could not claim damages for them  despite serious physical injuries. Mr Cimen appealed and the matter went to an internal review, conducted by the insurer. Next, the internal review officer was on the phone, asking him all sorts of weird questions.

I felt like he was interrogating me, Mr Cimen recalled. The officer used the contents of the conversation to uphold the insurers decision and overrule the medical diagnosis of Mr Cimens treating psychologist. It was only when solicitor Philip Scroope, of Gajic Lawyers, intervened that GIO reversed the decision. Mr Scroope, who acted pro bono, said there were serious procedural concerns around the evidence the review officer had chosen to consider. Mr Cimen is a truck driver by trade and a second-generation Australian with no experience with the legal process whatsoever, he said.

The insurance company has made a crazy decision that would have kept him out of his claim, had it not been challenged. GIO is owned by the Suncorp Group. Personal injury executive general manager Christopher McHugh said the company had apologised and corrected its processes. At no point was the claimant disadvantaged by our mistake, as it occurred during the statutory period, so they were receiving benefits, he said. Mr McHugh accused lawyers groups of having a vested interest in maintaining the old adversarial system. It routinely saw many lawyers pursuing low-impact collisions with claimants having no observable injuries in order to maximise lump-sum payments, he said.

The industry watchdog is the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA). A spokesperson defended the new internal review process as best practice and widely used within the insurance and financial services industries. The internal review process is designed to allow injured people to challenge the insurers decision quickly and simply, they said. But the NSW president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, Andrew Stone, SC, slammed it as a complete waste of time to ask an insurer to change its mind. Mr Stone cautioned that insurers had different levels of combativeness but said there were areas in which they were trying it on. It has certainly been the experience of those representing the injured that, over the past few years, insurers are making excessive allegations of contributory negligence, he said.

He urged SIRA to publish data comparing insurer performance in areas such as complaints, so the public could make informed choices when purchasing green slips. I buy my policy based on which insurer would handle the claim if I had an accident and my family was injured, he said. The Australian Lawyers Alliance supplied an untrue and misleading letter to the parliamentary inquiry in which an insurer told a claimant they would not be able to recover legal costs spent in pursuing a claim. The inquiry has also heard concerns from the NSW Bar Association that the removal of lawyers from the process of resolving less serious claims has thrust people into unequal contests with giant insurance companies. Stuart Green believes he was only compensated for his injuries when a law firm intervened. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Canberra man Stuart Green believes he would not have been compensated for injuries sustained in an accident in NSW without the intervention of law firm Slater and Gordon. Under the new system, a claim has to be submitted within 28 days of an accident, or on the next business day should the time limit expire on a weekend. Mr Green snapped multiple bones in a motorcycle accident in February. He received the paperwork from his GP as the deadline fell, on a Sunday. He lodged his claim first thing on Monday morning. But NRMA denied the payout, affirming its decision upon internal review. When lawyers intervened the matter went to a hearing, which ruled in Mr Greens favour. The self-employed mortgage broker was forced to live off a credit card for the month he was unable to work and felt aggrieved by the experience.

The period of time I really needed help  and that system is there to help people  it was refused to me, he said. A spokesperson for Insurance Australia Group (IAG), which owns NRMA, put the dispute down to challenges with the introduction of the reforms. IAG shared the outcome of the dispute resolution with other insurers with the view of reducing duplication of this error and we are now in the process of reviewing claims made prior to this point of clarification, she said. A SIRA spokesperson said it conducted ongoing monitoring and targeted audits of insurers and intended to publish data comparing numbers of insurer complaints. Finance Minister Victor Dominello said there had been fewer than 30 complaints regarding claims management under the new scheme. Credit:Peter Rae

The new scheme presents a significant culture change for insurers  SIRA is working with insurers to ensure the shift in culture occurs and will act on any inappropriate conduct. Finance Minister Victor Dominello said there had been fewer than 30 complaints regarding claims management under the new scheme, while more than 5000 claims had been made. There was a higher degree of friction between lawyers and insurers in the old scheme and the cost of this was borne by motorists through higher premiums, he said. Mr Dominello added the focus was on early intervention, with fast-tracked payments covering lost income and medical expenses for the injured. The biggest winners under the new scheme are motorists who have had their green slips significantly reduced, with Sydney motorists saving $157 on average this year.

The scheme has introduced automatic benefits for six months  covering medical expenses and lost wages for anyone deemed to have a minor injury. Soft tissue and psychological injuries make up the lions share of such claims. People are eligible regardless of fault, opening the scheme up to an additional 7000 drivers for the first time. But the Law Society warned the new minor injury definition appeared to have given rise to a significant reduction in damages claims, by bundling people out of the system before they were fully recovered. Victims with injuries that were in no way minor in terms of impact were facing significantly harsher treatment, it said. Insurers have classified injuries such as disc protrusions to the cervical or lumbar spine as  minor, despite those injuries preventing a claimant from returning to employment at, or at period approaching, the 26-week mark, the organisation wrote in its submission to the parliamentary review.

Campbell Fuller, from the Insurance Council of Australia, said nearly all people determined to have a minor injury were expected to recover within six months, with the insurer able to approve treatment beyond that time for the small number who had not. Partner at Carroll and ODea Lawyers Olivia Mailian. The Australian Lawyers Alliance put the number who would not have recovered closer to 50 per cent and argued the insurers were unlikely to use their discretion to continue payments. Mr Fuller acknowledged teething issues with the new system but said it had multiple checks and balances to protect the interests of injured people. The ICA does not agree that there are any systematic issues of inappropriate insurer conduct, he said.

Olivia Mailian, partner at Carroll and ODea Lawyers, said cutting an injured person off from treatment would shift costs on to the federal government. Someone with a bulging disc in their spine could require surgery at 12 months, she said. If youre losing wages, youre going to access Centrelink and Medicare benefits. Innocent parties with severe injuries who ended up in the court system would lose out, Ms Mailian warned, because they were now only entitled to two categories of compensation: economic loss and pain and suffering payments. Under the old scheme you used to be able to sue for things like commercial care and care provided by family, she said. In cases where less than $75,000 is recovered in the courts, lawyers are no longer entitled to seek solicitor-client costs.
The rich, idyllic picture painted by Helen Pitt of the postcode encompassing the pile of the Prime Minister in Point Piper pales beside the words of one of his constituents who said, I think the people of Wentworth like the man, not the politician Turnbull (Postcard from postcode 2027: Point Piper stands by its man, August 20). Hasnt this been his problem from the get-go? The hypocrisy, the lack of courage, the seemingly self-serving decisions and his inability to be the real Malcolm is what has defined his prime ministership. - Lyn Savage, Coogee I think well look back and realise the prime ministership was just a hobby for Malcolm, a box to tick. He has shown no conviction. He made his career and fortune decades ago and has no stomach for politics. - David Mansford, Concord West We need statesmen, not squabbling Luddites The Prime Minister betrayed every voter who took seriously his rhetoric (Turnbull removes climate change targets in fresh bid to save leadership, smh.com, August 20). I will paraphrase Richard Nixon from 1962: we wont have Malcolm Turnbull to kick around any more. - Victor Diskordia, McKellar (ACT) The Coalition is clearly divided; as a result, the government is dysfunctional and distracted. I am one of many readers of the Herald who would like to see a snap election to make the decision on the NEG and other policies. - Arumugam Manoharan, Kareela

It is time for the Governor-General to activate his power and dismiss this government, as it is blatantly obvious it is incapable of working coherently to advance the traditions and values of the population. The nation needs statesmen, not squabbling Luddites. - Graham Tooth, Kings Point In July the Supreme Court of India, reviewing the fundamental principles of constitutional government, quoted Sir Ivor Jennings (1903-65): A government that cannot make up its mind on a fundamental issue ought not to be the government and will be so regarded in the constituencies. Its fall may be regarded as imminent. - Tony Blackshield, Wollstonecraft We need a government that takes climate change seriously and recognises the longer we neglect our responsibility to this urgent problem the more dire the consequences shall be, and the economic repercussions will be beyond any current cost analysis. - Jeannette Piel, Bowral Would all the Liberal and crossbench dissenters to the NEG take a good hard look at themselves and see if they are doing this for the good of Australians or for their own ambitions? As a long-time Liberal voter I would prefer the government is returned next election, as the global economy is weakening and we do not need a weak Labor prime minister and party who will send us further into debt. - Owen Hellyer, Somersby Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews just gets on with it, pledging $1 billion to promote solar power. Making energy cheaper and greener is not that hard after all. - Julius Timmerman, Lawson

Mr Turnbull, can you now interfere in the oil market and set about ordering oil companies to reduce their oil prices, which have a huge impact on my cost of living. - Esther Scholem, Macquarie Park Marvellous. Another week of them doing jack for us and banging on about themselves. - Clare Zagami, Wentworth Falls Message of hope amid the hatred Over the years I have often thought about writing a letter to the editor when the latest example of political bastardry provoked outrage, but my first letter instead comes from a sense of wonder that I felt when I read the article by Alpha Cheng (I have no yearning to ban Muslims, August 20).

What an astonishing man Cheng must be. His inspirational message should be compulsory reading, especially for those in our political class who appear to want to drive divisions in our society. -

Liam Ewing, Balmain East The words from the heart brought tears to my eyes. Chengs insightful and infinitely logical opinion piece should be compulsory reading for those who prefer to preach hatred and division in our multicultural community. If we can spread Alphas message of reason and compassion, his words will not fall on deaf ears and his fathers murder will not have been in vain. - Joy Nason, Mona Vale

I taught at an all-girls high school in the western suburbs in the 1990s and had to repeatedly say all the things Mr Cheng has had to say beyond his personal tragedy. I found his article moving on so many levels, but his ability to forgive the unimaginable horror of his fathers death left me tearful. Thank you, Mr Cheng, for your compassion and your courage for calling out both the racism that reared up from your fathers death and your denial of the racism that this collective of hate expected you to feel. - Lyndsay Carruthers, Dee Why Dont be coy, Gladys Gladys Berejiklian is not going to say where she thinks more development is no longer appropriate in Sydney (Premier warns of overdevelopment, but wont say where August 20). Shes being a bit coy, so well all have to try and guess. Could it possibly be her electorate? - Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga As well as stalling on major residential schemes, Gladys needs to apply some decent planning controls to allay community concerns about overdevelopment, which is more aptly described as greedy developer-driven excess. Best practice would include reduced heights to prevent overshadowing, increased setbacks to ensure retention of surrounding green spaces and streetscapes and more effort to retain existing trees on development sites.

Most residents would accept well-planned low- and medium-density leading to a more liveable city. - Carey Buls, Saratoga We need a digital Plan B Illustration: John Shakespeare A rolled-back software upgrade brought Sydney trains to a standstill (IT collapse blamed for citys rail fiasco, August 20). Coles cash registers failed, causing supermarket closures (Tech glitch shuts supermarkets, August 20). How pathetic we have become. In theory, the trains could still move under the watchful eyes of their drivers. In theory, customers could still pay cash for their groceries. But the more dependant we have become on unreliable software, the closer we get to a total breakdown of modern society. Do any of todays hi-tech hipsters promoting their dubious digital solutions for everything have a plan B? - Greg Cantori, Kareela It would seem that Sydney has a new iconic experience with which to dazzle our international visitors. Adding to walking across the Harbour Bridge, catching the ferry to Manly and feeling the sand through your toes at Bondi, we now have spending 45 minutes stuck on a train between stations on any given weekend, with nobody having any idea of whats going on or how to fix it.

Perhaps Mr Constance is secretly the Minister for Tourism, having created this theme park-styled Ghost Trains To Nowhere ride. Its nice to see him have some success  hes certainly failed as Minister for Transport. - Juliana Yan, Allawah

State Rail: what does IT stand for  information technology or intelligence test? - Christo Curtis, Beaconsfield TAFE is no write-off The government is considering waiving the debts of former students who were conned by dodgy private colleges. More than $1 billion has already been written off (Students caught up in rort may have debts wiped, August 20). Would never have happened at TAFE. - Robyn Ingram, Cremorne Court out by opinion Michael Clarey (Letters, August 20) fails to appreciate the role of criminal courts in his call for community service in response to the death of a home invader. Someone has been killed and it is up to a court to weigh the evidence as presented by the police/prosecution against the arguments of the defence. We dont know the circumstances of this particular incident beyond what has been reported and its not in the interests of anyone involved, or the community, to simply make assumptions and prescribe a sentence.

This is why we have a legal process and why it should be allowed to operate independently of supposedly informed opinion. - Peter Taylor, Berkeley Vale Speaking to converted Bruce Elders Bob Dylan review (Things have changed  and stayed the same, August 20) is pretty accurate save for one thing. Bruce says Bob doesnt talk to his audience. Wrong! Hes been speaking to his audiences via his songs since the early 60s. As Bob has said, what else has he got to say? And yes, it was a superb concert. - Michael Fischer, Coogee Elders prissily exculpating review of the spine-meltingly rubbish Dylan is a reminder that the voice of his generation still has a long way to go to complete his lifelong project in anti-artistry: seeing how blatantly he can disdain his fawning Boomer audience before they realise hes been laughing at their gullibility the whole time. Whens Neil Young back in town? - Jack Robertson, Birchgrove Medical marvel

What I always found amusing about Dr Len Greenberg being the medical officer to the NSW Rugby League was the fact that he was an obstetrician and gynaecologist (Letters, August 20). Hardly the skill set required when administering to the brutes of that game. - Craig Lilienthal, Wollstonecraft Cleaver for PM Senator Cleaver Greene for PM (The Guide, August 20). At least it would be entertaining. - Bill Young, Greenwich I saw on the ABC on Sunday night a light on the hill. Let us join in welcoming Senator Greene. The stability and security of our political system is assured. - John Arrowsmith, St Ives Has anyone else noted the similarities between Greene and Tony Abbott? They create chaos and then sit back looking pleased with themselves. - Jannette McGuinness,

Bellevue Hill
A man accused of using the popular Couchsurfing app to prey on women is behind bars after two tourists separately accused him of attempted rape.

The 30-year-old Wolli Creek man was refused bail in Sutherland Local Court on Monday accused of two separate attacks and a police pursuit in the past few days.

Couchsurfing is an app and website that allows hosts to offer travellers free accommodation. In a statement, police said the accused used the app to offer accommodation to a 38-year-old Brazilian woman before meeting up with her and other people at The Rocks on Saturday.

The woman agreed to get into his car, and it's alleged she was then driven to Audley Weir in The Royal National Park, south Sydney, where he indecently assaulted her in the car.

She managed to escape, running from his car, before flagging down a motorist and reporting the matter to Sutherland Shire Police.
Two men have been arrested after a police pursuit ended with a ute crashing into shops in Sydney's inner west on Monday night.

Police were patrolling Parramatta Road in Glebe about 11.45pm when a Holden Commodore came under notice after officers ran the vehicle's licence plates.

Using lights and sirens, officers attempted to pull the ute over but it accelerated, sparking a pursuit.

Not long into the pursuit police said smoke began to pour out of the ute, believed to be caused by engine failure.
Penalties payable to the state government for delays to the building of Sydney's troubled $2.1 billion light rail project are capped at $7.5 million, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.

The size of the potential penalties reveals the extent to which the Berejiklian government is limited in its ability to pressure the contractors to finish the project earlier than their latest advice.

The ALTRAC consortium, which is charged with building and operating the line, told the government in April that the project would not be completed until March 2020, which is a year later than originally promised.

Transport for NSW's deputy secretary, Stephen Troughton, said the government was in talks with the consortium to bring the latest completion date forward to December 2019.
Melbourne have overcome their biggest hurdle and qualified for finals for the first time in more than a decade.

But while they also managed to win a close one, which has been another mark against them in the past, the challenge isn't over for the Dees.

This week on The Age Real Footy Podcast, Michael Gleeson, Caroline Wilson, Jake Niall and Bob Murphy celebrate and analyse the September-bound club. How far can they go this season?

Also this week: the top-eight teams are all but set in stone, but where and who they play is up for grabs. How will the final round shape the finals fixture? Port Adelaide look set to have September off, and we take a look at where they've gone wrong with their recruiting.
Malcolm Turnbull's decision to abandon his longstanding climate and energy policy is deeply disappointing and may well lead his prime ministership to the same fate as Kevin Rudd's failure to address the same problem.

Mr Turnbull launched the so-called National Energy Guarantee policy last October in what he said was a co-ordinated plan to cut power prices, increase the reliability of the power supply and meet Australia's obligations under the Paris climate treaty. It was supposed to "break from the climate wars of the past."

Instead the policy has broken him.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is now living from opinion poll to opinion poll. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Turbull has spent the past 10 months arguing his was the only way to bring much-needed certainty to encourage investment in the electricity sector. In fact, the dog's breakfast of policies floated in the past few days as he fights to save his leadership will only deepen the confusion in business circles and hence raise prices.
The idea is to not have a spill so close to an election, but sometimes, in this case, it would be foolish not to call an election immediately. Choose cabinet, bed it down for a month and call an election. If he [Mr Dutton] waited until May he would find himself in the same position Turnbull is today .... divided, directionless. Dr Williams said despite Dickson being marginal Mr Dutton could likely retain it if he was prime minister. Hes the candidate who suits his electorate, he said.

Turnbull has no appeal outside the inner northern suburbs of Brisbane. The prospect of a Dutton prime ministership was met with mixed reviews in Dickson when Fairfax Media visited on Monday. Brisbane Northside Produce owner Andrew Merritt said he rated Mr Dutton, but not as Prime Minister. Andrew Merritt says he likes Peter Dutton, but not as PM. Credit:Robert Shakespeare I dont think thats the best role for him, he said.

I think hes one of a good team, dont think he should be the prime minister. A Dickson resident, Mr Merritt said he did not agree with mid-term changes in leadership. I would still vote for him, I agree with their (LNP) overall concept, the country has to be run as a business, he said. I think he [Dutton] is excellent for this electorate, I see him as doing his job well. Mr Merritt said his customers often gave an indication of what they thought of Mr Dutton and it was pretty evenly divided.

It is marginal, there is no doubt about that, he said. I really think hes got popular support in the work that he does, not as his own personality. There was more enthusiasm from Hallelujah Shoeworks Albany Creek manager Colin Grant. Peter Dutton as PM? Colin Grant says 'hallelujah!'. Credit:Robert Shakespeare Mr Grant said if the LNP believed Mr Dutton was the better candidate, then he was probably was.

They know whats better for Australia, he said. Theyre all from one party and theyre trying to get whats best out of their party. So if they want him, theres no reason why not. Mr Grant said the fact Mr Dutton had been the Federal MP for Dickson since 2001 gave him confidence. Hes never come by [the shop] but he seems to be quite easy to listen to, he said.

When you listen to people on the radio and the TV and you get bored, but when hes speaking he is very easy to listen to. While Mr Grant cannot vote in the division of Dickson, he said if he could vote for Mr Dutton he definitely would as he would love to have his business's local MP be the prime minister. With such a divisive figure as its MP, and given Mr Dutton held the seat with just a 1.6 per cent margin, both Labor and the Greens have been aggressive in their campaigns for the seat.

Labor candidate Ali France said a lot of people in the electorate would feel let down and ignored by Mr Dutton if he challenged the Prime Minister. Hes spent more time creating headlines in Canberra and furthering his own career than he has representing the people of Dickson, she said. Dickson is a marginal seat and residents will have a clear choice at the next election  someone who will fight for them or someone who is fighting to further their own career. In a statement, Greens candidate Benedict Coyne said Mr Dutton may well be wielding the knife in a last-ditch attempt to save his marginal seat. I nominated for Dickson to ensure that Dutton was not reelected, he said.
But the best advancement of Abbotts agenda - to torpedo the National Energy Guarantee, to junk the Paris agreement targets, to kneecap Malcolm Turnbull - has not been through straight reporting, but from editorialising by his friends in the media. Shock jocks Alan Jones and Ray Hadley, climate change denier Andrew Bolt, and Abbotts former chief of staff Peta Credlin, have all used their platforms to attack Turnbull and denounce his energy policy. Turnbulls Energy and Environment Minister, Josh Frydenberg, once a favourite of Jones, has also become a frequent target. Liberal MP Craig Kelly, a regular guest on Sky News, has consistently questioned the government's energy policy. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen My judgement of you is that youve sold your political soul for the sake of ministerial office! Jones told Frydenberg in April, jabbing a stumpy, Jonesian finger in the ministers face as he sat in the studio.

More recently, it has been Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton who has been the subject of anonymously sourced reporting; Dutton who has been talked up on talkback radio. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton does a regular radio interview with Macquarie Media host Ray Hadley. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen On Thursday, Dutton did his usual spot on Ray Hadley's show and stated the obvious, but with apparent intent: that if he found he couldn't support government policy, he would resign his ministership and go on the back bench. On Friday, The Daily Telegraph reported that MPs had "Hit the Panic Dutton" and were urging Dutton to challenge Turnbull. Later that day, Ray Hadley phoned his colleague Chris Smith, while on air, and told 2GB listeners that a challenge to the Prime Minister was happening, for sure and certain. Ive been working the phones all morning. I can confirm that those 10 backbenchers and a couple of people on the frontbench have grown considerably in the last 24 to 48 hours, he told Smith.

That afternoon, journalists were briefed on the new, Dutton-friendly changes to the National Energy Guarantee. Then, on Saturday, the Telegraph splashed with the news that Peter Dutton is seriously considering a leadership challenge for the Prime Ministership. Dutton responded by tweeting :In relation to media stories today, just to make very clear, the Prime Minister has my support and I support the policies of the government. Dutton didnt say the reporting was wrong, very probably because he was aware of the story before it went to print. A cynic might even wonder if he was its ultimate source.

Meanwhile, the after-dark Sky News commentators, including Andrew Bolt, Paul Murray, Peta Credlin and co, have maintained high levels of criticism of the government in general, and the Prime Minister in particular. Loading While the vast majority of Australians do not watch Sky, it has a disproportionate influence in Canberra, where it appears around every corner, on every screen, like the political shadow you cant run from, or, in its nastier incarnations, the ghastly portrait in your attic. Sky has a comparatively small national audience. Last Wednesday, for example, Paul Murray Live and Andrew Bolt's show attracted just under 60,000 viewers each, while Peta Credlin's garnered about 45,000, according to a ratings report on TV Tonight's blog. To put that in context, the ABC's The Drum would get about 200,000 viewers a night and 7.30 would get around 500,000.

Last week on Sky Credlin challenged Liberal senator Jim Molan over his support for the National Energy Guarantee, badgering him over how he could be against the Paris emissions reductions targets but also support the Coalition's energy policy. Her former boss, who famously signed Australia up to the Paris targets, now opposes them, and advocates doing a Trump and leaving the agreement. A few days later, Molan announced via Facebook that he was revising his support for the NEG as it then stood. Loading It is a small number of right-wing conservatives who have torpedoed the NEG, the policy that was supposed to be the grace note of the Turnbull prime ministership, the full stop at the end of the ideological energy wars we have tediously waged in this country for a decade.

But that conservative cluster was able to harness a disproportionate media presence to capsize the NEG, and cruel the genuine attempts by the Prime Minister and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg to end the impasse. And so, a policy supported by the public, and the majority of the Coalition party room, has been successfully wrecked. Twitter: @JacquelineMaley Follow Jacqueline Maley on Facebook
We might wrap up today's rolling coverage right there.

To resort to a cliche: Malcolm Turnbull may have won the battle today, but the war is far from over. Peter Dutton's project has only just begun. There may not be long to wait until the next challenge; Dutton does not need to bring many people into his column to secure a majority in the Liberal party room.

And we'll be right here, keeping you abreast of all the developments as Australia, yet again, goes through a Canberra leadership crisis. Worth remembering the country has not seen a prime minister serve a full term since John Howard, who was voted out in 2007.

Thanks for joining us today and be sure to keep an eye on our websites and tomorrow's papers for more coverage on the ructions at Parliament House.

And I will leave you with this lighter moment from former Labor frontbencher Jenny Macklin:
Ian Morison, Forrest Iciness in our hearts It was Peter Dutton who noted that leaders on South Sea islands move slowly when threatened by climate change so its not surprising that Australian leaders are slow to develop a sustainable energy policy. Were girt by the rising effects of climate change  and droughted, burnt and flooded. The glaciers are melting faster than the Coalition is moving but we voters feel an iciness in our hearts as we try to guess the nature of discussions that politicians have had with fossil fuel companies. Rosemary Walters, Palmerston Robotic image

Believing it the right time to gauge Peter Duttons real standing in the public consciousness I did a pub test.

After three hours of grinding interrogation I finally stumbled (and almost fell) over the first and only punter I could find who knew who Peter Dutton was. While my enthusiastic respondent expressed interest in Peter Dutton as a political force he was privately concerned that he (Dutton) was in fact a robot, an opinion based on the fact that over many years this well-exposed politician had not been observed smiling, nor showing outward signs of warmth. This seemed a reasonable argument to me until I reflected, from my research on humanoids, that those characteristics were the very ones that robotics engineers ensure are in place and visible in every case, even to the point of programming the algorithms for simulating compassion. Which seemed to weaken the robot case. Overall I concluded from my test, after careful statistical analysis, that, either way, it was not a ringing endorsement of Dutton. The only positive outcome, from Duttons point of view, would be that if it turns out he is indeed a robot it might significantly increase his appeal. Philip Telford, Tarago Not the type we need

The poll-participating public has seen not seen any evidence to suggest that Peter Dutton has the experience, interest or commitment to lead this country fairly for all with much-needed forward-looking policies that must include tackling climate change more vigorously and transparently (Fairfax-Ipsos poll: Voter support collapses as Peter Dutton leans towards challenging Malcolm Turnbull, August 20, p1). Sue Dyer, Downer Target US, China, India Mr Mackenzie has had multiple letters published in The Canberra Times recently. His main focus is on climate change and global warming, and I concede that he writes a good letter, and has an excellent command of the English language and grammar. However, I believe hes concentrating on the wrong audience. Assuming that climate change and global warming are real, he needs to be talking to people in a position to make positive changes. Australias contribution of CO2 is a tiny 1.3per cent of the worlds total, and even the Chief Scientist Alan Finkel has conceded that if every Australian were to die tomorrow, if all industry, farms and commerce were to cease operations tomorrow, it wouldnt make any discernible difference. The US has left the Paris agreement, and China, India and Japan are ignoring it. Perhaps Mr Mackenzie should concentrate on writing letters to Donald Trump and the political leaders of China, India and Japan. After all, these are the countries that between them, contribute between 40-50 per cent of world total CO2 emissions.

Ive been a salesman for a long time, and lesson No.1 is  are you talking to the right person, the decision maker? John Burns, Hall Public concern valid I readily agree with John Reaney (Letters, August 17) when he says that, The Australian defence force has a proud record of service. I disagree, however, when he asserts, [it] 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. It is not scurrilous defamation. It is genuine public concern for the continuing reputation of the ADF, which could suffer if even one or two are ever allowed to ignore the rules of behaviour they have sworn to uphold. It is even worse if that bad behaviour stems from a systemic culture within the ADF, which if it exists, needs to be exposed to the light of public scrutiny. As for his sneering comment implying that we ordinary people dont understand the stresses of facing death, Mr Reaney ignores the fact that, on any given day, non-military people from all walks of life may encounter a life-threatening situation but, even if we dont, we can still empathise with those who do. The difference is, we ordinary men and women, unlike our military, rarely have the advantage of (supposedly) being trained to cope with such occasions. Eric Hunter, Cook

Light rail plan off track The article in The Canberra Times dated August18 outlining the ACT governments proposal to run stage two of light rail in front of Old Parliament House, complete with its ugly overhead rail lines, is of deep concern.

I was a member of the inter-departmental committee in 1985-86 which developed the final proposal approved by the federal government for Old Parliament House. A critical element of this proposal was to ensure the architectural and visual integrity of the building within the overall Parliamentary Triangle vista. This specific objective was also specifically designed to ensure that the sweeping vista down the Campbell Parade mall  from the Australian War Memorial across the lake to Old Parliament House and up to the new Parliament House  would not be impeded in any way for generations to come. This objective was so important that the old and temporary east and west additions of the Old Parliament House were removed to achieve this visual amenity. It is a travesty that the ACT government is now proposing to run light rail complete with its obtrusive overhead rail lines in front of Old Parliament House, apparently with the key objective of achieving its urban renewal land use solution. The federal government should in no way endorse this specific element of the proposal.

Ron Edgecombe, Evatt Sad fact of urban realm Here we go again. Transport Canberra director general Emma Thomas told the inquiry into stage two of the light rail that it was not only a transport solution but an urban-renewal land-use solution (Parliament House architect says tram should be wire-free to Adelaide Ave, August18, p1), and in support her deputy, Duncan Edghill, dropped the charmer: Enhance the urban realm. We need planning vision for the people, not urban renewal for trams in the Barr realm. Common sense tells us that every job available in a town lessens the pressure on the transport system and that walking to school should be possible for most primary students. In the case of Wodens proposed intense developments, the nearest government primary schools are well over a kilometre away from these dormitories. As the late Patrick Troy and his colleagues pointed out, and now attested by D.Smith (Letters, August20), there are many questions about the benefits of high-density dwellings. Contrary to the governments emphasis on population density (Developers biggest winners in ACT governments Woden changes, August20), if there is to be an 80-metre-high apartment block, it should be surrounded by a 50-metre-wide restricted band given over primarily to plantings with some single-storey amenities. It is a sad fact that in this urban realm, hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest large city, accommodation for many next-generation families is planned to be in small apartments on the tenth floor, plus or minus a few levels.

John L. Smith, Farrer Hurting Canberrans As usual The Canberra Times did well on Saturday (August18) with two articles. The first was regarding the Lands Agency perhaps not meeting Andrew Barrs target of $2billion in land sales.

With most median wage earners unable to buy a home, the $2billion figure is obscene. Without the slightest doubt, affordable housing needs to start with affordable land.

The second article was that Alex White, secretary of Unions ACT was intending to lambast Andrew Barr for giving control of the poker machine levy to Hands Across Canberra and not the main supporters of the disadvantaged. They are St Vinnies, Salvation Army, Smith Family and United Churches, not necessarily in that order. The ultimate hypocrisy is calling the levy money the Chief Ministers Charitable Fund. Factually, Andrew Barr and his obsession with high reserve prices at land auctions and ever-increasing rates has done more to disadvantage Canberrans than any chief minister before him. Andrew, do us all a favour and resign. Howard Carew, Isaacs Deceitful propaganda

The Labor-Greens proposal to usurp the administration of the Community Contribution Scheme funded from net poker machine profit is hypocritical due to their declared abhorrence of poker machines. Apparently, they have now developed the moral flexibility to accommodate any perceived ethical contradiction. Also, the Greens slogan, People before Pokies, is deceitful propaganda, implying the current scheme is devoid of care for the Canberra community. Contrary to this deceit, the RUC in Turner and the Vikings are just two ACT Clubs to have used the scheme, long before the Greens were a local political voice, to support over 90 community groups financially, directly and by rental waivers. Who could seriously consider this to be neglect of their community responsibilities? Presumably, Mr Barr and the Greens alone do. Reasonable Canberrans aware of the pivotal issues under review would gladly accept modifications to existing guidelines of the scheme over the wholesale abandonment of the young, families, elderly, the lonely and the physically and mentally distressed  the really grateful beneficiaries of the myriad of programs of ACT Clubs. Equally, they would reject the additional administrative costs the new arrangement would impose. Mr Barr has configured this initiative as political support for incumbent and aspiring candidates to ensure their success at the 2020 elections. A wiser political strategist would also reflect on votes to be lost as a result of tactics that are so inimical to the interests of a large proportion of the Canberra community who will not readily forget this chicanery. Patrick Robertson, Rivett Call for rational debate

If the mainstream parties dont allow a freer and more rational debate on Australias immigration future in the context of a sensible population policy, then of course you are going to get extremists such as Senator Anning making all the running. The debate will degenerate into the extreme right and the extreme centre (we dont have an extreme left any more) trading insults, contradicting each other, scoring media points with slogans and all the rest of the sterile but time-consuming nonsense that we already see far too much of. Gordon Soames, Curtin TO THE POINT DUTTON NO ANSWER Whilst the installation of Peter Dutton as PM may save some of the rural and provincial furniture in Queensland, the reaction of voters in the more populous states of NSW and Victoria will lead to the loss of the whole House.

Ian De Landelles, Murrays Beach, NSW IDENTITY CRISIS Lets hope the Donald gets Peters surname right and doesnt refer to him as Prime Minister Button. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook NSW NOT A GOOD LOOK

With bated breath, the tsar of Border Protection, Peter Dutton, is waiting in the wings.

If it comes to pass that he ascends to the top job, we Aussies will no longer be able to look aghast at Putin and feel sympathy for long-suffering Russians. Itll then be our turn to be the butt of international mockery! Phyllis Vespucci, Reservoir, Vic ODD CONTRAST Its amazing that Australia is a world leader when it comes to preventing smoking yet when it comes to quitting coal, we put it in the too hard basket.

The contrast between individual and corporate/government responsibility taken is stark. Dale Daynes, Narrabundah SHADES OF NERO While Australia burns our Parliament fiddles. James Walcott, Mawson

PRIORITIES SKEWED Before Donald Trump considers spending trillions of dollars on a military presence in space he should provide adequate housing for homeless veterans forced to sleep on numerous sidewalks throughout the US. Judith-Ann Sjostedt, Higgins WRONG NOTE I would have to say that the Pope cartoon in The Canberra Times (August 18) was in poor taste.

Aretha Franklin deserves far more respect than politicians.

Margaret Tuckwell, Braidwood SERVICE OFF THE RAILS Our amazing government has raised our rates by about $600 over the past two years.

At the same time, about half our buses are going to Sorry not in service with no passengers. Our local bus service was removed about two years ago but my rates are paying for these buses to tour Canberra with no passengers. Alastair Bridges, Canberra
The Turnbull government offered to exclude Australia's big four banks from its company tax cuts in a last-minute pitch to gain the support of One Nation for the signature economic policy.

In a move that will deepen entrenched animosity between the banking sector and the Coalition government, Treasurer Scott Morrison drafted legislation that excluded banks with held assets worth more than $500 billion and delivered it to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson last week.

Senator Hanson - who had previously said she could never vote for a tax cut for the big banks - rejected the approach, ensuring the $35.6 billion package will fail when it comes to an expected vote on Tuesday.

"One Nation has voted for every single business, except the banks, with a turnover above $50 million to pay more of what they earn to Canberra," Mr Morrison told Fairfax Media.
At a student cost of 75 cents a ride, with Curtis having to transfer and take two buses and his brother taking just one, the cost for both boys to take transit to school comes to $3.30 per day. This doesnt seem outrageous. But for the full school year of 178 attendance days, it comes to just under $588. This is too much to ask of the Chicago families who often straddle the poverty line and even of those above it. This is a fee that families in many suburbs do not have to pay, because student transportation is often rolled into residents taxes. And its a fee that CPS parents with cars do not have to pay, if theyre able to drive their child to and from school.
A high profile doctor who secured a swing against the Liberal Party in the Coalition's 2011 landslide win will run as an independent in next month's byelection in Wagga Wagga.

The former director of emergency medicine at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, Joe McGirr, has confirmed he will run, in a move that will put extra pressure on the Liberals to hold the seat.

Independent candidate for Wagga Joe McGirr announces he will run in the September byelection. Credit:Emma Hillier

Although Wagga Wagga has long been a safe Liberal seat, senior party sources have said that Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, is worried about a voter backlash after the Daryl Maguire scandal.

Snow Valleys councillor Julia Ham has been preselected for the Liberals. It is understood Ms Berejiklian made it clear she wanted a woman for the seat.
Chanti, the adopted daugter of Australian filmmaker James Ricketson. Credit:Erin Handley

Phnom Penh: The adopted Cambodian daughter of accused spy James Ricketson testified that he was a filmmaker and humanitarian, not a foreign operative, during his trial on Monday.

Ricketson, 69, has been incarcerated for 14 months in Phnom Penhs overcrowded Prey Sar Prison after he was arrested in June last year for filming an opposition party rally with a drone.

He faces 10 years in prison and was charged with gathering information that could jeopardise Cambodias national defence, allegedly between 1995 and 2017.

Ricketsons adopted daughter, Chanti, who is heavily pregnant with her ninth child, was questioned about the nature of Ricketsons work in Cambodia.
Mahathir blamed his predecessor Najb Razak, who is facing corruption charges, for entering into the lopsided deals with Chinese companies which had no exit clauses.

I believe China itself does not want to see Malaysia become a bankrupt country, he said during a press conference on Tuesday, a day after meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping.

Malaysian newspaper The New Straits Times reported that Dr Mahathir said the East Coast Rail Link and a gas pipeline project would be cancelled.

Beijing: Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has told China's leaders he was cancelling a controversial rail project in order to reduce Malaysia's debts.

If we have to pay compensation, we have to pay ... We must find a way to exit these projects  this is our own peoples stupidity, he was quoted as saying by the South China Post.

The statement comes after he dined with Chinese president Xi Jinping on Monday night and agreed with him to "enhance political mutual trust".

Talking frankly at an earlier press conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Mahathir had called for "fair trade", and warned against a new version of colonialism - an apparent reference to the debt burdens some countries were facing after accepting Chinese investment under the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Prime Minister Mahathir has always been known to say what others may be thinking but are afraid to say," said Malcolm Cook, a senior fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Despite - or perhaps because of - Mahathir's comments, the two sides later released a joint statement committing to "mutual respect and mutual benefit" in investments.
London: Britain has launched an investigation into the plundering of British maritime war graves by Chinese pirates for scrap metal.

Ten ships, which were the final resting places for more than 1000 sailors and civilians who died off the Malaysian and Indonesian coasts during the World War II, have now been damaged or destroyed.

British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said he was "very concerned" to hear fresh allegations that four shipwrecks had been looted.

British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. Credit:AP

It comes after six wrecks, including the Prince of Wales and Repulse, were feared to have been damaged or destroyed by scavengers.
Seoul: Dozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Monday for heart-wrenching meetings with relatives most haven't seen since they were separated by the turmoil of the Korean War.

The week-long event at North Korea's Diamond Mountain resort comes as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a standoff over North Korea's drive for a nuclear weapons program that can reliably target the continental United States.

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, left, weeps with her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea. Credit:Yonhap via AP

The temporary reunions are highly emotional because most participants are elderly people eager to see their loved ones once more before they die. Most of their families were driven apart during the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still in a technical state of war.

Buses carrying about 90 elderly South Koreans and their family members were moving into the Diamond Mountain resort after crossing into North Korea. Earlier in the morning, the South Koreans, some in wheelchairs and aided by Red Cross workers, had left the buses briefly to enter the South Korean immigration office in the eastern border town of Goseong.
Vatican City: Pope Francis, facing sexual abuse crises in several countries, wrote an unprecedented letter to all Catholics on Monday, asking each one of them to help root out "this culture of death" and vowing there would be no more cover ups.

In a highly personal letter addressed to "the people of God", Church language for all members, the Pope appeared to be launching an appeal for all Catholics to face the crisis together and not let it tear the Church apart.

The Catholic Church in the United States, Chile, Australia, and Ireland - where the Pope is making a two-day visit this weekend - are reeling from crises involving sexual abuse of minors. Numerous surveys have pointed to plummeting confidence in the Church in those countries and elsewhere.

In his letter, the Pope referred to the suffering endured by minors due to sexual abuse at the hands of a "significant number of clerics and consecrated persons".
Pritzkers campaign funding includes more than 200 pages of lavish donations to other Democrats, office rent and consultants  and dozens of staff salaries, overnight stays, Uber rides, airline flights and loads of catering from Au Bon Pain, Wingstop, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts; dinners at Gibsons and Giordanos; and tabs from the swanky Boarding House and late-night Tiki bar Three Dots and a Dash. The report reads like an after-hours party and perhaps it is. Shall we zoom to Nov. 6 and get it over with?
NASA's Europa Clipper mission, which will study the ocean-harboring Jupiter moon Europa during dozens of flybys, is on track to launch as soon as 2022.

NASA's planetary science program is on the right track.

The space agency has met or exceeded many of the goals set by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in the 2013-2022 planetary science decadal survey, according to a new midterm assessment by the National Academies.

NASA has fallen behind on some of the recommended mission timelines, the assessment found, but the agency anticipates meeting most of those timelines before the end of the survey period. [NASA's 10 Greatest Science Missions]

"NASA relies on the decadal surveys to guide us in everything we do," Lori Glaze, acting director of NASA's Planetary Science division, told Space.com by email. "All of the science that NASA is involved in, from studying other worlds to observing our own planet, is informed by the decadal surveys."

The latest decadal survey, called "Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022," recommended a slew of planetary flagship missions that would provide an ongoing stream of information about the solar system, as well as some prospective midsize missions. The survey also pinpointed science, research and technology priorities, and included a set of decision rules to deal with funding shortfalls.

NASA is required by law to conduct decadal surveys and to prepare midterm assessments of their progress toward meeting the goals outlined within them. The midterm assessment was released earlier this month.

"Since the publication of Vision and Voyages, planetary science has made many advances, including acquiring results from several highly successful missions," Louise Prockter, director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston and co-chair of the committee that conducted the study and wrote the report, said in a statement.

"This decadal survey has served the planetary science community well, justifying a plan for planetary science that has been successful in supporting research and obtaining steady funding for missions," she added.

On target

Over the past 10 years, NASA has helped to uncover new worlds and discover new features on previously explored planets.

For example, the New Horizons mission's epic 2015 flyby revealed Pluto  previously seen only as a blurry smudge  to be a complex world with a stunning diversity of terrain. The atmosphere and magnetic forces of Jupiter have been explored in greater detail than ever before, thanks in large part to the Juno spacecraft. Saturn's icy moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa were both revealed to host subsurface oceans. The rings, moons and atmosphere of Saturn have been unveiled. And a fleet of spacecraft  including the Curiosity rover, which the summary calls "the most sophisticated rover ever built"  are exploring Mars. Many of these missions evolved from the goals of the previous decadal survey and imperatives.

Today, NASA is working to develop two of the most recent decadal survey's top recommended flagship missions: the Mars 2020 rover and Europa Clipper.

Set to launch in 2020, the Mars 2020 mission will search for signs of habitability and fingerprints of past microbial life on the Red Planet. Currently under construction at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the rover will collect and cache samples of Mars rocks in the first step of a sample-return program. (NASA replaced a previous rover concept known as the Mars Astrobiology Explorer-Cacher with Mars 2020 in response to the decadal survey, Glaze said.)

The ice-covered Europa is home to a subsurface ocean and is therefore regarded as one of the best places in the solar system to look for alien life. NASA's Europa Clipper mission will study that ocean, as well as the frigid crust that overlies it, during dozens of flybys. The probe is expected to launch in the early to mid-2020s.

"NASA carefully reformulated this mission according to the recommendations of the Decadal Survey," Glaze said. [Photos: Europa, Mysterious Icy Moon of Jupiter]

The decadal survey recommended that the two missions that would become Mars 2020 and Europa Clipper be reduced in cost and scope from the original proposed designs. While NASA is well on its way with both of these big-ticket projects, the report warned that such "flagship-class missions pose the greatest potential danger to the overall planetary program if they experience significant cost overruns." The committee recommended the missions, especially Europa Clipper, be closely monitored regarding their cost and schedule.

"We're working very hard to make sure that our flagship missions  Mars 2020 and Europa Clipper  do not grow beyond their life-cycle estimates," Glaze said.

NASA has also selected two Discovery-class missions, Psyche and Lucy, to investigate the building blocks of the solar system. Slated to launch in 2021, Lucy will tour several of the Trojan asteroids that orbit the sun near Jupiter. With an expected 2022 launch, Psyche will explore the odd metal asteroid of the same name in the asteroid belt, an object scientists think is an ancient, exposed planetary core.

NASA also met or exceeded the decadal survey's recommendations for funding research and analysis, and for technology programs, despite budgeting challenges, according to the new report.

"Despite significant cuts made to planetary science in the early part of the decadal survey time period, funding for research and analysis and new technologies has been maintained at recommended levels," Glaze said.

Vision and Voyages also recommended that NASA begin technology development to enable the next steps of sample return from Mars. Although the agency failed to do so during the first few years of the survey, "by fall of 2017, the Planetary Science Division began technology demonstration tests and had developed a 'focused and rapid' architecture for returning samples from Mars," the report stated. "Although NASA has considerable work to do to make this a reality, the committee was impressed and encouraged by these new developments."

The committee also recommended that "NASA should immediately work to reinvigorate international cooperation to help implement Mars exploration more effectively and affordably."

Mars 2020 plays a key role in sample return, though there is no mission currently on NASA's books to retrieve the samples the rover will collect and cache. The rover mission includes international partners, with scientific instruments from Norway and Spain.

"Science goes beyond borders, and this sample-return effort has allowed us to invigorate international cooperation to make sure we meet this goal," Glaze said.

Room for improvement

The midterm assessment didn't give NASA a perfect score.

The decadal survey outlined a timeline for New Frontiers and Discovery missions for the decade, and NASA has not yet met those goals. Vision and Voyages suggested that Discovery-class spacecraft  a series of low-cost, highly focused missions  have an announcement of opportunity (AO) every 24 months. These AOs allow the scientific community to propose investigations that meet the guidelines for the current cycle. However, the last Discovery AO was in 2014, and the next won't take place until 2019. Unless the agency selects three missions from the next two AOs, the agency will fail to meet the goals outlined in the decadal survey.

Why was there such a large gap between the call for Discovery proposals? Glaze said many factors disrupted the cadence. Chief among these were significant cuts made to the planetary science budget in 2012, which she said the agency still feels residually today. Another cause was the delay of the Mars InSight lander mission. InSight, which launched in May 2018 to probe the Red Planet's deep interior, was originally set to launch in 2016 but was delayed by a vacuum seal problem with one of the mission's instruments.

Although the agency is behind in this area, it isn't giving up. "NASA has already made great strides to increase the cadence," Glaze said. The agency "is assessing if two missions can be selected from the 2019 AO." That meets with the review's suggestion to select three missions from AOs issued in 2019 and 2021. [Launch Photos: NASA's InSight Mars Lander Blasts Off on Atlas V Rocket]

NASA "feel[s] very strongly about increasing the cadence of Discovery mission launches, and we are working hard to enable that within our given budget profile," Glaze said.

The study also found that the New Frontiers, or medium-size, mission pace is "significantly behind" the recommended cadence of two per decade; only a single mission is likely this decade, the report predicted.

In addition, the last New Frontiers call included an "Ocean Worlds" call to the outer planets, which the review noted is "outside the decadal survey process." Most planetary science groups were opposed to the change, according to the review, which warned that "such a process could undermine the scientific priorities of the decadal survey and community support for them." The committee recommended that, when scientific discoveries or external factors compel NASA to reassess decadal survey priorities, the changes be vetted by the Space Studies Board's Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science, which was not authorized to express a formal position on the change at the time.

Currently, the New Frontiers program is assessing two candidates for the next mission. Dragonfly, which features a highly mobile quadcopter drone, would explore another potentially habitable world, Saturn's huge moon Titan. And the Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) mission would attempt to return a sample from 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a comet that was successfully explored recently by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft.

According to Glaze, NASA expects to release an additional AO for a New Frontiers mission before the end of the current decadal period. That fits within the committee's recommendation to issue the next New Frontiers AO as soon as possible, and by December 2021 at the latest. Themes for possible New Frontiers missions include a Venus explorer, a sample-return mission to the moon's South Pole Aitken Basin, a comet sample return, an Ocean Worlds (Titan and Enceladus) mission, a Trojan tour, a lunar geophysical network, exploration of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io and a Saturn atmospheric probe.

The report also pointed out that the three NASA spacecraft currently studying Mars from orbit have already exceeded their design lifetimes. In addition to providing science, these three  Mars Odyssey, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) probe  serve as vital communication links between mission control and rovers and landers on the Martian surface.

"The system is fragile and aging," the midterm report warned. "The loss of even one of the three U.S. orbiters capable of relay communications would create tactical challenges for continued operation of current and planned landed missions beyond 2021."

Follow Nola Taylor Redd at @NolaTRedd, Facebook, or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebookor Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
Stratolaunch Systems plans to employ a family of four launch vehicles, all of which will be carried aloft by the largest airplane ever built.

Now we know exactly how Stratolaunch Systems plans to get satellites to orbit.

Stratolaunch, which was established by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2011, will employ four different satellite-toting vehicles, the company revealed today (Aug. 20).

All of them will blast their way to orbit after being dropped at altitude from a mother-ship plane  the largest aircraft ever built, with a wingspan of 385 feet (117 meters). [Stratolaunch Test Photos: The World's Largest Plane in Action]

"We are excited to share for the first time some details about the development of our own, proprietary Stratolaunch launch vehicles, with which we will offer a flexible launch capability unlike any other," Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd said in a statement. "Whatever the payload, whatever the orbit, getting your satellite into space will soon be as easy as booking an airline flight."

Here are the four launch vehicles:

Pegasus: This rocket, which is built by aerospace company Northrop Grumman, already has dozens of air-launched missions with other carrier craft under its belt. Pegasus will be able to haul payloads as heavy as 815 lbs. (370 kilograms), and it will take flight with the Stratolaunch plane for the first time in 2020 if current schedules hold, company representatives said. (The payload capacities given here and below are what each vehicle can tote to a circular orbit with an altitude of 250 miles, or 400 kilometers.)

Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV): The MLV is a new rocket with a payload capacity of 7,500 lbs. (3,400 kg). Its maiden launch should come in 2022, Stratolaunch representatives said.

Medium Launch Vehicle - Heavy: This brawnier version of the MLV is in early development. It will feature three booster cores and the ability to loft payloads as hefty as 13,200 lbs. (6,000 kg).

Space Plane: This fully reusable vehicle will be able to haul payloads up and bring them back down to Earth, much as the U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane does. The Stratolaunch vehicle will be robotic at first, like the X-37B. But the company plans to eventually build a crew-carrying variant as well, Stratolaunch representatives said. The space plane will be able to launch medium-class payloads, and it'll be a few years before the vehicle takes flight; it's currently in the design-study phase, company representatives said.

Stratolaunch isn't the only billionaire-backed spaceflight company developing an air-launch system. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit aims to loft satellites in this manner as well, and his Virgin Galactic company is already test-flying an air-launched space plane that will take payloads and people to and from suborbital space.

Virgin Galactic's six-passenger VSS Unity spacecraft has aced three rocket-powered test flights to date, the most recent of which occurred late last month.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook orGoogle+. Originally published on Space.com.




Younger covered some major ground this week. Someone really important in Liza's life was let in on her secret, Diana stood up for herself and it put her relationship on the line, Josh learned a painful secret that may just help him to move on and Liza decided that hiding is not what is best for her. Let's discuss!



I was always honest



One could argue that Josh was the MVP of this episode. He reopened a more mature and aesthetically pleasingafter signing his ten year lease. When he thanked Liza, it felt so bittersweet because we as the audience know the hard truth that she has decided to pursue a relationship with Charles was coming in hot to destroy him. Signing the lease really seems to have grounded Josh and although his support system was strong in the form of Lauren, Kelsey and yes, Liza, one could argue that when he found out about Charles and Liza, it may make him question ever listening to her. It is not the fact that she has moved on, it is the fact that she continues to accept a less honest life to do so. Josh's speech to her at the end cut deep for all aspects of Liza's life, and seeing those words really affect her was heartbreaking yet important. The symbolism of him covering his Liza dragon was very significant because he had kept those markers of past relationships but could not keep that one. Hopefully, this does not completely ruin the dynamic of those two, because they had really gotten to a wonderful place, and it was lovely to see him supporting Caitlin and Liza at that brunch.Caitlin showing up this week with her much older professor, turned lover turned Liza's world upside down and made her see that she is accepting less than she deserves by hiding with Charles. The truth is, that as I watch each episode progress, I feel very uncomfortable watching them sneak around. Yes, in private they are on the same level, but Liza saw herself though the lens of her daughter doing the same, and she didn't like what she saw. Seeing Caitlin accept that she must hide a relationship at her own expense was a bitter pill to swallow as a mom. So why was she willing to live that for herself when she is trying to set an example for Caitlin? The simple answer to that is that she wasn't and put the brakes on the budding relationship until it could be truly authentic. It is understandable why Charles wants to continue to hide, but that is not the love Liza knows she deserves. This is such a big shift and seems impossible to overcome unless Liza leaves or Charles steps down. We have two episodes left to see where this is heading.Oh man, did Diana have a week! She and Enzo are moving along swimmingly except for one big intrusion.... his ma. Finding out Enzo was the youngest in his family made it much more clear why his Italian 'smother' is so opposed to a woman like Diana being with her baby. She really did everything that she could to rid herself of Diana this episode and it almost worked. Diana really did put in an effort with her by accepting the invitation to brunch and even bringing a dish (thanks Maggie... wish I could try that lasagna!) but none of that was ever going to be good enough for ma. When Diana finally broke and told her that no woman stands a chance with Enzo because of her, it was deeply satisfying. In speaking up for herself, Enzo had to choose what to do and he chose the best option by deciding to move to Manhattan. This relationship may just go the distance.*Caitlin's reaction to Liza's secret was exactly what I expected. They should have let her shade her mom a bit more about posing as a 27 year old. Also, let's hope that after Greg kicked her out of his friend's wedding, she is done hiding and kicks his pretentious butt to the curb.*As someone who sawas a kid, it was hilarious to see Diana channeling her inner Tess on the Staten Island Ferry.*Is it just me or does Liza have a sort of 'I don't want him, but don't want anyone else to have him' attitude with Josh this episode? She cut that tattoo artist Skye some serious daggers when she was admiring his tattoo work.*Where is Zane? Two episodes now and no explanation.
GREENWICH  Police were called to Railroad Avenue on a report of a man urinating on a CT Transit bus late last week.

German Lazaro, 61, of Main Street, Stamford, was charged with breach of peace Thursday afternoon. He was standing on the street and urinated on the bus, according to the arrest report. He was later released without bail.
N ew York is the capital of diversity. More than 800 different languages and dialects are spoken across the Five Boroughs and, with such a broad spectrum of backgrounds, the fusion of cultures is inevitable. For foodies that means joints and festivals  such as Brooklyns Smorgasburg  that bring together cuisine from unlikely destinations. Hit one of these five restaurants for a New York take on fusion food.

Shalom Japan

South Williamsburg is home to one of the largest Jewish populations outside Israel  around 70,000 people. While traditional delis and restaurants are easy to come across, one spot has combined the unlikely bedfellows of Jewish and Japanese flavours to become the neighbourhoods buzziest restaurant.

(Alamy) / Alamy Stock Photo

Owned and run by Sawako Okochi and native New Yorker Aaron Israel, Shalom Japan bills itself as authentically inauthentic. Its dishes are creative without ever feeling so out there that youll want to leave room for something less eclectic. Try the matzoh ball ramen or the lox bowl with Japanese pickles.

310 South 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Matzoh Ball Ramen, Shalom Japan (John Keon)

Wangs

This Park Slope joint brings together three staples of the New York food scene: Chinese, East Asian and Southern soul food.

While all three can be found in abundance across the Big Apple, the former two in the vast Chinatowns of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and the latter in classic outposts such as Sylvias in Harlem, Wangs is the only place that fuses them into something original.

Wangs Fried Chicken Sandwich (Darlene Phan)

The fried chicken sandwich, served like a Vietnamese banh mi with pate, cucumber and pickles, is a gut-busting delight, the meat breaded and tender. And, if youre dropping by for lunch, chances are youll have half left for dinner  thats how big it is.

671 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Flip Sigi

Found at two locations in Manhattan, one on the Upper East Side and the other down in the West Village, Flip Sigi is the brainchild of Toronto-born celebrity chef Jordan Andino. Billed as the worlds first Filipino taqueria, it pulls together Filipino and TexMex ingredients, resulting in dishes that will leave you needing a lie down in the park afterwards.

The sinigang torta, with tamarind short rib, avocado and salsa, is the pick of the pleasingly small menu, although the longanisa poutine is a sharing dish not to be missed. It features Canadian poutine with Filipino sausage.

1752 Second Ave, Manhattan, NY 10128

525 Hudson St, Manhattan, NY 10014

Flip Sigi

Lolos Seafood Shack

Harlems Lolos calls itself the original Caribbean BBQ and Cape Cod seafood mashup and it has the laid-back vibe to match. Caribbean classics such as jerk ribs rub shoulders on the menu with soft-shell crab sandwiches and rum punch. The ace steampot combos are where its at for hungry diners and large groups, with spicy crawfish, corn, sweet potatoes and shrimp.

303 W 116th St, Manhattan, NY 1002

Thursday Kitchen

Thursday Kitchen

It could be easy to dismiss the East Villages wildly popular Thursday Kitchen as a gimmick. Its cocktails are served in plastic bags, like boozy Capri Sun, and its dishes blend Korean staples with Spanish and French flavours, which on paper sounds brave, even foolhardy. But the simple fact is that the food here is incredible and well worth waiting in line for. Chef Kyungmin Kay Hyun was trained in Europe and her staff serve up small plates that wont hurt your wallet but will leave you wishing you had space for more. Be sure to try the eel taco with chipotle ssamjang salsa and the kimchi paella.
Point 3: All of which reinforces our belief that many struggling high schools should be closed for lack of interest from students and their families. According to CPS, not a single student  not one  initially chose Hirsch High School in Chicagos Grand Crossing neighborhood. That isnt a final tally: CPS projects that there will be about 50 freshmen at Hirsch by the 20th day of class, the official attendance mark. The schools capacity: 288 general education seats.
S truggling estate agent Countrywide on Monday attempted to stave off a shareholder revolt as it axed a controversial pay scheme that could have handed top bosses more than 20 million.

The firm, which is behind the Hamptons International and Bairstow Eves brands, has cancelled the proposals for a new remuneration package due to be put to shareholders at an investor meeting next week.

The proposed absolute growth plan could have seen chairman Peter Long, new managing director Paul Creffield and finance chief Himanshu Raja get shares valued respectively at 6 million, 8 million and 7 million.

Countrywide, Britains largest estate agent, had wanted to push through the proposals alongside a 140 million fund-raising to keep the company afloat.

It is struggling with central Londons sluggish housing market since the Brexit vote and saw its chief executive Alison Platt resign in January after a series of profit warnings.

This month Countrywide launched a turnaround plan. It hopes to slash its 200 million debt pile and return underlying profits to the 80 million seen in 2016 by 2021.

Countrywide said today it was pleased with the support from existing and new shareholders in relation to the raising. Investors appeared to be less upbeat about remuneration changes, and the board has decided the existing policy should not be amended.

The update comes after a backlash. Last week advisory firm the Institutional Shareholder Services urged investors to vote against the new incentive scheme, calling it unnecessarily convoluted.
F irst, a confession. The entrepreneur were profiling this week has deserved to be highlighted in this paper for a decade, but I have deliberately kept him out. You see, this business is so good that Ive wanted to keep it a secret; a place for me to enjoy and no one else. Ive finally come to the realisation that its way too late for that.

The enterprise in question is my local boozer  The Cask Pub and Kitchen in Pimlico.

For years, the pub on the site where the Cask now stands was the place you went if you fancied buying heroin or getting stabbed. Possibly both.

So bad was the Pimlico Tram (The Tramp, as it was inevitably known) that it was eventually shut down after yet another stabbing.

It stayed like that for months until one day, with no fanfare, new signage went up and the doors were open again.

Donning Kevlar vests, a few of us ventured in. The transformation was extraordinary. Not that the decor was much changed, but the bar was resplendent with 20 taps and pumps dispensing weird and wonderful beers. Names like Hophead and Wild Swan had appeared from microbreweries across the nation. Hundreds more in exotic bottles and cans from around the world were enticingly displayed in tall, glass fronted fridges all around.

There was no Carling or London Pride. Just delicious, artisan stuff from microbreweries. Every few days the selection would completely change. For ale lovers, it was little short of a miracle.

Within weeks the place was packed so full that people would be spilling out onto the pavement, even crowding on the traffic island in the road outside.

A new London concept  the community craft beer pub  was born. The man behind this ale alchemy was Martin Hayes, who, despite his stout physique, defies the cliche of the jovial landlord. Brought up a few streets away, hes quiet, forensically minded, and  believe it or not  hasnt touched a drop of alcohol since his early twenties.

The Cask was born in recession-bound 2009, before the craft ale movement had really exploded in London.

Everyone said I was mad, Hayes recalls, sipping on a bottle of posh Voss mineral water while I get stuck into my first Peckham Pils. But it just made so much sense to me. Youd go into Waitrose and people would be choosing from 20 types of olive oil and 10 different breads, yet when they went to the pub, the only choice was Fosters or Kronenbourg. It seemed mad.

In America, there had already been a craft beer revolution in pubs and I felt it was ready to happen here.

As hunches go, it was a good one. From being a dead boozer Greene King could barely give away, it is now turning over 1.2 million a year and making a stonking profit.

Two years after opening the Cask, he and business partner Peter Slezak, his oldest friend, started looking for new sites and came up with the brand Craft Beer Co. A rundown pub in Clerkenwell was first, then other unloved venues followed. There are now eight Crafts in London and Brighton which last year turned over 5.7 million and made 1 million profit.

Its not been easy. The Clerkenwell opening was stressful and ruinous as it took a year to reopen after the back of the building partially collapsed. But, for all that financial pressure, Hayes has only ever funded expansion from cashflow, religiously refusing to take on debt or raise money from equity investors. Sell 20% of the equity and youre working for someone else. Why would I want to do that? he reasons.

His first foray into the industry was not so successful. In his early twenties he took a lease from Punch Taverns on another Pimlico local. It was an old-school boozer in a bad location with whats known as a tie. Under the tied model, tenants get supposedly reduced rents in return for buying all the booze from the pub company at inflated prices. For Hayes, the economics didnt work. I signed a bad deal with them and it was my mistake. But I learned a lot; they say you have to pay for your education, and that was mine.

He has never entered a tied agreement since, and now orders personally from his stable of 200 breweries.

How does a teetotaller like him know which are the good beers to order? I dunno really, he says. I suppose Ive just got an instinct for it.

Ill drink to that. And it wont be mineral water.

The Cask and Craft Beer Co

Founded: 2009

Staff: about 100

Turnover: 6.9m

Business idol: Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality. His book Setting the Table is a must read for anyone in hospitality.

Best moment: Opening Craft Covent Garden in 2014. Its only small, but competing with the best of the best in the beating heart of London has been thrilling.
T he call today by Shaun Bailey  the London Assembly member who is hoping to become the Conservative mayoral candidate in the next contest for the top job at City Hall  for a big increase of around a thousand in the number of police officers deployed on the capitals streets is an understandable response to the continuing and depressing loss of life caused by violent crime in this city.

The addition of four more fatalities over the weekend, taking the death toll from homicide in London this year to 95, as well as several other hideous assaults and last weeks mass stabbing during a gang clash in Camberwell , only serves to emphasise the need for a renewed drive against this pernicious problem.

Mr Baileys intervention is thus welcome and would help to reverse the recent fall in police numbers  which in London have fallen from the 32,000 figure achieved during Boris Johnsons mayoralty to around 30,000 now  while giving extra support to the hard-working officers currently striving so hard to stem the tide of violence.

Importantly too, Mr Bailey does not see the solution as being simply more money from the Government, which is unlikely to be forthcoming.

Instead, he suggests that the funding for the extra officers can be provided by improving the Mets efficiency through the increased use of technology and cutting bureaucracy in the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime.

In respect of the first idea, the Mets impressive Commissioner Cressida Dick has already been striving to make progress, introducing new fingerprint scanners that allow a suspects identity to be checked on the streets, while extending the use of data analysis to understand crime patterns and where best to deploy resources.

Achieving more will not be simple, but Mr Bailey is right to want to try. Cutting unnecessary bureaucracy at City Hall is also a laudable aim, though to be fair to Mayor Sadiq Khan, at least some of his extra spending is funding the sort of technological improvements Mr Bailey advocates, as well as preventative schemes.

More efficiency and increased police numbers will never, of course, be a solution on their own.

As the Evening Standard has emphasised, a public-health approach, in which an intensive effort is made to address the underlying social causes, such as family breakdown, drugs and poor education, is critical.

Nonetheless, these are worrying times and Mr Baileys claim that the Mayor has lost control of the streets will focus justified scrutiny on Mr Khans record.

The Mayor has spent too long blaming ministerial cuts for the violence instead of finding solutions. London needs him to deliver before more lives are needlessly lost.

AI can be a boon to us all

Artificial intelligence is already bringing many benefits to society, speeding up the assessment of medical scans, detecting bank fraud and providing help with everyday tasks via app-based virtual assistants.

Today, however, its more unsettling consequences are highlighted in a warning from the Bank of Englands chief economist, Andy Haldane, that large numbers of jobs could be taken over by AI, threatening the livelihoods of many people, in a change to working lives more seismic than that experienced during the Industrial Revolution.

At first sight, this sounds alarming. But fear would be misplaced. Instead, the benefits of reducing the need for humans to carry out the sort of dreary, routine, administrative tasks for which AI could easily be used should be embraced, along with the opportunity to find more stimulating jobs for the employees of the future.

The key is to prepare for change. The advance of AI will not be halted, but it can be a boon to us all.

Breast milk by courier

The investment bank Goldman Sachs is to courier chilled breast milk home to feed the babies of female employees who travel on business.
T he doorbell rang but I was too far away from the front door to answer it. Just over 200 miles away, actually, reading a news story about vulture Amazon feasting on the carcasses of the high street by bidding for bust Homebase stores.

But I heard the doorbell via the app for my newly installed smart doorbell. Ring ... owned by Amazon. Through it, I peered at the Amazon delivery guy clutching yet another Prime parcel, asked him to drop it at a neighbours house and realised my ethics about boycotting the fact-shy US high street-slayer are currently about as weak as American tea.

And thats the problem for all of us, isnt it? Amazon makes things easier than we could ever have imagined. Not just shopping, although the ability to Prime a light bulb at 10am and have it delivered five hours later still blows my mind.

But it enters every industry  the doorbell that I can tune into from holiday; the unlimited audiobooks I can endlessly stream; the Alexa who will remind me to take an umbrella and put the kettle on, before Ive got out of bed.

I make the occasional concession  I dont want independent bookshops to disappear so I shop in them. But its almost as an act of charity, because Amazon makes book-buying so absurdly easy.

Yes, politicians should change business rates urgently to give bricks-and-mortar stores a chance and force online retail to pay fairly for their stake in British society. And yes, shops arent helping themselves by refusing to change. Primark and Selfridges face the same bills House of Fraser couldnt afford, yet theyre prospering because theyve modernised.

But the high street isnt dying as some independent phenomenon. Were killing it with our addiction to Amazon and its tech-giant rivals.

Perhaps thats OK; perhaps the evolution of our shopping  to a high street full of click n collect hubs, coffee shops and hairdressers  needs to be accepted, not fought.

But we do need to stop pretending to be uninvolved.

Think of the joy of a web-free hour

Cubans were given a brief taste of having the internet in their pockets over the weekend, with mobile data turned on for the first time in a brief trial by the state phone monopoly.

It triggered immediate chaos, with taxi drivers and office workers stopping everything in a desperate bid to access Facebook et al. Be careful what you wish for, Cubans.

Sometimes I wish phone operators here would switch off the net for an hour each day, Big Brother-style. Wed all embrace the novelty of actually looking when we cross the road, have to learn to navigate again and maybe have a real conversation.

Kanyes new dress code: lounge suit and sliders

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West / Rex Features

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian rocked up at the Gianni Versace Mansion in Miami for a celeb wedding over the weekend. But while Kim looked as if shed spent a week getting ready, in a neon thigh-slit dress and stilettos, West wore a green suit with grey plastic sliders. He even wore socks.

Some commentators suggested it was a fashion-y attempt at poverty chic. Others said it showed no respect to the bride and groom. I reckon he just forgot to change into his shoes. I once drove to work before realising I still had Homer Simpson head slippers on my feet. But I went home to change.

Lounge suit and sliders isnt a dress code Id like to see, though.

Cheap hols that arent so cheerful

Visit unsung cities to save on holiday costs!, suggests a money-saving survey from the Post Office. It offers up the groundbreaking research that a beer in Belgrade is cheaper than one in Krakow and a croissant costs less in Toulouse than it does in Paris.
O h lordy. I can see the wretched creatures now. Rubbing their hands and preparing to apply to Mensa. Encouraged, thats what they are. Just what they shouldnt be. A new study claims to show that theres a correlation between childhood IQ and adult enthusiasm for free-market economics.

Higher levels of childhood intelligence predict increased support for economic conservatism in adulthood, is the headline take-away from a study by Gary Lewis and Timothy Bates, two psychologists at Royal Holloway and Edinburgh universities. And immediately, Right-wingers have leapt on this and used it as the excuse to make derr-brain noises at any passing Lefties.

Lets leave aside the questions that hang over IQ as a scientific metric in any case. The problem seems to me not to be with the clever or the stupid: rather, with the half-clever. That is, people who get hold of one enticingly simple idea and apply it to the worlds problems with the catholic enthusiasm that your nan used to apply Andrews Salts as a remedy for bodily ailments. In some cases, that simple idea has been to nationalise everything; though the history of 20th-century communism put a bit of a dent in that for most of the half-clevers.

But many half-clevers of a different bent are still enraptured with the idea of market forces as a sort of magic salve for everything. Yes, goodness, we can all get behind a bit of private property and entrepreneurial spunk, letting the invisible hand do its invisible job, prices finding their own level and so on: you dont need a certificate from the Clever Peoples Club to sign up to these principles. You find them everywhere outside North Korea.

But  apart from agreeing that command-and-control socialism maybe isnt the optimal way to run a national economy  what do we even mean by free-market? Economic conservatism is a broad enough church that its hard to imagine how so categorical a conclusion as this study offers can be drawn. Are we talking red-blooded Chicago school disaster capitalism? Old-school Thatcherism? Flat-tax crankiness? Or moderate blue-Labour/red-Tory social democracy, where the argument is not about how to avoid taxation and regulation altogether but how to harness the animal spirits for the betterment of all?

"Taking your IQ score as a validation of your views on tax is the one thing that can be said to be non-clever"

The Tory MP Jesse Normans fine new book on Adam Smith performs a valuable job in rescuing the great man from the over-simplifications of half-clever neoliberals: arguing that, yes, he made a vital case for the importance of market forces in the bettering of mankind, but also that he was profoundly concerned with the social, legal and cultural institutions in which they are rooted. Left entirely to itself, as Smith noticed, the free market will tend to become rather unfree. Trust  which sometimes gets called social capital  is vital to the operation of capitalism. There is such a thing as society.

So free-market is the beginning of the argument, not the end of it. And taking your IQ score as a validation of your views on tax, or vice-versa, seems to me the one thing that can reliably be said to be non-clever.

Is Boris to blame for all those racists?

The front-page story, no less, of yesterdays Sunday Times had it that the former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was at the centre of a new row over racism.

Whats he done now, you may wonder. Has he endorsed the Protocols of the Elders of Zion? Has he posted pork sausages to his local mosque? Has he worn a golliwog bow-tie to a Bullingdon Club reunion blow-out? The answer is none of the above. The story is just that there have been a number of racist and Islamophobic comments posted on his official Facebook page by random nutters off the internet.

Now, reluctant though I am to be fair to Boris Johnson  it affronts all the principles of natural justice and common decency  this does seem to be a slightly circular indictment. Can someone be blamed for the behaviour of their fans? The same question applies to (among others) Jesus Christ, the prophet Mohammed, PBUH, and Jeremy Corbyn.

Also, if you have two weeks of headlines saying youre a racist monster, the sort of people who approve of racist monsters will tend to post enthusiastic comments on your Facebook page. As evidence for the original charge of racist monsterism, this is neither here nor there.

Aretha Franklin / NBC

Its a bittersweet side effect of the passing of musical greats that the airwaves are suddenly full of their voices.

And its a reminder that as well as being a pioneering feminist voice, Franklin also observed the dialectics of class struggle.

Has there been anything pithier in the canon of pop music of Lenins dictum kto kogo (Who whom?) than her 1985 song Whos Zoomin Who?
It is true that both the current Mayor and his predecessor have had to make savings but the Met Police still remains the best- funded police service in the country on a like-for-like basis, with the equivalent of 337 per Londoner being allocated to City Hall for the protection of the capital.

This compares very favourably to Merseyside, which spends 222 per capita, and the West Midlands, which only has funding equivalent to 186 per person.

This is why we need to get out of the mindset that tackling crime is as simple as asking the Government to hand out more funding. To put more police on the streets the current Mayor should look to get his own house in order.

Shaun Bailey is applying to be the Conservative candidate for the Mayor of London race / Lucy Young

Indeed, it is the duty of the Mayor of London to make sure it is criminals that feel under pressure, not communities. To achieve this, City Hall needs to explore and adopt new ideas. In tackling rising crime I think there is more that the Metropolitan Police could do to innovate and improve the service it offers to Londoners.

For example, we could better capitalise on technological advances to improve police efficiency and free up police time. Taking police officers out from behind desks and onto the streets through the greater use of tech is something that the Met needs to explore seriously.

There are some exceptional examples from around the world that our global city can learn lessons from.

In New York the police departments Domain Awareness System (DAS) collects and analyses data from various points, including 9,000 closed-circuit TV cameras, 500 licence plate-readers and calls from ordinary citizens. The DAS system captures this information and uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyse this data and help catch criminals. It has been instrumental in drastically lowering New Yorks crime rate in recent years.

"It is the duty of the Mayor of London to make sure that it is criminals that feel under pressure, not communities"

Since DAS was introduced it has saved the NYPD at least $50 million (37.5million) per year by taking police officers away from administrative duties and replacing them with AI systems. Tech like this would undoubtedly benefit the Metropolitan Police as well.

As the NYPD is slightly larger than the Met when measured by overall budget, this would equate to 30 million of savings in the Met  the equivalent of freeing up 540 additional officers. Clearly a significant number of extra police.

As well as getting better at using technology, cutting bureaucracy and back-office waste at City Hall would free up significant resources for extra police officers.

In my time at City Hall as a London Assembly member, I have seen first-hand how Khans own police bureaucracy has become bloated. The Mayors Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) had a budget of 47.6 million in Khans first year. This has now risen to 58.1 million  an increase of 10.5 million at a time when Khan is cutting police numbers.

Before the Mayor gets out the begging bowl and complains about the lack of Government funding, he should first cut his own bureaucracy. As a proportion, too much of the overall police budget is spent on back-room bureaucrats and not police officers.

Khans policing bureaucrats consume 1.91 per cent of the policy budget. This may not seem like much but it is more than double the national average of 0.85 per cent. If this budget was reduced in line with the national average, savings of 32 million could be made  the equivalent of 587 police officers that could be put back on the streets.

I know from more than 20 years of youth and community work that people feel more secure when they have a stake in society and feel protected by the police. Before entering politics I was a youth worker in Ladbroke Grove, where I ran a job club that kept kids away from gangs through providing work opportunities. I also worked alongside the police to help with community relations, because I know the vitally important role the police perform.

So I know that we need to provide hope and opportunity to communities, especially younger people, and that we need a strong police presence on our streets to make us all feel safer.
Over the years Topshop has created some killer collaborations with the likes of Ashish, Christopher Kane, Marques Almeida, and even the one and only Kate Moss.

It's fair to say that the retailers are pros when it comes to merging high street with high fashion - and the latest drop is definitely further proof of that.

British brand Halpern is the latest designer to join forces with the high street giants, its 28-piece instalment being so sparkly you simply can't miss it.

Featuring Halpern's signatures, holographic finishes, some serious sequins and jumpsuits so jazzy you won't think twice about ditching a dres, it's fair to say that the pair have definitely got your Christmas party outfits sorted.

The collection is filled with striking prints, strong silhouettes and a ton of sequins (Topshop ) / Topshop

The collection mixes Studio 54-inspired American glamour with a large helping of haute couture detail and a dash of the current autumn/winter 2018 trends: from a head-to-toe lime green ensemble that champions the neon trend to a plethora of animal prints.

Four ways to style neon

"The collection still has the ethos of what we do at Halpern  print, the illusion of sequins and that emotive quality we use when it comes to colour," explained Michael Halpern.

If you're not feeling the full-on disco spirit, Halpern has created several bodysuits in loud prints, sequins or plain black so you can ace the 'jeans and nice top' look this party season.

Party season will be a breeze thanks to Topshop's latest designer collab (Topshop ) / Topshop

What's even better is that the sequin-adorned designs - similar to those that have been worn by Amal Clooney, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyongo and Adwoa Aboah - don't come with a haute couture price tag.

Prices start at just 35. And, with a Halpern ready-to-wear jumpsuit from the catwalk setting you back as much as 5,548, a Topshop hybrid will set you back a more attainable 145.

Halpern x Topshop is filled with some serious sequins (Topshop ) / Topshop
S pain's annual tomato festival is coming to the capital  with the addition of protective ponchos for wary Londoners.

La Tomatina takes place in the Valencian town of Bunol every August, and involves a huge tomato fight billed by organisers as the "world's biggest food fight".

The London version will be hosted by Spanish restaurant Aqua Nueva and begins with a three-course lunch and a cocktail at its home in Oxford Street.

Guests will then head to the Carousel event venue in Marylebone for a Ketel One vodka cocktail masterclass  and a Bloody Mary.

After the drinks, guests will be given a poncho and invited to take part in a big tomato fight.

The tomato throwing will use ugly and unloved fruits that would otherwise have gone to waste. Any leftovers will go to a compost facility. The event, which starts at 12.30pm on Saturday, costs 49 per person.

Tomatina festival 2017 1 /10 Tomatina festival 2017 A reveller drenched in tomato pulp slides down the street Getty Images 160 tons of tomatoes are used during the festival Getty Images The event costs 9 per person to attend REUTERS It is inspired by a food fight that took place between local schoolchildren in 1945 Getty Images Some 20,000 people took part REUTERS The battle lasts an hour and finishes at noon Getty Images Some participants wear goggles to protect their eyes AFP/Getty Images The festival is popular with tourists Getty Images Public showers are available after the event so revellers can clean themselves up Getty Images This year extra security measures were in place after terror attacks across Europe EPA

Tens of thousands of revellers travel to Bunol every year for La Tomatina, which is held on the last Wednesday of August, during the towns annual festival period. It is said to have started in 1945, when a man knocked over a market stall during a parade. Revellers picked up tomatoes and began throwing them at each other. Locals continued the tradition for the next few years but it was banned in the early Fifties.

In 1957 the festival was reinstated and made official after protesters held a tomato burial parade to complain. About 14,500kg are thrown in the fight, which usually lasts about an hour.
M cMafia star Clifford Samuel has revealed that he turned his back on a career in medicine to pursue his acting dream.

The actor, 32, spoke about the alternative path he could have taken as his latest role was announced  on stage alongside Douglas Booth in the European premiere of A Guide For The Homesick.

Samuel, who played Femi in hit BBC1 drama McMafia, told the Standard: The moment when everything changed was the day I got my A-level results. I was all set to study medicine with my grades (two As and a B) and had an offer from University College London. I had been going to stage school, and I had this moment of truth and honesty  Am I going to do this as a proper vocation?

I took a year out and auditioned for drama schools  I got into Guildhall and thats when acting became serious for me  a proper craft. But I suppose medicine isnt a bad fallback option!

The best theatre to see in August 1 /6 The best theatre to see in August Little Shop of Horrors August 3 - September 15, Regents Park Open Air Theatre; openairtheatre.com Johan Persson Aristocrats August 2 - September 22, Donmar Warehouse; donmarwarehouse.com Johan Persson Emilia August 10 - September 1, Shakespeares Globe; shakespearesglobe.com Helen Murray The Importance of Being Earnest Until October 20, Vaudeville Theatre



Buy tickets with GO London Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd $ August 15 - 25, Young Vic; youngvic.org Thomas Dhanens The Rise and Fall of Little Voice August 16 - September 15, Park Theatre; parktheatre.co.uk Scarlett Casciello

A Guide For The Homesick, by award-winning American writer Ken Urban, focuses on two strangers who meet by chance at a shady hotel outside Amsterdam. He and Booth, 26, will play two characters each.

The pair are about to begin rehearsals for the play at Trafalgar Studios.

Booth said of the play: Its very well written and at 75 minutes it has a very quick pace. It packs quite an emotional punch by the end. Its quite challenging the way we have to switch from one character to another, almost mid-sentence in some instances.
G oldman Sachs is the investment bank with a hardcore reputation. Its the employer which, it used to be said, gave staff only four hours off for bereavements  and two weeks for giving birth. Get a job at Goldman and your life belongs to Goldman.

But now its 2018, and even Goldman Sachs has gone family-friendly. The bank that once told staff their weekend ended on Sunday morning and theyd better be logging in again by then, and which is known for offering graduates six-figure salaries to compensate for 100-plus hour weeks, has changed.

The latest evidence? The US bank has become whats thought to be the first company in the UK to pay for its breastfeeding working mums to courier their expressed milk back to their babies if travelling for work.

In an internal memo to staff, the bank said: Parenting and work can sometimes feel at odds. Goldman Sachs aim[s] to make the balancing act a little easier, before explaining that its US offices will deliver freezing kits to nursing bankers hotel rooms and then courier expressed milk back to the baby for feeding.

For bankers in London, where Goldman employs 6,000 people, new mums will be reimbursed for breast milk delivery costs on work trips.

Cynics, one female banker at the firm told me, will say this is just to get mums back to their desk as soon as possible. But Goldman really is good to women now  it offers six months full-paid maternity leave and doesnt pile on pressure to return before that. Most take nine months.

Truth is, the cynics will probably be right. Long-term greedy is how Goldmans legendary managing partner Sidney Weinberg once summed up the banks overarching strategy. It faced a high-profile lawsuit in 2015 when Sonia Pereiro-Mendez, an executive director at Goldmans Fleet Street HQ, claimed managers underpaid her by 1.4 million after she became a mother, and created a culture where she had to breastfeed in a car. Goldman settled the case out of court but hated the publicity it threw up.

Now the US banks culture has changed  because it had to. Goldman may have succeeded in luring young graduates to work seven-day weeks, an industry recruiter tells me, but  as with all investment banks  its more senior staff wanted to see their families. The bank could lose them to more flexible firms  especially in tech, or change its culture to keep their talent.

Goldman was one of the first corporates to introduce lactation rooms for women to express breast milk; it runs free pre-natal fitness classes at its office gym and has on-site daycare  the only one at any bank in the Square Mile  where chests of toys, a climbing wall and qualified staff look after employees children for 20 days each year for free. Yes, that keeps its staff at their desks  but it also solves the average working parents endless childcare crises.

Goldmans milk-shipping is its latest parental perk. Its not a new concept: IT giant IBM, social network Twitter and consultancy Accenture are among those that offer the service to staff in the US.

Since its the only country in the developed world without state-paid maternity leave, working mums go back to the office far earlier in the US than in the UK, where employees receive pay for 39 weeks.

But American moms breastfeed for longer: more than half are still breastfeeding when their babies are six months old, compared with 34 per cent here. So US corporates pay to help nursing mums who need to travel, when ceasing breastfeeding will stop the supply, but expressed milk wont keep for long.

Thats what inspired Kate Torgersen to set up her milk-shipping business Milk Stork in the US in 2014: back at work after maternity leave after having twins, she says she didnt want a business trip to derail the huge efforts Id made to tandem breastfeed.

"But that meant pumping two gallons of breast milk while I was away and keeping it in a hotel mini-fridge  then packing it into an ice-filled cooler bag and lugging a sloshing, dripping suitcase of milk through airport security and its embarrassing inspection process, justifying to several security agents why I had so much breast milk.

Kate Torgersen, founder of Milk Stork, a US-based milk-shipping business

So Milk Stork provides pharmaceutical-grade shipping coolers to breastfeeding mums on business trips. They express, activate the cooler and call FedEx to, as Torgersen puts it in American, have the milk overnighted home. It costs about $100 per travel day  but Milk Stork is an employee benefit at US firms stretching from Nissan to retailer Home Depot and software giant SAP.

So far this year the company has transported 500,000 ounces of breast milk home to babies.

One user, writer Katie Baker, who used Milk Stork during a three-day business trip, told The Cut it meant I didnt have to schlep around to seek out dry ice and shipping materials on top of [pumping and] everything else; it definitely was a stress-reducer.

Thats not the only way companies are helping nursing mums: Bank of America-Merrill Lynch has a Maternity Room for pregnant staff to rest or nursing mothers to express milk.

Kim Coussell, who works on the fixed-income sales desk at BoA-ML, says she finds it a relaxing escape from the busy trading floor. Its been such a blessing during my pregnancy and has also enabled me to meet other working mums-to-be.

US law firm White & Case also has a room where mothers can express milk or feed their babies, who are bought in by the nanny  and only nursing women have the key. The culture has changed fast at law firms: another former Magic Circle legal exec who had her first child six years ago says: I went back to work after five months, while still breastfeeding, but I didnt want to re-emphasise the mummy thing. So Id secretly book meeting rooms and sneak in to pump.

Morgan Stanley this week started offering staff childcare at a nursery minutes from its Canary Wharf HQ, where parents can visit their children at any time, or spend time in the dedicated breastfeeding rooms and soft-play zones. It will also pay for an emergency nanny or nursery place for back-up childcare for 150 hours per child per year.

At the Mayfair office of Norways sovereign wealth fund, NBIM, theres more emphasis on children actually getting to see their parents. Rather than paying for help, it gives both mums and dads extra time off to settle their kids into nursery and school, and gives 10 days of leave each year to staff with children under 12 to look after their sick kids.

The initiatives are often tied into corporate gender-equality targets: Twitter, for example, introduced its breast milk shipping scheme shortly after announcing aims to boost the percentage of women on its staff; Accenture did the same.

Some American companies parental benefits even include such things as surrogacy reimbursement and egg-freezing  the latter famously offered by Facebook, Apple and Google. Companies see these perks as a relatively inexpensive way to recruit and retain skilled staff.

Back at Goldman, its just after 6pm and the banks in-house childrens summer scheme is winding up. Im imagining a vampire-squad indoctrination camp where bankers offspring learn how to increase their pile of Duplo while the kid next to them goes without.

But Emma Pape, an executive director in wealth management whose kids, aged six and 11, use the holiday camp each year, says its actually games, Wii-playing and trips to the library, playgrounds and St Pauls Cathedral. The kids love coming into the office and seeing where I spend my life, Pape explains.

When I joined Goldman 15 years ago, it felt much more male-dominated. Now theres a realisation that people have lives outside the office; you often see parents wandering around with their little ones.

Emma Pape, an executive director at Goldman with her family

Its not all change at the bank with a reputation for being the hardest taskmaster in the City, though. This is a tough place to work. You have to be resilient and competitive, and it can be really stressful. Ive pulled over-nighters when I need to. But women used to leave Goldman because they felt they couldnt be an MD [the hallowed managing director status] and still have a family  thats no longer the case. Theyre very conscious of mental health and resilience. They want women to come back to work  and are helping us do so.

This is Goldman Sachs, so someone with a six-figure bonus will inevitably have worked out the exact profit to be made out of protecting employees mental resilience.
That responsible admonition is well-placed: Bureaucracies and powerful elites have always suffered from institutional blindness and amnesia. Today writers decry the structural inequities of race. But in 1967, Newsweek magazine ran a cover story titled The Negro in America: What Must Be Done, offering solutions. And in 68, examining urban unrest, the Kerner report commissioned by President Lyndon Johnson provided a road map to cure grievances and avoid further social explosions. To this day, those findings have assiduously been ignored and forgotten about by those ongoing bureaucracies and elites with the power to make changes.
T his weekend, Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

The festival marks the end of Ramadan, an annual period when Muslims fast to help deepen spiritual devotion and commemorate the work of the prophet Mohammed.

It is not to be confused with Eid al-Adha, which comes at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage period.

Eid al-Fitr is normally celebrated communally with prayers and gatherings. This isn't possible in 2020 due to coronavirus lockdown rules that ban gatherings of more than two people outside a single household.

Here's everything you need to know about Eid al-Fitr and how it is celebrated.

People celebrating Eid in Iraq in 2019 (Reuters)

When is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid-al-Fitr falls on either Saturday, May 23 or Sunday ,May 24 this year - depending on when the full moon is sighted.

The exact dates change each year, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle.

The celebrations mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, which began on April 23 this year.

Worshippers in Turkey in 2019 (AP)

What does Eid al-Fitr celebrate?

Muslims thank Allah on Eid al-Fitr for giving them the strength to keep to their daytime fast throughout Ramadan. They may also ask for forgiveness if they broke their fast during the month.

The festival is also held to give thanks to Allah for giving Muslims the Koran, the religion's holy text. The Koran provides Muslims with guidelines for living a holy life.

Women buy traditional bangles in preparation for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr celebrations, in Lahore, Pakistan in 2019 (AP)

How is it different from Eid al-Adha?

Eid al-Adha, also known as The Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, and is considered the holier of the two Eids.

Eid al-Adha marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage (one of the five pillars of Islam) and will fall at the start of August this year.

The festival remembers the story of Ibrahim's sacrifice when Allah appeared to him in a dream and asked him to sacrifice his son Isma'il as an act of obedience to God.

People celebrating Eid in Birmingham in 2018 (REUTERS)

How are Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr in coronavirus lockdown?

Eid al-Fitr is normally celebrated in mosques, and then in gatherings and parties with friends and family.

Neither of these are possible this year, with places of worship closed and gatherings of more than two people banned under coronavirus lockdown rules.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has advised Muslims to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at home with members of their household, and speak with others via video cal

MCB General Secretary Harun Khan said: Muslims have shown great resolve throughout Ramadan and this pandemic, adapting to a different way of life and making the best out of the month by attending virtual iftars with friends and family, and live streaming religious services to their homes.

Eid celebrations in Birmingham in 2018 (REUTERS)

Whilst Eid away from the mosques and from our loved ones is unprecedented and will be a source of great sadness in communities across the country, Muslim communities will adapt and find the best way to still celebrate this holy day whilst aligning to the latest guidance. Some will pray Eid prayers in families within their households, and virtual gatherings can be arranged to still connect with loved ones.
A n appeal has been launched to identify a man fighting for life in hospital after being found unconscious by police in central London.

Officers were called to Bulstrode Street, Marylebone, at around 5.20am on Sunday morning following reports of a man found unconscious.

The man's injuries are consistent with those sustained in an assault, according to Scotland Yard.

He was taken to hospital by ambulance and remains in a critical condition but police are yet to discover who the man is.

He is described as a white male with a tanned complexion aged between 25-35 with black medium length hair, tall and of slim build.

The man was found wearing a light blue button up shirt with a skull and crossbones logo on the front, blue china trousers and black Vans trainers which are a size 9.5.

His next of kin is not known.

Detective Constable Cat Bell said: "We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time or knows what this man was doing in the area prior to being found to come forward.

"He is in a critical condition in hospital and we are keen to establish what led to him receiving his injuries.

"We are currently reviewing CCTV footage but I would urge anyone who has information that can help with our ongoing enquiries to contact us.
T hree people have been rushed to hospital following a shooting outside a north-west London Tube station.

Police and paramedics were scrambled to the scene in Kingsbury Road, Brent, on Monday night.

Officers were called to reports of shots being fired in the street near Kingsbury station.

Two men, aged 18 and 24, and a woman, 30, were found suffering gunshot injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

Witnesses look on after the violent scenes unfolded on the busy high street / Joe Boyce

The two male victims remain in hospital. Their injuries are not life-threatening, police said.

The woman has since been discharged.

The road was closed off after officers descended on the scene.

A crime scene remained in place overnight.

No arrests have been made.

The Met Police tweeted: Officers are at the scene of a shooting in #Kingsbury Road at 9.45pm on Monday.

Not terror related. Three people taken to hospital, none believed to be life-threatening. #Brent officers investigating alongside #Trident colleagues.

Anyone with information that may assist the police investigation is asked to call Trident officers via 101 quoting reference CAD 7952aug20
A 16-year-old boy was appearing in court today charged with stabbing a 42-year-old man to death in a spate of knife killings in London.

The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, is accused of murdering Joseph Cullimore in Chingford. He is set to appear at Thames magistrates court. Police found Mr Cullimore with stab injuries at an address in Flaxen Road at about 4.40am on Friday.

He was one of four people to die in knife attacks during a four-day period in London, bringing the total number of homicides this year to 95.

The first took place last Wednesday when Simonne Kerr, 31  who appeared on Britains Got Talent in an NHS choir  was stabbed to death at an address in Battersea. A man aged 40 has appeared in court charged with her murder.

On Friday Gary Amer, 63, was stabbed to death at a flat in Walworth. A man aged 67 has been charged with his murder.

Simonne Kerr was stabbed to death in Battersea last Wednesday / Simonne Kerr / Facebook

On Saturday a man in his sixties, who has not been named, died in hospital after being found with stab wounds at a multi-occupancy address in Catford. No arrests have been made.

Mr Amer, a plumber from Holborn, was allegedly found dead next to his toolkit and beside a boiler he was working on at a flat in Madron Street near Old Kent Road.

Gary Amer, 63, of Holborn, was found dead in Walworth / PA

William Treadwell was due to appear at Camberwell magistrates court today accused of murder. A bunch of red roses was placed outside a door where the attack took place.

On Thursday four children were stabbed after a fight broke on the Elmington estate in Camberwell, minutes from where drill rapper Siddique Kamara, 23, was knifed to death on August 1.
A couple were "viciously" attacked after challenging a man who was urinating in a north London street.

Police are appealing for information about the "needless" assault. The 43-year-old man suffered a bleed on the brain, a broken jaw, eye damage and severe bruising.

His 34-year-old partner, meanwhile, had hair pulled out and had bruising after being thrown to the ground.

They had been walking along Fairfax Road in Swiss Cottage when they challenged the man for urinating in the street.

A CCTV still of one of the suspects / Met Police

Three further people, two males and a female, then jumped from a nearby parked car and the two males began assaulting the couple.

It happened at about 1.15am on June 10.

A CCTV still of another suspect in the Swiss Cottage attack / Met Police

Launching an appeal on Monday, with stills of two suspects, Det Con Angela Greaves, said: I am keen to identify and apprehend those responsible for this needlessly vicious attack on a couple making their way home after a night out.

I urge anyone who can put a name to the faces of the men pictured to call without delay. Any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence.
A woman fighting for her life alongside her mother after an unprovoked hammer attack works for a financial services firm in Canary Wharf.

Ania Gos, 30, was one of two women apparently targeted at random in New Eltham, south-east London.

Employer S&P Global said in a statement how colleagues were "extremely shocked and saddened" by the "senseless" attack on Ms Gos and her mother on Sunday afternoon.

Officers found the pair suffering from devastating injuries "consistent with a violent assault", the Met said. Detectives arrested Joe Xuereb, 27, who is believed to live nearby.

Joe Xuereb was arrested following the attack / PA

An S&P Global spokesman would not discuss what position she held at the company, but a LinkedIn page described her as working in business support services for McGraw Hill Financial: a former name for the firm.

The social media site said Ms Gos received an English qualification at King's College London in 2008 after earning a Master's degree in history from the University of Lodz in Poland.

An officer at the scene of the attack / Lucy Young

Ms Gos's 64-year-old mother was visiting from Poland when she was attacked, neighbours said.

The two victims remained in a critical condition on Monday afternoon.

Police arrested Xuereb on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder at 7.35pm on Sunday after a media appeal.

He had been spotted by a woman who then followed him in her car, until the force detained him in Sidcup, south-east London.
O ne of the country's largest prisons will be taken back under government control amid "significant concerns" for inmates' safety, it has been announced.

On Monday, it was declared that the Ministry of Justice will assume control of HMP Birmingham after "significant concerns" about the state of the facility had been raised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

Peter Clarke took the step of issuing an urgent notification to Secretary of State for Justice David Gauke about the jail, warning it had "slipped into crisis" following a "dramatic deterioration" in the last 18 months.

In December 2016, while run by G4S, the category B prison was rocked by the worst outbreak of rioting at an English jail in more than two decades.

Inmates caused widespread damage after seizing control of four wings and releasing 500 prisoners from their cells during the disturbance - which lasted for more than 12 hours.

Riot squads had to be deployed to the prison after reports of prisoners setting fire to stairwells and destroying paper records.

One man, believed to be in his 20s, was taken to hospital with a facial injury as well as cuts and bruises, but no prison staff were injured.

Some 240 prisoners were moved out of the prison as a result.

Seven men were later convicted of prison mutiny for their role in the rioting.

The city centre jail, formerly known as Winson Green, can hold up to 1,450 inmates and was taken over by G4S in 2011.

A June 2017 inspection found it had been gripped by drug-fuelled violence, with many inmates feeling "unsafe" behind bars.

The first official report since the riot concluded there was too much fighting on wings, often triggered by easy access to "problematic" new psychoactive substances.

Half of the prisoners surveyed also told inspectors it was "easy to get drugs", with one in seven reporting they were getting hooked on drugs while in the jail.

The inspection also found the use of mobile phones and drones to arrange and deliver contraband, such as the highly addictive Spice, over the Victorian jail's high walls was also "a significant threat".

Three months later staff were involved in another stand-off with inmates following a disturbance.

A number of prisoners refused to return to their cells at the end of an evening.

Specially trained prison staff resolved the incident, which lasted almost seven hours, with no injuries to staff or prisoners.

The prison made headlines again earlier this month after nine cars were torched during an arson attack on the staff car park.

Two masked men used an angle grinder to cut their way into the parking compound before dousing vehicles in flammable liquid.

Further damage was prevented after the men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, were confronted by two prison staff.

The incident came as an unannounced inspection of the prison was carried out.
P lans for 1,000 more police officers to fight Londons wave of knife crime were unveiled today by a Tory challenger to Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Shaun Bailey said Mr Khan had lost control of the streets and wasted money on a bloated bureaucracy.

After four knife deaths in four days in the capital, Mr Bailey called for resources to be shifted to the frontline and pledged that he would invest in cutting-edge technology to track down gang lords if he was elected.

In a stinging attack, Mr Bailey said Mr Khan had shown a lack of leadership by blaming government cuts instead of taking the fight to criminals. Before Khan gets the begging bowl out and complains about the lack of Government funding, he should first cut his own bureaucracy, he writes exclusively in the Evening Standard.

Too much of the overall police budget is spent on backroom bureaucrats and not police officers.

Critic: London Assembly member Shaun Bailey / Matt Writtle

Mr Khan hit back, accusing Mr Bailey of failing to understand how police funding works in London. Mr Khan argued the rival plan would reduce money for measures aimed at preventing crime, and blamed the Government for a financial squeeze on the Met.

The row puts crime levels at the forefront of the battle for City Hall when Mr Khan stands for re-election in 2020.

It follows months of rising concern about a surge in violence linked to drugs gangs in the capital. At least 58 people have been fatally stabbed since the beginning of the year. There were 1,438 stabbings in London in the first four months of 2018, according to Metropolitan Police figures.

The monthly total of knife crime incidents was 1,030 in July 2016, shortly after the Mayor took power, but the figure rose to a peak of 1,371 in June this year.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan / PA

Mr Baileys plan to shift resources from desks to the frontline is the first policy announcement by the former youth worker, one of three Conservatives vying for the chance to be the official challenger to Mr Khan.

He vowed to bring in ultra-efficient artificial intelligence used by New York Police Department, in which gang leaders are targeted using a database combining records from 9,000 CCTV cameras, 500 car numberplate readers and callouts from citizens. The mass of information is then analysed by intelligent software to spot links between criminals and incidents.

Mr Bailey said the NYPDs database, called Domain Awareness System, drastically cut crime in the Big Apple, producing savings there of 37 million a year. He estimates it would cost 7.5 million a year to set up and run a similar system for the Met but would generate savings of 32 million a year  the equivalent cost of 540 extra officers.

Secondly, he would slash spending on the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime [Mopac], which he said had become too big and wasteful.

Mr Bailey said he would cut Mopacs budget to be in line with other policing bureaucracies, a drop of 32 million a year which could fund 587 officers.

Controversially, Mr Bailey argues that cuts cannot be blamed for problems in a capital where 337 was spent per Londoner on policing compared with 222 in Merseyside and 186 in the West Midlands. Critics of Mr Bailey will point to Londons special policing headaches such as protecting Parliament and the royal family.

A spokesman for Mr Khan said: The cuts outlined by Shaun Bailey today would mean slashing Mopac investment in the preventative services that stop young Londoners turning to crime in the first place. He claimed this would mean less funding for community groups and charities, as well as cutting all funding to tackle violence against women and girls.
A man has been charged with a series of driving offences after a car was allegedly driven at a group of cyclists in south London.

Shane Seymour, 25, was charged with five counts of dangerous driving, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, five counts of driving while disqualified and vehicle interference.

He was arrested on Sunday, the Metropolitan Police said.

The incident is said to have taken place on August 1 near Clapham North station.

A black Audi A3 is alleged to have been driven at a group of cyclists.
A pensioner has appeared in court over the murder of a tradesman who was stabbed 30 times while working at his home in south London.

William Treadwell, 67, who is charged with the murder of Gary Amer, 63, entered no plea, when he appeared before Camberwell Green magistrates' court today.

The court heard Mr Amer had been working to fix the boiler at the home where Treadwell lived with his sister in Madron Street, Walworth, when he was stabbed 30 times on Friday.

He also suffered head injuries, the court heard.

Mr Amer was working at a property in Madron Street, Walworth (pictured) when he was stabbed 30 times, and later pronounced dead at the scene. / Google

Mr Amer had been working at the property since August 13.

Treadwell, who wore a grey sweatshirt and jogging bottoms, spoke only to confirm his name, address, date of birth and nationality when he appeared in the dock for the five-minute hearing.

The defendant blew kisses and waved to the public gallery as he was remanded into custody, the Press Association reported.

Officers pronounced Mr Amer dead at the scene at 2.14pm on Friday.

Treadwell will appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.
What they neglect to mention is the real problem cited by the Tribune: Most government employees are exempt. If this is such a great boon to employees, why make only government employees suffer? Or is the law just another push to make politicians look compassionate, when in reality they are foisting another barrier to job growth on the private sector and again exempting themselves from such burdens?
A terror suspect accused of attempting to murder members of the public and police officers outside the Houses of Parliament has appeared in court.

Salih Khater, 29, allegedly drove a car into cyclists and pedestrians before swerving towards police officers and crashing into a security barrier.

The Sudanese-born suspect was arrested by armed police outside the Palace of Westminster last Tuesday.

Three people were treated for non-life threatening injuries after the crash.

Sahli Khater today appeared in court

Khater, from Birmingham, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today charged with two counts of attempted murder.

The charges state that he attempted to murder people at the junction of Parliament Square and Abingdon Street and police officers in Abingdon Street on August 14.

Police investigation: Forensics officers work near the car that crashed into security barriers outside Parliament / AP

Police said prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism. Khater spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and that he was British during a hearing lasting under six minutes.
P ublic Health England (PHE) has issued a measles warning after mass outbreaks across Europe.

Dr Mary Ramsay, the health body's Head of Immunisation, said it had noticed an increase in the number of young people and teens affected by measles who had missed out on their MMR vaccine as children.

In London alone, PHE said there had been 291 cases of measle since the start of the year until August 13.

Of all regions in the UK, London had the highest amount, followed by the south-east with 169, the south-west with 138 and the West Midlands with 85 cases.

The breakout, PHE added, is linked to large outbreaks in Europe.

When asked specifically where, a spokeswoman for the organisation said all over Europe.

Dr Ramsay has warned that young people should contact their GP if theyre unsure if they have had their vaccinations, especially if they are about to go off to university.

She said: Anyone who missed out on their MMR vaccine in the past or are unsure if they had two doses should contact their GP practice to catch-up.

We would encourage people to ensure they are up to date with their MMR vaccine before travelling to countries with ongoing measles outbreaks, heading to large gatherings such as festivals, or before starting university.
T he Tories risk being out of power for generations if they fail to reach out to Britains ethnic minority communities, one of the partys most prominent Muslim politicians warned today.

London MEP Syed Kamall said there was a growing gulf between the Conservatives and millions of ethnic minority voters. He fears his party could lose more seats at the next election unless it bridges this gap.

An estrangement between the party and key sections of the population is threatening to hinder our prospects in many areas of the country, he told the ConservativeHome website.

The growing gulf between Conservatives and Britains millions of black and minority ethnic (BME) voters is an issue we need to tackle urgently.

Failure to reach out to more diverse voters means that we could face being out of power for generations.

Mr Kamall, co-chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament, said electoral figures on attracting ethnic minority voters made chastening reading. Labour has two thirds of the vote in the top 75 seats where half the BME population lives, he explained.

Apart from one seat (Harrow East), there is a highly concerning trend that, when a seat reaches 30 per cent BME population it goes to Labour, he added. In 2010, this applied to 75 seats. By 2022, it could apply to around 120 seats.

There were signs that the Conservatives were making progress, when they gained 16 per cent of the BME vote in 2010. But in 2017, they lost three of the top 10 most diverse seats they held, including Croydon Central and Enfield Southgate. This followed Labour gaining Ealing Central and Acton, Ilford North and Brentford and Isleworth in 2015.

If these trends continue, we will continue to lose London seats. Harrow East, Hendon and Finchley and Golders Green are at risk. Even Boris Johnson may be vulnerable in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, warned Mr Kamall.

His warning came after Finsbury Park imam Mohammed Mahmoud accused the Government of a lacklustre effort to fight Islamophobia.

Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson also faces an internal party investigation after saying Muslim women who wore the full face veil look like letter boxes.
P arliament must decide how Britain splinters away from the EU, a senior Tory MP stressed today.

Former minister George Freeman said MPs who backed Remain had to concede the UK was leaving  but it was for the Commons to decide how Brexit happens. He rejected Theresa Mays Chequers blueprint for Brexit, which includes close ties to the EU on the trade in goods but not services, as having failed to win support, and believes that it now hasnt a prayer of being accepted.

It was now time to think seriously about Plan B, he argued, pushing the benefits of the European Free Trade Association, whose members are Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Those of us who argued for Remain in the Referendum have to accept WE LOST, he tweeted. As an MP I respect my constituents decision. We need to leave the EU. But HOW is up to Parliament. I believe we need to minimise the short term economic risk with EFTA Membership.

A significant number of Tory MPs are backing the EFTA model but Labour has so far rejected it, as it would probably mean largely accepting freedom of movement as part of single market arrangements.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab travels to Brussels tomorrow for talks with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
T he "inspirational" sailor who was the first quadriplegic woman to sail solo around the British Isles has died aged 46.

Hilary Lister, who was paralysed from the neck down, became famous after she used the "sip-and-puff" system for steering and controlling a yacht's sails.

She became the first quadriplegic person to sail across the English Channel in 2005, the first quadriplegic woman to lap the Isle of Wight in 2007.

Ms Lister his headlines again in 2009 when she sailed around Britain.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) judged that the feat put her in among the top four sailors in the world.

On her 2008 challenge, Ms Lister sailed her vessel, an Artemis 20, using specially adapted controls operated by sipping or puffing down a straw. / PA

Her death was announced on her website over the weekend.

A statement read: "It is with deep regret that Hilary's Dream Trust announces the passing of its founder - Hilary Lister - an inspiration to many, a recipient of many accolades and a record holder of many sailing achievements."

Quadriplegic sailor, Hilary Lister, who was the first disabled woman to sail around the British Isles, has died age 46. / PA Archive/PA Images

Ms Lister, from Canterbury, Kent, was confined to a wheelchair since the age of 15 due having suffered from the degenerative condition, reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Ms Lister, pictured with her husband Clifford in 2005. / David Crump

She studied biochemistry at Jesus College, Oxford, but during her studies her condition worsened and she became paralysed from the neck down at the age of 27.

In 1999, she married local singing teacher Clifford Lister after doctors had said she did not have long to live, reported the Canterbury Journal.

But the fighter went on to live another 19 years, and become one of the most inspirational figures in British sport, winning the Sportswoman of the Year title in 2007.

Mrs Lister fought for years to regain movement in her body, undergoing numerous operations. Despite showing some improvement in 2016, Ms Lister never fully recovered.

She controlled her house with voice-activated commands and a chin switch which could open the front door and answer the phone. She made use of a similar system to control her boat around the British Isles.

The Yachtswoman celebrates completing her UK challenge with mother, Pauline Rudd (right), as she crossed the finish line in Dover, Kent. / PA Archive/PA Images

Alex Lister, the son of her husband Clifford, said: My stepmother was the definition of an inspirational woman. I never heard her complain once about her condition or the hand life dealt her.

Instead, she turned a challenge into an opportunity and achieved things able-bodied people can only dream of.

Her strength of character and desire to make the world a better place for others is a huge source of motivation for me personally."

Ms Lister started sailing with Westbere Sailing Opportunities in Canterbury in 2003, and had said previously: "Within 30 seconds of being in a boat I was in love."

Among her many accolades, she won the Cosmopolitan "Superhero Award" in 2007, the Vitalise Woman of Achievement Award in 2009 and the Woman of the Year Charity's winner in 2006.
T he UK is set to bask in temperatures of 27C before the mercury drops bringing wet and windy weather over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Temperatures across the UK are set to rise in to the high 20s across the country before rain batters swathes of the country on Wednesday.

Sophie Yeomans, from the Met Office, told the Standard: "The start of the week will be cloudy and humid but will be fresher for the end of the week across the UK as a whole.

"From Wednesday onwards it will feel fresher."

Brits are set to bask in temperatures of around 27C / PA

Today in the capital, it will be cloudy with the possibility of one or two showers.

"The showers will be brief and then there will be brighter breaks with temperatures reaching 26C or 27C," Ms Yeomans said.

UK August Heatwave - In pictures 1 /31 UK August Heatwave - In pictures Two women take a selfie in Trafalgar Square in London, as another blast of hot weather is set to hit parts of the UK PA Birds are seen flying as St Paul's Cathedral and skyscrapers in the City of London are seen at dawn in London REUTERS People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire as another spell of warm weather hits the UK PA A dog under an umbrella at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire PA Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beaches on the Dorset coast as temperatures continue to increase Rex Features People enjoy the sunshine aboard a boat on the Regents Canal, London, as another blast of hot weather is set to hit parts of the UK PA People sunbath on the clifftop at Woolacombe Beach in North Devon PA People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA Girls sunbathe in the hot sunny weather during Bestival at the Lulworth Estate in Dorset PA People in the sea at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA People on pedalos and paddleboards at Nene Park in Peterborough PA People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beachers on the Dorset coast as the mercury continues to rise Rex Features People in the sea at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA People in an inflatable canoe at Nene Park in Peterborough, PA A woman brushes a man's hair under a sun shade on Herne Bay beach Getty Images People relax on kayaks at Nene Park in Peterborough PA People enjoy the hot weather at London Fields in Hackney PA Peoploe enjoy the sunshine at London Fields in Hackney, London PA A couple play catch with a ball while swimming in the River Stour Getty Images Girls sunbathe in the hot sunny weather during Bestival festival in Dorset PA Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beaches on the Dorset coast Rex Features A canal boat passes along the Regent's Canal in front of Granary Square in King's Cross, London PA Office workers on the steps at Granary Square, King's Cross, London enjoy the continued hot weather PA Early morning on the beach at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside PA Children play in the fountains at Granary Square, King's Cross, London PA People enjoy the hot weather on Gorleston beach near Great Yarmout PA Early morning at St Mary's lighthouse on Whitley Bay, North Tyneside PA Balloons inflate during a ground tether flight after bad weather prevented flying at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at the Ashton Court Estate in Bristol PA People enjoy the sunshine on the beach at Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear. PA People walk along the beach at Whitley Bay PA

On Tuesday temperatures will be fairly similar with the mercury reaching the high 20s before the sunshine makes an increasingly more rare appearance in the afternoon.

But, the warm weather will appear only briefly before showers batter the capital by Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Yeomans said: "A heavy band of rain will make its way from Scotland and will reach London by the afternoon. From this point onwards, there will be fresher conditions. It will be cooler and windy."

UK Weather drought - In pictures 1 /12 UK Weather drought - In pictures Greenwich Park, May 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Greenwich Park, July 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK London, May 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK London, July 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Hyde Park, May 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Hyde Park, July2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Regents Park, May 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Regents Park, July 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Hampstead Heath, May 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Hampstead Heath, July 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Victoria Park, May 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK Victoria Park, July 2018 Sentinel-2 | ESA | Esri UK

On Sunday, the Met Office announced that summer 2018 could be named the warmest on record for the UK with the race for the top spot "wide open."

The mean temperature for this summer so far is 16.1C exactly the same as it was at this point during the record-holding summer of 2006.

Whether 2018 beats the record could come down to a matter of tenths or even hundreds of difference in Celsius.

The final average figure for summer 2006 was 15.78C - a fraction above the two years in second place, 2003 and 1976, which tied on 15.77C.
I talian actress Asia Argento, a leading figure of the #MeToo movement, settled a sexual assault complaint filed against her, the New York Times reported.

Argento, 42, settled the notice of intent to sue filed by actor and musician Jimmy Bennett who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17.

The actress alleged settled financially with the actor, who is now 22, for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her, the newspaper reported.

Argento and the actor have previously worked together and the complainant said in the notice that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013.

The age of consent in California is 18.

He claims the encounter traumatised him and hurt his career, according to the New York Times.

Asia Argento is a leading figure in the Me Too movement / AFP/Getty Images

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and the actor in bed.

Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic.

Argento became one of the most well-known activists of the #MeToo movement after she told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 when she was 21.

Argento told the magazine that she continued to have a relationship with Weinstein because she was afraid of angering him.

Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but not including Argento.

Harvey Weinstein at court in New York where he pleaded not guilty to rape and criminal sex act charges / AP

Representatives for Argento could not be immediately reached.
A n extreme drought gripping Australia is driving scores of emus to flock to a nearby town in search of water.

An animal rescue unit in the town of Broken Hill, New South Wales, said the flightless birds are desperately searching for food and water.

The animals have been seen in the town before, but never in such great numbers as they are now.

Wildlife worker Emma Singleton said: We used to have the regulars, probably about five or six.

Now they're actually walking down our main street. We're seeing mobs of them.

Australia Drought - In pictures 1 /14 Australia Drought - In pictures In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Getty Images In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Getty Images In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Reuters In the Central Western region of New South Wales, Australia, farmers continue to battle a crippling drought which many locals are calling the worst since 1902. Getty Images

"We've had 14 on a sporting oval. They've been out there for weeks - the locals in that area are giving them food and water."

Warnings have been issued to residents to watch out for the animals when on the roads. Five emus hit have been hit by vehicles in the past week alone.

"Our biggest concern at the moment is dog attacks on them," Ms Singleton said.

Australias federal government announced on Sunday a huge increase in funding to affect drought-affiliated farmers.

$1.8 million (Australian dollars) will be put aside to help.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "I want to say to our farmers, we have your back.

"We are constantly working to ensure that you get every support you can, and of course, let's all pray for rain."
A knifeman was shot dead by police after he attempted to stab officers in a suspected terrorist attack at a police station in Barcelona.

Officials said the suspect was shot dead after pulling a knife out at the station in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the city.

Commissioner Rafel Comes, the second-in-command of the Barcelona police, told a news conference that the man shouted "Allah" and other words that police officers did not understand.

He added that the man pressed the buzzer to be let in and spoke with officers. As soon as they decided to let him in, he pulled out a "large knife" and lunged at officers.

Police stand guard outside the police station on the outskirts of Barcelona / EPA

Mr Comes said that the man, said to be 29 and of Algerian origin, "intended to attack police officers."

He added that police have found no evidence linking the incident to last year's terror attacks in Barcelona and nearby Cambrils, which killed 16 people.

Intelligence services are helping with the investigation.

Catalan police stand guard outside the apartment of a building of the man who tried to attack the station / AFP/Getty Images

According to Spanish news agency Efe, the man ran through the building's entrance at about 6am and was shot dead when he rushed forward.

Images posted online showed police searching the man's residence.

The man had ID on him and police are checking to see whether they are authentic.

Officers secure the area outside the police station / AFP/Getty Images

According to El Pais, he lived 150 metres from the police station.

All other regional police stations and security forces throughout Spain have been alerted about the incident.
A British woman who is "lucky to be alive" after surviving 10 hours in the sea after falling from a cruise ship "survived thanks to singing and yoga".

Kay Longstaff, 46, fell into the Adriatic from the back of the Norwegian Star cruise ship on Saturday as it sailed around 60 miles from the Croatian coast.

A rescue ship was scrambled by the Croatian coastguard and Ms Longstaff was eventually found at around 9.45am on Sunday morning.

One of her rescuers said: "She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit. And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight."

The Norwegian Star cruise ship was travelling from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Venice, Italy / Shutterstock / StudioPortoSabbia

Ms Longstaff told Croatian news channel HRT: "I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me.

"I am very lucky to be alive."

The 46-year-old was found just over a kilometre away from where she is believed to have fallen into the water.

The rescue operation continued through the night / MORH

Images show the dramatic rescue of the woman after she was discovered by rescuers.

David Radas, Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs spokesman, said that by checking CCTV rescuers knew the exact moment Ms Longstaff fell in the water.

Rescue operation: the British passenger was found ten hours after she fell into the sea / MORH

"Because they knew the time, they were able to know the exact position of the ship," he told The Sun.

Lovro Oreskovic, captain of the Cavtat rescue ship, said they were "extremely happy for saving a human life".

The British passenger pictured with members of the rescue team on Sunday / MORH

Norwegian Cruise Line said the ship had been delayed amid the search and rescue operation.

The spokeswoman said: "We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."
T his is the heartwarming moment a 92-year-old South Korean woman wept as she stroked the cheeks of her 71-year-old North Korean son during their first meeting since they were driven apart 68 years ago in the Korean War.

Ri Sang Chol was four when his mother Lee Keum-seom last saw him, as they fled the fighting together with her husband and daughter during the early days of the Korean War, CNN reported.

The family were headed south but, in the mass of others trying to escape, Lee and her daughter crossed to the south side of the border while her husband and son remained trapped on the other side of the divide.

"How many children do you have? Do you have a son?" Lee asked her son during their long-awaited encounter at the North's Diamond Mountain resort on Monday.

The last time Lee Keum-seom, 92, saw her son he was four years old / AFP/Getty Images

The week-long event, the first of its kind in nearly three years, was arranged as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Ri Sang Chol, 71, shows his mother a photograph during the separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea / AP

Hugging her, Ri showed his mother a photo of her late husband, who had stayed behind in North Korea with him after being separated from his wife while fleeing south.

"Mother, this is how my father looked," Ri said.

'How many children do you have? Do you have a son?' Lee asked her son during their long-awaited encounter / AFP/Getty Images

Before leaving for North Korea, Lee said she wanted to ask her son "how he grew up without his mom and how his father raised him."

Most of the participants in the reunions are in their 70s or older and so, for many, this marks the last time they will meet with their relatives.

Most have had no word on whether their relatives are still alive because they are not allowed to visit each other across the border or even exchange letters, phone calls or email.

South Korean Han Shin-ja, 99, right, weeps with her North Korean daughters Kim Kyong Sil, 72, and Kim Kim Kyong Yong, 71, centre / AP

About 90 elderly South Koreans, accompanied by their family members, will have three days of meetings with their North Korean relatives before returning to the South on Wednesday.

A separate round of reunions from Friday to Sunday will involve more than 300 other South Koreans, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

South and North Korea Family Reunions - In pictures 1 /12 South and North Korea Family Reunions - In pictures South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92 weeps with her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea AP South Korean participants for a reunion arrive at the South's CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine), just south of the DMZ in Goseong, South Korea Reuters South Korean Jeon Hye-ok (left) 90, meets with his North Korean niece-in-law Kim Yun-gyeung (right) 56, during the inter-Korean family reunions at Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA Han Shin-ja (R), 99, of South Korea meets with her North Korean daughters Kim Kyung-sil (left), 72 and Kim Kyung-young (centre), 71, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA South Korean participants for a reunion arrive at the South's CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine), just south of the DMZ in Goseong, South Korea Reuters South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office in Goseong, South Korea AP South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office, in Goseong, South Korea AP ee Gyum-sum, 92, of South Korea meets with her North Korean son Lee Sung-chul, 71, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Kore EPA South Korean Kim Jong-tae (L), 81, meets with his North Korean nephew Kim Hak-soo (R), 56, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA South Korean Lee Mun-hyeok (right), 95, meets with his North Korean nephew Lee Kwan-hyeok (left), 80, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA Lee Gyum-sum (centre), 92, of South Korea meets with her North Korean son Lee Sung-chul (left), 71, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA South Korean Lee Gyum-yeon (centre) meets with her North Korean family members during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA

During Monday's meeting, many elderly Koreans held each other's hands and wiped away tears with handkerchiefs while asking how their relatives had lived.

They showed photos of family members who couldn't come to their meetings.

The limited number of reunions cannot meet the demands of family members / Reuters

Han Shin-ja, a 99-year-old South Korean woman, was at a loss for words after she reunited with her two North Korean daughters, both in their early 70s.

Not knowing their separation would be permanent, she left them behind in the North during the war while fleeing south with her third and youngest daughter.

She could only say "Ah" and "When I fled ..." before choking up with tears.

Kim Sun Ok, an 81-year-old North Korean woman, said she found that she and her 88-year-old brother from South Korea resembled each other a great deal.

South Koreans toast with their North Korean relatives during the dinner / AFP/Getty Images

"Brother, it would be really good if Korean unification comes. Let's live together even at least one minute after unification before we die," the woman said tearfully.

Before this week's reunions, nearly 20,000 people had participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000.

Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives. None have had a second chance to see or talk with their relatives.

Korean families separated by 1953 war meet in heart-wrenching reunions

During the three years since the reunions were last held, North Korea tested three nuclear weapons and multiple missiles that demonstrated they potentially could strike the continental United States.

However North Korea has shifted to diplomacy in recent months. Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a son of North Korean war refugees, agreed to resume the reunions during the first of their two summits this year in April.

South Korea sees the separated families as the largest humanitarian issue created by the war, which killed and injured millions and cemented the division of the Korean Peninsula into the North and South.

The Unification Ministry estimates there are currently about 600,000 to 700,000 South Koreans with immediate or extended relatives in North Korea.

More than 75,000 of the 132,000 South Koreans who have applied to participate in reunions have died, according to a ministry record.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday reiterated that time is running out to expand the reunion program, saying it would be a "shameful thing" for both Koreas to see many elderly people dying without even finding out whether their loved ones are still alive.
T his is the horrifying moment the Genoa bridge collapsed in a cloud of dust, sending rubble crashing down onto the streets below.

New CCTV footage shows concrete blocks and debris from the Morandi bridge falling onto the street just seconds after a man is seen walking in the same spot.

It has been released as it is revealed engineers said in February that the corrosion of the metal cables supporting the highway bridge had reduced the its strength by 20 per cent, according to reports.

Despite the findings, the Italian magazine Espresso wrote that "neither the ministry, nor the highway company, ever considered it necessary to limit traffic, divert heavy trucks, reduce the roadway from two to one lanes or reduce the speed" of vehicles on the key artery for the northern port city.

A municipal worker was seen on the street just seconds before rubble from the Morani bridge fell onto the road / AFP/Getty Images

The new footage, released by the Italian Guardia di Finanza, showed the moment rubble came crashing down to the ground below.

Prosecutors are focusing their investigation into the cause of the bridge's collapse on possible faulty maintenance or design flaws.

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

After workers heard creaking noises coming from the part of the bridge that was still standing, firefighters suspended an operation to allow evacuated residents to retrieve their belongings from apartments under the bridge.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that officials have ruled out that the sound could be caused by wind, and that more checks are under way.

The Italian Guardia di Finanza released new footage on Monday / AFP/Getty Images

Work is continuing to clear tonnes of bridge debris that cascaded onto a dry riverbed below.

Espresso cited the minutes of a meeting of the Genoa public works superintendent, which included Roberto Ferrazza, an architect named to head a government commission looking into the disaster, and Antonio Brencich, an engineer who has been outspoken about the bridge's flaws.

Former transport minister Graziano Delrio told a news conference that "no-one ever signalled the necessity of limiting traffic" on the bridge.

People gather outside the Fair of Genoa to attend State funerals of the victims of the collapse / EPA

Espresso reporter Fabrizio Gatti said a reduction of 20 per cent strength would not be significant in a modern bridge, but on a structure with the known defects of the Morandi Bridge it should have merited swifter, more decisive action.

Mr Gatti said: "Everyone was well aware of the situation on that bridge."

Bidding on a 20 million euro (17.9 million) contract to reinforce two of the major supports for the bridge, including one that collapsed, was scheduled to close next month.

Satellite image of the collapsed section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa / EPA

The Italian government, meanwhile, appeared divided on how to proceed in relation to Autostrade per l'Italia, the company that operated the section of highway that collapsed.

Transport and infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli was quoted by the Milan daily Corriere della Sera as saying that he supported the nationalisation of Italy's toll highways.

"Think of all the revenues that would return to the government through tolls, to use not to donate to shareholders' dividends but to reinforce the quality of service and security on our roadways," Mr Toninelli was quoted as saying.

Deputy premier Matteo Salvini told reporters he remains in favour of public-private cooperation in infrastructure.

Premier Giuseppe Conte said procedures have begun to revoke Autostrade per l'Italia's concession to operate some 1,900 miles of Italian highways, about half of the total major routes operated by private companies.
A student playwright has described the terrifying ordeal she endured when she was attacked for refusing to pay more money for her holiday hostel.

Laura Denmar, 26, needed emergency hospital treatment for a gash to the head, a fractured hand and bruising to the arms during her trip to Split in Croatia.

Her boyfriend Jeremy, 39, was allegedly pinned to a wall by two men but was spared from injury when another hostel guest intervened.

Miss Denmar, who is studying for her masters degree at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in north London, claimed the incident unfolded after a hostel cleaner demanded money from them.

She told the Evening Standard: The cleaner locked the door so we were locked inside the hostel. We said we werent going to pay the money. We had to wait for her boyfriend.

Injuries: Laura Denmar, 26, needed emergency hospital treatment for a gash to the head, a fractured hand and bruising to the arms during her trip to Split in Croatia

When he arrived he had another guy with him and they held my boyfriend against the wall while she beat me with a weapon. It was a sharp metal bar; I think it was part of a bunk bed. She just pulled it out when her boyfriend got there. My head split open and I had to have stitches on the back of my head. I fractured my hand.

The couple got the first plane home to England, cutting their holiday short by a month. They had been travelling around Europe and had booked the 60-a-night hostel through the Hostel World website.

Their accommodation was meant to be in Splits picturesque Old Town, on the Dalmatian coast, but they were redirected on arrival to a high-rise block in a suburb. However, the couple had already paid, so decided to stay in the flat which had 30 beds and only one bathroom.

Miss Denmar said she felt let down by Hostel World and warned others to check their bookings. What happened to us was awful and I would hate for it to happen to anyone else, she said. She made a statement to Croatian police and contacted the British Embassy.
A t least 11 people have died after heavy rain flooded a gorge filled with hikers in southern Italy.

Five or more others are missing after flash flooding hit the area in the Calabria region on Monday.

Dozens were rescued from the Raganello Gorge after it began to fill rapidly with rain water, the countrys civil protection agency said.

Dramatic images showed rescuers scaling down inside the seven-mile long gorge, a popular aquatic trekking spot.

Rescue mission: rescuers scaling down inside the seven-mile long Raganello Gorge / AP

Among seven people rushed to hospital was a 10-year-old boy who was treated for hypothermia.

It was not immediately clear how many people were missing but there was at least 36 hikers inside the gorge at the time.

An aerial view shows rescuers at work as the recovery operation was under way / EPA

"The problem is we don't know how many people were knocked over by this flood," Carlo Tansi, the head of civil protection in Calabria, told Sky TG24.

"This is a split in the terrain that is very tight and high."

At its most narrow point the gorge is just metres wide and with walls varying from 400 to 700 metres in height.

Luca Franzese, of the alpine rescue squad in Calabria, said the height of the flood waters was some two metres (eight feet) deep.

The wave of flooding of the Raganello stream happens often in the winter, but it has never happened in the summer, when the stream is very popular among tourists," Franzese told the news agency ANSA.
A group of elderly South Koreans have crossed the border into North Korea for meetings with relatives they haven't seen since they were separated by the Korean War.

More than 50,000 people applied to be part of the momentous occasions with just 93 people selected.

The reunions are highly emotional events with most of the participants elderly people eager to see their loved ones one last time.

Most of the families were separated during the 1950-53 Korean War which ended in a ceasefire.

The reunions are highly emotional events with most of the participants elderly people / REUTERS

Moving images show around 90 elderly South Koreans and their family members being transported to a resort in North Korea for the reunion.

Another event will take place later in the week from Friday to Sunday and will involve around 300 South Koreans.

South and North Korea Family Reunions - In pictures 1 /12 South and North Korea Family Reunions - In pictures South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92 weeps with her North Korean son Ri Sang Chol, 71, during the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea AP South Korean participants for a reunion arrive at the South's CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine), just south of the DMZ in Goseong, South Korea Reuters South Korean Jeon Hye-ok (left) 90, meets with his North Korean niece-in-law Kim Yun-gyeung (right) 56, during the inter-Korean family reunions at Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA Han Shin-ja (R), 99, of South Korea meets with her North Korean daughters Kim Kyung-sil (left), 72 and Kim Kyung-young (centre), 71, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA South Korean participants for a reunion arrive at the South's CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine), just south of the DMZ in Goseong, South Korea Reuters South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office in Goseong, South Korea AP South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in family reunions with their North Korean family members at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office, in Goseong, South Korea AP ee Gyum-sum, 92, of South Korea meets with her North Korean son Lee Sung-chul, 71, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Kore EPA South Korean Kim Jong-tae (L), 81, meets with his North Korean nephew Kim Hak-soo (R), 56, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA South Korean Lee Mun-hyeok (right), 95, meets with his North Korean nephew Lee Kwan-hyeok (left), 80, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA Lee Gyum-sum (centre), 92, of South Korea meets with her North Korean son Lee Sung-chul (left), 71, during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA South Korean Lee Gyum-yeon (centre) meets with her North Korean family members during the inter-Korean family reunions at the Mount Kumgang resort, North Korea EPA

The week-long event at the Diamond Resort in North Korea comes as the rival Koreas boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve a standoff over North Korea's drive for a nuclear weapons program that can reliably target the continental United States.

Nearly 20,000 people have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000.

A convoy of buses travel to the resort in North Korea / AFP/Getty Images

Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives under a short-lived communication program from 2005 to 2007.

No one has had a second chance to see their relatives.

South Koreans leave for North Korea to take part in the reunions / AP

One woman aged 92 told reporters she was going to be seeing her son for the first since the end of the war. Lee Keum-seom said she became separated from the boy, then four, and her husband as she fled the conflict.

I never imagined this day would come, she said. I didnt even know if he was alive or not.

For the families, it will be the first time they have seen their relatives since the Korean War / AP

Another South Korean, Moon Hyun-sook, said: Im over 90 so I dont know when I am going to die. She was travelling to meet her younger sisters. She added: Im walking on air now.

Many of the South Korean participants are war refugees born in North Korea who will be meeting their siblings or the infant children they left behind. Many of those left behind are now in their 70s.

Park Hong-seo, an 88-year-old Korean War veteran from the southern city of Daegu, said he always wondered whether he'd faced his older brother in battle.

After graduating from a Seoul university, Park's brother settled in the North Korean coastal town of Wonsan as a dentist in 1946. After the war broke out, Park was told by a co-worker that his brother refused to flee to the South because he had a family in the North and was a surgeon in the North Korean army.

Park fought for the South as a student soldier and was among the allied troops who took over Wonsan in October 1950. The US-led forces advanced farther north in the following weeks before being driven back by a mass of Chinese forces after Beijing intervened in the conflict.

Thousands applied for the chance to meet their relative / EPA

Park learned that his brother died in 1984. At Diamond Mountain, he will meet his North Korean nephew and niece, who are 74 and 69, respectively.

"I want to ask them what his dying wish was and what he said about me," Park said in a telephone interview last week. "I wonder whether there's a chance he saw me when I was in Wonsan."

The limited number of reunions cannot meet the demands of family members (REUTERS) / Reuters

During the landmark summit between North and South Korea in April, both Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in agreed to resume the reunions.

South Korea estimates that there are currently around 600,000 to 700,000 South Koreans with immediate or extended relatives in North Korea.

The limited number of reunions cannot meet the demands of divided family members, who are now mostly in their 80s and 90s, South Korean officials say.

More than 50,000 people applied with only 93 people selected (REUTERS) / Reuters

More than 75,000 of the 132,000 South Koreans who have applied to participate in reunions have died.

North Korea is believed to choose who takes part based on loyalty to its leadership while South Korea uses a computerised lottery to pick participants.
A student playwright has claimed she was beaten by a cleaner brandishing a metal bar when she refused to pay more for a holiday hostel.

Laura Denmar, 26, above, was treated in hospital for a gash to the head, a fractured hand and bruising to her arms during her trip to Split in Croatia.

Her boyfriend Jeremy, 39, was allegedly pinned to a wall by two men.

Ms Denmar told the Standard: My head split open and I had to have stitches on the back of my head. I fractured my hand. I went to hospital and then the police station. It was not a good experience.

The couple said they got the first plane home to the England, cutting their holiday short by a month as they didnt feel safe in Split.

Miss Denmar, who is studying for an MA at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in north London, warned other travellers to double-check their bookings.
A woman has been killed as she tried to rescue her dog from an eight-foot alligator in South Carolina.

Cassandra Cline, 45, was walking her pet in a residential area near a lagoon at a private resort in the US state on Monday.

The huge reptile leapt out of the water and tried to get her dog, authorities said. When she tried to rescue it the alligator dragged her into the water.

David Lucas, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said: She was walking the dog near the lagoon and the alligator came out of the water and tried to get the dog.

"The lady tried to rescue the dog and a maintenance worker ran over to help."

Authorities gather at the scene of the attack in South Carolina / AP

Both were trying to save the dog, but the alligator dragged the woman into the water, he said.

The dog was unharmed but Ms Cline died in the attack.

The alligator was later found and killed, Mr Lucas added.

"It's common practice when we have an aggressive alligator like that, we put it down, but it will take some take some time to confirm it's the right alligator," said Robert McCullough of the Department of Natural Resources.

Alligator attacks on humans are extremely rare, Mr Lucas said.

Since 1976, there have only been about 20 attacks on people in the state, he said.
EU migrants 'to be given fight to stay in UK' under 'no deal' Brexit

EU migrants living in Britain will reportedly be given the right to remain in the country in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit.

Leaked Cabinet papers show ministers plan to take the quote, "moral high ground" by unilaterally granting the 3.8 million EU nationals the right to stay, according to The Daily Telegraph.

However the move was also said to reflect concerns of potential labour shortages in key sectors of the economy once Britain is outside the EU.

The details will be set out in one of around 80 technical notes due to be published about preparations for a no deal break across a wide range of sectors.

Thousands rescued from floods in India

Disaster response teams and the military have been able to reach some of the worst hit areas after monsoon rains finally eased.

More than 350 people have died since June in what has been called the worst flooding in a century in southern India.

About 725,000 people are now taking refuge in camps after having to flee their homes.

Singing and Yoga 'helped woman survive' 10 hours lost at sea

Yoga fitness and singing apparently helped a British woman survive for 10 hours in the sea after falling from a cruise ship.

The 46-year-old was pulled from the Adriatic on Sunday morning after she fell from the back of the Norwegian Star 60 miles off the Croatian coast.

One of her rescuers said the woman put her survival down to being fit through practising yoga and she sang to keep out the cold of the sea.

The woman herself told reporters she felt, quote very lucky to be alive as she was taken to hospital.

Man in court over Westminster attack

A 29-year-old man is due in court today charged with attempting to murder members of the public and police officers outside Parliament.

Salih Khater, from Birmingham, was arrested after his car hit pedestrians and cyclists and swerved towards police officers on Tuesday.

He faces two counts of attempted murder and police said prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism due to the method of the alleged attack, the targets selected and the high-profile location.

Government taking over crisis-hit prison

One of Britains largest prisons is being taken over by the Government from its private operator after serious failings at the jail were exposed.

The Ministry of Justice is assuming control of HMP Birmingham from G4S for an initial six-month period following concerns about safey, security and decency.

An inspection of the facility found staff asleep or locked in offices and uncovered appalling squalor and violence, the Chief Inspector of Prisons said.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival's funniest joke is....

The funniest joke from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been revealed.

Adam Rowe has picked up the accolade with the line: "Working at the Jobcentre has to be a tense job - knowing that if you get fired, you still have to come in the next day."

On this day

1913: Adolphe Pegond baled out from a Bleriot airplane 700 feet above Buc in France. His parachute brought him down safely, making him the first to parachute from a plane.

1968: Russia sent tanks into Czechoslovakia.

1977: The Voyager I spacecraft was launched on its journey via Jupiter and Saturn to become the first man-made object to leave the Solar System.

1989: The Thames pleasure cruiser Marchioness was hit by a dredger and 51 young people attending a party on the boat were killed.
 Meghan Markles half-sister Samantha Markle has said she wont be entering the Celebrity Big Brother house, claiming there would not be enough room in that house for my mouth.

It had been rumoured the outspoken sibling of the Duchess of Sussex would be taking part in the Channel 5 reality show.

Since the shows launch, last Thursday, speculation has been growing over whether Ms Markle would replace Stormy Daniels who sensationally quit moments before the series kicked off.

On Saturday, she took to Twitter to set the record straight.

Ms Markle said: This just in: Not going on #CBB considering I other opportunity. All up in the air LOL

Twitter

One person accused Ms Markle of lying over appearing on the show on Twitter.

She hit back, saying: I was not the one who started that one and added: There would not be enough room in that house for my mouth.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a friend's wedding in Surrey / PA

Rumours of an appearance in the house were fuelled when Ms Markle offered vague responses to questions on the topic during a live interview on Good Morning Britain last month.

Host Kate Garraway grilled the 54-year-old over rumours that she would enter the CBB house amid claims she was cashing in on her estranged half-sisters marriage to Prince Harry.

Despite remaining tight-lipped on the topic Ms Markle hinted at an appearance saying "money makes the world go round".

Ms Markle has in the past been outspoken about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in numerous scathing social media rants.
H arry Potter fans were left feeling very nostalgic after Tom Felton attempted to convert Matthew Lewis into a Slytherin but failed miserably during a reunion night out.

Despite the final instalment of the magical franchise wrapping up over seven years ago, Felton is yet to give up on converting his co-star into a Slytherin.

The 30-year-old actor, best known for his role as Draco Malfoy, was pictured looking rather unimpressed as he pushed a Slytherin rucksack against Lewis chest.

Felton hit out at Lewis, jokingly hailing him a gryffindork, for staying committed to Longbottoms house in the films.

He captioned the image: See how close he was to converting.... @mattdavelewis #gryffindork.

However, 29-year-old Lewis, better known as Neville Longbottom, was far from willing as he looked on into the distance.

Posting his own version of the snap, looking disgusted, Lewis fought back: Take your Slytherin paws off me, you damn dirty ape! @t22felton.

Lewis later added: I cant even go for a pint without you hounding me. Cant you have an Adidas bag like regular folk!?! #Gryfforthewin.

Fans were sent into a frenzy over the images, which sparked a debate over which side Lewis should be on.

One user wrote: 20 POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR LIONS ALL THE WAY.

Another commented: Dark side is best #serpentardforever.

A third added: Impressive the skill of a slytherin son.

Meanwhile another said: Dirty ape hot damn Neville u cold blooded as hell u sure ur not a slyth. [sic]
W e're all in need of some comfort food to ease ourselves into autumn, and The Great British Bake Off is back to help us do it.

Whilst some of us may not fancy ourselves as masters in the kitchen, we can certainly spend the next few weeks drooling over the bakers' sweet treats as they enter the famous tent.

Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig are back as hosts while Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will be there to preside over the perfect pastries.

With just one week to go until the first episode, its time to meet the 2018 contestants.

Contestants: The new bakers have been revealed / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

Jon, 47, from Wales

PAMark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The blood courier says that he loves to bake after a hard day at work and aims to make impressive creations and experiment with different techniques.

The father-of-four bakes whenever he gets a spare moment, and thinks the tent will be easier than his kitchen.

Kim-Joy, 27, from Leeds

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The mental health specialist, born to an English father and Malaysian-Chinese mother, grew up in London and now lives in Leeds.

As the only one of her family who bakes, she says her mixed-heritage background is reflected in her open attitude to all styles of baking.

Nadiya Hussain Top 5 baking essentials

Antony, 30, from London

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The banker learned to bake growing up in India and is sure that his friends are going to be really surprised to see him on the show.

Rahul, 30, from Rotherham

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The research scientist moved to the UK on a university scholarship seven years ago and incorporates an East-meets-West fusion into his baking.

Ruby, 29, from London

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The project manager grew up in an Indian family and remembers sweet treats made by her mum, powering her love of all this dessert.

She loves to make cakes and pastries and boozy treats for her friends and family.

Karen, 60, from West Yorkshire

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

Having fallen in love with baking 15 years ago in France, the in-store sampling assistants daughters encouraged her to give the show a go.

Manon, 26, from London

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The French project manager found a love of baking when she moved to London and now travels the world in search of the next big thing in baking.

Luke, 30, from Sheffield

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The civil servant, who works as a techno DJ in his spare time, has been baking since the age of 10 before deciding to try his luck on the biggest baking show.

Briony, 33, from Bristol

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The full-time parent has perfected her techniques from YouTube and is ready to take on the famous tent.

Terry, 56, from the West Midlands

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The retired air steward was encouraged to apply for the show by his daughters who wanted him to start a new journey.

He says he will use his background as a prosthetic technician, as well as spoils from his own microbrewery and allotment, to add edge to his bakes.

Imelda, 33, from County Tyrone

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The Northern Irish countryside recreation officer learned to bake in her picturesque home and is ready to show the judges what she can do

Dan, 36, from London

Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire

The full-time parent wants to rejoin the adults after six years of raising his children, admitting his selfish reasons for joining the show include him wanting to do something for himself.
B ritish Paralympic triathlete Lauren Steadman is the next star confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing.

The 25-year-old said she is feeling stressed and nervous ahead of her BBC ballroom debut which kicks off one week before the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Australia.

Steadman said the sequins are on the backburner, telling hosts Matt Baker and Alex Jones: Ive got two things going on and I lost out on a world title last year by four seconds and this year Im going for it.

Steadman  who was born without a complete right arm  said she isnt planning on wearing a prosthetic during the show, joking it may fly off with all the spinning.

She said she is a keen salsa dancer but has never done ballroom and is hoping some dad dancing will help her secure points from the judges if she cant remember the routines.

My housemate is Colombian and we went to a few classes a few years ago because I needed a hobby outside of sport, she said. I got the basics and I went to Colombia last year so it might get me somewhere on the show. Ive never done any ballroom.

Im a bit nervous but I can revert back to dad dancing if it all gets too much.

Steadman is the second Paralympic athlete to star on the show following on from Jonnie Peacock last year.

She is the second star to be unveiled today after Lee Ryan was announced on Loose Women.

Other names gearing up to make their debut on the BBC ballroom show include Katie Piper, Faye Tozer, Danny John-Jules, Graeme Swann, Vick Hope, Stacey Dooley, Kate Silverton, Dr Ranj Singh, Joe Sugg, Ashley Roberts and Seann Walsh.
N etflix users are not impressed at new changes meaning their binge-watching is being interrupted by adverts.

First noted on Reddit, some users are reportedly being targeted by adverts between shows that cannot be skipped.

According to the disgruntled users, trailers have been popping up in between episodes of hit shows including Better Call Saul, Greys Anatomy and Bobs Burgers causing outrage among those who like the streaming service because of the absence of adverts.

Infuriated customers used social media to inform Netflix they were less than impressed with the new changes, begging them to put an end to the experiment.

Interrupted: Better Call Saul viewers are experiencing adverts in between episodes / Netflix / Michele K.Short

One wrote: For the record, this new ad setup that you have between episodes is stupid. It does not make me want to watch more shows, it just irritates me that I cant read the preview for the next episode.

While another said: Are you guys serious with the ads between episodes? I opted out, but that's ridiculous. I pay you to get AWAY FROM ADS. PERIOD. Get it together.

Hey @netflix I can tolerate the ads at the top of my list of shows but between every episode I watch is getting stupid, commented somebody else.

However, it is understood that Netflix is just testing whether showing users adverts for other shows is the way forward.

The company told TechCrunch: In this particular case, we are testing whether surfacing recommendations between episodes helps members discover stories they will enjoy faster.

It is important to note that a member is able to skip a video preview at any time if they are not interested.
T he Overtones have given their first TV interview since the death of member Timmy Matley, revealing that their new album will honour the late star.

Mark Franks, Mike Crawshaw, Lachie Chapman and Darren Everest appeared on Monday's Lorraine, hosted by Christine Lampard, for the first time since losing Matley back in April.

Talking about coping with their loss, Chapman explained: To all our fans and all our supporters. We went right underground but we stuck close together. Weve resurfaced and been back in the studio.

A bit of news to announce with you guys  we have recorded an album and its going to be coming out in October and its available for pre-sale today. Its been the most extraordinary thing for us to go and do.

Band: The Overtones are releasing their first album since the death of member and friend Timmy Matley / Tabatha Fireman/Getty

Weve stuck together like a band of brothers and weve recorded the most beautiful album that were proud of that our beloved Irish angel friend Timmy Matley would be proud of.

The band added: We were lucky enough when we started the process of this album we were with Timmy. We planted the seeds with Timmy so we feel like hes been with us though the whole process.

"It was all part of the grieving process as well, to be honest. We hid under a rock for a few weeks and then it was like, Lets get back into the studio and do what we do and make Timmy and the fans proud.

Timmy Matley death- The Overtones singer dies aged 36 after losing cancer battle

Matley died earlier this year aged 36 after a battle with skin cancer, a moment Chapman described as a whack.

He said: Its just one of those moments in life that pure utter tragedy goes whack!

Anyone who met that Irish boy, he just smiles or grins or giggles [...] We will love that boy for the rest of our lives.
O ur smartphone cameras are getting better and better. This year, the Huawei P20 Pro debuted with a camera to rival a DSLR whilst Sony is rumoured to be unveiling a phone with a 48-megapixel camera at IFA 2018.

But did you know that more photos are taken with an iPhone every day than any other camera in the world?

Thanks to improvements Apple made to its smartphone ranges with the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X last year, the images people are taking with their iPhones are breathtaking.

As part of World Photography Day, here are some of the best ever images taken on an iPhone as part of Apples Shot on iPhone collection.

Shot on iPhone: the photographers behind the images

Vivian Lui, Hong Kong

(Vivian Lui ) / Vivian Lui

After discovering her passion for photography during her time at Harvard Universitys Graduate School of Design, Vivian Luis style includes portraiture natural landscape and product photography.

The founder of Studio UNIT, Lui said: [I] Visited this place for a scouting trip where I tried to dissuade a collaborator from shooting at this now popular location. It was on a weekend, and these residents carried on their daily activities despite visitors taking photos and selfies around them.

Travel with a keen eye to notice what is extraordinary about the mundane and the ubiquitous, and perhaps youll find a fresh perspective.

Maria Jose Govea, Los Angeles

Maria Jose Govea

Maria Jose Govea took this photo of her friend Anna. Originally from Venezuela, she is a well-known Canadian photographer and a former DJ who now resides in LA.

This is my friend Anna. We met through a common friend and I asked her if I could photograph her and she said yes! Since then we haven't stopped shooting together and we're now best friends. I can certainly say photography brought us together," said Govea.

John Bozinov, New Zealand

John Bozinov

Thanks to his speciality in polar expedition photography, John Bozinov travelled to Antarctica to photograph this Antarctic fur seal bull.

My favorite places to shoot with the iPhone are definitely the polar regions, in particular Antarctica as it's the one place I feel the strongest connection with. Antarctica displays incredible strength through its towering glaciers and resilient wildlife, yet at the same time we can see its fragility to the effects of global warming by how quickly these landscapes are changing, he said.

Antarctic fur seal bulls are very proud and territorial animals. This photo was taken in Portal Point on the edge of the Antarctic continent as a fur seal stands defiantly protecting his territory.

Kael Rebick, Toronto

Kael Rebick

Kael Rebick has honed her photography craft by capturing beautiful images of her city Toronto on Instagram, with her work now taking her to spectacular destinations around the globe.

I travel and take pictures most of the year. I typically dont visit tropical destinations but St Vincent and the Grenadines was such a special place. It was my favourite sunrise of the year. The iPhone captures the hazy magic, she said.

Andrew Knapp, Ontario

Andrew Knapp

Photographer Andrew Knapp has published multiple books of his worldwide travels alongside his gorgeous dog Momo. He uses Lightroom for iPhone to edit his images.
Some confections, like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Hersheys bars and Baby Ruths have been popular ever since trick-or-treating came into vogue. But other candies have gone in and out of fashion (and production). What was in your trick-or-treat bag when you were going door-to-door? To determine the top candy of every decade, The Daily Meal researched treat trends and when todays most popular candies debuted. So, take a walk down memory lane and see the newest and most beloved Halloween candies of every decade.
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The gun snatched during the August 10 protest rally from a woman gendarme who came under the attack of troublemakers has been finally retrieved, the Bucharest Police informed on Monday.

According to the cited source, this is the result of continued efforts by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Bucharest Tribunal and of the General Directorate of the Bucharest Police.

Last Tuesday the Bucharest Sector 1 Court issued a 30-day preventive arrest warrant for the man who made away with the gendarme officer's pistol. The 32-year old man is charged with breaching the regime of arms and ammunition (by stealing a gun) and disturbing public order.
Head of the Emergency Department (DSU) Raed Arafat said on Sunday evening that there were many distorted accounts of the August 10 street protest in Bucharest, as they were in the deadly fire at the Colectiv night club in 2015 and in the case of a medevac crash in Mts Apuseni.

"Facebook has become an extremely interesting zone: it is where a lot of information can be obtained, but many times its origin is not known, and simple-minded people do not know if such information comes from a credible source or not. There are many false accounts, that seem real, but one can easily see that an account was created 2-3 days previously, another account provides little information about its user, but it speaks a lot about a certain situation. This was not the first time that we were subjected to such misinformation and distortions that have an impact on the population. It also happened during the Colectiv [fire], even the Apuseni [accident] and in several other instances when we would face information that we had to counter," said Arafat.

He pointed out that in Colectiv case, one of the extremely serious information was that there were deceased people whose bodies had been hidden. "Whoever released such information knew very well why he did it. Only there was a name behind those who spread it: there they claimed that we were hiding dead bodies in bags and there were two journalists who spread this news. It took me 4-5 days to debunk that news, explaining that there was no one missing. Let there be clear that whoever did it did know that the news had an effect in Romania. Nobody would believe you if, say, you are in England and claim that the Police have hidden dead bodies in bags because they do not want to tell the truth. In Romania, there is the subconscious of the [December 1989] Revolution, because back then things were hidden; in the first place it happened in Timisoara, when no official confirmation was given that they were people killed, and so the average person would subconsciously think: well, they are doing it again," said Arafat.
According to state data, about three in four kindergartners in Illinois last fall were not ready when surveyed and observed on a number of measures determining kindergarten readiness. In East Aurora School District, only 6 percent of students were kindergarten ready last fall, according to the data. West Aurora School District kindergartners fared better but still below the state average, as only 20 percent met benchmarks in the three developmental areas determining readiness. Two-thirds of kids who entered kindergarten in Indian Prairie School District 204 last fall were not ready, according to the report.
Two F-22 Raptor aircraft, the newest American fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft have arrived, on Monday at the Campia Turzii Air Base of the western Cluj County, along with a KC-135 Stratotanker tanker airplane and roughly 15 crew members, in order to take part in a Romanian-American joint military exercise.

Among the people who greeted the F-22 Raptor aircraft at Campia Turzii Air Base were the ambassador of the United States to Romania, Hans Klemm, the Minister of National Defence, Mihai Fifor, and the chief of General Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca.

I am proud that I can be here today alongside Mr. Fifor and the two F-22 aircraft. It is for the second time when this fighter aircraft is present in South-Eastern Europe, and that has happened in Romania, two years ago. It is a bilateral exercise, which has the purpose of proving to the NATO partners that we can bring in the Eastern area of the transatlantic community the most state of the art war plane in the world, that it can take off from here and that we can ensure the entire necessary structure in this sense. This is about trust, and I repeat, Romania is the only country in this NATO area that hosted these aircraft and it is a sign of trust from the United States towards our strategic partner, Romania, declared Hans Klemm.The diplomat showed that United States' representatives are pleased, and even "proud" of the progress Romania registered concerning the development of its military capacity, of interoperability, both from the point of view of NATO standards, as well as USA's standards.It is one of the few NATO countries where 2 percent of the GDP were allocated towards defence, which is in concordance with NATO commitments to equally support the expenses concerning the alliance's defence. The fact that Romania is investing in defence systems which will increase the defence capacity, both the country's, as well as NATO's, the fact that Romania supports the efforts made in Iraq, as opposed to other countries from the alliance, all this contribute to the growth of the United States' trust in this strategic partner, Hans Klemm added.The F-22 Raptor aircraft are from the 95th Hunting Squadron, Unit 325 Hunting, from the Tyndall Air Base of Florida and arrived in Europe at the beginning of this month, arriving at Campia Turzii from the Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.According to the data provided by the Campia Turzii air base, the tanker plane KC-135 Stratotanker comes from Unit 100 of Air Supply from the Base of Royal Air Forces of Mildenhall, UK and offers fueling for displacement in Romania.In Romania the F-22 fighter planes will fly and will train with American F-15 planes, that are currently temporary stationed in Campia Turzii Air Base, as well as F-16 planes of the Romanian Air Force, which are currently at Borcea Air Base.One of the two American pilots who arrived at Campia Turzii Air Base at the yoke of a F-22 Raptor, Jekyll Etheridge, declared that this airship is the most powerful airplane in the world and highlighted that the presence of these F-22 airplanes in the European space is a detterence of possible aggressive actions.The commander of the 54th Hunting Squadron of Fetesti, commander Catalin Miclos, showed that the F-22 airplanes, arrived in Romania, together with American F-15 aircraft and Romanian F-16 airplanes will take part in a joint synchronization exercise, Iron Hand 2018.
Director of the Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes and the Memory of the Romanian Exile (IICCMER) Alin Muresan says the Romanian government should take responsibility for the crimes and mistakes of the past and open a museum of communism in Bucharest according to Agerpres.

"At present, we can only speak of a former communist jail in Ramnicu Sarat, managed by IICCMER, where there is a memorialisation project, but awaiting funding right now. There are only public relations initiatives, so to say, words rather than something concrete. One way or another, it is clear that the Romanian government should do something, because it is the same state that did what it did against its own population, and then it is absolutely necessary that the government, not the private sector, open a museum of communism focusing on the crimes of that time. Even if the private initiatives are welcome, responsibility rests with the government," Muresan said on Monday.

He attended an international conference on totalitarian buildings in memory and conscience, organised by IICCMER and the Platform of European Memory and Conscience (EPMC), saying that besides sharing similar projects in the field, the event also aims to place the need for the establishment of a museum of communism in Bucharest on the public agenda.The conference analysed the situation of the large totalitarian prisons, abandoned today in several European countries (Romania, Moldova, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Germany) and the possibilities of preserving them as European sites of consciousness as part of a pan-European effort.
The People's Movement Party (PMP, opposition, ed. n.) condemns the refusal of the Chamber of Deputies' leadership of invoking an extraordinary session of the Parliament in order to investigate the brutal way in which the law and order forces repressed the peaceful protest of Romanians from diaspora, on 10 August, and requests the urgent setting up of a parliamentary committee in order to investigate the events that took place in Victoriei Square.

"We expected this refusal, PSD (Social Democratic Party, main at rule, ed. n.) has always run away from responsibility. Still, the fact that the social democrats are trying to bury any attempt of seriously debating the abuse that occurred in Victoriei Square is revolting and does nothing but increase the suspicion in their involvement in infiltrating provocateurs in the crowd. Firstly, they sent (Prime Minister, ed. n.) Viorica Vasilica on holiday, so the guilt will fall on someone else, in this situation - the Gendarmerie; today, they refuse to summon the Parliament. All this, just so they won't have to show up in front of a Parliamentary investigation committee, as it is normal. Thus, PMP requests for a parliamentary investigation committee to be set up, with the participation of all the institutions involved, in order to investigate the events of 10 August in Victoriei Square. It is paramount to find out who sent the provocateurs in Victoriei Square, and, just as important, the way in which the Government chose to order the intervention measures against the peaceful population on the night of 10-11 August. There must be a minimum concordance between the public statements and the action. The PSD-ALDE alliance is an alliance of cowards, headed by their chief, Liviu Dragnea," PMP chairman Eugen Tomac said in a press release sent to AGERPRES.

The deputy speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Carmen Mihalcescu, the one who took over on Monday the attributions of Speaker Liviu Dragnea, said that the National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union and The People's Movement Party requested the summoning of an extraordinary session during the period of August 20 - August 24, and that their request does not meet all the legal and regulation provisions.
The Save Romania Union (USR) requests to "urgently declassify (...) in the next 24 hours" the report presented by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Carmen Dan, concerning the events of 10 august, stating that otherwise they will attack the decision in court.

"Carmen Dan fled yesterday's press conference in order to not reply to the journalists' questions. She will be obliged to answer them, tomorrow, before the Defence Committee in Parliament. 1. Why did she cut her vacation short and went to the MAI headquarters on August 10, if she did not influence in any way the Gendarmerie's intervention? 2. The territorial units of the Gendarmerie are dislocated at the order of the Minister of Internal Affairs. Was the order given for the displacement to Bucharest of the units from Dolj, Prahova and two other counties? If so, why? 3. Did she have on the evening of August 10 phone calls / messages of any form with Cazan, Sindile, Paraschiv? If so, what is their content? Was there an operative committee formed, even informally, for the meeting of August 10? If it was informal, are there any documents that will show for the record what was discussed / decided? 5. Who decided to classify the report and why, if the information from security services were just generalities?" according to a message posted on Monday, on USR's Facebook page.

The report concerning the events of August 10 is classified, due to some information in its content concerning data that MAI requested the other institutions from the national security sector, declared, on Sunday, the Minister for Internal Affairs, Carmen Dan.
We will look at whatever building structure the bat was found and notify the public, said Patty Dowd Schmitz, Barrington spokeswoman. Well also look at the building to see if there were any code violations.
Nearly five months after a change in power in Ethiopia, the country is witnessing an outbreak of deadly communal violence in several regions. The surge in conflict has come after many years of political stability in the Horn of Africa nation, stirring fears that the country may be facing widespread chaos and even break-up.

There are also suspicions that the unprecedented instability is part of a US-backed geopolitical realignment, one which shifts Ethiopia from its strategic economic partnership with China, towards being a client of American-backed Arab regimes. This shift is happening without national consensus, driven by a new ruling faction. It is a fait accompli. Tantamount to a coup.

In April this year, the Ethiopian parliament voted a new prime minister into office. The opaque selection process seemed to involve a lot of horse-trading. A youthful Abiy Ahmed (41) emerged as the new leader. He has won wide praise in Western media and from the US government in particular for supposedly introducing positive reforms. For example, he released hundreds of political prisoners, ended a state of emergency, and condemned past alleged human rights violations by security forces. The condemnation was less admission; more a ploy to undermine the previous government with a false label of state terrorism.

Abiy Ahmed, who is commonly referred to simply by his first name, has declared an internal peace process with a militant group known as the Oromo Liberation Front (OFL), and he has welcomed back exiled political figures from the US and other countries reportedly in the name of forgiveness.

Internationally, the new prime minister initiated a rapid rapprochement with neighboring Eritrea, overcoming nearly 20 years of bitter dispute following a three-year border war (1998-2001). The two countries formally declared peace last month.

These apparent progressive changes, however, are more plausibly a misreading of a disturbing reorientation of Ethiopias politics. While the Western media are portraying premier Abiy as a pro-democracy liberal, there is a darker side to what is going on.

Last week, Abiy welcomed senior officials from the Saudi and Emirati Gulf states. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir visited on the same day that he made an earlier stopover in Eritrea where he was warmly received by Eritrean dictator Isaias Afwerki. The Gulf Arab regimes are long-time sponsors of Eritrea. Ethiopias sudden affiliation with the Arab despots has left many Ethiopians worried that their country is covertly being shunted in a more sinister direction.

What appears to be underway is a geopolitical shift in which Ethiopia is gravitating to the orbit of the United States and its Middle East clients, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. That has implications for Ethiopias erstwhile strategic economic partnership with China, as well as dangerously stoking the countrys internal tensions.

The recent flare-up of conflict and tensions in Ethiopia are complex, reflecting the fact that the nation of 100 million is comprised of 84 ethnic peoples. The mainly Christian Orthodox country has also a large Muslim population. There are thus several flash-points, which could explode into widespread violence.

Recently, the countrys eastern region bordering Somalia saw dozens of churches attacked and several priests reportedly killed. The danger is that reprisals could lead to a sectarian conflagration. People are nervously anticipating more violence as the country seems to be teetering on a sharp edge.

There have also been other deadly clashes in southern, central and western regions. Notably, the sparse Western media coverage tends to depict the violence as occurring in spite of reformist Abiy Ahmed. Whereas, more accurately, the surge in violence appears to be the responsibility of the new ruling faction around the prime minister.

Who carried out the killings in the eastern Somali region is not clear. The authorities in the capital, Addis Ababa, under premier Abiys control, claim that local paramilitary police carried out attacks on Oromo people. The Western media have tended to promote that claim. But there is suspicion that the killings may have been instigated by the central authorities for a sinister objective of inciting sectarian conflict and asserting central control over that region.

What raises suspicion is that such violence against Christians in that location is unprecedented. The governor of the Somali region, Abdi Illey, is believed to be now in custody of the Addis Ababa central government. But Abdi Illey, while being a Muslim himself, has a long history of benign relations with Christians in his region, having built many churches over the years. More significantly, perhaps, he is also a staunch supporter of the former ruling coalition government, which the new prime minister has shown increasing antipathy towards since he took office in April.

The former central authorities in Addis Ababa were dominated by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF hail from the northern region bordering Eritrea. They were the main revolutionary force that overthrew the despotic Derg regime in 1990-91. What the new leadership in Addis Ababa seems to be doing is rehabilitating remnants of the Derg. When premier Abiy was in the US earlier this month on a week-long tour, he pointedly shared public stages with exiled figures who had been part of the Derg. When he talks about these exiles returning home, this is not viewed as a progressive reform by many Ethiopians, as the Western media would portray, but rather as a retrograde move that could reignite past conflict.

Ethiopians, especially in the northern Tigray region, fear that Abiy is stealthily pushing a sectarian agenda which will prioritize the dominance of his ethnic group, the Oromo. There is also concern that Abiy, who has Muslim heritage, is aligning with Arab states which could inflame sectarian violence with Christians. A key indicator to watch is if the Saudis and Emiratis start funneling money into the country to build radicalizing mosques.

According to Ethiopian political sources, it is suspected that Abiys rise to power is part of a long-term plan orchestrated by Washington and its Arab allies to fundamentally reorient the Horn of Africa region away from Chinas economic influence. Over the past two decades, China has partnered with Ethiopia as a model for African development. The partnership was very much encouraged by the TPLF-dominated government. That alignment seems now to be eroding under prime minister Abiy. He has, for example, made provocative public comments deriding the TPLF and some of the countrys flagship development projects, which China had played a key role in.

It is also significant that Emirati officials were in Eritrea earlier this month where they announced plans for building a major oil pipeline from Ethiopia to the Red Sea via the Eritrean port of Assab. Ethiopia recently discovered significant oil reserves in its eastern region.

That move possibly signals why the Saudis and Emiratis, as well as Washington, were the political driving forces behind the surprise peace deal between Ethiopias Abiy and Eritreas Afwerki. A deal that Abiy initiated only weeks after taking office.

In order to cleave Ethiopia from Chinas strategic partnership, it was necessary to bring in an Oromo political figure as leader because the Oromo have historically been opposed to the TPLF-led government, which had opted to partner with Chinese development capital. The Oromo Liberation Front, for example, sided with Eritrea during the war with Ethiopia. That was one of the reasons why OLF figures were exiled or imprisoned by the Ethiopian government. The militant group was previously designated a terrorist organization by the TPLF-led administration. The OLF continues to have a base in Asmara, the Eritrean capital. This is the group that Abiy is welcoming back into Ethiopias political mainstream with brotherly embrace in an act of what he calls forgiveness.

Thus by shifting Ethiopia away from China into the sphere of the US and Arab influence  with lucrative gains for American capital of course  the Oromo prime minister is nevertheless unleashing combustible tensions within Ethiopia along ethnic and religious lines.

There are fears that a Christian-Muslim conflict could erupt, or that the Oromo and Tigray ethnic groups are driven towards civil war. Some of the Oromo supporters of Abiy Ahmed, whom he brought back from exile, have been making incendiary public statements calling for vengeance against the Tigray. There is also a sinister jihadist hue among these firebrands, consistent with the sponsorship of Saudi and Emirati Wahhabi rulers.

Ethiopia is on a knife-edge which could descend into widespread violence. But one thing is sure, the Western medias spinning of a reformist new leader, Abiy Ahmed, is way off the mark. The prime minister seems more like a Trojan Horse figure whose entrance to office is primarily serving the geopolitical interests of Washington and its Arab client regimes, while jeopardizing his own countrys stability.

Far from this political development being pro-democracy and progressive, as Western media are mis-reporting, it is more akin to a foreign-backed coup against Ethiopias international independence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has wound up his European trip to include the Austrian FMs wedding ceremony and talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The drop-in visit to Austria showed that Putin enjoys good personal relations with the representatives of Europes political beau monde. They see nothing odd in inviting him to social events, such as the wedding of Austrian FM Karin Kneissl, especially if the organizers want to grab the media spotlight.

This was followed by a summit with the German chancellor  the second time the two leaders have met in just over three months. The previous meeting took place in the Black Sea city of Sochi in May. The chancellor has visited Russia several times.

The Meseberg Castle talks in Germany were substantive and detailed, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has noted, but evidently important enough that few details were made public. For some time the leaders talked tete-a-tete without interpreters. They compared notes on Ukraine (including the prospects for a UN-sponsored peace mission and the EUs new role of mediator), Syria (and the problems of its reconstruction), the US sanctions on Iran, and the future of the Nord Stream 2 undersea gas-pipeline project.

There were no agreements planned for the meeting, but the America First policy is pushing these two countries that are divided by their different views on international issues toward a closer cooperation. Russia can play a very important role in creating the right conditions under which the Syrian refugees could leave Germany and return home, thus mitigating that pressing problem. Syrias reconstruction is opening up new opportunities for Russian-German cooperation.

President Putin and Chancellor Merkel discussed the idea of a meeting on Syria involving the leaders of France and Turkey as well as Russia and Germany. They agreed to launch new talks under this format. No date for that four-nation summit was set.

Some time ago, such a visit to Germany and Austria was hardly conceivable and any hope of reviving a dialog would have seemed far-fetched. The times are changing, reflecting the need to get that relationship back to normal. Conflicts and negative emotions are giving way to cool-headed, constructive approaches. Besides, Russia has demonstrated its ability to resist pressure.

Right on the eve of the Putin-Merkel summit, the Wall Street Journal published an article about the sanctions being prepared by the US to stop Nord Stream 2. Its time for Germany to stand tall and continue to pursue that project. During the talks with President Putin, Chancellor Merkel said thats exactly what she is going to do. A cursory look at history supports her position.

In the early 1980s the administration of US President Ronald Reagan was trying to prevent Western Europe and the Soviet Union from working together over energy. Sanctions were used as an instrument to force them into submission. Despite that, the Brotherhood pipeline (Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod), also dubbed the Siberian pipeline or the Yamal project, was born in the heat of the Cold War. The framework agreement between West Germany and the USSR was signed in July 1981. Chancellor Willy Brandts Ostpolitik policy was continued, to everyones benefit. In November 1982, the sanctions were lifted, and on January 1, 1984, natural gas started to flow. The similarity between Yamal and Nord Stream 2 is obvious. Resisting pressure benefits the one who refuses to kneel.

Germany is not alone. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is a strong supporter of Nord Stream 2. The Republic of Austria became the first country in Western Europe to sign a gas contract with the Soviet Union in 1968. In 2017, a new record for Russian gas exports to Austria was set at 9.1 billion cubic meters, an increase of 50.3% (3 billion cubic meters) from 2016 (6.1 billion cubic meters) and 33.8% (2.3 billion cubic meters) from 2005, when the previous record had been reached (6.8 billion cubic meters).

Donald Trump is very critical of the German chancellor, whose government is not as strong as it used to be. The idea to withdraw American forces from Germany has recently been floated. The ongoing rift between the US and its European NATO allies opens up the question of the continents security.

Before the July NATO summit, the chancellor came out in support of President Macrons initiative to create a European expeditionary force. It was Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the current German president and then foreign minister, who launched a European armscontrol initiative in 2016. And it was West Germany who signed the Treaty of Moscow with the USSR in August, 1970 which contributed to detente. During the meeting with Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel emphasized that disagreements with Moscow must be resolved through dialog. She feels that there are many conflicts that can be settled if the two nations cooperate.

Indeed, Russia and Germany historically have had a special relationship. They began cooperating economically and working to ease political tensions against the backdrop of confrontation between the West and East. They can do so again. The Meseberg meeting showed that both sides realize the importance of dialog and the need to avoid at all costs any return to the Cold War.
Thomas MASSIE

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.

realclearpolitics.com
The Bay of Plenty will see 125 new police officers as part of a nationwide allocation of additional officers, following a $298.8 million increase for Police in Budget 2018.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush has today confirmed further details around the allocation of the 1800 additional officers.

Our organisation aspires for New Zealand to be the worlds safest country. These 1800 officers, alongside 485 support staff, will really enhance our work to keep people safe, and ensure they feel safe.

I am delighted to confirm that all 12 policing districts will receive a significant boost over the next few years.

This will enable police to increase our visibility and presence across the country.

District Commander Andy McGregor has welcomed the 125 additional officers allocated to the Bay of Plenty district.

This allocation will make a big impact on resourcing the front line and investigations, and targeting organised crime and drugs.

Further staff will be allocated to prevention roles in Youth, Family Harm, Community, and Crime and Drug Prevention.

"This boost in staffing levels will enable us to be more responsive to our communities, be a lot more visible and really start to target those drivers of demand, thereby preventing more crime and keeping our communities safe.

The district is also establishing a Precision Targeting Team that will focus on priority and prolific offenders to reduce crime such as burglary, car crime and robberies.

This team will complement the extra staff targeting organised crime.

Organised crime and drugs are a major issue for Bay of Plenty District, driving a lot of violent and dishonesty offending in our communities.

"We are pleased to have received an extra 29 staff to combat the harm they inflict on our communities from methamphetamine supply and addiction, violence, intimidation and other serious offending."



All 12 District Commanders are now working with their leadership teams to determine deployment decisions at an area and station level.

These decisions will be communicated to their communities once confirmed.
They work up to 15 hours each day, in temperatures as high as 43 degrees Celsius, but the chance to help fire-ravaged communities halfway around the globe makes it all worth it, New Zealand Defence Force firefighters helping battle wildfires in North America say.

Nine NZDF firefighters are part of New Zealand contingents sent to help battle the massive fires in the United States and Canada.

Our day starts at 5.30am and we would be working at the fire line up to 11 hours and not get back to camp until 8.30pm, says Sergeant Alex Walker, who is leading the three-member NZDF team in the United States.

Its difficult, challenging work and the tasks vary each day. Sometimes it is holding a fire line, at times it is patrolling the perimeter of the fire.

Cal Fire, Californias firefighting agency, appointed the NZDF firefighters deployed earlier this month to the United States as task force leaders.

Each of them are managing between 60 and 100 firefighters trying to suppress the Carr Fire, which has burned more than 207,000 acres and destroyed about 1000 homes so far.

Although the days may be long and hot, Sergeant Walker says the gratitude shown by the locals was more than enough reward.

Senior Firefighter Tony Morris is one of three New Zealand Defence Force firefighters helping battle wildfires at Revelstoke, a city in south-eastern British Columbia in Canada. Three more are in Castlegar, Canada.

When we stop at the petrol station, people ask us where we are from and they are amazed when we tell them that were from New Zealand.

They shake our hands and could not thank us enough for coming halfway around the world to help.

The NZDF deployed six other firefighters to help combat the wildfires raging across British Columbia in Canada.

Sergeant Michael Scott, who is heading the NZDF team in Canada, says the fires they were dealing with were bigger and more dangerous than they had encountered in New Zealand.

Cedars are massive and when they burn they are like giant chimneys, which can be quite dangerous, says NZDF Senior Firefighter Corporal Tony Morris, who is helping battle wildfires at Revelstoke, a city in south-eastern British Columbia.

It has been full-on and pretty tiring. But its been very rewarding. Weve all learnt a great deal and its all worth it.

Corporal Thomas Grant supervises American firefighters who are hot-spotting and felling trees as they help battle the Carr Fire in northern California.

Although there is not much difference in the way firefighters in Canada and the United States operate, the New Zealand firefighters had to be briefed on how to deal with bears and other wild animals.

There are bears, wolves and cougars in the areas where we are operating and we were told that if we encounter them we should make as much noise as possible and make ourselves look as big as we can and back away, says Sergeant Scott.

We work in pairs and we have whistles on our shirts, but fortunately we have not had to use them yet.
Up to 30 homes were damaged last night when a tornado roared through a New Plymouth suburb last night, cutting power lines, tearing off roofs, and toppling trees.

It was one of two tornados reported in the North Island, with the other tearing through Ohope.

It struck the Belt Road, Gaine Street and Cutfield Road area at 4.50pm yesterday.

Locals say it roared up Belt Road for about 300m, smashing fences and lifting roofs.

Residents were extremely lucky there were no injuries, police say.

Sergeant Peter Lawn of New Plymouth police says up to 30 homes were damaged in the Belt Road and Gaine Street area about 3km west of the CBD.

"There's vast amounts of property damage that's been caused by the tornado. We're lucky at this stage that no-one's been injured or that we're aware of."

Peter says several roads in the area were closed overnight for safety and to protect properties from looting.

Last night, lines company Powerco was unable to say how many properties were still without electricity

One of the owners of a New Plymouth holiday park said there was a tremendous noise as the wind hit blowing out windows and ripping branches off trees.

Anna Crawford says the terrifying tornado which lasted about 30 seconds also tore the roof off the next-door bowling club.

Central Districts Indoor Bowls club president Raewyn Dempsey was thankful no one was hurt.

"The tornado has gone through the middle of the hall and lifted the roof, peeled the roof right back and I believe inside its taken all of our ceiling down and dropped it all over the mats and bowls.

"We are very lucky because there is a club that plays here on a Monday night ... the way the ceiling and that's fallen through it could've injured a lot of people."

New Plymouth resident Daisy Symes rushed to make sure her nephew was safe after her house lost its roof.

"I saw the roof lift and there's a giant hole in our lounge so I was watching the tornado pass over."

She said she would not be able to stay there for the night.

Former sailor Bob Coster, 77, lives close to the corner of Belt Road and St Aubyn Street and said the tornado sounded like naval guns firing.

"I was sitting just about to have my tea when it went bang ... It sounded like one of our guns going off in the ship [in the navy], exactly what it was like - bang."

Bob says it was a miracle no one was hurt.

"She said the roof's leaking and she couldn't say that there isn't a roof ... half the roof is gone - so it's just got blown over, it's over next-door on a heap of cars."

"I was sitting inside and you could see something coming. The trees, the leaves were swirling and twirling and I just heard this big rumble and tried to find cover and then I just heard this big bang and it was gone."

A tornado also hit at Ohope in the Bay of Plenty, with damage to the Surf & Sand venue described as 'substantial', although nobody was hurt.
A JCPenney employee who patrols the store after work, memorizing the location of items so that she can better assist customers the next day. A loving caregiver for a paraplegic cousin. A recent high school graduate with big dreams for the future.

These were just a few of the eight young men and women who, on July 17, strode proudly across the stage to accept tightly rolled diplomas. The sheets established each graduate as a certified nursing assistant, marking the culmination of eight weeks of hard work and the very beginning of promising new careers.

Its a wonderful opportunity that you now have in front of you, said Alan Levey, JVS SoCals chief executive officer. The most difficult part, which youve already overcome, is taking that first step when you signed up for the program. Now that thats all behind you. The future is bright, and its all in your hands.

JVS (Jobs. Vision. Success.) SoCal is an organization that serves job seekers in southern California facing significant barriers to employment. The JVS HealthWorks program trains individuals for entry-level careers in the healthcare industry as CNAs.

Due to the support of donors and corporate partners, JVS HealthWorks is offered free of charge to eligible applicants. As a proud partner and an employer of many HealthWorks graduates, Sunrise Senior Living was featured at the graduation.

Lisa Kennedy, vice president of Operations for Sunrise, told the graduates how she began her career in assisted living as a young military wife with a toddler, simply hoping to make ends meet. With encouragement from a resident she cared for, Kennedy gained confidence to take chances in her career, eventually rising to her position today.

As you start this journey, dream big. Dare to dream of something that 20-some years from now you can say, I didnt see myself there, said Kennedy. I was a teenage mom and a teenage bride, and I could have just been a statistic, but because somebody encouraged me, I have been blessed far above anything that I ever imagined or dreamed.

Following the speech, Kennedy and her team presented a $25,000 check on behalf of Sunrise in support of JVS HealthWorks.

Im so blessed to work for an organization that not only has a noble mission to champion quality of life for seniors, but that has a commitment to Live With Generosity, which is a program that our residents and team members participate in to give back to our local communities, said Kennedy. And I believe that Sunrise supporting JVS HealthWorks actually fulfills both of those thingsbecause we hire people like you to help take care of our seniors, and it will help us give back to our local community.

Next on stage was Rosa Morales, a HealthWorks graduate and lead care manager at Sunrise of Beverly Hills, CA. She told the audience how the program took her from a frustrated, 19-year-old supermarket cashier to her current role at Sunrise, where she finds fulfillment each day in bringing meaning to her residents lives.

If it hadnt been for JVS HealthWorks, I would have never been where I am at Sunrise, said Morales. My residents are the reason I walk into work with a smile, awaiting the new adventure that every day brings. The friendships I have made, and the experiences we have had and the ones to come, make me really glad Sunrise of Beverly Hills is a significant part of my life.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the various healthcare employers in attendance held interviews for positions with their organizations. To date, Sunrise has hired two of the graduates to care for residents!

Its really just going to come down to the confidence, attitude, drive, and commitment that you now take to your employers, and we have no doubt youre going to do that, said Levey. This is more than just a job; its about changing lives.

Live With Purpose at Sunrise

Live With Generosity is one of eight signature Live With Purpose programs at Sunrise communities, each of which allows our residents to enjoy, express, learn, and grow while fostering a greater sense of community, meaning, and purpose. Watch this video to learn more!
UTICA, NY - Utica police have identified the victim of Sunday's night homicide in Utica as 17-year-old Stefan L. Medina.

Police said Medina was shot around 8:30 p.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Elizabeth St. near Hubbell Street. Medina was treated and transported to the hospital where he later died.

Utica police said they are asking anyone with information to contact the Utica Police Department's Major Crime Unit at 315-223-3510 or 315-360-6976.
AUBURN, N.Y. -- A woman was airlifted to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse after a pickup truck struck her Sunday night on Grant Avenue in the city of Auburn, Cayuga County 911 dispatchers said.

Someone called 911 at 8:41 p.m. to say the woman had been hit by a truck near Wendy's restaurant, at 212 Grant Ave.

Auburn police and firefighters, TLC Ambulance and a LifeNet helicopter responded.

The ambulance brought the woman to Auburn Community Hospital, but her injuries were too severe so LifeNet airlifted her to Upstate University Hospital.

Auburn police remained at the scene at 12:30 a.m. Monday, 911 dispatchers said. Police have not yet commented on what happened, but say they expect to release a statement soon.

The Auburn Citizen reported the woman was crossing the street when she was struck.



"I saw her fly up on the windshield ... then she flew up off the windshield onto the ground," Applebee's employee Brittney Carnicelli told The Citizen.

Check back for updates.
The mind, they say, can't remember pain. So all I took away from the movie was Olivia Newton-John on roller skates and how to pronounce the title: ZAN-uh-doo. Even when it was brand new, the 1980 Caifornia-dreamin' fantasy "Xanadu" was recognized as embarrassingly bad, so awful it spawned the Razzies, the annual award that recognizes the "worst that Hollywood has to offer."

Assigned to review the stage version down in Ithaca, I expected nothing good. It seems from the half-full house on Saturday night, I wasn't alone. Big mistake. My bad, and I admit it. Don't judge a musical by its movie.

Hangar Theatre's "Xanadu" is a mirror ball in a funhouse, glittery and campy, a 100-minute madcap romp, wonderful in its ridiculousness. It's an amusement park ride that starts slow, gains speed, then pummels you as it achieves maximum comedic force. As directed and choreographed by Devanand Janki, the show disperses magic like spray paint from an aerosol can; Janki builds layers of intense color and vibrant movement, tagging the production with as much physical wit as verbal humor.

The book by Douglas Carter Beane improves upon the maudlin disco-era tale with a sharper story arc, a strong sense of self-mockery, and contemporary cultural snark. Although "Xanadu" is technically a jukebox musical, beefing up the movie's original tunes with hits previously written by Jeff Lynne (of Electric Light Orchestra) and John Farrar (songwriter and producer for Olivia Newton-John), the characters acknowledge the cheesiness of a format which often forces plot contortions simply to fit in specific songs.

The unexpected appeal of "Xanadu" the musical is simple: it's silly and it points out every nonsensical flaw. If you've lived through the eighties or you know enough about the decade to 'get' "Hot Tub Time Machine," you'll be in on the joke, especially when characters deliver zingers in the present vernacular.

A five-person ensemble plays multiple roles, with shifts in character aided by costume designer Dixon Reynolds' tongue-in-cheek artistry. In their too-bright toga-y getups and fashion-backward headbands, they initially look like refugees from the Island of Misfit Actors. Over time, one by one they charm, seduce, surprise, and enchant with their flawless performances and -- yes -- roller skating. Diverse casting pays off: every single performer onstage is as vital as any other.

The cast is the reason why you'll love this show, because it sure ain't due to the original storyline. Venice, CA artist Sonny Malone (Adante Carter) is frustrated by his latest street mural depicting the Muses, daughters of Zeus in Greek mythology, and despairs of ever seeing his talent come to fruition. Enter Clio (Diana Huey), the youngest Muse who is tasked with helping Sonny; she is reminded not to fall in love with a human and not to create art herself. Jealous of Clio, sister Muses Melpomeme (Desiree Rodriguez) and Calliope (Lea Sevola) repeatedly try and tamper with the outcome, while a prominent developer, Danny McGuire (Graham Stevens), gets involved in Sonny's scheme to transform an abandoned theater into an artistic hub.

Carter plays Sonny as a knock-kneed dreamer with a can't-hold-me-back smile. The voice that bursts out of him is unexpectedly rich, and as the show progresses, he reveals himself as a multi-layered actor. Huey has fun making fun of the Australian-accented Kira, and when she sings, she glides even when not on skates; her extraordinary vocals demonstrate why she recently spent a year as Ariel in the national tour of Disney's "The Little Mermaid."

As one half of the evil-sister pair, Rodriguez hits ever-sharper heights with her musical snarkiness; once she goes dark in the "Evil Woman," she's beautifully badass. As the only non-Equity performer in the 5-member ensemble, Lea Sevola -- with the ink barely dry from her BFA in Musical Theater at Ithaca College -- ought to earn her Equity card with this production and her dream pairing with Rodriguez. Solo, she's the brunette twin of Kate McKinnon, SNL performer and rising film star -- her microsecond timing, facial contortions and full-body gyrations, combined with a complete lack of self-consciousness, make her an ideal canvas for any comedic role, and she sings, dances and acts like she's been doing it for decades.

At first buried in the ensemble as a lesser sister Muse, Graham Stevens is unforgettable as pinstripe-suited Danny McGuire; his elegant crooning will make you wish that Xanadu could stay in the Big Band era rather than reopen as a roller disco. And as almighty Zeus, he'll have you reconsidering your lifelong revulsion to ONJ's breathy, drippy "Have You Ever Been Mellow?"

Music Director Zeek Smith leads a four-person orchestra that performs onstage in toga garb throughout the show. Each musician gets into the action, soloing with instruments and on vocals as sisters in the extended family of Muses. Like the main ensemble, they rock.

John Iacovelli's scenic design literally obliterates the walls, floors and entryways of the mainstage theater with graffiti, immersing us in Venice's urban arts scene, but as the musical is the last production of the 2018 summer season, there's plenty of time to recover and repaint.

"Xanadu" the movie may have been a dull, sticky-sweet affair, but "Xanadu" the stage musical tops that bland vanilla film with a pop-rock blast of rainbow sprinkles. Spoiler alert: you'll seize up with laughter, pull muscles smiling so hard, and come out of the theater brushing off big chunks of glitter (not kidding about that one), but after this dizzy night of mirror-ball star-flung enchantment, you'll want to see it all over again. It hasn't even been 24 hours, and I already do.

The Details

What: "Xanadu"

Where: Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca, NY

When seen: August 18

Length of performance: 1 hour 40 minutes with no intermission

Family guide: Suitable for middle school and up

Runs through: September 1

Ticket information and reservations: 607-273-2787 and www.HangarTheatre.org
Syracuse NY - The next stop for the Jazz in the City urban neighborhood concert series is Little Italy, celebrating the North Side and the opening gala of the Bleu Chick Restaurant at 317 North Salina Street. The BlackLites, the Rhythm and Blues powerhouse approaching a half century of touring Upstate New York, will perform an outdoor concert this Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and Ronnie Leigh will entertain inside the Bleu Chick before and after the concert, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm and 9:00 to 10:00 pm. The concert is free and open to the public.



"We're on a roll, coming off our recent concert at the Regency Tower," says Larry Luttinger, organizer of the series. "We drew over a thousand at that one, and plan on another blowout this Thursday. The BlackLites will have people up and dancing, for sure, and the Bleu Chick's amazing Creole comfort food will be available for outdoor diners. Their Blackened Shrimp and Grits and Jerk Chicken are already making waves with local foodies."



Convenient free parking in multiple surrounding locations has been arranged, at the nearby city lot on Pearl Street across the street from Columbus Bakery, and the African Market lot on North Salina, formerly Thanos Market.



Molina Healthcare Village vendors and craft vendors will be present. Some seating is provided, but lawn chairs are suggested. No alcohol is served at Jazz in the City events, except in nearby restaurants.



All details may be found at www.cnyjazzinthecity.org



REMAINING CONCERT SCHEDULE

August 23rd - The BlackLites

Bleu Chick Restaurant, 317 N Salina St, Syracuse 13203

7-9PM - call 315-802-2562 for outdoor dining



August 30th - SIRSY

Le Moyne Plaza, 1135 Salt Springs Rd, Syracuse 13224

5-8pm
This story was produced for syracuse.com by a student enrolled in The Goldring Arts Journalism program at Syracuse University.

By Mike Zawisza | Contributing writer

SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- Caleb Leonard is like most kids his age. The 15-year-old student at Chittenango High School was excited to leave for summer camp. He has a penchant for singing and dancing along to Beyonce songs -- his rendition of "Halo" would make Queen B herself take notice -- and he has a summer job working with children with disabilities.

Caleb has been living with spina bifida his entire life and has been using a wheelchair for as long as he can remember.

To Caleb, he isn't any different than his peers.

"Although we might look different, it doesn't make us any less of a person," Caleb said. "They may think we aren't independent, but we are. We have the same values as other people."

Last month, Caleb joined artists, designers and volunteers at La Casita Cultural Center in Syracuse's Near West Side. The group was building wheelchairs out of PVC pipes and stairs out of cardboard, and Caleb helped measure and cut pieces of paper on the table in front of him.

Caleb Leonard and Stephanie Santiago smile outside La Casita Cultural Center in Syracuse's Near West Side.

The activities were part of the Building Local and Global Spina Bifida Communities program created by Dr. Nienke Dosa of Upstate University Hospital.

The six-week pilot program brings kids and young adults with spina bifida together with artists, designers and community leaders. They plan, build and paint adaptive equipment -- wheelchairs, ramps, stairs, braces etc. -- they can use to lead more accessible and independent lives.

La Casita, a cultural center that promotes, restores, displays and preserves arts and artifacts of Hispanic and Latino origin, agreed to host the pilot program to help broaden its reach into the Near West Side community of Syracuse.

The summer program will culminate with a community wide celebration on Thursday, Aug. 23. Families are invited to come to La Casita from 5 to 8 p.m., enjoy traditional Latino food and see what the kids and volunteers have made.

Building friendships

Caleb -- like many kids with differing levels of ability -- struggles socially. The program at La Casita goes a long way in breaking down social barriers.

"It's a good place for people like me to feel accepted," Caleb said. "If there are people that feel like they don't fit in or aren't accepted somewhere else, they will be here."

Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spine of a fetus doesn't develop properly. It comes in three versions -- spina bifida occulta, meningocele and myelomeningocele -- with varying levels of severity.

Though spina bifida occulta may not pose any major health risks, the other two forms are often accompanied by a myriad of problems. These include bowel issues, trouble walking, hydrocephalus (fluid in the brain) and potential life-threatening infections.

Every year, 1,500 babies are born with spina bifida in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control. This makes it the most common birth defect in the central nervous system. About 25 percent of cases occur in children of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Health issues aren't the only roadblocks facing people with spina bifida and their families.

Adaptive equipment is expensive and can be difficult for families to acquire.

Tere Paniagua, the director of La Casita, says this is especially the case in the predominately Hispanic and Latino community of the Near West Side.

"This is a very poor neighborhood that lacks visibility. There are families here that could benefit from a program like this, at no cost," Paniagua said.

"I think Dr. Dosa saw our program at La Casita as a way to connect with this community," Paniagua continued.

Dosa's program provides equipment to families who may otherwise be unable to bear the cost.

Simple designs, big results

Designers and volunteers build adaptive equipment using triple-ply cardboard, PVC pipes, pool noodles, velcro and glue. This results in sturdy equipment suited to the specific needs of its user, at no cost to the user.

Stairs made from cardboard.

The group then primes, paints and decorates the work, sometimes with the help of local artists.

Paniagua says this adds an element of personality to the program. "It goes beyond the functionality of the object," Paniagua said. "It becomes a beautiful work of art as well. A one of a kind piece."

One artist taking part in the program is Stephanie Santiago, a young woman with spina bifida who lives in the Near West Side of Syracuse.

Santiago, 23, graduated from Bryant and Stratton College with a degree in art. Dosa urged her to join the program. "I didn't really get out of the house much," Santiago said. "Dr. Dosa told me to come here and make friends."

Santiago made good on that request this summer, laughing with her new friends and painting with prominent artists from her community at La Casita.

This summer the Spina Bifida Center of Central New York, Arise Adaptive Design, Protesis Imbabura, and La Casita... Posted by La Casita Cultural Center on Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Some families have already seen how powerful the program can be.

Designers and volunteers build adaptive equipment using triple-ply cardboard, PVC pipes, pool noodles, velcro and glue. This results in sturdy equipment suited to the specific needs of its user, at no cost to the user.

Erin Leonard, Caleb's mom, says she's overjoyed to see that her son has found a place where he feels like he belongs. "Caleb's always had a big heart," Leonard said. "It's an area where he thrives. When he feels like he's helping someone."

Caleb hopes more people can see what the program has done, so he can make a difference in the lives of others. The same way the program has made a difference for him.

"Knowing I can help someone else, makes me feel like I can help myself a little bit more," Caleb said.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Charter Communications wants to hold talks with New York's Public Service Commission before it appeals the commission's order booting the cable company out of the state.

The company, which offers cable television, broadband and telephone service under the Spectrum brand, filed a request Friday seeking more time to appeal the commission's July 27 order kicking it out of the state. It also asked for a two-week delay, to Oct. 9, to file a plan for leaving New York.

"Good cause exists to extend both deadlines," the company said. "Granting a short extension would allow time for discussions between Charter and the Department before the initiation by Charter of additional Commission or court proceedings."

Kathleen Burgess, secretary to the commission, responded Monday by giving the company until Oct. 9 to file a plan for leaving the state and said the commission will decide whether to give the company more time to seek a rehearing of the July 27 order.

In her letter to the company, Burgess said nothing about the possibility of discussions or negotiations between the commission and Charter, however. Instead, she said the extension will "allow for the presentation of a thorough and comprehensive plan" for the discontinuation of services in New York.

"This extension is granted for the fair, orderly and efficient conduct of this proceeding," she said.

In its order last month, the commission revoked its 2016 approval of Charter's acquisition of Time Warner Cable's network in New York. And in an unprecedented action, it ordered the company, the largest cable provider in New York, to leave the state within six months. It also ordered the company to file a plan within 60 days for an "orderly transition" of its network to another provider or providers.

The commission said Charter has repeatedly failed to meet the requirements it set as a condition of its merger approval that the company extend its broadband network past 145,000 premises in underserved and unserved rural areas of the state.

Charter contends the commission's 2016 merger approval did not require the build-it to be in rural areas and that hookups in, for example, New York City should count toward meeting the commission's requirements.

In its filing on Friday, the company asked the commission for a two-week delay, from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, in the deadline to submit a plan for leaving the state. It also asked for a two-week delay, from Aug. 27 to Sept. 10, in the deadline to seek a rehearing of the commission's order.

Charter has said it is prepared to fight a lengthy legal battle, if necessary, to stay in New York.

Company spokesman Andrew Russell said the company was pleased the commission extended one of its deadlines and hopes it will extend the other. He declined to comment when asked if the "discussions" Charter was seeking time for could be termed negotiations.

Editor's note: Advance/Newhouse Partnership, which has an ownership stake in Charter Communications Inc., is part of Advance Publications, owner of Advance Local. Advance Local owns Syracuse.com, NYUP.com and The Post-Standard.

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- As the Common Council met Monday to vote on a $38 million infrastructure project, one councilor's seat was empty for the eighth time in four months.

2nd District Councilor Chad Ryan hasn't attended a regular council session since April 23. His absence recently resulted in him losing his spot atop the council's most active committee.

A family member said in May Ryan is out of town dealing with a medical issue.

Earlier this month, Council President Helen Hudson removed Ryan from his role as chairman of the council's public works committee. That committee met last week to consider borrowing $38 million to purchase the city's streetlights and convert them to LEDs. It's one of the biggest bonding issues that's faced the council in the last decade.

Hudson said Monday she hasn't spoken to Ryan in four months, and couldn't let him remain in his role as the council weighed such a big decision.

"I just needed to give constituents the service they deserve on DPW," Hudson said.

Councilor-At-Large Michael Greene was made chair of the public works committee. Ryan was moved to the intergovernmental service consolidation committee -- an obscure body that rarely meets.

The council meets twice a month.

Only one council vote was close enough where Ryan's presence could have made a difference. On May 21, the council voted down a resolution to buy supplies for the parks department from Wegmans and Walmart. The item lost by a margin of 3-4. Ryan and 4th District Councilor Latoya Allen were absent for that meeting.

Ryan has not responded to several phone calls during his absence. In May, his sister, Jillian Ryan, answered his phone and said her brother was dealing with a medical issue out of town.

Ryan was re-elected to his third two-year term as the 2nd district councilor last November. The job pays $21,224 per year.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday signed a bill that establishes the nation's first commission to investigate prosecutorial misconduct, despite concerns that it may be unconstitutional.

The bill authored by state Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, was the last significant legislation authored by the senator before he retires from his 26-year career in the Senate at the end of the year.

The law establishes an 11-member commission to investigate claims of misconduct against district attorneys and their assistants across New York. The panel could recommend disciplinary action, including the removal of DAs and their assistants from office.

DeFrancisco battled opposition from the state DA's association, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick and the state attorney general's office before the Assembly and Senate passed the legislation in June.

Attorney General Counsel Leslie Dubeck wrote a memo to the governor last week that raised concerns about whether the law could withstand legal challenges, according to a report by The New York Law Journal.

Cuomo said in a bill memo that his office and the Legislature agreed to work together to amend the bill in the upcoming session and address "several flaws that have been identified by the state's judiciary" and attorney general's office.

Among the concerns, Cuomo's office said, is that anyone who wants to disrupt a criminal case could ask for a review by the commission.

"This potential for abuse would be amplified by the fact that this bill would make public all files provided by a prosecutor to the commission, even while an active investigation is underway," the governor's office said, adding "the potential exposure to victims, witnesses, and a prosecutor's case would be immeasurable."

Advocates for the law consider its signing by Cuomo an important step to hold prosecutor's accountable and to build public trust in the criminal justice system. It passage was supported by The Innocence Project, an organization that has worked to exonerate those falsely accused of crimes.

The law allows for the 11-member commission to convene in January 2019. The commission, with an annual budget of $5.5 million, will be appointed by the governor, Legislature and New York's chief judge. Its members will include a prosecutor, public defender, judges and non-lawyers.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
Should the federal government provide subsidies to bail out struggling coal and nuclear power plants?

President Donald Trump in June ordered federal officials to take steps to stop the closing of unprofitable coal and nuclear plants, saying they are crucial for the nation's energy security. The plan could include a requirement for grid operators to buy electricity from at-risk facilities.

Trump also told donors at a fundraiser for Rep. Claudia Tenney in Utica last week that wind power is not a reliable alternative, and that it makes no sense for the federal government to subsidize the industry.

With that in mind, we asked the candidates in the 24th Congressional District election - Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, and Democrat Dana Balter of Syracuse -- the following question:

During his visit to Utica, President Trump called windmills an unreliable energy source that are "like a killing field for birds." He opposes subsidies for wind energy but wants a federal bailout for struggling coal and nuclear plants.

As a member of Congress, would you support the president's proposed bailout of coal and nuclear plants? What subsidies, if any, should the federal government provide for renewable energy sources including wind power?

The candidates' written answers to the question are below. Katko and Balter were asked to limit their responses to 250 words.

Look for a new candidate question each week. Have something you'd like to ask all the candidates? Email Mark Weiner at mweiner@syracuse.com with the subject line "weekly question."

John Katko

I support an all-of-the-above energy policy.

I have long recognized the importance of nuclear power to Central New York -- both as an economic driver and as a reliable source of emission-free energy. Nuclear is a critical part of the current energy mix of our state, and vital to the energy independence of our nation.

The nuclear power plants in NY-24 provide thousands of high-paying, technical jobs that support countless families. When FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant was on the verge of a shutdown, I worked alongside local and state representatives, the hardworking men and women of IBEW, and all involved throughout negotiations to save these jobs.

Reliance on foreign oil puts our national security at risk and demonstrates the grave need for our nation's energy independence to remain a priority for the administration and for Congress. Reliable nuclear power provides fuel diversity, stable power costs, low carbon energy, and helps create a strong economy. I will always stand up for nuclear energy in Congress and would support reasonable subsidies to ensure our nation's energy independence.

Alongside nuclear, I support investing in renewables so energy sources like wind, hydro, and solar are developed to the fullest potential. I have voted to shift funding away from fossil fuel and towards renewable energy research. Together with several Republican colleagues, I've offered a resolution calling for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support renewable energy research, and champion nuclear power.

I will continue to support policies to help achieve energy independence for our nation.

Dana Balter

Nuclear energy is an important clean energy source that serves as a bridge to our new energy future. Nuclear power is a major driver in Oswego's economy, providing hundreds of well-paying jobs in the region. It is important that we support our workers' job security and the local economy while shifting our infrastructure away from the use of fossil fuels.

I believe it is vital that we, as a nation, make smart investments in renewable energy such as wind, solar, and hydropower. Our prosperity and security depend on energy independence. Producing our own renewable and low-carbon energy sources will end our reliance on foreign governments, like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, while meeting our energy needs.

Creating a robust green economy will reinvigorate Central and Western New York. A booming green industry means long-term economic growth with lots of well- paying jobs that are desperately needed in our region. This new energy sector already employs 2.7 million Americans and continues to grow at a substantial rate. Central and Western New York is a perfect place for this investment because of our tremendous manufacturing know-how and infrastructure. If we invest in a green-energy economy we can be leaders in the 21st century and beyond.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
FAYETTEVILLE, N.Y. -- "Saturday Night Live" actor Pete Davidson was pulled over and a passenger was charged with having marijuana, according to an arrest report from Manlius police.

The man charged, Joseph Gay, Jr., is facing a violation for unlawful possession of marijuana and a fourth-degree felony for possession of concentrated cannabis, according to the report.

Manlius police made contact with the pair around 4:25 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11 on Salt Springs Road in Fayetteville, according to the police report.

Davidson was not charged with a crime. It's not clear from the report whose vehicle the pair was in.

Gay, 47, of Bridgewater, N.J., hung up the phone when reached last week by a reporter. His cell phone number is listed out of Beverly Hills, Calif.

Manlius police declined to comment further. A spokeswoman said last week the department would not have additional details until after Gay's upcoming court date.

The concentrated marijuana was in a small bag inside a lunch box, according to court documents. When a police officer asked what was inside the lunch box, Gay Jr. replied, "You know what it is," according to the records.

Davidson is in Syracuse filming "Big Time Adolescence," an American High production, about a teen coming of age under the destructive guidance of his college dropout best friend.

Davidson is here in Syracuse with fellow comedian Joey Gay, who posted video of police lights on Aug. 11 on his Instagram page.

"We are not going to make it to Wegman's because of the police," Joey Gay shouts in the Instagram video.

Davidson appeared to be smoking marijuana in a recent music video with rapper Machine Gun Kelly, who is also in the film.

Davidson has said he is prescribed medical marijuana for Crohn's Disease.

Correction: This story initially misstated the first name of the man charged.
Its that time of year again. The time when Samsung sends us its best TV, I sing its praises, then point out that it doesnt support Dolby Vision. Huge upside, minor bummer, and ultimately a fine, fine TV.

This years Q9F is noticeably, if not light years better than last years. What struck me right way were the blacks. I kept banging the TV to find an issue with the backlighting, and I found a minor one, but its still the best full-array type Ive seen. If Samsung keeps this up, OLED could soon be rendered moot. But that day is not here.

Design and features

Samsung sent us the 64.5-inch (65-inch class) QN65Q9F, which the company designates as bezel-less, and it is: the frame doesnt cover any part of the display glass. But there is still a frame, about 0.19 inches thick. Frame-less, Id consider a big deal. Bezel-less, Im not sure if I care, though it seems to be a goal of many vendors.

The panel is 3840 by 2160 resolution (4K UHD/2160p) and uses array backlighting. I asked Samsung how many zones comprised array, and I got the answer 10 times as many as the Q8FN. Seriously. Surfing Samsungs badly organized TV website, I was able to discern that this basically meansa whole lot.

From watching the TV, I can tell you that are way more zones than usual. Im guessing around 500. Actually I heard someone mumble that at a trade show. After all, it is Q Zone Elite, which goes along with the TVs Q HDR Elite, Q Contrast Elite, and Ultra Black Elite (Ultra Elite?). Yes, the worlds first elitist TV. The annoying thing is that as stupid and insulting as it all sounds, it all describes a very, very nice picture. I can razz, but then have to tip my cap.

The Q9FN is as nice-looking a TV, though Id have to give several other TVs, including Sonys Bravia XBR A1E the nod in that department. But the Q9FN is the only one to feature a backside thats as smooth as a babys. Thats because the only cable that runs to the TV itself is hidden behind pieces of the TV and stand. If you like to stare at the back of your TV, youll really like the Q9FN.

Samsung Move along folks... Nothing to see here. Theres only one cable to the Q9FN and its hidden behind plastic inserts in a cable raceway. If cables offend you, the Q9FN is easy company.

As of 2018, Samsungs One Connect cabling and breakout box are now truly one connection. At least to the display itself, which is what matters most to those to whom it matters at all. All the inputs and outputs are on the breakout box, and this year the power goes there as well. All youre left with is one skinny, transparently-coated cable leading to the TV that delivers all the signals and the power. Its pretty cool, and though Im still explaining what it is, I no longer need to explain that its not actually one connection. Huzzah Samsung.

In addition to making the cables disappear, the Q series ambient mode can almost make the TV itself disappear when youre not actively using it. Take a snapshot of the background surrounding the TV with the Samsung TV phone app, let it work a little magic, upload it to the TV and the TV will display an image the will resemble said background. Sometimes remarkably. Its neat sleight of hand, but fair warningHDR/4K TVs can drink voluminously of the AC, even when displaying a static image.

Interface and remote

Samsungs onscreen interface has a nice clean look, and the Q9FNs remote is a step up from those included with the companys other mid- to upper-range productssilver instead of dark gray, and with a nice slide-open that exposes the battery tray. The interface and the remote are both very attractive; however, now that the aesthetics are in place, the company really needs to start working the efficiency angle. There are simply too many times when youre forced to perform more actions than should be necessary to accomplish a task.

Samsung This image depicts the Q9FNs onscreen interface and remote, along with a not particularly accurate rendering of its One Connect breakout box.

The absence of a full set of transport controls on the remote, for example, means you must open the on-screen transport controls, and then select the appropriate action (FF, REW, etc.) before you can hit the enter button to initiate it. And every time you return to the home menu you must scroll yet again to get to the the place you were before.

The Roku interface and remote available on entry-level TVs might not be pretty, but its a less tedious than Samsungs.

Picture

The Q9FNs picture is quite likely the best LED-backlit LCD picture in the business. And in many waysparticularly brightness (1,290 nits measured vs. 2,000 claimed) and detailits picture is better than OLED. And HDR on a QLED is something to see. As I said up top, whats noticeably improved on the Q9FN for this year are the blacks. Most of the time, they are darn close to just that. Thats not something you can say for a lot of LED-backlit LCD TVs, especially low-end models where youre lucky if you get a moderately dark shade of gray.

Samsung Everythings rosy with Samsung Q9FNs picture. Aside from some minor backlighting issues anyway. And a lack of Dolby Vision support.

Screen uniformity was excellent, with no noticeable cloudy or bright areas from backlight leakage. Motion artifacts, such as moire or shimmer in pans, are rare though they still exist, depending on the material. Ive yet to see anything better, but I am looking forward to their disappearing forever. Action sequences are as smooth, yet detailed as youll find. Color acuity is the best in the business thanks to the quantum dots re-emitting the light source.

Other than rare pesky moire, the only other issue I spotted on the Q9F was backlight-related. There was a noticeable lag in darkening some areas on scenes with large areas of black and a bright centered object. For instance, on a video highlighting a neon sign against the night sky, I could see the lower left below the sign start at dark gray, then after perhaps half a second, turn black. Obviously, the algorithms or processing are a bit slow, despite the Q Engine. No TV is perfect yet, but at $3500, little imperfections tend to stand out more.

That said, while $3,500 is a lot of money, at least for me, this time last year the 65-inch Q9F was a whopping $6,000. Its getting cheaper folks, partially because true high dynamic range (HDR), wide color gamut (WCG), and even 120Hz refresh rates are making their way into sub-$1,000 TVsalthough not always all in the same TV.

I should also mention that the Q9FN has better than average sound, with enough bass give the listening experience some depth. Its quite clear as well. Im guessing that if youre forking over $3,500 for a TV, youre going to augment the sound somehow, but if you just dont want to switch the other stuff on, the Q9FN wont assault you with tin-can audio. Id rate it just bit below Sonys Bravia XBR A1E in that regard.

Dolby Vision, wherefore art thou?

Yes, here I go again. The Q9FN supports HDR10+, Samsungs largely equal (it can alter the palette from frame to frame, but doesnt support 12-bit color) alternative to Dolby Vision. But its only available in a couple of shows from Amazon. Ive seen it, but not with the same material as Dolby Vision, so an A/B comparison is impossible at this point. The Q9FNs older HDR10 renderings are first class, but if Im seeing things correctly, the overall cast to videos usually seems a bit darker than with HDR10+ or Dolby Vision.

I wish I could tell you more, but Samsung doesnt even have a file or a disc mastered in HDR10+ they can send me. I find that slightly amazing, and vaguely disturbing. If I hadnt already become acclimated to the absurdities of the TV industry, Id omit the vaguely from that sentence. The sad fact remains that you cant watch some of the best available HDR content on one of the best TVs. Im getting tired of saying that. Really. Either get HDR10+ in gear, or fork the royalties over to Dolby.

A positively great TV

Ultra Elite. Give me a break. Still, other companies lay it on even thicker, and the plain fact of the matter is that if any TV is deserving of superlatives, the Q9FN is. Its a terrific view, and installers and interior design folks and the terminally shape-conscious will love the way the TV can disappear into its surroundings.

Make the interface a bit easier to navigate, throw in Dolby Vision, eliminate the back-lighting peccadillo and the Q9FN would be the best TV on the planet, bar none.
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Mobile phone cameras are about to get a significant performance boost.

Sony on Monday introduced a 48-megapixel sensor for cellphone cameras that measures less than one-third of an inch diagonally. The sensor is slated for release in September.
Why it matters: The scourge of terrorism has long been a problem on social media sites. And while many companies have voluntarily implemented their own solutions that address the problem, the European Union has decided the likes of Facebook and Twitter should be forced to remove extremist contentand face the consequences if they dont act quickly enough.

Industry leaders have been battling the promotion of terrorist content for years, often using a combination of AI, machine learning, human moderators, and shared databases. Several joint initiatives have been formed to counter online extremism, including the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, the EU Internet Forum, and the Shared Industry Hash Database.

But The Financial Times reports that the EU now feels that platforms self-policing themselves isnt enough, and that it would "take stronger action in order to better protect our citizens," said Julian King, the EU's commissioner for security.

Last March, the Commission published recommendations for increased protection against illegal content online. It included the one-hour rule, which stated that as terrorist content is most harmful in the first hours of its appearance, all companies should remove it within the initial 60 minutes of it being posted as a general rule.

Now, King says it is likely that this voluntary rule will become a mandatory requirement as the EU has not seen enough progress when it comes to removing terrorist material. Failure to adhere will see social media firms and websites face fines.

It will take a while before the legislation comes into effect, assuming the European Parliament and a majority of EU member states approve it. If the one-hour rule does become mandatory, it will be interesting to see how the EU enforces it and the size of the fines it hands out.
What just happened? Apple has pulled 25,000 apps from the app store in China following criticism from the state-run media, which has accused the company of allowing banned content on its platform. Chinese broadcaster CCTV said the apps were removed to comply with state regulators, and that 4000 of them were tagged with the word gambling.

Gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China, Apple said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg. We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store.

25,000 apps might sound like a lot, but it still represents less than 1.5 percent of the 1.8 million App Store apps available in the country.

CCTV first criticized Apple over the gambling-related apps found on its store earlier this month. The broadcaster has also called out Apple over iMessage spam, something the company is trying to address by working with Chinese carriers.

Apple itself has set up the rules on how to allow apps onto its store, but it didnt follow that, resulting in the proliferation of bogus lottery apps and gambling apps, said CCTV.

China remains one of Apples largest markets after the US, but the company faces a constant battle to stay on the right side of regulators. Last year saw it remove 700 VPN apps from the store, which were used to circumvent the countrys Great Firewall and access blocked websites and social media platforms.

While Apple has an app store in China, Google Play remains banned. But the latter company is working with the Chinese government on Project Dragonflya heavily restricted search engine that will not show links to forbidden topics such as democracy, religion, or human rights.
In brief: Thanks to the Note 7 saga, Samsung will forever be the first company people mention when the term exploding battery comes up, but it's an issue faced by other tech firms, including Apple, which has seen yet another of its stores evacuated over one of the overheating components.

Yesterday (August 19), Dutch media reported that an Apple Store at Leidseplein in Amsterdam was briefly evacuated as a precautionary measure after an iPad battery overheated and exploded.

Staff put the tablet in a fire bucket filled with sand before calling firefighters, who tweeted that while there was no smoke present at the scene, three people had to be treated for breathing problems, likely caused by chemical vapors escaping from the iPads battery. Its unknown what caused the overheating, or whether it was a mistake on the part of Apple Geniuses or technicians.

Flinke chaos en paniek na ontruiming Apple Store Leidseplein #Amsterdam Noord-Holland Ongeval https://t.co/4dLjLzEMlx pic.twitter.com/CuDC2e8Sdt  AS Media (@asmedianl) 19 August 2018

This isnt the first battery-related Apple Store evacuation weve seen this year. In January, one of the outlets in Zurich, Switzerland, was emptied after an iPhone 6s Plus battery overheated and starting emitting smoke. One staff member suffered minor burns, and six people received medical care at the site. Local media reported that the handset had been brought in to have its battery replaced, possibly as part of the discounted replacement program offered by Apple following the performance throttling controversy.

One day after the incident in Switzerland, reports arrived of another iPhone battery explosion in a Spanish Apple Store.

In February, yet another store, this one located in Hong Kong, experienced a battery fire. While no evacuation was needed in this instance, two employees were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Weve seen plenty of devices with lithium-ion batteries overheating and catching fire over the last few years. Given the number of products that pass through the many Apple stores across the world, three exploding batteries are unlikely to be its biggest concern. Still, its the kind of publicity Cupertino wont want.
What just happened? The heat against Google intensifies over its collection of user location data. The company faces a new lawsuit and a call for an FTC investigation over its policies and practices of tracking users even if they turn off "Location History."

On Friday, San Diego resident Napoleon Patacsil filed a lawsuit in Federal Court alleging that Google is violating the California Invasion of Privacy Act as well as Californias constitutional privacy guarantees. Attornies for the plaintiff are seeking class-action status since the policies in question affect not only their client but also millions of other users on both Android devices and iOS. In fact, they want two separate classes defined to serve both groups.

After being exposed last week that it continues to store tracking information on its users even after they turn off Location History, Google quickly changed the language on its help pages to reflect that some services do still track users. The new description does make the search giants location data practices more transparent, but it does nothing to simplify or change internal policies. The negative publicity has brought increased scrutiny on Googles collection of user information, and it is becoming clear that providing more transparency is not going to be enough.

In addition to being sued over the fiasco, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) penned a three-page letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) informing them that the Mountain View company may have reneged on a 2011 consent decree brought against its "Buzz Social Network."

In the agreement with the FTC, Google was ordered not to misrepresent itself regarding data collection practices.

IT IS ORDERED that respondent [Google], in or affecting commerce, shall not misrepresent in any manner, expressly or by implication:  (1) the purpose for which it collects and uses covered information [user data], and (2) the extent to which consumers may exercise control over the collection, use, or disclosure of covered information." [emphasis FTC]

Google may have violated both of these stipulations.

The original description for Location History read, You can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.

Since the company does indeed continue to record location data with history disabled, this statement is patently false and misleading, putting it in violation of the first stipulation in the consent decree.

As of today, Google has also done nothing to facilitate users control over their location data. While there is a process in place to disable tracking, it is opaque and convoluted. Technically, the company is satisfying the letter of the decree, but not the color or intent of it, which is to make it so users can easily control their data.

The FTC has not formulated a formal response to EPICs letter. Likewise, a judge has not ruled whether there is a sufficient class to grant class-action status to the lawsuit, a process which could take months.

Ars Technica reached out to Google for comment, but received no response.
An 11-year-old boy from Iowa, who is dying from leukemia, wishes for people to send him racing stickers so that his casket will be decorated with them.

There are various studies on preventing and treating childhood leukemia, but unfortunately for the young racing fan, the research will be too late for him.

Dying 11-Year-Old Leukemia Patients Asks For Racing Stickers

Caleb Hammond, an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with leukemia in February 2017, was no longer responding to cancer treatment at Blank Children's Hospital in Iowa. His parents were forced to make a decision of either keeping their son in the hospital, where he will undergo painful treatments that had no chance of curing him, or take him home to Oskaloosa, where he can live out the rest of his life with his family.

"There were some other options left, but they were going to make him sick and do harm to his body," said Chris Playle, Hammond's uncle. "They decided to call it quits, and come home and be a kid and do the things he hasn't been able to do the last year and a half."

Hammond came home on May 3, according to his GoFundMe page. The young leukemia patient is still strong physically, but he is starting to get tired easily. However, with his return home, he has been doing normal activities that he was not able to do in the hospital.

Hammond, a racing fan who loves to visit the Southern Iowa Speedway, has asked the public a final request. He wants racing stickers, which will be used to decorate his casket. While the request may sound morbid, it shows that Hammond's body may be broken, but not his spirit.

Meanwhile, Team Kids With Cancer 46-7 made one of Hammond's dreams come true. The organization was able to get Hammond behind the wheel of a race car, allowing him to drive a six-lap race.

Different Forms Of Leukemia Treatment

There are different forms of leukemia treatment being tried and developed, including a cancer pill that may keep leukemia patients alive for over 10 years. There was even a report from January that a federal judge allowed an 11-year-old leukemia patient to bring medical marijuana to school, as that was her prescribed medication.

The decision of Hammond's parents to stop his treatment and allow him to live the rest of his life as normally as possible, meanwhile, is understandable. All that can be done now is to send Hammond as many racing stickers as possible, and hopefully people from across the United States can grant the dying racing fan his modest wish.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sony brings some good news to its smartphone users. Nine premium-range models of the brand are finally getting the Android 9 update from November onward.

The first batch of premium-range models that will get the update includes XZ1, XZ1 Compact, XZ2, XZ2 Premium, Xperia XZ Premium, and XZ2 Compact. These are the premium and compact units from the past two generations of Sony's flagships.

About The Transition

Sony has exerted efforts to deliver the quickest rollout to its users, its engineers, however, still needed an ample time to implement all its feature upgrades and test the devices to make sure that the best quality is delivered.

"We always aim for the quickest possible upgrade rollout from the time Google makes its announcement to when it reaches your smartphone. And it's essential that Sony engineers have the time to implement all our feature upgrades and test devices to meet our high quality standards," Sony stated on its website.

The Japanese company released an infographic to further explain to its users how the new update will be released. It showed Android Pie's journey from Google to Sony Mobile and then to Xperia phones.

The chart presented the steps in getting the update into Sony's system that included modernizing its user interface while making sure that the phone's important functions do not malfunction and testing the device. The whole process is timely, which is why the company has made its users wait months for the rollout.

People who have the company's midrange phones such as XA2, XA2 Ultra, and XA2 Plus units can expect to finally get their hands on the update in early 2019.

Android Pie On Other Brands

Aside from Sony, HTC also announced that four of its units will also finally receive the much awaited Android update. However, the exact release date has not yet been confirmed.

Additionally, Vivo, a Chinese smartphone company, also announced that its X21 and other premium phones will be able to get the update in the last quarter of this year.

Furthermore, Motorola has declared eight handsets that will get the update. These are Moto Z3, Moto Z3 Play, Moto Z2 Play, Moto Z2 Force Edition, Moto X4, Moto G6 Plus, Moto G6, and Moto G6 Play.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S will be getting the MIUI 10 beta that is based on the Android Pie.

The stable version of Android Pie was released this month and will also be rolled out to Pixel and Essential phones. The latter was notably founded by Andy Rubin, the Android co-founder.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is ready to put up to $550 million into a long-vacant site on Capitol Mall, aiming to build what would become the tallest office tower in Sacramento.But that doesnt mean a new crane is coming soon to the banks of the Sacramento River to get started on construction. CalPERS and developer CIM Group still need to line up a marquee tenant before they can break ground on a project that would finally fill Sacramentos hole in the ground by the Tower Bridge.CalPERS and CIM on Sunday released their latest proposal, outlining a 550-foot-tall tower that would be about 120 feet taller than the nearby Wells Fargo Center . Its a larger structure than the one that CIM planned two years ago, when CIM unveiled conceptual drawings for a mixed-use building that incorporated downtown housing and office space.The new designs still call for about 100 apartments in addition to 737,000 square feet of office space. They also call for an elevated public park and some retail space.We believe the updated design better addresses the needs of Sacramento, and therefore is well-positioned to generate better returns, said Avi Shemesh, co-founder and principal of CIM. Now we have a commitment for the investment, we can advance on the drawings and launch our leasing efforts. Before, it was conceptual without the capital commitment to move forward.The CalPERS Board of Administration voted in a closed session in July to move forward with the newest plan. CalPERS has not disclosed how board members voted.CIM already has shown the proposal to city leaders, who are eager to see progress on the site.This is a crucial piece of land at Sacramentos front door, and its great news that CalPERS is moving forward with a project that is both architecturally distinctive and contains a mix of housing, office and retail that will add to our citys economic vitality, said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. We look forward to working with CalPERS to bring it to fruition.The site has proved troublesome for CalPERS since the recession. The pension fund in 2007 pulled the plug on a plan that would have built twin 53-story condo towers on Capitol Mall. This site has been vacant since then.CalPERS spokesman Brad Pacheco said, Weve had a longstanding relationship with the city as well as CIM. We want to honor our commitment to the city to create something that is an iconic project.Now, Shemesh said, demand is growing for modern, Class A office space in Sacramento, and the project is nearing a point when it will be viable.Randy Getz, a Sacramento office real estate broker, said vacancy rates in the city are decreasing, suggesting that demand is growingI dont know if we have the need for 700,000 square feet of office space today, but I do see the need long term, he said. Were just about out of Class A office space in premium buildings.
Less than a week after news of the latest Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, leaders of the Baton Rouge Diocese addressed what they described as "a spiritual crisis in our church."

A Pennsylvania grand jury report released Tuesday  referencing more than 300 "predator priests" and more than 1,000 child victims within that state alone  found that church leaders covered up several decades of sexual abuse, often adhering to a series of common practices that reads "like a playbook for concealing the truth."

"Our shame is intensified by the sometimes failure of church leadership to hold abusers accountable," Bishop Emeritus Robert Muench said during Sunday morning Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Baton Rouge. "These recent news reports have revealed a mishandling of reported allegations (and) a covering up of sinful actions.  Understandably there are concerns about how prolific such abuses have been throughout the (Catholic) Church throughout the years."

Muench quoted Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who pointed to "the failure of episcopal leadership" that left "scores of beloved children of God  to face an abuse of power alone."

Congregants echoed that sense of dismay and said they hope the church can move past this tragic moment, which hasn't shaken their faith but has raised important questions about the church institution.

Can't see video below? Click here.

The report shows that some priests in Pennsylvania were removed or transferred elsewhere after allegations surfaced, but their superiors  often the people choosing to keep the accusations secret  faced few repercussions for blatantly disregarding the seriousness of the crimes taking place under their watch.

One former priest named in the report was transferred to the Diocese of Lafayette in 1992, and was removed in 1996. It remains unclear whether church officials knew when he first arrived in Lafayette about the accusations against Father John Bostwick, which included sexually abusing two teenage boys multiple times during the 1980s.

Priest named in Pennsylvania grand jury report was transferred to Lafayette after refusing counseling A former priest named this week in the sweeping Pennsylvania grand jury report on sexual abuse in Catholic Church was transferred to the Dioce

Bostwick's transfer to Louisiana also came on the heels of a child sex scandal that rocked the Lafayette diocese that same decade. The diocese in 2004 disclosed that 123 victims of 15 priests received $24.4 million in legal settlements.

Muench's comments about the Pennsylvania grand jury's findings came during his last Mass as bishop at the downtown cathedral  where he celebrated Mass every Sunday for the past several years. He is retiring later this week after almost two decades leading the Baton Rouge Diocese.

+36 New BR bishop on his priestly calling, Shreveport and stamping out church sex abuse SHREVEPORT  Walk into a Roman Catholic church in this north Louisiana city along the Red River and ask a parishioner, a nun, a priest, a secr

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"The responsibility of any diocese goes beyond expressions of sorrow and prayers for those affected," he told the estimated 450 congregants who gathered Sunday morning. "Our goal is to do everything in our power to protect children. This involves the need to hold every church leader to the highest standards of morality."

Deacon Gary Mooney also addressed the allegations later on during the service, praying that the victims of sexual abuse begin to find "lasting hope and true healing." He asked that church leaders gain enough humility and understanding to stop covering up accusations against their colleagues.

Muench referenced the existing policies and procedures of the Baton Rouge Diocese that deal with protecting children against abuse.

"As the local church of Baton Rouge, we are committed to accountability and transparency regarding our response to the accusations of sexual abuse by the clergy of our church," he said. "We have worked diligently to be transparent in reporting all criminal sexual behavior by diocesan clergy with minors in the Diocese of Baton Rouge."

Muench also said in an interview after the service that it's important to remember that the abuses detailed in the report happened in the past and significant efforts have already been made to prevent similar widespread abuse from happening again. In Baton Rouge those efforts include exercising more scrutiny when accepting seminarians and better educating church leaders on how to respond when questions arise.

Muench said such changes both here and in other dioceses across the country give him hope for the future despite the "deep sorrow and sadness" facing the church today.

"I think it's calling us to more self introspection (and) self review as a church," he said. "I felt it was important to address the issue, to share the concerns of people  not only thoughts but emotions and convictions."

Mary Durusau, a lifelong Catholic and longtime St. Joseph congregant, said she hopes "this is a real reset because it needs to be fixed."

"It was heartbreaking and shocking 25 years ago," she said. "It doesn't affect your faith, but it is a strong message and it's up to us as parishioners to show that this isn't acceptable."

Mary Ellen Davros, another longtime congregant, said that despite the horrific nature of the accusations, it's important to remember that sexual abuse isn't unique to the Catholic Church. And the vast majority of church leaders are not seeking to either commit or conceal abuse.

"Those abuses do not reflect Catholic tradition and don't change the spirituality of true Catholics," she said. "But we all mourn the abuse and wish to see it rectified. I'm grateful the church has acknowledged it's seeking resolve for the victims and help for the perpetrators  and I keep them all in my prayers."

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Baton Rouge residents increasingly do not feel safe in their own neighborhoods and are generally supportive of several gun restrictions, according to a survey published by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

Following a bloody 2017 in which more than 100 people were murdered in East Baton Rouge Parish, 43 percent of survey respondents said they didnt feel safe walking around their own neighborhoods at night, an increase of 11 percentage points since 2016.

Sixty-two percent are more concerned that they or a family member will be the victim of a crime now than they were a year ago, while a quarter said they were victimized last year. One firearms seller said customers are scared in a way he hasnt seen before, while survey results indicate that many residents want to tighten gun laws.

The Baton Rouge Police Department declined to comment on the survey results.

+4 As Baton Rouge homicide rate exceeds Chicago's in 2017, an in-depth look at how, why On New Years Day last year, Asha Davis was shot to death in her apartment. Police say the nursing student and mother was killed by her boyfriend.

Every year, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation publishes a City Stats report with help from the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and LSUs Public Policy Research Lab. For the first time in five years, pollsters asked survey participants about gun control and results suggest greater interest in more-restrictive policies.

The poll was conducted in May and June included 498 East Baton Rouge Parish residents. During the survey period, 31 percent of whom were contacted via landline and 69 percent by cellphone. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

Eighty-eight percent favored background checks for all gun sales, 78 percent supported more security checkpoints and systems at schools and 68 percent backed raising the legal firearm purchase age to 21 "to prevent mass shootings," the report states.

This is really huge news to come out of a place like Louisiana.  Public support translates to pressure for legislators, said Stasha Rhodes, a Napoleonville native and Southern University alumna who now works for Giffords, a gun control non-profit.

Mass shootings  including the ambush on Baton Rouge law enforcement two summers ago  have galvanized the public to demand more restrictions, Rhodes said. Theres space to at least address the matter and talk about gun laws and pass laws that could take firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, Rhodes said.

+5 Record 2017 for Baton Rouge homicides: See map, victims' average age group, more In 2017, East Baton Rouge Parish recorded it most murderous year in known history, reaching what authorities believe are unprecedented levels 

There is one measure that still divides Baton Rouge  49 percent of poll respondents back a ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons. However, theres also a lot of gray area; 35 percent outright opposed such a ban, but 16 percent of participants said they werent sure or declined to answer.

Gun owners and non-owners were split: only 39 percent of those who own a firearm support a ban on semi-automatic weapons sales, while 59 percent of non-owners did.

In 2013, 52 percent opposed a parish-level ban on the sale and possession of assault weapons, a related but different question.

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The National Rifle Association criticized the misleading way the question was asked this year.

The question implies the gun control policies its asking about would actually work in preventing mass shootings  and 100 percent of people want to prevent mass shootings. If researchers want a particular answer, they craft questions that lead people to answer a certain way. Anti-gun researchers have always operated this way to create the impression that Americans support their extreme agenda, NRA spokeswoman Amy Hunter wrote in an email to The Advocate.

However, gun control advocates see the BRAF poll as evidence of changing public opinion.

Every year we learn something new, like a newfound approval of same-sex marriage, increasing support for marijuana legalization and more backing for regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, wrote BRAF chairman Bill Balhoff.

This year, we find that residents  a strong majority, in fact  favor thorough background checks on all gun sales, and they likewise support raising the minimum age for purchasing a firearm. A plurality of residents say they want semi-automatic rifles banned, he wrote.

Several gun-control advocates said that recent mass shootings have driven up interest in their cause. The Louisiana chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America saw its numbers swell following the fatal shooting of 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, this year, said Angelle Bradford, the chapters deputy leader.

With lobbying, she believes gun-control advocates can get common sense laws on Louisianas books in the next five years, such as universal background checks and red flag rules that would require people to surrender their firearms to law enforcement if theyre suicidal or a domestic violence threat.

Not everyone is on board, for more restrictions though.

Bryan Guillory, owner of Louisiana Gun & Reloading Supply on Jefferson Highway, listed what he saw as deficiencies in the measures identified in BRAFs survey.

The guns arent the problem. People are the problem.  We (99 percent of responsible gun owners) are the only group blamed for something weve never done, he said.

For example, the poll asked about banning semi-automatic weapon sales, though handguns are far more likely to be used to commit a crime, Guillory said. Pollsters asked about raising the minimum purchase age to 21, which feels arbitrary, he said. The mass murderer in last years Las Vegas shooting was 64 years old; such a law wouldnt have stopped shooters like him, Guillory pointed out.

The federal government gives teenagers firearms when they enlist for military service, said Bob McKee, an officer with the Liberty Gun Club. Sport shooters like those in his club use semi-automatic rifles in competitions and it would be ridiculous to ban their sale, he said.

Like Guillory, McKee worried about laws that gradually chip away at the Second Amendment and said he doesnt want criminals to be the only ones with guns while responsible owners are less able to defend themselves.

You dont want to give up anything, he said.
In a state long plagued by low public school achievement, figuring out how to improve math scores is near the top of the list, especially in middle schools.

"That is a profound struggle in our state," state Superintendent of Education John White said.

Louisiana's latest test results point up the problem, again.

In LEAP results released last month, 42 percent of third-graders scored advanced or above in math  a key indicator.

+3 Little change in Louisiana public school performance in newly-released LEAP results Barely changed from last year, about one out of three public school students in 2018 reached Louisiana's latest target for educational achieve

But ascending grade by grade those scores dropped.

Only 25 percent of seventh-graders scored advanced or better, and 28 percent of eighth-graders did so.

Math scores for eighth-graders have declined four percentage points since 2015.

Those for sixth- and seventh-grades rose by a combined four percentage points during the same period.

Other indicators point up the state's math challenge.

Not only did Louisiana rank 43rd last year on the ACT, which measures college readiness.

The average score in math  18.8 out of 36  was the lowest of the four subjects tested, and well below the U.S. average of 20.7 for math knowledge.

Eighth-graders earlier this year finished 50th in math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, dubbed the nation's report card.

Louisiana again ranks near bottom in reading, math in recent national report card Louisiana public school students ranged from 43rd to 49th nationally in reading and math in the latest installment of the nations report card

Similar low rankings have been around for years.

How to improve math skills was the key topic last week during a brief "retreat" held by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which sets policies for about 700,000 public school students.

What students are taught, and the skills of those who teach them, were recurring themes.

The state Department of Education said the latest math results "highlight a need for stronger mathematics instruction statewide, particularly in later elementary and middle grades, to help students to build better mathematics reasoning and general content knowledge."

Part of the problem, officials said, is that some math teachers, especially in grades six, seven and eight, lack the facts and figures needed to prepare students  content knowledge.

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"If there is one issue it is that we are really struggling to teach our kids what is in the curriculum," White said.

He said that is especially true in middle schools.

White said at the retreat, and repeated his views in a radio interview, that public schools struggle to attract the best math students out of college. "Where we are short is not just competing with Mississippi and Texas," he said.

"It is competing with Exxon and Chevron and all of their extraordinary organizations that recruit math majors into their organizations and pay them lucrative salaries," White said.

Other veteran educators said bluntly that they have been shocked at the lack of knowledge among some math teachers.

Leaders of the Louisiana Association of Teachers of Mathematics did not respond to requests for comment.

How to improve what math teachers know is a daunting challenge, and potentially a costly one.

LSU offers something akin to a "micro" master's degree  called graduate certificates  in 10 areas.

The courses range from 12-to-18 credit hours, including one on math for advanced secondary instruction.

Michael Faulk, executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, noted that the state has long suffered from a shortage of math and science teachers.

As a result, math teachers are sometimes forced into duty, even while they are still trying to meet certification requirements.

You might be shocked to see your school's letter grade dropped, but Louisiana leaders can explain... As public schools reopen this week, local superintendents are telling parents to brace for a drop in upcoming school letter grades because of 

That means the state is both grappling with an educator shortage as well as questions about the skills of some already in the classroom.

"In a nutshell, that means we are doubling down on a problem we have already identified," said Tony Davis, a BESE member who lives in Natchitoches.

Whether the math curriculum for some grades is working is another question.

White told BESE members some of the curriculum is not conducive to students who are behind.

He said state officials are studying school districts where students showed noticeable gains on math scores.

The state has launched a bid to increase the number of students pursing careers in science, technology, math and engineering -- STEM.

But that drive too is hampered by math hurdles.

Only 1 in 4 high school students meet the target for math readiness.
Stories from the great flood of 2016 are officially entering America's historical record.

This week, the Smithsonian Institution opened its traveling exhibit Water/Ways in the old Denham Springs City Hall. The program examines the multitude of ways humans depend on and alter bodies of water. The most compelling exhibits display artifacts and memories of the 2016 flood.

+12 'A totally new normal': Two years later, recovery mixed in communities hit hard by historic flood DENHAM SPRINGS  On one end of Capitol Street, a local developer believes a dilapidated shopping mall can bounce back if he transforms it into

In particular, it invites middle-school-aged children to recall their experience with the flood in essays and art. The young people often display a mature, nuanced understanding of the flood.

Many remark upon the thrill of jumping into a boat and escaping the rising waters, but there's also somber acknowledgment of lost property and heirlooms. The students knew when their parents didn't carry flood insurance, thanked the neighbors who took them in, appreciated how close their families grew in the wake of the flood, yearned to return to school and acknowledged the hard work it took to repair their homes.

Rita Lind submitted a painting of a home taking on water, noting that she took some liberties to make the house a bright yellow.

"I wanted the viewer to see a sort of childish innocence in the house by making it similar to a little dollhouse," she wrote. "I wanted the viewer to realize most people did not just lose their house; they also may have lost many, if not all, precious mementos of either their childhood or their children's' childhood. ... Many people are still struggling to bring light back into their lives."

+5 'A monumental occasion': Demolition begins at flooded Denham Springs Elementary School DENHAM SPRINGS  The storied site of Denham Springs Elementary School turned the page to a new chapter as a backhoe tore open a flooded campus

Yet the exhibit is not all gloom. Pat Genre, chairwoman of Denham Springs Main Street, showed off photos demonstrating how local families retained their sense of humor amid the recovery. In the pictures, high schoolers take prom photos in front of commercial dumpsters and wind ribbons and wrapping paper around the exposed studs of their home to celebrate Christmas.

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Denham Springs officials are looking for ways to preserve these stories. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities has previously helped find funding for documentary films covering Bayou Lafourche, the coast of Terrebonne Parish, Plaquemines Parish diversions and flooding in New Orleans. Genre would like a similar film to cover the 2016 flood.

"They definitely have a story to tell, and I think it's an important story," said endowment Director of Grants Chris Robert.

It's too early to talk specifics, but Robert was interested in securing financing to shoot a film that could spur conversation about river flooding.

"It's one of the existential threats of living in Louisiana," he said.

The Smithsonian also maintains a digital collection of "Stories from Main Street," documenting small-town American life, explained Museum on Main Street Registrar Terri Cobb. Stories and photos from the 2016 flood provide an interesting, unique and recent perspective on humans' relationship with water and may be cataloged in the Stories from Main Street collection, she said.

Many of the images on the walls at Old City Hall were shot by local photographer Adin Putnam, whose house took on 7 feet of water. He escaped with just his wife Jean, his Chihuahua Peanut, and his camera gear, he said. Photos from his book, "Rising Above" show distinctly Denham Springs scenes, such as ruined stock from the antique shops piled up outside flooded stores in the old part of town.

Putnam is one of several speakers who will present on water issues in the coming weeks. Information on the exhibit and a schedule of events is available at denhamspringsmainstreet.org. Water/Ways will be on display through Sept. 22.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has granted a pardon and a seat on a state board overseeing used-car dealers to Jeff Britt, a former sheriff of Tensas Parish who pleaded guilty to misspending taxpayer money and mistreating inmates in his care. An Edwards spokesman noted that the governor has championed second chances for lawbreakers as part of his criminal justice reform initiative. Here, Edwards speaks during a March 2017 meeting of the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force.
Congressman Steve Scalise (R-La), the majority whip who is on the ballot for the mid-term elections despite a difficult recovery from recent attempt on his life, speaks to the New Orleans Rotary Club at Harrah's Hotel in New Orleans, La. Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Scalise speaks in front of a display of the Rotarians Four-Way Test: a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The test is: Of the things we think, say or do 1.Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Yes. Covid cases have been low and the city is ready

No. It's way too soon, especially with the holiday season

Do what you want, but I'm still wearing a mask

Def keeping my plague doctor costume for 2022

Vote

View Results
Tamburello said she grew up in Chicago. From there, her family moved to Melrose Park. After she got married, she and her husband moved to River Grove. She has three children who attended Catholic schools in the area.
End-of-the-year reflections often focus on superlatives, and there was much to celebrate in New Orleans dining scene in 2018. But it also was
One of the nice things about Bourbon Street is that spending time on it lets you be around tourists without having to hate them. They're having fun, they're spending money, and for once, they're where they belong.

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The consultants who work with the New Orleans City Council on regulating Entergy New Orleans will be getting more money this year because of various missteps by the company that have required their attention. Entergy itself, not its customers, is supposed to provide the money.

The councils Utility Committee signed off last week on a combined increase of up to $700,000 in fees this year for the law firm Dentons US LLC and the Legends Consulting Group. The two firms, both of which have worked for the council for many years, normally are paid a total of roughly $5 million a year.

The additional money will cover some of the hours the consultants spent studying Entergys plans for a new power plant in New Orleans East, which have been marred by the revelation that an Entergy subcontractor hired actors to voice support for the proposal at council meetings.

The money also will cover reviews the firms did of Entergys plans to curb a growing number of power outages in the city, which Entergy has admitted cropped up after the utility cut funding for repairs to power lines and poles.

And it will pay for work done to investigate Entergys slow pace in installing solar and other renewable power sources.

Entergy New Orleans CEO Charles Rice will step down for lesser role amid controversy Charles Rice, the embattled president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans, will step down Monday and take a lesser role, part of a broader damage-c

Council members demanded Thursday that Entergy pick up the tab for the additional work. In fact, they forbade the utility from adding the new charges to customers electricity bills. The councils in-house Utility Regulatory Office will verify that Entergy alone bears the cost, said Councilwoman Helena Moreno, who chairs the committee.

Entergy was already on the hook for the costs of a City Council investigation into the paid actors scandal, a probe that finally started this month after a lengthy delay.

We have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars dealing with issues that Entergy New Orleans brought upon themselves, Moreno said. I have sent Entergy a letter ... that these additional costs due to these particular items will not be passed on to the ratepayers.

Entergy pulls plans to hike Algiers customers' rates after pushback from City Council Entergy New Orleans is scrapping plans to sharply hike rates for Algiers customers and to improve the company's overall profitability after Ci

Moreno said the extra payments to the consultants are for this year only, though the consultants bills often go over the amounts specified in their annual contracts as they deal with one unexpected issue or another throughout the year. This year, however, appears to be the first time in recent memory that Entergy has been ordered to pay for the overage out of its profits.

The move also sparked renewed calls from local energy activists that the council look into beefing up its in-house office, where some of the work presumably could be done for less than the outside contractors charge. Though the office had been getting by this year with only a couple of employees, the council recently hired an in-house lawyer and plans to advertise an engineering job this fall.

Watch: John Oliver's segment on astroturfing includes Entergy's appearance at City Council On yesterday's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Oliver went deep on the topic of "astroturfing"  corporate interests ginning up support fo

Editor's note, Aug. 20, 2018: This post was updated to correct the staff size of the council's in-house utilities office.
When a federal official came to Tchoupitoulas Chapel in Reserve last week to meet with the Concerned Citizens of St. John, the groups leader, Robert Taylor Jr., called it the best thing that has happened to us in our two-year struggle.

That struggle against a LaPlace chemical plant has seen Taylor reach out to all levels of government and take the battle to court. So far, he said, all those efforts have been of little avail.

But in addition to the Environmental Protection Agency representative at the meeting, there was someone else who promised to provide reinforcements for the St. John residents' struggle against the Denka Performance Elastomer plant.

That was retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who leads the Green Army, an environmentalist group he founded in 2012 to help poor people fight pollution.

Honore, who gained fame after he was called in to restore order in New Orleans in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, was key in setting up last week's meeting.

He reached out two months ago at an EPA conference to David Gray, the deputy regional administrator for Region 6 of the agency, who agreed to include St. John the Baptist Parish on a listening tour.

According to Honore, whose Green Army has worked with the Concerned Citizens of St. John for about three months, Grays message was clear when he spoke to the group.

What he reaffirmed is that the national data, which is going to be released here in the next couple of months, still show that the acceptable standard is 0.2, Honore said, referring to the EPAs assessment of the highest acceptable level for micrograms of chloroprene per cubic meter of air.

Data collected by the EPA over the past few years have shown levels in St. John often are well above that threshold, though they have dropped thanks to a $35 million investment by Denka in technology to cut emissions of the airborne chemical from the LaPlace plant.

Denka has questioned the scientific basis for the 0.2 micrograms threshold, and it has stated that number may even be unattainable.

But Honore and Taylor said that for the well-being of the community, the company must find a way to reach the EPA threshold.

Honore, who retired from the U.S. Army in 2008, said the Green Army has pushed the state to make Denka reach the threshold, with little success.

The state is siding with the company and not with the people, he said.

Chuck Brown, the head of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, has all but dismissed the federal agencys recommendation, saying it would be unrealistic to expect Denka to meet it.

Taylor said his calls for action have been ignored by government at the state and local levels, leading him to become the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against Denka over health problems in the parish.

U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman in New Orleans is reviewing an amended suit by Taylor and 12 other plaintiffs. Denka has asked him to dismiss the suit, saying the plaintiffs didnt show that emissions from the plant directly caused any health problems in St. John Parish.

Feldman allowed the plaintiffs to amend the suit to make those specific claims, and he is expected to make a ruling on whether to dismiss the new version in the next few weeks.

Honore said that if the suit is dismissed and there isnt any action by the state, he already knows what the next step will be for the Green Army.

If the state continues to allow that company to operate and the federal courts dont act, I think ... we will have to go for a civil rights suit, he said. Its a violation of the peoples civil rights because the government is not protecting the people.

In the meantime, Honore said, the Green Army will continue to work with Taylor as well as legislators to get the state to push Denka to meet the federal standard. He said he is working to get a bill in the Legislature that would require the state to do a cancer study of the St. John community.

Taylor said hell take whatever help he can get and is just glad to have the support of Honore's army, along with other state environmental groups. And hes glad Honore got someone from the EPA to hear the communitys problems firsthand.

It was very gratifying for us that there was somebody at such a high level that took our problems seriously, he said.
Want to get into the weeds of what Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration was up to in its first three months? A series of progress reports released by the administration last week aim to provide answers.

The reports, posted at nola.gov/mayor/first-quarter-check-in, provide a look at both the big moves made by Cantrell since she took office in May, such as the hiring of a new Sewerage & Water Board executive director and what the administration says has been greatly accelerated spending on repairs to streets and underground pipes, and smaller, behind-the-scenes changes, such as departmental reorganizations, the establishment of an LGBTQ+ Task Force, and new purchasing and property tax software.

At the beginning of this administration, I committed to the people of New Orleans that we would hit the ground running, with a City Hall that is intentional, accountable and transparent, and this overview shows that we are taking important first steps, Cantrell said in a news release about the reports.

We are particularly proud of the way we have listened to our people and met them where they are, so that our solutions come from the ground up and not the top down. But we are mindful of the fact that we are literally only days into this work, and that we need to keep building momentum to address the serious challenges we face."
Concluding that they do more harm than good, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court has abolished court fees for juvenile delinquents.

In a recent order, all fees were eliminated for defendants convicted in the court.

The order makes New Orleans the first city in the South to eliminate court fees for younger defendants, according to one advocacy group.

With the stroke of a pen, Judge Candice Bates-Anderson added the court to the ranks of a larger movement to cut back on court costs for defendants, which has also led to successful lawsuits against Orleans Parish Criminal District Court and Magistrate Court.

There was no such lawsuit against Juvenile Court, which generated only a tiny portion of its income from fines and fees last year. Bates-Anderson said doing away with fees was simply the right thing to do.

Were trying to show that were working together. We all want the same outcome: to change the childs life, she said.

New Orleans judges enter 'uncharted territory,' and budget peril, after federal court decisions Federal judges delivered a one-two gut punch to the New Orleans criminal court system this month, declaring that judges have an inherent confl

Advocates say court fines and fees place another burden on mostly low-income, disproportionately minority families that are already struggling to provide for their children. They also point to academic research finding that imposing court fees increases the odds that a defendant will be accused of more crimes in the future.

The impact on the courts bottom line will be negligible. Out of $4.1 million in revenue last year, the court took in only $1,954 from delinquents, or more often their parents, a court official said.

That slim portion of the courts overall revenue presents a striking contrast to the citys adult court, where fines and fees generated more than half of Criminal District Court s $4.5 million general fund revenue in 2017. Its judges have proved far more resistant to slashing court fees.

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Juvenile Court judges already had the power to waive discretionary court costs before last month's action. However, in some cases judges were imposing fees of $205 at the end of a case.

Those fees may have cost more money to try to collect than they ultimately generated, Bates-Anderson said.

The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice, which separately imposes fees of its own, collected only 6 percent of the $2.1 million assessed against families with youths in the agency's care between January 2015 and April 2017, according to a report from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law's Policy Advocacy Clinic.

Federal judge: Orleans criminal court can't jail anyone for failing to pay fines or fees without 'neutral' hearing Everyone who owes fines and fees from criminal convictions in Orleans Parish must have the chance to plead poverty in a "neutral forum" before

The Juvenile Court judges have stopped imposing physical and mental examination fees, care and treatment fees, teen or youth court program fees, appointed counsel fees and medical treatment fees, according to the July 19 order. The court has also stopped collecting probation fees.

Bates-Anderson said judges have already seen more positive attitudes from parents in their courtrooms.

That takes an additional stressor off of the family, and we are seeing it immediately  the appreciation of the parents when theyre told that the fees are zero, Bates-Anderson said.

She said the courts decision has drawn interest from other parishes.

In a press release, Aaron Clark-Rizzio, the executive director of the Louisiana Center for Childrens Rights, said he hopes judges in other parishes will also end fees for juvenile defendants.

We are grateful to the court for taking this important step in New Orleans, but we see court fees hurting vulnerable kids up and down the state. We hope other juvenile courts will follow the example of Orleans Parish to support youth and their families, he said.
The body of a Metairie man who has been missing for more than a week was found near the Bonnet Carre Spillway Sunday afternoon, St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said.

Champagne said Clarence Schlamp, 61, was found dead in a remote wooded area of the Spillway by his deputies and volunteers from the Patriot Emergency Response Team from Crescent City, Florida. Champagne said the response team happened to be in the area for training and offered their assistance.

An autopsy is pending, but Champagne said early evidence points to suicide as Schlamp's cause of death.

Schlamp was reported missing on August 11. On August 14, Schlamp's campsite and vehicle were found near the Bonnet Carre Spillway accompanied by a letter that he was out for a hike and would return, Champagne said.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff's deputies searched for Schlamp daily since he was reported missing, including two instances where the office's dive team searched waterways and ponds near Schlamp's campsite.

Several leads were also investigated over the past week, Champagne said, including a possible sighting of Schlamp in New Orleans, but none produced positive results prior to Sunday's discovery.
The man arrested in connection with last weeks killing in the Central Business District tried to convince police that he accidentally shot the victim when a gun he was holding during a car ride inadvertently fired, according to a criminal justice source with knowledge of the case.

But the victim died from multiple bullet wounds, so police said they did not believe the killing of 34-year-old May Francois was accidental, the source said. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak about the case.

Investigators on Sunday jailed Quan Charles, 19, on one count of second-degree murder in Francois killing. According to the source, Charles told police during an interview that he had gotten into Francois car for a drug deal when the shooting occurred accidentally during the ensuing drive.

Police took Charles statement as an admission that he fired the gun. However, May's multiple wounds contradicted Charles' claim that the shooting was inadvertent, so he was booked with murder, the source said.

Charles remained jailed Monday in lieu of $500,000 bail. He would face mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of the murder charge.

First responders found Francois after he had been shot inside a dark sedan that had run into the Exchange Center Building at OKeefe Avenue and Gravier Street at about 2:10 p.m. Tuesday. He died later at University Medical Center.

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Three people were seen running from the car, prompting police to cordon off and search the surrounding area.

One of the three, a man, ran across the street into a multi-story parking garage, which police  equipped with rifles, helmets and body armor  checked level by level.

The search of the garage was called off after security footage revealed that the man had escaped out the back before police had finished surrounding the garage.

Francois relatives said he was hoping for a fresh start in New Orleans while serving probation for an armed-robbery conviction in Florida. He worked at his brothers auto shop in Harvey as well as his familys Haitian restaurant in Gretna, and he was raising five children with his wife, Tori, they said.

Check back with The New Orleans Advocate later for more details.
New Orleans police arrested a suspect Sunday in last weeks deadly midday shooting in the Central Business District.

Quan Charles, 19, was booked early Sunday on one count of second-degree murder in the slaying of 34-year-old May Francois, jail records show.

It was not immediately clear how investigators linked Charles to the killing or whether they have identified any other suspects. Police havent publicly discussed a motive for the shooting.

First responders found Francois bleeding from at least one bullet wound to the head inside a dark sedan that had run into the Exchange Center Building at OKeefe Avenue and Gravier Street about 2:10 p.m. Tuesday. He died later at University Medical Center.

Eyewitness reports that three people had run from the car prompted a frenzied police search in the surrounding area.

One of the three, a man, ran across the street into a multistory parking garage, which police officers equipped with rifles, helmets and body armor checked floor by floor.

It was not clear Sunday whether police believe that man was Charles.

The search of the garage was called off after security camera footage revealed that the man had escaped out a back emergency door before police had finished surrounding the garage.

Investigators also were seen going into the Exchange Center and walking in the direction of the buildings security camera monitors.

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According to the victims relatives, Francois was looking for a fresh start in New Orleans, working at his brothers auto shop in Harvey and his familys Haitian restaurant in Gretna, while he served probation for an armed robbery conviction in Florida.

He and his wife, Tori, were raising five children together.

A search of online court records in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish didnt show any prior arrests for Charles.

He made an initial appearance Sunday in front of Orleans Parish Magistrate Court Commissioner Jonathan Friedman, who set his bail at $500,000.

Charles would face mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of murder.
The renowned figurative painter had celebrated his 90th birthday just last week. He had been suffering from dementia for many years, and was moved into an aged care facility earlier this year.

"Charlie passed away as the first morning bird called in song, surrounded by his family and loved ones," the statement read.

A statement on behalf of the Charles Blackman Foundation confirmed the artist's passing on Monday morning.

In recent years, he was forced to auction a selection of his famous works in order to pay for his care.

"Charles painted our dreams," his son Auguste Blackman told The Australian. "The dream of his life was the dream of all our lives."

Blackman was best known for his 1956 Alice In Wonderland series, inspired by an audiobook version of the Lewis Carroll classic introduced to him by his first wife writer Barbara Patterson, who was blind.

His haunting Schoolgirls, a motif throughout his early work which he described as his "signature tune", was also met with acclaim.
The final cost projection for the construction projects at West Leyden is $26 million. But the work on District 212 facilities isnt nearly complete. The bulk of the construction projects at East Leyden will be happening between now and the beginning of August 2019. This construction and renovation will include a new aquatic center, cafeteria and commons, a new girls locker room, new preschool facilities, new band and choir classrooms and the creation of a new courtyard.
Celebrated Australian artist Charles Blackman has died, aged 90. Credit:AAP

Its a cliche when the death of an artist also represents 'the end of an era', but the death of Charles Blackman draws a line under a heroic generation of Australian figurative painters.

Although it represents a small episode in his long career, Blackman was the last of 'the Antipodeans'  a group brought together by art historian Bernard Smith in 1959, in defence of "the image".

It was a time when abstract art was all the rage and figuration seemed to be threatened. Smith gathered Blackman, Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson, John Perceval and Clifton Pugh into a makeshift movement that lasted for precisely one exhibition.
The Fall is part of Arts Centre Melbourne's Big World, Up Close 2018 series

Student protests often flare up only to dissolve into factional disarray. So when a 2015 movement at the University of Cape Town called for the removal of a statue of Cecil Rhodes, no one could have predicted how far-reaching the consequences would be.

That moment and its aftermath is the subject of a play at Arts Centre Melbourne next week, and it was created by seven drama students who were right at the frontline.

Rhodes was the British imperialist sometimes called the "architect of apartheid", and the nearly year-long series of sit-ins, marches and demonstrations in opposition of his memorial didn't just result in its removal but in a campus-wide re-examination of the ongoing legacy of colonialism.
To illustrates this idea, Capezio brings together six artists  Ian Burn, Vivienne Binns, Elizabeth Newman, Lucina Lane, Patrick Lundberg and Jelena Telecki. The exhibition appears more like a thought adventure, a cerebral exercise, than a visually engaging exhibition. The selected artists, from different perspectives, rather clinically approach the idea of art making and question the position of the artist and aspects of the outside world.

Its curator, Oscar Capezio, explains his rationale for this exhibition: we conceive of painting not as a medium but rather a type of symbolic co-production that is experienced as always outside of itself, in a formed and contingent structure that does not belong to either the painter or the painting, yet which might still occasion an experience of self-reflection, as being always singular and amongst other things.

Of the three exhibitions that are covered by the umbrella theme Paintings amongst other things, this one comes closest to the conceptual and minimalist orientation in art.

Ian Burn is Australias highest profile conceptual artist who moved from a minimalist art practice, where he was included in The Field exhibition in 1968, to settle in New York where he worked with Art & Language collaborative artist group, which included Joseph Kosuth, Mel Ramsden and Roger Cutforth. It is frequently said, with some justification, that Burn was the only Australian ever to be central to an internationally significant art movement.

In this exhibition, there are a number of Burns pieces that put the onus on the viewer to make sense of the work. These include Grey Reflex, 1966-67, painted on a standard-size sheet of plywood panel, instead of canvas, with an epoxy resin ground and painted with acetate and auto lacquer. In other words, it is a bit like a dull grey mirror in which you catch your own reflection through a glass darkly. Colour has been applied with an air gun, so that there can be no trace of the artists hand or the personal touch. There is no meaning beyond the form and colour presented to the viewer and the fact that you cannot look at the work without being reflected in it subverts the possibility of really seeing the painting.

Elizabeth Newman, Jazzy One, 2009 in Paintings amongst other things at ANCA Gallery. Credit:Mark Askanasy

Elizabeth Newman, the Melbourne-based artist and psychoanalyst, to some extent builds on the heritage of Burn, except her paintings betray more of the human touch in texture and design, while in other instances she employs fabric instead of paint to construct compositional structure. In a recent interview, she declared, my art practice  comes from a place of not knowing  and not wanting to know. I like it to be about nothing. Because then I think you get something really subjective, and really true. So I never have an intention. I let the work do its own thing.
Contemptuously, he adds: "Turnbull thinks people will fall on their knees and say hallelujah! We're back to the innovation message", Turnbull's campaign theme that fell flat at the 2016 election and which he has since abandoned. "He's blind to the politics because he's obsessed with the issue." Loading But the defeat is about much more than climate change. It's an ideological and identity marker. And it has exposed Turnbull's jugular. "You can't have a government," says a Dutton advocate, "that can't rely on the House on a key piece of legislation." The majority of the conservatives have got what they wanted by destroying any move to regulate carbon emissions, but it's not enough. They are setting out to destroy Turnbull's prime ministership and replace him with one of their own, Peter Dutton. And to date they are in the ascendant. Peter Dutton in Question Time on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But Labor says it supports the NEG, and it certainly supports cutting carbon emissions. Why doesn't Turnbull reach across the aisle, negotiate with Labor and bring the NEG bill to the House? Loading Because, while the bill would doubtless pass, it would bring on a Coalition revolt on the floor of the House. "Our people just would not tolerate being photographed sitting with Tanya Plibersek and Bill Shorten to vote on a bill," says a conservative Liberal. Knowing the bill would pass in any case, many Coalition backbenchers would feel free of any of the constraints of loyalty to the Prime Minister and exercise loyalty to their ideological position. They would cross the floor in force to oppose their own government. Conservatives estimate that perhaps 20 or more would vote to oppose Turnbull, putting him in an untenable position. The fact is that he's in an untenable position anyway. The Fairfax-Ipsos poll published on Monday shows a brutal collapse in the Coalition primary vote of 6 percentage points in the space of a month, down to 33 per cent.

On a two-party basis, that puts Labor into a commanding lead of 55 per cent to the government's 45. In an election, those numbers would wipe out 21 government MPs. That is landslide stuff and terrifies many Coalition members. "A lot of our people are facing that fact that they are in the last six months of their political careers," says one worried backbencher. "They've got houses, school bills, cars that they've set up for themselves on the basis that they're earning $200,000 plus. What do they do if they're suddenly out of work?" The Fairfax-Ipsos poll also makes a clear assignment of responsibility. Turnbull's approval rating was down by 9 per centage points. His standing as preferred prime minister was down by the same margin. This may be unfair. It's Abbott and other conservatives who have revolted against Turnbull, yet Turnbull is being judged responsible. Disunity is death - Abbott delivers the disunity, Turnbull gets the death. But that's politics. The poll doesn't just expose a dramatic fall in support for the government. It feeds the conservatives' narrative in favour of Dutton in a specific way. Of the 6 per cent of voters who've abandoned the government, only 1 per cent seem to have switched to Labor and another 1 to the Greens.

Meaning? "The votes aren't going to Labor, aren't going to the left," says a Dutton supporter, "because it's our base, they're walking away from us. It's a devastating blow." And while the poll cannot definitely supply the answer, it does suggest that this is at least partly true. The poll detail shows that the biggest primary vote swing against the government was outside capital cities where support fell by 8 per cent and among people aged over 55, also down 8 per cent. These groups are more likely to be part of the Coalition conservative base. Illustration: Dionne Gain So if the problem is the loss of the Coalition's conservative base, the answer must be the leading conservative cabinet minister and leadership contender, Dutton, as his advocates are arguing. Can Dutton actually win an election for the Coalition? That seems implausible. The only member of the government with a polling-proven ability to lift the government's vote is Julie Bishop.
Self-interest, visceral internal rivalries and an unseemly lust for revenge and power are fuelling the crisis crippling Australias government. Electricity prices, energy policy and climate change are merely the ostensible causes for the lamentable politics foisting yet another sordid leadership saga on a nation weary of self-indulgent lawmakers.

People around the nation  sizeable chunks of it drought-stricken and, though we are still in still winter, ablaze  are justifiably aghast. Public interest and intergenerational environmental responsibility are yet again being trumped by personal and factional ambitions.

Tony Abbott reacts to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull talking in Parliament about energy policy. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would do far better leading, rather than seeking to assuage a handful of recalcitrant ideologues who, anyway, will never forgive him for his coup against Tony Abbott. Mr Abbott is following a path hacked by a furious Kevin Rudd, who eventually wreaked radical reprisal upon Julia Gillard during the ALPs turbulent time in power between 2007 and 2013.

These two petulant performances have cost Australia dearly. One result has been a decade of energy policy paralysis. That looked to have almost ended, after Mr Turnbull and his Environment and Energy Minister painstakingly forged bipartisan support for a policy designed to reduce electricity prices, meet Australias commitment to greenhouse gas emissions and guarantee uninterrupted supply. That policy was workable and widely welcomed, and was improved yesterday when the government adopted some recommendations from the consumer watchdog.
Four Queensland Police officers who arrested an armed man after he crashed a stolen car into a 7000-litre gas tank at Noosa Heads in 2014 have been commended for bravery.

On November 6 that year, a man fired a gun at a woman during a domestic violence incident, before fleeing the scene. The man flagged down a driver and got into his car.

A stolen Seven News car was crashed into a gas tank at a service station at Eumundi, near Noosa. Credit:Seven News

The driver, Peter Steer - a Seven News cameraman - was also commended for bravery after the man confessed the domestic violence incident to him, and then gave the weapon to Mr Steer, who called triple zero.

As they waited for police to arrive, the man took back the weapon, pointed it at Mr Steer and stole the cameraman's car, driving away.
A truck carrying demolition waste has landed on its side spilling its load on the walkway and grass at Capalaba, south-east of Brisbane.

Emergency services said the crash happened at the intersection of Moreton Bay and Redland Bay roads about 11.15am.

The truck rolled about 11:15am.

A Queensland Ambulance Services spokesman said paramedics were assessing a man for non-life-threatening injuries.

This article originally appeared on The Redland City Bulletin.
The leaders of Victoria's deeply divided South Sudanese Community Association have been accused of threatening behaviour, incompetence and financial impropriety but are refusing to step aside.

A vote of no confidence was moved against president Ring Mayar, deputy Awan Kuol and secretary general Deng Lual Majak at a special general meeting on August 12, after a meeting a day earlier was abandoned amid threats of violence.

South Sudanese community leader Ring Mayar.

A post on the association's Facebook page claimed the committee had failed the South Sudanese community by breaching its own constitution and causing further division among its members.

An interim committee had been appointed, but Mr Mayar took to Facebook on Monday to immediately deny the change of leadership as "false, null and void".
The federal aged care minister has urged anyone with concerns about the states aged care system to speak up after an anonymous whistleblower alleged patients at two facilities south of Perth could be at risk of elder abuse.

Using an alias, John called into 6PRs Jane Marwick on Sunday and said he was looking to report two care workers based on what his partner and friend, who both work in the system but are too afraid to come forward, told him.

John is reporting the abuse on behalf of his friend and partner.

I have a friend that works at a care facility south of the river and they witness some pretty horrific abuse, he said.

What she witnessed was a care worker - who is quite a big, hefty guy - breach protocol.
Clubs in Canberra will get cash or a discount for each poker machine they voluntarily surrender before next February, under a new plan to reduce the number of gaming machines in the city to 4000.

Labor and the Greens agreed to cut the number of electronic gaming machine licences by July 2020 as part of their power-sharing deal struck in 2016.

As of April, there were 4981 licences in circulation, although only 4498 machines were in use.

A review by former Commonwealth departmental secretary Neville Stevens found the current trading scheme had failed to cut the number of pokies in part due to the uncertainty in the industry and the casino development.

Mr Stevens found a number of clubs had been holding onto their authorisations because they might need them in future, or because their value may go up with the casino now able to buy licences for 200 machines and 60 automated table games.
Labor MPs have tried to goad the Coalition into allowing debate on another bill to restore the territories' rights to make laws on euthanasia, days after another attempt was defeated in the Senate.

ACT Labor MP Andrew Leigh introduced a private members bill to overturn restrictions on the Northern Territory and ACT legalising euthanasia on Monday, after similar legislation from Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm failed by two votes last Wednesday.

Labor's Andrew Leigh will co-sponsor a private members bill to repeal the ban on the territories making laws on euthanasia. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Mr Leigh took a swipe at ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja, who was the only territory senator to vote against restoring territory rights last week.

He said Senator Seselja and the Canberra Liberals would oppose euthanasia "by any means necessary, even if it means stripping away the rights of the ACT parliament".
The spectre of Peter Dutton as prime minister could cost the Coalition three marginal seats at the state election, Victorian Liberal insiders fear.

The brutal infighting at the top of the party is bad enough but things could get even worse for the Coalition locally if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is replaced by Mr Dutton, a politician some in its Victorian branch have described as toxic to their prospects in the state.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Dutton in Question Time on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

As instability and leadership speculation gripped Canberra on Monday, Victorian party insiders speculated that Mr Dutton as prime minister might cost the Liberals at least three marginal seats in the state at a federal election.

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy played down the threat in public on Monday but behind the scenes one Liberal conceded the dysfunction at federal level was a gift to the Andrews state Labor government.
Police guard a building in Cornella after a man was shot dead at the police station. Credit:AP

Madrid Three people were injured when a car mounted a pavement a northern Spanish town hours after a man was shot dead as he tried to attack a police station near Barcelona.

The driver of the car fled after mowing down the pedestrians in the town of Casetas on Monday, a Civil Guard police spokesman said.

Earlier, police said they had shot a man armed with a knife as he tried to attack a police station in the north-eastern region of Catalonia.

The spokesman could give no more details.
The producers of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical have announced that Chris McCarrell will reprise the role of Percy Jackson in the musical's upcoming national tour, which launches in Chicago in January 2019. McCarrell originated the role in its 2017 off-Broadway run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

"I've never been done with Percy," said McCarrell about returning to the role. "Even during our closing night off-Broadway, I knew it wasn't my last time playing him. To me, Percy symbolizes my scattered youth, the seemingly aloof boy who adults rarely seemed to get. Percy is the rock star who came out of that. I always said it would take a special show for me to pack up and tour, and The Lightning Thief is just that. It blew up while we were in New York and too few half-bloods were able to see it."

The Lightning Thief is described as follows: "Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can't control, has monsters on his trail, and is on a quest to find Zeus's lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods. Normal is a myth when you're a demigod. Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, featuring live music, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed theatrical adventure that will rock your world."

Directed by Stephen Brackett, the show has a Drama Desk-nominated book by Joe Tracz, music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, and choreography by Patrick McCollum. The creative team also includes set design by Lee Savage, costume design by Sydney Maresca, sound design by Ryan Rumery, lighting design by David Lander, fight direction by Rod Kinter, and orchestrations by Wiley DeWeese and Rob Rokicki. The production is being presented by special arrangement with Rick Riordan and the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency.

Additional casting will be announced at a later date.
The RM of Ritchot is rolling out a new digital communication platform its mayor hopes will give residents yet another way to learn of the public hearings that matter to them before, not after, the input window closes.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 19/8/2018 (1168 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The RM of Ritchot is rolling out a new digital communication platform its mayor hopes will give residents yet another way to learn of the public hearings that matter to them before, not after, the input window closes.

The new service, dubbed Ritchot Connect, went live six weeks ago, and will be formally launched in September, assistant chief administrative officer Dominique Lemoine said.

As of Tuesday, about 280 people had registered, but Mayor Chris Ewen said he wants to see that number surpass 1,000 in the months ahead.

Residents can sign up using an iPad at the municipal office in St Adolphe, or register online.

While Ritchot already publishes a newsletter and maintains a website and smartphone application that were revamped earlier this year, Lemoine said Connect is more customizable, offering users choices about what to be informed about, and how to receive an alert.

"You get to choose the information you want to hear about," Ewen said.

According to Lemoine, Connect will cost the municipality $4,000 annually.

It arrives as Ritchot council deals with fallout from a July decision to approve a 15-dog breeding operation on a 3.5-acre lot at the corner of Tencha Road and Highway 75, near Kackenhoff Nurseries.

Property owner Svetlana Shakhov, who filed the conditional use application and fielded questions from council at the public hearing, said the fenced property, zoned agricultural restricted, was purchased with the Japanese Shiba Inu breed in mind.

While no residents turned up to voice objections, opposition quickly snowballed on social media and piled up in Ewens inbox after the application was approved. The mayor estimated hes received 60 emails about the decision.

"Its 90 percent negative," he said. "I think it took all of us by surprise."

The deluge left him reflecting on an issue hes frequently raised since assuming office last July: the need to find innovate ways to push notices to residents, in order to spur more turnout at public hearings and council meetings.

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Ratepayers of today turn to social media for local information, not municipal websites and posted notices, Ewen said, meaning the onus is on municipalities to adapt to residents, not the other way around.

"We live in a millennial social media age," said the 30-year-old mayor.

Rachelle Levesque, former vice-chair of Manitoba non-profit Strays That Cant Pay, said she welcomes more digital means for residents to learn about public hearings like Shakhovs.

"If there was more notification that was given to the public about this operation, there definitely would have been representation from animal rescues from across Manitoba," she said.

But Levesque, who started an online petition calling on Ritchot to reverse its decision, said education about dog breed traits and federal and provincial animal welfare legislation are also needed before councillors can make an informed decision.

While Ritchot council imposed numerous conditions and reserved the right to review Shakhovs breeding operation in five years, Ewen said bylaw enforcement is another piece of the puzzle, one hed like the province to support more when municipal resources are stretched thin.
Asia Argento. Photo: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images

In the wake of sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Asia Argento (one of the producers many accusers) called for an end to nondisclosure agreements that silence the voices of victims. According to the New York Times, Argento also refused to have her own accuser sign such an agreement.

On Sunday night, the Times reported that Argento paid $380,000 to an actor and musician accusing her of sexual assault. Jimmy Bennett, now 22, claimed in documents seen by the Times that Argento assaulted him in a California hotel room in 2013  when he was only 17 and she was 37. (The Times notes that the age of consent in California is 18.) Argento had played Bennetts mother in the 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.

An attorney for Bennett sent a notice of intent to sue in November  just one month after Argentos allegations against Weinstein were published. His feelings about that day were brought to the forefront recently when Ms. Argento took the spotlight as one of the many victims of Harvey Weinstein, Bennetts attorney wrote in the notice.

The Times reports that under the agreement between Argento and Bennett, the actress agreed to pay $380,000. A letter written by her attorney, Carrie Goldberg, stated that the agreement didnt prevent either party from discussing it. Per the Times:

Ultimately, you decided against the non-disclosure language because you felt it was inconsistent with the public messages youve conveyed about the societal perils of non-disclosure agreements, she wrote to Ms. Argento.

Goldberg added that Bennett could theoretically tell people his claims against you. However, under this agreement, he cannot sue you for them. The letter also stated that Bennett could not post an image of himself and Argento. (The Times was sent a selfie of Argento and Bennett in bed together).
Brett Kavanaugh protest. Photo: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

On August 26, people in cities across the country will take to the street to protest Donald Trumps nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, where the the judges anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ stances could endanger over half the U.S. population for decades.

In response to Trumps conservative pick, whose confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin on September 4, NARAL, MoveOn.org, and number of other progressive grassroots groups have organized Unite for Justice, a nationwide day of action that will see at least one demonstration in all 50 states. Heres what you need to know to join.

When are the protests?

All protests that are part of Unite for Justice will take place on Sunday, August 26. However, the rest of the details vary  some demonstrations are rallies followed by hour-long marches; others are all-day events that feature other ways to make your voice heard, such as stations where you can write postcards to your elected officials.

New York Citys main event, for example, will go from 12 to 2 p.m. at Foley Square; Los Angeless will start at City Hall at 10 a.m. and end at Pershing Square around 1 p.m. To find the closest demonstration to you, simply visit Unite for Justices website and enter your zip code.

Brett Kavanaugh protest. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

What are the organizers demands?

Unite for Justice is encouraging all Americans to stand united in commitment to our freedom and our future to demand that the U.S. Senate stop Judge Brett Kavanaughs nomination for a lifelong appointment to the Supreme Court.

Their mission statement continues: Senators in all fifty states must listen to their constituents, do their jobs to uphold the will of the people, protect the soul of our country and Constitution, and block this nomination. United, we will fight to ensure Brett Kavanaugh never gets confirmed by the Senate.

What if there isnt a protest close to me?

If you are willing to host an event, you can register here. As the website stresses, your potential event could be anything from a press conference to a petition delivery to a potluck.

What if I cant make it to the main protest on Sunday?

If youre unable to physically attend the event, you can donate to the Peoples Defense, the coalition of grassroots organizations behind the Unite for Justice event that are fighting to block Kavanaughs nomination.

The National Womens Law Center is also putting on a number of related rallies and digital campaigns to occur the week leading up to the Unite for Justice protests.

Where: The Supreme Court of the United States

When: August 22, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Everyone from U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to Lilly Ledbetter to Elissa McBride of trade union AFSCME will speak at a Working Women Will #StopKavanaugh Rally, where they will outline the dangers that Kavanaugh would pose to working women.

Where: N/A

When: August 23

Groups like the National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum and URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity will speak up online and in their communities about Kavanaughs threat to reproductive rights for the Fight for Reproductive Justice.

Where: Online

When: August 23

Organizations of faith opposed to Kavanaughs politics, such as The National Council for Jewish Women, will launch the digital campaign Women of Faith Speak Out to #StopKavanaugh.

Where: In schools

When: August 24

Starting Friday, students and educators will make their voices heard by writing letters and conducting teach-ins as part of an ongoing civic engagement campaign to stop Kavanaugh from being confirmed.

Are there any other ways I can protest Kavanaughs nomination?

CREDO Action, which has a network of over 5 million activists, has launched a page on their website that outlines all the threats that Kavanaugh poses to marginalized communities, and lists ways to contact elected representatives and demand that the judges nomination must be blocked. To take action right now, there are a number of petitions that you can sign on the website here.

Planned Parenthood has also set up the website dearsenators.org, where you can send a written message to senators, demanding why they must fight for reproductive rights and reject Kavanaughs nomination.
Swopes said he should be able to have a hearing on motions he is filing, including a motion to reduce his bail from $750,000 to a signature bond, noting he does not have enough money to post bond and his legal research showed that fitness issues should not preclude a bond hearing.
A sign is posted in front of a Citibank office in Mill Valley, Calif., on April 13, 2018. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Louisiana Bars Citi, Bank of America From $600 Million Bond Sale Over Gun Policies

The Louisiana Department of the Treasury cut banking giants Citigroup and Bank of America out of a $600 million project because the two companies took concrete action against people and businesses who legally sell and manufacture firearms.

The Louisiana State Bond Commission voted 7 to 6 to prohibit Citigroup and Bank of America from participating in an upcoming bond sale.

The two banks were barred because of their restrictive gun policies, according to a press release from Chairman and State Treasurer John Schroder.

I personally believe the policies of these banks are an infringement on the rights of Louisiana citizens, Schroder said in a statement. As a veteran and former member of law enforcement, I take the Second Amendment very seriously.

No one can convince me that keeping these two banks in this competitive process is worth giving up our rights.

Citigroup announced in March that it will stop serving clients who legally sell high capacity magazines or legally sell guns to people under 21. In April, Bank of America said it will not serve companies which manufacture AR-15 rifles.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) applauded Louisianas move.

Citibank and Bank of America are trying to impose their political agenda on the American people. In the process, theyre trampling on peoples Second Amendment rights, Kennedy said in a statement.

That is a slap in the face to every single taxpayer who bailed those banks out during the Great Recession.

The State Bond Commission made the right decision. If you have zero respect for the U.S. Constitution, then you dont need to do business with the state of Louisiana.

The two banks announced their policies in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February. The banks were among a broad range of companies that took anti-gun actions in the months after the shooting.

Most recently, Shopify, a platform for online retailers, changed its rules to prohibit the sale of some guns and gun parts.
Asia Argento Reportedly Abused, Paid Off 17-Year-Old

Actress Asia Argento reportedly paid off a 17-year-old actor after having consensual sex with him in a California hotel room in 2013.

According to documents sent to the New York Times, the 42-year-old actress had an encounter with 17-year-old actor and musician Jimmy Bennett at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, California. Argento was 37 at the time.

Based on a letter of intent to sue sent to Argentos lawyers by Bennets lawyer in November 2017, the young man sought $3.5 million for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault, and battery. The age of consent in California is 18 years of age.

The pair had known each other for a decade at the time. Bennett played Argentos son in the 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, when Bennett was 7-years old.

The documents claim that Argento paid the actor $380,000 as per an agreement reached between Bennett and Argentos lawyer, Carrie Goldberg, in April 2018.

Neither Argento, her lawyers, nor Bennet would consent to an interview. Bennets lawyer, Gordon K. Sattro, emailed the Times saying In the coming days Jimmy will continue doing what he has been doing over the past months and years, focusing on his music.

Argento Led the Charge Against Sexual Abuse in Hollywood

Asia Argento accused studio mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual impropriety, leading to him being fired and the opening of multiple criminal investigations in multiple countries.

Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Argento was one of 13 prominent Hollywood actresses who said that Weinstein acted inappropriately toward them, with varying degrees of severity, over a span of decades.

Argento claimed that he first forced himself on her in 1997, and that there were other encounters through the years where she was afraid to refuse his advances because of the power he wielded in the industry.

The accusations were published in The New Yorker in October 2017one month before Bennett decided to threaten to sue.

The outgrowth of these revelationssupported by such respected actresses as Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Rose McGowanled to the #MeToo movement, which encourages women everywhere to come forward with their stories of sexual mistreatment, to end the culture of abuse and intimidation or payoff which has plagued society, most notably in Hollywood, for an unconscionable length of time.

From NTD.tv
"Immediately upon units going enroute, they were advised that the callers could no longer see the subject who was now under the water," the statement added. "Upon the arrival of the first units, witnesses were interviewed by Waukegan fire and Waukegan police personnel and a point where the subject was last seen was identified.
People are seen walking through Iguatemi shopping mall in Sao Paulo, Brazil August 16, 2018. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

Brazil Mall Executives Shrug Off Looming Amazon.com Expansion

SAO PAULOFears of e-commerce taking off in Brazil have sunk shares of the countrys big mall operators this year, but industry executives expressed confidence that local shopping habits, the reputation of malls as public spaces safe from crime and other factors will help them avoid the shakeout that has hit their U.S. peers.

The optimism of executives gathered this week at the Shopping Center International Congress in Sao Paulo contrasted sharply with global investor sentiment about malls in the age of online retail.

E-commerce giants Amazon.com Inc. and Argentinas Mercadolibre Inc. have set major expansions here, spooking some foreign investors and sending shares in Brazils three largest mall operators down more than 19 percent so far this year.

Executives and some major Brazilian shareholders say the threat of e-commerce is overblown. They say a better mix of non-retail tenants in malls, the high costs of shipping in Brazil and other factors should allow malls here to continue to thrive.

But some say the industry is overconfident, noting that Amazon has been scooping up local warehouses and negotiating air cargo deals in Brazil, while some retailers are reporting double-digit growth in online sales from last year.

In New York, the investors are much more concerned about e-commerce than in Brazil, said Thiago Muramatsu, chief financial officer at Cyrela Commercial Properties SA (CCP), which owns malls and office buildings. In the U.S., theyre seeing a big crisis with malls closing everywhere, electronics retailers shrinking. But here in Brazil, theres still upside.

Several Brazilian executives and investors noted in interviews that the malls here attract a steady stream of patrons because they offer a relatively safe public environment in a country with the most murders in the world in recent years.

Home delivery, which Amazon and other e-commerce companies rely upon, is more difficult in Brazil due to shoddy highways, tricky state taxes and large-scale cargo robbery.

In addition, Brazils shopping mall market is not saturated, with just a fraction of the malls per capita found in the United States. Brazilian malls dedicate less area to retail, while many U.S. malls are just starting to diversify their tenant mix.

Close to half of gross leasable area here is not retail. Its dining  all sorts of things, said Maximo Lima, a founding partner at real estate investment firm Hemisferio Sul Investimentos. Its a one-stop-shop for middle-class Brazilians to solve their life.

Domestic Interest

While shares of the biggest mall operators have taken a hit, some Brazilian investors are still betting on malls.

Between November and April, Brazilian investment firm Vinci Partners raised 730 million reais ($187 million)largely from domestic investorsfor Vinci Shopping Centers, a vehicle known as an FII, which is Brazils answer to a real estate investment trust, or REIT.

Shares of the some of the larger, more liquid FIIs are also up this year, an indicator that local investors are more sanguine than their U.S. peers.

Still, mall operators are hedging their bets.

Firms such as CCP and BR Malls Participacoes SA, Brazils largest mall operator, have developed e-commerce units to adapt their business models for digital retail.

Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliarios SA, another major mall operator, told reporters the company plans to follow suit.

Those e-commerce units have taken various forms. CCPs unit, for instance, allows customers to buy online, and pick up items at a mall.

The customers will have to go to the mall, said CCPs Muramatsu. So it may give them time to go to the movies, go to restaurants, even make additional purchases.

By Gram Slattery & Gabriela Mello
Venezuelan man is pictured at the entrance of his, tent set up along the street, as he waits to show his passport or identity card next day at the Pacaraima border control, Roraima state, Brazil August 8, 2018. Picture taken August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

Brazilian Border Town Residents Drive out Venezuelan Immigrants

BRASILIAAngry residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima ran riot and drove out Venezuelan immigrants on Aug. 18 after a local restaurant owner was stabbed and beaten, residents and government officials said.

The demonstrations forced hundreds of Venezuelans to flee back across the frontier on foot and residents set fire to the belongings they left behind and to tires to block the only road crossing between the two countries, video images released by the state of Roraima government showed.

The outburst of anger was sparked by the robbery and severe beating of a resident in his home on the night of Aug. 17 by four Venezuelans, Roraima state security secretary Giuliana Castro said by telephone.

The four Venezuelan suspects stole 23,000 reais ($5,800) from the restaurant owner, identified only as Raimundo. He suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital unconscious but was reported to be out of danger, said Castro, who is also head of the states police force.

After crossing back into their country, Venezuelans migrants attacked a group of 30 Brazilians who were shopping across the border and who had to be taken to a shelter, Castro said.

Venezuelas government expressed concern about reports of attacks on its citizens and a massive eviction of Venezuelans and asked Brazil to guarantee their safety. A foreign ministry statement said the violence was fueled by xenophobia.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have poured over the border into Roraima state over the last few years, fleeing economic and political turmoil in their country. The influx has overwhelmed the states social services and brought a rise in crime, prostitution, and disease, and has sparked incidents of xenophobia, Brazilian government officials say.

A Pacaraima resident who asked to be identified only as Ismael said by telephone that the four Venezuelans allegedly entered the restaurant owners home, tied him and his wife up and stabbed and beat the man severely before robbing his house.

The people here are up in arms. They are burning the belonging of Venezuelans who were camped out here, Ismael said. He said police were looking for the four men.

Out, out, out! Go back to Venezuela, demonstrators shouted at the Venezuelans as they rushed passed the border post carrying what they could, video images distributed by the Roraima government showed.

Brazilian army soldiers stationed at Pacaraima to help maintain order asked Venezuelan immigrants to return across the border for their own safety, Castro said.

Venezuelas economy has been in steep decline and there are periodic waves of protests against the leftist government of President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro argues that he is the victim of a Washington-led economic war designed to sabotage his administration through sanctions and price-gouging.

The only people responsible for this tragedy are Maduro and his gang, tweeted Venezuelan opposition politician Ismael Garcia about the flare-up in Brazil.

The Roraima government has declared the immigration influx a social crisis and asked Brazils federal government to close the border, which it will not do for humanitarian reasons.

The Brazilian government said late on Aug. 18 that it was sending more troops to Pacaraima to back up border police.

By Anthony Boadle
A gas flare on an oil production platform in the Soroush oil fields is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Persian Gulf, Iran, July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/File Photo

China Defies US Pressure as EU Parts Ways With Iranian Oil

BEIJING/SINGAPOREChina, seeking to skirt U.S. sanctions, will use oil tankers from Iran for its purchases of that countrys crude, throwing Tehran a lifeline while European companies such as Frances Total are walking away due to fear of reprisals from Washington.

The United States is trying to halt Iranian oil exports in an effort to force Tehran to negotiate a new nuclear agreement and to curb its influence in the Middle East.

China, which has cut imports of U.S. crude amid a trade war with Washington, has said it opposes unilateral sanctions and defended its commercial ties with Iran.

On Aug. 20, sources said Chinese buyers of Iranian oil were beginning to shift their cargoes to vessels owned by National Iranian Tanker Co. (NITC) for nearly all their imports.

The shift demonstrates that China, Irans biggest oil customer, wants to keep buying Iranian crude despite the sanctions, which were reimposed after the United States withdrew in May from a 2015 agreement to halt Irans nuclear program.

The shift started very recently, and it was almost a simultaneous call from both sides, said one source, a senior Beijing-based oil executive, who asked not to be identified as he is not allowed to speak publicly about commercial deals.

Tehran used a similar system between 2012 and 2016 to circumvent Western-led sanctions, which had curtailed exports by making it virtually impossible to obtain shipping insurance for business with Iran.

Iran, OPECs third-largest oil producer, relies on sales of crude to China, Japan, South Korea, India and the EU to generate the lions share of budget revenues and keep its economy afloat.

The United States has asked buyers of Iranian oil to cut imports from November. Japan, South Korea, India and most European countries have already slashed operations.

French oil major Total, previously one of the biggest European buyers of Iranian oil, has said it had no choice but to halt imports and abandon Iranian projects to safeguard its operations in the United States.

On Aug. 20, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Total had officially left Irans South Pars gas project.

Total later confirmed it had notified the Iranian authorities of its withdrawal from South Pars after it failed to obtain a waiver from U.S. sanctions.

Iranian officials had earlier suggested Chinas state-owned CNPC could take over Totals stake and Zanganeh said the process to replace the French company was underway.

As for the future of Totals share, we have not been informed of an official CNPC position, but as we have always said, CNPC, a Chinese state-owned company, has the right to resume our participation if it decides so, Total said in an emailed statement.

Walk Away

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly called for safeguarding the Iranian nuclear deal and defended the interests of EU companies in Iran.

But most European companies have conceded that they would be forced to walk away from Tehran for fear of sanctions and losing access to operations that require U.S. dollars.

The first round of U.S. sanctions, which included cutting off Iran and any businesses that trade with it from the U.S. financial system, went into effect on Aug. 7.

A ban on Iranian oil purchases will start in November. Insurers, which are mainly U.S.or European-based, have begun winding down their Iranian business to comply with the sanctions.

To safeguard their supplies, state oil trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp and Sinopec Group, Asias biggest refiner, have activated a clause in long-term supply agreements with National Iranian Oil Corp (NIOC) that allows them to use NITC-operated tankers, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The price for oil under the long-term deals has been changed to a delivered ex-ship basis from the previous free-on-board terms, meaning Iran will cover all costs and risks of delivering the crude as well as handling the insurance, they said.

In July, all 17 tankers chartered to carry oil from Iran to China were operated by NITC, according to shipping data on Thomson Reuters Eikon. In June, eight of 19 vessels chartered were Chinese-operated.

Last month, those tankers loaded about 23.8 million barrels of crude oil and condensate destined for China, or about 767,000 barrels per day (bpd). In June, the loadings were 19.8 million barrels, or 660,000 bpd.

In 2017, China imported an average of 623,000 bpd, according to customs data.

Sinopec declined to comment. A spokesperson for Nam Kwong Group, the parent of Zhenrong, declined to comment.

NIOC did not respond to an email seeking comment. An NITC spokesman said it would forward a request from Reuters for a comment to the countrys Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

It was not immediately clear how Iran would provide insurance for the Chinese oil purchases, worth some $1.5 billion a month. Insurance usually includes cover for the oil cargoes, third-party liability and pollution.

By Chen Aizhu & Florence Tan
China Shifting Cargoes to Iranian Tankers to Keep Oil Flowing as US Sanctions Resume

BEIJING/SINGAPOREChinese buyers of Iranian oil are starting to shift their cargoes to vessels owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) for almost all of their imports to keep the supply flowing amid the reimposition of economic sanctions by the United States.

The shift demonstrates that China, Irans biggest oil customer, wants to keep buying Iranian crude despite the sanctions, which were brought back after the United States withdrew in May from a 2015 agreement designed to halt Irans nuclear program.

The United States is trying to halt Iranian oil exports to force the country to negotiate a new nuclear agreement and to curb its influence in the Middle East. China has said its opposed to any unilateral sanctions and has defended its commercial ties with Iran.

The first round of sanctions, which included cutting off Iran and any businesses that trade with the country from the U.S. financial system, went into effect Aug. 7. A ban on Iranian oil purchases will start in November. Insurers, which are mainly U.S. or European-based, already have begun winding down their Iranian business to comply with the sanctions.

To safeguard their supplies, Chinas oil traders Zhuhai Zhenrong and Sinopec Group, Asias biggest refiner, have activated a clause in its long-term supply agreements with National Iranian Oil (NIOC) that allows them to use NITC-operated tankers, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter. They spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not allowed to speak publicly about commercial deals.

Iran will cover all the costs and risks of delivering the crude as well as handling the insurance, the people said.

The shift started very recently, and it was almost a simultaneous call from both sides, according to one of the people, a senior Beijing-based oil executive.

In July, all 17 tankers chartered to carry oil from Iran to China were operated by NITC, according to shipping data on Thomson Reuters Eikon. In June, eight of the 19 vessels chartered were Chinese-operated.

Last month, those tankers loaded about 23.8 million barrels of crude oil and condensate destined for China, or about 767,000 barrels per day (bpd). In June, the loadings were 19.8 million barrels, or 660,000 bpd.

In 2017, China imported an average of 623,000 bpd, according to customs data.

Not the First Time

Iran used a similar system between 2012 and 2016 to circumvent Western-led sanctions, which were effective in curtailing exports because of a lack of insurance for the shipments.

It wasnt immediately clear how Iran would provide insurance for the Chinese oil purchases, worth some $1.5 billion a month. Insurance usually includes coverage for the oil cargoes, third-party liability, and pollution.

This is not the first time companies exercised the option. Whenever there is a need, the buyers can use that, said another of the unidentified people, also a senior Beijing-based oil executive.

It typically takes about a month for Iranian crude to reach China.

With the new shipping arrangement, Iranian oil cargoes to China are expected to stay at recent levels through October, said the four people with knowledge of the tanker changes.

By Chen Aizhu, Florence Tan, & Parisa Hafezi.
Local police and paramedics administer opioid-blocker Narcan to revive a man who is overdosing in the Drexel neighborhood of Dayton, Ohio, on Aug. 3, 2017. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)

Chinas Illicit Opioids a Form of Undeclared War

Expert says China is using drug trade to destroy America

WASHINGTONThe illicit opioids being manufactured in China and shipped to the United States are almost a form of warfare, President Donald Trump said at a cabinet meeting on Aug. 16.

In China, you have some pretty big companies sending that garbage and killing our people, Trump said.

More than 71,500 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2017, according to provisional data released Aug. 15 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 68 percent of those deaths can be attributed to opioids.

Trump asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to take a look at the fentanyl thats coming out of China and Mexico and do whatever you can do legally to stop it.

Most illicit synthetic opioids are manufactured in China (and increasingly Mexico), and enter the United States via Mexico or the postal system.

Fentanyl, the most common synthetic opioid, was originally developed as a painkiller and anesthetic. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than herointwo milligrams of fentanyl is a lethal dose for a non-opioid user.

It is often mixed in with heroin or pressed into fake painkiller pills made to look like real prescription drugs, making them more deadly.

Carfentanil is less common but much more lethal; it is used as an elephant tranquilizer and is 10,000 times more powerful than morphine, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Even a few specks of airborne powder can be fatal.

Between 2013 and 2014, there was a 79 percent increase in deaths related to synthetic opioids, according to the 2016 DEA heroin report. Since then, the trend has continued to climb.

Trevor Loudon, an expert on communism and Epoch Times columnist, said its an absolute fact that the fentanyl is coming from China.

And you cant tell me that in a police state like Chinawhere they know everybody and what everybody is doingyou cannot tell me the Chinese government is not aware of it. You cannot tell me the Chinese government is not controlling it and funding it, he said in a May 10 interview.

So that is a form of undeclared war against the Western countries.

The book Red Cocaine by Joseph Douglass Jr. shows how the Chinese regime began pushing the heroin and opium trade back in the 1950s, Loudon said.

They were behind much of the heroin and world drug trade and they were cooperating with the cartels in Latin America, he said.

If you want to target Western countries and destroy them, and soften them up, and get enough money for your revolution, you would be crazy not to be involved in the drug trade.

Factories in China

Last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its first indictments against two Chinese manufacturers of fentanyl and other opiate substances.

[They] have been using the internet to sell fentanyl and fentanyl analogues to drug traffickers and individual customers in the United States, said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in a statement on Oct. 17, 2017.

Over at least six years, suspect Xiaobing Yan is alleged to have operated websites advertising and selling acetyl fentanyl and other deadly fentanyl analogues directly to U.S. customers in multiple cities across the country, according to the DOJ. The case was brought by a federal court in Mississippi.

Yan operated at least two chemical plants in China that were capable of producing ton quantities of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, Rosenstein said. Yan monitored legislation and law-enforcement activities in the United States and China, modifying the chemical structure of the fentanyl analogues he produced to evade prosecution in the United States.

In a case brought in federal court in North Dakota, investigators traced the imported drugs back to Jian Zhang in China, who is alleged to have manufactured fentanyl in at least four labs in China and sold it to customers in the United States, using the darkweb and the crypto-currency bitcoin.

Zhangs organization would send orders of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and pill presses, stamps, and dies used to shape fentanyl into pills, to customers in the United States through the mail or international parcel delivery services, Rosenstein said. Zhang sent many thousands of these packages since January 2013.

Postal System

The U.S. Postal Service handled more than 275 million inbound international packages in 2016, according to an investigative report conducted by the Senates Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and published in January.

That volume is three times larger than the combined volume (approximately 65.7 million) handled by the three largest express servicesFedEx, UPS, and DHL.

Over a three-month period, the subcommittee communicated with six online sellers, posing as a first-time fentanyl purchaser.

All of the online sellers actively sought to induce a purchase of fentanyl or other illicit opioid, the report said. They all preferred to ship any purchases to the United States through the international arm of the Postal Service.

According to a July 2016 DEA report, Customers can purchase fentanyl products from Chinese laboratories online and powdered fentanyls and pill presses are shipped via mail services.

Traffickers can typically purchase a kilogram of fentanyl powder for a few thousand dollars from a Chinese supplier, transform it into hundreds of thousands of pills, and sell the counterfeit pills for millions of dollars in profit, the report said.

The subcommittee found that the online sellers preferred to be paid through cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, which offers more anonymity, but accepted other payment options, such as Western Union, PayPal, credit cards, and prepaid gift cards. The subcommittee didnt finalize an actual order during its investigation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for identifying suspicious packages sent through the international mail streamprimarily at mail centers located at five major airports, in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami.

For many years, CBP didnt list China as a country of interest, due to the high volume of packages China shipped to the United States. This meant packages from China were not sent from the USPS to CBP for inspection.

In November 2015, the postal service launched a pilot program that used more advanced electronic data to track packages and divert them to CBP upon request. CBP specifically targeted small packages under 4.4 pounds coming from China through JFK airport in New York City.

Related Coverage An Addicted County and a Sheriffs Cry for Help

To avoid heightened targeting by CBP of packages from China, online sellers stated that they would divert packages through other countries first before the package ultimately arrived in the United States, the report stated.

This practice is known as transshipment. The online sellers asserted transshipping through these countries reduced the risk of a package containing illicit opioids from being identified and seized by customs officials.

On average, for the 2017 calendar year, 64 percent of packages sent to the United States (318,890,000 packages) had no advanced electronic data about who sent the package, where the package was going, or what was in the package, according to the report.

The subcommittee said, based on its investigation, that the federal governments policies and procedures are inadequate to prevent the use of the international mail system to ship illegal synthetic opioids into the United States.

Across the Southwest Border

Most illicit opioids coming across the southwest border are hidden in vehicles entering the United States through ports of entry.

So far in fiscal 2018, CBP agents at ports of entry have seized 1,304 pounds of fentanyl (as of June 30)enough to make almost 4 million counterfeit pills containing 1.5 milligrams of fentanyl per pill. A further 336 pounds of fentanyl have been seized between ports of entry by Border Patrol.

In fiscal 2016, 440 pounds of fentanyl were seized at ports of entry, while in fiscal 2017, that spiked to 1,196 pounds, matching the trend in overdose deaths attributed to the substance.

So far this fiscal year, CBP has also seized 4,100 pounds of heroin, 42,800 pounds of cocaine, and 59,800 pounds of methamphetamine at ports of entry (as of June 30).

The Chinese make huge money off this, Loudon said. It creates crime and chaos in target countries. It destroys the moral fabric of the target countries. It creates huge opportunities to corrupt public officials and businessmen.

Something thats killing thousands of Americans a year, dont you think thats war? Dont you think that should be sanctioned and stopped?

Loudon said past administrations have been too soft on China, afraid to offend its leaders.

We dont want to upset the Chinese government in any way. So theyve been willing to tolerate Americans dying, he said. They need to close those borders and prosecute the offenders and trace it right back to China.

He said the United States extradites drug traffickers from Latin America, Europe, and Africa.

Well, lets see them start to extradite Chinese Communist Party officials also involved in the drug trade, because Im sure the CIA knows exactly who they are.

For Help

If you or someone you know needs help for an opioid addiction, call the national helpline:

1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Or find resources online at SAMHSA.gov
Chinas Tsinghua University Found to Have Cyber-Spied for Regimes Trade Interests, Belt and Road

A new report by tech firm Recorded Future has revealed the extent to which hackers affiliated with Chinas prestigious Tsinghua University have helped the Chinese regime further its national agenda by spying on international entities.

Recorded Future, which analyzes cyber threats around the world, detected high levels of spying activity from a Tsinghua University IP address during periods of trade negotiations between the United States and China.

The report, published on Aug. 16, also found that the Tsinghua entity conducted espionage on government and commercial organizations in countries that China has partnered with in its Belt and Road initiative (BRI), a project where the Chinese regime has invested in countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America to build infrastructure projectsand in the process, geopolitical influence.

It concluded with medium confidence that the Tsinghua IPs spying activities were conducted with Chinese state backing in order to advance Chinas economic development goals.

Tsinghua University based in Beijing is a state-owned institution. As a top engineering and tech research school, the university is home to a group of student hackers known as the Blue Lotus.

Tsinghua also has a history of connections to the states efforts to steal U.S. technology.

Tsinghuas Institute of Information Systems and Engineering, for example, is affiliated with Chinas National 863 and 973 programs. The 863 Program targets key industries such as biotech, space, and energy for efforts to clandestinely acquire U.S. technology and sensitive economic information, according to a 2011 U.S. intelligence report. Meanwhile, the 973 Program focuses on tech research. Both programs have had the effect of making it easier for China to steal intellectual property in order to achieve program goals, according to Recorded Future.

In addition, one of the universitys subsidiary companies, Tsinghua Holdings, has attempted investment deals with U.S. firms in order to acquire key technology that the Chinese regime wishes to develop domestically. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the university would conduct espionage on Beijings behalf.

Related to US Trade Tensions

Between April 6 and June 24, 2018, Record Future detected over one million internet connections between the Tsinghua group and several networks in Alaska involving the Alaska state government; the state Department of Natural Resources; and TelAlaska, a telecoms firm, among others. The timing coincided with a trade mission from May 19 to 26 led by Alaska governor Bill Walker to China, for discussing the prospects of a natural gas pipeline project between Alaska and China.

The spike in scanning activity at the conclusion of trade discussions on related topics indicates that the activity was likely an attempt to gain insight into the Alaskan perspective on the trip and strategic advantage in the post-visit negotiations, Recorded Future stated.

There was another surge of activity during late June, after Walker announced that he planned to visit Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. and Chinese officials and discuss his concerns about growing trade tensions between the two countries. This was right before the first set of United States tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect.

Recorded Future also found that the Tsinghua IP scanned networks belong to German automaker Daimler AG on June 20, the day after the company announced that its profits were likely to diminish as a result of trade tensions between China and the United States.

Cars are a major player the U.S.-China trade war, as both countries have enacted tariffs on each others car imports. China has also sought to increase investments in German automakers in order to push its domestic development of robotics and new energy vehicles. Chinese automaker Geely owns a 10 percent stake in Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz cars.

Belt and Road

The Tsinghua group has also attempted to spy on entities related to Chinas BRI projects around the world, among which is a proposal to build a port in the state of Maranhao, Brazil. Between April 2 and June 11, the Tsinghua group attempted to connect with the public ministry of a nearby coastal state, right after construction on the port broke ground in March.

Similar attacks were detected on a Mongolian university and national data center; as well as a number of Kenyan entities such as its port authority, telecoms firms, and the United Nations Office in Nairobi. Mongolia is a key part of a proposed BRI economic corridor with Russia and China, while Kenya already has a BRI project completed: a railway that opened last year. Notably, the attacks on Kenya happened two weeks after the country decided not to sign a free trade agreement with China.
Investors protest outside an office of an online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform PPMiao in Shanghai, on August 20, 2018. (Aly Song/Reuters)

Chinese Investors Protest in Shanghais Financial District Over P2P Woes

SHANGHAIInvestors in Chinese online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform PPMiao protested at the offices of one of the companys shareholders in Shanghais financial district on Aug. 20, in the latest manifestation of problems facing the industry.

At least 243 P2P companies have collapsed in China since June, precipitating the withdrawal of funds from many firms in the industry and sparking protests by investors across the country.

About 300 investors in PPMiao crammed into the lobby of Shanghais International Finance Center (IFC) shopping mall, which also houses the office of HuaAn Future Asset that was registered as a shareholder in PPMiaos former operator, Hangzhou Fuqian Network Technology.

PPMiaowhich, according to its website, has 4.9 billion yuan ($713 million) in funds and about 360,000 userssaid in an Aug. 6 statement that it was unable to continue operating because investors were withdrawing funds and some firms it had lent money to had suspended payments.

It said it would return funds to investors over a 36-month period.

However, investors protesting at the IFC told Reuters they were worried they would not get their money back.

Many tried to enter HuaAns offices but police told them to leave. Protesters said they then sent representatives to speak to the firm.

One of the protesters, Cai Dandan, a 28-year-old hotel worker, told Reuters she had traveled to Shanghai from nearby Hangzhou City in the hopes of contacting HuaAn over her investment of about 450,000 yuan that she put in PPMiao.

I was going to use the money to buy my marital home so its as if my home is in the (PPMiao) platform. Its not just my money but my life, she said.

HuaAn, whose shareholders include government-owned companies like Shanghai Electric Group and Shanghai Trust, said in a statement on Aug. 20 that it had registered as a stakeholder in Hangzhou Fuqian on behalf of a client and had never profited from the platform.

However, it added that the relationship had ended in July and HuaAn was now cooperating with Hangzhou police.

A spokesman for HuaAn told Reuters the company was communicating with investors but declined to provide further details.

PPMiao and Hangzhou Fuqian did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

P2P platforms gather funds from retail investors and lend to small corporate and individual borrowers, promising high returns.

They started flourishing nearly unregulated in China in 2011. At a peak in 2015, there were about 3,500 such businesses.

By Brenda Goh & Shanghai Newsroom
Students attend a lesson at the Northeast Normal University on March 22, 2007 in Changchun of Jilin Province, China. (China Photos/Getty Images)

Chinese Professor Fired From University for Publishing Politically Incorrect Views Online

A professor in Guizhou Province, southwestern China, was fired by his university because he published politically incorrect views online.

The decision was announced via a statement from the Guizhou University presidents office on Aug. 15, which stated that Professor Yang Shaozheng often spoke of content irrelevant to the class.

Yang, 49, is a well-known economist and taught economics at the university for 11 years.

He told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on August 17 that he was very surprised to learn he was expelled by the school. He said that he did not violate any school rules and was planning to appeal the schools decision.

The so-called politically incorrect views is suspected to be his outspoken views about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), specifically an article about the Chinese economy that he published on the website of NTD, The Epoch Times sister media, last year.

In an article published on Nov. 23, 2017, Yang explained that taxes and government revenue, Beijing pays the salaries of about 20 million full-time party members and non-party members, costing an estimated 20 trillion yuan ($2.91 trillion) each year. But the huge financial burden could cause the Chinese economy to collapse.

Yang estimated that every Chinese would have to spend an average of 15,000 yuan ($$) just for paying public employees salaries.

Prior to that, Yang had been suspended from teaching since Nov. 10, 2017 without any warning. Guizhou police had taken him away for questioning and warned him to shut up during the 19th National Congressan important political meeting for the Party elite, an especially sensitive time for Beijing.

The Aug. 17 RFA report said that Gong Shengli, an independent economist in China, also agreed with Yangs view.

Gong, an expert member of International Strategic Research Network of China and a special researcher at the Economic and Trade Research Association of China, said that countries like China, where the party and government are raised by the nations finances, still exist in are only the remaining communist nations of the world: North Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam.

Political commentator Gao Tianyun told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on Aug. 18 that it was obvious that Yangs comments touched the Chinese regimes sore point, which prompted the university to drive him out of campus.
Colorado Man Charged in Deaths of Pregnant Wife, Daughters

Chris Watts, suspected of killing his pregnant wife and their two young daughters, has been charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder and tampering with a body, and a count of first-degree unlawful termination of a pregnancy, according to court filings in Weld County, Colorado.

Officials were planning an afternoon news conference in the case.

Authorities in Colorado face a Monday afternoon deadline to file formal criminal charges against Chris Watts, who is suspected of killing his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and their two young daughters.

District Attorney Michael Rourke has scheduled a news conference at 6 p.m. ET (4 p.m. local time) to announce his decision about criminal charges.

Chris Watts, 33, was arrested last week on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of tampering with a human body, police said. He is being held in the Weld County Jail without bond, with his next court appearance scheduled for Tuesday.

Under Colorado law, prosecutors must file charges by Monday or let him go.

Shanann Watts, 34, and daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, were reported missing last Monday from their home in Frederick, a town of about 8,600 people 30 miles north of Denver.

Their bodies were found Thursday at the site of a petroleum and natural gas company where Chris Watts had worked, authorities said.

A court filing by prosecutors says Shanann Watts body was recovered from a shallow grave near an oil tank, and that law enforcement recovered the bodies of defendants two daughters from inside oil tanks located near the grave of their mother.

Prosecutors have not provided a motive in the killings. A judge sealed the arrest affidavit, which might provide information about why Chris Watts was arrested and other details.

Autopsy results have not been released, but documents filed Friday in Chris Watts arrest reveal some of the victims may have been strangled, along with other grim details.

Chris Watts attorneys asked a court to require pathologists to swab the little girls necks, throats and hands for DNA as well as the hands and fingernails of Shanann Watts, court filings show. The judge denied those requests.

Defense attorneys asked the court to allow one of Watts lawyers and an investigator to be present during autopsies. Judge Marcelo Kopcow also denied that motion.

In a Monday interview on ABCs Good Morning America, friend Nicole Atkinson said she dropped Shanann off at home about 2 a.m. August 13 after they finished a business trip.

She went inside, turned around and waved at me and shut the door, Atkinson said.

Shanann didnt return calls later that day and missed a medical appointment at which she was expected to hear her unborn childs heartbeat, Atkinson said. Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant.

Atkinson said she contacted Chris Watts, but he didnt seem as worried as she thought he should be. Atkinson said she then contacted police.

In an interview with a local news station Tuesday  after his family disappeared but before his arrest  Chris Watts also said his wife got home around 2 a.m.

We had an emotional conversation, Ill leave it at that, Watts told a reporter who asked whether theyd argued. I just want them back. I just want them to come back.

Watts said he left for work about 5:15 a.m. that day and wasnt concerned when his wife didnt respond to his texts and phone calls since shed just returned from being out of town.

But he grew worried, he said, when one of her friends contacted him around noon and said she wasnt responding to messages.

I walked in the house and  nothing, Chris Watts told KMGH. She wasnt here. The kids werent here.

Shanann Watts body was found on the property of Anadarko Petroleum, authorities said. The girls bodies were in an oil well filled with crude oil for several days, Chris Watts attorneys indicated in a court filing.

Chris Watts was terminated from Anadarko Petroleum on Wednesday, August 15, company communications manager Jennifer Brice said. Watts was taken into custody late that day by the Frederick Police Department.

Chris and Shanann Watts faced financial problems in recent years and filed for bankruptcy in 2015. Their homeowners association, Wyndham Hill Master Association, recently sued the couple, saying they owed $1,533.80, according to a civil suit obtained by CNN.

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Former CIA Director John Brennan testifies before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Did Brennan Admit to Using Reverse Targeting to Spy on the Trump Campaign?

News Analysis

Comments made by former CIA Director John Brennan in an interview with MSNBCs Rachel Maddow suggest that the CIA may have used a tactic known as reverse targeting to collect data on members of the Trump campaign.

In the Aug. 17 interview, Brennan discussed concerns about Russian contacts with U.S. citizens during the 2016 presidential election.

I was very concerned and aware that the Russians were trying to leverage U.S. citizens in order to achieve their objectives in the presidential election, Brennan said.

Despite Brennans apparent concerns, he admitted that these contacts may have been completely innocentthere was no proof that these same U.S. citizens had been successfully leveraged by Russian efforts. But that surveillance moved forward anyway, and may have occurred before and after the election.

From Brennans interview:

BRENNAN: When I left office on January 20th of 2017, I had unresolved questions in my mind about whether or not any of those U.S. persons were working in support of the Russian efforts. MADDOW: And those were referredthose concerns about specific U.S. personsto the FBI. BRENNAN: We call it incidental collection in terms of CIAs foreign intelligence collection authorities. Any time we would incidentally collect information on a U.S. person, we would hand that over to the FBI because they have the legal authority to do it. We would not pursue that type of investigative, you know, sort of leads. We would give it to the FBI. So, we were picking things up that was of great relevance to the FBI, and we wanted to make sure that they were thereso they could piece it together with whatever they were collecting domestically here.

Thats not how incidental collection is supposed to work. More importantly, the collection described by Brennan doesnt sound incidental. The surveillance sounds targeted.

Unlike the surveillance of Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page, which used a traditional FISA warrant granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the surveillance being described by Brennan occurred under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Traditional FISA surveillance relates to electronic surveillance and physical searches of non-U.S. persons, facilities, or property inside the United States, while Section 702 surveillance allows for targeted surveillance of foreign individuals located outside the United States for the purpose of acquiring foreign intelligence information.

A significant purpose of the surveillance must be to obtain foreign intelligence information and U.S. citizens cant be intentionally targeted. Provisions known as minimization procedures are intended to protect information incidentally collected on U.S. citizens in the course of foreign surveillance.

Unlike traditional FISA surveillance, Section 702 surveillance isnt subject to individual FISA Court approvals.

Unfortunately, significant loopholes exist regarding data collection under Section 702. For example, the FBI can search collected information using terms that relate to U.S. citizens, and can do so without a warrant.

Reverse targeting is one technique specifically prohibited under Section 702. Reverse targeting relates to the targeting of a foreign individual, with the intent of capturing data on a U.S. citizen.

What Brennan discussed in the interview with Maddow sounds notably similar to reverse targeting. It also sounds eerily close to what the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), disclosed in March last year.

On March 22, 2017, after learning of surveillance on the Trump transition team, Nunes gave an impromptu press conference, where he made some startling comments:

I have seen intelligence reports that clearly show the president-elect and his team were monitored and disseminated out in intelligence-reporting channels. Details about persons associated with the incoming administration, details with little apparent foreign-intelligence value were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting.

From what I know right now, it looks like incidental collection. We dont know exactly how that was picked up but were trying to get to the bottom of it.

This appears to be all legally collected foreign intelligence under FISA, where there was incidental collection that then ended up in reporting channels and was widely disseminated. Its official IC information. These were intelligence reports. It brings up a lot of concerns about whether things were properly minimized or not.

And it wasnt just the Section 702 information gathering. There appeared to have been a significant amount of coordination and cooperation between the FBI and CIA:

MADDOW: So, its an intelligence sharing operation between  BRENNAN: Right. We put together a Fusion Center at CIA that brought NSA and FBI officers together with CIA to make sure that those proverbial dots would be connected.

Its possible that Brennan was describing the multiagency task force referred to in a BBC article:

Last April, the CIA director was shown intelligence that worried him.  It was passed to the U.S. by an intelligence agency of one of the Baltic states. The CIA cannot act domestically against American citizens so a joint counterintelligence task force was created. The task force included six agencies or departments of government.

It sounds like the legal envelope was being pushed in regard to the CIAs domestic involvement and investigative pursuit. It also sounds like a coordinated effort to process and share the collected information that Brennan referred to during his interview.

More importantly, it sounds like the CIA may have used targeted collection of Section 702 data, skipped the minimization requirements, and fed the raw surveillance data directly to the FBI.

It would be helpful if the former CIA director would provide some clarification of his remarks.

What exactly, did he mean by, Any time we would incidentally collect information on a U.S. person, we would hand that over to the FBI because they have the legal authority to do it?

Was this targeted Section 702 surveillance using reverse-targeting techniques? Was this being done on all U.S. persons, or did this particular description apply only to specific individuals? Were standard minimization procedures correctly followed by the FBI and CIA?

Incidental collection happens all the time. U.S. citizens are inadvertently caught in foreign surveillance. But Brennans comments sounded specific to certain U.S. citizens. Brennans comments sounded like a description of the activities that Nunes uncovered in March 2017.

A closer examination is needed. Perhaps well get one from the Department of Justice inspector generals pending report on FISA abuses. Because it sounded like Brennan may have admitted to something close to the illegal targeted surveillance of U.S. citizens.

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
Senator Dianne Feinstein in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on May 16, 2018. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Feinsteins Spy: Russell Lowe and San Franciscos Pro-China Left

News Analysis

Recent revelations that a long-term staffer for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was an alleged Chinese spy are gravely concerning but unsurprising, considering that staffers history. Even more concerning is the political environment in San Francisco of which that former staffer is a part.

Longtime Bay Area activist Russell Lowe has deep and ongoing involvement with pro-China communist activists and organizations. Lowe was not a driver, as was widely reported, but served officially as office director and importantly, as Feinsteins California liaison to the Asian-American community. Lowe, it is now known, even attended events at the Chinese Consulate on behalf of the senator.

In March 2013, not long before he was fired, Lowe was a guest at the farewell party for Chinas consul general in San Francisco, Gao Zhansheng. Lowe was described on the invitation list as office director of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and was one of the guests who awarded proclamations in recognition of Consul General Gaos contributions to the friendly cooperation between China and Bay area cities, according to an account of the event posted on the website of the consulate general.

Other attendees included the late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu, and Supervisor (city council member) Eric Mar.

In 1997, The New York Times reported that Feinstein was one of six members of Congress specifically warned about being vulnerable targets for influence operations from China. So why would Feinstein employ known activist Lowe, particularly after she was appointed to the Senate intelligence committee?

Militant Activist

Lowes background should have raised red flags. As has been reported, Lowes father and several relatives came to San Francisco in the 1930s, traveling on false papers. But what has not been reported was Lowes militant activism, which continues to this day.

In the late 1960s, Lowe was a member of the Chinese Student Association at Cal PolySan Luis Obispo with activist Bill Jeong. The two would later work together in Chinese For Affirmative Action (CAA), a Maoist-leaning organization that is still very much part of San Franciscos political power structure.

CAA worked with other Maoist-influenced groups such as the Chinese Progressive Association to push the Beijing line in Chinatown. Together, they helped to marginalize Chinatowns once-dominant anti-communist leadership to the point that San Franciscos Chinese community is now reliably pro-China, along with much of San Franciscos non-Chinese political leadership, including Feinstein.

One of Americas largest communist groups, the Maoist-leaning Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), is very influential in Bay Area politics. CAA has several FRSO affiliates on its staff, including Jeff Chang, a trustee of CAAs Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality network, and Wai Yee Poon, CAAs community engagement coordinator.

Notably, in 1976, Lowe served as a consultant to the far-left Association of Chinese Teachers.

Clearly, Lowe was active in the pro-China San Francisco left, but Feinstein hired him anyway. Perhaps the senator hired Lowe not in spite of his radical background, but because of it.

Exploiting Comfort Women

Since leaving Feinsteins employment, Lowe has been openly affiliated with San Franciscos pro-China far left.

Lowe is a leader of the Comfort Women Justice Coalition (CWJC). This San Francisco-based group focuses on the Japanese Imperial Armys sexual enslavement of mainly Korean, as well as Chinese and Filipino, women during World War ll. In May, Lowe promoted a high school curriculum about comfort women for high school students, published by the Education for Social Justice Foundation.

This heart-rending issue is heavily exploited, in typical communist fashion, by pro-China and North Korean radical elements to drive a wedge between Japan and its Western allies. It is also used to divert attention away from Beijings and Pyongyangs horrible human rights records.

The president of the CWJC is Bay Area lawyer Judith Mirkinson. Since the early 1980s, Mirkinson has been a leader of the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC), an above ground support network for the Cuban-backed domestic terror group the Weather Underground Organization.

In August 2007, Mirkinson and two other activists from Gabriela Network USA, visiting the Philippines, were put on a government watch list and prevented from boarding their return flights to the United States. The three were in the Philippines to attend the 10th bi-annual Womens International Solidarity Affair, organized by GABRIELA, a front group for the Communist Party of the Philippines and its military wing, the New Peoples Armyboth officially designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. State Department.

After the U.S.-based, pro-North Korea Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) sent 1,360 faxes and 2,272 emails to their congressional representatives, as well as to Ambassador Kristie Kenney in the Philippines, the radical trio was allowed to return home.

Mirkinson is very close to the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO): She has written for an FRSO publication and has spoken at a conference of the Norwegian Red Party, FRSOs Scandinavian sister organization.

Another key leader of the CWJC is former San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar.

In February, Mar addressed an audience at an event held at the University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz on the comfort women issue. Mar and Lowe know each other well.

When the CWJC installed a statue commemorating comfort women in San Franciscos St. Marys Square in 2017, it was Mar who championed the project to his fellow Board members.

The statue created a firestorm in Japan. The mayor of Osaka, Hirofumi Yoshimura, threatened to break the citys 60-year sister-city relationship with San Francisco.

Our relationship of trust was completely destroyed, Yoshimura said, according to the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun. I will dissolve the sister-city relationship.

Just the kind of international friction between allies that communists love to promote.

Communist Background

Lowes comrade Mar has a communist background.

Both of Mars brothers moved in Maoist circles. His older brother, Warren Mar, was involved in the Chinese Progressive Association and in the 70s pro-China group I Wor Kuen, which merged into the League of Revolutionary Struggle then eventually the FRSO.

Mars twin brother, Gordon Mar, was a correspondent for the newspaper of the League of Revolutionary Struggle, the director of the Chinese Progressive Association, and a very strong pro-China activist. He is currently running for San Francisco supervisor.

Eric Mar was active in the Committees of Correspondence, an alliance of FRSO members, former Communist Party USA operatives, and reformed Trotskyites. He traveled to China in 2006, and again with the notorious San Francisco Chinatown political activist Rose Pak three years later.

In 2009, Pak took Mar, San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu, and David Chiuat times president of both Chinese for Affirmative Action and the San Francisco Board of Supervisorsto Hong Kong and Macao in 2009 to meet a raft of Chinese government officials, according to San Francisco magazine.

Politico recently described Pak, who died in September 2016, as one of San Franciscos preeminent political power brokers. Though she never held elective office, she was famous for making and unmaking mayors, city councilmen (or supervisors, as theyre known in San Francisco), and pushing city contracts to her allies and constituents in Chinatown, the article read.

Politico also stated: Concerns about Paks links to the Chinese Communist Party occasionally percolated into local political debate, but the intelligence communitys identification of Pak as a likely agent of influence for Beijing is being reported here for the first time.

Up until the last few years, Mar worked closely with the infamous former San Francisco Supervisor and School Board President turned California state senator, Leland Yee.

End Scapegoating

An award-winning gun control advocate, Yee was arrested by the FBI on March 26, 2014, on charges of public corruption and gun trafficking. At his trial, the FBI alleged that Yee was buying automatic firearms and shoulder-launched missiles from the Philippines-based jihadi group Moro Islamic Liberation Front, known for its close cooperation with the Communist Party of the Philippines. Yee was convicted of attempting to sell those weapons to an undercover FBI agent and sentenced to five years imprisonment.

While working for Feinstein, and afterward, Lowe continued to donate significant sums to his old workplace, Chinese for Affirmative Action.

In early October 2017, CAA joined the Chinese Progressive Association, the radical legal group Asian Americans Advancing JusticeAsian Law Caucus, and former CAA leaders Henry Der and Ling-chi Wang to form the End National Security Scapegoating (ENSS) coalition.

The coalition was established in response to pervasive efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice that target and prosecute Chinese-American individuals for espionage-related crimes.

According to CAA: Regrettably, this form of discrimination is part of our U.S. history. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, Asian Americans have been labeled and profiled as perpetual foreigners and threats to national security. The Muslim Ban, police violence against African Americans, and attacks against immigrants today must be understood in this same vein.

CAA, with our ENSS coalition partners, will continue to oppose efforts to racially profile Asians Americans under the false pretext of national security, to advocate for greater government accountability, and to build alliances across affected communities.

Strangely, though one of their former staffers/longtime donors has been accused of spying for China, CAA has yet to raise a whimper in defense of Lowe.

Todays San Francisco is a cesspool of Beijing-backed corruption, subversion, and espionage.

There needs to be a thorough public investigation into Chinese regime influence in San Francisco and its spreading tentacles into Sacramento and Washington.

The Russell Lowe case is the very small tip of a very large iceberg.
Firefighter fight fire near torching trees as wildfire burns near Yosemite National Park, Calif., on Aug. 6, 2018. (USFS/Yosemite National Park/Handout via REUTERS)

Fire That Prompted Closure of Parts of Yosemite Park Is Contained

A massive and deadly California wildfire that sent choking smoke into Yosemite National Park, causing a temporary closure of large parts of the tourist destination, is completely contained, fire officials said on Sunday.

More than 3,000 personnel have battled the Ferguson Fire, which ignited on July 13 and has burned through nearly 97,000 acres (39,250 hectares) of steep slopes and bone-dry terrain southwest of the park, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said.

Two firefighters were killed while tackling the blaze and 19 others injured, it said.

Cooler weather and calmer winds in recent days have helped firefighters in California and other western states get a handle on major blazes, according to authorities.

The weather is helping the fires to lay down and they (firefighters) are able to get better containment lines around them, said Lynnette Round, a Cal Fire spokeswoman.

The heart of Yosemite National Park, shut for nearly three weeks due to the Ferguson Fire, was reopened to the public on Tuesday. But smoke lingered in the air and a few major roads in the park remained closed over the weekend.

There were still sporadic fires within the containment lines, Yosemite park officials said, adding that visitors should exercise caution.

The parks closure has taken a major toll on the local economy. Some 4.3 million visitors spent an estimated $452 million last year, most of that during the summer.

While there has been progress in battling blazes nationwide, officials worry that lightning strikes in states such as Washington, Oregon and Idaho could spark more wildfires, according to Ashton Robinson Cook, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.

There are quite a few areas in the West where fuels are dry and susceptible to fire-starts and rapid fire-spread, he said.

Wildfires have consumed nearly 5.9 million acres (2,387,650 hectares) so far this year, well above the national average for the same period over the past 10 years of 4.8 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, a monitoring agency.

By Jon Herskovitz
British Woman Found 10 Hours After Falling From Cruise Ship in Adriatic Sea

A British woman has been rescued after falling from a cruise ship and spending 10 hours treading water in the Adriatic Sea.

The woman, identified by British media as Kay Longstaff, plunged into the water about 60 miles off the Croatian coast at midnight on Aug. 18, after falling from the Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian Star.

Still images released by Croatias defense ministry show Longstaff, 46, climbing to safety onto the Croatian coast guard vessel Cavtat on Aug. 19. She appeared to be in good spirits, wearing a t-shirt and blue denim jeans as she arrived in the Croatian city of Pula.

She told reporters, I am very lucky to be alive.

Speaking to Croatian television station HRT, she said, I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours. These wonderful men rescued me.

Croatian media reported that Longstaff was spotted at 9:40 a.m. local time, about 1,300 meters from where she originally fell into the sea. Within a few minutes, a coast guard swimmer, Lt. Marina Delic, got her to safety. Longstaff was taken to a hospital in Pula and is reported to be in stable condition.

The captain of the rescue ship, Lovro Oreskovic, said Longstaff was exhausted.

We were extremely happy to save a human life, he told HRT. I am proud of the whole crew of the ship, especially my colleague, Lieutenant Marina Delic, who swam to perform the rescue.

According to the British newspaper The Times, Longstaff works as an air hostess on private jets. She is reportedly from Gloucestershire, England, and now lives in Spain.

The Luckiest Thing

Falling off a cruise ship is highly unlikely, but not unheard of. According to the website Cruise Junkie, 17 people have fallen off cruise ships just this year, while since 2000, 319 cruise and ferry passengers have gone overboard, their figures show.

Its unclear how and why Longstaff fell.

Mike Tipton, a physiology professor at the University of Portsmouth, told BBC Radio 4s Today program that the fact that Longstaff was found was the luckiest thing. He added that being female may have offered a certain advantage.

In this particular case, there was a fair amount of swimming being done, but because there was a female involved, they have higher levels of body fat and are more able to float, Tipton said.

Singing to Not Feel the Cold

Longstaff survived for hours at sea, in part, due to practicing yoga, which kept her fit, one of her rescuers said.

She said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight, the unidentified rescuer told The Sun.

Longstaff may have had an argument with her friends and family that evening and could have been drinking, some passengers said, according to The Sun.

Her [partner] was looking for her for hours before the alarm was raised that shed gone overboard, one passenger said.

The Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs spokesman David Radas told the newspaper, Our rescuers were in touch with the Norwegian Stars crew and by checking CCTV knew the exact moment she fell in the water.

Because they knew the time, they were able to know the exact position of the ship, he said. The ship was traveling to Venice from Vargarola, near Pula.

Following the rescue, the cruise line said: We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment.

We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family.
The Huawei logo is seen in a shop in Shanghai, on May 3, 2018. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images)

Internal Document Said Linked to Huawei Reveals Firms Nationalist Agenda Amid USSino Trade War

A leaked internal document, purportedly from an official at Chinese telecom giant Huawei about the ongoing U.S.Sino trade war, has generated much speculation due to the level of nationalist rhetoric in the memo.

On Aug. 16, Cao Shanshi, a well-known Chinese financial news personality and commenter, revealed the memo on his Twitter account, saying that Huawei President Ren Zhengfei had issued it to company staff.

The reality we are facing now is that our relationship with the United States could become more tense, for which we should be fully prepared, the document reads, according to Cao.

There is no way out if we surrender. To become a man without a country means becoming a slave. We are not willing to become a slave.

Therefore, we should cut down on marginal investments on multiple fronts, while increasing investment in key areas, to avoid the situation where our lifeline is in somebodys hands.



The language in the document attributed to Ren elicits memories of when Chinas other major telecom firm, ZTE, was forced to temporarily halt operations after being hit with a U.S. export ban for violating sanctions against Iran.

The ban prevented the company from buying U.S. tech parts, which were necessary for manufacturing many of its products. ZTE only resumed work in June after the U.S. ban was lifted as part of a deal in which the company agreed to pay a $1 billion fine and submitted to strict compliance measures.

The rhetoric in the memo is similar to the tactic deployed by the Chinese Communist Party: Chinas state media has published scores of articles to stir up anti-U.S. sentiment since the trade war began.

In 2017, Beijing urged citizens to boycott South Korean company Lotte Group, after the conglomerate agreed to lend some its land to host an American anti-missile defense system.

Since the recent conclusion of an annual secret political meeting of senior Chinese Communist Party officials at the resort town of Beidaihe outside Beijing, there hasnt been any official statement regarding what Beijing would do next in its trade conflicts with the United States, with the exception of low-level talks between officials from two countries that will take place later this month.

As a result, Rens view on the trade war is considered significant because he is a Party member; a former representative to the National Peoples Congress, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, in 1982; and a former engineer with the Chinese military (known as the Peoples Liberation Army). Huaweis ties to the military, detailed in a 2012 report compiled by the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, have alarmed the U.S. government.

Other countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, have also raised security concerns about Huaweis products, warning that they could be used for spying activities by the Chinese regime.

In January, AT&T backed off on a deal from selling Huaweis smartphones because of security concerns.

On Sina Weibo, Chinas equivalent to Twitter, many netizens were critical of the logic behind Rens words.

A netizen from coastal Chinas Zhejiang Province wrote: It is quite odd how a trade war could be connected to the fall of a nation. China has never fallen, what could be fallen is a corrupt government.

Why do I get the feeling that this is not an internal document, but a document intended for the public? Huawei, stop using such rhetoric to mock consumers, wrote a netizen from Beijing.
Journalists gather outside the headquarters of Orbis Business Intelligence, the company run by former intelligence officer Christopher Steele, in London, England, on Jan. 12, 2017. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Is Rinat Akhmetshin the Former Russian Intelligence Officer Who Was a Source for the Steele Dossier?

News Analysis

In a bombshell report released by The Hill on Aug. 9, reporter John Solomon revealed that top Department of Justice official Bruce Ohr took detailed notes from a meeting with Fusion GPSs Glenn Simpson, and those notes contained a very interesting section.

The report says Ohr scribbled, Much of the collection about the Trump campaign ties to Russia comes from a former Russian intelligence officer (? not entirely clear) who lives in the U.S.

It later adds, A couple of the experts flagged that most of what Simpson allegedly told Ohr was not from Moscowwhere the alleged plot was supposed to be basedbut from a reported Russian in the United States who later seemed to disappear, according to Ohrs notes.

Note the language used: Much of the collection about the Trump campaign ties to Russia.

The quote from Ohr doesnt say Some of or A little bit of, but instead says, Much of. So, whoever this currently anonymous former Russian intelligence officer is, its clear he would figure very prominently in any attempts to verify the information in the Steele dossier.

The pool of publicly known former Russian intelligence officers who live in the United States isnt that large. So, there wouldnt be that many people who fit Simpsons description of this dossier source.

In fact, I already know of at least one very likely candidate. And people whove followed all the twists and turns in this ongoing drama for the past year and a half are already familiar with this candidates name: Rinat Akhmetshin. He is known for a very good reason.

Akhmetshins name first arose in the national media on July 15, 2017, when he was revealed to have been a participant in a meeting at Trump Tower that took place a year earlier, on June 9, 2016. Russian lobbyist Akhmetshin and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya got this meeting with Trump campaign team members Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner, by claiming to have proof provided to them by Russian government sources that the Hillary Clinton campaign was receiving illegal foreign donations.

Once the meeting actually began, however, it quickly became clear it had been set up under false pretenses. Neither Veselnitskaya nor Akhmetshin had any evidence of the Clinton campaign doing anything wrong. As the disappointed Trump team looked on, the two Russians instead began lobbying them against the Magnitsky Act: the law passed by Congress placing sanctions on certain Russian businessmen involved in corruption. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it a top priority to get these sanctions lifted.

When news of the Trump Tower meeting first broke on July 8, 2017, Akhmetshins name was carefully kept out of sight. Only a week later, after constant media coverage, was Akhmetshins role in the meeting publicly acknowledged. In fact, it appears that the person who pointed the media to Akhmetshin was William Browder, who played the key role in getting the Magnitsky Act passed by Congress, as Natasha Bertrand reported for Business Insider at the time:

NBC News initially declined to name Akhmetshin as the lobbyist who attended with Veselnitskaya. But William Browder, the founder of the investment advisory firm Hermitage Capital who spearheaded the Magnitsky Act, told Business Insider that there was only one person who fit the profile described by NBC News.

Browder added that Akhmetshins presence was highly significant.

In the world of Russian intelligence, there is no such thing as a former intelligence officer, he said. So in my opinion, you had a member of Putins secret police directly meeting with the son of the future next president of the United States asking to change US sanctions policy crucial to Putin.

There may also have been a sixth person at the meeting, Trump Jr.s lawyer told NBC News on Friday morning, who was a friend of Emin Agalarov and served as a translator. Veselnitskaya told the New York Times earlier this week that an interpreter accompanied her to the meeting, but she did not mention Akhmetshin.

Note also that NBC News had the information that Akhmetshin was present at this meeting but declined to name him. Its almost as if there was an attempt to publicize the Trump Tower meeting and spin it as if actual collusion had taken place between the Trump campaign team and the Russian government, while leaving Akhmetshins name out of it.

The reason why those who leaked the news of this Trump Tower meeting would want to keep Akhmetshin under wraps becomes crystal clear if he turns out to be the main source for the Trump/Russia collusion allegations in Christopher Steeles dossier.

This is because, like Steele, both Akhmetshin and Veselnitskaya were affiliated with Fusion GPS. The Russian firm that was Veselnitskayas client had actually hired Fusion GPS to help her lobby against the Magnitsky Act.

In fact, despite all the intense media attention this Trump Tower meeting received beginning in July 2017, it wasnt revealed until last November that Fusion GPSs Glenn Simpson had met with Veselnitskaya both before and then immediately after the Trump Tower meeting.

This, along with the bombshell of Ohrs notes, brings up the $56,000 question: Were the Russians at this meeting acting as Putin government operatives OR were they actually there as Fusion GPS operatives working on behalf of the Clinton campaign and the DNC, trying to entrap the Trump team by lying to them and misrepresenting themselves?

Brian Cates is a political pundit and writer based in southern Texas and the author of Nobody Asked For My Opinion  But Here It Is Anyway! He can be reached on Twitter at @drawandstrike

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Melania Trump Encourages Adults to Listen to Children to Prevent Cyberbullying

First Lady Melania Trump is encouraging adults to listen to children about cyberbullying, an important aspect of her Be Best campaign that seeks to improve the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children.

We share one goalto pave a smooth way forward for our children, our next generation, she told a group comprising social-media companies, federal agencies, educational organizations, youth programs, and law enforcement officials at the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention summit on Aug. 20 in Rockville, Maryland.

FLOTUS launched the Be Best campaign in May, following a tradition of first ladies taking on a cause during their time in the White House. One of the issues she is focused on is cyberbullying, along with how children can engage in social media in healthy ways.

As an example of what can be done to help tackle this widespread issue, she pointed to an initiative by Microsoft called the Council for Digital Good, whose participants she recently met. The council brings together 15 teens from around the country to improve online safety and promote digital civility around the world, according to Microsoft.

The first lady said she was impressed by the projects they were working on, and the students sincere commitment to reducing peer-to-peer bullying through kindness and open communication.

She encouraged technology and social-media companies, of which Twitter, Google, and Facebook were present, to establish similar initiatives.

She also encouraged adults to listen to children about online issues to help them better navigate the web, saying it can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly.

Lets face it, most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits, she said. By listening to childrens ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate this often-difficult topic.

Because President Donald Trump has used Twitter to call out his opponents in sometimes unvarnished language, the first lady has faced criticism for her decision to focus on cyberbullying. But she has said in the past that she will not be deterred by the criticism and will continue to do what I know is right.

In response to a question on tweets that the president put out during the conference, the first ladys communications director issued the following statement:

The First Ladys presence at events such as todays cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country. She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does.

Shortly after she announced her Be Best campaign, Melania Trump underwent surgery for what was described as a benign kidney condition. That put the campaign on hold for about a month while she recovered. Then, in early August, her policy aide, who helped her launch the campaign, announced she would be departing to work on foreign policy issues, she told Politico.

The Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention summit, first held in 2010, has become an annual event that brings together a consortium of government agencies and NGOs.

The event was hosted by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a department within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), that, according to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, first raised the issue of bullying as a serious national concern in 2001 with its Stop Bullying Now campaign.
Elon Musk arrives to speak at Boring Company community meeting in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, on May 17, 2018. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)

Musks Tunnel-Boring Firm Seeks US Tariff Exemption for Chinese Parts

WASHINGTONA company owned by Elon Musk that is trying to lower the cost of building high-speed transit tunnels has asked the Trump administration to exempt it from tariffs for some Chinese-made tunnel boring machine components, warning the tariffs could significantly delay a planned tunnel between New York and Washington.

In a July 31 letter posted last week on a government website, the Boring Co asked the U.S. Trade Representative to exempt parts like cutterheads, screw conveyors and related machinery. Boring seeks limited parts from China in the near-term for use in a small number of tunnel boring machines. The letter added those parts are readily available only from China.

Privately held Boring added that it is working to develop and manufacture our own tunnel boring machines and wants to restore the now-dormant American tunnel boring machine industry.

The company said for planned tunnels, including a project between Washington and Baltimore, it will use machines that are majority-composed of U.S. content.

The tariffs could cause severe economic harm to the company and U.S. interests and could result in a delay of one to two years in the construction of a proposed Washington-to-Baltimore tunnel that it plans to eventually extend to New York.

Exempting the parts will not harm U.S. industry, the company said, and noted that tunneling is not one of 10 sectors identified in Chinas Made in 2025 plan. The company said its business model is predicated upon substantially reducing the cost of tunneling.

Musk, who is also chief executive of Tesla Inc., in June proposed building a $1 billion underground transit system in Chicago. The plan would send people from Chicagos downtown Loop district to OHare International Airport at 150 miles per hour.

The Boring Co. has been promoting its plans for tunnels that would allow high-speed travel between cities. The company initially plans to ferry passengers between Washington and Baltimore on autonomous electric vehicles carrying 8 to 16 passengers at 125-150 miles per hour, but would not use tracks or railway equipment.

On Aug. 15, the company proposed to build a 3.6-mile tunnel between Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the citys subway system.

The U.S. Trade Representatives Office and Boring did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Boring said in an earlier letter it was converting from diesel-powered to electric-powered construction equipment and had innovated in concrete mixing, segment production, excavation and hauling practices.

Other companies including General Motors Co. have sought exemptions from new U.S. tariffs imposed on Chinese imports.

By David Shepardson
Papadopoulos Lawyers to Ask for No Prison Time, Citing Mistakes of Judgment

The lawyers for former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos plan to tell the judge in his case that their client shouldnt serve any time in prison.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in October last year to one count of making false statements to the FBI as part of an investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Almost a year later, on Aug. 17, Mueller filed a sentencing memorandum suggesting that Papadopoulos should receive zero to six months in prison, and appears to propose that a 30-day sentence may be appropriate.

Papadopoulos attorneys Thomas Breen and Robert Stanley told the Chicago Sun-Times that prison time isnt merited for mistakes of judgment by Papadopoulos.

The court has broad discretion in deciding what an appropriate sentence is for a particular case. Under federal sentencing laws, George is eligible to receive a sentence of probation or time served, the lawyers said in a statement to the Sun-Times.

It is our position that a non-custodial sentence is warranted. The court will be advised as to how George found himself in such a vulnerable position. As a result of that vulnerability, mistakes of judgment were made by him.

The sentencing, whether it be for 30 days or no prison time at all, will be a significant event for Mueller, because Papadopoulos was allegedly the man who inadvertently started the FBIs counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign. The bureaus probe, codenamed Crossfire Hurricane, was started based on an intelligence report relating a drunken conversation between Papadopoulos and Australian diplomat Alexander Downer.

In Muellers sentencing memorandum, the special counsel claims that Papadopouloss lies to the FBI impeded the bureau from carrying out its investigation of the Trump campaign.

Most immediately, those statements substantially hindered investigators ability to effectively question the Professor when the FBI located him in Washington, D.C. approximately two weeks after the defendants Jan. 27, 2017 interview, the memo states. The defendants lies undermined investigators ability to challenge the Professor or potentially detain or arrest him while he was still in the United States.

By the professor, the special counsel is referring to Joseph Mifsud, the man who told Papadopoulos that Russians had acquired dirt on candidate Hillary Clinton. Papadopoulos would go on to repeat the claim to Downer, triggering Crossfire Hurricane.

Papadopoulos told the FBI that Mifsud was a nothing, which, according to Mueller, impeded the investigation in January 2017. That statement is curious, considering that the FBI stated that it knew of Mifsuds links to Russia in its October 2016 secret court application for a warrant to spy on former Trump-campaign volunteer Carter Page. A basic web search for Mifsud Russia brings up a photo of the professor at the Russian embassy.
While there is no such tax yet to be proposed at the state level, board members apparently are fearful of Springfield shenanigans that could lead to such a levy in the very, very near future. District 7 Rep. Steve Carlson of Grandwood Park put it succinctly in a News-Sun story last week: This is a waste of time folks. Its unfortunate. Its politics.
Employees pack boxes of the SodaStream product at the factory in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Maale Adumim. (Reuters/Ammar Awad)

PepsiCo Puts Fizz Into Healthy Drinks With $3.2 Billion SodaStream Deal

JERUSALEM/LONDONPepsiCo will buy carbonated drink-machine maker SodaStream for $3.2 billion as it battles Coca-Cola for an edge in the health-conscious beverage market.

Founded in Britain in 1903, SodaStream was a coveted device in British kitchens in the 1970s and 80s, allowing people to create fizzy drinks by adding flavored syrups to carbonated tap water, but its popularity faded as bottled sodas became cheaper.

The Israel-based company now markets itself as a sparkling water maker to appeal to younger and more health- and environmentally-conscious consumers, who do not drink much soda.

With sugary carbonates and juices struggling and no turnaround in sight, mitigating the losses through newer and healthier products will be essential for PepsiCo, said Euromonitor International analyst Matthew Barry.

Euromonitor says bottled water sales saw 6.2 percent compound annual growth in the five years to 2017, while carbonated soft drinks sales were flat.

The deal announced on Monday may be the last for PepsiCo Chief Executive Indra Nooyi, who hands over to Ramon Laguarta later this year.

In 12 years as CEO, Nooyi sought to expand the companys offering of healthier food and drinks. It agreed to buy Bare Foods in May and KeVita drinks in late 2016.

PepsiCo will pay $144 per SodaStream share in cash, representing a 10.9 percent premium to Fridays closing price of SodaStreams U.S.-listed stock and a 32 percent premium to its 30-day average. The New York-based group will fund the deal with cash on hand.

SodaStreams U.S.-listed shares were up 10.5 percent in pre-market trading.

PepsiCo said SodaStream complements its water business, which includes Aquafina and smaller brands Bubly and Lifewtr. The company is also experimenting with other non-bottled drinks, including Drinkfinity, which is sold in pods.

PepsiCo said the transaction, unanimously approved by the boards of both firms, was expected to close by January 2019. It said the purchase was another step in its bid to promoting health and wellness through environmentally friendly, cost-effective and fun-to-use beverage solutions.

Threat or Opportunity?

Speculation about PepsiCo or Coca-Cola buying Sodastream has bubbled for years. The company had marketed itself as a more environmentally friendly alternative to mainstream bottled drinks and therefore a threat to the giant producers. But the notion of creating soft drinks at home has had limited success. Over the years, many users have used Sodastream only for making fizzy water, without the flavored syrups it sells.

Coca-Cola and Keurig Green Mountain forged a partnership in 2015 to market a counter-top cold-drinks machine, but pulled the plug the following year after it failed to take off.

It remains to be seen what Keurig Dr Pepper will do in the space. The company was created last month by the merger of Keurig Green Mountain, now owned by private investment firm JAB Holding, and Dr Pepper Snapple.

Adam Epstein, co-founder of Teleios Capital, a top-10 SodaStream shareholder, said the companys focus on its core product and disciplined approach had started to pay off in recent quarters with a rapidly growing installed base of loyal users and transformational improvement in operating performance.

He said the deal represents an excellent outcome for all shareholders.

SodaStreams shares have jumped 85 percent this year after a 78 percent increase in 2017 and have moved to $130 from $16.31 at the end of 2015.

In second-quarter results issued earlier in August, SodaStreams revenue grew 31 percent, driven by growth in Germany, France, Canada and the United States, while net profit rose nearly 82 percent.

PepsiCo said its global distribution network would help SodaStream expand further.

The company was acquired by Israels Soda-Club in 1998 before private equity group Fortissimo Capital bought a controlling stake in 2007. The company went public in 2010.

SodaStream faced calls for a boycott several years ago over a factory it had in the West Bank, despite employing many Palestinians. It has since closed that factory and relocated to a much larger facility in southern Israel.

PepsiCo was advised by Goldman Sachs and Centerview, while SodaStream was advised by Perella Weinberg Partners.

By Steven Scheer and Martinne Geller
Proposed California Bill Would Remove Soda From Kids Menus

The latest restrictive measure on restaurants being considered by California lawmakers is a bill that will fine establishments that dont remove soda and juice from kids menus.

Senate Bill 1192 would levy penalties on restaurants that dont remove sugary drinks from kids menus: a written notice for a first offense, $250 for a second offense, and $500 for each additional violation.

The bill cleared the state assembly on Aug. 16 and now heads back to the Senate, which previously supported the measure.

It cites an increased obesity rate among children, noting that obese children are more likely to become obese adults compared with nonobese children.

While restaurants would be banned from advertising sugary drinks on kids menus, parents could request such drinks for their children and restaurants could lawfully serve them the drinks under the bill.

The bill is led by State Senator Bill Monning. He told the Monterey County Weekly that he carried sugar packets to show children he speaks to how much sugar is in each soda, and referred to the distributors of soda as poison distributors.

Baltimore, Maryland is the latest place to put such a law into effect. The ordinance started there in mid-July, and officials noted that seven cities in California and Lafayette, Colorado previously enacted similar ordinances.

Restaurants in Baltimore are now officially barred from including sodas and other sugary drinks on kids' menu. https://t.co/Fb1gbCKIXD  NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) July 19, 2018

First Straws, Now Drinks

The proposed bill by the California State Senate comes just weeks after multiple California cities either banned restaurants from serving plastic straws or advanced legislation that would so so.

Officials in Santa Barbara authorized $1,000 fines and even jail time for violators of a proposed ban, while the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ban in late July and the Santa Monica City Council approved a ban on plastic straws and others plastic items in mid-August.

The plastic straw bans have faced significant opposition, primarily from business owners and groups that fight for the rights of disabled people.

Some people are also speaking out about the proposal to ban sugary drinks from kids menus, with parents telling KSBY that it should be up to them, not lawmakers, to make choices of that nature for their children.

Thats unacceptable, Malody Cervantes said. Thats not their place to govern what the parents can legally give to their children.

I think it really depends on the parent and what they choose to offer and not offer their kids, its a little bit of an overreach to decide that for them, added Joanel Bernardo, who said she typically doesnt allow her children to consume sugary drinks but will on occasion.

Other people are advocating for the proposed measure, including Stephanie Winn with the American Cancer Society.

Cancer is fought in the halls of government, not just in the halls of the hospital, she told CBS. Some of these kids are drinking up to three sodas a day. This is setting them up for tremendous cancer risks down the road. Because now we know that 20 percent of all cancers are tied to being overweight.

From NTD.tv
FILE PHOTO: John Hinckley Jr. arrives at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. November 19, 2003. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/File Photo

Psychologist May Examine If Reagan Shooter Deserves Complete Freedom

A federal judge on Aug. 17 authorized a psychologist chosen by the U.S. government to examine John Hinckley, who shot President Ronald Reagan in a 1981 assassination attempt, in order to determine whether he deserves unconditional freedom.

Hinckley, 63, has been living with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia, with many restrictions on his travel and contact with the outside world, since his September 2016 release from a Washington, D.C., psychiatric hospital.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said the psychologist, Mitchell Hugonnet, may examine Hinckley to determine his present mental condition and risk of dangerousness if he were released unconditionally or subject to new conditions.

Hinckley had orally asked on April 30 for his unconditional release. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Dec. 10.

Hugonnet did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity at a 1982 jury trial. That verdict prompted Congress and some U.S. states to adopt laws limiting use of the insanity defense.

Reagan suffered a punctured lung in the assassination attempt but recovered quickly.

Others wounded included White House press secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent, and a Washington police officer.

By Jonathan Stempel
Scapegoats in the Chinese Communist Partys World of Self-Deception

Tsinghua University professor Hu Angang would never have imagined the unenviable position he finds himself in today. Just five months ago, on March 2, China Central Television (CCTV) began running the Amazing China documentary miniseries, showcasing the purported superiority of scientific and technological accomplishments the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has made since its current leader Xi Jinping came to power in 2012.

The nationalism-and-hubris-saturated documentarys name in Chinese, li hai le wo de guo, conveys a much more aggressive tone than the English Amazing China implies.

Professor Hu Angangs writings are the academic counterpart to Amazing Chinas televised haughtiness. A 2015 article he wrote boasted that in terms of overall power, China had already surpassed the United States. As the founder and director of Institute for Contemporary China Studies (ICCS) at Tsinghua University, Hus theories enjoyed prominent standing in state media coverage, academia, social media, and the like.

That all changed with the U.S. sanctions against ZTE and the start of the Sino-American trade war. Hu Angangs academic works are at the center of criticism, and Amazing China is no longer shown in theaters. More than one thousand Tsinghua alumni have signed a petition demanding that Hu be fired.

Research With Chinese Characteristics

Unlike the free world, the social sciences in China have a very specific task, which is to eulogize the Partys leadership and demonstrate its greatness. Once a political decision is handed down from the CCP elite, all resources are devoted to it. In recent years, there have been numerous projects and grants established for the research of Xi Jinpings speeches, writings, instructions, and theories. Working on these subjects can bring prestige and funding. There was even the so-called Great Learning of Liangjiahe, referring to the village where Xi was sent to do farm work in his teens during the Cultural Revolution.

This kind of politically motivated research is not new. Within days of the political campaign against the Falun Gong spiritual practice that began on July 20, 1999, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) established a Falun Gong Phenomenon Comprehensive Research Group, headed by the vice dean of CASS and covering the six institutes of Philosophy, Marxism-Leninism, Religions, History, Sociology and Law.

In less than a month, from Aug. 3 to Aug. 31, the Research Group published more than 60 articles in the Party-run media, and enjoyed many grants for its operations. Much money and manpower were squandered just to prove the rectitude of then-Party leader Jiang Zemins persecution campaign. These worthless studies continue to this day, as does the repression of Falun Gong. Every year, the CCP sends delegations to Western countries to promote its persecution and invites foreigners to attend conferences in China, free of charge.

There has been no real academic freedom in China since the CCP seized power in 1949. After the Anti-Rightist Campaign of 1957, the Chinese intellectual, whether traditionally educated or trained with Western methods, has effectively ceased to exist. Scholars who conduct genuine research are marginalized. Even when reality does one day vindicate their findings, their voices go unheard among those who wield power.

Misleading and Misjudging

Following the humiliations involving ZTE and the tariffs levied by Washington on Chinese imports, Hu Angang has been lambasted on Chinese social media, his Tsinghua alumni, and even in some state-run media.

The fact that Hu can be criticized in public shows that he has been intentionally abandoned by some of the Party authorities, who otherwise exercise strict controls over online discussion. Hu wasnt in a position of any power. He wasnt the one who ordered the construction of artificial islands in South China Sea. He didnt create the One Belt, One Road policy. He couldnt have had any input on the abandonment of the tao guang yang hui (to conceal ones strength and bide ones time) strategy advocated by Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese leader who introduced the economic reforms. He probably doesnt know anyone in the Politburo Standing Committee personally. His theory is only a small corner of the whole picture.

Penny Pritzker, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, recently described a conversation she had had with Wang Yang, one of the CCPs seven Politburo Standing Committee members. In it, Pritzker explained to Wang how it was Chinas unfair trade policies that drove the American people to elect Donald Trump  and bring economic punishment upon the CCP regime.

That fact that Wang Yang could hear this information from Pritzker means that the Party leaders have ample opportunity to listen to reliable sources. In other words, the CCP leadership actively chooses to ignore facts and instead prefers to believe its own propagandistic research. The Partys approach of making empty promises had served it well in the past, so why would it fail now?

The Positive Feedback Loop

In most societies, intelligentsia and think tanks give negative feedback to policymakers, which provides some insurance that mistakes will be corrected eventually. But in communist China, once a policy  it is usually a bad one  is made by a paramount leader, the academics and the institutions will at once be set to work on conducting studies to demonstrate its greatness and importance. Meanwhile, the propaganda machines such as Peoples Daily, CCTV, or Xinhua gear up for the same mission: convince all Chinese people that the Party and its leaders are great, glorious, and correct. These efforts sometimes even manage to convince foreign governments and media.

This would be well and good were it not for the fact that the Party leaders, too, are convinced that they are great leaders and geniuses of statecraft. Their interaction with the Party media and academia forms a positive feedback loop, which will continue until the bad policy causes the collapse of the entire system.

In the CCPs 69 years of rule, not a single wrong policy or political campaign was stopped before it became a total disaster. The Cultural Revolution continued right up to the death of Mao Zedong. Before that, all political campaigns ended with the total destruction of the enemies of the Party.

The loop usually begins with the great brain of the top leader, not the scholars toeing the Party line. The researches are just active or passive reflections of policy. Most recently, it was the CCP and its leadership that misjudged the U.S. and President Trump, not the regime-controlled academics.

Hu Angang is not the only, or the most significant, of these academics. Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning is an even more prominent example. As a senior theoretician, he was the one who crafted the official ideological contributions of three generations of CCP leaders. No serious scholar could do this, but Wang did it nonetheless. He packaged Jiang Zemins rule by corruption into the Three Represents. He created Hu Jintaos Scientific Outlook on Development, which I still cant make sense of.

It came as a surprise when Wang became a Standing Committee member at the 19th Party Congress last year. Having served as the theorist behind the two previous Party leaders, he seemed like the last person Xi Jinping would tolerate in his administration. But Wang then crafted Xis China Dream.

Coming up with official ideology is easy, but Wang Huning is also in charge of propaganda, which has proven something of a catch-22. In order to pump up the Chinese peoples patriotism and nationalism, he must boast about Chinas political, economic, cultural, and military strength, at a time when the CCP is struggling to downplay its aims.

The CCP has toned down its jingoistic rhetoric, but not due to negative feedback. The real reasons are the sanctions against ZTE and the trade war that has put it in a precarious state.

No Backing Down

Reuters reported that there is disagreement within the CCP leadership as to how best to handle the trade war with the United States. This is probably the reason why Hu Angang can be criticized openly. But its not likely that the Party will really back down from the U.S. demands. Keeping promises made upon joining the WTO is something that the Chinese people or the Chinese state could do, but its impossible for the Communist Party.

The WTO regulations would benefit China and the Chinese people, but directly threaten the CCPs rule. For China to accept the request Washington placed with the WTO on July 26, would mean the dismantling of the CCPs socialism with Chinese characteristics. Free trade is simply incompatible with the CCPs rule.

Party leaders are determined to win the trade war at any cost. That cost is the well-being of the Chinese people.
16 Nurses Pregnant at One Hospital

It is not odd for a hospital to see 16 pregnancies. It is somewhat odd when all 16 expectant mothers are nurses in one unit there.

Sixteen Intensive Care Unit nurses at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona, have gotten pregnant this year. All are due between September and February.

The coincidence seemed so extreme the hospital held a press conference.

I know a couple of us did fertility treatments, Paige Packard, one of the nurses, said at an Aug. 17 news conference, according to CNN.

Thats how I ended up finding out that everyone was pregnant, Packard said.

I was like, Oh, well, I didnt plan this. Did we have some kind of pact going I didnt know about?'

The nurses are still on dutyso their patients cant help but notice that there seems to be a trend.

It was one after another, after another, after another, said Jolene Garrow, another of the pregnant nurses.

People were surprised that so many pregnancies started in so short a time span in such a limited area, said Ashley Atkins another nurse. Theyre wondering whats in the water.

Still on the Jobfor the Time Being

Being pregnant doesnt keep the nurses from performing most of their regular dutiesbut they need to be a little extra careful.

Certain infections and also chemotherapy drugs can be very toxic to the fetus, said ICU Nursing Director Heather Francis.

Otherwise, the only real changes have been at the hospital cafeteria.

One nurse asked the cafeteria staff if it would be possible to provide the kind of foods for which expectant mothers sometimes crave.

The next day there were pickles and olives, the nurse said.

All the nurses are eligible for 12 weeks of maternity leavewhich would leave the ICU dangerously understaffed if there hadnt been so much time to prepare.

Substitute nursing staff has already been scheduled to fill in the inevitable gaps.

Weve been planning for this for months, said Francis.

One part of the plan: all the expectant mothers are getting a special commemorative onesie so their infants can know they are part of a teamthe 2018 Banner Nurse baby team.

From NTD.tv
South Carolina Woman Walking Her Dog Killed by Alligator

A woman who was walking her dog in Beaufort County, South Carolina, was killed by an alligator, which reportedly dragged her into the water.

In a statement on Aug. 20, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office said it received a call at around 9:30 a.m. that someone was attacked by an alligator near the Sea Pines Plantation, a resort community on Hilton Head Island. Deputies then saw a body in a nearby lagoon.

When they arrived, fire personnel located the deceased woman inside of the lagoon and recovered her body, while deputies interviewed witnesses. Witness accounts indicate that the womanwho will be identified after her next of kin are notifiedwas walking her dog near the lagoon when she was attacked and pulled underwater by the alligator, according to the release from the sheriffs office.

The Post and Courier reported that 45-year-old Cassandra Cline was identified as the slain woman.

Officials stated that the Sheriffs Office Environmental Crimes Unit, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and Sea Pines Security were searching for the alligator. The Post and Courier later reported that the gator was captured by 11 a.m. local time.

The gator is said to be about 8 feet in length.

Beaufort County Coroner Edward Allen said that an autopsy will be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina to determine the cause of the womans death.

The dog was not killed during the alligator attack, officials said.

Sea Pines Living wrote a post on Facebook that warned residents and property owners about the attack.

Sea Pines CSA is actively working with local authorities to ensure necessary access to the site while the investigation is underway. At this time, little information is available about the individual or incident, the Facebook post reads. We are extremely saddened by this news and will share information with the community as it is made available.

Local authorities said the fatal alligator attack is the first one in decades in South Carolina, ABC News reported. Other than Clines death, there has been only one reported death in the past 42 years. But it remains a mystery as to whether alligators caused that womans death.

It was in 2016, David Lucas of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources told ABC. A lady wandered off from a nursing home and she was found [deceased] in a pond, bitten pretty badly. But we dontknowand I dont think well ever be able to determine because there were no witnesseswhether she fell in and was then bitten, or whether she was attacked and then dragged into the pond.

Last Fatal Gator Attack Was in June

In June 2018, Florida authorities said a 12-foot-long alligator attacked and killed a woman who was walking her dog in Davie, Florida.

Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

At the time, Florida Wildlife Commission spokesman Rob Klepper said in a statement that Shizuka Matsuki, 47, of Plantation, was found dead at the Silver Lakes Rotary Nature Park, according to the Miami Herald. We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Matsuki, Klepper wrote at the time.

Her dogs wont leave the pond, Davie Police Maj. Dale Engle told USA Today after the June attack. One of her dogs got bit by the gator.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrive at a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People on Nov. 9, 2017 in Beijing, China. (Thomas Peter - Pool/Getty Images)

Taming the Red Dragon in the Trade War

Washington is understandably seeking to resort to all available means to level the playing field in the current trade war with Beijing.

This war is specifically about the U.S. trade deficit with China, which has reached $152.2 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

But its really about much more than that.

The U.S. Trade Representative has found that Chinese theft of American IP currently costs between $225 billion and $600 billion annually.

In recent years, Chinese companies have used state funds to buy U.S. and European companies, thereby acquiring Western technology, including sensitive and classified information.

Meanwhile, U.S. tariffs on China have triggered another round of currency manipulationa weakened yuan can effectively offset Washingtons import tariffs against Beijing.

More fundamentally, decades of Western efforts to democratize the communist Middle Kingdom through granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations status, entry to the World Trade Organization, and allowing Beijing to be fully integrated into the global market has proven to be a fools errand.

The unbalanced trade with China is only a symptom of the predatory character of the Chinese regime.

While the United States presses the case for free and fair trade with China, it needs to bring other weapons to bear.

Knowing the Enemy

Sun Tzu (c. 544 B.C.496 B.C.), perhaps the best-known Chinese military strategist, tells us in The Art of War: Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.

It is imperative to keep in mind that China, with a population of 1.3 billion, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with only some 80 million members, arent the same thingthe CCP imported communism in the 1920s and has been imposing it upon the entire nation since 1949.

Political scientists are generally in agreement that all closed societies rely on three crucial conditions to sustain their survival: 1) controlling informationthis includes dissemination of misinformation; 2) using violence to maintain power; and 3) forcing the masses to accept an ideology that favors the rulers.

These three conditions all prove to be vital for the CCPs survival.

Today, those in open societies would consider it unthinkable to not have access to some forms of social media and an open internet. But sadly, 600 million Chinese internet users live within an artificially controlled intranet, thanks to the Great Firewall of China.

The CCP spends billions of dollars to strengthen its surveillance technology, including the facial and voice recognition know-how stolen from America. Now, Beijing is forcing Apple Inc. to build its cloud-data center inside China so that the regime has access to user information.

Fighting the trade war needs to include exploiting the weak points of the CCP by advancing internet freedom and the rule of law.

Bringing Down Chinas Great Firewall

In 2016, a Harvard study found that the CCP had hired millions who formed the so-called Fifty-Cent Army (a derogatory term used to describe contract workers popularly believed to be making 50 cents per post) to fabricate some 488 million social media posts per year. According to the study, most of the posts involve cheerleading for China, the revolutionary history of the Communist Party, or other symbols of the regime.

This misinformation can be nullified, with the Chinese internet becoming the means for replacing it with a factual appraisal of the regime.

According to a 2005 field test by Harvards Berkman Center for Internet and Society, among the top censored items on Chinas internet are The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, a book written by the editorial board of The Epoch Times that details crimes and human-rights violations perpetrated by the CCP over the past nine decades.

This book is so revealing and deadly to the legitimacy of the CCP that it isnt even denounced by the CCPs Propaganda Department nor by its media outlets, for fear of fostering public awareness.

The means exist for spreading the Nine Commentaries through the internet.

In a recent testimony before the U.S. Senate, former State Department official Ely Ratner proposed that Congress should provide resources and direct the Defense Department to develop the means to circumvent Chinas Great Firewall and make it easier for Chinese citizens to access the global internet.

This is a strategic proposal that has multiple long-term constructive implications: By making circumvention tools available, some 600 million Chinese internet users will be able to bypass the Great Firewall and communicate with the outside world, thereby creating an informed citizenry and disabling the impact of the CCPs propaganda machinery.

Over time, the informed masses will become powerful agents for social change. In addition, this is a relatively inexpensive way to bring about positive changes in China, compared with billions of dollars spent on an arms race. This is what the CCP most fears, since freedom of information will mark the end of a closed society.

Upon hearing Mr. Ratners testimony on bringing down Chinas firewall system, Bao Peng, a close aide to Chinas reform-minded former Premier Zhao Zhiyang and now a political dissident in Beijing, wrote on Twitter: I completely agree. Understanding their own China is what Chinese people need most, and this concerns dismantling the Great Firewall and access to the Internet freely! This is a matter that is both too significant and urgent!

There are a number of free U.S. circumvention tools for users in China and around the world. Most notably, Chinese internet users often rely on technology provided by two American companies: Free Gate and Ultra Surf. Both offer free digital tools that have been well-reviewed by the New York Times, the Washington Post, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard researchers.

While the capabilities of these two companies are severely limited due to lack of fundingthe developers are able-bodied Chinese engineers who successfully escaped to America after surviving the Tiananmen Square massacre or Beijings persecution of Falun Gongthey are passionate, perhaps more than anyone, about working to bring down Chinas firewall system.

To scale up and help meet the needs of Chinese internet users, these bright individuals, who have the worlds best circumvention technology, desperately need to acquire federal and private funding. Other circumvention tools such as small-scale VPN services based outside China are available, but they arent free and can easily be blocked by censors in China.

The US Global Magnitsky Act

The 2016 U.S. Global Magnitsky Act, which allows for sanctioning individuals from other countries for human-rights violations, also gives Washington leverage.

It is an open secret that many CCP officials have moved both their assets and family members overseas, especially to the United States. It is also public knowledge that many of these CCP officials have either directly or indirectly been involved in human-rights violations against underground Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetans, human-rights lawyers, and public intellectuals.

Denying these people entry visas to America and freezing their assets in the United States for their crimes would not only be sensible, but also would be a righteous thing to do under the jurisdiction of the Magnitsky Act.

Making CCP officials accountable for their human-rights crimes will not only protect Americas interests, but also will send a resounding message to all closed societies that America, as the leader of the free world, stands by and defends the U.N.s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Washington should also consider disclosing all the assets of the CCP officials in the United States, allowing the Chinese populace to be informed of where their tax money actually goes. After all, the income and assets of Chinese officials are a state secret in China.

For years, the Chinese Peoples Congress has failed to pass a bill requiring that CCP officials disclose their income and assets, despite public outcry.

In addition, if the Trump administration were to publish a list of CCP officials and their family members who are U.S. green card or passport holders, that would effectively undermine the CCPs ongoing anti-American and nationalist campaigns.

Disclosing information about assets and immigration status also would cause grave problems for the CCP. It isnt difficult to imagine the level of public outrage should such information become available inside China, where inequality is immense and Gini co-efficiency is well beyond 4.0the warning point for social unrest. Transparency or the right to know seems a simple thing, but it can be essential to the well-being of any society.

To tame this Red Dragon in the trade war, we might again wish to follow the wisdom of Sun Tzu, who said, the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Perhaps a more impactful strategy would be to target the CCPs weakest points: fear of citizenry awareness from an uncensored internet and retributive justice for its human rights violations under the U.S. Global Magnitsky Act.

At the end of the day, this isnt about a skirmish with the CCP on trade alone, but a war seeking to end its consistent betrayal of humanity.

Peter Zhang focuses his research on political economy in China and East Asia. He is a graduate of Beijing International Studies, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and of Harvard Kennedy School as an Edward Mason Fellow.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A Chinese employee makes US national flags at a factory in Wuyi, in China's eastern Zhejiang Province, on Nov. 6, 2017. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Trade War Pressures America Inc.s Factories to Move out of China

SHENZHEN/SHANGHAI/HONG KONGLarry Sloven arrived in southern China three decades ago, just as the region was taking off as the low-cost manufacturing center of the world. Since then, he has exported millions of dollars of goods, ranging from power tools to LED lights, to some of Americas biggest retailers.

That era may now be coming to an end.

For years, Sloven has seen profits whittled away by rising costs, tighter regulations, and Chinese regime policies aimed at building a more sustainable and services-oriented economy that have squeezed lower-end manufacturers.

But the final straw may be the prospect of tariffs stemming from a trade war between the United States and China, and a world of more protectionism.

Its been step, by step, by step. And its been getting more and more expensive to produce products in China, said Sloven, president of Capstone International HK, a division of Capstone Companies, from Deerfield Beach, Florida, a maker of consumer electronics goods.

Manufacturers have been feeling the squeeze as China shifts its priorities from lower-end manufacturing to high technology industries as part of a broader bid to upgrade its economy.

But with tariffs looming, everybody finally woke up to the extent that maybe I should face reality, he said. Manufacturers were increasingly worried that the next group of tariffs would be the killer.

Sloven is now stepping up efforts to trim his exposure to China, diversifying into growing manufacturing centers like Thailand.

Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia are countries that have potential opportunities, he said. However, its not going to be as easy as many may think. And you dont know whats coming next in China.

Interviews with over a dozen manufacturers from medical device makers to agricultural equipment firms illustrate how companies exporting to the United States are now rethinking their calculations about making goods in China.

Before the tariffs came on board, we were looking to move about 30 percent of our production from China to the United States, said Charles M. Hubbs, European director at Premier Guard, a medical products manufacturer, citing reasons such as rising wages, a shrinking workforce, and soaring costs.

With the latest tariff development, assuming those tariffs will go into effect, well probably be moving about 60 percent of our manufacturing out of China to the United States.

Other companies are closely reviewing their options.

In the current tariff environment, its only natural for companies like ours and others to be internally reassessing the impact and taking steps to mitigate that, said a senior China-based executive with a major U.S. manufacturer.

Moves could include limiting additional sourcing from China, shifting sourcing to other countries, or bringing work back to the United States.

Mid-level officials from the two countries are set to hold trade talks this week in Washington, although the gap between the two sides over U.S. demands for greater market access remains wide.

Supply Chain Threat

The escalating tit-for-tat trade war between the United States and China, with President Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs on Chinese-made goods, could have huge implications for heavily integrated and globalized supply chains.

For some, the impact has been obvious and direct.

Georgia-based AGCO Corp told the United States Trade Representative that tariffs would make the farm equipment it makes in Changzhou, a city in Chinas Jiangsu Province, price-uncompetitive in the United States.

Maroon Group, a chemical maker from North America, said it would be priced out of the market, a concern echoed by Goodman Global, a unit of Japans Daikin Industries that assembles air conditioners in Houston from Chinese-made parts.

Some firms have already made their moves. The furniture makers At Home Group and RH have said they will cut back production in China.

Others are trying to adjust supply chains. DSM China, part of the Dutch nutrition firm Royal DSM, is looking to replace U.S. soybeans with new ingredients such as pea powder it can source locally to avoid Beijings retaliatory import duties.

Rising risk from the trade tensions gave us good impetus to check out how we look at the whole business, said Bernard Cheung, director of global strategic marketing at DSM China.

For some, the response has been dictated by where they sit in the supply chain.

U.S.-based GMM Nonstick Coatings has moved some production to India after a 30-40 percent drop-off in China orders for advanced chemicals used to coat American household kitchenware brands such as George Foreman and Bakers Secret, as those clients move some production out of China.

This tariff thing is adding extra friction to being in China and its making the decision to shift production quite easy for U.S. sourcing departments, said Ravin Gandhi, GMMs chief executive.

Doing the Sums

In Southern Chinas Pearl River delta, the cost of renting industrial and commercial space has surged around 80 percent in the past eight years, while companies have complained of soaring labor costs.

Production costs are cheaper in the U.S. than in China, said Yuan Juyou, deputy head of marketing at Wonderful Group, a ceramics maker. Even though labor costs are more expensive, we have automated a lot of processes. Plus electricity, land, these kinds of costs are cheaper than China.

Wonderful, a unit of the Chinese manufacturer Marco Polo, began shipping products from its new factory in Tennessee in June.

Regional rivals are also starting to sense an opportunity to step up and into Chinas competitive space. Thailand is actively promoting itself as a regional manufacturing hub, offering incentives such as an exemption of up to eight years on corporate income tax for certain industries and exemptions on import duties for some raw materials.

The countrys corporate income tax rate of 20 percent also ranks it as the second-lowest among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to Thailands Board of Investment.

Thailand is already a major center for some electronics and components, and the government plans a series of industrial zones to push development of target industries.

A China-ASEAN free trade deal also helps mitigate the trade-war risk for companies trading with both the United States and China.

The Thai government is making it very easy now to move down there, said Sloven.

By Samantha Vadas, Anne Marie Roantree, Adam Jourdan, David Stanway, Brenda Goh, John Ruwitch, Elias Glenn, Holly Chik, Maggie Liu, & Wong Sue-Lin.
Trump Questions If Sessions Will Fire DOJ Official Bruce Ohr

President Donald Trump took to Twitter to press Attorney General Jeff Sessions on whether hell fire Justice Department (DOJ) official Bruce Ohr, amid revelations that Ohr served as a middleman between private anti-Trump researchers and the FBI in 2016 and 2017.

Ohr maintained contact with former British spy Christopher Steele, the author of the infamous dossier of unverified opposition research on Trump, even after the FBI terminated Steele as a source in November 2016. Ohr did so while his wife, Nellie Ohr, was working for Fusion GPS, the same firm that was working with Steele to conduct the anti-Trump research.

Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions Justice Department? A total joke! Trump wrote on Twitter on Aug. 20.

In a follow-up message, Trump quoted Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) who told Fox News that Ohr is at the center of false allegations, which led to a multi-million dollar investigation into what apparently didnt happen.

Trump had previously threatened to revoke Ohrs security clearance. If the president follows up, Ohr is certain to lose his job, since officials of his grade at the DOJ require security clearances, according to national security attorney Mark Zaid.

The job he has at the Justice Department requires him to maintain his eligibility, Zaid said. For most jobs in the government now, clearance is required.

Ohr was the fourth-highest-ranking Justice Department official throughout 2016 and part of 2017, when he was in regular contact with Steele. The president began spotlighting Ohr in Twitter messages after documents surfaced detailing extensive communications between Ohr and Steele.

When Trump announced that he is revoking former CIA Director John Brennans security clearance, Ohrs name appeared on the list of nine officials whose clearances also may be revoked.

Any access granted to our nations secrets should be in furtherance of national, not personal, interests, Trump said in a statement on Aug. 15.

Two days later, when asked if he would be taking away Ohrs clearance, Trump indicated that he may soon do so.

I think Bruce Ohr is a disgrace. I suspect Ill be taking [his clearance] away very quickly, Trump said on Aug 17.

After the FBI terminated Steele as a source for leaking to the media, he fed information to the bureau through Ohr. The pair stayed in touch for more than a year after the FBI prohibited Steele from obtaining intelligence on the bureaus behalf. Ohr aided Steele and tried to reinstate the ex-spy with the bureau and link him with special counsel Robert Muellers TrumpRussia investigation team.

The DOJ demoted Ohr twice after learning that he had failed to disclose that his wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPSthe same firm that hired Steele to dig for dirt on Trump. Nellie Ohr worked on the same opposition research project targeting Trump as Steele in the summer and fall of 2016, according to Fusion GPS court filings.

On May 23, 2016, roughly a month after the Clinton campaign hired Fusion GPS through a law firm, Nellie Ohr applied for and received a HAM radio license. A HAM radio can be used to circumvent standard communications intercepts.

Bruce Ohr is scheduled to testify behind closed doors on Aug. 28 before a joint session of the House Judiciary and Government Oversight committees, which are investigating FBI and DOJ actions surrounding the 2016 presidential election.

Issa, who is part of the investigation, told Fox News on Aug. 19 that lawmakers plan to ask Ohr why he maintained the dialogue with Steele and kept the communications secret. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) said he plans to ask Ohr if he acted on his own or received approval from his superiors. Ohr, at the time, reported to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.

The real question that we need to find out from Mr. Ohr is: Was he just a rogue employee acting improperly on his own or did he have some authority from within the Department of Justice and was Sally Yates aware of what he was doing? Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) told Fox News on Aug. 19.

Yates was among a handful of FBI and DOJ officials who signed off on a secret court application for a warrant to surveil former Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page. The applicants failed to disclose that the core of the evidence in the application came from the Steele dossier, that Steele had a known bias against Trump, or that Steele was in touch with Ohr.

The White House and the DOJ didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.
White House Counsel Don McGahn heads to a meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 11, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump Blasts New York Times for Fake Story on White House Counsel

President Donald Trump wrote a series of messages over the weekend of Aug. 18 and 19 criticizing The New York Times about a story that suggested White House counsel Don McGahn has gone to unusual lengths to assist the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller.

The newspaper detailed that McGahn had provided 30 hours of testimony to Mueller, as well as details the special counsel would not have otherwise discovered. In response, Trump clarified that he had cleared McGahn and other members of his team to cooperate fully with Mueller because he has nothing to hide.

The failing [New York Times] wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel [sic] Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel [sic], he must be a John Dean type RAT. But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to, Trump wrote.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type RAT. But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2018

I have nothing to hide and have demanded transparency so that this Rigged and Disgusting Witch Hunt can come to a close, he added. So many lives have been ruined over nothing  McCarthyism at its WORST! Yet Mueller & his gang of Dems refuse to look at the real crimes on the other side  Media is even worse!

.and have demanded transparency so that this Rigged and Disgusting Witch Hunt can come to a close. So many lives have been ruined over nothing  McCarthyism at its WORST! Yet Mueller & his gang of Dems refuse to look at the real crimes on the other side  Media is even worse!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2018

The president also said that the two reporters who wrote the story, Michael Schmidt and Maggie Haberman, knew that it was not true that McGahn had turned on the president. Trump has previously criticized Haberman as a Hillary flunky.

According to the president, some members of the media were very angry about the New York Times report and called to complain and apologize, which he called a big step forward.

From the day I announced, the Times has been Fake News, and with their disgusting new Board Member, it will only get worse! Trump wrote on Aug. 19.

The disgusting new board member the president is likely referring to is Sarah Jeong, a writer with a history of making racist comments toward white people. Jeong was recently hired by the newspaper for its editorial board. After a batch of racist tweets by Jeong came to light, the newspaper defended hiring Jeong.

Jeongs response was that the tweets were intended as satire and that she was mimicking the language of [her] harassers.

In another message, the president suggested that the collusion and obstruction for which he is under investigation were actually committed by Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party.

Since last year, investigators in Congress probing allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia have unearthed voluminous evidence that a small group of senior officials at the FBI and the Justice Department colluded to investigate the Trump campaign. The officials used shaky evidence scooped from a dossier of unverified opposition research compiled by a former British spy and paid for by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Several of the senior officials involved in the operations, including then-FBI Director James Comey, then-FBI Director Andrew McCabe, and then-Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, have been fired. Others have been demoted or have resigned.

All of the resignations and corruption, yet heavily conflicted Bob Mueller refuses to even look in that direction, Trump wrote.
A man walks out of The Boston Globe on Feb. 20, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. On Aug. 16 the Globe organized 300 plus newspapers to publish editorials accusing President Donald Trump of a relentless assault on the free press. (Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

Trump Takes on the Media Goliath

After 20 months of one-sided attacks, smears, and caricatures of President Donald Trump and his administration, more than 300 newspapers across the United States joined together on Aug. 16 to do one thing.

Apologize to their readers for their bias? Not a chance. Declare a truce? Not until hell freezes over. Pause for introspection? No way. They did the banalest thing one can possibly imagine: They published editorials to collectively condemn Trump.

What did Trump do to warrant their wrath? The participants claimed they were defending press freedom. It is true that Trump repeatedly has called some news media fake news and more recently dubbed fake news the enemy of the American people.

But those are merely words. As a citizen, Trump is completely within his rights to speak freely. The press has called him idiot, buffoon, doofus, and much worse. When Trump hits back in kind, the media appears to be shockedthey cant take their own medicine.

As president, Trump hasnt signed any law or issued any executive order that would infringe on press freedom. Sure, one doesnt have to enact laws or executive orders to curb press freedom. The government can harass journalists, bug their phones, intercept their personal communications, and target them for criminal investigations.

Was it Trumps Department of Justice that bugged 20 phone lines at The Associated Press in a two-month period in 2012? No, that was Obamas. Did the Trump administration threaten to throw a New York Times reporter in jail, despite the fact that it didnt really need his cooperation? No, that was Obamas. Was it the Trump administration that labeled a journalist a possible co-conspirator in a leak probe and had his personal emails monitored? No, that was under Obama.

In the words of one of the involved journalists, Obama was the greatest enemy to press freedom in a generation. Do you remember the 300+ courageous newspapers that blasted the Obama administration in unison when it blatantly tramped press freedom? Me neither. Why didnt the media protest? Was press freedom not so precious for them then?

They didnt because they have been a part of the mainstream mediaDemocratic Party complex for a long time. To the media, Obama was one of them; he had to be protected and revered. But Trump was the enemy; he had to be assailed. In the 2016 election cycle, only 19 newspapers in the United States endorsed Trump, but more than 240 threw their support behind Hillary Clinton. Do you think that was a coincidence?

Because of the medias political alliance with the left, they have helped create the TrumpRussian collusion hoax and shilled for it ever since; they cheered when Trumps former associates were indicted by Mueller but defended every shady deal by Hillary Clinton; they are not interested in exposing the FISA abuse and all sorts of shenanigans by the FBI and DOJ, yet focused their attention like a laser beam on Trumps alleged affairs with a stripper and a Playboy model. To advance the Democrats agenda and thwart Trumps, the media went all in. And they wonder why the majority of Americans dont trust them.

Mainstream media spent 20 months trying to wreck Trumps approval ratings and failed. The idea that 300+ anti-Trump editorials in one day will magically move the needle in their favor is laughable. If it accomplishes anything, it is revealing this: In Trumps one-man challenge against the mediaDemocrat complex, the complexfor the first time in contemporary historyis not winning. They failed to define Trumpinstead, Trump defined them.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
German journalist Mesale Tolu holds a news conference at her lawyer's office in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 18, 2017. (Reuters/Osman Orsal)

Turkey Lifts Travel Ban on German Journalist

ISTANBULTurkey has reversed its decision to ban a German journalist from leaving the country while she awaits trial on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization, the journalist said on her Twitter account on Aug. 20.

Mesale Tolu confirmed on her Twitter account German media reports that the travel ban Turkish authorities imposed since she was released from prison in December after eight months in detention had been suspended.

As a result of my lawyers application, my ban on traveling abroad has been lifted, Tolu wrote on her Twitter account in Turkish. My prosecution will continue on Oct. 16.

Germany has demanded the release of several of its citizens, some of Turkish origin, as a necessary step to improve ties with Turkey.

Relations between the NATO partners soured after Germany condemned Turkeys arrests after a failed 2016 coup of some 50,000 people, and the suspension or firing of 150,000 others, including teachers, judges and soldiers.

Ties have improved in recent months, especially after Turkey released German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel in February.

Eight German citizens are being detained in Turkey on political grounds, including one arrested last week. Turkey has also arrested several U.S. citizens.

Germany has urged Turkey to improve ties with the United States and Germany, which would ease an economic crisis sparked by a sharp fall in the lira.

By Daren Butler and Joseph Nasr
UK Government Takes Control of Squalid Birmingham Prison

Inspection revealed violence carried out with 'near impunity' as prison staff locked themselves away

The British government has taken over the operations of a squalid prison after inspectors found fearful staff members locking themselves in offices as growing violence among inmates was carried out with near impunity.

Birmingham prison, which was hit by rioting two years ago, had been run by G4S Security Group, the worlds largest security company.

The Ministry of Justice said Aug. 20 it would take over the prison for an initial six-month period, after an inspection found blood, urine, vomit, and feces left in cells, showers, and corridors, as well as staff members asleep during lockup periods.

Inspectors to the prison noted feeling physically affected by the drugs in the atmosphere.

When inspectors, at one point, raised the fact that drugs were clearly being smoked on a wing, the response from staff was to shrug, wrote Peter Clarke, chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, in a letter to the justice secretary.

The inspection found almost all of the windows in the older wings of the Victorian prison building had been smashed, and observation panels in cell doors were frequently smashed and subsequently covered by prisoners.

Prisoners said that they didnt feel safe even in their locked cells, with urine squirted through broken observation panels. The report also described one incident of an inmate with a personal odor problem being sprayed with a fire hose by other inmates through the observation panel.

Staff was fearful of challenging prisoners, following a series of attacks and threats on staff, including an arson attack in a secure car park that destroyed nine staff vehicles, including two belonging to inspectors.

Clarke said he hadnt seen anything like the conditions in the prison before.

Think of squalor, filth, the air hanging heavy with the smell of drugs, the dilapidated physical environment, a sense of great instability, the feeling that at any time violence could break out, he told BBC Radio. Put all that together, and what you have is a sense of an establishment that could not possibly fulfill any of the objectives of imprisonment.

Across England and Wales, there are 123 prison establishments, including youth-offender institutes and other detention centers; 17 of them are run by private companies.

The Ministry of Justice said that in general contracted prisons are among the best performing across the prison estate.

G4S, which employs 570,000 people in more than 90 countries, said the prison faced exceptional challenges.

Jerry Petherick, managing director of G4S Custody & Detention Services, said in a statement, The well-being and safety of prisoners and prison staff is our key priority and we welcome the six-month step-in and the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Justice to urgently address the issues faced at the prison,

G4S shares fell 2.6 percent in early trading on Aug. 20.

What we have seen at Birmingham is unacceptable and it has become clear that drastic action is required to bring about the improvements we require, said Prisons Minister Rory Stewart.

The government said it would put in place a new governor, more staff, and move about 300 prisoners to other sites.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Dear Abby: I am in my late 20s and dating a man in his mid-30s whom I am crazy about. We have been dating for a year and are starting to discuss marriage and children. Hes kind, hard-working, gives back to the community and does everything he can to make me happy. My problem is his family. His mother curses and yells at him every few months, usually around the holidays when he tells her hes splitting his time between his family and mine. She breaks him down any way she can, such as finding fault with me or bringing up mistakes he made 10 or 15 years ago. His sister tells him often that she doesnt like me because of things she claims I said or did. She has also attacked me on social media. The rest of the family gets involved in the drama and even blackmailed him when he tried to ignore them. ...He would make an amazing husband, but I am unsure how  or if  I can get past his toxic family.

Happily Ever After?





Dear Happily: I can see why you would question a future with a man from a family that guilts, manipulates and lies to the degree that his does. Whether you can overcome the baggage he will carry after you leave the altar is debatable. It might help if the two of you discuss this not only with each other, but also with a clergyperson who can give you unbiased premarital counseling. If you do get married, consider moving farther away from his family to secure your independence.

Dear Abby: My teenage son came to us because he feels lonely and like no one cares. He says he knows his family is there for him and loves him, but hes looking for that special girl. I talked to him and tried to let him know that right now he needs to focus on himself and where he wants to go with his life, and eventually he will meet someone. He has now told me that he has had thoughts of hurting himself and wants to talk with a counselor. We have made an appointment for him. My question is, is it a good sign that he is seeking help now before he has done anything?

Very Concerned Mom in Arizona

Dear Mom: Kudos to your son. The people you have to worry about are the ones who hide their sadness and pretend everything is OK when it really isnt. I assume that you made an appointment for your son with a licensed mental health professional. When your son goes, encourage him to be as open with his therapist about his feelings as he can.
It was an immature use of social media. He was unaware that it would be as big a deal as it really is, Hansen said, noting the post was made from the boys real account and not a fake account.
A British woman on a cruise touring the Adriatic Sea fell into the water 60 miles off the coast of Croatia, apparently spending about 10 hours treading water before she was pulled into a rescue boat.

The woman, who gave only her first name, Kay, spoke to reporters shortly after her rescue ship arrived at a Croatian dock.

"I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me," she told HRT, Croatia's state television network.

But many questions remain about Kay's ordeal, including how she got into the water and how she was able to survive for almost half a day. She declined to tell reporters how she fell off the Norwegian Star cruise ship or what happened in the moments just before.

David Radas, a spokesman for the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told the Sun: "It is still not confirmed whether the British woman has fallen off or jumped from the cruising ship."

The cruise company is expected to review closed-circuit cameras to determine the sequence of events.

The company said the woman went overboard as the Norwegian Star was headed to Venice. When the crew realized that someone had fallen into the water, they stopped the ship and mounted a search.

They also notified the Croatian navy and coast guard. The military used a PC-9 aircraft and a patrol boat that was less than a mile from the ship when the woman was reported missing.

They used calculations about wind speed and ocean currents to determine which direction Kay may have traveled. Around 9:40 p.m., they spotted her in the sea. Five minutes later, she was in the rescue craft.

Photos of the rescue showed the woman climbing into the gray military craft and, later, walking unaided. In another picture, she is sitting at a table in the boat, smiling, surrounded by her rescuers.

"The British woman was exhausted when we pulled her out of the water," ship captain Lovro Oreskovic said, according to a Croatian navy news release. "We were extremely happy for saving a human life."

The cruise company said the woman was physically OK after her ordeal.

"We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition," the cruise company said in an email to The Washington Post. "We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."

The Norwegian Star is a 965-foot-long craft that can handle up to 2,348 guests. It has a spa, a casino, and 10 bars and lounges.
Neither priest had been convicted of a crime, so there is no legal prohibition for them living near a school. But the Joliet Diocese in a statement acknowledged credible allegations of sexual abuse exist against one of the priests, and he has been listed on the Diocese of Joliet website since 2012 as a priest with a credible/substantiated allegation of sexual abuse against minors. The other priest in question is facing criminal sexual assault charges in Kankakee County that do not involve children.
1 hour ago

India, UK to launch global solar grid project at COP26

NEW DELHI (AP)  India and the U.K. will launch a project that aims to create a solar grid connecting countries in different parts of the world at the upcoming U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland. The project, known as the Green Grids Initiative, is being initiated by the International Solar Alliance, which was launched by India and France at the 2015 Paris climate conference to promote solar energy.

Read Article
The safety and security of our students is our first and foremost priority at Fenwick, the Rev. Richard Peddicord, the schools president, said in a news release. They truly are our most valuable resource, and we need to do whatever it takes to protect them when they venture across our moat and drawbridge from the secular world.
Mazzuca said the City Council is not sharing its evaluation of Gilmore with the public on the advice of legal counsel. In 2016, after a few years of conducting open discussions regarding the performance of the previous city manager and posting his evaluations online, the citys newly hired legal counsel, Ancel Glink, told city officials that making the city manager's job evaluation public violated the states Personal Records Review Act.
Weve already scheduled a grand opening for the new restaurant thats going to take place after they do some renovations, said Gail Haller, executive director of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce. That grand opening is scheduled to take place during a Business After Hours event on Oct. 18, she said, though the restaurant is expected to open prior to this date.
7 SEP - Phuket Sundowners hosted by AustCham

Start From: Friday 7 September 2018, 04:30PM to Friday 7 September 2018, 09:00PM Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.

Taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings at the Boat Lagoon, the Phuket Sundowners offers a chance to enjoy an evening on the docks with the resting vessels, while networking with like-minded people from the business community. Prior to the Sundowners, we will hold a Panel Discussion on the The expectations of the Phuket Hotel and Tourism industries from the Phuket marine industry, and vice versa, with panel details to be released shortly.
On July 21, 2016, nine days after the Pulse attack, Hicks discussed getting busy with a FBI source who Hicks believed was an ISIS supporter, according to the memorandum. Hicks sent the source manuals with detailed information about how to manufacture and use explosives and poisons and discussed how to get firearms and practice with them, court records state. Hicks talked about coordinating the attacks to create more of an audience, the memorandum states.
Belarusian model claiming Trump secrets pleads not guilty in sex training case

PATTAYA: A Belarusian model who sparked global intrigue after claiming she had evidence of Russian efforts to help Donald Trump win office today (Aug 20) pleaded not guilty to charges of running an illegal sex training class in Pattaya.

crimeimmigrationsexRussian

By AFP

Monday 20 August 2018, 01:35PM

Anastasia Vashukevich has been detained in Pattaya since February when police raided a risque sex training seminar in the seaside resort city of Pattaya. Photo: Thai News Pix / AFP / Krit Promsakla Na Sakolnakorn

Anastasia Vashukevich, better known by her pen name Nastya Rybka, has been detained in Pattaya since February when police raided a risque seminar in the seaside resort.

Vashukevich had travelled to Thailand after becoming embroiled in a political scandal with Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska, a one-time associate of Trumps now-disgraced former campaign director Paul Manafort.

She set off a scramble for details after she promised in an Instagram video to reveal missing puzzle pieces on claims the Kremlin aided the US Presidents 2016 election victory.

No material has been released to substantiate her claims, and critics have accused her of a publicity stunt.

Vashukevich and her seven co-defendants arrived at the Pattaya court today for a pre-trial hearing on the charges that include unlawful assembly and conspiracy.

Police initially charged the group with work permit violations but later alleged the seminar, led by self-styled Russian seduction guru Alex Kirillov and ostensibly a course training participants to be better lovers, was actually intended to arrange paid sex for participants.

Photos of course participants in detention after the February raid showed them wearing T-shirts that said sex animator.

Kirillov, who has served as a spokesperson for the mostly-Russian group because he speaks English, told the court that all eight defendants were pleading not guilty.

We did not commit any crimes, he said. What we do is training on how to seduce men and women. We do not make any sexual activity.

Vashukevich cried after the prosecutor showed a photo of several of her co-defendants hugging at a nightclub after a training session.

Why was I arrested? Why am I here? she said.

The next hearing has been set for August 27.

Both Washington and Moscow have publically shrugged off Vashukevichs story, which US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert described as bizarre.

Additional legal troubles are also awaiting Vashukevich and Kirillov back in Russia, where Deripaska won an invasion of privacy lawsuit against the duo last month.

They were ordered to pay $8,000 (B265,280) each to Deripaska, who sued them after a video apparently filmed by Vashukevich surfaced which appeared to show the tycoon holidaying with Sergei Prikhodko, an influential Russian deputy prime minister at the time.

Kremlin-connected Deripaska and Manafort did business together in the mid-2000s, The New York Times reported last year, but their relationship broke down into legal wrangling.

Manafort is awaiting a verdict in his own trial on fraud and tax evasion charges in the US state of Virginia.
Chinese tourist drowns at Racha

PHUKET: A 32-year-old Chinese tourist drowned at Koh Racha Yai yesterday afternoon (Aug 19) in less than 48 hours after arriving in Phuket on holiday with his family.

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By Eakkapop Thongtub

Monday 20 August 2018, 10:08AM

Rescue workers bring Mr Zhangs body to shore at Koh Racha Yai yesterday afternoon (Aug 19). Screengrab: Tourist Police

Capt Somkiet Sarasin of the Chalong Police was informed at 1:40pm that Zhang Guojun, from Beijing, had been pulled from the sea at the main beach on Koh Racha Yai.

Attempts to revive Mr Zhang on the beach failed, yet rescue workers continued their efforts while rushing him back to Chalong Pier by speedboat, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Zhang arrived in Phuket on holiday with his family on Friday (Aug 17) and checked in at the Ban Raya hotel on Koh Racha on Saturday, police confirmed.

The family had scheduled to check out from the hotel yesterday and was to board their return flight home this Thursday (Aug 23).

While waiting to board their boat to return to Phuket, all four members of the Zhang family entered the water to swim despite red no swimming flags posted on the beach, police noted in their report.

All four were soon in dire need of assistance in the strong surf.

Three members of the family were rescued safely, but Mr Zhang was already unconscious and unresponsive when pulled from the water, police said.

Chinese consular officials have been notified of Mr Zhangs death, Capt Somkiet confirmed in his report.
Consumer Protection pull pla ra off Phuket shelves after rat carcass found

PHUKET: The Phuket Consumer Protection Office today ordered all bags of fermented fish, pla ra in Thai, be removed from the shelves of all stores of a well-known local supermarket after one customer found a rat carcass inside one of the bags.

animals

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Monday 20 August 2018, 05:51PM

Head of the Phuket Consumer Protection Office, Somnuk Harem, and other officials carry out there inspection of the well-known local supermarket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

All bags of pla ra have been removed from the shelves of all the supermarkets outlets across the island. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Head of the Phuket Consumer Protection Office, Somnuk Harem, and other officials carry out their inspection of the well-known local supermarket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Head of the Phuket Consumer Protection Office, Somnuk Harem, today (Aug 20) visited the main branch of the well-known supermarket following photos of the rat carcass in a bag of pla ra circulated on social media.

Mr Somnuk, who declined to name the store in question, together with other officials inspected 26 bags of pla ra and told the supermarket manager to take all bags of the traditional northeastern Thai seasoning off of the selves in all of the supermarkets outlets.

The supermarket manager told us that all their fermented fish is ordered from one supplier every week from the north of Thailand. When the product arrives in Phuket it is already bagged. However, the shops staff have to weigh the bags and put on price labels.

The item is then placed on the shelves for sale, Mr Somnuk explained.

The supermarket manager said they didnt know who produced the product, but said they had never had problems with the item in the past, he added.

On September 30 last year, Super Cheap discontinued their orders of pla ra from their supplier after officials confirmed that the suspect meat in a customers order was snake, not fish, as ordered.

We learned from Super Cheap management that the reptile was mixed with pla ra during the packaging process at a factory in Pathum Thani (outside Bangkok), Panida Mevichear of the Phuket Consumer Protection Office told The Phuket News on Sept 30. (See story here.)
Multiple quakes rock Indonesias Lombok island, five dead

INDONESIA: Multiple earthquakes  including a powerful and shallow 6.9-magnitude tremor  have rocked the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, killing at least five people and setting off fresh waves of panic.

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By AFP

Monday 20 August 2018, 09:07AM

Workers take down a damaged shop on earthquake-hit Lombok. Photo: Adek Berry / AFP

A series of quakes were recorded by seismologists throughout yesterday (Aug 19), the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday which triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover.

It was followed nearly twelve hours later by a quake measuring 6.9 and at least five more significant aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey.

The picturesque island is already reeling from two devastating quakes on July 29 and August 5 that killed nearly 500 people and made hundreds of thousands homeless.

Local disaster agency spokesman Agung Pramuja said five people were killed by the quake late yesterday evening, two in eastern Lombok and three on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa.

So far five people died and scores of people are injured. We are still collecting data on the exact number, Pramuja said today (Aug 20).

Officials have evacuated a number of patients from a hospital in Sumbawa island for fear of worse destruction.

Blackouts had hit much of Lombok, according to a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who posted pictures of cracked roads and video footage of a large fire that broke out in a village on Sumbawa.

One Lombok resident said the powerful tremor jolted him awake.

The earthquake was incredibly strong. Everything was shaking, Agus Salim said.

We were all sleeping in an evacuation tent. I had just fallen asleep when suddenly it started to shake.... Everyone ran into the street screaming and crying.

A dozen foreign guests at the hotel Lina Senggigi, which is in a popular tourist spot, were ushered out of the building as the quake struck.

The jolt was strong and quite long... Tonight we will ask our guests to sleep in the parking lot. Its safer that way, a staff member told Kompas TV.

Terrified evacuees in East Lombok prefer to stay in makeshift tents instead of going home.

Power is still off until this morning. Fortunately nobody was hurt here but people are still in shock, East Lombok resident Ujip Udin said today.

The morning quake caused panic but no widespread reports of damage. One person died from a suspected heart attack and there were reports of localised damage, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Landslides were reported in a national park on Mount Rinjani where hundreds of hikers had been briefly trapped after the quake in late July. The park has been closed since then.

Local disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agung Pramuja said several houses and other structures in the district of Sembalun, on the slopes of Mount Rinjani, collapsed yesterday after being damaged by the previous two quakes.

The structures included checkpoints once used by trekkers climbing the mountain, Pramuja said, adding that the exact number of damaged buildings was still being checked.

Yestedays tremors were also felt on the neighbouring resort island of Bali but there were no reports of damage.

The latest tremor comes two weeks after a shallow 6.9-magnitude quake on Aug 5 damaged tens of thousands of homes, mosques and businesses across Lombok.

At least 481 people died and thousands were injured.

The hardest-hit region was in the north of the island, which has suffered hundreds of aftershocks.

A week before that quake, a tremor surged through the island and killed 17.

The Aug 5 quake left more than 350,000 displaced, with many sleeping under tents or tarpaulins near their ruined homes or in evacuation shelters, while makeshift medical facilities were set up to treat the injured.

Badly damaged roads, particularly in the mountainous north of the island, are a headache for relief agencies trying to distribute aid.

The economic toll of the quake is estimated to be at least five trillion rupiah (B11.269 billion).

Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide and many of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.
Onyx marks topping off of OZO Phuket

PHUKET: ONYX Hospitality Group executives led by Italthai Group Chief Executive Officer Yuthachai Charanachitta last week joined a ceremony to commemorate the topping off of 255-room OZO Phuket hotel under construction at Kata, on Phukets southwest coast.

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By The Phuket News

Monday 20 August 2018, 10:59AM

Topping off Onyxs OZO Phuket (from left): Pierre Andre Pelletier, Regional Vice President Operations, South Thailand, Vietnam and the Maldives, ONYX Hospitality Group; Yuthachai Charanachitta, Group CEO of Italthai Group; and Douglas Martell, President & CEO, ONYX Hospitality Group.

Currently under development at a prime location a short walk from the Kata beachfront, the hotel is scheduled to open at a date yet to be announced next year.

The hotel will offer guest rooms specifically designed for enhanced sleep, smart connectivity of personal devices in rooms and public areas and curated destination tips by team members who know the locality well.

The hotel will also feature OZOs signature EAT all-day dining restaurant best known for energizing breakfasts, the EAT2Go grab-and-go deli, TONE fitness centre and TALK meeting rooms. A unique highlight of OZO Phuket is its two separate pools  an activity pool designed for kids adjacent to a free-form main pool.

In announcing the OZO Phuket in November last year, Douglas Martell, President and CEO of ONYX Hospitality Group, told Travel-Weekly Asia, Capping off an eventful year of hotel openings and new deal agreements across several Asian countries, we are proud to announce this new development in a prime destination within our home base of Thailand.

This new hotel will complement our flagship Amari Phuket, which has been relaunched following extensive renovations and the introduction of an all-suites Ocean Wing. We look forward to offering travellers more options with our two distinct brands present on the island. (See story here.)

With plans for a number of milestone openings in 2018, including the companys first hotel in Vietnam, Ozo Hoi An, and the entry of the flagship Amari brand to Laos with Amari Vang Vieng, Onyx also has a strategic plan of opening 99 hotels across the Asia-Pacific region by 2024.

While international expansion is a key priority, Onyx continues to enhance its existing products, including a US$100-million investment in the redevelopment of Amari Pattaya. Set for completion in 2019, the site will incorporate a new Ozo hotel and the new premium Amari Pattaya Ocean Suites, adjacent to the Amari Pattaya Ocean Tower, which is currently being renovated, reported HotelBusiness.com. (See story here.)

In addition, Onyx has entered an agreement with United Kingdom-based Yoo Hotels & Resorts to manage and further develop Yoo Collection and Yoo2 hotels across Asia. The first Yoo Asia hotels to be developed will be in Phuket, Thailand, and Bali, Indonesia; both are scheduled to open in 2019, the report noted.

Its been another highlight year for Onyx Hospitality Group. We are delighted with the continued progress of our strategic expansion plan to take our hotels beyond Thailand across the Asia-Pacific region, with particular focus on our flagship Amari brand, which now has presence in Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia, Mr Martell said

An important milestone in 2018 will be introducing our midscale brand Ozo to Vietnam, and we are eager to see the response in the market, following its success in destinations such as Hong Kong and Koh Samui. We will also have key news to share in the months to come, as we prepare to enter the Australian market with Shama Luxe Aurora Melbourne Central, opening in 2019.
Regime woos South with billions of baht

BANGKOK: The government is expected to try to appease the southern region by approving a B200 billion budget during mobile cabinet meetings in Ranong and Chumphon province, according to a source.

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By Bangkok Post

Monday 20 August 2018, 08:48AM

With the election now likely to take place in late February, the prime ministers up-country trips take on more importance. Photo: Post Today

Provinces likely to get windfalls are Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Phatthalung, Surat Thani, Songkhla, Ranong and Chumphon provinces. One of the projects likely to receive a large share of the windfall is a Thailand Riviera initiative to upgrade coastal tourism, said a source who is familiar with the meeting preparation.

The two-day cabinet meeting starts today (Aug 20). The source told the Bangkok Post that this southern mobile cabinet had not originally been on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-chas agenda.

Gen Prayut earlier did not plan to visit the South because he was confident he would gain huge support from people in this region if he decides to return to the premiership after a general election next year, he said.

However, Gen Prayut changed his mind because recent problems such as low rubber prices have undermined the military governments popularity in the southern region which has typically been supportive of the military government.

Analysts are keeping an eye on the two-day visit to see whether political groups affiliated with the government will poach Democrat politicians and take them under their wings in bid to support the return of Gen Prayut as a prime minister.

While the political mood remains unclear, the visit has already prompted preparations for a new economic drive in the southern region.

Local officials and businessmen drafted several proposals ranging from surveillance camera installation to large projects such as seaside roads for tourism and an idea to build more ports to connect the South with the much-heralded Eastern Economic Corridor.

One of the lists comes from Chumphon province which is planning to ask the government for B8bn. Part of the spending will go to a project to build roads under the Thailand Riviera project, said Suphong Uea-ari, chairman of Chumphon Chamber of Commerce.

Thailand Riviera was heralded by this government in March. It is a rehash of the Royal Coast project, which was initiated in 2005 to upgrade tourism in provinces near and around Prachuap Khiri Khans Hua Hin resort district, home to a royal residential retreat.

Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong are four provinces which are likely to benefit from the Thailand Riviera project.

Surat Thani Governor Witchawut Chinto said his province planned to ask the cabinet to approve a B3bn budget for its development projects, including a plan to upgrade Surat Thani Hospital as a centre of excellence in medical care for the upper southern region.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has set a poll date of Feb 24 next year. The announcement received lukewarm responses from political observers and politicians.

Read original story here.
The Good Shepherd

The first time I met Vivienne Reis, her pleasant smile radiated and gleaming kindness sparkled in her eyes. An old Chinese saying states that ones eyes are the windows to ones soul. Right at that moment, I knew Vivienne Reis as the most kind-hearted person I have ever known.

Monday 20 August 2018, 09:00AM

Vivienne (centre) at the St Euphrasia BanYa Literacy Centre

Vivienne and her husband Peter arrived in Phuket from Perth Australia in 2009. Viviennes son Julian was in the process of building a villa in Laem Singh. So Peter came to help. Since then they have retired and have been living on the island.

However, retirement doesnt mean an end to helping out. Vivienne didnt need any reason to start volunteering. As a member of St. Vincent de Paul society in Perth and Sydney, Vivienne was working with local volunteers to deliver food for the homeless. In Singapore she volunteered at the Catholic organization Family Life, and assisted on the helpline for young pregnant girls and families. The girls were given accommodation in The Home of The Good Shepherd Sisters during their pregnancies.

Wherever she goes, Vivienne always helps the local communities. The Good Shepherd Sisters (GSS) have a vocational training centre in Patong. It was the first place she visited, where she assisted the Thai Sister Euphrasia as a volunteer in English and beauty classes, along with other volunteers. The goal was to give the bar girls who attended some new life skills. GSS ran a related program helping them find more solid employment outside of the Patong bar area.

The group also worked in the Rassada Pier area in Phuket Town helping the people in poverty. The first school was founded in that area where many children from the fishing families were educated for the first time. A Diocesan priest of Phuket gave GSS the old seafarers building, quite a run-down place harbouring rats and pigeons. Vivienne reached out to get the local World Construction and Engineering Company to help out, and with 50 workers and all the construction materials, it was renovated and rebuilt. It is now known as The Blue House, with 22 beds, housing women in need and it is currently being used by The-Seeds-of-Change craft group teaching pregnant women skills. The Blue House also assists those in need who require urgent accommodation.

In addition to the Blue House, The Home of Hope, Topland, is another home where Vivienne and her volunteer team assist the Sisters projects. Donated by a generous Italian in Bangkok, it has housed many pregnant girls for their prenatal and postnatal care. Money was raised by the volunteers to send an AIDS victim home to Myanmar, providing him enough money so he could travel home at the end of his life.

The GSS received many donations: clothes, shoes, books, toys, electrical appliances all second-hand. Vivienne never took no for an answer. Against all odds, Vivienne found a very kind landlord who offered his shop free for five years. With her persistence and other volunteers hard work, the Thrift and Craft Shop in Baan Wana Park is also contributing to help the poor children and their families. While the shop helps to clothe the needy, it gives volunteers a sense of purpose and community.



For Vivienne, volunteering gives her a purpose: to help the marginalized and the poor to have a better life. She also strongly believes in childrens education to get them and their families out of poverty.

Constant fundraising, assisting Sister Euphrasia in acquiring an old chapel in Patong, negotiating the sale of the building, visiting different camps, dropping off rice or food parcels, arranging crafts selling at stalls, church, hotels, and gift shops, organizing market-day fairs, Christmas fairs, organizing donations at church Vivienne did it all to create awareness of the Christian efforts of the Good Shepherd Sisters.

Life is like a painting, with cool-colour brush strokes here and there. But as long as there are people like Vivienne Reis, the base color of life will always be full of warm and glittering hopes.

There is and always will be someone like Vivienne. If you find yourself in a most lonely or desperate situation, he or she will give you a loving hug, will warm up your world with a simple word and lighten up your life. Vivienne deeply believes that there is always a way to help.

Be gentle to the people around you. You should keep your belief in kindness, and act with a good heart. Your heart reflects the world in front of you. Whatever you are showing to others, the world mirrors it right back to you.

By Jill N. Wells

The Good Shepherd Sisters website: www.goodshepherdphuket.com

Address: 66/13 Soi Kepsab, Thavewong Road, Phuket.

Contact: Sr. Dr. Euphrasia Mesomklin, euphrasia@hotmail.com

St. Euphrasia Banya Literacy Centre website: www.wearebanya.com

The Thrift & Crafts Store: location: Wana Park  177 Moo 4 Srisoonthorn Road, Thalang. Hours of Operation: 10AM to 2PM on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
For Subscribers Nepotism probe, marijuana put spotlight on South Dakota Capitol

Legislative investigations, votes on cannabis policy and wins and losses for government transparency make for a hectic week in South Dakota politics.
I decided I would not run for 1st District councilman again and would instead be running for and seeking the office of mayor, Herzog told friends and family gathered in the pavilion area of the park located in his district. He said 2019 would be his 12th as a councilman.
The show was a gala concert billed as 'Nigel Kennedy and Friends'

This was the first time Plant sang Kashmir since Led Zeppelin's 2007 reunion at London's 02 Arena.
After months of cryptic messages, Robert Plant has revealed he is releasing a new album this October called 'Carry Fire'.

'Carry Fire' will be his eleventh solo album and his first full length release since 'Lullaby and...the Ceaseless Roar' in 2014.

To celebrate the release of his new album Plant will also begin a world tour in November 2017 with the Space Shifters.

The tour will start in the UK and Ireland and will tour all corners of the globe from there - which means that his tour will most likely come to New Zealand as well!

The tour dates are set to be announced soon and hopefully we'll see NZ on the list.

'Carry Fire' is set for release on October 13, 2017 and the albums first track, 'The May Queen' is out now, take a listen here.
Robert Plant was recently in an interview with The Strombo Show talking about his tough journey going forward after realising that the Led Zeppelin era was over. In all seriousness, It's a top-notch interview with Robert Plant-ing subtle dry jokes on occasion.

Plant said that it was when he was playing for a gig at the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights in Paris when he realised he needed to change. "I saw the guitarist in Radiohead... When it was time for his solo, he just knelt down and started messing with his pedals," he reminisced.

That's a lot different from what the world I have been in, of expressive gestures. I realised it was time to change.

That was when he started writing Dreamland. He carried on to talk about his latest album, Carry Fire and describe his journey into this 'new world' and reminisce what the music world was like during his prime with so many diverse musical talents around him.

Watch the full interview above.
"True Stories", a 1986 film directed by David Byrne will be getting a Blu-ray and DVD release accompanied by a 23-song soundtrack album this 20th Nov.

Often called a cult classic among David Byrne fans, the movie stars Byrne, John Goodman, Swoosie Kurtz and Spalding Gray in a little Texan town that is filled with strange and musical characters preparing to celebrate and converge on a local parade and talent show.

Byrne had described the film as a project with music inspired by true stories from tabloid papers. "It's like 60 minutes on acid," he claims. See the movie trailer below.
WASHINGTON  Business economists are sounding some sour notes about Trump administration policies, from trade to immigration to the budget, while expecting the short-term boost to growth from Republican tax cuts to lessen over time.

The National Association for Business Economics survey showed 91 per cent of respondents said current tariffs and threats of more to come were having unfavourable consequential impacts on the U.S. economy, according to a report released Monday. About two-thirds saw negative effects if the U.S. withdraws from the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada.

In the wake of large tax cuts enacted in late 2017, the share of those saying fiscal policy is too stimulative rose to 71 per cent from 52 per cent in February, according to the responses of 251 members collected from July 19 to Aug. 2. And 81 per cent said the federal deficits share of gross domestic product should be reduced.

Read more:

Opinion | Heather Mallick: Trump tariffs are a ticking bomb for numbed Americans

Trumps aluminum tariffs are unlikely to produce a major smelter revival, experts say

Trudeaus retaliatory tariffs aim to hit Republicans where it hurts

In general, the panel expects the federal deficit, as a percentage of the economy, to grow in the longer term, with eight out of 10 panellists indicating that fiscal policy should help shrink the deficit as a share of the economy, said survey chair Jim Diffley, an economist at IHS Markit Ltd.

The cautious views are at odds with the President Donald Trumps upbeat assessment in tweets last week saying the U.S. economy is better than ever. Trump has also touted low rates of youth unemployment and, recently, falling joblessness among African-American and Hispanic workers.

While survey respondents continued to see deregulation and tax cuts giving a boost to growth in the short term, they also saw the effects diminishing over time as government debt continues to rise.

Almost two-thirds said the U.S. corporate tax system following the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was an improvement over the previous regime in terms of equity and efficiency, while 25 per cent viewed it as somewhat worse or far worse than before.

Changes to personal income taxes fared worse, with only 31 per cent considering the new system better in terms of equity and efficiency and about 54 per cent judging it somewhat worse or far worse.

Some 37 per cent said the tax cuts would boost 2018 U.S. GDP growth by a quarter to half percentage point, while 24 per cent saw gains of a half point to three quarters of a point, the survey showed.

Forecasters were more upbeat on the Federal Reserve, with 76 per cent saying monetary policy is on the right track, the most in the semi-annual survey in more than 11 years, according to NABE. Nineteen per cent of respondents in the current survey said policy is too stimulative, while four per cent said the central banks stance is too restrictive.

Most panellists believe the Federal Reserves current inflation target of 2 per cent should be maintained. Of the remaining panellists, more favour raising the target than lowering it, said NABE Vice President Kevin Swift, chief economist for the American Chemistry Council.

Other findings included:

60 per cent said economic policy should do more to mitigate climate change

74 per cent said economic policy should do more to alleviate income inequality

63 per cent saw less than a 25 per cent chance of a meaningful infrastructure package in 2019

45 per cent said the Trump administrations deregulation drive has positively affected the economy so far, while 35 per cent saw it as a near-term plus that turns negative in the long run.

Read more about:
NEW YORKTesla Inc. slumped toward a fifth straight decline, the longest streak in more than a month, before rising at close amid fresh doubts about Elon Musks effort to take the company private.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. scrapped any modelling in its price target for the possibility that Musk will buy out some investors at $420 (U.S.) a share. JPMorgan analyst Ryan Brinkman, who rates Tesla the equivalent of a sell, said such a deal is potentially far from even being formally proposed. The bearish analysis followed a report Sunday that Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund  the very investor that Musk has described as a linchpin of his plan to take Tesla private  was considering buying a stake in another U.S. electric-car company.

The Saudis Public Investment Fund is in talks for a separate $1 billion investment in Lucid Motors Inc. that would give the fund control of that fledgling automaker, Reuters reported.

Tesla fell for most of the day in New York, pointing toward a fifth straight daily drop, before it bounced back and closed up 0.96% at $308.44. The slump would have been the longest streak since a similar run through July 6, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Investors have been rattled since Musk gave an alarming interview last week to the New York Times, in which he said no one reviewed his tweet about taking the company private before he posted it.

His description of using a prescription drug to sleep and of the toll that leading Tesla has taken on his personal life also raised questions about the well-being of the larger-than-life CEO.

Brinkman, who had hiked his price target on Tesla to $308 after Musks initial take-private tweet on Aug. 7, dropped it back to the earlier level of $195.

He cited the CEOs Aug. 13 blog post in which he said the Saudi PIF had asked for more information about how the transaction could be pulled off.

We now believe that such a process appears much less developed than we had earlier presumed, Brinkman wrote in a note to clients.

Taking Tesla private may be more along the lines of high level intention than a firm plan, the analyst said, so formally incorporating it into valuation analysis seems premature at this time.

Read more about:
Napoli Milionaria!

Written by Eduardo De Filippo. Translated by John Murrell from a literal translation by Donato Santeramo. Directed by Antoni Cimolino. Until October 27 at the Avon Theatre, 99 Downie Street. StratfordFestival.ca or 1-800-567-1600.

For the final opening at the Stratford Festival in 2018, artistic director Antoni Cimolino is going back  back to the first playwright he directed on his own at the festival, and back to his roots in Italy.

Eduardo De Filippos play Napoli Milionaria!, written in the midst of Italys complicated divide between Allied and German control during the Second World War and published in 1945, is an example in earnestness and sentiment. Cimolinos production leans into its morality tale, telling the story of Iovine family patriarch Gennaro (Tom McCamus) who is conscripted to serve, and comes home to a family and community corrupted by black market deals, shallow values, and selfishness.

Cimolino evidently wants to introduce Canadian audiences to this writer, not performed at the festival since 1997 but cherished in Italy and, as the program points out, known simply as Eduardo by the current residents of Naples. A new translation by Canadian playwright John Murrell smooths over the Neapolitan dialect in which it was written into an accessible style, perhaps turning the dialogue into a more formal exercise than its source material would convey to its original intended Neapolitan audience. The program offers some necessary contextual material  a timeline of Italys involvement of the war, an explanation of Mussolinis arrest and release by Germany which split the country into separate areas of military control, and a glimpse into the conditions that inspired De Filippo to write this play. It does help give shape to this familial tragicomedy  which starts leaning heavily on laughs and finishes in sombre devastation  and yet there still seems to be an impenetrable divide between action and audience.

De Filippos message, delivered with admiration by Cimolinos production, is that war unleashes both external and internal horrors  it destroys homes and bodies, but also character and integrity. Fear and scarcity turns human beings against each other out of survival, which can easily slide into greed. Sure, no ones arguing with that.

But locating the story entirely within the Iovine family home, it also virtually eliminates the context that drives the characters to their supposed moral depravity, primarily that of Gennaros wife Amalia (Brigit Wilson) who, through her connection with Errico (Michael Blake), sources black-market food for her neighbours for a marked-up price. Gennaro, a First World War veteran, disapproves but doesnt intervene. While he is home, such tricks are laughable  and in the case of Gennaro devotion to playing dead for Brigadiere Ciappa (Andre Sills), even as bombs fall near the house, noble. But when Gennaro disappears while fighting the current war, thats when De Filippo imagines the world loses its course.

Amalia and Erricos business has taken off, as has their personal relationship, Gennaros son Amadeo (Johnathan Sousa) has begun his own seedy partnership, and daughter Maria Rosaria (Shruti Kothari) spends her evenings out with her friends, cavorting with Allied soldiers, and you know where that always leads. The third act punishes the Iovines obsession with money and power, taking place a day after Gennaros surprise return, and all of the humour in the familys exploits is sucked out, with a few men (a doctor, Gennaro, Ciappa, and Amalias former client, played electrically by Tom Rooney) to point to the errors in their behaviour.

Julie Foxs realistic set and 1940s costumes follow this journey from humble to lavish to morose, but its not an accident that the action takes place exclusively in the home  the place that either saves or destroys a family. Its also the feminine domain  the opening scene demonstrates just how much orchestration by Amalia and Maria it takes to run a household, especially in wartime, as McCamus unspools Gennaros long-winded political rants and moral lessons (McCamus has seemingly found a perfect home for his particular knack for verbose, high-thinking men, but he also sometimes descends into mumbles). These women are trying to make a living for their families in an impossible situation. Writing in the thick of the war, De Filippo might not have felt pressured to lay out the details of the situation that would motivate these characters, but in Canada in 2018, it feels as if they need to shoulder the blame of their mistakes on their own, and the vast majority of that blame falls on the women, particularly Amalia.

Wilson also follows the plays trajectory with her role, beginning with full gusto and crumbling internally throughout the rest of the production, wracked with guilt over her job, her family, and the pleasure that she gets from the luxury she lives with. On the verge of shattering in the final scene, as Gennaro wonders out loud What am I supposed to do now? looking at his deceitful wife, ruined daughter, and virtuous son, it took some energy not to run up on stage and hug the woman, and tell her that she did her best.

This Stratford season looks at the implications of the pursuit of freedom, and the black-and-white morality of Napoli Milionaria! feels like an unexpected tone to close on, especially since its marketing places it squarely in the realm of comedy. Cimolino delivers a loving testament to a beloved Italian writer who is relatively unknown in Canada  if only he had saved some of that empathy for all of Eduardo De Filippos characters.
HALIFAXDozens of counterprotestors cheered and chanted as six members of the National Citizens Alliance were escorted by Halifax Regional Police out of the Ferry Terminal Park in Dartmouth on Sunday afternoon.

The National Citizens Alliance (NCA), a far-right group based in Calgary, Alta., held a Canadians First Rally and were quickly surrounded by counterprotestors. The NCA group says that they stand for Canadas traditional identity, heritage, and culture.

The NCA, formerly known as the National Advancement Party of Canada, are not an officially registered party but have stated that they plan to run candidates in the 2019 federal election on an anti-immigration platform. The group lists the council of European Canadians as an associated group, who, according to their website oppose all efforts to deny or weaken the European character of Canada.

Counterprotestors shouted Racist Scum, NCA, shut them down, Halifax is an immigrant town, and no hate, while brandishing signs and surrounding the small group of demonstrators. Adrien Bordage, who claims to be the maritime co-ordinator of the group, stood on a picnic bench amongst the large crowd occasionally speaking to protestors who repeatedly called him a racist or fascist. As he was escorted out of the park he said that the NCA would come back to Halifax.

Daniel Whitten, a member of the Halifax branch of Industrial Workers of the World, said at the rally that the counterprotest was to show the NCA that they are not welcome in Halifax.

It's important to make it clear to them once more, for the third time, that aren't welcome here and that their message is not going to have a platform here and that they can't seed their message here, he said.

I think it's also important for everyone who they're targeting and for all the people who are threatened by that message, by their violent message, that they see that the community is behind them.

The rally was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and ended in just over half an hour, with the NCA demonstrators being led from the park by officers of the Halifax Regional Police. Originally, the demonstration was scheduled for Saturday, but was moved to Sunday due to rain. A counterprotest also happened Saturday despite the fact that the NCA were not present.

This is not the first time the group was in Halifax, having visited in May, hosting a rally in Victoria Park.

We need to stand up to being Canadian in this country. We dont want to become a globalist village, said NCA leader Stephen Garvey back in May.

The group has tried previously to hold events in Nova Scotia and have encountered similar resistance. In May of 2018 the NCA marched in Kentvilles Apple Blossom Festival parade. The festival later apologized for allowing them to march and has banned them from future parades.

In a statement by Halifax Police on Sunday afternoon, the estimated between 60 to 80 people from the group protesting the NCA rally. Police say they stood by when the NCA members decided to leave.

The police attended and stood by when the NCA members decided to leave the area. Police stood by to keep to keep the public peace.

Once the NCA members left the larger group dispersed without any issues, police said.

Correction-August 19, 2018: This article was updated from a previous version that mistakenly said Daniel Whitten was a member of the Halifax branch of International Workers of the World. Whitten is in fact a member of the Halifax branch of the Industrial Workers of the World.

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HALIFAXA group of Nova Scotia firefighters will travel to British Columbia Monday to help battle the nearly 600 wildfires that continue to rage across the province.

The 21-person crew is set to travel to Prince George, B.C.

The wildfires have prompted B.C.s government to declare a province-wide state of emergency.

Massive clouds of choking smoke from the wildfires has prompted air quality advisories for much of Western Canada.

Read more:

No relief in sight for communities affected by smoky skies and wildfires

Wildfires are hard on water, experts say

How B.C. wildfire smoke is affecting Alberta scenery

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Bad tips happen mostly in secret, when no one is looking at the quick decisions made on a debit machine, or calculating what percentage a rounded-up tip actually is. Good tips can happen with a hashtag.

The recent #tipthebillchallenge circulating on social media encourages diners to tip 100 per cent of the cost of their meal, instead of 15, which for some people is the target, and for others, the bare-minimum. Eighteen to 20 per cent feels normal to me. More if someone is biking Thai food to your place in a whiteout.

Although it seems likely and logical that people with more money tip more, especially considering the celebrity tipping stories that have superstars floating hundos down on their coffee tabs, Ive noticed that older people  maybe remembering a time when 15 per cent was just fine  tend to leave marginal tips, while 30- and 40-somethings, who might be more aware of or affected by the social impetus to tip well, go higher.

The #tipthebillchallenge predates a recent story on food website Eater about bad tippers, who seem to know they should tip, but dont, that generated an unusual consensus on Twitter (especially among people who have worked in the service industry, where low compensation is justified by the tips theyre assumed to be receiving) that tipping well is a requirement of eating out. (The same article described Reddit, correctly, as a site where (a)nti-tipping sentiment has naturally found a home.)

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Like other good-deedery that captures the collective imagination for a minute, the wrong people might benefit from other peoples largesse  the #tipthebillchallenge encourages restaurant patrons to tip the full cost of the bill, which is great for restaurant staff, but might suggest to already bad tippers that since others are tipping 100 per cent, theyre somehow off the hook. If someone else might be tipping 100 per cent, tipping nothing might seem, somehow, reasonable.

The problems and privileges of tipping accumulate: it is an arbitrary practice and makes for optional and unpredictable compensation that workers are supposed to rely on, and is a natural forum for harassment and discrimination. And, while it undermines professionalism and more typical hourly wages, it can reward better efforts of someone in a service position, which is what people who are optimistic about the generally exploitative gig economy call hustle.

One of my favourite lines about human behaviour comes from Revolutionary Road, the Richard Yates classic about suburban ennui: Moneys always a good reason, the truth-telling character, just sprung from a mental institution, says. But its hardly ever the real reason.

Tipping, very well or very badly, has nothing much to do with money. Tipping scenarios are usually opted into  restaurants with table service; hotels; cabs; manicures; deliveries  to provide some convenience or ease a nicer, faster, smoother way through the grit of life in a city. Dollars arent the difference between 10 and 20 per cent, but they are a valve.

Money on its own is just paper and theory; its only made meaningful, and powerful, when its used to reward  sincerely, or performatively, or both  or to punish. Withholding a tip is just withholding and, as a value held by anyone and any relationship, withholding is a dark one. It establishes a dynamic of the tipper wielding some minor ephemeral power over the tipee, when what a tip is meant to do is offer appreciation and to confirm our social graces, which are essential to life together, in restaurants or otherwise.

Social graces are how were supposed to treat each other. Grace is how we treat each other when were choosing who we want to be. Tipping allows for both.
To avoid hitting the Escalade, Harris said, the driver of the motorcycle laid down the bike. Releases from the Coroners Office and the police do not indicate that the Escalade and the motorcycle made contact. Neither Nauracy nor Branham were wearing helmets, officials said.
OTTAWAHate speech and the politics of division are creating a dangerous path for Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday as he vowed to steer clear of such roads and to continue calling out those who rely on extremist methods to make their voices heard.

Trudeau made the comments when asked whether he went too far in accusing a Quebec woman of racism and intolerance as she heckled him last week during a rally in Quebec.

During a campaign-style rally Thursday southeast of Montreal, the woman shouted questions in French at Trudeau, asking him when the federal government would repay Quebec for costs it has incurred as a result of an influx of illegal immigrants coming over the Canada-U.S. border.

The Quebec government has demanded Ottawa pay the full costs of social services provided to so-called irregular migrants who have crossed into Canada between established border crossings over the past couple of years  costs the province says have reached $146 million so far.

The prime minister responded to the woman by accusing her of intolerance and racism and saying her sentiments were not welcome.

At a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a new Amazon distribution warehouse east of Ottawa, Trudeau said he fears a rise in extreme populism, particularly surrounding immigration issues, with some feeding fear and intolerance using partial truths and outright lies.

Read more:

Trudeau says 2019 Canada election is fight against polarization

Justin Trudeau is rerunning in the 2019 federal election

There has been a polarization in our political discourse, Trudeau said as construction machinery clattered in the background.

And there are people who are trying to feed fears and intolerance for a broad range of reasons. ... I will remain positive and remain pulling people together, pulling communities together right across this country.

Progressive Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Trudeau is using personal attacks to shut down criticism of his government.

This is a calculated Liberal strategy to avoid being accountable for their record, Scheer said in a statement Monday evening. Instead of demonizing critics, Justin Trudeau should confront the problem.

Ontarios minister responsible for immigration, Lisa MacLeod, was on hand Monday for Trudeaus news conference. Its the prime minister who is creating divisions by shouting racism at those who question his governments immigration policies, she said.

I think when the prime minister, when confronted with some of the problems his government has created, turns around and fearmongers and calls people un-Canadian or racist, (he) really debases the debate that were having.

Ontarios new Conservative government has also called on the federal government to foot the bill for services provided to asylum seekers, which that province has tallied at $200 million and climbing.

A woman who identified herself on social media as a member of the right-wing group Storm Alliance took responsibility for the confrontation with Trudeau in a post on Facebook. The group has been behind protests denouncing the arrival of asylum seekers at an irregular border crossing near St-Bernard-de-Lacolle.

Pretty happy that I participated in him blowing a gasket, the post says.

The federal government has so far offered a total of $50 million to Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba to offset expenses incurred as a result of a spike in asylum seekers entering the country by way of unofficial entry points along the Canada-U.S. border. Of that sum, Quebec  where the bulk of the crossings have taken place  would receive $36 million.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said he hopes to persuade people that diversity is good for the province.

If someone tells me they are worried about diversity, I will accept this worry exists and I will try to explain my point of view, that it (diversity) is something that can be very positive for our society, Couillard told reporters Monday.

The issue of irregular border crossings could become a wedge issue in the campaign leading up to the next federal election scheduled for the fall of 2019.

At an event Sunday marking Trudeaus formal nomination to run for re-election in the Montreal riding of Papineau, Trudeau emphasized the fight against extremist populism as a plank in his partys 2019 platform, and accused Scheer of exploiting fear and division.

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Deanna Allain has found an unconventional way to train her Labrador retriever Carlin to become a service dog: take chances.

We just really take a gamble and hope no one kicks us out, Allain said.

The 18-year-old Hamilton resident has been involved with Autism Dog Services since she was 10. Carlin, her current trainee, is 19-months-old and a few months away from completing a two-year training program to become a certified autism service dog.

But unlike guide dogs for people with visual disabilities, which must receive formal training and certification under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Allain says theres no such requirement for service dogs in Ontario.

The really interesting thing under the AODA is that the qualifications for a service animal is actually a note from some kind of a physician, she said.

As theres no official requirement for a service dog to undergo formal training, Allain said its at the discretion of property owners and managers of public places whether she can have access to those premises when shes training dogs  something she hopes the Ontario government will change.

You cant train a dog unless you bring it out in public, she said.

When he graduates, Carlin will be matched with a family with an autistic member. Carlin will be equipped with skills to respond to situational needs of someone with autism.

Techniques such as anchoring (preventing an autistic child from suddenly sprinting into life-threatening situations) and depression therapy (holding down an autistic child and keeping them safe if they collapse)  are part of the training program.

According to National Service Dogs, an Ontario charity training dogs for various capacities, service dogs can offer support to autistic or epileptic individuals. They can also alert people who are deaf to certain sounds and lead their handlers to the source of that sound. They can be trained to protect a person having a seizure or detect it before it occurs, recognize anxious behaviour and physically steer individuals to more positive activities.

As part of the training, Allain spends at least 20 hours a day with Carlin. That includes time spent at home or sleeping in the room  He has a lot of down time because hes a puppy as well, she says  but a significant amount is spent going out to different places, such as school, work and shopping centres.

Carlin wears a vest identifying him as a service dog in training, but Allain says it hasnt always prevented them from being denied access to public places. Shes always had to do a lot of explaining at restaurants, shopping malls and on public transit. Most of the time shes eventually allowed to proceed, she says.

Allain and Carlin have always been allowed on Go trains and buses, allowing the dog to become familiar with the transit environment during the training period, she said.

Allain said the absence of a formal certification requirement for service dogs creates a loophole that people exploit, sometimes putting a vest on any kind of dog and pretending theyre service dogs.

In British Colombia, the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act gives service dogs in training the right to access public places. A similar guideline exists in Halifax.

What do you think?

Our ultimate goal is to see a new piece of legislation go forward, said Allain, whos headed to McMaster University this fall to pursue a degree in political science. She believes a training and certification requirement would guarantee broader access to public spaces in Ontario.

Weve been lobbying the provincial government for approved service dog accessibility, just independently.

Craig Burley, a local lawyer who is supporting Allain through the lobbying process, said he has seen firsthand how access to a trained service dog can make a difference.

His 15-year-old son Jay has autism, and received Chester as his service dog about five years ago.

Its been life-changing, both for us and for Jay, said Burley, noting his sons school performance has improved significantly since having Chester.

Chester helps Jay retain emotion, calm and control in stressful environments like school. Chester is always there as a companion and confidant and helps Jay stay focused on task.

He said there are many families in Ontario who need service dogs to help their children, and a law that guarantees proper certification would go a long way in helping those families.

Concerns of access into schools have kind of illuminated this issue, but there are concerns over public access as well, whether thats public transportation or otherwise, that people have experienced.

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Two men were rushed to hospital with serious injuries after separate shootings in Etobicoke and Scarborough on Sunday evening.

Both victims are now in stable condition, police say.

Paramedics responded to the first call shortly before 9:45 p.m. in the area of Woodlot Cres. and Humberline Dr., near Finch Ave. W. and Hwy. 427 in Etobicoke.

They found the victim, a man who appeared to be in his late teens to early 20s, and took him to hospital via emergency run.

Police are looking for one suspect, described as Black, 20 to 30 years old and roughly 6-feet-2 inches tall. They say he has a slim build and was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and white pants.

Just on Friday, police expressed concern about the number of shootings in Rexdale this year.

Within an hour, paramedics received a call about another shooting in Scarborough. At 10:35 p.m., they responded to the area of Kennedy and Ellesmere Rds., just south of Hwy. 401.

They found the victim, a man who appeared to be in his mid-20s, and rushed him to hospital.

Police believe two suspects were involved. One is thought to be Black, roughly 30 to 40 years of age and six feet tall. They said he has a medium build and was wearing a white shirt. The second suspect is described only as a Black man.

With files from Claire Floody
FERNDALE, UNITED STATESDozens of community members gathered on the banks of the Nooksack River in Washington state on Saturday to voice their concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

A Bellingham-based environmental organization released a statement Sunday, along with photos showing protesters in front of the pipeline that crosses below the river.

Those in attendance were given the opportunity to voice their concerns to the states Department of Ecology about the 64-year-old segment of the Trans Mountain pipeline known as the Puget Sound pipeline.

Eleanor Hines of the group, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, says the Puget Sound region does not have an emergency response plan that addresses spills of heavy crude oil.

Washington States ecology department opened a public commenting period on the pipeline after the Canadian federal government bought the Trans Mountain project from Kinder Morgan Canada.

The period ends Aug. 25.
SOKCHO, SOUTH KOREAKim Kwang-ho was just 14 years old when his family was ripped in two during the Korean War. It was December 1950, and Chinese troops were advancing on his small hometown. With his father, two older brothers and an older sister, he fled south, first on foot, then perched on top of a train and finally packed impossibly tight into a transport ship.

His mother stayed behind with his 10-year-old brother and several cousins, expecting to join them later when the fighting was over, the journey safer.

It was a pretty lighthearted farewell, he said. We thought we were only going to be apart for three days or a week.

It was to be the last time he ever saw or even heard from his mother, who, he has just found out, died in Communist North Korea in 1967. On Monday, more than 67 years after they parted, he finally gets to see his younger brother again.

Kim is one of 172 South Koreans who will travel into North Korea to meet relatives this week, in the first reunion of divided families to take place for three years, as relations thaw between the neighbours.

These reunions are simultaneously a reminder of the deep bonds between the two nations and an illustration of just how far they have grown apart in the decades since their painful division.

The reunion program began in 1985, stalled, then got underway properly at the turn of the millennium. In all, more than 17,000 South Koreans have taken part in more than 20 meetings, seeing their relatives in person or over video link. But more than 130,000 have registered as members of divided families since the program began, and more than half of them died before getting to see their relatives again. Many on the waiting list are over 90 years old.

Some barely recognize those relatives they do get to meet.

Kim has vivid memories of life in North Korea: of climbing an apricot tree outside his house and sitting up there singing, looking out over an apple orchard; of running into the hills when he heard the planes of the U.S.-led United Nations force flying toward his rural town, and watching their bombs, boom-boom-boom, exploding in a line along the railway tracks.

He remembers dozing off on top of the train carrying him toward the port of Hungnam, snow piling up on his shoulders. But he cant remember his brothers face, or even his mothers anymore.

Still, he says he was happy to be chosen for the reunion and is looking forward to seeing his brother again. My two older brothers who came south with me both died in their 60s, he said. My younger brother is 78 now, I am surprised to see he is still alive.

He will come bearing gifts: some warm jackets, socks, soap and cosmetics for his brothers wife, and two packets of Choco Pies, the cake-and-marshmallow chocolate sandwich snack made in South Korea but particularly coveted in the North.

Participants are discouraged from bringing cash, and he has chosen not to, worried that his brother probably wouldnt get to keep it anyway. Luxury goods, including expensive bottles of spirits or watches, are also banned under United Nations sanctions.

On Sunday, the South Koreans gathered in the city of Sokcho for a briefing on how to behave and what they can and cannot say, before travelling by bus across the border to the North Korean resort of Mount Kumgang on Monday.

Kim will have to stay in a different hotel than his brother in Mount Kumgang, but they will be brought together for group reunions, dinner banquets and lunches between Monday and Wednesday, including a three-hour individual meeting on Tuesday when they will exchange gifts.

Southern participants are advised not to criticize the North Korean leadership or ask about the countrys economic situation in case it causes problems for their relatives. And if their counterparts start singing propaganda songs or making political statements  a common problem in the past  participants are advised to naturally lead the conversation to another topic. Gifts of a propaganda-type nature should be politely refused.

Still, Kim is looking forward to hearing about his mother and about how his hometown has changed. Then, on Wednesday, after just 11 hours together, he and his brother will part again, almost certainly for the last time.

The meetings are like a sudden spark of light after nearly seven decades of darkness. Many people have heard nothing about their relatives in the North during that entire time, and are nervous about who and what they will encounter. And then, after the brief meeting, darkness will reign once again.

I really wish we could exchange letters afterwards, or talk to each other over the phone or by video call, Kim said, but these reunions are one-time-only meetings.

Yun Jung-sik applied to see his older sister, whom he last saw when he was 12 in 1950. She was already married by then, with two young children, and when the rest of the family fled south, she stayed behind with her husbands family.

Ten days ago, Yun found out he had been selected for this round of family reunions. But he also learned his sister had died 25 years ago.

Instead, he will meet her children, his nephew and niece. He knows nothing about them except their names and ages, 71 and 70 respectively.

I feel pretty neutral about it, Im not that excited, he said. Maybe if wed exchanged pictures over the past 70 years, I might have felt differently.

He and his wife will each bring $260 in cash, as well as clothes  eight pieces for women, in different sizes, and five for men  some vitamin pills, and, of course, some Choco Pies.

I hope the family we are meeting have not become Communists all the way, he said. If they have become totally indoctrinated, they will not tell us frankly what their lives are like. I hope theyre not like that.

There is a good chance they will be. Daily NK, a South Korean news service with contacts inside the North, reported last week that only North Koreans seen as loyal to the regime will be chosen for the reunions. That could rule out many people. North Koreans whose relatives had fled south were often seen as suspect and placed in the lowest rungs of the countrys heavily stratified society, experts say.

Either way, those who do get chosen have to undergo a month of political indoctrination to make sure they say the right thing, said Choe Eun-bum, who worked to reunite divided families at the Red Cross for many years.

Among the first things the North Koreans tell their South Korean relatives is their gratitude to their great leader, he said, which immediately casts a chill over the long-awaited reunion.

The 14-year-old Kim sailed south on the SS Meredith Victory, a U.S. Merchant Marine ship that was nicknamed the Ship of Miracles for carrying 14,000 refugees on that voyage, the largest land evacuation by a single ship.

Also on board were the parents of South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Indeed, Moon accompanied his mother to meet her younger sister during one of the reunions in 2004, and says his personal history shapes his own desire for peace.
NEW YORKFederal authorities investigating whether President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, committed bank and tax fraud have zeroed in on well over $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses that he and his family own, according to people familiar with the matter.

Investigators are also examining whether Cohen violated campaign finance or other laws by helping to arrange financial deals to secure the silence of women who said they had affairs with Trump. The inquiry has entered the final stage and prosecutors are considering filing charges by the end of August, two of the people said.

Any criminal charges against Cohen would deal a significant blow to the president. Cohen worked for the presidents company, the Trump Organization, for more than a decade. He was one of Trumps most loyal and visible aides and called himself the presidents personal lawyer after Trump took office.

The bank loans under scrutiny, the total of which has not been previously reported, came from two financial institutions in the New York region that have catered to the taxi industry, Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, according to business records and people with knowledge of the matter, including a banker who reviewed the transactions.

Federal investigators in New York are seeking to determine whether Cohen misrepresented the value of his assets to obtain the loans, which exceed $20 million.

They are also examining how he handled the income from his taxi medallions and whether he failed to report it to the IRS.

The two lenders were cited in the search warrants for raids that federal agents conducted this spring on Cohens office, home and a hotel room where he was staying, several of the people familiar with the matter have said.

Sterling received a grand jury subpoena seeking records related to the loans, one of the people said.

There is no indication that either bank suffered a loss as a result of the loans or that Cohen missed payments, which are ordinarily important aspects in a bank fraud case. While bank fraud without a loss is rarely charged on its own, it is sometimes charged in conjunction with other crimes, which may be what happens in Cohens case.

At this late stage of the inquiry, it is still possible that Cohen may plead guilty rather than face an indictment. He has hinted publicly and has stated explicitly in private that he is eager to tell prosecutors what he knows in exchange for leniency.

A co-operation agreement would likely include a provision that Cohen also provide information to the special counsel, Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible involvement by the Trump campaign in Russias meddling in the 2016 election.

It is unclear whether the prosecutors and Cohens lawyers have had detailed discussions about a potential co-operation deal, but it is unlikely that the government would bring charges without having done so.

But if a plea deal is not reached, either because Cohen and prosecutors cannot agree on the terms or because prosecutors determine he does not have valuable information or is not credible, the government would likely seek to bring charges well before the midterm elections.

If the matter is not finalized by the end of August, prosecutors probably will wait until after the election, one of the people familiar with the inquiry said in recent weeks. That schedule would conform with the Justice Departments informal policy of avoiding bringing politically-sensitive cases that could influence voters close to an election.

Cohen and his lawyers declined to comment on the investigation when contacted over the weekend and last week.

Federal officials in New York and Washington also would not comment.

The investigation into Cohen burst into public view April 9, when federal authorities searched his home, office and the hotel room, a move that sent a seismic wave through Washington and rattled Trumps inner circle.

The investigation began under Mueller, who then referred the evidence to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan. That office is now leading the inquiry along with the FBI and IRS, which have conducted an extensive review of Cohens personal business activities.

Days after the search, Cohen went to court in an attempt to limit the evidence prosecutors could review, claiming much of what was seized was covered by attorney-client privilege. Trump joined the effort.

During that litigation, prosecutors revealed that they had been investigating Cohen for fraud for months and had previously obtained a search warrant for his email accounts.

Trump railed against the investigation on Twitter and complained that attorney-client privilege is dead. His lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, referred to the agents who carried out the searches as storm troopers. (The normally combative Cohen, for his part, told an interviewer that they were were extremely professional, courteous and respectful.)

At the time, some of Trumps advisers came to view the investigation into Cohen as more dangerous to the Trump presidency than Muellers inquiry.

In recent decades, Cohen has had a wide range of personal business interests, in addition to his work for the Trump Organization. He was a real estate investor, had a personal injury law practice and was involved with a gambling boat in Florida.

But federal investigators appear to be especially focused on his work as an investor in taxi medallions, the permits that drivers need to legally operate yellow cabs in New York City.

A review of court filings, business and property records and interviews with people with knowledge of the matter has provided the clearest picture to date of the scope of that inquiry.

The search warrants for the Cohen raids sought records and communications relating to the two financial institutions, Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, as well documents regarding the payments to women who said they had affairs with Trump, among other materials, several people with knowledge of the inquiry have said.

The investigation into possible bank fraud has focused at least in part on a series of loans for more than $20 million that the two institutions made in December 2014, according to a review of business records and interviews with people with knowledge of the matter.

Publicly-filed financing statements indicate that Cohen used 32 taxi medallions as collateral for the Sterling loans. The medallions were then valued at more than $1 million each, and each generated more than $1 million a year in income.

The loans were made to 16 separate companies controlled by Cohen and his family, each company owning two taxi medallions, the person who reviewed the transactions said. Cohen and his wife also personally guaranteed the loans, according to the filings.

The tax fraud aspect of the investigation has been focused in part on whether Cohen properly reported the income from the medallions, which was sometimes in cash, people with knowledge of the matter said.

One witness who could provide evidence about the possible bank and tax fraud is Evgeny Freidman, Cohens longtime friend and former business associate who began co-operating with federal prosecutors this spring.

Freidman, known as the Taxi King for his once vast and longtime holdings in that industry, managed taxi medallions owned by Cohen and his family between 2012 and 2018. In 2016, a federal judge found that Freidman, a lawyer who was disbarred earlier this year, had transferred more than $60 million into offshore trusts to avoid paying debts. New York City regulators have barred him from continuing to manage medallions.

Freidman was facing up to 25 years in prison in an unrelated state fraud case in Albany involving his taxi business. But he struck a deal with state prosecutors under which he avoided prison in return for to co-operating with federal authorities investigating Cohen.

Several people with knowledge of the matter have said investigators are focusing, in part, on precisely what was done with the monthly payments of the income from the taxi medallions that Freidman made to Cohen, what representations Cohen made to the banks about those payments, and whether they were reported on Cohens taxes.

Freidmans lawyer, Patrick J. Egan, said Friday, It would be against Mr. Freidmans interest to make a public statement regarding an ongoing criminal investigation.

Andrew MacMillan, a spokesman for Sterling, declined to comment, and a spokesman for Melrose did not respond to a message seeking comment.

A Long Island accountant who worked for Cohen and Freidman could also provide testimony about the payments, according to several people with knowledge of the matter. The accountant, Jeffrey A. Getzel, has testified before the grand jury hearing evidence against Cohen.

Getzels lawyer, Peter J. Larkin, declined to comment.

It is unclear whether prosecutors might seek to charge Cohen with conduct related to the presidential campaign or his work for Trump.

Legal experts have said that the payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump could become part of a campaign finance case. Neither woman, after being paid, spoke publicly about Trump in the weeks before the election.

One of Cohens lawyers, Lanny J. Davis, revealed a possible piece of evidence for such a case last month when he released a recording of a September 2016 conversation Cohen had with Trump. On the recording, they discussed a $150,000 deal the tabloid publisher American Media Inc. struck with one of the women, former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The company, which publishes the National Enquirer, bought the rights to her story and declined to publish it, a practice known in the tabloid industry as catch and kill.

Prosecutors have examined whether Cohen planned the payment in conjunction with AMI to protect Trumps election prospects, and they could use the recording as part of the basis for charges that the deal represented an illegal campaign contribution or that there was a conspiracy to make an illegal contribution.

Corporations are prohibited from spending money to influence campaigns in coordination with candidates.

Prosecutors could also charge that a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, better known by her stage name of Stormy Daniels, was improper.

Cohen paid Clifford out of his own pocket, and although Trump reimbursed him many months later, the initial outlay could also count as an illegal contribution to Trumps candidacy, several legal experts have said. Federal campaign finance laws prohibit individuals from donating more than $5,400 per election cycle to a federal candidate.

With the release of the recording, Cohen and his attorneys seemed to be signalling a willingness to co-operate with the federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Davis, a longtime supporter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, has said the tape was released because Cohen is on a new path  its a reset button to tell the truth and to let the chips fall where they may.

Cohen, who once said that he would take a bullet for Trump, also hinted he might help prosecutors during an interview on Good Morning America in July, saying I put family and country first.

To be crystal clear, he added, my wife, my daughter and my son, and this country, have my first loyalty.

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NEW YORKAllegations that disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick engaged in sex with adult seminarians have inflamed a long-running debate about the presence of gay men in the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Some conservatives are calling for a purge of all gay priests, a challenging task given that they are believed to be numerous and few are open about their sexual orientation. Moderates want the church to eliminate the need for secrecy by proclaiming that gay men are welcome if they can be effective priests who commit to celibacy.

Among the most outspoken moderates is the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer whose book, Building a Bridge, envisions a path toward warmer relations between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community.

The idea of a purge of gay priests is both ridiculous and dangerous, Martin said in an email. Any purge would empty parishes and religious orders of the thousands of priests (and bishops) who lead healthy lives of service and faithful lives of celibacy.

That outlook infuriates some conservative Catholics.

Citing McCarricks case, Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute, which promotes traditional Catholic teaching, says there must be a complete and thorough removal of all homosexual clergymen from the church.

Read more:

Pope accepts resignation of Theodore McCarrick in wake of sexual abuse allegations

This U.S. bishop preyed on men studying to be priests  and was still promoted to cardinal

Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy when theyre ordained. But when they break that vow, their children are left to live a lie

It is going to be difficult and will likely result in a very serious priest shortage, Hichborn said. But its definitely worth the effort.

While the McCarrick scandal has intensified debate in the U.S. about gays in the priesthood, its a global issue. Recent gay priest sex scandals have surfaced in Chile, Honduras, France and Italy.

In the U.S., where investigations may determine if church leaders turned a blind eye to McCarricks penchant for young seminarians, there have been followup allegations of sexual misconduct in seminaries. Cardinal Sean OMalley of Boston recently announced an investigation into his diocesan seminary.

Catholic teaching, when it comes to homosexuality, is nuanced. The church says gays should be treated with dignity and respect, yet it has long taught that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.

In 2005, the Vatican stated that even celibate gays should not be priests, saying church leaders cannot accept seminary applicants who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.

Pope Francis has reaffirmed this policy, despite his famous Who am I to judge? comment in 2013 when asked about a purportedly gay priest.

In a May meeting with Italian bishops, Francis said, If theres even the slightest doubt, better to not accept them into seminary, according to participants at the closed-door session.

On the front lines in implementing that policy are priests such as the Rev. Thomas Berg, admissions director at St. Josephs Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has reduced the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction.

As for gays already serving as priests, Berg says he doesnt advocate a witch hunt to root them out. But he says the church needs to identify sexually active priests, challenge them to repent and consider their removal from the priesthood.

Berg proposes that dioceses appoint independent watchdogs  ideally people with law enforcement background  to receive and assess anonymous allegations of clergy sexual misconduct.

Our problem is sexually active priests who are breaking their commitment to celibacy, Berg said. That wreaks havoc.

Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates equality for LGBT Catholics, questioned the effectiveness of the seminary screening process.

Anecdotally, what were finding is that the policy encourages people to lie, DeBernardo said. If a man feels called to the priesthood, hell rationalize that he should not admit his sexuality.

The effort to exclude gays complicates things for those who do become priests, DeBernardo added.

The institutional leaders want to promote a message that gay men should not exist in the priesthood, he said. So they dont offer healthy, holy examples of gay priests who are living their celibacy in effective ways.

Rome-based journalist Robert Mickens, a veteran of Vatican coverage, argued in a recent essay that the church should be more forthright in acknowledging the substantial presence of gay priests.

Rather than encourage a healthy discussion about how gays can commit themselves to celibate chastity in a wholesome way, the Churchs official policies and teachings drive such men even deeper into the closet, Mickens wrote.

Some conservative Catholics blame the climate of secrecy directly on gay clergy, contending there is a homosexual subculture in many dioceses and seminaries.

Numerous reports from clergy and seminarians are coming out worldwide which confirm the existence of networks of homosexually active men who cover for each other, said the Rev. Paul Sullins, who has taught sociology at Catholic University in Washington.

The current debate over gay priests is framed by the allegations against McCarrick  that he allegedly had sex with adult seminarians as well as abusing minors. Pope Francis ordered him removed from public ministry in June.

In past years, the debate has often focused on the problem of child sex abuse by priests  and the extent to which homosexuality played a role. Those questions are being revisited following the recent release of a grand jury report in Pennsylvania detailing alleged sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by about 300 priests in six dioceses over a 70-year period.

A study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, released in 2011, concluded that gay priests were no more likely than straight priests to abuse minors. Some conservatives, noting that about 80 per cent of the abuse victims were male, nonetheless cite the findings to advocate for a purge of gay priests.

One of the top conservatives in the U.S. Catholic leadership, Cardinal Raymond Burke, indicated this month that he favours at least a partial purge.

Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root, he said in an interview with Catholic Action for Faith and Family, a conservative advocacy group.

What is needed is an honest investigation into the alleged situations of grave immorality followed by effective action to sanction those responsible, Burke said. Shepherds can go astray ... and then must be appropriately disciplined and even dismissed from the clerical state.

One of Burkes moderate colleagues, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, sounded a different tone in an interview with the Jesuit magazine America.

I really believe that the issue here is more about a culture of clericalism in which some who are ordained feel they are privileged and therefore protected so that they can do what they want, Cupich said. People, whether heterosexual or homosexual, need to live by the Gospel.
Global health officials called for increased vaccination efforts amid burgeoning rates of measles infection in Europe.

More people in Europe contracted the potentially deadly virus in the first six months of 2018 than in all of last year, the Geneva-based World Health Organization said Monday. The first-half total was more than seven times the cases seen in all of 2016.

Concerns about vaccine-preventable infectious disease are intensifying as immunization rates lag in some areas, and some parents continue to cite concerns about links to side effects that have been debunked by studies. While European childhood vaccination rates increased slightly to 90 per cent in 2017, large disparities remain at the local level, according to the WHO.

We are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks, Zsuzsanna Jakab, the agencys regional European director, said in a statement. Measles can be stopped if everyone plays their part: to immunize their children, themselves, their patients, their populations  and also to remind others that vaccination saves lives.

Spread by a highly contagious virus, measles causes a fever, rash and a cough in sufferers, and can cause pneumonia, hepatitis, swelling in the brain, blindness and, rarely, death. Reports from individual European countries suggest that 37 people have died in 2018 from the disease, with 14 of those in Serbia, the WHO said.

About 24,000 cases were reported in Europe last year, and just 5,273 people were infected in 2016. Ukraine recorded the most, with 23,000 so far this year.

At least 107 cases of the disease have been reported in 21 states this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency warned in 2015 that measles might become reestablished as vaccination rates lag in some areas, such as pockets of California. In the U.K., health officials advised people to ensure they were vaccinated after 807 cases were reported through Aug. 6.

Health officials prevent measles with the combined MMR vaccine that also counters mumps and rubella. U.S.-based Merck & Co. began selling the preventive in 1971.

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREAWhen North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un visited a hydroelectric dam under construction last month, he reportedly flew into a rage after learning why the dam was still unfinished after 17 years of work.

The dam, central to Kims efforts to alleviate his countrys chronic power shortages, suffered from a lack of workers, equipment and materials, Kim is said to have found, and he learned that officials overseeing the project hadnt even visited the construction site.

What makes me angrier is that these officials will never fail to miss the opportunity to show their shameless faces and take credit when a ceremony is held to mark the completion of a power plant, Kim was quoted by the Norths Korean Central News Agency as saying. I am speechless.

The reports in the North Korean state news media about Kims anger were a jarring contrast to their typical portrayals of such visits, which show Kim being mobbed by his adoring subjects.

Since late June, Kim has devoted almost all of his public activities to visiting factories, farms and construction sites, rather than the military units and weapons test sites that he frequented last year. And instead of boasting of his countrys military prowess, he is lashing out at poor management at the sites he visits, highlighting his intense focus on fixing his economy.

Kims message is directed as much at the United States as at his people, experts in North Korean politics said, since his pledge to deliver economic prosperity depends on persuading Washington to ease damaging international sanctions. Over the weekend, Kim said his people were engaged in a do-or-die struggle against brigandish sanctions, which he said caused a serious setback to his economy.

Whats clear is that Kim Jong-un is desperate to ease sanctions and find his own ways of boosting production and improving the lives of his people, said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul. At the same time, he is shifting the blame to his underlings by criticizing lazy officials.

By showing himself focused on the economy, rather than on weapons programs, Kim may be signalling that he is willing to negotiate away his nuclear weapons if Washington offers the right incentives, Professor Koh said. But deep skepticism persists that Kim will ever give them up or that the United States will provide the kind of rewards, such as a peace treaty ending the Korean War, that the North demands.

When Kim met U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, the two agreed to build new relations and work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But their agreement lacked details, and frustrations have since mounted on both sides over the lack of progress in carrying out the summit deal, dimming North Koreas hopes for sanctions relief and Washingtons desire for rapid denuclearization of the North.

Washington has so far cancelled its joint military exercises with South Korea to help encourage North Korea to denuclearize. But it has refused to ease sanctions, demanding that the country first move quickly toward denuclearization, initially by declaring all its nuclear assets.

North Korea has made some moves to placate Washington, suspending its nuclear and missile tests, demolishing its underground nuclear test site and tearing down a missile engine test site. But before it moves any further, it wants Washington to declare an end to the Korean War, setting the stage for a formal peace treaty to replace the armistice that halted the war in 1953.

The logjam between North Korea and the United States is hampering South Koreas efforts to expand economic and other ties with the North. The Souths president, Moon Jae-in, is scheduled to meet next month with Kim in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. On Wednesday, he revealed a bold vision for economic cooperation with North Korea, including building joint economic zones along the border and linking the nations railways, provided that the North starts denuclearizing.

In pushing economic development, Kim has a lot at stake as he seeks to cement his power over a country that suffered a devastating famine in the 1990s and has only recently seen the emergence of a nascent, aspirational middle class.

North Koreans are now as materialistic, greedy and unsatisfied as their comrades in the Soviet Union and East Germany once were, and as are most of us in the West, wrote Rudiger Frank, a North Korea expert at the University of Vienna. North Korea has begun playing the capitalists game, and it has gone much further than most European socialist countries ever went.

In 2012, in his first public speech as North Korean leader, Kim pledged that his people would never have to tighten their belt again.

The next year, he supplanted his father and predecessor Kim Jong-ils military-first policy with his byungjin, or parallel advance, approach of building a nuclear arsenal and the countrys economy simultaneously.

As he rapidly built up North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, Kim also modified its socialist economy by allowing more than 400 markets, supplementing the state rations and government-run stores that used to be his peoples sole sources of goods. He also granted more autonomy to factories and collective farms.

But the sanctions over his weapons programs have derailed recent economic progress. While North Koreas economy grew an average 1.77 per cent annually between 2012 and 2015, thanks largely to market activities, according to Kim Byung-yeon, a professor of economics at Seoul National University, in 2017 it contracted at its sharpest rate in two decades  shrinking 3.5 per cent, according to the South Korean Central Bank.

In his New Years Day speech, Kim said, I spent the past year feeling anxious and remorseful for the lack of my ability.

In steering the country from nuclear brinkmanship to diplomacy, he hopes to build trade ties and ease the pressure of sanctions. Since March, in addition to meeting Trump, he has met President Xi Jinping of China three times and Moon of South Korea twice.

In April, he announced an end to his byungjin policy, explaining that he had completed one of the two parallel goals: building a nuclear arsenal. Now, he said, North Korea would focus all national resources on rebuilding the economy.

Analysts in South Korea have since wondered: Does that mean that Kim is willing to bargain away his nuclear missiles in exchange for economic and security concessions from the United States and its allies? And is the Trump administration willing to test Kims intentions by engaging him with a give-and-take?

Whats clear is that the pieces of the puzzle wont come into place until we see improvements in relations between the United States and North Korea and the easing and lifting of sanctions, said Hwang Jae-jun, a North Korea specialist at the Sejong Institute, a research think tank in South Korea.

In North Korea, the top leader uses his heavily publicized field guidance trips  such as the visit to the troubled dam  to establish his priorities. When Kim was expediting his nuclear and missile programs last year, he visited weapons facilities and missile test sites, and hosted banquets for weapons engineers.

In contrast, almost all of the 30 field guidance trips Kim has made since late June were to factories, farms and construction sites. On July 17, the Rodong Sinmun, North Koreas main newspaper, published 12 pages, double its normal size, devoting the first nine pages to pictures and articles about Kims visits to factories and farms.

Last week, North Korean media published photos of Kim stripped down to an undershirt and sweating profusely while visiting a fish-pickling factory during the countrys wilting heat wave. (North Korean leaders often conduct their field trips during extreme weather to show their dedication, foreign analysts have noted.)

Despite such propaganda efforts, however, Kim may be more vulnerable to economic crises than his predecessors, experts such as Mr. Frank say, as outside goods and information have begun flowing into North Korea  thanks partly to Kims own reforms.

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NEW YORKFederal authorities investigating whether U.S. President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, committed bank and tax fraud have zeroed in on more than $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses that he and his family own, according to people familiar with the matter.

Investigators are also examining whether Cohen violated campaign finance or other laws by helping to arrange financial deals to secure the silence of women who said they had affairs with Trump. The inquiry has entered the final stage and prosecutors are considering filing charges by the end of August, two of the people said.

Any criminal charges against Cohen would deal a significant blow to the president. Cohen, 52, worked for the presidents company, the Trump Organization, for more than a decade. He was one of Trumps most loyal and visible aides and called himself the presidents personal lawyer after Trump took office.

The bank loans under scrutiny, the total of which has not been previously reported, came from two financial institutions in the New York region that have catered to the taxi industry, Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, according to business records and people with knowledge of the matter, including a banker who reviewed the transactions.

Federal investigators in New York are seeking to determine whether Cohen misrepresented the value of his assets to obtain the loans, which exceed $20 million.

They are also examining how he handled the income from his taxi medallions and whether he failed to report it to the IRS.

The two lenders were cited in the search warrants for raids that federal agents conducted this spring on Cohens office, home and a hotel room where he was staying, several of the people familiar with the matter have said.

Sterling received a grand jury subpoena seeking records related to the loans, one of the people said.

There is no indication that either bank suffered a loss as a result of the loans or that Cohen missed payments, which are ordinarily important aspects in a bank fraud case. While bank fraud without a loss is rarely charged on its own, it is sometimes charged in conjunction with other crimes, which may be what happens in Cohens case.

At this late stage of the inquiry, it is still possible that Cohen may plead guilty rather than face an indictment. He has hinted publicly and has stated explicitly in private that he is eager to tell prosecutors what he knows in exchange for leniency.

A co-operation agreement would likely include a provision that Cohen also provide information to the special counsel, Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible involvement by the Trump campaign in Russias meddling in the 2016 election.

It is unclear whether the prosecutors and Cohens lawyers have had detailed discussions about a potential co-operation deal, but it is unlikely that the government would bring charges without having done so.

But if a plea deal is not reached, either because Cohen and prosecutors cannot agree on the terms or because prosecutors determine he does not have valuable information or is not credible, the government would likely seek to bring charges well before the midterm elections.

If the matter is not finalized by the end of August, prosecutors probably will wait until after the election, one of the people familiar with the inquiry said in recent weeks. That schedule would conform with the Justice Departments informal policy of avoiding bringing politically sensitive cases that could influence voters close to an election.

Cohen and his lawyers declined to comment on the investigation when contacted over the weekend and last week.

Federal officials in New York and Washington also would not comment.

The investigation into Cohen burst into public view April 9, when federal authorities searched his home, office and the hotel room, a move that sent a seismic wave through Washington and rattled Trumps inner circle.

The investigation began under Mueller, who then referred the evidence to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan. That office is now leading the inquiry along with the FBI and IRS, which have conducted an extensive review of Cohens personal business activities.

Days after the search, Cohen went to court in an attempt to limit the evidence prosecutors could review, claiming much of what was seized was covered by attorney-client privilege. Trump joined the effort.

During that litigation, prosecutors revealed that they had been investigating Cohen for fraud for months and had previously obtained a search warrant for his email accounts.

Trump railed against the investigation on Twitter and complained that attorney-client privilege is dead. His lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, referred to the agents who carried out the searches as storm troopers. (The normally combative Cohen, for his part, told an interviewer that they were were extremely professional, courteous and respectful.)

At the time, some of Trumps advisers came to view the investigation into Cohen as more dangerous to the Trump presidency than Muellers inquiry.

In recent decades, Cohen has had a wide range of personal business interests, in addition to his work for the Trump Organization. He was a real estate investor, had a personal injury law practice and was involved with a gambling boat in Florida.

But federal investigators appear to be especially focused on his work as an investor in taxi medallions, the permits that drivers need to legally operate yellow cabs in New York.

A review of court filings, business and property records and interviews with people with knowledge of the matter has provided the clearest picture to date of the scope of that inquiry.

The search warrants for the Cohen raids sought records and communications relating to the two financial institutions, Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, as well as documents regarding the payments to women who said they had affairs with Trump, among other materials, several people with knowledge of the inquiry have said.

The investigation into possible bank fraud has focused at least in part on a series of loans for more than $20 million that the two institutions made in December 2014, according to a review of business records and interviews with people with knowledge of the matter.

Publicly filed financing statements indicate that Cohen used 32 taxi medallions as collateral for the Sterling loans. The medallions were then valued at more than $1 million each, and generated more than $1 million a year in income.

The loans were made to 16 separate companies controlled by Cohen and his family, each company owning two taxi medallions, the person who reviewed the transactions said. Cohen and his wife also personally guaranteed the loans, according to the filings.

The tax fraud aspect of the investigation has been focused in part on whether Cohen properly reported the income from the medallions, which was sometimes in cash, people with knowledge of the matter said.

One witness who could provide evidence about the possible bank and tax fraud is Evgeny Freidman, Cohens longtime friend and former business associate who began co-operating with federal prosecutors this spring.

Freidman, known as the Taxi King for his once vast and longtime holdings in that industry, managed taxi medallions owned by Cohen and his family between 2012 and 2018. In 2016, a federal judge found that Freidman, a lawyer who was disbarred earlier this year, had transferred more than $60 million into offshore trusts to avoid paying debts. New York regulators have barred him from continuing to manage medallions.

Freidman was facing up to 25 years in prison in an unrelated state fraud case in Albany involving his taxi business. But he struck a deal with state prosecutors under which he avoided prison in return for co-operating with federal authorities investigating Cohen.

Several people with knowledge of the matter have said investigators are focusing, in part, on precisely what was done with the monthly payments of the income from the taxi medallions that Freidman made to Cohen, what representations Cohen made to the banks about those payments, and whether they were reported on Cohens taxes.

Freidmans lawyer, Patrick J. Egan, said Friday, It would be against Mr. Freidmans interest to make a public statement regarding an ongoing criminal investigation.

Andrew MacMillan, a spokesman for Sterling, declined to comment, and a spokesman for Melrose did not respond to a message seeking comment.

A Long Island accountant who worked for Cohen and Freidman could also provide testimony about the payments, according to several people with knowledge of the matter. The accountant, Jeffrey A. Getzel, has testified before the grand jury hearing evidence against Cohen.

Getzels lawyer, Peter J. Larkin, declined to comment.

It is unclear whether prosecutors might seek to charge Cohen with conduct related to the presidential campaign or his work for Trump.

Legal experts have said that the payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump could become part of a campaign finance case. Neither woman, after being paid, spoke publicly about Trump in the weeks before the election.

One of Cohens lawyers, Lanny J. Davis, revealed a possible piece of evidence for such a case last month when he released a recording of a September 2016 conversation Cohen had with Trump. On the recording, they discussed a $150,000 deal the tabloid publisher American Media Inc. struck with one of the women, former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The audio was not protected by attorney-client privilege, and Davis said at the time he released it to contradict a claim that Giuliani made about what Cohen had said on the recording.

The company, which publishes The National Enquirer, bought the rights to her story and declined to publish it, a practice known in the tabloid industry as catch and kill.

Prosecutors have examined whether Cohen planned the payment in conjunction with AMI to protect Trumps election prospects, and they could use the recording as part of the basis for charges that the deal represented an illegal campaign contribution or that there was a conspiracy to make an illegal contribution.

Corporations are prohibited from spending money to influence campaigns in coordination with candidates.

Prosecutors could also charge that a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, better known by her stage name of Stormy Daniels, was improper.

Cohen paid Clifford out of his own pocket, and although Trump reimbursed him many months later, the initial outlay could also count as an illegal contribution to Trumps candidacy, several legal experts have said. Federal campaign finance laws prohibit individuals from donating more than $5,400 per election cycle to a federal candidate.

With the release of the recording, Cohen and his attorneys seemed to be signalling a willingness to co-operate with the federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Davis, a longtime supporter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, has said the tape was released because Cohen is on a new path  its a reset button to tell the truth and to let the chips fall where they may.

Cohen, who once said that he would take a bullet for Trump, also hinted he might help prosecutors during an interview on Good Morning America in July, saying I put family and country first.

To be crystal clear, he added, my wife, my daughter and my son, and this country, have my first loyalty.

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The company opened its Indianapolis office last year and is expected to invest more than $2 million in its facility over the next five years. Cheetah Digital already has 50 full-time associates in Indiana. It plans to hire more sales professionals, customer support managers, software engineers and other technical staff.
A Minneapolis marketing company recently made tweaks to its employee benefits this summer, ranging from conventional to unusual. It gave workers a larger commuter stipend, as well as a reason to avoid the office altogether: fur-ternity leave, or the ability to work from home for a week to welcome new dogs or cats.

This is kind of a no-brainer, said Allison McMenimen, a vice president at the company, Nina Hale, who helped devise the new policy. The idea of offering benefits that just help keep employees at the office, thats over.

In recent decades, many U.S. companies have overhauled their perks in an effort to retain employees and entice new recruits. Tech giants like Facebook and Google have gone further, providing gourmet meals in cafeterias, gyms at work and daycares on site.

But as far as pets are concerned, few companies appear to have gone far beyond Take Your Dog to Work Day. An Italian company allowed a woman last year to take paid time off when her dog became sick. And employees at mParticle, a data company in New York, are offered paw-ternity leave  two weeks of paid time off for those who adopt a rescue dog or get an exotic pet, such as an iguana. (It was not immediately clear whether fur-ternity or paw-ternity was the industry standard term.)

Connor McCarthy, a senior account manager at Nina Hale, was the latest employee there to seek permission to work from home with a new pet.

In May, McCarthy was finalizing the adoption of a goldendoodle puppy named Bentley. McCarthy, 26, said he had read a lot about the pitfalls of helping a dog adjust to a new environment.

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It can be a stressful situation going from its original home to a new home, McCarthy said.

Worried about Bentley, then just 2 months old, being home alone, McCarthy sent a request to his boss and McMenimen: Could he work from home the first week to help Bentley get used to his new surroundings, including a kennel, and learn to go to the bathroom outside?

He received a response almost immediately. Absolutely, they said.

That first week, McCarthy worked from his apartment in Richfield, a Minneapolis suburb, with Bentley by his side. Bentley also spent some hours of the day in a kennel, getting used to a closed environment. About every hour, he took a trip outside to go to the bathroom.

Even with his owner watching closely, Bentley had a few accidents in the house. But McCarthy noted that Bentley  a mix between a golden retriever and a poodle, which are thought to be two of the smartest breeds  was a quick learner.

It was really, really nice to be there while Im working to transition him, said McCarthy, who was working from home Monday, with Bentley at his feet.

In a workplace of 85 employees, a handful of people at Nina Hale in recent years had requested the ability to work from home after getting a new cat or dog, McMenimen said. She said the company began considering making it a formal benefit in May, after the request from McCarthy. The policy was officially unveiled in July.

For a lot of people, their pets are their children, said McMenimen, who is also considering getting a pet. Our employees are at all different stages of their lives.

Nearly three months after McCarthy got his dog, Bentley is potty-trained and socializes well with others at the dog park in his apartment complex.

That first week is crucial, he said.
When Akbar Cook started as vice-principal four years ago at West Side High School in Newark, the situation was dire. Cook, 42, said the school was seeing two or three kids every summer killed because of gun violence. He remembered one instance in which a body of one of his students was found in a trash can behind a building.

I needed to find a way to save them, Cook told The Washington Post. It really affected me having my kids killed.

It wasnt just violence that was plaguing the school. Two years ago, a 16-year-old student entered through the schools metal detectors. As security stopped to check her bag, Cook said she argued with the men and threw her water at them. She didnt want anyone to see what was inside her bag. After the cops came to see what was happening, they looked in the students bag and found something unexpected: dirty underwear and clothes.

She was homeless that weekend and didnt want anyone to know, Cook said.

Similar instances have become all too regular at West Side, said Cook, now the schools principal. As a result, Cook said about 85 per cent of students who attend the school are chronically absent, with students missing three to five days a month. Once Cook and school administrators started calling the homes of the students to figure out why they were often not at school, they discovered that one of the main reasons for their absences was that they were being teased for showing up in filthy, stained clothes.

Ive seen kids in the back of the class talk about kids in the front of the class and how they smell and how their clothes look dirty, student Nasirr Cameron told CBS Philly.

When Cook saw the bullying trickle over to social media, it was a sign that the school of 750 students needed to do whatever it could to bridge the divide between those who could and could not afford to wash their clothes. Cook said he knew the culture needed to change.

They were posting on Snapchat and Instagram about how their classmates were coming to school with dirty clothes on, like posting a pic of a students dirty collar, Cook said. I knew we had to do something.

That something amounted to five washers and five dryers in schools football locker room. When Cook relayed this plea to address the cultural divide, it got the attention of the PSEG Foundation, sponsored by the energy firm, Public Service Electric and Gas Co. In 2016, Cook applied for a $20,000 grant from the PSEG Foundation, which has contributed $1.5 million in funding to the Sustainable Jersey grants program for municipalities and schools, according to SNJ Today. Soon enough, the grant was accepted for the school to get its washers and dryers, as well as materials to help turn the locker room into a mini laundromat.

Two years later, the laundry room is complete. Starting Aug. 27, students will have access after school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with an adult staff member there at all times.

Some kids dont know how to do laundry, Cook said, recalling one instance in which a young man put too much detergent in a load. We have to teach some of them how to do that.

The attention paid to the situation at West Side has not gone unnoticed by the community and school leaders involved in the push for clean clothes.

We take things for granted that are easy for us. [Cook] doesnt, Ellen Lambert, retired president of the PSEG Foundation, told NJ.com. You want everyone to succeed, especially young people. He finds those places where success doesnt happen and he figures out why and he goes after it.

Students are already looking forward to the change.

With the laundromat, itll be a benefit to students because theyre still getting their education and theyre getting their clothes cleaned, student Kalim Harvey-Belcher told NJ.com, adding that he missed a few days last year due to an unclean uniform. You can come to school smelling like Tide every day.

West Side Highs jump into clean clothes is the most recent example of schools using washers and dryers to make a difference in students lives. In 2015, appliance maker Whirlpool provided them to students across two California and Illinois school districts through its Care Counts program. According to Whirlpool, more than 90 per cent of tracked students in the program improved their attendance by six additional days compared to the previous academic year. Teachers surveyed in the pilot program said 95 per cent of participants interacted with peers and enjoyed school more than before.

Since word got out about West Sides laundry facility, Cook told The Post that the response has been amazing, as donations of laundry detergent have been pouring in from all over the state and country. The school will be celebrating the opening of the laundry room on Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

With school starting Sept. 4, Cook said they have enough supplies to last them at least three months. Hes hopeful that the program can last as long as possible and serve as a blueprint for other schools with students facing a similar dilemma: go to school in dirty clothes or dont go to school at all.

This is a real problem in other schools, Cook said. Hopefully, people can see this as an example of what to do.
MOSCOWRussias military forces in the countrys east were put on high alert Monday ahead of massive war games that also involve China and Mongolia, the largest show of power in nearly 40 years, the Russian defence minister said.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the five days of military drills will pave the way for the Vostok (East) 2018 military exercise. Shoigu said those manoeuvres, set for next month, will be the largest since the massive Soviet war games in 1981.

The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Russian President Vladimir Putin could attend the exercise.

Speaking to the top Russian military brass, Shoigu said army, air force and navy units will take part in the exercise that will be held across the Far East and Siberia. He added that military units from China and Mongolia will also take part.

As part of a smaller, separate military exercise this week under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security group dominated by Moscow and Beijing, Chinese warplanes landed Monday at a Russian airbase in the Chelyabinsk region in the Ural Mountains.

The Russian military has increased both the scope and frequency of its manoeuvres amid tensions with the West. It also has expanded military ties with China.

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Slain Russian reporters were investigating private military contractors, mining in Central African Republic

Tensions rise as Taiwan improves missiles to counter Chinas arms expansion

Russian military drills near NATO border stokes fears of aggression

Moscow and Beijing have conducted a series of joint military manoeuvres, including exercises in the South China Sea and navy drills in the Baltics last summer.

The two countries have forged what they described as a strategic partnership, expressing their shared opposition to the unipolar world  the term they use to describe perceived U.S. global domination.

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Defense officials didnt brief President Donald Trump on cost estimates for his long-desired military parade before he canceled it last week, the Pentagon announced Monday, seemingly contradicting the presidents own statements on the matter.

The president was not briefed by any member of the Department of Defense on any cost associated with the parade, Col. Rob Manning told reporters at the Pentagon.

Mannings announcement appears to be at odds with what Trump said after media outlets reported last week that the military extravaganza, which was originally planned for Nov. 10, could set taxpayers back $92 million (U.S.).

The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it, Trump tweeted Friday. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it.

A White House spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Pentagon announced Thursday that Trumps controversial parade had been canceled and that officials were looking into opportunities in 2019 to throw the armed spectacle. Officials did not provide a reason for the postponement, but the announcement came hours after reports of the hefty parade price tag.

We are now going to look at providing options that will go up to the president for a decision for 2019, Manning reiterated Monday.

Trump raised eyebrows earlier this year when he demanded an armed forces parade be held in the nations capital.

Such blatant shows of force are common in authoritarian countries such as China and North Korea.

The U.S. typically doesnt hold such parades unless they coincide with particular military feats. The last military parade was held in 1991 and commemorated the end of the Persian Gulf War.

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Donald Trump says he cancelled $92 milllion military parade, suggests buying more jet fighters instead

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BRIDGEWATER, N.J.U.S. President Donald Trump insists that his White House counsel isnt a RAT like the Watergate-era White House attorney who turned on Richard Nixon, and he is blasting the ongoing Russia investigation as McCarthyism.

Trump, in a series of angry tweets, denounced a New York Times story that his White House counsel, Don McGahn, has been co-operating extensively with the special counsel team investigating Russian election meddling and potential collusion with Trumps Republican campaign.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type RAT, Trump wrote, misspelling the word counsel. But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide ...

The New York Times said it stands by its story.

Dean, a frequent critic of the president, was the White House counsel for Nixon during the Watergate scandal. He ultimately co-operated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

Dean tweeted Saturday night in response to the Times story: Trump, a total incompetent, is bungling and botching his handling of Russiagate. Fate is never kind to bunglers and/or botchers! Unlike Nixon, however, Trump wont leave willingly or graciously.

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Trump campaign adviser should go to prison for lying to FBI: Mueller prosecutors

Mueller examining Trumps tweets in wide-ranging obstruction inquiry

Trump calls on Sessions to stop Muellers Russia probe

He added Sunday in response to Trumps tweets that he doubts the president has ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didnt think I would tell them the truth!

Trumps original legal team had encouraged McGahn and other White House officials to co-operate with special counsel Robert Mueller, and McGahn spent hours in interviews.

Trumps personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said in an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press that Trump didnt raise executive privilege or attorney-client privilege during those interviews because his team believed  he says now, wrongly  that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president, Giuliani said.

McGahns attorney William Burck added in a statement: President Trump, through counsel, declined to assert any privilege over Mr. McGahns testimony, so Mr. McGahn answered the Special Counsel teams questions fulsomely and honestly, as any person interviewed by federal investigators must.

Trump on Sunday continued to rail against the Mueller investigation, which he has labelled a witch hunt.

So many lives have been ruined over nothing  McCarthyism at its WORST! Trump tweeted, referencing the indiscriminate and damaging allegations made by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to expose communists.

Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt! he later wrote.

Giuliani, in his interview, also acknowledged that the reason for the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer, arranged by Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., was that they had been promised dirt on Trumps 2016 Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about Clinton, he said, adding that the Trump team didnt know that Natalia Veselnitskaya was Russian  even though emails later released by Trump Jr. show that she had been described as a Russian government attorney.

Giuliani also tried to make the case that having Trump sit down for an interview with Muellers team wouldnt accomplish much because of the he-said-she-said nature of witnesses recollections.

Its somebodys version of the truth, not the truth, he said, telling NBCs Chuck Todd: Truth isnt truth.

Todd appeared flummoxed by the comment, responding: This is going to become a bad meme.

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WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he would welcome a threatened lawsuit from former CIA director John Brennan, saying it would expose Brennan to the release of documents that would prove him to be the worst CIA Director in our countrys history.

Trumps comments on Twitter came a day after Brennan said he is willing to take the president to court to prevent other current and former officials from having their security clearances revoked.

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit, Trump said on Twitter. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt.

Trump was referring to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, now being led by special counsel Robert Mueller. Brennan, who served under U.S. President Barack Obama, played a role in assessing Russian efforts prior to Muellers appointment.

Trumps Monday tweet came as a bipartisan outcry over his revocation of Brennans security clearance continued to grow, with the release of a statement of opposition signed by more than 175 alumni of national security jobs.

Brennan, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, said Sunday that a number of lawyers have contacted him to offer advice on pursuing an injunction to prevent Trump from taking similar actions in the future.

The White House has drafted documents revoking the clearances of several other current and former officials whom Trump has demanded be punished for criticizing him or playing a role in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to senior administration officials.

I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future, and if it means going to court, I will do that, Brennan said in an appearance on NBC Newss Meet the Press.

If my clearances  and my reputation, as Im being pulled through the mud now  if thats the price were going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me, its a small price to pay, Brennan said.

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Imagine a visit to your doctor or to the hospital. Imagine you speak English, the majority language in Ontario, but your doctor doesnt. How will you communicate your symptoms? How will you understand the diagnosis? How safe will you feel?

This is our reality in Nunavut.

Imagine you need special medical expertise that means you have to fly, unaccompanied, as far away as Mexico.

This is also our reality.

Imagine you have to find someone, anyone, to interpret for you. Imagine telling your intimate health details to a stranger, and imagine trusting them to convey your symptoms accurately to a doctor. Imagine giving up your privacy.

In Nunavut, we Inuit live under a public government, just like Ontario or Quebec. We are the majority. We pay income tax; and we expect to receive public services just like other Canadians. We want to feel safe when we enter the health system, the school system or the justice system.

Do we feel safe? No.

Whats the difference? The difference is, our majority public language is Inuktut; but our public services are mostly delivered in English.

What happens when government does not deliver public services in the language of the public? Canadians die. Canadians get hurt. Would this be allowed to happen in Mississauga? It is happening in Nunavut.

Historically, we know Canada funded buildings and personnel to actively strip Indigenous people of their culture and language through residential schools. In my view, Canada has the responsibility to fund buildings and personnel to actively rebuild, strengthen and protect Indigenous languages.

But instead, when establishing Nunavuts public government 20 years ago, Canada decided not to fund Inuktut as the language of government services.

As the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president, I represent Nunavut Inuit. Nunavut Inuit make up 85 per cent of the population of Nunavut; 70 per cent of us have Inuktut as our mother-tongue.

Nunavut is the only jurisdiction in Canada with a majority public language that is not English or French. Yet because Inuktut is not the language of our public services, it is declining at 1 per cent per year. If this trend continues, by 2051, only 4 per cent of us will be speaking Inuktut at home.

Inuit are resilient, adaptable and pragmatic. So we cope, we co-operate and we communicate. We do what the public services have chosen not to do: we keep our language alive at home, and we interpret for our relatives in the health system.

Everyday, in hundreds of interactions with public services, we help our relatives and community members communicate. I do this. My relatives do this. This is our reality as Inuktut speakers in Nunavut.

But just because we are fluent in Inuktut, that doesnt mean we can effectively and accurately interpret all conversations especially when they include complex technical vocabulary that one has never spoken in their personal life.

None of Annie Kootoos health care workers could speak to Annie in Inuktut. She was being treated for TB when she died of liver failure. Her daughter, Bernice Clarke, said Inuktut may have made a difference for her mother.

Ileen Kooneeliusie died from TB at the age of 15. When her mother Geela was asked what might prevent another death like her daughters, Geela said Inuit health staff who speak Inuktitut.

Inuktut is a public health issue. The Inuktut speaking public majority deserves to receive public services in the language of the public similar to those of other Canadians.

2018 marks 25 years since Nunavut Inuit signed a land claims agreement with Canada. It is a good time to reflect. Is this what Inuit envisioned when they tirelessly negotiated the land claims agreement? Is this where Canada thought it would be?

When Canada increased its number of jurisdictions to 13 with the addition of Nunavut, it missed an opportunity to bestow equality on a founding language of this nation.

But its not too late.

Nation-building is not completed. Imagine if Canada funded and supported Inuktut within Nunavut. Inuktut speaking Inuit in Nunavut could walk into a health centre with the self-assuredness that they would be able to receive their health care service in Inuktut. Inuktut speaking Inuit in Nunavut could walk in their own homelands with a bit more dignity. Now, that would be reconciliation.
Canadas residential school system is a dark and terrible stain on this countrys history.

From 1876 until 1996, about 150,000 First Nation, Inuit and Metis children were taken from their communities to attend those schools. There they were stripped of their culture and language and, all too often, lost contact with their families and a connection to their communities.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission found physical, mental and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools. And some 3,200 to 6,000 children are estimated to have died of malnutrition or disease while in care at these state and church-run schools.

The country has long been trying to find ways  both big and small  to right that grievous wrong. And, most recently, that manifested itself in the form of a debate around taking down statues of historical figures with complicated legacies and creating a new national statutory holiday.

The first item came courtesy of Victorias decision to remove a statue of Canadas first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, because of his role in the creation of the residential school system.

And the second, surrounded the announcement last week that Ottawa intends to declare a new national statutory holiday to commemorate those who attended those schools.

The details of when it might be  June 21 or Sept. 30 currently top the list  and who, beyond federal employees, will get the day off which depends on how the provinces and businesses proceed, are still to come.

(June 21 is already National Indigenous Peoples Day and Sept. 30 is marked as Orange Shirt Day, a residential schools awareness campaign started in British Columbia.)

Both items reflect a laudable intent to help heal the wounds those terrible schools inflicted on Indigenous peoples. And, in the case of the statutory holiday, the idea came out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

These are both symbolic moves, and symbols do matter. But they are far from enough. And, far too often, symbolic moves have been used by governments in place of the more concrete actions, funding and programs that are needed to solve the underlying problems.

In the case of Indigenous peoples, federal and provincial governments cant lose sight of the need to solve appalling and ongoing issues, including racism, poverty, unemployment and addiction.

The disturbing truth is more Indigenous children are being taken from their homes and communities today than at the height of the residential school system.

In 2016, more than 14,000 Indigenous children were placed in foster care, often far from home. And routinely for family problems that are rooted in poverty. Indigenous children made up just 7 per cent of all the children in Canada but accounted for over half the kids taken into care.

At the same time, the significant gap in high school graduation rates between Indigenous children on reserves and other Canadian students has grown over the past 15 years.

Indigenous youth, 18 to 24, are twice as likely to be poor than other youth, according to census data. And they far more likely to commit suicide.

All those challenges, combined with systemic racism in the justice system, mean Indigenous adults are also vastly overrepresented in prisons. In 2017, they accounted for less than 5 per cent of the Canadian population but over 26 per cent of all federal inmates.

Indeed, there seems to be no measure by which Indigenous peoples do well compared to other Canadians. Far too many living on reserves suffer from unemployment, inadequate and overcrowded housing, undrinkable water, poor health and addictions.

Taking down a John A. Macdonald statue so its no longer a reminder of a painful colonial history, or declaring a new holiday to reflect on a path to reconciliation, doesnt change any of that.

And thats something no government should forget.
Given the results of the last federal election, its clear that most Canadians reject the racial and religious nastiness that dominated the Conservatives campaign.

Thats when former prime minister Stephen Harper and several of his cabinet ministers stoked fear and resentment against Muslims in hopes of scaring enough people into voting for them.

Remember the fight over the niqab  the face covering that some women Muslim wear? Harper and his acolyte Jason Kenney (now leader of Albertas official opposition) were determined to go all the way to the Supreme Court even though they kept losing in lower courts, to force a woman to take off her niqab while taking the oath of citizenship.

And there was the tip line introduced late in the campaign, which the Conservatives said would make it easier for people to report the barbaric cultural practices of their neighbours. Calling the police had always been an option but it seems the Conservatives needed another opportunity to smear people who didnt conform to their idea of how Canadians should behave.

Of course, the scare tactics didnt work. Instead, Justin Trudeaus sunny Liberals won a decisive majority.

So wouldnt Conservatives be smart to put all that behind them?

You would think so. But Quebec Conservative MP Maxime Bernier revived the dreaded boogey men of that 2015 campaign when he tweeted last week that Trudeaus policies have led to extreme multiculturalism  whatever that is  which leads to ghettoes and tribes, words that evoke lawlessness and chaos.

Bernier had already been booted out of the Conservative caucus for causing trouble and his tweets were not endorsed by Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.

But there are other prominent Conservatives who seem to hew to the same line.

Premier Doug Ford of Ontario showed his colours when he blamed Trudeau for illegal asylum seekers crossing the border from the U.S and crowding Toronto shelters. They werent illegal and they have a right to seek asylum. And if more people are seeking asylum wouldnt that be Donald Trumps fault? Hes the one who is making people desperate to leave.

In Alberta, Jason Kenney, leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP), has found it necessary to publicly warn members that those who express hateful views to entire groups of people will not be allowed to run for candidate nominations.

The warning came after it was revealed that at least three would-be candidates had publicly aired anti-Islamic and homophobic views. One was even endorsed by some UCP MLAs.

The UCP has an intense vetting process that seems to be working overtime and has booted some would-be candidates because of their extreme views.

Even campaign managers have been caught up in the controversy. Craig Chandler, who once accused the Earls restaurant chain of supporting terrorists because it purchased beef from Creekstone Farms an American company that also offers halal meats for Muslim customers, successfully managed the nomination campaign for Tanya Fir, who will be running as a UCP candidate in Calgary.

Kenney is wilful enough that he might be able to cap the bozo eruptions. He certainly needs to if the party is to avoid the fate of the Wildrose Party in the 2012 election.

It was widely expected to win until it was revealed that one of its candidates had publicly stated that all gay people would burn in a lake of fire after they died. Wildrose leader Danielle Smith did not show the candidate the door but defended his right to hold personal views.

A week later her party went down to defeat.

Now that he is a provincial politician Kenney has carefully avoided talking about the nastiness of the 2015 Conservative federal election campaign and his role in it.

But Berniers recent tweet storm brought it all to the fore again.

Which leads me to wonder: is it just a coincidence that Kenney has attracted so many UCP would-be candidates with views that hearken back to that campaign?

GS Gillian Steward is a Calgary writer and former managing editor of the Calgary Herald. Her column appears every other week. gsteward@telus.net

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I was genuinely taken aback. A Toronto Sun columnist who should have known better mockingly tweeted a list of the times Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had cried in public. It was labelled #TrudeauCried. Hashtags like that magnetize hate on Twitter.

The list began with Trudeau crying at his father Pierres funeral. Then at Auschwitz. At the Quebec City mosque shooting victims funeral. At the death of Gord Downie. At meeting Syrian refugee kids. While apologizing for residential schools. While apologizing to LGBTQ2S people in Canada.

The list was nasty. Even Fox News rarely goes this far.

Adults shouldnt talk this way. We tell small children not to. Its like Trump waving his arms about, mocking a disabled reporter for having arthrogryposis, which limits his joint movements, or mocking John McCain for having been captured in Vietnam and then for having terminal brain cancer.

The columnist was Lorrie Goldstein, which made it worse. I worked with Goldstein many years ago and he was a kind person in a very rough newsroom. He often used the phrase, to be fair. He gave moral thought to things. He asked us if we thought the word feminazi was too strong and decided not to use it. He would take a disabled person  a young man who had great difficulty speaking  out for lunch. Lorrie said ill-considered things, as we all do, but he had no bullying in him.

Still, life happens. It pounds at a person. As the years advance, you have to decide what kind of person you will age into, either open to the world and kind, or closed-off, embittered and angry.

Angry Pajamas read a news story, feel hate spit rising in their gorge and head off to the CBC comment section. I, on the other hand, say compassion whenever I am distressed by news. In Trump times, this means I wander around muttering to myself all day, but still, I do it.

So. Imagine that youve let yourself become the kind of person who mocks people for crying at the death of family, of murder victims, of Jewish victims at the scene of the worst crime humans have ever committed. Small children who could have died by poison gas in Syria are hopping around Pearson Airport, but you mock those who are moved to tears. Many Canadians cried at Gord Downies death but you dont really care for music, do you.

Later, Goldstein apologized for having mocked Trudeau for the first two, which just made things worse. Goldstein would allow that Trudeau might have sincerely grieved over his fathers death and the Holocaust. But he left every other harsh conclusion intact.

I imagine Trudeau cried when he heard of his younger brother Michels horrible skiing death in an avalanche. That sorrow helped destroy Pierre Trudeaus will to live. He and Margaret were ravaged by grief. Were they all just showing off?

Goldstein didnt apologize for sneering at Trudeaus grief at the funeral of victims of a mass murder though, as if Trudeau could not possibly be sincerely stricken by the slaughter of Muslims.

Equally, why could anyone cry at children torn from their parents arms and sent to faraway schools to be abused by priests? The Americans do that now. Melania really doesnt care. Do U?

Im being sarcastic here. I dont know what Goldstein feels. But he might consider that even if he thinks Trudeau was faking the tears that ran down his face  maybe the PMs photographer, Adam Scotti, was peeling onions  many other Canadians were crying too. Blogger Nora Loreto cruelly mocked reactions to the Humboldt dead but across the country, people still cried about those boys.

Modern men are changing. Theyre spending more time with family, have comforted female friends enduring sexual harassment, and speak openly about their feelings. Goldsteins Twitter followers might be using Trudeaus tears to hide other more high-school resentments of him: his relative youth, or his openly expressing love for Sophie and their children. Kayaking. Running. Dressing well. Maybe he drinks craft beer instead of buck-a.

Even judges cry, as in one recent B.C. case where the victims statement in a pedophilia case was terribly upsetting. The judge is now considering whether to recuse herself. She shouldnt. Everybody hurts sometimes. Everybody cries.

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Canada  Canada? she implored.

The middle-aged mother clasped her hands together, begging for an answer to her humanitarian request: Which way to Canada?

In her eyes, a look of desperation. On her back, all her worldly possessions. Behind her, a sweat-drenched husband dragging a large suitcase. Beside them, panicky teenage children.

Ahead of us, the Canadian border. Between us, a language barrier.

She could say only two words: Colombia. And, over and over, Canada?

No, I wasnt a journalist looking for a story, as I have my whole career. I had just stumbled upon a painfully human tale while vacationing in Vermont at the cottage we rent every August with American friends from our days as foreign correspondents.

Id been jogging on a trail that started out as the old Burlington railway line, never imagining it as an underground railroad for refugee claimants. Today, the route to Canada is blocked by heavy overgrowth at the border, bisected by warning signs.

The family had reached the end of the road and looked to me  a passing jogger  for guidance.

I had walked into a situation Id only ever read about, or written about, since returning from a decade abroad covering war zones. Back then, refugees were always asking for help to reach Canada.

Now, this family wasnt a world away but a stones throw away from the promised land.

What to do?

What would Doug Ford do?

Our premier describes them as illegal crossers, baiting voters and blaming the federal government for supposedly summoning throngs from America.

What would you do?

Point them to the nearest official crossing 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) away, knowing theyd automatically be turned back by Canada Border Services thanks to a bilateral agreement that predates Donald Trump?

Or would you point them straight ahead to the Canadian side for an irregular crossing into the waiting arms of the RCMP, so they could plead their case in a hearing by our refugee determination system?

Would you dash their dreams, deeming them illegal crossers? Or direct them to due process, dealing with them as refugee claimants?

Im a journalist, not judge and jury. I pointed them straight ahead to Canada, just as my own refugee parents would have expected of me after they snuck across international borders in far more dangerous circumstances.

The woman clasped her hands together again, her face collapsing in emotion as she thanked me profusely for doing nothing more than showing her the way. I hadnt counted on her reaction  on assignment overseas I was always braced for human hardship, but now I was just a jogger caught up in one familys drama of a lifetime.

I pointed to the dead end of the old railway route, now overgrown, and motioned that Canada lay just beyond. We couldnt understand each other, but it was clear she already understood.

Even if Id wanted to know more, there was no time for questions  not with the U.S. Border Patrol everywhere. I watched in silent amazement as they scrambled across a roadway and clambered up the incline of a homestead straddling the border (alongside the overgrown pathway), dragging their luggage awkwardly for a final mad dash to freedom.

It all happened so fast  but not fast enough to avoid the official-looking SUV that rushed across my horizon and screeched to a stop in front of them. Holding my breath, I walked up an embankment to see if they had been intercepted by one of the ubiquitous U.S. Border Patrol vehicles that crawl along the area.

Had I inadvertently sent them into a trap laid by waiting officials?

As I inched closer, mindful of the border, I made out the Royal Canadian Mounted Police insignia and overheard the officers speaking French to one another while slowly dictating instructions in English to the Colombian family: Empty your pockets; for your own safety, prepare to be handcuffed as we drive you to the official border crossing where your refugee claim will be processed from the Canadian side.

I wondered if they would be terrified by the sight of police handcuffs and blame me for betraying them. But they knew better  first the children, then the parents turned in my direction and broke into smiles I hadnt imagined possible, jubilant about reaching my homeland.

I watched from a safe distance. Or so I thought.

Caught up in the drama, I had crossed a line. One of the Mounties walked over and politely suggested I return quickly to the American side before getting in trouble.

Return to America? But I was merely standing on someones lawn!

Heeding his advice, I quickly retraced my steps  only to encounter a U.S. Border Patrol car approaching from the American side. The officer rushed out and asked what I was doing there, where I was coming from, and who I was.

Now I was the suspected illegal crosser.

Recounting my story  their story  I offered the innocent explanation that joggers dont carry their passports, that I hadnt counted on finding myself near no mans land. Thinking quickly, I pointed out that I had locked my bicycle beside the bike path deeper in American territory and quickly produced the key to my Kryptonite lock as proof.

The border officer had seen my bicycle, and accepted my explanation. After all, by the time hed seen me, I was safely on American soil, the very territory the Colombians had tried to flee in search of sanctuary.

I explained my encounter with the family. The Colombians? he asked.

Wait  how did he know they were Colombian? Did the Americans rely on surveillance technology along that bicycle trail (where Id noticed a solar panel beside a closed circuit camera)?

Turns out he was on step ahead of me. The border officer had already intercepted  and interviewed  the family even before Id jogged by them. Unlike me, he spoke Spanish, having served on the Mexican border.

And like his colleagues on patrol, his instructions were not to stand in their way if they wanted to leave America for Canadian territory. So why would any Canadian want to keep refugee claimants out of our country?

Good question. More on that, and what I learned from officials on both sides of the border, in my next column.
If the Quebec election were held tomorrow, Francois Legault would become the first leader since Rene Levesque to bring a new party to power in the province. For more than four decades since its initial 1976 victory, the Parti Quebecois has been the main alternative to the Liberals. A Coalition Avenir Quebec win could consign the provinces once dominant sovereigntist party to the sidelines.

A Leger poll published by Le journal de Montreal and the network LCN just ahead of the campaigns official start on Thursday shows that the Oct. 1 vote remains the Coalition Avenir Quebecs to lose. It has enjoyed a comfortable lead on the competition for months and Legault is seen as the best potential premier by a (modest) plurality of voters.

But winning the precampaign is not an ironclad guarantee of victory. If it were, Thomas Mulcair would have built on the gains of the orange wave and might have become prime minister in 2015, and Pauline Marois would still be premier.

The fact that this falls election will not  for the first time in decades  be a vote by proxy for or against sovereignty and another referendum has provided much of the impetus for the CAQs rise to first place.

But the blurring of Quebec long-standing battle lines is also making for one of the most volatile electorates in the country.

Quebecers have gone to the polls at the federal and provincial levels four times since 2011 and on three of those occasions the outcome of the vote did not match the pre-election trends.

Jack Layton in 2011, Philippe Couillard in 2014 and Justin Trudeau a year later each started their respective Quebec campaigns as more or less distant also-rans only to finish with a majority of the provinces seats on election night.

Since then, Montreal was also the scene of a mayoral upset that saw Denis Coderre ushered out of city hall last fall after just one term.

The new-found electoral mobility of a lot of Quebec voters has only increased since the Parti Quebecois joined the Bloc Quebecois in an ongoing decline. In Quebec, the winds of change seem to blowing harder against the PQ than against the incumbent Liberals.

When asked by Leger whether they could still change their choice, 45 per cent of respondents answered in the affirmative. Half of the current supporters of the CAQ are in that category.

That should come as no surprise, as some of the voters currently in Legaults tent voted for the NDP at the time of the orange wave, supported Trudeau in the last federal election, and are even now telling pollsters they are planning to cast a ballot for the Liberals in next years federal election.

The notion that enough voters are keeping their options open to cost the CAQ its projected victory is one Couillards Liberals are clinging to as they enter the campaign. So is the fact that the Quebec Liberal party has demonstrated its resilience in the past.

Since the 1995 referendum, the Liberals lost only two elections and in both cases the strength of their vote was an election night surprise.

In 1998, Jean Charest came second to Lucien Bouchard but his Liberal party came first in the popular vote. In the midst of an unresolved student uprising in 2012, Charest lost his bid for a fourth mandate by a mere handful of seats.

On both occasions, the fear of another referendum was the glue that ended up binding federalist voters to the Liberal cause. Whether the partys resilience will survive the loss of that glue is an open question.

Still, a little bit of hope is better than no hope.

The Leger poll suggests that the province-wide gap between the CAQ and the Liberals had narrowed from nine to six points over the summer. The PQ continues to lag far behind its main rivals at 18 per cent. But the provincial numbers hide the more dire Liberal reality that Legault leads by a margin of two to one in francophone Quebec.

If he is going to beat the long odds attending his reelection bid, Couillard will need all the help he can get in the shape of CAQ missteps. It is a sign of the changing political times that the Quebec Liberals could also really use a strong PQ campaign to better divide the vote against them.

Chantal Hebert is a columnist based in Ottawa covering politics. Follow her on Twitter: @ChantalHbert

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The memory of a witness falling to her knees on the subway platform as a horrified screech escaped her lips still haunts Kevin Freeman.

Just six months after finishing his training, the rookie train operator was approaching Torontos busiest subway station when a man jumped in front of his train. It was rush hour on June 26, 2008. The station was packed. There were hundreds, if not more than a thousand, people on his train when the impact occurred.

It was a similar situation for Anne Marie Aikins, a transit worker who witnessed a death on April 28, 2015. It was a big day for Metrolinx, her employer. A new concourse had just opened at Torontos Union Station. The area was packed, with a live band, a mascot and food being served to celebrate the occasion, when a mans bag got caught by the train as it left one of the stations narrow platforms. Aikins witnessed the gruesome aftermath.

More recently, on June 18, Toronto police believe a man was intentionally pushed into the tracks at Bloor-Yonge station. Police have made an arrest and charged a 57-year-old man with first-degree murder.

Since 2007 in Canada, there have been as many as 1,235 track-level deaths on railway corridors across the country; the vast majority were suicides . The figures were provided by the Toronto Transit Commission and Metrolinx, Ottawas OC Transpo, Exo and Societe de transport de Montreal, Calgary Transit, Edmonton Transit, TransLink in Vancouver, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

Experts say the number of deaths would decrease if transit agencies installed platform edge barriers: a series of sliding doors barring access to the tracks. They open only once the train has stopped.

Read more:

Hero in TTC subway rescue says he was just in the right place at the right time

Opinion | Rosie DiManno: Randomness of unprovoked fatal subway push is chilling

TTC, Metrolinx confronting taboo of talking about suicide

The head of the Amalgamated Transit Union of Canada, Paul Thorp, said such barriers should be in place nationwide. Barriers are an idea that other places in the world, such as Hong Kong, have employed to reduce the number of deaths on transit by more than half.

Any transit agency that is not putting in these barriers due to financial costs need to stop putting a price on humanity, Thorp said in an interview. The tragedies of somebody being pushed or accidentally being caught is something that we can definitely sympathize with families.

We feel that the transit agencies should be held accountable.

For Thorp, the main concern is train operators, many of whom feel responsible for the deaths themselves and never completely recover. Often, he said, they are required to return to work before they are fully recovered from trauma.

No one knows what our employees are going through, said Thorp, whose union represents workers at five of the transit agencies.

Freeman, the Toronto Transit Commission subway driver, is still working the same route 10 years after the fatal impact. Every time he passes Bloor-Yonge station, hes reminded of the horror and the precise time it happened, 9:45 a.m.

He remembers following the procedures he learned in training; running to an emergency power shut-off for the tracks and notifying transit control while attempting to evacuate the train. Next came the first responders, who whisked the train crew away to be interviewed by investigators. Hours later, he finally had a moment to reflect on what happened in front of a counsellor.

I was shaking like a leaf, Freeman said. The hardest part for me was calling my wife and telling my family ... I was worried about how theyd look at me. How do you speak to this person now theyve been involved in this?

Mark Tetterington, president of the union representing light-rail drivers in Edmonton, still remembers an incident at University Station in 2012 in which a young visually impaired woman was killed after falling onto the track. Her name was Zaidee Jensen, a 29-year-old mother of two.

She mistakenly went too close to the edge of the platform and she fell onto the track, Tetterington said. It was tragic. She was a regular transit user. Most of us knew her.

In response to her death, Edmonton Transit installed yellow warning tiles along platforms to give visually impaired customers indication of where the platform edge is. Albert Potter, the father of the young woman, said his daughters death was a result of poor station design.

He said there should have been a handrail or barrier in the area where she fell.

If you build a deck over the back of your house, anything over two feet youre required to have a hand rail, Potter said. All the train platforms in the world dont meet that standard.

Potter said on the day of his daughters fatal fall, construction taking place at the station obstructed her regular route to the platform. Potter said his daughter took a stairwell she had never used before to reach the platform, which put her much closer to the edge than she was used to. Thats why she fell.

Potter, a former maintenance worker with Canadian Pacific Railway, said he believes the platform safety barriers should be installed regardless of cost.

Have your say

The cost of the hardware is a onetime thing. The cost of Zaidee is a lifetime, Potter said.

Edmonton Transit had explored the idea of platform edge barriers, as have provincially regulated transit agencies in Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto. None are currently equipped with barriers, largely due to concerns about costs and compatibility issues with existing trains and platforms.

In Edmonton, transit agency spokesperson Rowan Anderson said, the concerns include how the transit system operates two different types of trains with different door locations. This means drivers consistently lining up train-side doors with platform-side doors would be an issue.

Calgary Transit manager of service design Chris Jordan said installing platform barriers would mean the transit agency would have to replace all its older trains with identical, or near-identical models that are compatible with a universal barrier system.

Each train car, however, costs between $4 to $6 million, and the transit agency currently operates about 220 train cars. Its estimated that the total capital cost for barriers on each of the citys 46 light-rail stations would be in the hundreds of millions.

Calgarys CTrain also runs at street level, with parts travelling through downtown. This means a large portion of the system is easily accessible to those who truly wish to stand in front of a train.

Whether its accidental or intentional, pedestrian collision can actually occur anywhere near a train corridor, Jordan said. Installing barriers at just one location, like a platform, wont necessarily address the issue.

Rick Ratcliff, president of the union representing Calgarys CTrain drivers, said the transit agency has never discussed the idea of platform safety barriers with the workers. However, he agreed finding as safety-barrier system that would fit every model of CTrain may be a challenge. Calgary operates multiple types of trains, and the oldest trains, introduced in the early 1980s, are still in operation.

TransLink in B.C., meanwhile, had commissioned a study on platform barriers as early as 1994, a copy of which was provided to StarMetro. The Vancouver transit agency updated cost estimates in 2014, calculating that it would likely have to spend $140 million to upgrade 20 stations.

Though Chris Bryan, spokesperson for Vancouvers Translink, said there are no current plans to install the barriers, the consultants who completed the 1994 study had determined platform edge doors were feasible for Vancouvers SkyTrain system.

One advantage is how TransLinks entire light-rail system is fully automated. This means the companys trains can achieve precise stopping positions that only the most experienced human drivers can consistently land.

But there are still challenges, such as how TransLink also runs more than one type of train with different door positions on the sides of the trains. A solution that was proposed was to make the platform-side doors bigger  twice the size of the smallest train-door, providing a larger space to accommodate minor differences between train models.

Such a door size would be bulky and likely difficult to control due to the increased weight, however, the consultants wrote in their report. Construction time would also be significant. The work could take up to 18 months, with the potential necessity of closing stations during operation hours.

However, the consultants also determined platform doors could reduce monthly transit delays, often due to objects falling onto the track, by more than half.

Over 12 months from 2013 to 2014, TransLink experienced a total of 207 hours in delays due to customers, track intrusions and emergencies on its SkyTrain system.

Over in Ottawa, OC Transpo had explored platform barriers at one point for its new Confederation Line, a 13-station expansion currently under construction. But it rejected the idea, instead relying on a sensor system to alert drivers of people and objects falling into the tracks, said OC Transpo director of O-Train construction Steve Cripps, in a statement.

Metrolinx in Toronto has also explored the idea of platform barriers. Aikins, the Metrolinx employee who witnessed a train-impact death in 2015, is also a spokesperson for the company.

I happened to be just leaving my office as it happened and went to the platform. I normally am very removed, but to be there really changed things for me, Aikins said.

She said after that death, Metrolinx began changing how it communicates with transit users after a train impact, and also considered the idea of platform barriers on narrow areas at Union Station. However, an internal review determined that platform safety barriers may create further hazards, and would be challenging to install for platforms that are curved.

Metrolinx would not release a copy of the internal review, saying only that the current plan is to widen and relocate platforms, many of which are too narrow or crowded.

Currently, the only transit agency actively considering platform edge barriers is the Toronto Transit Commission. Its decision follows a 2015 recommendation from Toronto City Council to install platform edge doors on all new extensions and lines, and to retrofit its existing transit stations with the same.

TTC spokesman Stuart Green said it would cost anywhere from $1 billion to $1.5 billion to install barriers on all 75 of its subway stations. Green said the transit commission is currently in the process of upgrading its subway system with automation capabilities, which would permit further compatibility with platform barriers.

So far, only six of the TTCs stations are designed to be equipped with platform barriers. These stations service the new Yonge-University-Spadina extension and came equipped with an automatic train- control system, which provides better accommodation for platform-side doors.

According to 2009 figures from the TTC, there were 109 incidents of people being on the tracks that year, causing about 38 hours of delay on the system.

Green said the platforms would be as much for convenience as safety, preventing items such as newspapers from falling into the track and causing delays, in addition to promoting better ventilation.

The TTC said it is currently working to issue a request for proposals in September for a comprehensive study into platform edge barriers, with results to come back in 2020.

Thorp, the national transit workers union president, said he believes transit agencies should begin building new platforms with barriers planned in the original design, then move on to retrofit older stations as one means of overcoming challenges.

Where we cannot force them to implement our suggestions, we hope they do take them seriously, Thorp said.

Peter DeLeonardis, director of transit with platform-door manufacturer Stanley Access Technologies, said he has met in the past with TTC officials about implementing platform barriers for the TTCs Spadina extension.

He agreed transit agencies with automated train systems using identical trains would be the ideal for installing platform barriers, but said there were plenty of options to answer the challenges raised by Canadian transit authorities.

For agencies with multiple types of trains, a common solution would be to install wider sets of doors on the side of the platform, he said, similar to the idea suggested by TransLinks consultants. An additional set of transmitters would alert computers controlling the platform doors with information on what type of train is arriving.

And the doors would open to a certain opening width, or spacing, depending on the type of train that pulls in. Its somewhat of a flexible technology, DeLeonardis said.

Another solution would be a roll-up barrier, similar to a series of garage doors made of rope stretching between station pillars. The entire system would roll up upon the arrival of a train instead of relying on individual platform-doors.

Regarding driver-based systems, DeLeonardis said one solution would be a red-yellow-green signalling system for drivers, who will be required to slow down before arriving at a station platform. As they approach, the light turns yellow  signalling its almost time to stop. Once the light hits green, the driver would know that the train is properly aligned with the stations platform doors.

DeLeonardis said he is unaware of any transit agency in North America that uses platform doors in urban transit settings, apart from smaller airport transit services that have very few trains and stations.

The lack of platform doors in North America stands in stark contrast to Europe and Asia, where barriers are common. Hong Kongs MTR transit service has 93 stations. MTR said nearly all of them are equipped with either full-height platform barriers, or half-height gates, even though the system was initially designed with no barriers in place.

Kendrew Wong, MTR spokesperson, said its entire retrofit took place during overnight, non-service hours at a cost of $2.3 billion HK, for 38 stations, or about $385 million in todays Canadian dollars. Wong said at the time of the retrofit in the 1990s, there were no similar examples of large-scale platform door retrofits in the world.

The corporation had to plan, design and construction the PSDs (platform screen doors) and APGs (automatic platform gates) from scratch ... tremendous technical challenges had to be overcome, Wong said.

A University of Hong Kong study completed in 2008 found suicide deaths on transit were reduced by about 60 per cent after the installation of barriers.

DeLeonardis, with the platform-door manufacturer, said part of the reason North American transit agencies have rejected the idea of platform barriers is due to antiquated technology. The comparatively lower populations in North America cities has also meant the average transit station is likely less crowded than its Asian counterpart would be. This means accidents involving commuters falling onto the track less are less likely here.

For those who have been affected by a death on the tracks, the idea of platforms seems like a relatively easy fix.

Most of the time we as operators have brought suggestions forward to management as ways to help, to improve things. Were sort of not listened to, Freeman, the subway driver, said.

The technology exists, said Potter, Jensens father. Were just 20 years behind for everything.

Cities around the world

With platform barriers

London, Copenhagen, Paris, Toulouse, Torino, St. Petersburg, Barcelona, Rome, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Busan, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Dubai

With barrier retrofits

Hong Kong is only known example of a system with barriers that werent part of a new-station build

Building platform barriers

Honolulu is only North American city currently building barriers in a metropolitan transit-rail system

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ALTON  City firefighters starred in a publicity shoot Monday, showing off a new piece of equipment to a media team from benefactor, Illinois American Water.

The filming of Alton Fire Department firefighters demonstrating use of the departments first piercing nozzle, and interview with Chief Bernie Sebold, will be used for corporate and social media, said Karen Cotton, manager of external affairs at the Peoria office.

Its a tangible result of the program, Cotton said of the utilitys annual Firefighter Grant Program during the filming at the Don Twichell Memorial Station #1, 333 E. 20th St. It is a great way to partner with our local heroes, we work with them every day, we take care of the fire hydrants which other water providers dont do. This is one way we can protect them (firefighters).

Alton obtained $1,000 from the 2017 grant cycle with which to buy the nozzle, which is carried on Pumper 1811 from Station 1. Sebold recently applied for another $1,000 in the 2018 round of grants for a second piercing nozzle that would be kept on a pumper at Station 2, 3212 College Ave.

The Task Force Tips Inc.s model, which is about 5 feet long and can be disassembled into sections, fits on a firehose and has a sharp, ridged pointed metal tip with water holes.

As demonstrated by Capt. Rick Newman and firefighter Jacob Iman  with one forceful thrust of the nozzle and a reinforcing pounding from a sledge hammer  the men swiftly punched a hole in a vertical piece of aluminum siding attached to the tall training tower inside the firehouse bay. The sound resonated throughout that huge area of the station.

The firefighters repeated their actions, time after time for photos and filming. Sometimes the hose was turned on, causing the nozzle to spray a shower of water behind the metal wall  as it would in a fire.

We did not have this before the grant, Sebold said. It reduces an element of firefighters exposure to the fire with a linear application. I believe it to be useful. He said the department only recently got the nozzle, and has not yet used it at a fire.

Among applications Sebold mentioned for the nozzle are punching holes and drenching flames and smoke in a mobile home, tractor trailer, storage shed, railroad car with unknown contents or hood of a car with an engine fire. Firefighters also can utilize the piercing nozzle to break through a floor if there is a fire in the basement; or a ceiling or roof if there are flames in an attic.

Anytime there is a thin grade wall, like a mobile home, youd be able to slam it right through, Sebold said. The end of the nozzle is pierced with numerous holes so water goes in a 360-degree pattern. You can put it in a 90-degree elbow position or straight position.

Sebold said the nozzle also could be used to pierce, then shoot foam instead of water in some instances of fire suppression.

Cotton said the purpose of publicizing how fire departments, fire protection districts and other emergency organizations utilize the grants is to advertise that the application period has started for the next round. It ends Sept. 7.

Since 2010, weve provided more than $417,000 across the state with 425 grants, Cotton said.

The grants are for uniformed, professional and volunteer organizations in Illinois Americans service territory and have a maximum of $1,000.

Grant uses include: personal protective gear; communications equipment; firefighting tools; water handling equipment; training and related activities/materials used to support community fire protection; and reimbursement for specific fire training classes, including training manuals and workbooks.

Eligible departments should email a letter of application to karen.cotton@amwater.com with the following information:

 Description of the organization(s) seeking support

 Overview of specific project to be funded and grant amount requested

 Community problem/challenges that the project will address

 Timeframe for implementation of project

 Summary of other sources being approached for support of project

 Project budget

Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller
GLEN CARBON  The Glen Carbon Police Department will be adding two new vehicles to its fleet, thanks to the seizure of property from criminals.

At the last regular full meeting of the Village Board, Police Chief Todd Link requested to purchase two cars to be used as detective vehicles.

To purchase the cars, Link said funds from the federal Asset Forfeiture and Equitable Sharing Program will be used for the purchase.

Link said the department has been part of the program since 2015 and money is sitting in a state escrow account and a federal escrow account for a total of $38,174.23.

Link said the bulk of the money was awarded to Glen Carbon from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency for assistance provided to the DEA by Glen Carbon Police officers.

Our task force officer assigned to the DEA and our two K9 officers have participated in a number of state and federal prosecutions which have led to some money being awarded to us, Link said. Under the guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Justice, seized assets are shared with local participating agencies, like the Glen Carbon Police Department, and those funds may be lawfully used to pay for law enforcement purposes, including the purchase of patrol and unmarked vehicles, Link said.

The two vehicles being replaced are both 2008 Chevrolet Impalas.

Link said the vehicles have high mileage and the maintenance cost is more than the cars are worth.

They will be replaced by two 2016 Dodge Chargers that were previously used by the Missouri Highway Patrol.

The cost for both of the cars would be $35,700, which would come out of the seized asset escrow accounts.

Link said many area police departments purchase used police cars from the Missouri Highway Patrol and they have a good reputation for taking care of their vehicles.

This has been a long-standing program and the Missouri Highway Patrol pulls vehicles out of service at 50,000 miles and they have a reputation for being very good, reliable cars, Link said.

Trustee voted unanimously to approve the purchase of the vehicles.
An Urbana-based federal judge in the public corruption case against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock has been removed from that case and dozens of others after it was learned the judge had talked to a member of the U.S. Attorneys Office while a trial was in progress.

U.S. District Judge Colin Bruce has been removed from Schocks case and anything else where the government is a party. That includes all criminal matters and post-conviction hearings as well as anything that could involve the government in a civil matter.
EDWARDSVILLE  Travel study programs can change a persons life forever: personally, academically and professionally.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Assistant Professor of Public Health Michelle Cathorall, DrPH, MPH, stands by her statement wholeheartedly having witnessed such a transformation as she accompanied eight public health students on a five-week travel study in eastern Africa.

The international service experience left an indelible mark on all involved as students worked in local Ugandan neighborhoods, helped develop programs to address issues of malaria and HIV, and advanced life skills like enhanced communication, gratitude and patience.

Being in Uganda, working in the rural communities, while also experiencing what it is like to be a Ugandan university student, I discovered a passion for dedicating my life to sharing my public health education with the world, said Chelsea Franklin, of Greenville, who participated in the travel study before completing a bachelors in public health in August. The most impactful part of my experience was realizing that there is nothing else in the world that I want to do more.

The humbling realization of the importance of selflessness and self-confidence was shared by numerous students during their travels.

The trip allowed my heart and brain to grow, and made an everlasting impact on me, said Mica Coleman, of Pawnee. Following the summer program, Coleman achieved her bachelors in public health. She is now pursuing a masters in public administration and policy analysis, concentrating in human safety, at SIUE.

The travel study program was made possible through a long-term partnership with Ndejje University in Uganda. It offered students the unique opportunity to work with diverse communities, an integral learning component of their preparation as future public health leaders, according to Cathorall.

I was able to apply classroom knowledge and skills while completing fieldwork at Ndejje University, Coleman recalled. I learned more about myself and where I see myself in the future.

One of the challenges of training the next generation of public health leaders is helping them develop a global perspective on public health issues and on how to work with those diverse communities to understand and address their health needs in appropriate ways. Thats why experiences like this are essential for our students.

Cathorall noted the SIUE students personal and professional development as they completed community fieldwork and learned to communicate in a productive and meaningful way with Ugandans.

Students who were quiet in class blossomed, taking on leadership roles during the trip, she explained. I watched students change the way they think about situations, from their perspective being the right or normal one to recognizing that our cultural perspective is not always the right one and that when there are issues or disagreements, each person plays a role.

As a professor, there is a sense of pride and professional fulfillment in developing a program that has the power to transform a persons life by helping them see the broader picture of life in another country and to change how they view themselves, their country and culture, Cathorall added.

While in eastern Africa, the students also learned a new sport, woodball, and competed in a tournament at the National Stadium. They also explored an island that has been turned into a chimpanzee sanctuary, and visited a local government hospital where they learned about the healthcare delivery systems challenges and improvements. The finale of their trip included a five-day safari tour.

After a successful inaugural trip to Uganda, Cathorall anticipates this is the first of many travel study programs to the African country.

To other students considering participating in a future trip, I would say definitely do it, said Mikayla Colenburg, of St. Louis, a senior studying public health. This trip presented so many benefits and allowed me to grow as a person and see my major in action. I hope to travel more in the future, so that I can see all the world has to offer.
The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite...
The Indian Army late on Sunday night labelled as fake a viral video that features a man dressed as a soldier accusing Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of not allowing the military to conduct rescue operations in Chengannur.

The video, which started going viral on Saturday, shows a man in military fatigues questioning Vijayan for allegedly delaying calling the military for rescue operations in Chengannur, one of the areas that was worst affected by the floods. The man asks whether Vijayan was influenced by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the secretary of the state CPI(M). The man pleads with Vijayan to allow the military for operations in Chengannur and warns the chief minister would be held accountable if he didn't act.

Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy.Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579. We are at it #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/ncUR7tCkZW  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 19, 2018

The 'soldier's video' was prominently shared from the Facebook handle of 'Bharatiya Mahila Morcha Thalassery mandalam' from where it was shared over 28,000 times. It was also uploaded on Twitter and and other social media platforms.

On Sunday night, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army informed on Twitter and Facebook that the man in the viral video was an impostor. Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy is aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy. Forward disinformation about #IndianArmy on WhatsApp +917290028579, the ADGPI's handle said.

The incident highlights concerns about how misinformation on social media could affect the ongoing rescue and relief operations in Kerala. After the flooding increased in intensity last week, some right-wing social media handles tweeted that issues like the popularity of beef in Kerala and the ongoing Supreme Court hearing on allowing women's entry into Sabarimala had led to the state incurring divine wrath. There have also been viral audio and video messages against the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
As Kerala prepares for a massive rehabilitation drive after last week's unprecedented flood, the news of contributions from various quarters has raised hopes in the state. Many have generously contributed to the state's relief and rehabilitation works. International and national help is flowing into the state.

The Qatar Charity, through its representative in India, has launched emergency relief for those affected by the floods with a total value of half a million riyals during the first stage, the Gulf Times reported. Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani issued a directive to allocate Rs 34.89 crore in aid for those affected by the floods that recently hit the southern Indian state of Kerala, to help provide shelter to those who lost their homes as a result of the humanitarian crisis, the daily reported.

Sharjah ruler Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi donated Rs 4 crore on Saturday. President of UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has ordered the formation of an emergency committee, headed by Sheikh Mohammed, to look into providing relief assistance to people affected by floods in Kerala.

Hundreds of Malayalee associations in the Gulf countries, from church prayer groups to arts and cultural outfits, have also united to raise funds. Easily Rs 100 crore is expected, said the official.

Oman is also expected to send special flights carrying essential commodities and medical supplies to Kerala. Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Al Said has instructed the Royal Oman Air Force to fly special flights from Muscat to Thiruvananthapuram to provide relief.

There are reports that similar support is underway from Saudi Arabia. On behalf of ourselves as well as the people and government of Saudi Arabia, we express our deepest sorrow and offer condolences to you as well as to the families of the deceased and to the people of India, King Salman of Saudi was quoted by the Saudi News Agency.

Meanwhile, Indian businessmen based in UAE have announced Rs 12.5 crore donation for flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala, according to a media report.

Yusuff Ali MA, Chairman and MD of Lulu Group, has announced a Rs 5 crore donation for rain-battered Kerala, Khaleej Times reported.

KP Hussain, Chairman of Fathima Healthcare Group, has donated Rs 5 crore. He said that Rs 10 million out of 50 million will directly go to the Kerala Chief Ministers relief fund, while the rest will be allocated for medical relief aid, the Gulf paper added.

Hussain said that his group has coordinated with the states health secretary to send volunteers from its medical faculty. This includes doctors and paramedics being sent to relief camps.

India-born billionaire B.R.. Shetty, Chairman of Unimoni and UAE Exchange, had pledged Rs 2 crore.

Azad Moopen, an Indian, Founder, Chairman and MD of Aster DM Healthcare, pledged Rs 50 lakh. The group also announced that it had mobilised a disaster support team of over 300 volunteers.

It is noteworthy that countries in the Gulf region have been the biggest contributors among the international aid. Indians form a major part of the labour force in the Gulf countries. Indian expatriates make up nearly 27 per cent of the UAE population. Of these, a sizeable number are people from Kerala.

Over the last week, Kerala has battled unprecedented flood and rains, the worst in a century. The state has faced more than 200 deaths, property destruction, loss of goods and commodities and thousands of people have been displaced from their homes. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Kerala faces about Rs 20,000 crore worth loss. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he visited Kerala on Saturday and announced an immediate relief of Rs 500 crore after conducting an aerial survey of the affected areas. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had announced Rs 100 crore relief earlier in the week. This is in addition to the Rs 80 crore relief announced on July 25 by Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju after his visit.
"No effort must be spared" to prevent future cases of clerical sexual abuse and "to prevent the possibility of their being covered up," Pope Francis said in a letter addressed "to the people of God."

Pope Francis on Monday released a letter addressing recent revelations of a decades-long clerical sexual abuse scandal in the US, in which he said that the outcry of victims was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence them.

The letter was published less than a week after the release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report on decades of clerical sexual abuse and coverups in six dioceses. The report spoke of credible allegations against 301 priests in cases involving more than 1,000 children.

More than 300 Catholic priests were allegedly involved in these abuses and many high-ranking ecclesiastical officials were knowingly complicit in the crimes.

"I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons," Francis said.

"The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced," he added.

"The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults."

Other than the US, sexual abuse scandals are rapidly consuming the church in several countries.

In Australia, a bishop has been found guilty of covering up sexual abuse.

In Chile, the Pope was forced to recant his dismissal of an abuse scandal involving a prominent priest and bishops accused of covering up his crimes.
It was a bittersweet moment for all of them. They met crying and wailing and enveloped each other in the tightest hugs, only to be pulled apart 11 hours later. The 90 families torn apart for more than six decades by the Korean war were reunited in the North on Monday.

The first in three years, the reunions were a result of thawing relations between the two Koreas and were held at Mount Kumgang, a tourist resort in North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to the latest round of reunions during their first summit in April.

About 330 South Koreans from 89 families, many of them in wheelchairs, gathered with 185 lost relatives from the North, embracing with tears, joy and disbelief. Some were struggling to recognise family they have not seen in more than 60 years.

Kim Gyong Sil and Gyong Yong, 72 and 71, wearing light violet traditional dress of hanbok, stood nervously staring at the entrance before their 99-year-old mother Han Shin-ja turned up. They could not speak for minutes, wailing loudly and rubbed their cheeks and hands. When I fled home in the war, said Han, failing to continue as she choked up with emotions, a Reuters report said.

Millions of people were swept apart by the 1950-53 Korean War, which separated brothers and sisters, parents and children and husbands and wives. Hostilities ceased with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war and the peninsula split by the impenetrable Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), with all direct civilian exchangeseven mundane family newsbanned.

More than 57,000 South Korean survivors have registered for the brief family reunion which often ends in painful farewells. The separated families are victims of a decades-long political gridlock between the neighbours, which has escalated over the past several years as Pyongyang rapidly advanced its weapons programmes.

More than half the survivors are over 80, with this year's oldest participant Baik Sung-kyu aged 101.

Baik, who will meet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter, said he had packed clothes, underwear, 30 pairs of shoes, toothbrushes and toothpaste as gifts.

"I also brought 20 stainless spoons," he added. "I bought everything because it's my last time." Some of those selected for this year's reunions dropped out after learning that their parents or siblings had died and that they could only meet more distant relatives whom they had never seen before.

For years, Seoul has been calling for regular meetings between separated families including using video conferences, but the reunion programmes often fell victim to fragile relations with Pyongyang.

Ninety-three families from both sides of the border were initially scheduled for a three-day gathering from Monday, but four South Korean members cancelled their trip to the North at the last minute due to health conditions, the Red Cross said.

Starting Thursday, there will be a meeting of another 88 groups of relatives, 469 from the South and 128 from the North, according to Seouls Unification Ministry.

The brief family reunions, which began in 1985, can be a traumatic experience for the aging survivors, they say. And time is running out, with many of them aged 80 or older.

Around 132,600 individuals are listed as separated families as of end-July. Of the 57,000 survivors, 41.2 per cent are in their 80s and 21.4 per cent are in their 90s, according to government data.

Many of the family members brought gifts for their North Korean relatives. Socks, underwear, basic winter jackets, medicine, toothpastes and food are the most common items, with gifts deemed too extravagant unlikely to pass muster with Pyongyang authorities.

Ive prepared for him some household medicine including digester and headache pills, nutritional supplements as well as some daily necessaries, Lee Soo-nam, a 76-year-old South Korean, told Reuters before meeting his older brother in the North separated by the war.

He is very old so I really want to express my gratitude for being alive for a long time.
Bengal to examine financial aid to MSMEs through SCBs: Mamata

Kolkata, Aug 20 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister

Mamata Banerjee today said her government would examine the

possibility of extending financial assistance to MSMEs through

state cooperative banks (SCB).

Addressing a MSME conclave here, Banerjee said that

commercial banks were not giving loans to the small-scale

sector, due to which it is facing problems.

"Bank loan is a problem factor which the MSMEs are

facing. We are strengthening the SCBs and will also see

whether loans to the small-scale sector could be given through

them," she said.

The chief minister said that the SME segment was

already facing depressed market conditions, owing to

demonetisation and the GST.

"The unorganised sector is facing huge problems

because of these two developments," she said.

Banerjee also said she would like to see more women

entrepreneurs in West Bengal.

Regarding exports by the MSMEs, the CM said the state

government would provide assistance in marketing efforts, and

urged district officials to come forward in extending help to

the sector.

Tourism should be a part of the MSME segment, she

said.

Stating that West Bengal was number one in the segment

in India, Banerjee added that there is great potential of

employment generation through MSMEs. PTI DC

RBT RBT

RBT
Shimla, Aug 20 (PTI) The soon to be ready Rohtang tunnel, which links the Lahaul valley with the rest of the world, should be named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet agreed at a meeting today and decided to forward a request to the Centre in this regard.

The state cabinet headed by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also decided to erect a statue of the charismatic former prime minister in Shimla's Mall road or the Ridge as well as a memorial in Manali.

Remembering the special attachment of Vajpayee with the people of Himachal Pradesh, the Cabinet passed a resolution that noted that the idea to construct the Rohtang tunnel connecting landlocked hinterland of the Lahaul valley with rest of the world was in 1998 by Vajpayee.

The project was announced by him on June 3, 2000, it said.

This project is nearing completion and would be the biggest gift of Vajpayee to the state, it said.

The cabinet also decided to erect Vajpayee's statue at the Ridge or Mall in Shimla and to construct a memorial at Manali. The statues of Mahatma Gandhi and late prime minister Indira Gandhi exist at the Ridge in Shimla.

The cabinet also decided to re-name the 'Mukhya Mantri Adarsh Vidya Kendra Scheme' launched by the state government as 'Atal Adarsh Vidya Kendra' and 'Mukhya Mantri Aashirwad Scheme' as 'Atal Aashirwad scheme'.

The state cabinet also decided to send a proposal to the union government to rename the Kol Dam project after Vajpayee.

The cabinet also observed a two minute silence as a mark of respect to Vajpayee who passed away on August 16 after prolonged illness. He was 93.

Expressing grief at his sad demise, the state cabinet lauded Vajpayee's contributions for the nation in general and for the state in particular.

Describing Vajpayee as a multi-faceted personality, the resolution said that apart from being a statesman, he was an outstanding orator, poet and a passionate journalist. The cabinet in its resolution said that Vajpayee considered Himachal Pradesh as his second home and had a house at Prini in Kullu district. He loved to visit the state whenever he had time.

The resolution said it was the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Vajpayee that a special package for industrial development was announced for Himachal in 2003 as result of which investment of thousands of crores of rupees flowed in and employment for lakhs of youth was ensured.

The state cabinet said that it was the sheer grit of Vajpayee to go ahead with Pokhran nuclear tests making India a nuclear power. In addition, one of the largest education programmes 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' was launched during his prime ministership.

The cabinet in its resolution said it was during the tenure of Vajpayee that the Golden Quadrilateral National Highway Project came into being. In addition, 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna' (PMGSY) aimed at linking five lakh villages to cities by all weather roads proved a boon to the hilly states like Himachal Pradesh.

The Cabinet also remembered with reverence the foundation stones of Kol Dam and Parvati Hydro Electric Projects in the state besides Mohan Shakti National Heritage Park at Harth near Solan which were laid by Vajpayee. PTI DJI ADS

ADS
Islamabad, Aug 20 (PTI) Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang today telephoned Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to congratulate him and hoped that the "all-weather" friendship between the two countries would further strengthen under his leadership.

According to a press release issued from Prime Minister House here, the Chinese premier said his government wishes to work closely with the new Pakistani government and hoped that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project will be completed on time.

The over USD 50 billion CPEC is a network of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that will connect China's Xinjiang province with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province.

India has objected to the CPEC project as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Premier Li expressed hope that the "all-weather" friendship between the two countries would strengthen under the new government in Pakistan, the release said.

Li also invited Khan, who was sworn-in as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan on Saturday, to visit China.

The prime minister thanked his Chinese counterpart and said he is "keen to learn from [China's] experience in poverty alleviation, anti-corruption and social sector reforms like health and education as these are his government's priorities for domestic reforms", the Dawn newspaper quoted the release as saying.

Khan also "vowed" to work closely with China on "all regional and international issues of mutual concern", it said.

Khan thanked Li for his invitation and said that he looked forward to his trip to China. He then extended a counter invitation to Li, asking him to visit Pakistan "at his earliest convenience".

China has historically come to Pakistan's rescue with economic, political and military assistance and the leadership of the two countries have often described their ties as "all weather". PTI AKJ AKJ

AKJ
Beijing, Aug 20 (PTI) The Indian diaspora in China in association with the Malayalee Association has raised over Rs 14 lakh for the welfare of flood relief victims in Kerala.

In Beijing, the Malayalee Association along with the Indian Community of Beijing (ICB) raised 50,000 yuan (about Rs five lakh) at a get together here yesterday.

Suresh Varma, president of the Beijing Malayalee Association, said the money is being routed to the Chief Minister's relief fund in Kerala through the Indian Embassy here.

The funds were collected at a special platform setup at the Indian restaurant Taj Pavilion with a lunch and donated the to Kerala relief fund, said M H Pastakia, ICB member.

In Yiwu, the international consumer trade hub which has a large Indian diaspora, the Indian community raised about 80,000 yuan (Rs eight lakh) to be donated to the relief fund.

In Shanghai, the Indian association has so far raised 20,000 yuan (Rs two lakh) to be sent to the Kerala relief fund, member Amit Waiker said.

The Indian Embassy is helping the diaspora to route the proceeds to the Chief Minister's welfare fund. PTI KJV KUN

KUN
Islamabad, Aug 20 (PTI) Pakistan's former dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf today informed a special court hearing the treason case that he would appear before it if the Defence Ministry provides him security, according to a media report.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief Musharraf over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

A special court presided over by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar summoned the interior secretary on August 27. The bench will also consider whether the trial can continue without recording Musharraf's statement, The Express Tribune reported.

Musharraf, 74, who is currently residing in Dubai, has refused to return to Pakistan citing security reasons.

Advocate Akhtar Shah, counsel for the former president, said his client would appear if the defence ministry provided security. The court observed that it is the federal government's duty to provide security for the accused and adjourned the hearing of the case till August 27, the report said.

Last month, lawyer Akram Sheikh stepped down as the head of the prosecution team tasked by the government in 2013 to prosecute Musharraf.

Sheikh was appointed as the head of the prosecution in the case, by the then-PML-N led government.

Musharraf, the former army chief, was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges.

On March 18, 2016, he left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court.

A few months later, a special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show.

Later, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and identity card were also cancelled since he failed to return to the country despite giving him a last chance.

The legal experts believe that the treason case is a test for the newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan's, as one of the reasons of civil-military tussle was that the PML-N government had initiated the case against the former army chief.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief had vowed in November 2007 that his party would initiate proceedings against Musharraf over his unconstitutional acts but it has also been witnessed that the PTI has remained silent over the issue in the recent past. PTI AMS AKJ AMS

AMS
Utilise UAE's amnesty, Tel'na Min to immigrants from state

Hyderabad, Aug 19 (PTI) Telangana IT and NRI Affairs

Minister K T Rama Rao today appealed to immigrants from the

state who will come under categories covered by the Amnesty

2018 offered by the United Arab Emirates government to utilise

the scheme and regularise their stay.

During the three-month long amnesty period from August 1

to October people who are illegally staying in the UAE are

offered an opportunity to regularise their stay.

People with valid passports who wish to exit the country

may get exit permit without ban and return home (Telangana),

he said in a release here tonight.

Those who entered UAE illegally without any documents or

visa will get exit clearance with two years ban and they can

re-enter after two years, the release said.

People who have an expired passport or whose passports

are lost or kept by sponsors and absconding people with cases

can also utilise the Amnesty, it said.

Rao appealed the NRIs to make use of the opportunity and

said officials had been asked to coordinate with the Consulate

General of India in Dubai and the Indian Embassy Abu Dhabi,

UAE, for the amnesty purpose. PTI VVK

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VS
MP Cong complains to EC after former MLA's name goes missing

from voters list

Tikamgarh/Bhopal (MP), Aug 20 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh

Congress today lodged a complaint with the state Election

Commission after the names of a former MLA from Tikamgarh and

his family members were found missing from the voters list.

A party delegation met MP Chief Electoral Officer

(CEO) V L Kantha Rao and submitted a memorandum demanding an

inquiry into the deletion of the names of former minister

Yadvendra Singh and members of his family.

Singh has, earlier, been a Congress MLA from Tikamgarh

four times.

"I am surprised that names of my entire family were

deleted from the electoral rolls. I think this was done as

part of a conspiracy. All the names existed in the voters list

in the month of June but are missing now," Singh said.

CEO Rao told reporters that the district returning

officer (the district collector) had been directed to inquire

into the matter and take action in case it was done

deliberately.

The Congress delegation also complained to the EC that

there were 11,000 double entries in the voters list of Narela

Assembly seat in Bhopal.

Rao informed that this complaint too was being

examined.

He said that the state EC would launch its Twitter

handle, Facebook account and YouTube channel to share

information about the MP Assembly polls.

The Assembly polls in the state are slated for later

this year. PTI COR ADU MAS

BNM BNM

BNM
Patna, Aug 20 (PTI) The Congress party today launched a Bihar-specific mobile app, named after late prime minister Indira Gandhi, which can be used by women in times of distress, and a pepper spray on which the image of its president Rahul Gandhi is inscribed.

At a function at Sadaqat Ashram, the BPCC headquarters in Patna, on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, AICC in-charge of Bihar Shakti Sinh Gohil launched the "Indira Shakti" app, which is available for download from Google Play Store.

"The app is named after Indira Gandhi to fill the women with a sense of empowerment. Users need to enter numbers of any four trusted persons and, in the event of any emergency, they just need to press tap on the app's icon and press the SOS button. All the four recipients will receive calls with location of the user," Gohil told reporters.

He said the day was chosen for launching the app since Rajiv Gandhi always stood for technological innovation and empowerment of people.

The occasion was also marked by distribution of pepper sprays inscribed with images of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"It is a very effective spray and in view of the rising incidents of crimes against women, it can come in handy. It is a device the size of a lipstick and can be carried everywhere with ease", Gohil said.

A patriarchal social structure notwithstanding, women of Bihar have come to be recognised as a political force in the aftermath of the phenomenal electoral success that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar achieved because of his schemes giving bicycles and uniforms to school girls.

Banning sale and consumption of alcohol, introduced by his government in 2016 when Congress was his ally, was Kumar's another outreach to women voters.

His tie-up with the Congress and the RJD ended last year when he walked out of the Grand Alliance following corruption allegations against his then deputy Tejashwi Yadav, and returned to the BJP-led NDA.

Now, Congress in a bid to increase its support base among women in Bihar has come out with the app and pepper spray.

Ajay Alok, a spokesman of the JD(U) which Kumar heads, mocked the Congress for distributing pepper sprays and said he hopes that "before allowing his photographs on the devices, Rahul Gandhi had tested that the spray works".

Meanwhile, Gohil accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having "never cared to even remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee in any of his major speeches in the last four years" and that the former prime minister's name was being invoked after his death "for political gains". PTI NAC SNS ABH

ABH
Shooting of Bengali soaps stalled for the third day

Kolkata, Aug 20 (PTI) Shooting of Bengali TV soaps was

stalled for the third day in the city today due to a ceasework

by the Atists Forum demanding regularisation of pay and talks

between it and the Welfare Association of Television Producers

failed.

Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee told reporters that the

Artists' Forum did not wish to disrupt shooting schedules of

TV soaps but the July 8 agreement between the body and the

Television Producers' body should be respected and artists

should be paid regularly.

While the agreement between producers and forum

had stipulated that the artists should get their salaries

within the 15th day of the next month, many producers did not

honour it and did nor arrange the payment overdue to the

artists, Chatterjee said.

He said in the given situation it was not possible to

resume work unless the producers paid the overdue wages on

time.

Chatterjee made it clear though he was only referring

to a section of producers and not all, the ceasework was

disrupting the overall shooting schedules.

Forum general secretary and actor Arindam Ganguly said

the July 8 agreement had also specified that any artist,

working for more than 10 hours should be paid on hourly

basis after the expiry of the time. That too had not been

honoured by a section of producers.

"If an artist has to slog for 14 hours on the

shooting floor and is not paid his/her dues for three-four

months - isn't that an issue which has to be addressed

immediately ?" Chatterjee said.

He said the state government was aware of the

situation. "Minister Aroop Biswas has been updated of the

developments at the meeting and he is trying to arrive at a

solution."

The Forum, an organisation of actors and actresses,

has 2,200 members.

A spokesman of the Welfare Association of Television

Producers said it had joined the talks today with an open

mind. Everyone should keep in mind that any further

disruption of shooting schedules will led to a halt in the

telecast of serials on local TV channels soon.

There was no shooting during the day in all the eight

studios located across different areas of south Kolkata due to

the ceasework, the spokesman said. PTI SUS KK

KK KK

KK
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Paying rich tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the distance seen between the ruling party and the opposition today was not there earlier and the late BJP stalwart worked taking everyone along.

Speaking at a condolence meeting attended by leaders of all major parties, Azad said Vajpayee had brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides even in his death which, he added, was something rare.

The senior opposition leader quoted verses to heap praise on Vajpayee and said he was such an eloquent speaker that even his criticism sounded pleasant whereas, he added, there are some leaders who, even when they say something good, make it sound like abuses.

Azad recalled that as the parliamentary affairs minister during the P V Narasimha Rao-led government, he had to meet Vajpayee, then a key opposition leader, several times a day during Parliament's sessions and they used to have tea and meals together.

"The distance we see today was not there then," he said, apparently referring to the frosty relations between the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the opposition.

Azad said many people in Vajpayee's party (BJP) might not have seen him as closely as leaders like him had.

He mentioned leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Indira Gandhi and said Vajpayee would be remembered as one of the biggest leaders of his time who always worked for the country and its people.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi was expected to attend the event but could not as it was his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary today as well and sent Azad as his representative, the organisers said. PTI KR/JTR NAB SMN

SMN
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Two men, who had claimed responsibility for attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid, have been detained, police said today.

Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal are currently being interrogated, they added.

A team of the Delhi Police's Special Cell had visited the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha where the two had said they would surrender on August 17 but they did not turn up.

In a video uploaded on Facebook on August 15, they claimed the attack on Khalid was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens.

The 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 had said in the video message.

They also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of the Sikh revolutionary.

Khalid was attacked on August 13 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 was registered by the police in the incident. PTI SLB AAR

AAR
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) A fake website with Beti Bachao Beti Padhao logo is duping people posing as a government-backed saving scheme, warned an official with the Women and Child Development today.

The fake portal is made to appear a partner of the Ministry of Women and Child Development which aims to secure the future of girl children in the country, the official added.

Advising the people to not fall prey to such fraud, the women and child development ministry has issued a circular stating the ministry does not host the portal and it has not published any kind of form or information on the website.

All details of the ministry are published only on www.wcd.nic.in, the circular read.

An official said a SMS and Whatsapp message is circulating, asking persons with girl children between the ages of 1 to 18 years to apply in this fake portal for availing Rs 10,000.

"The fake portal has a form which should be filled by the applicants. The portal carries BBBP logo and photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," read the circular.

The police said they have registered an FIR.

Allegedly, the fake website was charging Rs 200 per registration. A case of cheating under relevant sections of the IT Act was registered. The accused has been identified and we are on the lookout for him, the police said.

The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana programme was launched in January 2015 for the welfare of girl children under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme. PTI UZM SLB AMP UZM IND

IND
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Employees of the Delhi Commission for Women and teachers of the Jamia Millia Islamia will donate their one day salary for relief operations in flood-hit Kerala which is witnessing its deadliest deluge in close to a century.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal has donated her one month salary for the relief operations in the southern state.

"As a small contribution to relief measures undertaken by various authorities, we, the officials and employees of the Delhi Commission for Women, on appeal of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and chairperson Swati Maliwal resolve to donate our one day salary towards the Kerala CM Distress Relief Fund," the employees said in a joint statement.

Meanwhile, Jamia teachers have also pledged to contribute their one day salary to the relief fund.

"The Jamia teachers decided to donate one day salary as token financial support to the needy people of Kerala. The Jamia Teachers' Association (JTA) will contribute the collected money to the Kerala CM Relief Fund.

"Jamia teachers also observed two minute silence over the loss of lives in Kerala due to worst flood of the century," the JTA said in a statement.

Kerala is witnessing its worst deluge in over a century as the death toll mounted to 216.

As rains abated and rescue operations were in the final stages, flood-hit Kerala now faces the gigantic task of rehabilitating lakhs of people rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of diseases.

Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state, officials said. PTI SLB/UZM DPB

DPB
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today demanded that the Centre declare Kerala floods a national calamity.

The demand comes close on the heels of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Left parties in Kerala and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy making similar demands to the central government.

"The Centre should declare it a national calamity. It's the responsibility of all to restore normalcy in Kerala," Naidu said.

He said Andhra Pradesh has extended an assistance of nearly Rs 50 crore to flood-battered Kerala "through all means, including donations in cash".

Naidu said he spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan twice.

"IAS, IPS, IFS officers; AP Secretariat Employees' Association, NGOs, and several other organizations have come forward to donate one-day wage towards flood relief in Kerala. Andhra MPs and MLCs are donating their one-month basic salary," he said.

Naidu also said that Andhra Pradesh has been receiving heavy rainfall for the past a few days.

According to him, Kunavaram village in East Godavari district received 275.7 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Heavy rain lashed East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, and Visakha districts, leading to a flood-like situation, the chief minister said.

He said 16 relief camps have been set up and 6,330 people shifted to safer places in Eluru, Kovvur, Narasapur, and Kukkunur. PTI GVS ABH

ABH

ABH
Srinagar, Aug 20 (PTI) Pakistani troops today violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Some mortar shells were fired by Pakistani forces in the Kamalkote area this afternoon, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain, said.

No loss of life or property was reported, he added. PTI SSB ADS

ADS
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) remitted today mining company Vedanta's plea, challenging closure of its Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin, to a committee headed by a former judge.

A bench headed by chairperson A K Goel, said that the committee will also include representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board and the Environment Ministry.

"We are of the view that in substitution of the impugned orders, we have to hear before an independent body and remit the matter for fresh consideration before the committee," the bench said.

The Tribunal asked the committee to assume work within two weeks and to decide the matter within six weeks thereafter.

The Green Tribunal said that it will decide the name of the committee head after consulting the probable names.

The panel also reiterated its earlier order allowing Vedanta to access administrative unit of its plant at Tuticorin.

The NGT asked the committee to look into the maintenance work of the plant.

On August 9, the Tribunal had allowed Vedanta to enter the administrative unit inside its Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, observing that no environmental damage would be caused by allowing access to the section.

The green panel had, however, said the plant would remain closed and the company would not have access to its production unit and directed the district magistrate to ensure this.

On July 30, the court had refused to grant any interim relief to Vedanta, which had challenged the Tamil Nadu government's order to permanently shut down its Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi, even as the firm termed the government action "political".

On July 5, the tribunal had issued notices to the state government and the pollution board seeking their responses after Tamil Nadu raised preliminary objections with regard to the maintainability of Vedanta's plea.

The Tamil Nadu government had, on May 28, ordered the state pollution control board to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests over pollution concerns.

Earlier in April, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had rejected Sterlite's plea to renew the Consent To Operate certification, saying the company had not complied with the stipulated conditions.

Following this, the government issued a permanent closure notice to the plant.

Sterlite's factory had made headlines in March 2013 when a gas leak led to the death of one person and injuries to several others, after which the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa had ordered its closure.

The company had then appealed to the NGT, which had overturned the government order. The state had then moved the Supreme Court against it and the case is still pending.

The Supreme Court had then ordered the company to pay Rs 100 crore as compensation for polluting environment.

Following the latest protests and police firing, the plant was closed on March 27.

After Sterlite announced its plans to expand the Tuticorin plant, villagers around it started fresh protests that continued for over 100 days, culminating in the May 22 police firing on protestors that claimed 13 lives and left scores injured. PTI PKS RRT DIP

DIP
Kochi, Aug 20 (PTI) The Centre informed the Kerala High Court today there was no legal provision to declare a disaster as a national calamity, amid demands for declaring the floods as a national disaster.

In an affidavit, the Centre said it has treated the flood situation in Kerala as a "Disaster of Serious Nature" and has categorised the same as 'L3 Level of Disaster' under the National Disaster Management Guidelines.

"It is submitted that there is no provision in statutes or manuals to declare a disaster as a 'national calamity', howsoever big it may be.

"It is only an expression used in general parlance," the Centre said.

The affidavit was filed in a response to a petition filed for declaring the floods as a national disaster.

Besides Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state and the opposition Congress had wanted the Centre to declare the floods a 'national disaster'.

At least 216 people have lost their lives in the rains, floods and landslides in Kerala. Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been lodged in 5,645 relief camps in the state. PTI CORR TGB BN DPB

DPB
DMK all set to name M K Stalin as party chief on Aug 28

Chennai, Aug 20 (PTI) DMK is all set to elect M K

Stalin, its working president and younger son of late party

patriarch M Karunanidhi as party chief at its general council

meet on August 28 here.

The agenda for the meeting to be held at party

headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam,' will be the election of party

president, and treasurer, a party release said.

Days after Stalin's estranged brother M K Alagiri

virtually questioned his brother's leadership saying true

loyalists of his father were on his side, DMK today announced

that its general council meet will be held on August 28.

In a release here, DMK general secretary

K Anbazhagan asked all elected general council members to

participate in the meeting without fail.

Alagiri's opposition to Stalin is not expected to

cast a shadow on Stalin's elevation since party units are

firmly behind Stalin, party sources said.

Party district units like Cuddalore West have already

adopted resolutions unanimously proposing Stalin's elevation,

they pointed out.

While Stalin will be the party chief, senior leader

and party principal secretary Duraimurugan is tipped to be

elected to the post of party treasurer, the sources told PTI.

Karunanidhi who died on August 7 after a prolonged

illness, had during his lifetime made it clear that Stalin

will be his successor.

Stalin, who is 65-years-old had held several party

posts including that of treasurer and youth wing secretary.

His innings in the party began early when he

campaigned in the 1967 elections as a 14-year old school

student. He became party's youth wing Secretary in 1984.

He was incarcerated under MISA (Maintenance of

Internal Security Act) in 1976 during the emergency.

Stalin's growth has been steady and he became party

deputy general secretary in 2003. He was re-elected treasurer

for the second five-year term in January 2015.

He became an MLA for the first time in 1989 from

Thousand Lights constituency from where he was relected

thrice.

In 2006, he became the Municipal Administration

Minister in the DMK government and went on to become the

Deputy Chief Minister in 2009. PTI VGN BN

BN BN

BN
\R Bengaluru, Aug 20 (PTI) The rescue operations in the flood-ravaged Karnataka's Kodagu were intensified today even as the administration cancelled hotel bookings made by tourists in the scenic hilly district till the end of this month.

Torrential rains have wrecked havoc in the popular tourist destination bordering Kerala and nestled on the hills of the Western Ghats, with floods and landslides killing at least eight people and rendering hundreds homeless.

Several tourists were stuck in resorts and hotels ever since the disaster struck the district last week, with roads, including highways, suffering damage, making access to the region extremely difficult. Restoration of the damaged roads is on a war footing, official sources said.

Personnel of the army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies are involved in the ongoing rescue operations, where 3,500 people had been moved to safer places till yesterday, officials said.

An official notification issued by the district deputy commissioner today said bookings made by tourists in hotels, resorts and home stays had been cancelled till August 31. The measure has been taken for the safety of tourists, it added.

The district administration struggled to provide basic amenities to the people housed in the 30 relief camps. The deputy commissioner appealed to the donors to provide warm clothes, torch lights, candles, first-aid kits, candles, matchboxes, bed sheets, toothpaste and detergents, cooking oil, inner garments and mosquito repellents.

The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party announced that all its MPs, MLAs and MLCs would donate their one-month salary towards the relief work in Kodagu. In a statement, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, who had visited the area yesterday, said he would take up with the Centre the need for comprehensive rehabilitation of the affected people.

Yeddyurappa said the damage caused in the region due to flood and landslides was some thing "beyond anybody's imagination". The BJP chief stressed on the need to assist those staying in relief camps in providing permanent place of stay, and also enable them to return to their homes as early as possible. "I have personally met those people who are living in relief centres. They have lost everything," he said, appealing to the people to donate generously.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had undertaken aerial survey of the affected areas in the last two days, while President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to him and assured all required assistance. PTI GMS KSU RA VS HMB

HMB
Srinagar, Aug 20 (PTI) Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai has been elected as the chairman of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir -- previously led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani -- for a period of three years, a party spokesman said today.

In the first elections held after Geelani stepped down as the outfit's chairman in March this year, Sehrai secured a thumping majority.

"The elections were held yesterday at TeH headquarters and Sehrai secured 410 votes out of 433. This is for the first time that Sehrai contested the elections," a spokesman of the outfit said.

He said on March 19, the outfit's executive council nominated Sehrai as the interim chairman, till organisational elections were held, after Geelani stepped down from the post citing ill health and his house detention as reasons.

Geelani held the post for 15 years since the separatist party was formed following a split in the Hurriyat Conference in 2003.

He, however, continued to be the chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference.

Immediately after he was nominated as the interim chairman of the outfit in March, Sehrai's son, Junaid Ashraf, joined Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit.

Junaid went missing after Friday prayers on March 23 and a day later his gun-wielding picture went viral on social media in which he was seen holding AK 47 rifle and wearing an ammo vest.

The description on the picture read that Junaid, who had a Masters in Business Administration from the Kashmir University, was code-named as Amaar Bhai. PTI SSB MIJ AAR

AAR
\R New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Three people were arrested for allegedly running a fake job racket in the national capital, police said today.

The accused were identified as Shashi Bhushan (26), Sandeep Sidhana (36) and Sheetal Kumar (30), they said.

On January 3, police launched a probe on the complaint of a person who alleged that he was cheated of Rs 24 lakh by one Manish and his associates on the pretext of providing jobs in railways and other government departments, said Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) Rajiv Ranjan.

During investigation, it was found Manish had escaped to Bihar after cheating many people here. After sustained efforts on August 5, Manish alias Shashi Bhushan was arrested from Patna and brought to Delhi and was taken on police remand, he said.

At his instance, accused Sandeep Sidhana was arrested from Saket and Sheetal Kumar from Sarai Kale Khan. Many incriminating documents, including fake appointment letters, educational documents of victims, fake ID cards, fake official Stamps, laptops etc were recovered from their possession.

They admitted to duping youths in Delhi, Bihar and other states on the pretext of providing government jobs in railways, Food Corporation of India, the officer added.

A case has been registered and efforts are being made to apprehend their remaining associates, including Sanjay and Manoj in this case, he said. PTI AMP

DPB

DPB
Kerala CM thanks Telangana counterpart for Rs 25 cr aid

Hyderabad, Aug 20 (PTI) Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi

Vijayan today thanked his Telangana counterpart K

Chandrasekhar Rao for the gesturein contributing Rs 25 crore

towards relief measures in the rain-ravaged state.

"The overwhelming response from your state and others

demonstrate the extent of compassion and care that we show to

each other in the hour of crisis and calamity, which makes us

all proud of being part of Indian ethos and spirit," Vijayan

said in a letter to Rao.

Telangana Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy handed over

the cheque for Rs 25 crore to Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram

yesterday. PTI SJR

SS SS

SS
Guj: 5 foreign students arrested after woman alleges assault

Vadodara, Aug 20 (PTI)Five foreign students were

arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman in Waghodia town of

Gujarat's Vadodara city, police said today.

Vadodara Superintendent of Police Tushar Duggal said

that they study at a local private university and hail from

Mozambique, Madagascar and Zambia in Africa.

He said that a woman staying on the ground floor of

the building in which these five students reside had alleged

that they had assaulted her.

"They were produced in a local court today which

granted bail," he said. PTI COR

BNM BNM

BNM
Chennai, Aug 20 (PTI) The Madras High Court today ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education to publicise in media that stringent action would be taken against institutes not following the board's 'no homework' rule for class 1 and 2 students.

Justice N Kirubakaran passed the order on a plea by advocate M Purushothaman seeking direction to the CBSE to

follow only syllabus and books prescribed by the National Council Of Educational Research and Training.

When the plea came up for hearing before Justice Kirubakaran, the CBSE produced a copy of the circular which said it had issued similar circulars on September 15, 2004, and on September 12, 2016, saying there should not be any homework assigned to students of classes 1 and 2.

According to CBSE affiliation bylaws, schools affiliated to the board must satisfy its advisory saying no school bag and no homework for students up to class 2.

The board also stated that in compliance of the directions of the high court "it is once again reiterated that

schools may ensure that no homework is given in class 3."

"It is also reiterated that since NCERT is an academic

authority for classes 1 to 8, all schools may ensure that CBSE

circular dated April 17, 2007, on reducing the satchel load and homework for children, is scrupulously followed," it said.

Recording the submission, the judge asked the counsel for CBSE on the mechanism it has to ensure that all the institutes implement the rule.

To this, the counsel said that CBSE would act whenever

they are "put to notice of such violation."

Refusing to accept the contention, the judge said "People are considering CBSE as a premier board, but it is unfortunate that you do not even have a system to check such violations."

"As you said there were over 18,000 schools affiliated to CBSE, but the board has a staff strength of only 1,200. With such a low staff how could you ensure implementation of rules," the judge asked. PTI CORR NVG BN NSD

NSD
New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) The Delhi University today announced its ninth cut-off list for admission to undergraduate (UG) courses with some colleges in North Campus also declaring the availability of seats under some courses for general category students.

Students can apply for BSc Life Science, BA (Hons) Hindi, BCom and BCom (Hons) courses in Daulat Ram College.

Hansraj College has seats for BSc Life Science while Hindu College has seats for BSc (Hons) Physics and Chemistry courses. Kirori Mal College has seats available under BA (Hons) in English, Hindi and Political Science, and BSc (Hons) in Botany and Physics.

Ramjas College also has opened admissions to its BA(Hons) Political Science and Economics while Miranda House has admissions open for BA (Hons) English and Sociology.

Off-campus colleges like Acharya Narendra Dev College, Deshbandhu College, Atma Ram Sanatam Dharma College, Gargi College also have seats available for humanities and science courses. PTI SLB NSD

NSD
When Mansaku Nomura was just 3 years old, he made his stage debut playing a monkey. That was in Tokyo in 1931.





And now, aged 87, he is still active.









Nomura, who is referred to as a "living treasure" in Japan is keen to talk about kyogen, a form of Japanese theater. And on Aug 11 he did just that at the Japanese embassy in Beijing in the presence of his son Mansai Nomura, who is perhaps even more famous than him.





The event was part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China.





Mansaku Nomura is used to such events because for decades he has been an unofficial ambassador for kyogen, performing in cities like Adelaide, Milan, New York, Seoul and, of course, Beijing.





China is a natural setting for kyogen, he says, even though it is regarded - with noh, kabuki and bunraku - as a quintessentially Japanese traditional opera, as it is believed to have its roots in 8th century China.





The stage on which kyogen is performed is sparsely furnished and performers use masks to play different roles that extend to playing plants and animals.





The plots of the plays - which typically last 10 minutes - are humorous, and the movement tend to be frenetic and bustling, but with music that is unobtrusive.





When Nomura senior and junior walked into a room at the embassy for a lecture on kyogen, they are wearing dark green and black hakama outfits - traditional male Japanese wear that also has its roots in imperial China.





Accompanied by a handful of kyogen actors, they received a rousing welcome from the audience of about 150 people.





The night before, the Nomura troupe performed three kyogen pieces at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center.





Mansaku Nomura's first journey to China was in 1976 - a couple of years before the friendship treaty was signed - as a member of a Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association delegation.





And, since then, he has brought his mission to China eight times, the last being in 2009.





At the embassy, he mentioned about the banners he recently saw hanging in the streets of Beijing, remnants of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October.





"The message on the banners is a moving one," he said. "'Remain steadfastly true to whatever you set out to do.'





"Our group has as its goal to perform kyogen, and to do so in a way that is beautiful, intriguing and funny."





When asked about where kyogen is heading, Mansai Nomura said: "In the information age, creativity is critical. At the same time, an audience must be made to feel the beauty of every play, not only through language but also through movement and sound, and all that is something we constantly strive for."





For now Mansai Nomura, familiar to the Chinese mostly through his role as Abe Seimei in the movie Onmyoji, is preoccupied with things other than kyogen.





In July he was named as the chief executive creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.





"As with a kyogen, I want to make these events unique experiences for those who watch them," he said.





And central to the ceremonies will be a reaffirmation of Japanese traditional culture, he added.





One of the participants, who was at both the play and lecture in Beijing, Wu Min, a Japanese teacher at Beijing Yuetan Middle School, praises Mansai Nomura's versatility, saying: "The great thing is that whether as a kyogen performer, as an actor or a director, he does everything well. He's very creative and expressive.





"He began kyogen training when he was very young, just like what happens in many vocational schools in China."





Another of those who attended the performance was Japan's Ambassador to China, Yutaka Yokoi.





Commenting on the events, Yokoi says in a letter that this year is the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and he hopes that cultural communication between the two countries gets stronger.




NCI Building Systems, Inc. designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets metal products for the nonresidential construction industry in North America. It operates in four segments: Engineered Building Systems, Metal Components, Insulated Metal Panels, and Metal Coil Coating. The Engineered Building Systems segment offers engineered structural members and panels; and self-storage building systems under the Metallic, Mid-West Steel, A & S, All American, Mesco, Star, Ceco, Robertson, Garco, Heritage, and SteelBuilding.com brands to builders, general contractors, developers, and end users directly, as well as through private label companies. The Metal Components segment provides metal roof and wall systems, metal partitions, metal trims, doors, and other related accessories for use in new construction, and repair and retrofit applications; roll-up doors; and interior and exterior walk doors under the MBCI, American Building Components, Eco-ficient, Metal Depots, and Doors and Buildings Components brands to manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors, distributors, lumberyards, cooperative buying groups, and other customers. The Insulated Metal Panels segment offers insulated metal panels for architectural, commercial, industrial, and cold storage end-market applications under the Metl-Span and CENTRIA brands. The Metal Coil Coating segment engages in cleaning, treating, and painting flat-rolled metals in coil form, as well as in slitting and/or embossing the metal, before the metal is fabricated for use by industrial users. It also cleans, treats, and coats heavy and light gauge metal coils for use in construction products, heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters, lighting fixtures, ceiling grids, office furniture, appliances, and other products; and provides toll coating and painted metal package services under the Metal Coaters and Metal Prep brands. NCI Building Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Danaher: AB SCIEX, AB Sciex Germany GmbH, AB Sciex LLC, AB Sciex LP, AB Sciex Pte Ltd., Accu-Sort Systems, Acme Cleveland Corporation, Advanced Vision Technology, American Precision Industries, Applied Biosystems, Applitek NV, Aquatic Infomatics ULC, Aquatic Informatics, Armstrong Tools, BC Distribution BV, Beckman Coulter, Beckman Coulter Australia Pty Ltd, Beckman Coulter Biotechnology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Biyomedikal Urunler Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited [irketi], Beckman Coulter Canada LP, Beckman Coulter Commercial Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter France S.A.S., Beckman Coulter G.m.b.H., Beckman Coulter Genomics Inc., Beckman Coulter Hong Kong Limited, Beckman Coulter Inc., Beckman Coulter India Private Limited, Beckman Coulter International SA, Beckman Coulter International Shanghai Trading Co., Beckman Coulter Ireland Inc., Beckman Coulter K.K., Beckman Coulter Korea Ltd., Beckman Coulter Laboratory Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Limited Liability Company, Beckman Coulter Mishima KK, Beckman Coulter Nederland B.V., Beckman Coulter Nippon GK, Beckman Coulter S.L.U., Beckman Coulter Saudi Arabia Co.Ltd., Beckman Coulter Srl, Beckman Coulter Taiwan Inc., Beckman Coulter United Kingdom Limited, Beckman Coulter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Beckman Coulter do Brasil Ltda., Beckman Finance ApS, Beckman Holdings Ltd., BioTector Analytical Systems Ltd, Biosafe S.A., Blue Software LLC, Cepheid, Cepheid AB, Cepheid Europe SAS, Cepheid GmbH, Cepheid HBDC SAS, Cepheid UK Ltd., ChemTreat, ChemTreat Inc., ChemTreat International Inc., Cispus Hong Kong Holding Limited, Cytiva, Cytiva BioProcess R&D AB, Cytiva Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Biotechnology (Hang Zhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Europe GmbH, Cytiva Sweden AB, Cytiva Sweden Holding AB, DH Europe Finance II Sarl, DH Europe Finance Sarl, DH Holding Italia SRL, DH Japan Finance Sarl, DH Life Sciences LLC, DH Netherlands BV, DH Technologies Development Pte Ltd., DHKAB Company AB, DTIL Ireland Holdings Ltd., Danaher (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Danaher Hong Kong Limited, Danaher Medical ApS, Delta Consolidated Industries, Devicore Medical Products Inc., Easco Hand Tools, Esko, Esko BV, Esko Finance BV, Esko Graphics BV, Esko Software BV, FHAB Company AB, Fluke, G. Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH, GE Biopharma, Gelman Sciences Inc., Gendex, Genetix Group, Gilbarco Veeder Root, Gilzoni Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Austria GmbH & Co. KG, Global Life Sciences Solutions Germany GmbH, Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Manufacturing UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions New Zealand, Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC, Global Life Sciences Technologies (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Global Life Sciences Technologies Japan KK, Hach Company, Hach Lange Finance GmbH, Hach Lange GmbH, Hach Lange Sarl, Hach Sales & Services Canada LP, Hach Ultra Japan KK, Hach Water Quality Analytical Instru. (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., HemoCue AB, HyClone Laboratories LLC, Hybritech Incorporated, Hyclone Life Sciences Solutions India Private Limited, IDBS Group, IRIS International, Imaging Sciences International, Immunotech SAS, Immunotech Sro, Intabio LLC, Integrated DNA Technologies, Integrated DNA Technologies BVBA, Integrated DNA Technologies Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies Pte. 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Shanghai, Leica Mikrosysteme Vertrieb GmbH, Life Sciences Holdings France SAS*, Lifschultz Industries, Linx Printing Technologies, Linx Printing Technologies Limited, MDS Analytical Technologies, Marconi Data Systems, McCrometer Inc., Microtest, Molecular Devices, Molecular Devices (Austria) GmbH, Molecular Devices LLC, Navman Wireless, Navman Wireless OEM Solutions, Nihon Pall Ltd., Nihon Pall Manufacturing Limited, Nobel Biocare, OTT Hydromet Corp, Pall, Pall (Canada) ULC, Pall (China) Co. Ltd., Pall (Schweiz) GmbH, Pall Aeropower Corporation, Pall Artelis BVBA, Pall Asia Holdings Inc., Pall Australia Pty. Ltd., Pall Austria Filter Ges.m.b.h, Pall Corporation, Pall Europe Limited, Pall Filtersystems GmbH, Pall Filtration Pte. Ltd., Pall Filtration and Separations Group Inc., Pall France SAS, Pall GmbH, Pall India Pvt. Ltd., Pall International Sarl, Pall Italia Srl, Pall Korea Ltd., Pall Life Sciences Belgium BV, Pall Life Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, Pall Manufacturing UK Limited, Pall Medistad BV, Pall Netherlands BV Irish Branch, Pall Technology UK Limited, PaloDEX, Pantone LLC, Pelton & Crane, Phenomenex, Phenomenex Inc., Precision NanoSystems, QHC Ireland Finance Limited, Radiometer, Radiometer Basel AG, Radiometer K.K., Radiometer Medical ApS, Radiometer Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Radiometer Turku Oy, Raytek, Reytek Corporation, SH Switzerland Finance Sarl, Sea-Bird Electronics Inc., SenDx Medical Inc., Shanghai AB Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co. Ltd., Sutron, Sybron Dental Specialties, TCIL Ireland Finance Ltd., Tektronix, Thomson Industries, Tianjin Bonna-Agela Technologies Co. Ltd., Trojan Technologies, Trojan Technologies Group ULC, VSS Monitoring, Videojet Do Brasil Comercio de Equipamentos Para Codificacao Industrial Ltda., Videojet Technologies (Shanghai) Co. 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The Dust Covered Memory - The World Anti-Fascist War Photography & Painting Exhibition is being held at the China Cultural Center in Malta through Aug 31.









More than 70 years after the end of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World's Anti-Fascist War, this artistic dialogue is aimed at remembering the human heroes from the perspectives of ordinary soldiers' lives.





Co-organized by the China Cultural Centre in Malta and the Russian Centre for Science and Culture, the exhibition showcases 11 black-and-white photos created by Chinese photographer Zeng Yi, which capture today's lives of Chinese veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as well as 12 portraits drawn by Soviet soldiers during World War II.








The following companies are subsidiares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: 2235158 Alberta Limited, A.J. Amer Agency, AHC Digital LLC, AIX Limited, AJG Coal LLC, AJG Financial Services LLC, AJG Meadows LLC, AJG North America ULC, AJG RCF LLC, AJGRMS of Louisiana LLC, ARM RE Ltda., AVIATION INSURANCE SERVICES, AVRECO, Ace IRM Insurance Broking Group, Acumus Holdings Limited, Acumus Interco Limited, Acumus Ltd, Adams & Associates International, Adaptive Marketing LLC, Adco General Corporation, Advanced Benefit Advisors, Aequus Trade Credit, Affinity Marketing Group, Ahrold Fay Rosenberg, Aires Consulting Group, Alesco Risk Management Services Limited, Alize Limited, Allied Claims Administration Inc., Alternative Market Specialists, Altman & Cronin Benefit Consultants, American Freedom Carriers Inc., American Security Services Corp., American Wholesalers Underwriting Ltd, Andrew-Anthony Insurance Agency, Anthony Hodges Consulting Limited, Antrobus Investments Limited, AquaSurance, Argentis, Argentis Financial Group Limited, Argentis Financial Management Limited, Argus Benefits, Armstrong/Robitaille/Riegle, Artex (SAC) Limited, Artex Cedar Hill, Artex Corporate Services (Malta) Limited, Artex Corporate Services Limited, Artex Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Artex Holdings (Malta) Limited, Artex Insurance (Guernsey) PCC Limited, Artex Insurance (Tennessee) PCCIC Inc., Artex Insurance Brokers (Malta) PCC Limited, Artex Insurance ICC Limited, Artex Intermediaries Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Cayman) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Gibraltar) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Guernsey) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (International) Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Malta) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (UK) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions Inc., Arthur J Gallagher (Norway) Holdings AS, Arthur J. 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Chapman & Associates Insurance Brokers, G.S. Levine Insurance Services, GBS (Australia) Holdings Pty Ltd, GBS Administrators Inc., GBS Insurance and Financial Services Inc., GBS Retirement Services Inc., GBS Specialty Markets LLC, GGB Finance 1 Limited, GGB Finance 2 Limited, GGB Finance 3 Limited, GGB Finance 4 Limited, GPL Assurance, GPL Assurance Inc., Gabor Insurance Services, Gale Smith & Co. Inc., Gallagher (Bermuda) Insurance Solutions Ltd., Gallagher - Grace/Mayer Insurance Agency, Gallagher Bassett Aires Inc., Gallagher Bassett Canada Inc., Gallagher Bassett Insurance Services Ltd., Gallagher Bassett International Ltd., Gallagher Bassett NZ Pty Ltd., Gallagher Bassett Services Inc. , Gallagher Bassett Services Pty Ltd., Gallagher Bassett Services Workers Compensation Victoria Pty Ltd., Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Group Inc., Gallagher Benefit Services (Holdings) Limited, Gallagher Benefit Services Inc., Gallagher Benefit Services Management Company Limited, Gallagher Benefit Services Pty Ltd, Gallagher Benefits Consulting Limited, Gallagher Bomford Couch Wilson, Gallagher Burgess, Gallagher Canada Acquisition Corporation, Gallagher Caribbean Group Limited, Gallagher Clean Energy LLC, Gallagher Communications Limited, Gallagher Community Clinic RPG LLC, Gallagher Consulting Ltda, Gallagher Corporate Services LLC, Gallagher Coyle, Gallagher CyberRisk, Gallagher Energy Risk Services Inc., Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC, Gallagher Holdings (UK) Limited, Gallagher Holdings Bermuda Company Limited, Gallagher Holdings Four (UK) Limited, Gallagher Holdings Three (UK) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (Barbados) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Kitts & Nevis) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Lucia) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Vincent) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers Jamaica Limited, Gallagher International Cash Management s.r.l., Gallagher International Holdings (US) Inc., Gallagher Investment Advisors LLC, Gallagher Inwest Group, Gallagher Koster, Gallagher Lambert Group, Gallagher Madison Risk & Insurance Services, Gallagher Mauritius Holdings, Gallagher Mississippi Brokerage LLC, Gallagher RE Colombia Ltda Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Gallagher Risk & Reward Limited, Gallagher Risk Group LLC, Gallagher Risk Placements Pty Ltd, Gallagher SKS, Gallagher Service Center LLP, Gallagher-Tarantino, Galtney Group, Game Day Insurance Inc., Gardner & White Corp., Gardner Marine Agency, Garza Long Group, Gatehouse Consulting Limited, Gault Armstrong Kemble Pty Ltd, Gault Armstrong SARL, Giles Group, Giles Holdings Limited, Giles Insurance Brokers, Gillis Ellis & Baker Inc., Goodman Insurance Agency, Grandy Pratt Co., Greenseed Alternative Mangaers Platform Ltd, Grossman & Associates, Group Benefits of Arkansas, Group Insurance Associates, Gruppo Marcucci, HLG Holdings Limited, HMG-PCMS Limited, HPF Investments LLC, HR Owen Insurance Services Limited, Hagan Newkirk Financial Services, Hagedorn & Company, Hardman & Howell Benefits, Harlequin Insurance PCC Limited, Hartstein Associates Inc., Healthcare Professionals Purchasing Group LLC, Healthcare Risk Solutions, Heath Lambert Group Ltd., Heath Lambert Limited, Heath Lambert Overseas Limited, Heiser Insurance Agency, Henderson Phillips Fine Arts Insurance, Herbruck Alder & Co., Heritage Insurance Brokers (CI) Limited, Hesse & Partner AG, Hesse Consulting, Hexagon ICC Limited, Hexagon Insurance PCC Limited, Hill Chesson & Woody, Hogan Insurance Services, Home & Travel Limited, Honour Point Limited, Horseshoe Corporate Services Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services (Cayman) Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services USA Inc., Horseshoe ILS Services UK Ltd, Horseshoe Insurance Advisors US LLC, Horseshoe Insurance Advisory Ltd., Horseshoe Insurance Services Holdings Ltd, Horseshoe Insurance Services Holdings US Inc., Horseshoe Management (Gibraltar) Limited, Horseshoe Management (Ireland) Ltd, Horseshoe Management Ltd., Horseshoe PCC Limited, Horseshoe Re Limited, Horseshoe Services (Cayman) Ltd, Horseshoe Services (Pty) Ltd, Horton Insurance Agency, Housing Authorities Services Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Human Resource Management Systems, I-Protect Underwriting Pty Ltd, IBIS Advisors, IBS Reinsurance Singapore Pte Ltd, ILS Fund Services Ltd., ISG International, ITI Solutions, Igloo Insurance PCC Limited, Independent Benefit Services, Independent Fiduciary Services, Ink Underwriting Agencies Limited, InsSync Group Pty Ltd, Inspire Underwriting Limited, Instrat Insurance Brokers, Instrat Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, Instrat Integration Holdco Pty Ltd, Insurance Acquisitions Holdings Limited, Insurance Associates Inc., Insurance Dialogue Limited, Insurance Dialogue Ltd., Insurance Plans Agency, Insurance Plus Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Insurance Point, Insurance Risk Managers of Missouri Inc., Insure My Villa Limited, Insure Pty Ltd, Integrated Healthcare Strategies, InterNational Insurance Group, InterPacific Underwriting Agencies, Intermountain Financial Benefits, Interstate Insurance Underwriters, JPGAC LLC, James F. Reda & Associates, James R. Weir Insurance Agency, Jenkins and Associates, Joe E. Martin Inc., John P. Woods Co. Inc., Jones Brown, Jones Brown Group Inc., Jones Brown Insurance Solutions Inc., Joseph Distel, Joseph James & Associates Insurance Agency, Just Landlords Insurance Services Ltd, KDC Associates, KRW Insurance Agency, Kahl Insurance Services, Kaler Carney Liffler & Co. Inc., Kane Group - Insurance Management Operations, Kelly Financial, Kent Kent & Tingle and RBS, Keyser Benefits Corp., Kingspark Enterprises Pty Ltd, L&R Benefits, LSG Insurance Partners, Learn About Money Limited, Lewis & Associates Insurance Brokers, Leystone Insurance & Financial, Life Plans Unlimited, Lincoln Financial Management, Longfellow Financial, Lucas Fettes Limited, Lucas Fettes and Partners Limited, Lutgert Insurance, MA Underwriting Pty Ltd, MDM Insurance Associates, MG Advanced Coal Technologies-1 LLC, MGA Insurance Services, MRS Holdings Ltd., Madison Scott & Associates, Managed Healthcare Solutions, Mannequin Insurance PCC Limited, Marchetti Robertson & Brickell Insurance, Marine Insurance Service, Martin Gordon & Jones Inc., McDowall Associates Human Resource Consultants, McIntyre Risk Management, McLean Insurance Agency, McNeary, McPherson Benefits Group, McRory & Co., Mecacem Insurance SPC Ltd, MedInsights Inc., Melton Insurance Associates, Memberworks Canada LLC, Merit Insurance, Metcom Excess, Metzler Bros. Insurance, Meyers-Reynolds & Associates, Mid America Group, Midwest Surety Services, Mike Henry Insurance Brokers, Mike Henry Insurance Brokers Limited, Mike Henry Insurance Funding Limited, Miller Buettner & Parrott, Miller-Harrison Insurance Services, Milne Alexander Pty Ltd, Minvielle & Chastanet Insurance Brokers, Monument Insurance (NZ) Limited, Monument Llc, Monument Premium Funding Limited, Mortgage Insurance Agency, Murphy Consultants, Mutual Insurance Services, NationAir Aviation Insurance, National Administration Co., National Ethics Association, National Transportation Adjusters, Nelson/Monarch Insurance Services, Nicoud Insurance Services, NiiS/Apex Group Holdings, Nonprofit Insurance Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Noraxis Capital Corp, Nordic Forsakring & Riskhantering AB, North Alabama Insurance, Nourse Insurance Brokers, O'Gorman & Young, OAMPS (UK) Limited, OAMPS Gault Armstrong Pty Ltd, OAMPS Limited, OAMPS Special Risks Ltd, Offshore Market Placements Limited, Optimum Talent, Orb Financial Services, Orb Financial Services Limited, Osprey Insurance Brokers Limited, Oval Group, Oval Healthcare Limited, Oval Insurance Broking Limited, Oval Limited, Oval Management Services Limited, Oxygen Insurance Managers, P2 Group, PEN Insurance Management Advisors Ltd, PT IBS Insurance Broking Service, Pacific Insurance Agency, Palmer Atlantic Insurance, Palmer Atlantic Insurance Ltd, Palmer Atlantic Risk Services Ltd., Park Row Associates, Parkstar Enterprises Pty Ltd, Parmia Pty Ltd, PartnerSource, Pastel Holding (NZ) Company, Pastel Holdings Pty Limited, Pastel Purchaser (NZ) Limited, Pastel Purchaser Pty Limited, Pavey Group Holdings (UK) Limited, Pavey Group Holdings Limited, Pavey Group Limited, Pearson Dunn Insurance Inc., Pen Underwriting Canada Limited, Pen Underwriting Group Pty. Ltd., Pen Underwriting Limited, Pen Underwriting Pty Ltd, Persing Dyckman & Toynbee Inc., Personal Advice Services Pty Ltd, Petty Burton Associates, Pointer Insurance Agency, Portmore Insurance Brokers (Wilshire) Limited, Portmore Insurance Brokers Limited, Potter-Holden & Co., Powell Insurance Agency, Premier Insurance Services Inc., Premier Risk Services, Premium Finance Corporation, Preston-Patterson, ProSource Financial, Professional Agents Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Professional Claims Managers, Proinova AB, Proinova Agency AB, Pronto California Agency LLC, Pronto California General Agency LLC, Pronto Florida Claims LLC, Pronto Florida General Agency LLC, Pronto Franchise LLC, Pronto General Agency Ltd, Pronto General Agency Management LLC, Pronto Holdco Inc., Pronto Holding California LLC, Pronto Holding Florida LLC, Pronto Insurance Agency of Laredo Inc., Pronto Premium Finance LLC, Property & Commercial Ltd., Property Insurance Initatives Limited, Property and Commercial Limited, Protected Insurance Company, Protection Plan Association Inc., Protek Group Limited, Providium Consulting Group, Ptarmigan Underwriting Agency Limited, Ptarmigan Underwriting UK Limited, Purple Bridge Claims Management Limited, Purple Bridge Finance Limited, Purple Bridge Group Limited, Purple Bridge Investments Limited, Purple Bridge Online Services Limited, Purple Bridge Publishing Limited, Quantum Underwriting Solutions Limited, Quillco 226 Limited, Quillco 227 Limited, R. L. Youngdahl & Associates, R.G. Speno Inc., R.W. Scobie, RA Rossborough (Guernsey) Ltd., RA Rossborough (Insurance Brokers) Ltd, REGENCY Group inc., RGA Referencing Limited, RGA Underwriting Limited, RIL Administrators (Guernsey) Ltd., RJ Dutton Inc., RSM Insurance Services Limited, Reassurance Holdings Inc., Rebholz Insurance Agency, Reid Manson Ltd., Reimbursement Services, Rentguard Limited, Reward Management Limited, Reynolds & Rodar Insurance Group, Riley & Associates, Rio 587 Limited, Rio 588 Limited, Risk & Reward Group, Risk Management Partners Limited, Risk Placement Services Inc., Risk Planners, Risk Services (NW) Limited, Risk Services (NW) Ltd., Risk Solutions Group Limited, Robert A. Schneider Agency, Robert Keith & Associates, Roberts & Roberts Insurance Service, Robinson-Adams Insurance, Rossborough Healthcare International Ltd, Rossborough Insurance (IOM) Ltd., Rossborough Insurance Services Ltd. (Jersey), S. A. Freerks & Associates, SEG Insurance Ltd, SGB-NIA Insurance Brokers, SHILLING Ltd, SKANCO International, SMERI AB, SRS Underwriting Pty Ltd, Secure Enterprises Pty Ltd, Securitas Re, Sellers Group, Sentinel Indemnity LLC, Septagon Insurance PCC Limited, Shuford Insurance Agency, Sigma II Insurance Agency, Sinclair Billard and Weld Limited, Sobieski & Bradley, Solid Benefit Guidance, Spanjers Insurance Agency, Spataro Insurance Agency, Specialised Broking Associates, Specialty Risk, Stackhouse Poland, Stackhouse Poland Bidco Limited, Stackhouse Poland Group Limited, Stackhouse Poland Holdings Limited, Stackhouse Poland Midco Limited, Stackouse Poland Limited, Stanton Group, Stark Johnson & Stinson Inc., Steel Agency, Strata Solicitors Ltd, Strategic Health Plans Corp., Strathearn Insurance Brokers, Strathearn Insurance Brokers (Qld) Trading Trust, Strathern Insurance Group Pty Ltd, Strathern Integration Holdco Pty Ltd, Strathern Unit Trust, Strong Financial Resources, Summit Insurance Group, Sunday and Associates, Sunderland Insurance Services, Super Advice Corporate Services Pty Ltd, Taylor Benefits, Texas Insurance Agency, Texas Insurance Managers, The BeneTex Group, The Buchholz Planning, The Chapman Group, The Commonwealth Consulting Group, The Daniels Group Inc., The EHE Group LLC, The EHE Insurance Agency LLC, The Eagle Insurance Agency LLC, The Eriksen Group, The Forker Company, The Gleason Agency, The Great Lakes Agency, The HR Group, The Hawk Agency, The Human Capital Group, The Lance Group, The Levitt/Kristan Co., The MW Bagnall Company, The Old Greenwich Consulting Group, The Parks Johnson Agency, The Plus Companies Inc., The Presidio Group, The Producers Choice, The Rains Group, The Splinter Group, The Titan Group, The Treiber Group, The Woodsmall Companies Inc., Title & Covenant Brokers Ltd., Title Investments Limited, Tom Sherwin Insurance Agency, Total Reward Group, Total Rewards Group (Holdings) Limited, Towle Agency, Transwestern, Tri-State General Insurance Agency, Triad Insurance Agency, Triad USA, Tribeca Strategic Advisors, Trinder & Norwood, Trip Mate, Trissel Graham & Toole, Tropp & Co., Tudor Risk Services, Tyloma Holdings Limited, Uni-Care Inc., Unison Inc., Universico Group, Unoccupied Direct Limited, V2V Holdings LLC, VEBA Service Group, Vasek Insurance Services Limited, Velo ACU LLC, Velo Holdings Inc., Verbag AG., Vertrue LLC, Victory Insurance Agency, Vincent L. Braband Insurance, Vital Benefits, Voluntary Benefits Solutions, W. E. Kingsley Co. Inc., WM. W. George & Associates, Walker Taylor Agency, Welling Associates, Wesfarmers Insurance - Insurance Brokerage Operations, Western Benefit Solutions, White & Company Insurance, Whitehaven Insurance Group, William Gallagher Associates Insurance Brokers, William H. Connolly & Co., Williams Insurance Agency Inc., Williams-Manny Insurance Group, Winn & Company Insurance Brokers, Wischmeyer Benefit Partners, Woodbrook Underwriting Agencies, Woods & Grooms, WorkCare Northwest, Worksite Communications, Y. S. Liedman & Associates, YOA Capsicum Reinsurance Broker Limited, Zenor Limited, Zuber Insurance Agency, and e3 Financial.
Egypt's capital Cairo embraces a seven-day Chinese fine art exhibition that is meant to promote mutual cultural ties between the two nations.









Six artists from the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts showcased their works at the Art without Borders exhibition which is being held at the famed Gezira Art Centre since Wednesday.





The exhibition, which is co-organized by the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts and the Chinese Culture Center in Cairo, has attracted dozens of Egyptian visitors who showed admiration of the Chinese art.





"The exhibition is really marvelous. Today I saw diversity of arts in China with different artistic trends," Omar Sameh, a civil engineer from Cairo, told Xinhua.





Sahem said that it is important for cultures to meet at some point, adding that the cultural exchange between Egypt and China is beneficial for both peoples.





"It is my first time to see Chinese art works in real life. Such an exhibition enabled me to get closer to Chinese arts and culture," he said.





The 80 artworks put on show included traditional Chinese paintings, oil paintings, print works and sculptures.





Despite the modern forms and concepts of the works, they keep the unique Chinese cultural temperament, which becomes a microcosm of the contemporary China.
The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos.
Lenox, Mass.

She wears the fur coat for far too long. This formidable mother, played in Terrence McNally's "Mothers and Sons" by the formidable Shakespeare & Company veteran Annette Miller, is from Dallas, but she knows how to wear fur, and she's going to keep on that pelt as armor until she's sure it's safe to shed.

The mother, named Katharine, looks to be in her 70s, and she's dropped in unannounced on Cal (Bill Mootos), her dead son's former lover, in his tasteful apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. They haven't seen one another in almost 20 years, since the funeral for her son, Andre, who died from complications of AIDS a few years before life-prolonging drugs became widely available.

Long estranged, by physical distance and Katharine's inability to accept her son's homosexuality, she and Cal endure stony silences and awkward attempts at conversation at first, aware they're still joined by their shared grief at losing Andre. Further, both have had two decades of life since Andre died  including, for Cal, a husband for the past 11 years and a son, now 6  but they still have a lot to say to one another.

And say it they do. Though the production, directed with nuanced emotional tuning by James Warwick, lasts only 90 minutes, it packs in a minihistory of a certain type of gay men at a very particular point in time: upper middle class and white in Manhattan during the divide between what was commonly called a disease holocaust and the years after, when being infected with HIV was no longer an automatic death sentence.

The latter has been the experience of Cal's husband, Will (David Gow), a fiction writer who is 15 years younger and returns to the apartment with their son (Evan Miller, who alternates in the role with Hayden Hoffman) to find a surprising and unwelcome guest. He's long ago made his peace with tolerating the ghost of his husband's long-dead former lover, but being confronted with a living ex-mother-in-law-equivalent, especially the combative, unpleasant one that is Katharine, seems to him beyond spousal duty.

McNally, who more than any other mainstream playwright has chronicled the lives of gay men over the decades, is working on an ambitious emotional and psychological scale here, despite there being just three characters talking for an hour and a half in one room. After a slow start, the play accumulates heft and meaning as Katharine, Cal and Will work toward some semblance of understanding.

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Annette Miller, whose intense portrayals in past seasons have edged toward or fully realized operatic grandiosity, tones it down here while finding every bit of pathos in a woman still anguished by losing a son she effectively shut out of her life.

Mootos' Cal, a successful money manager, is a man struggling between his past and his present; he can't throw out Katharine, because Andre is still a part of who he is, but he also fully loves the complete family life he's built with Will and their son, a life denied him and Andre. And Gow is truly superb as Will, offering an illuminating and spot-on portrait of a younger gay man of the generation for whom, at least in the liberal Northeast, being gay is at once essential and unremarkable. It's a fact of who he is, and if standing up for that and his family means figuring out what to do with a divisive figure like Katharine, well, that's what a father does.

sbarnes@timesunion.com  518-454-5489  blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping  @Tablehopping  facebook.com/SteveBarnesFoodCritic
Coeymans

Carver Cos., which operates the Port of Coeymans and has a growing maritime business, is setting up a crushed stone shipping operation at Port Manatee outside of Tampa, Fla., that is expected to employ 30 people.

Carver Maritime's lease with the port includes $1.8 million in payments over the first five years, which doesn't include so-called wharfage payments tied to its annual cargo volume.

The 10-acre site, once occupied by Vulcan Materials Co., includes a 1,400-foot-long conveyor belt as well as truck loading facilities and deep water access.

The Port Manatee facility will be the third port facility that Carver Cos. has opened. Two years ago, Carver Maritime opened a port operation at a former Naval base in North Charleston, S.C., that now includes 40 acres of operations.

"We, along with our customers, are excited about this opportunity, and very much look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Port Manatee, as well as its tenants," said Carver Laraway, president of Carver Cos., which is based in Altamont. "The projected growth of Central Florida and the business-friendly environment of Manatee County make us eager to call it home."

Carver Cos. began as a construction and excavation company in 1989 but has since expanded into sand and gravel supplier, street sweeping, maritime operations and real estate development.

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The 400-acre Port of Coeymans has been used by a variety of companies to assemble and store construction materials such as bridge spans and even large industrial components and then ship them down the Hudson River to various projects such as the new Tappan Zee Bridge, saving on labor costs and avoiding truck traffic.

George McHugh, the Carver Cos. general counsel, said that its customers at the Port of Coeymans have asked for similar port shipping and storing services down the East Coast. The Tampa location is ideal because it is the closest U.S. deep water port to the Panama Canal, according to Port Manatee.

"It's a great place to be," McHugh said.
The rail line from North Creek to Tahawus that drew officials' ire when owner Iowa Pacific Holdings began storing empty oil tank cars on it could have a new owner.

Denver-based Omnitrax late last week confirmed it wants to buy the rail line, as well as buying or leasing the rest of the corridor from North Creek south to Saratoga Springs, from the local government entities that now own it.

Iowa Pacific had leased the southern stretch since 2011 and for much of that time operated passenger trains as far as North Creek. After its freight business never materialized, Iowa Pacific began storing surplus oil tank cars to generate revenue, drawing criticism from environmentalists and elected officials.

Omnitrax would use the line to remove tailings from the Tahawus mine that could be used in road construction and other infrastructure projects, a spokesman said Friday. Currently, those tailings are being transported by truck.

But rail likely would be more energy efficient while removing truck traffic from the winding Adirondack highways that connect to the mines. Trucking firms also have faced a critical shortage of drivers.

The Omnitrax spokesman said a federal infrastructure bill likely would boost demand further for the Tahawus tailings, and estimates the trains could operate for a decade or more to remove them from the site in the Adirondack Park.

Rail cars would connect with the Canadian Pacific Railway in Saratoga Springs for shipment to customers.

Omnitrax isn't interested in operating passenger trains, however, the spokesman said. "We are not in the passenger business," he said.

The route, much of it owned by Warren County and some by the Town of Corinth, was envisioned as a tool to draw more tourism to the western part of Warren County, including the state-operated Gore Mountain ski area.

But winter ski trains never drew much traffic, despite a dining/dome car that offered full breakfasts and dinners, as well as cocktails and other beverages.

At holiday time, Saratoga and North Creek Rail Road, the Iowa Pacifc unit operating the line, offered the Polar Express, which by all accounts was a major success. But a court dispute with the licensing firm ended that initiative. It was replaced with another Christmas-themed train last year.

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Iowa Pacific President Ed Ellis ended his company's role following the dispute over rail car storage. Most of the cars have since been removed.

Revolution Rail, a business offering so-called rail bike tours on the Tahawus section, has done well this summer, a spokesman said, despite not having passenger trains feeding customers to it at the North Creek station.

On a recent Saturday, several dozen Revolution Rail customers boarded a school bus to be ferried a few miles north, where they'd pedal their rail bikes along the currently idle freight line.

The business plans to operate through the end of October. But whether Omnitrax could accommodate the business wasn't clear. An Omnitrax spokesman said only that his company was "incredibly dedicated to safety," casting doubt on whether the two types of traffic could mix.

Long-term, the spokesman said that Omnitrax could sell the line back to a community once the tailings are removed, or let the line go fallow.
Malta

Stewart's Shops unveiled its new "civility campaign" on Monday morning, designed to address what it says has become a more combative society that has forgotten how to be nice to one another.

And of course like almost anything that Stewart's does, the civility campaign involves a promotion  of its new Civility ice cream.

Stewart's is offering half price cones of the new treat, which is made with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel swirl.

But the company is also promoting civility on a broader scale, calling this "civility week" and posted a new video on social media that addresses what it means to be civil and what people can do to spread kindness.

"This effort really goes beyond ice cream," said Stewart's spokeswoman Erica Komoroske. "We have all witnessed incivility,and we are hoping this campaign can restore civility and make people nicer to one another. We are hoping to bring people together one ice cream cone at a time."

Those who buy a cone also get a sticker to wear with slogans like: "Nice People Make People Nicer" and "Let's Lick This Problem!"

The Civility ice cream promo also has a tongue-in-cheek reference to the current political climate.

The ice cream is described as being "Sweet and Smooth with No NUTS!"

Stewart's says the limited-edition flavor will be available at the cone counter through the fall, and the stickers will be handed out until they are gone. The combination of the vanilla and caramel swirl, the company says, "encourages people to be nice," and the flavor was developed specifically for the campaign.

Stewart's President Gary Dake announced on Twitter last week that the chain was planning a special civility campaign this week after having had conversations with his father about the lack of civility in society these days.

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Dake and his father aren't alone in their thinking. The latest Civility in America poll found that people who notice incivility, which is the vast majority of people, are experiencing such interactions more than 10 times a week, either in person or on social media, up from six times a week just two years ago.

Besides occurring on social media, such "incivil" interactions happen most while people shop or are driving in their cars, the polling found.

Created by the communications and public affairs firms Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate, Civility in America has been published annually since 2010 by KRC Research. This year's edition was created using online polling of 1,481 U.S. adults in January.

On Monday morning, Stewart's stores already had the new Civility ice cream in stock, with employees offering samples and showing off the special stickers.

Dake said the civility campaign idea got even more interest that he was expecting, with local businesses offering to partner with Stewart's even before it was unveiled Monday.

"Thanks to all the businesses who offered to partner with @StewartsShops in our civility campaign," Dake tweeted. "Our plan doesn't lend itself to that, but I encourage you to come up with your own plan to encourage a more civil society."
Mexico, a major global food and beverage exporter, will showcase 28 food brands and 10 companies from the service sector at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai in November, Mexican trade officers have said.

In a space of 400 square meters, the companies will exhibit products such as fresh and processed foods, as well as services in sectors such as logistics, transportation and education.

Most of the products and services are new to the Chinese market, according to Alejandro Salas, the trade and investment commissioner of ProMexico Shanghai. ProMexico is a Mexican governmental agency in charge of promoting domestic exports and attracting overseas investments.

"ProMexico, as a promotion agency, is quite excited about CIIE," Salas told Xinhua. He said the event is a clear message about the huge demands in China and an opportunity for companies interested in the lucrative market.

Salas said he has witnessed the increasing trade between China and Mexico since he became the commissioner in 2015. China is Mexico's second largest trading partner. Last year, exports from Mexico to China grew by 24.2 percent.

"Given the challenges, like language or distance, Mexico's exporters are not familiar with the business potential that China can bring to them," Salas said. "We hope that Mexican companies can better understand the potential of China through CIIE."

The event is also expected to help Mexican companies become more known in China and enhance ties with the Chinese market, he noted.

Chantal Abrajan Pena, deputy trade and investment commissioner of ProMexico Shanghai, hopes the country's food industry can expand further in the Chinese market.

"As the biggest supplier of avocados in the world, we'll bring agri-products like avocado oil to CIIE this year, which is likely to be a big seller in China," Pena said, adding that she expects Mexican berry chia seeds and other healthy foods will be welcomed by Chinese consumers as they look for fresher and more nutritious food.

"This time we'll stick to our strengths and showcase our rich culture, high-quality foods, and fresh and healthy products to Chinese consumers. For future CIIE events, we will include other sectors and players from Mexico," Salas told Xinhua.

He believes that CIIE will be a new bridge that links Mexico with China and help both sides be more aware of the benefits of greater and deeper cooperation.
ALBANY  Two summers ago a man snuck into the Albany Public Library branch on Schuyler Street before it opened for the day and overdosed on heroin. An employee found his body in the downstairs bathroom.

But it wasn't until this past Christmas season, when library director Scott Jarzombek witnessed a patron overdose and then be revived, that the library realized there was more it could be doing in the fight against opioids.

"I had just come back from a meeting and was walking through the building when one of our facility guys said, 'You need to get to the bathroom now,'" he recalled. "A young man was passed out on the floor in one of the stalls."

The man was with a friend who carried naloxone, a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose if administered in time, and she gave it to him. Jarzombek watched as the man came to, right then and there.

"I was never really sure if getting my staff trained in administering and carrying this stuff  if that would be a bridge too far," he said. "However, that experience and the feedback I got from staff afterward completely changed my mind."

Today, more than a dozen librarians and other staff across the system's seven branches are trained to identify the symptoms of an overdose and respond to them with naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan. This experience is hardly unique to Albany libraries. Public libraries nationwide have been forced to consider whether they want to be trained first responders in the event of a drug overdose, as the epidemic of opioid misuse and overdose continues its spread into public spaces.

And what's more public a space than a library?

"Libraries are the only public space that are open to everyone almost all of the time," Jarzombek said. "You don't have to buy a coffee to be here. You don't have to be here on business. We pride ourselves on being welcoming and on being a safe space where people feel comfortable just being, and I think that's what attracts people to us when they're using."

Recognizing their role as public officials who are increasingly in contact with individuals that are high or overdosing, New York passed a law in 2016 allowing librarians to carry and administer naloxone. U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, whose Hudson Valley district has especially struggled with heroin overdoses in public library spaces, introduced a bill in Congress last fall that would give grants to libraries in high-intensity drug trafficking areas to purchase naloxone kits and fund training.

Right now, libraries are using their own funding or the generosity of community programs to fund the trainings and antidotes, Jarzombek said.

At the Schenectady County Public Library's central branch in Schenectady, staff began noticing an uptick in needles in the parking lot and visibly intoxicated patrons about two years ago, said director Karen Bradley.

Staff underwent voluntary naloxone training in spring 2017 and then again in spring 2018, she said, and were surprised to learn there was new concern that one dose of naloxone may no longer be enough to revive someone who has overdosed on opioids.

That's because heroin and other drugs  including cocaine, methamphetamines and a class of anti-anxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines  are increasingly being laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, and its analogues. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday said that these synthetics were responsible for a majority of the 10 percent increase in opioid overdoses from 2016 to 2017.

"That was really kind of staggering," Bradley said, "to go to our second training and realize what a difference a year makes with this epidemic."

To date, staff at the nine-branch library system  which has locations in urban, rural and suburban communities around the county  have not had to administer naloxone. But they did encounter one patron who informed staff she believed she was overdosing, and staff called 911.

"(The employee) was ready to administer, but 911 responded so quickly she didn't have to," Bradley said.

Staff at the Guilderland Public Library don't want to be put in the position of having to wait for first responders. That's why they became trained several months ago in administering naloxone  even though, according to library spokesman Mark Curiale, staff haven't really encountered drug use on library property.

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"It's the same reason we have an AED machine and first aid kits," he said. "We don't expect anything like that to happen, but we want to be ready in case it does."

The State Library released guidance last November for public libraries that might be looking to implement opioid overdose prevention measures.

On July 9, it released a survey to public library directors and managers seeking feedback on their experience with the opioid epidemic, the status of any overdose prevention programs, and resources they think could help address the influx of drug use and overdoses on library property. The survey closes Aug. 31.

"Early survey results indicate that many library workers are being trained to administer naloxone as private citizens," said Jonathan Burman, a spokesman for the State Education Department, which oversees the State Library.

In Albany, where the problem of drug use is particularly apparent due to the concentration of local drug treatment programs, the library has identified both short and long-term solutions to the drug crisis.

In the short term, it has temporarily banned patrons who are visibly intoxicated, high or using drugs. Staff have begun locking bathrooms 15 minutes before closing, when they used to experience a rush on the stalls by patrons looking to use before the place closed for the night.

The library ended up spending almost $5,000 to fix plumbing issues caused by needles being flushed down the toilets, Jarzombek said. Many of the bathroom users, he suspects, are men and women staying at nearby shelters or residential programs, where drugs and paraphernalia are banned. At times, he and staff have found paraphernalia in the stacks.

"I moved some books one day and had a needle fall on me," he said.

This behavior appears to be on the decline, though, he said, after the library hired more security to patrol its branches and "keep an eye" on things.

But the library is also attempting to address the scourge at its roots. Two weeks ago, it hired a trained social worker to serve as a community support specialist whose job will be to review incident reports and connect patrons who need it with various services in the community.

"I don't want people to think that sending their kids to the public library means they're going to walk into a library and see someone shooting up," Jarzombek said. "This is one of few organizations that has taken a proactive stance, and I think that speaks for libraries across the country. We are the leaders of our community, and we are often solving the community's biggest issues. From immigration to poverty to the digital divide to the opioid epidemic  libraries are a bellwether for societal issues. And we often come up with solutions that can and should be modeled elsewhere."
Cohoes

Luba Kushnir's voice is warm and blissful as she describes the traditional dishes that take center stage at Saturday's annual Ukrainian Festival.

"There's cabbage rolls stuffed with two meats and onions, varenyky or dumplings with rich fillings, borscht soup made of beets, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic; desserts, like chocolate walnut torte. There's a compote drink made of peach, plum, pear and apricot juices. There are folk dances to watch and dancing for everyone with a DJ and Ukrainian language rock, rap and hip hop. And there will be polka. No matter how bad a dancer you think you are, someone will be there to dance with you."

Kushnir and Saratoga cardiologist Dr. Andre Baran are helping plan the Cohoes festival with funding from the New York-based Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

The festival celebrates Ukraine's August 1991 independence from the crumbling Soviet Union. But it's also a reminder that the independence has been challenged by Russia since 2014.

The festival is a place where Ukrainian American community leaders and visitors can eat, dance and share ideas about how to help the country that was home to so many of their families as it faces a string of crises.

As treasurer of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, Kushnir helped raise thousands of dollars for boots for Ukrainian military volunteers. She said the Ukrainian military is currently understaffed and ill-equipped. The United Nations estimates that over 3,800 Ukrainian military casualties between June 2014-June 2018 and 350 Russian, figures that, Baran said, Ukrainians dispute.

Kushnir points out that the Capital Region's Ukrainian American community has taken action to help Ukrainians for decades, for instance by raising money for children poisoned in the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

"My sister has a 12-bedroom mansion so she housed 25 Ukrainian children while they got medical treatment here. Paul Newman hosted them for a few days at his Double H Ranch," Kushnir said.

Treatment took years, the donations continued to flow into the 1990s. General Electric donated an MRI to a Ukrainian hospital which had none. But Ukraine hospitals lacked more than equipment.

"Nurses often tell a patient's family they will need to buy sutures and bandages for the surgery," Kushnir said.

She said the league arranged for the Shriners, a philanthropic group that funds children's hospitals providing free care for low income children, to go to Ukraine where the Shriners paid medical expenses for 250 children. More recently, the league donated money to Ukrainian medical colleges to train women as doctors and nurses to treat the war wounded.

"So many of the men have volunteered to fight and the military is so desperate it will enlist guys 16 to 40 to fight if it can," Kushnir said.

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Baran's parents fled Ukraine in 1944. As a member of the bipartisan New York-based Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, he's helped raise thousands of dollars for Ukrainian women and children left widowed and orphaned by the war.

"My parents made their way to a refugee camp in Germany run by the Allies until they were allowed to come to Manhattan where I was born in 1952," he said.

His father, also doctor, had a medical degree from a prestigious Krakow, Poland university, which was accepted in the U.S., but he still had to complete a hospital residency, working grueling hours alongside 20-somethings, the son recalls. His mother supported the family as a seamstress for that year. They lived in an East Village neighborhood where Baran grew up speaking Ukrainian. He learned English in first grade class with 74 other Ukrainian kids.

"So I was immersed in Ukrainian culture even in America," he said, with a laugh.

He and his wife have visited Ukraine often, most recently last year when he visited towns along the war's frontline. Baran brought ultrasound equipment with him to donate to a hospital.

"It may sound strange to say the mood in Ukraine is optimistic and rebellious but that is pretty much the Ukraine's attitude in harsh times," Baran said. "And optimism and rebellion can make a great party."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that Ukrainians dispute U.N. military casualty figures in Ukraine.
ALBANY -- A state prison inmate was charged Monday with the January killing of 35-year-old Anthony Malloy in West Hill.

Shakir Redmon, 27, of Albany, known as "Face" and "Ghost," was charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy, weapon possession and drug possession, according to a four-count indictment unsealed Monday in Albany County Court.

Redmon began serving a four-year sentence for attempted drug possession in April at Clinton Correctional Facility. He served an earlier stint in state prison for the same offense.

On the day of the killing, Redmon allegedly obtained a vehicle from another person, the indictment said.

Redmon was charged as an accessory.

"It was part of the conspiracy for Shakir Redmon and others to assist, aid and participate in the killing of Anthony Malloy," the indictment said.

Malloy, a father of three children, was also known as "BAM" and "UPT" according to a Times Union obituary.

On Jan. 4, Malloy was crossing the street at about 2 p.m. when a person opened fire at the intersection of Quail and First streets, police said at the time.

In 2013, Malloy was among 31 defendants in 226-count takedown by then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office called "Operation North Star," aimed at a New York City-to-Capital Region cocaine-trafficking pipeline.

The indictment was dated Aug. 7 and signed by former Assistant District Attorney Steven Sharp.

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Sharp resigned Thursday from District Attorney David Soares' office and was quickly hired as an assistant by Albany County Public Defender Stephen Herrick.

Sharp departed two weeks after the Times Union reported that an appellate lawyer, Matthew Hug, informed acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough that Sharp had been secretly working on appeals cases for Albany lawyer Cheryl Coleman without the approval or knowledge of the DA.

Sharp acknowledged working on the cases, all of which were outside Albany County.

Soares' office called it a violation of office policy.

Hug revealed Sharp's side work for Coleman while appealing the attempted murder conviction of his client, Jordan Prusinski, 26, who was prosecuted by Sharp and represented at trial by Coleman. A jury determined Prusinski fired 11 shots and struck two people at Lark and Hamilton streets on July 2, 2017.

Soares office said the Redmon case will be prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney David Rossi.
TROY  A Department of Public Works employee will be apologizing to the Christ Church United Methodist congregation after he ripped down some 2,300 colorful ribbons tied to the iron fence around the church on State Street.

Footage from a church security camera appears to show a man in a city truck vandalizing a display protesting President Trumps immigration policies. The church members tied the colorful strips of fabric to the wrought iron fence to symbolize the children separated from their parents under the governments zero tolerance immigration policies.

The video footage, which is grainy, shows a city DPW pickup truck pull up to the church shortly before 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15.

In the footage, a man gets out of the truck around 7:15 a.m. and begins ripping down the hundreds of ribbons from the fence. He throws the fabric in a garbage can, places it in the back of the truck and drives off about 10 minutes later. Another man appears to be standing by but doesnt rip down the any of the ribbons.

The worker told the city it was an honest mistake, Mayor Patrick Madden's spokesman John Salka said Monday. The man had been directed to remove trash from the street, Salka said.

It's unclear why the worker thought the ribbons were trash. A sign on the fence says what they're for and it was not removed. It's also unclear why a city employee decided to remove items from private property.

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Bob Blackmon, a member of the congregation, said the mayor told him the employee did not realize he was destroying a display installed by the church and thought he was just cleaning up trash. Blackmon said he was told the employee would be writing an apology letter for his actions.

The mayor insists there was no ill will, Blackmon said.

However, he has doubts that the real story is being told.

"It just simply makes no sense," Blackmon said, and he wondered if someone told the worker to take down the ribbons.

Blackmon said if the church can recover the ribbons and bows that it would likely hang them back up.
The Troy woman detained after rolling through a stop sign earlier this year was abruptly released from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility on Thursday.

Dalila Yeend, 35, has been in ICE custody in Batavia since early June.

Around 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 16, a guard told her to pack her belongings. Yeend said she didnt know if she was being deported or moved to another facility. Instead, she was given an ankle bracelet and paperwork informing her she had been paroled.

They called me over and asked me what my home address and phone number were, she said in an interview Monday. I didnt really believe it. I was really emotional.

She was dropped off at a Citgo gas station around the corner from the detention center. She had called her mother, who was taking care of her two American-born children while she was detained. Her mother called her lawyer to let her know Yeend was out, stopped to pick up Yeends daughter from school and made the five-hour drive.

Just to be able to give my daughter a hug  that was pretty amazing, she said.

Yeend, who was born in Australia, immigrated to the United States from New Zealand with her mother, Monique de Latour, when Yeend was 17. De Latour said a shady immigration lawyer misled the family and stole thousands of dollars from them the first time they applied for permanent status.

As her mother began another petition, Yeend became an adult. She went on to make a life in Troy, get married and have two children. But as an adult, she needed to make her own application to stay in the country.

According to her current attorney, she started a green card application, working with a Buffalo-area lawyer doing pro bono work. In the middle of the process, the attorney decided to stop practicing in that court, and Yeend was once again left adrift. She could not afford an attorney, and the court informed her in 2015 that deportation proceedings had begun.

On May 29, Troy police arrested her when they discovered she didnt have a valid drivers license. A judge ordered her released on her own recognizance, but Troy police detained her until ICE agents came to pick her up. The Times Union reported on the case in June.

Yeend had resigned herself to an extended stay in Batavia. At an Aug. 2 bond hearing, the presiding judge decided he didnt have jurisdiction and set a trial date of Sept. 27.

That was a little heartbreaking, Yeend said. I told my kids its going to be another two months.

In the meantime, her lawyer had filed two motions for release under supervision, pointing out that Yeend was the sole caregiver for her two children, including a son with special needs. In both cases, Yeends motions were denied in a two-sentence form letter from ICEs Buffalo Field Director Thomas Feeley.

The third letter, notifying her of the conditions of her release, did not specify what had changed with her case.

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Based on information received, and other information contained in your immigration file, and in light of our discretionary authority, we are granting your request for parole, Feeley wrote.

Yeend will have to check in with a deportation officer once a month and notify ICE if her address or phone number changes.

Yeend said she thinks outreach from U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrands offices may have affected her case.

Moving forward, Yeends case will run on two tracks. Her lawyer has filed for a motion to terminate her removal proceedings entirely and allow her to file a green card application. To that end, Yeend is working to gather the medical records and documents shell need to support her case.

If the motion is denied, her trial is still set for Sept. 27. If she is deported, she would be sent to New Zealand.

Since her release, Yeend has been reaching out to people who supported her and her family while she was detained and spending time with her children. Her daughter went back to school last week, so her mornings have been spent making sure the girl gets to school on time.

Ive cried a lot in the past few days, Yeend said. It's been a lot, being away from them."
A British woman on a cruise touring the Adriatic Sea fell into the water 60 miles off the coast of Croatia, apparently spending about 10 hours treading water before she was pulled into a rescue boat.

The woman, who gave only her first name, Kay, spoke to reporters shortly after her rescue ship arrived at a Croatian dock.

"I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me," she told HRT, Croatia's state television network.

But many questions remain about Kay's ordeal, including how she got into the water and how she was able to survive for almost half a day. She declined to tell reporters how she fell off the Norwegian Star cruise ship or what happened in the moments just before.

David Radas, a spokesman for the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told the Sun: "It is still not confirmed whether the British woman has fallen off or jumped from the cruising ship."

The cruise company is expected to review closed-circuit cameras to determine the sequence of events.

The company said the woman went overboard as the Norwegian Star was headed to Venice. When the crew realized that someone had fallen into the water, they stopped the ship and mounted a search.

They also notified the Croatian navy and coast guard. The military used a PC-9 aircraft and a patrol boat that was less than a mile from the ship when the woman was reported missing.

They used calculations about wind speed and ocean currents to determine which direction Kay may have traveled. Around 9:40 p.m., they spotted her in the sea. Five minutes later, she was in the rescue craft.

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Photos of the rescue showed the woman climbing into the gray military craft and, later, walking unaided. In another picture, she is sitting at a table in the boat, smiling, surrounded by her rescuers.

"The British woman was exhausted when we pulled her out of the water," ship captain Lovro Oreskovic said, according to a Croatian navy news release. "We were extremely happy for saving a human life."

The cruise company said the woman was physically OK after her ordeal.

"We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition," the cruise company said in an email to The Washington Post. "We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."

The Norwegian Star is a 965-foot-long craft that can handle up to 2,348 guests. It has a spa, a casino, and 10 bars and lounges.
You are here: Business

China is releasing a package of policies more swiftly to enhance the competitiveness of its new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, the Economic Information Daily reported Monday.

Policymakers are considering a new regulation on auto industry investment, the newspaper cited sources with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) as saying.

Under the new regulation, new manufacturers of electric vehicles are required to have a minimum annual production capacity of 100,000 units, and sustainable development capacity will be a must.

Tighter restriction on diesel and petrol cars will be highlighted in the "most draconian" policy, including suspending new projects and limiting capacity expansion, according to the newspaper.

NDRC official Cai Ronghua said more will be done to facilitate the development of smart NEVs, referring to plans to create a favorable environment for intelligent vehicles.

China has remained the world's largest NEV market for three consecutive years, with some 777,000 cars sold in 2017.

For the first seven months of 2018, China's NEV production rose 85 percent year on year to 504,000 units, while sales jumped 97.1 percent to 496,000 units, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.
Washington

From the beginning of the American republic, its founders obsessed about how it all would end. "Democracy never lasts long," said John Adams. "There never was a democracy yet, that did not commit suicide."

George Washington used his farewell address to warn that partisan "factions" could tear the country apart. The Federalists worried that domestic disunity could be exploited by hostile foreign governments. James Madison in particular feared that liberty might be lost by "gradual and silent encroachments of those in power."

Check. Check. Check.

But there is one factor in our politics that the founders could not have predicted: the debilitating infection of celebrity culture.

Were Washington to be resurrected, it would be difficult to explain how history's most powerful nation, after surviving civil war and global conflict, turned for leadership to a celebrity known for abusing other celebrities on television. It is the single strangest development in American history. And we have only begun to process its consequences.

It is not that American leaders have never been famous. Dwight Eisenhower was one of the most famous men in the world for organizing victory in World War II. Ronald Reagan was famous for his acting career, but also for being governor of California and an articulate conservative.

Fame usually has some rough relationship to accomplishment. Celebrity results from mastering the latest technologies of self-exposure. Ingrid Bergman was famous. Kim Kardashian is a celebrity. Franklin D. Roosevelt was famous. Donald Trump is ... not in the same category.

Within its proper bounds  confined to stunts on a desert island or in a fake boardroom  the ethos of reality television is relatively harmless. Transposed to the highest level of politics, it is deeply damaging.

This is not only a matter of preferring a certain style of politics (though I think we should do better than the discourse of unhinged tweeting). The problem is a defect of spirit. The founders generally believed that the survival and success of a republic required leaders and citizens with certain virtues: moderation, self-restraint and concern for the common good. They were convinced that respect for a moral order made ordered liberty possible.

The culture of celebrity is the complete negation of this approach to politics. It represents a kind of corrupt, decaying capitalism in which wealth is measured in exposure. It elevates appearance over accomplishment. Because rivalries and feuds are essential to the story line, it encourages theatrical bitterness. Instead of pursuing a policy vision, the first calling of the celebrity is to maintain a brand.

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Is the skill set of the celebrity suited to the reality of governing? On the evidence, not really. Our celebrity president, as on North Korea, is prone to take credit for non-existent accomplishments. As on the border wall and the travel ban, he deals in absurd symbols rather than realistic policies. As on Russian policy, he is easily manipulated by praise. As on the revoking of former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance, he uses the power of his office to pursue personal vendettas. Instead of yelling at the television when people displease him, he now has the power to hurt them in practical ways.

When a real estate developer attacks an enemy in the tabloids, it is a public relations spectacle. When the president of the United States targets and harms a citizen without due process, it is oppression.

But the broader influence of celebrity culture on politics is to transform citizens into spectators. In his book "How Democracy Ends," David Runciman warns of a political system in which "the people are simply watching a performance in which their role is to give or withhold their applause at the appropriate moments." In this case, democracy becomes "an elaborate show, needing ever more characterful performers to hold the public's attention." Mr. Madison, meet Omarosa.

Donald Trump is sometimes called a populist. But all this is a far cry from the prairie populism of William Jennings Bryan, who sought to elevate the influence of common people. Instead, we are seeing a drama with one hero, pitted against an array of villains. And those villains are defined as anyone who opposes or obstructs the president, including the press, the courts and federal law enforcement. Trump's stump speeches are not a call to arms against want; they are a call to oppose his enemies. This is not the agenda of a movement; it is the agenda of a cult.

Will the republic survive all this? Of course it will. But it won't be the same.
Saratoga Springs

If the Travers Stakes were run on grass, here's your winner. Catholic Boy. Easy game.

Of course, things are never that easy. The $1.25 million Travers, the centerpiece of the 40-day Saratoga race meet, will be run on Saturday and the 1 1/4-mile race is run on dirt.

Catholic Boy, a 3-year-old colt who never gives up, will be entered in the Midsummer Derby on Tuesday. And maybe his name will be an after thought after monikers like Good Magic and Gronkowksi and Wonder Gadot and Tenfold and Vino Rosso are announced at the Travers draw.

"We are coming in under the radar a little bit," Catholic Boy's upbeat trainer Jonathan Thomas said outside his barn on the Saratoga backstretch Sunday morning. "I think he will be recognized for what he has done on the grass. I think people will respect him for what he has done but I don't know if he will get respect at the (betting) windows."

And that's ok with Thomas, 38, a former assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. As he stood and talked about his horse, Catholic Boy was bouncing around as he was being walked outside the barn. It followed the colt's final Travers work, a half-mile on the main track.

With regular rider Javier Castellano on board, Catholic Boy went the distance in 49.44 seconds. The way he acted after the work, it looked like he could have gone out and done it again. Maybe three times.

"We were just looking for a maintenance breeze," Thomas said. "It seemed like he did it very well and he cooled out really quick."

Maybe it's a good idea to remember Catholic Boy when Travers Day comes. At one time, he was on the Triple Crown trail, but those dreams blew up after being well beat in the Florida Derby. Then it was on to Plan B.

Catholic Boy went back to the grass, a surface he won on twice in three starts as a 2-year-old (he won the With Anticipation here a summer ago, the only Saratoga win on Thomas' resume). The colt and Castellano won two jaw-grinding races on the grass, both of them graded stakes.

First came the Grade III Pennine Ridge at Belmont and then the Grade I Belmont Derby. In both races, Catholic Boy narrowly won. He won the Pennine Ridge by a neck, the Belmont Derby by a head.

Both wins came over the Chad Brown-trained Analyze It and it looked like a juicy grass rivalry was born. Now, maybe Catholic Boy can do that with one or Brown's runners  or both  in the Travers: Good Magic and Gronkowski.

Thomas doesn't think it will be that tough a trick for Catholic Boy, a son of More Than Ready, to carry his turf form back to the grass.

"From a talent level, I think he fits in really well," Thomas said. "Now, if he can replicate his best effort on the turf to the dirt, then he is right there with everybody."

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Catholic Boy was on the Triple Crown trail after winning the Grade II Remsen at Aqueduct in his last start as a 2-year-old. He ran second to Flameaway in the Grade III Sam F. Davis at Tampa in his first start as a 3-year-old, and then the wheels came off with a fourth in the Grade I Florida Derby.

In that race, he bled, something that has never happened before, and hasn't happened since.

When Thomas first brought horses here in early June, Catholic Boy was into his turf campaign. After he won the Belmont Derby on July 7, the next step wasn't known. It began to get clearer when Triple Crown winner Justify was retired later in July.

"As a trainer, you never commit to anything," Thomas said. "You train towards targets. Lord knows so many things can go right or wrong,"

Catholic Boy has won four of five starts on grass and has one win and a second in three tries on dirt. In the last two grass starts, he went gate-to-wire and didn't allow Analyze It to get by him.

In his dirt races, he has never raced on the lead.

"We have a lot of faith in the way he tries and his ability level," Thomas said. "He is very fit, he is moving great and we are just pleased with how he is coming into this."

twilkin@timesunion.com  518-454-5415  @tjwilkin
Thurles is set for a retail boost following the news that leading fashion store DV8 is set to open an outlet this October, creating up to 15 new jobs in the town.

The 4000 square feet store will open for business this October in the former Heatons unit on Liberty Square following a 1 million investment by the retailer.

DV8, which currently operates over 40 stores across Ireland, already has outlets in Tipperary town, Clonmel and Nenagh.

The retailer stocks a range of brands including Superdry, 11Degress, SikSilk, AX Paris, Lipsy and Vans.

David Scott from DV8 said: We are delighted to be opening a new store in Thurles and confident it will complement the existing retail offering in the town, with DV8s unique range of male and female clothing and footwear.

He continued; We think local shoppers will enjoy the DV8 experience, including the top fashion brands and excellent customer service.

Last week discount outlet Dealz quashed rumours they were planning to open an outlet in Thurles following widespread speculation that they were planning to open a unit in Liberty Square.

Following the announcement that Heatons are set to close their doors on lower Liberty Square later this Autumn, many believed that Dealz would move into the vacant unit.

However a spokesperson for the discount chain confirmed to the Tipperary Star that the UK store have no plans to open a unit in the town, nor have they looked at any possible locations in the town.
[August 19, 2018] OneTrust Expands in Australia and New Zealand with New Melbourne Office and Integrated ANZ Privacy Laws into Industry Leading Privacy Management Platform

MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OneTrust, the global leader in privacy management and marketing compliance today announced its expansion in Australia and New Zealand. OneTrust is the most widely-used privacy management and marketing compliance software with 1,500 customers, including 200 of the Global 2,000, 500 employees and six global offices across Atlanta, London, Munich, Bangalore, Hong Kong and Melbourne. OneTrust's commitment to the Australia and New Zealand markets (ANZ) includes: A new local office in Melbourne to serve as a HQ for the region, led by technology veteran Robinson Roe as managing director

to serve as a HQ for the region, led by technology veteran as managing director Integration of Australia and New Zealand privacy laws into the OneTrust platform to support privacy compliance operations beyond the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

and privacy laws into the OneTrust platform to support privacy compliance operations beyond the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Two new local data centres in the region to support data residency preferences

Expansion of PrivacyConnect, OneTrust's widely attended privacy workshop event series, in Australia

Local presence at Gartner Security and Risk Sydney and IAPP ANZ events OneTrust is already working with dozens of well-known organisations across Australia and New Zealand to operationalise their privacy programmes. Sydney-based Cochlear Limited, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, uses OneTrust technologies for privacy compliance in ANZ and across the globe. "As a global company with customers and employees in over 100 countries, keeping up with various privacy regulations is an ongoing and essential process," said Stephen Bolinger, Chief Privacy Officer at Cochlear. "Having used OneTrust from the outset of developing our privacy compliance programme, we are excited to see their investment in the ANZ region and their integration of the region's specific data protection requirements into the software. OneTrust is an essential element of our privacy compliance efforts locally and globally." Meet with OneTrust in Sydney: 20-21 August : Visit OneTrust at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit Sydney stand #PR2 and hear OneTrust and Cochlear discuss "How to Tackle the GDPR: A Typical Privacy and Security Roadmap" at the Hilton Sydney on Tuesday, 21 August at 11:30 AEST

: Visit OneTrust at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit Sydney stand #PR2 and hear OneTrust and Cochlear discuss "How to Tackle the GDPR: A Typical Privacy and Security Roadmap" at the Hilton Sydney on Tuesday, 21 August at 11:30 AEST 22 August: Register for PrivacyConnect Sydney, a Free, In-Person ANZ, GDPR and International Privacy Law Workshop at the Hilton Sydney Supporting Privacy Reform in Australia and New Zealand

Jurisdictions around the world, including Australia and New Zealand, have amended or created privacy legislation with the goal of adapting to the continuing technological advancements and reinforcing rights of individuals. Australia just named a new privacy commissioner, and recently amended the Australian Privacy Act introducing mandatory notification procedures for data breaches. According to the latest Notifiable Data Breaches Quarterly Statistics Report there were 242 notifications during the last quarter with the health and finance sectors reporting the highest number of data breaches. In March, New Zealand's government introduced a Privacy Bill to replace its Privacy Act from 1993. The Bill's explanatory notes the changes will align New Zealand's privacy law with international developments, such as the GDPR. The Bill gives individuals the right to access and correct their personal information, imposes strict requirements for privacy breach notifications and data transfer limitations.



Read the report: OneTrust is the largest and most widely used dedicated software provider in privacy management, and according to Ovum Research, is positioned as a strategic leader in global privacy beyond the GDPR These recent legislative changes, as well as consumer's increased awareness and expectations around privacy, attest to the significant need for privacy management tools to enable companies in the ANZ's region to automate their processes. OneTrust is committed to supporting these new and updated ANZ privacy regulations. OneTrust will integrate these specific privacy guidelines into the award-winning privacy technology and marketing compliance platform. Customers will be supported by OneTrust's new Melbourne office led by Robinson Roe, privacy solutions experts with deep knowledge about local and global privacy laws and two new local data centres in Australia and New Zealand.

"The GDPR, and more broadly, consumer awareness of privacy risks, are sparking businesses across sectors and jurisdictions to continuously reassess their privacy compliance across a growing matrix of regulatory requirements," said Robinson Roe, Managing Director of ANZ, OneTrust. "I am thrilled to lead OneTrust's new Melbourne offices and expanded ANZ support to further empower customers to meet both local and global privacy regulations. As the privacy landscape continues to mature, we remain committed to incorporating new data protection regulations and the most up-to-date guidance as it becomes available." "Our expansion in Australia and New Zealand shows our commitment to innovating and developing our technology, research, services and user community to serve the changing global privacy market," said Kabir Barday, OneTrust CEO and Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP). "With the most comprehensive solution supported by the largest team in the privacy industry, our customers can rely on OneTrust to serve them both locally in their regions and with regulations across the globe. OneTrust is the comprehensive privacy management and marketing compliance solution that customers can grow into, and not out of, as the global privacy market continues to evolve." Resources: Register for PrivacyConnect Sydney on 22 August, a Free, In-Person ANZ, GDPR and International Privacy Law Workshop at the Hilton Sydney

Visit OneTrust at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit Sydney stand #PR2 and hear OneTrust and Cochlear discuss "How to Tackle the GDPR: A Typical Privacy and Security Roadmap" at the Hilton Sydney on Tuesday, 21 August at 11:30 AEST.

Register for OneTrust PrivacyTECH on 8-10 October in London , the OneTrust's annual global user conference, where 500+ industry leaders breakdown the latest technology innovations driving global privacy compliance

, the OneTrust's annual global user conference, where 500+ industry leaders breakdown the latest technology innovations driving global privacy compliance Connect with OneTrust on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ For additional information, or to request a live OneTrust Privacy Management Software demo, visit OneTrust.com or email Info@OneTrust.com. About OneTrust

OneTrust is the global leader in privacy management and marketing compliance software. More than 1,500 customers, including 200 of the Global 2,000, use OneTrust to comply with data privacy regulations across sectors and jurisdictions, including the EU GDPR, ePrivacy (Cookie Law) and California Consumer Privacy Act. An additional 10,000 organisations use OneTrust's technology through a partnership with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), the world's largest global information privacy community. The software, available in 50+ languages, is backed by over 20 awarded patents and can be deployed in an EU cloud or on-premise. The comprehensive platform is based on a combination of intelligent scanning, regulator guidance-based questionnaires, automated workflows and developer plugins used together to automatically generate the record keeping required for an organisation to demonstrate compliance to regulators and auditors. The platform is enriched with content from hundreds of templates based on the world-class privacy research conducted by our 100+ in-house certified privacy professionals. OneTrust helps organisations implement GDPR, California CCPA, and global privacy requirements, including Data Protection by Design (PbD), Data Protection Impact Assessments (PIA/DPIA), Vendor Risk Management, Incident and Breach Management, Records of Processing (Data Mapping), Universal Consent and Preference Management, ePrivacy Cookie Consent, Data Subject Access Rights, Portability and Right to Be Forgotten. PrivacyConnect, OneTrust's global user community, hosts in-person workshops in 85 international cities, and is attended by thousands of privacy professionals to share best practices. OneTrust is co-headquartered in Atlanta, GA and in London, UK, with additional offices in Munich, Bangalore, Hong Kong and Melbourne. The fast-growing team of privacy and technology experts surpasses 500 employees worldwide. To learn more, visit OneTrust.com. Media Contact:

Gabrielle Ferree

Public Relations

+1 770-294-4668

Media@OneTrust.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onetrust-expands-in-australia-and-new-zealand-with-new-melbourne-office-and-integrated-anz-privacy-laws-into-industry-leading-privacy-management-platform-300699198.html SOURCE OneTrust

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[August 19, 2018] Frost & Sullivan names CenturyLink as Asia Pacific's top Hybrid IT Service Provider for fourth consecutive year

Award reinforces CenturyLink's unique position as a trusted hybrid IT services provider helping businesses drive growth and achieve digital transformation SINGAPORE, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) has been named the Asia Pacific Hybrid IT Service Provider of the Year by Frost & Sullivan. The award recognizes CenturyLink's role in empowering Asia Pacific businesses to successfully manage different IT environments through its comprehensive portfolio of hybrid IT services that are bolstered by a secure, fiber-rich global network. As digital transformation continues to be a key organizational goal for Asia Pacific businesses, it is even more crucial to address challenges such as finding a suitable, cost-effective network hosting service that can seamlessly integrate the various technology platforms, applications and services a business uses. CenturyLink is well positioned to support businesses in their digital transformation by offering them unparalleled control and agility over their cloud environments. In addition, the company's multi-layered security service, backed by threat intelligence and security experts, allows businesses to be agile while adopting a proactive posture towards evolving threats. This is made possible thanks to CenturyLink's significant network and strong Asia Pacific presence.



"Digital transformation has become a top priority in Asia-Pacific, with an increasing number of companies implementing formal strategies to support their efforts," said Yu Xuan Ng, industry analyst, digital transformation, Frost & Sullivan. "With IT departments moving towards agile infrastructures, businesses are exploring the competitive advantages of operating across hybrid IT environments. CenturyLink is well-positioned to meet the growing market demand for hybrid IT services. In 2017, CenturyLink acquired Level 3 Communications, becoming a significant provider in the global network services market to support enterprises in their hybrid IT journeys." "CenturyLink is committed to helping Asia Pacific businesses achieve their hybrid IT goals and continue on their digital transformation journeys," said Francis Prince Thangasamy, vice president, IT services and managed hosting at CenturyLink. "By offering a wide range of services such as network, security, hybrid IT and cloud management, CenturyLink aims to equip enterprises with the most effective tools to help them adapt to business changes, achieve scalability quickly as they grow into new markets, and deliver superior customer experiences."

Additional Resources For more info on CenturyLink's hybrid IT solutions: https://www.centurylink.com/business/hybrid-it-cloud.html

For more info about CenturyLink's security services: https://www.centurylink.com/business/managed-services/managed-security.html

For more info on CenturyLink's APAC data centers: https://www.centurylink.com/business/colocation/data-centers/asia.html About CenturyLink

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is the second largest U.S. communications provider to global enterprise customers. With customers in more than 60 countries and an intense focus on the customer experience, CenturyLink strives to be the world's best networking company by solving customers' increased demand for reliable and secure connections. The company also serves as its customers' trusted partner, helping them manage increased network and IT complexity and providing managed network and cyber security solutions that help protect their business. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/325657/centurylink_logo.jpg SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.

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[August 19, 2018] NEWELL BRANDS 24 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 24 Hours Remain; ClaimsFiler Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Newell Brands Inc. - NWL

ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have only until August 20, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE: NWL). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's shares between February 6, 2017 and January 24, 2018. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Get Help Newell investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-ewell-brands-inc-securities-litigation or call to speak to our claim center toll-free at (844) 367-9658.



About the Lawsuit On January 25, 2018, Newell revealed expected 2017 core sales significantly below previous guidance partly due to ongoing retailer inventory problems and that it was considering significantly restructuring business by divesting industrial and commercial assets, which it anticipated would result in a 50% reduction in its customer base and global factory and warehouse footprint. Further, the Company disclosed the resignations of three members of its Board. On this news, the price of Newell's shares plummeted.

About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. ClaimsFiler's team of experts monitor the securities class action landscape and cull information from a variety of sources to ensure comprehensive coverage across a broad range of financial instruments. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180819005020/en/

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[August 20, 2018] Xoxoday Selected for Oracle's Global Startup Ecosystem

BANGALORE, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Xoxoday, the reward, loyalty and engagement solution provider for top enterprises, has been selected for Oracle Global Startup Ecosystem program 2018. Oracle's global startup program provides enriching, collaborative partnerships to enable next-generation growth and drive cloud-based innovation for startups throughout their journey. Run by members of Oracle's research and development team, the startup program provides mentoring from technical and business experts, state-of-the-art technology, a co-working space, access to Oracle customers, partners and investors, and free Oracle Cloud credits. It also offers an ever-expanding global network of start-up peers, as well as a global alumni program. Shortlisted from among several hundred applicants, Xoxoday will also join Oracle's global startup ecosystem. Xoxoday provides technology platforms to enterprises to manage their employee, channel partner and consumer engagement, rewards, recognition and inventive programs. Xoxoday, the Bangalore-based startup which was founded in August 2012, has seen over 160% of average annual revenue growth with a very capital efficient model. Xoxoday has worked with around 1,000+ global enterprises since its inception. Xoxoday indirectly reaches to around 2 million end-users though its platforms. The platform helps enterprises, large and small, to digitize and automate their rewarding workflows, incentive budgets, nominations and rule-based incentives.



The platform empowers the end-user with a lot of social recognition capabilities, build like-minded communities, share feedbacks, participate in ideation and thus reinforces positive behaviours for better business results for the enterprise. The instant awards from the platform can be redeemed on 10,000+ options like experiences, activities, gift vouchers, learning & training, and special offers. "With Indian startups making global strides, Oracle's enterprise-grade cloud platform is a natural choice for them to be able to scale rapidly, securely and cost effectively. We're super excited to have these trailblazers part of our startup program," said Harshad Oak, Senior Director, Oracle Global Startup Ecosystem. "Oracle's startup engagement goes well beyond business and technology. We make every effort to understand the startups, partner with them and also learn from them," added Harshad Oak.

While speaking on the occasion Manoj Agarwal, Co-Founder, Xoxoday said, "Oracle brings immense value to us with its technology and sales expertise. Oracle's suite of products in cloud, HR and channel can integrate well with Xoxoday and enable us to scale up. We look forward to work closely with Oracle to build a great partnership." About Xoxoday: Xoxoday Enterprise is a technology platform helping organizations to manage rewards, incentives and loyalty programs. Xoxoday develops scalable, secure, distributed and seamless solutions that help employees, consumers, and channel partners engage with brands through our unparalleled catalogue of curated experiences. For more information, visit: https://enterprise.xoxoday.com/ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. Media Contact:

Jiji Janardhanan

jiji@xoxoday.com

+91-7996917589

PR Manager

Xoxoday



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[August 20, 2018] USI Marks another Milestone in Global Expansion with Merger and Acquisition of Production Base in Eastern Europe

SHANGHAI, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- USI (601231.SH) has announced that its whole-owned sub-subsidiary Universal Global Electronics Co., Limited entered into Equity Transfer Agreement with Chung Hong Electronics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., intending to acquire its entire 60% stake in its Polish subsidiary Chung Hong Electronics Poland SP.Z.O.O. in Eastern Europe for RMB 78 million. It is also stipulated in the Agreement that within six months after the audit of financial statement of the Polish subsidiary for the year ended 2020, Universal Global Electronics Co., Limited can acquire the remaining stake in such subsidiary at 10 times the static P/E ratio. Following the development of 2018 "expansion" strategy earlier, USI has expanded its presence in a new sector after signing joint venture agreement with Qualcomm in Brazil and memorandum of understanding for joint venture with Cancon (joint stock company of Sugon). According to the statistics of MMI, USI ranked 16th among global electronic manufacturing service providers in 2017. After the completion of the equity acquisition of the Polish company, the Company will have a production base in Europe to expand its footprint in the Europe so as to build a much more complete global supply system. In the context of intensified trade war between China and the United States, the completion of the merger and acquisition of the Polish company is of symbolic significance to the business expansion and accelerated development of USI. According to C. Y. Wei, Presidnt of USI, the Company now has a global customer base, with production bases mainly in Shanghai, Kunshan, Shenzhen, Taiwan and Mexico, among which, automotive electronics products are mainly produced in Shanghai and Mexico. In order to meet the demands of customers for delivering automotive electronics products in Europe, the Company continuously searched for production bases in Europe and finally chose to acquire a subsidiary of Chung Hong Electronics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. in Poland. According to the annual report for 2017, the Company's revenue from automotive electronics products in 2017 was RMB 1.678 billion, accounting for 5.65% of the Company's total revenue. The Company plans to first deliver automotive electronics products in Poland in the future and then roll out its industrial and server businesses in the medium and long term.



Jeffrey Chen, Chairman of USI, put forward the goal of "modularization, diversification and globalization" for the Company's future development, defining that the Company will continue to strengthen its industry-leading D(MS)2 business positioning, and secure the global leader position in miniaturization (SiP) technology. It will further accelerate the growth of automotive electronics, industrial and server system related production lines, and actively combines extended expansion and inclusive growth opportunities through M&A to accelerate business growth and improve profitability, thus increasing the return to investors.

About USI (SSE: 601231)

USI is a leading global D(MS)2 company providing design, miniaturization, material sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, and after services of electronic devices/modules for brand owners. USI is a member of ASE Group and was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2012. It has many years of experience in the electronics manufacturing services industry and leverages the industry-leading technology of ASE Group, which enables USI to offer customers diversified products in the sectors of wireless communication, computer and storage, consumer, industrial, and automotive electronics worldwide. With a global sales service network in North America, Europe, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, and manufacturing sites in Mainland China, Taiwan and Mexico. USI employs about 17,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the website www.usish.com. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180820/2215710-1 SOURCE USI

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[August 20, 2018] Emerson Launches InSinkErator Food Waste Disposer for Home and Commercial Kitchens in India

MUMBAI, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As garbage handling becomes a concern with recent plastic bans, Emerson's

InSinkErator food waste disposer offers a hygienic, environmentally responsible alternative Emerson, the global technology and engineering company, is launching its renowned InSinkErator food waste disposer in India as a solution for homes and businesses looking for a hygienic and environmentally responsible alternative for handling kitchen food waste, especially in the wake of recent plastic bag bans. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/732438/Emerson_InSinkErator.jpg )

InSinkErator, part of Emerson's Commercial & Residential Solutions business, is a high-quality food waste disposer that can be installed easily and discreetly under a typical kitchen sink. The disposer grinds food waste into tiny particles that are flushed down a standard kitchen drain into the local wastewater treatment system, biodigester or septic tank with reduced risk of clogging. With a growing population and rapid urbanisation, waste generation in India has increased significantly over the last decade. According to India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), approximately 60 million tonnes of waste are generated each year in the country; and wet waste and food waste make up 17 million tonnes of this total. Traditionally, wet waste and food waste are collected, stored and transported in plastic bags and containers. Give recent actions by various state governments in India to ban single-use plastic, installing and using food waste disposers can be a viable solution for disposing food/wet waste efficiently and safely without the use of plastic.



"InSinkErator is a revolutionary product that provides an environmentally responsible option to combat the food waste management challenge," said Shirish Adi, vice president and managing director, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions, India. "We believe that adoption of this solution can make food waste disposal as simple as pushing a button. It not only offers significant benefits to homes and businesses, like having a pest-free, odourless and hygienic kitchen, but also the community benefits from lesser spillage on streets, the government benefits from the reduction in disposal costs, and the environment benefits from lesser landfill emissions." CPCB has estimated that annual waste generation in India will likely increase to 165 million tonnes by 2030. Almost 70 percent of this solid waste is dumped at landfill sites causing adverse ecological and environmental impact.

With the increasing focus of municipalities on segregation of wet and dry waste, food waste disposers offer a convenient and hygienic solution for home kitchens and an efficient and safe way for commercial kitchens to efficiently and safely dispose of larger quantities of food waste. An additional environmentally responsible step is to convert the food waste into energy, and food waste disposers can serve as a starting point in the process of generating biogas/electricity and fertilizer. InSinkErator is the world's leading food waste disposer brand, with sales in more than 80 countries. InSinkErator has been solving the issue of food waste disposal since 1938, bringing its years of research and product refinement to cater to the most pressing issues of customers around the world. For more information about the benefits of food waste disposers and where to buy InSinkErator disposers in India, visit http://www.InSinkEratorIndia.com About Emerson Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets. Our Emerson Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com . Media Contact:

Vaibhavi Parekh

Vaibhavi.parekh@fleishman.com

+91-9833287008

Account Director

FleishmanHillard



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ABLIC Inc. Launches the S-85M0A Series of Ultra-High Efficiency Step-Down Switching Regulators in the Industry's Most Compact(*) Size

ABLIC Inc. (hereinafter "ABLIC"), a semiconductor manufacturer, today launched the S-85M0A Series of ultra-high efficiency step-down switching regulators for wearable and IoT devices.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005184/en/

WLP-6L (Graphic: Business Wire)

The IC in the step-down switching regulator repeatedly turns a switch on and off. The resulting charges generated in the coil are stored in a capacitor and used to convert the battery voltage. It converts the 3.6V battery voltage (from a lithium-ion battery) to the proper voltage (1.8V or 2.5V) for mobile devices such as a smart phone.

The S-85M0A Series of ultra-high efficiency step-down switching regulators is housed in the WLP-6L, the industry's most compact package (1.25*0.79*t0.55mm), and achieves an ultra-low current consumption of 260nA, the industry's top-class current consumption. It reduces the footprint of the mounting area and the surrounding components by 52% compared to our previous product.

(*) Based on our research as of July 2018.

Major Features

1. Housed in ultra-compact WLP-6L (1.25*0.79*t0.55mm) package

2. Reduces battery drain for wearable and IoT devices during standby

3. Low EMI







Application Examples - Wearable devices - IoT devices - Bluetooth devices - Health care devices - Smart meters - Low-power wireless sensor network devices

Datasheet URL:

S-85M0A Series

https://www.ablic.com/en/doc/datasheet/switching_regulator/S85M0A_E.pdf

The S-85M1A Series, a product with a different output current (200mA), was released together with the S-85M0A Series.

https://www.ablic.com/en/doc/datasheet/switching_regulator/S85M1A_E.pdf

Web site:

https://www.ablic.com/en/semicon/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005184/en/
Activities were held and promotion videos released for the celebrations of China's first Medical Workers' Day, which falls on Sunday, to call for respect from society for the country's 11.7 million medical and health workers.

The State Council last year approved an application from the health authorities on designating Aug. 19 every year as the country's Medical Workers' Day.

Zhang Yanling, president of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, said the day will be remembered as a milestone in the history of China's health cause and the country's doctors.

He also expected activities to observe the day may promote the professional spirit and ethnics among the medical workers.

Yao Yufeng, a prestigious Chinese ophthalmologist, sees the celebration of the Medical Workers' Day as a "special glory" bestowed by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the people.

He said that he and his colleagues are inspired to carry forward the life-saving spirit and break new ground in medical field.

"The profession of medicine serves the fundamental and ultimate interests of human being, and the medical workers... must be fully aware of this," Wang Chen, president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Peking Union Medical College, said last month at the graduation ceremony for this year's graduates.

Wang Yimin, a 32-year-old respiratory physician, agreed. "We will take the baton from our predecessors and carry on our duties."

The report at the 19th CPC National Congress pledged to carry out the Healthy China initiative, which includes measures to improve community-level healthcare services and strengthen the ranks of general practitioners.
[August 20, 2018] Indonesia Blockchain Hub opens its doors: Indonesia's first community space for everything blockchain

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Blockchain technology and the potential it has to revolutionize people's way of life is becoming more and more recognized. Around the world, organizations are sprouting up that help facilitate its growth and adoption. Last Thursday, the capital of Indonesia saw the grand launch of the Indonesia Blockchain Hub, a space dedicated to the promotion and development of blockchain technology. The Indonesia Blockchain Hub has the mission to bring together the different Indonesian Blockchain communities, to drive innovation, and to provide education on blockchain technology. The grand launch was not only supported by HARA, a blockchain for social impact project and the Indonesian Blockchain Association (ABI), but also by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the government agency BEKRAF. "This is a historical moment for Indonesia," said Regi Wahyu, CEO of HARA, "This shows that Indonesia is ready for blockchain technology, and Indonesia Blockchain Hub will have a huge effect on how the blockchain ecosystem will grow in Indonesia."



During the launch event, several panel discussions were held which featured a wide range of international speakers, renowned in the world of blockchain. Speakers from over six different countries flew in especially to attend the event and share their thoughts on the future of blockchain technology, and how Southeast Asia can play a leading role in its development.

The potential to serve as a center for education was widely lauded by the many attendees, in order to make sure that Indonesia would not be left behind. In fact, the general consensus was that Indonesia has great potential to become a leader in the field through initiatives like the Indonesia Blockchain Hub. "We believe that the set-up of a place like Indonesia Blockchain Hub will accelerate the exchange of information," said Yos Ginting, member of the supervisory board of the ABI, "It can be used to [help] make Indonesia a country that will reap the benefits [of blockchain technology] as early as possible." "I think this is the time where our agency can help to support and to foster the blockchain ecosystem, and most importantly we will become the government agency that will echo the importance of the blockchain ecosystem to the other government institutions as well." added Yos Ginting. Even though the blockchain sector is still in its early days, already Indonesia has seen several blockchain projects aimed at making a difference and improving the lives of their countrymen sprout up and become successful. The opening of the Indonesia Blockchain Hub is a great leap forward for the development of blockchain technology in Indonesia. Having a prime location to band together as a community and to discuss and create new ideas in the realm of blockchain will undoubtedly have a great positive impact for not only the Indonesian blockchain community, but also for Indonesia at large. About Indonesia Blockchain Hub The Indonesia Blockchain Hub is the gateway to the Indonesian blockchain ecosystem for all global and Indonesian projects. The mission of the Indonesia Blockchain Hub is to bring together the Indonesian blockchain community, drive innovation, and provide education to all stakeholders in the Indonesian blockchain ecosystem. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180820/2215890-1-a

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180820/2215890-1-b SOURCE HARA

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[August 20, 2018] Organic Chicken Sales Remain Concentrated in Developed Regions With Europe Maintaining its Lead, Reveals Fact.MR Study

ROCKVILLE, Maryland, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The organic chicken market is likely to witness a notable shift from traditional selling to chain stores and online selling channels. Manufacturers can leverage the strength of retail chain stores to establish brand visibility in a bid to enhance sales. Moreover, online stores are also expected to gain significant traction as manufactures can tap remote consumers and enhance their sales funnel. Fact.MR reveals that the sales of organic chicken via chain stores are likely to grow at a meteoric CAGR of 14.7% in terms of value during the period of forecast, 2018-2028. However, sales of organic chicken through direct sales are estimated to surpass other channels, says the report. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/713666/FactMR_Logo.jpg )

Demand for organic chicken is likely to spearhead across various countries on the back of increasing demand for organic food products as opposed to traditional products. Fact.MR envisages that the sales of organic chicken worldwide is likely to cross US$ 7,500 Mn by end of 2028 with increasing demand from emerging countries. Request For Sample Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1554 Sales of organic chicken are expected to remain concentrated in the developed countries of Europe closely followed by emerging economies of Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), physical fitness being a common and a key aspect observed in these regions. Strong fitness industry of Europe is likely to present potential opportunities with rising people participation in fitness clubs. For instance, according to IHRSA, in 2017 European health club market served around 56 million members with fitness clubs generating more than US$ 29 billion. This has translated into increasing emand for high protein natural food products such as organic chicken, in turn boosting its market's growth in Europe.



Likewise, APEJ, largely driven by the Fitness 2.0 trend, has witnessed growing inclination toward pure protein source, consequently fueling demand for organic chicken, which is projected to expand at a rate of 10.3%, particularly in China, Australia and New Zealand says the report. Demand for organic chicken from household and residential buyers are expected to swell at a significant rate, making them a lucrative buyer. Growing household size worldwide has played a vital role in pushing sales of organic chicken. For instance, according to Office of National Statistics, in United Kingdom, 2017 reflected a 15 percent increase in households. Likewise, number of households in United States crossed 126 million in 2017, as per the analysis of United States Census Bureau. Moreover, rising purchasing power parity is expected to complement the growing sales of organic chicken in these countries. Furthermore, growth of the organic chicken market is also influenced with a significant demand from the HoReCa sector, albeit at a relatively lower base.

To Get more Insights on Organic Chicken Market, Visit - https://www.factmr.com/report/1554/organic-chicken-market High prices associated with organic chicken production is likely to remain as a confining factor restricting the growth in sales of the produce. Organic chicken production is carried out under strict guidelines provided by the regulatory bodies including USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Regulations such as 100 percent organic feed for poultry, prohibition on use of antibiotics and other growth enhancers for instance, steroids, have resulted in high prices of organic chicken. For example, according to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), traditional boneless chicken breasts are priced at US$ 2.5 per pound whereas their organic counterparts are priced at around US$ 7 per pound, which is expected to confine its sales. In addition to high pricing, several fraud cases have been registered, which is expected to hinder the growth of the organic chicken market. Shift from free-ranging to confined poultry operations has been witnessed in the organic chicken market. Confined poultry operations facilitate a robust bio-security level on the back of zero contact between chickens and other animals. This can significantly reduce the probability of acquired diseases and physical injuries, consequently favoring organic chicken health. The movement toward confined poultry activities is expected to provide potential avenues for producers of organic chicken in the coming years. To Buy Organic Chicken Market Report, Visit- https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1554/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

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Email: sales@factmr.com



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[August 20, 2018] Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market Worth $1,167.4 Million by 2023

PUNE, India, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market by Product (Disposables and Monitors), Type (Invasive, Minimally Invasive, and Non-invasive), End User (Hospitals, Clinics & Ambulatory Care Center, and Home Care Setting), and Region - Global Forecasts to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to reach USD 1,167.4 million by 2023 from USD 857.8 million in 2018, at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg )

Browse 91 market data Tables and 36 Figures spread through 149 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hemodynamic-monitoring-systems-market-21684146.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The key factors driving the growth of this market are technological advancements in hemodynamic monitoring systems, increasing research into hemodynamic monitoring systems, influx of VC funding, rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases & diabetes, rising geriatric population & growing number of surgeries, awareness initiatives by industry players, and government focus on critical care infrastructure & services. By product, the disposables segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market in 2018 On the basis of product, the global market is segmented into two broad categories monitors and disposables. In 2018, the disposables segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market owing to the presence of a large patient population undergoing diagnosis for vascular diseases; increasing adoption of disposables among medical professionals owing to their procedural and technological benefits; and ongoing technological advancements in catheters, probes, sensors, and guidewires. Furthermore, the rising incidence of risk factors for vascular diseases (such as obesity, hypertension, alcoholism, and diabetes) is also expected to support the growth of this market segment during the forecast period. By type, the invasive systems segment is expectd to account for the largest share of the market in 2018



On the basis of type, the Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market is segmented into invasive, minimally invasive, and noninvasive systems. In 2018, the invasive systems segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global market. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring provides accurate, continuous, and comprehensive data on the hemodynamic state of a patient. By end user, the hospitals segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market in 2018

On the basis of end user, the Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market is segmented into hospitals, clinics and ambulatory care centers (ACCs), and home care settings. In 2018, hospitals segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global market. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the presence of big cath labs in hospitals, successful application of hemodynamic monitoring systems in several procedures, global increase in the number of patients and the subsequent increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases, and continuous technological advancements coupled with government funding. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=21684146 North America to dominate the market in 2018 In 2018, North America is expected to account for the largest share of the Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market, followed by Europe. Factors such as rising geriatric population, increasing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, availability of technologically advanced hemodynamic monitoring systems, growing use of patient monitoring systems, and a large base of major device manufacturers in the US and Canada are contributing to the large share of North America. The key players in the global Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market are Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (US), PULSION Medical Systems SE (Germany), LiDCO Group plc (UK), Cheetah Medical (Israel), Deltex Medical Group Plc. (UK), ICU Medical (US), Osypka Medical GmbH (Germany), CareTaker Medical (US), CNSystems (Austria), NI Medical (Israel), and Uscom (Australia). Know more about the Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hemodynamic-monitoring-systems-market-21684146.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:

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[August 20, 2018] Humanigen Announces Positive Topline Study Results

Study Demonstrates that GM-CSF Blockade in Combination with Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy (CAR-T) Prevents the Onset and Severity of Neurotoxicity and Cytokine Release Syndrome BURLINGAME, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Humanigen, Inc., (OTCQB: HGEN) (Humanigen), a biopharmaceutical company developing cutting-edge CAR-T optimization and oncology treatments, today announced positive topline results from a preclinical study demonstrating that use of the Companys proprietary anti-GM-CSF antibody, lenzilumab, along with CD19 targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CART19) reduces neurotoxicity (NT) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and enhances CART19 proliferation and effector functions.

A complete data set from the study has been submitted for presentation to the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, to be convened in December. This is the first time it has been demonstrated that the spectrum of toxicities seen in CART19 clinical trials can be effectively prevented in vivo, said Dr. Cameron Durrant, chief executive officer of HGEN. We anticipate a highly impactful presentation and believe the totality of this data are very compelling and implicate GM-CSF as the key trigger in the NT and CRS cytokine cascade. We are committed to bringing lenzilumab forward in the near term to help CAR-T cell therapy realize its full potential. About Humanigen, Inc. Humanigen, Inc. develops cutting-edge CAR-T optimization and oncology treatments advancing safer, better, and more effective cancer science. Derived from the companys Humaneered platform, lenzilumab and ifabotuzumabare monoclonal antibodies with first-in-class mechanisms. Lenzilumab, which targets GM-CSF, is in development as a potential medicine to make CAR-T therapy safer and more effective, as well as a potential treatment for rare hematologic cancers such as CMML and JMML. Ifabotuzumab, which targets the Eph type-A receptor 3 (EphA3), is being explored as a potential treatment for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and other deadly cancers, as well as a backbone for a novel CAR-T construct and bispecific antibody platform. For more information, visit www.humanigen.com.



Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements that are intended to be subject to protection afforded by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and you should be aware that actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "will," "expect," "intend," "plan," "potential," "possible," "goals," "accelerate," "continue," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our expectations for future development of lenzilumab to help CAR-T therapy reach its full potential. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risks inherent in Black Horse Capital and its affiliates owning more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, including their ability to control the company; our lack of profitability and the need for additional capital to operate our business as a going concern; the uncertainties inherent in the development and launch of any new pharmaceutical product; the outcome of pending or future litigation; and the various risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" sections and elsewhere in the Company's periodic and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. CONTACT: Investors:

Al Palombo

650-243-3181

ir@humanigen.com Media:

media@humanigen.com

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[August 20, 2018] Kofax Named to Constellation ShortList for Robotic Process Automation

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kofax, a leading supplier of software to automate and digitally transform information intensive processes, today announced the company has been named to the Constellation ShortList for Robotic Process Automation in Q3 2018. The technology leaders included in the ShortList meet key requirements for early adopters pursuing digital transformation initiatives. Kofaxs robotic process automation (RPA) software suite builds and manages the digital workforce of the future. Kofax RPA helps companies add workforce capacity without additional headcount by automating front and back office operations, allowing the human workforce to focus on higher-value knowledge based work. Kofax seamlessly integrates critical capabilities, such as RPA, Intelligent Optical Character Recognition, machine learning and intelligent workflow orchestration to deliver the most robust and scalable enterprise RPA solution in the market. Combining these capabilities into one solution has enabled Kofax to drive value for clients by enhancing the customer experience, improving operational efficiency and accelerating the adoption of Artificial Intelligence. Kofax has developed the single most impactful solution in the market, digitally transforming a global network of over 20,000 customers across 35 countries, said Chris Huff, Chief Strategy Offcer of Kofax. Constellations recognition of our capability and enterprise-grade architecture confirms Kofax as an innovative RPA market leader poised to set the standard for the next generation of RPA.



"The latest Constellation ShortList updates reflect the leading solutions sought after by both our analysts and early adopter clients. We often work with market leader and fast follower clients to identify the leading solutions that apply exponential technologies to enterprise scale and security requirements. These lists constantly change, and the updates reflect the dynamism in the market and the expertise our analysts have in recommending the best solutions to our clients," said R Ray Wang, chairman and founder at Constellation Research. Constellation advises leaders on leveraging disruptive technologies to achieve business model transformation. Products and services named to the Constellation ShortList meet the threshold criteria for this category as determined through client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share and internal research. The Constellation ShortList is frequently updated as market conditions change.

Supporting Resources

The New Digital Workforce: Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Humans video

10 Ways to Improve Your Customer Experience: How Robotic Process Automation & Cognitive Document Automation Power Your Processes eBook About Kofax

Kofax is a leading supplier of software and solutions to automate and digitally transform human and information intensive processes across front and back office operations. These can dramatically improve customer engagement, greatly reduce operating costs, mitigate compliance risk and increase competitiveness, growth and profitability. Its broad range of software and solutions can be deployed in the cloud or on premise, and include robotic process automation, business process management, multichannel capture and other critically important capabilities. These provide a rapid return on investment to over 20,000 Kofax customers in financial services, insurance, government, healthcare, supply chain, business process outsourcing and other markets. Kofax delivers its software and solutions through its direct sales and services organization and more than 650 indirect channel partners in more than 60 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information, visit kofax.com.  2018 Kofax, Inc. Kofax is a registered trademark and Kofax Kapow is a trademark of Kofax Limited.



Source: KOFAX Media Contact: Sylvia Chansler Sr. Manager, Public Relations +1 (949) 783-1476 sylvia.chansler@kofax.com

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[August 20, 2018] Ameritech on How to Stay Safe Online -- Heed FTC Advice on Internet Security in the Digital Age

ROHNERT PARK, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- It is important to remind children and peers about the importance of internet safety, especially with school back in session. The FTC has launched a three-part series on their blog about safeguarding personal information, talking about how to stay safe online and how to save time and money on back-to-school shopping. This advice may be useful for any online shopper, particularly those who have left college and now have to manage their finances, potentially crippled by student loan payments. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that helps student loan borrowers apply for federal repayment plans, agrees with the FTC and encourages parents to actively talk to their children about internet safety. Staying safe online also means being aware of the impact that your cell phone can have. Mobile phone safety is important in today's society because most  if not everyone  is best reached by their cell phone. Not only do we need to talk to our children about general internet safety, but it is also important for them to be aware of cyberbullying. The definition of cyberbullying varies but StopCyberbullying.gov defines it as "sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else." It can occur over any digital device and through multiple virtual channels, such as text messages, apps, social media, forums, and anywhere people can view or share content. Unfortunately, this form of bullying has happened to about 34 percent of youth today and 7 out of 10 children felt that it negatively impacted their social life.



It is very important for our personal wellbeing to be aware of internet safety and what can happen online. Being conscious of what you put into cyberspace is also very important. This extends to those out of school, too. For example, student loan borrowers should be wary of the information they put online to prevent them from becoming victims of identity theft or fraud. Student loan repayment can make their life difficult enough without having to worry about their credit card number being stolen. Student loan borrowers who are struggling to pay their student loans may find relief in federal income-driven repayment plans (IDRs). Such plans calculate payments relative to income and family size and may end in forgiveness after 20 to 25 years of enrollment in the program. Ameritech Financial is a private company that assists borrowers in applying for IDRs.

About Ameritech Financial Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education. Each Ameritech Financial telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA). Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional Customer Service. Ameritech Financial Newsroom Contact To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact: Ameritech Financial 5789 State Farm Drive #265 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 1-800-792-8621 media@ameritechfinancial.com Related Images young-woman-on-laptop.jpg

Young Woman on Laptop

Credit: fizkes/Bigstock image2.png Related Links Ameritech Financial home page Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRza8MbLvuM View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ameritech-on-how-to-stay-safe-online--heed-ftc-advice-on-internet-security-in-the-digital-age-300699178.html SOURCE Ameritech Financial

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[August 20, 2018] Frere Enterprises: The FTC's Focus on Social Media Influencer Marketing Protects Consumers

PETALUMA, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Social media influencer marketing has become incredibly useful for brands looking to expand their online reach. It can also be a very lucrative business for people who have large social media followings. A problem arising from the increase in influencer marketing is that it's often not clear when influencers have been paid to share their endorsement of a brand's product. Many businesses/brands and influencers are still failing to comply despite numerous warnings from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on how to disclose a paid relationship between the two. Frere Enterprises, a company specializing in innovative technological solutions, examines why disclosure with influencer marketing is so important. Why is disclosure of a paid endorsement so important? Endorsements, particularly when given by a celebrity, are considered highly persuasive. Most people now consider people with a large social media following as a type of celebrity. Their audience connects with them and that connection creates a sense of trust. It's been shown that having a positive association with a known person causes a positive association towards a product attached to that person. It can also cement a product in one's mind. This creates an ethical reason for influencers and brands to make distinctions between personal endorsements and paid ones. The FTC has made it clear that any paid endorsement should be disclosed so that consumers are aware they're being marketed to. Does that mean it's unethical for business to use influencer marketing? Not as long as it's clearly disclosed. This can be accomplished by plainly stating that the influencer was given the item or was paid in exchange for an endorsement. In April 2017, the FTC began a campaign to shut down non-disclosed social media endorsements by sending out educational guidance letters discussing the obligations of both brands and influencers to practice transparency. The agency has since upped the pressure and recently taken action against large companies, including Adidas and Mini Cooper, stating that they purposely did not disclose paid endorsements.



As a company focused on innovative technology, Frere Enterprises has watched in interest how the growth of social media has created new opportunities for businesses. The rights of the consumer, however, must always be a priority. Transparency is necessary for consumers to make educated decisions. Frere Enterprises praises the FTC's efforts to protect consumers and demand ethical standards in marketing. About Frere Enterprises

Run by CEO Brandon Frere, Frere Enterprises is a California-based company with a global vision based around the usage of special financial technology, or SpecFinTech, with a current focus on financial wellness and productivity. He has designed and created multiple companies to meet the ever-demanding needs of businesses and consumers, alike. Frere's website, www.FrereEnterprises.com, is used as a means to communicate many of the lessons, fundamentals and information that he has learned throughout his extensive business and technological endeavors. Through Frere Enterprises, he aims to apply those lessons to other business opportunities. Frere Enterprises' mission is to acquire traditional businesses and digitally transform them to meet and exceed modern day demand. This mission seeks to transform such businesses by developing the newest and most evolved technologies to speed up the evolution of financial services in order to meet the demands of the modern consumer and exceed the potential of the modern era. FrereEnterprises.com Related Images social-influencer-marketing.jpg

Social Influencer Marketing

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[August 20, 2018]

Cloud-Enabled EcoStruxure IT for Partners Unlocks Visibility and Insights While Generating Recurring Revenue

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the global specialist in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced EcoStruxure IT for Partners, an open, cloud-based, multi-tenant platform developed for IT solution providers focused on data center and distributed IT sites. This secure platform is enabled by EcoStruxure's predictive analytics and will host applications and tools for solution providers to build new, recurring service offerings and business models.

Available today is EcoStruxure IT Expert, a cloud-based monitoring application

The first EcoStruxure IT application being made available today is the monitoring application called EcoStruxure IT Expert. This application enables IT solution providers to deliver a remote monitoring service empowered with real-time data and proactive recommendations, reducing meantime to repair and improving system availability. Leveraging big data and intelligent benchmarking from distributed IT environments to the data center, EcoStruxure IT Expert provides a faster and easier way to deliver the services and support required by customers as they grow more dependent on their critical IT infrastructure.

"EcoStruxure IT Expert provides the foundation to give partners visibility into multiple customer sites and develop additional potential revenue streams," said Kim Polvsen, Vice President & General Manager of Digital Services & Data Center Software, Schneider Electric. "In the near future, we will deliver additional functionality and applications within EcoStruxure IT for Partners, offering our partners additional capabilities to remotely access customer sites and increase efficiency and control, reducing the need for onsite visits."

EcoStruxure IT Expert key benefits include:

Vendor-neutral and multi-tenant monitoring platform enabling partners to grow their services offer to include power and cooling.

For customers not under contract, partners can resell this simple to deploy Software as a Service offer for additional recurring revenue.

Global visibility into their customers' infrastructure  in the cloud or at the edge  with data-driven recommendations to improve performance and efficiency and reduce costs.

Global view of inventory, alarms, and recommendations to resolve; also with analytics and benchmarking.

"IDC views the EcoStruxure family as a transformative platform that changes the core way that datacenters are monitored and managed." Said Jennifer Cooke, Research Director for Data Center Trends and Strategies at IDC .

As part of Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure architecture, EcoStruxure IT operates on all IoT-enabled physical infrastructure assets like secure power and cooling  including the new Smart-UPS with APC SmartConnect, a cloud-enabled UPS, designed to be fast and cost-effective for deployment in small, distributed environments.

Programs and Support for IT Solutions Providers

To maximize Solution Providers success with the platform and applications, Schneider Electric offers a trained and dedicated Partner Success Management team for proper onboarding and effectiveness. Additionally, the APC Channel Partner Program provides online training, certifications, opportunity registration, lead generation, promotions, sales and marketing tools, a Rewards Program  plus a 24/7, toll-free number to help solve customers' power and cooling challenges.

For partners looking to complement their service offerings with additional support or expertise, Schneider Electric's 24/7 proactive service bureau can be engaged through EcoStruxure Asset Advisor services for secure power and cooling, providing access to more than 7,000 field service experts globally.

For a limited time, IT solutions providers in the US and Canada can sign up for a free 30-day trial of EcoStruxure IT for Partners. Also, until November 30th, every customer that a North American partner connects to the EcoStruxure IT Gateway will be counted as an entry for that partner to win a vacation of a lifetime through the Gateway to Getaway Contest. Every assessment a partner performs on a customer's IT through the Gateway will earn them an additional entry into the contest. Please visit the website to sign up for the free 30-day trial and for complete contest terms and conditions.

About EcoStruxure

EcoStruxure is Schneider Electric's open, interoperable, IoT-enabled system architecture and platform. EcoStruxure delivers enhanced value around safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity for customers. EcoStruxure leverages advancements in IoT, mobility, sensing, cloud, analytics, and cybersecurity to deliver Innovation at Every Level. This includes Connected Products, Edge Control, and Apps, Analytics & Services. EcoStruxure has been deployed in 480,000+ sites, with the support of 20,000+ system integrators and developers, connecting over 1.6 million assets under management through 40+ digital services.

Click here for or more information about EcoStruxure IT for Partners.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management  Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment. schneider-electric.com

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SOURCE Schneider Electric
[August 20, 2018] Nyansa Delivers More Control For Managing User Performance Within Aruba Instant And Extreme Networks Wireless Network Environments

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Extending its lead in the IT performance analysis market, Nyansa Inc. ("knee-ans-sah"), a fast-growing innovator of user performance management technology, today introduced integrated support for Aruba Instant and Extreme Networks, Inc. Smart OmniEdge solutions (WiNG5) into its critically-acclaimed Voyance network analytics and service assurance platform. In addition to data from controller-based Cisco and Aruba wireless LANs, Wi-Fi metrics from ExtremeMobility controllers and Aruba Instant networks are now automatically collected, analyzed and correlated with other data sources as part of Nyansa's full-stack network analytics platform that leverages big data analytics and machine learning. One of the world's largest home improvements centers, a leading global retailer and a prominent global logistics company are among the first organizations to deploy the new Voyance Wi-Fi services. With the integration, Extreme Networks and Aruba Instant customers can quickly quantify user Wi-Fi performance and network behavior, automatically identifying the best/worst performing access points (APs), clients and locations with remediation recommendations to fix problematic Wi-Fi network behavior impacting poor user experience. '' Voyance is the industry's only full-stack, vendor agnostic, network analytics solution and is now the largest network analytics service avilableanalyzing more than 10 million wireless client devices with support for the broadest range of wired and wireless data sources.



"As Enterprises seek mobility management solutions that rapidly identify infrastructure issues, Extreme Networks continues to demonstrate its commitment to deliver management interoperability and choice within the WiFi ecosystem. By integrating with Voyance in customer environments, we are enhancing the experience for customers looking to augment visibility and troubleshooting analysis of their ExtremeMobility solution," said Mike Leibovitz, senior director of product management, Extreme Networks. Within a public SaaS or private-cloud platform option, Voyance analyzes a rich collection of infrastructure data from a myriad of infrastructure elements including: client devices, Wi-Fi APs, IP infrastructure elements (eg. DNS, DHCP), authentication servers, unified communication (UC) systems, cloud-based and custom applications as well as wide area network flows.

This gives enterprises a complete end-to-end view of, and control over, the user network experience. IT staff can quickly identify performance problems impacting poor user connectivity across the entire corporate access network and eliminate the costly and cumbersome manual analysis of volumes of infrastructure data. With Voyance, Enterprises have a single source of truth for network teams by which they can quantify the end user experience across the entire network, justify infrastructure changes, and accurately develop capacity plans using existing data running across their networks. "Nearly all enterprises operate heterogenous network environments and want more sophisticated infrastructure management solutions able to deliver real answers based on real data analysis across their entire network not just one part of it," said Zeus Kerravala, Principal Analyst at ZK Research. "Given the changing face of modern IT infrastructures, IT leaders must make an array of decisions about how to observe and analyze network events and behavior. With the continued integration and analysis of more and more data sources, Voyance is quickly becoming the gold standard for doing exactly this," concluded Kerravala. Media Contacts David Callisch

Nyansa, Inc.

david@nyansa.com

+1 (408)-504-5487 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nyansa-delivers-more-control-for-managing-user-performance-within-aruba-instant-and-extreme-networks-wireless-network-environments-300699208.html SOURCE Nyansa, Inc.

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[August 20, 2018] Kiwa Bio-Tech Announces Opening Of First Research and Development Center In China

ONTARIO, CA, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. (OTCQB: KWBT) (Kiwa Bio-Tech or the Company), a leading agricultural biotechnology company that develops and manufactures microbial fertilizers for use in the multi-billion agricultural industry announced that the Company has inaugurated its new state-of-the-art research center related to its rapidly expanding microbial fertilizer business in China. The purpose of establishing the new Kiwa-Yangling Ecological Agriculture and Environment Research Center (Kiwa R&D Center) is to create a headquarters for conducting original research on microbial fertilizers and to make innovative advances in its KETS core technology and support Kiwa Bio-Techs strategy of opening new agricultural planting markets and safeguarding the Companys leading position in the soil restoration industry. Research is at the center of everything we do. We reinvest 12% of our revenue annually in new innovation and continue to upgrade our soil-smart technology. The Kiwa R & D Center will also accept government subsidies to support its agricultural research. With sufficient financial support, our innovation pipeline could redefine the industry, stated Kiwa Bio-Techs CEO, Ms. Wang. The new Kiwa R&D Center is located in the only High-Tech Agricultural Free Trade Zone in Yangling, Shaanxi Province. This location will give Kiwa Bio-Tech access to one of the largest agricultural industry clusters in China. With these geo-advantages and cluster competitive advantages, the Kiwa R&D Center has already established a Research and Innovation Division, Laboratories, an International Cooperation Division, a Data and Information Division and Personnel Training Division. The agricultural industry in China has historically faced a lack of industrial standards for bio-fertilizers, which has resulted in a low level of biotechnology advancement and achievement and severe agricultural pollution. The Companys research and development begins with a thorough understanding of the necessities for transforming agricultural research achievements, bridging between biotechnologies and market demands, developing eco-friendly agricultural standards and alleviating the soil polluion caused by the use of chemical fertilizers, added Ms. Wang.



We see the Kiwa R & D Center playing a role in fostering dynamic collaboration between academia and the agricultural industry to enhance the knowledge and understanding of eco-friendly agriculture to address far-reaching challenges. The Kiwa R&D Center cooperates with Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, China Agricultural University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Northwest University, Harbin Technology Institute, Research Institute of Tsinghua University and several other prestigious universities. The Company has appointed Dr. Yanan Tong as the first president of the Kiwa R & D Center. Dr. Tong received his Ph.D. from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. His research direction includes fertilizer use and environment, agricultural environmental protection, and soil sciences. Dr. Tong has served as the Secretary-General of the UK-China Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network to promote agricultural cooperation and food security in the United Kingdom and China.

About Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. Leader in Eco-friendly Agricultural Industry Chain Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. (KWBT) is a publicly traded company with corporate headquarters in the United States. The company develops, manufacture, markets and distributes innovative and environmentally safe bio-technological products for agriculture. Kiwas focus is to positively impact the environment by reducing the amount of chemicals that are being used by agricultural growers in China. Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group corp. products are covered by patent protection and are designed to enhance the quality of human life by increasing the value and productivity of agricultural crops. For more information on Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. or its bio-fertilizer products and smart soil remediation technology, please refer to the Companys website at www.kiwabiotech.com or the Company filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Companys reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Companys estimates as of the date of the press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Companys estimates to change. The Companys actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements depending on a number of risk factors including, but not limited to, the following: general economic, business and environment conditions, development, shipment, market acceptance, additional competition from existing and new competitors, changes in technology, the execution of its ten-year growth plan, the foreign exchange risk amid the unexpected announcements by the PRC government and various other factors beyond the Companys control. Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Companys estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Contact: Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corporation Molly Han Investor & Media Relations Tel: 909-456-8827 molly@kiwabiotech.com

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Lin Minming trains prison officers at work and runs a charity organization helping inmates' children in his spare time.

"I like to hear the children we're helping calling me Uncle Bear, my nickname in the organization. I've learned a lot," Lin, 46, said.

He decided to help inmates' children in 2013, after prison officers he was training in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, told him some prisoners were worried their children were not receiving sufficient education and care.

Lin, who works for the Fujian Justice Bureau's prison officers' training center in Fuzhou, began researching the plight of inmates' children living in poverty and found the problem was far more serious than he imagined.

He was shocked to read data from the Ministry of Justice from 2005 that said there were over 600,000 children of prisoners across China, that 90 percent had never received any form of outside help and that 13 percent had dropped out of school.

To make matters worse, some children without guardians followed their parents' path to prison. Lin said that was "the biggest tragedy, which I don't want to see".

He founded Red Apple Public Welfare in June 2014 to start helping prisoners' children. Lin learns about inmates' family concerns from the officers he trains at the center, then arranges visits to families that apply for aid to evaluate their situation and verify that they need help.

If a family's yearly income is less than 6,000 yuan ($880), Lin's team can help its children by providing financial, psychological and legal aid.

The help offered by the charity has been welcomed by the Fujian Prison Management Bureau, and Red Apple has operated in all 18 prisons across the province since 2016.

"When inmates know their children are having a good life outside, they'll feel at ease and have better rehabilitation in prison," Lin said. "That's why I always say what I'm doing is killing two birds with one stone."

The charity had helped 2,128 children by the end of June, about 80 percent of them living in Fujian, and the number of its volunteers had grown from 30 at the end of 2014 to 800.

But Lin said he still encounters difficulties when trying to help inmates' families. "One challenge is to persuade inmates and their family members to give more information about their children, while another is raising money to operate the organization," he said.

To illustrate the first challenge, Lin shared the case of a man sentenced to life in prison for intentional injury in 2014. The man applied for aid from Red Apple.

"We didn't effectively help his three children as he couldn't give sufficient information about the kids, and his wife, a waitress in a restaurant, didn't cooperate with us," Lin said.

When he met the wife at the address provided by the inmate, he found the three children did not live with her. "The family qualified for aid, but the woman was reluctant to talk about the children, just telling me that the oldest onea daughter, then age 17lived in a school dormitory," Lin said.

When he reached the girl, she had not been in school for several days because she was worried her classmates knew her father was a criminal. She returned to school after being given psychological and financial aid by Lin, but her two brothers were less fortunate.

"We got little information about the boys, as the mother refused to answer," he said. "Later, we were told by the family's neighbors that the older one had been jailed for stealing motorcycles, and the younger one had dropped out of school."

When Lin tried to get more information from the mother to follow up and help the boys, her phone had been disconnected.

"Some criminals' family members feel ashamed to be related to inmates and don't want to work with us," Lin said. "Meanwhile, some other people often label the inmates, believing they and their children are bad people."

Lin designed a four-day camp to bring inmates, their children and other family members closer, hoping the adults and children would learn to understand each other better by painting and playing games together.

But the program was only held three times last year and once this year because some inmates' families cannot afford to travel and Red Apple lacks the funding to help them.

To boost its finances, Lin has been urging the public to donate online, highlighting the significance of the aid it provides.

He said children's smiling faces motivate him to keep the organization going, adding that the support of his own family is a constant source of encouragement. Last year, he got a birthday card from his 16-year-old daughter that read, "Daddy's job is valuable, and I'm proud of you."
[August 20, 2018] ChineseInvestors.com, Inc.'s Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise, CBD Biotechnology Co Ltd., Launches Innovative CBD Two-tier Direct Selling Initiative to Accelerate Sales in China

SAN GABRIEL, California, August 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) ("CIIX" or the "Company"), the premier financial information website for Chinese-speaking investors, today announced that its wholly owned foreign enterprise, CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd. ("CBD Biotech"), has launched a two-tier, direct selling initiative to accelerate its CBD sales into China. In addition, the Company has appointed marketing expert Mr. Fengxian Xie as President of its CBD Community Center, effective immediately. The goal of the CBD Community Center initiative is to establish a new, effective marketing channel to further stimulate demand for CBD Biotech's innovative CBD-infused skin care products. Mr. Xie is an exemplary addition to the CBD Biotech management team with nearly 20 years of marketing experience with Hainan Coconut Island Group Co. Ltd., a Chinese A-listed company, and its subsidiary Zhejiang Marketing Company. Mr. Xie's accomplishments include tripling sales in the Zhejiang region, from 2.1 million CNY to 7.6 million CNY within a year of joining Zhejiang Marketing Company. As the President of the CBD Community Center, Mr. Xie will spearhead growing customer awareness of CBD Biotech's inaugural line of hemp-infused skin care products, CBD Magic Hemp Series and its luxury line, Live Oxygen. In addition, he will manage building a community-centered around a direct selling team through seminars and expos designed for both business-to-business and business-to-customer sales opportunities. Members of the CBD Community Center will be compensated for product sales and will also receie stock-based performance bonuses. "We believe we are building the first Chinese CBD marketing community that offers our members the opportunity to become invested in the Company. Our efforts in advancing the CBD Community Center will involve a twofold mission: to educate the Chinese community about the benefits of hemp-infused skin care and increase product sales. We are confident that with Mr. Xie's experience and proven track record, he is the perfect candidate to lead the development of this direct selling initiative," says ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. CEO Warren Wang.



Mr. Xie stated, "I am honored to have been chosen to take the lead in building this CBD direct selling community. ChineseInvestors.com has a tremendous competitive advantage in that we are one of the first companies to offer hemp-infused skin care products in China. I look forward to expanding the community's reach to every city within China." The CBD Community Center is located at Floor 27, A Unit, Industrial Investment Building, NO.18 North Caoxi Road, Shanghai, China.

About ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) Founded in 1999, ChineseInvestors.com endeavors to be an innovative company providing: (a) real-time market commentary, analysis, and educational related services in Chinese language character sets (traditional and simplified); (b) advertising and public relation related support services; and (c) retail, online and direct sales of hemp-based products and other health related products. For more information visit ChineseInvestors.com Subscribe and watch our video commentaries: https://www.youtube.com/user/Chinesefncom Follow us on Twitter for real-time Company updates: https://twitter.com/ChineseFNEnglsh Like us on Facebook to receive live feeds: https://www.facebook.com/Chinesefncom; https://www.facebook.com/Chineseinvestors.com.english Add us on WeChat: Chinesefn or download iPhone iOS App: Chinesefn Contact:

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc.

227 W. Valley Blvd, #208 A

San Gabriel, CA 91776



http://www.Chinesefn.com

http://www.Chinesehempoil.com



Investor Relations:

Alan Klitenic

+1-214-636-2548



Corporate Communications:

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

http://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

212-418-1217 Office

Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com



SOURCE ChineseInvestors.com, Inc.

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[August 20, 2018] North American Numbering Plan Administrator Announces Plan for Additional Area Code in Alabama

Neustar, Inc., serving in its capacity as the FCC's (News - Alert) North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), announced today that an additional area code, 659, has been assigned to overlay the existing 205 area code that serves the western central geographic area of Alabama. The Alabama Public Service Commission has approved an area code overlay to ensure the availability of telephone numbering resources in a manner that is most efficient and least confusing for consumers, while minimizing possible disruption to consumers and businesses. The new 659 will cover the same geographic area as the 205 area code. All existing customers will retain the 205 area code and will not need to change their telephone numbers. NANPA will facilitate a meeting with the Alabama telecommunications industry to develop an implementation plan. Ten-dgit dialing will be required by all customers after the new 659 area code is placed in service over the 205 geographic area.



For more information on the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, visit here. For more information about area code relief planning, visit here. About Neustar

Neustar, Inc. is a leading global information services provider driving the connected world forward with responsible identity resolution. As a company built on a foundation of Privacy by Design, Neustar is depended upon by the world's largest corporations to help grow, guard and guide their businesses with the most complete understanding of how to connect people, places and things. Neustar's unique, accurate and real-time identity system, continuously corroborated through billions of transactions, empowers critical decisions across our clients' enterprise needs. More information is available at https://www.home.neustar.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005167/en/

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Investors Gain Access to Promising Biotech and MedTech Opportunities at the White Hat Life Science Life Science Investor Conference October 3-4, 2018, in Phoenix

The Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) today announced an exciting lineup of opportunities for family offices, sovereign wealth funds, accredited investors (angel investors), venture capitalists, and community leaders to connect and engage with life science innovators during the week of October 1, 2018.

A key component of Arizona Bioscience Week, the White Hat Life Science Life Science Investor Conference (White Hat 2018) includes opportunities for family offices, angel investors, venture capitalists, and community leaders to connect and engage with life science innovators from across the Rocky Mountain Southwest Region on October 3-4, 2018. White Hat activities commence at 3 PM on October 3rd and continue on October 4th.

The AZBio Awards & Life Science Fiesta - Arizona's life science and leadership community will come together with visitors from around the country to celebrate life-science innovation and innovators at the AZBio Awards on the evening of October 3, 2018, at the Phoenix Convention Center. Highlights of the evening will include honoring Dr. Daniel D. Von Hoff with the AZBio Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement and a celebration of the achievements of leading researchers, educators, and innovator companies. The Life Science Fiesta following the award ceremony features a Student Discovery Zone that showcases the work of fifty students from Arizona high schools, community colleges, and universities, along with exhibits featuring Arizona companies and patient advocacy organizations. The AZBio Awards & Life Science Fiesta are presented by AZBio and the Arizona Commerce Authority.

The White Hat Life Science Investor Conference (White Hat 2018) brings together the next generation of biotech and healthcare pioneers from across the Rocky Mountain Southwest Region with investors locally, nationally, and internationally. Held at the Phoenix Convention Center on October 4, 2018, White Hat 2018 is a collaboration between the bioscience industry associations across the region. The conference showcases investment opportunities for investment into privately-held companies in the areas of diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, and health information technology. Thirty-two companies have been competitively selected by a committee of experienced life science investors to present at White Hat 2018.

The White Hat 2018 Presenting Companies are:







To help investors and companies make connections, the AZBW Partnering System, powered by Jujama, will provide registered attendees the ability to connect and schedule meetings throughout the week.

"Companies that presented at White Hat in 2014 and 2016 have gone on to receive almost $200 million in investment from private investors and corporate investors," stated Joan Koerber-Walker, President & CEO of AZBio. "Investing in the life sciences is a growing trend for investors who have previously focused on real-estate, energy, and other tech sectors. It provides them with a way to balance their portfolios and make a lasting social impact at the same time. This double-bottom line approach to investing is both rewarding and challenging. It relies on the investor's ability to access high quality deal flow and information. That is what White Hat 2018 can provide."

According to Silicon Valley Bank's mid-year Healthcare Investments and Exits report, U.S. healthcare venture fundraising reached $4.5 billion in the first half of 2018 and is expected to closely match last year's record of $9.1 billion. Investments in venture-backed companies are also on pace to surpass last year.

"Innovations in the life sciences and in healthcare delivery are truly making life better. White Hat 2018 and all of the Arizona Bioscience Week events are excellent opportunities for investors to connect and engage with life science innovators and to explore investments in companies that are working to extend life and improve the quality of life today and for generations to come," stated Dirk Karsten Beth, Managing Director at arivis AG, founder and Managing Director of Hyalescent Ventures, and White Hat 2018 conference chair. "In addition, White Hat 2018 will feature panels of experienced life science investors, representatives of family office, and angel investors who will share their insights on how to be successful as a life science investor."

"Arizona's researchers, life science innovator companies, and leading healthcare systems are working together with a single focused goal of improving the quality of life for people here in Arizona and around the world," shared Kristen Swingle, Vice President, Stem Cell Operations and Tucson Facility at CBR, a California Cryobank Company, and Chairwoman of the AZBio Board of Directors. "Today, Arizona's bioscience industry is gaining national and international recognition for the work being done to make life better for people living with cancer, metabolic diseases, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and more."

For more information on Arizona Bioscience Week, go to https://www.azbio.org/azbw2018.

For more information about White Hat 2018, visit www.WhiteHatInvestors.com.

About AZBio

For 15 years, the Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) has supported life science innovation and life science innovators in Arizona. A key component in Arizona's life science ecosystem, AZBio is the only statewide organization exclusively focused on Arizona's bioscience industry. AZBio membership includes patient advocacy organizations, life science innovators, educators, healthcare partners, and leading business organizations. AZBio is the statewide affiliate of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and works in partnership with AdvaMed, MDMA, and PhRMA to advance innovation and to ensure that the value delivered from life-changing and life-saving innovation benefits people in Arizona and around the world.

For more information visit www.AZBio.org and www.AZBio.TV.

Images available upon request.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005168/en/
[August 20, 2018] Levit & James Unveils New HyperCase Weblinks Software Today at ILTACON 2018

Today at ILTACON 2018, Levit & James, Inc. (www.levitjames.com) unveiled its new HyperCase Weblinks software for lawyers and legal staff. HyperCase Weblinks has now entered beta testing with customers and will be available for purchase by Q1 2019. HyperCase Weblinks works within Levit & James' Best Authority, the leading product for creating a Table of Authorities (TOA). Ian Levit, Vice President of Levit & James said, "HyperCase Weblinks allows users to quickly insert hyperlinks into a document, providing one-click access to any referenced material available on the web. HyperCase Weblinks is unique because it works with any web-based source, including all legal research services, PACER, public reference sites, and more. Hyperlinks to material on Fastcase and Casemaker can be added through a simple automated process, and those 'public links' can be opened by anyone reading the documnt, free of charge."



Mr. Levit added, "HyperCase Weblinks provides several features not available with other products. For example, the attorney's brief is never uploaded over the internet which improves security. Also, HyperCase Weblinks inventories all references to show which ones still lack links, resulting in greater accuracy." Levit & James will be exhibiting at ILTACON 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland starting today through August 23rd (booth #726).

About Levit & James, Inc. Levit & James, Inc. is a Microsoft (News - Alert) Certified Partner with a Gold ISV/Software Competency based in Leesburg, Virginia, and is a leading provider of legal software. For over 30 years, Levit & James' customers, including government agencies, law firms, corporations, and solo practitioners, have benefited from the company's thoughtful and time-saving word-processing utilities. Levit & James has produced a wide spectrum of useful software applications for the legal industry, including Best Authority, CrossTown, CrossWords, CrossEyes, CrossFingers, Stylizer and HyperCase Weblinks. Best Authority dominates the market for TOA software, with nearly 1000 customers including 88 of the Am Law 100 firms. For more information, please call Ian Levit at 703.771.1549, visit www.levitjames.com or email ilevit@levitjames.com. Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @levitjames. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005102/en/

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[August 20, 2018] SC18 Celebrates 30th Anniversary of the World's Largest Marketplace for High Performance Computing

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Supercomputing Conference (SC), the International Conference for High Performance Computing (HPC), Networking, Storage and Analysis, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary at SC18 on November 1116 in Dallas, Texas. "HPC Inspires" is the theme of SC18, which is co-sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS) Technical Consortium on High-Performance Computing (TCHPC) and the ACM Special Interest Group on High-Performance Computing (SIGHPC). An HPC community of over 12,000 scientists, engineers, developers, system administrators, educators, students, program managers, CIOs, and policymakers are expected to attend, as SC18 is the broadest and largest of any HPC conference. This year's conference is set to include invited talks, panels, research papers, tutorials, workshops, posters, Birds of a Feather sessions, exhibits, and a graduate showcase. The 30th anniversary of SC18 provides a platform for a review and celebration of the progress of HPC and its community, and the impact of the SC conference series on HPC. A number of special activities and events at SC18 will highlight the evolution of the conference, supercomputing, and related technologies, including: Awards of recognition for exhibitors

The Lobby Museum display, which will highlight SC's history with both physical and digital artifacts from all 29 previous SC conferences

SC: The Conference, a panel on Friday morning, will feature past conference chairs discussing the past and future of SC, supercomputing, and HPC research At SC18's prestigious lineup of 12 invited talks, presentations will feature innovative technical contributions and their applications in addressing areas of HPC, networking analysis, and storage. The invited talks will take place November 1315 and include:



"Applying Deep Learning" by Bryan Catanzaro , NVIDIA

, NVIDIA "Brain-Inspired Massively-Parallel Computing" by Stephen Furber , University of Manchester

, University of "The Age of Data  Visualizing the Revolution" by Chris Johnson , University of Utah

, "What Is the Role of Architecture and Software Researchers in Making Quantum Computing Practical?" by Margaret Martonosi , Princeton University Each year, SC provides the leading technical program in the HPC community (as measured by impact) through a review process that meets the highest academic and professional standards. The program is designed to develop and share best practices in areas such as system center management, large-scale deployment and integration, system enhancement and effectiveness improvements, benchmarking, user and application support experience, the convergence of big data and extreme computing, large system procurement, and procedures and policy determination. SC18 brings together the synergy of HPC for a program that is unequaled in the world. Plan now to be a part of SC18 in Dallas. For more information on the full program, including exhibits, keynotes, awards, and registration, visit https://sc18.supercomputing.org .

About IEEE Computer Society

The IEEE Computer Society, a not-for-profit organization, is the world's home for computer science, engineering, and technology. A global leader in providing access to computer science research, analysis, and information, the IEEE Computer Society offers a comprehensive array of unmatched products, services, and opportunities for individuals at all stages of their professional career. Known as the premier organization that empowers the people who drive technology, its unparalleled resources include membership, international conferences, peer-reviewed publications, a unique digital library, standards, and training programs. Visit www.computer.org for more information. About SC18

SC18, the International Conference for High-Performance Computing (sc18.supercomputing.org),sponsored by ACM and IEEE-CS, offers a complete technical education program and exhibition to showcase the many ways high-performance computing, networking, storage, and analysis lead to advances in scientific discovery, research, education, and commerce. This premier international conference includes a globally attended technical program, workshops, tutorials, a world-class exhibit area, demonstrations, and opportunities for hands-on learning. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sc18-celebrates-30th-anniversary-of-the-worlds-largest-marketplace-for-high-performance-computing-300699248.html SOURCE IEEE Computer Society

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[August 20, 2018] SafeBreach Extends Industry's Most Comprehensive Breach and Attack Simulation Platform

New Capabilities Expand Coverage from Email-to-Endpoint; Also Adds Enhanced Remediation Support and Board Level Risk Scoring

SafeBreach platform enhancements



Malware: Bad Rabbit



Dashboard - trends



SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SafeBreach , the leader in Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS), today announced a major new platform upgrade that extends best-in-class actionable security data with new classes of simulations to validate security controls, additional board-level metrics to drive prioritization, and new integrations to speed the process of remediation. Already able to simulate more than 3,600 attack methods, these new additions expand simulations further across the entire kill chain, from email infection to endpoint compromise - and all phases in between. Combined witha new Demisto integration partnership and board-level risk metrics, SafeBreach continues to set the pace for BAS innovation.



These new enhancements come during a time of strong momentum for SafeBreach, including recently completing a new round of funding and being awarded the first patents in the BAS market . Our customers tell us they chose SafeBreach because we have the most accurate, and broadest, set of attack simulations across the kill chain -- from email to endpoint, said CEO and Co-Founder Guy Bejerano at SafeBreach. While continuously simulating attacks is a critical part of any BAS solution, driving actionable results is always the real goalfrom executive communication, to risk assessment, to control validation and technology investment and remediation. These new platform updates extend each of these areas so customers can ensure their teams, tools and budgets are aligned to get the most from their security.

SafeBreach provides security teams the ability to safely validate their security controls against thousands of real world attacks. Unlike penetration testing or red team engagements, SafeBreach validates security controls continuously using more than 3,600 comprehensive hacker breach methods without risking or interfering with user, data or system activity. Security teams can discover and mitigate security gaps across their network, in the cloud or on their endpoints. SafeBreach correlates and analyzes the results of each breach scenario, provides visualization and detailed kill-chain analysis and recommends proactive remediation steps to improve the security posture of the environment. The new capabilities advance the SafeBreach platform with: Enhanced Email and Ransomware Simulations extended infiltration simulation classes of email-based attacks. As a result, organizations can identify additional misconfigurations or gaps in email security controls. SafeBreach has also enhanced ransomware simulations to include file encryption to further validate the efficacy of behavioral endpoint security controls.

extended infiltration simulation classes of email-based attacks. As a result, organizations can identify additional misconfigurations or gaps in email security controls. SafeBreach has also enhanced ransomware simulations to include file encryption to further validate the efficacy of behavioral endpoint security controls. New Board-Level Risk Metrics a new data analytics layer now augments existing security insights with board-level visibility and metrics. The new capabilities includes immediate assessment of risk against known attacks, as well as at-a-glance risk scoring and critical asset protection status for communication to executive stakeholders.

a new data analytics layer now augments existing security insights with board-level visibility and metrics. The new capabilities includes immediate assessment of risk against known attacks, as well as at-a-glance risk scoring and critical asset protection status for communication to executive stakeholders. Expanded Remediation Supporta new integration partnership with Demisto further drives automated security remediation. This partnership adds to existing remediation integrations across both automation and orchestration with others like Phantom, ServiceNow and Jira. About SafeBreach

SafeBreach is the leader in Breach and Attack Simulation. The companys groundbreaking platform provides a hacker's view of an enterprises security posture to proactively predict attacks, validate security controls and improve SOC analyst response. SafeBreach automatically executes thousands of breach methods from an extensive and growing Hackers Playbook of research and real-world investigative data. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, the company is funded by Sequoia Capital, Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners, Draper Nexus, Hewlett Packard Pathfinder, PayPal, and investor Shlomo Kramer. For more information, visit www.safebreach.com or follow on Twitter @SafeBreach. Contact:

Kayla Armstrong

CHEN PR for SafeBreach

karmstrong@chenpr.com

781.672.3148 Photos accompanying this announcement are available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4468b38-e692-40fd-8632-c16b7bff7b5d //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2644438-285a-46a8-abe9-e2e1ed04cb3d //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ccdbf79-e639-45ac-b770-ef920817034e

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[August 20, 2018] AbacusNext Makes Prestigious Inc. 5000 List for Fourth Consecutive Year

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AbacusNext , the largest Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS) provider for the professional services sector, has been named to Inc. magazines 37th annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. AbacusNext earned its fourth consecutive ranking with a 701% growth rate over the past three years, climbing nearly a hundred spots to #709 overall, and #16 in the IT System Development category.

It is a tremendous achievement to make the Inc. 5000 list four years in a row. The sustained pace of our growth is a testament to the value proposition we deliver for our clients, said Alessandra Lezama, AbacusNext CEO. Our fully managed technology solutions liberate legal and accounting professionals from the burdens of regulation, compliance, and cyber securityallowing them to keep their focus on growing their practices.

A perennial leader in the legal technology sector, over the past eighteen months AbacusNext has accelerated their market strategy by entering the accounting firm management and document automation spaces. After five acquisitions of industry leading solution providers, including Cloudnine Realtime, OfficeTools, and HotDocs, AbacusNext offers the most complete portfolio of turn-key technology solutions available, serving over 1.5 million professionals worldwide. The demand for our solutions shows that professionls everywhere, more than ever before, are taking action to secure and sustain their practices, Lezama concluded. Were honored to be their trusted technology partner.



The companies on the 2018 Inc. 5000 have shown staggering growth compared to prior lists. The 2018 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 538.2 percent, and a median rate of 171.8 percent. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue was $206.1 billion in 2017, accounting for 664,095 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 can be found at 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.

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 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. The full list of honorees can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About AbacusNext

As the largest Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS) provider for the professional services sector, AbacusNext helps legal and accounting professionals achieve ultimate success and peace of mind through the delivery of a complete suite of compliance-ready technology solutions designed to support a secure and cloud-enabled practice at a cost they can afford. Headquartered in San Diego, California, and backed by private investment with Providence Equity, AbacusNext delivers products and services to over 500,000 businesses worldwide. About Providence Equity Partners

Providence is a premier global private equity firm with more than $54 billion in capital under management. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 160 companies and is a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.provequity.com . Contact: 858-529-0018 press@abacusnext.com

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[August 20, 2018] Chongqing to Host Smart China Expo, Boosting Development of Big Data Technology

CHONGQING, China, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The first Smart China Expo (SCE 2018), running from August 23-25 in Chongqing, will feature a host of smart technologies atop a world-class platform that will help transform Chongqing into China's pioneer in Big Data Intelligence. Under the theme of "Smart Technology: Empowering the Economy and Enriching Life" and held at the Chongqing International Expo Center, SCE 2018 will showcase the world's most advanced technologies in Big Data Intelligence from over 500 global and local exhibitors including Google, Intel, Microsoft, CISCO, Foxconn, and Huawei. In addition to providing a venue for the world's top big data firms to highlight their latest products and breakthroughs, SCE 2018 will also be a platform for interactions and discussions among industry professionals, playing host to over 400 business, government, and academic dignitaries such as Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma, Tencent CEO Pony Ma, Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon, and former Singaporean Prime Minister Goh ChokTo.



"Big data and smart technology are profoundly changing economic patterns, lifestyles and social governance," said Tang Liangzhi, Mayor of Chongqing, traditionally a manufacturing hub in western China." Chongqing has adopted an innovation-driven growth strategy and holding SCE will help promote the development of big data and smart technology in the city." With more than 180,000 square meters of floor space, SCE 2018 will focus on sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputers with the newest and most advanced "smart" products and technologies on display. For example, Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) will showcase its newly-developed surgical robot, which makes remote surgery possible.

In addition, there will be a "smart experience area" at SCE 2018 where visitors can experience what life will be like as we incorporate new technologies such as facial recognition, smart parking, and AI consulting services into daily life. Roadshows, conferences, and contests will also be held at the event. SCE 2018 will display Chongqing's openness, inclusiveness, and immense business opportunities to the world as the city seeks to breathe new life into its traditional industries with the help of big data. By 2020, Chongqing aims to become China's first-tier pilot city for the application of Big Data Intelligence. The value of 12 sectors - including big data, AI, integrated circuits, and the Internet of Things - is expected to grow to 750 billion yuan by then. Additionally, Chongqing plans to upgrade its traditional sectors by setting up 20 smart factories, 200 digital workshops and 2,000 digital assembly lines by 2020. About Smart China Expo (SCE) Held in Chongqing, the Smart China Expo (SCE) is a world-class, national-level Expo that supports the development of big data and smart technologies in Western China. SCE serves as a platform for Chongqing's Smart Endeavors in the era of big data and smart tech, as well as for exchanges among organizations, enterprises, experts, and scholars from around the world. http://www.ichongqing.info/smart-china-expo/ For more information, visit: https://www.smartchina-expo.cn/ View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chongqing-to-host-smart-china-expo-boosting-development-of-big-data-technology-300699414.html SOURCE Smart China Expo

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[August 20, 2018] Shanghai ceremony seals HNB, Haomai partnership

SHANGHAI, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A signing ceremony was held in Shanghai on July 28 to mark the agreement of a formal business partnership between HNB Foundation and the e-commerce platform Haomai. Representatives from both parties attended the ceremony, with HNB's strategic investor and advisor Mr Ken Lee and Haomai's founder Mr Qianli Chen on hand for the proceedings. The partnership is based on Haomai's recognition of the innovative nature of HNB's blockchain economic model. HNB is identified as the next generation of decentralized economic model, which provides a decentralized platform for people to work and exchange their products or services, thereby establishing and developing a thriving and diverse real economy. Haomai is a comprehensive and dynamic E-commerce platform built on blockchain technology, and it aims to provide its users with unique and good value shopping experiences. Haomai leverages numerous well-known global platforms such as Taobao, Tmall, JD, Pinduoduo, ele.me and Meituan in order to provide its users with multi-brands offerings and world-class services. One of the main advantages of shopping on Haomai's platform is that it offers a speding threshold as low as RMB 99 thanks to its use of blockchain technology.



The new strategic partnership between HNB and Haomai is a significant step for both companies. Haomai is targeting 100,000 active users on its platform by the end of 2018, and it will help HNB to build the HNB ecosystem by adopting HNB's stable token for user transactions. For its part, HNB will support the Haomai E-commerce platform with its blockchain technology, including smart contracts and DOA infrastructure. The overall aim is to marry traditional offline retailers with the virtual economy based on blockchain technology, effectively elevating the collaborative development of both the virtual and real economies. Representatives from other organizations were also among the attendees, including dignitaries from Minghu Group; (Beidahuang organic foods) Xiangsen Rise Corp, which has an annual revenue of RMB 2 billion; Aixin Pharmaceutical Inc; Wufu Corp; various franchisees of the Uncle Niu brand, as well as numerous government figures.

About HNB HNB is aiming to design a Blockchain based decentralized economic operation mechanism for a closed-loop economic entity. HNB believes that transparent and properly implemented economic incentives will motivate participants to be both active and behavioral in the economic entity. When participants can earn incentives throughout different ways to contribute to this automated entity, it will strengthen the participation and creativity of participants. In return, the entity will be more dynamic and reach a certain scale. A global self-development HNB economic entity is supported by the open and vigorous governance mechanism, mixed with business partners, large number of customers, and the latest technologies. Based on the next generation of Blockchain technology, HNB team is confident and committed to growing its business entity into one of the largest decentralized economic communities in the world. Follow HNB on

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HNB_ECO

Telegram: https://t.me/HNB_ECO

Medium: https://medium.com/@hnb.eco View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shanghai-ceremony-seals-hnb-haomai-partnership-300699251.html SOURCE HNB

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[August 20, 2018] Easton Pharmaceuticals Acquires Interest in Development Project With in Excess of $30 Million in Profit

TORONTO, ON, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Easton Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTC: EAPH) announces that it has entered into an Agreement to acquire an interest in a Real Estate Development Project just outside of Toronto, with 3 year cumulative profits expected to exceed $30,000,000 CAN.

As part of its plan to enter more lucrative market segments, Easton has signed an agreement with 2315446 Ontario Inc. to acquire an interest in a development property in Cobourg, Ontario, a growing lakefront community east of Toronto. The property is approximately 2.5 acres and is zoned for a multi-residential development to allow up to 48 units. The Company intends on building 42 residential condominium units over the next 3 years, with the first phase approved and ready for 6 units in the existing building. The cumulative profits are expected to be in excess of $30 million Canadian, of which Easton will retain approximately 50%. The profits of the first phase are expected to be in excess of $2 million. The units are of varying sizes between 800 sq. ft. to over 2,500 sq. ft. The market is very strong among professional couples re-locating outside of the City, young families, as well as retirees, all seeking a better quality of life. Eastons management has vast experience in real estate and real estate development projects and is excited to launch this as its first real estate development project. More information about the project will be released once details are finalized in the coming days. The Company is also completing other agreements, which are expected to be announced in the next few days. About Easton Pharmaceuticals Easton Pharmaceuticals is a diversified specialty phrmaceutical company involved in various pharmaceutical sectors and other growing industries. The Company previously developed and owned an FDA-approved wound-healing medical drug and currently owns topically delivered drugs to treat cancer and other therapeutic products to treat various conditions that are all in various stages of development and approval. Easton, together with BMV Medica S.A. own the exclusive distribution rights in Mexico and Latin America for two patented women's diagnostic products and a novel natural treatment for bacterial vaginosis, which they have sub-licensed to Bayer and Gedeon Richter. In addition, a generic cancer drugs line is being developed for sale in Mexico. The company's gel formulation is thought to be an innovative and unique transdermal delivery system that can in the future be adaptable in the delivery of other drugs and Cannabidiol extracts.



As part of its strategic growth plan, the Company will be entering new lucrative market segments globally, including Gaming, Real Estate and Hospitality, among others. For More Information on Easton and Affiliated and Partner Company's Visit:

http://www.eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=eaph https://twitter.com/eastonpharma Safe Harbor This news release may contain forward-looking statements or expressions within the meaning of the Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when certain words or phrases such as "hope", "positive", "anticipate," "pleased,""plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," "possible" or "intent to" and similar conditional expressions are expressed, they areintended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in anyof the forward-looking statements. Any investment made into Easton Pharmaceuticals may contain risks. Such risks anduncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the company's products and technologies,competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional or adequate financing, government approvals or changes toproposed laws and other risks and uncertainties further stated in the company's financial reports and filings.

CONTACT INFORMATION Evan Karras / CEO President Tel: +1(416) 619-0291 Tel: +1(347) 284-0192 Email: info@eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com

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China is playing a unique role in enhancing global health, said Alex Ng, deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation China Office in an exclusive interview with China.org.cn Saturday.

Ng was invited to the High-Level Meeting on China-Africa Health Cooperation held in Beijing on Aug. 17 to 18.

Market failure to work for the poor

Ng said that although infectious diseases still account for more than a quarter of global diseases and constitute the majority of the diseases in most African countries, global investment in R&D and manufacturing of medical products for these diseases makes up only 10 percent of the total.

He called the disproportion a "market failure" caused by the fact that most new medical drugs and tools are developed in the U.S., Japan, and European countries.

"If you were in those countries, you would also develop drugs for chronic diseases," Ng said, adding that the drugs and tools are designed to suit the manufacturer's needs and are very expensive for developing countries.

Ng said that the Gates Foundation, guided by the belief that all lives have equal value, is focusing on fixing the failure to make the markets work for the poor.

"We are impatient optimists working to reduce inequality and create equality around the world, and when the system is operating against the poor, we need to help change it to ensure equality," said Ng.

China's uniqueness in mobilizing medical innovation

Ng said the Gates Foundation has recognized China's unique role in mobilizing medical innovation, working to leverage China's capacity for global health.

He said China's uniqueness comes from its domestic burden of infectious diseases, different pharmaceutical business models from developed markets, as well as quality research and manufacturing capacity -- three factors that no other country has.

According to Ng, though the disease burden in China looks exactly the same as a developed country, where majority of the burden is actually on chronic diseases, China is still challenged by infectious diseases, with 124,000 new HIV cases reported in 2016 and 1 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases each year.

He said when a Chinese drug or diagnostics company develops new products, it will design them to be broadly available and affordable for the country's more than 1.3 billion people, some of whom are not rich.

Ng noted that this is a different business model compared with developed companies, where "the usual strategy is to go for high price."

China also has strong innovation capacity, Ng continued, citing statistics that the country's R&D input is the second largest globally and is expected to surpass the U.S. by 2020.

He added that 426,000 research papers were published in China in 2016, surpassing the U.S. for the first time.

Strengthening cooperation for greater good

The Gates Foundation established its China office in Beijing in 2007. Starting with programs on HIV/AIDS, TB, and tobacco control, the cooperation between China and the foundation has extended beyond traditional public health issues to jointly improving healthcare innovation capacity in the past 11 years, according to Ng.

He said that China and the foundation have been working together to ensure that more Chinese medical products can be developed, approved, and accessed by other countries.

"One case in point is that we support more Chinese products for the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification so they can reach Africa in a timelier manner,"Ngsaid.

He added that the foundation also supports China's medical regulatory reform, working with the National Drug Administration of China to make Chinese drugs safer, more efficacious, and more stringently regulated.

"Our vision is that in five to 10 years, because of a strengthened Chinese regulatory system, Chinese medical products will not need to go through the full WHO prequalification process, which will help the country's medical capacity quickly benefit other developing countries,"Ngsaid.

The Gates Foundation, in Ng's words, is committed to working with China for the long-term goal of unleashing the country's innovation, scientific and manufacturing capacity for the world's greater good.
[August 20, 2018] Global Access Control Market Growth & Trends - Forecast to 2023

DUBLIN, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Access Control Market - Growth, Trends and Forecast (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global Access Control Market was valued at USD 6.8 billion in 2017, and is expected to reach a value of USD 11.1 billion by 2023 at a CAGR of 8.45%, over the forecast period (2018-2023). Increasing Threats for Identity Theft Emphasize the Growth in the Use of Access Control for Governments According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam saw an increase of 1,300% in identified exposed losses, totaling over USD 3 billion, since January 2015. Such losses could be better controlled through the use of access control software. According to the Association of Fraud Examiners in 2015 the amount of internal theft accounts for about 5% of annual revenue for companies. The implementation of access control systems contributes to the growth in the safety and security of office surroundings. Such identity theft of data has been increasing owing to which governments have been adopting the use of access control systems. As the cyber attacks, frauds and government authentication mandates continue to grow in sophistication and scope, the need to strengthen security while reducing costs is paramount across various industry verticals.



Residential Control Systems are One of the Prime Markets for Access Control Market



Modern society is increasingly seeking new ways to simplify their lives. The ultimate goal is to fit more activities into the same space of time but with the least exertion of physical energy. At the same time, the increasing theft attacks and enhanced insecurity in the society leads to the strong measures taken for security.



An access control system has innovative features that keep homeowners safe and secure. The benefits of using access control systems for residential use is that they provide an increased layer of security. At the same time, access control provides remote access feature to control panel and doors of the home thus make it easier use for the people with busy schedule. The technological advancement in access control also provides the option of accessing the house and check the security of the house een if not in the same city or state.







North America has Been Found to Have High Adoption for Business Process Management



The Unites States is expected to dominate the North America access control market throughout the forecast period; the country accounted for a major share of the market in 2018. Increase in crime rates, cyber-attacks and terrorist attacks are the major factors that are driving forward the United States access control market. The Homeland Security Council is using the United States Standard for Biometric Screening, which is a ten fingerprint scan. Fingerprints of visa applicants are collected at all United States Embassies and Consulates.





The increasing demand for more secure solutions has resulted in technologically advanced security products. In addition, there is an increasing demand in the healthcare segment for hygienic biometric patient identification systems; this trend is driving the United States noncontact biometric market towards continued robust growth in the coming years. In addition, this pattern is considered to be a burning trend in the United States .



Developments in the Market April 2018 - Fort Campbell is being installed with access control mechanisms to check driving licenses as well as military ID.

- Fort Campbell is being installed with access control mechanisms to check driving licenses as well as military ID. April 2018 - Indian railways strengthens surveillance mechanism and has identified about 202 railway stations to install Integrated Security Systems etc. Key Topics Covered



1. Introduction

1.1 Study Deliverables

1.2Study Assumptions

1.3 Research Methodology

1.4 Key Findings in the Study

1.5 Market Definition



2. Executive Summary



3. Market Dynamics

3.1 Market Overview

3.2 Market Drivers

3.2.1 Increasing Government Initiative

3.2.2 Growing Crime Rates

3.2.3 Escalating Terrorist Activities

3.3 Market Restraints

3.3.1 High Initial Investments

3.3.2 Lack of Awareness

3.4 Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.5 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis

3.5.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

3.5.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

3.5.3 Threat of New Entrants

3.5.4 Threat of Substitutes

3.5.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry



4. Technology Snapshot



5. Global Access Control Market Segmentation and Forecast

5.1 By Type

5.1.1 Hardware

5.1.1.1 Card Readers

5.1.1.2 Biometric Readers

5.1.1.3 Electronic Locks

5.1.1.4 Multi Technology Readers

5.1.1.5 Others

5.1.2 Software

5.1.3 Service

5.2 By Vertical

5.2.1 Commercial

5.2.2 Residential

5.2.3 Logistics & Retail

5.2.4 Government and Transportation

5.2.5 Industrial

5.2.6 Healthcare

5.2.7 Military & Defense

5.2.8 Others

5.3 By Region

5.3.1 North America

5.3.1.1 United States

5.3.1.2 Canada

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.2.1 United Kingdom

5.3.2.2 Germany

5.3.2.3 France

5.3.2.4 Others

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.3.1 China

5.3.3.2 India

5.3.3.3 Japan

5.3.3.4 South Korea

5.2.3.5 Others

5.3.4 Latin America

5.3.4.1 Brazil

5.3.4.2 Mexico

5.3.4.3 Argentina

5.3.4.4 Others

5.3.5 Middle East and Africa

5.3.5.1 United Arab Emirates

5.3.5.2 Saudi Arabia

5.3.5.3 Israel

5.3.5.4 Others



6. Competitive Intelligence - Company Profiles

6.1 Honeywell Security Group

6.2 Amag Technology Inc.

6.3 ASSA Abloy AB Group

6.4 Gallagher Group Limited

6.5 Gemalto NV

6.6 Crossmatch Technologies Inc.

6.7 Morpho SA

6.8 Samsung Techwin

6.9 3M Cogent

6.10 NEC Corporation



7. Investment Analysis

7.1 Recent Mergers & Acquisitions

7.2 Investor Outlook



8. Future of Global Access Control Market



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/p2pg27/global_access?w=5 Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-access-control-market-growth--trends---forecast-to-2023-300699358.html SOURCE Research and Markets

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[August 20, 2018] Minister Bains attends roundtable on digital and data transformation

Innovation Minister consults stakeholders in British Columbia on how to best take advantage of new data economy NANAIMO, BC, August 20, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, consulted with British Columbians at a roundtable on how best to take advantage of the new data economy while also assuring people's privacy. The roundtable with thought leaders from business and academic sectors in Nanaimo, British Columbia, is part of the national consultation on digital and data transformation that was launched on June 19. Today's roundtable was hosted by Innovation Island, an organization that helps entrepreneurs start and grow technology companies. Participants discussed how Canada can: stay competitive in a digital age;

be innovative while proecting privacy and trust; and

prepare for the ways in which new technologies will shape the workplace of the future.



Canada's Innovation and Skills Plan, a plan to make us a world leader in innovation and create well-paying jobs from coast to coast to coast. Quote

"Digital adoption will lead to increased productivity, economic growth and global competitiveness. Today's discussion was an important step in helping us understand what measures must be taken to unleash our innovative potential."

 The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Quick facts 90% of the world's data has been created in the last 2 years.

87% of Canadians and 95% of Canadian businesses are connected to the Internet.

94% of Canadian businesses use personal data.

Young Canadians spend on average 5 hours a day on the Internet.

Global e-commerce reached US$1.9 trillion in 2016.

in 2016. 8 to 9% of labour demand in 2030 will be in jobs that do not exist today.

Canada ranks 5th in the OECD for creative thinking and 9th for problem solving in a technology-rich environment.

ranks 5th in the OECD for creative thinking and 9th for problem solving in a technology-rich environment. Canada ranks 4th in the world on patents related to quantum computing.

ranks 4th in the world on patents related to quantum computing. It is estimated that cybercrime will cost the world US$6 trillion annually by 2021. Associated links National Digital and Data Consultations Follow the department on Twitter: @ISED_CA SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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[August 20, 2018] Global Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) Market by Model, Mode of Delivery, Component, Product, Application, and Geography - Forecast to 2023

DUBLIN, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Clinical Decision Support Systems Market - Segmented by Model, Mode of Delivery, Component, Product, Application, and Geography - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The clinical decision support systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 11% during the forecast period. Need for Reducing Human Errors Determining accurate medication doses is a difficult and time-consuming process and especially critical for infants and children in emergency situations. Calculations involving intricate formulas are often difficult to memorize, and mathematical errors can still occur even when the formulas are accurately recalled. Varying dosing programs based on indication and pharmacokinetics represent additional opportunities for error. Clinical decision support systems can give physicians and nurses easy and quick access to drug-specific dosing calculators, full drug profiles with age, weight, disease and renal adjustment dosing, and much more. Accurate medication information and dosing calculators, easily accessible within the medical workflow, can provide a significant reduction in errors. Owing to these capabilities of the system, there will be a boost in the growth of the clinical decision support systems market.



Other factors that will affect the growth of this market include rising demand to reduce healthcare expenditure, need for improvement in quality of care, rising chronic disease population, and more adoption rate in emerging economies.



Lack of Trust in the System as CDSS is in its Initial Stages of Development



The most often recurring barriers to CDSS implementation included earlier experience of dysfunctional computer systems in health care, general resistance towards changes in practice, and time management issues. In a study conducted by Oxford University, all groups listed numerous examples of dysfunctional healthcare IT systems, and they were worried of consequences if CDSS is built on the existing imperfect systems.



This lack of trust in the healthcare professionals will lead to them not including for CDSS in their practice. This will eventually lead to the slowdown of the growth of this market. Other factors that will nfluence the decline of this market include lack of skilled labor, and suggestions from CDSS for unnecessary diagnostic testing will hinder the market growth.







North America to Maintain Dominance



North America is the leading market in the world, followed by Europe . Asia-Pacific is the fastest developing region. The large market share of North America can be attributed to factors such as the rising demand for quality healthcare delivery, need to curb increasing healthcare expenditure, and implementation of favorable initiatives & regulations are driving the growth of the CDSS market in the United States .





Developments in the Market February 2018 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced marketing clearance for Viz.AI's Contact application, the first artificial intelligence-based clinical decision support (CDS) solution cleared for sale in the United States . Viz.AI Contact is designed to analyze computed tomography (CT) results. Key Topics Covered



1. Introduction

1.1 Market Definition



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Key Inferences



5. Market Overview

5.1 Current Market Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.2.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

5.2.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

5.2.3 Threat of New Entrants

5.2.4 Threat of Substitute Product and Services

5.2.5 Competitive Rivalry Within the Industry



6. Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges Analysis (DROC)

6.1 Market Drivers

6.1.1 Need for Reducing Human Errors

6.1.2 Rising Demand to Reduce Healthcare Expenditure

6.1.3 Need for Improvement in Quality of Care

6.1.4 Rising Chronic Disease Population

6.1.5 Showing More Adoption in Emerging Economies

6.2 Market Restraints

6.2.1 Lack of Skilled Professional

6.2.2 Suggestions from CDSS for Unnecessary Diagnostic Testing

6.2.3 Lack of Trust in the System due to CDSS being in its Initial Stages of Developement

6.3 Opportunities

6.4 Key Challenges



7. Market Segmentation

7.1 By Model

7.1.1 Knowledge-based CDSS

7.1.2 Non-Knowledge CDSS

7.1.3 Others

7.2 By Mode of Delivery

7.2.1 Web-based

7.2.2 Cloud-based

7.2.3 On-premise

7.3 By Component

7.3.1 Hardware

7.3.2 Software

7.3.3 Services

7.4 By Product

7.4.1 Integrated Systems

7.4.2 Standalone Systems

7.4.3 Standard-based

7.4.4 Service model-based

7.4.5 Others

7.5 By Application

7.5.1 Medical Diagnosis

7.5.2 Alerts & Reminders

7.5.3 Prescription Decision Support

7.5.4 Information Retrieval

7.5.5 Image Recognition and Interpretation

7.5.6 Therapy Critiquing & Planning

7.5.7 Others

7.6 By Geography

7.6.1 North America

7.6.1.1 United States

7.6.1.2 Canada

7.6.1.3 Mexico

7.6.2 Europe

7.6.2.1 France

7.6.2.2 Germany

7.6.2.3 United kingdom

7.6.2.4 Italy

7.6.2.5 Spain

7.6.2.6 Rest of Europe

7.6.3 Asia-Pacific

7.6.3.1 India

7.6.3.2 Australia & New Zealand

7.6.3.3 South Korea

7.6.3.4 Rest of Asia-Pacific

7.6.4 Rest of the World

7.6.4.1 Saudi Arabia

7.6.4.2 Brazil



8. Competitive Landscape

8.1 Mergers & Acquisition Analysis

8.2 Agreements, Collaborations, and Partnerships

8.3 New Products Launches



9. Key Players

9.1 Cerner Corporation

9.2 EPIC

9.3 IBM

9.4 Mckesson Corporation

9.5 Meditech

9.6 Phillips Healthcare

9.7 Siemens Healthcare

List Not Exhaustive



10. Future of the Market



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/jtft7m/global_clinical?w=5 Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-clinical-decision-support-systems-cdss-market-by-model-mode-of-delivery-component-product-application-and-geography---forecast-to-2023-300699387.html SOURCE Research and Markets

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[August 20, 2018] SOC Telemed Acquires JSA Health, Becomes Largest Acute TelePsychiatry Provider in the U.S.

RESTON, Va., Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SOC Telemed (SOC), the leader in acute care telemedicine, today announces the acquisition of leading behavioral health telemedicine company JSA Health. The JSA team will join SOC Telemed in providing 24/7 access to high-quality telePsychiatry care for a wide variety of settings, including emergency departments, community health clinics, educational institutions and more. Already the largest teleNeurology provider in the nation, the acquisition also secures SOC's position as the nation's largest acute telePsychiatry provider. "JSA achieved a strong foothold in the telePsychiatry industry, but as a single specialty practice the company sought scalability that SOC Telemed supports with its proven platform and continued investments in innovation," notes Hammad Shah, CEO of SOC Telemed. "This acquisition enables growth for JSA Health  allowing the combined entity broader reach across the nation in areas experiencing detrimental shortages of psychiatrists." JSA Health's founder and Chief Executive Officer, Avrim Fishkind, M.D., joins SOC in the newly created position of General Manager of Behavioral Health Services. "JSA Health has seen tremendous growth over the years," says Avrim. "Joining forces with SOC Telemed allows us to achieve our vision f providing access to expedited treatment in settings where it might not otherwise be possible."



The shortage of psychiatrists is an escalating crisis in the U.S., specifically in rural areas where there is little to no access to timely, quality care. Nearly one in five patients in the emergency department has some sort of behavioral or mental health issue  this number continues to rise as the number of psychiatrists falls. Acquiring JSA Health allows SOC to grow its acute telePsychiatry offering across more than 450 hospitals and health systems nationwide, addressing doctor shortages and providing quality patient care at a much larger scale. The acquisition follows other recent accomplishments by SOC, including unveiling a new brand identity and the launch of its telemedicine technology platform, Telemed IQ, as an enterprise offering  allowing hospitals, health systems, and other healthcare organizations the ability to power their telemedicine programs with their own clinical team or in conjunction with SOC clinicians.

About SOC Telemed

SOC Telemed (SOC) is the largest national provider of telemedicine technology and solutions to hospitals, health systems, post-acute providers, physician networks, value-based care organizations, and health plans. Built on proven and scalable infrastructure as an enterprise-wide solution, SOC's technology platform, Telemed IQ, rapidly deploys and seamlessly optimizes telemedicine programs across the continuum of care. SOC provides a supportive and dedicated partner presence, virtually delivering patient care through teleNeurology, telePsychiatry and teleICU as well as enabling healthcare organizations to build sustainable telemedicine programs in any clinical specialty. SOC enables organizations to enrich their care models and touch more lives by supplying healthcare teams with industry-leading solutions that drive improved clinical care, patient outcomes, and organizational health. The company was the first provider of acute clinical telemedicine services to earn The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval and has maintained that accreditation every year since inception. SOC Telemed is backed by Warburg Pincus and CRG. For more information, visit www.soctelemed.com. Contact for SOC Telemed:

Meg Hoyecki, VP Marketing

(703) 225-7145

mhoyecki@soctelemed.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/soc-telemed-acquires-jsa-health-becomes-largest-acute-telepsychiatry-provider-in-the-us-300699631.html SOURCE SOC Telemed

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[August 20, 2018] GlobalSCAPE Announces Plan to Launch Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer

GlobalSCAPE, Inc. (NYSE American: GSB) ("GlobalSCAPE" and/or the "Company") today announced its plan to launch a modified Dutch auction tender offer ("Tender Offer") to purchase up to $15,000,000 in value of shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Shares") at a purchase price not greater than $4.50 nor less than $4.00 per share. On August 20, 2018, the closing price of the Company's common stock was $3.47 per share. The Tender Offer is expected to commence in the next few days and will remain open for 20 business days. A modified Dutch auction tender offer allows stockholders to indicate how many Shares and at what price within the range described above they wish to tender their Shares. Based on the number of Shares tendered and the prices specified by the tendering stockholders, the Company will determine the lowest price per share (the "Purchase Price") that will enable it to purchase $15,000,000 in value of Shares at such price, or a lower amount depending on the number of Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the expiration date. All Shares purchased in the Tender Offer will be purchased at the same Purchase Price, even if the stockholder tendered at a lower price. If the Tender Offer is fully subscribed, the Company will have purchased approximately 15.2 percent to 17.1 percent of outstanding Shares as of August 20, 2018. If the number of Shares properly tendered at or below the Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the expiration date would result in an aggregate purchase price of more than $15,000,000, the Company will purchase Shares tendered at or below that price on a pro rata basis. The Tender Offer will not be conditioned upon any minimum value of Shares being tendered or contain any financing conditions. The Company intends to fund the Purchase Price of the Shares using available cash. While the Company's Board of Directors has authorized the Company to make the Tender Offer, neither the Company, nor its Board of Directors, makes any recommendation to any stockholder as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering any Shares or as to the price or prices at which stockholders may choose to tender their Shares. The Company has not authorized any person to make any such recommendation. Stockholders must decide whether to tender their Shares and, if so, how many Shares to tender and at what price or prices to tender. In doing so, stockholders should carefully evaluate all of the information included or incorporated by reference in the Tender Offer documents (as they may be amended or supplemented), when available, before making any decision with respect to the Tender Offer, and should consult their own broker or other financial and tax advisors. The Company's directors and executive officers, and their respective affiliates, are entitled to participate in the Tender Offer on the same basis as all other stockholders. Thomas W. Brown, David L. Mann, Robert Alpert and C. Clark Webb, directors of the Company, have indicated that they intend to participate in the Tender Offer, although no final decision has been made as to the amount of Shares to be tendered. We are not aware of any other officers or directors that have determined to participate in the Tender Offer at this time. In addition, 210/GSB Acquisition Partners, LLC, an entity affiliated with Robert Alpert an C. Clark Webb, and a holder of approximately 18% of the outstanding Shares, has indicated that it has not made a determination at this time as to whether it will participate in the Tender Offer.



"GlobalSCAPE believes this Tender Offer provides an efficient mechanism for shareholders looking to monetize all, or a portion of, their stock at a potential premium to the Company's current share price, and is consistent with its long-term goal of maximizing shareholder value," said Matt Goulet, President and CEO of GlobalSCAPE. Stephens Inc. will serve as sole dealer manager for the Tender Offer. D.F. King & Co., Inc. will serve as information agent for the Tender Offer. Stockholders with questions, or who would like to receive additional copies of the Tender Offer documents once they are available, may call D.F. King & Co., Inc. at (877) 297-1744 or email globalscape@dfking.com.

About GlobalSCAPE, Inc. GlobalSCAPE, Inc. (NYSE American: GSB) is a pioneer in securing and automating the movement and integration of data seamlessly in, around and outside your business, between people and places, in and out of the cloud. GlobalSCAPE provides technology that automates your work and secures your data, while giving visibility to those who need it. GlobalSCAPE makes business flow brilliantly. For more information, visit http://www.globalscape.com or follow the blog and Twitter updates. Additional Information Regarding the Tender Offer The Tender Offer described in this press release has not yet commenced. This press release is for informational purposes only. This press release is not a recommendation to buy or sell Shares or any other securities, and it is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell Shares or any other securities. On the commencement date of the Tender Offer, a Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO, including an offer to purchase, a letter of transmittal and related materials, will be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) ") by the Company. The Tender Offer will only be made pursuant to the offer to purchase, the letter of transmittal and related materials filed as a part of the Schedule TO. Stockholders should read carefully the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal and related materials (including the documents and information incorporated by reference therein) because they contain important information, including the various terms of, and conditions to, the Tender Offer. Once the Tender Offer is commenced, stockholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO, the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal and other documents that the Company will be filing with the SEC at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by calling or emailing D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent for the Tender Offer, at (877) 297-1744 or email globalscape@dfking.com. Stockholders are urged to read these materials, when available, carefully prior to making any decision with respect to the Tender Offer. Safe Harbor Statement This press 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. The words "would," "exceed," "should," "anticipates," "believe," "expect," and variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause the actual results of the operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the overall level of consumer spending on our products; general economic conditions and other factors affecting consumer confidence; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; the Company's ability to protect patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights; any breaches of, or interruptions in, our information systems' legal, regulatory, political and economic risks in international markets; the results of our reduction in force; the discovery of additional information relevant to the internal investigation; the conclusions of the Company's Audit Committee (and the timing of the conclusions) concerning matters relating to the internal investigation; the possibility that additional errors relevant to the recently completed restatement may be identified; pending litigation and other proceedings and the possibility of further legal proceedings adverse to the Company resulting from the restatement or related matters; the costs associated with the restatement and the investigation, pending litigation and other proceedings and possible future legal proceedings; reduction in our cash and cash equivalents as a result of the Tender Offer; and our decreased "public float" (the number of Shares owned by non-affiliate stockholders and available for trading in the securities markets) as a result of the Tender Offer and other share repurchases. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the SEC, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this press release, and speak only as of the date hereof. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005630/en/

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[August 20, 2018] Desmond Nugent Joins Gallant Capital Partners as Head of Operations

Gallant Capital Partners ("Gallant"), an operationally focused lower middle market private equity firm, announced today that Desmond Nugent, former Managing Director of OpenGate Capital, has joined the firm as a Partner and Head of Operations. "We are excited to be working with Desmond again," said Jon Gimbel, Partner at Gallant. "Desmond brings a perspective to Gallant that is only obtained through years of experience operating and advising businesses and we believe he will have an immediate impact on the Gallant team and our investments." Gallant Partner Anthony Guagliano added, "There is no learning curve with Desmond as we have a long-term relationship and worked closely together in the past. He is an experienced operator and we are confident that he will provide invaluable leadership and support to Gallant's portfolio companies." "I am excited to be working with Jon and Anthony again and to join Gallant at this stage of the firm's evolution," said Nugent. "I believe the firm has a unique approach to driving value creation and I look forward to providing operational and strategic support to Gallant's portfolio company management teams." In addition to the hiring of Desmond, Gallant also announced today that Chris Suen and Amish Tolia previously joined the firm as vice presidents and Justin Shand and Jonathan Ramirez have joined the firm as associates. Desmond has 15 years of operating experience, most recently as Managing Director at OpenGate Capital where he led operational due diligence and oversaw operations for the fim's North American portfolio companies. Prior to OpenGate, Nugent was a Principal with The Gores Group in Los Angeles where he worked alongside Jon and Anthony. At OpenGate and Gores, Nugent held board and operational leadership positions and was responsible for portfolio company financial oversight, partnering with the management teams to drive revenue growth, operational effectiveness, and profit improvement. Nugent earned his MBA from Columbia University, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting from Queens University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Accounting from the University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland.



Prior to joining Gallant, Chris Suen was a member of the investment team at EQT Partners in New York, and previously at The Gores Group in Los Angeles where he worked alongside Jon and Anthony evaluating and executing investment opportunities in the technology, telecommunications, business services, industrial and healthcare sectors. Prior to joining The Gores Group, Chris worked in the investment banking division at Macquarie and J.P. Morgan. Prior to joining Gallant, Amish Tolia was the Head of Sales and Business Development for Peloton Document Solutions (Peloton), an enterprise software platform for the financial services industry. Previous to Peloton, he was a member of the investment team at The Gores Group where he worked alongside Jon and Anthony evaluating and executing investment opportunities across a range of sectors. Prior to joining The Gores Group, Amish worked in the investment banking division at Lehman Brothers.

Prior to joining Gallant, Justin Shand worked in the investment banking division at Houlihan Lokey and Jonathan Ramirez worked in the investment banking division at Piper Jaffray. About Gallant Capital Partners Gallant Capital Partners is a private equity firm that makes control investments in technology, industrial and business services companies. Gallant executes on an operationally focused investment strategy with a focus on partnering closely with companies that can benefit from its extensive industry relationships and operating expertise. The firm partners with owners, founders, family-owned companies and management teams to maximize value and long-term, sustainable growth for portfolio companies. Gallant Capital Partners was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information please visit: www.gallantcapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180820005634/en/

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Google Pixel and Essential Phone users are already stuffing their faces with some Android Pie. And while theres incoming support for many A-List models out there, we're still waiting for updates on some devices from the likes of Samsung, Motorola, Sony, Nokia and HTC and others.

Here's a list of Android device makers and their software plans. We'll continue to amend this list as more companies commit to the new software.

Last updated Feb. 11 with additional information on Samsung's update roadmap.



Asus

Interestingly, the midrange ZenFone 5 already received Android Pie in December, while the flagship 5Z is reportedly set to get it in January. Aside from the 5Z, Asus hasn't confirmed when its other devices, like the ROG Phone and ZenFone 5Q (known as the ZenFone 5 Lite outside of the U.S.) will see the update.

Asus phones confirmed to get Android Pie

ZenFone 5Z

ZenFone 5

Essential

If you own an Essential Phone, congratulations  you were one of the first to get Android Pie. Essential pushed out an update to Android Pie on Aug. 6, the same day Google published its updates for first and second-generation Pixel devices.

Google

New versions of Android always debut on Google's phones first. In Android Pie's case, the update released on the same day in August for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Note that this will be final software update for the first-generation Pixel range, as those devices reach end-of-life status. However, they will still receive security updates until fall 2019. Meanwhile, starting with the Pixel 2, Google committed to three years of software support for its handsets. That means Google's current flagships will not only see the impossible-to-nickname Android Q next year, but eventually Android R in 2020.

Google phones with Android Pie



HTC

In a tweet, HTC promised Pie updates for four devices. So far, the only one that has received it is the Android One version of the HTC U11 Life  not to be confused with the version released with HTC's Sense UI, which apparently will not get the new software. No timeframe has been provided for the other models at the time of writing.

HTC phones with Android Pie

HTC U11 Life (Android One edition)

HTC phones confirmed to get Android Pie

HTC U12+

HTC U11+

HTC U11

Motorola

Eight of Motorola's handsets will eventually see updates to Android Pie when all is said and done. Yet as of Jan. 2, the phone maker has only made good on two of them: the Motorola One Power and Moto X4. At some point, those devices should be joined by recent flagships, such as the Moto Z3 and Moto Z3 Play, as well as less expensive offerings like the Moto G6 line. You can check the full list of supported devices on the manufacturer's website. The Moto G5 series will miss out on Android Pie, as Motorola only issues a single year of updates for its budget models.



Motorola phones with Android Pie

Motorola One Power

Moto X4 Android One



Motorola phones confirmed to get Android Pie

MORE: Android 9 Pie Review: Google's OS Gets Smarter

Nokia

According to a tweet from HMD Global, which operates the Nokia brand, Android Pie will be available for every device in the company's current range, from the Nokia 3 to the Nokia 8. The Nokia 6.1 and 7.1 led the way with updates in November. As far as the remaining devices are concerned, timing will vary by country and network operator.

Nokia phones with Android Pie

Nokia phones confirmed to get Android Pie

Nokia 8

Nokia 6

Nokia 5

Nokia 3

OnePlus

All of OnePlus' 2017 and 2018 phones should now have Android Pie underpinning the latest OxygenOS release, with the OnePlus 5 and 5T joining the party in December. There's no indication the OnePlus 3 or 3T will be a part of the rollout, though we'll update this list if anything changes.

OnePlus phones with Android Pie

OnePlus 6T

OnePlus 6

OnePlus 5T

OnePlus 5

Samsung

Samsung finally began delivering Pie updates in January  albeit with a catch. First to come, strangely, was the Galaxy S9 and S9+ for Xfinity Mobile customers exclusively on Jan. 29, followed shortly after by the T-Mobile models on Feb. 11. As far as other carriers and unlocked models are concerned, it seems users will simply have to hope for the best in February.

Hopefully around then we'll have the whereabouts of the Galaxy Note 9 and Note 8's updates as well, which were also originally pegged for a January launch. Afterwards, Samsung plans to deliver Pie on the S8 and S8+ in March, and the Tab S4 in April.

It's important to point out that the introduction of Android 9 on will also mark the beginning of One UI  the company's new interface that is designed to improve usability on modern phones with big displays. To this point, we haven't yet seen what form One UI will take on Samsung's tablets or its midrange or low-end handsets. Those devices should see Pie beginning in April, with the bulk of updates dropping over the summer and then the Galaxy Tab A series wrapping things up in October.

MORE: Samsung One UI Hands-On



Samsung phones with Android Pie

Samsung phones confirmed to get Android Pie

Galaxy Note 9

Galaxy S9+ (other carriers; unlocked)

Galaxy S9 (other carriers; unlocked)

Galaxy Note 8

Galaxy S8+

Galaxy S8

Galaxy A9 series

Galaxy A8 series

Galaxy A7 series

Galaxy J8 series

Galaxy J7 series

Galaxy Tab S4 10.5

Galaxy Tab S3 9.7

Galaxy Tab A (2017)

Galaxy Tab A 10.5

Sony

Sony Mobile has made a name for itself in recent years, often being one of the first manufacturers to update its phones to the latest versions of Android. Thankfully, that hasn't changed with the release of Android Pie. Owners of Sony's recent flagships  comprising the Xperia XZ2 and XZ1 lines  already began seeing updates way back in November. Those with lower-end Xperia XA2 handsets will have to wait until March.

Sony phones with Android Pie

Sony phones confirmed to get Android Pie

Xperia XA2 Ultra

Xperia XA2 Plus

Xperia XA2

What about the rest?

Some other neat Android phones will probably get updates too, at least according to the Android beta logs. Those include the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Oppo R15 Pro, and Vivo X21. As for Huawei, the latest version of the company's Android front end, EMUI 9, just started reaching some devices, including the Mate 10 Pro, Huawei P20 and Honor View 10, in December. EMUI 9 is built on top of Android Pie.

The bad news, as many Android users know too well, is that the emergence of a new version of Android has very little bearing on when it'll actually arrive on your phone. Google publishes a final version of the software, but it's up to device makers to package that into updates for their respective users.

That said, the situation is a little better than it used to be, thanks to an initiative dating back to the Oreo days called Project Treble. Treble separates the core Android experience Google produces with the extra features, optimizations and UI elements hardware makers typically add. That means updates can be pushed out to existing phones seamlessly, without causing chaos for manufacturers. And of course, less headaches for developers typically means less time spent waiting for updates.

Because of Treble, we expect to see Pie on more devices at a quicker pace than previous releases. In fact, we're already witnessing that happen: Essential actually started pushing its Pie update to users of its PH-1 smartphone before many Pixel owners received theirs. Additionally, the Android P Developer Beta reached handsets from Sony, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Nokia day-and-date with Google's own hardware  a first for the platform.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka live stream  how to watch the T20 World Cup game live

The South Africa vs Sri Lanka live stream is a must-win game if either of these two sides is to have a chance of making the T20 World Cup semi-finals. Here's how to watch it live.
(Image credit: Facebook)

Reuters has reported that the U.S. federal government is trying to force Facebook to break the encryption of its Messenger app in a lawsuit thats under seal. The government wants to be able to intercept Messenger voice calls in its investigations, but Facebook is reportedly contesting the governments request.

Messenger Encryption Case

Last Tuesday, the judge in the Messenger case heard the governments arguments to hold Facebook in contempt of court over the companys refusal to break the Messenger apps encryption. The government wishes to carry out a surveillance request in a case involving a criminal group of undocumented immigrants.

Facebook claimed in court that the Messenger app uses end-to-end encryption for all voice calls, which means the company itself cant intercept those calls and neither can the government. The only way for Facebook and the government to intercept those conversations would be for Facebook to cripple or remove the end-to-end encryption between all users. Alternatively, either Facebook or the government would need to hack the users devices in order to obtain the conversations that are automatically decrypted locally by the application.

Both Facebook and the U.S. government have refused to comment on this case.

Government Fights for Legal Precedent

The government seems to be attempting to create a legal precedent for forcing companies to decrypt communications, no matter what type of encryption they use. The government tried to do the same to Apple in the San Bernardino case, but eventually withdrew from that case, saying it found an alternative method to break into the encrypted phone.

If the government wins this case, then it could force Facebook to decrypt not just Messenger voice communications, but also WhatsApp chats, which, at least for now, continue to use end-to-end encryption by default. Other companies using encryption will also be impacted, potentially even providers of open source private messengers such as Signal or Riot.

U.S. politicians such as North Carolina Senator Richard Burr and California Senator Dianne Feinstein have also attempted to pass legislation that would have allowed the government to compel companies to provide decrypted communications upon request. However, this bill was swiftly criticized by security experts, so it has been put on hold for now.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill joins Politically Speaking to talk about her quest for a third term in one of the nation's most closely watched Senate contests. The Missouri Democrat was first elected to the Senate in 2006. Before that, McCaskill served as Missouri's auditor, Jackson County prosecutor and a member of the Missouri House of Representatives.
Deadly KCMO Rundown

'It's just been a tragedy of a week' Kansas City police are investigating three separate homicides the happened within a 12-hour span Sunday. Police found 36-year-old Gabriel J. Edgar on I-435 near Eastwood Trafficway around 3:45 a.m. About an hour later, police say a man was shot and killed at 9th Street and Harrison. Then, around 3 p.m.

Inner-Suburban Crime Spree

Second man charged in deadly Grandview shooting that began as argument GRANDVIEW, Mo. -- Prosecutors filed charges Monday against a second person in connection with a deadly shooting in Grandview. Steven Samson, 29, faces one count of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action in the death of 41-year-old Dennis Maurice Gordon Jr. Police found Gordon dead in the street near White Ave.

Police Want To Talk To This Golden Ghetto Hottie About Her Finances

Overland Park police seeks help identifying theft suspect The Overland Park Police Department is seeking assistance identifying a female suspect in an auto theft and criminal use of a financial card. Police said they took an auto theft report in the 9600 block of Perry on Aug. 7. The victim said she left her purse and wallet inside the vehicle.

Hottie Suburban Dude Wanted

Lenexa police asking for help to identify burglar caught on camera The Lenexa Police Department is asking for help to identify a burglar caught on camera last week. Police said this individual was caught on camera stealing from a trailer parked behind a business in the 12200 block of West 88th Street. The back of his shirt says "Hot Rod Express" which is a business in Blue Springs, Missouri.

Raytown Road Rage Pops Off

Road rage argument leads to gunfire in Raytown, two arrested Raytown, MO - A road rage argument led to gunfire outside a store on 63rd Street during the noon hour today, according to police.They say people in two cars had been arguing, and one of the people pulled out a gun and shot at the other car.

JoCo Bike Bandit Confronts Hard Time

Overland Park bank robber on bike sentenced to prison | The Kansas City Star An Overland Park bank robber who used a bicycle to make his getaway was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for the November 2017 robbery of a Capital Federal bank branch.

Desperately Seeking Info

Reward increased to $5,000 for tips leading to arrest, charges in KCK homicide cases An organization working to solve criminal cases throughout the Kansas City area is increasing the reward money for tips given in one metro city. The Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline, a program of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, has been receiving anonymous tips from the community since 1982.

Here's a collection of metro Kansas City crime links and a quick highlight of the constant Summer discourse regarding rising crime . . .There is no doubt to Ms. Temple's commitment to stop violence but it's also worth noting that a great deal of her advocacy is against gun rights and her position is funded in part and widely promoted by local law enforcement agencies.Like it or not, Kansas City metro police officials and consultants and are increasingly joining the argument against 2nd Amendment rights as local violence escalates.Accordingly, here's the rundown of today's important violence news links . . .Developing . . .
From the EditorFriday Reflections Double Agents Predatory Churchmen in the Service of Whom? Tweet



August 17, 2018

Edmond Taylor's 1963 The Fall of the Dynasties details the descent of Europe into World War I and describes various movements and counter-movements that played roles in the disintegration of Europe's dynasties and their imperial states.

One of many human players, of course, was V. I. Lenin, who had designs against the Romanov dynasty in Russia. In exile in 1912, he was permitted to park himself in Galicia, just outside Russia, with the full knowledge of the Austro-Hungarian authorities.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Austro-Hungarian counterespionage and military secret service, Alfred Redl, was a double agent working for the Russians. The Russians, to boost Redl's status in Austria, gave him the names of their own Russian spies operating in Austria so he could arrest them. Duplicity all around. The secrets Redl sold to the Russians were many. He was finally caught and committed suicide in 1913.

In Russia, the Okhrana, the political secret police, employed 20,000 officers and agents by 1914. It also used double agents within Russia to infiltrate subversive groups. But it also supported one faction over another to sow discord within groups on the right and the left. To gain credibility a double agent might assassinate someone in the very government they were allegedly protecting. Sometimes, the target was selected as someone the agent was not fond of anyway.

In 1911, Russian Prime Minister Pytor Stolypin, a respected monarchist and reform-minded moderate, was shot dead "under the eyes of the Czar during a gala performance in the opera house of Kiev." The Kiev branch of the Okhrana, however, had been warned by one of its former agents, Dimitri Bogrov, that an assassination plot was underfoot. Police "threw an impenetrable cordon around the opera house and packed it with detectives, while passes and invitation cards were subjected to expert scrutiny." Bogrov was admitted so he could brief the Okhrana chief on last-minute developments. Bogrov then "pulled out a pistol as soon as he caught sight of the Prime Minister, and shot him dead." Posing as a protector, he'd been given access to the target. Talk about treachery!

While Beelzebub does not cast out his own demons, and a house divided against itself cannot stand, in the affairs of men things are a bit more complicated. Motives are not always entirely pure among the sorts of people who become spies; petty egos, personal goals, deep grievances, sexual appetites, love of money, the thrill of deception and risk-taking, not to mention love of power and status, can all subvert pure loyalty to a single cause to which they submit their personal will.

But the war between Beelzebub and the Lord is between evil and holiness, not between two flawed states. Absolute fidelity is required.

But alas, the Church has been warned by the Lord about predatory wolves among the sheep. This warning has no expiration date, no condition set forth upon which danger of malfeasance would pass and our guards may be safely let down. In the Church, we are told, tares grow easily, sown by the Enemy. There should be no confusion about who the Enemy is and his designs on the sheep.

Treachery has been visited upon the Church by those posing as protectors of the flock. We are all members of the one Body of Christ, and when one member suffers, we all suffer.

The protectors may have had a variety of motives, even risking harm to a few lambs "for the sake of" the greater flock. (What of laying down, if not one's life, at least one's office, for the sheep?) The sheep were not made for the shepherds, but the shepherds for the sheep.

Dante looked with little compassion on those who betrayed a trust given to them. Did millstones appear in the Divine Comedy? Were they really needed? In the Gospels it is only proclaimed that a millstone around the neck would have been better than what awaits treacherous shepherds, posing as protectors, double agents of evil, who harm the Lord's little ones. Lord, have mercy.

Yours for Christ, Creed & Culture,



James M. Kushiner

Executive Director, The Fellowship of St. James

James M. Kushiner is Executive Editor of Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity, and Executive Director of The Fellowship of St. James.




Summit congratulated Member States that held elections since the last summit in August 2017, namely the Republic of Angola and the Republic of Zimbabwe, and congratulated His Excellency President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco and the Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party for winning the elections, and called upon all stakeholders in Zimbabwe to remain calm while the legal process regarding the outcome of the elections are being considered by the courts.
A total of 12 countries in southern Africa have now signed the agreement amending a regional protocol that aims to advance gender equality and equity bringing the revised document into force.

Namibia and Seychelles became the latest members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to sign the pdf Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development (92 KB) * during the just ended SADC Summit held in Windhoek, Namibia.

Other member states who have signed the agreement are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Malawi and South Africa are yet to sign the amendment.

The remaining two member states, the Union of Comoros and Mauritius, cannot sign the amendment as they are not parties to the protocol.

Comoros is a new member of SADC after having been formally admitted into SADC by the 38th SADC Summitth SADC Summit held on 17-18 August.

Mauritius is not party of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development because it is not in line with the civil code of the country, which allows children to marry below the age 18 but above 16 with parental consent.

According to Article 22 (11) of the SADC Treaty and Article 38 (3) of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, an amendment to a protocol after it has entered into force shall be adopted by a decision of three quarters of member states who are party to the protocol.

The pdf SADC Protocol on Gender and Development (1002 KB) * in Article 8 says that no person under the age of 18 shall marry.

The Revised SADC Protocol on Gender and Development provides for the empowerment of women, elimination of discrimination and the promotion of gender equality and equity through gender-responsive legislation, policies, programmes and projects.

The protocol was revised in 2016 so that its objectives are aligned to various global targets and emerging issues.

Some of these global targets are contained in the post-2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union Agenda 2063, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

SDG Goal 5, for example, deals with the Promotion of Gender Equality and Empowerment of all Women and Girls, and sets nine targets to be met by the global community by 2030.

These include ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls; elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual exploitation; elimination of all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation; and ensuring the full and effective participation of women and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

Other SDG Goal 5 targets include universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action.

In addition, the revised protocol captures emerging issues such as climate change and child marriages.

Child marriages are regarded as one of the factors contributing to the slow progress in the reduction of maternal mortality, but the definition of a child by age remains controversial.

The SADC Protocol on Gender and Development entered into force in 2013 following the ratification of the instrument by the requisite two-thirds of member states.

It was revised in 2016 and approved by the 36th SADC Summit held in Swaziland the same year.

The process of approval of a regional legal instrument requires, first, signing, and then ratification, a process that differs from country to country.

A protocol enters into force following ratification by two-thirds of SADC member states. This advances the regional law from being a stated intention to actual application. Those member states that join after a protocol has entered into force are said to accede to the protocol.

The 38th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government was held under the theme Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development.

The theme builds on the focus of the past four SADC summits that sought to advance industrial development, and takes into account the need for adequate infrastructure to support industrialisation as well as the importance of engaging the youth, who are the bulk of the SADC population.

At the summit, Namibian President Hage Geingob took over the SADC chair from his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa.

* Please note: You must be logged into the tralac website in order to download these files.
President Kagame attended the 38th Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on 17 August 2018 in Windhoek, Namibia where he delivered remarks in his capacity as the Chairperson of the African Union.

The Summit, which ran from 17-18 August, was held under the theme Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development and focused on sustainable growth through a conducive environment for industrialization processes.

In his address to SADC leaders, President Kagame highlighted that infrastructure development and free movement of persons are key to translating Africas aspirations into practical results.

The long-term prosperity and security of Africa depend on creating the conditions and environment that enable our young people to achieve their full potential right here at home. We have the ability to do more for our countries individually, but even better, collectively.

Today, more than ever, collaboration among African countries is not a choice. It is an imperative, in real terms. Our experience is that we are infinitely stronger when we face the world as a common front, united in our diversity, and yet respectful of the interests of each country, whether large or small, President Kagame said.

At the Summit, President Hage Geingob of Namibia took over the SADC Chairmanship from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.

Leaders attending the Summit included Heads of State and Government from across the SADC region, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, as well as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Dr Vera Songwe.

Formed in 1980, SADC aims to facilitate regional economic integration between Member States and within the continent. It has 16 Member States including Angola, Botswana, Comoros (since 2017), DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, the Kingdom of eSwatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Remarks by President Paul Kagame at the SADC Summit

Good morning.

I am very pleased to join you today, at this Summit. I thank you for inviting me to take part, on behalf of the African Union. I appreciate your bringing the AU and SADC closer, which indeed they should be.

Let me congratulate SADC for paying close attention to security and stability within the region and even beyond. As we all know, these are necessary conditions for the transformation we desire, and a critical part of the AU agenda.

Besides these socio-economic benefits, there are other security issues on our continent that go beyond national sovereignty, affect other nations, and call for collective action to resolve.

Wearing the hat of Chair of the AU, I wish to stress that we must meet such issues up front. It has happened before. Crises of security with cross-border implications have been settled by other countries or regional groupings. After all, we are all connected. And we all know too well that there are matters that we cannot just wish away but we have to face them directly and find the right remedies for them.

SADC has accomplished this task in the past in handling political and security issues in Lesotho and Madagascar, and recently in the Comoros.

You will be called upon to do the same again, where similar action is required, as indeed was the case in Zimbabwe in the recent past.

We can all be pleased that SADC and the AU accompanied the political process in Zimbabwe, and now matters are in the right direction and in the final stages in being resolved before the courts of law.

SADC has a similar role to play in DRC. We applaud the latest developments there, showing respect for the Constitution and the Agreement of December 2016. This is an important step, and others are hoped for as agreed by the people of this great country, You can count on the AU as a partner if you need support.

Excellencies, distinguished audience;

The theme of the Summit could not be more pertinent, to Africas transformation agenda.

Infrastructure development, as well as the free movement of persons, are key to translating our aspirations, into practical results for our citizens.

Equally, the long-term prospects or prosperity and security of Africa, depend on creating the conditions and environment that enable our young people, to achieve their full potential, right here at home.

We have the ability to do more for our countries individually, but even better, together.

Today, more than ever, collaboration among African countries is not a choice. It is an imperative, in real terms.

It is precisely because we recognise the necessity and advantage, of going beyond the borders of our respective countries, that we have joined forces through Regional Economic Communities, and the African Union.

Domestic priorities are, of course, important, and can never be disregarded. Those needs, are what brings us together, in the first place.

We must find a way of taking care of our home front, while also building our regional economic communities.

In the end we all gain. Our experience, is that we are infinitely stronger, when we face the world, as a common front, united in our diversity, and yet respectful of the interests of each country, whether large or small.

We have to keep that big picture in focus. We must also continually strive, to ensure that our actions, are always fully aligned with our ideals of African unity.

Just as important, while our stated commitments may be clear, we need to do more to match them with results.

Attitudes that weaken mutual trust, saying one thing and acting to the contrary, and antagonising neighbours, can only slow us down. Nobody gains, instead, we end up advancing the external interests, who benefit from a divided Africa.

Southern Africa has a long tradition of solidarity, born of the struggle for freedom, and sustained today, as a catalyst for progress.

This region has been a source of inspiration, for Africa as a whole. We must continue to build on that tradition, and expand it beyond SADC, across the continent.

Indeed, the Southern African Development Communitys industrialisation strategy clearly recognises that free trade facilitates export diversification, competitiveness, and inclusive growth.

We are also on the move, as a continent.

In the years ahead, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, will significantly increase the level of trade among African nations, while strengthening our negotiating position, globally.

I would also like to take this opportunity, to thank the Heads of State and Government gathered here, for the growing support and engagement, given to the institutional and financial reform, of the African Union.

Issues raised by individual Member States, continue to be addressed in a flexible and consultative manner.

This irreversible process, is critically important, for our ability to deliver on the key pillars of Agenda 2063, the Africa we want and deserve.

Let me thank you, once again, for the kind invitation to participate in this Summit.

I wish you fruitful deliberations, and I thank you for your kind attention.
You are here: World

 Flash

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss issue of Iran.

According to statement from Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu discussed with Bolton "Iran's aggression in the region and to make sure that they never have nuclear weapons."

Bolton echoed Israel's accusation, saying that "Iran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are right at the top of the list."

The hawkish adviser has called for the cancellation of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, from which the U.S. backed out earlier this year.

Bolton will also visit Ukraine and Geneva, where he will meet Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.




TOURISM EXPO



(TRAVPR.COM) KARNATAKA - August 18th, 2018 - The 13th Edition Holiday Expo 2018 Tourism and Travel Show was once again a resounding success.

Vadodara will be hosting the 13th edition of Holiday Expo, a travel trade exhibition providing B2B and B2C visitors an inroad to striking new destinations. Building on the success of the previous editions, team Holiday Expo is all prepared and enthusiastic about creating a cutting edge and bespoke platform for new participants as well as taking their loyal partners to a whole new level of business networking and client acquisition. The Exhibition will commence in Vadodara followed by Nagpur, Varanasi, Vishakhapatnam and conclude its 2018-19 journey in Coimbatore

The aim of the event is to reach out to the travel professionals in Tier II and III cities and explore the potential of these cities. Holiday Expo 2018 Vadodara is perfect for the upcoming holiday season in India, Dussehra (Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, Dussehra or Dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every year) & Deepavali, long weekends as well as round-the-year travel, vacations and business plans. The exhibition would be open between 11 am and 7.00 pm during the three days. Entry is free.

The three-day event will showcase glimpses from the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

This exhibition places a special emphasis on promoting adventure, pilgrimage, beach holidays, hill destinations, honeymoon plans, business trips and medical tourism. The exhibition offers the unique experience of presenting specially crafted travel, tour and holiday packages and good bargains from leading hotels, resorts, travel agents, tour operators from India and abroad. It is scheduled from 17  19 Aug, 2018 (Friday to Sunday) from 11 AM - 7 .00 PM at the Kabir Banquets & Convention, Sevasi-Bhimpura Road, Vadodara, Gujarat.

Vadodara is one of the regions biggest travel market. Many State Tourism Departments, hoteliers, travel agents and tour organizers, AP Industrial & Tourism Development Corporation Ltd., AP Tourism, Gujarat Tourism, Himachal Pradesh Tourism, Jharkhand Tourism, West Bengal Tourism, Cox & Kings, Atlantic Tourism, East Bourne Hotels & Resorts, Suryavilas Luxury Resort & Spa, Country Inn Group of Hotels, Spiceland Holidays, Kridha Residency, Vrindavan and many more from India and abroad are always actively promoting their destinations from Chandigarh and Punjab.

Holiday Expo owes its success to an attempt at pacifying the citys quest for travel and adventure. The countrys top domestic and international travel operators and hotels are participating under one roof to cater to the needs of todays discerning traveller. It is a great platform and a perfect time to allow a direct interaction between customers, travel industry and hotels.

With the kind of stressful lives that we lead, a person tends to look for refreshing holidays and unique travel destinations to unwind. To simplify this need, we have Holiday Expo - Kovai annually wherein the customers get specially designed packages and great deals with innumerable choices. The constant support and eager interest from the travel industry makes it successful year after year. So, if you are planning your dream holiday, visit our exhibition, said Dilip Biswas, Director, Holiday expo.

We understand the need to promote the Tier II & III cities in tourism. There is a unique blend of hassle-free travel packages, he added. Considering the fact that the buying capacity of people has considerably grown, events like these are a must. Holiday Expo-Kovai caters to the needs of everybody in terms of vacations, weekend getaways, family holidays, honeymooners, business trips, MICE, adventure, wildlife, desert safari and pilgrimage tourism.

Biswas added, The basic purpose of holding this event is to boost tourism awareness worldwide. We believe that the inflow of domestic and outbound tourists will increase in the coming months and Kovai will play a vital role in the promotion of Tourism. Our main aim is to promote tourism potential and spread awareness among the people.

The exhibition will not only benefit the residents of Vadodara but also nearby cities like Surath, Mumbai, Ahmedabad,Rajkot , Indore, Nashik, and other parts of Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan and UP. Now everyone chooses from a variety of attractive packages and deals under one roof. This event will also greatly benefit corporates for their group bookings and conferences; they will also get detailed information on how to choose the perfect and affordable price for favourite destinations across the world.

The opening hour of the exhibition is between 11 am -7.00 pm. Entry is open to all.

Highlights:

 Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh are the Partner States

 Rajasthan, & Jharkhand are the Focus States for the event

 Other participants are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi, Goa, etc.

 Delegations from, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat are wooing the Vadodara market for the upcoming Dussehra (Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, Dussehra or Dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every year) & Deepavali, long weekends as well as round-the-year travel, vacations and business plans.

 Private participants include Cox & Kings, Makemytrip, Spiceland Holidays, etc.

 Packages to more than 100 destinations in India and abroad.

 Entry to the Exhibition is free.

Visitor Profile:

 Visitors from the travel trade industry

 Business Travellers

 Holiday makers

 Key Corporate Decision makers

 Potential investors in the fields of Hospitality, Leisure and Travel industry

Medium sized Indian cities like Coimbatore have emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for quality leisure products and 'Holiday Expo 2018' is just the perfect Travel Exhibition to reach out to this very market, thus ensuring your product profits to its optimum potential.

At a time when India is gaining immense ground in the international travel market as a travel destination and more and more Indians are travelling overseas for not just business but leisure as well, Holiday Expo garners a lot of significance. It has become a new marketing horizon for sellers from the travel and tourism industry.



The participating companies will represent National Tourism Organizations & State Tourism Promotion Boards, Destination Management Organizations, airlines, charters, railways, passenger transporters and car rentals, shipping, cruise liners, travel agents and tour operators, holiday packages and holiday financiers, technology providers, hotel reservation networks, hotels & resorts, wildlife resorts, health spas and Ayurvedic Centres, timeshare resorts, ecoclubs and adventure sports, educational institutions in the field of hospitality and tourism studies.

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Tropical Sails Corp announces and new tour to La Serena Chile for the July 2, 2019 Total Solar Eclispe



(TRAVPR.COM) ARIZONA - August 20th, 2018 - Tropical Sails Corp, a longtime leader in solar eclipse travel is offering a new short tour to Chile for the July 2, 2019 Total Solar Eclipse. On this day a total solar eclipse will cross the Pacific Ocean and peter out in Argentina before sunset.

A new 5-day 4-night tour is being offered by Tropical Sails Corp. It will feature the wines of Chile near Vina del Mar, the Total Solar Eclipse in La Serena and Santiago, Chile. There is an option to extend you visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Iguazu Falls for 6-days, 5 nights. The tour begins in Santiago and visits Vina del Mar, La Serena, Vina del Mar and ends in Santiago.

"Seeing a total solar eclipse is like seeing the face of God," that is the way one of Tropical Sails Corp clients described it according to Daniel Oppliger, President and Owner of Tropical Sails Corp. "We have many return clients over the years. Eclipses produce an excitement that is hard to find elsewhere in nature."

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes in front of the sun. Totality will last just over 2 minutes. At this time the moon will hang a black dot surrounded by the sun's corona. "The effect is phenomenal" according to Oppliger, most people don't realize the sun has an atmosphere. During totality you can see it.

La Serena, Chile sits on the Pacific Coast just south of the centerline of the eclipse. The closer you are to the centerline, the longer totality lasts. Eclipse viewing will be slightly inland and at a small gain in elevation. This, according to Oppliger, increases probabilities of observing the eclipse and not being affected by coastal clouds. Probabilities of seeing the eclipse are in 80 plus percent range according to historical weather figures.

The Chile package for four nights begins at a reasonable $1595 pp. There are four and five star hotel options. The Argentina Iguazu extension is $995 pp double occupancy. The tour dates are June 30-July 4, 2019. The tour to Argentina runs July 4- July 9.

Contact Tropical Sails Corp for details and to book your solar eclipse experience. 800-595-1003 or 623-444-8195 or visit tropicalsails.com.

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These little stacks of stones might be fun to build, but their proliferation around the globe is turning into a real problem.

An invasive species has appeared on remote beaches, hiking trails, hilltops, and lookouts all around the world. Inanimate, made of local materials, and fairly easy to dismantle, it might not seem like a problem at first glance, but in reality it is. I am referring to a simple stack of stones, also known as an 'inukshuk' when in human-like form.

Stacking stones and leaving them for others to see is nothing new. These structures have been around for millennia, used by ancient people to mark trails, favorite fishing holes and hunting grounds, and places of spiritual importance. What has changed, though, is the sheer number of tourists gaining access to previously inaccessible locations and wanting to leave their mark with similar stacks of stones for strictly aesthetic reasons. Park workers at Killarney in Ontario, Canada, have dismantled up to 30 in a single day. Patrick Barkham, in The Guardian, has referred to the "almost industrial scale of this new age of stone-stacking". He wrote:

"Adventure tourism and social media have created a perfect storm of stones. Cruise ships decant hundreds of visitors on to once remote islands such as Orkney, the Faroes or Iceland, each passenger burning with a creative desire to memorialize their sightseeing on Instagram."

And memorialize it they do, with an irritating reminder to every subsequent visitor that others have been there and enjoyed the view, until the stack finally gets knocked down. While most of us realize that we're treading on previously discovered territory, it is not something that we want to be reminded of all the time. That's part of the reason why we escape into wilderness, and stacks of stones undermine that sense of getting away. In Barkham's words,

"A forest of stacked stones destroys all sense of the wild. Stacks are an intrusion, enforcing our presence on others long after our departure. Its an offence against the first and most important rule of wild adventuring: leave no trace."



There are other reasons why obsessive stone-stacking is not a good idea. It can destroy wildlife habitats that you may not even be aware of. From an article in Wide Open Spaces, shared by the UK's Blue Planet Society,

"Everything from aquatic plants to micro-organisms are attached to those rocks. They also create habitat for crustaceans and nymphs. Crevices in the rocks hold eggs in salmon redds to be fertilized, supporting those eggs until they grow into fry and begin feeding off the very critters that were hatching off of and crawling around those same rocks. You could be lifting the roof off the home of a crawfish, or disturbing the cradle for the future generations of already dwindling salmon runs. Removing rocks from fragile stream habitats is essentially the equivalent to removing bricks from someone elses home while raiding their refrigerator and food pantry."



Stacking stones dismantles historic sites, which has been a real problem at neolithic Stone's Hill in Cornwall, to the point where the overseeing organization, Historic England, has said stone-stackers could face jail time. Canadian provincial park officials point out that rearranging stones can harm archaeologically significant quarry sites.

Finally, it creates confusion about which stacks are authentic trail-markers. The superintendent of Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, told The Globe and Mail nearly a decade ago that "the proliferation of inukshuks built by well-meaning but clueless people threatens to lead hikers astray."

The bottom line is, it's always better to leave a wild place untouched. Unless governments take up Barkham's suggestion and designate specific places for stone-stacking, it's best to quell the urge or choose a spot that will be flooded at high tide, to wash away the traces of your creative work.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 20

Indias diamond exports to the US are under threat after that countrys Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced last month that there would henceforth be no distinction between natural and man-made sparklers.

The FTC had originally defined a diamond as a natural mineral consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallised in the isometric system. The definition has now been modified with the word natural removed from it. The FTC went on to say that the definition of a diamond was being changed because it was now possible to create diamonds in a laboratory.

These stones have essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as mined diamonds. Thus, these are diamonds, FTCs statement said.

Lab-grown diamonds or American diamonds, as they are called, are expected to receive a big boost since the US is one of the biggest markets in the world for smaller diamonds.

According to diamond traders here, lab-grown diamonds are almost 40% cheaper than those that are mined from the bowels of the earth. It is felt that continuing technological advances in the field will bring down the price of lab-grown diamonds even further in the coming years.

India, which exported $8 billion worth of polished diamonds to the US in 2017, is worried. We have already been reaching out to different industry bodies and stakeholders to help fashion a common global response, Sabyasachi Ray, executive director, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, said.

The countrys apex body of gem and jewellery exporters went on to say that it was not opposed to, what it called, synthetic or lab-grown diamonds. We have always maintained that it can be developed as a separate vertical that is not confused with the natural diamond pipeline, Ray added.

American stones 40% cheaper

Lab-grown diamonds or American diamonds, as they are called, are expected to receive a big boost since the US is one of the biggest markets in the world for smaller diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are almost 40% cheaper than those that are mined from the bowels of the earth

It is felt that continuing technological advances in the field will bring down the price of lab-grown diamonds even further in the coming years

.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Neeraj Bagga/Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Amritsar/Chandigarh, Aug 20

A sharp increase in the price of Merino wool imported from Australia has put pressure on domestic woollen industry, particularly shawl manufacturers, knitwear units, manufacturers of suitings, shirtings and woollen garments. Punjab is the main cluster of Indias woollen units, followed by Haryana and Rajasthan.

Prices of raw Merino wool imported from Australia have risen between 30% and 200% depending on microns in the past 7-8 months, experts in the textile industry said.

The price volatility of raw material would impact the units in the upcoming winter season. As a result, prices of shawls, pullovers, coats and other woollen garments would be increased in the ensuing winter season. Exporters will, however, face the heat due to their export commitments at negotiated rate. Exporters fix rates with buyers much in advance.

According to insiders, to cut costs, some players may opt for man-made fibres like acrylic and polyester blend. The raw wool which was available at Rs 1,200 per kg around 7-8 months ago is now costing Rs 1,600 per kg, industry sources said.

India is one of the major importers of the Merino wool from Australia after China. The increase in price because of heavy buying from China would hurt the Indian exporters. The exports have already come down as the manufacturers are facing tough competition from Italy and Turkey, Tirupati Balaji Exim Pvt Ltd Director Rahat Thapar said.

The increase in prices of raw material also casts its shadow over the Rs 3,000-crore Punjab shawl industry, mainly concentrated in Ludhiana and Amritsar. The other shawl industry centres are Jammu & Kashmir, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh and in the North-East.

Shawl Club of India general secretary Piara Lal Seth said, We would be left with no option but to increase the prices which could be around 20-25%.

Punjab accounts for 35% of the total exports of wool and wool-blended products, followed by Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The slowdown in global demand has affected medium-sized manufacturers in Ludhiana and Amritsar. Indias main export markets include the US, European Union and the UAE.

There are some manufacturers who have de-risked themselves from the volatility through advance purchase. Sandeep Jain, Executive Director, Monte Carlo, said his company would not be impacted as the order has already been executed. The increase in prices will impact the next year orders which would commence in April, he added.

Ludhiana caters to almost 90% of the domestic demand for winter garments.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 20

India's diamond exports to the United States of America is under threat after that country's Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced last month that there would henceforth be no distinction between natural and man-made sparklers.

The FTC had originally defined a diamond as a natural mineral consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallized in the isometric system. The definition has now been modified with the word natural removed from it. The FTC went on to say that the definition of a diamond was being changed because it was now possible to create diamonds in a laboratory.

These stones have essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as mined diamonds. Thus, they are diamonds," FTC's statement said. Lab-grown diamonds or American diamonds, as they are called, are expected to receive a big boost since the US is one of the biggest markets in the world for smaller diamonds.

According to diamond traders here lab-grown diamonds are almost 40 per cent cheaper than those mined from the bowels of the earth. It is felt that continuing technological advances in the field will bring down the price of lab-grown diamonds even more in the coming years.

India, which exported $8 billion worth of polished diamonds to the US in 2017, is worried. "We are already been reaching out to different industry bodies and stakeholders to help fashion a common global response, Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council said in a statement here last week.

The country's apex body of gem and jewellery exporters went on to say that it was not opposed to synthetic or lab-grown diamonds. We have always maintained that it can be developed as a separate vertical that is not confused with the natural diamond pipeline, Ray added.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Sunday met with Puan Maharani, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Sun, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended warm congratulations to the successful opening of the 18th Asian Games and expressed condolences over the strong earthquake occurred in the country's island of Lombok.

This year is the fifth anniversary of the establishment of China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, she said, adding that with the guidance of the two countries' leaders, China-Indonesia relations have achieved rapid development by actively aligning their development strategies and fully promoting mutually-beneficial and practical cooperation.

Citing the complicated and sensitive global political and economic situations, Sun said China and Indonesia actively take responsibilities as major countries and maintain communication and coordination on regional and global affairs to jointly promote peace, stability and development in regions as well as the world.

Sun said people-to-people exchanges serve as the bond and bridge in enhancing the two peoples' friendship and mutual trust. China is willing to work with Indonesia to deepen cooperation in people-to-people exchanges to help the development of China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, she noted.

The two countries should consolidate cooperation in education, especially in such fields as higher and professional education and training of skills, she suggested, adding that China and Indonesia should also push forward cultural exchanges and promote cooperation in sports.

Sun said the two countries need to work together to expand cooperation in tourism industry to boost personnel exchanges and strengthen cooperation in tourism security to avoid serious accidents.

She also called for closer communications among the two countries' youths, saying that China welcomes more young people from Indonesia to visit to and study in China.

In addition, China and Indonesia should enhance cooperation in sanitation sector and promote cooperation in such areas as public health, overall health, training and health education.

For her part, Puan Maharani welcomed Sun attended the opening ceremony of the Jakarta Asiad as President Xi's special envoy and thanked China's support and the importance it attached to the sport event.

The Indonesian government and people thanked China's valuable assistance after the strong earthquake hit the Lombok Island, she said, adding that it showcased the friend relationship and profound friendship between the two peoples.

The Indonesian side pays great attention to Sun's proposals on the two countries' people-to-people exchanges and looks forward to working with China to further push forward China-Indonesia cooperation in education, science and technology, culture, sanitation and sports, so as to promote the development of bilateral ties and bring tangible benefits to the two peoples, she said.
Aryan Khan case: NCB trying to get into media by targeting Bollywood, says lawyer representing Sushant Singh Rajputs family

The NCB is trying to get the spotlight on them, he says
editorial@tribune.com

Unchecked and haphazard construction largely takes place in rural areas of Chandigarh. The rural character of Chandigarh villages has been lost for long due to the construction of guest houses and hotels. A wide range of commercial activities have been initiated in the villages in the past couple of decades. In the villages, construction activities are not being regulated by building bylaws. Surveys should be conducted to identify unsafe buildings.

Renu Rajinder Pal Singh

Norms given go-by

It is a matter of concern that building bylaws are not being followed in rural areas of Chandigarh. Many multi-storey houses have been constructed without adhering to safety norms. Some buildings are in a dilapidated condition, posing a threat to residents. Teams should be constituted to identify dangerous buildings in rural areas.

RPS Chopra

Demolish nexus between officials, violators

It is on record that city residents have made need-based changes on their properties. Violations are continuing in connivance with officials. The authorities too have opted for a pick-and-choose policy while taking action against the violators. In villages or colonies, there appears to be no mechanism for getting the building plan approved. Owners, masons or builders act as architects to decide the type of construction. These violations can be stopped if building bylaws are properly implemented by demolishing the nexus between officials and the violators. The pick-and-choose policy has to be renounced.

AS Ahuja

Proper scrutiny needed

The roof collapse at Burail village recently shows the sorry state of affairs. Contractors are playing with the lives of people by ignoring safety norms. UT Administration should take strict action against the violators. The defaulters should pay the price for the loss. At the time of approval, there should be scrutiny of each and every aspect of a project. Surprise checks should be carried out during the construction of a building. The supply of construction material should be monitored.

Rashi Srivastava

Hold officials accountable

For injuries to people due to roof collapse of a building at Burail, the owner and officials in the UT engineering wing should be held responsible. The officials failed to monitor the construction of the building in blatant disregard for safety norms. The Chandigarh Administration should constitute teams for the inspection of building in rural areas and within the city. Officials should be held accountable for any such incident.

SS Arora

Change building bylaws

It was deplorable that four persons were injured after a roof collapsed in a UT village recently. Owing a building is a major investment. Several factors come into play to ensure safety. Special emphasis should be given to the safety aspect. Changes in building bylaws to check illegal construction in UT villages is

a must. There is also a need to spread awareness about safety norms among the buyers. The nexus between contractors and officials should be demolished.

Vidya Sagar Garg

Gather information about buildings

Multi-storey buildings are being constructed in rural areas of Chandigarh in blatant disregard for building bylaws. The UT Administration should pull up socks to prevent such violations. For this, building bylaws should be implemented in rural areas. Drones can be used to gather information about properties in rural areas. If required, the GPS technology can be availed to earmark all rural properties with covered area. Give some time to residents to get their building plans approved by the competent authority. Conduct surprise checks to curb illegal construction and impose fine on violators.

Dr Rajeev Kumar

Demolish unsafe structures

Many buildings in villages and in the city are dangerous. Upper floors have been raised without strengthening the base of the buildings. The Administration should identify such buildings and get these vacated for immediate demolition. The occupants should be shifted to safer places.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

Penalise offenders

I fail to understand what the authorities do at the time of the construction of a building. They ignore the violation of safety norms. Violators should be penalised immediately. The main problem is that rules are not being implemented properly. Need-based changes should not be carried out without permission.

Tarlok Singh

Go for regular checks

The Chandigarh Administration should be strict with offenders. Inspect buildings frequently to prevent any mishap. A drive should be launched to identify unsafe buildings. Unsafe structures should be sealed immediately to prevent the loss of life.

Gurjinder Singh Thuha

Officials to blame

A recent building collapse in Sector 45 is unfortunate and does not augur well for the Smart City image of the city. These days, big buildings have come up in UT villages. Officials concerned know the loopholes. They either fill their pockets or shut their eyes.

Vinod Shetty

Take help of technology

A mobile app can help keep track of illegal construction activities. Through this app, residents can complain about any illegal construction activity they witness to the land acquisition officer or patwari, who can take appropriate steps to prevent the violation of building bylaws. This will certainly ensure that people follow the building norms.

Priya Darsh Growar

Need stringent laws

The National Building Code of India provides guidelines for the regulation of construction activities across the country. On the same pattern, building bylaws should be framed under the supervision of an architect and experts to ensure the safety of residents. Those who renovate their buildings without permission should bear the brunt.

Harish Kapur

Act against defaulters

Many residents have gone for illegal constructions in blatant disregard for building bylaws. The UT Administration should form teams to inspect all such structures and demolish these, if need be. Defaulters should be penalised so that safety of inhabitants is ensured. If illegal construction activities go unchecked, the city will turn into an organised slum.

KC Rana

Wake-up call for authorities

The roof collapse in Burail recently must act as an eye- opener for those living in populated areas. Often, with ample funds in hand, house owners go for vertical expansion of their houses, without knowing or even bothering about the weak foundation. It is here that the role of all officials comes into play. They must be punished for letting such violations take place. The mishap at Burail must act as a wake-up call for the civic authorities.

SC Luthra

QUESTION

A brief spell of rain last week threw life out of gear in the tricity. While vehicles were stuck in the middle of roads in the city due to the accumulation of rainwater, the situation in Panchkula and Mohali was no different. The claims of having made all necessary arrangements for the rainy season by the civic bodies of the tricity fell flat. As waterlogging has become a perennial problem, what should be done to tackle it? Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 20

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has told the NIA Special Court here that it is Pakistan, which is not responding to arranging 13 Pakistani witnesses in the Samjhauta blasts case.

We have been trying tirelessly for service of summons and appearance of these 13 Pakistani witnesses before the Learned Court, Panchkula, (NIA Special Court) for the past one-and-a-half-year. However, there is no response received either from the Pakistan Government or from the witnesses, said the NIA in a status report filed on August 17.

The blasts in Samjhauta train took place on February 18, 2007, in which 68 people were killed. Most of the victims were Pakistanis.

When the NIA Special Court had issued summons for the first time on March 20, 2017, the Pakistan Government was approached through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the High Commission of India, Islamabad.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan returned them stating, The enclosures may be returned to the sending authorities in India with the observation to indicate basis of their request and send the summons at least four months before the date of hearing to avoid any inconvenience.

On July 4, 2017, the NIA Special Court issued the summons for the second time asking the witnesses to appear on November 27, 28 and 29, 2017. The Pakistan Government was approached through the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

This time, neither any Pakistani witness appeared before this Learned Court nor any information received from Pakistan, the NIA told the court.

The NIA approached the MHA on January 24 this year to get the status of the Pakistani witnesses so that the NIA Special Court could be apprised.

However, the NIA did not get any communication from any of the witnesses/Pakistan Government, said the status report.

The summons were issued for the third time on April 9 and the date for the appearance was fixed for August 3 and 4. Considering the advance stage of the trial, the court asked the NIA to expedite and ensure the service of summons and also appearance of the witnesses on the scheduled dates.

This time, the NIA issued reminders to the MHA, but the reply came on May 29 and then on July 17 that the summons were formally forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan, and there has been no response from their side so far.

These Pakistan nationals were either travelling on the train on the fateful day or are relatives of the blasts victims. Some of them had received bodies of their relatives.

There are 4 people who are undertrial in the case - Aseemanand and alleged bomb planters Kamal Chauhan, Rajinder Chaudhary and Lokesh Sharma.

A number of prosecution witnesses have turned hostile in the case so far. Apart from the Pakistani witnesses, the investigating officer is only left as prosecution witness in the case. After that, defence evidence will start.

The NIA has now requested the court for issuing summons for the fourth time. The next date of hearing is August 31. The case has been pending since 2011 in the trial court.
Lt-Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Lt-Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir

Going by the reactions to Navjot Sidhu's visit to Islamabad for Prime Minister Imran Khan's inauguration, there appears no stomach in India for any initiative to recommence any kind of peace process with Pakistan. The visit was but a diversion and insufficiently important to merit serious comment but did hold significance as an indicator of sentiment in India for its western neighbour.

There has recently been an array of assessments on India-Pakistan relations meandering between giving Imran a chance to grow on his job and seek peace, and outright condemnation based upon his initial utterances, change of persona which is now much more Islamist and his kowtowing with the Generals to achieve his life's ambition. Post inauguration, he has given much emphasis in his address to the mismatch of layers within the Pakistani society.

In the context of India-Pakistan relations, no one expects any major change or initiative immediately under Imran and neither should one. Given the controlled freedom of action he exercises, he will not be permitted the independence to bring about change. Analysts have been elusive about what could lie in store for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). If anything at all, the number of attempted infiltration attempts at the LoC in the last three weeks should give us a line of thinking on what the Deep State may well brief Imran Khan about.

From Gurez to Tangdhar and Lipa, attempts at pushing in terrorists appear to have taken the priority even as south of Pir Panjal is relatively quiet. The strength of terrorists is not really a challenge because the resources from local recruitment continue to be available, albeit the fact that this is limited to South Kashmir. The ability to drive Pakistan's agenda is not as well served by the local content as it is by the foreign (read Pakistani) terrorists (FTs).

The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which has been relatively quiet during the election period in Pakistan, is known to have been expanding its Bahawalpur facility. It is well known that for every unsuccessful infiltration, there are at least one or two successful ones. Thus, with recent efforts, and what could be lined up in the immediate future, the strength of FTs is likely to go up, primarily in North Kashmir. Even as Pakistan continues to struggle domestically, the inexpensive calibration of the situation in the Kashmir Valley is likely to persist.

The prime rationale for this can be reasonably assessed.

Firstly, the finances for the Kashmir campaign never did come out of legitimate funds; it is well known how the separatist and terror-based industry functions on illegitimate funding hardly affecting Pakistan's economy.

Second, the Pakistan army does feel that the situation in Kashmir is not yet disadvantageous to its aims. It needs to retain the energy to continue the calibration and do it quietly.

Third, and linked to the second, is the probable belief that with Governor's rule, the focus of the authorities in the Valley has shifted to development and with no political compulsions to divert attention, the administration is likely to satisfy the needs of the people to a far greater degree. That situation is detrimental to Pakistani and separatist interests.

With a relative decline in large-scale terror activity and street turbulence, the infusion of FTs is intended to re-energise the grid. In Kashmir, it is not just the importance of terrorist strength but also the requirement of appropriate leadership which is necessary. The citadel for this leadership lies in the Sopore-Handwara belt extending to Sumbal and Hajan which appear uncharacteristically quiet, indicating the success the security forces have been able to gain. Resurgence here and in the layback areas of Rafiabad and Rajwar will indicate the success of infiltration if it does get the better of the very strong dragnet at the LoC.

The fact that the Pakistan army decided to breach the ceasefire in Tangdhar of all places does indicate the level of desperation to revive North Kashmir before it gets too late. It risked drawing response in Nilam Valley, its Achilles' heel. The Indian Army's LoC troops have innovated well to restrain themselves and yet deliver some telling blows to their adversary without crossing the LoC.

With a level of urgency to reactivate north Kashmir by the deep state, the authorities will need to balance their strategy and not make the mistake of prioritising between the north and the south. Both are equally important.

The three issues in the security sphere which must receive their undivided attention are recruitment, infiltration and terrorist leadership. The Amarnath Yatra with all its significance has drawn away intelligence and security resources. Now the panchayat and municipality polls will continue diverting resources and attention; this is the window that Pakistan's Deep State would be eyeing with glee. The Army's additional resources which have been available for the Amarnath Yatra would, in all probability, remain available for the polls coming up two weeks later. However, these should be retained till the end of the year and the arrival of snow, for appropriate deployment as per the Unified Command's assessment, while keeping the three issues in focus.

The successful conduct of the municipal and panchayat polls must be followed by empowerment. The last panchayat polls of 2011 were wasted despite the immense enthusiasm displayed by the people. Neglect in doing it this time will only result in more dismay and loss of confidence in the state.

The duration of Governor's rule is a bonanza for the state as far as pending issues of the administration are concerned but it is also a period to make amends on the political front. Grassroot political activity, so characteristically missing in the Valley and other terror-hit areas, needs to revive along with field visits of government officials. The security situation has always been a ready excuse for the lack of such activity beyond district and tehsil dak bungalows. The administration will surprise itself with the enthusiasm that the people will display once politicians and officials can relate to people more effectively. However, in doing so, a part of the security resources will get divested from other priority tasks. It is the balancing act with the limited security resources which will dictate success in the immediate future in the Valley. Thinking beyond that may at present be a little futile.
Vivek Katju

Vivek Katju

Ex-secretary, Ministry of External Affairs

On August 21, 2017, President Trump enunciated his Afghanistan and South Asia policy. One year on, it lies in tatters. Its basic objective of bringing a semblance of normalcy to Afghanistan lies unmet. With that, beginning an end to Americas longest war remains a distant prospect. What has gone wrong?

Afghanistans continuing turmoil can be cumulatively attributed to many factors but the main reason is its possession of havens and sanctuaries in Pakistan. It has had unimpeded access to these secure places beyond the reach of the Afghan security forces. On its part, the US has chosen all through these years, and at the cost of over 2,500 military fatalities, not to cross the Durand Line to take out Taliban bases. It has relied on cajoling Pakistan to persuade the Taliban to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with the Afghan government. Till now, the Taliban has not shown a real willingness to do so despite some tentative attempts on its part to show a new and softer face to Afghan civilians. In fact, the Taliban has steadfastly focused on armed and terrorist action instead of efforts at peace-making.

The essential new elements in Trumps policy were the absence of putting a timeline on troop withdrawal, publicly calling on Pakistan to close the Taliban havens or risk Americas wrath, and an open, if ungracious, signal to India to increase its economic involvement in Afghanistan. All this initially shook Pakistan for it had become used to Americas soft persuasions backed by financial assistance to bring the Taliban to the path of reconciliation. Pakistans concerns increased when US officials signalled that its duplicity  simultaneously sharing intelligence on the Taliban and warning them  would no longer be tolerated. It seemed not only to Pakistan, but also outside observers that Trumps policy marked a decisive break from earlier approaches, in that it had identified that Pakistan held the key to Afghanistans peace and stability and its willingness to do what was necessary to make it desist from continuing to destabilise its western neighbour.

Without making any changes on the ground, Pakistan engaged US officials to complain of terrorist attacks from the Pakistan Taliban holed up in the ungoverned areas of Afghanistan. It also softened up to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, whose outreach it had spurned leading to his sharp criticism of Pakistani interference in his countrys affairs. Eager to see the infrastructure of Taliban support wound up in Pakistan, the Americans initially were not taken in. This New Years Day, Trump tweeted, The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the past 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! A stronger threat cannot be imagined.

Publicly, Pakistan rejected the charges. It pointed to its cooperation in giving land and air access, military bases and intelligence cooperation. However, in order to rule out any possibility of effective American action on the ground, it privately decided to step up its engagement with the Afghanistan government. It also decided not to impede behind the scenes contact between the Taliban and Kabul, while ensuring that the Taliban armed and terrorist actions would strongly go on. Pakistan contends that the Taliban takes its own decisions and is not under its control. It also argues that it has enjoyed wide support in Afghanistan. That it has adherents, especially among the Pashtuns, is a fact. It now has links in Iran and contacts with Russia and China, but the truth is also that without Pakistani cover it could not have became the potent force it became.

Over the past months, American officials have been in constant contact with Pakistan to ensure that the project to push the Taliban towards negotiations moves ahead. While economic pressure is being maintained through the FATF and the IMF and American links with the army are allowed to sag a bit, America has really abandoned coercion and is only seeking to persuade Pakistan. Even Trump is now mute on Pakistan. On its part, Pakistan is taking American economic garrotting in its stride. It has the Chinese and the traditional options to strengthen its foreign exchange reserves. It also knows that the possession of nuclear weapons ensures that the international community has a stake in its stability.

An elaborate Afghanistan-Pakistan dialogue structure has been set up under the Afghan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). The armies of the two countries are in contact, as are the intelligence agencies, both being the principal players in the bilateral equation. Acrimonious rhetoric is being shunned and claims of brotherhood are being made. The Taliban ceasefire over Eid-ul-Fitr is being proclaimed as a sign of it and Pakistan moving in the right direction. There is a possibility of another brief ceasefire on Bakr-eid. It is also being said the Taliban is showing flexibility by not insisting that the withdrawal of foreign troops is a condition precedent for peace but is now willing to allow their gradual withdrawal. The current round of terrorist attacks is being attributed to its desire to shore up its position prior to peace talks!

It is futile to think that the ongoing contacts have shored up the possibilities of peace and stability in Afghanistan. That will remain elusive even if Pakistan allows the Taliban to begin some open contacts with the Afghan authorities. Only if the US is willing to take all measures, including ground action across the Durand Line, to make Pakistan change its Afghan policy will it allow the Afghan nightmare to begin to end.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Houston, August 20

A former Indian American doctor from Texas who was convicted of raping a sedated patient will not face prison time.

Shafeeq Sheikh, 46, a former physician at Baylor College of Medicine, was sentenced to 10 years of probation on Friday and will have to register as a sex offender.

Jurors convicted Sheikh of second-degree sexual assault after a trial that ended last week. The crime is punishable by up 20 years in prison, but the Texas jury sentenced Sheikh to 10 years of probation.

Unlike most states and the federal government, Texas grants juries the power to set criminal punishments.

The jurors had recommended the sentencing, to which visiting Senior District Judge Terry L. Flenniken was required to follow by law, according to local media report.

Sheikh was working the night shift at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital in 2013 when a woman, previously identified as Laura, was admitted for shortness of breath and wheezing.

She was in the hospital overnight and sedated when Sheikh came to her room several times during the night and sexually assaulted her.

Laura said she attempted to get help from a nurse, but the call button wouldn't work.

DNA evidence collected from a rape kit matched the DNA sample of the guilty doctor's cheek swab. But it took two years for charges to be filed against Sheikh.

Surveillance video also captured Sheikh on the floor where the woman's room was located. He used his badge to swipe onto her floor at least 12 times that night.

He sought her out. He chose her to prey on, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reeder said during Friday's sentencing.

You know he's the type of man who would go in multiple times, testing the waters, seeing how far he could go and get back to his normal business after that.

You know he's the kind man of who walked around for two years before he was charged with this knowing what he did, she added.

During the trial, the doctor admitted to the sexual contact with the woman, but insisted it was consensual.

His lawyers also pleaded with the jury to show some compassion to Sheikh, his wife and children, who also suffered consequences due to his actions.

The dreams of a man, the childhood dream to become a doctor, were shattered by his conduct. He destroyed his own dreams, Sheikh's lawyer Stanley Schneider said.

What he has done to himself and his family is punishment. They are serving his sentence with him. His children are serving his sentence with him.

The Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015 after they found he was a continuing threat to public welfare. Sheikh has since left the hospital.

Laura, now 32, said after the sentencing that she wanted to move on from the incident. She told KHOU11 in 2015 that she believes there are other victims. PTI
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Pakistans third successive democratic transition should ideally suggest that civilians and the military have achieved a consensus on national security and foreign policy. But a closer look reveals that the last two democratic arrangements met their Waterloo after crossing swords with the security agencies. Imran Khans easy relationship with the army suggests that the current government may not spend most of its tenure anxiously looking over its shoulder. India is likely to rank as the fourth priority for Imran Khan after domestic consolidation and clean up, Afghanistan and ties with China-US-Russia. India needs to accept its place lower down on Islamabads pecking order as a blessing.

Imran Khan has expressed a desire for reopening dialogue with India. But with the Modi government at the fag end of its tenure, any opening will get caught in the groove of whether Kashmir or terrorism should be the prime topic of discussion. The loser in this endless wait will be Punjab that had its natural trade routes to the west blocked after the 1965 war. The Modi government has initiated a massive infrastructure revamp along the coasts but Punjabs wait for outlets continues.

Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Sidhus presence as Pakistan PM Imran Khans sole invitee from India points to the potential of reviving talks about re-engaging the two Punjabs. Last time this arrangement was sought to be consecrated via the Badal-Shahbaz Sharif joint statement. There need not be any political opposition to taking the dust off the initiative since at that time the Congress was in power at the Centre and the BJP a coalition partner in Punjab. For both Punjabs, the usefulness of trade revival needs hardly to be stated. But much of the agenda can only be implemented with the help of the Central governments. Both Islamabad and New Delhi need to take a hard look at such low-risk solutions that may over time become a stepping stone for substantial dialogue between the two nations.
editorial@tribune.com

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 20

More than 50 per cent of 1.4 lakh apple saplings worth Rs 5.60 crore imported from Italy under the Rs 1,134 crore World Bank project in June this year were found to be dried, revealed a preliminary report of the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan.

Director, Research, of the university, Dr JN Sharma submitted the report to IPH and Horticulture Minister Mahender Singh Thakur on Monday for action.

The minister presided over the meeting of the Horticulture Department, discussed the matter and sought a comprehensive report from the mission director. At least, 7.5 lakh apple saplings worth Rs 30 crore were imported from Italy during the Congress regime.

Thousands of these had been distributed among farmers, while major chunk of the plants were kept under quarantine in various centres in Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur and Sirmaur districts, sources revealed.

The role of certain horticultural officials and middlemen of an Italian company had also come under the scanner for importing defective plants.

Though the department claimed that the survival rate of the imported plants was 73 per cent, the farmers termed it false, saying that the rate was less than 60 per cent and in many cases, it was dismal 20 per cent.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr YS Parmar university, Dr HC Sharma said 1.4 lakh apple plants of four varieties were kept at the nursery under quarantine in June this year. More than 50 per cent of these plants were dead and dried. We have submitted the report to the minister, he added.

The farmers demanded a probe into the matter.

Earlier, a panel of scientists had detected the presence of virus in 15 plants, which were kept under quarantine in its nursery at Duttnagar in Shimla. The plants were later destroyed.

Mission director Dinesh Malhotra said they had sought a comprehensive report. We will ensure that the farmers get the disease-free plants to increase their output, he added.

Losses in crores
editorial@tribune.com

Shimla, August 20

Looking for ways and means to regularise thousands illegal constructions in the state, the government today held a meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to look for solutions.

The issue is being examined legally and efforts will be made to find solution within the legal framework so that relief can be give to house owners, said Chief Minister. He said the thrust of his government was to ensure planned and regulated growth of the state capital.

There are about 20,000 illegal constructions in the state but with the courts, including Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal (NGT) and High Court, adopting a very stern stand on their regularisation, the state government is finding it difficult to regularize them.

There is a possibility that the government could bring in a Bill to regularize these structures. However, a similar Bill passed by the Assembly during the previous Congress regime was struck down by the Himachal High Court.

Various issues related to retention policy were discussed in the meeting and it was stressed that systematic development of the town should be ensured.  TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 20

Governor NN Vohra has called for a vigorous, sustained and proactive approach to expedite implementation of important developmental projects in Jammu.

The Governor urged officials to ensure the timely formulation of detailed project reports (DPRs), constant follow-up with the Central ministries concerned for the release of funds, systematic monitoring of the pace of works on the ground, effective intra-departmental coordination for urgent resolution of all impediments, and timely submission of utilisation certificates to avail the maximum resources from the Centre for all-round infrastructure development. At a meeting in the civil secretariat here on Monday, the Governor ordered immediate establishment of a committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, to regularly review and resolve any problems which may come in the way of speedy construction of AIIMS, IIT, IIM, and other important projects.

AIIMS, Jammu

The Governor directed the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, to provide a suitable rehabilitation plan, including housing and other basic amenities, for the families to be relocated from the site acquired for AIIMS.

Mubarak Mandi complex

Expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of work on the Mubarak Mandi Restoration Project, Vohra asked the Secretary Tourism to urgently review every aspect of the project and send his recommendations to the Chief Secretary within seven days.

Tawi Lake

The work has been stopped because GVR Infra Ltd, the company executing the project, has secured a status quo order from the Chennai High Court, after turning a defaulter. The Governor directed the Secretary, PHE, I&FC, to take urgent action to have the stay vacated and to see that work is immediately resumed on the project. Regarding Tawi riverfront, the Governor directed immediate action to operationalise the DPR.

Multi-level parking

The meeting was informed that work on the multi-tier parking at Jammu bus stand, at the cost of Rs 213 crore, is being carried out expeditiously as a part of Jammu Smart City Project. Regarding the Panjtirthi multi-level project, it was informed that the project is being re-worked due to some feasibility issues.

Cable car project

The meeting was informed that the Bahu Fort-Mahamaya-Peerkho cable car project shall be commissioned by October. Vohra called for putting all security and logistic aspects fully in place before the commissioning of the project.
 Flash

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will leave for a trip to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the fourth visit since he assumed the current office.





In an interview with ABC's "This Week," Bolton said that "I think Secretary Pompeo will be returning to Pyongyang soon for his fourth visit."





"I think the timing will be announced at an appropriate point by the State Department," he said, adding that the U.S. sides expects Pompeo to meet with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un.





"To move on with the process of denuclearization remains our highest priority," said Bolton, adding that "it's important that they (the DPRK) demonstrate seriousness" in this regard.





He noted that the DPRK has one year to follow through from making "the strategic decision to denuclearize." However, he did not give more details on the timeline.





"We're counting on North Korea following through on the commitments," he added.





Bolton said earlier last month that Washington has had a plan to dismantle the majority of the DPRK's nuke and ballistic missile programs, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be discussing it with Pyongyang while visiting the country.





However, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the State Department will not provide a timeline for Pyongyang's abandonment of nuclear and missile program.





Pomeo has visited the DPRK for three times, respectively in April, May and July.





Nauert also said on Aug. 14 that inter-governmental talks between the United States and the DPRK will become a "regular course of business" with denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as the focus.





Saying that Washington supports building a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula "by which countries can move forward toward peace," she added that "our main focus is on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 20

For the first time, the Indian Navy has affiliated with an Army regiment outside the naval base. The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) has been affiliated with frontline warship INS Kochi.

It is for the first time that a naval unit and an Army regiment are entering into this kind of affiliation outside a naval base, and, therefore, this is the first step and is going to strengthen our jointmanship, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, told reporters after the affiliation ceremony at the JAKLI Centre at Rangreth on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday.

While terming it a historic day, Vice Admiral Luthra said personnel from the JALKI would visit ships of the Navy unit and also sail them. Similarly, our personnel from INS Kochi will visit their various locations and learn about the functioning of various JAKLI battalions. This will promote better understanding and synergy between the two services, he said. The affiliation ceremony took place at the JAKLI Regimental Centre and was attended by dignitaries from the tri-services. INS Kochi is the second ship of the indigenously designed and constructed Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyers built by the Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai. She is named after the vibrant port city of Kochi and is packed with the state-of-the-art weapons and sensors.

Srinagar-based defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said the JAKLI Regiment was earlier affiliated to INS Ganga which was decommissioned in March 2018.

To continue with this strong tradition of bonhomie and sharing of mutual understanding for culture and combat potential, the need was felt to identify a Naval Combat Unit. Both JAKLI and INS Kochi are indigenous. Indeed Kashmir se Kanyakumari tak we sail together and defend the nation, the spokesman said. A similar affiliation was formed between the JAKLI Regimental Centre and the 51 Squadron of the Air Force.

Situation in Kerala improving: Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra on Monday said the situation in the flood-hit Kerala was improving. "The initial part of rescue is more or less completed. We will be reaching to the people who may be trapped and make sure they are taken to safer places. The situation has started to improve, Vice Admiral Luthra said in Srinagar. He said the rescue operations in Kerala started about two weeks ago and the effort had gradually been stepped up as the rains had increased in Kerala. The entire effort is being coordinated from Delhi, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 20

Kerala received almost 170 per cent more monsoon rains than normal this month till August 17 and 42 per cent excess in the entire June-September season to date.

The continued exceptional and unprecedented heavy rainfall in catchment areas compelled the authorities resort to heavy releases downstream into the rivers resulting in overflowing of all river banks, says the IMD.

The last time the coastal state saw rains higher than this was in 1931 when it received 175 per cent excess rains according to IMDs 143-year-old record since 1875, said IMDs Additional Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra. Rains during the entire monsoon season in the state (between June 1 to August 19) have been exceptionally high and totally unprecedented, he says.

Kerala has so far received 2,346.6 mm against normal of 1,649.5 mm  above normal by 42 per cent  the highest in Idukki (92 per cent above normal) and Palakkad (72 per cent above normal). Between August 1 and 19 it received 758.6 mm rains against a normal of 287.6 mm. Rains in June and July were 15 per cent and 18 per cent above the normal, respectively. However, the exceptionally high increase in intensity between August 8 and August 16 took everyone by surprise. Due to the above normal rains till July-end, all of major 35 odd reservoirs storage was close to the full reservoir level with no buffer storage to accommodate heavy inflows from August 10.

Continued exceptional heavy rainfall in August (with 170 per cent above normal so far) in the catchment areas had compelled the authorities to resort to heavy releases downstream into the rivers. Such a scenario that continued for almost a week caused overflowing of all river banks leading to widespread flooding almost all over the state, the IMD said.

Mohapatra assured that rain activity would come down in the next five days.

According to Skymet, orography plays a key role in the quantum of rains in Kerala with a stretch of 450 km of north-south orientation with sea shore on one side and mountain range on the other. In 2014, which was a drought year, Kerala received 6 per cent surplus and during normal rain year of 2016, it witnessed a drought and 34 per cent deficiency, it said.

However, environmentalists assert side effects of climate change can no longer be ignored. Around the world the extreme weather events have increased. Climate change impacts are full blown and, on top of it, there are many man-made causes, said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, Centre for Science and Environment.
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Bahraich, August 20

Two men were booked for allegedly sharing a vulgar audio clip about former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on social media following which one of them was arrested.

A case was registered against them following a complaint by social worker Sunil Singh, Superintendent of Police Sabharaj said.

"Azad Khan, a resident of Bhopatpur village, had on Saturday posted a two-minute vulgar audio about the former prime minister on WhatsApp, and forwarded it to his friends and various groups," the SP said.

Anwar-ul-Haq, who is posted as a pharmacist at a government hospital in Bahraich, encouraged people to spread it further, the official said.

The case was lodged against them under the IPC and IT Act for spreading animosity and disturbing communal harmony.

"Azad Khan was arrested on Sunday and the police are raiding the places related to Anwar-ul-Haq," he said.

After the audio clip went viral, local Hindu organisations demanded that the police take action against those who posted the audio.

Bahraich Chief Medical Officer AK Pandey said a departmental probe would be initiated against the pharmacist after analysing the FIR. PTI
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New Delhi, August 19

With over 6.33 lakh people taking shelter in 3,000 relief camps, the government on Sunday directed the central ministries to focus on providing essential commodities and medicine and restoration of vital services in flood-hit Kerala.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) in its review meeting directed that focus should now be on provision of emergency supplies of food, water, medicines and restoration of essential services such as power, fuel, telecom and transport links as flood water recedes in Kerala, an official spokesperson said.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said a total of 6,33,010 people are staying in 2,971 relief camps in Kerala and around 38,000 flood affected people have also been rescued by different agencies so far.

There will be no heavy rains in the flood-hit Kerala for the next four days, giving a ray of hope to the distraught people of the state.

"Rainfall will further decrease during the next five days. Heavy rain at one or two places in Idukki, Konnur and Kozhikode districts likely today. No heavy rain from tomorrow for the next four days," the NDMA said, quoting a bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Meanwhile, the Department of Food and Public Distribution has made available 50,000 metric tonnes of food grains (rice and wheat) to meet the immediate needs with additional quantities in the pipeline, an official spokesperson said after the NCMC meeting.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has made arrangements to airlift 100 metric tonnes of pulses by tomorrow with additional quantities to be sent by train.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has made available 9,300 kilolitres of kerosene to Kerala. Additional 12,000 kilolitres of kerosene will be allocated. LPG bottling plant in Kochi has been reopened.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will airlift 60 tonnes of emergency medicines on Monday. It has put six specialised medical teams on standby, the spokesperson said.

The Railways will provide blankets and bedsheets to meet the immediate requirements of the state government.

The Air India has offered to airlift relief material without any cost.

The central government has also decided to give ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the family of those killed in the floods and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

The compensation will be given from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

The NCMC, headed by cabinet secretary P K Sinha, met for the fourth consecutive day, reviewed the rescue and relief operations among the armed forces, NDRF, Ministry of Home Affairs and other central ministries and the Kerala government. - PTI
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Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, August 20

Two motorcycle-borne youth shot dead a Haryana State Cooperative Bank branch manager and injured a security guard before decamping with Rs 12 lakh cash at Milakpur village under Bawani Khera police station of Bhiwani district on Monday.

The manager, Ramphal Singh, and the guard, Dayal Singh, were returning to the bank after withdrawing cash from the banks main branch in Bhiwani when they were attacked.

As the duo proceeded toward the bank on foot from the bus stand, a bike knocked down the manager. Their faces covered with masks, the youth tried to snatch the bag with the cash, which was resisted by the manager. As a scuffle ensued, the miscreants opened fire at the manager. A bullet hit Ramphal in the head, leaving him dead on the spot.

The guard was shot in his abdomen and was shifted by villagers to the Civil Hospital in Hansi from where he was referred to Hisar.

Bhiwani SP Gangaram Punia said the bank was located 400 metres from the bus stop. The accused fired three rounds at the victims and managed to escape. A hunt is on to nab them, he added.
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Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, August 20

The Centre on Monday declared the devastating floods in Kerala a calamity of severe nature as the state braced for the gigantic task of reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and rehabiliting lakhs of people rendered homeless.

The death toll in the current spell of monsoon fury that began on August 8 has risen to 223, officials said.

Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes, a Home Ministry official said in New Delhi.

This categorisation will enable the state get greater monetary and other assistance from the Centre.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 223 people have lost their lives since August 8.

Over 10.78 lakh displaced people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children below 12 years of age, have been sheltered in 3,200 relief camps. Today, 602 persons were rescued from various places as the rain receded, he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Vijayan said there has been demands from various quarters to declare the floods as a national calamity.

Our demand is also the same. But the Centre is pointing out certain technical difficulties to make such an announcement. What we need now is to evaluate the total loss and get an equivalent assistance from the Centre.

As per preliminary estimates, the state has so far suffered a loss of nearly Rs 20,000 crore. The Union Government has so far rendered all help to the state. Kerala received Rs 210 crore towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund and a promise of Rs 160 crore, he said.

The government will on August 29 honour fishermen who participated in rescue operations, he said.

An all-party meeting will be held here tomorrow to take stock of the flood situation.

With flood water level receding in many places, people have started returning to their homes and begun cleaning operations. The state government has also decided to distribute cleaning kits to them, Vijayan said.

K Santosh, Director of India Meteorological Departments Thiruvananthapuram centre, said all alerts have been withdrawn and the state experienced only light to moderate rainfall today. Similar precipitation has been forecast for the next five days.

The Army, Navy and NDRF teams continued their rescue efforts.

Lt. Gen. D R Soni, the chief of the Armys Southern Command, told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram that rescue operations were still continuing and drones being used to help reach to people trapped in areas not easily accessible.

He said 1,500 Army personnel were engaged in rescue operations and people stranded on rooftops and inaccessible areas were being winched with the help of defence helicopters.

Efforts were now under way to clear the houses of the debris to make them habitable, officials said, underscoring the need for making available disinfectants like bleaching powder in adequate quantities to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Vijayan earlier said in a Facebook post that Kerala is striving together as one to overcome the catastrophic floods with monumental strength.

Referring to some messages being circulated on social media denigrating the relief efforts by the government, he said that anyone trying to pull us down will face serious consequences.

Aviation regulator DGCA is, meanwhile, monitoring airfares for flights connecting flood-hit Kerala as this is a unique situation of humanitarian crisis, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said in the National Capital.

Amid concerns raised by many, including on social media platforms about steep fluctuations in air ticket prices to and from Kerala, where the main airport at Kochi has been shut till August 26, Prabhu said the ministry as such cannot interfere with the fares but it is doing it in this time of crisis.

The Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board were trying to restore water and power supply in vast areas that are without power and tap water for the last several days.

Commercial flight operations from the naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning. Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport.

Relief material, including provisions, water and fuel, have started arriving at the Kochi port from different parts of the country, official sources said.

A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala today to help the flood-affected people. PTI
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Sreevalsan Thiyyadi

The deluge thinned to occasional drizzle in several parts of Kerala under an overcast sky on Monday, but human minds shone with readiness to help fellow beings affected by the week-long downpour. The state showed semblance of a return to normalcy, as many people came back to their homes, nursing hopes of resuming life.

Relief camps totalling 3,224 reported an attendance of 10,28,073 people, while rescue operations neared an end with 602 people saved. A chunk of them was from Chengannur, where four villages around it in coastal Alappuzha district turned out to be the last post of assignment for the armed forces and voluntary organisations.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan lauded the untiring efforts of the public. On August 29, members of the fishermen community would be honoured. There will not be an official celebration of Onam, the CM said. The tacit implication: now is not the time to rejoice over the festival of harvest.

Govt declares it Calamity of severe nature

The Home Ministry has declared the Kerala floods a calamity of severe nature. When a calamity is declared to be of severe nature support to the state is provided at the national level.

Losses Rs 20,000 crore

Toll 216 since Aug 8

SC judges to donate Rs 25,000

CJI Dipak Misra on Monday announced that all SC judges would contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund. A circular said the CJI and judges have decided to contribute Rs 25,000 each toward the CMs Relief Fund. TNS

Capt appeals for help
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Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh August 20

Indicating the enormity of the problem, the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh on Monday firmed up a joint strategy to battle the drug menace, deciding to set up a central secretariat at Panchkula for sharing data and to hold review meetings at the CM-level every six months and at the level of the Chief Secretary/DGP every three months.

The meeting was held at the initiative of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar. The HP CM participated through video-conferencing.

It was decided that nodal officers would be deployed at the Panchkula centre to coordinate data-sharing. Also, the Special Task Force (STF) in each of the four states would meet every month to share information on drug peddlers.

Talking to the media later, the CMs said their Uttar Pradesh counterpart would be asked to join in the efforts. Jammu and Kashmir would be involved in the strategy later. In a joint statement, the CMs stressed that data-sharing was a must if the battle against drugs was to be won.

Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh said the state STF had registered 19,179 cases under the NDPS Act (till August 5) and 21,571 persons, including police officials, had been arrested. A study by PGI, Chandigarh, last year had said 2.7 lakh of the states population was hooked on drugs  one out of every six persons. The problem was more acute in Punjab villages, it had said.

Khattar favoured fast-track courts to try those in the drug trade. Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur suggested that the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act be invoked against the drug peddlers.

Rajasthan Additional Home Secretary, who too attended the meeting, admitted that opium produced legitimately was being diverted elsewhere. Uttarakhand CM TS Rawat expressed concern over women being targeted by drug mafia.
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New Delhi, August 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, in a letter, conveyed to his newly-elected Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan Indias commitment to meaningful and constructive engagement with Islamabad and emphasised the need to work for a terror-free South Asia, official sources said on Monday.

Soon after the news of congratulatory letter, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reportedly indicated that the Indian PM had called for talks between the two countries. However, hours later, Pakistans Foreign Office clarified that he had not made an offer of a dialogue in the letter. It said Pakistan looked forward to a mutually beneficial, uninterrupted dialogue with India to resolve all issues.

Sources said Indias position that talks and terror could not go hand-in-hand had not changed. In the letter, the PM expressed Indias commitment to build good neighbourly relations and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region, they said.

In Islamabad, Qureshi offered uninterrupted dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, saying it was the only wise course as the two countries could not afford any adventurism.  TNS/PTI
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Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh/Dubai, August 20

A rude joke by a man from Kerala on providing sanitary napkins to those hit by floods in his home state cost him his job at a company in Muscat.

As someone mooted the idea on social media of donating sanitary napkins for relief camps, the man, Rahul Cheru Palayattu, asked wouldn't giving condoms be better instead.

The offensive comment was enough for Rahul to lose his job of a cashier at Lulu Hypermarket in Bousher, Muscat.

In response to a social media post where someone asked whether sanitary napkins were required, Rahul wrote a query "if people required condoms too?" The comments faced backlash as a large number of people called him out on his insensitivity. Following this, he was fired from his job, The News Minute reported.

His termination letter by the firm's Human Resource Manager, Nasr Mubarak Salem Al Maawali read, "This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India."

It read, You are hereby instructed to handover all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement.

After facing the heat for his remarks, Rahul apologised by posting a video on Facebook on Sunday, "I am really sorry for what I did. I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake."

In a statement, Chief Communications Officer (CCO) of Lulu group V Nandakumar said, "We took immediate steps to terminate his services and send out a very loud and clear message to the society about our stance in such issues. We as an organisation have always stood for humanitarian values and highest ethical practices."

Indian billionaire and owner of Lulu group, MA Yusuff Ali, who also hails from Kerala, also donated 9.23 million UAE dirhams for relief operations in the flood-hit state.

Extending their support to the people affected by flash floods in Kerala, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government on Saturday formed a committee to provide relief to the southern state.

Kerala has been facing its worst flooding in a century, with nearly 400 people being killed. The state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

As the massive floods, caused due to torrential rains wreaked havoc, besides the Central Government, the Chief Ministers of various states have come forward to support Kerala and offered financial aid to the southern state. With inputs from ANI
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Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 20



Top Opposition leaders on Monday paid rich tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a Sarvajanik sarvdaliya pratharna sabhaa prayer meetingorganised by the BJP in memory of the former Prime Minister who passed away on August 16 after a prolonged illness.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi said despite being away from the public life for so many years, Vaypayee impacted lives of millions, a proof of which was overwhelming response after his death. Yesterday (wrestler) Bajrang Punia, who I think has never seen him, dedicated his (Asian Games) gold medal to Atalji, I think this says a lot about his personality, he said



However, it were the Opposition leadersGhulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Farookh Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP)who stole the show with their heartfelt, poignant references to the late BJP leader, one of the Indias most-loved prime ministers.

Highlighting Vajpayees secular nature and good relations with Opposition parties, Azad said even in his death the BJP leader had brought together leaders cutting across ideological divides under one roof, which was great.



Speaking of his personal rapport with Vajpayee, Azad said distance seen between the ruling party and the Opposition today was not there earlier. He said many people in Vajpayees party (BJP) might not know him as well as he dida relationship formed over several interactions during Parliaments sessions between him as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the PV Narsimha Rao government and Vaypayee, the leader of the Opposition



Vajpayee was such an eloquent speaker that even his criticism sounded pleasant, whereas there are some leaders who, even when they say something good, make it sound like abuses said Azadtelling words in the presence of the top BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Modi, party chief Amit Shah, with whom Opposition leaders share a rather frosty relationship today



The distance we see today was not there then, Azad said

Mehbooba , with whom the BJP ran the Jammu and Kashmir government till about some weeks back before acrimoniously parting ways, called Vajpayee a Messiah, the first Indian leader who trusted the people of the state and whom the people trusted.

Abdullah said perfect tribute to Vajpayee would be to build an India where there is love, again loaded remarks given the allegations of divisive politics against the BJP by Opposition parties. If you want to remember Atalji, make a country where there is so much love that the whole world bows before it, Abdullah said before ending his tribute with Bharat Mata ki Jai.

If you look for definition of certain words, you have to look in the dictionary. But theres one word you dont need to look in dictionaryif you look at his face you will get the meaning of the word secular, said Derek OBrien of the Trinamool Congress, a party with which the BJP is currently engaged in a fierce battle in West Bengal

Akali Dals Harsimrat Badal, who read out a speech by patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, said Vajpayee lost Gwalior in 1984 because of his support to the Sikh community after the anti-Sikh riots. Calling him the emperor of peoples hearts, she said: I bow before that emperor.
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Islamabad, August 20

Pakistans new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday extended the hand of friendship to India soon after taking oath by offering uninterrupted dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, saying it is the only wise course as the two countries could not afford any adventurism.

After the swearing-in ceremony at the President House, Qureshi went to Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs and addressed media.

Qureshi was the foreign minister from 2008 to 2011 under the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government when the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks took place. He was in New Delhi when 10 Pakistan-based LeT terrorists attacked Indias financial capital.

The new foreign minister said Pakistan wanted to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and create peace in the region.

He said Pakistan wanted to resolve all issues with India through talks.

We need a continued uninterrupted dialogue. It is the only wise course for us, he said.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.

The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and Indias surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April last year further deteriorated bilateral ties.

Qureshi, the vice president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on Monday said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sent a letter on Sunday to congratulate Prime Minister Imran Khan and mentioned about talks to resolve issues.

I welcome her letter, he said.

I want to say to Indian Foreign Minister that we are not only neighbours but also nuclear powers. We have old issues and we both know what these issues are. We need to address these issues, he said.

Qureshi said the two countries could not afford any adventurism due to close proximity.

We cannot afford any adventurism as response time is so short. The only option is to engage with each other. We cannot live in enmity and we have to accept that there are outstanding issues, he said.

He said Kashmir is an issue and both countries knew about it.

He said former prime minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lahore and Islamabad and recognised the reality of Pakistan and the issue of Kashmir.

Whether we wish or not, Kashmir is an issue and both countries have recognised it. In my opinion there is no option other than talks to resolve it, he said.

Prime Minister Khan in his maiden address to the nation on Sunday said Pakistan would hold talks with all its neighbours to normalise ties as without it peace could not be brought in the country.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said that Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir, through talks.

If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start, he had said.

Talking about Afghanistan, Qureshi said he would make a phone call to the foreign minister of Afghanistan and also visit Kabul with a solid message that both countries had same destiny. There will be no peace in Pakistan without peace in Afghanistan, he said.

I want to tell people of Afghanistan to understand each others problems and bilaterally try to resolve all issues, he said.

Talking about relations with the US, he said there is trust deficit between the two countries but Pakistan wanted to have good ties based on its interests.

Qureshi said the foreign policy of the new government would be based on interests of Pakistan and it could be fine-tuned according to the needs of the nation.

He said that priority of Pakistans foreign policy would be how we can change lives of common people through economic diplomacy.

We will try to change lives of people through socio-economic development, he said.

He said there are enormous local and regional challenges but we want to make progress on these issues.

Some forces have been trying to isolate the country but it will not happen now, he said.

He said his government would build national consensus on foreign affairs. I will follow bipartisan approach on the issues of foreign policy.

He announced that he would invite Opposition leaders for consultations before the next months UN General Assembly session. PTI
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Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 20

The Shiv Sena has washed its hands of Shrikant Pangarkar, its former corporator in the Jalna Municipal Council, who was arrested on Sunday for his links with a suspect held in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in 2013.

According to party leaders, Pangarkar left the organisation after being denied a ticket for the municipal council elections that year. He had been an elected representative in the Jalna civic body for 10 years till then.

Maharashtra's Minister for Dairy Development Arjun Khotkar, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, said Pangarkar had left the party and had been actively working for the Sanatan Sanstha. However, Khotkar has left a lot of red faces in the Shiv Sena with his statement that many members of the Shiv Sena were still in contact with Pangarkar.

Pangarkar had reportedly been travelling to different places in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka where the Sanstha had put down roots. He was arrested by the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police after Sachin Prakashrao Andure, accused of gunning down Dabholkar, allegedly named Pangarkar as the man who rode pillion with him when he shot the rationalist while he was out for his morning walk. Pangarkar was remanded in the ATS custody till August 28 by a Mumbai court today.

Pangarkar is also accused of providing funds to Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar, who were arrested after the seizure of country-made guns and explosives. The weapons were stored in the home and office of Raut, who allegedly operated a real estate brokerage as front, according to the police.

Planning Eid attacks?

Police said Shrikant Pangarkar, arrested in Dabholkar case, had obtained some knowledge about assembling explosives

He was planning to set off crude bombs at different places in Maharashtra, the police said

Some of the suspects arrested in the case confessed to planning attacks during Eid, falling later this week

Security has already been beefed up at several mosques in Mumbai and Pune

Real killers spared
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 20

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to respond to a petition challenging a February 2018 Allahabad High Court order accepting the states decision to decline sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Adityanath in an 11-year-old hate speech case.

A three-judge Bench led by Chief justice of India Dipak Misra also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh governments home department, Gorakhpur District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police on the petition filed by Parwej Parvaz asking them to file their response in four weeks.

The Bench, also comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud, posted the matter for further hearing after six weeks.

It was on Parvazs plea that a magistrate court in Gorakhpur had in 2008 ordered registration of a criminal case against Adityanath for alleged hate speech that caused riots. Contending that the state police investigation was shoddy and unscientific, he demanded an impartial probe into the case against the chief minister.

The Uttar Pradesh Principal Home Secretary had in May 2017 opined that the draft probe report of the CBCID did not have sufficient evidence to prosecute Adityanath. Also, the Central Forensic Science Laboratory had concluded that the CD provided by the complainant against Adityanath and four others was tampered with, the official had said while declining sanction to prosecute those named in the complaint.

The petitioner contended that the decision was vitiated as the Home Department was under the chief minister who could not be a judge in his own cause. He alleged the video recording of the alleged speech was available on YouTube.

However, the high court found no discrepancy in the probe into the case and dismissed Parvazs petition against decision denying permission to prosecute Adityanath. The CD was never sent for forensic examination, he had contended before the high court.
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GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Attari, August 19

Barely 2 km from the Attari-Wagah border, the open-air Museum of Peace opened on the premises of Sarhad, a restaurant that specialises in Amritsari-Lahore cuisine, on Sunday  the mission being to promote peace through food.

Parked outside Sarhad are two mini vans painted in vibrant colours by Pakistan artist Haider Ali, India-Pakistan Friendship boldly emblazoned on the front. Ironically, less than 10 km away on the same road is the War Museum that celebrates military conquests.

Designed and curated by retired Punjab civil servant DS Jaspal, the Museum of Peace was conceived to celebrate the common culture of pre-Partition Punjab in general and that of Amritsar-Lahore in particular. The museum has 48 panels mounted on pedestals 7 feet high, depicting pre-Partition Punjab in three sections  Maharaja Ranjit Singhs military conquests, the capture of Peshawar and Jamrud forts and the Zamzama gun. The dove logo on each panel symbolises peace, with India and Pakistan flags painted on the inside of the wings.

At the bottom of each panel is the tagline: Borders without Barriers.

Also on display is the map of Ranjit Singhs empire with the observation: Ranjit Singhs greatest achievement was not military conquest, but political. He was able to unite Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs under one banner and deliver peace and prosperity to Punjab.

The museum also depicts the symbiotic link between the twin cities of Amritsar and Lahore with the advent of railways, education and trade in British India. One of the panels exhibits a 100-year-old Lahore-Pathankot rail ticket priced at Rs 3.

The horror of Partition is brought out through blowups of old issues of The Tribune (1938 to July 1947) sourced from the Lahore archives.

Another panel has a 1946 picture of a British lady leaning against the Lahore Railway Station signboard in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.

Interestingly, a number of panels depict blockbuster movies made in Lahore before Partition.

Sarhad owner Aman Jaspal, giving all credit to former Prime Minister

Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the endeavour, makes an unusual suggestion.

The governments of India and Pakistan must announce a Vajpayee Day Visa at least once a month for students and senior citizens who wish to meet people and visit places across the border. This will remove misgivings, if any, on either side, he says, with conviction.
editorial@tribune.com

Amritsar, August 20

On his visit to a gurdwara in New York on Monday, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee president Manjit Singh GK faced a protest against desecration incidents and Bargari deaths in Punjab.

The protest was staged under the banner of Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (USA) with which around 95 local gurdwara committees are associated.

The committees coordinator, Himmat Singh, said Sikhs living abroad held the SAD government responsible for the Bargari shootout and a series of sacrilege instances in Punjab. He said, These instances were staged by misutilising the government machinery to gain political mileage and Justice Ranjit Singh commissions report has testified it.

Due to this, Sikh organisations have unanimously decided to contest the visit of any leader who has been linked with SAD. As Manjit Singh GK arrived at Gurdwara Makhan Shah Lubana here, the Sikh sangat raised slogans against SAD and staged a protest against him. Any SAD leader who comes here will be treated the same way and they would not be allowed to use religious platforms for their vested political interests, he said.  TNS
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Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 20

The Punjab government is all set to amend the legislation that proposes life term for sacrilege.

A draft Bill to amend The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2016 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2016, enabling changes to Section 295 AA in the Indian Penal Code (IPC)for desecrating the religious scriptures, is being tabled in Tuesdays Cabinet meeting. It would be tabled in the coming session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha before being sent to the Centre for approval and implementation. The earlier Bill passed by the state Assembly in March 2016 had been objected to by the Centre on the ground that it should include punishment for sacrilege of all religions and not exclusively for the Sikh religion.

The tabling of the Bill gains significance in the wake of arrests of sacrilege suspects and the Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission report on sacrilege incidents at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Bargari, Gurusar and Mallke villages, as well as the subsequent firing incidents at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura in Faridkot district being tabled in the coming Vidhan Sabha session.

Besides, the state Cabinet is expected to discuss the drafts of at least six Bills that are being tabled in the forthcoming session of the Vidhan Sabha.

Some of the main Bills are: Amendment to the State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1952; Ordinance to appoint legislative secretaries; and Ordinance on promotion in reservation.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 20

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Monday asked the BJP-led NDA government to clarify its stand on the Kartarpur corridor, a long-pending demand of the Sikh community.

Appreciating Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhus initiative on the corridor during his recent visit to Pakistan, Jakhar said the ball was now in the Indian Governments court. He said it was up to the External Affairs Ministry to take up the matter with Pakistan at the diplomatic level. He said opening the corridor was all the more important in view of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

Jakhar congratulated Sidhu for presenting a Kashmiri pashmina shawl to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Sidhu conveyed the message subtly yet so strongly that Kashmir belongs to us and we are gifting you a pashmina shawl from there, Jakhar said. But you dont expect the BJP to understand such subtle but powerful messages, he added.

In Amritsar, SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said Sidhus statement on the corridor could not be taken at face value as he represented a party (Congress) and a state government. We will support Sidhu and call his visit fruitful only if the Pakistan Army chief himself issues a statement to open access to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. We have taken up the issue repeatedly with the Home Ministry, he said.

Former Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Kewal Singh said India should make the most of this opportunity. It is for the first time that the Pakistan Army chief has put forth such a proposal, he added.

SAD (Delhi) president Paramjit Singh Sarna said Sidhus efforts had rekindled hopes of the Sikh community. We have been trying to get it (corridor) done for the past 18 years, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Chandigarh, August 20

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday dismissed anticipatory bail plea filed by SAD leader Dyal Singh Kolianwali in a corruption case.

A case was registered by the Flying Squad-I, Vigilance Bureau, against Kolianwali nearly a month back under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was earlier Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board member and chairman of Punjab Agro Industries Ltd.

Taking up the petition, Justice Inderjit Singh, on the previous date of hearing, directed: Meanwhile, in the event of arrest, the petitioner be released on interim bail subject to his furnishing personal bonds and surety to the satisfaction of arresting/investigating officer. The Bench also directed the petitioner to join the investigation as and when called. He was also asked to abide by the conditions laid down under the Code of Criminal Procedure.  TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Talwandi Sabo, August 20

Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann on Monday backed Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is being criticised for hugging Pakistan army chief. Mann said Sidhu had not committed any crime. Both countries share the same tradition. If we have better relations with each other, we can save a huge amount spent on defence and use this money on development works, he said. He lashed out at the BJP for its politics of hatred. On Sukhpal Khairas demand for autonomy for state AAP, he said the issue appeared baseless since Khaira was already taking all decisions on his own.

Meanwhile, on the controversy sparked by Sidhus recent visit to Pakistan, Khaira supported the minister, saying a hug was merely a Punjabi way of greeting.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 20

Dissident Aam Aadmi Party leader Sukhpal Khaira was made ad-hoc president the partys rebel faction, the leader announced on Monday.

Khaira, whose frequent run-ins with his party leadership cost him the position of leader of opposition, announced boycott of AAPs official Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheemas meetings citing rejection of the latter by a peoples convention in Bathinda.

Surrounded by Members of Legislative Assembly who support him, Khaira announced several district convention programmes. When asked about a recent controversy sparked by Punjab Congress Minister Navjot Singh Sidhus recent visit to Pakistan, Khaira supported the minister saying a hug was merely a Punjabi way of greeting.

AAP dismissed Khaira as leader of opposition last month, sparking a rebellion within the partys state ranks. Eight MLAs came out publicly in support of Khaira, pitting the camp against the partys Punjab as well as national leadership.

On August 2, in an act of rebellion at Bathinda, a group of AAP legislators led by Khaira had declared the party's Punjab unit "autonomous" and "dissolved" its current organisational structure.

Later on Augist 7, Khairas rebel faction announced it was instituting an eight-member parallel ad-hoc PAC for the state.
harinder@tribunemail.com

New York: An influential American lawmaker has said she would introduce a historic legislation to posthumously award Mahatma Gandhi a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the US, for inspiring peaceful movements for civil rights around the world. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney from New York made the announcement at the 38th India Day Parade, the annual extravaganza celebrating Indias Independence Day. She said she is soon going to introduce the legislation and expressed confidence that the legislation will be successful. PTI

Pak-origin becomes first woman Muslim Australian Senator

Melbourne: Mehreen Faruqi, a Pakistani-origin woman, on Monday became the first Muslim woman Senator to be sworn-in to Australias Parliament. Greens senator Faruqi was sworn-in less than a week after crossbench senator Fraser Anning called for curbs to Muslim migration and a final solution on immigration policy, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Im here to shake up the status quo, the 55-year-old Faruqi told reporters in Canberra. Faruqi migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1992, representing the Greens in the New South Wales upper house since 2013. PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Islamabad, August 20

Pakistan will work to have best relations with all its neighbours and hold talks to normalise ties as without it peace cannot be brought in the country, new Prime Minister Imran Khan has said in his maiden address to the nation.

In his over-hour-long address to the nation on Sunday, a day after his swearing in as the countrys 22nd prime minister, Khan identified Pakistans challenges on economic front, promised sweeping reforms to bring austerity and revive stagnant economy.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief lashed out at the previous PML-N government for current debt crisis which had risen to Rs 28 trillion, saying the country had not been as indebted in its entire history as it had been in the last 10 years.

Speaking on Pakistans foreign policy, 65-year-old Khan said Pakistan would work to have best relations with all neighbours.

I have talked to all neighbours and, Insha Allah, we will improve relations with all neighbours. Without peace (with neighbours) we cannot bring peace in Pakistan, he said.

Earlier, in his address after leading his party to victory in the general elections on July 25, Khan had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir, through talks.

If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start, he had said.

In Sundays address to the nation, essentially a roadmap to the Naya Pakistan Khan has promised to his supporters, the Prime Minister announced that he would set up a task force to bring back the bulk of plundered public money from abroad.

Outlining his governments approach to resolving the countrys economic issues, he emphasised on taking austerity measures, working on tax reforms instead of taking loans and rooting out corruption.

Khan once again promised to transform Pakistan into a Medina-like welfare state, which was set up by the Prophet in early years of Islam.

He said Medina state was set up on the principles of rule of law, protection of rights of minorities, progressive taxation, based on merit, education for all and honest leadership.

Khan spoke about revamping the judiciary, educational and health care reforms, civil service reforms, devolution of power, providing jobs opportunity to youth and building dams to end water crisis.

He said the economy is in bad shape due to debt heaped by the past government. He said 10 years ago, the total debt of the country was Rs 6 trillion which had increased to Rs 28 trillion.

Never in Pakistans history have we faced such difficult economic circumstances. Our debt burden is now Rs 28 trillion. We havent been as indebted in our entire history as we have been in the past 10 years, he said.

The interest that we have to pay on our debt has reached to a level that we have to take more debt to repay our obligations. Our external debt obligations have reached a level that we have to contemplate how we are going to grapple with them, Khan said.

He spoke about the poor human development index of Pakistan and said more than 23 million children were out of schools and 45 per cent children had stunted growth. On the one hand we are so indebted, and on the other hand, our human development index ranking is very poor, he said.

Khan promised to reform the tax collection machinery, police, judiciary, education system, health and anti-corruption bodies.

He announced to deal with the corrupt elements with an iron hand saying all wealth of the country stashed abroad by rich Pakistanis would be brought back.

He asked overseas Pakistanis to keep their money in Pakistani banks and invest here assuring them that their investments would be safe in his government. He promised to facilitate the investors.

Khan announced setting up of a task force to cut down the expenses of the government. He said he would meet the Chief Justice of Pakistan to draw up a scheme for speedy justice so that all cases were decided within a year.

On tax reforms, he said instead of trying to rebuild the economy by taking external loans, his government would try and fulfil its needs from within.

No country can succeed by taking on debt again and again. Debts are taken for brief periods of time. I will be ashamed to go abroad and ask for money. If the leader of the nation has to go and ask for debt, what will my nation be? Khan said.

He said only 800,000 people out of 200 million paid taxes in Pakistan.

We will fix the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and assure the nation that I will be responsible for your taxes. It is your responsibility to pay taxes. If we start paying taxes we will get out of deficit, he said.

Khan said he would form a committee to figure out how to cut expenses nationwide. He promised to start the change from his life.

He said he would live in a three-bedroom residence within the official PM House, which was reserved for the Military Secretary.

He announced to transform the sprawling PM House into a modern research university. He said there were 524 workers and officials deputed at the PM House but he would keep only two of them. Out of the 80 vehicles, including 33 bullet-proof vehicles, he said he would use only two of them and auction the rest and deposit the money into the national treasury.

The Prime Minister, at the end of his maiden address, told the nation to play a more proactive role in the rebuilding. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Melbourne, August 20

Mehreen Faruqi, a Pakistani-origin woman today became the first Muslim female Senator to be sworn-in to Australia's Parliament.

Greens senator Faruqi was sworn-in less than a week after crossbench senator Fraser Anning called for curbs to Muslim migration and a "final solution" on immigration policy, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

"I'm here to shake up the status quo," the 55-year-old Faruqi told reporters in Canberra.

"If Senator Anning wants to come and have a chat to me and learn a thing or two about the beauty and richness of multicultural Australia he can knock on my door," Faruqi was quoted as saying by the report.

Faruqi replaces veteran senator Lee Rhiannon in the upper house.

Faruqi migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1992, representing the Greens in the New South Wales upper house since 2013.

Faruqi said her "sleeves are rolled up" and she is ready to work.

She described the Turnbull government as a "disaster" for the environment.

"I've been challenging assumptions regarding racism, immigration and the value of multicultural Australia," she said.

"I will continue to stand up and call out racism, no matter who does it or where it comes from." PTI
harinder@tribunemail.com

Islamabad, August 20

Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam will be placed on the Exit Control List, the first meeting of the new Cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan decided today, a move that will prevent them from fleeing the country.

Prime Minister Khan chaired the Cabinet meeting, which also discussed economic challenges and austerity measures, among other matters, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said.

He said the Cabinet decided to place Sharif and Maryam on the Exit Control List as part of the governments anti-corruption drive.

The Cabinet also directed the law and interior ministries to implement red warrants against Sharifs sons, Hassan and Hussain, and former finance minister Ishaq Dar and bring them back to Pakistan as they were absconding criminals of the state.

All three of them are named in corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau and have been declared as absconders by an accountability court. The law ministry has been directed to contact the British government over the Avenfield properties in London owned by the Sharif family, the minister said. The Sharif family bought the four posh flats through money laundering, a Pakistani anti-corruption court had found.

The father-daughter duo are currently serving their term at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, along with Maryams husband Captain (retd) Safdar who was sentenced to a year in prison. Sharifs wife, Kulsoom, is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital in London for throat cancer.

The Cabinet also decided that Prime Minister Khan will not go on any foreign tours for the next three months unless there is a pressing matter that needs to be addressed. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will represent Pakistan on international platforms.  PTI
gspannu7@gmail.com

Kampala (Uganda), August 19

Ugandan police are holding an American man who in video footage is seen attacking a hotel worker with punches and racial insults.

Jimmy L Taylor was arrested on Thursday after CCTV footage of the incident was posted on social media, angering some Ugandans who demanded his arrest.

The incident happened at a hotel in Kampala, the capital. It wasnt clear precisely when.

In the footage the middle-aged American is seen charging at a receptionist: You hate Jesus. You hate yourself. You hate me. You disgraced Jesus. Huh? Later he throws a punch, one of many, and hurls slurs such as the N-word.

Ugandan police said today that Taylor, who claims to be a missionary and former member of the US Marines, will be charged with assault later this week.  AP
Neval Bissambhar views life and worship through the lens of an omnista person who believes in all faiths or creeds.

A born Hindu, Bissambhar follows the tenets of his familys faith. The D Rampersad INDI-ART lead singer is preparing to celebrate Divali this week. However, he says all religions have a part to play in the perpetual battle of light over darkness.
More and more Covid-19- positive people are requiring hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, and nearly all are unvaccinated.

As of yesterday, only three ICU beds were available in Trinidad, but there were seven new patients in need of ICU care.

There are only three ICU beds available in Tobago.
Beloved is an excruciatingly intense novel about the slave experience written by Toni Morrison, an acclaimed African American writer. She is the only black woman to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature. She also won a Pulitzer Prize for Beloved in 1987. In 2012, US president Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award that can be bestowed on a civilian.
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We are booked for July 2019 at the Royalton Bavaro and it will be our first time going to the Dominican Republic. It will be me, my husband (we will both be 42 at that time) and our two sons, ages 14 and 12 when we go. While my older son swims like a fish lol, my younger son swims a little but not in deep water, and my husband and I dont swim well at all. The excursions I see advertised seem to involve snorkeling and other water activities that only my older son would do. When we go to another country we like to learn the culture and history if the area we are visiting and show this to the kids as well. For example, last year in Riviera Maya, Mexico, we took a cab into Tulum and visited the Mayan ruins and learned some history and culture there. My kids also like to collect some currency from countries they visit. My older son has also been taking Spanish in school since last year and will be continuing this year (his last year of middle school) and throughout high school. My younger son will be starting to study Spanish either this coming year or the following year in school. I also teach Spanish and speak it fluently.

Are there excursions or tours where we could learn some history and culture? Around a 3 or 4-hour excursion maybe? We also plan on bringing some school supplies with us to donate to children, as I have read that they are in need of these items. How would we go about donating these?

Thanks in advance! We cant wait to visit!
Hi everyone!

I'd like to ask your opinion on where i should travelling when i'm in Australia - any tips helpful!

Ill be leaving on 6 November and aiming to arrive home on 4 December.

Here's what i'm thinking.

Belfast - Perth (8 days, will be staying with family)

Perth - Melbourne (3 days)

Melbourne - Cairns (6 days)

PPP Whitsunday Coast - Sydney (5 days)

Sydney - Belfast.

I can change to add more/less days in each place - except for Perth.

While in Perth, i want to travel WA a bit - Esperance, Margaret River and the Pink Lake, River, Rottnest island. I also like the look of Ningaloo Reef and Monkey Mia. (i realise this is too much!)

In Melbourne, i want to visit Philip Island and just take time to explore the city.

I would like some advice on how best to explore the east coast. I know i am not giving myself a lot of time.. I had considered flying into Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport, but i also want to see Cairns further up the coast, so had thought of flying into there. I definitely want to stay in the Whitsundays (2 days) / Airlie beach, Frazer island (2 days) . However, Noosa, Byron bay and Yamba look great too! But Byron bay is much further down the coast so maybe i should travel down on the greyhound and depart from a different airport along the coast? What do you guys think? What airports are the best ones to arrive/depart from?

In Sydney, i want to climb the sydney harbour bridge, spend a day visiting the blue mountains - anything else you recommend?

Do you think i am packing too much in, especially taking into account travelling time on the bus (plan to use the greyhound, don't want to drive) along the coast? If so, is there anywhere i have mentioned where i should stay longer/ leave out?I don't want to try to squeeze too much in and end up being rushed.

Also, when i leave Perth i will be on my own which im a bit nervous about so maybe some places are better for solo travellers? I'm interested in tours, culture (where i can take in some aboriginal culture/heritage sites - dont have time to visit uluru!), anything to do with water - snorkelling, kayaking, white water rafting, want to try scuba diving and surfing - and just generally anything interesting!

Hope to hear from some of you soon, cheers!

Ashleen
If its WA school holidays then make sure you book your accommodation in Coral Bay as limited accommodation.

You could also look at heading to Karijini NP for several days from Exmouth- quite a drive though.

Search this forum ( theres a search box at the top) and you will find plenty of ideas for your research as its a popular area for a holiday in WA.
That's a good general plan. The only reason you might want to think about doing something differently, is the weather. October is a very rainy month on the Pacific, about 300mm / 12 inches on average in Tamarindo.

Is it possible to go in early November? Rainfall on average drops to half in November compared to October.

Or, you could look at visiting the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. There will still be rain, but on average something like 7-8 inches.

But if you are stuck with October and want to go to Tamarindo, Nosara, and Samara (which should be a great trip) do rent a 4WD vehicle.

If you want, stay in all 3 of those places. That's what I would suggest if you don't mind moving around.

There are a some big benefits to going to the Tamarindo etc in the rainy season. 1. Prices will be lower . 2. there will be fewer tourists. I visited Tamarindo in March, and for me, it was just too busy. However, I would be happy to stay there in the rainy season. 3. The rainy season is the green season. When I visited in March, there was a lot of brown everywhere, including the coastal scenery. You can see it's all green in the video below. (Tamarindo green season special).

For things to do, of course there's surfing. If you don't surf already, take some surfing lessons. I would do that as soon as possible, after you take the lessons renting a board isn't expensive. It's a great couples activity.

Other activities / sights , just look at the things to do pages for Tamarindo, Nosara and Samara. If you see a land-based tour (such as to Rincon de la Vieja National Park) in many cases you can just drive to the location yourself. I wouldn't recommend a snorkel tour, rainy season usually makes visibility poor.

Rain typically falls in the afternoon and evening, though no guarantees.

The sun rises around 5:30am and sets around 5:30pm, so getting up with the sun obviously can greatly increase your "dry time" and available daylight for activities.

Videos:

Tamarindo Green season special

Short Tour of Nosara

Playa Samara / Carrillo / Camaronal from the air
Hi there,

planning a trip to Vietnam in March next year. Have already read a lot about the areas and sights. Originally we wanted to try to do both the north and south. Now I found out that I (as a German) am allowed 14 days in Vietnam without a visa and were going to Thailand afterwards so we dont need a beach holiday in Vietnam.

At the moment the plan is to fly into Hanoi, stay there for a couple days, go to Sapa or Bac Ha for a couple days, do a 2-N-cruise in Halong or Lan Ha Bay and go to Cuc Phung NP and Trang An for a couple days. Im not sure about the best order. I guess it can all be done as organized tours from Hanoi or we could get to those places ourselves. We have no experience riding a motorbike, so thats not an option.

I would appreciate some advice.

Thanks in advance
Hi all, I am travelling to vietnam in November this year. With help from the good people here on TA, I have finally decided my itinerary with Hanoi as base. Right now my itinerary looks somewhat like this

1) Hanoi 3n

2) Ba Be Lake & Ban Gioc tour 3D2N

3) Ninh Binh (3N)

4) Ha Giang tour 3N

I will arrive back in Hanoi in the morning on 19th November. So I still have about 4 days with me. I am open to recommendations.

I dropped Sapa since it is too touristy. I am planning to spend last few days chilling out in Hanoi & resting from the hectic travel in previous two weeks.
Do you know that it is our crazy New Year Holidays from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3, when many people return to their home town to cerebrate the New Year with their parents, relatives, or old friends, thus many long distance JR trains are crowded very much? Especially, Jan. 2 and 3 are when many people return to their home, because they start their job from Jan. 4.

I think Kanazawa is better than Karuizawa for Onsen Ryokan, but it would be difficult to go in the New Year.

From which city are you going to move from? If it's Tokyo, I think Kawaguchiko (Fuji 5 Lakes) would be the best where you can go by taking highway bus from Expressway Bus Terminal (BUSTA) in front of Shinjuku Station without taking any trains. You can enjoy the great view of Mt. Fuji if the weather is fine, in addition to

Onsen and Kaiseki meals in an Onsen Ryokan. Here is the site to reserve the highway bus.

Here are good Onsen Ryokans in Kawaguchiko.

Here is my report of Toki Yuyu Rakuyu.

Also, Kinugawa Onsen can be reached by taking Tobu Railway from Asakusa, and its Limited Express might not crowded, if you take it on Jan. 1.
Hello experts on Japan,

We as family (myself, wifey and 4 yr old daughter) planning to travel to Japan for 12 days in mid October. We have booked the flights.

We are landing on Day 1 in the morning with ANA flight at Narita and have a flight back on Day 13 in the morning back to Mumbai.

Here is rough itinerary I have thought of, any comments guidance will be great (this is more from logistics perspective)

Day 1 - Day 3 : Local Tokyo

Day 3 - Day 5 : Disney land - thinking of 3 day pass (actually still deciding whether i should take 2 or 3 day pass, never been to any disneyland, wife has been to Hongkong) (Cant stay in disneyland - budget constraints)

Day 6: Hakone - day trip (activate JR Pass) : Stay in Tokyo

Day 7: Train to Hiroshima : Day in hiroshima

Day 8: Miyajima : Night in Kyoto

Day 9: Kyoto

Day 10 : Kyoto - day trip to Nara

Day 11 : Kyoto local

Day 12: Kyoto local - evening back to Tokyo/ Stay in Tokyo or Near Narita airport for flight back on next day.

Is the above practical and comfortable with a 4 year old daughter.

I was thinking of staying at Osaka instead of Kyoto but after reading through I realized Kyoto would be better if I intend to experience local Japan without everyday travel plus since travelling with a kid, I intend to avoid too many shift in hotels. Infact, I thought of coming to Kyoto and do day trip to Hiroshima but realized it wont do justice to the place and would be too much of a rush, any advice on the same is welcome, will actually prefer 6/7 nights in tokyo and rest in another single location, it would be best.

Awaiting inputs eagerly, need to start booking and quickly apply for visa by August last week.

Regards,

tj
Does not seem Trip Advisor allows you to review Car Rental Agencies so this is my warning below.

We rented a car with Thrifty in July as they appear to be the most cost effective. I had rented with Enterprise last time I was in Costa Rica so this was not my first time around the block. I have never had such a bad experience with any car rental agency and such poor service.

They would not allow me to use my car insurance from the USA which is part of my policy and I pay extra for unless I had a printed copy. I was able to get an email copy but they would not accept it as it was not printed and would not print it for me. They also took a $5,000 deposit for you to use your own car insurance! SERIOUSLY!!!! That would destroy most peoples vacations. They said it was in the 8 pages of fine print they sent to me. (They could not find the comment). When I eventually took their insurance it increased my cost by 500% and they still took a $1000 deposit on the car. Service guy had the worst attitude...I wish I had read all the reviews on this company before I booked. I rented through them in Florida the next week and they were fine (nothing special) but at least I did not feel like I was dealing with a bunch of swindlers.
As a frequent tourist to the USA albeit mostly Florida- I know the advantages of planning trips well in advance - however this is so early Im not even able to book anything

Please bear with me as this trip to NYC is a wee bit out of my comfort zone

So myself aged 67 and my sister aged 78 are coming to New York in early December 2019 for 4 nights

She is recently widowed so I really want her to have a memorable trip - my husband is paying for our flights which enables us to stay in a half decent hotel

I am perfectly fit and able to walk around however although my sister is great mentally she is a bit slower on her feet - Im thinking we might be better off with taxis and tours rather than using the subway as she wasnt that good with the underground in London - thats another story 

We will take a cab from the airport to our hotel as my sister doesnt travel light and I dont fancy the subway with luggage

We want to see as much as possible without being knackered all the time and would like to take in a Broadway show - maybe the Lion King for my birthday

Ive looked at using for a full day tour - they get good reviews

We would also like to visit Bryant Park for the Christmas market and maybe take a tour of Central Park

We are keen to visit Ellis Island and to see the Christmas decorations at the Rockefeller Center

My sister loves shopping- Im hoping a visit to Maceys combined with the Rockefeller Center will suffice 

Ive been recommended a few hotels - we will need a twin room - they are

Room Mate Grace, Broadway Plaza, The Edison, Fairfield Inn Times Square and Elements Hotel - these are all within our budget I think ($2000 for 4 nights) - a refrigerator in the room would be a bonus

What do you think about these for location and ease of getting about?

Im thinking we will be pretty tired at night so apart from a light supper and maybe a cocktail or two we arent planning any expensive meals - what do you think about Rosie O Grady's for a meal before a show, also Ellens Stardust Diner was recommended as a great experience- is it?

I know its very early to be even thinking about plans but Im an avid organiser and Im guessing 4 nights in NYC will take way more organising than my Florida holidays

Thanks for your patience reading this rambling post - any input will be most welcome
Note that your hotel is on the other side of the Grand Central Parkway from the airport. I would imagine that means that you will have to wait for an airport shuttle to take you to the hotel if you go "to the airport." Google Maps shows that the Q23 bus stops near the hotel, but it is not near a subway stop- it's 0.7 miles away.

Most posters here do not recommend using an airport hotel for an entire visit to the city. If you have come only for the concert (you did not say in your OP), and don't plan to do much sightseeing, maybe it's less important. You need to understand that surface transportation traffic can occur at any time of day. Yes, it's easier to take a taxi or Uber to LGA in the middle of the nights, but that's also when lots of construction is scheduled. Most permanent residents of NYC will be taking the subway when they leave MSG that night. But it is correct that the curb outside will be a mob-scene.

Have you been near the arena in Boston on the night of a Bruins game? It took me an HOUR to go past it from the end of the Mass Turnpike this year. I didn't know that there was a game, or I would have gone a different way.
Fourteen ministries have shifted, seven expected to do so by October

The Permanent Secretary in the Prime Ministers Office, Ms Maimuna Tarishi, disclosed here yesterday that the government owed nothing to the civil servants in question.

Speaking after a tour of government ministries which have relocated to Dodoma, the PS said the government had done its best to ensure all employees who had been transferred to Dodoma had been paid all their dues.

The move is in line with directives by President John Magufuli, who has repeatedly stressed that any government employee being relocated from ones working station to another should be paid all requisite dues before shifting.

So far no one can claim that he or she has not been paid the transfer package and as we speak the third phase of listed employees are here in Dodoma, and they have all been paid their respective package, be it luggage, per diem and disturbance allowance we thank the government for making it happen, she said.

The PS used the occasion to praise the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces (TPDF) for availing their trucks for transporting furniture and other equipment from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.

Ms Tarishi also commended regional authorities in Dodoma for improving social services to meet the increasing demand prompted by the population upsurge in the designated capital. The Chairman of the National Committee of Coordinating the transfer to Dodoma, Mr Joseph Kilaya, said the final batch of 909 employees from ministries was expected in Dodoma by October, this year.

He said after completing the ministerial phase, they would focus on institutions and agencies, adding that all ministries had been directed to list them down for further action.

We have directed all ministries to give us the list of their institutions, to enable us conduct survey to determine which have to move and which would remain in Dar es Salaam according to their duties he said. Mr Kilaya said out of 7,443 employees, almost 79.4 per cent were in Dodoma, whereas 14 ministries had already relocated with the exception of seven which would be in the final, October batch.

However, the remaining seven ministries that are still operating in Dar es Salaam have some of its departments alreadyrelocated to the capital city. Speaking during the 54th Union anniversary in Dodoma on April 26, this year, Dr Magufuli declared Dodoma as the designated capital of Tanzania.

The decision, he said, was in line with the governments commitment to shift its headquarters from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, which dates back to the 1970s when founding Father of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, was the President.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa was the first to move to Dodoma in September 2016 followed by government ministers while Vice-President Samia Suluhu relocated to the new capital in December, last year.

Dr Magufuli is on record stating that he will transfer to Dodoma before the end of this year. On the other hand, the National Assembly is slated to debate five bills next month, one of which will officially declare Dodoma the capital city.

The bills include Dodoma Capital City Declaration, Teachers Professional Board, Public Private Partnership (Amendments) and the Written Laws Miscellaneous Amendments (No 2) Bill, 2018 and the Written Laws, Miscellaneous Amendment (No 3) Bill 2018.
Open, distance and e-learning JKUAT online courses are a new blend of online learning services that offer complete flexibility to an applicant without watering down the quality of education offered. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has joined distance learning with its former Continuing education program to come up with a very diversified School of Open, Distance and e-learning that leverages ICT. This has resulted in cheaper and more convenient education alternatives for the people who wish to improve their education despite their age, location and prior education level.

Nothing beats a system where you can quickly improve your education from the comfort of your home. This is the opportunity SODeL JKUAT gives you. Not only does JKUAT live to the technology part in its name, it also pushes Kenya a step closer to achieving the vision 2030 goals of education and sustainability for all Kenyans. It does not matter what your previous level of education is or what grades you achieved; you only need to show interest and to have a laptop and internet access. You will not attend the long and sometimes boring lectures, the hustle of getting a room within the school and braving the overcrowded student cafeteria for your meals. You can get a Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology qualification that is just as valuable as their regular courses, faster and at a lower cost. Read on and learn everything you need to know about JKUAT online courses and about how to get started with SODeL JKUAT.

Sodel3 JKUAT  Background information

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has set higher standards in the tertiary education sector in May 2012 when it inaugurated its School of Open, Distance and e-learning (SODeL). SODeL was born from the Continuing education, a program previously ran by JKUAT and overseen by the Continuing Education Program (CEP). CEP, on the other hand, had started as a program for self-sponsored students who had not received admission by the Kenya Joint Admissions Board in 1996.

From CEP came distance learning, and then the innovative SODeL. The latter, is therefore, a combination of the CEP and JKUAT's basic distance learning systems.

With its vision being A leading and innovative provider of Open, Distance and e-learning education nationally and globally, SODeL utilizes the ever dynamic field of IT to provide a learning opportunity to all persons that want to improve their education. This system provides a solution by giving a cheaper alternative and increasing the learning scope. This is very important, especially now with the large number of learners benefiting from the free education program.

How to register on SODeL?

Enrolling in SODeL is easy. The only thing you need to confirm is that you have a stable internet connection, as all your learning depends on it. It is fortunate that the Kenyan internet market is flooded with affordable internet options so this won't be a bother. You can register today in the steps below;

Follow this link to the SODeL website. Download the application form online Deposit the application fee through MPESA Pay bill number 951200 Here is how to deposit;

Navigate to the Mpesa menu on your phone

Choose the Pay bill option

Enter SODeLs Business Number 951200

Enter the Account number in this format; ODeL-ID Number. For example, if your ID number is 87654321,then your account number should read; ODeL-87654321

Enter the amount for the programme you wish to apply for

The specifications are as follows;

500 shillings for Certificates

1000 shillings for Diplomas

1500 shillings for degree and masters programs

Once you get the Mpesa message, save the transaction code Use a smart phone or tablet to scan or take snap shots of all your documents. These include: Your certificates, result slips and National identity card. Fill out the form as required. Fields marked as ** are compulsory Enter the Mpesa transaction code you received after paying in the required slot Scan the completed form (or take a clear photo of the form) and upload it together with the images of the relevant documents to complete the application

READ ALSO: Machakos University College Fee Structure: What Youll Pay for Your Course

What is the procedure of logging in sodel2 JKUAT Juja?

Once your application has gone through and you get admitted, you can use your student details to log into the SODeL portal. This portal is very important as it allows you to access most of the services and study material you will need to complete your course from your computer instead of going to school. For instance, you can download the JKUAT distance learning fees structure, see your exam results, do unit registration, get lesson plans or notes and get many other services that would otherwise demand that you visit a JKUAT branch in person.

You access the portal using a student email that is assigned to you upon registration. Here is the log in procedure:

Follow this link to access the SODeL portal Enter your username. This is the first part of the email assigned to you (the student email address). If your student email address is jane.mary@students.jkuat.ac.ke, then your user name shall be jane.mary@students

3. Enter your password. When logging into the SODeL JKUAT portal for the first time, your default password is the assigned registration number. Type it in lowercase and immediately after logging in, change it into a secret password of your choice.

Getting started with SODeL JKUAT - What you need to know

Now that your application has been received and you have been admitted to SODeL, you are set to start your lessons. Below are important points you should note about your lessons.

Upon admission, students must attend an orientation session at the campus. During this time, they will do the common courses registration and get acquainted with the SODeL system. A student that fails to show up for the opening session is considered to have forfeited their admission by default. In case you wont be able to attend, it is better to let the administration know in advance.

The JKUAT distance learning fees structure varies depending on the course levels, the modules and period involved. After admission, you can find your specific fees structure in the students portal or contact elearning@jkuat.ac.ke to get assistance.

The program combines CEP, distance learning, SODeL incor, porates elements from both systems. For this reason, admitted students shall attend two on-campus sessions each semester.

As far as examinations and assessments are concerned, there has to be a sit-in CAT every semester. This is done during a mandatory tutorial session. There are also JKUAT online quizzes distributed throughout the study period. Its advisable to take and keep screenshots of all quizzes done until the final results are out in case of issues with missing marks. To sit the end of semester exams scheduled for April, August and December of every academic year, one must pay the examination fee and MUST have done the sit-in CAT.

Just like in the regular course set up, a student is expected to complete assignments as outlined in their module and make sure they submit it online to their supervisors.

The duration of the SODeL program is most times 50% less that of regular program, depending on the specific course one is undertaking.

All reading materials are downloadable online. Exams are sent to the specific accredited centres.At the end of the course, graduands all gather at JKUAT main campus Juja to be conferred.

READ ALSO: Kenya Institute of Management Courses and Fees for 2018

The SODeL2 jkuat ac common Juja course index

Interested in joining this flexible and convenient system and you want to know what courses you can find in the JKUAT SODeL programme so far? We have prepared a detailed list for you.

CERTIFICATE LEVEL PROGRAMMES:

Course specification and number of units

Certificate in Purchasing & Supplies Management - 7 modules Certificate in HIV/Aids Management & counseling - 5 modules Certificate in Information Technology (CIT) - 6 modules

DIPLOMA LEVEL PROGRAMMES:

Course specification and number of units

Diploma in HIV/Aids Management & counseling - 14 modules Diploma in Information Technology (DIT) - 25 modules Diploma in Business Administration - 25 modules Diploma in Purchasing and Supplies Management

DEGREE LEVEL PROGRAMMES:

Course specification and number of units

Bachelor of Science Procurement & Contract Management - 59 modules Bachelor of Science in Information Technology [BSc IT] - 65 modules Bachelor of Science in Business Computing Bachelor of Commerce & Business Administration Bachelor of Business & Office Management Bachelor of Business Information Technology [BBIT] - 57 modules Bachelor of Commerce [BCOM]- 54 modules

POST GRADUATE PROGRAMMES

Every level of education usually has its post-graduate level. Those courses in the SODeL programme include;

POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMMES:

Postgraduate Certificate in ICT Integration in Education & Instructional Design

POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES:

Postgraduate Diploma in ICT Integration in Education & Instructional Design

POST-GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMMES:

Master of Science in Strategic Management Master of Science in Human Resource Management Master of Science in Entrepreneurship Master of Science in Procurement & Logistics Management Master of Science in Finance Master of Science in Finance & Accounting Master of Science in Computer Systems that covers 12 modules/units Masters in Research Methods with 16 modules/units Master in Business Administration covering 18 modules/units Master of Science in ICT Integration in Education & Instructional Design Master of Science in Procurement & Contract Management consisting of 20 units/modules Master of Science in Leadership & Governance with 18 units Master of Science in Project Management with a total of 18 units

Where else can the SODeL courses be accessed from besides the JKUAT Juja campus? Well. You dont have to travel across counties or borders to Jomo Kenyatta University in Juja. The SODeL courses can be accessed across the country from the accredited institutions. Below are all of these accredited centers to make it easier to find one near your location.

African Institute of Research & Development Studies (AIRADS) - Kericho & Eldoret campuses

Zetech College  Nairobi Main Campus

Regional Centre for Mapping and Regional Development (RCMRD)-Nairobi

Nairobi Institute of Technology (NIT)-Nairobi Campus

Riccatti Business College of East Africa Nairobi Campus

Kenya Institute of Organic Farming Nairobi

Lake Institute of Tropical Medicine (LIT-MED)-Kisumu

Inoorero University Nairobi Campus

Kenya Institute of Social Work and Community Development - Nairobi

Cornerstone Training Institute Nairobi

Kenya Institute of Organic Farming Nairobi

Nyandarua Institute Of Science & Technology(NIST) - Nyahururu

Kenya School of Monetary Studies (KSMS) Nairobi Main Campus

Murang'a University College of TechnologyMuranga

Embu College-Embu

United Africa College-Nairobi Campus

Kentrac College Nairobi Campus

Nairobi Aviation College Eldoret Campus

Century Park Machakos

Continental Institute of Computer & Business Studies-Naivasha

You can select a SODeL center near your location today and get started.

The SODeL administrators  Who runs SODeL?

You havent yet known everything about SODeL if you dont know who will be facilitating your learning in the support team. The SODeL JKUAT has a small number of administrators. They are few but very effective. At the peak is the deputy Registrar who reports to the Universitys registrar. He is assisted by seven administrators who are always on their toes and with whom you will interact directly very often. The administrators answer any challenges you might face while using the SODeL JKUAT portal, follow up on JKUAT online quizzes to prepare the results and pick up the phone when you call. This team is literally at your service. Read on below and know the excellent people without whom your SODeL experience would not have anything to write home about.

READ ALSO: Most Marketable Courses in Kenya 2017-2018

Deputy Registrar (AA)

The current Deputy Registrar is Mr. Evans Cheptumo. He oversees all SODeL activities alongside other roles stated below:

Monitors the implementation of the SODeL policy as well as takes part in its making

Coordinates the preparation, editing and release of the SODeL bulletin

He is tasked with developing strategies to facilitate fulfillment of the outlined SODeL goals

The deputy registrar also keeps all stakeholders updated

Senior Administrative Assistants

There are two senior administrative assistants that answer directly to the Deputy Registrar.

Francis Njeru, one of the senior AAs, deals with registration of students and preparation of the following;

Examination counters to keep track of exams

Mark sheets and arranging the pass lists

Examination timetables for all SODeL centers

Final exam transcripts and results

Ms. Sylvia Kisaka is the second Senior Administrative Assistant and her specific tasks include handling all student admissions for those transiting from degree to post-graduate courses. She only deals with the following accredited SODeL centers;

Kenya School of Monetary Studies (KSMS) - Nairobi

Alphax College - Eldoret

Pioneer International College

Management University of Africa (MUA)  Nairobi Campus

Sylvia handles the Post-graduate Programme of Executive Master of Business Administration- EMBA in this center.

Kenya College of Accountancy University (KCA) - Nairobi

Multimedia University College -Nairobi

Cooperative University College - Nairobi

Embu College

The other administrative assistants also have specific roles and SODeL centers to deal with. This enables each to focus on their specific area and be the best at it. They current assistants include;

Rachael Ibukah helps in administering all the SODeL centers by doing the following;

Administrating the distance learning programs

Overseeing and offering excellent customer service

Coordinating and keeping everyone updated on SODeLs activities

Monitoring and modifying the learning management systems to fit the students in question

Maintaining all the office records

Beatrice K. Wekunda is in charge of processing the exam results by facilitating the completion of the mark sheets, compiling the pass lists and eventually posting the result slips and transcripts. You are likely to interact with her if you are a SODeL student in the following centers; Zetech College undertaking SHRD Diplomas, Nairobi Institute of Technology ( NIT) and Tracom College, Nakuru Campus.

Gillian Muthoni Ndungu is in charge of RICCATTI Business College, United Africa College and the BCOMBA, RCMRD programs of Zetech College.

She also does;

The registry process and record keeping to ensure proper students records

Processing of the accurate final results before presenting them for approval by the board of examiners

This means, if you are in the mentioned colleges, anything exam related is handles by Gillian and appeals can be made to her.

Susan Nderitu is in charge of keeping the list of lecturers updated for easier tracking.

The work of admitting and registering students from all centers that offer JKUAT courses is Susans too.

Ms. Mary Wanjiru Mucheru is yet another Administrative Assistant (AA) whose roles include;

Being directly in charge of the following SODeL centers;

Airads Eldoret & Kericho Branches

DEFTEC

Muranga University College

Assisting in preparing the draft examination

Processing final results by ensuring accurate mark sheets and pass lists

Posting the result slips and transcripts to make them accessible by the students

Mary is also tasked with a very important role; drafting of all completion letters and recommendations for graduands

READ ALSO: JKUAT Courses and Fee Structure

The SODeL JKUAT administration is composed of young, fresh and super active young people who are well acquainted with technology and what open, distance and e-learning involve. We owe them SODeLs smooth running operations.

In case of any enquiries, JKUAT SODeL contacts are;

Physical address;

School of Open, Distance and eLearning

Address: P.O. Box 62000, Nairobi.

JKUAT main campus, Juja; along Thika Super Highway

New Science Complex Building, Second Floor, Left wing

Email address: director@cep.jkuat.ac.ke

Telephone number: +254 06752419

Fax address:+254 06752419

Mobile number: +254 06752419

If you have any special enquires to make, you can use specific contacts for your need to be assisted faster. They are as outlined below;

For enquiries on SODeL fees structure

Call switchboard (067-5870001, 067-5870002, 067-5870003, 067-5870004, 067-5870005) and ask for EXTENSION 1413 or 1412 (Lydia) or Ext. 1766/1767 (C&D office)

For all questions on SODeL admissions and registration

Call switchboard (067-5870001, 067-5870002, 067-5870003, 067-5870004, 067-5870005) and ask for EXTENSION 1766/1767 (C&D office). You can also ask for Ext. 1754 or 1764 which is the reception desk.

For any concerns on matters examinations you may

Use switchboard numbers (067-5870001, 067-5870002, 067-5870003, 067-5870004, 067-5870005) and request for EXTENSION 1762. You will speak to Sylvia Kisaka for issues concerning Undergraduate Programmes. For post-graduate examination issues, call Ext. 1761 to speak to Lilian Muthoni.

To get a one on one service that is really recommended for new applicants, you can visit the SODeL department in JKUAT main campus. Juja Doors are open from 8AM till 5PM on weekdays.

With a mission to provide enhanced access and sustainable quality education through Open, Distance, and e-learning in science, technology and humanities; SODeL is an invaluable resource. Busy working schedules, high university fees or not getting admission from the joints Admissions Board (JAB) should not be an excuse anymore. Join the bandwagon to reach the highest level you can in your education.

You will not only improve your life standard as an individual, but it has great ripple effects on the economy of the country and on achieving the worlds vision 2030 goals of eradicating poverty through education. Get started now and reap the benefits of a modern, efficient and convenient education system with SODeL JKUAT.

READ ALSO: Student Portal Jkuat: How to Register

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Kenyatta University admission letters

Source: Tuko.co.ke
This article summarizes the tallest buildings in Africa 2018. There are over 100 tall buildings in Africa according to the report of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). Go through this article and get to know which building is the tallest building in Africa.

So within which African country can we find the tallest building in Africa? This article will provide you withinformation about the tallest buildings in Africa. Read the article to get information regarding the tallest buildings in Africa, their heights and location.

Tallest building in Africa

This article ranks some of the tallest buildings on the African continent. Comparison is drawn based on the height of each building. In the late 90s, there were only a hand full of tall buildings in Africa which included some of the major financial centres and commercial centres. South Africa is considered as the country with the tallest building in Africa. Continue reading to know more about the tallest buildings on the African continent with their heights, location and floors.

READ ALSO: List of richest countries in Africa

List of the tallest buildings in Africa

Here are the 10 tallest building on the African continent.

1. Carlton Centre  Johannesburg, South Africa

The Carlton Center in Johannesburg is considered as the tallest building on the African continent. The height of the building is 223 meters which is around 730 ft. The building consist of 50 floors, referred to as the tallest shopping mall and skyscraper in South Africa. Carlton Centre has been a dominating champion of the tallest building in Africa for 39 years. The construction of the building was completed in the year 1973. The architect-designers of the Carlton building are Murray & Roberts; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and W. Rhodes - Harrison Hoffe & Partners.

2. Hassan II Mosque  Casablanca, Morocco

The Hassan II Mosque is the second largest building in the African continent with a height of 210 meters which is around 689 ft. In the year 1993, the construction of the Hassan II Mosque was completed. The Hassan II Mosque is considered as the seventh largest Mosque in the world. The architect designer of the Hassan II Mosque is Michel Pinseau and built by Bouygues.

READ ALSO: Best architects in Kenya - list of architectural firms in Kenya

3. Britam Tower  Nairobi, Kenya

The Britam Tower in Nairobi is the third largest building in the entire Africa continent. The height of the building is 200.1 meter which is around 656 ft. The building consists of 31 floors and the construction of the building was completed in the year 2017. The architect-designers of the Britam Tower are GAPP Architects & Urban Designers and Triad Architects. The Britam Tower is considered as the third tallest building in Africa.

4. Ponte City Apartments  Johannesburg, South Africa

The Ponte City Apartments come under the fourth largest building in the entire African continent. The height of the Ponte City Apartment is 173 meter which is around 568 ft. The building consists of 54 floors and considered as the tallest residential skyscrapers in Africa. In the year 1975, the construction of the building was completed. The architect designers of the building are Manfred Hermer Grosskopff & Lombart.

READ ALSO: Features and symbolism of Swahili architecture

5. UAP Tower  Nairobi Kenya

The UAP Tower is considered as the fifth largest building in Africa. The height of the UAP Tower is 163 meter which is around 535 ft. In the year 2016, the construction of the building was finished with an arrangement of 33 floors. The UAP building is considered as the second tallest building in Nairobi, Kenya. The owner of the building is UAP Old Mutual Holdings. The UAP Tower is considered as the second tallest building in East Africa after the Britam Tower in Nairobi.

6. NECOM House  Lagos, Nigeria

The NECOM House is considered as the sixth tallest building in the African continent. The NECOM House was formerly known as the NITEL Tower and before that, it was the NET Building. The building consists of 32 floors and the construction of the building was completed in 1979. The height of the building is 160.3 meter which is around 526 ft. The architect designer of the building was Nickson Borys & Partners.

7. PSPF Towers (Tower B)  Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

The PSPF Towers (Tower B) is considered as the seventh largest building in entire Africa. The height of the building is 153 meter which is around 502 ft. The construction of the building started in 2011 and the construction was finished in 2014. With a capacity of 35 floors, the building is kept functional for official purpose.

READ ALSO: 6 refreshing reasons why Africas tallest skyscraper being built in Nairobi will cost Ksh20 billion (photos)

8. PSPF Towers (Tower A) - Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

The PSPF Towers (Tower A) is considered as the eight largest building in entire Africa. The height of the building is 152.7 meter which is around 501 ft. The construction of the building was started in 2011 and the construction finished in 2014. With a total capacity of 35 floors, the building is used for official purposes.

9. Marble Towers - Johannesburg, South Africa

The Marble Towers is a skyscraper in the Central Business District of Johannesburg, South Africa. The height of the building is 152.1 meter which is around 499 ft. The building consists of 32 floors above the ground and 3 floors below the ground. The building is kept functional for official purpose and is referred as the 3rd tallest building in South Africa.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Find Out The Five Tallest Buildings In Nairobi

10. Pearl Dawn  Durban, South Africa

This building is considered as the tenth tallest building in Africa. The height of the building is 152 meter which is around 499 feet. The construction of the building started in 2006 and the construction finished in 2010. The building is used for residential purpose with 31 floors and 120 apartments. The architect designer of the building was Seedat & Seedat.

The above buildings are the top 10 tallest buildings in Africa, ranked in accordance with their respective heights. So what do you think about the tallest building in Africa?

Source: Tuko.co.ke
Crimes against humanity describe acts purposely orchestrated by widespread or systematic policy and meted on civilians. Throughout history, this ugly side of man has manifested itself in ruthless dictators who will do anything to remain in power, even taking the lives of the people they serve. Dealing with crimes is not easy as perpetrators possess power in their countries and blanket themselves with state sovereignty.

The Circassian genocide. Photo: @HabjouqaEffendi

Source: Twitter

Mass atrocities that qualify as crimes against humanity are endless and from all corners of the world. It does not matter whether it is Kosovo, Sudan, Bosnia or Somalia; the international community has made it clear that there must be consequences for people who commit crimes. If these people cannot be prosecuted, other strategies such as sanctions are applied to bring such people into account.

10 biggest crimes against humanity

There is no shortage when it comes to the crimes against humanity list. The number of genocides that have led to the systematic killing of thousands of civilians, forced displacement of civilians, enslavement of minors and sexual violence against women is unimaginable. These are the 10 biggest crimes:

1. The Holocaust

The Holocaust. Photo: @Holocaust_Ed

Source: Twitter

The Holocaust was an ideological and systematic state-sponsored and mass murder of millions of European Jews and several other groups by the regime of German Nazis. This crime against humanity happened between 1933 and 1945 when Adolf Hitler ruled Germany. The Nazis were on a mission to eliminate groups of people they considered sub-human, including:

European Jews

Romani people

Homosexuals

Dissidents

Intellectually disabled

To Hitler and his supporters, Jews were an inferior race that threatened the racial purity of Germany; hence they had to be eliminated. As a result, the Holocaust claimed the lives of more than 11 million people.

2. Cambodian genocide

The Cambodian genocide. Photo: @listland

Source: Twitter

This genocide resulted from the planned persecution and killing of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge during the Communist Party of the Kampuchea regime. Its general secretary, Pol Pot, radically led Cambodia into a self-sufficient agrarian society. In the process, about 1.5 to 2 million people were killed from 1975 to 1979, which was a quarter of Cambodia's population.

Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge enjoyed the support of the Chinese Communist Party. More than 90 percent of the foreign aid that the Khmer Rouge received was from China. Civilians were moved from cities to labour camps in the countryside where mass executions, physical abuse, forced labour, disease and malnutrition were the order of the day.

3. Rwandan genocide

The Rwandan genocide. Photo: @SurvivorsRwanda

Source: Twitter

The Genocide of the Tutsi by the Hutu, who were the majority in the Rwandan government, is one of the worst crimes against humanity cases known to man. It was a mass slaughter of between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Tutsi people in just 100 days. In addition, over 2,000,000 Rwandans were displaced and became refugees as a result of the genocide.

The massacre wiped about 70 percent of the Tutsi population, which the government army and government-backed militias had hunted. There was no intervention from other countries to stop the violence that had shocked the entire world. Apart from being murdered with rifles and machetes, close to 500,000 women were raped during the genocide.

4. Armenian genocide

The Armenian genocide. Photo: @Genocideof1915

Source: Twitter

The Armenian genocide happened during World War I in the then Ottoman Empire. Close to one million ethnic Armenians were murdered under the watch of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP). The genocide was executed through mass executions, death marches towards the Syrian Desert, and the forced Islamization of Armenian women and children.

Leading to WWI, Armenians had been concentrated in eastern Anatolia in a protected but subordinate place. As a result, there were massacres of Armenian people in the 1980s and 1909. CUP leaders were afraid that the Armenians would break free of the empire; hence the killings began.

5. Holodomor

The Holodomor. Photo: @RodericDay

Source: Twitter

Holodomor is also known as the Great Famine or Terror-Famine and probably shows images of the worst crimes against humanity. It was a famine in Soviet Ukraine that lasted from 1932 to 1933, resulting in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians.

This was not a natural famine but man-made through intentional actions such as rejecting outside aid, restricting population movement and confiscating all household foodstuff. Even though the Holodomor occurred during peaceful times, it is recognized as a genocide of the Ukrainian people by the Soviet government.

The UN estimates that between 7 and 10 million people perished due to the state-manufactured famine. There is speculation that the famine was either planned to eliminate a Ukrainian independence movement or a consequence of Soviet industrialization.

6. The Nigerian civil war

The Nigerian civil war. Photo: @NigeriaStories

Source: Twitter

The Nigerian Civil War (Nigerian-Biafran War/Biafran War) was a civil war between the government of Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra. The Republic of Biafra had seceded and declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967, leading to conflict. Biafra was led by Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu and was dominantly made of the Igbo people, while Nigeria, dominated by the Hausa-Fulanis, was under General Yakubu Gowon.

There was a feeling among the Igbo people that the Muslim Hausa-Fulanis no longer represented their interests. The ingredients for the conflict were a mixture of religious, political, economic and cultural tensions long before Britain's formal decolonization of Nigeria. The war lasted over two years, from July 1967 to January 1970, in which there was mass starvation of between 500,000 to 2 million Biafran civilians and a further 100,000 military casualties.

7. Nanjing massacre

The Nanjing massacre. Photo: @archeohistories

Source: Twitter

The Nanjing Massacre, sometimes referred to as the Nanking Massacre or Rape of Nanking, was a period of mass murder and rape conducted by the Imperial Japanese troops against the residents of Nanjing, which was the capital of China at the time. The massacre happened during the Sino-Japanese War that occurred between 1937 and 1945.

The massacre lasted for six weeks, beginning on the 13th of December, 1937. The Imperial Japanese army captured Nanjing and killed hundreds of thousands of disarmed combatants and unarmed Chinese civilians. The massacre was accompanied by widespread rape and looting. It is estimated that over 300,000 Chinese were killed.

8. Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Photo: @Group6_UC3M

Source: Twitter

On the 6th and 9th of August 1945, the United States detonated two nuclear weapons over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people. The two bombings remain the only use of nuclear weapons in a war, but the effects were devastating.

In the final year of WWII, Germany surrendered; hence, allied nations shifted their attention to the Pacific War on the Japanese Mainland. The Imperial Japanese armed forces were given a chance to surrender, but they refused. As a result, the two cities were targeted for bombing because they were large urban areas that contained military facilities.

9. Native American genocide

Native American genocide. Photo: @QasimRashid

Source: Twitter

The Native American genocide is among the worst crimes against humanity. It is one of many genocides of indigenous people caused by colonial powers. The initial Spanish conquest of the Americas yielded the deaths of about eight million indigenous people. The primary cause of these diseases was the spread of Afro-Eurasian diseases alongside wars and atrocities.

Native Americans were mistreated and killed for centuries in all areas of the Americas that are present-day Canada, Mexico, the USA, Brazil and other Southern Cone countries, including Chile, Argentina and Paraguay. One of the most catastrophic genocide was the Trail of Tears, where more than 60,000 Native Americans were forcefully displaced.

10. Circassian genocide

The Circassian genocide. Photo: @HabjouqaEffendi

Source: Twitter

The Russian Empire conducted the Circassian genocide through mass murders, ethnic cleansing and expulsion of about 1,500,000 Muslim Circassians from their homeland Circassia following the Russo-Circassian War. It is estimated that up to 97% of the total Circassian population became victims of the genocide among the classical crimes against humanity examples.

Even though most of the Circassians were killed or exiled, a small number resettled in the swamps, while some chose to convert to Christianity to remain. The Russian and Cossack forces were ruthless in their methods, such as reaping apart the bellies of pregnant women. Circassian children and women were also raped in the genocide.

The international community has done a lot to confront crimes against humanity and ensure that civilian lives are protected. However, the doctrine of responsibility to protect is a silver lining. It asserts that sovereignty comes with responsibilities and justifies external intervention to prevent civilians from being brutalized. With that, the number of crimes has diminished as compared to past decades.

Tuko.co.ke published the list of the most dangerous African countries to visit. Africa is a beautiful continent. Many consider it one of the best destinations for anyone seeking enlightenment, cultural experiences, and adventure. For tourists who visit the continent, it is usually an experience of a lifetime graced by unique views of nature.

While many countries in Africa have attractive tour destinations, some can be a nightmare. The most dangerous African countries are characterised by crime, political, and economic instability. Which countries are these?

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- Magufuli was in solemn mood as he visited his sister in hospital

- His sister Monica has been intensive care unit following heart treatment

- The President took to thank hospital staff for taking great care of his sibling

Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli on Satuday, August 18 showed his vulnerable side as he openly shed tears after witnessing his sister in critical condition in hospital.

Monica Joseph Magufuli, who is currently admitted in Intensive care at a hospital in Mwanza, was visited by several dignitaries including her brother who also happens to be Tanzanias head of state.

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READ ALSO: Mbunge avua nguo kusalia na chupi wakati wa kutoa hotuba bungeni

In photos accessed by TUKO.co.ke, a highly emotional Magufuli is seen next to his sister who looks to be in critical condition.

Magufuli was in solemn mood as he visited his sister in hospital

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: President John Magufuli of Tanzania given heroic welcome in Kenya

Speaking on his ailing sister, Magufuli expresses hope that his sibling would make a full recovery after undergoing a heart procedure.

"I thank you for the services rendered to all patiennts and especially my sister Monicah who is still in critical condition. Your prayers are needed but more importantly Gods mercy is needed. I urge you not to give up because by God you shall do great things, he said in a short speech to hospital staff.

He also thanked staff of the Bugando hospital for immense support and attention in offering his sister Monica high quality medical services.

Sadly, barely a day after the visit, Magufuli's sister passed away in Sunday, August 19.

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- The Atheists in Kenya leader suggested that February 17 of every year should be named Atheist Day

- He said they would use the occasion to show their lack of faith in God by holding parades

- He argued giving atheists recognition would promote freedom of religion as a human right in Kenya

- The atheists president was reacting to decision by the government to declare Tuesday, August 21, a holiday for Muslims

- There has been sharp disagreements on when the Muslim faithfuls should celebrate Idd-ul-Adha

Atheists in Kenya (AIK) leader, Harrison Mumia, has called on the government to declare February 17 of every year a public holiday for the non-believers in Kenya after Interior CS Fred Matiang'i gazetted Tuesday, August 21, a holiday for the Muslims.

The local atheists protested the fact that they did not have a single public holiday to celebrate their lack of faith in God, yet Christians and Muslims had more than two public holidays each spread across the year.

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READ ALSO: Bintiye Raila aonekana kwa mara ya kwanza tangu alipozirai mwaka jana

Atheist in Kenya (AIK) President Harrison Mumia on Sunday, August 19 demanded that February 17 of every year be declared public holiday for atheists in Kenya. Photo: Harrison Mumia.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Muslim leaders oppose Matiangi's Tuesday, August 21, public holiday, say he did not consult them

In a letter sent to TUKO.co.ke on Sunday, August 19, Mumia stated Kenyans who do not believe in God or gods also deserved a public holiday.

"There is no shortage of religious holidays celebrated in Kenya. Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr, Diwali, Aid al-Adha, Easter and Ramathan are just a few. Even though atheists constitute an estimated 5% of the Kenyan population, this should not be the reason why we cannot have any public holidays," he protested.

Interior Cabinet Secretary had declared Ttuesday, August 21, a public holiday during which the Muslim community in Kenya would celebrate Idd-ul-Adha.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Matiangi declares Tuesday, August 21, public holiday

Mumia urged CS Matiang'i to gazette February 17 as a public holiday for the local non-believers, arguing this would promote freedom of religion as a human right in the country and a strategic national interest in line with Article 27 of the Constitution of Kenya.

"The government cannot ignore the place of atheists in Kenya. We deserve as much recognition as other faiths," he said.

READ ALSO: Muslim leaders oppose Matiangi's Tuesday, August 21, public holiday, say he did not consult them

Days earlier, Matiang'i had announced Tuesday, August 21, would be a public holiday during which Muslim faithfuls in Kenya would celebrate Idd-ul-Adha.

However, a section of the local Muslim leaders opposed the announced date, claiming the holiday should have been marked on Wednesday instead.

READ ALSO: Raila, Ruto clash over 2017 elections during burial of ex-minister Henry Obwocha

The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya accused the government of declaring Idd al-Adha celebrations without consulting the Chief Kadhi's office, but Majority Leader Aden Duale who is also a Muslim, insisted there was nothing wrong with the date announced by Matiang'i.

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- The UK warned there was likelihood of violence erupting in Uganda over detention and torture of Opposition MPs

- The protests, according to UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office, were being staged by Opposition leaders

- UK's reaction to Uganda's political stalemate comes day after US urged Ugandan government to respect human rights

- Detention of vocal MP Bobi Wine is believed to be the main cause of the rising political temperature

The United Kingdom has warned its citizens against visiting Uganda citing the boiling political tension in the country as a course for concern.

The UK issued the travel advisory on Sunday, August 19, days after the arrest and detention of firebrand Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine and other Opposition leaders, which sparked protests across the country.

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READ ALSO: US angered by detention, torture of Uganda's vocal opposition MP Bobi Wine

Kyadondo East MPRobert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine went missing after Yoweri Museveni's car was on smashed and vandalised by hooligans following a chaotic political rally in Arua town, northern Uganda.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Picha 5 za bintiye Seneta Moses Wetangula aliyejaliwa urembo na 'swag' ya ajabu

According to a statement issued by the UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the rising political tension in Uganda could escalate to a level of violence across the country.

There is an increased likelihood of protests, which may turn violent, across Uganda, the statement seen by TUKO.co.ke read.

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine, 2 other MPs arrested following attack on Museveni's motorcade

The UK's travel advisory came hours after the US warned the Ugandan government against abuse of human rights and violation of the country's constitution.

The US expressed concerns over the building political tension following the chaotic by-election in Arua town, northern Uganda, which led to arrest of several Opposition politicians.

"We urge the government to show the world that Uganda respects its constitution and the human rights of all of its citizens. All of those detained have the right to humane treatment, due process, access to lawyers and to their families, and a prompt, fair, and transparent trial," the US Mission in Uganda tweeted.

READ ALSO: Tension in Uganda as MP Bobi Wine goes missing after murder of his driver by police

President Yoweri Museveni, however, denied claims his government was violating human rights and instead blamed the local media for blowing things out of proportion, including the reported torture and abuse of Wine's rights.

"I decided to check with Army doctors because, being a disciplined Army, UPDF doctors always take precautions in such situations. Bobi Wine had already been seen by doctors in Arua, Gulu and Kampala. He has no head or chest injuries or bone fractures, they informed me," the president said.

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- Hospitals are on the spot for exaggerating bills for patients with health insurance cards

- The EACC wants the Ministry of Health to provide clear guides on proper billing

- The inflated system is a threat to the attainment of President Uhurus agenda on health

A recent report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has revealed health insurance beneficiaries are being charged 50 times more than those paying cash.

This exposure comes at a time when the government is keenly advising the citizenry to enroll in health insurance schemes with great emphasis on the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

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READ ALSO: Bintiye Raila aonekana kwa mara ya kwanza tangu alipozirai mwaka jana

EACC boss Halakhe Waqo wants the Ministry of Health to provide clear guides on how proper billing will be done to avert over pricing. Photo: EACC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: First Lady Margaret Kenyatta meets with Prince Harry at International AIDS Conference

The EACC said there was widespread exaggeration in bills by variations hospitals which has since triggered concern on the efficiency of the Ministry of Health, Business Daily reported on Saturday, August 18.

The pricing malpractices are shocking and even if the institutions say that they are out to make profit, this is simply unethical and needs to be stopped, said EACC Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo.

READ ALSO: How to check NHIF account status online

The report observed insurance beneficiaries paid to a tune of KSh 90,000 for a urinary bladder surgery while those paying cash were only billed KSh 7,500.

Insurance cardholders, the report further noted, paid KSh 35,000 for removal of a nasal pack while the procedure only required KSh 700 if cash was paid.

Mothers undergoing caesarean section are charged at least KSh 90,000 when they produce insurance cards while those without only pay KSh 20,000 in medical bills.

READ ALSO: NHIF benefits for self-employed and civil servants in Kenya

The report singled out a health facility in Nyeri County where children below five years benefited from free services but those covered by NHIF had charges levelled on them.

Waqo said it was important for the Ministry of Health to move with speed and arrest the confusion and extortion.

He demanded the ministry develops clear guidelines on how bills should be charged on various categories of patients.

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Kenya Marks 20th Anniversary of Embassy Bombing | Tuko TV.

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Keroche Breweries heiress Anerlisa Muigai has had her fair share of cyber bullies who often try to tear her apart with their savage comments.

The curvaceous beauty has however grown a thick skin and learnt how to hit her haters where it hurts most, and that is below the belt.

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READ ALSO: Picha 5 za bintiye Seneta Moses Wetangula aliyejaliwa urembo na 'swag' ya ajabu

READ ALSO: Wealthy Heiress Anerlisa Muigai parades yummy assets in black, see-through jumpsuit

In a epic Instagram throwdown seen by TUKO.co.ke, Anerlisa engaged in an epic back and forth with a fan who attacked her for flaunting her mother's money.

According to the relentless follower, the rich girl has the tendency of flashing money she inherited from her mum and lying its a product of her hard work.

READ ALSO: You will choke on all the fat - Anerlisa reveals how ex-boyfriend pushed her to lose weight

The Nero Company proprietor had initially captioned her photo saying once men realise a lady makes her own money, they develop a semblance of respect for her and that was when the nosy fan dived in with the acidic comment.

"Once your mummy makes some money for you," the fan by the name Mikeztyme wrote.

Completely riled up, Anerlisa shot back at the nosey man and while at it, dragged his mum in her response.

"And where was your mommy at when mine was making money," she clapped back.

Well, the guy was not willing to go down easily and decided to hit back with another jibe.

He told the beauty to own up to the fact her mum funded her life and avoid being ashamed of it.

According to Mikeztyme, there was no harm in admitting the money was not Anerlisa's as it is normal to sometimes live off one's parents.

"It is okay to say mummy made all this money and the only reason why I am rich is because of her," he retaliated.

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- One person was killed and scores injured in the protests

- Transport services were temporarily brought to a standstill as fires were lit on roads

- Residents accused police of using excess force to repulse protesters

- President Museveni on Sunday allayed fears stating Bobi Wine is fine

Tension and fear engulfed Ugandas capital, Kampala on Monday, August 20, as police fired tear gas and live ammunition to repulse protesters lobbying for the release of celebrity MP Bobi Wine.

TUKO.co.ke earlier reported the MP was still in detention following his arrest on Monday, August 13, and it was feared he was in a critical condition.

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READ ALSO: Ignore fake news, Bobi Wine is fine - Museveni

Bobi Wine (c) is still in detention following his arrest on Monday, August 13 and it is feared his health is in a critical condition. Photo: Bobi Wine

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: Tension in Uganda as MP Bobi Wine goes missing after murder of his driver by police

The rioters engaged police in running battles after lighting huge fires in the middle of main roads and markets.

Among the roads barricaded by the demonstrators were Kikuubo Market Lane and Namirembe Road.

READ ALSO: Bintiye Raila aonekana kwa mara ya kwanza tangu alipozirai mwaka jana

ALSO: Kenyans share mixed reactions after DP Ruto wins award in Uganda

The furry filled crowds could be heard chanting "People power, Our power".

According to Dennis Namuwooza, a senior security officer in the capital, at least 12 people have been arrested following the unrest.

Wines supporters have castigated the countrys leadership for torturing him together with his co-accused, who TUKO.co.ke understands were arrested as a result of their strong opposition to the ruling party.

One person was shot dead and five others badly injured with locals accusing police of using excessive force to quell the protests.

A protest to agitate for the MP's freedom was also planned in Kenya with activists looking to march to the Ugandan Embassy in Riverside Drive, Nairobi.

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Kenya Marks 20th Anniversary of Embassy Bombing | Tuko TV.

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- Drunk drivers will be suspended if caught committing the same traffic offense thrice

- Meja warned private motorists to be extra careful because they are responsible for most accidents

- He made the remarks a few days after handing over responsibility of enforcing traffic regulations to the police

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has warned drunk drivers will now be blacklisted and suspended from roads for half a year if caught committing the same traffic offense on three occasions.

The Authority disclosed it would be monitoring conduct of motorists through the smart driving licences that are currently being rolled out and that anyone caught drink driving would lose 14 points each time.

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READ ALSO: Bintiye Raila aonekana kwa mara ya kwanza tangu alipozirai mwaka jana

The National Transport and Safety Authority announced it would monitor performance of motorists through smart driving licences and motorists caught drink-driving would lose 14 points.Photo: Pulselive.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenya traffic offences and penalties guide 2018

Speaking during the launch of a road safety report on the Northern Corridor on Monday, August 20, the NTSA boss Francis Meja also put private motorists on notice saying they were found to be responsible for most road accidents in Kenya.

"The number of private vehicles involved in accidents across the country has gone up tremendously compared to PSVs. NTSA is working with the private sector to help curb road accidents and cautions private vehicle owners to be more careful," the director general said.

The handover ceremony was presided over by Inspector General National Police Joseph Boinnet and NTSA Director General Francis Meja Photo: NPS.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: EACC Officials Catch Traffic Police 'With His Pants Down'

He added the authority was also planning to erect roadside arrest stations as one of the measures being taken to curb road fatalities.

According to the latest road safety report, some 2,919 Kenyans lost their lives in road accidents in 2017 alone, a 1.6% increase compared to what was recorded in 2015.

READ ALSO: Aviation Authority confirms DP Ruto grabbed its land to build Weston Hotel

The report was unveiled a few days after NTSA officially handed over the responsibility of enforcing traffic rules and regulations to the Kenya Police as was directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

As earlier reported by TUKOc.o.ke, enforcement equipment were handed over to the traffic police in a ceremony presided over by Meja and the Inspector General of the National Police Service Joseph Boinnet.

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Deputy President William Ruto decided to tag his lookalike son along as he travelled to Uganda for official purposes.

One thing about the trip stood out and it was surely not his son, George Kimutai's, firm handshake when he met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

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READ ALSO: DP Ruto to receive 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award

Deputy President William Ruto decided to tag his lookalike son along as he travelled to Uganda for official purposes. Photo: William Ruto/Facebook

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Kenyans share mixed reactions after DP Ruto wins award in Uganda

The DP's son shadowed his father as the two paid Museveni a visit and guess what? He stepped out in a pair of blue jeans coupled with a blue sweatshirt! Who even does that when meeting Kaguta?

The internet was far from pleased and the DP's followers could not help but offer their two cents on how people should dress when mingling with dignitaries.

READ ALSO: Pomp and colour as Johnstone Muthamas daughter ties the knot in glamorous wedding

One thing about the trip stood out and it was surely not his son George Kimutai's firm handshake when he met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. photo: William Ruto/Facebook

Source: Facebook

Most Kenyans could not understand how the son of a powerful politician could not put two and two together and realise his dressing was offensive and disrespectful.

Most of Ruto's followers suggested his son should deep into his pockets and purchase a few presentable suits which can be worn during such meetings.

READ ALSO: Bintiye Raila aonekana kwa mara ya kwanza tangu alipozirai mwaka jana

Completely puzzled, one Kenyan asked why George was dressed like a local musician and stated the young man looked completely out of place.

Other netizens tried to fiercely defend the young man stating he was representing the youth and that is how most youngsters dress nowadays.

To them, George had a firm handshake and appeared to be a humble guy therefore he did nothing wrong.

Ruto delivered a keynote speech during the 2018 edition of Young Achievers Awards in Kampala, Uganda.

He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his exemplary political performance on Saturday, August 18.

His award brought about mixed reactions among Kenyans with some questioning whether the deputy president really deserved it.

Most Kenyans could not understand how the son of a powerful politician could not put two and two together and realise his dressing was offensive and disrespectful. Photo: William Ruto/Facebook

Source: Facebook

Other netizens tried to fiercely defend the young man stating he was representing the youth and that is how most youngsters dress nowadays. photo: William Ruto/Facebook

Source: Facebook

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The ODM leader Raila Odinga's elder daughter Rosemary has made her first public appearance a year after collapsing and undergoing surgery.

The 41-year-old celebrated her birthday in style at Deeps EA Horse Riding School in Kitusuru on Saturday, August 18.

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READ ALSO: Huyu ndiye afisa wa polisi mwenye macho na shepu maridadi zaidi Kenya?

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's elder daughter Rosemary Odinga has made her first public appearance a year after collapsing and undergoing surgery. Photo: Courtesy

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Afisa wa polisi apiga mtindi hadi kujisahau, airusha bundiki yake barabarani

Raila happily toasted to Rosemary's new year with a smile plastered on his face.

The gorgeous lady's event had a southerner theme and everyone whipped out their best cowboy attire.

READ ALSO: Pomp and colour as Johnstone Muthamas daughter ties the knot in glamorous wedding

The 41-year-old mother of two celebrated her birthday in style at Deeps EA Horse Riding School in Kitusuru on Saturday, August 18. photo: Courtesy

Source: UGC

The ODM leader rocked a white, stylish fedora and his gorgeous wife Idah donned a pair of jeans and a simple blue shirt.

Rosemary looked completely healthy and in good spirits and would often break into laughter whenever she saw a camera near her.

One could barely tell that a year ago, she was hospitalised and operated on in an attempt to save her life.

Word has it the whos who of the society were in attendance during the invite only bash including Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, Pius Ngugi, Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati, former Alego Usonga MP Sammy Weya and businessman Edwin Ngonga.

In a candid confession back in 2017, Raila's daughter stated she was not going to vie for the Kibra parliamentary seat thanks to her dwindling health.

She explained how she fainted while in Naivasha and was airlifted to Aga Khan to seek treatment.

As her health deteriorated, the ailing lady had to travel to South Africa where she went under the knife for what she described as a stroke.

Now, she is full of life and appears to be living it up as she turns a year older.

The ODM leader rocked a white, stylish fedora and his gorgeous wife Idah Odinga donned a pair of jeans and a simple blue shirt. Photo: Courtesy

Source: UGC

Now, she is full of life and appears to be living it up as she turns a year older. Photo: Courtesy

Source: UGC

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Kenya News: Ex-Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charges| Tuko TV

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As of Monday, alcohol will be allowed to be served at bars and restaurants that fall under t
The UEFA Champions League group stage is within touching distance for the ten survivors from the qualifying rounds plus Young Boys and PSV Eindhoven, who enter the competition at this stage.

UEFA.com looks at the vital statistics ahead of the opening legs of their play-off ties.

Benfica v PAOK(Tuesday, 21:00CET)

The Eagles will be keen to make amends for last season's group campaign  they lost all six matches  while PAOK are still waiting to test themselves against Europe's elite at that stage.

Benfica are aiming to reach the group stage for a ninth successive season

The Portuguese side have, however, only experienced the play-offs once, overcoming Twente in 2011/12

All four of PAOK's previous UEFA Champions League forays have ended in the qualifying rounds

The Greek outfit have taken two notable scalps to reach this juncture, beating Basel 5-1 on aggregate and Spartak Moskva 3-2 over two matches

PSV, entering the competition at this stage, beat Manchester United in 2015/16 Getty Images

BATE Borisov v PSV Eindhoven(Tuesday, 21:00CET)

Both these sides have experienced fleeting highs in the group stage in recent seasons with BATE beating Roma and PSV helping knock out Manchester United in 2015/16.

BATE have won 12 consecutive Belarusian titles and already come through ties against HJK Helsinki and Qarabag this season

They are also specialists in the play-offs, having won all four previous UEFA Champions League ones and three of their four in the UEFA Europa League.

PSV are without a win in their last ten European games (D4 L6), dating back to a 2-1 win against CSKA Moskva in December 2015

The Dutch side's only play-off appearance was in 2013/14 when they succumbed 4-1 on aggregate to AC Milan

Crvena zvezda v Salzburg (Tuesday, 21:00CET)

Despite both sides reaching a European final in the 1990s, this pairing has the least group stage experience between them  Salzburg's 1994/95 campaign is the only showing.

Crvena Zvezda were European champions in 1991 Getty Images

Crvena zvezda lost in the third qualifying round in all of their six previous UEFA Champions League quests

The Belgrade outfit have lost just once in their last 12 European home matches (W7 D4), conceding only five goals in the process

Salzburg's recent record is arguably even more impressive  they have only been beaten twice in their last 25 European games (W15 D8)

Since that sole group stage journey, the Austrian side have made 12 unsuccessful attempts to return

Ajax v Dynamo Kyiv (Wednesday, 21:00CET)

In contrast to the last tie, this pairing has the most experience in the competition with Ajax veterans of 19 previous campaigns and Dynamo Kyiv no less than 23.

These clubs have only met once in Europe and it was at this stage in 2010/11, Ajax advancing 3-2 on aggregate

The Dutch side last made it out of their group in 2005/06 and have failed to finish in the top two five times since

The Ukrainian team are bidding to play in the group stage for the 17th time

Dynamo won on their last two visits to the Netherlands, at Feyenoord in 2012/13 and AZ Alkmaar in 2010/11

Vidi v AEK Athens (Wednesday, 21:00CET)

Only two Hungarian clubs have ever made it to the UEFA Champions League group stage. Greece has had more frequent representation but AEK have not been amongst them since the 2006/07 season.

Young Boys were knocked out by Gareth Bale's Tottenham in 2010/11 Getty Images

Vidi, formerly known as Videoton, were eliminated in the second and third qualifying rounds in their only previous attempts to reach the group stage

The Hungarian club have lost only one of their last nine European games (W3 D5)

AEK won their 12th Greek title last season but their first since 1994

The Greek side's 2-1 win against Celtic in the last round ended a run of eight successive draws in European competition

Young Boys v Dinamo Zagreb (Wednesday, 21:00CET)

These sides have experienced drastically contrasting fortunes in previous play-offs and the Swiss side will be hoping to overcome the weight of history to reach a maiden group stage.
The United States, Germany, Poland and France are the largest importers of Ukrainian honey.

Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze wrote this on her Facebook page.

"Our honey is supplied to 35 countries. Ukraine mostly exports honey to the United States, Germany, Poland and France. Over 50,000 tonnes were delivered to the EU countries only last year (of which more than 5,000 tonnes were delivered on a duty-free quota)," she wrote.

She noted that Ukraine now ranks fifth in the world in terms of honey production and is the leader in its production in Europe.

"Our country produces over 100,000 tonnes per year, which is 6% of world's honey. At present there are about 400,000 beekeepers in Ukraine, which account for 4 million hives," the deputy prime minister said.

Klympush-Tsintsadze also stressed that among the largest producers of honey in Ukraine are Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Poltava and Kirovohrad regions. These regions provide the production of 70% of Ukrainian honey.

iy
The summit of the "Normandy Four" with the participation of the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany may take place in Paris, but the date of the summit has not been determined yet, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said.

According to him, representatives of the four states continue to work on preparing the meeting.

The aide pointed out that the possibility to hold the new summit of the "Normandy Four" was discussed during the Saturday talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has categorically denied the possibility of recognizing Crimea as being part of the Russian Federation.

The politician said this in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper ahead of a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the suburbs of Berlin on Saturday, August 18.

"If we recognize Crimea as Russian territory, it may become an invitation to others to act in violation of international law," Maas said.

He said it was right that the EU had extended sanctions against Russia shortly before the summer holidays. The fact that Italy even voted in favor of the sanctions despite different voices during the election campaign shows how much the EU is serious about its values and does not bow to force, Maas said.

At the same time, he does not rule out the easing of sanctions in the event of progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements. He hopes for such an event. "If the implementation of the Minsk agreements is successful, we will be able to agree on a moratorium on sanctions, but only after that," the diplomat said.

Berlin, in his words, wants to create new momentum for the Minsk process. He is optimistic about the possibilities for a United Nations peacekeeping force in Donbas. Germany's goal is to stabilize the situation in eastern Ukraine and ensure compliance with the ceasefire, Maas said.

op
German Chancellor Angela Merkel promises to make efforts to find a solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine and hopes for a "school" ceasefire.

She stated this before the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the German governments Meseberg Castle on Saturday, August 18, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

Merkel said she hoped fresh efforts could be undertaken at the beginning of the new school year to disentangle Ukrainian military forces and separatists on the front lines in Donbas region.

She stressed that the Minsk agreements remained the basis for the settlement of the situation. Merkel noted that a stable ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was still not achieved. She expressed hope that it would be possible "to make another attempt" to establish a ceasefire due to the beginning of the school year.

Germany, according to the chancellor, is ready in any case to continue to assume responsibility within the "Normandy format".

Putin, in turn, noted Russia's interest in the work within the "Normandy format" and the Trilateral Contact Group. Moscow will continue to assist the "UN special monitoring mission", he said.

In the meantime, about 20 activists held an action near the residence demanding the release of Oleg Sentsov and other political prisoners.

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Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, on the eve of the 100th day of the hunger strike of Oleg Sentsov, once again called on Russia to immediately release the Ukrainian filmmaker and other political prisoners of the Kremlin.

"Tomorrow marks 100 days of O. Sentsovs hunger strike in Russian prison. Oleg is on the verge of life and death. We call on Russia once again to immediately release the illegally detained, innocent man and the rest of Ukraines political prisoners," Linkevicius wrote on Twitter.

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."

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Germany and Russia will continue to discuss the possibility of deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said this at a briefing on Monday, confirming that this issue was raised during the talks of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Russian President Vlamidir Putin on August 18, Ukrinform's correspondent in Germany reported.

"An intense discussion of this issue will continue," Seibert said.

He notes that there is the possibility of resolving the crisis with the help of the UN mission, and both sides agree with this. "Blue helmets" can help, he said.

On Saturday, August 18, Merkel stressed that the Minsk agreements remained the basis for the settlement of the situation. Merkel noted that a stable ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was still not achieved. She expressed hope that it would be possible "to make another attempt" to establish a ceasefire due to the beginning of the school year.

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A group of children and young people affected by the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine spent a week of summer holidays in Romania, the press service of the Ukrainian Embassy in Romania reports.

"From August 10 to August 18, a group of 15 children and young people affected by the armed conflict in Ukraine spent part of their summer holidays in the town of Mioveni, Arges County (Romania)," reads the report.

The Embassy informed that it became possible to arrange a free vacation for Ukrainian children thanks to the efforts of the town administration.

Earlier, the town administration of Mioveni organized the first such vacation for young Ukrainians in August 2015.

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The Ukrainian community of London is invited to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the Independence Day of Ukraine. All funds raised will be used to support Ukrainian soldiers.

"All money raised will be used to support the Ukrainian military officers," Ukrainian Events in London wrote on its Facebook page.

The organizers asked guests to come in embroidered shirts.

The ticket price is 20.

The event will take place on August 24 at 7:00 pm at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, 154 Holland Park Avenue, W11 4UH London.

For more information please call +44 (0) 7835052396 (Vitaliy)

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Ukrainian Roman Ternovsky, who was arrested last year in the Rostov region of Russia for alleged participation in the Right Sector movement, has been sentenced to two years and three months of imprisonment, according to the website of the Russian Investigative Committee.

"A court issued a verdict sentencing Ternovsky to two years and three months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. The verdict has come into force," the statement reads.

The Russian court found Ternovsky guilty under Part 2 of Article 282.2 (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) of the Criminal Code of Russia.

The report states that in 2015-2016, in Ukraine, Ternovsky "was engaged in the organization of the production and distribution of emblems with the symbols of the Right Sector, as well as participated in public rallies directed against the interests of the Russian Federation."

In particular, he allegedly participated in blocking the passage of trucks from Russia at the Hoptivka checkpoint (Kharkiv region) in February 2016, prevented the holding of Russia Day at the Russian Consulate in Kharkiv and also distributed information about the activities of the Right Sector on the Internet.

The Russian Investigative Committee reported the detention of Ternovsky in the Rostov region for "activity" in favor of the Right Sector in October 2017. At the same time, Right Sector spokesman Artem Skoropadsky said that Ukrainian Ternovsky, who was detained in Russia, had not been an activist of the Right Sector for a long time. In the past, he was really a supporter of this political force for some time. Contact with him was lost at the end of 2016.

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The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has once again called on militants of the "DPR" terrorist organization to immediately release Ukrainian blogger and journalist Stanislav Aseev, whom they illegally detained in occupied Donetsk, according to a statement posted on the federation's website.

"The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today reiterated its urgent call for the journalist's release," reads the statement.

Russian television channel Rossiya 24 aired on August 17 an interview with kidnapped journalist Stanislav Aseev, in which he "confesses" to working for Ukrainian intelligence in Donbas. The interview has raised concerns that Aseev, who has been illegally imprisoned in Donetsk for over a year, was coerced into confessing to false espionage charges.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) said it considers the "confession" of spying for the Ukrainian government given by Aseyv "to be highly questionable." "We question the circumstances of this purported confession. We have no idea when it was made, or under what conditions or duress," said RFE/RL spokesperson Joanna Levison.

Aseev's friend Yegor Firsov, a former Ukrainian parliamentarian, wrote on Facebook: "I have the feeling that they forced Stanislav to confess to everything they could imagine."

Aseev was detained by the so-called "DPR" forces at the beginning of June 2017 in Donetsk. On June 20, 2017, representatives from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) called for Aseev's immediate release.
Ternovskiy was detained in Rostov region in October 2017 for "propaganda" of the Right Sector on Facebook.

Roman Ternovskiy, a Ukraine national, has been convicted in Russia for taking part in public actions in Ukraine "aimed against the interests of the Russian Federation."

"The evidence collected by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation was recognized by the court as sufficient for the conviction of Ukrainian citizen Roman Ternovskiy. He was found guilty of committing a crime under Part 2 Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization)," an UNIAN correspondent was told by the press service of Russia's Investigative Committee.

The investigation and court have found that Ternovskiy was in 2015-2016 engaged in organizing the production and distribution in Ukraine of paraphernalia with symbols of the Right Sector organization, as well as took part in rallies "aimed against the interests of the Russian Federation."

Read alsoSentsov not to write any pardon letters  Russian human rights activist

According to the report, Ternovskiy participated in a rally to block Russian trucks transiting via Ukraine near the Hoptivka checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border in Kharkiv region on February 15, 2016. The committee declares the action was carried out "in violation of the agreements on friendship, cooperation and partnership between Russia and Ukraine," as well as on the unhindered transit of transport, "with the aim of inflicting property and reputational damage to the Russian Federation in its foreign economic relations."

In addition, the committee said on June 12, 2016, Ternovskiy and other Right Sector members held a similar rally to disrupt events in honor of the Day of Russia at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Kharkiv. Ternovskiy was also accused of propagating the Right Sector organization on the internet, including among those "permanently residing in Russia."

"According to the verdict, Ternovskiy is sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment at a penal colony," the report said.
Russian troops in Transnistria have conducted an exercise to cross the Dniester with the use of armored vehicles.

Expert on international affairs Serhiy Danylenko says Russia is working out a scenario of escalation in Transnistria to create, if necessary, a military threat to Moldova and Ukraine.

"I think the Russians are working out an algorithm how to act in a closed enclave subordinate to Moscow. This may be interesting given the situation with Kaliningrad, because it is also an enclave that is separated from the rest of Russia," the expert said, commenting on the unauthorized drills of Russia's military forces in Transnistria, as reported by the Ukrainian online news outlet Obozrevatel on August 19.

According to Danylenko, the Moldovan authorities, despite their often inconsistent actions, "are still more pro-Western."

"Therefore, Russia will be interested in escalation at any moment. It's difficult to say how this will unfold. But analysts at Russia's General Staff [of Armed Forces] are able to do it skillfully. They can play out a scenario of escalation in Transnistria. It is interesting given the Moldovan government's pro-Western initiatives," the expert said.

Read alsoRussia's "little green men" cross the Dniester river: Moldova reacts to provocation

"Also, it poses a threat to the southwestern border of Ukraine. It's a very effective instrument in a negative sense for Ukraine," the expert added.

As was earlier reported, Russian troops in Transnistria conducted exercises to cross the Dniester with the use of armored vehicles. The Ministry of Defense of Moldova called the Russian side's actions an act of provocation.
Joint forces reported no casualties over the past 24 hours.

Russian-led forces mounted 20 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas in the past day.

"No casualties among the Ukrainian troops have been reported over the past day. According to intelligence reports, two occupiers 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 20, 2018.

Read alsoUkraine reports 2 WIA's amid 40 enemy attacks in past day

Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack the defenders of the villages of Krymske, Katerynivka, Luhanske, Pivdenne, Zalizne, Zaitseve, Novoselivka Druha, Hnutove, Pavlopil, Lebedynske, Vodiane and Shyrokyne. In certain areas, the enemy engaged infantry fighting vehicles, in particular near Katerynivka.

"Since Monday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted three attacks on the Ukrainian positions near Shyrokyne and Lebedynske, using grenade launchers and small arms," the report says.
The violations in Donetsk region were recorded near the Donetsk Water Filtration Station, the villages of Mayorsk and Pyshchevyk, and the towns of Svitlodarsk and Krasnohorivka.

Monitors of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine have reported about 207 explosions in Donetsk and Luhansk regions during the past weekends.

"In Donetsk region, between the evenings of August 17 and 18, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, a similar number of explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (115 explosions). Between the evenings of August 18 and 19, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 80 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours," the mission said in a statement.

The violations in Donetsk region were recorded near the Donetsk Water Filtration Station, the villages of Mayorsk and Pyshchevyk, and the towns of Svitlodarsk and Krasnohorivka.

Read alsoOSCE observers come under fire in part of Donbas beyond gov't control

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of August 17 and 18, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including ten explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no ceasefire violations). Between the evenings of August 18 and 19, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (two explosions), compared with the previous 24 hours.

The violations were recorded in the towns of Popasna and Zolote and the village of Stanytsia Luhanska.
Survey results indicate a return to a Brezhnev-spirit propaganda and "stereotypes of the Soviet period."

Almost 50% of Russians are unaware of the invasion of Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia, which put an end to Prague Spring reforms, that's according to a research conducted by a non-government Levada Center on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact forces on August 21, 1968.

Excerpts from the study were published on Sunday, August 19, by the British newspaper The Guardian, dw.com reports.

According to the Center's director, sociologist Lev Gudkov, the outcome of the poll indicate a return to a Brezhnev-spirit propaganda and "stereotypes of the Soviet period."

More than a third of the respondents (36%) opined that the invasion had been justified, and the Soviet Union had definietely or highly probably been right when deploying troops to the former Czechoslovakia.

Another 45% found it difficult to assess said events - compared to 2003, this figure grew by 11%.

Read alsoWar in Ukraine answers question why NATO must expand - media

More than one-fifth of all respondents (21%) blamed the West, in particular, their "subversive actions" aimed at splitting the Socialist bloc.

Another 23% claimed that there had been a "coup d'etat" undertaken by anti-Soviet politicians in the former Czechoslovakia, which eventually led to the introduction of troops.

Another 18% of Russians are sure that there had been an "uprising in Czechoslovakia against the regime established by the Soviet Union." In 2008, 31% of respondents gave a similar response.

According to Gudkov, only 10% of those polled (aged 18 to 35) admitted that they had an idea of the events of the Prague Spring.

Read alsoPutin's biker gang sets up military-style camp on NATO soil - media

"Young people don't know and don't want to know what happened," he said. "I think this is a manifestation of a general immorality of the great power, which became the basis for the Russian imperialist revival under Putin and under conditions of support of the Crimea annexation," the sociologist is convinced.

UNIAN memo. The Prague Spring was a series of popular protests against Soviet influence, a period of political liberalization in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, which lasted from January 5 to August 20, 1968 and ended up in the invasion of the country by 200,000 troops and 5,000 tanks of the Warsaw Pact countries (except Romania).
The official noted that vulnerable systems both in the government and private sectors require protection.

Donald Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton says the United States protects the country against election meddling, including with the use of defensive and offensive cyber tools available.

"There are a lot of things were doing that we cant talk about specifically," the National Security Adviser told ABC News. "And that includes both defensive and offensive cyber operations to protect the integrity of the election process."

It has been "certainly a priority of mine to make sure that were using the full range of our capabilities to protect not just the elections but a whole range of vulnerable systems in the United States, vulnerable to cyber warfare operations in the government and in the private sector."

Read alsoU.S. DoD not focused on one country in election meddling  Mattis

The official called this "very important because what we want is not war in cyber space. We want peace in cyber space."

In order to achieve peace, the U.S. needs "to establish structures of deterrence so that our adversaries who have conducted cyber operations against us or who are contemplating it come to understand they will pay a much higher price if they do that than if they simply refrain," Bolton believes.

The official added that, besides Russia, other major suspects in possible meddling in the 2018 Congress Primaries are Iran, China, and North Korea.
The attack coincided with a deepening row between Ankara and Washington over the trial of a U.S. pastor in Turkey.

Several gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the U.S. embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Monday, hitting a window in a security post but causing no casualties, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

It said police teams were searching for the assailants who fled in a white car after the attack, which occurred around 5 a.m. (02:00 GMT), Reuters wrote.

Read alsoErdogan suggests adding Turkey to BRICS  media

The attack coincided with a deepening row between Ankara and Washington over the trial of a U.S. pastor in Turkey.
The department issued 22,200 visas to Ukrainians in the seven months of 2018, compared to over 23,000 visas over the last year.

As Lithuanian construction companies are experiencing a growing lack of qualified specialists, vacant job are more and more often filled by Ukrainians, informs LETA/BNS.

The Lithuanian Migration Department estimates their number will grow 30-50% next year, according to The Baltic Course.

Read alsoUkraine seeing brain drain in high-yield economy sectors  expert

The department issued 22,200 visas to Ukrainians in the seven months of 2018, compared to over 23,000 visas over the last year. And 80% of them were issued to Ukrainians. Another 6,300 Ukrainians received Lithuanian residence permits, compared to almost 6,000 residence permits issued to Ukrainians over the whole last year.

"Over the next few years the number of Ukrainian citizens coming to Lithuania will continue to grow. It will happen due to a lack of workforce in Lithuania and a visa free regime for Ukrainian citizens. If immigration continues to grow at this rate, we can expect the number of incoming Ukrainians to grow 30-50% next year, compared to this year," Evelina Gudzinskaite, head of the Migration Department, told.

Dalius Gedvilas, head of the Lithuanian Association of Construction Workers, says around 2,500 Ukrainians are now employed by Lithuanian construction companies. But these are only estimates as some of them are employed via Ukrainian-registered companies and in that case people dont need visas.
All children have the right to survive and thrive. Yet, children and adolescents still face significant challenges surviving past infancy and developing to their full potential.

In 2019, 6.1 million children and young adolescents died, mostly from preventable causes. Children under the age of 5 accounted for 5.2 million of these deaths  nearly half of whom were newborn babies.

Every six seconds, a child under the age of 5 dies somewhere in the world.

Whats more, some 810 women die each day from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Many of these deaths can be avoided. But inadequate access to quality and equitable health care and life-saving supplies still contributes significantly to preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths, as well as stillbirths.

Adolescents are more exposed to accidents and injuries, unintended pregnancies and the physical, mental and economic repercussions of HIV and AIDS, and non-communicable diseases such as mental ill-health, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease.

For children and adolescents in emergency and humanitarian settings, health risks escalate. Life-saving health services are often unavailable or inaccessible, making newborns, children, adolescents and mothers particularly vulnerable to harm.

Nearly 40 per cent of the global under-five deaths occurred in countries suffering humanitarian crises.

In the coming decades, demographic changes threaten to strain global health systems. Some 2 billion births are projected worldwide between 2018 and 2050. Africa remains the worlds only region anticipating a substantial increase in births, with repercussions for thinly stretched health systems. In Asia, ageing populations are also expected to put pressure on health systems.
August 20 2018

The tortured recent history of a B-listed Glasgow landmark may yet have a happy ending following a change of ownership and submission of plans to convert a disused seven storey block on the corner of Argyle Street and Miller Street.

In 2015 Darling Associates followed up their 2011 facade retention bid with an application for full demolition, claiming that corrosion of the hybrid steel and concrete structure made its re-use impossible.

A more recent structural assessment by David Narro Associates, aided by a wraparound advertising scaffold, has reached a markedly different conclusion however, with engineers now of the opinion that the building can be saved other than failing brickwork to the rear - which will be rebuilt in a contemporary style.

Overseen by ZM Architecture this will retain surviving interior elements such as a stone staircase, steel balustrading and lift shaft. In a statement ZM wrote: This work is ongoing and a detailed stone enabling contract is to be organised so that full refurbishment of the facade can be undertaken with known risks and methods for stone replacement and treatment for frame conversion.

This is a slow but methodical process and means that we will be applying to extend the approved scaffold erection period.

Incorporating commercial uses at ground and basement levels the project will see renovation of the two primary facades with like for like replacement sash and case windows, together with an eighth floor penthouse extension and private roof terrace in contrasting brickwork.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Niger is interested in purchasing Russian helicopters and firearms including grenade launchers, Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev said in an interview with Sputnik.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Niger is interested in purchasing Russian helicopters and firearms including grenade launchers, Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev said in an interview with Sputnik.

The agreement on defense industry cooperation between Russia and Niger was signed during the Army-2017 military forum in Russia.

"A significant work on implementation of the agreements on supplies of Russian helicopters has been carried out. Discussion of issues related to aviation and purchasing firearms including grenade launchers is on the agenda today," Shugaev said.

He pointed out that more time was needed to fulfill the existing plans in the sphere of defense industry cooperation.

"We are actively cooperating with our partners and I am sure that we will achieve good results," Shugaev added.
Moscow and Azerbaijan are preparing all the documents needed to begin enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said on Monday.

BAKU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Moscow and Azerbaijan are preparing all the documents needed to begin enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said on Monday.

"A whole series of documents on economic cooperation is being prepared. We want to intensify our trade and we also hope to develop economic cooperation," Bocharnikov told journalists at a press conference.

He added that Moscow also counted on setting up joint businesses with Russian participation, which would create a favorable economic climate.

"All of this really appeals to the business, I am glad to note an intensification of our business councils," the ambassador said.

According to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economic Development, almost $350 million worth of goods were exported from Azerbaijan to Russia between January and July, marking a 5.76 percent increase from the first half of 2017. Russia, in turn, exported over $788 million worth of goods, also showing a slight increase year-on-year.

Moscow is currently one of Baku's main trade partners, according to figures from the first half of 2018. Bilateral trade amounted to $1.14 billion, which accounts for over 8.54 percent of Azerbaijan's total trade.
(@FahadShabbir)

The High Court Bar Association in Indian occupied Kashmir has condemned the thrashing of dozens of people by the Indian forces in Kulgam.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2018 ) :The High Court Bar Association in Indian occupied Kashmir has condemned the thrashing of dozens of people by the Indian forces in Kulgam.

According to Kashmir media service, the Bar Association in a statement issued in Srinagar said, "We strongly condemn the beating of dozens of people by the forces, vandalizing their houses, smashing windowpanes and damaging their cars and tractors parked outside their houses and arrest of innocent youth including Fasil Bashir, Fasil Nazir and Muneeb Ahmad from village Bhan in District Kulgam during night hours." "This is the worst kind of brutality of which notice should be taken by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and other bodies and pressure should be put on New Delhi to stop these rights violations in Kashmir and settle the issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people," the statement said.

The Bar association also extended its greetings to Imran Khan on becoming the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan.

"We hope that the new Government of Pakistan under Khan's leadership would continue to support the legitimate cause of the people of Kashmir in realizing their inalienable right of self-determination, promised to them by both Pakistan and India at the world fora, in terms of various United Nation Security Council resolutions which are awaiting implementation for the last 70 years," the statement said.
The Abu Dhabi Police, ADP, celebrated World Humanitarian Day by holding various programmes and activities for patients and their families, as well as for the medical and administrative staff of the Amana Health Care Hospital in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 20th Aug, 2018) The Abu Dhabi Police, ADP, celebrated World Humanitarian Day by holding various programmes and activities for patients and their families, as well as for the medical and administrative staff of the Amana Health Care Hospital in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi.

The event, which was organised by the ADP with the participation of the happiness ambassadors of the ADPs Security and Ports Affairs Sector, included the distribution of gifts to patients and people of determination, especially children, at the hospital, as well as to its employees, to strengthen the values of giving and tolerance. This was in recognition of the role of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in starting the journey of the UAEs humanitarian giving, coinciding with the Year of Zayed.

Major General Sheikh Mohammed bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Director of the Security and Ports Affairs Sector, highlighted the ADPs participation in International Humanitarian Work Day and the importance of focussing on humanitarian values and its impact on the success of communities, in line with the social values and principles of Sheikh Zayed, which are ingrained in the community and inherited by all Emirati generations.

Brigadier Salem Hamoud Al Baloushi, Director of the Weapons and Explosive Administration of the Security and Ports Affairs Sector, said that the International Humanitarian Work Day represents the value of giving and noted that it coincides with the Year of Zayed 2018 while adding that the ADP is keen to organise the event, to make patients and their families happy, as well as the hospitals employees.

The patients and their families expressed their appreciation for the ADPs initiative, which reflects the foundations on which the UAE was established and its approach based on unity, in line with the achievements of Sheikh Zayed and his humanitarian values.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Civil society representatives hailed Prime Minister Imran Khan's social reforms agenda and his commitment to the governance model of the state of Madinah as a revolutionary initiative that would enable people get real taste of democracy.

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2018 ) :Civil society representatives hailed Prime Minister Imran Khan's social reforms agenda and his commitment to the governance model of the state of Madinah as a revolutionary initiative that would enable people get real taste of democracy.

This was stated by Civil Society Forum (CSF) coordinator Shahid Mahmood Ansari, president CSF Dr. Irfan Ahmad Paracha, and chief organizer Aurangzeb Khan Baloch while addressing a press conference here Monday.

They said that social changes Imran Khan talked about was also the demand of the people.

Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke about easy access to justice for the aggrieved people, rights to widows, homes for the impoverished and education and training for children, they said adding that these were objectives behind the independence and creation of Pakistan as a souvereign country.

They said that retiring foreign debt and discontinuing the practice of seeking foreign loans would bring dignity to the country and the nation.

They said that the whole civil society would stand by Imran Khan and extend full support provided the ambitions that were part of the Prime Minister's first address to the nation wouldbe implemented in letter and spirit.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2018 ) :Regarding the role of civil servants in running the government affairs and accomplishment of its policies, Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday hinted that the PTI-led government would re-introduce the merit policy.

During his maiden address to the nation, he regretted that the political interferences and lack of merit policy had impinged upon the functioning of civil service, which was once regarded as the backbone of the country.

The prime minister said the civil service required reformation and assured that there would be no interference from the PTI government.

The honest and dedicated people would be accorded due respect and protection no matter whatsoever they had the political affiliations, he added.

He reiterated that the ordinary man should be treated equally in the society and given the due rights.

He referred to Right to Public Service Act of KP, where bonuses were announced for the departments who delivered on time whereas the others, who failed to achieve the targets, were penalized.

The prime minister said the local government system introduced in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PK) had transferred powers to the grassroots level and the same would now be implemented across the country.

The prime minister said his government was keen and committed to bring about police reforms in other provinces with the help of respective provincial governments just like the PTI-led government had introduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the PTI registered triumph in the general election in KP due to the reason that its government had made the police force to function on professional lines. He credited former inspector general of police Nasir Durrani for making the reforms feasible in the province.

He said Durrani had agreed to accept an advisory role for bringing about the much needed reforms in the Punjab police. The Federal government would also work with the Sindh government in that regard.
KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2018 ) :Pakistan Navy conducted a beach cleaning campaign at Sea view here to create awareness amongst general populace regarding importance of cleanliness.

Pakistan Navy officers, men and students of Bahria Colleges participated in the beach cleaning campaign, according to a Pakistan Navy press release issued here on Sunday.

The participants amicably removed debris including plastic items, pet bottles and polythene bags etc from the beach.

Sports stars also participated in the campaign to boost the morale of the participants.

In addition people from "Nation Building Initiative" and other segments of the society also participated in the said campaign.

At the end of the event, Rear Admiral Asif Khaliq, Commander Karachi, expressed his views. He said marine ecology is in danger due to negative impacts of pollution. Therefore, he added, it is everyone's responsibility to reclaim environment by avoiding plastic pollution and maximize tree plantation.

At the end of the ceremony, Rear Admiral Asif Khaliq also planted a plant at Nishan-e-Pakistan park.
(@rukhshanmir)

China hopes that the work to set up the Syrian constitutional commission will be terminated by late September, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Syrian Issue Xie Xiaoyan said on Monday.

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) China hopes that the work to set up the Syrian constitutional commission will be terminated by late September, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Syrian Issue Xie Xiaoyan said on Monday.

"Speaking about the current situation in Syria, there have been significant changes recently. First of all, fight against terrorist groups is going on. Secondly, certain progress in the formation of the Syrian constitutional commission has been achieved. According to some reports, perhaps, this work will be concluded by late September. I hope that this goal will be achieved," Xie said.

The Chinese envoy noted that despite the fact that chances for political settlement in Syria had increased recently, there were still serious challenges that should be addressed.

"There is still a number of serious challenges. For example, fragmentation in Syria, there is a risk of clashes due to it. During my tour [to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Syria], I called on the parties not to turn the de-escalation zones into fragmentation zones," Xie said at a briefing on the outcome of his middle Eastern trip.

There are currently four agreed de-escalation zones in Syria.

The first zone is in Idlib and parts of neighboring Latakia, Hama, and Aleppo provinces; the second in the north of the central Homs province; the third in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus; and the fourth in certain parts of the southern Daraa and Quneitra provinces.

In mid-July, Geneva hosted the first negotiations of the Syrian ceasefire guarantor states  Iran, Russian and Turkey  devoted to the implementation of the constitutional commission's mechanism. In late July, following the 10th round of Astana peace talks for Syria, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura announced his plans to hold another meeting on the constitutional commission's establishment in September.

Syria has been engulfed in an armed conflict since 2011. In late 2017, the victory over the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) was declared in Syria and Iraq, with some territories of the two countries still being cleared of terrorists with the assistance of the Russian forces. The main efforts in Syria are currently focused on political settlement and post-war reconstruction of the country.
Kabul is willing to bolster and develop its relations with Moscow, just like it did during the Soviet times, Afghan Ambassador to Russia Abdul Qayyum Kochai said on Monday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Kabul is willing to bolster and develop its relations with Moscow, just like it did during the Soviet times, Afghan Ambassador to Russia Abdul Qayyum Kochai said on Monday.

"We currently have a normal relationship with Russia. We are trying to strengthen and develop our relations [like we did during the time of] the Soviet Union," Kochai said during a press conference held by the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency in Moscow.

The diplomat noted that both sides had made a number of mistakes in the past.

"Afghanistan has never done anything wrong to the Soviet Union, and does nothing bad to Russia," Kochai pointed out.

Afghanistans ties with the Soviet Union have been close with the two countries enjoying cooperation in various areas, from energy to security. Moreover, the Soviet Union had given significant financial and military support to the Afghan government.

At present, Moscow is supporting the Afghan peace process and helping the country achieve stability.
The Ample Strike military exercise, with participation of about 1,200 personnel from 19 countries, will take place in the Czech Republic on September 3-14, Zdenek Gabriel, a representative of the Czech Defense Ministry and the director of the exercise, said Monday.

PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) The Ample Strike military exercise, with participation of about 1,200 personnel from 19 countries, will take place in the Czech Republic on September 3-14, Zdenek Gabriel, a representative of the Czech Defense Ministry and the director of the exercise, said Monday.

"The objective of the drills is to exercise interoperability between pilots and air-to-ground communications, which are the eyes of aircraft and helicopter crews during the operations," Gabriel told reporters.

As many as 36 unarmed planes and helicopters from nine countries will participate in the drills, he added.

The planes will take off from airfields located in Pardubice, Caslav, and Namest nad Oslavou.
Zambia will tax phone calls made over the internet to protect traditional telecoms companies, the government said Monday, a move activists warned would stifle freedom of expression.

Lusaka, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2018 ) :Zambia will tax phone calls made over the internet to protect traditional telecoms companies, the government said Monday, a move activists warned would stifle freedom of expression.

Increased popularity of internet telephony services like Skype, WhatsApp and Viber "threatens the telecommunications industry and jobs in companies such as (operators) Zamtel, Airtel and MTN," government spokeswoman Dora Siliya said in a statement.

"Government has therefore introduced a 30 ngwee ($0.03) charge a day tariff on internet phone calls." The policy, which has yet to become law, follows Uganda's recent decision to impose a $0.05 daily levy on social media sites including Facebook and Twitter which was met with protests by opponents.

Siliya said that the fee would be collected by mobile phone operators and internet providers.

While WhatsApp and similar apps offer end-to end encryption of calls, mobile phone carriers and internet providers can tell from the volume of data that a voice or video call is being made, even if they can't listen in to the conversation.

Internet has become important for civil society in Zambia, and activists worry the tax will curtail freedom of expression.

"We have noted that it's part of the systematic attempt by the state to stifle freedom of expression online.

This is an assault to freedom of expression and association," said Richard Mulonga, head of the online rights group Bloggers of Zambia.

"This tariff does not promote digital inclusion, internet neutrality and affordability. It is an assault on innovation and entrepreneurship," he added.

Zambian President Edgar Lungu has been accused of growing authoritarianism as several opposition figures and government critics have faced prosecution in what rights groups characterised as politically-motivated cases.

But communication minister Brian Mushimba said that the levy on internet calls was purely economic.

"We don't believe in stifling the media, we believe in freedom of expression and this decision is purely an economic decision because we have lost income and so we are saying if Skype, WhatsApp are making money, how about us?"Human rights activist Brebner Changala said that the fee would unnecessarily burden ordinary Zambians to swell state coffers.

"These people want to continue curtailing our freedoms... we all know they are broke but we ask them to allow us to express ourselves without any charge. Let them leave our freedom," Changala told AFP.
BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Media reports about the alleged Chinese military involvement in the Syrian conflict are speculations that provide false interpretation of the Chinese political course, Chinese Special Envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan said on Monday.

In early August, Syrian media reported that the Chinese servicemen were ready to fight terrorists in the province of Idlib and other parts of the country together with the Syrian troops.

Recently, some media speculations that China is going to involve in the Syrian conflict emerged.

That is a false picture of the Chinese policy. These Arab media, which issued the relevant material, later explained that China had no military presence in Syria. China is strongly advocating settlement of the conflict only by peaceful means  China has never sent its troops to Syria, Xie told reporters.

He added that China was strongly opposing any form of terrorism and calling for the boost of the international anti-terror cooperation.
(@FahadShabbir)

China hopes that the work to set up the Syrian constitutional commission will be terminated by late September, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Syrian Issue Xie Xiaoyan said on Monday.

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) China hopes that the work to set up the Syrian constitutional commission will be terminated by late September, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Syrian Issue Xie Xiaoyan said on Monday.

"Speaking about the current situation in Syria, there have been significant changes recently. First of all, fight against terrorist groups is going on. Secondly, certain progress in the formation of the Syrian constitutional commission has been achieved. According to some reports, perhaps, this work will be concluded by late September. I hope that this goal will be achieved," Xie said.

In mid-July, Geneva hosted the first negotiations of the Syrian ceasefire guarantor states Iran, Russian and Turkey devoted to the implementation of the constitutional commission's mechanism.

In late July, following the 10th round of Astana peace talks for Syria, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura announced his plans to hold another meeting on the constitutional commission's establishment in September.

Syria has been engulfed in an armed conflict since 2011. In late 2017, the victory over the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) was declared in Syria and Iraq, with some territories of the two countries still being cleared of terrorists with the assistance of the Russian forces. The main efforts in Syria are currently focused on political settlement and post-war reconstruction of the country.
(@FahadShabbir)

Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Sunday met with Puan Maharani, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

JAKARTA, Aug. 20 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2018 ) :Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Sunday met with Puan Maharani, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Sun, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended warm congratulations to the successful opening of the 18th Asian Games and expressed condolences over the strong earthquake occurred in the country's island of Lombok.

This year is the fifth anniversary of the establishment of China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, she said, adding that with the guidance of the two countries' leaders, China-Indonesia relations have achieved rapid development by actively aligning their development strategies and fully promoting mutually-beneficial and practical cooperation.

Citing the complicated and sensitive global political and economic situations, Sun said China and Indonesia actively take responsibilities as major countries and maintain communication and coordination on regional and global affairs to jointly promote peace, stability and development in regions as well as the world.

Sun said people-to-people exchanges serve as the bond and bridge in enhancing the two peoples' friendship and mutual trust. China is willing to work with Indonesia to deepen cooperation in people-to-people exchanges to help the development of China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, she noted.

The two countries should consolidate cooperation in education, especially in such fields as higher and professional education and training of skills, she suggested, adding that China and Indonesia should also push forward cultural exchanges and promote cooperation in sports.

Sun said the two countries need to work together to expand cooperation in tourism industry to boost personnel exchanges and strengthen cooperation in tourism security to avoid serious accidents.

She also called for closer communications among the two countries' youths, saying that China welcomes more young people from Indonesia to visit to and study in China.

In addition, China and Indonesia should enhance cooperation in sanitation sector and promote cooperation in such areas as public health, overall health, training and health education.

For her part, Puan Maharani welcomed Sun attended the opening ceremony of the Jakarta Asiad as President Xi's special envoy and thanked China's support and the importance it attached to the sport event.

The Indonesian government and people thanked China's valuable assistance after the strong earthquake hit the Lombok Island, she said, adding that it showcased the friend relationship and profound friendship between the two peoples.

The Indonesian side pays great attention to Sun's proposals on the two countries' people-to-people exchanges and looks forward to working with China to further push forward China-Indonesia cooperation in education, science and technology, culture, sanitation and sports, so as to promote the development of bilateral ties and bring tangible benefits to the two peoples, she said.
Chinese special envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan told Sputnik on Monday that he hoped to visit Russia till the end of the year.

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Chinese special envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan told Sputnik on Monday that he hoped to visit Russia till the end of the year.

I have already visited Russia several times. We have such a mechanism of contacts with Russia.

I hope that I will have an opportunity to visit Russia till the end of the year, Xie said.

Russia, alongside Iran and Turkey, is a guarantor of the ceasefire regime in Syria. Moscow has also been assisting Damascus both through supporting the struggle against terrorist groups and providing humanitarian aid to the residents of the crisis-torn country.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

French Defense Minister Florence Parly will make an official visit to Finland later this week, during which she will hold talks with her Finnish counterpart Jussi Niinisto and visit Helsinki-based European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats think tank, the Finnish Defense Ministry said on Monday.

HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) French Defense Minister Florence Parly will make an official visit to Finland later this week, during which she will hold talks with her Finnish counterpart Jussi Niinisto and visit Helsinki-based European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats think tank, the Finnish Defense Ministry said on Monday.

"French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly will make an official visit to Finland on 23 August 2018 ... An inspection of the guard of honour and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Hietaniemi cemetery are also included in minister Parlys programme.

The French minister is also to visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (HybridCoE)," the ministry said in a statement.

Parly is also expected to meet Finnish President Sauli Niinisto during her visit, the Finnish ministry added.

According to the Finnish president's office, French leader Emmanuel Macron will visit Finland on August 29-30.
(@rukhshanmir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Speaker of the German Eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) partys parliamentary group Armin-Paulus Hampel called on the German government to cooperate with Syrian President Bashar Assad on the issue of Syrian refugees return.

In line with the goals of our migration policy, we must create the situation that would make refugees return to their homeland possible  In order to achieve that we must hold talks with Assad whether we like it or not, Hampel told the Welt newspaper.

He pointed out that it was necessary to get guarantees that the Syrians, who would return home, would not be subjected to the political persecution and repressions.

Hampel also welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putins initiative on the refugees return to Syria.

On Saturday, before the talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Putin called for providing assistance to Syria, especially to the regions, which can accept returning refugees, including those from Europe.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that he saw no point in a meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his US counterpart Donald Trump after the latters decision to leave the Iranian nuclear deal.

In May, Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In addition, Trump announced that the United States would be reinstating sanctions on Iran, previously lifted under the JCPOA in exchange for Tehran maintaining a peaceful nuclear program. This unilateral move has been opposed by other signatories of the JCPOA.

"Not, when the previous huge progress that we made was thrown out That [previous deal] was for us the litmus test of whether we can trust the United States or not," Zarif told the CNN broadcaster answering the question whether Rouhani should meet with Trump.

The Iranian foreign minister pointed out that it would depend on Trump whether Iran would be ready to sign the new deal with the United States.

"It depends on President Trump - whether he wants to make us believe that he is a reliable partner  Now if we spend time with him and he signs another agreement ... How long will it last? Until the end of his administration? Until he departs from the place where he put his signature on the agreement?" Zarif said.

He pointed out that years of foreign economic pressure made Iranian people resistant to sanctions, which under any circumstances will hurt the Iranian economy.

"US sanctions have always hurt  What it's hurting, though, is people who want to buy medicine. People who want to buy food," Zarif added.

The second wave of US reinstated sanctions, that will hurt the oil and gas industry in Iran and its energy sector, as well as the transactions with the Central Bank of Iran, is slated for November.
Iraqi passenger jet will arrive at the Damascus international airport for the first time since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Syrian Transport Minister Ali Hammoud told Sputnik

DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Iraqi passenger jet will arrive at the Damascus international airport for the first time since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Syrian Transport Minister Ali Hammoud told Sputnik.

"It is expected that the first Iraqi passenger plane will arrive at the international airport of Damascus today," Hammoud said.

According to the minister, this will become the first flight from Iraq to Syria since the air travel suspension in 2011. He stressed that this move was a result of the Syrian army's victory over terrorism.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is expected to visit Russia, but concrete dates remain unclear, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said on Monday.

BAKU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is expected to visit Russia, but concrete dates remain unclear, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said on Monday.

In late July, the Russian Economic Development Ministry said that the two countries were expected to sign a set of documents during the Azerbaijani president's visit to Russia.

"I can say that the visit of the Azerbaijani President is being prepared. I cannot name the date as it is being discussed," Bocharnikov told a press conference.

The ambassador added that Azerbaijans Ganja would host the forum on regional cooperation between the two countries in early October.

"Contacts between the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan have set the tone for the cooperation between our countries. A forum on regional cooperation is expected to be held in Ganja in early October, there will be a major meeting of the two countries' regions. Besides, a regular session of the intergovernmental commission is scheduled to take place until the end of the year," Bocharnikov said.

Russia is one of Azerbaijan's five major trading partners with bilateral trade totaling $1.14 billion in January-June 2018, according to the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry data.
Russia's Kalashnikov concern has developed a new 7.62-mm AK-308 assault rifle, its prototype is being prepared for testing, the Kalashikov Media said on its website on Monday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) Russia's Kalashnikov concern has developed a new 7.62-mm AK-308 assault rifle, its prototype is being prepared for testing, the Kalashikov Media said on its website on Monday.

Kalashnikov will unveil the prototype of the AK-308 Kalashnikov assault rifle at the Army-2018 international military-technical forum to be held outside Moscow on August 21-26.

"The AK-308 is based on the 7.

62-mm AK-103 assault rifle with components of the AK-12 assault rifle. Preparations are underway for preliminary testing of the weapon," Kalashikov Media said in a statement.

According to the Kalashnikov concern, the AK-308 weighs 4.3 kilograms (9.47 Pounds) with an empty magazine. The magazine holds 20 rounds.

The weapon is equipped with a diopter scope and a foldable, adjustable-length buttstock. It can also be fitted with a bayonet.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

All members of the clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church who serve and reside in the autonomous province of Kosovo signed an appeal to the Serbian authorities to abandon its plan to partition the territory among ethnic Albanians and Serbs for the sake of resolving their long-standing conflict.

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) All members of the clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church who serve and reside in the autonomous province of Kosovo signed an appeal to the Serbian authorities to abandon its plan to partition the territory among ethnic Albanians and Serbs for the sake of resolving their long-standing conflict.

The document, signed by 120 monks and nuns and 70 parish priests, was published on the official website of the Raska and Prizren Diocese.

"[Serbia's Autonomous Province of] Kosovo and Metohija with its 1,500 Serbian churches, convents, heritage sites and monuments of Serbian culture, is an inseparable part of Serbia, and the preservation of this part of the country is not an issue relating to national ideology and mythology ... but [an issue] constituting the essence of our ecclesiastic and national existence," the document said.

The clergy warned that the possible border "correction" might put the majority of Kosovo residents at the mercy of those who had never shown respect for their rights in the past.

In early August, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he favored having Kosovo partitioned along ethnic lines as a means of avoiding further conflicts. Vucic's plan has been supported by the heads of Kosovo's 10 Serb-majority municipalities but has been slammed by the Serbian opposition. President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has, in turn, rejected the idea.

In 2008, Kosovo authorities unilaterally declared independence, but not by Serbia, which still regards it as its Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. In 2013, the Brussels Agreement on normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo was signed as the European Union persuaded Serbia to begin cooperating with Kosovo. In 2015, an accord on forming the self-governing association of the Serb-dominated regions of Kosovo was signed. The EU-set deadline for the implementation of the above-mentioned agreements by Kosovo expired on August 4. Pristina's failure to stick to the terms of the agreements resulted in an escalation of tensions in the region.
South Koreas SK E&C company, which was involved in the construction of a dam in Laos that collapsed in July, leading to a flood, said Monday that it was building temporary houses for 150 families affected by the incident.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) South Koreas SK E&C company, which was involved in the construction of a dam in Laos that collapsed in July, leading to a flood, said Monday that it was building temporary houses for 150 families affected by the incident.

The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam collapsed on July 23, releasing water in the Sanamxay district, Attapeu province. The dam collapse resulted in a huge flood, which affected several local villages and killed over 30 people.

"At the request of the Attapeu Provincial government, we also began construction of temporary housing for displaced persons in the Sanamxay area.

This temporary housing facility is being constructed on a 10,000 m2 plot of land and will contain a 150-bed housing complex. The people staying at this temporary housing facility will also be provided basic facilities such as schools and other necessities," the company's statement reads.

The company also extended condolences to the victims of the disaster.
The US-led coalition against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) carried out 15 strikes in Iraq and Syria August 13-19, the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said in a press release on Monday.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) The US-led coalition against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) carried out 15 strikes in Iraq and Syria August 13-19, the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said in a press release on Monday.

"Between August 13 and August 19, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 25 engagements in Iraq and Syria," the release said.

CJTF-OIR noted that there were no reported strikes either in Iraq or Syria on August 19, while in Iraq there were also no reported strikes from August 14 through August 16.

Eleven air strikes Near Syrias town of Abu Kamal destroyed five IS supply routes, one logistics hub, two vehicles, two command and control centers, one command and control support facility, as well as two lines of communication, according to the release.

The four air strikes in Iraq were launched near Rutbah, Samarra, the Atshana and Hamrin Mountains and destroyed two Islamic State vehicles, three of its buildings and one supply cache.

CJTF-OIR added that on August 12, the coalition carried out three strikes in Iraq and Syria.

"In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted one strike consisting of two engagements against Daesh [Islamic State] targets. Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed two Daesh lines of communication," the release said.

In Iraq, the Coalition launched two strikes near the Hamrin Mountains and Tuz, destroying one Islamic State-supply route and five buildings, the release explained.

The US-led coalition of more than 70 countries is conducting military operations against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The coalition's operations in Iraq are conducted in cooperation with the Iraqi government, but those in Syria are not authorized by the government of President Bashar Assad or the UN Security Council.


On Saturday, October 13, the James Beard Foundations Celebrity Chef Tour series travels to Las Vegas. Featuring seven renowned chefs, the dinner will bring a taste of the historic, New Yorkbased James Beard House experience to Las Vegas Luxor Hotel and Casino for a meal that diners wont soon forget (Pictured: Chef Larry Forgione of The Foley Food & Wine Society, Healdsburg, CA).

Following the dinner guests will have a unique opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with the participating chefs.

Hosting the James Beard Foundations Celebrity Chef Tour at Luxor is an honor, said Luxor vice president of food and beverage, Bill Miller. Each chef has a unique perspective and background in the food and restaurant world and this event provides an exciting platform for them to share their culinary genius and talent with the Las Vegas community.

The evening will kick off at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception hosted by Luxor executive chef Justin Frederickson, followed by a dinner featuring dishes curated by a lineup of noteworthy chefs including Larry Forgione* (The Foley Food & Wine Society, Healdsburg, CA), Andrew Friedman (author, NYC), Mary Sue Milliken* (Border Grill, Los Angeles and Las Vegas; and 2018 James Beard Foundation Women in Culinary Leadership mentor), Nancy Silverton* (Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles and Newport Beach, CA; Mozza2Go and Chi Spacca***, Los Angeles), Jimmy Schmidt* (FoodShed Exchange, Detroit), and cookbook author and restaurateur Jeremiah Tower*.


Tacos get a makeover with the debut of Tacotarian, a plant-based Mexican eatery, on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The highly-anticipated opening marks a new chapter in plant-based cuisine with Mexican food that feeds the soul.

Whether guests enjoy a vegan lifestyle or just want the best in Mexican cuisine, they can now come together to enjoy creative spins on tacos, antojitos or starters, eats, and sweets. Located at 6135 S. Ft. Apache Road, Tacotarian serves a full menu seven days a week from 11 a.m.  10 p.m.

Mexican food has such heart and soul, its colors and flavors lend themselves beautifully to plant based cuisine, says Kristen Corral, Managing Partner at Tacotarian. We wanted to create a restaurant where everyone can enjoy authentic Mexican street food that just happens to be made from plants. Thus, Tacotarian was born. Tacotarian is a partnership between Las Vegans Dan and Regina Simmons and Carlos and Kristen Corral.

Tacotarian executive chef John Simmons takes plant-based cuisine to a new level with thoughtful, yet creative flavors for the crave-worthy Mexican fare. Street tacos take center stage with a dozen different variations including Carne Asada (seitan, vegan Worcestershire sauce), Barbacoa (mushroom, jackfruit, Barbacoa marinade, onion, cilantro), Dorado (mashed potato, cheddar, lettuce, pico, crema), Baja (battered avocado, slaw, cilantro lime dressing, guacamole), Veggie (mashed potato, mushroom, onion, roasted poblano pepper, corn, garlic, lettuce, pico, cilantro-lime dressing), and more. Foodies can also enjoy Takis Elote (corn, lime, mayo, takis, chili powder, parmesan), Frito Pie (fritos, chili, nacho cheese, sour cream, cilantro, onion), and Asada Fries (fries, asada meat, pico, crema, red and green salsas, pickled jalapenos, guacamole) in addition to classics like housemade guacamole, fideos, flautas, burritos, nachos, and quesadillas.

Dessert lovers can rejoice in scrumptious, sweets including Churros (sugar, cinnamon, vanilla ice cream), Arroz con Leche (rice, cinnamon, coconut milk, condensed coconut mile, strawberries), Paleta (Mexican popsicle), and Concha Loca (handmade Mexican pastry filled with vegan champurrado chocolate ice cream from Las Vegas Nourish Creamery). Guests can also enjoy wines by the glass; classic and seasonal margaritas; and plant-based beer, including a special Tacotarian lager, developed by Local Craft Beer in Tehachapi, Calif. as an exclusive to the brand.

With a clean black, white and aqua-blue decor and vintage Mexican movies projected onto the walls, Tacotarian seats approximately 40 people with bar seating, side banquettes, and a long communal table in the middle of the restaurant. Locally handcrafted wood tables and tile from Mexico, designed and manufactured specifically for the location, gives the restaurant a vintage Mexican market vibe. Tacotarian is conveniently located in the heart of Southwest Las Vegas near Southern Hills Hospital at Fort Apache Rd. and Patrick St.
General Hing Bun Heang, the head of Prime Minister Hun Sens powerful paramilitary bodyguard unit, denied on Monday that he had intended to threaten war against the US after a video of him saying that Cambodia would fight back against American aggression went viral online.

In the controversial video, uploaded to the bodyguard units Facebook page on August 14, General Bun Heang is shown telling a group of reporters that he is committed to protecting the Cambodian government and its leaders.

He adds, I really want to be friends with the US, but I am also ready to attack them if the US does something recklessly. There is nothing to negotiate, then.

In the video, he goes on to criticize the June decision by the US government to impose sanctions on him over alleged human rights abuses that he committed in his role as a military commander, including alleged participation in a grenade attack in 1998 that killed over a dozen people at an opposition political rally.

However, after the video of his comments garnered significant criticism from Cambodians on social media this week, General Bun Heang told VOA Khmer on Monday that his meaning had been misunderstood.

He denied that he said he would attack the US. Instead, he said he was referring to attacking a group of unnamed ill-willed people living in the US, not the country as a whole.

How can we attack the US? What are we? They are a superpower. Only those ill-willed people who like to exaggerate the truth, like the sanctions, et cetera. As you can see, sanctions on Hing Bun Heang, what business does he have? I meant we are ready to attack those certain individuals who exaggerate things and make accusations.

Asked what individuals he was referring to, he declined to comment.
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Korean-American families have fading hope of seeing relatives in North Korea. Google employees not happy about returning to China. Overflowing misery from a dam collapse. Difficult lives for refugees in Australia.
Afghanistan's government says it will not accept the Talibans ceasefire unless it is officially announced.

On Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani announced a cease-fire of up to three-months with the Taliban, conditional on the insurgency reciprocating.

Taliban sources said their leadership had told local commanders to stop fighting for four days over the Muslim Eid-ul-Adha festival this week, but were unlikely to officially announce anything.

Presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansoori said Monday the government will continue its operations against the Taliban until an official cease-fire announcement from Taliban leadership is made. He also said the cease-fire will hold only for the period the Taliban announce.

He added the government wanted a country-wide cease-fire with the Taliban, but said the Islamic State militants would get no reprieve from fighting. The security forces, he said, would continue their operations against IS militants and drug smugglers.

The spokesman also announced the government had asked the Taliban for a prisoner list for possible release over Eid. He said the government would consider releasing Taliban prisoners that were old, sick, or those who had completed their jail terms or declared free by the courts.

The Taliban also said they would release a number of prisoners over Eid. But Chakhansoori suggested a prisoner release should be through mutually exchanged lists. The government, he said, did not know whether the Taliban were releasing government prisoners or ordinary people.

Meanwhile, Taliban shadow governor of Ghazni Haji Wafa, in an interview aired on the insurgencys radio station Voice of Shariah, claimed the insurgency controls five districts in the province. He also claimed his fighters controlled the Kabul-Kandahar highway and would only open it for the public upon orders from their supreme commander.

The Afghan government regained control of Ghazni city after five days of intense fighting last week. The fighting created a humanitarian situation with food and water shortages. United Nations agencies estimated around 200 civilians died in the clashes.




Angola's government has said it will soon exhume and give a "dignified burial" to Jonas Savimbi, a national icon killed at the end of the nation's lengthy and brutal civil war.

The rebel turned opposition leader was buried in a rural area in 2002, without the honors that many Angolans felt he deserved after a lifetime of resistance, first against Portuguese colonial repression and later against the nation's socialist government.

Even the government's harshest critics  among them, human rights activist and journalist Rafael Marques de Morais  say this is a welcome step by President Joao Lourenco, who took office just over a year ago.

"I'm not cynical about this," Marques tells VOA. "It's really important that it be done."

Fascinating, complicated man

Savimbi is regarded by many Angolans as a liberation hero for leading the fight against Portugal for independence, which came in 1975. He then founded the UNITA party and led a bruising 26-year civil war against the socialist government, which has been led since independence by the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola.

Savimbi nearly won a presidential election in 1992, but some analysts say his refusal to accept the results prolonged the war. He was killed in 2002, at the age of 67, in a battle with government troops. His body was quickly buried nearby.

Alex Vines, head of the Africa Program for think tank Chatham House, says Savimbi was a fascinating man  and he can see why former President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos wanted him to sink into obscurity. Dos Santos ruled for nearly four decades before stepping down last year.

"I met him several times," Vines said of Savimbi. "He was extremely charismatic, rather authoritarian. People around him were very afraid and very obsequious with him. But you did feel the charisma. It is like a number of figures that I have met over my career who have been very controversial, involved in human rights abuses, but yet they were tremendously charismatic."

Reburial for reconciliation?

Savimbi, too, was accused of human rights abuses during the lengthy war that ended in 2002 with his death. The conflict saw the deaths of more than half a million Angolans and shattered the nation's infrastructure.

Marques says a proper burial for Savimbi might help close the division between the ruling party and the opposition in Angola. Such divisions are common across Africa, he says.

"And, so, there is never a sit-down between brothers and sisters to build a country together," he told VOA. "And it's always the ruling party thinking everyone is the enemy, and those in the opposition thinking the ruling party is the enemy, and that's what plagues most of the political systems in Africa, when parties think of themselves as the state."

Vines agreed that lack of reconciliation is an issue that plagues many African nations, and that the proper treatment of major figures matters. In Mozambique, he said, the government's decision to give burial honors to longtime rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama, who died earlier this year, was an important gesture.

"There is some echo, I think, in Mozambique with what's happened in Angola," Vines said. "And maybe, just maybe, that what has happened in Mozambique helped focus further President Lourenco and some of his advisers' attentions that it was time to do something similar in terms of reconciliation, of the body of Jonas Savimbi."

But Marques says this move is about more than one man. If anything, he says, Savimbi's reburial could open the door for countless others.

"It's important to acknowledge that many tens of thousands of Angolans perished in this war, and it's important that the government goes beyond returning the body of Savimbi, so that a process of issuing death certificates to the soldiers on the government side and the UNITA side, who died in the war, that the people who died in the war are properly accounted for," he said.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has abandoned plans to enshrine the nation's targeted limits of greenhouse gas emissions into law in the face of an angry revolt by his party's staunch conservatives.

Australia set a target to cut carbon emissions by 26 percent below 2005 by the year 2030, as part of the 2015 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, commonly known as the Paris Agreement.

Turnbull sought to include the targets in the government's National Energy Guarantee, but he conceded Monday that he could not get the legislation through the House of Representatives, where his Liberal Party holds a fragile one-seat majority. The conservative opposition, led by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, argue that the government should be focused on cutting soaring electricity prices.

The internal revolt has led to speculation that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton will challenge Turnbull for leadership of the Liberal Party, which both men have denied. It also comes amid a new voter survey showing the government trailing the opposition Labor Party 55 percent to 45 percent. The next national elections are scheduled to be held next May.
Iran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are at "the top of the list," U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Sunday after arriving in Israel, where he plans to holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.



The two held a working dinner Sunday and will continue their talks Monday.



"We've got great challenges for Israel, for the United States, and for the whole world. The Iranian nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are right at the top of the list," Bolton said.



Before leaving for Israel, Bolton told ABC news that the U.S., Israel and Russia share the same objective  getting Iranian forces, militias and their surrogates out of Syria and Iraq. He also said Iran must end its support for Lebanese-backed Hezbollah.



Bolton will also visit Ukraine this week and meet with Russian officials in Geneva in a follow-up to President Donald Trump's talks in Helsinki with Vladimir Putin.
Former CIA Director John Brennan is threatening to sue President Donald Trump to stop him from stripping security clearances from other officials who criticize him.



"If my clearances -- and my reputation, as I'm being pulled through the mud now -- if that's the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me, it's a small price to pay," Brennan told NBC television's Meet the Press Sunday.



"I am going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future and if it means going to court, I will do that," he added.



Trump revoked Brennan's security clearance last week because the president said he had to do something about what he calls the "rigged" investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign and Russian election interference.



Trump said he believes Brennan, who served during the administrations of former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, is one of those responsible for the investigation.



Brennan was among a group of intelligence officials who spoke with Trump before his inauguation about evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.



The president also said he plans to or is thinking about stripping nine other current and former senior intelligence officials of their clearances.



More than 75 U.S. intelligence officers have spoken out, saying they have the right to criticize and administration without having to pay a penalty.



Brennan, CIA director during President Barack Obama's second term, has been a familiar face on television talk shows as one of Trump's severest critics.



He called Trump's behavior at the joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki "treasonous."



He said on NBC that he is not a Democrat or a Republican, instead calling himself just someone who wants to be heard like any private citizen.



"(Trump) is bringing the country down on the global stage. ... He's fueling and feeding divisiveness within our country. He continually lies to the American people," Brennan said on Meet the Press.



Appearing on the same NBC broadcast, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani called Brennan's charge that Trump committed treason "extraordinary" and said Brennan has no information on whether Trump conspired with Putin.



Giuliani called Brennan a "totally unhinged character who shouldn't have a security clearance."
Dozens of Cameroons tribal rulers have fled their palaces in the English-speaking southwest region after armed men pulled the chief of the Balondo people out of church and killed him. Separatists have abducted and killed other chiefs in the region, allegedly for collaborating with the government.

At the Catholic church in Buea, southwestern Cameroon, people gathered to pray on Sunday afternoon for the late chief Stephen Itoh Esoh.

A week ago, gunmen pulled the supreme chief of the Balondo people out of the Baptist church in Ekondo Titi village and shot him dead.

Among those praying was Peter Njumbe, a Cameroon lawmaker. He said if the chief had listened to them, he might still be alive.

The chief refused to run away from Ekondo Titi, said Njumbe. He would not abdicate from his throne because of death threats. He would only abdicate if his own people told him they no longer wanted him and that he should leave the throne, says Njumbe. The chief would not abdicate his responsibilities, he added.

Strikes and violence erupted in the English-speaking northwest and southwest regions of Cameroon in late 2016, in response to the forced use of French in schools, courts and other public institutions. A separatist movement is pushing for independence under the name Ambazonia.

Chief Itoh is the eighth traditional ruler killed by armed men in the southwest region within the past four months.

Since July, the separatists have abducted seven other chiefs in the southwest and three in the northwest they accused of collaborating with the government. They circulated videos on social media of the chiefs pledging their allegiance to armed separatists, presumably under duress.

One of the abducted chiefs was later found dead, provoking widespread condemnation, while the others were released.

Many traditional rulers have fled the English-speaking regions to avoid becoming targets, according to the government.

Chief Joseph Ebong of Atati village escaped to Nigeria after being threatened with violence. Speaking by phone, he said he will only return to Cameroon when peace returns to English-speaking areas.

We are appealing to both the national and international community to turn their eye on Cameroon and try to see how they can solve this problem before we shrink into a full-fledged, full-scale war, Ebong said.

Traditional rulers say Cameroon's military offers them little protection.

The governor of the southwest region of Cameroon, Bernard Okalia Bilai, is calling on the chiefs to return. He says the military has been deployed to defend the people, including the chiefs.

"They should come back to their homes. The forces of law and order are there to protect them against all acts of terrorism, Bilai said. The traditional rulers, we invite them to come back.

The attacks on the tribal chiefs have generated widespread criticism of the separatists in Cameroon.

Ebenezer Teba is a member of the elite in the southwestern town of Lebialem. He says the assaults on traditional rulers  custodians of ancestral traditions are unacceptable.

It is an atrocity that has reached its apex, Teba said. Of course, those who are attacking are known. They are those claiming to be fighting for the independence of southern Cameroons. They are attacking traditional rulers because they feel these traditional rulers are giving information to government troops to enable government troops to attack them. So they want all traditional rulers, they are forcing all traditional rulers, to support their course.

Sociologist Bernard Arrey, however, blames the chiefs. He says they are getting involved in politics and taking sides against the wishes of their people.

Chiefs are meddling into politics, Arrey said. It is not strange to see chiefs treated like common citizens. Chiefs have lost control of their population, they have lost control of their dignity. Most of them are even victims of these fighters because they think that the chiefs are some sort a liaison, they relay information. They are some sort of a sell-out to the government forces."

The armed separatists have never denied responsibility for the abductions and killings. They have instead issued warnings on social media against any chief collaborating with the government.

Cameroon's government says it is counting on the chiefs to help end the fighting in the English-speaking region.

The government says hundreds of people, including more than a hundred policemen and troops, have died in violent clashes since January.
Allegations that disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick engaged in sex with adult seminarians have inflamed a long-running debate about the presence of gay men in the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Some conservatives are calling for a purge of all gay priests, a challenging task given that they are believed to be numerous and few are open about their sexual orientation. Moderates want the church to eliminate the need for secrecy by proclaiming that gay men are welcome if they can be effective priests who commit to celibacy.

Among the most outspoken moderates is the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer whose book, "Building a Bridge," envisions a path toward warmer relations between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community.

"The idea of a purge of gay priests is both ridiculous and dangerous," Martin said in an email. "Any purge would empty parishes and religious orders of the thousands of priests [and bishops] who lead healthy lives of service and faithful lives of celibacy."



That outlook infuriates some conservative Catholics.

Citing McCarrick's case, Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute, which promotes traditional Catholic teaching, says there must be a "complete and thorough removal of all homosexual clergymen from the church."

"It is going to be difficult and will likely result in a very serious priest shortage," Hichborn said. "But it's definitely worth the effort."

While the McCarrick scandal has intensified debate in the U.S. about gays in the priesthood, it's a global issue. Recent gay priest sex scandals have surfaced in Chile, Honduras, France and Italy.

In the U.S., where investigations may determine if church leaders turned a blind eye to McCarrick's penchant for young seminarians, there have been follow-up allegations of sexual misconduct in seminaries. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston recently announced an investigation into his diocesan seminary.

Catholic teaching, when it comes to homosexuality, is nuanced. The church says gays should be treated with dignity and respect, yet it has long taught that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered."

In 2005, the Vatican stated that even celibate gays should not be priests, saying church leaders cannot accept seminary applicants who "practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called `gay culture."'

Pope Francis has reaffirmed this policy, despite his famous "Who am I to judge?" comment in 2013 when asked about a purportedly gay priest.

In a May meeting with Italian bishops, Francis said, "If there's even the slightest doubt, better to not accept them" into seminary, according to participants at the closed-door session.

On the front lines in implementing that policy are priests like the Rev. Thomas Berg, admissions director at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

Berg said he and his colleagues strive to rigorously screen the young men applying for admission, assessing their psychosexual development and emotional maturity. Applicants are asked about their dating history and their level of attraction to other males; Berg believes the process has reduced the number of seminarians with same-sex attraction.

As for gays already serving as priests, Berg says he doesn't advocate a "witch hunt" to root them out. But he says the church needs to identify sexually active priests, challenge them to repent, and consider their removal from the priesthood.

Berg proposes that dioceses appoint independent watchdogs  ideally people with law enforcement background  to receive and assess anonymous allegations of clergy sexual misconduct.

"Our problem is sexually active priests who are breaking their commitment to celibacy," Berg said. "That wreaks havoc."

Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates equality for LGBT Catholics, questioned the effectiveness of the seminary screening process.

"Anecdotally, what we're finding is that the policy encourages people to lie," DeBernardo said. "If a man feels called to the priesthood, he'll rationalize that he should not admit his sexuality."

The effort to exclude gays complicates things for those who do become priests, DeBernardo added.

"The institutional leaders want to promote a message that gay men should not exist in the priesthood," he said. "So they don't offer healthy, holy examples of gay priests who are living their celibacy in effective ways."

Rome-based journalist Robert Mickens, a veteran of Vatican coverage, argued in a recent essay that the church should be more forthright in acknowledging the substantial presence of gay priests.

"Rather than encourage a healthy discussion about how gays can commit themselves to celibate chastity in a wholesome way, the Church's official policies and teachings drive such men even deeper into the closet," Mickens wrote.

Some conservative Catholics blame the climate of secrecy directly on gay clergy, contending there is a "homosexual subculture" in many dioceses and seminaries.

"Numerous reports from clergy and seminarians are coming out worldwide which confirm the existence of networks of homosexually active men who cover for each other," said the Rev. Paul Sullins, who has taught sociology at Catholic University in Washington.

The current debate over gay priests is framed by the allegations against McCarrick  that he allegedly had sex with adult seminarians as well as abusing minors. Pope Francis ordered him removed from public ministry in June.

In past years, the debate has often focused on the problem of child sex abuse by priests  and the extent to which homosexuality played a role. Those questions are being revisited following the recent release of a grand jury report in Pennsylvania detailing alleged sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by about 300 priests in six dioceses over a 70-year period.

A study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, released in 2011, concluded that gay priests were no more likely than straight priests to abuse minors. Some conservatives, noting that about 80 percent of the abuse victims were male, nonetheless cite the findings to advocate for a purge of gay priests.

One of the top conservatives in the U.S. Catholic leadership, Cardinal Raymond Burke, indicated this month that he favors at least a partial purge.

"Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root," he said in an interview with Catholic Action for Faith and Family, a conservative advocacy group.

"What is needed is an honest investigation into the alleged situations of grave immorality followed by effective action to sanction those responsible," Burke said. "Shepherds can go astray ... and then must be appropriately disciplined and even dismissed from the clerical state."

One of Burke's moderate colleagues, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, sounded a different tone in an interview with the Jesuit magazine America.

"I really believe that the issue here is more about a culture of clericalism in which some who are ordained feel they are privileged and therefore protected so that they can do what they want," Cupich said. "People, whether heterosexual or homosexual, need to live by the Gospel."
Reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea in September raise questions about whether Beijing will ease sanctions against Pyongyang, as relations between China and the U.S. grow increasingly tense over trade.

Like the proverb the enemy of my enemy is my friend, China is complying with North Koreas requests, said Woo Su-keun, a North Korea analyst and political science professor at Donghua University.

The Singapore Straits Times newspaper reported on Saturday that Xi would attend the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding, in Pyongyang on September 9, at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The report has not been confirmed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The Daily NK online newspaper and the Korea Times newspaper in Seoul also recently speculated that North Korea was preparing for a visit from the Chinese head of state, based in part on reports that Chinese border patrols along the North Korean border have increased, and that Pyongyang has suspended visiting tour groups.

Repairing relations

If confirmed, it would be the Chinese leader's first visit to the North Korean capital since he took power in 2012, and 13 years after the last visit by a Chinese President, when Xi's predecessor Hu Jintao visited in 2005.

The young North Korean leader, who assumed power in 2011 after his father Kim Jong Il died, has had strained relations with Xi. Until this year Kim declined to visit his most important economic and strategic ally, and ignored Beijings counsel to refrain from provocative nuclear and ballistic tests.

In response, Xi supported increasingly restrictive rounds of Untied Nations sanctions that now block most financial transactions and 90 percent of all trade with North Korea.

But this year Kim sought to repair his damaged relationship with Xi, as he pivoted to suspend further weapons tests and agreed to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, when he met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore, and during the inter-Korean summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The North Korean leader also visited Xi in China three times this year and discussed improving cooperation between the two countries and economic reforms. Kim reportedly invited the Chinese president to Pyongyang during their first meeting in March.

Stalled progress

Beijing has recently called for easing of sanctions on North Korea but needs agreement from all members of the U.N. Security Council, including the U.S., to alter the restrictions that were unanimously agreed upon.

However there have been reports that China has permitted increased smuggling with North Korea in the wake of Pyongyangs suspension of nuclear tests, and there are concerns that a possible Xi visit to the North will further expand informal economic ties.

If Xi Jinping visits Pyongyang this time, although it would be difficult to take a step in lifting the official sanctions at once, he could promise to prevent the North Korean regime from facing a crisis, said Ahn Chan-il, a North Korean defector and analyst with the World Institute of North Korean studies in Seoul.

At the same time, nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled over U.S. insistence that sanctions remain in place until North Korea fully dismantles its nuclear arsenal.

The Kim government wants early sanctions relief for incremental progress, and a joint peace declaration to replace the 1953 armistice that has been in place since the end of the Korean War.

Chinas increased support for North Korea may also be a strategic move to link denuclearization progress to resolving growing tensions with Washington over the U.S. trade deficit with China and accusations of unfair trade practices by the Xi government.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to visit Pyongyang soon for another round of nuclear talks, said President Trumps National Security Adviser John Bolton on Sunday.

Lee Yoon-jee contributed to this report.
A plan by billionaire American businessman Erik Prince to privatize the U.S. war in Afghanistan is reportedly receiving renewed interest within the Trump administration, even though Afghan officials continue to criticize it as misguided.

Prince is mounting a media campaign to convince President Donald Trump that his plan will reduce the cost and the burden of the U.S. military's role in Afghanistan by turning over training of the Afghan army to Prince's security company. Prince has outlined the proposal in new videos explaining the plan in English and Dari.

The former Navy Seal first drew international attention when contractors for his Blackwater security company were accused of numerous abuses in Iraq. He later sold Blackwater but started other companies that provide security services for the United States and other governments.

2017 privatization plan

Trump was said to first consider Prince's plan a year ago during his administration's review of the Afghanistan strategy. But the plan failed to gain any traction in Washington or Kabul.

Instead, Trump decided to largely maintain the status quo when he rolled out his Afghanistan strategy in August 2017.

Tuesday marks one year since Trump's Afghanistan announcement, and Prince is hoping to use the anniversary to capitalize on frustrations that the plan has led to little tangible change in the 17-year-old war.

NBC News reported last week that Trump again became interested in Prince's plan after watching a video in which the former Navy Seal laid out what he sees as the failures of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.

Prince's plan would replace thousands of U.S. troops with fewer private contractors, who would be backed by a 90-plane private air force. The war would then be coordinated by what Prince calls a "viceroy."

Asked about Prince's plan on ABC's This Week, White House National Security Adviser John Bolton said, "There are always a lot of discussions. I find them helpful. I'm always open to new ideas. But I'm not going to comment on what the thinking is. That'll ultimately be the president's decision."

Afghan opposition

The U.S. currently spends about $45 billion a year in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon. Prince has claimed he could do the job for less than $10 billion, though some experts have disputed that notion.

Critics say the plan could lead to less accountability and fear a repeat of incidents in which security contractors like Blackwater guards were accused of killing civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Both Afghanistan's government and its people oppose the privatization plan, Afghan presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansoori said Monday.

"Giving away the responsibility of waging war to a private company increases the risk of civilian casualties," he said. He also called the plan a "conspiracy against President Trump's South Asia strategy that has had good results."
THE World Food Programme has hailed the government for facilitating voluntary repatriation of Burundi refugees and pledged to support those who have opted to return home.

The WFP Country Representative, Mr Michael Dunford, said in Dar es Salaam that the UN humanitarian agency commended the Tanzanian government for supporting the refugees who are willing to return home after the situation in Burundi stabilised.

We commend Tanzanias government for supporting voluntary return of Burundi refugees. For those who voluntaryreturn home we will support them, he said ahead of commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day in recognition of humanitarian workers who have risked and lost their lives in humanitarian service.

Tanzania currently hosts 297,000 Congolese and Burundian refugees at Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli refugee camps in Kigoma Region, according to a WFP report.

WFP provides a food basket of cereals, Super Cereal (fortified blended food), pulses, vegetable oil and salt to each refugee. WFP assistance is the main source of food for refugees.

It also runs a supplementary feeding programme in all threecamps to provide additional nutrition support to pregnant and lactating women, children under five years, people with HIV/ AIDS and hospital in-patients.

The UN agency also serves hot meals to newly arriving refugees at transit and reception centres, and high energy biscuits provided to those in transit. The government has assured us voluntary repatriation process is for the refugees who are ready and willing to return home.

The international community is facilitating those who are willing to return, he said. On the World Humanitarian Day, he said WFP joined theinternational community to pay tribute to the aid workers who risk their lives to deliver humanitarian aid worldwide.

World Humanitarian Day is marked in recognition of humanitarian workers who have risked and lost their lives in humanitarian service, he said, noting that the safety and security of humanitarian workers and their unfettered access to those in need were a major global concern.

There is no justification for targeting populations and aid workers. We want to draw attention on humanitarian work. Humanitarian workers should not be targeted, he said.

Almost 4,400 humanitarian workers have been victims of major attacks over the past two decades. Over one third of them were killed. According to Aid Workers Security report by the Humanitarian Outcomes, 313 aid workers were victims of major attacks in 2017 whereby 139 were killed, 102 wounded and 721 were kidnapped.

South Sudan is topping the list of the worlds most dangerous country for aid workers where 46 aid workers were attacked in Africas youngest nation in 2017.

Its the third consecutive year that South Sudan tops the global list, underscoring the complexities in delivering aid in this war, and the impunity with which armed actors operate when attacking aid workers, said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Also on the list of dangerous countries is the Central African Republic, which saw an increase in aid attacks following fighting in the country in May 2017. The other countries are Somalia and Nigeria.
"For the first time since early 2010, Greece can stand on its own feet," the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) rescue fund said as Athens exited its final, three-year international bailout program on Monday.



The ESM allocated about $71 billion over the past three years, after an agreement was reached in August 2015 to help the country cope with fallout from an ongoing debt crisis.



"Today we can safely conclude the ESM program with no more follow-up rescue programs," Mario Centeno, the chairman of the ESM's board of governors, said in a statement. "This was possible thanks to the extraordinary effort of the Greek people, the good cooperation with the current Greek government and the support of European partners through loans and debt relief."



In 2010, Greece was declared at risk of default after struggling with massive debt, loss of investment and huge unemployment. Overall, nearly $300 billion in emergency loans were provided in three consecutive bailout packages from a European Union bailout fund and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In exchange, Athens was required to put in place severe austerity-based measures and reforms.



The completion of the loan program is a major accomplishment for Greece, but the country still faces an uphill battle to regain its economic stability.



The office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras described the final bailout loan last week as the "last act in the drama. Now a new page of progress, justice and growth can be turned."



"Greece has managed to stand on her feet again," his office said.



Economic growth in Greece is slowly growing again, tourism is up nearly 17 percent in Athens this year, and once-record levels of joblessness are finally receding.



However, the country still faces massive challenges, including weak banks, the highest debt load in the European Union at 180 percent of GDP, and the loss of about a half-million mostly younger Greeks to Europe's wealthier neighbors. Greece will also need to continue to repay its international loans until 2060.



The country's three international bailouts took Europe to the brink of crisis.



The financial troubles exposed dangers in the European Union's common currency and threatened to break the bloc apart. The large debt that remains in Greece and an even larger debt in Italy continue to be a financial danger to the EU.



The bailouts also led to regular and sometimes violent demonstrations in Athens by citizens angry at the government's budget measures required by international lenders in return for the bailouts.



While Greece has begun to make economic progress, economics say the bulk of the austerity measures will likely need to remain in place for many years for the country to tackle its massive debt.



Some international economists have called for part of Greece's loans to be written off in order for Greece to keep its ballooning debt payments in check. However, any kind of loan forgiveness would be a tough sell in Germany where the initially bailouts were unpopular.



The austerity measures included massive tax hikes as high as 70 percent of earned income and pension cuts that pushed nearly half of Greece's elderly population below the poverty line.



Pensioner Yorgos Vagelakos, 81, told Reuters that five years ago he would go to his local market with 20 euros in his pocket, while today, he has just 2 euros. He says for him, the bailout will never end.



"It's very often that just like today, I struggle, because I see all the produce on display at the market and I want to buy things, but when I don't have even a cent in my pocket, I get really sad," Vagelakos said.
At least 5 people were killed by a strong earthquake that struck the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok and the neighboring island of Sumbawa Sunday evening.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said Monday the deaths from the 6.9-magnitude quake were mainly the result of debris from collapsing buildings. The quake occurred just hours after a 6.3-magnitude quake shook Lombok, cutting off power to many parts of the island.

Nugroho said hundreds of aftershocks have been recorded since Sunday's earthquakes, which triggered landslides on parts of Lombok and had residents fleeing into the streets in panic.

Sunday's quakes come just two weeks after an earthquake on the same island left more than 400 dead.

Ninik Rahayu of Ombudsman Indonesia, told VOA's Indonesian service that she was asked to leave her hotel in Lombok Sunday. "We frantically run outside," she said. The hotel management prevented guests from going back in "because there are some aftershocks," she added.

"This is probably the fifth big earthquake today," Sumbawa resident Muta Aryani told VOA. She said village officials asked the panicked residents to move to a safer place. "Now we are in a big field," she said.

Landslides were reported in a national park Sunday on Mount Rinjani, where hundreds were trapped after a July 29 earthquake that killed 17 people. The park has been closed since then.

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on Aug. 5 killed 436 people and forced more than 350,000 people to flee their homes.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire,'' an arc of volcanoes and geologic fault lines in the Pacific Ocean Basin. In December 2004, a magnitude-9.1 earthquake off Sumatra island triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries.

VOA's Indonesian service contributed to this report.
About 90 elderly South Koreans have been reunited with the North Korean relatives they have been separated from for more than six decades, since the war that split the peninsula in two.

The relatives shared tearful embraces Monday in North Korea's Mount Kumgang tourist resort, hours after a convoy of buses crossed the border from the South. Over three days, the participants will have six face-to-face meetings with their North Korean relatives  under the watchful eyes of North Korean agents.

Another round of reunions, to be held Friday to Sunday, will involve more than 300 other South Koreans, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

Some 20,000 people have participated in 20 reunions since 2000, the last one taking place in October 2015.

Millions of Korean families were divided by the 1950-'53 Korean War. After more than 60 years of separation, many of those waiting to be reunited with their loved ones have died. Most of those surviving are over 80 years of age.

South Korea sees the separated families as the largest humanitarian issue created by the Korean War. The Unification Ministry estimates there are about 600,000 to 700,000 South Koreans with relatives in North Korea.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday reiterated that time is running out to expand the reunion program, saying it would be a "shameful thing'' for both Koreas to see many elderly people dying without even finding out whether their loved ones are still alive.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the news of the reunions Monday and urged the two sides to make such events "routine and include many more people, including affected Koreans worldwide, allow participants to meet privately, and to remain in contact after the meetings."

Among those most desperate to reconnect with family are Korean-Americans who have never been included in the reunion process.

Chahee Stanfield, the executive director of the National Coalition of Divided Families, told VOA that in 2001, there were 100,000 Korean-Americans with divided families living in the U.S. "But most of them have passed away," Stanfield said.

Stanfield said the Korean-American community had high hopes for the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June. She said the community felt that was their "last chance for the reunion."

"We prayed for the summit with our whole hearts," she said. But "it all turned out to be about the remains of the [American] soldiers, which is also very important, but it was never about us."

Stanfield said after the summit, U.S. officials asked the South Koreans to include the Korean-Americans in the negotiations. South Korean officials tried to have Korean-American families included in Monday's reunion, but Pyongyang rejected the notion.

"We just don't know what's going on ... we don't even know where we stand now," she said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says he hopes China will understand his country's "internal fiscal problems" as he seeks to renegotiate billions of dollars worth of Beijing-funded projects.



Mahathir spoke Monday in Beijing during a joint news conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.



Before traveling to China last week, Mahathir suspended three major infrastructure projects that are funded with Chinese loans worth more than $20 billion, including an ambitious rail line and two energy pipelines. The prime minister said he halted the projects due to Malaysia's massive national debt, which has ballooned to $250 billion.



The projects were initiated under Mahathir's predecessor, Najib Razak, who has been charged with several counts of corruption in the embezzlement scandal involving the state-owned 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.



The scandal led to a stunning electoral loss in May of Najib's National Front coalition, which had ruled Malaysia uninterrupted since gaining independence in 1957 - 22 of those years under 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad, who led the coalition that ousted Najib and the National Front.
In winning a second term as Mali's president on Thursday, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has another chance to tackle challenges ranging from curbing insecurity to improving the legal system and economy, analysts say.

The 73-year-old Keita garnered 67 percent of the votes in a runoff election against competitor Soumaila Cisse. Threats of violence by jihadist militants held the runoff vote to a dismal 34 percent, and ethnic violence closed polls in the initial round of balloting July 29  despite efforts by the government and international forces to stabilize the country three years after signing a peace deal.

In Keita's next five-year term, the president faces extending state authority into parts of the West African country where theres still inter-communal violence or fighting between armed groups, observers say. They're also calling for reforms to a corrupt and inefficient court system, and for implementing peace accords that require disarming fighters and integrating some of them into the military.

The accords, signed in the capital city of Bamako in June 2015, aimed to end fighting between the government and armed groups in the north, including some linked to international terrorism.

The fighting and instability have created humanitarian concerns, displacing more than 62,000 people in Mali and prompting nearly 140,000 others to seek refuge in neighboring countries. Those conditions also have throttled a once-thriving tourism sector and driven away private investment.

Economic needs

Half of the West African country's 17 million-plus people live on less than U.S. $1.25 a day.

And though the agriculture-based economy grew around 5 percent a year during Keitas first term, the benefits of that growth hasn't reached rural areas. Food insecurity is widespread.

"The gains are regionally concentrated and within a bureaucratic government and business class," said Jonathan Sears, an assistant professor of international development studies at Menno Simons College in Winnipeg, Canada.

The beneficiaries generally include "a particular set of actors  connected to agriculture, mining, energy and real estate," Sears said. "Also, most Malians live in the south or the center, so the gains are concentrated in opportunity centers around Bamako, Sikasso, Segou [and other cities] Theres a wide swath of people not seeing that growth."

Sears and other analysts say the public lacks confidence in the governments ability to provide security and improve living standards.

Polls show that large majorities of Malians disapprove of government management of the economy, and of its efforts to boost living standards for the poor.

Issues with inequity

Arthur Boutellis, a senior adviser with the International Peace Institute in New York, sees a gulf between the governing class and the governed, the state and its citizens.

In providing basic services, security and justice, "the main challenge of the government and the president will be to try to restore trust in the state," said Boutellis, who also has worked in various UN missions, including in Mali. "Its basically demonstrating that it can provide services to people."

Conditions on the ground complicate that goal.

Government forces have failed to halt inter-community clashes in the central region  and to provide the security essential for reconciliation, social support and economic growth.

"The problem is they havent been able to expand their [military] presence and have faced setbacks," Boutellis said. "The agents of the state  administrators, justices and so on  have folded back to only the main urban centers  and have abandoned some of the smaller localities. 

"There is a national plan for central Mali, and a support plan by the European Union as well," he added. "But the problem is: How do you implement them without effective security forces that are also accepted by the local population?"

In the 2015 peace accords, the signatory armed groups and the government agreed to demobilize and disarm ex-rebels, some of whom would join Malis military.

As an interim measure, the signatories agreed to establish joint patrols combining the Malian defense and security forces and some of the armed groups.

Critics complain that the government is dragging its feet. Officials blame the situation on continued violence by armed groups, a lack of cooperation by some separatist forces in the north and by donors who have failed to fulfill their pledges.

Countering corruption

The government also must tackle corruption and impunity, analysts say.

One area needing reform is the court system, said Richard Reeve, chief executive of the London-based Oxford Research Group. The independent organization specializes in new approaches to security and building peace.

Reeve said political and economic elites have corrupted Mali's justice system. He recommended "bringing in less formal judicial actors," such as chiefs and traditional authorities, to work "within the statutory court system." He also urged "working with paralegals, who are much cheaper and easier to train than lawyers, judges and magistrates. Thats been tried successfully in post-conflict countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia."

The government also could aid employment and small-scale development in farming, small trading and mechanics shops, Reeve said. He called for infrastructure such as feeder roads and water supplies, as well as administrative governance promoting community safety.

More needs to be done to foster reconciliation between ethnic and community groups in Mali's troubled central region, Reeve stressed.

He suggested increased political participation  especially for youth and women  to make government more responsive and effective, promote reconciliation and reduce the appeal of armed groups.
Jurors in Virginia started their third day of deliberations Monday on tax and bank fraud allegations against U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort.



The six-man, six-woman panel has been discussing the case behind closed doors since last week in a courthouse just outside Washington.



During the two-week trial, prosecutors accused Manafort of hiding millions of dollars in offshore accounts in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes and to finance a lavish lifestyle that included the purchase of palatial mansions, cars, clothes and electronics.



They alleged much of the money came from Manafort's lobbying for deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych before joining Trump's 2016 election campaign.

Manafort's defense team, which rested its case without calling any witnesses or Manafort to testify, said the prosecution failed to prove Manafort's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the legal standard for a conviction in the U.S. court system.



It also worked to discredit the key prosecution witness in the case, Rick Gates, Manafort's former business associate who also was Trump's former deputy campaign manager.Gates had already pleaded guilty to helping hide millions in income from U.S. tax authorities.



The trial is the first conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors in connection with their wide-ranging investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
U.S. first lady Melania Trump on Monday decried cyberbullying as "destructive and harmful," even as her husband, President Donald Trump, continues his almost daily Twitter attacks on opponents.

Melania Trump, speaking as part of her "Be Best" campaign, said, "Let's face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits."

Addressing a cyberbullying conference just outside Washington, the first lady said, "In today's global society, social media is an inevitable part of our children's daily lives."

WATCH: Melania Trump on social media



"It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly," she said. "This is why Be Best chooses to focus on the importance of teaching our next generation how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting."

President Trump has routinely attacked government officials he sees as foes, with frequent denunciations of special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation of Trump's 2016 campaign's links with Russia and whether Trump, as president, has impeded the probe.

Last week, the president called former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman a "crazed, crying lowlife" after she published an unfavorable book about Trump and his White House.

The first lady's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said Melania Trump was "well aware" of the criticism that her message of restraint on social media is at odds with that of her husband's incendiary tweets.

"But that will not deter her from doing what she feels is right," Grisham said. "I would hope most people in this country are proud that they have a strong and independent first lady who only has the best interests of children at heart  I know I am."
Heavy winds, rain and thunder overnight in the Muslim holy city of Mecca caused panic among thousands of pilgrims gathered from across the world for the annual hajj ritual. Amateur video showed tents being blown apart and metal scaffolding being pushed to the ground as people screamed and shouted.

Skies cleared Monday, giving way to a searing summer heat, as tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia to hear a sermon by Sheikh Hussein bin Abdelaziz Al al-Sheikh for the high point of the annual pilgrimage. The sheikh described how a series of God's prophets, beginning with Abraham, were faithful to his commands, as Abraham offered to sacrifice his son.

Unlike many previous years, the sheikh's sermon avoided politics, telling pilgrims that they should be faithful to the teachings of their religion and become better people for doing so.

Earlier Monday, workers cleaned and prepared the Kaaba, the iconic structure at the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, for annual replacement of its black silk and gold covering. Prince Khaled al-Faisal, governor of Mecca, presided over the ceremony. Saudi media reported the new covering contained 670 kilograms of silk, 120 kilograms of gold and 100 kilograms of silver.

The Saudi news channel reported about 10,000 members of the country's security forces were protecting the pilgrimage sites. General Salman al-Shehri indicated everyone from navy divers to ambulance drivers were working to keep the pilgrimage safe.

In addition, the Saudi Health Ministry had staff on hand to help the pilgrims.

After descending Mount Arafat, pilgrims will spend the night in the Valley of Muzdalifa in preparation for the conclusion of the annual hajj Tuesday, with the ritual sacrifice of an animal.
More than 175 former State Department and Pentagon officials added their names to a statement signed by former national security officials criticizing President Donald Trumps decision to cancel the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan.

New signatories to the statement, which was initially issued last week by 15 former directors and deputy chiefs of the CIA and Office of Director of National Intelligence, include former political appointees and career civil servants. They worked under both Democratic and Republican presidents.

Among the most prominent individuals to sign a new version of the statement released on Monday by senior officials from the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations are former NATO Commander Admiral James Stavridis, former Deputy Secretaries of State Anthony Blinken and William Burns and former Undersecretaries of State Nicholas Burns, Wendy Sherman and Thomas Pickering.

While they may not agree with all of Brennans public attacks on Trump, the statement reads, they believe that the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before former officials are allowed to voice their views.

Separately, U.S. Senator Mark Warner, the Democratic vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, filed legislation on Monday that would limit the president's ability to revoke an individual's security clearance.

Trump said last week he was considering withdrawing clearances for other former high-ranking officials as well as Bruce Ohr, a current Justice Department official in the criminal division.

Brennan, who has publicly characterized Trumps comments at a recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as treasonous, has said he might sue the Trump administration over the revocation of his clearance.

U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings and Stephen Lynch, top Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, in a letter on Monday to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, questioned the security clearance of John Bolton, Trumps national security adviser.

Cummings and Lynch asked Kelly to turn over documents related to whether Bolton, in security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials, reported that in 2013 he participated by video in a roundtable discussion on gun rights organized by Maria Butina.

Butina was arrested in July and accused of acting as a Russian government agent while developing ties with American citizens and infiltrating political groups.

The Washington Post has reported that Bolton recorded the video promoting an expansion of gun rights in Russia that was used by Right to Bear Arms, a group Butina formed.

The White House National Security Council had no immediate comment on the Democrats letter. Representatives for the White House also declined to comment on the letter.

Russia has denied any interference in the 2016 U.S. election, and Trump has said there was no collusion with his campaign team.

Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan, Trump said in a series of posts on Twitter.
Pakistan disclosed Monday that neighboring India has hinted at the possibility of the two nuclear armed nations reviving long-stalled talks.

The announcement comes as the newly-elected government of Prime Minister Imran Khan takes charge in Islamabad after his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party won last month's general elections.

Shortly after being sworn in to office, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said a letter from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Imran Khan and "conveyed a message of initiating a process of dialogue."

"That is a very positive gesture," noted Qureshi.

There was no immediate official reaction from India, although Indian media have confirmed and reported details of Modi's letter to Khan.

In his first official communication with the new Pakistani government, Modi called for bilateral engagement, according to The Hindu, an Indian daily newspaper.

"The Prime Minister expressed India's commitment to build good neighborly relations between India and Pakistan and pursuing meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region," the paper quoted official sources as saying.

The Press Trust of India said Modi conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart that New Delhi is "looking for constructive and meaningful engagement" with Islamabad.

In his first news conference, Qureshi acknowledged that the issues straining bilateral ties, including the territorial Kashmir dispute, are complicated and may not offer "immediate or easy solutions."

He cautioned, however, that Pakistan and India are two nuclear powers and have no option but to come to the table for talks. "We need to engage in a continued and uninterrupted dialogue because, in my opinion, this is the only and wise path available for both of us," Qureshi said.

Islamabad's traditionally strained ties with New Delhi have deteriorated since the inception of Modi's government in India.

Bilateral tensions have led to frequent deadly military skirmishes along the disputed Kashmir border over the past couple of years, prompting fears of another war between India and Pakistan over the divided Himalayan region. Both countries claim the region in its entirety.

Amit Baruah, a longtime observer of India-Pakistan ties and New Delhi-based resident editor of The Hindu, welcomed the apparent thaw in ties.

"Contact and dialogue are a must if India and Pakistan are to address their differences," Baruah said.

The Indian leadership has until now demanded that Pakistan prosecute suspected Islamist militants for their role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed more than 166 people, including several U.S. citizens.

Pakistan says a lack of cooperation and solid evidence from India have hampered prosecutors trying to persuade the anti-terrorism court to expeditiously try those cases.

Afghanistan

Separately, Qureshi said he intended to establish contact with the Afghan foreign minister, Salahuddin Rabbani, on Monday to plan a visit to Kabul to bring a "solid message" to the Afghan nation that peace and security in Pakistan are linked to stability in their country.

"Our future is interlinked, our geography is interlinked, our peace and stability are interlinked. We need each other and we have to support each other to begin a new journey. This is the message and mature thinking I intend to present before the leadership of that country," said the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan-U.S. ties

Qureshi said the new government will promote mutually beneficial relations with the United States "on the basis of equality and mutual respect" for each other's national priorities.

"I am certainly not ignorant about the mutual trust deficit and we have to bridge it. I will want to listen to their point of view and I will present mine as well to move forward on how we reduce the trust deficit," Qureshi noted.

The government of U.S. President Donald Trump cut civilian financial aid to Pakistan this year. Additionally, Trump stopped all military assistance to Pakistan, saying Islamabad must take decisive action to root out militants waging deadly attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has rejected the charges, saying they stemmed from U.S. military failures to end the Afghan war. The allegations and counter-allegations have sent U.S.-Pakistani relations to new lows.

The Trump administration welcomed newly-elected Prime Minister Khan after he was sworn in on Saturday and described the bilateral relationship spanning more than 70 years as vital.

"The United States looks forward to working with Pakistan's new civilian government to promote peace and prosperity in Pakistan and the region," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Saturday.
Poland has used its powers as a European Union member to ban a human rights Ukrainian activist from all 26 countries in Europe's Schengen area, saying she poses a security threat following allegations that she works for Russian interests.

Some government critics, however, have questioned whether the government is misusing the system to intimidate its opponents.

The activist, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, and her Polish husband Bartosz Kramek told The Associated Press they consider the move punishment for their open opposition to Poland's conservative, nationalist government.

Kozlovska, who runs an organization with offices in Warsaw, Brussels and Kiev, the Open Dialog Foundation, said her group's work has largely focused on promoting democracy in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Moldova. One effort, she said, involved lobbying the EU to place sanctions on people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But after the conservative nationalist Law and Justice party won power in Poland in 2015 and began reshaping the country's judiciary, the pair also started to accuse that government of violating the rule of law. Kozlovska said they began to face political pressure and that some ruling-party members and online trolls accused her of ties to Russia.

"There is a smear campaign against us," she said. "If I am a Russian agent why would I put people around Putin on a sanctions list? It's nonsense that I am some kind of agent."

On Monday, the Internal Security Agency, said its counterintelligence department had "serious doubts" about the financing of her foundation and that the ban resulted from the agency denying an application by her for a long-term residency permit.

Kozlovska was stopped Aug. 13 at the Brussels Zaventem airport after arriving from Kiev, held overnight and put on an early flight back to Kiev the next morning. Belgian authorities acted after Poland entered her in the Schengen Information System, a database aimed at ensuring security in Europe's passport-free Schengen Area.

The move effectively forces Kozlovska, 33, and Kramek, 32, to either live apart or for him to leave Poland. They spoke to the AP from Kiev, where he joined her last week, though he said he plans to be in Warsaw for a street demonstration Thursday in her support.

They said they believe the Polish-requested ban is related to an open manifesto that Kramek published last year calling for civil disobedience against the government. In his appeal, he wrote: "Mere protests and appeals are not enough; extraordinary and resolute actions based on the idea of civil disobedience must be taken immediately. Nobody wants Maidan or bloodshed in Poland, but the escalating tension makes us take almost any unimaginable scenario into account  and be prepared for it."

Kramek said that was a reference to his support for the Euromaidan, a wave of pro-Western demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine that began in 2013.

"I didn't call for any violence," Kramek said. "I was trying to explain that the Maidan was a peaceful revolution and that nobody was violent until the government tried to suppress the protesters using extreme violence."

Artur Lompart, director of the Foreign Ministry's press office, told the AP in a written statement that names are put on the Schengen system "for reasons of defense, national security or public order."

"The claims made by Mr. Kramek and his spouse that the refusal of entry into Schengen area for Ms. Kozlovska was a result of their anti-government activities are hugely exaggerated," he said.

"Mr. Kramek openly publishes anti-government texts and he often actively participates in anti-government manifestations or protests. Poland is a democratic country where there is a full freedom of opinion and expression of political views."

Some political activists and members of the Ukrainian community expressed doubts to the AP about the legitimacy of Kozlovska and her foundation. Some nonetheless criticize the government for a lack of transparency and say they fear the move could be an effort to discredit the opposition to the government after three years of frequent street protests.

Michal Szczerba, an opposition lawmaker, said Poland's authorities "are behaving like Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey."

Earlier this year, three members of the European Parliament from the Polish ruling party failed in their bid to have Kozlovska denied access to the EU legislature.

One of them, Kosma Zlotowski, said in his request that Kozlovska was granted a Russian passport after the annexation of Crimea.

"Moreover, the Foundation and its sponsors are suspected of having connections with Russia, including with entities connected with the Russian Navy. ... Such connections should raise certain concern," Zlotowski continued.

The couple denied those allegations.

Poland has absorbed nearly 2 million Ukrainians in recent years. Tom Junes, a historian with the Human and Social Studies Foundation Sofia who researches protest movements and disinformation in Eastern Europe, believes that context is essential to understanding Kozvlovska's case.

The deportation makes the point that anybody who becomes engaged in activism against the current government in Poland could be banned not only from Poland but also from the EU, Junes said.

Olena Babakova, a Ukrainian freelance journalist based in Warsaw, agreed. "This is a warning for all foreigners who think that Poland is their home and that they can take an active part in public life," she said.
Pope Francis said Monday every effort must be made to ensure that the culture of the Catholic Church prevents future clerical sexual abuse of children, and to make sure that if such abuses do take place, they cannot be covered up.

The pope's comments came in a letter to the world's billion-plus Catholics, in response to the latest revelations of abuses by clergy members.

Last week, a U.S. grand jury report said more than 300 predator priests had abused more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses over the span of 70 years.

Never before has Pope Francis written to all Catholics, whom he called "the people of God," on the "crime" of clerical sexual abuse. His letter was issued in seven languages.

"Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless, as time goes on, we have come to know the pain of many of the victims," Francis said in his letter.

He said with "shame and repentance" the Catholic Church acknowledges it did not act in a timely manner and realize the amount of damage the abusers have done to so many people.

Francis said "no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient."

The letter did not mention any new measures that would be adopted by the church.

Papal spokesman Greg Burke praised the letter. "It is significant that the pope calls abuse a 'crime,' not only a sin, and that he asks for forgiveness; but acknowledges that no effort to repair the damage done will ever be sufficient for victims and survivors," he said.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro also praised the pope's letter, but urged local church officials to "cease their denials and deflections."

Shapiro called on the Catholic Church to accept all the Pennsylvania grand jury recommendations, which include allowing victims to sue the church for abuse that occurred outside the statute of limitations. The church has long resisted such a measure.

The Catholic Church has long faced cases of sexual abuse by the clergy in many countries. In the past month alone, the pope accepted the resignation of an Australian archbishop convicted in May for covering up child abuse, as well as the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who has also been accused of sexual abuse.

On Monday, the International research group bishopaccountability.org launched a database containing the names of more than 70 Irish clergy convicted or credibly accused of sexually abusing children. Several other countries are facing similar scandals, including Argentina, Australia and Chile.

The pontiff acknowledged in his letter that as a church community, "We did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

He said without the participation of all Catholics, the efforts to "uproot the culture of abuse" will fail.

"It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetuated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for the most vulnerable," Pope Francis said.
Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado has rejected demonstrations and violence aimed at an influx of Nicaraguans, who have fled to Costa Rica to escape the political crisis in their country.



In a speech Sunday, Alvarado said the majority of Nicaraguans seeking refuge in Costa Rica are "good people who are looking for job opportunities and different forms to contribute with the society." He said anyone who represents a risk to national security or breaks Costa Rican law would be promptly deported.



Protests in Costa Rica flared Saturday at La Merced Park in the capital, San Jose, where some Nicaraguan immigrants have been camping out.



To some Costa Ricans, it was a matter of taking back their park.



"I can't go to Nicaragua and stay in a park and say: 'this is my park.' We deserve respect," said Henry Tres Rios in Spanish.



Some of the demonstrations turned violent. Costa Rica's minister of public security later said that authorities arrested 38 Costa Ricans and six Nicaraguans, many of them with criminal records.

WATCH: Nicaraguans protest

Costa Rica's government confirms that at least 23,000 Nicaraguans have applied for asylum since June, although some of these people had lived in Costa Rica for several years, making them ineligible to be considered refugees.

Many arrive in Costa Rica with nothing.



"Some of them arrive without clothes and money. They don't have family or friends where they can sleep at night or economic resources to help them," says Nohemi Pavon in Spanish. She is with the Coalition of Nicaraguans in Exile.



Organizations like SOSNicaragua have taken on the task of easing the burden of their fellow citizens who arrive in Costa Rica by raising money with special events.



"This is an event of solidarity with the people of Nicaragua. Different groups of Costa Rican artists are performing in support of Nicaraguans who are asking for asylum," Pavon described one.



SOSNicaragua also provides food to Nicaraguans who are in need.



"Please help us, we are living in violence because of President Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo," said Nicaraguan Coni Morales in Spanish.



But not everyone is convinced. A group that opposes the arrival of more Nicaraguan migrants has scheduled another protest this week.

Nicaraguans began demonstrating against Ortega in April after his government moved to cut back social security. When authorities cracked down, protests to demand Ortega's ouster spread.

Less than a week ago, Nicaragua's National Assembly approved a drastic cut to the national budget because of the economic impact of months of anti-government unrest.

More than 300 people have died and thousands of Nicaraguans have fled.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure after her high-profile trip to Latin America, including stops in the United States, which drew criticism from China.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has ramped up military and diplomatic pressure in an attempt to assert Chinese sovereignty over the island, even as the U.S. government makes fresh overtures to it.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act  a non-binding bill encouraging the United States to send senior officials to Taiwan to meet Taiwanese counterparts.

While Tsai was not invited to the United States for an official visit, she met U.S. senators while she was there, attended banquets with overseas Taiwanese, and spoke of the need for strong ties with Washington.

The number of countries that now officially recognize Taiwan has been whittled down to 18, following moves by Burkina Faso in West Africa and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean region to formally switch relations to China from Taiwan this year.

"Taiwan would not bow to pressure. Pressure would only make us more determined and united. It would only boost our determination to go abroad," Tsai said at Taiwan's international airport upon arrival late Monday after the nine-day trip. She did not elaborate.

Tsai said during talks with heads of state during the trip, she had "demonstrated Taiwan's determination for the value of freedom and democracy."

China, which believes Tsai wants to push for Taiwan's formal independence, has already complained to Washington about her U.S. stopovers on the arrival and departure legs of her trip to Paraguay and Belize in the past two weekends.

Democratic Taiwan is one of China's most sensitive territorial issues and Tsai's U.S. stopovers in the United States, a customary practice for Taiwanese presidents, came amid an increasingly bitter trade war between Beijing and Washington.

While the United States has no formal ties with Taiwan, it is its main supplier of arms and military hardware, and its strongest unofficial diplomatic backer.

In a sign of the geo-political tensions, a Taiwan bakery chain with numerous branches in China disappeared from major Chinese food apps amid calls for a boycott after Tsai stopped by for a coffee at one of its stores in Los Angeles.

In response, Tsai last week urged people in Taiwan to remain united and she remained defiant in the face of Beijing's pressure.

"My administration will continue strengthening every aspect of #Taiwan-#US relations. Until next time!" Tsai tweeted upon her departure from a U.S. airport earlier on Monday, along with a photo of her holding hands with James F. Moriarty, chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan.
U.S. President Donald Trump has assailed special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia meddling in the 2016 presidential election as "a National Disgrace!"



The U.S. leader started the work week with a string of broadsides against the Mueller probe, complaining the prosecutor "is just someone looking for trouble" as he investigates Trump campaign aides' links to Russia and whether Trump, as president, obstructed justice by trying to thwart the inquiry.



Trump described Mueller as "disgraced and discredited" and said "his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs" had interviewed White House counsel Donald McGahn for 30 hours "only with my approval, for purposes of transparency." News outlets reported that Trump and his lawyers do not know the full scope of what McGahn told Mueller's team of investigators.

Trump added, "They are enjoying ruining people's lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side - the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mueller's Angry Dems are looking to impact the election," the nationwide November 6 congressional contests.

"Where's the Collusion?" Trump asked." They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!

Mueller's investigators have uncovered several instances of Trump campaign contacts with Russia, including a mid-2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York in which Trump's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., met with a woman said to be a Russian government attorney who would offer incriminating material against Trump's election challenger, Democrat Hillary Clinton. No such anti-Clinton information emerged from the meeting.



But when news of the meeting surfaced after Trump became president, he dictated a misleading statement about the talks, claiming they were about adoption of Russian children. More recently he has said it was a routine political meeting - opposition research about an election opponent - and he did not know about it in advance.

Trump also renewed his attacks on former Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, after revoking Brennan's national security clearance last week. Trump called Brennan a "political hack" and "the worst CIA director in our country's history."

Trump said he hopes Brennan carries through on his threat to file a lawsuit to protect others from losing their security clearances because, "It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He wont sue!"

One hundred and seventy-five other former U.S. national security officers, Pentagon, and State Department officials added their names Monday to the list of those who have already come to Brennan's defense.

They include such well-known names from the Bush and Obama administrations as former deputy secretary of state Tony Blinken, former undersecretary of state Nicholas Burns, and ex-NATO commander, Adm. James Stavridis.

The officials wrote a letter stating that while they may not totally agree with Brennan's sharp criticism of Trump, they believe "strongly that former government officials have the right to express their unclassified views on what they see as critical national security issues without fear of being punished for doing so."

Trump, however, has dismissed their favorable comments about Brennan, saying, "Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan. It certainly isnt because of the good job he did!"

Mueller has secured guilty pleas from several Trump campaign figures, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and foreign affairs adviser George Papadopoulos, both of whom have pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about their contacts with Russia.

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, a former New York mayor, contended Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that "truth isn't truth" in the Mueller investigation, saying that various events in the Trump presidency, and whether he obstructed justice by seeking to block the investigation, are open to interpretation.



Giuliani's comment was widely mocked on social media. On Monday, he sought to clarify it, saying, "My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology, but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic 'he said, she said' puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesn't."

Giuliani's statement was focused on conflicting accounts about a meeting early last year at the White House between Trump and James Comey, then director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and leading the agency's Russia investigation before Trump fired him in May 2017.
Turkish-U.S. cooperation continues to deepen in Syria, despite a crisis in bilateral relations. According to the Turkish military, the two NATO allies are about to carry out joint military patrols in northern Syria's Manbij region.

Though there are a few days of delay in the schedule, the process continues without a hitch. We are now entering a joint patrol period, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said to reporters Sunday.

Manbij has been a point of tension in U.S.-Turkish relations since Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured the city from Islamic State. A large part of the SDF is made up of the Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, considered by Ankara as terrorists linked to the PKK. Washington and the European Union designate the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Washingtons military backing of the YPG in its war against IS has been an underlying cause of rising tensions with Ankara.

When Turkey identifies the YPG, which is obviously linked to the PKK, as not just a major security threat but as a fatal threat, and the Pentagon behave as if they couldnt care less, obviously makes it difficult to have a common ground or dialogue, said international relations expert Soli Ozel of Istanbul's Kadir Has University.

Ankara accuses Washington of reneging on a deal that would have guaranteed the withdrawal of the YPG militia from Manbij after its capture in 2016.

Then-U.S.. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a meeting February in Ankara, hatched a strategy to compartmentalize the differences between the countries. The process included resolving the controversy over Manbij, in which the joint U.S.-Turkish military patrols, along with the withdrawal of YPG forces, were part of agreed efforts to defuse tensions.

The deepening cooperation in Syria comes as bilateral ties are facing one of their worst crisis. This month, the Turkish currency collapsed after U.S. sanctions and tariffs in retaliation for the ongoing detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Washington of waging economic war.

A Manbij agreement, however nebulous, is symbolically very important for those in power in Turkey, Ozel said. I think neither side has an interest in totally breaking relations.

Ankara is now looking to Washington fulfill another part of the Manbij agreement.

We expect (the YPG) to withdraw completely to the east of the Euphrates, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said at a news conference Monday in Ankara.

Analysts claim Ankara sees control of Manbij as a strategic objective at a crucial junction in northern Syria. Turkish forces already control a broad swathe of territory in northern Syria.

Ankara also reportedly views as a priority securing potential lucrative reconstruction contracts, including the rebuilding of Manbij. Such contracts, economists say, could be vital to boosting the Turkish economy, which is facing recession.

But U.S.-Turkish tensions are predicted to escalate, with Washington warning of new sanctions against Ankara.

An attack on our economy is no different from a direct strike against our flag and call to prayer, Erdogan said in his Eid al-Adha message on Monday. The purpose is not different. It aims to bring Turkey and the Turkish people to their knees, he added.

Around 2,000 U.S. special forces are deployed in Syria with the YPG Kurdish militia, just across Turkey's southern border. On Sunday, Erdogan reiterated his threat against the militia.

We will eliminate the terrorist threat coming from the territory of Syria and Iraq. We will not let terrorists control zones near our southern borders, he said at the Justice and Development Partys Congress.

The United States of America needs Turkey for its further Middle East policies, if America really wants to stay there, international relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankaras Middle East Technical University, said.

Analysts see Washingtons appointment of a former ambassador to Turkey, James Jeffrey, as special representative to Syria as a boost to bilateral cooperation. Ankara sees Jeffrey as one of the most sympathetic American diplomats to Turkey.

Observers say Ankara, too, has an interest in maintaining cooperation with Washington in Syria, given that differences with Moscow are emerging. Russian-Turkish ties have deepened over their efforts, along with Tehran, to resolve the Syrian civil war. However, Ankara strongly opposes the Damascus regimes planned offensive, with Moscows support, against the Idlib rebel enclave.

Analysts warn given the increasingly toxic U.S.-Turkish relationship and its unpredictability, the potential fallout could be cooperation in Syria. Its such an accident-prone relationship now. You may end up in a place you dont intend to, Ozel said.
Alex Friedmann was once in favor of private prisons. He spent six years in a freshly built one in Tennessee from 1992 to 1998. He was serving time for armed robberies committed between the ages of 18 and 22.

At South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton, Tennessee, things were run by the private corrections company CCA, which is now called CoreCivic.

Things were shiny. They had soft drinks in the dining hall. It all looked pretty good, he recalled.

Before long, he noticed the problems that stemmed from the companys efforts to cut costs  namely, high turnover among members of the prisons underpaid staff, which led to security issues.

We had a murder in the first two months I was there, he said, in addition to an escape a couple of months after I was there. Riots broke out and so on.

Later, he was moved to a public facility, identical in most ways except that it had more staff members to help keep the peace. Friedmann said CoreCivic touts its security cameras as an effective replacement for staff members.

"But if someone is stabbing you with a shank, you don't want technology," he noted. "You want someone to stop stabbing you with a shank."

'Mass incarceration industry'

Now, Friedmann is assistant director of the Human Rights Defense Center, which advocates for prisoners' rights. He said prisons are necessary, but what he called the mass incarceration industry is not.

It is immoral, unethical and unacceptable to incarcerate people for the purpose of generating profit, he said.

The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit group working to reduce use of incarceration in the United States, earlier this month released a report on growth in the private prison industry since the beginning of the 21st century. It noted that the number of people held in private prisons has increased 47 percent since 2000, so that now 1 in every 12 people in the U.S. prison population is being held in a private facility.

It also said private prison companies keep operational costs low by employing non-union, low-skilled workers at lower salaries and more limited benefits than their counterparts in public institutions.

Jeannie Alexander heads a group called No Exceptions Prison Collective, which advocates abolition of private prisons.

Fundamentally, she said, the problem with private prisons is that the number of bodies in cells determines how much money each facility makes. "The product is the prisoner," she said.

Alexander was one of about 20 people arrested Aug. 6 in Nashville, Tennessee, during a demonstration at CoreCivic headquarters.

In Boca Raton, Florida, a similar protest drew about 100 people to the headquarters of GEO Group, the other leading private prison company in the United States. CoreCivic holds about 42 percent of the private prison market in the United States; GEO Group has about 37 percent. The rest is held by smaller companies.

Former inmates such as Friedmann, families of inmates, and former employees of private prisons have accused the companies of neglecting health care and security concerns in the interest of saving money or coping with staffing shortages.

Corporate responses

When VOA contacted CoreCivic and GEO Group to ask about allegations of inferior care of inmates, both companies responded promptly with emailed statements.

CoreCivic, which is facing at least three class-action lawsuits over medical care for diabetic inmates, said it cannot comment on pending litigation, but is "committed to providing high-quality health care to those entrusted to our care. It added that "it is our policy and practice to maintain appropriate levels of staffing in our facilities."

GEO Group said it strongly disputes allegations of poor medical care in its facilities, adding, "on a daily basis, our dedicated employees deliver high-quality services, including around-the-clock medical care, that comply with requirements and standards set by federal and state government agencies and adhere to guidelines set by leading third-party accreditation agencies. ... Members of our team strive to treat all those entrusted to our care with compassion, dignity and respect."

One other major allegation is that private prisons keep their foothold in the U.S. corrections industry with campaign contributions to politicians and use of lobbying firms to push for tough-on-crime legislation that keeps prisons full.

The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) reported in January that CoreCivic and GEO Group each contributed $250,000 to the president's inaugural committee.

Just days after Trump's inauguration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-era memo announcing the Justice Department would phase out the use of private prisons. Sessions said the phase-out would impair the government's ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system. After Sessions' announcement, the stock prices of both companies jumped.

The CRP also reported that GEO Group spent $1.7 million on lobbying expenses in 2017, and $770,000 in 2018. CoreCivic spent $840,000 in 2017 and $550,000 in 2018.

To this, CoreCivic replied: "Much of the information about our company being shared by special interest groups is wrong and politically motivated, resulting in people reaching misguided conclusions about what we do. ... Historically, our lobbying efforts have focused primarily on educating officials about the scope of solutions we can provide and advocating for partnering agencies to get full funding as it relates to their contracts with us."

CoreCivic also said it does not draft, lobby for, promote or in any way take a position on policies that would affect the basis or duration of an individual's incarceration or detention.

For its part, GEO Group said: "Our company does not take a position on, nor have we ever advocated for or against, criminal justice or immigration policies such as whether to criminalize behavior, the length of criminal sentences, or the basis for the length of an individual's incarceration or detention."

Transparency methods

In its report, the Sentencing Project calls for private prisons to meet the same transparency standards that public institutions are held to.

Federal prisons are subject to the Freedom of Information Act, meaning its records can be released upon inquiry; and many states have similar laws that apply to state-run institutions. In private prisons, that kind of transparency is "practically nonexistent," Sentencing Project executive director Marc Mauer said.

"Not to say that there aren't problems in public prisons, too," Mauer said, "but at the very least, we have legislators with the authority or ability to engage in that oversight. And that's very difficult when it's a private contractor."

Lauren-Brooke Eisen, senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law, takes a different view of the problem.

"Is it fair to expect a private company to succeed where a public one has failed?" she asks. In her book, "Inside Private Prisons: An American Dilemma in the Age of Mass Incarceration," Eisen advocates performance-based contracting, in which renewal is based on achievement of certain goals, like reducing recidivism. If we want better performance from private prisons, "we allow them the flexibility and innovation to get there," she argues.

Friedmann, the advocate with behind-bars experience, offers a more blunt remedy. Private prisons do everything that public prisons do, he notes, but they must do it while turning a profit. The situation invites problems. For him, the best method is clear: "Get the profit out of our criminal justice system."
U.S. service members have not yet started training Turkish forces for joint patrols near the volatile Syrian city of Manbij, despite U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis telling reporters last week that he expected them to start by Sunday night.

"We still have a few details to work out," Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Robert Manning told reporters Monday at the Pentagon, adding that "rehearsals for combined patrols" would begin "as soon as possible."

U.S. defense officials familiar with the training told VOA on Monday that the training site in southern Turkey was still being cleared.

Equipment and training officers are already in Turkey, Mattis told reporters traveling with him late last Thursday.

He said he expected the training to begin "within 72 hours," adding, "could be sooner."

The training is needed before U.S. and Turkish forces operating near Manbij can combine their patrols.

Right now, the two forces are conducting "coordinated but independent" patrols, according to the Pentagon.

It is unclear when U.S. and Turkish forces would start conducting the joint patrols in Syria once training of Turkey's troops is complete.

The city of Manbij houses Kurdish militia fighters. Washington supports the Kurdish fighters there, while Ankara says they are anti-Turkey terrorists.

The Pentagon said the purpose of the patrols is to support "long-term security in Manbij" and uphold its commitments to NATO-ally Turkey.
Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has appealed to African leaders to ensure a peaceful and smooth transition of power in the country. But analysts say his appeal may be a bit late.

Chamisa, leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)-Alliance, is contesting the legality of the ruling party's victory in the July 30 election. He told reporters Monday he is confident the country's highest court would overturn the official results for the July 30 presidential election.

Zimbabwe's Electoral Commission declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa won the poll with just under 51 percent of the vote. It said Chamisa finished second with 44 percent.

Chamisa called the results a "subversion of the will of the people." He welcomed a decision by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders postpone congratulating Mnangagwa when they met in Namibia over the weekend.

"This is the message I have to SADC: please help us, help the African continent and help ourselves by ensuring you help cure the divisions that are in the country."

Chamisa called for a cure for the "illegitimacy, the electoral stalemate." He appealed to SADC to "come in to start help us negotiate a respectable exit for Mr. Mnangagwa, for those who have been voted out. SADC, you are the guarantors of peace, the guardians of prosperity, progress and freedom. It is important that you have a hands-on approach on the Zimbabwean situation."

Alexander Rusero, a senior journalism and international politics lecturer at Harare Polytechnic College, said Chamisa's appeal to African bodies like the African Union (AU) should have come immediately after Zimbabwe's election.

"The opposition were a bit slow to embrace and make meaningful diplomatic contact with critical regional organizations like SADC and AU," he said.

Rusero said instead of "running to America, running to Britain," the opposition should have started "from within."

"In terms of diplomacy, you do not start negotiating from outside," he noted. "They [the opposition] have displayed arrogance and disregard for [the] AU."

The 40-year-old Chamisa refused to commit to accepting the ruling of the court if he loses his election petition, as many observers say is likely. He said the MDC-Alliance would instead follow all "legal and constitutional" routes available to appeal the election results.
President Emmerson Mangagwa has filed his heads of arguments in a case in which the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is seeking to overturn the result of the July 30 presidential election.

Chamisas lawyers, who submitted their heads of arguments at the weekend, say they were haggling with Mnangagwas lawyers in todays pre-hearing conference over documents that will be used during the trial of the case on Wednesday.

Chamisa claims that he won the presidential election saying Mnangagwas election figures did not match with the number of people registered at certain polling stations.

According to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Mnangagwa initially won by 50.8 percent of the votes cast and Chamisa got 44.3 percent. The electoral body has now reduced Mnangagwas victory margin to 50.6 percent, claiming that some polling stations were mistakenly counted twice resulting in the incumbent president getting an extra 4,453 votes.

Announcing the anomaly, ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba said, After the correction of the observed errors  Nelson Chamisa gained 4,483 votes representing a change of 0.1 percent of the announced results whilst Emmerson Mnangagwas votes reduced by 4,453 votes representing a 0.8 percent of the announced results.

Overall the final computations do not alter significantly the announced 2018 presidential results.

The corrected figures altered Chamisas final results to 44.39 instead of the 44.3 announced by ZEC a few days after the July 30 presidential poll.

Zanu PF lawyers are strongly opposing the MDC Alliances petition, claiming that his case lacks evidence and as a result they want it to be thrown out of the Constitutional Court.

I fully understand the anxiety of the nation around the upcoming court case where we are challenging the subversion of the will of the people by ZEC in cahoots with some rogue elements in our state institutions. I would like to guarantee you that we have put up a very strong case to overturn the electoral fraud.

I have put together an A-team of experienced, tried and tested legal experts drawn from the best minds in the region and in the country. These are led by our finest and very best legal minds. This team has been working tirelessly to protect your victory. I have confidence in them and in their assurances. We will together as a nation agree on a working programme for the total fulfilment of our vote.

He said Zimbabweans should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by any political outfit, individuals or anyone.

We are the masters of our own destiny. We are our own liberators. Without change we will fall back again into intolerable poverty and suffering for the next five years. Even in that case, if we dont do it now, there is no guarantee that if we win again in 2023 those that are seeking to subvert your will are not planning to do it again.

In the interest of our country, its people and the economy, ZEC must accept that it has played a divisive role in our politics. What was a clear and unambiguous victory has been muddied by partisan individuals in ZEC. I say to those in ZEC who were used as trojan horses, your country is aware of the pressure you were put under. You now have to help our country move beyond the crisis caused by the current leaderships connivance with Zanu PF elements.

Chamisa said Mnangagwa should accept the election defeat, concede and allow our country to move forward.

But Zanu PFs Believe Gaule, who is a member of the powerful Politburo, said Chamisa and his colleagues are wasting time by challenging the outcome of the presidential election.

They lost the election and for them now to go to the courts  They are just abusing electoral laws. They have a weak case and therefore are bound to lose. We dont see them going anywhere with this case.
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As Smith spoke of her childhood and the traumas that had given her PTSD  days of being ignored and underfed as punishment, feeling unloved by the people who were supposed to love her most, dissociating to protect herself from parental rages  Trial nodded in recognition. As the conversation moved toward how to heal, they rattled off book titles and strategies for managing their pain. They bonded over their connection to the moon cycle as a symbol that everything will pass: Smith had it on a ring, Trial had it tattooed on her arm.
I was not in the country at the time, said Weaver, who learned from Silverman that his name appeared in Allens petition. After the council member sent him a photo of the petition, Weaver said, This is not my signature, this is not my handwriting.
The authorities said that Joshua Vinson, 30, of Waldorf was on Middletown Road and was hit by a vehicle trying to turn onto Billingsley Road.
In part, he said, his electoral defeats could be chalked up to an imaging problem in a country where socialism has long been a dirty word. One of the tragedies is that the things a Socialist candidate will say are things that really could be said by a compassionate and moderately insightful Republican, he told the Progressive magazine in 2000. If I say we should have much greater mass transit in the major cities, that we should be able to rebuild the railroad system so that Amtrak actually connects all the small towns, thats a reasonable thing. Its not a radical proposal.
Felix begged to return to check on his ripening coffee. On the day before Easter, he boarded a military plane for the quick hop. The plane came under enemy fire as it landed, sliding off the runway and crashing. Felix was the only person killed. His widow, Madeline, and the children  along with two of their aunts, Eugenes half-Vietnamese daughters with his second wife  had no choice but to leave for France.
Much of the selection process is under wraps, with the state maintaining that the identities of applicants are exempt from Virginias Freedom of Information Act. A few of the hopefuls have gone public as theyve pitched their projects to local officials, whose buy-in will be a factor as the committee weighs applications. Among them: a mom-and-pop pharmacist hoping to set up shop in a shuttered J.C. Penney near the Tennessee border and a Hampton home builder seeking to operate out of a former NASA lab. The latter would partner with Arizona Organix, which opened that states first dispensary in 2012.
It is in the public interest for the General Assembly to finalize constitutional maps as soon as possible  Virginians deserve that clarity, Northam wrote in the proclamation he signed Monday to call the legislature back to Richmond. I am calling a special session so we can focus our collective attention on doing whats right: working together to draw lines that represent Virginians fairly.
Many fire managers agree that the tankers are most effective in an events initial stages, with helicopters doing their best work when a blaze is transitioning into a bigger conflagration. But they disagree about how well these fleets help to curb infernos like Californias Carr Fire, which created a fire tornado with speeds of up to 143 miles per hour that ripped off roofs. A study the Forest Service ordered in 2012 to determine the best mix of aircraft, as well as to document the effectiveness of water and retardant drops, has still not released results.
Rainfall in some areas was well over double that of a typical monsoon season. Officials estimate that more than 6,000 miles of roads have been damaged. One of the states major airports, in the city of Kochi, was closed last week because of the flooding. It is to remain closed until Aug. 26.
That attitude was a symptom of a broader fact about American labor relations: They are extraordinarily adversarial. This is a deep feature of American labor markets that has roots in our culture, in the contentious and often violent process of unionizing major industrial concerns, and in our labor law itself, which, in an effort to keep companies from forming company unions, drove a sharp wedge between the unions and management. Our unions tend to glower at management across a chasm of mutual distrust; they also tend to be inflexible, somewhat shortsighted and not particularly attentive to the overall health of the firm. American management, in turn, has its own issues with shortsightedness, tends to be fairly indifferent to the needs of its workers  especially the nonprofessional ones  and to view the social costs of business decisions as fairly irrelevant to its decision-making.
Kavanaughs ruling was too much even for Janice Rogers Brown, the conservative judge on the D.C. Circuit who once described the 1937 Supreme Court decision upholding the New Deal as the triumph of our own socialist revolution. Kavanaughs opinion, Brown argued, resolved questions the parties had not argued and gave the plaintiff a broader victory than it had sought. Moreover, she said, Kavanaughs decision was flatly inconsistent with a Supreme Court decision upholding limits on contributions to political parties. Although Brown disapproved of this decision, she emphasized that lower-court judges were required to follow it.
Yet Crown Prince Mohammed has arguably been outdone by Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who, having replaced Turkeys democracy with a virtual dictatorship, now seeks to dictate to the United States. Seeing that North Korea and Iran leveraged favors from Washington by imprisoning Americans on bogus pretexts, Erdogan adopted the same gambit  ignoring that Turkey, unlike those rogue states, has depended on Washington for its security for more than half a century. He demands that the Trump administration hand over an exiled cleric he blames, without substantiation, for fomenting a coup. Meanwhile he threatens to start a war with U.S. forces in Syria because of their support for Kurds fighting the Islamic State.
I am hardly a Nixon defender. I was part of the special prosecutor investigation that led to his downfall. I was and remain shocked at the extent of his crass and criminal behavior, which first became palpable to me listening to the secret Oval Office tapes that we pried away from him, eventually including the smoking gun tape the Supreme Court ordered him to turn over. It was that evidence that convinced Nixons closest supporters that his defense against impeachment and removal from office would have been unsustainable, and that he had no choice but to resign in disgrace.
There are some practical considerations. Each year, 7,200 naturalization ceremonies, each welcoming an average of 100 new citizens to our nation, take place, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Given current student enrollment, this would mean an average of about 500 students attending each ceremony, in addition to the family members and friends who often attend. Many ceremonies would need to be moved to larger venues, as some already have, perhaps to the auditorium of the high school itself, or to a local theater or other civic space. They could become community events, rather than just family ones.
Earlier in the interview, as if to illustrate the point he was about to make, Giuliani told what can only be called a bald-faced lie. He claimed that when Trumps son, son-in-law and campaign chairman met at Trump Tower in 2016 with a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Hillary Clinton, all they knew is that a woman with a Russian name wanted to meet with them. They didnt know she was a representative of the Russian government. But in email traffic setting up the meeting, Donald Trump Jr. was told that the promised information that would incriminate Hillary constituted part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump.
In revoking Brennans clearance last week, Trump accused the longtime intelligence officer of abusing his status by criticizing the administration. The president later acknowledged in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he had moved against Brennan in part because of his role in the beginning of the investigation into whether Trumps campaign conspired with the Russian government. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III is now leading that inquiry.
She has frequently accompanied her husband on foreign trips, but the Africa visit will be her first major solo journey abroad as first lady. Last September, she traveled to Toronto, where she led the U.S. delegation at the Invictus Games, a sports competition for wounded veterans, and met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britains Prince Harry.
A campaign official said that the committee tracks contributions to make sure they do not exceed the legal limit, but that some information does not get updated immediately, such as when donors use different addresses. They noted that the vast majority of donations to the committee were within the limits.
McGahn is far from the only member of Trumps inner circle who has been interviewed extensively by Muellers team. Trumps former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, has sat for about 20 hours of questioning and provided extensive contemporaneous notes he took during his time in the White House. Former senior adviser Stephen K. Bannon agreed to voluntary interviews that lasted 20 hours. Former press secretary Sean Spicer also sat for multiple days of interviews.
If we really step back for a minute, I think most folks  be it in Montana or elsewhere  that are firearm owners want to keep themselves and their families safe, he said. Its not unlike folks that say that all of these school tragedies and everything thats been happening, what do they really want? Those same values.
For you having to be demeaned by people who have no idea what strength is, is really very sad, Trump said. They have no courage; they have no guts. They just have big, loud mouths. We dont want to put up with that. I just want you to know you are loved and respected.
Fentanyl was responsible for nearly 30,000 deaths in the US last year. Many Americans dont know it can be an instant killer when laced into pills, marijuana, Conway tweeted. Thank you @realDonaldTrump for showing courage & resolve to keep the poison out of our communities & out of our kids.
The lack of interest reflects the nearly unanimous opposition of Polands black-robed jurists to what they see as an attempted hostile takeover of the judiciary by the ruling party. Critics say that the process, which has been underway for three years, is culminating with a bid to pack the countrys highest court with cronies and opportunists.
By Monday evening, Turkish authorities had announced the arrests of two suspects. A U.S. Embassy statement praised the fast and professional action of the Turkish government and police as well as their support and protection, in a rare moment of solidarity between two countries whose vitriolic arguments have reverberated around the globe.
REPRESENTATIVES from Africa at the just concluded 2018 Africa-China Poverty Reduction and Development conference, have called for agricultural transformation and application of the Public- Private Partnerships (PPPs) model as immediate measures to win the war against poverty in the continent.

The conference is part of preparations for the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China and -Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) scheduled for early next month.

The leaders who attended the event in Beijing and later toured the poverty alleviation experimental zone in Bijie city, Guizhou Province in Southwest China, where countrys poverty reduction programme started, advised their governments to borrow a leaf from China.

This, they said, could be done by charting realisable poverty reduction plans, implementation strategies and clear sources of funding.

From the field tour, the delegation learnt that by the end of 2015, more than one million out of 9.2 million people living in Bijie city were still poverty-stricken, forcing the government to roll out more poverty alleviation programmes.

Tanzanias representative at the event, Morogoro Regional Administrative Secretary Clifford Tandari, hailed Chinas efforts in pulling its poor population out of poverty through clear empowerment approaches.

The long-serving public servant told the Daily News here that though much has been done on poverty alleviation in Tanzania, more bold steps were still needed especially in transforming agriculture through empowering poor farmers technologically.

Mr Tandari said the government needed to put much efforts in transforming the sector by timely providing farm inputs and improving requisite infrastructure for market accessibility, among other prerequisites. Our government under President John Magufuli is doing well in this sector.

But, we still need to do more. Fighting poverty can only be achieved through improving agriculture as it is the sector that directly touches and involves the bigger population, he said.

He affirmed that to facilitate success in the war against poverty, Tanzania should learn from China through taking targeted measures of poverty alleviation.

These included reducing poverty through industrial development, relocating residents in poor areas and creating jobs for poverty-stricken people.

In China, according to field visit observations and briefings from officials, such measures included dishing out non-reimbursable subsidies, building fruit, vegetable and cattle breeding bases, as well as putting in place all necessary infrastructure.

In Tanzania, we have been implementing various programmes funded by UNDP and World Bank...we have so many projects like TASAF.

We now need to learn more about clear implementation strategies that will give us immediate results and eventually have permanent solutions, he said.

Ms Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, the African Unions Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, said though Africas economy had been growing substantially, the continent was still troubled by a poor economy.

According to UN data, half of the worlds impoverished population live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Improper agricultural technology is one of the reasons leading to poverty in Africa.

Technology is much needed in Africas agricultural sector. We also need to engage the private sector in this war, she said.

She said that despite vast arable land and a growing workforce, low agricultural productivity had been hampering the continents development, thereby fuelling poverty.

Africa is eager to learn from China in agriculture and natural resources management, she said.
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III summoned jurors into the courtroom a little after 9:35 a.m. As occurs each morning, the clerk called out each jurors number, and each responded they were here or present. The judge asked them to confirm that they had not done any independent research, then set them back to resume their work.
But North Koreas suspicion of any outside influence means that many tens of thousands more have been denied the chance to meet: More than 130,000 South Koreans have registered as members of divided families since the program began, but more than half of them died before they were able to meet their relatives again. Of those still on the waiting list, more than 12,000 are over 90 years old.
More than 2 million Venezuelans have fled their country since 2014, according to U.N. figures, as an economic crisis intensifies in the oil-rich nation. Many have streamed through neighboring Colombia to countries such as Ecuador and Peru. But some South American countries say they are increasingly unable to cope with the crush of migrants. Ecuador last weekend imposed new rules blocking entry to Venezuelan migrants who have no passports or only a few months left on their documents.
Deepening leadership turmoil in the federal government and increasingly toxic debates around energy, immigration and tax have sparked renewed pleas for stability and certainty from business leaders.

The government on Monday dumped its National Energy Guarantee (NEG) policy as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faces continued speculation about a leadership speculation

Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci called on political leaders to give business greater certainty as his business revealed trading at the retail giant's supermarket chain had been softening in the last two months.

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci also called on political leaders to give business greater certainty. Credit:Louie Douvis

"Consumer confidence and certainty is key for us and thats what were looking for from the political end of town," he said.
Rising numbers of Australians are dying from accidentally overdosing on prescription drugs morphine, codeine, oxycodone and fentanyl, the latest drug deaths data shows.

Australia has so far been spared the magnitude of the opioid "epidemic" in the US and its emerging fentanyl crisis, but drug experts were closely monitoring the creeping death rates linked to the synthetic drug.

A total of 1045 people from 15 to 64 years old died from opioid overdoses in Australia in 2016, according to the report released on Monday by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC).

The rate of opioid induced deaths almost doubled in 10 years, from 3.8 to 6.6 deaths per 100,000 Australians between 2007 and 2016.
The man accused of a string of Sydney bombings and shootings said the judge presiding over a custody battle for his daughter wont be there much longer before he was shot dead, a judge has heard.

Family Court judge David Opas, killed out the front of his Woollahra home on June 23, 1980, is alleged to be one of four murder victims of Leonard John Warwick over a five-year period.

Police allege Mr Warwick, now 71, carried out seven high-profile attacks against people linked to the drawn-out custody battle between him and his estranged wife, Andrea Blanchard, over their only daughter, Trudi.

The former firefighter has pleaded not guilty to 24 charges on the first day of a six-month Supreme Court judge-alone trial conducted by Justice Peter Garling.
Its one of the most common medical procedures in hospitals around the world.

So why are millions of patients every year getting needled with catheters in places that aren't recommended, and left unused and unmonitored, risking painful malfunctions and infection?

Two-thirds of intravenous catheters are inserted in non-recommended areas, including elbow creases. Credit:Alamy

Two in three peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are inserted into areas not recommended by international guidelines or risk failing before patients get the treatment they need, a major international study shows.

The cannulas - used to give infusions of medications, pain relief, hydration fluids, blood products and nutrients - are inserted into hands, wrists and elbow creases instead of the recommended veins in the forearm, found the Australian-led review of 40,620 PIVCs across 51 countries.
Police investigating a suspected arson attack on a Perth home discovered child exploitation material on a man's phone after he asked officers to retrieve the device.

Adam Raymond Lynch, 50, was caught with more than a dozen images in March 2017, but lied to officers, saying he had stolen the phone a week earlier.

The man was handed a suspended sentence. Credit:Glenn Hunt.

Lynch eventually pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material and was sentenced in the WA District Court on Monday to nine months in prison, suspended for 12 months with a supervision and program requirement.

Judge Belinda Lonsdale accepted Lynch was remorseful and ashamed over his "relatively unsophisticated" crime.
An incendiary claim about Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has inflamed the federal governments leadership woes, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confronts the loss of Queensland Liberals who have thrown their support behind his rival.

Mr Turnbull on Monday gutted his signature energy policy by shelving a bill to cut carbon emissions, sparking furious accusations he had gone weak on climate change in a last-ditch bid to win back the support of colleagues.

But the divisions in the party room grew on Monday night after claims Mr Dutton could be forced out of Parliament for breaching the constitution by having a family trust that benefits from government payments.

Mr Duttons supporters are angry the claims surfaced the evening before Tuesdays crucial Coalition party meeting, which is set to be a showdown on Mr Turnbulls decision to put off plans to legislate cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
The head of the Independent Schools Council of Australia, Colette Colman, said the proposal was built on incomplete data - which, unless resolved, would disadvantage many independent schools.

Education bureaucrats have spent recent weeks in secret talks with private school representatives, but the discussions have only hardened the sector's opposition to a model it believes is flawed.

The controversial plan would determine a private school's socio-economic status - and therefore its level of funding - based on the income tax paid by the school's parents . The approach is enabled by the government's massive new data-matching capabilities.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been dealt a blow on another of his major policy headaches - school funding - with independent schools backing away from a proposal that would help repair the government's poisonous relationship with the Catholic sector.

"We know that a third of the data for our schools is missing," she told a conference on Monday. That meant parental tax records were unavailable or were not linked to their child's enrolment address, and this was far more likely to occur "down the more disadvantaged end of the sector".

"If that data were included, more money would be attracted [to those schools]," Ms Colman told Fairfax Media. "What were saying is that we would not be supporting a new methodology until we are satisfied all these issues about missing data and unmatched data  are adequately resolved."

The declaration makes it more difficult for Education Minister Simon Birmingham to reach a deal that will appease both private school sectors. Meanwhile, school funding looms as yet another test of leadership for Mr Turnbull, with MPs aghast at how the sensitive issue has gone unresolved.

One Liberal MP, who has been identified as a campaign target by the Australian Education Union, described the situation as "annoying" and called on the PM to get it fixed.

"It has just dragged on and dragged on and dragged on," the MP said. "It all then morphs into this leadership thing of why hasnt this been resolved?
Contributed / Connecticut Beardsley Zoo

BRIDGEPORT  Connecticut Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport, will host the program How to Train Your Raptor! from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 22.

People who attend will meet Chrissy Shore and Chris Clark, animal care specialists from the zoo who work with rescued, rehabilitated raptors and train them to become Ambassador Animals. Take a peek into a typical day in the life of a raptor and his or her handler. Photos and videos of the process will be shown, and perhaps a special feathery guest will make an appearance. There $10 suggested donation. Refreshments will be served. Call 203-394-6565.
WESTPORT  Early on a rainy Saturday morning, state Sen. Toni Boucher gave supporters a pep talk at the Republican campaign headquarters in Wilton.

We were the envy of the country. Now, the economy is going steadily downward with the current administration that is overtaxing the most important things  equity in homes, storefront. People are saying not one penny more, said Boucher, the incumbent representative for the states 26th senate district, which includes parts of Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

Everyones talking about the sorry state of Connecticut, Boucher told supporters at the 8:30 a.m. meeting on Aug. 4. She has represented the district since 2009 and spent the previous 12 years representing the 143rd house district, which includes Wilton and Norwalk.

Families struggle to put their kids through college, businesses ache to keep the doors open, and home values are plummeting because of Connecticuts economy and, as a result, people are leaving the state, Boucher said. She said she has worked hard to pay for her three grown kids education and understands the economy from decades of work in the private sector.

Toni realizes that for our state to regain the strength we once had, weve got to bring the states financial situation under control, reduce spending, re-negotiate union contracts, and reduce the tax burden for families and businesses to make them want to stay here, Bouchers campaign communications director, Tom Derderian, a Redding resident, told me at the meeting.

Wilton Republican Town Committee member Andrea Preston, one of the 13 supporters present at Bouchers weekly campaign meeting, said Bouchers Democratic opponent, 22-year-old Will Haskell, is not qualified to handle the states difficult economic situation.

How can you say what youre going to do for people economically if you havent experienced it yourself? Preston asks.

Boucher, 68, said she doesnt want to criticize Haskells age, but he should be judged against her background as an experienced businessperson and working mother.

Of the 13 meeting attendees, five are young people, including one college campaign assistant. Erin Chubinsky and Lelah Conway graduated from Wilton High School this year and interned for Bouchers campaign in the spring to satisfy a senior-year internship requirement.

The other two students  Juliana Musilli and Alex Edwards  are seniors at Wilton High and co-presidents of the high schools Republican Club.

For National Honor Society you need four hours per month, so its a really good way to get it. Its also for college apps because colleges like to see youre doing volunteer service and active in the community, Musilli said of volunteer work for the campaign.

Around 10:15 a.m., Boucher leaves headquarters for the nearby Orems Diner. The owners, a family of Greek immigrants, are friends of Boucher because in the early 2000s she helped them negotiate with the Department of Transportation to buy the parcel of land under the diner to prevent a superhighway from running through the property, she said.

Boucher and Demetri Papanikola, the owner son, express their mutual sadness about business and people leaving the state. Then, Boucher walks around and dinergoers nod and wave to her in recognition.

Youre my favorite politician. I dont have many favorites anymore, Wilton resident Una Callanan tells Boucher.

Back in the car at 11 a.m., Boucher returns a missed call from a Westport supporter, Gloria Ginter, a Democrat constituent who Boucher says she bonded with over work on animal rights legislation. Ginter tells Boucher her house was broken into, but will still make time to help with Bouchers campaign. Oh no, Gloria! Boucher says. Take care of yourself first.

Your ability to help people is really strengthened by personal relationships, Boucher says, quoting one of her favorite sayings: People dont care what you know unless they know you care.

Her personal relationships extend to fellow politicians, Boucher said, adding she has befriended much of the Democratic leadership.

Those relationships have come back to save our district a lot of money, Boucher said, noting her relationships helped in a grant for the nature center in New Canaan.

Bouchers capacity for compassion and close relationships comes from her difficult childhood, she said. Her family immigrated to the Waterbury area from Italy when she was 5, and she didnt learn English until the fourth grade because there was little support for non-English speaking students, Boucher said. It was very painful. I was quiet, shy.

A high school teacher encouraged her to join the debate team, where she blossomed, before going on to American University and then switching to the University of South Dakota when her husband, Bud Boucher, was transferred there for the Air Force.

We were the poorest family in our community yet we excelled, Boucher said, noting her father told her education is the way out of poverty and the path to freedom. Indeed, Boucher got her start in politics through education advocacy, first on the Wilton Board of Education and then as a member of the state Board of Education.The income gap is closed by closing the education gap.

We arrive at the Sycamore Drive-In in Bethel for a lunch of burgers and root beer floats and Boucher speaks with the owner, Patrick Austin, about the state of his business. She says she doesnt support adding tolls because of people like him who have customers that come from New York state.

Boucher said she doesnt support increasing the minimum wage because the marketplace should determine what companies pay employees, and a mandated wage harms the ability of businesses like Sycamore to invest in new technology she says could help them pay workers more.

After lunch, we stop by the Gift Cottage shop in Bethel to say hello to her friend, Terri Braybas, who owns the small business and then head to the Annual Clambake & Pig Roast at the West Redding Fire Department. As we drive, Boucher addresses her critics who say she voted against civil unions, saying thats what her gay constituents wanted her to do because they did not feel civil unions were equal to marriage.

To Haskells criticism that she has embraced President Donald Trump, Boucher says she has released several strongly worded statements against the presidents actions.

As we arrive at the clambake, Boucher remarks these are her fish and gun holding group and sits down with a group of attendees at a table. She commiserates with them about the states economy and the exodus of people out of Connecticut.

The Republican constituency in the district is diverse, and she has a responsibility to represent all of her constituents, which is why she proposed legislation asked for by the Weston Gun Club that would allow gun clubs to have ammunition on hand for people to practice. The bill never passed, but Haskell criticizes Bouchers proposal as an indication she wants to loosen restriction on ammunition sales.

For the last hour of the day, until 4 p.m., Boucher knocks doors in Weston. At one home, a young girl opens the door and Boucher says to tell her parents to vote.

While leaving, Boucher stops to reflect: Women have to see women in office and that its an option for them someday.
As it prepares to open its doors for the first time next month, we have a sneak peek at the brand new Mountview Academy building in Peckham.

The arts academy, which was formerly located in Wood Green, will now be based at 116-120 Peckham Hill Street in south London following a multi-million-pound construction project.

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The new building will feature two theatres  one with 200 seats and the other with 80 seats, able to house a variety of student, community and professional productions. There will be 22 rehearsal and dance studios (including a West End-scale commercial rehearsal space), broadcasting facilities, community spaces and a rooftop bar for panoramic views. Rehearsal and office spaces will also be available for hire.

The first students will arrive at the new Academy building at the beginning of September.
After being heavily criticized, CancerCare has decide to tell patients about a dosing problem with their cancer-treatment drugs.
As students search for new digs before the start of the school year, and parents watch their children leave the nest for the first time, the Winnipeg Police Service and the Canadian Competition Bureau are warning would-be renters to be on the lookout for scams.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As students search for new digs before the start of the school year, and parents watch their children leave the nest for the first time, the Winnipeg Police Service and the Canadian Competition Bureau are warning would-be renters to be on the lookout for scams.

While rental scams arent rampant in Winnipeg, they do happen, Sgt. Shaun Veldman of the Winnipeg Police Service financial crimes unit said.

Doug Strickland / Chattanooga Times Free Press files Tenants are advised to ask the right questions of potential landlords to avoid scams. If something doesnt sound right, move on.

"We do get reports of it that come in. It is something that people do need to be aware of, because it is an active scam," Veldman said.

On Thursday, the Competition Bureau, which is an independent law enforcement agency, released a consumer alert in collaboration with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

The alert warned students, parents and anyone else on the market for a new place to live that if a "rental listing looks too good to be true, it probably is."

A typical scam involves someone posting attractive listings onto classifieds websites such as Kijiji and Craigslist, or social media platforms such as Facebook. Often, the photos and details used in the ads will be taken from existing, legitimate rental listings, or from short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.

The person posing as a landlord may claim to be out of town and unable to show the listing in person. Would-be renters who live outside the city, province or country, and therefore unable to check out a property in person, are also frequent targets for scammers.

"If you cant attend in person, ask the landlord if you can have someone you trust come down to look at the property on your behalf. Even if you dont have anyone to do that for you, ask anyway. If they dont allow that, obviously, thats a major red flag," Veldman said.

"What legitimate business person whos renting a property wouldnt allow someone to come down and take a look? Another thing to do is ask questions legitimate property owners would know. Something like, Wheres the nearest bus stop?"

The alert says scammers will attempt to get would-be renters to hand over money before seeing the property. Often, the requests will escalate, starting with a security deposit, then the first months rent, then an additional months rent in exchange for a discount.

Another hallmark of scams is that victims are rushed into making quick decisions, with scammers often saying other people are expressing interest in the property and a decision needs to be made immediately.

"Do things like a reverse image search for the photos in the listing. And if theyre asking you to send money in a way thats not traceable, thats obviously another big red flag for every scam out there," Veldman said.

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Should someone suspect an online listing is part of a scam, that information should be given to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Veldman said. The centre enters the listing information into a countrywide database, which helps form potential long-term investigations into fraudulent activity.

If someone has been the victim of a scam, they can reach out directly to city police and file a report, he said.

"Whether its a landlord being victimized, or someone who has come across this on the other side of things as a potential renter, we definitely want this reported. We dont get all of the reports of people being scammed out there," Veldman said.

"We see this a handful of times every year, maybe up to several times a month. It could also dry up for a period as well. It does happen, but its not rampant in Winnipeg. Still, its important for people to be aware and important for this information to get out there."

Know of any newsworthy or interesting trends or developments in the local office, retail, industrial, rental or multi-family residential sectors? Let us know at business@freepress.mb.ca.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe
Two women who are passionate about healthy living are spearheading an event they hope will help Winnipeggers get in touch with their body, mind and spirit, and they need volunteers to help pull it off.

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This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two women who are passionate about healthy living are spearheading an event they hope will help Winnipeggers get in touch with their body, mind and spirit, and they need volunteers to help pull it off.

Sheri Boyce and Bernadette Feakes are the brains behind the Balanced Life Experience, a two-day expo at Assiniboia Downs slated for Oct. 13 and14.

The event will feature spiritual practitioners, natural products, a market featuring handmade items, fitness demos, free presentations and mini workshops, all aimed at helping attendees live a healthier life.

"People will get an opportunity to interact with great leaders, businesses and practitioners within the health and wellness industry," Feakes says. "We hope its something that brings them closer to their own balanced life."

The event will also raise money for Save a Dog Network Canada and Rescue Siamese, two non-profits that help animals.

"We thought it was really important that we support these charities," Feakes says. "Its something thats close to our heart."

Feakes is no stranger to organizing events. During the past five years, the 40-year-old fitness instructor has put on a handful of smaller health expos that raised money for local charities.

Boyce, 36, runs Evolve, an Exchange District business that offers a variety of services related to spiritual development.

The two friends thought that, given their shared interest in health and wellness, they would join forces to organize the Balanced Life Experience.

Anita Squire is looking forward to volunteering at the event.

She first got to know Feakes through Womens Healthy Living, a support group Feakes started for women looking to lead healthier, happier lives.

Since then, the 60-year-old has volunteered at several of Feakes events.

"Bernies a very upbeat, positive and organized person who believes in what she does, so its easy to volunteer for someone who believes in what theyre doing," Squire says. "At the end of the day, theres a sense of satisfaction you get, knowing you had a part in helping people out."

Val Ingram has also volunteered at several of Feakes events and agrees with Squire.

"Bernies a really great person and shes done a lot to raise money for different organizations," Ingram says. "Thats what I really love about the events shes putting on: youre helping to raise money for something."

Boyce and Feakes are hoping to recruit 150 volunteers for the Balanced Life Experience.

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There are opportunities available for people of all ages and abilities. They include helping with social media, serving as greeters and ushers, assisting with main stage events, taking photos, filming the event and more.

Anyone interested in getting involved can visit balancedlifewpg.ca/volunteer.html for details. The website includes links to detailed descriptions of the positions available.

Boyce and Feakes are looking forward to the expo.

"There are just so many things you can do at our event, so were really excited," Boyce says.

"Winnipeg offers such amazing events, and were so excited to offer another one," Feakes adds.

If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com
Missing hiker Jeff Freiheit might have been seen on Aug. 3, according to the latest information coming out of a German investigation.

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This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Missing hiker Jeff Freiheit might have been seen on Aug. 3, according to the latest information coming out of a German investigation.

This would bring the 32-year-old Brandon educators last appearance one day closer than his last previously confirmed sighting on Aug. 2, in Bad Tolz, Germany.

Jeff Freiheit

According to Freiheits wife, Selena, they received a tip that two girls helped an English man at a grocery store in Jachenau, Germany, on that date.

She said its unclear whether this man was Freiheit, and that investigators were trying to track down the girls.

This was the most updated information available as of Friday morning. Freiheit has not been heard from in more than two weeks.

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Freiheit was travelling alone along the Der Traumpfad hiking trail, which spans from Munich to Venice. He had booked overnight accommodations along the path he intended to hike, but failed to show up.

On Friday, the Mountain Search and Rescue police were slated to do a detailed search of the area that he was last seen, to where he was supposed to spend the night, according to a Facebook post by his wife.

Selena and Freiheits mom, Kathy Freiheit, arrived in Germany Aug. 12 to assist in search efforts for Freiheit.

A GoFundMe page created by Jennalee Anne has raised $36,065 in five days, with funds going to help with private search parties, according to the post on the GoFundMe page.

A group was also created on Facebook called "Volunteers searching for Jeff Freiheit." The case has been gaining a lot of support, with the most recent update by Selena about the possibility of an Aug. 3 sighting being shared more than 2,000 times.

 Brandon Sun
Heres the good news. Last February, the International Criminal Court at The Hague opened an inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte as part of his war on drugs.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Heres the good news. Last February, the International Criminal Court at The Hague opened an inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte as part of his "war on drugs."

Now for the bad news. True to form, Duterte replied that the Treaty of Rome, which created the court, was "all bullshit" and that the court was only backed by "white idiots." He then announced that the Philippines was withdrawing from the court "effective immediately."

Actually, he may not be able to do that unilaterally, because the Rome Treaty was ratified by the Senate of the Philippines and probably has to be abrogated by the same body. (Legal opinions vary.) But Duterte does control the Senate and could do it eventually, if he cared about legality.

Hed still have legal problems, because the Philippines was subject to the treaty when he ordered many of his murders. Even if the Senate did cancel the treaty, the country would stay subject to it for another year. But nobody is going to arrest Duterte now, and he doesnt seem worried about the future either.

Duterte later warned that any UN investigator arriving in the country would be arrested. Having settled the matter to his own entire satisfaction, he then went back to killing people. Death threats and death squads are his favourite political instruments, and his weird political charisma would evaporate if he wasnt killing people.

He is not too picky about who does the work for him, either. Ten months ago, he pulled the national police from his "war on drugs" because they were "corrupt to the core." (True.) But the number of killings dropped because the specialized anti-narcotics force, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, lacked the manpower to keep the killing rate up.

By May, therefore, Duterte was letting the national police take part in the drug raids again. His sole concession to reality was to gather 100 police who were facing complaints of rape, kidnapping and robbery and tell them on Aug. 7, on national television, that they, too, would face summary execution if they didnt straighten up. "If youll stay like this, son of a bitch, I will really kill you," he said.

So, Duterte is undeterred by the courts interest in his case and the slaughter continues unabated. Official statistics say that 4,000 small-time drug dealers (and cases of mistaken identity) have been killed; the 77-page report submitted to the court by Filipino lawyer Jude Sabio says more than 8,000. Yet public approval of his actions is not far down from the landslide support he got in the 2016 election.

Everybody knows that in these circumstances, there is zero probability of Duterte having to answer for his actions before a court. Even later, when circumstances may have changed, the chances of bringing him to justice are slim. So, what is the point of bringing an International Criminal Court case against him?

One reason is that this is the first major court investigation that targets a non-African regime. There were good reasons why all previous ones involved African regimes: the continent is home to one-third of the worlds countries, most of its dictatorships and most of its wars. Nevertheless, even competent, law-abiding African governments were starting to feel victimized, and it helps to have an Asian country on the list.

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But more importantly, this is part of a much broader initiative to bring the rule of law to a domain where legal justice was previously unavailable. Where can individual citizens turn to get protection of their own rights (including the right to life) against the government of a sovereign state that does not obey its own laws? Such as that of Duterte.

Obviously, this enterprise is not doing very well at the moment. The governments of the great powers refuse to let any higher court have jurisdiction over their treatment of their own citizens, and even lesser powers cannot be forced to accept the jurisdiction of the international court, which has neither an army nor a police force. Duterte will probably never have to answer for his crimes.

No surprise here. Most crimes go unpunished everywhere, and there will never be universal justice. Nevertheless, the effort to create an international legal order is worthwhile, and not foredoomed.

The court was not created to overthrow people like Duterte, who was, after all, elected by the Filipino voting public. Its real function is provide a legal pathway for punishing the members of a criminal regime after it has collapsed  and, if possible, to make that eventual legal reckoning so certain that it even deters those criminals who are still in power.

So, it is doing what it should, and its far too early to say that its actions are futile.

Gwynne Dyers new book is Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work).
Social and anti-poverty activists have greeted the dumping of Ontarios basic income pilot project with the usual lamentations. These critics of the new Conservative government argue the funds allocated to the project is a pittance compared to the costs of poverty, and we have missed out on learning about the impact of a basic income.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Social and anti-poverty activists have greeted the dumping of Ontarios basic income pilot project with the usual lamentations. These critics of the new Conservative government argue the funds allocated to the project is a pittance compared to the costs of poverty, and we have missed out on learning about the impact of a basic income.

I disagree. The pilot needed to stop. As someone who consulted on the project, I believe it had core design flaws that mitigated against ever answering questions about basic income.

These shortcomings do not reflect badly on the team that developed and worked on the project. Rather, the limitations of the pilot reflect the realities of executing social experiments in the modern era as governments make expedient decisions.

Ontarios pilot project was a negative income tax scheme (which means the government pays some citizens instead of those citizens paying taxes to the government). The project was a direct descendent of the Manitoba Basic Annual Income Experiment, or Mincome, conducted between 1974-78. That project enrolled low-income Manitobans into a rigorous randomized control trial in three areas: Winnipeg, Dauphin and a dispersed rural region.

The findings from Mincome, as well as the other income-maintenance experiments of the 1970s, is that a small work disincentive does exist in the short run (three years). But  and this is critical  no one has measured whether people "slack off" over the longer term. Despite many millions having been spent on income maintenance experiments in North America, we are still clueless about this central question.

The Ontario basic income project attempted to create a random assignment of participants into a treatment and control group, but failed. This is where the realities of modern government and privacy sabotaged the pilot from the very start.

Difficult to find appropriate households

One might imagine that its easy to select a sample of low-income households. After all, there are income tax and social assistance records. But three things undermine the use of these records in social experiments.

First, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has always been very careful about sharing tax information. For example, it wasnt until 2016 that Statistics Canada could add income tax records to census information.. Provinces wishing to use federal income tax data for program administration need to negotiate a data-sharing agreement with CRA.

This was not done prior to the Ontario basic income experiment. In Ontario, once applicants were fully enrolled, they allowed the government to access their tax records. It is not known whether the prospect of granting such access affected the willingness to participate in the first place.

Second, while Ontario has access to records since it levies a personal income tax, conducting such an experiment was not within the mandate of the Ministry of Finance.

A negative income tax is still a tax program, and needs to be delivered by a tax authority, namely the Ministry of Finance. When the Ministry of Finance could not accept responsibility for Ontarios basic income project, the Ministry of Community and Social Services became the home for the pilot. In principle, this should have opened access to social assistance records, but privacy barriers prevented access to this information as well.

Third and most importantly, many individuals who would qualify for a basic income fly under the administrative radar, because some on social assistance and many low-income households do not file tax returns. So sampling from income tax and social assistance records misses many potentially eligible participants.

Headaches getting Ontario project running

This forced Ontario to use an open enrolment process in the two main sites for the project  Thunder Bay and Hamilton. Enrolment relied on a letter sent to the general population within the two test sites. This failed dramatically.

After the privacy lawyers finished with the introductory materials, the invitation became long, legal and impenetrable. It took more than a month to trim the introductory materials, further delaying enrolment.

Second, it always surprises planners how many low-income individuals miss out on programs that would increase their financial well-being.Everyone involved was astonished at how few people applied to participate in the pilot.

Third, it required extensive support and repeated contact to secure tax and banking information from applicants to finalize their eligibility.

Ontario started mailing invitations in June 2017 and by September, after mailing 37,000 invitations, it had managed to enrol barely 150 participants, well short of the original target of 2,000. This prompted a revised enrolment process that involved direct solicitation through community organizations, which after great effort did manage to raise enrolment.

However, we were a long way from a random allocation of participants into the program, or to having control groups in place.

A dearth of high-quality data

The Ontario pilot also involved a sample of participants steeped in self-selection biases that would have required arcane econometrics to unravel. Such statistical magic requires high-quality data. Unfortunately, the pilot also failed here.

To understand this, its important to appreciate that basic income has become the supposed magic bullet of modern public policy. In the 1970s, the main question was: "Will a basic income lower poverty, while not reducing work participation?" Today, basic income is expected to increase health, reduce stress, support increased educational attainment, allow families to move to better homes, increase food security, enhance social connectedness, etc.

Furthermore, even though most respondents in the Ontario experiment had access to smartphones, the majority of them preferred to complete a printed questionnaire they needed to mail in.

Anyone familiar with survey methodology understands that such data collection requires persistent follow-up to the point of harassment. A printed questionnaire with conventional mail-back requires the most follow-up; as many as 10 attempts before the respondent is abandoned. Non-response is usually high.

Assault on data quality

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The result is that on top of the distorted sample, the information collected to support hypothesis-testing suffered from the participants non-response thats common to all survey data  yet another assault on the data quality of the Ontario pilot.

The design flaws represent institutional and logistical challenges, created partly because no one could foresee the privacy barriers that currently affect information access in government. The Ontario project was attempting, unsuccessfully, to test multiple hypotheses within a complex environment of change.

The result is that no simple story would have emerged from Ontarios basic income experiment, even under ideal conditions.

Politicians need simple stories. If the project had continued and been able to produce reports based on quality data, it would have contributed much more meaningful heft to the critical debate on guaranteed basic income. And that is truly a missed opportunity.

Gregory Mason is an associate professor of economics at the University of Manitoba.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
Early in my fathers administration, when he and my mother flew to Rancho del Cielo, the ranch they had bought in the 1970s that was his retreat, his nourishment, I drove up to join them for a day or two. We were sitting at the dining table, and my father pointed to the window and the steep hillside in the distance.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Early in my fathers administration, when he and my mother flew to Rancho del Cielo, the ranch they had bought in the 1970s that was his retreat, his nourishment, I drove up to join them for a day or two. We were sitting at the dining table, and my father pointed to the window and the steep hillside in the distance.

"The press is probably filming us eating right now," he said matter-of-factly. "Were going to have to come to some kind of compromise. I know they need to get their shots, but long lenses into the house is crossing the line."

I squinted to try to see the reporters he was referring to, but the hill was too far away. Still, I was sure he wasnt inventing it, and I was impressed by how calm he was. He had once said about the ranch, "If it isnt heaven, its at least in the same ZIP code." His piece of heaven was being unreasonably invaded.

A compromise was reached. News organizations would be given opportunities to take photos, but long lenses intruding on his and my mothers personal space were no longer used. The media may have realized that reaching an agreement was a good idea after my father took matters into his own hands. He walked outside the small ranch house, swayed as if something was terribly wrong with him, then stumbled forward, clutched his chest and fell to the ground as if he were having a heart attack. He stayed down for a few seconds, then got to his feet, faced the hillside and waved at the unseen journalists with a big smile on his face. Obviously, his Secret Service agents had been let in on the prank; otherwise, he would probably have given them heart attacks.

The verbal sparring between my father and Sam Donaldson of ABC, or Helen Thomas of UPI, is well documented. But there was never vitriol, there was never name-calling, and if anyone had attacked a journalist, my father would have been the first to stand in the way.

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Ive tried to imagine what my father would have done if people attending a political speech of his had turned to the press and raised their middle fingers, hurled obscenities or physically menaced the reporters there doing their jobs. I found it difficult to conjure the image, and then I realized why. It simply wouldnt have happened. The person on the podium, the person everyone has gathered to see, sets the tone.

U.S. President Donald Trump has quite successfully set todays tone. He expertly stirred up the anger that was already simmering in the people who support him, and then he lit a match to it. He gave them an enemy  always a useful tactic. And naming the press as the enemy has precedents: many tyrants have employed it to their advantage. Trump may not read much, but Ill bet he knows that.

Those of us who are horrified by the vilification of the news media, those of us who cringe at the sight of angry mobs jeering at the cordoned-off journalists at Trump rallies, far outnumber those who are swept up by this ugly passion. We are still in the majority. But if we are silent, if we dont speak up, if we dont raise our voices and say, "This is not America," it wont matter that we are in the majority.

Silence didnt create America; brazen, unwavering commitment did. And one of those commitments was to a free press  one not controlled or hampered by a demagogue who has a good day only when hes being flattered.

Patti Davis, the daughter of Ronald and Nancy Reagan, is the author, most recently, of the novel The Earth Breaks in Colors.

 Washington Post
To anyone who lives near Winnipeg rail yards and has been endlessly irritated by screeching, clanging and the roaring of diesel engines, a recent court ruling will likely bring a smile of satisfaction. It shows railways cant always dodge responsibility for their harmful effect on the community.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

To anyone who lives near Winnipeg rail yards and has been endlessly irritated by screeching, clanging and the roaring of diesel engines, a recent court ruling will likely bring a smile of satisfaction. It shows railways cant always dodge responsibility for their harmful effect on the community.

The small victory for the residents of Transcona came when the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge by the Canadian National Railway Company to an earlier ruling that CNs railway activity was too noisy for residents.

The complaint at the centre of the issue came from residents who live near the Transcona rail yard. Beginning in 2015, CN used the area to hold and rearrange trains, a temporary measure during the construction of an underpass.

The residents said the routine of rearranging trains included boxcars slamming into each other with banging noises that sounded like explosions and trains with engines that revved up for more than an hour before departing. They said vibrations cracked home foundations, ceilings and drywall.

The residents got a favourable ruling in 2017 from the Canadian Transportation Agency tribunal, but CN applied for a judicial review of that decision. The Aug. 8 decision by the federal court dismissed CNs application for a review, so the tribunals initial decision stands, that CNs noise levels "cause an excessive impact on the residents." Chalk one up for the little guys.

Winnipeg has been a hub of railway traffic as long as there have been railways in Canada. This history has let Winnipeggers see first-hand that, compared to other corporations, railways often seem to operate with impunity from regulators.

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A recent example was CN absolving itself for a string of fires in dry bush and grass beside its tracks on May 6, a corporate posterior-covering which didnt surprise the Winnipeg fire department. Based on CNs history of refusing to acknowledge wrongdoings, a fire official predicted in advance that the railroad would shield itself from blame, even though its culpability seemed to be proved by witnesses who saw several fires starting in the wake of a single train and a citizens video showing a fire starting beside the tracks moments after the train thundered through.

A further example of railways acting oblivious to the interests of Winnipeggers has been the corporate cold shoulder given to residents who ask which dangerous chemicals are moving on tracks that are close to homes and playgrounds. That concern was intensified in 2013, after cars filled with oil exploded in Lac-Megantic, Que., killing 47.

No one questions the economic importance of rail transport in Winnipeg. Trains are a crucial part of CentrePort, which combines rail, truck and air cargo operations in a 20,000-acre operation that is growing as a tri-modal transportation hub. Also, some businesses have previously stated they would need to move their operations out of Winnipeg if railways stopped operating the spur lines that typically carry in raw materials and carry out finished products.

The issue is not whether railways are crucial to business. Its the lack of respect they show to the communities in which they operate and profit.

Its reasonable for citizens to approach the railways when they believe noise levels are unacceptable, or a train is seen on video starting fires, or people are concerned about hazardous chemicals rolling near their homes. But its insulting when the railways automatically default to their lawyers to stymie community concerns.

The railways usually win in courts of law. They are decidedly less successful in the court of public opinion.
A community meeting to discuss the design of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre in Crestview devolved into a war of words between those for and against the addiction treatment facility. In January, City council voted to sell the former Vimy Arena site at 255 Hamilton Ave. to Manitoba Housing for $1. Pending rezoning approval, the Province plans to lease the property to the Bruce Oake Memorial Foundation to build a $14-million, 50-bed, long-term addiction rehabilitation centre for men. The project has been a divisive issue since it was introduced at City Hall in October 2017 and the Aug. 14 meeting at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre proved the debate hasnt lost momentum. We dont want it rezoned we dont want the rehab centre going in there, said Crestview resident Wally Yanick, who was standing outside the community centre holding a protest sign and wearing a white shirt ahead of the meeting. A large number of the roughly 100 people who attended the meeting wore white to show solidarity with Friends of Sturgeon Creek  a community group in opposition of the recovery centre. On Mon., Aug. 13, the FOSC and its spokesperson MLA Steven Fletcher announced plans to hire a lawyer to investigate the land transfer deal between the City and the Province. Loss of public greenspace along Sturgeon Creek, lack of recreation facilities in the neighbourhood and safety were the primary concerns among those opposed who spoke with The Metro. When the Vimy Arena was declared surplus in 2013 it was valued at $1.43 million. Money from the eventual sale of the site was earmarked for reinvestment in neighbourhood recreation facilities  something the City has agreed to honour in the land transfer agreement. At Tuesdays meeting, one woman wearing a white shirt with the word NO! emblazoned on the front and back said the community isnt against building the addiction treatment centre in a different area. Everybody in the community is all in favour; I dont think you can say that there isnt an (addiction) epidemic or a crisis. Its the location in a residential area, said the Crestview resident who asked not to be named. Put it somewhere in the country. Inside the Sturgeon Heights gymnasium between architectural renderings of the proposed recovery centre, a family in matching black T-shirts held a photo collage of a smiling young man. Gabriel Pereira, 1998-2018 was written on the back of their shirts in red lettering. Pereira took his own life just two weeks earlier after battling a drug addiction that had turned him into a different person, according to his family. He slipped away from who he was in this last year, said Alyssa Bautista, Pereiras sister. We cant put our energy into saving our own brother anymore, but we can do it for other people. Bautista says the family explored every treatment option available in Manitoba and was seeking support for Pereiras mental health issues days before he died. Were in support of this because we had no options, she said, adding that the familys support of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre had led to some heated exchanges at the meeting. They care more about their living space or their community than the lives of these young people who need help, she said. vPeople are very passionate about what theyre thinking on this (issue), its kind of hard to want to talk to any of them personally because theyre not going to try to listen. Last weeks meeting was the first of three public forums organized by the McGowan Russell Group and MMP Architects ahead of the rezoning process, which is expected to start in November. Attendees were able to ask questions and give feedback on the proposed building designs. We will keep on consulting the community and we gladly accept their input, said Russell Krepart, MMP director of design. The current design puts the buildings footprint at roughly 21,000 square-feet and includes a fenced off section of the property near Sturgeon Creek that will allow the public continued access to the riverside greenspace. St. James-Brooklands-Weston councillor Scott Gillingham voted in favour of the Vimy Arena land sale in January and said he supports the development of the recovery centre. We need more treatment centres and we, as a community, need to do what we can to help families and individuals who are struggling with addictions, he said. This is one way, as a city, that I see that we can perhaps participate. Gillingham declined to comment on the legal challenge launched by FOSC.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/8/2018 (1167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A community meeting to discuss the design of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre in Crestview devolved into a war of words between those for and against the addiction treatment facility.

In January, City council voted to sell the former Vimy Arena site at 255 Hamilton Ave. to Manitoba Housing for $1. Pending rezoning approval, the Province plans to lease the property to the Bruce Oake Memorial Foundation to build a $14-million, 50-bed, long-term addiction rehabilitation centre for men.

The project has been a divisive issue since it was introduced at City Hall in October 2017 and the Aug. 14 meeting at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre proved the debate hasnt lost momentum.

"We dont want it rezoned we dont want the rehab centre going in there," said Crestview resident Wally Yanick, who was standing outside the community centre holding a protest sign and wearing a white shirt ahead of the meeting.

A large number of the roughly 100 people who attended the meeting wore white to show solidarity with Friends of Sturgeon Creek  a community group in opposition of the recovery centre. On Mon., Aug. 13, the FOSC and its spokesperson MLA Steven Fletcher announced plans to hire a lawyer to investigate the land transfer deal between the City and the Province.

Loss of public greenspace along Sturgeon Creek, lack of recreation facilities in the neighbourhood and safety were the primary concerns among those opposed who spoke with The Metro.

When the Vimy Arena was declared surplus in 2013 it was valued at $1.43 million. Money from the eventual sale of the site was earmarked for reinvestment in neighbourhood recreation facilities  something the City has agreed to honour in the land transfer agreement.

At Tuesdays meeting, one woman wearing a white shirt with the word "NO!" emblazoned on the front and back said the community isnt against building the addiction treatment centre in a different area.

"Everybody in the community is all in favour; I dont think you can say that there isnt an (addiction) epidemic or a crisis. Its the location in a residential area," said the Crestview resident who asked not to be named. "Put it somewhere in the country."

Inside the Sturgeon Heights gymnasium between architectural renderings of the proposed recovery centre, a family in matching black T-shirts held a photo collage of a smiling young man. "Gabriel Pereira, 1998-2018" was written on the back of their shirts in red lettering.

Pereira took his own life just two weeks earlier after battling a drug addiction that had turned him into a different person, according to his family.

"He slipped away from who he was in this last year," said Alyssa Bautista, Pereiras sister. "We cant put our energy into saving our own brother anymore, but we can do it for other people."

Bautista says the family explored every treatment option available in Manitoba and was seeking support for Pereiras mental health issues days before he died.

"Were in support of this because we had no options," she said, adding that the familys support of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre had led to some heated exchanges at the meeting.

"They care more about their living space or their community than the lives of these young people who need help," she said. "vPeople are very passionate about what theyre thinking on this (issue), its kind of hard to want to talk to any of them personally because theyre not going to try to listen."

Last weeks meeting was the first of three public forums organized by the McGowan Russell Group and MMP Architects ahead of the rezoning process, which is expected to start in November. Attendees were able to ask questions and give feedback on the proposed building designs.

"We will keep on consulting the community and we gladly accept their input," said Russell Krepart, MMP director of design.

The current design puts the buildings footprint at roughly 21,000 square-feet and includes a fenced off section of the property near Sturgeon Creek that will allow the public continued access to the riverside greenspace.

St. James-Brooklands-Weston councillor Scott Gillingham voted in favour of the Vimy Arena land sale in January and said he supports the development of the recovery centre.

"We need more treatment centres and we, as a community, need to do what we can to help families and individuals who are struggling with addictions," he said. "This is one way, as a city, that I see that we can perhaps participate."

Gillingham declined to comment on the legal challenge launched by FOSC.

A community meeting to discuss the design of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre in Crestview devolved into a war of words between those for and against the addiction treatment facility.

In January, City council voted to sell the former Vimy Arena site at 255 Hamilton Ave. to Manitoba Housing for $1. Pending rezoning approval, the Province plans to lease the property to the Bruce Oake Memorial Foundation to build a $14-million, 50-bed, long-term addiction rehabilitation centre for men.

The project has been a divisive issue since it was introduced at City Hall in October 2017 and the Aug. 14 meeting at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre proved the debate hasnt lost momentum.

"We dont want it rezoned we dont want the rehab centre going in there," said Crestview resident Wally Yanick, who was standing outside the community centre holding a protest sign and wearing a white shirt ahead of the meeting.

A large number of the roughly 100 people who attended the meeting wore white to show solidarity with Friends of Sturgeon Creek  a community group in opposition of the recovery centre. On Mon., Aug. 13, the FOSC and its spokesperson MLA Steven Fletcher announced plans to hire a lawyer to investigate the land transfer deal between the City and the Province.

Loss of public greenspace along Sturgeon Creek, lack of recreation facilities in the neighbourhood and safety were the primary concerns among those opposed who spoke with The Metro.

When the Vimy Arena was declared surplus in 2013 it was valued at $1.43 million. Money from the eventual sale of the site was earmarked for reinvestment in neighbourhood recreation facilities  something the City has agreed to honour in the land transfer agreement.

At Tuesdays meeting, one woman wearing a white shirt with the word "NO!" emblazoned on the front and back said the community isnt against building the addiction treatment centre in a different area.

"Everybody in the community is all in favour; I dont think you can say that there isnt an (addiction) epidemic or a crisis. Its the location in a residential area," said the Crestview resident who asked not to be named. "Put it somewhere in the country."

EVA WASNEY The family of Gabriel Pereira holds a photo collage of the 20-year-old man who died by suicide in July at a public meeting about the proposed Bruce Oake Recovery Centre on Aug. 14, 2018.

Inside the Sturgeon Heights gymnasium between architectural renderings of the proposed recovery centre, a family in matching black T-shirts held a photo collage of a smiling young man. "Gabriel Pereira, 1998-2018" was written on the back of their shirts in red lettering.

Pereira took his own life just two weeks earlier after battling a drug addiction that had turned him into a different person, according to his family.

"He slipped away from who he was in this last year," said Alyssa Bautista, Pereiras sister. "We cant put our energy into saving our own brother anymore, but we can do it for other people."

Bautista says the family explored every treatment option available in Manitoba and was seeking support for Pereiras mental health issues days before he died.

"Were in support of this because we had no options," she said, adding that the familys support of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre had led to some heated exchanges at the meeting.

"They care more about their living space or their community than the lives of these young people who need help," she said. "vPeople are very passionate about what theyre thinking on this (issue), its kind of hard to want to talk to any of them personally because theyre not going to try to listen."

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Last weeks meeting was the first of three public forums organized by the McGowan Russell Group and MMP Architects ahead of the rezoning process, which is expected to start in November. Attendees were able to ask questions and give feedback on the proposed building designs.

"We will keep on consulting the community and we gladly accept their input," said Russell Krepart, MMP director of design.

The current design puts the buildings footprint at roughly 21,000 square-feet and includes a fenced off section of the property near Sturgeon Creek that will allow the public continued access to the riverside greenspace.

St. James-Brooklands-Weston councillor Scott Gillingham voted in favour of the Vimy Arena land sale in January and said he supports the development of the recovery centre.

"We need more treatment centres and we, as a community, need to do what we can to help families and individuals who are struggling with addictions," he said. "This is one way, as a city, that I see that we can perhaps participate."

Gillingham declined to comment on the legal challenge launched by FOSC.
Thomson Reuters Corporation provides business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments. The Corporates segment provides a suite of content-enabled technology solutions for legal, tax, regulatory, compliance, and IT professionals. The Tax & Accounting Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on tax offerings and automating tax workflows to tax, accounting, and audit professionals in accounting firms. The Reuters News segment provides business, financial, national, and international news to professionals through desktop terminals, media organizations, and industry events, as well as directly to consumers. The Global Print segment offers legal and tax information primarily in print format to legal and tax professionals, governments, law schools, and corporations. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Thomson Reuters Corporation is a subsidiary of The Woodbridge Company Limited.

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Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. engages in the natural gas midstream, and intrastate transportation and storage businesses in the United States. The company's Intrastate Transportation and Storage segment transports natural gas from various natural gas producing areas through connections with other pipeline systems, as well as through its ET Fuel System and HPL System. This segment owns and operates approximately 7,900 miles of natural gas transportation pipelines and three natural gas storage facilities in Texas. Its Interstate Transportation and Storage segment provides natural gas transportation and storage services; owns and operates approximately 11,800 miles of interstate natural gas pipelines; and has interests in various natural gas pipelines. The company's Midstream segment gathers, compresses, treats, blends, processes, and markets natural gas. It owns and operates natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) gathering pipelines, natural gas processing plants, natural gas treating facilities, and natural gas conditioning facilities. The company's NGL and Refined Products Transportation and Services segment transports mixed NGLs and other hydrocarbons; stores mixed NGLs, NGL products, and petrochemical products; and separates mixed NGL streams into purity products. This segment owns and operates various NGL pipelines, NGL and propane fractionation facilities, and NGL storage facilities. Its Crude Oil Transportation and Services segment engages in the transportation, terminalling, and acquisition and marketing of crude oil; and operates crude oil trunk and gathering pipelines. The company's All Other segment engages in the natural gas compression equipment business; provides natural gas compression equipment and compression services; manages coal and natural resources property, sells standing timber, and leases coal-related infrastructure facilities; and generates electrical power. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. was founded in 1995 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

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Wells Fargo & Co. is a diversified, community-based financial services company. It is engaged in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance. It firm operates through the following segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, Wealth & Investment Management, and Other. The Community Banking segment offers complete line of diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses including checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, and automobile, student, and small business lending. The Wholesale Banking segment provides financial solutions to businesses across the United States and globally. The Wealth and Investment Management segment includes personalized wealth management, investment and retirement products and services to clients across U.S. based businesses. The Other segment refers to the products of WIM customers served through community banking distribution channels. The company was founded by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo on March 18, 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

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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.
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View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides Internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 952 branches and approximately 3,540 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,400 branches, 5,200 ATMs, and 22 contact centers internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada.

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Greene King plc operates as a pub retailer and brewer in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Pub Company, Pub Partners, and Brewing & Brands. Its brands include Greene King Local Pubs, Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill, Farmhouse Inns, and Chef & Brewer. The company is also involved in brewing, marketing, and selling beer under the Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, and Belhaven Best brands. In addition, Greene King plc engages in the employment, financing, pension trustee, and property businesses. As of April 30, 2018, it operated 2,855 managed, tenanted, leased, and franchised pubs, restaurants, and hotels. Greene King plc was founded in 1799 and is headquartered in Bury St Edmunds, the United Kingdom.

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Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. engages in the management of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It operates through the following segments: Asset Management, Real Estate, Renewable Power, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Residential Development, and Corporate Activities. The Asset Management segment includes the management of its listed partnerships, private funds and public securities. The Real Estate segment is comprised of the ownership, operation and development of core office, core retail, LP investments and other properties. The Renewable Power segment encompasses the ownership, operation and development of hydroelectric, wind, solar, storage and other power generating facilities. The Infrastructure segment consists of the ownership, operation and development of utilities, transport, energy, data infrastructure and sustainable resource assets. The Private Equity segment refers to the broad range of industries, and is mostly focused on business services, infrastructure services and industrials. The Residential Development segment represents homebuilding, condominium development and land development. The Corporate Activiti

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BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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Embraer SA engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of aircraft and its parts for commercial, defense, and executive aviation sectors. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Aviation, Defense and Security, Executive Jet Business, Service & Support and Others. The Commercial Aviation segment is involved in the development, production, and sale of commercial jets; and the provision of support services to regional aviation and aircraft leasing. The Defense and Security segment engages in research, development, production, modification, and support for defense and security aircrafts, as well as other integrated products and solutions including satellites and information and communication systems. The Executive Jet Business segment deals with the development, manufacture, and sale of executive jets. The Service & Support segment provides after-service solutions and support to its customers through a comprehensive portfolio of innovative and competitive solutions to ensure operational efficiency of products manufactured by Embraer and by other aircraft manufacturers, extending the useful life of commercial, executive and defense aircraft. The Others segment refers to

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Scott Olson/Getty Images(DALLAS) -- Students at a Texas high school where 10 died in a shooting this spring are starting their new school year with beefed-up security including metal detectors.

The new security measures come three months after a 17-year-old student allegedly burst into art rooms with a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver on May 18, killing 10 students and staff. The alleged shooter was taken into custody and charged with murder.

Students throughout the district will begin the new year on Monday with metal detectors installed in all schools, said Superintendent of Schools Leigh Wall.

High school and junior high school students will enter through metal detectors throughout the school day, while elementary schools will use metal detectors for adults coming into the building, Wall said in a "welcome back" video posted to the district website.

The high school underwent renovations this summer to create an additional vestibule at entrances for security plus four more offices for trauma counselors, Wall said.

All schools in the district will also now have automatic electronic door locks, with all doors now locking from both the inside and outside.

Other security measures include the addition of five more police officers and 10 more security assistants, Wall said.

The superintendent also said that the district will use tip lines and social media monitoring to increase security. "We hope to encourage open lines of communications where students and parents can report any items of concern that need investigating," she said.

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FIVE accused have expressed their concern over failure by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide in time on the outcome of a 15bn/- tax evasion case facing them at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates Court in Dar es Salaam.

They told Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi on Friday that since the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) completed investigation in December last year, the DPP had not provided any way forward towards the case.

The accused, nicknamed by President John Magufuli as Million Saba kwa Dakika, are Mohamed Mustafa Yusufali, alias Mohamedali, alias Choma, alias Jamalii, Alloyscious Gonzaga Mandago, Isaack Wilfred Kasanga, Taherali Sujjauddin Taherari and Mohamed Seif Kabula.

During Fridays court proceedings, Senior State Attorney Mutalemwa Kishenyi admitted that the case file was with the DPP and that he was still going through the evidence collected by the PCCB before deciding otherwise.

However, speaking on behalf of other accused, Kisanga was quick to react that the time spent by the DPP to go through the evidence and decide on the way forward was too long and the way the matter was being delayed amounted to miscarriage of justice. We are in remand suffering, your honour.

We need justice to be seen done. I understand this court has no jurisdiction to set us free, but if needs we should be returned to investigators, who will take us back to court after completing this process, he suggested.

Drawing a sequence of events, Kisanga told the court that the PCCB started investigating the case in 2016 and that they had been reporting to the investigators on a regular basis before being taken to court on 99 counts of fraud, money laundering, occasioning a loss and evading tax of over 15bn/-.

According to him, in December, last year, the PCCB completed investigation into the matter and submitted case files to the DPP for scrutiny and determination.

Since then, no progress has been made so far. For how long are we going to wait? he queried. In his brief remarks on the complaints, the magistrate directed the prosecution to speed up the process to enable the accused to know their fate.

He adjourned the case until August 31, this year, for another mention, pending the decision of the DPP on the issue.

The delay of such cases defeats the call by President Magufuli to have them expeditiously investigated to prove the accused guilty and be jailed or to prove them innocent and be released.

In the case, Mr Mohamed Mustafa Yusufali is facing 196 counts alone, while the remaining accused are facing three counts each. They are alleged to have committed the offences at different times in Dar es Salaam between 1995 and 2016.

The prosecution told the court that the accused forged several certificates of incorporation for 17 different companies, with 15 among them for Yusufali alone, showing that such companies were limited companies legally incorporated in Tanzania, while it was untrue.

The prosecution alleged further that between January 2008 and January 2016 in Dar es Salaam, being a director concerned with the management of affairs of his company, Farm Plant Limited, with a view to fraudulently evade tax, Yusufali submitted to the Commissioner of Tanzania Revenue Authority false returns.

As a result, according to the prosecution, Mohamed Mustafa Yusufali evaded Value Added Tax (VAT) amounting to 15,645,944,361/-.

It is alleged further that within the same period in the city, by reason of his willful acts of making and submitting false returns to the TRA Commissioner General, Mohamed Mustafa Yusufali caused the government to suffer a pecuniary loss of 15,645,944,361/-, which ought to have been paid as VAT.

The prosecution told the court that, while knowing and fraudulently, Yusufali uttered to TRA, Kinondoni Tax Regional Office, certificates for 15 companies to show that they were limited companies registered as taxpayers.
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Wall Street analysts have given SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services 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 S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. is a supplier of precision instruments and services. The firm manufactures weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial, packaging, logistics, and food retailing applications. It also manufactures several related analytical instruments and provides automated chemistry solutions used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development; and also, metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and provides solutions for use in certain process analytics applications. Its operations are conducted by the following segments: U. S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations and Other. The U.S. Operations segment represents certain of the company's marketing and producing organizations located in the United States. The Swiss Operations segment includes marketing and producing organizations located in Switzerland, as well as extensive R&D operations that are responsible for the development, production, and marketing of precision instruments, including weighing, analytical, and measurement technologies for use in a variety of industrial and laboratory applications. Th

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Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V..
MAXIMUS, Inc. engages in the operation of government and human services programs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Services; U.S. Federal Services; and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers a variety of business process services, and appeals and assessments for state, provincial and national government programs. The U.S. Federal Services segment includes process solutions, program management, as well as system and software development, and maintenance services for various United States federal civilian programs. The Outside the U.S segment comprises of national, state, and county human services agencies with a variety of business process services, and related consulting services for welfare-to-work, child support, higher education institutions, and other human services programs. The company was founded by David V. Mastran in 1975 and is headquartered in Reston, VA.

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New Jersey Resources Corp. is a holding company. The firm provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. It operates through the following segments: New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR Clean Energy Ventures, NJR Energy Services, NJR Midstream, and NJR Home Services. The New Jersey Natural Gas segment provides regulated retail natural gas service to residential and commercial customers in central and northern New Jersey. The NJR Clean Energy Ventures segment invests in, owns and operates solar projects. The NJR Energy Services segment manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services in the U.S. and Canada. The NJR Midstream segment serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers. The NJR Home Services segment provides heating, ventilation and cooling service, sales and installation of appliances services to its customers, as well as solar installation projects, and is the primary contributor to home services. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Wall,

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North American Construction Group Ltd. provides mining and heavy construction services to the resource development and industrial construction sectors in Canada and the United States The company's Heavy Construction & Mining division offers constructability reviews, budgetary cost estimates, design-build construction, project management, contract mining, pre-stripping/pit pioneering, overburden removal and stockpile, muskeg removal and stockpile, site preparation, air strip construction, site dewatering/perimeter ditching, tailings and process pipelines, haulage and access road construction, tailings dam construction and densification, mechanically stabilized earth walls, dyke construction, and reclamation services. Its Equipment Maintenance Services division provides fuel and lube servicing, portable steaming, equipment inspections, parts and component supply, major overhauls and equipment refurbishment, onsite haul truck brake testing, onsite maintenance support, under carriage rebuild, machining, hose manufacturing, and technical support services, as well as welding, fabrication/repairs, weld certification, and inspection services. As of December 31, 2020, the company had a heavy equipment fleet of 626 units. The company was formerly known as North American Energy Partners Inc. and changed its name to North American Construction Group Ltd. in April 2018. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Acheson, Canada.

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The following companies are subsidiares of PerkinElmer: Analytica of Branford, Applied Biosystems, Arnel Inc., ArtusLabs, Beijing Huaan Magnech Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Longrun Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Testing Lab Co. Ltd., Beijing OUMENG Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Bio Evolution SAS, Bioo Scientific Corporation, Biosense Picolabs Inc., Biosense Technologies Pvt Ltd., Caliper Life Sciences, Caliper Life Sciences Inc., Cambridge Research & Instrumentation Inc., CambridgeSoft, Ceiba Solutions, Chengdu PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Chromo G.A. SAS, CisBio US Inc., Cisbio Asia Pacific Ltd, Cisbio Bioassays SAS, Cisbio China Ltd., Cisbio Group SAS, Cisbio KK, Cisbio.com, DNA Laboratories Sdn. Bhd., Dani Analitica S.r.l., Dexela, EUROIMMUN (Hangzhou) Medical Laboratory Diagnostics Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN (South East Asia) Pte Ltd., EUROIMMUN (Tianjin) Medical Diagnostic Technology Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN AG, EUROIMMUN Brasil Medicina Diagnostica Ltda., EUROIMMUN Diagnostics Espana S.L.U., EUROIMMUN France SAS, EUROIMMUN Italia Diagnostica Medica S.r.l., EUROIMMUN Japan Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics (China) Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics Canada Inc., EUROIMMUN Medical Laboratory Diagnostics South Africa (Pty) Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, EUROIMMUN Polska Spolka z o.o., EUROIMMUN Portugal Unipessoal Lda., EUROIMMUN Schweiz AG, EUROIMMUN Turkey Tibbi Laboratuar Teshisleri A.S., EUROIMMUN UK Ltd., EUROIMMUN US Inc., EUROIMMUN US Real Estate LLC, Geospiza, Guangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Hangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Horizon Discovery, Immunodiagnostic Systems, Integromics S.L., Jiangsu Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., LabMetrix Technologies, Labtronics, ManCell SAS, Nexcelom Bioscience, NovaScreen Biosciences Corporation, Opto Technology, Orchid Biomedical Systems Pvt Ltd., Oxford Immunotec, Pediatrix Medical Group - Newborn Metabolic Screening Business, Perkin Elmer Chile Ltda., Perkin Elmer Italia SpA, Perkin Elmer Sdn. Bhd., Perkin Elmer Yuhan Hoesa, Perkin Elmer de Mexico S.A., Perkin-Elmer Argentina S.R.L., Perkin-Elmer Instruments (Philippines) Corporation, PerkinElmer (Hong Kong) Ltd., PerkinElmer (India) Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer (Ireland) Ltd., PerkinElmer (Schweiz) AG, PerkinElmer (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund L.P., PerkinElmer (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund Management Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer (UK) Holdings Ltd., PerkinElmer Analytical Solutions B.V., PerkinElmer Automotive Research Inc., PerkinElmer BVBA, PerkinElmer CV Holdings LLC, PerkinElmer Cellular Technologies Germany GmbH, PerkinElmer Danmark A/S, PerkinElmer Diagnostics Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Diagnostics Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Espana S.L., PerkinElmer Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Finland Oy, PerkinElmer Genetics Inc., PerkinElmer Germany Diagnostics GmbH, PerkinElmer Global Diagnostics S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Financing S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Health Sciences (Australia) Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer Health Sciences B.V., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Canada Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences FZ-LLC, PerkinElmer Health Sciences Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer Healthcare Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Holding Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Holdings Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer IVD Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer Inc., PerkinElmer Informatics Inc., PerkinElmer Instruments (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer International C.V., PerkinElmer Investments Ky, PerkinElmer Israel Ltd., PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer LAS (Germany) GmbH, PerkinElmer LAS (UK) Ltd., PerkinElmer Life Sciences International Holdings, PerkinElmer Limited, PerkinElmer Ltd., PerkinElmer Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Nederland B.V., PerkinElmer Norge AS, PerkinElmer Oy, PerkinElmer Polska Sp z o.o., PerkinElmer Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer SAS, PerkinElmer Saglk ve Cevre Bilimleri Ltd., PerkinElmer Shared Services Sp z o.o., PerkinElmer Singapore Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PerkinElmer Sverige AB, PerkinElmer Sweden Health Sciences Holdings AB, PerkinElmer Taiwan Corporation, PerkinElmer VertriebsgmbH, PerkinElmer chemagen Technologie GmbH, PerkinElmer do Brasil Ltda., Perten Instruments, Perten Instruments (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Perten Instruments AB, Perten Instruments France SASU, Perten Instruments GmbH, Perten Instruments Italia S.r.l., Perten Instruments of Australia Pty Ltd., RHS Ltd, RayAl Ltd., Shandong Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Haoyuan Biotech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Signature Genomic Laboratories, Solus Scientific Solutions Inc., Solus Scientific Solutions Ltd., Surendra Genetic Labs, Suzhou PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Suzhou Sym-Bio LifeScience, Suzhou Sym-Bio Lifescience Co. Ltd., Tulip Diagnostics, Tulip Diagnostics Pvt Ltd., Vanadis Diagnostics, Vanadis Diagnostics AB, ViaCell, ViaCord LLC, VisEn Medical, VisEn Medical Inc., Wallac Oy, Wellesley B.V., Xenogen Corporation, ZeLab SAS, and chemagen Biopolymer-Technologie AG.
The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malta Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Mexico City S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Middle East Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Milano Srl, Thermo Fisher Scientific NHK Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Holdings, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway Holdings AS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway US Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Operating Company LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 C.V, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Panama I Cayman Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Peru S.R.L., Thermo Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC.
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.
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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.
The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited.
First American Financial Corp. operates as an insurance company. It provides title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries. The company operates its business through the following segments: Title Insurance & Services and Specialty Insurance. The Title Insurance & Services segment provides title insurance, escrow, closing services and similar or related financial services domestically and internationally in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. It also maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The Specialty Insurance segment issues property & casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products. It also provides title plant management services, which include title and other real property records and images, valuation products and services, home warranty products, property and casualty insurance and banking, trust and investment advisory services. First American Financial was founded in January, 2008 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, CA.

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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.

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Wall Street analysts have given PetroQuest Energy 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 PetroQuest Energy wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides government-sponsored managed care services. The company operates in three segments: Medicaid Health Plans, Medicare Health Plans, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs). The Medicaid Health Plans segment offers plans for beneficiaries of temporary assistance for needy families, supplemental security income, and aged blind and disabled residents; and other state-based programs, such as children's health insurance programs and long-term services and supports programs for qualifying families who are not eligible for Medicaid. The Medicare Health Plans segment provides Medicare, a federal program that provides eligible persons aged 65 and over, as well as some disabled persons with a range of hospital, medical, and prescription drug benefits; Medicare Advantage, a Medicare's managed care alternative to the original Medicare program, which offers individuals standard Medicare benefits directly through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and coordinated care plans that are administered through health maintenance organizations and require members to seek health care services and select a primary care physician from a network of health care providers. The Medicare PDPs segment provides Medicare part D PDP plans to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. Its PDP plans offer national in-network prescription drug coverage, including a preferred pharmacy network. As of December 31, 2018, the company served approximately 5.5 million members in the United States. WellCare Health Plans, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

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In July, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program announced that it was making $4 billion in low-interest loans available to many of Alabamas rural municipalities, communities and recognized tribal entities for the the construction, upgrade, or expansion of clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage systems, solid waste disposal infrastructure, and storm water drainage in rural areas.

Alabamas sewage disposal system failures became international news in December, when United Nations Rapporteur Phil Alston toured the state and discovered that many communities were literally awash in untreated sewage. Poorly managed municipal waste management systems and inadequate household septic systems have led to widespread hookworm infections in the states rural Black Belt communities. I think its very uncommon in the First World, Alston told reporters.

Impermeable clay and chalk lie beneath the rich, black loam for which the region is named. This makes conventional septic systems, which cost about $2,000 to install, almost useless. Septic systems designed to account for the lack of natural percolation, or deep drainage, cost $6,000 to $12,000, which is out of reach for the Black Belts most impoverished residents. Many turn to what environmental scientists call straight-piping, discharging household sewage through a pipe into the outdoors.

Even where municipal sewer systems exist, overflows and contamination can occur. Two Black Belt municipalities, Hayneville in Lowndes County and Uniontown in Perry County, have been ordered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Protection (ADEM) to resolve long-standing problems with their municipal sewer systems. Both systems rely to some extent or another upon poorly dammed collection lagoons.

Hayneville, the seat of Lowndes County, has a population of 874. Its median income is only $20,967. Haynevilles sewage system fails with even light rains, sending raw sewage backing up into toilets and bathtubs of sewer customers. Its collection lagoon overflows frequently, flooding the property of non-sewer residents in the unincorporated areas adjacent to the town. The city lacks the funds to remedy these issues. It is unknown whether they will apply for or qualify for the USDA loans.

Uniontown, a small town in Perry County, demonstrates why the USDA loans are not enough. Its collapsing sewage collection and treatment system continues to fail, despite a USDA loan of nearly $5 million in loans and grants issued in 2012. In a recent court filing, ADEM representatives stated: Overflows  have been chronic issues and appear to be increasing in number, volume and frequency.  The increasingly deteriorating conditions pose an increased threat to the health and welfare to the citizens of Uniontown and the environment.

The citys partially treated sewage is regularly discharged into two separate creeks, in violation of the Clean Water Act. The city regularly fails to notify residents after sewer spills. ADEM, however, has exhausted its legally available enforcement options against Uniontown and the matter is now in the hands of the courts, according to a status update from January.

The status update also specified that Uniontown residents pay among the highest sewer fees in the area and, due to their income levels, are unlikely to be able to withstand increased fees to provide needed funding.

Sentell Engineering, the firm responsible for Uniontowns sewer upgrades, maintains that they have done the best they could with the money from the USDA. They claim the fact that the sewage being discharged into the creeks and onto public and private property is now partially treated, as opposed to completely untreated, represents progress.

Uniontowns system was engineered to handle around 500,000 gallons a day. An inch of rainfall, though, can send 2 million gallons per day into the treatment lagoon, where it cannot adequately be treated. In addition, the sprayfield, which is supposed to spray the treated sewage from the lagoon onto the soil to evaporate and percolate into the water table, is built on impermeable clay soil, where the water cannot percolate or evaporate quickly. It therefore becomes less of a sprayfield and more of a pond for the partially treated sewage.

Sentell has admitted that beaver dams are keeping the partially treated water from the sprayfield from overflowing. The USDA denied the towns most recent application for more loans.

Democratic State Representative Terri Sewell, whose district includes Hayneville and Uniontown, and US Senator Doug Jones have blamed the poor environmental controls in the Black Belt on environmental racism. While racism most certainly has played a despicable role in the destruction of Black Belt infrastructure, this claim is absurdly reductive. While the sanitation crisis in the Black Belt is pronounced and unjust, it is not dissimilar to similar issues facing other rural communities throughout the state.

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study conducted in Bibb County, which sits adjacent to the Black Belt, revealed that the majority of households rely on septic systems for sewage disposal. Of these, 35 percent have failing septic systems, and 15 percent straight-pipe household sewage. As a result, the EPA estimates that more than 60,000 gallons of raw sewage is discharged in Bibb County per day. As a result, more than 1 billion enteric viruses, more than 1 billion giardia cysts and more than 300 million cryptosporidium oocysts enter Bibb Countys water table daily. Most of Bibb County is eligible for the USDAs water and sewer loans.

Municipal sewers are scarce in Sand Mountain, a poor, predominantly white region in northeast Alabama. Like the Black Belt, it is underlain by clay. Most of Sand Mountain is eligible for the USDAs loans. Municipal water supplies in the area are subject to frequent cryptosporidium and giardia contamination. Many residents complain of sewage standing in their yards and pastures after hard rains, despite having sanctioned septic systems.

Alabamas sewer woes demonstrate in a particularly acute and poetic way the dangers posed by failing infrastructure, political bad faith and general economic deterioration throughout the nation. In 2015, 400,000 US households reported septic system breakdowns; 1.4 million reported sewage connection problems.

The Trump administration has consistently worked to undermine environmental protections and EPA funding. Democrats such as Jones work to throw scant crumbs at these monumental issues while dividing the states workers along racial lines. Meanwhile, Jones and his party continue to divert funding away from social programs into the Pentagon and Wall Street.

Alabamas workers are well acquainted with how these issues work themselves out. Uniontown residents contend with contaminated water despite having received USDA loans. Jefferson Countys workers continue to pay outrageous sewer rates while holding their noses on rainy days, and JPMorgan, which backed most of the financiers of the County Commissions corrupt deals and spun the nations largest bankruptcy out of a sewage rehabilitation scheme, enjoys soaring stocks.
Anger over proposed changes in the social studies curriculum by the Michigan Department of Educations (MDE) curriculum standards panel continues to spread among teachers in the state. On August 9, about a hundred teachers and parents attended one of a dozen Listen and Learn town hall-style meetings called by the MDE to discuss these changes.

As a result of backlash against the proposed standards, six more meetings will take place statewide through September. A final draft of the curriculum will voted on by the State Board of Education.

As in the previous gatherings, those attending the Ann Arbor meeting added their voices to the sense of anger and dismay over the character of the curriculum changes, as well as the intervention of a cabal of Republican state legislators, led by the extreme right-wing state Senator Patrick Colbeck (Seventh District), who insinuated themselves into the process of determining what teachers teach and what will be tested on statewide mandatory exams.

Colbeck and his team were actually invited to attend the standards panel deliberations, and quickly proceeded to push through a far-reaching proposed standard that essentially rewrites history, expunges the crimes of U.S imperialism, minimizes the struggle for democratic rights, and places in jeopardy the ability of teachers and students to inquire about the nature of historical truth.

The proposed omissions eviscerate teaching about the revolutionary character of the democratic rights proclaimed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the founding documents of the American Revolution. Under the proposed standards, examples of the Constitutions core values no longer include equality, rule of law, unalienable rights, social compact theory and the right of revolution.

Likewise, examples of rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights no longer include the freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Everywhere they previously appeared, the words separation of church and state are removed. These references or examples are literally struck out of the text, which means that educators will no longer be required to mention them.

Perhaps, the most telling item among the curriculum changes, and the one that has galvanized the most opposition to this new and reactionary attempt at sanitizing American history, has been the removal of the word democratic from the phrase core democratic values traditionally at the center of the study of civics and US history in Michigan public schools.

Colbeck, a major recipient of campaign contributions from the billionaire family of federal Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, fraudulently claims that the removal of the word democratic is in the interests of balance and political neutrality, and that it should be emphasized that the United States was established as a republic rather than as a democracy.

This is in keeping with the ultra-right revision of history, in which the American Revolution is presented, not as a struggle for democracy and popular sovereignty against aristocracy and privilege, but as the establishment of a republic in which the guarantee of property rightsincluding property in slaveswas the principal goal.

The new standards downplay references to crimes committed by U.S. imperialism. References to its seizure of colonial possessions are removed, as is any reference to one of the monstrous war crimes of the twentieth century, the nuclear annihilation of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War Two.

The powers-that-be also want no mention of US military missions in Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Gulf War. While it is permissible to discuss the attacks on 9/11 and the response to terrorism the curriculum removes wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In other words, young people whose entire lives have been dominated by US wars of aggression should not be taught this history!

The proposed standards came under withering criticism for their proposal to severely reduce the study of the US civil rights movement. The new proposal eliminated mention of freedom riders, the Montgomery bus boycott and the Black Panthers, for example. An entire appendix, page 136 of the proposed curriculum, which references the growth of industrial America and the mass migration of southern blacks to the North to seek jobs in the burgeoning industries and escape Jim Crow segregation, is eliminated. The deleted appendix also includes a section on womens suffrage. Ironically, Michigan was one of the first states to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote.

Other deletions remove any mention of LGBTQ rights, climate change and Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion.

The utter bankruptcy of the process by which the curriculum is being altered to appease these arch reactionaries in the state legislature was not lost on those attending the Ann Arbor meeting, despite assurances from the panel that their voices would be heard. During the course of the hour-long discussion that followed the submission of questions, many spoke eloquently and angrily over the attack on democratic values, and their utter distrust of the MDE panel.

In fact, the question and answer period that preceded the open discussion was constantly being interrupted by comments of disapproval from those in attendance. One teacher commented, The concern of many in this room is that the focus group was hijacked.

Another admonished the panel. We feel that the whole process is flawed. We dont understand why we are sitting here. Your group was involved with the process, but then a second group comes in that is politically motivated. Why was that allowed?

Process here matters a lot  it seems like a hyper-partisan way to decide what we teach our children.

When the open discussion commenced a retired Detroit teacher and supporter of the Socialist Equality Party told the audience. The problem here is that the word democratic has already been removed from the phrase. It is now core values. The word is not in parentheses. It is not in quotes. It is gone. How is this not being presented by the panel as a fait accompli ? He called for a fight to overturn the curriculum changes, explaining that these democratic rights were not simply given, they had to be fought for.

Susan, a parent, commented, Im white. This is not a whitewash of history. It is a lie. These standards are a lie. My ancestors settled at Plymouth, and were involved in the Pequot massacre  One was a slave trader, while others fought on the side of the North in the Civil War  But when you put in these changes, you are erasing their history, and my history. The fact that I am white does not mean I want this history erased.

Rachel, a political science teacher and lawyer, described the intervention of Colbeck and his ilk as the 2018 version of book burning. One set of beliefs from an isolated group that wants to bring back racism. Because of how this went down, no one has confidence in your process.

And elderly Catholic nun explained, I have a very strong affinity for democratic ideals. Our government is a republic, but what about those democratic ideals. We have had to fight for them. I worked in Detroit for many years, and I feel that we still have to fight for these ideals. Someone else is not supposed to make up our core values.

The contributions of many of the speakers at this meeting in defense of historical truth along with deeply held egalitarian notions regarding democratic rights were in sharp contrast to the general indifference of local and state Democratic politicians. While some local Democrats have attacked the proposed curriculum, and the Democratic members of Michigan Board of Education have vowed to vote against it, it is notable that this right-wing attack on teachers, parents and students has not elicited a response from Michigans principal Democratic Party elected officials in Washington, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, or the Partys candidate for Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

In opposition to both capitalist parties, supporters of the Socialist Equality Party candidate for the US House of Representatives in the 12th District, Niles Niemuth, distributed campaign material outside the meeting and received a warm response. Thus far, Niemuths Democratic opponent, the incumbent Representative Debbie Dingell, has also been silent on the proposed curriculum changes.
Airport officials at Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israels main entry point for foreign visitors, have detained and interrogated a number of liberal Jews, including Israeli citizens, about their political activities and opposition to the occupation of Palestinian territory.

This targeting of Jewish critics is part of a broader crackdown on opposition to Israels suppression of the Palestinians and the racialist agenda of the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

In July 2011, the Knesset made it a civil offence to publicly call for a boycott of economic, cultural or academic links with the State of Israel, and last year amended the Entry into Israel Law, banning entry of anyone who made a public call for boycotting Israel or the Israeli settlements.

Earlier this year, Netanyahus government banned members of 20 organisations from entering the country because of their support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.

Now, it appears that any criticism of Israel is being characterised as the de-legitimisation of Israel, a threat to state security or anti-Semitic, as evidenced by the vicious and fabricated campaign against Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in Britain.

The crackdown is a violation of free speech, above all the right to criticise government policies and human rights violations and to advocate non-violent actions to address human rights abusesas well as the right of free movement and travel.

It signals the stepping up of attacks not just on the Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Territories, but also on the social and democratic rights of all workers, in Israel and internationally.

Shin Bet, Israels domestic security agency, interrogated Peter Beinart, a liberal American Jewish journalist, author and CNN contributor, who is well known for both his support for Israel and opposition to its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. Beinart supports a boycott of products manufactured in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Beinart had travelled with his family to Israel to attend a family event. After his passport was scanned at immigration, he was taken to a separate room and questioned for about an hour about his political writing, affiliations and links to Israeli groups that oppose the settlements and the governments right-wing policies.

Beinart wrote about his experience, saying, The session ended when my interrogator asked me, point blank, if I was planning to attend another protest. I answered truthfully: No. With that I was sent back to the holding room. Soon after, he called Gaby Lasky, an Israeli human rights attorney. Beinart was released, and he and his family were allowed to enter the country.

Such was the outcry that Netanyahu felt obliged to intervene, calling the detention an administrative mistake. His office issued a shameless statement saying, Israel is an open society which welcomes allcritics and supporters alike. Shin Bet issued a statement apologising for Beinarts interrogation. The spy agency said, Mr. Beinarts detention was carried out as a result of an error of judgment by the professional official at the scene.

But this is not an isolated instance or an administrative mistake. It is the deliberate escalation of the political persecution of those opposed to Israels occupation of the Palestinian territories seized during the 1967 war, as other similar instances demonstrate. In effect, the security servicesat the behest of the governmentare now instituting a loyalty test as a condition of entry into Israel.

Last month, Meyer G. Koplow, the Jewish American chairman of Brandeis University and a pro-Israel philanthropistwho has donated millions to Israeli hospitals and schoolswas interrogated on his way back to New York. This was because airport security had found a promotional booklet about Palestine, given to him during meetings with Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in his checked suitcase.

Koplow said, Whatever was intended by this questioning, I think it accomplished exactly the opposite.

Shin Bet also detained Moriel Rothman-Zecher, a 28-year-old Israeli author who has been living in the US for the last 11 months. The security service held him for two hours before questioning him about his involvement in Breaking the Silence, an anti-occupation veterans NGO, and All Thats Left, an anti-occupation organisation. He was asked who the main activists in the latter group were, which he refused to divulge.

According to Rothman-Zecher, his interrogator told him, I deal with what we call the extreme right and extreme left and later said that he should think of it as a cautionary conversation, warning, It's a slippery slope. Rothman-Zecher said, What happened to me happens to every Palestinian every day.

He is the third Israeli to be detained for questioning at Ben-Gurion Airport in the last few months over involvement in leftist organisations. In June, Yehudit Ilana was stopped after covering the Gaza flotilla in May 2010 for Social Television, a leftist Hebrew-language online news site, even though she had no connection with the organisations behind the flotilla. In May, Tania Rothstein was detained when she returned home from a Swedish Foreign Ministry conference in Sweden.

Last week, two Jewish American activists, Abby Kirschbaum and Simone Zimmerman, were detained and questioned for three hours at the Taba border crossing between Israel and Egypt.

Zimmerman is one of the founding members of the Jewish anti-occupation group, IfNotNow. She lives in Israel and works for the NGO Gisha. IfNotNow is not on the list of 20 organisations banned from entering Israel.

Zimmerman worked briefly for Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign in the US before being fired over an old Facebook post which stated that Netanyahu had sanctioned murder. Last year, she published a video criticizing an Israeli law banning the entry of BDS supporters.

During their three-hour detention, Zimmerman wrote on Twitter that she and Kirschbaum were being questioned only about their political views and activities related to Palestinians. She was asked, Why did you come here to work with Palestinians? Why not with Jews? Kirschbaum was asked about her activities and links to other organisations in the Palestinian territories, whether she wanted to go to Gaza or had attended any violent demonstrations and her opinion of Netanyahu.

Daniel Sokatch, who heads the New Israel Fund, responded to Zimmermans interrogation, explaining, It is now beyond doubt that the Netanyahu government has turned its border crossings into interrogation chambers.

He added, The government is demonstrating once again that the test for entering the country is a political oneeither you agree with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ultra-right-wing coalition or youre subject to questioning, intimidation, or refusal. This may be legal, but its morally unacceptable and anti-democratic.

Last May, security officers at Ben Gurion airport detained, questioned, denied entry to and then deported four members of an American human rights delegation to Israel and the West Bank, although the rest of the delegation were allowed through. One, Katherine Franke, a Professor of Law, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Columbia University, was accused of being affiliated to the BDS movement.

It appears that Israel has access to a blacklist of pro-Palestinian activists around the world that it is using as the basis for its airport detentions and interrogations.

Since 2015, Israels Ministry of Strategic Affairs has targeted all those seeking to delegitimise Israel, including the BDS movement and anti-occupation groups. This delegitimisation unit, funded to the tune of $100 million, largely works through a secret network of NGOs that help it defend Israel abroad.

One such group is thought to be the Canary Mission, which is in direct contact with the leadership of Act.il, a pro-Israel propaganda app that is a part of the network. It carries thousands of profiles of pro-Palestinian students and professors, alongside a handful of profiles of prominent white supremacists that it says promote hatred of the U.S.A., Israel and Jews on North American college campuses. At least some of those questioned suspect the security officials were using information derived from Canary Mission and similar websites.

Professor Franke said that an Israeli border control officer showed her something on his phone that she says she is 80% sure was her Canary Mission profile, before telling her she would be deported and permanently banned from the country.
Left Party politicians Sahra Wagenknecht and Oskar Lafontaine have thus far avoided publishing an official statement setting forth the policies of their new initiative bearing the name #Standup (#Aufstehen). But the closer they come to the September 4 launch of their movement, the clearer its aims become. They are promoting far-right politics.

Earlier this month, the conservative newspapers Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Die Welt published interviews with Wagenknecht and Lafontaine in which the Left Party leaders announced their xenophobic and nationalist initiative.

The goal of #Standup, declared Lafontaine in his interview with Die Welt, is to secure a different majority in the Bundestag [parliament]. The platform will be aimed at members of the Left Party, the Greens and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), but it will not exclude the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) or the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Lafontaine added that one possible result of his initiative could be the reunification of the SPD and Left Party and the establishment of a large left-wing peoples party.

This is an effort to contain and manipulate growing opposition to the right-wing policies of the grand coalition government, which consists of the Christian Democrats (the CDU and Christian Social Union [CSU]) and the SPD. But workers well remember that it was the SPD and Greens who pushed through unprecedented social cuts and initiated the revival of German militarism when they were the ruling coalition between 1998 and 2005. They also know that in the states where they hold power, the Left Party and Greens are implementing the grand coalition's policies.

The social demands that Wagenknecht and Lafontaine present in their interviews remain completely generic and bland. Nothing goes beyond phrases about the social market economy and higher wages and pensions, such as can be found even in the election programs of the free-market Free Democratic Party (FDP). Even these hollow phrases contradict the political practice of the Left Party, which conforms to the right-wing agenda of social attacks, militarism and the build-up of the police powers of the state.

The interviews of Lafontaine and Wagenknecht do not, in any event, centre on these issues. Rather they focus on anti-refugee agitation, the stirring up of nationalism and the call for German independence. The two politicians thus line up behind the politics of the grand coalition and offer their services in imposing them on a largely hostile population.

To this end, they employ the methods of the neo-fascist AfD. The SPD and Greens, when they were in power, destroyed the welfare state. The Left Party created a social catastrophe wherever it was in government. Now the Left Party leaders are blaming the most vulnerable layers of society for the poverty created by their own policies.

Social problems such as child and old-age poverty, low wages, poor social benefits and too little social housing are being compounded by immigration through wage and rent competition, declared Lafontaine.

In her interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wagenknecht said, You have to talk about problems that arise from large-scale immigration and lack of integration. She added: Of course, there is even more competition for apartments and jobs today. Studies show that without immigration, the long upturn in Germany would have led to much stronger wage growth in the lower-wage segments.

This right-wing agitation is fully in line with the grand coalition, which is establishing deportation camps across Germany with the collaboration of all Bundestag parties. The grand coalitions policies are pushing up the number of refugee deaths in the Mediterranean and aiding the traffickers of the Libyan Coast Guard.

While surveys show that up to two-thirds of the population reject this extreme shift to the right, Lafontaine claims that far too many politicians are stigmatized as being right-wing. It has become fashionable today, even in journalism, he says, to stigmatize many demands that have existed for decades as being close to the AfD. In this light, even Willy Brandt would be said to be close to the AfD. Anyone who works to limit immigration, as I do, is close to the AfD.

Lafontaine justifies the adoption of AfD policies by the grand coalition and his own party by claiming that in this way the AfD will be weakened. He compares the current situation to the blatant restriction on the right to asylum by the CDU, FDP and SPD in May 1993.

At that time, over one million asylum seekers and immigrants came to us, he declares. Refugee shelters and houses burned down in different places. In this situation, we passed the asylum compromise, according to which people who come from a neighbouring European country have no right to asylum in Germany. Support for the [far-right] Republicans then dropped significantly.

That is a blatant lie. In fact, the right-wing extremists achieved their biggest electoral successes in nine of the 16 states after the so-called asylum compromise. The far-right German Peoples Union (DVU) recorded its best results to date in five out of seven states where it stood for election. There is no doubt that right-wing extremists benefited from the implementation of the policies of the CDU/CSU and SPD. Today, this applies to an even greater degree.

Lafontaine is adopting the policies of the AfD not to weaken it, but because he agrees with the neo-fascists on fundamental issues. In his interview, he does not rule out cooperation with right-wing extremists. The sister party of the Left Party in Greece, Syriza, has been in coalition with the far-right Independent Greeks for many years and is implementing ferocious social cuts along with them.

The political overlap with the AfD is not limited to refugee policy. In the face of escalating trade wars and growing conflicts between the major powers, Lafontaine and Wagenknecht invoke the so-called national interest. Our key industries must not be destroyed by international hedge funds, which are concerned only with making quick returns, as is currently the case at Thyssen-Krupp, says Wagenknecht.

Social equality and democracy currently work only within individual states. On a global level, there is no leverage for it, continues the Left Party parliamentary faction leader. Of course, states must protect their citizens from [social] dumping.

This is exactly the argument used to justify trade wars. Regarding the US, Wagenknecht declares, We should not subordinate ourselves to a policy that contradicts our interests.

Lafontaine and Wagenknecht model themselves on the French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon and his party Indomitable France. The supposedly left Melenchon embraces nationalism and militarism and calls for the reintroduction of compulsory military service.

It is not surprising that #Standup has been welcomed by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which has already courted the AfD. Jasper von Altenbockum, who in 2015 demanded that the AfD be given a chance, is impressed above all by the form of the movement, which renounces democratic processes and principles. They contrast the model of representative democracy with the model of a direct Fuhrer-Demokratie (leader democracy), he writes, and thus feed the yearning that the majority or the peoples will once again call the shots.

He continues: Anti-liberalism and immigration criticism bring to mind the AfD. What they say about skill shortages and migration or integration could also come from the right wing of the CDU, if it still existed.

In fact, the CDU has not lost its right wing. The whole partyas well as the CSU and the SPDhas moved far to the right and the grand coalition is putting the right-wing AfDs program into action. But the return of militarism, the anti-refugee agitation and the social cuts are provoking the resistance of broad social layers, as seen most recently in the mass demonstrations in Munich and Berlin. Wagenknecht and Lafontaine offer their services to suppress and intimidate this opposition.
25 years ago: Jury convicts two Detroit cops in murder of Malice Green

Malice Green

On August 23, 1993, a Detroit jury returned verdicts of second-degree murder against two white policemen for the beating death of Malice Green, a young black worker. Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers smashed in Greens skull with heavy flashlights while seven other policemen stood around them and allowed the savagery to continue without interference. At least one of these accomplices, Robert Lessnau, kicked and punched Green during the beating, as he put handcuffs on the dying man.

While the police maintained the blue wall of silence about the case, residents of the southwest Detroit neighborhood and emergency medical technicians who were on the scene gave extensive testimony about how the police carried out their unprovoked attack. The defense attorneys were unable to shake this testimony, which was decisive in proving the case against Budzyn and Nevers.

The defense case was further undermined by the desperate decision to have the two cops take the stand. Budzyn claimed he had seen and done nothing, despite the eyewitness testimony about how he repeatedly smashed his flashlight into Greens head. Nevers claimed that Green had reached for his, the policemans, service revolver, the first time this claim had been made by anyone, and a charge also belied by the eyewitnesses.

The case aroused national as well as local attention, since it demonstrated that the protracted rule of an African-American mayor in Detroit, Coleman Young, then in his 20th year in office, had done nothing to change the racist and anti-working-class character of the notorious Detroit Police Department, one of the most brutal in the United States.

Judge George Crockett III dismissed charges against Robert Lessnau and granted bail to both Budzyn and Nevers, pending their sentencing hearing, an action unheard of in a murder case where those found guilty were not policemen. He cited the long years of service by the two cops, and said that the authorities needed time to prepare the proper conditions for their incarceration, since they were likely to face the danger of retaliation from other prison inmates.

The brutal murder of Malice Green became a major political problem for the Young administration and to the African-American Democratic Party establishment in Detroit. From the cases inception, when Detroit Police Chief Stanley Knox, an African-American, described Greens death as an embarrassment, the main concern was the possible political repercussions among workers in Detroit.

The decision was made to present the case as purely white cops versus a black victim, using racial politics to obscure the class character of the police force, which defends the property of the wealthy and the corporations against the working class. For that reason, charges were dropped against the supervising officer at the scene, Sergeant Freddie Douglas, because he was African-American, although he had command responsibility for what took place.

50 years ago: Democratic Party convention opens in Chicago

Police attacking protesters outside the Democratic Convention in Chicago

On August 26, 1968, the crisis-torn Democratic Party opened its presidential nominating convention in Chicago amid a massive security build-up. Party officials ordered barbed wire barricades erected around the convention hall to block antiwar protesters. Mayor Richard Daley prepared a 26,000-strong security force of Chicago police and Illinois National Guard troops.

Over the next few days, this massive force was thrown against no more than five or six thousand protesters. Hundreds were arrested and injured in the ensuing police riot, including journalists of the mainstream media and even several convention delegates. During one police charge, 800 demonstrators were injured within a few minutes.

In the Walker Report, an official investigation of the violent clashes, it was found that the conflict was caused by unrestrained and indiscriminate police violence on many occasions. And that violence was inflicted upon persons who had broken no law, disobeyed no order, made no threat. These included peaceful demonstrators, onlookers, and large numbers of residents who were simply passing through, or happened to live in, the areas where confrontations were occurring.

Democratic Party officials defended the police response and attempted to prevent reporters from photographing the beatings. Infamously, Dan Rather, a CBS correspondent, was roughed up by the police after attempting to interview a Georgia delegate who was being escorted out of the convention. In a symbolic gesture of support for the police repression, Daley, the leader of the Illinois Democratic delegation, was given a front row seat at the convention.

But there was considerable sympathy for the protesters among rank-and-file delegates: more than a thousand took part in a candlelight march down to the park where the demonstrators were encamped. In one particularly notorious incident, when Senator Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut began speaking from the platform to condemn Gestapo tactics in the streets of Chicago, Daley jumped to his feet, screaming anti-Semitic curses at the senator, who was Jewish.

Inside the convention hall, Vice President Hubert Humphrey won the presidential nomination on the first ballot, defeating Senator Eugene McCarthy, the self-proclaimed peace" candidate. Both McCarthy and Humphrey were fervent defenders of US imperialism. The platform debate boiled down to a mere tactical dispute between those who favored a conditional halt to the bombing of North Vietnam versus those who favored unconditional cessation.

Despite the repression ordered by Democratic Party officials, which included a raid on McCarthys own headquarters and the arrest and beating of his campaign workers, McCarthy urged his followers to remain loyal to the party. In a speech to supporters following the convention, the senator claimed his campaign had won a great victory to this point, one which should reassure us about the system itself."

75 years ago: Greek partisans oppose moves to restore monarchy

Greek partisans fighting the Nazis

This week in August 1943, a delegation of partisans battling the Nazi occupation of Greece held talks in Cairo, Egypt, with British officials and the government in exile of King George II. They informed the British that they opposed the return of the king to Greece at the head of an Allied-installed government.

One partisan told the British, Our forces are capable of further development ... We will soon be 200,000 .... We will then be strong enough to liberate ourselves. You will have no need to come to Greece.

The British treated the Greek partisans with outright hostility. King George II, who endorsed the coming to power of the right-wing dictatorship of General Metaxas in 1936, was universally hated by the Greek masses. But British Prime Minister Winston Churchill saw him as a reliable instrument for restoring Greece to its previous semi-colonial standing and protecting British lines of communication in the Mediterranean with the rest of the empire. Further, Greece would be a bulwark against the advance of the Red Army into the Balkans.

Britains fears were revealed in a letter to Churchill: In the inflamed conditions of public feeling, not only in Greece but also in other Balkan countries, chaos may ensue after the Allied occupation unless a strong hand is kept on the local situation. With politics let loose among those peoples, we may have a wave of disorder and wholesale communism set going all over those parts of Europe ... The Bolshevization of a broken and ruined Europe remains a definite possibility, to be guarded against by supply of food and work and interim Allied control.

Within the partisan movement the Stalinists of the Greek Communist Party acted to restrain the revolutionary strivings of the masses and insisted, after the expulsion of the Nazis, on the establishment of a bourgeois democratic government acceptable to Britain.

100 years ago: Battle of Baku begins

Ottoman troops on the march in the Caucasus

On August 26, 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, under the military leadership of the Ottoman Empire, which was allied with imperialist Germany in the First World War, began an assault on the oil center of Baku in Azerbaijan.

Refineries in Baku, on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, processed the largest oil reserves in the world known at the time. Most of its inhabitants were Russians and Armenians, although many were Muslim Azeris who spoke a language closely related to Turkish. Because of its large industrial proletariat, Baku had become a center of Bolshevism during the months of revolution in the Caucuses in 1917, although various nationalist parties still wielded substantial influence, such as the Armenian Dashnaks, who politically stood close to the Social Revolutionaries. Also active was the Musavat (Azeri: Equality Party) an Islamic party of the Azeri and Tartar bourgeoisie. In the aftermath of the 1905 revolution, reactionary Islamist parties had led pogroms against Armenians, and the forced deportation and massacre of Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman troops was fresh in the minds of many inhabitants.

In April 1918, combined Bolshevik and Dashnak forces suppressed an abortive rising led by the Musavat. The Bolsheviks, led by the extraordinary Armenian Bolshevik Stepan Shaumian, the Lenin of the Caucasus, established the Baku Commune, a workers republic based on the Baku Soviet, which began shipments of oil to the Soviet Republic.

Shortly afterward, the Menshevik government in Georgia in Tbilisi, 450 km (280 miles) to the northwest, invited German troops to occupy Georgian territory. Because of its great oil wealth, the region remained a focus of imperialist attention. The Ottomans were happy to comply when the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the bourgeois state that surrounded Baku, sought Turkish aid after the Baku Red Army, which had repulsed Turkish troops in June, began an advance on Ganja, its capital.

The 14,000-man strong Islamic Army of the Caucasus was made up primarily of Azeris but with about 30 percent of its soldiery coming from the Ottoman regular army. Its leaders had promised that, after taking the city, 25 percent of Baku oil would be supplied to Germany.

The Dashnaks, fearful that the Bolsheviks would not be able to defend Baku, turned to British imperialism for aid, over the strenuous objections of Shaumian. They invited in the British expeditionary force located in northern Persia (modern Iran) under the command of General Dunsterville. The Baku Commune was dissolved by a coup of Dashnaks, Social Revolutionaries and Mensheviks on July 26.

The Bolshevik leadership was obliged to quit the city. But Shaumian and his 26 commissars were not able to reach the safety of Soviet-controlled territory. They were captured by the successor regime in Baku, imprisoned, rescued by the Red Army but arrested by counterrevolutionaries again and shot on September 20.

The Islamic Army of the Caucasus took Baku on September 15, causing the withdrawal of the British and a mass exodus of Armenians.
Trade talks between US and Chinese delegations will take place this week on the eve of what could be a major escalation by Washington in its tariff war against Beijing. Tariffs of 25 percent against $16 billion worth of Chinese goods are due to come into effect on Thursday with China to impose retaliatory measures on the equivalent amount of US products, bringing to $50 billion the value of goods being hit by each.

Further measures are in the pipeline as the US Commerce Department holds public hearings this week on a proposal to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on a further $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. In response, Beijing has indicated it will impose measures on $66 billion worth of US products along with other, so far unspecified, retaliatory actions. These new imposts could be in place by next month or early October.

No concrete proposals to resolve the intensifying conflict are expected from the latest discussions because the two negotiating teams comprise lower-level officials who do not have the authority to make final decisions.

The Chinese delegation, which is expected to be in Washington for two days, will be led by Wang Shouwen, the Vice Commerce Minister, while the US delegation will be headed by Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs, David Malpass.

Previous Chinese trade delegations have been led by Vice Premier Liu He. But Beijing has downgraded its representation after Liu reached an agreement last May with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to increase Chinese imports from the US by up to $100 billion only to have the deal overturned by President Trump.

The basic point of conflict remains the demand set out by the US in its position statement presented to Beijing last May that China not only lessen the trade deficit but should also significantly pull back on its plan to boost its industrial and technological base under its Made in China 2025 plan.

The US claims this project is being developed through the theft of intellectual property rights, forced technology transfers and the use of state-subsidies to high-tech industries to give them an unfair advantage in global markets. Key officials in the Trump administration, including US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and economic adviser Peter Navarro, regard Chinas technological development as a major threat to US economic, and ultimately, military supremacy.

While China has agreed to expand its imports from the US and toned down official references to Made in China 2025, there is deep opposition in Beijing to what is seen as a US drive to halt its economic development.

The Trump administration has made it clear that containing Chinas development is a deeper reason behind the tariff actions, He Weiwen, a former commerce ministry official, told Bloomberg. The news agency said these sentiments were echoed by many of the more than two dozen current and former government officials, researchers and business executives it interviewed.

The Wall Street Journal has reported the US Treasury and the National Economic Council, headed by Larry Kudlow, have prepared a list of pared-down demands for China which they believe could be the basis for a trade deal. Both Mnuchin and Kudlow are regarded as being in favour of measures to reduce the trade deficit which could be presented as a victory for Trumps measures. However, according to the article, the US trade representatives office, which is in charge of tariffs, wants to hold off on negotiations, arguing that additional levies would give the US more bargaining power by October.

The article said Trump had not decided on which of the two camps to support and would weigh in when a deal was on the table. But that wont result from this weeks meeting because neither side has the power to do so.

In any event, the direction of the administration is to more aggressive actions against China. After overturning the May agreement between Mnchuin and Liu to put trade war on hold, it went ahead with the imposition of tariffs on $50 billion worth of goods. Trump then decided that proposed tariffs on a further $200 billion should be lifted from 10 to 25 percent.

A tweet by Trump at the weekend indicated that further measures may under be under consideration and pointed to the underlying source of the political conflict engulfing Washington, which is being driven by the push from the military-intelligence apparatus, the Democratic Party and key sections of the media for a more aggressive policy towards Russia.

All of the fools that are so focussed on only looking at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China, he tweeted.

In addition to the threat of additional tariffs, the US has made clear that China, one of the major markets for Iran oil, will face secondary sanctions after a US-imposed deadline to halt purchases comes into effect from November 4. The US issued the threat in the wake of its unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal.

Asked about US plans for China if it makes good on its insistence that it will continue to trade with Iran in oil and other commodities, Brian Hook, the head of the newly established Iran Action Group at the US State Department, said: The United States certainly hopes for full compliance by all nations in terms of not risking the threat of secondary sanctions if they continue with those transactions.

Since the initial US tariffs against China were imposed on July 6, both the Chinese currency and stock markets have suffered significant falls. The benchmark index for the 50 largest companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets is down by 15 percent and the yuan is down by almost 7 percent against the US dollar.

There are now concerns that existing tariff imposts and the threat of further measures could start to impact on the broader economy. Over the weekend, Chinas banking regulator directed banks to support infrastructure projects and export companies. It said the banks should offer support for companies and projects facing temporary difficulties and that they should effectively promote stable employment and stabilise for trade and investment.

One major problem for the Chinese government is that they have no clear idea as to where the US government intends to strike next. No-one is hopeful of a positive outcome from this weeks discussions in Washington, and, as a source close to Beijing policymakers told the Financial Times: Chinese officials are worried because they cant see the end-game.
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EA has announced that fantastical platforming adventure Fe is now available as part of an EA Access membership, yours to play from The Vault. Developed by Swedish indie outfit Zoink, responsible for the likes of Zombie Vikings and Stick It to the Man!, Fe is something of a departure for the studio.

Fe is also the first game to launch as part of the EA Originals off-shoot, which includes A Way Out among its ranks. In Fe, you play as the titular 'cub-like' creature, running, climbing and gliding your way through a magical Nordic forest, fighting machines known as'the Silent Ones' while connecting with the flora and fauna in your surroundings.

Sound connects all living things in Fe, meaning you'll need to speak the language of the forest in a wordless experience, across a narrative that's apparently open to interpretation. "Fe is a beautiful, connected world that players will never want to leave," according to Zoink Games Creative Lead Klaus Lyngeled.

Speak the language of the forest and defeat the Silent Ones in Fe. Now in the EA Access library! https://t.co/DHpCWCP9Xe pic.twitter.com/wYhfhSLL7M  EA Access (@EAAccess) August 16, 2018

Fe is available to play now via EA Access, in The Vault alongside a plethora of other EA titles on Xbox One.
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PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa is expected to be the guest of honour during the long-awaited historic ambassadors breakfast meeting scheduled for Dar es Salaam tomorrow.

Phimona Chief Executive Officer Rodgers Mbaga told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the breakfast meant a lot in enabling ambassadors and high commissioners or representatives accredited to the country to have a clear picture of the forthcoming Tanzania Investment Promotion, Exhibition and Conference (TIPEC) to be held in Dar es Salaam next month.

Almost all diplomatic missions accredited to Tanzania have confirmed their attendance at the breakfast meeting.

It is a splendid opportunity to tell them the importance of TIPEC, he noted.

According to Mr Mbaga, Tanzania needs to promote market and attract prospective investors to different projects, which need funds to be developed and contribute significantly to the national economy.

The TIPEC normally identifies, profiles and brings together under one roof different public and private projects in Tanzania looking for investors, financiers or buyers to explore investment opportunities, Mr Mbaga said.

He said the breakfast meeting would also be used to ask the ambassadors and high commissioners to encourage potential investors in their countries to participate in the annual event and utilise plenty of opportunities existing in Tanzania.

It is time we supported the fifth phase government under the leadership of President John Magufuli to look for better solutions to address economic challenges by attracting potential investors, partners and financiers to invest in different projects, Mr Mbaga explained.

He said TIPEC assisted project owners and promoters to profile their projects so that they could be bankable and presentable to potential investors and financiers.

There are a lot of factors that potential investors and financiers look at, but project owners or promoters are not aware of TIPEC if it stands a better chance to bridge the gap, Mr Mbaga noted.

Phimona, in partnership with Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC), Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade), Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Tanzania Standard Newspapers Limited (TSN) and Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), is the organiser of the event.
A man allegedly wanted in Mexico on homicide charges was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Wednesday while he and his pregnant wife were on their way to the hospital, where she was due to give birth, the woman and her husbands legal representative told multiple media outlets.

I never thought that they would take him like that, handcuff him, and that they would leave me stranded at the gas station, Maria del Carmen Venegas, 32, told NBC Los Angeles in Spanish.

While en route to the hospital for a planned cesarean section, Joel Arrona-Lara, 36, and his wife Venegas were approached by agents after they stopped at a gas station in San Bernadino, California, she explained to USA Today.

In an interview with The New York Times, Venegas claimed that the ICE agents asked to see their identification, but her husband did not have his drivers license on him at the time.

Surveillance video from the gas station shows Arrona-Lara taken away in handcuffs and Venegas breaking down in tears.

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In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, ICE spokesperson Lori Haley said that Arrona-Lara had been taken into custody because of an outstanding warrant issued for his arrest in Mexico on homicide charges, adding that he is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

Continuing, the spokesperson alluded to the Trump administrations immigration policies: ICE continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy. However, ICE will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.

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Multiple outlets reported that ICEs initial statement on the arrest did not mention the alleged homicide charges.

Emilio Amaya of the Community Services Center of San Bernardino, who is representing Arrona-Lara, told CBS2 that after getting in touch with the Mexican consulate, he has not been able to confirm ICEs claim that his client is wanted on homicide charges, and that Arrona-Laras detention papers indicate he is in custody for being in the U.S. without documentation.

According to the family, he has no criminal history in Mexico, and we did our own search through Mexican channels and we didnt find anything under his name, Amaya told the Times.

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ICEs statement did not mention Venegas medical condition  which Amaya said was not a concern to officers during the arrest.

Even though the officers knew that she was pregnant, they didnt really care and they still proceeded to do the arrest, Amaya told the Times. So for us, on top of the unjustified arrest is the fact that they compromised the well-being of the child and the wife.

By Sunday evening, a GoFundMe page set up to assist the family had raised $6,796, exceeding the $5,000 goal.

[ICE agents] left her at the gas station to fend for herself, Amaya told USA Today of Venegas. The hospital is about two miles from the gas station. She actually ended up driving by herself to the hospital.

Venegas later gave birth to a boy, whom Arrona-Lara has not yet met because the father of five is being held at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange, California, the Times reported.
Terror suspect Salih Khater has appeared in court on attempted murder charges (PA)

A man has appeared in court accused of attempting to murder members of the public and police officers in an attack outside the Houses of Parliament.

Terror suspect Salih Khater, 29, allegedly drove his silver Ford Fiesta into cyclists and pedestrians before swerving towards police officers and crashing into a security barrier.

The Sudanese-born suspect, who is a British citizen, was arrested by armed police outside the Palace of Westminster last Tuesday.

Khater arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court this morning (PA)

Court drawing of Khater in court as he faced attempted murder charges (PA)

The Sudanese-born suspect is accused of ramming his car into cyclists near Parliament Square (PA)

Three people were treated for non-life threatening injuries after the crash.

Khater, of Highgate Street, Birmingham, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday charged with two counts of attempted murder.

The charges state that he attempted to murder people at the junction of Parliament Square and Abingdon Street and police officers in Abingdon Street on August 14.

MORE: Baby born on board Coastguard helicopter flying over Cornwall at 1,400 feet

MORE: British air hostess credits yoga and SINGING for surviving 10 hours in the sea after falling off cruise liner

Police said prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism due to the method of the alleged attack, the targets selected and the high-profile location.

Khater appeared in the dock wearing white trousers and a grey T-shirt.

He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and that he was British during a hearing lasting less than six minutes.

Police said prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism due to the method of the alleged attack (PA)

Three people were treated for non-life threatening injuries after the crash (PA)

His lawyer, Johanna Quinn, made no application for bail and Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot remanded Khater in custody.

He will next appear at the Old Bailey on August 31.

We cannot accept comments on this article for legal reasons.
Harvey Weinstein's lawyer slams Asia Argento for 'stunning level of hypocrisy' amid sex claims originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

Harvey Weinstein's attorney stated Monday that the claim of sexual misconduct made against Italian actress Asia Argento should cast doubt on the allegations she's made against the disgraced producer.

Months after Argento became one of the first people to publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, she's now herself accused of paying off a young male actor who accused her of sexual misconduct, according to a report in the New York Times.

The paper says it obtained documents that show Argento paid 22-year-old actor Jimmy Bennett $380,000 to settle the accusations. Bennett claims that in 2013 -- a couple of months after his 17th birthday -- a then 37-year-old Argento sexually assaulted him in a California hotel, according to The New York Times. The age of consent in California is 18.

"This development reveals a stunning level of hypocrisy by Asia Argento, said Weinstein's attorney, Benjamin Brafman, in a statement to ABC News. At the very same time Argento was working on her own secret settlement for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor, she was positioning herself at the forefront of those condemning Mr. Weinstein, despite the fact that her sexual relationship with Mr. Weinstein was between two consenting adults which lasted for more than four years."

Weinstein has been indicted on sex crime accusations involving three women, but that does not include Argento. He has denied the allegations.

According to the New York Times, a notice sent to Richard Hofstetter, the lawyer for Argento's late boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, who was representing the actress at the time, claims Bennett made more than $2.7 million in the five years before the alleged assault, but his income has since dropped to an average of $60,000 a year as a result of trauma he suffered following the alleged "sexual battery." Argento, who lives in Rome, subsequently hired Carrie Goldberg -- a prominent lawyer for victims of online attacks -- to handle the case, according to The New York Times.

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PHOTO: Rose McGowan and Asia Argento during amfAR 'Cinema Against AIDS', May 19, 2005. ( J. Vespa/WireImage/Getty Images)

Bennett and Argento first met when he appeared at age seven in Argentos 2004 film "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things," according to the Times. They reportedly stayed in contact in the ensuing years and agreed to meet years later for a reunion. Bennett claims that at the time of the alleged May 13, 2013, incident, he arrived at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California, to meet Argento in her hotel room with a family member, who left the room after Argento asked to be alone with Bennett.

He alleges that Argento gave him alcohol prior to the assault, which allegedly included oral sex and intercourse.

Argento then asked to take a number of photos with Bennett, according to the documents cited by The New York Times. They, along with an Instagram post of their faces taken on that day, were included in the notice of intent to sue.

The notice of intent reportedly sought $3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.

In a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, a lawyer for Bennett said the actor "does not wish to comment on the documents or the events" at this time. The statement asked for privacy and noted that Bennett would take "the next 24 hours, or longer, to prepare his response."

Argento, one of the 13 women included in the first October 2017 New Yorker report about Harvey Weinsteins alleged sexual harassment and assaults that dated back decades, has not commented on the allegation, nor have her representatives.

Rose McGowan, another of Weinstein's early accusers, stated on Twitter that the New York Times report left her heartbroken.

"I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere," she wrote. "None of us know the truth of the situation and Im sure more will be revealed. Be gentle."

Bennett's other film credits include 2003's "Daddy Day Care," "Firewall," "Evan Almighty" and "Star Trek." He most recently had a role in the Amazon TV series "Bosch."
Woman who fell off cruise ship rescued after treading water for 10 hours: 'I am very lucky to be alive' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A British woman was pulled out of the Adriatic Sea on Sunday after falling off a cruise ship and treading water for 10 hours.

The woman was on the Norwegian Star near Croatia when she fell overboard, according to the cruise line.

"In the morning of August 19th, a guest went overboard as Norwegian Star made her way to Venice. The Coast Guard was notified and a search and rescue operation ensued," a spokesperson for Norwegian said in a statement. "We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment. We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."

David Radas, a spokesperson for the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said CCTV footage shows her falling off the boat at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, and she was rescued at 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

A British woman was rescued off the coast of Croatia on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, after she fell off a cruise ship. (Reuters)

(MORE: Cruise employee rescued by different ship day after falling overboard)

The 46-year-old woman, whose name ABC News confirmed as Kay Longstaff, told Croatian TV station HRT in a brief interview after the coast guard returned her to shore, that she was on the back deck when she fell off. Longstaff works as a flight attendant and had some emergency training, a Croatian coast guard official told ABC News.

"I fell off of the back of Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours," she told HRT. "So these wonderful guys rescued me. ... I am very lucky to be alive."

Longstaff is still in the hospital, but is expected to be released Monday once family arrives.

Clay Barclay, a passenger on the Norwegian Star from Alabama, shared a photo of the location where a woman fell off the ship on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. (Clay Barclay)

Reuters video showed Longstaff being plucked out of the Adriatic by the coast guard, climbing on a boat by ladder.

"We were lucky," Capt. Lovro Oreskovic, lead rescuer, told ABC News. "When she saw us, she immediately raised her hands and waved."

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Oreskovic said Longstaff was in good shape. She told the rescuers it was because she is into yoga. She was floating in the sea all the time and singing not to fall asleep and to preserve her body temperature from falling, Oreskovic said.

The incident happened between Pula, on the Croatian mainland, and Mali Losinj, an island in the Adriatic that's part of Croatia, according to Radas. The Adriatic Sea is located between the east coast of Italy and Croatia. Longstaff was lucky in that the waters were calm and the temperature of the water was around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The area where she fell off could be seen blocked by a crew member and caution tape in photos taken by a fellow cruise passenger.

A British woman was rescued off the coast of Croatia on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, after she fell off a cruise ship. (Reuters)

(MORE: Water line break floods 50 rooms on Carnival cruise ship)

It's not clear how or why she fell off the back of the ship or the height of the fall.

The Norwegian Star arrived in its port in Venice, Italy, Sunday afternoon -- without Longstaff -- and departed for its next stop 2 1/2 hours later.

ABC News' Amanda Maile contributed to this report.
Americans who doubt that marijuana has medicinal benefits are now  squarely  in the minority. According to a Healthday/Harris Poll released this July, nearly 9 in 10 Americans now support legalizing the drug for medicinal use (compared to just 57 percent for recreational).

This sentiment is reflected in the nations legal landscape, where 31 states (plus D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico) have legalized it for medical use. But with a Schedule I classification remaining from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the drug remains federally illegal  making it difficult to track down information about its benefits and dangers.

Part of this stems from researchers inability to study the drugs effects on humans, since the DEA considers Schedule I substances as having no currently accepted medical use. So how does medical marijuana work to treat various ailments in the body?

Medical marijuana can help treat everything from Crohns disease to multiple sclerosis. Heres what it does to your body. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Understanding marijuanas medical value starts with getting a clear picture of what it is. Marijuana  sometimes referred to as cannabis  is a part of a family of flowering plants that includes hemp. The plant has 100 different substances called cannabinoids, which are active chemicals that can alter the body and mind.

Two cannabinoids in particular have proven beneficial in medical ways  tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is a psychoactive ingredient (it contains the mind-altering properties associated with feeling high), but CBD offers health benefits without causing a high. But how do they work exactly?



According to Caroline Hartridge, a medical cannabis expert and doctor of osteopathic medicine, these ingredients revolve around our nervous system. The CBD and THC operate within our endocannabinoid system  the largest neurotransmitter system within the body  which helps regulate or modulate our homeostasis, everything from temperature to appetite to reproduction to sleep/wake cycles, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Those two chemicals in particular work in a lock-and-key mechanism where receptors are the lock and CBD and THC are the different keys. Once the CBD and the THC interact with that receptor, they can stimulate bone health, they can decrease blood pressure, and they can modulate your perception of pain and even your memory of an unfavorable event.

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Through this complicated lock-and-key model, THC and CBD offer relief from symptoms caused by conditions like multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, and Crohns disease. In particular, THC can help reduce nausea, increase appetite, decrease pain and inflammation, and help with muscle-control problems. CBD has benefits including pain reduction, controlling epileptic seizures, and potentially reducing the effects of mental illness such as anxiety.

As far as accessing the drug in your state, Hartridge recommends checking the health departments website in your state first and then checking in with your doctor. I would book an appointment and have an open and honest conversation with your primary care provider, Hartridge says. For more information about medical marijuanas benefits and where it is legal, go to Norml.com.

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From ELLE

Some people never get tickets to Hamilton. Some pay an arm and a leg for them. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry get to go see the play at a fancy gala for work. Royalty has all the luck.

The royal couple will attend "a gala performance of @HamiltonWestEnd in support of @Sentebale at the Victoria Palace Theatre on Wednesday 29th August," Kensington Palace tweeted this morning. That means Meghan and Harry will be dressed to the nines at the ritzy event that'll raise money for Sentebale, a charity Harry co-founded that supports the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana. Harry previously played a polo match in support of the charity too.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend a gala performance of @HamiltonWestEnd in support of @Sentebale at the Victoria Palace Theatre on Wednesday 29th August.



The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV. pic.twitter.com/N8XxUCaiSD - Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 20, 2018

It also means that Meghan's trip abroad to Canada and the U.S. will be short. She reportedly just arrived in Toronto yesterday and will likely spend just this week or less with her friends and family in Canada, New York, and Los Angeles.

Kensington Palace additionally announced Harry and Meghan's second event post-vacation. The two will attend the Well Child Awards on September 4-a true testament their summer's over.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the annual #WellChildAwards at The Royal Lancaster Hotel on Tuesday 4th September.



The Duke of Sussex is Patron of @WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children and their families. - Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 20, 2018

('You Might Also Like',)
Tehran (AFP) - An Iranian journalist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for "insulting" an imam from the ninth century on Twitter, his lawyer told local media on Monday.

Mir Mohammad-Hossein Mir-Esmaili, a journalist for the Jahan-e Sanat daily, was arrested while trying to leave the country in April 2017.

It followed a Twitter post in which he said Imam Reza, one of the 12 revered figures in Iran's dominant strand of Shiite Islam, was "one of us", implying that he would have allowed young people to enjoy themselves.

He made the statement as a criticism of Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, who has banned concerts in the holy city of Mashhad which is home to the Imam Reza shrine.

"Alamolhoda says that dancing and music is an insult to Imam Reza! Come on, don't lie, Imam Reza is one of us," wrote Mir-Esmaili in a tweet which is no longer available but was reprinted by numerous media.

Mir-Esmaili was found guilty of insulting Islam and government officials, spreading falsehoods and publishing immoral content, his laywer Hossein Ahmadiniyaz told ISNA on Monday.

"There are many faults to this verdict as my client criticised officials in the form of satire but unfortunately they have considered this as an insult," said Ahmadiniyaz.

He planned to appeal after being informed of the sentence on Sunday, the lawyer added.

Mir-Esmaili apologised shortly after the initial post, saying: "I did not insult Imam Reza in any way. I am Muslim and a Shiite and I only wanted to criticise Alamolhoda."

He implied he had been physically threatened, saying: "To those who claim they are Muslims, why do they threaten to throw acid and murder?"
Chicago Tribune

Six-term Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an ardent opponent of former President Donald Trump and his continued leadership of the GOP, announced Friday he would not seek reelection. Kinzingers announcement came just hours after state legislators passed a new congressional map drawn by Illinois Democrats that put him into a new district with Trump-supporting U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood. As a ...
Washington (AFP) - A senior US diplomat insisted Monday that any Afghanistan peace talks must include the Kabul government, and would not occur directly between the Taliban and Washington.

"Negotiations have to take place between the Afghan government and the Taliban, we are not a substitute for that," Alice Wells, the senior official for the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asia Affairs, told AFP.

Wells spoke directly with Taliban officials last month in Qatar to try to find a new path toward ending Afghanistan's 17-year conflict, according to several reports that she would not confirm or deny.

"I can't say anything beyond that we are prepared to do what we can to facilitate getting the parties to the table," Wells said.

"But the United States doesn't negotiate with the Taliban over the heads of the Afghan people and government."

A member of the Taliban's leadership council -- the Quetta Shura -- has confirmed to AFP that Taliban members met with US officials last month in Doha, where the militants have established a political office that serves as a de-facto embassy.

The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with the United States. The group refuses to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate.

But Washington indicated a change in its long-standing policy in June when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was prepared to "support, facilitate and participate" in talks.

President Donald Trump a year ago unveiled his Afghanistan strategy, which focuses on pressuring the Taliban to negotiate.

Kabul on Monday was waiting for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO.
Kabul (AFP) - Afghanistan was waiting Monday for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's suggestion of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after 17 years of war.

Ghani unveiled the governments latest gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the Taliban reciprocated.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw that Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups.

The proposal was warmly greeted by both NATO and the US, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on the Taliban to participate.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to Ghanis proposal but vowed to release hundreds of "enemy prisoners" to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday that starts this week.

Analysts said the government's move belied the desperation after recent heavy bloodshed.

"After Ghazni City and everything else, this looks really desperate," tweeted Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

If the militants accede to the ceasefire, it would be just the second nation-wide truce since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

The first, in June, saw thousands of insurgents pour into cities across Afghanistan, eating ice cream and posing for selfies with security forces to celebrate.

The brief respite observed by both sides spurred hopes that a new path was opening for possible peace talks in the country to the end the nearly 17-year-old war.
Johannesburg (AFP) - A public inquiry opened in South Africa on Monday probing alleged corruption under scandal-tainted former president Jacob Zuma who is accused of overseeing widespread graft during his nine-year reign.

The inquiry, which could take two years to deliver its findings, is set to hear evidence of allegations that Zuma let ministries and government agencies be plundered for private gain in a scandal known as "state capture".

But on the first day of hearings presiding judge Raymond Zondo, the country's deputy chief justice, complained that the country's spy agency, which was seen as loyal to Zuma, was stalling the probe.

"The State Security Agency had not been able meet our expectations and requests in terms of an expeditious process of security clearance," he said referring to inquiry staff who require clearance to handle top secret material.

He also said that the public response to a plea for evidence of state capture "has been quite disappointing".

"If this commission is to do its job properly, we need evidence," he said.

- 'Selfish gain' -

Much of the probe is expected to focus on Zuma's relationship with the Guptas, a wealthy Indian business family accused of wielding undue political influence.

An earlier report by a watchdog detailed allegations that Zuma helped the Gupta family win preferential contracts with state companies, including huge mining deals, and were even able to choose cabinet ministers.

Zuma himself appointed the inquiry in January on the orders of the High Court, weeks before he was forced to resign from office as criticism grew from within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

Zuma's alleged involvement in multiple graft scandals damaged the party's image ahead of elections due next year.

His successor President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to tackle corruption.

The inquiry will in part establish whether official appointments were "disclosed to the Gupta family or any other unauthorised person before such appointments were formally made," said inquiry head Zondo.

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Although the inquiry does not have powers to arrest or prosecute, it can refer matters for possible criminal investigation.

"At the heart of the investigation is whether outsiders influenced government or state-owned enterprises for selfish gain," said the commission's lead lawyer Paul Pretorius on the inquiry's opening day.

- State funds looted -

Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister now responsible for state-run companies, has estimated that around 100 billion rand ($6.8 billion, 6 billion euros) of state funds may have been looted through corrupt awarding of government tenders.

Gordhan is among those expected to give evidence, along with his former deputy Mcebisi Jonas.

Jonas has alleged he was taken by Zuma to the Guptas' home in Johannesburg where Ajay Gupta said he would be appointed finance minister and paid 600 million rand for acting favourably toward the family's interests.

The local Sunday Times newspaper reported Zuma had been invited to appear -- but the commission's spokesman declined to comment. Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing.

"I hope that the inquiry gets to the bottom of how the South African state was captured... and what can be done to prevent this from happening again," David Lewis, executive director of South Africa's Corruption Watch organisation, told AFP.

Zuma, 76, was forced to resign in February when ANC lawmakers turned against him.

The former president has separately been charged with 16 counts of graft linked to an arms deal from before he became president and will next appear in court on November 30 as the criminal case against him continues.
Presidents lawyer keeps up attack on Mueller investigation

NBC host Chuck Todd: This is going to become a bad meme

Trump invokes Nixon and McCarthy in New York Times rant

When the definitive history of Donald Trumps presidency comes to be written, many years hence, 11.02am on Sunday 19 August 2018 will surely be granted a special mention.

It was the moment when the phrase was coined that might be said to sum up the spirit of the Trump era: Truth isnt truth.

Truth isnt truth. The seismic shock of the remark was so forceful it had Chuck Todd, host of NBCs Meet the Press, struggling to contain his giggling.

Truth isnt truth? Mr Mayor, do you realize  I mean, this is going to become a bad meme.

The Mr Mayor to whom he was referring, creator of the bad meme, was Rudy Giuliani, legendary New York mayor on 9/11. Now Trumps attorney on the Russia investigation, he was trying to justify why the White House has been dragging its feet over granting an interview between the president and special counsel Robert Mueller.

Giuliani said: When you tell me [Trump] should testify because hes going to tell the truth so he shouldnt worry, well thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth, not the truth.

I dont mean to Todd spluttered, his face contorted with disbelief.

And then it came, like manna from heaven, the glorious mantra for which Trumps White House has been waiting so long.

No, it isnt truth! Giuliani roared. Truth isnt truth.

In a world that has given us fake news, enemy of the people and  infamously and also to a disbelieving Todd  Kellyanne Conways alternative facts, Trumps war on reality had just found its jingle.

No, no, dont do this to me, Giuliani said, head in hands, when he realized the hole he had dug for himself.

Dont do Truth isnt truth to me, Todd replied, still scarcely holding it together.

At which point, Giuliani did the only thing that came to mind: he dug deeper, into competing versions of events regarding former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Russia and fired FBI director James Comey.

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Donald Trump says, I didnt talk about Flynn with Comey, Comey says, You did talk about it. So tell me what the truth is, youre such a genius.

Chuck Todd may not be a genius. But he was smart enough not to answer the question.

Still bearing a broad grin, he let the new bad meme soar into the digital firmament.
A teenager posted online that he was glad to make it to his 17th birthday after all he had been through. Little more than an hour later, he was shot dead.

Armond Latimore was killed in broad daylight while standing outside a restaurant in St Louis, Missouri, on Saturday.

His mother, Chandra Payne, said she had gone to a store to buy ice cream to go with her sons birthday cake when she received the call that he had been shot in the head.

He was pronounced dead at a hospital, a little after 1pm, the St Louis Post-Dispatch reports. No arrests have been made.

The teenagers last Facebook post, made an hour earlier, read: "I'm just glad I can say I made it to see 17."

Previous postings showed the high school student holding wedges of $100 bills. In one he appeared to have a hand gun in the waistband of his trousers. In another he sent a message of support to Richard Antwon Donaldson, another St Louis teenager who has been charged with the murder of a 72-year-old man during an attempted car-jacking. Keep yo head up, he told Donaldson.

Armond Latimore (Facebook / Armond Latimore)

But Ms Payne said neither the cash or weapon in the posts belonged to her son.

She said: He was always a helping-hand child. He would cut grass, wash your car or sell water. He loved music and loved money and always made it the right way.

His teacher, Erik Lewis, also paid tribute to the teenager on Facebook.

The guy was always smiling, full of humour, and full of life, he wrote. Always making me laugh. Most certainly a life to be honoured.

No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.

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Ever since her accusations of being raped by disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein went public last fall, Asia Argento has been one of the most prominent faces of the #MeToo movement. On Sunday, however, the Italian actress and director was the subject of her own New York Times investigation, with the paper reporting that she paid actor and musician Jimmy Bennett $380,000 after he accused her of sexual assault. Bennett, now 22, was 17 and below the legal age of consent at the time of the alleged 2013 incident.

Asia Argento poses with a 7-year-old Jimmy Bennett, center, and co-stars Cole and Dylan Sprouse at a 2003 wrap party for their film, The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. (Photo: Jeff Vespa/WireImage)

The Times reports that Bennett, who was 7 years old when he was cast as Argentos son in the 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, reportedly pursued legal action after his former co-star emerged as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault following her revelations about Weinstein.

Argento has been a prominent voice of the #MeToo movement following her revelations about Harvey Weinstein. (Photo: Loic Venance/AFP/Getty Images)

Documents obtained by the Times allege that the former child star met with Argento in a California hotel room on May 9, 2013, where he says she performed oral sex on him before initiating intercourse. Bennett said the incident, which took place three months after his 17th birthday, left him feeling extremely confused, mortified, and disgusted.

His legal team reportedly sought $3.5 million for intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault, and battery, though it appears that a settlement of $380,000 was agreed upon. A letter addressed to Argento from her lawyer, Carrie Goldberg, in April acknowledges the payment and refers to s***ty individuals whove preyed on her.

We hope nothing like this ever happens to you again, Goldberg is said to have written to the 42-year-old Argento. You are a powerful and inspiring creator and it is a miserable condition of life that you live among s***ty individuals whove preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses.

While neither Bennett nor Argento and her legal team have publicly responded to the allegations, social media shows that they did in fact meet on May 9, 2013. Argento, who was the girlfriend of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain until his death by suicide in June, posted several Instagram photos at their reunion, calling it the happiest day of my life. She also referred to Bennett as my son, my love until I live. In one caption, she thanks Bennett for the sunshine you gave to me.

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Argento took a selfie with Bennett on the day he claims she sexually assaulted him. (Photo: Asia Argento via Instagram)

The photos have been flooded with comments attacking Argento since the Times report broke Sunday night.

Dio-God @jimmymbennett my son A post shared by asiaargento (@asiaargento) on May 9, 2013 at 1:10pm PDT

Meanwhile, the accusations against Argento have sparked major controversy, with some blasting her as a hypocrite and others arguing that her own history shouldnt be used to discount #MeToo or her alleged experience with Weinstein.

Whatever happens in the Asia Argento case doesnt take away from the fact Harvey Weinstein and many powerful men have preyed upon women, abused them, exploited them and have had their sins covered and buried, but now society is waking up and saying no more.  Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 20, 2018

There are two types of dudebros: those who will mock Jimmy Bennett for being sexually-assaulted by Asia Argento ("why didn't he enjoy it?") and those who will use this to erroneously claim feminists are hypocrites. However, they both share a violent misogyny.  Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) August 20, 2018

This is awful, but I don't see any conclusion to draw from it besides "Two things can be true at once." https://t.co/4mi3zQPUmv  Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) August 20, 2018

Actress Rose McGowan, another Weinstein accuser who had befriended Argento after their stories went public, has also addressed the report.

I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere.  rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) August 20, 2018

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:




CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on his government to unite behind him after he survived an internal leadership challenge Tuesday, defeating a senior minister in a ballot that is unlikely to settle questions about whether he's the right person to lead the party into elections due next year.

His challenger, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, resigned from Cabinet after the vote but the amount of support he gained surprised many commentators. Turnbull ruled out any retribution against ministers suspected of supporting Dutton and said he had invited Dutton to remain in the senior security portfolio.

"I don't bare any grudge against Peter Dutton for having stood up and challenged me today," Turnbull said at a news conference with his deputy party leader Julie Bishop, who retained her position unopposed in Tuesday's ballot.

"We know that disunity undermines the ability of any government to get its job done and unity is absolutely critical," Turnbull added

Turnbull called the vote at a meeting of conservative Liberal Party lawmakers as speculation mounted about his support within the government, which is gearing up for a general election due early next year. The government has trailed the opposition Labor Party in most opinion polls since the last election in 2016.

Turnbull won 48 votes to 35. One lawmaker abstained and another was away on sick leave.

Australia has gone through an extraordinary period of political instability since Prime Minister John Howard lost power in 2007 after more than 11 years in office. Ousting Turnbull would have been the sixth leadership change since then.

Turnbull would next month become Australia's longest serving prime minister since Howard, having held the office for three years and four days.

Dutton supporters say the former police drug squad detective could have amassed enough support to successfully challenge for the leadership if the vote had been held Thursday before Parliament takes a two-week break and lawmakers won't gather again until Sept. 10.

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Dutton later thanked his colleagues for their "considerable support" in the ballot.

"I believe that I was the best person to lead the Liberal Party to success at the next election," Dutton told reporters.

Dutton said he respected the outcome of the ballot and fully supported Turnbull. He didn't specifically rule out challenging the prime minister again. Treasurer Scott Morrison will act as home affairs minister.

Nick Economou, a political analyst at Monash University in Melbourne, believes lawmakers are abandoning Turnbull because they fear he will lead them to a crushing defeat at elections due by May.

The longer Turnbull remains prime minister, the worse the government's opinion polling was likely to become, Economou said.

"Voters will do what they always do  they react very badly to internal tensions, to disunity," Economou said.

Before the ballot, Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg had warned government colleagues that they would lose popularity if they dumped Turnbull.

Frydenberg said voters were tired of governments repeatedly changing their prime ministers.

Turnbull made a major concession to his opponents within his party on Monday by abandoning plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The concession avoided the most conservative government lawmakers voting against the legislation in Parliament, openly undermining his authority.

But former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was replaced by Turnbull in a ballot of government lawmakers in 2015, advised Turnbull in a statement on Tuesday that "unity has to be created and loyalty has to be earned. They can't just be demanded."

Damian Drum, a lawmaker in The Nationals' party, a junior coalition partner, called on Abbott to resign from Parliament instead of destabilizing the government.
Nearly 200 former US officials have signed a statement protesting Donald Trumps removal of former CIA director John Brennans security clearance, as the backlash against the president from intelligence agencies grows.

State Department and Pentagon officials filled the list, which includes 15 former directors and deputy directors of the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Opposition came from both sides of the political divide, taking in former officials who had worked for both Democrats and Republicans.

Mr Trump revoked security clearance for Mr Brennan on 15 August and the 62-year-old former official, who served under both former presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, said he was considering legal action against Mr Trump.

I am going to do whatever I can to try to prevent these abuses in the future, and if it means going to court, I will do that, Mr Brennan said on NBCs Meet the Press programme.

Mr Trump responded by tweeting he hopes John Brennan, the worst CIA director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit.

It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the FBI investigation led by special prosecutor Robert Mueller looking into alleged collusion between Mr Trumps 2016 campaign team and Russian officials.

The president then called the probe a witch hunt yet again.

He wont sue! the president claimed on Twitter.

His tweet comes after national security advisor John Bolton suggested Mr Brennans clearance may have been revoked because he misused classified information, although he offered no evidence to substantiate the claim.

My opinion is that he was politicising intelligence, he said.

I think a number of people have commented that [Brennan] couldnt be in the position hes in of criticising President Trump and his so-called collusion with Russia unless he did use classified information. But I dont know the specifics.

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Last month, the White House announced it was discussing revoking security clearances from Mr Brennan, former FBI director James Comey, deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, director of the National Security Agency Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and director of national intelligence James Clapper for making baseless accusations against the president.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters the president was looking into the mechanisms of removing their security clearances because they have politicised and in some cases monetised their public service. All of them had served under Mr Obama.

Being influenced by Russia against the president is extremely inappropriate, Ms Sanders said, without providing any evidence to support the statement.

The statement signed by intelligence officials said the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied to former government officials expressing their expert opinions on the current administration.

All of us believe it is critical to protect classified information from unauthorised disclosure. But we believe equally strongly that former government officials have the right to express their unclassified views on what they see as critical national security issues without fear of being punished for doing so, it said.

While some, including Mr Clapper, do not necessarily agree with all of Mr Brennans comments criticising Mr Trump, all those who signed the statement agreed he had a right to say them.

Mr Clapper said to ABC News: John is subtle like a freight train and hes going to say whats on his mind. I think, though, that the common denominator among all of us that have been speaking up, though, is genuine concern about the jeopardy or threats to our institutions and values, and although we may express that in different ways.
Former President Barack Obama (Photo: Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/TNS)n

Former President Barack Obama has been enjoying his retirement from political office, and apparently hes been spending some of his free time reading.

In a post on Facebook, Obama writes that one of his favorite parts of summertime is deciding what to read when things slow down just a bit, whether its on a vacation with family or just a quiet afternoon. This summer Ive been absorbed by new novels, revisited an old classic, and reaffirmed my faith in our ability to move forward together when we seek the truth.

You can see his selections below.

One of the authors on the list, Tayari Jones, was flattered that the former president included her book, An American Marriage, on his list. She shared a post on Twitter thanking him.

Dear Mr. President, I always look forward to your summer reading suggestions, but what an honor to find An American Marriage on this years list. @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/PZAEhJjM5E  Tayari Jones (@tayari) August 19, 2018

Jones, whose novel is also an Oprahs book club pick, noted she was currently on island, referring to vacationing on Marthas Vineyard, where the Obama family has spent many relaxing summers. The excited author offered to deliver signed copies to the former president and first lady, or drop them off at the local bookstore. At the time of this article, Obama had not responded to her offer.

PS Im on island, and I would love to give signed copies to you and @MichelleObama. I could deliver or leave them at @BunchofGrapesBk!  Tayari Jones (@tayari) August 19, 2018

The former president isnt completely off the grid, though. He paid his respects to former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Saturday after Annans death at the age of 80.

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Kofi Annan was a diplomat and humanitarian who embodied the mission of the United Nations like few others, Obama said in a Facebook post. His integrity, persistence, optimism, and sense of our common humanity always informed his outreach to the community of nations. Long after he had broken barriers, Kofi never stopped his pursuit of a better world, and made time to motivate and inspire the next generation of leaders. Michelle and I offer our condolences to his family and many loved ones.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




The on-again, off-again boyfriend of Kiera Bergman, a missing Arizona teenager, has been arrested on charges unrelated to his girlfriends disappearance.

Jon Christopher Clark, the last person known to have seen Bergman, has been arrested for 22 counts of aggravated identity theft and two counts of forgery, police said.

When contacted by HuffPost, Phoenix Police Sgt. Vince Lewis said Clarks arrest has nothing to do with Bergmans disappearance.

Through the course of the investigation, numerous people close to Kiera were contacted by Phoenix Police to include 23-year-old Jon Christopher Clark, Lewis said in an email. On Monday, August 13, 2018, a search warrant of his vehicle was served and numerous items with personal identifying information of others, as well as items of forgery were located.

During his first court appearance on Saturday, Clark was ordered held on $25,000 bond. According to police, Clarks arrest may have violated his probation terms in connection with another case.

Details on the other case were not readily available Monday. Hes due back in court on Friday.

Bergman, 19, vanished without a trace from her Phoenix apartment on Aug. 4. According to her roommate, Destiny Hall-Chand, the two had been working at a Glendale furniture retailer that morning. Hall-Chand told police that Bergman became noticeably upset and left work early. Clark told police he picked her up from work.

Clark spoke with HuffPost prior to his arrest Friday evening. During the interview, Clark said he picked Bergman up from work and took her back to the apartment, where he also lived. He claimed they got into an argument over finances and she walked out of the house around 1 p.m.

According to Clark, Phoenix police picked him up for questioning on Aug. 13 and served a search warrant on his phone, car and the place he was staying.

DNA was one of the stipulations of the court order, so they took my DNA  did swabs, all kinds of fingerprints, my wrists, hands, everything  and took numerous pictures of me and my tattoos, Clark said.

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He also told HuffPost he refused to take a polygraph test because he didnt want anything on the record.

Clark, who said hes been dating Bergman since December, has consistently denied he had anything to do with her disappearance, and he has not been named as a suspect or person of interest by police.

Friends and family members are posting updates on the search for Bergman on Facebook. They are encouraging everyone to share her story using the tag #bringkierahome.

We just want her back, said Bergmans father, Chris Bragg. We want to find her before anything bad or anything worse happens to her. Somebody knows something and were hoping the guilt will get to them and theyll say something.

Bergman is a black woman, 5 feet, 3 inches, and 145 pounds. Anyone with any information is asked to call Silent Witness at (480) W-I-T-N-E-S-S, or for Spanish (480) T-E-S-T-I-G-O. Callers may remain anonymous.

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Arizona Woman Vanishes After Sending Strange Text To Roommate

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BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's government has not ruled out closing its border with Venezuela at Pacaraima, in Roraima state, but sees obstacles to doing so because of international treaties it has signed, Political Affairs Minister Carlos Marun said on Monday. The minister said the government would not make a decision before further evaluating the situation in Pacaraima, where violence erupted over the weekend between a mob of Brazilians and migrants from Venezuela. Brazil's federal government has repeatedly said it would not consider closing the border on humanitarian grounds, despite demands from the border state's government. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
By Mateus Maia and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - The government of the northern Brazilian state of Roraima on Monday asked the country's supreme court to halt the entry of Venezuelan immigrants, increasing pressure on the federal government to resolve a growing regional crisis. Roraima's request followed a weekend of violence in the state, where tens of thousands of Venezuelans have arrived in recent years, fleeing economic and political turmoil in their country. "As a result of the grave conflicts over the weekend, the state of Roraima submitted a fastrack request ... seeking the temporary suspension of Venezuelan immigration through the border," the state government said in a statement. The supreme court rejected a previous request by Roraima, as the Brazilian constitution mandates an open border. The court is unlikely to agree to the new request. Still, local tensions have been mounting in the growing Latin American crisis, with countries across the region taking a tougher line against fleeing Venezuelans. For instance, Venezuelans entering Ecuador and Peru will soon be required to show hard-to-get passports, rather than the more ubiquitous national identity cards, governments of both countries announced last week. This weekend in the Roraima border city of Pacaraima, four people beat a shop owner and some locals said the assailants were Venezuelans, which prompted a mob to destroy the tents of immigrants camped in the streets and set fire to the belongings they left behind. Some 1,200 Venezuelans retreated back over the border, local officials said. President Michel Temer on Sunday announced an increase from 31 to 151 in the contingent of soldiers helping keep order at the border, while also pledging to speed the relocation of Venezuelan immigrants to other Brazilian states. Temer has repeatedly refused to close the border. "The closure of the border is unthinkable because it is illegal," Sergio Etchegoyen, Brazil's minister of institutional security, said on Monday. He added that soldiers were now patrolling the border, and that the situation had improved. "There's tension, but there's no conflict," he said. Angered by a perceived lack of federal support to deal with the migration crisis, Roraima has repeatedly turned to the courts, hoping judges will force Brasilia's hand. Earlier in August, a federal judge in Roraima ordered the border closed until the state could create "humanitarian" conditions to receive Venezuelans, but the decision was soon overturned by a federal appeals court judge. (Reporting by Mateus Maia; editing by Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)
A British flag at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels (Getty)

In a process as closely scrutinised and political charged as Brexit, a mere statement of fact can appear to be politically-loaded.

Thats why an interview given by Frances European Commissioner today has made headlines.

Speaking to Radio France Inter, Pierre Moscovici said that the Brexit vote could still  in theory  be reversed.

Those two words have been leapt upon as fresh proof that the EU has still not accepted the result of the 2016 referendum.

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Thats perhaps unsurprising given the context of the question  mounting fears over the prospect of a no-deal Brexit and big money backing for second referendum campaigners.

Moscovici made the comment in answer to a question about news that the co-founder of Superdry has given the Peoples Vote group 1 million.

And he was, in theory, correct in what he said.

Pierre Moscovici, the French European Commissioner, who said it is still possible to stop Brexit in theory (Getty)

To leave the European Union, Theresa May sent a letter to Brussels on March 29, 2017 triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Article 50 states that, unless an extension to the process is agreed, the country triggering it will leave two years after doing so. So, Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

But the process can, in theory, be stopped. The British politician who wrote Article 50 explained how yesterday.

Lord Kerr, who was Britains representative to the EU between 1990 and 1995, told Radio 4 it is simply a matter of taking back the letter sent by Theresa May last March.

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If you take back the letter, which is merely a notification of intentionyou will never have left assuming you take it back during the two-year period or any agreed extension of it.

Your rights as a member cant be changed except with your agreement because youve never lost them.

Thats the theoretical possibility that Moscovici was referring to and theres no doubt that many are still clinging on to it  both across Britain and inside the Commissions Berlayamont headquarters.

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Lord Kerr, the British peer who wrote Article 50, with Princess Diana during his time as British ambassador to the US (Getty)

But as Moscovici went on to say  this theory is highly unlikely to be put into practice.

It is up to the British themselves who have made the decision to leave, to decide ultimately if they will or not, and how they will do it, said the French politician.

The probability of Brexit is nevertheless very strong because there has been a vote of the people, a referendum.

At this stage, the EU is most concerned about avoiding a no-deal Brexit. The speed of negotiations has been stepped-up in a bid to meet Octobers deadline for a deal.

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EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is meeting UK Brexit secretary Dominic Raab in Brussels for the third time in just over a month tomorrow. By comparison, Barnier met his predecessor, David Davis, just twice in Brussels over the first six months of 2018.

The truth is that every outcome remains a possibility in theory  a Brexit deal, a no-deal Brexit or no Brexit at all.

But all sides are running out of time to put their preferred future into practice.




Kay Longstaff credited yoga to helping her stay alive for 10 hours in the sea

A British woman has credited yoga and singing for helping her survive for 10 hours in the sea after falling off a cruise ship.

Air hostess Kay Longstaff was pulled from the Adriatic Sea on Sunday morning, having fallen from the back of the Norwegian Star as it sailed 60 miles off the Croatian coast on Saturday.

The 46-year-old said she felt very lucky to have survived the ordeal and thanked her wonderful rescuers as she was taken to a hospital in the Croatian town of Pula.

Ms Longstaff being rescued after her ordeal (MORH)

An unnamed rescuer told The Sun: She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit.

And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight.

Ms Longstaff reportedly fell from an aft deck of the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel as it sailed for Venice late on Sunday night.

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A fellow passenger, who asked not to be named, said ship staff had sealed off the area where she is said to have fallen with metal barriers.

He told the Daily Mail: We were told she had left her handbag, which contained her passport, on the deck before falling, and that the incident was captured on CCTV.

The British woman sits with her rescuers after she was pulled from the Adriatic Sea on Sunday (MORH)

Ms Longstaff told Croatian news channel HRT: I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me. I am very lucky to be alive.

David Radas, Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs spokesman, said that by checking CCTV rescuers knew the exact moment Ms Longstaff fell in the water.

He told The Sun: Because they knew the time, they were able to know the exact position of the ship.

Ms Longstaff fell off a Norwegian Cruise Line ship (Rex/stock photo)

Lovro Oreskovic, captain of the Cavtat rescue ship, said they were extremely happy for saving a human life.

Norwegian Cruise Line said the ship had been delayed amid the search and rescue operation.

The spokeswoman said: We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family.

It is understood the UK Foreign Office has been in contact with both the cruise line and Croatian port authorities since the rescue.
Donald Trump speaks during a

British and American art dealers are joining forces this week to protest President Donald Trump's plan to levy tariffs on Chinese works - the first time the US has imposed penalties on buying art since the McCarthy era.

A three-day hearing began on Monday in Washington DC for companies to weigh in on proposed duties on more than 6,000 products from chemicals to bicycle parts in Mr Trump's trade war with Beijing.

The administration's list of $200 billion (157 billion) in goods also includes paintings, sculptures, ceramics and antiques more than 100 years old. Critics argue that a proposed tariff of up to 25 per cent will hit museums and art dealers around the world.

Peter Tompa, a Washington DC-based lawyer and head of the Global Heritage Alliance, said the proposals will cause disproportionate harm to the small or medium-sized businesses of the US art trade as well as museums and collectors.

He told The Telegraph he plans to attend the hearings this week and make his case before the committee.

"Placing duties on such objects will not 'hurt' Chinese industry, but place further disincentives on Americans from importing Chinese cultural goods long held in third countries, including our allies in Europe and Japan," he said.

Chinese art imported to the US could face a tariff of up to 25 per cent under new plans from the US government

In the UK, the British Antique Dealers Association is lobbying Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative, to reconsider, while Christies is sending a representative to argue against the tariffs, according to the Antiques Trade Gazette.

For the past 50 years art has been imported into the US duty free, which has helped it become the worlds largest market, accounting for 42 per cent of global sales in 2017. China is the second largest market, accounting for 21 per cent of sales, according to the Art Market 2018 report from Art Basel and UBS.

Imports originating from China included $107.2 million for century-old antiques and $66.6 million for paintings, drawings and pastels by hand, according to US census data.

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The imposition of a tariff on Chinese art into the US would only be detrimental to the US community as a whole, be it museums, collectors, dealers or auction houses or the support businesses that work for these companies," said Nicholas Grindley, a British dealer in Chinese art, based in New York.

China, which is already the largest consumer of Chinese art and antiques, by far, would benefit by having what little competition for the acquisition of art and antiques represented by US collectors, museums and dealers, removed entirely.

Chinese sculpture, such as this Ai Weiwei piece, on display at the Yorkshire sculpture park, could face 25 per cent import tariffs as part of Trump's trade war

James Lally, the former president of Sothebys in North America, and one of Americas preeminent experts on Chinese works of art, said it was a mistake for the Trump administration to allow Chinese art to be swept up in this all-inclusive list.

Many individuals and institutions interested in Chinese art and culture see the grave harm which would result from the imposition of a punitive US tariff on Chinese ancient, modern and contemporary art, artifacts and literature entering the US from any source around the world, he said.

James Callahan, a Boston-based dealer in Chinese art, said the proposals would also be an invitation to smugglers.

It would be almost impossible to nail down, he said. What are they going to do, check every container, every suitcase?
When rescuers spotted Kay Longstaff in the Adriatic Sea this weekend, the 46-year-old flight attendant had been treading water for 10 hours straight. These wonderful guys rescued me, Longstaff told reporters on shore in Croatia. I am very lucky to be alive. Longstaff was traveling on the Norwegian Star cruise ship when she ended up overboard, some time before midnight on Saturday.

While its unclear exactly how Longstaff ended up in the water, its no mystery how she stayed alive. She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit, a Croatian rescuer told the Sun. And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight.

A UK woman who fell off the back of a cruise ship was rescued after 10 hours of treading water. (Photo: Getty Images)

Yahoo Lifestyle spoke with several yoga experts who say Longstaffs story is proof that the practice is more than a workout  its a potentially life-saving practice. Lauren Eckstrom, creator of Yoga30for30 and co-author of the book Holistic Yoga Flow: The Path of Practice says Longstaffs survival is an example of the power yoga can wield in everyday life.

In a physical yoga practice, students train their body and mind to stay with extreme discomfort, building not only physical strength and flexibility but most importantly an adaptable mind, Eckstrom tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Through yoga, they realize their capacity to persevere beyond their perceived limitations and see seemingly impossible moments through with equanimity and focus. Knowing this, its not surprising in the least that this woman cited her practice as a reason for her survival.

British tourist Kay Longstaff exits Croatias coast guard ship in Pula, which saved her after falling off a cruise ship near Croatian coast. (Getty Images)

Eckstrom, who also co-founded Innerdemsionmedia.com, specifically notes the importance of breath work in yoga (called pranayama), which likely helped Longstaff regulate her heart rate and level of anxiety. Having taught yoga in maximum security prisons, to men left in solitary confinement for years at a time, I can attest to the power of a yoga practice to help students transcend some of lifes most harsh conditions, says Eckstrom. There is no question, with the thousands of students Ive taught and interacted with across the world, yoga is truly a life-saving practice, rescuing students from the brink of suicide, depression, illness, and extreme situations such as this woman endured.

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Its a sentiment echoed by Isabelle Du Soleil, Ph.D, a certified yoga & wellness expert in Los Angeles, Calif. Yoga practice allows you to know yourself and control your mind, your brain, your body, your nervous system as well as your energy, Du Soleil tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Yoga is both an outer and inner practice that creates a body mind breath connection. It is a life-saving practice because it allows you to harness the powers of your mind, body, psyche, breath, and energy. In situations of emergency like hers, she was better prepared than someone who does not practice yoga.

For Sadie Nardini, an international yoga and fitness expert as well as founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga, another major aspect of Longstaffs survival was strength. Yoga directly builds an endurance-based strength, which likely helped her do those slow, repetitive movements for hours. It gave her the flexibility to not hurt herself with all that repetitive movement, Nardini tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Yoga also trains students to keep their minds centered in the midst of intensity, so its no wonder she credited her yoga practice with helping her survive this horrific experience!

Nardini says the story is the ultimate validation for those who already believe in the life-saving power of yoga. For over a century, yogis have touted this practice as a miracle remedy for what ails us. Now science is backing up their claims, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Yoga throws us a lifeline body, mind, and spirit. Kay Longstaff sure knows this to be true.

Ben Sears, a competitive athlete who used yoga to heal from two herniated discs and five knee surgeries, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that Longstaffs experience is exactly what yoga prepares you for. Focus on breath diverts attention away from the struggle and makes effort more sustainable, Sears says. The purpose of Yoga, or any focused practice that combines physical health with self-inquiry, is to develop the patience and resilience to literally keep you afloat in times of trouble.

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Maria del Carmen Venegas says husband Joel was handcuffed after they stopped for gas on the way for planned C-section

A woman from California said she had to drive herself to the hospital to give birth alone, after her husband was arrested by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or Ice.



Maria del Carmen Venegas told a Spanish-language TV station, KMEX-TV, that she and her husband, Joel ArronaLara, 36, were driving to the hospital for a planned Csection on Wednesday when they stopped for gas in San Bernardino, just east of Los Angeles.

Surveillance footage obtained by several media outlets showed two vehicles immediately flank the couples van after they pulled into the gas station. Ice agents questioned the couple and asked for identification, Venegas said. She was able to provide hers but said Arrona had left his at home. The surveillance footage showed the agents handcuffing Arrona and taking him away, leaving a sobbing Venegas alone.

We want to shine a light on the lasting repercussions of the policy by telling the stories of those affected, from the migrants themselves to the public employees tasked with implementing assembly-line justice.

Fill the form here to share your story with us.

Venegas remains at the hospital, where she gave birth to a son, her fifth child, the oldest now 13.

Speaking to the Associated Press from hospital, holding her newborn son Damian as he cried, Venegas said: I feel terrible. We need him now more than ever.

Venegas told the AP she and her husband came to the US 12 years ago from the city of Leon in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato. They do not have legal authorization to live in the US but all five of their children are US citizens, she said. Venegas said her husband was a hard worker and the sole provider of the family.

In a statement to KMEX-LA, Ice spokeswoman Lori Haley said: Mr ArronaLara, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, was taken into custody Wednesday by Ice Fugitive Operations Team officers in San Bernardino, California. Mr ArronaLara is currently in Ice custody pending removal proceedings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

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Haley later issued a statement in which she said Arrona was brought to Ices attention due to an outstanding warrant issued for his arrest in Mexico on homicide charge.

Though the Ice Fugitive Operations Team prioritizes arresting immigrants who are transnational gang members, child sex offenders and those with previous convictions for violent crimes, the agencys statement said it will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement.



All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, the statement said.



Ice arrests of immigrants without criminal convictions have spiked 203% during Donald Trumps first 14 months in office, NBC reported this week. Some cases have attracted national attention. In June, for example, pizza deliveryman Pablo Villavicencio was detained while delivering a bulk lunch order to the Fort Hamilton military base in Brooklyn, New York.

Shortly after taking office in January 2017, Trump signed an executive order that stopped exempting classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. In April 2018, the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, ordered federal prosecutors on the US-Mexico border to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards undocumented immigration, a hardline approach that lead to the separation of thousands of families.

Venegass attorney, Emilio Amaya Garcia, director of the San Bernardino Community Service Center, did not immediately return a request for comment. But he told KMEXTV ArronaLara was not who Ice were looking for.



Both the mother and childs life, who is a citizen of this country, were put in danger, Amaya Garcia told the TV station. It reflects the ignorance and lack of common sense behind the zero-tolerance policy, that does not consider humane reasoning.

The lawyer said he will file a motion on Monday for an immigration court to set a bail hearing for Arrona and will ask that his removal proceedings be canceled.
Ottawa (AFP) - Canada said Monday it is scrapping a family reunification lottery and going back to a first-come, first-serve immigration policy as it looks to double the number of parents and grandparents admitted to the country.

The change back to the old system follows a backlash from frustrated sponsors who described the lottery as "cruel," "heartless" and a "Vegas-like circus."

Last year when the lottery was introduced, more than 95,000 filled out an online form to be entered in a draw, but just 10,000 potential sponsors were selected.

Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Canada will admit up to 20,500 parents and grandparents under its reunification program in 2019, and 21,000 in 2020.

The decision to increase these numbers "is a result of continually high demand" for bringing parents and grandparents of Canadians into the country, he said in a statement.

The government, Hussen added, is committed "to helping families live, work and thrive together, in Canada."

In the United States, President Donald Trump has derisively branded a similar family reunification program "chain migration." It allows naturalized US citizens to sponsor close relatives for permanent residency.
By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - There is no accurate figure of the number of ethnic Uighurs who have gone to fight with militant groups in Syria, China's special envoy for the Syrian issue said on Monday, adding he hoped to return to Syria to gain a clearer picture. China is worried that Uighurs, a mostly Muslim people who speak a Turkic language and hail from China's far western region of Xinjiang, have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight for militants, having traveled illegally via Southeast Asia and Turkey. The Syrian ambassador to China told Reuters last year that up to 5,000 Uighurs are fighting in various militant groups in Syria. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese hostage in 2015, highlighting China's concern about Uighurs it says are fighting in the Middle East and fears they may return to China to carry out attacks. Xie Xiaoyan told a news briefing in Beijing that China talks with all countries, including Syria, about the fight against terror. "As for how many Uighur terrorists there are, I've seen all sorts of figures. Some say 1,000 or 2,000; 2,000 or 3,000; 4,000 or 5,000, and some say even more," Xie said, speaking after a visit to Syria, Saudi Arabia and Israel last month. "I hope that next time I have the opportunity to go to Idlib to have a look," he added, referring to the last big swathe of territory still held by Syrian rebels. Idlib is controlled by an array of insurgent groups, with Sunni Muslim jihadists believed to be the dominant force there. China has blamed a group called the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, or ETIM, for many of the attacks in recent years in Xinjiang, though some experts have questioned whether the group exists in any coherent form. Xie cited a United Nations report that there were 20,000 or 30,000 people fighting with terror groups in Syria and Iraq. "Certainly in those areas there are rather a concentration of ETIM terrorists. This is certain," he added. It is not possible to independently verify the number of Uighurs in Syria, or Iraq.Rights groups and Uighur exiles say many Uighurs have fled to Turkey simply to escape Chinese repression at home, accusations Beijing denies. Xinjiang is a highly sensitive issue for China. Earlier this month, a United Nations human rights panel said it had received many credible reports that 1 million Uighurs in China are held in what resembles a "massive internment camp". China has accused "anti-China" forces of being behind the criticism of its record and policies in Xinjiang. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)
Chinese police have reportedly arrested three suspected hacked alleged to have stolen bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies worth $87 million.

According to a report in Xinhua, Chinas state-owned press agency, police in the city of Xian in northern China first began investigating a complaint by a victim who alleged hackers had compromised his computer to steal 100 million yuan (approx. $15 million) in cryptocurrencies that included bitcoin, ethereum, and others.

A task force was set up and a preliminary investigation revealed that hackers had used remote hijacking techniques to gain access and control of cryptocurrency accounts belonging to the victim  only identified as Zhang  with nearly no footprints of the crime.

The investigation progressed and three months later, the task force was able to spot a suspect, named Zhou, with the help of well-known internet companies in China. Authorities kept their distance and began tracking Zhous activities for a further two months. Before long, police identified two other accomplices by snooping in on Zhous communication.

The three suspects are altogether alleged to have stolen an initially estimated 600 million yuan (approx.$87 million) by targeting corporate and personal network systems through a number of illegal means including cyber-intrusion and hacking, police claim.

Zhou, who belongs to the central Chinese province of Hunan, is currently in custody along with his two alleged accomplices. Despite the eye-watering value of stolen cryptocurrencies involved in the alleged theft, police across three provinces continue to work together in a still-ongoing investigation. It remains to be seen if the value of the stolen cryptocurrencies exceeds the polices current initial estimate.

While financial authorities in China have effectively banned trading of cryptocurrencies following crippling regulations in 2017, Chinese police have also been quick to crack down on crypto-related criminal activity including crypto jacking  a technique wherein malware is deployed on a victims computer to surreptitiously mine cryptocurrency, and electricity theft for crypto mining operations.

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In July, a joint law enforcement effort between Chinese authorities led to the arrests of developers of malware that amassed $2 million in cryptocurrency by allegedly mining them across a million infected computers in the country.

During the last few months, police in the city of Tianjin and the Anhui province have also arrested cryptocurrency miners for stealing electricity to power their mining rigs, equipment which has also been seized by the authorities.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Chinese Police Arrest Hackers Behind $87 Million Cryptocurrency Theft appeared first on CCN.


A British air stewardess who fell from the back of a cruise ship has said her yoga fitness and singing helped her to survive 10 hours in the sea.

Kay Longstaff, 46, was pulled from the Adriatic Sea on Sunday morning, having plunged from the Norwegian Star as it sailed 60 miles off the Croatian coast on Saturday.

The tourist said she is "lucky to be alive" and thanked her "wonderful" rescuers as she was taken to a hospital in the Croatian town of Pula.

Rescuers said Ms Longstaff, believed to be a former Virgin Atlantic cabin crew member who now works on private planes, was exhausted but she had recovered by the time they took her ashore.

"She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit. And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight," an unnamed rescuer told The Sun.

Kay Longstaff is escorted by rescuers from a Croatian Coast Guard vessel Credit: AP

Ms Longstaff was found swimming less than a mile from the point where she disappeared from the Norwegian Star as it made its way to Venice.

She looked relaxed and happy, wearing a T-shirt tied in a knot and blue denim shorts as she reached the Croatian city of Pula on Sunday morning.

Kay Longstaff appeared relaxed and happy as she reached the Croatian city of Pula Credit: STR/AFP

It is not clear how Ms Longstaff came to be in the water, but said she "fell off the back" of the ship.

She told waiting reporters: "I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for about 10 hours. These wonderful guys rescued me."

Ms Longstaff said she was sitting at the back of the deck before the incident happened, adding: "I am very lucky to be alive".

Kay Longstaff climbs a ladder unaided after spending ten hours in the sea

She is helped aboard the Croatian Coast Guard ship Cavtat

The moment Kay Longstaff is taken to safety by members of the Croatian Coast Guard

She is believed to have fallen into the Adriatic from the seventh deck of the 965ft cruise liner just before midnight on Saturday around 60 miles south of Pula.

The ship alerted the authorities who dispatched the Croatian Coast Guard patrol ship Cavtat and a PC-9 search plane to search for her throughout the night. Three other ships were also involved.

She was eventually found at around 9.30am on Sunday swimming less than a mile from where she disappeared.

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The rescue ship's captain Lovro Oreskovic said: "The British woman was exhausted when we pulled her out of the water.

"We were extremely happy for saving a human life."

Kay Longstaff, a British air hostess, was on holiday on a Greek island tour Credit: Twitter

Mr Oreskovic said he was proud of his crew, particularly rescue swimmer Lieutenant Colonel Marina Delic who had pulled her from the water.

It is understood that Ms Longstaff has now been released from hospital and is due to be reunited with her family.

Ms Longstaff is believed to now live on the Costa del Sol, in southern Spain.

Kay Longstaff is an air hostess believed to now work on private planes Credit: Facebook

David Radas, a spokesman from Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told The Telegraph: "After they found her the rescued woman was not injured, just exhausted, hypothermical and in shock.

"When they reached the coast she felt pretty much recovered. That was also confirmed the hospital staff after they conducted preliminary health check."

He said that by checking CCTV rescuers knew the exact moment Ms Longstaff fell in the water.

Mr Radas said: "Because they knew the time, they were able to know the exact position of the ship."

Kay Longstaff is pictured with her rescuers from the Croatian Coast Guard

A Norwegian Star spokeswoman said: "We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment.

"We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family."

An official at the hospital where she was taken confirmed: "The British woman was brought to the hospital and her life is not endangered."

Staff at the cruise liner are said to be examining the CCTV cameras to try an establish exactly what happened to the woman.

British woman rescued from Adriatic Sea

The Norwegian Star was sailing from Vargarola to Venice when the incident happened.

The ship had been on a seven-night Greek Island tour which began in Venice and stopped in Kotor in Montenegro and several ports in Greece.

It returned to Venice around five hours late, with passengers waiting to board complaining of the delay.

The ship has recently been refurbished and boasts on board 15 restaurants, 10 bars, a spa and a casino.

It is understood that the Foreign Office has been informed of the incident.

The Norwegian Star cruise ship had recently been refurbished Credit: Danita Delimont/Alamy

Experts say that more than 300 people have fallen overboard on cruises since 2000.
A passenger who survived ten hours in the sea is a stupid woman who must have jumped off the ship, the mother of the cruise lines president has told the Telegraph.

Kay Longstaff, 46, an air hostess, was accused of causing massive disruption to fellow passengers while costing Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation.

Allegations surfaced on Monday suggesting Miss Longstaff had been arguing with her boyfriend in the hours before she plunged into the Adriatic Sea from the seventh deck of the liner about 75 ft above the water.

Fellow passengers expressed anger towards Miss Longstaff and Norwegian Cruise Line for the chaos and disruption her actions had caused.

Many also suggested there was no way she could have accidentally fallen from the ship, insisting that the security barriers were simply too too high to topple over.

The 83-year-old mother of Andy Stuart, the cruise companys president and chief executive, said her son had been dismayed by continuing reports that Miss Longstaffs fell off the back of the Norwegian Star.

Kay Longstaff being rescued

Mr Stuart telephoned his mother at her home in England from his office in Miami, Florida, to complain about Miss Longstaffs version of events, calling it fake news.

Miss Longstaff, who moved from Cheltenham, Gloucs, to Spain in 2016, had told a Croatian television news channel after being rescued: I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for ten hours... I was sitting at the back of the deck.

Mr Stuart's mother contacted the Daily Telegraph to protest that her sons company was being wrongly blamed for the incident.

His mother said: She didnt fall off. She jumped. This has cost Norwegian Cruise Line $600,000. This stupid woman.

I spoke to Andrew at lunchtime. He phones me almost every day. What he said was this is fake news. He said that she couldnt have fallen. You would have to take steps to climb over the railings. He said she jumped in the water.

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Norwegian Star

His mother went on: He [Andrew] doesnt get upset. But he is annoyed that it has been implied that NCL was at fault. He said NCL went to a lot of trouble. They delayed the progress of the ship and sent for the coastguard. If you think of the cost of the ship being delayed, passengers missing their connections, passengers waiting to embark. That has all amounted to more than $600,000. When you get criticism, it is highly unfair.

Mr Stuart, 55, took up his role in 2015 and had been with NCL for 27 years. He earns a reported 1m a year in salary.

According to reports, Miss Longstaff had been caught up in a row with her partner aboard the ship. He was asleep in their cabin when Miss Longstaff fell overboard at 11.45pm on Saturday night. It is understood that CCTV footage captured the incident and has established that no third party was involved.

Daniel Punch, who works on the Norwegian Star in promotions, posted on Facebook according to reports: She didnt fall, she jumped. It was on my ship. I spoke [to her] throughout the whole week. She was arguing with her fella the whole time.

Miss Longstaff was found by Croatian coastguard at 9.45am on Sunday and taken to hospital for treatment in the Croatian resort of Pula. She said her yoga fitness and singing helped her to survive.

Andy Stuart

As she was released from hospital yesterday into the care of her partner, Italian sources suggested she had argued with her partner before he went back to his cabin and left her on the deck.

"The footage has been viewed and you can clearly see she was there on her own when she fell, a source told SunOnline.

She was not pushed. The theory we are working on is that she most likely jumped.

Kay Longstaff with Craig Rayment

Irena Hrstic, director of Pulas City Hospital, said Ms Longstaff had refused to release a statement because she cant understand why there is so much interest for her.

David Radas, spokesman for Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said its investigation was continuing. On Sunday night, Mr Radas said that CCTV images had left a suspicion whether it was a jump or a falling off.

Miss Longstaff has posted photographs of herself on the Costa del Sol in Spain with Craig Rayment, an electrician, who she was dating as recently as June 15. It is not clear if Mr Rayment was on the cruise with her and he declined to comment yesterday. Im not interested in talking, he said.

Miss Longstaffs father Ron Longstaff, 76, a retired chief superintendent with West Midlands Police, said he had no idea how his daughter had ended up in the sea. She was certainly lucky. I am trying to work out what happened, said Mr Longstaff.

Miss Longstaff after her rescue

Bethany Joyce, 21, from Long Island, who was on board with her parents, said her mother planned to claim compensation as they had been forced to spend an extra two nights in Venice before the next available flight home.

She told the Telegraph: The cruise line was very unhelpful with helping us rebook travel plans. The only thing they gave us was 15 minutes of free WiFi to try and rebook travel arrangements.

Disembarkation was also a mess. We had to sit around for hours just waiting for vague instructions.

Passengers said they arrived in Venice at around 2.30pm on Sunday but did not disembark until 5.30pm.

Miss Longstaff

Scott Bailey, a businessman from Derby, wrote on Twitter: Just upsets me that she is there smiling away and loving the publicity saying she fell.

The only way you could get off the ship is by climbing over the protective barriers and then jumping. Someone we spoke to said they had seen her crying earlier on.

Another passenger, who called himself Eddiepal, also complained that he had missed his flights home to Boston meaning his holiday had a rotten ending.

Responding to suggestions that Miss Longstaff had somehow slipped into the water, he said Next to impossible...take it from someone on board....

He accused the cruise line of mistreating passengers and leaving them stranded in Venice for several hours.

NCL did not respond to requests for comment on passengers' complaints. Mr Stuart declined to comment on the contents of the call with his mother or the incident while an investigation remained ongoing.

A former passenger wrote online: I was on the Star recently and spent quite a long time on that Deck 7 Aft area.. and if this lady departed the ship there it was definitely not an accidental fall. There are no chairs and the side rails are much more than waist high.

Miss Longstaff is thought to have worked for British Airways for some years before working as a flight attendant with a private jet company.

She quit the UK to live in Spain in June 2016 posting a photograph on social media, captioned: My new life.
Daily Digit is the story behind the numbers that make our world work. Today were looking at inmates who are working alongside firefighters in California. For $2 a day, inmates have been assisting the West Coast firefighters. They earn additional $1 per hour when they battle fires. California firefighters make an average of $264 per day, not including overtime. So employing inmates saves the state up to $100 million annually. But despite receiving training and risking their lives, prisoners are banned from becoming firefighters when they are freed. Some call this inmate rehabilitation, but critics have called the practice slave labor.
Donald Trump has sharpened his attacks against special counsel Robert Mueller, accusing him of attempting to impact the upcoming midterms: AFP/Getty

Donald Trump has once again lashed out at Robert Mueller, accusing the special counsel of attempting to influence the 2018 midterm elections.

The president attacked the head of the federal probe into Russian election meddling and possible collusion in a strongly worded  and misspelled  tweet storm on Monday morning.

Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel [sic], only with my approval, for purposes of transparency, he wrote, acknowledging recent reports that White House lawyer Don McGahn has cooperated with investigators across a series of interviews. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone....

Over the weekend, Mr Trump insisted his general counsel isnt a RAT and accused Mr Muellers team of looking for trouble. He contrasted McGahn with John Dean, the White House counsel for Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Mr Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down the Nixon presidency in 1974, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice.

The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel [sic], he must be a John Dean type RAT, Mr Trump wrote on Sunday.

But I allowed him and all others to testify  I didnt have to. I have nothing to hide......, the president wrote.

Mr Dean, a frequent critic of Mr Trump, tweeted in response that he doubts the president has ANY IDEA what McGahn has told Mueller. Also, Nixon knew I was meeting with prosecutors, b/c I told him. However, he didnt think I would tell them the truth!

On Monday Mr Trump went as far as calling Mr Mueller and his team a national disgrace.

They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side  the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mr Trump wrote. Muellers Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!

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Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

Mr Trump was echoing allegations made in recent weeks by his personal lawyer, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Mr Giuliani has called for the special counsel to end its investigation ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November, demanding a deadline of 7 September to submit its report to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Mr Trumps lawyer has also accused Mr Mueller of having flouted a DOJ policy reportedly stating to refrain from investigatory activity in 60 day period before election, though experts have noted no such guideline is in place affecting Mr Muellers probe.

This long-standing policy is clear on its face, Jamie Gorelick, former deputy attorney general during Bill Clintons administration, told CNN. Of course it does not require an investigation to be terminated. Indeed, there are many examples of investigations that continued during and through elections.

Mr Giuliani, speaking to NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, said that Mr Trump did not raise the issue of executive privilege or attorney-client privilege about interviews such as those undertaken by Mr McGahn because his team believed  he says now, wrongly  that fully participating would be the fastest way to bring the investigation to a close.

The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president, Mr Giuliani said of Mr McGahn.

The Russia investigation appeared to be at the top of the presidents mind throughout the weekend, as Mr Trump repeatedly tweeted his claims of No Collusion and No Obstruction.

Wheres the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

By Monday morning, those claims appeared to become a rhetorical question.

Wheres the Collusion? the president wrote in a tweet an hour after attacking Mr Mueller. They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!

The investigation has been a cloud over the entirety of Mr Trumps presidency, as he reportedly has grappled with a decision to sit down for an interview with the special counsel. Mr Giuliani has advised him against meeting with Mr Mueller over the threat that questions may lead to him being trapped into a lie, telling Chuck Todd on Meet the Press: Im not going to be rushed into having him testify so he gets trapped into perjury.

During that interview Mr Giuliani made the bizarre claim that truth isnt truth when it comes to the Mueller probe.

When you tell me that, you know, he should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth, Mr Giuliani said. When told by Mr Todd that truth is truth, Mr Giuliani added: No, it isnt truth... Truth isnt truth.
Rudy Giuliani said truth isnt truth in a television interview (Picture: Rex)

Donald Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has claimed truth isnt truth in a TV interview.

The former mayor of New York made the bizarre statement as he explained his concerns over pushing the US president into an interview that he says could be a perjury trap.

Mr Giuliani used the line during an interview on NBCs Meet the Press with Chuck Todd on Sunday.

He was trying to make the case that having Mr Trump sit down for an interview with the team investigating Russias role in the 2016 election would not accomplish much because of the he-said-she-said nature of witnesses recollections.

Mr Giuliani cited former FBI director James Comey as an example, who has said that Mr Trump pushed him at a private meeting to ease up in the federal investigation of former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn. Mr Trump has disputed his claims.

I am not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury, Mr Giuliani said.

MORE: Man arrested after mum and daughter left critically hurt in random hammer attack

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Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani (Picture: Rex)

TV presenter Chuck Todd could not believe Mr Giulianis comment (Picture: NBC)

And when you tell me that, you know, he should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well, thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth.

When Mr Todd replied: Truth is truth, Mr Giuliani responded: No, it isnt truth. Truth isnt truth.

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"Truth isn't Truth"  It is as if Rudy Giuliani revels in writing the book titles for the historians of the future who will have to try to make sense of this President and all that is transpiring under his Administration.  Dan Rather (@DanRather) August 19, 2018

He added: Donald Trump says, I didnt talk about Flynn with Comey. Comey says, You did talk about it, so tell me what the truth is.

Mr Todd was left flummoxed by the comments, putting his hand on his head and saying: This is going to become a bad meme!

Truth exists and truth matters. Truth has always been the touchstone of our countrys justice system and political life. People who lie are held accountable. If we are untethered to truth, our justice system cannot function and a society based on the rule of law dissolves.  James Comey (@Comey) August 19, 2018

Mr Comey later tweeted: Truth exists and truth matters. Truth has always been the touchstone of our countrys justice system and political life.

People who lie are held accountable. If we are untethered to truth, our justice system cannot function and a society based on the rule of law dissolves.

Mr Trump and his aides have long been accused of spreading lies and disinformation.

White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway famously referred to such claims early last year as alternative facts.
By Mark Hosenball (Reuters) - More than 175 former U.S. State Department and Pentagon officials added their names to a statement signed by former national security officials criticizing President Donald Trump's decision to cancel the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan. New signatories to the statement, initially issued last week by 15 former directors and deputy chiefs of the Central Intelligence Agency and Office of Director of National Intelligence, include former political appointees and career civil servants. They worked under both Democratic and Republican presidents. Among the most prominent individuals to sign a new version of the statement released on Monday by senior officials from the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations are former NATO Commander Admiral James Stavridis, former Deputy Secretaries of State Anthony Blinken and William Burns and former Undersecretaries of State Nicholas Burns, Wendy Sherman and Thomas Pickering. While they may not agree with all Brennan's public attacks on Trump, the statement read, they believe "the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied" before former officials are allowed to voice their views. Separately, U.S. Senator Mark Warner, the Democratic vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, filed legislation on Monday that would limit the president's ability to revoke an individual's security clearance. Trump said last week he was considering withdrawing clearances for other former high-ranking officials as well as Bruce Ohr, a current Justice Department official. Brennan, who has publicly characterized Trump's comments at a recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as "treasonous," has said he might sue the Trump administration over the revocation of his clearance. Representatives Elijah Cummings and Stephen Lynch, top Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, in a letter on Monday to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, questioned the security clearance of John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser. Cummings and Lynch asked Kelly to turn over documents related to whether Bolton, in security clearance forms or "other White House vetting materials," reported that in 2013 he participated by video in a roundtable discussion on gun rights organized by Maria Butina. Butina was arrested in July and accused of acting as a Russian agent while developing ties with U.S. citizens and infiltrating political groups. The Washington Post has reported that Bolton recorded the video promoting an expansion of gun rights in Russia used by Right to Bear Arms, a group Butina formed. The White House National Security Council had no immediate comment on the letter. White House aides also declined to comment. Russia has denied any interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Trump has said there was no collusion with his campaign. "Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan," Trump said in a series of posts on Twitter. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball, additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and James Dalgleish)
Drivers are one of the most in-demand jobs in Canada. (Evening Standard)

Demand for new professional drivers is strong across Canada, according to a new survey, as consumers increasingly prefer shopping and meals delivered to their doors.

ManpowerGroup ranked drivers third on its latest top ten list of in-demand jobs in Canada, following behind the consistently top-ranked skilled trades category, and sales representatives.

The findings are part of a survey by the workforce solution company, which found 41 per cent of Canadian employers are struggling to fill job openings.

The high demand for drivers and customer service representatives remain largely the result of consumerism, the reports authors wrote. Online retail activity continues to skyrocket, along with jobs in logistics and last-mile delivery.

ManpowerGroup surveyed 39,195 employers in 43 countries and territories, asking about difficulty filling roles, which skills are hardest to find, and what is being done to address talent backlogs.

The perception of a talent shortage among employers jumped more than 20 per cent in Canada over the past two years.

This year, companies in Japan were found to face the greatest challenge when it comes to hiring, with 89 per cent reporting difficulty. Japan was followed by Romania (81 per cent) and Taiwan (78 per cent). Employers in China complained the least, with just 13 per cent citing difficulties, followed by Ireland (18 per cent) and the U.K. (19 per cent).

Globally, lack of applicants was the top-ranking complaint (26 per cent), followed by lack of experience (19 per cent), and lack of hard skills (17 per cent).

Most Canadian companies surveyed (68 per cent) said they are investing in additional training to fill vacant positions, as well as recruiting from outside traditional talent pools (56 per cent), and adjusting education or experience requirements (41 per cent).

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
Kinshasa (AFP) - The deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has now claimed 49 lives since the start of the month, the government has said, and the World Health Organization expects more cases.

The gradually increasing death toll, with a further 2,000 people feared to have come into contact with the virus, adds to the woes of a country already facing violence, displacement and political uncertainty.

First reported on August 1 in the North Kivu province, the current outbreak has killed 49 of the 90 cases reported, according to the latest health ministry bulletin on Saturday.

It said of the 49 deaths from the haemorrhagic fever, 63 were confirmed and 27 were probable. Confirmed cases are verified through laboratory tests on samples taken from patients. The cases treated as "probable" often concern sick people with a close epidemiological link to confirmed cases, but who have not been tested.

Most deaths -- 39 -- were recorded in the agricultural village of Mangina 30 kilometres (some 20 miles) southwest of the city of Beni. Three deaths occurred in the neighbouring province of Ituri.

Field teams also identified 2,157 "contacts" -- people who may have been in contact with the virus -- according to the health ministry.

WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters on Friday from the UN agency's Geneva headquarters that it "expects more cases".

"We do not know if all the chains of transmission have been identified," he added.

The outbreak is the 10th to strike the DRC since 1976, when Ebola was first identified and named after a river in the north of the country.

Ebola has long been considered incurable, though swift isolation and the rapid treatment of symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration has helped some patients to survive.

The quest for a vaccine grew increasingly urgent during an Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,300 people in the West African states of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2013-15.
In eight years of bailout programs, Greece has received 241.6 billion euros ($281.92 billion).

In June, Athens obtained some relief on its debt repayments, which included a 10-year extension in maturities related to its second bailout program, as well as a 10-year deferral on interest payments.

The European Commission  the EU's executive arm  sent its congratulations to Athens Monday as the government ended years of financial assistance. But there was an important footnote to the message: stick to responsible policies.

"Today we celebrate the end of a very long and difficult journey and I would like to commend the Greek people on their perseverance and resourcefulness," European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told CNBC via email.

"What matters now is to build on this achievement by sticking to sound fiscal and economic policies. This is the way to strengthen confidence in the Greek economy, reap the fruits of reforms, support job creation and attract more investment," Dombrovskis added.

Greece concluded its third consecutive financial rescue on Monday , putting an end to eight years of austerity measures and financial disbursements from Europe. The current Greek government, led by the leftist Syriza party, came to power in 2015. Prior to signing a new bailout with the European authorities  the third in the wake of the euro zone sovereign debt crisis  Syriza vowed to end austerity and to receive debt forgiveness from its creditors.

But three years down the line, Syriza is only celebrating the end of the bailout program because it implemented hundreds of austerity measures that the European authorities demanded in exchange for additional funding.

George Papaconstantinou, former finance minister of Greece, told CNBC's "Street Signs" Monday: "I am afraid the answer is not very encouraging yet. If you look at the spreads in the 10-year government bond today, it is not much better when Greece lost access to markets in April 2010."

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He added that the next catalyst for a crisis in Greece is if the current government, or the one after, goes back on the economic commitments.

Some analysts have argued that now that Greece is back standing on its own feet , there are risks that the government will approve more populist measures, including raising salaries and pensions. This risk could become more prominent ahead of a general election next year and with the opposition party, New Democracy, currently ahead in the opinion polls.

"Greece has turned around its economy, which is a major achievement. Now it has to continue to work to put its debt trajectory on the downward path," Dombrovskis told CNBC.

Greece's public debt stands at about 180 percent of gross domestic product. In eight years of bailout programs, Greece has received 241.6 billion euros ($281.92 billion).

"This (approach) will lead to a positive change in the way markets perceive Greece and, correspondingly, reduce debt servicing costs. In this regard, staying the course of sound fiscal and economic policies will be key," Dombrovskis said.

The yield on the 10-year Greek sovereign bond has been quite sensitive to domestic events this year, but more so to external issues such as the Italian elections. It was trading at about 4.33 percent at around 8 a.m. London time on Monday  mostly unchanged to the bailout news as market players had already priced in the end of the program.

In June, Athens obtained some relief on its debt repayments, which included a 10-year extension in maturities related to its second bailout program, as well as a 10-year deferral on interest payments.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said at the time that thanks to this set of measures, Greek debt repayments are not a problem in the medium term. But, in the long run the IMF has doubts about the sustainability of Greece's debt.

Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe," Rolf Strauch, chief European economist at the European Stability Mechanism (ESM)  the largest lender to Greece, said the overall direction of the program was right, but it takes a while to see the economic benefits.

He added that Greece is currently enjoying a "reasonable territory" when it comes to financial markets, but "it is up to the Greek authorities to convince markets."





More From CNBC


On Who Is America?, Sacha Baron Cohen, as ex-convict Rick Sherman, took a break from humiliating politicians and set his sights on food critic Bill Jilla of DinnerReviews.com. Cohen convinced Jilla that in China, people can donate flesh the same as they would organs. Jillas disgust was all over his face when Cohen set the dish down, saying, This is a fillet of vegetarian-fed Chinese dissident and a cauliflower puree. Despite believing it was human flesh, Jilla took a bite  and loved it.

Mmm. Butter. Its like butter-soft, Jilla said. Who needs a knife? Its melting on my palate. I do not even need to chew it.

Cohen went on to tell Jilla that dissidents in China are kept in very narrow spaces and that they become fatty over the years. Cohen then told him that the young man he was eating had been Chun Fi Lao and that his family would be honored to know that such a respected westerner was enjoying their son. He then asked Jilla to record a message for them. As ridiculous as that sounds, Jilla bit again. He looked directly into the camera and said, To the Lao family, thank you very much. Its truly an honor and pleasure. This is Chun Fis loin that Im enjoying very much.

As if telling a family how delicious their sons loin is isnt creepy enough, how about eating while making what would amount to eye contact with the family? After thanking Cohen and repeating that the dish was melting on his palate, Jilla looked directly into the camera and took another bite.

How does Chun Fi taste? Cohen asked. Superb, Jilla replied.

Who Is America? airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime.

Watch Sacha Baron Cohen trick Joe Arpaio into making startling admissions:

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Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Several former intelligence officials have come to the defense of former CIA Director John Brennan, whose security clearance was revoked last week as part of what seems to be an effort by President Donald Trump to retaliate against his critics.

Brennan has been very outspoken against Trump, saying the president is drunk on power, dangerous, and has committed acts not short of treasonous. As a result, the administration and its supporters have focused on the style of the former directors rhetoric  the White House cited Brennans erratic conduct  and shucked its meaning.

Retired Gen. James Clapper, who was director of national intelligence under President Barack Obama, told CNNs Jake Tapper on Sunday that Brennans bluntness shouldnt overshadow his message.

John is sort of like a freight train and hes going to say whats on his mind, Clapper said. I think, though, that the common denominator among all of us that have been speaking up is genuine concern about the jeopardy or threats to our institutions and values, although we may express that in different ways.

Lisa Monaco, Obamas homeland security adviser, agreed that Brennans very pointed criticism of Trump was rooted in the presidents own actions, including Trumps disastrous summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki in July.

He was really commenting on how stunning it was to him as a decadeslong national security veteran and intelligence professional to see the president stand up in Helsinki next to our main adversary  President Putin  and not challenge him, not call him out for the attack on our democracy, she said.

On Fox News Sunday, retired Adm. Mike Mullen expressed similar concerns.

I worry what [Brennan is] saying now puts him in a much more politicized position, said Mullen, who headed up the Joint Chiefs of Staff under presidents George W. Bush and Obama. But he added that he doesnt agree with the presidents decision to revoke Brennans clearance.

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Trumps pulling of clearances reminded him of the enemies lists of President Richard Nixon and the red-baiting Sen. Joe McCarthy, Mullen said.

Admiral Mike Mullen (ret), Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff tells Chris pulling security clearances is reminiscent of Nixon and McCarthy eras: pic.twitter.com/3nh5rHyZyU  FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) August 19, 2018

Back on CNN, Tapper also asked the panel about a Washington Post op-ed written by retired Adm. William McRaven, who oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. In it, the admiral said he would be honored to have Trump revoked his security clearance if that meant he would be added to the list of people who have spoken out against the president.

Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the CIA and National Security Agency, said hed be fine being included in that group as well.

Frankly, if his not revoking my clearance gave the impression that I somehow moved my commentary in a direction more acceptable to the White House, I would find that very disappointing and frankly unacceptable, he told Tapper.

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden on Trump threatening to revoke more security clearances: If his not revoking my clearance gave the impression that Ive somehow moved my commentary in a direction more acceptable to the White House, I would find that very disappointing pic.twitter.com/xF53xLm9ue  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 19, 2018

He went on to say that McRavens op-ed placed the security clearance issue in a broader context, adding that the attacks on Brennan are the additional straw thats breaking the camels back.

Our complaint is not just about this, Hayden said. Its about the whole tone, tenor and behavior of the administration.

Related Coverage

John Brennan Says Trump's 'No Collusion' Claims Are 'Hogwash'

John Brennan: Trump Is 'Drunk On Power'  And Dangerous

Trump Blasts Former CIA Director John Brennan As 'Loudmouth' After Latest Attack

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Tehran (AFP) - French energy giant Total has officially quit its multi-billion-dollar gas project in Iran, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on Monday, following the reimposition of US sanctions.

"Total has officially left the agreement for the development of phase 11 of South Pars (gas field)," he told parliament's news agency ICANA, adding that it had been more than two months since the French firm announced it would leave.

Zanganeh also appeared before parliament to underline the dire state of Iran's oil and gas facilities, which he said were "worn out" and in need of renovation that Iran could not afford.

The United States said in May that it was abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions on Iran in two phases in August and November, with the second targeting the country's vital oil and gas sector.

"Total has notified the Iranian authorities of its withdrawal from the contract following the 60-day deadline for obtaining a potential waiver from the US authorities," the group told AFP.

"Despite the backing of the French and European authorities such a waiver could not have been obtained," it said.

The other parties to the nuclear deal -- Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia -- have vowed to stay in the accord but their companies risk huge penalties if they keep doing business in Iran.

The French firm signed up in July 2017 for the $4.8 billion (4.1 billion euro) project to develop the field off Iran's southern coast, as the lead partner alongside the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Iran's Petropars.

It was meant to bring state-of-the-art technology to create the pressure needed to tap the gas field, which Iran could then replicate for surrounding fields where pressure has been declining.

Total was due to make an initial $1 billion investment, but the company said in May that it had spent less than 40 million euros on the project to date, as uncertainty over US actions mounted.

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The company would have been highly vulnerable to US penalties for remaining in Iran.

It has $10 billion of capital employed in its US assets, and US banks are involved in 90 percent of its financing operations, Total said in May.

- Technology needed -

Zanganeh said the process to find a replacement for Total was underway.

But it is unlikely that CNPC or Iran's own firms can take over the project, said Homayoun Falakshahi, an energy analyst for Wood Mackenzie in London.

"The technology Total was hoping to implement would have been world-first, using electricity to compress the gas," he told AFP.

"The other complication is that it needs huge platforms. Iran can build 5,000- to 7,000-tonne platforms. This would have been 20,000 tonnes," he added.

In its statement to AFP, Total said it had "not been informed of an official CNPC position, but as we have always said, CNPC, a Chinese state-owned company, has the right to resume our participation if it decides so".

CNPC was suspended from the project once before, in 2011, for failing to make progress.

The urgent need for investment to upgrade Iran's dilapidated energy infrastructure was a key motivator behind its decision to join the 2015 nuclear deal.

Zanganeh appeared in parliament on Monday to answer questions on safety concerns following a number of recent fires at refineries.

"A big part of the oil industry has been worn out and the necessary renovation has not taken place," he told parliament, according to the official IRNA news agency.

He said there were 10 cases per day of tubes perforating in Iran's southern facilities, and that some refineries were up to 80 years old, "whereas the useful life of an industrial unit is 30 years".

"We have no resources for renovating them," he added.

But some conservatives in Iran oppose foreign involvement in the strategic energy sector, and have frustrated plans to develop attractive investment contracts.

As a result, the Total deal was the only major investment project finalised after the nuclear deal came into force.

The only other deal was a smaller project with Russia's Zarubezhneft, worth 600 million euros, to develop two oil fields in western Iran.
By Tim Reid WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A plan to close most polling places in a predominantly black Georgia county ahead of Novembers elections is drawing opposition from the state's gubernatorial candidates and voting rights activists, who deem it blatant voter suppression. The two-member local elections board is expected to vote on Friday on a proposal to shutter seven of nine polling sites in rural Randolph County, located in southwest Georgia, where roughly 60 percent of the 7,800 residents are black. The board members have said the voting sites violate federal disabilities law because they are not wheelchair accessible. Both Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee who is seeking to become the first female African-American governor in U.S. history, and Republican candidate Brian Kemp, who is white and serves as Georgia's secretary of state, urged county officials to drop the plan. "Although state law gives localities broad authority in setting precinct boundaries and polling locations, we strongly urged local officials to abandon this effort and focus on preparing for a secure, accessible, and fair election for voters this November," Kemp said in a statement. Todd Black, the countys elections director, did not respond on Monday to calls or an email seeking comment. Black is white and the other board member is African-American, according to Sean Young, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, who attended the boards meeting on Thursday when the closure proposal was discussed. Voting rights could become a flashpoint in the governors race, as Abrams seeks to turn out more African-American voters in the states rural areas, particularly in a series of counties known as the Black Belt mostly south of Atlanta. In the past, she has criticized Kemp as an architect of voter suppression tactics, an accusation he has denied. "Every Georgian in every county deserves to have their voice represented at the voting booth and in our government," said Abrams, a former Democratic House minority leader in Georgias legislature and founder of the New Georgia Project, a voting rights group. Kemp has accused that group of voter fraud, which it denied. The Washington-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law on Sunday sent a letter to the Randolph County elections board threatening to sue if the closures go ahead. We are deeply troubled by this proposal which would impair the ability of African-Americans, particularly in low-income areas, to reach the polls, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee, said in a telephone interview on Monday. Clarke said some of the proposed closures are in areas with little or no public transportation, leaving voters miles from voting sites with no realistic way of reaching them. (Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Bill Trott)
BERLIN (AP)  A Turkish court has ruled that German journalist Mesale Tolu can leave the country, eight months after being released from prison during a trial on terror-related charges.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday that the decision, taken a few weeks ago but only made public now, is "a step toward improving our relations with Turkey."

But he added that "it is also clear that this cannot remain the only step," pointing to at least seven other cases in which German citizens are detained in Turkey for what Berlin considers political reasons. Tolu's case has been one of several that have soured German-Turkish relations over the past two years.

A group that has campaigned for Tolu said that a court lifted conditions imposed on her after her release but that an exit ban on her husband, Suat Corlu, who has faced similar charges in the same proceedings, wasn't lifted.

Those restrictions had been put in place by an Istanbul court last December. Though it said Tolu could go free, it barred her from leaving Turkey and required her to report to authorities at regular intervals.

Tolu has been charged with engaging in terrorist propaganda and being a member of a banned left-wing group, the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party. She rejects the accusations. There has been no verdict yet in the trial.

Though relations between Germany and Turkey have been strained, Berlin has made clear its desire to see an economically stable and prosperous Turkey, which has been grappling with a currency crisis heightened by tensions with the U.S. over the case of a detained American pastor.

Over the weekend, the leader of Germany's junior governing party raised the possibility of some kind of German help.

"A situation could arise in which Germany has to help Turkey, independently of the political disputes with President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan," Andrea Nahles of the center-left Social Democrats was quoted as telling the Funke newspaper group. She noted that Turkey is a NATO partner.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, gave that a cautious response.

"The question ... of German aid for Turkey does not currently arise for the German government," he told reporters Monday. Asked about the possibility of an International Monetary Fund package, Seibert said that seeking one is always a matter for the country concerned and the finance ministry said it didn't come up in a conversation between the German and Turkish finance ministers last week.

Erdogan is scheduled to make a state visit to Berlin Sept. 28-29. Ahead of that, Turkey's finance, transport and trade ministers will hold talks in Germany on Sept. 21, finance ministry spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
Istanbul (AFP) - A German journalist and translator who is on trial in Turkey on terror-related charges said Monday that Turkish authorities had lifted her overseas travel ban.

"The reports about the lifting of my exit ban are correct," Mesale Tolu wrote on Twitter.

"I would like to thank my supporters and all those who sympathised with me and stood by my side to win my freedom."

An Istanbul court in December had conditionally released Tolu, 34, who was held for over half a year on charges of membership of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), which is banned in Turkey as a terror organisation.

Under that ruling, she had to report to the authorities every week and could not leave Turkey.

With the latest verdict, she will be allowed to leave the country.

However Tolu wrote on Twitter that the next hearing in her trial is scheduled for October 16. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison.

In February, an Istanbul court ordered the conditional release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel after receiving an indictment from prosecutors seeking a prison sentence of up to 18 years.

The latest court ruling on Tolu comes amid a thaw in Turkish-German relations after months of sharp tensions.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he was relieved by the "good news" that Tolu would be allowed to travel and called it "a step forward in improving our relationship with Turkey".

But he added in a statement that more steps must follow and said that "we continue to view critically many rule-of-law issues in Turkey and are addressing these openly with our Turkish counterparts".

"This applies in particular to ongoing detention cases: At present, at least seven Germans are being detained for reasons that are politically motivated and incomprehensible to us."

Turkey has in recent days turned to Europe against a backdrop of escalating tensions with its NATO ally the United States over the holding by Ankara of an American pastor.

An Istanbul court last Wednesday allowed the release of Amnesty International's Turkey chair Taner Kilic, who spent more than a year in jail over alleged links to a 2016 coup bid.

Also, two Greek soldiers held by Turkey since March for illegally crossing the border were also freed in a move warmly welcomed by Athens.
Donald Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani said the 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between the then-candidates oldest son and a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin was arranged to seek information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about, about Clinton, Giuliani said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. It turned out to be a meeting about another subject, and it was not pursued at all.

Giulianis comment was consistent with a tweet by Trump on Aug. 5 that the gathering had been arranged to get information on an opponent, contradicting the previous reason given for the meeting. He didnt mention Clinton by name.

Fake News reporting, a complete fabrication, that I am concerned about the meeting my wonderful son, Donald, had in Trump Tower. This was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics - and it went nowhere. I did not know about it!

 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2018

Like Trump, who characterized the meeting as totally legal and done all the time, Giuliani suggested the action had been routine. If someone said, I have information about your opponent, you would take that meeting.

If this is their case for collusion, good luck Mueller, Giuliani said of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading a probe into Russian interference in the U.S. election. It is illegal for a U.S. political campaign to accept help from a foreign individual or government.

Russian Adoption

The rationale used by Trump and now by Giuliani contradicts a statement the president helped craft in 2017, which said the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya had been arranged to discuss U.S. policies for adopting Russian children.

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Giuliani joined Trumps legal team in April. The mid-2016 meeting was attended by Paul Manafort, then chairman of Trumps presidential campaign; Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and several Russians, including Veselnitskaya, and their representatives, as well as Donald Trump Jr.

The former New York mayor said the Trump team didnt know Veselnitskaya was Russian before the meeting and didnt think she represented the Russian government.

Giuliani also said on NBC and in a separate appearance on Foxs Sunday Morning Futures that Trump has nothing to fear about what White House counsel Donald McGahn told Mueller. The New York Times reported this weekend that McGahn gave voluntary interviews totaling some 30 hours over nine months.

We are confident that he said nothing wrong about the president, Giuliani said on Fox, suggesting that McGahn would have resigned if he had. Giuliani also said on NBC that former Trump lawyer John Dowd has said McGahn was a strong witness for the president.

Truth Isnt Truth

Trumps legal team is still weighing up whether to allow the president to be interviewed by the special counsel. Giuliani said Mueller is desperate to find something to charge Trump with, and that Im not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury.

The former New York mayor also had an exchange with Meet the Press host Chuck Todd in which he said truth isnt truth when it comes to two people telling different stories.

Its somebodys version of the truth, Giuliani said.

If Mueller tries to issue a subpoena to Trump before the midterm elections in November, the presidents team will accuse him of trying to interfere because he could have acted sooner, Giuliani said on NBC.

Time for Mueller investigation to file report, Giuliani said Saturday on Twitter. We will release ours. Dont interfere with election.
By Ece Toksabay and Tulay Karadeniz ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish authorities detained two men suspected of shooting at the U.S. Embassy in the capital Ankara on Monday, in an attack that coincides with increased tensions between the two NATO allies over the trial of a U.S. pastor in Turkey. Nobody was hurt in the attack, which President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman condemned as an attempt "to create chaos". The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it had increased security for the embassy and other U.S. missions and employees in Turkey. The assailants fired six bullets at an embassy security gate from a passing white vehicle around 0530 a.m. local time (0230 GMT), three bullets hitting an iron door and a window, the Ankara governor's office said. It issued another statement on Monday evening saying two men in their late 30s had been detained and a vehicle and pistol seized and that the men had confessed to the shooting. It said both suspects had criminal records and their links were being investigated. The embassy is closed this week for a public holiday to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival. "We can confirm a security incident took place at the U.S. Embassy early this morning. We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details," said David Gainer, the embassy spokesman. "We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response." Video footage from broadcaster Haberturk showed police teams inspecting one of the entrances to the embassy and apparent damage caused by a gunshot could be seen in one window. It said empty cartridges were found at the scene. "This is a clear attempt to create chaos," Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter. "Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions are under the guarantee of the laws." The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have in the past been the targets of attacks by militants and have faced numerous security threats. Relations between Turkey and the United States have become increasingly strained in recent weeks, with tit-for-tat tariffs imposed partly due to the trial of a U.S. Christian pastor, Andrew Brunson. The diplomatic rift has exacerbated Turkey's economic woes, putting additional pressure on the lira currency, which has lost nearly 40 percent against the dollar since the start of the year. (Additional reporting by Sarah Dadouch, Mert Ozkan and Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Immigration agents in California on Wednesday detained a man who was accompanying his pregnant wife to the hospital to deliver a baby, saying he had an arrest warrant for homicide in Mexico.

Maria del Carmen Venegas said she had to drive herself to the hospital for a scheduled Caesarean section after her husband, Joel Arrona Lara, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, the Associated Press reports.

My husband needs to be here, Venegas told CBS Los Angeles after giving birth to a baby boy. He had to wait for his son for so long, and someone just took him away.

The couple was approached by ICE agents asking to see identification when they stopped at a San Bernardino gas station on their way to the hospital Wednesday, Venegas told CBS. Venegas showed her ID when asked, but the couple reportedly told the ICE agents that Arrona did not have his with him. The agents then searched the couples car and took Arrona into custody, Venegas told CBS.

Venegas, who can be seen sobbing in gas station surveillance footage, confirmed that her husband, who is from Mexico, has been living in the U.S. illegally for 12 years, according to AP.

ICE representatives confirmed in a statement provided to TIME that Arrona had been taken into custody, and that agents were confident Venegas  who they said was driving prior to the gas station stop  could take herself to the hospital.

Mr. Arrona-Lara, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, was taken into custody Wednesday by ICE Fugitive Operations Team officers in San Bernardino, Calif, the statement reads. Mr. Arrona-Lara is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

The ICE statement said that Arrona-Lara had an arrest warrant from Mexico, which led to his detainment.

Mr. Arrona-Lara was brought to ICEs attention due to an outstanding warrant issued for his arrest in Mexico on homicide charges. The statement adds, All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.

Venegas, a mother of five, told CBS that the family will hire a lawyer to advocate for her husbands release.

This story has been updated to reflect ICEs latest statement.
A Cuban girl waits with her asylum-seeking family on the Mexican side of the Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge near Brownsville, Texas, on July 2. The family had been denied entry into the U.S. (Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters)

Grace, an indigenous woman from Guatemala, came to the United States this summer to flee an abusive partner who, over the course of their 22-year relationship, regularly beat and threatened to kill her and her children, even after she tried to leave him. He sexually assaulted both Grace (not her real name) and her daughter, and once beat her daughter so badly while she was pregnant that she had a miscarriage. Graces abuser has two sons from a previous relationship who are members of a powerful gang and, in recent years, have joined their father in terrorizing Grace. The police offered her no protection, but instead cooperated in evicting her from her home when her abuser fraudulently claimed her title. The gang to which her abusers sons belong has networks across Guatemala, leading Grace to fear she would not be safe anywhere in the country.

Grace is one of nine plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in federal court earlier this month by the ACLU and the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, which is challenging what it calls the Trump administrations gutting of asylum protections for immigrants fleeing domestic violence and gang brutality.

According to the lawsuit, Grace and the other plaintiffs, who fled similar situations in Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador, were all found to have testified credibly. That means that government officers, who are trained to assess whether asylum seekers have a credible fear of returning to their home country, affirmed that they believed these men and women were telling the truth about what theyd experienced. But under a new and controversial interpretation of immigration law imposed this year by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, being credibly afraid for ones life is not, by itself, enough to qualify for asylum in the United States.

These are all folks who should be passing, said Cody Wofsy, an attorney with the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project and a member of the legal team behind this latest lawsuit. Officers believed what they were saying, but under the new policies, your experiences  rapes, beatings, death threats  dont qualify you for asylum.

Story continues

Slideshow: Violence, poverty and politics: Why Hondurans are escaping to the U.S.>>>

Had these asylum seekers arrived in the U.S. just a few months earlier, Wofsy says, theyd have surely passed the credible fear test and would be on their way to pursuing a formal asylum claim in immigration court. Instead, some have already been quickly deported back to the countries where they said they feared for their lives, while others, including Grace, await a similar fate inside ICE detention facilities.

This, Wofsy and his colleagues argue, is the result of several new policies and directives that, taken together, their effect is to distort the credible fear process beyond recognition.

In order to understand the changes being made and why they matter, its important to know a few key things about how the system was set up to work in the first place.

A woman from the Mexican state of Michoacan waits with her daughter as names are read off a list of people who will cross into the United States to begin the process of applying for asylum, on July 26 near the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP)

Who is eligible for asylum in the U.S.? What are the specific criteria one must meet in order to obtain asylum?

Asylum protections are available to people from anywhere in the world who meet the definition of a refugee promulgated by the U.N refugee agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence and is either unable or unwilling to return home owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

In practical terms, refugee and asylum status are largely interchangeable. A key difference is that a refugee must apply from abroad, but federal law requires that a person be physically present in the U.S. to pursue a claim for asylum. Hence, the first step in seeking asylum in this country is getting here. But, as it clearly states on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, You may apply for asylum status regardless of how you arrived in the United States or your current immigration status.

In other words, people who came to the country outside regular channels are specifically permitted by law to seek asylum.

Another key difference between asylum and refugee status is that U.S. law requires the president to impose a cap on the number of refugees who may be admitted to the country each year, while asylum grants are not subject to any sort of annual limit. Since entering the White House, however, President Trump and his administration have taken steps to drastically restrict access to both avenues of protection for vulnerable populations.

Asylum seekers wait on the Mexican side of the Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge on July 25 after being denied entry by ICE officers. (Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters)

Who is the typical asylum seeker to the U.S.? How has that profile changed since asylum laws were passed?

Though the international agreements that form the basis of American asylum law did not emerge until after World War II, the concept of displaced people fleeing violence and persecution is as old as humankind.

But as political movements, global conflicts and societal norms have changed and evolved over time, so too have legal standards for receiving protection.

This evolution is reflected in the history of U.S. asylum laws, which were initially tailored to accommodate specific groups in need of refuge at the time. The 1948 Displaced Persons Act allowed hundreds of thousands of Europeans fleeing political or religious persecution after World War II to resettle in the U.S. During the 1950s, Congress acted to extend asylum protections to people beyond post-war Europe, though subsequent Cold War-era legislation largely reserved refugee status for people fleeing communist countries like the Soviet Union, North Korea, China or Cuba, or repressive Middle East regimes.

In 1980, Congress passed the U.S. Refugee Act, which is still in force. It was a comprehensive revision of federal immigration law that established a legal definition of refugee in accordance with the United Nations and set up a standardized but flexible process meant to address different humanitarian concerns and the ever-evolving demographics of the worlds refugees.

Isabela, an asylum seeker from El Salvador, hugs her 17-year-old daughter, Dayana, on July 11 outside the federally contracted shelter Casa Esperanza in Brownsville, Texas. They had been separated earlier at the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo: Carlos Barri/Reuters)

What does credible fear mean? How is it established?

There are two ways to seek asylum in the United States: affirmatively and defensively. The affirmative process requires first submitting an application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within one year of arriving in the country, followed by fingerprinting and a background check and, finally, an in-person interview, generally lasting one to two hours, with an asylum officer who will determine whether the applicant meets the definition of a refugee and is eligible for asylum. Applicants may bring an attorney to the interview, as well as any witnesses to testify on their behalf. If an applicant is unable to speak English, it is up to him or her to bring an interpreter to the interview.

The defensive process involves requesting asylum as a defense against deportation in immigration court, a much more adversarial, trial-like procedure in which an immigration judge hears arguments from both the asylum seeker (who may obtain a lawyer but is not provided one) and an attorney from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on behalf of the government.

Individuals who are deemed ineligible for asylum through the affirmative process are referred to an immigration judge by USCIS and given one more chance to make their case in a defensive hearing before they can be deported. Others either wind up in the defensive process because they were caught inside the U.S. in violation of their immigration status or were apprehended while trying to enter the country without proper documentation and placed into expedited removal proceedings.

That last scenario is where the concept of credible fear comes into play. In 1996, Congress established the expedited removal process to enable low-level immigration officers to quickly deport certain noncitizens without going through full immigration court proceedings. The process has primarily been used for people arriving at the border without proper documentation  including those who present themselves to border officials at a U.S. port of entry  and those caught within 100 miles of the Canadian or Mexican borders less than two weeks after entering the country illegally.

Recognizing that the population of people subject to expedited removal would likely include a certain number of potential asylum seekers, lawmakers were careful to carve out a mechanism in the 1996 law to ensure that the U.S. did not inadvertently send people back to face persecution, violence or possibly death without first giving them the opportunity to pursue an asylum claim.

Under that provision, border officials must ask undocumented immigrants encountered at or near the border whether they fear persecution if returned to their home country. If the answer is yes, the immigrant is referred to a USCIS asylum officer for a credible fear screening interview, a preliminary process that typically lasts less than an hour and is now often conducted over the phone. It is meant to determine just if a person has a well-founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group  a standard of proof affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1987.

A great deal hinges on the definition of a particular social group.

By statute, the credible fear process is meant to be a minimal threshold screening process, not meant to be a full-on asylum interview, Victoria Neilson, a senior attorney with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. and a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Asylum Committee.

Those found to have a credible fear of persecution or harm in their home country are then placed in regular deportation proceedings and will eventually be able to pursue their asylum case before an immigration judge. (Under the previous administration, they were generally paroled out of detention until their case was called  which could take several years.) Those deemed not to have a credible fear will be ordered deported, but they are first given the chance to appeal the asylum officers decision before an immigration judge, who can halt an expedited removal by overturning an officers negative credible fear finding.

For all the complications and roadblocks it imposes, the expedited removal process hasnt deterred people from seeking asylum in the U.S. From fiscal year 2009 to fiscal year 2016, the number of credible fear cases completed by the Customs and Immigration Service went from 5,523 to 92,071  an all-time high. Applications declined to just under 80,000 in the next 12 months, but the rate appears to have picked up since then. In the nine months ending June 30, USCIS received 73,283 cases.

A 17-year-old Honduran mother seeking asylum waits with her 2-year-old son on the Mexican side of the Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge after being denied entry to the U.S. on July 2. (Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters)

How has the credible fear process changed under the Trump administration?

In the name of preventing fraud, the Trump administration has taken several steps to restrict access to asylum. Following Trumps January 2017 executive order on Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, John Lafferty, head of the USCIS Asylum Division, released updated lesson plans for asylum officers conducting credible-fear screenings. Among the revisions was the elimination of a section discussing ICEs authority to grant discretionary parole to asylum seekers who passed the credible fear interview and were not considered a security threat or at risk of becoming fugitives. Hardliners, including Attorney General Sessions, have at least partially attributed the surge in credible fear claims to this Obama-era policy, which went into effect in January 2010. Previously, in order to be released from ICE custody pending a full immigration court hearing, asylum seekers were required to submit requests for parole in writing.

In January, USCIS director L. Francis Cissna announced that the agency would be switching to a last in, first out system of prioritizing most recent affirmative asylum applications in an effort to deter illegitimate applicants looking to exploit the backlog and long wait times as a means of obtaining work in the U.S. Simply submitting an asylum application is not an automatic license to work in the U.S., but applicants do become eligible for work authorization either once asylum has been granted or if more than 150 days have passed without receiving an initial response to their application.

So far, the most significant changes have come not from USCIS but by the Justice Department and specifically Sessions, who has wholeheartedly embraced the uniquely broad authority he wields over the immigration court system. In a foreshadowing speech at the Justice Departments Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) last October, Sessions outlined his vision for reshaping the asylum process to cut down on what he described as rampant abuse and fraud of the system, including his desire to expand the use of expedited removal and to elevate the threshold standard of proof in credible fear interviews.

ICE detainees arrive at federal prison in Victorville, Calif., on June 8. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Reuters)

The red flags really started to fly for immigration attorneys, advocates and judges alike when Sessions took it upon himself to review, and potentially undo, a handful of precedent-setting rulings by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)  an appointed body consisting largely of former immigration judges and Justice Department attorneys that has the last word on an immigrants status, save only the attorney general himself  that dealt with issues ranging from general court procedures and the limits of judges discretion to, crucially, the kinds of claims that qualify an applicant for asylum.

In early March, Sessions had vacated a 2014 BIA decision that all asylum seekers are entitled to a hearing before an immigration judge can reject their case.

But the policy change that directly affected Grace and the other plaintiffs came in a case known as the Matter of A-B-. A-B- was a woman from El Salvador who was fleeing years of physical and emotional abuse by her ex-husband. Taking into account the womans own testimony and evidence, the State Departments Human Rights Report on El Salvador describing violence against women as a widespread and serious problem and the governments efforts to combat it as minimally effective, the board ruled in 2016 that the woman had been subjected to violence as a result of her membership to a distinct social group, defined as: El Salvadoran women who are unable to leave their domestic relationships where they have children in common.

In taking up this case, Sessions made clear that his interest extended well beyond this one particular womans fate; hed chosen to review the BIA decision to address the broader question of whether being a victim of private criminal activity constitutes a cognizable particular social group for purposes of an application for asylum.

A little more than three months later, he gave his answer.

Carla Provost, then acting chief and now chief of Border Patrol, and four others are sworn in to testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration enforcement and family reunification on July 31. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Right as public outrage was beginning to boil over the administrations separation of migrant families at the southwest border  the expected result of Sessionss zero tolerance policy to criminally prosecute all undocumented border crossers, including asylum seekers  the attorney general announced his decision to reverse the BIA ruling in the Matter of A-B-. In a written opinion that experts predicted would have a devastating impact on the thousands of families fleeing pervasive violence in Central America, he declared that, generally, claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence or gang violence perpetrated by nongovernmental actors will not qualify for asylum.

Immigration-rights advocates denounced the attorney generals decision as both cruel, and, as Neilson put it, disingenuous about what the situation is in Central America.

Most of the people Ive spoken with from Central America are really fearing for their lives, and there is no functioning government that they can turn to for protection, she said.

If you look at our State Department travel warnings for each of the northern triangle countries, they will tell you that the law enforcement institutions of those countries are broken and unable to protect even their own nationals, said former USCIS director Leon Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who served as the head of USCIS under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017, said theres no question that there are people who attempt to game the system. But as for whether asylum fraud is really the epidemic that Sessions and others suggest, Rodriguez said, Im pretty confident the answer is no. These folks are all pretty damn desperate.

By the time Sessions issued his highly anticipated decision in the Matter of A-B-, findings of credible fear by immigration judges had already begun to fall. According to an analysis of court records obtained by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC, at Syracuse University from January to June of this year, the rate of positive credible fear findings by immigration judges had sunk to just 14.7 percent  half the level that had remained steady over the last six months of 2017.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department told Yahoo News We dont comment on TRAC data since they dont publish their methodology or analysis, but added that DOJ cannot instruct immigration judges to rule any certain way.

Judge Dana Leigh Marks, a San Francisco-based immigration judge and president emeritus of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said that many [judges] feel the proposed case quotas are contributing to a higher denial rate of both credible fear and other applications before the immigration court.

In addition to the quotas and other pressures, Marks also cited Sessionss reversal of the A-B- decision as having an impact on judges credible fear rulings, even though data only goes through June. She pointed out that the influence of the decision on the credible fear process is dependent on an asylum seekers nationality and the nature of his or her claims, and predicted that as long as people fleeing violence in Central America continue to flock to the U.S.-Mexico border in large numbers, credible fear grants will continue to go down.

Marks said the drop in credible fear findings was a predictable outcome of Sessionss decision, which will primarily affect Central American migrants crossing the southern border. Someone coming from a country like India or Nepal where their cases are generally much more political-opinion based, those nationality groups are going to have much more straightforward asylum claims, she said. If we have a surge of Central American groups, as we have, it makes sense that the proportion of denials is going to rise.

The administration has also taken steps to tighten the rules at the first stage of the process, before cases ever get to a judge. On July 11, USCIS issued new guidance to asylum officers for processing reasonable fear and asylum claims in light of the attorney generals decision on A-B-. How that change will play out is uncertain. The latest data from USCIS indicates that, at least before the new guidance was issued on July 11, credible fear claims received by asylum officers had not encountered the same fate as those considered in court. In fact, the most recent numbers released by the agency, which also go through June, show no significant changes in the rate of credible fear findings so far this fiscal year, even as credible fear claims are on the rise.

Aura, 13, an asylum seeker from Guatemala traveling with her father, waits on the Mexican side of the Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge after being denied entry by ICE on July 25. (Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters)

Though the statistics dont yet reflect the new policy changes, anecdotal reports, including those referenced in the ACLUs lawsuit, suggest that the impact of the new guidance is already being felt on the border.

I think the thing to understand about these policies is theyre part of a broader pattern, and part of a strategy to really gut our asylum laws and foreclose relief to some of the most vulnerable people in the world, said the ACLUs Wofsy. Its not fair and also exactly not what the system was set up to do.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
By Saad Sayeed ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Dialogue is the only way forward for ties between Pakistan and India, the foreign minister in Islamabad said on Monday, fuelling hopes of a thaw in relations between the arch-foes following Imran Khan's July election victory. Khan, who took office as Pakistani Prime Minister at the weekend, has proposed talks to resolve a long-standing dispute over the Kashmir region. He spoke to Indian premier Narendra Modi by telephone in late July. Speaking ahead of the first meeting of Khan's cabinet, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it was vital to resume talks, which have made little progress in recent years, between the nuclear-armed neighbors who have fought three wars since 1947. "We need a continued and uninterrupted dialogue. This is our only way forward," he told reporters in the capital Islamabad. Qureshi said Modi had written to Khan congratulating him on his victory and suggesting the two countries "open talks". But the ministry later walked back from those remarks, saying Qureshi had referred only to the need for constructive dialogue and not of any Modi offer of talks. An Indian foreign ministry official confirmed Modi wrote to Khan on Saturday and "expressed India's commitment to build good neighborly relations ... and pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of the people of the region". POWERFUL MILITARY Two of the countries' three wars since India was partitioned following the end of British colonial rule in 1947 have been fought over the disputed Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir, where their armies face off other and occasionally exchange fire. India has long accused Pakistan of encouraging separatist Muslim militants fighting Indian rule in the Indian part of Kashmir. The militants occasionally launch bloody attacks in Indian towns and cities. Afghanistan has also for years accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban militants fighting the Indian- and Western-backed Kabul government. Pakistan denies aiding insurgent groups in both Kashmir and Afghanistan. Khan, in his offer to India last month, said Pakistan was ready to respond positively to any effort on dialogue. "If India comes and takes one step toward us, we will take two," said Khan, who had been bellicose towards India while campaigning for last month's election. However, Pakistani security policy is largely determined by its powerful military, not by civilian governments. Its previous civilian government under Nawaz Sharif also sought better ties with India. Hopes soared following a surprise visit by Modi to Sharif in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore in December 2015, the first such visit by an Indian prime minister in more than a decade. But the hopes unraveled weeks later when militants attacked an Indian army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the attack. Pakistan denied that. Sharif was convicted of corruption by an anti-graft court in July and jailed for 10 years, a conviction he is appealing against. The government said on Monday it would bar Sharif from traveling abroad. (Additional reporting by Sanjeev Miglani in New Delhi; Editing by Drazen Jorgic and John Stonestreet)
MATARAM, Indonesia (Reuters) - A series of quakes including a powerful 6.9 magnitude tremor struck the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, killing one person and causing others to rush out of buildings in panic. The quakes, which could be felt on the neighboring island of Bali, came two weeks to the day after another 6.9 earthquake killed 460 people on Lombok. There were no immediate reports of widespread damage or other casualties from the tremors that started in the morning and carried on intermittently into the evening. "I was in a restaurant when the shaking started. The lights went out, they are still out. Everyone is still outside, not going back in, Teddy Aditya, an official at Indonesia's search and rescue agency said from Mataram, the main city in Lombok. "We are urging the public not to panic and to stay away from buildings and big trees. We are also urging them not to believe hoaxes and false information," he told Reuters. One person died in a 6.3 magnitude quake on Sunday morning, disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said via Twitter. Lombok's Mount Rinjani, where hundreds of trekkers were stranded after the July 29 quake, was closed and there were no tourists there, Nugroho added. USGS revised down the biggest tremor in the evening from magnitude 7.2 and estimated the depth at 20 km and the epicenter 4 km south of Belanting in the north east side of Lombok. Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency said there was no risk of a tsunami. In Bali, the latest big quake was felt for a few seconds, rattling windows and furniture. Diamba, a French tourist staying in the resort of Amed on Bali's east coast, said by text message that everyone in his hotel ran out of their rooms after the tremor. Lombok, just east of Bali, the southeast Asian country's most famous tourist destination, has been rocked by a series of quakes and aftershocks since July 29, including a 6.9-magnitude tremor on Aug. 5. Lombok suffered damage running to more than 5 trillion rupiah ($342 million) from the Aug. 5 earthquake, authorities said last week, putting the death toll at more than 430. More than 350,000 people fled their homes after that quake to shelter in government-provided tents or makeshift structures in open fields. Authorities said aid was slow getting to some of the hardest-hit areas as they are remote. (Additional reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor, Fanny Potkin and Tabita Diela; Writing by John Chalmers and Ed Davies; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Andrew Heavens)
Michael Cohen, former personal attorney for President Donald Trump, exits the Loews Regency hotel and walks toward a taxi cab on July 27 in New York City. (Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images)

Investigators probing President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen are focusing on more than $20 million in loans granted to taxi companies owned by the lawyer and his family, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Citing unnamed sources, the paper reported that investigators in New York are determining if Cohen, who is also being investigated for campaign finance violations, misrepresented his net worth to obtain the loans.

They are looking, in part, at a series of loans totaling more than $20 million obtained in December 2014 from Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, the Times reported. Cohen and his family own several taxi medallions in New York, and investigators are also looking into how he reported the income from each business on his taxes.

Cohen, long known as Trumps fixer, was one of the presidents closest allies for more than a decade until an investigation was opened earlier this year to determine if he had violated campaign finance laws by paying women who said they had affairs with Trump in exchange for their silence during the 2016 campaign.

Cohen is also being investigated for possible campaign finance violations related to payments to women who said they had affairs with Donald Trump, including porn actress Stormy Daniels, above. (Photo: EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ via Getty Images)

In April, the FBI raided Cohens home, office and the hotel room where he was staying, obtaining 12 tapes for prosecutors featuring private conversations the former attorney had recorded with his associates. While Cohen argued the tapes were protected under attorney-client privilege, court-appointed special master Barbara S. Jones, a former judge who is overseeing the review of the materials, determined otherwise.

The president has since distanced himself from Cohen, a move that the attorney seems to have responded to by signaling he may be ready to make a deal with special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, in exchange for information.

In an interview with ABC News in July, Cohen said he was putting family and country first. His lawyer also said that Cohen was not seeking a pardon from Trump.

Story continues

Last month, Cohen allowed the release of one of the tapes, in which Trump and the attorney are heard discussing a payment of money to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with the president. Cohen also said that the president knew in advance about the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, in which a Kremlin-linked lawyer offered the campaign damaging information on rival Hillary Clinton. Trump had long maintained that he had no prior knowledge of the meeting.

The Times also reported Sunday that sources said investigators were looking to wrap up the investigation into Cohen by the end of August  and that charges may be near.

Related Coverage

Michael Cohen Not Seeking Pardon From Donald Trump, Attorney Lanny Davis Says

Feds Reportedly Seized More Than 100 Tapes Related To Trump From Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen Says Trump Knew About Trump Tower Meeting With Russians In Advance: CNN

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Tehran (AFP) - Key developments since the United States quit the 2015 Iran nuclear deal three months ago and reimposed sanctions:

- US walks away -

Donald Trump pulls the United States out of the landmark nuclear pact between world powers and Iran on May 8, reinstating Washington's sanctions on Iran and companies with ties to the Islamic republic.

"The Iran deal is defective at its core," he says.

Washington warns other countries to end trade and investment in Iran and stop buying its oil or face punitive measures, and threatens foreign companies from dealing with Tehran.

Iran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applaud the decision.

But other parties to the deal -- Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China -- say Iran has abided by its commitment and that they are determined to save the agreement and ensure continued economic benefits for Iran.

- Threats to resume enrichment -

On May 12 Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran is preparing to resume "industrial-scale" uranium enrichment, which is limited by the accord, unless Europe provides solid guarantees to maintain trade ties reinstated under the deal.

Washington warns on May 21 that Iran will be hit with the "strongest sanctions in history" unless it capitulates to a series of demands aimed at curbing its missile programme.

On May 30 the US places several Iranian state groups on its sanctions blacklist, accusing them of serious human rights abuses and censorship.

On June 4 Iran notifies the International Atomic Energy Agency of the launch of a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity.

- Five powers back deal -

A top US official says on July 2 that Washington is determined to force Iran to change behaviour by cutting its oil exports to zero, confident the world has enough spare oil capacity to cope.

President Hassan Rouhani responds on July 3, saying the United States can never prevent Iran from exporting its oil.

On July 6 Tehran's five remaining partners in the nuclear accord vow in Vienna to back "the continuation of Iran's export of oil and gas".

Story continues

On July 16 EU countries reject the US demand that they economically isolate Tehran and move to give European firms legal cover to operate in Iran.

Iran calls on the UN's top court, the International Court of Justice, to order the United States to immediately lift sanctions, claiming they are causing "irreparable prejudice".

- War of words -

On July 22 Rouhani tells the US it should not "play with the lion's tail" and warns any conflict with Iran would be the "mother of all wars".

Trump responds with an all-caps Twitter tirade warning against making threats to the United States, "OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES".

On July 30, however, Trump says he is ready to meet Iranian leaders "anytime they want" and promises "no preconditions".

"Threats, sanctions & PR stunts won't work," Iran's foreign minister says on Twitter.

- Sanctions and repercussions -

On August 7 Washington reimposes sanctions on Iran, which Trump describes as the "most biting ever".

Within hours German carmaker Daimler says it is halting its business activities in Iran.

On August 14 British group Quercus, an investor in renewable energy, says it too will cease all its activities in the country.

On August 20 Iran's oil minister announces Total is quitting its multi-billion dollar gas project in the country.

It makes the French energy giant the latest in a string of major international companies to pull out, including Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Bahn and Air Liquide.
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it would resist the pressures of U.S. sanctions by relying on its natural and human resources, as Washington pushes allies to cut economic ties with Tehran.

"It is a critical moment for our economy, but we are not in a dead end," Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

"This country has plenty of human and natural resources that can rely on."

"The size of our oil and gas resources is number one in the world. In minerals and metals we are among the top 10 countries, Jahangiri said.

Washington has withdrawn from a deal that had lifted sanctions on Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Sanctions imposed in August target Irans trade in gold and other precious metals, its purchases of U.S. dollars and its car industry.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said a new round of sanctions will be imposed in November, targeting Iranian oil sales.

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week rejected Trumps offer of talks.

Iran's rial currency has lost about half of its value since April, driven mainly by heavy demand for dollars among ordinary Iranians trying to protect their savings.

(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; editing by Andrew Roche)
By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran urged Europe on Monday to speed up efforts to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned in May, saying French oil group Total has formally pulled out a major gas project. Efforts by the remaining signatories - EU members Britain, France and Germany plus China and Russia - to avoid the agreement's collapse are struggling as Washington has said any firms dealing with Teheran will be barred from doing business in the United States. "Europeans and other signatories of the deal have been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow. It should be accelerated," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said. "Iran relies mainly on its own capabilities to overcome America's new sanctions," he told a news conference broadcast on state TV. European states have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal, which Trump said was "deeply flawed". Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran in August, targeting its trade in gold and other precious metals, purchases of U.S. dollars and its car industry. The European powers, China and Russia say they will do more to encourage their businesses to remain engaged with Iran. But the threat of the U.S. sanctions has prompted many major companies to pull out of Iran. Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said France's Total has formally left a contract to develop Iran's South Pars Gas project. "The process to replace (Total) with another company is underway," he was quoted as saying by state TV. Total, which signed the deal in 2017 with an initial investment of $1 billion, confirmed that it had notified the Iranian authorities of its withdrawal from the deal after it failed to obtain a waiver from U.S. sanctions. WARY INVESTORS Iranian officials had earlier suggested that Chinas state-owned CNPC could take over Totals stake in the offshore project. CNPC, which already has a 30 percent stake in the deal, is an experienced onshore oil and gas producer, but is relatively new to offshore drilling. "As for the future of Total's share, we have not been informed of an official CNPC position, but as we have always said, CNPC, a Chinese state-owned company, has the right to resume our participation if it decides so, Total said in an emailed statement. Most of CNPC's experience lies in its subsidiary China Petroleum Offshore Engineering Company (CPOE), which has worked in shallow waters off north China. "Once Total quits, that will trigger CNPC to take over automatically, according to the contract, a senior Chinese industry source with knowledge of the deal told Reuters. But the question is not about if CNPC is going to take over as the operator, but if CNPC could deliver and advance the project without Total. China also faces challenges supplying equipment such as large-scale compressors needed for developing the giant gas project, as leading manufacturers could be barred from supplying to Iran under U.S. sanctions. Carmakers PSA , Renault and Daimler are also among those to suspend or drop plans to invest in Iran along with Deutsche Bahn [DBN.UL] and Deutsche Telekom [DTEGn.DE] Working to maintain financial channels with Tehran and facilitate Iran's oil exports, the European Union has taken steps to counter the renewed U.S. sanctions, including forbidding EU citizens from complying with them or related court rulings. Washington has said Irans only chance of avoiding the sanctions would be to accept Trumps offer to negotiate a tougher nuclear deal. Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected the offer. "We do not want to revisit that nuclear deal. We want the United States to implement that (2015) nuclear deal" Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN on Sunday. The United States will impose tougher sanctions in November which will target Iran's oil sales and banking sector. Iran's rial currency has lost about half of its value since April because of a weak economy, financial difficulties at local banks and heavy demand for dollars among Iranians who fear the effects of sanctions. Under the 2015 deal, most international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for curbs on the country's nuclear program. (Additional reporting by Cyril Altmeyer in Paris,Chen Aizhu in Beijing; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing David Stamp)
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks royal wedding will cost taxpayers an estimated 2 million [Photo: Getty]

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks October 12 wedding is set to cost taxpayers an estimated 2 million  but why isnt Prince Andrew footing the bill?

According to the Daily Mirror, the royal nuptials were expected to weigh in at approximately 750,000 but security measures have since more than doubled costs.

The extra fees will reportedly fund increased police presence due to heightened safety fears and Princess Eugenies planned carriage ride.

Unsurprisingly, the eye-watering price sparked widespread criticism with multiple MPs questioning why the royals father wont pay out of his own back pocket.

From the Duke of Yorks net worth to the price of past royal weddings, heres the regal lowdown.

Royal backlash

Labour MP Chris Williamson was one of the first to speak out against the cost of Princess Eugenies upcoming wedding and questioned why her father was shying away from the bill.

In an interview with Sky News, he further explained: There is no need to have such a glamorous event. Prince Andrew  who is fabulously wealthy with an estimated worth of 65m  should foot the bill himself.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank will tie the knot at St Georges Chapel in Windsor on October 12 2018 [Photo: Getty]

Whos heard of Princess Eugenie anyway? he added. She carries no royal functions, no useful purpose to the public sphere and yet were having to spend this kind of money.

Labour MP for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad, also criticised the price of the nuptials.

In these times of heightened security risks it is irresponsible for a minor member of the royal family to have a high profile, very public wedding, she said. This may be the time to review the role and cost of minor royals.

What is Prince Andrews net worth?

Prince Andrew  who is currently seventh in line to the throne  is reportedly worth 65 million.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson  who is no longer a member of the royal family  is reportedly worth $1 million (approximately 751,000)  partially courtesy of two autobiographies and a string of television appearances.

Despite divorcing over two decades ago, the former couple also invested in a 13 million chalet in Verbier together back in 2015.

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Following their split in 1996, it is believed that their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, received a large sum of money as a consequence.

Princess Eugenie, who works as an associate director at Hauser & Wirth, is reportedly worth 3.6 million while her elder sister sits on a similar sum.

How will Jack and Eugenies nuptials compare to other royal weddings?

The average British wedding is estimated to cost 17,913.

According to wedding planning website and app Bridebook.co.uk, the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs May 19 wedding reportedly cost over 32 million.

Security measures weighed in at 30 million alone while catering for their 600-strong guest list set them back 286,000. Although it is rumoured that Meghan paid for her Givenchy dress, taxpayers covered the security bill.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussexs May 19 ceremony cost taxpayers 3 million in security measures [Photo: Getty]

But some argue that the pomp and pageantry was to be expected at Prince Harrys wedding, as his brothers 2011 nuptials reportedly cost 23.7 million.

Interestingly, the bill was partly funded by the Duchess of Cambridges family alongside the Windsor clan.

Zara and Mike Tindalls intimate wedding ceremony cost British taxpayers 400,000 in security fees [Photo: Getty]

As for those further down the royal pecking order, Zara and Mike Tindalls 2011 wedding cost taxpayers 400,000 in security fees.

The decision was met with uproar, as members of the public were not allowed to attend the private nuptials nor was the service televised.

Its also interesting to note that unlike Princess Eugenie, Zara does not have a royal title yet her wedding was still funded by the public.

Will Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks wedding be televised?

In stark comparison to Zara and Mike Tindalls 2011 nuptials, Jack and Eugenies wedding  which is set to take place at Windsor Castle  is open to the public with 1,2000 tickets up for grabs.

It is not yet known whether or not the soon-to-be newlyweds service will be televised like the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs.

After more than 17.6 million people tuned in to watch the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tie the knot and 11.5 million switched their televisions on for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, it seems there could be global interest in the Jack and Eugenies upcoming nuptials.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank will tie the knot on 12 October at St Georges Chapel in Windsor.

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:

Princess Eugenies wedding: Who shes marrying and all the latest news

From gown predictions to her mothers tiara, what will Princess Eugenie wear on her big day?

Why George and Amal Clooney are rumoured to be attending Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks wedding
Jamie Oliver has come under fire for his latest food product. [Photo: Getty]

Jamie Olivers latest food drop has landed him in hot water.

Oliver, 43, has been accused of cultural appropriation after releasing a punchy jerk rice dish which many claim has no characteristics of traditional Jamaican jerk recipes.

The product has been criticised on Twitter with many pointing out that jerk is a Jamaican seasoning  made up of allspice and Scotch bonnets  rather than a rice dish.

To add insult to injury, Olivers rice recipe does not contain any of the staple jerk ingredients but instead a mix of garlic, chilli, ginger and jalapenos.

Labour MP Dawn Butler lambasted the TV chefs new product over the weekend, writing that jerk is not just a word you put before stuff to sell products and that the appropriation of Jamaican culture was not ok.

#jamieoliver @jamieoliver #jerk Im just wondering do you know what #Jamaican #jerk actually is? Its not just a word you put before stuff to sell products. @levirootsmusic should do a masterclass. Your jerk Rice is not ok. This appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop.  (((Dawn Butler MP))) (@DawnButlerBrent) August 18, 2018

The issue was debated on Good Morning Britain with Levi Roots, creator of the Reggae Reggae jerk sauce, saying I do think it was a mistake by his team.

TV chef Rustie Lee was less forgiving, saying: At the end of the day, Ive tasted it and it tastes like Caribbean rice and beans with flavours in it. The jerk part of it is barbecue and you cant barbecue rice.

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Rustie added: Its an insult because jerk is from the Caribbean and as much as I love Jamie, the point is its getting onto a bandwagon to say its Caribbean, its taken away from us.

Levi summed it up by saying: Jerk is either a method of cooking, or the marinade. If it doesnt have these four things in it then you cant refer it to jerk. You cannot call it jerk if it doesnt have allspice.

Jamie Oliver is yet to comment on the matter.

Its not the first time Oliver has sparked controversy with his culinary exploits: back in 2016, the chef left Spaniards in furore after his twist on paella included the addition of chorizo.

Good Spanish food doesnt get much better than paella. My version combines chicken thighs & chorizo https://t.co/2cXK4xoTfS #recipeoftheday pic.twitter.com/DD0HXY98pM  Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) October 4, 2016

The traditional Spanish dish includes meat, fish, shellfish and vegetables, but never the Spanish sausage, leading some to suggest he should rename his dish rice with stuff.

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:

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Former CIA Director John Brennan is sticking by his assertion that President Donald Trumps behavior is treasonous, a comment Brennan made in July regarding Trumps meeting in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Donald Trumps press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of high crimes & misdemeanors. It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trumps comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???  John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018

During NBCs Meet the Press Sunday, host Chuck Todd asked if Brennan regretted accusing the president of treason.

I called his behavior treasonous, which is to betray ones trust and to aid and abet the enemy, Brennan responded. And I stand very much by that claim.

Todd pushed back, emphasizing that Brennan is not just a private citizen but the former head of Americas top intelligence organization.

These are abnormal times, Brennan said. A lot of people have spoken out against what Mr. Trump has done.

I have seen the lights blinking red in terms of what Mr. Trump has done and is doing, he added. And its bringing this country down on the global stage. Hes fueling and feeding divisiveness in our country.

Earlier in the interview, Brennan said Trumps revocation of his security clearance is another example of the presidents abuse of authority. While Trump may have the power to do such a thing, the former CIA chief said, that doesnt mean hes doing it for the right reasons.

If you cross him, if you speak out against him, he is going to use whatever tools he might have at his disposal to punish you, Brennan said.

Several former defense and intelligence officials have come to Brennans defense in recent days, with retired Adm. Mike Mullen comparing Trumps threats to revoke more former officials clearances to the enemies lists of former President Richard Nixon and red-baiting Sen. Joe McCarthy.

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Related Coverage

Republicans Are Having A Hard Time Rationalizing Trumps Helsinki Performance

Rudy Giuliani Stuns NBC's Chuck Todd: 'Truth Isn't Truth'

Former Intel Officials Defend John Brennan In Wake Of Revoked Security Clearance

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Two days before President Bill Clinton was questioned by a grand jury about his relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky, Brett Kavanaugh, now President Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court, urged independent counsel Ken Starr not to go easy on the president, and provided Starr with a list of tough, explicit questions to ask.

Kavanaugh  who as a judge on the federal circuit court of appeals for the District of Columbia has taken an expansive view of presidential power and prerogatives  at that time was strongly opposed to giving Clinton a break in his questioning.

Monica Lewinsky, Brett Kavanaugh, Bill Clinton. (Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty)

In the Aug. 15, 1998, memo released by the National Archives Monday, Kavanaugh, then Starrs associate counsel, suggested avenues of questions for Clinton, who at that point was denying that he had sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. He later admitted that the allegation was true. Among Kavanaughs questions for Clinton:

If Monica Lewinsky says that you inserted a cigar into her vagina while you were in the Oval Office area, would she be lying?

If Monica Lewinsky says that on several occasions in the Oval Office area, you used your fingers to stimulate her vagina and bring her to orgasm, would she be lying?

If Monica Lewinsky says that you ejaculated into her mouth on two occasions in the Oval Office area, would she be lying?

If Monica Lewinsky says that you masturbated into a trashcan in your secretarys office, would she be lying?

The existence of the memo was first published by the Washington Post.

In it, Kavanaugh advised Starr and all attorneys working for the independent counsel to move ahead with the sharp line of questioning unless Clinton resigns or confesses perjury.

He has required the urgent attention of the courts and the Supreme Court for frivolous privilege claims  all to cover oral sex from an intern, Kavanaugh wrote. He has lied to his aides. He has lied to the American people. He has tried to disgrace you and the Office with a sustained propaganda campaign that would make Nixon blush.

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Lawyers ultimately did not ask Clinton the explicit questions posed by Kavanaugh. (During his Aug. 17, 1998, testimony, Clinton was asked if the insertion of an object into the genitalia of another person with the desire to gratify sexually would constitute sexual relations. I dont know that I ever thought about that one way or the other, Clinton replied.)

Clinton later admitted to the affair, which led to his impeachment by the House in late 1998. His trial in the Senate resulted in his acquittal.

Kavanaugh, for his part, later expressed regret about the sexually explicit details contained in the Starr report.

The release of the news memo is part of a review by the National Archives of more than 20,000 documents related Kavanaughs work for Starr, before the Senate begins to consider his nomination on Sept. 4.

In a subsequent Aug. 31, 1998, memo entitled Possible Grounds for Impeachment, Kavanaugh seems to poke fun at the explicit nature of the case.

Does the term conspiracy work? he wrote. IS IT TOO GRAPHIC? SHOULD IT BE MORE GRAPHIC (KIDDING).

Brett Kavanaugh memo by Yahoo News on Scribd

With Christopher Wilson and Laina Yost reporting.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
The passing of Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been met with tributes from all around the world. His home country, Ghana, declared a week of national mourning.

Annan rose through the ranks of the UN to become the first black African to head the organisation, and his many achievements are rightly being celebrated. Under his tenure, human rights and development were put at the forefront of all UN work, ensuring that the organisation focused on all people in all parts of our global society. Courageously, he was also the first UN Secretary-General to recognise and condemn the UNs disproportionate focus on Israel as a human rights violator compared to many other similar or worse offenders.

It is also right to remember that on his watch, the UNs reputation was tarnished by two of its worst stains. He was head of UN peacekeeping at the time when genocides were perpetrated in Rwanda and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia while UN peacekeepers stood by and did nothing, and he was in charge of the UN during the oil-for-food scandal in Iraq.

But as a whole, Annans life and work will nonetheless be celebrated for a long time to come.

A life well lived

Kofi Annan was born on April 8 1938 in Kumasi, Ghana, which was, at the time, part of the British Empire and known as the Gold Coast. His family were traditional rulers and his father a provincial governor. Ghanas independence was secured when Annan was in his final year of secondary school. He attended a national university, followed by studying in the United States on a Ford Foundation scholarship. After his studies, Annan took a job at the World Heath Organization and began his lifelong career at the UN.

There are many ways in which he changed and improved the world through his work at the UN, and indeed in the positions he took after his retirement. During his tenure as Secretary-General he reformed the UNs human rights system, in particular by establishing the modern Human Rights Council. His commitment to ensuring development around the world and to establish the principle that no-one be left behind culminated in the Millennium Development Goals, the forerunner of todays Sustainable Development Goals.

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Annan focused intensely on peace and security, ensuring that UN member states accepted the Responsibility to Protect doctrine. This political mandate emphasises that the UN, and particularly its peacekeeping personnel, must prioritise protecting civilians in conflict and crisis zones. Its creation was a direct response to the UNs failure to protect civilians in Rwanda and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, where genocides, war crimes and crimes against humanity were perpetrated while peacekeepers stood and watched. At that time, Annan was Under-Secretary-General for peacekeeping, and it raised eyebrows when he was appointed Secretary-General immediately afterwards. He replaced Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was not reappointed for a second term  in no small part because of the terrible failures under his leadership.

Annan further strengthened the role of the UN Secretary-Generals role in peacefully settling disputes and came close to securing a settlement in Cyprus. He spoke out against the invasion of Iraq in 2003. But as Secretary-General, he also oversaw the staff members at the heart of the oil-for-food scandal in Iraq, a scheme intended to get food and vital supplies to Iraqi citizens but which also fell prey to corruption on a grand scale. While he was cleared of direct involvement, questions continue to be asked as to what he knew and when, and whether he could and should have done more.

The good and the bad

All in all, this makes for a complicated biography. While his appointment as the first black African Secretary-General was undeniably a breakthrough moment for representation at the UNs top echelons, he failed just as his predecessors did to bring about the long-promised parity of gender, ethnicity and class that the UN structure badly needs. And those failures  particularly to appoint more than a few women to senior roles  undermine the UNs claim to uphold the obligation under its own Charter to represent we the peoples. Still, he did more than his predecessors or immediate successor, for example appointing Mary Robinson as High Commissioner for Human Rights and Edward Mortimer to assist with his UN reform agenda  an agenda far more wide-reaching than any before or since.

After retirement, Annan continued his work for the UN, including as Special Envoy on the Syrian crisis and Chair of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, Myanmar. This body played a major part in keeping the peace there in ways that seem tragically elusive today. He was also a member of the Elders, a group of senior people from around the world that has included Mary Robinson, Nelson Mandela, Ela Bhatt and Jimmy Carter, all of whom use their reputations to attempt to bring peace to troubled parts of the world.

Tributes are being paid to Annan from within the UN and from leaders and peoples around the world. As Secretary-General he used his platform to effect meaningful change for billions of people across the world. His was a life well lived, and his legacy will live on.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Rosa Freedman has received funding from the British Academy and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Aoife O'Donoghue receives funding from the AHRC.
A small group of Lazio fans stirred up controversy by telling women to avoid one section of their Curva Nord at the Stadio Olimpico. (Getty)

A group of supporters of Italian Serie A club Lazio are under fire for advising women, wives and girlfriends to avoid one section of the clubs stadium.

The so-called ultras  hardcore fans who arent really fans at all, but instead cult-ish attention-seekers  distributed flyers prior to Lazios 2018-19 Serie A opener against Napoli on Saturday to relay the message.

The ultras always occupy the Curva Nord, the north end of Romes famous Stadio Olimpico. They began the flyer by writing, in Italian: The Curva Nord represents for us a sacred space, an environment with an unwritten code to be respected.

The flyers went on to urge women to stay out of the first nine or ten rows of the section.

The first few rows, as always, have been experienced like the trenches, they read. In the trenches, we do not allow women, wives and girlfriends, so we invite them to position themselves from the 10th row back.

Those who choose the stadium as an alternative to a carefree and romantic day in [public Rome park] Villa Borghese should go to other sections.

The flyers were attributed to Il Direttivo Diabolik Pluto, one of the leaders of the fan group.

Lazio fans ugly history

Unfortunately, this type of disgusting sentiment is nothing new. Many of Lazios ultras  who represent a small but not insignificant portion of the fan base  are, at best, certified idiots. At worst, theyre racist and sexist pigs.

The group is notoriously anti-Semitic. Last year, fans littered the Stadio Olimpico stands with anti-Semitic graffiti and slogans. They left images that depicted Holocaust victim Anne Frank in a jersey of local rival Roma.

That was one of many episodes. One of the most infamous came during a game against Roma 20 years ago, when fans unfurled a two-piece banner that read, in Italian, Auschwitz is your homeland. The ovens are your homes.

Lazio and Roma share the Stadio Olimpico.

Lazio responds to fans flyer

Whenever the ultras discrimination stirs up controversy, Lazio tries to distance itself from them. A day after the flyers appeared, a club spokesman told Italian news agency Ansa that the ultras message is not the position of the club, we are against any discrimination.

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After last years anti-Semitism, the clubs president announced an extensive program designed to combat the behavior.

The club spokesman continued this time around: Moreover, there is an enormous number of Lazio fans, this instead is an initiative from a few fans. We cant always intervene to avoid politically incorrect displays like this.

But Lazio clearly hasnt done enough to punished those involved in the racism and sexism, and it seems just as pervasive now as ever.

      

Henry Bushnell covers global soccer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell, and on Facebook.

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By Philip Pullella ROME (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed in southern Italy on Monday when they were hurled over rocks by a raging white-water creek in a deep mountain gorge that swelled suddenly after heavy rainfall upstream, officials said. The civil protection department said 18 people were rescued and six of those were injured in the flash rush of water in the Calabria region. It was not clear how many people were missing because not all had entered the gorge with official guides and registered. Spotlights were brought to the area so the search could continue during the night. The nationalities of the dead and injured were not immediately known. Most tourists and trekkers who visit the area, in the country's deep south, are Italian. In some places the Raganello creek, part of the Pollino National Park, is at the bottom of a narrow, one-kilometer(0.8-mile)-deep gorge in the mountain. Rescue teams used ropes to descend the sides of the mountain to reach the site. "This gorge filled up with water in a really short space of time and these people were catapulted out like bullets. They ended up some three kilometers (two miles) down the valley," said Carlo Tansi, head of the civil protection department in Calabria. "It is really difficult terrain, filled with obstacles because of the (geological) formation of the area," said Eugenio Facciolla, the chief prosecutor of the provincial capital, Cosenza. He said rescuers working under spotlights were trying to locate areas where some people may have survived by ending up on small patches of shore or tiny islands in the creek. Helmeted mountain rescue squads rushed from the nearest town of Civita to reach the gorge, a popular tourist attraction in summer. The most seriously injured were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Cosenza. Last week, a motorway bridge collapsed in the northern Italian port city of Genoa, killing 43 people. (Additional reporting by Elanor Biles; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Sandra Maler)
Buenos Aires (AFP) - Venezuela's regional rivals are to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate Nicolas Maduro's government over crimes against humanity, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri said.

"In Venezuela, human rights are systematically violated. They've lost respect for the value of life," Macri told television channel, CNN.

He said the petition would be filed "in a few weeks" and would also be signed by the presidents of Colombia, Chile and Paraguay.

Macri also poured scorn on Venezuela's claims that Maduro was targeted in an assassination attempt two weeks ago.

Seven soldiers were injured after a pair of what the government said were explosives-laden drones blew up around a military parade, after which Maduro claimed they were sent to kill him.

"I don't have exact information but in light of how he's behaved since and given those (opposition leaders) he's flattened and trampled over, it shows that there's not much chance it was genuine," added Macri.

Turning to matters closer to home and the ongoing "notebook" corruption scandal, Macri said he expects the "whole truth to come to light."

But he denied that the scandal, which has embroiled former president and opposition leader Cristina Kirchner, was helping his bid for reelection next year.

Kirchner has been questioned by a judge over allegations her government received millions of dollars in kickbacks from prominent business leaders in order to win large public sector works contracts.

A government driver who allegedly served as the bagman in the scheme kept notebooks with a detailed account of the payments.

Two weeks ago, Kirchner's former vice-president Amado Boudou was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for "passive bribery" and conduct "incompatible" with his duties as a public servant.

Macri has not been entirely untouched by the scandal, though. His cousin Angelo Calcaterra was one of eight business leaders to strike plea bargains over bribes paid during three terms of Kirchner government.

The president admitted he spoke with Calcaterra before the latter struck a plea deal.

"It's always better to go with the truth," said Macri during the CNN interview aired on Sunday night.
Bamako (AFP) - Mali's Constitutional Court on Monday declared Ibrahim Boubacar Keita president after the 73-year-old incumbent won elections that his opponent, former minister Soumaila Cisse, said were marred by fraud.

Keita was victor in a runoff on August 12 that, according to official results issued by the court after a one-hour session, gave him 67.16 percent of the vote.

He will begin his second five-year term on September 4.

"I will serve Mali according to republican principles," Keita said in his first comment since his election victory was confirmed.

He also said he "extends a hand" to help the country to his opponent Cisse, 68, who picked up 32.84 percent of the vote, according to the official results.

Keita's re-election came despite fierce criticism of failures to tackle jihadist violence and ethnic tensions that have rocked the impoverished Sahel state.

His major challenge as he starts the new term will be to strengthen a 2015 peace accord between the government, government-allied groups and former Tuareg rebels that the government sees as a cornerstone of peace.

In congratulating Keita, the European Union stressed the need for a rapid implementation of the peace accord -- as did the United States -- to meet the challenges of security and improved living conditions for the population.

"These challenges need more than ever an inclusive and constructive dialogue between all the political and social forces in Mali," an EU spokesperson said in a statement.

But Cisse had filed a petition with the Constitutional Court to say that that some of the results were rigged. By his calculation he won the election with 51.75 percent of the vote.

The court rejected his petition as being inadmissible or unsupported by evidence.

Cisse's campaign chief, Tiebile Drame told AFP, however, that "the Constitutional Court has issued a ruling that confirms the fraudulent nature and manipulation of the results."

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"There's no need for transparent and credible elections in Mali any more," he added.

Observer missions sent by the EU and the African Union (AU) have said the election was not badly impaired.

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.

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.

The economy, alongside security, is the other major challenge facing Keita.

Income per capita has fallen since 2014, according to the World Bank, and nearly half of the 18 million population live in poverty.
Thomas Markle is up to the same old interview tactics.

The former lighting director and father of Meghan Markle attacked the royal family, calling them cult-like in an interview with The Sun on Friday.

They are either like Scientologists or the Stepford family, he said. If they hear anybody say anything they just lock the doors. They need to speak up!

He added, They are cult-like  like Scientology  because they are secretive. They close the door, pull the shades down and put their fingers in their ears so they dont have to hear.

In the same interview, he also shot down the notion that he was expecting money from his daughter. Last week, Thomas Markle made a major request from the former Suits actress, which he admitted was excessive on his part.

Thomas Markle speaks on "Good Morning Britain." (Photo: ITVs Good Morning Britain)

The other thing is  this will sound a little greedy  but I took care of my mother for the last five years of her life, he said in a prior interview with The Sun published last Monday.

My daughter said shed take care of me in my declining years. Im not talking money; Im talking about taking care of me. Thats important to me, he added.

The Duchess of Sussexs father, who lives in Mexico, said he has not heard from his daughter since the day after the royal wedding. Seeing as her father has a history of leaking private conversations hes had with both his daughter and Prince Harry, its unclear when the two will speak again.

Thomas Markle admitted that before the royal nuptials on May 19, he hung up on his new son-in-law after Prince Harry cautioned him about giving interviews to the media.

Harry told me that I should never go to the press. That it would end in tears. He said, They will eat you alive, Thomas Markle told The Mail on Sunday earlier this month. He was right.

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, visit a memorial in Dublin, Ireland on July 11. (Photo: Cathal McNaughton / Reuters)

So far, Kensington Palace has stayed silent and refused to respond to Markles many interviews.

The palace also ignored attacks from Markles half sister, Samantha Grant, who use her Twitter account to lash out at the royal family in July. The tweets, which Grant wrote after the Suits actress attended an exhibition for Nelson Mandela, were captured by multiple outlets.

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My father is not an embarrassment for loving his daughter! The Royals are an embarrassment for being so cold, Grant wrote at the time. You should be ashamed of yourselves @KensingtonRoyal.

She added, How about you pay tribute to your own father?! Enough is enough, Grant said. Act like a humanitarian act like a woman! If our father dies Im holding you responsible, Meg!

Royal news doesnt stop at the wedding. Subscribe to HuffPosts Watching the Royals newsletter for all things Windsor (and beyond).

Related...

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Thomas Markle Attacks Meghan Markle, Royal Family In Brutal Interview

Meghan Markle's Dad Has A Major Request For His Daughter

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The Duchess of Sussex is making her first solo flight since marrying Harry. [Photo: Getty]

Meghan Markle has reportedly landed in Toronto as she makes her first solo trip since marrying Prince Harry in May.

The Duchess, 37, is thought to be making the trip across the Atlantic to visit friends and family.

Royal Central report the Duchess caught a flight with Air Canada on Sunday, who were under strict instructions from the palace.

Kensington Palace reportedly sent a letter to the airline staff beforehand asking that no one take the Duchesss picture or approach her on the flight.

During her visit, Meghan is thought to be spending a few days visiting close friend Jessica Mulroney and her family, before heading to LA to spend some time with her mother, Doria Ragland.

Its thought Meghan is also visiting her father, Thomas Markle, amid the ongoing dramas including his outbursts in the press. Most recently, Mr Markle told The Sun that the royal family were like a cult, likening them to Scientologists.

It may come as a surprise that the royal is travelling commercially, but this is all down to protocol. Royals are strictly banned from travelling on private jets unless on official business.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been known to fly commercially: Kate boarded a British Airways flight from Rotterdam to London in 2016, while William was spotted on a Ryanair flight to Glasgow the year before.

Harry and Meghan during their trip to Ireland in July. [Photo: Getty]

When Meghan returns from her Stateside trip, its thought she will spend some time in Balmoral, Scotland, to visit the Queens holiday home with Prince Harry.

If rumours of Meghans US trip are true or not, the royal is already set to have a busy year of overseas travel.

Meghan, along with her husband Prince Harry, are due to visit Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and the Kingdom of Tonga in October for an official visit.

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:

The measures the royal family has to take if Meghan Markle wants to visit friends abroad

What Meghan Markle will be getting up to on her first visit to Balmoral this summer

From Charles and Camilla to Harry and Meghan: Where each member of the royal family lives
Washington (AFP) - US First Lady Melania Trump renewed her campaign to tackle cyber bullying Monday, as her husband lit up the internet with a stream of invective against his perceived foes.

Appearing at a health department building outside Washington, the Slovenia-born first lady urged tech companies to listen more to "children's ideas and concerns" about online bullying.

"Let's face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults," she said.

"In today's global society, social media is inevitably a part of our children's daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways, but also can be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly," she said.

Since coming to office Melania Trump has spoken relatively infrequently in public.

She was treated at Walter Reed hospital on May 14 for what aides called a "benign" kidney condition and was released a few days later.

Her signature "be best" campaign for public decorum has been largely overshadowed by her husband's daily insults and public hectoring.

On Monday morning he called the taxpayer-funded lawyers and prosecutors investigating Russia's influence in the 2016 election a "National Disgrace."

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's communications director, decried the media's focus on Trump's cyber activities.

"The First Ladys presence at events such as todays cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country," she said.

"She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does."
Melania Trump spoke out about the harmful aspects of social media on Monday  all while her husband furiously tweeted from his own platform a barrage of insults at numerous political operatives.

Seemingly dinging President Donald Trump, the first lady told those gathered at the Perspectives from Social Media Industry: Existing Efforts to Support Youth panel, Lets face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits.

The first lady also noted that social media is an inevitable part of our childrens daily lives.

It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly, said the first lady. This is why Be Best chooses to focus on the importance of teaching our next generation how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting.

First lady Melania Trump speaks out against cyberbullying as part of her Be Best campaign, warning against "destructive and harmful" uses of social media https://t.co/ZaDPTYfZm9 pic.twitter.com/O8VgZV1qIX  CNN (@CNN) August 20, 2018

The first lady appeared as part of her Be Best awareness initiative, launched to combat the rise of cyberbullying. Critics have called her hypocritical for adopting the cause, given the presidents well-documented habit of using degrading and even racist nicknames online.

RELATED: Melania Trump Will Meet with Social Media Execs to Discuss Combatting Online Trolls

In response to the latest wave of backlash against the first ladys chosen platform  and a speech that came amid the presidents Monday virtual war of words  her communications director, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement, The first ladys presence at events such as todays cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country.

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Continued Grisham, She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The President is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does.

Mondays panel tackled topics including how social media companies are addressing cyberbullying on their platforms, and learning about policies already in place to combat such situations.

Meanwhile, President Trump started his Monday targeting, first, Special Counsel Robert Mueller as disgraced and discredited, then later, calling Democrats a National Disgrace!

Next to face Trumps ire was former CIA Director John Brennan, who the president dubbed the worst in our countrys history.

Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

....looking for trouble. They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side - the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Muellers Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He wont sue!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

The first ladys comments closely follow former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newmans claims in her new book that the 48-year-olds controversial fashion choices  from her pussy-bow blouse to her I really dont care jacket  were actually style rebellions intended to punish her husband.

In Unhinged, Manigault Newman specifically claims that the first lady was trying to make President Trump look foolish when she wore a Zara jacket emblazoned with the words I REALLY DONT CARE, DO U? on her way to visit separated children at an immigration facility in Texas.

Its my opinion that Melania was forced to go to the border that day in June, essentially, to mop up her husbands mess, Manigault Newman writes in an excerpt obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail ahead of the books publication last week.

RELATED VIDEO: Trump Calls Omarosa Manigault Newman a Dog After She Claims Hes Racist and in Mental Decline

She wore that jacket to hurt Trump, setting off a controversy that he would have to fix, prolonging the conversation about the administrations insensitivity, ruining the trip itself, and trying to make sure that no one asked her to do something like that again.

Asked about the claims, the first ladys spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement to PEOPLE: 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.
She came to talk about cyberbullying, but is Melania Trump using her latest appearance to troll POTUS?

The first lady arrived in Rockville, Md., Monday morning to promote her Be Best initiative at a cyberbullying summit. FLOTUS wore a navy pantsuit for the occasion, but her choice of blouse  a pale lavender pss-bow style  was the real scene-stealer.

In the past, Melanias decision to wear pss-bow blouses  most notably during the 2016 presidential debates  have been interpreted as a dig against Donald Trumps comments about grabbing [women] by the p*** during a taped conversation with Access Hollywoods Billy Bush released just before the election.

At the time, she called his words unacceptable and offensive but said that she accepted his apology.

Melania Trump wore a p  ssy-bow blouse at the cyberbullying summit. (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The first ladys attendance at Mondays Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit has also been accused of being hypocritical by critics who claim her Be Best platform is at odds with her husbands habit of insulting people on social media. Just last week, the president called former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman that dog on Twitter.

Stephanie Grisham, FLOTUSs communications director, told CNN that outcry about POTUSs behavior would not prevent the strong and independent first lady from pursuing her anti-bullying crusade.

Shes addressed this before, Grisham said. She is well aware of the criticism, but that will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. I would hope most people in this country are proud that they have a strong and independent first lady who only has the best interests of children at heart  I know I am.

At the summit, Melanias speech about protecting children from cyberbullying made reference to destructive and harmful behavior on social media.

First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) Addresses Cyberbullying Prevention Summit  LIVE on C-SPAN2 https://t.co/czdvE2tFD5 pic.twitter.com/GbMENP9ret  CSPAN (@cspan) August 20, 2018

In todays global society, social media is an inevitable part of our childrens daily lives, she said. It can be used in many positive ways but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly. This is why Be Best chooses to focus on the importance of teaching our next generation how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting.

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Her comments are already being picked apart online, with many commenters calling her statement ironic in light of her marriage.

Tell her to start at home!!!  Renee Love (@horton_niko) August 20, 2018

Her husband is the number one culprit  Antony Oyugi (@AntonyOyugi6) August 20, 2018

What a crock! She should tell her hubby to Be Best.  Shari (@50Hippie) August 20, 2018

Dear @FLOTUS: You can help us all prevent cyberbullying by reporting your husbands Twitter account. Love, America#CyberbullyingSummit  Wendy Wasserman Schultz (@dvorakoelling) August 20, 2018

Melania Trump speaks at a cyberbullying summit today. Maybe tomorrow Karen Pence will Grand Marshall a Pride parade. Then Wednesday, Paul Ryans wife can lead a living wage rally. Sure, why not. #BeBest  Wendi Aarons (@WendiAarons) August 20, 2018

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

 Melania Trump recycles $1,280 striped shirtdress for Tim Cook dinner

 Melania and Ivanka Trump twin in floral dresses from Monique Lhuillier and Roland Mouret

 Statue of Liberty protester mocks Melania Trumps infamous I really dont care, do u? coat at court appearance

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Neither she nor any of those who spoke during morning sessions mentioned President Donald Trump and his aggressive use of Twitter to berate his foes and call them names.

The first lady instead spoke highly of a group of students she recently met who participate in Microsofts Council for Digital Good. The students provide the computer software maker with ideas and feedback for Microsofts policy work on youth-centered online safety.

She told scores of people attending the Federal Partners on Bullying Prevention summit in a conference room at the Health Resources and Services Administration building in Rockville how impressed she was by the students deep understanding of how important it is to be safe. She said she was also inspired by their sincere commitment to reducing peer-to-peer bullying through kindness and open communication.

I encourage technology and social media companies, schools and community groups, to establish more opportunities for children such as Microsofts Council for Digital Good, the first lady said. By listening to childrens ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate this often-difficult topic.

Lets face it: Most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits.

After speaking, Mrs. Trump took a seat in the front row and listened to a panel discussion featuring representatives of Facebook, Google, Twitter and the nonprofit Family Online Safety Institute talk about how theyre responding to the issue.

As the panelists spoke, Trump sent fresh tweets about John Brennan, calling him the worst CIA Director in our countrys history and a political hack. Brennan, who led the CIA under President Barack Obama, a Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of Trump, a Republican, over his performance and behavior as president. Trump recently revoked Brennans security clearance.

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He wont sue!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1031547390644420613
Rome (AFP) - Around 180 migrants who have been stuck off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa for four days will be allowed to land in Sicily, Italy's transport minister said Monday.

"The Diciotti vessel will dock in Catania", Danilo Toninelli said on Twitter, referring to the coastguard vessel which saved them.

"The brave men of the coastguard have fulfilled their duty by saving lives barely 17 miles from Lampedusa. Now Europe must quickly play its part," he added.

However, Italian media reported sources close to Interior Minister Matteo Salvini as saying he would "not give any authorisation to disembark".

Salvini, of the far-right League party, entered government in a populist coalition after elections in March in which he ran on an anti-immigration platform.

Salvini had previously threatened to send the migrants to Libya if other European countries did not participate in a solution.

"Either Europe decides to seriously offer Italy some concrete help, beginning with for example the 180 immigrants on board the Diciotti ship, or we will be forced to do what will definitively end the human traffickers' business. That means taking the people saved in the sea back to Libya," Salvini said in a statement.

The Diciotti vessel has been stuck off the coast of Lampedusa since Thursday due to a lack of permission to land. The Italian government had previously demanded Malta take responsibility for the migrants.

The Maltese government says the migrants aboard the Diciotti refused the help of a Maltese boat as they wanted to reach Lampedusa.
Monclers collaboration with British designer Craig Green has been heavily mocked online [Photo: Moncler]

Monclers latest collection has fallen victim to ridicule on social media due to its striking resemblance to a sleeping bag.

Back in February, the Italian fashion label announced eight new clothing lines in collaboration with eight designers as part of its Moncler Genius campaign. For the fifth collection, British designer Craig Green was tapped to take the helm.

Yet despite efforts to conceive items that rewrite the dialogue between clothing and body, dress and habitat, social media users were less than impressed.

Moncler announces the launch of the 5 Moncler Graig Green collection that will be available starting from August 22nd #MONCLERGENIUS #MONCLERGRAIGGREEN pic.twitter.com/dXXSotqPkZ  Moncler (@Moncler) August 17, 2018

As a consequence to its supersized quilted effect and drawstring hood, it wasnt long until comparisons between the fashion item and a sleeping bag ensued.

One Twitter user took to the platform to joke: When you gotta go camping at 8 but explore outer space at 9.

While another drew comparisons to an Ikea bedspread thanks to its Scandi-esque exterior and strikingly familiar quilting.

I wish I had a photo of an ikea bedspread I received as a gift  The similarities are impeccable.  Lesli Alberts (@AlbertsLesli) August 19, 2018

Mad how moncler can make this shit with a price tag of at least 500 when it makes you like an ikea bedspread pic.twitter.com/0sMGUpKeHF  Graham (@grahamfitz7) August 17, 2018

Social media users also jumped at the opportunity to compare the collection to a handful of beloved pop culture characters from the Michelin Man to Ghostbusters Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

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Hi! I am BayMax and I have been working out at the Gym  pic.twitter.com/zeIczkVKAp  Komal Khatija (@komalkhatija) August 18, 2018

I didnt need a closer look at the sleeping bag collection, thanks.  Lauradrizzt (@Lauradrizzt1) August 19, 2018

Friend: Im so tired bro

Me: HAVE NO FEAR, my jacket is an air mattress  John B (@jonathanLDbrown) August 18, 2018

Looks like professor slug horn from Harry Potter  pic.twitter.com/cWWAensu73  Hasan (@7861Has) August 19, 2018

But for those of you secretly hoping to snatch up a piece of the collaboration, the line is set to drop on 22 August.

Prices have yet to be confirmed but if designer Kei Ninomiyas line is anything to go by, a divisive jacket from Moncler Genius is likely to kick-start at approximately 400.

So if youre already planning your seriously weatherproof winter wardrobe then you might want to start saving your pennies (well, pounds).





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Montreal (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands celebrated Montreal's Gay Pride March on a sun-drenched Sunday, an event opened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and marked by a minute's silence for the victims of discrimination and repression around the world.

"It's great to celebrate today with everyone. Bonne Fierte! Happy Pride!" the premier told the crowd, dressed in a pale pink shirt and white trousers.

Trudeau was joined by his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and the Canadian-Polish actor Antoni Porowski, who stars in the hit series "Queer Eye."

Hundreds of thousands of people, according to organizers, cheered on a colorful procession of pride, which put women in the limelight and observed a minute of silence for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) victims of repression certain countries.

The pride parade, which involved about 10,000 marchers, notably welcomed as a guest LGBTQ activist Kennedy Olango, who is striving for change in his native Kenya where homosexuality is brutally punished.

Olango called for help from Trudeau's government to change attitudes in his country.

Trudeau, at a press briefing, added: "Can we stop talking about tolerance?

"We need to talk about acceptance; we need to talk about openness; we need to talk about friendship. We need to talk about love, not just tolerance."

Montreal's Pride March is one of the largest in Canada, drawing hundreds of thousands of people each year, according to organizers.

Justin Trudeau made a splash in 2016 when he kicked off Toronto's Pride march, a first for a Canadian prime minister.
Thrissur (India) (AFP) - Rescuers searched submerged villages in southwest India on Sunday in a desperate hunt for survivors after floods killed at least 370 people and drove more than 700,000 from their homes.

Entire villages in Kerala have been swept away in the state's worst floods for a century. Rescuers fear the death toll will rise as they reach areas almost entirely underwater.

Thousands remain trapped -- often without food or water -- in towns and villages cut off by the floods, and heavy rain forecast in coming days threatens to compound the disaster.

Nearly 725,000 people have taken shelter in relief camps, state government spokesman Subhash T.V. told AFP on Sunday.

Bedraggled survivors massing at evacuation centres have described desperate scenes after days without food or water.

"They were the scariest hours of our life," 20-year-old Inderjeet Kumar told AFP at a church doubling as a relief shelter in the hard-hit Thrissur district.

"There was no power, no food and no water -- even though it was all around us."

The overall death toll in the state since the start of the monsoon on May 29 had reached 370, the spokesman said.

Forty-six of them were found dead in just the last 24 hours.

In Thrissur, rescuers searching inundated houses discovered the bodies of those unable to escape as the floodwaters quickly rose.

"They didn't think that it would rise this high -- 10 to 15 feet at some places -- when the initial warnings were issued," said Ashraf Ali K.M, who is leading the search in the small town of Mala.

"Some of them later gave distress calls when the water rose high and fast," he told AFP at the scene Sunday as the carcases of cattle and other livestock floated past.

Among the dead was a mother and son whose home collapsed around them late Saturday. Another was a local man who volunteered for the search and rescue mission.

His body was retrieved by comrades early Sunday, said Dibin K.S, a Kerala firefighter, in a grim reminder of the perils facing rescuers.

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- 'Pray for Kerala' -

Thousands of army, navy and air force personnel have fanned out across Kerala.

The army said Sunday that 250 people had been evacuated from Pathanamthitta district, many of them sick after days in the pounding monsoon rain.

Food, medicine and water has been dropped from helicopters to isolated areas.

A train from Pune in Maharashtra state headed south on Saturday for Kerala laden with more than one million litres (two million pints) of drinking water.

Roads and 134 bridges have been damaged, cutting off remote areas in the hilly districts of Kerala which are worst affected.

Rising torrents of murky brown water swallowed the only remaining road into the town of Mannar, where an estimated 10,000 residents are trapped, The Times of India newspaper reported.

The state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan vowed Sunday "to save even the last person stranded".

Fishermen have sailed inland from Kerala's coast to join the search, as volunteers erected soup kitchens and appeals went out worldwide for donations.

At St Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday, worshippers held aloft signs reading "Pray for Kerala", a state with a large Christian population.

"Our solidarity and the concrete support of the international community should not lack for our brothers," said Pope Francis on Sunday.

Many panic-stricken flood victims have resorted to appeals on social media, saying they cannot get through to rescue services.

In Mala, desperate villagers had to improvise as the floodwaters rose, using kitchen pots as rafts to reach their stricken neighbours.

"They used these huge cooking pots to rescue around 100 people in the first wave of flash floods, as no one was prepared (for a rescue)," one local rescuer told AFP.

There have been moments of cheer amid the tragedy.

In the hilly district of Idukki, rescuers told the Press Trust of India of working through the night to save a newborn boy and his mother from the rising waters.

- Rain forecast -

But dam levels remain dangerously high, swollen by monsoon deluges, and more rain is forecast.

The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of rain until August 23 across Kerala, including heavy downpours in the districts of Kozhikode, Kannur and Idukki.

Idukki has received more than 321 centimetres (126 inches) of rain since June and is now virtually cut off from the rest of the state.

The floods have caused an estimated $3 billion in damage but the bill is likely to rise as the scale of devastation becomes clearer.

Vijayan, the chief minister, has requested extra funding as well as 20 more helicopters and 600 motorised boats to step up the rescue efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a brief air inspection tour of the state Saturday and announced an immediate grant of $75 million.
Monday, August 20, 2018

What to watch today

There are no major market-moving economic reports or earnings releases scheduled for Monday.

The economic highlight of the week comes on Friday morning when Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell speaks at the annual Jackson Hole economic policy symposium, the years most important meeting for economic and monetary policy discussions. According to the Fed, Powells speech, set to be delivered at 10:00 a.m. ET, will address the topic of monetary policy in a changing economy. The full agenda of of the symposium will be posted on Thursday evening. Wednesdays release of the minutes from the Federal Reserves latest meeting will also be closely watched by markets.

Read More

Top news

REUTERS/Ammar Awad/Files

PepsiCo to buy Israels SodaStream for $3.2B: PepsiCo (PEP) is buying household drink-machine maker SodaStream in a $3.2 billion deal, it said on Monday, seeking an edge in health-conscious beverages as it battles chief rival Coca-Cola (KO). PepsiCo will acquire SodaStream for $144 per share in cash, representing a 10.9% premium to the Friday closing price of SodaStreams U.S.-listed stock (SODA). [Reuters]

Elon Musk says cutting back on work hours isnt an option: Arianna Huffington is calling on Elon Musk to adopt a healthier work-life balance, but the Tesla CEO says thats not an option. In a tweet early Sunday after arriving home from a late night at a Tesla (TSLA) factory, Musk told the Huffington Post founder that his electric car company and Ford are the only two American automakers that have avoided bankruptcy. [AP]

US firms warn next China tariffs to cost Americans: A broad cross-section of U.S. businesses has a message for the Trump administration: new tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports will force Americans to pay more for items they use throughout their daily lives, from cradles to coffins. Six days of public hearings on the proposed duties of up to 25% will start on Monday in Washington as part of President Donald Trumps and the U.S. Trade Representatives efforts to pressure Beijing for sweeping changes to its trade and economic policies. [Reuters]

Story continues

A surprising bulwark for the US economy: the personal saving rate: Households have been saving significantly more of their after-tax income for several years, according to revised data released last month by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Take just the first quarter of this year: The agency more than doubled its estimate of the personal saving rate, the difference between disposable income and spending, to 7.2% from the 3.3% estimated previously. [The Wall Street Journal]

Apple removes illegal lottery apps from China store: Apple Inc. (AAPL) says it has pulled illegal lottery apps from its App Store in China amid tightening regulation and a barrage of criticism from state media. According to state media, the company has recently pulled around 25,000 apps from its Chinese store in an effort to cooperate with regulators. [Reuters]

For more of the latest news, go to Yahoo Finance

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Seoul (AFP) - North Korean state media blamed Donald Trump's political opponents for the "deadlock" over denuclearisation on Saturday, urging the US President to act boldly to make progress on the thorny issue.

Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un held a groundbreaking summit in Singapore in June, which the US leader touted as a historic breakthrough.

At the meeting the pair struck a vague agreement to denuclearise the Korean peninsula, but there has been little movement since.

Meanwhile the North has criticised Washington for its "gangster-like" and "unilateral" demands for the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of Pyongyang's atomic arsenal.

On Saturday Rodong Sinmun, the North's most prominent daily, praised Trump for seeking to improve US-North Korea ties and achieve world peace, which it said would be the "feat of the century".

"However, he faces too many opponents," it said in a signed commentary.

The newspaper said Democrats and even some Republicans are hampering Trump's efforts for their own partisan interests while media hostile to Trump are undermining his policies.

It accused bureaucrats and Trump's aides of "speaking and moving in contradiction to the president's will" and "distorting facts and covering up his eyes and ears in order to mislead him to a wrong decision".

North Korea has demanded that America agree to declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War, accusing the US of failing to reciprocate a series of its "goodwill measures".

These include ending its nuclear and missile testing, the destruction of a nuclear testing site and handing over the remains of US troops killed in the Korean War.

When Kim met South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April for their first summit, they agreed to push for a declaration of an end to the Korean War this year.

But US officials insist denuclearisation of the North should be realised before such an event takes place.

Story continues

Trump's political opponents are "raising their voice, dismissing the Singapore joint statement and boycotting a declaration of an end to the war", Rodong Sinmun said.

"The current deadlock in the DPRK-US relations requires President Trump's bold decision," it added.

It also urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to brush aside speculation from opponents over the North's intentions.

Pompeo, who is preparing for his fourth visit to the North, said Thursday his team was "continuing to make progress" with the North, expressing hope that "we can make a big step here before too long".
President Trump on Monday escalated his attack on Robert Muellers Russia probe, labeling the special counsel disgraced and discredited and Muellers investigators a National Disgrace.

The outburst came after a pair of New York Times reports that revealed White House counsel Don McGahn spoke extensively with Muellers investigators, sitting for 30 hours of interviews after the president encouraged McGahn to fully cooperate with an investigation he is now seeking to disparage.

Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel [sic], only with my approval, for purposes of transparency, Trump tweeted.

The attack also came as the jury resumes its third day of deliberations in the trial against Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager whom Mueller has charged with tax fraud and other crimes.

Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone  looking for trouble, Trump continued. They are enjoying ruining peoples lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side  the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Muellers Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!

Robert Mueller, Don McGahn and Donald Trump. (Yahoo News photo illustration; photos: AP, Getty Images)

According to the Times, McGahn shared with Muellers team detailed accounts of the presidents fury toward the Russia investigation, including Trumps comments and actions during the firing of FBI Director James Comey, his repeated attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Trumps ill-fated attempt to fire Mueller, a directive McGahn refused.

The paper reported that McGahn felt compelled to testify because he was afraid Trump was setting him up.

I allowed White House Counsel Don McGahn, and all other requested members of the White House Staff, to fully cooperate with the Special Counsel, Trump tweeted on Saturday night. In addition we readily gave over one million pages of documents. Most transparent in history. No Collusion, No Obstruction. Witch Hunt!

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On Sunday, the Times reported that Trumps lawyers did not know how much McGahn revealed to investigators during those interviews  a lapse that has contributed to a growing recognition that an early strategy of full cooperation with the inquiry was a potentially damaging mistake. (Trump tweeted Sunday that Muellers probe makes Joseph McCarthy look like a baby!)

While its not clear McGahn, who served as a lawyer for the Trump campaign, had any insight into the campaigns contacts with Russia, part of the focus of Muellers probe, he could help the special counsel with the other part: whether Trump obstructed the investigation itself.

Trump questioned both charges in a tweet on Monday.

Wheres the Collusion? the president wrote. They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!

White House counsel Don McGahn, left, listens as President Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Aug. 16, 2018. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP)

Trump himself has not been questioned by Mueller, who has been negotiating with the presidents legal team for such an interview. Trump has said hed be willing to testify, but that his lawyers have to this point urged him not to do so.

Appearing on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani told host Chuck Todd that he is afraid Trump would get trapped into perjury.

I am not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury, Giuliani said. And when you tell me that, you know, he should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth.

Truth is truth, Todd injected.

No, it isnt truth, Giuliani replied. Truth isnt truth.

The declaration was widely mocked.

On Monday morning, Giuliani attempted to clarify his comment.

My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said, she said puzzle, Giuliani tweeted. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.

_____

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Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump's national security adviser met in Jerusalem Monday and called on European nations to do more to pressure Iran.

John Bolton arrived in Israel on Sunday for three days of talks expected to focus mainly on Iran and its presence in Syria.

Netanyahu strongly urged Trump to withdraw from the nuclear deal between Israel's main enemy Iran and world powers, and the US president did so in May, resulting in the reimposition of sanctions.

Israel and the United States have been closely aligned on their approach to Iran since Trump took office.

"I frankly believe that all countries who care about peace and security in the Middle East should follow America's lead and ratchet up the pressure on Iran," Netanyahu told journalists.

"Because the greater the pressure on Iran, the greater the chance that the regime will roll back its aggression. And everybody should join this effort."

The comments were a veiled reference to European countries, which are seeking to save the nuclear deal and have vowed to keep providing Iran with the economic benefits it received from the accord.

They argue that the nuclear deal is working as intended in keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons for now.

Bolton said "it's a question of the highest importance for the United States that Iran never get a deliverable nuclear weapons capability."

"It's why President Trump withdrew from the wretched Iran nuclear deal," he said, speaking alongside Netanyahu.

"It's why we've worked with our friends in Europe to convince them of the need to take stronger steps against the Iranian nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme."

The United States and Israel argue the deal was too limited in scope and timeframe while also allowing Iran to finance militant activities in the region due to the lifting of sanctions.

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Bolton's trip will also take him later in the week to Ukraine and Geneva, where he will meet with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Thursday.

The meeting in Geneva is a follow-up to Trump's highly controversial July summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, according to the White House.

Iran is backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war along with Russia and Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu has pledged to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, and a series of recent strikes that have killed Iranians there have been attributed to Israel.

He has also pressed Putin to guarantee that Iranian forces in Syria and their allies, such as Hezbollah, will be kept far away from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Reuters

Hu Bo

Security, Asia

America's excessive involvement in the South China Sea has forced China to deploy more defensive equipment in the area. What happens now?



No One Lost the South China Sea (And No One Will)



As we all see, the situation in the South China Sea is cooling down, and the biggest variable is the emerging Sino-U.S. maritime strategic competition. There have been three major views, all of which stem from anxiety, in the western strategic sphere recently on this issue, namely, the so-called Chinese expansionism, U.S. fecklessness and Chinas control of the South China Sea with at the cost of others interests. That would contribute to much of China-lashing rhetoric these days. In my observation, all the above points are biased to some degree.

No one lost the South China Sea and no one will. Firstly, no power including China and the United States has the capacity to control the South China Sea regardless its intentions, as we are living in a world where power is more balanced. Its true that China has made great strides in terms of military modernization and increased power presence, but other South China Sea littoral states and outside powers such as the United States are all strengthening their power presence and military deployments in the region as well. In the foreseeable future, its difficult to imagine that China or any other country could achieve predominance in the South China Sea.

Secondly, when we talk about sea power and sea control in our current times, it just means relative influence and comparative advantage in some maritime areas, because today sea power is definitely an inclusive system rather than exclusive one. With Chinas rise, it is increasingly difficult for the United States to impose the Mahan doctrine on China in the South China Sea; and no matter how far China develops, it is not likely to pursue so called maritime hegemony, given United States powerful forces in and around the South China Sea. After a long term competition, both sides will finally find out that there is no choice but to establish a common and inclusive security order with ASEAN Member States and other stakeholders.

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Chinas policy and operations is far from expansionism in the South China Sea. For a long time, China has adopted a policy of responding rather than moving first. From 2009 to 2014, China had mainly been responding to the aggressive policies and operations of Vietnam and the Philippines; since 2015, China has been mainly responding to the United States increasingly provocative moves such as more frequent and intense FONOPs, close reconnaissance and wargame exercises. Its natural that Chinas power presence and military capacity are being improved when China is powerful, and as the largest South China Sea littoral state, China does have the right to have a powerful presence in the South China Sea.

China has frequently been accused for aggressive assault on the freedom of the seas by some Western media, but neither Western officials nor their experts can show any specific evidence. Actually, except for some pirate threats, there is no problem with the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. The passing Merchant ship insurance premium keeps at a low and stable price, which shows the openness and freedom of the South China Sea. Despite rising encounter incidents of warships and aircrafts between China and other countries like the United States, up to now, there is no exact evidence that China has obstructed freedom of navigation. It should be pointed out that some of these incidents have nothing to do with freedom of navigation: they happened only because of U.S. provocative actions such like FONOPs, close reconnaissance and excessive wargames. Even when coping with the above mentioned aggressive operations, Chinese forces exercised restraint, which is sometimes praised as professional by the U.S. forces.

Video: Pentagon Claims China 'Likely' Training Military to Target US

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As to the disputes in the South China Sea, China has always insisted on shelving disputes. Since the 1990s, China has kept continuous dialogue and negotiation with most of the claimants, signed the DOC with ASEAN Member States in 2002 and accelerated the negotiation of COC aiming to build an regional order based on consensus by regional countries.

It is unfair to blame the U.S. fecklessness of addressing Chinas challenge in the South China Sea. In fact, the United States has almost made every effort except war both under Obama and Trump administrations. The former has taken a comprehensive strategy including military, economic, diplomacy and international legal efforts, while the latter emphasizes on military means in the shortage of diplomatic resources. As a superpower with worldwide responsibilities and tasks, the United States could not be counted on to put all the resources to the South China Sea. Nowadays, the South China Sea mission area has already consumed nearly half of resources of U.S. forward forces in the Western Pacific, which is approaching a maximum.

The foremost American problem is not that it has not done enough, but that it has done too much in the South China Sea. The U.S. officials and experts are always criticizing Chinas militarization in the South China Sea, but never mention the increasing radical actions of U.S. forces there. Every year, the U.S. military would carry out hundreds of military exercises and thousands of close reconnaissance missions in the South China Sea. Since May 2017, U.S. warships have entered twelve nautical miles of islands and reefs stationed by China more than ten times already, conducting a series of provocations like high-speed zigzag and electronic jamming, which poses a huge threat to the sovereignty and security of China and Chinese people on these islands and reefs.

The United States excessive involvement in the South China Sea has forced China to deploy more defensive equipment there, and made more and more Chinese people realize the hypocrisy of the United States. Frankly speaking, should there not been the U.S. intervention, China would not have the need to take above-mentioned countermeasures .

The second problem of the United States is its overly ambitious goal. Even now, the United States has not recognized the strategic significance of the changing balance of power in Chinas favor. As long as China maintains its current momentum, no matter what the United States does, China will form a relatively balanced strategic posture with the United States in the South China Sea. With the United States declining strength advantage vis-a-vis China, the United States should learn the value of compromise and how to accept Chinas legitimate interests; otherwise, the United States will fall into the abyss of endless troubles and anxiety.

Therefore, that China will control the South China Sea is not a serious statement but a rumor and excuse to create panic and pressure on China. In the context of the continuing stability of the South China Sea thanks to the joint efforts of China and ASEAN Member States, it is unwise to stir up rumors and agitate for more U.S. radical measures. After all, the South China Sea is regarded as the strategic corridor between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, if the disputes between China and some ASEAN Member States, and Sino-U.S. power competition in the South China Sea are out of control, the whole world, particularly countries in the Asia Pacific, will lose.

Hu Bo is the executive director of Research Center for Maritime Strategy and the senior researcher at the Institute of Ocean Research, Peking University. His areas of specialization include maritime strategy, international security and Chinas diplomacy. He has written three books and more than thirty journal articles and book chapters on Chinas maritime strategies and policies. His most recent representative publication is Chinas Sea power in Post Mahan Era (Beijing, Ocean Press, 2018).

Image: REUTERS

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Monday in Cologne, Germany.

After a two-year wait, Nvidia (NVDA) on Monday offered an in-depth look at its next-generation graphics cards, which the company claims will reinvent computer graphics.

When the chipmakers new GeForce RTX line of graphics cards launches on September 20, starting at $499, computer graphics should see a huge boost in sharpness and realism. The GeForce RTX cards biggest draw: the Turing chip, which does on-the-fly ray tracing, an intensive computer graphics technique that creates a photorealistic scene by tracing light and accurately rendering reflections in light  shading objects and shadows to a degree previous graphics chips could not. Ray-tracing previously required a supercomputer to crunch all that data to render a scene. That took some time. But with Turing, Nvidia is promising ray tracing in real-time, so theres no wait.

Over two dozen companies have announced support for Nvidias GeForce RTX platform, including Adobe (ADBE), Pixar, EA (EA), and Autodesk (ADSK).

Computer graphics will never be the same again, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said onstage during the Turing demonstration at the annual Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany.

Nvidia on Monday showed off a video project called Project Sol with real-time ray tracing, to stunning effect.

Although Huangs commentary sounds hyperbolic, he may well be right. As it stands now, the vast majority of computer graphics are rendered with a more traditional technique that uses shaders to handle different levels of light, color, and darkness. Huang compared different scenes in side-by-side comparisons on Monday between traditional shading and real-time ray-tracing via Turing, indicating a huge leap in photorealism for computer graphics.

The Turing chip demo comes days after Nvidia reported earnings for the second quarter of its 2019 fiscal year. The chipmaker disclosed better-than-expected earnings of $1.76 per share on revenues of $3.12 billion  up 40% year-over-year  compared with Wall Street analysts estimates of $1.66 earnings per share on revenues of $3.1 billion. However, the chipmaker also reported lower-than-expected guidance for its fiscal third quarter and mediocre sales of graphics chips to cryptocurrency miners, with cryptocurrency-specific product revenue coming in at just $18 million versus Nvidias estimated $100 million.

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Although cryptocurrency was a financial drag on Nvidia for the second quarter, the chipmakers other bets are paying off. Second quarter revenues for several of its other business segments, including PC gaming, data centers and automotive, all beat estimates. Nvidias new graphics could also represent an inflection point for gaming, with cutting-edge graphics that could translate to a significant revenue boost for the chipmaker in the short- to medium-term.



JP Mangalindan is the Chief Tech Correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

More from JP:
By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) - One person died and five others were wounded in Uganda on Sunday, police said, as security forces used teargas and live bullets to disperse a demonstration against the beating of arrested lawmakers in response to the stoning of a presidential convoy. Police spokesman Emilian Kayima said a policeman trying to quell the unrest in Mityana, a town about 50 km (30 miles) west of the capital Kampala, had fired at a minibus. "One policeman fired bullets into a moving taxi (minibus) with passengers, injuring six people. Unfortunately one of them died," Kayima told the NTV Uganda channel. "We are looking for the policeman who committed this act, which is very irresponsible. He will be arrested and will be subjected to due process." On Aug. 13, supporters of an independent candidate participating in a parliamentary by-election stoned a motorcade carrying the veteran president, Yoweri Museveni, as he was leaving the town of Arua after campaigning for a ruling party candidate. Five members of parliament and dozens of other people were detained shortly afterwards on suspicion of taking part in the assault. Two of the MPs were badly beaten up during their arrest, according to politicians and relatives who have visited them. One of them is Francis Zaake, whose constituency includes Mityana. Images of Zaake posted on social media showed him lying on a bed, eyes closed, with wounds on his palm, a swollen face and a cut ear. Politicians who have seen him in hospital in Kampala have said he is on life support. On Thursday, four of the detained MPs and dozens of others were charged with treason and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition for their alleged role in stoning the convoy. Museveni has been in power since 1986. His critics say he is set to rule for life after parliament last year scrapped an age cap on presidential candidates. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; editing by George Obulutsa and Kevin Liffey)
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP)  More than 2 million Muslims began the annual hajj pilgrimage at first light on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca that Islam's faithful face five times each day during their prayers.

The five-day hajj pilgrimage represents one of the world's biggest gatherings every year, and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life.

The hajj offers pilgrims an opportunity to feel closer to God amid the Muslim world's many challenges, including the threat of violence and extremists in the Mideast and the plight of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority.

"We are very blessed by Allah to be in this place, and we pray to Allah to make the Islamic nations from the West to the East in a better situation," said Essam-Eddin Afifi, a pilgrim from Egypt. "We pray for the Islamic nations to overcome their enemies."

Muslims believe the hajj retraces the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as those of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail  Abraham and Ishmael in the Bible. Muslims believe God stayed the hand of Ibrahim after commanding him to sacrifice his son, Ismail. In the Christian and Jewish version of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.

The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God.

Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between the two hills traveled by Hagar, Ibrahim's wife. Mecca's Grand Mosque, the world's largest, encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.

Before heading to Mecca, many pilgrims visit the city of Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad is buried and where he built his first mosque.

After prayers in Mecca, pilgrims will head to an area called Mount Arafat on Monday, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon. From there, pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, picking up pebbles along the way for a symbolic stoning of the devil and a casting away of sins that takes place in the Mina valley for three days.

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At the hajj's end, male pilgrims will shave their hair and women will cut a lock of hair in a sign of renewal for completing the pilgrimage. Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of hajj with a celebration called Eid al-Adha. The holiday, remembering Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, sees Muslims slaughter sheep and cattle, distributing the meat to the poor.

Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, the spokesman of the Saudi Interior Ministry, told journalists Saturday that over 2 million Muslims from abroad and inside the kingdom would be taking part in this year's hajj.

Saudi Arabia's ruling Al Saud family stakes its legitimacy in part on its management of the holiest sites in Islam. King Salman's official title is the "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques," at Mecca and Medina. Other Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all have adopted the honorary title

The kingdom has spent billions of dollars of its vast oil revenues on security and safety measures, particularly in Mina, where some of the hajj's deadliest incidents have occurred.

The worst in recorded history took place only three years ago. On Sept. 24, 2015, a stampede and crush of pilgrims in Mina killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since only two days afterward. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor has it released any results of an investigation authorities promised to conduct over the disaster.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also faces threats from al-Qaida militants and a local faction of the Islamic State group. Days earlier, the Interior Ministry acknowledged arresting a Saudi wearing an explosive vest in the kingdom's central al-Qassim region who shot at security forces.

Meanwhile, a Saudi-led war in Yemen against Shiite rebels drags on without an end in sight. The rebels have fired over 150 ballistic missiles on the kingdom during a conflict that has seen Saudi airstrikes hit markets and hospitals, killing civilians.
By Steven Scheer and Martinne Geller

JERUSALEM/LONDON (Reuters) - PepsiCo <PEP.O> will buy carbonated drink-machine maker SodaStream <SODA.TA> <SODA.O> for $3.2 billion as it battles Coca-Cola <KO.N> for an edge in the health-conscious beverage market.

Founded in Britain in 1903, SodaStream was a coveted device in British kitchens in the 1970s and 80s, allowing people to create fizzy drinks by adding flavored syrups to carbonated tap water, but its popularity faded as bottled sodas became cheaper.

More recently, the Israel-based company reinvented itself as a fizzy water company popular with younger and more health- and environmentally-conscious consumers, who want to drink less soda and use fewer plastic bottles.

"With sugary carbonates and juices struggling and no turnaround in sight, mitigating the losses through newer and healthier products will be essential for PepsiCo," said Euromonitor International analyst Matthew Barry.

Euromonitor says bottled water sales saw 6.2 percent compound annual growth in the five years to 2017, while carbonated soft drinks sales were flat.

The deal announced on Monday may be the last for PepsiCo Chief Executive Indra Nooyi, who will hand over to Ramon Laguarta later this year.

In 12 years as CEO, Nooyi sought to expand PepsiCo's offering of healthier food and drinks. It agreed to buy Bare Foods in May and KeVita drinks in late 2016.

PepsiCo will pay $144 per share in cash, representing a 10.9 percent premium to Friday's closing price of SodaStream's U.S.-listed stock and a 32 percent premium to its 30-day average.

SodaStream's shares were up 9 percent in Tel Aviv, while its U.S.-listed shares were up nearly 10 percent. PepsiCo shares were up only 0.3 percent as analysts questioned whether the deal would move the needle for PepsiCo's struggling drinks business.

"We remain concerned about challenges facing PepsiCo's core business and, as such, continue to see limited upside for PepsiCo in the near term," Wells Fargo analysts said.

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They also noted that the price tag implied a multiple of 33 times forward earnings based on consensus estimates, although a source familiar with the matter said that conventional methods of valuing deals were not best in this instance.

FINALLY READY

PepsiCo said SodaStream complements its water business, which includes Aquafina and smaller brands Bubly and Lifewtr. It is attractive because it is growing fast and allows people to customize their drinks, incoming CEO Ramon Laguarta said.

"Clearly, this is all about growth," Laguarta said, noting that SodaStream would benefit from PepsiCo's resources in research and development, design and distribution.

Laguarta said PepsiCo had held talks with SodaStream several times in the past but wanted to make sure its business was solid before doing a deal.

A turnaround at SodaStream over the last two years was helped by activist hedge fund manager Teleios Capital Partners, which nominated an external candidate to the board in 2016.

Adam Epstein, co-founder of Teleios, which is the fourth-largest shareholder in SodaStream, said the deal "represents an excellent outcome for all shareholders".

SodaStream's performance improved following a shift in strategy that put more emphasis on sparkling water over soda, and cultivating a loyal user base that continues to use the device after purchasing it.

"Now we are ready to make this commitment," Laguarta said.

SodaStream's shares have jumped 85 percent this year after a 78 percent increase in 2017. The U.S. shares closed on Friday close to $130, up from $16.31 at the end of 2015.

In the latest second quarter, revenue grew 31 percent, driven by growth in places including Germany and the United States, while net profit rose nearly 82 percent.

Still, the notion of creating soft drinks at home has had limited success to date.

Coca-Cola and Keurig Green Mountain forged a partnership in 2015 to market a counter-top cold-drinks machine, but pulled the plug the following year after it failed to take off.

It remains to be seen what Keurig Dr Pepper <KDP.N> will do in the space following the merger last month of coffee company Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple.

New York-based PepsiCo will fund the deal with cash on hand and has committed to keep SodaStream in Israel for at least 15 years.

PepsiCo said the transaction, unanimously approved by the boards of both firms, was expected to close by January 2019.

PepsiCo was advised by Goldman Sachs and Centerview, while SodaStream was advised by Perella Weinberg Partners.

(Additional reporting by Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru and Maiya Keidan and Georgina Prodhan in London; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
A police officer in Argentina is being called beautiful for breastfeeding a malnourished baby while working at a childrens hospital.

Photo of police officer breastfeeding underfed baby goes viral. (Photo: Marcos Heredia via Facebook)

A photo of officer Celeste Jaqueline Ayala nursing the distressed infant while on duty at the Sister Maria Ludovica Childrens Hospital in Buenos Aires on Aug. 14 caught fire on Facebook, racking up 110,000 shares after it was posted by witness Marcos Heredia.

I want to make public this great gesture of love that you had today with that little baby, read Heredias post, loosely translated from Spanish. Who without knowing you didnt hesitate and for a moment you fulfilled how if you were her mother. You dont care about filth and smell  things like that dont [happen] every day.

Quiero hacer publico este gran gesto de amor que tuviste hoy con ese bebito, que sin conocerlo no dudaste y por un Posted by Marcos Heredia on Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Ayalas name also became a Twitter hashtag as social media users commended her selfless act.

WOW, now thats a bad ass police officer that went up and beyond the call of duty.  #CelesteAyala https://t.co/7Nt8vBVXXm  Sergio Detroit (@Meanbean888) August 18, 2018

To all the breastfeeding in public naysayers, check out the kindness of this police officer. Celeste Ayala saw that hospital staff were too busy to treat this neglected baby so she whipped out a breast and did it herself. #breastfeeding #CelesteAyala #RandomActsOfKindness pic.twitter.com/LfcE6Qyo2U  Delphie Gray (@delphiegray1) August 19, 2018

According to the Daily Mirror, the baby is the youngest of six children belonging to a struggling single mother.

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Bomberos Voluntarios Berisso, the fire department with which Ayala volunteers, posted about the story on Facebook.

Actions like that of this cadet fill us with pride and force us to redouble our efforts, work, and solidarity with our community.

FELICITAMOS A NUESTRO CADETE A BOMBERO.Queremos felicitar al cadete a bombero voluntario Celeste Ayala que en el dia Posted by Bomberos Voluntarios Berisso on Wednesday, August 15, 2018

For her kindhearted actions, Ayala received a promotion from officer to sergeant. Cristian Ritondo, vice president of the legislature of Buenos Aires tweeted the news, writing, (loosely translated on Twitter) Today we received Celeste, the officer who nursed a baby at the childrens hospital #LaPlata to notify her of her promotion.  The police were proud of, the police we want.

Hoy recibimos a Celeste, la oficial que amamanto a un bebe en el Hospital de Ninos de #LaPlata para notificarle su ascenso. Queriamos agradecerle en persona ese gesto de amor espontaneo que logro calmar el llanto del bebe. La policia que nos enorgullece, la policia que queremos. pic.twitter.com/8aBp0Xj4Zj  Cristian Ritondo (@cristianritondo) August 17, 2018

Ayala said her maternal instinct simply kicked in when she sat with the infant. I noticed that he was hungry, as he was putting his hand into his mouth, so I asked to hug him and breastfeed him, she reportedly said, according to several media outlets. It was a sad moment, it broke my soul seeing him like this, society should be sensitive to the issues affecting children, it cannot keep happening.

Ayala isnt the only police officer to go above and beyond on the job. In May, a female police officer and new mother in Colombia was involved in an equally loving act of compassion. Officer Luisa Fernanda Urrea found an abandoned baby in the woods, with part of its umbilical cord still attached, and swaddled and breastfed the infant. I think any woman would have given her nourishment in the same circumstances, Urrea reportedly told local media.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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- AFP

There will be "no more cover ups" of sexual abuse in the Church, the Pope has vowed in a letter to all Catholics.

In the groundbreaking document, addressed to the "people of God", Pope Francis admitted that the church had "delayed" the implementation of reforms and asked believers to "join forces in uprooting this culture of death".

He said the church had "showed no care for the little ones" and "abandoned them".

The Vatican said it was the first time a pope had written to all of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics about sexual abuse.

The Pope's letter, published on Monday, responds to a report published last week by a grand jury which disclosed that more than 1,000 children had been abused by 300 Catholic priests in Pennsylvania over the past 70 years.

"Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of many of the victims," he said.

"The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced."

It is the first time a pope had written to all of the world's some 1.2 billion Catholics about sexual abuse Credit: Tony Gentile/REUTERS

The report forms part of a growing worldwide crisis surrounding sexual abuse in the church.

Pope Francis has faced criticism for the Church's recent dealings with perpetrators of abuse.

Last year it emerged that he had reduced sanctions against paedophile priest Mauro Inzoli, 67, a decision which was later reversed.

In September Pope Francis said the decision had been a mistake and said he would never sign pardon for any priest who was found to have been an abuser.

Last month, Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, DC and one of the US Church's most prominent figures, stepped down as a cardinal after accusations that he abused two minors about 50 years ago and later abused adult seminarians.

In May, all 34 of Chile's bishops offered their resignation to the pope over a widening sexual abuse crisis there. He has so far accepted five of the resignations.

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Pope Francis is due to visit Ireland in a two-day stay beginning on Saturday, and it is not yet clear whether he will meet with abuse survivors in the country.

Pope Francis delivers a speech to the faithful prior to the Angelus prayer, on August 19, at St Peter's square Credit: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/ AFP

The Vatican says it does not put the pope's meetings with victims of sexual abuse on his schedule for trips.

The issue is expected to dominate the visit and he is likely to face protests from survivors unhappy with how the Church has reacted to widespread incidents of child sexual abuse.

His letter drew criticism from campaigners unhappy at the lack of detailed plans to tackle the problem.

Margaret McGuckin, leader of Survivors & Victims of Institutional Abuse, a charity set up to give a voice to victims of historic abuse in Northern Ireland, said: "It is a last-ditch attempt to see what he can do. It is too little too late, nothing will change."

Marie Collins, an Irish campaigner and abuse survivor who last year withdrew from the Vatican's commission, set up by the Pope to tackle the problem, said the letter was too vague.

"Statements from Vatican or Pope should stop telling us how terrible abuse is and how all must be held accountable. Tell us instead what you are doing to hold them accountable. That is what we want to hear.

"'Working on it' is not an acceptable explanation for decades of 'delay,'" she said on Twitter.

Read the letter in full:

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.

1. If one member suffers

In recent days, a report was made public which detailed the experiences of at least a thousand survivors, victims of sexual abuse, the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests over a period of approximately seventy years. Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of many of the victims. We have realized that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death; these wounds never go away. The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity. The Lord heard that cry and once again showed us on which side he stands. Marys song is not mistaken and continues quietly to echo throughout history. For the Lord remembers the promise he made to our fathers: he has scattered the proud in their conceit; he has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty (Lk 1:51-53). We feel shame when we realize that our style of life has denied, and continues to deny, the words we recite.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them. I make my own the words of the then Cardinal Ratzinger when, during the Way of the Cross composed for Good Friday 2005, he identified with the cry of pain of so many victims and exclaimed: How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to [Christ]! How much pride, how much self-complacency! Christs betrayal by his disciples, their unworthy reception of his body and blood, is certainly the greatest suffering endured by the Redeemer; it pierces his heart. We can only call to him from the depths of our hearts: Kyrie eleison  Lord, save us! (cf. Mt 8:25) (Ninth Station).

2.  all suffer together with it

The extent and the gravity of all that has happened requires coming to grips with this reality in a comprehensive and communal way. While it is important and necessary on every journey of conversion to acknowledge the truth of what has happened, in itself this is not enough. Today we are challenged as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit. If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history. And this in an environment where conflicts, tensions and above all the victims of every type of abuse can encounter an outstretched hand to protect them and rescue them from their pain (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 228). Such solidarity demands that we in turn condemn whatever endangers the integrity of any person. A solidarity that summons us to fight all forms of corruption, especially spiritual corruption. The latter is a comfortable and self-satisfied form of blindness. Everything then appears acceptable: deception, slander, egotism and other subtle forms of self-centeredness, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) (Gaudete et Exsultate, 165). Saint Pauls exhortation to suffer with those who suffer is the best antidote against all our attempts to repeat the words of Cain: Am I my brother's keeper? (Gen 4:9).

I am conscious of the effort and work being carried out in various parts of the world to come up with the necessary means to ensure the safety and protection of the integrity of children and of vulnerable adults, as well as implementing zero tolerance and ways of making all those who perpetrate or cover up these crimes accountable. We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary, yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future.

Together with those efforts, every one of the baptized should feel involved in the ecclesial and social change that we so greatly need. This change calls for a personal and communal conversion that makes us see things as the Lord does. For as Saint John Paul II liked to say: If we have truly started out anew from the contemplation of Christ, we must learn to see him especially in the faces of those with whom he wished to be identified (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 49). To see things as the Lord does, to be where the Lord wants us to be, to experience a conversion of heart in his presence. To do so, prayer and penance will help. I invite the entire holy faithful People of God to a penitential exercise of prayer and fasting, following the Lords command.[1] This can awaken our conscience and arouse our solidarity and commitment to a culture of care that says never again to every form of abuse.

It is impossible to think of a conversion of our activity as a Church that does not include the active participation of all the members of Gods People. Indeed, whenever we have tried to replace, or silence, or ignore, or reduce the People of God to small elites, we end up creating communities, projects, theological approaches, spiritualities and structures without roots, without memory, without faces, without bodies and ultimately, without lives.[2] This is clearly seen in a peculiar way of understanding the Churchs authority, one common in many communities where sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience have occurred. Such is the case with clericalism, an approach that not only nullifies the character of Christians, but also tends to diminish and undervalue the baptismal grace that the Holy Spirit has placed in the heart of our people.[3] Clericalism, whether fostered by priests themselves or by lay persons, leads to an excision in the ecclesial body that supports and helps to perpetuate many of the evils that we are condemning today. To say no to abuse is to say an emphatic no to all forms of clericalism.

It is always helpful to remember that in salvation history, the Lord saved one people. We are never completely ourselves unless we belong to a people. That is why no one is saved alone, as an isolated individual. Rather, God draws us to himself, taking into account the complex fabric of interpersonal relationships present in the human community. God wanted to enter into the life and history of a people (Gaudete et Exsultate, 6). Consequently, the only way that we have to respond to this evil that has darkened so many lives is to experience it as a task regarding all of us as the People of God. This awareness of being part of a people and a shared history will enable us to acknowledge our past sins and mistakes with a penitential openness that can allow us to be renewed from within. Without the active participation of all the Churchs members, everything being done to uproot the culture of abuse in our communities will not be successful in generating the necessary dynamics for sound and realistic change. The penitential dimension of fasting and prayer will help us as Gods People to come before the Lord and our wounded brothers and sisters as sinners imploring forgiveness and the grace of shame and conversion. In this way, we will come up with actions that can generate resources attuned to the Gospel. For whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for todays world (Evangelii Gaudium, 11).

It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable. Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others. An awareness of sin helps us to acknowledge the errors, the crimes and the wounds caused in the past and allows us, in the present, to be more open and committed along a journey of renewed conversion.

Likewise, penance and prayer will help us to open our eyes and our hearts to other peoples sufferings and to overcome the thirst for power and possessions that are so often the root of those evils. May fasting and prayer open our ears to the hushed pain felt by children, young people and the disabled. A fasting that can make us hunger and thirst for justice and impel us to walk in the truth, supporting all the judicial measures that may be necessary. A fasting that shakes us up and leads us to be committed in truth and charity with all men and women of good will, and with society in general, to combatting all forms of the abuse of power, sexual abuse and the abuse of conscience.

In this way, we can show clearly our calling to be a sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race (Lumen Gentium, 1).

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it, said Saint Paul. By an attitude of prayer and penance, we will become attuned as individuals and as a community to this exhortation, so that we may grow in the gift of compassion, in justice, prevention and reparation. Mary chose to stand at the foot of her Sons cross. She did so unhesitatingly, standing firmly by Jesus side. In this way, she reveals the way she lived her entire life. When we experience the desolation caused by these ecclesial wounds, we will do well, with Mary, to insist more upon prayer, seeking to grow all the more in love and fidelity to the Church (SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, Spiritual Exercises, 319). She, the first of the disciples, teaches all of us as disciples how we are to halt before the sufferings of the innocent, without excuses or cowardice. To look to Mary is to discover the model of a true follower of Christ.

May the Holy Spirit grant us the grace of conversion and the interior anointing needed to express before these crimes of abuse our compunction and our resolve courageously to combat them.

Vatican City, 20 August 2018

FRANCIS
Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis condemned Monday the "atrocities" revealed by a far-reaching US report into clerical child sex abuse in the state of Pennsylvania issued last week.

"In recent days, a report was made public which detailed the experiences of at least a thousand survivors... the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests," the pope said in a letter made public by the Vatican.

"Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of many of the victims," he said.

"We have realised that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death," he added.

A devastating US grand jury report published last week decried a systematic cover-up by the Catholic Church.

The grand jury said that more than 1,000 child victims were identifiable, but that the actual number was "in the thousands".

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.

Calling for "solidarity" with the victims and a fight against "spiritual corruption", Pope Francis said "no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient".

"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realising the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives," he said.

The Vatican had already expressed its "shame and sorrow" after the publication of the US report, but Pope Francis's letter on Monday went further.

"No effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated," he said.

Story continues

Pope Francis ended the letter by exhorting Catholics to "fasting and prayer", in order to "open our ears to the hushed pain felt by children, young people and the disabled".

It's not the first time that Francis, who became pope in 2013, has had to react to the scandal of child abuse within the Church.

At the end of July he accepted the resignation of prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who has been accused of sexually abusing a teenager nearly five decades ago.

Among senior church members in the US forced to resign for protecting paedophile priests were the late cardinal Bernard Law in Boston and cardinal Roger Mahony in Los Angeles.

The case of cardinal Law was the subject of a huge investigation by the Boston Globe, which won the newspaper a Pulitzer Prize and was subsequently turned into an Oscar-winning film, "Spotlight".
Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis condemned Monday the "atrocities" revealed by a far-reaching US report into clerical child sex abuse in the state of Pennsylvania issued last week and once again pledged action to combat the scandal which continues to rock the Catholic Church.

"In recent days, a report was made public which detailed the experiences of at least a thousand survivors... the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests," the pope said in a letter made public by the Vatican.

"Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of many of the victims," he said.

"We have realised that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death," he added.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said: "Pope Francis says greater accountability is urgently needed, not only for those who committed these crimes but also for those who covered them up -- which in many cases means bishops."

However, Irish abuse survivor Marie Collins, who last year quit the pope's panel on child protection, said the latest statement from the Vatican lacked a "plan of action".

"Statements from Vatican or pope should stop telling us how terrible abuse is and how all must be held accountable. Tell us instead what you are doing to hold them accountable," she said in a tweet.

"That is what we want to hear. 'Working on it' is not an acceptable explanation for decades of 'delay'," she added.

- 'Spiritual corruption' -

A devastating US grand jury report published last week decried a systematic cover-up by the Catholic Church.

The grand jury said that more than 1,000 child victims were identifiable, but that the actual number was "in the thousands".

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.

Story continues

Calling for "solidarity" with the victims and a fight against "spiritual corruption", Pope Francis said "no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient.

"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realising the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives," he said.

- Global scandal -

Pope Francis ended the letter by exhorting Catholics to "fasting and prayer", in order to "open our ears to the hushed pain felt by children, young people and the disabled".

It's not the first time that Francis, who became pope in 2013, has had to react to the scandal of child abuse within the Church.

At the end of July he accepted the resignation of prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who has been accused of sexually abusing a teenager nearly five decades ago.

Among senior church members in the US forced to resign for protecting paedophile priests were the late cardinal Bernard Law in Boston and cardinal Roger Mahony in Los Angeles.

On Monday Burke acknowledged that the scandal went further than the United States, citing Ireland -- where Pope Francis is expected on a visit this weekend -- and Chile as other examples of countries where widespread abuse allegations have been made.

"Pope Francis has written to the people of God, and that means everyone," Burke said.

In May the third-highest member of the Vatican hierarchy, Australian George Pell, was ordered to stand trial on "multiple" historical sex charges, which he denies.

His case coincided with an Australian public enquiry that found that seven percent of priests were accused of paedophilic acts between 1950 and 2010.
By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis, facing sexual abuse crises in several countries, wrote an unprecedented letter to all Catholics on Monday, asking each one of them to help root out "this culture of death" and vowing there would be no more cover ups.

In a highly personal letter addressed to "the people of God," Church language for all members, the pope appeared to be launching an appeal for all Catholics to face the crisis together and not let it tear the Church apart.

The Catholic Church in the United States, Chile, Australia, and Ireland - where the pope is making a two-day visit this weekend - are reeling from crises involving sexual abuse of minors. Numerous surveys have pointed to plummeting confidence in the Church in those countries and elsewhere.

In his letter, the pope referred to the suffering endured by minors due to sexual abuse at the hands of a "significant number of clerics and consecrated persons."

The Vatican said it was the first time a pope had written to all of the world's some 1.2 billion Catholics about sexual abuse. Past letters on sexual abuse scandals have been addressed to bishops and faithful of individual countries.

"We have realized that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death," he said.

Quoting a Gospel passage that says "If one member suffers, all suffer together," Francis added:

"(Those words) forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons."

"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them," Francis wrote.

Story continues

Advocates for victims of clergy sexual abuse expressed disappointment. "More actions, less words," said Anne Barrett-Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, a U.S.-based resource center that tracks cases of clerical abuse worldwide.

"He needs an effective discipline process for bishops and religious superiors who are known to have enabled abuse," she said.

Last week a grand jury in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania released the findings of the largest-ever investigation of sex abuse in the U.S. Catholic Church, finding that 301 priests in the state had sexually abused minors over the past 70 years.

CRYING OUT TO HEAVEN

He acknowledged that "the heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced".

"Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated," he said.

He also acknowledged that the implementation of a zero tolerance had been "delayed" in some places.

Victims groups have said that while new policies have been put into place in several countries to alert civil authorities about cases of abuse, the pope still needed to do more to hold accountable bishops who covered it up, mostly by moving priests from parish to parish.

In his first direct response to the U.S. grand jury report, Francis said that while most cases it listed "belong to the past," it was clear that the abuse cited "was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced".

Last month, Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, D.C., and one of the U.S. Church's most prominent figures, stepped down as a cardinal after accusations that he abused two minors about 50 years ago and later abused adult seminarians.

He was believed to be the first cardinal to lose his red hat in nearly a century and the first ever for alleged sexual abuse.

In May, all 34 of Chile's bishops offered their resignation to the pope over a widening sexual abuse crisis there. He has so far accepted five of the resignations.

(Additional reporting by Padraic Halpin in Dublin, editing by Steve Scherer, Richard Balmforth)
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari returned to the country on Saturday evening after two weeks of leave in Britain, according to the presidency's official Twitter account, which on Sunday shared pictures of the leader disembarking from his plane. A presidential aide had said on Saturday that the Nigerian leader would return, easing concerns over his health in the run-up to elections in early 2019. Presidency spokesmen have declined to say whether or not Buhari had any medical appointments during his absence. After Buhari spent five months in Britain last year being treated for an undisclosed ailment, opposition critics said he was unfit for office and his administration was beset by inertia. Buhari will be seeking a second term in February's elections. Although the main opposition party has yet to select a candidate, the president's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been beset by a series of high-profile defections. (Reporting by Paul Carsten; Editing by David Goodman)
Introducing The Royal Box, Yahoo UK's brand new show on all things royal. Presented by Kate Thornton, episode six features Diana's former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe. Charged with protecting the Princess for five years, until her separation from Prince Charles, Wharfe also oversaw William and Harrys protection during their early years. Wharfe discusses Dianas desperate, and ongoing, desire for normality and the royal familys hatred of the press. Elsewhere, royal correspondent Richard Palmer and journalist and royal biographer Claudia Joseph discuss the palaces handling of the latest Thomas Markle interview and what kind of Queen the Duchess of Cambridge will one day be. Plus, we look at what the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have planned for the remainder of the summer.
DAR ES SALAAM Stock Exchange ended the week on high note with a turnover of 12.87bn/- up from 666m/- posted in the previous week.

Foreign investors dominated the weekly trading contributing 12.74bn/- turnover out of 12.87bn/- total turnover.

The volume of shares moved during the week under review declined by 31.8 per cent to 1,370,547 compared to 2,011,041 of the preceding session.

According to Zan Securities Limited weekly wrapups, activity in eight counters resulted in a turnover of 12.88bn/- compared with 666m/-posted in the previous session.

Top trading equity was Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) that dominated the market share by 98 per cent.

Price movement was witnessed in two local listed companies, TBL depreciating in value by 3.61 per cent to close the week at 16,000/- per share and self-listed Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), losing 1.16 per cent of its value to 1,700/- per share.

DSE Market capitalisation decreased by 2.26 per cent to close at 21.95tri/- while Domestic market capitalisation depreciated by 1.61 per cent to 10.87tri/-.

On a weekly comparison, key benchmark indices closed in the red territory with the Tanzania share index (TSI) depreciating by 1.61 per cent to close at 4,140.65 points, while the All Share Index (DSEI) closed at 2,277.69 points up by 2.26 per cent compared to last week.

Industrial and Allied Indices closed at 6,080.42 points, down by 2.52 per cent while Bank, Finance and Investment Index closed at 2,513.33 points down by 0.14 per cent.

Commercial Services Indices remained unchanged compared to last week, closing at 2,331.27 points.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia is hunting for an industrial device containing radioactive material that is reported to have gone missing from a pickup truck on Aug 10, police and media said on Monday. Authorities fear the device, which contains an unknown amount of radioactive iridium, could cause radiation exposure or be used as a weapon by militants, the New Straits Times daily said, citing unnamed sources. The 23-kg (51-lb) device, used in industrial radiography, went missing on a journey to Shah Alam, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the capital, from the town of Seremban, about 60 km (37 miles) away, the paper added. "Yes, there is a report and we are investigating," Mazlan Mansor, police chief of the surrounding state of Selangor, told Reuters in a brief text message. He declined to elaborate. Two employees of the firm that owned the missing equipment were arrested but later released because of insufficient evidence, media said. Any loss or theft of radioactive material could put it in the hands of militants who might try to build a crude nuclear device or a so-called "dirty bomb", the United Nations atomic agency has warned. Such a device combines nuclear material with conventional explosives to contaminate an area with radiation, in contrast to a nuclear weapon, which uses nuclear fission to trigger a vastly more powerful blast. (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Bryan McGrath, Mackenzie Eaglen

Security, Asia

Why would a nation that has spent considerable time and effort to deny the U.S. Navy freedom of maneuver by creating the impression that its aircraft carriers were vulnerable embark on the expensive, logistically arduous, and operationally dubious decision to build its own carriers? The answer is that the benefit of a carrier force to achieving Chinas strategic goals far outweighs the risks associated with operating thema lesson that the United States once embraced, and one which must be generationally re-learned.

This Is the Reason Why China Wants Aircraft Carriers

China understands that in the steady-state security environment of the Western Pacific, its carrier force would be a pivotal and influential capability, essential to its quest for regional dominance. Furthermore, China understands that in a maritime conflict with virtually any nation but the United States, its carriers would be would be a powerful combat advantage. Finally, China understands that if conflict with the United States comes, its carriers warfighting capability wouldlike the rest of its arsenalhave to be employed based on the principle of calculated risk. It would be wise for strategists in the United States to remember these same principles.

(This first appeared in 2015.)

Chinas recent release of its first strategic white paper signals its official emergence as a maritimeand therefore globalpower. Little in the document should surprise those who have monitored Chinas rise, though it remains to be seen whether China watchers will discern nuance and inscrutability instead of taking Beijing at its word. Simply put, China views the United States as Asias hegemon, and its strategy seeks to deprive the United States of this role.

In its quest to eject the United States from a position of power and influence in the region, China has embarked upon a naval building and modernization program. At first, this program seemed aimed at rendering U.S. wartime support to Taiwan moot after the 1996 Taiwan Straits crisis. The effort included weapons and platforms designed specifically to target U.S maritime power projection capabilityprimarily resident in the air wings of its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier force. Early on, some assigned non-threatening motives for the buildup given the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue to Beijing. Yet over time, China began to develop weapons and sensor architectures far beyond those necessary or even useful for Taiwan scenarios. The Chinese naval program began to lay the foundation for regional maritime dominance and global influence by building modern multi-purpose destroyers, nuclear attack submarines, amphibious vessels, and an improved logistics force.

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By far the most powerful symbol of Chinas design on regional dominance is the development of its own fleet of aircraft carriers. With one flat-top already launched and two to three more in the works , an interesting question arises. Why would a nation that has spent considerable time and effort to deny the U.S. Navy freedom of maneuver by creating the impression that its aircraft carriers were vulnerable embark on the expensive, logistically arduous, and operationally dubious decision to build its own carriers? The answer is that the benefit of a carrier force to achieving Chinas strategic goals far outweighs the risks associated with operating thema lesson that the United States once embraced, and one which must be generationally re-learned.

Whether in a direct or support role, carriers have taken part in almost every major military operation the United States has undertaken since the Second World War. They also serve as first-rate diplomatic tools to either heighten or ease political pressure. When regional tensions increase, a carrier, or sometimes two, is sent to patrol off their coast. And when an election takes place in a nascent democracy or country central to U.S. interests, a strike group typically is sailing offshore.

China recognizes this brand of unique flexibility and the extensibility of the aircraft carrier across the spectrum of conflict, from presence through deterrence to coercion and war-fighting. China cannot be ignorant of the multiplicity of threats arrayed against its potential carrier force. For starters, the peerless U.S. Navy Submarine Force would likely make short work of Chinas carriers in a conflict. But that scenario is unlikely. More likely, Chinese fleet architects are thinking about carriers more for their ability to exert influence throughout the region, like coercing nations reluctant to toe Chinas nine-dash-line claims in the South China Sea, and in order to display global Chinese influence as far afield as the Eastern Pacific and the Mediterranean Sea.

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Presence, Deterrence, Coercion, and Warfighting

Modern, first-rate navies tend to operate three main types of vessel: submarines, surface ships (including amphibious transport ships and logistics ships), and aircraft carriers with embarked air wings. Submarines are superb war-fighting platformsable to operate in the opaque undersea environment. They hunt surface ships, provide incredible platforms for surreptitious surveillance, and can strike targets ashore. That said, submarines arent great platforms for presence, since they must stay unseen to stay alive.

Surface ships are the primary platforms employed for naval presence, deterrence, and coercion. Presence can be accomplished by unarmed or even modestly armed ships, though these are less useful in deterrence and warfighting. More heavily armed surface ships perform presence missions and are considerably more potent deterrence platforms, but are more vulnerable than submarines to modern weaponry when the shooting starts.

Aircraft carriers combine the ability to carry out everyday missions well while remaining a deadly warfighting platform. Carriers remain premier instruments for presence, deterrence, and coercion, while the embarked air wing renders the carrier a potent warfighting system able to project power and exert control of the seas around which it operates. Though achieving this unmatched capability has taken the U.S. Navy decades, the Chinese may realistically replicate it within twenty years. Additionally, the Chinese Navy will contend with the U.S. Navy for dominance in the Pacific under Chinas growing anti-access/area denial umbrella , reducing the risk to its carrier force.

The Burden of Fleet Architecture

Even as the Chinese Navy expands its fleet architecture to match expansive maritime goals, several U.S. defense analysts want to consolidate the U.S. Navy. These carrier detractors would end the U.S. Navys balance between everyday missions and warfighting requirements by killing off Americas carriers to fund more submarines and drones. The problem with this approach is that a fleet disproportionately composed of submarines and drones cannot perform the missions necessary to keep conflict from occurring. While a submarine- and drone-heavy approach would do well once the shooting started, the U.S. Navy exists to prevent the war from starting in the first place.

That said, these analysts also unfairly undercut the warfighting ability of carriers by refusing to consider their realistic employment. No one would think of stationing a U.S. Air Expeditionary Force in harms way without adequate protection and air and missile defense. Similarly, no one would send an army division across a hostile border without air cover. Yet these carrier detractors have led audiences to believe that the U.S. Navy would simply steam its carriers into the teeth of an enemys defenses without the benefit of a joint, combined arms concept of operations to mitigate risk. Framing the debate in such terms subjects the aircraft carrier to a standard of invulnerability applied to no other weapon system.

This tendentious presentation of the carriers value has negatively impacted Americas carrier force. Only two years ago, carrier program chief Rear Admiral Thomas Moore commented that America has an 11-carrier Navy in a 15-carrier world. Worse yet, the combination of one carrier in long-term maintenance and the gap between the overhaul of the USS George Washington and the completion of the USS Gerald Ford means that America operates a single-digit carrier navy today with just nine carriers. Even though the George Washington survived sequestration-inspired attempts to cut it, the Ford remains under constant attack by Congress. Meanwhile, China is only adding to the ranks of the roughly ten nations operating or building carriers of one form or another. While the size, capabilities and effectiveness of these vessels vary widely, the fact that India, Brazil, Thailand and China enter and stay in the aircraft carrier business speaks to the ships continued utility both in war fighting and war prevention.

China understands that in the steady-state security environment of the Western Pacific, its carrier force would be a pivotal and influential capability, essential to its quest for regional dominance. Furthermore, China understands that in a maritime conflict with virtually any nation but the United States, its carriers would be would be a powerful combat advantage. Finally, China understands that if conflict with the United States comes, its carriers warfighting capability wouldlike the rest of its arsenalhave to be employed based on the principle of calculated risk. It would be wise for strategists in the United States to remember these same principles.

Bryan McGrath is the Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC, and the Assistant Director of Hudson Institutes Center for American Seapower.

Mackenzie Eaglen is a resident fellow in the Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies at the American Enterprise Institute , where she works on defense issues.

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By Muhammad Yamany MUZDALIFA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - More than 2 million Muslims gathered at Mount Arafat on Monday for a vigil to atone for their sins, and then descended to Muzdalifa to prepare for the final stages of the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Clad in white robes signifying a state of purity, the pilgrims spent the previous night in an encampment around the hill where Islam holds that God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son Ismail and Prophet Mohammad gave his final sermon. Other worshippers praying in the nearby Mina area ascended in buses or on foot from before dawn as security forces directed traffic and helicopters and surveillance drones hovered overhead. Some of the faithful carried umbrellas to block the sun as daytime temperatures surpassed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) following an evening of thunderstorms and high winds. Men and women from 165 countries gathered side by side, while soldiers handed out bottled water and some people snapped selfies. Pakistani pilgrim Mohamed Forqan, 30, said it was a great day to be a Muslim. "Here in Arafat we feel that we are born today asking Allah to forgive our sins," he said. Hilal Issa, 70, from Algeria, said he was praying for God to pardon all Muslims and save the Arab world from its afflictions. For a graphic on The haj journey http://tmsnrt.rs/2imJ2yf Saudi Arabia has said more than 2.37 million pilgrims, mostly from outside Saudi Arabia, had arrived for the five-day ritual, a religious duty once in a lifetime for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey. After sunset, they moved on foot, by bus and in trains to the rocky plain of Muzdalifa to gather pebbles to throw at stone columns symbolizing the devil at another location called Jamarat on Tuesday, which marks the first day of Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice. "I feel at ease after standing at Arafat. This is a rite that one waits an entire life for," said Ashraf Abdelrahman, 46. "I feel that I will return to Sudan like the day I was born." CALLS FOR UNITY In a haj message, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leader of Saudi rival Iran, called for unity among Muslims as a defense against foreign enemies. "Muslims should be vigilant about Americas malicious war-mongering policy aimed at Muslims killing Muslims," he said in comments read by a representative on Iranian television. The United States reimposed economic sanctions on Iran this month after pulling out of a 2015 international deal aimed at curbing its nuclear program in return for easing sanctions. Washington has said Tehran's only chance of avoiding the sanctions would be to accept President Donald Trump's offer to negotiate for a tougher nuclear deal, which Iranian officials have rejected. Iranian television showed a handful of Iranian pilgrims carrying banners and chanting slogans against the United States and Israel. In a midday sermon, senior Saudi cleric Sheikh Hussein bin Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh also urged pilgrims to come together with their co-religionists but cautioned: "Haj is not a place for slogans and parties." Mecca Governor Prince Khalid al-Faisal said there were some 86,000 Iranian pilgrims this year and around 300 from Qatar, which is locked in a year-old diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia over alleged support for terrorism, which Qatar denies. Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites - Mecca and Medina - and organizing the pilgrimage. The world's largest annual gathering of Muslims has in the past seen stampedes, fires and riots, with authorities sometimes struggling to respond. A crush in 2015 killed nearly 800 pilgrims, according to Riyadh, although counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians. Officials say they have taken all necessary precautions this year, with tens of thousands of security forces and health workers on hand to maintain safety and provide first aid. Pilgrimage is also the backbone of a plan to expand tourism under a drive to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil. The haj and year-round umrah generate billions of dollars in revenue from worshippers' lodging, transport, fees and gifts. The authorities aim to increase the number of umrah and haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and hope to double the umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba in Cairo, Parisa Hafezi in Ankara and Stephen Kalin in Riyadh; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Alison Williams)
President Donald Trumps attorney Rudy Giulianis truth isnt truth statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology, the former New York City mayor said Monday.

Instead, Giuliani said he was referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said, she said puzzle.

My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic he said,she said puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesnt.  Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) August 20, 2018

Giulianis comments came one day after his appearance on NBCs Meet the Press, during which he told an incredulous Chuck Todd that truth isnt truth while explaining why he did not want to rush Trump into testifying to special counsel Robert Mueller:

When you tell me  [Trump] should testify because hes going to tell the truth and he shouldnt worry, well, thats so silly because its somebodys version of the truth. Not the truth, Giuliani said.

Truth is truth, Todd replied.

No, no, it isnt truth, Giuliani said. Truth isnt truth.

Truth isnt truth? Todd said. Mr. Mayor, do you realize, what  I think this is going to become a bad meme.

No, no, no  dont do this to me, said Giuliani, putting his hand to his head.

Dont do truth isnt truth to me, Todd fired back.

Donald Trump says I didnt talk about [Michael] Flynn with [James] Comey. Comey says you did talk about it. So tell me what the truth is, Giuliani said.

Giulianis comments were immediately pounced upon by those critical of Trump and others in his orbit. Former FBI Director James Comey, whose firing by Trump led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel in the Russia investigation, said Sunday that truth exists and truth matters.

Story continues

Truth has always been the touchstone of our countrys justice system and political life, said Comey. People who lie are held accountable. If we are untethered to truth, our justice system cannot function and a society based on the rule of law dissolves.

Truth exists and truth matters. Truth has always been the touchstone of our countrys justice system and political life. People who lie are held accountable. If we are untethered to truth, our justice system cannot function and a society based on the rule of law dissolves.  James Comey (@Comey) August 19, 2018

Trump has said he is willing to talk to Mueller, but his current legal team, headed by Giuliani, has yet to arrange such a meeting, insisting that certain topics remain off-limits.
A woman cries as she holds her son after they were evacuated from a flooded area in Aluva - REUTERS

A deluge in India's flood-stricken southwestern state of Kerala finally let up on Sunday, giving some respite for thousands of marooned families, while authorities feared an outbreak of disease among over 200,000 people crammed into relief camps.

Incessant rains since August 8 have caused the state's worst floods in a century, and at least 186 people have perished, many of them killed by landslides. The beaches and backwaters of Kerala are top destinations for domestic and international tourists, but far fewer visit during the monsoon season.

The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall only at one or two places of Kerala on Sunday and withdrew a red alert in several districts. Flood waters too began to recede from several places.

Using boats and helicopters, India's military has led rescue efforts to reach people in communities cut off for days by the floods, with many trapped on roof tops and the upper floors of their homes, and in desperate need of food and potable water.

Rescue teams were focused on the town of Chengannur on the banks of the Pamba River, where some 5,000 people are feared to be trapped, officials said.

Volunteers reach out to stranded people with food supplies in a flooded area in Chengannur in the southern state of Kerala Credit: Aijaz Rahi/ AP

More than 200,000 families have taken refuge at relief camps set up across the state, an official at the Kerala State Disaster Management office said. Kerala's chief minister had earlier said over 200,000 people had taken shelter in camps since the monsoon rains began three months ago.

Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at the Kerala health department, said authorities had isolated three people with chickenpox in one of the relief camps in Aluva town, nearly 250 km (155 miles) from state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the department was preparing to deal with a possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases in the camps, where an estimated two million people have taken shelter since the monsoon rains began three months ago.

Story continues

Kerala, which usually receives high rainfall, has seen over 250 percent more rain than normal between August 8 and August 15, causing the state authorities to release water from 35 dangerously full dams, sending a surge into its main river.

As the rain abated on Sunday morning, one resident in Cheranelloor, a suburb of Kochi situated on the banks of the Periyar river, visited his home to see when he and his family could return.

"The entire house is covered with mud. It will take days to clean to make it liveable. All our household articles, including the TV and fridge have been destroyed," 60-year-old T P Johnny told Reuters.

Kochi's airport is closed due to waterlogging, and Jet Airways has arranged additional flights from Thiruvananthapuram for passengers holding confirmed tickets from Kochi.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia and Egypt have discussed ways to expand their military ties and boost anti-terrorism cooperation.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during Monday's talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Mohamed Zaki, that Moscow strongly supports Egypt's efforts to combat militants in the Sinai Peninsula.

Shoigu said the Russian military is ready to share the experience of its military campaign in Syria with Egypt. Zaki noted that Moscow and Cairo have a shared view of current security challenges.

An Islamic State affiliate downed a Russian airliner over Sinai in October 2015, killing all 224 people aboard and raising concerns over security at Egyptian airports. Moscow suspended flights to Egypt and only allowed them to resume in April after Egyptian authorities enhanced the airport security.
Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia investigation - AFP

Since Donald Trump's election a shadow has hung over his administration - a federal investigation into possible collusion between the president's campaign and Russian agents.

Robert Mueller, the stern former FBI director now leading the investigation, has charged dozens of individuals with crimes ranging from election interference to fraud along the way.

Mr Trump has denounced the probe as a "witch hunt" - a view held by a number of leading Republicans.

However the alleged crimes detailed by Mr Mueller's team so far indicate the potential extent of the attempt to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

With the wide-reaching investigation reportedly aiming to reach its conclusion by September 1, here is a timeline of the key events to date.

May 2016

George Papadopoulos

Over drinks in a London wine bar, George Papadopoulos reportedly tells Alexander Downer, Australias High Commissioner to the UK, that he is aware that Russia has compromising material on Hillary Clinton. This later becomes the spark for the Russia investigation.

June 9, 2016

Donald Jr arriving for a meeting in Trump Tower in 2016 Credit: AFP

The president's oldest child, Donald Trump Jr, campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, meet at Trump Tower with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, believing they will receive damaging information about Mrs Clinton. Mr Kushner fails to initially report the meeting to the government, as required, when he takes a position in the administration as a senior adviser.

June 15, 2016

A hacker calling himself Guccifer 2.0 leaks the Democratic National Committees (DNC) opposition research on Mr Trump. Security experts link the data breach to Russian hackers.

June 20, 2016

Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who set-up Orbis Business Intelligence and compiled a dossier on Donald Trump Credit: PA

Christopher Steele, a British former spy, produces the first of his private memos into Mr Trumps alleged ties to Russia, later to be known as the dirty dossier. They are funded first by a Republican rival, then by the Democratic National Committee. The work is done on behalf of Washington consulting firm Fusion GPS. The compromising information on the Republican candidate includes claims he slept with prostitutes at a Moscow hotel in 2013.

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Early July 2016

Mr Steele hands the information hes gathered on Mr Trump over to the FBI. The former intelligence officer had been a source for the agency in the past.

July 22, 2016

WikiLeaks publishes thousands of emails stolen from the DNC - days before the Democratic convention is due to begin.

July 2016

The FBI begins investigating possible links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign. It comes after Australian authorities alert the agency to Mr Papadopoulos's earlier comments on Russian dirt to their diplomat in London. The Australians' decision to alert the FBI is made after the stolen Democratic emails are released, and Mr Papadopoulos's allusion to Russian information appears to have greater significance.

August 19, 2016

Republican nominee Donald Trump, Campaign Manager Paul Manafort, and his daughter Ivanka Trump at the Republican Convention Credit: Getty

Mr Manafort quits the Trump campaign days after news reports emerge claiming he has received payments from Russian-backed Ukrainian figures. The campaign chief denied receiving secret payments or working for the governments of Ukraine or Russia.

September 2016

Congress members are briefed on the CIAs belief that Russia is intervening in the election to benefit Mr Trump. Republican senator Jeff Sessions, a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, meets with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the US, in his Senate office.

Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the US Credit: AP /Cliff Owen

By this point, the Internet Research Agency is spending around $1.25 million a month on interfering with the election according to US prosecutors.

October 7, 2016

Shortly after the publication of a 2005 Access Hollywood video in which Mr Trump discusses sexually assaulting women, WikiLeaks releases a batch of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas email account. The leaks continue for weeks.

October 12, 2016

WikiLeaks contacts Trump Jr on Twitter to ask him to share a link to file archives. Shortly afterwards, the candidate tweets about the leaks.

October 21, 2016

The FBI obtains a warrant to wiretap Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser on the Trump campaign.

October 28, 2016

James Comey takes the oath before he testifies during a US Senate Select Committee Credit: AFP

James Comey, the FBI Director, sends a letter to Congress announcing the agency has reopened its investigation into Mrs Clintons use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. He does not publicly reveal the FBI is investigating the Trump campaign.

November 8, 2016

Mr Trump is elected president.

Mr Trump's supporters celebrate on election night Credit: AFP

November 10, 2016

In his Oval Office meeting with Mr Trump, Barack Obama reportedly warns the president-elect against putting Michael Flynn in a high level position within his administration.

November 18, 2016

Mr Trump offers Mr Flynn the job of national security adviser and Mr Sessions the job of attorney general - two of the first appointments the president-elect makes.

Late November 2016

Members of the Trump transition team reportedly warn Mr Flynn that his communications with Ambassador Kislyak will be monitored by US intelligence agencies.

November 30, 2016

The Justice Department informs Mr Flynn that he is under investigation for his unreported lobbying on behalf of Turkey.

December 1, 2016

Jared Kushner Credit: AP

Mr Flynn and Mr Kushner meet with Mr Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, at Trump Tower. Mr Kushner allegedly proposed setting up a back-channel of communication between the administration and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.

December 22, 2016

Mr Flynn contacts Ambassador Kislyak to urge Russia to oppose a resolution about Israeli settlements. Russia is one of several countries Mr Flynn contacts, allegedly at the behest of Mr Kushner.

December 29, 2016

The Obama administration issues new sanctions against Russia in response to its interference in the US election.

Mr Flynn calls Ambassador Kislyak multiple times about the sanctions and asks Russia not to retaliate. He later tells Mr Flynn that Russia "had chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of his request", according to investigators.

December 30, 2016

In a tweet, Mr Trump praises Putins decision not to respond to the US sanctions.

Great move on delay (by V. Putin) - I always knew he was very smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2016

January 4, 2017

Mr Flynn tells Donald McGahn, the Trump campaigns top lawyer, that he is being investigated by the FBI.

January 6, 2017

US intelligence agencies release a detailed report on Russian election interference.

Mr Comey briefs Mr Trump at Trump Tower in New York. The FBI director says Mr Trump is not personally under investigation as part of the agencys counterintelligence case. He also informs Mr Trump of the contents of Mr Steeles dossier, including the allegation involving prostitutes in a Moscow hotel. Mr Trump denies the allegation.

January 10, 2017

In his Senate confirmation hearing for the attorney general post, Mr Sessions denies under oath contacting Russian officials during the election campaign.

Mr Steeles dirty dossier is leaked by Buzzfeed News, despite containing a series of unverified claims. The explosive 35-page report creates a legal storm.

FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

January 11, 2017

The next day Mr Trump holds a press conference in Trump tower decrying the "highly salacious" dossier, saying he has been a victim of "fake news".

"Does anyone really believe that story?", Mr Trump asks the audience.

He adds: "I'm also very much of a germaphobe, by the way, believe me."

.@PeteHegseth on @FoxNews Source #1 was the (Fake) Dossier. Yes, the Dirty Dossier, paid for by Democrats as a hit piece against Trump, and looking for information that could discredit Candidate #1 Trump. Carter Page was just the foot to surveil the Trump campaign... ILLEGAL!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2018

January 18, 2017

Mr Kushner submits his application for top-secret security clearance, excluding a number of meetings with foreign officials, including the December Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer.

January 20, 2017

Mr Trump is inaugurated as president.

January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2017

January 22, 2017

Mr Flynn is sworn in as national security adviser.

Michael Flynn Credit: AP

January 24, 2017

During an FBI interview, Mr Flynn lies about his conversations with Ambassador Kislyak.

January 26, 2017

Sally Yates, the acting attorney general, is briefed on the Flynn interview and warns the White House that the national security adviser could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail.

Mr Trumps lawyer later says the president knew that Mr Flynn lied to the FBI by late January.

January 27, 2017

The FBI director claims Mr Trump told him I need loyalty, I expect loyalty over dinner at the White House, a move which could be seen as an attempt to steer the Russia investigation. Mr Trump has vehemently denied the claim. Mr Comey adds that the president tells him that Mr Flynn has serious judgment issues. He also again denies the allegations involving prostitutes at a Moscow hotel, denying he even spent the night in Moscow.

February 8, 2017

Jeff Sessions Credit: Getty

Mr Sessions is confirmed as attorney general.

February 13, 2017

Mr Flynn resigns as national security adviser after just 24 days in the post.

February 14, 2017

During a meeting in the Oval Office, Mr Trump reportedly asks Mr Comey to end the FBI investigation into Mr Flynn, which could amount to obstruction of justice. The FBI director claims the president told him: He is a good guy, I hope you can let this go. Mr Trump denies he made the comments.

March 2, 2017

Mr Sessions announces he will recuse himself from any Russia investigation after his meetings with Ambassador Kislyak are revealed. Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, is now responsible for overseeing the probe.

March 20, 2017

Mr Comey publicly confirms the FBIs investigation into Russian hacking and potential collusion with individuals in the Trump campaign for the first time while testifying before the House Intelligence Committee.

May 9, 2017

Mr Trump fires Mr Comey. The president alludes to the Russia probe in his letter to the FBI director, saying "I greatly appreciate you informing me... I am not under investigation".

A copy of the letter by President Trump firing Director of the FBI James Comey Credit: Reuters

May 17, 2017

Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, is appointed as special counsel to oversee the Russia investigation following Mr Comeys departure.

Robert Mueller, the former FBI Director Credit: AP

June 2017

Mr Trump reportedly asks White House lawyer Donald McGahn to have the special counsel fired, but backs down when Mr McGahn threatens to quit over the request. The report prompts suggestions Mr Trump may have sought to obstruct justice. The president later dismisses the reports as fake news.

July 27, 2017

Mr Papadopoulos is arrested at Washingtons Dulles International Airport.

August 1, 2017

FBI Director Christopher Wray is sworn in Credit: Reuters

Christopher Wray takes over as FBI director.

October 5, 2017

Mr Papadopoulos pleads guilty to lying to the FBI about his efforts to put the Trump campaign in contact with Kremlin figures. Mr Papadopoulos enters a plea agreement with Mr Mueller, suggesting he has agreed to become an informant for a lesser sentence, but this is not made public until later in the month.

October 2017

Former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus; former press secretary Sean Spicer and Sam Clovis, a Trump campaign foreign-policy adviser, are all interviewed by Mr Muellers team.

October 30, 2017

Mr Muellers team reveals charges against former Trump campaign staff - Mr Manafort and his associate Rick Gates are charged on 12 counts, including conspiracy to launder money and making false statements. Mr Papadopoulos guilty plea is made public in court filings.

November 2017

The Russia investigation interviews Mr Kushner, White House adviser Stephen Miller and White House counsel Donald McGahn.

November 30, 2017

Mr Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI in his January interview.

December 7, 2017

Hope Hicks announced she was resigning from her post in February, a day after testifying in front of the House for nine hours as part of its Russia investigations Credit: Bloomberg

Hope Hicks, the White House communications director, is interviewed by Mr Muellers team. The following month Mr Sessions is also interviewed.

February 2, 2018

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee release a memo accusing the Justice Department and FBI of an abuse of power during the Russia investigation. The memo also accuses Peter Strzok, an FBI agent on the investigation, of anti-Trump bias. The special counsel removed Mr Strzok from the investigation after he learned the agent had exchanged anti-Trump texts.

February 16, 2018

Mr Muellers team reveals charges against 13 Russian nationals and three organisations linked to the Internet Research Agency for unlawfully engaging in operations to interfere with elections and political processes. The charges reveal the full scale of alleged Russian election meddling and recounts their alleged crimes in remarkable detail, describing how Russian agents created hundreds of social media accounts to influence the election.

February 22, 2018

Mr Mueller files additional charges against Mr Gates and Mr Manafort including bank fraud and failure to declare foreign bank accounts.

February 23, 2018

Mr Gates makes a plea deal with the special counsel.

June 4, 2018

Mr Trump claims he has the absolute right to pardon himself and calls the appointment of the special counsel totally unconstitutional.

June 8, 2018

Mr Mueller files charges against Konstantin Kilimnik, a political operative with alleged ties to Russian intelligence, bringing his probe a step closer to the Kremlin's door. The indictment includes new charges of witness tampering against Mr Manafort, the third set of charges to be added since he was indicted in October.

June 15, 2018

Paul Manafort's mugshot. The former Trump campaign chairman is set to stand trial at the end of July Credit: Alexandria Sheriff's Office

Mr Manafort is sent to jail after a judge revokes his bail. The former Trump campaign manager is accused of contacting witnesses while awaiting trial for fraud charges.

July 13, 2018

The Russia investigation announces criminal charges against 12 officers from Russias online troll factory, the GRU. The individuals are accused of hacking the DNC and the Clinton campaign.

July 16, 2018

Donald Trump appears to side with Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence officials during a joint press conference in Helsinki, praising the Russian presidents extremely strong and powerful denial over election meddling.

He added: I dont see any reason why it would be Russia who interfered in the 2016 presidential race.

The next day, after a fierce backlash from Democrats and Republicans, Mr Trump made a statement in the White House saying he misspoke and meant the opposite. He clarified that he should have said "I don't see any reason it wouldn't be" Russia. He called the sentence he meant to say a "bit of a double negative".

August 18, 2018

Mr McGahn, the White House counsel, has co-operated extensively with the Russia investigation and spent more than 30 hours with Mr Mueller's team, the New York Times reports.

Following the report, Mr Trump said he allowed Mr McGahn to fully co-operate with investigators. The revelation is significant because Mr McGahn will be a key witness to Mr Trump's thinking at significant points - for instance in the days leading up to his firing of James Comey, the former FBI director.

Historians have drawn comparisons with John Dean, the White House counsel during Richard Nixon's presidency, who handed prosecutors key information about his attempts to obstruct justice.

Hours later, Mr Trump appears to be rattled by the news reports, sending out a string of tweets in which he compares the Russia investigation with the 1950s hunt for communists led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2018

August 20, 2018

Mr Trump sends out a series of attacks aimed at Mr Mueller and his team calling the special counsel "disgraced and discredited".

He goes on: "Wheres the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!"

The comments come as the jury in the trial of Mr Manafort, the president's former campaign chairman, continue to deliberate a verdict.

August 21, 2018

Mr Manafort is found guilty of eight financial crimes in the first trial of the Russia investigation - a major victory for the special counsel.

A judge declared a mistrial on 10 other counts the jury could not agree on, however Manafortt, who led Mr Trump's election effort during a crucial stretch of 2016, is still facing a lengthy prison stretch.

The verdict was part of a stunning one-two punch of bad news for the White House, coming as the president's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was pleading guilty in New York to campaign finance violations arising from hush money payments made to two women who say they had sexual relationships with Mr Trump.

November 7, 2018

Mr Trump forces Jeff Sessions, the US attorney general, to quit, plunging the Russia investigation into deep uncertainty. Matthew Whitaker, Mr Sessionss chief of staff, will fill the role of acting attorney general. Mr Whitaker has previously suggested that a replacement to Mr Sessions could slash Mr Muellers budget so the investigation "grinds to almost a halt".

It raises questions about whether Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading that investigation who reports to the Justice Department, will face more restrictions in the coming months. The person Mr Trump selects as attorney general is likely to oversee the Russia investigation personally, raising fears the president could pick an ardent supporter who could protect him.

November 21, 2018

Mr Trump submitted written responses to questions from Mr Mueller's team. Earlier in the month, news outlets reported that Mr Trump had spent several days with his lawyers drafting his answers. "I write the answers. My lawyers don't write answers," Mr Trump said in response.

November 26, 2018

Mr Mueller's team accuses Manafort of lying to them, breaking his plea deal. They urge a judge to press ahead with sentencing the former Trump campaign chairman, arguing he no longer deserves the leniency their agreement gave him.

November 29, 2018

In a surprise announcement, Cohen pleads guilty to lying to Congress about the Russia investigation, including misleading the chamber about the fact he was pursuing a project to build a Trump tower in Moscow deep into the 2016 presidential campaign.

Michael Cohen was Mr Trump's personal lawyer for a decade Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Cohen said he lied two congressional committees in 2017 in order to minimise the links between the Moscow project and Mr Trump. Court documents said he gave the false impression that the project had ended in January 2016 - before the first Republican primary vote - when in fact he pursued it until June 2016.

December 12, 2018

Cohen is sentenced to three years in prison. During the sentencing hearing it emerges that Cohen has given Mr Mueller's team wide-ranging and helpful information. However, prosecutors in the southern district of New York recommend a substantial term of imprisonment for Cohen for the egregious nature of his crimes and his lack of assistance. On the same day, the New York prosecutors also reveal they have come to an agreement with American Media Company, Inc. the National Enquirer's publisher over a payment made during the election campaign to a woman alleging an affair with Mr Trump.

December 20, 2018

Matt Whitaker, the acting attorney general, says he will not recuse himself from overseeing the Russia investigation. Mr Whitaker had previously criticised the probe and suggested it could be curtailed but slashing the special counsel's budget.

January 25, 2019

Roger Stone has vowed to fight the charges Credit: AFP

Roger Stone, a longtime friend and adviser to Mr Trump, is arrested during an early morning FBI raid of his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mr Stone indicted on seven counts, including one count of obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of false statements and one count of witness tampering in Mr Muellers investigation.

February 14, 2019

William Barr was nominated by Mr Trump and approved by the Senate earlier this year Credit: AP

Bill Barr is sworn in as attorney general. Mr Barr now oversees the Russia investigation and has ultimate say over how much of Mr Muller's final report is made public.

February 27, 2019

Cohen testifies publicly for the first time, telling Congress his former boss was a "liar", a "cheat" and a "racist". Cohen claims Mr Trump participated in insurance fraud and directed him to make hush-money payments to women alleging affairs even though he knew it was wrong. Mr Trump has denied those claims, saying Cohen is attempting to get a more lenient prison sentence.

March 22, 2019

Mr Mueller submits his report, as is required, to the US department of justice following an investigation that lasted 674 days.

It will now be up to Mr Barr, the US attorney general, to decide how much of the report to release to Congress and the public.

March 24, 2019

Mr Barr releases a four-page summary of the Mueller report which states that Mr Trump and his aides did not collude with Russia in the 2016 election campaign. Mr Mueller did not reach a decision on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice in his alleged attempts to thwart the investigation - meaning it was not a total victory for the president - instead deciding not to come to a conclusion.

The summary of the report quotes Mr Mueller saying of obstruction of justice: While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him".

Mr Barr and Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, decided there was not enough evidence to conclude that Mr Trump had acted with corrupt intent, and therefore decided he had not obstructed justice.

Mr Mueller also decided to recommend no further indictments and has no sealed indictments waiting to be made public, meaning he will not bring any more charges now his probe is complete.
On Who Is America?, Sacha Baron Cohen, as ex-convict Rick Sherman, took a break from humiliating politicians and set his sights on food critic Bill Jilla of DinnerReviews.com. Cohen convinced Jilla that in China, people can donate flesh the same as they would organs. Jillas disgust was all over his face when Cohen set down the dish, saying, This is a filet of vegetarian-fed Chinese dissident and a cauliflower puree. Despite believing it was human flesh, Jilla took a bite...and loved it. Mmm. Butter. Its like butter-soft, Jilla said. Who needs a knife? Its melting on my palate. I do not even need to chew it. Cohen went on to tell Jilla that dissidents in China are kept in very narrow spaces and that they become fatty over the years. Cohen then told Jilla that the young man who he was eating was named Chun Fi Lao, and that Chun Fis family would be honored to know that such a respected westerner was enjoying their son, then asked him to record a message for the family. As ridiculous as that sounds, Jilla bit. He looked directly into the camera and said, To the Lao family, thank you very much. It's truly an honor and pleasure. This is Chun Fi's loin that I'm enjoying very much. As if telling a family how delicious their sons loin is isnt creepy enough, how about taking another bite while making what would amount to eye contact with the family? After thanking Cohen and repeating that it was melting on his palate, Jilla looked directly into the camera and took another bite. How does Chun Fi taste? Cohen asked. Jilla replied, Superb.
Muslim worshippers circle the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca - AFP

Saudi Arabia's international feuds have spilled over into the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

Qatar has accused the kingdom of barring its citizens, while Canadians fear being stranded there after Saudi Arabia suspended flights to Toronto following a spat over the kingdom's human rights record.

More than two million Muslims are in Mecca for the six-day ritual starting on Sunday. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim with the means must fulfil once.

Qatar, which Saudi Arabia blockaded in 2017, has said more than 1,200 eligible citizens have been barred from performing the pilgrimage, something the kingdom has denied.

"There is no chance this year for Qatari citizens and residents to travel for Hajj," Abdullah al-Kaabi, who runs the state's human rights committee, told Reuters. "Registration of pilgrims from the State of Qatar remains closed."

Hajj pilgrimage

Saudi authorities have denied the claims and blamed Qatar.

A pro-government newspaper, Okaz, went as far as to call on Qataris to "rise up" against their ruling family whom it accused of "annulling the fifth pillar of Islam."

Canadians have also been affected by their the crisis between their government and Saudi Arabia, which expelled Ottawa's ambassador and suspended flights by its national carrier on August 13 after Canada criticised a crackdown on dissidents.

Flights before the suspension were not affected but there are concerns about how pilgrims will return.

Saudi Arabia prides itself on managing Islam's holiest sites, and is sensitive to accusations that its increasingly muscular foreign policy has affected its obligations to all Muslims.

While the Qatar blockade was also enforced by Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, no country joined Saudi Arabia in its financial sanctions on Canada, seen as a sign that the kingdom will tolerate no criticism even as it unfolds reforms including allowing women to drive.
(Photo: Chris DAngelo)

THE ATLANTIC OCEAN  For oceanographer and microbiologist Samatha Joye, there are few things more wonderful or amazing than a large colony of beggiatoa bacteria on the ocean floor.

These bacterial mats  hotspots of methane-munching microorganisms  form a sort of blanket over areas where the potent greenhouse gas seeps from the seabed, preventing huge amounts of it from entering the water column and atmosphere.

Theres nothing that makes my eyes twinkle like really thick beggiatoa mats, Joye said aboard a research ship as it headed out to sea from Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, if all goes as planned, Joye and two others will become the first people to ever dive to a bacteria-rich gas seep named Pea Island, off the coast of North Carolina. Joy could hardly contain her excitement. Like a kid in a candy store, she said.

The site, which was discovered several years ago, sits at a depth of 500 meters and is one of hundreds of gas seeps along the Atlantic coast. Joye will travel there aboard a famous deep-sea submersible named Alvin to collect bacteria and other samples and to put human eyes on a dark, watery slice of planet Earth no human being has ever seen before.

That, she said, is the coolest thing. Ever.

Joye, a professor with the University of Georgia whos been highly involved in researching the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, is among nearly two dozen scientists currently working aboard the R/V Atlantis, a 274-foot research vessel owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Over the next two weeks, the team is scheduled to use Alvin for 12 deep sea dives. All but a few are to locations no one has ever been. The researchers will explore canyons, gas seeps and coral ecosystems, making their way as far south as the Florida-Georgia border.

Erik Cordes, the expeditions chief scientist and a professor at Temple University, said the goal of project Deep Search is to identify and ultimately protect sensitive habitats in a swath of ocean that remains largely unexplored. He expects the team will make jaw-dropping scientific discoveries, but said its hard to imagine what those might be.

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I know were going to find something that no ones ever seen before, he said. Those are the moments that I love.

Oceanographer Samantha Joye and deep-sea ecologist Erik Cordes discuss their goals for project Deep Search. (Photo: Erin Henning)

Among other things, scientists will investigate sediment chemistry, oceanography and the interactions between species. When it comes to beggiatoa, Joyes looking to better understand the relationship between these bacteria and associated microorganisms. We all have hitchhikers, Joye said. Humans have microorganisms on their skin, in their noses and ears, everywhere. In much the same way, beggiatoa arent alone.

If you were a free-living microorganism who wanted to set yourself up in the perfect chemical gradient but you werent motile, what would you do? she said. Youd hitchhike. Youd jump on a beggiatoa.

The bacteria, she said, are like the bus system at a seep. They are loaded with other organisms, or bugs as she calls them. Its these relationships she hopes to learn more about. How do the bugs interact with beggiatoa and each other? What role do they play in the larger food web?

The cruise comes as the Trump administration is looking to boost domestic fossil fuel production. In January, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposed a sweeping offshore drilling plan that, if approved, would open huge swaths of the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans to oil exploration.

While a substantial amount of mapping has been done off the U.S. southeast coast, scientists know little about how these deep ocean habitats function; or as Joye described it, what makes them tick.

She and Cordes hope the data collected during the expedition will not only inform future management decisions but help the scientific community communicate the importance of these diverse environments.

(Photo: Erin Henning)

Its all connected together, Cordes said. If there are some impacts in these deep-water habitats from offshore drilling, thats going to be felt in the shallow water fishery community.

Its those connections  the ones people dont think about  that the team is trying to make.

The deep ocean isnt a big black box that everything sinks into, Cordes said. Its this really active part of our planet that recycles and replenishes [nutrients] back up to the surface to fuel the productivity that we take advantage of.

Joye compared the deep sea to the human kidneys.

You dont think a lot about your kidneys. Nobody thinks a lot about the deep ocean, she said. Until they dont work. And then youre like, Oh my god, what have we done.

Editors note: HuffPost environment reporter Chris DAngelo is reporting from aboard R/V Atlantis until Sept. 3.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
James Ward from Scotland is wanted by the FBI (Picture: FBI)

A Scottish man accused of fraud has been placed on the FBIs most wanted list.

James Ward, 65, is suspected of being involved in a precious metals fraud scheme in the US.

He allegedly defrauded investors out of about $400,000 (313,796) as part of a scheme operating in Florida from September 2007 to March 2010.

The 65-year-old was born in Glasgow (Picture: FBI)

The scheme is said to have involved deals to buy metals such as gold, silver, and platinum.

A federal arrest warrant was issued in a Miami court for Glasgow-born Ward in 2012 after he was charged with wire fraud, the FBI said.

MORE: Man arrested after mum and daughter left critically hurt in random hammer attack

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He is described as being white, around 5ft 8ins tall, with hazel-coloured eyes and blond hair, although the FBI said he may change his hair colour frequently.

Described as being a securities broker, the Scot is said to have previously lived in Miami Beach, and he may travel within the UK, or to Canada and Mexico.

A notice on the FBIs website stated: Ward allegedly operated an entity called Kastle & Hawk, Inc, which solicited investors to buy precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum on a leveraged basis.

Instead of investing the approximately 400,000 dollars Ward received from at least 12 investors, Ward allegedly used the money for his own personal use and benefit.

No precious metals were ever acquired for investors.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact their local FBI office or the nearest US embassy or consulate.
Ankara (AFP) - Gunshots were fired at the US embassy in Ankara early on Monday, without causing any casualties, Turkish and American officials said as tensions spiked between the two NATO allies.

Six shots were fired at the embassy with three bullets hitting the iron gate and exterior wall, the Ankara governor's office said, indicating there were "no casualties".

Turkish police detained one suspect in connection with the attack, the state-run Anadolu news agency, without providing any details.

Speaking to AFP, spokesman David Gainer confirmed the embassy was investigating a "security incident".

"We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details," he said, thanking the Turkish police for their "rapid response".

A bullet mark could be clearly seen in the window of the security booth, an AFP journalist at the scene said.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu condemned it as a "provocative attack" in a posting on Twitter.

"We will make sure that this incident is investigated quickly and the perpetrators are brought to justice," he said.

The Turkish foreign ministry said measures were taken to "ensure the security of the US embassy in Ankara, other US missions and their personnel" across the country.

The attack took place to the backdrop of a bitter diplomatic spat between Ankara and Washington, with presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also blasted the attack as an attempt to "create chaos"

"Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions are safeguarded by law," he wrote on Twitter.

The highly-fortified embassy was also hit by a suicide bombing five years ago that killed a Turkish security guard and injured several other people. That attack was claimed by the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKP-C), a radical Marxist group.

- Sanctions dispute rankles -

Ankara and Washington have been locked in an increasingly acrimonious diplomatic dispute over Turkey's detention of an American pastor on terror-related charges.

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US President Donald Trump has doubled the tariffs on aluminium and steel tariffs from Turkey, prompting Ankara to impose similar measures on several US products.

On Friday, Turkey threatened to respond in kind if Washington imposed further sanctions as a court rejected another appeal to free pastor Andrew Brunson.

The diplomatic stand-off has sent the Turkish currency into free fall against dollar although President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to lead the country out of the crisis.

In a statement ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha, Erdogan remained defiant over the US sanctions.

"The attack aimed at our economy has no difference from an attack aimed at our call to prayer or flag," he said.

Those who thought they could bring Turkey to its knees through the foreign currency exchange rate "will soon see they are mistaken," Erdogan added.
A window bears the mark of a bullet fired at the US embassy in Ankara - AP/Burhan Ozbilici

Several gunshots were fired at the US embassy in Ankara from a vehicle on Monday, amid rising tensions between Turkey and Washington.

An unidentified assailant or assailants fired six bullets at an embassy security gate from a passing white vehicle around 5.30am local time, three bullets hitting an iron door and a window, the Ankara governor's office said in a statement.

The early morning attack coincided with a deepening row between the two countries over the trial of a US pastor in Turkey.

The embassy is closed this week for a public holiday to mark the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival.

The attack on the embassy in the Turkish capital was a clear attempt to "create chaos", the spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, condemning the early morning drive-by attack.

Six bullets were fired at the US embassy in Ankara from a passing car Credit: AP/Burhan Ozbilici

David Gainer, the embassy spokesman said: "We can confirm a security incident took place at the US embassy early this morning.

"We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details. We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response."

Video footage from broadcaster Haberturk showed police teams inspecting one of the entrances to the embassy and apparent damage caused by a gunshot could be seen in one window.

President Erdogan greets the crowd during a symposium at the ATO Congresium Hall in Ankara, Turkey on August 14th

It said empty cartridges were found at the scene. President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman condemned the attack on Twitter and said the incident is being investigated.

"This is a clear attempt to create chaos," spokesman Ibarahim Kalin said. "Turkey is a safe country and all foreign missions are under the guarantee of the laws."

The US Embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have in the past been the targets of attacks by militants and have faced numerous security threats.




The Slender Man is out in cinemas this Friday (24 August), introducing a new paranormal threat to the horror film genre.

Its not an original concept though, rather its based on the internet meme that first appeared in the Something Awful forums in 2009.

The supernatural child stalker was developed by forum members who were asked to edit the Slender Man into real photos to make them seem paranormal and uploaded them to the site.

Slender Man is based on the internet meme and stars Joey King

The Slender Man movie is not the first to be inspired by the fictional legend; both 2013s Entity and 2015s Always Watching featured a similar character.

Here are 12 other horror movies that were inspired by real-life events.

Psycho (1960)



Psycho is Alfred Hitchcocks most famous film

The reality: Shower-stalking mummys boy Norman Bates character was based on Ed Gein, who was arrested in 1957 for murdering two women  and digging up the corpses of countless others  who reminded him of his dead mum. A man with issues we suspect. The real Gein is below, accompanied by two US Marshals.

The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist

The reality: The film took its inspiration from the last known Catholic-sanctioned exorcism in the United States, where priests attended to a 13-year-old boy after his parents complained about his aggressive behaviour. The facts are a little murky, so whilst there may be some truth to reports that the boy spoke in a demonic accent and moved objects with his mind; he almost definitely didnt spin his head entirely round, levitate or talk gobbledygook.

Even spookier, however, is the so-called Exorcist curse, which afflicted the films crew. Depending on who you ask, between four and nine people involved with the movie died either in production or shortly after; whilst filming was repeatedly delayed by a spate of mysterious fires and serious on-set accidents.

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

A Nightmare on Elm Street was made by Wes Craven

The reality: Wes Craven based his movies marvellous MacGuffin on a real-life condition that became known as Sudden Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS). The affliction was found in Cambodian refugees who suffered recurring nightmares, after which they refused to sleep, fearing death if they did. Some were even proved right as they died shortly after.

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The Conjuring (2013)



Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga play the Warrens in the Conjuring series

The reality: The Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson characters are based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (shes with Farmiga, below) of Amityvillefame. The events of the film are based on the 1971 Perron case, which saw the familys home in Harrisville, Rhode Island haunted by a witch. The land that the house was built on was apparently cursed by a 19th-century woman called Bathsheba Sherman so that whoever lived there somehow died.



Silent House (2011)

Elizabeth Olsen stars in the horror film Silent House

The reality: This indie horror movie from Open Water duo Chris Kentis and Laura Lau is a remake of the 2010 film, La casa muda (The Silent House), which in turn was said to be inspired by a similar incident claimed to have happened in a village in Uruguay in the 1940s, though its yet to be verified.

Annabelle (2014)



Annabelle is part of The Conjuring Cinematic Universe

The reality: This follow-up to The Conjuring focuses on the terrifying evil doll from the first film. Again, were sorry to report that Annabelle is REAL. Shes based on the abomination below  a Raggedy Ann doll bought for a woman named Donna by her mother in 1970. Some of the dolls real-life antics include switching positions and rooms at night and leaving cryptic messages like Help Us written on parchment that wasnt even in the room. Also, one day blood mysteriously appeared all over it.

The Warrens (see The Conjuring) suspected the doll was inhabited by the ghost of a seven-year-old girl called Annabelle Higgins whod died in a car accident. You can still go and visit it at their museum if you dare.

The Girl Next Door (2007)

The film is based on the abuse and murder of Sylvia Likens

The reality: The film is based on the murder of Sylvia Likens by Gertrude Baniszweski, her daughter Paula and four other children in Indianapolis, Indiana, 1965. Likens was left with Baniszewski to look after by her Carnival worker parents, along with her sister, but after getting a late payment from the dad she led three months of torture and abuse until the 16-year-olds death.

Borderland (2007)

The film was inspired by a cult called the Narco-Satanists

The reality: This American-Mexican horror film is loosely based on the true story of Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo, a drug lord and the leader of a religious cult, called the Narco-satanists, who kidnapped and murdered University of Texas junior, Mark J. Kilroy, in 1989.

The Amityville Horror (1979)



Margot Kidder appeared in the Seventies horror

The reality: Haunted house flick Amityville is based on the real-life experiences of the Lutz family, who had only just overcome estate agents, removal men and endless reams of bubble wrap before finding out that the house theyd moved into was haunted.

As in the film a mass murder had once take place in their new pad which perhaps explains how over a period of four weeks they experienced cold spots, inverted crucifixes and walls covered in green slime. Thats if they werent just making the whole thing up, which many suspected they were

The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005)

Scott Derrickson directed the 2005 horror film

The reality: Scott Dericksons 2005 film was based on the life of Anneliese Michel, a devout Catholic woman who had 67 exorcisms performed her between 1975-76 but sadly died on July 1st. Her parents and the priest who performed the exorcisms were charged with criminally negligent homicide. They were eventually sentenced to six months of jail with three years of probation after being found guilty of manslaughter.

Wolf Creek (2005)

Wolf Creek has been remade into a TV seriesy

The reality: Writer-director Greg McLean wrote the screenplay in 1997 but reworked it after learning more about the murders by Ivan Milat and Bradley John Murdoch. Milat was a sadistic killer who murdered seven people in New South Wales between 1989 and 1993 while Murdoch murdered British tourist Peter Falconio and assaulted his girlfriend Joanne Lees in the Northern Territory, in 2001.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)



Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The reality: The movie played heavily on its based on a true story schtick. But whilst the events themselves were entirely fictitious, the character of chainsaw-wielding cannibal Leatherface was another character based on Gein (see Psycho) who also skinned his victims in order to make a bodysuit made of human flesh.

READ MORE

Controversial Slender Man shares first trailer

Will Marvel ever address Hank Pyms dark past?

Cavill doesnt want a Snyder Cut of Justice League


Johannesburg (AFP) - A judicial inquiry into alleged corruption at the top of government in South Africa is scheduled to open on Monday when the first public hearings begin.

The hearings by a panel led by the country's second highest judge, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, will probe allegations of corruption and fraud in the public sector during former president Jacob Zuma's tenure.

Although the panel does not have powers to arrest or prosecute, evidence it collects can be used in any future prosecution.

Zuma appointed the judicial inquiry into the alleged graft in January on the orders of a high court.

A month later, on February 14, he was forced to resign from office as criticism grew from within the ruling ANC party over multiple corruption scandals.

State corruption in post-apartheid South Africa was first exposed formally two years ago by the country's former ombudswoman Thuli Madonsela, who issued a damning report and called for a judicial inquiry into Zuma's relationship with a wealthy business family.

Zuma was accused of being in the sway of the Guptas - a wealthy family of Indian origin - allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.

Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister, but now responsible for state companies, has estimated that around 100 billion rand ($6.8 billion) of state funds may have been looted through corrupt practices.

Justice Zondo has vowed that the investigation into the so-called "state capture", will be carried out thoroughly regardless of who is being investigated.

"I will investigate anybody and everybody no matter who he or she is. This commission will do its job properly. We owe that to the people of South Africa." he said earlier this year.

The first witnesses to appear before the commission include a former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, an ANC lawmaker Mabel Mentor and the former government spokesman Themba Maseko.

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The local Sunday Times said Zuma has been "invited" to appear before the panel, but the commission's spokesman declined to comment on the newspaper report.

Initially tasked to probe and conclude its findings within six months, the commission has asked for an extension of up to two years.

Zuma's successor as president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has vowed to crack down on government corruption, which he has admitted was a serious problem.

"I would hope that the inquiry gets to the bottom of how the South African state was captured in the way it was and what can be done to prevent this from happening again," David Lewis, the executive director of South Africa's non-profit organisation Corruption Watch, told AFP.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  A South African man found guilty of murdering three of his immediate family members was denied the opportunity to appeal his conviction and life sentences on Monday.

The Western Cape High Court dismissed the application of Henri van Breda, 23, to appeal his three life sentences for murdering his mother, father and brother in 2015 at his family's upscale home in Stellenbosch, a wine-growing region outside Cape Town, according to reports in South Africa's media.

Van Breda was found guilty of the murders in May. He was also found guilty of attempting to murder his sister, who survived the attack, and was sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison and one year for attempting to obstruct justice.

The grisly attack, which gripped this country that has a high rate of violent crime, also has attracted international attention. The van Breda family had once moved to Australia but returned several years ago.

Van Breda, who was 20 years old at the time of the attack, pleaded not guilty to all charges after handing himself over to police in September 2016. He alleged during his trial that his family was attacked by an intruder wearing gloves, dark clothes and a balaclava in the early hours of the morning.

Van Breda called emergency responders more than two hours after the attack, saying he had lost consciousness. In a phone call to emergency services played in court, he told the operator: "My family and me were attacked by a guy with an ax."

His lawyers argued during the appeal application hearing last week that there was not sufficient evidence connecting their young client to the murders.

But Judge Siraj Desai, who sentenced van Breda in May, said on Monday that the defense had not presented sufficient reasons for an appeal to proceed, according to news outlet News24. He said the facts still supported that van Breda had carried out the crimes.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa
President Tsai Ing-wen stopped off briefly in the US en route to an official tour of Paraguay and Belize - REUTERS

Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwanese president visited Nasas space centre in Houston on Sunday, in a move that indicates deepening ties between Taipei and Washington, but which is expected to infuriate Beijing.

The trip to the Johnson Space Centre in Texas marks the first time a sitting leader from the self-ruling island has entered a US federal building in an official capacity, although her presence in Houston and in Los Angeles a week earlier were only brief stopovers en route to Paraguay and Belize.

But even short transit stops on US soil have traditionally provoked a sharp response from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and has tried to undermine its sovereignty and stepped up pressure on the international community to exclude Taipei from global forums.

Taiwans population of 23 million meanwhile operates like any other democratic nation with its own government, currency, military and foreign policy and the majority of citizens identify as Taiwanese.

Only 18 countries, mainly small Pacific islands and Central American nations, have formal ties with the Taiwanese government, however.

President Tsai visited the Nasa Johnson Space Centre in Houston Credit: Richard Carson/Reuters

The US has not officially recognised Taiwan since 1979, when it shifted its recognition to Chinas communist government and imposed restrictions on visiting senior Taiwanese officials to keep Beijing on side.

Ms Tsais transit is the first stopover for the Taiwanese president since the US Congress unanimously passed the Taiwan Travel Act earlier this year, allowing US government figures up to cabinet-level security officials to travel to the island and high-level officials from Taiwan to enter the US.

Previously US policy did not permit bilateral visits by Cabinet-level officials. But behind-the-scenes, democratic Taiwan has long had influential allies in Washingtons corridors of power, with high profile legislators giving a nod to its strategic importance to Americas interests in the Pacific region.

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During her earlier stop in Los Angeles, Ms Tsai met with three senior US politicians, including California Representative Brad Sherman, who called for the president herself to be granted a trip to Washington, reported Politico.

Thank you @Astro_Ellen & @AstroIronMike for coming out on Sunday for a behind-the-scenes tour of @NASA_Johnson. Missed @space_station's #Taiwan fly-by by 23 minutes. Look forward to finding ways of how Taiwan can better support international space efforts. pic.twitter.com/QWOuXm761R   Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) August 19, 2018

I want to see one of the highest level of visits between the US and Taiwan and that is to welcome you [Tsai Ing-wen] in Washington DC, he said.

Ed Royce, the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, who also met with President Tsai, praised the many positive developments in the US-Taiwan relationship this year.

He added: By encouraging more frequent visits between our two peoples and governments, we further strengthen the critical US-Taiwan partnership.

Washington has recently called attention to its positive relations with Taiwan amid soaring tensions with China over trade and Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Well never know for sure if this [visit] is because of the Taiwan Travel Act or if it would have happened anyway because the Trump administration, as well as Congress, is filled with very enthusiastic supporters of US-Taiwan relations, said Ross Feingold, a Taipei-based lawyer and political analyst.

The hard work of the women & men of @houstonpolice in keeping @iingwen & the #Taiwan delegation safe & secure is tremendously appreciated. Many thanks for going above & beyond during our stopover in #Houston. JW pic.twitter.com/K67dWk4Wld   Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan)  (@MOFA_Taiwan) August 19, 2018

Its good that President Tsai was welcomed to visit this facility. Does it change what was already a positive trajectory of US-Taiwan relations? Probably not.

China would likely react with the same style of anger and public statements that we have seen throughout any kind of stopover by the Taiwan president, he told The Telegraph.

The fact that it was a federal building doesnt make it unprecedented if China was to do something like cancel bilateral scientific meetings, he said.

Regardless of ongoing tensions with Beijing, Taiwans government was clearly thrilled by the invitation to Nasa.

#Houston, weve to a president! Couldnt be more proud. @iingwen is the 1st leader of #Taiwan to tour @NASA_Johnson during a #US stopover. Thanks @Astro_Ellen for helping realize this milestone moment, tweeted Joseph Wu, the foreign minister.

President Tsai also took to Twitter to express her gratitude. Before we take off, I want to thank everyone involved for making my #Houston stopover a wonderful one filled with good memories. My administration will continue strengthening every aspect of #Taiwan-US relations. Until next time!
South Koreans Jo Hye-do, 86, and Jo Do-jae, 75, meet their North Korean sister Jo Soon Do, 89 - AFP

Lee Keum-seom, 92, had waited over 60 years to see her son, Ri Sang-chol, 71. When she finally set eyes on the old man she had been forced to leave behind in North Korea as a four-year-old child Ms Lee wailed and pulled him to her chest. Sang-chol! she cried.

Mr Ri wept and pulled out a family photo showing his father, Ms Lees husband, who had already died. Mother, its your husband, he said. Its father.

The bittersweet moment came as 89 elderly South Koreans were bussed to the Norths Mount Kumgang tourist resort to meet relatives they had not seen since being torn apart by the Korean War of 1950-53.

The carefully selected families have been given the rare opportunity to meet again amid a diplomatic thaw between Seoul and Pyongyang that has brought the countries two leaders together in a historic summit.

They are the last surviving remnant of millions of people who were forcibly separated from loved ones without warning after the Korean peninsula was permanently divided between North and South by a so-called demilitarised zone (DMZ).

South Koreans Jo Hye-do, 86, and Jo Do-jae, 75, meet their North Korean sister Jo Soon Do, 89 Credit: AFP/AFP

The emotional reunions will take place over three days but relatives will only be given 11 hours to catch up under close supervision before saying farewell.

Ms Lee had lost sight of her husband and son as the family tried to flee South during the turmoil of the 1950-53 Korean War. The pair had been left behind in the chaos as she and her infant daughter boarded a ferry.

I never imagined this day would come, she said ahead of the meeting. I didnt even know if he was alive or not.

In the first precious hours of their reunion, mother and son peppered each other with questions. How many kids do you have? Ms Lee eagerly asked Mr Ri.

Around them other tearful relatives also desperately tried to catch up on lost decades, some now in wheelchairs, others unable to even recognise each other.

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, meets her North Korean son Ri Sung Chol (2nd L), 71 Credit: AFP

Baek Sung-gyu, 101, met his daughter-in-law, Kim Myong-sun, 71, for the first time. She handed him a photo of his now deceased son. Its an old shabby photo so I brought a copied version, she said sadly.

Story continues

Can I take this home? Mr Baek asked. You can, she replied.

Ahead of the long bus journey North, he had said he had packed clothes, underwear, 30 pairs of shoes, toothbrushes and toothpaste as gifts for Ms Kim and his granddaughter. I also brought 20 stainless spoons, he added. I brought everything because its my last time.

The families are the lucky few selected from more than 57,000 South Korean war survivors who registered for the chance to see long-lost loved ones.

The reunion, the first in three years, could be the only chance for many separated families to meet again face-to-face after being kept apart by decades of animosity between North and South that has been fuelled by Pyongyangs rapidly advancing nuclear weapons programme.

For some separated relatives, now older than 70, the reunion has already come too late.

South Korean Lee Keum-seom, 92, meets her North Korean son Ri Sung Chol, 71 Credit: AFP/AFP

Chung Hak-soon, 89, had dreamt her whole adult life of being reunited with her older brother, only to find out that he passed away several years ago.

"I really wished to see even the face of my brother, but the reunion has come too late," she said. Instead, like others on the trip, she will meet family who she has never seen before.

The two Koreas have held just 20 rounds of face-to-face family reunions since the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000.

According to local news reports, more than 3,000 applicants for reunion events died in the first half of this year.

When told of a 95-year-old who had burst into tears after not being selected, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he deeply sympathised with their sorrow.

Many thousands of Koreans, in the twilight of their lives, have been left heartbroken after failing to make it through the tough selection process.

South Korean Lee Moon-hyuk, 95, with his North Korean nephew Ri Kwan Hyuk, 80 Credit: AFP

Some who have been excluded from the arbitrary process have denounced the reunion as a cruel political show that only causes more pain for divided families and demanded faster progress to allow more families to be reunited again.

For years, Seoul has been calling for regular meetings between separated families including using video conferences, but the Souths efforts have been blocked by fragile relations with Pyongyang.

They only let us see each other for a short time and separate us again. Its like putting a dagger through our hearts, Lee Myung-sik, 84, told The Telegraph. He will not take part in this weeks event.

Mr Lee escaped as a young man from the border town of Kaesong when his father was shot by soldiers who accused him of being anti-Communist.

The last time he saw his family he had been asked by his father to retrieve money he had loaned to a neighbour.

I just told him that I would be back soon because it was only down the road. As soon as I walked into the neighbours house I heard a gunshot. My neighbour told me that people came to my house to arrest me so I ran away, he said.

Inside North Korea - forbidden photos

After decades of being unable to even send a letter home, Mr Lee has little time for political gestures.

Its just telling us to die in peace after seeing our separated family for a short time. Its more cruel than murder, they need to let us stay in touch, he said.

Kim Geum-ok, 86, who also missed out on the reunion, said she had fond memories of a happy childhood before she was suddenly forced to leave her parents, grandparents and cousins behind at the age of 18 when northern forces overran Kaesong in 1950.

My parents told me to leave Kaesong for a short time and come back when the South Korean soldiers took it back. We thought that the war would be over soon, she said.

I was actually quite excited to go to Seoul because my mothers brother lived there. We all thought everything would return to normal in a few days. That was the last time I saw my parents, she said.

My only wish is to go back to Kaesong and see my hometown, she said.
Texas school that was site of mass shooting beefs up security as students return originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Students at a Texas high school where 10 died in a shooting this spring are starting their new school year with beefed-up security including metal detectors.

The new security measures come three months after a 17-year-old student allegedly burst into art rooms with a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver on May 18, killing 10 students and staff. The alleged shooter was taken into custody and charged with murder.

PHOTO: People gather at a makeshift memorial left in memory of the victims killed in a shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, May 21, 2018. (Jonathan Bachman/Reuters)

Students throughout the district will begin the new year on Monday with metal detectors installed in all schools, said Superintendent of Schools Leigh Wall.

High school and junior high school students will enter through metal detectors throughout the school day, while elementary schools will use metal detectors for adults coming into the building, Wall said in a "welcome back" video posted to the district website.

(MORE: 'Santa Fe strong:' Community greets high schoolers returning for 1st time since mass shooting)

(MORE: The chilling words Santa Fe shooting suspect repeated amid the carnage)

PHOTO: Santa Fe High School students are starting their new year with security changes including metal detectors. (Santa Fe Independent School District)

PHOTO: Crime scene tape is stretched across the front of Santa Fe High School on May 19, 2018 in Santa Fe, Texas. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The high school underwent renovations this summer to create an additional vestibule at entrances for security plus four more offices for trauma counselors, Wall said.

All schools in the district will also now have automatic electronic door locks, with all doors now locking from both the inside and outside.

(MORE: Santa Fe victim's family sues suspect's parents, alleging they didn't keep guns away from 'monstrous murderer')

(MORE: Santa Fe shooting victim 'wanted to impact the world,' foreign exchange host family tells mourners)

PHOTO: The community of Sante Fe gathers outside the Santa Fe High School for a vigil before the first day of school, Aug. 19, 2018, in Sante Fe Texas. (Courtney Sacco/Caller-Times via USA Today Network)

PHOTO: First responders work outside of Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, May 18, 2018 after a shooting. (KTRK)

Other security measures include the addition of five more police officers and 10 more security assistants, Wall said.

The superintendent also said that the district will use tip lines and social media monitoring to increase security. "We hope to encourage open lines of communications where students and parents can report any items of concern that need investigating," she said.
Conservative MP Anna Soubry has called a campaign by Leave.EU blatant infiltration (Picture: PA)

Tory MPs have warned that the Conservative Party is at risk of being hijacked by extremists.

Remainers Anna Soubry and Phillip Lee have criticised an attempt by a leave campaign to have prime minister Theresa May replaced as Tory leader.

Last week, Leave.EU, which was founded by former Ukip donor Arron Banks, called on its supporters to join the Conservative Party in order to have their say on its leadership.

It wants one of Brexiteers Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg to replace Mrs May.

The fact that faux-conservative traitors @Anna_Soubry and @DrPhillipLeeMP don't want Brexiteers to join the @Conservatives is exactly why you should do so. Take back control of the party by electing a true conservative Brexiteer when the time comes!  https://t.co/Vgc33bXJWn pic.twitter.com/XoxzVf7wv5  Leave.EU (@LeaveEUOfficial) August 16, 2018

On its Twitter account, the group posted an image of the two men with the message: Fed up of how this weak conservative government has handled Brexit?

A leadership contest is inevitable. Join the huge number of our members already flooding the Tory party, ready to elect a true Brexiteer.

The group has posted a link to the membership page of the Conservative website with the message: Help put the spine back into the Tory party.

MORE: Man arrested after mum and daughter left critically hurt in random hammer attack

MORE: Muslim woman rejected for job after refusing to shake mans hand wins 3,000 compensation

Brexit remains a battleground in the Conservative Party (Picture: PA)

But their plan has sparked anger among pro-EU Conservative backbenchers.

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Dr Lee, who resigned as a junior minister earlier this summer in protest at the governments Brexit plan, called Leave.EUs attempts entryism.

He said: An organisation funded by Ukips former backer wants its members to join the Conservatives just to get a new leader.

Yet more evidence of entryism. An organisation funded by UKIPs former backer wants its members to join @Conservatives just to get a new leader. Time to wake up & act against a hard right Momentum. If youve ever voted Conservative please join to stop this https://t.co/Ypyd1b0bBl  Dr Phillip Lee MP (@DrPhillipLeeMP) August 16, 2018

Blatant infiltration of @Conservatives by another political party to overthrow the PM & elect a #UKIP backed leader & force a no deal #HardBrexit ppl did not vote for. @BrandonLewis must introduce measures to prevent a Blue Momentum take over of the Conservative Party https://t.co/RojJkt2e1b  Anna Soubry MP (@Anna_Soubry) August 19, 2018

Time to wake up and act against a hard right momentum. If youve ever voted Conservative please join to stop this.

Were seeing dangerous political polarisation which  if the silent majority doesnt act  will sink our great country and party. Very worrying for true Conservatives.

I dont want our party to be hijacked by people on the extreme as Labour has been.

Ms Soubry described the move as a blatant infiltration of the Conservative Party.




Weighing in on active trial is highly unusual move for sitting president  one legal expert says: He shouldnt have done it

Donald Trumps outbursts against the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the US election have become a near-daily occurrence. But on Friday the president made public comments that some observers and legal experts said were unprecedented  and could impact the objectivity of jurors.

Addressing reporters on the south lawn at the White House, Trump said his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was a very good person. At the same time, 23 miles away in Alexandria, Virginia, a jury was deliberating Manaforts fate.

Manafort faces up to 305 years in prison on 18 counts of bank fraud and tax evasion, as a result of an indictment handed down by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, relating to Manaforts political work in the former Soviet Union.

I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad, Trump said. I think its a very sad day for our country. He happens to be a very good person, and I think its very sad what theyve done to Paul Manafort.

On Saturday, with the jury recessed for the weekend before an expected third day of deliberations on Monday, legal experts said it was highly uncharacteristic for a sitting president to weigh in on an ongoing trial, much less one involving a former aide.

Its not surprising to say most presidents wouldnt have done that. But that seems to apply to almost everything he does Susan Low Bloch

Its incredibly unusual and perhaps unprecedented that a president would weigh in like this during a criminal investigation thats actually gone past the indictment stage and is now at the jury deliberation stage, said Greg Brower, who until April was the FBIs top congressional liaison.

Susan Low Bloch, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said Trump simply shouldnt have done it.

Its potentially impactful if the jury hears it or heard it, she said. Its not surprising to say most presidents wouldnt have done that. But thats a comment that seems to apply to almost everything [Trump] does. He doesnt abide by any rules.

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In a later email to the Guardian, Christopher Slobogin, professor of criminal law at Vanderbilt Law School, said: Because presidents have so much influence, they generally do not, and in my opinion should not, comment on a case that has gone to the jury room. Whether or not he intends it, Trumps comments have the potential to corrupt jury deliberations.

Trump has defended Manafort before. On the first day of testimony in court, the president tweeted that his former aide was being treated worse than Al Capone, the notorious 1920s gangster who was imprisoned on charges of tax evasion.

The jury in Alexandria has received typical instructions not to read or watch the news but Judge TS Ellis chose not to sequester its members for the duration of the trial. That means they could be exposed to Trumps comments.

The charges against Manafort do not concern Muellers investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, links between Trump aides and Moscow and potential obstruction of justice by the president.

Nonetheless, jurors may also come across a bombshell story published by the New York Times on Saturday, which said White House counsel Donald McGahn has cooperated extensively with the special counsel, sharing detailed accounts about the episodes at the heart of the inquiry into whether  Trump obstructed justice.

Sequestration of a jury, which is rare, is usually invoked when publicity surrounding a trial is especially high, in the aim of preventing any interference with juror objectivity.

On Friday, Ellis said he had not anticipated the emotions stoked by the trial, stating in court he had personally been threatened and was under the protection of US marshals. He also declined to release the names of the jurors, citing concerns regarding peace and safety.

Manafort and his lawyer Kevin Downing in May. Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Reuters

Bloch said that while it was unusual for a judge not to have sequestered the jury in such a high-profile case, it was difficult to fault Ellis without knowing how he shaped his decision.

Its safer to sequester them because you have control, you know what theyre hearing, she said. But its a huge imposition on the jurors.

It was not clear if Trump was aware the jury had not been sequestered.

The president has routinely sought to discredit Muellers investigation, suggesting without evidence there is widespread bias against him within the FBI. This week, Trump escalated his attacks by revoking the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, who has been a vocal critic.

The White House initially said Trumps decision was taken because Brennan had monetized his position and leaked classified information  claims not backed with evidence. The president then admitted he has targeted Brennan and others who played a role in the Russia investigation, which began during the 2016 election.

I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham, Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. And these people led it!

Brower said Trumps efforts to undermine Muellers investigation ignored the fact it was being overseen by his own appointees at the justice department.

We have the president criticizing a case that was approved by people at Department of Justice who ultimately report to him, he said, pointing out that both deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein and FBI director Christopher Wray would typically be briefed on developments in Muellers work.

They both implicitly approve of what the special counsel is doing. They clearly have no reservations about the charges or the way the special counsel has gone about prosecuting the case  and those are Trump appointees.

Rather than the president assuming his appointees are supervising the case, he criticizes it.
177 ex-national security officials sign open letter accusing Trump of revoking Brennans clearance for political reasons

On Monday Trump wrote: I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP

Donald Trump continued to attack the former CIA director John Brennan on Monday, seemingly in response to the release of a remarkable open letter criticizing the presidents decision last week to revoke Brennans security clearance.

The letter, signed by 177 former national security officials appointed by both Republicans and Democrats, accused Trump of acting against Brennan because Brennan had criticized him. The signatories stated our firm belief that the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views.

In the US intelligence community, revolt against the president is brewing. Mondays letter followed a similar missive that was released last week by senior figures including six former directors and five former deputy directors of central intelligence and a former director of national intelligence. Trumps move against Brennan also provoked a stinging Washington Post column by Adm William H McRaven, the leader of the operation to kill Osama Bin Laden.

On Sunday, Brennan threatened to challenge the revocation of his security clearance in court, charging Trump with wielding his power in an attempt to chill free speech.

In a Twitter rant following others about special counsel Robert Mueller and the New York Times, Trump called Brennan  previously a CIA station chief in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center under George W Bush; and homeland security adviser to Barack Obama  a political hack.

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our countrys history, brings a lawsuit, the president tweeted. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He wont sue!

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Trumps tweet seemed riddled with misunderstandings and inaccuracies.

Brennan did not threaten to sue Trump personally but to make a case in court that Trump had abused his executive power by revoking his security clearance in response to criticism.

Later on Monday, Trump used Twitter to threaten another former intelligence official, Philip Mudd, with the revocation of his security clearance. Apparently referring to an argument on CNN between the Republican strategist Paris Dennard and Mudd, Trump wrote: Just watched former Intelligence Official Phillip Mudd become totally unglued and weird while debating wonderful @ PARISDENNARD over Brennans Security Clearance. Dennard destroyed him but Mudd is in no mental condition to have such a Clearance. Should be REVOKED?

Legal analysts warned that Trumps move could ultimately weaken the presidency by opening the way for an expanded role for the courts in the clearances process.

Brennan did not threaten to sue Trump personally but to make a case in court that Trump had abused his executive power by revoking his security clearance in response to criticism. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

It is not clear how any such legal action would result in the disclosure of Brennans texts, emails and documents shedding light on his job performance.

With the notion that such material would demonstrate that a CIA director who left office five months before the appointment by Trumps own justice department of a special counsel would reveal how [Brennan] was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt, Trump entered the realm of conspiracy mongering.

Trump went on to accuse the 177 former national security officials who signed the open letter of being motivated by the big dollars he said their security clearances afforded them.

Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, its worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan, he tweeted. It certainly isnt because of the good job he did! He is a political hack.

Service in the national security sector is not notorious for being highly remunerative, as Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, and many others have demonstrated. Flynn has said he needs help to pay legal fees arising from his guilty plea to lying to the FBI, made as part of a deal with Muellers team.

One signatory to the Monday letter, former CIA officer David Priess, responded on Twitter: Sorry, sir. My post-employment security clearance, when I had it, granted me neither great prestige nor big dollars nor board seats. I cant speak for other signers, but this certain person came forward not for any of that, but to voice concern about an abuse of power.

Trump also criticized Jeff Sessions, the attorney general he has previously targeted for his decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, and Bruce Ohr, a justice department official whose wife once worked for a firm that paid in part for a private investigation of an alleged campaign by Russian intelligence operatives to gain influence over Trump in the years before he entered politics.

That investigation is known as the Steele dossier after Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who compiled it. Trump routinely rails against the dossier and believes its existence demonstrates a deep state plot to destroy his campaign and presidency.

Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions Justice Department? Trump tweeted. A total joke!

As midday neared  and with it a scheduled lunch with his vice-president, Mike Pence  Trump appeared to be watching Fox News. Seemingly undeterred by his wife Melanias appearance earlier at a summit on the prevention of cyberbullying, he concluded his rant (or marked a pause at least) with an accusation against Ohr that a Republican congressman had just made on the network.

Bruce Ohr is at the center of FALSE ALLEGATIONS which led to a multi-million dollar investigation into what apparently didnt happen, Trump tweeted, concluding: Darrell Issa, House Oversight. We can take out the word apparently. @FoxNews.

Issa, who is not running for re-election, has not led the House oversight committee for three and a half years.
Turkmenistan's President Wants You to Know He's a Badass Too

Forget Putin, the president of Turkmenistan is the real hero for the Internet thanks to a propaganda video that brings back sweet memories of the 90s.

We thought Putin on a trike was kind of funny, but we found something even better! In a propaganda video that combines some extremely amateurish editing and bad Bollywood-like cliches, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is trying really hard to make us believe that hes just as dangerous and manly as his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Well let you judge how afraid you are of the guy after watching the video.

OVER IN RUSSIA: Vladimir Putin is One of Us: He Rides Bikes

Berdymukhamedov was elected president of Turkmenistan in 2007. Formerly a dentist, he became Minister of Health under former President Saparmurat Niyazov. He was then appointed acting president after Niyazov passed away in 2006. His election a few months later brought a moderate reform as he got rid of some of the more, shall we say, eccentric policies of the former government.

MEANWHILE IN AMERICA: Trump Wants Us to Boycott Harley-Davidson

Of course, his ego was bound to start shooting steroids at some point. His portfolio of self-celebratory actions includes things like the creation of a massive golden statue of himself and, more recently, a Top-Gun-looking propaganda video that shows him shooting guns, briefing his military units who politely clap, and leading a military procession on Can-Am Spyder tarted up in desert camo. Did he actually shoot all the targets right at the center? Nobody knows, but that's definitely what they want the people to believe. Fear not, good people of Turkmenistan, your president's got this.

A BEFITTING RIDE: Kalashnikov Bike Looks as Badass as You Think

The best part about the entire story is that as head of the state, the president is also general of the army. Thing is, Berdy has no military experience unless he enjoyed the occasional tactical root canal? Such precious footage eventually found its way into a parody put together by activists to the sound of Fight to Survive by Stan Bush. The result is delightful.

Source: The Drive
Baghdad (AFP) - A US service member was killed and several other troops injured when their helicopter crashed during anti-jihadi operations in Iraq, officials said Monday.

The crash appeared to have been accidental, as there were no indications it was caused by hostile fire, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said.

A statement from the US-led coalition that is helping Iraqi partners fight the Islamic State group said the crash occurred around 2200 GMT on Sunday.

"All personnel were recovered by coalition forces immediately following the incident and three were evacuated for further treatment," Manning said.

Manning did not release the nationalities of the injured.

Officials did not provide immediate details on the location of the crash but noted it was "conducting a partnered counterterrorism mission."

The United States leads an international coalition that has targeted IS and other jihadists in Iraq and neighboring Syria since 2014.

The coalition includes Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey along with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

In March seven US troops were killed when their helicopter crashed during a transport mission in western Iraq, near the border with Syria.

Later that month two coalition members -- an American and a Briton -- were killed by an improvised explosive device in the northern Syrian city of Manbij.
Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump's administration has rejected Turkey's offer to condition the release of an American pastor on clearing a top Turkish bank of billions of dollars in US fines, media reported Monday.

Washington and Ankara are locked in a bitter feud over the nearly two-year jailing of Andrew Brunson over disputed terror charges, which has triggered a trade row and sent the lira into a tailspin.

In exchange for Brunson's release, and that of other US citizens as well as three Turkish nationals working for the US government, Turkey asked Washington to drop a probe into Halkbank, which is facing possible fines for helping Iran evade US sanctions.

But the US said that discussions regarding the fines and other areas of dispute between the two countries were off the table until Brunson was released, a White House official told the Wall Street Journal.

"A real NATO ally wouldn't have arrested Brunson in the first place," the unnamed official said.

Trump has said he had doubled the tariffs on aluminum and steel tariffs from Turkey, prompting Ankara to sharply hike tariffs on several US products.

A court has rejected another appeal to free Brunson and Turkey has threatened to respond in kind if Washington imposed further sanctions.
Pacaraima (Brazil) (AFP) - Venezuelans desperate to leave their collapsing country continued to flow into Brazil on Monday despite fear of anti-migrant violence in the tense border town of Pacaraima.

Two days after a riot in which locals targeted Venezuelan camps, driving some 1,200 migrants back over the border, the crossing, reinforced by extra troops, was again busy.

An army colonel in charge of the refugees program at the base in Pacaraima said some 900 new arrivals were expected Monday. That's more than the daily average and far above the trickle seen as tensions mounted over the last few days.

One of the many money changers crossing each day from the Venezuelan city of Santa Elena de Uairen to change the country's almost worthless currency and the Brazilian real said Saturday's violence had shaken everyone.

"We were scared and didn't know what could happen," he said, asking not to be identified.

Despite that fear, the pressure to get out of Venezuela -- where under President Nicolas Maduro the once booming economy is in freefall and basic goods are hard to get -- is even greater.

Brazil's security minister, Sergio Etchegoyen, insisted that Brazil will remain open to its fleeing neighbors, saying "closing the border is unthinkable, because it is illegal."

Extra troops from the elite National Force and health specialists have been deployed to the area, the government said over the weekend.

- Scapegoats -

Saturday's violence was sparked by local outrage at the beating and robbery of a local merchant in Pacaraima. Venezuelans were blamed.

Within hours, rioters had attacked two camps housing some of the approximately 1,000 refugees sheltering in the small town, burning their meager belongings and chasing them to the border. Shots were fired.

"It was terrible," said one Venezuelan, Carol Maracano.

Jorge Idrogo, a 22-year-old Venezuelan who supports his family by selling food in Brazil, said refugees felt they had nowhere to turn.

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"We were made to pay the price for the sinners. We shouldn't be blamed for the bad done by our government," he said.

But for Brazilians, as for other neighbors or turbulent Venezuela, the pressure is also rising. Just 12,000 people live in Pacaraima, meaning that almost one in 10 people there comes from across the border.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into Brazil over the past three years, while Colombia has given temporary residence to more than 800,000, with an estimated 3,000 entering daily. Last week alone, 20,000 Venezuelans entered Peru, authorities say.

On Monday, President Michel Temer called his second emergency cabinet meeting on the border situation in as many days. But Etchegoyen ruled out closing the border, saying: "It's a solution that does nothing to help the humanitarian question."

The situation is calmer now, Etchegoyen said, "with no sign of conflict."

Caracas on Monday began issuing new banknotes after lopping five zeroes off the crippled bolivar, casting a pall of uncertainty over businesses and consumers across the country.
Wreck-It Ralph 2 (Credit: Disney)

While the abundance of Disney Princesses featuring in the new trailer for Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck It Ralph 2 was initially tremendously exciting, its now being taking to task for white-washing.

Disney fans have rounded on the clip, in particular the depiction of Princess Tiana, the hero from The Princess and the Frog.

Many have noted something of a transformation since her debut in 2009.





In the trailer for the Wreck-It Ralph sequel, she appears with Sarah Silvermans character Vanellope von Schweetz, alongside the likes of Elsa from Frozen and Rapunzel from Tangled.

But fans have pointed out that she now appears to have newly euro-centric features, lighter skin, different hair and a narrower nose than in the original movie.

That was Tiana? Yikes I thought it was a princess I had never seen before lmao https://t.co/sxUboVfXzo  Uncle Zaddy (@Audacity__) August 14, 2018

Its also been noted that Native American princess Pocahontas is also notably lighter of complexion.

In todays edition of you tried it, Disney decided to reinforce colorism by lightening Princess Tianas skin in #RalphBreaksTheInternet. Tiana was a dark skin Black woman in Princess and the Frog, now she has light skin and Eurocentric features. What happened to her wide nose? pic.twitter.com/YnX9eFPLm9  The Cali Nerd (@TheCaliNerd) August 9, 2018

Black women & girls deserve rep with careful attention to what might be hurtful. Mess around with a white princesses shading, but colorism is a known quantity. Disney can & should have done better. You should too, given the chance:  Sarah McKinlayScott (@doctorflopsy) August 11, 2018

why does princess tiana look so different from the wreck it ralph trailer we got 2 months ago to todays new still.let me know pic.twitter.com/h63b4DXE03   (@thebaudeIaires) August 9, 2018

Disney you aint slick Tiana went from full black to half black real quick and Pocahontas went from Native American to a white person with a tan pic.twitter.com/UQrEchQsRp  ella (@ella56821103) August 10, 2018

Meanwhile, a clip of the Disney animators celebrating the completion of the movie is doing the rounds, showing an overwhelmingly white male staff.

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*Looks at Tiana's hair in the movie*

*Looks at this* Yeah, makes a lot of sense. https://t.co/T1Zc3ODPXv  Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) August 14, 2018

And as such, people arent happy about it.

Yall dont understand how important Princess Tiana is to Black girls. We finally had a Disney princess that looked like us, and now, she doesnt. They gave her Eurocentric features and turned her into a racially ambiguous woman. Its a no from me, dawg.  E-Money  (@imanimlewis) August 10, 2018

Disney, which will release the film in November, is yet to comment on the criticisms.

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Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis (Getty)

Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varousfakis has accused the EU of employing North Korean levels of propaganda over the effect of its economic policies on the country.

Varoufakis made the claim in response to a video published by Eurogroup president Mario Centeno to mark the end of Greeces final, three-year bailout programme.

In the video, Centeno says Greece has regained the control it fought for and is now reaping the rewards of the economic reforms imposed on the country in exchange for loans.

I know these benefits are not yet felt in all quarters of the population but gradually, they will, says Centeno in a nod to unpopular austerity measures which were the price of the loans.

Varoufakis wrote on Twitter that the EU was adding insult to Greeces unbearable misery with a video of North Korean propaganda machine aesthetics/ immorality.

The EU Commission adding insult to Greeces unbearable misery with a video of North Korean propaganda machine aesthetics/ immorality  Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) August 20, 2018

Centeno wasnt the only EU leader to misjudge the tone of their comments about an eight year programme which has had profound effects on Greeces economy and society.

EU Council president Donald Tusk was also criticised for a celebratory tweet reading You did it! Congratulations to Greece and its people.

The European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund has lent Greece 289 billion since 2010  the biggest bailout in history.

In exchange, the Troika imposed austerity measures and tax rises which shrank the countrys economy by a quarter and sent overall unemployment to 28% and youth unemployment to 58%.

Poverty rates soared as wages, pensions and social benefits like healthcare were slashed.

Hundreds of thousands of Greeks, especially the young, emigrated in search of a better quality of life.

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EU economic commissioner, Pierre Moscovici, insisted austerity was not the fault of Brussels (Reuters)

Varoufakis said today: The bankrupt Greek state was given more loans that were impossible and remain impossible to repay under conditions of harsh austerity that guaranteed the diminution of the GDP of the country from which those loans would be repaid.

Europe committed a major crime against logic, against itself, against the people of Europe.

Exciting the bailout programme means there will be no new austerity measures, but the Greek government will be forced to continuing the delivery of those its already signed up to.

Pierre Moscovici, the European commissioner for economics, said today he felt an emotional solidarity with Greek people who have paid the price of the financial crisis.

But he insisted it was Greeces failings that were responsible for austerity rather than the EU.

He said: Greece will emerge stronger from the crisis and the programmes and the reforms will have strengthened the structures of the Greek economy to make it possible to improve the lives of Greeks. At the end of the day, they are measures which had to be taken.




A family from the Israeli-Arab town of Jaljulia in central Israel claims they became victims of an unprovoked police attack in their own home, which was so severe that two of the family members were immediately hospitalized.

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According to the family, the police waited outside their house and as soon as some family members started firing fireworks, they ambushed the family and conducted a violent search of the house.

Mahmoud Salameh, 29, the father of the family, said they had been celebrating another family members release from prison when the incident occured.

Mahmoud Salameh

"A few days ago we were celebrating one of our family member being released from prison, and when we set off fireworks, suddenly policemen who were hiding outside our house entered the premises and searched our vehicle for no reason," Salameh said.

We told them that the person who was released from prison had nothing on him. We asked what they wanted, but unfortunately they continued their search, aiming to damage our property," he vented.

Salameh also said that one member of the family began filming the police search but was asked to do so from afar.

Footage of the attack

X

"We told them we were allowed to film what they were doing, and thats when the police confronted us and started pushing us aside," Salameh recalled.

"They used tear gas and hit me and my son in the upper part of our bodies," exclaimed the father, adding that following the incident both he and his son had been rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Salameh said it was not the first time he encountered similar treatment from the law enforcement authorities.

"This was not the first time that police broke into our house, and in the past some of them were wearing masks. They smashed the walls and destroyed our property, they did not find weapons or anything like that," he claimed.

"To this day I do not know what they want  They wont let us breathe, and the children are afraid of them," he bemoaned.

"The police should be a body that protects the citizens, but it seems to me that they are licensed criminals, and we demand that they stop harming us, the father went on to say.

The Israel Police issued an official response to the incident, claiming the account of the family is partial and does not reflect true nature of the events.

"This is an incomplete documentation of events showing only parts of a wider operational activity against the use of weapons. The party was held in a public area celebrating the release of a prisoner," the statement stressted.

"When the police arrived in the area, gunfire was heard, forcing the police to immediately search the area and the vehicle. At a certain stage a riot erupted and included curses, threats and brandishing chairs at the police force," it continued.

"The police arrested and detained two suspects involved in a violent confrontation that attempted to interfere with police procedures. The actions of the family are an attempt to deter the police from conducting similar operations in the communities of the sector, concluded the statement.
President Donald Trump insists that his White House counsel isn't a "RAT" like the Watergate-era White House attorney who turned on Richard Nixon, and he is blasting the ongoing Russia investigation as "McCarthyism."

Trump, in a series of angry tweets, denounced a New York Times story that his White House counsel, Don McGahn, has been cooperating extensively with the special counsel team investigating Russian election meddling and potential collusion with Trump's Republican campaign.

"The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type 'RAT,'" Trump wrote, misspelling the word "counsel. "But I allowed him and all others to testifyI didn't have to. I have nothing to hide ..."
An IDF force opened fire at a terrorist on Monday who shot live rounds in their direction in the northern Gaza Strip.

No injuries among the Israeli troops were reported.
The IDF opened fire on a terrorist on Monday morning after he shot live rounds in their direction in the northern Gaza Strip.

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No injuries among the Israeli troops were reported, according to the IDF Spokespersons Unit, but the terrorists was said to have been hit as the army looked into whether other terrorists were at the scene.

The incident took place against a background of a possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to put an end to months of violence on the border, characterized by rocket attacks, Israeli tank and air strike retaliations and the launching of incendiary kites and balloons from the strip.

(Photo: Roee Idan)

As delays were said to have temporarily stymied what was reported at the end of last week to be an imminent ceasefire, incendiary devices continued to fall on Israeli communities surrounding Gaza, causing three fires to erupt on Sunday.

On Sunday morning, a fire broke out in the Erez Forest, burning a relatively small patch of land as thousands of acres of landscape have already been scorched by the primitive weapon that has so far prove unstoppable.

The same afternoon, an incendiary balloon landed near Kibbutz Beeri and sparked a fire. Shortly after, another balloon landed and caused a fire in Beeri Forest. In all instances, the flames were brought under control by firefighters and security forces in the towns.

Israel partially closed the Erez border crossing in the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning in response to violent demonstrations staged by the residents over the weekend, and following a delay in the reaching of the expected ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Firefighters near Kibbutz Be'eri (Photo: Charlie Mor Yosef)

Israel made the decision to close the crossing located on the northern tip of the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a weekly March of Return demonstration on Friday afternoon that descended into violence on the border, during which the rioters threw Molotov Cocktails, improvised bombs and in which two Palestinians were killed.

The crossing will be reopened at times on humanitarian grounds.

The closure is a symbolic move by Jerusalem since the Erez Crossing is used by few Palestinians. Those who do use the crossing do so with official authorization on humanitarian grounds, mainly belonging to aid organizations.

Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said Sunday that the closure of the Erez border crossing to Gaza was intended to be a yellow card warning to Hamas, after Palestinians staged violent protests on the Gaza border at the beginning of the weekend.

"It appears Hamas has begun recalculating its direction after a long period of rocket firing and terrorism. It's not enough, but if that's the direction they're going, we hope it'll become more prominent," Hanegbi said in an exclusive interview with Ynet.
The prominent journalist, peace activist, fierce critic of Israeli policies, and former MK Uri Avnerywho became the symbol of Israel's hard Leftpassed away at age 94 overnight Sunday after suffering a stroke ten days ago.

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He was hospitalized immediately after in Ichilov Hospital at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center where he passed away.

Uri Avnery at 2010 demonstration (Photo: Ofer Amram)

Avnery was the editor in chief for 40 years of the weekly magazine HaOlam HaZeh (This World) which ceased publication in 1993.

He served as an MK in the sixth and seventh Knesset for the HaOlam HaZeh-Koah Hadash movement, a small radical left-wing political party known as Meri. He also served in the ninth Knesset for the political party known as the Left Camp of Israel.

Born in Germany in 1923, Avnery and his wealthy family immigrated to Israel following the rise of Adolf Hitler in the country in 1933.

(Photo: Noam Moskovich)

In Israel, the family lost its wealth and the young Avnery was forced to work instead of going to school. In 1938 when he was 15 years old, Avnery joined the Zionist paramilitary organization that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948, also known as the Irgun or Etzel.

He was a member of the organization for the next four years and during the War of Independence in 1948, Avnery was drafted into the Givati Brigade.

During the war, in which he was seriously wounded, he sent articles from the battlefield to the newspaper Haaretz.

(Photo: National Library)

In 1950 he left Haaretz and acquired, together with other friends, the HaOlam HaZeh publication, with each weekly edition carrying the slogan: without fear, without bias.

In the first decades of its publication the magazine followed a leftist political line, publishing a mix of sensationalist articles and gossip columns, alongside revelations of seminal moments in Israels history that influenced public life and politics in the country.

Avnery used the paper to call for the abolition of the military government to which Israeli Arabs were subjected and to separate religion and state.

The articles appearing in HaOlam HaZeh soon whipped up public and institutional opposition, while Israels first prime minister David Ben Gurion refused to even mention the paper by name, referring to it instead as the particular weekly.

Avnery with Arab MK Ahmad Tibi (L) and Ze'ev Elkin in the High Court of Justice (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

After the Law of Defamation in Israel was passed in 1965, which Avnery decried as being designed to silence HaOlam HaZeh, he embarked on a ten-year career in politics, entering the Knesset an MK for the HaOlam HaZeh-Koah Hadash party and later for the Left Camp of Israel.

Avnerys political stance made him the target of political violence beginning in 1953 when he was attacked with his co-editor Shalom Cohen, by four men near his magazines printing premises on Glickman Street in Tel Aviv.

(Photo: Courtesy of Uri Avnery)

Cohen sustained serious wounds to the head and Avnery was injured on both hands, with two of his fingers broken.

In December 1975, he was attacked again by a man who was sectioned in a hospital due to mental illness. During the assault, Avnery sustained injuries to his entire body and was hospitalized in moderate condition.

His attacker claimed that Avnery planted microphones in his brain, but the left-wing activist posited that the man had been sent by others in the context of the incitement leveled against him in connection with his membership in the Council for Israeli-Palestinian Relations.

After the 1967 Six-Day War, Avnery was one of the leading advocates calling on Israel to withdraw from the territory it gained and enable within them the establishment of a Palestinian state.

At the height of the First Lebanon War in 1982, Avnery sparked a massive public controversy when he headed for Beirut to meet with Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Yasser Arafat.

Avnery with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and PM Menachem Begin (Photo: Gil Razin, National Library)

Over the years, Avnery maintained contact with Arafat, and he was among a handful of Israelis who attended the Palestinian leaders funeral in Ramallah.

Speaking in an interview with Ynet, Avnery explained the charm of Arafat, who had been responsible for launching the 2000-2005 Second Intifada which, through dozens of suicide bombings, claimed the lives of over 1,100 Israelis.

On television he looks like a fanatic, aggressive, whereas in real life he is a man with a warm heart. Every person who met him, after a few minutes felt that he knew him forever, Avnery said.

There is no aura of authority around him like there is among us. Moreover, he projects leadership. He is a strong man who is confident in himself, a man who is able to make decision extremely quickly, he continued as he furnished praise on the man many Israelis consider to be a mass murderer.

Avnery's meeting with Arafat in 1982 (Photo: National Library)

Avnery was a member of several organizations calling for Israeli-Palestinian cooperation and was one of the founders of the Gush Shalom peace group established in 1993. Throughout his career, he remained a staunch supporter of the creation of a Palestinian state next to Israel and was the recipient of numerous international awards for his efforts toward that goal.

Over the course of the last two decades, Avnery remained at the forefront of the political scene, and continued to polish his reputation as a symbol of the far Left in Israel.

In 1999, he led a group of around 100 Gush Shalom activists in a march to Orient House in eastern Jerusalem that served as the headquarters of the PLO in the 80s and 90s where he submitted a declaration to the prominent Palestinian politician, Faisal Husseini "recognizing the right of the Palestinian people to the entire West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

Second meeting with Arafat in 2002 (Photo: AP)

Avnery also opposed the construction of Israels security barrier and participated in protests against it, arguing that it was a precursor to annexing Palestinian territory.

He also took part in demonstrations against IDF activities during the intifada in the territories conquered during the Six-Day War.

In 2004, Avnery became a laureate of the Israeli journalism Sokolov Award and continued to conduct interviews and express opinions largely at odds with the mainstream Israeli public.

Avnery also took his political battles to the High Court of Justice (HCJ) submitting in 2011 a Gush Shalom-sponsored petition against Boycott Law.

The petitions authors argued that the law harmed the basic principles of democracy and that boycotting Israel is a legitimate tool in a democratic society, the use of which cannot be curtailed.

Avnery in the Knesset as an MK (Photo: Yedioth Ahronoth archive)

The Boycott Law is a black stain on the law book of the State of Israel, Avnery said at the time. I sincerely hope that the HCJ will rule against it and salvage that which remains of Israeli democracy.

An uncompromising critic until the end, Avnery continued to voice his opposition to Israeli policies. In January 2017, he published in Yedioth Ahronoth an article stating that he had signed a letter calling on members of the Irish Senate to support a bill proposal that imposes high financial penalties and a prison sentence of five years on people trading with companies located in Israeli settlements.

President Reuven Rivlin expressed his condolences following the news of Avnery's passing.

"Avnery was an advocate of Jabotinsky's idea that silence is filthy, and his campaign for state recognition of Irgun fighters and a war he waged for freedom of expression paved the Israels way as a young state," Rivling said.

Avnery with Yasser Arafat (Photo: AP)

"We had strong disagreements, but they were dwarfed by our desire to build a free and strong society here. May he rest in peace, he concluded.

Gush Shalom also issued a statement mourning the passing of what it described as the organization's founding father.

"Until the last moment he continued on the way he had traveled all his life. On Saturday, two weeks ago, he collapsed in his home when he was about to leave for the Rabin Square and attend a demonstration against the 'Nation State Law', a few hours after he wrote a sharp article against that law," the statement said.

Avnery with PM Netanyahu (Photo: Yedioth Ahronoth archive)

"Avnery devoted himself entirely to the struggle to achieve peace between the state of Israel and the Palestinian people in their independent state, as well as between Israel and the Arab and Muslim World.

"He did not get to the end of the road, did not live to see peace come about. Wethe members of Gush Shalom as well as very many other people who were directly and indirectly influenced by himwill continue his mission and honor his memory," the statement continued, before slamming the current government for entering into indirect negotiations with the Hamas terror group.

"On the day of the passing of Uri Avnery, the most right wing government in the history of Israel is engaged in negotiations with Hamas. Ironically, the same kind of demagogic accusations which were hurled at Uri Avnery throughout his life are now made against Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman," the statement said.

(Photo: David Rubinger, Yedioth Ahronoth archive)

In the history of the State of Israel, the Gush Shalom statement said, "Avnery will be inscribed as a far-seeing visionary who pointed to a way which others failed to see. It is the fate and future of the State of Israel to reach peace with its neighbors and to integrate into the geographical and political region in which it is located. Avnery's greatest opponents will ultimately have to follow in his footstepsbecause the State of Israel has no other real choice."

Head of the opposition MK Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) described Avnery as a brave and groundbreaking journalist.

He stood for his position despite the attacks and planted in the heart of israel's nation the ideas of peace and moderation even when they were not in the lexicon, with a clear and sharp look that he kept until his death. Israel will miss him. May his memory be blessed, Livni said.

(Photo: Shaul Golan, Yedioth Ahronoth archive)

Labor leader Avi Gabbay also praised Avnery on his Twitter page, saying that as a youth he was an avid reader of HaOlam HaZeh because he believed it always contained the truth.

For me, Avnery taught us to look at life and from the point of view of the other side. We dont have to agree, but it is worth understanding and knowing, Gabbay wrote.

David Ben Gurion looks at MK Avnery (Photo: Courtesy of Uri Avnery)

Meretz Chairwoman, Tamar Zandberg also posted a tweet furnishing praise on the man who championed principles that form the bedrock of her partys platform.

Sharing a screenshot of an email sent to her by Avnery a year ago, entitled I know I have had a lot of luck in life, Zandberg wrote: When I praised him he answered: We will continued to campaign, the rest of our lives is before us.

Joint List MK Ayman Odeh praised Avnery as a man who dedicated his life to peace, to a better future for two peoples and to the establishment of a Palestinian state. His voice, his interviews and his world view will continued to echo even after his passing.
President Reuven Rivlin expressed his condolences on Monday following the death of former MK Uri Avneryprominent journalist, peace activist, fierce critic of Israeli policies and the IDF.

"Avnery was an advocate of Jabotinsky's idea that silence is filthy, and his campaign for state recognition of Irgun fighters and a war he waged for freedom of expression paved the Israels way as a young state. We had strong disagreements, but they were dwarfed by our desire to build a free and strong society here. Rest in peace, he concluded.
Iran said on Monday that Europe should accelerate its efforts to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that was abandoned by US President Donald Trump in May, Iranian state TV reported.

"Europeans and other signatories of the deal (China and Russia) hav been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow. It should be accelerated," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi told a weekly news conference broadcast live on state TV.
President Donald Trump's national security adviser is bemoaning the "wretched" Iranian nuclear deal in his talks with Israel's prime minister.

John Bolton told Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that the United States sees the "highest importance" in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and that's why Trump withdrew from the deal negotiated by the Obama administration and was reapplying stiff sanctions.

Netanyahu agreed the deal was "disastrous" and called Trump's decision to drop out historic.
Shots were fired at a security booth outside the US Embassy in Turkey's capital early Monday, but US officials said no one was hurt.

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Private Ihlas news agency said four to five rounds were fired from a moving white car and targeted the booth outside Gate 6 at the embassy in Ankara. Police were searching for the car.

US Embassy spokesman David Gainer thanked police for their "rapid response" and said no injuries had been reported.

The US mission is closed this week as Turkey celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over the case of an imprisoned American pastor, leading the US to impose sanctions, and increased tariffs sent the Turkish lira tumbling last week

Evangelical pastor Andrew Craig Brunsoncurrently under house arrest after more than 1.5 years in prisonis facing up to 35 years in prison if convicted of espionage and terror-related charges.

US President Donald Trump has called for his immediate release and threatened more sanctions. The continued detention of a Turkish-American NASA scientist and three local consular staff members adds to the tensions.

Last week, the US president signed a defense spending bill that includes delaying the delivery of F-35 fighter jets pending a Pentagon report. US senators have been working to block their delivery in response to Brunson's arrest and Turkey's pledge to buy Russian S-400 missile systems.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a boycott on USmade electronic products, with some citizens heeding his call and filming themselves breaking their iPhones. Turkey has also increased imports tariffs on some products.
US National Security Advisor John Bolton said in Jerusalem on Monday that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is of the 'highest importance' for the US, which is why President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the "wretched" nuclear deal.

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I think your analysis of the issues we have to face is right on spot target," said Bolton, who delivered his remarks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a joint press conference in Jerusalem.

Benjamin Netanyahu and John Bolton (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

"Its a question of the highest importance for the United States that Iran never gets a deliverable nuclear weapons capability. Its why President Trump withdrew from the wretched Iran nuclear deal  Its why we work with our friends in Europe to convince them to take stronger steps against the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program, he emphasized.

Bolton, who is on a three-day visit to Israel, also underlined that Iranian aggression in the region is a threat to the whole world, and that the threat could be mitigated by reapplying stiff sanctions that were lifted by the Obama administration.

Bolton has been a strident critic of the nuclear deal and has pushed for greater pressure on Tehran to ensure it halts its support for militant groups in the Mideast and stops development of ballistic missiles. A former ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, Bolton is a longtime hawkish advocate for Israel.

Opening his remarks, Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Trump for withdrawing from the disastrous Iranian nuclear deal and vowed to "stand with" the people of Iran in opposing the oppressive Tehran regime

Netanyahu and Bolton (:  )

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I want to use this opportunity once again, to thank President Trump for walking away from the terrible deal with Iran, Netanyahu stressed at the joint press conference with Bolton.

The prime minister emphasized the importance of dropping the Iran deal and reinstating sanctions against Iran, calling on "all countries who care about peace and security in the Middle East" to follw the US's lead.

The nuclear deal did not block Iran's path to the bombit paved Iran's path to an entire nuclear arsenal. And by removing the sanctions, it enabled Iran to bring in billions and billions of dollars to its coffers, which only fueled Iran's war machinein Syria, in Lebanon, in Yemen, and elsewhere, he added.

He went on to call Trumps decision historic. I believe that the president's decision to leave the disastrous Iran deal was nothing less than a hinge of history," he said.

"And Israel applauds the Trump administration's determination to re-impose tough sanctions on Iran and those doing business with Iran," Netanyahu said at the press conference that was attended by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer.

(Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

I know that that view is shared by all our Arab neighbors, or practically everyone in this region. And I frankly believe that all countries who care about peace and security in the Middle East should follow America's lead and ratchet up the pressure on Iran, the prime minister concluded.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also clearly emphasized that although the Israeli and US government vow to stand up to the Iranian regime, they stand with the Iranian people.

(Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

It's important that the people of Iran understand that our fight is not with them. Our fight is with the regime that brutally represses them. That arrests women for uncovering their hair, hangs gays in the public squares, that defies the aspirations for freedom of millions and millions of Iranians, the prime minister opined.

On Sunday evening, Netanyahu met with Bolton over dinner at the prime minister's official residence in Jerusalem. The meeting was also attended by David Friedman and Ron Dermer.
Iran said on Monday that Europe should accelerate its efforts to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that US President Donald Trump abandoned in May, as French oil group Total formally pulled out a major gas project.

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Efforts by the remaining signatoriesEU members Britain, France and Germany plus China and Russiato avoid its collapse are struggling as Washington has said any firms dealing with Teheran will be barred from doing business in the United States.

"Europeans and other signatories of the deal have been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow. It should be accelerated," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said. "Iran relies mainly on its own capabilities to overcome America's new sanctions," he told a news conference broadcast on state TV.

EU Foreign Policy chief Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif (Photo: MCT)

European states have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal, which Trump said was "deeply flawed".

Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran in August, targeting its trade in gold and other precious metals, purchases of US dollars and its car industry.

The European powers, China and Russia say they will do more to encourage their businesses to remain engaged with Iran. But the threat of US sanctions has prompted many major companies to pull out of Iran.

Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said France's Total has formally left a contract to develop Iran's South Pars Gas project. "The process to replace (Total) with another company is underway," he was quoted as saying by state TV.

Carmakers PSA, Renault and Daimler are also among those to suspend or drop plans to invest in Iran along with Deutsche Bahn and Deutsche Telekom

Working to maintain financial channels with Tehran and facilitate Iran's oil exports, the European Union has taken steps to counter the renewed US sanctions, including forbidding EU citizens from complying with them or related court rulings.

Washington has said Iran's only chance of avoiding the sanctions would be to accept Trump's offer to negotiate a tougher nuclear deal. Iranian officials have rejected the offer.

The United States will impose tougher sanctions on Iran in November which will target Iran's oil sale and banking sector.

Iran's rial currency has lost about half of its value since April because of a weak economy, financial difficulties at local banks and heavy demand for dollars among Iranians who fear the effects of sanctions.

Under the 2015 deal, most international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for curbs on the country's nuclear program.
UK Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn attended a 2012 conference that included speeches by Hamas terrorists released under the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, and later described their remarks as fascinating and electrifying, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph on Sunday.

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Corbyn hosted a two-hour panel discussion at a conference on Palestinian refugees, which was held in April 2012 in Doha, Qatar, according to video obtained by the Telegraph.

The staunch Israel opponent shared a platform with former Hamas head Khaled Mashaal and former Hamas military commander in the Samaria Husam Badran, among others.

Jeremy Corbyn (file photo) (Photo: Getty Images)

Badran, who was given a 17-year prison sentence in Israel for terror attacks carried out during the Second Intifada, was expelled to Qatar upon his release, where he acted as the terror group's spokesperson.

He was responsible for the Dolphinarium discotheque massacre carried out by Hamas in Tel Aviv on June 1, 2001, which left 21 Israelis dead, as well as the Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing on August 1, 2001, which left 15 Israelis dead.

Badran also ordered the Passover massacre in 2002, in which a Hamas suicide bomber blew himself up at the Park Hotel in Netanya while Jews were celebrating Seder night, killing 30 Israelis and injuring 140.

The nakba (catastrophe, the Palestinians' term for their displacement during the 1948 War of Independence), which made us refugees, took place via force, and the return will be only viable through military and armed resistance and nothing else, Badran reportedly said at the conference in Doha, according to the Telegraph.

Husan Badran

Another participant in the conference was Abdul Aziz Umar, who was given seven life sentences for his role in the 2003 bombing of Jerusalems Cafe Hillel, which claimed seven Israeli lives.

Corbyns complimentary reflections on the conference, which he wrote in his regular column in the Morning Star newspaper, were published earlier this month on Iranian state television.

"I met many of the brothers, including the brother whos been speaking here...when I was in Doha earlier this year," Corbyn told the Iranian PressTV, referring to Umar.

The Labour party rejected the report, insisting he had never praised the Hamas members statements and that his reference to them as brothers was acceptable and said in the context of addressing Muslims.

During the conference, Corbyn also praised as a "huge victory" the decision of a British court not to deport the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Raed Salah.

Salah's entry to the UK was barred by Theresa May, at the time the Home Office secretary, over his incitement against Jews. Salah violated the ban by entering the UK several months before the conference and was arrested. But an immigration tribunal accepted his appeal and overturned the ban.

Corbyn, according to the Telegraph, invited Salah for tea on the British Parliament's terrace and stressed Salah's right "to speak publicly."

Corbyn's spokesman told the Telegraph in response that "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. That is the right thing to do."

There have recently been calls in the Labour Party to oust Corbyn from the Labour leadership due to his extreme anti-Israeli positions, with Jewish Labour MPs calling on him to resign amid accusations of anti-Semitism in the party.

Earlier this month, the British Daily Mail published photos of Corbyn visiting the graves of the terrorists behind the 1972 Munich Massacre in Tunisia in 2014.

Over the past four years, Corbyn has been denying attending a memorial service for members of the Black September terror organization, claiming he had actually attended a service commemorating the 47 Palestinians killed in an Israeli air strike on a Tunisian PLO base in 1985.

But the photos published by the Daily Mail holding a wreath over the grave of Atef Bseiso, the head of intelligence for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), who helped plan the attack at the Munich Olympics, which claimed the lives of 11 Israeli athletes.
MOSCOW - Russia will help Lebanon return refugees to neighboring Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday, accusing the United States of impeding the general repatriation process by declining to assist in Syria's reconstruction.

"We agreed that Lebanon should not be the subject of foreign interference, a pawn in geopolitical games, or a hostage of the Syrian crisis and its negative consequences such as the problem of Syrian refugees," Lavrov said after talks with his visiting Lebanese counterpart, Gebran Bassil.

Lavrov accused Washington of being interested in rebuilding only parts of Syria where the opposition to Russia's ally, President Bashar Assad, was active.
WARSAW - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has visited the former German death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a gesture that he said is meant to "keep alive the memory of the incredible atrocities."

Maas' visit to southern Poland on Monday also includes a meeting with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

The two countries are neighbors, allies and important trading partners. There have been some strains, however, as Polish officials have said Germany owes Poland up to $850 billion in reparations for World War II.
Border Police soldiers arrested a resident of the Shuafat refugee camp in east Jerusalem who is suspected of receiving NIS 30,000 from the Hamas terror organization.

Israeli authorities suspect the money was sent to the man, in his 40s, due to his family relations to a known Hamas member who is serving a sentence in Israeli prison.
China, seeking to skirt US sanctions, will use oil tankers from Iran for its purchases of that country's crude, throwing Tehran a lifeline while European companies such as France's Total are walking away due to fear of reprisals from Washington.

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The United States is trying to halt Iranian oil exports in an effort to force Tehran to negotiate a new nuclear agreement and to curb its influence in the Middle East.

China, which has cut imports of US crude amid a trade war with Washington, has said it opposes unilateral sanctions and defended its commercial ties with Iran.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation's (CNOOC) oil refinery in Huizhou, China's southern Guangdong province July 28, 2009 (Photo: Reuters)

On Monday, sources told Reuters Chinese buyers of Iranian oil were beginning to shift their cargoes to vessels owned by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) for nearly all their imports.

The shift demonstrates that China, Iran's biggest oil customer, wants to keep buying Iranian crude despite the sanctions, which were reimposed after the United States withdrew in May from a 2015 agreement to halt Iran's nuclear program.

"The shift started very recently, and it was almost a simultaneous call from both sides," said one source, a senior Beijing-based oil executive, who asked not to be identified as he is not allowed to speak publicly about commercial deals.

Tehran used a similar system between 2012 and 2016 to circumvent Western-led sanctions, which had curtailed exports by making it virtually impossible to obtain shipping insurance for business with Iran.

Iran, OPEC's third-largest oil producer, relies on sales of crude to China, Japan, South Korea, India and the EU to generate the lion's share of budget revenues and keep its economy afloat.

The United States has asked buyers of Iranian oil to cut imports from November. Japan, South Korea, India and most European countries have already slashed operations.

French oil major Total, previously one of the biggest European buyers of Iranian oil, has said it had no choice but to halt imports and abandon Iranian projects to safeguard its operations in the United States.

On Monday, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Total had officially left Iran's South Pars gas project.

Total later confirmed it had notified the Iranian authorities of its withdrawal from South Pars after it failed to obtain a waiver from US sanctions.

Iranian officials had earlier suggested China's state-owned CNPC could take over Total's stake and Zanganeh said the process to replace the French company was under way.

"As for the future of Total's share, we have not been informed of an official CNPC position, but as we have always said, CNPC, a Chinese state-owned company, has the right to resume our participation if it decides so," Total said in an emailed statement.

Walk away

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly called for safeguarding the Iranian nuclear deal and defended the interests of EU companies in Iran.

But most European companies have conceded that they would be forced to walk away from Tehran for fear of sanctions and losing access to operations that require US dollars.

The first round of US sanctions, which included cutting off Iran and any businesses that trade with it from the US financial system, went into effect on August 7

A ban on Iranian oil purchases will start in November. Insurers, which are mainly US- or European-based, have begun winding down their Iranian business to comply with the sanctions.

To safeguard their supplies, state oil trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp and Sinopec Group, Asia's biggest refiner, have activated a clause in long-term supply agreements with National Iranian Oil Corp (NIOC) that allows them to use NITC-operated tankers, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The price for oil under the long-term deals has been changed to a delivered ex-ship basis from the previous free-on-board terms, meaning Iran will cover all costs and risks of delivering the crude as well as handling the insurance, they said.

In July, all 17 tankers chartered to carry oil from Iran to China were operated by NITC, according to shipping data on Thomson Reuters Eikon. In June, eight of 19 vessels chartered were Chinese-operated.

Last month, those tankers loaded about 23.8 million barrels of crude oil and condensate destined for China, or about 767,000 barrels per day (bpd). In June, the loadings were 19.8 million barrels, or 660,000 bpd.

In 2017, China imported an average of 623,000 bpd, according to customs data.

Sinopec declined to comment. A spokesperson for Nam Kwong Group, the parent of Zhenrong, declined to comment.

NIOC did not respond to an email seeking comment. An NITC spokesman said it would forward a request from Reuters for a comment to the country's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

It was not immediately clear how Iran would provide insurance for the Chinese oil purchases, worth some $1.5 billion a month. Insurance usually includes cover for the oil cargoes, third-party liability and pollution.
The Muslim population in Israel numbers 1.5 million, who make up 17.8 percent of the entire population, according to Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) data for 2017 released on Monday.

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The annual growth of the Muslim population continues to be 2.5%, similar to the last three years, and thus in 2017 it grew by 38,000 people.

In the past two decades, the Muslim communitys growth rate has declined, dropping from 3.8% to 2.5%. Still, in comparison to other population groups in Israel, this is the highest growth rate. The Jewish population growth rate in 2017 was 1.7%, the Christian was 2.2% and the Druze growth rate stands on 1.4%.

File photo (Photo: Shutterstock)

Geographically speaking, half of the Muslim population in Israel is centered in the north (35.6% in the northern district and 13.8% in the Haifa district).

In the center of Israel, 21.8% live in the Jerusalem district, 11% in the central district and only 1.1% in the Tel Aviv district.

Distribution of the Arab population in Israel according to settlement

Jerusalem has the highest concentration of Muslim inhabitants329,000, who make up 21% of the Muslim population in Israel and 36.5% of the citys residents.

The second most populated Muslim community in the country is Rahat, where 66,600 Muslim inhabitants make up 99.8% of the citys residents.

Other large Muslim communities in Israel are Nazareth (54,300 residents) and Umm al-Fahm (54.2% inhabitants).

When comparing fertility rates of other Muslim communities in West Asia and North Africa, Israel is fourth, after Sudan, Iraq and Yemen. Muslim womens fertility rate in Israel (3.3 children) is higher than many other countries in the region, like Turkey (2.1 children) and Lebanon (1.7 children), and similar to some countries like Egypt and Jordan.

In 2017, 39,550 Muslim babies were born in Israel, and made up a fifth (21.5%) of all babies born that year.

Fertility rates in select Muslim countries in West Asia and North Africa

In the field of education, more than 60% of all seniors in Arab schools were eligable for a high-school diploma, only a little under the equivalent number in Hebrew speaking schools (66%).

The rate of students from the Arab education system who qualified for higher education in 2017 was 47.6%, while the rate of students from Hebrew schools was significantly higher56.8%.

When looking at the distribution within the Arab education system, we see that only 44.3% of Muslim students qualified for higher education, while 60.8% of Druze students and 71.9% of Christian students met the entry criteria.

In employment, 43.4% of the Muslim population in Israel were employed in 2017, with only 25.3% of Muslim women employed. In comparison, 65.9% of Jewish women were employed, 48.3% of Christian women and 34.9% of Druze women were recorded as employed in 2017.

Unemployment rates in the Israeli Muslim society was 5.1% last year, one percent higher than the rate in Jewish society (4.1%). In the Christian community, unemployment stands at 4.7% and in Druze society 4.3%.

There are five major fields of employment that make 72% of all the jobs held in the Muslim community in Israel: Construction (20%), retail, wholesale and auto repair (17%), education (15%), industry (11%) and health and nursing (10%). The data was published by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of and in honor of Eid al-Adha on Tuesday.
Muslims at the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia criticised what they described as discordant Arab leaders for failing to block President Donald Trump's decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem after he recognised the city as Israel's capital.

It was a reversal of decades of American policy and the embassy opened in May at a high-profile ceremony attended by Trump's daughter Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, the US envoy to the Middle East.

The status of Jerusalem - home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions - is one of the biggest obstacles to any peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
Islamic militants launched a series of attacks Monday in Russia's southern province of Chechnya, leaving five young militants dead and several police officers wounded, officials said.

The violence indicated the Islamist insurgency remains active in the mostly Muslim province despite authorities' claims that it has been eradicated. It follows an attack on a Russian Orthodox church in May that left four attackers, two policemen and a churchgoer dead.
Muslims at the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia criticized what they described as discordant Arab leaders for failing to block President Donald Trump's decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem after he recognized the city as Israel's capital.

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It was a reversal of decades of American policy and the embassy opened in May at a high-profile ceremony attended by Trump's daughter Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, the US envoy to the Middle East.

Muslim pilgrims in Arafat reject US embassy move to Jerusalem (: )

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The status of Jerusalemhome to sites holy to the Jewish, Muslim and Christian religionsis one of the biggest obstacles to any peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

The United Nations says the status of the ancient citywhose eastern sector was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day Warcan only be resolved by negotiations. Palestinians claim east Jerusalem for the capital of an independent state they seek. Israel says Jerusalem is its eternal and indivisible capital.

Pilgrims on Mt. Arafat

"This happened with the complicity of the Arab leaders," 53-year-old Saad Awad from Sudan said on Monday as he walked east of Mecca with more than 2 million fellow Muslims from around the world.

"If the Arab leaders were united and adhering to the Koran and the Sunna (Islamic practice based on words and deeds of the Prophet), it would be impossible for the Americans or anyone else to do something like this."

Saudi Arabia, which stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sitesMecca and Medinaand organizing the haj, has urged pilgrims to put aside political concerns and focus on spirituality.

Muslims pray near Mt. Arafat

The five-day ritual, the world's largest annual gathering of Muslims, is a religious duty once in a lifetime for every able-bodied adherent who can afford it.

Few pilgrims openly censured the host country, but dismay among ordinary Arabs at the embassy move has been tinged with anger at regional governmentsparticularly those of the oil-rich Gulf monarchiesfor failing to stop, or even strongly protest against, Trump's decision last December.

"The Arabs are weak and have not taken a stand on the issue of Jerusalem," said Algerian pilgrim Hilal Issa, 70.

Some critics accuse Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, of surrendering Palestinian rights for the sake of its alliance with Trump and his tough stand on Iran.

A Muslim prays, Mt. Arafat in background

While Saudi Arabia and its fellow monarchies have previously criticized the embassy decision, they have also welcomed Trump's harder line against Iran, which has cast itself as the guardian of Palestinian rights.

In recent years the bitter regional rivalry that pits Shi'ite Muslim Iran and its allies against a bloc led by Sunni Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia has increasingly pushed the decades-old Arab-Israeli struggle into the background.

King Salman has reassured Arab allies Riyadh would not endorse any peace plan that fails to address Jerusalem's status or other key issues, Reuters reported last month, easing concerns that the kingdom might back a nascent US deal which largely aligns with Israel.

"If the Arabs were united, nobody would have dared make such a move," Yemeni pilgrim Amr Ahmed Ali said of the embassy transfer. "But God willing, the Arabs will unite, and this city will unite the Arabs and Muslims behind one cause which is the Palestinian cause."
GENEVA - The outgoing UN human rights chief says the Security Council's five permanent members wield too much power at the United Nations, warning the world body could "collapse" if that doesn't change.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein decried the sense among some UN member states that the "pentarchy" of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States "is running too much of the business."

Zeid, a Jordanian prince who did not seek a new four-year term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke Monday to journalists before his tenure ends Aug. 31. Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is set to take up the job.

Zeid's comments exemplified his call for reforms at a world body whose shortcomings have been exposed over issues like Syria's devastating 7-1/2-year war and rising nationalism.
A court in Thailand sentenced two Israelis, Eyal Bokelbrother of Baruch Bokel, who heads a crime syndicate in Netanyaand Dolev Zuarez, to 25 years in prison for the murder of Israeli criminal Maor Malul in the island of Ko Samui, an inside source said Monday.

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The two ran Malul over with a jeep and then stabbed him multiple times in January of this year.

This sentence is considered mild in Thailand, as the two could have gotten the death penalty for premeditated murder.

Video of the incident in which Malul was killed

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Video documenting the murder shows a car hitting the moped Malul and his wife were driving. Malul is then seen getting up to help his wife, but then he runs back when the car reverses. A few seconds later, the car hits Malul, who is trying to escape.

Then a man wearing all black is seen coming out of the car with a knife, chasing him. This was likely the point Malul was stabbed. The attacker is then seen entering the car and escaping the scene.

Malul being stabbed

Thai media reported that the two suspects abandoned their vehicle three kilometers from the scene, near Bophut Beach on the northern part of the island, and fled into a wooded area. The Thai press added that the police questioned two Israelis who were staying at the Ark Bar hotel, since the car was registered in one of their names.

Thai media further reported that Bokel and Zuarez had managed to take a motor boat from Ko Samui to Surat Thani, where they took a Thai Airways flight to Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. There they were arrested by Thai immigration police at around 10:30pm that same day.

A day later, the two were seen handcuffed and surrounded by Thai police officers. A video showed all their luggage spread out, while police forces surrounding them are being briefed. Another video showed three kitchen knives stained with blood, and another plastic knife.

Dolev Zuarez being brought into custudy

Jacky Sagroun, the lawyer who represented Bokel and Zuarez in Israel, refused to comment.

Eyal Bokel being brough into custudy

In August 2015, Malul and an accomplice, Ron Shevach, attempted to assassinate Baruch Bokel, a Netanya criminal.

According to an indictment filed against them, Malul and Shevach ambushed Bokel as he headed home on his motorbike. Malul, who was driving a Toyota, accelerated and hit Bokel. Shevach, who was in the back seat, got out of the car with a loaded gun and wearing a mask.

Maor Malul

Shevach and Bokel fought over control of the gun, which went off, with a bullet hitting Bokel in his left thigh. Still, Bokel managed to wrestle the gun away and remove Shevach's mask.

Bokel also fired a shot at the road "to make sure the gun worked" in case the two attacked him again, before being taken to the hospital in serious condition.

A few months before that assassination attempt, Avi Malul, the brother of Maor, was shot and killed in Kfar Yona.

Bokel's brother was also targeted by an explosive device, which seriously injured him. His Netanya business was also a target of arson.

In a plea bargain, Malul was convicted of assisting in aggravated battery and sentenced to only 20 months in prison. The case was lacking in critical evidence and the prosecutor was concerned the police's methods would be exposed during the trial.
On Saturday night, several hundred residents from communities on the Gaza border protested at Rabin Square . It was the fourth Saturday protest in the squareit was preceded by the LGBT community , the Druze and the Arabs . But despite the fact most Israelis share the concern for the Gaza border residents, their security, their mental fortitude and the fate of their fieldsthe crowd at their protest was rather thin. This is not a good time for those in the national consensus. Consensus has gone out of fashion: If there's no disagreement, there is no interest.

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Who would've thought, the most right-wing government in Israel's history is seeking an agreement with the terror organization it has sworn to destroy. It is negotiating the details of this agreement while under fire, doing the very thing its ministers have criticized others for in the past. It's not hard to imagine what would've happened if a center-left government had acted the same. The word "betrayal" would've been on everyone's lipsfrom the head of the opposition to the last of the radio personalities. Photos of the prime minister in the robes of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin would've been plastered over every town square. Ministers and their families would've come under violent attacks on social media, at public events, in their homes.

Fortunately, we're living under a right-wing government. These graves scenarios are not happening and will not be happening. Bennett will take a little jab at Lieberman in an effort to get more votes and promote himself as the next defense minister. Everyone, even his voters, know where this criticism is coming from and how quickly it will disappear.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

This determination raises an interesting question: What is this "base" everyone's talking about? What does it expect of its leaders, and what would it punish them for? Likud's "base" hates anyone who criticizes Netanyahu.

Anat Rosilio, a researcher at the Berl Katznelson foundation, monitors expressions of hatred online. A list of 100 words and phrases makes up the Lexicon of Hatred. Normally, Arabs, the Left and the New Israel Fund are the stars of the show; the media as well.

She found that when Ministers Regev and Levin and the close associate Natan Eshel slammed the Druze, and when Netanyahu shared the false accusations of right-wing organization Im Tirtzu on his Facebook page, the Druze immediately turned from national heroes to enemies of the state. Every three and a half minutes, an expression of hatred against them was posted online. Later, when the attacks from the top stopped, the expressions of hatred disappeared. "The expressions disappeared, but the narrative remains the same," Rosilio told me.

Druze protesters at Rabin Square (: AFP)

In other words, Netanyahu can lead his "base" just as well as his "base" is leading him. His major supporters are not impressed with the talks he's having with an Arab terror organization, but as long as his rhetoric remains anti-Arab, anti-Left, anti-elite and anti-media, they will blindly follow him. The spell of the words and the personal loyalty overcome the ideological aversion. Trump's supporters are the same: the rhetoric is the supreme test, it is the litmus paper that distinguishes Left and Right, not the decisions in practice.

That is why the discourse is about an "arrangement" and not an "agreement": An agreement is a paper that is signed, a joint photo op with flags on both sides. The arrangement is done on the ground, without stopping either side from carrying on promising to destroy the other.

On a positive note, this provides Netanyahu and his ministers with a convenient basis for a pragmatic policy concerning the conflict as well as for military restraint; they don't always take advantage of this freedom, but they know it's at their disposalto be used to reach an arrangement with Hamas, for example.

On a negative note, he's pushing them to incite, to oust, to sabotage the internal Israeli unity and to undermine any institution that does not accept their authoritythe Supreme Court, the State Attorney's Office, the police, the free media.

The Israelis who do not belong to this "base" earn quite a bit and lose a lot. It's doubtful this deal is beneficial.
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Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich Wednesday announced there are still restitution funds available for certain Arizonans who purchased cars from Phoenix auto dealer ABC Nissan. The unclaimed funds are the result of a consumer settlement with the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

Brnovich is asking for assistance from the media and the public to help get the message out that $130,000 in funds are available to compensate Arizona consumers as part of a June 2018 settlement between the Attorney Generals Office and ABC Nissan.

Under the settlement resolving the complaint, ABC Nissan will pay Arizona consumers a total of up to $130,000 in restitution. The settlement notes that the auto dealer reformed its practices after becoming aware of the Attorney Generals investigation.

The States complaint alleged ABC Nissan previously engaged in false advertising practices, including Internet advertising that listed vehicles at prices that included all possible rebates, and excluded mandatory dealer add-ons that had already been applied to the vehicles. The State also alleged that ABC Nissan previously misrepresented some consumers financial information on loan applications in order to obtain financing for vehicle purchases.

If you believe you are eligible for restitution related to the allegations described above for conduct occurring prior to the settlement date of June 15, 2018, you can either:

Go to www.AZAG.gov/ABCNissan to print, complete and submit a claim to the address on the form.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 602-542-7732 to request the claim form be mailed to you.

The deadline to submit a claim is September 13, 2018.
News

Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Attorney Generals Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues (NAIS) met in Tulsa, Oklahoma from August 13-15 to discuss crime reduction strategies in Indian Country, the Department of Justice announced today. U.S. Attorney Trent S. Shores the Northern District of Oklahoma, who also serves as Chairman of the NAIS, and Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation James Floyd gave remarks. On Tuesday, August 14, the NAIS visited and met with the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Fighting violent crime and combating the drug epidemic are two of Attorney General Jeff Sessionss top priorities. The Department is actively addressing violence against women and children in Indian country through partnerships with federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement, investigating and prosecuting crimes, grant programs, training and technical assistance, and information sharing with tribes.

Earlier this month, the Department announced the expansion of the Tribal Access Program (TAP), which provides federally recognized tribes with the ability to access and exchange data with the national crime information databases for both civil and criminal purposes. The Department is accepting new applications for this program until October 1, 2018. Interested tribes may apply by using this link: www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-fy-2019-application.

Through TAP, tribes may enter information directly into federal databases. So far, tribes have contributed nearly 600 sex offender registrations and over 550 sex offender check-ins; nearly 300 instances of data entry that would prohibit someone from being able to purchase a firearm; over 1,000 orders of protection entered or modified; and over 4,200 finger-print based record checks for civil purposes that include employment, tribal housing placement, and personnel/volunteers who have regular contact with or control over Indian children.

American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from high rates of victimization in our nation. Crimes range from domestic violence to sexual assault and to those devastated by the drug trade and the opioid epidemic. In June, the Department announced it had set aside $110 million in a program to provide assistance to crime victims in tribal communities. The FY 2018 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program can be used to provide a wide range of victims services for victims of human trafficking, crime victimization related to the opioid and drug crisis, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, homicide, and assault, among other crimes.

U.S. Attorneys Offices and law enforcement components are responsible for investigations, prosecutions, and victim services in the 49 judicial districts across the nation that include Indian country. Federal prosecutors have primary criminal jurisdiction for 70 million acres of Indian lands. That spans across about 200 Indian country territories. Our law enforcement work requires strong partnerships with tribal law enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and state and local law enforcement.

Approximately 85 percent of the Departments pending Indian country investigations relate to violent crime. The most investigated crimes include child sexual abuse, violent assaults, and adult sexual assaults, followed by homicide, other forms of child abuse, drug, and property crimes. Native women and girls suffer a high rate of violence, including murder. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that American Indian and Alaska Native women experienced some of the highest rates of homicide based on an analysis from 18 states.

The Departments Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has funded Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) to enhance prosecution of Indian country cases and strengthen relationships and cooperation between federal and tribal law enforcement. OVWs Tribal Governments Program enhances the ability of tribes to respond to violent crimes against Indian women, improve victim safety, and develop education and prevention strategies. In fiscal year 2018, OVW funds for tribal governments and tribal nonprofits totaled nearly $56 million.

The Departments Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has released the FY2018 Supporting Innovation: Field Initiated solicitation that focuses on several priorities including addressing innovative approaches to crime including violent crime associated with tribes and tribal members. BJA anticipates that it will be supporting a range of strategies including assistance for tribal prosecutors to prosecute violent crimes such as murder and crime associated guns, gangs and drug activity as well as training for tribes on violent crime and prosecuting violent crimes. In fiscal year 2018, BJA funds for tribal governments and tribal partners will total over $35 million dollars.

Native American communities have been hit particularly hard by the Opioid and drug epidemic. According to the CDC, American Indian and Alaska Native people had the highest drug overdose death rate in 2015. In 2017, the Department awarded nearly $59 million in tribal grants to strengthen drug court programs. The Bureau of Justice Assistance runs the Departments Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program, which aims to reduce opioid misuse and the number of overdose deaths. The program uses prescription drug monitoring to prevent the misuse and diversion of controlled substances.

Through its National Indian Country Training Program, the Department trains investigators and assists in the cross-deputization of tribal law enforcement. Better investigations lead to better cases, more prosecutions, and more convictions, all of which increase public safety and confidence in law enforcement.

The NAIS is made up of U.S. Attorneys from across the United States whose districts contain Indian country or one or more federally recognized tribes. The NAIS focuses exclusively on Indian country issues, both criminal and civil, and is responsible for making policy recommendations to the Attorney General regarding public safety and legal issues that affect tribal communities.
Arizona News

Why, Arizona - Two Phoenix women, ages 27 and 28, attempted to flee from Border Patrol agents Saturday night after being stopped east of Why for an immigration inspection.

Ajo Station agents stopped a Toyota Corolla on Federal Route 15 and encountered two women, identified as U.S. citizens. During the encounter, a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect coming from the vehicles trunk. When agents opened the trunk, they discovered a 30-year-old Mexican woman inside.

After agents removed the woman from the trunk, the vehicle sped away. Ajo agents pursued the Toyota while agents from the Casa Grande Station setup and deployed a tire deflation device that disabled the vehicle. Both women then fled on foot, east through the desert but were located and arrested for alien smuggling. The Mexican national was processed for immigration violations.
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Monday declared a State of Emergency for the Town of Mammoth in Pinal County after unusual amounts of heavy rain from monsoons compromised the towns potable water system. The storms resulted in significant roadway damage and the loss of accessible water throughout the area, including for personal use, and has prevented emergency response capabilities for fire suppression. Currently, Mammoth has established cooling centers and is distributing water to residents.

This declaration will ensure that the necessary resources are available to protect the lives, pets and property of Arizonans, said Governor Ducey. We will continue to monitor the situation and are grateful to all of the first responders working tirelessly to help keep these Arizonans safe.

Todays emergency declaration directs $200,000 in emergency funds to aid in immediate emergency protective measures and permanent repairs to protect residents.

DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY

2018 MAMMOTH MONSOON AND WATER SYSTEM EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, starting on July 26, 2018 through July 29, 2018, a series of monsoonal storms produced unusual amounts of heavy rainfall, in excess of three inches, concentrated in the Town of Mammoth located in Pinal County; and

WHEREAS, saturation of the ground caused instability in the soil, which compromised the Town of Mammoths potable water system. The soil instability created fractures within the water system lines requiring frequent and repeated shut-down of the Towns water system for more than 1,200 residents. Consequently, the Town has established cooling centers and engaged in water distribution activities; and

WHEREAS, the loss of accessible potable water throughout much of the Town during the frequent shut-downs of the water system, caused by cascading line failures throughout the system, endangers residents and prevents emergency response capabilities for fire suppression; and

WHEREAS, floodwaters covered the roadways with sand and gravel debris, damaged asphalt and caused significant erosion; and

WHEREAS, local, county, and state agencies have evaluated the current and continuing impacts to the water and transportation systems and have determined that immediate emergency protective measures and permanent repairs are required to protect the Town and its residents; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Mammoth issued a declaration of emergency on July 31, 2018, and amended the declaration on August 6, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Pinal County issued a declaration of emergency on August 7, 2018; and

WHEREAS, the Governor is authorized to declare an emergency pursuant to A.R.S.  26-303(D); and

WHEREAS, the Legislature has authorized the expenditure of funds in an event of an emergency pursuant to A.R.S.  35-192;

NOW, THEREFORE I, Douglas A. Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws of the State, do hereby determine that the 2018 Mammoth Monsoon and Water System Emergency justifies a declaration of a State of Emergency, pursuant to A.R.S.  26-303(D), and I do hereby:

a. Declare that a State of Emergency exists in the Town of Mammoth, located in Pinal County, for storm related impacts beginning July 26 and ending July 29, 2018; and

b. Direct that the sum of $200,000 from the general fund be made available to the Director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Management to be expended in accordance with A.R.S.  35-192, A.A.C. R8-2-301 to 321, and Executive Order 79-4; and

c. Direct that the State of Arizona Emergency Response and Recovery Plan be used to direct and control state and other assets and authorize the Director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Management to coordinate state assets.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arizona

G O V E R N O R

DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this Thirteenth day of August in the Year Two Thousand Eighteen and of the independence of the United States of America the Two Hundred and Forty-Third.

ATTEST:

Secretary of State
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Wednesday visited United Food Bank for the ribbon-cutting of their new 2,400 square foot refrigerator and to thank staff, partners and volunteers for the life-changing work they do every day to feed Arizonas families in need.

Food banks are a lifeline for so many families in Arizona which is why we are continuing to provide funding in support of their missions, said Governor Ducey. Arizona is grateful for the work of the staff, partners and volunteers at food banks across the state and we are proud to invest and support their important work in our communities.

In its FY19 budget, the state made a $1 million investment to support the vital missions of Arizonas food banks. United Food Banks 2,400 square foot refrigerator has the capacity to hold four to five truckloads of fresh produce, and was purchased in part due to the states increased investment.

This new refrigerator will help United Food Bank store food to be distributed to more than 220 partner agencies that serve nearly 225,000 people in need across more than 19,500 square miles in Arizona.
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and the Arizona Department of Revenue announced a State Grand Jury returned a 19-count indictment against Jalisco Corp aka Jalisco Auto Sales, and its owner-operator, Maria Gutierrez.

The indictment accuses Gutierrez of falsifying Jalisco Auto Sales transaction privilege or sales tax returns between January 1, 2015 and July 26, 2016, by underreporting the number of cars sold. It is alleged that Jalisco Auto Sales charged its customers for sales tax but failed to remit the collected taxes to the Arizona Department of Revenue.

Investigators say Jalisco Auto Sales avoided approximately $100,000 in state, county, and city sales tax through the false filings.

This indictment was the result of a cooperative investigation between the Arizona Attorney Generals Office and the Arizona Department of Revenue.

All defendants are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.
Arizona News

Mesa, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a State Grand Jury indicted 47-year-old Meyer William Stratton, from Mesa, on ten counts of Child Sexual Exploitation.

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Deputies arrested Stratton on July 19, 2018. In the indictment, Stratton was charged with possessing ten graphic images of children engaged in sexual conduct or exploitative exhibition, seven of which were video files and three of which were still images.



Stratton is currently being held in Maricopa County Jail, in lieu of a $50,000 bond.



All defendants are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - The Department of Justice announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Native American Community Health Center (Native Health), a private corporation located in Phoenix, Arizona. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Native Health violated the employment rights of Commander Mario L. Islas, a Navy Reservist, under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). USERRA safeguards the rights of uniformed servicemembers, including Reservists, to all benefits of employment following periods of absence due to military service obligations.

Commander Islas was a Family Practice Physician for Native Health before being promoted to Medical Director in September 2014. According to the complaint that Commander Islas filed with the Department of Labor (DOL), his military service and status as a Navy Reservist were motivating factors in Native Healths decision not to renew his employment contract in 2016. The DOL complaint alleged that on Oct. 30, 2015, Commander Islas notified Native Health that he would be attending pre-mobilization training in December 2015 and January 2016; would be deployed overseas starting in March 2016; and would return to his position as Medical Director in early 2017. In a letter dated Jan. 25, 2016, Native Health notified Commander Islas that it would not be renewing his employment contract.

Under the terms of the settlement, Native Health has agreed to pay Commander Islas $25,000 in monetary relief for lost wages and benefits. In addition, Native Health will provide training on servicemembers rights to its managers, supervisors and administrative staff, and will review and revise, if necessary, its employee handbook to ensure that current and future employees are aware of their USERRA rights.

Members of our Navy Reserve, like Commander Islas, make many sacrifices in defense of our country, including spending months or years away from their jobs and families, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that our servicemembers employment rights are protected while they are away defending our country.

Commander Islas initially filed his complaint with the Department of Labors Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), which investigated the matter and attempted to reach a resolution between the parties. VETS referred the complaint to the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section, after resolution efforts failed.
Border News

Lukeville, Arizona - Ajo Station Border Patrol agents apprehended a male Mexican national Saturday morning after he re-entered the U.S. illegally near Lukeville.

Agents arrested 33-year-old Carlos Ramirez-Ramirez south of Gila Bend and transported him to the Ajo Station for processing.

During a subsequent fingerprint and criminal records check, agents discovered Ramirez was convicted in 2011 for attempted sexual assault on a child under 15 years old in Denver, Colorado, and sentenced to eight years of intensive supervision program.

Ramirezs criminal history in Colorado includes harassment, driving under restraint, and leaving the scene of an accident. He now faces criminal prosecution for re-entry as a felon.

All persons apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal immigrants with criminal histories are positively identified.
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An understanding of behavioral factors can help individuals decide whether to adopt innovationsor ignore them.

Everyones continually looking for the next big thing, whether its technology,1 a management method,2 or the latest human-resources approach.3 And in a now economy that seems ever-accelerating, businesses feel pressured to meet rapidly changing customer demands, reinvent or evolve themselves more frequently, and beat competitors to the punch by being the first to provide faster, better, and shinier solutions.

While innovations are hugely beneficial to business and society, hype often goes along with the territory. In their quest to reap the benefits of the next big thing, individuals can find themselves led astray by the publicity or buzz surrounding a new product, service, or idea. They may focus too heavily on the hype surrounding an innovation, as opposed to whether the innovation can actually help solve their problem or meet a business need they are dealing with.4

This is understandableand perfectly human. But understanding behavioral factors, such as hype, is critical to avoid making the wrong strategic decisions about innovations. Doing so requires moving beyond the headlines to understand and evaluate an innovations potential longevity and extent of adoption, balancing this information with an organizations tolerance for risk. Armed with this information, leaders can then decide not only whether to embrace an innovation, but how and when they can successfully introduce it into their organization. Having a more nuanced understanding of the factors involved can enable them to mitigate hype and manage expectations for what business problems it may (and may not) help to address.

Of course, its not easy to avoid being influenced by hype surrounding what could be the next big thing, or whatever is being forced on decision-makers internally and/or externally. Yet taking a methodical approach to assessing innovations is essential to differentiating between whats real and whats not.

Hype and inflated expectations

Hype is generally defined as publicity; especially, promotional publicity of an extravagant or contrived kind.5 While people often think of it as negative, attention and discussion about new concepts or ideas can be useful and generate value: It can help developers better improve their new concepts6 and refine innovations as they develop. However, publicity surrounding innovations can be overinflated in terms of the benefits derived, the speed with which they will replace existing products, and the ways they might change our lives.7 This process of overpromising and underdelivering is so well-known that Gartner created a framework more than 20 years ago to describe it, illustrating how early hype gives way to more modest expectations and actual delivery of new technologies (figure 1).8

A number of factors drive the prevalence of hype, or overpromising what an innovation can do. First is the sheer enthusiasm and optimism on the part of developers and stakeholders for the unproven but possibly abstract potential of an innovation. Optimism and overconfidence are common personality traits among entrepreneurs9 and early adopters. Yet while it may be tempting to blame the creators or messengers of hype for often unrealistic expectations, society is also at fault. We tend to encourage, applaud, and even seek out the opinion of people who confidently predict the future, despite understanding (and often forgiving) inherent inaccuracies and embellishments in many prognostications.10

Second, hype remains a time-tested method for getting more people on a bandwagon. It facilitates the likelihood and speed of adoption for a new product, service, or offering,11 which is why firms developing innovations seek to increase communicability, buzz, and observability.

Third, excessive publicity may be encouraged by those who have already made emotional or monetary investments in a concept. Thats because investing such energy helps people deal with the cognitive dissonance, or psychological discomfort, they may have about their decision to embrace an unproven shiny new object.12 It can also spur excitement about innovation in general, making people more receptive to new ideas, perhaps even encouraging others to try new things.

Explaining hypes beguiling siren sound

There are several reasons why overpromising on a new product or idea can help gain public support, acceptance, and enthusiasm. For starters, hype can effectively play into our fascination with new for the sake of newnessthe tendency for individuals to be distracted by or attracted to new ideas, people, or things simply because they havent seen them before.13 This fascination can be driven by many factors, including the promise of a better solution, disenchantment with whats currently in place, the excitement of being the first to adopt a new technology, or a desire to put ones own mark on a business.

Hype also has the capacity to trigger several decision-making biases, many of which are summarized in figure 2. These biases can lead to individuals embracing an innovation too quickly or to a greater extent than they might otherwise have done. For example, by emphasizing limited availability, organizations can create a perception of scarcity. This encourages greater perceived value for products and a greater sense of purchasing urgency among consumers. This desire to be among the first to possess the new product can motivate customers to preorder large volumes of products or line up outside stores overnight.14 Ever noticed how these queuessay, for the latest smartphone or gaming systemare heavily publicized? It capitalizes on the behavioral economics concept of social proof: a tendency for people to look to the actions of othersideally similar or desirable groupsto guide their own behavior.15

Beyond using scarcity to create a sense of urgency, hype can also unduly influence others to embrace an innovation before it has reached maturity. This is due to leveraging the concept of loss aversion: the notion that, when making decisions, people are typically more concerned with reducing downsides than deriving potential upsides.16 Being moved to action to avoid losing out is by no means limited to marketing ploys or consumer decision-making. Indeed, business clients can feel pressure and a sense of urgency to embrace a new technology or business process, driven not so much by the desire to capitalize on the innovations upside potential, but more out of fear of missing an opportunity or being perceived as a laggard. While embracing this new technology may turn out to be the right choice in the long run, the initial decision may be driven by a fear of missing out rather than a well-thought-out evaluation of the benefits and relevant criteria surrounding the technology.

Avoiding hypes perils

While hype often focuses on what one may lose by waiting too long to embrace the innovation, decision-makers would be wise to keep in mind the adverse consequences that may arise by putting too much stock in hype messaging. Some of the downsides include the risk of consumer dissatisfaction due to unmet expectations. If a hyped innovation does not perform as anticipated, it can leave early adopters in what Gartners hype cycle refers to as the trough of disillusionment. This is consistent with the expectancy disconfirmation theory,17 which suggests that satisfaction with an object is subjectivedriven by expectationsrather than objective. Even if a new technology has some benefit or marginal advantage relative to existing solutions, if expectations are too high, there may be less satisfaction with the product. Additionally, timeframes of expectation may play into satisfaction. Even if the benefits of a new technology do eventually live up to the promised hype, a truly innovative offering may be deemed a failure simply because it took longer than expected to bear fruit.

Hype can also lead individuals to become disenchanted with an innovation due to over-inflated and often unrealistic expectations regarding its scope of applicability. For instance, additive manufacturing technology has, over time, shown to be disruptive to many business applications, having a positive effect on product development, design, and supply chains.18 Yet the predictions of many experts of a 3D printer in every household have been premature.

Another adverse consequence of being unduly influenced by hype extends beyond the product itself. Leaders who continually embrace overly hyped innovations can leave employees experiencing shiny new object fatigue in the form of decreased morale, and increased confusion and cynicismparticularly when theyve had to either abandon tried-and-true methods or jettison recently adopted processes that havent been given a chance to realize their potential.19

Moving beyond the hype

Several criteria influence the likelihood a new offering will transcend hype to diffuse through a desired target market, the speed at which this acceptance or adoption will occur, and whether the innovation will prove lasting or merely a passing trend. Combined, these criteria can help leaders make more informed decisions about whats here to stay, and what may not live up to its promise.

Factors determining the speed and extent of adoption

Drawing heavily on research into the diffusion process, recent findings, and market observations, here are some considerations to keep in mind with regard to whether an innovation will be adoptedand how quickly.

Compatibility and complexity. How compatible is an innovation with potential users existing routines, norms and habits, and other trends simultaneously occurring in the environment? How will it work with existing assets or infrastructures? And just how complex is it? An innovation doesnt need to reinvent the wheel. Those likely to be adopted quickly are both easy to understand and simple to use. They enhance an existing practice rather than reinvent it; consumers dont have to think too hard about using it, and it doesnt require dramatic changes in behavior. If these criteria arent met, an innovation is less likely to be adopted. For example, non-refrigerated milk products have not thrivedeven though they provide a tangible benefit to customers. Adopting them requires not only accepting the idea of milk being less perishable, but also storing it in a pantry rather than the refrigerator. This can help explain why companies regularly introduce new products under existing brand names. For example, P&G includes name extensions to follow-on products in its Swiffer line so consumers know exactly how to categorize the product and, with that, which specific cleaning products these household innovations should be replacing.20

Relative advantage. History shows individuals are willing to make behavior changes, but it may take more time when that change is significant. Critical factors that affect whether were willing to change include the amount or degree of benefit, the fear of negative change impact, and the perceived overall risks of changeall considered to help ensure the relative advantage of changing behavior is worth the extra effort. This can be as straightforward as taking an existing product and making it less expensive, simpler, faster, or more convenient.21 But what if the degree of relative advantage is limited? While the Internet of Things (IoT) has been accepted in many contexts, in one area its success has been relatively limited: kitchen appliances. While smart refrigerators can provide some benefit, both consumer feedback and limited sales of IoT refrigerators suggest their marginal additional value is not enough to drive households to adopt this new, slightly improved, more expensive item.22 On the other hand, the Amazon Dash Button allowing consumers to reorder goods simply by touching a physical button has been effective. Each button costs less than five dollars, representing a relatively low investment.23

Observability and communicability. Innovations that are easily observed are likely to spread faster, since this exposure provides more opportunities to learn about it.24 For new products that are less observable by nature, the challenge for developers and marketers is to make them either more visible or part of conversations. This can be particularly challenging for components of products (such as ingredient brands) or intermediary services, where greater awareness can come through efforts such as educational advertising or co-branding. German chemical company BASF has been effective in making people aware of its ingredient brand through its we don't make a lot of the products you buy, we make a lot of the products you buy better campaign.25 Similarly, Intel has also raised brand awareness for its processors through the Intel Inside campaign.26

Trialability and perceived risk. As anyone whos taken a car for a test drive or enjoyed a free weekend in a timeshare property can attest, products that provide an opportunity for trial are more likely to be accepted or purchased. The same applies for innovations. When evaluating a potential next big thing, consider whether opportunity exists for sampling the technology, without making a full commitment. This can help encourage adoption. Many innovators understand this desire to try before you buy, and often provide trial or beta versions to existing or desirable target customers before fully investing or incorporating the innovation. Indeed, much of the success of eyewear manufacturer Warby Parker could be due to its home try-on program, which allows consumers to select five pairs to receive via mail and return free of charge, thereby inducing both trialability and reducing perceived risks.27

Perceived risks. The ability to trial an innovation reduces the unknown or potential risks that might arise from full adoption. As previously mentioned, loss aversion tells us that while individuals care about the potential upside of their actions, the potential downside of making the wrong decision weights much more heavily.28 Thats why the likelihood and speed of adoption of innovations can be hampered by concerns over possible downsides. Theoretically, self-driving (autonomous) vehicles could be safer, more efficient, and ultimately less expensive than traditional vehicles. Yet recent accidents or other risks can cloud that perception.29 Even if the percentage of accidents involving autonomous vehicles is a fraction of regular cars, their perceived risk seems likely to be a major factor in whether consumers will adopt the technology.30 Worth noting is the fact that physical risks are not the only risks decision-makers are concerned about. Rather, perceived risks come in many forms, such as financial, social, psychological, obsolescence, and performance, to name a few.31 Thus, it is critical to consider multiple facets of riskin whatever form that risk may takewhen positioning an innovation for adoption and to avoid the hype moniker.

Factors determining an innovations longevity

Even if an innovation is adopted, a critical question is its likely longevity. Will it be a passing fad? Or something more significant? In addition to the criteria mentioned in the section above, below are other considerations that have been identified as criteria or indicators to help gauge the potential longevity of an innovation.32

Personalization or customization. One size rarely fits all. It can, therefore, be helpful to incorporate the flexibility of customization or cocreation where possible to help users turn hype into something truly valuable for them; for example, providers of mobile-phone hardware and software allow users to do everything from choosing the color of devices to adding accessories and customizing screen wallpaper, layout, ringtones, and hundreds of other options. In the case of additive manufacturing, medical devices can be customized to an individuals unique measurements and needs; 3D printed hearing aids, artificial joints, and orthodontics are just three examples.

Subcultures currently embracing innovation. Another factor for evaluating whether an innovation is a flash-in-the-pan are the subcultures embracing the innovation. Factors to consider are the sheer size of the subculture; its importance or marketplace, sector, or industry dominance; its growth trend; and its connection with mainstream society (that is, fringe vs. core players). For instance, recent Deloitte research has noted firms in non-G7 countries appear to be quicker to embrace emerging technologies in the finance sector relative to their counterparts in G7 countries.33 It may be worth digging deeper to explore the size, growth trends, and interconnectivity of these early adopters to help predict the potential staying power of these various emerging technologies. For example, the embrace of IoT in the industrial sector demonstrates the significant value of the technology in improving business processes. Similarly, it is important to note that in some cases, what seems like hype can actually simply be the wrong audience. For example, augmented reality glasses were met with resistance in consumer settings, but have found success in industrial settings where they are increasingly being used for maintenance, training, and other areas, driving real value.

Focusing on underlying phenomenon vs. a side effect. One potential challenge for decision-makers evaluating an innovation is to identify and assess the actual trend occurring rather than a side effect. Sometimes its the overly hyped or easy to understand side effect that gets initial attention, rather than the actual phenomenon (a recent example in the consumer realm is the interest in Pokemon Go as opposed to a broader interest in augmented reality).34 Similarly, in the business realm many are treating bitcoin as an innovation when, in reality, bitcoin is a component of the bigger cryptocurrency and blockchain phenomenon. That means effectively evaluating the likelihood of bitcoin being successful requires looking at the advantages and other factors surrounding cryptocurrencies.

Guidelines for making better decisions

Hype tells us something, but it doesnt tell us everything. It should be merely one factor in a more comprehensive decision-making process for whether, when, and how (for example, to what degree) to embrace an innovation. Below is not only a summary of the other factors to consider, but also other considerations leaders should keep in mind when being enticed by a shiny new object.

1. Use an innovation scorecard

Figure 3 provides some guidelines to keep in mind as you consider what mayor may not bethe next big thing. Leaders can use their own judgment when considering how potential next big things compare against current solutions and past innovations that were, or were not, embraced.

2. Know thyselfand your tolerance for risk

Besides weighing the characteristics of potential next big things, decision-makers can turn their gaze inward to objectively determine just how well an innovation fits with their organizations mission, vision, culture, and structure. In terms of culture, one way that companies vary is with regard to tolerance for risk.35 When weighing potential benefits against possible risks, decision-makers should look beyond their own risk tolerance and take into consideration that of their firm as well as other stakeholders.

3. Define success and manage expectations

At the same time, leaders must understand how their stakeholders define success, and what their expectations are for innovations. Where clear expectations and measures of success do not exist, decision-makers can instead articulate and manage constituents expectations.

4. Take your time

Rarely is it the case that he who hesitates is lost. Rather, many companies in established sectors, such as financial services, are becoming more and more wary of hype surrounding emerging technologies, and more concerned with how these technologies will impact existing operating models and back-office operations.36 Before blindly jumping on an innovation bandwagon, for example, many leaders can create opportunities for trial and experimentation within particular groups or pockets of the organization.37

Its easy to be seduced by hype, buzz, and shiny new objects. Yet rather than focusing on each innovation, decision-makers should better and more frequently focus on the problem at hand. When things dont work out, dont blame whats newconsider revisiting your processes in terms of strategy, decision-making, business and technology implementation and integration, change management, and how you are measuring and refining your indicators of success. Because when all is said and done, innovations dont create hype: It is people who tend to inflate expectations, overpromise results, and confuse hype with the real potential progress has to offer.
There have been educational reforms in Ghana due to the prevalent situation in Ghana involving the candidates who do their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and their inability to continue with their secondary education. Statistics show that from 2003 to 2017 close to five hundred thousand students failed to get their secondary school education because they were not enrolled. In 2018 alone, it is estimated that close to twenty five thousand students undertaking their BECE will miss an opportunity to get secondary education. Due to this reason, the double-track education system Ghana was created to try and ensure more students get the education they deserve.

Source: newsghana.com

What is Ghana double-track system?

Previously the system used in the schools was a single-track system. Under this system, a school would have all its staff and students in school at the same time and they would go on holiday or vacation at the same time in an academic year.

Under the double track system to be rolled out in September 2018, however, the chosen Ghana SHS will be divided into two. Not literally into two institutions but into two student bodies and staff. This will ensure that the school is always in use. Meaning that one group of students and staff will be in school while the other group is on vacation. When the group in session goes on vacation, the others on vacation will now be in session at the same school. The rotation of the groups will be dependent on the year-round school calendar that is in use by all the schools all over Ghana.

Every semester now will be undertaken for an eighty day period. Every track will be present in a learning institution for 40 days and the other forty days will be used by the other track. The forty days one track is in session will be used as the break for the group that is at home. The teachers have their motivation hours and numbers have also been affected. Previously, the teacher motivation was 20 hours but now they have been increased to seventy hours with the number of teachers expected to be increased.

Source: myjoyonline.com

READ ALSO: How to confirm BECE school selection 2018 via Phone

What are the advantages of double-track system?

The new system is designed to ensure the spaces available for BECE candidates are increased to improve on education. Since the introduction of the free education in Ghana there have been increases in the number of people who wish to be enrolled. In 2018, for example, there are only nine thousand spaces available for the September intake.

Another advantage is the fact that the government is willing to pay an extra GHC 50 for every student per semester. This money will be used to pay for the remedial classes which will be introduced on Saturdays for two subjects; English and Mathematics. This idea came about because the government put into consideration that the new system will affect the contact hours between teachers and students. The less hours of contact will be corrected using the two remedial classes. Heads of the institutions will also be supported with incentives to carry out supervision of students during the Saturday remedial classes. The project comes after the introduction of free SHS in Ghana.

Teachers want government to proceed with caution

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is asking the government to ensure that it is rolling out the project while at the same time exercising caution. They want education stakeholders to be involved and consulted. The teachers are of the opinion that the government needs to look at this situation in the long term basis. They noted that the project had been slated for five years after which the government assures them that they would have built more infrastructure. They want the government to assure that the project does not lead to the teachers who are added in the schools do not go jobless after the project has been completed.

Source: Kojokrom.com

Below is the list of the schools in Ghana slated for implementation of the double-track system project.

Ashanti region

Achinakrom Senior High Adanwomase Senior High Adu Gyamfi Senior High Aduman Senior High Adventist Senior High Adventist Girls Senior High Afua Kobi Ampem Girls` Senior High Agogo State College Agona Senior High/Tech Akumadan Senior High Al-Azariya Islamic Snr. High Amaniampong Senior High Anglican Senior High Antoa Senior High Armed Forces Senior High/Tech Asanteman Senior High Asare Bediako Senior High Barekese Senior High Bodwesango Senior High Christ the King Cath. Collins Senior High/Commercial Dadease Agric Senior High Dompoase Senior High Dwamena Akenten Senior High Effiduase Senior High/Com Ejisu Senior High/Tech Ejisuman Senior High Ejuraman Anglican Senior High Fomena T.I. Ahmad Senior High Ghana Muslim Mission Senior High Gyaama Pensan Senior High/Tech Islamic Senior High Jachie Pramso Senior High Juaben Senior High KNUST Senior High Kofi Adjei Senior High/Tech Konadu Yiadom Senior High Konongo Odumase Senior High Kumasi Academy Kumasi Girls Senior High Kumasi Senior High Kumasi Senior High/Tech Kumasi Tech. Inst. Kumasi Wesley Girls High Sch Maabang Senior High/Tech Mankranso Senior High Mpasatia Senior High/Tech Namong Senior High New Edubiase Senior High Nkawie Senior High/Tech Nsutaman Cath. Senior High Obuasi Senior High/Tech Okomfo Anokye Senior High Opoku Ware School Oppong Mem. Senior High Osei Kyeretwie Senior High Osei Tutu Senior High Otumfuo Osei Tutu II College Senior High Parkoso Comm. Senior High Prempeh College S.D.A. Senior High, Agona S.D.A. Senior High, Bekwai Sekyedumase Senior High Serwaah Nyarko Girls` Snr. High Simms Senior High/Com. St. Hubert Sem/Senior High St. Jerome Senior High St. Joseph Sem/Senior High St. Joseph Senior High/Tech St. Louis Senior High St. Monica`s Senior High T. I. Ahmadiyya Senior High Tepa Senior High Toase Senior High 1332 Tweneboa Kodua Senior High Wesley High School, Bekwai Wesley Senior High Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High

Brong-Ahafo Region

Acherensua Senior High Ahafoman Senior High/Tech Ameyaw Akumfi Senior High/Tech. Atebubu Senior High Bechem Presby Senior High Berekum Presby Senior High Berekum Senior High Boakye Tromo Senior High/Tech Dormaa Senior High Drobo Senior High Goka Senior High/Tech. Hwidiem Senior High Jinijini Senior High Kintampo Senior High Kukuom Agric Senior High Kwabre Senior High Mansen Senior High Sch. Methodist Senior High/Tech. Mim Senior High 566 436 872 Nafana Senior High 542 418 836 Nkoranman Senior High Nkoranza Senior High/Technical school Nkoranza Tech Inst. Notre Dame Girls Senior High Odomaseman Senior High Girls Senior High, Kenyasi Our Lady of Providence Senior High 289 223 446 Prang Senior High 481 371 742 Sacred Heart Senior High 295 228 456 Serwaa Kesse Girls Senior High School 623 480 960 St. James Sem & Senior High 324 250 500 Sumaman Senior High 338 261 522 Sunyani Senior High 1024 789 1578 Techiman Senior High 730 563 1126 Tuobodom Senior High/Tech 336 259 518 Twene Amanfo Senior High/Tech. 706 544 1088 Wamanafo Com Day Snr High/Tech 338 261 522 Wenchi Meth. Senior High 679 523 1046 Yamfo Anglican Senior High School 321 248 496 Yefriman Senior High 243 188 376 Yeji Senior High/Tech

Central Region

Aburaman Senior High Academy of Christ the King Adisadel College Aggrey Mem. A.M.E.Zion Snr. High Apam Senior High Assin Manso Senior High Assin North Senior High/Tech Bisease Senior High/Com Boa-Amponsem Senior High Breman Asikuma Senior High Cape Coast Tech. Inst. Dunkwa Senior High/Tech Edinaman Senior High Effutu Senior High/Tech Eguafo-Abrem Senior High Ekumfi T. I. Ahmadiiyya Snr. High Ghana National CollegeA Gomoa Gyaman Senior High Gomoa Senior High/Tech Holy Child School Jukwa Senior High Komenda Senior High/Tech. Kwanyako Senior High Kwegyir Aggrey Senior High Technical Mando Senior High/Tech. Mankessim Senior High/Tech Methodist High School Mfantsiman Girls Senior High Mfantsipim Senior School Mozano Senior High Nsaba Presby Senior High Nyakrom Senior High Tech Nyankumase Ahenkro Snr. High Obiri Yeboah Senior High/Technical Obrakyere Senior High/Tech Odoben Senior High Odupong Comm.. Day School Potsin T.I. Ahm. Senior High St. Augustine`s College Swedru Sch. Of Business Swedru Senior High Twifo Praso Senior High University Practice Senior High Wesley Girls Senior High Winneba Senior High

Eastern region

Abetifi Presby Senior High Abuakwa State College Aburi Girls Senior High Achiase Senior High Adeiso Senior High Adonten Senior High Adukrom Senior High/Tech Akim Swedru Senior High Akro Senior High/Tech Akroso Senior High Akuse Methodist Senior High/Tech Akwamuman Senior High Anum Presby Senior High Asamankese Senior High Asesewa Senior High Schoo Asuom Senior High Attafuah Senior High/Tech Benkum Senior High Bepong Senior High School Boso Senior High Technical Ghana Senior High Mt. Sinai Day Senior High Islamic Girls Senior High Kade Senior High/Tech. Kibi Senior High/Tech Koforidua Senior High/Tech Krobo Girls Senior High Kwabeng Anglican Senior High/Tech Kwahu Ridge Senior High Mangoase Senior High Manya Krobo Senior High Methodist Girls Senior High Mpraeso Senior High New Abirem/Afosu Senior High New Juaben Senior High/Com Nifa Senior High Nkawkaw Senior High Nkwatia Presby Senior High/Com Oda Senior High Ofori Panin Senior High Okuapeman Senior High Osino Presby Senior High/Tech Oti Boateng Senior High Oyoko Methodist Senior High Pope John Snr. High & Jnr. Sem. Presby Senior High/Tech, Larteh Presby Senior High, Begoro Presby Senior High, Mampong Presby Senior High, Suhum Presby Senior High/Tech, Aburi S.D.A Senior High, Koforidua St. Francis Senior High/Tech St. Martin`s Senior High St. Pauls Senior High St. Peter`s Senior High St. Rose`s Senior High St. Thomas Senior High/Tech Suhum Senior High/Tech W.B.M. Zion Senior High Yilo Krobo Senior High/Com

Greater Accra region

Accra Academy 673 519 1038 Accra Girls Senior Accra Senior High Accra Tech. Trg. Centre Accra Wesley Girls High Achimota Senior High Ada Senior High Ada Senior High/Technical Amasaman Senior High/Tech Armed Forces Senior High/Tech Ashiaman Senior High Chemu Senior High Christian Methodist Senior High Ebenezer Senior High Frafraha Comm. Senior High Ghanata Senior High Holy Trinity Senior High Kaneshie Senior High/Tech. Kinbu Senior High/Tech Kwabenya Comm. Senior High La Presby Senior High Labone Senior High Ngleshie Amanfro Senior High Ningo Senior High Nungua Senior High O`Reilly Senior High Odorgonno Senior High Osudoku Senior High/Tech Our Lady of Mercy Senior High Presby Boys Senior High Presby Senior High, Osu Presby Senior High, Teshie Presby. Senior High, Tema St. John`s Grammar Senior High St. Margaret Mary Snr.High/Tech St. Mary`s Senior High St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High Tema Meth. Day Senior High Tema Senior High Tema Tech. Inst. Wesley Grammar Senior High West Africa Senior High

Northern Region

Anbariya Senior High Sch. 567 437 874 Bimbilla Senior High 550 424 848 Bole Senior High 627 483 966 Bunkpurugu Senior High/Tech 548 422 844 Business Senior High 742 572 1144 Chereponi Senior High/Tech. 397 306 612 Dagbon State Senior High/Tech 608 469 938 Damongo Senior High 690 532 1064 E. P. Agric Senior High/Tech 519 400 800 Gambaga Girls Senior High 366 282 564 Ghana Senior High 895 690 1380 Gushegu Senior High 669 516 1032 Islamic Science Senior High 592 456 912 Kalpohin Senior High 700 539 1078 Kpandai Senior High 478 369 738 Kumbungu Senior High 936 721 1442 Nakpanduri Senior High 401 309 618 Nalerigu Senior High 779 600 1200 Ndewura Jakpa Senior High/Tech. 430 332 664 Northern School of Business 666 513 1026 Pong-Tamale Senior High 724 558 1116 Salaga Senior High 650 501 1002 Salaga T.I. Ahmad Senior High 488 376 752 St. Charles Senior High 309 238 476 Tamale Girls Senior High 390 301 602 Tamale Senior High 735 566 1132 Tolon Senior High 776 598 1196 Vitting Senior High/Tech. 493 380 760 Walewale Senior High 647 499 998 SOUTH Wulensi Senior High 447 345 690 Wulugu Senior High 500 385 770 Yendi Senior High 839 647 1294 Zabzugu Senior High

Uppper Eastern Region

Awe Senior High/Tech. Bawku Senior High Bawku Senior High/Tech. Bolga Girls Senior High Bolgatanga Senior High Bongo Senior High Chiana Senior High Fumbisi Senior High Gowrie Senior High/Tech. Kongo Senior High Kusanaba Senior High Navrongo Senior High Sandema Senior High Sandema Senior High/Tech. Sirigu Senior High Tempane Senior High Zamse Senior High/Tech Zebilla Senior High/Tech Zuarungu Senior High

Upper West Region

Daffiamah Senior High Eremon Senior High/Tech. Islamic Senior High Jirapa Senior High Day Senior High/Tech. Kanton Senior High Ko Senior High Lassie-Tuolu Senior High Lawra Senior High Nandom Senior High Piina Senior High Queen of Peace Senior High St. Francis Girls Senior High Ahmadiyya Senior High Tumu Senior High/Tech. Ullo Senior High 368 284 568 Wa Senior High 677 522 1044 Wa Senior High/Tech.

Volta Region

Adidome Senior High Akatsi Senior High/Tech Anfoega Senior High Anlo Senior High Awudome Senior High Bishop Herman Senior High Bueman Senior High 661 509 1018 Dzodze Penyi Senior High 530 409 818 E. P. Senior High E.P.C. Mawuko Girls Senior High 705 543 1086 Kadjebi-Asato Senior High 760 586 1172 Keta Business Senior High 503 388 776 Keta Senior High 978 754 1508 Kpando Senior High 734 566 1132 Kpassa Senior High 524 404 808 Kpedze Senior High 351 271 542 Mawuli School 1262 972 1944 Nkwanta Comm.Senior High 482 372 744 Nkwanta Senior High 616 475 950 OLA Girls Senior High, Ho 683 526 1052 Peki Senior High 473 365 730 Sogakope Senior High 652 503 1006 Some Senior High 453 349 698 St. Mary`s Sem.& Senior High 282 218 436 St. Paul`s Senior High 346 267 534 Three Town Senior High 723 557 1114 Vakpo Senior High 361 278 556 Zion Senior High

Western Region

Adiembra Senior High Girls` Senior High Akontombra Senior High Amenfiman Senior High Archbishop Porter Girls Snr.High Asankrangwa Senior High Asawinso Senior High Baidoo Bonso Senior High/Tech Bibiani Senior High/Tech. Bodi Senior High Bompeh Senior High./Tech Daboase Senior High/Tech Dadieso Senior High Diabene Senior High/Tech Fiaseman Senior High Fijai Senior High Ghana Senior High/Tech Half Assini Senior High Huni Valley Senior High Juaboso Senior High Jwiraman Comm.Senior High Methodist Senior High Nana Brentu Senior High/Tech Nkroful Agric. Senior High Nsein Senior High Prestea Senior High/Tech Sefwi-Wiawso Senior High Sekondi College Shama Senior High St. Augustine`s Senior High St. John`s Senior High St. Mary`s Boys` Senior High Takoradi Senior High Takoradi Tech. Inst. Tarkwa Senior High

READ ALSO: Free education in Ghana: Advantages and disadvantages

Source: Yen
Everyone wants to learn how to make money early as this is mostly what most people consider as being successful. The desire to become financially independent has led to different sources of income. Many students in Ghana are working online to earn money. For many people, online jobs would be a dream come true. The problem is that many still do not understand how to make money on a website or other online ventures. Chances are that if many understood it better, they would quit their jobs and focus on entrepreneurship.

Source:recogin.org

Working online gives you so much freedom. You get to take control of your time which affords you more time to spend with your family. Fortunately, the revenue strategies for online jobs are not so complicated as you are only expected to devote some time and energy to get your ideas off the ground. Check out the following suggestions of how you can work online successfully and make a decent living from it.

How to make money online for free in Ghana

Everyone in the contemporary society wants to be rich, but they do not understand that making quick money is not easy just as it is unsustainable. Needless to say, money is not available freely in Ghana. Ghanaians like many other people in the world, are expected to work hard to earn money. There are many decent and legal ways through which you can make money. An easy and consistent way to make money in Ghana is through online jobs. To make money online is free in Ghana. This means that you will not need capital to start an online business. You can take part in online writing reviews, freelance academic writing, and online surveys just to mention a few of the methods people use to make money online.

How to make money online in Ghana as a student

Many students at the University levels in Ghana are not able to pay their fees. They end up taking students loan to pay their fees. As a student, you should know that you can earn money for yourself online and still complete your education with good grades. Online jobs are ideal for students because they can work from anywhere. As a student, you only need to research the opportunities provided by the internet. With stable internet, students can use up their free time to make some extra cash for themselves.

READ ALSO:Online business in ghana - Top profitable ideas

Different ways of making money

Source:glassdoor.com

There are so many ways that people can use to make money and become their own bosses. Some of the most common ideas to make money money online include:

Online surveys

Online writing reviews

Freelance academic witting

Blogging

On social media such as Instagram and Facebook among others.

To excel in any of the online venture, you first have to obtain more information concerning the online opportunities you think of venturing into. It is important to take caution when working online because there are scams taking advantage of people's need to make money. Some of the legal ways to make money are as follows..

How to make money with Facebook

You often use Facebook to share photos, videos and keep in touch with families and friends, but you do not know that you can use it to make money. There are various ways that you can use Facebook to make money from creating a fan page to using link-type advertising programs and then selling the posts. You can create a fan page for a specific product, news page, love tips page, gossip page, and any other page that is of interest to you.

After you have created the Facebook page, you need to invite your friends to like the page. You should also encourage them to share it on different forums to obtain more likes. You also need to use your page to comment on other pages so as to build the authority of the page. After your page has gained authority, by obtaining several likes, you can look for advertisers and inform them about your Facebook page, and you can use it to advertise their products in exchange of a fixed price or commission. You don't need capital to start selling the products. You only need to obtain images from reliable sources and begin marketing the products.

How to make money on Instagram

Just like Facebook, you need to create a nice profile. After building your profile, you should begin building your follower-ship and market various products and services of your choice. If you want to make real and good money on Instagram, you should ensure that your contents such as videos, images, and any other relevant posts are of high quality. Instagram is the right place for you to sell beauty and fashion items. If you have products or items that can attract the attention of Instagram users, it is so easy for one to set up a shop. You can also become an affiliate and make a commission by selling the products of other companies.

You can create and sell a digital or physical product, or you can offer a paid survive on Instagram. The beauty of using Instagram to make money is that one revenue stream does not rule out another one.

How to make money blogging

Many people are making serious money through blogging online. The success of top bloggers in Ghana has inspired many Ghanaians to begin blogging to earn some income. People often track their progress in life by identifying people achieving the kind of success they want. This makes it easy to replicate what those people are doing.

Most people in Ghana are failing when it comes to blogging because they are trying to copy the most successful bloggers by using the same models.

1. To be successful in blogging, you should first identify a perfect niche. The various niches include:

Tech

Celebrity gossips

Education

Health

News

Food

Sports

Accounting

Architecture.

The secret to succeeding as a blogger is to choose the right niche. Blog about issues that come naturally and easy to you. Most bloggers fail because they chose the wrong niche.

2. Secondly, you need to create a blog to help you share your contents to the prospective audience.

3. Third, you need to get traffic. This means that you should get people who will visit your blog on a regular basis and you should be consistent.

4. Fourth, you need to gain trust. This means that you are supposed to make your readers believe in you and not see you as a scam.

5. Finally, you should monetize your blog. To reach this end, one needs to be patient. You can monetize through selling ads spaces, online marketing, line affiliate, and product reviews.

READ ALSO:How to Make Money Online in Ghana as a Student

How to make money on YouTube

Source:imgur.com

There is a possibility that you have heard of people making money on YouTube, and you have always wondered how it is possible. The possibilities exist if you have a strong subscriber base. The following steps will help you get your videos monetized and start making money.

Create your YouTube channel. This means having your personal presence on YouTube; it is the same as a Google account. You are supposed to add keywords to make it easy for people to find your channel.

Add content. You should upload content that is of high quality, and it should not be so long. Every time you upload content, make sure that it is better than the last upload and you should make sure you regularly upload to hold an audience.

Gain an audience. This involves making the best contents to appeal to the audience, thus increasing your monetization. You should keep uploading more materials to get your audience hooked.

Monetize your videos. You can start making money on YouTube by allowing YouTube to place ads on the videos that you post. This will help in ensuring that there is no copyrighted material.

Get up to ten thousand total views to start making money. Your video can be monetized during the upload through clicking the Monetization tab.

Set up Google AdSense. To create this account, you will need a bank or PayPal account and a mailing address.

Check your analytics. This involves checking out how your videos are doing and this is achieved by clicking on the Analytics option. This will help you determine the estimated earnings and identify the demographics.

How to make money using online surveys

Online surveys have become more comfortable through the introduction of a legitimate survey app. You only need to download the app from the play store and then register as a member. You will then receive daily surveys in the app. The app has a Swag bucks mobile that only deals with online surveys and the survey questions are used by the company to identify the tastes and preferences of its customers in relation to their services and products. It is one of the best apps that you can use to make money in Ghana. You will be paid for giving a survey. This is one of the easiest ways of working online and getting paid through mobile money.

The above tips on how to make money online for free in Ghana are essential for anyone looking for a stable income source with no capital need. Whether you are a stay at home mum or dad or a student, online opportunities help you meet your financial needs easily. You can work online and get paid through mobile money. The secret is to find an online venture that you love and enjoy. You can earn money online for free and supplement your welfare as a student or boost your money sources from employment. Before you register for any online job on any website, ensure you have enough information about the site to avoid scams. All you need to earn money online is time and commitment. We, therefore, wish you success as you plan to make money online.

READ ALSO:How to make money in Ghana in 2018

Source: Yen
The University of Energy and Natural Resources is among the new institutions in Ghana that provide higher education to meet the increasing demand. Formed as a result of Act 830 of the parliament of Ghana, UENR has expanded rapidly to become not only one of the most prominent institutions but also one of the best universities in the country. If you have just passed your SHS exams and you are looking for a university that can nurture your career, this should be among your options. But before you seek admission, it is vital to know all UENR courses and the requirements for enrollment.

Image: facebook.com, @uenr.sunyani

Source: UGC

The University of Energy and Natural Resources offers courses mainly in engineering, management, economics, and social and political issues surrounding energy and natural resources. While the university has its established programs, some of them are offered through inter-program collaborations.

UENR currently has three campuses conveniently situated in Sunyani, Dormaa Ahenkro and Nsoatre. The main campus is situated at Sunyani. This campus houses the central administration, School of Sciences, School of Natural Resources and School of Graduate Studies. The School of Engineering has its proposed location at Nsoatre. The schools of Geoscience and Agriculture and Technology will be situated at Dormaa Ahenkro.

Courses offered at the University of Energy and Natural resources

You can select your preferred course from the University of Energy and Natural Resources courses as long as your qualifications permit. For you to join any of these regular or short courses at UENR, you will be required to have met the requirements. Additionally, you need to have a cumulative score that matches or surpasses the set University of Energy and Natural Resources cut off points.

Image: facebook.com, @uenr.sunyani

Source: UGC

School of Sciences

Courses offered under this school are:

BSc. Chemistry

BSc. Actuarial Science

BSc. Mathematics

BSc. Statistics

BSc. Computer Science

BSc. Information technology

BSc. Medical Biodiagnostic Science

BSc. Biological science

BSc. Nursing

Dip. Information Technology, Dip. Insurance, Dip. Computer Science and Dip. Statistics

READ ALSO: Here's everything you need to know about Radford University

School of Engineering

UENR courses provided under this school include:

BSc. Agricultural Engineering

BSc. Civil Engineering

BSc. Environmental Engineering

BSc. Mechanical Engineering

BSc. Electrical & Electronic Engineering

BSc. Computer Engineering

BSc. Renewable Energy Engineering.

Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering

School of Agriculture and technology

BSc. Agriculture (Animal and Crop Production Options)

BSc. Agribusiness

Diploma in Agriculture

School of Agriculture and Technology

Courses offered at UENR School of Agriculture and Technology include:

BSc. Agriculture (Animal and Crop Production options)

BSc. Agribusiness

Diploma in Agriculture

Image: facebook.com, @uenr.sunyani

Source: UGC

School of Natural Resources

In this school, the University of Energy and Natural Resources courses include:

BSc. Wildfire and Range management

BSc. Fire and Disaster management

BSc. Natural resource (Social Forestry, Ecotourism, Fisheries and Aqua Culture, Forest resource management, and Land Reclamation and restoration options)

Dip. Natural resource management

Dip. Fire and disaster management

School of Geoscience

Courses offered here include:

BSc. Climate change and sustainable Development

BSc. Planning and Sustainability

Dip. Geo-Information Science

School of Management Science and Law

If you're interested in this field, you can enrol for:

BSc. Hospitality and Management

B.A Professional French

BSc. Resource Enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Dip. Enterprise Management.

Dip. Hospitality Management.

READ ALSO: Best exams wishes for boyfriend - examination wishes and success messages

School of Graduate Studies

You can as well pursue your postgraduate studies at the University of Energy and Natural Resources. The following master's programs are available.

MSc/MPhil/PhD in Computer Science

MSc/MPhil in Climate Change

MPhil in Applied Mathematics

MSc/MPhil/PhD in Crop Science

MPhil/PhD in Social Forestry and Environmental governance

MSc/PhD in Environmental Engineering Management

MSc/MPhil in Environmental Planning and Sustainability

MBA/MPhil in Agribusiness Management

MSc/PhD in Sustainable Energy management

UENR cut off points

You need a specific set of academic achievements to enrol for courses at the University of Energy and Natural Resources of Ghana.

For a degree programme (four years)

You must possess any of the following qualifications to enrol for a degree course at UENR:

An SSSCE holder with a credit pass of A-D in Mathematics, English Language, and Integrated Science or Social Studies. Additionally, you need a credit pass (A-D) in three subjects that are relevant to your field of study and an aggregate score of 24 or higher.

A WASSCE holder with a credit pass (A1-C6) in Mathematics, English Language, and Integrated Science or Social Studies. You should also have credit passes (A1-C6) in three subjects that are relevant to your desired field of study. Overall, your aggregate score must be 36 or higher.

An Advanced Level holder with credit in at least 5 subjects (including Mathematics and English) at the O Level GCE or its equivalent. At least 2 subjects should be relevant to your area of study.

A Higher National Diploma with at least a 2nd Class Lower Division in a related course. You need at least two (2) years of post-school working experience.

A Mature Student of at least 25 years of age. You will be required to provide legal documents to confirm your age. Besides, you need to have passed the Mature Applicants Entrance Examination that is provided by the university and covers Aptitude, Mathematics and English Language.

A Foreign Applicant who is holding any of the above qualifications or an equivalent. You must be from a recognized institution.

A holder of other recognized qualifications including IGCSE, International Baccalaureate, American Grade 13 exams and any other qualification that is equivalent to GCE (A Levels) or WASSCE/SSSCE qualifications.

READ ALSO: How to study the Bible in 3 simple ways

Image: facebook.com, @uenr.sunyani

Source: UGC

Diploma programmes (2 years)

For admission to a Diploma Programme, you'll need to:

Be an SSSCE holder with an A-E pass in all subjects including Mathematics, English Language, and Integrated Science or Social Studies. You should also have 3 passes (A-E) in subjects relevant to your chosen area of study.

You need to be a WASSCE holder with passes (A1-E8) in Mathematics, English Language, and Integrated Science or Social Studies. You should also have passes (A1-E8) in 3 subjects that are relevant to your area of study.

Now that youve known all the UENR courses and cut off points, why not proceed to apply? For any queries about your qualifications, contact the admissions department using the details on their website.

How to apply for admission at UENR

All applications for intake into the University of Energy and Natural Resources are made online via the universitys admissions portal. The process follows three significant steps are provided here:

Step 1: Get a voucher slip

Here, you will be required to purchase a voucher slip and get an email address. Once you have these, youll need to enter the following details:

Application number on the voucher

Full name as on results slip

Email

Mobile Number

Save and get to the next step

READ ALSO: List of free online courses that you can study in Ghana

Step 2: Create a username and password

At this step, you will be required to log in to your email and get the username and password. Click the link provided in your email for you to access the online application portal. With your username, log in to the institutions portal. You will be prompted to change it immediately after logging in.

While here, select a new application form. Once it loads, fill it carefully. Make sure to countercheck to ensure that you have filled everything correctly before you click 'Submit.'

Step 3: Download your completed form

Finally, you will now download the filled form and prepare for the final stage of the application process. Once you have downloaded, you need to attach the required documents. These include copies of your results slip, copies of your certificates and 2 passport-size photos.

When applying as a mature applicant, provide your birth certificate or any other relevant documents. Fill the forms together with the attachments and mail them to the University of Energy and Natural Resources.

The University of Energy and Natural resources fees

Image: facebook.com, @uenr.sunyani

Source: UGC

If you have gone through the UENR courses and requirements, and you feel like this is an ideal place to further your studies, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the fees payable.

Fees for international students

International students are required to pay a tuition fee of USD 2,700 for courses under the School of Natural Resources and School of Agriculture. Admission to the School of Science and School of Geo-political science attracts a fee of USD 3,500 while admission to the School of Engineering attracts a fee of USD 4,000.

To stay at the university, international students are required to pay a hostel fee of USD 700 and a refundable fee of USD 50 to cater for damages. Other fees include SRC Souvenirs which amounts to GH 60.00 and departmental dues of GH 60.00.

READ ALSO: Central university college fees, hostel prices, and admission requirements

Fees for Ghanaian students

Ghanaian students will have to part with a flat rate of GH 950.13 in tuition fees for all courses. Also, they will have to pay other academic charges depending on the department.

If you wish to reside on campus, you will part with GH 1,300 in hostel fees and a GH 50 damages fee. Others include an SRC Souvenir fee of GH 60 and a departmental fee of GH 60.

Contact information for the University of Energy and Natural Resources

In case you want to reach out to the University for Inquiries, the available contacts are;

Phone number: +233 352290390 and +233 532290366

+233 352290390 and +233 532290366 Email address: info@uenr.edu.gh, admissions@uenr.edu.gh, and uro@uenr.edu.gh

info@uenr.edu.gh, admissions@uenr.edu.gh, and uro@uenr.edu.gh Postal address: P.O. Box 214, Sunyani.

P.O. Box 214, Sunyani. Website: www.uenr.edu.gh

Now that youve gone through the UENR courses and requirements, you are now in a better position to choose what suits you nest. UENR courses cover a broad field, meaning that you wont find it hard to get something that suits you best. Despite this, make sure to select something that will help you build a career in a field that you truly love.

READ ALSO: Biomedical Science: meaning, courses, careers and salaries in Ghana

READ ALSO: Becoming a pilot - everything you need to do

Source: Yen.com.gh
- As reported, Kofi Annan died in his sleep according to his wife

- In 1997 when he was appointed to the top job, he was given a state welcome

The death has been reported of probably the most iconic Ghanaian in the last three decades, Kofi Annan. The former United Nations (UN) secretary-general was a huge figure in international diplomacy right until his untimely death.

He was appointed to the UN's top job in 1997 becoming the first ever black African to occupy the position. Indeed, he succeeded the first African who occupied the post, Egyptian diplomat Boutros-Boutros Ghali.

When Mr Annan was given the top job in 1997, this was greeted with so much delight in his native Ghana. The government then, headed by Jerry John Rawlings, organised a state welcome for Annan.

READ ALSO: Kofi Annan is dead at 80

Ministers such Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas and Victor James Gbeho were at the airport to welcome Mr Annan. He the proceeded to meet President Rawlings at the Osu Castle.

Back in 1997, very few expected him to become the well-respected man he was till death. But according to German television network DW, Kofi Annan came to embody the modern version of the UN.

READ ALSO: Kofi Annan's family, foundation provide details on his last moments

World leaders from presidents to heads of multinational corporations have paid tribute to Mr Annan. Surprisingly, it was the US Department of State (foreign affairs ministry) which was most late in its tribute among the major nations of the UN.

His wife, Nane Maria, said Mr Annan died peacefully in his sleep. The tails of his burial and funeral have so far not been disclosed.

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The death of former UN Secretary of State, Kofi Annan, has sent shock waves to the entire world as tributes have poured in massively.

President of the republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, has paid tribute to the late Kofi Annan after his passing in Switzerland.

The president, describing Kofi Annan as one of Ghana's greatest compatriots, has directed that all national flags be flown at half-mast in honour of the president.

Kofi Annan (Photo credit: Google Images)

Many people across the world have also extolled the late Kofi Annan.

READ ALSO: After snubbing Mahama, Rawlings laughs excitedly with Akufo-Addo in new photos

YEN.com.gh has chosen to celebrate the Ghanaian statesman and international diplomat with this list of the most important dates (moments) in his life.

1. 1938: (Birth)

He was born in Kumasi and christened Kofi Atta Annan.

2. 1954/1958 (Starts secondary/tertiary education):

After completing his basic education at the Asem Boys in Kumasi, Kofi Annan entered the Mfantsipim School for his secondary education. He completed Mfantsipim in 1957, the same year Ghana gained independence.

He proceeded to the Kumasi College of Science and Technology, now the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), to study Economics.

3. 1962 (Started his career at UN):

Kofi Annan began his career with the United Nations (UN) starting as a Budget Officer for the World Health Organization.

READ ALSO: Kofi Annan's family, foundation provide details on his last moments

4. 1965 (Marries for the first time):

He married Titi Alakija, a Nigerian woman with who he had a daughter, Ama, and later a son, Kojo. The couple divorced in 1983 after separating in the late 1970s.

5. 1984 (Marries for the second time):

A year after officially divorcing the mother of his children, Kofi Annan married Nane Annan (nee Lagergren), a Swedish lawyer at the UN.

6. 1987 (Appointed as Assistant Secretary general for the first time):

After holding many administrative positions at the UN Secretariat, Annan got his first appointment as Assistant Secretary-General of the UN serving as the Human Resources, Management and Security Coordinator (19871990).

He later served as the Assistant Secretary General for Program Planning, Budget and Finance, and Controller (19901992); and Peacekeeping Operations (March 1993  December 1996).

READ ALSO: Becca finally marries Ice Prince's manager Tobi Sanni Daniel

7. 1991 (Twin sister dies):

Annan was born a twin and his twin sister, Efua Atta Annan, passed away in 1991.

8. 1997 (Begins work as UN Secretary General):

After excelling as an Assistant Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Kofi Annan was voted as the UN Secretary General in December 1996 starting his first term on January 1, 1997.

He thus became the first ever Secretary General office to be elected from the UN staff itself.

9. 2001 (Nobel Peace Prize/Renewal of his term):

In its centennial year in 2001, the Nobel Committee decided that the Peace Prize was to be divided between the UN and Annan.

Annan was finally given the Peace Prize for having revitalized the UN and for having given priority to human rights. The Nobel Committee also recognized his commitment to the struggle to containing the spread of HIV in Africa and his declared opposition to international terrorism.

In the same year, the Security Council recommended Annan for a second term on June 27 and the General Assembly approved his reappointment on June 29.

READ ALSO: World leaders pay tribute to Kofi Annan but Donald Trump has not

10. 2006 (Ended two terms as UN Secretary General):

Annan stepped down on December 31 after serving two terms as UN Secretary General and was replaced by Ban Ki-Moon.

11. 2007 (Founded Kofi Annan Foundation):

A year after stepping down, Annan established the Kofi Annan Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organization that works to promote better global governance and strengthen the capacities of people and countries to achieve a fairer, more peaceful world.

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The University of Professional Studies Accra, has introduced UPSA interpay for prospective and formal students to create an account and log in to carry out specific academic actions such as payment of fees. UPSA interpay makes it easy for the institution to receive your payments. The system also provides students with the convenience of paying the university anywhere and anytime using various payment channels. After you have paid your fees and miscellaneous charges at any recommended banks, you should disburse the payment to UPSA interpay. Checkout the detailed explanation on how to use the UPSA interpay.

Source:ytimg.com

Universities and other institutions of higher learning should continue coming up with easier and better ways of providing services. One of this includes a streamlined payment system. The UPSA has taken a step in the right direction with its interpay system. Understanding how it works helps give students better services.

READ ALSO: List of online payment systems in Ghana

Overview of Interpay system in Ghana

The interpay system was introduced in Ghana to make it possible for consumers and merchants to make and receive payments of fees, invoices, and bills. In addition, the system makes e-commerce and transactions more convenient and secure since it is an electronic payment method. Below are the benefits of Interpay for businesses such as UPSA:

When payment is made instant notification is received

Payment from your customers within and without Ghana will be received any time

Access to the transaction history is possible, and you can reconcile all the payments

The system has features like the ability to broadcast notices associated with sales and discounts, new services, and new products

Losses related to instances like theft, flooding, and fire will be reduced as the system operates in a paperless environment.

Interpay also benefits the customers such as the students of UPSA in various ways as shown below:

You will be the first to know when the merchant announces sale discounts

The system will never expose your bank account and other private information

It makes it possible for you to top up anytime and anywhere

It also enables you to track your transactions and all other payments by having real-time access.

It helps you reduce the risks of exposing your bank and using cash

A law passed by the government of Ghana known as the Payment System Act 662 ensures that supervision and tight regulations of the payment sector. Interplay was introduced to ensure customers feel safe while making payments.

UPSA student Interpay

Continuing and new students are expected to pay their befitting Academic Facility Fees at the following banks:

Mainstream Students  Ecobank or Access Bank being based on the bank outlined in the students Admission letter.

Weekend School Students  Ecobank

After making the payment, you should log in to UPSA interpay website at UPSA Interpay link so as to disburse your payment made at the bank. You will be required take your Ecobank pay- in-slips to the Account Office located on the 1st Floor of Access so as to receive assistance. It often takes less than 24 hours to register after the payment of fees is done.

After logging to UPSA Interplay, select Pay Fee which is on the left side of the menu. This will open the fee generated applicable to the student. You will then select the multiple fees you want to pay by clicking on "select" button that is adjacent to the fee bills.

For the Facility subsidy Fee, you have the option of paying in installments. By default, you will fill the total amount owed. You will have to key in the amount that you have to pay. Alternatively, you can use the drop down button to increase or reduce the amount. The amounts against each bill will be accumulated at the top of the page, and the buttons selected by you will change their colors from white to black.

Once you have chosen all the fee amounts to pay, press "Pay" to allow the system to pay the fee. You will then be asked to confirm that you want to pay as shown below. If you press OK, the system will make the payment to the University's account. You should understand that once you have confirmed a transaction, it cannot be reversed. As soon as you have confirmed the payment by clicking on the Pay button, you will receive a confirmation message. Once you have paid the fee, your current available balance in the bank will reduce and the fee line items will be removed from your bill.

UPSA interpay system

To log in to the UPSA interpay system, you should enter your index number and password. If you cannot remember your password, click on Forgot Password to recover it. To recover your password, you will be required to provide your username and email address so that a reset code will be sent to your email.

UPSA Interpay Ghana

In Ghana, UPSA is an interpay merchant. The institution receives payments from its students. The portfolio of merchants in Ghana is highly diverse and the common thing about the merchants is that they want to provide their customers with convenience, security, and flexibility when they are making payments.

UPSA Interpay Africa

Source:twimg.com

Interpay Africa UPSA facilitates e-commerce and online payments in Ghana. The principal functions of the system are:

Automate disbursement processes

Generate electronic billing and payment collection

Make and receive payments

Authenticate and reconcile payments

Top up via Visa or Mobile Money, Local cards, MasterCard, or Transaction Codes

Stay informed and receive notifications concerning all ongoing transaction

The UPSA student Interpay is the safest way through which you can pay your fee. The above information will help you understand how to use the system. The system reduces the risk of carrying cash and losing it. You are allowed to make payments anytime and anywhere. Finally, the system will keep all your personal information confidential. You should therefore not worry about your privacy.

READ ALSO:Mobile money transactions see substantial gains

Source: Yen.com.gh
YEN.com.gh has sighted a post by young actress Maame Serwaa making a proclamation on her the occasion of her birthday.

The beautiful actress turned nineteen years on Sunday, August 19, 2018, and she was over the moon.

Maame Serwaa shared beautiful photos to mark the days, and in so doing, revealed a secret about her birthday.

READ ALSO: 5 interesting facts about Beccas husband Daniel Oluwa Tobi Sanni

The secret also seems to be a prophecy she was making about her own career.

According to her, she is going to be Africas number one actress soon.

The young legend as Maame Serwaa proudly refers to herself, also used the occasion to thank her fans and all people who have supported her throughout her career journey.

Maame Serwaa wrote: Blessings to the fans for holding me down for the past 13 years ever since I rose to fame. I celebrate this day with Y'all. Onyakopon Nyira monyinaa . #GhanasYoungLegend#SoonToBeAfricasNumberOne.

Clara Benson, as Maame Serwaa is known in real life is one of Ghanas actress, specifically Kumawood actresses, who has gained so much love and support from Ghanaians.

READ ALSO: I have a mansion of deep things to reveal about Ebonys father  Bullet

She appears to be very fierce and troublesome in most of her movie roles, however, Maame Serwaa is very calm in real life.

She has also been in the news following some controversies a few times.

The Sylvanus Records signee was once accused of dating colleague actor Bill Asamoah who is a married man.

But in an interview which was monitored by YEN.com.gh on the Delay Show, Maame Serwaa debunked that report and accusation.

According to Maame Serwaa, Bill Asamoah is just like a father to her and there is nothing more to their relationship.

She also revealed that since the death of her mother, her father is now the one in charge of her bank account, adding that she does not know how much exactly she has earned in the account since her career started.

Maame Serwaa has also said recently that she hopes to storm the international scene now that she has a new and competent record label.

READ ALSO: Becca and her husband show off their dance moves

Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Photos show Ghanaian celebrities chilling at Becca's wedding reception

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- Mensa Otabil has charged ICGC members not to respond to issues concerning the collapse of Capital Bank with hatred

- Pastor Mensa Otabil says he was not involved in the routine management of Capital Bank

- The Bank of Ghana has revealed telling reports on how managers of and Capital Bank caused the collapse of their banks

General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Mensa Otabil, sent a message to his congregation last Sunday concerning controversies over the collapse of Capital Bank.

Making his first public statement behind the pulpit since the controversy erupted, Mensa Otabil began his sermon by telling his congregation how much of an explanation he owes them.

The pastor then gave, in his response, words of praise to his congregation in response to the collapse of Capital Bank. Mensa Otabil intimated the need for his congregation not to meet others over the role he played on the board of the collapsed bank.

READ ALSO: More unseen photos from Becca's wedding to Tobi Sanni Daniel drop

These are the three statements I will make with regards to the response I want to give, which I expect you to carry along to explain what is happening. My first statement is that God is good, my second statement is that God is good and my third statement is that God is good, he stated.

In a 9-point press statement, the pastor, who was then the board chair of the bank, argued that his position as board chairman of Capital Bank was a "non-executive role."

Mensa Otabil stated that he was not "involved in the day-to-day management and operations of the Bank."

The pastor further clarified that it was not intended of him to watch the bank collapse. Mensa Otabil clarified that he was only helping a young man (the CEO) who had wanted to change the fortunes of other people through Capital Bank.

Touching on the thousands of workers severely affected by the collapse of the bank, Dr. Otabil revealed that they always remain in his prayers as a pastor.

"My position was a non-executive role. I was therefore not involved in the day-to-day management and operations of the Bank," parts of the statement read.

Background

Seven local banks have all collapsed in the past few months and recent audit reports from the Bank of Ghana has shown that one of the major issued that collapsed these banks were poor decision making.

The defunct bank which has attracted much controversy of late is Capital Bank which had Pastor Mensa Otabil as the board chairman.

Mensa Otabil's wrongdoing so far has been his inability to ensure due diligence in a loan he granted some key players in the collapse of Capital Bank.

Funds raised through the commercial paper issuance by MC Management Services Limited and Breitling Services were used as capitalization for the establishment of the Sovereign Bank Limited.

The Bank of Ghana in its report spotted some red flags including some GHc 27.5 million used for business promotion and handled by a board member; transfers to IFS amounting to GHc 23.9 million, transfers to Nordea Capital amounting to GHc 65 million, and transfers to Alltime Capital amounting to GHc 130 million.

In all this, the General Overseer of the ICGC, Dr. Mensa Otabil assured management that he would ensure the funds were returned by March 2016.

After these damning reports, there have been calls for heads to roll. In fact, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has mounted investigations into the matter.

Calls for Otabil's prosecution

The question that remains unanswered is if Mensa Otabil could face the full rigors of the law should he be found guilty of financial malfeasance.

Amidst the expression of dissatisfaction over the telling reports from the Bank of Ghana is a general call for Mensa Otabil to be prosecuted. According to the Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Constituency, Ras Mubarak, Mensa Otabil must not be left out of any prosecution.

Anyone, including @MensaOtabil whos responsible for the current banking crisis must face the music. You cant use the peoples money anyhow. Lets see if this administration has the spine to go after the rich and powerful, he posted via his Twitter handle.

Despite calls for his prosecution, Mensa Otabil seemed to have gained some popularity in social media from supporters and congregants of his church who have expressed their solidarity.

The "I stand with Mensa Otabil" tagline has literally swamped social media as supporters including popular journalists and media personalities.

READ ALSO: And JJ was there - Rawlings spotted at Beccas wedding dinner reception (Photo + Video)

So far, the presbytery of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), has also issued a press statement hailing Mensa Otabil as a man of integrity.

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- An aspiring NDC flagbearer, Alban Bagbin, has revealed that some party members built mansions and bought cars in 4 years

- According to him, a majority of the party's foot soldiers were neglected when the party was in power

- He however promised to change that if he becomes NDC's flagbearer and then president of Ghana

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has described the neglect of the grassroots during the John-Mahama administration as improper.

Addressing constituency executives in the Volta regional town of Keta, he argued that the then government could have done more for the youth.

He explained that this contributed to the loss of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 general elections.

READ ALSO: Patapaa buys a 3-bedroom house as he prepares to become a daddy

The pillars that support you when youre up there, are the pillars you have to fortify to continue to carry you up there when you weaken them, you fall. You cannot put something on nothing. We have to change, he argued.

He went on to say that some people suddenly drew closer to Former President Mahama during his term of office.

According to him, they built mansions and purchased land cruisers in 4 years, and one often wonders where they had the resources from, as it was certainly not their salaries.

Bagbin further noted that the base of the party has been weakened, as the neglect of the supporters had pushed many of them of them away.

Calling for a change in the trend, he added that the hard work and sacrifices pf the party youth will be rewarded if he becomes the flagbearer of the party and the president of Ghana.

READ ALSO: E.T Mensah's family finally react to rumours of his death

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- One of the bodies which had been reported missing after a drowning incident has been found

- The body is reported to have washed ashore the Elmina Beach on Sunday

- 2 students who were participating in a beauty pageant lost their lives in that incident

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that some two university students participating in a beauty pageant lost their lives after they drowned during a photo shoot in Cape Coast.

Reports reaching YEN.com.gh indicate that the body of Sarah Kwaretng, one of the contestants from University of Education, which had been reported missing after the drowning incident has been found.

According to a report sighted on 3news.com, her body was washed ashore Sunday afternoon at Duakor near Cape Coast, between the University of Cape Coast and the Elmina beach.

Body of female university student who drowned in Cape Coast finally washes ashore. Credit: 3news.com

READ ALSO: Video: Becca and her husband show off their 'wild' dance moves at their wedding reception

Central Regional Police PRO, DSP Irene Oppong revealed that the lifeless body has been sent to the UCC hospital morgue.

The story had it that two contestants of the Face of USAG (University Students' Association of Ghana), drowned on Thursday, August 16 in Cape Coast during a photo shoot session.

Late Sara Kwarteng. Credit: Supplied

The two students, Lily Ampofowaa Asiedu and Sara Kwarteng were keenly contesting against other ladies for the chance to be crowned the 'Face of USAG'.

The incident is reported to have happened between 7 to 9 pm on Thursday.

Lily Ampofowaa Asiedu from the University of Ghana, Accra campus reportedly died en route to the hospital.

READ ALSO: Soon to be Africas number one  Maame Serwaa prophecises on her birthday

Reports indicate trip to the beach was against the advice of the Dean of students of the host school University of Cape Coast where a USAG Congress is being held.

The contest was scheduled to come off at 6PM on August 17.

Not too long ago, YEN.com.gh reported that some 2 students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology got drowned in Germany.

READ ALSO: Mother and three children die in Dansoman fire

Watch: Shasta Story - The Life of a Lady Barber: Faces of Ghana | #Yencomgh

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YEN.com.gh has sighted a post in which actress Yvonne Nelson hints when she will get married.

The topic was initiated by one of her fans and followers on social media who wanted Yvonne to tell him when she will also be getting married now that Becca is married.

Yvonne Nelson responded by telling that fan that she cannot marry herself, therefore, when the time is right she will get married.

READ ALSO: Maame Serwaa drops secret about her career on her birthday

The fan by name abbeymusicrecords wrote: So when you go marry as Becca has married today Ivon?

Yvonne Nelson then answered: @abbeymusicrecords I cant marry myselfwhen the time is right.

This post is found on the Facebook page of one Jentle K. Mike.

READ ALSO: 5 interesting facts about Beccas husband Daniel Oluwa Tobi Sanni

This is not the first time Yvonne Nelson has been in the news talking about when she would get married.

She has many times faced this question from many people, especially after the delivery of her daughter, Ryn Roberts.

In an earlier reports by YEN.com.gh, Yvonne revealed that she has not married yet because she does not want to rush in doing so and then later get divorced.

Yvonne believes that there should be more to the marriage than just the wedding where people make merry, eat the cake, ride around in Limousine and all that.

Left to her, the timing must be right before anyone enters into marriage, therefore, she is not in a hurry at all.

READ ALSO: Becca and her husband show off their dance moves

In another report by YEN.com.gh still about her wedding, Yvonne Nelson said she might end up inviting only about ten people to her wedding.

This is because she believes people are gossips and would only want to be at the wedding so they would later go and talk about it.

Yvonne Nelson has a child with her British baby daddy, Jamie Roberts, a professional photographer.

READ ALSO: 5 most emotional Becca moments at her wedding

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: I have a mansion of deep things to reveal about Ebonys father  Bullet

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- A young colleague of Abraham Attah, Strika, who also starred in Beasts of No Nation has now turned yam seller

- Strika said his percentage allocated to him after the movie has landed in the pocket of one Kofi Rabbit

- Strika is begging for Kofi to return his money so he could learn a trade

A young boy who was part of the cast for Beast of No Nation, known only as Strika, has turned a beggar on the streets of Accra, YEN.com.gh has learnt.

Strika is not just a beggar, but also a yam seller in the traffic and at the Agbogbloshi Market in Accra.

This was revealed by Strika himself in an interview with GHONE Newsroom on Monday, August 20, 2018, monitored by YEN.com.gh.

Striker when he starred in Beast of No Nations at age 14. Photo credit: Mashable.

READ ALSO: 5 interesting facts about Beccas husband Daniel Oluwa Tobi Sanni

According to Strika, they were a group of three boys including himself, Abraham Attah, and one other boy called Justice who shot the Beasts of No Nation movie.

He revealed that they were each given an amount of thirty thousand (30,000) but couldnt say whether the amount was in dollars or cedis.

That money, he said, was given to one of the casts of the movie called Zowi, an American star.

Strika added that he was told that that thirty thousand is what was being used to cater for him therefore, he has accepted that the thirty thousand no longer exists.

However, the money that he is fighting for now is the one percent (1%) money promised him by the producers after the movie was bought by Netflix.

READ ALSO: Yvonne Nelson releases time for her marriage after Becca's wedding

Strika explained that he was promised one percent while Abraham had two percent because he played a supporting role to Abraham, the main character.

That money, according to the agreement he had with the producers, was to be kept in the bank for him until he turned eighteen years old.

The money, which he said he has no idea how much it was, was deposited at the bank with signatories of one of the Ghanaian actors in the movie, Kofi Rabbit, and Zowi.

However, now that he is eighteen and about to turn nineteen, Kofi Rabbit is refusing to let him have access to the money, and keeps telling him many stories, Strika stated.

He revealed that he does not remember which of the banks his money is being saved, but he desperately needs the money to learn a trade or start his own business.

READ ALSO: Becca reveals why she chose her Nigerian husband out of many suitors

All I want now is for Kofi Rabbit to release my money and let me have access to my bank account. I want to learn a trade or start my own business, Strika narrated in the interview monitored by YEN.com.gh.

He disclosed also that as part of the promises, he and Abraham Attah and Justice were taken to a Montessori School in Cape Coast but Abraham left later to school in America.

Strika said he left the school in Cape Coast and returned to Accra because have lived in Accra all his life and he never found living in Cape Coast comforting.

He also said he realized he couldnt grasp anything he was being taught in school and so he concluded that his was to learn a trade, for which reason he wants his money back from the pocket of Kofi Rabbit.

According to Strika, he and Justice were also picked on the street just like Abraham Attah, and went through two auditions before being selected for their roles in Beasts of No Nation.

READ ALSO: Maame Serwaa makes wild prophecy about her career on her birthday

Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Sarkodie appoints Nana Aba Anamoah as his new Public Relations Officer

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- The NDC deputy general-secretary called for a civil coup against Nana Akufo-Addo

- However, it is reported the government of Ghana is no longer interested in prosecuting him

The state has dropped all charges against the deputy general-secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho. According to reports gathered by YEN.com.gh, the Attorney-General informed the Ghana Police Service, it was no longer interested in prosecuitng.

According to the report by Starrfmonline.com, Anyidoho commended the Police Service for its professionalism during his time in custody.

The prosecution of Anyidoho was began after Police arrested and charged him with high treason over his call for a civil coup against President Akufo-Addo.

READ ALSO: Yvonne Nelson, Chris Attoh and others in famous Ghana-Nigeria love affairs

The NDC deputy general-secretary is a reputed controversial politician. Photo credit: Supplied

Anyidoho's declaration followed the ratification of the military agreement between the government of Ghana and that of the United States by Parliament Friday, March 23. This was done even against huge public protestation.

He had said: On January 13, 1972, a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addos father was a ceremonial president.

Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.

READ ALSO: Strika of Beasts of No Nation cries for justice as his money goes into another mans pocket

He then added: Therell be a civilian coup detat; therell be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency."

Anyidoho has a reputation of being a controversial politician.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

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Source: Yen Newspaper
Former United Nation General-Secretary, Kofi Annan, passed on last Saturday in Switzerland at age 80.

Most of the world leaders including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo paid a glowing tribute to the Ghanaian.

As it is now the norm in Ghana, when a famous person dies in the country, there are certain prophets that comes out to claim that they have already prophesied the death of the said person.

READ ALSO: Yvonne Nelson, Chris Attoh and others in famous Ghana-Nigeria love affairs

YEN.com.gh brings you the four prophets that would be claiming that they prophesied the death of Kofi Annan in the coming days

1. Rev. Owusu Bempah

Rev. Owusu Bempah (Photo credit: supplied)

Rev. Owusu Bempah is the Founder and General Overseer of the Glorious Word Ministry International, he is one of the controversial prophets in Ghana due to his prophecies.

Many Ghanaians have tagged him as event prophets because when some disastrous things happens, he will claim he had already prophesied about it.

He was on record claiming that, he prophesied the death of Ghanaian female artiste Ebony Reigns, he was also on record claiming he prophesied that John Mahama will lose the 2016 general elections, and that his Mahama's prophecy came to past.

READ ALSO: Sarkodie appoints Nana Aba Anamoah as his new Public Relations Officer

2. Rev. Obofuor

Rev. Obofuor (Photo credit: supplied)

The founder and leader of the Anointed Palace Church (APC), Rev. Obofuor is also seen as another controversial prophets.

He has also claimed that he prophesied lots of disastrous things which at the end came to past.

3. Bishop Daniel Obinim

The most talked about prophet in Ghana now is Bishop Obinim. He is the founder of International Gods Way Church.

He has prophesied on a lot of issues in the country. He is one of the prophets expected to claim that he prophesied about the death of Kofi Annan.

READ ALSO: I have snakes at home - Veteran Ghanaian actor

4. Prophet Emmanuel Badu-Kobi

Prophet Emmanuel Badu-Kobi is the founder of Glorious Wave Church International. He has been in the news lately for flaunting his wealth, he was on record to have prophesied that Jacob Zuma will be facing hard times as President of South Africa.

Lo and behold that prophecy came to past as Jacob Zuma resigned last February.

Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh

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- The woman, Esther Oppong, protests her innocence saying she was framed by her abuser

- There is an appeal for public support as Oppong's case is re-litigated in court

A woman is currently serving a two-year term at the Nsawam Female Prisons after she was accused of theft. But the story of Esther Oppong is a very strange and bizarre one, according to reports gathered by YEN.com.gh

Esther Oppong's story comes to us from the work Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng who runs the show, Crime Check TV Gh. The jailed woman is identified to be in her in her mid-30s.

According to her harrowing story, she was drugged and sexually abused by a former employer who turned round to accuse her of theft. The accusation led to her arrest and subsequent imprisonment at Nswawam.

READ ALSO: 5 interesting facts about Beccas husband Daniel Oluwa Tobi Sanni

The host of the show, Kwarteng, is soliciting public support to get the jailed woman freed through an appeal. He writes that in court, he with the convicted are looking forward to see the man accused of sexually abusing Esther Oppong.

He shared on his Facebook page the story which began: Esther claims her male employer (name withheld) drugged her and rvped her when he invited her to render accounts of the business he had entrusted in her care"

READ ALSO: Castro is still alive - Occultist

Esther Oppong was jailed three weeks ago for two years at the Nsawam Female Prisons. But Kwarteng is not looking for the matter to die there citing the usual miscarriage of justice against poor people.

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THE Court of Appeal has set aside the High Court judgment under which CRDB Bank was required to pay a businessman Issack Mwamasika and two others over 90bn/- in compensation for withholding securities deposited in acquisition of loan facilities.

A panel led by Chief Justice Prof Ibrahim Juma and Justices Stella Mugasha and Jacobs Mwambegele ruled in favour of the bank after allowing the appeal lodged to fault the judgment of the High Court delivered in January this year.

The appellant bank was within its legal right under the personal guarantees to refuse to release the title documents to the businessman. For the reasons outlined, the appeal is hereby allowed. The judgment of the High Court is set aside, the justices declared.

During hearing of the appeal, the main contention was whether the appellant bank had legal justification to retain the securities even after the Registered Trustees of Dar es Salaam International School Trust Fund, which is one of the respondents, had cleared the loan debt owed to the bank.

The other respondent in the matter was EDBP & GD Construction Co. Ltd, which had also borrowed some money to the bank and the businessman had executed personal guarantee. Such Company, of which Mr Mwamasika is its Managing Director, failed to repay the loan as of to date.

In their judgment dated August 7, the justices of the appeals court hold that the personal guarantee and indemnity which the businessman and his co-directors executed to enable the company to secure the loan facility from the bank was in law a binding contractual agreement.

They said that such agreement left it open for the bank to enforce the terms of that guarantee in case the company, as principal borrower, fails to liquidate its debt.

According to the justices, clauses from the guarantee provided the bank with legal justification to refuse to return the loan security documents. The justices said that the High Court judge failed to take into account the evidential burden which fell on the shoulder of the businessman and his codirectors of EDBP & GD Construction Co. Ltd, who is the principal debtor to the Bank.

They pointed out further that the personal guarantees which were signed and executed not only committed them to pay the loan debts of EDBP & GD Construction Co. Ltd or face the seizure of their personal assets but it also provided the Bank with legal justification to withhold the security documents.

On the strength of authorities that are bound, the advocates for the appellant are correct to submit that if a person executes a personal guarantee to support the principal debtors application for loan, the guarantor concerned puts all his property at risk if the principal debtor defaults, the justices ruled.

When reached for comments on the Court of Appeals verdict, the businessman told Daily News that he has been aggrieved by the judgment. Mr Mwamasika said that he would consult his lawyers to look for other legal remedies to challenge the said decision.
August 20, 2018

 A new feature-length documentary examining NASA's 60 years of space exploration, including the agency's on-going studies of Earth, is set for a special engagement in movie theaters this fall.



"Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow," from Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Rory Kennedy ("Last Days of Vietnam"), will land in cinemas across the United States ahead of its broadcast debut on Discovery Channel. Tickets for the Fathom Events' screenings on Sept. 29 and Oct. 3 are now on sale.



"We are thrilled to partner with Discovery Channel to bring 'Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow' to movie theaters nationwide," said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events, in a statement. "There are few events as cinematic as space travel, and the incredible stories of the men and women of NASA depicted in this remarkable documentary are well-deserving of the big screen treatment."



"Above and Beyond" traces NASA's six decades of historic achievements, from the Apollo moon landings 50 years ago to the ongoing robotic exploration of Mars. The documentary also looks at how NASA has helped shaped our understanding of our home planet, Earth.



"Sixty years ago, my uncle put forth a great challenge. Since then, NASA has journeyed far beyond. Today, we face a greater challenge, a challenge we cannot postpone, one we simply must win," says Kennedy in a video teaser for "Above and Beyond."







Above and Beyond. Click to enlarge and view in a new window. (Fathom Events)

In September 1962, while at Rice University in Houston, President John F. Kennedy spoke of the cost of sending missions to the moon. "We have given this program a high national priority even though I realize that this is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us." With "Above and Beyond," his niece asks "what has become of her uncle's faith in human ingenuity, his grand vision and aspirations?"



To find the answer, Kennedy spoke with NASA leaders, scientists and astronauts, including former administrator Charles Bolden, Mars 2020 rover chief engineer Adam Steltzner and International Space Station commander Peggy Whitson. The resulting film showcases the next-generation space telescopes, the prototypes of Mars-bound spacecraft and the missions that will take astronauts further out into our solar system.



But if her uncle once set NASA's goal as the moon, with "Above and Beyond" Rory Kennedy argues today the agency's most urgent mission is equally clear  to report back on the health of Earth. With a network of dedicated satellites, aircraft and ground teams, NASA has and continues to provide an unparalleled view of a complicated planet.



"When we look outward, when we understand the planets, when we go out into the universe, we're really still trying to look back at ourselves and say, 'How does our planet work?'" Ellen Stofan, NASA's former chief scientist and the current director of the National Air and Space Museum, tells Kennedy. "That Mars was once habitable, just like Earth, and is no longer makes clear how planetary bodies transform."



"Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow" will be screened on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 12:55 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7:00 p.m. (all local times) in more than 650 select movie theaters, through Fathom's Digital Broadcast Network. Following the Fathom showings, the documentary will air on Oct. 13 on Discovery Channel.



The in-cinema events will include a special introduction from Kennedy.



"It is thrilling for me to have audiences see this film on the big screen, to showcase the images that NASA has captured over the last 60 years," said Kennedy in a statement. "My uncle had the foresight to see the importance of NASA and their work. Over the years, the agency has changed not only our vision of the universe, but of our planet, and ourselves."
EGYPTIAN Ambassador to Tanzania Yasser EL-Shawaf has strongly objected to an international story, which also appeared in Daily News last Thursday with the headline Egypt arrests 13 on anniversary of 2013 Rabaa massacre.

According to Mr EL-Shawafs comments, the international story was misleading and provided faulty and unreliable information to Tanzanian readers.

The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt strongly objects to the stated news and figures, as well as to the misleading and provocative title of the article, as they provide faulty and unreliable information to the Tanzanian readers, the ambassador said.

He added : The stated figures in the article presented grave misleading information, as it provided faulty numbers with the aim to support an invalid point of view, and this applies when it comes to the stated numbers of arrested and sentenced people for terrorism crimes, as the publisher fails to provide any supporting references.

The ambassador explained that the incidents contained in the article as well reflected lack of knowledge of the judicial procedures in Egypt, and of the nature of the Egyptian Constitution and laws, which guarantee a fair and impartial trial before the fully independent Egyptian Judiciary.

The law was implemented uniformly on everyone by the Egyptian judiciary, with no exceptions, within the context of regulations that ensures a fair trial for the defendants and in accordance with the international norms and standards for fair trials.

All trials are carried out with full due process, and the defendants have access to two stages of appeal.

The initial verdict can be appealed before the Court of Cassation which can overturn it and refer the case to another court, and the verdict issued by this second court can then once again be appealed before the Court of Cassation, which in this instance will either confirm the verdict or overturn it and issue its own verdict in the case, Ambassador EL-Shawaf explained.

The international news, which was carried by a number of media outlets, including Daily News last Thursday claimed that the Egyptian police had arrested 13 alleged Muslim Brotherhood members, accusing them of inciting protests marking the fifth anniversary of the so-called Rabaa massacre.

It stated that on August 14, 2013, the police dispersed two mass sit-ins by supporters of President Mohammed Morsi, who had been overthrown by the military earlier that summer.

It further claimed that security forces killed more than 600 people in what was known as the Rabaa massacre in a matter of hours. It went on to state that since then Egypt had arrested thousands of people, accusing them of terrorism.
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Gordon Comments on Trade RumorsTuesday, Aug. 23"I haven't heard too much rs gold about it," Gordon said when asked about thepossibilityof being traded, per Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland."Cleveland is my team. That's where I want to be, everything like that.

If you are looking to build substantial wealth through collecting items like cars, art, stamps, or whatever don rely simply on luck. Get involved with others who collect the same and learn everything you can about it. Being able to distinguish a 1937 Bugatti 57S car worth $4.4 million dollars hidden in a garage and your neighbors rusty 1989 El Camino worth $800 is imperative..

Den interaktive spil, RuneScape, er populrt blandt det yngre publikum, fordi det er en interaktiv myspace hjemmeside. Du opretter en karakter, hr, tj, personlighed og meget mere. Du kan chatte med dine venner eller nogen anden i hele verden. If kids forget their passwords, or change them to prevent other kids from hijacking their accounts, or if credit cards change, the account gets suspended, with the only recourse to go online and answer a ridiculous list of questions, like what was the first date your credit card was charged for the runescape account (how about 'what was your face before you were born' for a test question. Or 'what is the sound of one hand clapping?'). When my 11 year old couldn't answer the question on the spot he got the response "access denied you have not answered enough questions.".

General Electric's (NYSE: GE) disappointing revenue miss in Q4 pushed the stock down more than 2 percent to a fresh 2 month low of $30.30. With this, the stock is roughly 6 percent off from its recent peak of $32.38. Is the dip enough to induce fresh buying interest in the stock or should investors wait for cheaper levels? There is no straight answer to this question but I hope readers will be able to make a better investing decision after reading this article..

The Company's largest games are MapleStory (the first version, not the second MapleStory 2) and Dungeon Fighter, both of which contribute 55% of overall revenues or 70% of PC revenues (source: 1Q '12 and 3Q '13 call transcripts). Both games are 2D side scrolling MMORPGs. Other PC games such as Mabinogi likely contributes the rest of PC revenues..

29 43 = Swamp Lizards: In order to catch swamp lizards you will need to bring 1 tinderbox, 4 ropes and 4 small nets, both of these items can be purchased at the grand exchange. You will also need an unlit torch which can be bought from the hunter shop located in the south of Yanille. Swamp Lizards are located in The Haunted woods which are South West of Canfis in the Morytania Swamp.

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Market Overview:

The global direct-fed microbial market has witnessed continued growth during the last few years. Direct-fed microbial (DFM) is containing various microorganism and the product is specifically used for the animal growth. The microorganisms are yeast, bacteria and other microorganisms. Direct-fed microbial comes in various forms such as dry & liquid. Direct-fed microbial is used as a feed for various livestock which include poultry, swine, pork, cattle and other livestock. The growth Direct Fed Microbial (DFM) Market Global Research Report by Type (Bacteria, Yeast and others), Form (Dry, Liquid and others), Livestock (Cattle, Poultry, Swine/ Pork and others) and Region - Forecast till 2023

of the direct-fed microbes is expected to be driven by various factors. Increasing awareness of animal health is the significant factors for the rising growth of global direct-fed microbial market during the forecast period of 2017-2023.

Directfed microbial improves feed digestibility which in turn escalates the sales of direct-fed microbials both in the developed and developing economies. Rising demand for milk and meat production is positively impacting the growth of global direct-fed microbial market. Also, direct-fed microbial acts as a substitute of antibiotics which is expected to fuel the demand of the market. Also, increasing animal diseases resulted to enhance the sales of direct-fed microbial products during the forecast period. Developing economies of Asia Pacific & Latin America region offer a lucrative opportunity in the global direct-fed microbial market owing to the rising consumption of milk and meat products.

Get a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5049

Latest Industry Updates:

Apr 2017 Evonik announced the launch of the new probiotic called Gutcare PY1 in the Asia Pacific market. The product is claimed to provide sustainable nutrition in animals

Jun 2016 In order to support poultry health, Bayer launched its new probiotic feed additive for poultry in Vietnam. The product is named Baymix Grobig BS and is identified to prevent gut infections in poultry

Jan 2017 Adisseo and Novozymes announced the launch of their first probiotic for poultry. The product is named Alterion and is identified to be a natural alternative to antibiotic growth promoters

Major Key Players Analysis:

Key players are focusing to enhance its brand name by placing numerous promotional activities. Also, the manufacturers have participated in several social media promotions, events. The manufacturers are demonstrating their new product to attract the new customers. By this strategy the product will get popularity among the consumers which will support to upsurge the overall profitability of the company. Moreover, the key companies are highlighting in the research & development process to introduce new product also to encompass the product line. Key players are announcing new calf milk replacers to surge the volume sales.

The key players profiled in the Direct-Fed Microbials Market Report are Novus International, Inc. (U.S.), DuPont (U.S.), Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.), Novozymes A/S (Denmark), Lallemand Inc. (Canada), Chr. Hansen A/S (Denmark), Cargill Inc. (U.S.), Kemin Industries (U.S.), Bayer AG (Germany), and Royal DSM N.V. (The Netherlands) among many others.

Market Segments:

Global direct-fed microbials market has been divided into type, livestock, form, and region

On the Basis of type: Bacteria, yeast, and others

On the Basis of livestock: Cattle, poultry, swine/ pork and others

On the Basis of form: Dry, liquid and others

On the Basis of Region: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World

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Regional Analysis:

Direct-Fed Microbials Market is segmented by regionally which comprises of Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. Among all the region, North America region is expected to hold the significant market proportion in the year of 2017 and the trend is projected to continue throughout the forecast period of 2017-2023. North America direct-fed microbial market is expected to be driven by various factors. Increase in demand for animal protein products have resulted in the upsurge of direct-fed microbial during the forecast period of 2017-2023. New product development is one of the important drivers which is expected to fuel the sales of direct- fed microbial soon. Among the North American country, the U.S. is estimated to hold 80% of the market share of the overall North America direct- fed microbial market. Europe is also estimated to account for substantial market share of direct- fed microbial market. Among the European countries, Germany & France are collectively accounting for 55% market proportion in the overall Europe direct-fed microbial market. However, Asia Pacific region is projected to expand at a higher pace as compare to the other regions during the forecast period of 2017-2023. Australia & China are the major countries in the Asia Pacific countries due to the high consumption of direct-fed microbial.
AFRICA economy keeps making progress, and the continent is anticipated to attain the best economy in the nearest future. Africa is rapidly growing economically, and what used to be a rejected zone is quickly becoming a ground for investment.

The continents development potentials are huge and it has abundant natural resources and vast population and economic growth. In 2013, Africa held the badges for the poorest and the fastestgrowing continent at 5.6 per cent a year. Forget poorest, and focus on fastest.

See, nothing beats growth, especially a fast and constant one. It is in this context that the Republic of Korea established Korea-Africa Foundation to deepen cooperation with the continent. Korea-Africa Foundation, a fourth affiliate organisation based on the Korea-Africa Foundation Act that was brought into force last year.

This initiative reflects the growing importance of diplomacy towards Africa and South Korean governments commitment to build stronger diplomatic relationship with the continent. Some of the major objectives of the foundation are to conduct research, support South Korean business in the region, and serve as a public-private cooperation platform.

Just back from Republic of Korea, OSCAR MBUZA had an opportunity to meet the President of the Foundation, Ambassador Choi Yeon-ho, who highlighted the foundations strategies to deepen cooperation with the continent and specifically Tanzania.

Question: Please, briefly explain the nature of Korea- Africa Foundation. When it established and what are the major objectives of this institution?

Answer: As it is well known, most African countries are currently undergoing major economic transformation and transition to attain real development for its people. Korea is an important partner of such development, and we felt it was wise for us to support the continents initiative.

This is why we came up with a state-funded institute which will help improve relations with African countries.

This foundation will conduct expert research and studies on Africa and will actively help Korean companies build a presence in the region and help to boost exchanges and cooperation between the private sectors of the two sides.

Furthermore, the body, in organic cooperation with other relevant organisations, is expected to serve as a platform for private-public cooperation on the Republic of Koreas diplomacy toward Africa.

It was established pursuant to the Korea-Africa Foundation act, which has been in effect since October 31, 2017. It was officially launched on June 24th this year and I was elected its first president.

It is the newest affiliate of the ministry, adding to three existing institutes: the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korea Foundation and the Overseas Koreans Foundation.

Last month (July 11th), we celebrated Africa Day, in which various activities were conducted, including organising trade seminars, and Africa, as an important development partner of Korea was well represented in all events. The aim was to provide opportunities for both parties to exchange their experiences in trade issues.

Question: Why now? Are you convinced that this was the right time for you to establish this institution?

Answer: As I said, the public agency is tasked with long-term and comprehensive research and analyses on Africa and with promoting exchanges and cooperation with African countries across the board.

At the moment, Africa is a very strong partner of development for Korea. My country clearly understands the strong position of Africa in unearthing economic opportunities. Ive been an Ambassador of Korea to South Africa, covering several other nations including Botswana, Lesotho and Madagascar, and I really learnt a lot about Africa and its people. The continent is striving to attain economic growth, and already some nations are registering positive outcome and it is important to support that initiative.

Question: What is the shortterm strategies and direction of the institution? What are the priorities?

Answer: Everything is promising at the moment, and to say the least, Republic of Korea and African nations are really optimistic with this institution.

The launch of the Foundation, the fourth subsidiary body of the Foreign Ministry reflects the steadily growing importance of diplomacy toward Africa.

It carries significance in that it demonstrates the Republic of Korea governments commitment to diversifying its diplomacy and beefing up its diplomatic infrastructure.

We have already met with representatives from different African countries, including government officials. Several other meetings are still in the pipeline to deliberate on the way forward.

Through these meetings, weve been able to explain to them the objectives of this institution and steps that have been taken for both sides to attain remarkable success.

One of the good examples in this case is Tanzania, where the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Mwanamani Kidaya visited Korea and highlighted steps the government of Tanzania was taking to propel economic growth through the ambitious industrialisation drive, which will help the country attain middle income status.

Kidaya extended invitation to investors from Korea to go to Tanzania and explore investment opportunities. Kidaya explained to us the government plans to double its electrical power generation and implementation of mega infrastructure projects, including construction of a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) as an important component for the nation to be industrialised.

We know, the presence of a vibrant railway network will enable the opening of new avenues of investments in the industrial sector, and Im convinced that more investors from Korea will be lured to invest in Tanzania.

In a bid to step up communication with the youth, the Foundation hosted, on the opening day, an event, titled young Koreans and Africans design a co-prosperous future, as an opportunity for young Koreans who have been in Africa, and African youngsters staying in the Republic of Korea to communicate with each other by sharing their experiences and thoughts.

Through the platform, youths from various universities had an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas in different development aspects. In particular, as youngsters they are increasingly interested in Africa, as can be seen from the number of the World Friends Korea (WFK) volunteers in Africa standing at some 6,000, the Foundation will keep the window of communication with the youth open and actively conduct projects designed to help them build a presence in Africa and take part in exchanges with the region.

Question: What is your personal opinion on the nature of relation between Korea and Tanzania?

Answer: The bilateral relation is remarkable, because it is nurtured in the foundations of history and it will continue to be strengthened especially in the areas of economy and social relations. As you know, Tanzania and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992, but the African nation was yet to open an embassy in Seoul until early this year.

The South Korean embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania was opened in 1992. To show strong relations between the two nations, in 1998 the then President of Tanzania (Benjamin Mkapa) visited Korea, and in 2013, Speaker of the Republic of Korea Parliament paid a visit to Tanzania.

In the same spirit, last year, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga also visited Korea, and just last month, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Lee Nak-Yon was in Tanzania for a three day working visit.

He held talks with his counterpart, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, where among other things they discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral diplomatic relation, and discussed how best they will improve business between the two countries.

Several other ministers from Korea have visited Tanzania and discussed ways to promote businesses, covering the areas of economy, science, Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and tourism.

Korea provided more than $600 million of assistance to Tanzania for the past decade, focusing its development cooperation efforts towards those in greater need for support.

Moreover, Korea chose Tanzania as one of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) priority partnership countries for the years 2016 to 2020, and will continue to strengthen its development cooperation with Tanzania.

In a nutshell, the Republic of Korea is fulfilling its objectives of strengthening relations with Tanzania through various projects conducted in the country by Korea institutions including Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).
Why an actual priest instead of, like, an actor priest? According to Coppola, it's because he shot a version of the scene with a fake priest and wasn't happy with the result. And instead of getting a better actor to play the priest, he decided to whisk everyone down to a nearby church and have them do the ceremony for "realsies" ... not realizing that pinky-swears don't annul marriage vows.

At first Keanu thought he was being pranked ... until Winona reminded him that not only was their fake-ass ceremony conducted on Valentine's Day, but they also recited their vows and replied "yes" to that all-important question. Keanu, being Keanu, replied in the most on-brand way: "Oh my gosh, we're married."

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While this situation raises the question of how many other screen marriages might have been legal, it's good that neither Keanu nor Winona went on to marry other people after filming concluded. We're really looking forward to Stranger Things and Bill And Ted 3, and it'd be a shame if filming was interrupted by the cops busting them for polygamy.

Adam Wears is on Twitter and Facebook, and has a newsletter about depressing history that you should definitely subscribe to.

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REPORTS from ongoing studies on Giraffe Skin Disease (GSD) that affects some of the tall mammals in Northern parts of the country have it that the malady has no serious effect on the animals.

No mortality effect of Giraffe Skin Disease was found in Tarangire National Park, indicating that currently the disease is unlikely to warrant immediate veterinary intervention in the park, reads report from the research by Wild Nature Institute scientists as published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases documented Soil correlates and mortality from Giraffe Skin Disease in Tanzania.

It was explained that GSD is a disorder of the skin that is characterised by crusty lesions on the back side of the front legs of adult Masai giraffe, Giraffa Camelopardalis tippelskirchi, the only subspecies in Tanzania.

The disease was first recorded 12 years ago in Ruaha National Park and since then, the disease has reportedly spread to parts of northern Tanzania, including Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks.

Scientists admit that very little was known about how many giraffes have the disease and how it affected their survival. Wild Nature Institute is estimating the prevalence in national parks and conservation areas throughout northern Tanzania.

The scientists are also examining incidence, rate of spread among individuals, and mortality (difference in survival between affected and non-affected giraffe) in the Tarangire- Manyara Ecosystem.

Movement of infected giraffe remains an unexplored aspect of the disease effects but limited mobility could lead to lower survival or reproduction if climate, habitat, or predation factors change from current conditions in Tarangire.

Monitoring in Tarangire will continue to ensure early detection if GSD-afflicted animals begin to show signs of increased mortality or other negative effects.
New Zealands Minister for Women Julie Genter has stunned people after she cycled to the hospital to give birth yesterday.

Genter of New Zealand's Green Party along her partner Peter Nunns peddled to Auckland City Hospital where she expects to birth to her first born.

The 42-week pregnant minister explained she had to use a bicycle because there wasn't enough room in the car for her.

"My partner and I cycled because there wasnt enough room in the car for the support crew, but it also put me in the best possible mood" she wrote on her social media platform.

This comes a few months after New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Arden gave birth to a baby girl and become the worlds first female PM to give birth while in office.
As former head of BBC Television News, Roger Mosey was the most senior executive to admit what most of us have known for a long time: the corporation leans so far Left, it often topples into propaganda.

Mosey, who left the national broadcaster in 2013 and is now Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, laid bare the Beeb's bias in his book Getting Out Alive.

This week he is on the attack again, particularly over Brexit coverage.

He's argued for years that the BBC has failed to give sufficient prominence to Leave voices and he now seems equally appalled by its obsession with Boris Johnson's 'letterbox' comments on burkas.

Boris Johnson is subject to a formal disciplinary investigation following his burkas comments

He writes in the New Statesman magazine: 'Compare and contrast days of headline coverage for Boris Johnson's view on the burkas with no equivalent scrutiny of his plans for the single market or free trade. The corporation knows it needs to sharpen its act.'

Mosey recalled a 1980s bulletin explaining in depth  about half the bulletin  how perestroika and glasnost were helping bring reforms to the Soviet Union.

'Shouldn't there be a similar commitment to examining issues such as what leaving on World Trade Organisation terms would mean for this country?

'And when there is a reckoning about what happened to our politics, the broadcasters cannot and should not be exempt.'

He may look shambolic, but Boris Johnson has what it takes to be the next Tory leader, according to Sir Bernard Ingham who was Margaret Thatcher's press secretary.

'If the world can get used to Donald Trump it can surely cope with Boris's mop and dishevelled self. Like so many tramps in high places, with the notable exception of the profoundly ignorant Jeremy Corbyn, he is highly intelligent, a classical scholar with both feet on the ground.

'He has the priceless ability to talk to people in their own language, give or take a Woosterish 'crikey!' or two.'

Labour MPs who raged about Boris Johnson's comments on the burka  which he doesn't want to ban  should check out a hard-Left guest speaker at the World Transformed Festival, which runs alongside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool next month.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the French socialist veteran, says of full-face veils: 'The complete concealment of the face is problematic  it prevents any recognition of the persons concerned, which disturbs public order.' He adds a veil 'puts into question the person's dignity' and suggests the law might have to ban them.

Will howls of Lefty rage follow?

EU wouldn't believe it...

All internet domains ending in EU will have to be terminated in Britain when we leave the EU next March.

Could make life tricky for Leave.EU or www.leavemeansleave.eu. The only way to preserve the addresses will be to move the servers to the EU.

Nigel Farage will not be happy.
The tide of opinion against the infestation of plastic cups has breached the shores of Westminster.

Animated not least by the Daily Mail's long-running campaign against the titanic waste created by disposable plastic containers, the Treasury is now considering some version of a so-called 'latte levy', after a public consultation it launched on the matter elicited 162,000 demands for action  the most ever recorded by that most powerful department of state.

It's not clear whether this means that a small fixed sum will be added to the cost of your take-away cup of coffee, but if so, I doubt it will make much of a dent in the extraordinary volume of coffee being sold in this way (an estimated 2.5 billion cups a year in the UK).

If people are crazy enough to pay upwards of 2.50 for a cup of milky foam with an acrid dash of coffee somewhere inside it, they are easily capable of handing over an extra 20p or so without flinching.

If people are crazy enough to pay upwards of 2.50 for a cup of milky foam with an acrid dash of coffee somewhere inside it, they are easily capable of handing over an extra 20p or so without flinching, writes Dominic Lawson

As the leading American professor on the psychology of addiction, Keith Humphreys, once told me: 'The existence of Starbucks is evidence that man is an irrational creature.'

What he means is that if we were rational, we would save the money for less ephemeral purposes, or, if necessary, make up a Thermos of coffee for a tiny fraction of the price.

Addicted

I had always wondered about the remarkable profit margins which companies such as Starbucks enjoyed and finally got some sort of answer from a kindly assistant at my local Waitrose.

For years now, the supermarket chain has offered a 'free' cup of machine-made coffee  cappuccino, latte or Americano  to any Waitrose card holder making a purchase, no matter how small.

Its official price for such a cup of coffee is a now-standard 2.50, which makes this offer seem generous.

But, this assistant whispered to me when I asked her what each cupful cost the company: 'Just 9p, but don't shout it out.'

In fact that favourite shopping destination of the foodie middle classes has long been preparing itself for the imminent 'latte levy' on disposable coffee cups.

Days before the government released the result of the Treasury consultation, I received an email from Waitrose telling me: 'As we know you have enjoyed a free hot drink in one of our shops over the past three months, we wanted to remind you of our plan to gradually remove takeaway coffee cups from all our stores. All we ask is that you please bring in your own reusable cup.'

Thanks for the warning and carry on snooping.

But even if all those 2.5 billion or so disposable cups a year are overnight replaced by a more environmentally acceptable method, I remain perplexed by the apparently limitless growth in the demand for this sickly brew at exorbitant prices.

The espresso I can just about understand, if you are addicted to caffeine: it hits the spot right away and does have a strong flavour.

But that cupfuls of little more than frothy warm milk are sucking out almost 10 billion a year from British consumers  and that's just in chains like Starbucks and Costa  mystifies me.

And it's not just a phenomenon of the well-to-do. A few weeks ago I broke a long motorway drive in quite a poor part of the country to have breakfast in an Asda superstore.

Their full English breakfast was 3.50. All of it  the sausage, the eggs, the bacon, the mushrooms  was perfectly prepared for me by a real cook: it was delicious, and excellent value.

The 'cup of coffee', from some vast froth generating machine, was 2.50. It was, so my companion informed me, disgusting.

Then, as we walked away, we saw what looked like perfectly decent sweaters for children, retailing for 1 each. I bet they would have tasted little worse than the coffee, too.

If you sense a certain bitterness in my remarks, it can perhaps be attributed to the fact that I come, on both sides, from families intimately connected to tea  the beverage once the undisputed favourite of the British, but which has now been displaced by the coffee habit vigorously promoted by American businesses (Starbucks is the modern manifestation, though the U.S. had always been more of a coffee nation).

My mother's family created the Lyons tea houses, now no longer to be seen, but which once were the country's most popular provider of tea and cakes  and nothing goes better with a cake than a good cup of freshly brewed tea.

Boiled

On the other side, my paternal grandfather was a tea merchant. The biggest picture in his home was a giant map of the world and above it, the slogan 'Tea makes the world go round'.

Naturally, the tea in his home was always made from leaves, and very strong: tea-bags would have struck him as an appalling, tasteless brew. And he was right.

He would also have been amazed by the way in which the minority who still drink a version of tea are prepared to pay at least 1.50 for a single tea-bag and some boiled water, perhaps with a spot of milk  which is the sort of price charged by the modern coffee shops.

Just another rip-off  although I accept that no one is being conned: it is, amazingly, what people are happy to pay for almost nothing at all.

So, until the Government does something about it, and the streets remain littered with millions upon millions of disposable coffee cups, view this whole heaving mass of plastic-coated containers as an unsightly monument to the inexplicable extravagance of human consumption.

How Corbynistas show their love

There is no elected British politician who has spent more time courting the company of rabid anti-Semites, notably his 'friends' in Hamas and Hezbollah, writes Dominic Lawson

There is a remarkable dissonance between the man Jeremy Corbyn professes to be  last week he claimed to have dedicated his 'whole life' to the cause of peace  and the company he keeps.

There is no elected British politician who has spent more time courting the company of rabid anti-Semites, notably his 'friends' in Hamas and Hezbollah.

Theirs is not the 'kinder, gentler politics' that Corbyn claims to espouse  unless torturing and then throwing the tied up bodies of your enemies off the tops of buildings counts as kind and gentle.

Interestingly, the same peculiar self-delusion (or hypocrisy) is displayed by many of the Labour leader's most passionate admirers.

This has become particularly clear in the dispute between Corbyn and the Jewish Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge.

Many of her family perished in the Holocaust, and she said she was reminded of this by some of her party leader's associations  which as the Mail demonstrated last week, included holding a wreath as he stood beside the graves of the organisers of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games in, of all places, Germany.

This appears to have enraged one Nicholas Courtney, who on Twitter identifies himself with the letters JC4PM (that is, Jeremy Corbyn for Prime Minister) and whose touching motif is a giant heart with a banner declaring 'Choose Love'.

In response to Margaret Hodge's reference to the Holocaust and her concerns about Mr Corbyn's long-time associations with those sworn to the complete destruction of the Jewish state, Mr Courtney tweeted the following: 'Get over it, s***head. C**p happens.

I don't know but maybe Hitler saw something he didn't like, who knows. I do know that I don't like what the state of Israel has done to Palestine for a long time, simples.'

Ah, more of the kinder, gentler politics of the Corbynistas. Choose love . . . but hate Jews.
Women have hit back at body shaming stereotypes by posting pictures entitled 'I Weigh' where they replace numbers with inspirational labels.

The 'I Weigh' movement was first started by The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil, 32, in February because she tired of seeing body shaming. The Instagram account works to create a space where people could celebrate their image.

Now, more than 1,500 pictures have been posted to the account of images of women flaunting what they weigh based on their accomplishments, not what the number on the scale says.

Inspirational: Actress Jameela Jamil started the 'I Weigh' Instagram account to inspire people to focus more on the positive descriptors that make up their bodies

Amazing: Since Jameela created the account in February, it has grown to more than 105,000 followers and 1,500 pictures

Enough: Women and men have shared pictures of their own inspiring labels including empathetic, survivor and compassionate

Inspirational: The account encourages people to weigh themselves with their accomplishments, not the numbers on the scale

Real: A number of people shared selfies and full-body images with inspirational tags

Proud: People shared a number of tags including being a feminist, fighter and best friend

All smiles: Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, most women decided to tag the words that make them up

Joining in: Actress Emma Kenney posted her own 'I Weigh' selfie on Instagram

Fabulous: The inspirational account has been active since Jemeela created it in February

In the accounts bio, Jameela wrote: 'Hi Im @jameelajamilofficial this is my I Weigh movement for us to feel valuable and see how amazing we are, and look beyond the flesh on our bones.'

She first started the account after she saw a post about the Kardashian sisters that compared all of their weights.

Now, the account has more than 105,000 followers who want to support the body positive movement.

A variety of women and men have submitted their own pictures to the account to show what makes up their weight.

They often include inspiring tags such as compassionate, dedication, friend, accepting and hardworking.

Celebrities have also joined Jameela in her movement by sharing what they 'weigh' in words.

Last Wednesday, Emmy Rossum posted about her weight on her Instagram story in a series of posts.

The 31-year-old actress brought up the issues with people focusing on how much someone weighs and comparing it to themselves.

'Have you ever typed into google: ''What does *insert name of actor/model/celebrity* weight?"

Empowering: A ton of women have shared images of themselves while celebrating their accomplishments and beauty

Positive: Everyone sharing their images are focusing on what makes them up that matters

Embracing it all: People included their occupation, relationships and struggles with mental illnesses in the tags

Advocate: The account focuses on encouraging people to think about what tags make them in a positive way

Compassionate: A lot of women chose to include beautiful mirror selfies and body pictures

Grins: Popular descriptions included passionate, daughter, hard worker and kind

Fighter: One women shared her tags that included her battle with Crohn's disease

Listen: Emmy Rossum brought attention to her own weight on Wednesday via posts to her Instagram story

Message: The 31-year-old actress unveiled to her followers on the social media site what she 'actually' weighs

'Followed by countless hours of compare and despair??' wrote the Shameless star across the first story.

Thoughtful: Emmy described herself as empathetic, driven and kind

The next read: 'During my life the scale has told me that I've gained and lost and gained and lost. Somewhere in the range of 20 pounds.

'But that piece of metal doesn't really know. Here is what I ACTUALLY WEIGH.'

Emmy then listed various traits, including drive, kindness, and empathy.

She also wrote out many of her accomplishments, such as 100+ hours of television, three episodes of television directed, and one finished screenplay.

Then the A Futile and Stupid Gesture actress explained, 'See, When you add up everything you are? The size of your thighs dont really matter anymore do they?!'

Emmy concluded by writing, 'So join me in this. Show people what you are actually made of. Because you are so much more than a f***ing number.'

She is not the only celebrity to speak out about body positivity.

Kristen Bell, 38, posted her own 'I Weigh' example in May as well as models Charli Howard and Tess Holliday.
Anne Boden, 58, is CEO of Starling Bank, which she founded in 2017. She lives in London.

I didnt set out to be a banker. I was born in Swansea, where I did a degree in computer science.

When I graduated, I applied for jobs in that field but my mum told me to apply for one job in a bank, as a safe option.

I joined Lloyds Bank in London in 1981. I may be one of the only bank CEOs who has ever served behind the counter in a branch.

Anne Boden, 58, is CEO of Starling Bank, which she founded in 2017, but says she didn't intend to be a banker

After working my way up, in 2012 I was asked to help turn around Allied Irish Bank, which had been bailed out by the EU. I used strategies Id learned in fintech (financial technology), but after a year, I decided to go around the world to find out what other banks were doing.

I went into branches everywhere from Australia to America, and they all said: We want to move all of our transactions to mobile, but we dont have any money for the technology right now because weve refurbished the branches. But now we have this lovely sofa! As I looked at yet another one of these sofas that nobody was sitting on, I had my lightbulb moment.

Many people do everything on mobiles now, from shopping to listening to music, and theres no reason banks should be any different. Thats when I quit my job  at the age of 54  to set up a new kind of bank.

When developing the concept for Starling, we asked people what they wanted from a bank. They didnt like paying fees to use their debit card abroad, so we eliminated them.

They didnt want to pay penalties for going into their overdraft, so we dont charge them.

They were concerned about security, so we made it app-only because apps are much more secure than websites.

We launched in May 2017 and now have 200,000 accounts and 220 staff, and have won two prestigious awards  Best British Bank and Best Current Account Provider.

Im a steelworker and shop assistants daughter from Swansea, and now a fintech entrepreneur who started a bank in my 50s. Women have to work twice as hard to be valued the same as men, but I believe most women can do a lot more than they think they can.

starlingbank.com
With Justin Bieber good looks and a visit with Queen Elizabeth under his belt, Max Key is undoubtedly blessed.

The 23-year-old son of former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who has gained notoriety online for being a 'heartthrob', has been linked to a string of models and beautiful women in the past.

In 2016 he dated model Amelia Finlayson - before releasing a song called 'Forget You' when they ended things - and was most recently seeing model and Kendall Jenner lookalike Renee Brown.

Everything appeared to be smooth sailing between the pair until August when Max confirmed the split and jetted off the Europe on a steamy solo adventure.

Scroll down for video

With Justin Bieber good looks and a visit with Queen Elizabeth in Balmoral under his belt, Max Key (pictured) is undoubtedly blessed

Sleeping on a luxury boat surrounded by scantily clad women, Max was dubbed very 'lucky' by his peers after confirming his split with Renee Brown and flying to Europe on a solo trip

In August Max decided to 'chase the sun' on a European adventure and flew to Croatia for 'yacht week'

Updating his 68,000 followers on Instagram Max decided to 'chase the sun' solo on a European adventure and flew to Croatia for 'yacht week'.

Sleeping on a luxury boat surrounded by scantily clad women, Max was dubbed very 'lucky' by his peers.

Prior to the holiday Renee and Max had bought a husky together and visited America on a romantic rendezvous, with the young Lothario even captioning a Valentine's Day photo with the phrase 'it may be our first, but it won't be our last'.

The 23-year-old son of former New Zealand prime minister John Key (right) has been linked to a string of attractive women in the past

In 2016 he dated model Amelia Finlayson and was most recently seeing model and Kendall Jenner lookalike Renee Brown

The couple bought a husky together (left) and visited America on a romantic rendezvous, with Max even captioning a Valentine's Day photo with the phrase 'it may be our first, but it won't be our last' (right)

Sadly, just a few months later the pair went their separate ways, with the business major confirming in July it was just 'him and his dog'.

Renee's social media profiles wiped Max completely clear, replacing him with an influx of bikini photos and ab-checks in the mirror.

One cheeky friend of the 24-year-old's even commented 'Max be mad' on a saucy underwear snap.

Sadly though just a few months later and the pair have gone their separate ways, with the young business major confirming in July it was just 'him and his dog'

The pair took a number of steamy photos together during their short-term love affair

But Max doesn't appear to be missing out on any female attention, with some of his scandalous-sounding captions causing a mass stir on Instagram.

'Summers nearly here! Who tf [the f*ck] gunna put sunblock on my back now,' he wrote followed by the laughing emoji.

Hundreds of girls responded with things like 'May I?' or tagged their friends in the post, putting their names forth for the lucrative job.

Renee's social media profiles have wiped Max completely clear, replacing him with an influx of bikini photos and ab-checks in the mirror

One cheeky friend of the 24-year-old's even commented 'Max be mad' on a saucy underwear snap (left)

'I'm sure there will be no shortage of volunteers lol,' a jealous-sounding bloke wrote on the shirtless shot.

There is no telling when he will be snapped up again, but there appears to be an eager slew of girls just waiting for their chance to be with the ex-prime minister's son.

He plans to run for office in the year 2044 but until that point will work as a DJ and vlogger online.
Elise Webber was travelling home to Sydney from Brisbane via a Jetstar flight when staff members allegedly refused to accommodate Bobby's disability

A mother has slammed an airline after she was forced to carry her four-year-old quadriplegic son up a flight of stairs onto the plane without any assistance.

Elise Webber was travelling home to Sydney from Brisbane via a Jetstar flight on Saturday night when staff members allegedly refused to accommodate Bobby's disability.

The mother claimed she had no choice but to carry her boy - who weighs 17kg - up the flight of stairs after his wheelchair was taken away to be 'loaded in a cargo'.

And to make things worse, Mrs Webber claimed not only did she have her son in her arms, but she needed to lug a torso restraint, a carry-on bag and an iPad.

'I don't know what was worse - me looking around desperately for a knight in shining armour to save me from my harrowing ordeal or the Jetstar staff member who asked me if I have any other kids and if there is anything "wrong" with her too,' the mother claimed.

A Jetstar spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the company has reached out to Mrs Webber to apologise about the experience she had after travelling with the airline.

'We're very sorry to hear about Mrs Webber's experience and have reached out to her directly to offer our sincere apologies and to also provide her with a full refund as a gesture of goodwill,' the Jetstar spokeswoman said.

'We are investigating what happened and have reminded our airport teams of the correct procedures when supporting customers requiring special assistance.

'Our customer team spoke directly to Mrs Webber today, apologised and advised that her concerns have been escalated to our airport manager and the right teams in the organisations.

'They will give her another call with the outcome of the internal investigation regarding the incident.'

The mother claimed she had no choice but to carry her son - who weighs 17kg - up the stairs after his wheelchair was taken away to be 'loaded in a cargo' (picture of Bobby by the plane)

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mrs Webber said she appreciated the 'kind gesture' but she wanted to hear Jetstar's version of events.

'I appreciate their kind gesture of the refund however I look forward to hearing from them about how going forward their service in relation to customers with different abilities can be improved,' she said.

'I'm interested to know their procedures as there seemed to be no continuity when it came to passenger transfers to and from the gate when checking in.'

Prior to arriving at Brisbane Airport, the mother claimed she called the airline to inform them about her son's disability, needs and his wheelchair size.

'I contacted Jetstar to book the flights and informed them of all of Bobby's needs and his wheelchair's weight, length, height and that it is a fixed structure that can't be folded down,' she explained on Bobby the Brave Facebook page.

'On the way to Queensland, they were fantastic and what upset me most is that there is no consistency in procedures when assisting impaired passengers.

'I would love to hear Jetstar's version of events and how they could have improved their service to assist me in a safe environment for my son.

'I actually look forward to a positive resolve for both of us.'

The mother claimed she was forced to carry her quadriplegic son up a flight of stairs of the plane without any assistance (pictured at the airport with all their carry-on belongings)

The story of Bobby Webber Bobby Webber was just seven months old when he was left a quadriplegic after he suffered horrific abuse at the hands of his uncle over a four-hour period at a Central Coast home in NSW in September 2014. Andrew Nolan was babysitting the couple's baby when they were on their honeymoon on the Gold Coast. His devastated parents rushed to the hospital where doctors told them to turn off the life support because he would never recover from the severe injuries. He endured multiple skull fractures from blunt force trauma, blood pooling in his eye from being shaken so violently, fractured vertebrae, bruised genitalia and bite marks on his body. But against all odds, Bobby managed to keep breathing and has since made a remarkable recovery more than three years on. Nolan has been sentenced to at least 11 and a half years behind bars. Advertisement

Following the flight, the heartbroken mother spoke out about her 'harrowing ordeal' on social media after she was left in tears.

'I was extremely anxious for our flight home. I just had a feeling that it was not going to be as seamless as it was on the way to Queensland,' she said.

'I arrived at the airport to check in, allowing two hours before my flight so that should any issues arise there is plenty of time for them to be corrected - I am very glad I decided to do that...

'I go up to the counter to check us in and after about half an hour back and forth, we get told "Bobby's chair is too heavy to take to the tarmac and needs to be loaded in cargo". Okay that's fine but what do we do now...'

Ms Webber claims she was then told by a staff member: 'Can you carry him to the gate and up the stairs to the plane?'

'To which I respond absolutely not. He is far too heavy and it is extremely dangerous not only for Bobby but for me as well,' she claimed.

'Oh and did I mention I was also carrying their torso restraint in my arms that they told me they barely knew how to use because they "don't have to very often" as well as my carry on luggage.

'Suddenly Bobby's chair was taken and here I am with Bobby in my arms, a torso restraint that should have been on the plane, my carry on bag and Bobby's iPad.

As tears filled her eyes, the desperate mother then asked a staff member how she was going to carry everything, including her son, on her own.

'He bought over a wheelchair which was just as big an insult as the sibling question. A tiny chair with no support whatsoever. I stated once more "Bobby's a quadriplegic he can't sit unaided",' she claimed.

'I was then offered, by chance a stroller that by sheer dumb luck, had been left just near the baggage claim. The staff member himself told me that these were never usually around and how lucky we were.

'Lucky is DEFINITELY NOT the word I would use.'

The little boy was left a quadriplegic after he suffered horrific abuse at just seven months old

She strapped her son to the stroller, only to be told she needed to take him back out and put all their belongings on the conveyor belt.

'I strapped Bobby in and we were nearly there... so close to boarding the plane, relief that Bobby's Dad will be meeting us on the other side,' she said.

'I reach security and boom what do you know... once again I am asked to do the near bloody impossible.

'Take Bobby out of the stroller, put all of our stuff on the conveyor belt including the stroller, all the while holding 17kg Bobby in my arms.

'By this time I was barely holding back the tears. Jetstar and Queensland airport you've nearly broken me but not quite yet... let me give you another chance shall I?'

When the family arrived in Sydney, the mother claims there were no chairs to assist or anyone to offer any help with carrying their things.

'We board the plane via a back door sort of situation and a lift... we get sat down and enjoy our flight... we arrive in Sydney and that's it... NO CHAIR to assist, no one even offering to help with our carry on,' she claimed.

'To say I was heartbroken, embarrassed by the numerous comments made towards Bobby (he is asleep)... No guys he is a quad and this stupid stroller can't help him hold his head up and the sheer stress it caused for myself and Bobby has made me rethink travelling ever again.

'If this is the way a person with a disability is going to be treated not just by an airline but also an airport, there needs to be a serious investigation as to why there are no procedures in place that can eliminate everything that happened to Bobby and I.

'I just don't understand how on the way there it was seamless and Bobby was treated with such respect and on the way home the complete opposite.

'The lack of empathy from some staff is human error but Jetstar need to take a long hard look at how their treatment causes anguish and upset to the already vulnerable.'
Cathay Pacific flight attendant Lenni Liu is in the sky more than most top models, business moguls and even the Kardashians.

But the 34-year-old doesn't waste time when she's on the ground, using her layovers as a means of seeing more of the world's most iconic sites.

'I've been fortunate enough to travel to numerous places as a flight attendant. Some of my highlights have been Blausee in Switzerland, Toronto, Johannesburg and San Francisco,' she told FEMAIL.

Cathay Pacific flight attendant Lenni Liu (left) is in the sky more than top models, business moguls and even the Kardashians

Lenni (left of left and right) has visited Dublin (left), Peru, the Philippines and Barcelona - which she calls the foodie capital of the world (right in Jordan)

Cebu in the Philippines allowed for swimming with whale sharks (pictured)

On Valentine's Day she found herself in Switzerland staying in a lakeside cabin, for instance.

'I remember sitting by the fire when it began to snow outside, which created one of the most beautiful and romantic views you can imagine,' she explained.

In Canada's city of Toronto she decided to get truly 'adventurous' and explore the local islands.

Out in the world! Lenni's visit to Africa was one she's not likely to forget (pictured)

Standing structures: The architecture in Barcelona (left) and Jordan (right) were a highlight

'Machu Picchu is one of those historic picture-perfect places you need to visit,' she said

'I bought a waterproof backpack from duty-free, and rented a kayak and armed with my camera in my bag I paddled through the islands taking photos as I went,' she said.

'Another memory I won't forget was once during a layover in San Francisco, a colleague and I drove about an hour out of the city to go pick cherries, peaches and plums. We ended up with about 20 kilos of cherries which we needed to share around.'

While it may seem as though so much time away from home would make it difficult to socialise, Lenni has never had a problem.

While it may seem as though so much time away from home would make it difficult to socialise, Lenni has never had a problem (pictured in Jordan)

'Funnily enough, becoming a flight attendant has actually improved my social life,' she explained (pictured in Africa)

'Funnily enough, becoming a flight attendant has actually improved my social life,' she explained.

'Being able to travel so easily and so far has allowed me to keep in touch with friends and family all around the world.

'My two best friends live in New York and San Francisco, and because Cathay Pacific flies in and out of these destinations so regularly, we get to spend quality time together despite living in different countries.

'Once I visited my friend in San Fran eight times in one year. It was the best.

'I've also made great friends with my colleagues, especially during layovers. We often get to explore the cities we are in and get to know each other really well.'

Lenni has spent a good amount of time exploring the capital cities (pictured in Bangkok)
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A couple from Melbourne has revealed how they saved more than $3,000 on their dream wedding by adopting a series of thrifty tricks and handy Kmart hacks.

Sam Willcocks, 29, and her husband Andrew tied the knot in February at the picturesque venue of Terindah Estate in a dreamy ceremony set amongst the vines with panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay.

And while the stunning event looked as though it was straight from a magazine, there were a number of DIY elements that saved the pair a small fortune.

'I like to think I'm a pretty creative person and love the opportunity to DIY and get creative for birthdays, Christmas, baby showers and our wedding,' Mrs Willcocks told FEMAIL.

Sam Willcocks, 29, and her husband Andrew tied the knot in February at the picturesque venue of Terindah Estate in a dreamy ceremony set amongst the vines with panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay

'In total our wedding cost us around $40K, which probably isn't considered a "budget wedding" but we saved a few thousand dollars with a few tricks and tips,' she said (pictured is one of the tabled decorated with a number of Kmart items)

'In total our wedding cost us around $40K, which probably isn't considered a "budget wedding" but we saved a few thousand dollars with a few tricks and tips.'

Mrs Willcocks' love for Kmart and budget decor started when she bought their first home in 2016.

'I follow quite a few Kmart Hack and Kmart Styling pages on Facebook and Instagram and got a lot of inspiration for our home decor and styling from these pages,' she said.

'When it came time to start planning our wedding I knew I could save a few dollars here and there, and really make it my own.

'I also bought Kmart robes for bridal party to wear while getting ready,' she said (pictured with her bridal party in the robes)

'We also used light up numbers for table numbers - we had three long trestle style tables rather than smaller tables, A-frame signs to help direct guests that I wrote myself, navy linen-look table cloths that I had a friend cut and machine sew into napkin size,' she said

How much did the wedding cost? Venue (venue hire/service/linen/glassware etc) - $4,000 Catering (food/beverage for 90 guests/wedding cake) - $16,300 Celebrant/Marriage Licence - $1,000 Photographer - $3,500 Flowers (Bouquets/ Table decorations/ceremony placements) - $3,500 Stationery (Save The Dates/Invitations/Table Menus/Programs/Postage) - $500 Attire (Wedding Dress/Alterations/Suits) - $2,000 H&M/ Accessories (Veil/Jewellery/Shoes) - $700 Wedding Rings - $2,000 Entertainment - $2,000 Miscellaneous (Table Decor/Menu tasting/Bridal Party gifts/Accommodation/Favours) $1,500 Total: Approximately $40,000 Advertisement

'When we started to get ideas together of what we had envisioned for our big day I started looking at prices to buy/hire specific decor prices and I was actually really shocked at the price tags so I knew I could find similar pieces for a much better price.'

Mrs Willcocks bought a lot of the items she liked ahead of time because 'if you don't buy them when you see them they're gone'.

'I worked out a styling theme early on - I wanted a mix of classic (white/gold/navy) and rustic (natural timber/greenery) - and I loved getting ideas from Pinterest,' she said.

'We used Kmart candle holders, two sided photo frames for table menus and on the reverse an "in loving memory" to our grandparents that couldn't be there with us so this saved doubling up on frames.

'We used Kmart candle holders, two sided photo frames (pictured) for table menus and on the reverse an "in loving memory" to our grandparents that couldn't be there with us so this saved doubling up on frames,' she said

'We also used light up numbers for table numbers - we had three long trestle style tables rather than smaller tables, A-frame signs to help direct guests that I wrote myself, navy linen look table cloths that I had a friend cut and machine sew into napkin size and also Kmart robes for bridal party to wear while getting ready.'

Mrs Willcocks also made her own guest favours with jars she sourced online and filled them with Pistachio Dukkah that she made herself.

'We printed, cut and hand painted our gift tags (Kmart craft paper, twine and paint) and also designed, printed and made our own ceremony programs and made them into fans for the guests as it was a hot day,' she said.

'As well as Kmart and budget decor and DIY-ing a few things ourselves, we saved money in other ways too.'

When it came to the menu, instead of having individual plated desserts, the couple figured a lot of guests would be up on the dance floor by the time they were served so they chose to have their wedding cake served on platters on the table

'We printed, cut and hand painted our gift tags (Kmart craft paper, twine and paint) and also designed, printed and made our own ceremony programs and made them into fans for the guests as it was a hot day,' she said

For her wedding dress, Mrs Willcocks went to a bridal boutique and tried on a few different styles to find one that she loved and once she knew what she was looking for she signed up to Still White, an online marketplace where women sell their pre-loved wedding dresses.

'I searched for the designer and dress that I loved and I found a lady selling her dress brand new with tags, unaltered and never worn for one third of the price new,' she said.

The pair also decided against dancing lessons for their first dance and instead watched YouTube videos of other couples and taught themselves the moves.

'Not only did this save us hundreds of dollars in dance lessons, but it was a lot of fun for my soon to be husband and I,' she said.

'Don't get too caught up on the little things that might not fit into the budget, your guests won't remember or probably even notice if you hire a calligrapher to hand letter all of your envelopes,' she said

Pictured is one of the A-frame signs that she wrote herself to direct guests

When it came to the menu, instead of having individual plated desserts, the couple figured a lot of guests would be up on the dance floor by the time they were served so they chose to have their wedding cake served on platters on the table and saved money on their overall food cost.

They also worked with a friend who was a photographer who offered them complimentary prints of their wedding photos and slideshow of their wedding day which also saved them a lot of money.

All in all, Mrs Willcocks said while the DIY tricks did save her money, it was also a great way to create her dream wedding on her own terms.

'Don't get too caught up on the little things that might not fit into the budget, your guests won't remember or probably even notice if you hire a calligrapher to hand letter all of your envelopes, or if you have written them yourself,' she said. '

'What they will remember is the heartfelt ceremony and a great atmosphere.'
A mother-of-three has revealed how she had no idea she was pregnant until she went into labour and gave birth to her fourth child on her bathroom floor.

Sarah Bailey, 29, from Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, was already mother to son Rio, 11, and twins Isabella and Tamiya, almost two, with partner David Lee, 29, when she started experiencing pain in April.

Sarah thought she may be constipated, but when she began to lose massive amounts of blood, her mother Pat, 60, took a look to see what was happening and realised she was in labour.

Minutes later, Pat was delivering her own granddaughter - Desirae, who weighed a healthy 7lb 14oz, on the toilet floor as Sarah blacked out.

Sarah said the surprise birth had come as a complete shock as she had been using contraception with her partner, hadn't gained any weight during her pregnancy and had continued to have what she believed were her periods. And she had drunk alcohol throughout.

Later Sarah was told that the position of her placenta, which was in front of her uterus, was masking her bump.

Sarah Bailey, 29, from North Yorkshire, thought she was experiencing constipation pains in April 2018 - but ended up giving birth to her fourth child, baby girl Desirae, on her bathroom floor (pictured with partner David Lee, 29, at two months pregnant in August 2017)

Sarah thought she may be constipated, but when she began to lose massive amounts of blood, her mother Pat, 60, took a look to see what was happening and realised she was in labour (pictured at six months pregnant)

And there was further shock to come when Desirae stopped breathing shortly after her birth but thanks to quick work by paramedics, who quickly arrived on the scene, mother and baby were both doing well.

Speaking about the moment she gave birth, Sarah said: 'It was so surreal. I could hear the voices and remember seeing a commotion around me, but it all felt miles away, like I wasn't really there.

'I'd had no idea I was pregnant, let alone seconds away from giving birth.

'When Desirae was born, I felt guilty that I'd been drinking and running around on my feet all day as normal while I'd not known she was there.

'I asked the doctors if it was my fault she hadn't been breathing at first, but they said it was just where her body had gone into shock.'

Desirae's birth on 12 April wasn't the only surprise Sarah and her partner, security worker David Lee, 29, had experienced.

After having their son Rio, now 11, the couple spent years as a family of three.

Then, in 2016, they decided they were ready to expand their brood, so Sarah had her contraceptive implant removed - and ended up conceiving twin girls, Isabella and Tamiya.

'We were dumbfounded when we found out. Twins run in both our families, so I suppose it was inevitable, but suddenly we'd gone from a three to a five,' she said.

'When the shock passed, we were delighted though.'

Sarah took to Facebook to make the shock announcement about the new arrival, writing: 'Well what a day its been didn't think for 1 min we would be ending our day with our extra addition to the family, no idea I was pregnant let alone ready to give birth.

'We have no name yet but every1 meet our little girl.

Baby bailey-lee born at home 2.50pm. 7lb 14oz xx.'

Desirae, pictured, was born on 12 April after Sarah gave birth on the bathroom floor with the help of her mother Pat, 60. Sarah made a Facebook announcement to her shocked friends soon after (pictured)

Mother Sarah has revealed she thought her labour pains were constipation as she had no idea she was pregnant until she gave birth in April. Throughout her pregnancy she continued to drink alcohol, including at her brother's wedding (pictured) (L-R) David, Isabella, Rio, Tamiya and Sarah in August 2017 - when Sarah would have already been two months pregnant

Sarah is seen with daughter Tamiya - one of her twin girls, who will be two next month. Sarah's pregnancy with her girls wasn't all plain sailing, though, as they were born seven weeks early on September 11 2016, meaning they had to spend 17 days in hospital in incubators before they were strong enough to be discharged

Sarah's pregnancy with her girls wasn't all plain sailing, though, as they were born seven weeks early on September 11 2016, meaning they had to spend 17 days in hospital in incubators before they were strong enough to be discharged.

From there, life ticked along as normal for the family, with them all jetting over to Ireland for a wedding in August 2017.

There, drinks flowed as guests toasted the happy couple  something Sarah now looks back on with feelings of guilt.

'It was my brother's wedding, so I'd gone to his bride's hen do then the big day,' she recalled. 'We've since been able to work out that I must have conceived in July 2017, so it feels bizarre to look back on those wedding photos now knowing I was pregnant in them.

'I feel bad that I drank, but I had no idea Desirae existed then.'

For months, Sarah showed absolutely no symptoms of pregnancy.

Sarah and baby Desirae are seen at her mother Pat's wedding in August 2018 (right) and during a day out in the summer (left) as Sarah adjusts to being a mother for the fourth time

Isabella, David, Rio and Sarah seen on holiday in May 2018 - just a month after she gave birth to their fourth child baby Desirae. Having not gained any weight during her fourth pregnancy, she was still able to fit into her size 10 jeans, and medics have since discovered that the position of her placenta, which was in front of her uterus, was masking her bump

HOW CAN WOMEN BE PREGNANT WITHOUT REALISING IT? Janet Fyle, of the Royal College of Midwives said although this situation is uncommon, it is not unheard of. She told MailOnline: It might happen for a variety of reasons. Its different for any women. There are some women with good abdominal muscles and fat and the baby lies flat against the back so they dont have a bump. Some women wont have the normal pregnancy symptoms - some feel the baby moving inside them, but some dont.' She added: A lot of the symptoms of pregnancy are "everyday" symptoms. So they might not know that having wind is a sign of pregnancy. Especially if theyve never had a baby. Advertisement

Having not gained any weight, she was still able to fit into her size 10 jeans, and medics have since discovered that the position of her placenta, which was in front of her uterus, was masking her bump.

She also thought she was still having regular monthly periods  but now knows the bleeding was actually her placenta slowly rupturing.

'Doctors have said it was just one of those unpreventable things and can't say exactly what caused it. I thought it was just a heavy period,' she said. 'I'd not long had the twins, so assumed it was my body getting back to normal, and that the hormones and trauma of the birth had had an effect.

'David and I had been using condoms, so we weren't having unprotected sex. But I guess we were just in that tiny percentage of people they don't work for.'

Then, in April 2018, Sarah started to experience terrible back ache.

She added: 'This wasn't normal back pain. It was almost behind my lungs.

Desirae pictured in an ambulance after she was delivered. Desirae had been born not breathing, and had to be resuscitated on the bed after Sarah went into a shock labour in April

'Doctors have since said that Desirae was breech virtually the entire pregnancy, so the pain was her moving against my back, ready to get into position for being born.'

Then, on 12 April, Sarah was at home, due to have her hair cut and coloured by a mobile hairdresser, when she had to go lie down instead because she was in so much pain.

Assuming she was badly constipated, something she had suffered with in the past, she asked her mum Pat, who lived nearby, to go out and get some laxatives.

Within a few minutes though, she was racing to the upstairs toilet, where she was horrified to discover she was bleeding.

After three days in hospital, Sarah and Desirae, who'd been born weighing a healthy 7lb 14oz, and is believed to have been full term, came home (pictured at a week old)

'It sounds graphic, but it was like big clots gushing from me,' she said. 'I felt like my bowel was going to fall out.

'I felt so claustrophobic in that toilet. I was terrified. Mum deserves a medal, she was trying her best to reassure me that I'd be okay.

'She examined me, and could see something but wasn't sure what it was at first. Then, she suddenly realised and told me, "You're having a baby".

Realising the urgency of the situation, David, who'd been looking after Rio and the twins downstairs, phoned for an ambulance.

Her memory still very hazy, Sarah recalls feeling an overwhelming urge to push before glimpsing a baby between her legs and passing out.

Coming to, her house was swarming with paramedics, who broke the news that Desirae had been born not breathing, and had to be resuscitated on the bed.

As Sarah had given away all her baby supplies, thinking she'd never need them again, the now mother-of-four, was completely unprepared  but kind family and friends rallied round to gather donations. Pictured, one of Sarah's twins Isabella, and Desirae at a few weeks old

Now the picture of health, Desirae is doted on by her siblings after her shock arrival. Pictured, Desirae at just a few months old playing with her twin sisters Isabella and Tamiya at home

Luckily, the tot quickly started breathing normally, and she and Sarah were then raced to Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital to be checked over.

'I'd given birth very quickly with no pain relief, so my body was in complete shock, which is why I blacked out,' she said. 'All I wanted was my mum. At some point in hospital, I must've drifted off again, because suddenly I woke up and Mum was there at my bedside.

'She said, 'The baby is absolutely fine.' At first, I'd no idea what she meant. Then I remembered I had given birth.

'David was there too, utterly astonished. He just kept saying, "Oh my god, we have another baby girl".

'We didn't know how to tell people, so David suggested posting on Facebook so everyone knew in one go. At first, people thought I was messing around and that I'd posted a picture of a doll  but they soon realised I was completely serious.'

After three days in hospital, Sarah and Desirae, who'd been born weighing a healthy 7lb 14oz, and is believed to have been full term, came home.

As she'd given away all her baby supplies, thinking she'd never need them again, the now mother of four was left unprepared  but kind family and friends rallied round to gather donations.

Now the picture of health, Desirae is doted on by her siblings.

Sarah has had a slightly tougher time, fighting off womb infections and still possibly in need of a blood transfusion.

Desirae, who was born not breathing, is now the picture of health, and is doted on by her three older siblings, but Sarah, who was unaware she was pregnant, says she is happy with her brood and plans to stop at four children

Sarah said the surprise birth of Desirae - pictured - had come as a complete shock as she had been using contraception with her partner, hadn't gained any weight during her pregnancy and had continued to have what she believed were her periods

But despite everything, she feels lucky to be alive  and a mum to her miracle girl.

'People have been amazing. Bags and bags of baby things were donated to us. I can't thank everyone enough,' she said.

'This has all been such a whirlwind. I still shudder to think what would've happened if I'd been alone with nobody to help me, or if Mum was forced to choose between saving me and Desirae.

'She deserves a medal. We still can't quite believe she delivered her granddaughter.

'Rio is over the moon with Desirae, and the twins love fussing over her. She's such a wonderful little baby, and she's living proof that the body doesn't always react to pregnancy in the way you'd expect.'
A terminally ill mother has revealed the heart-wrenching letters she's writing to her one-year-old daughter to read after she dies.

Sophie George, 27, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, was told she only has 18 months to live in February after being diagnosed with a stage four brain tumour after experiencing headaches.

The devastated full-time mother-of-one said the hardest thing is knowing she won't be around for her daughter Marcie Godfrey, who she shares with husband Jay, 28.

Just a day after her shock diagnosis, Sophie proposed to Jay, and they plan to marry in September of this year, to create a lasting memory for their little girl.

She is now writing letters for the day Marcie starts school, her first heartbreak, when she gets married and every birthday - and she hopes that the letters will bring comfort to her daughter during key moments in her life.

Sophie George, 27, from Essex, is writing daughter Marcie, 1, a letter for the key moments in her future after she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in February and given 18 months to live (seen in matching tartan with Marcie and husband Jay, 28)

In one heart-wrenching letter Sophie writes: 'My darling Marcie.

'Today is your first day of big school and even though mummy isn't there to hold your hand or kiss you goodbye as you go in to your class, I will be watching over you and keeping you safe.

'There is a tissue in your school bag that daddy has sprayed with Mummy's smell so if you get scared just give it a smell to remind you of mummy and that everything will be okay.

'Some children might not be very nice to you and you might get sad by that but don't worry mummy will always love you very much.

'Whenever you feel sad give your 'mummy' teddies' hand a squeeze to hear my voice.'

Sophie said: 'I want to make memories and I want her to remember the times she had with her mum.

Pictured: Sophie's scar after having the tumour removed earlier this year. The terminally ill young mother is now undergoing chemotherapy in the hopes of extending her 18-month life expectancy and to spend as much time with her daughter as possible

Sophie is writing letters for the day Marcie starts school, her first heartbreak, when she gets married and every birthday - and Sophie hopes that the letters will bring comfort to her daughter during key moments in her life (Sophie seen with husband Jay, 28, and their little girl this year)

Sophie's letter to Marcie on her first day of school 'My darling Marcie. 'Today is your first day of big school and even though mummy isn't there to hold your hand or kiss you goodbye as you go in to your class, I will be watching over you and keeping you safe. 'There is a tissue in your school bag that daddy has sprayed with Mummy's smell so if you get scared just give it a smell to remind you of mummy and that everything will be okay. 'Some children might not be very nice to you and you might get sad by that but don't worry mummy will always love you very much. 'Whenever you feel sad give your 'mummy' teddies' hand a squeeze to hear my voice.' Advertisement

'It scares me every day that I won't be with her. I've started writing her little letters for her to open as she's growing up.

'I've written one for when she has her first day at school, for when she has her first period and first heartbreak and for when she gets married and has her first baby.

'I'm writing cards for every birthday. I'm telling her that I'll always be watching over her and keeping her safe,' she added.

'They will be for those times when she needs her mum and so that she's got something of me to keep my memory alive.

'They're for those moments when she would maybe be talking to her mum.

'Marcie is my life. She's an energetic ball of fun who makes people laugh with her funny cheeky character.'

Sophie and Marcie's dad Jay, who have been together for four and half years after meeting on Facebook, are also crowdfunding for help towards medical expenses.

Pictured: Sophie's scar after the operation. The full time mother-of-one was given the shock diagnosis of stage 4 brain cancer after complaining of headaches and going for an MRI scan which revealed the tragic diagnosis

Sophie George, 27, receiving treatment for her cancer in hospital. Sophie is now having chemotherapy having just finished six weeks of radiotherapy to try and prolong her life.

Sophie said she first started to get headaches in January and by February they were getting really bad - even waking her up in the night.

Sophie said: 'It was for 24 hours a day for about three weeks.

'It was like a shooting pain all over my head. I was taking strong painkillers but they wouldn't touch it.

'Jay's mum took me to opticians but I was being sick and couldn't speak.

Sophie George, 27, seen with a letter that she wrote for her daughter Marcie Godrey, one (seen as a baby in the picture), and a journal full of their memories and photos that she will be passing onto the little girl

Sophie George, 27, seen with the letter that she wrote for her daughter Marcie Godrey, one, underwent a six-hour operation to remove 90 per cent of the tumour and was told they would target the rest with chemotherapy and radiotherapy

'I went to A&E to see if I could have a scan and they told me it didn't warrant one so sent me away with some painkillers.

'That was on a Thursday and by the Sunday I couldn't see or speak so we went back to the hospital.

'I had an MRI scan which revealed I had a 4.5cm tumour on the left frontal lobe.

When I got there they went through everything. She said a lot of people have a stage one or two tumour but mine was a stage four and it was incurable

'At that point I was just relieved to have a diagnosis. I was relieved to find out what it was and that they'd given me medication to stop the headaches.

'You don't think it's going to be cancer. I remember thinking it would be fine.

'I thought they'd remove it and it would be okay. I never thought for one minute it would be what it was.'

Sophie underwent a six-hour operation to remove 90 per cent of the tumour and was told they would target the rest with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Sophie said: 'When I woke up from the operation it was a shock. There was quite a big scar on my head and it was a shock to see myself like that.

Pictured: Sophie George, 27, and her daughter Marcie Godrey, one, posing together in her bed at home this year as they capture every moment together to put together memories for their little girl to look back on

Pictured: Sophie after the operation to remove the tumour. She is looking at options in Germany for more advanced treatment, however this is more expensive and she isn't sure they can afford it

'The surgeon mentioned it could be a glioblastoma brain tumour but they would have to do a biopsy.

'It took 10 days for the results to come through. That was horrible. I cried every day.

'They rang me after the tenth day which was on a Monday and told me to come in on the Thursday to pick up my results.

'I thought it would be okay because if it would have been bad news they would have called me in earlier. So travelling up to the hospital we were all feeling very positive.

'When I got there they went through everything. She said a lot of people have a stage one or two tumour but mine was a stage four and it was incurable.

'They said they couldn't say how long I have left but the average is 18 months.

'Obviously it was heartbreaking. I wouldn't see my little baby grow up. She'd just turned one and a half and I was thinking I'll never see her go to school.

'I was with my mum, dad, partner and his parents. They broke down. We were all devastated.'

Sophie is now having chemotherapy having just finished six weeks of radiotherapy to try and prolong her life.

The couple are also planning their dream wedding as Sophie decided to propose to builder Jay the day after her devastating diagnosis (Jay, Sophie and Marcie seen posing together at their local pub this summer)

Sophie said: 'Physically I've lost some of my hair due to radiotherapy. That's one of the worst physical aspects.

'Marcie is too young to understand what's happening. I have a hair piece so she doesn't notice that I look any different.

'At the moment I feel fine. I've not had any headaches.

'They've told me towards the end I may start to lose my memory and that scares me that my daughter will see me like that and that maybe I won't remember who she is.

'I'm trying to be as positive as I can and taking each day as it comes. I'm trying to prolong my life for as long as I can.

'We are looking at other options in Germany but it's very expensive so I'm not sure how realistic that is.'

The couple are also planning their dream wedding as Sophie decided to propose to builder Jay the day after her devastating diagnosis.

Sophie said: 'I want to make the best of the time I've got left with Marcie and Jay so we're getting married in September.

Pictured: Sophie George, 27, and her daughter Marcie Godrey, one, pose together on her bed at home. The pair are documenting their moments together with as many pictures as possible.

'We'd spoken about marriage before but we weren't engaged. I thought 'we've got to do it'. It seemed right. I want us to be husband and wife.

'The day after I got my diagnosis I said we'll get married this year.'

The couple are to marry at The Warren Estate in Maldon, Essex, who have offered the venue for free while a local estate agent has paid for her wedding dress.

Sophie said: 'It's taken a lot of the stress away. Everyone is coming together and the support we've had from people has been amazing.

'We're really looking forward to it. We've got a videographer to make sure that the whole day is captured and Marcie will be able to look back on it.

'It will mean everything to me to be married.'

The couple are now planning plenty of trips together to make memories with Marcie while they can.

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They've already taken her to Peppa Pig World and Disneyland Paris and are also hoping to visit Disneyland in Florida.

Sophie said: 'I'm only in my twenties and you don't ever think you'll be facing something like this.

'It makes you cherish the little things and be grateful for every moment. I'm so grateful for everything.

'I know Marcie will be fine. She's going to be so well looked after by her dad and we've got a big family who love her to bits.

'Jay has been my rock ever since I met him. He's looked after me and gone above and beyond to make me happy.

'Seeing him with Marcie and the way he looks at her with so much love. It makes me feel warm inside as I know she will always be looked after.'

Jay and Sophie's dad Anthony George are taking part in the three peaks challenge later this month to raise money to help the couple make memories.

Sophie was diagnosed with a stage four brain tumour, which is also known as a Glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is the more common name for the type of brain tumour known as a grade 4 astrocytoma. Glioblastoma are 'diffuse', meaning they have threadlike tendrils that extend into other parts of the brain. They are fast growing and likely to spread. You may also hear them called glioblastoma multiforme, GBM or GMB4.
Meghan's 200,000 Givenchy wedding gown is set to go on display at Windsor Castle later this year.

Royal sources say the dress will be on show to the public as part of an exhibition at the Queen's residence in Berkshire, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot in May.

The stunning ivory gown is expected to bring in thousands of visitors to Windsor Castle, in what has already been a bumper year for the attraction.

The Royal Collection Trust, which manages the public openings of the Queen's official residences, told the Daily Express that any announcements would be made later this year.

Meghan's 200,000 wedding dress by Givenchy designer Clare Waight Keller is set to go on display at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sussex is pictured above leaving St George's Chapel on her wedding day in May

The stunning ivory wedding dress by Givenchy is expected to bring thousands of visitors to Windsor Castle, where Prince Harry and Meghan tied the knot in May (above, the couple riding past the castle during their wedding procession)

However, a source suggested that an agreement has already been made to put the Givenchy gown on display later this year.

It comes as Windsor Castle has seen a dramatic rise in visitors this summer, thanks to the frenzy over the royal wedding in May.

Bookings have risen by 92 per cent this summer, as tourists flock to the Queen's residence to see where Prince Harry and Meghan tied the knot.

It is likely to be a record-breaking year for Windsor Castle, which was visited by 1.4million in 2017 - the second-highest figure for the attraction.

Meghan (pictured leaving St George's Chapel with Prince Harry) surprised the fashion world in May by choosing Clare Waight Keller, the British artistic director of French fashion house Givenchy, to design her bridal dress

The Duchess of Sussex (leaving St George's Chapel in May) wore her Givenchy gown with a 16ft-long veil, embroidered with the flowers of all 53 countries of the Commonwealth

Meanwhile, the interest around the royal residence is only set to continue, as Princess Eugenie and her wine merchant fiance Jack Brooksbank prepare to tie the knot at St George's Chapel in October.

A spokesperson for the Royal Collection Trust told the Express: 'It's fair to say it's very busy down there.'

Meghan, 37, surprised the fashion world in May by choosing Clare Waight Keller, the British artistic director of French fashion house Givenchy, to design her bridal dress.

The Duchess of Sussex wore the sweeping gown with a 16ft-long veil, embroidered with the flowers of all 53 countries of the Commonwealth.

The Duchess of Sussex later changed into a more contemporary halterneck dress by Stella McCartney for her evening reception at Frogmore House.

Meghan (above, leaving Windsor Castle with Prince Harry for their evening reception) later changed into a halterneck dress by Stella McCartney for their reception at Frogmore House

Speaking about designing Meghan's wedding dress, Waight Keller previously revealed how Prince Harry spoke to her after the ceremony at St George's Chapel.

'He came straight up to me and he said "Oh my God, thank you, she looks absolutely stunning",' she said.

The Givenchy creative director said Meghan and Harry are just 'so in love', adding: 'They were just radiant at that time.

'Well I think everybody saw on television - he was absolutely in awe I think. She looked just incredible and it showed.'

A spokesperson for the Royal Collection Trust told MailOnline: 'We have nothing to announce at present.'
An entrepreneur who made it to the finals of The Apprentice has revealed she's banned staff from gossiping in the three companies she runs.

Pregnant Michaela Wain, who appeared in last year's series of the BBC show, said she thinks 'chatting over the water cooler' is counter-productive and comparable to bullying.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday, the 33-year-old said it was a her 'duty' to make sure her staff don't 'go home crying every night' after becoming the target of office gossips.

Her comments were crticised by GMB viewers who claimed it would be 'impossible' to ban gossiping, and compared the idea to 'thought police'.

The Apprentice star Michaela Wain, 33, appeared on GMB on Monday (pictured) and revealed she had banned her staff from gossiping at her three companies - saying it was her 'duty' to protect her staff

Michaela, who runs three companies - 3D Custom Coverings, Vantage Utility Connections, and Design and Build Construction - was debating the issue after the news that several Australian firms have banned gossiping in the workplace.

And Australian workplace expert Rose Bryant-Smith said the common habit could end up seriously affecting your career.

Michaela supported the move, saying companies should follow suit and 'nip gossiping in the bud'.

She explained: 'Everybody's got different personalities and the way I would deal with something isn't necessarily how a weaker character would deal with it so you just need to nip it in the bud because it's not productive.

'No sales are going to come from Sandra putting on three pound are they?'

Michaela's comments were criticised by Good Morning Britain viewers (pictured), who took to Twitter to say it would be 'impossible' to ban gossiping

Michaela appeared in The Apprentice on BBC One last year (pictured in a promo picture for the show)

Viewers disagreed with her arguments, and said it was 'ridiculous' to think bosses can control gossiping.

One tweeted: 'Ban oxygen next......oh please just stop. Stop it! This ''Ban it'' is getting ridiculous.'

'What next... the thought police?' another posted.

A third said: 'How can you ban people taking? Honestly the western world with its thought police has gone mad.'

Another wrote: 'OMG how ridiculous! They are trying to control every aspect of our lives!'

However, Michaela, who is six months pregnant, said the move isn't about trying to control people, but having 'morals'.

She continued: 'When it comes to something like this, gossiping and people's feelings, how is that PC? It's not, it's just about being a nice person and growing up with morals.

'You just don't speak about people and cause trouble; it's just unnecessary, nasty and I personally don't agree with it.'

She added: 'I think I have a duty to my staff to make sure everybody in the office is happy and comfortable and If I hear somebody's been going home crying at night of course I'm going to intervene.'

Michaela has revealed she is six months pregnant with her first child with her Apprentice co-star Harrison Jones. Pictured on the red carpet together in London in June

Earlier this year Michaela revealed she is expecting her first child with her Apprentice co-star Harrison Jones.

Speaking to The Sun, Michaela revealed the couple are expecting a baby boy and said she was 'very happy' to be having another baby, as she also has a child from a previous relationship.

Michaela's baby news comes after she previously revealed she had suffered several miscarriages, and calls her eight-year-old son - also named Harrison - her 'miracle child'.
Kate Garraway has been mercilessly mocked by her GMB colleagues after it emerged she breastfed a cow for a 2008 documentary.

Kate, 51, was reminded of her cringeworthy stunt during a segment on new reality series Celebs on The Farm, which tasks pampered stars with getting stuck into hard-working rural life.

The presenters were trying their hand at milking a cow during Monday's show, when co-star Charlotte Hawkins brought up the stunt and a visibly embarrassed Kate replied: 'Now it was all part of a documentary.

'It was a serious piece of journalism on Channel 4 called Other People's Breast Milk about people who drink other people's breast milk.

'Now people were horrified by this, but the thing is when you give your baby formula you're giving it milk from the breast of a cow.'

Kate Garraway was reminded of this cringeworthy stunt, in which she breast fed a cow for a 2008 documentary on breast milk. It was during a GMB segment on new reality series Celebs on The Farm, which tasks pampered stars with getting stuck into hard-working rural life

'It's not something I'm proud of': After Kate Garraway's co-star Charlotte Hawkins brought up this breastfeeding stunt (from a 2008 documentary, pictured) during Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain, a visibly embarrassed Kate said: 'Now it was all part of a documentary'

Later on in the show, viewers were threatening to switch off following a bizarre segment which saw presenters milking a fake cow.

Kate Garraway, Jeremy Kyle and Charlotte Hawkins, who are standing in for Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, all took turns with the rubber udders on the chat show.

The presenters had just interviewed Bobby Norris and Lorraine Chase, who are taking part in a new reality series.

Kyle struggled to get any milk out and had to be helped by Kate, before Charlotte came over and had her turn.

The bizarre segment left viewers scratching their heads, with one joking it was 'time to watch the udder channel'.

One tweeted: 'Sorry GMB but I have turned over to BBC1. I need to know what's going on in the world. I don't want to watch Jeremy Kyle milk a cow.'

Kate Garraway, Jeremy Kyle and Charlotte Hawkins (pictured) took turns to milk a fake cow on Good Morning Britain on Monday

The bizarre segment left viewers scratching their heads, with one joking it was 'time to watch the udder channel' (pcitured)

A third said: 'What is this obsession with cows on GMB?', while another said it was 'utter rubbish' and commented that Charlotte must be 'mortified'.

The GMB presenters tried their hand at life on the farm by sitting on a milking stool and trying to milk the fake cow, which mooed as they worked.

Kyle went first but was quickly interrupted by Kate, who showed him how to pull the udder properly.

Kate took over from Kyle (pictured) and told him he had to 'pull not squeeze' before filling up the bucket

Kyle sat down on the studio floor to milk the cow (pictured). He is currently a stand in presenter while Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan are on holiday

The Good Morning Britain camera zoomed in as Kyle struggled to milk the rubber udders (pictured)

The presenters had just interviewed Bobby Norris and Lorraine Chase (pictured), who are taking part in Celebs on The Farm to see if they could handle being farmers

'You pull not squeeze. You've got to get your hand round it,' she said before taking over.

She admitted that she'd 'done it before' as she managed to fill the bucket up with milk.

Meanwhile Charlotte was hidden off camera before Kyle called her over to have a go, saying: 'Hawkins isn't playing ball.'

She then came and sat elegantly on the stool before milking the cow and pulling a face at the camera.

Kyle said: 'Oh look at that! She sits down like the Duchess of Sussex.'

Charlotte explained that her grandfather was a farmer so she'd had lots of practice with cows.
Supernanny Jo Frost has a sparked a debate after questioning if parents are becoming 'lazy' and 'enabling' - describing how teachers are having to potty train fie-year-old.

Frost, 47, took to Twitter to ask why young children appear to be taking longer to reach crucial milestones in their development.

Explaining that she wasn't referring to kids with medical conditions, the parenting expert tweeted: 'Toddlers still on pacifiers; teachers potty training 5YO; 6YO still in pushchairs; bottoms still being wiped at 7YO.

'Have parents become lazy, enabling, Too helpful to Please? What is your take on this all,would love to hear your thoughts please.'

Other social media users were quick to react, with many suggesting 'lazy parenting' was to blame.

Supernanny Jo Frost (pictured on This Morning in April) has questioned if parents are becoming 'lazy' and 'enabling' after commenting on young children taking longer to reach crucial milestones in their development

Posting on Twitter, she described how teachers are still potty training five-year-olds while six-year-olds are still in pushchairs

One commented: 'Wow that is all so wrong! How embarrassing going to school & not being toilet trained.

'Not fair on the child. I accept some circumstances can't be helped though. However no excuse for lazy parenting.'

Another added: 'Lazy parenting!! My almost 3 year old tries to wipe his own bottom (I help occasionally) and is toilet training! Wouldn't dream of sending him to school not able to do either!!'

Meanwhile, one Twitter user wrote: 'Too busy on their iPhone etc to bother with children'.

Other social media users were quick to react, with many suggesting that lazy parenting was to blame (above). Some suggested parents were too busy on their iPhones

However, others suggested there was nothing wrong with children developing at different times.

Frost, who rose to fame on Channel 4's Supernanny (pictured at an event in 2016) asked her followers on Twitter for their thoughts on the issue

One wrote: 'Although it's not ideal - sometimes children take a bit longer or parents circumstances don't make it possible.

'Not always about laziness in my opinion.'

Another commented: 'I don't believe in pushing children to do something just because they have reached a certain age.

'If you push some kids too soon it just puts them back.'

Frost, who rose to fame on Channel 4's Supernanny programme, made her comments on Twitter after she shared a debate on Good Morning Britain last week about the right time to stop using a pushchair.

Agreeing with an expert who suggested that children should be out of a pushchair as soon as they can walk, Frost wrote: 'Saving time, finding excuses,robs our children of learning what is needed for them to thrive with their development.

'Find the middle ground parents, say NO to polarizing parenting.'
Gigi Hadid has posed for a new magazine cover highlighting the work of UNICEF, and opened up about her father's immigration process in an intimate interview.

The model, 23, graces one of two covers for CR Fashion Book's 13th issue. The other cover features her colleague Halima Aden, 20, a Somali-American model and former refugee who moved to the US with her family as a child.

Gigi was recently named a supporter of the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund, while Halima has become one of its ambassadors.

Mission: Gigi Hadid, 23, has posed for the cover of CR Fashion Book's 13th issue, highlighting the work of UNICEF, of which she is a supporter

Message: Somalian-American model Halima Aden, 20, who is a UNICEF ambassador, also posed for a cover dedicated to the organization

Carine Roitfeld, 63, the French editor behind CR Fashion Book, decided to highlight the work and mission of UNICEF, especially in the context of the refugee crisis, in her magazine's latest issue.

She is credited with discovering Gigi and gave Halima her first cover back in 2017. That was after Halima competed in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing a hijab and a burkini, which is when the French stylist first noticed Halima's stunning looks.

The model has since graced the covers of publications such as Allure and British Vogue, and has walked for Yeezy.

Gigi, who is currently in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, working on behalf of UNICEF, was interviewed for the new issue by Hamdia Ahmed, a Somali refugee who is now a college student and activist. In 2017, Hamdia became the first contestant in the Miss Maine pageant to wear a hijab.

'My dad was a Syrian refugee,' Gigi said. 'He was born in Nazareth, Palestine, and the week that his family was kicked out of their home, they moved to Syria. I think he was also about one week old.

'It's crazy to think about what our families did for us.'

Travels: Gigi is currently in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, doing work on behalf of UNICEF. Cox's Bazar houses the world's largest refugee camp

Praise: Bella shared this photo of her sister with the words 'love and admiration' on top of it

Work: Gigi has shared images of the children she has met while traveling with UNICEF

Siblings: Bella, too, has shared photos of UNICEF staff interacting with children

Visit: Gigi shared this photo of herself with children at the Cox Bazar's refugee camp

The model expressed her joy after meeting Halima in person during the photo shoot.

'You should have seen my face when I met Halima on set for the first time. I was so excited,' she said.

'My dad's side of our family is Muslim. When my grandma moved to the States, she was very modern and didn't cover herself, but she was still a very powerful, strong, Muslim woman who led our whole family.

'She was very accepting of her children who still wanted to cover, and if they didn't, she embraced them as well. It's powerful to see you and Halima stand by your faith. Every time Halima gets a cover, I post it.'

Gigi also shared her tips for dealing with rejection, explaining: 'You need courage to put yourself out there, especially when you're the first at what you do. Know that with every time that you hear "no", you're working your way toward "yes".'

Halima, meanwhile, spoke with President & CEO of UNICEF Caryl M. Stern, discussed her childhood and her move to the US.

Photos: The model has documented the children's life inside the refugee camp on social media

Kids: Gigi is using her platform to highlight aspects of children's life inside the refugee camp

Support: Artist Austyn Weiner is also in Bangladesh, visiting the same camp as Gigi

Exercise: Gigi played a game of soccer with some of the children she met in Bangladesh

Family: The model recounted how her father Mohamed, 69 (pictured with her in a file photo) was born in Nazareth, Palestine, before his family moved to Syria

She opened up about growing up in a refugee camp, recounting: 'I was six and I can still remember that UNICEF sign and every single missionary who came to the camp. I forget names, but can never forget how they made me feel.'

The model explained that moving to America didn't go as she had imagined it at first.

'I honestly thought money grew on trees and that we would move into a big house. That's what you see on TV,' she said.

'We moved to St. Louis and it wasn't easy. The area that we lived in was very crime-filled. The school didn't have an ESL program, so every day I went to school and learned nothing. The first six months of living in America, I actually wanted nothing more than to return to the camp. Isn't that insane? I missed my friends and the staff.

'My mom used to say that "home spit us out and wouldn't let us return". That's why every refugee longs for acceptance. Will I be welcomed with open arms, or will I be sent back, or will I endure something even worse? Sometimes it feels like being between a rock and a hard place. My mom always used to say that home is where you make it.

'The name of my camp was Kakuma. The literal translation from Swahili is "nowhere", and that was the home that brought me hope. It takes a village to raise a child. My mom was still illiterate and going through her own traumas, just escaping a war, coming to a new country, and now raising kids. My teachers were like second parents. They stayed after school with me and helped me with homework. They weren't even paid to do that.'
Fun-loving Prince Harry is so good at putting people at ease that it's just like chatting to a 'normal person' when you meet him, royal insiders have revealed, while his brother William maintains a 'faint awkwardness'.

Speaking as part of a new documentary The Story of the Royals, which airs this week on ABC, commentators reveal how Harry can make people laugh 'in seconds', and isn't afraid to joke at his own expense.

Meanwhile, William is more polished and charming and always knows the right thing to say, but maintains a 'faint awkawardness'.

The two-part documentary produced by People magazine and ABC also reveals how the Queen doesn't sleep with her beloved corgis because they snore.

According to the documentary The Story Of The Royals, which airs on ABC this week, Prince Harry can make anyone laugh in seconds and isn't afraid to joke at his own expense. PicturedL The royal on a visit to the StreetGames' Fit and Fed initiative in London in July 2017

Prince William is charming and knows the right things to say, but has a 'slight awkwardness', according to royal biographer Penny Junor. Pictured: William at a commemoration marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Amiens, at Amiens Cathedral in August 2018

When you speak to Prince Charles, you get the feeling the air to the throne is someone 'different', according to royal biographer Penny Junor. Pictured: The future king attending Royal Ascot in June 2018

Former soldier David Wiseman - one of the architects of Harry's Invictus Games, reveals in the documentary how the prince can only truly be himself when he's around veterans.

'I mean, he does have a cheeky side. He likes a joke, he likes his banter,' he explained. 'But there are only very few situations where he can let that shine, and one of those is when he's around the lads,' he explained.

'He understands he comes from a position of privilege, and he's not ashamed of that. He understands it's his duty to use that to have a positive impact.'

Wiseman added that Meghan is 'incredibly passionate' and says he believes the pair have huge power to affect change.

The Queen at Aberdeen Airport on her way to Balmoral with her beloved corgis in 1974. Her Majesty dotes on her dogs, but doesn't let them sleep in her bed with her as they snore

According to royal biographer Penny Junor, Willian is 'absolutely charming', and like his brother he's 'very funny'.

The prince is genuinely interested in people, according to the writer, but she added that he has a 'faint awkwardness' that's completely absent with Harry.

Penny Junor said that both future kings have an air of something 'different' about them, while Harry comes across just like any 'normal person'.

Harry makes you laugh within seconds. He will make a joke at his own expense. He will make a joke at your expense.

It's like talking to a normal person. With the Prince of Wales and with William, there's always a feeling that they are somebody a little bit different.'
The makers of a cult lash-boosting product loved by the Duchess of Sussex has branched into hair thickening products for the first time.

RevitaLash have sold 4.9 million eyelash conditioners since 2007 and list Meghan as a loyal fan according to a pre-royal interview.

They are now using their hit BioPeptin Complexa formula to transform thinning hair, with their new range hitting UK shelves earlier this month.

Speaking about her love of the product in 2014 - two years before meeting Prince Harry - Meghan told Allure: '[I use] RevitaLash on my eyelashes, and I swear they are as long as they could ever be.'

Meghan has never indicated that she suffers from thinning hair but her former stylist Lydia F. Sellers recently revealed the royal uses volumising spray religiously.

The Duchess of Sussex (pictured in Belfast in March) previously confessed to being a fan of RevitaLash, who have just launched a hair thickening range in the UK for the first time

Beauty brand Revitalash has just brought out its first ever hair thickening range (pictured), after selling almost 5 million units of its lash-boosting conditioner worldwide since 2007

She also gets regular Brazilian-style blow-dries, a semi-permanent straightening treatment that uses a mix of keratin and formaldehyde to smoothe tresses and has been linked to hair loss.

Manufacturers at RevitaLash are now hoping to tap into the hair thickening market, tackling an issue suffered by the likes of model Abbey Clancy and Little Mix's Jesy Nelson.

Their new range - comprising a shampoo, conditioner and volume enhancing foam - boasts a unique formula designed to optimise scalp health.

RevitaLash (revitalash.co.uk) claim the shampoo and conditioner's cleansing and hydrating properties transform hair to feel fuller, look thicker and improve overall health of the strands.

Meanwhile the foam contains BioPeptin Complexa, the same technology used in the its award-winning lash product.

Meghan Markle (pictured in 2015) has never indicated that she suffers from thinning hair but her former stylist Lydia F. Sellers recently revealed the royal uses volumising spray religiously. She also gets regular Brazilian blow dries which have been linked to hair damage

Revitalash condidioner (pictured) contains a unique BioPeptin Complexa formula which boosts lashes and has sold millions of units worldwide, and the Duchess of Sussex is a fan

The formula is proven to boost the vitality of hair and improve elasticity to help combat breakage.

It is designed to protect strands that have been compromised due to over-processing and chemical and environmental stress.

In a recent consumer study, 94 per cent of respondents experienced healthier, fuller-looking hair after just eight weeks.

The world famous eyelash conditioning formula is thought to have been used on some 1.9 billion eyelashes globally.
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The Swedish royal family have given a rare glimpse into their family life in a charming new set of photos taken over their summer break.

The family has released seven new photos taken at Solliden palace in Oland during July where they typically spend their time off.

Released on the official palace Instagram account Kungahuset, the photos give a touching insight into the family life of the Swedish royals.

The Swedish royal family has released a selection of charming new images taken at Solliden palace in Oland during July where they typically spend their summer break. Pictured: Crown Princess Victoria and husband Prince Daniel with their two children Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar riding the family pony Viktor

The first to be shared was an official portrait of three generations of the royals including King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and their daughter Crown Princess Victoria along with her husband Prince Daniel and their two children Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.

Dressed in a sea of pale blue the family pose in the palace's barn looking happy and relaxed and sporting an enviable tan from the Swedish sunshine.

The next snap, shared on Monday on the Instagram account, sees Victoria, 41 and Daniel, 44, spending some time alone with their two children.

Their youngest Prince Oscar, who turned two in March, is seen riding the family's pony Viktor - lead by his older sister Princess Estelle, 6.

Several of the snaps were taken by Victoria herself including this one of Estelle leading the pony Victor through the woods

This adorable photograph, also taken by Victoria sees Princess Estelle giving her younger brother a hug on a beach near the palace

Prince Daniel captured this fun filled snap of Victoria and his two children on board a boat (left) while she snapped the family during a walk in the woods

The third set of images are particularly special as they were captured by Victoria and Daniel themselves over the summer.

Captioning the five candid snaps the palace writes: 'To the Kunghus's followers at Instagram, the Crown Princess and Prince Daniel also wish to share some pictures that the Crown Princess couple took during the summer.'

The first snap sees Daniel and his two children pause during a walk in the woods while the next sees an adorable Estelle admiring some wild flowers.

The third, and one of the most touching photos, sees Princess Estelle holding her younger brother in her lap while another sees Victoria posing on board a boat with her two children fully decked out in life jackets.

A curious Estellle admires some wild flowers (left) while Prince Oscar helps to wash the reins of the pony Viktor (right)

An official portrait of three generations of the royals including King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and their daughter Crown Princess Victoria along with her husband Prince Daniel and their two children Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar

The Crown Princess' family was not the only one to release photographs with her two siblings Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine also posing for family portraits.

A smiling Madeleine can be seen posing alongside her three children Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and their youngest Princess Adrienne who was held by Madeleine's husband Christopher O'Neill.

And Prince Carl Philip poses alongside his glamorous wife Princess Sofia with their two sons Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel in the sunny surrounds of Solliden.

Solliden Palace in Borgholm, the setting for the portrait, is where the Swedish royals typically spend their summer months.

A smiling Madeleine can be seen posing alongside her three children Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and their youngest Princess Adrienne who was held by Madeleine's husband Christopher O'Neill
Melania Trump took to the stage in a pussy bow blouse and a $2,090 pantsuit as she opened a federal conference on cyberbullying on Monday.

The first lady, 48, spoke about the 'benefits and pitfalls' of social media during a gathering in Rockville, Maryland, as part of her 'Be Best' campaign, which includes a focus on combatting cyberbullying.

She wore a $1,195 Chloe pale blue blouse featuring a pussy bow tied around her neck, a style she has been known to enjoy since she wore it to a presidential debate in October 2016, during her husband's campaign.

Outfit: Melania Trump took to the stage in a pussy bow blouse and a pantsuit as she spoke during a conference on cyberbullying on Monday

Theme: The first lady, 48, spoke about the 'benefits and pitfalls' of social media during a gathering in Rockville, Maryland, as part of her 'Be Best' campaign

Top: She wore a pale blue blouse featuring a pussy bow tied around her neck, a style she has been known to enjoy since she wore it to a presidential debate in October 2016

Greetings: Melania was pictured shaking hands with Holly Ham, the executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Melania paired her pussy bow blouse with a navy blazer from Michael Kors, comprised of a $1,395 stretch-wool blazer and $695 matching gabardine pants.

She kept her blazer open and wore it on her shoulders, featuring her blouse more prominently than if she had put her arms inside the garment's sleeves.

The first lady finished off her outfit with a pair of pointed-toe navy pumps matching the rest of her outfit.

She wore her hair down in a glossy, wavy blowout, and went for her trademark smoky eye paired with a nude lip, while her face was contoured with bronzer.

In her talk, Melania encouraged technology and social media companies to provide more opportunities for children to share ideas on how to be good citizens online.

'Let's face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults,' she said.

Ensemble: Melania paired her pussy bow blouse with a navy blazer from Michael Kors, comprised of a $1,395 stretch-wool blazer and $695 matching gabardine pants

Style: She kept her blazer open and wore it on her shoulders, featuring her blouse more prominently than if she had put her arms inside the garment's sleeves

Accessories: The first lady finished off her outfit with a pair of pointed-toe navy pumps matching the rest of her outfit

Generation: Melania said some children know the 'benefits and pitfalls of social media' better than some adults

Still, she urged adults to do 'all we can' to provide children with information and tools for safe online habits.

'In today's global society, social media is inevitably a part of our children's daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways, but also can be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly,' she said.

The first lady is now back in D.C. after spending the weekend in Bedminster, New Jersey, at her husband's golf club.

She was photographed with her son Barron, 12, and his father, 72, arriving back to the White House on Sunday.

Since coming to office Melania Trump has spoken relatively infrequently in public.

She was treated at Walter Reed hospital on May 14, shortly after launching her Be Best campaign, for what aides called a 'benign' kidney condition and was released a few days later.

Finishing touches: She kept her hair down in a glossy, wavy blowout, and went for her trademark smoky eye paired with a nude lip, while her face was contoured with bronzer

Support: Melania urged adults to do 'all we can' to provide children with information and tools for safe online habits

Careful: The first lady made sure her blazer remained on her shoulders during the summit

Address: Social media 'can be used in many positive ways, but also can be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly,' Melania said

Campaign: The first lady has drawn attention for taking on the issue of cyberbyllying in light of the president's aggressive use of Twitter to berate his foes and call them names

Back: On Sunday, Melania was pictured with her son Barron, 12, and her husband, 72, returning to D.C. after a weekend in Bedminster, New Jersey

The first lady has drawn attention for taking on the issue of cyberbullying in light of the president's aggressive use of Twitter to berate his foes and call them names.

Former aide: Omarosa Manigault Newman has claimed that Melania's fashion choices are 'never accidental'

On Monday morning he called the taxpayer-funded lawyers and prosecutors investigating Russia's influence in the 2016 election a 'National Disgrace'.

Melania's choice to wear a pussy bow blouse on Monday comes after Omarosa Manigault Newman claimed the first lady's wardrobe choices are 'never accidental'.

In her newly released memoir, Unhinged, the former Trump aide refers to the first lady's decision to wear a similar style during an October 2016 presidential debate, after the release of Access Hollywood tapes in which Donald bragged about being able to 'grab' women 'by the pussy'.

'Why did she wear a Gucci "pussy bow" pink blouse to the presidential debate immediately after the Access Hollywood bombshell?' Omarosa wrote, adding: 'The messages behind her style choices aren't always clear, but they are never accidental.

'Taken as a whole, all of her style rebellions have served the same purpose, and not only misdirection and distraction  strategies her husband knows all too well. I believe Melania uses style to punish her husband.'
Meghan's best friend Jessica Mulroney has shared a sweet snap of her and her children - showing son Brian pulling the exact same cheeky face as he did at the royal wedding in May.

The Canadian stylist, 38, posted the picture of herself with daughter Ivy, four, and twins Brian and John, both seven, while in Montreal, captioning the snap: 'Another day, another jumpsuit. That Brian face though.'

It comes after Brian won over hearts as one of Meghan's page boys in May, as he showed off a wide toothy grin while walking down the aisle behind the bride at St George's Chapel.

In the snap, Jessica also showed her close relationship with other members of Meghan's inner circle, wearing a white jumpsuit in the picture by designer Misha Nonoo, who also attended the wedding.

Meghan's best friend Jessica Mulroney shared a sweet snap of son Brian (second from left) in Montreal, pulling the same cheeky expression as he did at the royal wedding. The photo also features her other children Ivy, four (far right), and John, seven (far left)

Sharing the photograph on Instagram, Jessica commented: 'Another day, another jumpsuit. That Brian face though'

Jessica was widely tipped to be the Duchess of Sussex's maid-of-honour ahead of the royal wedding, after the pair developed a close friendship in Toronto.

However, Prince Harry's bride opted to not have adult bridesmaids on her wedding day, instead choosing a number of flower girls and page boys, including Jessica's three children.

Twins Brian and John were tasked with a very important job during the ceremony, lifting up Meghan's 16ft long veil as she walked up the aisle.

Following the wedding, the Jessica's TV host husband Ben took to Instagram to comment on Brian's 'photobombing' moment, sharing a picture captioned: 'Ok, Brian. Youre getting a TV in your room for the summer.'

Brian, seven, captured hearts as he showed off a wide toothy grin while walking down the aisle behind Meghan on her wedding day at St George's Chapel in May (above)

The Mulroney twins, who were both chosen as page boys, looked in high spirits as they travelled in the car with Meghan on her big day (above)

He later revealed what had caused Brian's wide smile, explaining on CTV's Your Morning: 'I asked him and he said he'd never heard a trumpet before.

'And I think when he walked in, I think he saw all the people there and the flowers - none of that was there during the rehearsal.'

Speaking about how they prepared their children for their roles on the big day, Ben added: 'There had been so much talk about getting it right with the rehearsals and these kids are so young.

'There was a lot of worry that this wouldn't get done right, but they're having so much fun with it.

'And that, to me, was the thing that gave me the most pride was that we didn't put so much pressure on them that this wasn't joyful for them. It was pretty darn joyful.'

Jessica Mulroney (above), along with the Duchess of Cambridge, helped usher Meghan's flower girls, including Princess Charlotte (far left) and Ivy Mulroney (second from right) into St George's Chapel
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend a gala performance of the hit musical Hamilton in support of Sentebale, Kensington Palace has announced.

The newlyweds will watch the hit show at London's Victoria Palace Theatre on Wednesday 29th August, marking their first official engagement after the summer break.

Their outing comes just six months after the couple made an unofficial visit to see the hip-hop musical, which tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa, the palace said.

A spokesman for the hit show confirmed the couple's private visit back in February, while a fellow audience member told the Mail: They seemed to love it and were applauding enthusiastically.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured in London in July) will mark their return to royal duties next week at a gala performance of hip-hop musical Hamilton

Actors on stage performing Hamilton, the hip-hop musical that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Harry and Meghan are attending a gala performance of the show this month, marking the end of the summer break

Over the course of the evening, the pair will meet representatives from Sentebale and Hamilton, including members of the cast and crew.

After the performance, Harry and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the show's book, music, and lyrics, are set to address the audience.

Harry founded Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 following his gap year to Lesotho two years previously.

The charity supports the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.

Sentebales programmes of education and care provide the tools and knowledge this vulnerable generation need to live long, happy, healthy lives.

Actors on stage performing Hamilton - a Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning production that tells the story of Americas Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will watch the show later this month in London

Michael Jibson plays Prince Harry's ancestor, George III, in Hamilton. The monarch is portrayed as a puddingish, catty figure who stamps his foot on the floor cartoonishly during the show, which Harry and Meghan will watch later this month for the second time

Hamilton is a Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning production that tells the story of Americas Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

An immigrant from the West Indies, Hamilton became George Washingtons right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped shape the foundations of modern America.

The score blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway, and originally opened at the Public Theatre in New York in 2015.

Later that year, the Broadway production opened and in December 2017 the London production opened at the newly re-built and restored Victoria Palace Theatre.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured at Kensington Palace after announcing their engagement in November 2017) have announced their first official engagements following the summer break, first attending a gala performance of Hamilton and an awards ceremony

One memorable scene sees Harry's ancestor, George III, is mocked mercilessly. The English king, played by Michael Jibson, is portrayed as a puddingish, catty figure who stamps his foot on the floor as he bemoans the loss of his colony.

Although George III is remembered mainly for losing both the American colonies and his sanity, he is said to be the monarch that Harrys father, Prince Charles, respects most.

Less than a week after their visit to Hamilton, on 4 August, Harry and Meghan will attend the annual WellChild Awards at The Royal Lancaster Hotel.

The awards celebrate the inspiring qualities of some of the countrys seriously ill young people and the dedication of those who go the extra mile to keep children healthy and happy, including the outstanding health, social care and education professionals.
A Scottish chippy is selling what may be Britain's unhealthiest takeaway: a giant box of deep-fried foods that contains an artery-clogging 7,000 calories.

The 10 bargain meal at the East West Spice takeaway restaurant in Greenock contains chips, two pizza 'crunches,' battered fish and sausages, two hamburgers, onion rings, chicken nuggets and fritters - all of which are deep fried.

The 'Crunchy Box' also comes with a two-litre bottle of Irn-Bru which takes the calorie count to a whopping 6,792 kcal.

The Family Crunch Box, which is 10 from the East West Spice takeaway chippy in Greenock, Scotland, contains (from left to right): two sausages, five onion rings, potato fritters, two pizza slices, two hamburgers, two chicken nuggets, and fish on a bed of chips - all of which are battered and deep-fried. It also comes with a two-litre bottle of traditional Scottish beverage, Irn Bru

Although health campaigners have slammed the box as 'gross,' the shop manager, Bahadur Singh, says his customers love the deal.

He added that it is designed for more than one person as it is called the Family Crunch Box.

He said: 'I just thought it would be nice to combine the ideas and bring something which would appeal to everyone.

'We put the deal on and people seem to love it. Everything is cooked in fat but the dish is big enough for three or four people to share.

Writer Ross McCafferty sent the meal deal viral when he tweeted a photo of it on Twitter as the takeaway restaurant is in his hometown of Greenock. Twitter users found the picture hilarious and it received 9.4k likes

'It's definitely for the family to eat. People think it's a great deal.'

The deal went viral with more than 9,000 likes after writer Ross McCafferty tweeted a photo of the beige meal deal on Twitter.

He joked: 'A chippy in my hometown is selling this 'crunch box' for a TENNER and if you don't think it looks like the most appetizing thing ever then there's no hope for you.'

Takeaway fans have been sharing the post online, with one saying on Facebook that it was 'the most Scottish thing I've seen'.

Another joked that the box would make a 'nice starter,' while one said that the box of fried foods was considered a 'Glasgow salad'.

The box of fried foods can come with gravy or curry sauce as an optional extra.

Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said he despaired that such deals were still allowed.

He said: 'It is gross. They will say it's a family meal so it's not too much, but I would be extremely worried about the type of food this family were eating.

'I haven't calculated the number of calories but it will be an enormous number. It also shows the irresponsibility of the out-of-home sector that they have totally ignored the Scottish Government's desperate efforts to try and get people interested in healthy eating.

'To top it all off with the Irn Bru is just out of this world. It's a perfect example of everything we stand against in the fight against obesity.'

In 2014 Pizza Hut was panned by health campaigners after unveiling a new 'Cheeseburger Pizza' that contained 3,000 calories - half as much as the Family Crunch Box.
Soaring numbers of women over 50 are turning to IVF to fulfil their life-long dreams of becoming mothers, new figures have revealed.

Data from the IVF regulator Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority shows 223 babies were born in the UK to women over the age of 50 in the past decade.

In 2016 alone, 42 women over the age of 50 became mothers through IVF - the highest figure on record and three times that of 2012.

Fertility experts have today told MailOnline that unless women in their fifties use donor eggs, their chances of conceiving are 'close to zero'. Many have delayed having children to pursue a high-flying career or have failed to find a lover.

The new figures come just weeks after 54-year-old Danish actress Brigitte Nielsen welcomed her fifth child via IVF, after deciding to freeze her eggs at 40.

Danish actress Brigitte Nielsen, 54, welcomed her fifth child via IVF after deciding to freeze her eggs at 40. Daughter Frida was born via C-section last June

ACTRESS BRIGITTE NIELSEN ON BECOMING A MOTHER AT 54: ROCKY IV STAR ENDURED IVF FOR ALMOST 14 YEARS AFTER FREEZING HER EGGS AT 40 Brigitte Nielsen welcomed her fifth child, a baby girl named Frida, in June 2018. In an interview with People magazine, Nielsen, who turned 55 in July, revealed she had been trying to conceive for more than a decade after freezing her eggs. The actress confessed IVF was a long and emotionally draining experience, but definitely worth it. She said: 'It is such a long road. What I want women to know is that everything is possible, but you have to be realistic. There was a lot of disappointment.' Nielsen already has four children from past relationships - Raoul Meyer Jr., 23, Douglas Meyer, 25, Killian Nielsen, 28, and Julian Winding, 34. The actress knew she wanted to freeze her eggs aged 40 when she met her now-husband Mattia Dessi, who is 15 years her junior. She was given just a 3-to-4 per cent chance of conceiving with her own eggs but persisted for almost 14 years, despite the heartache and expense. Nielsen said: 'My husband and I have been wanting this so much for so many years. I finally have my little princess.' The actress intends to be a hands-on and insists her age and experience will only make her a better mother. 'Im more capable, less frustrated and not afraid. I know exactly what I want to do with her and where Im at in life', she explained. Brigitte told the magazine she had an easy pregnancy and gave birth via C-section. Advertisement

Critics argue older mothers leave their children at risk of being orphans, while others point out women who conceive in their 50s will be looking after teenagers in their 70s.

Commenting on the figures, Dr Hana Visnova, medical director at the IVF Cube clinic in Prague, told MailOnline, said: 'The anecdotal evidence we have seen is women over 50 who are trying to become mothers have been focusing on their careers or they just have not found the right partner.'

The HFEA data shows IVF is becoming more successful among older women, with conception rates rising from 31 per cent to 44 per cent between 2006 and 2016.

Between 2006 and 2008, the data shows just 56 out of 179 women in their 50s got pregnant through IVF.

But across 2013 to 2016, 132 out of 297 older women conceived via the treatment - a significant percentage increase.

Due to the NHS having a cut-off age of 42 for IVF, these women are believed to have been treated privately.

Despite the promising statistics, Dr Visnova said: 'It might be possible [for IVF to work for older women] but only via donor egg programmes.

'The chances for IVF with own eggs, let alone natural conceptions, are at this age close to zero.'

Nielsen, best known for her role in Rocky IV and for being married to Sylvester Stallone, reportedly defied the odds.

She managed to conceive using frozen, rather than donor eggs, when she met her now-husband Mattia Dessi, who is 15 years her junior.

But on the back of her claims, a fertility expert warned if stars who haven't admitted using a donor egg to have a baby could be giving 'false hope' to women.

They argued it's not 'impossible' for women above the age of 44 to have a baby using their own eggs - but said they are the 'exception not the rule'.

Louise Brown was the first child ever born by IVF and weighed 5lbs 12oz when she was born at the Royal Hospital in Oldham in 1978.

She froze her eggs at 40 after meeting her now-husband Mattia Dessi, who is 15 years younger

HOW DOES IVF WORK? In-vitro fertilisation, known as IVF, is a medical procedure in which a woman has an already-fertilised egg inserted into her womb to become pregnant. It is used when couples are unable to conceive naturally, and a sperm and egg are removed from their bodies and combined in a laboratory before the embryo is inserted into the woman. Once the embryo is in the womb, the pregnancy should continue as normal. The procedure can be done using eggs and sperm from a couple or those from donors. Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that IVF should be offered on the NHS to women under 43 who have been trying to conceive through regular unprotected sex for two years. People can also pay for IVF privately, which costs an average of 3,348 for a single cycle, according to figures published in January 2018, and there is no guarantee of success. The NHS says success rates for women under 35 are about 29 per cent, with the chance of a successful cycle reducing as they age. Around eight million babies are thought to have been born due to IVF since the first ever case, British woman Louise Brown, was born in 1978. Chances of success The success rate of IVF depends on the age of the woman undergoing treatment, as well as the cause of the infertility (if it's known). Younger women are more likely to have a successful pregnancy. IVF isn't usually recommended for women over the age of 42 because the chances of a successful pregnancy are thought to be too low. Between 2014 and 2016 the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in a live birth was: 29 per cent for women under 35 23 per cent for women aged 35 to 37 15 per cent for women aged 38 to 39 9 per cent for women aged 40 to 42 3 per cent for women aged 43 to 44 2 per cent for women aged over 44 Advertisement

Critics argue we should 'stop meddling with nature'

Some critics argue IVF should not be permitted for older mothers due to their being a higher risk of their children being orphaned.

Josephine Quintavalle, from Comment on Reproductive Ethics, previously told MailOnline: 'Very few women seem to know they are born with a limited number of eggs which are never replaced and which die at a very fast rate from birth onwards.

'This surely is a clear message from nature that women are intended to have children when their eggs are still relatively numerous, and are most likely to be of good quality, and when the mother herself is more likely to be well and energetic.

'Sperm on the other hand does not suffer the same decline in quantity or quality.

'To distort this message from nature is doing no service to women themselves, let alone any prospective offspring who should enjoy the presence of their mothers for as long as possible, and hopefully in due course have a grandmother or two as well.

'Society should ensure that women can have children when nature intended them to and when the mother can be around for the longest possible time.

'We should change the social structures and give greater deference to childbearing at the appropriate age but stop meddling with nature.'
People who research their illness online before visiting hospital may benefit

Researching symptoms online before going to hospital could make it easier to understand your doctor, experts say, but it might also be making you anxious.

A study has revealed more than a third of people use the internet to look up what might be wrong with them before going to hospital.

And research shows this makes most feel better about their meetings with medics and like they can communicate better with their doctor.

But at the same time, using Dr Google could be stoking fears of more serious health problems  some 40 per cent of people say it makes them more anxious or worried.

Australian scientists studied 400 people who visited emergency rooms in two hospitals and say their results suggest doctors should be willing to discuss patients' online research with them face-to-face.

People who use the internet to research their symptoms before going to the emergency department say they are able to ask their doctor more informed questions, according to Australian researchers

Researchers at St Vincent's Hospital and Austin Hospital, both in Melbourne, surveyed patients in the hospitals' emergency departments.

Some 34.8 per cent of the patients had researched their symptoms online before visiting the hospital, while 49 per cent admitted to regularly looking up health information.

People are often warned about self-diagnosing online because experts say it can be harmful for them to think they have a condition they don't.

However, study author Dr Anthony Cocco said the research is generally helpful as long as patients go to reputable sites.

'Research allows patients to clarify what they are feeling'

'Researching allows patients to be able to clarify and sort out what they're feeling,' he said.

'Most notably, they were able to ask more informed questions of their doctors and communicate more effectively.'

When questioned, a majority  132 out of 195 patients  agreed that online searching improved how well they communicated with their doctor.

Some 155 of the 195  nearly 80 per cent  said internet research helped them understand their doctor and ask more informed questions.

TOP DOCTOR TELLS PATIENTS TO GOOGLE THEIR SYMPTOMS Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, the head of the Royal College of GPs, said last year people should research their symptoms online before seeking professional help. She said doing so for minor problems could prevent people making unnecessary trips to the doctor. Instead they should treat themselves, look up their symptoms online or go to a pharmacist before phoning the GP. Professor Stokes-Lampard said: 'We believe that up to a quarter of appointments could be avoidable or sorted out by another means. 'Of course for many things you'll still be phoning the GP and that's fine  that's what we're here for. 'But if just 10 per cent of people didn't come and see their GP, but did one of those three things, that would make a huge difference.' Advertisement

Dr Google makes four in ten more anxious or worried

However, Dr Google may not be so good for people's mental health  some 40 per cent of the internet searchers said it had made them more worried or anxious.

But Dr Cocco said: 'Obviously, anytime you're unwell you're a bit anxious.

'People coming into emergency are coming in on their worst day.

'But certainly our research is not indicating that it's leading more people to come into emergency.'

Younger people are more likely to look up their problems online before seeking professional help  58 per cent of 18 to 29-year-olds did it, compared to just 14 per cent of over-60s.

And most people who looked up health issues used the top-ranked sites on Google, suggesting the information they read is reputable.

Doctors 'would be reassured' that patients do not doubt their advice

And Dr Cocco added people do not seem to doubt their doctor's advice because of what they read online.

Most people said their decision to accept the treatment is not affected by whether or not they did online research before visiting, the research showed.

Dr Cocco said: 'I think that would be very reassuring for doctors.'

He suggested doctors should be prepared to discuss online searches with emergency patients.

'A lot of doctors are probably unaware of how much this is happening,' he added. 'I think we need to be openly communicating, saying to patients 'have you looked into this?''

The team's findings were published in The Medical Journal of Australia.
A two-year-old boy is believed to be one of the youngest people in Britain ever to be diagnosed with a rare brain condition dubbed 'childhood Alzheimer's'.

Little Reggie Griffiths is battling a brain wasting disease which affects just one in 70,000 people and his parents have been told he may not live past the age of 20.

The tot is thought to be the youngest person in the country to suffer from Sanfilippo syndrome, which destroys the brain in a similar way to Alzheimer's disease.

His parents took him to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent thinking he might have autism after they noticed his development was slow and he often rocked back and forth.

But the reality is much worse and the rare terminal condition means Reggie will lose his memory as his mind and body deteriorate.

Heartbroken mother Rebecca Griffiths, 25, was told nobody with the condition lives past their teenage years but she is determined to give her son the best life she can.

The family will hold a fundraiser in their hometown for a charity researching the rare condition and are sharing their story to raise awareness of the devastating disease.

Two-year-old Reggie Griffiths, from Knutton in Staffordshire was diagnosed with a genetic brain condition similar to Alzheimer's disease

Full-time mum Ms Griffiths from Knutton, Staffordshire said: 'Reggie was diagnosed on January 30 this year but he hadn't been right for some time.

'We took him to Royal Stoke Hospital because he was just rocking back and forth and developing slowly  at first they thought it was autism.

'He was transferred to Birmingham's Children's Hospital after a paediatrician at Stoke noticed the symptoms and we were then told he had Sanfilippo syndrome.'

Sanfilippo syndrome is a rare genetic condition which causes fatal brain damage, and is thought to affect one in 70,000 children.

The condition causes brain cells to fill up with cell waste which the body cannot get rid of  over time this causes the brain cells to die and the organ to stop working.

Reggie is unlikely to live past his teenage years, but his parents are determined to make his life enjoyable while it lasts  Reggie's family, pictured from left: father Jake Huckfield, mother Rebecca Griffiths, and siblings Mason, four, and Amelia, six

Reggie, now two, was born with the incurable Sanfilippo syndrome which causes brain cells to die off and cause irreparable brain damage which will eventually be fatal

'Children who have the conditon will often have a broad nose and a big forehead and so [the doctor] thought that's what he may have,' Ms Griffiths said.

'It breaks your heart when you see the words terminal and incurable'

'I Googled it and your heart just breaks when you see the words "incurable" and "terminal".

'I didn't cope well at first but I've got two other children to be a mum for and I want to give Reggie the best life possible.

'He is hyperactive, non-verbal, has sleep apnoea and his behaviour can be hard to deal with but a lot of the time he can be a happy smiley little boy.

'People ask me all the time how I cope and I just get on with things. I always said I wasn't going to bury my head in the sand and hide.'

Reggie, pictured on his first birthday, has only ever said the word 'dad', his mother said, and she does not expect him to ever learn to talk properly

Rebecca Griffiths, pictured with her son Reggie, said: 'I Googled it and your heart just breaks when you see the words "incurable" and "terminal"

Sanfilippo syndrome is not curable and usually kills children before they make it out of their teenage years.

Because Reggie's brain is so damaged he does not speak, although his mother says he did say the word 'dad' once.

Children with the condition don't usually live past 20

WHAT IS SANFILIPPO SYNDROME? Sanfilippo Syndrome is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. It occurs when the enzymes that are needed to break down heparan sulfate sugar chains are missing or defective. Over time, brain cells fill up with waste that the body is unable to process. As the brain gets progressively damaged, sufferers will experience: Hyperactivity

Sleeplessness

Loss of speech and cognitive skills,

Cardiac issues

Seizures

Loss of mobilit

Dementia Sufferers are initially healthy but start to show signs of a decline in learning ability between the ages of two and six. Children can only inherit the condition if both of their parents are carriers - in that situation, the child has a 25 percent chance of having the disease. The syndrome affects one in 70,000 children. Sanfilippo Syndrome is referred to as a childhood disease because most patients never reach adulthood. There is currently no treatment or cure, but there are several clinical trials already completed or underway. Source: Sanfilippo Children's Foundation Advertisement

His parents have accepted that rather than growing up to be big and strong, Reggie will grow weaker as he gets older and his brain will degenerate.

Ms Griffiths said: 'It's called a childhood illness as this condition means they don't live past 20, so we're going to create as many happy memories as we can for him.

'Reggie's brain is very damaged and so it may be shorter than that. His tonsils are big and his airway is very small so they will have to come out at some point.

'I want to make the most of him while he's with me'

'He will just slowly deteriorate to the point where he will be wheelchair and bed-ridden and won't be able to eat. You just deal with each problem step by step.

'I want to make the most of him while he's with me and give him amazing memories while he can recall them. There's no point me falling apart.

'His body will eventually shut down and then he will forget everything he has learned.

'I don't think he will ever learn to talk but he did say the word 'dad' once, so we can always hold on to that.

'He is a very happy child but I don't think I'll ever hear his voice'

'He is a very happy child though and is just lovely but I don't think I'll ever hear the sound of his voice.'

Ms Griffiths and Reggie's dad Jake Huckfield, 27, are now planning a fundraiser in their hometown to help fund research into the condition.

They hope one day a cure can be found, and are promoting The Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases (MPS Society).

Ms Griffiths, who is also mum to Amelia, six, and Mason, four, added: 'I don't think we'll see a cure in Reggie's lifetime.

'But I hope in the future someone will be able to say my child used to have that.

Two-year-old Reggie, pictured with sister Amelia (left) and brother Mason (right), will eventually become so brain damaged by Sanfilippo syndrome that he will rely on a wheelchair

Reggie's parents say he is a happy child but he cannot talk, and will gradually forget everything he has learned so far because of the disease dubbed 'childhood Alzheimer's'

Sanfilippo syndrome, with which Reggie was born, is a rare genetic condition and is thought to only affect around one in every 70,000 children

'The MPS Society supports families who are affected and it's such a cruel illness but also they are seeking a cure.

'It would be of some comfort in the future if we can say we'd contributed towards a cure in any way we can.

'A lot of people try and raise money for treatment abroad and we were told there were clinical trials  but I don't want to put him through that.

'We're just focused on giving him the best life possible'

'None of the clinical trials have worked so far and you don't know he is going to react to them.

'I don't want him being used as a guinea pig, so we're just focused on giving him the best life possible while we have him with us and accept what's to come.'
The terminally ill man who won $289 million in a landmark verdict against the agrochemical giant Monsanto is speaking out for the first time.

Dewayne Johnson, 46, who worked as a groundskeeper for a school district in Benicia, California, won the large settlement after a jury found that the weedkiller Roundup played a large role in causing his cancer.

Johnson, a married-father-of two, doesn't have long to live, having been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - a cancer that starts in the white bloods cells - in August 2014, which has since spread.

Monsanto plans to appeal the verdict and the compensation will only be released when this has been heard, meaning Johnson may not live to see his payout.

However, in an interview with CBS This Morning, Johnson said he's happy about the trial's outcome because he didn't want to 'die for nothing' and to make sure others were warned about the potential danger of using the weedkiller.

Dewayne 'Lee' Johnson, 46 (pictured), is speaking out for the first time since jurors awarded him $289 million in damages in his trial against agrochemical colossus Monsanto

The jury found that the weedkiller Roundup played a large role in causing Johnson's on-Hodgkin's lymphoma - a cancer that starts in the white bloods cells. Pictured, left and right: Johnson hears the verdict read in court

As a former groundskeeper for a school district in Benicia, California, from 2012 through mid-2015 (pictured), Johnson said he mixed and sprayed hundreds of gallons of Roundup to keep grass and weeds under control

The jury also found Monsanto 'acted with malice, oppression or fraud and should be punished for its conduct' towards Johnson. Pictured: Johnson, right, with his wife, Araceli

Johnson worked as a groundskeeper from 2012 through mid-2015, mixing and spraying hundreds of gallons of Roundup to keep grass and weeds under control.

The main ingredient in Roundup is a chemical compound called glyphosate.

Glyphosate is marketed either as a salt or an amber-colored liquid with no smell. Monsanto introduced it in 1974 as an effective way of killing weeds while leaving crops and plants intact.

Glyphosate-based products are sold in more than 160 countries, and farmers use it on 250 types of crops in California alone, which is the leading farming state in the US.

In March 2015, the World Health Organization found that that the herbicide is 'probably carcinogenic to humans'.

Then, in 2017, California named glyphosate an ingredient that causes cancer under the state's Proposition 65, which requires Roundup to carry a warning label if sold in California.

One of Johnson's attorneys, Timothy Litzenburg, told Daily Mail Online in July that Johnson would spray the product between 30 and 40 times per year.

'One of the things that stuck out to me the worst is when [who is they] told me it was safe enough to drink,' Johnson told CBS This Morning. 'Actually, they - it became a joke almost.'

One of Johnson's attorneys told Daily Mail Online that Johnson (pictured, with his sons) called that in November 2014, his client contacted the company about his diagnosis

In the first case to reach trial alleging a cancer link from Roundup, Johnson (pictured) said he had to win so Monsanto could be held accountable

Johnson said that while he was a groundskeeper, he was told Roundup was safe enough to drink and that there was never a day he didn't get the product on his skin. Pictured: Johnson's hand, left, and his back, right, covered in lesions

Despite wearing protective gear, Johnson said he was often drenched in the product.

In one exposure accident, he testified that he wasn't able to shower for six hours

'It was never like "Oh, I didn't even get any on me today." It was always like, "Man, I'm glad I had this on",' Johnson said.

Johnson said that a few months after one accident in which a hose came loose and sprayed Roundup inside his suit, he developed a total body rash.

'It never went away. And it got worse, and then worse, and worse,' Johnson said.

In August 2014, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Litzenburg told Daily Mail Online that Johnson called that in November 2014, his client contacted the company about his diagnosis.

THE SAGA SURROUNDING THE SAFETY OF GLYPHOSATE Glyphosate is an herbicide first registered for use in the US in 1974. It is marketed either as a salt or an amber-colored liquid with no smell. Monsanto markets glyphosate as part of the pesticide Roundup. Several studies found that high doses administered to laboratory animals caused cancer, although the evidence is 'limited' when it comes to humans. In March 2015, the World Health Organizatrion ranked glyphosate a Group 2a carcinogen, a substance that probably causes cancer in people. In 2017, California added glyphosate to its proposition 65 list, which requires Roundup to carry a warning label if sold in California. Monsanto has vehemently denied that its product causes cancer and says and more than 800 studies that have established its safety. Yet more than 4,000 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits - 800 over the past year - claiming Monsanto made them or members of their family sick. Advertisement

'He said: "Hey I just want to let you know I have this and I want to ask ask could it be contributing to my cancer",' Litzenburg said.

Johnson's concerns landed on the desk of Dr Daniel Goldstein, the lead of medical sciences at Monsanto.

According to an internal company email, Dr Goldstein wrote that he intended to call Johnson but never did.

Then, in September 2015, doctors told Johnson that he was likely to die in less than a couple of years, Litzenburg said.

Johnson sue in 2016 and the case was fast-tracked because, under California law, dying patients have a right to an expedited trial.

The eight-week trial began in June and, after three days of deliberations, the jury awarded Johnson $250 million in punitive damages and nearly $40 million in compensatory damages, bringing the total to $289 million.

The jury also found Monsanto 'acted with malice, oppression or fraud and should be punished for its conduct,' Judge Suzanne Ramos Bolanos announced in court in San Francisco.

Johnson, whose case was the first to reach trial alleging a cancer link from Roundup, said he had to win so Monsanto could be held accountable.

'The verdict really meant to me - that this [trial] was not done in vain,' Johnson said.

'I remember standing there saying to myself: "If I lose this case, this company is gonna get away" andthey'll be able to say: "See? Told you our stuff didn't do that".'

Monsanto has denied any link with the disease, saying the product has undergone stringent testing and more than 800 studies have established its safety.

After the verdict was announced, Monsanto vice president Scott Partridge said the company is prepared to appeal the decision.

'We are sympathetic to Mr. Johnson and his family' he said, adding that '[t]oday's decision does not change the fact that more than 800 scientific studies and reviews...support the fact that glyphosate does not cause cancer, and did not cause Mr Johnson's cancer'.

Monsanto plans to appeal and the compensation will only be released when this has been heard, meaning Johnson (pictured) may not live to see his payout

The company alleges that more than 800 studies have established Roundup's safety

Founded in 1901 in St Louis, Missouri, Monsanto began producing agrochemicals in the 1940s.

It was acquired by German-based pharmaceutical and chemical group Bayer for more than $62 billion in June.

Bayer announced at the time that it would be dropping Monsanto's name and replacing it with Bayer as the company name.

'Bayer will remain the company name. Monsanto will no longer be a company name. The acquired products will retain their brand names and become part of the Bayer portfolio,' Bayer said in a statement to Reuters.

Bayer's decision to drop the name means Monsanto products like Roundup will still be Roundup, but now they will be Bayer's Roundup, not Monsanto's Roundup. Roundup will still contain glyphosate.

'Bayer will remain the company name. Monsanto will no longer be a company name. The acquired products will retain their brand names and become part of the Bayer portfolio,' Bayer told Reuters in a statement

In other words, products like Roundup would retain their name, but be advertised as Bayer's Roundup, not Monsanto